Pet Auto Safety

It was cold!!  Or at least it was to me.  The dog walkers and runners at the event probably got warmed up a lot quicker than I did.  Perhaps next year I will run, but not with Maya.  If I take my dog Maya running, I will likely be dragged instead.

The Tails on the Trail event was a dog-friendly 5k run/walk held as a fundraiser to help the Helping Hands Humane Society of Topeka.  The runners got there early and began their run/walk while we set up our booth.  After the 5k run, there were other races, an obstacle course, dog demonstrations, and judged contests.  Oh, and did I mention the free food and coffee for the walkers/runners… and booth vendors?  Yummy!

For anyone who didn’t have a dog to run/walk with, a dog could be “rented” for the race.  The “rented” dogs were dogs up for adoption and were eager to be free to run.  What a great way to promote adoptable dogs.

As part of the judged contest, we vendors got to put in votes on dog runners/walkers who came to visit the booths.  One of the entries was for the friendliest dog.  There were lots of super friendly dogs and I loved them all.  But my favorite had to be the beagle mix pictured above.  He not only welcomed my petting and love with glee, but he invited himself on my husband’s lap and kept him warm.  Isn’t that sweet!   J

If you weren’t able to make it this year, join us next year.  Visit the Helping Hands Humane Society in Topeka for more information.

Humane Societies/Animal Shelters
Once you have an idea of the breed you want and once you are certain that you can provide a quality home for your new dog or puppy, the next step is to actually find the right one. The best place to start is at your local humane society and animal shelters – even if you want a purebred. Believe it or not, shelters and humane societies often have purebred dogs and puppies available. If they don’t have the breed or breed mix you want, ask them to call you when they do. Or you can make regular visits until you find the right dog. Going to the humane society or animal shelter gives you the choice between many dogs and you get them at a very reasonable cost which includes all their shots and the spaying or neutering.

Breed Rescue Groups
You can also check with rescue groups. If you are wanting a basset hound, for example, check with a basset hound rescue group. They specialize in the breed and they can tell you about a specific dog’s personality as well as a lot about the breed itself. They will also most likely provide the animal’s shots and spaying and neutering.

Individuals and/or Breeders
You can also get a puppy from individuals by looking in classified ads in the newspaper or online. Craig’s List is an example of an online classified where you can find pets from individuals. Be careful, however, if you are buying a purebred puppy from an individual. If an individual is breeding purebred dogs for the sake of making money, they could inadvertently be spreading the genetic diseases and health problems associated with that breed. Make sure this individual has done testing for these diseases and make them show you the vet records. Doing your research on breeds will help you know what to look for. Also, make sure that if you get a purebred from an individual that you visit the individual’s home. This is to make sure you are not getting a dog from a puppy mill. We strongly urge you not to get a dog from a breeder who breeds several dogs just for the sake of making money and we strongly urge you not to buy a puppy from pet stores. This is because pet stores usually get their dogs from those kind of people who only breed dogs to make money.

Remember, you don’t have to get a purebred. Mutts are great dogs too. The main benefit is they don’t usually have all the health problems associated with the genetic degeneration of pure-breeds. A downfall would be that you may not be sure of the breed mixes, so therefore, you aren’t certain as to what to expect behavior and personality-wise from your dog. But discovering your dog’s breed mix and personality can be a fun experience. With time, patience, and lots of training, any dog can be a great dog!

Check our blog later for information on what to do once you get your new pet. Future blogs in this series includes getting pet supplies, potty training, grooming, and more!

Owning a pet offers years of a rewarding experience. The loyalty, love, and affection they provide is vast. It has even been said that pets help people live longer healthier lives. Although the rewards of owning a pet far outweigh the reponsibilities, the obligations of a pet owner are still very important. After providing annual shots and vet visits, spaying or neutering your dog or cat is the most important. Several people have excuses about why their pet is not spayed or neutered. As pet lovers who sincerely believe in helping to prevent homeless animals, we feel that it is important to stress the benefits of spaying or neutering.

Why Breeding Your Pet is Not a Good Idea
Unless you are a professional breeder, you probably should not be breeding your dog or cat. There are a lot of costs involved in breeding that you may not have considered. Finding a male for your female is not always easy. And if you do find a male, there may be a stud fee involved. If you already have both a male and female breed, you may be inadvertantly breeding dogs or cats that are too closely related and therefore contributing to the degeneration of the breed. Once you have a pregnant female, there are several vet visits which cost money. There is not only the vet cost for the pregnant female, but there are also vet fees involved for the puppies or kittens. If you want to sell quality breeds, vet costs increase because you want the vet to check for health issues and hereditary problems. Also, some breeds require docking of tails or ears which also involves vet fees.

Another thing to consider is that all of your puppies or kittens may not be sold. If you are a considerate pet breeder, you may want to dispose of them by taking them to a no-kill shelter. No-kill shelters often request a donation in order to help them care for the animal before it is adopted. More often than not, breeding dogs or cats is not as profitable as you might think. And sometimes, no profit is made at all.

