The coldest day of winter

I have a wireless thermometer at my house that tells me the temperature outside from the comfort of my living room. This time of year I always take a look at it before I go out to walk my dog, Buster. This morning the digital readout said '12'. Yes, only 12 degrees, not the number that I was hoping for, but to be expected this time of year.
Buster and I bundled up and got ready for the morning cold and wind of the capital region. Of course one of the first things that Buster did was roll around on the snow while I just hoped he would keep moving on our regular morning walk.
While we walked on a path near my home Buster romped in the snow and seemed happy to be out even in the cold weather, but it made me think about the dogs, that don't get to spend most of their day on a warm couch by the radiator as Buster spends his. There are far too many dogs outside in this weather with little shelter or warmth. So i just wanted to give everyone a reminder to keep your pets safe this year...
Keep your dogs and cats away from anti-freeze : In the winter, car owners break out the anti-freeze to ensure that their vehicles start. Cats and dogs are attracted to the sweet smell and taste of anti-freeze, but it is deadly, even in small amounts. Keep a close eye on dogs and cats when they are outside and never permit them to lick anything off the street or driveway. An animal poisoned by anti-freeze may appear to be intoxicated, having trouble with balance and coordination. If you suspect your pet has ingested anti-freeze, don’t watch and wait. Take it to the vet or animal hospital immediately. Kidney failure can set in within 24 hours.

2.Limit Exposure to Cold: Dogs and cats build up winter coats over time. If your pet spends most of the time indoors, it may not have had a chance to develop a thicker coat. Let your pet develop a tolerance to the cold slowly by limiting outdoor time at the beginning of the season.

3. Streets and Sidewalks Can Irritate Paws: Once the snow begins to fall, city streets and sidewalks are often coated in salt and sand that can irritate dogs’ paws. After walks, wipe paws clean with warm water to prevent dogs from licking and ingesting salt and chemicals.

4. Your Dog May Need a Winter Coat: Small dogs and dogs with short hair can develop hypothermia in extremely cold weather. When outside for extended periods of time, make sure your dog wears a coat or protective covering. If you live in a city, you’ll know that dog coats come in all shapes, sizes and styles to express your dog’s unique personality.

5. That Goes for Boots, Too: If your dog lifts its paws and whines during walks, the pavement may be making its paws uncomfortably cold. Many companies sell dog boots in various sizes and styles. Outfitting your dog with boots will also prevent paw irritation from salt and sand.

6.Keep Cats Inside: If possible, keep cats indoors during winter months. Cats can be frostbitten on their paws and ears in very cold weather. They may also crawl under the hoods of cars for warmth, a potentially deadly situation. Given the additional risk of anti-freeze poisoning, it’s best to keep them indoors until warmer months.

7. Be Careful About Foods and Decoration: Many traditions can pose a risk to pets. Even if they beg, don’t give them bones. They can splinter in the digestive tract. Chocolate is never appropriate to give to a pet; it can be poisonous, especially to small animals. Common winter plants such as mistletoe and holly berries are dangerous if ingested and can lead to gastrointestinal and cardiovascular problems.

8.Keep Dogs on the Leash: Don’t let dogs off the leash during snowstorms. They may want to play, but can easily lose their scent and become lost in the snow. This is one of the reasons why more dogs are lost in the winter than any other time. Make sure dogs are wearing ID tags before you take them out in the snow. Getting a microchip for your pet is another great way to get them back if lost. You can get your pet chipped at the Humane Society for only $25..

9. Never Leave Pets Alone in a Car: Pets can freeze to death in very cold weather. The enclosed space of a car will not maintain sufficient heat to protect them from the cold. Leave them at home or bring them with you on your errands.

10.Move Beds and Dishes Away from Drafts: Notice whether your home has drafty areas and move pet beds and dishes away from them. The floor can be very cold, even in a warm house. If your pet does not share your bed, make sure it has a bed or cushion to sleep on to protect it from the cold.

So enjoy the holiday season and the beauty that snowy weather brings, but just use a little caution with your furry friends.

Going Home for the Holidays

This is a time of year when millions of people are going home to spend time with their families and we are hoping that the homeless animals at the Humane Society will all have a home to go to by the end of the year.
Our special Cats-giving adoption promotion led to 46 cats finding new homes, but there are hundreds more who still want to be with new families for the holiday season. That's why the Mohawk and Hudson River Humane Society is holding our countdown to 2010.

Every day in December there will be a different adoption promotion with the goal of all animals having a home before the new year. Our countdown starts December 1st with free microchips for every animal adopted today! Keep an eye on our facebook group and twitter feed for the daily special and check the adoption section of our website for animals in need of families.

