Meadow Lake & District Humane Society

Temperature: -9 (Feels like -17)
Fundraising Total: $2090

9:35pm I arrive at shelter with a new friend.  He showed up at a home outside of town and adopted them (Those are the best outcomes! “Hello new family..You’ll do.”). His fur was pretty greasy and must have rolled in something so he is here for a bath before his neuter tomorrow.

9:40pm But first, vaccinations, deworming and treatment for ear mites! He takes all like a champ. I don’t think there’s anything this cat won’t put up with.

9:45pm I let white puppy out to play. Her name is now Dharma. She proceeds to chase the cat Papa Grey around and try to wrestle. That’s one patient cat.

Jill’s Guide to Bathing a Cat

Step 1: Bribe them with canned food. The cat will then think it is the best day ever! Joke is on him..things are about to take a turn.

Step 2: Put the cat in the tub.

Step 3: Cat jumps out of the tub.

Step 4: Put the cat back in the tub. Put the grooming lasso on him. It is too big, but it seems to paralyze him. He can escape any time.

Step 5: Turn on the water very slowly. If cat does not freak out, turn on the shower head. If all is still good, proceed to wet the cat.

Step 6: Turn off water and lather the cat with shampoo. It helps to sing songs. Soft Kitty…warm kitty…little ball of fur…wet kitty…soapy kitty….purr purr purr.

Step 7: If your face has not been ripped apart at this stage, keep going! You’re doing great! Rinse the kitty. This guy is particularly dirty. Gross brown water goes down the drain.

Step 8: Detach kitty from your clothes. Watch your face!

Step 9: Wrap kitty in a towel like an angry and wet burrito. An option is to blow dry. Again, watch your face.

Step 10: Offer more canned food as an offering of gratitude for not resorting to violence.

Congratulations! You have successfully bathed a cat! I know there are other 1-Step Guides to bathing cats (Step 1: Don’t do it), but you’re no quitter!

10:00pm Fold some laundry. Discover the End Cycle switch and turn it to OFF. Praise the Dryer gods!

10:15pm I give everyone a bedtime Milkbone.

10:20pm Pick my bunk mate for the night. I decide to double up with Aries & Sophie. They were rescued from a community where dogs had been packing up and creating a dangerous situation for the public. Unneutered males and females in heat is a dangerous combination!

10:25pm The girls go outside to check things out.

10:35pm I hear Rosie whining. I peek out the dog door and she is trying to figure out how to get out of her kennel. She hopped the fence after I had left this morning and ended up at the vet clinic down the road. She was swapped to a kennel with the top covered to prevent future escapes. She isn’t impressed.

10:55pm Bedtime. The girls are still outside exploring. I bundle up into a burrito (less angry and wet, unlike the cat) as the temperature dropped today. The dog doors are swaying in the wind.

11:00pm There is unrest in the Grey Cage O’ Doom. Someone is settling a score.

11:02pm Aries comes in for some snuggles.

11:05pm A cat in the Grey Cage O’ Doom is scratching against the plastic wall between us. They seem determined to get through.

11:10pm Aries out.

11:40pm Aries in.

12:00am Aries out.

12:14am Aries in.

12:28am Aries out.

12:37am Dogs bark.

12:52am Cats fight.

1:00am Jingle jingle jingle

1:30am Dogs whine.

1:48am Someone is banging on the dog door that is covered by the Kuranda bed. I move it thinking it is Sophie trying to get back in, but it is Aries, even though she has been through the other door what seems like 13490370574893 times, she thought she’d give the covered one a try. I try and put the Kuranda bed back in place and it falls on me. Almost got a bed leg in the face!

2:50am Aries is sprawled out on the bed. Sophie never came back inside. I stick my head out the dog door and call but she’s not nearby.

3:09am One of the cats is meowing away. Sounds rather sad. “Nobody knows the trouble I feel…MEOOOOW…Nobody knows my sorrow….MEOOOOOOOW.”

4:00am One of the dogs is chewing on something but I’m pretty sure no one has anything in their kennels they should he chewing on.

4:07am Someone is scratching. Thud thud thud.

5:30am Sophie finally makes her appearance inside!

5:37am Aries is SUPER cuddly. She gives me a face wash then settles down.

7:00am Time to get up. “Nooooo….5 more minutes!”

7:15am Jeff drops off our foster Winnie who has surgery this morning.

7:20am I put signs on cages of the dogs and cat going for neuters today to make sure they don’t get fed before surgery.

7:25am Breakfast Milkbones for the pooches before I head out.

7:35am Night #4 complete!

If you’d like to donate to help me reach my fundraising goal of $5000 so I can get back to my warm bed, here’s how!

Donate by Mail
Box 944 Meadow Lake, SK S9X 1Y7

Or Online
http://www.canadahelps.org/CharityProfilePage.aspx?charityID=s83533

Temperature: -4 (Feels like -11)

Fundraising Total: $1095

8:45pm Arrive at the Shelter and meet the 6 new arrivals from a Northern Village Dump.

8:55pm Into the tub they go! They aren’t impressed.

9pm I let the white puppy out to stretch her legs. Mischief ensues. She plays with my slippers, finds a box of SOS pads on the shelf and strews them about.

9:30pm Puppies bathed. Dried off and put back in their kennels.

9:40pm I give Sasha a bath with medicated shampoo as she is recovering from a skin infection. She shares the puppies enthusiasm for baths.

9:50pm Sasha is dried and heads right back to her kennel. She wants as far away from me as possible.

9:55pm Jeff stops by with a bedtime snack and hot chocolate and visits with the puppy (and me…but mostly the puppy)

Because lets be honest, she’s pretty stinkin’ cute!

10:00pm We head to McDonald’s for some snacks for the pooches.

Me: “14 plain McDoubles Please.”

Cashier: “14?!”

Me:“Yes. 14.”

Cashier: “One moment please.”

Me: *silent shame*

Cashier: “Ok, 14 McDoubles. $24.84 Please.

I drive up to the window and pay.

Cashier: “I thought I heard you wrong. 14 McDoubles!”

Me: “Yes. But they aren’t for me. They are for the dogs at the shelter.

Cashier: *Looks at me skeptically*

Me: “No, really! They’re not for me. I’m not lying. I don’t eat meat!”

He laughs and I drive to the pick up window, grab 2 bags of burgers and head back to the shelter.

10:15pm I lied…they’re really all for me!

Just kidding…

Pup is the first to get her burger.

10:25pm Vaccinate and deworm the 2 new intakes Rosie & Golden Legs from up North and give them their McDoubles.

So many happy dogs! The butt wiggles are unreal!

11:00pm Jackie and John come to pick up the 6 dump puppies to transport them to AARCS (Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society) tomorrow since we don’t have enough local foster homes. We are so lucky to have a great network of Rescues to help when we get full! Which we are now! We have had 14 dogs/puppies come in since Tuesday!

11:10pm Jeff Leaves. I look for loose cats and find Splash on top of her Castle O’ Canned Food.

11:15pm Pick my sleeping buddy for the night. Omi! She came to us from the same community as Rocky and Brutus after she had been shot. She has had a couple of surgeries to repair her injuries but she is as good as new now!

11:25pm Omi heads out the dog door. She has access to the perimeter so I assume she is out exploring…or just being antisocial.

11:30pm Dogs bark. I left the radio too loud but I am already in my blanket cocoon. I will let the synthesizer of Loverboy lull me to sleep.

11:31pm The kid is hot tonight…woooahhh so hot tonight…

11:33pm I call Omi. The dogs bark at her and she is scared to come in. I get her inside and she bounces around on the bed and goes back outside. Not snuggler I guess!

11:45pm I wear my sunglasses at night….so I can, so I can….

11:47pm Washer drains…sunglasses at night…sunglasses at night

11:55pm I go to grab Rocky for a sleeping buddy then hear Omi whining outside the dog door. She seems to have trouble with it now that she’s on the opposite side of the building as her own kennel. “Door backwards! What do?!”

I help her in then she grabs my slipper and runs down the hallway. I bribe her back to bed with a cookie. Yes, I buy her love with food. Food is a very valuable currency.

12:00am We have some snuggles and she settles in at the foot of the bed.

12:05pm Omi has a drink and lays back down.

12:06pm Someone is either chewing on their feet or channeling their inner Darth Vader with their heavy breathing.

