Pet of the Month - July 2013 - Bear Graham

Meet Bear!  He is a 7 1/2 year old Pomeranian who uses his cuteness to get away with most anything!  His human, Teri, says he is the most stubborn dog she has ever had, but also the most spoiled as well.  Bear loves to cuddle (when he is in the mood for it :)  and loves to go for short walks.  If the walk gets a bit too long, then he goes for a "carry!"  He does what he wants, when he wants it and doesn't do a great job of coming when you call for him, but his little fox face and beautiful eyes will steal your heart when you meet him.  

Pet of the Month - June 2013 - George and Tulah

George is a long haired cat who will be 13 in September.  He was a stray kitten found on a rainy night in November and eventually was adopted by Emily and her husband, Randy.  He was initially a she, until on election day Dr. Taylor confirmed it was a boy!  His name has transitioned from George Bushy, to George Bailey, and now is George of the Jungle because he is such a hunter!  He is an amazing cat, and  as he grows older has become more cuddly, loving and needy.  

Tulah turned 5 in May, she is part Golden Retriever and part English Cream Golden Retriever.  She has an amazing personality, but yet will not retrieve anything!  She is content laying on the bed, or in the sun outside.  She loves to chase chipmunks in the hopes that someday she will actually catch one!  Emily had some difficult days and months as she waited on the heart/lung transplant list and months in the hospital waiting and then recovering from surgery.  Tulah visited often, laying in bed with her.  Once Emily was able to be up and around again, their favorite times were walks that they took through Hartman Reserve during the different seasons.  She has provided comfort, companionship and love to Emily and Randy.

Pet of the Month - Lexi Grendler - March 2013

Lexi is an American Cocker Spaniel, who was born in Idaho to parents who were both great bird hunting dogs. She was adopted by Frank and Peggy and has spent the majority of her 7 1/2 years here in Iowa. She is an exceptional hunting dog, and goes pheasant hunting with Frank about twenty times a year in Iowa and South Dakota. She was selected to participate as the only American Cocker Spaniel in the recent Pheasants Forever parade this past month in Minneapolis. As brilliant as she is as a hunting dog, she is even sweeter as a pet. She is smart, loving and a little spoiled - she loves kids and Halloween is one of her favorite days. She is thrilled to see all the kids as they trick or treat at their door. She found her perfect forever home.

Pet of the Month - February 2013 - Max and Des Luzaich

Once upon a time, there were two cats named Desiree and Homer, who lived at the Cedar Bend Humane Society and who desperately wanted a home. Michelle stopped by to visit one day, and she has always wanted a cat, but thought she had allergies. She immediately fell in love with Desiree, and told her husband, Jon, that he needed to meet this special cat. In July 2010 Jon and Michelle went to visit. They sat down in the cat room and Desiree (Des) jumped on Michelle’s lap. Homer decided he wanted to be a part of this action and he jumped up and nudged Des out of the way. Homer didn’t respond to his name, but as soon as they said Max, he looked at them. They both are sweet cats with easy dispositions and no fighting between them. The staff at CBHS encouraged them to take both cats home to keep each other company during the day. They have been an amazing addition to Jon and Michelle’s home. The wrestle, play and snuggle together and are so lucky to have found their forever home and are living happily ever after!

 

Pet of the Month - Chester Ketter

Chester is a hero, plain and simple. As soon as he was adopted into Allison's home, he saved her life. Allison first met him as a stray on the streets, he was smelly and hungry. No one claimed him and 10 days later, he was adopted into his forever home with Allison.

Chester had this odd habit of trying to bite Allison's chest - for no reason. In early May of 2007, Allison was laying down and Chester came over and took his paw and hit her chest really hard. This time it really hurt. Allison noticed a lump and thought it was from the hit - but it didn't go away. She knew right away that it would be breast cancer. That is how Chester saved Allison's life - she has now been cancer free for 5 years, and Chester has no need to bite or hit her anymore. He is a crucial part of Allison's critter family, and will forever be known as a hero.

Pet of the Month - December 2012 - Tank Nelson

Meet Tank! Tank is a Black Lab/Rottweiler mix who is 10 years old. When Tim picked him out, he noticed the size of his paws and knew that Tank would be a good name for him!

Tank loves to take walks, go for rides in the car or truck, people and dog watch from the window, be social and get attention from people.

