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Here's where you can read all about some successful pet adoptions, special cases from our shelter, and other cool stuff! We will be deleting old stories to make room for new ones... however, that means we need new stories! If you have adopted a pet from us and would like to share your story, please send us an e-mail here, Share a story and we just might add it to this page.

What would you like to read about?

Kroger Community Rewards Program
Pet Expo 2009
Lady and Butterscotch the cats
Sadie AKA Charm the dog
Dog Days of Summer June 21, 2009
Smushy the dog
Nya the dog
Annie the dog
Tobias the dog
Sugar the dog
The truck accident
Thanks to Fairfield vet
Roger the cat
Toby the dog
Pepper the cat
Freda the dog
Thanks to Winchester vet
The parade

The parade

11/2009

Thanks to everyone who came to watch us in the holiday parade! All of the dogs were so well behaved and they had a great time! For those of you that were not at the parade - FAHS won Best in Show!!!! Thanks, Nancy and Chris, for the truck decorations - and thanks to Jamie and Sheila for decorating their truck. Now, we just need to plan something new and creative for next year! Please spread the word that there are so many animals that want to be in a nice, cozy home for Christmas!
Here are a few pictures from our big day!

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Pet Expo 2009

FAHS was a major presence at the Pet Expo 2009 held at the Lancaster fairgrounds. Thanks to Lancaster Animal Clinic for hosting such a great event!!! Check out some pictures below, click on each picture to see a bigger version:

Lady & Butterscotch the cats

Lady the cat I am reporting to you how the two kittens are doing since I have had them in my care..!!!! They settled in and made themselves at home right away.....They got their favorite toys and explored every where that is open to them....No place is unturned...!!!!!

I have named the girl Lady....and the boy Butterscotch..... I wanted Ali and Akeem....but that was to hard for my husband.... He has taken to them and is laughing and enjoying having them with us.... They sleep and eat a lot which is good....They have not been any trouble.....I mixed Kitten chow from Purina in with the food that you gave to me...and they are thriving pretty good...The girl is now putting on some weight....and they sure let me know when it is din din time.....sleep pattern is broken up....They wake me at two and 7am.....7 is for breakfast....laughing.....2 is to play.... Lady thinks I am a teething ring, because she is chewing my hand all the time.....Both are going to be beautiful cats..... They have already picked out who they prefer....Lady wants to sleep with my husband...and Butterscotch sleeps with me when ever.... I have made appointments for the 20th for their shot and checkup.... Karen is a great Vet, I had her for my Mittens.....

Thank you for making it possible for me to have the two kitties... I love them very much....They bring me joy and they are fun to talk about.... Take care....have a great life....and God Bless...

Marilyn Hook.....

Sadie the Dog (AKA Charm)

Here's an update on Sadie AKA Charm... Shes is a great addition to our family, we couldent have picked a better dog!! She only spent half a night in her cage. ( Shes a bed hog) Haha. Sadie and our other dog Cole get along sooo well, they are a perfect match. We will send you another update soon.

Dog Days of Summer 2009

In partnership with The "Pet Friendly" Bremen Bank

Additional thanks to Sonic drive-in!

Pictures from the event

Date: Sunday June 21st
Time: Noon to 4:00pm
Place: Rising park

Your dog can win nice prizes in one of our four contests: (Entry fee for all four contests is $10.00 per dog) Registration form PDF here

Most Talented
Owner pet look alike
Best dressed
Cutest Canine

We will have several raffles including a 50/50 for the Humans. The Humane Society will have animals there for adoption. Lunch will be provided from noon to 2:00pm. This will be at the shelter house on top of hill at Rising Park. (Check the event calender for a Google map) The entrance is off of Granville Pike.

The event was a great succcess once again! Thanks to all those that volunteered, and all those that attended. We look forward to seeing all of you at Rising Park again next year!

Smushy the dog

Update 03/2009
Our poor little Smushy needs your help now! 02/2009

Update 03/2008

Thank you to all who have called and donated to little Smushy's cause. She had surgery on her front legs almost two weeks ago and is doing so well! We are completely amazed by her! She is still wearing casts on both of her front legs, but this little girl can stand and hop around like she is not even phased! She is completely irritated that she can't move around like a normal puppy, but she is determined to prevail! She has had a little pain in her left leg, so she is scheduled for another trip to the vet to recheck, and we will keep you posted! top, Smooshy

Our poor little Smushy needs your help now! 02/2009

Unfortunately, there is never a shortage of animals in need, and we struggle every day to provide for them. Little Smushy was brought to our shelter with two broken legs and a pin in another from a month ago. Smushy is only a mere 4 months old! What a horrible 4 months! At this point, we do not know what happened to this baby, we only know that we need to fix her. She is currently scheduled for orthopedic surgery on both front legs on Thursday. This surgery is likely going to be expensive, but how are we not going to give this poor baby a chance? If you would like to help Smushy, or any of the other animals that are in such great need, please donate! Our general fund has to be bulked up if we are going to be able to help Smushy and her friends! Thank you all for having caring hearts! Donate Now! top, Smooshy

