Hi Dr. Kam,
How are you doing? I’m reaching out to thank you for your recent generous monthly gift to the animals at San Diego Humane Society! I thought you’d enjoy learning about a few of the animals you’ve helped.
This dog is named Obie. Obie was 15 months old when he was enrolled in our Behavior Center for being shy and fearful with strangers. He would bark and even nip at people he didn’t know. Our trainers worked with him by pairing treats with new experiences. After three weeks, he was doing well and not displaying fearful behaviors with everyone. He became available for adoption and after a consult with our behavior team, he went to a new home.
His adopter recently sent us this update: “Obie is doing great! He’s adapting well to his new life with us and his new Shih Tzu brother. I can tell he is gaining confidence and learning more commands and tricks. He’s doing great on the leash — at first he would pull, but now we are practicing loose leash walking and he’s doing great and maintains his focus on me even when there are other dogs and people around. He’s doing amazing with strangers walking by and meeting new family and friends. He also has a new bestie named Kobe, who is a pitbull as well.” Thanks to your commitment to dogs like Obie, our Behavior Center is helping prepare other shy and fearful dogs for adoption!
And this kitten is named Buttons. When this 8-week-old kitten was found in a park with a broken jaw, our veterinary team came to the rescue. He could
not close his mouth, but after a day of stabilization, he managed to find a way to eat with his mouth wide open. The medical team performed a “modified labial button technique,” the first for us. This procedure involves three buttons (yes, they made a trip to JoAnn fabrics to get them!) and a line of suture to hold his jaw together to allow for the fracture to heal. The kitten, affectionately named Buttons, is still able to lap up “gruel” through the small opening and has been charming the medical team with his endless purring! He will have his buttons in place for 4-6 weeks while he heals in his foster home. Thank you for providing resources for us to come up with new and creative ways to help animals in need!
I hope that hearing about Obie and Buttons helps you feel proud of your support of San Diego Humane Society. Thank you for your loyalty to the animals, and for helping us create a more humane San Diego!
My best,
Alexandra Mares
San Diego Humane Society