June Newsletter- Adopt a Shelter Cat Month and more...

Pets of the Month

Meet our lovable, adoptable buddies here at the shelter.  Visit us to meet other great dogs and cats as well.

Chase, a 1.5-year-old black and white pit mix with a huge personality, has had a challenging life due to being displaced multiple times, yet he still has a sweet demeanor and he loves people. He also loves to play ball and is treat motivated. He knows some simple commands, and we feel he will be trainable given his desire to please. Chase would do well in a high energy family willing to train and interact with him heavily. He is also dog friendly, but may be too high energy for a cat. He is fully vaccinated, neutered, heartworm negative, and microchipped. Come meet and play with Chase -- we are sure you will fall in love with him. 

Cayenne, named after her coat pattern and spicy personality, is a one-year-old tortoiseshell cat with stunning golden eyes. Cayenne is a small cat, but don’t let her small size fool you! She has a big personality and loves to be shown affection. Cayenne loves to set out on the cat patio and perch up on the high shelves and watch people coming into and out of the shelter. Cayenne says she is dreaming of finding her forever home once and for all! She is FEV/FeLV negative, up to date on vaccinations, spayed, and microchipped-- all ready to go into her forever home where she can be the center of attention.

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View all of our adoptable pets

Adoption Success Story of the Month: Jack Puppies and kittens grow up!

Jack initially had a short stay at Animal Harbor as a cute and cuddly young pup. He was quickly adopted and went to a home here he thought he would live forever. Four short months later, Jack was growing up, and as he was not gently trained to limit his puppy antics, he was brought back to the shelter.  Sadly, no longer a puppy, Jack’s second stay lasted six months and was much longer and lonelier. He displayed kennel aggression and fear, so our volunteer trainer, Sara Graham worked one-on-one with Jack to build his confidence, and taught us that those aggressive tendencies were just a facade for a frightened, timid dog.  Fast forward, and someone fell in love with Jack, his insecurities, and “baggage”! Did I mention -- he went to a home with a dog brother that he adores? We could not be prouder of Jack’s success story. It is especially sweet to move through the bad and emerge on the other side. That was surely the case with Jack!

Kittens are not brought back to the shelter as often as puppies, possibly because they do not require the same rigorous training. However, cats are often returned due to a move, or because the owner suddenly “does not have time” for the animal. That was the case for newly returned Precious. She is now waiting for a home where she will be cherished forever by people with lots of time for love. We try our absolute best at Animal Harbor to provide excellent care for our animals during their stay here, but remember, we are a shelter, and shelter environments are often scary, stressful, and overstimulating for many animals. Please exhaust all options before deciding to take your pet to a shelter. They all have a basic desire to be in a loving home. We do want to point out that if at any time an adopter feels they can no longer adequately care for the pet they adopted from us, they are required and bound by contract to return the pet to us, and agree not to rehome Animal Harbor pets on their own.  We will always be a safe haven for our resident or alumni pets.

What’s NEW at the Harbor (Kittens and Puppies, Oh my….)

Chaquida is our newest kitty mom. She was a stray, and was VERY pregnant! It was originally thought that she would have her babies within two weeks, but it took her much longer. Daily the staff was on pins and needles, anxiously awaiting her delivery. Finally, on June 4, she gave birth to four precious babies, but sadly lost one that had severely deformed hind legs. Forrest, Dan Taylor, and Rebecca (Forrest Gump characters) are thriving, and mom couldn’t be happier, for she constantly kneads her paws, shows affection, and tends to her babies.

The newest litter of puppies came in as an emergency situation. Midtown Veterinary Clinic staff member, Angela Mannes, came to their rescue when a Good Samaritan said she witnessed them being thrown out of a moving vehicle. Midtown was able to keep them overnight and tended to their needs until we could arrange to take them, picking countless ticks off of the five small pups. Upon arrival, they were incredibly frightened and full of intestinal parasites. After just one week, they are gaining confidence, playing in their kennel, and finally feeling safe and protected. Our volunteer Tina Philpott named the pups after the children in “The Sound of Music.” She said these little guys should be named after the charming characters of that upbeat story of dedication and triumph. It is our hope that Brigitta, Gretl, Liesl, Kurt, and Fredrick find the best homes imaginable after the neglect they endured at such a young age.

My Heart Belongs to Daddy!

Celebrate Father's Day by being a "dad" and sponsoring one of our "babies" here at the shelter. For $45 you can provide food and health care for an abandoned pet, to ensure that it has the best chance of finding a new home. Here's how: Come in and walk a dog or play with a cat, donate, and have your picture taken for our My Heart Belongs to Daddy post on Facebook!  Watch for an email, or go to our FB page starting this Friday to see how you can be an Online Dad, and choose your baby from the featured pets.   Happy Father’s Day!

THINK ALTERING YOUR PET IS UNIMPORTANT? READ ON…

June marks the height of “kitten season”. What does this mean? It means that across the country millions of unwanted litters of kittens are being born without homes. These kittens are left to fend for themselves, are preyed upon, or end up in shelters where they are euthanized by the thousands.  Here in our own Franklin County neighborhoods we are seeing the impact of our community failing to spay and neuter their pets. We are also seeing a sharp decline in our cat adoptions, presumably because so many kittens and cats are being given away for free, with no guarantee that the new owner will spay or neuter the animal. This creates a deadly cycle of unwanted litters.   Please keep in mind, there is no such thing as a “free cat” if you are acting responsibly and caring for the medical needs of the animal.  Animal Harbor’s cat adoption fee includes FEV/FeLV testing, vaccinations, a microchip, and spay/neuter surgery. (And don’t forget the puppies. The dog adoption fee includes heartworm testing/treatment, vaccinations, a microchip, and spay/neuter surgery.) Will you be a part of the solution to feline overpopulation and adopt a shelter cat this June? Help us help them by adopting, and opening up space for more kitties that need loving homes. Remember, when you choose adoption, you not only save one life, but your adoption opens up the space for another cat to take its place -- SO THE LIFE YOU SAVE, REALLY SAVES TWO!

