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PROVIDING FOR YOUR PETS FROM THE HEREAFTER

“EMERGENCY ALERT!” So began an e-mail I received recently. I read on quickly, trying to decide if this message was spam or for real. I was shocked and saddened to read that a member of one of the local Australian Shepherd dog clubs was killed the night before in a car accident. He left six dogs of varying ages and show levels that had been taken in on the spur of the moment and boarded by a kindly veterinarian. The next of kin were driving in from out of state but were a day or two away. 

Because I was active in Aussie Rescue efforts this e-mail was bulk-mailed to many others and me. What eventually happened was the family arrived, signed over ownership of the dogs to Rescue who were then free to find homes for them. They were all placed within a month of the man’s death.

But not all pets are lucky enough to have a rescue organization that can quickly mobilize and help a grieving family. Another acquaintance of mine died of AIDS. He had been shunned by family and most of his friends were also dead or dying. His beloved cocker spaniel was placed by AIDS hospice in a local shelter. We never heard of this poor, displaced dog’s fate.

Do you ever let yourself wonder what would become of your pets if misfortune befalls you? What would become of them if no one in your family wanted them? Whether you have one pet or twenty, they are your responsibility and you owe it to them to provide humane care during your life and after.

Legal wills help estates stay out of state probate courts and therefore save human heirs much expense. But legal documentation of your wishes for your pets after your death must also be respected in many states. Drawing up documentation is not complicated and need not be expensive but can save your pets much confusion, trauma and possible euthanasia.

Imagine how your dog would feel if suddenly taken from his quiet, comfortable home and placed in a cage with hundreds of other barking, bedraggled homeless strays. How could he understand he would never see you again, much less comprehend this new, hostile environment? What if nobody wanted him?

Preparing your pet’s care instructions is not difficult but does require some thought and communication with your family and friends. This was my solution following research into the various options available. You will have to check with your own attorney regarding your state’s peculiarities.

I sat down one day and pictured a worst-case scenario for my pets and myself. We are currently a happy little family of two dogs, two cats, and two parakeets. My wish in a perfect world, of course, is to have them all lovingly adopted together to keep the family intact. But I had to face the fact the likelihood of that occurring was slim.

So I called a friend who had bred my Australian Shepherd. I asked her if she and her family would be willing to take him back if anything happened to me. Thankfully she was enthusiastic about it. She also said she would take my little poodle-mix and would find her a home if keeping her wasn’t an option at the time.

I knew had one “agent.” An agent is a person who will act according to wishes stated in a “Trust,” a legal form of determination of distribution of personal property. I could not find a personal agent for my cats or birds.

However, in my area there is an animal shelter that has a division called, “The Guardianship Program.” If the shelter is named in your will as a beneficiary of any amount, they will agree to take your pets and find them homes. All adoptable animals will be placed, not euthanized. I submitted all the shelter’s registration information including pets’ names, descriptions, lifestyles, diets, medical histories, microchip registration numbers, pictures, and known human vocabulary such as command words.

I also laid out my wishes for my “Pet-Care Trust Fund.” I set aside certain monetary assets that were to be earmarked for the Trust. Paragraph One was “Selection of Homes.” In this paragraph agents and the shelter were stated and my preference that my two cats be adopted together, since one is blind and the other acts as her “eyes.” Paragraph Two was titled, “Payments to Caregivers.” In this paragraph the conditions for the payments from the Trust were defined. Paragraph Three concerned “Adoptive Payments” or how each adopter would receive a lump sum reward for such adoption. Paragraph Four defined, “Shelter Arrangements,” in case the Guardianship Program is not functioning or any agents should back out. Paragraph Five explained, “Termination and Disposition” of the trust, or when the Trust was no longer needed, what to do with the remainder of funds.

My written instructions were translated into “legalese” by my attorney, and the Trust Fund was inserted into the main body of my will, following the designations of distributions of financial and physical assets to a) my family, and b) my favorite charities by percentage. The Trust Fund was a lump sum not a percentage so it would come off the top of the estate after expenses.

If you suspect that someone who is a human heir may dispute the money going into the Pet Care Trust Fund, you can have your attorney add a statement that says anyone who disputes any part of your Will will simply cease to be an heir of anything.

I believe when you choose to become a pet owner it is as important as choosing to become a parent. A good parent would not leave a child to the whims of fate and so a humane pet owner should be as responsible. It is difficult to face your own mortality but ignoring the possibility that your pets could be “orphaned,” will not help them and may end up killing them prematurely if no one steps forward to take them or find them homes.

