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Christmas Newsletter for
2017
from Lake Haven Rescue
In This Newsletter:
A message from the Director
I have received so many inquiries regarding my absence from Lake
Haven activities this past summer and fall that I thought I
would start this newsletter update with the reason. It started
out with a simple blood clot in my right leg in late December
2016. I started a blood thinner and continued on as usual. In
April a fellow volunteer noticed that my one eye appeared droopy
and insisted I get it checked. I did and they said I was fine,
no stroke or anything like that. A couple of weeks later I
developed double vision and began searching for a reason. It
impeded my ability on the computer, driving, and most things I
did daily. After seeing a couple of eye doctors, a young Doctor
insisted I do a special blood test. They sent the test to Mayo
Clinic where I was diagnosed positive for Myasthenia Gravis, a
serious auto-immune disease. Then it was off to a Neurologist
who began ordering Cat Scans and MRI’s. It was discovered that I
had a very large tumor attached to my Thymus gland. By this time
I was becoming quite ill and things were becoming very difficult
for me. Through the efforts of yet another Lake Haven Volunteer
my surgery was moved up a month and on June 21nd I went to
Meijer Heart Center for major surgery. The hope was and is that
the removal of the tumor will eventually cause the MG to go into
remission. I believe this process has already started.
I have had a rough few months but things are leveling off and
Lake Haven has continued on without missing a beat. Of course
that is due to the efforts of our loyal Lake Haven Volunteers. A
special thank you to Laurie Miller for staying with me for
several days after surgery, although my three boys were here
they are not near as good a cook as she is. My boys stayed here
all summer with me and I never spent a night alone until
September. Even at the hospital I was never alone. A special
thank you to Allison Stark and Jillian Berzsley who stepped up
to do applications, intakes, surgery schedules and all the
things I do daily. They and all the other fosters and volunteers
just kept our little train moving. Thank you to Kelly Riebal for
taking my little Tootsie for 2 weeks while I recovered. And of
course thank you to all volunteers who worked hard to normalize
things when I was down and I can’t possibly mention everyone.
But I am probably the most grateful human on earth right now.
Our Spay/Neuter program is up and running, thank you to Laurie
Miller for her grant writing abilities, Barb Vanderwall for her
willingness to take over the program, Bissell Blocktail Grant
for assisting us with cost of surgeries, and to Dr. Sam Ciatto
of Animal Wellness of White Cloud for his surgical skills and
his willingness to give back to his community in assisting us
with this very successful program. I will mention that 10 years
ago the Newaygo County Animal Shelter had intakes of 1100 plus
animals
 per
year, and last year they were down to 346. They attribute this
reduction in numbers to our program which is in its 10th year.
Our intakes also went down enabling us to pull pups up from the
south from time to time.
Adoptions are going well and faster now due to changes in the
way applications are processed, and our wonderful hard working
volunteers. I have noticed a lot of interest in our senior dogs,
a trend I find very comforting. The people interested in our
seniors are a special group of people, extra caring and
compassionate and it is wonderful to know they exist in such
numbers. I look forward to the New Year ahead and making a
di fference in the lives of those who have no voice and no
choice. And encouraging everyone to speak up when they see
cruelty knowing we are all they have.
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 Educate
pet owners and the public in proper animal care and the
urgent need to spay and neuter their pets.
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Ensure that at time of entry to Lake
Haven, animal receives needed medical
care.
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Provide spay/neuter services via area
veterinarians partners.
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Provide temporary shelter for homeless
cats and dogs.
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Place animals in responsible and loving homes.
Lake Haven is run by the kindness,
hard work and dedication of its nearly 160 volunteers BUT every
job here at Lake Haven is of equal importance. The fosters,
volunteers, shelter staff, transports, and laundry and cleaning,
bookkeeping, computer entry, website maintenance, newsletters,
donors and so much more are essential to Lake Haven's success.
