Fireworks are no blast for dogs and cats: Keep your pets safe this Fourth of July

From the Escondido Humane Society (Escondido, California 92027)

The Fourth of July is just days away. But keep in mind that while you are out enjoying the festivities, your pets may be scared at home because of the loud booms and pops from the fireworks.

Here are a few tips for making your pet comfortable and safe this Fourth of July:

• One of the most important things you can do to keep your pets safe during the holiday is to make sure they wear proper identification at all times and that they are microchipped so they can be returned home quickly if lost. We provide microchipping here at the Escondido Humane Society for $35.
• Keep your pets at home and indoors, preferably in a quiet room where there are no windows. Remove any items that your pet could destroy.
• Turn on a TV or radio to distract your pets from loud noises and help them to relax.
• Create a special area in your home where your pet feels safe, such as a crate or kennel.
• Should your dog run away, check your local animal shelters. If you live in the cities of Escondido, Poway or San Marcos, contact the Escondido Humane Society at (760) 888-BARK to see if your animal is at the shelter.

With some preparation and planning ahead, you and your four-legged family members can enjoy the holiday stress-free. Happy Fourth of July to you and your pets!

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Dane County Humane Society Celebrates All-American Dog Week July 1-10, 2011

For generations, American Pit Bull Terriers have been loved for their loyalty, devotion, and courageous spirit. Dane County Humane Society (Madison, Wisconsin 53718) pitties are no exception!

Celebrate “All American Dog Week” July 1, 2011 through July 10, 2011 at Dane County Humane Society.

Adopt a pittie and receive a FULL adoption rebate upon completion of DCHS’s Positively Pitties 6-week training session.

Read more about All-American Dog Week.

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Cat Independence Days: Pursue Happiness with an Adult Cat

Kittens may be cute, but Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation (Walnut Creek, California 94598) holds the charms of adult cats to be self-evident!

With their sparkling personalities well-established, it’s easy to find the right cat for your family. And now is the perfect time, as ARF cats declare their independence from adoption fees. Adopt a new feline friend from ARF between and let freedom ring!

• June 30 – July 17 (closed 7/4)
• No adoption fees on adult cats (6 months and older)
• Includes: Microchipping, Spay/Neuter surgery, Age-appropriate vaccinations, 14 oz. Tidy Cat® litter
• Standard adoption criteria apply.

Meet the available cats.

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Mister HotShine Car Wash & Lube Centers Paws-a-Thon to Benefit Greater Birmingham Humane Society

Who doesn’t love a good car wash? During the month of July, your clean car can help the homeless pets of the Greater Birmingham area!

Visit Mister HotShine Car Wash & Lube Centers (Highway 280 or Montgomery Highway in Vestavia) and purchase a paw for $1, $5, or $10. Your paw purchase will benefit the animals served by the Greater Birmingham Humane Society (Birmingham, Alabama 35209).

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Santa Fe Animal Shelter and Humane Society’s Las Conchas Fire Pet Relief Efforts Update

From the Santa Fe Animal Shelter and Humane Society (Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507)

On Monday, we started receiving animals evacuated from the 70,000-acre fire blazing in nearby Los Alamos. By the end of today, we had 128 animals still in our care. (A lucky few have been able to find pet-friendly housing with their humans.) They come in all shapes and sizes. From the bulky pit with her two little Chihuahua buddies to the three kitten brothers to the bull snake to the twin Golden Retrievers, we’re taking them in.

One of our staff members said to me today that he knows what it feels like to age like a dog. “I feel like the last three days have been about three weeks long,” he said. He said that right before he left for dinner. Less than an hour later, he was back at work. No one asked him to come back. No one had to. He, like so many other staff members and volunteers, arrives in the morning and stays until the work is done, even if, as it has been, well into the dark of night.

We’ve been lucky to be able to send many of our adoptable animals out to foster care with local veterinarians, animal groups, and private homes, making more room at the Shelter for the many animals exiled from their homes by the massive blaze. Volunteers have mobilized to ensure the dogs get out regularly for walks and cats get a welcome hand to rub up against. They’re washing dishes, answering phones, and making meals for the critters. Friends and neighbors have donated food for both the animals and the humans working to support them.

While the outpouring of generosity has been truly touching, our costs continue to mount. We estimate that we have spent upwards of $25,000 to care for the animals and ensure they are safe, healthy, and protected. As of this writing, the fire is only 3% contained, and there’s no estimate to when the displaced animals we’re caring for will get to return to their homes. That means the need for operational support will continue.