Shelters are overcrowded as it is so pets that are elderly, need special medical or behavioral care may end up invisible statistics in the cruel world of pet overpopulation. Painful as it may be, a bit of foresight and concern on your part may just win your beloved companion another loving human to continue life with.

By Sunny Weber
Animal Behaviorist, Animal Welfare Consultant, Humane Educator, Writer
sunny@sunnyweber.com

www.sunnyweber.com

www.linkedin.com/in/sunnyweberanimalwelfareconsult/

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City of Rochester
News Release

City Offering Dogs for Adoption at No Charge. 

Rochester, NY (April 14, 2014) — The City of Rochester will be waiving adoption fees for select dogs on Saturday April 19, 2014.  All dogs that have been spayed or neutered will be available for visitation and adoption at no charge except for the state-mandated dog license fee. The event is being supported by the Verona Street Animal Society and will run from 11 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Animal Services Center at 184 Verona Street.

Although spring is generally viewed as “kitten season” with shelters becoming inundated by litters of unwanted kittens, Animal Services has recently experienced an increase in dog intakes and has been operating at capacity for the past few weeks. “There are dogs in our impound area that have been cleared for adoption and are just awaiting cage space in the adoption areas,” said Chris Fitzgerald, Director of Animal Services.  “We have some great dogs; too many and it’s not even the busiest season yet.  We need to find homes right away for the dogs at the shelter and those in foster care to open up those spaces for new dogs that keep coming in.”

The promotion is focused on dogs but the shelter also has dozens of cats available for adoption.  The City invites you to visit the Animal Services Center to adopt a pet, become a foster caregiver, join the volunteer program, or to learn about Animal Services, the Verona Street Animal Society, and how to get involved in helping animals within the Rochester community. If you cannot attend but are interested in becoming a foster caregiver, contact Animal Services at 585-428-7274 or AnimalServices@cityofrochester.gov.

Rochester Animal Services is the City of Rochester’s animal care and control agency located in Rochester at 184 Verona Street just north of Kodak and Frontier Field.  For more information on adoptions, spay and neuter, volunteering, or becoming a foster care-giver, contact the Center at (585) 428-7274 or visit us online at www.rochesteranimalservices.com.

More Information about Rochester Animal Services (RAS):

●    RAS provided shelter for 2,714 cats and 3,182 dogs during 2013.

●    RAS operates the animal shelter where stray and surrendered pets are temporarily housed.

●    The animal shelter serves as a pet lost-and-found resource, pet adoption center, and low-cost spay neuter clinic.

●    The shelter is open to the public Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Wednesday until 7:30 p.m.), and is closed Sundays and select holidays.

—

The Verona Street Animal Society is dedicated to raising awareness and providing the resources necessary to enable Rochester Animal Services to more effectively serve the public need for animal care and control, pet sterilization, and animal adoption services.  In cooperation with the City of Rochester, the Verona Street Animal Society supports the mission of Rochester Animal Services. For more information about the Verona Street Animal Society visit our webpage at www.vsas.org and “Like us” on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/VeronaStAnimalSociety. Follow us on Twitter at  http://twitter.com/vsas_ras.

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A Veterinarian’s Point of View:

Veterinarians are in a unique position to observe unfortunate pet-related behavior on a daily basis. Here are my top eight, offered in no particular order:

1. Unruly or aggressive dogs in the office.
Sure, the vet office is an anxiety-provoking place, but that’s still no excuse for bad manners. Dogs who run circles around the waiting room, disrespectfully sniff at carriers (whose contents are almost certainly more stressed-out than they are), or lunge impolitely at passersby are altogether too common.

This behavior becomes especially problematic when owners bring in two or more misbehaving dogs at the same time. Sure, I get that it’s more convenient to bring in more than one at a time, but if you can’t control them, you should know you’re probably being impolite to others.

Nonetheless, it’s true that some dogs are still early in their training process or are hard to control under certain circumstances, but, luckily, most veterinarians will offer a solution: Keep them with you outside and let the front office staff know you’ll be waiting patiently until the vet is ready to see you. This way you can move gracefully through the lobby and into the arms of a veterinarian who doesn’t mind being jumped on and slobbered over. (I don’t!)

2. The unnecessary, in-hospital “meet and greet.”
The waiting room of your veterinary hospital is not like the dog park. Vet-stressed pets can behave in ways you might not expect, which means that allowing (even promoting) a “meet and greet” between two or more dogs is probably a bad idea. Yet I see it happen almost daily.

