Paw Prints
A blog by the friendly folks at Midland Humane Coalition
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A blog by the friendly folks at Midland Humane Coalition
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While we cannot rescue every cat and dog, we do our best to make a positive, life changing difference to the pets that come into our care. This is Dahlia's story.
We named her Dahlia. Dahlia was so thankful to be off the streets and in the care of humans again. We tried to find her previous owners, but had no luck. We started the vetting process so Dahlia can find a new home soon - vaccinations, microchipping, and surgery. Everything was going well. Until the last and very crucial step : the Spay Surgery. In her past life, it seemed Dahlia had already had puppies. Before she could be put up for adoption, she would need to be spayed. (All MHC rescues are spayed and neutered to prevent further reproduction as there are already too many homeless pets in Midland.) An Unexpected Life-Threatening Emergency When Dahlia came back to MHC, she did not seem to be herself. There seemed to be some complications that arose from her surgery. We immediately brought her over to the emergency hospital so she can be treated. She spent a few days there so they can closely monitor her condition and aid in her recovery. Had we not done that, Dahlia probably would have passed. Thanks to our quick-thinking and fast-acting staff, Dahlia received the emergency care that she needed in time. She is now on the road to recovery. Soon, Dahlia will be available for adoption. DONATE FOR DAHLIA Sometimes with great vet care, comes great vet bills. We never know what to expect with each pet we rescue. Dahlia's vet care ran us up a hefty sum: $5,382.51 Thankfully, we had resources to get her this crucial emergency care. Please donate so that we can replenish our pet vet funds and be ready and available to help out the next pet in need! Dahlia's Vet Bill NOTES FROM RESCUE LIFE is a blog series where we will be sharing some of our rescue stories and our day-to-day challenges & successes at the Midland Humane Coalition Adoption Center(inside PetSmart) and The Joe and Van Mabee Animal Rescue Center (our new rescue facility). Depending on how you look at this, this could either be a sad or happy rescue tale. We choose to look on the bright side (and use this as a cautionary tale for pet owners with young kittens). We were able to save 2 little kittens. Their names are Dottie & Dice. In mid-July, we rescued a cat and her litter of six from the City shelter. At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The momma cat and her kittens all looked and behaved as normal and healthy cats should. We set them up in a foster home for their safety until we can get them all vaccinated and fully vetted. Everything seemed to be going well for the bunch. However, after a while, they started showing signs of illness. We immediately took them to Legacy Animal Emergency Hospital to get them checked. They were diagnosed with FPV -- Feline Panleukopenia Virus, a highly contagious, life-threatening infectious disease in cats. They were treated and prescribed meds to help them fight the disease. There is no cure or medications capable of killing the virus. Intensive care and treatment are critical to support the cat’s health until its own body and immune system can fight off the virus. Without this, most (90%) afflicted would not survive. The fact that they were stray, unvaccinated young cats made them susceptible and increased their risk of catching this deadly illness. Kittens have high mortality rates. Fortunately, in this case, two kittens managed to survive. Though we lost the other four, we are grateful that all our efforts to help this group did not end in vain. Dottie & Dice are now happy, healthy and extremely playful little kittens. We will get them fully vetted and ready for adoption. The only way to ensure cats are protected is to get them vaccinated for FPV. This is a nasty but preventable disease. PLEASE GET YOUR CATS VACCINATED. Consult a vet. WE APPRECIATE DONATIONS With rescue work, we never know what situations we will have to deal with each day. Having a steady flow of funds enables us to be ready for whatever challenges we may encounter as we help cats & dogs out of desperate situations. Help us continue to help more pets like Dottie and Dice! Thank you!