Tank's parents, Tim and Stephanie started to notice some problems with Tank's mobility in the spring of 2011, but attributed it to his age or the medication he was on. Then it got really bad - he couldn't make it up much of an incline, stairs, small hill in their yard, etc. They took him to the vet in the summer of 2011 for his yearly checkup and he weighed 170 pounds! It was time for them to make a few changes! He had gradually gained weight because of treats, not measuring food and occasional people food. Tim and Stephanie did the hard work of measuring food, limiting the amount of unhealthy treats and instead gave him mostly carrots which took him a while to get used to, and cutting out all people food. They brought Tank in for monthly visits to the vet to get weighed and each time Tank had lost a lot of weight and he started getting around a lot better!  Tank currently is down to 103 pounds!  He is able to do more of the things he loves to do. 

Tank Before

Tank After Weight loss

Pet of the Month - November 2012 - Mason Stuber

Mason is also known as the miracle cat.  He was up for adoption at Cedar Bend Humane Society, and when Dave walked in, Mason picked him.  Darla visited next and Mason's fate was sealed.  He found his forever home with them.  While he was just a kitten, they noticed that he was wheezing and panting when he would play.  They brought him in to the vet and he was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) which means that the ventricles in his heart have thicker walls, which makes the heart have to work harder to pump blood.  He is now on twice daily medicines and lives life like a fairly normal 4 year old cat.  He lays in Darla's lap for his pills and takes them without a fuss.  He still plays some, but mostly wants to lay down in a pile of toys and be played with.  He does play with the other cats that share his home and he gets a lot of extra cuddling and love.  Many indoor cats who have HCM don't have warning signs and don't get the treatment they need.  It is the number one cause of spontaneous death in indoor cats.  Mason is an important part of Dave and Darla's home and they are thrilled that he has survived the odds.  

Pet of the Month - October 2012 - Hambone Gibson

Hambone Gibson has lived a lot of life in his almost 16 months. He was adopted by Brian and Jody as a young puppy from a friend. When he was just 7 months old, he suffered a broken right front leg from jumping off a chair. Our doctors surgically repaired it in late January. Once the leg had healed, they removed the pin and sent him home. A few weeks later, Hambone was playing as puppies do, and jumped again. His leg broke again. Our doctors sent him to Iowa State Veterinary Medical Hospital in Ames. They fixed the leg again and put Hambone on strict cage rest. The Gibson family is thrilled that Hambone is once again whole and healthy with as much energy as he always had. He loves Gibson’s 4 year old son and is a vital part of their family. He has figured out that a favorite thing is watermelon and will run to the kitchen when anyone is eating it. The Gibson family can’t imagine life without Hambone, and we are all so thankful that he has healed and is able to live life to the full. 

 

Pet of the Month - September 2012 - Casey and Joey Schmadeke

Ida and Elmer Schmadeke have always loved animals, when their Yorkie died, they knew that they needed to find another animal to love and help fill the void that she left. They found a tiny Australian silky Terrier who was needing a home, whose litter mate had just been adopted. He was so sad, the kennel staff called him Cry Baby. They put a teddy bear puppy in the cage with him and they became inseparable. Ida and Elmer ended up adopting both dogs and named them Joey and Casey. They became amazing therapy dogs for Elmer as he struggled with Parkinson’s and gave him great comfort. Casey and Joey have become best friends and have helped Ida through the difficult days. They love to run and play in her fenced back yard. Casey will sit in the shade and watch Joey find something to chase and then he will join in. They have even begun to embrace Sophie the cat who decided that she liked the dog sleeping kennel better than the bed. They all now cuddle together in it. These animals have been constant companions for Ida – her life would not be the same without them.

Pet of the Month - August 2012 - Cinder Ella Smith

We would like to introduce Dr. Smith’s newest addition to his family, Cinder Ella Smith!  Cinder is a grey tiger stripe playful kitten who gets almost constant attention from his three children.  She has boundless energy, would play all day long with unsuspecting toes, fingers, pant legs, and anything else that happens to be on the floor.  She especially loves to harass and torment Dr. Smith’s other older cats.  She seems to think that they are constantly teasing her with their tails.  They are not so thrilled with her unending energy, but they will sit next to her when she is sleeping at least!  Cinder loves to snuggle up when she is tired, and first thing in the morning she wants as much attention as she can get.  She has become a vital part of the Smith family and we are thrilled that we get to share in her energy! 