It’s also generally considered a bad idea to approach a pet who’s waiting his turn for what’ll probably be the most anxiety-inducing event of his year.

Now, most of these pet-to-pet and human-to-pet interactions end well, but are they really worth risking a bite (or worse)? I don’t think so.

3. Inconsistent (and unhealthy!) litterbox habits.
I’ve written about this many times before, and I preach about it in the exam room anytime I get the opportunity, yet most of my cat-owning clients still insist on a) switching up the brands and types of litter, b) keeping too few litterboxes for the household’s population of cats, and of course, c) not keeping the litterbox clean enough.

4. Retractable Leashes.
Have I mentioned how much I hate these? The super-extendo setting on these not only encourages bad manners while out on walks in public, they’re downright dangerous: I’ve seen humans get “hog-tied” by their excited pups. One client even hit the floor once after getting all wrapped up (and it wasn’t even her dog!). And another client’s dog was hit by a car when she bolted off the sidewalk into oncoming traffic while still on leash. Scary, right?

Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t have one. I’m just saying you shouldn’t have one if you don’t know how and when to use one.

5. Untrained little “lapdogs.”
Just because they’re pocket-sized doesn’t mean they shouldn’t undergo basic obedience training. Yet I know of few tiny-breed dogs who know even the most common commands. What’s up with that?

I propose that this human-induced behavior problem persists because purse-sized dogs seldom hit the floor when they’re out in public. Nonetheless, it’s true that a lack of simple training in basic manners leads to undersocialized dogs who are effectively allowed to become more snappy, yappy and problematic.

6. Expecting perfect feline behavior at home under less-than-perfect circumstances.
Keep more than two or three cats? Then you should know it’s unlikely they’ll all get along peacefully. While this might not seem like a problem to you (indeed, most owners are unaware of subtle inter-cat issues), feline stress is commonplace under these circumstances.

Cats are territorial animals and they don’t often like being forced to live in close quarters under one roof. Crowding can make for undesirable litterbox issues, promote stress-induced diseases, and, consequently, isn’t always conducive to keeping cats happy and healthy.

7. Bottomless bowls, begging behavior, and other pet feeding misadventures.
How can I put this delicately?

Most pet owners adore their pets so implicitly they manage to induce unwanted feeding-related behaviors (and obesity!) through well-intentioned but misguided actions such as:

a) Keeping bowls filled to the brim with kibble (especially common for cats), b) failing to adhere to a feeding schedule (thereby allowing pets to dictate feeding times), c) feeding under the table or after family mealtimes, d) offering treats willy-nilly (whenever they walk into the kitchen, for example), and e) promoting inter-pet stress by feeding them side-by-side.

8. Cats outside of carriers.
Why do people do this? Do they not understand that a feline armful in the waiting room of a vet hospital makes for dangerous dog-related behavior? Moreover, it stresses out the waiting dogs along with the unprotected cat.

Fortunately for these vulnerable felines, there is a solution: We take them to a quiet, dark room until it’s their turn. In fact, we’re starting to do this with all our feline patients. After all, our waiting room is small, and the above-mentioned disorderly dogs understandably freak them out.

All of the above represent this veterinarian’s top eight behavior pet peeves, but I’m sure you have more to offer. Fire away!

From VetStreet’s Dr. Patty Khuly

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The Animal Advocates club of Gloucester County College began in September of 2010. Gloucester County College is located in Sewell which is South Jersey. As an instructor at the college, I started Animal Advocates because there wasn’t already an animal rights club on campus. I figured there had to be students who’d be interested in this type of club. So far, I’ve had a good amount of interest and positive feedback!

However, we’re always looking for new members and new ideas!

The club’s mission is to raise awareness about animal cruelty and to promote animal kindness. The Animal Advocates club members have done this in various ways which include organizing or attending events, holding collection drives for animal shelters, raising & donating money, protesting at animal cruelty events (Ringling Bros. Circus and No-fur), adopting wild animals to help with legislations, signing & sharing petitions, blogging, showing ways to help or get involved, sharing information, and by giving away free materials.

Animal Advocates of GCC uses Facebook as a way to spread awareness about many varieties of animal cruelty and to promote animal kindness. We post and share information, petitions, and facts; give ways to help; share vegan/vegetarian recipes; and much more. You can find and “Like” our Facebook page: Gloucester County College Animal Advocates Club.

