Oh, the Weather Outside is Frightful! (Even for pets!)

Stacie Beasley, FUNanimal Pet Services

Animals seek warmth anywhere they can find it as the temperatures drop.  To protect your vehicle’s engine and to save an animal’s life, remember to knock on the hood of your car or honk your horn before starting your car.  Engines can stay warm for hours after being shut off, offering an enticing warm shelter for cats.  If you have the remote start feature, give a quick press of the “panic” button on your car key first to scare away any unsuspecting sleeping felines before remote starting your car.

Another vehicle-related danger of winter is exposure to anti-freeze.  Ingesting as little as a teaspoon of the harmful chemical of ethylene glycol can kill.  Its sweet taste unfortunately attracts pets, so be sure to promptly clean up any spills and keep it out of pet’s reach.

Staying warm uses up more energy.  Pets that spend a lot of time outside need more food, especially protein.  Ask your vet if you should vary your pet’s diet for the winter.

Dehydration is often a forgotten danger of the bitter cold, for water sources freeze outside. Also avoid using metal bowls this time of year (if you don’t know already from watching “A Christmas Story”, yes, tongues will stick to metal in below freezing temperatures.)

As we struggle to keep our footing in the slippery conditions that winter brings, keep in mind that salts, de-icers and other chemicals are dangerous for your pets.  Try to use kitty litter or sand for traction instead.  If you must use a chemical, supervise your pet in those areas to make sure they don’t drink from puddles and remove the slush and dissolved product as soon as possible.  Wash paws after exposure.

Check paws after outside adventures to pull out any snowballs that have gathered in between pads which are not only uncomfortable, but also could lead to frostbite!

Frigid weather lessens the sense of smell, causing more cases of lost dogs than any other time of the year.  Keep your pet leashed or fenced in as they frolic in the snow with an ID tag.

Be a Santa Paws this Holiday Season

By:  Stacie Beasley, FUNanimal Pet Services

Tis the season for giving!  While we may get our pets a new treat or toy during the holidays, let’s not forget about the less fortunate animals that would be pets, if they had a home.  By donating or volunteering your time, you help bring some comfort to an animal in need and you get to experience that “feel good” feeling!

Some easy ways to give back and feel good about yourself:

·         Donate food, blankets, beds, new or old toys to an animal rescue organization

·         Donate money to an animal cause, charity or sponsor an animal (in someone’s name to make a nice holiday gift for someone that cares about animals.) Check with your employer to see if they will match your contribution.

·         Volunteer!  Of course less people are willing to work on Christmas, but the animals still need to be taken care of and given attention.  Spend an hour or two at a local animal shelter or rescue. 

·         Have a social well-behaved pet?  Cheer up a lonely person at a nursing home, hospital or the like by sharing your pet with them for a little while over the holidays.  Visit PetsOnWheels.org for more information on how!

·         Create a shelter for feral cats to help them stay warm in the winter months.  See the picture at the bottom of this page or do a web search for “how to build a shelter for feral cats” for many more ideas.


Holiday Hazards for Pets

To add on to last month’s Thanksgiving dangers, there are many things to be aware of to protect your pets through the holiday season.  Some of them include:

·         Tinsel – attractive to pets, but if ingested, it may cause serious internal damage

·         Bulbs and bulb hooks – avoid placing bulbs on the bottom branches of your tree

·         Candles in pets reach – remember that’s everywhere if you have a cat!

·         Wires – a puppy favorite!

·         Christmas tree water – cover it with the tree skirt

·         Getting a pet for someone as a gift – instead, make up a gift certificate to help them pick out a new pet after the hectic holiday season

Stray Cats?   T - N - R is the Solution!  Join Us on Oct. 16

Whether you love them, hate them, or are somewhere in between, cats are everywhere!  Since cats can produce up to 5 litters per year, in 7 years, one female cat can lead to about 400,000 more cats!  70% of those cats end up being euthanized at the animal shelter and if they are feral (cats that have had little human interaction whom have reverted to wild behavior), they are immediately put down since they are not easily adoptable.  This costs PG County hundreds of thousands of dollars a year!  So what is the most effective, humane and cost-effective solution? T-N-R ... 
Trap - Neuter - Return.

It begins with humanely trapping the feral cat and then bringing them to a low-cost spay/neuter facility that is familiar
with TNR, such as "Spay Spa & Neuter Nook" (www.SpaySpa.org).  They are located in Davidsonville, MD and even lend out traps!  For just $35, their "Feral Special" includes sterilizing , ear-tipping the cat and rabies vaccination.  

"Ear-tipping" is snipping off the tip of the left ear which identifies the cat as being part of a controlled cat colony.  Usually Animal Control will leave these cats be, and resources are saved by knowing that cat has already been sterilized.  The cat is then returned back to the place where food and shelter are offered outside by a caregiver.  

TNR offers the most realistic and humane permanent reduction of feral cats, eliminates nuisance behaviors such as spraying and fighting, reduces the amount of kittens that take up space in shelters in turn giving friendly adult cats a better chance of being adopted and saves Animal Control and tax payers money.   To learn more about how you can
help Marlton's feral cats, see below!

FUNanimal Pet Services in conjunction with Look Sharp Pet Essentials will host a free presentation/workshop on TNR on October 16, 2013 in honor of National Feral Cat Day, a day to call for an end to the killing of cats in animal control shelters, the leading documented cause of death for cats in the United States.

 WHO:
  FUNanimal Pet Services with Look Sharp Pet
Essentials

 WHAT:
  National Feral Cat Day Trap-Neuter-Return
Workshop

 WHEN:
  Wednesday, October 16, 2013 from 6:00pm - 7:45pm

 WHERE:
  Fresh Pet training room - Marlton Plaza Shopping Center (9534 Crain Hwy, Upper Marlboro, MD)

CONTACT:
 Stacie at [email protected]

Please RSVP by October 13th. Light refreshments will be provided.

For more information about National Feral Cat Day, visit www.alleycat.org/NFCD