Fall 2011Fall 2011Fall 2011Fall 2011

Hassayampa River Preserve, Wickenburg, AZ Hassayampa River Preserve, Wickenburg, AZ Hassayampa River Preserve, Wickenburg, AZ Hassayampa River Preserve, Wickenburg, AZ

Teen Tracks is a wonderful program for animal loving teens. Every Saturday for twelve weeks

the group got together and did a fun activity from 9 am to 1 pm. On December 3 we took a field

trip to the Hassayampa River Preserve in Wickenburg where we all did exotic animal presenta-

tions to a girl scout troop. Everyone did a fantastic job presenting their animals which included

guinea pigs, a boa constrictor, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, a desert tortoise, a ferret, a leop-

ard gecko, and an emperor scorpion. Following the presentations we were led on a tour of one of

the trails of the preserve. Along the tour we

learned about many of the native plants that grew

on the 600 acre property. Our tour guide told us

about many of the wild animals that lived on the

preserve. Some of the most fascinating being the

bats, snakes, and other reptiles that

live in the skirts of the palm trees

that grow there. After eating lunch

in a picnic area that overlooks the

beautiful property we returned to

AAWL with wonderful memories of

the gorgeous vegetation that grow

throughout the spacious preserve. I

highly recommend that anyone who

has the chance to visit the Has-

sayampa River Preserve should be-

cause it is a stunning experience that

you will never forget.

-Kati Hage

Artist’s Corner 2

Stellar Service 3

Pick of the Litter 3

For Your Consideration 4

My Teen Track Experience 5

Success Story 6

Calendar of Events 7

Home for the Howl-a-days Promotion 8

Inside this issue:

www.aawl.org/ED Education Department 30 North 40th Place Phoenix, AZ 85034 Phone: 602-273-6852 x122 Fax: 602-275-3610 Email: education@aawl.org

Artist’s Corner

-Jillian McNally

-Jenna Speight

Page 2 Volume 4, I ssue 1

“A shelter is no Place for Man’s Best Friend”

By Rachel Godlewski

A shelter is no place for man’s best friend

On human beings their life depends

Behind bars is no place to be

For a friend who will serve you so loyally

It makes me wonder what they’ll have to do

To make you take them home with you

To go to a home where they’ll be loved

A happy dog much beloved

So bring one home, be his best friend

And love him until the bitter end

This shelter’s only a good home temporarily

Because it’s no place for a best friend to be

Austin Love, an 18 year old from Scottsdale, AZ, has always had a love for animals - so when it came

time to complete his Eagle Scout service project it was a no-brainer. Austin contacted the education

department at the Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA and asked what some current needs of

theirs were. A few of the education animals (desert tortoises, guinea pigs, rabbits and bearded dragon)

were in need of a natural outdoor space where they could run freely and eat fresh grass and produce.

Austin Love quickly got to work requesting donations of posts, turf,

plants and other materials from various home improvement stores. He gathered other boy scouts and

scout parents together in the community and on September 24, 2011 25 participants worked 8 hours

and put together a beautiful outdoor space for the exotic animals of AAWL. It is a wonderful daily

reminder of what a lot of heart and dedication can accomplish. The education animals love the out-

door space and are happier and healthier as a result. Thank you Austin Love and company!

Pick of the Litter

Kami Kami Kami Kami ---- KaziKaziKaziKazi Kami truly represents what a no-kill shelter is all about. She first came to AAWL December 22nd of

2009 - alsmost 2 years ago! Kami has unique brindle markings and is almost 3 years old. She has had a

tough time finding the perfect home. She has been adopted out and returned a total of 5 times. Rea-

sons for her return range from bad excuses (i.e. allergic, moving, etc) and some because she is dog

selective and had issues with other dogs in the home. An ideal forever family for Kami would be ac-

tive without cats and a proper introduction with any dog(s) in the home at the shelter. Volunteers

love Kami and hate to see this wonderful, energetic pooch in the shelter year after year. Please con-

sider giving this wonderful, obedient and loveable girl a place she can call home for the holidays, and

the rest of her days!

