50 Shelters - 50 States: Alaska

Hi, everybody!  It's the MP back again - and I see the kids have been busy today.  Tucker was good enough to pass along the news of the Wellness Recall   while Phoebe has confessed to her decomposing squirrel addiction.  Thatta girl, Phoebs.  The first step is always admitting that you have a problem. 

In the spirit of confessions, I'll just say that, personally, my problem is that I, too, smell rather like dead and decaying squirrel, and, being too big to fit in the sink, I have not yet had the opportunity for a bath.  Figures.  Phoebe was clearly relishing the stench and was most disappointed to have it so quickly and unceremoniously removed from her person.  I myself have been craving soap and hot water since about noon, but the detestable odor still clings to me.  Irony, anyone?  To add insult to serious nasal injury, I also happen to be wearing one of my favorite shirts, and I'm not altogether certain that it can be saved.  Oh, well, ...

Anyway ...

Moving on to the point of this post. 

Obviously for my Alaska 50/50 post, I had to choose an Alaskan Malamute! 

According to the Alaska ASPCA in Anchorage , Kaydee is a 6 or 7 year old Alaskan Malamute who was surrendered to the shelter due to a divorce.  (Which, to editorialize just a bit, frankly just boggles my mind.  I can understand spouses fighting over who gets to keep a dog in a divorce, but for both parties to decide that there is no room in their life for a sweet girl like Kaydee?  It just is not in me to understand this.  Just ... no.)

Kaydee's writeup from the shelter goes on to say that ... "This beautiful girl warms up quickly and will soon become your snuggle friend. She really enjoys time spent with her humans ....  Kaydee has a few tricks up her sleeve including sit and shake. She really enjoys playing fetch and will chase after a million tennis balls. She is great on a leash and will make an excellent companion for someone who is looking for a mature buddy."  (Full disclosure - Kaydee would be best in a home with no cats and no kids.)

Having lived with a Malamute (mix) for sixteen years myself, I can attest to what sweet and wonderful companions they are, and as they tend to retain their youthful exuberance well into adulthood and even beyond, this sweetheart likely has a number of good, healthy years left in her.  I can also attest to the fact that as puppies and young dogs Malamutes can be hellions of virtuoso proportions, so for someone who loves the breed but doesn't want to live through three (or four) years of puppyhood, Kaydee would be a perfect fit! 

My other diamond in the rough, also from Alaska ASPCA in Anchorage, is Calica ...

Heaven bless the animal rescuers and shelter workers, I know they name hundreds, if not thousands, of animals a year, but it does seem to me like someone could have come up with a more original name for this beauty than Calica.  Ah, well, a rose by any other name ...

Speaking of which, call me crazy (you won't be the first!) , but Rose just seems to fit this girl, doesn't it?  No?  Just me? 

Anyway, Calica's writeup from the shelter says that she "...is a very sweet girl. As you can see, she is very mellow and loves getting her photo taken. She likes to be brushed, loves people and gets along well with other cats because she lives with 250 of them. This beautiful girl could really use a new home so please stop by the shelter and check her out. Calica is 5 years old and is a wanderer at heart. She loves to explore her surroundings and play with the other cats. She is a quiet one, climbing on everything she sees in order to perch on a higher surface. She's curious and quite friendly, coming over immediately to see if you will have the time to pet her."

If you, or someone you know is interested in making either Kaydee or Calica a part of their family, please contact the Alaska Humane Society at 907-344-8808. 

All dogs and cats adopted from the Alaska ASPCA are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and come with a one year municipal license.  The Alaska ASPCA implements a 24 hour waiting period and a 10 day trial adoption!  (GREAT idea and kudos to the Alaska ASPCA for doing this, as I'm sure it eliminates a number of impulse adoptions!)

A special thanks to Alaska Pet-ography (http://www.alaskaportraits.com/) for taking the photographs of Kaydee and Calica!  So wonderful to see people like this giving of their time and resources to help shelter animals find loving homes! 

Well, that's it till next time!  Meanwhile, if anyone wants to participate in the 50-50, please feel free to post the badge on your page.  Or if you don't want to participate, but want to recommend a shelter in your state to be featured, please send me a comment!