My Cute Pet Pics!

In Depth Interview With M'Shoogy's Animal Rescue

We would like to introduce you to our good friends Gary and Lisa Silverglat, from M'Shoogy's Emergency Animal Rescue, located in Savannah Missouri.  They are a NO-KILL animal sanctuary that has been dedicated to saving the lives of abandoned, injured and abused animals for almost 20 years.  In that time they have saved over 15,000 animals from certain death! 

Their animal sanctuary also helps rehabilitate wildlife, hosts educational tours, runs an adoption center and even has a low cost veterinary clinic.  They are truly an amazing couple who have done all this, from just donations, volunteers and mostly using their own life savings. 

We can do great things when our hearts are full of such passion!

We were fortunate enough to have Gary and Lisa take some time away from the extremely busy schedule, to grant us an interview.  We cannot thank them enough for giving us such an honor.  With the help of some of our dear members we asked them the following questions, to try and understand what it truly takes to be such devoted animal lovers.

1.How did you both get started in animal rescue?

Lisa and I have both always loved animals and hated to see so many homeless and unwanted. When we purchased our farm 23 years ago, stray and dumped animals started showing up almost immediately. We knew we wanted to help these animals, so we began building kennels to house and care for them. Within four years, we were caring for 750 animals on our farm. We never specifically intended to start a rescue, but there was a need and so it just happened – they came and we built!

2. What or who inspires you both to do rescue work, as we know it's not easy?

We are inspired by the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the animals that are entrusted to us. As long as there are homeless animals, there will continue to be a need for us to help in any way we can.

3. What is your philosophy for caring and rescuing animals?

We are a no-kill facility because we believe that life is sacred regardless of species, age or size. All animals that we rescue have a home for life with us if a suitable adoptive family is not found for them.

4. What does a typical day at M’Shoogy's look like for you?

Daily chores begin at 6AM and continue throughout the day and well into the evening. All the animals are fed and watered and medications are given to the animals that need them. All pens are cleaned, and necessary repairs and maintenance are performed as needed.

M’Shoogy’s receives as many as 100 inquiry telephone calls per day which are handled and answered by Lisa and I. We often receive emergency calls from law enforcement officials or state wildlife conservation regarding injured and abandoned animals that require immediate rescue and medical attention. Frequently, these calls come in the middle of the night, so it’s not unusual for us to get out of bed to go on such a mission.

During business hours, Lisa and I also manage/oversee the low cost veterinary clinic that we started on our property in 2002 called Angels Vet Express. In addition, after the clinic closes each evening, Lisa and I monitor and care for all the animals staying overnight. This includes those that are recovering from surgery and/or are being treated for serious illnesses that require hospitalization.

So, to say the least, our schedule is a little crazy. Basically, our commitment to the animals is 24/7, 365 days per year.

5. Of all the different types of animals you have, which do you consider requiring the most care?

Overall, orphaned infants require the most care because they are unable to feed themselves and therefore are totally dependent upon us.  Springtime is an especially busy time for us because we are inundated with orphaned wildlife such as raccoons, skunks, rabbits, birds, etc.  Most of these orphans need to be bottle-fed every few hours around the clock for up to eight weeks.  Once they are eating on their own, they are released back into the wild where they belong.  It’s very rewarding to see that all our labor has finally paid off when we can release these young critters back into the wild and know that they are thriving on their own, the way nature intended.

Baby orphaned dogs and cats require the same constant around the clock care if we are not able to find a suitable surrogate to care for them.

6. Tell us more about Angels Vet Express.

Lisa and I started Angels so that the animals at M’Shoogy’s would have on site veterinary care and the general public would have access to low cost care for their pets.  We believe that all animals deserve the best possible healthcare at the lowest cost.  So our low cost prices are available to everyone without restrictions, qualifications or limitations.  Angels offers spay/neuter surgeries, general veterinary care, prescription medications, products and food at significantly reduced rates.  We do our best to treat any species of animals that comes through our doors.  We publish our price list online at www.mshoogys.com/angelsvetpdf.pdf and all net profits from Angels go directly to care for the animals at M’Shoogy’s.

7. What are your daily expenditures to maintain and feed over 700 animals?

In recent years, we unfortunately have had to scale down the number of animals that we take in due to financial constraints which means that an average of 30 animals per day must be turned away.  Currently, we have approx. 400 animals we are caring for and the daily costs total around $500.  This is for their general care only (food, water, shelter) and excludes medication.

