S anta C ruz SPCA | S pring /S ummer 2016
Rescue Readers program
changes lives one page at
a time – Page 6-7
In this issue
Happy Tails 3
SPCA Sticker 4
Kind Kids 5
Rescue Readers 6-7
www.spcasc.org
Main Shelter
Tues-Friday 11am - 6pm
Sat-Sun 11am - 5pm
2685 Chanticleer Ave
Santa Cruz, CA 95065
(P) 831-465-5000
(F) 831-477-7886
[email protected]
SPCA Mall Adoption Center & Gift Shop
Wed-Fri 11am - 5:30pm
Sat & Sun 11am - 4:30pm
(Target Wing)
1855 41st Ave.
Capitola, CA 95010
(P) 831-477-7886
Board of Directors
Deborah Walt
President
Moira Gagen
Vice President
Terrie Sima
Secretary
Sheri Billings
Treasurer
Members
Jeffrey Froshman
James Jackson
Hedy Nochimson
SPCA Team
Robert T. Armbrust
Executive Director
Sarah Eryavec
Associate Director
Mandi Hart
Shelter Manager
Brenna Ewing
Humane Education
FROM THE DIRECTOR
Dear Friends,
All of us here at the Santa Cruz SPCA hope your
summer is off to a great start! The animals love
the weather (basking in the sun!), and the shelter
is buzzing with activity. We’ve sure got a lot to
be excited about – and we think you’ll be excited
about it, too!
Saving animals, and ensuring their positive
future, is at the heart of everything we do, and
we continue to take steps to ensure that this goal
will be achieved – efficiently and effectively. It’s
important that we explore the real cause-andeffect when it comes to animals who’ve been abandoned, abused, neglected, or
placed in precarious situations. While we address what happens on a daily basis,
we need to take action on the why.
We believe, as do other experts in animal welfare across the nation, that humane
education is a powerful tool to respond to the why. Exposing children and youth to
positive animal experiences, and teaching them how to be the animal advocates
of tomorrow, creates a new generation of humane caretakers – focused on positive
change for animals and people. These children will transform our world into a
more humane place.
Humane education, easily incorporated into any classroom or out-of-school setting,
helps children develop into more proactive, critical-thinking individuals. As I write,
our kid’s summer camp is in full swing and will reach more than 160 children in
1st through 8th grade. During the school year, our humane educator will visit
30+ area schools to present key topics and information about animal welfare
– ranging from Animal Care 101 and Pet Safety, to Animal Issues and Animal
Careers. Ultimately, we reach approximately 5,000 youth every year through our
humane education programming!
In this newsletter, you’ll learn more about our recently launched Rescue Readers
Program where students increase their reading fluency alongside shelter pets. As
well, we’ve recently started our P.A.W.S (Promoting Animal Welfare with Students)
Junior Volunteer program and Community Service Saturdays. Kids under 16 years
of age can now spend time helping out in the shelter!
Initial successes around these exciting new programs, as well as continued success
with our established programs, are positive indicators as we continue to reach
children and youth – the next generation of animal protectors and caretakers.
There is much more to come, and you can expect to see us out in the community
providing resources and support for spay/neuter, animal care, and veterinary
care – all of which is good for animals, people, and our community overall.
Tina Fullerton
Sarah Kauffman
Shelter Adoptions
Thank you for your support of our critical work – especially our humane education
programming! You are ensuring that we continue our critical mission: to provide
safe harbor for animals in need and promote an active humane community through
adoption, advocacy, and education.
Tonya Baldwin-Boone
Shawn Shellard
SPCA Mall Adoption Center
Happy Summer!
Ana Cortez
Jesse Peters
Megan Roberts
Animal Care Team
Robert T. Armbrust
Executive Director
2 | SPRING/SUMMER 2016 COMPANION
HOME sweet HOME
Happy Tails
Madison (FORMERLY“CHEYENNE”)
Our precious Madison
(formerly
Cheyenne)
snuggling with her brother
Raider, this is a rather
normal pose for the two of
them, it’s hard to remember
a time when she wasn’t
part of our family. Thank
you Santa Cruz SPCA!!!!
