The Class of 2012 - Top Ten

In the weeks since Easter, we've had TEN abandoned Easter Bunnies come through our doors.

Dewey has the distinction of being Red Door's first "Easter Bunny" of 2012.  He's been neutered, but then picked up a respiratory infection.  He's doing just fine, and should be healthy enough for adoption very soon.




Little Roo came in and then was adopted so quickly that we didn't even get a good photo of her! 

Rabberto loves everyone, and you're next!   He loves to be petted, and is happy to show his delight by flopping and tooth-purring.   This cheerful caramel-colored boy was recently featured at The Daily Bunny.

Check out Chestnut's classic Dutch markings of white t-shirt and dark pants!  This little boy is very inquisitive and likes to give bunny kisses.

This tiny Rex girl is Capri.  She ran right up to the bars looking for someone to play with!  She came in with a big oil stain on her back, probably from hiding under a car.  But she's all clean now, and will be spayed as soon as she is big enough.

It is REALLY hard to get a good photo of this tiny black and grey puffball!  This is Licorice, and he was found hiding in a parking lot.  Sadly, rescue came too late for his bunny-friend who was found deceased nearby.  Licorice is now over his case of coccidia and due to be neutered soon.

Maple was running loose near the Forest Preserve in Skokie.  She needs a bit of time to get healthy before she's ready to be adopted, but she's in good hands now!  She has a lovely little white kissing-spot on her chest..

Blackbeard arrived in a laundry basket, brought in by a good samaritan who found him in a Portage Park neighborhood.  He's a Rex with deep black velvet fur, and he loves to be petted.

And speaking of pettins!  This blissed-out bunny boy is Irving, another Rex boy.  He is white with brown markings and was found abandoned in the park.


All of these boys and girls should be ready for adoption soon.  We also have many other rabbits who are ready for immediate adoption. Contact us to make an appointment for an introduction!

Respect The Rabbit - Easter Amnesty Program

It's no secret to anyone who reads this blog that Easter can be a difficult time for rabbit rescue groups.  Every year we see rabbits who are purchased as impulse gifts for the holiday, and then neglected or discarded when the novelty wears off.  New rabbit owners are often ill-informed about proper rabbit care and the need for spaying or neutering.  The lucky ones are turned into Red Door or other rescue organizations, but too many are dumped in the wild under the mistaken impression that they will survive.

That's why we are excited about this year's new 'Respect The Rabbit' campaign!

   Through press releases, radio spots, and posters we are working to spread our message about rabbit education!

No Greg, that's not what we meant ...

"We want the public to become more familiar with rabbits and educate them on proper care" says Rabbit Adoption Coordinator Toni Greetis.  "Most people think of rabbits as low maintenance starter pets who only live for a couple of years. Red Door wants rabbits to have the same level respect that is given to dogs and cats. the more people know about rabbits, the less likely they are to make impulse purchases."

Stores participating in the Amnesty program agree not to sell any rabbits between April 1st and April 15th, and to display our poster in their store. 


The Amnesty simply prevents people from buying a rabbit on impulse just because it looks cute cuddly and fluffy. But the Amnesty also works to raise awareness of rabbit welfare issues. It is an idea opportunity for retailers to openly demonstrate how they take their animal care responsibilities seriously - and are both able and willing to put animal welfare before commercial profit. The Amnesty is also a great way of engaging customers, forging long-term relationships with customers and the local community through positive action...From the retailers perspective, acustomer who gives the rabbit up after a few weeks or months is only a very small and short-term financial benefit. A customer who is truly committed to the long-term care of their rabbit can be a great customer for 10 years or more!

  (from the program intro packet)

Over a dozen pet stores were approached, and we are pleased to announce that  The Animal Store  and Wilmette Pet Center have teamed up with us as part of this new campaign.  Each store will be featured in an upcoming blog entry, and we encourage you to choose them for your pet supply needs and to let them know how much you appreciate their taking part in this campaign. 

Girl Power!

In many ways, the rabbit world runs on Girl Power.  Domestic rabbits were originally bred from the European wild rabbits, which have a matriarchal social structure. In some breeds, the female is usually larger than the male. But no matter what the breed, there are a lot of girlbuns whose personalities are out of all proportion to their physical size.  A perfect example of this is Dora, who is currently living in a Red Door foster home.

I'm not quite sure about you yet...

Isadora was found outside in the spring of 2009. The person who found her was able to foster her for a short while until we had space available. She came to Red Door in April of 2009. She was adopted in June of 2009, only to be returned in June of 2011 when her mom moved to Louisiana.

