WESTIE TALESWESTIE TALES

Spring has finally arrived and that means it’s time for our Annual Rescue Reunion Picnic! This is a time that we invite everyone who has adopted a Rescue from our Atlanta Westie Rescue and all members to help us celebrate these precious Westies! It gives the foster families an opportunity to reunite with the Westies they have lovingly fostered, to hear their stories and see how well they have adapted to their new families. Personally, this is my favorite meeting of the year.

Our Rescue Chair, Melinda Henning, has sent out an invitation that you should be receiving shortly, if not already. Our picnic with be Sunday, April 23, 2017, at Wills Park, 1818 Old Milton Parkway, Alpharetta, Georgia, and the festivities will begin at 1:00 PM. We have pushed the date forward this year so as not to conflict with Easter Sunday on the 16th. The Board will be providing hot dogs and hamburgers with all the fixings, as well as the sides. We would like to ask that you bring a favorite dessert to share with everyone.

While at the picnic, your Westie(s) must be on a leash at all times. You may also bring a crate or X-Pen as there is grassy space for you to set up around the covered pavilion. There are plenty of picnic tables with places to sit, but feel free to bring a chair if you like. Restrooms are close by.

Since there is food involved and we want to be sure we have enough, please RSVP to me no later than Thursday, April 20, 2017 . My email address is krbarnes682@gmail.com and my home phone with voice mail is (770) 973-4777. Be sure to let me know the number of family members and guests in your group.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone then!

Kathy Barnes, President

In This Issue

President’s MessagePage 1 - 2

Secretary’s Message Meeting Minutes

Pages 3 - 5

Treasurer’s ReportPage 11

Ask the VetPage 6

Noah’s NewsPage 7

Significant Dates Calendar Page 9 * 10

WESTIE TALES March 2017

WESTIE CLUB OF THE SOUTH ELECTION OF OFFICERS - 2017

Every 2 years, we hold an Election of a new Board of Directors for the Westie Club of the South. The Officers that are voted on are the PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT, SECRETARY, TREASURER AND THE MEMBER-AT-LARGE. Each term is a 2-year term and each position has term limits as noted in the By- Laws. We will be soliciting nominations in April at the WCOS Rescue Reunion Picnic and by email for those who cannot attend the Picnic. You will indicate your choice of nominee in each of the 5 categories listed above and return your nominations to the Inspector of Election, Sandy Pence and her nominating committee member, Marsha Watson.

Please consider getting involved in your Club. I have included in this article each Description of Duties for the 5 officers. Read through carefully and decide if you or someone you know in the Club might be suitable for the position. Each candidate must be a member in good standing and have paid their dues. They also must accept the nomination before the vote.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

“Section 3. Officers”The Club's Officers, consisting of the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, shall serve in their respective capacities both with regard to the Club meetings and the Board in its meetings.

The President shall preside at all meetings of the Club and of the Board and shall have the duties and powers normally appurtenant to the office of President in addition to those particularly specified in these By-Laws.

The Vice-President shall have the duties and exercise the powers of the President in case of the President's death, absence, or incapacity and shall act in the order of their position.

The Secretary shall keep a record of all meetings of the Club and of the Board and of all votes taken and of all matters of which a record shall be ordered by the Club. He/she shall keep a roll of the current members of the Club with their addresses; notify Officers, Directors, and committee members of their election or appointment and shall carry out other duties as provided in these By-Laws. The Secretary shall notify members of meetings and shall have charge of the general correspondence of the Club.

The Treasurer shall collect and receive all monies due or belonging to the Club. He/she shall deposit the same in a bank approved by the Board, in the name of the Club. The books shall at all times be open to inspection of the Board and he/she shall report to them at every meeting the condition of the Club's finances and every item of receipt or payment not before reported. He/she shall, at the Annual Meeting, after the conclusion of each calendar year, render to the membership an account of all monies received and expended during the previous year. The Treasurer shall be bonded in such amount as the Board of Directors shall determine Bi-annually.

