Turning a Pet Rescue Holiday Greeting Card into a Political Statement

It never ceases to amaze me how someone can look at something so simple and innocent and turn it into a political message.

I am originally from Austell, GA, but I always claim Tybee Island as my home. It's where I spent most of my childhood, learned the greater lessons of life, and became part of an amazing community. I was active as a volunteer for the Tybee Beautification and volunteered my time with the Tybee Island Lighthouse as well as Tybee Island Marine Science Center in high school. When I started Coastal Pet Rescue, it was no surprise that the first supporters were from Tybee. It's just the kind of community we have on the island.

Fast forward a few years. A local artist contacts me with a great fundraising idea for the holidays. We have been struggling hard because of the economy this year, and her idea helps us fill an need brought to us by a couple of other supporters as well. So Debbie Brady Robinson of Atlantic Beacon Gallery set out to create a holiday gift card that could be sold in sets of 10 with 50% of the profits going to Coastal Pet Rescue. The artwork features a sleeping kitty and puppy on the beach. Kitty is wearing sunglasses, puppy has a beach ball. It's a warm and fuzzy card, and something similar to what I buy each year myself.



So we sent out an email blast with the photo and link to the website for people to purchase the cards (only $10). An hour later, here's an email I get from a friend on Tybee Island:

Lisa, I’m simply forwarding this message to you as an FYI…..

From: email protected by my friend
Sent: Thursday, November 12, 2009 2:31 PM
To: email removed to protect the messenger
Subject: Coastal Pet Rescue

"Did you notice Lisa's new slogan? I think she's making a major mistake to take on this political issue and could lose the support of many people. As you know I have dogs and am a dog advocate but am more concerned about health and safety of my children and other animals, our bird population, clean water quality & beach preservation than having my dogs be able to walk on a leash at the beach. I hate to see the new council having to deal with the issue of dogs on the beach issue once again, when they will already have huge hurdles to address as they take office."

I have three issues here:

1. This is a greeting card, not a slogan. Our slogan is "Changing Lives... One at a Time."

2. Why is kitty in the image allowed to be on the beach, but not the dog. Isn't that discrimination?

3. Where in the world would I find time to create a subliminal political message, especially when there are fewer than 30 members on our email list from Tybee Island?

While I am often proud to say I'm from Tybee, here is one of the times that it hurts me to say so. Our little island gets so consumed by politics. Right now, there's a movement to try and get city council to allow dogs on the beach as other beaches in Georgia do. I have not spoken publicly, on my blog or anywhere about my feelings for or against this movement. I personally do not take my dogs to the beach; it's just my personal preference. But I am all for anything that helps strengthen the animal-human bond, which this group of supporters seems to be trying to accomplish. (And kudos to the Dogs on the Beach organizer who has done a lot of research on regional beaches that do allow pets to have some facts backing up his movement rather than just personal preferences.) Since I no longer live on the island, I really have no vote, and will have to abide by whatever is decided, whether it be by council or by city vote. Hopefully, some sort of compromise can be reached to satisfy both sides.

I would be lying if I didn't say that losing support from Tybee Island residents for our great organization dedicated to helping homeless pets because we allowed a greeting card to be made featuring a kitten and puppy on the beach didn't leave me heartbroken. But if that is really their deciding factor, then that is a shame.

So, to the original writer of the email, I'm sorry you were so offended by the holiday cards, but I am not going to ask the artist to change them. We are so thrilled someone wants to help us provide food and veterinary care to the animals in our program and be part of the solution.

So to all the rest of you, go buy these cards! We need your support now more than ever!

Coastal Pet Rescue Announces CoastalPetRescue.org 6.0

Getting in front of potential volunteers, donors and adopters just got a little easier for Coastal Pet Rescue.

For six years, the driving force of Coastal Pet Rescue’s adoptions and volunteer management has been their website, CoastalPetRescue.org.

“We don’t have a brick and mortar shelter, so we have to have a good way for people to find our adoptable pets,” says Lisa Scarbrough, Coastal Pet Rescue president and founder. “Our website is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is what yields 90% of our adoptions each year.”

After six years, Scarbrough, who also works full time as a web developer and webmaster for Paula Deen Enterprises, decided it was time for a change. Development began back in April, and the new site was fully released today.

“Our website may look the same, but we’ve updated the software and made it more social media friendly,” says Scarbrough.

The site is now running on Expression Engine software, which Coastal Pet Rescue adoption managers have found easier to use for adding and updating new pets and information.

User feedback over the last year led Scarbrough to create separate pages listing canines and felines for adoption.

“Potential adopters now have a choice directly on the homepage to link to a full list of cats or a full list of dogs,” says Scarbrough. “The listings page now shows more information about each pet much like a roster to help families narrow down their choices.”

