Hogs for paws

This solid, friendly canine is a pit bull / Labrador retriever mix.

He's a grownup and is neutered.

His mien is happy and energetic.

He gets along good with other dogs.

Walking with the Volunteers for Animals at the Genesee County Animal Shelter is most enjoyable for him.

Someone took it upon themselves to name this dog Cheeto. That would be the singular form of the Frito-Lay snack food, Cheetos (formerly, until 1998, Chee-tos).

Charles Elmer Doolin (not just another pretty name) created Crunchy Cheetos in a Texas test kitchen in 1948. Today, there are 21 different Crunchy types; in Japan, they like strawberry-flavored ones. I kid you not.

This reporter is betting that Cheeto has had a taste or two of the savory snack in his day, not that any veterinarian would recommend it. Would go so far as to say he deserves another bite -- from the hand of a forever friend no less.

Also at the shelter, the feline wing of it, is an orange tiger domestic shorthair cat whose constitution is quiet and sweet. This gingery cutie is a spayed adult female.

Sitting with you and getting her tummy rubbed are her preferred pastimes.

Her name? Well, we can't make this stuff up. (Fiction so bad, nobody would buy it, or believe it.) It is Cheese Puff.

Yes, you read correctly, Cheese Puff is hankering for a home in Genesee County just like her doggie comrade Cheeto.

We assume she, too, is named after the strangely orange edible.

Cheetos Puffs were introduced in 1971; Baked Cheetos, inarguably a healthier choice, came along in 2010.

Cheese Puff, as you can see in the inset photo at right, is lightly colored.

She obviously was not the muse for the screaming bright Flamin' Hot Cheetos that have sent many people to the ER with gastrointestinal distress -- because excessive consumption, with the emphasis on excessive, will b-u-r-n your guts, folks.

But I digress. I usually do in these posts. Get off into the weeds somewhere and have to slog back to the matter at hand.

Which reminds me. If you can't adopt one of these amicable amigos, you can AT LEAST help support some of their needs while they await new homes.

Which brings me to Hogs for Paws, the annual fundraiser at Stan's Harley-Davidson in Batavia that benefits the critters at the Genesee County Animal Shelter.

This year's event, staunchly sponsored as always by Stan's and the Volunteers for Animals, will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 11. Stan's is located at 4425 W. Saile Drive.

Anyone and everyone are welcome.

There will be pet ID tags for purchase; food from Care-A-Van Ministries; plus a variety of vendors; T-shirt sale; 50/50 raffles and much more.

All monetary donations go toward the cost of spaying and neutering animals prior to adoption -- so important!

Please bring an item from the volunteers' Wish List. Always good choices are: canned and dry cat and dog food; small blankets and pet beds; bleach; laundry detergent; paper towels; NON-CLUMPING (plain) cat litter.

No one will be held responsible for Frito-Lay products left unattended.

UPDATE 6:32 p.m.: Full disclosure: Original Crunchy Cheetos are the reporter's most favored snack item, for reals.

Stan's Harley-Davidson hosted its annual Hogs for Paws rally today, with proceeds benefiting Volunteers for Animals.

Photos by Alecia Kaus/Video News Service.

Hogs for Paws, the annual fundraising event for the Genesee County Animal Shelter, is set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12 at Stan's Harley-Davidson, located at 4425 W. Saile Drive, Batavia. 

Attendees are asked to please bring an item on the shelter's Wish List or make a monetary donation. All monetary donations will go toward the spaying and neutering of shelter animals prior to adoption.

Wish LIst items include:

• Canned and dry cat and dog food
• Small blankets and beds
• Bleach
• Laundry detergent
• Paper towels
• Non-clumping (plain, old-fashioned) cat litter

The event at Stan's will features vendors, a T-shirt sale, 50/50 raffle, the opportunity to buy pet ID tags, microchipping and much more!

Stan's is sponsoring the event along with Volunteers for Animals.

Questions? Contact Ashley at (585) 343-9598.

Information provided by Volunteers for Animals:

Volunteers For Animals will be offering a microchip clinic during Hogs for Paws at Stan's Harley Davidson from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13th. The motorcycle dealership is located at 4425 W. Saile Drive in the Town of Batavia.

Cost of microchipping is $30 per animal, which includes the injection, a collar ID tag and national registration. Accepted payment is either cash or checks (made out to Volunteers For Animals), sorry no credit cards. No preregistration necessary.

