Autumn 2005

Welcome SARA supporters!
There are approximately 750 domestic animals here at any given time. SARA is a 501(C) (3) non-profit organization supported entirely through your tax-deductible donations.

Want our hard copy newsletter? Email your snail mail address. If you would like to be taken off our mailing list, go to our website.

Our address is PO Box 813, Seguin, Texas 78156.
Our web site: http://www.sarasanctuary.org

Letter from the Director

Tracy Frank, Director of SARA

It is officially fall now and we at SARA are all eagerly awaiting that day when the first cool air of the season comes blowing down across the north side pasture and gives us all a little reprieve from the sweltering heat of the last four months. We’ve already noticed a little change in the temperatures and the slightly waning humidity.

It was a long hot summer, but we were fortunate to have been featured in a story run in the Austin American Statesman which has brought us much needed support and a host of new volunteers. The article touches on the incidents of last year when a complaint was made against SARA in an attempt to hurt me personally by two former disgruntled employees. If you read the article, please note that the horse they talk about had to have her eye removed due to a cancerous growth and was always under the care of the Retama Equine Clinic. The dogs mentioned in the article as well were under a vet’s care. You may remember our newsletter from last fall where more of what happened was explained. Here’s the link to the Statesman article and video:

http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/content/metro/stories/08/17shelter.html

While we’ve seen a lot of positive response to the Statesman article, we still struggle with the same problems of being located in a rural economically depressed area: animals being abandoned and almost zero support from our local Seguin community.

Sometimes it’s hard to fathom the actions of people. Recently I found the disemboweled, mutilated body of a young pig left at our gate directly under our mailbox. This is not the first time this has occurred and it was an act obviously perpetrated by someone who wanted to send a message of cruelty. I filed a complaint with the sheriff’s department, but nothing will or can be done about the incident. There were no witnesses to the misdemeanor act of criminal mischief and no dollar amount in terms of damage. Killing feral pigs is considered a fun past time and allowed year round in Texas and “they taste great” according to an article I saw in some magazine the other day.

Over the Memorial Day weekend several of our young pigs disappeared- spirited away in the day or night never to be seen again by those of us who cared about them. The place out here is large and the pigs like to follow the horses around the property. We think that they must have been lured into traps set either on our land or next to it. More than once, volunteers and employees have encountered people scoping out our swine herd down along our front road. All of the pigs that disappeared were friendly and had ear tags (not to mention names) and the females had visible stitches in their sides from having been spayed the week before. Whoever did this knew they were ours.

Just days ago, a neighbor drove up with his two dogs, a hound and a pit bull. When we told him we were full and couldn’t accept any more dogs, he said he was going to shoot them. Of course took them in. The two look almost identical to about 20 other dogs that have been abandoned here over the years. No, their “guardian” did not leave a monetary donation. What do you do?

It’s the good people like you who care about the lives of animals that allow us to carry on our mission despite the tragedies and obstacles we face as a young sanctuary. Next year will be our tenth anniversary which is hard to believe. It seems like only yesterday that I picked up little Zoe from the side of Hwy 123; a tired, scared, cold and hungry dog that had been cast off by the people who were supposed to protect her. She like so many of the animals we’ve been able to help enjoys a wonderful home in San Antonio where she never has to worry about where her next meal will come from and has a big fluffy bed all her own thanks to Flora Mae, the kind woman who adopted her. Sadly, that little pig I found under our mailbox didn’t have a happy ending. We can’t save every animal, but with your help, we can (and do) make a big difference.

As always, thank you for your support and generosity. With your help, all things are possible.

For the animals, Tracy

Help Us Help Them

SARA has a lot of different ways for you to become involved - from hands on work with the animals at the facility to helping at fundraisers or adoption events.

*NEW* Donate much needed food directly!
We feed over 800 pounds of kibble each day to our dogs. We always need dry dog food and now it can be purchased directly for SARA at Becker’s Feed Store in Seguin. Call 830-379-5679 and order using your credit card. Just ask for Lisa.


