Page 18 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • June 22, 2011 Area Things were starting to look good for Tasha, a mixed-breed dog that had been rescued several months ago by the RamapoBergen Animal Refuge, Inc. from an empty lot where she was living with her five young puppies. Not much was known about her background when she came to the shelter and she was very timid, so the dedicated staff and volunteers worked very closely with her to teach her to trust people. RBARI staff, volunteers rescue same dog a second time progress, and Montouri felt it was time to put her into a home environment, so a foster-to-adopt arrangement was made with a family from Ramsey that had fallen in love with her. “We were so happy to see her go to a loving home that understands her issues and is willing to work with her to make her part of their family,” said RBART Executive Director Steven Mark. Tasha was scared when she first arrived at her new home, so the family took her out to their fenced-in yard to see if she would relax with them outside. Then suddenly something spooked her and she jumped against the fence, accidentally knocking the gate open, and she took off. After unsuccessfully trying to catch her, the family called RBARI, and shelter staff and volunteers immediately went to the scene to begin searching for Tasha. “There are some very important steps that need to be followed when looking for a lost dog,” Mark noted. “You must immediately notify the police and local animal control agencies and circulate flyers to let the public know to keep their eyes open.” After taking these actions, calls began coming in with reports of sightings which allowed the search team to hone in on Tasha. After two days of intense searching, the winning tip came in from a worker at the Cambridge Apartments in Ramsey, who saw Tasha by the lake near the apartment complex. RBARI staff members Janet and Lynda and volunteer Steve were nearby and responded immediately. They began calling Tasha’s name, and shortly Tasha with RBARI staff member Janet and volunteer Steve. RBARI staff member Lynda reunited with Tasha near the lake at Cambridge Apartments. “Dogs like this need lots of socialization to let them know that humans are okay,” said Karyn Montouri, staff dog trainer at RBARI. “We see this quite often in rescue dogs, and we have a special program designed for our staff and volunteers to help them adjust.” Early this month, Tasha had made great thereafter, Tasha’s head popped up from a ditch near the lake and she came to them. The volunteers brought her to Franklin Lakes Animal Hospital to be checked out. Aside from being hungry and tired, she was fine. She was then taken back to the shelter around 7 p.m. where she rested comfortably in her bed with her favorite toy after a nice meal and some treats. “We can’t thank the staff, the volunteers, and the community as a whole enough for rallying to help find Tasha and bring her home safely,” Mark added. “It was a total team effort.” Individuals who are interested in adopting a cat or dog or learning more about RBARI may visit www.rbari.org, call the shelter at (201) 337-5180, or stop by the shelter at 2 Shelter Lane in Oakland during regular business hours. Ramapo Bergen Animal Refuge Inc. is a no-kill shelter dedicated to the humane treatment of companion animals, their care and rehabilitation until they can be adopted into a suitable, loving home. RBARI is a 501(c)3 organization and relies on the generous contributions from businesses and individuals for the housing, medical treatment, training, and feeding of its animals. Additional information is available at the website and phone number listed above or by e-mailing Adopt Love@rbari.org.