Another Year - January Sanctuary Update - Our Companions Animal Rescue

Hi Everyone!

As the new year gets rolling, there’s lots of thought to what’s new; the things that have changed, upgraded, and improved. It’s just the way human brains work that we gravitate to the new and sometimes overlook the things that have always been here, the dependable and reliable, the tried and true. So while we could talk about some ultra cute kittens like Sizzle and Indie or glamorous puppies like Paloma, I’d like to highlight two of our long time residents. Gidget and Ralph helped build this sanctuary almost as much as any human has. The misfortunes of life have meant that this has become their long term home, but their spirit and resilience has come to define our work and our mission.

It’s been another snowy month at the sanctuary!

Few pets at the sanctuary have reached the level of stardom achieved by Gidget. She is a legend here. So as with any legend, we’ll start with her origin story. While we don’t know for certain how Gidget spent her early days, we know it wasn’t good. And we can be pretty sure by the way she reacted when she arrived at the sanctuary that she had spent little, if any, time in a home. She was found as a puppy tied to a veterinarian’s office door with a broken leg. We took her in at the sanctuary, not entirely knowing what we were in for, but full of hope for this sweet girl. In both challenges and successes, we got more than we ever bargained for with Gidget.

As a result of her early injuries, as well as injuries sustained during a dog fight later on, her life has been filled with orthopedic issues. And behaviorally, we quickly found out that Gidget was not going to be a dog that could socialize with other dogs or live safely in a typical home. These factors have meant that Gidget has spent her life with us, but WOW! what a life it’s been. Gidget is one of the most loving, loyal, and highly intelligent dogs any of us has known. After perfecting a procedure for her to meet new people, she has had many dozens of human friends, including staff, volunteers, interns, and her regular medical team. In her early years, she perfected a range of tricks, from riding a skateboard to fetching a tissue when you sneeze. Now in her later years, as her hearing and eyesight wane, she is learning how to respond to a gentle buzzer on her harness so her relationships to her people doesn’t have to suffer. She receives regular orthopedic care, including work in our underwater treadmill and acupuncture. In spite of all the bad cards she has been dealt, Gidget has lived a fabulous life here, giving us back as much joy as the work we’ve invested in her. As another year passes, we look forward to yet another year filled with awesome Gidget achievements and goofy Gidget stories.

One of Gidget’s favorite places is our healing center, where she walks on an underwater treadmill and gets lots of yummy snacks from her buddy Dr. Michael

Our little piglet much prefers warmer weather, but she will occasionally brave the snow when the mood strikes

Our aging gal makes a monthly trip to see Dr. Amy at All Creatures Wise & Wonderful in East Granby for acupuncture and massage

Ralph enjoys spending warmer days in Serenity play yard, and looks very regal doing it!

If there was anyone here at the sanctuary to rival Gidget’s star power, it would be Ralph. With gorgeous looks, limitless intelligence, and an enduring sense of humor, Ralph is the total package. But there’s a catch. As the result of a surgical mishap in his early years, he doesn’t have full control of his urine flow. He is also a bit picky about which other cats he will or will not tolerate in his world. After all, he can’t let just anyone into his entourage. These factors have been deal breakers for potential adopters, meaning that Ralph is now one of our longest term residents. But he has definitely made the most of his time with us. Ralph is a perennial volunteer favorite, always quick to snuggle or play. He is often one of the first cats that new volunteers meet and a regular partner for our youngest volunteers. If being handsome and lovable wasn’t enough, a quick peek at our social media will show you that Ralph is also one of our quickest studies with clicker training. He can high five, ring a bell, and even play a toy piano. And no public tour of the sanctuary is complete without seeing “the Ralph Show,” as he wows the crowd with his charisma and skills. Every year that Ralph spends with us is a joy, and we look forward to another year of this shining sanctuary star.

Ralph presides over his kingdom from atop his throne – aka the kitchen counter!

Our fluffy boy never lets his medical ailments keep him down

Vinny’s View

Let’s talk about getting warm and snuggly! It wouldn’t surprise me if the real reason for Valentine’s Day in February was just a pragmatic ploy to raise spirits and beat the cold in the most miserable of months. That totally works for me, so let’s see what we can do to build on that effort. Our Companions is holding our Love Fur All wish list event from January 14th until Valentine’s Day. Click the link here to send some love (i.e. food and toys) to our sanctuary residents, https://www.chewy.com/g/our-companions-animal-rescue_b77410626. We so appreciate your support and look forward to a good long winter snuggle next time you’re here!

See you soon!!

And of Course…Adoptions!!

While many things slow down in the winter, our adoption and intake certainly has not. In cat world, sweethearts Dexter and Margarita both found their way home, with new residents Scooter, Jazz, Hoagie, and Timmy arriving in January. And small animal world has been rockin’ in January. Hamsters Calliope and Hera went home this month. And we had a wave of intake with Chai, the rabbit, mice Galadriel, Pippin, and Samwise, and rats Comet, Cosmo, Draco, and Merlin joining in the fun.

Farewell Penny

Do you believe in miracles? I think it’s an appropriate term to use when speaking about Penny. So much of Penny’s life was miraculous. From very soon after birth, she was found to be suffering from a condition that caused her to have no instinct to drink water and which seriously disrupted her electrolyte levels. Her first caretakers and their veterinary partners embarked on a herculean effort to keep her alive and healthy, even though few cats with this condition lived very long at all. When the necessary care became overwhelming, Penny came to the sanctuary, where our staff continued to move heaven and earth for Penny’s care. Miraculously, Penny far outlived anyone’s expectations, and did so with a heart of joy and a loud purr. Unfortunately, she took a quick downturn at the end of January and it was decided that it was time to say goodbye. Penny was a magical creature who brought so much love to so many. We will miss her dearly.