Shelter alumni star in MCSPCA calendar

2012 Homeward Bound Alumni Calendar on sale now

 Weslee Wallace, a hound mix puppy rescued from a shelter, is Mr. September. Weslee Wallace, a hound mix puppy rescued from a shelter, is Mr. September. The wait is over, and the star of the Monmouth County SPCA (MCSPCA) alumni calendar has made his debut.

The featured adoptee is a feline named Nermal who, like many other shelter alumni, began life in challenging circumstances. He and his mother and three siblings were found wandering on the grounds of a local country club.

The entire family found refuge at the MCSPCA and have since found loving homes.

“Adopting Nermal and my other pets has brought me nothing but joy,” said Perri Blind. “I hope Nermal’s photos and story inspire others to adopt a shelter pet and support the MCSPCA, where there are still many other loving, adorable and deserving pets waiting for a second chance.”

Over the past nine years, the MCSPCA’s Homeward Bound Alumni Calendar has featured more than 100 pets and the heartwarming “tails” of their journeys home.

 Nermal, an adoptee from the Monmouth County SPCA, became the model for the calendar’s cover. Nermal, an adoptee from the Monmouth County SPCA, became the model for the calendar’s cover. Each month the calendar celebrates the adopted animals of the MCSPCA that have found their forever homes. Mr. September isWesleeWallace, a hound mix puppy pinup who was rescued from an overcrowded shelter in the South. While most of the pages feature canines and felines, there is always room for exotic animal companions. The January selection features a quintet of “show choir” parakeets with a wide range to their musical selections.

This eye-catching calendar not only serves as a fundraiser for the Monmouth County SPCAbut also helps to raise awareness of the plight of homeless animals.

As always, putting together the calendar is a labor of love for a dedicated team of professional volunteers. Pet-friendly photographers Joan LaBanca and Scott Longfield along with illustrator Wendy Born and graphics designer Jill Weiss donate their time and talents to the calendar project every year under the watchful eye of Kim Ruane, a member of the MCSPCA board of trustees.

To order a copy of the Homeward Bound Alumni Calendar go to www.monmouthcountyspca.org. Each copy is $12, or two for $20, and all proceeds are used to care for homeless animals residing at the MCSPCA shelter. Calendars are also available for sale at the Monmouth County SPCA Homeward Bound Adoption Center, 260 Wall St., Eatontown, as well as select retail outlets in Monmouth County.