Sadie (FORMERLY “WONDER WOMAN”)
I thought I would let you know
that our dog Sadie, adopted at 8
weeks, is doing great and she is
enjoying her new puppy friend,
Sam the Beagle! Sadie is now
over 8 months and is pushing
30 lbs. Sam is much smaller but
they are best buddies. Thanks
for such a wonderful dog!
Apricot (FORMERLY “HELIUM”)
Phoenix
Holly
Here is a photo of Holly that’s
been graphically enhanced as
artwork. She’s just that special!
Holly is the most wonderful
cat and we are enjoying each
other immensely. Thank you
so much!
Phoenix is loving his home
and we are loving him!
The dogs are loving each
other! Sprite, the little tan
dog in the photo, is also
an SCSPCA rescue from a
few years back. Here is a
photo of the dogs enjoying
some sun together. We are
all such a match made in
heaven! Thank you SCSPCA,
we and all the critters out
there appreciate you!
I adopted an orange kitty from
the SPCA back in 2014, after
seeing him at the Capitola
Mall Store. He was one of a
litter of four and cute as can
be. He has grown into a very
playful and affectionate cat
who loves to roughhouse with
my other cat, Henry. He loves
pipe cleaners and anything he
can pull out of the wastebasket.
This picture shows him with
his adopted “aunt” Frannie. I
am very grateful that you took
care of him, his mama, and his
littermates until I could adopt
him!
SANTA CRUZ SPCA COMPANION | 3
A STICKER WORTH STICKIN’!
Show your support for the Santa Cruz SPCA by proudly displaying
our stylish new sticker, designed by the amazing Tim Ward! It’s just
waiting to be stuck - on your car, binder, skateboard, bike, fridge,
snowboard, surfboard - the possibilities are endless!
It boasts a rockin’ representation of a few of Santa Cruz’s famous
landmarks and it signifies who we are and where we live! We aim to
make our community proud and that’s why we are offering this sticker,
free of charge, to whoever wants one!
Who’s Tim Ward?
You’ve probably seen a Tim Ward sticker (or ten!) and don’t even
know it! He’s the master artist behind the popular starfish, dolphin,
mermaid, octopus, butterfly, and other nature-themed decals that
you’ll see on about every third car as you drive around Santa Cruz.
A Northern California native, Tim is an accomplished artist, illustrator,
and graphic designer who covers a wide range of mediums, from oil
on canvas and graphite drawing to internationally acclaimed logo
branding. We feel so honored to have worked with such an awesome
local talent and are very excited to share this collaborative creation
with the world!
Stickers are available at our Main Shelter and Capitola Mall
location. While they are free, a donation is always appreciated!
Summer Treats Your Pet Will Love You for Making!
Frozen
Fruity
Frisbee
Ingredients
Water
1/2 cup
Peanut Butter
1 cup
Chopped
Fruit (shown in strawberry but any
dog-safe ingredient will do!)
2 tablespoons Flax seeds
Directions
1. Blend the peanut butter and
water and pour into the bundt or
cake pan.
2. Add chopped fruit and flax
seeds.
3. Allow to freeze for 4 to 6 hours
before placing in the grass for your
pups.
Kitty-Cream Sandwiches
Ingredients (makes 15 single serve kitty
cream sandwiches)
15 plastic 8-oz cups (each cup will
make one treat so use more or less if
you’d like)
1 can of your cat’s favorite wet food,
5.5-oz (smooth, not chunky, works best)
Catnip and/or soft cat treats
(optional)
One small square of Saran Wrap
Directions
1. Mix cat food and optional ingredients in a medium-size bowl. The mix should be primarily
cat food, with treats mixed in as you would add chocolate chips to cookie dough.
2. Fill each plastic cup with about 1/4-1/2 an inch of the mixture. Flatten mixture by stacking
cups one inside another. Place Saran Wrap over top cup to avoid freezer burn and place in
freezer overnight.
3. The next morning, run the bottom-most cup under warm tap water until you can pull it free
of the other cups and pop out the catsicle.
