Community
WHAT'S GOOD FOR ANIMALS CAN BE GREAT FOR THE COMMUNITY
by Daniella Latham
Each shelter and rescue has a story, just like the animals it gives a temporary home to. The common denominator, the connection, and the driving force is to help as many animals as possible to find forever homes.
Michael Good, DVM, founder of the Homeless Pet Clubs, knew at 15 years old that he wanted to be a veterinarian. Early in his career, he was helping 50 local rescue groups as their supervising veterinarian, where he saw many shelters and rescues give up because of lack of money to survive—and where euthanasia was the only option to control a population of homeless animals.
“I couldn’t look these beautiful creatures in the eye and then take their life away. I’d sit with the animals for a little while, so they could at least feel love before they had to die,” said Dr. Good.
In addition to his veterinary practices, in the mid-1990’s, Dr. Good became the medical director for a shelter in his native Fulton County, Georgia. When he started, he inherited an unfathomable euthanasia rate -- every three days there were animals put down and the euthanasia rate compared to the shelter population was way too high.
Dr. Good was determined to find a solution for homeless animals and made it his life’s mission.
In 2010, the Homeless Pet Clubs was founded as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to help animal rescues and shelters adopt-out more pets, and for the past 5 of 7 years, continues to be financially supported only by Dr. Good and donations to help keep the program running.
Homeless Pet Clubs
Homeless Pet Clubs gives students, civic leaders, and business owners the opportunity to share their love of animals by promoting animal rescue, responsible pet ownership, adoption of shelter animals, and animal welfare. It also gives animal lovers from diverse backgrounds that don’t necessarily work in a shelter or rescue, a way to leverage different strengths to save the greatest number of at-risk animals by participating in:
- Sponsoring a homeless animal to increase visibility for adoption
- Telling the story of their sponsored pets via Facebook, emails, and posters
- Volunteering at adoption events
- Raising funds to support their local shelter and club
It is also free for clubs and shelters or rescue organizations to join. To date, there are 2,000 Homeless Pet Clubs across the United States.
Shelter and Rescue Participation
The mission of a Homeless Pet Club is to use flyers, posters, email, Facebook and other social media, and various projects, to help find homes for dogs and cats in county animal shelters, humane societies, and rescue groups. It is a grass-roots effort and every type of club relies on word-of-mouth to spread the word about the animals they are sponsoring. It also drives awareness and traffic to Homeless Pet Clubs rescue and shelter partners.
Pet sponsorship is a way to promote pets through advocates who tell each animal’s unique story--and give the pet as much exposure as possible to potential adopters. A shelter or rescue can upload as many (or as few) pets as they want sponsored with the pet's information.
The Warwick Valley Humane Society, one of the 105 shelter and rescues enrolled in this program, has experienced an uptick in adoption rates that can be attributed to their participation in the program. Pam Schutz, DVM, has had success with the program.
“Our shelter became more engaged with the community – and it’s been a great way for people to hear about our animals, and want to come in a meet them—and their chances are greater for adoption!” said Dr. Shutz.
“I’d tell other organizations to get involved – it costs nothing and if we’re too busy to upload our animals’ information; the Homeless Pet Clubs can do it for us. It’s really a win-win opportunity to help our animals in this way,” she stated.
Homeless Pet Clubs can be started anywhere in the country where a sanctioned shelter or rescue group exists, such as a state or county facility, humane organization or rescue group. The organizations must meet or exceed expectations:
- Meet standards of humane care and cleanliness
- Make a commitment to reducing euthanasia and saving the lives of pets in their facility
- Agree not to euthanize any pet that a club has chosen to sponsor
- Provide care for the sponsored pet until it gets adopted
Community Response
Response from the school, business, and civic clubs hosting Homeless Pet Clubs has been very positive, with each club choosing pets to 'sponsor' and promote for adoption. In one Georgia county alone, more than 50 school clubs were established in three months' time, and their support helped find loving, forever homes for more than 200 animals. Teachers lead the charge for the school clubs, and report benefits to students including:
- increased involvement
- decreased absenteeism
- increased enthusiasm for learning
- improved social skills
- increased compassion
- heightened sense of achievement
- improved self-worth
- decreased bullying
- expanded awareness of networking for good
- increased responsibility
- increased creativity and cooperation
“Communities can build on their love of animals and ultimately come together to transcend social status,” Dr. Good stated. “Animals level the “playing field” for all socioeconomic groups and animals don’t judge you. We want children to learn to be kind to all living things; be kind to animals and be kind to each other.”
Share Your Thoughts on Homeless Pet Clubs with Us
What do you think of this concept? Is this something you could see your shelter or rescue participating in? Take our quick Survey.
Community
PREPARE FOR KITTEN SEASON WITH BEST PRACTICES TO AID ADOPTION
by Daniella Latham
It’s the time of year that takes patience, preparation, and a lot of love: kitten season is here.
For your shelter or rescue, this time of year means an increased need for vaccines, parasiticides, and medications to treat your newest arrivals, get them healthy, and ultimately get them ready for adoption. Kittens are prone to upper respiratory infections, viral infections, internal parasites, diarrhea, and external parasites – to common ailments that can be passed from one kitten to another. FeLV and FIV infections are also common; yet serious infections that can go undetected.1
Kitten season is much different than puppy season, simply due to differences in canine and feline reproductive physiology. Cats are prolific breeders and cycle from January to Mid-October. Cats are also induced ovulators which compounds their ability to produce several litters per year.2
Kitten season is very long, typically starting in April or March, and running through November or December. As the days usually get shorter in late October through mid-December, cats will enter di-estrus. So essentially “kitten season” lasts longer than six months.2
PREPARATION FOR YOUR SHELTER OR RESCUE3
Preparation for kitten season should begin by calling on volunteers and asking the public for additional resources, such as kitten food, toys, and bedding. It should also include education around the importance of spay and neuter. Prior to the start of kitten season, volunteers should be contacted and educated on kitten care. One planning example is to create weekly news segments and special reports on the importance of spay and neuter programs to get the word out. This could mean reaching out to news outlets (or through a public relations team), or promoting on your shelter or rescue’s social media channels.
Additionally, because adoptions of adult cats plummet when kitten season begins, there should be an increased effort to adopt out adult cats. Some shelters run specials and provide lucrative discounts on mature cats to aid this effort.
SHELTER PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES3
Shelter protocols and procedures for kitten intakes depend upon the age and surrender status of the kitten.
Below are standard recommendations:2
- Physical examination
- Viral testing (feline leukemia and FIV)
- Treat for internal and external parasites
- Immunization
- If stray, quarantine until available for adoption
- If surrendered and healthy, place for immediate adoption
- If too young for adoption, utilize foster care/foster family
We asked Zoetis Veterinarian, Kristy L. Earley-Murray, DVM, if kitten season has increasingly gotten worse over the years—or has she seen the numbers of kittens decrease (due to spay/neuter or other reasons):4
“I would love to say it has gotten better, but because cats are such prolific breeders it really is an on-going area of opportunity with regards to population control efforts and provision of education. Rescue groups have done an outstanding job with trying to stabilize the feral cat population, but there are many “pet cats” and “barn cat” populations that continue to add to overpopulation problem.”
Tools and Tips to Help During Kitten Season3,5
Here are some recommendations from the ASPCA to ensure a successful kitten season for your shelter or rescue:
- Track Length of Stay for Kittens
By keeping track of the number of days each kitten waits to be moved into foster care, you’ll be able to identify and investigate any increase in wait time which could be a red flag that an uptick in disease is not far behind. By observing any increase in length of stay, you may be able to pinpoint (and address) the cause of the bottleneck. The goal is to move kittens out of the shelter and into foster care. - Start a Program: Offsite Neonatal Care for Kittens
In order to reduce the number of neonate kittens entering the shelter and to increase community involvement, Miami-Dade Animal Services launched the Milkman Program, where animal care organizations provide training and neonate care kits to people who have called to report kittens with no mama. Here’s how you can do it, too.5 - Test all Kittens in a litter for FeLV/FIV
Kittens in the same litter may have different test results for a number of reasons, so don’t assume that the results of one kitten are representative of those for the entire litter.6 - Start a Volunteer Project: Sock Hats for Preemies
Simply cut out ear holes in the toe of an infant sock. Here’s what it looks like. - Create Catchy Messages to Attract Attention
Kitten season is your busiest time of year, but do your supporters understand that you need their help—and why? With some fun and catchy messaging, like the 4 examples here, you have a better shot of bringing more donors, volunteers and foster families on board.
Community
COMMON BEHAVIORAL ISSUES FOR SHELTER ANIMALS AND SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS THEM
by Daniella Latham
Strange faces. Annoying neighbors. Weird sounds.
For some dogs and cats, the new experience of a shelter is a respite from the situation they came from. But many animals are thrust into a world they knew nothing about before: shelter life. Imagine sensory overload: sight, smell, touch, and hearing are heightened, as an animal’s senses are so much more sensitive than a human’s.
Dogs with behavior problems tend to languish longer in shelters due to the understandable reluctance on the part of most adopters to take on a dog with possible ongoing behavior challenges.1 In addition, shelter staff often hold onto the dogs before making them available for adoption to work on the behavior problem.
The resulting longer stay puts dogs at increased risk of developing kennel-induced behavior problems, and additionally has an exacerbating effect on their existing problems. The behavior problems seen in shelter dogs can be divided into four types, according to The Association of Shelter Vets Guidelines for Shelter Standards1 and Maddie’s Fund: Behavior Problems and Long Term Housing2.
Here are common shelter behavior types that dogs may exhibit.
FOUR TYPES OF SHELTER DOG BEHAVIOR1
1. Behavior problems correlated with relinquishment to animal shelters:
- House-soiling
- Destructiveness
- Noisiness
- Fearfulness
- Escaping
2. 'Adoption Buster' behavior problems
These are problems associated with dogs being passed over by potential adopters, once in a shelter:
- Aggression towards people and/or dogs
- Aggression towards dogs
- Shyness
- Kennel or barrier displaying
- Jumpiness and mouthiness in initial meeting
3. Separation anxiety
This is not necessarily caused by shelter relinquishment - any time a dog changes owners, the risk of him developing separation anxiety goes up.
4. Kennel environment problems
- Barrier-related barking
- Barrier-related aggression
- Shyness
- Housetraining regression
- Social hyper-arousal
SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS BEHAVIORS1
The rehoming experience, especially through an animal shelter, can cause or exacerbate existing behavior problems, and the shelter experience itself then negatively impacts the dogs’ adoptability and increases the likelihood of future relinquishment.
The goal is to help an animal become more adoptable and work on ways to alleviate the behavior, or minimize it. Here are ways that can help:
Separation Anxiety
- Environmental enrichment to alleviate general distress during the dog's shelter stay. These efforts can include: walks, clicker and/or obedience training, group or pairs housing and/or regular dog-dog free play,
- Effective intervention when separation anxiety develops. This requires good knowledge of systematic desensitization and pharmacological intervention on the part of shelter staff and veterinarians and management/support options for owners during the course of treatment.
- Adoption counseling. Thoroughly briefing adopters on do's and don't's about the early weeks and months with their newly adopted dog, as well as supplying ongoing support to adopters in order to diagnose and address separation anxiety early on. For instance, it is imperative to avoid smothering new dogs with attention their first few days home
- Dog behavior education. Aggressive community outreach to dog owners and the general public who may one day be dog owners, with good, catchy information on management, behavior and training (including home-alone training).
Barrier-Related Barking and Aggression
- Preventing visual access to corridor to dogs prone to in-kennel display or, possibly, to all dogs in kennel (this needs research), or
- Counterconditioning a competing emotional response as people walk past the dog's kennel. The easiest practice is to use part of the dog's daily meal ration. The dog's food is stored conveniently near his kennel - any person grabs a few pieces before passing by and delivers them to the dog on his/her way by. The food elicits eating behavior, which prevents lunging, barking and aggression.
Housetraining Regression
Dogs adopted out from animal shelters will often lapse in their housetraining following their stay in the shelter. A few different measures might address this concern:
- In-shelter crate training. David Tuber (who audio-taped hundreds of dogs home alone) found that if shelter dogs were gradually acclimated, over several days at the shelter, to staying in a large, airline crate and then sent home with that crate and instructions on its proper use, the likelihood of the person keeping the dog was greatly increased. Crates can become associated with comfort and safety during a dog's stay in a noisy, drafty kennel.
- Prioritizing housetraining at animal shelters. Dogs would need to be walked at least three to four times per day and possibly crated if they were not holding their bladders in their kennels. An alternative would be foster-care for dogs suspected of not being. housetrained. Certain foster homes might specialize in adult house-training.
- Post-adoption support. Not only should adopters leave with solid information on what to expect and how to train their new dog, they must know there is a safety net should they feel overwhelmed.
Social Hyper-Arousal
This includes compulsive behaviors in the form of pacing, circling, bouncing off walls and self-directed behavior and, at best, over-excitement on occasions when the dog gets social contact. This behavior is off-putting to potential adopters who are likely to label a dog 'hyperactive' or unmanageable rather than see the dog's behavior as driven partly by the abnormal context.
- Group housing, pairs housing and regular dog play groups. It is hard to overestimate the value of free dog interaction, both from the standpoint of development of social skills (with resulting lowered risk of dog-dog fear or aggression problems) and environmental complexity.
- Time spent with shelter dogs that is just an in-kennel visit (i.e. simple, low-key hanging out with dog) rather than 'action' oriented. Kennel runs could be provided with seating to make them more human-friendly. Books or magazines could be on-hand to promote inactive human presence.
- Regular training. This teaches the dog specifically how to behave in a visit-to-kennel situation as well as providing much-needed problem solving (training, if reward-oriented is extremely enjoyable to most dogs). Even when dogs master basic obedience, there is no limit to what they can be taught with techniques like clicker training– and it gives the dog a sense of partial control over his stress-filled environment.
Managing behavioral problems in the shelter environment can be a stepping stone—or a lifeline for these animals. By helping them work through issues, they have a greater chance of being adopted, and staying in their new forever home.
Community
WHEN CARING TOO MUCH TURNS INTO COMPASSION FATIGUE
by Daniella Latham
“You can’t save them all.”
That is one of the mantras that categorizes the despair when things get overwhelming in the animal care community. This is where compassion fatigue can seep in and take hold, with symptoms that can cover a wide spectrum, and can often be categorized as either physical, emotional, or behavioral in nature.
Compassion fatigue has been defined as “the emotional burden that health care providers may experience as a result of overexposure to traumatic events that patients are experiencing”. An earlier term used to describe this phenomenon was “secondary victimization”.1
People who work in the animal care giver world have an over-abundancy of compassion and end up getting frustrated and disheartened that they can't fix everything. An example would be that client that has to euthanize or surrender their pet because they don't have the funds to pay for the surgery or medical treatment.
Veterinarians and veterinary technicians, along with other animal health care professionals, may experience compassion fatigue because of continued exposure to the traumatic events their patients and families experience. Also called secondary traumatic stress (STS) or vicarious traumatization, the result can be a falling off in professional capabilities, emotional exhaustion, distress and burnout.1 This phenomenon is also experienced by non-professional care-givers and volunteers.
As caregivers in shelters and rescues, you may experience the following symptoms occasionally, but if they’re chronic, intense, and interfere with normal daily functioning, they may indicate you have compassion fatigue.
Psychological and Physical Problems
Feelings of apathy top the list of symptoms of compassion fatigue. But they are not the only symptoms, as this insidious disorder can cause problems both psychological and physical.
Top 5 common symptoms can include:
- Sadness and apathy
- Bottled-up emotions
- Inability to get pleasure from activities that previously were enjoyable
- Isolation
- Difficulty concentrating
Shelter veterinarians are at high risk for developing depression, and many spay-neuter veterinarians possess demographic risk factors that may place them at greater risk than other veterinarians for experiencing depression, burnout, compassion fatigue, or suicidal ideation.1 Per the Association of Shelter Veterinarians’ 2016 Veterinary Medical Care Guidelines for Spay-Neuter Programs, workplaces should strive to create a safe, supportive environment in which mental health issues are not stigmatized.
“I truly believe many are not suffering from a lack of compassion, but rather the opposite: over-the-top compassion which can take the energy out of someone. What we really need is balance and a way to re-energize after a day/week/month filled with concentrating on the needs of others (patients and their owners),” stated Dr. Kristy Earley-Murray, DVM, who works with Zoetis to bring educational support in the field of veterinary medicine with a special focus on shelter medicine, immunology, dermatology, and senior wellness care.
What Can You Do?
It can be important to connect with colleagues who experience the same types of traumas and moral stresses as you do. There also are personal approaches that can help alleviate compassion fatigue.
These include:
- Focus on building your resilience. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, cites four areas that are key:
- Adequate sleep
- Good nutrition
- Regular physical activity
- Active relaxation such as yoga or meditation
- Engage in meditation and/or mindfulness-based stress reduction. For example, try this simple breathing exercise to increase physical and mental well-being, demonstrated at the 2016 AVMA Convention by Dr. Daniel J. Siegel, clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA.2
- Engage with co-workers to celebrate successes as a group.
- Connect with other colleagues, either in person or through online discussions, for shared support that can remind you that you aren’t alone. The AVMA Member Discussion Forum, for example, includes a forum on Work-Life Balance & Wellness.3
- Wash up before you leave work – even just your hands and face. 'Think of it as a symbolic ‘washing away’ of the hardness of the day,' SAMHSA advises.
The American Veterinary Medical Association4 also maintains a useful database of all kinds of wellness resources that is a good place for concerned individuals to start.
Healing takes time, patience, and most importantly, commitment within your rescue or shelter. An awareness of compassion fatigue and its far-reaching effects must be present at the highest level of management and work its way down to encompass all staff, as well as volunteers.
Community
SENIOR SHELTER AND RESCUE PETS
TIPS FROM INTAKE TO ADOPTION
by Dr. Kristy Earley-Murray, DVM
I wrote this article from the perspective of both a veterinarian and former shelter worker. In fact, I would like to dedicate this piece to the countless senior pets that find themselves at shelters across the nation every single day.
One particular dog that stands out in my mind, even after twenty years was a sweet girl named “Star”. Star was a geriatric lab cross-surrendered to the shelter by her owner. Sadly, Star had passed away in her kennel the very night she was relinquished. Perhaps she was ill and her owners could not afford medical care, I hope she passed peacefully…I will never know.
Senior Pets Need Advocates for Their Care
At the end of the day, there are thousands of senior pets like Star that need your help when they are left in your care. They need you to advocate for their wellness and adoptability! Everyone knows puppies are the very first to be selected for adoption. Unfortunately, seniors are often the last. During my years as a shelter employee I’ve heard it all:
- “He/she is too old to train”
- “I don’t want to get attached and have him/her die”
- “I want a healthy dog/cat”
- “I have children” and the list goes on
Because of all of the misconceptions and pre-conceived notions, it’s challenging to place this group of special needs companions, especially when the decks are stacked against them to begin with.
How Can You Help Out This Sweet Group of Adoptable Pets?
I believe it starts the moment they arrive in the shelter. Be sure to give senior pets a very thorough physical examination:
- Does he/she have cloudy eyes?
- Can he/she hear?
- What do his/her teeth look like?
- Are are there any lumps or bumps that should be noted?
- Does this pet appear extra stressed/fearful?
