Animal shelter offers gratis cat sterilization

Pueblo Animal Services, a division of the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak province, is now offering free spay and neuter surgeries to income-qualified cat owners. Appointments are available on a first-come, first-served basis and space is limited. “Southern Colorado Community Foundation has generously given us a grant to sterilize cats for those who are in financial need," said Julie Justman, associate director of Pueblo Animal Services. “We hope this event will kick off our normal subsidized spay and spay program that we offer year around."

The subsidized spay-neuter program, which was launched in 2008, offers surgeries for dogs and cats at reduced costs for all persons and families. “Our ultimate goal is to reduce the pet overpopulation by offering a cost-effective alternative to pet guardians,” said Jan Mchugh-Smith, president and CEO of HSPPR. "Normally, clients are responsible for covering a co-pay for the service and it depends on income qualification, pet species, sex and weight. All co-pays are being waived for the free cat spay-neuter for those who are income-qualified." Spaying or neutering pets prevents unwanted litters and reduces behavioral issues; the practice creates a better lifestyle for pets animals in the community and reduces stress on owners.

Rescued animals are frequently great pets

The myth – an adopting family does not know what they're getting when they rescue a homeless dog or cat. Every now and then I'll hear or read comments stating that this is the case. Actually, however, by talking with the people running or volunteering with the Pets adoption agency or shelter, you can learn about your potential pet's habits and character. As far as young puppies go, no one can guarantee what the cat or dog's personality will become. We have some really great salvage groups in Southeastern North Carolina, and the volunteers who work with homeless dogs and cats can help people match their lifestyles with the right pet.

Maybe you want a more lively dog that might enjoy jogging or long walks in the neighborhood. Or maybe your choice is for a more laid back companion (or companions) who would be better suited for snuggling on the sofa to watch movies or reruns of "Timmy and Lassie" or "Wild Kingdom." The volunteers can inform adopters about how the pets animal might get along with other furry members of the family or how they might relate to small children. For pets in general, there are a number of factors that could have an impact on temperament, including heredity and environmental experiences.

North Clwyd Animal Salvage to microchip pets in Flint

NORTH Clwyd Animal Rescue (NCAR) needs owners to get their Pets microchipped at an event in Flint. The Trelogan-based charity will be outside Jollyes Pet Superstore on Flintshire Retail Park on Saturday (January 29) and will charge £10 for pets to be microchipped.

The organisation will also be appealing for volunteers to help the contributions in a number of ways over the coming year. Animal lovers are needed to walk the dogs, groom the Pets animals and care for cats, kittens and rabbits. Other opportunities include helping at NCAR fundraising events, holding your own event or lottery and helping in the charity’s shops.

Letting pets sleep in your bed makes you sick

Scientists in California claimed that letting pets into the bed increases the chances of constricting the more than 100 diseases which are known to be transmitted from domestic pets to humans. Serious diseases which can be caught from animals include chagas disease, which can cause life-threatening heart and digestive system disorders, and cat-scratch disease, which can also come from being licked by infected felines, and can cause lethal damage to the liver, kidney or spleen. Recently a nine-year-old boy in Arizona caught the plague because he slept with his flea-infested cat, according to the report published in the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention journal "Emerging communicable Diseases."

Bruno Chomel, a professor at the University of California School of veterinary medicine, and who co-authored the study, said: "In many countries, pets have become substitutes for childbearing and child care, sometimes leading to extreme pet care."There are private places in the household, and I think our pets should not go beyond next to the bed. Having an overfed animal in your bed is fine, not a real one." "We wanted to raise the attention of people, as sleeping with a pet is becoming quite common, and there are risks associated with it, even if it is not very frequent," he added. In a recent study up to 62 per cent of  Dog owners said their pets slept either on or in their beds.

Animal salvage centre warns over micro pigs

Micro pigs were in exact after they became "the celebrity pet", but experts have warned it is difficult to predict how big they will actually grow. Brinsley Animal Rescue Centre has been giving new homes to some of the pigs. John Beresford said: "its rescue centres that pick up the pieces of people buying pets animals on a fad and then giving them up on an impulse."

The centre's website states that there is "no such thing as a micro pig" and explains that all pigs are large, powerful and possibly critical. Micro pigs are usually a cross between pot-bellied or Kune pigs and were made popular after different Hollywood stars and the Beckhams bought one. One of the pigs Brinsley Animal Rescue Centre has re-homed came from Bolsover.

Animals suffer upset

Having survived the floods many will face the challenge of trade with their traumatised pets, according to experts from the Australian Veterinary Association. Veterinarians are expecting to deal with large numbers of traumatised pets over the coming weeks and months.

