The Central Bark playgroups are for owners to
take their pets to when these chilly winter days are just too much!
Playgroups are for dogs of all ages, size and breed.
Have your dog burn off some much needed energy and meet new
friends. EBHS will also
be at these events with adoptable dogs.
It¡¯s $3 to play and all of the proceeds will
benefit the animals at Elmbrook Humane Society that aren¡¯t lucky
enough to have forever homes yet.
Location - Quality Inn, 20150 W. Bluemound Road,
Brookfield
This one¡¯s only for the 2-legged variety but
proceeds will help our furry friends.
You¡¯re invited to sell your unwanted Gold and Silver jewelry at
a fundraiser to benefit the Elmbrook Humane Society.
When you bring in your Gold and Silver, you¡¯re paid that same
day ¡¡━C why not get paid to help animals!
The Pet Expo is for people of all ages and sizes
who love animals or if you¡¯re thinking about adding a new member to
your family. At The Pet
Expo you have the ability to meet animals from shelter and rescues
from all over Wisconsin, and we¡¯re not just talking about dogs and
cats, all kinds of animals! Another added bonus is that Milwaukee Brewer¡¯s star Craig
Counsell will be at this event!!
Counsell will be taking pictures and signing autographs for all
of his fans.
Wine & Whiskers is taking place on Saturday,
February 18, 2012 from 7:00pm-10:00pm.
This year¡¯s event is being held at the Westmoor Country Club,
located at 400 S. Moorland Road in Brookfield.
The event will spotlight wines from around the world
accompanied by a luxurious menu, coffee, live music, dancing and a
silent and live auction.
While sipping on various varieties, patrons will
have an opportunity to bid on silent auction items that include
celebrity worthy travel packages, one-of-a-kind ¡¡ãSWAG¡¡À bags, deluxe
animal related items and much more.
There will also be a ¡¡ãwall of wine¡¡À raffle with a chance to win
a large selection of wines to take home.
All proceeds from the event will go directly to the
Elmbrook Humane Society. The mission of the Elmbrook Humane Society is
to promote the human-animal bond through adoption and education, to
provide shelter to homeless animals, and to prevent animal cruelty and
neglect.
The Elmbrook Humane Society, a non-profit
organization, hopes the Wine & Whiskers event will be a huge success
in raising the funds needed to help the more than 1,500 animals they
provide shelter and homes for each year.
October 6
Fix It! Wisconsin -
Low Cost Spay/Neuter
Voucher Program
Elmbrook
Humane Society (EBHS) and the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control
Commission (MADACC) are teaming up to provide residents outside of
Milwaukee county with discounted spay/neuter vouchers for their
animals and access to low cost vaccinations, testing, microchipping
and more!
The goal
of this partnership is to provide affordable core veterinary services
to residents in Waukesha, Ozaukee, Racine and Washington County.
The program will help reduce the homeless animal population in
these counties and will enhance the health of companion animal
population as a whole by providing preventative treatment so pets can
be protected from deadly diseases.
Spay/Neuter vouchers can be purchased in person or over the phone
through EBHS seven
days a
week. Once you have purchased a voucher, you will make your
appointment through the MADACC facility¡¯s spay/neuter clinic
conveniently located just to the Southeast of Miller Park.
Voucher prices are as follows:
Female
Dog Spay $125
Male Dog
Neuter $100
Cat
Spay/Neuter $80
Above
prices include a rabies vaccine if animal is not up to date.
Vouchers
are good for up to six (6) months from the date of purchase! Other
services
that may
be available, at an additional cost, include vaccinations, FeLV/FIV
testing, and
microchipping. Please speak to the MADACC clinic representative for
more information,
additional services and pricing. Should our veterinarian determine
your animal is not a
candidate for surgery you will receive a full refund.
September 21 by the staff at Elmbrook Humane
Society and the Wagfest 2011 committee
Thank You for attending Elmbrook Humane Society's Wagfest
on Saturday, September 10, 2011!
Thank you to all of the Wagfest sponsors, Wagfest vendors and food
vendors for making this event so successful. If you're interested
in becoming a Wagfest 2012 sponsor or vendor, please email
rachel@ebhs.org for more information.
