The Cannoli Fund

23/03/2024

Saturday, 12-3 pm! Footbridge Foundation will be at the PetSmart at 281 and Bitters with lots of great dogs available for adoption. Swing by and meet your new best friend!

29/12/2023

FEROCIOUS FIREWORKS
I’ll be spending New Years Eve at home, in my pajamas, cuddled up with my dogs, as I always do.

Fireworks are something I dislike intensely. They are not only terrifying for so many different animals but are also dreaded by caring people, who have to watch, often helplessly as their dog suffers through the deafening bangs.

Shelters become overrun with lost dogs, dogs are knocked over by cars or go missing in their attempt to escape, they jump through glass windows, over high walls, have heart attacks, seizures or worse.

As there’s very little we can do to prevent other people from doing what they do, the best solution is to do all we can to minimize the impact this has on our dogs.

All dogs are different and there’s never a guarantee that these methods will work. Some dogs are just the way they are because of genetics, their experiences, learning history, health conditions, age etc.

Here are some helpful links if you’d like more information on some ideas that may help –

1. Counterconditioning / desensitization
https://illis.se/en/cc/

2. Noise of fireworks for desensitization training –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7FANXaanG4

3. Thunder phobia and sound sensitivities - Patricia McConnell
https://www.patriciamcconnell.com/dogs-and-fireworks/

4. Dogs and fireworks (30+ proven techniques to eliminate noise phobia) – Karolina Westlund, PHD
https://illis.se/en/eliminating-firework-and-thunder-phobia-in-dogs/

5. Calming dog music – Pet Calming Maestro, Lisa Spector (Lisa’s music helps me relax and fall asleep quicker too!) https://lisaspector.com/dog-gone-calm/

6. Thundershirt / anxiety wraps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmwgw2actJg

Wishing you and your dogs a calm, peaceful, uneventful beginning to 2024

25/12/2023

22/12/2023

If you're looking for a great medium-sized dog who loves to spend time with her people, inside or outside, we've got the hound mix for you - Lucy! Today Lucy took a long walk along the river and through the neighborhood, with her nose leading the way. She would thrive in an active home. If you think Lucy could be the dog for you, read more about her personality and submit an application to adopt on Footbridge Foundation's website ---> shelterluv.com/embed/animal/FBF-A-1856

21/12/2023

It's not too late! Our Fiesta Medals with removable enamel pins make the best stocking stuffers! Buy right now in our shop https://thecannolifund.bigcartel.com or on eBay ebay.com/usr/thecannolifund and we'll ship immediately! All proceeds go to support our free health and wellness programs for San Antonio dogs and cats in need. Thank you for your support!

20/12/2023

And here is Scrappy, our One-Eared-Wonder, the spiritual mother to a Lavaca feral cat crew known as the Junkyard Gang (JYG)!

Scrappy, JYG’s founding member, came to her current yard after neighbors stopped feeding her during the height of COVID, summer 2020. Poor Scraps looked ready to meet her Maker: malnourished, her fur matted and scabby, her right ear showing a chronic, untreated hematoma and flopping about like a tired mudflap. Knowing she deserved better, Ms. Scrappy’s current family sought help from The Cannoli Fund. A trip to the vet through the Cannolicare program gave Scraps allergy injections to remedy her skin maladies and replenish her lost fur, as well as the prediction she’d need that “tired mud flap removed" in the future. Three years into her Junkyard domain, Scrappy’s mudflap inflated into a pulsing, cancerous mass. After a swift amputation, again through the Cannolicare Program, Scrappy recovered successfully and is more vital than ever!

Though she lives up to her name with a tenacious ability to survive, Scrappy takes her leadership role seriously in the JYG. She communicates regularly with her humans through frequent, melodic calls that diverge from the traditional “meow” and sound more like, “HEOW….HEOW?” in tone. Since her arrival, she’s recruited three other regular members to the JYG: Gustav, Scribbles, and Michael, and overseen the trap, neuter, and return (T-N-R) of three traveling Tom cats. A gifted diplomat, she’s maintained the group’s feline integrity while managing to welcome a series of possum visits to their food bowls and for naps in their cat tree, as well as the navigating the annual hi-jinx of the neighborhood’s itinerant raccoons.