Pet of the Month - February 2012 - Chaos and Jinxx

Chaos is a 9 year old German Shepard rescue dog. When he was adopted he was 5 1/2 months old and a mere 37 pounds. Chaos was seized from a residence where he was greatly neglected. He was being fostered by a gal from Animal Control. She knew the Pilchers were looking for a German Shepard, so she brought him down to the the Humane Society for them to meet him. They walked him around the back yard, and he decided this was his forever family by jumping on Dawn and smearing her white shirt with mud. That decided it! He has been a cherished addition to their family, but they felt he may like a younger canine friend. Jinxx is a purebread Siberian Husky they adopted from family in New Mexico, and in Jinxx, Chaos got more than a friend, he now has a little brother!

Chaos loves to chase tennis balls, although his arthritis gets the better of him sometimes. Jinxx also likes to chase balls, as well as play tug-of-war. He also loves to rip the squeakys out of his toys, then the squeaky keeps him busy for HOURS!!! But mostly they like to play together in the back yard.

Pet of the Month - January 2012 - Sophie Butters

Lindsey heard through a friend that there was a little terrier mix puppy that was tied to a tree in Brooklyn, IA.  Lindsey walked up to her and saw this sweet puppy was tiny, dirty, had tangled hair and overgrown nails, and had a tag on her that said “Free.”  Lindsey has always had a soft spot for animals, even has volunteered at animal shelters, so she knew she had to bring this little girl back to Cedar Falls.  She planned on trying to find a friend or family member to take her or possibly to bring her to the animal shelter. The first night in Cedar Falls “Sophie” went and sat next to Lindsey’s bed at bed time and waited for help on the bed, Lindsey knew then that “Sophie” was hers forever “Sophie” has been an easy-going dog who is quite outgoing.  She loves to take walks, play and eat turkey with peanut butter for a treat.  “Sophie” found her forever home with Lindsey and they both are better off because of it. 

Pet of the Month - December 2011 - Dana Jasper

Kim Jasper loves checking out the animals at the Humane Society, but it seems when she does that, one of the cats out there, steals her heart.  That was how Dana became part of her family.  Dana was a mellow, friendly cat who loved Kim from the first minute she stepped into the cat room.  Dana was adopted on St. Patrick’s Day in 2010, they estimate she was 3 years old then.  She is a loveable cat, who puts up with most anything.  She loves kids, dogs, strangers.  Soon after she came home, she started having digestive issues.  Dana spent a lot of time at Taylor Vet after she was diagnosed with megacolon, which causes constipation, abdominal cramping and is very difficult to treat.  Kim tried all the treatments, Laxatone, enemas, other types of medicine, a major diet change, and Dana was just not getting better.  Dana was such a trooper through it all.  Finally after a lot of trial and error, they found the right combination of treatments that worked!  Dana now gets medicine three times a day, and eats a very special diet mixed with canned pumpkin.  She is a playful cat who loves to bring all her toys to Kim’s bed in the middle of the night and hides them in her shoes.  Even though Dana is more high maintenance than most cats, in Kim’s opinion, being able to have her healthy and whole is a blessing that far outweighs the costs.   

Pet of the Month - September 2011 - Louie and Lenny

One day last July, Deb Gallagher and John Smith were taking their normal early morning walk in North Cedar.  As they walked along the road, they noticed a small kitten that was laying at the edge of the road.  John and Deb have been dog owners for years, but never had any desire to have a cat of their own, but being animal lovers, they had to try to help this sweet kitty.  They figured they could take the kitten to the vet to see if there was anything they could do for it.  The cuddled it and held it close as they walked home.  By the time they were home, “Louie” had stolen a piece of their hearts.  After a visit to the vet, they decided to keep Louie as their own.  He is a sweet, affectionate cat, who will put his paws on either side of your head and hold you close.  After a while, they decided that they would add another cat to their house and visited the humane society.  Lenny was adopted and has changed the atmosphere in their home immensely.  Louie and Lenny are opposites.  Louie is the “Dad” in the family, they call him their “Buddha” with his calm ways.  Lenny is the adventurous son who is always into something.  Running, chasing and tumbling, Lenny is the daring one.  Louie adjusted to having a new cat in the house quickly and now they are the best of buddies. 

