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)