It is our hope that new people will see the good work that we do here and want to be a part of it.

In addition to the financial struggle, we have come under fire recently from bogus complaints made against SARA which I can explain to anybody who wants to know more via phone or email. I do not want to take up the entire newsletter with unpleasant news. In a nutshell, Seguin Animal Control has threatened to take all of our animals to the Houston SPCA where many, if not most, would certainly be killed. This summer Seguin animal control and a representative of the Houston SPCA came out to SARA after receiving a trumped up complaint that the animals were not cared for - which is not true. A disgruntled (former) employee had called the health department to tell them we were feeding dog food to cattle, which is illegal because of BSE or Mad Cow Disease. When I explained to the health department representative that we treat dog food like gold, she laughed, dismissed the allegation and that was the end of it.

When animal control and the HSPCA came out in September, several employees had quit the day before, so the place wasn’t as clean as it should have been and algae had formed in some of the swimming pools we use for reservoirs for the dogs. As a result, we were told to “avoid fecal buildup” and provide “clean wholesome water” which we explained we do routinely. Algae grows rapidly in the heat and it doesn’t take too long for animals to make a big mess. I assure you, however, that none of the animals was ever in any danger or went without food or care. As a result of your continued support, we are now operating with a full staff and we also have a live-in caretaker. My husband and I live on the property and help care for the animals as well.

Your moral support and written letters are needed as well as your financial aid. Guadalupe County animal control and the Houston SPCA representative believes that any animal that isn’t perfect should die because their rationale is that time and resources should only be expended on perfect animals that can presumably be adopted. That means any of the perfectly healthy feral cats, any older dogs, any of the Feline Leukemia positive cats, any animal that has aggressive tendencies or fear of people, and especially Kristy (pictured below), our dog who cannot walk because he was born with brain stem damage should be “put down” for their own good!

It certainly would be easy to keep our costs down and operate in the black if we simply killed the animals, but thank goodness, that’s not our mission or what we believe.

We know in our hearts that all animals- no matter what they’ve been through or their breed- deserve a chance to live a happy life free of suffering and hunger.

So, at this time of year, it is my hope that you will remember those who cannot speak for themselves.

Please send your polite letters of support of SARA’s mission to:

Missy Martinez
Guadalupe County Animal Control Officer
2611 North Guadalupe
Seguin, Texas 78155

Max Mixson, Houston SPCA
900 Portway Drive
Houston, TX 77024

The County Attorney is:
Elizabeth Murray Kolb
101 East Court Street,
Seguin, Texas 78155.

If you have any questions please contact me directly and come out and see for yourself how happy and healthy all of the animals are out at SARA.

Happy Holidays and our heartfelt thanks for all of your kindness and generosity.

Thank you for all your help and support.

All my best,
Tracy Frank

News & Events

Holiday Gift Wrapping at Barnes and Noble and Book People in Austin Throughout December SARA volunteers will be wrapping gifts to raise money for us. Please check our web site for more information and scheduled times.

SARA Angel Trees Help support a needy animal this year by donating to the SARA Angel trees at Tomlinson’s. In Austin: Airport and Westlake locations and at their new stores in Cedar Park.
In San Antonio: Petworks on North New Braunfels in the Sunset Shopping Center and at the New Braunfels Feed store in New Braunfels.


Ant Hill Society
Ant Hill Society (pictured left) to perform at Momo's on Sixth Street for an upcoming SARA event to be held in February. Check our web site for details in January and check out their web site www.anthillsociety.com to find out why Action Magazine called them the number one rock band in San Antonio.

Raffle postponed until June
Unfortunately we have not been able to sell all of our raffle tickets as yet, so we are going to extend the raffle until June 2005. There is plenty of time to buy a ticket or two. Remember any ticket purchase is a tax deductible donation to SARA.


View ALL SARA Events >>

Visiting SARA:

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. It’s hot, so 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!

Adoptable Companion Animals of the Month: 
Robert

Robert, A Rhodesian ridgeback mix approximately 5 yrs old, was abandoned in Garden Ridge, TX along with his pal Harvy. He is extremely strong and sweet. He would make a great companion for anybody. Gets along well with female dogs, but not cats. Good with kids.