When we chatted with the owner, he admitted that he could no longer take care of the dogs. His late wife rescued strays and had been their primary caretaker. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to give these dogs the care they needed. He had been reaching out to various rescues for help and was just about to surrender these dogs over to the city shelter. PUPdate: Benny, Sparky, Marley, Runt, and Cookie! MHC stepped in so they did not have to be surrendered to an overcrowded shelter. These 5 dogs have been safely in our care ever since. We have moved forward with their rehabilitation and vetting to get them ready for adoption. They have received plenty of love, nourishment and have enjoyed being safely indoors and are all doing a lot better now. They will all be ready for homes soon! Here's an update on each of them: Benny had an infected scar and needed treatments. He is also scheduled to be neutered. Sparky is almost done with all the vetting and will soon be ready for adoption. Marley is waiting for his appointment to be neutered. Runt & Cookie (smaller dogs) are ready for transport! They leave us on July 13. If you're interested in Benny, Marley or Sparky, you may visit them at MHC Adoption Center. or Email [email protected] Recently, the fabulous cast of Summer Mummers did a photo shoot to help promote MHC. These 5 backyard dogs rose to the occasion and stepped up onstage for a photo session. Check out the slideshow for their glow ups! Summer Mummers photos were taken by our incredibly talented volunteer photographer, Tasha Sport Pet Photography. Book with her to get exceptional pet photos taken! She makes pets look even more adorable! Fourth of July - Independence Day - it’s a day of celebration, BBQs, family, friends and, of course … F I R E W O R K S! As far as our pets are concerned, the festive explosions, bright flashes in the sky, and thick, smokey air may as well be stuff nightmares are made of! Around this time, there is usually a spike in the number of runaway pets in Midland who flee homes and yards out of panic and end up getting lost. So we urge all pet owners to take extra precautions to keep your pets secure during the celebrations. SAFETY TIPS
The best way for your pet to enjoy Fourth of July is by NOT joining in the festivities. Yep, they may have to sit this one out for their own good. Push that guilt aside because while you are enjoying the colorful lights and loud bangs, your pet/s will be safe and sound (albeit may or may not be suffering a panic attack) in the comforts of your home... and not lost in a dark alley somewhere. FOUND A LOST/RUNAWAY PET? Check for ID tags or get it scanned for a microchip. MHC can help scan pets for microchips at our Adoption Center inside Midland's PetSmart. Check out some helpful tips on what to do with Lost & Found Pets here.
Thank you, Steg, for sharing your time, stories & photos with us! The MHC Board and staff appreciate everything you have done to help Midland Humane Coalition become the organization it is today. You were truly instrumental in saving and enhancing so many pet lives! How and when did you start at MHC? In 2011, the Midland Humane Coalition, and Midland Animal Services, City of Midland, entered into partnership with PetSmart Charities, and embarked on a journey to save the lives of healthy and adoptable abandoned animals in the community, with the ultimate goal of making Midland a "No-Kill Community''. In August, 2011, I was approached by Shirley Webb, one of the first Board Members of the MHC while I was employed at the Midland SPCA. Through Shirley's and her family's volunteer work at the SPCA, she was aware of my love and passion for the animals, and my background in business. She asked that I apply and interview for the Executive Director position that would be available with the opening of the new Enhanced Adoption Center (EAC) inside the Midland PetSmart in November 2011. I later applied/interviewed for the position and was hired as the first Executive Director for the EAC. For the next nine (9) years I worked as the Executive Director to hire/develop staff and volunteers, and to develop key relationships with multiple partners to meet our goals/objectives of becoming a "No Kill Community''. I provided leadership for the day- to- day operations of the EAC which are multi-faceted and complex, and always made certain that the animals in our care were first, and healthy and safe, and were only placed in loving, caring homes that would ensure their success for a forever happy life. I was blessed to have full support of the MHC Board, and was surrounded by an outstanding team of volunteers and staff, who were professionals from various disciplines, that gave valuable support to me in setting up a strong organizational structure. As a team, we provided for the efficient, compassionate care of the precious animals, and were successful in meeting our goals/objectives. I retired from as Executive Director of the EAC in April 2020. For the past two (2) years I have remained part-time at the EAC as an Advisor/ Administrative Support as we made the transition to a new Director. I have also provided support to the EAC as the MHC expanded their vision and commenced operations at the new Joe and Van Mabee Animal Rescue Center. I retired from this position on March 28, 2022. Tell us what MHC was like then and now. How has it changed over the years? We were the second Enhanced Adoption Center to open inside a Petsmart Store in the State of Texas. In the early days of operation, I remember opening and closing the operation with only a few volunteers to help, working 10-12 hour shifts, 7 days a week for months, with only 1 day off each week, until adequate staff and volunteers were in place. With limited staff and volunteers, and the assistance and support of Laura Hollifield with Animal Outreach, we cared for 15-20 dogs and 10 or more cats each day at the Center. Most of my days off were spent shopping for supplies, or on the phone working through critical questions regarding animal illness, or animal surrender/placement/adoption. Spare time was spent developing policies, procedures, budgets, personnel guidelines, social media, safety/emergency programs, and performing many other administrative functions. It was a daunting task, but the animals that found their forever homes during these early days made it so worth the effort and sacrifices made. Since that time, we have been able to add adequate staff to support operations at the EAC. The MHC has been able to further expand their vision with the acquisition of a new rescue facility in