We also have a blog that can be found at: gccanimaladvocates.blogspot.com. We encourage people to share our blog with others and to comment on the posts. The only way things will really change is if people know about the atrocities that occur and tell others. Progress is made every day, so there is hope yet!

An Advocacy & Earth Day event is planned for Thursday, April 24th p.m. in the College Center on campus. We’re expecting several organizations to join us in raising awareness about alternatives to some of the cruel methods that are currently being used. There will also be information about pet adoption, the environment, and more! We are inviting people to stop by the college to get some free stuff, talk, learn, and have some fun.

Animals depend on us for many things, and as human beings, we are obligated to protect and take care of them. When we stop the suffering and killing of animals, we can then begin to restore humanity.

Melissa Norbeck
Faculty Advisor of Animal Advocates

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Does this sound familiar: your friend or loved one is caring for an ill animal. Your heart breaks for them and you really want to be helpful, but you don’t know how?

Usually, even the most heartfelt, “Let me know if there is anything I can do to help” falls on deaf ears. Already overwhelmed with care-taking, your loved one can’t figure out what they need or how you fit into the puzzle.

Instead of a general offer, you can help your loved one much more by suggesting something concrete that you can do, something perhaps they wouldn’t have even considered. Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Spend time with them, even if you don’t know what to say or do.

2. Send a quick note to let them know you are thinking of them.

3. Lend an ear. Almost everyone in crisis needs a sympathetic friend to listen.

4. A check in regularly. After the initial crisis is over, the wave of support may dry up leaving your friend feeling very alone. Let him or her know you are there for the long term.

5. Raise funds for veterinary and other care expenses (www.giveforward.com) is an excellent site for this).

6. Organize meals for the family using www.TakeThemAMeal.com or www.MealTrain.com.

7. Use www.SimpleVoiceBox.com to create meaningful memories. You and other loved ones can record what they love about the animal, then you can download the finished product and send it to your friend.

8. Loan a baby monitor.

9. Offer to care of their other pets – walk the other dog, clean litter boxes, etc.

10. Give or arrange for home massage, acupuncture or Reiki session for the caregiver or the pet.

11. Offer to watch the animal while they take a nap.

12. Offer to grocery shop or run errands.

13. Prepare meals for the pet (such as stew or boiled rice and chicken).

14. Bring flowers.

15. If the animal is in the hospital and your friend is spending a lot of time there, bring a care basket to the hospital with drinks, snacks, magazines, puzzle books, a cell phone charger.

16. Give hugs. Lots and lots of hugs.

17. Be silly and make jokes; laughter is healing.

18. Bring pictures and talk about your favorite memories.

19. Offer to drive.

20. Help with the kids.

21. Do the laundry.

22. Give your frequent flier miles so family can come visit.

23. Send loving messages.

24. Arrange for an artist to draw or paint a picture of the animal. You can find talented artists in many places – you may even know one! Try www.Fiverr.com for a quick and inexpensive option.

25. Let them cry – without trying to cheer them up. Some things can’t be fixed and truly are sad. Crying is therapeutic. Be a safe place where they can express their real feelings.

“You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.”
~ John Wooden

“New England Pet Hospice & Home Care supports those caring for ill, elderly and special needs animals at home following the human hospice and palliative care models of interdisciplinary care. Learn more and get your FREE subscription to Wag & Purr: Your Guide to Comfort Care for Pets at www.NEPetHospice.com.

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DON’T BE AN APRIL FOOL…

Take Part in National Pet First-Aid Awareness Month

By Denise Fleck, www.sunnydogink.com

Although Sunny had been adopted into a loving home, her time as a stray left her with a compulsion to never pass up a free meal.  One morning her “mom” (that’s me) awoke to find the 80-pound Labrador with all four paws on the kitchen countertop and her snout in a no-longer-covered bowl of chocolate kisses.  Luckily this pet parent’s timing saved the day and only a few chocolate morsels were consumed by the mischievous canine.  The dog suffered only a disappointed look, but a much smaller dog might have experienced rapid heart beat, vomiting, seizures and even death.

Each year, thousands of pets needlessly suffer and many die from ingesting common household foods as well as from injuries and sudden illness.  Knowing what to do during those first few moments can truly make a difference between life and death for your pet.  According to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), one out of four additional pets could be saved if just one Pet First-Aid technique was applied prior to getting veterinary help.

