Thank You Petwatch Family! from Karen Briggs
Dear Petwatch Family,
By now, you should have heard that I am “retiring” from Petwatch. As one of the main caretakers of my mother who was diagnosed with brain cancer this summer, I need to spend as much time with her as I can and am unable to handle Petwatch anymore. However, in future, I will be a “consultant” and am currently transitioning the entire running of our Neighborhood Petwatch to Nancy Nance and Tiffany Shaw.
Nancy will officially take over the Petwatch Chairperson duties in November with Tiffany as her assistant. Both will need help with more volunteers as they implement or restart many exciting programs with Petwatch. Please continue to help & support them as you did before. They hope to have Microchip Clinics, resurrect our stats and implement a working database. They, with your input and help, will continue to reunite pets and find homes for those strays that need help. All the current programs will continue, with more organization of foster homes and recruiting new neighbors. They also will play an active role in the new Dallas Area Petwatch Summit meetings.
Both Pet Advocates are very enthusiastic, hardworking and have taken over the reins during my Mom’s illness will little guidance from myself. I have been very lucky and blessed to have them help our pet neighborhood and my family in this way.
Since this will most likely be my last blog or email for a while, I just wanted to reminisce a little about my years with Petwatch.
What I learned from Petwatch:
Pets never take Holidays. Our busiest times are when folks are on vacation or on a holiday. Somehow Fido and Fluffy know that it is the best time for them to have an adventure too.
I remember chasing pets in the snow, in the heat, and the rain. Weather does affect them as they do seem to get out during the storms the most. Also found out most neighbors don’t mind lending a helping hand or a backyard to capture an elusive pet.
Strays like “Rags”, aka Sparky, can affect a whole neighborhood. We have many “Pets of the year” that we put together a group effort to save and adopt!
Who knew there was so much wildlife in the city!!? It has been amazing to learn that Coyotes, Bobcats, Foxes, Owls, Raccoons, Possums, and all kinds of other wild animals live in our city creeks.
Pets do bring a Neighborhood together.
Pets are members of a family and many tears have been shed when a pet was lost. It was so gratifying to be able to reunite many pets and make families complete again.
People and Pets. I cannot count how many friends I have made since 1999 just because of Petwatch. It is not only the people, but the actual animals too. I know many pets by name and would have adopted quite a few if my husband would have let me! I still have my adopted Petwatch cat, Jericho, who now is so firmly entrenched in our family, I wouldn’t know what to do without him. I’d like to thank People like Joyce Ferguson, Sharon Smith, Kathryn Snyder, Diane Neely, Mary Dotson, Cindy Lewis, Sally and Dale West, and folks like Gail Olds in Dixon Branch who helped start this program. I’d also like to thank some of our Foster Families, some former, some active, like Rita Martinez, Tony Delia, Tim Brown, Rene and Julie Barrera, Jennifer Foster, Christina Kinnon, Susan Krasnow-Mitchell, Kristin Poteet, Jennifer & Mitch Costener, Robyn and Jack Watkins who have taken in homeless animals and took care of them when no one else could. With the support of HMNA president Rhett Staehling and the other board members, Petwatch continues to be an important part of our neighborhood. Countless other residents helped by reporting strays, fostering pets, helping with Microchip clinics, being a Petwatch Kid helper, helping with a Petwatch Parade, NNO, and more. Thanks to all!!
The Petwatch program spilled over into all other areas too… with SPCA creating a booklet with us, to our website and blog, to publicity, to City Recognition, even to people contacting me from as far as Seattle, Washington to use our program. It has been quite gratifying to be a part of something that will continue to help animals for years to come.
On a personal note, my Neighborhood family has helped myself and my family, through illness, and even a fire. When my parents’ home burned in Decatur a few years ago, you, my friends and neighbors immediately came to the rescue, donating money and household items and clothing. My family and I were overwhelmed by everyone’s generosity.
Now, that my Mom, Alice Wilde, faces her biggest medical challenge yet, you neighbors still support her, my family and myself with notes, food and moral support. We thank you so much for everything and ask that you still keep her in your prayers. My mom told me just the other day how special she thought my neighbors were. She is from a small country community and was gratified to see that a friendly neighborhood mentality does extend into the “Big City”, with friends working together when a neighbor is in need.
You have proven that you care, over and over again, with how we treat each other with respect and how we treat our animals. Highland Meadows Neighbors, you are the best! Love and God Bless, Karen Briggs
Karen Briggs, Petwatch Chairperson Is currently on family leave, in transition to: new Petwatch Chair: Nancy Nance and Assistant Tiffany ShawHighland Meadows Neighborhood Association PetwatchN.E. Dallas, boundaries Walnut Hill, Plano Rd., Northwest Hwy, JupiterPlease contact Petwatch at the following: PETWATCH VOICEMAIL: 214-967-5210Petwatch email: petwatch@highlandmeadowsna.orgHMNA voicemail: 214-967-5081, for crime reports HMNA website: www.highlandmeadowsna.orgHMNA Petwatch website: http://hmnapetwatch.topcities.com/, for report forms, permanent info about our Petwatch HMNA Petwatch Blog (NEW SITE-- current lost and found and other information) http://hmnapetwatch.blogspot.com/All aol petwatch inquiries will be forwarded to petwatch@highlandmeadowsna.org