Breed: Breed: Breed: Breed: American Pit Bull Terrier Mix

Adoption PriceAdoption PriceAdoption PriceAdoption Price: sponsored

Gender: Gender: Gender: Gender: Female

Daphne is just beautiful with stunning green eyes and a silky grey coat. Daphne is patient. She sits in the cattery lobby every day on

her favorite chair gazing at passer-bys. She has done this since March 7th, 2010. Once in a while a cattery staff person or volunteer

will give her a scratch under her chin or the top of her head and she closes her eyes and purrs. She loves human attention and pets

more than anything. She is not as quick as she used to be; at 11 years young she has arthritis but gets

around just fine. Daphne is not greedy. She doesn’t care if you live in an apartment or small space—

she just wants a place of her own and to sit next to her favorite human, you. Her adoption fee has

been sponsored and she is spayed, up to date on her vaccinations and microchipped. Don’t let

Daphne spend the rest of her days waiting in the cattery lobby - please consider this fantastic senior.

Page 3 Volume 4, I ssue 1

Breed: Breed: Breed: Breed: Domestic Shorthair

Adoption Price: Adoption Price: Adoption Price: Adoption Price: sponsored

Gender: Gender: Gender: Gender: Female

declawed

Daphne the DiligentDaphne the DiligentDaphne the DiligentDaphne the Diligent

UPDATE: Kami was adopted recently to UPDATE: Kami was adopted recently to UPDATE: Kami was adopted recently to UPDATE: Kami was adopted recently to

her 6th homeher 6th homeher 6th homeher 6th home————we wish her the best!we wish her the best!we wish her the best!we wish her the best!

Stellar Service

Eagle Scout to the Rescue!Eagle Scout to the Rescue!Eagle Scout to the Rescue!Eagle Scout to the Rescue!

Page 4 Volume 4, I ssue 1

For Your Consideration

LazarusLazarusLazarusLazarus

Lazarus (Rough Hebrew translation, “God has helped”) of Bethany was the brother of Mary and Martha. Lazarus was a follower

of Jesus, and died while Jesus was away. When Jesus came back, Lazarus had been dead and in a tomb for four days. Jesus was

moved by Mary sorrow and went to Lazarus’s tomb. There he had the stone blocking the entrance moved, and resurrected

Lazarus.

It was a year since the family’s dog, Buddy, died of bone cancer. My father and I went to check up on a possible adoption

puppy, Jackson (then “A2991947,” a number combination too long to remember) up from a local adoption center. Jackson and

his siblings were living and found on the street. When we got there, he seemed perfectly healthy, and we adopted him. The

next day we went over and picked him up and took him home. All that evening, he didn’t eat, and all that night, he barely

slept. The next day, Mom was alone, and Jackson barfed. Mom immediately took Jackson to the animal hospital, where he was

diagnosed with Parvovirus. She sent an email back to the adoption center and warned them about Jackson’s siblings. We had

Jackson set up at the hospital so that he would have the best chance of survival. Even so, one day his white blood cell count

dropped to 580. That day we were asked if Jackson was in too much pain that night, if the hospital could euthanize him. The

very next day, his white blood cell count was just below normal, 5,700. Eventually, he got out of the hospital. We still had to

give him medication, with time and love he recovered. Now, Jackson is a healthy hyperactive little guy, always playing or

chewing. He is now known as Jackson “Lazarus” Rucker.

The moral of the story is rather odd, but it’s to be rather thankful for the adoption system AAWL has. The Parvovirus would

have been spotted by AAWL before Jackson or any of his siblings were adopted out. AAWL holds animals for 3-5 days before

they are let to be adopted and have a full-time clinic and infirmary in place. Thus, if the other adoption center had held Jack-

son and his siblings off from adoption for more time, it would have been impossible for the dread of this situation to spread to

other, unprepared families. However, I hold no grudge against the adoption center that we went to because what happened to

Jackson and his siblings was beyond their control. All of Jackson's siblings were diagnosed with Parvovirus, and all were eutha-

nized because it was too expensive to cure. A few days after Jackson went into the hospital, I went back and helped the adop-

tion center out with some daily chores. We are very happy to have Jackson with us now. He is jumping and acting just like any

healthy puppy should. He recently went on his first walk on the mountain preserve and loved it. He chews a lot though, so he’s

lucky he’s cute.

-Jonah Rucker

JacksonJacksonJacksonJackson , Age 6 mos.

