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Help a large volume rabbit and guinea pig rescue!
ATTENTION DC Metro area residents: Low cost spay & neuter services for dogs and cats are now available
to the DC Metro Area from the National Capital Area Spay & Neuter Center! Low cost vaccines & microchiping also
available!
Providing Sterilization Surgery to Cats and Dogs 5 Days a Week, by Appointment Only. Call: 202-88-ALTER
Got ferals? The CatNiPP(Cat Neighborhood Partnership Program) Clinic offers Free spay &
neuter for feral cats in the District through the TNR program, and low cost spay & neuter for ferals
from outside of the District. By appointment only, Call: 202-608-1356 (ext. 101) or 202-88-ALTER
For everywhere else in America : Low Cost or Free Spay / Neuter Programs in the United States
listed by state
A Note about Puppy Mills
900 dogs were recently liberated from a Virginia Puppy Mill and brought to nearby shelters. Statistics show
that less than half of dogs in shelters will make it out to a good home, that's millions of dogs yearly, and the owner
of this puppy mill will continue to breed more....
Mass scale breeding facilities where dogs are kept in outside in small hutch type cages having litter after litter with
little to no human contact or medical care and overcrowding leads to unsanitary conditions with diseases transferable
to humans from puppies sold to unsuspecting pet stores and research facilities, and yet the most disturbing thing about puppy
mills is they're not illegal.
Laws for minimum care standards are not enough to outlaw a puppy mill, and even when minimum care laws are often broken, the
owners are allowed to continue to breed. Recently a puppy mill owner in Virginia was found to have over twice as many
dogs as he was licenced for and no licence to sell. As a result, 900 dogs were removed, but the puppy mill will not be shut
down. The miller will continue to breed and sell the dogs to pet stores.
You can help. Click here to read about the all too real problem of puppy mills and how to avoid bringing
home puppy who soon becomes very sick and can even affect the health of you and your children. www.stoppuppymills.org
Btw, many of those dogs went to the DC area and surrounding shelters. Many animal shelters cost taxpayers'
money to run. Might be a good time to send a petition to the government for stricter laws to outlaw puppy mills?
Also many of those 900 pups are purebred small breed puppies. The shelter will test them for disease, give a full
medical exam, behavioral evaluation, and a good grooming. Might be a good time to adopt?
Thinking of getting a puppy? : Before you do read this article. Save yourself money and pain by
avoiding some common rip off tactics that can affect your wallet, the life of your, puppy, and the health of your family.
Learn some important reasons to be well informed about pet care before getting the pet :
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Hemmingway's Cats
Recently the news did a story that made it sound like enforcing basic animal control for Hemingway's Cats was a
waste of taxpayer's money. Most of the Hemingway cats are fixed and, it seems, well taken care of, for outdoor
cats. However, some of the cats are allowed to breed and all of the museum's 60 cats usually roam freely
outdoors. ( Unfixed cats outdoors can easily spread litters outside the population, and there are many, many non-Hemingway
cats that roam the area. ) There were complaints that the cats were not staying on the grounds. The museum's
complaint was that it was a pain to round up 60 cats once a day to be sure they were kept on the grounds. They had to
be placed in cages indicating that the population was too large to be kept on the grounds and follow animal control laws.
This also makes one wonder how often each cat had been checked on previously...
Outdoor cats can cost taxpayer money and lives by causing traffic accidents. Outdoor cats affect the wild bird population
and there are many endangered or threatened species of birds in Florida ( see www.nsis.org/wildlife/wildlife-pr-bird.html ). Taxpayer money also goes to save endangered species. In addition, outdoor cats are subject to abuse, theft,
and more. In addition, millions of homeless cats die in shelters yearly, many because they are pregnant or too young
to be adopted. Animal shelters cost taxpayers money to run. There are many reasons for animal control laws and when enforced,
will save taxpayer money in the long run.
Get the facts on outdoor cats from vets here
Learn how domestic cats affect native mammals and birds in Florida here
Learn how to live peacefully with outdoor cats, and about non-leathal ways reduce their population here
( This org's TNR goal is to spay/neuter all outdoor cats AND to get as many as possible adopted and living inside.
