Yes, Facebook does have a use

Or is that too cynical?

Unity Clothing in Whitehorse has a Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/pages/Unity-Clothing/149894025036306

For every person who "likes" their page between today and 5th February, Unity will donate $1 to the shelter's Bella Fund. The fund is for major medical expenses for shelter animals such as Dexter who needs a hip replacement. Our aim is to reach $500. If you're on Facebook, go and "like" their page. If you're not on Facebook, make an account and like their page, it's worth it.

Santa Pet Photos A Success!

Once again the Pet Photos with Santa was a big success. The total amount raised was a huge $2,503.74!! This beats last year’s fundraising by $700.

Our Santa this year was Brian Farrell, and big thanks go out to him for stepping into the role so willingly and almost last minute. Our usual Santa was unable to fill the role this year and we had to scramble a bit to find a replacement. Brian stepped in – for all three days – without complaint and we couldn’t have done it without him! He has past experience with the Pet Photos as he was Santa for the first several years when the fundraiser was at the Horwood’s Mall. Thank you, Brian, for being patient, calm and so easy to work with!

Lisa and The Feed Store staff once again went far above and beyond their call of duty (and most likely their job descriptions) to accommodate us. The photos started out in the warehouse, and while coffee & hot apple cider were on hand to stave off the chill, it was very cold inside. After a few difficulties (including the floor icing over), the photos were moved inside where it was warmer. This wasn’t the ideal situation, particularly as overexcited dogs & puppies have a bad habit of peeing regardless of how well they’re behaved in general, but the staff bore it well and we are, as usual, hugely grateful for their cooperation and use of their space.

Gerry Steers was once again our photographer and did a remarkable 250 photos in three days this year! It’s a lot of work and we appreciate the time she gave the shelter to do this. Thanks, Gerry!

And once again, this never would have happened without all their pets & their owners coming out to support us. Despite problems that seem to arise each year (we do try to think ahead & prepare for the worst, but the worst keeps changing!), you return each year and help us in our cause for the animal residents at Mae Bachur. Our sincere gratitude & thanks to each and every one of you!

Happy New Year from the Staff and Board of Humane Society Yukon!

Return of the Carcross Posties

Yes, once again the posties and the good people of Carcross have spent the past year raising money for the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter. They visited the shelter on Saturday and donated $2,204 to us.

Thanks to everyone in Carcross and to the posties for all their hard work.

Also in donation news:

A group of Grade 10 students at Porter Creek Secondary School built and auctioned off gingerbread houses. They were able to give the shelter a $50 gift card and $276 which will be matched by The Feed Store in Whitehorse.

Thanks to the students and staff at PCSS for their work and to The Feed Store for once again being a great supporter of the shelter.

O little pups of Whitehorse

How sweet we see thee lie,
Around thy deep and dreamful sleep
The shelter staff go by.
Yet in thy deep dreams shineth
The everlasting hope,
The coming weeks will see a home
Where they will be loved.

How carefully, how carefully
The loving homes are chosen.
So dog imparts to human hearts
The blessings of the canine.
No ear may hear their coming,
But in this land of snow,
Where good homes will receive them now
The loving pup will bide.

Britain's Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has a slogan for this time of year,
A Dog Is For Life, Not Just For Christmas.
The RSPCA, together with similar societies around the world, works to educate people as to the problems associated with giving animals as gifts. Where midwinter festivals are held, December is a busy time of year. There is so much to do with visiting family, making feasts and buying presents that there is little time to give a new animal the attention it requires and deserves.
Maybe your kids have been begging for a pet and promised to take care of it. How many toys do you remember being abandoned by Boxing Day? Exactly.
All animals need care and puppies and kittens need much more than adults. They will grow as well, they don't stay small and cute forever.
Too many animal shelters see an influx of animals in January due to people giving animals as gifts which are then unwanted.
The Mae Bachur Animal Shelter will not be adopting out animals from 18th December to 27th December. This is a common policy among animal shelters to avoid shelter animals being returned unwanted after Christmas.

