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The WTAA sponsors a
Pet-of-the-Week article in the Covington Leader. The WTAA also actively
works to raise awareness about spay and neuter programs, and other
pet-related issues through the the publication of various articles in
local newspapers.
Halloween
Safety Tips for Pets and Pet Owners from the ASPCA – Halloween
can be a traumatic and even dangerous time for your pet. Ms. Jacque
Schultz, ASPCA Director of Companion Animal Services, offers some
common-sense tips to protect your pet on Halloween: Don't
leave your pet out in the yard on Halloween: There are plenty of stories
of vicious pranksters who have teased, injured, stolen, even killed pets
on this night. Trick-or-treat
candies are not for pets: Chocolate is poisonous to a lot of animals,
and tin foil and cellophane candy wrappers can be hazardous if
swallowed. Be
careful of pets around a lit pumpkin: Pets may knock it over and cause a
fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned. Don't
dress the dog in costume unless you know he loves it. Otherwise, it puts
a lot of stress on the animal. If
you do dress up your dog, make sure the costume isn't constricting,
annoying or unsafe. Be careful not to obstruct her vision even the
sweetest dogs can get snappy when they can't see what's going on around
them. All
but the most social dogs should be kept in a separate room during
trick-or-treat visiting hours; too many strangers in strange garb can be
scary for a dog. Be
careful your cat or dog doesn't dart out through the open door. While
this can be a fun time for people and pets alike, remember that your
pets are depending on you to keep them safe from the more dangerous
goblins and ghouls that this holiday brings. Further
questions about animal safety and behavior, can be directed to the
Animal Behavior Helpline in New York, NY, 212-876-7700, ext. 4357
(HELP), Monday through Friday 1-5 p.m. The
ASPCA, the first humane organization, was founded in 1866 to alleviate
pain, fear and suffering in all animals. The organization provides
hands-on services for animals such as adoption, low-cost spay-neuter and
veterinary care and humane law enforcement. With headquarters in New
York City and offices around the nation, the ASPCA provides national
educational programs, shelter outreach services and performs advocacy on
behalf of animals. For more information on Animal Awareness, Spay and Neutering, and Humane Animal Care, contact the West Tennessee Animal Alliance at 901-849-1850. The WTAA is a non-profit organization that supports the Tipton County Animal Shelter and animal initiatives in the greater Memphis area. Find your new best friend at www.tiptonshelter.petfinder.com We would love to share your successful adoption stories from the shelter. If you are interested in knowing more or joining/supporting the West Tennessee Animal Alliance please call 849-1850 or write us at: West Tennessee Animal Alliance P.O. Box 1355 Munford, TN 38058.
Adopting
a Pet Five
Questions To Ask Yourself Before Adopting A Pet Caring
for a companion animal goes far beyond providing food, water and
shelter. By taking the time to speak with animal rescue groups, other
pet owners, or doing some internet research, you've taken your first
step to responsible pet ownership. It's smart to do your research and
careful planning before bringing a dog or cat home. What are your
answers to the following questions? 1.
Are you ready to make a long-term commitment? 2.
Can you spend quality time with this animal? 3.
Will you be responsible for your pet's health and safety? You'll
also need to spay or neuter your pet, and make sure that he or she has
proper identification-that means a collar and tags and a more permanent
form of ID such as microchipping. 4.
Do you know what kind of pet is right for you? 5.
(for dog adopters) (for
cat adopters) Always
consult a veterinarian briefing regarding any odd or inappropriate
behaviors. These can be
signs of illness or disease. Hopefully
you have answered well to these questions or are on the way to finding
the answers. In the United
States alone, over 575 animals are killed needlessly every hour due to
over population. Whether
this is the cause of a lack of spaying and neutering our animals or not
thinking through all of the facets of responsible pet ownership we can
reduce this number by encouraging animal awareness programs and by
actively practicing humane animal care. The
ASPCA, the first humane organization, was founded in 1866 to alleviate
pain, fear and suffering in all animals. The organization provides
hands-on services for animals such as adoption, low-cost spay-neuter and
veterinary care and humane law enforcement. With headquarters in New
York City and offices around the nation, the ASPCA provides national
educational programs, shelter outreach services and performs advocacy on
behalf of animals. For
more information on Animal Awareness, Spay and Neutering, and Humane
Animal Care, contact the West Tennessee Animal Alliance at 901-849-1850.
