November/December 2005

 

 

 

 

Donate a Kuranda bed - a new breed of bed for every dog!

Help the Homeless During the Holidays

People often remember to help the two-legged people in need at the holidays, but what about the four-legged friends that are homeless and waiting for a new home at the Shelter? Please help us care for the Shelter pets this holiday season. How can you help? Here are some suggestions:

Shop at the Shelter. The Shelter is currently stocking many holiday gifts for both pets and people.
   
Donate online and help the Shelter year round.
   
Purchase a gift certificate for any price range at the Shelter.
   
Buy YOUR dog a way home if he/she gets lost. An ID tag is the best thing you can buy for Rover.
   
Give the Gift of Comfort! Please, I would like a warm bed while I am waiting for my forever home. The Kuranda bed would give me a warm, elevated bed to lie on during cold nights. Some of my friends already have beds donated, but I don't have one yet. Donate at the Shelter.
 
 

 

 

 

Holidays and Giving Pets
As Gifts ...
 

 

... Consider
giving a Shelter Gift Certificate instead.

 

 

The Shelter DOES NOT allow, nor encourage, gift or surprise adoptions for the holidays or any other time of the year.

 

Here is what you will be required to bring in order to adopt a pet.



 
The Animal Shelter of Sterling Advises Parents
About Pets as Gifts for the Holidays

Every year shelters throughout the United States receive thousands of calls from people looking to adopt a pet for a surprise Christmas present for their family or friends. Who of us doesn't melt at the very idea of cuddling up with a warm puppy or a soft kitten's serene purring? It's an almost irresistible picture, and when the Christmas season rolls around, the image of a child's face upon finding their very own pet from Santa can overwhelm the Scrooge in all of us. But before you pick out a name and hand over the credit card, take a step back and give some serious thought to the weeks, months and years that will follow Christmas morning.

A pet is one of the most rewarding and educational relationships a child or an adult can experience. But pets are not toys or hobbies that can be tossed aside until you are in the mood. They cannot be shoved in to a vacant slot in the garage when the novelty wears off.

Before purchasing a pet or adopting one from a rescue or shelter, do your homework. Make a list of responsibilities and necessary expenses associated with acquiring a pet. One of the most important considerations should be veterinary expense. The average cost of a dog/puppy is $700-$1,000 a year and cats a bit less.

Make sure in your mind as well as your heart that your child is ready for the long term obligation to a pet. A very young child most often does not and cannot truly understand beyond short term gratification. Are you prepared to pick up the slack when and if the kids suddenly lose interest in Spot? Take your child for several visits to a friend or relative who owns a pet. Allow him or her to spend time with the pet and to perform some of the necessary functions of a pet owner, such as feeding and watering, letting the animal outside when needed or walking on a leash, and brushing the pet. As a precaution, keep the pet owner nearby so the pet will feel at ease and your child can get instruction for the tasks. If the child is quickly bored, chances are pretty good that he/she would tire of the daily demands of a pet.

While it may seem that this is an effort to discourage you from becoming a pet owner, to the contrary, it is an attempt to encourage you to adequately prepare yourself and your child should you decide to embark on the wonderful commitment to another living being. Shelters are overflowing with "gifts" that lost their appeal. For the sake of the animal and your child, think it through and make an informed decision. Your family and the animal will be better for it.

National pet studies state that more families bring pets into their homes during the holidays than at any other time of year. What better gift can any of us give during the holiday season than to give a home to an orphaned animal? Nobody wants to think about an orphaned pet waking up in a cage on a holiday morning. In the past some shelters have discouraged families from adopting pets during the holidays, forcing them to support the pet store - puppy mill industry. This year our shelter will work together with adopters to match the needs of the pets with the desires of the families. Everybody wins.

Though the Shelter will allow adoptions this Christmas season, adoption candidates must still meet all criteria for adoption. Most importantly to our Shelter staff, is the entire family including kids and other dogs are present. Proof of home ownership is also required.


 

 

Help your pets remain happy and healthy during the colder months.

 

In many areas, winter is a season of bitter cold and numbing wetness.

 

Pets who spend a lot of time outdoors need more food in the winter because keeping warm depletes energy.
Winter and Pets

It is the time of year to prepare for colder weather, and the changes it brings. Although pets are prepared for winter by nature, some precautions are still necessary.

Some pets are bred for cold weather (e.g., the Saint Bernard and some long hair cats) and some are not (e.g.,  Greyhounds and some short or hairless cats). Determine the special needs of your pet. Warm weather dogs should only be let outside on cold days for as long as they need. Cats, unless on leash, should never be allowed to run free.

Pets should never be allowed to run free, but the winter is an especially dangerous time. Due to the sound dampening effects of snow, pets often cannot hear cars coming. It is also easier for the pet to become lost and they can easily freeze to death.

If your pet has a containment system and will be outdoors during cold days, then please take the following precautions:
 

Be sure the pet has a warm place that is out of the weather.
Clean snow and ice from your pet to prevent frost bite.
Check on your pet often and observe his/her behavior.
On the coldest days allow your pet to come indoors or to a heated place in the garage.
Feed smaller portions more often (morning and late afternoon feedings) and be sure there is fresh water.
Be sure your containment system is not affected by the weather.
Allow indoor pets outside long enough for exercise and to "go" only.
Always supervise indoor pets when they are out.
If cats run free in your neighborhood, then tap on the hood of your car before starting it. Cats will often climb under the hoods of cars to get warm.

Although our pets have strong natural instincts, our care will help keep them happy and healthy.

The staff and volunteers at The Animal Shelter of Sterling
wish you a safe and happy holiday season!