12:10pm A cat makes a weird warbly sound and then that distinctive upchuck noise. He’s gonna blow! I will tackle that mess in the morning.

12:12pm Omi goes outside. She can seem to work the in to out…but out to in…that’s a tricky one.

12:15am Washer end cycle chimes a beautiful melody. Much more delightful than the rude buzzing, attention seeking dryer.

12:16am Dogs bark.

12:23am Still barking.

1:00am They apparently have lots to say tonight.

1:30am The dogs finally settle down.

2:07am Jingle jingle jingle.

3:35am Kitty cat wrestling match. Sounds like a Kung Fu movie.

4:29am I check on Omi. She is laying on the floor. I didn’t hear her come in. I get her onto the bed.

4:35am I cough and hear the *thump thump thump* of a tail on the Kuranda bed. Coughing makes someone pretty happy!

6:30am The Grey Cage O’ Doom is really on to something. Instead of a regular alarm clock, they have a “smell-o-vision” version. They set their bowels to a specified time and the terrible smell is enough to wake a person out of a dead sleep. Smellarm Clock: Rise and Sniff. Patent Pending. And if that isn’t enough to wake you, the sound of them trying to bury their deposit for 10 minutes will be!

7:15am. Jingle jingle jingle.

7:30am Cats play with the circle ball toy thing. Not sure what it is called exactly, other than noisy.

7:45am Get up and feed the dogs and put some of them outside.

7:50am The identity of the late night vomiter has been revealed. Happy Feet! Clean up his mess and put laundry in the hamper.

8:00am I let the white puppy outside and clean her kennel.

8:10am White puppy eats breakfast.

8:25am I put puppy back in her kennel. Maybe tomorrow she will have a name!

8:30am Night #3 Complete!

If you’d like to donate to help me reach my fundraising goal of $5000 so I can get back to my warm bed, here’s how!

Donate by Mail
Box 944 Meadow Lake, SK S9X 1Y7

Or Online
http://www.canadahelps.org/CharityProfilePage.aspx?charityID=s83533

 

Temperature: -4 (Feels like -9)
Fundraising Total: $850

9:30pm Arrive at the shelter. Let the new puppy out to stretch her legs. She was dropped off today.

9:35pm I check out the care package left from Karen while puppy checks out the garbage can. We both discover lots of treasures!

9:37pm I haul in foamies and bedding from Yvonne and Don.

9:40pm Paula stops by with Hot Chocolate. A girl sure feels loved! This is exactly why our shelter is so great. Everyone works together to make sure the animals (and Jills) in our shelter have everything they need to be happy and comfortable until they find homes. Thanks shelter family! ❤

9:45pm Paula helps me vaccinate the puppy. Silly girl thinks she is getting a treat. Sitting pretty for her vaccinations!

9:50pm I put together Bed 2.0: Now with Foamies! I notice my pillow disappeared. Strap on my headlamp and go searching thinking Rocky hauled it out the dog door.

9:55am Let the dogs outside.

10:00pm Paula leaves. I continue the search for my pillow. Nowhere to be found. Thankfully Yvonne and Don sent me with a spare! Perhaps the pillow got offended that I said it felt like it was full of rocks. Lesson learned. If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all. Or appreciate what you have or an inanimate object will grow legs and walk away out of spite. What a profound experience (I am so tired…)

10:10pm Let some cats out for a dance party complete with my own strobe light head lamp.

10:20pm Vaccinate and deworm some new intakes. Everyone takes their needles like a champ.

10:45pm I put the puppy in her kennel and turn off the lights. Hopefully she doesn’t cry! I put the cats away but have misplaced the new young grey female. They always turn up. I leave her kennel door open so she can go back in.

11:00pm I bring all the dogs in. Bedtime cookies for all!

11:10pm Pick my bunk mate for the night. Brutus! He came to us from a community North of Meadow Lake after he sustained nerve damage from being hit by a vehicle. His leg had to be amputated as he lost complete nerve function and was damaging it from hitting it on things. He has adjusted amazingly well to only having 3 legs. It certainly hasn’t slowed him down!

He is beyond excited.

11:22pm Bed time! Brutus finally settles down and lets out the best sigh. Ahhhh….

11:26pm Dryer buzzer. Litter box scratching.