By paying close attention on arrival you will be able to tailor your support for this pet while they are under your care.
Common Ailments
As you may imagine, senior pets often suffer from common ailments such as hearing and vision loss, osteoarthritis, dental disease, metabolic disease such as diabetes, cognitive changes and cancer to name a few.
The good news is by being aware of some of these things up front you can be on the lookout for things like increased thirst, increased urination, difficulty chewing, and decreased response to sound or visual stimulation.
When specific concerns are identified, such as osteoarthritis, these pets should receive extra care such as padded bedding, rugs on kennel floors to aid in traction and increase mobility, physical therapy and perhaps medical treatment with NSAIDS or neutraceuticals.
Eating and Drinking Habits
Taking note of eating and drinking habits is critical in uncovering potential medical conditions. If a pet is diabetic or has dental disease, these conditions should be identified and managed before placement. The last thing anyone wants is a senior pet to be returned due to an unknown medical disorder. If ailments are identified in advance the potential adopter can be educated on their new pet’s condition and instructed how to manage it.
Exposure to Infection
It’s also essential to consider exposure to infection in this group of residents. Often time respiratory disease is circulating in many shelters and difficult to control once it takes hold. Elderly pets may have co-morbidities and additional stressors going on and thus potential to become more severely affected if they are exposed to one or several pathogens. Perhaps, kennel staff may take special care to: lower stress, completely dry the kennel after cleaning, and even considering placement into foster care to help mitigate the risk of infection.
Old Dogs and Cats Can Learn New Tricks
Lastly, it is my personal and perhaps biased belief that old dogs/cats can indeed learn new tricks! Potential adopters may just need a gentle ‘nudge’ and reminder. Puppies/kittens often times require lot of time and energy (if not more) to train than mature adults. Often destructive chewing is a reason for return of young adults post adoption, likely this will not be a problem with a sweet old soul!
Wellness Education
Wellness education begins on or before adoption day. Tools and resources to help families care for their pets well into old age are critical. When unfortunate circumstances arise (as they often do) and a senior pet is surrendered, it is very helpful if that pet has been cared for appropriately up to the point of surrender. Education on diet, oral health, behavior, and preventative care is essential! Please join me in advocating for all of the senior pets that need our support and help with placement into their forever homes.
Community
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
SHELTER AND RESCUE PROTOCOL IN TRYING TIMES
by Daniella Latham
It was a borrowed party bus full of animals.
A vehicle normally reserved for revelry was packed with shelter and rescue animals that were helpless to escape the flood waters in Louisiana this past August. Michelle Ingram, Director of Zeus’ Rescues and owner of Zeus’ Place boarding and grooming in New Orleans, sprang into action when many of the rescue centers in the area were going underwater. The lives of hundreds of animals were in danger.
“Twenty-four injured animals were transported and brought back to local veterinarians’ offices to be treated. The flood waters came so fast that some shelters were unable to do anything else in such a short amount of time. Rescue centers were opening the kennel doors and letting dogs and cats swim for their lives,” said Kellie Grengs, grant director and volunteer for Zeus’ Rescues. The boarding and grooming services help to fund the rescue side of the organization, covering the medical expenses and care for abandoned pets looking for forever homes from all across Louisiana.
After eight days of rescue trips, local volunteers were able to convene and help, so Michelle then headed back home to New Orleans. Zeus’ Place took in more than 250 animals from the Baton Rouge area, many of them needing medical care.
Katrina’s Impact
Hurricane Katrina changed the way animals are treated during emergencies thanks to the passage of the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards in 2006. It was an amendment to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to ensure that state and local emergency preparedness operational plans address the needs of individuals with household pets and service animals following a major disaster or emergency.1 Congress compelled first responders to save pets just as they save people.
For example, Zeus’ Place has a policy for all animals boarding at their facility during hurricane season. They evacuate all pets regardless of the category of the hurricane, even if the hurricane may pass quickly, since they could be without power and potable water for a long period of time.2
Veterinary Protocol In Emergency Situations
I spoke with Brian A. DiGangi, DVM, MS, DABVP, Clinical Associate Professor of Shelter Medicine with the University of Florida, Veterinary Community Outreach Program about emergency response protocol:
Q. What determines a situation where you would evacuate animals?
A. Any time that people are being evacuated from an area impacted by a disaster, consideration should be given to evacuating the animals as well. In fact, the law requires communities to have a plan for the care of pets whose owners have been forced to leave their own homes. Shelters should also have an evacuation plan in place for both natural and man-made disasters.
Fires and floods are some of the more common reasons why a shelter might need to relocate its animals, but any time there is the threat of physical damage to animal housing areas or the possibility of an extended period without electricity, it should be considered.
Q. What is your protocol for helping shelter and rescues?
A. The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine is a lead member of the Florida State Agriculture Response Team. As such, our Veterinary Emergency Treatment Service (VETS) is occasionally called to assist in response to a natural or man-made disaster that impacts animals. In addition, the VETS team is ready to deploy whenever an emergency has been officially declared by the state or federal government.
First Responders
The AVMA’s Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams (VMAT) serve as first responders to ensure high-quality care of animals during disasters and other emergencies. When requested by a state, VMATs provide operational emergency response programs to state animal health authorities and preparedness programs to state animal health authorities, veterinary medical associations, and other relevant organizations.
For over 20 years, dedicated volunteers who work with the VMAT program help ensure that all animals - pets, livestock, zoo animals and wildlife - receive the care they need during times of crisis.3 These trained disaster teams are well-equipped to handle almost any animal-related emergency that can arise.
But we must not forget the other selfless acts to save animals from harm’s way that are seldom heard of, but quietly out there, like the work of Michelle Ingram---along with shelter and rescue volunteers, pet foster families, and pet parents all across the country.
Community
SHELTERS AND RESCUES WORKING TOGETHER
HOW A HOARDING TRAGEDY TURNED INTO TRIUMPH
by Daniella Latham
On a quiet, unassuming suburban street, the house looked like any other in Howell, New Jersey. A routine call to animal control about a dog on the loose in the neighborhood uncovered more than anyone expected: an out-ofcontrol animal hoarding situation that was the worst the county had ever seen.1
It was the power of many animal rescue organizations and shelters working together that helped change the fate of the dogs living in squalid, unsanitary conditions. The Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center, the Associated Humane Society Shelter in Tinton Falls, Animal Alliance of New Jersey, Father John’s Animal House, Second Chance Pet Adoption League, Cold Nose Warm Heart NJ, and Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge all took in the dogs to try and help.
“We expected around 80 dogs. We ended up extracting 280 dogs out of the house,” said Heather Cammisa, President and CEO of St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in Madison, New Jersey, who is an advisory member of the Animal Welfare Federation of New Jersey and member of the Humane Society of the United States’ Companion Animal Advisory Council. “Ross Licitra, Chief of the Monmouth County SPCA called us in to help with the removal and eventual rehoming of the dogs, along with other partner shelter and rescue organizations.”
Many breeds of small dogs were found and removed over a period of twelve hours. Dogs were even found living in the walls of the home, on bookshelves, and anywhere they could find a space to stand.
“A majority of the dogs had intestinal parasites, fleas, skin issues, and some were pregnant. The dogs hadn’t been socialized with outside people. They were very social with other dogs (obviously) but some needed a lot of socialization with people, while others adapted right away,” said Ms. Cammisa.
Hoarding was once considered an anomaly, but there has been a greater prevalence and surge in cases over the past year. As with other acts of animal cruelty, it may be impossible to know for sure what motivates the abuse inflicted by hoarders. We do know:
- Most common animal victims of hoarders are cats, followed by dogs
- Recidivism rates for hoarders are almost 100%
- 72% of hoarders are women2
According to the Animal Legal Defense fund (ALDF), it is likely that up to a quarter million animals–250,000 per year–are victims of hoarders. Records kept by ALDF indicate that in the last four years, the number of reported hoarding cases has more than doubled. In terms of the number of animals affected and the degree and duration of their suffering, hoarding is the number one animal cruelty crisis facing companion animals in communities throughout the country.3
“Situations like [the case in] Howell are tragic. But it raised awareness and it touched people’s hearts. We had a broad outpouring of support from all over the country and the animal welfare system came together – it worked,” said Ms. Cammisa.
Human outreach is also a critical component needed to address the complex, somewhat silent psychological issue of animal hoarding in communities. It requires help from social services, civic organizations, law enforcement, and mental health professionals. Most importantly, it requires all of us to look around in our neighborhoods and families—and to ask questions or speak up when something doesn’t look or feel right.
The relationships and networking within the animal welfare system formed a strong safety net for the animals. All of the dogs from the Howell case sheltered by St. Hubert’s, except for a litter of puppies, have been adopted— and found their forever homes.
Community
THE SHELTER EXPERT IN YOUR COMPUTER
THE MADDIE’S SHELTER MEDICINE ONLINE PROGRAMS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
by Daniella Latham
Have you ever wished there was a knowledgeable mentor standing at your shoulder as you work or volunteer for a shelter or rescue group?
You may not have the time to go back to school and study sheltering, but thanks to the distance learning program at the Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Online Programs at the University of Florida, the education you need is as close as your computer. Offered entirely online, the courses include a shelter medicine certificate credential as well as a Master’s degree program.
Terry Spencer, DVM, MEd., who heads up the program, “While there are textbooks you can buy and guidelines you can read out there, we designed our program to really explore the topics with leading experts in the sheltering field. Even better, you’re able to get input and feedback from your peers literally all over the world.”
Those topics include:
- Integrating veterinary medicine with shelter systems
- Shelter animal physical health
- Shelter animal behavior and wellness
- Veterinary forensic medicine
- How to prevent and manage infectious disease
- How to assess shelter practices against the Association of Shelter Veterinarians’ Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters
Non-veterinary professionals shouldn’t let the term “shelter medicine” make them think the course isn’t for them. “It’s incredible to have shelter directors thinking in terms of operations and budgets engaging with veterinarians who are thinking about medicine and behavior, or to have animal control officers learning to work with vets to gather evidence in cases they are investigating” said Dr. Spencer.
One such animal control officer is 24-year-old Lauren Townsley, who was working as a humane officer in Monterey, California, when she enrolled as a Master’s degree student.
“I felt very welcomed as a non-vet,” she said. “There are students from all over the world, where everything is different – procedures, laws, even things like vaccines. People have changed what they’re doing in the shelter, and are able to report back so we all learn from it. I’d encourage other non-vets to take the course; it’s worth it even just for the connections you make with other people in the field.”
Connection was also important to veterinarian Dr. Aimee Dalrymple, another Master’s degree student. “The courses are very interactive, and use multi-media, videos, reading, and exercises,” she said. “The online discussions and live chats create a great environment of support, community, and understanding.”
Dr. Dalrymple was working for several shelters and rescue groups in Massachusetts when she learned about the online program. “In my day to day work, I have new knowledge and resources to answer questions about infectious diseases, behavior, and environmental health,” she said. “We were able to successfully contain a ringworm outbreak and treat the animals using what I’ve learned. I worked with a private vet, too, so I’ve been able to put collaboration into practice with great results for the animals.”
Like Townsley, Dr. Dalrymple encourages others to take the course. “It’s provided me with the knowledge and skills I need that are different from private practice,” she said. “For example, shelter animal behavior is something I was interested in but didn’t have any training in. Now I recognize so much more in my patients that I learned through the course, that we can use to alleviate stress and make them a lot healthier and happier.”
One of the most rewarding things about the program for Dr. Spencer is seeing its positive impact for animals. For example, one student joked that she was going to take what she had learned about disease outbreaks and put it in a folder marked, “In case of outbreak, open here.”
Not long after, Dr. Spencer said, she needed to open that folder. “They had distemper in their shelter. She took out the binder and in a situation that would have in the past led to high levels of euthanasia, they did not lose a single animal.”
If you’re interested in learning more about the online shelter medicine course, including a standalone short course in compassion fatigue strategies, visit http://onlinesheltermedicine.vetmed.ufl.edu/.
Community
PREPARING AND PREVENTING: GETTING THE WORD OUT FOR WORLD RABIES DAY
SPOTLIGHT ON RABIES AWARENESS
by Daniella Latham
Once a week in a rural Oklahoma community, pet owners line up to bring their dogs and cats into the low-cost spay-neuter clinic for rabies vaccinations. Happy Paws Animal Shelter, a privately funded organization, works with the surrounding six counties to offer critical vaccinations, along with spay-neuter surgeries at a discount to people who are financially disadvantaged, but want to do the best they can for their pet.
In one day, Happy Paws vaccinated 85 dogs for rabies—their shelter record. “Our community really responds to the low-cost rabies vaccine program, and dogs that come into our shelter are immediately vaccinated against this disease and others in order to prepare them for adoption,” said shelter director Kate Paris.
The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) issued new guidance in February 2016 which advised that cats and dogs that are exposed to rabies and are overdue for a vaccine can have a booster shot followed by an observation period rather than be subject to quarantine or euthanasia.1
Awareness of this deadly disease is highlighted on September 28th with World Rabies Day, a global health observance that seeks to raise awareness about rabies and enhance prevention and control efforts. It has been co-sponsored by Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Alliance for Rabies Control (ARC) since 2007.2 And according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, more than half of all rabid domestic animals reported in the U.S. in 2014 were found in 5 U.S. states: Oklahoma, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia.3
This event is an opportunity for animal shelters to help potential adopters take steps to help prevent and control rabies, such as keeping up on a veterinarian-recommended vaccine schedule for their dogs and cats—and to provide them with education on how to help their pets avoid animals that typically transmit rabies: raccoons, bats, skunks, and foxes.4
There is a great public health benefit in ensuring that all dogs and cats leaving animal shelters are vaccinated for rabies. Rabies vaccinations in shelters, however, are sometimes complicated by local regulations regarding the level of veterinary supervision required for administration.4 For example, in some cases it is not permissible to give the rabies vaccine without direct veterinary supervision. In those cases, if local regulations/ veterinary staffing permit, rabies vaccine should be given at intake for dogs for whom a long term shelter stay is anticipated, and for all dogs in shelters where virtually all dogs are adopted.4
Preventing and controlling rabies truly begins at the community level, where shelters and pet parents can take the necessary steps to keep animals free from the disease. Health officials play an instrumental role in making sure people have the ability to take action and learn just how deadly rabies can be. “Rabies vaccinations are part of our intake protocol,” said shelter director Paris. “We want to make sure the animals are given every chance to get or stay healthy--and get adopted.”
Community
THE 2016 VETERINARY GUIDELINES FOR SPAY-NEUTER PROGRAMS
SPOTLIGHT ON SHELTER OVERPOPULATION
by Daniella Latham
Spay-neuter programs are a critical piece of veterinary medicine and the community because they provide initial veterinary care to at-risk and underserved animals in both the shelter setting and for pet parents. When spay-neuter services are accessible and attainable, pet owners can provide essential initial care for their pets, reducing the risk of relinquishment.1
The Association of Shelter Veterinarians’ (ASV) 2016 Veterinary Medical Care Guidelines for Spay-Neuter Programs, published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, addresses the need for consistent veterinary medical care where spay-neuter services are provided, such as in a shelter or veterinary practices. These guidelines help set the standard for high-quality, high-volume spay neuter practice (HQHVSN).1
The ASV Board of Directors re-initiated the Spay-Neuter Guidelines Revision Task Force in 2014, and the group worked tirelessly to craft the final document. Their process included a review of the original 2008 guidelines, extensive literature review for updates and new information, group meetings, and countless hours of writing, editing, and discussion.
“We know that high volume spay-neuter is the most effective way to reduce shelter euthanasia due to the overpopulation of cats and dogs,” said Dr. Emily McCobb, DVM, MS, DACVAA, Director of the Shelter Medicine Program at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, and an author of the guidelines.
While the guidelines lay out basic recommendations, they are designed to allow practitioners to determine the best way to incorporate them within the context of their practice.
They address specific areas of spay-neuter veterinary care, such as:
- Patient Care and Clinical Procedures
- Preoperative Care
- Anesthetic Procedures
- Surgical Care
- Postoperative Care
- Operations Management
“Our hope is that the guidelines will be used not only by shelters and spay-neuter clinics, but by all veterinary practitioners that engage in spay-neuter practice. Designed to be practical, they are also based on scientific data and expert opinion,” stated Dr. Brian DiGangi, DVM, MS, DABVP, Clinical Associate Professor of Shelter Medicine at the University of Florida, Chairman of the Position Statement Committee, and President of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians Executive Board.
High-quality, high-volume spay-neuter programs offer the best approach to reduce shelter impoundment and euthanasia of cats and dogs at this time. They also represent the most financially responsible and humane way for communities to increase the numbers of cats and dogs that are neutered.
Dr. McCobb said she has “seen a dramatic decrease in shelter euthanasia over the last ten years and HQHVSN practice has been an essential factor.” By utilizing it, veterinarians can help decrease the euthanasia of cats and dogs, and prevent overpopulation--- ultimately giving animals help when they may not have had a chance elsewhere—and also giving them another chance at a good life.
Besides their creative name, Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats has a lot to say about reducing Southern California’s homeless cat population. We asked founder Shawn Simons for her point of view on the issue.
ZFS: You’re definitely on the front lines of this cause. What’s your approach?
KB: First off, we can’t adopt our way out of the overpopulation problem. So Kitty Bungalow provides free spay & neuter throughout Los Angeles in addition to our TNR [trap-neuter-return] and TNA [trap-neuter-adopt] programs. Most of our kittens come through community trappings. We bring them in, socialize them and adopt them out.
ZFS: What makes you unique among cat rescues?
KB: We are the only 100% street cat rescue in Los Angeles with a facility that socializes feral cats into lap cats. The secret we stumbled upon is the amount of volunteers we have – they work day in and day out, from 8:30am to 9:30pm. Most fostered feral cats just see the foster parents that take them in. Here, they’re seeing about 70 – 80 different volunteers a week. It helps broaden their horizons, lower their anxiety and make them “insanely social.” People say our cats are like dogs. I’ve never had a dog, but I think it means they’re really social.
ZFS: Since 2009, an injunction has banned LA city employees from participating in, educating about, referring to or financing any TNR initiatives. How have local orgs like Kitty Bungalow responded to this?
KB: It has been a real struggle. For one we have had to procure a great deal of spay/neuter funding to do the work the city has funds allocated for but is not able to access. Visibility plays an important part. A majority of Angelenos, when faced with an animal based problem, call the City services. But the city is unable to refer people to the proper organizations with TNR programming, so many don’t even know this option is available to them. We know that the most important thing we can do for the cats of LA is to work to overturn the injunction. We have put a lot of focus on solving that problem in the last year.
ZFS: Is it true that you’re allergic to cats?
KB: It is true. But not at all to the extent I was when I started. Allergies aren’t a good reason not to have a cat, and I’m living proof. You become immune to the dander over time, and now with nearly 900 cats under my belt I barely break out in a sniffle.
ZFS: Do you have a social media “secret sauce?”
W&W: A lot of rescues focus on the negative, which turns people away. We like to keep things positive, witty and fun, incorporating pop culture and staying current. We also aim to bring our rescue into other conversations that are already trending on social media. For example, on National Sibling Day, the hashtag #nationalsiblingday was trending so we posted on social media about foster siblings using that same hashtag.