13/12/2023

Meet April. This gorgeous tortie went on a mysterious three-month adventure but eventually was returned home thanks to a registered microchip! In early fall, a frequent neighborhood visitor noticed a new cat was hanging around the home she visited. She started to feed it, and after a a few weeks reached out to us to get the cat spayed and vetted. A few days later, April was trapped and at the spay/neuter clinic. That's where they discovered the tattoo on her belly, marking her as spayed! And even better, she had a registered microchip! April's mom was so relieved when she got the call that April was alive in early November. April had been missing since August - from Leon Valley, more than a dozen miles away! Everyone was puzzled about how she got to King William – except the neighborhood visitor. She lived in the same complex as April! Somehow April must have hitched a ride on one of her visits!

The Cannoli Fund scans dogs (and the occasional cat) for microchips multiple times every week. Unfortunately the majority of pets we scan are not chipped, their chip was never registered, the contact info is no longer correct, there's no response from the owner, or, sadly, they do not want the pet back. Microchips make happy endings like this possible, but we can't emphasize enough the importance of a tag with a phone number on it! Make it easy for a good Samaritan to get your lost pet back to you! Microchips are backup, and shouldn't be considered a replacement for a tag. However, we understand keeping a tag on a cat is a near impossible task...!

We're happy we could play a part in getting April back to her family! If your pet needs a microchip, City of San Antonio Animal Care Services has free microchipping for residents, $5 for non-residents. Make an appointment ---> sa.gov/Directory/Departments/ACS/Caring/Microchipping/Appointments

07/12/2023

Meet the St Mary’s Six! A few months ago, the first of these community cats appeared at a neighbor's house on this very busy street. The neighbor immediately saw she was starving and began feeding her regularly. It didn't take long for the word to get out. Soon five more cats joined her! Knowing her cat multiplication tables, the neighbor contacted us and we developed a spay/neuter plan. Within two weeks, and thanks to our free Community Cat Carpool and the availability of surgery at our amazing partner Footbridge Foundation, the job was done - and not too soon either! Five of the cats were female! We practice the only humane and scientifically-proven way to control community cat populations - TNR, or Trap, Neuter, Return. Each community cat was spayed or neutered, vaccinated, ear-tipped to permanently mark them as "fixed," and received flea preventative and deworming. The kitten pipeline was shut off, and these born-in-the-wild cats will now live out their lives as part of a healthy, stable community cat colony. And since they've all been sterilized, we help out with monthly deliveries of supplemental food through our Cannoli's Kitchen pet food pantry! We have been able to help every eligible person who's reached out to us for help with a dog or cat thanks in part to the generosity of our supporters. Thank you! Learn more about our free programs for King William and Lavaca pets in need --> thecannolifund.org

27/11/2023

Meet Lucy, an 11-month-old medium-sized bloodhound/coonhound mix! This great gal was sadly dumped in the neighborhood and rescued and now fostered by a tenderhearted neighbor. The neighbor reached out to us, and we've again partnered with Footbridge Foundation to find her forever home by helping with her care and covering her intake fee.

Like her namesake, Lucille Ball, Lucy's a wonderful zany redhead! She has a lot of working dog puppy energy and loves walks (the more nature to sniff, the better!) and being a companion. Her ideal home would be full of outdoor fun and adventure so Lucy can run, play, and, do what she does best - sniff, with also lots of cuddle time! Her nose hits the ground the minute she goes anywhere, unless she's playing! She would probably love scent work or another activity suited for a hound or working dog. She already knows a few commands and is eager to learn more.