Within thirty (30) days of the end of the fiscal year, the books shall be subject to an audit by a committee composed of three (3) members of the Club in good standing, appointed by the President and approved by the Board on or before the November Board meeting. The conclusions of the member audit committee will be presented at the February Membership meeting.

The Member At Large shall collect the thoughts, ideas and wishes of the Membership and represent them to the Board. Through advocacy and representation, the Member At Large shall assist the Board in the process of serving the Club’s best interests.

(FROM THE BY-LAWS OF THE WESTIE CLUB OF THE SOUTH, INC.)A more detailed description of each position can be found in the Policies and Procedures Manual.

Kathy Barnes, President

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WESTIE TALES March 2017

SECRETARY’S MESSAGERobin Morgan

MEETING MINUTES

Westie Club of the SouthFebruary Membership Meeting Minutes

February 12, 2017

The Westie Club of the South held the February 12, 2017 Membership Meeting and Valentine Pawty at 2:00 p.m. The Club met at the new location, Delightful Dog, 4958 Lower Roswell Road, #124, Marietta, GA 30068. Twenty members and one guest attended.

AGENDAPresident Kathy Barnes called the meeting to order at 2:20 p.m. Gary Pence made a motion to accept the agenda as written and Melinda Henning seconded. The motion passed. Membership Chairman Melanie Lumpkin introduced a guest, Darlene Lacey. REPORTS OF OFFICERS

President’s Report- Kathy BarnesPresident Barnes began by covering some “housekeeping” items pertaining to the new meeting location. She pointed out the location of restrooms and the dog walk area. She noted that chairs had been supplied by Delightful Dog and added that for future meetings members should consider bringing a chair in case of a shortage. The chairs previously owned by the Club were donated to Good Will, she explained. Melanie Lumpkin will collect all dog waivers as required by Delightful Dog.

President Barnes told the Club that membership dues can be paid to Treasurer George Wearn either by check or credit card.

Kathy explained that the Election process for the Club will begin in April. At that time she said nominations will be taken for a variety of Board Positions that need to be filled this year. She asked

members to consider running for these offices and welcomed new ideas from members. New Officers will be announced at the Annual Auction and Dinner on June 11, 2017.

President Barnes said she has reserved June 11, 2017 with Ippolitos’s Restaurant for the Annual Auction and Dinner date. She said she will be making a $400 reservation deposit to the restaurant shortly. Also, donations for this year’s auction are now being accepted. Members may contact Sandy Pence or Heather Taylor about donations.

Club member Kate Nixon talked to the group about the SCOTS Barn Hunt event to be held in March in Cumming, GA. The SCOTS Club had previously observed the event and then scheduled to have one for their Club. She explained that five openings are available at a cost of $40 per dog. The event involves a hunting exercise in a barn with hay bales, tunnels and live rats in cages. If someone just wants to attend and observe, there is a $10 fee, she added. Those interested may contact Kate Nixon or Kathy Barnes. The registration fee is due by Feb. 25, 2017.

Vice President’s Report- Harriett GessHarriett Gess offered some free dog tag clips to the group.

Secretary’s Report- Robin MorganRobin Morgan was unable to attend the meeting. Sandy Pence took the minutes. Kathy Barnes asked for a motion to forgo the reading of the December 11, 2016 Membership Meeting minutes and accept those published in the January 2017 edition of

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WESTIE TALES March 2017

Westie Tails Newsletter. Harriett Gess so moved with a second by Kate Nixon.

Treasurer’s Report- George WearnGeorge Wearn explained to the group that of the 10 dogs rescued by WCOS recently, the average veterinary expense for each one was over$1600. He added that many of these dogs have been older with many more illnesses including some dogs that were heartworm positive. Expenses in previous years averaged about $800 per dog so the increase has been a significant expense for the Club.George reported that so far only 30 of last year’s 66 members have paid their dues. He pointed out that membership dues are the only Club income at this time until the Annual Auction is held in June. He encouraged everyone to be supportive in helping spread the word to pay dues to the Club by the Feb. 28 deadline and also to recruit new members.George reported that WCOS annual expenses for January, 2017, were $2,301.04. At present, the bank balance is $13,322.66.