CoastalPetRescue.org now also features two RSS feeds, one for their latest news and one for newly added pets. Both feeds also automatically send out tweets so anyone following the organization on Twitter will see the updates.

Volunteers now have a more dynamic message board to help them plan and execute the organization’s events, and the site’s Frequently Asked Questions has had a complete overhaul with categories and more answers to help visitors more immediately.

“It’s been six months of hard work, both from the development side of the site as well as reorganizing and adding content,” says Scarbrough. “But ultimately, it was a change we needed, and I think visitors will be impressed.”

For more information, visit coastalpetrescue.org.

Founded in February 2003, Coastal Pet Rescue is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit animal rescue organization based in Savannah, Georgia dedicated to saving the lives of homeless, abused and neglected dogs and cats in the Creative Coast Savannah and Lowcountry South Carolina areas.

Donors, You DO Make a Difference

It's been a little while since I've written anything. I spend more time doing microblogging with Twitter and trying to stay on top of so many activities. But something really struck me this week, and I just had to share.

This last year and a half has really seen a downturn in our donations from individuals and businesses. So much so that I only check our mailbox every other week anymore. It's caused us to decrease the number of intakes each month, and I'm paying more out-of-pocket expenses for food and miscellaneous supplies. It's sad for me to have to say no day in and day out to people sending us information on pets needing our help. But I see that the guilt is not only on my end; donors feel bad, too.

I checked our mailbox on Monday to find three pieces of mail. I didn't open them, I just stuck it on the passenger seat in the truck and headed back to the office. Like I always do, I put the mail on my desk to be sorted through during my "office hours" on Sunday. But last night, for whatever reason, I decided to go ahead and open a few letters. I was ecstatic to find a few donations, but saddened at the same time to read the accompanying notes:

"I'm really sorry it couldn't be more. You all do such great work."

"I appreciate all you did to help me find my dog. I know it's not much, but maybe one day I can send more."

The donations were $25 and $10 respectively, and I couldn't have been more grateful. I have been down the road a few times where I couldn't even find $10 to put gas in my car to make it to work (back when it was under $1 a gallon). For these people who are obviously struggling themselves to still find a way to help others, it just absolutely warms my heart.

In a day when I see 20 Twitters a morning about stopping at Starbucks and knowing what that costs, then thinking what these donors have sacrificed to help our pets, I can't help but feel admiration for them. It may have seemed like such a small amount to them, but it really matters a lot to me.

So to those donors, I say thank you, not only for helping us to help our pets, but for reminding me that every little bit really does make a difference.

Give Thanks by Giving of Yourself

As we approach the big Thanksgiving holiday, most people are thinking about all the things they are thankful for: family, friends, what is left in their 401K. I'm no different. I'm very thankful for the leadership team at Coastal Pet Rescue, the ones you don't see on TV but give all they have to get the pets into our program, properly cared for, and adopted. I'm thankful for the volunteers and foster parents that give of their time and homes to give our pets a second chance. I'm thankful for my supportive parents who still come to my rescue when I need them.

But today was a bit different. At the office (for my real, paying job), our production manager got all six of us to agree to join her at a blood drive at Second Harvest Food Bank. Turns out, we weren't the only ones that had the same idea as it was a drive coordinated by the Tourism Leadership Council. When we arrived, there was a line, so three of us had to wait, outside, in the cold wind. After 30 minutes I decided to move my truck closer so the other two girls and I could stay warm inside. Another 20 minutes later we were finally able to get in the blood mobile. An hour later, I was giving blood (the other two girls were turned away).

I have never given blood before. I always joke that I only save animals, which is why I'm a Red Cross instructor for Pet First Aid and CPR. I only recently got my certification for Adult First Aid, CPR and AED only because it was recommended by United Animal Nation's EARS program, for which I just got certified last month. I told the lady taking the blood that I was only there out of peer pressure. In fact, four of us were going for the first time. But as I sat up, a little dizzy from the drain, I actually felt a little good for helping people for once. We were each given a Christmas ornament featuring a white dove and the Red Cross logo. Underneath was a small card, "May the joy of giving keep you warm this holiday season."

This Thanksgiving, I encourage you to do something for others that you wouldn't normally do. Perhaps the best way to show your thanks is to pay it forward. You just never know when it might come back to you.

Sidenote:
Here's a quick way you can help others. The Second Harvest Foodbank of Coastal Georgia is a finalist for $100,000 worth of tuna. All they need to win are your votes. You can vote up to 3 times per day with your email address. Click here to lend a hand to your community now.

Hanna: A Warning to Us All

I don't know about everyone else, but for the last week I feel like I've been on a roller coaster with Hanna. Will she affect us or won't she? It still seems to not be a clear answer. We've been working hard to ensure the safety of our pets and the continuation of our program. Which brings me to the subject of this post: are YOUR pets ready?