SARA Annual Raffle - Winner Receives $10,000!
Drawing to be held at our December Fundraiser - so only 10 more weeks to purchase tickets! We sell 300 tickets for $100 each, generating $30,000. The winner receives $10,000 and SARA raises $20,000 for operating expenses. Each $100 ticket purchase is a tax deductible contribution to SARA. So you win even if you don’t take home the big money. Only 66 tickets remaining!

Email Tracy at: sarasanc@swbell.net for details, or purchase yours by sending $100 and a note on where to send the ticket to our regular mailing address (P.O. Box 813 Seguin, TX 78156).

Sponsorships
You can help a needy animal even if you already have a houseful with our virtual adoption plan. For $30 per month, you can help care for one of our permanent residents. See details on our website >>




Donate your old car or truck to SARA for a tax break!

Donate your old car, truck, motorcycle or even a boat to SARA and count the fair market value as an income tax deduction. We’ll even pick it up. Just email sarasanc@swbell.net

Wish List

Tis the Season! Below are some items we really need for the animals

Dry dog food Dry puppy food Premium cat food - canned and dry Frontline for Dogs,largest size Cat litter Barn for the farm animals needed for winter weather Coastal Hay Chicken scratch Horse Feed Pig Feed Goat Feed Industrial Washing Machine Bottled drinking water Kiddy pools Paper towels Laundry Detergent Bleach

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Visiting & Volunteering

Visiting
Come See Us! Visitors are welcome by appointment on the third Saturday of the month (subject to weather). Please call 830-401-0280 to register in advance. We recommend you wear a hat, comfortable walking shoes and please bring plenty of drinking water for people in your party. Expect to have dogs and other animals near you. If you are afraid of dogs or have allergies to animal dander, this may not be a good experience for you.

Bring your camera! Lots of happy faces and great photo ops!

Volunteering
You can help the animals at SARA by volunteering. We have lots of ways to get involved from hands on work at the facility with the animals to helping at adoption events and fundraisers. Below are just a few ways you can help us help them:

Become a foster parent

Volunteer at SARA

Hold a garage sale to benefit SARA

Put out donation jars at businesses in your community

Help sell raffle tickets

Ask five friends to make a donation to SARA

Place SARA literature out in your community

Gather auction items for our December gala

Give a party and ask people to become SARA members

Adopt a pet from SARA

Contact Sarah Bubeck our volunteer coordinator for details or for more information. srbubeck@yahoo.com

Adopt from SARA
We literally have hundreds of wonderful dogs and many beautiful cats just waiting for that new home. Contact Kelly Burke at realtoughcookie@aol.com for details.

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Adoptable Companion Animals of the Month:  Michael

Michael is a sweet little Cocker Spaniel mix who bears the physical scars of abuse, but not the emotional ones. Michael was apparently kicked in the face with a steel-toed boot which broke his jaw. He had to have surgery to remove a portion of his lower jaw. Just as he endured the worst people can be, he was lucky to be in close proximity to two women who came to his rescue as they had before to many other helpless creatures. These two wonderful women came to Michael’s rescue and got him the care and help he needed. Once he was healed, they brought him to us. He is a great little guy who gets along well with other dogs and likes cats. He is a little fearful of strangers understandably, but warms up to people quickly. He loves to sleep on the bed or to perch somewhere on a shelf. He is house trained and clean and neat. He would make a great companion for your loving home.

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Permanent Residents of the Month: Fido & Allison

Fido
This loving dog has been at our facility for about 7 years now. Some people found him abandoned at their construction site in New Braunfels and we agreed to take him. He is a very sweet and laid back dog, but he does not like cats or small rodents. We have two fancy rats and he will try to get them if given the chance. He adores people and gets along well with other dogs.

Allison
Allison and her entire family were rescued years ago and have lived at SARA for almost 10 years now. She and her sisters were born under an old mobile home down the road from SARA. Tracy had to crawl under the trailer which had electrical wires hanging all over the place and garbage to get them out. The person who "owned" the dogs had shot his other dogs and was going to shoot these, but his backhoe broke down so he didn't have any way to bury them so he decided to let us have the dogs! Several of the puppies got adopted, but Cheryl, Allison, Lindsey, and Heather are still here.