Thank you to over 100
Wagfest volunteers who donated more than 1,000 hours of their time
and energy to this event. Thank you to Susie Oleson and the
Northwestern Mutual volunteers, Patricia Mueller and the Kohl's
volunteers, Tina Majeski and the SUMMIT Young Professionals, M&I
Bank volunteers, Fiserv volunteers, and EBHS volunteers Steve
Williams, Chris Schmidt and Matthew Phillips.
Special
thank you's to Linda Braun from WisconsinWags.com, Michelle
Serocki from the Brew City Bully Club, Clodagh McGuinness from
Mystic Ireland, Mike and Lauri from Lure Coursing Fanatics, Nicole
Koglin from FOX 6, Josie Pender the Wisconsin Vision spokesmodel,
Horny Goat Brewing Company, and the City of Brookfield Parks,
Recreation and Forestry Department.
Last but not least,
THANK YOU to everyone who attended Wagfest! Over 3,500 people
from Brookfield to Chicago and even New Mexico attended this
year's Wagfest festivities. Thank you for promoting this event to
your friends, family, other animal lovers, co-workers, etc. Thank
you to everyone that put up a Wagfest lawn sign and to the street
team who posted Wagfest flyers everywhere they went!
The
Elmbrook Humane Society could not host an event like Wagfest
without all of you. Thank you for your love, support and
generosity - see you next year!
Please join us at next year at Mitchell Park on Saturday,
September 8th, for Wagfest 2012!
June 16
Pet safety for Fourth of July festivities by
Community Outreach Director, Rachel C.
When you make your plans to celebrate the Fourth of
July, don¡¯t forget your pets¡¯ safety. Various parts of the festivities
can present a risk for pets, especially those who don¡¯t like big
crowds and loud noises, such as fireworks.
The National Association
of Professional Pet Sitters offers these tips and recommendations for
a healthy and safe day for pets.
DON¡¯T¡¯s:
¡ªNever leave
alcoholic beverages unattended around pets.
¡ªDon¡¯t let your pet
wear or chew on glowing holiday ornaments such as popular glow-sticks
or glow-necklaces. They may seem harmless, but ingestion can irritate
or block intestines.
¡ªDon¡¯t let your pet eat burgers or hot dogs;
you risk giving them indigestion.
¡ªDon¡¯t leave your pet outside for
the grand finale on the Fourth of July. Loud fireworks can disturb
your pets, and if close enough, the pyrotechnics could injure them.
Keep pets indoors at home in a quiet area during fireworks ceremonies
and consider leaving a TV or radio on to provide familiar noises while
you¡¯re out.
DO¡¯s:
¡ªMake sure pets are
wearing identification tags or are microchipped so that if they get
lost, they can be returned promptly.
¡ªMake sure the sunscreen and
insect repellant you use on your pet is ¡¡ãanimal friendly.¡¡À
¡ªKeep
citronella candles or any other oils out of your pets¡¯ reach;
ingestion can irritate their stomach.
via. Orlando Sentinel
June 13
Puppy Mill Transport by Community Outreach
Director, Rachel C.
Elmbrook Humane Society has rescued six puppy mill
dogs and they were all transferred to EBHS last night safe and sound.
EBHS is honored to
give these puppy mill dogs a second chance at life. These six dogs
will be available for adoption at EBHS very soon. Thanks to
Valerie, Kevin and Heather for their help.
Watch the video by clicking here and learn more about these puppies
June 6
A Mill Dog¡¯s Story (only one of
many) by Volunteer, Trudy J.
After seven years in a puppy mill, a lot
of pregnancies resulting in puppies to care for, and many of my dog
friends being taken away, I have now been released because I am
getting too old to produce puppies. My life was not great in the mill,
but now; what will I do? What will become of me? Will anyone want me?
Now here I am in a place called EBHS.
I¡¯m not sure what that means but the people here are very nice to me.