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Nya the dog

April 23, 2009
Hello Everyone,
Just an update from Nya's family. She is doing great. She has a playmate in the neighborhood (Chloe) and we have doggie play dates at the neighborhood playground. She just loves to run around. I think her favorite part of the day is our daily walk. We are still working on her walking better on a leash. This is a slow process. She is still too strong on the leash for the kids to walk her but they ride their bikes and we keep up with them pretty good. Nya gave up her dog pillow for our bed now. She likes to cuddle right up against our legs at night. So much for not having the dog on the bed huh. The kids absolutely adore her. They each took a picture of her to school for show and tell. They each feed her daily, one in the morning and one after school. Their favorite thing still is to give her the Milkbone as a treat. We had to go out of town for a night and took her with us and stayed in a hotel that was pet friendly. She did great even there. We really don't like to board her we had to one other time and she did ok but we just worried about her. We will have to board her again when we go to the beach in Oct. but we will cross that bridge when we come to it. Overall you were right, we couldn't have asked for a better dog. Thanks so much,

Mindy Neal

Annie the dog

Update 04/2009
Update 02/2009
Update 11/2008
Update 08/2008
Update 07/2008
Update 06/2008
Update 05/2008 part two
Update 05/2008
Update 04/2008 part five
Update 04/2008 part four
Update 04/2008 part three
Update 04/2008 part Two
Update 04/2008
Annie A desperate plea to save little Annie:

update 04/2009

I wanted to share with you an email that was sent to the shelter about our darling little Annie! This is as good an update as it gets!

Subject: Your God Daughter:
When you brought Annie to our home you forgot to include the instructions on how to get the ink off of her when she decides to chew up a pen. I got most of it off the carpet but Sheila will still notice. Annie and I may need to sleep in your barn. I usually try to blame everything on Ruby but it will be hard this time since Annie has accumulated extra black spots all over her face and leg since this morning. Oh what a fun day. She did eat supper with no problems though so at least we're not making a trip to Med Vets. Sheila should be home soon so wish us luck.
Jamie top, Annie

update 02/2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISS ANNIE!!
Our little miracle girl turned a year old last month! For all of you who helped her survive, here are some photos to enjoy from her party! Thank you all for giving her the gift of life! top, Annie

update 11/08

Remember sick little Annie? Well, she is sick no more! She weighs in the 40's now and she is a very happy little girl! You can see in the pictures that she has her very own kitten, KiKi. She plays Frisbee and she even knows some commands! She's having a great time with life! She will be "officially adopted" very soon by Sheila and Jamie, but she's been part of her new animal family for months now. She's got a long, happy life ahead of her thanks to all of her supporters! Who would have guessed that the tiny puppy with a heart defect would grow to be so beautiful, sweet and healthy. She has little residual effects of her original condition. Her esophagus is still considered a mega-esophagus, and she still has a restriction, but her new family is very careful about what she can get into. She may never eat hard kibble, but she doesn't mind! They've even taught her to eat dog treats. It's so cute, she chews and chews before she swallows! Thank you all for your support of Miss Annie, and watch for her at area events! She is definitely an avid Humane Society supporter and will make appearances at some of our fundraisers!! She had a ball in the parade and she will be at Tractor Supply on December 14th! Happy Holidays Everyone!! top, Annie

update 08/08

Hi everyone! Just wanted to give you an update on little Annie! She's not so little anymore! We have had such a busy summer that it has been hard to keep up. First off, our Humane Officer, Bill Huffman, is recovering well from his car accident and expected to return to work very soon. Woo-hoo! Little Miss Annie has been living with her new family since July and is absolutely thriving! At last count, she was up to 27 1/2 pounds! Annie LOVES her frisbee, she has been taught to "sit" AND "stay". Yesterday I heard that she can "SHAKE" too! She eats 4 cans of food per day now and is starting to be able to try out little peices of treats. She has had NO episodes of regurgitation at all since she went to her new home. She is spoiled rotten, goes everywhere and loves everyone! She's gotten to be exactly what I had hoped: A (relatively) NORMAL little dog with her own family who loves her more than anything! (She's still deathly afraid of the vacuum cleaner, though!!) Annie will DEFINITELY be attending the Chinese Auction set to be held at the Lancaster Camp Ground on September 21st. If you'd like to meet her or see how big she's gotten, please stop by! She's a doll! Thanks for checking in! top, Annie

update 07/08

Guess what?! Annie has found a new home to call her very own! I took her to a "foster home" myself about two weeks ago. During this visit, I "Annie inspected" their house and showed them all about Annie's care, the good and the bad! They have taken her care very seriously and she is just thriving! They keep me updated almost daily on her progress, which I just absolutely LOVE! She's already been to see Dr. Dunn at Fairfield Pet Hospital in Lancaster. Imagine that, her first doctor turns out to be her new constant doctor! Yeah! We love Fairfield Pet and she will be VERY well taken care of there! Annie now has her own extended family, as well. She has two Boston Terriers, a Golden Retriever and two cats (along with her new parents!) to call her very own! She is just having the time of her life! I've included a few pictures of her with her new family and I think you'll agree, she looks extremely happy! I have to say that I choke up when they share pictures with me, because I never would have dreamed that her ending would be as happy as this. She's (almost!) normal, happy, healthy and spoiled as rottenly as any dog has ever deserved! I am confident that she will be well loved, well cared for and want for nothing for the rest of her long, long life. I will keep you updated on her progress as I watch her grow and try to share as many pictures as I can! It is bittersweet, because I miss her so. But I can't go on saving animals if I fill up my own house too much, now can I?! :) My final thanks to everyone who cared enough about her to see this happen for her. Be sure to check out her little video on the front of our web page, as well!

