Palatka/Putnam County, FL- 2 dogs in need of rescue/adopt URGENT!

This beautiful boy is Mesmerizing Jake! He's an American Bulldog/Staffordshire Bull Terrier mix. Jake is a handsome and proud fellow. Jake is just about 1 years old. He is very calm, friendly and just a sweetheart! He wondered his way into the shelter but he knows his time is limited. He would love to show a family that he knows how to love unconditionally! Jake is sweet and loving and deserves a very special forever home. Please don't let this be the holiday season he spends alive. This good look'n fella URGENTLY needs a home. ID#Cage 51





This gorgeous gal is Lovely Lola! If there's any dog in the entire shelter that would make a perfect family pet, it's Lola. She's a young, small (about 30 pounds) German Shepherd mix with a heart of gold. She sits on command and would be a very willing learner for anyone willing to take some time to train her. She just wants to play and be the best Companion she can be! She wonders why people walk by her but is hopeful and continues to wait for that special someone to take her home! All she wants for Christmas is a home to call herown. Everyday she asks- Won't you please consider adopting me? Lola would be a perfect pet for anyone! She wants to show someone how much love she has to give. Please let her show you! This beautiful lady URGENTLY needs a home. ID# Cage 49.

Both dogs are located at the Putnam County Animal Shelter. They are both VERY URGENT and will be euthanized this week if they are not pulled by a rescue or adopted by a family/person. Please pass this on to anyone you know who might be able to help these two pups. If you are interested in helping, please act quickly. They would love to show a family that they know how to love unconditionally. Please don't let this be the last holiday season they spend alive.

If you can help these dogs, please contact: lsulliva1@msn.com and putnamanimals@yahoo.com. When contacting, reference the animal by name and by the ID # listed at the end of their descriptions above.

Putnam County Animal Services
Palatka, FL
386-329-0399

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Jackonsville, FL - Skinny, injured dog needs rescue URGENT!

This poor girl was rescued by a Good Samaritan from an overpass. The dog was obviously lost, scared, and desperate. It is obvious she is fresh from weaning puppies (probably prematurely). She is emaciated and has some cuts and scrapes. Absolutely nothing else is known about this girl, but it is suspected she's has a horrible life thus far. The dog's rescuer has only had her for a few short hours, but she has been completely sweet and obedient the entire time. The rescuer is not in a situation to keep the dog, but she did take the dog to the vet. The vet suggested taking the dog to the local animal control facility, but that is basically a death sentence. All no-kill rescues in the area are beyond full.
Hopefully someone has a connection out there who can help. Please pass this on to anyone you know that might be able to help.

If you can help this dog or know someone who can, please contact Carly at: carly2k@comcast.net

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Keep your animals warm & safe this winter!

Because today is the first official day of winter, and it will probably only get worse from here, I've compiled some helpful tips to keep your animal companions safe, healthy, and warm this winter season.

• Keep cats indoors - Even experienced outdoor cats can be at risk of freezing, getting lost, and being killed in the cold weather conditions. Also, cats like to climb up into engines or wheel wells of cars to keep warm. This is very dangerous for you kitty friend! (TIP: Before starting your engine, bang loudly on the hood of your car a few times to give the cat a warning. I even check each wheel to make sure nobody is curled up on top!)
• Don't leave dogs outdoors - Let them out or take them for a walk only long enough to get a bit of exercise and do their business. Very young, very old, and short-haired require even less time outside and should always have supervision when outdoors in the cold. You might even consider buying a sweater or other protective weather gear for your dog.
• Thoroughly wipe your dogs’ legs and stomach when they come in to prevent freezing from snow and ice. Check their pads for ice and snow as they can bleed from the snow and ice being encrusted on them.
• Never leave your animal in a car during the cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator, holding in the cold.
• If your dog spends a lot of time outside, increase his food — particularly protein — to keep his fur thick and healthy.
• Pets who spend a lot of time outdoors need more food in the winter because keeping warm depletes energy. Routinely check your pet's water dish to make certain the water is fresh and unfrozen. Use plastic food and water bowls rather than metal; when the temperature is low, your pet's tongue can stick and freeze to metal.
• If you spill antifreeze, clean it up right away. Even a very tiny dose is a lethal to pets. A pet-friendly antifreeze is now available for purchase. If your pet should get into antifreeze, call your vet as soon as possible.
• Never shave your dog down to the skin in the winter. Leave the coat in a longer style for more warmth. When you bathe your dog, make sure he is completely dry before taking him out in the cold.
• If your dog is an outside dog, make sure he has a dog house with plenty of straw inside to help keep him warm. Consider putting a flap on the front of the dog house to keep the cold wind out. Also consider putting the dog house up on blocks to keep it off the ground. Also, turn the opening away from the wind. The best bet is to take dogs into the house when the weather is really bad or put them in a garage.
• Remember, regardless of the actual temperature, windchill can threaten a pet's life. Just because animals have fur does not mean they are suited and prepared to live in freezing temperatures!

Your animal companions deserve to live indoors with you and your family, especially in cold and/or bad weather. They should be like members of the family, and treated as such.

