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| Blog
by: Renee Robins, ACO, Owen Sound Animal Shelter |
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------------------- Recent Posts ------------------- |
May
31, 2011 _____________________________________________________________________________ |
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| 4th
Annual Mutt Strutt River Cats Your Pets Poor Tom Gosling Rescue Crazy Days Nurse Robins to the Rescue River Queen Shepherds at the Shelter Baby Bird Great Fire Fighters Stray Weekend Froggy Last Pup Raccoon Friends
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Raccoon Friends - In the last three days I have had 5 calls with regards to baby raccoons residing in a persons space i.e., garage, attic, or fire escape. It is now the time which raccoon babes are moving, cooing and making their presence known. With that in mind, raccoons nest in warm dry areas in which they can den. Naturally, this is in trees but as we have removed the habitat in urban areas they have relocated to share our space as a means of survival. No, they have not done this to take over or to upset you. They are not being pests but rather animals trying to get by. They want a place free from harms way, and your attic, if an opening allows it, is a great location. Mom leaves her kits to feed and to hunt. If you don't see her don't panic she sees you and likely is waiting for you to vacate. Once she feels threatened and feels her babes may be in danger she will move them. Do not touch them. To encourage her to leave put the radio on, make noise (city raccoons need a little more noise). Leave the lights on. Make the area unpleasant, moth balls, citronella help it smell less like home. Remove all food sources. If mom is feeding from your bird feeder your providing bed and breakfast lol. Traveling for food is an inconvenience this may also discourage her. Once they leave the location ensure you block her
entrance. Otherwise, this vacancy may encourage others to make this place home.
In an emergency you can contact the MNR or pest control. These raccoons are not in our area of expertise and exceed our
abilities. Legally, we can't help you. In the event you do cross paths with orphans, the
SPCA wildlife facilities can assist you at 1-888-ont-spca. May 30,
2011 Last Pup - Finally, the last of the Shepherd pups has gone home! With weeks of waiting and slow moving I was beginning to think potentially this pup would be homeless forever. Sadly, the expense and added work load has made puppies less appealing, and sadder still is that puppies are still being born. As it takes seven adoptions to free up a cage, as often with kittens, it's a heartbreaker for adults waiting to come in too :( Luckily, it has all worked out, and alas the "double cage" has been cleared. It would be nice to think that it may sit empty for a while, but history has me suspecting it will be only short term. As we continue to hope and work towards having them move out as fast as they move in (as that's the only way no-kill works) we are thankful another batch
of great pups has moved onto their forever homes. May 26,
2011 Froggy - What a heart breaker was the sight of a tiny motherless kitten, who sat curled up in the rain trying to keep warm. He sat alone as his mom and siblings were gathered, and now did not have them to warm him. He was too young to know it's best to find shelter from the rain than sit in it soaked. Too young to know the dangers - he sat right beside the road.
This proved to be lucky for him as sitting out in the open made it easy for me to spot him. He so very very small may have otherwise been unnoticed. Although it was not likely in my best interest to scoop him without a live trap, or net or gloves, his poor little self caused an instant reaction.
Semi feral or not, years of catching frogs in the rain as a child paid off.
(One hand in front to distract them, the other quick scruffs him - If you have caught frogs, you know what I'm talking
about.) Now dry, fed and reunited with momma, this little froggy I suspect will be just fine. May 24,
2011 Stray Weekend - What is wrong with people? Grrrr. This weekend we gathered six stray dogs, (seven others were reported missing), and two stray cats gathered. The disappointment comes with each stray found wandering, (and those lost) but when a day goes by and none are returned home that disappointment becomes anger.
With every attempt made on my end to try to locate an owner, it's maddening that not one owner has cared to try to find me. We are on call 24-7, we carry phones and pagers this entire time. Every vet clinic can refer persons to us, as can the police and municipalities. We are on the internet, in the phone book, and the paper, the radio all know how to find us. If a person gave the slightest attempt at locating their lost pet they would find it.
As these dogs and cats had no
ID, I sure can't find them, don't they know that? Don't they care? As always I remind myself that if
it's a good home they will come for them, and if not its for the best. I remind myself the
animals will be in the best place, once adopted out, when it's all said and done.
I sure do wish I could explain it to the dogs who wait behind cage doors, however, as that at least would make it a little
easier for them to wait. May 20,
2011 A Real Fighter - It would be easy to not see him, as he could easily fit in the palm of my hands. He would blend in with the gray sky, and the road, and would be difficult to see if you weren't looking. A nine week old kitten left to wander the streets and ends up on the road has very bad odds of survival, not to mention one that blends with his surroundings. Those that hit him, likely never noticed, as he potentially made no thump. Luckily those standing nearby saw it happen, saw him bounce, and watched him wander to the ditch. They promptly called police; who promptly called me.
