Who Does It Hurt?

Here we are, knee deep in kitten season again. Everyone is overwhelmed. Why don't people realize there is a simple solution to the problem?

Who does it hurt? The public pocketbook. For every 11 cats that go into our nation's shelters/pounds, only one makes it out alive. An estimated $35 is spent to handle each animal (this includes overhead, housing, feeding and lethal injection). By taking advantage of spay/neuter assistance programs, [FREE in the case of Pet Adoption League], your cat's surgery can cost nothing. 

Considering that at least a million cats are killed in this country's shelters each year, that means that over $35 million dollars are spent just to kill cats. Since it's estimated that more than 5 million animals die in shelters every year, that amount jumps considerably. Just think -- your neighbor's negligence or your own is causing higher taxes. Is that acceptable to you?

Who does it hurt when you don't spay or neuter your cat or dog? ME! It hurts me when after the 40th call of the day, trying to give the best advice I can to people who have unwanted kittens, I answer the phone to someone who angrily accuses me of not caring, wanting to know what I think I'm being paid for (I'm a volunteer), and then proceeds to try to intimidate me with the horrible things she is going to do to her unwanted kittens.

Who does it hurt? Neighbors who find litters of kittens deposited on their front doorstep, or abandoned under their house and are now forced to make a decision that the irresponsible "owner" couldn't make. There are simply not enough homes for all of the cats and dogs born in this country. So this kind soul has sleepless nights because he may be forced to take the animals to the pound to be destroyed, while the person who abandoned them sleeps peacefully in the erroneous belief that the kittens will have found good homes. Or worse yet, the "owner" may not even know that his cat has produced kittens. Is that fair?

Who does it hurt? The children whose parents thought it educational to show them the "miracle of birth" and those same children who first suffer grief and then quickly learn lack of compassion when kitten after kitten is killed by cars and they have to see the squashed little cat bodies while walking to school. Children quickly learn that life is cheap.

Who does it hurt the most? The animals are the ones who truly suffer. The 3-day-old kitten who dies slowly of starvation under a bush. The kitten that climbs into a warm car engine for the night and gets chopped up by the fan belt when the car is started in the morning. The cat who, never having been treated kindly by humans and needs extra restraints during euthanasia because she is too scared to hold still -- who doesn't even get the benefit of one last tender moment. The cats that become coyote food. The cats given away in front of supermarkets to "good homes" that are abandoned shortly after. The cats who should have expected that since they are domestic animals, whose birth can be controlled, would not be born if they weren't wanted. The cats who should (rightly) have thought they would be protected and cared for, for the rest of their lives.

Are you one of those people who is hurting all of us by allowing your cat or dog to go unspayed or unneutered? If your pet is not "fixed," you are the problem. You can stop this tragedy right now by getting your pets altered and by telling everyone you know to do the same. 

NO, it is not healthier for an animal to go through one heat before altering. NO, it is not better for an animal to have one litter. And NO, we will never run out of cats and dogs. 

Please keep this article and show it to others who have unaltered animals.

While all of us in rescue have had these thoughts, it was Linda at Adopt a Pet of California in Simi Valley (805-527-8238; http://hometown.aol.com/dogadvocat; DogAdvocat@aol.com;) who marshalled her thoughts into this article and who let us reprint it. Thank you, Linda. 

Scraps Dog Bakery

Scraps Dog Bakery & Pet Nutrition Center (12034 Nevada City Highway, Grass Valley; 274-4493) opened recently in the Fowler Center between Albertson's and B&C Hardware.

The store carries TRULY good food for your pets, as well as supplements, training supplies, toys and gifts, outdoor pet gear, snuggly beds, helpful books, and, of course, gourmet baked treats! 

Dogs are welcome so you can go shopping together for everything your dogs need. Don't forget to take something home for your cats, too!

Hours: 9-6 Monday-Friday; 10-5 Saturday.

Please Sign Spay/Neuter Petition

Every day roughly 16,000 homeless pets die in American public county shelters.

Please go to www.petsandanimals.org and sign the spay/ neuter petition to help end this tragedy. 

Spay/Neuter Stamp Update

Of the original 250 million spay/neuter stamps issued, only 1.9 million remain in central distribution. Many post offices have sold out completely. The spay/neuter stamps are the US Postal Service's (USPS) fastest selling stamps ever!