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Some Good News

Tycoon saves the day:: Animals put seat backs up and tray tables in their locked position aboard Continental.
Sunday, September 15, 2005

Texas oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens took a stand with the Louisiana State Veterinarian and the U.S. Department of Agriculture when he was told he couldn’t take a plane full of animals out of the state.

Pickens and his wife Madeline chartered a Continental plane for $50,000 to take 50 animals to San Diego and 150 animals to San Francisco. The animals heading to San Diego were originally up for adoption at a New Orleans shelter. Three days before Hurricane Katrina hit the Golf Coast they were evacuated to St. Francis Animal Sanctuary in Tylertown, Mississippi.

On Sunday the animals were transported by caravan from Tylertown to Baton Rouge, Louisiana where they waited at the airport in crates. They were joined by 150 other animals that were rescued from hurricane-devastated New Orleans. But the state vet and the USDA said the animals couldn’t fly out of Mississippi – the animals could be contaminated or have a virus.

When Pickens got wind of the order he started making phone calls to members of the media and told them to meet him at the airport. Cameras rolling, Pickens faced the state vet and the USDA. “You can’t help them,” he said, “but you won’t let us take them out.” “Give me one good reason why.” The vet looked at the department of agriculture representative, who was looking back at him. What could they say in front of a dozen cameras? Again, Pickens challenged them. “We’ve got people waiting in California to take care of these animals. What are you going to do with them?” When no answer came forth, Pickens picked up a cat crate and loaded it onto the plane himself. He came out and got another and another. Soon everyone was helping.

When 100 animals were loaded, the vet stepped in. No more, he said. The plane took off for San Diego where the 50 animals from St. Francis were met by veterinarians and representatives of the Helen Woodward Animal Center. All animals were declared healthy and will soon be ready for adoption.

The other 50 animals were flown to San Francisco where representatives of the Marin Humane Society would meet them. Since these were rescues they will go through vet exams, micro chipping and have their photos and information posted on Petfinder.com. At that point the humane society will find foster homes for the animals in the hopes they will be reunited with their families.

Yes, a Disaster Plan Can Save Pets
Sunday, September 18, 2005

The emotions that pets generate among young and old alike fleeing any disaster are not a new lesson.

I commanded the U.S. joint task force that evacuated 21,000 Navy and Air force family members -- and their pets -- from the Philippines to Guam after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991.

Many of these families were verging on hysteria -- and all were traumatized, sure that they would never see their pets again and fearful of what would happen next. Most arrived with only the clothes on their backs and their most prized possessions -- including Fido, Snowball, Ralph, et al.

With meager resources -- one Army veterinarian and a handful of Seabee carpenters -- we built a 250-space kennel overnight and securely housed every pet brought to us. Scheduled visiting and exercise followed. It was another example of the "can do" spirit of the wonderful men and women of our armed forces.

A plan to evacuate and care for the victims of a natural disaster, if it doesn't include their pets, is a lousy plan.

JIM PERKINS
Prince Frederick

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FYI

Still vaccinating your pet every year?
July 18, 2005
By Kim Campbell Thornton

That may not be necessary and could even cause harm.

Vaccinations have saved many pets' lives over the years, but they aren't without risk. Now, with new research showing that immunity may last longer than once thought, veterinary experts say it's safer to decrease the frequency of most shots that typically have been given every year. Side effects from vaccinations range from mild itching and swelling to anaphylactic shock leading to death. Cats may develop vaccine sarcomas, which are cancers that develop at the site of the injection. And dogs may develop certain autoimmune diseases.

Veterinarians have suspected for years that annual vaccinations for cats and dogs aren’t necessary, but large, well-controlled studies just didn’t exist to prove it one way or the other. With the exception of rabies vaccine, the U.S. Department of Agriculture doesn’t require data beyond one year for any vaccine.