Downloads Now Available
Yesterday, we updated our "Hurricane Planning for Pets" page on CoastalPetRescue.org. We now have a packing checklist and animal identification form available for download. Additionally, we've added some links you may want to keep handy as we watch next week to see what Ike will do.

Purchase a Pet First Aid Kit
Thanks to our partnership with the Savannah Chapter of the Red Cross, we have a limited supply of pet first aid kits available for sale. This can be a valuable asset if anything happens with your pets during a storm or evacuation.

Pet Identification and Microchips
Do you have proper identification for your pets? Check now to make sure your pets have a properly-fitted collar with identification tag. Instead of your pet's name, put two phone numbers on the tag. If your pet is microchipped, take the time now to make sure the microchip registry has the most current contact information for you. 24PetWatch offers free registration of all chips through their online registry. If you have had your pet chipped through one of our low-cost clinics, you can refer to your yellow registration copy to get your ID number and register your pet online or update your information.

Where Can You Go?
If an evacuation is ordered, pet shelter openings will be announced by emergency management officials. However, you should consider asking friends or family where you will be staying first if your pet can come with you. If so, plan to take a crate for them to stay in so as to not impose upon your hosts. If not, start looking now for boarding kennels or veterinary offices where you will be going to have you pet boarded nearby. Additionally, make sure you have the name, address and phone number of the nearest veterinarian in the event your pet needs care during the evacuation.

When traveling with your pet, it is important that all vaccinations are current. Make sure to have copies of all medical records from your current veterinarian. Georgia State Law regulates that all pets, dogs and cats, have a yearly rabies vaccination. If you are taking your pet to an emergency shelter, your pet will not be admitted without proof of current vaccinations. Additionally, boarding facilities usually require the bordetella vaccine to protect against kennel cough. If your pet does not travel well, talk to your veterinarian about your options to make their trip less stressful.

Please, don't even think of leaving without your pets. Our animals are too domesticated and may not survive through a storm. Many pets found in the days after Hurricane Katrina were loaded with parasites, worms and heartworm disease from drinking bad water and living in filth. Do not leave your pets chained outside either as they could drown in flooding or suffocate trying to seek shelter.



While we may be breathing a little easier today than earlier this week, we are not out of hurricane season yet. Please take the time now to reduce your stress level. Hanna gave us a good warning that anything can happen, so plan now.

Get the latest in tropical developments online at Coastalstorms.com

WalMart: Low Prices, Low Compassion During Hurricane Preparations

I spent my Labor Day making arrangements for our rescued pets, ensuring their safety and few hassles for foster parents needing to take care of their own families. So, I braved a trip to WalMart to stock up on dog food, chewies, water, and an 8-pack of paper towels. It was only as I was putting everything away that I realized I left the paper towels.

On the way home from work today, I stopped and took my receipt in to the customer non-service desk and explained the situation. After looking in "the book," the rep said there wasn't anything she could do because it wasn't listed in the book. I asked to speak with a manager. After hollering "Kathy" multiple times with no one answering her call, the rep finally walked off and got "Kathy." I was not greeted with a smile or "how can I help you?" as you see on the TV commercials (maybe she gets paid much less than those actors, who knows?). Instead, I got a "you need somethin'," said with great impatience. I explained the situation to her again. She looked again in "the book," and said there was nothing she could do. I explained that these were storm supplies for our animal rescue. Her response? "It's not our liability." Nice. What great compassion to show during the first tropical storm threat to our area since Hurricane Floyd.

I know my boycott of them (I even passed up the $3.49 gas) won't do much of anything, but it makes me feel a little better. At least Kroger is just up the road. I guess I'll be seeing them a little later tonight.

Hurricane Season is in Full Swing... Are You Prepared?

It seems like we just got through wondering about Fay, now we have Hanna, Ike and Josephine out in the Atlantic. It doesn't look like we'll have a boring September, to say the least.

Chatham Emergency Management Agency has started issuing releases regarding Hurricane Hanna and her impact on coastal Georgia. At this time, CEMA is in Operating Condition (OPCON) 4, the Monitoring Phase as defined by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. OPCON 4 is the first stage in advanced readiness. What this means to the rest of us is to start taking inventory of our hurricane storm plans. Some actions you can take:

• Monitor local media for updates
  
• Make sure your gas tank is full
  
• Secure important documents in a water-proof container and have in one place
  
• Take photos and videos of your home, possessions, and anything else you might need for insurance purposes
  
• Check that you have plenty of water and non-perishable food
  
• Check and replenish first aid supplies
  
• Make sure you have immediate access to flashlights and battery-powered radio and extra batteries
  
• Secure outdoor lawn furniture and loose objects
  
• Have cash on hand to use if power is out
  

I spent most of yesterday making arrangements to move pets from our rescue further inland. I can't tell you how difficult that was to try and get boarding set up. One kennel said no, another told us they would call us Wednesday afternoon if they hadn't already booked everything else. As a rescue reliant upon foster homes, I don't have the luxury of waiting until an hour or two before a storm hits to make decisions. I have to account for our pets so our foster parents can take care of their own families.

