Wishing - December 24 Sanctuary Update - Our Companions Animal Rescue

Hi Everyone!

You hear it everywhere at this time of year. “Best Holiday Wishes!” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas!” “Wishing You and Yours a Magical Season!” This time of year is all about wishes. We have lots of wishes here at the sanctuary, of course. We wish for healthy, peaceful days for all of the animals here. We wish for great adopters and loving homes. We wish the best for all of our staff. And the fundraising team wishes for lots of donations. For this month’s update, though, we wanted to share what our dogs, cats, and little critter wish for all of you, our volunteers and supporters. Our furry friends want you to know just how much they appreciate all you do to support our work here.

Princess wishes you warm and cozy snuggle time

Blitzen and Vixen wish you Christmas cheer all year round

Lucien wishes you a giant ball of fun this winter

Missy wishes you time for rest and relaxation

Ralph wishes you a holiday season worth singing about!

Bootz wishes you lots of time with those you love!

Angel and Neo wish you time for good fun with good friends

Scott wishes you time for inner reflection

From all of us here at Our Companions, the two legged and four legged (and yes, Noelle, even the the three legged), we wish you the best of everything this holiday season and a year ahead filled with joy and peace. We love having you here and can’t wait to see what’s in store next!

Rosie’s Last Roundup

Many of you know by now that we had to say goodbye to Rosie yesterday. Over my many years at the sanctuary, I’ve seen this story many times. An animal arrives in need of our special brand of care. Maybe they’re older, maybe they have a difficult medical condition, maybe some challenging behaviors, or like Rosie, maybe it’s all three. We know that their care will be a challenge and that they may never get adopted, but we also know that they have nowhere else to go and that we are uniquely positioned to give them a place where they can receive the kind of care and comfort they need to thrive. Usually though, from where I sit, I watch these stories progress from a safe distance. I get reports and help make and communicate plans and strategies. It’s rare that I get the gift of being as deeply involved in one of these stories as I did with Rosie. Rosie has been my office mate for about two years. She made it known right away that she was going to be in charge, but in return, she was going to be the best assistant I could ask for. She had a serene confidence and feisty energy that made time in my office a joy, no matter what the work at hand was. She welcomed anyone coming in for meetings or assistance but never got in the way. She was a part of hiring interviews, performance reviews, even meetings with construction managers during the last expansion. And her penchant for shredding paper made sure I always kept my desk neat and orderly. The whole time, I had a front row seat to the dedication of our staff and volunteers as they learned to interact with her while respecting her space, and as we made one adjustment after another to help support her as her health declined. It was a beautiful process, and I’m thankful I was able to participate so closely in the work. Rosie made a big impression on me and everyone here, and while we will all miss her deeply, we are lucky to have known her. Farewell, kiddo.

We experienced another loss in December as well. Just days after arriving, Tyrone, the guinea pig passed away suddenly from what was likely an undiagnosed kidney illness. As always, as soon as he was found struggling, our team jumped into action to get him the best possible care. Unfortunately, in a circumstance that is all too common for our tiniest friends, it was already too late for any treatment to be effective. He was a sweet boy and we are disappointed to not have the chance to know him better.

And of Course…Adoptions!!

The intake and adoption action at the sanctuary finished the year off in a big way. On the cat team, we were ecstatic to find homes for two challenging boys, Sammie and Butters. That let us welcome in two duos, kittens Blitzen and Vixen and shy guys Emi and Ollie. We also welcomed Tank and welcomed back the ever-so-handsome Calvin. The dog team traded little seniors with Otto going home and Freddie arriving. And in a flurry of activity, the small animal team sent home our first bunny resident, Hops, hamsters Raven and Ash, and guinea pigs Lando and the recently arrived Phyllis and Carmella. Filling up all the open space are guinea pigs Maurice, Reese, Susie, and Scott, ferrets Lucien and Scooter, and rabbits Hunny and Elvis. Wow!! Can’t wait to see what happens in 2025!!