Insider Report
­ November 2015 ­
When a Pet is Missing
by Sharon Sherman, Chairman of the Board
"From conflict comes clarity." That's what a good friend of mine old me recently. "Wow," I
thought. "What a wise statement." Recently, I was able to see first hand how that
progression occurs. Here was the conflict:
One day, the Coronado Animal Care Facility (ACF) received a call from a woman who
stated she recognized her cat on the PAWS website, up for adoption, and wanted it back. When something like this happens (and sadly it does from time to time), part of my job as
your Chairman of the Board is to look into the matter and try to resolve it. So, I pulled the
cat's file, found out all I could about how the cat had come into our care and dialed what I
knew was going to be a difficult call. The woman told me she and her family had received orders to vacate Navy Housing on
the Strand and travel on to a new duty station in the Midwest. During their pack out, their
two cats escaped. Only one returned. I asked if she had called the police or the ACF
when it happened to report the missing cat. She said she had not. I advised her that one
of her neighbors had been feeding the cat after her family left the area. I asked if she had
put up fliers in the neighborhood, contacted any of her neighbors or put a free ad in the
Coronado Eagle Lost and Found column about her lost pet. She said she had not. After
feeding this cat for 10 days, the neighbor called the police. The cat was trapped and
transported to the ACF. The cat stayed in the ACF for another 20 days. While our facility is beautiful, clean and
comfortable, any shelter is the worst place possible for pets to find themselves. The
animals are lost and confused; they wonder, "Where is my family? Why are they not
coming for me?" Any shelter is disorienting with constant noise, so many other animals,
people coming and going, different food, different schedules, no natural light, little fresh
air. And no matter how nice the shelter, it causes every animal that enters profound
emotional stress. I explained to the woman it had been over a month since she had relocated and that, just
the day before, an adoption application had been received. The cat was no longer in the
ACF. She got hot and said she wanted her cat back. I explained we didn't know whose
cat it was when it arrived at the ACF. It was not licensed and its microchip had not been
registered with any contact information. The cat had waited his required quarantine period
(which PAWS lengthens from what is legally required to give an owner extra time to find a
lost pet). And, during all that time, neither the police, nor the ACF, nor PAWS received a
call, email or post about this lost animal. I told her we had done what was best for this pet;
we found him a forever home with a new loving family. The conflict ended when the woman asked, "So you are going to be an a**hole and not
return my cat?" At that point, I knew I was getting nowhere. But then the clarity came:
We at the ACF need YOUR help with the work we do, especially with lost animals. Coronado has many safety nets for our lost pets: they can be licensed, they can be
microchipped, there is a waiting period before they are made available for adoption, the
Coronado Eagle will publish a "lost and found" ad free of charge, the Police Department
has a 24/7 dispatcher where an owner can call to report a lost pet, the ACF is open 7 days
a week, 9am­4pm. It has a 24­hour answering machine for a report of a lost pet and, most
importantly, we have a community that cares. But, if pet owners don't do their part, we
can't do ours. Out of this sad and totally preventable situation has come the thought that maybe an
internet­based directory for Coronado lost and found pets can be established. Photographs of these pets could be arranged in a traceable order, the owner of a lost pet
could post a plea to the community to be on the lookout. This might work or someone
might have a better suggestion. No one wants this situation to happen ever again. No
one wants a family to lose their pet. If any of our readers are interested in serving on a
committee to discuss possible solutions, please call me directly at 619­435­2282. Your
help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you, Coronado Real Estate Association!
The Coronado Real Estate Association (CREA) recently presented a check for $12,000
to PAWS of Coronado. The check was CREA's contribution to PAWS from the 4th Annual
Pet Parade and Chili Cook­Off. PAWS of Coronado thanks the CREA board and
membership for their continued community support of PAWS and the animals residing at
the Coronado Animal Care Facility. This donation increases CREA's total support
to PAWS to $55,700! Pictured above are: Nathan Travass, Cathy Brown, Zach Todaro,
Karen Dwinell, Raquel Johnston, Margaret Lawson, Caroline Haines and Ken Tablang.
Update on Pika, a PAWS Alum
by PAWS Staff Writer
Pika, now Pepper, is a joy reports her new family.
She has adapted beautifully to her new home and
loves her walks around Coronado. This sweet girl
especially loves sitting with her family when they are
folding laundry or reading. She also enjoys sitting on
her perch watching out the window to check on street
activities. Pepper is also a huge hit with extended
family, friends and neighbors. Her new parents love
her and can't believe how lucky they are to be
Pepper's forever family.
Photo by Kim Johnson
Adoption News ­ Jaylo and Prim
by Karen Dwinell
Prim and Jaylo, now Molly and Maxine
A nice couple from Imperial Beach came to meet Jaylo and Prim, however, they felt they
could only adopt one dog. After spending quite some time in the play yard, they chose
Jaylo. They said that if the dogs were separated, Prim being the more outgoing, had a
better chance of being quickly adopted. Soon after, Karen Martin and I took Jaylo along
when we did the home visit. She was nervous and shy, but the couple thought she would
come around. About an hour later we received a call... they wanted Prim too! You can imagine the
excitement at the Coronado Animal Care Facility (ACF). Karen M. immediately went to
the ACF, scooped up Prim and took her to join her sister. Jaylo and Prim, now Maxine
and Molly, were delighted to be reunited. Maxine took Molly on a tour of their new home
and showed her their big backyard. After spending almost six months at the ACF, these
sweet girls have found their forever home, TOGETHER!
The Story of Sox
by Corinne Mitchell
"I'm old. The old are not wanted." The Old Man in Moonstruck
That is how Sox felt when his owners placed him in a
box and left him at the front door of the Coronado
Animal Care Facility in the middle of the night.