Presently, I am anticipating riding out the storm unless given an order to leave. I have my gas tank filled, extra cash on hand, checked my first aid supplies, bought extra bags of dog food and gallons of water yesterday, stocked up on non-perishable food for myself, and bought extra batteries for my flashlights. I even went and purchased an American Red Cross AM/FM/Weather radio that also has a cell phone charger to make things a little easier when power goes out. Now all that's left for me to do is to teach at least one of the dogs to play cards so we have something to do.

In all honesty, we too often take for granted a storm is going to miss us. With hurricanes, their paths are a best guess by meterologists and their computers, and always just that: a guess. Mother Nature has been known to throw curve balls from time to time (remember the St. Patrick's blackout?), so it is better to prepare now than fall victim to her whims later.

For information on how you can prepare, visit our hurricane and evacuation information site, CoastalStorms.com.

Promoting Good Causes

I'm making this post to thank those who have been helping us get the word out in our area. Marjorie Young with Carriage Trade PR has been a long-time supporter, allowing us bulletin space in her weekly emails to notify the community of our events as well as pets for adoption. And recently, I made the acquaintance of April Groves, a local real estate agent and eWomenNetwork member. April has a dedicated post on her blog to local charities, and Coastal Pet Rescue was a featured.

So to these ladies, we say "Thank You" for giving a little of your space and time to help us in our mission.

Most Eligible Bachlorette

It's that time of year again, the annual Connect Savannah Best Of awards. I posted my MySpace bulletins asking everyone to vote Coastal Pet Rescue for Best Charitable Organization, but I was shocked yet flattered to see my friend Shannon start a campaign to get me listed as most eligible bachlorette. Does that mean I can get out for a free dinner and a movie? So, since Shannon left a plug for me, let me leave a plug for her and boyfriend Josh. Vote for Shannon Kuanfung for best local actress and Josh Holley for Best All-around Local Musician. Both are great people and avid supporters of Coastal Pet Rescue. I will also make a request to have WRHQ voted Best Radio Station, not just because it was the last station I worked for, but because they consistently and avidly support animal welfare and the pet rescue community in Savannah. We just can't beat that!

Want more ideas of who to vote where? Visit our sponsors page and help them get a leg up on the competition. After all, they're supporting us helping those with two more legs than us.

A Weekend Away

On Friday, Ashley, Heather and I left to attend the Petfinder.com Adoption Options training in Atlanta. We were fortunate enough to have At Home Pet Sitters sponsor us for the trip, and our friend and volunteer Maari hook us up with a fabulous room at one of the DoubleTree hotels in Atlanta. The trip up was late, but we were greeted with warm cookies to start the night out.

After settling in our room, we headed downstairs to ask about a great place to eat. The guest relations gentleman informed us of a nice little joint called Wild Wing Cafe, to which a woman who had been with us in the elevator for maybe 20 seconds said, "You girls would do well there." Should we have been insulted that she thought we belonged in a bar? Regardless, we went there, having a pretty good idea of the food and atmosphere. I was quite content with my order, but poor Ashley and Heather had to return their Margaritas. Apparently, there was a new mix being used. Perhaps some Savannah bartenders should call up and give them some hints.

After a long drive, we decided to cut out after dinner and head back to the hotel before our morning drive to the seminar Saturday. We got into our jammies, and Ashley headed for the fabulous hotel lotion, which she discovered the next morning was actually hair conditioner. I didn't sleep well, tossing and turning most all night, and morning came quite early.

Saturday was a long day, but very educational. We started out with a great breakfast at the hotel, complete with Southern grits. The drive took us only about 30 minutes, so we were actually early for registration. We settled in our seats, noting that we were the only group in matching attire, all three of us having packed our 2006 Cruise for Critters T-shirts without knowing the others were doing the same. It seemed most of the groups kept to themselves. We made friends with two ladies from Alabama, and an older couple just starting a new rescue in the Atlanta area. I did get to reacquaint myself with Paul Jolley, VP of Petco, and Lynn Katz from Petfinder that I met last year at Adoption Options in Jacksonville, FL. We chatted about some other possibilities for CPR, so that's always a good thing. The other presentations taught us about medicines to use for our rescued pet, how to increase hits for our Petfinder website pages, and how to evaluate and promote Pit Bulls for adoption.

