A Kenneling Alternative

Jennifer Houghton

June Is Adopt A Cat Month

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June isn’t just the month of summer. It also serves as Adopt a Cat Month.

One of the primary goals of the month is to home cats and kittens. Shelters continue to struggle with funding and and covering supplies.

Since June coincides with the height of kitten season, a time when the largest number of cats give birth to litters, there is often an influx of felines into the shelters. This year, American Humane will celebrate their 48th annual June focus on adoption. American Humane has “provided lifesaving animal first responder assistance at the sites of virtually every major national disaster response from Pearl Harbor to 9/11, and from Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Dorian to the novel coronavirus pandemic.”

For folks interested in donations, you can head over to the ASPCA Adopt A Cat webpage or you can donate to American Humane’s Feed The Hungry campaign which delivers food to shelters all over the country. Or, as we like to encourage, donate to your local shelter where you can have an immediate and close to home impact.

You don’t have to simply donate, ASPCA has a fundraising page where you can build up donations on your own or by creating a team.

If you opt to bring a new cat into your life this month, don’t forget to utilize the great resources that American Humane offers on their website. You can find reference materials on topics such as

  • Adoption Checklists
  • Cat to Cat Introductions
  • Dog to Cat Introductions
  • Cat Collars
  • Scratching
  • Litter box usage

And if you are in the Chicagoland area and considering adopting a cat, please visit your local rescues and shelters. 

Take Your Pet To Work Week Essentials

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No matter whether you are back in the office full time or working from home, you can participate in Take Your Pet To Work Week June 19th through 23rd.

Created in 1999 by Pet Sitters International (PSI) to highlight dog companionship and to encourage adoptions, Take Your Dog To Work Day has grown. What was once a single Friday event just for dogs has expanded to a weeklong event that includes cats.

Monday, June 19th, get out your hashtags and kitties and #takeyourcattoworkday. PSI will share their favorites photos from the submissions they receive.

For the rest of the week, head over to PSI’s Facebook and Instagram pages and get their Take Your Dog To Work Day Toolkit. You’ll get all kinds of information and tools to make bringing your pet to work a successful event.

If you need to participate virtually, ideas can be located at www.petsit.com/takeyourdog.

If you are bringing your pet into work, PSI recommends a few things to make the process work well:

  • Get permission first.
  • Keep your pet comfortable.
  • Don’t force your pet on your coworkers.
  • Have an exit strategy if your pet isn’t feeling the office.
  • Have a purpose, i.e. involve a shelter or rescue to fully realize the impact of the day.

No matter how your participate, have a good time. And feel free to post your pictures on our social media or tag us (@floofinsandco) in addition to PSI. We love seeing our friends online and in person!

Summer Time and the Living is Floofy

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Whether your Floofin loves sunbathing or finds the AC a delight, most Floofins agree that summer brings a more relaxed schedule that suits them. As we approach the unofficial kickoff of summer, we offer a few tips for maximizing your Floofins experience.

Summer Tips:

  • Make sure your information is up-to-date in the portal. It does seem like we mention this one quite frequently. Should trouble brew while you are away those pieces of information are super important. Remember, summer brings storms, AC breakdowns, and other unplanned events that make contacting you or a designated party even more important. 
  • Let us know about health changes in your Floofins. While we do our best to slow down the walks or keep the time outside limited based on our observations and experience with your pet, your feedback and knowledge is paramount. You know your pet best! If you want shorter outdoor time when the temp rises above a certain point, let us know.
  • Book your travel early. You may have seen the backlog of passport applications as Americans appear to be planning higher volumes of travel this summer. If you have plans to escape somewhere your Floofin can’t go, make sure to get on the books as early as possible.
  • Cancel your visits as soon as you know you don’t need them. While it is good to have that appointment booked, pet sitters are still in high demand and holding a spot you don’t need may impact someone else being able to book that trip. Freeing up visits you don’t need allows us to book visits with clients on our wait lists.
  • Slow down and smile. Summer gives us all a little more time to enjoy the things that make life worthwhile. Spend some extra cuddle time with your Floofin. Or, just take an extra long walk. Time is short. We hope you make as many memories this year as possible. 

National Rescue Dog Day Is May 20th

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National Rescue Dog Day is celebrated on May 20th. It is observed to bring awareness to all the amazing dogs in shelters who are looking for their forever homes all over the country.

Lisa Wiehebrink, author and Executive Director of Tails That Teach, founded the day in 2018. Her organization teaches children how to properly treat animals. 

So how can you celebrate National Rescue Dog Day? According to https://www.nationalrescuedogday.com, here are some ideas:

WAYS TO CELEBRATE

Share Photos. Post photos of your rescue dog on social media by using #nationalrescuedogday.  Add a comment about why your rescue dog is special. You may encourage someone to adopt.

Love. Give your rescue a long walk, tasty treat or toys, or any other item that they adore.

Adopt. If you are thinking about bringing a pet into your family, adopt through a shelter or rescue group. 

Foster. If you have space and the time to keep a rescue in your home for a period of time, consider fostering. It helps the dog decompress in a home setting and gives them an opportunity to improve their socialization skills. Some pets need quiet spaces to heal from medical concerns before they can be adopteed.

Shelter. Donate items to your local shelter.

Volunteer. Walk dogs at your local shelter and/or work on their socialization skills.

Spay. Spay or neuter your pets.

Education. Teach children how to be responsible and give love to animals in their orbit.

March is Poison Prevention Awareness Month

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March is Poison Prevention Awareness Month. According to the Pet Poison Hotline, fifty percent of the calls they receive are situations where an item that was not toxic to a person was ingested and was toxic to pets.

Categories

Let’s take a look at the top categories of potential toxins and identify ways to keep your pets safe:

  • Xylitol. This is a substance in many sugarless products that is toxic to pets. It can be found in anything from sugar-free gums, mints, and even peanut butter. Symptoms that you may notice include vomiting, weakness, difficulty walking, tremors and seizures.
  • Medications. Human medications can have lots of adverse impacts on your pets. From red blood cell damage to neurological problems, make sure to keep all human medications safely stored away from pets and small children. 
  • Flowers. With Easter around the corner, lilies are one type of flower that pets should not be exposed to as they can be toxic. If you have tulip or daffodil bulbs, keep an eye out for pets that like to eat them. These can also cause illness. 
  • Chocolate. In keeping with our Easter theme, those chocolate bunnies can be bad news. The real danger is in the darker and more bitter chocolate as it contains a chemical compound related to caffeine. If you pet ingests these types of chocolates, or you think it might be possible, watch symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, and seizures. Death is a possibility to seek medical attention promptly if you think your pet has eaten chocolates. 
  • Pest Control and Fertilizers. You might be preparing for vermin and gardening, but keep your materials out of the pathway of your pets. Some items can be fatal in small doses, so don’t take any chances.

If you do need immediate assistance with possible poison situations, contact your local veterinarian’s office or reach out to either the Pet Poison Helpline at 800-213-6680 or contact the Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.