We thank each and every one of you for your part in helping
homeless animals find their forever homes.
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 It
was a cold Christmas morning in Trufant MI that I got a call
that a little dog was on their porch in bad condition. They
found out he had belonged to a man who passed away and no one
wanted the old guy so they just left him out to fend for
himself. They said he was injured which meant he needed
immediate help. They brought him to the shelter and I assessed
him the best I could. His eye was very injured, his skin was
thickened and blackish and he was full of fleas with thin hair
and many places there was none. He was not neutered, and had a
mouth full of rotten teeth. He was underweight and very hungry.
I gave him a bath and something for fleas and a nice warm bed.
He seemed very grateful to be in a warm safe place. I took him
to Dr Russell of Fremont Animal Hospital and was told Bubba was
about 10 and
 the
eye would have to be removed and he would need a dental. His
blood work was normal and no heartworm. He was put on
antibiotics for his mouth and scheduled for a dental in 2 weeks.
Tammy Parmetier took him home to foster. Applications poured in
for him and a home was chosen. He could not leave until his
dental as it was extensive. After the dental the Vet found he
had a huge mass in his abdomen. We opted to go to surgery and do
what we could. It was a contained mass, not cancerous and it was
removed successfully. We wondered so many times if he would make
it or not. We will never forget him. His new adoptive family
waited for him, so he found the forever home we were hoping for.
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What A Senior Rescue Means To Many Of Our
Adopters
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Our Success Story of
the Year
He was left for dead
 This
is Rex (now named Axl) who was hit by a car and left for dead on
the side of the road. Rex managed to crawl into a field
near a farmer's home. They spotted him that evening and
brought him to our dog rehabilitator Dave, who happened to be
the farmers neighbor. Dave immediately called Cheryl who contacted
the Lake Haven Vet who came into the office to see what could be
done.
The collar that Rex had on showed that he had broken the
chain he was tied to and we later learned that he was indeed
chained to a dog house at a home near where he was hit.
Rex was reported to
 the
County Animal Shelter as required and after 7 days no one
claimed him so Lake Haven took him in for what was to be a long
recovery process.
The Vet (Dr. Russell at Fremont Animal Hospital) determined that his front leg was broken, his back
leg was severely bruised and he had numerous abrasions. It
was doubtful that the leg could be saved but Lake Haven decided
to give it a try. Dave nursed Rex back to health and after the
initial splint was removed it was obvious that Rex would have to
have his leg removed so it was back to the Vet and back to
Dave's for more recovery. We are so grateful to Dr. Russell for
attempting to save Rex's leg. He is a great surgeon and was
willing to try.
After Rex recovered from removing his leg all this it was
clear that he was a special, loving, dog that just wanted to be
loved on. Lake Haven was committed to finding Rex a
forever home that would give him the love he deserved after all
he went through in his 3 or 4 years of life. To that end entered
two very special adopters, Jennie and David. The
following is their update to Dave a few months after a tearful
adoption.
 Our
"little" guy is still doing great. We continue to be surprised
at how gentle he is-- he has met all of the other dogs in the
family- two Australian Shepherds, a Pomeranian, and a Chihuahua.
He loves to rough house with the bigger ones and even plays with
the little ones-- they're sure to tell him if he's being too
rough, but he is usually the one to take a break from them.
He just this past weekend took his first road trip to see
family in South Bend. He snores in the back seat, but loves
sitting in front if there's only one of us with him. We visited
my sick grandmother and she thought he was so funny because he
kept tooting in front of her... (All-natural food has it's
disadvantages)
He still loves his peanut butter, and the occasional treat.
We are having a difficult time getting him to go for walks, b ut
I think he's just taking everything in. When we take him out he
would rather lay down and relax than go on a walk. Then again,
sometimes so would I. We ordered a special harness made for
tripod dogs so that we can assist him if needed. He does very
well with it. Dealing with the cats will be a slow process. He
is the quietest pup ever.... Until the cats enter the room. Then
he has to remind them he's there. He also met some of my nieces
and nephews and lets them hug, and play, and doesn't mind it one
bit.