August 2011 - Pet of the Month - Buddy Cordes

Buddy has been a part of the Cordes family for about 7 years.  He is about 12 years old but began his life as a rescue dog.  When his original owner passed away, Buddy was taken into the Cordes family.  He is a black lab who loves his family.  He gives “hugs” to the kids and loves to be around them.  About 6 months ago, they noticed a growth on Buddy’s leg which needed to be removed.  The tumor was so large that there wasn’t much skin to close the area.  With Buddy licking the wound, and the tight skin, the incision kept coming apart.   The area became infected and swollen and Buddy stopped using that leg.  Dr. Smith suggested they try laser therapy to help the skin heal faster and reduce the swelling.  Once they began the laser therapy, Buddy began to use his leg again and the incision began to heal.  The Cordes family was a bit skeptical of the laser therapy at first, but they were amazed at what a huge difference it has made for Buddy.  Buddy has regained his mobility, runs and jumps and enjoys life again. 

Pet of the Month - May 2011 - Missy Kelly

John and Linda Kelly have a passion for pets. They love both cats and dogs, but when their beloved beagle Kasi passed away, they quickly decided that they needed another small cuddler to help ease the pain. While at the dog show in Waterloo they met up with a breeder of small beagles and within two days were the proud parents of Missy who is also a beagle. Missy is now 6 ½ years old and an integral part of the Kelly family. She is a snuggler, and has to spend time with “Daddy” as soon as he comes home from work and showers him with kisses. She played with assorted toys until one day Linda bought a stuffed fox toy. “Foxy” instantly was the only toy that Missy would play with. She takes “Foxy” with her wherever she goes, uses her as a pillow, and cuddles her as if she was her baby. Missy has recently been on a bit of a diet, but loves carrots, sweet potato, red and green pepper, cabbage and the occasional bite of egg and toast.


Anyone who has dealt with the death of a pet knows the pain of loss. For John and Linda, Missy was the balm to ease that pain and bring joy back into the Kelly family.

Pet of the Month - March 2011 - Whiskey Dunakey

Whiskey  was found while Barb Dunakey was scrolling through PetFinder, looking at pictures and descriptions of Shelties available for adoption, when I came across a photo of a little guy listed with a rescue in the Minneapolis area. His story and his picture captured my heart, within a few days we were approved to adopt, and we headed up to visit 'Tate' to see if he was the one for us.
We'd found out that 'Tate' was a dog originally from Iowa, saved by an individual rescue person at a Midwest Auction - more than likely a puppymill dog - and relocated to a caring organization in the suburbs of Minneapolis. They told us 'he was the most disengaged dog from human interaction' they'd ever taken in to their rescue. For the first month he wouldn't even look at them, and it was apparent he hadn't been given any love or affection in his nearly 2 years of life.
When we went to visit, he'd been with them for over 2 months and we were the FIRST potential adopters he even allowed to approach. Anyone else who had come to see him hadn't been able to get close to him as he would run in fear from corner to corner trying to get away. He allowed my husband to approach him in the corner, and his rescurer was amazed that my husband was able to pet him and talk to him. Shortly thereafter, he allowed me to approach and talk softly to him while I petted him as well. It was apparent this little guy had led a traumatic life. Encouraged by the fact that he appeared to like us as much as he was capable, we happily adopted him and brought him home to be a part of our family.
From his arrival home on 8/21/10 until Thanksgiving weekend, he never made a single peep - not even a sigh or a yawn, let alone a bark; however, he did bark playfully at our Granddogs when they were here to visit during the holidays. He has made progress with tiny baby steps towards becoming a more normal, happy dog in the 5 1/2 months we've had him, but he has a long ways to go yet. His past life has left him highly stressed, and he appears to suffer a bit from OCD tendancies as well, but he's learning to trust and is coming out of his shell little by little.
Our little Whiskey is a beautiful Color-headed White/ Blue Merle purebred Sheltie with one blue eye and one brown, and weighs just under 15 pounds. We love him to death and can hardly wait for the time when he feels safe and secure with us! When that finally happens, we know he'll be a happy, content boy in his furrever home and we'll spoil him as much as he'll let us!!