The WTAA is a non-profit organization that supports the Tipton
County Animal Shelter and animal initiatives in the greater Memphis
area. Find your new best friend at www.tiptonshelter.petfinder.com
We would love to share your successful adoption stories from the
shelter. If you are
interested in knowing more or joining/supporting the West Tennessee
Animal Alliance please call 849-1850 or write us at: West Tennessee
Animal Alliance P.O. Box 1355 Munford, TN
38058.
SPAYING AND NEUTERING: MYTHS v. FACTS The
excuses for not having pets spayed or neutered are numerous:
MYTH: My pet will get fat and lazy. FACT: The truth is that most pets get fat and lazy because they are fed too much and don’t get enough exercise. MYTH: It's better to have one litter first. FACT: Medical evidence indicates that females spayed before their first heat are typically healthier. Many veterinarians now sterilize dogs and cats as young as eight weeks of age. MYTH: I don't want my male dog or cat to feel like less of a male. FACT: Pets don't have any concept of sexual identity or ego. Neutering will not change a pet's basic personality. He doesn't suffer any kind of emotional reaction or identity crisis when neutered. MYTH: It's too expensive to have my pet spayed or neutered. FACT: The cost of spaying or neutering depends on the sex, size, and age of the pet, your veterinarian's fees, and a number of other variables. But whatever the actual price, spay or neuter surgery is a one-time cost—a relatively small cost when compared to all the benefits. It's a bargain compared to the cost of having a litter and ensuring the health of the mother and litter; two months of pregnancy and another two months until the litter is weaned can add up to significant veterinary bills and food costs if complications develop. Most importantly, it's a very small price to pay for the health of your pet and the prevention of the births of more unwanted pets. If you have a pet that has not been “fixed”, please reassess your reasons and do your part to end the vicious cycle of pet overpopulation and euthanasia of healthy adoptable animals. There are programs available to those who are in need of financial assistance and veterinarians that perform low cost spaying and neutering. Shop around for this service! Both dogs and cats can produce offspring throughout the year, however, the season is fast approaching for cats to begin reproducing at a phenomenal rate. In seven years, one cat and her young can produce 420,000 kittens. Unfortunately, most of the kittens born in the next few months will be homeless. Consider the fact that in six short years, one female dog and her offspring can give birth to 67,000 puppies. Please
take a moment to reflect on the lives of animals in our society today.
It only takes a visit to one of many shelters throughout the
nation to see that we have a serious pet overpopulation problem.
The statistics are staggering and behind every statistic is a
living, breathing animal born into this world only to be euthanized or
left wandering the streets lacking proper food, shelter, and veterinary
care. The Humane Society of
the United States estimates that 6-8 million dogs and cats enter
shelters each year and that 3-4 million are adopted while the other 3-4
million are euthanized. There
simply are not enough loving homes.
The irony of the situation lies in the fact that we have the
solution, the technology, and the simple “fix” (literally) to end
euthanasia today. This
could be the last day that a healthy animal has to die because of the
insensitivity of our society.
Spay/neuter initiatives are being developed nationwide, and many
wonderful people are dedicated to saving as many homeless animals as
possible but it is a never-ending battle. Every year, millions upon millions of animals are euthanized
through no fault of their own and many others are struggling to survive
on the streets with no place to call home.
Let’s take the steps necessary to help Tipton County spring to
the forefront as a caring and compassionate community, putting an end to
the problem of pet overpopulation.
This column brought to you courtesy of West Tennessee Animal
Alliance, a non-profit group of animal lovers in Tipton County.
Our focus is to help the Tipton County Animal Shelter and other
homeless animals in the county and surrounding areas.