Forgot to add!!! He is now officially my registered service
dog! Should be less than a week before he recieves his official
card and certificate. He's brings joy and happyness to everyone
he meets.
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We love these little pups
 Hello!
I just wanted to share a few photos of Bella and Bandit. They
are doing great and have been to the vet for a quick check up
and all is well! As you can see, we have had them groomed and
they look adorable with their puppy cuts. I have requested
membership into the Lake Haven Facebook group for adoptions.
That way we will be able to
 share
photos regularly.
I can assure you that these two little sweeties will be here for
the rest of their lives. We love these little pups. They are far
from perfect, but that’s just the way we like them. Bella won’t
go out to pee if it’s raining. Bandit wants to go outside every
10 minutes. They wake up at the CRACK of dawn for breakfast.
There are a bunch of little things that make them special, most
of them are great, but some will take some getting used to. The
bottom line is that they are so loving and so adorable. We have
no problem making sacrifices for them, just like we did for Vern
when he was with us. They will be truly great pets for a long,
long time and we love them dearly. Thanks so much for everything
you do.
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 Starting
to settle in
Hi! Cheddar is doing great! He is the sweetest kitty ever! He
are our dog are working things out. There was some hissing
(Cheddar) and growling (our dog) for the 1st few days but they
are starting to settle in. Here's a pic from this morning. Thank
you so much! We love him!!!
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Still a great dog
 Over
13 years ago, 2003. I adopted a puppy from you. Mischief
(Missy) has had quite the journey. A couple of weeks in Michigan
and then the move to Maryland. Thankfully my apartment was so
small that she decided to housebroken immediately. However, a
chair, plant, can of soda (wish I had a hidden camera for that)
didn't survive. A month in the new place and an emergency trip
back to Michigan 13 hours during a storm and bitter temps.
Missy, got to see Mom (who was in the hospital with cancer),
walked thru the place like she did it every day. And was so
gentle with Mom. Later curling up with her to keep her warm.
Missy made friends in Maryland and loves the dog park.
Especially loved the doggy beach. She adores kids and played
bath ball with one of my foster babies. The neighborhood kids
know her and stop to pet her. The bunnies know her and don't hop
away. At 13 she is slowing down, a walk instead a run is more
her speed now. But still is a great dog. Who is probably
sleeping on my couch while I'm off working.
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 Most
lovable little guy
 Hello,
my name is Kristen and I adopted a Pomeranian named Bobo from
your rescue center almost three years ago now. I just wanted to
send some pictures and tell you how amazing he's doing. When I
first got him from you he had recently been rescued by you from
an unfit home. He was very sensitive emotionally and his fur and
skin were extremely patchy and rough. I'm pleased to say he has
made a total turn around both physically and mentally. His skin
and coat are soft and grew in completely, and he's the most
loveable funny little guy now.
I just wanted to give anyone at your shelter that worked with
him an update and thank you for bringing this insane little dude
into my life. You guys do awesome work.
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  Things
going well
Things are going really well with Milo. We love him so much! He
is getting along with Lucy, and they loved running with Kyle
this morning! I attached a few pictures.
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Our lives are enriched
 Today
is Sidney's 1st birthday so we wanted to send you some
pictures. She is a very sweet and energetic dog. She
loves kids and has always been great around other dogs
too. Her gruff bark is welcome when strangers arrive,
but she is always friendly once introduced. She is 63
lbs now and when standing is about an inch taller than
Leeloo at the
 shoulder.
Our 7 year old Airedale Leeloo is 50, so sometimes
Sidney's pup energy is a little much for Leeloo, but
they are great friends and we are sure to let Leeloo
have a break when she needs it.