4. Place catsicle disk in a deep bowl (to avoid messes) and let stand approximately five minutes
or until the outside starts to “sweat.” Present catsicle to cat and pat yourself on the back!
4 | SPRING/SUMMER 2016 COMPANION
KIND KIDS
“Children Changing
Furry Lives”
Jocelyn Ferguson, a 10-year-old 5th grader from Tierra Pacifica
School, was recently given the task of completing community
service for a class project and chose to incorporate the Santa
Cruz SPCA! She hit the kitchen and handmade organic dog
biscuits, packaging them in beautiful jars with colorful ribbon.
Jocelyn sold her ruff-licious creations for $5 apiece and raised
a total of $60 for the SCSPCA. When asked why she chose this
as her project she replied, “I love animals and the SCSPCA!”
The SCSPCA wishes to thank Jocelyn and all the other “kind
kids” within our community!
We’ve got another canine cooking connoisseur! Jeremy Timmons,
age 9 from Brook Knoll Elementary, went to work in the kitchen
to create just the right blend of peanut butter and banana for
his bone shaped biscuits. Instead of putting his “salesman” cap
on, he brought the yummy treats straight to the shelter to share
with the dogs waiting for homes. They could sniff out the savory
situation almost immediately, and after the biscuits settled in
their bellies they gave him a five paw review! We are so lucky
to have compassionate kids like Jeremy in our community!
Sisters Alie, Reagan, and Hailey Kolbach made a very thoughtful
and mature decision when it came time for their birthday
celebrations. Let the gifts go to the animals! That heartfelt
gesture resulted in over $300 worth of dog beds, dog and cat
food, toys, and kitty litter. The girls proudly presented their
gifts to the shelter animals who will thoroughly enjoy them for
months to come. We just love gals who make GREAT decisions!
When Brenna Ewing, SCSPCA Humane Educator, visited Daisy
Troop #10225 to give a “Dog Safety” presentation, she was
met with loads of gently used blankets and towels for our
shelter animals! The girls had taken the time to collect quite
the assortment of soft and cozy bedding for our cats and dogs
to enjoy. What a heart- AND bed- warming gesture. A huge
thanks to this fine group of animal loving girls!
SANTA CRUZ SPCA COMPANION | 5
Rescue READERS
CHANGING LIVES ONE PAGE AT A TIME
Once upon a time – last November, to be
exact – a beautiful story began when the
Rescue Readers program was formed at
the Santa Cruz SPCA. Since its inception,
visiting students have been given the
chance to practice and enhance their
literacy levels in the comfortable and
judgement-free presence of our shelter
dogs and cats! While the students flex
their literary muscles, the animals benefit
from some one-on-one attention. A true
win-win situation!
THE PROLOGUE
In November, a third-grade class from
Holy Cross Elementary School arranged
a field trip to the shelter to try the partnership on for size. The program pilot
was such an enthusiastic success that the
Rescue Readers, helmed by the SCSPCA’s
Humane Educator Brenna Ewing, officially
began as a permanent program.
THE RISING ACTION
Students visit the shelter every month,
individually or in groups of up to 18, armed
with some of their favorite literary gems.
The children are split into smaller groups
and paired with eager animal listeners of
the canine and feline variety. In the kitty
group, readers recite the words at their
own pace as cats lounge in the sun, play
with toys, and enjoy ear scratches and
belly rubs. Over in the dog group, children
share their stories with pups as they are
snuggled-up in laps, stretched out in
contented relaxation, or gazing adoringly
at their storytelling friends. One of the
best ways to encourage young learners, it
seems, is with unconditional love and everattentive ears.
6 | SPRING/SUMMER 2016 COMPANION
THE HIGHPOINT
The freedom and unconditional acceptance shown by
the animals encourages students to express themselves
and push their boundaries. As explained by Giuliana
Spanu, age 8, “They don’t tell you what to read and
they don’t say anything if you read it wrong. It’s fun!”
The comfort and pleasure that the animals experience
while curled up in a reader’s lap is certainly equal to
the students’ excitement! Though they don’t express it in
words, we just have to let wagging tails and kneading
paws tell the tale of the animals’ gratitude.