They give me food and water and talk to me in calm and friendly
voices. They pet me and even take me outside so I do not have to mess
in my cage. Outside is a great place. There are things to see, bright
blue sky, green grass and lots of other dog smells to sniff. I like it
here and they tell me I am a very good dog so maybe, just maybe this
is my new home. Oh no, I just heard someone say I will be going to a
foster home so that I can become socialized, get some one- on-one
attention and some love (not sure what all that means) but I guess
EBHS is not my new home.
I¡¯m off to my foster home. I have to
travel in a crate but I don¡¯t mind, it makes me feel safe. When I
arrive, my foster brother and sister greet me. They remind me of some
of my friends from the mill but they are not in tiny cages. They have
one big cage that they call a house and they have a big yard to play
in. My foster mom gives me a bath, which I did not care for, and then
brushes and clips my ruffley coat. I still have an unpleasant odor so
foster mom cleans my mouth and teeth. My teeth are full of tarter, I
have infection in many of them and many roots are exposed. I sit
quietly while she does this cause I know I stink and no one will love
a stinky dog. I then get supper, a bowl of cool water and a bed in a
room I share with my foster sister. I walk and walk around the house
and yard checking things over time and time again. This seems like a
good place to live maybe this is my new home.
Now my foster mom and dad are taking me
to another place. I sit on mom¡¯s lap and watch as things fly by the
window. We ride for a long distance and arrive at a strange building.
I smell other dogs and something that makes me afraid. The people are
very nice but I don¡¯t want my foster parents to leave. I hope they
come back. I get a shot and when I wake-up I feel funny. My mouth and
my tummy hurt, I am missing lots of teeth, there are a lot of silver
things (staples) in my tummy and HURRAY!, I don¡¯t stink anymore but I
hope this is not my new home.
Now I am back at EBHS. I¡¯m there two
days when my foster mom and dad come and take me back to their house.
My foster family greets me at the door and I resume my tour of the
home and yard, around and around I walk it feels so good to be out of
a cage and free to go wherever I wish. Maybe, just maybe, I have a new
home. Foster mom says I am a wonderful dog but they cannot keep me
because they want to help other dogs like me. She says I need a
¡¡ãForever Home¡¡À.
Well it was fun at
my foster home but now I am on my way back to EBHS to have my staples
out. What will happen now? Doesn¡¯t anyone want me? I wait patiently in
my cage for the doctor and mom talks with her friends and I know they
are talking about me. One of them says they are looking for a good
dog, just like me, but they have an old cat that doesn¡¯t like dogs. I
bet she will like me. Well, they decide to give me a try. So that day,
I went home with a new foster mom, met my new foster dad and the cat,
I had to win over. It was touch and go for a couple of days but Kitty
and I became friends. Now I have a new name, a new hair do and I,
Sandy, have a ¡¡ãForever Home¡¡À. Thanks everyone for making me a very
happy dog.
May 9
Senior Dogs by Volunteer, Monica B.
It will come as no surprise to anyone that keeps up with the EBHS news
that they are running a special on senior dogs. I¡¯m also sure that
people come with their preconceived notions as to what a senior dog is
like. I¡¯d just like to say, from my own experience, that just like
with adopting any dog, you have to meet them before you can really
know what they are like. You can¡¯t just look at the web-site
pictures. Different breeds of dog age at different rates so that what
may be ancient for a large dog may not be that old for a small dog.
Perhaps you are thinking, as I once did, that an older dog will just
lie around the house and not be able to do much else but keep you
company. Well, that is true for some older dogs but not for all. I
adopted my senior dog about 4 years ago. She is 13 now and definitely
showing signs of age; in fact I thought I was going to lose her about
2 weeks ago, but she is back on her feet and back to her mischievous
ways. When I got her, I wasn¡¯t sure what to expect but thought she¡¯d
just age calmly and I¡¯d have her for 2 or 3 years. Well, she required
daily 2 mile hikes with my younger dog, went on many mother, daughter,
and dogs camping trips, and has kept me very busy. Her hind legs are
giving out so she can¡¯t walk as far as she would like any more but she
still comes running if I pick up a leash. So, if you have room in
your life, check out the senior dogs. They still have a lot to give
and may just surprise you.