“The human disaster has been huge, but many survivors of the floods who are relying on their pets for emotional support may not realise that the animals have also been emotionally scarred by events,” said pets animal behavior specialist, Dr Kersti Seksel. “Dogs and cats that survive disasters can suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder in the same way as humans. “Pets that temporarily lost their owners and/or homes during the flooding may be suffering from division anxiety-related problems.”

Roadshow was no sphere for small pets

I was at Parkway procession on Saturday and chanced upon a Pet Lovers Centre (PLC) road show. Apart from selling pet products, a hamster race was going on, where kids placed their hamsters in plastic balls and "raced" them. Surrounded by screaming kids who were shaking the plastic balls, loud blasting music and crowds, the hamsters were clearly stressed and panicky. Chinchillas and rabbits were placed at the road show as well, amid the loud music and crowds. I understand that PLC is a business and is riding on the Rabbit year to increase profits, but small pet animals should not be subjected to this amount of pressure. PLC should have known better.

Pets pass away in Cambridge house fire

Three pets animals died in a smoke-filled house on Second Avenue after a fire broke out Monday afternoon. A neighbour saw smoke coming from the two-storey detached home at 57 Second Ave. just after 1:30 p.m., and called for help. Firefighters arrived to find the home filled with smoke from a fire burning in the basement.

No one was home at the time. Firefighters rescued a dog, a cat and a hamster from the house and tried to resuscitate them, but were unsuccessful. It’s believed the animals died from smoke inhalation. Five fire trucks and 15 firefighters responded to the call in the Galt area of the city. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation. The fire caused about $250,000 in damage. The occupants did have insurance.

Spanish pets head to cathedral

Dogs, cats, hamsters and even pigs trooped into churches across Spain on Monday in search of blessing on Saint Anthony's Day, for the benefactor saint of animals. "Lord, bless this animal that Saint Antonio may protect it from all ailments," said Juan Villa, priest at the Church of San Anton in Madrid as he sprinkled holy water on pets presented by their owners. After their blessing, the animals did the "walk of the Saint," a pageant through several streets in the Madrid district of Chueca.

Nearby the queue of faithful waiting to present their pets and animals, there was another queue at a church window for bread rolls, baked according to a secret formula that keeps them soft. Each parishioner received three buns, one of which is traditionally kept for a year alongside a coin to ensure work and health and to guarantee the blessing of the saint. The festival has been celebrated in Madrid since the 19th century with only a few breaks. It is also detained in other parts of Spain such as in the Balearic Islands and Burgos.

Foreign pets need new homes.

After a St. Catharines man died on New Years Day, the search is on for people to adopt his pets! About 70 abroad animals are concerned; so far, the humane society has spent over 3 thousand dollars caring for the pets, which range from snakes, to geckos, along with bearded dragons and about 40 rats and pests.

Kevin Strooband of the Lincoln County Humane Society says the process of caring for the pets animal is quite intense; and they even seek outside help at times when it comes to care and feeding of certain species, such as reptiles. If you're interested in giving a pet a home, call the Lincoln County Humane Society. They will put you in handle with the man's next-of-kin, who are also looking for people who want to adopt a pet.

Ohio’s ban from abroad pets permanent

By some events, there are hundreds of exotic and wild animals sold in Ohio each year, but the state has virtually no regulation of these often dangerous pets animals. All that's about to change thanks to an order by outgoing Gov. Ted Strickland who implemented a 90-day ban on selling those animals and requires offered owners of such animals to register them with the state.

The issue hit home late last year when an Ohio man was killed by a black bear detained under private ownership near Lorain. Incoming Gov. John Kasich has indicated he will consider extending the 90-day ban and we agree with others, like the Humane Society of the United states, who want the ban to become permanent. Many of us find abroad animals and wild animals beautiful and exciting, but that doesn't mean we want one as a permanent resident in our neighborhood. And too many owners of such animals are ill-ready to take care of them safely. That's why Gov. Kasich should make the 90-day order permanent.

Rabid Dog Shots for Shelter Workers

A newly published case history highlights the importance of rabies vaccinations for pets and animal shelter workers. The report details a situation involving a stray dog found in rustic Minnesota and taken to a North Dakota animal shelter in March 2010. When it was later learned that the dog had rabies, public health officials began an investigation using animal shelter records and a public announcement to identify people and animals who may have had contact with the rabid dog.

As a result, post-exposure rabies vaccine was given to 21 people, including nine animal shelter workers and one volunteer. Because of possible contact with the rabid dog, 36 dogs were euthanized, including some that had been housed with the rabid animal and others that might have been bare and were not up-to-date on their rabies shots. As of December 2010, there had been no reported cases of rabies in any of the humans or dogs included in the investigation. Rabies is a fatal disease. Animal shelter workers who may come into contact with rabid animals should consider receiving rabies injection before starting their duties, the report authors recommended.

