Pansie in the snow

Hello, I wanted to send a picture of our “pansie” (Pandora), she is doing great and loves the snow! Hope all is well there ! Merry Christmas ! ~Deena

Kelly Runs the Place Now!

Hello Everyone at the RAPS Shelter,

This is Kelly (the Cat) checking in. I wanted to thank you for taking care of me for so many months.

I thought I would let you know how I'm doing. I think I like living at my foster home. They have lots of fun toys to play with. I really like chasing the balls with bells or catnip. Chasing the mouse on the long string is pretty good fun, too.

My coat was not feeling so great, but my Mum and Dad have worked on it. I dig the furminator. I'm not as thrilled with the scissors, but they were a necessary evil. How's that for progress?

My favourite spot, so far, is the top of the cat tree. I've enclosed some of my most recent photos.

I run and play everywhere in the house. Mum and Dad have already accepted that, as the princess, I run the place.

Thanks for everything. Meow

Kelly the Cat (Martha and David)

Fostering Nanaimo

Bonjour Carol and staff!

Just a short note to let you know Nanaimo and Jenna have adjusted amazingly well (see enclosed pics) to their new foster home.They are eating well and are not shy about their new environment at all.It's as if they have lived here forever! ~ Sophie

Darby Adapting Well

Hello RAPS, I thought I would send a Darby update seeing as how she was with you for so long. I am very happy with how she is adapting to life outside of a cage. The first night she jumped up on the bed and slept with me purring most of the night. She started eating the next day and using her litter box. She is still a little skittish when I make a sudden move but that is getting better. She comes to me now looking for attention for which she is starved. I am most hopeful she will be a wonderful fit into my life. Jumping is not her strong suit yet and gets quite comical. She needs to rebuild her muscle and get some of her stomach off.


Thanks to all of you for what you do for the animals.

Heather & Darby

Sweet-Pea Pleased

It has now been 14 months Since 'Beans' (now named Sweet-Pea) left the Raps Shelter to be a VERY important Family member in The Partridge Family! She has been such a wonderful friend and playmate for her best buddy, Moosie-Pie! Recently, Moosie-Pie (Age 16) became quite ill with a virus and had to see The Vet for medication and blood work. I am pleased to say he is fine now. I think one of the things that 'kept Moosie going' was having Sweet-Pea by his side! She just wouldn't leave him and was constantly grooming him and comforting him throughout his illness. What a SPECIAL little Girl! I can honestly say, one of the best decisions I have ever made was coming to the RAPS shelter, meeting (Beans at the time) Sweet-Pea, coming over after work to brush her fur and to play with her and ultimately taking her home as a member of The Family! Here's wishing you all a Happy Halloween and you will be getting a Christmas Card form Sweet-Pea in the near future!

All The Best,
Gordy, Moosie-Pie and Sweet-Pea.

Princess and Max and the whole family!

Hello to everyone at RAPS, Hope all is going well there!

I just wanted to tell you about our "Princess" (five year old shih tzu)
One year ago today, I saw Princess on your website and thought she would
be a great addition to our family and company for our dog Max (six year
old shih tzu). I went in on December 3, 2008 and adopted her. The first
month or two was a bit rocky as she was very aggressive and a biter. She
was fearful of everyone! One year later we could not be more thrilled
with her. Her and Max get along so well and are great company for each
other. Princess has lost about 95% of her aggressiveness. She is fine
with anyone coming to our house and we just ask new people not to pet
her. If they don't pet her she is fine. She has such a wonderful
personality and she was lucky that we found her, but we were beyond
lucky to have found her.

Thanks for everything you do!

Lori

RAPS Nov. 20th Pub Night Pictures!

Check out the pictures from the RAPS Nov. 20th pub night here.

Serena falls for Quon!

