eTails: Late Fall 2007
Dear Friends,
Fall is always a very busy time at Danbury Animal Welfare Society. This year the
season kicked off with our annual Walk for Animals on September 30 and will end with volunteers wrapping holiday packages at
Borders. Stop by and visit us at Borders this holiday season ~ it's always buzzing and we usually have one or more of
our canine alumni at the store as our official greeter.
While many volunteers are out and about in the community, others continue their tireless
work at our shelter. Socializing the cats and dogs, counseling prospective adopters during open house hours, conducting volunteer
orientations, and making sure our clinic is running smoothly are just some of the activities that keep our organization running. And,
of course, our dedicated staff keeps the shelter clean and the animals fed.
In this season of giving Thanks, my Thanks goes out to the volunteers, staff, and all of you in the community for your
continued support. As a team, we've placed over 450 cats and dogs into loving, forever
homes so far this year ~ something for which we can all be thankful and proud.
Because of all of you, we're able to make a difference...one animal at a time.
Peace,
Guy Bocchino
President, Danbury Animal Welfare Society, Volunteer
In this issue of eTails:
- Happy Families:
- The Power of Powell
- Movin' on Up with George and Weezie
- Shopping online this Holiday Season? Start at our Shop for our Cause page
- We're wrapping gifts at Borders in Danbury - Find out when
- Annual Walk for Animals: Making a difference...one step at a time
Happy Families: The Power of Powell
Years ago, Powell arrived at our shelter with seven of his siblings after his home was
abandoned and condemned. Because of what this grey fella had been through, he was shy and wasn’t much of an attention
getter. However, he did grab the attention of grey- cat-loving couple Bette and Wayne Piskura with his web site
profile.
“…we went with the idea of adopting him immediately, but he was so shy and wary of people that few could even pet
him. After several weeks of soul-searching, we adopted two other cats that were more affectionate and friendly,”
explains Bette. “Still, even though we felt Powell was more than we wanted to take on, we had such positive feelings about the shelter and the
people who work at Danbury Animal Welfare Society that we decided we wanted to be part of it! When I started volunteering, my
husband occasionally accompanied me.”
Through volunteering, the Pisurkas were able to develop a bond with Powell, gently
encouraging him to trust them and come out of his shell. While they continued to love and enjoy the cats they had already adopted,
they couldn’t shake their feelings for Powell. Something about him kept them tuned in and they decided to introduce Powell
to the rest of their furry family.
“It was as if he unzipped his old Powell suit, and out stepped a normal
sweet cat. He yawned, stretched, and rubbed against the other cats through the cage bars. He
PURRED! It was the first time we, or anyone, had heard him purr!” gushes Bette.
Six months later, Powell is still a shy guy, but he is becoming more
comfortable around the house and leans on his new brothers and sisters for moral support when a petting hand approaches. While he
may never be a lap cat, Bette doesn’t care. “I do know that it is a wonderful feeling to have a fearful,
timid animal finally trust you enough to let you give him love.”
Happy Families: Movin on Up with George and
Weezie!
What started bleakly on the side of a road in Kentucky has ended brightly for George
and Weezie, two strong, sleek coated, yet incredibly timid dogs. They've found a home with a loving couple.
The day after Mona Ayer spotted George and Weezie on Chris Benezra's Walk for
Animals fundraising page, she and husband John were at the shelter meeting the dogs. Bonding was slow at first, but
the couple had been struck by puppy love and were determined. They visited the dogs three times a week for more than a month.
During these visits, dog training volunteers Kim Mohney and Kathy Zurulo taught the Ayers training techniques and helped them work with George
and Weezie. Next came a few visits for George and Weezie to the Ayers’ home, and eventually George and Weezie said
goodbye to the shelter and hello to a new life in their forever home.
The Ayers gave the dogs the time they needed to adjust to their new family and environment. They built George and Weezie a
new six foot fence to accommodate the dogs' size and allow them to frolic freely in their new yard. The dogs are truly
flourishing with the exercise and love they need.
George and Weezie's story is an example of what Danbury Animal Welfare Society is all
about – making a difference to animals in need; providing proper training, and working tirelessly to make the right adoption
matches.
Shopping online this Holiday Season? Start at our Shop for our Cause page!
Online shopping has never been so rewarding! Shop through one of the many sites available
on our new Shop for our cause page and earn Danbury Animal Welfare Society up to 30% on your purchases. This holiday
season and all through the year, you can raise money for us simply through your online shopping at one of these many sites.
For gift ideas, visit our eBay store, browse Amazon.com starting at our page, or
purchase some Danbury Animal Welfare Society logo merchandise on zazzle.com - including logo postage to adorn your holiday cards!
There's more! You can also support Danbury Animal Welfare Society, Inc, just by
shopping online at the over 679 online stores affiliated with iGive.com. And right now, your surfing can help too: when you visit online stores
through iGive.com, it counts as an entry in iGive.com's Surfathon sweepstakes for a chance to win a $1,000 donation! They're giving away $1000 to 5
winning causes, every month for 10 months! Just join iGive.com for free and check out their stores. You don't even have to buy anything!
Start
Shopping for Our Cause!
We're wrapping gifts at Borders in Danbury -
Find out when!
When you shop at Borders on Federal Road in Danbury on any of the days/times
below, we'll wrap your gifts!
Friday, November
23: 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
Thursday, December 6: 12:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Sunday, December 9: 10:00 am - 10:00
pm
Friday, December 14: 4:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Saturday, December
15: 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
Tuesday, December 18: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Thursday,
December 20: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Friday, December 21: 4:00 pm - 10:00
pm
Annual Walk for Animals: Making a difference...one step at a time
On September 30, over 200 people and 90 dogs gathered at the Bethel Municipal Center for our annual Walk for Animals.
We reached our aggressive fundraising of $50,000 ~ and our ‘Top Dog Fundraisers’ were recognized with decorative sashes and
special prizes.
The Walk was 1.5 miles through the village of Bethel followed by games and
contests ~ including fastest eater and most mixed mutt. The festivities were complete with music provided by Y105 Radio and information tables
and giveaways from our event sponsors.
Hearty thanks to all who participated in this event and who continue to support Danbury
Animal Welfare Society.
Mark your calendar for next year’s Walk for Animals:
September 28, 2008.
Look for your next issue of eTails in early 2008!
From everyone at Danbury Animal Welfare Society, Happy and Peaceful Holidays to
all.