The American Partnership for Pets (APP) hopes that the enthusiasm for the stamps will encourage the USPS to:

• reprint the stamps,

• issue stamps with additional responsible pet care messages, and

• issue a semi-postal (fundraising stamp). This is a long-term goal of the APP.

If you want to receive APP's newsletter with updates and what we can all do, you can subscribe to it by going to www.americanpartnershipforpets.org/keepintouch.html.

If your local post office has run out of spay/neuter stamps, your can get more by calling 1-800-STAMP-24 or by going to www.usps.com. Commemorative spay/neuter stamp products may be purchased at www.spayneuter.us. 

Visit www.americanpartnershipforpets.org to learn more about the APP. 

SmartCat

SmartCat is the name of a company that offers items that were designed by the behavior counselors at Cats International to satisfy the needs of cats by providing mental and physical stimulation. Go to www.esmartcat.com to see the products. A good percentage of the profits go to Cats International to help with educational services.

Cats International has a wealth of helpful information if you have any problems with your cats. They believe that declawing (called "elective mutilation" in scientific journals) is never necessary. In 20 years of behavior counseling, Cats International has never run across a destructive scratching problem that they couldn't resolve completely. In fact, they say that it is the easiest of all behavior problems to solve. 

They go on to say that declawed cats are permanently handicapped, physically and socially. Serious temperament and behavior changes can occur after the surgery.

Cats International is a nonprofit educational organi- zation dedicated to helping people better understand and appreciate their feline companions. To reach them, call 262-375-8852 or go to www.catsinternational.org. There are many very helpful articles on their website.

Neutersol

Neutersol is a product which was recently given FDA approval for the "nonsurgical sterilization" of puppies ages 3 months to 10 months.

The company marketing Neutersol says the drug is 99.6% effective and no anesthesia is needed. While on his back, the puppy is "restrained." You have to wonder how many people are needed to hold down the puppy while the drug is injected in his testicles. (Ouch!) It is recommended that some dogs be sedated. (Well, yeah! This hurts!) It also begs the question: If you're going to "sedate" him, why not just give him a safe anesthetic and do the neutering? That's 100% effective.

Here's what one veterinarian says about the side effects. Some puppies vomit within one minute of injection, and some may vomit up to four hours later. If no pain killer is given, dogs may be reluctant to sit after the procedure. There may be swelling for several months. Some dogs develop infections at the injection site. There can also be some bruising. Dogs must be watched just as carefully as if they had been surgically castrated. The puppy mustn't run, jump or play for at least seven days. He must also be kept off hard or wet surfaces. He must not lick or bite his scrotal area. 

Additionally, the chemical castration only makes the dog sterile, but it doesn't remove the organs responsible for producing testosterone. So your dog can still have unwanted behaviors such as embarrassing leg humps, spritzing of the carpet with urine, aggression, and the urge to wander the neighborhood.

This vet said he would not use chemical castration on his dog. 

Living Outside

Pets belong with their families. When companion animals are relegated to living outdoors, their health and welfare are profoundly compromised.

Pets left outside have little protection from the elements and temperature extremes. They are at risk of injury and abuse by other animals and people. Also, when they aren't closely monitored, diseases and intestinal and skin parasites can remain undetected for long periods. Infections, diarrhea, and vomiting may become severe before guardians note them. Dehydration, weight loss or gain, and other symptoms can go unnoticed and untreated.

Additionally, an animal who is also confined (on a chain or cable, for example), can't escape from situations that cause fear and anxiety. They respond with aggression that can lead to both human and animal injury. 

Animals confined to a particular part of the home are also at risk for health problems, as well as anxiety and stress from being isolated from their human family.

Dogs and cats are social animals. They need daily interaction with their people, including play, petting, and grooming. Without regular interaction, pets may never learn appropriate social behaviors. It's a misconception that animals living outdoors get more exercise and stimulation than those who live indoors. Play and regular "people time" are essential for all pets.

If a dog is destructive indoors, it's probably a sign that he or she needs more play and activity like walks, enticing chew toys, and daily training. Basic obedience training is very helpful. Punishing will increase anxiety, not solve the problem.

If cats stop using the litter box, it could be they feel their box needs cleaning or is hard to find. Urinary tract infections could be the cause. Destructive scratching can be helped with scratching posts. 

Being with our pets improves our lives, too. Our pets provide companionship, lower our stress levels, and encourage us to exercise. With information and planning, no pet needs to live a sad, lonely life outdoors.