Thank you all for everything!
Michelle Sahr & Little Annie top, Annie

update 06/08

Hi everyone! I've had a lot of requests for an Annie update and I apologize for the delay! I have been swamped! She is doing SO well that I would not have believed it several months ago! She is up to 11 pounds now...that's OVER DOUBLE her weight of just three weeks ago! Her hair is all filled in and you can barely see her scars anymore; and she is growing like a weed! She is still only half of her sister's size, which you can see in the photo, but she is determined to catch up quickly!

I took a much needed ANNIE FREE vacation a week ago (thus the reason for being so busy THIS week!) and Annie was fortunate enough to be cared for by Dr. Lynn Grinstead of Winchester Veterinary Clinic while I was gone. What a privilege for Annie and me, let me tell you! While I was gone, Dr. Grinstead took Annie to her own home to ensure her safety, since she is still such a risk. While she was in her care, Dr. Grinstead managed to wean Annie down to 4 feedings per day AND she no longer has to be held upright after her feedings! She has been switched to a regular Iams puppy food, which is probably the best reason for her fantastic weight gain! We still have to water down her food a bit, but as active as she is just being a normal little hungry puppy, she bounces the food down all by herself now! Thank goodness...that saves most of my day for doing what I NEED to do! :) I will try to keep up with her growing, increasing the amount that she eats at each feeding as she gets bigger, to ensure that we keep up this fantastic new journey of actually eating AND growing!

At this point, she is still pretty high maintenance and cannot be left unsupervised unless she is in a safe, enclosed place with only what belongs to her. She still has a tendency to eat things that her esophagus cannot accommodate. However, as fast as she is growing, the hope is that her esophagus will grow with her and soon she will be able to be a normal little puppy. All she wants to do is nibble a few pebbles and sticks like her sister! Hopefully, she will be able to be set free to explore the world soon...just as soon as she grows a little bit more.

I think that she is just about ready to move on from us now, it seems she is outgrowing her need for me, as well. As sad as this makes me, it is also such a joy to see this bouncy puppy alive and well and ready for what was intended for her: a family of her own. It seems she may have several to choose from, too, so good for her! What a miracle she is, and I am forever grateful that you all could share in witnessing what I have: watching her beat tremendous odds and survive. I wasn't sure that it was possible for a while there, but she sure showed us, didn't she? I will try for better pictures soon, but she's just so darn busy all the time that it is hard to get her to sit still for them!

Annie's got one more TV appearance to make, which will be taped next week and aired on Channel 4 for the Red, White and Boom special on July 3rd. After that, she's free to go and live her well deserved life.

Thank you all for checking in!
Love, Annie and Shell.top, Annie

update 05/08 part two

Hi everyone. Annie is back home from OSU once again. She was admitted on Monday for a routine spay and inguinal hernia repair. She seems to have done fine, has a few more scars to add to her collection and even more hair missing from her poor little body; but she's the same old wiggly, goofy girl! During this process, they have shaved half of her body, every single leg, her neck and she's losing hair on her ears as a side effect to the medications she's been taking! She looks a mess, for sure! She was not acting like herself yesterday. She was very quiet and acted like she just didn't feel good at all. She is certainly over that tonight, though! She is making it very difficult to type this, as I wear her in the little front pack she must sit in after she eats. She's so very helpful! I have added a little bulk to her meals today, so cross your fingers that she tolerates it ok. The a/d (a prescription food) she has been eating is really not a preferred method for her complete nutrition, so I have tried to add a little bit of a smooth canned puppy food to see if we can put some weight on this poor girl. She eats like crazy, but still remains so skinny! She's got a lot of catching up to do, though, and is well on her way now.

I want to thank all of you again who have been so very concerned for this little darling. She is so worth everything we've been though, although she certainly didn't deserve any of it! She would not be driving me crazy with her adorable little antics right now without your support. She and I and everyone at the Humane Society is very, very grateful for your help. I will try to add some new pictures very soon, if I can get her to sit still long enough to take some!

Shell & Annie top, Annie

update 05/08

Happy Mother's Day to all of those who share the honor! Wanted to give you an update on my surrogate child, Annie. She is doing so very well. She eats well and keeps it down. Feeding her is quite a challenge, though, because she does not want to sit still for the occasion! She gets so worked up that it an almost impossible task, which of course we have to do 4 or 5 times a day! She is always hungry, I guess she is trying to make up for lost time. She has gained weight this week, too! She hasn't gained any weight at all since the beginning of April...until now. She has officially gained one pound and two ounces in a single week!

Yeah! She is still a very busy, very cuddly, very sweet girl. She is approaching the time when she will be ready for her own home, and my poor little dogs will be forever grateful. She still takes a lot of care and a lot of time right now, and my little lap dogs are feeling pretty ignored and sad. She has one more surgery ahead of her, it is scheduled for next week. This time, God willing, she will be pneumonia-free and can be spayed and have her hernia repaired. Then I think she'll be ready for someone else to take over. She's such a sweetie. She is still wearing a muzzle whenever she is out of the crate, but Houdini Dog figures out a way to get her nose out! I am still working that out, because I still don't trust her not to eat things off of the floor. She loves to play with her little sister, who, incidentally, is twice her size now. As long as she keeps growing with this speed, it shouldn't take long for her to grow out of her esophagus problems and be a real, live, normal dog! Thanks for checking in!! top, Annie

update 04/08 part five

Hi Everyone! Annie went for her check-up at OSU today and let me just say, "Woo-Hoo!" Her radio graphs show no signs of pneumonia at this time!

