January 2012
In the month of January we organized, together with the Jaco Library, creative afternoons for children ages 7 to 14 years old. The subject is of course animals — both pets and wildlife. Angela Maria, well known by all the kids in Jaco, is working with them in our library, reading, discussing and painting, and all kids are invited to participate. Depending on how popular these afternoons will become, we are considering the possibility of continuing this project also during the school year.
In February, after the local schools organize their programs, we want to start working at two main schools in our area on a daily basis.
This great (and expensive) project will be possible thanks to the generous support of LINDA LOOK from the USA — the same person who years ago sponsored the start of our education program, and has been helping to keep it alive ever since. THANK YOU LINDA FOR MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE THIS GREAT AND SO VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR PROJECT.
NEWS FROM THE CASTRATION PROGRAM
In the second half of 2011, we were able to welcome DR. JOSE MANUEL JIMÉNEZ from Jaco to our spay/neuter program. Dr. Jiménez was originally trained by McKee, and since then he’s been helping us on our “little spay days” we’ve organized a few times a week in different locations in Jaco and Tarcoles. At these clinics we typically spay/neuter around 10-12 animals. We are using private residences, and are trying to work no more than 3 hours each day, and Leo Hogan and Doris Schluckebier have been assisting Dr. Manuel. Also in the Jaco clinic, DRA. WENDY VILLALOBOS provides low cost castrations for our rescues, as well as for pets belonging to low income families who cannot afford the regular price.
Our goal for the year 2012 is to average 70 spayed/neutered animals per month. The castrations in the month of December and the first 2 weeks of January are sponsored by: MYRA WEIGER – USA, HOTEL MAR DE LUZ – Jaco, SYLVIA VAN BAEKEL – Herradura, WISHBONE RESTAURANT – Jaco, HOTEL TORTUGA DEL MAR – Hermosa, JUDY WITT – USA, SIMONE REITANO – USA, KAREN HUSS – Herradura, LEO PLUMLEY – Jaco, LIZ from TACO BAR – Jaco. A Huge thank you to all of you!
WE NEED MORE MANPOWER AND MORE FOSTER HOMES FOR OUR RESCUE/ADOPTION PROGRAM!
This part of our project needs not only a huge amount of funds, but also needs much more manpower than we can count on right now. We were already pointing this out in the past: we are a very small group of volunteers. This means that we are not employed by an organization called “McKee”, nor do we have employees who work for us. We need your cooperation — it’s simply not enough to report an accident or an abandoned animal, we need you to help us to actually muck in and take care of the situation. Together, we always will be able to resolve problems and find solutions, but because we are just 4 people actively working on this project, we are not able to take care of all situations by ourselves right away. Please don’t limit your actions to just reporting a problem, because when you actually help us, it’s much more likely to get resolved.
Also: we are not, nor do we have access to, anything like a shelter. This means that we cannot collect animals off the streets, as we simply have nowhere to put them. If they are sick, they need to be taken to a clinic, and after that we almost always need a foster home for them. Our foster homes are always packed with animals, and we always need more people willing to open their hearts and their homes for animals to recover in during their treatments, and after that, while waiting to be adopted. So if you want to bring an animal in, please help us to also find a foster home for it. As always, we will provide meds and (if necessary) food.
Another huge THANK YOU goes out to all sponsors of this project from December until today: STUART WELCH – USA, DR. CARLOS MORALES – San Jose, CATHI BRENNAN – USA, GHOGHA AMON – USA, PAOLA ALVARADO – Parque Nacional Carara, HOTEL LOS RANCHOS – Jaco, GUISELLE HERNANDEZ SOLANO – Heredia, TROPICAL GARDEN HOTEL – Jaco, FUNDACION MCKEE – San José, PETS Y MAS magazine – San Jose, KATIE MCMILLAN – Puntarenas, ANPA COSTA RICA – San José, KETTY RODRIGUEZ – San Jose, NOLA MACEK – USA and JEANNIE LITZ – USA.
ANOTHER STORY WITH A HAPPY ENDING
Do you remember Rocky? — he’s a cute, light beige-colored miniature Greyhound-type doggie with a ready smile, who was abandoned by his owner, probably when he got sick. With terrible mange all over his body and ehrlichiosis at a stage that most animals don’t survive, our vet said that Rocky’s blood work was that of a dead dog and that his chances of survival were almost nil. Well, Rocky is a fighter, and he did in fact survive. Because of his poor condition, he changed foster homes, moving from Shirlene and Carlos in Quebrada Amarilla to Jaco with Katja and Chris, as he needed very special care. After recuperating for nearly 6 months, Rocky went to yet another foster home, where he lived with Angela Maria, Johnny and 3 doggie friends, waiting for his new (and hopefully permanent) home.
Although Rocky is a cute, loving and loyal dog, nobody was very interested in adopting him. Finally, one of our friends — MARY STOMPE from California — decided to change Rocky’s life. Since way back in March 2011, when Mary first met Rocky on the beach in Jaco, she’d been trying to find this little guy a home in the States, and by the end of October, Mary finally found a new family for Rocky. While checking out the logistics of sending Rocky to California, we found out that the cost to send him would be around $700 – way too much for us. This is when Mary decides that she would come down to Costa Rica and pick Rocky up herself, considerably reducing his travelling costs. Our friend, supporter and big time animal lover STUART WELCH offered his beautiful beachfront condo to Mary free of charge, so that her trip might also include a little vacation. Mary stayed with us for a short 4 days, but she thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful apartment, as well as the fact that she could have Rocky there with her.
Rocky loved Mary from the first moment, and after a mere 5 hour flight our Tico puppy became a Gringo!
He lives now with Mary’s mother MAGGIE NEESE in San Francisco, close enough to Mary’s place that she can visit him and take him for long walks together with her own dogs almost every day. In California Rocky went to an obedience school called FITNFURRY, where he was spending 8 hours a day learning basic obedience and playing with other doggie-friends. He finished the training with a Diploma, and now he is not only well educated, but he also “speaks English”!
Thank you Mary for going through all the trouble and changing Rocky’s life — after what he went through as a puppy and a young dog, he deserves the best and you and your family gave it to him!
PLACE TO STAY NEEDED FOR A VOLUNTEER VETERINARIAN FROM THE USA
WE NEED A PLACE TO STAY for Dr. Lee Wilson, who every year comes to Jaco all the way from Alaska offering her help with our spay/neuter program.
Dr. Wilson arrives in Jaco on Sunday, February 5th in the afternoon, and leaves on Thursday morning, February 9th — if somebody would like to help us with this project, please let us know. Thank you!
Thank you for your time and support.
Katja Bader
McKee Jacó