CATS-Giving

The Humane Society currently has over 250 cats in our care. Some of those cats are in foster care waiting for space to open up in the shelter. This time of year many people are focused on holiday shopping and preparing for family to come visit. What better time to add a new family member for everyone to meet?
The Society is celebrating Cats-giving by reducing all cat adoption fees by half until Thanksgiving day.
Give homeless cats something to be thankful for this year and come adopt a new pet for the holidays.

Kat-ober Fest

Lali is a little gray and white cat who has been at the Humane Society for almost a month now looking for a new home after being found on the street in Troy. Lali is slight of build, quiet and gentle. She loves to get attention and would be perfect in a home where she can sit quietly. She sounds like the perfect cat to me who would fit in just about any home. So why is she still here?

It may be that Lali is over 8 years old. Many people looking for a pet want the youngest they can find, often a kitten or puppy. Even when families are looking for calm, child friendly pet they often do not consider older animals. It is terribly unfortunate that such wonderful older animals are often overlooked. That's why, when we get pets Lali's age, we reduce their adoption fee to only $25 in hopes that older people with limited incomes will find their match in an older cat.

Right now, the Humane Society is filled with cats of all ages, including many kittens. When we have so many young kittens it is even more challenging to find homes for older cats.

In order to get as many cats adopted as possible, the Humane Society is holding "Kat-ober Fest" Cat adoption prices have been cut in half through Sunday November 1st. Our hope is that Lali and all of her fellow felines will find new homes this weekend.

Black Cats

Black cats and dogs can be the most difficult to find homes for even though they are often great pets (I have a black dog myself). There are many stories of black cats being used in satanic rituals or otherwise abused around the Halloween season yet there is no evidence that animal cruelty increases during this time of year. Certainly there are stories of acts of cruelty in October, as unfortunately there are cases of animal cruelty all year long. Unfortunately, the urban legends around these rituals have lead many animal shelters and rescues to stop trying to find homes for black cats during the last couple of weeks of October. I think these policies do a disservice to black cats.
The Humane Society of the United States commissioned a review of newspapers across the country published around Halloween going back over 10 years and found no increase of cruelty cases during this time of year. You may remember a sudden increase in animal cruelty cases involving cats last summer in Troy. These cases involve people who are sick and depraved, not performing satanic rituals.
Those acts that appear to be satanic rituals are usually young people imitating what they think rituals would be like, often using symbols they have seen in the movies. In all likelihood, these people will pick up a cat off the street (where there are many) rather than come to an animal shelter where they will be screened, have their ID copied and will pay an adoption fee. Cats of any color that are allowed to roam outdoors are in the greatest danger during the fall as they are all year long.
At the Humane Society will continue to seek loving homes for cats of every color during this time of year because black cats deserve to be in homes, just like all of the others.

I spent last weekend in Vermont with my family and my dog, Buster. We went out to dinner one night and my father ordered steak. At the end of the meal he asked the server to box up the fat from the steak that he had cut off so he could bring it home to the dog. The server was shocked and refused to pack up a doggie bag for the leftover that I am sure Buster would have appreciated. She explained that fat is not good for dogs, just like it is not good for us! We are an easy going bunch and big animal lovers so we all got a kick out of her response. Personally I appreciated her concern for our dog and the story she then told about her own dog. She found out pretty quick that she was talking to the right crowd.
The experience reminded me of the talk that Jon Katz gave at our recent Dog Days of Summer event. He talked about his new book Soul of a Dog which explores the question of whether dogs have souls. As part of the process he looked at our history with dogs and noted that we didn't have prepackaged pet food until the 60's. Pets ate what we did, usually the leftover table scraps. In that relatively short period of time, our relationship with our pets has truly transformed. Many of us think more about what we feed our pets than what we feed ourselves. In the past few years there has been huge growth in natural and organic pet food sales and people have come to realize that their pet's nutrition affects their lives just like ours. (On this same trip we bought some Wagatha's dog biscuits - made in Vermont they are vegetarian, organic and kosher - and yes Buster loves them).
How and why did this transformation happen? I recommend reading Jon Katz's book for more on that subject. I think that as a society we have really embraced the relationship that we have with animals. We continue to learn that animals think and feel more deeply than we ever imagined in the past and our connection to them continues to grow stronger.
Would Buster have been happy if he had gotten a big hunk of steak fat when we got home? You Bet! But mostly he just seemed happy that we were home and rubbing his belly.

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.