Member at Large- Melinda HenningMelinda Henning announced that Melanie Lumpkin won the treat jar. Melinda said that the next meeting will be the Rescue Reunion to be held April 23, 2017, at Wills Park. The picnic will begin at 1:00 p.m. Board members will provide burgers and hot dogs as well as side dishes. Members are asked to bring desserts to share. She said that the Valentines King and Queen Westiecontest winners will be announced later in the meeting.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Fundraising- Heather Taylor and Sandy PenceHeather Taylor asked the group if they would be interested in doing another T-shirt fundraiser for this year’s Rescue Reunion. The general consensus was YES and there was a preference for a short sleeve t-shirt. Heather asked for suggestions for the graphics adding that these should be sent to her.

Sandy Pence told the group that Garden Flags were for sale today as a fundraiser and noted their location in the back of the room. Members were asked to see Heather or Sandy for purchases.

Membership-Melanie LumpkinMelanie introduced Darlene Lacey as a guest and also welcomed her 3 year old Westie, Sasha.

Website- Heather Taylor for Martin SaundersHeather Taylor reported that she and Martin Saunders had conferenced with Ben McCloskey, the website expert hired by WCOS, regarding the revamping of the website. Ben gave them a live demo of WordPress which he will use to rebuild the website. He plans to do this over the next few weeks and keep Heather updated on processes. Ben said there are some exciting new features that will be offered and that the website will have a more professional, finished and consistent look.

Rescue- Gary Pence and Melinda HenningMelinda Henning announced that Finley Jack (Fin) was adopted by Andrea and Andrew Morrison this past Saturday. She said Fin came into our rescue last fall with heartworms and had been in foster care with Melanie and David Lumpkin.

Maggie, now twelve and a half, is still with Joan Thurston as a long term foster. Louie remains with the Terrell’s as another long term foster.

Melinda did a presentation on “Ten Great Reasons to be a Foster Family.” She stressed the benefits for both the dog and the caregiver. She will be offering more information on this topic at a future training program for those interested in fostering.

Old BusinessThere was no old business.

New Business

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WESTIE TALES March 2017

The next meeting will be the WCOS Board Meeting on March 19, 2017, at the home of Gary and Sandy Pence.

Motion to Adjourn

George Wearn made a motion to adjourn the meeting with Harriett Gess seconding. The meeting was adjourned by President Barnes at 3:40 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,Robin Morgan- WCOS Secretary

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Be sure to check out our significant dates calendar on the last page

Wills Park1818 Milton Pkway.Alpharetta, GA

April 23, 2017 – 1:00 pm

WESTIE TALES March 2017

ASK THE VETDR. AGDA TOMMASIA

MONTROSE ANIMAL HOSPITAL

It is that time of the year, when everything that you can possibly image turns a little green. Even pets that do not suffer from allergies wake up with their eyes draining and sometimes even start chewing on their paws. The good news is that you are not alone, the bad news is that this year will be unusually worse due to the lack of a severe winter. So be prepared, being proactive is the best approach to the “allergy season”. These are a few easy tips that might help you stay away from another vet’s visit.

- Bathe – make sure that your pet is bathed regularly. If you have an active dog, who is always playing outside, it is not unreasonable to bathe your dog every day. Choose a pet appropriate shampoo and bathe with cool water, making sure to get the pollen from the fur and then dry your pet completely before allowing her/him outside.

- Flush their ears – use an ear flush to clean your pets ears. Again, the frequency will depend on how much exposure to the outside your pet gets. But, if you feel that your pet gets relief from having their ears flushed every day, it is okay. Use an ear flush like Zymox HC, but do NOT use any Q-tip. Most Westies’ ear canal is smaller than the diameter of a Q-tip, inserting the Q-tip in the ear canal adds to the amount of irritation and should be avoided.