Midland -the Joe and Van Mabee Animal Rescue Center. I first proposed the need for expansion of our operations at the EAC in 2014, that would accommodate added space for the quarantine, medical care/rehabilitation, and rotation of the animals. Seeing this come into fruition with the opening of the Joe and Van Mabee Animal Rescue Center in November, 2021, has been the fulfillment of this dream. This facility will provide space to prepare many more rescues for adoption. The pandemic certainly provided many challenges to operations. Fewer people were making visits to the Adoption Center, and adoptions were negatively impacted. This has improved with the decline of COVID cases and restrictions. What would you say were your greatest accomplishments during your time with MHC? The adoption process that I created that always put the animals first, and ensured that the animals were "the perfect match" for the adopters, was one of my greatest accomplishments. This made certain that the animals would live out their lives in a safe and loving home, and yielded very few failed adoptions, and many success stories, of which I am very proud. We reached out to many rescue groups in the Permian Basin, and became the central hub of information and support to the rescue community. This support included providing food/feeding supplies, donations, advertising, referrals, and much more. This effort increased adoptions, and helped us to make great strides towards meeting our goals. We spearheaded the efforts to bring the rescue community groups together to accomplish common goals - a true win-win for all. I will forever cherish the many lasting friendships I made within the community, especially the rescue community, over the past eleven (11) years. I developed a Volunteer Program, with policies and procedures, a Senior-to-Senior Program that has been very successful, and our staff planned many internal special events that helped raise funds for the organization. The Adoption Center Staff /Volunteers and Adoption Center animals participated in all MHC sponsored events in the community. The EAC Staff/Volunteers participated in shot clinics that were offered at low cost at various locations in the community. The EAC completed over 8,000 adoptions of healthy, adoptable dogs and cats into their loving, forever homes. Working with Midland Animal Services, and many rescue groups, the number of dogs and cats euthanized annually in Midland Animal Services was significantly reduced. We made great advances towards meeting our goal of making Midland a "No-Kill Community". Thousands of paw prints are forever etched in my heart of those precious animals that we saved. We took in hundreds of owner releases from the Midland animal shelter, and redirected hundreds of animals from being surrendered to the Midland Animal shelter. This required many hours of counseling with pet owners to fully educate them as to alternatives to surrendering their pets. We also helped owners find lost pets by checking for chips, and posting information regarding the lost animals(s) on facebook networks. This proved to be highly successful. Because of our unique location inside the Petsmart Store, our Staff spent hundreds of hours each year in educating the public coming through the Enhanced Adoption Center regarding proper animal care, i.e. best food choices, disease prevention, grooming, medical references, behavior modification training/techniques/references for problem behavior, the importance of vaccinations, and spay/neutering of pets, etc. We also worked closely with Trainers that helped owners with their pet(s) behavioral issues, and who helped many of our animals become more adoptable. What would you say were the most challenging aspects of your job? Dealing with the many medical issues that occurred with our animals at the Adoption Center, particularly during the first year of operation. This was very difficult to manage, and always took an emotional toll on the Staff and Volunteers. What was your favorite/most rewarding part of your job? Being able to see the transformation of the scared, insecure, abandoned/throw away dogs and cats that came into our care, become calm, confident, sweet and loveable. Watching the happiness they expressed when they found their forever homes was the most rewarding part of my job. I always lead from my heart. It was always about the animals. Any epic pet rescue stories that stood out through the years? All of our adoptions have been epic. Are there any pets whose names and faces you will never forget?
Lana - a 1 year old female pit bull, was hopeless and depressed after being dumped at the Midland Animal Shelter. She was scheduled for euthanasia when EAC Staff stepped in and saved her life. She came to the Adoption Center and flourished. Her personality caught the eye of Ricky Bedient , one of our great Trainers, and now Lana is a support dog for a Veteran with PTSD. Lana literally saved the Veteran's life! Many of our animals have been trained to become service dogs and provide emotional support for Veterans with PTSD. What are your plans now that you are fully retired? I plan to spend more time with my family and beloved pets. I will continue to be involved as an advocate for the many dogs and cats in our community that have no voice. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I enjoy working out, and taking long walks with my dog, Bentley. I also enjoy spending time with family and friends, and will now be able to travel some since I have more time. I enjoy the football season, and watching the Dallas Cowboys. Tell us about your fur babies...
FINAL WORDS FROM STEG: It has been an honor to serve as Director of the EAC for over 9 years, and as an Advisor over the past 2 years. Rescue is hard. It must be your passion - and, your passion is your purpose. I thank God and MHC for giving me the opportunity to pursue my passion of working to change the path of many precious animals in our community from that of inevitable euthanasia to a path of adoption into loving, forever homes. Together we have made a difference! I will be forever grateful! |
WelcomeHello! Welcome to our blog, pet lovers! We hope to share some helpful information regarding pet care, health and wellness here. Stay tuned for updates! Archives
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LocationJoe and Van Mabee Animal Rescue Center (ARC)
10210 W HWY 80 E Midland, TX 79706 Mailing Address PO BOX 53213 Midland, TX 79710 HOURS: M - Sun: 8am - 4pm The ARC: 432-557-3405 Designed and Managed By: Acquire Tech
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