Cards for a Cause: A Fundraiser for CCA

This fundraiser is being run by a CCA volunteer, Jen Izzo, as part of her Usborne Books & More business.

Cat climbing trees include a series of wall-mounted shelves and steps that satisfy cats' instincts to jump, climb, play and lounge while providing comfort and security above the floor. CCA is seeking to install a climbing tree in their Upstate shelter, and to do our goal is to raise $500 through the Cards for a Cause fundraiser!

What is Cards for a Cause?

Usborne Books & More's (UBAM) Cards for a Cause fundraiser offers boxed sets of beautifully embellished cards and envelopes. More than 50 percent of the cost of every box will go directly to CCA in cash that will be put towards the purchase of the cat climbing tree.

There are five different boxes to choose from, each one containing beautifully handcrafted and printed cards:

• All Occasion 1 – 30 cards with design-coordinated envelopes stored in a keepsake index box. Includes birthday, blank, new baby, new home, anniversary, good luck, congratulations, engagement, wedding, sympathy and thank you cards.

• All Occasion 2 – 30 cards with design-coordinated envelopes stored in a keepsake index box. Includes birthday, blank, new baby, new home, anniversary, congratulations, engagement, get well, thinking of you and thank you cards.

• Kid’s Birthday – 30 birthday cards designed especially for kids, presented in a keepsake coloring box.

• Holiday– 50 holiday cards designed to celebrate New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, July 4th, Grandparent’s Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas/Holidays

• Thanks & Blanks – 30 cards with colored envelopes in a keepsake box. Includes 17 thank you cards and 13 blank cards

At just $30 per box, these cards average out to $1 each (or less for the Holiday box)! And the quality is similar – or better – to a greeting card you might buy for $5 or more elsewhere.

How it Works

The fundraiser will run throughout the month of March. To participate, all you have to do is buy a box (or more!) of cards!

You can order your box(es) online by first completing this form.

Once your form is received, you will receive an invoice for online payment from Jennifer Izzo via Square. Once payment is received, a bulk order will be placed at the end of March!

Cards will either be available for pick-up at CCA's Second Chances Thrift Shop or can be mailed directly to your home.

There will also be cards available for purchase in-person at the thrift shop!

Questions?

If you have any questions at all, please reach out to Jen Izzo directly at jenizzo.ubam@gmail.com or on Facebook here.

Now Available: Spring 2020 Paw Prints

We're pleased to share that the Summer 2019 edition of our Paw Prints newsletter is now available for download.

This edition features a focus a look back at 2019 by the numbers, featured adoptables, a volunteer spotlight, and several of our recent adoption success stories. There is also a recap of our pups celebrating National Peanut Butter day and a list of the quarter’s memorials and donors.

You can download the newsletter here and view previous editions here.

A Fundraiser to Celebrate the Memory of Jayla Thomas

A very special thank you to Rhonetta Thomas who is sharing her story in honor of her daughter Jayla Thomas. Just a year ago, Jayla passed away as the result of a homicide, just days after her 21st birthday. To honor her daughter’s birthday and love of dogs, Rhonetta is supporting CCA with a fundraiser in her daughter’s memory. Jayla would have been 22 on February 13.

A beautiful and creative person with a huge heart for people and animals, Jayla had a true passion for both dogs and fashion. She loved to make and design clothes – from dresses to doggie diapers, and she doted on her four shih tzus who were both her babies and her emotional support animals: Gigi, Savage, Marley, and Ell. She would spend her last dime on food for her pups - - or a cute outfit 😊

Despite being allergic to dogs, nothing could keep Jayla away from them. Her first dog was Robbie a maltese /shih tzu mix who was her best friend when she was only six months old. She would follow that pup everywhere, with a runny nose and towel. She didn’t let her allergies get in the way!

As Jayla grew older, her love of animals became more and more apparent. We joked that she had her own community animal service: she would find dogs on the street and bring them home. One time, she saw a man hitting two dogs as she drove by; later that night Jayla was found giving two hurt, malnourished dogs a bath. She nursed them to health and found them new homes.

Another time, Jayla found a dog that had been hit by a car. She found a traffic cone – from somewhere – and rerouted traffic until help could come to pick up the hurt dog.

That was Jayla. A big heart for those in need. Especially those on four legs.

It was no surprise, then, when after volunteering at the Humane Society, Jayla came home and declared that she wanted to be a vet. She couldn’t see herself doing anything but caring for animals.

What makes me most proud of her is that, despite facing challenges, Jayla never gave up. She was strong and loyal. The oldest of my four children, Jayla was like a second mom to her siblings and often helped get them to school or make them meals.

To honor the memory of my beautiful daughter, I wanted to raise money for an organization that would mean something to her. As soon as I saw CCA’s Facebook page, I thought of something Jayla said one day: “When I get my own house, I am going to have a lot of dogs.”