Health tips for winter pets

Watch the temp. It is easy to think that their hair coats will keep them warm in the winter, but in reality, pets get cold outside just as easily as we do. So if your pet is sensitive to cold, keep them inside. The Sacramento SPCA recommends that short-haired dogs, cats and puppies be kept indoors when the temperature dips below 40 degrees Fahrenheit; all other pets should come in when temps fall below 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Slap the hood. Cats and other critters seek shelter from winter winds wherever they can, sometimes snuggling up to your car's engine to soak up a little warmth. Make it a practice to slap the hood of your car before starting it to give them a chance to wake up and escape.

Keep 'em leashed. Animals can easily lose their smell in winter months, especially when snow covers the ground. So keep your dog on a strap when you're in an unfamiliar area. And make sure his ID tags are up to date as more pets are lost during the winter than during any other season.

Change your antifreeze. Cats and dogs are concerned to the sweet smell and taste of antifreeze, and will often sample it if they find a puddle on the sidewalk or garage floor. But regular antifreeze, or ethylene glycol, is highly toxic to pets. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using a brand made from propylene glycol in its place.

Wipe em down. Ice-melting chemicals can annoy and burn the pads of your pet's feet and can cause serious illness if swallowed (or licked.) Be sure wipe down her belly, legs, and paws to remove these chemicals if she's spent anytime outdoors.

Break the ice. Sure you may have filled up your pets animals water bowl in the morning, but did it turn in to a block of ice by lunch? Check your pet's water bowl frequently and break the ice if needed to make sure he has access to clean, fresh water.

Walls growing for new animal shelter building

Work on the new facility for the Saving Grace Pet Adoption Center is Moving ahead nicely and the building is already taking shape.Walls going up for new Animal shelter building Crews were busy Monday afternoon putting up the outside walls of what will be the main office area. Apex Block donated all of the material for the outside wall frames and the large and light design is saving a lot of time. They only weigh 52 pounds apiece, and so, they go up very fast and you don't have to use any mortar between the joints.

It's foamed together, and then it gets grouted after the fact in all the cells, Mathis says using normal concrete blocks for the external walls would have taken an extra week. Saving Grace Executive Director Wendy Kang said that she is just happy to finally see everyone's hard work paying off. "This has been extremely exciting; it's been great to watch every step of the process. We are so happy that this will be our last winter in this old building," said Kang. The new shelter will be very energy well-organized, but more importantly, will cater to the needs of the animals at the shelter.

Pets Haven open again after search

A WOODEND Animal shelter has reopened after a Macedon Ranges Council and Department of Primary Industry search. Owner of pro-life shelter Pets Haven, Trish Burke said the closure had cost the shelter up to $15,000.The shelter’s permit is for 20 cats and eight dogs. Animal welfare and hygiene issues, connecting to the Domestic Animals Act 1994 Code of Practice had to be addressed before the shelter could reopen.

There would be a Woodend-based pet shop with three directors and a Pets Haven Rescue Group, where rescued animals were farmed out to look after carers.“There are about 80 of these rescue groups like this in the state,” she said. “The cats and dogs can still be permanently adopted and would be microchipped and desexed.“The shelter is barer but we have had enormous support from the community.” Mr Thornton said the council was satisfied to offer a temporary permit to reopen the shelter.

The Year’s Dog Names in Review

The late, great rocker is Petfinder.com’s most well-liked celebrity pet name. The site’s top dog name overall? Buddy. “Every year I look forward to this ranking,” says Betsy Banks Saul, cofounder of the online adoption database. “Buddy and Max will probably always be popular, it’s always a blast to see just how original people get when naming their pets,” she says.

 A name that continues to go up the site’s ranks for both dogs and cats is Bella, the name of a character from the "Twilight" series of books and films. Bella jumped from No. 6 to the No. 4 spot for dogs, and from No. 4 to No. 3 for cats. Saul says unusual and pop culture names for adoptable pets aren’t just fun, they’re practical. “We often hear that adoptable pets get more attention on both Petfinder.con and in the shelter when they have interesting names,” she says. “Therefore, for many reasons, we encourage as much originality as possible.”
                                      2010 Top 10 Most Popular Dog Names
                                                    1. Buddy (1019)
                                                    2. Max (822)
                                                    3. Daisy (755)
                                                    4. Bella (716)
                                                    5. Lucy (705)
                                                    6. Jack (673)
                                                    7. Molly (639)
                                                    8. Charlie (616)
                                                    9. Sadie (594)
                                                    10. Rocky (564)