Farewell

This is the last newsletter you will receive from the Pet Adoption League. We are closing our doors.

We are grateful to those of you who have generously supported us through monetary means, volunteering, and adopting. So many animals have been helped because people came together on their behalf.

We have worked very hard over the past 17 plus years for pets and their people in our community and in the surrounding areas. As you know, no one at PAL has ever been paid. Your money was used carefully and wisely. We have accomplished a tremendous amount; you can see our accomplishments here on the website, which will remain up for a few months.

We will retain the Pet Adoption League name and the corporation for now. We'll check back in about a year to see if the community needs our help.

In the meantime, please set aside one day a week to help animals yourself (that's only 4 times a month). Consider:

• walking a neighbor's dog (if s/he can't); 
• getting someone to spay or neuter his or her pet; 
• taking canned food to the shelter; 
• walking dogs or cuddling cats at the shelter; 
• taking pet food to a senior; 
• encouraging someone to adopt a cat or dog from a shelter or rescue group rather than buying a purebred; 
• writing legislators about something that's dear to your heart (right now everyone should write their representatives to urge them to regulate breeders -- currently breeders have no supervision so animals often live in appalling conditions, and you can bet breeders don't declare the sale of their animals on their income taxes); 
• encouraging law makers to pass a mandatory spay/neuter bill (this would save hundreds of thousands of lives per year in California alone); and/or 
• signing up with the Humane Society of the United States, In Defense of Animals, PCRM, PETA, or other organizations to get their action alerts. 

If you need details on any of the above, contact us.

No doubt you can come up with other things to do one day a week to help animals. If you can do more, great! 

Thanks again to all of you who love and help animals!

Warmest licks and purrs from your PALs!

If You Named PAL in Your Will

For those of you who have kindly considered adding the Pet Adoption League to your wills, please take us off. We really appreciate you thinking of us, but please consider others now that we will not be around.

We would like to caution you, however. If you do leave something to an organization, please be sure to name a back-up group, just in case they, too, close down.

Also, be sure you really know everything about the entity that you are considering. Get several recent tax returns. Get, in writing, how many paid employees the group has, how much is spent on salaries, overhead, conferences, retreats, consultants, etc., and how much really goes to the animals. An audit, by an independent accountant, not one affiliated in any way with the group, is ideal. You should look at the organization's books, too. 

Be very specific in the wording if you want your money to be used in a specific way. Also, appoint someone to make sure your wishes are carried out. Sadly, we know of several instances where it was promised that monies would be used in a particular way, but were not.

We hope that the above doesn't sound negative, we just want to make sure that your wishes are fulfilled and your money goes where you want it to.

PALs for Adoption - click dogs, cats for current pets available

In Memory of . . . 