I met Quon while preparing to write my adoption profile. I immediately felt a connection with him: he was playful and cuddly at the same time. I was also struck by his uniqueness: he's a Chinese Crested and has no hair on his body: only head, tail and paws. He seemed like he really needed someone to play and bond with, so I decided to foster him for the weekend. And what a good dog! He already knows how to sit, stay and lie down; a great foundation to build on. He loves his toys and long peaceful naps! He's friendly with other people, dogs and is always in a good mood. It became quickly obvious that Quon and I were a great match for one another, so much so that I've decided to give him a permanent home and we are both looking forward to many more days together. ~Serena, RAPS Volunteer

Tails from the Road by Shane Burnham

The RAPS Animal Control Officers (ACO) have a hard job, but they take every day in stride. Here are a few of their adventures:

Nov. 1 - RAPS received a report of a wolf-hybrid at large at the Vancouver Airport. Officer Kilburn attended along with Richmond RCMP and a Conservation Officer. Kilborn and another officer tried to catch the dog along with the owner but couldn't do so. A short time after trying to catch the animal the attending conservation officer had to tranquilize the dog. The dog dropped to the ground and was then loaded back into the crate from which it had escaped. The dog escaped a second time during the day and this time was caught and impounded. The animal was reported to be 93% wolf.

Nov. 16 - RAPS received a report of an aggressive dog in a cul-de-sac who was barking and growling at some children and a senior. Officer Burnham attended and was directed to where the dog lives. Burnham approached and noticed the side gate open. A large mastiff-type dog then came bounding out barking aggressively. Burnham coaxed the dog over with treats and had it sit. The dog then ran back to its yard. A vehicle then drove up and the owner apologized. Burnham requested that the owner keep the dog contained to its property to avoid any further bylaw infractions.

Nov. 27 - RAPS received another report of the “Black Ghost Dog” from River Road. Last summer, RAPS received a report of a black German Shepherd-type dog roaming the area of the 20000 block of River Rd. The dog was reported getting into garbage throughout the area. Burnham had recalled once seeing a dog matching the description in an empty lot. On the 27th, a black Shepherd was reported to be in a backyard on the 23000 block of Westminster Hwy. Burnham attended and was shown where the dog was hiding. The man who reported it said he had seen it hanging around for about a month and had noticed it getting skinnier. Burnham was able to capture the dog after nearly 30 minutes when the dog trapped itself under some lumber in the mud. The dog appears very skittish but is in relatively good health.

Santa to visit True Carnivores!

See: http://www.truecarnivores.com/

Pepsi, the little dog with a big personality, goes home for good!

Dear little Pepsi was surrendered to RAPS quite a while ago. He was devastated by the loss of his first family, and took a long time to warm up to people. However, this little dog with a big personality, finally caught the eye of a nice couple, Francesca and Scott. They are loving Pepsi every minute now. Here is an update on Pepsi:


Dear RAPS, Here are two more pics of our little new buddy. He has a brand new little bed and he seems so happy about it. He has been increasingly good and he really does listen when we create boundaries for him. We think he is quite happy. Cheers for now and look at him, so cute. ~ Francesca and Scott

He is one of a kind for sure. He is really happy with his new bed and toys and apparently drags the bed where he wants it to be. Pretty smart dog. Cheers, ~ Francesca and Scott

Flipper gets a foster home

Our dear rabbit, Flipper, is enjoying life more an ever these days. This special rabbit has trouble walking, but also sports a wonderful personality. One of RAPS long time supporters have take Flipper into permanent foster care.

Have Some Shelterberry Pie!

This fall, volunteers Christie and Eric picked blackberries from the front pen and made, what will henceforth be named as, 'Shelterberry Pie'. The pie was enjoyed by the RAPS staff and volunteers.

Ella Bella Halla-ween

Ella Bella was one of the hardest dogs to find the perfect home for. She is a sweet little dog with a great personality, but she had enough energy for five dogs. She finally met her match with RAPS staffer, Helen, and her family, and now lives happily (and energetically!) with Helen. Here Ella visits the shelter in her Halloween costume.