ZFS: Social media can be daunting to a lot of shelters & rescues. How do you know what to do?
W&W: Some of us have social media know-how, but we aren’t by any means experts and doing it all ourselves really isn’t sustainable. We lean on volunteers to help us plan and grow our social media presence. There are thousands of dog lovers in and around Los Angeles who work in social media so we ask them to donate their expertise a few hours a week to help Wags and Walks.
ZFS: Where do you find those volunteers?
W&W: As a matter of fact, from social [media]. If there’s a hole in our skillset, we put out a call for experts. Recently we found ourselves staying up all night trying to figure out how to write grant proposals. Then we realized we should ask for help on social. Soon we had a whole committee of experienced grant writers donating their time for us.
“We’re continually amazed with the dedication of our member shelters and with everybody who works so hard in the shelter community. We’re so proud to support you.”
- Brenda Foster, Zoetis for Shelters Program Manager
“It is very exciting to have company so in tune with the needs of shelter and rescue programs such as ours.”
- Dixie Lott, Board Member & Treasurer, Community Cats Of Charlotte
Learning
MICROCHIP MYSTERIES, SOLVED.
INCREASING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MICROCHIPS SO MORE LOST PETS CAN BE RETURNED TO THEIR OWNERS
by Found Animals
Working in animal welfare, we’ve all seen the statistics – how many strays there are, how many pets go missing every year, and how few return home – and it’s pretty disheartening. But we won’t bore you with the numbers. At Found Animals, we like to say that we’re animal smart, not animal crazy. To do the most for pets, it’s best to focus on solutions and developing technology rather than dwelling on the negatives. If we all look forward and work together, those depressing statistics will become a thing of the past and more pets will live happy and healthy lives in good homes. Here are some of our solutions and tools that will ensure more pets are returned to their owners.
Educate pet-owners
There is a lot of confusion as to what a microchip actually does. As pet professionals, it’s important we educate pet owners that a microchip is not a GPS or tracking device, and doesn’t even store contact info. If we can communicate this effectively and get them to register their pet’s microchip, more lost pets will be brought home where they belong.
Beyond educating owners, we encourage you to begin the registration process for them. This is the best way you can ensure that if their pet is lost and then found, they can be returned home. The Found Animals Registry is free, with no update or transfer fees – ever. We even have tools for shelters and rescues like a batch upload system that uploads multiple registries at one time, and the Found Pet Alerts® system that reaches out to 12 points of contact with one click.
Use Universal Scanners and ISO Standard Microchips
If you don’t have a universal scanner, get one. And consider using your current scanner as a paperweight or a doorstop, because you’re only able to read some chips in some pets. Don’t miss opportunities to re-unite pets with their people.
It’s also important to use ISO standard microchips. A Canadian dog was once found in Portugal and then re-united with its pet owner, so it’s important to have a world standard. Found Animals is a non-profit that sells ISO standard chips and universal scanners at a reasonable cost.
Use the AAHA Universal Search Tool
Once you’ve scanned a pet and found a microchip number, you still need to find what registry the pet’s information is in – and that can be an unnecessary challenge. Every microchip should be found with one search tool and AAHA is the closest to having that. AAHA’s search tool saves precious time by combing through multiple registries. If the chip isn’t registered, AAHA tells you who manufactured it.
When all of us in the animal welfare community follow these steps, we’ll ensure that even more pets make it back home.
Questions? Email clientcare@found.org
Found Pet Alerts® is a registered trademark of The Found Animals Foundation, Inc.
Besides their creative name, Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats has a lot to say about reducing Southern California’s homeless cat population. We asked founder Shawn Simons for her point of view on the issue.
ZFS: You’re definitely on the front lines of this cause. What’s your approach?
KB: First off, we can’t adopt our way out of the overpopulation problem. So Kitty Bungalow provides free spay & neuter throughout Los Angeles in addition to our TNR [trap-neuter-return] and TNA [trap-neuter-adopt] programs. Most of our kittens come through community trappings. We bring them in, socialize them and adopt them out.
ZFS: What makes you unique among cat rescues?
KB: We are the only 100% street cat rescue in Los Angeles with a facility that socializes feral cats into lap cats. The secret we stumbled upon is the amount of volunteers we have – they work day in and day out, from 8:30am to 9:30pm. Most fostered feral cats just see the foster parents that take them in. Here, they’re seeing about 70 – 80 different volunteers a week. It helps broaden their horizons, lower their anxiety and make them “insanely social.” People say our cats are like dogs. I’ve never had a dog, but I think it means they’re really social.
ZFS: Since 2009, an injunction has banned LA city employees from participating in, educating about, referring to or financing any TNR initiatives. How have local orgs like Kitty Bungalow responded to this?
KB: It has been a real struggle. For one we have had to procure a great deal of spay/neuter funding to do the work the city has funds allocated for but is not able to access. Visibility plays an important part. A majority of Angelenos, when faced with an animal based problem, call the City services. But the city is unable to refer people to the proper organizations with TNR programming, so many don’t even know this option is available to them. We know that the most important thing we can do for the cats of LA is to work to overturn the injunction. We have put a lot of focus on solving that problem in the last year.
ZFS: Is it true that you’re allergic to cats?
KB: It is true. But not at all to the extent I was when I started. Allergies aren’t a good reason not to have a cat, and I’m living proof. You become immune to the dander over time, and now with nearly 900 cats under my belt I barely break out in a sniffle.
ZFS: Do you have a social media “secret sauce?”
W&W: A lot of rescues focus on the negative, which turns people away. We like to keep things positive, witty and fun, incorporating pop culture and staying current. We also aim to bring our rescue into other conversations that are already trending on social media. For example, on National Sibling Day, the hashtag #nationalsiblingday was trending so we posted on social media about foster siblings using that same hashtag.
ZFS: Social media can be daunting to a lot of shelters & rescues. How do you know what to do?
W&W: Some of us have social media know-how, but we aren’t by any means experts and doing it all ourselves really isn’t sustainable. We lean on volunteers to help us plan and grow our social media presence. There are thousands of dog lovers in and around Los Angeles who work in social media so we ask them to donate their expertise a few hours a week to help Wags and Walks.
ZFS: Where do you find those volunteers?
W&W: As a matter of fact, from social [media]. If there’s a hole in our skillset, we put out a call for experts. Recently we found ourselves staying up all night trying to figure out how to write grant proposals. Then we realized we should ask for help on social. Soon we had a whole committee of experienced grant writers donating their time for us.
“We’re continually amazed with the dedication of our member shelters and with everybody who works so hard in the shelter community. We’re so proud to support you.”
- Brenda Foster, Zoetis for Shelters Program Manager
“It is very exciting to have company so in tune with the needs of shelter and rescue programs such as ours.”
- Dixie Lott, Board Member & Treasurer, Community Cats Of Charlotte
Learning
PROTECTING SHELTER CATS FROM HEARTWORM
by Christie Keith
Prevention is worth a lot more than a pound of cure when there’s little or no chance of a cure.
That’s very nearly the case with feline heartworm infection. While there are effective preventives for feline heartworm, there is no approved treatment, and no cure beyond a surgical procedure the American Heartworm Society (AHS) says “may result in acute circulatory collapse and death.”
To many outside the veterinary field, heartworm is not seen as the threat to cats that it is to dogs. And it’s true that cats don’t appear to develop adult heartworm infections at the rate we see in dogs. However, that’s not the whole story.
Heartworm in cats can be deadly serious. The AHS reports immature heartworms in the circulatory system can cause serious and long-lasting respiratory disease even when no adult infection occurs. As the adult worms die, there can be an acute and sometimes fatal response as the cat’s immune system reacts to the disintegrating worms. Worst of all, for some cats, the first sign of the infection is sudden death.
The potential for severe clinical signs and even death in cases of feline heartworm, the importance of testing, and the difficulty of treating cats when infected are all being increasingly recognized in the veterinary world. Given the facts, how seriously should shelters treat the risk of feline heartworm infection?
In one study, 5% of the cats euthanized at a Florida shelter had adult heartworms present. Fifteen percent tested positive for heartworm antibodies.1 (Levy 2003) Another study found that many shelters based their feline heartworm policies “...on inaccurate knowledge of feline heartworm prevalence...”2 (Dunn 2011)
At the 2016 NAVC Conference in Orlando, Dr. Julie Levy gave a presentation on new information on feline disease, telling attendees “I’ve recently completed a national study of more than 30,000 adult cats. I found that heartworm infection in cats often occurred at a similar rate with the retroviral diseases feline leukemia (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), as well as with respiratory disease and the presence of bites or abscesses. This is likely because those exposures result from similar lifestyle factors, and is of particular interest to shelters, where many cats come from unknown backgrounds and with unknown risk factors.” (Levy 2016 NAVC)
Despite all this, testing cats for heartworm is not routine in animal shelters, and few cats are given preventive medication.2 (Dunn 2011) Dr. Levy told NAVC Conference attendees, “Heartworm preventive is only dispensed to 12.6 percent of cats at the time of testing in veterinary clinics. Given the difficulty of diagnosing the infection at all parasite stages, and that there is no approved treatment, veterinarians need to prioritize feline heartworm prevention for all cats they see in areas where the infection is endemic in dogs or wildlife.” (Levy 2016)
What did Dr. Levy say should trigger a concern about feline heartworm infection in a shelter cat? “Heartworm infection should be considered in cats with respiratory, oral, and abscess conditions as well as in cats with retroviral infections,” she said. “And a recommendation to place the cat on lifelong preventive medication should be made for every cat adopted from a shelter.”
In terms of educating adoptive cat owners about protecting their cats, shelters should make adopters aware that cats who go outdoors are three times as likely to be infected with heartworm as cats who stay indoors,3 but indoor cats are not completely safe. (Levy 2016)
Most importantly, shelters should stress the necessity of giving cats heartworm preventive medication in accordance with the recommendations of the Companion Animal Parasite Council and the American Heartworm Society.
Besides their creative name, Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats has a lot to say about reducing Southern California’s homeless cat population. We asked founder Shawn Simons for her point of view on the issue.
ZFS: You’re definitely on the front lines of this cause. What’s your approach?
KB: First off, we can’t adopt our way out of the overpopulation problem. So Kitty Bungalow provides free spay & neuter throughout Los Angeles in addition to our TNR [trap-neuter-return] and TNA [trap-neuter-adopt] programs. Most of our kittens come through community trappings. We bring them in, socialize them and adopt them out.
ZFS: What makes you unique among cat rescues?
KB: We are the only 100% street cat rescue in Los Angeles with a facility that socializes feral cats into lap cats. The secret we stumbled upon is the amount of volunteers we have – they work day in and day out, from 8:30am to 9:30pm. Most fostered feral cats just see the foster parents that take them in. Here, they’re seeing about 70 – 80 different volunteers a week. It helps broaden their horizons, lower their anxiety and make them “insanely social.” People say our cats are like dogs. I’ve never had a dog, but I think it means they’re really social.
ZFS: Since 2009, an injunction has banned LA city employees from participating in, educating about, referring to or financing any TNR initiatives. How have local orgs like Kitty Bungalow responded to this?
KB: It has been a real struggle. For one we have had to procure a great deal of spay/neuter funding to do the work the city has funds allocated for but is not able to access. Visibility plays an important part. A majority of Angelenos, when faced with an animal based problem, call the City services. But the city is unable to refer people to the proper organizations with TNR programming, so many don’t even know this option is available to them. We know that the most important thing we can do for the cats of LA is to work to overturn the injunction. We have put a lot of focus on solving that problem in the last year.
ZFS: Is it true that you’re allergic to cats?
KB: It is true. But not at all to the extent I was when I started. Allergies aren’t a good reason not to have a cat, and I’m living proof. You become immune to the dander over time, and now with nearly 900 cats under my belt I barely break out in a sniffle.
ZFS: Do you have a social media “secret sauce?”
W&W: A lot of rescues focus on the negative, which turns people away. We like to keep things positive, witty and fun, incorporating pop culture and staying current. We also aim to bring our rescue into other conversations that are already trending on social media. For example, on National Sibling Day, the hashtag #nationalsiblingday was trending so we posted on social media about foster siblings using that same hashtag.
ZFS: Social media can be daunting to a lot of shelters & rescues. How do you know what to do?
W&W: Some of us have social media know-how, but we aren’t by any means experts and doing it all ourselves really isn’t sustainable. We lean on volunteers to help us plan and grow our social media presence. There are thousands of dog lovers in and around Los Angeles who work in social media so we ask them to donate their expertise a few hours a week to help Wags and Walks.
ZFS: Where do you find those volunteers?
W&W: As a matter of fact, from social [media]. If there’s a hole in our skillset, we put out a call for experts. Recently we found ourselves staying up all night trying to figure out how to write grant proposals. Then we realized we should ask for help on social. Soon we had a whole committee of experienced grant writers donating their time for us.
“We’re continually amazed with the dedication of our member shelters and with everybody who works so hard in the shelter community. We’re so proud to support you.”
- Brenda Foster, Zoetis for Shelters Program Manager
“It is very exciting to have company so in tune with the needs of shelter and rescue programs such as ours.”
- Dixie Lott, Board Member & Treasurer, Community Cats Of Charlotte
Community
THE SCIENCE OF THE HUMAN-ANIMAL BOND
HOW THE HUMAN-ANIMAL BOND IS GOOD FOR US AND OUR PETS
by Daniella (Dee) Latham
Marie couldn’t get out of bed in the morning. A 65-year-old widow, she had bouts of severe depression that had seized her physical energy and rendered her incapable of functioning normally on a daily basis. But according to Marie, adopting Slinky the Chihuahua completely changed her life.
“After I adopted my dog, my life had a focus again. I used to dread getting out of bed and facing the world. Now I take care of my little guy and walk him each day. I don’t know what I’d do without him.”
The Human-Animal Bond has Physical and Psychological Effects on Our Health
There is a growing body of scientific validation that pets are good for human health.
- Studies show that bringing a pet into the family lowers blood pressure and encourages people to get more exercise.
- Interaction with an animal activates the “happiness center” in the brain by increasing oxytocin levels and decreasing cortisol levels. These types of positive changes occur in the pet’s brain as well when there is a strong human-animal bond.
- Pets help to boost a depression sufferer’s self-confidence, allowing them to initiate more positive social interactions, and in turn, help them feel better about themselves.
- Children who are exposed to a pet in the home at an early age have shown a decrease in allergies.
- Pets increase “social capital” and promote stronger social support among communities by bringing people together with a commonality.
The Human-Animal Bond Research Initiative (HABRI)
Co-founded by Zoetis, HABRI explores the scientifically backed benefits of pet ownership in areas such as mental health and wellness, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), healthy aging and heart health. Armed with this information, HABRI’s seeks to promote the presence of pets and animals in society.
“Science now shows that pets not only make us feel better emotionally, they make us feel healthier,” said Dr. J. Michael McFarland, DVM, DABVP, Group Director of US Companion Animal Marketing at Zoetis, and Vice President of the Board of Trustees at HABRI. “That’s true of individuals, families and communities. Pet owners are also more likely to be socially active.”
Steve Feldman, Executive Director of HABRI added, “We’re focused on health benefits for pet owners, and we’re mapping out future research based upon the scientific data.”
Three exciting studies are at the forefront of HABRI’s research:
- Canine intervention for soldiers suffering post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Economic impact of reduced healthcare costs among people with pets
- Canine connection to helping children with cancer
“There’s nothing like a wagging tail to make you feel better,” said Feldman. It’s something many of us have known all our lives. Now we have the scientific data to prove it.
Besides their creative name, Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats has a lot to say about reducing Southern California’s homeless cat population. We asked founder Shawn Simons for her point of view on the issue.
ZFS: You’re definitely on the front lines of this cause. What’s your approach?
KB: First off, we can’t adopt our way out of the overpopulation problem. So Kitty Bungalow provides free spay & neuter throughout Los Angeles in addition to our TNR [trap-neuter-return] and TNA [trap-neuter-adopt] programs. Most of our kittens come through community trappings. We bring them in, socialize them and adopt them out.
ZFS: What makes you unique among cat rescues?
KB: We are the only 100% street cat rescue in Los Angeles with a facility that socializes feral cats into lap cats. The secret we stumbled upon is the amount of volunteers we have – they work day in and day out, from 8:30am to 9:30pm. Most fostered feral cats just see the foster parents that take them in. Here, they’re seeing about 70 – 80 different volunteers a week. It helps broaden their horizons, lower their anxiety and make them “insanely social.” People say our cats are like dogs. I’ve never had a dog, but I think it means they’re really social.
ZFS: Since 2009, an injunction has banned LA city employees from participating in, educating about, referring to or financing any TNR initiatives. How have local orgs like Kitty Bungalow responded to this?
KB: It has been a real struggle. For one we have had to procure a great deal of spay/neuter funding to do the work the city has funds allocated for but is not able to access. Visibility plays an important part. A majority of Angelenos, when faced with an animal based problem, call the City services. But the city is unable to refer people to the proper organizations with TNR programming, so many don’t even know this option is available to them. We know that the most important thing we can do for the cats of LA is to work to overturn the injunction. We have put a lot of focus on solving that problem in the last year.
ZFS: Is it true that you’re allergic to cats?
KB: It is true. But not at all to the extent I was when I started. Allergies aren’t a good reason not to have a cat, and I’m living proof. You become immune to the dander over time, and now with nearly 900 cats under my belt I barely break out in a sniffle.
ZFS: Do you have a social media “secret sauce?”
W&W: A lot of rescues focus on the negative, which turns people away. We like to keep things positive, witty and fun, incorporating pop culture and staying current. We also aim to bring our rescue into other conversations that are already trending on social media. For example, on National Sibling Day, the hashtag #nationalsiblingday was trending so we posted on social media about foster siblings using that same hashtag.
ZFS: Social media can be daunting to a lot of shelters & rescues. How do you know what to do?
W&W: Some of us have social media know-how, but we aren’t by any means experts and doing it all ourselves really isn’t sustainable. We lean on volunteers to help us plan and grow our social media presence. There are thousands of dog lovers in and around Los Angeles who work in social media so we ask them to donate their expertise a few hours a week to help Wags and Walks.
ZFS: Where do you find those volunteers?
W&W: As a matter of fact, from social [media]. If there’s a hole in our skillset, we put out a call for experts. Recently we found ourselves staying up all night trying to figure out how to write grant proposals. Then we realized we should ask for help on social. Soon we had a whole committee of experienced grant writers donating their time for us.
“We’re continually amazed with the dedication of our member shelters and with everybody who works so hard in the shelter community. We’re so proud to support you.”
- Brenda Foster, Zoetis for Shelters Program Manager
“It is very exciting to have company so in tune with the needs of shelter and rescue programs such as ours.”
- Dixie Lott, Board Member & Treasurer, Community Cats Of Charlotte
Learning
HELPING LOST PETS GET HOME FASTER
MODERN IDENTIFICATION FOR NEWLY ADOPTED PETS
by Jessica Williams, PetHub, Inc.
Lost pets that end up at your shelter or rescue use valuable time, money and resources that could be spent helping other animals. All of us who work in animal welfare hope that lost pets quickly find their way home and never come through that shelter door in the first place, but today’s environment can make it even more challenging to prevent this.