Lucy needs a daily walk (or two) and a large and secure yard with a six foot fence. She’d love to hike, run, or camp with you! A home with a friendly doggy companion would help build her confidence, keep her company, and entertain her. Lucy’s been enjoying nature walks along the San Antonio River and has shown a strong interest in water too! Lucy can't contain herself when she sees cats and will chase them so her forever home should be cat-free. She’s developed an interest in squirrel-watching but soon loses interest and goes back to sniffing. She loves to learn about her environment via her nose!

Lucy was dumped on the street and so her back story is unknown. She definitely likes other dogs, but she needs a little help learning doggie social cues. To help build her confidence, Lucy’s been attending small group (1-3 other dogs) daycare several days a week. Staff reports that Lucy is an extremely sweet girl who’s learning how to make friends with dogs and is extremely loving with the staff, providing lots of doggie kisses without hesitation. Several would adopt her in a heartbeat if they could!

She's young and needs help learning to control herself and her excitement at seeing her people. Because of this, a home with older children would be best. Lucy’s still into "testing everything with her mouth” and has chewed on quite a few things in her foster home. Her new home will need to be full of toys to play with, puzzles to exercise her brain, and bones to chew! Lucy is crate trained. She may whine when first kenneled, but settles down shortly after for nap, especially if she’s had enough exercise and mental stimulation. She’s most happy sleeping on the bed with her people at night.

She's been vetted, microchipped, and spayed through Footbridge Foundation, and they're now taking applications to meet her. If Lucy seems like a great fit for your active family, learn more about her here ---> shelterluv.com/embed/animal/FBF-A-1856 and send in an application to meet her! ---> shelterluv.com/matchme/adopt/FBF/Dog

21/11/2023

Meet Daisy. This sweet King William pup is enjoying unlimited couch time while being treated for heartworms. When Daisy was diagnosed at her annual exam, her owner didn’t know how she would afford the expensive but vital treatment. She reached out to us, and through our Cannolicare program, which covers part, or all, of critical veterinary expenses, we were able to cover her life-saving treatment. Daisy is responding well, and after a few more weeks of limited activity, she should be back to her lively self! We are happy to be able to help neighbors access veterinary care for their beloved dogs and cats. We have been able to assist every eligible pet owner who has contacted us for help with their pet's health needs thanks to the generosity of our neighbors and donors, as well as several vital grants. Thank you!

17/10/2023

It's true - this gorgeous gal had been abandoned on the streets and was part of a community cat colony we have been trapping to be spayed or neutered and vaccinated. We practice TNR (Trap/Neuter/Return), the only scientifically-proven, humane way to control outdoor cat populations! We have already taken dozens of cats to be "fixed" at Footbridge Foundation and this is just one of the many bonus successes we've had. Stay tuned to this page for more stories of lucky kitties we've helped recently! And please reach out to us if you know of any King William or Lavaca cats who could use this FREE service! We take groups of cats to be TNRed most weeks. More info --> thecannolifund.org/tcf/community-cat-carpool-takes-off/

03/08/2023

For twelve years neighbors have helped dogs and cats in King William and Lavaca stay hydrated with a FREE pet water bowl. If you're in our KING WILLIAM and LAVACA service area, request a FREE Cannoli's Canteen pet water bowl to place along the sidewalk --> tinyurl.com/cannoliscanteen and we'll drop one off on your porch within a few days. Neighbors who have reached out for help frequently say they learned about The Cannoli Fund from these water bowls so you're also helping us spread the word about our FREE services for King William and Lavaca pets. Thanks from the dogs and cats of Southtown!