Source: All Animals, a publication of the Humane Society of the United States

PALs for Adoption - click for current pets available

Litterbox Blues

These are the 20 most common reasons a cat will not use a litter box:

1. The cat is suffering from a medical problem involving the urinary tract.
2. The cat experiences a bout of geriatric constipation.
3. The caretaker does not keep the box as clean as the cat wants it to be.
4. The guardian changes the brand or tries disposable plastic liners.
5. The guardian changes the location of the litterbox.
6. The guardian switches to deodorized or perfumed litter.
7. The guardian buys a new box and throws out the old one or covers the box with a hood.
8. The guardian cleans the litterbox with too harsh a cleaning product.
9. The location of the litterbox is too busy or not private enough for the cat.
10. The home is too large for just one litterbox.
11. The cat inadvertently gets locked out of reach of the litterbox.
12. The cat is kept from using the litterbox by another animal in the house.
13. There are too many cats and not enough litter boxes.
14. There are too many cats and not enough territory.
15. Stray cats can be seen/smelled near the cat's territory.
16. The unneutered male cat has come of age and is marking his territory.
17. The unspayed female is in heat and advertising for suitors.
18. Over time, the cat has developed an aversion to the texture of the litter.
19. The cat was never properly trained to use the litterbox in the first place.
20. The cat is stressed by a change in routine or environment, including new baby, new furniture, work schedule changes, vacations, overnight guests or a move.

Source: ASPCA
(Declawed cats may stop using their litterboxes, too.)

Cold Weather Tips

Since we send a Greeting Card in December in lieu of a newsletter, we wanted to share these cold weather tips with you now. Please keep them on hand for when the really cold weather strikes.

If you and your dog(s) decide to leave the comfort and warmth of the house, consider the following:

• Walks should be brief and in frigid weather limited to "taking care of outside business."

• Toy breeds, thin dogs, dogs that have been shaved or have very short coats, should wear a sweater or coat when outside. (Very young or very old animals or animals who have been ill, can become hypothermic and experience frostbite. An animal whose body temperature has dropped dangerously below normal may shiver, will not be completely aware and alert, will have a slow heart and respiratory rate and muscle stiffness.)

• Salt and ice-melting chemicals stick to fur, toes and pads. These compounds sting and dogs will often appear lame. Wipe off these substances with warm water when your dog comes back inside.

• If you're winterizing your car, be sure to properly dispose of all radiator antifreeze. Puddles of this greenish-yellow liquid are too frequently found in street gutters, garages and driveways. Its sweet taste attracts pets and can be lethal in even small quantities. Restlessness, depression and unsteadiness appear within 60 minutes of ingestion and may be followed by coma and death within 12 to 36 hours.

• Tap the hood of your car before starting the engine. Small animals, including cats, may crawl up into your engine block for warmth. Best prevention: keep cats indoors.

If, despite these precautions your pet suffers from exposure to the cold, wrap him or her up in a blanket and go to your veterinarian as soon as possible. Do not immerse your pet in warm water and avoid heating pads that may cause thermal burns.

Source: Paws to Think, Winter 2003, The Pet Savers Foundation

Hawaii Changes Quarantine Regulations

Under certain circumstances, cats and dogs will be allowed into Hawaii without being quarantined.

The new regulations call for "direct airport release" and the guardian to be charged a fee of $165 if documents showing that the animal has been microchipped, given tick prevention treatment, vaccinated against rabies at least twice, proven via testing not to have the disease at least 120 days prior to arrival and issued a health certificate, are submitted 10 or more days in advance.

If the documents are presented upon arrival or in fewer than 10 days in advance, the animal will be quarantined for as many as five days and the guardian will be charged $224.

If the guardian has not obtained all of the necessary documents, the pet will be quarantined for at least 30 days.

The new regulations were prompted not only by complaints from pets' guardians who did not like being separated from their animals for as many as 120 days, but there were also reports of poor treatment at quarantine facilities.

If you are planning to move to Hawaii, and want all the facts about Hawaii's quarantine regulations, go to www.hawaiiag.org/hdoa/ai_aqs_info.htm.

Educational, Pet-Friendly Bookmarks Available

The Pet Adoption League now offers bookmarks with "Why Spay/Neuter" on one side and "Being a Responsible Pet Guardian" on the other.

We would be happy to supply you with as many as you want for students, reading groups, bookstores (or any business), or if you simply want to hand them out to promote the ideas offered on the bookmark.