- Benadryl – use Benadryl when necessary – it is safe to give your dog 1 mg of Benadryl per

pound of body weight. So, if your pet weights around 25 pounds, it is safe to give 25 mg of Benadryl by mouth up to every 8 hours, if necessary.

- Wiping their paws when they come inside can help decrease itching on their paws, as well as decrease pollen tracked inside the house. This is especially useful if bathing is not possible.

- Stay away from over-the-counter topical medications – although you might be tempted to apply Neosporin or similar medications to your pets skin, stay strong and stay away from the ointments. Most ointments do work well, and can be used occasionally, however, on an itchy pet it attracts more attention to the problem area, causing your pet to chew even more fiercely.

- Rinse your pet’s eyes with cold saline instead of tap water. It may sound like an unnecessary step, whoever, for a dog with irritated conjunctiva, the cold saline feels soothing and is less irritating to the eyes compared to tap water.

I hope that these few steps will help keep your pet out of the veterinary office, while making a night of sleep much more enjoyable without an itchy dog to wake you up at night.Happy Spring!

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Be sure to check out our significant dates calendar on page 8

WESTIE TALES March 2017

Our 10th Annual Rescue Reunion picnic will be held on April 23rd, 2017 at Wills Park. Hopefully you have received your formal invite in the mail. Please mark your calendars to attend and celebrate our precious Westies. Lots of fun contests and prizes are planned. Please keep an eye out for more information via email.

Since our last newsletter, we have two new foster dogs and have successfully place one in a “furrever” home. Finn, who was fostered by Melanie and David Lumpkin, has been adopted by club members Andrea and Andrew Morrison. He has fit right in with his new brother Mac. Congratulations! A recent rescue named Mack is being fostered by the Wearns. Mack was surrendered to us by a vet outside of Athens. He was dropped off at the vet to be euthanized due to ataxia and defecation incontinence. The vets thought both issues could be treated so they asked the owner to sign the patient over to them rather than elect euthanasia. Acupuncture treatments were given to Mack to help manage his intervertebral disc disease. After a month living at the vet in Athens, George and Jeannie Wearn have taken Mack into their loving home. He is currently undergoing acupuncture treatment at Montrose and according to George, “he is a charmer and a real delight.” We hope that with each treatment his “nerve communication” will improve. Many thanks to the Wearns for their kindness and patience.

Abby was also rescued from a vet in South Georgia. She was surrendered by an elderly couple who could no longer take care of her needs. She was very sick when she was dropped off at the vet and after tests were conducted it was discovered that she was diabetic. Melanie and David Lumpkin are fostering her and giving her insulin shots twice daily. She is under the medical care of our new vet partner, Shannon Vet in Jefferson, GA. They are trying to get her insulin level under control and she has also been making major strides with Melanie and David who say “she is coming around a lot each day.” Thanks to the Lumpkins for working with Abby and giving her special attention.

Our senior lady Maggie is fostered by Joan Thurston. Thanks Joan for taking care of Maggie’s medical needs. According to Joan, “She is a happy girl.”

Last, but not least, is Louie who is fostered by the Terrell family. He is in the perfect home as the Terrell’s take care of his medical issues and give him the love and care that he needs.

Many, many thanks to our wonderful Foster Families. Hope to see everyone at the Rescue Reunion Picnic!

Respectfully,Melinda HenningWCOS Rescue

7Be sure to check out our significant dates calendar on page ____

NOAH’S NEWS:

WESTIE RESCUE UPDATE

MEMBERSHIPThe 2017 Membership drive for the Westie Club of the South, Inc, has concluded, and we are happy to report that we had a 90.91% renewal percentage. This is our highest membership renewal to date and we appreciate you all.

New Members since the last Newsletter are Darlene Lacy and her Westie Sasha and Carolyn and Zach Layfield and their newly adopted rescue (outside of our Club), Tucker!