Imagine his confusion and fear as the only people he
had ever known, trusted and loved drove away into
the dark night and left him all alone surrounded by
silence and unfamiliar scents.
Photo by Kim Johnson
When the staff arrived in the morning, they felt dread when they first realized that there
was a box at the door. That dread turned to concern and anger ­ concern for the scared
cat and anger at whoever had abandoned him.
They hustled Sox into the facility and quickly gave him a warm place to rest, food and
water. The vet examined him and estimated his age to be between 12 and 14 years
old...the old are not wanted.
Sox showed some of the physical issues we see in older cats ­ loss of weight, decreased
muscle tone and some renal failure. But he was nowhere near death and he showed staff
and volunteers that he had a lot of love left to give.
Sox's plight touched the hearts of a local family who had previously adopted cats from
PAWS. First Freckles, the white cat with cropped ears and then the under­socialized
siblings Curly and Mo. Cat savvy, extremely compassionate and sensitive, they also
adopted Sox. By all accounts Sox and his family couldn't be happier. Thankfully, there are
warm and caring people like Sox's new parents who do not believe that the old are not
wanted.
Successful Adoption Stats for September &
October
Sept. Oct.
Cats 10 11 Dogs 9 6 Click to view our
2015 Successful Adoptions.
Calvin
Here are some of our current adorable adoptables:
Tony
Kody
Pookie
Inga
Joey
Photos by Kim Johnson
Elsa
To view all our animals for adoption, click here: http://www.pawsofcoronado.org/
A Partnership Dedicated to
Coronado's Animals
by PAWS Staff Writer
It would be hard to find a town more animal­friendly
than Coronado. Dozens of restaurants welcome our
pets to their patios; we have one of the finest dog
beaches in the nation; you can't walk a block without
seeing happy dogs (and sometimes cats!) on leashes
enjoying the fine ocean air. Pets are not just
accessories to our lives here on the island; they are
part of our families and the very fabric of our
community.
On November 1, 2015, PAWS of Coronado and the City of Coronado celebrated the first
anniversary of its partnership dedicated to the care of Coronado's animals. Prior to
November 1, 2014, the Coronado Police Department (CPD) provided all animal services.
However, a historic move to allow the public and private sectors to each pursue what they
are trained to do, and each do best, was implemented. On the invitation of the City, PAWS
assumed Coronado's animal welfare responsibilities through the operation of the
Coronado Animal Care Facility (CACF), located at 1395 First Street. Meanwhile, the CPD
continues to provide for public safety through its in­field enforcement of our community's
animal regulations.
The animal services provided by the CPD include stray and nuisance animal pick­up,
assistance for sick and injured stray animals, control of biting, vicious or threatening
animals, follow up on barking dog complaints, enforcement of animal cruelty laws,
confiscation of fighting animals and animals left in hot cars, and lost/found assistance. For
these services, one should call the Coronado Police Department at 619­435­7350 at any
time of the day or night, 24/7.
Animals picked up in the field by the police are transported to the Coronado Animal Care
Facility where a full time paid staff receives them, tries to locate their owners and provides
for their safe shelter and care. The CACF also provides lost/found assistance, licensing, a
yearly rabies vaccination clinic and microchipping. The CACF is open to the pubic seven
days a week, 9:00am­4:00pm. Staff can also be reached during these hours at 619­522­
7371. When animals are voluntarily relinquished or found stray and not claimed, a
dedicated group of PAWS of Coronado volunteers, who may be reached at 619­435­8247,
goes about finding them forever homes.
Each year the Coronado police and PAWS process over 500 animals. That's a lot of dogs
and cats. Each side of the City/PAWS partnership has its own specific responsibilities, but
both sides of the partnership are equally dedicated to making sure these responsibilities
are fulfilled. Sometimes it does "take a village." And our Village has gotten this one right.
The partnership of the City of Coronado and PAWS is clearly what is best for our animals
and for our community. Upcoming Events:
­ Nov. 11, 9am­4pm ­ Veteran's Day Adoption Event ­ Coronado ACF
­ Nov. 12, 8:00am ­ PAWS Open Meeting ­ Coronado Golf Course Clubhouse
­ Nov. 25, 5:00pm ­ Yappy Hour ­ McP's Irish Pub
­ Nov. 27, 9am­4pm ­ Black Friday Adoption Event ­ Coronado ACF
­ Dec. 4, 6:00pm ­ Coronado Christmas Parade ­ Dec. 10, 8:00am ­ PAWS Open Meeting ­ Coronado Golf Course Clubhouse
­ Dec. 30, 5:00pm ­ Yappy Hour ­ McP's Irish Pub
Halloween Yappy Hour!
by PAWS Staff Writer
The Second Annual Halloween Yappy Hour was fun, fun, fun! The costumes were
hilarious...with a first prize for the Best Dog Costume going to "Lady Gaga channeling
Marilyn Monroe" and a first prize for Best Costume for Owner and Dog going to "Hot Dog,
Ketchup and Relish." Both were very clever costumes and the entire place was "howling"
at the creativity. Even those who came to McP's to watch the World Series were watching
us!
All agreed the dogs, led by Canine Mayor Bentley James, were very good­natured to go
along with this silliness. PAWS dogs Chief, Rigby, Reeses Pieces and Ollie were proudly
prancing with their forever families, which warms the heart. A special "Thanks!" to
Caroline Haines who organized this great event and to Wag'N Tails for providing goody
bags to the dogs that participated in the costume contest. Save the date for next
year...October 26, 2016...Don't miss it!
Hot Dog
Lady Gaga
PAWS of CORONADO ­ pawsofcoronado.org ­ Tel. 619­435­8247
Insider Report Editor: Beth Good
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