PET EDUCATION

Everyday companion animals are lost, abandoned, neglected and abused.  Humans domesticated these animals many years ago.  They now depend on us to care for them and they return so much to us in exchange.  It is the responsibility of everyone to make sure these animals are cared for.  Please do your part by becoming educated, caring for your own pet and reaching out to the ones who are no longer wanted.

FERAL CATS
Adapted from www.alleycat.org website
Many of you may have heard the term feral cat and wondered what that meant. Feral cats sleep in our parks, alleys, farmyards, barns and abandoned buildings.  Cast off by their families or lost during forays to seek mates, unsterilized house cats eventually band together in groups called colonies.  Mothers teach kittens to be wary of humans, to defend themselves, and they become feral.  Frightened of humans.  They make their homes wherever they can find food: near dumpsters and behind restaurants.  If only meager scraps can be found, the colony will grow. 
An estimated sixty million feral cats live in the US today.  Local animal control often try to eliminate them by trapping and killing.  This does not work.  Instead of reducing their numbers, killing makes room for new cats to move in and the breeding process begins all over again.  So does the suffering.  Half of all kittens born into these colonies die soon after birth.  Their mothers spend most of their lives pregnant and hungry.  Unneutered tom cats roam across busy roads seeking mates, getting in fights, contracting diseases. 
If you think it is ok that your cat is not altered because it lives indoors, think again.  Many times we get calls from families whose indoor cat accidentally got out.  Your kitty could end up in one of these colonies if lost. 
It is not the fault of the cat for this situation.  HELP. tries to work with the community to trap/neuter/release these feral cat colonies.  Our funds are limited so we ask for help from the community in the cost of altering and vaccinating them. 
Housebreaking Tips
Michael C. Reynolds
  • A puppy does not physically have bowel/bladder control until he is approximately three months old.  do not expect a six week old puppy to be able to hold elimination for more than two to three hours.
  • You are developing the dog's instinct to keep his space clean.  You must reinforce this instinct repeatedly.  Housebreaking is always two steps forward and one step back.  As long as you are gradually making progress, do not become frustrated.
  • Dogs thrive on a set schedule, seven days a week.  The puppy does not understand that it is a weekend or holiday.  Feed the puppy at the same time every day.
  • Feed your puppy the highest quality puppy food you can afford, such as Science Diet.  It costs more, but is much more digestible, therefore he eats less and needs to eliminate less often. 
  • The second the puppy wakes up in the morning, take him on a leash outside to the area you have designated as his toilet.  Make it clear this is for business.  Give him a command like, "do your business."  The second he starts to eliminate, praise, praise, praise.  After he finishes, take him away from the elimination area and have playtime as a reward.
  • Sensitize yourself to your dog's body language.  You know he needs to eliminate a)if he begins circling and sniffing b)after a nap, play session, meal or walk.
  • Do not ever leave a puppy in the house where you cannot see him.  If you are not actively playing with him, either have him in his crate or leased to your belt loop.
  • Crate training is not cruel.  Thousands of dogs are destroyed every day because their owners do not know how to housebreak them.  Crate training very quickly teaches this skill IF IT IS PROPERLY USED.  A crate should never be used as punishment.
  • If you catch your puppy in the act of eliminating (which you will if he is leashed to your belt), say "no" in a low, stern tone and run him outside.  There is no need to yell at the puppy-it may eventually make him voice-shy.  Give him the opportunity to finish the job.  When he does, praise him and have a play session.  Return to the house and do not let the puppy see you clean up the mess.  Blot it up with paper towels and then clean it with a 50% water/50% white vinegar solution or a commercial odor neutralizer. 
  • If you discover a mess after the fact, it is too late to punish the dog.
SUBMISSIVE URINATION
This occurs when the puppy urinates as you greet him.  A dog can be housebroken and still submissive urinate.  Totally ignore this puddle.  Take the puppy away from it and do not let him see you clean it up.  He will probably eventually outgrow this behavior.  Some advice:  Enter the house via a door with a linoleum entrance for easier clean up.  Instead of looming over the puppy, immediately squat down on his level for greeting.  Keep your arrivals and departures businesslike and low key.  Don't ever get angry over submissive urination.