07/07/2023

Meet Ruby Jo. We don't know how this sweet young thing ended up on the streets, but thanks to the kindness of neighbors, our Community Cat Carpool, and our partnership with Footbridge Foundation, this kitty has been adopted into a great home. Ruby Jo appeared at a neighbor's porch at feeding time one day and never left. Although much younger and smaller than the other kitties, she immediately took charge of the situation. We scanned her for a microchip and checked for a spay scar but found neither. We took her to the spay/neuter clinic to be fixed and vaccinated, Footbridge gave her a microchip and additional vetting, and then she was off to Footbridge's area at PetSmart where she waited for her person. It did not take long! Although almost a year old, Ruby Jo's kitten-like looks, petite size, and loving personality surely got her adopted quickly. Thanks to Footbridge for helping us find homes for great dogs and cats in need! Learn more about our nonprofit's free services for King William and Lavaca pets --> thecannolifund.org

26/06/2023

Sharing for a neighhood rescue.

Found dog 🚨🚨🚨
This sweet elderly gentleman was found in Southtown area off of S Flores street.
Share far and wide please 🙏🏼

He definitely has a family missing him.

He’s neutered but not microchipped; we will definitely be chipping him to help his family out.
Please contact us if you know where he belongs ❤️🐾

09/06/2023

Thanks to our neighbors who brought them to our attention, our super cat trapper, and our recent partnership with Footbridge Foundation, these three King William or Lavaca community cats are now spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and ear-tipped to mark them as sterilized. For the last 13 years we have taken community cats to one of the local spay/neuter clinics, but thanks to The Footbridge Foundation, we now only have to travel a few blocks for a similarly low cost to us! Footbridge now does spay/neuter surgeries for cats we trap! In about an hour we will be taking four more cats from Lavaca for their turn to be "fixed," vaccinated, and ear-tipped. If you know of cats in our King William and Lavaca service area who need this free service for area cats, let us know. It takes a neighborhood to control the outdoor cat population!

29/01/2023

Meet Sega. New neighbors found this sweet stray puppy a few months ago. Other neighbors told Sega's rescuers about The Cannoli Fund and they reached out to us to scan him for a microchip. Like most strays, Sega wasn't chipped and no owner could be found. The neighbors (and their dog) fostered Sega, took him on daily walks, and escorted him to his vet appointments and to be neutered. He also was vaccinated and microchipped. Our Cannolicare program, which pays all the expenses involved in rescuing a stray dog or cat, took care of those things. Sega has a wonderful personality and thanks to our partnership with Footbridge Foundation, Sega soon found his forever home with a loving family and another dog too! We are here to help anyone who lives in King William or Lavaca who rescues a stray found anywhere in town, and to help anyone who finds a dog or cat within our service area. Learn more about the ways we can help you help pets in need --> thecannolifund.org

26/01/2023

Meet Blue. This community cat was living in King William, cared for by a variety of neighbors. One of Blue's biggest fans was a little girl who came by regularly to pet him. During the big freeze in February 2021, one couple even found Blue cuddled up in bed with them one morning. He had found his way in through their dog door! Smart kitty! At the end of last year, one of Blue's caretakers reached out for help. Blue seemed to be having problems with his sight. Our Cannolicare program, which helps neighbors with the cost of caring for stray and owned pets, covered his vet visit. Blue was losing his sight and his eyes remain dilated; however he's still able to see, although not clearly. Blue went back to the neighbor's house with meds. Then Blue hit the jackpot! The neighbor's niece, in town for the holidays, had always loved him and offered to give him an indoor home with her. Soon Blue was flying on a plane with her to his new forever home in Colorado! There are so many people who care about, and care for, the cats and dogs in our neighborhoods, and we are so happy we as The Cannoli Fund can help change the lives of these pets! Learn more about Cannolicare ---> thecannolifund.org

18/12/2022

Meet Rufus (formerly Brutus). This handsome great dane mix was just the most recent lucky dog rescued by a neighborhood couple. When found, Rufus was dirty and had fleas and ticks, but otherwise seemed healthy. He had no idea what a leash was and seemed unaccustomed to being inside. Rufus' rescuers called us for a microchip scan and when there was none, they called neighborhood rescue Footbridge Foundation to make a plan. Rufus entered Footbridge's care while being fostered by his rescuers. Not long after he was picked up, Rufus' foster family took him to be neutered. When the vet did the pre-op exam, she noticed Rufus had an extremely strong Grade 4 heart murmur. Rufus could not be neutered. Shortly after, Rufus had an echocardiogram. His diagnosis was pulmonary stenosis, or, in his case, a very severe congenital heart defect which was making his heart have to work extremely hard all the time. If not treated, one-year-old Rufus would likely live less than two more years.