Dora was not very happy to be back at the shelter, and she became increasingly irritable, so she was fostered by our own Toni.  Toni woke up one day to find a huge puddle of blood in Dora's pen. After a visit to Animal 911, it became apparent that Dora had a severe urinary tract infection and had passed a stone overnight. Poor baby must have been in pain for a while, and that's certainly enough to make a girl pretty cranky!

And what do YOU want?

Dora recovered from her UTI, but was still pretty fiesty when penned, so we sent her to be fostered with Victoria Velinski in September of 2011.  Victoria took to calling her Go-Go, after the character in Kill Bill, because of her aggression.   Female buns, particularly those from less-than-ideal backgrounds, can be VERY cage-protective.

Spring in the garden!

With some stability and patience in her living environment, she has made loads of progress.  She is still very opinionated, usually announcing her arrival in a room with an emphatic THUMP!  But she is also quite social with the animals she shares her foster home with - she likes to play tag with her kitty friends and even gets along well with their large Bernese Mountain Dog!  She can run hot-and-cold as far as other rabbits are concerned, but perhaps she just hasn't met the right guy yet.

Queen of the Castle

Of course, a woman needs her own space.  Dora is still picky about how her cage is arranged, but as long as you open it and let her leave on her own first,  you can clean it without being molested.  Just remember that once you're done, she is going to want some time to move and chin everything back to exactly the way she wants it.  Can you really blame her?  Would you want your living room rearranged every few days?

She will tolerate being picked up, as long as her butt is properly supported, and will even give bunny-kisses!  She is also quite the mountain-goat, once surprising Victoria from the top of the piano.

This confident bungirl is going to need someone who understands that at the age of 4 she has her own ideas about things and wants to be able to do things her own way.  She demands respect, but with her around life will certainly never be boring!

Dora is available for adoption.

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Permanent Markers

We all know that our pets leave permanent marks on our hearts.  There are those, however, who choose to wear these marks on their skin as well. 


Quite a few Red Door volunteers and adopters sport tattoos of their current or former animal friends.  Rabbit Adoption Coordinator Toni Greetis has a tattoo in memory of Drake, her beloved Big White Bunny who passed away last year.  "It really didn't hurt too much and I'm happy to have something to remember Drake by".

Toni (and others) have gotten their tattoos as part of the Tattoo You events, where the artists at Insight Studios partner with Red Door and all proceeds from tattoos and piercings done during the event go to support the shelter and its programs.  The next event will be held this weekend, February 18th and 19th, at the studio's Wicker Park location.

Since opening in 2005, Insight has contributed more than $62,000 to various local charities through events as well as direct donations.  In fact, the studio's partnership with Red Door stemmed from a volunteer who was getting a tattoo as part of a fundraiser for Tree House Humane Society.  The first Red Door Tattoo You event was held in 2010.

Red Door Volunteer Liz Jakus got her first tattoo at the 2011 Tattoo You event.  "Everyone there is super nice- it was my first tattoo and I walked in there shaking and totally panicked. the staff was really nice and totally calmed me down making it a very good experience"

Like most people, Liz designed her tattoo to have deep personal meaning..  "Every thing in the picture has some meaning to me....the bunny was drawn from photos of my rabbit Ringo- a Red Door alum.  The lily is for my niece whose name is Lily- both of us were born in May and it is our birth flower.   The bee flying across is for my sister Maria who goes by the nick name Bee."

So if you've been thinking about getting a tattoo, or adding another piercing, consider doing good by it as well.
 
February 18 12pm-10pm
February 19 12pm-8pm
This benefit will be a walk in basis only.

We've got our love to keep us warm!

As Valentine's Day approaches, we thought we'd take the time to share the story of one of Red Door's most devoted couples, Alice and Jasper.

This Californian brother and sister pair are often shy with people, but are absolutely devoted to each other.  They were rescued together, when one of them fell down a basement window well and the other refused to leave their side.  While they look very much alike, they have very distinct personalities.
 
Alice is definitely "large and in charge", and is likely to be the first to investigate new places or people.    Jasper is a bit of a doofy boy, who loves his food but definitely loves his sister.  Alice is also slightly larger, and her markings are slightly lighter and more grey than her brother's.  Like all siblings, they squabble and fuss sometimes, especially at mealtimes - we all know that the kale is always greener in the other bunny's mouth!  But at the end of the day, it's clearly a case of "you and me against the world".

