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Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1999-07-07, Page 23• 228-6840 1-888420-7775 OUR PIE! TAKE OUR CAKE! ZYzatD`ENI" ICE CREAM DESSERTS i Page 18 Giving By Scott Nixon TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF CLINTON --Do you love animals? The Huronia chapter of the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to • Animals (OSPCA) needs your help. A small non-profit organization ,`,... founded in 1982, the Huron County branch has no central Location and relies on volunteers to become foster parents for abandoned and stray dogs and cats. Bev Chowen has been involved with the Huronia chapter for 12'years and says they never have enough foster. homes for the many needy cats and dogs. Here's how the Huronia chapter of the OSPCA works: When stray or abandoned dogs or cats are found, they are taken to. the local veterinary clinic, where they are Meld for three working days and, if th aren't claimed, are . h V'1 \'11S -A I WO('1'YI 1' rossr PIZZA HOT LINE Wednesday July 7 , 1999 ets a second now has one foster dog, Jetta, a dog of her own and half a dozen cats. Since she lives in the country outside Clinton, Chowen has plenty of room for the animals she takes into her house. Chowen has had Jetta for about two weeks. Part border collie and lab, Jetta was found abandoned in Hay Township. While she wasn't abused, Chowen says abandonment . is a form of abuse. Although Jetta still likes to wake up Chowen and her husband Bill, in the night, Chowen has noticed Jetta: has become a happier. and more'r' relaxed dog since she was rescued.:, Chowen says she does get attached` to the animals she brings "Until we get people into her home and it can to be responsible be sad to see them go owners and have their when permanent homes are found, but mostly she pets spayed and worries about cats because' neutered we're never she said people don't care going to get ahead of as much about their cats as they do about dogs. She the problem, adds some people's atti- eY particularly with cats: tude towards cats is "total BEV CHOWEN indifference," explaining then destroyed. - that when some people t However, if the vet thinks the animal move, they simply leave their cats would make a nice pet, the OSPCA is behind. * -:j1Y0 - 1 � called and the animal is placed in ft Shillinglaw agrees it can be hard to foster home, where the animal stays -let go of the animals once a` perrna- until a permanent home can be found. nent home has been found. !: Chowen said she knows of one dog "We have shed a few tears over 'a fi that had to stay at a foster home for a few that go," she says of the appiti - year before a permanent home was mately 100 animals she has taken in.. found. Despite the hard moments, The fact the Huronia branch has no Shillinglaw says fostering an animal is actual building and only between 25- "very rewarding" work. 30 volunteers makes running the pro- Chowen has also seen cases of gram difficult, past president of the abused animals with broken legs and board Harriet Shillinglaw told the T -A. animals locked inside houses after Willie the board puts any profits from their owners have moved out. i;s jpnd-raisers into an account for a She said one of the reasons animals futures building, Shillinglaw said there are abandoned is because people buy will be no.. building in'the immediate a cat or dog and then realize they future simply because of the high cost. can't afford it. Chowen said the Huronia branch is "If they can't afford , it, don't get it," funded by donations and by certain Chowen says. fund-raisers" such as a bowl-a-thon, Another reason for animal abandon - dog walks and . hot dog days at area grocery stores. Chowen, who describes herself as an animal lover, estimates she has had 100 dogs and cats in her home over the years she's been involved, She Exeter Times -Advocate ance Bev Chowen, who's been involved with the Huronia Chapter of the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for 12 years is flanked by, Jetta, on her left, and another unnamed Norwegian elkhound, who was. found in Colborne Township and recently went to a foster home. going to good homes, Chowen says all has been getting that message out and applicants must provide _ references that problem is improving: and are asked a lot of questions,about Another word of advice -Shillinglaw their qualifications. has . is that pet owners ensure their Both Shillinglaw and Chowen agree animals 'are always weariiigiheir, cel spaying and neutering animals is lars with proper I.D. important: Chowen said there. are only a few went could be ineffective laws against "Until we get people to be responsi- . volunteers fostering for the Huronia .ble owners and have their pets spayed branch. right now If you are interest - animal abuse. C h o w et says laws `_ and neutered we're never goingto get ed on how to adopt, an animal or how; should be tougher, adding people usu- ahead of the problem, particularlyto et' involved, all Bev Chowen at ally "are never punished for abusing " . • g o b with cats. (519) 482-9748 or Jean Fox at (519) To make sure their animals are She adds that she thinks the °SPCA 523-4411. animals. Point to fonder: There is life after In the Journal of the American Medical Association a few years ago Jane McAdams told the story of her 69 year old mother who had lived a life deeply marked by the Great; Depression of the 1930's, The evidence showed in her frugality and utterly practical perspective on all material things. The only extravagance she had ever per- mitted herself, McAdams wrote, was .a. frilly . nightgown kept in a bottom drawer, "In case I should ever have to go into the hospital," • That day had come. All the symptoms that made her visit to the hospital necessary spoke of a serious cancer, and McAdams feared that moment when she would have to tell her mother that the prognosis was very poor. The daughter wondered, "Should I tell my mother? Did she already know? If not, did she suspect...Could I give her any hope? Was.; there in fact any hope?" As she wrestled with these questions, McAdams noted that her mother's birthday was approach- ing. Perhaps• she could brighten her mother's days by purchasingya new nightgown because the one that had been in the bottom drawer yva's yel- lowed,- limpand unattractive. So she purchased and presented a new nightgown and matching robe. "If I could not hope to cure her disease, at least 1 could make her feel like the prettiest patient in the entire hospital." McAdams described how her mother studied the gown after -the package was opened. And after a while. she pointed to the wrapping and the gown and said to her "daughter,. "Would you mind return- ing it to the store? I .don't `really want it." Then picking up the paper she pointed to a display advertisement and said, "This is what I really want, if you could get that." What she pointed to was a display adver- tisement of expensive summer purses. My reaption was one of disbelief. Why would. my mother, so carefullabout extravagances, want an expensive sum- mer purse in January, one that she could not pos- sibly use until June? She would not even live until spring, let alone summer. Almost immediately, I .was ashamed and appalled at my clumsiness, ignorance, Inensitivi- ty, call it what you will. With a shock, I realized she was finally asking me what I thought about her illness. She was asking me how long she would live. She was, in fact, asking me if I thought she would live even six months. And she was telling me that if I showed I believed she would live until then, then she would do it. She would not let that expen- sive purse go unused. That day I returned the gown and robe and bought the summer purse.. That was many years ago. The purse is worn out and long gone, as are at least half a dozen others. And next week mymother flies to California to celebrate her 83rd birthday. My gift to her? The most expen- sive designer purse I could find. She'll use it well. The gift of restorative grace to a broken - world person is the gift not of a nightgown that announces death but of a summer purse that says there is life after failure. That Is the message of the Cross and the empty tomb. And it mustbe the message of the church to the broken -world RE/. POINT TO PONDER 4614001000~