A December to Remember!

First of all, we hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and is looking forward to a terrific New Year's celebration this week. We know that the latest bunch of animals who headed home in time for the holidays are definitely feeling the magic of the season.

Since our last posting, eight cats and five dogs were adopted! You can see pictures and learn the tales of most of them by checking out our December adoptees photo album on our Facebook page or by clicking here. (Remember, you don't have to have a Facebook account just to see our page!) But since we don't have pictures of a few of the critters who went home, we thought we'd share their happy news here.

• Amos the dog went home to Green Bay with his new family - which includes a doggie brother named Blaze!
• LeAnn the kitten went home with Helen, who lives in Clintonville. LeAnn is Helen's only cat so we know she will be properly spoiled!
• Tweed the cat is now living in Green Bay with Marcia and her daughter Jennifer. Tweed will undoubtedly add entertainment to their lives, as well as the lives of Riley (their dog) and Phoebe and Ali (their other cats).
• Madison the cat went home on Christmas Eve day with a family who lives in Manawa. In fact, she was a Christmas surprise for two very unsuspecting children!

We also want to say thanks to the volunteers who took time out of their busy pre-holiday schedules to share part of last weekend with us. Those who volunteered at our second Photos with Santa Claws event helped us raise another $250 to care for the animals - and they introduced Tweed, Catarina and Kiara (who you'll find on Facebook) to their new families. And those who came out to the Sanctuary for dog/cat spa days helped us get the residents all ready for Christmas. Thank you all!

Home for the Holidays: December Adoption Update!

Wow, do we have lots of good news to share today! Lots of critters are getting ready to enjoy their first holiday season in their forever homes, thanks to the many adoptions we've had lately.

This past weekend alone, three dogs and one cat found their new families at our Photos with Santa Claws event at PetSmart. Shoppers who stopped by to get their pet's picture taken with Santa also had a chance to check out some of our cute critters. As a result, Apollo (the lovable American Staffordshire terrier pictured above), Brook & Fiona (the young black lab puppies) and Squeeky the cat all got scooped up! Plus, we raised $245 from our picture-taking efforts. Things went so well we're going back for more this upcoming weekend - so if you'd like to get YOUR pet's picture taken with Santa, stop by between 11-4 on either Saturday or Sunday. $5 from each picture goes to HEA. Plus, we'll have even MORE cuties there for adoption. Stop by - or volunteer, if you have time! We're definitely in need of more help, so e-mail Erin Elliott, our volunteer coordinator, at erinelliott@hotmail.com if you're interested.

But these four were just the most recent of our December adoptees. Be sure to check out the individual stories below and then go to our Facebook page to see pictures of all these lucky animals! You don't even have to have a Facebook account to see them - just click the link at the end of this post!

So first there was Rescue and Torti, who were with HEA for over a year. They're great cats, but they were waiting for the perfect home who would take both these guys (since they didn't want to be separated). Charlie and Jolee of Appleton provided that home. Now Rescue and Torti have two new humans and another cat to play with!

Ashley and Amaya went home to Suring with Cheryl and her teen daughters MacKenzie and Courtney. The threesome came to the Sanctuary to pick out two cats and after hours of debate, finally decided on these two sweethearsts. Ashley had first been adopted from us in 2008 but came back earlier this year because her parents divorced; Amaya was brought to HEA last summer as a stray and very feral kitty, but she is anything but feral now! She begs for attention and will jump on you to get it! Both girls will have a wonderful life with their new family.

Norm and Tara of Manawa saw our pretty Penny on Petfinder and came to get her straight away. They had recently lost a dog and were looking for a new, rescued companion to make their family whole again. Their dog, Edie, tagged along to meet Penny, and the girls got along famously! We hear Penny is already loving her new home - especially the couch and bed. She may be a tad spoiled, but she deserves it!

HEA volunteer Laurie knew that Lester the cat needed a little extra TLC, so she brought him home to foster him - and promptly fell in love. Since the rest of her cat tribe liked Lester, too, they decided to add him to the family permanently!