THE TAILPIECE
As the program continues into the future, we hope to
broaden the scope of schools that participate, so that as
many students as possible can benefit from this distinctive
learning experience. In 2010, a UC Davis study reported
a 12-30% increase in reading fluency from kids who
read to dogs once a week for approximately 15 minutes.
In addition, exposing animals to time with children helps
to increase their adoptability and opportunities for
placement in a wider variety of homes. For all parties
involved, certainly this partnership can only lead to more
and more happy-ever-afters.
The Rescue Readers program is perfect for students in
grades 1st-8th and can accommodate individuals or
groups of up to 18 children. Sessions can last between 30
minutes to one hour, and kids can choose to read to cats,
dogs, or a little bit of both! Each Rescue Reader group
is led and supervised by the Santa Cruz SPCA’s Humane
Educator, Brenna Ewing. For more information, contact
Brenna at (831) 566-3753 or [email protected].
Featured Volunteer MARYLOU FARAHBAKHSH
It’s been four years since Marylou Farahbakhsh started
volunteering with the Santa Cruz SPCA and we consider ourselves,
and the animals, fortunate to have received so much of her
valuable time. Marylou’s volunteer interest began with fostering
animals, but quickly morphed into time spent with the animals at
the shelter. She then shifted her focus to helping at the SCSPCA
Adoption Center in the Capitola Mall. Every single week you
can find Marylou behind the cash register, arranging displays,
chatting with visitors, cleaning animal pens, coordinating potty
walks, and transporting animals to and from mall and shelter.
Even when she’s away from the Adoption Center, she’s still working
for the animals! As a knitter for years, Marylou decided to blend
two of her favorite past times and thus created a beautiful (and
always growing!) collection of dog sweaters. Her cozy creations
are sold at the Mall Adoption Center with all proceeds going to the animals. And we shouldn’t forget
to tack on dog groomer and rescue transporter to her volunteer resume! It’s just so awesomely clear that
Marylou is a valuable part of our organization and her versatility, dedication, and love for the animals
is a true gift to the Santa Cruz SPCA!
SANTA CRUZ SPCA COMPANION | 7
Thank You!
RECENT PARTNER APPRECIATION
The team over at Peet’s Coffee & Tea in Scotts Valley
are glorious people who make really good coffee.
They also chose the SCSPCA as the beneficiary of their
holiday fundraiser, and with the help of their loyal latte
lovers, they raised $1,006.69 for the animals! The store
collected the highest amount of donations in their South
Bay district, and for that we lift our paws in praise. After
Peet’s corporate matched a portion of the store’s funds
raised, the total grew to a whopping $1,756.69! A
huge thanks to everyone at Peet’s SV, Peet’s Corporate,
as well as each and every patron who donated!
THE WHOLE
KITTEN CAPOODLE
While many of our “fluffy” types leave the shelter
beautifully coiffed, they certainly don’t come to us
that way! One of the women behind the clippers is
Erin Roberts, owner of The Whole Kitten Capoodle.
We will often call her at a moment’s notice with the
critical need for a groom (or five!) and she fits us
in wherever she can, donating her skilled services.
Grooming the dogs that come to us is not only
essential for their well-being and comfort, but also
goes a long way in getting them adopted. The work
she does is phenomenal, and if we could thank her in
gold and tropical vacations, we would!
The guys at Sports Design have been in our
corner for years, making sure all of our logo’d
apparel needs are met to a “T”. Not only is this
local business easy and fun to work with, they
also love the animals and deeply discount our
orders – all in the name of our furry friends.
As if that wasn’t awesome enough, every year
they donate 50 shirts for our Human Race
team members to sport. This year we went
with a color that did not go unnoticed! Thank
you Sports Design, your wonderful work and
generous hearts are appreciated!
15-SCZCA-0516-N
SANTA CRUZ SPCA
2685 Chanticleer Ave • Santa Cruz, CA • (P) 831-465-5000 • [email protected] • www.spcasc.org