Info taken from HERE and HERE.

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Massive Animal Shelter Fire in Ontario Kills nearly 200 Animals!

Workers grapple with loss of 180 animals after 'nightmare' blaze at humane society
TENILLE BONOGUORE
December 18, 2008
The postcards came infrequently, plastered with joyful photos of once-neglected cats and dogs happily settled into new homes.
Staff at the Humane Society of Durham Region loved each new missive, and would pin them to the Happy Endings board in the reception area. In a job like theirs, such images were the ultimate satisfaction.
Yesterday morning, all of those cards and more than 180 animals awaiting their own happy endings perished in a fire that gutted the Oshawa shelter.
Only 12 animals were rescued: nine dogs, two cats and feisty Bernard the rat.
The society is now trying to find a temporary shelter, while workers grapple with the loss of animals they had known for up to three years.
Shelter manager Ruby Richards arrived at the industrial park where the shelter is located at 2:30 a.m. yesterday and saw flames and smoke billowing into the sky in the midst of a snowstorm. "It's a nightmare," she said yesterday.
The rescued animals were taken to a 24-hour animal hospital in Whitby. Six were later returned to a temporary office set up at the Oshawa shelter, while three dogs and two cats remained under the care of a veterinarian.
The Humane Society of Durham Region is a no-kill shelter, euthanizing only animals that are terminally ill or dangerous. Cats, dogs, rabbits, rodents and other small domestic animals - rescued, found or abandoned - stayed for as long as it took to find a home.
"This is not just a job; it's a life for us," said animal-cruelty investigation officer Debby Houghton. "We know their names, we know what they like and don't like, how they were abused. Staff would take months and months to turn them around, so they could find a new home. It's a passion."
Some of the deceased animals already had homes lined up: A family that was meant to pick up their adopted chihuahua on Monday joined mourners outside the charred building yesterday morning.
"It will be a tough Christmas," Ms. Houghton said.
The Ontario Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire, which caused an estimated $250,000 in damage.
Homes are being sought for the rescued animals, and with up to a dozen reports of animal abuse received in Durham Region each day, staff said there is little time to lose in setting up another shelter.
A mass cremation will be held for the deceased animals at the Oshawa Animal Services Centre. Ms. Richards said their ashes will be kept "until we can put them somewhere special."
From Globeandmail.com.

Please assist The Humane Society of Durham Region in any way you can:

A trust fund has been set up:
Scotiabank, Oshawa Main Branch,
75 King St West, Oshawa Ontario L1H 8W7
Account # 80762 002 01000 13

To make material donations:
Contact the Humane Society directly at: 905-436-5632
or
Contact the City of Oshawa's call centre, SERVICE OSHAWA, at: 905-436-3311

Donations to the Humane Society of Durham Region can be made to 1-888-ONT-SPCA, ext. 323, or online at http://www.humanedurham.com.

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Do animals matter to you?

Help The World Society for the Protection of Animals and animal welfare groups from around the world, including the ASPCA, show the government of the world that animals matter, that they can feel pain and can suffer, and that we have a responsibility to put an end to cruelty around the world. The campaign is seeking 10 million signatures to let the governments of the world know we are serious about achieving a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare at the United Nations. To learn more about this campaign, read the official draft of the declaration, download pictures and banners for your site, and sign the petition, please click on the picture above.

If you're looking for a reason to sign, here are just a few:

• Around 60 billion farm animals are used each year globally to produce meat, milk and eggs. The majority are raised in industrial farming systems where their welfare needs are not met.


• Globally, there are some 600 million dogs, and a similar number of cats, of which an estimated 80% are stray or unwanted.


• The illegal and often inhumane trade in wildlife and wildlife parts is a soaring black market worth $10 billion a year, exceeded only by arms and drug smuggling. Millions of wild animals are killed, captured or traded inhumanely in this shady business.


• An estimated 80% of power input on farms in developing countries is supplied by draught animals, however the resources made available are often woefully inadequate, leading to significant welfare issues.


• Animals are also affected on a huge scale by natural disasters, though seldom considered.


• Improving animal welfare can also improve the welfare of people relying on these animals. Over a billion people directly rely on animals around the world for their livelihoods. People rely on animals' companionship as well, and in many cases animals are considered part of the family. For a global problem you need a global solution. Agreement on the importance of an issue affects people's attitudes, and people's attitudes affect their actions. A Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare would have a real, long-term impact on the welfare of billions of animals worldwide.

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ASPCA to double all donations until 2009!

Thanks to a generous $50,000 Challenge Grant, every donation made to the ASPCA by December 31, 2008 will be doubled until the organization reaches its $50,000 goal. Remember, new donations or ASPCA memberships are tax deductible!

REMEMBER, you can donate by simply scrolling down towards the bottom of this page and clicking on the orange ASPCA donation box with a kitty on it. You'll be taken to the ASPCA donation site where you can pledge whatever amount you want. By donating through my page, you will help me reach my goal of raising $250 (I do not get any of the money, mind you.)

If you do not wish to do that, please visit the ASPCA website for more information on the challenge and to donate!

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