Magnolia went home to Julie and her daughter, who live in Green Bay. They are spending lots of time with her because she misses her kitty friends from HEA, but she's definitely settling in and is happy to finally be in a home after being in the PetSmart cubbies for two months.

Shep - the German shepherd mix now known as Tugger - moved in last month with HEA volunteer Kelly and her boyfriend. At first, it was just to give him a place to stay for the night after an adoption event. But they wouldn't bring him back! They considered fostering him, but within a week, they knew he was theirs forever. He even gets along great with Murray, Kelly's other dog. We're so happy for the whole clan!

We share some more detail on where Apollo, Brook, Fiona and Squeeky ended up in the Facebook photo album, too! So be sure to check it all out here! And we hope to see you this weekend at PetSmart!

We need dog food!

HEA is running low on dog food for our pooches again. When you're out holiday shopping, consider picking up some dog food (ANY brand/size is appreciated!) and dropping it off at any of these places:

- Animal Hospital of Ashwaubenon (1030 Willard Drive, Ashwaubenon)

- Animal House (3175 Voyager Drive, Green Bay)

- Happily Ever After (E5714 Bork Road, Marion, WI)

You could also bring it to PetSmart in Green Bay (across from Bay Park Square) next Saturday and Sunday between 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. when we're there for our Photos with Santa Claws fundraiser. Be sure to stop in with you pet to get his/her picture taken with Santa! $5 of each photo goes to HEA.

Adoption update!

It was definitely a happy Thanksgiving for three of HEA's critters that spent the holiday in their brand new homes with their brand new families!

Herbie, the adorable kitten pictured at the very top of this posting, went home the week before last. He was scooped up by a Green Bay family that had adopted from us before and wanted some more companionship for themselves and their first cat.

Last week, Bright Eyes was adopted by a very full household! This sweet kitten (pictured below Herbie) now lives in Algoma with Anne and Al, their four kids, a dog and two other cats. Here's the hard part: coming up with a new name for Bright Eyes that everyone in this large family agrees upon. Word has it that each of the kids has a different idea. Imagine that!! :)

Choco, a gorgeous dog we've had the pleasure of hosting for the last 13 months, found his forever home last week, too. His new parents are JoAnn and Tracy, who live in Appleton. Choco (renamed Moose) joins their family, which includes 3 cats and another dog. Moose is partially blind, due to cataracts, but that didn't stop his new family from seeing how special he is. JoAnn tells us that he's adapting amazingly well to his new surroundings.

While these are all terrific stories, Moose's story is especially exciting. It just goes to show that there is indeed a perfect home out there for EVERY animal - it's just a matter of waiting for the connection to be made!

Congrats to these lovable animals and their great new families!!

Dusty (and HEA) say thanks!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! My name is Dusty. I'm a handsome boy, don't you think? I'm an Austrailian cattle dog, and my friends at Happily Ever After think I'm about 2 years old. The reason they don't know for sure is because I came to them from the Sage & Thyme Ranch - a not-very-nice place down in Cazenovia that had way too many animals that got way too little attention. So nobody knew too much about any of us.

I've been at HEA since May, and life was a LOT more fun there! However, even after being at a wonderful place like HEA for 6 months (and getting lots of love from the staff and volunteers), I am still pretty shy. So Amanda, the president, thought it would be good for me to spend some time in a real home to get me more used to living with a family. She said that would increase my chances of being adopted into the perfect family someday soon.

So on Nov. 14, I moved in with a really neat family in Lena. Amanda and Jeremy take super good care of me! They let me stay in my kennel most of the time, which is where I feel most comfortable, but I've come a long way in 12 days. I'm letting them scratch my belly, and I venture out more often to sniff them and let them pet me. I'm walking pretty good on a leash for them, too. I am also starting to become good buddies with their other dogs - especially Mordy, their German shepherd. You can see a few pictures of me in my new foster home above.

Since it's Thanksgiving Day, I wanted to say thanks to a whole bunch of people who have made a difference in my life this year. First, to the folks who rescued me and my friends from Sage & Thyme. Then of course to Amanda, Ken and the other AWESOME volunteers and caregivers at HEA. And now to Amanda and Jeremy for being such wonderful foster parents.

