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Hi FluffyPaw Buddies!!
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to be published right here! Any story you might have about you and your
pet. Let us know.
We would love to hear from you!  E-mail your stories to us! |
Surprise! An autumn newsletter! Just when you were
beginning to think I would never update again! I promise to try
for a quarterly newsletter from here on out. Monthly may be a bit
more difficult! Here's what happened so far this year: In January 2011, my husband Vito was diagnosed with pneumonia, a complication from his 7 yr battle with cancer. He wanted to stay home with our furry babies while I was pet sitting, so I couldn't convince him to go to the hospital. He was sure he would be fine. By February, he was so much worse; he was admitted to the hospital against his wishes. With his compromised immune system working against him, Vito couldn't hold on anymore, and died on March 16th. I took Macy to see him his last few days at the Unity Hospice Care Center. She was a great comfort to both of us, and he got to tell her goodbye. One of my final memories I have is Macy's chin lying on his bed, Vito petting her & the huge smile on his face! Now, as I learn how to live as a single person, I also have to learn how to make all the  decisions, repairs, updates, and improvements
alone. Security isn't an issue, I have Macy for that (do
you KNOW Macy? Tee hee...). I have my vigilant watch cats,
Shey, the rumbling wheezing bully of the house, and Sarena, my blind
(and now partially deaf) black sweetheart of a girl, Sammy, who will
purr you into a false sense of security, and Shaney, who protects me
from whatever may be hiding under the bed. But it's not easy, I have learned, making all the decisions on my own. While Vito was a good man who loved me more than anyone, he wasn't a good financial planner. I have to adjust my life accordingly.  In the spring, I discovered a SNAKE in my basement. Do you know me? Do you know how I feel about snakes? (And spiders since we are in the fear topic!). My first concern was that it would hurt my cats. I was assured my cats would more likely hurt it, but I blocked the cellar door completely, just in case. I did not want to deal with feline and snake confrontations. I had a friend come capture it, release it back outside, and find how it came to hibernate in my basement in the first place! Hopefully, no more snakes... Summer came, and with it, the need for a new vehicle became apparent to me. I did some creative finagling, financing, and wheeling, dealing. I found a new-to-me Saturn Vue. It's much bigger inside so I can carry more supplies that at any time in a day I may find myself needing. It's got a higher ground clearance, too, so I can get into driveways better this winter without the fear of getting stuck. We can only hope... Wouldn't you know that I hadn't got the permanent registration in the mail yet, and was  rear-ended by someone? It was frustrating and
painful. My first phone call was to the police; my second was to
my "back-up" to care for animals that were waiting, while I filled out
paperwork. I always remember that my clients come first. I
can't let my fluffy-pawed friends down. (Or the beaks, fins, and
whatever else...). A week later when pains were getting quite
severe in my foot I went to have it looked at. Turns out I had a broken
bone in my right foot! My doctor said I would be fine; I just had to
wear the cast for six weeks, and keep off the foot. "Do you KNOW
what I do for a living?", I asked him. We compromised, and I wore
a removable cast all the time - except for when I was driving. It
would have to be my right foot, wouldn't it? On and off, the air
cast "boot", and my sneaker. This made my days really long.
REALLY long. But I got through it. The cast is now
off. While still in some pain, I don't have that
aggravation. Do you have any idea how soggy that thing got in the
pouring rains we had, or how hot it could be? Sigh. Four days prior to the accident, the FluffyPaw Gang lost their matriarch. My Suzi, at age 16, quietly passed away at home with me supporting her & surrounded by her FluffyPaw family. My little 500 lb lion in a 6 pound body is sorely missed. She gave me much love, and brought me many laughs in the 12 years she lived with me. Now, autumn is here, and with it all the plans for holiday travel are gearing up. Should you be planning a weekend getaway, or a longer holiday, please think of me to meet your pet's needs. Referrals are always appreciated, too. I find word-of-mouth to be my best advertising! 
If you are experiencing difficult financial times, like me, and you
think you can't afford to hire a pet-sitter, think again. Certified by
Pet Sitter's International, bonded and insured, I am always available,
and have great references. My price scale, while competitive, is
not set in stone, and I can be flexible when we talk about setting up a
schedule for your pet's needs. We can always come to some
financial agreement that is workable for all parties.You may think a neighbor is a good alternative for occasional pet sitting, but my services include so much more. Should your pet become sick or injured while you are away, it is likely I  will notice
something is wrong before someone with less experience does. With
over 16 years as a pet sitter, I respond to medical emergencies as if
the client was my own pet, remaining calm so as not to frighten the
animal. I will call the owners, of course, but I take the pet to
his or her veterinarian - or the emergency veterinarians (who are on
speed-dial!) when necessary. I keep extra pet
carriers in my car, just in case! I know how to administer
medications, change bandages, coax a fearful animal out of hiding, and
soothe anxious pets. I will spend extra time comforting your
lonely pets, playing with them, and petting while they eat. I
alert owners to any changes that may affect the overall well-being of
their animal. My experiences include cats, dogs, birds, gerbils,
rabbits, hamsters, salt water and fresh water fish, and almost any
other living pets (except the previously mentioned snakes, or
spiders!). I pay attention to your home environment to make sure
everything is safe, secure, and in the condition I found it. For
those of you who haven't joined my Facebook page yet, you are missing
out on some fun!! You can join at:
www.facebook.com/fluffypawspetluv . You will find a pet of
the week, pet care or information related articles which will soon be
added, and you may even find a "Special" posted at any moment! There
may even be one coming along for the upcoming holidays!
I finally got the pictures from this whole year put up in Kodak
Gallery. You'll find new members of the Fluffypaw Buddies as well as
the ones we have lost throughout the year. There is also a file with
some updated pictures. With the holidays fast approaching here is an article with seasonal hazards to protect your pets from: Holiday Pet Safety. If you wish to have a printed version please let me know & I will get it in the mail to you. I know most of you already are cautious against these but it's always good to read a refresher. If you are receiving this newsletter in the mail & you have an email address please notify me so I may add you to the email list & save on postage costs. Happy to see that after more than a decade Town of Greece Police Department has added Hunter, a German Shepherd K-9 to it's force! Greece K-9 Unit Congratulations & welcome to Officer Ross & Hunter! I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season! Here's also hoping that I may see many of you during this time or soon! Stay warm-if you need hints for this we can try to wake my cats curled on the blankets & ask them. Stay safe & healthy!  |
| Luv U Bunches!! |
Jill & the FluffyPaw Gang