8. How can people help (organizing fundraisers, bake sales, volunteering, rummage sales, sponsors, auctions)?

Giving monetary donations to M’Shoogy’s would be the most helpful thing that people can do.  Lisa and I want to insure that M’Shoogy’s will go on long past our life times and the only way this will happen is if M’Shoogy’s can operate on it’s own and pull in enough money to continue providing for all the animals.  For the past 23 years, the majority of the money needed to care for the animals has come from Lisa and I, as the donations we receive are less than 10% of the money required to run M’Shoogy’s.  We are getting older and the crazy pace is catching up with us and our financial resources are dwindling.  We are hopeful that people will recognize the need for M’Shoogy’s to carry on indefinitely and therefore be willing to donate money to make it happen.  M’Shoogy’s is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, so all donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.

9. If the readers of this interview could grant you one wish, what would it be?

Loving homes for all pets so that there is no longer a need to have facilities of our kind to take in animals that are abused, neglected or abandoned.

Unfortunately M'Shoogy's has fallen under very hard times and they are running extremely low on donations and also volunteers.  They really need us true animal lovers to help them continue saving the lives of so many of our furry little friends.  If you live within driving distance, we beg of you to stop by whenever you can and simply lend a hand.  We promise you that it is one of most rewarding feelings in life, when you volunteer at an animal rescue org. 

If you don't live in the vicinity you can still help them out so much by donating, which will help feed and care for the animals.  I know times are hard for most of us with the economy the way it is but even a few dollars can make a huge difference.  Please remember that they are a 501(C)(3) Charitable organization, so all donations are tax deductible!

You can easily donate via PayPal or check by clicking Here!

If you wish to volunteer or to take advantage of for their low cost vet service, their contact information is below.

M'Shoogy's Emergency Animal Rescue
11519 State Route C
Savannah, MO 64485
1-(816)-561-1635
info@mshoogys.com 

Thank you all so very much and God Bless you all.

We would like to also thank one of M'shoogy's devoted volunteers, Shari, for helping us get the interview.  She has a heart of gold and is truly a best friend to all animals & animal lovers around the world.  We would also like to truly thank Debbie, Jay and also Glenda for coming up with some great questions, for the interview.

Rescuing Animals With a Heart of Gold

These adorable pictures were sent to us along with a very touching story of one persons passion in animal rescue and their dreams to do much more.  Andra's desire to help animals makes us all realize the devotion and true love for animals it takes, to rescue as many as our furry little friends as possible.  To take homeless animals/strays off of the street into your own home takes so much courage, love, strength and serious devotion to helping animals in need.  This touching story shows us how beautiful people in this world are and can be when they are determined to make a difference.  Thank you so much Andra for having so much love inside of you for our furry little friends who are in so much need in this world.  

Here is the beautiful letter Andra wrote to us:

I would like to share with you the story of my pets.

As some of you may know, there is a big problem with stray dogs and cats in Romania. There are so many of them and if you want to help them, you simply don't know where to begin.  My boyfriend's mother used to take good care of the cats she found on the street even though she barely had anything.  She didn't even have much money for their food and she also lived in a small apartment together with her son. Many people misunderstood her and said she was insane, but I always admired her for her strength to continue despite all the talk and judging.  

Last year, she took care of 17 cats: she gave them food and a warm shelter and that's all they needed. Thanks to her, I have gained courage and started taking care of stray cats myself.  First I found Luna (the white cat with black spots) wandering the streets and desperately meowing.  She looked so alone and helpless! I took her home, gave her something to eat and she became my cat.  At first she was affraid of my 3 dogs, but soon they becamethe  best of friends. One week after I had found Luna, my boyfriend found Ruben in a big pile of garbage and had brought him to my place.  She was so skinny, dirty and stinky!  I bathed her (and she did not like it at all), fed her and took very good care of her.  

From the beginning, the two cats were housebroken and I think that was a very good start for our long lasting friendship.  They grew up together with my dogs and were all the best of friends and a family.  Soon, too soon, both Luna and Ruben got pregnant.  Both Luna's and Ruben's babies sadly died and unfortunatelly Ruben got sick after the parturition that we had to put her to sleep... I was so sad.