With that being the case, vaccine manufacturers arbitrarily recommended annual vaccinations, and most veterinarians, concerned about liability issues, concurred.

Sometimes immunity lasts a lifetime more recently, however, several published studies have shown that immunity provided by some vaccines lasts for much longer than one year and in some cases for a lifetime.

Full Story URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8572826/

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What a World, What a World - or What the Hell is Wrong with People?

Ted Nugent offers to kill bears in wake of fatal mauling- Cats offer to shoot Ted in wake of horrible songs including Cat Scratch Fever!

WINNIPEG - Rocker and hunting enthusiast Ted Nugent has volunteered to shoot bears in Manitoba following a fatal mauling of a 68-year-old man in the province last week.

In an e-mail to a Winnipeg newspaper, the guitarist known as "The Motor City Madman" offered his condolences to the family of East Selkirk farmer Harvey Robinson, who was killed by a black bear while picking plums on his property on Friday.

Nugent also said in the e-mail he believes his hunting skills would help protect people from bears.

Full story: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0830nugent-bears30-ON.html

Chinese Eatery Sold Donkey in Tiger Urine

SHANGHAI, China - A restaurant in northeastern China that advertised illegal tiger meat dishes was found instead to be selling donkey flesh marinated in tiger urine, a newspaper reported Thursday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050908/ap_on_fe_st/china_phony_tiger

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Vegan Recipe of the Month:

Vegan Cooking Made Easy
There's no mystery to creating deliciously satisfying vegan meals. Tasty alternatives to the animal ingredients that you may be cooking with are easier to find than ever—many are as close as your corner supermarket. If you're just getting started, you may want to try simply "vegging up" your favorite recipes. Try tofu or seitan instead of chicken, ground vegetable burger crumbles instead of hamburger, marinated Portobello mushrooms instead of steak, and soy milk instead of cow's milk or cream.

But there's no reason to stop there: By investing in some good vegan cookbooks (you might borrow some from your local library first to see which recipes you like), you can broaden your horizons to a whole new way of cooking. Americans tend to center their meals around animal products out of habit or custom, but cuisines from other parts of the world focus more on grain, vegetables, and fruit. Think about it—there are far more types of vegetables than there are types of meat, so why limit yourself?

Whether you've gone vegan "cold turkey" or just want to add more healthy, plant-based meals to your family's diet, we have the secret—and not-so-secret—tips you need to take the guesswork out of vegan cooking.

http://www.vegcooking.com/VegCooking.asp

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Special Thanks This Month

Special thanks to the nice people and businesses who help us save animals' lives:

Bollywood Party Thrown on SARA's Behalf Thanks to Alessandra and Mark Beavers for putting on their “Bollywood” themed fundraiser for SARA at their Austin home. Guests were encouraged to dress like characters from the Indian movie genre and wonderful Indian food was served.

Thanks to Twin Sisters Bakery and Cafe in San Antonio. They gave 10% of their dinner proceeds to SARA on June 21st.

Thanks to Groovy Dog Bakery in Austin and Laura Seargeant for holding a day long fundraising event for SARA and to the 60+ businesses who donated food, gift certificates or merchandise.

We always appreciate the food donations from HEB/Choice San Antonio and the Walmart Distribution Center. Without them, we wouldn't be able to keep SARA animals fed.

The Norton L. and Barbara B. Peck Family Foundation and the Petco Foundation for awarding grants to SARA.

Heartfelt thanks to:

Anne Kilgore for sponsoring a SNAP Day
Dr. Charles Bonney
Betty and Dave Kollen
Stephen and Rhoda Moss in memory of Buddy
Jeffrey and Anne Scott
Carol Ann Shepherd
The Anthill Society
Momo’s Club

Our regular volunteers and contributors for your generosity and kindness! We couldn’t do it without you.

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SARA Sanctuary PO Box 813  Seguin, Texas 78156 Phone: 830-401-0280 www.sarasanctuary.org