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ALF Mewsroom
An Easier Way to Find ALF on Facebook
Bowl-a-Rama 2011 Results
National Feral Cat Day October 16
Copyrights and Permissions
News YOU Can Use: What Causes Cancer in Pets?
Spice is Rollin' the Dice
Tuck Can't Believe His Good Luck!
Max Escapes Maximum Sentence
3rd Quarter Rescues
Feral Cat Prayer
Easy Ways to Help
Mewsroom Archives
Mewsletters
 October ObservancesAdopt a Shelter Dog MonthBat Appreciation Month Cut Out Dissection Month Domestic Violence Awareness Month Financial Planning Month National Animal Safety and Protection Month National Dental Hygiene Month Raptor Month Squirrel Awareness Month Tackling Hunger Month Vegetarian Month Wishbones for Pets Month: 10/15-11/30 World Rainforest Week: 10-16 National Food Bank Week: 16-22 Give Wildlife a Brake! Week: 10/31-11/6 Fire Pup Day: 1 World Vegetarian Day: 1 Guardian Angels Day: 2 World Farm Animals Day: 2 World Habitat Day: 3 Blessing of the Animals Day: 4 World Animal Day: 4 National Feral Cat Day: 16 (Spay One Stray™) Reptile Awareness Day: 21 Make A Difference Day: 22 Mule Day: 26 National Cat Day: 29 |
November ObservancesAdopt-a-Senior-Pet MonthNational Adoption Month National Pet Cancer Awareness Month Vegan Month Wishbones for Pets Month: 10/15-11/30 National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week: 6-12 World Kindness Week: 8-14 National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week: 13-19 National Go Cook For Your Pets Day: 1 World Orphans Day: 14 America Recycles Day: 15 Micky Mouse Day: 18 National Adoption Day: 19 National Family Volunteer Day: 19 Humane Society Anniversary Day: 22
December ObservancesBingo's Birthday MonthOperation Santa Paws: 1-24 National Mutt Day: 2 International Volunteer Day: 5 Monkey Day: 5 Day of the Horse: 10 Cat Herder's Day: 15 Underdog Day: 16 World Peace Day: 21 |
Find us EASIER on Facebook
ALF is on Facebook! And now you can find us even easier. Just remember alfrescue. That's right! We can be found at facebook.com/alfrescue.
Sign up to become a fan and stay connected with ALF. Be the first to know about promotions and events. We post immediate updates, remind you of current animal-themed holidays, and provide educational tips. You can even comment and share our posts to bring ALF to thousands of like-minded friends all across the globe. Facebook has reached 350 million members and it's free! You can follow everything we do without even changing out of your pajamas!
Bowl-a-Rama 2011 Results
Thanks to the generosity of our faithful supporters, and many new ones, ALF raised over $1500 this year to Spare the Alley Cats and Strike Out Overpopulation. We appreciate every dollar, which allows us to offer ALF Independence Spay (freedom from breeding) to dozens more homeless, community cats.
Feral and Sterile, our favorite kind of cat!
National Feral Cat Day October 16
Every year on October 16, feral and community cat advocates and caretakers observe a "National Holiday" to raise awareness of the plight of homeless cats, campaign to protect them, and educate their communities about the only solution that works (TNR). Many hold special events to sterilize as many as possible throughout the month of October.
This year we hope that you'll consider making a difference in the lives of cats by participating in our year-long SPAY ONE STRAY™ campaign and join our SOS Squad. Click the campaign link to learn how easy it is to save the lives of thousands, and add your name to our growing list of participants.
You don't have to make it a life-long commitment (though we guarantee you'll get hooked!). Just spay ONE, and you'll save thousands!
Now is a good time to remind you of the Feral Cat Prayer below, from our friend in Edmonton. We think you'll understand why we're so passionate about Trap Neuter Return after reading this insightful piece, and why we care so much about "nobody's cats".
SPAY ONE STRAY ™
Copyrights and Permissions
Because we've discovered our proprietary content and our own custom ALF Logo appearing on others' sites and works, we find it necessary to state our policy on copyrights. We encourage you to share the resource articles we've provided, in order to help more animals. We ask that you honor our copyrights by providing the links to those articles on our website, or sharing the articles themselves with our copyright statements intact.
Content on this website is owned by Animal Loving Friends, except where noted. Articles owned by others are published on this site with express written permission from the owners, and they have been credited for their contributions. Graphics are proprietary, or were obtained for re-use with permission.
The logo displayed at the top of every page is a custom logo, created specifically for Animal Loving Friends, and donated by a professional graphic design company. It is part of our "brand", a recognizable visual associated with Animal Loving Friends, and is therefore not authorized for distribution, copy, or re-use, even with modifications. Animal Loving Friends, Inc reserves all rights to this image and its likeness.
If you have a need that is not addressed by this policy, please contact us to request permission before publishing or distributing Animal Loving Friends' content.
Thank You!
News YOU Can Use: How do Pets Get Cancer?