 Exactly 4 months after Ruben had beed put to sleep, we almost ran a baby cat over who was just desperately looking for a place to hide. The kitty had the same colour as Ruben, so we decided to name HIM Reuben (II).  At first, Luna wasn't very happy about her new little brother, but soon, they became great friends and took good care of each other.  A couple of weeks after Reubens arrival, Luna gave birth to 4 wonderful little baby cats and we decided to keep them as well.  The four cats names are: Eminescu, Dostoievski, Tolstoi and Karenina.  My aunt decided to adopt Karenina and Dostoievski and so now, I still have four cats: Luna, Reuben, Eminescu and Tolstoi.  They have their own room in my backyard and are always very active and showing their love for one another.  Luna and Reuben also show me their gratitude as often as they can. I love them so much and I couldn't imagine life without them!

My dream would be to open my own little animal shelter for dogs and cats, but unfortunatelly, for that I need a lot of money and I don't have it.  My boyfriend's mother always supported me in this and so I have decided, that if one day I will have the money to actually open this animal shelter, I will name it after her...especially since she has passed away with cancer a couple of weeks ago...

The Amazing Walking Paraplegic Dog

Craig Mosher and his ex-wife Maria were watching TV one night when a story came on about a badly injured puppy, that was used as bait for fighting dogs.  They quickly rose to the occasion and went out to adopt the little puppy, who they named Loois.  After recovering from his injuries, Loois had to undergo back surgery in 2004.  During the operation there was unfortunately some damage done to his spinal cord, causing Loois to loose the use of his hind legs.  You may think by now that this is a sad story but it's exactly the opposite.  Craig Mosher is an amazing man that spends his days caring for his best friend.

Thank you so very much for the wonderful story debbie.

Amazing Story of a Cat Named Noodle's

NEWCASTLE, Wash. - A special cat with some special challenges is getting a new home.

Her name is Noodle - and her owners say they fell in love with her the first time they saw her on KOMO News, despite her delicate and rare condition.

She's got the look - and the pipes - of your everyday housecat. But when Noodle takes that first step, she twitches and tumbles, and you realize something's a little off.

Noodle was born with a condition called "cerebellar hypoplasia." It means the part of her brain that controls her movement isn't developed. So she needs a special home.

Because animal shelters are often overwhelmed in the summer and early fall, workers were afraid Noodle would not find a good home.

That's when a Newcastle couple, the Zydeks, showed up to say they're up to the challenge.

"We are - we have little stairs, our little cat Minnie is looking forward to a little sister, so we'll be just fine," says Larry Zydek.

When the couple saw Noodles on KOMO TV, they said they thought she was "just the prettiest thing we'd ever seen."

Rescue workers who've worked with Noodle say she's not in pain, and the condition is not contagious.

"We've been waiting for a long time," says Zydek. "We're happy we have her now."

If you're looking for a special friend, Meow Cat Rescue in Kirkland says it now has two more cats with Noodle's condition.

Written by

The Komo Staff

To watch the video of this amazing story click Here!

Thank you so much for sending us this wonderful story Debbie.

Petfinder's $100,000 Shelter Challenge

These are just a few of the many rescued animals at the Acadiana Humane Society which is located in Sunset, Louisiana.  Our friend Sue Rabeaux and her shelter is one of the contestants in the $100,000 Petfinder shelter challenge, where they can win up to $25,000 for their shelter.  It''s free and easy to vote and I am attaching the e-mail she sent to us earlier today below.  They rescue all kinds of pets including, cats, dogs, guinea pigs, rats, goats, rabbits, birds & even lizards. 

They also have a weekly adoption stand at some their local big chain pet stores. They are very passionate animal lovers and can really use our help by voting for them in the contest.  They have been trying to finish building a hurricane safe shelter for some time but have run into funding issues.  Please help by just following the instructions below and voting for them.  Thank you all so much and God Bless.

The Animal Rescue Site $100,000 Shelter Challenge - brought to you by Petfinder

The Animal Rescue Site is awarding $100,000 in grants to eligible Petfinder member rescue organizations. The grand prize is a $25,000 grant. Just imagine how many animals we could help for $25,000! Acadiana Humane Society is listed on the site under rescues in Sunset, LA. Please vote for Acadiana Humane Society! This money would go very far to pay off our vet bills, complete our hurricane safe shelter, allow us to provide more much needed supplies to our foster homes, revive our depleted Spay/Neuter Fund to help low income families, and allow us to help more animals in need!