She's got two more weeks of antibiotics, just to be on the safe side, but she is definitely on the road to recovery now. I, for one, am so relieved!

She still has not gained any weight since her visit last week, so we are going to play with her food a little bit to see if she can tolerate more at once, and less times per day. (Thank Goodness!) She will still have special food and will have to be held upright for 30 minutes following each feeding, but the Dr. Surman (the internal medicine guy) says that the hope is, after she grows up a little bit, she will be able to eat on her own and not have to be held upright. She will likely never be able to eat "regular" dog food, it will always have to be a soft consistency, but hey, eat by herself? That's a good goal! I will have to continue to muzzle her, for now, because she still has quite a stricture on her esophagus because of the persistent aortic arch. Hopefully, though, she will outgrow that as she starts to grow. While she is a puppy and into everything, she must not be able to get things into her mouth that cannot pass through that stricture.

So her next hurdle is another surgery in three weeks. This one is to fix a hernia that we knew about a long time ago, but put off until she was healthy enough. They are going to spay her early so they can fix this hernia at the same time, before it causes her any trouble with her bowels or bladder. So, hopefully, she will have all surgeries behind her soon and go on to live a peaceful life of making someone a very lucky dog owner!

This poor girl, she's got body malfunctions going on everywhere! Slowly but surely, though, we are getting her fixed up and she couldn't be happier. She's giving me a run for my money, but she's definitely worth it. Definitely. Thanks for checking in! top, Annie

update 04/08 part four

Hello Annie fans! Sorry for the delay in updates, Annie has kept me a very busy person! She came home from OSU (AGAIN!) last Thursday with two new antibiotics. The fine doctors over there cultured some of the junk in her lungs and have, hopefully, pinpointed the bacteria that is causing her so much trouble. I pray that she is finally going to kick that nasty pneumonia! She actually woke up this morning (Monday) and sounded FAR better than she has for weeks and weeks.

My next goal is to try to put some weight on her itsy-bitsy frame. She hasn't gained any weight for weeks, not so typical for a 11 week old puppy. And my common sense tells me that she will never have a chance to outgrow a condition if she doesn't GROW! I have been feeding her what the doctor's say, and she's been keeping it down pretty well. So I have recently started beefing up her meals and I am feeding her every 2-3 hours. Now, if you calculate that I have to hold her in an upright position for 30 minutes after every feeding, and I feed her every 2-3 hours throughout the day, I am pretty sure that it is all I get done all day! She doesn't mind one bit, though. The poor thing is so very hungry all the time. It's sad to think that she's never felt the sensation of a FULL stomach. (Except maybe as a very small baby with her Momma). She can only eat small, frequent meals and she's never done when the bowl is. It certainly hasn't hurt her energy level, though! She is a VERY busy girl. I have recently purchased her a muzzle, but must locate a better one with a basket on the end. Like a typical puppy, she has taken to eating everything she passes. She's even picked up a few tricks from her mom because she is so famished, and has decided that she likes rocks, cigarette butts, mulch, fuzz...you name it, and I've confiscated it from her hungry little mouth. Her little esophagus can't pass anything that doesn't fully dissolve, though, so she can't BE a typical puppy. So at this time, I can never put her down unless it is a completely baby-proofed room that has been swept well and mopped. I have a play pen that I put her in to keep her safe, which she climbs right out of the minute she feels like it! I will be glad when I finally get the glitches worked out and I can put her back down in the yard. She had such fun playing in the grass and following my dogs, kids (and me) around, but I don't trust her a bit right now! So it sounds like I am complaining, but I love her to death. She is just the sweetest thing, and has no idea at all what a pain in the butt she is! :) I hope that she doesn't stay so high maintenance, though, because I want someone to be able to fall in love with her and give her a forever home. I will do my best to try to make sure that happens for her.

So she's got a follow-up appointment at OSU on Wednesday, so I'll try to give you all another update as soon as I have some news from the doctors about how they think that she is progressing. Thanks for checking in! top, Annie

