Make it a stress-free holiday for pets
By Christine Cowett Robinson
Special to the Star-Herald
Santa Paws has come and gone again at the Central Aroostook Humane Society. It was a very successful fundraiser, not to mention a lot of fun. Our faithful photographer, Helen Palmer, took many great pictures and had fun meeting all the critters.
Santa and Mrs. Paws, with the help of friends Dan and Julie Corey, were amazing! They were so kind to both man and beast, with lovely smiles to warm the holiday spirit. The tickets have been drawn for the hand-crafted welcome sign and the lucky winner is Sandy Crane! We also drew tickets on the handmade doll house and the winner was Barbara Kinney. Congratulations to our winners!
This Christmas is an extremely sad one for us at CAHS; our shelter is full to the brim with both dogs and cats. This is the time of year when everyone is in a hurry, and sometimes our pets get a little lost in the shuffle. We must be even more aware during the holidays to keep our pets safe. Here are some pointers to help you out.
Most kitties like to climb so you need to be sure that your tree is secure so it doesn’t topple over or the cat is not left unattended with the Christmas tree.
Make sure the Christmas lights are out of reach. Dogs, puppies, cats and kittens like to chew on things so make sure they can’t get to the lights or electrical cords hung from the tree.
Christmas tinsel needs to be high enough so your pet can’t ingest it. Lots of things are shiny and bright this time of year; the packages are decorated to catch the eye of the beholder, just make sure the beholder isn’t your precious pet.
Keep the pet’s water supply clean and fresh daily. We don’t want your pet drinking from the tree stand.
Watch those holiday plants. Several plants are poisonous to pets; the poinsettia is no exception. Should you believe your pet has eaten something that may be poisonous to him, you may call the poison control hotline for immediate suggestions on how to treat your pet. This service is available to you for both your pets and your children.
It is also important to carefully contain your pets when guests arrive so they do not dart out the door. Please be aware of all of the goodies that come through your door as well. Too much of anything can cause stomach upset. Cooked turkey bones are dangerous as they may splinter. One thing that I personally have had a close call with is bread dough. Dogs will eat it and when it hits their tummies, it will expand and then you are in trouble. If you fear your dog has ingested bread dough, take him to your vet immediately! It is much better to be safe than sorry.
The Central Aroostook Humane Society does not encourage the giving of pets to unsuspecting recipients as gifts, as they may not really want the animal, and the chance of them being returned to the shelter is great. It isn’t fair to the recipient or the pet, no matter how good your intentions are. If you are planning to give a pet to your immediate family as a gift, consider adopting before the excitement of Christmas Day, so the animal does not get lost in all the festivities, or maybe wait until after Christmas and pick out the new pet as a family. This is supposed to be a lifelong commitment, please take this decision seriously.
If you are considering donating items to the shelter, please consider cat litter — non-scoopable, any brand. Other suggestions for our needs are donations towards our fuel bill, wet cat food — Special Kitty Tuna Banquet, bleach, paper towels, old dog beds, blankets, laundry detergent — get creative. We would also love to see Walmart gift cards or Tractor Supply gift cards as we can buy a lot of our supplies there. All donations are so greatly appreciated.
It seems that when we think our cages and kennel may have an empty spot, we get another call of a needy animal and our shelter fills to the brim again. This has been a tough year for us.
We all know that the key to fighting animal abuse and neglect is to talk to the children. They are our future and they are the ones who will be open-minded enough to listen. As of late, I have been able to speak to many children in different schools who want to help. Central Aroostook Humane Society staff would love the opportunity to speak to your group and talk about responsible pet ownership, the importance of spaying and neutering, how we can make a positive impact on the lives of animals in our community or any other issue you would like addressed. All we need is an invitation.
Happy holidays! The Central Aroostook Humane Society will be closing early on Christmas Eve, and we will be closed Christmas Day. Please plan accordingly.
Please have your pets spayed or neutered!