We are working on several projects including an Adopt a Pet Day,
pet education materials and fundraisers to help defray the cost of
spaying and neutering. We
would love to share your successful adoption stories from the Tipton
County Shelter. If you are
interested in knowing more or joining/supporting West Tennessee Animal
Alliance please call 849-1850 or write us with your adoption story at:
West Tennessee Animal Alliance P.O. Box 1355 Munford, TN
38058. Myths/facts and statistics were reprinted by permission of The Humane Society of the United States.
Adopt
from a local shelter and SAVE A LIFE The
Humane Society of the United States estimates that nearly 8 to 10
million cats and dogs enter shelters each year. Many of these
“unwanted” cats and dogs, at least one out of every pair, are put to
sleep because they are not adopted. Adopting from a shelter rather than
a breeder or a pet store will save a life. Many
people believe that shelter pets are overly aggressive and have
behavioral problems. With this generalization in mind, they immediately
dismiss the shelter as an option for finding a pet to adopt. The
reality, however, is that the majority of pets are surrendered to
shelters for reasons having nothing to do with an unpleasant behavioral
pattern. A recent study conducted by the National Council on Pet
Population revealed that the main reasons why pets are yielded to a
shelter are as follows: 15%
of owners surrender their pets because they are unprepared to care for
the pets 25%
of owners surrender their pets because the pets are not compatible with
their lifestyle 29%
of owners surrender their pets because of housing problems And
the remaining 29% of owners surrender their pets because of behavior
problems As
you can see, only a minority of pet owners give up their pets to a
shelter because of aggression problems. The majority of pet owners are
forced to give up their pets due to circumstance, or out of a hope that
the shelter will provide their pets with a chance to find a better
owner. In addition to this, it is important to remember that shelter
pets might be scared and are in a stressful environment, which could
cause them to be withdrawn or more aggressive than their true nature. Often
people think that shelters only have mature pets of a mixed breed.
Shelters have many puppies and kittens available for adoption every day.
With that said, adopting a mature dog or cat can be very rewarding. Adopting an older animal means that the owner does not have
to go through the demanding stage of raising a puppy or kitten. Also by
adopting an older pet the owner knows what the temperament and size of
the pet will be. Some of the mature pets are also housetrained and may
already have some basic training. As for adopting a certain breed,
usually one can find a purebred in a shelter, or tell the shelter
personnel to put one’s name on a list for a specific breed. Purebred
cats and dogs are not healthier, smarter or cuter than a mixed breed.
Therefore, please do not overlook a lovable pet because of its
breed. A
big advantage of adopting a pet from a shelter is the price. Adopting
from a shelter is usually much more inexpensive than purchasing a dog or
cat from a pet store or breeder. Some of the animals in shelters have
already been neutered or spayed and shelters, and if they haven’t, the
shelters usually give a monetary incentive to the adopters to have the
pets neutered and spayed. Additionally, many shelter animals have
already been wormed and vaccinated. Above
all, adopting a shelter animal will give you the satisfaction of saving
a life. Pets are amazing creatures, who improve our lives and give back
much more than we provide for them. This
column brought to you courtesy of the West Tennessee Animal Alliance, a
non-profit group of animal advocate volunteers in Tipton County. Our focus is to help the Tipton County Animal Shelter and
other homeless animals in the county.
We are working on several projects including educational forums
and fundraisers. Through
Community support and sponsorship we help defray the cost of spaying and
neutering. Look for our pet
columns in the Covington Leader. We
would love to share your successful adoption stories from the Tipton
County Shelter. If you are interested in knowing more or joining/supporting
the West Tennessee Animal Alliance Check out our Websites
Websites:www.spaytipton.org and www.tiptonshelter.petfinder.or give us a
call 849-1850 Write to us at: West Tennessee Animal Alliance Email:wtaa@spaytipton.org/
com P.O. Box 1355 Munford, TN 38058.
Heartworm Disease: The Whole Story What
are Heartworms?