)
The Humane Society supports TNR (Trap Neuter Return), read why
Learn other ways the problem of homeless pets (and pets kept or allowed outside of the home) affect taxpayers
in the "Economics of Overpopulation" section here
It takes everyone to solve the problem of pet overpopulation. A "stable" population of 60 cats, some of who are
allowed to breed, is not helping, and can be an even a bigger problem than a "mannaged" cat population
if there is no goal to reduce the spreading problem and may increases cat populations in surrounding areas.
Why Do Shelters Have Such "Strict" Policies when for Adopting a Pet and What's This About a
Return Policy?
The Pet Adoption Contract Agreement: A Safe Haven Return Policy
People may comment that the process of adopting a pet is like adopting a child. Anyone who's actually tried to adopt
a child knows this is not the case. However, because bringing any new life into your home requires responsibility, animal
shelters and rescue groups do have some policies that new owners are required to comply with.
Common requirements are
that the pet be spayed or neutered. Another is that a child can't be soul caretaker of the pet. Yet another is a do not declaw
policy for cats. A policy for some pets, usually dogs, is that they should not be placed in homes with young children. One
that has generated great interest recently, and apparently one that is not well understood is the safe haven return policy.
The
Spay / Neuter Policy: Every year millions of animals are turned into shelters and every day, animal shelters learn
of new horror stories of animals are being abused or mistreated. The shelter's goal is to do everything possible to prevent
that adopted pets or any offspring do not end up back in the shelter or worse. Too many pets and not enough homes are the
reason most shelters require all pets to be spayed and neutered before they go home.
The No Children as Soul
Caretaker Policy: Owners not realizing the responsibility it takes to care for a pet is a very common reason pets
end up in shelters. This is a frequent problem with adults who did not realize the responsibility they were taking on; this
is also a problem with adults who expect their kids to do all the work. Many shelters require that new owners realize this
and a child is not permitted to be to soul caregiver to the pet. A child may help care for a pet but adults are at very least
required to make sure the job gets done and be happy that the pet is living with them.
The Do Not Declaw Policy:
Many owners are only happy if a pet is well behaved. This includes that cats not claw the furniture. Many owners do not realize
that cats need to be given a place they can scratch to keep their nails short and in good condition. Many also see declawing
as their only option as they do not know how to train their cat and they have the false impression that declawing is a simple
surgery. They do not realize that this procedure involves the removal of toe segments and often does not heal right, leaving
the cat in a lifetime of pain. Declawed cats often stop using the litter box because it hurts to stand on kitty litter and
will resort to biting as their first line of defense. It should be noted that it is possible to adopt well behaved cats who
have already been declawed and have fortunately healed right from animal shelters. For cats who have their claws, the no declaw
policly prevents the surgical creation of more problem cats who bite and won't use a litter box.
The No Kids
Policy: If a pet is labeled "no kids" or "not good with kids" it means the pet is not recommended to be placed in
a home with young kids. The age of the kids can vary on a case by case basis. There are various reasons for this policy. One
reason is the sensitivity test. Some dogs are particularly sensitive, often in the paws, and must be handled with extra care.
This is often seen in little dogs (and many have trouble understanding why a small dog would not be good for kids). Sometimes
it will be because a dog was abused by kids. Whatever the reason, it means the shelter or rescue group is not fully comfortable
placing the pet in a home with small kids and potential adopters will be told what the reason is for an individual dog. This
is one way the group prevents possible accidental bite occurrences, a reassurance you will not likely get if buying from a
store.
When a pet is not recommended for homes with young kids, this is not a no future pregnancy clause (as some misunderstand
it), and doesn't mean the pet has to be returned in the event of a future pregnancy. It is something to reduce the pet's stress
when moving into a new home. It is possible for a dog or other pet to calm down and do better around kids in the future. It
is also something to inform the owner of possible problems the pet may have when interacting with kids. If problems do arise
with a new baby, the owner can opt to return the pet through the adoption return policy.
The Adoption Contract's
Return Policy or Safe Haven Policy: After an adoption is complete, animal shelter workers can't go into every home
to make sure dogs, cats, and other animals are being well taken care of. The main thing they will rely on as a substitute
to oversee a pet's future care is an adoption contract. For many important reasons, and like any contract, this should be
read thoroughly. On most standard pet adoption agreements, you will be signing a form that states the pet must be returned
to the organization if the new home does not work out. Some breeders require this agreement too. Shelters realize that there
are situations, through no fault of anyone, pet or owner, that may mean a pet can't stay in it's new home. For that reason
and many others, they want to be sure the pet has a place to go in case things don't work out. They also want the chance to
fix the situation, to see if they can provide enough help so the owner can keep the pet. They may offer training tips, suggestions
the adoptive parent might not have thought of, and any other info that may help, such as how to get along with other pets
in the home.