February 18, 2011
A Word or Two About Cats by Volunteer, Monica B.
I have a word or two to say about cats. The first is that there are way
too many of them, cats and kittens, at shelters all across the
country. For some reason the word about spay and neuter seems to have
reached most of the responsible dog owners out there but somehow cat
owners seem to have missed the boat. There are low cost spay/neuter
programs offered in most places and for those who need help,
information is just a phone call away. Secondly, I would like to
highly recommend adopting a cat (or two). I am first and foremost a
dog person but my husband is a cat person so I have lived with cats
for 31 years. That¡¯s a lot of years but only 3 cats. Healthy and
happy cats can live a good long life so they are a commitment as is
any pet. But, for people who don¡¯t want to be bothered with
exercising an animal or taking it outside, cats are wonderful
companions. They need food and water and clean litter boxes. They
are better off staying inside than roaming, especially with all the
coyotes and cars around. They can be left on their own for longer
periods of time than a dog. They all have different personalities;
some are independent, others cling to you, some are vocal and in your
face, some hide and can be hard to find. My current cat has a
schedule; treats in the morning, canned food at night, and he has a
great internal clock. The rest of the time I can find him in a box,
under or on a bed, or in/on any of the dog beds and cushions which are
scattered around my house. He will sit on your lap if he feels like
it but when company comes he makes himself scarce. My mom adopted two
cats when she decided she was no longer able to keep up with a dog.
They entertain each other and her. My daughter lives in an apartment
and has a busy schedule but she also has two cats. The cats keep each
other company and are waiting at the door when she gets home. So if
you are looking for an animal companion but don¡¯t have time for a dog,
please consider adopting a cat, especially one of the adults. They¡¯ll
appreciate it and so will you.
February 7, 2011
Behind-the-Scenes of the EBHS ¡¡ãPacker
Photoshoots"
by Beth Castro, Volunteer Photographer and dog
walker
When the Packers beat the Bears for a trip to Superbowl XLV, I jumped
around the living room in pure joy.
After I eventually calmed down, Stacey Kremel (SMK Photography) and I
starting sending text messages to each other about photographing the
adoptable dogs at EBHS in Packer gear.
A few days later, we were in the EBHS conference room with photography
equipment and a wide variety of ¡¡ãgreen and gold.? It sounded like an easy idea at first. I mean, how hard is it to
dress dogs, get them to sit still, and look at the camera? We had our
squeaky toys and treats. We were ready.
Some of the dogs were clearly confused when I initially dressed them,
but then didn¡¯t seem to care after awhile. Stacey was quick with her
Canon, but it took us about two hours to take pictures of six dogs. We
had many escape artists and some dogs were very sleepy from their
morning walks. When I left EBHS that day I was sweaty, my legs hurt,
and completely covered in dog hair.
But, in the back of my mind
I knew these pictures were worth the effort.
Stacey had the pictures edited and ready for posting in record time.
EBHS started sharing these pictures with Facebook friends, and before
we knew it¡the ¡¡ãPacker dogs?made the
CBS 58 News,
People Magazine¡¯s website
for animal lovers, and The
Morning Blend.
We then found ourselves holding another photoshoot: The Packer ¡¡ãPup?
Rally at Spa Paw and Tail in
New Berlin
to help raise money for EBHS. It took a team of five to make this
happen: Lilly and Rachel greeted the Packer fans at the door; Stacey
snapped the pictures; Syler was the print master; and I worked with
the dogs (and humans). We appreciated the nice turnout and enjoyed
talking with the dog owners.
Quite honestly, I couldn¡¯t stop smiling during The Packer ¡¡ãPup?Rally
because when a dog is wearing a Cheesehead and Packer ¡¡ãbling¡¡À¡it¡¯s
definitely a recipe for a good time!
But on a serious note, do you want to know what the best part of this
entire project was? All but one of the ¡¡ãPacker dogs?from our initial
photoshoot were adopted. They found homes, and this was our reward. We
also got the chance to raise money for the animals at the shelter and
had fun along the way.
