Tag Archives: animal shelter

Holiday Help for Animal Shelters

Let’s face it: most animal shelters need help throughout the year in the form of volunteers, monetary donations, and donations of food and other items for the residents. But the holidays are a great time to offer a little extra help to your favorite shelter! If you’re the sort of person who buys holiday gifts for your furry, feathered, and scaly family members, you might want to think about picking up an extra something and bringing it to your local shelter. Food, treats, and toys are always welcome. Your local shelter may also keep a list of specifics they need … Continue reading →

Are Adoption Rules too Strict?

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If you decide to adopt a pet from a shelter (and I hope you do — there are plenty of great dogs, cats, and other pets out there that need loving homes), you may find yourself faced with a laundry list of criteria you have to meet. When my family adopted Becca back in the summer of 1997, we went to a local shelter called Jersey Shore Animal Center. Once we decided on which dog we wanted, we filled out an application. The shelter asked for contact information for our former family veterinarian (it had been more than ten years … Continue reading →

Starting A Shelter: How Are You Doing?

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Running a shelter is not an easy job. There will be hard days and depressing days. There will be happy days and triumphs. You’ll spend a lot of hours sweating over your finances or cleaning kennels. You may be witness to cruel mistreatment of animals. You’re going to encounter a lot more doggy doo and kitty poop than ever before. So how do you objectively assess the success (or failure) of your shelter? The shelter leaders and board of directors are responsible for seeing your mission statement come to life. If you aren’t fulfilling your mission, then something may need … Continue reading →

Finding a Wild Animal

If you’re a softie like I am, you want to rescue just about every animal you see. There used to be a three-legged fox that ran around the radio station I used to work at. I named him “Gimpy” and was determined to save him. He managed to elude me. Really the best thing to do if you find an injured wild animal is to call your nearest shelter or wildlife rehabilitation center. Even a baby animal can be dangerous sometimes. So is the animal really injured or sick? Some young animals, especially birds, can appear to be injured when … Continue reading →

Finding a Stray Pet

What do you do when you find a stray dog or cat running through your neighborhood or along the highway? Are you prepared to assist a stray pet safely and effectively? If you are planning to rescue, plan ahead. Keep the numbers of your local animal control, animal shelter, regular veterinarian, and 24-hour emergency veterinary clinic. You’ll also want to keep extra collars and leashes, water and bowls, a cat carrier or cardboard box, and a pet first aid kit on hand. Think about your own safety first. Don’t dart out into the street or stop short in heavy traffic. … Continue reading →