The Sun Came out Today for Kay and Annie

Kay is one of RAPS' dedicated volunteers, and she is a key component to helping the City Shelter run smoothly. Along comes Annie, a strongminded, little senior dog, into the City Shelter. They were a match made in heaven, and now they volunteer together at the RAPS City Shelter.

Pictures from Barbara -- Thanks Barbara!

RAPS volunteer and board member, Barbara, sent us this great collection of pictures of the Richmond Animal Shelter. There is so much going on over there right now!

Christie's Cousin Pounced on at the Cat Sanctuary

RAPS volunteers, Christie and Eric, recently brought Christie's cousin, Jill, and Jill's husband, Joel, to visit the RAPS Cat Sanctuary. They were greeted most rambunctiously by the resident cats. (Photos by Joel Davis)

Lady Felicity is looking for a home

Felicity is a 15-year-old dog that came to RAPS just a short while ago. She is a lovely dog, with a lot of life yet to live. She is sprightly, yet perfectly calm in your lap and she still has a lot of love to give. She is one of those perfect little dogs that simply needs a great home in which to love and be loved.

Beautiful Little Goat

Last week, a baby goat was surrendered to the shelter. He is being weaned off milk and onto hay before he goes to a new home. Here he is hanging out with his dog friends.

Weird Cat Tails by Marianne Moore

Most cats have tails that are long, straight and proportionate to their body size. However, some cats have what can only be described as “weird” tails – for example, short, curled, skinny or extra bushy. Unusual tails could be due to having an exotic ancestor, such as a Manx (short-tailed breed) or a Japanese Bobtail (curly-tailed breed) somewhere in their family tree, or just because the cat was born that way. Some unfortunate cats acquire shortened or kinked tails accidentally. Whatever the cause, several of the approximately 900 cats at RAPS’ cat sanctuary have weird tails. Here are just a few of them.

Playful little Stanley has a short tail – about half the normal length. Maybe he has some Manx genes, but he doesn’t have any other Manx-like characteristics.

Pee Wee and Sweet Pea are extreme cases of cats born with short tails. In fact, these two dear cats really have no tails at all. Sadly, their lack of a tail is accompanied by a nerve defect at the base of their spines, which results in them having no control of their bowel or bladder sphincters. Pee Wee and Sweet Pea don’t seem to notice that anything is missing “back there”, but they require daily baths to keep their hindquarters clean and healthy.


Poor T.J.’s shortened tail is the result of an accident. A few inches of his tail had to be amputated after it was caught in a door.

Aptly-named Kinko has a normal length tail but it has a few odd kinks in it. It’s just part of Kinko’s unique charm.

Duffy is a friendly little youngster with seriously large plumed tail which she likes to flaunt around her less flamboyantly-tailed feline friends whereas Liam, a large, masculine cat has a skinny little rat-like tail. I’m happy to report that both tails, although rather out of proportion with the size of their owners, are in perfectly good working order, thank you very much.
Several cats at the sanctuary sport what is known as a “gay” or “husky dog” tail, which is usually carried curved jauntily over their backs. Shelley, a friendly little guy, has a tail like this.

There must have been a Japanese Bobtail cat somewhere in Lincoln’s family tree, because his tail is curled exactly like cats of this breed. For obvious reasons, this real sweetheart of a cat is sometimes affectionately referred to as “Cinnamon Bun”.

Morgan probably has the most unusual tail at the sanctuary. Cats with curly tails, like Lincoln, can’t straighten them but Morgan is an exception. She’s a pretty beige cat who may sometimes be seen with her tail completely straight but, when she likes to be more formal, she’ll wear it in an elegant spiral!

Except for the daily baths that Pee Wee and Sweet Pea don’t like much, none of these cats seem to be the least disadvantaged by their weird tails, and the other sanctuary cats don’t even notice that there’s something different about them. Isn’t that just another good lesson that we humans could learn from cats?

Volunteers needed at the Richmond Animal Shelter

The Richmond Animal Shelter is looking for some volunteers to fill the following positions. Please download a volunteer application at www.rapsociety.com and email, fax or mail it to the Richmond Animal Shelter. You can email your application or inquire about these positions by emailing volunteer@rapsociety.com.

