Charting Progress

It's been just over three months since Mike started on mirtazapine. He put on a handful of ounces and seems to be pretty steadily staying between 7 lb 2 oz and 7 lb 4 oz. So the drug has helped some - he does eat noticeably more on days when he takes it - but it hasn't helped him pack on the weight like I had hoped.

Open Hearts, Open Homes

"No Kill" is actually "Low Kill"

No-kill shelters are not forbidden from euthanizing animals. In order to qualify for the "no-kill" name, a shelter must have a 90% or higher live release rate. So 9 out of every 10 animals admitted by the shelter must be adopted or transferred out.

These shelters do euthanize animals for severe health or behavior problems that cannot be corrected. They do not euthanize animals to create space. This means no-kill shelters need to manage their numbers via intake. Some will only take adoptable animals while others stretch their facilities to accommodate older or "less desirable" pets. But even the most flexible shelter may have to turn animals away when they get too full.

Experienced critters need not apply

One way to keep numbers down and adoptions up is to keep the average age of your animals low. Kittens and puppies practically fly out the door. Adult animals stay around much longer. And seniors, well...

It's an unfortunate fact that people don't always outlive their pets. Many do plan ahead and put care provisions in their wills, but sometimes things just happen. It turns out the niece is allergic to cats, or the grandson now has young children and doesn't feel that he can take the dog. For one reason or another, pets often end up in the shelter after their owners pass away. And these animals are often seniors themselves.

When people come into the shelter to find their new fur buddy, they imagine a pet they will have for many years. So it's difficult to find someone who will consider a senior pet, one who may have just a couple of years left to them. Losing a four-legged family member breaks your heart, and few want to sign up for that after such a short time.

Foster friends

This is where the amazing foster families come in. There are many reasons an animal might need to go into foster, beginning with the simple fact that each fostered animal opens up space at the shelter. Fostering is also helpful when an animal needs extra socialization, is experiencing shelter stress, or is awaiting/recovering from medical treatment.

One type of fostering that often gets overlooked, however, is hospice fostering. Animals that are admitted to a no-kill shelter but end up being terminally ill can become eligible for a hospice fostering program. These animals are often in their golden years. Some have been companions to humans their entire lives. Hospice fostering allows these dogs and cats to once again be pets. They get to experience the safety and love that comes with having a home as they live their last few weeks or months. When they do pass on, they are cradled in affection, held by a person they have come to trust.

All three of the animals pictured above were part of GPSPCA's hospice foster program. You may recognize Dr. Mew from a previous CotM post; worry not, he's currently doing quite well in his foster home.

Hospice fostering is not for everyone, of course. It's an emotional roller coaster that requires an enormous amount of patience as you submit to a schedule of feeding, medication, and vet appointments that can get rather intense. But the difference you can make in the life of an animal is enormous.

If you're the hardy sort, someone who likes a challenge, contact your local shelter and ask about hospice fostering. Or if that's not something you think you could do, maybe take in a litter of bottle babies. There are even short-term foster opportunities (sometimes as short as overnight) for those who have more variable schedules that keep them from longer commitments.

Fostering saves lives. 

Kittens! Kittens Everywhere!

The KC Star visited the shelter last week to report on the kitten explosion. The article features photos of adorably sweet Minion & super-cutie tripod Lina, but it also includes a photo of Felix Thunder Paws, a seven-year-old FIV+ cat.

In some states (like our neighbor, Kansas), shelters cannot adopt out FIV+ cats. It's a law that is based on fear, not science, and the Great Plains SPCA CEO has worked with legislators to repeal it multiple times. As is typical with governing bodies in the US, however, they always tack the repeal onto another bill and it ends up not passing.

When Positive Is Negative

Let's talk FIV.

First, the basics:

What it is - 
FIV is the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. It is currently incurable. It does weaken a cat's immune system so they are more susceptible to secondary infections.

What it's not - 
It's not "kitty AIDS." It's not transmissible to humans. And it's not transmissible from cat to cat with casual contact. In other words, your cat will not get FIV from sharing a litter box, food bowl, water source, or furniture with an FIV+ cat.

World Pet Memorial Day (belated)

This was actually yesterday, but I spent the morning cleaning out an old swimming pool that had become my dogs' mud wrestling pit and the afternoon in an extended meeting at work, so...I will use today instead.

In Memory

Angel

For only being in our lives a couple of months in 2014, this sweet bird left a pretty big hole when she died. My son had planned for her for months - getting the cage and toys all set up, cleaning up his room - and he was dedicated to caring for her. 

She was rather shy around us, but we could often hear her chattering away at him while he played games in his room. He was working hard on perch training her and trying to get her to talk to him. She was fine when he went to sleep one night and extremely sick when he got up the next morning. She died hours later.

We'll never know what happened - budgies are such fragile creatures, it could have been anything. But the house was very quiet once she was gone.

Saving lives, one snip at a time

Quick - guess how many animals are euthanized each year in the United States.

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2.7 million. Yes, each year nearly 3 million cats and dogs lose their lives because of pet overpopulation. For perspective, that's the population of Chicago. It's twice that of San Diego.

Dead.

Each. Year.

Here's an easy one - what is the single most effective way to reduce that number?