In memory of all our animals, from Anne Rose & Gretchen Schneider
Rose Baltake & her beloved little Samantha, from Joe & Susan Baltake
Little Roz, a singular cat who recently joined her beloved guardian, Rose Baltake, from Joe & Susan Baltake
Maurice Baltake, our Soulmate, from Joe & Susan Baltake
Casey and Dandy Bartolucci, from Sherry Bartolucci
Sally Begley, from Chris & Mike Fairman
Summer Benes, from Valerie Perry
Molly Benner, from Rosemary & Bruce Benner
Richard Bisbee, from Janet Bisbee
Katina Brown, from Donna Brown
Pepi Coleman, from Carl Coleman
Scout & DumDum Connell, from Lewis & Betty Lou Connell
Casey Croft, "Gone from us for a year, but always in our hearts," from George & Jan Croft
Tommy Delgrosso, from Josephine Delgrosso
Kenji Dierkes, from Mom & Soji Dierkes
Zoe Drummond, "Always in our hearts and thoughts," from Mike and Anna Drummond
Zoe Drummond,"We know you are in God's loving hands," from Cheryl Wicks & Curt Romander
Sabrina Eagan, from Karen and Ridge Eagan
Puppet Edler, from Sandra Truman
Tigger Fairbank, from Valerie Perry
Molly Gabler, from Catherine Busch-Johnston
Kiki Hansen, "Our precious Kiki cat. So little time, 
but so much love." from Grammy & Papa Hansen
Bengi, Bitsy, Brownie & Genie Hargens, from Lola Hargens
Jack Hauser, from Rich & Kathe Gresham
Tommy Heliotes, from Tina Heliotes
Ralph Hill, from Gene & Nina Zepp
Ralph & Betty Hill, from Mike & Anna Drummond
Tule Hughes, "Our beloved Tule," from Sister Dolly, Grammy & Papa Hansen
Gus Johnson, "a truly wonderful dog," from Lou Johnson
Tootsie, Chipper & Joey Johnston, from Ruth Johnston
Koko Knight, from Thomas Rumble
Bill Korn, from Dorothy Green
Alice Magonigal, from Marti Mott
Lisa, Pumpkin, Sweetheart, Gremlyn & Gina Malley, from Diana Malley
Emerson McAlister, "A great cat!" from Annabelle Robbins
Chloe Montierth, and all the furry kids who blessed our lives over the years, from Flo & Garry Montierth
Missie Nightingale, "My beloved Beagle, gone 3 years and I still miss her so!" from Joan Nightingale
Mr Peepers, from Jean McMurray
Woggles Palmerton, from Sandy Palmerton
Bubba Powell, from Skip & Dorry Powell
Amy Quintana, from Corrine Quintana
Misty & Muffin Rumble, from Thomas Rumble
Pete Schmiedel, from Mona Schmiedel
Irene Schwander, from John & Patricia Smith
Irene Schwander, from Mary & John Breslin
Nicky Skaer, from Steve & Patty Pauly
Nicky Skaer, from Valerie Perry
Nicky Skaer, from Ross & Elaine Quinlan
Nicky Skaer, from Pat Riley
My beloved Nick, from Bill Skaer
Nicki & Belle Smith, "Two great PAL cats adopted 16 years ago. See you at the Bridge," love, Phyllis Smith
Myra Taylor, "The bravest, most brilliant friend I've been blessed to know and love," from Margaret Adams
Rocco Stockman, from Ginny Stockman
Scooter & Molly Wallace, from Susan Wallace
Popeye Wallace and all those sweet souls who left us way too soon, from Susan Wallace
Sammie Wicks, "We know you are in God's loving hands," from Cheryl Wicks & Curt Romander
Sammie Wicks, "Cherished by Cheryl and Curt," from Mike & Anna Drummond
Dick Wilson and his beloved Daisy, form Fran Yordan
Bob & Gunny Wheeler, Love, Mom, from Emily Wheeler
Meela Williams, from Linda Williams
Rusty & Vincie Williams, "Our two wonderful cats," from Ken & Bobbi Williams

In Honor of . . .

Brunswick Veterinary Clinic, for your professional work and your loving care, from Maryalyce, Karsten, Dolly & Kiki Hansen
Mandy, Jake, Kissie & Maggie Crabtree, from John & Darlene Crabtree
Little Guy & Yubi, PAL adoptees, from Sandy & Tom Devine
Peter Fulton Foss, our dear friend, from Peggy & Bob O'Brien
Casey Gates, from Sandy Truman
Jean Ingram, "Happy Birthday!" from Roy & Teresa Jennings
Roy Jennings, "Happy Birthday!" from Jeanne Ingram
Nan Morrison, from Peter Fulton Foss
Shirley Nibbelin, "Happy Birthday!" from Joyce Haire
Sharon O'Hara & Mike Gorman on their marriage, from Helen Avery
Garfield Scotten, in honor of his 14th birthday! "Hope he has many more!" from Midge Scotten
Amie Thomas, from Isabell Thomas
Arianna Tillotson, from Joyce Tillotson
Jacob Trembley, "Happy 6th Birthday!" from Laurie & John Trembley
Hallie Trembley, "Happy 5th Birthday!" from Laurie & John Trembley
Cheryl Wicks, from Ray & Donna Specht