WESTIE TALES March 2017

Please Support Our Sponsors

Top Dogs Pet Boutique2615 George Busby PkyKennesaw, Ga. 30144770-218-0602www.topdogs.net

Best Friends Pet Care1087 Johnson Ferry RoadMarietta, Ga. 30068678-560-0880www.bestfriendspetcare.com

Mazzy’s Sports Bar and Grille7160 Jimmy Carter BlvdNorcross, Ga. 30092678-822-9888www.mazzys.com

Top Dogs Pet Boutique900 Mansell Road S-13Roswell, Ga. 30076770-641-8620www.topdogs.net

Montrose Animal Hospital1028 Woodlawn Dr.Marietta, Ga. 30068770-977-9000www.montroseanimalhospital.com

Ippolito’s “Bocce Room”2270 Holcomb Bridge RoadRoswell, GA 30076

Loving Hands Animal Clinic and Pet Resort13775 Hwy. 9Alpharetta, Ga.770-667-9022www.lovinghands.com

Five Star Dog Resort12870 Arnold Mill RoadAlpharetta, Ga. 30004678-867-2001www.5stardogresort.com

Merry Mac Dog Training2485 Towne Lake Parkway, #108Woodstock, Ga.  30189 –NEW!770-579-3865tina@merrymacdogtraining.com

Animal Medical Center of Monroe218 Highway 138Monroe, GA  30655770-267-3776http://www.amcmonroe.com/

8Be sure to check out our significant dates calendar on the last page

“Information contained herein is for educational purposes only and should not be substituted for advice from a Licensed Veterinarian or other licensed professional.”

WESTIE TALES March 2017

WCOS SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 2017

EVENT DATE TIMELOCATIO

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Board Meeting 1/15/2017 1:00 Barnes Home

Valetines Party 2/19/2017 2:00 Delightful Dog 4958 Lower Roswell Rd, #124Marietta, GA 30068

ANNUAL DUES DUE 3/1/2017

Board Meeting 3/12/2017 1:00 Pence's HomeNote new date

Rescue Reunion *4/23/2017 1:00 Wills Park1818 Old Milton Pkwy

(Date change due to Easter 4/16/2017) Alpharetta, GA

Board Meeting 5/21/2017 1:00 Pence Home

Annual Dinner 6/11/2017 6 - 10 PM Ippolito's "Bocce Room"2270 Holcomb Bridge RdRoswell, GA 30076

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CLIP AND SAVE!

Listed below are the meeting dates for 2017 along with other important dates in our club’s annual calendar. Please note that, although we will be meeting on Sundays in 2017, it is not always the third Sunday of the month. This change was made to avoid conflicts with holidays. Please mark your calendars or detach this page and post it among all of those photos of your westies on the fridge!

WESTIE TALES March 2017

Board Meeting 7/16/2017 1:00 TBD

Bow Wow Luau 8/20/2017 2:00 Delightful Dog 4958 Lower Roswell Rd, #124Marietta, GA 30068

Board Meeting 9/17/2017 1:00 TBD

Halloween Party 10/15/2017 2:00 Delightful Dog 4958 Lower Roswell Rd, #124Marietta, GA 30068

Board Meeting 11/19/2017 1:00 TBD

Snow Ball 12/17/2017 2:00 Delightful Dog 4958 Lower Roswell Rd, #124Marietta, GA 30068

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WESTIE TALES March 2017

TREASURER’S REPORTGeorge Wearn

2017 is starting out as a bright year with a 90.91% renewal rate during our membership campaign. Dues received totaled $1,476.90 (PayPal fees subtracted) and the Rescue Fund was boosted by $590.00 from the $35.00 dues total. In addition—and this is the really good news—members donated an additional $1,099.00 to the rescue fund. Our next major fundraiser scheduled is the Auction in June so any additional gifts would be appreciated. Many thanks to all.

George Wearn, Treasurer

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