11:31pm Dryer buzzer again. Heard you the first time, buzzzy mcbuzzerton. Someone in the Grey Cage O’ Doom is playing with a jingle ball. Fantastic.

11:36pm Dryer buzzer….again. That’s one attention seeking dryer.

11:37pm Jingle ball….Jingle ball…going to drive me mad…Who on earth gave them that toy….why are these cats so bad…ooooohhhhhh…

11:41pm Dryer buzzer. Hey!!! Hey!!! The laundry is dry! Why aren’t you acknowledging me!? Hellllllllllllllllloooooooooooooo!!!

12:03am Dogs whine and bark.

12:04am Someone eats their supper. Saving it for a midnight snack I guess.

12:15am Dogs are restless, whiny and barky. We had another new dog dropped off today and he’s adjusting.

12:19am Omi is barking like a nut. It is both adorable and annoying. She never barks. I assume she can see the kitten I couldn’t find.

12:25am I cough a lot but thankfully the dogs don’t answer the coughing call with barking.

12:50am Still coughing. One of the dogs is probably writing a blog of their own- “Stoopid Hooman is barking again. Does not know trying to sleep? Jerk.”

1:20am Jingle balls…we meet again. Still coughing. Ugh.

1:38am Dogs bark. But not for long. Brutus comes in for some snuggles.

2:00am One of the cats plays with an unidentified object. Almost sounds like a stick…pencil…wooden dowel. It’s time to play NAME THAT OBJECT!!!!

2:19am I hear another random noise. Dog licking its feet? Dog licking its butt? Dog scratching its ears? NAME THAT SOUND!! I can’t pin it down. It stops…but I will forever wonder…

2:30am My move my feet and my blankets are wet. I investigate and the new neighbor dog spilled water from his bucket. Good thing my blankets were there to absorb the mess! Chilly…

3:47am Brutus wakes up and starts wiggling.

3:52am Brutus settles down again.

4:00am Dogs bark but quickly settle down.

5:50am A cat is playing Dig Dug in the litter box.

6:07am Jingle jingle jingle. Scratch scratch scratch.

7:45am Time to get up. Brutus does not agree.

7:50am I put Brutus back in his kennel. I spot the elusive grey kitten.

8:05am Night #2 Complete!

If you’d like to donate to help me reach my fundraising goal of $5000 so I can get back to my warm bed, here’s how!

Donate by Mail
Box 944 Meadow Lake, SK S9X 1Y7

Or Online
http://www.canadahelps.org/CharityProfilePage.aspx?charityID=s83533

It’s the most wonderful time of year! The snow is falling, Holiday music is playing, it’s the season of giving, and I have moved in with Northern Saskatchewan’s homeless dogs and cats!  I am currently sleeping over at the shelter until I raise $5000 for the the place hundreds of animals call their temporary home each year. So far in 2016, 400 animals have come through our doors, which is 100 more than last year! We have also had an increase in animals needing extensive medical care. As you can imagine an increase in animals and vet bills has put a financial strain on  our shelter. So we are hoping that by me experiencing a little bit of suffering, not a whole lot of sleep, and providing a glimpse into the night life of the shelter, that people will support our little shelter on the prairie and make a donation to allow us to continue to provide a safe place for animals to rest their heads while they wait for a forever home.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy! The Extreme Sleepover Shelter Edition has begun!

Temperature: -6 (Feels Like -9)
Fundraising Total: $500

8:00pm Arrive at the shelter. I let the dogs out in the back runs. If I have learned anything over the years it is that tired dogs are quiet dogs! (One can hope, anyway!)

8:05pm Head out to the shed to find some bed supplies. Drag in 2 garbage bags that feel like bed type things.

8:15pm Now to MacGyver this into a bed…Minus a MacGyver-esque explosion.

8:20pm I pick my bunk mate for the evening. Our long term Resident Rocky! He makes himself comfortable.

8:23pm I let Pip out to stretch her legs. We had tried her in a communal cage earlier this week but she just kept screaming at everyone who looked at her. That’s no way to make friends!

Weird…she likes Rocky!

8:30pm I fold some laundry and search for a pillow. I find one that feels like it is filled with rocks. It’ll have to do!