Heartworms are small, thin parasitic worms that, once they have
infected a host, live in the right ventricle and other connected blood
vessels of the heart. These worms are transmitted from one host to
another by mosquitoes and can greatly affect the health of your pet-
whether you own a cat or a dog. How
do Heartworms affect my dog? Once
the Heartworms mature and move into the dog’s right ventricle (this
process can take up to seven months), the serious damage to the host
begins. The worms damage the artery linings within days and as a result,
cause the inflammation of the arteries and lungs of the canine. Blood
clots and aneurysms can form and the complete blockage of smaller blood
vessels can occur. Due to fluid buildup from these blocked vessels, lung
tissue is lost and blood oxygenation is affected. As more vessels are
blocked, blood pressure increases in the right side of the heart and
stretches the heart muscle. As the disease progresses, the extra
proteins produced by the over-active immune system of the dog settle out
in various organs and cause inflammation, damage and pain in the eyes,
kidney, blood vessels and joints. How
do Heartworms affect my cat? Cats
are not the usual “victim” of the Heartworm parasite. Though it is
somewhat rare for a feline to become infected, the Heartworm disease
tends to infect male cats more than female cats, and when they are
infected, the results can be serious. Even a small group of Heartworms
can cause sudden, serious, and, sometimes, even fatal reaction in the
cat. The main result of a Heartworm infection in a cat is the
inflammation of both the arteries and of surrounding lung tissue. This
inflammation is can greatly effect the feline hosts. This inflammation,
coupled with dying worms, can cause partial to complete blood vessel
blockage, with can affect the cat’s lungs and other organs. What
are some warning signs? In
dogs there are no visible or detectable signs of infection until the
final stages of the disease. Then, symptoms such as exercise
intolerance, nosebleeds, and a shortness of breath surface. The dog may
even develop a type of pneumonia due to lung inflammation caused by the
Heartworms. Finally, your pet might also collapse. In
cats, common warning signs include lung disease associated with a
difficulty in breathing or with rapid or shallow breathing, gagging or
vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Many of these
signs are difficult to distinguish from those of feline asthma. Other
signs that indicate lung obstruction related to Heartworms are a loss of
coordination, seizures, bleeding from the nose or collapse. It is
important to note that, in either animal, a collapse is a sign of
tremendous problems with blockage of the heart, and that the death of
your pet is almost unpreventable, even with surgery, at this point of
the Heartworm infection. How
can I test my pet for Heartworm? There
are various kinds of heartworm tests, but the three most common tests
deal with testing blood samples for the presence of certain substances. In
the most widely used test, blood is searched for evidence of a certain
protein given off by a sexually mature female worm that is actively
producing microfilaria (young Heartworm offspring). Sadly, these tests
may miss an infection if there are only one or two adult female worms
present in your pet’s body.
Many other tests look for the microfilaria itself in a blood
sample. These tests use special chemicals to break down the blood cells
for analysis under a microscope, though even these more complicated
tests can miss a Heartworm infection if there are very few microfilaria
or if your pet has an Occult Heartworm infection. (An infection in which
microfilaria are not produced for some reason.)
The last type of commonly used test examines the blood for
antibodies produced to battle off the larval stages of the heartworm.
This test can be very accurate, but can also be extremely misleading,
for the antibodies persist in the pet’s body long after the worms die,
and thus the test only reveals if the pet has ever been exposed to
heartworms in it’s life. How
can I prevent Heartworms? Preventing
heartworm in your pet is much simpler than allowing the disease to
affect your pet. Preventatives can be purchased, with a prescription
from your veterinarian, from many places. Medicines for canines
implement varied dosage schedules, but the most common schedule involves
giving your
dog the medicine orally once a month. Felines, on the other hand, only
have two Heartworm-prevention medicines available- Interceptor® Flavor
Tabs® and Feline HeartGard. Both of these preventatives are given
orally once a month. This column brought to you courtesy of the West Tennessee Animal Alliance, a non-profit group of animal lovers in Tipton County. Our focus is to help the Tipton County Animal Shelter and other homeless animals in the county. We are working on several projects including an Adopt a Pet Day, pet education materials and fundraisers to help defray the cost of spaying and neutering. We also hope to have an occasional pet column in the Covington Leader. We would love to share your successful adoption stories from the Tipton County Shelter. If you are interested in knowing more or joining/supporting the West Tennessee Animal Alliance please call 849-1850 or write us with your adoption story at: West Tennessee Animal Alliance P.O. Box 1355 Munford, TN 38058.