Veterinary Schools are one of the few places that perform balloon valvuloplasties. In this surgery, a catheter is run down an artery in the neck to the heart. The balloon on the end of the catheter is then inflated to open a valve, allowing blood to flow more easily. This means the heart doesn't have to work as hard! About ten days ago, Rufus and his forever family were on I-10, headed to LSU School of Veterinary Medicine in Baton Rouge. His incredible veterinary cardiologist, caring vet student, and the rest of his cardiology team provided excellent care. We are happy to report that Rufus' balloon valvuloplasty was a success, and he had better than the standard outcome! Rufus' heart is able to work much more efficiently and his quality of life is already better. He's more energetic and lively while also still being a cuddly couch potato. As soon as he sees a vet cardiologist locally in a few weeks he'll be neutered too! Since neighbors rescued Rufus, Cannolicare, which pays for the entire cost of vetting, treatments, etc., for rescued strays, covered the expenses. We understand that picking up one of San Antonio's stray dogs or cats can come with unexpected, sometimes extremely expensive, treatments. In order to remove that uncertain financial barrier to rescue, our compassionate neighbors can help a pet in crisis without worrying about the cost of essential vet care. As in Rufus' case, sometimes the care needed literally saves a life.

The Cannoli Fund was able to cover the cost of Rufus' balloon valvuloplasty and associated testing only because of the generosity of our neighbors, volunteers, fosters, board of directors, and our incredible partnership with Footbridge Foundation. Footbridge not only took care of Rufus' initial vetting and microchip, but covered his adoption fee too! We are so fortunate to have them in our corner!

Check out these pics of Rufus and look for him taking long walks in the neighborhood and along the river. If you'd like to help us continue to support neighbors who rescue, and to fund all our other free programs for area dogs and cats in need, we'd appreciate your tax-deductible donation ---> thecannolifund.org/tcf/donate The Cannoli Fund was founded in 2011, and is an all-volunteer, 501c3 nonprofit organization.

25/11/2022

These community cats (both "fixed" and ear-tipped several years ago) are thankful for their monthly pet food deliveries! Every month we deliver cat and dog food to 20 King William and Lavaca households. After our December deliveries, we will have provided 7,872 pounds of pet food in 2022 and helped to feed hundreds of pets and community cats. Thanks to our volunteers and donors, any neighbor who needs it can have a little help feeding the cats and dogs in their care. The Cannoli Fund requires all neighbors participating have each of their pets spayed or neutered. And the great news is we'll help you get any animals “fixed" for free too! Learn more --> tinyurl.com/cannoliskitchen

22/11/2022

Meet Jeremy. This sweetest of sweet orange kitties was living in a Lavaca community cat colony when he was trapped as part of a recent T-N-R project. (T-N-R, or Trap-Neuter-Return, is the only scientifically-proven humane method to control outdoor cat populations.) He was hungry, underweight, and had mange. During his five weeks with a foster, he went from a timid, unhealthy kitten to a happy, strong, and super soft purring machine! You'll find it hard to do much else when Jeremy wants to cuddle! He loves to climb his people, purring, and rubbing their face with his own. He's neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, fully vetted, and ready for a great home. He also has experience with dogs and other cats. Jeremy's transformation was a partnership with Footbridge Foundation and he's looking for his forever home right now through Footbridge! Fill out an application to meet Jeremy --> shelterluv.com/matchme/adopt/FBF/Cat