Besides costs, a lot of your time is required when caring for the pregnant female and her puppies or kittens. The mother dog or cat does not always care for her young properly. And if proper care is not given by either you or the mother, some of the young may die before they have a chance to be sold.

Even if you are lucky enough to find homes for the puppies or kittens your pet has had, you would be surprised to find how many of them end up in a shelter later. A lot of people get a puppy or kitten on impuse because they are so adorable. But people who don’t have the knowledge or the desire to learn about raising a pet tend to end up with an adult dog or cat they can’t handle. That pet may then end up abandoned. Stray dogs may bite or attack people or pets, get into trash, defecate on your lawn and spread disease to other pets. Research shows there are more dogs and cats born every day than there are people which means there are not enough people willing to adopt them all.

Spaying or Neutering Does Not Cost a Lot of Money
Costs to spay or neuter your pet can vary depending on your vet. If you can’t afford those costs, check with your local humane society and ask about low-cost spaying and neutering programs. These programs were formed in order to prevent unwanted pets so they will be glad to help you find something that can fit within your budget.

Spaying or Neutering Can Help Curb Certain Behavior Problems
Male cats who are not fixed tend to spray more often than male cats who are not neutered. When a male cat sprays, there is a highly offensive odor that can easily infiltrate your entire home. Not only that, the odor on the item that was sprayed will be difficult to remove. When female cats who are not fixed go into heat, they tend to do this odd screeching cry that is both incessant and loud. This could happen twice a year (usually in the spring and fall) and lasts up to three weeks.

Male dogs who are not fixed tend to mark more often, even indoors, and especially when they smell a female dog in heat. Indoor marking could damage your furniture and the smell could be difficult to remove. Female dogs who are not fixed tend to leave marks of blood on your carpet or furniture. Dogs do not bleed as heavily as people, but they do bleed – the bigger the dog, the more noticable the spotting.

For both male and female pets who are not fixed, you could have problems with them trying to get out of the house or fenced yard. Females in heat are especially more urgent to get outdoors. Male pets who catch the scent of a female in heat could be more inclined to get out of the house or dig out of the yard or jump the fence.

If you are wanting a loyal and lovable affectionate pet, your chances of getting one is by having your pet spayed or neutered. Believe it or not, studies show that fixed pets tend to be more affectionate.

Spaying or Neutering Can Help Prevent Certain Health Issues
Fixed pets tend to live longer. Losing a pet is very difficult so you want your dog or cat to live as long as possible. A dog that is spayed or neutered also tends to be healthier. They are also less likely to get certain types of cancer. A sick dog can be very expensive to make healthy. And in many cases, the pet can end up dying anyway.

So please help to prevent homeless pets by getting your dog or cat spayed or neutered. Spaying or neutering your pet benefits you, your pet, and the community.

This article was inspired by No More Homelss Pets KC (NMHPKC)

According to No More Homeless Pets KC (NMHPKC), “. . . for every one person born, 15 dogs and 45 cats are also born. And that means there simply aren’t enough homes for them all.” So what happens to the excess animals? They roam the streets. They may possibly spread diseases to your own pets, get into garbage, mess in your yard, and continue to breed which causes more homeless dogs and cats. Wild dogs may form into packs and sometimes attack people and other animals, including your own pets. And the worst of all, millions of homeless dogs and cats get euthanized each year – That’s right, MILLIONS!

So what is being done to prevent homeless animals? There are many non-profit organizations all over the country that dedicate their time to not only find homes for these animals, but to also find a way to prevent more homeless animals. There are several in the Kansas City area, including No More Homeless Pets KS (NMHPKC). Their mission is “To lead a cooperative effort to end pet overpopulation and transform the KC area into a ‘Humane community’.” Part of what they do is help in getting homeless animals adopted. They also prevent homeless animals by providing humane education and low-cost spay and neutering.

So what can you do to help prevent homeless animals? The most important thing you can do is to spay or neuter your own pets. There are many benefits to spaying or neutering your dog or cat. Check out our following blog in a few days about the benefits of spaying or neutering.

Tuesday, July 15th between 4 and 8 pm, we are going to participate in the Suds of Fun event at U-Wash Puppy in Shawnee, Kansas.  We are displaying and selling some of our products and donating 25% to the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City.  The U-Wash Puppy at 75th and Neiman Rd is giving dog baths for $5 and the first 50 dog washers get fun pack full of dog and people goodies!  Sheridan’s Frozen Custard will be handing out free pup cones to keep everyone cool, plus there will be some adorable dogs up for adoption.  Other pet vendors will be participating in the event as well and donating a portion of the proceeds to the humane society.  So if you live in the Kansas City area, give your dog a bath and help the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City help the homeless animals in your area.