Ever wonder how pets get cancer? While there are many unknowns, there are many known causes we think you should know about. Pet Cancer Awareness Month is November. We learned some interesting, and sometimes unexpected, facts about cancer in our pets from Southwest Veterinary Oncology and other cancer experts.
- Cancer is the #1 natural cause of Death in dogs. 1 in 3 dogs will get cancer and 50% of those will not survive. Mammary gland tumors are common in the older female dog. 50% of breast tumors in dogs are malignant. The development of mammary gland tumors is found to be hormone dependent in dogs. Therefore, the risk for developing these tumors is greatly reduced with early spaying.
- Did you know that mammary cancer is the third most common cancer in cats, and that more than 85% of breast tumors in cats are malignant? The average age of cats presenting with mammary tumors is 10-12 years. Siamese cats appear to have twice the risk of developing mammary cancers than other breeds. Recent studies suggest that spayed female cats have a 40-60% lower risk of mammary cancer than intact females.
- You probably have concerns about pesticides and late spay/neuter. But food?
- That's right! Research confirms that daily doses of chemical additives and preservatives, even in minute quantities, can build up in the body and become carcinogenic.
- What about vaccinations? It has been proven that over-vaccinating can weaken the body's immune system and set the stage for cancer. In addition, an association between vaccine administration and sarcoma development has been established.
- Could you be poisoning your pet with cancer-causing agents right in your own home? Common household items like cleaning chemicals, and carpet can lead to cancer. Yes, carpet! Read the labels on lawn fertilizers and cleaners for warnings against children and pets, as there may be a link between these toxins and cancer. Exposure to chemicals such as 2,4-D petroleum derivatives in carpet and herbicides can also cause cancer.
Our recommendations page contains more reasons to spay and neuter besides unwanted births and cancer. Many other hazards and illnesses occur when pets are left unsterilized. You'll also find a host of resources, from pet food standards, to groomers and sitters, to vaccination locations. We try to provide resources for you as well, to help the animals in your families and communities.
Spice is Rollin' the Dice
Will 12 be Spice's lucky number? She came to us in December '10 and has spent almost an entire year alone in a room by herself. Let's help her find a home for the Holidays during the 12th month of 2011.
Each time Spice is made to come out among the general population in the rest of the house, she freezes in one spot and growls all day long. She is really fearful of other animals. She has accepted Tuck in her room, but she keeps her distance, and gives him a warning hiss if he comes too close to her "personal space". Still, this indicates a possibility that Spice may be ok sharing a home with another cat.
There's only one thing that makes Spice brave enough to leave her room, and that's a storm! She craves human attention, and is very affectionate when you lie with her on the bed. Spice really needs a human of her own so she can wander the house freely, watch the birds through the window, lounge on a cat tree, and snuggle with her person at bedtime.
Spice can't go to an adoption center, due to her fear and stress, so she's relying on US and YOU to find her furrever home.
A home where she can finally let down her guard and relax and get a good night's sleep, with someone who is kind and patient and quiet and purposefully slow. Someone who will allow Spice all the time that she needs to finally forget about her past abuse and learn that she doesn't have to fight to continue taking the next breath and that no harm will ever come to her again.
Let's all pull together and share her story in hopes of giving Spice a life worth waiting for. Visit her Adoption page to learn more.
Tuck Can't Believe His Good Luck!
This sweet lover boy has had a string of good luck lately and is hoping for the jackpot! You see, he was lost or abandoned, but soon found a steady food source, and made a few new friends. Then he realized the people who came every day to feed him and his buddies were trustworthy as well, so he began working his charms. Finally Tuck got his wish and was rescued from the street life and brought to live inside a house once again. Tuck had once been someone's pet. We know this because of his gentle, affectionate nature, and because he was already neutered. After an exhaustive search for a prior owner, ALF listed Tuck for adoption.
Tuck tested positive for FIV, but negative for the more aggressive diseases. This could be the result of a prior vaccination against FIV, but since we don't have his medical history, we can only say that he might be carrying the virus. Tuck is very healthy today, and may never show any signs of illness.
Cats with FIV can live long and healthy lives, and the disease may never become active. They should be fed a high-quality diet to support a healthy immune system. Tuck is only 3 years old, so it's feasible that he could remain healthy for another 10-15 years.
FIV+ cats should be inside only. They can live with other cats who are also positive, or with docile cats where there is no fighting. FIV is spread through sex (which he won't be having), and deep, penetrating bite wounds. These types of wounds typically occur with territorial fighting between unneutered tomcats. FIV is not spread through any type of casual contact, like sharing litter pans and food or water, or even grooming each other and playing.
Tuck likes other cats and seems to be fine with dogs too. And did we mention that he loves people?
Visit his Adoption page to make an appointment to meet Tuck.
Read the wonderful story of an FIV-positive cat and get more facts on this condition from the Best Friends website at http://www.bestfriends.org/theanimals/petcare/cats_fiv.cfm.
Max Escapes Maximum Sentence
Max learned the hard way that there are mean people in the world. He was left behind when someone moved, wandered the streets for weeks begging for help, got attacked, then strung up with a noose, but eventually found the right people to help him.
