CAPS receives a wonderful gift

By Jennifer Williamson

CAPS is indebted to Gary and Danette Laca, along with Gary's sisters. The Lacas' parents passed away within the last couple of years. Gary's mother was supportive of the animal humane society where she lived, so the Lacas picked CAPS to offer a memorial in their mother's name. The donation will go toward capital improvements at the shelter and will help us complete a laundry list of items that we have had on our wish list for some time.

We are going to replace leaking pipes to the kitchen and bathroom sinks. The bathtub, which is leaking into the kitchen where the dogs are bathed and litter boxes are sanitized, is going to be replaced, as well as the drywall around it.

A ramp is going to be constructed to make the shelter accessible for people with disabilities (a requirement for a USDA Rural Development grant that we are pursuing).

A few walls in the kennel will be repaired and covered with fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP). This will allow much easier cleaning of the kennel, and the material won't disintegrate after long exposure to water.

We are going to purchase 10 large Kuranda dog beds with the remaining funds. We are hoping to garner the rest of the funds for 10 more beds from our very giving community so that all residents will have these supportive beds. The beds sit up off the ground and are completely chew-proof; we recommend them to anyone. They are very supportive, so our older residents will get some joint relief. Because the beds are off the ground, they won't have to stoop as far to lie down and get up.

Check out these beds at www.kuranda.com for yourself or to order one for the shelter. Go to the company's Web site and click on "Donate a Bed." Either choose the option to list shelters by state (which reduces the list greatly) or simply scroll the entire list to find us. We can be found near the beginning of the "Cs" and listed as CAPS. It sure would be nice to see all the dogs that are looking for their forever-loving home, 20 at any given time, not sleeping on the hard cement this Christmas and during the cold winter months.

I am getting ahead of myself, but if you want to donate to the CAPS Christmas Wish List, we are always in needs of such items as blankets, dog and cat beds, cat and dog food (wet and dry), cat and dog toys, kitty litter, bleach and soap, towels, leashes, collars, yummy treats (pig ears and chew bones), paper towels, a decent-sized refrigerator (we have one for our medications, and now we need one for the humans), bottled water for the volunteers, cat trees and condos and handyperson help. You may always call the shelter and talk to Teresa, our executive director, and she can give you a very specific list of items that we need.

Of course, donations of time always top our list. The dogs still need to be walked, and as the days get cooler, the temperature is usually just right between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. If walking dogs is not your fancy, come in and love on the cats.

Jennifer Williamson, a Churchill County resident, is president of CAPS.