Housebreaking
your Puppy: The
Do’s and Don’ts “The
Do’s”: -
DO
Take the puppy out every two hours by the clock during normal waking
hours -
DO
Also take the puppy out immediately after eating, waking, playing,
whenever the puppy starts rooting around or appearing anxious, and
immediately before going to sleep for the night. -
DO
Pick the puppy up and take it to the same place each time it needs to
urinate/defecate. -
DO
Immediately praise the puppy and give it a small treat when it uses the
bathroom in the correct place. -
DO
If you catch your pet urinating/defecating inside the house, make a loud
noise to startle it and then pick it up and carry it to the correct
place for it to finish its business. -
DO
Make sure you let the puppy ‘go’ several times before letting it
back in the house, for puppies lack the ability to completely empty
their bladder and bowels on the first squat. -
DO
Keep the puppy close by when you are in the house, so you can monitor
its actions. -
DO
Clean all accident areas with a disinfectant and/or odor neutralizer. -
DO
Feed the puppy regularly to make it easier to predict when it will have
to urinate/defecate. -
DO Practice
“crate training” – the placement of the puppy in a pet-bed-sized
crate when it cannot be watched over. If you practice crate training, do
not place water or food inside the crate, just a blanket, and perhaps a
toy or two to keep the puppy occupied. -
DO use
specific verbal cues when taking the puppy out to use the bathroom.
Remember that it you choose a certain cue (i.e. “Outside?”) when you
take the puppy outside to eliminate, then all members of the family must
use the same cue when taking the puppy out to relieve itself. -
Do Ignore
“spontaneous urination”. Sometimes, young puppies may automatically
urinate when first meeting someone, or when scared. If this happens,
ignore it and clean up the mess. If you do not overreact, the puppy
should outgrow this between four and seven months of age. “The
Don’ts”: -
DON’T
Reprimand or punish
the puppy when it has an accident. -
DON’T
Take the puppy over to it’s puddle or pile and put his face in it or
show it to him, this is meaningless to the puppy. -
DON’T
Put the puppy outside by itself to eliminate. If you wait until they
come back to the house to reward it, it will think it is being rewarded
for coming back inside, not for using the restroom in the correct place. -
DON’T
Have unrealistic
expectations. Puppies can only go for three to four hours without
urinating until they are six months old. -
DON’T
Feed them
irregularly or overdo treats. Treats should only be about the size of a
pea, and if you overdo them, the puppy will no connect the rewards with
their actions. -
DON’T
Lose your temper, hit the puppy, or use loud verbal reprimands. In
conclusion, patience and consistency are the two keys to successful
housetraining. Once again, we cannot stress the point NOT TO PUNISH THE
PUPPY enough; nor can we stress the point to PRAISE THE PUPPY’S
CORRECT ACTIONS enough. As
long as you pay attention to your puppy and show it kindness and
understanding, housetraining will be a quick, clean, easy process. This
column brought to you courtesy of the West Tennessee Animal Alliance, a
non-profit group of animal lovers in Tipton County.
Our focus is to help the Tipton County Animal Shelter and other
homeless animals in the county. We
are working on several projects including an Adopt a Pet Day, pet
education materials and fundraisers to help defray the cost of spaying
and neutering. We also hope
to have an occasional pet column in the Covington Leader.
We would love to share your successful adoption stories from the
Tipton County Shelter. If
you are interested in knowing more or joining/supporting the West
Tennessee Animal Alliance please call 849-1850 or write us with your
adoption story at: West Tennessee Animal Alliance P.O. Box 1355 Munford,
TN 38058.