Modern Pet Parents
Pet owners today are vastly different from the pet owners of 30, 20, or even 10 years ago:
- There is no central family house phone: most family members have their own cellphone
- Phones are often not the primary method of contact – many prefer text messaging, email or social media
- Travel is more popular than ever, so pets are more likely to be left with a sitter
- 39% of the youngest pet parents, Millennials, have moved residences 2+ times in the past 5 years (Source: Wakefield Research)
Helping New Pet Owners Prepare for Lost Pet Situations
Enabling people who find pets to return them directly to their owners can avoid the placement of pets in shelters and rescues altogether. This is the quickest way home for a pet, and is best achieved through comprehensive visible identification that:
- Includes multiple contact numbers – home/work/cell for the pet parents, other household members, friends, family, pet sitter and other care providers
- Provides additional contact info including email, SMS messaging, and social media
- Is easy to update as frequently as needed
- Allows the pet parent to list a pet’s medical conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy, allergies or other medical needs
- Links to other critical information such as a pet’s microchip, license and rabies vaccination numbers
- Stores an online “lost poster” that can be printed out the moment a pet has escaped or is reported lost
21st Century Pet Identification
This is where the digital ID tag comes in. Companies such as PetHub (where I work), BlanketID, PawPrintsID, SmartTag, and Furcode currently sell digital ID tags that don’t cost much more than a traditional engraved tag. Many, like PetHub and SmartTag, even have special subsidy and discount programs for shelters and other non-profit animal welfare organizations to help offset the cost of tags for newly adopted pets.
A digital ID tag can have a QR code, NFC chip, and/or web address on the back with a unique code associated with it. The tag then links to an online profile where all necessary information can be stored.
Some Digital ID tags like PetHub, offer additional features to get a pet home faster:
- 24/hour Found Pet Hotline as an alternative to the internet or in case the finder doesn’t have access
- Community Alert System – shelters and rescues, veterinarians, pet sitters and other pet care professionals within a 50-mile radius can be alerted immediately with a virtual lost pet poster
- Instant GPS notifications with map as soon as a pet’s tag is scanned or reported so the pet parent can get to their pet quickly
As an animal shelter or rescue worker, the last thing you want to do is see an adopted pet come back through your doors. When preparing pet parents to head home with their pet, you may only have a few seconds to provide them with important information. In today’s world, handing them a digital ID tag can help set them up for success.
Of course, it’s also important to encourage pet owners to microchip their pets, as the collar with visible ID may slip off. Having both the visible ID and implantable microchip is necessary to maximize protection for pets and increase the likelihood of a safe and swift return home.
Besides their creative name, Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats has a lot to say about reducing Southern California’s homeless cat population. We asked founder Shawn Simons for her point of view on the issue.
ZFS: You’re definitely on the front lines of this cause. What’s your approach?
KB: First off, we can’t adopt our way out of the overpopulation problem. So Kitty Bungalow provides free spay & neuter throughout Los Angeles in addition to our TNR [trap-neuter-return] and TNA [trap-neuter-adopt] programs. Most of our kittens come through community trappings. We bring them in, socialize them and adopt them out.
ZFS: What makes you unique among cat rescues?
KB: We are the only 100% street cat rescue in Los Angeles with a facility that socializes feral cats into lap cats. The secret we stumbled upon is the amount of volunteers we have – they work day in and day out, from 8:30am to 9:30pm. Most fostered feral cats just see the foster parents that take them in. Here, they’re seeing about 70 – 80 different volunteers a week. It helps broaden their horizons, lower their anxiety and make them “insanely social.” People say our cats are like dogs. I’ve never had a dog, but I think it means they’re really social.
ZFS: Since 2009, an injunction has banned LA city employees from participating in, educating about, referring to or financing any TNR initiatives. How have local orgs like Kitty Bungalow responded to this?
KB: It has been a real struggle. For one we have had to procure a great deal of spay/neuter funding to do the work the city has funds allocated for but is not able to access. Visibility plays an important part. A majority of Angelenos, when faced with an animal based problem, call the City services. But the city is unable to refer people to the proper organizations with TNR programming, so many don’t even know this option is available to them. We know that the most important thing we can do for the cats of LA is to work to overturn the injunction. We have put a lot of focus on solving that problem in the last year.
ZFS: Is it true that you’re allergic to cats?
KB: It is true. But not at all to the extent I was when I started. Allergies aren’t a good reason not to have a cat, and I’m living proof. You become immune to the dander over time, and now with nearly 900 cats under my belt I barely break out in a sniffle.
ZFS: Do you have a social media “secret sauce?”
W&W: A lot of rescues focus on the negative, which turns people away. We like to keep things positive, witty and fun, incorporating pop culture and staying current. We also aim to bring our rescue into other conversations that are already trending on social media. For example, on National Sibling Day, the hashtag #nationalsiblingday was trending so we posted on social media about foster siblings using that same hashtag.
ZFS: Social media can be daunting to a lot of shelters & rescues. How do you know what to do?
W&W: Some of us have social media know-how, but we aren’t by any means experts and doing it all ourselves really isn’t sustainable. We lean on volunteers to help us plan and grow our social media presence. There are thousands of dog lovers in and around Los Angeles who work in social media so we ask them to donate their expertise a few hours a week to help Wags and Walks.
ZFS: Where do you find those volunteers?
W&W: As a matter of fact, from social [media]. If there’s a hole in our skillset, we put out a call for experts. Recently we found ourselves staying up all night trying to figure out how to write grant proposals. Then we realized we should ask for help on social. Soon we had a whole committee of experienced grant writers donating their time for us.
“We’re continually amazed with the dedication of our member shelters and with everybody who works so hard in the shelter community. We’re so proud to support you.”
- Brenda Foster, Zoetis for Shelters Program Manager
“It is very exciting to have company so in tune with the needs of shelter and rescue programs such as ours.”
- Dixie Lott, Board Member & Treasurer, Community Cats Of Charlotte
Community
WHAT YOUR SHELTER NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT THE MILLION CAT CHALLENGE
by Christie Keith
Can North American animal shelters really save 1 million cats in five years?
That’s the audacious goal of the Million Cat Challenge, a joint project of the Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida and the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program.
Co-founded by Dr. Julie Levy of UF and Dr. Kate Hurley of UC Davis and with the support of Maddie’s Fund, the Million Cat Challenge had already enrolled nearly 400 shelters and saved more than 500,000 cats in its first two years.
“From Julie’s first shift in a TNR clinic and mine as an animal control officer, we’ve been dedicated to helping homeless animals,” said Dr. Hurley. That dedication led them to work with their university programs to educate veterinarians and shelter professionals, be part of the development of the new specialty of shelter medicine, and consult with shelters worldwide.
“Through it all, we saw how many shelters struggled to preserve the welfare and save the lives of cats,” said Dr. Levy. “We witnessed the frustration of staffers who labored without the tools or resources to protect all the cats in their care. And it broke our hearts to see all the lives lost to things like upper respiratory infections, ringworm, and lack of time and space.”
The Million Cat Challenge is focused on five key initiatives designed to help shelters of any size or type, in any kind of community, save more cats’ lives. Those initiatives are:
Alternatives to Intake. Programs that try to keep pets with their families by providing support and resources and engaging the community in the process. From caring for a litter to rehoming their own pet to finding the owner of a stray, making the community part of those solutions expands the safety net for cats.
Managed Admission. This can mean something as simple as closing the night deposit box, requiring appointments for all non-emergency surrenders, or another procedure that evens out the flow of pets into the shelter.
Capacity for Care. Caring for cats humanely, providing great housing, and ensuring every cat’s welfare reduces length of stay, crowding, and disease while increasing adoptions.
Removing Barriers to Adoption. By removing barriers to adoption such as cost, hours, or location, as well as implementing more open and friendly adoption processes, shelters expand the pool of adopters and invite their communities to become their partners in lifesaving.
Return to Field (RTF). When adoption isn’t right for a healthy un-owned cat, RTF provides another choice: sterilize, vaccinate, and return the cat to the location of origin. Shelters have seen dramatic increases in live release, as well as decreased intake, complaints, and DOA pickups, suggesting these programs lead to fewer free-roaming cats in the community.
Shelters don’t have to sign on for all the initiatives to join the Challenge; they can use just one, or all five, to save one more cat or a thousand. They also need to be located in North America, have a facility that houses cats and is open to the public for adoptions, and provide three data points each year: total feline intake, total feline euthanasia, and total feline live release.
In return, they get a lot. First, of course, is the knowledge that they’re incorporating innovative programs and best practices known to support transformative change for shelters and cats.
But a warm glow isn’t all they get. Challenge shelters have access to Dr. Hurley and Dr. Levy, both acknowledged experts in shelter medicine and sheltering.
“What’s probably more valuable than access to us is access to each other,” said Dr. Levy. “The Million Cat Challenge shelters are part of a private discussion group where they can share their experience and that of their peers with people who face the same issues they do on a daily basis. That peer-to-peer communication is the heart and soul of this project.”
Challengers also get access to grant opportunities, PR support to let their local media and community members know about their feline lifesaving efforts, and educational resources.
“We may have founded the Challenge, but it really belongs to our Challengers,” said Dr. Hurley. “They’re the ones whose inspiration and perspiration have already saved so many lives, and are now saving so many more.”
To learn more about the Million Cat Challenge and to register,
visit www.millioncatchallenge.org.
Besides their creative name, Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats has a lot to say about reducing Southern California’s homeless cat population. We asked founder Shawn Simons for her point of view on the issue.
ZFS: You’re definitely on the front lines of this cause. What’s your approach?
KB: First off, we can’t adopt our way out of the overpopulation problem. So Kitty Bungalow provides free spay & neuter throughout Los Angeles in addition to our TNR [trap-neuter-return] and TNA [trap-neuter-adopt] programs. Most of our kittens come through community trappings. We bring them in, socialize them and adopt them out.
ZFS: What makes you unique among cat rescues?
KB: We are the only 100% street cat rescue in Los Angeles with a facility that socializes feral cats into lap cats. The secret we stumbled upon is the amount of volunteers we have – they work day in and day out, from 8:30am to 9:30pm. Most fostered feral cats just see the foster parents that take them in. Here, they’re seeing about 70 – 80 different volunteers a week. It helps broaden their horizons, lower their anxiety and make them “insanely social.” People say our cats are like dogs. I’ve never had a dog, but I think it means they’re really social.
ZFS: Since 2009, an injunction has banned LA city employees from participating in, educating about, referring to or financing any TNR initiatives. How have local orgs like Kitty Bungalow responded to this?
KB: It has been a real struggle. For one we have had to procure a great deal of spay/neuter funding to do the work the city has funds allocated for but is not able to access. Visibility plays an important part. A majority of Angelenos, when faced with an animal based problem, call the City services. But the city is unable to refer people to the proper organizations with TNR programming, so many don’t even know this option is available to them. We know that the most important thing we can do for the cats of LA is to work to overturn the injunction. We have put a lot of focus on solving that problem in the last year.
ZFS: Is it true that you’re allergic to cats?
KB: It is true. But not at all to the extent I was when I started. Allergies aren’t a good reason not to have a cat, and I’m living proof. You become immune to the dander over time, and now with nearly 900 cats under my belt I barely break out in a sniffle.
ZFS: Do you have a social media “secret sauce?”
W&W: A lot of rescues focus on the negative, which turns people away. We like to keep things positive, witty and fun, incorporating pop culture and staying current. We also aim to bring our rescue into other conversations that are already trending on social media. For example, on National Sibling Day, the hashtag #nationalsiblingday was trending so we posted on social media about foster siblings using that same hashtag.
ZFS: Social media can be daunting to a lot of shelters & rescues. How do you know what to do?
W&W: Some of us have social media know-how, but we aren’t by any means experts and doing it all ourselves really isn’t sustainable. We lean on volunteers to help us plan and grow our social media presence. There are thousands of dog lovers in and around Los Angeles who work in social media so we ask them to donate their expertise a few hours a week to help Wags and Walks.
ZFS: Where do you find those volunteers?
W&W: As a matter of fact, from social [media]. If there’s a hole in our skillset, we put out a call for experts. Recently we found ourselves staying up all night trying to figure out how to write grant proposals. Then we realized we should ask for help on social. Soon we had a whole committee of experienced grant writers donating their time for us.
“We’re continually amazed with the dedication of our member shelters and with everybody who works so hard in the shelter community. We’re so proud to support you.”
- Brenda Foster, Zoetis for Shelters Program Manager
“It is very exciting to have company so in tune with the needs of shelter and rescue programs such as ours.”
- Dixie Lott, Board Member & Treasurer, Community Cats Of Charlotte
Learning
UNDERSTANDING THEIR LANGUAGE
RESEARCH SUGGESTS WE DON’T KNOW DOGS AS WELL AS WE THINK.
by Seana Dowling-Guyer, MS
How Many Times Have You Heard This?
“Oh, look, what a cute dog. He looks a little shy but he must be friendly, look how his tail is wagging!”.
The belief that a wagging tail indicates, or even guarantees, friendliness is practically ingrained in us. Yet research investigating the link between tail wags and friendly behavior, as well as other common beliefs about dog behavior, has revealed what behaviorists and experts in canine behavior have been telling us for a long time – a wagging tail is no guarantee of a friendly dog.
We Don’t Always Get It
There is mounting evidence that we sometimes have trouble decoding dog and cat behavior. Research has shown that people often confuse actual play in dogs with aggressive behavior – and vice versa1. Another study found that fear behaviors in dogs were found to confuse owners’ recognition of aggression, in essence masking it2. This may be because we tend to focus on only certain behavioral cues; often the tail, muzzle, and large body movements. We also may be influenced by physical features we aren’t conscious of such as coat color or ear shape3. One study found people attributed different personality traits to cats based only on the cat’s coat color4.
Stress Signals Can Be Sneaky Too
The bottom line is that it can be difficult to really know what’s going on with an animal, especially an animal under stress. And stress too can be difficult to recognize, partly because we tend to look for the more obvious signs (trembling, whining, panting) and miss the subtler ones (often called displacement signals, such as turning the head, looking away, yawning, nose licking)5-6.
Sharpen Your Observational Skills
In order to minimize the risks of a bite, practice good observational skills and safe, lowstress handling techniques. Observe the animal in an objective, systematic way: start with large body movements and then move to smaller ones and then to individual body parts. Or start at the head and make your way back. Don’t get trapped into focusing on just a few, dramatic signals. Be aware that animals can feel multiple emotions (such as fear and friendliness) and show behaviors which mean different things (that wagging tail can mean friendliness but it can also signal arousal). Know the difference between behavior and personality – a friendly cat can still feel fear and react aggressively. Use more objective, precise language when you describe behavior (“crouched, tail tucked, looked away” vs “fearful”). Understand how the environment may influence an animal’s behavior, especially a stressful one. And practice safe and low-stress handling techniques. Don’t hesitate to use positive reinforcement training techniques to make every encounter with a human a positive one. Oh, and watch that tail – it usually means a friendly interaction, but not always!
Besides their creative name, Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats has a lot to say about reducing Southern California’s homeless cat population. We asked founder Shawn Simons for her point of view on the issue.
ZFS: You’re definitely on the front lines of this cause. What’s your approach?
KB: First off, we can’t adopt our way out of the overpopulation problem. So Kitty Bungalow provides free spay & neuter throughout Los Angeles in addition to our TNR [trap-neuter-return] and TNA [trap-neuter-adopt] programs. Most of our kittens come through community trappings. We bring them in, socialize them and adopt them out.
ZFS: What makes you unique among cat rescues?
KB: We are the only 100% street cat rescue in Los Angeles with a facility that socializes feral cats into lap cats. The secret we stumbled upon is the amount of volunteers we have – they work day in and day out, from 8:30am to 9:30pm. Most fostered feral cats just see the foster parents that take them in. Here, they’re seeing about 70 – 80 different volunteers a week. It helps broaden their horizons, lower their anxiety and make them “insanely social.” People say our cats are like dogs. I’ve never had a dog, but I think it means they’re really social.
ZFS: Since 2009, an injunction has banned LA city employees from participating in, educating about, referring to or financing any TNR initiatives. How have local orgs like Kitty Bungalow responded to this?
KB: It has been a real struggle. For one we have had to procure a great deal of spay/neuter funding to do the work the city has funds allocated for but is not able to access. Visibility plays an important part. A majority of Angelenos, when faced with an animal based problem, call the City services. But the city is unable to refer people to the proper organizations with TNR programming, so many don’t even know this option is available to them. We know that the most important thing we can do for the cats of LA is to work to overturn the injunction. We have put a lot of focus on solving that problem in the last year.
ZFS: Is it true that you’re allergic to cats?
KB: It is true. But not at all to the extent I was when I started. Allergies aren’t a good reason not to have a cat, and I’m living proof. You become immune to the dander over time, and now with nearly 900 cats under my belt I barely break out in a sniffle.
ZFS: Do you have a social media “secret sauce?”
W&W: A lot of rescues focus on the negative, which turns people away. We like to keep things positive, witty and fun, incorporating pop culture and staying current. We also aim to bring our rescue into other conversations that are already trending on social media. For example, on National Sibling Day, the hashtag #nationalsiblingday was trending so we posted on social media about foster siblings using that same hashtag.
ZFS: Social media can be daunting to a lot of shelters & rescues. How do you know what to do?
W&W: Some of us have social media know-how, but we aren’t by any means experts and doing it all ourselves really isn’t sustainable. We lean on volunteers to help us plan and grow our social media presence. There are thousands of dog lovers in and around Los Angeles who work in social media so we ask them to donate their expertise a few hours a week to help Wags and Walks.
ZFS: Where do you find those volunteers?
W&W: As a matter of fact, from social [media]. If there’s a hole in our skillset, we put out a call for experts. Recently we found ourselves staying up all night trying to figure out how to write grant proposals. Then we realized we should ask for help on social. Soon we had a whole committee of experienced grant writers donating their time for us.
“We’re continually amazed with the dedication of our member shelters and with everybody who works so hard in the shelter community. We’re so proud to support you.”
- Brenda Foster, Zoetis for Shelters Program Manager
“It is very exciting to have company so in tune with the needs of shelter and rescue programs such as ours.”
- Dixie Lott, Board Member & Treasurer, Community Cats Of Charlotte
Community
HOW COULD SOMEONE DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
by Martha Smith-Blackmore, DVM
Animal cruelty. Those two words are so powerful and so ominous. How can we bear the thought of someone hurting an animal on purpose, or ignoring obvious suffering? Most of us work in animal welfare because we love animals, and we want to help them enjoy better lives. The thought that someone might hurt an animal is unbearable. However, working in animal shelters, we can’t help but be confronted at times with animals who have suffered from horrible abuse or neglect. We have seen it first hand, so we know better than anyone that it happens. How could someone do something like that?
Understanding the reasons for animal cruelty doesn’t make it any more acceptable and it is never an excuse. But it might help protect us, and create resilience. Learning about the reasons for animal cruelty may reduce the harm to ourselves when we are witnesses to animals who have suffered.
There are a myriad of reasons why people abuse animals. In trying to understand almost incomprehensible acts of animal cruelty, it is helpful to divide the acts into the passive (acts of omission or neglect) or active (acts of commission or deliberate cruelty). The vast majority of animal cruelty is the result of indifference or ignorance of suffering.
