As we approach Spring there’s a sense of exhilaration and hope in the air. A spacious and permanent, loving home for the animals that we shelter at the Louisiana SPCA is only a few weeks away. It’s a new and exciting facility that will include wonderful green grounds where staff and the public can interact with animals and celebrate the human/animal bond and find wonderful animals for adoption, all in a state-of- the-art facility. We will be unveiling this incredible facility in the next issue of Tail Mail.

In this issue of our e-newsletter we’re delighted to share stories with you that define the human/animal bond and remind us of the gifts animals bring to our lives each and every day. As study after study shows us, sharing our lives with animals is one of the most enduring and loving relationships that we can experience and it’s beneficial for both humans and their animals.

On Sunday, March 25 our 26th Annual Dog Day Afternoon in Audubon Park provides the perfect setting to bond with our canine companions. It’s a day filled with music, fun and celebration where dogs rule and their human companions can come together and celebrate their furred family members. Whether they want to simply romp and roll in the grass, stroll alongside their humans, or partake in the Dog Jog/walk-a-thon, our furry canines are king and queen for a day. To quote this year’s theme it promises to be a pawsitively New Orleans experience and you’ve gotta dig it! We invite everyone to come out and enjoy the event with other animal lovers. You can also meet some of our shelter alumni in our delightful shelter alumni competition featuring fun categories like “Best Wiggle.”

Dog Day Afternoon is all about basking in the moment and celebrating our relationship with our four-legged companions and sharing what we hope is always a beautiful life for them.

Woof,

One of the most difficult things to experience if you’re on staff at the Louisiana SPCA, or part of the adoption team, is seeing an animal returned after being adopted. When it happens a second time your heart literally sinks. This was the case with a beautiful, black cat named Billy. Billy who had been with the LA/SPCA since December 2006 was still looking for a home when he was adopted in January. The next day, Billy was returned by the adopters who felt they couldn’t handle his energy. A few days later, Billy found his second home, but again it was short-lived. He was returned this time because the new owner realized they had allergies to cats.

Kris Pottharst and her husband Grant Cooper have welcomed many dogs into their homes over the years, but when they were looking for another animal companion after the death of their beloved Daisy, they made the decision to adopt a large, black dog. They learned that large, black dogs were less likely to be adopted than smaller dogs with lighter coats, and they wanted to make sure they gave a home to an animal that may not have a chance otherwise.

NEW ORLEANS (2/25/07) – Last night, Dave Williams, 11514 Willow Drive (Algiers), was arrested by NOPD on two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals for two dead decomposing horses and five counts of simple cruelty for five emaciated horses.

What do you get when you combine years of dedication, a healthy sense of humor, a voracious appetite for reading and a desire to help animals that might not be able to find care somewhere else? Dr. Wendy, of course!! The 10’s of thousands of dogs, cats and other small creatures she’s cared for over the years may remember her as Dr. Wolfson, but for all the staff who has worked at the Louisiana SPCA, we all know her affectionately as Dr. Wendy. After being a part of the LA/SPCA for 20 years, Dr. Wendy is retiring to begin a new chapter in her life.