We are so happy to have Sidney in our lives, she
certainly has enriched it. I retired in February this
year so I have a lot of time to hang out with Sidney and
Leeloo. Definitely time well spent, with many
heartwarming returns. Thank you so very much for all of
your kind work and the immense amount of time you have
given it. Best Regards, Dave and Martha (and Sidney).
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Merry Christmas from Ella and Satch. Adopted from Lake Haven
almost 3 years ago. They are pups from Haven't litter.
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Happy
gotcha day to our cat Lily (aka Star). She sure has made life full
of adventure, for everyone!
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 Stoli
(Fiesty) & Cosmo (Frtzie) now 5 months old. We are having such a
great time with them. They are so very loving!!! Love them to
the moon and back their mom & dad (Kimberly AND David)!!
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Good thing her human brother doesn't
mind sharing... Too much!
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Our Lake Haven kitty, Rue
(formerly Tarnish) adores her dog.
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Happy Gotcha day buddy! We have
had you for a year now and cannot imagine life without
you!
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Happy Gotcha day buddy! We have had you for a year now
and cannot imagine life without you!
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Two years ago today our sweet Remington (previously
Axel) came into our family. Thank you Lake Haven!
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We got Caluha now Lucy 4 years ago. Best dog ever.
She was 8 weeks. They estimated she would be 80 to 90
lbs. She is only 25. She has made my family's life
better for sure.
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My
sweet boy Baron. I walked into Pet Smart in Grandville, in 2006,
to get some dog food and saw this sweet ball of fluff. Called my
husband and said you know that new dog we were looking for...I
just found him. He has grown into the most beautiful,
intelligent, loyal dog, I've ever had. He is 11 now and still
going strong. People ask us all the time if he is a wolf. We
were told he is Shepherd, Lab and Chow. Rescues are the best!
Thanks Lake Haven!
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 Happy
Gotcha Day to Cozy! I can't believe it's only
been a year, she is such a loving little kitty. Her
favorite thing is playing fetch with paper balls and she
is very vocal. She gets her sister Libby (the tortie) to
play, which is awesome. They love each other, finally!
Thank you to everyone at Lake Haven, Valerie (foster
mom) and last but not least Cheryl, who suggested we
meet Zoey.
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Sophie just chillin' in her new sunglasses. Sophie was
formerly known as Nadia and was adopted in June 2014.
She now calls Washington State her home. She is a West
Coast Dobie!
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Isabelle cannot purr or meow, but she will answer me
with a Hmm? type response. When I tell her it's time to
go to bed, she follows me upstairs and leaps onto the
bed. She is the best Birthday money I've ever spent.
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First day of school for my daughter. Griffin was
watching for the bus with her. He is going to miss his
buddy! This morning my husband found him curled up on
her bed. He always sleeps in our bedroom. He must've
known she was a little nervous to start 1st grade.
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Our Trixie (Skipper) is fitting right in! She loves her
boy!
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My daughter, Jasmine, adores Griffin. This was too sweet
not to share.
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This is our sweet kitty Rue (Tarnish) and this is how
she loves to sleep! Spoiled baby.
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 With
the holiday seasons upon us it’s important to keep your four
legged loved ones safe! Here are a few tips to keep you and
yours happy and safe this holiday season!
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Be mindful of cold weather
products such as de-icing products, salt, and anti-freeze!
When walking your pet outside during the snow and ice be
sure to wipe their paws and undersides thoroughly when
returning inside. This will ensure your pet is safe from any
skin irritations or more serious conditions.
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Keep all holiday decorations out of reach such as tinsel
and ribbon. Ingestion of these materials could cause serious
health complications for your pet.
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There are lots of beautiful holiday plants out there but
man y
of them are dangerous to your pets if ingested. Keep lilies,
mistletoe, ivy, holly, and poinsettias out of reach!