Pet of the Month - February 2011 - Chagall Cook

Chagall Cook is a White Cockatoo (or Umbrella Cockatoo). One interesting thing about most birds is that it is nearly impossible to determine the sex of the bird without scientific testing. Chagall’s person, Carol, has decided it isn’t worth the stress to Chagall to know for sure and refers to him as a “he.” Chagall is 5 years old and has lived with Carol most of his life, she has had him since he was a few months old and had to hand feed him until he was old enough to take in enough nutrition by himself. He eats pellet food and other food for parrots, but also eats the occasional hard-boiled egg, fruits and veggies. His beak is strong enough that he can crack an almond shell, but also delicate enough that he is able to peel the skin off a grape before he eats it.

Chagall is a very social bird and loves to cuddle. He can be calm and still, but also when he gets nervous, or excited he will show his crest, puff up his feathers, bounce up and down and chatter. He can imitate some human noises and words. He can say his name, “Are you alright?” and “Goodnight”. He can also imitate Carol’s laugh. He feels more comfortable around women, but loves children as well. Cockatoos are chewers, so they need constant attention and toys to keep their chewing from causing destruction to wood. Cockatoos make great pets, but only after careful homework and research. Umbrella Cockatoos can live up to 80 years. The decision to be a Cockatoo owner is not one to be made lightly, but once you commit, they will be your friend and companion for life.

December 2010 Pet of the Month - Chance Lighter

This is the amazing story of Chance. 

 At the beginning of summer, my husband and I wanted to plant some trees on our property. I went out one morning to buy the trees.  My initial plan was to go to Lowe's Garden Center, but for some reason, as I drove by, I was compelled to go to Farm & Fleet. When I arrived, the store was not to open for another 15 minutes. Again I felt compelled to sit and wait rather than just leaving.

I picked out my trees and waited for the girls who worked there to check me out, but they were distracted by something.... One of them reached down into a nursery pot full of rainwater from the night before, and picked up a tiny little 3 week old kitten that had been floating in the cold water. He appeared to be dead, and he smelled terrible, as the water was polluted and foul. There were no other cats or kittens around and it is a mystery why he was there.

"He's still alive!" said one of the girls, "But just barely..." I reached out and took him in my hands and could feel a slight heartbeat, but he was unconscious and cold, and so very tiny. He was so dehydrated that his eyes were sunken in. "I'll take him." I said as I wondered how this was going to work out. We already have quite a large family of cats but I was not about to walk away from this little soul who needed a chance to live.

At home, my husband was as concerned as I was that this little kitten might not survive. We cleaned him up, got him warm and began with drops of Pedialyte on his tongue to get some fluids in him. He remained only semiconscious for the better part of the day and I was sure he was going to die.

Drops of kitten formula were placed on his tongue one at a time and I held him and stayed up with him most of the night and he regained consciousness the next morning and began devouring the formula. Within a few more days he was gaining strength. The rest, as they say, is history.

As for his name, it was "chance" that I went to that particular store that day, "chance that I didn't leave before they opened, and "chance" that he was found at that moment, still barely alive. So his name had to be Chance.

Chance is a very affectionate, playful little guy and is interested in everything! He gets along with all the other cats and loves his teddy bear, which he slept with as a tiny kitten, in place of the mother cat.

Pet of the Month - November 2010 - K8 Rastetter

K8 Rastetter was born on March 14, 2007 in the kitchen of Mark and Donna Rastetter. She was one of 9 puppies that were well loved, even rocked and sang to when they were young. The rest of her siblings were adopted by other families, but K8 worked her way into Mark and Donna’s heart. She loves playing with her tennis ball, and needs her daily walks to use up some of her unending energy. She recently graduated from P.E.T.P.A.L.S. and now is able to provide companionship and therapy to many who need companionship from a pet. P.E.T.P.A.L.S. is a non-profit organization that that has been in operation for 27 years which serves Black Hawk county. They provide volunteer opportunities for animal and human interaction by visiting local nursing homes, hospitals, group homes, schools, and other facilities with approved pets. K8 visited Friendship Village this past month for the first time and loved the attention she received from those she visited. K8 is a special dog who will use her love to impact many lives.

To learn more about P.E.T.P.A.L.S. contact Rachelle Yousefi 277-7418.