Help needed for animals (12/20/2008)

To the editor:

Each year approximately 400 residents require the services of the Jay County Humane Society, either in a pet adoption or surrender situation, reporting or recovering lost and stray pets, seeking advice for their pets, or, in the worst-case scenario, to report abuse or neglect situations.

The staff has been available to lend a helping hand when called upon. Jay County has benefited from the shelter being there in times of need and has asked little in return.

Times have changed. The shelter has operated for the last several years on funds acquired through the now-closed Mutt's Bingo. Those funds are gone. The shelter now relies solely on grants, donations and fund-raisers. The board of directors of the Jay County Humane Society is sending out an S.O.S. to "save our shelter."

Board members will soon begin contacting local businesses and industries to secure donations to keep our shelter afloat. Without help the shelter will be unable to continue to house homeless animals and will be forced to operate on a strictly voluntary basis soon after January 2009.

Here are a few of the services the society provides:

•Provide shelter and treatment for stray animals until placement.

•Assist law enforcement in abuse/neglect cases.

•Operate a "no-kill" shelter.

•Assist in locating lost pets.

•Provide education on care and treatment of pets through the Jay School Corporation.

Please help save this resource, and remember, all monetary donations are tax deductible.

Here are some tips to keep pets healthy and happy this holiday season:

1. Antifreeze alert. Dogs and cats are attracted to the smell and taste of antifreeze. Just a few licks can cause rapid and permanent kidney damage or death to your pet. Collect all waste coolant and dispose of it properly.

2. Visions of sugar plums. Cookies and candies are as much of a holiday tradition as a snowy street scene. Sweets, especially those with chocolate, are bad for pets. Depending on the dose ingested, chocolate can be potentially poisonous to many animals. In general, the less sweet the chocolate the more toxic it can be. Vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, urination and heart rate can bee seen with ingestion of as little as .25 ounce of chocolate by a 10-pound dog.

3. Christmas tree. Pine needles (real and artificial) can get lodged in an animal's esophagus, making it hard for your pet to swallow. Drinking water from the Christmas tree base is enough to cause diarrhea, mouth sores, vomiting and loss of appetite.

4. Tinsel and lights. A flickering flame and shiny decorations intrigue pets. Pets are best left in another room when lighting the menorah, advent wreath or decorative candles. Remember to tape exposed cords to the call or floor to ensure no chewing or tripping. Tinsel, wrapping paper, alumnum foil and cellophane wrappers can cause choking, stomach upset or cause intestinal obstruction.

5. Deck the halls. A bunch of mistletoe may tempt a festive kiss, but eating holiday greenery could cause a drop in blood pressure, as well as a swollen throat or vomiting. Poinsettias contain toxins that could lead to severe stomach, skin, eye and mouth irritation. Yew is extremely toxic.

6. Alcohol and pets. Two things that do not mix. Place unattended drinks where pets cannot reach them. If ingested, the animal could become sick and weak and may go into a coma possibly resulting in death.

7. Christmas pets. As tempting as it may be to give a pet at Christmas, it may be the worst time. The time just after pet adoption is a very exciting, but very busy time as well. Pets old or young need time to adjust to a new enviroment, and you do, too. New pets need extra attention, care and training. Please wait until after the hectic holiday season to adopt. It will be a more smooth transition for everyone concerned. Pets should never be given as gifts. Adoption involves serious, long-term emotional and financial commitment. They are to be a part of the family and should never be treated as holiday trinkets. The decision to adopt an animal is one that people need to make for themselves.

Cheryl Miller, for the

Board of the Jay County

Humane Society[[In-content Ad]]