CCA looks like a place where Jayla would love to be.

If you would like to make a donation to CCA in honor of Jayla Thomas, please visit the Facebook fundraiser page here: https://www.facebook.com/donate/210282396783752/

Support CCA on Giving Tuesday!

Giving Tuesday is part of a global generosity movement meant to unleash “the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world on December 3, 2019 and every day.”

The movement began in 2012 with the idea to simply encourage people to do good, and the idea has grown since then, inspiring millions of people to give, collaborate and celebrate generosity. It’s easy to get involved in your own community! And if you feel so inclined, there are several ways to support CCA this holiday season:

• Give money through PayPal to support our mission in the Upstate

• Donate items for our shelter cats and dogs (View wish list in PDF or on Amazon.com)

• Support CCA via smile.amazon.com.

• Donate your new and gently used items to the Second Chances Thrift Shop

• Volunteer your time or talents to impact CCA’s mission

We are thankful, today and always, for those of you who share your resources - whether time or financial - to impact our mission in the Upstate!

Event Recap: 36th Annual Bark in the Park

We are pleased to share that the 36th annual Bark in the Park walk and festival was a success! We raised $15,000 to support our programs that help homeless animals in the Upstate, and we couldn’t have done it without all of our awesome volunteers, sponsors and YOU. Thank you!

The event included a one-mile walk-a-thon and festival with vendors, food, games and an agility demonstration.

Congratulations to Betty Way, Grizzly Inman and Michelle Collins who raised the most money for the walk-a-thon! We are also pleased to share that one of our pups, Baily, has an adoption in the works thanks to the event.

During the festival, a family and their pups dressed as characters from the Wizard of Oz took Best in Show!

View more of our event in the slideshow below! (Click on the photo to advance to the next one.)

Featured Adoptable: Princess

Meet Princess! This amazingly sweet girl is an eight-month-old Labrador/Retriever mix.

Unfortunately, Princess’ family went through a few things, and she has found herself at the shelter. She is a lover of all people, children, and other dogs! We are sure she would be great around cats as well!

Princess walks well on a leash and seems to know a few basic commands. She is also crate trained and was an inside/outside dog at her previous home. We believe that house training her will be a breeze!

Her most favorite thing is to carry around her kiddie pool in her mouth and to lay on her back for belly rubs! She is up to date on shots, spayed, micro-chipped, and crate trained. She is excitedly waiting for her new forever family!

You can learn more about Princess here and learn more about our adoption process here.

Now Available: Summer 2019 Paw Prints

We're pleased to share that the Summer 2019 edition of our Paw Prints newsletter is now available for download.

This edition features a focus on some of our adoptables, a community service recap and several of our recent adoption success stories. There is also information about traveling with your pet and a list of the quarter’s memorials and donors.

You can download the newsletter here and view previous editions here.

Volunteer Spotlight: Rob Stelz

A member of the CCA team for the last three years, Rob Stelz focuses his time on working with the dogs in our care and helping to work on behavior to improve their adoptability. At the end of the post he features one of his volunteer “pets” – pups on whom he has focused his time recently.

How did you find out about CCA and why did you want to volunteer here?
I found out about CCA from my neighbor, Renee Franklin. At the time she was the Director of Operations at CCA and had mentioned volunteering several times. I adopted my dog Gunner from CCA about five years ago so I was familiar with the organization.

 As a CCA volunteer, what is your role?
My primary role at CCA is to spend time with doggies. I often try to concentrate on the more challenging dogs in terms of behavior and do what I can to help with their development and adoptability. Some of the dogs that arrive at CCA have been in bad situations, because of which they sometimes have a fear of people or other animals. I try to make a ‘friend’ connection with a dog so they will trust me and be more open to training. From there it is just a lot of repetition. Our goals for adoptability are being able to properly walk on a leash, no biting/jumping on people, and adherence to basic commands like sit, stay, and release.

I also assist with general duties around the property. I help with hedge trimming, keeping the woods trail clear for walking, and pest control. I also get to work on fun projects like building dog houses. And all of us at CCA participate in the adoption events like Bark in the Park and at Petco.

How do you feel being a CCA volunteer?
Volunteering at CCA is one of the most fulfilling aspects of my life. I’ll admit that my involvement is somewhat selfish in nature; I am there for my gratification, for what makes me happy. Which is to share love and happiness with kind, like-minded beings. I get that from both the dogs and the other volunteers I work with at CCA. I also recognize the need for citizens to give back to their community in one way or another.

What is your favorite CCA moment?
This one is pretty easy for me :-) My favorite CCA moment was the day I saw Chester at Bark in the Park.