update 04/08 part three

Our little Annie was doing very well post surgery. No one has told her at this point that she has been (or is still) sick! We picked her up from OSU on Wednesday, where Channel 10 was generous enough to meet us and air a little update. It was a shock to my eyes, because she was even smaller when I picked her up than when I dropped her off. In one week she had already lost so much weight! The doctor's at OSU seemed to have taken her under their wings, though, because she was still as spoiled as ever! She has been doing very well at home, eating around the clock. She looks pitiful with her tiny little shaved body and big line of stitches. I try to get as many small meals into her as often as I can, but as of right now she is still on a liquid diet and is always, always hungry. It makes me feel horrible for her because it seems she can never get full, so I feed her as often as possible. Unfortunately, Annie has found herself back at OSU today. She was doing well yesterday, until her final feeding last night. She immediately regurgitated her food last night and didn't seem to be able to keep it down. We then had a very long night of coughing and raspy breathing. She has been raspy all along, due to an upper respiratory infection she contracted from her mom at two weeks of age. This morning was more of the same, so I rushed her to the vet this morning for a second opinion. (I am so oversensitive to her now that I was hoping that I was just imagining it!) They suggested that we take her back to OSU today. (Not my imagination, unfortunately). She was examined by the doctors at OSU, and they are going to keep her overnight and do some more testing. Aspiration pneumonia is her biggest enemy right now, and she has been battling it since before she even had surgery. She is such a sweet little puppy, and follows me like a shadow. She is very playful (although not allowed to go overboard!), very loving and extremely loyal. She cries at night when she is alone, so I've taken to letting her sleep in the bed and get up 4 times a night to take her outside! (Thus the very long nights!) That liquid diet makes it hard to hold it for long, especially for a 9 week old puppy! We love watching her discover the world, without even a thought as to the unfair hand she was dealt at birth. She is a curious little hound dog, bumbling around with her nose to the ground. We are still keeping her quiet at this point, but can't wait until she is free to be a normal little puppy! She's a survivor, like her mom. She's giving it all she's got and we are so very glad to have the privilege of offering her the chance. Thank you, again, to all who cared enough to help us give her this opportunity to live. Keep your fingers crossed for her and the prayers coming, she still needs them desperately. I will try to post regular updates. top, Annie

update 04/08 part two

Hello kind hearted puppy lovers! Just wanted to add a little "Post Surgery Annie Update." Annie's doctors said that she did very well through the night and is playful and happy this morning! Yeah! She ate this morning with no regurgitation, which is awesome! While they were trying to examine her this morning, she was chewing on the blood pressure cuff, chewing on her catheters and just making a regular pest of herself!! That's our Annie! Apparently she's become quite a favorite there at OSU as well, always begging for someone to tuck her in their arm and spoil her rotten. We are glad that they are so accommodating to her, but we can't wait for her to come back. We miss her so. I will update again as soon as I have news! Thanks for caring enough to check on little Annie! top, Annie

update 04/2008

To the animal lovers across the county, state and country who have responded: THANK YOU, THANK YOU from Annie and all of us for your generous response to Annie's plea! I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to OSU, as well. They have given us a much needed break on the cost of the surgery, so coupled with Annie's donations, she has raised enough money to have the surgery she so desperately needs. Annie is currently at OSU Veterinary Hospital awaiting surgery. I took her last Thursday, expecting surgery to take place on Friday. Annie's biggest battle at this point is avoiding aspiration pneumonia, which is very common for dogs with megaesophagus, since they cannot properly swallow their food. Unfortunately, Annie did aspirate some of her food Thursday night and the doctors at OSU put her surgery on hold to make sure that she did not develop pneumonia. Annie spent the last several days in Intensive Care at OSU, being monitored closely to ensure that her lungs stayed healthy. The good news is that she was taken out of the ICU ward yesterday and is back to being a bouncy, happy, and healthy (as healthy as can be expected with a heart defect) puppy! She is scheduled to be the first on the table Monday morning.

We have been extremely worried about the unforeseen complications that could arise, above and beyond her original surgery price quote. I have very high hopes now that with the staggering emotional outpouring and financial support we have received from "Annie's public," she will not have to want for whatever care she needs. I am more than thrilled and relieved to know that I will not have to worry about placing any "financial cap" on Annie's care. Keep her in your prayers, she will need it. There is a very high mortality rate post-surgery due to the aspiration pneumonia that I have already talked about. She will have a three week "window of terror," and if she makes it through that, she will hopefully be out of the woods and on her way to a long, happy and healthy life! To deliver her into this world, watch her grow and mature and then all of the sudden cease to thrive was more than heartbreaking for me and everyone else here at the shelter. We could not have given her this chance without people like you with the kindest hearts and the love that I share for these helpless little animals. I will do my absolute best for her post surgery and I will keep you updated as best I can. She deserves this, more than most of you know. She just might be the sweetest puppy in the world. She's definitely one of the luckiest, as am I to have the opportunity to know and care for her. Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, and little Annie's.

Fairfield Area Humane Society
Executive Director, Michelle Sahr top, Annie

A desperate plea to save little Annie:

Meet Annie. Annie is only eight weeks old, born at our shelter the day before Valentine's Day. She has already faced enough challenges to last a lifetime in her short time here on Earth. Annie was born to a mom who actually ate cigarette butts and rocks because she had nothing else to eat. She was eating anything she could to survive for the babies in her belly.

Annie's mom, Winnie, was rescued from the Dog shelter by our Director just three days before she delivered her pups. She was so emaciated and dehydrated, our director feared for her life if she tried to go through labor and childbirth in the state she was in. She was brought to the Humane Society, where our staff administered fluids and tried to give her as many good meals as we could to prepare her for what lay ahead. Winnie managed to give birth to what was thought to be seven healthy puppies.

