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Taking over the family restroom

I was going through some old photos tonight and came across photos I took of Tyler during our first full day together. We had a very early start that day, flying from Phoenix to Dayton with a layover in Atlanta.

Anything good in that bag?

I was lucky that Tyler was so small–he was able to fly in a pet carrier underneath the seat in front of me. I was able to walk him before we got on the plane in Phoenix. When we got to Atlanta, we had a little over an hour until we would board our next plane. And because we were in the gate area, I was not permitted to take Tyler out of his carrier.

Chowing down on some kibble! (He's so skinny!)

Here’s the tip: We found a “family restroom” and locked ourselves in for about 45 minutes! If you don’t know, a “family restroom” is a single potty, unisex bathroom containing a diaper changing table where a mom or dad traveling with children can more easily “take care of business” than in the regular stalls in the larger restrooms.

In Atlanta, there was a family restroom in between each men’s/women’s room.

Playtime!

Behind the locked door of the family restroom, I was able to let Tyler out of his bag so he could stretch his legs, eat some lunch, and pee on the pee pads I brought with us. We had a lovely time playing with his toy and having a few cuddles. When we were done, the pee pad went into the trash, and Tyler went back in his bag.

The family restroom was an absolute lifesaver!

I was doing some clean-up on my YouTube account today, and came across a video I did of Tyler in June of 2010. This is his very first Bichon Blitz in his new home. He looks so skinny! But that’s because this is just weeks after his rescue by the mighty warriors of Small Paws Rescue–he was only a very few weeks away from recuperating from starvation and parvo virus.  Watch my sweet boy run!

It's a Kitten Shower!

We had a kitten shower at the office on Friday. But wait! There’s more…

Little Boy Kitty

Every September, we (the employees of Iams) take a day away from the office and do rehab work on a shelter in our area–as part of our celebration of Iams Home 4 the Holidays. This year, we worked on the Humane Society of Greater Dayton.

New Mom Robin and Lazer Tag for Kitties!

A couple of weeks before our scheduled day of work, somebody dumped a trio of kittens at the shelter. Yes, I said dumped–and the kittens were only a couple of days old.

Little Girl Kitty

As it happened, some of our folks were there doing prep work for the rehab. My buddy Robin was outlining some of the murals that would be painted later by the larger group. Robin was outraged that kittens so young would be separated from their mom.

Little Gray Boy During the Shelter Rehab

Over the following weeks, Robin stopped by ever few days to visit and care for the three little kittens. She was charmed and moved by their resilience and their will to survive.

Last week, at six weeks old, the shelter director decided they were old enough for Robin to foster. So Robin took them home. And started her journey down the short path of failing “Foster 101.”

Newly named Jezabelle, Jaxon, and Jasper.

So on Friday we had a kitten shower. Someone sent her a meeting notice for a bogus meeting and we yelled “Surprise!” when she joined us. And there were balloons and presents. And much laughter. And lots of phone photos of really cute little fuzz balls.

Robin told us that the family was having a hard time naming the kittens–and that her husband was OK with adopting two, but not sure about adopting three. I figured, if we could name all three then hubby would have a harder time saying no. So we asked the Iams community on Facebook. Robin took their suggestions, and the kittens are now Jezabelle, Jaxon, and Jasper.

C’mon hubby! Three kitties are just as easy to take care of as two kitties. And an extra excuse for warm snuggles!

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OAHS

Here’s the press release!

Mike Arms/Iams Hero Award Given to Austin Humane Society

On Monday, October 10, the Iams Company and Mike Arms, president of Helen Woodward Animal Center and founder of the Iams Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption program, will present the first annual Mike Arms/Iams Hero Award in recognition of Austin Humane Society’s extraordinary relief effort in the Austin/Bastrop wildfires in September, 2011.

Austin Humane Society took the lead in coordinating the disaster relief efforts for the animals displaced in the Austin/Bastrop counties as a result of the recent Texas wildfires. This widespread disaster destroyed over 1,400 homes in the Central Texas area. The Austin Humane Society helped create a temporary triage unit in the Austin and Bastrop areas providing food, and refuge, and medical care for the displaced animals. We are grateful for their dedicated service to enhancing the quality of life for animals and their families.

Iams gives out the Mike Arms/Iams Hero Award to a person or animal organization that exemplifies the commitment and passion for the lives of orphaned animals similar to what Mike Arms has been doing for so many years.

For the past 12 years, Iams has joined forces with Mike Arms and the Helen Woodward Animal Center for the annual adoption campaign to help raise awareness of orphaned animals in shelters and rescues around the world. The program has created new ways to increase public awareness about orphaned animals, increase the number of pet adoptions, lower euthanasia rates, and set records for the number of people that are receiving humane education.

I am so please that the Austin Humane Society has been recognized in this way!

We established the Mike Arms/Iams Hero Award last year, when we presented Mike with the “Iams Lifetime Hero Achievement Award” in recognition of his commitment and extraordinary contributions to enhancing the lives of homeless animals for more than 30 years. In his honor, we created the annual “Mike Arms/Iams Hero Award.”

Mike Arms is a Lifetime Hero!

For the past few years, we’ve used the same PSAs with a new voice-over at the end to advertise Iams Home 4 the Holidays–and frankly, these PSAs are classics! Unlike other TV ads that make you cry because they’re so sad, these PSAs make you cry because they’re so happy! It has become a tradition for me to celebrate these ads. Please grab a tissue and watch how the real reward in adopting a pet, is when the pet adopts you!

Ah! and now I’m misty-eyed! I love happy endings!

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