Pet Tales 2019

Meet Bay Weekly Delivery Dogs Amber and Mr. Kimble

      Two new dogs joined the Bay Weekly family last summer, Amber and Mr. Kimble. They both came to live with drivers Jim Lyles and Peggy Traband in Deale from Collie Rescue in North Carolina. 

     Amber came first, in July. A sheltie mix with a sable-and-white coat with black highlights and soft amber eyes, she had been raised with about 25 dogs, in a hoarding situation with very little human contact. Dogs were her friends and remain so today. Ladies may be okay; men not so much. She’s slowly learning to trust and love.

     Mr. Kimble came about a month later to be Amber’s best friend. He’s a collie mix with a big smile and all the energy and love God ever gave a dog. His favorite place to be is simply with his people. He and Amber like each other, as evidenced by their wrestling matches several times a day — some snarling, snapping and a yelp or two, with two plumes of tails wagging.

      They both know the meaning of Papers Day, when they make their rounds with us delivering Bay Weekly each Thursday in Anne Arundel and Calvert counties. Mr. Kimble attracts attention everywhere he goes, with his long collie nose out the window. He accepts praise for his good looks graciously, from his back seat perch. Miss Amber is the shy girl, lying on the floor behind the driver’s seat, carefully guarding her position. 

      Just like Piper, our original distribution dog, they look forward to romps in the field near Fairview Library, chasing each other and rolling in the grass. They bring smiles to all who pause to watch and make friends wherever they go.

      You might have an opportunity to meet Mr. Kimble at SPCA of Anne Arundel County’s Puppy Plunge at Camp Letts on Sunday, August 18. Hope to see you there! 

–Peggy Traband
 

Guard Cat on Duty

      Deborah Gangloff and Dan Myers can sleep soundly at night. Feline Nick keeps an eye out for intruders. 

     “Dan and I had just arrived home to Colorado from a week away and went to bed early,” says Deborah Gangloff, executive director of Captain Avery Museum in Shady Side. “Just after midnight, Nick ran up the stairs yelling and jumped on our bed — something he never did. I woke up just in time to hear a man outside yell, Heads up, they’re coming!

     “I jumped out of bed in time to see five police cars pull into our driveway.     Apparently, two known felons were being chased by the police and pulled into our driveway to hide. Thanks to Nick, we were alerted to the threat.”

      Nick and his sister Nora were adopted after they showed up as strays at Gangloff’s place of work in Colorado.


Days-Old Puppy Saved by Team Effort 

      Early one Saturday morning I received a call from the office about a puppy in need. He was just four days old and had sustained head trauma, which resulted in neurologic symptoms. He was unable to nurse on his own and required around-the-clock care. The veterinarian was unsure at the time if he would make a full recovery.

     The owner of the puppy was overwhelmed and considering euthanasia. Wanting what was best for the puppy, his owner signed him over to South County Animal Rescue and Sanctuary.

      My co-worker reached out to me to see if I would be willing to give him a chance. I began tube-feeding him every two hours. That continued for several weeks. He gradually became stronger and continued to grow and thrive.

      My next hurdle came when I needed to name this strong-willed puppy. I reached out to South County Animal Rescue and Sanctuary Facebook followers and asked for suggestions. The name chosen was made even more special because it came from a person who had adopted a puppy from me four years earlier, in very similar circumstances.

      Hank overcame all his adversities. He is the very definition of a healthy and happy pup. Everyone who meets Hank falls in love with him. I was overwhelmed by the amount of people who wanted to adopt him and knew that choosing his forever home would be tricky. 

     One thing kept playing over and over in my mind: That initial phone call I received, the reason he ended up at South County Animal Rescue and Sanctuary in the first place. This was all thanks to Kelly, Hank’s guardian angel. It seemed only fitting that she was meant to be his forever mom. 

     I still see Hank and get to watch him grow up. He is such a happy, well adjusted puppy. I am so grateful for everyone involved in saving and supporting him. I am truly blessed to have been a part of Hank’s journey.”

     Watch Hank in videos at the South County Animal Rescue and Sanctuary Facebook page.

–Vickie Frawley, Muddy Creek Animal Hospital technician
 

To the U.S. with Love

      Just a few short weeks ago, Missy and Molly were living on the streets of Kosovo, scared and homeless.

      The SPCA of Anne Arundel County worked with animal welfare organizations worldwide — including the Kosova Pet Rescue — to transport them safely to the U.S.

       Used to living on the streets and fending for themselves, both girls are quite shy. Volunteers and staff have been spending time reading to them, cuddling them, and socializing them. With a little TLC and a lot of love, these two girls will make perfect pets for a loving family.

      Call SPCA at 410-268-4388 for more information.


Grandma’s House Is a Good Bet for a Great Meal 

  Growing up, Rik Squillari had a black-and-white cat named Midnight.

      “Midnight would be inside during the day and prowl outside at night,” says Squillari, owner of Harvest Thyme in Davidsonville. “He didn’t realize he was declawed,” Squillari says. “He’d claw at the bottom of a tree in the yard until the bottom section was bare.”

     But Midnight soon discovered a better way — and place — to spend his time. “He figured out that my Grandma, who lived down the street, would feed him,” Squillari says. And the menu at Grandma’s was just what a feline would order: tuna and chicken breasts were staples at mealtime.

       “Midnight shot up from being a regular-sized cat to 34 pounds,” Squillari says. (Note that the average weight of a cat is 7.9 to 9.9 pounds.)

      The takeaway: If you find someone who will feed you well, stick with them. 


A Cat May Help Choose Your Next Piece of Art

       If you visit Medart Gallery in Dunkirk, you may be greeted by Carmen Schrodel’s cat Charm. 

      “He greets customers, lets them pet him and then walks away to take a nap,” Carmen’s mom Teresa Schrodel says. “Sometimes Charm picks out framing but then gets tired and curls into a ball.”