31/10/2022

Meet Harlequin and Lee. These two handsome fellows started hanging around a neighbor's home. Since she'd been alerting us to cats needing to be "fixed" and helping us trap for years, she contacted us. Within a day or two she'd trapped them in two of our humane traps, and they were on their way to the spay/neuter clinic via our free Community Cat Carpool. There they were neutered, vaccinated, and ear-tipped, which marks them as sterilized. They were returned to our neighbor's house where they will live out their lives without fighting, yowling, or mating! Help us control the outdoor cat population in our King William and Lavaca service area. Contact us if you know of cats who need to be "fixed"! thecannolifund.org

28/10/2022

Meet Jojo. While on the way to the spay/neuter clinic with a previous rescue, a neighbor spotted this young, terrified little dog running in and out of traffic near the highway. She knew she couldn't leave him. She scooped him up and continued on her way. The clinic staff scanned him for a microchip, which, like most strays, he didn't have. We started our Cannolicare program for situations just like this. Picking up a dog or cat in crisis and fully vetting them can get expensive and Cannolicare covers the entire cost. At only a year old, Jojo thankfully didn't have heartworm disease, and was vaccinated, neutered, and microchipped. He joined a pack of three other rescue dogs and enjoys snuggling with all of them - not to mention his people. If you live in our King William and Lavaca service area, or live elsewhere but find a cat or dog in our service area, our Cannolicare program can help you help a pet in need. Learn more on our website --> thecannolifund.org

25/10/2022

Meet Charley. A neighbor found him on the street in terrible condition. His coat was matted, he wasn't neutered, and had no microchip. As with most pet rescues, our neighbor wasn't planning to rescue a dog that day. Our Cannolicare program, which removes the financial barriers involved in picking up a stray pet, also came to Charley's rescue. Charley got a much-needed professional grooming, was neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. He joined his rescuer's family with both doggie and kitty companions - all also rescues! Charley is one lucky guy! Learn more about this FREE program, and all our other animal health and welfare programs ---> thecannolifund.org

16/10/2022

It's aka ! Footbridge Foundation shared these photos of some of the hundreds of kitties we've spayed or neutered, vetted, and provided with other vital vet care. As a result, the outdoor cat population in our service area has greatly decreased. Unfortunately, it only takes a few months for two kitties to become many more, which is why it's so important to reach out to The Cannoli Fund if you know of any cats in our King William and Lavaca service area who need to be "fixed." All the details on all our FREE programs for cats and dogs are on our website ---> thecannolifund.org!

14/09/2022

This deceptively calm-looking community cat that we've already “fixed” made her displeasure known by shredding the trap's newspaper and loudly demanding her release! She and two raccoons, a possum and a second already neutered kitty are the results of last weekend’s efforts at a business hosting a small colony. The owners strongly support our efforts, and so far six of the cats have taken our Community Cat Carpool to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and ear-tipped. Others are being fostered until they’re old enough and will be up for adoption. At least three stealth cats remain, and our volunteers are dedicated to trapping them! T-N-R (Trap, Neuter, Return) is the only humane, scientifically proven way to effectively control outdoor cat populations and it works! Reach out to us if you know of cats in our King William and Lavaca service area who need to be "fixed"!

12/09/2022

The Cannoli Fund's been working to control the outdoor cat population for more than 11 years - but there are still so many cats who need help. This story has a happy ending thanks to a network of compassionate neighbors, fosters, and Footbridge Foundation, but things could have gone much differently. Thanks to the support of our donors, we are able to sponsor this momma and her five babies on their journey to a future where they are loved and cared for, healthy, and spayed or neutered. Help us stop the cycle - let us know if you see cats in King William or Lavaca who need to be "fixed." We will help trap them if needed, and have them vetted, spayed or neutered, ear-tipped or microchipped, and anything else they need - for free! That includes taking them to and from the spay/neuter clinic too! Learn more on our website ---> tinyurl.com/TCFccc