Pet First-Aid is the FIRST step (and often the most critical) in a line of treatments before complete medical attention can be administered.  The most accomplished Veterinarian will not be able to bring your dog or cat back to life once they have died, but by knowing Pet CPR, YOU can keep their heart and lungs working until professional medical help is available.  If you know how to treat your pet for Heat Stroke, you can prevent brain damage and death.  If you learn how to bandage a Wound, you can stop bleeding and prevent infection.  If you learn how to alleviate Choking, you can prevent your pet from losing consciousness, and…if you learn how to properly induce vomiting, you can expel poison and save your pet’s life!  Fortunately Sunny didn’t need such drastic measures due to the chocolate that day, but the incident made me want to be prepared in case Sunny, or any of the six canines who have since crossed our threshold, needed help, so I studied, practiced and keep on learning but developed the curriculum I have been teaching since 1999.

April is National Pet First-Aid Awareness Month, and although it is a topic pet parents should have on their minds year-round, this is a great time to make sure you get trained in these life-saving skills. Without warning, tragedy can strike your cat or dog.  Should this happen, YOU must know what to do.  Has your dog’s tail ever been accidentally closed in a door, or have you discovered ticks on your gorgeous long-haired cat?  Have you found a dog left in a parked car?  Learning to treat heat stroke is First-Aid 101.  Have you ever feared your cat would chase a Rattlesnake or been stung by a bee?  Has your puppy been given too many scraps under the dinner table and suffered an upset stomach, diarrhea or vomiting?    How about when you take your pet along for a car ride?  Although children are usually strapped safely into car seats, do your pets get the same attention?  When brakes are applied, an unrestrained cat or dog can become a projectile.  Pets too should be in seat belts or crates/carriers that are secured in the back – never the front passenger seat where a deployed air bag could prove deadly.

Statistics show that accidents are the leading cause of death among non-senior dogs and cats, and according to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), one out of four additional pets could be saved if just one Pet First-Aid technique is applied.  Even if you have taken a human First-Aid & CPR course, realize that humans, canines & felines do not share anatomies, and although the concept is the same, the technique differs as does our ability to communicate with each other.  We can’t ask our cat, “Where does it hurt?” or our dog, “What did you eat?”  Therefore, pet-specific training is essential to being a responsible and caring pet mom, pet dad or animal care worker.  I think one student summed it up best when she said, “The last thing you want is to wish you HAD taken a Pet First-Aid & CPR Class.”

Don’t think it won’t happen to your furry best friend!  Until you can get yourself to a Pet First Aid & CPR Class, take your responsibilities as your dog or cat’s protector seriously, and follow these tips:

1).  Learn the shortest route to your nearest 24-hour Emergency Center.  Putting the address on the refrigerator isn’t good enough.  Actually drive there so that when you need them, you know where they are located.  If you frequently take your pet hiking or to a park, you should also learn where the nearest emergency center is to that location.  We can’t predict that our dog won’t be bitten by a snake, sprain or break a leg on treacherous terrain or encounter an aggressive animal.  Just in case…YOU must know what to do!

2).  ID your pet.  In addition to tags, it is important to get your pet micro-chipped (and keep the information up-to-date) so that he can be quickly identified in case tags are lost.  As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” so carry one of your dog or cat with you at all times so that you’ll be prepared to make a flyer or show a photo of your precious pet.

3).  Observe your pet.  Knowing what is normal for your dog or cat will help you identify something abnormal.  Be aware of how many times a day you fill water bowls and let pets outside.  If suddenly your pet is asking you to perform these tasks more or less frequently than usual, they may need a check-up.  Notice how your pet sits and stands.  Are they suddenly leaning on one hip or seeming to labor getting up off the ground?  Periodically feel for lumps and bumps (a woman in class located cancerous tumors after going home from one of my classes and saved her dog’s life by doing so), and always check for fleas, ticks and foxtails when your animals come in from the yard or a hike.

4).  Always keep dogs on leash or in a fenced yard so that you can keep them safe from traffic (the #1 most preventable injury to animals), other animals, pesticides that might be on your neighbors lawn, poisons in garbage cans and more.

5).  Establish a good relationship with your veterinarian and take your pets for annual check-ups and special tests for seniors.  Brush their teeth regularly with toothpaste designed for pets (never human toothpaste which contains detergents) and check for “bubble-gum” pink gums, white teeth and no odor which are signs of good health.  Also have your pet’s teeth cleaned professionally twice annually.  If you are concerned about anesthesia, there are great anesthesia-free clinics – no excuses!

