Oklahoma Animal Rescue
Congratulations to SPAR’s own Sherry Claybrook!
Community Rock Star Award Winners
This award honors three Oklahoma REALTORS® who go above and beyond to fulfill the needs of their community. It is designed to seek out members who give unselfishly to improve the world around them through community service. Each winner received a $1,000 grant in their name to the charity of their choice, recognition in the REALTOR® Connection newsletter and on OAR’s website, and a complimentary ticket to OAR’s REALTOR® Celebration Banquet where they received their awards. This year’s winners are:
• Sharon Castles is a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for abused and neglected children and has worked to be a voice for foster children for 10 years. She is a member of the Edmond Board of REALTORS® and works for Metro First Realty.
• Sherry Claybrook, who has worked for Century 21 Bob Crothers Realty for 37 years and is member of the Shawnee Board of REALTORS®. Claybrook has volunteered with Saving Pets at Risk for more than 10 years and is responsible for rescuing, providing medical care and finding foster homes for hundreds of dogs per year. (Sherry is featured in the second photo above.)
• Susanne Crenshaw has worked in real estate for five years with Keller Williams Central Oklahoma and serves on the Edmond Board of REALTORS®. Crenshaw has served two terms as president of the board of directors of Daily Living Centers and has played a vital role in its operations and development.
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Group works to save animals from death in over-populated Oklahoma
Posted: Nov 07, 2014 5:01 PM CST
Updated: Nov 07, 2014 5:55 PM CST
By: Jordann Lucero, Primetime Reporter CONNECT
The pet population problem in Oklahoma is out of control, especially when compared to other states in the country. But groups are working to save abandoned animals. In Oklahoma City alone, animal control takes in about 25,000 animals a year and has to kill about 10,000 of them. The number of animals the shelter sees is on par with cities double in size, Oklahoma City animal welfare acting Superintendent John Gary said. “The shelter can only do so much and due to the numbers that come in, we can’t save them all and unfortunately the end result for that is euthanasia,” he said. The winter months are slower for the shelter, Gary said, but it could still see anywhere from 1,500 to 1,800 animals this month. Gary blames a large part of the problem to puppy mills in Oklahoma. He said the state’s lax breeding laws, means an abundance of breeders and therefore high pet population. He also said there are not enough people taking advantage of spay and neutering. “I think it’s something that we as human beings have to understand and realize and recognize and do what we can to prevent it,” he said. Members of SPAR, Saving Pets at Risk, did take notice. They have created an organization that saves dozens of dogs and cats every year. “You get a lot of enjoyment out of taking care of them and seeing that you could make a difference,” Joy Harbeson, a foster for SPAR, said. Harbeson is one of about 18 volunteers that helps run the Shawnee-based non-profit. “We are so grateful for the fosters that we do have. You know money is a constant problem for us, because most of these animals that we get, have not been taken care of. They have health issues and we can get them looking wonderful but it takes money to do that,” Sherry Claybrook said. Claybrook has been with SPAR since it was founded in 2005. “It seems like over the last year, to me, its gotten worse,” she said. Claybrook and SPAR president Joann Roberson said they can’t figure out what’s driving the spike in numbers. “We’ve always know the puppy mills are there but with all the spay/neutering that’s going on, why aren’t we seeing some positive results?” Claybrook said. Roberson said rescues across the state are at capacity. At SPAR, members are taking care of about 50 dogs right now. SPAR said the number seems to be constantly growing. “We do not ever like to see one that is out without a home, that has been neglected, abused,” Roberson said. SPAR members lend their homes and yards to space for dogs to live while they wait to be adopted. The organization is run completely on donations and sometimes with money members pay out of pocket. SPAR is no-kill and even works to transport dogs to Illinois and Colorado, where there is actually a need for adoptable dogs. “I don’t think the general public realizes that it is a horrific problem,” Claybrook said. “They don’t realize that the people that are on the front lines of it in the rescue groups what a hard, hard job it is and how expensive it is.” She says helping dogs comes back to spay and neutering and money to help rescues. You can make a donation to SPAR on their website or by designating them as your charity of choice on Amazon Smile. If you are an Oklahoma City resident, call 316-3663 for more information and appointments for low-cost spay and neuter. Outside of city limits, Best Friends OKC has a list of resources for low-income households. The Central Oklahoma Humane Society can help anyone in the state.