The wet tire marks could be seen across his back, and it was clear where the car had hit him. Alert, friendly, and easy to handle, this little bouncer has ended up with a broken pelvis but is otherwise OK. No internal damage apparent, and is now in recovery. One good thing about the young, they bend, they flex and they mend. This potentially has saved his life. With a long recovery ahead, please keep little bounce in your hearts, and thoughts. Please send good vibes that all is well, and continues to be in the weeks ahead. We
are taking donations for this little guy - a donation of $15.00 or more
and we will issue an income tax receipt. All donations go to the
Spay/Neuter, Medical Fund. May 18,
2011 Great Fire Fighters - Early this am a fire ripped through a residence and store in the 6oo block of 6th St. East. This fire was one of the top news stories which I listened to as I headed to work this morning. They discussed the extensive damage. Luckily, all persons made it out all OK. I recalled the last fire I had attended, in which there were cats who needed care. One reclaimed, and one surrendered and later re-homed. It was as though the pager read my mind as only moments later we were rushing to the scene.
Kudos to the
fire fighters who spotted the kitty on the fire escape, thank you to the fire fighters who thought to stop to help it, and a holy smokes
hooray to the fighter who held him in his arms until we arrived. (holy smokes lol) As we wait for this boy to journey home he will be safe and content thanks to this great team. May 17,
2011 Baby Bird - At 6 am I received a page in regard to a young bird which had fallen from its nest. Although I understand the concern and urgency felt when discovering this young one, there was little I could do about it. A wildlife custodian can manage these calls, and the caller was given advice and direction, and telephone numbers of those who could provide assistance. When those contacts advised as I did, I was then paged again and again. My direction and advice has not and will not change. To clarify for others, many songbird fledglings leave the nest several days before they can fly easily, and the parent birds are still caring for them and watching for their safety. These have almost fully formed feathers though the wings and tail may be short, and it will be able to fly short distances. These babes learn to fly from the ground, it's OK. Intervention stops the process, upsets mom, and may result in the babies death. Keep your pets away, watch for dangers and deter them, and enjoy watching them take flight? The Shelter does not, nor cannot interfere with this process. Hopefully, this bird gets his wings soon, for his sake and for that of the kind hearted
watcher. OK and for me with the pager too. May 16,
2011 Shepherds at the Shelter - Stella and Max are purebreds, and perhaps the pups too. Page, Tucker and Harley are part for sure. More than half the dogs homeless, and I would be tempted to say even 80% are of Shepherd heritage. Although, a common mix for dog stock, I can say almost definitely we have never had so many as we have had as of late never mind all at once. As they continue to pour in and sadly sit for weeks I attempted to make contact with a Shepherd rescue. Those who rescue Shepherds should know who's looking! (FYI - most breeds have a rescue) in times past the Shepherd rescue had helped us find homes for others, like my old white Shepherd female named Maggie in 2009. Surprisingly, and very unfortunately I have learned the Shepherd rescue is no more. This leads me to believe this may be why so many are now being sheltered?
My hopes are that there will be adoptions soon, and that those who would have contacted the rescue to adopt will find those who are now with me.
Tagnabbits for sale for $1.00 each
Bling for your pet $1.00 each May 12,
2011 River Queen - Yesterday, I added a new face to the cat adoption page. She is fondly called River Queen, or Queenie and was not an addition I ever anticipated to make the adoption page. She would never have survived her first week with us not to mention her second! This kitten found less that six weeks of age, motherless, homeless and full of parasites, hungry and had many odds to beat. She had severe upper respiratory, eyes sealed shut with pus, had a nose so full she could only breathe out of her mouth and gasped with each breath - cried for her mother continually for days.
I remember the first moment I put my hands on her, she hissed with displeasure and me trying to console her. I remember thinking she was likely a lost cause as she was so bad off. She came home with me a week, while we bottle fed her, and helped her eliminate. She screamed for her family for days. Each cry broke my heart, but each time she stopped I was sure she had passed. She did however surprised me as she is a fighter and survived all odds. She has become a beloved friend, however, it is now time to see her
go to her furever home. Anyone looking for a well socialized kitten should consider her! She loves all creatures and all people too! Queenie needs to be royalty and to live the life she has worked so hard to keep. May 11,
2011 Nurse Robins to the Rescue - I must say with all honesty, I experienced a 'first' today, first thing today. Awaiting my arrival this morning stood my co-op student and with her was a found hamster. He was a stray. This stray hamster was friendly in every way, and in good health with one small exception. He walked with a limp, and avoided stepping on his tiny toes.
His foot swollen and he had a crooked and turned toe nail. My best guess, and believe me I'm no vet, or hamster doc, but it appeared he was in need of a manicure, as his nail had become embedded. If he were a dog I now would say - this fella no stray, as those nails would be shorter! (However I'm not sure this is the same with someone so tiny). With the tiniest trimmers I could find, a steady hand (which really would have preferred more coffee) and the smallest cut ever, and a tiny tug, the nail was freed. A tiny spot of blood, a tiny bit of pressure, and a little drop of cleaner and the task complete. Thankfully my pet-i-cure experience has included rabbits, rats and guinea pigs, so this not entirely foreign.
As he almost immediately started to put weight on it, there was a great relief. For both, no pun
intended!
