Southern Animal Rescue Association, SARA, is a no-kill, non-profit Animal sanctuary in Texas dedicated to providing a permanent quality home to all dogs and cats that come to us, regardless of special heath needs or temperament. SARA seeks quality, loving homes outside the sanctuary for all its animals, but when adoption is not possible or appropriate, for whatever reason, the animals live for the duration of their natural lives in the company of other animals at our facility.
All dogs and cats live in spacious communal enclosures with plenty of room for exercise and play.
SARA is located in the middle of 381 wooded acres, which also serves as a refuge for wildlife.
SARA currently supports over 750 animals.
SARA is supported entirely through your tax-deductible donations.
Our address is PO Box 813, Seguin, Texas 78156.
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Letter from the Director
Tracy Frank, Director of SARA
Even though fall is officially here, it’s still too hot for my taste. Maybe I’m getting old, or maybe it’s global warming (or both), but I just can’t stand this heat and humidity anymore. In August, temperatures reached over 105 and I can’t wait for the first “northern” of the season to blow through.
When a cold front does make it down this far it’s a very rowdy event at SARA. The animals know it’s coming long before we do. They start to get frisky and more and more boisterous and playful. You should see the horses when a front blows in or just before a rainstorm. They all take off at full gallop with their tails up in the air, bucking and twisting the whole time. The sound of thundering hooves is amazing- just like in the movies.
The horses are usually led by the big bay gelding or our beautiful strawberry roan mare with the mustangs and mules in the middle, followed by the two Appaloosas. Ten second delay and here come the three clowns bringing up the rear- the donkeys with their funny way of running- not nearly as graceful as the horses, but doing their best to keep up with the herd; heads down, ears back, and an angry expression on their faces!
The dogs and cats “party” when it’s brisk. Everybody plays and runs around and the dogs are much more vocal. The group howl occurs throughout the day and night. You hear the roosters crowing a lot more often. The pigs chase each other around like puppies- well except for Homer who weighs 800 pounds, but even he is more energetic. During the hot months he only moves when it’s early in the morning or in the evening. Can you blame him?
You can tell everybody is happy to be cooling off including the humans. Employees and volunteers walk a little faster and smile a little easier when there isn’t a heat index of 114F.
What would make me smile is simply raising enough money to pay our bills.
I’ve heard about several well-established animal sanctuaries having to shut their doors this year because the donations are just not coming in. We’ve seen a dramatic decline in contributions ever since the 9-11 tragedy happened. Recent devastating events such as the tsunami and the hurricanes last year all contributed to “donor fatigue.”
No matter what else happens in the world we continue to need flea and tick treatment year round, we must cover our operating costs, the vets and employees must be paid, medical supplies and medicines must be purchased. The animals eat over 1,000 pounds of food each day. Please remember, it costs us over $30K per month just to meet the basic needs and we have to ask you for the money to keep us going. We receive no help from our county or the government. It all comes from the nice people (like you) who care.
Thank you for your help and support. We really cannot do it without you. —Tracy
We received this charming letter from one of our nice supporters regarding the spring newsletter “letter from the director” and thought we’d share it with you. You may remember that we talked about the rats that live out here as well as the other wildlife we encounter and that rats are intelligent animals… By the way, the grackles did move on!
Somebody wrote wanting our physical address. We no longer receive mail at our physical address because our mailbox has been knocked down so many times, it seemed pointless. Further, we do not publish our physical address because we feel it just invites irresponsible people to abandon animals at our gate. If you want to visit us, email or call and we’ll schedule a time.
SARA welcomes Charlene Fournace (pictured with one of her best friends at SARA) as our new adoption coordinator. Call (210) 669-8399 for adoption inquiries.
Volunteer Day at SARA, Sept. 23, 10 to 3 p.m.—We Need You!
The next SARA Volunteer Day is this weekend, Sept. 23rd from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come out and get your hands dirty and your heart warmed! Lots of happy faces and wagging tails just waiting to meet you! Vegetarian picnic lunch provided. Contact our volunteer coordinator, Sarah Bubeck, to get involved. E-mail Sarah at Srbubeck@yahoo.com.
