Please help us feed our shelter pets!  We had a very slow summer and need a little extra help right now!  Our regular supporters have been great as always...but if you haven't donated lately would you consider helping out right now?  

We feed Purina to both our dogs and cats, and thanks to local Purina distributor BWA, the very best most cost effective way for people to help is to make a contribution at BWA which will be put towards the current week's food bill.  BWA is Bahamas Wholesale Agency, located on Milton Street (just around the corner from Solomons and Crown Ice).  

We'd be most grateful for any and all assistance.  Of course cash and checks are always welcome, too, and can be dropped off at the shelter.

If you donate via BWA, you will receive a thank-you card with the amount of your donation.  If you accumulate $200 worth of thank-you cards by January 31st, you can redeem them at the HSGB for a free dog or cat bath (value $20)!  Our dogs and cats would be most grateful for your help.

The fall season is upon us and the HSGB has a few events coming up that are not to be missed!  Starting with our Halloween Bash, co-hosted by the GB Sailing Club, on October 31st.  This event is not to be missed as it will also include an amazing spooky surprise which is top secret.  You have to be there to find out about it!

Written by Tip Burrows / HSGB

I had the great good fortune to spend eight days in Colorado recently where I was hosted by a number of longtime friends, most of whom I had never met in person before!

I was overwhelmed by everyone's hospitality.  Too many folks to mention individually either hosted me and Heike in their homes, held parties, showed us around, took us to meet other potcake fosters and adopters, toured area shelters, and also showed us amazing local sights.

Old and new friendships were cemented and celebrated.  Our Colorado friends are very special indeed.  It was wonderful to see so many of our potcakes and especially heartwarming to hear and see firsthand how much our potcakes are appreciated and loved, and how happy they all are.

It was simply an amazing experience, and a real affirmation of our endless quest to save as many animals as we can.

More pictures from the trip can be seen HERE:

Written by Keva Lockhart / Humane Society of Grand Bahama

It's been a tough few weeks at the Humane Society. Last Monday staff, management and volunteers were all saddened by the news of our long time office dog Sponge passing Sunday night. She looked very peaceful and Dr. Gibbs said it appeared that she simply went to sleep and didn't wake up.  

Eventhough she didn't have the best life before coming to us, Sponge opened her heart and began trusting humans again as time went on. When I first arrived at the shelter in 2008, Sponge was still very timid and would never come out of the office unless her best friend Flora was with her.  Soon after, Sponge would occasionally pop her head out of the office to see who was passing or if the staff was eating lunch she would inch out to see if anyone would offer up some food to her.

As of last year Sponge finally started to break out of her shell and would actually come out to greet customers and also come out to get her back scratched (which she loved). We will truly miss this special dog but we all know she's in a better place.

This experience last week allowed us at the shelter to think of all the older dogs here like Sponge, who are always overlooked for the cute puppies or the active younger dogs. Today we thought we would feature some of the long time residents from the shelter that the public can come in to sponsor, take home to foster or even come in to spend some time with them.

What is "hope"?  We can look to the dictionaries and get definitions, which are pretty clear.  Perhaps many people don't really think about the true meaning of the word, and its close ties to "trust".

• to cherish a desire with anticipation

• to desire with expectation of obtainment
• to expect with confidence : trust

We at the Humane Society of Grand Bahama see "hope" on a daily basis, on the faces of the animals who come in through no fault of their own.  Despite their confusion and sadness at their owner giving them up or never coming to look for them, so many are still so willing to give us humans another chance.  For them, hope truly springs eternal and their trust in us is infinite; and a sobering responsibility.  With purrs or wagging tails, they show their faith that we, their last resort, will not let them down nor extinguish their hope.

We are really asking a lot of our supporters, and the Grand Bahama community as a whole this week.  It seems we are always asking for help for our shelter animals.  And we are - we must; if we are to continue to help the helpless animals for whom we are the absolute last resort.  We can't do what we do without a great deal of support.

We have never asked for help for an owned animal before, but we are asking now on behalf of a beloved dog whose family desperately needs help for him.  (Click HERE or see flyer below).  Visit the Facebook page HERE.  

We responded to an emergency call at around 8:30 p.m. last Wednesday night from Queens Cove. (GB residents will know that Queens Cove is a quiet, sparsely populated subdivision, and most residents do not speed through those streets, as it an exceptional animal and kid friendly neighborhood).  Manchas had been struck by a speeding car while attempting to cross the street to go back to his home possibly in response to his little boy calling his name.  

His mom thought Manchas was in the TV room with the kids, and only realised he wasn't, when she heard Ricky calling him, and then heard the terrible crash.  Their neighbor (whose dog and cat are Manchas' best four legged friends) was right there.  Saw the car coming way too fast, tried to signal with a flashlight to slow down, to no avail, and watched Manchas get hit, to her horror.  The driver did stop; to her credit, but seemed to be more concerned with her broken headlight than the dog.

After the sadness of last week, it's perhaps time for a little levity and good news.  Several of our medical patients are doing really well and are ready for adoption - some featured previously in this column and some on our Facebook page.  If you don't already like us on Facebook, please do!  We'd be thrilled to reach 1000 likes by the end of the year.

Cyrus, the Pekingese came to us in horrible condition back in July.  One of his eyes had to be removed and the other one was in bad shape and questionable.  Today, he has healed completely from the surgery and his left eye has shown great improvement; and he can see out of it!  Dr. Gibbs has cleared him medically for adoption to the right home. 

His left eye still needs monitoring and medication, and his adopter will need to be vigilant ... but this loving, happy little guy is ready for a family of his own.  We will be extra picky with him as we must feel confident his new home will do everything he needs to prevent that left eye from worsening.

Lola, the Shih Tzu, came to us several months ago with a badly broken leg.  Two surgeries have been performed.  She has recovered from the surgeries but she could perhaps benefit from attention by an orthopaedic specialist.  She is not able to put much weight on that leg and has a noticeable limp.  Which has not slowed her down one bit, nor does it cause her any pain.  It's possible this is the best that leg can get and if that's the case, it should not keep her from enjoying an active, happy life and bringing lots of joy to the right family.