Each dog or cat must be accompanied by someone who can control it. Cats MUST be in carriers. You will need an email address for registration purposes. Free registration is done through FoundAnimals.org

What is a microchip?
The microchip is a tiny computer chip which has an identification number programmed into it and is encapsulated within a biocompatible material. The whole device is small enough to fit inside a hypodermic needle and can be simply injected under the skin of our pets, where it will stay for the life of the animal.

This provides a permanent, positive identification which cannot be lost, altered or intentionally removed - a safe, simple and inexpensive way to protect your pet against loss or theft. The computer memory in the microchip contains a unique number -- no two animals will ever have the same number. A radio signal is used to read this number through the skin of your pet. It is routine for animal shelters and veterinarian offices to scan pets for microchips.

Real stories about local pets...

Molly the dog, pictured right, was found in Oakfield after being missing for TWO YEARS. After setting traps, leaving food and lots of patience, they were finally able to catch this bedraggled pooch.

Molly was taken to the Genesee County Animal Shelter and that is when they found she was microchipped.

They called the owner and gave her the incredible news that her dog who had ran away two years ago was at the Shelter. It was quite a reunion which never would have happened had Molly not been microchipped.

Microchips talk for animals when collars and tags go missing.

Chevy was a stray cat, pictured left, that came into the Shelter from Summit Street in the City of Batavia.

She had been on her own throughout the winter. She had a BB lodged in her side and patches of fur missing, most likely from a car engine fan.

She was posted for adoption on our website and within days her family spotted her on the website. They came into the Shelter and sure enough it was her. They lived a block away on Tracy Avenue.

Chevy had bolted from the house in the fall. They were lucky in many ways: the nice person on Summit took her to the vet for her care and brought her to the Shelter and they spotted her on the website.

Had Chevy been microchipped, the folks at the shelter could have found her family more quickly without risk of her being adopted by someone else. Even house cats need to be microchipped!

Hog For Paws will be held on Saturday, Aug. 15, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Stan’s Harley Davidson, Inc., 4425 W. Saile Drive in Batavia. Hogs for Paws is a fundraising and reunion event for our local Genesee County Animal Shelter.

Activities at the event: 

• Microchipping for dogs and cats­ $30; Obedience Training with the K­9 Kahuna K­9 Demonstration; Face Painting;
• Magic w/Joe; 50/50 Raffle; T­shirt sale Vendors Open Arms Rescue;
• NEW this Year! 100-MILE RIDE -- $10 per person (includes lunch);
• Kickstands up at 10 a.m.;
• Lunch -- $5 per person -- All monies are donated to Volunteers for Animals -- includes a hotdog, salad and a drink. Thank you for your support! 

You can also show your support on: http://www.gofundme.com/vw967fc

The annual Hogs for Paws event to benefit animals at the local shelter is happening from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17 at Stan's Harley Davidson in Batavia. The dealership is located at 4425 W. Saile Drive.

This is both a fundraiser and a reunion and will feature a K-9 demo, obedience training performance by Fort Hyde Kennel, a 50/50 Raffle, T-shirt sale, vendors and a Pet Photo Contest.

To get lunch, make a monetary donation or bring an item on the wish list of Volunteers for Animals, which includes: canned or dry cat and dog food; bleach; liquid soap; paper towels, and NON-clumping cat litter. Lunch is a hot dog, beverage, and salad (provided by Frank Penna Catering).

This year there's also a 'Pick Your Prize' raffle. Tickets are $2 each or six tickets for $10.

Tickets are entered into the drawing of your choice. You can enter one drawing or enter them all!

Winners will be announced at 3 p.m. on the day of the event. You need not be present to win.

The prizes are:

• #1 -- $100 gift card from Stan's Harley Davidson
• #2 -- $100 gift card from Beds-N-Bones Pet Lodge
• #3 -- Bissell Pet Spot Cleaner ($100 value)
• #4 -- Handcrafted Cat Tree donated by VFA volunteers (Solid wood construction, about 44-inches high, with three steps/perches, and covered with a neutral-colored carpet.)
• #5 -- $100 gift card from Main Street Pizza
• #6 -- Watercolor painting (Framed 8x10 inch, hand-painted, donated by Ashley Vranich, DVM from Batavia Animal Hospital.)

To buy tickets, go the volunteers' Web site <www.Vol4animals.org> and click on "Pick Your Prize Raffle Tickets" and download the raffle entry form and follow the instructions.