We decided to hang out around Atlanta Saturday evening, which included a terrible meal and service (although fabulous Messy Sundae dessert) at a restaurant across from the hotel. We then ventured to Roswell for what became a private screening of Firehouse Dog since we were the only patrons. We killed time prior to the screening by playing Skeeball for a few. There were so many experiences just withing those two hours that I would have to write an entire other blog post about them.

Sunday, we treated ourselves to sleeping in since we all had pet sitters and haven't known what sleeping in can be like in quite some time. We decided to take a detour home and visit the Georgia Aquarium. What a great experience that was. I had no idea what to expect, and was thoroughly impressed, though I had a difficult time differentiating their version of "rescue" from my version of "dinner."

The trip home was much shorter than going up, but I won't say that our driver had a lead foot. It was all safe and sound, and that's what mattered. Of course, there was so much to be done when I got home, including calling someone over to fix the kennel that Carolina chose to tear apart during my absense.

All in all, it was a great trip, and a much-needed mini vacation.

We Are Not a Shelter, and I Do Not Get Paid

I don't know how many times I have to reiterate this. Animal rescue is a very tough business to be in, but even tougher when you have limited space and no income.

I wear a lot of different hats and have lots of people to communicate with on a daily basis. I also work full time as a web programmer, work part time as an animal care worker at Animal Control, and am enrolled full-time through Duquesne University. Basically, I don't sleep. So it is a little frustrating when people are pushy with me. Just today I had an email from someone that had sent us some hand-made bedding for kittens. I had already written her that we didn't have any at the time, but appreciated the gift and hoped to use them later. Instead, I went to using them for our very young puppies (I did try it with Sia, but she much preferred her litter box). So imagine how disheartened I was today to get an email demanding me to return the items to her because they were not being used as specified. Our supplies are always limited and we use evertyhing that we can. It is probably my fault because I didn't overwhelm her with gratitude. I had assumed that my simple thank you and acknowledgement was enough. But it wasn't. So I took the one away that Dixie had been using, placed it in a plastic bag, and put it in a box to be returned. We were blessed last month to have Peggy donate a bag of baby blankets, so although it is larger than I wanted for Dixie (didn't want to smother her), it did provide a comfy alternative.

Why is it so hard for people to do nice things without great expectations in return? We always send a hand-written thank you to our donors, and I like to think we are very approachable. But geez, can't we get some consideration for our time? Everyone who works with us does so for their love of animals; none of us receive any montetary compensation. We answer emails on our own free time, which is already limited by work, school, and family life. Sometimes, we have to prioritize how/when people are contacted. We have a secretary that returns all voicemail, an adoption coordinator who handles all correspondence for adoption, a foster coordinator to handle some of the intake and veterinary requests, and a TNR coordinator that handles all correspondence relating to our feral cat program. That leaves all other correspondence to me, which can be anywhere from 80 to 200 emails a day. So yes, it may take a day or so or longer to get a response from me, but I really do the best I can.

And as for us being a shelter, I really don't know how best to explain this. We are not a shelter. We do not have a physical facility that you can drop in anytime you want. We're a foster home organization. The animals live with us in our homes. Again, this means our free time is given up to provide veterinary care, socialization, training, and rehabilitation. So yes, you have to have an appointment to meet one of our pets. And when you do arrive at my house, do not expect Martha Stewart to live here. It is me and the dogs. If it is a long week like this one, there may be laundry in a basket waiting to be folded that has been sitting for four days, dog fur that hasn't been vacuumed in a week, Cutters Point frappe cups stacked on the coffee table, and maybe even a Pizza Hut box on the end table. Or even a hair dryer and wet towels in the corner from the last round of baths.

So please, cut me a little break, will you? I am only one person, and I am really doing the best I can. If you disagree, come spend one day with me and see just how much one person can accomplish in 24 hours, or take a proactive approach and become a volunteer.

Just $10 to Save a Life

It doesn't seem like much, but $10 can really mean the life or death for a pet. How so? Imagine your pet finds itself in the grasps of a local animal control facility. They have 3 to 7 days, sometimes more, most times less, for you to reclaim them. But how do you know they are there? If your pet has a microchip, animal control workers will scan your pet, get the id number, and give you a call to reunite the two of you.

So where does the $10 come in to play? Many vets charge between $30 to $60 for your pet to be microchipped. If you have multiple pets, this can be a huge expense. So we started offering low-cost clinics three years ago using the 24PetWatch program. So for just $10, you can have piece of mind that your pet will be reunited with you rather than counted among the millions of homeless pets euthanized each year.