Cat Room Cleaner and Caretaker:
Volunteers needed for 2-3 hour shifts (between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM daily) to clean the large cat room. This position involves cleaning approximately 20-30 cat litter boxes, cleaning out cat cages, replacing bedding, food, and water and sweeping and mopping. Volunteers must be meticulous cleaners and enjoy spending time with cats. A three-month minimum time commitment of one shift per week is required. Volunteers for this position must be 19 years or older unless they are accompanied by an adult at all times. To apply for this position, please fill out an application and submit it to the Richmond Animal Shelter.

Specialty Cat Room Cleaner and Caretaker:
Volunteers needed for 2-3 hour shifts (between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM daily) to clean either the small cat room (for recovering cats), the kitten room (for kittens in quarantine) or the senior and disabled cat room. This position involves cleaning approximately 10 cat litter boxes, cleaning out cat cages, replacing bedding, food, and water and sweeping and mopping. Volunteers must be meticulous cleaners, enjoy spending time with cats and be willing and able to enforce any quarantine conditions to prevent the spread of disease. A three-month minimum time commitment of one shift per week is required. Volunteers for this position must be 19 years or older unless they are accompanied by an adult at all times. To apply for this position, please fill out an application and submit it to the Richmond Animal Shelter.

Volunteer Dishwasher and Laundry Manager:
Volunteers needed for 2-3 hour shifts (between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM daily) to wash cat and dog food dishes, and to manage the laundry room (i.e. washing, folding, organizing). A three- month minimum time commitment of one shift per week is required. Volunteers for this position must be 19 years or older unless they are accompanied by an adult at all times. To apply for this position, please fill out an application and submit it to the Richmond Animal Shelter.

Rabbit Room Cleaner and Caretaker:
Volunteers needed for 2-3 hour shifts (between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM daily) to clean rabbit cages and attend to the special needs of the shelter rabbits. This position involves cleaning approximately 20 rabbit cages or areas, replacing bedding, food, and water and sweeping. Volunteers must be meticulous cleaners, enjoy spending time with rabbits and be willing to receive training on handling rabbits and checking for health issues with the rabbits. A three-month minimum time commitment of one shift per week is required. Volunteers for this position must be 19 years or older unless they are accompanied by an adult at all times. To apply for this position, please fill out an application and submit it to the Richmond Animal Shelter.

Shelter Ambassadors:
Help visitors and animals at the Richmond Animal Shelter by becoming a Shelter Ambassador. Volunteers in this position will greet and assist the public when they arrive to visit the animals for adoption. Ambassadors will direct the public on viewing the animals, introduce the animals to those interested in adopting, enforce rules that the public must abide by to protect the animals and clean or straighten out the viewing rooms as necessary. Ambassadors' shifts are available between 1:00 PM and 4:30 PM Wednesday through Sunday. A three-month time commitment is required for this position. Special training is required and applicants must attend an interview prior to being chosen for this position. To apply, please fill out a volunteer application for the Richmond Animal Shelter and indicate on your application that you would like to be considered for the Shelter Ambassador position.

Helen shares her knowledge with new English speakers

In Oct., City Shelter staff person, Helen, provided a comprehensive presentation to two ESL classes in Richmond. These new immigrants to Canada were learning English, and, thanks to Helen, learning the ins-and-outs of animal control, shelters and animal welfare in Richmond. Helen covered topics on how to report a stray dog (while the class practiced saying "I'd like to report a stray dog.") She also covered important topics like not leaving your dog in a hot car, how to respect wildlife near your home, and how to approach an animal. These dedicated students had a lot of questions. Following is some feedback from Helen's class:

Hi Helen
Just wanted to say Thank You to you & Christie for coming to talk to my class. They really enjoyed listening to & learning from you both. When we did a review, they were able to give me the info you presented. You two were great doing the dog in the car roleplay. Please pass on my thanks to Christie. Thank you.
Helen at ELSA