We can send you a few to preview so you can decide how many you would like.
Just let us know: 530-273-7958.

(Thanks to Suzanne Hall of Suzanne's Esthetique of Nevada City for designing the bookmark.)

Cancer Risks for Pets

Pets are even more susceptible to cancer than people. Consider this:

• Diet is very important. Switch to high quality pet food right away. (Some excellent brands: Wellness, California Natural, Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul, Pinnacle, Evolve. A raw food diet, in addition to the best pet food, is a big plus!)

• Exercise is essential. As we know, being overweight is not good for people. Pets can suffer from the same problems, including cancer. (Being too thin isn't good for your pet, either.)

• Have your pet spayed or neutered at a young age to avoid the risk of several cancers: uterine, mammary and testicular.

• Don't use pesticides and keep your pet away from strong electric currents that may raise the risk of lymphoma.

• Use green (non-toxic) cleaning supplies. Your animals are always licking themselves, so you don't want to use harsh cleansers on surfaces they come into contact with. 

• Don't use flea and tick dips or shampoos. These raise the risk of bladder cancer in pets.

• Don't smoke near your pet. Second-hand smoke is just as bad for them as others in your life. Plus, they not only inhale it, they lick cigarette residue from their fur.

Please be vigilant and help your pets stay cancer free.

Source: Energy Times, May 2003.

Working Together Equals Success!

It's amazing what a group of people, working together to help those in need, can accomplish. 

Bob Deddon works at JR Pierce Plumbing in Roseville. The last thing he and his co-workers expected to do was get involved with helping cats. Yet, when they discovered several tame and feral cats on the site, they wanted to help them. 

Bob and his friend, PAL volunteer Nancy Picker, fostered the cats after they were spayed and neutered so they could recuperate. The truly wild ones went back to JR Plumbing since the kind folks there are willing to feed and house them. The tame ones have been placed in great homes.

A mother cat (black and white tuxedo) and kittens, who are tame, are at Bob's house now waiting to be adopted. The kittens are 5 weeks old and will be ready for their own homes once they are 8 weeks old, spayed/neutered and vaccinated. If you would like to adopt Mom and/or one or more of the kittens, let us know: 530-273-7958.

Pet Adoption League is, of course, helping with the cost of spaying/ neutering, vaccinations, etc., as well as providing traps, carriers, cat shelters, food, recuperation cages, and whatever else is needed. All the people involved are willing to drive the cats to the spay/neuter clinic, help them recuperate, and either find homes for the tame ones or continue to care for the wild ones.

This is just one example of how Pet Adoption League partners with people to help our little four-legged friends (who need our help so much!).
PAL's monthly bills at the Animal Spay and Neuter Clinic and other veterinary clinics range between $3,000 to $5,000 per month. This is money well spent because these cats and dogs will no longer produce untold numbers of offspring into a world that does not want them. 

At the same time, everyone feels good about their part in all this. The person who sends in a donation to help animals feels good. The people doing the leg work feel good about helping without having to spend a lot of money. Pet Adoption League feels good about being able to cover expenses and help with equipment, food, litter, etc. It's hard to know if the animals involved feel good about all this, but at the very least, it must be a relief to stop having litters all the time and to be taken care of. A lot of suffering stops because of the involvement of everyone working together. And that's something we can all feel good about.

Heaven

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.

After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it, he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like Mother of Pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold.

He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk. When he was close enough, he called out, "Excuse me, where are we?"

"This is Heaven, sir," the man answered.

"Wow! Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked.

"Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up." The man gestured, and the gate began to open.

"Can my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in, too?" the traveler asked. 

"I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets."

The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog. After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road which led through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.

"Excuse me!" he called to the reader. "Do you have any water?" 

"Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there." The man pointed to a place that couldn't be seen from outside the gate. "Come on in." 

"How about my friend here?" the traveler gestured to the dog.

"There should be a bowl by the pump." They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveler filled the bowl and took a long drink himself, then gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree waiting for them. 

"What do you call this place?" the traveler asked.

"This is Heaven," he answered.

"Well, that's confusing," the traveler said. "The man down the road said that was Heaven, too."

"Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's Hell."

"Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?"

"No. I can see how you might think so, but we're just happy that they screen out the folks who'll leave their best friends behind."

Source: The Internet. Author Unknown.

In Memory of . . . 