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Harrah Boy Scouts save dog’s life
Posted: Oct 21, 2014 8:52 PM CDTUpdated: Oct 21, 2014 11:10 PM CDT
By: Christine VanTimmeren, Primetime Reporter
A group of Boy Scouts in Harrah are being called heroes after they saved the life of a dog in Shawnee. Last Friday, four members of Troop 65 from Harrah were camping outside a Shawnee church, when they heard a woman screaming for help.
“I started screaming for help,” said Sherri Claybrook*. “I was just beside myself because every moment was going to count.”
Claybrook had just let her three dogs in the backyard when one named Zeke got caught in Mimi’s collar and Mimi was being choked.
Hearing the cries for help the scouts jumped the fence and jumped into action. Two ran for adult help while Zack VanZant and another worked to calm Claybrook and help Mimi.
“I pulled out my pocket knife and you could barely get the knife blade under the collar because it was so tight,” VanZant said.
VanZant managed to free Mimi from the collar but she was already limp.
“I checked for a pulse and a heartbeat and breathing on Mimi and there was nothing,” VanZant said. “She had flatlined.”
Being a Boy Scout, VanZant was prepared and began to give Mimi CPR.
“I got a dog a few months ago. I was Googling how to do CPR on dogs. So I knew the basics,” he said.
Within 30 seconds Mimi started breathing again. VanZant had saved her life.
“That was probably the highlight of my life because nothing like that has ever happened to me before,” VanZant said.
The four boys will probably never receive a badge for their bravery, but knowing they saved a life will stick with them forever. Mimi is now back to her full strength and doing well. Claybrooke can’t thank the boys enough for what they did.
* Sherri Claybrook is a SPAR- Saving Pets at Risk volunteer in Shawnee, Ok.
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8-year-old, Sydnie Barry, collects donations for SPAR-Saving Pets at Risk at Her Birthday Party
An 8-year-old who loves acting, art, planets, and soccer typically plans a birthday party around those but Sydnie Barry opened her heart to animals and on her March 30 birthday, she decided she wasn’t the one that needed gifts.
Sydnie Barry shown here with Joann Roberson, President, SPAR- Saving Pets at Risk.
By Jessica Walker
jessica.walker@news-star.com
Posted Apr.13, 2014 @ 8:00 am
An 8-year-old who loves acting, art, planets, and soccer typically plans a birthday party around those but Sydnie Barry opened her heart to animals and on her March 30 birthday, she decided she wasn’t the one that needed gifts.
Friday Sydnie handed an envelope with $174.83 worth of bills and coins to SPAR President Joann Roberson.
“You are our hero,” Roberson told her.
Sydnie’s mom, Rebecca Barry, said they were sitting at the kitchen table planning Sydnie’s eighth birthday party and they were making an invitation list.
“She goes, ‘They don’t need to bring me presents…I have enough stuff,’” Rebecca said.
Sydnie said she knew about dog pounds and her mom told her about Saving Pets At Risk.
“I really got the idea SPAR was kinda cool so I thought of SPAR,” she said. “I thought that was a cool idea.”
Rebecca said they starting thinking of things they could do instead of presents and because Sydnie has a love for animals, Rebecca made the suggestion of doing some type of donation to SPAR. Sydnie displayed a donation jar at her birthday party and asked guests to donate instead of bring gifts. At the end of the party, the jar held around $144
“Then we had a few people donate more after that,” Rebecca said.
Roberson said everyone with SPAR was very touched when they heard Sydnie was donating money to them rather than accepting birthday gifts.
“That’s the only way we can continue is with people to help…people like you,” Robinson said to Sydnie.
Roberson said she believes Sydnie is a very special person.
“That’s a very special and unselfish thing to do, especially at eight,” she said. “Because you really have to think outside yourself to do that. We were all touched very much by her generosity and thoughtfulness. Most adults aren’t that thoughtful.”
Roberson said Sydnie’s donation will help more animals and help SPAR with their goal of helping as many animals as possible.
“We cannot thank you enough…the animals can’t thank you enough,” she said.
Sydnie said she wants to encourage others to help donate in any way they can, big or small.
“It helps the animals who don’t have homes or are sick,” she said. “I would say that it’s a good idea [to donate].”
Sydnie said she has a few ideas of what she wants to be when she grows up including maybe a veterinarian or artist but one thing’s for sure.
“I want to be a SPAR person,” she said.
Read more: http://www.news-star.com/article/20140411/News/140419898#ixzz2z1Byogr1