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This past winter has been an extreme one.  Because of this, despite asking around, we were not able to set up many winter doggie play-dates for our lovable rescue mutt, Jessie.   This meant that for the past few months, Jessie was not around too many other dogs on a routine basis, which resulted in her becoming very excitable on our walks when she did meet another four-legged someone.

Now that Spring is coming, we anticipate more routine play dates.  We want to make sure that Jessie remembers her manners, and be able to check her high level of excitement at seeing another dog.

So that’s where doggy daycare came in.  Yesterday was Jessie’s first Evaluation Day at a new doggie day care center.  Despite being a very nervous Mommy, we dropped her off and we all survived.

Are you looking into a doggy day care?

Doggy daycare has been compared to pre-school for children.  In this setting, they meet new friends of all personalities and sizes, and learn social skills that are invaluable to their development throughout life that can only be taught by other dogs.

It’s a great way to encourage independence, in a new setting, that’s safe.   Doggy daycare can be utilized in many ways:  as a baby-sitter, a boredom alleviator, and an exercise outlet.  Did you know that many doggy daycares also board dogs?

There are many great articles giving tips on how to find a great doggy day care.   I’ve taken some of the best advice from a few different articles for a quick summary:

• Ask your trainer or veterinarian for a recommendation.
• Select a few doggy daycares and go visit them.
  • Are all areas clean and fresh smelling?  Is your dog sensitive to cleaners?  Ask what they use.
  • Are trained staff always present in all dog play areas? They should be.
  • Do the dogs have access to water all the time? They should.
  • Is there an indoor and outdoor area?  Some dogs may not tolerate gravel or pebble foundations.  Found out what their outdoor area has for ground covering.
  • How often are dogs allowed outside?  Some dogs won’t void inside.
  • How does the staff interact with all the dogs?  You don’t want someone watching over your dog who does not interact /pay attention.
  • Does your dog need to eat during the day?  Talk about your dog’s special needs.
  • What are their emergency procedures for injuries, sickness and/or severe weather?  Ask about their safety plans.
  • What is their process for handling aggression?
  • Is there a nap time?  Where do the dogs get to lie down?
  • What are their requirements?  You will need to provide proof of requested vaccinations, etc.
• A responsible daycare will want to evaluate your dog at their facility to ensure that s/he is a good fit.
• Many doggy daycares offer webcam access so you can keep your eye on how s/he is doing.

Don’t be discouraged if it seems like the first few visits look like they are not going well!  It may take some time before your dog begins to feel comfortable and confident in a doggy daycare setting.  You can rely on staff feedback, webcam watching, and your dog’s reactions after coming home to determine if doggy daycare is the right choice for you.

What if doggy daycare isn’t for your dog?  Try these suggestions to provide a well-rounded lifestyle:

• Formal training classes
• Play-groups
• Dog walker services
• Dog parks

Remember, your pet depends on you for a balanced, healthy lifestyle!

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The Many Ways to Help Animals in Need

We often see posts and hear comments about how badly people feel about animals in unfortunate situations so we wanted to post some ideas of how you can get involved even with little time or money.

1. Volunteer at the Shelter – Shelters always need extra hands to keep their temporary residents happy and healthy.  Consider volunteering even a couple hours per week to help with tasks around the shelter.  For example, you can volunteer to walk dogs, socialize cats, help out at an event, provide customer service or data entry, or even assist in the clinic.
2. Fundraise – You can sign up to volunteer at an event already scheduled or create your own fundraiser and donate the proceeds.  Bake sales, garage sales, lemonade stands, can and bottle drives, and fitness challenges are all great ways to raise money that you can donate as a tax deductible gift.  You could also choose to have friends and family donate money to your fundraiser instead of birthday or anniversary gifts.
3. Donate Goods – You can always give money; however, shelters usually have a wish list of items that are in short supply or not covered by operating budgets. They can be very inexpensive things that you may have in your home or can easily buy while doing your weekly errands.  While you are out shopping for your pet, you could pick up an extra box of milk bones, a Kong or even some laundry soap.
4. Foster Pets – It is preferable to get a pet into a home as quickly as possible even if it is not going to be their forever home.  In a foster home, animals are more relaxed, less stressed and often benefit from the socialization and training a family can provide.  This extra care results in a more well behaved pet that will present better for potential adopters.
5. Buy from Retailers that Support Shelters – There are stores and websites that will give a portion of your purchase to the shelter in the form of a donation.
6. Follow us on Facebook & Twitter and share the posts with your friends and family. They may not be looking for a new pet but someone they know might be. It also helps spread the word for fundraising events like The Fast & The Furriest® Race & Pet Fest!