And so we come to you, friends and animals lovers, to ask for your help during this time. The single resource we most need to continue our work is a financial one. We and the Las Conchas Fire animals in our care are deeply grateful for whatever amount you can offer. Until they can return to the homes and families they so desperately miss, we are all they have.

To donate securely online, please click here or call (505) 983-4309 ext. 202.

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Follow these tips from the Humane Society of Boulder Valley to help your pet through fireworks season

From the Humane Society of Boulder Valley

Most people find firework displays fun, but many pets find the noise and commotion very distressing. Animals have extremely sensitive hearing. To a dog or cat, even the distant sound of fireworks can be alarming.

To ensure your pets’ comfort and safety, the Humane Society of Boulder Valley (Boulder, Colorado 80301) recommends the following tips:

• Leave pets at home instead of bringing them to public picnics, fairs, fireworks display, etc.
• When walking dogs, keep them on a leash at all times in the event they panic due to a sudden noise.
• Keep pets away from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area. Turning on a radio or television will help drown out outdoor noises.
• Do not leave an anxious dog alone in a yard or in a house with access to a screened or open window.
• Keep all cats – even indoor/outdoor cats – indoors. A screened porch is a safe compromise for a few days.
• Composure is an over-the-counter tasty, chew with a calming formula that helps to reduce stress and anxiety in dogs and cats. It is available for purchase at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley Veterinary Clinic.

Every fireworks season we find our shelter filled with lost pets. We receive many dogs and cats who aren’t wearing tags, who aren’t microchipped, and even worse, pets who have been hit by cars and seriously injured. Animals with microchips (and updated contact information) and wearing identification can often be immediately returned to their homes.

To report a lost or found pet, call the Humane Society of Boulder Valley at 303-442-4030 or click here to file a lost report online. If we are closed, call the Boulder Police Department at 303-441-3333. Pets who have been reported found or received at the Humane Society are listed on our web site. Our web site lists all of the animals brought to us as stray, as well as animals who are reported “found” but have not been turned in to the shelter.

The Humane Society of Boulder Valley will be closed on Monday, July 4th. We will reopen Tuesday morning at 11:00 am.

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Rutland County Humane Society Annual Duck Derby Coming July 17, 2011

Rutland County Humane Society (Pittsford, Vermont 05763) is hosting its annual Duck Derby to raise money for the homeless animals.

At 3 pm on Sunday, July 17 at the Library Fields on River Road in Killington (part of the Killington Dog Days weekend benefitting RCHS) “adopted” plastic ducks will be launched into the stream in a race to the finish. The first ducks to reach the finish line win cash prizes. There will also be a prize for the last duck!

To adopt a duck click here, or contact the RCHS Business Office at 802.483.9171 or adopt a duck at the Killington Dog Days weekend. A single duck is $3, 4 ducks (a “quack pack”) are $10, and 6 ducks (a “6-quack”) are $15. Funds raised from the Duck Derby will support the programs and homeless animals at RCHS.  So “adopt” a duck for the day and cheer it on as it makes its way downstream.

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The animals of Boulder need your help!

From the Humane Society of Boulder Valley

Visit the Humane Society of Boulder Valley (Boulder, Colorado 80301) and you’ll see dogs and cats of all shapes and sizes. Black Labs are next to Beagles in one room. Persians next to Tabbies in another. They all have the same need: a new, loving home.

But not all pets are the same, and some may require more attention than others. That’s because some animals arrive at the shelter with special needs that make it harder to find a home for them – and more expensive to give them care.

Some are suffering from illnesses like Parvo or Upper Respiratory Infections while others have broken bones and other wounds. Others need time for positive training to reshape their behaviors and build a sense of trust.

For example, take Sadie, a dog who suffered from severe anxiety. Or Pounce, a kitten with an injured leg requiring amputation. Pets like Sadie and Pounce have one thing in common – an increased cost of care.

According to Lisa Pedersen, the CEO at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley, “We can heal most of these animals with surgery, medicine, rehabilitation and love. But it takes time. And that healing and rehab time can be expensive. During the summer months our population and the need for care increases dramatically. Many of the animals in our care require special – and sometimes costly – attention.”

So how can you help today? The Humane Society of Boulder Valley asks you to make the most generous gift you can to our Summer Fund by donating now.

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Free microchip and low-cost vaccination day at the Capitol

Join the Sacramento SPCA (Sacramento, California 95828) at the east steps of the California State Capitol for a free microchip and low-cost vaccination day on Thursday, July 7 from 11 am – 3 pm.

Free microchips will be provided by the Found Animal Foundation, and the SPCA will be offering low-cost vaccinations for dogs and cats.

For additional information, please email lkirrene@sspca.org or call (916) 504-2828.

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