Californians get their lovely white color and size from their New Zealand White ancestors, their deep soft coats from a dash of Chinchilla rabbit, and their colored "points" from their Himalayan cousins.  This color pattern, called acromelanism, is also found in Siamese and Himalayan cats.  These markings change over time in response to temperature conditions.

In one of their recent foster homes, Jasper and Alice spent most of their time in the kitchen, which was the warmest room of the house.  The color change from day to day was very subtle, but it was not until they went through their next shed that the dramatic color change was visible.

A few short weeks later, POOF!

Alice and Jasper are currently in a foster home, where their mom says that they have returned to their former dark-eared state. 

Won't you consider giving this devoted pair a forever home, and their own Hoppily Ever After?

Big Black or British Broadcasting?

BBC first came to Red Door in the spring of 2000 as a stray cat. His name stood for Big Black Cat or Basic Black Cat, depending on who you asked. But BBC was anything but basic. He had a birth defect which fused his toes together on one paw, giving him the appearance of having a club foot. Because of that, he developed early arthritis and it could become painful for him to walk. Despite all of that, BBC was adopted a few months after he came in with three other Red Door cats.
His story didn't end there unfortunately. In May of 2003, he was returned with two of the other cats (one of whom was Luna, who you can read about below). They were left in a box with no air holes and no note. All three cats were very dirty. BBC got cleaned up, and despite having a very friendly personality, was overlooked year after year at Red Door. People were often put off by his birth defect or when he became over stimulated and had a tendancy to nip at times.
However, in December of 2010, BBC's luck changed. Red Door Animal Steward, Molly, could not resist BBC's charm, not to mention his lovely vampire fangs. Molly took BBC home to foster, and he quickly became British Broadcasting Cat. Recently, the official adoption paperwork was completed for BBC, and over 11 years after first coming to Red Door, BBC finally found his forever home.
BBC's story really shows that there really is a cat for someone out there, and you never know when that person will come into their lives and give them the loving

home they deserve.

The Marilyn Monroe of Cats

June is adopt a cat month, and it turned out to be a really great month for Luna. Her journey of finding that forever home was finally realized on Wednesday.
Luna was originally adopted from Red Door in 2001 as a kitten, with 3 other cats. A few months after adoption, her and two of the other cats were unceremoniosly left in a box outside the shelter. It was a very hot day, the box had no air holes, and no one knew how long they had been there. The cats were dirty, greasy, and matted. Needless to say, Luna got back on her paws, and quickly found a home again, this time for over 10 years.
Sadly, Luna was returned to the shelter again late last year, this time due to inappropriate elimination. It had been doing on for several years, and her adopter had tried everything in the book, had numerous medical tests done, and nothing seemed to work for poor Luna. It was with a heavy heart that her adopter brought her back.
Upon being readmitted to Red Door, we ran comprehensive tests to evaluate Luna's condition. She was also being treated for arthritis, pancreitis, and liver disease. When the xrays came back, they showed a tiny minute facture in one of her vertebrae. Dr. Gia at Animal 911 came to the conclusion that most likely everytime Luna went to make a bowel movement in the litterbox, that the squeezing of her abdominal muscles and intestines most likely put pressure on the vertebrae to make it painful, enough so that Luna associated the litterbox to be a painful place to be. Given her current medical conditions, and the fact that she had lived in a home for over 10 years and was now back at the shelter, Luna's outlook seemed gloomy, and it was speculated that her physical condition might continue to deteriorate quickly.
However, Luna pressed on and took her more than 6 medications each day like a pro. She definitely wasn't happy being at the shelter, but she would never give anyone the satisfaction of seeing her down in the dumps. Then one day, Luna's luck changed when a couple who had just lost their cat to illness came in looking to adopt again. It turns out they fell in love with two cats. After hearing Luna's situation, they decided to foster Luna for awhile to see how she would do in a new home. They fell in love with her of course, and this week they came in to finalize her adoption. They said they just couldn't imagine their lives without Luna, and they love her so much. As the adopters put it: "She's just so beautiful. She's like the Marilyn Monroe of cats!".
Some like it hot, and some just like to be loved.

From Rags to Riches

Annie the dog came to us early April. Her owner showed up with her at the door saying that his family was moving and couldn't take her with. When the staff person turned her back for a moment, the man let Annie go and ran out the door. She was dirty, matted, and very thin. By our best estimates, she was probably left outside a lot, and definitely neglected. Needing to come up with a name, the staff temporarily named her "Ragstock". She was moved into a foster home, who got her cleaned up, groomed, and started on a good diet. Annie became a totally new dog, hardly recognizable from the scruffy pup who first showed up on our doorstep.