Hitch Baltake, "Fly high, Hitch!" from Joe & Susan Baltake
Pocket Baltake, "Sleep well, Pocket" from Joe & Susan Baltake
Yanchoo Bishop, from the Out to Lunch Bunch
Anatol Branchell, from Mike & Anna Drummond
Anatol Branchell, from Carol Schmitz
Andy, "Beloved English Cocker of Elna Carasik," from Peter Fulton Foss
Honey, Sassy, Juno, and Misty Egger, from Diane Egger
Marion G. Fox, from Arvona Greene
Toni Green, from the Pet Adoption League
Ben, "Beloved Yellow Lab of Joe Mac & Dianne Gresham", from Peter Fulton Foss
Jake Haglund, from E. A. Haglund
Nipsy, Princess, and Rusty Haines, from Donna Haines
JJ Hardin, "Our very special JJ cat," from Mary Hardin
Kippy the First Hayden, from the Out to Lunch Bunch 
Al Hix, from Dorothy Green
Charlie Boy Marin, from Bonnie Marin
Champagne Mayo, from Philip Mayo
Toby and Lady McNamee, from Margaret McNamee
Alice Moon, from Patricia Clark
Pearl Pursche, from Marilyn Peterson
Maddy Raybe, from Janine Raybe
Misty Rumble, from Thomas Rumble
Muffin Rumble, from Thomas Rumble
Buck Smith, from Maryalyce & Karsten Hansen
Katoomba Steele, from Orlo & Cathy Steele
Muffin VonDohren,"My sweet Muffin," from JoAnn VonDohren
Zippy Walden, from Bill Skaer
Corky and Lulu Williams, from Larry & Glenda Williams

In Honor of . . .

Molly & Ebony Buffington, from Lesley Buffington
Betty Haglund, from E. A. Haglund
Skippy Hanzlik, from Brad Hanzlik
Sailor Leader, "On his first birthday!" from Marianne Leader

Pet Housing

Winter is approaching. Don't wait until after a freezing rain to start shopping for adequate shelter for your outdoor pet. Dogs are always happier and healthier if they are allowed to live indoors, and older dogs, puppies, small breeds and some short-haired breeds aren't suited to the outdoor life at all. But if indoor accommodations just aren't possible, make sure your pet has a comfortable, warm, dry shelter away from wind and weather.

Here are some things to keep in mind when buying or building a dog house:

One size does NOT fit all. The sleeping area must be small enough to allow your dog's own body heat to warm the interior, and big enough to allow the dog to stand and turn around. This area is roughly the dog's height plus 3" and the dog's length (tail excluded) plus 12". 

The structure must be completely waterproof and raised off the ground a few inches. 

The doorway should face away from prevailing winds, and in wintertime should have a heavy-duty plastic flap to reduce cold air flow. Offset doorways are better than doorways set in the center of the wall.

Doghouses are available at feed stores, pet supply stores, hardware stores, and discount retailers such as 
K-Mart. Or you may want to shop on-line. Googling the words "dog house" will put you in touch with a wide assortment of retailers and manufacturers. 

With a little effort and very little skill you can construct a simple dog house custom-fitted to your dog and designed to match or blend in with your house's exterior. You can opt either for the one- or two-room approach. The two rooms are an entryway separated by a baffle from the sleeping area. This is perhaps the best design for maximum comfort. 

While the peaked roof remains popular, many designs favor a flat, one-piece, slightly pitched roof. Dogs sometimes like to jump up there and sun themselves when the weather permits. And the flat roof may be hinged for easy removal for cleaning purposes or may be propped slightly open for summer air ventilation.

For a number of years PAL has operated its "Woof Over My Head" program, distributing homes to outdoor dogs and cats in need. 

One way we do this is by giving a house to someone who needs one. Another way is by acting as a clearinghouse for people with un-used houses in good condition and those who need shelter for their pets. 
PAL can also provide simple plans for constructing houses. A medium-sized house can be completed in a few hours using a 4' x 8' sheet of 1/2" plywood and a few 2" x 4"s. It is an enjoyable parent-child or Big Brother/Sister project. Over the years schools and youth groups such at the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts have completed hundreds of dog houses for our program.

Remember, your dog craves your attention, especially when it is cold outside and both of you would rather be curled up next to the fireplace. Why not bring your dog inside, for the night at least? A neglected dog can be a problem dog and may develop bad habits such as excessive barking, chewing or digging.
For more information about dog house plans contact us directly: 530-273-7958.