Todd Eichman has been serving on the Virginia Beach SPCA Board of Directors for over 25 years. “I have had an affinity for animals since I was very young,” he says. “We always had dogs and cats in the house, and the ability to help speak for those who can’t drew me to help the VBSPCA.”

As an experienced CPA and CFP, Eichman shares his financial expertise with the VBSPCA. He is currently a partner with Sterling Benefits, LLC in Virginia Beach, where he assists small businesses and individuals with retirement planning. Prior to that, Eichman spent 11 tax seasons at a large accounting firm. He lives in Suffolk with his wife, two daughters, two cats, and a cockatiel.

Eichman is a strong advocate for the VBSPCA’s spaying and neutering services, which he believes have had a major impact on the number of unwanted animals in our community. “We have spayed and neutered thousands upon thousands of animals during my tenure on the board and I can’t imagine where we would be as a community without [those services],” he says.

Eichman not only contributes to the VBSPCA mission by sharing his financial guidance, but through his hopeful outlook on animal welfare as well. His words of advice to the public? “Everyone should visit the shelter – it is not a sad or depressing place – it is a place of hope! Find somewhere in the organization where you can donate money or time and see what happens!” Todd, we so appreciate your many years of dedicated service to our animals!

If you are interested in serving on the Virginia Beach SPCA Board of Directors, please email Derby.Brackett@vbspca.com for more information.

Every single animal that comes through our shelter has a story. Some are complex, many are sad, but all of them get better the minute they arrive at the Virginia Beach SPCA. Leroy came to the shelter when his family was moving and couldn’t take him with them. For Tasha, it was love at first sight – she saw him on our website and was immediately smitten. Once Tasha and Leroy met in July 2017, there was no turning back.

How did you find Leroy and/or how did you know Leroy was the one for you?

About two years prior, my dog passed away. I was starting to get the itch for a new bud and I started checking the VBSPCA webpage every few weeks. I figured Leroy would be scooped up immediately, but when I called they told me he had a cough and was not taking visitors. I waited the seven days and visited him the day he was “released”. The first thing I noticed was his energy. I went back the next day and took him outside with the tennis ball and never looked back.

How is Leroy doing in the home? 

Leroy has been the PERFECT dog since day one. Crate trained, well behaved, fun, snuggly. He’s the epitome of a little best bud.

What sort of activities do you and Leroy do together? 

Leroy has a TON of energy. We run and walk A LOT. His favorites include: car rides, trail runs at First Landing, chasing the ball for hours, swimming, and snuggling. Whenever we go on an adventure, Leroy comes too!

Does Leroy have any funny quirks? 

Leroy’s best quirk is his need to snuggle CLOSELY and UNDER the covers. If there’s a blanket on the couch, he will get himself positioned just right under it. When we let him on the bed, he will inch his way under all of the bedding. He must be as close as possible at all times.

Why do you think people should consider adopting a pet from a shelter? 

There are SO many amazing dogs just waiting to be taken home and loved. Our shelter dog has changed our life just as much as we changed his. Adopt before you shop!

The home should be a safe environment for everyone, including children and pets. Whether you’re welcoming a new baby, adopting a new pet, or having young visitors in your home, it can take some time for everyone to adjust. By being proactive you can create a harmonious environment for humans and animals alike.

For the Kids:

• Monitor children and pets who don’t know one another. Introductions should always be done under close adult supervision. Make sure your child knows to ask an adult for permission before approaching or touching any animal they don’t know.
• Teach kindness and respect. Simple things like showing children how and where to pet the animal, letting them know that animals have feelings, and asking them to not to touch your pet’s food or toys can go a long way.
• Talk about how animals communicate. Let your child know that if your cat or dog is growling, hissing, cowering, or trying to get away from them, they need to leave the animal alone.

For the Pets:

• Create safe zones for your pet. Make sure your pet has a place to eat and an area to sleep and relax where children know he should not be bothered.
• Allow your pet to decide whether to interact with children. Some animals are leery of kids since they tend to move fast and can be noisy. If their go-to response is avoidance, respect your pet’s wishes and try to create trust between the pet and the child over time.
• Intervene when play gets out of control. It doesn’t matter if it’s a child or a pet who gets a little too rambunctious – quickly calm the situation down so no one gets hurt.

Interactions with pets and other animals can be very beneficial to children. Caring for a pet can teach children empathy, kindness, and responsibility. Pets also provide companionship and even boost confidence and lower stress levels! By setting your children and your pets up for success, everyone will be able to enjoy their time together safely.

To learn about our humane education programs visit vbspca.com/education.

Most animal lovers enjoy spoiling our pets with love and toys. If you’re shopping for your furry friend, you are not alone – pet products continue to grow in popularity in the US and around the world. The good news is there are plenty of options when it comes to entertaining your pet. But while it can be fun to pick the cutest or silliest toy you can find, it is important to consider your pet’s safety when you are buying toys.

Size Matters
When you are buying toys for your pet, be sure to think about the size of your animal. Small toys can be a choking hazard for larger pets, and large toys may be hard for a smaller pet to carry around.

Look Closely
Even appropriately sized pet toys can be hazardous because of the way they are made. Common hazards include “eyes” on soft toys, strings, ribbons, or any part of a toy that can easily be chewed off and ingested. 

When in Doubt, Test it Out
Whenever possible, it is a good idea to supervise your pet with new toys. You’ll quickly realize whether your dog has a tendency to tear the stuffing out of soft toys and eat it or your cat often gets string or feathers stuck in his mouth. You may find that you have two categories of toys in your home: ones that can be left for your pet to play with at any time, and others that are put away and only used when under your close supervision to prevent any safety issues.