Acts of omission
The passive animal abuser may have the perversion of good intentions: the pathological altruism of the animal hoarder who believes life is safer for the animal imprisoned in their home than it is being adopted into a new home. A contributing factor may be mental illness or dementia. The passive abuser may have other contributing problems such as substance abuse or they may themselves be entrapped in the same abusive environment and are, in fact, part victim, part perpetrator.
Acts of commission
The deliberately cruel abusers may be exerting heavy handed discipline, using punishment as an excuse to be cruel or an anger induced over-reaction. The domestic violence abuser may maltreat animals as a tool of influence: they hurt an animal in front of others to exert power and control. The ability to threaten others through these actions is an intimidating display of ferocity. Animals may be tormented in cruel forms of amusement as a diversion from boredom. In organized animal fighting, the motivations may be greed, expressions of machismo or desire to experience the bonding that happens when there is shared risk in a clandestine event. Intentional tortuous acts of animal cruelty are rare, but they can satisfy a blood lust of the sadist.
It’s complicated
There are complex and deep-seated emotional and psychological reasons why a person might be cruel, as well as learned cultural habits. The quality of care a person receives during infancy determines the adult’s competency at managing stress. Aggression is a behavior pattern that is largely learned through positive or negative reinforcement. Overt aggression, violence and cruelty reflect abnormalities in the emotion regulatory circuitry of the brain as a result of an abusive childhood.
The upside
Interestingly, only a minority of children raised in such an environment go on to become abusers. “Survivors” tend to have three characteristics: a supportive adult mentor, such as a teacher or neighbor; a strong fantasy life; and the responsibility of caring for another, either a sibling or an animal. Many survivors of an abusive childhood go on to be “super-nurturers” – individuals who end up in caring professions as a result of suffering abuse in childhood. When we adopt an animal to a family, we may be helping to raise the next generation of kind caregivers.
How can we maintain a balanced perspective?
Learning where we may harbor personal bias helps to banish prejudices which may otherwise cause us to pass unfair judgments about others. It is helpful to remember that by and large, people are cooperative, caring, nurturing beings. Compassion, defined as “deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it”, is an innate tendency of most people.
The vast majority of adopters come to the animal shelter seeking to express loving kindness. We may interview potential adopters who make us uncomfortable. Maybe they speak too loudly to an animal, or have less than ideal personal hygiene. It is important to neither see the bogeyman around every corner, nor to blindly ignore clues that cause us to hesitate. We must avoid naiveté and trust our own instincts. When the hairs stand up on the back of our necks, and alarms are going off, it is important not to suppress those signals. When we start feeling uncomfortable with the adoption or surrender process, it is helpful to seek the input of a colleague or a manager.
Reporting suspicions of cruelty as an act of compassion
When we do have serious concerns of animal abuse or neglect we must report them. It isn’t enough to justify that “maybe this animal was abused, but now it is out of harm’s way”. There may be other animals suffering where that one came from, there may be people suffering in that environment and importantly, the person responsible for causing that suffering may themselves be in need of help. Reporting suspicions of animal cruelty can be a helpful intervention for both sides.
Reporting of suspicions should be founded on facts. What behaviors were expressed by the person or animal led you to believe there may be abuse? What elements of an inconsistent history were relayed? Those elements should be written down as memory fades very quickly. It is helpful if your animal shelter has a reporting protocol, so that decisions don’t have to be made on the fly, when facing an emotional situation.
Some states have laws mandating that veterinarians report suspicions of animal cruelty, or there may be special protections against civil liability for reporting. Discussing the situation with a veterinarian before reporting or involving them in reporting might be a judicious step. However, if any person or animal seems to be in imminent harm, the report should be made right away.
Besides their creative name, Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats has a lot to say about reducing Southern California’s homeless cat population. We asked founder Shawn Simons for her point of view on the issue.
ZFS: You’re definitely on the front lines of this cause. What’s your approach?
KB: First off, we can’t adopt our way out of the overpopulation problem. So Kitty Bungalow provides free spay & neuter throughout Los Angeles in addition to our TNR [trap-neuter-return] and TNA [trap-neuter-adopt] programs. Most of our kittens come through community trappings. We bring them in, socialize them and adopt them out.
ZFS: What makes you unique among cat rescues?
KB: We are the only 100% street cat rescue in Los Angeles with a facility that socializes feral cats into lap cats. The secret we stumbled upon is the amount of volunteers we have – they work day in and day out, from 8:30am to 9:30pm. Most fostered feral cats just see the foster parents that take them in. Here, they’re seeing about 70 – 80 different volunteers a week. It helps broaden their horizons, lower their anxiety and make them “insanely social.” People say our cats are like dogs. I’ve never had a dog, but I think it means they’re really social.
ZFS: Since 2009, an injunction has banned LA city employees from participating in, educating about, referring to or financing any TNR initiatives. How have local orgs like Kitty Bungalow responded to this?
KB: It has been a real struggle. For one we have had to procure a great deal of spay/neuter funding to do the work the city has funds allocated for but is not able to access. Visibility plays an important part. A majority of Angelenos, when faced with an animal based problem, call the City services. But the city is unable to refer people to the proper organizations with TNR programming, so many don’t even know this option is available to them. We know that the most important thing we can do for the cats of LA is to work to overturn the injunction. We have put a lot of focus on solving that problem in the last year.
ZFS: Is it true that you’re allergic to cats?
KB: It is true. But not at all to the extent I was when I started. Allergies aren’t a good reason not to have a cat, and I’m living proof. You become immune to the dander over time, and now with nearly 900 cats under my belt I barely break out in a sniffle.
ZFS: Do you have a social media “secret sauce?”
W&W: A lot of rescues focus on the negative, which turns people away. We like to keep things positive, witty and fun, incorporating pop culture and staying current. We also aim to bring our rescue into other conversations that are already trending on social media. For example, on National Sibling Day, the hashtag #nationalsiblingday was trending so we posted on social media about foster siblings using that same hashtag.
ZFS: Social media can be daunting to a lot of shelters & rescues. How do you know what to do?
W&W: Some of us have social media know-how, but we aren’t by any means experts and doing it all ourselves really isn’t sustainable. We lean on volunteers to help us plan and grow our social media presence. There are thousands of dog lovers in and around Los Angeles who work in social media so we ask them to donate their expertise a few hours a week to help Wags and Walks.
ZFS: Where do you find those volunteers?
W&W: As a matter of fact, from social [media]. If there’s a hole in our skillset, we put out a call for experts. Recently we found ourselves staying up all night trying to figure out how to write grant proposals. Then we realized we should ask for help on social. Soon we had a whole committee of experienced grant writers donating their time for us.
“We’re continually amazed with the dedication of our member shelters and with everybody who works so hard in the shelter community. We’re so proud to support you.”
- Brenda Foster, Zoetis for Shelters Program Manager
“It is very exciting to have company so in tune with the needs of shelter and rescue programs such as ours.”
- Dixie Lott, Board Member & Treasurer, Community Cats Of Charlotte
LEARNING
INTRODUCING SIMPARICATM (SAROLANER) CHEWABLES
by Zoetis for Shelters
We’re excited to share the news about our new flea and tick product – SimparicaTM (sarolaner) Chewables.
What can Simparica do?
Simparica is powered by the sarolaner molecule, a new option for flea and tick protection. Simparica kills adult fleas, and is indicated for the treatment and control of several species of ticks including Amblyomma americanum, Amblyomma maculatum, Dermacentor variabilis, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. It is also indicated for the treatment and prevention of flea infestations from Ctenocephalides felis.1
What makes Simparica different?
Simparica offers solid performance as compared with other oral flea and tick products, especially at the end of the treatment period. In fact, Simparica keeps going strong without losing effectiveness at the end of the month. In well-controlled laboratory studies, Simparica provided consistent flea kill from 99.8% to 100% through day 35, almost eliminating fleas within 24 hours of dosing or re-infestation for the entire month.2 And ticks didn’t fare much better – Simparica’s tick protection remained strong through day 35 with 96.9% to 100% tick kill throughout the entire study period.3-6
What does this mean for shelters & rescues?
Any shelter or rescue who has experienced a flea infestation knows how important it is to protect their dogs from fleas. And with the rise in incidence of tick-borne diseases, ticks are becoming an even more feared parasite. Besides the obvious health effects on the shelter population, adopters don’t want to see even one flea or one single tick.8 Simparica provides persistent flea and tick protection in a convenient monthly chewable. Plus it acts fast as it starts killing fleas in 3 hours and starts killing ticks in 8 hours*.7
For more Information, please contact the Zoetis for Shelters Team at (866) 225-9777 or lnfo@forshelters.com.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: Simparica is for use only in dogs, 6 months of age and older. Simparica may cause abnormal neurologic signs such as tremors, decreased conscious proprioception, ataxia, decreased or absent menace, and/or seizures. Simparica has not been evaluated in dogs that are pregnant, breeding or lactating. Simparica has been safely used in dogs treated with commonly prescribed vaccines, parasiticides and other medications. The most frequently reported adverse reactions were vomiting and diarrhea. See full Prescribing Information here: zoetisUS.com/SimparicaPI
*Studies show Simparica starts killing ticks in 8 hours and is 96.9% effective for 35 days against weekly reinfestations of Amblyomma americanum, Amblyomma maculatum, Dermacentor variabilis, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus.3-7
Besides their creative name, Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats has a lot to say about reducing Southern California’s homeless cat population. We asked founder Shawn Simons for her point of view on the issue.
ZFS: You’re definitely on the front lines of this cause. What’s your approach?
KB: First off, we can’t adopt our way out of the overpopulation problem. So Kitty Bungalow provides free spay & neuter throughout Los Angeles in addition to our TNR [trap-neuter-return] and TNA [trap-neuter-adopt] programs. Most of our kittens come through community trappings. We bring them in, socialize them and adopt them out.
ZFS: What makes you unique among cat rescues?
KB: We are the only 100% street cat rescue in Los Angeles with a facility that socializes feral cats into lap cats. The secret we stumbled upon is the amount of volunteers we have – they work day in and day out, from 8:30am to 9:30pm. Most fostered feral cats just see the foster parents that take them in. Here, they’re seeing about 70 – 80 different volunteers a week. It helps broaden their horizons, lower their anxiety and make them “insanely social.” People say our cats are like dogs. I’ve never had a dog, but I think it means they’re really social.
ZFS: Since 2009, an injunction has banned LA city employees from participating in, educating about, referring to or financing any TNR initiatives. How have local orgs like Kitty Bungalow responded to this?
KB: It has been a real struggle. For one we have had to procure a great deal of spay/neuter funding to do the work the city has funds allocated for but is not able to access. Visibility plays an important part. A majority of Angelenos, when faced with an animal based problem, call the City services. But the city is unable to refer people to the proper organizations with TNR programming, so many don’t even know this option is available to them. We know that the most important thing we can do for the cats of LA is to work to overturn the injunction. We have put a lot of focus on solving that problem in the last year.
ZFS: Is it true that you’re allergic to cats?
KB: It is true. But not at all to the extent I was when I started. Allergies aren’t a good reason not to have a cat, and I’m living proof. You become immune to the dander over time, and now with nearly 900 cats under my belt I barely break out in a sniffle.
ZFS: Do you have a social media “secret sauce?”
W&W: A lot of rescues focus on the negative, which turns people away. We like to keep things positive, witty and fun, incorporating pop culture and staying current. We also aim to bring our rescue into other conversations that are already trending on social media. For example, on National Sibling Day, the hashtag #nationalsiblingday was trending so we posted on social media about foster siblings using that same hashtag.
ZFS: Social media can be daunting to a lot of shelters & rescues. How do you know what to do?
W&W: Some of us have social media know-how, but we aren’t by any means experts and doing it all ourselves really isn’t sustainable. We lean on volunteers to help us plan and grow our social media presence. There are thousands of dog lovers in and around Los Angeles who work in social media so we ask them to donate their expertise a few hours a week to help Wags and Walks.
ZFS: Where do you find those volunteers?
W&W: As a matter of fact, from social [media]. If there’s a hole in our skillset, we put out a call for experts. Recently we found ourselves staying up all night trying to figure out how to write grant proposals. Then we realized we should ask for help on social. Soon we had a whole committee of experienced grant writers donating their time for us.
“We’re continually amazed with the dedication of our member shelters and with everybody who works so hard in the shelter community. We’re so proud to support you.”
- Brenda Foster, Zoetis for Shelters Program Manager
“It is very exciting to have company so in tune with the needs of shelter and rescue programs such as ours.”
- Dixie Lott, Board Member & Treasurer, Community Cats Of Charlotte
Learning
HOW FAR WE’VE COME: BOARD CERTIFICATION IN SHELTER VETERINARY MEDICINE
by Daniella (Dee) Latham
The story of shelter medicine is one tied to the animals it serves. It wasn’t long ago that stray, abused, and relinquished animals were ignored by the public and seen as ‘somebody else’s problem.’ Meanwhile, veterinarians who chose to practice shelter medicine had chosen a career that was not established and were forging a challenging path through completely uncharted territory.
But as passion for, and compassion toward, shelter animals has evolved, so has the field of shelter medicine. A growing number of young people are deliberately choosing a career in shelter veterinary medicine, inspired by the ability to save lives by the hundred, rather than one by one.
And now, that growing recognition has become official. Granted provisional approval in 2014 by the American Veterinary Medical Association, Shelter Medicine Practice has been recognized as the newest specialty within the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP). The first sitting of the certification exam happens November of 2015 at the ABVP’s annual symposium in New Orleans.
“It’s so rewarding and it legitimizes the field of shelter medicine. This recognizes those who practice at the highest caliber, whose goal is to benefit shelter animals that need help,” said Dr. Brian DiGangi, Clinical Assistant Professor of Shelter Medicine at the University of Florida and sitting President of the Board of Directors of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians.
Board Certification in Shelter Medicine includes all aspects of veterinary practice that are critical to the care and management of shelter animals. It requires a greater understanding of population medicine, shelter facility design and operation, husbandry, resource management, and risk analysis in order to control infectious diseases and promote health in shelter populations.
“This specialty allows veterinary professionals to learn and understand more about a particular area – and expands upon what shelters might need. It creates stronger partnerships, resulting in better care for the animals,” stated Dr. Kris Otteman, Director of Shelter Medicine & Humane Investigations at the Oregon Humane Society, and member of the shelter medicine organizing committee.
But the journey has not been quick or easy for the Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV), who has championed the effort for years.
What began in 2005 with an exploratory task force and a letter of intent to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS) will come to fruition with the first sitting of the certification exam.
It’s a victory for both veterinarians and shelter animals. On the one hand, it provides Diplomate status for the specialty within the veterinary community, and on the other, it opens up the ways shelter populations can benefit from focused care.
Veterinarians that attain Diplomate status can choose to serve from a myriad of areas: as practitioners, educators, researchers, and animal shelter consultants. Or they can focus on other areas, such as veterinary forensics and animal cruelty investigations.
One question remains: Will the new board certification further advance the way the veterinary community views shelter medicine?
Dr. Stephanie Janeczko, Senior Director of Shelter Medical Programs at the ASPCA thinks this “could make a huge impact in ways that are not apparent or measurable right now.”
An immediate past president of the ASV, Dr. Janeczko, along with many others, also helped lead the effort to have shelter veterinary medicine recognized. “Part of the significance is that a growing group of people could serve as mentors for the younger generation of veterinarians – it means there will be more dedicated experts to show there are available options.” For the future, it translates to more shelter veterinarians who had always dreamed of making this their path of practice.
As Americans increasingly look to save lives by adopting their new pets from shelters, it seems likely that shelter medicine will benefit in kind. And with the new board certification in place, things are looking up for practitioners and animals alike.
Besides their creative name, Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats has a lot to say about reducing Southern California’s homeless cat population. We asked founder Shawn Simons for her point of view on the issue.
ZFS: You’re definitely on the front lines of this cause. What’s your approach?
KB: First off, we can’t adopt our way out of the overpopulation problem. So Kitty Bungalow provides free spay & neuter throughout Los Angeles in addition to our TNR [trap-neuter-return] and TNA [trap-neuter-adopt] programs. Most of our kittens come through community trappings. We bring them in, socialize them and adopt them out.
ZFS: What makes you unique among cat rescues?
KB: We are the only 100% street cat rescue in Los Angeles with a facility that socializes feral cats into lap cats. The secret we stumbled upon is the amount of volunteers we have – they work day in and day out, from 8:30am to 9:30pm. Most fostered feral cats just see the foster parents that take them in. Here, they’re seeing about 70 – 80 different volunteers a week. It helps broaden their horizons, lower their anxiety and make them “insanely social.” People say our cats are like dogs. I’ve never had a dog, but I think it means they’re really social.
ZFS: Since 2009, an injunction has banned LA city employees from participating in, educating about, referring to or financing any TNR initiatives. How have local orgs like Kitty Bungalow responded to this?
KB: It has been a real struggle. For one we have had to procure a great deal of spay/neuter funding to do the work the city has funds allocated for but is not able to access. Visibility plays an important part. A majority of Angelenos, when faced with an animal based problem, call the City services. But the city is unable to refer people to the proper organizations with TNR programming, so many don’t even know this option is available to them. We know that the most important thing we can do for the cats of LA is to work to overturn the injunction. We have put a lot of focus on solving that problem in the last year.
ZFS: Is it true that you’re allergic to cats?
KB: It is true. But not at all to the extent I was when I started. Allergies aren’t a good reason not to have a cat, and I’m living proof. You become immune to the dander over time, and now with nearly 900 cats under my belt I barely break out in a sniffle.
ZFS: Do you have a social media “secret sauce?”
W&W: A lot of rescues focus on the negative, which turns people away. We like to keep things positive, witty and fun, incorporating pop culture and staying current. We also aim to bring our rescue into other conversations that are already trending on social media. For example, on National Sibling Day, the hashtag #nationalsiblingday was trending so we posted on social media about foster siblings using that same hashtag.
ZFS: Social media can be daunting to a lot of shelters & rescues. How do you know what to do?
W&W: Some of us have social media know-how, but we aren’t by any means experts and doing it all ourselves really isn’t sustainable. We lean on volunteers to help us plan and grow our social media presence. There are thousands of dog lovers in and around Los Angeles who work in social media so we ask them to donate their expertise a few hours a week to help Wags and Walks.
ZFS: Where do you find those volunteers?
W&W: As a matter of fact, from social [media]. If there’s a hole in our skillset, we put out a call for experts. Recently we found ourselves staying up all night trying to figure out how to write grant proposals. Then we realized we should ask for help on social. Soon we had a whole committee of experienced grant writers donating their time for us.
“We’re continually amazed with the dedication of our member shelters and with everybody who works so hard in the shelter community. We’re so proud to support you.”
- Brenda Foster, Zoetis for Shelters Program Manager
“It is very exciting to have company so in tune with the needs of shelter and rescue programs such as ours.”
- Dixie Lott, Board Member & Treasurer, Community Cats Of Charlotte
Community
TO THE RESCUE:THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE CAT BUSINESS
by Zoetis For SheltersQ&A with Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats
Besides their creative name, Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats has a lot to say about reducing Southern California’s homeless cat population. We asked founder Shawn Simons for her point of view on the issue.
ZFS: You’re definitely on the front lines of this cause. What’s your approach?