'Barkitecture' Event at Jo's Hot Coffee, Austin Don't miss the upcoming “Barkitecture Austin" event at Jo’s Hot Coffee in Austin on Oct. 21 from 1 to 5 p.m. Jo's s teaming up with its retail neighbors in the 2nd Street district (home of Jo’s new second location) to present "Barkitecture Austin."
Twenty-four of Austin's top designers and architects will design & build a modern dog house to be auctioned off on Saturday, October 21. Proceeds will be donated to several local pet rescue groups. Finished doghouses will be on display throughout the 2nd Street Retail District on Saturday the 21st as we gather silent auction bids for each house and host our rescue groups' great dogs that need great homes. Barkitecture Austin 2006 will culminate in an evening of award presentations to outstanding doghouses in various categories and announcements of the winning silent auction bids.
One of these dog houses will represent SARA, and we'll have adoption services set up at the event. Plus, dogs (that are able) will join in a little Barkitecture parade around the eight blocks where the houses will be set up. Don't miss this fun event supporting SARA and other rescue groups. For more information, visit www.joscoffee.com/downtown/events.htm.
New Braunfels Fundraiser The recent fundraiser in New Braunfels was a great success! Special thanks to all the nice people who worked so hard to make it happen: Charlene Fournace, Tina Lysk, Anna Manning, Sylver Rios, and Marvin, the owner of Café Devine, along with everybody else who donated items, volunteered or came by to support SARA. Also, a big thank you to KGNB/KNBT Radio New Braunfels for helping us promote the event. Thanks again, New Braunfels! Donka Chen!
SARA Featured in National Womens Magazine
SARA was featured in the June issue of Women’s Health Magazine. It is our first national article, and we appreciated being included.
Whole Foods Markets No Longer Selling Live Animals
Moral Obligation to Animals Opinion from Salt Lake Tribune
Shoppers who walk into a Whole Foods Market can no longer purchase live lobsters.
The company—the world's largest natural foods grocery—recently banned their sale, citing concerns that lobsters are not treated humanely enough en route from the boat to the dinner plate.
Why this concern for a crustacean? Because scientific evidence indicates that lobsters feel. They have a nervous system and senses, including vision, touch and chemical perception. They approach good things and avoid bad things. They can live a century, they learn and they remember. There is even evidence that they play.
The capacity for feeling both good and bad things—the scholarly term is "sentience"—is central to the ethics of how we treat animals. If you're sentient, you have some quality of life at stake, and you deserve moral consideration.
What are the implications for humankind's relationship to animals when we acknowledge and embrace the richness of their sensory experiences?
It is sometimes convenient to exclude animals from our sphere of moral concern—as we do, for example, in the making of foie gras or lobster salad or in the meat industry in general. But is it right?
Because animals can enjoy life, our moral obligations to them are greater. We may not have an obligation to provide pleasure to animals, but actively depriving them of the opportunity to fulfill natural pleasures—as we do when we cage or kill them—is another matter. As we awaken to the rich landscapes of animal sentience, it only follows that lobster tanks and foie gras are on their way out.
Jonathan Balcombe is an ethologist and research scientist with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and the author of "Pleasurable Kingdom: Animals and the Nature of Feeling Good." Readers may write to him at: PCRM, 5100 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20016; Web site: www.pcrm.org.
Feral Pig TNR (Trap Neuter and Release) Program
There are more than two million feral hogs in Texas alone, and we have our share of them here. We are working to contain the feral pigs that have made our property their home by building two enclosures to capture them. We are having the juvenile piglets spayed and neutered. We are currently seeking grant money for this building project.
Porfirio
This sweet little guy was apparently shot in the face. When we found him in July, he had a massive infection in his jaw and the gunshot wound was infested with maggots. He was in terrible shape and could barely breathe. We were able to capture him and treat his wounds. It was touch and go for several days, but he pulled through and is making a remarkable recovery. He loves apple sauce and bananas and to be scratched behind the ears!