It was hot out there, and with a long coat, Max just couldn't tolerate it. His mouth wide open, tongue bright red, he cried pitifully at every person he saw. He followed a couple on their walk all the way back to their house 6 blocks away, crying at MAXimum volume! He stayed in their yard for a few weeks where they provided food and water, but they were unable to bring him inside their home. Max disappeared again for a few days, and that's when things went from bad to worse. Someone tied a noose around his neck, but because he's so big, he was able to break free. We found him dragging this long piece behind him, still tied around his neck in a slip knot.
Max occupied the air-conditioned Habicat4ALF for a few days, then was able to come inside. But we found an open abscess wound on his rear, and lots of scars from other battles. He was treated and healed very nicely. With good food and fresh water, Max's coat soon began to flourish again. He mingled with the other cats and dogs in the house as though he had always been here.
After 6 weeks of searching for an owner, we placed Max with one of our adoption partners, Paw Placement, where he quickly found a new furever home.
Congratulations, Max! We miss you, but couldn't be happier for you!
3rd Quarter Rescues
Before and after pictures of Winter, when he was first found
as a homeless tiny kitten, and after several weeks of foster care.
Winter was quickly adopted through our partner, Paw Placement.
A spayed feral cat recovering in her trap.
A recently neutered feral cat after his release.
By Virginia Marando, Copyright © 2010
Feral Cat Prayer
Little Cats Lost (Trap-Neuter-Return) Society,
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Dear God,
Is there a place in your heaven for me? For people say I am just a cat.
Being a cat, I have an acute sense, an ingenuity most humans would dismiss, but I fell to temptation for the morsel of food left in an effort to end my life. I now find myself trapped in a cage of wire unable to run, unable to hide. Is it right I am here because of one who could not tolerate my very being and set this death trap in which I now pray for compassion? I long for the smell of the streets and everything I know as home. My heart is beating like a million drums and desperation drives my every sense and terror fills my soul.
Dear God, is it right my life will be taken from me today, for no other reason than I am a feral cat, my life regarded by many as disposable and of no consequence? In life, I have neither hurt nor held hatred to a single body, my defenses were not of choice, but sparked by the very fear of humankind and its uncaring ways. With my last breath, I forgive those who do not see me for who I am - a vibrant, healthy animal that, through misfortune and at the hands of a human, found myself born to the streets. And when I leave this world, I pray you endow upon such humans a sense of compassion and a realization we are all God's creatures and no one life is of greater importance than another. I ask this so my death today may not be in vain.
The time has come. Dear God, is there a place in your heaven for me?
I was born to the freedom of the streets and knew only my mother to give me comfort.
Now I am older, human eyes do not gaze on me like those when I was a kitten.
I do not understand why, but soft, warm glances switched to hard, cold stares so sharp they seem to pierce my very body. I am shunned and shooed and my only crime is to provide myself with warm shelter and food to survive. Were it not for a few kind souls during my life, I may have perished. Yet, I would have perished free and living the life I have come to cherish. The streets are my home, it is where I know, where I feel safe, where I wanted to die.
View a video from Little Cats Lost (Trap-Neuter-Return) Society
Animal Loving Friends does not condone trap and kill. We honor the lives of feral cats by alleviating the stress of breeding and overpopulation, and supplementing their care in their own outdoor homes. It is our wish that mankind show compassion to all living creatures.
Why do you do it, ALF?
You may read our updates and think that this is our paid profession, that we're a funded operation like a Humane society or animal control agency. NOT! We are an all-volunteer group. Every one of us has a full time job outside of rescue. We're accountants, groomers, mortgage professionals, engineers, ... We give what it takes to these animals after putting in 40 or more hours on the job, and we still pay for the majority of it from our own personal salaries. Why do we do this, you may wonder? Because we all truly care about the sad and dangerous lives these homeless animals face day after day, and because, sadly, someone else didn't.
We have no paid staff.
It takes a lot of money to do what we do, which is why we're always looking for another fundraising opportunity, hopefully something that you'll want to take part in. You see, it's really not in our nature to ask for help, especially your hard-earned money! So we have several new programs available or in the works:
- If you have payroll deduction programs or employer-matching programs, please nominate us for inclusion. Our EIN (Tax ID) is 26-2284558. BOEING and SCF Arizona have added Animal Loving Friends, Inc. Even $5 per paycheck would help a half a dozen animals in just a year.
- Place a Link to Us on Your Website!
Copy and paste the code in the text field below onto your page:
- Feed a Fixed Feral Friday
- We've created a Petsmart Wish List to help the Animals of ALF (purchase as many items as you'd like, and they'll be shipped directly to ALF)
- Send a Petco E-gift Certificate
- ALF is on Facebook! click here to become a fan and stay connected with ALF. Widgets are available for your Facebook or Myspace pages. Let us know if this is something you'd do to help us help the animals!
- Flowers, Jewelry, Cat Furniture, Art and more!
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7650 S McClintock Dr
Suite 103-120
Tempe, AZ 85284
Email:
alfrescue@hotmail.com