Heaven Pet Urns

Most shelters and rescue organizations in urban areas now require spay and neuter education which has results in educated public and decrease in numbers of animals. Shelters have now found the drop in number of puppies and kittens in the urban area. The result being that they barely have them available for adoption. The shelters have begun bringing them in from less fortunate outlying regions  to supply the demand. This would help take the pressure off other areas.

The number of dogs and cats entering the shelters each year is 6-8 million. Number of dogs and cats euthanized by shelters is 3-4 million but the number being adopted is 3-4 million. These statistics alone give you an idea of the number entering the shelters. The number of shelters  in U.S. is between 4000 to 6000.

Most people think of going to a pet store for purebred dogs but they can be found at times right at the shelter. There is about 25% right in the shelters to pick from and they have their shots, being checked for health, behaviour problems etc. Shelters are a good place to find a purebred pet.  

The number of dogs and cats reclaimed by owners from shelters each year is between 600,000 and 750,000 which is about 15-30 % of dogs and 2-5 % of cats entering the shelter.

These statistics alone give you an indication of the number of dogs and cats moving around and through the shelters. These animals may or may not have had a home but the idea they are still out there needing attention, care and the best from owners. Pet owners can always find an pet to love from the shelter giving it only the best. 

 Please visit our site www.heavenpeturns.com  for unique pets urns, wood pet urns, internment pet urns should you be in need for you special pet.

LAWS as stated is based entirely on donations   from the public and fund raisers.  Their money helps to look after the animals at the shelter, their medical needs, their comfort needs and in general keeping the shelter going for the benefit of all.

Mark your calendars

 for

SATURDAY, JUNE 21ST

 for their “CHARITY DOG WASH” 

to be held at the Foodsmiths, Perth, Ontario from 9 AM to 2 PM. Dogs will be washed by LAWS volunteers for a small donation.  

Also Woofs & Waggs
37C Foster St
Perth Ont
K7H-1R8
613-267-6935

They are offering their services to LAWS in the hope of helping new dog adoptees and their families. Woofs & Waggs will provide. the new adopted dog,  their first gooming free of charge, which will include nail trimming, ear cleaning, express anal glands if required, full body massage with bath using all natural shampoo, no perfume or colognes used, hair style according to condition of coat and a bandana. This offer will be valid for one month from date of adoption. New owners need to call for an appointment and will inform us it is an adoption from LAWS. At time of grooming new owners will be asked to show proof of adoption so they can verify date.

Yours Truly: Kim Perkins

For those that missed the Pet Expo in Merrickville, Saturday May 31, 2008-it is well worth spending the day so mark your calendars for  next year.

It was a very informative day with different pet food booths, charities for pets, products available at state of the art designs, collars of all styles, toys, pet blankets and everything your pet could or would need.  There were many topics discussed of interest including  two terriors rescued from a puppy mill and people were informed of their situation, there were Grey Hounds with their situation discussed . Lots of information for everyone including a canine demonstration of the OPP.  The proceeds were going to LAWS and the Alzheimer Society.  So mark your calendars and be on the look out for the Pet Expo next year.

We have been discussing charities over the past month. The first one we have discussed is LAWS-Lanark Animal Welfare Society a non-government funded charity. It is based on donations and fund raising events.

This week we will continue the discussion of LAWS with thier program of SNAP- Spay Neuter Assistance Program.  One of the main concerns as discussed last week for LAWS and all other animal welfare organizations is the huge cat and kitten population. Every year thousands of cats and kittens die or are euthanized. The number could be drastically reduced if cats were spayed and neutered. There are a number of reasons that people have indicated why they did not spay or neuter their pet which mainly was the cost. Therefore LAWS is introducing SNAP a Spay Neuter Assistance Programme.

There are many people who live on or below the poverty line that can offer a home to a cat, with the regular cost of food and litter but the cost of spaying or neutering is beyond what thier day to day budget can afford. Therefore the kittens become female cats that go into heat or become pregnant with the unwanted kittens and the males start producing strong urine or spraying. Some people cannot deal with this type of situation and therefore reluctantly the cats are taken to the shelter by the owners.

Therefore the program SNAP came into effect where initially only 10 vouchers per month are issued. Anyone can apply to the programme but the conditions must be met in order to qualify for a voucher. This way not only is  LAWS able to help the animals  but help the owner deal with the spaying and neutering. Dogs are included in the programme. All applications are reviewed initially but focusing is mainily on spaying and neutering cats due to the high number of cats and kittens entering LAWS. Also the number of cats and dogs that can be helped will be increased and will based as finances permit. This will hopefully reduce the number of homeless animals.

As stated before LAWS is based entirely on donations and fund raising events. LAWS welcomes donations specifically for SNAP.

This is one of LAWS goals is reducing the number of  cats and dogs that end up at the shelter by promoting SNAP and educating the general public on spaying and neutering thier pet. 

Help this little guy -spay and neuter your pet so he does not end up at a shelter or homeless.

 LAWS has taken the step of spaying/neutering every cat  before they are adopted if they are old enough. It is their part of their commitment to control the cat population.  Any animal adopted from LAWS if it is not already spayed/neutered receives a free certificate to have that done. LAWS has one of the lowest  adoption fees of any shelter in North America. On an average cat or dog that comes through the shelter costs LAWS  twice the cost of the adoption fee.  One priority is to find homes and ensure spaying/neuters are another priority.

This will give you an idea of why LAWS is so concerned about spaying and neutering your pet. If 10 cats went into heat this week and became pregnant . The average gestation period is 63 days for a cat and the average cat has a litter of four kittens. These kittens will nurse from their mother for a minumum of 6 weeks. If all 10 cats and thier kittens were brought to the shelter when weaned, LAWS would have  and intake of 50 cats in early May. The shelter only comfortably houses approximately 60 cats. These cats and thier kittens would take up 85% of the shelter’s capacity. That starts with only 10 cats.