If you are interested in getting involved with a shelter in Rochester, please contact us:

Verona Street Animal Society
P.O. Box 22874, Rochester, NY 14692
(585) 727-2533 

VSASinc@gmail.com

About Verona Street Animal Society

The Verona Street Animal Society, Inc. (VSAS) is dedicated to providing the resources necessary to enable Rochester Animal Services to more effectively serve the public’s animal care and control, pet sterilization, and pet adoption interests and, in cooperation with the City of Rochester, to support the mission of Rochester Animal Services.

Rochester Animal Services (RAS) is a municipal animal care and control agency dedicated to improving the quality of life and safety for city residents and their animals, the promotion of responsible pet ownership, and the reduction of animal overpopulation to reduce animal suffering and euthanasia. RAS enforces all New York State and City of Rochester ordinances pertaining to animal control. RAS operates an animal shelter for stray, injured, and disowned animals that serves both as an adoption center and as a site for locating lost pets. RAS strives to provide the best possible care for every animal in its charge.

Diedra Kirk is a Board Member at Verona Street Animal Society and Volunteer at Rochester Animal Services. She graduated with a B.S. Degree from Cornell University and a MBA from Rochester Institute of Technology and has had a career in product and service marketing, social media and e-business.

The first step is to learn about the local shelters in your area and their needs. Some might be doing fine on donations but need help caring for the animals waiting for a forever home, while others might be struggling to make ends meet and could use a push in the donation sector. Figure out your skill set and where you’re needed most. The next step is to check out this list of creative ways you can help. Then decide on one (or a few) small things you can do to make a huge difference.

Spread the word ~

Hang up fliers for upcoming adoption events or adoptable animals in pet stores, vet offices, parks and other places where potential adopters will find their perfect companion. Distributing fliers and other marketing materials is an easy and important way to get the word out about adoptable pets.

Share adoption profiles on social media: Your Facebook timeline, Twitter stream, Pinterest board, Tumbler page and other social media accounts are all perfect ways to help advertise pets that are in need of a home. Simply sharing the profiles of adoptable animals to your followers takes hardly any time or effort yet could play a part in creating the perfect match for an animal in need of a forever family.

Transport animals: Have a car? Then a shelter might need you. Some shelters have a hard time arranging to get animals from the shelter to vet appointments, or from shelters to rescue facilities. Donating a little of your time and your driving skills will help animals get the care they need when they need it, and frees up time for other shelter volunteers to get more work done.

Walk dogs: Many times shelters are short on staff to help exercise and socialize their animals. If you’re good with dogs, take an hour once a week (or more!) to drop by and take a dog for a walk. Play time has huge psychological and physical benefits for waiting animals.

Pet cats: Cats need socialization too. If you’re a cat lover, take an hour once a week (or more!) to hang out with cats — petting, playing and interacting with them to get them ready for a new home.

Gathering supplies ~

Donate wish list items: Every shelter has a wish list of items, whether it’s food, toys, bedding, litter, crates or cleaning supplies. Pick up a couple items next time you’re shopping to drop off at the shelter.

Scan Craig’s List, Freecycle, eBay, and other resources for items being sold or given away, and collect them to donate to a shelter.

Call local hotels to see if they have any unusable bedding, towels or cleaning supplies that they will donate to a local shelter.

Call office supply stores to see if there are items they are willing to donate, such as printer paper, ink, envelopes and other items that shelters need.

Bust out your special talents~

Crafty folks: Create homemade toys and bedding using old T-shirts, jeans or blankets. Or sew up “Adopt Me” vests and bandanas for adoptable animals to wear while they’re out for walks or at events. A quick search for “How to make [insert dog bed, dog toys, cat toys, etc.]” will bring up loads of patterns and ideas.

Carpenters and DIY whizzes: Help out with carpentry or other skills needed to repair and improve shelters. Anything from renovating parts of a facility to building a new cat tree will be hugely appreciated.

Lawyers: Shelters need lawyers too. Lend your knowledge and skills to help shelters stay on top of legal forms, contracts, copyright on videos or brochures made for advertising, and so on.

Accountants: Shelters definitely need to stay on top of accounting paperwork. You can help shelters keep organized about fees paid by adopters, donations and grants, as well as balancing expenses for caring for the animals.

