The Scoop OBX Vol.II, #8

Latest news from our animal shelter

 

 

 

 

  THE SCOOP- NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE OUTER BANKS SPCA/ DARE COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER

 

 

By: Richard C. Crino

 

       We have had a busy couple of weeks at the Animal Shelter! Getting out in to the community is always one of the most gratifying parts of this business. Meeting and helping new people and their pets really keeps things fresh and positive. Let me tell you what we've been up to!

 

 

 

SPECIAL PEOPLE; SPECIAL ADOPTIONS

 

      Adoptions are, of course, one of our favorite things to talk about in The Scoop. Seeing our animals go home with their new families and keeping in touch with them and theirs are some of what gets us through the day. Here are some really special stories that we'd like to share.

 

         "Cooper" Ellis (a black Lab) was adopted a year ago, March 29th. He came back to visit this past week with his owner, Janet Ellis, of Manteo. Cooper has been "writing" us E-mails and sending pictures of himself with his new family regularly since he left. On their visit this week, they brought us a nice gift basket full of Life-Savers and dog biscuits to commemorate his anniversary. The Life-Savers were to depict "the life saving efforts that the Outer Banks S.P.C.A. does on a daily basis for our homeless pets". Cooper was actually the first dog I'd met when I came to visit the Shelter. He was in the office the day that I came in for my interview. We're always glad to hear a success story!

 

         Begging forgiveness from Charles Dickens, I offer you our version of "Oliver Twist". Our Oliver was a lost and flea infested young Chihuahua that was brought to the shelter as a stray. Initially, we were alarmed to see that this little guy had a deformity (likely since birth) that resulted in his right rear leg being tucked under his body and causing him some challenges in getting around. Almost immediately, though, we realized that his handicap didn't bother him as much as it did us and Oliver's determination and personality won us over. He even rode in the St. Patrick's Day parade! Well Oliver was sent to be evaluated and it was decided that he should be put up for adoption to a special home. No more special home could have been asked for than that of Nicki Crawford. With the help of Nicki and the Outer Banks S.P.C.A., "Oliver Twist" got the surgery that he needed and is happily recovering and even goes to work with the Crawfords at the Stock-Aide General Store in downtown Manteo.

 

      Last but certainly not least, is "Burt" the Beagle. A really adorable little guy, Burt also came to us as a stray. After being held for the standard eight day stray period, dogs being considered for adoption are first tested for heartworm. Unfortunately, Burt tested positive and became a "special needs" dog. With heartworm being fairly common in this area, and treatment being as expensive as it is, we obviously can't afford to treat them all, but Burt was a young, otherwise happy and healthy little guy, so we had to take a step back and decide what to do. We started looking for help. Chrystal, one of our volunteers, has been quite valuable in finding rescues for special needs animals and was asked to check with her contacts in the rescue world to see if she could find a spot for the little Beagle. This time she did one better and actually put us together with a veterinarian in Virginia that would not only treat Burt, but adopt him, as she had recently lost her own Beagle to old age. Thanks again to Chrystal for all of her help and thanks to Amanda for volunteering to transport him to his new home! 

 

 SPRING RABIES CLINIC A SUCCESS!

  On March 29th we held our Spring Rabies Clinic at the Avon Volunteer Fire Station and we are pleased to report that it went off without a hitch! We broke our record from the fall clinic in Manns Harbor with 90 animals receiving their annual vaccinations. We were pleased to see the number of cats that were brought to this event. I suspect that many of them were outdoor cats that presented some challenges in transport. They arrived in crates, boxes, clothes hampers and even bushel baskets! Congratulations to those of you that went the extra mile to keep "Sparky" up to date.  A big thank you, as well, goes to the Avon Fire department, and especially their President, Joe Gallagher, for the use of their facility, their hospitality, and help throughout the day.

 

PET FIRST AID COURSE HELD

 

Last weekend the Outer Banks S.P.C.A. proudly sponsored the Red Cross Pet First-Aid Course at the Y.M.C.A.. This was also a well attended and beneficial event not to mention a good, constructive way to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon! Animal lovers from all walks of life spent the day learning everything from CPR and giving medications to choking remedies and bandaging techniques for dogs and cats in an emergency. Two of our Animal Control officers attended, there were representatives from two local veterinarians offices, breeders, boarding kennel reps and just regular folks, most with numerous pets.

I'd recommend this course for all of you animal lovers to attend if it comes around again, or consider ordering the book and DVD from the Red Cross website, www.redcross.org. It is a really well organized alphabetical reference guide that would be a great help in an emergency.