My point is (and I do have one!) that if you have an idea that can
help the animals at EBHS, feel free share it. You never knew where it
can lead.
GO PACKERS!!
January 20, 2011
Fur for the Soul by volunteer, Monica B.
There are a lot of people who think I am
nuts. I live with 2 dogs, one cat, and 3 humans. The cat is the
perfect housemate unless he wants to eat. Then he gets rather testy.
The dogs go on walks (with me, of course) twice daily. The younger dog
is involved in competitive obedience so we go to training sessions
twice weekly and we also visit with people at nursing homes, schools,
and adult day cares once or twice a month. The 3 humans are a ton of
work. Still, you can find me most weekday mornings walking a few dogs
at EBHS. When I walk through the gate, the greeting I get is beyond
belief. If the dogs know me from previous walks, they are barking or
wagging their tails. New dogs often stand there, shivering with
anticipation. If I speak to them, they get even more excited. I am
happy when I can get them outside; the barking in the kennel area
inside can be annoying. Dogs are such social animals. Walking up and
down the street for any amount of time or playing in the back, you¡¯d
think they¡¯d gone to heaven. They don¡¯t care who you are or what you
look like or what you feel like. Just being with you is enough for
them. If the weather isn¡¯t that conducive to walking, they are happy
to be brushed, petted, and talked to. I can come to the shelter
feeling tired or in a bad mood and I always leave refreshed. The time
I spend there is truly fur for the soul. Monica
January 19, 2011
Rivalry Between Illinois and Wisconsin has Gone to the Dogs... And
Cats!
by Rachel C., Community Outreach Director
The epic battle between the Green Bay Packers and
the Chicago Bears has polarized our residents and now our best friends
are getting into the rivalry! This Sunday, the Elmbrook Humane Society
in Brookfield, WI. and The Anti-Cruelty Society are betting high
humiliation stakes on their respective home teams!
Aside from the inherent rivalry between our fair
states and citizenry, this weekend the Green Bay Packers and the
Chicago Bears will be fighting it out, not only for the title of 2011
NFC Champion and the opportunity to perform at Superbowl XLV, but to
settle the age-old question ?Packers vs. Bears.
In the spirit of the occasion, Elmbrook Humane
Society and Executive Director, Karen Sparapani, has challenged The
Anti-Cruelty Society¡¯s President, Dr. Robyn Barbiers, to a fierce
¡¡ãShelter Showdown?
If the Green Bay Packers win on Sunday, The
Anti-Cruelty Society¡¯s President, Dr. Robyn Barbiers, will be forced
to dress herself in a Packers jersey! On the flip
side, if the Packers fall prey to the Chicago Bears, Elmbrook Humane
Society Executive Director, Karen Sparapani, will throw on an orange
and navy blue Bears jersey.
There¡¯s more than a football game to lose this
weekend, each organization will be watching the NFC Championship game
and hoping their team walks away with the ¡¡ãW? Good
luck and game on!
Elmbrook Humane Society is also collecting
dog-safe teddy bear toys to represent their division rivals.
The teddy bears will be used as dog toys for the homeless
animals in need at the Elmbrook Humane Society. The Anti-Cruelty
Society is also collecting toys that look like cheese or green and
yellow colored toys for the cats and dogs in their care.
January 18, 2011
A purrrfect Birthday Celebration by Rachel
C., Community Outreach Director
Elmbrook Humane Society birthday parties are for
children 6-12 years of age and who love animals! The 1.5-2 hour
birthday bash includes:
?lt;span style="font-weight: normal;">
shelter tour
?lt;span class="style4" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;">
games
?lt;span class="style4" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;">
craft project
?lt;span class="style4" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;">
interaction with the animals
?lt;span class="style4" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;">
story-telling
?lt;span class="style4" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;">
LOTS OF FUN!
Food
and drink may be brought in. Decorating can be accommodated.
A parent or guardian must be in attendance for the duration of the
party. Dates must be booked 4 weeks in advance. This is a
great opportunity to support the shelter and have a special event for
your children or troop/school group to remember.
