No fence fighting 

Does your dog bark or growl at dogs (or people) as they walk by your fenced yard? Dogs that need exercise and mental stimulation can develop fence fighting issues that lead to aggressive, territorial behaviors. Stop these bad behaviors before they become patterns. 

• Supervise your dog when he's outside and stop him before he shows fence aggression. 
• Take your dog for more walks and socialize him with other well-behaved dogs. 
• Be sure he is neutered.  

Male Cardinal

Do you own a cat?  Outdoor cats kill millions of songbirds per year. Wild birds eat harmful insects and add beauty to our lives. Keeping your cat strictly indoors prolongs your cat's life, reduces vet bills and prevents bird deaths. To keep your cat content, keep his litter box clean, provide window perches and toys. 

"REWARD" dog tag

When ordering your pet's ID tag, list 2 phone numbers and the word "REWARD," rather than the pet's name. This is good incentive for the finder to call you!

Puppies for adoption

Got puppies or kittens? To rehome a dog or cat, it's important to ask an adoption fee. People that pay money often want the animal - and can afford to have one. Free animals have no value. 


Seventy-five dollars to $150 is fair for an animal that has been vaccinated, wormed and fixed. Interview, do a home visit and give vet records to the new owner. (See "all about rescue" for an adoption application.) Use low-cost spay/neuter clinics to fix them.

Keep for a lifetime

Thinking of adding a new family member over the Christmas holidays? Shop the shelter! Remember that a pet is more than a present, it's a lifetime commitment. There are plenty of purebreds and mixed breeds for adoption at your local shelter. If you're looking for a specific breed, go online and search 'breed rescue.' If you wait until after Christmas to adopt, put a stuffed animal (with a gift certificate) under the tree for the kids. 


Rescue groups are looking for good adopters, so be sure to visit them too! Shop your local Petco and PetSmart stores. 

laser pointer fun

Do you have a high-energy dog or cat that requires lots of play? Try a laser pointer. You can purchase them at most hardware or pet stores. 


A laser pointer gives an animal something safe to chase and is great exercise! Try to play at the same time each day, as pets enjoy routine and consistency.

DOG TRAPPING TIPS: How to catch a shy street dog.. 

• Set up a feeding station in a protected, shady spot where you often see the animal. The food will keep her in the area. Fill a a cake pan with water (a moat) and put a food bowl with smelly wet food in the middle. (This station provides food/water and keeps out ants.)
• Call animal control and report the location of the animal - (if they're effective.)
• Borrow, rent or buy a humane trap. Traps can be ordered online, purchased at feed stores or borrowed from humane societies. (www.trucatchtraps.com)
• Inspect your trap to be sure it is functional. Oil it, test the trap plate, inspect the welds to be sure the wire is secure. You often get only one chance!
• Third, remove the feeding station a day or two before you replace it with the trap. Post a notice asking other people NOT to feed the animal.. its very important that the animal be HUNGRY! Set the trap where you had been feeding.
• Find a flat surface so the trap is level. Place a chunk of wet food outside the trap door. Line the walkway of the trap with newspaper and drop chunks of wet food to entice the animal to walk in. Place a big portion of food on the trap plate. (If ants are a problem, dust the trap area with sevin dust.) Keep the food fresh and smelly. Oily food works best. (tunafish in oil, bacon, bbq, brisquit fat or deboned fried chicken works great!)
• Once you trap the animal, keep her IN the trap. Go straight to a vet or shelter. If you choose to foster the animal, have the vet remove the animal from the trap. Get her vaccinated, spayed and have the vet attach a harness/tags and leash while in surgery. 
• When the animal wakes, it will be ready to go to its foster home. Slowly acclimate it to a quiet room and secure yard. If its a dog, keep her on a leash at all times. Do not let the dog into an unsupervised yard until you KNOW she will return to you.

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated...the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man." - Mahatma Gandhi

During the '70s we lived in St. Peters, Missouri. One day, we noticed a white Shepherd puppy at our back fence. The pup never seemed to have food or shelter. During freezing rain or snow, she would sit pitifully under an eave seeking shelter. One day, we found the tiny puppy sitting on our back porch. I was thrilled to see her! Our rear fence joined her fence from another block but there wasn't an entry hole. Apparently, this determined puppy weaved through a mile of unfamiliar roads and fences. We returned the puppy, but she came back the next day. We finally kept her. For weeks we expected the owners to inquire, but they didn't even notice the puppy was gone. We named her Fritzie.

A few months later we heard a knock on the front door. Mom wasn't home from work yet, so I timidly opened the door. Fritzie stood barking at the door behind me. A male voice demanded that we return his dog. I hurridly slammed the door. When Mom got home she talked to the man. We'd give his dog back if he would reimburse our vet bills and pay boarding fees. We never heard from the man again.

  
For years Fritzie was my best friend! Later, I left for college in Arizona and Fritzie stayed home in Missouri. Once I graduated and bought a house, I brought Fritz to Arizona. She spent her final years in the desert enjoying colorful wildflowers and long hikes. A first love is always special, one that never bears the burden of comparison but sets a standard for later love.

Dime

When posting a dog for adoption, use a creative bio and great picture. This is your best advertising tool. Post the info on www.Petfinder.com. The sample below attracted a good applicant in a few short days...... "Black and white puppies are a dime-a-dozen at shelters. One of the most popular shelter currencies are Border Collie mixes. Four month-old "Dime" was at the Lampasas Shelter and had no venture capital to buy his way out of this high-kill shelter. But, Dime was so cute that he found a way into rescue and yielded high rates of interest! True to his Border Collie reputation, Dime is intelligent and playful. He’ll stick his head in a water bucket and madly dash around the yard. He is housebroken, crate trained and adores people. He’ll gradually mature into a 50 lb dog. Dime invested wisely with his vet and is current on shots and neutered. If you’re looking for a mutual fund companion and a lifetime investment, Dime is worth your dollar!"

Dogs need physical activity to stimulate their emotional and physical well being. The following activities are healthy and necessary to engage a dog's heart and mind... Remember, a tired dog is a good dog!

• daily walks
• fetch
• hide and seek 
• play dates 
• training sessions

"Properly trained, a man can be a dog's best friend." - Corey Ford

Starved/chained dog (later rescued)

RUFF TIP  

If you observe an animal being neglected, here are a few things you might do.....


1. PHOTOGRAPH the animal. Document its body, living conditions, food/water pan or untreated injuries. Pictures are legal proof!


2. Call the authorities with an address/detailed description of the animal. Ask for follow up with the officer once he's answered the call. If you don't get resolution, don't give up. Call a supervisor. Document it all.


3. Research your local/State animal laws. Knowing the laws will help you insist on proper enforcement.


4. Politely knock on the owner's door and ask if you can provide food or vet services for the animal. If you make friends with this person, he may give you the animal.

5. Send pictures and a short factual story to local news agencies. Ask them to help you seek justice for the animal.


6. If the animal strays onto a road or public property, pick it up and take it to a shelter. It will have a chance of adoption or rescue. Send pictures of the stray to your friends and give them a kennel number and shelter location.

"If you consider that 'we can't save them all', what difference does one make? You should know the joy of the one saved!"  -   Anonymous

"Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as valuable to the child as it is to the caterpillar."  -Bradley Miller