Pet
Vaccinations:
Pet vaccinations are the most basic forms of pet care.
Unfortunately, many pet owners underestimate the importance of pet shots
and become negligent towards the schedule of vaccinations.
Vaccinations immunize a pet through controlled exposition. A
vaccine contains a safe, modified version of a virus or bacteria that
causes a disease. When this modified disease is introduced unto a
pet’s immune system, the body begins to produce antibodies and a
process called “mediated immunity” is stimulated. These two
reactions together form a set response to the disease, therefore when
the pet is exposed to the disease later in life, the body is able to
quickly and efficiently react, destroying the threat before it affects
the pet. One
common question raised about pet vaccinations is this: are pet
vaccinations really necessary? The answer, undoubtedly, is yes. Shots
help protect pets from a wide range of possibly fatal diseases, and in
addition, cost considerably less than the treatment for the diseases
they are designed to protect .
A single vaccination, however, does not last forever.
“Booster” vaccinations must be administered at regular intervals of
one, two, or three years. In order to set the best schedule for your
pet, it is strongly advised to consult with your veterinarian.
Vaccines are provided for many diseases that afflict pets. Common
shots tailored toward dogs include vaccinations against rabies,
distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, parvo virus, leptospirosis, lyme
disease, corona virus, bordetella, and giardia. Cat-tailored shots
protect against rabies, panleukopenia, feline calicivirus, feline
rhinotracheitis, feline leukemia, ringworm, chlamydia and feline
infectious peritonitis. Once again it is strongly advised to consult
with your veterinarian to decide which of these shots are necessary to
protect your pet.
To conclude, it is important to note that vaccinations are the
safest, simplest and most effective means of ensuring a long, healthy
life for your pet. In the case of young puppies and kittens, vaccines
are doubly important to ensure a healthy life. While vaccines are not
perfectly faultless, adverse reactions are rare and can usually be
avoided. This column brought to you courtesy of the West Tennessee Animal Alliance, a non-profit group of animal lovers in Tipton County. Our focus is to help the Tipton County Animal Shelter and other homeless animals in the county. We are working on several projects including an Adopt a Pet Day, pet education materials and fundraisers to help defray the cost of spaying and neutering. We also hope to have an occasional pet column in the Covington Leader. We would love to share your successful adoption stories from the Tipton County Shelter. If you are interested in knowing more or joining/supporting the West Tennessee Animal Alliance please call 849-1850 or write us with your adoption story at: West Tennessee Animal Alliance P.O. Box 1355 Munford, TN 38058.
Cold
Weather Tips for Pets As
you start to winterize your home and your car, please do not forget
about your pets. Start
by making sure that your pets have a warm place to sleep.
Such place should be off the floor and away from drafts.
Pets should be kept inside during inclement weather.
However, if you must leave your pets outside make sure that you
provide them with a sheltered place to sleep.
You might consider a bed made of dry straw, shavings, or blanket
strips. Also check the bed for moisture, and change the bedding material
when wet or damp. Again,
pets, especially young and older pets, should be kept inside. Take your
pets outside just for short bathroom breaks.
Both cats and dogs are at risk of getting frostbite or freezing.
Frostbitten skin appears red, gray or whitish and may peel off.
If you think that your pet has frostbite, wrap the pet in a
blanket or towel and call your veterinarian. When
taking your dogs for a walk, do not let them off their leashes,
especially in the snow. Dogs might lose their scent and become lost.
Remove metal collars in cold weather.
Pets that wear such collars and spend several hours outdoors
might develop neck burns, because the steel attracts the cold.
Opt for a leather or nylon collar instead. Some
dogs, especially those with short coats, have a low tolerance for cold.
Some breads that do not tolerate cold weather are Greyhounds,
Dobermans, Boxers, Boston Terriers, and Chihuahuas.
You might consider a doggie sweater.