Yesterday, we held a low-cost microchip clinic at Tybee Island's Memorial Park (thanks to Tybee City Council for their help). Pet owners brough 103 pets to us, 83 dogs and 20 cats. We never got to sit down, and Dr. Charra and Anne of All About Pets Mobile Vet even stayed late to get everyone chipped. But most astounding was that the pets were not all from Tybee; in fact, only 28 were. The rest came from much farther away: Midway, Guyton, Bluffton, Hilton Head Island, Pooler, Springfield, Bloomingdale, Richmond Hill, Garden City, Collins, and Savannah. It really brought home that what we are doing makes a huge difference for these pets, so much so that we are going to add more clinics this summer instead of just one a quarter. We just have to find more businesses to allow us the space, and a few more vet techs to give up their time.

Pet Insurance: To Buy or Not To Buy

My friend Telli caught me online as I was getting ready for my fabulous TV interview this morning and told me that the TODAY show was going to have a segment on pet insurance. Unfortunately, it took too long to come on, and I had Mickey on leash and out the door as it was starting. I told her that we give a pet insurance policy as part of the adoption process, though it now costs $1. She didn't realize that, which means I didn't explain it to her when she adopted from us late last year, oops.

Anyhow, before I go sounding like a paid infomercial, let me say that I carry insurance on my beloved dog, DaVinci. Like our adopters, I got his policy as a gift with his adoption, and decided to continue it. It costs me a bit over $200 each year, which I pay out of my tax refund. I like to think I provide adequate care for my pets, but since I live paycheck to paycheck, there's no way I could afford for something major to happen to my Vinnie bear. Given his natural lack of grace, it makes me feel better to know that I can provide him care when he needs it.

Now, how do you choose the insurance policy that's right for you? The choice was made for me. ShelterCare by PetHealth Inc. has been providing us with insurance policies for our adopted pets for several years. I've had the opportunity to meet their director in person, as well as several of their staff. So, I feel confident using them for my personal pet. They also made a major announcement a few weeks back that their policy would cover expenses relating to care needed from the pet food contamination.

There are many options to choose from. Your best bet would be to do a Google search and get information from several sources. But my point remains: pets are a part of your family. You have insurance for you and/or your family members, so why not your beloved pet?

Extreme Make-over: Home Edition - Puppy Style

I just love watching the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition every Sunday. A few years ago, I drew up the plans of what I hoped to build for the rescue after watching several episodes. Tonight, I decided to bathe Mickey before I went to bed, so he'd be clean for his stay at the vet the next few days for his heartworm treatment.

Let me start off by saying that Mickey is a wonderful dog. He's very good, usually, for me. He loves to be near me, have my attention. For this reason, I thought I could take on an under 40 pound husky on my own in the shower... I was wrong. He's lean, and determined. His fur really should probably be shaved down so new, healthier fur can grow, but instead, I went for a full shampoo. I used almost an entire bottle, as Husky fur is very thick. I underestimated that, despite him being lean, anything I put on him he could turn into bathroom decor... and he did. And the hallway. And the kitchen. The floors are now cleaner, too, since I had to wipe up all the shampoo paw prints and water he traced throughout the house.

The good news is that we finally came to an understanding and after thirty minutes of negotiating, got all the shampoo out of the fur. The bad news is his part of the negotiations did not allow for a blow drying, so instead, I had to put more towels down on the floor in the kitchen for him to dry himself. Ugh. But at least I'll feel less like the vet will want to call doggy DFACS on me tomorrow since he at least smells a little better. It's a darn good thing he can't talk though...

What is a Microchip?

Coastal Pet Rescue will hold another low-cost microchip clinic this coming Saturday, 1 to 4 pm, at Memorial Park on Tybee Island. We've had some questions recently regarding the clinic, so I decided to make a post that will hopefully answer them and encourage people to bring their pets.

How big is the microchip?
The chip itself is only the size of a grain of rice. The needle, therefore, is larger than the standard needle they would get with their annual shots.

Does it hurt them?
It pinches. Most of them react to the pressure they feel from the insertion of the chip. It is very quick, and we do use Lidocaine gel to numb the skin as much as possible. Some dogs will act as if nothing is going on; others will show you just how great their drama skills can be.

Where do you put the chip?
The chip is inserted between the shoulder blades just underneathe the skin.

Does it GPS them, so you can see where they are?
No, this isn't Lojack. The chip is essentially a bar code, much like what you see on products you purchase when grocery shopping. The scanners read the chips like the scanners at the grocery check outs. So someone must find the pet and take it somewhere to have it scanned for a chip. Coastal Pet Rescue maintains three scanners and has gone numerous times to scan found pets. Only once has a chip been found, but it was never registered correctly.

What information does it carry?
The chip itself does not carry any information other than the barcode. An ID number displays when the chip is scanned by a microchip reader. The person scanning calls a registry database with the ID number to get the owner's information (there are several registries: HomeAgain, AVID, 24PetWatch, PetLink). The owner is then called to reunite with their pet.

