By By MARCIA STEFFENS / Cassopolis Vigilant
CASSOPOLIS - CASSOPOLIS - Santa will be arriving a little early for the homeless dogs and cats at the Cass County Animal Shelter. The annual Christmas for the Animals takes care of many of the shelter's needs during the coming year.
This year, Christmas for the Animals will be on Saturday, Dec. 11, from 10 a.m. until l2 p.m.
On the counter are books of the shelter's success stories - animals who have found loving homes. Many send in photos of their adopted pets, with letters praising the shelter and telling their pet's new name and accomplishments.
Paul Newcomb of Niles, is shown in one photo relaxing with Wooly, whom he adopted at the Cass County Animal Shelter. According to his wife Madelon (Miller), "Wooly is a great pet and very loving. One of his favorite 'jobs' is chasing the squirrels off the bird feeder." She added with the picture she sent the shelter for its scrapbook, "We are very pleased with our pet and glad we stopped at the Cass County Animal Shelter."
More surprising are the many letters or e mails from a great distance. With the pet finder service link over the internet at petfinder.com many adoptive families travel great distances to pick out just the right pet.
Stephanie Timm of Cassopolis just loves her cat Angel. Another customer from Plymouth, Ind. named their Bengie-type dog Cass, from the shelter.
Jenny Molnar of Niles came in with her three-year-old to get another big dog for her son and their other dog. Instead she wrote she was happy they got Abbey, a Brittany Spaniel mix.
Some even send in printed birth or adoption notices. By Christmas, Brown said, the doors to the food storage area will be plastered with Christmas cards to the shelter from happy pet owners. Some kids even send in their quarters they made with a lemonade stand, to help the shelter.
On success story comes all the way from Seattle, Wash., where a poodle was taken by an elderly man's children. "The dog, Max-a-Million, pulled him out of his depression," Brown said.
Then there is the letter which makes one wince, as they write, "the chain marks from the last owner's abuse have almost healed."
Stop in at the shelter Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., 323 M-62 North in Cassopolis after your pancake and sausage breakfast with Mr. and Mrs. Santa at the Christmas Blitz the Cass Council on Aging (COA), on the corner of Decatur Road and M-60. The COA Blitz from 8 to 11 a.m. has entertainment for children for $2 per person and will also be collecting donations of Toys for Tots and non-perishable food items for humans.
The shelter's normal hours are with office hours Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Wednesdays from 8 a.m.-6 p.m.