After a couple of months of not getting many looks, Annie finally met her match this past weekend and went to her new forever home who is sure to be her new Daddy Warbucks.

Black Velvet

January was a great month for adoptions at Red Door. There were 9 cats adopted, and the biggest one of all was Velvet. For those who don't know, Velvet had been at Red Door for over 5 years. He was orignally living in a nursing home facility which then closed and Velvet had no where to go. Soon after coming to Red Door, Velvet was diagnosed with Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease and was prone to urinary blockages because of it. Once the problem was diagnosed, he was prescribed 2 different medications as well as prescription diet food.

Even though Velvet managed very well on his medications, had a very sweet & easy going personality, due to his special needs and age (7-10), he was constantly overlooked by potential adopters. Last winter a couple visited the shelter looking to adopt a pair of cats. They decided to foster Velvet to make sure he would be the right fit for them, and to be sure they would be able to manage his medications and special needs. Of course, they fell in love with Velvet, and could not envision their lives without him, and finalized his adoption in January. Velvet and his cute tounge-sticking-out antics will be missed by the staff and volunteers at Red Door, but of course it's most important that he found a great loving home to live his life with.

Red Door Honored by Windy City Rollers

Come out on Sunday February 13th to the UIC Pavilion to witness some nationally ranked womens flat track roller derby. Red Door will be honored at half time with a check presentation from Windy City Rollers and Red Door volunteers will be on site with information about Red Door programs.

Off the track, love is sure to be in the air the day before Valentines Day, but it's blood, sweat and tears on the track. It's sure to be a great time with some fierce competition as the Hells Belles take on the Double Crossers in the first match at 3pm and the Manic Attackers take on the Fury in the second match. For tickets and more information check out the Windy City Rollers at www.windycityrollers.com.

Hope to see you there!

Red Door on 190 North

Jade 9/20/2010

Many volunteers over the years at Red Door know and remember Jade the cat. Originally Jade came to Red Door in 2004, after living on the streets and being cared for over a year by a woman. Potential adopters visiting the shelter over the years were always drawn to her because she was very striking and beautiful. However, Jade was always a bit of a wall flower, very sweet once you get to know her, but very shy to start with. For that reason, Jade was overlooked by adopters time and again for over 6 years.

Back in April, staff at Red Door discovered some tumors on Jade's underside. After having them removed by our vet Dr. Gia, she did a biopsy, and the results came back positive for cancer. The doctor speculated that even though we had caught the tumor, most likely the cancer had metastasized and spread. She said Jade most likely had weeks to months left to live, and it would be great if we could find a hospice foster home for the time she had left.

A family did step forward and offered to care for Jade during her last days. They provided over 4 months of love, attention, and care for Jade. They reported that Jade was frequently run throughout the house and loved to play. As you can see in her picture, she was absolutely content in her new home.

Sadly, Jade passed away yesterday. However, we can celebrate the fact that she was able to live in peace and happiness, as every animal should, for a brief time in her life. It really goes to show how living in a loving home environment can change any cats personality. So remember to give that shy or special needs animal a second look next time you're thinking of adopting...you could be looking at a wall flower turned social butterfly.

Special thanks to Jade's foster family and to all of Red Door's foster providers for the work they do everyday. We wouldn't be able to do it without you.

Coraline: From foster to adopt

Many volunteers at Red Door are familiar with Coraline, the cute little cat who showed up on our door one day with four newborn kittens. All of her offspring had been adopted, and Coraline still waited. Finally a lovely couple came along interested in adopting Coraline, but they had some reservations. One of them had experienced allergies to cats in the past, and wanted to be sure that adopting a cat wouldn't worsen those allergies. So they decided to try fostering Coraline first, to see if their allegies became an issue, and also to make sure that Coraline was the right fit for them. Needless to say, and as you can see from the photo, they felt Coraline was a wonderful fit (and she agreed), and the foster parents reported no allergy flare ups. The couple was more than thrilled with her, and they decided to move ahead with the adoption.

Fostering is a great way to try out an animal, especially if you're unsure if the animal is the right fit for your home, or if you're concerned about any issues. The process is very similar to that of adoption, though it's not as permanent. That way, if it doesn't work out with the animal for some reason, they can come back to the shelter, and we can say that they got a nice vacation from the shelter. Of course, everyone's hope is that it does work out in the end, and that their story ends the same as Coraline's.