KB: First off, we can’t adopt our way out of the overpopulation problem. So Kitty Bungalow provides free spay & neuter throughout Los Angeles in addition to our TNR [trap-neuter-return] and TNA [trap-neuter-adopt] programs. Most of our kittens come through community trappings. We bring them in, socialize them and adopt them out.
ZFS: What makes you unique among cat rescues?
KB: We are the only 100% street cat rescue in Los Angeles with a facility that socializes feral cats into lap cats. The secret we stumbled upon is the amount of volunteers we have – they work day in and day out, from 8:30am to 9:30pm. Most fostered feral cats just see the foster parents that take them in. Here, they’re seeing about 70 – 80 different volunteers a week. It helps broaden their horizons, lower their anxiety and make them “insanely social.” People say our cats are like dogs. I’ve never had a dog, but I think it means they’re really social.
ZFS: Since 2009, an injunction has banned LA city employees from participating in, educating about, referring to or financing any TNR initiatives. How have local orgs like Kitty Bungalow responded to this?
KB: It has been a real struggle. For one we have had to procure a great deal of spay/neuter funding to do the work the city has funds allocated for but is not able to access. Visibility plays an important part. A majority of Angelenos, when faced with an animal based problem, call the City services. But the city is unable to refer people to the proper organizations with TNR programming, so many don’t even know this option is available to them. We know that the most important thing we can do for the cats of LA is to work to overturn the injunction. We have put a lot of focus on solving that problem in the last year.
ZFS: Is it true that you’re allergic to cats?
KB: It is true. But not at all to the extent I was when I started. Allergies aren’t a good reason not to have a cat, and I’m living proof. You become immune to the dander over time, and now with nearly 900 cats under my belt I barely break out in a sniffle.
ZFS: Do you have a social media “secret sauce?”
W&W: A lot of rescues focus on the negative, which turns people away. We like to keep things positive, witty and fun, incorporating pop culture and staying current. We also aim to bring our rescue into other conversations that are already trending on social media. For example, on National Sibling Day, the hashtag #nationalsiblingday was trending so we posted on social media about foster siblings using that same hashtag.
ZFS: Social media can be daunting to a lot of shelters & rescues. How do you know what to do?
W&W: Some of us have social media know-how, but we aren’t by any means experts and doing it all ourselves really isn’t sustainable. We lean on volunteers to help us plan and grow our social media presence. There are thousands of dog lovers in and around Los Angeles who work in social media so we ask them to donate their expertise a few hours a week to help Wags and Walks.
ZFS: Where do you find those volunteers?
W&W: As a matter of fact, from social [media]. If there’s a hole in our skillset, we put out a call for experts. Recently we found ourselves staying up all night trying to figure out how to write grant proposals. Then we realized we should ask for help on social. Soon we had a whole committee of experienced grant writers donating their time for us.
“We’re continually amazed with the dedication of our member shelters and with everybody who works so hard in the shelter community. We’re so proud to support you.”
- Brenda Foster, Zoetis for Shelters Program Manager
“It is very exciting to have company so in tune with the needs of shelter and rescue programs such as ours.”
- Dixie Lott, Board Member & Treasurer, Community Cats Of Charlotte
Learning
WHEN IT'S NOT JUST A COUGH
by Eileen Ball DVM, MPH, DACVPM
A Refresher on Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease
ZFS: Do you have a social media “secret sauce?”
W&W: A lot of rescues focus on the negative, which turns people away. We like to keep things positive, witty and fun, incorporating pop culture and staying current. We also aim to bring our rescue into other conversations that are already trending on social media. For example, on National Sibling Day, the hashtag #nationalsiblingday was trending so we posted on social media about foster siblings using that same hashtag.
ZFS: Social media can be daunting to a lot of shelters & rescues. How do you know what to do?
W&W: Some of us have social media know-how, but we aren’t by any means experts and doing it all ourselves really isn’t sustainable. We lean on volunteers to help us plan and grow our social media presence. There are thousands of dog lovers in and around Los Angeles who work in social media so we ask them to donate their expertise a few hours a week to help Wags and Walks.
ZFS: Where do you find those volunteers?
W&W: As a matter of fact, from social [media]. If there’s a hole in our skillset, we put out a call for experts. Recently we found ourselves staying up all night trying to figure out how to write grant proposals. Then we realized we should ask for help on social. Soon we had a whole committee of experienced grant writers donating their time for us.
“We’re continually amazed with the dedication of our member shelters and with everybody who works so hard in the shelter community. We’re so proud to support you.”
- Brenda Foster, Zoetis for Shelters Program Manager
“It is very exciting to have company so in tune with the needs of shelter and rescue programs such as ours.”
- Dixie Lott, Board Member & Treasurer, Community Cats Of Charlotte
Learning
KEEPING UP ON LEPTOSPIROSIS
by Eileen Ball DVM, MPH, DACVPM
The fact that we’ve shortened its name to “lepto” is a good indication of how often shelter health professionals talk about Leptospirosis. Leptospira bacteria are thought to infect all mammalian species including rodents, cattle, swine, raccoons, dogs and, yes, humans. So it’s no wonder that leptospirosis is the most common zoonotic disease in the world.
And while shelter dogs are at risk for many types of infection, it is very important to keep an eye out for this one. Both shelter staff and pet parents should be aware of the potential risks and be knowledgeable about how it can be prevented through vaccination.
The Great Pretender
Leptospirosis is known to cause kidney and liver failure in dogs. However, dogs can present with other symptoms such as eye disease, blood vessel inflammation, vomiting, lethargy, anorexia, muscle pain and other abnormalities related to bleeding, thirst or urination. This makes lepto difficult to diagnose and has earned it the nickname of “the great pretender.”
Who It Infects
Traditionally, infection with Leptospira bacteria has affected large breed, predominantly male dogs that spend a significant amount of time outdoors. This is due to a common means by which dogs become infected with Leptospira bacteria: contact with contaminated urine. Increased urbanization has led to a major shift with the Yorkshire terrier and other small breeds becoming among the most commonly diagnosed with Leptospirosis and with an increased incidence of cases in large cities (Gautam 2010).
How It’s Contracted
The infection can either occur through direct contact with an infected animal and/or its body fluids or through contact with urine contaminated water. It is thought that skin which has been softened by water or abraded may allow the bacteria to enter more easily. Like dogs, humans can become infected via the same routes. The organism can survive in the environment for several weeks, with warm and moist conditions and a slightly alkaline pH helping to prolong its survival.
Vaccinations, Then and Now
Historically, the vaccination of dogs against leptospirosis was thought to offer incomplete protection from disease due to only containing two Leptospira serovars and a great potential for reactivity. Today, four common disease-causing serovars of Leptospira (canicola, icterohaemorrhagiae, grippotyphosa and pomona), are covered by the commercially available leptospirosis vaccines in the U.S. The vaccine is administered as an initial series of two doses given 2-6 weeks apart and then annually.
Diagnosing Lepto
Fortunately for our canine friends, diagnostics for leptospirosis have also come a long way. There are two main options for testing: PCR and serology. PCR testing looks for the genetic material of the bacteria itself and can be used with blood or urine in the early phase of infection, prior to the initiation of antibiotic therapy. Vaccination does not typically interfere with PCR testing. Serology testing is done with blood and is more useful in the later phases of infection – it looks to see if the dog’s immune system has made antibodies to the bacteria. It is important to note that for a period of weeks after vaccination, most dogs will have positive serology tests for Leptospira.
Taking Precautions
While dogs can be successfully treated for leptospirosis, it is important to remember that the disease can be deadly and that the supportive care necessary for an infected dog may be extensive and costly. Any dog that is manifesting possible symptoms of leptospirosis should be handled as a positive case until the disease is ruled out with laboratory testing. This includes using personal protective equipment such as gloves, gowns and face shields when handling the dog or its bodily fluids and ensuring that the dog urinates in a low-traffic, easily disinfected area.
In addition to their partnerships, Wags and Walks benefits from a healthy social media presence. So we asked Wags and Walks Chief Operating Officer Kimmy Kovacs to give us the lowdown.
ZFS: What role does social media play in your success?
W&W: Social media has been really crucial for our growth. In fact, Wags and Walks started when Lesley, our founder, saw a dog at risk of being euthanized at the shelter on social media. Everyone was commenting that someone should help, but no one was taking action. Lesley realized that she could be that someone and went straight to the shelter to meet him. Soon she was leveraging her social media networks to raise funds to help her save more dogs in need.
ZFS: You have a number of accounts on Facebook alone – why?
W&W: Yes, we have three different social media groups just on Facebook. We have our public page with general success stories and information about dogs that need help. There’s an alumni page where our alumni can share stories and before and after photos – that really warms our hearts. And we have an account for our fosters: we can communicate with them right from the shelter and ask who’s willing to foster a dog since we can only save a dog if we have a foster home to put it in. It’s much more efficient than sending a mass email once we get back to the office and enables us to save the dog immediately if we get a fast response. It’s allowed us to save a lot more lives.
We’ve also had a lot of success on Instagram, Twitter and Youtube, engaging celebrities and influencers, getting them to comment on our photos and leveraging their celebrity status to raise awareness.
ZFS: Do you have a social media “secret sauce?”
W&W: A lot of rescues focus on the negative, which turns people away. We like to keep things positive, witty and fun, incorporating pop culture and staying current. We also aim to bring our rescue into other conversations that are already trending on social media. For example, on National Sibling Day, the hashtag #nationalsiblingday was trending so we posted on social media about foster siblings using that same hashtag.
ZFS: Social media can be daunting to a lot of shelters & rescues. How do you know what to do?
W&W: Some of us have social media know-how, but we aren’t by any means experts and doing it all ourselves really isn’t sustainable. We lean on volunteers to help us plan and grow our social media presence. There are thousands of dog lovers in and around Los Angeles who work in social media so we ask them to donate their expertise a few hours a week to help Wags and Walks.
ZFS: Where do you find those volunteers?
W&W: As a matter of fact, from social [media]. If there’s a hole in our skillset, we put out a call for experts. Recently we found ourselves staying up all night trying to figure out how to write grant proposals. Then we realized we should ask for help on social. Soon we had a whole committee of experienced grant writers donating their time for us.
“We’re continually amazed with the dedication of our member shelters and with everybody who works so hard in the shelter community. We’re so proud to support you.”
- Brenda Foster, Zoetis for Shelters Program Manager
“It is very exciting to have company so in tune with the needs of shelter and rescue programs such as ours.”
- Dixie Lott, Board Member & Treasurer, Community Cats Of Charlotte
Learning
HOMES FOR THE HOLIDAYS: COMBATING HOLIDAY OVERCROWDING
by Daniella (Dee) Latham
They told me he was a tiny, three-pound ball of fur. At first that was the only way to describe the 7-week-old Jack Russell Terrier puppy, dropped off at a Philadelphia shelter the day after Christmas. I asked where he came from. It seems that Buster was purchased from a breeder as a Christmas gift for a child, but the family surrendered him to the shelter after only a few days. He was “too active” and they “didn’t have time for him”, as written on the intake form. Shelter workers immediately called a breed-specific rescue group to help him find a home.
Reasons for Relinquishment
The story above is an all too familiar scene at shelters and rescues during the holidays, as many see an increase in the number of relinquished animals, resulting in overcrowding. There are different reasons why people give up their pets around the holidays: sometimes finances just seem too tight during gifting season; there could be concerns with out-of-town travel or inbound houseguests; often the animal is given as an unwanted gift; or perhaps the family simply underestimates the commitment required.
Shelter Strategies for Holiday Adoptions
Here are a few successful ways to get the adoption word out during this time of year:
1. Holiday Promotions and Public Relations
Create special adoption days or events, and ask the local media to do a story on your shelter’s pets in need of forever homes.
For Dr. Kris Otteman, DVM, Director of Shelter Medicine & Humane Investigations at the Oregon Humane Society, December is the biggest adoption month. “We run several very successful adoption events over the holidays. For example, we have a special board up in the lobby called ‘Home for the Holidays’ that features pictures of pets that have been waiting the longest for adoption, and when they get adopted we put a festive ‘Adopted’ sticker on them and call them out over the PA system – it brings a lot of excitement!”
OHS focuses on promotions throughout the year to help their animals get adopted – this provides them more room during the holidays which can be used to assist other overcrowded shelters or owners who need to surrender pets.
2. Convenient Holiday Adoption Hours
Shelters who want to increase adoptions should consider additional hours on weekends and staying open later on working days.
3. Step Up Your Photography
Invite local photographers (professionals, hobbyists, and college students) to come to the shelter and take beautiful photos of your homeless pets, then post them on social media sites such as your Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages. If you don’t know how to use social media, just look up instructions online – it’s easier than you think! Or there may be volunteers who are willing to help with it.
4. Coordinate Your Surrenders
“We speak with families who plan on giving up their pet and ask them to wait at least a week before turning them into the shelter, so we can promote the animal on our Facebook page,” says Director Margaret Shepherd of the Northeast Arkansas Humane Society. “This way, the animal has a greater chance of being adopted and it’s less stressful – it also allows for space at the shelter for another animal. I write about their personalities, their character. Or we’ll create a video that features the pet and ask our followers to share, because you never know when someone across the country may see the post and want to adopt.”
5. Low Cost Holiday Adoption Specials
“We have a shared adoptions promotion where multiple shelters work together, called ‘Home for the Holidays’ and adoptions are discounted ($12 for adult animals) throughout the county,” says Dr. Cristie Kamiya, DVM, MBA, and Chief of Shelter Medicine at the Humane Society Silicon Valley. “Sharing the promotions allows consistency with messaging, sharing of costs of marketing, and creates a nice sense of community. It helps tremendously with getting pets adopted, and ‘clearing the shelters’.”
6. Value-Added Holiday Adoption Promotion
For a value-added adoption special, consider offering an “Adoption Starter Kit” such as a pet collar, leash, water/food bowl, or bag of food.
7. Promotional Flyers In Your City
Display your holiday-focused flyers in local pet stores, fast food restaurants, gift shops, veterinary offices, and anywhere people sit and wait, like auto repair/oil change shops, doctors and dentist’s offices, and the DMV.
8. Off-site Adoptions
When pets are taken to adoption events, they’ll show their personality and people can make the instant love connection to adopt their new family member. Many animals might also be more relaxed being away from the shelter.
The holidays can be a stressful time for shelters. But amid the mayhem, there are happy endings. Case in point: the puppy at the beginning of this story. Thirteen years ago we adopted him and renamed him Scoots. He’s still the king of our house, just as he has been since the first day he arrived at his forever home.
In addition to their partnerships, Wags and Walks benefits from a healthy social media presence. So we asked Wags and Walks Chief Operating Officer Kimmy Kovacs to give us the lowdown.
ZFS: What role does social media play in your success?
W&W: Social media has been really crucial for our growth. In fact, Wags and Walks started when Lesley, our founder, saw a dog at risk of being euthanized at the shelter on social media. Everyone was commenting that someone should help, but no one was taking action. Lesley realized that she could be that someone and went straight to the shelter to meet him. Soon she was leveraging her social media networks to raise funds to help her save more dogs in need.
ZFS: You have a number of accounts on Facebook alone – why?
W&W: Yes, we have three different social media groups just on Facebook. We have our public page with general success stories and information about dogs that need help. There’s an alumni page where our alumni can share stories and before and after photos – that really warms our hearts. And we have an account for our fosters: we can communicate with them right from the shelter and ask who’s willing to foster a dog since we can only save a dog if we have a foster home to put it in. It’s much more efficient than sending a mass email once we get back to the office and enables us to save the dog immediately if we get a fast response. It’s allowed us to save a lot more lives.
We’ve also had a lot of success on Instagram, Twitter and Youtube, engaging celebrities and influencers, getting them to comment on our photos and leveraging their celebrity status to raise awareness.
ZFS: Do you have a social media “secret sauce?”
W&W: A lot of rescues focus on the negative, which turns people away. We like to keep things positive, witty and fun, incorporating pop culture and staying current. We also aim to bring our rescue into other conversations that are already trending on social media. For example, on National Sibling Day, the hashtag #nationalsiblingday was trending so we posted on social media about foster siblings using that same hashtag.
ZFS: Social media can be daunting to a lot of shelters & rescues. How do you know what to do?
W&W: Some of us have social media know-how, but we aren’t by any means experts and doing it all ourselves really isn’t sustainable. We lean on volunteers to help us plan and grow our social media presence. There are thousands of dog lovers in and around Los Angeles who work in social media so we ask them to donate their expertise a few hours a week to help Wags and Walks.
ZFS: Where do you find those volunteers?
W&W: As a matter of fact, from social [media]. If there’s a hole in our skillset, we put out a call for experts. Recently we found ourselves staying up all night trying to figure out how to write grant proposals. Then we realized we should ask for help on social. Soon we had a whole committee of experienced grant writers donating their time for us.
“We’re continually amazed with the dedication of our member shelters and with everybody who works so hard in the shelter community. We’re so proud to support you.”
- Brenda Foster, Zoetis for Shelters Program Manager
“It is very exciting to have company so in tune with the needs of shelter and rescue programs such as ours.”
- Dixie Lott, Board Member & Treasurer, Community Cats Of Charlotte
Community
TO THE RESCUE: IT TAKES A VILLAGE
by Zoetis For SheltersQ&A with Social Media Mavens Wags and Walks
In addition to their partnerships, Wags and Walks benefits from a healthy social media presence. So we asked Wags and Walks Chief Operating Officer Kimmy Kovacs to give us the lowdown.
ZFS: What role does social media play in your success?
W&W: Social media has been really crucial for our growth. In fact, Wags and Walks started when Lesley, our founder, saw a dog at risk of being euthanized at the shelter on social media. Everyone was commenting that someone should help, but no one was taking action. Lesley realized that she could be that someone and went straight to the shelter to meet him. Soon she was leveraging her social media networks to raise funds to help her save more dogs in need.
ZFS: You have a number of accounts on Facebook alone – why?
W&W: Yes, we have three different social media groups just on Facebook. We have our public page with general success stories and information about dogs that need help. There’s an alumni page where our alumni can share stories and before and after photos – that really warms our hearts. And we have an account for our fosters: we can communicate with them right from the shelter and ask who’s willing to foster a dog since we can only save a dog if we have a foster home to put it in. It’s much more efficient than sending a mass email once we get back to the office and enables us to save the dog immediately if we get a fast response. It’s allowed us to save a lot more lives.
We’ve also had a lot of success on Instagram, Twitter and Youtube, engaging celebrities and influencers, getting them to comment on our photos and leveraging their celebrity status to raise awareness.
ZFS: Do you have a social media “secret sauce?”
W&W: A lot of rescues focus on the negative, which turns people away. We like to keep things positive, witty and fun, incorporating pop culture and staying current. We also aim to bring our rescue into other conversations that are already trending on social media. For example, on National Sibling Day, the hashtag #nationalsiblingday was trending so we posted on social media about foster siblings using that same hashtag.
ZFS: Social media can be daunting to a lot of shelters & rescues. How do you know what to do?
W&W: Some of us have social media know-how, but we aren’t by any means experts and doing it all ourselves really isn’t sustainable. We lean on volunteers to help us plan and grow our social media presence. There are thousands of dog lovers in and around Los Angeles who work in social media so we ask them to donate their expertise a few hours a week to help Wags and Walks.
ZFS: Where do you find those volunteers?
