Pets need blood too!

Have you ever considered that our pets need blood transfusions just as we humans do? Animals need transfusions for the same reasons that humans do, including surgery, trauma and disease. Healthy donors are needed to give blood to the many pets that need transfusions. A single donation can be used to save up to four other pets’ lives!

Many veterinary offices draw and maintain their own blood bank. Be sure to ask your vet if your dog or cat is a good candidate. There are several notable animal blood banks in the U.S. Feel free to do a search for ones accepting donations in your area. I've included two of the most prominent organizations here.

The Pet Blood Bank Accepts donations from dogs. Dog Eligibility requirements:

• Be healthy and current on vaccinations and heartworm preventatives
• Be between the ages of 1 and 9
• Weigh at least 50 lbs.
• Have a friendly disposition
• Be available to donate at least four times a year

Donation is a simple procedure and does not require anesthesia or sedation. The donation process generally takes 10 – 20 minutes. Dogs do not need to fast before donating. After donating, your dog will be rewarded with treats and belly rubs. The Pet Blood Bank frequently holds drives throughout central Texas. Please email them at Info@PetsLovingPets.com for more info. The Ohio University Veterinary Blood Bank Takes donations from dogs and cats. Dog/Cat eligibility requirements: Be healthy and friendly Be between the ages of 1 and 7 Donate at least 4 times a year Weight 50 lbs. or more (dogs)/ 10 lbs. or more (cats) If your dog or cat meets the above minimum requirements, and you are interested in to see if he or she can become a Blood Donor – call Dr. Cristina Iazbik, managing director, at (614) 688-8460 to set up an appointment.

Read more...

Cat Found Living in $27 Used Sofa!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Read more...

Jacksonville, FL - Heartworm positive dogs need rescue/foster/adopt URGENT!

NO PULL FEE FOR RESCUES!!! ALSO, remember most dogs can be treated for heartworm with routine medication, not invasive, expensive treatment. Most of these dogs are very young, and should respond well.

James Bond

• ID#A303388
• Male
• 2 years old
• Chow Chow
• Neutered

Smokey

• ID#A304399
• Male
• 2 years old
• Labrador Retriever/German Shepherd Dog mix
• Neutered

Jackson:

• ID#A302905
• Male
• 3 years old
• Pit Bull Terrier Mix
• Neutered
  

Neyo:

• ID#A301455
• Male
• 1-year-old
• Pit Bull Terrier Mix
• Neutered
  

Queenie:

• 8 years old
• female
• 80 lbs
• HAS SPONSOR TO TO PAY FOR HEARTWORM TREATMENT!

The time for these dogs will be up tomorrow, Friday March 13th at 4:30 pm.

If you can adopt,foster, rescue, or help any of them, please contact June Mason, the adoption/rescue coordinator at:
MasonJ@coj.net
and
904-387-8924 ext#239

Read more...

The Importance of Microchips!

A calico cat, missing for nine months, was reunited Thursday with her owner, now living in Arizona.

RV ran away from home in July just as her owner was preparing to move to Tucson, Ariz., said Nancy McKenney, interim director for King County Animal Care and Control.

In February, RV was found in Federal Way and turned in to a shelter. Animal Control officers were able to find the owner in his new home thanks to a microchip he had embedded in RV.

The owner also made sure to update his information with the agency monitoring the microchip information, McKenney said.

"This is a great example of why it is so important to have two forms of identification on your cat at all times," McKenney said. "If your pet wears an ID tag, a license, and has a microchip, the chances of having your pet return home are exponentially greater than if they were wearing just one form of identification or none at all."

Story taken from seatlepi.com.

Read more...

Akron, OH - Cat needs adopted/rescued URGENT!

This beautiful cat is located at the Summit County Animal Control Facility in Akron, Ohio. She's been there since Feb. 12, so her time is running out!!! She is a small adult female. She looks EXACTLY like my beloved cat, Hermie. I find it so odd that she is also very small for an adult cat, just like my kitty. I am begging for somebody to adopt her or for a rescue to pull her and give her a second chance!

Her adoption fee is only $60.00 and she will be up to date on shots and spayed!

Her animal ID # (that you will need to reference if interested in her) is C02-027.

If someone can help this girl, please contact the Summit County Animal Control at 330-643-2845 AND email cfatheree@summitoh.net.

Read more...

March is Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig Month!