How do I register my information?
Coastal Pet Rescue submits registration forms from its clinics directly to 24PetWatch. The information on the form includes the owner's name, address, three phone numbers, the pet's name, date of birth, breed, age, sex, neutered status, date of last rabies vaccination, special medical needs, veterinarian's information, and an alternate emergency contact name and number. At the time your pet is microchipped at our clinic, you will receive a tear sheet with information and 24PetWatch's website. You have the option to register your pet that same day online or by phone for free. Once your pet is registered, you may use 24PetWatch's online tools, such as uploading a photo or adding additional information.

What do I do if I move or change my number?
24PetWatch does not charge you to change your information. This is the only way a microchip will truely work for your pet. When you have a change, you may login online and update it yourself or call their 800 number.

Why does Coastal Pet Rescue charge on $10 for this service?
We started doing the microchip clinics over three years ago because we found people were not doing them through their vets, mainly because of the cost. 24PetWatch is a program designed for shelters and rescues to make microchipping pets affordable and keep them from euthanasia. We do the clinics as a public service; this is not a fundraiser.

My pet never goes out of the house, so why should I do this?
Maybe your pet always lives indoors, but what happens in the event you have a sitter or friend that accidentally lets the pet out? Or how about if we have to do a hurricane evacuation again and your pet gets away? The microchip provides a permanent identification that will help your pet to be reunited with you, even if it travels thousands of miles away from home.

Animal Control and Care in Chatham County

As is mentioned on SavannahPets.org, there is a new facility in the works for Chatham's animal control. Members from animal control, the humane society, county commissioners and the architects travelled to another county to check out their facilities last week. What they got were more ideas of how a good shelter can help to decrease euthanasia rates in our county. Since I do the paperwork for that every day, let me tell you, there is a lot of room for improvement. So, what would I like to see changed? Having spent the last four weeks working part time, here are some of my suggestions:

1. An adoption counselor on site. There is no reason the public shouldn't be able to come and do an adoption of a pet from animal control. Yes, there needs to be some screening in place, and definitely policies for spay/neuter, but why not keep them alive as long as we can?

2. Segregated areas for bite cases. Each day, at least one person has to walk through the kennels looking for their pet. We always have a least one bite case being held for ten days, and recently, they have been anything but friendly. I consider it a safety issue, as well as a well-being issue. These animals project their constant barking/aggression towards the animals around them. Even if they are placed in the pens with the fiberglass dividers, it can still unnerve one of their neighbors.

3. Lighting. The kennels are so dark and dreary. It's a very sad place to have to walk through with someone who is searching hard for their missing pet, and in many cases, it's harder to see identifying marks. I know animal control is not known as a cheery place, but I don't see a reason why we can't try to make it a bit more inviting to the public coming through.

4. Segregated areas for puppies/kittens from adults, and for that matter, sick/injured animals from general population. I know it is a lot to ask, but just take one walk through our kennels right now. Our cat room is littered with cats full of upper respiratory infections, and while healthy cats may be moved away from them, they all still share the same air and possibility for contraction. The same goes for puppies as I keep hearing about the number of parvo cases increasing at our local vet offices, though only know of one pup recently pulled from animal control that was positive (which would be our very own Chipper).

5. Educational opportunities for the public. When people are coming to reclaim their pet, why not have a packet of information available with a contacts list to help them keep their pets out of animal control? We do low-cost microchipping, and I try to remember to put flyers out for our upcoming clinics. Instead, I should have flyers up there about microchipping year round since we can do appointments. I don't mind driving if it can help save a life. Additionally, we really need spay/neuter awareness. Most of the pets come in are not spayed/neutered, and many have been giving birth in the kennels recently.

6. Exercise areas. We have two areas where pets can be taken out to be leash walked or showcased to a potential rescuer/adopter. Wouldn't it be great if these babies could all get the chance for some exercise, especially if it may help them bide their time?

7. Standards of Procedure for Medicating and Euthanizing severely sick or injured animals. Our goal should include providing humane care for the animals upon their arrival. Many times I have walked through and had to make special requests to have animals sent to the vet for care or euthanasia. This would be great to be able to do this on site. We do medicate as we can, but there have been several cases where the animal was so injured, it needed to be put down on arrival. Instead, we have to send it to another vet and let them make the call, taxing their resources on top of the animal control officer's that just delivered the animal to the shelter and did the paperwork. (In the last week, two puppies were brought to animal control by concerned citizens that both had to be put down at the vet.)

8. Automated phone answering. With all that goes on in the kennels with the numerous daily intakes, the phone is often missed. I feel like our outgoing message is too long. Instead, give options, such as press 1 for hours of operation and location, 2 for instructions on reclaiming a pet, 3 for bite cases, etc.