And Amanda asked me to pass along her appreciation to EVERYONE who helps and supports HEA day-in and day-out. Success stories like mine wouldn't be possible without you!

Have a great Turkey Day!

Love,

Dusty

Remembering Panda...

We have some sad news to share today. One of our beloved HEA alum, Panda, passed away last weekend after she was hit by a car.

Panda was a German shorthair pointer/pit/boxer mix. Born on Sept. 27, 2006, she came to Happily Ever After in March 2008 and was with us for only four months before being adopted to Ed and Renee Brown of Green Bay. Even though she was at the Sanctuary for a relatively short period of time, she definitely had the staff and volunteers wrapped around her little paw! Whatever Panda wanted, Panda got! We hear she was able to do the same thing with her beloved family.

Panda adored Ed, Renee, their daughter and their other dog. In turn, they adored her and never gave up on her. In fact, Panda died in Renee's arms as they frantically tried to reach the emergency vet after her accident.

Our hearts go out to Ed and Renee, but in the spirit of thanksgiving, we'd like to thank your family for showing sweet Panda what true love and family is! She will be watching over you this holiday and many others!

Another busy weekend for HEA!

Lots of news to share again today. First and foremost, thanks to all who helped out over this past weekend. We held our latest and greatest low-cost spay/neuter clinic on Saturday, Nov. 14 at both the Animal House in Green Bay and the Animal Hospital of De Pere. In total, 22 dogs and 36 cats were "fixed" in that one day by the fantastic vets at both clinics. Our hats are off to them - and the volunteers who registered and checked in all these animals! We are also grateful to the caring pet parents who brought their furry children in for this important procedure. (If you or someone you know could benefit from a low-cost spay/neuter clinic, please watch our web site for the next date. We'll post it as soon as we know it!)

But that wasn't all we did this weekend. No, sir! HEA also participated in PetSmart's Holiday Adoption event, which ran from 11-3 both Saturday and Sunday. Several animals - including those shown above: Spook the black cat and Dunkin the standard poodle - met their forever families at this event. Be sure to check out our Facebook page to see pics and learn more about other recent adoptees.

This upcoming weekend will be fun, too! HEA will participate in the Green Bay Holiday Parade on Saturday, Nov. 21. Come watch the parade in downtown Green Bay to cheer us on! Then on Sunday, consider coming out to the Sanctuary in Marion for dog spa day. We'll need lots of help to bathe, brush and walk the dogs. They also need their rooms cleaned! If you're interested, e-mail HEA's volunteer coordinator at erinelliott@hotmail.com.

Thanks, as always, for your interest and support!

Hiss & Howl 2009: In Pictures!

Pictures from last month's Hiss & Howl Halloween Hullabaloo are now posted to the HEA website. Click here to relive the day. Enjoy!

More adoptions!!

It's a beautiful day here at Happily Ever After - and it's not just the warm weather that has us smiling. Several more critters found forever homes in the last few days.

Two sweet cats, Lulu and Abbott, got adopted by the same family! (Lulu is the gray and white cat seen walking the halls above; Abbott is the striped guy looking out at you from his perch.) They are now living with a nice couple in Green Bay.

HEA volunteer Tammi Kitzman, husband Kurt and daughter McKenna are the lucky folks who added Elvis the dog to their family! We hear he's adjusting well - and you can tell he already LOVES Tammi!

And a happy ending for our Baby the black cat! Her family had to surrender her more than a year ago when she was being attached by one of their other cats. But when the other kitty recently passed away due to health problems, they were able to bring Baby back home. Yay!

Don't you just love happily ever afters like these?! We do! Happy Monday, everyone...

Welcome Athena, Shep, Zoko, Mia and Shandi!

Yesterday we told you about 12 faces that left Happily Ever After in the past couple weeks to go to their forever homes. Today, we'll tell you about 5 new faces to the Sanctuary. Meet Athena, Shep, Zoko, Mia and Shandi.

