Careful, July 4th is almost here

As a kid July 4th was always one of my favorite holidays. And why wouldn't it be? What could be better for a young boy than big colorful explosions in the sky? Luckily for us, our dog never seemed bothered by the loud percussive explosions, but he may have been the exception.

Many people don't realize that more pets will get loose during the July 4th weekend than any other time of the year because they are afraid of the loud noise of fireworks. Fireworks and loud noises may cause pets to panic, become excited, destructive, and frequently run away from home in fear.

As we all know, fireworks are often set off days before and after the 4^th of July so it is important to consider your pet’s safety now. Last year a dog in Albany ran away from home when fireworks went off in the neighborhood and the dog was hit by a car. Please don’t let your pet be next.

Here are a few tips for your pets on 4th of July:

• Never leave your pet in a car unattended

• Keep your pet indoors in a quite secure place
  

• Don't take your pet to the fireworks events

• For pets with severe anxiety talk to your vet, they may recommend sedatives or herbal remedies

• Make sure that you have a current pet id tag and make sure your microchip information is up to date

• Provide plenty of fresh clean, water as pets may pant excessively when afraid

• Leave a radio on with classical music or a talk radio station. Avoid loud or percussive music.

• Do not leave your pet outside. They may become so afraid that they will escape even though they may never have tried before.

• Do not leave your pet tied or chained up. When pets are afraid, they may try to escape from the chain and either injure themselves or pull the chain loose.

• If your pet is missing check immediately with your local dog control officer and animal shelter.

In order to help reunite pets with their families this year, the Humane Society is offering microchips for only $15 on Thursday July 2^nd and Friday July 3^rd from 10am to 4pm. The microchip is the size of a grain of rice and is implanted by a veterinarian between your pet’s shoulder blades. The chip then serves as a permanent identification for your pet. Even if they loose their collar, shelters and veterinarians will be able to scan the chip and return your pet too you. All dogs coming in for microchips must be on a leash. Cats must be in a carrier.

Volunteer!

On Monday, our new Volunteer Manager, Jennifer Haraburda, started working for the Mohawk and Hudson River Humane Society. We are very excited that Jennifer has joined our team. Jennifer brings great energy and expertise to her new position with a history of running the volunteer program at the Animal Protective Foundation.
You may wonder what Jennifer will be working on, why the new volunteer manager? In the past volunteers were managed by another staff member who had a host of other responsibilities. While our number of volunteers and their programs grew it became clear that this was not a part time job. By shifting around some job responsibilities, we were able add this new full time position without adding any expenses.

Volunteers are essential to our success. Every minute that a volunteer dedicates to the Society helps to save another animal's life. Really? You ask... Yes really. Let's just take one program, our foster care volunteers. Last year over 950 animals were cared for in volunteer foster homes. Most of those animals were kittens that were too young to be adopted, but there were also many animals that were recovering from illness or injuries. It is extremely difficult to care for animals like these in the shelter so without volunteers those animals may not have survived.

Our two satellite adoption centers are 100% volunteer staffed. 7 days a week, 365 days a year, animals in the Petsmarts in Latham and Glenmont are cared for by volunteers. It takes about 45 volunteers at each site to keep those centers running and keep adoptions going. Last year over 550 animals were adopted from the two satelite adoption centers. Those adoptions would not have been possible without volunteers.

The list goes on endlessly, volunteers hlep to feed animals, clean kennels, excersie dogs, care for cats, rabbits and other animals. Our volunteers often spend weekends at community events promoting the society and letting people know about our programs. They stuff envelopes, do office work, serve on our board, repair our plumbing, and so much more.

So if you have some time on your hands, come by and meet Jennifer, or check our website for the latest volunteer opportunites