Page 5 Volume 4, I ssue 1

I have been in Teen Tracks for three years and I love it! It’s a great place to be with animals

and something really good to put on your resume. It’s really good especially if you want to

do something with animals for a living. AAWL has some amazing animals. One of my fa-

vorites is Guapo a HUGE iguana that's about 5'1 long. He is so gorgeous. He is a green

iguana but he is mostly orange.(: Guapo is so sweet. you can take him out of his cage, lay

him on your lap and pet him while talking to someone. Another of my favorite animals at

AAWL is Azriel. She is an umbrella cockatoo who is the sweetest, cutest bird ever. She is

so nice and sometimes cuddles with you. She is not a normal bird; she thinks she's a hu-

man! I suggest to anyone to join Teen Tracks and to visit Guapo and Azriel.

-Hannah Rohlf

My experience in Teen Track is one of the best memories I have. I started volunteering

with Teen Tracks when I was about 13 years old. My older sister Caitlin volunteered with

Teen Tracks. I looked up to her, she was my hero so I couldn’t wait to be old enough to do

the same things she did. I love animals with a passion so this program was perfect for me.

When I started volunteering I had plenty to learn. I took classes on how to learn dog and

cat behavior and learned how to handle the animals housed at the shelter. I learned the

importance of spaying and neutering and how the adoptable cats and dogs were placed in

their forever homes. I also learned how difficult it is to care for exotic animals. The exotic

animals at the shelter came from people who could not care for them properly and are for

educational purposes only. Through Teen Tracks, I’ve had the opportunity to observe ani-

mals being spayed and neutered and have been on the news advertising the animals that

were up for adoption. I’ve also had the opportunity to go to other agencies to learn about

their services or to do projects.

I have to say Teen Tracks has taught me a lot in life. I am 18 years old and still volunteer-

ing with Teen Tracks. I am currently attending East Valley Institute of Technology in the

Vet Tech program. I have a passion for reptiles and through this program was able to

shadow a vet at an exotic clinic in Gilbert.

If your child has a passion for animals or is interested in going into veterinarian medicine

or zoology, put them in the Teen Tracks program. This program is fun and educational.

Your child will quickly be on the right path for their future. They will be able to experi-

ence working with animals first hand and decide if that career choice is right for them.

I have fond memories of Teen Tracks and it will always be in my heart. Because of Teen

Tracks, someday I would like to have a job at Arizona Animal Welfare League.

- Ryleigh Alfonso

My Teen Track Experience

I had only worked at AAWL

for about 8 months when I

adopted my black lab Ellie. I

was working away when I saw

the behavior staff walk by my

office with a gentleman a black

lab pup, a long haired Chihua-

hua and an Aussie mix. The lab

caught my eye so I watched

what was going on and discov-

ered the man was surrendering

all three dogs. He had lost his

home and he and his family

could no longer keep their beloved dogs. I walked in the behavior office and chatted with him for a bit about the lab pup he

informed me her name was Ella (currently Ellie), she loved to swim, sleeping on the couch and liked to chew hoses. I knew full

well adopting a lab meant lots of training but I was game. My husband and I decided to foster her for a bit to see if she was a fit

for our family, needless to say we knew by the end of the weekend she was not going anywhere. She was a natural fit for our

family. At first she followed my daughter everywhere, (she previously had a little girl of the same age) and then she bonded

with our yellow lab as if they were litter mates. We knew this mischievous little girl was meant to be a part of our family. Im-

mediately we enrolled Ellie in obedience and then agility classes. A very food motivated 6 month old lab needs all the manners

they can get. Agility was a great outlet for her energy as were the trips to Cosmos Dog Park for regular swims. Ellie, along with

her new lab sister Emma were Canine Good Citizen Certified and started helping with educating children during AAWL

classes and traveling to schools to teach bite prevention.

Ellie has proven to be a wonderful addition to our family. She is a kind soul with a gentle spirit she has never met a stranger or

another dog she did not want to play with. She plays well with all my children and other animals. She still loves to swim, sleep

on the couch and for those of you who know her know that she has a bottomless stomach and no obstacle will get in the way of

her getting a snack! Occasionally my children will lose a stuffed animal to rowdy lab play but that is a small sacrifice to make to

have a loyal friend you can trust with the most precious people in your life. Ellie, Emma and our third dog Kai love spending

time in the mountains, and swimming in lakes of Arizona. Our family spends much of our free time camping with our dogs, it is

a fun time for all and a great outlet for active labs!

