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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.

International Homeless Animals’ Day

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The third Saturday of August is designated as International Homeless Animals’ Day. The event was started by the International Society for Animal Rights (ISAR) which is an animal welfare group. According to MetLife Pet Insurance, one of the group’s main programs is related to “reducing the deaths of dogs and cats that occur due to overpopulation.”
In the US, events such as adoption fairs to dog walks to spay and neuter clinics, are used to promote awareness. We can have a local impact on pet overpopulation. Let’s highlight some of the ways you can take part in reducing the number of homeless animals and decreasing overpopulation.

Actions You Can Take

First, spay or neuter your pets. This is the most direct impact you can have on preventing overpopulation and keeping unwanted pets out of shelters. Other ways you can reduce shelter capacity include fostering shelter pets.
Pets are often stressed and do not behave as they would normally when in a shelter. Keeping a pet in a foster home reduces stress . It also allows potential adopters to see the pet as they would typically behave. It also makes for an easier transition from a foster home to a forever home. Moving from a shelter directly into an adopter’s home can take a toll on both the pet and the new pet parent. The pet will spend more time decompressing which can result in some pets being returned before they have had time to adapt.
You can also serve as an animal advocate to encourage reduced shelter capacity through microchip programs, spay and neuter programs, and rescue groups and fostering programs. Each one of us can help keep the number of homeless animals low. One day, we might reach the point where shelters are no longer a capacity. Let us know how you plan to take part in Homeless Animals’ Day.

Unchain A Dog Month

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January is Unchain a Dog Month. Most of us have encountered dogs that are chained up outside. And it is particularly heartbreaking to see during the deepest freezes of winter and the hottest days of summer. And while some communities have ordinances against leaving pets outside in certain weather conditions, this doesn’t eliminate all situations where dogs are chained outside without shelter year round.

There are organizations that are making inroads to allow individuals to unchain their dogs. One of those is called Fences for Fido. [Read more…] about Unchain A Dog Month

February is Responsible Pet Owner’s Month

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Responsible Pet Owner’s Month

February is Responsible Pet Owner’s Month. While you try your best to provide your pets with the utmost in terms of love, care, and safety, this is a good time to stop and consider if there are any areas you can improve on regarding the quality of life of your pets. Your dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, birds, and other companion animals are part of your families, so naturally you want to provide what’s best for them and be responsible as pet parents.

Pet-proof your home: Dogs and cats have a penchant for getting into places they’re not supposed to, so pet-proofing your home is a must for their safety. Making sure they don’t have access to dangerous chemicals, electrical cords, lit candles, spaces where they can become trapped, etc. takes some time and effort but is worthwhile. Because dogs and cats like to keep their parents on their toes and some pets continually discover new ways to get into trouble, you may have to modify your pet-proofing strategies throughout your pets’ lives. [Read more…] about February is Responsible Pet Owner’s Month

Post Spay/Neuter Care for Kitty

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PostSpayNeuterCareforKitty

Spay and Neuter Post-Surgery Care

It can be difficult to plan for what your post-surgery cat needs, but there are a few things that every owner should know before scheduling a spay or neuter surgery. There have been many misconceptions about behavioral changes post-op but given the proper care, your kitty will be on the road to recovery and back to their usual self in no time!

Typically, cats are spayed or neutered prior to six months of age so that the procedure is done before they hit puberty. Kittens tend to bounce back from surgery sooner than if it were performed at an older age. A spay is a bit more invasive of a surgery than a neuter and will require sutures which just means that extra care will be required for recovery time and your little girl may or may not be kept at the vet’s for an additional day. So now let’s break down post-op care for our boys and girls. [Read more…] about Post Spay/Neuter Care for Kitty