Get Fido Clean
Treat that dirty dog to a pet wash, photo and homemade goodies from noon to 3 P.M. Sunday July 11 in the parking lot of Booksmart and Cherisse’s Hair Salon on the corner of Depot and Second streets. Proceeds from donations to go to the Community Law Enforcement Foundation and the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center. Details 778-6662 Wildlife
by Brigid Wasson
A big thanks to Gav TV for helping support the South County Animal Shelter! Gav TV is our local college channel and features a variety of programming. Good Morning Gavilan is a biweekly show with different guests each time. Shelter Supervisor Brigid Wasson appears monthly as a guest. Here she talks about pit bull myths and facts and adopting a pit bull from the shelter. “Bob,” pictured here, was featured on the show.
http://www.blip.tv/file/3486399
Brigid Wasson is the supervisor of the South County Animal Shelter in San Martin. Check out adoptable pets at www.southcountypets.com or contact the shelter directly at (408) 686-3900.
This Saturday, April 17, at Pet Friends, we’ll be having a Stray Cats Trap/Neuter/Release class. Admission is free, and the class will start at 10am. Pet Friends is located at 2975 Buena Vista Road, in Hollister.
Stray and feral cats need help in the San Benito County area. The class will help educate people on helping to control the stray and feral cat population in the county, in a safe and humane way. Techniques for trapping, sources for safe, humane traps, kittens: tame or not to tame, and local vet options for spay/neuter will be discussed.
Recently, Pet Friends announced our Champagne and Chocolates fundraiser to be held at the Windhaven Ranch in San Juan Bautista. Well, it’s still on, but will be held Saturday, Feb. 13, from 1-4 p.m., but it will be at the Bolado Park Pavilion.
By Colleen Grzan, werc@werc-ca.org
Before “Ditch New Years Resolutions Day” comes along this Sunday (Jan. 17), keep those promises you made at the beginning of the year to expand your mind or to “de-expand” your body — join a bird-watching hike!
During Jane Haley’s invigorating Saturday morning (9-11am) walks along Coyote Creek in Morgan Hill beginners will learn how to identify birds by their flight, behavior, coloring, habitat and vocalization; experienced birdwatchers have the opportunity to add to their “life lists”. Upcoming walks are scheduled for February 6, March 6, April 3, and May 15. Rain cancels. Due to the terrain, these walks are not recommended for young children. Send an email to education@werc-ca.org to reserve your space.
Come and meet W.E.R.C.’s educational falcons, owls, woodpecker, and pocket gopher this Saturday, Jan. 16 at A Children’s Garden (610 E. Dunne Ave., Morgan Hill) “Animal Day” open house, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is free.
The 2nd annual Pet Parade on Cannery Row is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 12 at 11 a.m., starting from the American Tin Cannery along the Coastal Recreation Trail and traveling to Cannery Row’s Steinbeck Plaza. All four-legged friends are invited to participate in this free event.
You are cordially invited to Pet Friends and Rescue Annual Open House on Sunday, Nov. 8 for the Grand Opening of our Cat Adoption Building.
The open house will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at our center at 2975 Buena Vista Road, just off the Highway 156 Bypass.
Come visit our cats and dogs and see all the new changes that have occurred during the past year. You will be given a chance to win a door prize and there will be refreshments. Please mark your calendar and we look forward to having you as our guests.
Check www.petfriends.org, or call (831) 634-1191 for more information. And you can see Carl the dog there too!
by Sue Howell & Colleen Grzan werc@werc-ca.org
Thanks to the thousands — and we do mean thousands — of people who stopped by the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center’s display at this past weekend’s Taste of Morgan Hill. Thank you to all those who showed us support with their interest, kind words, compliments, or donations. Not only were children and adults fascinated by the animals and artifacts on display, they were provided the opportunity find answers to some their wildlife questions. A few of the questions asked during the event: Where can I buy a hawk? Are the animals in your display alive? Do you take care of bats or raccoons? Can I keep rattle snakes as pets? How do I get rid of raccoons in my backyard? I’m seeing fewer songbirds in my area, why? Why are there so many ground squirrels digging under my house? Why do you have us clean our hands before touching your gopher snake? What is the owl with the white face that I see flying near my house at night? Can I pet your screech owl or opossum? What kinds of owls live around here? Does your educational snake bite? Why can’t you let those birds go free? Is that Oscar’s (the screech owl) real eye?
Have a question or story about our local native wildlife? Want to watch — up close — a live red-tailed hawk, great horned owl, peregrine falcon, screech owl, merlin falcon, acorn woodpecker, gopher snake, king snake and opossum? Interested in learning more about FREE wildlife education programs for schools?
Then come visit Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center’s display at the Taste of Morgan Hill this weekend, Sept. 26-27, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. We have been a participant in the TofMH since the event began 20 years ago! See you there!
…and mark your 2010 calendar now for Peg Jackson’s 18th Annual Pet Photo Days on Jan. 29-31 to benefit WERC, the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center. Whether you have a poodle, pony, Persian, parakeet, python or pot-bellied pig, Peg’s photos are top-quality, professionally-taken photographs that will be a lifelong treasure in your family gallery. And people can be in the picture, too, so it will make a fantastic family portrait!
On Oct. 10, Pet Friends will have their annual Yard Sale. We are looking for donations of new and gently-used items to be donated for our yard sale. Drop-offs can be made prior to the date from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday at the PET FRIENDS Center. All items sold will help support the cats and dogs at the Pet Friends center. Bring your items to Pet Friends, at 2975 Buena Vista Road, Hollister (just off Highway 156).
For more information, call 831-634-1191, or send an e-mail to topcat@petfriends.org.
Please mention that you saw it on the South Valley Pets
blog, and come see Dixie and the rest of the dogs and cats
at Pet Friends.
When: Sunday, Sept. 13 at noon
Where: Old Machado School, 15130 Sycamore Dr., Morgan Hill
By Colleen Grzan, werc@werc-ca.org
When this red-tailed hawk was rescued from the side of a road and brought to the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center, it was this-close-to-death from starvation and injuries. It was apparent that it had been injured by a collision with a vehicle. The right side of its head was swollen, its eye was shut, and the wing was drooping.
What: Morgan Hill Volunteer Faire
When: Saturday, Sept. 12, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: M.H. Community & Cultural Center, Monterey Hwy @ Dunne Ave.
Come visit W.E.R.C.’s booth #5 at this new event and discover the exciting volunteer opportunities available to you.
Are you thrilled by the prospect of caring for injured or orphaned native wild animals? You will be trained to care for such wildlife as hummingbirds, red-tailed hawks, great-horned owls, golden eagles, king snakes, opossums and bobcats, just to name a few of the creatures that we have treated this year.
and learn how you can have them visit your child’s school … for FREE!
Clarabelle (acorn woodpecker), Luna (great horned owl), Oscar (screech owl, shown in photo), Horus (peregrine falcon) and Oreo (kingsnake) will be making appearances at the following times and locations: