Our Chance at Rescue

We have made some significant changes over the past few months. We are no longer affiliated with any one rescue, but, instead, are broadening our vision to include any legitimate rescue effort where we can.

We are hoping to be up and running as soon as possible, so feel free to stop by from time to time.

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Flea & Tick Season is Coming!

Spring is here (we think it is, anyway..., although with the crazy weather we've been having, you might not think so!). With Spring comes the beautiful buds on the trees, shrubs and plants -- not to mention the spring flowers.

Unfortunately, mosquito, flea and tick season is just around the next corner so it's time to start thinking of protecting our pets. Now is the perfect time to take our pets to the vet for an annual blood test to screen for heart worm and to start them on their preventative heart worm treatment, if you haven't done so already.

At this time we also begin to think about flea and tick preparations to give our dogs. We want to caution you to never use those grocery and pet store flea collars for your pets. We'd also like to remind you that not all of the spot flea preventatives are safe, either. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has noted that on-spot flea and tick medications injured 44,000 pets last year.Their study looked at EPA-registered pet products, commonly found at drug stores or on supermarket shelves, and most of the potential incident reports involved spot-on treatments, like the ones sold in tubes or vials and used on a specific part of your pet's body. Reactions included rashes, seizures, and, in some cases, death.

It is best to use a DOCTOR PRESCRIBED product, preferably, one that you have used safely in the past for your pets. You can also get a prescription from your vet for these products and order on line from Vet-Centric (www.vetcentric.com) or another credible on line vet supply company that offers a cost break for these products. You will want to carefully follow the instructions on the label for application of the product to your pet and be sure to call your vet immediately if you notice any adverse reactions.

Here is a link to the National Pesticide Information Center where you can search for more information on potentially harmful products for your pet:

http://npic.orst.edu/

Here also is a link to the EPA's website information on pet flea and tick preparations:

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/flea-tick-control.html

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/flea-tick.htm

Please note that Hartz products are particularly of concern. So much so that the EPA has insisted that Hartz phase them out. For your pet's health, we suggest you discontinue use of these products now rather than risk your pet's health.

FDA Recall of Peanut Butter Products

The recall of peanut butter products due to salmonella has spilled over into pet products. It is important to educate yourself in an effort to keep your pets safe and happy. Take a moment to look at the FDA site to make sure you do not have any of these products on your pantry shelves. (This also includes wild bird seed/suet that contains contaminated ingredients).

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm


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Our Responsibility to Our Pets

My rescue companions and I have a soft spot for the cats and dogs who find themselves in the unenviable position of being in a cold, dirty animal shelter with nothing or no one familiar to comfort them. It doesn’t matter how they got there, it‘s just heartbreaking to see the fear and the need to be touched and comforted by a human hand.

Whether it was because their caregiver died, went into a nursing home or hospital (and the rest of the family didn‘t want to be bothered with that beloved pet left behind). Sometimes it is because the family moved and either could not take them or didn’t want to take them; or just because they are getting old and are requiring more medical care, possibly because their vision isn’t as good, or they are developing incontinence or maybe because the pet has become somewhat cranky and snappy (due to underlying medical issues).

Sometimes the owners or family of the absent owners just open the door and let the pet out to fend for themselves; or put it in the car and drop it off in the middle of nowhere; or tie it to a sign or shelter fence (some have even thrown these poor animals over the fence into the shelter grounds). Sometimes they call animal control to pick up “a stray” or they go to animal control with the pet and pretend it is a stray that they “picked up” or that wandered onto their property. Or worse yet, leave the abandoned pets in an emptied out home where they are imprisoned until a realtor, a concerned neighbor calls the police about a possible abandoned pet or the new owner or tenant finds them, sometimes in bad shape.

I often wish that those people who leave these pets in this way would be haunted forever by the faces we are forced to see after they’ve gone on with their lives, probably without a thought for the pain and suffering left behind.

At times there are legitimate reasons why people have to give up their pets, but there is never a legitimate excuse for running out on your responsibility to that animal. Sometimes the kindest and most loving thing to do for some of these elderly, terminally ill, sickly pets or pets with severe behavioral issues is to have them humanely euthanized by a veterinarian, surrounded by the people that they have always known and loved during their lifetime. It is a cowardly mistake to not face up to your responsibility toward that loving companion when they need you most; and it causes that pet the most unspeakable pain and suffering to have to reach the end of their days alone, frightened and feeling unloved in a dirty, dark and foul smelling shelter - or worse…

On the other hand, just because a pet is elderly or even sick is not always a reason to have it put to sleep if a good alternate home can be found. This is also a responsibility that the owners or the family of the owners need to take seriously. This means that AS SOON AS POSSIBLE (and not 2 days or a day before they have to be removed from the home as many people do!) you need to start asking friends, neighbors or co-workers, asking at local vets if they have clients who may be interested in adopting this pet, or contacting shelters and rescues to ask for them to consider taking the pet in to that shelter or rescue.

Most rescues are filled up and it may not be possible for them to take that pet in, but perhaps they could post that pet on their rescue site as a courtesy to you and screen potential adopters while you continue to care for that pet until an adoption can be arranged. Working with a rescue group also means being available to possibly bring that animal to adoption days or to make it available to potential adopters if inquiries are made on the pet. It also means being honest about that pet, its behavior and it medical issues, if any.

“www.petfinder.org” is a good place to look for potential rescues to help you to find a family for rehoming this pet or pets. Some of these rescues may have limited means to take in dogs, so be prepared to take this pet to a vet for updated shots; neutering or spaying; etc.

Even with the best of intentions and with a lot of hard work and some expenses on your part, sometimes no home is found for that pet. Then what?

You have a big decision to make at that point. Please remember what you’ve read here before you act next. That pet is depending on you.