Author: Jennifer Vanderau

When the people I live with first brought me in, I thought I’d hit the big time. And in a way, I had. No more dodging cars in the street, no more scrounging for food. Fresh water would be a constant, instead of a treat. I didn’t have to worry about something attacking me while I slept. I could get hugs and kisses and pats all the time. In the beginning, that’s exactly what had happened. I floated on a kind of cloud of bliss that I didn’t really know animals could feel. It was amazing. Like a dream come…

It has taken me weeks to feel like I was ready to write this column and I’m still not sure I can do it, but I’m going to try. Nancy Gardner, the president of our board of directors, passed away in February. That sentence alone was tough to type. It just doesn’t feel real, even though it was a month ago. She was my editor for these columns. As I would write each week, I would think about her and her editing skills. She knew grammar better than anyone I have ever met. Now as I write, I feel the…

We have two events coming up – yes, events again! – and I’m super excited about both of them. The first is our annual Kitten Shower. It’s like a baby shower, but with kittens! We know the little ones are coming and are getting ready. We’re holding our 7th annual Kitten Shower on March 25 and 26 at the shelter on Letterkenny Road West. On Saturday it will be from noon to 2 p.m. and Sunday will be from noon to 1 p.m. We’re gathering items so we can be prepared for the four-legged babies. We are looking for kitten…

I’ve got to talk about something that’s going to make us all itchy, but with spring on the horizon, it’s a must. The one good thing about cold weather is it usually helps reduce the flea and tick population, but with longer evenings and warmer days in our future, the little bloodsuckers are going to come back. Fleas and ticks can be a problem for all of us, not just our pets, because they’re not terribly selective about where they get their meals. We’re just as yummy a treat as our dogs and cats are to a flea or a…

The other day I came out of our staff lounge to find one of our Animal Care Technicians stapling a photo to our Happy Endings board on the wall. She had the cutest smile on her face and as I walked by she said to me, “Look at my girl.” The picture she pointed to was a beagle who had been in our adoption kennels a little while ago. She said, “I loved her so much and look how happy she looks now.” I stood with her for a bit and the pup did have a genuine appearance of canine…

A child stands in front of his class, book in hand, ready to read. The boy hesitates, fear and anxiety evident on his face. He stumbles a bit on some words, face flushing. He needs help to get through the short text and when he takes his seat again, it’s clear he’s distressed. That same child is in the same classroom later, but this time he’s sitting on the floor in front of a dog. The boy has the same book in his hand and he’s reading again, only this time, the words are clear and he’s smiling, knowing that…

We are approaching that time of year when the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter is going to be in rather desperate need of foster homes. Particularly for kittens and especially with the warmer weather. We currently have more than 150 cats in our care and that’s BEFORE the kittens arrive. I’m writing this today for two reasons. One, if you’re looking for a cat, now’s the time to adopt. We have a lot of awesome older cats who’ve been with us for close to a year who really need to get out of a cage and into a loving home. Especially…

It’s back! I am so excited that this is back. We’re putting COVID and all it did to our fundraisers in the rearview mirror and the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter is hosting our Cabin Fever Music Fest for the first time in two years! The Cabin Fever Music Fest will be held on Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Orchards Restaurant in Chambersburg and it is so. Much. Fun. I am always amazed and thrilled at the talent we have in this community. Local musicians agree to put on a concert for the animals and they are the best. The sounds…

The feline is an incredibly odd creature. For those who live with cats, I doubt this will be all that much of a revelation, but living with six and working at the shelter, I’ve been shown exactly how peculiar these critters can be. When we have cats come into the shelter we have to take each one as a new case. I swear, they’re almost like snowflakes in that each one is so uniquely different. For instance, I’ll never forget Tyson, a big, long-haired gray cat we adopted a few years ago. He came into the shelter with a genetic…

Imagine getting to hang out with some of the coolest people you know. Imagine being able to do that every day. That’s what John Poniske feels when he creates his Civil War themed novels that began with Prelude to War, the self-published debut of his Snakebit series. His second and latest novel from the series, called Fire-Eaters, presents the beginning of the American Civil War through the eyes of the families and friends in the border state of Maryland. It follows the fictional Garrett family as they witness Lincoln’s election and the falling of Fort Sumter. Those are the friends Poniske…