8:34pm I put laundry in dryer and go to grab a dryer sheet. The fake hand was on top and scared the beejesus out of me. I scream. (Fun Fact: I am the most easily startled person in the world.)

8:36pm Let the puppies out to play. They were picked up wandering in town on Wednesday but no one has come to look for them.

8:40pm I enter the Grey Cage O’ Doom to switch out the broken hammock for a new one that was donated today! This cage is intense!

Hammock replaced and the cats flock to it.

8:45pm I make my way out of the Grey Cage O’ Doom but I have a cling on.

8:49pm Puppies are too quiet. Catch them red handed busting into a bag of microchips.

8:52pm Put Pip back in her cage.

9:00pm Puppies are chilling with their chew sticks.

9:15pm Paula stops by and brings some snacks. Puppy investigates.

9:20pm I share some cheese. Puppies are grateful!

9:45pm I walk by the Grey Cage O’ Doom and have a good laugh! I think they need a bigger hammock! They wrecked their last one by piling all 7 of them into it until it finally broke.

9:50pm Bring the dogs inside and give everyone a bedtime treat. Paula leaves.

10:00pm Turn in for the night. Wishing I had remembered socks! It’s a bit chilly!

10:02pm A cat in the Grey Cage O’ Doom deposits one very fowl poo into the litter box.

10:03pm Splash is meowing. A couple of dogs groan and whine.

10:05pm Rocky goes outside starts a chorus of barking. Jerk.

10:07pm Cat fight in Grey Cage O’ Doom. One of the dogs waits until now to eat their supper. Crunch crunch crunch.

10:08pm Bark bark bark. Whine whine whine. Meow meow meow. Scratch scratch scratch.

10:13pm Rocky comes back inside. Do you ever get the feeling you’re being watched?

10:16pm Rocky tries to get comfortable…much to my discomfort.

10:20pm I cough and start the dogs barking…crap. Left my cough syrup at home.

10:23pm The Grey Cage O’ Doom cats start playing with a garbage bag through the chain-link.

10:28pm The cats still play with the bag despite my failed attempts at shushing them and banging on the wall between us. I haul the garbage bag into my cage. Two can play at this game!

10:43pm Someone is trying to dig their way through the plastic barrier.

12:17am Cats are meowing away.

2:29am Someone coughs and it sounds like a person. That is slightly terrifying. It startles me out a dream I was having about mice crawling everywhere. Not feeling so confident about sleeping on the floor after that.

2:30am Rocky has been stuck to my side.

2:49am One of the dogs growls and sets off the others. Someone else digs into their supper. Crunch Crunch Crunch

4:10am Someone from the Grey Cage O’ Doom is meowing over and over and over….right in my ear. “Hey! Hey Lady! Hey! HEY! HEY LADY!”

5:30am Dogs across the hall are growling and start barking.

5:42am Scratch scratch scratch of the litter box.

5:43am And that repugnant smell follows close behind.

7:30am My alarm goes off. Rocky is still crashed out.

7:37am I crawl off the floor and Rocky settles himself on the bed.

7:40am I gather my clothes for the day and head out to get ready for work. I shake my fist at the Grey Cage O’ Doom on my way out.

7:50am Night #1 Complete!

If you’d like to donate to help me reach my fundraising goal of $5000 so I can get back to my warm bed, here’s how!

Donate by Mail
Box 944 Meadow Lake, SK S9X 1Y7

Or Online
http://www.canadahelps.org/CharityProfilePage.aspx?charityID=s83533

Temperature: -11 (Feels like -16)
Donation Total: $4155

Here is a link to a CBC story about the Extreme Sleepover! I couldn’t find the audio for the Radio interview.

5:30pm Arrive at Shelter. There was a note on the door from a teacher from Jubilee Elementary who had organized a fundraiser for the Extreme Sleepover. Jubilee helped me out last year as well. It is so great to see the community supporting the Humane Society, especially the younger generations, as they’re going to be the ones to carry on this work some day!

5:35pm There is a new arrival I picked up from the vet this afternoon. This handsome male cat was discovered with an injured back leg and brought to the vet by a kind member of the public. X-rays revealed a fractured back leg. He is on cage rest and pain medication.

5:45pm Send Slick off to his new home! I may have shed a tear or two after he left. It’s always bitter sweet to see them go. Fluffernutter was also picked up by a volunteer today to transport to his new home in Alberta. He has been renamed a much more modest “Coco”.