Adoptable dogs and cats- we literally have hundreds of dogs and cats that would love to be your best friend. Adoption applications can be found on line on our wonderful web site www.sarasanctuary.org

Rescue Report: Rosemary

Rosemary This sweet dog and her 11 young pups were found abandoned on the side of a deserted country road not too far from SARA. Rosemary was afraid to come to us at first and ran off into the woods when we gathered up her young hungry pups on a cold day last January. When were finally able to gain her trust and coax her out of the brush, we were taken aback at how starved she was. For several days Rosemary was so depressed and sad, we took the pups off her to give her a chance to recover from severe malnutrition and fed them with formula and wet puppy food. I was getting a little worried about her, but after two days she started making up for lost time with the dog food and quickly gained weight and was reunited with her growing brood. I am happy to report that all eleven of the sweet little guys found loving homes, but not Rosemary. Today, she is the sweetest dog you’ll ever meet. She is such a great mom that whenever we have rescued puppies Rosemary acts as their surrogate mother.

Rosemary is a hound mix who’s about 3 years old. She is very healthy and would make a great addition to any home.

Can you welcome this sweet animal into your home? Can you be his foster parent?

Vet's Corner, Holiday Safety Tips for your Furry Companions
Dr. Maria Willaims, DVM:

There is so much confusion about what is safe or harmful for our animal companions. I’ve seen the heartache when a pet ingests something or gets hurt by household items. Even things seemingly safe, like aspirin, can be deadly if given to the wrong pet or in too high of quantity.

I remember examining some cats for a woman and in our conversation she told me she accidentally reached into her purse and gave her cats her full strength prescription pain reliever. She thought she was giving a pill for tapeworms. Well, the kitties were pretty sick for a while after that day.

Simple over the counter remedies, such as aspirin, are toxic to cats, as is acetaminophen. A good rule of thumb is never to give a cat any pain reliever unless your veterinarian sends it home for her. Most pain relievers can cause gastrointestinal upset and even kidney or liver problems.

Treats are a wonderful way of expressing our love to our animal friends. I recently read that raisins may be toxic so be careful with these. Chocolate, which most people are aware of, contains theobromine, a poison to pets. Birds are very sensitive to chocolate and, our favorite fatty treat, avocado. I encourage people to stay away from sweet-filled treats, as well. If the label has words like dextrose, sucrose or corn syrup, they probably are filled with sugar, which pets really do not need. Preservatives suck as BHA/BHT/Ethoxyquin are often of pet food and treats. Carefully look at labels and try to avoid preservatives. Also, use caution with key words such as animal by product, as that leaves the door wide open for what is actually in the food or snack. The best treats are simple things like little pieces of vegetables and fruits. Dogs like green beans, carrots and other vegetables. You can buy raw soybeans in the pod and lightly blanch these for a nutritious treat. I know people who eat these instead of fattening snacks while watching television.

During the holidays, remember that tinsel is a dangerous toy, for both dogs and cats, as it can cause severe intestinal damage. The liquid potpourri, sold to freshen rooms and make them smell like Christmas is poisonous to kitties. Glass ornaments can break and cause serious injuries as well. It’s best to keep pets completely away from the Christmas tree and its trimmings during the holidays.

As a general rule, I would consider most ornamental plants to be poisonous. There are so many and they can look so different I would just avoid letting pets nibble on them. The signs of intoxications include vomiting, diarrhea, excess salivation and even death. One of the deadliest plants is the oleander. This beautiful shrub is used extensively here in South Texas as an ornamental because of its beautiful flowers. Its toxin affects the heart and can be very deadly. Even the simple ivy and Christmas poinsettias can cause illness. A safe way to give animals greens is to grow birdseed. The tender shoots are full of vitamins.