W&W: As a matter of fact, from social [media]. If there’s a hole in our skillset, we put out a call for experts. Recently we found ourselves staying up all night trying to figure out how to write grant proposals. Then we realized we should ask for help on social. Soon we had a whole committee of experienced grant writers donating their time for us.
“We’re continually amazed with the dedication of our member shelters and with everybody who works so hard in the shelter community. We’re so proud to support you.”
- Brenda Foster, Zoetis for Shelters Program Manager
“It is very exciting to have company so in tune with the needs of shelter and rescue programs such as ours.”
- Dixie Lott, Board Member & Treasurer, Community Cats Of Charlotte
Community
OUR YEAR IN REVIEW
by Zoetis for Shelters
It’s a new year, and a great time to cozy up with a furry friend and look back on 2015. Our Zoetis for Shelters community has enjoyed a lot of success. And while it’s never about the numbers, we know that these particular numbers mean that even more animals found loving homes in the past 12 months. Here’s to a fantastic 2016!
“The Zoetis for Shelters program is a blessing for all of us in the rescue field. Every dollar we can save will help us save another life.”
- Sue Maher, Noah's Kingdom Humane Society
“We’re continually amazed with the dedication of our member shelters and with everybody who works so hard in the shelter community. We’re so proud to support you.”
- Brenda Foster, Zoetis for Shelters Program Manager
“It is very exciting to have company so in tune with the needs of shelter and rescue programs such as ours.”
- Dixie Lott, Board Member & Treasurer, Community Cats Of Charlotte
Learning
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
by Zoetis for Shelters
Our Zoetis for Shelters community cares for almost 40%1 of the intakes and adoptions in the U.S. every year. There’s so much we can learn from each other. We want to share your ideas, thoughts and questions on the Zoetis for Shelters website and in our email updates.
• Send us a tip
• Share a video
• Ask a question
• Suggest a topic that you’d like to hear more about
Together as a community, we can save and enrich even more lives. We look forward to hearing from you.
ZFS: You’re doing some impressive spay & neuter numbers. Tell us about that.
RC: We’re doing numbers comparable to other large spay/neuter facilities: anywhere from 40-60 surgeries a week, and that’s not including the surgeries our interns do. The difference is that they’re all our shelter animals from our population.
ZFS: This year, you’ve made orthopedics a priority. Why?
RC: Amputations are pretty standard in shelter medicine. But we have made it a personal mission to amputate less. That puts the burden on us to continue our education and gain the technical skill to do advanced orthopedics.
ZFS: You recently performed a procedure that isn’t typically done at the shelter level on a dog named Ladybird. Can you tell us about that?
RC: Ladybird is a young dog who was about to be adopted when we discovered a heart murmur that indicated pulmonic stenosis. The adopter was on a fixed income and had to back out. So our shelter rallied to raise funds and we partnered with a local surgeon to perform a balloon valvuloplasty.
ZFS: How did the procedure go?
RC: Unfortunately, the procedure did not yield the results we had hoped for. Although the procedure lowered the pressure in the blood vessel that connects her heart to her lungs, it did not lower the pressure enough to prevent her from eventually going into heart failure in the future.
ZFS: What does this mean for Lady Bird?
RC: Although we were not able to provide a permanent fix, we do hope that we have improved her quality of life and lengthened the quality time she has with us. We are extremely grateful for all the monetary donations and community support this special girl has received.
ZFS: Tell us about your geriatric pets program.
RC: Yes, a substantial part of our population is geriatric. For starters, every pet over five years of age is a free adoption. And if I’m adopting I want to know that this pet is healthy. So every pet over eight years of age gets a full geriatric workup: chemistry panel (chem 27), complete blood count (CBC), urinalysis (UA) and thyroid panel. We also perform X-rays: 3-views chest or thorax and two views of the abdomen. Many also have significant dental disease, so we’re building the facilities to provide anything from basic cleaning to advanced dentistry.
ZFS: Your future selves called. They want a vacation. What advice do you have for future veterinarians studying shelter medicine?
RC: Take time for yourself, pace yourself, and never lose your compassion. Shelter medicine is a roller coaster ride. You have highs and lows, and often all in the same day. It can be emotionally and physically exhausting. It is also never ending. The ride never stops. Animals will continue to be found in the streets, surrendered by owners, and brought in by concerned citizens. You have to be emotionally and physically strong enough to handle this ongoing workload. Take a vacation! A real vacation. Turn off your phone and decompress. Spend time with your family, two and four-legged, it will give you distance and perspective. Animals will surround you every day. They need your help but do not forget that you need them as well. Take a break and walk a dog, pet a kitty, get kisses from a pit bull. They will ground you in that moment and make you remember that you have the best job in the world.
“At Greater Hillsdale HS we do dentals on only the pets needing them, just not everyone.”
– Renee Goshorn, Shelter Manager, Greater Hillsdale Humane Society, Osseo, MI
“All of my cats in my no kill facility have their teeth checked and if cleaning or extractions need to be done we do it.”
– Denise Sinico
“We are a small rescue organization working almost exclusively with canine. We do not have a staff vet. However, if a dog is older (8+) and/or if there is a question of dental health, broken teeth, heavy staining and/or tartar build up we often do a dental. Most often this is done when the pet is under anesthesia for spay or neuter. We believe that if an animal needs vetting it should be done.”
– Marilyn Hughes, Excelsior Springs Friends of Animals
For those organizations who are fortunate enough to have regular access to veterinary care, providing dentals is becoming more and more common.
“Because we have (our veterinarian), it becomes financially possible to provide dental care for all of our cats…If I had to take all these cats into a private vet – to do it would be unbelievable and I couldn’t afford it. I think it’s very important to all shelters but they’re just not lucky enough to have the vets I have. If they were fortunate enough, I’m sure they’d want to do the same thing.”
– Virginia E. Yancey, Love & Hope Animal Sancturary in New York
“We wrote a grant and got equipment to be able to do dental on site. That has been a tremendous help, and most shelters wouldn’t have that…We’re unique in that we have three veterinarians – it allows us to address those issues faster than a regular shelter that doesn’t have a veterinarian on site.”
– Joan Smith-Reese
“Our shelter is the anomaly. Most shelters don’t have the $20-30k for the equipment we have. What we would pay to send out (to a private veterinarian) – we do that 15 times and we’ve paid for our dental equipment.”
– Dr. Cynthia Servantez, DVM, Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care and Adoption Center
Importantly, multiple shelters noted the role dental health can have on a shelter’s ultimate mission: finding forever homes for their animals.
“We’ve seen it be a limitation to adoption. People know that what we consider a geriatric dog at 9 years can live another 8 years. We’ve had dogs be in 10 meet-and-greets but come back for dental reasons. Cleaning can be a grand. Extractions and x-rays can cost upwards of $2,000. It also adds to the stress of the dog in the shelter. Dental care is an important issue.”
– Dr. Cynthia Servantez, DVM
Community
TO THE RESCUE: MAKING MAGIC
by Zoetis for SheltersQ&A with Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Adoption Center
Despite this being just their second year at Rancho Cucamonga, Drs. Cynthia Servantez and Victoria Impett are going full throttle. In addition to their new neonatal kitten nursery, the two former veterinary school buddies are making changes to the shelter’s medical practice.
ZFS: You’re doing some impressive spay & neuter numbers. Tell us about that.
RC: We’re doing numbers comparable to other large spay/neuter facilities: anywhere from 40-60 surgeries a week, and that’s not including the surgeries our interns do. The difference is that they’re all our shelter animals from our population.
ZFS: This year, you’ve made orthopedics a priority. Why?
RC: Amputations are pretty standard in shelter medicine. But we have made it a personal mission to amputate less. That puts the burden on us to continue our education and gain the technical skill to do advanced orthopedics.
ZFS: You recently performed a procedure that isn’t typically done at the shelter level on a dog named Ladybird. Can you tell us about that?
RC: Ladybird is a young dog who was about to be adopted when we discovered a heart murmur that indicated pulmonic stenosis. The adopter was on a fixed income and had to back out. So our shelter rallied to raise funds and we partnered with a local surgeon to perform a balloon valvuloplasty.
ZFS: How did the procedure go?
RC: Unfortunately, the procedure did not yield the results we had hoped for. Although the procedure lowered the pressure in the blood vessel that connects her heart to her lungs, it did not lower the pressure enough to prevent her from eventually going into heart failure in the future.
ZFS: What does this mean for Lady Bird?
RC: Although we were not able to provide a permanent fix, we do hope that we have improved her quality of life and lengthened the quality time she has with us. We are extremely grateful for all the monetary donations and community support this special girl has received.
ZFS: Tell us about your geriatric pets program.
RC: Yes, a substantial part of our population is geriatric. For starters, every pet over five years of age is a free adoption. And if I’m adopting I want to know that this pet is healthy. So every pet over eight years of age gets a full geriatric workup: chemistry panel (chem 27), complete blood count (CBC), urinalysis (UA) and thyroid panel. We also perform X-rays: 3-views chest or thorax and two views of the abdomen. Many also have significant dental disease, so we’re building the facilities to provide anything from basic cleaning to advanced dentistry.
ZFS: Your future selves called. They want a vacation. What advice do you have for future veterinarians studying shelter medicine?
RC: Take time for yourself, pace yourself, and never lose your compassion. Shelter medicine is a roller coaster ride. You have highs and lows, and often all in the same day. It can be emotionally and physically exhausting. It is also never ending. The ride never stops. Animals will continue to be found in the streets, surrendered by owners, and brought in by concerned citizens. You have to be emotionally and physically strong enough to handle this ongoing workload. Take a vacation! A real vacation. Turn off your phone and decompress. Spend time with your family, two and four-legged, it will give you distance and perspective. Animals will surround you every day. They need your help but do not forget that you need them as well. Take a break and walk a dog, pet a kitty, get kisses from a pit bull. They will ground you in that moment and make you remember that you have the best job in the world.
“At Greater Hillsdale HS we do dentals on only the pets needing them, just not everyone.”
– Renee Goshorn, Shelter Manager, Greater Hillsdale Humane Society, Osseo, MI
“All of my cats in my no kill facility have their teeth checked and if cleaning or extractions need to be done we do it.”
– Denise Sinico
“We are a small rescue organization working almost exclusively with canine. We do not have a staff vet. However, if a dog is older (8+) and/or if there is a question of dental health, broken teeth, heavy staining and/or tartar build up we often do a dental. Most often this is done when the pet is under anesthesia for spay or neuter. We believe that if an animal needs vetting it should be done.”
– Marilyn Hughes, Excelsior Springs Friends of Animals
For those organizations who are fortunate enough to have regular access to veterinary care, providing dentals is becoming more and more common.
“Because we have (our veterinarian), it becomes financially possible to provide dental care for all of our cats…If I had to take all these cats into a private vet – to do it would be unbelievable and I couldn’t afford it. I think it’s very important to all shelters but they’re just not lucky enough to have the vets I have. If they were fortunate enough, I’m sure they’d want to do the same thing.”
– Virginia E. Yancey, Love & Hope Animal Sancturary in New York
“We wrote a grant and got equipment to be able to do dental on site. That has been a tremendous help, and most shelters wouldn’t have that…We’re unique in that we have three veterinarians – it allows us to address those issues faster than a regular shelter that doesn’t have a veterinarian on site.”
– Joan Smith-Reese
“Our shelter is the anomaly. Most shelters don’t have the $20-30k for the equipment we have. What we would pay to send out (to a private veterinarian) – we do that 15 times and we’ve paid for our dental equipment.”
– Dr. Cynthia Servantez, DVM, Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care and Adoption Center
Importantly, multiple shelters noted the role dental health can have on a shelter’s ultimate mission: finding forever homes for their animals.
“We’ve seen it be a limitation to adoption. People know that what we consider a geriatric dog at 9 years can live another 8 years. We’ve had dogs be in 10 meet-and-greets but come back for dental reasons. Cleaning can be a grand. Extractions and x-rays can cost upwards of $2,000. It also adds to the stress of the dog in the shelter. Dental care is an important issue.”
– Dr. Cynthia Servantez, DVM
Learning
LYME DISEASE:FIGHTING BAD NEWS WITHGOOD MEDICINE
by Matthew Krecic, DVM, MS, MBA, Diplomate ACVIM (SA)Senior Technical Services Manager, US Diagnostics, Zoetis
What does that blue dot for Lyme mean? What could or should you do for this dog that tests positive? The answer to the first question is easier than the answer to the second.
A positive test result may mean that current tick control has failed and a tick carrying the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, bit this dog. Yet the positive result does not necessarily mean this dog will develop Lyme disease—about one in 16 dogs will.1,4 Signs of Lyme disease are often lameness/myalgia and fever. A smaller number of these dogs, though, will develop life-threatening kidney damage—predicting which dog this will happen to is seemingly impossible. Anecdotally, dogs most at-risk are Labrador and Golden retrievers.2
So, what to do?
Collect a urine sample and use a urine dipstick to determine the presence of any protein within the sample. If none, kidney damage compatible with Lyme disease is not present. If protein is there, follow up with additional tests to confirm kidney damage and Lyme disease. You may also want to begin an appropriate antibiotic in the interim. 1-3
Regardless of the presence or absence of urine protein, tick control is a must. If you’re in an area with many ticks and frequent reports of canine and human Lyme disease—a so-called endemic area—year-round tick control is best. This includes daily removal of any ticks from the dog and application or administration of a tick control product. Daily removal of ticks may also help prevent a dog from becoming infected: it generally takes 24 hours for a tick to transmit Borrelia burgdorferi to its host.3 Vaccination is a second method to help reduce the risk of a dog developing Lyme disease.1,2 Although you may not choose to vaccinate now, encourage new owners of adopted dogs living in endemic areas to see their veterinarian about vaccination.
Lyme disease is never good news. But with the right tests and treatments in place, your shelter can control the fallout from that little blue dot.
“I think dental is becoming more of a focus. When you have problems in your mouth, it can affect your overall health – your whole body. Even if you go into a Petsmart or Petco today, there’s a lot more emphasis on dental than there was even two years ago. But we have a long way to go.”
- Joan Smith-Reese, Executive Director of Animal Care Sanctuary in East Smithfield, Pennsylvania
“When people contact us because their dog is suddenly having a ‘behavior issue’, we won't even speak to them until the dog goes to the vet. Arthritis and dental pain can cause immediate and dramatic behavior changes…We once pulled an older female on deaths door from a hoarder; (she) could barely stand for a few seconds. (We) took her to the vet immediately – (she had) multiple infected teeth. One dental visit later, several extractions, and some antibiotics and she was a new dog. Teeth are vital to an animal’s health and we promote dental health extensively.”
- Elizabeth and Rick Riddle, Central Illinois German Shepherd Dog Rescue, Urbana, IL
Still, the expense of dental care makes it impossible for many shelters and rescues to provide it on a routine basis.
“At Greater Hillsdale HS we do dentals on only the pets needing them, just not everyone.”
– Renee Goshorn, Shelter Manager, Greater Hillsdale Humane Society, Osseo, MI
“All of my cats in my no kill facility have their teeth checked and if cleaning or extractions need to be done we do it.”
– Denise Sinico
“We are a small rescue organization working almost exclusively with canine. We do not have a staff vet. However, if a dog is older (8+) and/or if there is a question of dental health, broken teeth, heavy staining and/or tartar build up we often do a dental. Most often this is done when the pet is under anesthesia for spay or neuter. We believe that if an animal needs vetting it should be done.”
– Marilyn Hughes, Excelsior Springs Friends of Animals
For those organizations who are fortunate enough to have regular access to veterinary care, providing dentals is becoming more and more common.
“Because we have (our veterinarian), it becomes financially possible to provide dental care for all of our cats…If I had to take all these cats into a private vet – to do it would be unbelievable and I couldn’t afford it. I think it’s very important to all shelters but they’re just not lucky enough to have the vets I have. If they were fortunate enough, I’m sure they’d want to do the same thing.”
– Virginia E. Yancey, Love & Hope Animal Sancturary in New York
“We wrote a grant and got equipment to be able to do dental on site. That has been a tremendous help, and most shelters wouldn’t have that…We’re unique in that we have three veterinarians – it allows us to address those issues faster than a regular shelter that doesn’t have a veterinarian on site.”
– Joan Smith-Reese
“Our shelter is the anomaly. Most shelters don’t have the $20-30k for the equipment we have. What we would pay to send out (to a private veterinarian) – we do that 15 times and we’ve paid for our dental equipment.”
– Dr. Cynthia Servantez, DVM, Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care and Adoption Center
Importantly, multiple shelters noted the role dental health can have on a shelter’s ultimate mission: finding forever homes for their animals.
“We’ve seen it be a limitation to adoption. People know that what we consider a geriatric dog at 9 years can live another 8 years. We’ve had dogs be in 10 meet-and-greets but come back for dental reasons. Cleaning can be a grand. Extractions and x-rays can cost upwards of $2,000. It also adds to the stress of the dog in the shelter. Dental care is an important issue.”
– Dr. Cynthia Servantez, DVM
Learning
INTRODUCING NEW
VANGUARD® crLYME
by Zoetis for Shelters
What’s the news?
Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) granted licensure for new VANGUARD® crLyme. This next-generation vaccine has been developed to target Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. Its formulation helps provide a broad spectrum of coverage in a low-reactive vaccine1, 2. Unlike other Lyme disease vaccines, VANGUARD® crLyme is the first and only vaccine that can help address many types of outer surface protein C.
What’s an outer surface protein C (OspC)?
You can think of OspC as a chameleon’s skin. Just as chameleons can use different shades of skin to evade detection, OspC can come in different types. In fact, multiple OspC types can be found in the same infected dog. Until now, Lyme vaccines were only able to help protect against one type of OspC. But new VANGUARD® crLyme is the first Lyme disease vaccine that can address multiple types of OspC.
What does this mean for the dogs in my shelter?
First, you should know that the threat of Lyme disease in humans and dogs continues to grow across the U.S. Whether due to climate change3, the blurring of urban and suburban boundaries, or people just travelling with their dogs more often, Lyme disease cases are no longer just a problem for the Northeast. In 2015, 1 in 16 dogs tested positive for Lyme disease4. Vaccination is an integral part of total tick control and VANGUARD® crLyme gives you a new tool in your shelter’s fight against Lyme disease5.
For more information, please contact the Zoetis for Shelters Team at (866) 225-9777 or info@forshelters.com.
“I think dental is becoming more of a focus. When you have problems in your mouth, it can affect your overall health – your whole body. Even if you go into a Petsmart or Petco today, there’s a lot more emphasis on dental than there was even two years ago. But we have a long way to go.”
- Joan Smith-Reese, Executive Director of Animal Care Sanctuary in East Smithfield, Pennsylvania
“When people contact us because their dog is suddenly having a ‘behavior issue’, we won't even speak to them until the dog goes to the vet. Arthritis and dental pain can cause immediate and dramatic behavior changes…We once pulled an older female on deaths door from a hoarder; (she) could barely stand for a few seconds. (We) took her to the vet immediately – (she had) multiple infected teeth. One dental visit later, several extractions, and some antibiotics and she was a new dog. Teeth are vital to an animal’s health and we promote dental health extensively.”
- Elizabeth and Rick Riddle, Central Illinois German Shepherd Dog Rescue, Urbana, IL
Still, the expense of dental care makes it impossible for many shelters and rescues to provide it on a routine basis.