Also you can protect you pet by applying a small amount of
Vaseline, cooking oil or spay butter to your dog’s feet before taking
them out in the snow. This will prevent ice balls from forming between
the pads and toes of the feet. You
can also trim the hair on you pet’s feet to prevent the formation of
ice balls. Additionally,
inspect your pet’s paws when returning from outdoors, and wipe off
their paws, legs and stomach. Also, when you bathe your pets, be sure to
dry their coats well. Similarly
to hot weather, do not leave your pets alone in a car. A car can act as
a refrigerator and the temperature could get cold enough to kill your
pets. Another
danger with cars is that their warm engines attract pets and wild life,
especially cats. When the
car is started the animals can be seriously injured or killed by the fan
blade or belt. You can
prevent this by banging on the hood of your car or by honking the horn
before starting the engine. Also, related to cars, keep you pets away
from antifreeze solution. Antifreeze
is attractive but deadly to pets. If
you think your pet has ingested antifreeze, take them to your
veterinarian immediately Pets
need proper nutrition during cold weather.
If your pet spends most of its time indoors, it does not need to
eat as much food as during active summer months. On the other hand, if
your pets spend several hours outdoors, they will need additional food.
Also make sure that you provide fresh, unfrozen water. Pets
are similar to young children, therefore make sure that you protect them
from deadly hazards such as portable heathers and fireplaces.
Place heathers away from their reach and use fireplace screens.
Also pay attention to tinsel and other small decorations, which
during the holiday season could turn deadly. Tinsel may cause
obstruction of the intestine, and its sharp edges could cut the
intestines of your pet. Other
household hazards include: cleaners, mothballs, frayed electrical
outlets, carbon monoxide poisoning, and indoor plants. Additionally,
remember that a pet is lifetime commitment and if you intend to give a
pet as a gift, during this holiday season, make sure that the recipient
is ready to make such commitment. When considering a puppy be patient
and think about paper training your puppy inside during cold weather.
As
the cold weather approaches, please, be an animal’s advocate, and if
you see an animal in distress, call your local animal shelter. This column brought to you courtesy of the West Tennessee Animal Alliance, a non-profit group of animal lovers in Tipton County. Our focus is to help the Tipton County Animal Shelter and other homeless animals in the county. We are working on several projects including an Adopt a Pet Day, pet education materials and fundraisers to help defray the cost of spaying and neutering. We also hope to have an occasional pet column in the Covington Leader. We would love to share your successful adoption stories from the Tipton County Shelter. If you are interested in knowing more or joining/supporting the West Tennessee Animal Alliance please call 849-1850 or write us with your adoption story at: West Tennessee Animal Alliance P.O. Box 1355 Munford, TN 38058.
Pet
Adoption Day The
West Tennessee Animal Alliance (W.T.A.A.) will sponsor an off-site pet
adoption day for the Tipton County Animal Shelter on Saturday, April 8
from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. The
event will take place on the grounds of Tipton County Public Works,
located at 8279 Highway 51. The
West Tennessee Animal Alliance (W.T.A.A.) is a non-profit organization
that is working to raise awareness about the over-population of dogs and
cats in West Tennessee with focus on Tipton County. The main goal of the
W.T.A.A. is to educate the public about spay and neuter programs and
their importance in preventing the unnecessary death of hundreds of
unwanted pets each day. The
adoption day on April 8 is one of the many events that members of the
W.T.A.A. have planned for
this year. The hope of the W.T.A.A.’s members is to top the success of
last year’s adoption event. During last year’s adoption day 10 dogs
and 4 cats from the Tipton County Animal Shelter were adopted and the
members shared information on the importance of spay and neutering
programs, including some programs available at reduced cost to residents
of Tennessee. The
event on April 8 will be a family affair: there will be face painting
and a coloring contest for the kids, and Easter Bunny photos for the
kids and pets. Additionally Tammy Selby from Tammy’s Doggie Do’s
will offer personal doggie nail trims ($5 for small dogs and $10 for
large dogs) and all proceeds will go to the W.T.A.A.. Since
the group’s formation, in June 2005, the W.T.A.A. has received 62
spay/neuter requests from
members of the community, and helped each one of those cases by finding
low cost programs or by providing financial assistance.
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