Farewell, Sweet Arlo

Thursday was a bittersweet day at the AFRP office. We said tearful goodbyes to our dear, sweet Arlo, who had been with us since January after coming to us from the Salinas Animal Shelter.

A young terrier mix with some neurological problems, Arlo's goofy, cheerful and gentle personality won the hearts of everyone who met him. He was undaunted by his poor vision and lack of coordination, and he met every challenge with enthusiasm and tenacity.

Sadly, as the months passed, Arlo's health deteriorated. His diagnosis was grim -- he had untreatable Lymphoma. Many thanks to foster mom Christine Derr who invited Arlo to spend his last few weeks in her loving home. Thanks also to Dr. Jen Wernsing and the AFRP staff and volunteers who surrounded Arlo with love Thursday evening at the AFRP office as he made his final peaceful journey from this world into the next. He will be missed.

Feral Fridays at the AFRP Treasure Shop

Pat and Jane at the AFRP Treasure Shop have amassed a spectacular display of cat-related books, art and collectibles just in time for "Feral Friday" May 29!

Help feral cats by shopping at the AFRP Treasure Shop every fourth Friday of the month. All proceeds from sales on Feral Fridays go into our Feral Fund to help pay for our Trap/Neuter/Return (TNR) efforts to reduce the number of feral cats in Monterey County.

The AFRP Treasure Shop is located at 154 17th Street in Pacific Grove, and is open Mondays - Saturdays from 10 am - 4 pm. For information about donating items or volunteering at the Treasure Shop, please call 831-333-0419.

Brownies and kittens . . . what could be sweeter?

Wednesday we were treated to the silly giggles and proud grins of ten busy Brownies from Troop 33162 from Toro Park School. The girls had decided to use the proceeds from their Girl Scout cookie sales to help AFRP animals.

Turning Samoas and Thin Mints into cat toys, dog harnesses, chew toys and kitty litter, how cool is that? Best of all, the girls presented AFRP with a check for $750 earmarked for the Feline Family Fund to sponsor a mamma cat and litter of kittens. (In photo standing left to right are: Rachel Roberts, Olivia Robledo, Gillian Horak, Cienna Kennamore and Renee Ortega. Kneeling left to right are Alexandra Clark, Grace Parker, Sarah Flynn, Jillian Wilcox and Lindsey Meeks. Back row: Michael Kirch with Butterscotch, Alexandra McCabe.)

Thanks to the girls, we were able to rescue Izzie and her litter of four adorable orange tabby kittens from the Salinas Animal Services on Thursday. Izzie is an ultra-friendly polydactyl (extra toes) calico and three of her four kittens are polydactyl too! (We counted SEVEN toes on the front paws of one of the kittens!) This darling kitty family will spend about six weeks in their foster home and then will be available for adoption. Stay tuned!

Moms and kittens are arriving at the shelters daily this time of year. If you would like to help us save these precious lives, please consider making a donation to our Feline Family Fund.

Welcome to our new blog!

Stray Thoughts is a place where Animal Friends Rescue Project (AFRP) volunteers, supporters and admirers can come to learn about what is happening in our organization. We hope you consider it YOUR blog too; a place you can share your ideas and experiences. We hope you find this blog useful and informative!

A little background information:

Animal Friends Rescue Project is a nonprofit organization that was formed in 1998 in Pacific Grove, California by four individuals who were passionate about making a difference in the lives of abandoned, stray, injured and abused companion animals. AFRP is led by an active Board of Directors, a dedicated staff and an incredible team of volunteers, who are the heart and soul of our organization.

AFRP has a reputation in the community for taking the "least adoptable" animals from shelters, giving them the time and medical attention they need, then finding them good permanent homes. As of this posting, AFRP has found loving homes for over 13,000 dogs and cats!