6:00pm Respond to a call about a stray cat. 3 cats in, one cat adopted.

6:30pm Let some cats out and then fall asleep.

6:45pm Paula comes for a cleaning/feeding shift and catches me napping and snaps a picture for evidence.

6:55pm I run to the grocery store a few things.

7:30pm Back at the shelter and have some supper. Osiris would like to share my salad.

And Gremlin finishes off my yogurt.

Thankfully I was able to eat my banana without any interference!

8:30pm Put cats away and head out for a bit.

10:00pm Back at the shelter. Let the dogs outside again.

10:13pm Get a message from my friend/boss Jennifer that Abundant Living will be running a promotion to collect donations for the Extreme Sleepover. Thank you!

10:30pm Decide to have a cat race, because what else do you do with all of these cats?! Jeff and I narrowed it down to the top 4 contenders, Hutch, Squeak, Clara and Poppy. They are all built for speed, or so we think. The amount of time it took to wrangle cats took far longer than the race itself!

11:00pm Let the dogs in and Pick my sleeping buddies for the night. Rocky the dog, along with cats Puff, Clara, Poppy and Selma.

Rocky is a 3 year old Rottweiler cross who was surrendered due to a change in his owners living situation. He was an outdoor dog who was only in the house once in his 3 years of life. He doesn’t seem too sure about this whole bed situation!

11:30pm I cover up River’s cage as he’s growling at everybody. New broken leg kitty thinks that kennel rest sucks. GIVE ME FREEDOM!!

11:40pm Puff and Poppy romp and play all over the bed. Rocky watches with curiosity.

11:50pm Selma is a spider cat. She likes it up high.

Spider cat, spider cat…grumpy neighborhood spider cat, she can purr, she can growl, she can climb, yes she can. Look out! I’m all out of words…

12:00am Rocky goes to the other side of the room. I think he’s scared of the cats. He won’t come on the bed when they’re on it.

2:55am Puff enjoys nibbling on my fingers.

3:00am Puff distracts herself momentarily by gnawing on the fingers of the dummy hand. I am grateful for the reprieve.

3:50am Broken leg cat (I swear I will come up with a better name than that!) is trying to get out of his cage. He knocks down his food dish and I am showered with kibble.

6:30am New intake meows.

6:45am Still meowing. I let him out of his cage. I get up to go pee and Rocky acts so excited to see me like I disappeared all night and magically reappeared. He slept on the other side of the desk all night. That’s the great thing about dogs. Every time you reappear in their lives, whether you go to work, go on vacation, or go to sleep in the same room and they forget you are there, they are genuinely excited to see you when you return!

6:54am Gremlin meows. New intake growls. Puff gnaws on toes. What’s with this cat?!

7:00am Puff and Poppy are running up and down the bed chasing each other. Like the Kentucky Derby, or Nascar, or…really fast spazzy cats.

7:15am Rocky barks and barks. It sounds like he’s far away but turns out he’s just in the bathroom.

7:17am I put Rocky back in his kennel so he can go out the dog door and pee. Maybe he was barking in the bathroom out of frustration because he couldn’t figure out how to use the toilet.

7:19am The dogs sound the morning alarm.

8:00am The dogs snooze alarm feature kicks in. At least I had 40 minutes in between alarms!

8:10am Crawl out of bed like I’m 100 years old. Oh my hip, oh my back! Oh my knee!

8:20am Feed the dogs. Put cats away. Can’t seem to locate the new intake. He is a really good hider, though he is probably watching me as I crawl around on the floor looking for him under things.

8:50am Three cats are dropped off while I have a mild panic attack on trying to figure out where to put them all. I put them into the pink cage temporarily while I relocate Puff into a communal and put them in her condo for now. The lady who dropped them off said they like to stick close together since they are sisters.

 

They are not impressed by their new living situation. Nothing like a little blood bath in the morning!

We are now at capacity for cats again! That didn’t take long!

This is the part where I let you in on a little secret. Last night I received a phone call with the news of an extremely generous anonymous donation of $2000 which put me well over my fundraising goal. I could have technically slept in my own bed last night, but part of me didn’t want to go home. Maybe I’m a sucker for punishment? But there were still some more snuggles to be had, fingers to be chewed, face to be slobbered on, and love to be shared. The shelter really does become my home away from home during these sleepovers, and whenever I am there volunteering or visiting the animals.