At five weeks, however, Annie started to deteriorate. At first, she presented with severe anemia, with no apparent cause. This appeared to be a likely effect of her mom's state of starvation prior to her birth. Unfortunately, Annie's problems didn't stop there. Soon we noticed that Annie was having severe problems breathing and she couldn't keep any food down and stopped gaining weight. Dr. Dunn at Fairfield Pet Hospital here in Lancaster, alerted us that Annie could possibly have a condition called Megaesophagus. The underlying cause of megaesophagus could be a heart defect known as Vascular Ring Anomaly. He suggested further testing, one of them being a barium scan to watch how Annie's body handled food once it was swallowed. After many, many trips to vets and countless sleepless nights for our director, Annie's diagnosis was determined to be terminal. The barium scan revealed that Annie did indeed have the condition. This means that the valve that pumped blood from one side of her heart to the other in-utero did not close after she was born. This artery/ligament is now squeezing on Annie's trachea and esophagus, causing her food to back up in her throat until she throws it up and restricting her breathing tremendously. The end result is that Annie will die if she does not have open heart surgery quickly. Annie is living on borrowed time and her clock is ticking. The bigger she gets, the worse her condition gets.

Annie is so playful and happy now; it doesn't even appear that she is sick, until you hear her breathe. Then if you compare her size to that of her brothers and sisters, her condition becomes painfully obvious. Although she doesn't know it yet, Annie is dying. We, the staff, volunteers and board are begging now for your help; so much so that I cry as I type this. Annie needs at least $3000.00 for her surgery and aftercare. Annie has beaten the odds so many times before in her little tiny life, but she absolutely cannot do it alone this time. If you can help, please do. Annie doesn't have much time to spare. Donations can be made over the internet via our website with paypal, or checks/cash can be mailed to the Fairfield Area Humane Society, P.O. Box 1109, Lancaster, OH 43130. Please mark your donation "Save Annie." Thank you, Thank you from the bottom of our hearts..and Annie's.

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Tobias the dog

Update 06/2009
Update 03/2009
Let me introduce you to Tobias

Update06/2009

Mozart (formerly known as Tobias)is at his new home and doing well. It seems he and Tiny, his toy poodle brother remember each other and are getting along quite well. He and Horton will take a bit more time, because Horton is only 9 months old and really wants to play too much. Mozart has had no trouble letting him know who is boss.

Mozart is now home and is taking a nap on our bed. Her are a couple of pictures of him for you.

mozart the dog Will send new ones AFTER he is groomed.

Thanks again for saving, loving, and caring for our boy.
God Bless you
Thanks,

The Hatch Family

Update 03/2009

Tobias had his surgery last Tuesday. During his surgery he had some complications and wasn't able to have the total hip replacement that we had hoped for him. He ended up having a procedure called an FHO. When the doctor tried the total hip procedure, Tobias's femur snapped. Apparently, Tobias's lifelong plight with malnourishment and hip dysplasia resulted in brittle bones and made the replacement impossible to perform. Although he may not have the mobility he could have had with the total hip replacement, he will still have a good chance at being pain free and happy! He is resting comfortably with a foster at the moment, but will soon return to the shelter for visits with his many fans! Come and sit with him and let him know how loved he is!

Let me introduce you to Tobias

Tobias is an adorable, sweet, funny and gentle giant. Tobias and his buddy, Taven, were found extremely emaciated and severely neglected in a barn in the outskirts of Lancaster. These dogs should easily weigh in at over 100 pounds each; however, when they were taken to Fairfield Pet here in Lancaster, they barely weighed in the 80's. Taven, who spent a week hospitalized on IV antibiotics and fluids, and is now thriving in his new home and steadily putting on weight. Tobias, however, was given a different diagnosis. Although he's been eating well, and slowly gaining weight; upon a routine check up at Fairfield Pet, we were dealt some pretty harsh news. Tobias has a very severe case of hip dysplasia. He is merely a year and a half old and certainly deserves a better ending than this! Just when we thought he would heal his physical and emotional wounds and have a fresh start, we find out he has this debilitating condition that can only be corrected with an expensive surgery. I owed Tobias at least a visit with an orthopedic surgeon to see if it is possible to save him. I mean, who am I to decide if he's "worth saving" without professional opinion? So Tobias and I visited MedVet this week. This poor guy is definitely in need of this surgery and cannot live out his life without it.

Of course, as most people know, our Humane Society is funded solely on donations. This surgery could easily run anywhere between $4,000 to $8,000. A price tag like this would put an incredible strain on our already overtaxed budget. In this horrible economy crisis, it could put the other animals at risk if our funding runs dry. Since the public has been fantastic in the past when we've had emergencies, I am hoping that you will come to Tobias's rescue! People rallied last year and helped little Annie through her life saving heart surgery and recovery, and do you know she just turned a year old? She is happy, healthy and so very loved by her new family. Please help us give Tobias the same future!? He's been through enough and has survived a great deal of tragedy in his short life. He deserves this chance. Anything you can give, as much or as little as you can, would go a LONG way in helping us raise the funds to save him. He absolutely deserves a second chance at life, and he's still just a baby! Our staff definitely has the love, compassion and dedication to give him whatever care he needs to recover, but the money will certainly be harder to come by. Can you please find it in your heart to help us save him?

Please earmark any donations to the "general fund" so we can use them where necessary for Tobias and the others. Thank you for your help in the past and thank you for caring about Tobias!! I pray for his happy ending.