JUNE IS ADOPT-A-SHELTER-CAT MONTH!

As the weather warms, animal shelters know there will be dozens of kittens looking for homes, since a female cat can have multiple litters each year. Those cute, cuddly balls of fur are just about irresistible, so here are some helpful hints for prospective adopters when taking on a new family member. At American Humane.org, you can find helpful lists and suggestions that will aid in the adoption process: Cat Adoption Checklist http://www.americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/cat-adoption-checklist/ Introducing Cats to Cats https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/introducing-cats-to-cats/ Introducing Dogs to Cats https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/introducing-dogs-to-cats/ Cats and Scratching https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/scratching/ Litter Box Use https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/litter-box-use/ While it may seem obvious, many people don’t realize some of the basic behavioral differences between dogs and cats. Cats definitely aren’t dogs! For example: Cats are usually quieter and more subtle in the way they respond to and show affection. They purr (sometimes so softly that you can barely hear them) when they are happy and relaxed. They can also purr when they are in pain as a self-soothing mechanism.Grooming you, giving cheek rubs or head butts, and twining around your ankles are other ways they show that they are comfortable in your presence and mark you as their own person. Gentle brushing is a great way to bond with your cat. If a kitty lies down and exposes its belly, that is a real show of trust. Some cats like tummy rubs, others don’t. Another sign of trust is a slow eye blink while they are looking at you. This is a means of communication between cats as well. Do a slow blink in return and you’re talking cat!Just hanging out is a sign of love and affection. When a kitty wants to be in your lap at the computer, or when you are reading or working on something, they are letting you know that they love being with you. Pay attention to them and talk to them -- they often communicate with a variety of meows. Removing them from a counter with “Such a good cat,” and a scratch behind the ears will bring better results than screams or swats.  Some don’ts: Don’t play with kittens or cats with your hands or fingers. That teaches that hands are fair game, and as they mature, they won’t understand that scratches hurt. Use wand-type toys, let them fetch pipe cleaners, play with balls, felt mice, or scrunched up paper.Don’t expect cats to want to be petted as vigorously as you would pet a dog. Kittens have especially fragile bones, so children should always be supervised when interacting with kittens.Don’t ever push a cat to continue an activity or physical contact beyond its limit.Don’t put the litter pan in a noisy spot, or one that makes the cat feel trapped.  Don’t have your cat declawed. It is a not a manicure - it is amputation involving claws, bones, tendons, and ligaments all the way up to the joint, and can affect balance, cause behavioral and litter box problems, and leave the cat with residual pain. There are many alternatives in the form of scratching posts, cardboard scratchers, a small tree limb etc. Declawing is banned in the UK and Europe, and is increasingly coming before legislatures across the USA.

NATIONAL MICROCHIPPING MONTH. IS YOUR PET PROTECTED?

A microchip can make the difference between being reunited with your beloved pet, or hoping for the best. Don’t hesitate to call your veterinarian and have your pet chipped and registered. All veterinary hospitals have microchip readers, and we do as well at the Harbor. If you find a lost pet, have it scanned to see if the owner can be located.

TOO DARN HOT!!

NEVER LEAVE BABIES OR PETS IN A CAR UNATTENDED ON A HOT DAY. LEAVING THE WINDOWS CRACKED DOES NOTHING TO LESSEN THE TEMPERATURE. A CAR CAN BE 30-40 DEGREES HOTTER THAN THE OUTSIDE AIR, AND CAN ESCALATE TO DANGEROUS LEVELS IN MERE MINUTES. A CHILD’S CORE TEMPERATURE RISES 3-5 TIMES FASTER THAN THAT OF AN ADULT’S, AND IN 2018, AT LEAST 52 CHILDREN DIED FROM VEHICULAR HEATSTROKE IN THE USA.  DOGS AND CATS CANNOT SWEAT IN THE SAME WAY HUMANS DO. PANTING OF CONTINUOUSLY HOT AIR OVERWHELMS THEIR BODIES CAUSING FEAR, INCREASED HEART AND RESPIRATORY RATES, HEATSTROKE, SEIZURES, HARM TO INTERNAL ORGANS, AND DEATH.  The website heatkills.org provides this information: “At 70 degrees on a sunny day, after half an hour the temperature inside a car is 104 degrees. When temperatures range from 80-100 degrees, the temperature in a car parked in direct sunlight can quickly climb to 130-172 degrees.”

On July 1, 2015 Tennessee passed a bill (T. C. A. § 29-34-209) which, along with a good Samaritan bill concerning children, protects individuals from civil liability for any damages caused by breaking into a motor vehicle while trying to rescue a child or an animal. Read the full requirements at:  https://www.animallaw.info/statute/tn-good-samaritan-dogs-cars BE SMART. ONE TRICK IS TO PUT SOMETHING ON THE BACK SEAT WHICH YOU MUST HAVE WITH YOU WHEN YOU LEAVE THE CAR. THAT WAY YOU MUST OPEN THE DOOR AND LOOK INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS A CHILD OR A PET IN THE BACK SEAT, IT BECOMES A HABIT THAT MIGHT PREVENT A TRAGEDY.

7 Ways to Help Keep Your Pet Cool At Home This Summer