As it sits right now, the Fundraising Total is $6155 with more donations rolling in.

I am incredibly grateful for the support that this fundraiser has received. It started 3 years ago as a silly little idea but the amount of support that has grown each year has been overwhelming. Thank you to everyone who has donated, shared blog posts and words of encouragement, and made sure I had everything I needed to be comfortable during my stay at the shelter.

There would be no Humane Society if it weren’t for the hard work of our volunteers. A huge thank you to the volunteers who take care of these animals day in and day out. Volunteering is a labor of love and it takes a huge heart and a lot of work to care for every animal that comes through our doors. Your efforts really do make a difference in the lives of these animals, and in the families that eventually adopt them.

Of course I can’t go without saying thank you to the animals that I shared my bed with. You taught me valuable life lessons, like how to hold my bladder, how to sleep like a pretzel as to not disturb your slumber, and how to howl from the depths of my soul, but most importantly are the lessons on unconditional love and acceptance. The constant content purrs and wagging tails make the lack of sleep worth while.

9:10am Give the dogs and cats a treat before I go.

There’s no place like home for the holidays, but even if some animals don’t find their forever homes before then, we will do our best to make them feel safe, happy, comfortable and at home right where they are…

Because HOME is where the LOVE is.

Temperature: -11 (Feels like -13)
Donation Total: $3055

9:40pm Arrive at shelter. Let the office cats out to stretch their legs.

9:50pm A nice gentleman drops off a donation and a Christmas card. Thank you!

9:55pm I have a pep talk with Gremlin about his meowing. Hopefully it works to keep him quiet tonight!

10:00pm Check out the dogs outside. Start bringing them in.

10:05pm Give everyone a bedtime cookie. Ghost will take a treat from my hand now! Progress!

10:10pm My bed has been moved to the office. Tonight I will try a new sleeping arrangement: Cats AND a dog! Living on the edge! The cats romp and play on the bed. This should be an interesting night!

10:20pm I get into bed and roll over and am startled by a hand under the desk. It’s a prop to help with temperament testing in dogs. Or petting a cat. (Notice the count down from the first Extreme Sleepover! It took 12 nights!!)

10:30pm Bring Bernie to the office and settle into bed. Slick is a snuggler!

10:35pm Lights out!

10:47pm Bernie found the bowl of cat food I put up on the filing cabinet and knocks some onto the floor. Crunch, crunch, crunch.

10:50pm Bernie continues to jump for the food, knocking down more each time. He can get some good height!

11:00pm Puff comes to bed and chews on my fingers and my elbow. What a weirdo.

11:07pm Puff doesn’t know the meaning of personal space.

11:09pm Bernie curls up on my feet.

1:57am Try to roll over but I can’t feel my legs. Bernie is heavy!

2:01am Slick is trying to do his best impression of a scarf. My neck is sweating. I’ve already got the K9 equivalent of a heated blanket on my legs.

4:36am Poppy gnaws on my fingers.

5:51am Poppy and Clara wrestle by my head. This angers Slick who starts hissing.

6:03am Puff plays with my phone cord. I take it away and she grabs my arm and starts gnawing. Brat.

6:30am Bernie hasn’t made a peep all night. And neither has Gremlin! My pep talk must have worked!

7:00am Alarm goes off.

7:05am Roll out of bed. Cats scatter. Turn on the light and discover the cats trashed the bathroom. Clara says “It was the dog!”

7:10am Clean up a bit and put the laundry they knocked in the toilet into the washer.

7:15am Feed and water the dogs. Put Bernie back in his kennel. Put cats back in their cages.

7:30am Start a load of toilet laundry.

7:50am Another donation is dropped off, along with a cat! Thank you!

8:25am Had a radio interview on CBC’s The Morning Edition! I will post a link to the interview once it is available!

Night #7 Complete!

If you’d like to donate to help me reach my fundraising goal of $5000 and so I can get back to my warm bed, here’s how!