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Sugar the dog

12/2007

Sugar the dog Hey, remember me? I'm not the skinny, starving abused dog you probably remember. I've almost doubled my weight, and am now a svelte 83 pounds and loving every day. I live with the Humane Officer Bill Huffman and his family and love playing with the other dogs and just hanging out. You might remember that my jaw was so deformed I could not eat and my tongue was permanently hanging out when I first came to the Fairfield Area Humane Society. Well, thanks to great care and amazing surgery, I'm now loving my dry dog food AND rawhide chew toys. Sometimes Bill and I go out and visit schools and teach children how to take care of their pets. When animals like me come into the Fairfield Area Humane Society who have been hurt or neglected, it's nice to know that there are those kind staff and volunteers who are there to protect and defend us, and make sure we get better so we can have forever homes. Bill says I should live to be an old, old dog. I have all of my friends around the world who donated money and sent cards to thank for my life. Believe me, every day is a treat for me just spending it with Bill. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

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The truck accident

02/2008

HUMANE SOCIETY EMERGENCY! One of our own needs your help!

We have had a very tragic thing happen here at the Humane Society. Our Humane Officer, Bill Huffman, was involved in a rather serious car accident a couple of days ago. He is ok, however, as you can imagine he is a bit beaten up. He has chipped a bone in his neck and is suffering from some painful general body trauma.

Bill and Mac Most of you in Fairfield County know Bill just by his Humane Society truck, or maybe you know him by his Great Dane, Mac: his tireless side-kick and body guard. Well, Bill's truck is no more. Apparently it rolled several times with him inside, and it is completely totaled. Thank the good Lord that Mac, Bill's constant companion, was NOT in the car this tragic day. Instead Mac was lounging on his own futon at Bill's house, oblivious of the horrific days his favorite guy has had!

We, the staff and board of the Humane Society, are now turning to our faithful supporters for some much needed help. We currently do not have in our budget the funds to replace Bill's truck. It will be several weeks before the doctor's know when Bill can return to work: faithfully patrolling the 500 square miles of Fairfield County 24 hours per day. When he is ready to come back, we need to have a truck for him to do his job! Please, please if you can help with any sort of donation it would be so very appreciated! (Any donations received beyond what may be needed for a new truck will be put into the General Operating Fund for operating the shelter.)

We are doing the best we can to keep up at the shelter, but please be patient with us. We will get to calls just as soon as we can, in emergency order. Bill is the only full-time Humane Officer in Fairfield County. We are all praying that he will be back on his feet very soon and back to doing the job he loves!

If you can't help monetarily, perhaps you would be willing to help volunteer at the shelter during this time of need, as our employees will be putting in extra hours as we try to keep up with what Bill does day to day! We would like for Mac, and of course Bill's loving wife, to take as much time as they need to make Bill well enough to come back to work!

Thank you all for always being so helpful and faithful during our times of need! We could never do what we do without you!

Michelle Sahr, Executive Director

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Thanks to Fairfield vet

03/2007

Vet Fairfield Pet Hospital, located in Lancaster, deserves our very special thanks! For years and years, this full service veterinarian hospital has responded to our humane officer calls to care for dogs and cats hit by cars, suffering from abuse and other injuries and illnesses- sometimes in the middle of the night. All of the staff there is always extremely open with their hearts, time and expertise. "They have an emergency vet 'on call' for their existing clients, which has been so wonderful for quickly getting expert care for our very hurt or sick animals," stated Humane Officer Bill Huffman. "We've always been happy with their expert care - in particular their excellent surgeons," said Bill. "In addition, they have a vet, Dr. Dunn, who has helped us with animal behavior issues when we have an animal that is not adapting well." Our director, Michelle Sahr, says that "We have been known to burden their clinic with multiple emergency calls, and they are always super generous with their accommodations. I cannot say enough about them, I would highly recommend their clinic to anyone in need of an excellent vet."

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Roger the cat

Hi! I'm ROGER. Don't I look comfy and happy sitting here on the couch with my new Dad? But don't let this picture fool you. My life hasn't always been this happy. I was brought to the shelter nearly two years ago as a very small kitten with my mom cat and siblings. Eventually, mom cat and all my brothers and sisters were adopted and I was very lonely. No one seemed to want to adopt me. I'm not sure why - I'm a really nice kitty; just very shy around humans. I guess that's probably why no one ever took me home with them.

Then one day about a month ago, this lady and her 14-year old son came into the shelter looking for a 'teenage' kitten as a playmate for their 1-year old kitten Colby. (Colby is also an adoptee from the shelter.) After looking around and playing with lots of cats and kittens, this lady's son found the perfect playmate for Colby - a cute, very social gray & white 7-month old kitten named Molly. They immediately changed her name to Zoe, and signed the adoption papers to take her home.

Then, to my surprise, they took me out of my cage and held and petted me. It made me pretty nervous and scared, but I behaved, and I must have made a good impression. Soon that nice shelter director-lady Bree was telling my sad life story. And who could resist adopting a kitty who had spent his entire life in a shelter?!? So even though the lady had told her husband she was only bringing home one cat, Zoe and I were soon in our carriers, riding in the car to our new home.

So that's my story. I've been in my new home for a little over a month now, and I'm just loving it. I'm still not crazy about being handled by my humans (I try to "dodge" them when they want to pick me up!), but they're OK with that. And boy, do I love playing with Zoe and Colby!! They are so much fun - we run around the house playing all day and then take long naps in the window sill. There's another cat living here too, named Frank, but he's old, fat and grumpy, so he's not much fun. But we all get along really well. What a life. I sure am glad to be here! Thanks FAHS!!

