Help Your Pets Enjoy a Safe Halloween

Imagine waking up from your afternoon nap and finding that your family has been replaced by aliens, witches, and monsters.  Pretty scary, right? Well, that’s how your pet may view Halloween.  Pets can become confused when they hear a familiar voice that doesn’t match the face and may become aggressive if they are frightened.  Below are some tips from Karen Webb, our Adoption Supervisor, on enjoying a safe Halloween this year.

 

* Put animals in a quiet secure room away from Halloween activities.

 *Ask family members to wait until they leave your home before putting on masks. Explain to your children that family pets won’t necessarily recognize them in a mask.

 *Never leave pets outdoors, even in a fenced backyard.  Pets have been stolen from porches and backyards by pranksters and groups that use animals in ceremonies.  Take special care if you own a black cat.

 *Think long and hard before taking your dog trick-or-treating with you.  While people wearing mask are one concern, you pet may also be frightened by the spooky sights or sounds of Halloween displays.

 *If your children go trick or treating, make sure they know the signs that a dog could attack:  ears held back, teeth bared, fur standing on end or growling.

Photo courtesy of Logan Thiebaud/Parium: sxc.hu

“Can’t Afford”

That’s the reason this friendly cat, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 years old, was given up. If you would like to visit him (tag number 3973), stop by the Society on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. or on Wednesday from 1 p.m. – 7 p.m. Visit our website for more details on adoptions.

Pizza and Football!

Is there a better combination?!  We don’t think so! On Sunday, November 1, you can enjoy a tasty meal from Uno Chicago Grill before or during the game and support the Women’s Humane Society at the same time. The Society will receive up to 20 percent of the restaurant’s proceeds on November 1. In order for the Society to benefit from your order, you must present the Society’s Dough Raiser flier for either take-out or dine-in orders at the Uno Chicago Grill Neshaminy Mall location. You can get a copy of the flier here. (You’ll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to opent this PDF file.)

Meet Fred

Someone in Fred’s family was allergic to him and now this three-year-old cat needs a new home. Fred likes children and needs a home with no other animals. If you would like to visit him (tag number 3859), stop by the Society on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. or on Wednesday from 1 p.m. – 7 p.m. Visit our website for more details on adoptions.

Fire Leaves Cats Homeless

Bandit

Fire damaged the home of Gizmo and Bandit and now these 1 1/2-year-old male cats are in need of a new home. If you would like to visit Gizmo (tag number 3757) or Bandit (tag number 3756), stop by the Society on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. or on Wednesday from 1 p.m. – 7 p.m. Visit our website for more details on adoptions.

Gizmo

Pet Pals Club Accepting New Members

The Women’s Humane Society’s Pet Pals Cub is accepting new members in grades four through nine.

“The purpose of the club is to help children understand more about animals in their communities and discover ways we can all become better caretakers of our animal friends in their home environments,” said Janice Mininberg, Director of Education and Pet Pals Club Leader.

The Pet Pals Club meets at the Society on one Saturday morning each month from October through May. Each meeting includes a discussion about a pet topic or a presentation by a guest speaker, followed by a craft project or game. While members do not play with animals housed at the Society, they do interact with animals brought by guest speakers. The club registration fee is $25. The registration deadline is October 8, 2009. The club is limited to 18 members..

For information about registering for the Pet Pals Club, call Janice Mininberg at 215-750-3100, extension 34.

Has Your Dog Had a Flu Shot?

The Women’s Humane Society is now offering the canine influenza vaccine in our veterinary clinic. Your dog will need 2 shots, given 2 weeks apart, to be completely protected from canine influenza. Shots cost $24 each for a total cost of $48. There are also separate $25 examination fees for both the initial visit and the second visit.

Canine influenza is a contagious respiratory virus. Dogs affected with a mild case of the canine flu may develop a moist cough that lasts for 10 to 30 days. Some dogs will have a dry cough that may be mistaken for kennel cough. In some cases, a bacterial infection occurs with mild cases of the flu and can cause a thick nasal discharge.

Dogs that have the severe form of canine influenza may develop fevers between 104 to 106 degrees and may also develop pneumonia if a secondary bacterial infection occurs.