Donate by Mail
Box 944 Meadow Lake, SK S9X 1Y7

Or Online
http://www.canadahelps.org/CharityProfilePage.aspx?charityID=s83533

Temperature: -10 (Feels like -17)
Donation Total: $2605 (Over half way!)

11:20pm Arrived at shelter a little later than I had anticipated. Fell asleep at a friends house. Randy woke me up and said “Time to wake up and go to sleep somewhere else!”

11:30pm Decide to shake things up and move my bed to one of the communal cat cages. Jeff measures the bed and the floor space and determines it will fit.

11:45pm It doesn’t. Flip it around and and do some finagling and get it in place.

There we go!

11:50pm Check out the newest resident from the north! Piper can do this awesome trick where he looks like he only has 3 legs! Amazing!

12:00am Settle into bed.

12:10am Lights out. Jeff leaves. I will be sharing my bed with 4 cats this evening. Gretchen (Grey), Hutch (Grey and White), Broomhilda (Black) and Gracie (Tabby).

12:15am Gretchen and Broomhilda start crawling all over my head. Why Is my face wet?! That better be drool.

12:20pm Hutch chews on my feet.

12:26pm Gretchen perches on my shoulder and purrs in my ear. I can hear her through my ear plugs. I start going coss-eyed as her rhythmic purr lulls me to sleep. Insta-purr is such a great feature! This cat can be yours for the low low price of $60, and we will throw in the insta-purr for FREE!

12:29am Broomhilda joins the purr party. Surround sound!

12:34am Determined that Broomhilda is the source of drool.

12:45am Somebody poops, but thankfully not in this cage.

1:00am Feeling chilly but realize I forgot to crank up the heat before I went to bed.

2:00am Rosie and Pepper bark from outside. Thankfully none of the other dogs join in.

3:15am Hutch begins to snuggle along with Gretchen. I have the kitty equivalent of a scarf. I realize I’m missing one ear plug.

4:59am Gretchen is in my face purring away.

5:05am Hutch licks the remaining ear plug in my left ear. Makes me wonder if the other one fell out or was it stolen?

5:07am Need to pee. Don’t want to get up.

5:08am Don’t want to wet the bed either. Roll out of bed (I really need to get better at my Kuranda bed dismount) and stumble to the bathroom. The dogs erupt in a chorus of barks as soon as I open the cage door.

5:13am Crank up the heat and go back to the kitties. End up kicking Broomhilda on the way by. Black cat, dark shelter and a blind Jill aren’t the best combo. Hutch is rolling around the bed playing with my earplug. You DID steal it, didn’t you?

5:15pm Gretchen resumes her post as parrot cat. Hutch attacks my feet as I rub them together to warm up. Dogs settle down.

5:19am Gretchen bites my thumb. I let out a swear and Buddy starts barking. Sorry to offend you, my friend!

5:23am Everyone is quiet. For now.

5:25am I yawn and set Buddy off again. Jeez I can’t do anything! I can’t swear, I can’t yawn. These animals run a tight ship!

5:35am The neighbour cats start trying to play through the wall. They keep pawing at it. I knock back. Hutch is playing with my arm…with his claws. I don’t like this game.

5:38am Hutch moved on to using his teeth. I like this game even less. He gnaws on my elbow. Why?!

5:39am I randomly get the hiccups. Fantastic!

5:47pm Everybody poops…sometimes…unless you’re a shelter cat. Then that crap is like clockwork!

6:00am Gremlin meows.

6:15am And meows….

6:27am …and meows…

6:45am … And meows some more….

7:05am …And hasn’t stopped for over an hour.

7:07am Still meowing…

7:10am and still going…

7:11am Somebody pooped… And it’s in my cage. That’s rank!

7:14am Hutch plays with my toe and momentarily gets his claw stuck in my skin. I try not to scream.

7:15am Gretchen plays with the zipper on my sweater.

7:16am A cat next door plays with a jingle toy.

7:17am And Gremlin continues to meow…that’s it! Cats win! I’m going to do my pet sitting rounds early.

Night #6 Complete!

If you’d like to donate to help me reach my fundraising goal of $5000 and so I can get back to my warm bed, here’s how!

Donate by Mail
Box 944 Meadow Lake, SK S9X 1Y7

Or Online
http://www.canadahelps.org/CharityProfilePage.aspx?charityID=s83533