Happy Holidays

     Wow, it seems like I havn't written a blog since last year. I hope to keep some of my New Years Resolutions this year and blog more often, quit smoking, lose weight, exercise and.......OK, Ill try to blog more. Since I updated all of you to what was going on last year, the Boxer dog has found a home. I am also very pleased to let you all know that we found great homes for 17 kittens and cats.  I know where you can get a kitty but I have had enough kitties for awhile. I knew that there is a reason why we dont normally rescue cats, dogs or horses......  I know how hard it is to find unwanted critters homes.   It really is sad that affordable spay and neutering programs are not widely available.
     I like winter but  I hate the cold, snow and ice. I think that winter is too long.  I love spring more than any other season.  My phone has been ringing off the hook with concerned folks about domestic animals being left outside this time of year.  I am not a Animal Control Officer but I can tell you that the most important thing is FOOD. There are lots of livestock and domestic animals that are completely happy outside in this cold nasty weather but they must have lots of food and water.  SHELTER doesnt need to be fancy but bedding is vital.  I like straw, it doesnt get wet, drains well and the animals love cuddling up in it.   Animals need to be able to get dry and they need to be able to get out of the wind.
     New Years Eve, Mike and I took a bunch of our wild educational animals to be part of First Night in Oneonta. We had a really great time and had a large interested crowd enjoying our owls and falcons all night. January and Feb. are usually quiet months at our facility. We dont have a lot of animals coming in and we dont schedule many shows or programs because the weather is too unpredictable. We get a lot of our winter projects done, try to catch up on paperwork and start planning for the next year. Remember that we have a great website thanks to the hard work of our good friend and webmaster Gayle.  Look at our "Donors List"....we so desperately need donations year round. Jan and Feb are always two of our slowest  months for donations and we buy the most hay in those two months. Please keep sending your donations.  I also suggest that you watch our "2013 Events Calendar"......notice how we start with 4-5 events every year and eventually end up with over 50 programs a year.  Please Friend request us on Facebook and suggest NY Wildlife Rescue Center as a charitable cause to your friends.  I have also said in previous blogs, as a not for profit, we also take tax deductible donations in memory of lost friends (animal or human) .  We will send a nice post card to let the family know that a  memorial contribution has been made.
     Things are slow but I do have around 20 registered alpacas coming in SOON that will be in need of a home. The adoption fees are very  reasonable considering what I am doing to get them here. We are more interested in finding great homes but still need to cover our costs. Let me know in a private email Laraway@midtel.net or call (518)827-7733 (after dark) if you are interested in adopting the alpacas. I will get out the adoption request folder and they will go to new homes as soon as possible after arriving.
      I look forward to 2013.... Lets continue to work together, playing our parts with what we are capable of doing.......to make the world a better place than we found it. I am not a one man army, I need all of your help...... All my best, WES