Pet Dish 7/3/12

In this issue:

Giving new hope to Georgia pups
When to help your wild animal neighbors
Microchips are now even more affordable
Let your inner rock star loose to help animals!
More treats
Scratching Posts

Giving new hope to Georgia pups

There will be plenty to celebrate this Fourth of July for dozens of Georgia dogs and puppies. They will spend the holiday settling into their new home state of Minnesota and preparing to be adopted into loving homes.

The dogs and puppies are coming to Animal Humane Society from Puppy Pipeline Rescue of Georgia, an organization that works with overcrowded shelters to save dogs that would otherwise be euthanized. The dogs come from Southern states where unclaimed strays are often euthanized within a few days of arrival due to space and resource constraints and spay/neuter is not commonly practiced, resulting in thousands of unwanted litters with nowhere to go. They are transported to shelters in Northern states that have more resources and a higher demand for adoptable dogs.

This particular group of dogs is coming to AHS from an overcrowded shelter near LaGrange, Georgia. The transport will consist of approximately 45 dogs and puppies ranging from 9 weeks to 4 years old including Labrador, shepherd, hound, and basset mixes.

The transport was originally scheduled for July 4, a day AHS is usually closed for the holiday. Special arrangements had been made for staff to open the shelter so the pups could arrive that morning. However, because of expected high temperatures, the transport has been moved one day earlier to ensure the safest possible trip for the animals.

The dogs will make their way to our adoption centers after they receive spay/neuter surgeries and any other needed treatments. To view all the dogs available at Animal Humane Society, visit our adoptable animals website.

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When to help your wild animal neighbors

Each year, approximately 2,500 wild animals are helped by Animal Humane Society. The AHS wildlife team partners with Wildlife Rehabilitation & Release to take in and treat injured and orphaned wildlife at our Golden Valley facility. We also rely on a network of volunteers and licensed wildlife rehabilitators to help stabilize, care for and release the animals.

We are grateful for the people in our community who care about wildlife and want to help, but it’s important to first learn how to tell if wild animals need assistance. This will allow you to determine if bringing the animal in is in its best interest.

This spring, a fawn only a few days old was brought to AHS. The fawn was discovered an hour earlier quietly resting in a flower bed. Wildlife technicians assessed the fawn and found him to be very healthy and hydrated. In this case, the fawn was not in need of assistance and was brought back to where he was found. The fawn’s mother appeared twice to check on him and at the end of the day returned and called for her baby which sprung to his feet and followed her.

Spotting a baby animal by itself doesn't necessarily mean it's an orphan. In this case, the doe was simply keeping her fawn in a safe place until she could return. Many wildlife parents leave their young alone during the day, sometimes for long periods of time. If the babies are still dependent, the mother is usually nearby, discreetly keeping an eye on them. Explore our wildlife website to learn how to determine if a wild animal is truly orphaned before taking action.

There are other situations where wildlife need help in order to survive. This spring, a group of 13 infant Virginia opossums were brought to AHS. The babies were orphaned when their mother was struck and killed by a vehicle. A passerby saw the babies crawling on the deceased mother and was able to gather them and keep them safe and warm overnight before bringing them to AHS.

The siblings were uninjured but very dirty and dehydrated. They were cleaned, given fluids and placed on supportive heat. The nine sisters and four brothers are now receiving care from a licensed wildlife rehabilitator until they are ready to be released back into the wild.

If you find an injured wild animal, our Wildlife Department provides information on how to help each individual species. You can also call the AHS Wildlife Department at (763) 489-2223. Wildlife can be dropped off in Golden Valley at Incoming Animals weekdays from 11am – 7pm and weekends from 10am – 6pm. No appointment is needed to bring in wildlife.

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Microchips are now even more affordable

Thousands of pets arrive at Animal Humane Society as strays each year and without identification it is difficult to locate their families. That is why all pets adopted from AHS are given a collar and ID tag and are microchipped. These forms of identification increase your chances of being reunited with a lost pet.

Animal Humane Society offers affordable microchips to the public and beginning this month the cost is now lower than ever. Microchip fees are now only $25 per pet at our microchip clinics at all five AHS locations and at Now Boarding and Animal House.

Let your inner rock star loose to help animals!

If the destruction of musical instruments to help animals in need sounds like a rockin’ good time, you’ll want to check out this event! My Music Store in Golden Valley is holding its 13^th annual Guitar Toss, a benefit for Animal Humane Society. Take a crack at seeing how far you can send a guitar flying on Saturday, July 28 from 12:30 – 4pm. Learn more.