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Saluting K9 Veterans Today

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On this day in 1942, according to military.com, the US K9 Corps was founded. 

But, it wasn’t until 1987, when a Vietnam veteran named Joseph White, began work to establish March 13th as K9 Veterans Day. 

According to tailsofhopefoundation.org, White wanted to honor all military and civilian national security and service canines. His passion may be attributed to working as a Military Working Dog (MWD) handler. 

The Tails of Hope Foundation notes that New Jersey was the first state in America to pass K9 Veterans Day legislation. According to them, fourteen additional states have chosen to officially observe this day.

According to ChicagoNow “K9 Veterans Day is intended to cover both military dogs as well as  police dogs.” Customs dogs, border patrol dogs, and other working dogs also have a  mission to protect the homeland and people within it.

Further, the K9 Veterans organization says that dogs “have bled, suffered, and died while serving in all our wars, to include the war on terror, and they have done so in ways that do us all proud.”

We salute all K9 Veterans today.

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. And that certainly is something of a concern during these pandemic times. Shelters in most areas are seeing fewer people in person, forcing most adoptions into virtual events. In addition, they are struggling 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 45th annual June focus on adoption by hosting “adopt-a-pandemic-pet” month.

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 don’t get discouraged. I recently put in several applications for virtual adoptions over the last couple months. I never heard a word. Until late this week, I received an email from a facility I have adopted from in the past. They had received over 10,000 applications to adopt since the pandemic hit. While that is great for the animals, it just means that adopting a cat this month, or later, may require a little patience. 

Adopt a Senior Pet Month

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November is a month that I can really get behind on the pet event calendar. This month marks not only my favorite food holiday, Thanksgiving, but also the kick off of Adopt A Senior Pet Month. 

I often tell people that one of my favorite types of dogs are old ones. The golden years: full of naps on the rug in the sun; ambles about the neighborhood; and treats and tummy rubs. Yet, the cuddly cuteness of new kittens or puppies often overtakes us. How could it not?

But as you consider adding to your Floofins Family, don’t forget that some of the last animals to be adopted from shelters are the seniors. Sure, the little ones are squirmy and wiggly and beyond cute. But the soul in the eyes of a dog that has reached an age of wisdom comes with some great benefits.

[Read more…] about Adopt a Senior Pet Month

Backyard Chickens

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Ever wake up one morning and think, “Forget this city life! I’m going to move to the middle of nowhere and live off the land!”

Well, you can get a little taste of that experience before making the full-fledged leap to the pioneer lifestyle by trying out some backyard chickens. What are backyard chickens? They are suburbanites raising chickens in their small yards as pets and for eggs.  [Read more…] about Backyard Chickens

30th Anniversary Hinsdale Pet Walk Festival June 8th

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Floofins & Co. will be part of the 30th Anniversary Pet Walk Festival June 8th in Hinsdale. The fun begins Saturday at 2 p.m. and runs until 8 p.m. All proceeds from the event will benefit the animals of the Hinsdale Humane Society.

The event is family friendly and consists of two groups of activities: daytime and evening.

Daytime events run from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. A short Pet Walk will take place during this time period. Additional activities include a DJ, kids’ corner and raffle, a small mammal area, and pet demonstrations.  In addition to a nose work demo and Therapaws Team meet and greet, there will also be a vendor shopping mall and food options for purchase. 

Evening events begin at 5 p.m. and run until 8 p.m. The Millennials will begin a live concert at 5:30 p.m. Guests should bring chairs and their own drinks for the concert.

Attendees can also participate in a silent auction that will close at 7:30 p.m. and can participate in a cash raffle. Tickets for the raffle can be purchased online and the winner does not have to be present to win.

Don’t forget to stop by the adoption center and consider adding a floofin to your family. Information on the raffle and tickets to the event can be found at https://www.hinsdalehumanesociety.org/events/pet-walk-festival.

We hope to see you Saturday!