The rescue organizations with the most votes will win. You can click to help animals at www.theanimalrescuesite.com, and then vote for your favorite participating shelter. You have to click the "Click to Give Free Food & Care" button before you can see the information on voting for your favorite shelter. Clicking and voting are free, with no registration required. You can vote once every day during the Challenge, which starts on September 29th.

Visit www.theanimalrescuesite.com to learn more. It's free, and only takes a moment of your time. Thank you!

--
Please check out our cat shelter wish list for the animals! http://www.acadianahumane.org/wishlist.html You can also check our website for other ways to help our rescue animals: http://www.acadianahumane.org/donate.html Our regular needs list can be found here: http://www.mycatranch.com/needs.html Thanks! =^..^=

Thank you,
Sue Rabeaux =^..^=
Acadiana Humane Society & Cat Ranch
P.O. Drawer C
Sunset, LA 70584-0536
337-668-4484
suerabeaux@gmail.com or info@acadianahumane.org
http://www.mycatranch.com and http://www.acadianahumane.org/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mycatranch/
http://acadianahumane.org/catblogger/
100% of online store profits goes to the rescue animals!
http://my.tupperware.com/suerabeaux

The Cat House on The Kings

Rescue & adoption center of the month!

We just came across this story that truly amazed us so much, that we had to share with all of you.  What Lynea Lattanzio does and has done for animals will amaze you as well.  We have to help get the word out about her sanctuary and adoption center.  Here is a short insert from her bio about what she has done thus far.  Please remember that this all started from just one lady who wanted to help our furry little friends.  She has over 700 dogs and cats on her property that she cares for.  That's right dog's and cat's living in harmony!  She is truly a hero to all animal lovers!

The Cat House on the Kings is California's largest no-cage, no-kill, lifetime cat sanctuary and adoption center. Our mission is to place rescued cats and kittens into loving, permanent homes; to provide a safe, happy and healthy home for unwanted cats and kittens in a unique, no-cage facility; to prevent pet overpopulation through spaying and neutering; and to educate the public about responsible pet ownership.

Since its founding 16 years ago, The Cat House on the Kings has saved over 16,000 cats and 4,000 dogs (not counting the 40,000 animals we have spayed and neutered!) and currently cares for more than 700 cats and kittens!

To read more about Lynea & her sanctuary/adoption center please click HERE!
If you happen live in her area you can volunteer your times and skills or even adopt a pet.  They operate completely on donations.

They are also in need of simple products such as:
 1. Bleach
 2. Paper towels
 3. Canned cat and kitten food
 4. Scoopable litter
 5. Toner for HP Officejet J5780 printer
 6. Postage stamps
 7. Cat beds
 8. Large towels
 9. Oil-based electric heaters for enclosed rooms
10. SnuggleSafe warmers for kittens

You can truly make a difference!

Thank you all and God Bless you and your family. 

(Including pets of course)  :)

A Tale of Two Cats Who Were Luckily Saved

Meet Willie & Gracie!  They were luckily given a second chance at life when Kathy and her daughter decided to become their foster parents for only 2 weeks.  It's been 2 years and they are still with each other as they have now become a family.  Here is their beautiful life changing story.

Karen's daughter was doing an internship at a local radio station in July of 2006 & was doing a news story on the local SPCA.  They were not cat people by any means but she called her mom saying she wanted to be a foster parent for just 2 weeks for these 2 little kittens.  She explained it was for a brother & sister duo who were not even 2 pounds a piece and were just a few weeks old.  If her daughter did not take them, they would of been put to sleep.
 
Kathy agreed to just the 2 weeks and now here they are 2 years later, as they have become part of her household & life. She loves her Grand-kittens with all her heart and  is so happy that she didn't make her daughter take them back. Her daughter actually went back out of state to college the first of Aug. 2006, so the kittens became her complete responsibility.
 
Willie is the black male and his sister Gracie is gray in color.
Kathy does not regret taking them in at all. They have been so much fun and companionship for her.
 
Gracie is the kitty in the bathroom sink and is directly under a skylight, where she is literally sunbathing.  The picture of them together is when they were sleeping on the back of mommies love seat.  Last but not least is a picture of Willie when he was taking a nap in one of the extra bedrooms.
 
She talks about them like normal people talk about their grandchildren!! 

I just love it!

Thank you so much for submitting your grandkitten's pictures and the wonderful story how you and your daughter gave them a second chance at life.  We are so delighted to know that there are people like yourself out there saving our furry little friends.  God Bless you, your family and your pets.