Canine influenza is a fairly new disease and very few dogs have developed any immunity to the virus. According to American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) guidelines, virtually all dogs exposed to the virus become infected and nearly 80 percent show clinical signs of the disease.

Read more about canine influenza here.

Veterinary Clinic Hours Extended

The Women’s Humane Society has extended the hours in our veterinary clinic for your convenience. Operating hours have been extended by 1 hour on Wednesdays. In addition, the clinic will now be open all day, from morning to evening, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Our reduced fee clinic is open to the public on a first-come first-serve basis for well and sick visits, routine shots and X-rays. Appointments are required for surgery, including spaying or neutering. You can reach the clinic at 215-750-5252.

 Clinic Hours

 Tuesday           8:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

 Wednesday      12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

 Thursday          8:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

 Friday              8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

 Saturday           8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

 The clinic is closed on Sunday and Monday.

What About Us, Rachael?

Rachael Ray is doing a nice thing. Her Mutt Madness Awards Program plans to dole out more than $200,000 to animal shelters she deems to be the “most deserving” charitable organizations in America. But there’s one catch. Only shelters that label themselves “no-kill” will qualify to be one of the lucky 64 organizations competing for awards.

The problem is that there are very few shelters that are actually “no-kill,” despite their claims. True no-kill shelters take every single animal that is brought to them – young, old, sick, aggressive – and either find homes for them or care for them for the rest of their lives.

Most of the organizations that we are familiar with that use the no-kill label say that they don’t euthanize “adoptable” animals. So what happens to the animals that the shelter considers unadoptable? They are either euthanized or rejected by the shelter. We regularly receive calls from distraught and desperate pet owners whose animals have been rejected by no-kill shelters.

The Women’s Humane Society accepts all animals. We do euthanize animals that have behavioral problems or those that are very ill or old. Unfortunately, very few people want a dog with aggression problems or a nine-year-old cat with diabetes. Animals stay with us as long as there is space for them. We haven’t euthanized any dogs due to overcrowding for years. In fact, many of our dogs are adopted within several days of arrival at our shelter.

Cats are a different story. We receive two to three times more cats than dogs and cats aren’t quite as in demand as dogs. Sadly, when we run out of space, especially during the summer months, some cats are euthanized. Every one of these animals deserve to find lifelong homes, but there just aren’t enough adopters out there to care for all of the cats that pass through our doors. Luckily, we work with several cat rescue groups that take some of the harder to place cats, reducing the need for euthanasia.

A world where every animal is wanted and loved is the goal we are all working toward at the Women’s Humane Society. Hopefully, we will get there one day and can honestly add “no-kill” to our title. Until then, you won’t find us claiming to be something we aren’t.

Housing, feeding and caring for animals takes money – a lot of money. We are extremely grateful to our donors for helping us keep the Women’s Humane Society in operation, but we wouldn’t mind a little help from the Rachael Ray Show. Please let Rachael know that no-kill shelters are not the only deserving charitable organizations in the United States. Click here to view her website or send an email to: showcomments@rachaelrayshow.com.

Antifreeze Spills Can Kill Pets

Approximately ten thousand dogs and cats die each year from antifreeze poisoning, much of it occurring from leaks and spills in the pet’s own garage or driveway.

Cats and dogs are naturally drawn to puddles and don’t see anything wrong with drinking from that funny green puddle in your driveway. In fact, many animals like the taste of antifreeze. Although people give the most thought to the problem in the winter, it can occur at any time of the year.

If your dog or cat ingests antifreeze, it is important to seek veterinary care immediately. The more time that goes by, the less chance your animal has to survive. Signs of antifreeze poisoning include vomiting, increased drinking of water, fatigue, and urination. Some animals may even have seizures.

Veterinarians treat antifreeze poisoning by inducing vomiting, giving the pet activated charcoal to absorb the ethylene glycol found in antifreeze. If caught in time, animals may recover completely, although others may be left with kidney damage.

Pet owners, and anyone who cares about animals, may want to consider using antifreeze that is safer for animals, such as Sierra Antifreeze, Prestone LowTox Antifreeze/Coolant, and Sta-Clean Antifreeze. (Your old antifreeze should be flushed out before adding the new antifreeze for maximum benefit.) If your pet ingests one of these antifreezes, it may still show some signs of poisoning, but the symptoms will be much less severe.