LAWS does their best on what donations, fundraisers and volunteer help but they can only do so much. This is why they stress spaying and neutering your pets so they will not end up at the shelter or on the street with no home or attention every animal deserves. 

The discussion of Charities will continue. The current  one under discussion is LAWS. 

 There are very few people who have not heard of spaying and neutering your pet either from literature or from different stories being documented on the news, talk shows etc.  The reality is that there are thousands of unwanted animals finding their way to the shelters each year. This is the result of puppies and kittens created by unneutered and spayed animals and their subsequent effect on the overpopulation of companion pets. The whole truth is that there are far more animals seeking adoption than homes that are available.

During the period of June 1st 2002 to May 31st 2005 , LAWS spent $132, 820.70 on spay/neuter and those numbers are of 3 years ago so with the rising population that number in the last 3 has probably increased. Remember this is a non government funded society. LAWS tries to look after these animals as best as possible.LAWS relies  on supporters who make regular donations to shelter and thier adoption/shelter fees along with generous donations of their supporters.

This amount in dollars is shocking enough but think about it one female dog and her offspring can create 67,000 dogs in six years. One female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 cats in seven years. Each year many animals are abandoned and hurt because of overpopulation.

 LAWS can only do their part to help as many of these animals that end on thier doorstep but what about the others that don’t. How do they make thier way in the world with no home, food, or attention needed to make their quality of life better?

More on LAWS next week.

PET LOVER’S EXPO

Merrickville, Ontario

 May 31, 2008

Join us Saturday, May 31 for the Second Annual

 PET LOVER’S EXPO

at the Merrickville Community Centre.

A day devoted to your pet and to you, bringing you the latest trends in food, leisure, fashion…for you and your pets.

Audtions for Pet Models: April 19th, 2008 - 2 PM to 5 PM

Charities- LAWS - the dicussion will continue:

LAWS is an independent organization that is dedicated to  aiding all animals and promoting their well being. It is a registered charity that survives solely on private donations because they receive no funding from the government.  

 Last week we discussed  how the animal arrives at the shelter, admittance procedures and logging in of the animal into the system. The animal at this point is ready for adoption.

This week we discuss the daily activities of  the staff at the shelter.  The staff arrives at the shelter at 8 A.M. to begin the task of caring for the animals, over 100 cats and between 10-20 dogs, an estimated amount which varies as animals are adopted and as others join the shelter,  Pens and cages are cleaned, all bedding washed which is then hung on the line. This aids on the usage of the dryer which reflects on the Hydro bill. The food bowls are filled, precribed medications where applicable are administered, food and litter are restocked. These are only some of the necessary chores there are more. A good day has volunteers arriving to help out therefore completing the task by 11 AM-roughly 3 hours. It is then the staff can turn their attention to the public which means many phone calls to answer, paperwork completion, cleaning, scheduling spays/neuters as well as other duties and more. 

Cat/Dog food is often donated at times thanks to readers of the LAWS columns and the general public. These donations help on the purchase of food. Non-clumping cat litter is an other expense purchased each week because it is rarely donated. Some animals find the shelter very stressful and most of the pets that arrive already have a weakend immune system from poor nutrition and not receiving proper vacinations.

Next week we will carry on with the discussion of  LAWS.

This week’s discussion will be about how the shelter works. As mentioned last week LAWS is  independent organization that is dedicated to  aiding all animals and promoting their well being. It is a registered charity that survives solely on private donations because they receive no funding from the government.  

There are three ways an animal arrives at LAWS as a stray, as a give-up-of-ownership (where the owner no longer able to card for them) or through the Animal Cruelty Inspector as a result of OSPCA investigation.

The animals are first logged into the computer, given a number with an informatioin sheet. The animal is also vaccinated, bathed if necessary, clip their nails, clean their ears, treat them for fleas as well as anything that needs to be taken care of including if the animal appears unhealthy taken to the vet for treatment. All this is at the shelters own time and expense. Tragic emergencies are often dealt with here as well on a case per case basis.

Once all this is attended to if necessary depending on the animal’s condition itself then the animal is ready for adoption.  This could take anywhere from few days to a few months before a new home is found.

Next week we will carry on with running of the shelter.

This is the first charity we will discuss in a series of charities over the next few weeks.

LAWS  stands for The Lanark Animal Welfare Society. LAWS is an independent organization that is dedicated to  aiding all animals and promoting their well being. It is a registered charity that survives solely on private donations because they receive no funding from the government.  Their expenses are met from private donations from its members, supporters, adoption fees and fundraising activities as garage sales, raffles craft sales etc.

They deal with lost, abused, or abandoned animals which are cared for until thier rightful owners can be found or until they can be odopted into a new home. Thier mission is to promote the welfare of all animals, provide shelter, care, prevent cruelty and suffering for all animals in need. LAWS are affiliated with Ontario S.P.C.A. which conducts cruelty investigations.

This is how the shelter works. The animals arrive at LAWS in three ways: as a stray mostly  through the  local animal control officer, as a give-up-of ownership from a family or owner who cannot keep thier pet or no longer able or willing to care or look after them. The third way pets end up at the shelter is through the Animal Cruelty Inspector as a result of OSPCA investigation.

The law requires all stray animals to be held 72 hours to give them and thier owners a chance to be reunited. Once the animal arrives at the shelter they are scanned for  a microchip, photographed, entered into the computer, fed and cared for.  The next few days the animal is observed for illness, personality, signs of aggressiveness and in general evaluated.          

Next week the care of the animals at the shelter will be discussed.