Athena (top picture) is a beautiful girl! She's a wonderful mix of American bulldog, boxer and pit bull terrier. She came to HEA from a shelter in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Shep, a shepherd mix that's shown below Athena, has already gotten rave reviews from folks at the Sanctuary. This boy came from Cedar Rapids, too.

Zoko is a Doberman Pinscher mix (pictured below Shep) who was a stray in Iowa. He was in a shelter for 94 days. His time was nearly up, but his lucky day came when HEA came to get him!

Mia (pictured below Zoko) is a lab mix, surrendered to HEA and said to have a fear of strangers and dogs. But since she's been here, she LOVES people and plays with 10 other dogs every day. Clearly we don't see these issues!

Last but not least is Shandi, a pitbull terrier who was a stray from Cedar Rapids before spendng time in a foster home. But when her foster mom began having health issues, she had to surrender her to a shelter. When it looked like she might be put down, HEA saved the day.

Come out and say hi to these great dogs! They'd sure love to go home with you. :)

More Happy Tails...recent adoptees!

We certainly have had a busy couple of weeks at Happily Ever After! Of course, our Hiss & Howl event was just 10 days ago (pics coming soon!), but we've had lots of critters go home to their forever families lately, too. Chenielle, the beautiful short-hair cat perched above, was adopted by a retired couple who just moved to Green Bay from out-of-state. She'll certainly help them feel at home and welcome in our area! Rocky the rottweiler is now happy at home with a very nice man who lives in Veroqua. Molly, a husky mix, was adopted by a young couple from Clintonville. And sweet Suzie - who looks to be leaping up at you in the picture above! - has an adventurous life ahead of her with a photographer couple who live part-time in both Wisconsin and Florida...but travel to all different states for dog and horse shows! Suzie will go along, of course. :)

We couldn't fit any more pictures in this post, but please read on to learn about 8 more animals who've become HEA alumni. And then visit our Facebook page to see pics of ALL these guys!

We were very happy to see Diamond (she's the cat in the fuzzy close-up shot) and Salem (the black cat lounging in a cat house) go home to a couple in Green Bay. Diamond and Salem are brother and sister and about 15 years old.

And five animals went home as a result of our special Howl-a-Ween adoption event last Saturday. Sandy, the little French poodle, was scooped up by a retired couple from Green Bay. We hear Rosie, the little black dog, is adjusting quite well to her new home with a woman in Appleton (who first fell in love with her at the Hiss & Howl event!). Bea, the little white dog, is now living in Oconto with a woman and her dad. Dogee - pictured playing with a ball - went home to Howard with a very nice family. And Terry the cat (no picture available...) was adopted by a young family in Pulaski whose three kids who all want to hold Terry all the time!!

Also, Cleo - the gorgeous little French bulldog - is loving life with Jamie, a dog trainer at the Animal House Groom & Board.

Congrats to all these lucky dogs, cats and people!!

HEA's HOWL-a-ween adoption event is Saturday!!

Many of you know about the 49 dogs that HEA took in this past spring after animal welfare organizations rescued over 300 animals for the Sage & Thyme Ranch in Southern Wisconsin. After spending the last 5 months at HEA, the State released custody of them a few weeks ago. And now these lucky critters are ready to be adopted!

To help them find forever homes more quickly, HEA is having a special adoption event this Saturday from 10-6 at the Animal House (3171 Voyager Drive in Green Bay). Yes, that's Halloween...so we're calling this the HOWL-a-ween Adoption Event! Dogs of all breeds, sizes and ages will be there, ready to meet you!

But there won't just be howling at this event - we'll have some meows, too. About 40 cats and kittens will also be up for adoption that day.

So before you head out for your Halloween festivities on Saturday, come out to the Animal House to meet our four-legged friends. As you'll surely see...they're so cute, it's scary!!

Hiss and Howl 2009 - A Rousing Success!