Choose Your Chews Wisely
Dogs naturally like to chew, but edible chews can be extremely dangerous. As your pup chews off pieces of the treat, it can get lodged in his throat or digestive tract. Carefully choose the size and shape of any edible chew, and only let your pet have it when you can watch them. 

If you’re looking for something you can leave with your pets when you are not home, treat-dispensing toys can be a great option. You may also want to consider chew toys made of hard rubber, which are much less likely to become a choking hazard.

By thinking through your pet’s play behaviors and closely looking at the toys you buy, you’ll be able to enjoy playtime and worry less about unexpected trips to the veterinarian. 

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, our November Happy Tails highlights an adopter for whom all of us at the Virginia Beach SPCA feel a tremendous amount of gratitude – our very own Derby Brackett. Derby has been serving the VBSPCA since September 2017. She first joined the organization as a board member, then stepped in as Interim CEO 6 months later, and she took on the official CEO position in March 2019. However, it wasn’t until January 2020 that Derby adopted VBSPCA pup Rambler, and together they represent one of over 2,700 happily ever afters from this past year.

Rambler’s Story
Rambler and his 8 littermates arrived at the VBSPCA on December 26, 2019. They were barely 6 weeks old, motherless, and all of them in need of medical care for serious parasitic infections. After the puppies were treated in our clinic, our shelter team placed the puppies in foster homes where they would be able to rest and recover until they were ready for adoption. Placement for all 8 pups was secured in less than 24 hours, and our Director of Philanthropy, Emily Peck, had signed up to take Rambler and one of his brothers home on foster. However, Emily was out of town for the holiday weekend, so Derby stepped in to foster Rambler and his brother until she returned.

This was Derby’s first foster experience, and her weekend with the puppies was both challenging and rewarding – but mostly rewarding. Resident pet Rainey Storm warmed to the pups’ presence in the home, and her nerves shifted to curiosity. Everyone was friendly in no time. A few days of fostering turned into a few weeks of fostering, and when it was finally time for Derby to bring the puppies back to the shelter, Rambler was already home.

His First Year with Derby
At the end of this year, Rambler will celebrate his one year anniversary with Derby and her husband Doug, and what a year it has been. Despite the chaos us humans were experiencing throughout 2020, Rambler experienced a year of chasing waves at the beach, digging holes in the backyard, walking in the park, and playing with his big sister, Rainey Storm. He spent much of the year taking up too much space in the bed, being startled by the vacuum, and harmonizing with the sirens. He made a few appearances in Zoom meetings and ruined a few shoes, but overall he brought immense joy and unlimited entertainment to his humans. For Rambler and all of our animal friends, 2020 was a year of being loved by their human companions, and that love is central to everything we do at the VBSPCA.

In Thanks
We offer our thanks to Derby for providing Rambler with a loving, forever home, and we thank her for the compassionate leadership she uses to guide the entire VBSPCA team every single day. Derby leads with compassion and dedication – and, as 2020 has taught us – when nothing goes as planned, compassion and dedication matter most.

Every single animal that comes through our shelter has a story. Some are complex, many are sad, but all of them get better the minute they arrive at the Virginia Beach SPCA. Ginny and Wanda arrived at the VBSPCA as kittens in need of a loving foster home. After being placed with a family, the shy resident adult cat formed a special bond with them and foster mom Kate decided to make them permanent members of the family. We recently caught up with Kate to check in on Ginny and Wanda, and you can read about their success story below.

How did Ginny and Wanda come into your life?

We’ve been fostering with VBSPCA for about a year, mostly bottle-fed kittens and those that need a little extra attention. We had just returned two fosters to the VBSPCA, and the staff asked us if we would take home Ginny and Wanda for their two week vaccine quarantine. Typically our fosters go into a separate room for their stay as they are usually younger, but both kittens refused to be separate from our family, so we tempted fate and allowed them to begin to roam the house. Once their personalities began to shine, it was clear that they were choosing us. It would have broken our hearts to separate the girls, so we decided to make both of them permanent members of our family.

You mentioned that your daughter helps socialize and care for your foster kittens. How has she helped with Ginny and Wanda?

My teenager Jordan loves kittens and this is such a great way to teach her responsibility. She has helped bottle feed while I’ve been at work and she is amazing with socializing scared kittens. Ginny and Wanda chose her, especially Ginny, who can often be found curled up on Jordan. She is so great with caring for our cats and they all adore her.

“The joy that an animal can bring to a household is astounding.”

We heard that your resident cat can be very picky with who he becomes friends with. Tell me how Ginny and Wanda have helped him come out of his shell?

Our last cat to be adopted, Galen, is two years old. He is an extremely shy cat and hesitant to accept new animals. He has always been hissy with new kittens, even the littlest ones, which is another reason why we always give our fosters their own room. However, with Ginny and Wanda, there was no hissing. He was never scared when we brought them home and introduced them. Galen initially stood back and observed until he felt brave enough to play with them. Now he plays with them around the house and they are the best of friends.

Why is adopting through fostering a great way to save homeless animals?

When I adopted through fostering, I already knew how my resident cats would react to the new additions. In the past, if my cats did not like the fosters, it was ok because they were separated and we knew the fosters would return to the shelter eventually. But it’s great to have the option to keep our fosters should everyone get along. Not only did we help homeless kittens, but we kept them out of the shelter setting. “Foster failing” has actually been a huge win for us!

Why should people consider adopting from the VBSPCA?

There are so many reasons to consider adopting. For us, it’s not just that we saved an animal’s life. Our cats are our family members. They keep us company when we are sad, they make us laugh and smile even on our worst days. The joy that an animal can bring to a household is astounding. My children have learned compassion and what it means to care about another living creature by having pets. They are better people for owning pets. My life will never be boring with a cat around!