Dog trainers (or trainers in training!): Take a dog to obedience class. Often dogs need some training before they’re ready to be adopted. You can help shelters by volunteering your skills as a trainer and working with the dogs. Or if you’re a novice, take a dog to obedience classes where you both can learn. Basic commands like sit, stay, lie down, and loose leash walking all make a dog more adoptable.

If you have experience with dog or cat behavior, volunteer to do behavior evaluations for new arrivals, and help the shelter determine each animal’s personality, social skill level, find any triggers for behavior problems, and other important information that’s needed for determining how adoptable an animal is or what kind of home they need to thrive.

Website designers: Shelters need to constantly update their websites as animals are adopted or are made available for adoption. Everything from maintaining upcoming events information, calls for donations, blog updates, designing a professional look and other aspects of a great website are things you could help out with.

Writers: Shelters do a lot of writing. They need adoption profiles for each pet put up for adoption, newsletters must be written and sent, ads for events and fundraisers must be crafted, grant applications must be written, and so on. Your skills as a writer could make all the difference for a shelter’s success.

Social media experts: Social media is a must for getting the word out on adoptable pets. Shelters need to post updates constantly on who is looking for a new home, who was adopted out successfully (everyone loves hearing success stories!), requests for much needed supplies or donations, and other news. Someone skilled with the etiquette and best practices for Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other platforms, including skills for writing and scheduling updates, can mean a big uptick in successful adoptions.

Photographers: High-quality photos for adoption profiles make an enormous difference in how quickly animals get adopted. Volunteer your skills with a camera to photograph animals, showing off their personality and making them look their best so potential adopters will click on their profile and, with luck, visit to meet and adopt them. Check out HeartsSpeak, an organization that helps photographers partner up with shelters.

 Fun fundraising ideas~

Your birthday: Birthdays are the perfect way to gather donations for a shelter. Everyone wants to be nice to you on your birthday, right? You could set up a fundraising website, using something like gofundme.com or indiegogo.com, to raise money throughout the month of your birthday, or you can ask anyone attending your birthday party to bring a gift for the shelter instead of for you. You could even host your birthday party at a shelter or dog park for extra fun and inspiration.

Your wedding: It’s getting more popular to have a no-gifts wedding registry, with the happy couple asking for donations to favorite charities. Your wedding registry could revolve around charities that help rescued animals in need. You can set up a registry page with monetary donations going straight to the rescue or shelter of your choice, or you can ask guests to bring something to donate that you can drop off later. Or both!

Your party: Throwing a party? Add a special request for folks to bring something to donate to a shelter, or set up a jar for raising money next to the snack platter (or better yet, the drinks station). It’s an easy add-on to an event you’re already hosting.

At work: Put up a glass jar with a sign on your desk or counter-top, and send out an email to coworkers asking for donations for a week. Or take it a step further by organizing a supplies donation drive, bake sale, raffle or other fundraising drive for a week or more.

At school: What better place to learn about animals in need than at school? Enlisting the help of teachers and classrooms full of students could mean major donations to a local shelter. Talk to the faculty and staff at a school about ideas, from donation drives to raffles. The shelter you’re helping could bring in a couple adoptable pets to the school to show kids how (and who) they’re helping. It’s the perfect opportunity not only to raise funds and goods for the shelter, but also to raise awareness at an early age about caring for pets.

 Two more things ~

Say “thank you”: Shelter workers give their whole hearts to their jobs, and are usually buried under never-ending to-do lists and urgent tasks. They usually are overstressed and under-paid. So little things like someone showing how much they appreciate what they’re doing goes a long, long way in restoring the energy and drive they need to continue to help animals. You can do something simple like sending in a thank you card or a bouquet of flowers. Or maybe deliver cupcakes or cookies, or order pizza or sandwiches for the whole crew one day. Anything that shows just how much their efforts are appreciated will make a big difference. When the staff are encouraged and energized, all the animals in the shelter benefit from that positive energy.

Foster an animal: Being in a shelter can be extremely stressful for many animals, and not a place they can thrive. Plus, shelters fill up fast. Finding temporary homes while animals are waiting to be adopted frees up space to help newly rescued animals. Fostering doesn’t necessarily fall under the “easy” category for how to volunteer to help, but it does fall under the category of most important things you can do. Most shelters pay for food and vet bills, so fostering is not a burden on the wallet. Opening your home to an animal in need and providing the food, shelter, love and training it needs while waiting for a forever home is one of the best things you can do to help. It can also be one of the most fulfilling.

JUST DO SOMETHING.