May 10,
2011 Crazy Days - I know there is potential for a crazy day when driving at 9 am I have a cat in the back, and a dog in the front and two more dogs to gather. Patrols in the early am resulted in a dog capture, luckily a happy tail wagging good in the car and happy to travel dog, as this made things less challenging later. Returning to town came the cat call, and this poor creature was not very happy. As the cat was on my way back, and under stress it was placed on the 'do now' list. However, the dog gathered was in the back. We all know what happens when a stressed out cat and any dog collide. It's not good! Sooo pooch was moved to an upfront position, and cat left in solitude (which sure made them happier). Just as we were nearing home
and safe and sound the next call came through. Luckily, we were in the clear, as there was really nowhere to fit another two!
Re-organizing, shuffling, and a little bit of fast thinking helped the day move smoothly.
Lucky, as we have become quite use to it. May 9,
2011 Gosling Rescue - Thought you might be interested in this article: 'Gosling rescue all in a day’s work for campus police.' The website also has some cute photos too!
May 6,
2011 Poor Tom - A late night, urgent, call for a cat found bleeding from its neck has made this a 14 hour day for me, yet again. As the long day makes me tired this is nothing in comparison to what my friend is going through. He was seen wandering for weeks, and fed by his finders and he was content to be a street cat, and they content to have him around. Affectionately, they were calling him Tom. Sadly, with good intentions Tom has been left as the many other street cats to wander, and with this comes the risk of injury. Tom who once wore a collar, now has had his neck torn badly. I suspect it was the collar at fault, and the blame to be with the prior owner who collared him - then tossed him ... more importantly, the tossed part rather than that of the collar. However, being left to fend for himself primarily has run into that which many others do, and that is a close call with death.
Thankfully his finders have called, and he is now under medical care and he has much better odds of survival. Had he been left without care he likely would have perished. The outdoors is not safe for our pets without supervision. Their lives are shortened to a fraction of what they could be when they are permitted to roam. Vehicles, predators, injury and disease take the lives of many.
Think of Tom and his wounds, perhaps, before you let
your pet roam? If you cross paths with a homeless cat, please call, we will direct you
to finding it safety and care. Please keep Tom in your thoughts while he recovers.
We are accepting donations for Tom's care from the Spay/Neuter, Medical
fund. You can also use Paypal on the left.
May 5,
2011 Your Pets - Sadly, many calls this week have lead me to write a blog of clarification. Sad in that it's a message of how I cannot help you, about our limitations and how unfortunately you are on your own. If your beloved pet becomes injured, tangled up with a porcupine, involved in a collision, or accidentally poisoned I cannot help you. (As these calls came in this week I use these examples.) Your pet is your responsibility and I cannot legally assist you. Please know I can provide you with support and direction, and a list of phone numbers, however, I am not a vet. Our vet cannot help you through the Shelter. We do not have funds for you as we barely have funds for our Shelter animals. We cannot cover your vet bills, work you out a deal, or encourage your vet to take a payment plan. There is nothing I would like to do more than help you, however, our hands are tied when it comes to owned pets. If you are a person considering the adoption of a pet,
please consider veterinary expenses, and consider that accidents can happen. These accidents can be costly, and you may need to spend to save your
pet's life. May 4,
2011 River Cats - The crackdown on the river cats is on. Those of you following the blogs over the years know the ongoing troubles with roaming cats along the river, which are too well fed to capture in live traps. It is a tedious process of gathering, with all these troubles. Cats travel in water drains, sewers and underground tunnels can hide too well with a fast get away. Cats which would be live trapped won't go for bait when well fed. People steal the traps, chop down trees the traps were attached to, and toss traps in the river. All of this has not helped the process of gathering them. What happens then is simple and very sad. These cats stay outdoors to face the elements, compete with each other for food, continue to have litters of kittens and succumb to illness when mother nature feels the numbers are too high, which happens seasonally as they continue to multiply and don't receive vet care. Makeshift shelters have been removed, food is being eliminated daily, and there is zero tolerance for people who feed these cats has seen three rescued already this week. Keep these souls in your thoughts as we strive to pull them off the streets before it's too late.
For the eight deceased we removed, it seems, for them it was too
late! May 2,
2011 4th Annual Mutt Strutt - It's time! It's time! Our 4th Annual Mutt Strutt has been arranged, details finalized and the pledge sheets are ready to go out! The date is set for June 5th, with registration at 9 am, at a new location this year. This time we want you to meet on our doorstep at the Owen Sound Animal Shelter. The walk will be followed as always with a charity BBQ, and we hand out some awesome prizes. As the prizes have already started coming in, I can tell you once again, you will not be disappointed! In the event you have not attended, here is a summary of how it works:
It is a day of great fun with people who love their pooches. It is a day where we give thanks for the help you are giving in saving the lives of the animals who come through our doors. This year it will also be a day to meet the homeless you will help save, and for them to thank you. Hope to see you there. Mark June 5th on your calendar!
To get a pledge form, call or email me and register. Click
here to view last years walk...» |
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2000-2010 © Owen Sound Animal Shelter. All rights reserved. |
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