 

WHO'S WHO AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER

 

 MORE ADOPTIONS

In addition to Burt and Oliver Twist mentioned above, other adoptions over the past two weeks of no less importance include Starsky, Biggie, Hogan, Bella, Tyson, Buddy, Rose, Petunia, Sophie, Butters, Lola, Darla & Hardy, Bisou, Dixie, and Celeste. As always, we wish them and theirs the best of luck and hope you'll bring 'em back to visit or at least send pictures!

ASK ANIMAL CONTROL

 

Q: I know that you just mentioned this recently, but I don't think my neighbor got the message... is a female dog in heat allowed to run loose? Mr.C, Wanchese

A: The public nuisance law specifically addresses this and the answer is that female dogs are not permitted to run loose during the time that they are in heat.

UNTIL NEXT TIME…

Let’s not forget, too, that we humans invited and encouraged these animals to become dependent on us and we now have an obligation to care for them!

 

 

Send your questions or comments to:

Ask Animal Control

C/o Dare County Animal Shelter

P.O. Box 1000

Manteo, N.C. 27954

E-mail

Rich at [email protected]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I should have realized when I started this Who's Who series, that I would eventually have to talk about myself. Well, I guess what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

       Those of you that know me from the road know me as Dare County Animal Control Officer Rich Crino. I am, for the most part, a road officer but, like everyone else at the shelter, I am cross-trained to fill in wherever I may be needed. I've been with the Outer Banks S.P.C.A. for almost exactly one year.

       I am originally from Cleveland, Ohio and most of my family still lives in that area. (For any of you not fond of "Yankees", I should add that I'm just a second generation Northerner with 200 years of Southern roots!) Seriously, though, there are really a lot of similarities between here and Cleveland. Boating and fishing were a big part of life there as they are here. I grew up only a block from Lake Erie, and spent a lot of time at the beach as a kid. I started out in Catholic schools and then attended Lakeland Community College, studying business management. I operated a custom woodworking and cabinet shop with some success in Cleveland for about ten years before an illness in the family convinced me to close down the business and take a job at a local high end cabinet and millwork shop as a custom cabinetmaker. Well, this lasted only about 2 years and I found myself laid-off with nothing to do for the first time in my adult life. My kids,(son, Tony, and daughters, Nicole and Gina) were by now grown up and on their own. I decided to go camping.

        I next found myself in the mountains in beautiful Eastern Tennessee where the dog and I spent a month hiking and tent camping in and around the Smoky Mountains. Eventually, I stumbled upon an old general store that was for rent with an apartment in the back. Located right on Hwy. 321 leading to the National Park, this seemed like a good place to do some woodworking and I went back to Cleveland, picked up my tools and a few things and proceeded to set up shop. Then fate stepped in. With winter approaching, I thought I'd wait until spring to open the business and decided to volunteer at the Newport Animal Shelter in town to kill some time. I had worked as a volunteer in a suburban shelter in Cleveland and enjoyed working with the animals. In Newport, I was welcomed by a good bunch of people in an awful mess. This was a small town, low budget animal shelter, absolutely overwhelmed with a huge volume of animals. Within the month, an opening came up in Animal Control and the crew convinced me to try it. The rest, as they say, is history. Two and a half years later, that Animal Shelter was all but destroyed by small town politics and I found the Outer Banks S.P.C.A..

So here I am a year later, writing The Scoop again (the first 19 issues were published in Tennessee in The Newport Plain Talk) and loving life on the Outer Banks. I live in Manns Harbor with my better half, Chrystal, my Husky (mix), Rebecca, and cat, Bob.

           I am a member of the Humane Society National Disaster Animal Response Team, the Manns Harbor Volunteer Fire Department, The Roanoke Island Writer's Group, and the Masonic Lodge so my free time is somewhat limited but I enjoy my bonsai garden and getting away when I can to do some canoeing, camping, and hiking. A return to chain saw carving is also something I'm determined to get back to.

I hope to make this "second career" in Animal Control a long one, possibly moving into shelter management or administration when I get too old to get a lost dog in the van anymore. Thanks for listening.

 

Author's Note

I don't know why when I copy and paste these articles my format changes...my indents disappear...my bullets disappear...it turns into one big mass...???????

Reviews

[Dianne]

It does seem that something went wrong in the copy and past. With respect to the formatting, the problem is that you are copying in something from Word or some other document software into an HTML format. There should be an opportunity for you to tell it to convert the paste job, but if you dont do that it will show up all funky.

[obxaco]

I've tried to edit this over and over and it just won't take!!@

[obxaco]

There is something really wrong with the way this posted?? Alot of parts are missing! I'm going to try to edit...Rich