The best plan with young pets such as puppies, kittens, and even adult rabbits and ferrets, is to never leave them unattended in an open room. Electrical cords are attractive chew toys as are things which they find laying on the floor. A pet can become obstructed with tiny bits of foam rubber from a cushion and you may not know until they are quite ill. Birds tend to chew and can ingesting tiny bits of metallic paint or coatings can be deadly. Usually toys safe for babies are all right for birds. They use strong plastics with safe paints. Pet stores carry nice folding pens, which form a barrier so your pets can play in a safe environment while you watch.

Strong fumes can be harmful to most pets. Birds are very sensitive to the nonstick coating put in pans. I have seen birds become ill and die after owners simply sprayed their yards with pesticide and it came in through windows or doors. Carpet freshener, strong deodorizers and cigarette smoke can be very harmful to pets’ lungs. Many pets are experiencing asthma these days and smoke really exacerbates their symptoms. I’ve read reports about cats becoming quite sick from drinking the scented liquid potpourri, as well.

There have been numerous reports of cats dying from the use of the topical flea products designed for dogs. The chemical permethrin is very toxic to cats. All products safe for cats will say so on the label. Also, use the same caution for kittens and puppies, when using flea products, as their immature systems cannot handle high level of pesticides. A safe alternative is to put a few drops of cedar wood and lemon grass essential oil in a spray bottle and sprits pets daily. Also, Skin So Soft by Avon, repels fleas and mosquitoes.

As our animal companions go from youngsters to mature adults they face a variety of things that could be harmful. Basic caution should help avoid getting into trouble. Be careful with plants, household cleaning products, paints and pesticides. Always supervise young animals and those who have a tendency to chew, such as rabbits, ferrets and birds. Simple treats, such as veggies and fruit, are the safest. I would avoid putting anything on your pet for fleas unless it is labeled as being safe. Please consult your local veterinarian when questions arise about the safety of products for pets and household items.

Maria Williams, DVM has a holistic/traditional practice in San Antonio, Texas. Integrating Western and Eastern philosophies, she places special focus on acupuncture, chiropractic and Traditional Chinese Herbs along with dietary counseling, vitamins, nutriceuticals, Bach flower remedies, homeopathy, and Western Herbs. She is available for consultations Monday through Friday from 8AM to 5:00PM. Dr. Williams can be reached at (210)641-4447 and, via email, at: wildlifedoc@hotmail.com

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

Only in Texas – Killing animals with a click of your mouse! (…Watch out Rudolph!!!)

Texas Officials Wary of Plan to Hunt by Internet
By Jeff Franks

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Hunters soon may be able to sit at their computers and blast away at animals on a Texas ranch via the Internet, a prospect that has state wildlife officials up in arms.
A controversial Web site, http://www.live-shot.com, already offers target practice with a .22 caliber rifle and could soon let hunters shoot at deer, antelope and wild pigs, site creator John Underwood said on Tuesday

Texas officials are not quite sure what to make of Underwood's Web site, but may tweak existing laws to make sure Internet hunting does not get out of hand.

"This is the first one I've seen," said Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wildlife director Mike Berger. "The current state statutes don't cover this sort of thing." Underwood, an estimator for a San Antonio, Texas auto body shop, has invested $10,000 to build a platform for a rifle and camera that can be remotely aimed on his 330-acre (133-hectare) southwest Texas ranch by anyone on the Internet anywhere in the world. The idea came last year while viewing another Web site on which cameras posted in the wild are used to snap photos of animals.

"We were looking at a beautiful white-tail buck and my friend said 'If you just had a gun for that.' A little light bulb went off in my head," he said.

Internet hunting could be popular with disabled hunters unable to get out in the woods or distant hunters who cannot afford a trip to Texas, Underwood said.

Berger said state law only covers "regulated animals" such as native deer and birds and cannot prevent Underwood from offering Internet hunts of "unregulated" animals such as non-native deer that many ranchers have imported and wild pigs.

He has proposed a rule that will come up for public discussion in January that anyone hunting animals covered by state law must be physically on site when they shoot. Berger expressed reservations about remote control hunting, but noted that humans have always adopted new technologies to hunt.