What happen to the Chihuahua and the Aussie you may ask. The Aussie was adopted into a loving home and through a series of

unfortunate adoptions and returns the small Chihuahua (Chewy) ended up being adopted by my Mother and Father –in-law.

He now lives in the tall pines in Northern Arizona and gets to visit with Ellie on a regular basis. No matter how long they have

been a part they are ecstatic to see each other! Who says dogs don’t know remember? These two run, bounce and play each

time they are reunited. So this is not just one happy ending but a happy ending for all three of the animals that were surren-

dered to AAWL that day! That is why we all do the jobs we do each day to help every animal find its way to its forever home!

-Michelle Ramos

Director of Education

Volume 4, I ssue 1

Success Story

Ellie & the Ramos FamilyEllie & the Ramos FamilyEllie & the Ramos FamilyEllie & the Ramos Family

Chewy

Ellie, Ty and Bailey Ramos

Page 6

Spring 2012 Schedule

Upcoming Dates:Upcoming Dates:Upcoming Dates:Upcoming Dates: Winter Jr. Camp Counselor positions open: December 27 - December 30, 2011

Fall 2011 Application Deadline (for new teens only): December 31, 2011

Orientation and First Day: January 21, 2012 (9am—1pm)

Have a good idea for the newsletter? Have a good idea for the newsletter? Have a good idea for the newsletter? Have a good idea for the newsletter? Do you have a brilliant idea for future Teen Track Times or want to get more involved in creating

art, success stories or other interesting pieces? E-mail all submissions to Rachael Gardner at

rgardner@aawl.org or call 602-273-6852 ext. 122 if you have questions.

Volume 4, I ssue 1 Page 7

Things to Remember

Date Time Activity

December 31, 2012 11pm Teen Track Application Deadline

January 21, 2012 9am-1pm 9am - 10am orientation

10am - 1pm Dog 101/Remove and Return Training

January 28, 2012 9am-1pm Cat 101

Teen Track Newsletter

February 4, 2012 9am-1pm Keeper Care

Exotic Animal Training Level 1

February 11, 2012 9am-1pm Offsite: Phoenix Herpetological Society parent must transport

February 18, 2012 9am-1pm Keeper Care

Exotic Animal Training Level 2

February 25, 2012 9am-1pm Gabrielle’s Angels Visit

March 3, 2012 9am-1pm Presentation Training

Exotic Animal Presentation

Exotic Animal Training Level 3

March 10, 2012 9am - 1pm Offsite: TBD Waiting for Confirmation

March 17, 2012 8am-12pm AAWL Shelter Day

March 24, 2012 9am-1pm Teen Lead: Paws N’ Claws Kids Club

March 31, 2012 9am-1pm AZ Humane Officer Presentation

April 7, 2012 9am-1pm Offsite: MCACC East parent must transport

Waiting for Confirmation April 14, 2012 10am-12pm End of semester celebration; Open House for

friends and family

Page 8 Volume 4, I ssue 1

Home for theHome for the

HowlHowl--AA--DaysDays

Every pet wants a warm cozy home for the holidays. Help them Every pet wants a warm cozy home for the holidays. Help them Every pet wants a warm cozy home for the holidays. Help them Every pet wants a warm cozy home for the holidays. Help them find their FURRRRever homes this holiday season!!!find their FURRRRever homes this holiday season!!!find their FURRRRever homes this holiday season!!!find their FURRRRever homes this holiday season!!!

Through the end of the year AAWL will offer special holiday pricing:Through the end of the year AAWL will offer special holiday pricing:Through the end of the year AAWL will offer special holiday pricing:Through the end of the year AAWL will offer special holiday pricing:

Cats overoveroverover 6 months are $10$10$10$10

Kittens underunderunderunder 6 months are $50$50$50$50

Dogs over 1 yearover 1 yearover 1 yearover 1 year are $50$50$50$50 (Donations accepted!).

Other special pricing through the end of the year!