“At Greater Hillsdale HS we do dentals on only the pets needing them, just not everyone.”
– Renee Goshorn, Shelter Manager, Greater Hillsdale Humane Society, Osseo, MI
“All of my cats in my no kill facility have their teeth checked and if cleaning or extractions need to be done we do it.”
– Denise Sinico
“We are a small rescue organization working almost exclusively with canine. We do not have a staff vet. However, if a dog is older (8+) and/or if there is a question of dental health, broken teeth, heavy staining and/or tartar build up we often do a dental. Most often this is done when the pet is under anesthesia for spay or neuter. We believe that if an animal needs vetting it should be done.”
– Marilyn Hughes, Excelsior Springs Friends of Animals
For those organizations who are fortunate enough to have regular access to veterinary care, providing dentals is becoming more and more common.
“Because we have (our veterinarian), it becomes financially possible to provide dental care for all of our cats…If I had to take all these cats into a private vet – to do it would be unbelievable and I couldn’t afford it. I think it’s very important to all shelters but they’re just not lucky enough to have the vets I have. If they were fortunate enough, I’m sure they’d want to do the same thing.”
– Virginia E. Yancey, Love & Hope Animal Sancturary in New York
“We wrote a grant and got equipment to be able to do dental on site. That has been a tremendous help, and most shelters wouldn’t have that…We’re unique in that we have three veterinarians – it allows us to address those issues faster than a regular shelter that doesn’t have a veterinarian on site.”
– Joan Smith-Reese
“Our shelter is the anomaly. Most shelters don’t have the $20-30k for the equipment we have. What we would pay to send out (to a private veterinarian) – we do that 15 times and we’ve paid for our dental equipment.”
– Dr. Cynthia Servantez, DVM, Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care and Adoption Center
Importantly, multiple shelters noted the role dental health can have on a shelter’s ultimate mission: finding forever homes for their animals.
“We’ve seen it be a limitation to adoption. People know that what we consider a geriatric dog at 9 years can live another 8 years. We’ve had dogs be in 10 meet-and-greets but come back for dental reasons. Cleaning can be a grand. Extractions and x-rays can cost upwards of $2,000. It also adds to the stress of the dog in the shelter. Dental care is an important issue.”
– Dr. Cynthia Servantez, DVM
Community
TO THE RESCUE: KEEP THOSE DOGGIES MOVIN’
by Zoetis for SheltersSee how the Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care and Adoption Center goes above and beyond for its diminutive dogs.
“I think dental is becoming more of a focus. When you have problems in your mouth, it can affect your overall health – your whole body. Even if you go into a Petsmart or Petco today, there’s a lot more emphasis on dental than there was even two years ago. But we have a long way to go.”
- Joan Smith-Reese, Executive Director of Animal Care Sanctuary in East Smithfield, Pennsylvania
“When people contact us because their dog is suddenly having a ‘behavior issue’, we won't even speak to them until the dog goes to the vet. Arthritis and dental pain can cause immediate and dramatic behavior changes…We once pulled an older female on deaths door from a hoarder; (she) could barely stand for a few seconds. (We) took her to the vet immediately – (she had) multiple infected teeth. One dental visit later, several extractions, and some antibiotics and she was a new dog. Teeth are vital to an animal’s health and we promote dental health extensively.”
- Elizabeth and Rick Riddle, Central Illinois German Shepherd Dog Rescue, Urbana, IL
Still, the expense of dental care makes it impossible for many shelters and rescues to provide it on a routine basis.
“At Greater Hillsdale HS we do dentals on only the pets needing them, just not everyone.”
– Renee Goshorn, Shelter Manager, Greater Hillsdale Humane Society, Osseo, MI
“All of my cats in my no kill facility have their teeth checked and if cleaning or extractions need to be done we do it.”
– Denise Sinico
“We are a small rescue organization working almost exclusively with canine. We do not have a staff vet. However, if a dog is older (8+) and/or if there is a question of dental health, broken teeth, heavy staining and/or tartar build up we often do a dental. Most often this is done when the pet is under anesthesia for spay or neuter. We believe that if an animal needs vetting it should be done.”
– Marilyn Hughes, Excelsior Springs Friends of Animals
For those organizations who are fortunate enough to have regular access to veterinary care, providing dentals is becoming more and more common.
“Because we have (our veterinarian), it becomes financially possible to provide dental care for all of our cats…If I had to take all these cats into a private vet – to do it would be unbelievable and I couldn’t afford it. I think it’s very important to all shelters but they’re just not lucky enough to have the vets I have. If they were fortunate enough, I’m sure they’d want to do the same thing.”
– Virginia E. Yancey, Love & Hope Animal Sancturary in New York
“We wrote a grant and got equipment to be able to do dental on site. That has been a tremendous help, and most shelters wouldn’t have that…We’re unique in that we have three veterinarians – it allows us to address those issues faster than a regular shelter that doesn’t have a veterinarian on site.”
– Joan Smith-Reese
“Our shelter is the anomaly. Most shelters don’t have the $20-30k for the equipment we have. What we would pay to send out (to a private veterinarian) – we do that 15 times and we’ve paid for our dental equipment.”
– Dr. Cynthia Servantez, DVM, Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care and Adoption Center
Importantly, multiple shelters noted the role dental health can have on a shelter’s ultimate mission: finding forever homes for their animals.
“We’ve seen it be a limitation to adoption. People know that what we consider a geriatric dog at 9 years can live another 8 years. We’ve had dogs be in 10 meet-and-greets but come back for dental reasons. Cleaning can be a grand. Extractions and x-rays can cost upwards of $2,000. It also adds to the stress of the dog in the shelter. Dental care is an important issue.”
– Dr. Cynthia Servantez, DVM
Learning
SHOULD SHELTERS DO DENTALS?
A question during National Pet Dental Health Month
by Zoetis for Shelters
It’s no secret that dental care has historically taken a backseat in shelter medicine. Many other health issues certainly seem more pressing within a shelter population. Recently though, an increasing number of shelters are seeing the positive effect dental care has on health and adoption rates and have added dental care into their repertoire. To wrap up dental month, we’re asking our member shelters to consider answering one or more of the following questions:
- Do you consider dental care a priority in your shelter?
- Does your shelter provide dental care? If not, why?
- How do you decide which pets receive dental care?
- What can other shelters and rescues learn from your successes and failures?
Send us your thoughts and we’ll share your answers with our member shelters during the coming weeks. Thanks.
“I think dental is becoming more of a focus. When you have problems in your mouth, it can affect your overall health – your whole body. Even if you go into a Petsmart or Petco today, there’s a lot more emphasis on dental than there was even two years ago. But we have a long way to go.”
- Joan Smith-Reese, Executive Director of Animal Care Sanctuary in East Smithfield, Pennsylvania
“When people contact us because their dog is suddenly having a ‘behavior issue’, we won't even speak to them until the dog goes to the vet. Arthritis and dental pain can cause immediate and dramatic behavior changes…We once pulled an older female on deaths door from a hoarder; (she) could barely stand for a few seconds. (We) took her to the vet immediately – (she had) multiple infected teeth. One dental visit later, several extractions, and some antibiotics and she was a new dog. Teeth are vital to an animal’s health and we promote dental health extensively.”
- Elizabeth and Rick Riddle, Central Illinois German Shepherd Dog Rescue, Urbana, IL
Still, the expense of dental care makes it impossible for many shelters and rescues to provide it on a routine basis.
“At Greater Hillsdale HS we do dentals on only the pets needing them, just not everyone.”
– Renee Goshorn, Shelter Manager, Greater Hillsdale Humane Society, Osseo, MI
“All of my cats in my no kill facility have their teeth checked and if cleaning or extractions need to be done we do it.”
– Denise Sinico
“We are a small rescue organization working almost exclusively with canine. We do not have a staff vet. However, if a dog is older (8+) and/or if there is a question of dental health, broken teeth, heavy staining and/or tartar build up we often do a dental. Most often this is done when the pet is under anesthesia for spay or neuter. We believe that if an animal needs vetting it should be done.”
– Marilyn Hughes, Excelsior Springs Friends of Animals
For those organizations who are fortunate enough to have regular access to veterinary care, providing dentals is becoming more and more common.
“Because we have (our veterinarian), it becomes financially possible to provide dental care for all of our cats…If I had to take all these cats into a private vet – to do it would be unbelievable and I couldn’t afford it. I think it’s very important to all shelters but they’re just not lucky enough to have the vets I have. If they were fortunate enough, I’m sure they’d want to do the same thing.”
– Virginia E. Yancey, Love & Hope Animal Sancturary in New York
“We wrote a grant and got equipment to be able to do dental on site. That has been a tremendous help, and most shelters wouldn’t have that…We’re unique in that we have three veterinarians – it allows us to address those issues faster than a regular shelter that doesn’t have a veterinarian on site.”
– Joan Smith-Reese
“Our shelter is the anomaly. Most shelters don’t have the $20-30k for the equipment we have. What we would pay to send out (to a private veterinarian) – we do that 15 times and we’ve paid for our dental equipment.”
– Dr. Cynthia Servantez, DVM, Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care and Adoption Center
Importantly, multiple shelters noted the role dental health can have on a shelter’s ultimate mission: finding forever homes for their animals.
“We’ve seen it be a limitation to adoption. People know that what we consider a geriatric dog at 9 years can live another 8 years. We’ve had dogs be in 10 meet-and-greets but come back for dental reasons. Cleaning can be a grand. Extractions and x-rays can cost upwards of $2,000. It also adds to the stress of the dog in the shelter. Dental care is an important issue.”
– Dr. Cynthia Servantez, DVM
Community
FROM A DREAM TO REALITY:
DIPLOMATE STATUS IN SHELTER MEDICINE PRACTICE
by Daniella (Dee) Latham
Years of work as a veterinarian, a true dedication to shelter medicine, and a love of rescue animals: those are the qualifications that veterinarians brought to the first sitting of the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Shelter Medicine Practice certification exam. The inaugural event took place last November at the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP) annual symposium.
I spoke with one of the few veterinarians that achieved Diplomate status, Dr. Brian DiGangi, DVM, MS, DABVP (Canine & Feline Practice, Shelter Medicine Practice), Clinical Assistant Professor of Shelter Medicine at the University of Florida, and sitting President of the Board of Directors of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians.
How was the exam?
Dr. DiGangi: The exam was difficult. It spanned two days, with 400 questions, but that was expected – ABVP seeks to certify veterinarians who demonstrate excellence and practice at the highest caliber in their field. Even those well-versed in the subject should expect to have to study hard, delve deep into the existing knowledge base of their field, and, humbling as it may be, get stumped on a few exam questions!
What was the pass rate (even among this very small sample)?
Dr. DiGangi: Four veterinarians successfully completed both parts of the examination and a number of others passed one of the two sections. Many veterinarians – across all specialties – don’t pass through the full certification process on their first attempt. We were very pleased to have such a strong showing at the very first examination of our brand new field of specialty.
What is the next step for the AVMA regarding the program?
Dr. DiGangi: Our specialty was granted provisional status by the AVMA in 2014, and within 4-10 years, we will be eligible to submit a request for full recognition.
What does this board certification do for those who have it?
Dr. DiGangi: For many, it is a personal goal. Board certification recognizes the many trail-blazing shelter veterinarians who have worked for many years to define the specialty and had the determination to see this long process through to this point. I imagine (and hope) there is a huge sense of accomplishment and pride that comes with looking back and seeing the fruits of their labors in all of the veterinarians working through the certification process.
Who should prepare for next year’s exam?
Dr. DiGangi: The next round of applicants has already submitted their credentials packets for review. While awaiting feedback from the review committees, these individuals should certainly begin creating their study plan for the examination this October.
Any veterinarian who thinks they might be interested in completing the certification process, should familiarize themselves with the certification criteria and begin thinking through their cases from a specialty-level approach. Veterinarians are not eligible to apply until they have completed the equivalent of 5 years of practice in the field of shelter medicine, but it takes 1-2 years to put together a competitive application packet – so start early!
Should shelter-focused veterinary students consider this?
Dr. DiGangi: Absolutely! ABVP has been reaching out to veterinary students across the country to let them know about the opportunities for specialization within their organization. As I indicated above, the process is long and detailed, so having this goal in mind as you start out your veterinary career will help ensure that you are successful when the time comes.
The efforts of Dr. DiGangi, as well as all of those who sat for the exam, is ultimately a victory for the animals. When we think about what this improving standard of care means for them, it can bring tears to your eyes. Those that were once discarded have a better chance of getting the medical care they need and of being adopted. It gives them more chances to feel love.
“I think dental is becoming more of a focus. When you have problems in your mouth, it can affect your overall health – your whole body. Even if you go into a Petsmart or Petco today, there’s a lot more emphasis on dental than there was even two years ago. But we have a long way to go.”
- Joan Smith-Reese, Executive Director of Animal Care Sanctuary in East Smithfield, Pennsylvania
“When people contact us because their dog is suddenly having a ‘behavior issue’, we won't even speak to them until the dog goes to the vet. Arthritis and dental pain can cause immediate and dramatic behavior changes…We once pulled an older female on deaths door from a hoarder; (she) could barely stand for a few seconds. (We) took her to the vet immediately – (she had) multiple infected teeth. One dental visit later, several extractions, and some antibiotics and she was a new dog. Teeth are vital to an animal’s health and we promote dental health extensively.”
- Elizabeth and Rick Riddle, Central Illinois German Shepherd Dog Rescue, Urbana, IL
Still, the expense of dental care makes it impossible for many shelters and rescues to provide it on a routine basis.
“At Greater Hillsdale HS we do dentals on only the pets needing them, just not everyone.”
– Renee Goshorn, Shelter Manager, Greater Hillsdale Humane Society, Osseo, MI
“All of my cats in my no kill facility have their teeth checked and if cleaning or extractions need to be done we do it.”
– Denise Sinico
“We are a small rescue organization working almost exclusively with canine. We do not have a staff vet. However, if a dog is older (8+) and/or if there is a question of dental health, broken teeth, heavy staining and/or tartar build up we often do a dental. Most often this is done when the pet is under anesthesia for spay or neuter. We believe that if an animal needs vetting it should be done.”
– Marilyn Hughes, Excelsior Springs Friends of Animals
For those organizations who are fortunate enough to have regular access to veterinary care, providing dentals is becoming more and more common.
“Because we have (our veterinarian), it becomes financially possible to provide dental care for all of our cats…If I had to take all these cats into a private vet – to do it would be unbelievable and I couldn’t afford it. I think it’s very important to all shelters but they’re just not lucky enough to have the vets I have. If they were fortunate enough, I’m sure they’d want to do the same thing.”
– Virginia E. Yancey, Love & Hope Animal Sancturary in New York
“We wrote a grant and got equipment to be able to do dental on site. That has been a tremendous help, and most shelters wouldn’t have that…We’re unique in that we have three veterinarians – it allows us to address those issues faster than a regular shelter that doesn’t have a veterinarian on site.”
– Joan Smith-Reese
“Our shelter is the anomaly. Most shelters don’t have the $20-30k for the equipment we have. What we would pay to send out (to a private veterinarian) – we do that 15 times and we’ve paid for our dental equipment.”
– Dr. Cynthia Servantez, DVM, Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care and Adoption Center
Importantly, multiple shelters noted the role dental health can have on a shelter’s ultimate mission: finding forever homes for their animals.
“We’ve seen it be a limitation to adoption. People know that what we consider a geriatric dog at 9 years can live another 8 years. We’ve had dogs be in 10 meet-and-greets but come back for dental reasons. Cleaning can be a grand. Extractions and x-rays can cost upwards of $2,000. It also adds to the stress of the dog in the shelter. Dental care is an important issue.”
– Dr. Cynthia Servantez, DVM
Community
HOW SHELTERS DO DENTALS
by Zoetis for Shelters
Should shelters do dentals? That’s the question we asked our Zoetis for Shelters community during February, National Pet Dental Health Month. The variety of your responses highlight both the similarities and differences that exist within the shelter/rescue community.
Among animal care professionals and pet owners, there seems to be a growing awareness of how important dental health can be to animals’ overall health and behavior. ZFS members’ responses underscore that awareness.
“I think dental is becoming more of a focus. When you have problems in your mouth, it can affect your overall health – your whole body. Even if you go into a Petsmart or Petco today, there’s a lot more emphasis on dental than there was even two years ago. But we have a long way to go.”
- Joan Smith-Reese, Executive Director of Animal Care Sanctuary in East Smithfield, Pennsylvania
“When people contact us because their dog is suddenly having a ‘behavior issue’, we won't even speak to them until the dog goes to the vet. Arthritis and dental pain can cause immediate and dramatic behavior changes…We once pulled an older female on deaths door from a hoarder; (she) could barely stand for a few seconds. (We) took her to the vet immediately – (she had) multiple infected teeth. One dental visit later, several extractions, and some antibiotics and she was a new dog. Teeth are vital to an animal’s health and we promote dental health extensively.”
- Elizabeth and Rick Riddle, Central Illinois German Shepherd Dog Rescue, Urbana, IL
Still, the expense of dental care makes it impossible for many shelters and rescues to provide it on a routine basis.
“At Greater Hillsdale HS we do dentals on only the pets needing them, just not everyone.”
– Renee Goshorn, Shelter Manager, Greater Hillsdale Humane Society, Osseo, MI
“All of my cats in my no kill facility have their teeth checked and if cleaning or extractions need to be done we do it.”
– Denise Sinico
“We are a small rescue organization working almost exclusively with canine. We do not have a staff vet. However, if a dog is older (8+) and/or if there is a question of dental health, broken teeth, heavy staining and/or tartar build up we often do a dental. Most often this is done when the pet is under anesthesia for spay or neuter. We believe that if an animal needs vetting it should be done.”
– Marilyn Hughes, Excelsior Springs Friends of Animals
For those organizations who are fortunate enough to have regular access to veterinary care, providing dentals is becoming more and more common.
“Because we have (our veterinarian), it becomes financially possible to provide dental care for all of our cats…If I had to take all these cats into a private vet – to do it would be unbelievable and I couldn’t afford it. I think it’s very important to all shelters but they’re just not lucky enough to have the vets I have. If they were fortunate enough, I’m sure they’d want to do the same thing.”
– Virginia E. Yancey, Love & Hope Animal Sancturary in New York
“We wrote a grant and got equipment to be able to do dental on site. That has been a tremendous help, and most shelters wouldn’t have that…We’re unique in that we have three veterinarians – it allows us to address those issues faster than a regular shelter that doesn’t have a veterinarian on site.”
– Joan Smith-Reese
“Our shelter is the anomaly. Most shelters don’t have the $20-30k for the equipment we have. What we would pay to send out (to a private veterinarian) – we do that 15 times and we’ve paid for our dental equipment.”
– Dr. Cynthia Servantez, DVM, Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care and Adoption Center
Importantly, multiple shelters noted the role dental health can have on a shelter’s ultimate mission: finding forever homes for their animals.
“We’ve seen it be a limitation to adoption. People know that what we consider a geriatric dog at 9 years can live another 8 years. We’ve had dogs be in 10 meet-and-greets but come back for dental reasons. Cleaning can be a grand. Extractions and x-rays can cost upwards of $2,000. It also adds to the stress of the dog in the shelter. Dental care is an important issue.”
– Dr. Cynthia Servantez, DVM
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