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We all love our fur friends very much and want them to
enjoy some of the same yummy treats we do but keep in mind
that turkey bones can be very dangerous to our pets and
could cause obstructions. Holiday sweets such as chocolate
are dangerous too! Keep the yummies out of reach of your
furry friends.
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With the holidays come lots of visitors and/or out of
town trips. It’s important to ensure your pet is properly
tagged and micro-chipped in the event they become spooked
during this holiday season.
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To Our Many Vets, Donors, Adopters, and Volunteers
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Lake Haven would like to thank the those veterinary clinics
that have done so much to help us save animals through their
dedication to the profession. These are skilled and charitable
Veterinarians with skilled staff and we encourage you to visit
and support their clinic....
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Hudsonville
Jelsema Veterinary Clinic
(616) 662-6230
White Cloud
Animal Wellness Center
(231) 689-0630 |
Cedar Springs
Cedar Springs Animal Hospital
616-696-1212
Fremont
Fremont Animal Hospital
(231) 924-4940 |
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I am especially grateful for our wonderful Veterinarians for
all the work and effort they put forth every day to help us make
a difference in the lives of animals in need. Thank you to
Dr.Richard Russell, Dr. Marie Breuker, Dr. Gretchen Kronsbein of
Fremont Animal Hospital for saving animals that have no chance
at all. The critical ones all end up here, and they do a
marvelous job.
Special thank you to Dr. Sam Ciatto, of Animal Wellness
Center who takes care of animals at our Shelter and is the life
blood of the Low-cost Spay/Neuter Program that has been so
highly successful in Newaygo County. And thank you to Dr. Terry
Jelsema, Dr. Julie Eberly of Jelsema Vet Clinic for handling our
emergencies, and our animals in that area. Lake Haven is what
they are because of them and we urge you to use these wonderful,
skilled Veterinarians and their Clinics. Thank you Dr. Larry
Nauta of Cedar Springs Animal Hospital for his skill with ultra
sound, and Dr. Kelly Coll of Chicago Dr. Vet Hospital for
showcasing our kittens and spay/neuter help.
I am grateful for our supporters, adopters, volunteers
and our highly skilled, hardworking Veterinarians who
help us make a difference in the lives of animals in
need. And, of course, a very
special thanks to all of our volunteers who’s compassion
and dedication to saving the lives of animals remains
the engine that keep Lake Haven going. AND to all that
make a donation to our cause no words can thank you
enough.
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DID YOU KNOW: All of our support at Lake
Haven comes from donors and volunteers. This includes the
director of Lake Haven who receives no income for animal rescue.
Because Lake Haven is an all volunteer organization, operating
from a donated shelter building and foster homes, 100% of
all donations received benefit the animals themselves.
HOW IS THE DONATION MONEY USED: All
donations collected, which are tax deductable, go into the
general animal rescue fund. This fund is the mainstay of our
organization. It is how we pay for all medical expenses of
animals that come into our program. It also pays for their food
and comforts, heat and air conditioning. We also have a low-cost
spay/neuter program for the public, but that is a separate fund
not paid for by donations.
HOW TO MAKE A DONATION: You can go to our
online
webpage and make an electronic donation using a credit card
or PayPal. If you want to use a personal check simple print the
form below and send it to Lake Haven in Newaygo (see address
below).
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I would like to contribute:
 $____________
My Name: __________________________________
Address: ___________________________________
City: ___________ State: _______ Zip:
__________
Telephone: ________________________
Email: ____________________________
My donation is in Memory/Honor of:
_____________________________________________
Donation Purpose (see suggestions above):
_______________________________________
Send Acknowledge Card to:
Address: ___________________________________
City: _________________________ State: _______
Zip: __________
Send your personal check made out to "Lake Haven" at:
Lake Haven 551 Pickerel Lake Dr.
Newaygo, MI 49337
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Lake Haven Rescuer>
551 Pickerel Lake Dr, Newaygo, MI 49337>
Phone: 231 652-7505
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