Chester was born at CCA and had been there for nearly five years when I arrived. From the day I met him, I could not understand why this wonderful dog did not have a home. He did lack manners and pulled relentlessly when on a leash. However, along with many other volunteers, I worked with Chester for a long time. Eventually, we employed skills we learned from Off-Leash Training, and, within a few weeks, Chester was walking right by his handler’s side at all times!

I brought him home and used that time to teach him how to act. I worked with him for many months to foster his ability to make personal connections. When I saw him with his new owner, just as happy as any other dog there, it immediately brought tears of joy and the deepest gratitude for Chester’s owner. It was without a doubt the proudest moment of my involvement since coming to CCA!

Why would you encourage others to volunteer?
I would encourage those who love dogs or cats to consider CCA as a place to volunteer because, first and foremost, it is a no-kill shelter. CCA is 100% donation funded and about 95% volunteer run. When I leave CCA every week I feel good. I feel…to some degree cleansed, even though I usually leave pretty filthy :-)

I would encourage others to volunteer for the same reason I did: to make you feel better about yourself and your community. The result of that commitment to yourself facilitates the need our society has for services like this.

Why would you encourage someone to adopt a pet from us?
I would encourage anyone who loves animals to adopt a pet from CCA. You can be assured that an animal that has spent time at CCA has been exposed to love, kindness, and affection. You can be sure any animal adopted from CCA has been examined and treated for any and all known species afflictions by caring veterinarians that have donated a good part of their time to help CCA.

You recently adopted a CCA pup yourself! Tell us about Maverick.
Maverick is a rugged, young golden lab mix with a ton of energy. After working with Maverick at the shelter, and consistently wondering “why is he still here?!” my family and I decided to adopt him. His official name is now Maverick St. Patrick Stelz.

Rob and John with Maverick

John and Maverick

He and my little boy are bestest of buddies, especially during mealtimes when Maverick is sure to be at the side of the high chair for every meal. Johnny is very generous with his food and Maverick has become a master of gently extracting the clumsily offered treats from John’s hand.

After a week with us, my wife observed that Maverick had not stopped wagging since he got here! His tail has seldom been still ever since. He is a wonderful dog and a wonderful friend! He has been the perfect addition to our family and we have all fallen in love with him!

If you could share anything else about your volunteer experience at CCA, what would it be?
I would love to take an opportunity to feature one of the dogs I’ve worked with at CCA who I would love to see meet his forever families!

Teddy! I LOVE Teddy!! He is a five-year-old chow mix, and I describe him with the full knowledge that it is impolite to call attention to the imperfections of others. With that said…Teddy is a complete and total goofball! 😊

In all seriousness, Teddy has been diagnosed as having some neurological issues. This affects his balance and seems to also affect his attention span. He is very quick to be “onto the next thing” so training has been challenging. However, he has learned sit, stay, and loose leash walk. We know he is trainable, but he will need consistent reinforcement to maintain good behavior. However, it is important to note that his afflictions DO NOT stop him from trying to be Wonder Dog!

Teddy showing his goofy side

Teddy is a high-energy, sparkplug who is happy to be the life of any party he attends. He is an “up in your business” type of dog, meaning he will be a GREAT yard watch dog! Teddy is not a leader; he is a follower, and he would make a great addition to a small pack of two or three dogs with a strong, tolerant pack leader.

I’ve had Teddy at my house for a couple of week-long spans and he has done great! He seems to be instinctively house broken, and has never had even one accident in my house! If you can get the energy out of him during the day, he is a great couch cuddler! Teddy is my challenge dog of the month. He would be a great friend for years to come in the right environment!

Psst: read more about Teddy here!

Success Story: Nitro

Earlier this year, a five-year old black lab mix was found walking the streets, so thin that rescuers could see his ribs. He came to CCA where he found nourishment and love as he waited for his forever family. He was in luck this June when Lauren Mathews and her husband, who learned about CCA from a friend, came to us looking for an emotional support dog. Nitro, now known as Archie, is enjoying all the love he is receiving from his new family. Thank you, Mathews family, for sharing your story!

How did you find out about CCA and Nitro?
I heard about CCA through my friend Shannon who sponsors the Paws for a Cause event. She spoke to me about CCA multiple times before, so I knew that's where I would be going when it was finally time for me to adopt a dog. When my therapist suggested that an emotional support animal would be crucial for me and would help me in many ways, I set out to see if I could find the right pup for me. I found Nitro by looking online, and something sparked in my mind that I wanted to meet him.

What drew you to him in the first place?
What drew me to Nitro (Archie) was his sweet demeanor, his gentleness, and the look in his eyes that told me he wanted someone to give his love and trust to. He was also extremely ADORABLE!! It was love at first sight.