If you are thinking of taking on an animal as a pet, whether from a shelter or elsewhere, wait until after the festivities have finished and you have the time to devote to the new member of your family.
As the unknown author of "Forgotten Dog's Christmas" wrote,
" You weren't given a gift, you were given a life".

The staff and residents of the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We thank all those people who have donated time, money and items to help us take care of our animals through 2010 and look forward to seeing you again in 2011.

On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me, a picture of Rover and Santa

Christmas is rapidly approaching once more, someone had to break it to you.

Once again, Humane Society Yukon is offering the chance to have your pet`s photo taken with Santa.

Santa will be at The Feed Store, 9006 Quartz Rd, on 27th November, 4th December and 11th December. On all three Saturdays he will be ready to pose with your pets from 11AM to 4PM.

A 5x7 photo of your pet and Santa is only $10 and all the proceeds go to the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter.

Just what you need as present for your cousin Julia! Or Auntie Mabel! Or your granny! There`s always someone who will appreciate it.

Wonderful News on Trevor

The Yukon Supreme Court has granted our application to keep Trevor here at the shelter. We will continue providing him with training and exercise under the guidance of Dr. Shelley Breadner, the animal behaviourist who assessed Trevor. We will be able to transfer Trevor to a suitable home once one becomes available.

Thank you to everyone who worked hard to get us through this lengthy court process!

We have kept our costs to a bare minimum, thanks to our volunteers, as well as the support of the Law Line, and the generous donation of time from our lawyer, Carrie Burbidge. Thank you so much, Carrie! We couldn’t have done it without you.

Here is an excerpt from Justice Veale’s judgement:

“I appreciate the weariness of the City with this process but I cannot agree to euthanize the dog when there is a responsible owner, the Humane Society Yukon, prepared to care for the dog with all the safety conditions in place along with the supervision and management of Dr. Breadner. In other words, Trevor will be managed in the interests of public safety, whether or not a suitable foster home is ever found for him. Should a suitable home be found for the dog in the City’s jurisdiction, the City must be notified so that By-Law Services can exercise its mandate under the Animal Control Bylaw, especially as it concerns public safety. Should a suitable home be found for Trevor outside the City, the local authority must consent and the provisions of this Order apply.”

(Slightly Less) Crowded House

Thanks to the people who have adopted and fostered some of our animals and the animal shelter in Skagway we are now less crowded than before. Whilst the situation is not at crisis point, we still have many animals looking for loving homes.

We are still in need of dog walkers and other volunteers to help out at the shelter. We have many dedicated walkers but we can always use more. You give a dog a break from the shelter for an hour or so and give yourself some exercise.

Why not call round sometime and meet some of our furry inhabitants. You never know who could steal your heart.

Shelter Update

The Mae Bachur Animal Shelter is full to capacity. We are not accepting any more animals at this time. Please note that our website is under repair this week but we have an overwhelming amount of puppies, small, medium and large dogs currently available for adoption. Come down today and see our residents. We are also in need of foster homes for puppies and special needs dogs.

Please come by today, we are at 126 Tlingit Street in the industrial area. The shelter is open Tuesday to Sunday from noon to 7PM.

We hope to have our website updated for adoptions very soon.

Buddy Can You Spare a...Massive Amount of Dog Food?

Wow! When we put the the ad in the Yukon News and on the blog we didn't expect the response to be as big as it was. We have received a massive amount of food for our animals as well as cash donations to put towards food costs.

We know that Yukoners are generous but even we were surprised by the number of people who donated food.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to buy food for us, who dropped off money for food or who arranged for food to be ordered.

Dog Jog A Success

Our annual Dog Jog took place on 29th August. 26 dogs took part in the walk and about $1000 was raised for the shelter.

Thanks to all those who took part as well as their humans.

Jessica and the Kettle Corn folks popped popcorn for the participants and donated all sales to the shelter. Thanks to them and also the Feed Store who loaned us a water trough for the dogs and donated a box of pigs ears as rewards for the dogs.