March is National Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig Month, sponsored by Petfinder.com. When most people think about adopting rescue animals, small pets like the guinea pig don't often come to mind. In truth, there are many guinea pigs in rescues all across the country, waiting for the perfect home. Maybe you could give a needy guinea pig a loving furever home.

If you still need some convincing, here are the top 10 reasons to adopt a guinea pig, from the Wisconsin Humane Society:

1. "With all the cute, furry guinea pigs to be adopted, you can always find the perfect match."? Victoria Wellens, Executive Director

2. "Guinea pigs are great outlets for giving and receiving affection. Their love is unconditional, non-judging and noncompetitive."? Dezarae Jones Hartwig, Education Manager

3. "All of the guinea pigs at WHS have been spayed or neutered, microchipped, given initial vaccinations and received a health exam."? Dr. Randal Zeman, Veterinary Manager

4. "For children, companion animals can encourage feelings of empathy that may be transferred to people."? Jill DeGrave, Education Director

5. "The cost to adopt a guinea pig is only $5."? Kaye Finne, Project Coordinator

6. "Guinea pigs are natural entertainers. They bring on smiles and laughter, and help to alleviate stress."? Laura Lueck, Education Manager

7. "Volunteers socialize our guinea pigs every day, which means we can offer plenty of useful information about each animal's personality to potential adopters."? Ashley Hardin, Volunteer Coordinator

8. "All guinea pigs come with two months free Shelter Care health insurance." ? Dr. Jeff Banwart, Veterinarian

9. "You only have to make one stop. You can pick up all of the supplies needed for your new friend at Animal Antics, located in the Wisconsin Humane Society."? Michele Tegen, Retail Supervisor

10. "You don't have to take a guinea pig outside in the middle of the night."? Stacy Juedes, Counseling Services Manager

And, if you're already a guinea pig parent, why not consider getting one of these shirts to show your love and support the species:

Read more...

Celebrate Professional Pet Sitters Week!

March 1st marks the beginning of Professional Pet Sitters week, sponsored by Pet Sitters International.

Professional pet sitters are a great option to boarding your pet when you travel.

Why Pet Owners Hire Professional Pet Sitters

• Pets are happier and experience less stress at home.

• Diet and exercise routines are uninterrupted.

• Travel trauma for both owner and pet is eliminated.

• Pet's exposure to illness is minimized.

• Untrained or unwilling friends/family/neighbors need not be called.

• In-home professional pet care provides added peace of mind.

List from Pet Sitters International

Read more...

March 1st is National Pig Day!

March 1st is National Pig Day, a special day created to honor and appreciate the pig as an intelligent, social creature. Those who know pigs can't help but be charmed by their intelligent, highly social, and sensitive nature. Pigs are actually more intelligent than any breed of dog. Like dogs, piglets learn their names by two to three weeks of age and respond when called. They are also very discriminating eaters, and are particular about their living space. Pigs enjoy novelty and are extremely active and inquisitive.
Few species are more social than pigs; they form close bonds with each other and other species, including humans. They are quite gregarious and cooperate with, and defend, one another. Adults in the entire social group will protect a piglet, leaving their own litters if necessary to defend an endangered youngster. If one pig starts to dig out tree roots, others invariably join in.
Touch and bodily contact are especially important to pigs. They seek out and enjoy close contact, and will lie close together when resting. They also enjoy close contact with people familiar to them; they like being scratched behind the ears and shoulders, and, at the touch of your hand, will grunt contentedly and roll over for a belly rub.
Pigs are vocal and communicate constantly with one another. More than 20 of their vocalizations have been identified. Pigs most often say "gronk" (more commonly known as "oink"), and will say "baawrp" when happy. They have an elaborate courtship ritual, including a song between males and females. Newborn piglets learn to run to their mother's voice, and the mother pig sings to her young while nursing. After nursing, a piglet will sometimes run to her mother's face to rub snouts and grunt. Pigs also enjoy music.

Yet many pigs do not lead such noble lives; the hog industry confines many female pigs to farrowing crates, claiming these are necessary to protect piglets from being crushed by their careless mothers. Yet when given more room, sows are very gentle with their piglets. Before a mother pig lies down in a bed of straw, she roots around to make sure all the piglets are out, a safeguard against accidentally harming one of them. Text taken from here. To symbolically adopt a pig, in which you sponsor a pig, please visit the World Animal Foundation's pig page. There are also many pigs available for physical adoption on Petfinder.com. You know, George Clooney had a beloved pot-bellied pig named Max, whom he even let share his bed!

Read more...