To book a date for your child's birthday party,
complete this form and e-mail it to
wendy@ebhs.org or bring it to
our shelter.
For
more information, contact Jeanne at 262-782-9271 or email
wendy@ebhs.org
December 20, 2010
Good bye to a feline friend by volunteer, Monica
B.
About 15 and a half years ago, our
family moved back to Wisconsin after being a Navy family for 16 years.
Our first cat, adopted shortly after marriage and a move to
California, had passed in her sleep a few months before the move.
Naturally, one of the top ten things we had to do after settling into
our new home was to go cat shopping. This time we thought two cats
would be a good idea, giving them feline companionship when they
needed to get away from the kids. We took a trip to the Wisconsin
Humane Society since my husband was insisting on kittens and there
weren¡¯t any available at EBHS. In one of the kennels was a litter of 4
kittens, 3 boys and a girl. My younger son held out his finger, and 4
heads followed it in unison, back and forth. We were sold. The girl
was chosen and the only boy which was a little different (he had white
patches, the rest were primarily black) was the lucky one to join her.
Bo and Cutesy became Starlight and Midnight and came home with us.
They did spend time playing together as all kittens do. They weren¡¯t
destructive or overly vocal although Starlight did have a very loud
purr until he grew older. I think Midnight was the smarter one,
leading Starlight in hunting bugs and mice, keeping my basement free
of vermin. They played with dogs and were very tolerant of the puppy
introduced into their life 6 years ago and the 9 year old rescue which
joined us 3 years ago. I believe Midnight thought dogs were kind of
dumb. She would initiate play and have Josie, my yellow lab, chase her
around the loveseat, then jump up on the back and watch as Josie
continued racing around, not realizing that the cat had moved to
higher ground. Midnight was queen of the house. My older son would
carry her around to survey her territory. You always knew when the
cooler weather had arrived because she would be curled up on someone¡¯s
lap, keeping warm. If a person wasn¡¯t available, the heating vents
would have to do. In the summer she would be stretched out on a table
near the window, soaking up the sun. When my son moved back home, she
was his constant companion, staying up most of the night on his lap or
keeping warm in bed. Earlier this year I noticed she seemed to be
having bladder issues so brought it up to the vet. We were told she
was in the early stages of kidney failure. We changed her diet and she
rallied for a while but began to fade again. She lost her battle 2
weeks ago. Her brother doesn¡¯t seem to miss her; he has taken to
replacing her on our laps (maybe the queen didn¡¯t let him before) and
he doesn¡¯t have to share his food. (He is a little chubby; she was
always petite). We certainly miss her. 15 plus years may seem like a
lifetime to some, but for our family it went by all too quickly.
December 17, 2010
A Note from our Executive Director
Dear Friends,
I wanted to
thank you all for voting for us, and supporting EBHS as one of the
very worthy charities during the Fox6 Season of Giving awareness
campaign. While it has been fun, I want to say that it is OK to stop
voting for us now.
If Clarice
(one of our many very dedicated volunteers) gets carpal tunnel
syndrome, I want it to be from scratching behind the ears of the dog
that she adopted from us, not from spending hours on a computer
clicking votes for us. If our volunteers have all this time to spend
working for us, I would much rather they be here at the shelter
walking dogs, socializing with the cats and other animals, and helping
us do what we do best ?create families.
Elmbrook
Humane Society is a really special place. A place where you can see a
Christmas miracle happen 356 days a year. I want yesterday to be
remembered for the family that came in here needing to surrender their
cat because they could not afford basic needs, and we sent them out
the door with food, litter, and a fully vaccinated cat.
Or the day that Geno the dog went home to his new family after
being here for so long. Not for how many times we could vote online.
We all got
caught up in this little holiday diversion, but it is time to put the
mouse down, and enjoy our lives again. The holidays are a time for
family, and love, not for getting upset about an online poll.
Nobody can win
a contest where the rules on voting change repeatedly. I know Fox6 had
the best of intentions setting this up, and in the end, all of the
charities have won because so many more people are aware of the impact
we are making on the community. I applaud the other charities and
their volunteers who spent their time furthering their mission and
helping people instead of getting caught up in this voting.
