Dogs Playing Poker, June 4th, Starting at the Milford Powerhouse

The Third

Annual Dogs Playing Poker Event Takes Place In Milford June 4^th!!

The event begins at 11 AM with contestants able to enroll until 2 PM at the Historic Milford Powerhouse. All the proceeds will go towards the Community Sharing Pet Pantry. The Pet Pantry is the first of its kind in Michigan. They provide pet food and basic veterinary care to the clients of the Community Sharing Food Bank. The Pet Food Pantry feeds 400-500 pets each month. Through their efforts, pets that might otherwise be abandoned can remain with their families and serve an important function of support and companionship to family members during difficult times.

How Does it Work? Each participant purchases at least one hand, this allows them to walk through beautiful downtown Milford collecting cards at participating businesses. When they return to the Powerhouse they then present the collected cards and this allows them to select their hand and, if they choose, they can purchase additional cards to improve their poker hand. The best poker hands win fabulous prizes donated by area businesses. This event not only benefits Community Sharing, but our wonderful area businesses and the Historic Powerhouse!!

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Three Animal Stories........with happy endings!

The Rescue of Templeton The Rat

Our head technician, Dana , was walking her dog last week. They walk along the railway tracks near their house. Greves, her dog, kept sniffing at a container and refusing to move on with his evening stroll. Dana investigated and found a young, very inquisitive, hooded rat in a container. The container was similar to what you would get at the deli counter, small wholes punched in the top. Templeton was quickly taken home and placed in a proper cage with food and water that he ate greedily.
Fortunately, one of our other technicians, Matt, has a teenage son who has always wanted his own pet rat. It was a perfect match and Templeton is living happily in his new digs. Quite an improvement over the plastic deli container. How Templeton ended up at the railroad tracks, in a container, is another story.

Spanky, THE Biggest Looser

Here is Spanky's before photo - he weighed 49lbs.

Spanky is the constant companion of Sister Mary Leonard.Over the winter Sister Mary was taken ill and she could not care for Spanky. We have hopes that Sister Mary will be home soon, but in the mean time we had Spanky stay with us.Spanky is all beagle. He is spunky, curious, stubborn and a hedonist. He loves to eat and since Sister Mary loves Spanky so much, Spanky got to do what ever he loved the most.
When he arrived at the hospital he weighed 49lbs and just the idea of a long walk or playing ball was completely exhausting to him.You could see that spark though, that beagle-like twinkle in his eye.
Since Hills (The Science Diet Company) had donated a pre-measured, 1 month diet program, to the hospital to use as we wish, we thought Spanky would be the perfect project. Spanky was a very reluctant participant, initially shunning the high fiber biscuits (he got 3 a day) and his two meals of kibble. Slowly, though, he came around. By the 3rd week everyone was amazed by the amount of energy he had. Even friends of Sister Mary, who take Spanky for visits to Sister Mary's bed side, were surprised by his enthusiasm.
We are happy to report that today he weighs 39lbs, still about 8 lbs over weight, but boy does he look (feel) good.

Turtle Rescue Season has Begun!

Around our house and the hospital we are all avid turtle rescuers. Really, what possesses people to run over a turtle? Did it dart out in front of the car? I think not. So to all you motorists please watch out for our friends.

Our turtle rescue season began on April the 23rd when we rescued a Blanding's Turtle from our yard. Unfortunately, our dog found him first, but his sturdy shell protected him from her. Last weekend my children helped a misguided newly hatched turtle that was trying to get into our garage. We have had this happen previously. We suspect our house was placed in the midst of a 'migratory ' path. He/she was redirected and sent on its way.

Our best rescue story is of one of our clinics neighbors, Mr. Joerin. A wonderfully kind and gentle man that stopped traffic on the main road in front of the hospital and escorted a very large and very angry snapping turtle to the other side. Yeah!

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