Sienna
This happy girl was rescued after being left tied to a fence near Floresville, Texas with her litter of eight puppies. All pups have been adopted, but Sienna remains here waiting for that special someone to take her home. She gets along well with other dogs, likes cats, chickens and pigs! She loves children and adults; we take her to visit the residents at the South Texas Veteran’s home in Floresville.
Help Us Help Them
To help SARA by directly purchasing Advantix for the dogs and Advantage for our cats contact Melissa Wu by email at Melissa@AnimalMattersOnline.org.
We have set up a program through Animal Matters where the flea and tick products we need so desperately can be purchased directly from the manufacturer.
And don't forget, you can always donate your old car or truck to SARA as a tax-deductible donation! Ask us for details!
Bequests: Leave a Living Legacy to Help Homeless Animals
Giving to SARA through your will is one of the simplest ways to make a planned gift. Making a bequest is straightforward and easily executed with your attorney. In addition, a bequest to SARA can save your estate a significant sum in tax payments if the estate is subject to federal estate tax. You can name SARA as a beneficiary in your will in a number of simple ways. Contact us for more information.
Choking is a serious situation for pets and people, alike. Here are some tips on how to handle such an emergency.
IMPORTANT! Do not pull thread or string from the dog's throat. A needle or hook may be attached. Get to a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Symptoms of choking include violent pawing at the face, gasping, gulping, great agitation and anxiety.
1. Restrain the dog. Open its mouth wide and pull out its tongue with your fingers or a cloth. Holding the tongue, look deeply into the dog's throat with a bright light.
2a. If you can see the obstruction, grasp it firmly and gently remove it.
2b. If you cannot see the obstruction lay the dog on its side, place your palms just behind the last rib and give four quick thrusts. Recheck the throat. Repeat thrusts if necessary.
What a World, What a World, or What the Hell Is Wrong with People?
Country Singers Kills Tame Bear Named Cubby in a Pen (and you thought just his music sucked!) Manager says country singer thought bear killing was legal
DULUTH, Minn. (AP)—The manager for Troy Lee Gentry said Wednesday that the country singer thought he had complied with the law when he shot and killed a tame black bear in Minnesota and was surprised when he was indicted.
Gentry, of the duo Montgomery Gentry, is accused of killing a tame black bear named “Cubby” that federal officials say he tagged as killed in the wild.
Gentry, 39, of Franklin, Tenn., and Lee Marvin Greenly, 46, of Sandstone, appeared Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Raymond Erickson in connection with a sealed indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Minneapolis.
Authorities allege that Gentry purchased the bear from Greenly, a wildlife photographer and hunting guide, then killed it with a bow and arrow in an enclosed pen on Greenly's property in October 2004.
Gentry's lawyer said Wednesday that the federal indictment was misleading.
"Number one, the bear was not killed in a cage," said Minneapolis lawyer Ron Meshbesher. "The bear was roaming around in a fenced area of several acres, and my client spent almost two hours in a tree stand before he got a clear shot with a bow and arrow."
An acre is about the size of a football field without the end zones.
Meshbesher said Gentry "is extremely distraught about these allegations. He prides himself as an environmentalist and an avid hunter who respects the fish and game laws of the United States."
The bear's death was videotaped, and the tape later edited so Gentry appeared to shoot the animal in a "fair chase" hunting situation, the government claims.
Meshbesher said the videotape was made for Gentry's private use. He said it was edited to remove the time spent waiting in the tree stand, cutting the tape from more than an hour to 15 minutes.
If convicted, both Gentry and Greenly face a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a $20,000 fine.
Southern Animal Rescue Association, SARA, is a no-kill, non-profit Animal sanctuary in Texas dedicated to providing a permanent quality home to all dogs and cats that come to us, regardless of special heath needs or temperament. SARA seeks quality, loving homes outside the sanctuary for all its animals, but when adoption is not possible or appropriate, for whatever reason, the animals live for the duration of their natural lives in the company of other animals at our facility.
All dogs and cats live in spacious communal enclosures with plenty of room for exercise and play.
SARA is located in the middle of 381 wooded acres, which also serves as a refuge for wildlife.