What a genius: "First it was rocks and clubs, then we sharpened it and put it on a stick. Then there was the bow and arrow, black powder, smokeless power and optics," Berger said. "Maybe this is the next technological step out there."

Underwood, 39, said he will offer animal hunting as soon as he gets a fast Internet connection to his remote ranch that will enable hunters to aim the rifle quickly at passing animals.

He said an attendant would retrieve shot animals for the shooters, who could have the heads preserved by a taxidermist. They could also have the meat processed and shipped home, or donated to animal orphanages.

Vegan Recipe of the Month:

Holiday Treats for Dogs (and other animals)

Always a favorite, molasses peanut butter dog treats!

Ingredients

3 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1.5 cups soy milk
1.5 cups peanut butter
1 tablespoon molasses

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, and baking powder. Mix the soy milk, peanut butter, and molasses until smooth and add to dry ingredients. Using your hands, knead the ingredients together for a few minutes or use your mixer if you have a dough hook.
• Roll out the dough on a flour covered surface to about ¼ inch thickness and cut with cookie cutters. Bake about 20 minutes until lightly browned and let rest in the oven until cool.

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Special Thanks This Month

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

Vegetarian Network of Austin came out on Nov. 6th and helped feed and groom the animals. They even bathed Homer who loved it! Check out their website at: www.vegnetaustin.org.

Thanks to the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce for helping us find loving homes for some of our dogs at their annual gala on Monday, December 6th at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center

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.

Kwik Kopy printing for this month's printed newsletter

Heartfelt thanks to Linda Davis for helping with Pepper's medical needs

Kathy Kelliher Revocable Living Trust for their support of SARA

We always appreciate Robin Thompson, who is our unofficial SARA photographer (many of her photographs appear on the website and in printed newsletters)

And special thanks to George Clooney for choosing SARA as his charity for a recent donation

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

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Happy Endings

Spot and Rover
Spot and Rover were at the end of their ropes- literally. These two loving dogs were tethered to a dilapidated dog house in San Antonio’s depressed far west side. Their “owner” had been evicted and moved away leaving these two helpless dogs to fend for themselves. A concerned neighbor rescued them and brought them to SARA over 6 years ago.

Because Spot and Rover were such good pals, we thought it best that they be adopted together. The years passed and Spot and Rover, although very happy here, never found a new home, until Linda Wells, that is, emailed us wanting two dogs who could help her ease the pain of the loss she had suffered when her two dogs had passed away. Linda writes …

Dear Tracy,

If the Christmas holidays are about love, joy and giving, it has been Christmas everyday at my house since I brought Spot and Rover home to live with me!

In July of this year, I lost the second of my two beloved Shelties. These guys had been my constant companions for thirteen years. I didn't think the hole in my heart could ever be filled.

One day, my friend Margaret told me to look on your website. There I spotted one of your adorable "cuddly couples", Spot and Rover. Margaret encouraged me to go out to SARA and meet them.........A bit reluctantly, I did so. Spot, (whose bio said he was wary of strangers) climbed into my lap and snuggled in. Rover just kept wagging his tail and "high fiving" me.

I left SARA that day in love with those two, but unsure I was "ready". Three days later, I knew I had to give these guys the love in my heart and my home. I have never made a better decision about anything.

These dogs are incredible. They are loving, smart, playful, thankful and full of life. They have a big yard to run and play in and get to go for two walks a day! Rover loves his walk and can't wait to go first thing in the morning. If I don't get ready soon enough, he lets me know! Spot loves to be petted and is a big snuggle puss. He loves to sleep on the couch with his head in my lap. I may be guilty of spoiling them, but I can't think of any two dogs who deserve it more.

As far as "fitting in" both dogs figured out the dog door without even being shown or taught. There have been no "accidents" in the house, nor have they chewed anything that wasn't theirs. I have never seen two dogs who wag their tails so much........I love them so much and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the work you do. Tracy, you have dedicated your life to these animals with the conviction that all creatures deserve love and life. If it had not been for you, I never would have found these precious dogs. Because of you, we are a family.

We send our love and best holiday wishes to you and all involved with SARA.

Linda, Rover and Spot

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