This past Saturday, Oct. 24, over 200 pet lovers converged at Great Expectations Canine Behavior Center on Velp Ave. in Green Bay to celebrate Halloween...HEA style! Our 2nd annual Hiss & Howl Halloween Hullabaloo featured a silent auction, several raffles, pet portraits, kids' activities, and tons of food. However, the main event was our pet costume contest. Forty-two awesome entrants paraded down our runway to compete for top prize, which was chosen by event attendees. Congrats to Neeka DeWindt and her kitty, Lexi, who were both dressed as princesses!

Thanks to everyone who came out to Hiss & Howl. You helped us raise over $6,000 for the animals in that one afternoon! A huge thanks to our food/beverage/silent auction sponsors, as well as our tremendous band of volunteers. We couldn't have done it without you. Of course, we're extremely grateful to Great Expectations for opening their doors to us and helping us host this important yet fun event.

We'll be posting an entire album of photos taken at the event soon, but until then, enjoy the Green Bay Press-Gazette's online album of the day.

Happy Tails...last week's adoptees!

LOTS of good news to share today! A whole bunch of critters found their way to forever homes last week. Teddy, one of the dogs from the Thyme and Sage Ranch who were recently released by the courts, went home to the family who adopted Kane last year. Congrats to Chrissie, Matt and Sophia on your newest HEA addition! Teddy is the little white, fluffy dog pictured above.

Roberta and her husband had been waiting to adopt Sarah, the another one of the Thyme & Sage Ranch cuties, since June. They told us, "Picking her up was an answer to our prayers." We're so happy for Sarah and her new parents!

Now onto the cats! Destiny is the gray cat with yellow eyes pictured above. We were thrilled that her original owner, Libby, was able to adopt her back a year after she originally had to surrender Destiny to us due to health problems.

Farley and Edward were adopted by a lucky woman in Green Bay. Edward is the black cat looking into the blue litterbox; Farley is the middle cat in the group picture.

Finally, Emmett was adopted by young lady in Green Bay who couldn't wait to have a kitty of her own. It was hard to get a good shot of Emmett, but he's the black cat on top of the shelf!

Congrats to all our critters and their new families!!

Calling all pet owners: show off your pet in our Hiss & Howl costume contest!

By now, we sure hope you've heard about the Hiss & Howl Halloween Hullabaloo - HEA's biggest party (and fundraising event) of the year - set to take place next Saturday, Oct. 24 from 1-5 p.m. at Great Expectations Canine Behavior Center in Green Bay. There will be LOTS of fun stuff to do and see there, but the absolute highlight of the afternoon is our pet costume contest/fashion show! We had originally set our registration deadline for Oct. 14...but since we still have spots remaining for entrants, we've extended that deadline!

For only $10, you and your cat or dog (both, if you want! We accept multiple registrations!) can strut down our runway and compete for Best Costume - a prize voted on by our event guests.

Sign up today by visiting www.happilyeverafterinfo.org and clicking on the Hiss & Howl icon on the left side of the page. This will bring you to the info page...scroll all the way down and click on "Register For This Event." It's as simple as that!

Of course, be SURE to bring an army of people with you to the event to support you and your pet(s) with votes - the more folks you bring, the better chance you have to win!

See you at the Hiss & Howl!!

Current Sanctuary needs...

Hi, folks! Just a brief note to let you know that the dogs at the Sanctuary could REALLY use some food! We're running a bit low on dog food, so if you've got some extra bags laying around or would like to purchase some for us, your four-legged friends would bark you a very loud "thank you"! Any kind/brand is appreciated. If you live near the Sanctuary, stop by anytime. If you live in Green Bay, just drop it off at the Animal Hospital of Ashwaubenon (1030 Willard Drive).

Also, this weekend is Spa Weekend at the Sanctuary! On Saturday, we'll be bathing and pampering the cats; Sunday, the dogs get their turn. If you're free for one or both days, please consider coming out to help. The animals will be so excited!

And just for fun, check out the picture above of former HEA resident Smokey, who now lives with his mom Deb in Appleton. Smokey clearly is living the life. :)

Thanks!