Of course, some volunteers foster animals, long term or short term, for a variety of reasons. Some foster just to give the animal a break from the shelter, some foster because it helps to create space for more animals at the shelter, some foster because a home environment is always more enjoyable for an animal than a shelter environment, some foster for terminally ill animals or animals with medical conditions, etc. The reasons are infinite. Please consider opening your home to foster an animal in need.

Cookie gets Blogtastic

Check out recently adopted Red Door cat, Cookie (now Boo) and her new blog!

http://booyah.posterous.com/

Time to Wash That Dog!

With all of the hot, rainy, muggy weather we've been having now is the perfect time to get Rover rinsed! On Sunday, July 11th, join us at Central Bark Doggy Day Care (3358 N. Pulaski) for some scrubtacular dog washing. The dog wash takes place from 11am-2pm. A clean dog will cost you only $10, and all proceeds go to help homeless animals at Red Door. What a deal!

Get your tickets!

Spring To Life raffle tickets are in! Be sure to stop by the shelter and pick some up. Tickets are only $1 each, and the drawing is April 24th at the end of Spa Day. Grand prize is a $500 Visa gift card + a bottle of champagne, 1st prize is a case of 12 bottles of "Wines Around the World", 2nd prize is an Olympus FE digital camera, 3rd prize is an ipod touch, 4th prize is 2 books + 2 Vosages chocolate bars! Don't miss out!
https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?id=2187

Red/White: A Wine Tasting Benefit

Join us on January 27th from 7:30 to 9:30! Enjoy a wine tasting benefit at Fine Wine Brokers, 4621 N. Lincoln in Chicago. $40 per ticket includes wine, hors d'oeuvres, celebration,and discounts. Reservations required. It all benefits the animals at Red Door. Guests will receive 10 percent off wine purchases during the event, and Red Door will receive 10 percent of sales that evening. In past years, this event has always sold out! Buy tickets online or call 773-764-2242.

"Quack" means "Thanks!" in Duck

Last week Red Door staff received a call from a woman concerned about the fate of a duck on the pond at Indian Boundry Park. When staff went to investigate, they found a white duck with a black head shuffling through the 6 inches of snow on the pond. To make matters worse, the temperatures had been around 10 degrees during the day and below freezing at night. The duck (now named Boris) was clearly freezing to death and starving. With some assistance from the Flint Creek Wildlife volunteers, Red Door was able to get Boris to a vet later that day. He was suffering from frostbite on his legs and feet, and his legs were literally frozen stiff. Now Boris is back at Red Door receiving treatment and on his way to recovery. If anyone knows of a good home for a very friendly duck, let us know!

Aaaaaattt Laaaaaasst!

Etta James couldn't have said it any better herself. Long time resident Gabriel was officially adopted on Saturday to his forever home. Gabriel was a favorite of the staff and volunteers at Red Door, and was well known to people in the neighborhood as "that big gray Maine Coon in the window". Gabe was often known as "King Gabriel" for his regal attitude and big furry coat. Not to mention the way he was respected like a king by the other cats in the shelter. Gabriel was adopted and returned an astonishing 3 times, and fostered & returned once. Most people didn't understand Gabriels true nature, and didn't want to give him the time, patience, love, and respect he deserves. His new home offers him that and so much more!

Gabriel's new mom adds:

"He has this new routine when I get up in the middle of the night. He will crawl up me when I get back into bed, and lay partially on my shoulder and pillow and then he'll head butt his forehead against my chin or back by my ear, with his wet nose pressing against my neck, all the while purring very loudly. It sounds kind of wierd when I describe it, but its really quite sweet."

Everyone at Red Door is really happy for Gabriel and his new companion!

Boots adopted!

Boots the cat has been a resident at Red Door since 2003. He was originally found living under someone's front porch. He was extremely shy when he 1st came here, and wouldn't even allow anyone to touch him. Over time Boots warmed up, and he's become a favorite of the Red Door staff and volunteers. Most importantly, he was the gentle giant, and father figure in the kitten room, and was frequently found with his "harem" of cats snuggling with him. Earlier last month Boots was adopted to his new home! Here's what his adopter had to say:
"Boots is doing very well. He was a bit shy the first couple days, but he was eating and exploring right away. He and Kai are now to the point where they are chasing each other around all night! He does like attention when he gets up from naps and loves to be brushed."

As you can see from the picture, he absolutely loves his new friend, and his new home. :)

Hooray for Boots!