Roger "Dodger"

Roger had a little trouble using the computer,
so this success story was submitted by his new human family
- Art, Cindy, Adam, & Jordan

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Toby the dog

As some of you know, I adopted "Toby" (a.k.a. Spinner) for my mom when she lost her other dog, "Munchkin", when it was attacked while she was walking it.

We Have a family talent show at Christmas and I thought you might enjoy what my mom came up with for it. She wrote the following:

TOBY
There's a new man in my life,
He's as cute as can be.
He doesn't drink, smoke or cuss
And he loves only me.
He's short, dark and handsome,
And what a physic.
No steroids for him,
Just good old meat!
I know you're all jealous about the treasure I've found,
But you too can repeat it,
Just go to the pound!!

Obviously "Toby" is working out real well,
Nancy

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Pepper the cat

I have had Pepper for over a month now and although I was a little anxious at first, I can honestly say that she has turned out to be great--I cannot imagine coming home and not seeing her, as a matter of fact. Pepper is a six year old black and white female, and is quiet, but friendly and playful.

Pepper was a long term resident of the Fairfield Area Humane Society, and I knew it would be an adjustment for her once she had the run of my home, as she had been in a cat cage for over a year. She had been treated great by the staff there, and I know she got regular attention, but I did wonder how she would handle the new space, and sharing the home with my other adoptee from the Humane Society, Ash, a grey six-month old male. Ash is a very vocal, active and playful cat, but he and Pepper hit it off as a team almost from day one. I feel that the sociability and nature of both cats was enhanced by the excellent treatment both received at the Humane Society.

My home is a better place with Pepper and Ash. I just hope they know how much I appreciate them!

To the Humane Society--thank you for trusting me to provide a home for Pepper and Ash!

Chris Newnes
Lancaster, Ohio

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Freda the dog

I'm having my new owner write to tell you how much I appreciate you finding me the right home and all the care you given me. My experience so far has been wonderful even with having to share with a cat and 3 birds.

I have my own room with a queen sized bed complete with a featherbed, clean sheets, and a nice warm blanket that is just heaven at night when I sleep. My kennel is close by and I use that too until me and the cat establish a real bond while she's away. I've had to walk 2 days at 6:30am which is just too early for me but once I get out there I've seen rabbits that I'd love to chase! My owner knows that she'd never see me again so she keeps me on a leash.

Sunday we got company and I gobbled my food thinking that this intruder was there to maybe take my food but found out it was a false alarm. The treats here are pretty good too!

Monday I went to a cookout in Hocking Hills and even though I was tethered on a big beautiful shaded back porch there was all kinds of people and activities to watch. I didn't like it too well when Darlene would go in the house and I would yelp like she left me until she came back out then I was ok...the food didn't interest me too much until one of the kids fed me a deer hotdog! Now that hit the spot! After going to the garden we had some fun with the water hose then it was time to leave.

I did ok in the car but wanted to hide on the floor cause I wasn't sure where I was going or if I was coming back. On the way back I finally decided that if she was going to throw me out she had plenty of time to do it so I knew it was ok to get on the seat and enjoy the rest of the ride home.

I was pooped when I got home and got a nice bath before bedtime. We went to bed early and I was zonked...I guess I snore too and was hogging the pillow but nobody bothered me. I think I'm going to really like it here...tell the rest of my friends there I hope they all find as good of home as I have!

Again, thank you for rescuing me and giving me a good home!

P.S. I'm taking my medicine too!.......Freda (a.k.a. "Cookie")

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Thanks to Winchester Vet Clinic!

04/2009

Dr. Grinstead and her staff at Winchester Vet Clinic have gone above and beyond in helping up here at FAHS. They have not only giving exceptional attention to our little star Smushy, they have taken on several other tough cases for us without complaint. We highly reccomend them! Check them out at http://www.winchestervetclinic.com/

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TO USE THE KROGER COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM:

Simply register online at krogercommunityrewards.com using Fairfield Area Humane Society's non-profit organization number #90173

Be sure to have your Kroger Plus card handy and register your card with your organization after you sign up. Kroger Plus cards are available at the customer service desk at any Kroger.
Click on Sign In/Register.
Most participants are new online customers, so they must click on SIGN UP TODAY in the ‘New Customer?’ box.
Sign up for a Kroger Rewards Account by entering zip code, clicking on favorite store, entering your email address and creating a password, agreeing to the terms and conditions.
You will then get a message to check your email inbox and click on the link within the body of the email.
Click on My Account and use your email address and password to proceed to the next step.
Click on Edit Kroger Community Rewards information and input your Kroger Plus card number.
Update or confirm your information.
Enter NPO number or name of organization, select organization from list and click on confirm.
To verify you are enrolled correctly, you will see your organization’s name on the right side of your information page.
REMEMBER, purchases will not count for your group until after you register your card.
Do you use your phone number at the register? Call 877-576-7587 to get your Kroger Plus card number.
Members must swipe their registered Kroger Plus card or use the phone number that is related to their registered Kroger Plus card when shopping for each purchase to count.
If you are interested in the alternate SCANBAR method of member registration, please call 800-837-4483 and a SCANBAR letter will be mailed to you.

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