ADOPTIONS FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 28, 2009

Over the weekend of October 3 and 4, several kittens left Happily Ever After and made their way into their new homes with their forever families. Daisy, a kitten who recently made her way to HEA and had only been with us since September 12, was adopted by a family in Green Bay. (She's the one climbing the cage in the picture!) Her new big brother was very excited to take her home and make her his own kitty! He even promised to scoop the litter box more often!

Poplin (who was born at the sanctuary in April) and Quincy (who arrived on September 12) made their way into the hearts of a couple with a young child. No doubt they will keep the baby entertained! These are the two who are pictured above sharing the crate. Congratulations to the new families and be sure to send us photos and stories about your new furry family members!

UPDATE on former Sage & Thyme Ranch dogs

It's Never too Late to Live "Happily Ever After"










As of Thursday, October 8, 2009, 23 of the 24 dogs that have been under court custody since coming to the sanctuary in May will officially be signed over to HEA and will be available for adoption as soon as they are spayed/neutered. Several of the dogs have families waiting for them, but most are still in need of people to step forward and make them a part of their forever family. A couple of the dogs will make their way to the fashion runway in Happily Ever After's 2nd Annual Hiss and Howl Halloween Hullabaloo on October 24, 2009 from 1pm-5pm. (Visit http://www.happilyeverafterinfo.org/ for more info.) Come and see them strut their stuff in their Halloween costumes and spend time with them...maybe even bring them home that weekend! Then the following Saturday, October 31, the dogs who are still searching for their forever families (as well as other HEA residents) will make their way to The Animal House Groom and Board, located at 3171 Voyager Drive in Green Bay, for a one day adoption event from 10am-6pm. What better "treat" to give yourself on Halloween than a new friend?!

Why do only 23 of the 24 dogs get to live "happily ever after"?
With the pre-trial date of October 19th approaching, the judge in Richland County decided to once again postpone the trial of defendent Jennifer Petkus even with the lives of over 100 hanging in the balance. Petkus faces 29 charges of intentionally mistreating animals as well as other related charges in a jury trial set to start February 22, 2010. Facing a longer wait for 78 dogs, 20 horses, and an assortment of other small animals still in court custody, the DA sat down with Petkus to negotiate. Petkus agreed to release all but a couple horses, a mule, and 1 dog, claiming they belonged to her parents who also live on the property of the Thyme and Sage Ranch in Richland County. With some other stipulations placed on Petkus with the return on these animals, it was agreed on by both sides that the terms of the negotiation could be met. The one dog that is being returned to Petkus and her family was being housed at Happily Ever After: Lucy, the black and white border collie mix pictured above. Everyone who has visited HEA has fallen in love with Lucy. She had to be returned to Dane County Humane Society where she will be spayed and returned to the Petkus family. Lucy will be checked on weekly by the Dane County Humane Society and hopefully we will recieve occasional updates on how she is doing so we can share them with all of you.

3 cats go home...1 arrives!

It was definitely Manic Monday yesterday! We were thrilled that three of our kitties went to awesome new homes. Toby and Kenny - orange short-hair kittens who were brothers from the same litter - went home together. And Shelley - a former stray who has grown to LOVE people and belly rubs - went to another great home.

But we also took in a new resident - a stray cat from Marion. A nice family heard a cat crying in their garage. They went out to check and found he had crawled into a 5-gallon bucket and was stuck! Thanks to these nice folks, our new kitty has a safe haven here at HEA.

HEA Enters the Blogosphere!

Hello, friends of Happily Ever After!

This posting marks our first venture into the blogging world. We plan to use this blog to share news, updates and fun stories from the Sanctuary. Be sure to come back often to get the latest scoop on all things HEA!

Today was a good day. The Animal House of Green Bay hosted an Open House at their Voyager Drive location and invited several rescue groups - including HEA - to participate. We brought along 8 six-month-old kittens that are up for adoption. They sure kept all the folks entertained with their crazy cage-climbing antics!

We met lots of nice people who were interested in learning more about HEA. But the fella we were happiest to see was our buddy Kane, a great dog who was adopted last fall by Matt and Chrissie Koltosky. We're always super excited to see HEA alumni and their awesome new families!

Thanks for stopping by our blog. Talk to you again soon!