Pink's Annual Pet Makeover - May 2019

Meet Our May Pet Makeover Doggie, Auggie!

Makeover0519

May 2019 Issue
Story and Photography by Jacie Elizabeth Millen

Meet Our May Pet Makeover Doggie, Auggie! He is adorable and loving, but most of all he’s just a giant goofball. Augustine, (Auggie is my nickname for him) is not like other dogs. His sweet personality is perfectly paired with a chill cha-risma. Not knowing anything about Auggie, most would stereotype him with the usual “big dog” characteristics—boisterous, cumbersome, gigantic, but he is actually a cuddly lap dog. This big, furry goof, which now resides at Hilton Head Humane Association (HHHA), has a tendency to rub up on you, walk in between your legs, give out hugs, and the occasional lick on the face.

In just a few hours Auggie stole my heart, and now, thanks to the proprietors at Groomingdale’s, I have all the confidence in the world Auggie will get adopted during May, which is National Pet Adoption Month!

Meet Jeff and Jen Prekop: A volunteer at HHHA delivered Auggie to Groomingdale’s, a local pet grooming company on Hilton Head Island. There he met owners Jeff and Jen Prekop, longtime supporters of HHHA and the rescues they nurture and house. They have been partnering with HHHA for more than 20 years, making sure every new resident is groomed and looks adorably adoptable. Well-groomed animals have a better chance of getting adopted quickly, and Jeff and Jen are key to getting the pups—and some cats—in tip top shape.

Meet Franny and the Crew: Franny Gerthoffer, Executive Director of the HHHA, helped us coordinate the selection of Augustine as our May Pink Shelter Pet Makeover. HHHA is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a safe haven for abandoned cats and dogs of the Lowcountry. The Association is funded entirely by membership dues, private donations, generous gifts, and proceeds from their thrift store, The Litterbox. If you would like to make a donation, please visit their website www.hhhumane.org.

It’s Makeover Time: Step One - Bath Time: Let’s just say Augustine was not a fan of the bathtub. However, he relaxed into it as Jeff soothed him by gently soaping him up, talking sweet to him and gently washing him. With a full, beautiful coat, Auggie needed a de-shedding shampoo treatment, too.
Step Two - Blow-out: Auggie got a quick towel dry and headed over to the blow dryer. As you can see, Auggie is one hairy dog! It took Jeff about 30-45 minutes to get “the beast” completely dry. Auggie had a few cute moments with Jeff throughout his hair drying session, including kissing Jeff while his fur was blowing everywhere.

Step Three - Trim and Cut: Auggie came to Groomingdale’s as a long-haired pup and left with shorter, healthier hair, looking handsome as ever.

Step Four - Picture Time: Auggie and I headed over to Jarvis Creek Park on Hilton Head and walked the path to find a good picture spot! Rustic Pup, the new premier pet boutique in Beaufort, added to Auggie’s “spa” day by donating a colorful collar, a bandana collar, and two gourmet dog treats just for Auggie and the family who adopts him. After our photo shoot, we headed back to HHHA and said our very sad goodbyes, tears included! This puppy love was real.

Post Makeover Update: Augustine got adopted to a great home only four days after our makeover! Pink Magazine would like to thank the Hilton Head Humane Association, Groomingdale’s, and Rustic Pup for their generous contributions to our Pink Pet Makeover cause! Also, special thanks to sweet Auggie; you will always be loved by the Pink Staff, and we wish you the best in your new home!

Special Thanks To:


Groomingdale’s Pet Grooming
is located at 1 Cardinal Rd., HHI, 29926. For appointments call 843-682-3186. Look for their Facebook page under GROOMINGDALES.


The Rustic Pup
is located in Old Bay Marketplace at 917 Bay Street, Ste B in Beaufort. Stop by for must have accessories for every stylish dog and cat. 843-597-2506; www.therusticpup.com


Hilton Head Humane Association
is located on Hilton Head Island at 10 Humane Way, 29926 and open for adoptions daily. They can be reached at 843-681-8686 or visit www.hiltonheadhumane.com


The Litter Box Thrift Store,
with all proceeds to Hilton Head Humane Association, is located at 46 Old White Horse Rd., HHI, 29926. They can be reached at 843-842-6369. This popular thrift store is known for fabulous finds from furniture to fashion and so much more
!  

Makeover0519 2
A Walk Down the Hall
at the New Beaufort County Animal Shelter

by Mary Hope Roseneau   photography by Cassidy Dunn
 
As Hannibal would say in the old TV show The A-Team: “I love it when a plan comes together!”
Every now and then things just come together for good and make so much sense. A perfect example is the newly opened Beaufort County Animal campus, celebrated with a ribbon cutting on March 30 in Okatie. The Beaufort County Council (government!) and the Hilton Head Humane Association (private) came together and pooled resources to create a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to the protection of our beloved animals. Covering 20,000 square feet, and located at 10 Pritcher Point Road on a 10 acre campus off Highway 170, the new facility lies almost exactly between Beaufort and Hilton Head. The project partners are quite proud to point out that this is the largest private/public relationship in Beaufort County, and possibly the State.  

My daughter and I were given the VIP tour by the very busy, yet gracious Director of County Animal Services, Tallulah Trice. She admits to turning 50 this year, but looks more like a teenager. She’s incredibly energetic and passionate about animals, yet also very “no nonsense.”  She doesn’t romanticize them, thinking we can save them all. She explains which dogs can be rehabilitated and which cannot. She emphasized an aggressive spaying and neutering program is the only answer to the problem of stray animals, and that the vet at the adjacent Hilton Head Humane Association performs around 30 each day.

The gleaming new stainless steel kennels line the hall, and Tallulah points out the steps taken to prevent communicable disease in the intake units with separate air exchanges. She is extremely proud and grateful for a grant from the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, which supplied the facility an ultrasound machine and an X-ray machine, both extremely expensive diagnostic equipment. Now they can quickly examine the injuries of a dog or cat that has been brought in, and determine the right treatment immediately. This saves huge amounts of time traveling up and down the highways of Beaufort County, picking up animals, spaying and neutering in Ridgeland, trans-porting to vets for x-rays and ultrasounds, and then moving them again to adoption centers on Hilton Head. She has a great way of summing it all up: “We will now be transporting animals down the hallway versus the highway.”  

In the back of the facility, not quite finished yet, is a fenced-in large pond in the shape of a dog bone.  This will be the swimming area for the lucky animals that have found their way to this facility. Just another example of the kind, loving treatment offered to our animals in Beaufort County. Drop by and take a look; you might wind up taking home a new best friend.   

Volunteers are always welcome and needed at the facility both in the Animal Services section, and on the Hilton Head Human Association adoption side, call 843-645-8400 for more information. There is a form located at www.bcgovnet/departments/Public-Safety/animal-control/volunteer as well as the Community Foundation website, www.cf-lowcountry.org , which lists the many volunteer opportunities in the county. Donations of clean towels, washcloths, animal play toys, wet canned cat food, bleach, and laundry detergent are appreciated in both facilities. Spaying is currently $25 for Beaufort County residents’ pets, but reduced and even free operations are available, if there is a need.  Pit bulls are welcome to be spayed and neutered free of charge.  

Beaufort County Animal Services has a Facebook page, as well as its own webpage: www.takeushome.org. Hours are Monday-Saturday 9 am-4 pm, closed daily from 1 pm-2 pm. Call 843-255-5010 for more information.

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