WELCOME TO DOGWOOD

SHELTERS ARE VITAL-AND NEED YOUR SUPPORT

Sometimes I wonder if people realize how important and vital the survival of a shelter is, for our four legged friends.

I have been working as a volunteer at Cats Are Us (and Dogs Too) for about 3 years now. It's a small, weather beaten pair of building that set back from the main road on Boot Hill in Clarksville, Tennessee.
Though it is an ugly place from the outside--the beauty lives within.

Within these broken down structures lives are saved, bellies are kept full, and lost souls are guided to a permanent home.
I wanted this first post to be a sharing of some of the things I have witnessed and been a part of while during that time.

Over three years of my Saturday mornings were spent scooping poop and washing cages and getting the occasional scratch from an over zealous kitty.
The scenes of triumph, miracles, and happiness brought to these furry waifs that would NEVER happen without the loving people who own and operate Cats Are Us, Suzanne Harpel & Gerta Oakes.
Along with the generous hearts in the community, and the gifts of supplies, money, and articles to sell in the yearly Yard Sale, these two elderly angels try to stem the tide of animal abandonment, cruelty and dispair that exists in Montgomery County.

Some people can't handle volunteering. They recoil at the smell, or jump every time a kitty wants to touch them. But when you weigh the experience of being part of something special against a few hours of poop patrol---there is no comparison in the reward.

I've had a hand or witnessed so much here. I have watched tiny, orphaned, new born kittens be coaxed to take formula from a bottle and then patiently and lovingly, have their backsides rubbed to make them do their business as a mother cat would.

I’ve seen (and participated in) wrestling matches with an angry tom cat, trying to medicate its infected eyes so that they would not become infected and effect his sight. The cat got the eye cream, but we got the bloody arms that helped to keep this animals sight.

I have arrived at the shelter to find that someone had dumped seven mange covered, flea eaten skeletons that were supposed to be dogs (one of them a mother dog with 6 pups in similar conditions), and participated in the worming, flea treatment, and cleaning of these poor beast that were deemed trash by someone, but deemed worthy to live by Cats Are Us.

I can also proudly say that thanks to the efforts of the Cats Are Us Dog Team and other helping hands—ALL of the animals lived and were either fostered or led to forever homes.

There have been cases where an animal that was abandoned on the shelter doorstep was literally near death, and skillful, patient hands lovingly brought the abused soul back to life and good health with love and care.

Such was the case of a cat I named Snot—who came to us on Christmas Eve, wet, nasty, covered in oil, and almost taken from upper respiratory illness. Snot recovered and went to live in a forever home too.

Most special to my heart are the cases of animals that have those tiny flaws that separate them from the healthy animals; the jars that God made with the slightest cracks in them.

I have seen animals left with only one eye, afflicted with deafness or blindness, the loss of a limb, or an internal malformation of it’s bodily functions, come to live at Cats Are Us.

These are the ones who wait for that special someone who will over look their imperfections and love them just the same.

I have written recently about the deaf cat Ripley, who after years of waiting and a few false starts, finally found his place in the world. Shasta the collie was both blind and deaf, and has found her forever home also.

I could go on for hours---but I think you get the picture. These are the things I’ve seen and been a part of—this is where the effort and the dollars go--- to shelter, food, and medical expenses. Every drop of sweat and every dime goes toward making miracles happen.

ALL animal shelters are in constant need.

There is no end in sight to the war against animal homelessness and abandon, animal cruelty, over population, and extermination. Our community has a horribly high number of all of these things, and the numbers from across the nation are even more staggering. It's so important to try and help by donating an hour of your time or participating in fund raising for ALL shelters. They stretch every dollar to a greater good.

Love is still free---but unfortunately, most animals in the world never seem to get any. But we try to make sure the animals at Cats Are Us get their fair share.

Though God is gracious and supporting of these efforts—miracles usually are not cheap.
If you might be able to help, step up and take part. When you support a fundraiser, or write a or donate supplies—know that you ARE doing something good.

The work that helps these animals can’t go on with out people like you.
Please help the miracles keep happening. Support your animal shelters.