I will not
deny that $1,000 means a lot to our organization, and it will hurt to
miss out on a gift like that. We can feed every animal in our shelter
for one day with a gift of that size. Or provide medical care to sick
and injured animals.
To that end,
we are starting the ¡¡ãFree Clarice Fund? In honor of our fiercest
voter, we want to raise the $1,000 the shelter will forfeit by ending
our voting campaign. I am going to be the first donor. Then, I am
going back to work making a better life for the animals and people in
my community, and enjoying the holidays with my family and friends. I
hope that as many of you who can, will join me.
Thank you
again to those who spent so much time and effort voting for us.
Karen
Sparapani
Executive Director
December 14, 2010
Adopting Is Only the Beginning by
Volunteer, Trudy J.
You¡¯ve thought long and hard about adopting and
you have finally reached a decision. You will adopt a new dog for
Christmas. It will be fun for your family to have a new pet and you
are giving a homeless pet a ¡¡ãforever home?
But don¡¯t forget, there is more to owning a pet than fun as you
will see if you read:
¡¡ãMy Night Before Christmas?lt;/p>
It was about time for Christmas and all through
the house a creature was stirring but it wasn¡¯t a mouse.
I knew right away it was our little pup, he
thought we were sleeping and so he was up.
Dick was now snoozing; he was really sacked out,
he would have awaked from no less than a shout.
When off in the kitchen there arose such a
clatter, I rolled out of bed to see what was the matter.
Away down the hall, my head in a muddle, I
reached the kitchen and stepped in a puddle.
The glow from a nightlight illuminated the room,
so how come I stumbled over the broom?
I fell in a sprawl; my legs were not stable and
on the way down my nose hit the table.
My head was spinning and when I came to rest,
four miniature dog feet stood on my chest.
With a lick and a bark, he bounded away, into the
living room, he wanted to play.
More rapid than rabbits that terrier ran, me on
the follow a treat in my hand.
Stop Tucker! Stop, Shorty! Stop, Squirt! Halt,
Tuck! Wait Bad Dog! Come here you mutt.
¡¡ãGet off the new couch! Let go of that pillow! Oh
if I catch you it¡¯s into the crate and that is for certain.?lt;/p>
As winds of a Texas tornado do fly, he spun round
the room, down low and up high.
Then up on the counter that little guy jumped; he
stopped for a second and I thought he was spent.
I made a quick lunge, he ducked me and then, I
swear he was laughing as I fell into his pen. As I drew myself up and
was turning around, he made for the presents in a swift single bound.
I was covered with bruises from my head to my
toes, my robe was in tatters and blood on my nose.
A bag full of toys, he grabbed with glee, I
grabbed him I thought but instead got the tree.
The ornaments, they broke, as they began to fall;
the lights how they fizzled and that is not all.
When I reached for the plug to turn the lights
out, what flowed through me body, but electricity, so stout.
As smoke encircled my head like a wreath, Tucker
held my big toe tight in his teeth.
¡¡ãTucker? I moaned. ¡¡ãI give up. Oh, Tuck I give
in.?So he nipped my swollen nose and licked at my chin.
He uttered not a sound but went back to work.
Down came the stockings, it took just a jerk.
Then from down the hall, came the sound of feet.
Dick, it seemed was awake from his sleep.
¡¡ãNow you¡¯ll get it Tuck,?I announced with glee.
Then Tucker walked over and put his head on my knee.
He looked up at Dick- so innocent and at me, so,
so sad. And it didn¡¯t take long to know I¡¯d been had.
Then came Dick¡¯s voice so strong and so clear,
¡¡ãTrudy, you leave the puppy alone. You hear?lt;/p>
And I exclaimed to myself, as they walked out
with a strut. ¡¡ãDon¡¯t leave any gifts Santa. Just please, train that
Tuck.
Please remember, pets are fun but they must be
trained. They don¡¯t just automatically learn what is right and wrong.
So make it a point to take advantage of the classes offered at EBHS.
You will be glad you got your new friend off on the right foot or
should I say four feet.
MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW PET.