9. Lost and found service. We need a better way of getting the public to understand how to use animal control for lost and found. Often times, a flyer is dropped off, and the owner doesn't return after two visits. It's hard to clearly identify a pet from a black and white copy, in particular for the number of cats we see every day. This would be where offering microchipping and information on id tags and collars would be very appropriate.

10. Customer service training. I will admit, the guys at the shelter work hard, and deal with a lot of BS on a regular basis. We need them to do a lot of the dirty work. But there should be a friendly front person to assist people in and out of the kennel, make their experience less stressful, and provide as much information and options as possible. I'm not saying it has to be a woman, but someone with good people skills and tact.

I could keep going on and on, but I do need to sleep as well.

Intruder in the House

Crazy Dog Lady. Husky Lover. Mutts R Us. I'm always associated as a dog rescuer. Well, normally, that's what will be found in my house. But few people know that when I started in rescue seven years ago, I was really a, gasp, cat rescuer. Yep, I always had a cat or litter of kittens (or two) at home, and only one dog once I got out of college. So imagine the shock to my pack when the cries they heard from the carrier coming through the door this afternoon was not the typical howl of a Husky puppy, but the cries of an annoyed Siamese kitten. Yes, the cries of a ticked off kitty. This is a sound I have not heard in many years. Sia, as I am calling her, is a little confused by her new surrounding, though I would call it a considerable upgrade from her cage at animal control. I think she is going for some sort of kitty meowing record, as her mouth hasn't shut since she got home. Guess I know how my dad must have felt when I was a child.

Question from the Sidelines

A question was posted about a week ago by a new CPR volunteer:

Is it difficult when the pet you fostered actually gets adopted out?

As the president of this organization, I'm charged to balance emotion with logic in our operations. However, there are times that I do get emotionally invested in our pets, and have been known to shed a tear or two when they go to their new homes. Since I take in so many special needs pets (heartworms, parvo, abuse, neglect, etc), I go through a rollercoaster with some of them, trying to get them healthy, get them socialized, overcome obstacles. It's not easy to go from holding a pet on an IV, wondering if they will make it through the night, to sending it to its new home, knowing it may be a very long time before you see it again.

I try to keep the mentality that for each one that is adopted, the space is opened to bring another into rescue. Which is probably why my house is always so full. But it makes it easier when the adoptive families send us photos and updates. It's reaffirming that we are doing good and indeed changing lives, one at a time.

Vaccinate Your Pets, Please

It doesn't seem like a lot to ask, but it is killing me the number of puppies I am finding out have Parvo. Tyler got to come home from the hospital on Monday, and is finally running around the yard like a puppy should today. But Chipper, a border collie puppy we got from animal control on Sunday, turned up sick on Tuesday morning. Yep, another Parvo puppy. Today at animal control, a puppy was brought in that, to four of us, looked like it had been hit by a car. We sent it over to the vet's office. When we called to follow up, we were told it was the late stages of Parvo. I've never seen anything like it. It was so devasting. These two contractors had found this poor thing on the side of the road, picked it up and brought it to us. One guy was on his knees, looked me in the eye and said he was going to adopt that pup if it would make it. To me and the others, we were guessing she might have only a matter of hours. I'll find out in the morning.

And this brings me to my other gripe. Why can't people remember to give their pets monthly heartworm preventative? Cheyenne went in yesterday morning for her second round of treatments, and two other huskies still have to go in for their first. And have you tried explaining to them that the reason they have to be confined to a crate for four to six weeks is because someone wouldn't spend a few bucks to give them one pill a month? Let me tell you, they don't understand. Heck, I don't even know what to do with Mickey; he figured out how to open his crate two days ago and help himself to whatever activity suits him. I can see how much fun it is going to be when he starts his heartworm treatment in two weeks.

Judge Blocks Use of Gas Chambers

According to the Atlanta Journal and Constitution,

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Cynthia Wright Friday granted a pet owner and a state lawmaker's request for a preliminary injunction requiring the agency and state Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin to uphold the 1990 Humane Euthanasia Act.

The article makes mention that there will be some exceptions to allowing the use of gas chambers. While they weren't mentioned in the AJC article, Commissioner Irwin had them posted on the GA Dept. of Ag website:

The law pertaining to the euthanasia of animals provides for several exemptions from the requirement of the use of sodium pentobarbital injection, including exempting the application of the law to counties whose populations are 25,000 or under. Over half the counties in Georgia fall within that exemption alone. If a shelter falls within one of the exemptions in the law, then it is a local matter as to whether that shelter decides to act under it. People who are unhappy about the law and the exemptions it provides should contact their legislators.

It should also be noted that, contrary to what has been reported in the media and by the persons bringing this lawsuit, there is no section of the Georgia Code that has been designated by the Georgia legislature as the “Humane Euthanasia Act.” This is a label that the persons bringing this lawsuit have apparently come up with.

I wait to see what happens next.