Do you have any other animals? If so, how did it go bringing him into your home?
Prior to adopting Archie, I did not have any other animals of my own, but my in laws had two dogs, and introducing them was incredibly easy. He was so easy going that they got along almost immediately. It did take time for him to adjust to living in our apartment, though, and it took him a few days to know that this was his new home and that he was safe, could trust us, and that he could make himself comfortable.

What is your favorite story/experience with Archie since you’ve had him?
My favorite experience with him was the first time he cuddled with me on the couch, and the first time he trusted me enough to take a treat from my hand. I knew gaining his trust was going to take time, and I felt so happy when I saw the look in his eyes that he trusted me!

Do you have anything to share about your adoption experience with CCA?
I loved my adoption experience with CCA. I had never dealt with rescuing a dog before, but I felt so comfortable working with the CCA team. The line of communication was so open, and they were willing to answer any questions I had during the process. The CCA team even continues to answer questions I have now, after I brought him home! I am SO grateful for CCA and their amazing team.

Is there anything else about Archie that you would like to share?
He is an incredible dog. He loves his people, and brings such a calming presence to mine and my husband’s life. While he was very shy in the beginning, so many silly aspects of his personality are beginning to show, and I can't wait to see what more comes along.

Success Story: Merlot

Early last year, the Rhyne family spent months looking for a second dog to join their family and existing pup, nine-year-old Tucky. As soon as they met Merlot – now named Cisco - at the shelter, they knew she was the one, even though they never expected to adopt a puppy! Today, now known as Cisco, she is living her best life with her new family, and has a special bond with her human brother. Thank you so much to the Rhyne family for sharing your story!

How did you find out about CCA and Merlot?

Early last year, I was a new-ish stay-at-home mom, and one night for some “me” time, I randomly decided to visit Petsmart to look at the dogs up for adoption. While I didn’t come home with a new addition that night, my search for a second dog began then.

It was important to us to adopt a dog that would be comfortable both with our existing dog, Tucky, as well as our 19-month-old son. I had been looking for three months and had filled out quite a few applications and met several dogs but wasn’t convinced that any of them were the “one.” I saw a dog from CCA on PetFinder and reached out to learn more. From there, CCA’s Adoptions Director, Renee, suggested several CCA pups that might be a good match for our family. Merlot was one of them.

What drew you to Merlot in the first place?
After looking for dogs that were two to five years old, we never expected to get a puppy. However, four-month-old Merlot was one of the pups Renee suggested might be a good match for my family. After meeting her, my heart and mind started racing!

I shared with my husband my thoughts on her and how I thought she was the one. He affectionately calls me “the dog lady” and he trusted me completely in my selection because of my experience managing a boarding kennel and having some background in training and such. So, it was on! We arranged a time for Renee to bring her to us and conduct the home visit, and before we knew it, she was here in our home where she belongs!

We ended up calling her about 10 different names at first because we wanted to get to know her before settling on one. We decided to name named her Cisco after the buckskin horse in Dances with Wolves. She has the same coloring and is devoted to us already just like Cisco the horse who keeps returning home each time he is taken from his master.

Do you have any other animals? If so, how did it go bringing her into your home?
We also have an older dog, a mix named Tucky who I adopted 10 years ago. She and Cisco get along amazing! My sister and brother in law have a beagle, and Cisco and him quickly became best friends. She has yet to meet a dog that isn't her friend!

What is your favorite story/experience with Cisco since you’ve had her?
This is a hard one...there are many! I will share one of my favorites…

I was in our carport sweeping while my two-year old was riding his balance bike (he practically lives on it). I hadn't seen him in a couple of minutes, so I instinctively went to go make sure he was ok. I walked around the back of the house and saw him sitting on the hill with his bike beside him and his arm draped across Cisco's back. She was laying beside him contentedly and both of them were just sweetly looking out over the hill. It was so cute! I tried my best to get a picture before the moment was gone.

Do you have anything to share about your adoption experience with CCA?
I was so happy with everything to do with CCA. I took my son with me to look at dogs and met with a volunteer. I felt no pressure to adopt and everyone I interacted with was so helpful. The shelter was clean and there wasn’t a million dogs. Renee was very helpful and available for my many questions along the way, and it is clear that she cares about the animals even after they are placed in their forever homes. I have shared pictures with her now, nearly a year later!

Is there anything else about Cisco that you would like to share?
There are so many things about her that I love. One of the most amazing things about her is how very sweet and tolerant she is with young children and their shenanigans! She isn't scared or insecure. My son plays with her and walks her around the yard on a leash, and she never pulls on him. She is also amazing off leash! She stays with us no matter what is going on around us. She is the perfect hiking dog! Her energy level is ideal as well. She is happy to play and happy to sleep in her bed!

Thank you Concerned Citizens for helping us find our next family member! My husband keeps saying I outdid myself...and he is right!