If the current adopter still can't keep the pet but would like to help find a pet a new home, and can keep the pet in
their home for a little while longer with no problems, shelters and rescue groups will often allow them to foster the pet
until a new home is found as well as give the opportunity to work things out. However, when and if a new home is found for
the pet, shelters and rescue groups also want to do everything possible to be sure a pet's new home meets the requirements
and will likely require that prospective owners to go through the adoption process and sign the forms, to again be sure the
pet's new owners realize the responsibility, and again know the pet has a safe place to go if things don't work out.
Without
this type of return policy, many owners feel the pet has no place to go. They also loose the chance to be advised by shelter
employees of vital info that may resolve the situation. Often, the situation involves something animal shelters
are very familiar with and know how to fix. Some may feel guilty returning the pet to the same shelter and may turn them into
a kill shelter when they came from a no-kill situation. They may also feel desperate and place the pet in a situation that
is less than ideal. Many owners also have the false impression that pets can live on the street and will opt for dumping them
there, vulnerable to be hit by cars, taken in by abusive owners, injury from wild animals, and disease. These are things shelters
and rescue groups deal with on a regular basis. The return policy is meant to reassure owners that the pet always has a place
to go.
If pet stores had this type of return policy, it would greatly reduce the number of homeless pets. It would
also prevent many pets from ending up in abusive situations or on the streets. It would also greatly lower shelter deaths.
These
are standard agreements that animal shelters, rescue groups, and even some breeders will have you sign. Be sure to read the
forms. Sometimes there are additional requirements for some special pets with special needs which are fairly self-explanatory.
One is which other types of animals a particular pet doesn't get along with well. This is to prevent injury. Other pets may
have special medical needs or food allergies. Following these agreements are vital to the pet's well being.
Should I leave money to my dog or other pet and how much is too much?
In the news recently, a very small dog was left a very large amount of money. While this was an extreme situation, a common
reason for pets to be turned into a shelter is a change in living situation and this includes when the pirmary or soul
owner or caregiver passes. While volunteering at the animal shelter, a frequent discussion I heard was whether or not
enter this type of pet surrender into the shelter's system as an owner give up or stray. As an owner give up, the pet
might go straight to the "back room". However, since the pet was not voluntarily being turned in by the deceased
owner, but by a relative, it was considered that the pet be entered as a stray. As a stray the pet would get 5 days, which
were technically meant to give the owner a chance to find it and bring it back home, something that wasn't going to happen.
Often, the decision was made by the pet's initial reaction to the shelter situation, and if there was room for the animal
to stay a few days at the shelter.
This shows there is valid reason for including a pet in a will. Many times if the owner did think ahead, all
that was done was deciding who to leave the pet to, and many times it was someone who could not care for the pet and brought
it to the shelter. While there may have been many situations where everything worked out and the pet never saw the inside
of an animal shelter, from the view on the inside, what to do after an owner's passing was a problem encountered
often.
This shows a valid reason for doing more than just leaving a pet to a person. One option is leaving money to a pet,
which will at least mean that the new owner can better afford to care for the pet. However, money doesn't cover everything
because pets also require time. When leaving money to a pet, someone is also required to fullfill that request, someone who
is able to care for the pet and knows about pet care. Instead of leaving a pet to a person, think of it as leaving a person
to a pet :) If assets exists, one option could be looking at it like hiring an employee, with money designated to pay them
and to pay for the pet. This will ensure that the pet has a place to live for the rest of their life, not just the orriginal
owner's.
However, there are laws that limit how much can be left directly to a pet, so talk to someone, your notary
or lawyer, to decide what an appropriate amount would be to last the lifetime of the pet.
If money does not exist to care for a pet after you're gone, another option would be to pick out a rescue group as an
alternative. You may want to ask if you can reserve a space for your pet. Be sure to get anything in writing, so the
agreement can be brought in with your pet if the need should arrise.
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