A whole nation looked on as a ragged group of Pit Bulls was rescued from Michael Vick’s southeastern Virginia “compound” last year.  The dogs had been mutilated, neglected, beaten and bloodied all at the hands of one of the gnarliest dog fighting rings ever broken up.

And a whole nation is looking on now as the little sweeties are rehabilitated, learning to love and indeed working towards becoming “man’s best friend.”

  22 of the Pit Bulls have been taken to Utah’s Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah. Sweet-tempered by nature, the dogs are learning to love, to play with toys, to run around and to get into mischief.

According to CNN:

Each dog has its own pen inside an octagonal housing unit and an outdoor run. They’re being fed “canine caviar” — a special dog food formulation. They’re chewing rubber bones. They can wrestle rubber toys filled with doggie treats.

Click here for the full story.

One of the most twisted stories of fate and karma intertwined that I can think of, Vick is paying for part of the rehabilitation of these dogs that he spent so much time tearing down. His fortune has rapidly disappeared since his trial, and in late November he agreed to pay nearly $1 million for the care of the dogs found on his property. It is unclear how much money went to each shelter that took the dogs in.

I have volunteered at many animal shelters in my lifetime and never have I seen one quite like Best Friends. I have never been there, but it seems like a homeless animal’s paradise from the way the media has portrayed it and based on the pictures on the website.

For a full rundown of the “ Vicktory Dogs” progress, and to make a donation to this wonderful animal shelter, visit Best Friends Animal Society.

As a Cleveland, Ohio native I like to keep abreast of animal welfare issues locally and regionally.

A friend of mine who owns/runs the Ohio chapter of Russell Rescue Inc. and her own Multiple Breed Rescue recently informed me that Ohio is the second-largest purveyor of puppy mills in the country.

Although sickened I was not surprised.

Wayne Pacelle, CEO of The Humane Society of the United States mentioned in his blog, A Humane Nation last November that Ohio is an “enclave”for puppy mills.  And heart4animals.com mentions that its been over 30 years since an actual amendment to the Federal Animal Welfare Act imposed standards on wholesale breeders. That leaves the door wide open for so-called “dog farmers” to continue the horrid and repeated abuse and neglect of dogs in mills.

Last fall I encountered one of these puppy mills and also found a separate mill dog chained to a garbage heap. Albeit a small one, the mill was for purebred German Shepherds. It was located in “apple country” across the street from an orchard that my sister and I sought out for fresh-from-the-tree apples. We were nostalgic about the apple orchard; it was a favorite Sunday activity when we were kids.

We were having a great time until we became disillusioned at the site of a massive garbage heap in the middle of the orchard. We immediately dumped the apples. The heap had been burned and was filled with old food cans, beer bottles, various metal scraps, burned pumpkins, trash, and paraphernalia that we couldn’t identify.

Our dogs, who were running free, sniffed around and were grossed out so they did a perimeter check. They would normally greet any other person or dog with open paws and wagging tails. When they first sniffed out poor Ruby (as her nametag suggested) on the heap, however, they came back around to us with tails between legs and droopy drawers faces. 

Against my better judgment I approached the dog. She seemed friendly enough and was itching for me to come to her. I was horrified to find her chafed and bloody neck from the choker chain confining her. Her ribs were poking out of her body. She was whimpering. I got the choker off her neck and it was like she hadn’t run free in years. She politely thanked me then took off running through the rows of trees panting away, ears blowing in the wind.

We asked the orchard owners and employees about the dog and they said they didn’t know what we were talking about and it must be a stray. Yeah right.

I immediately called the local chapter of the Animal Protective League (APL). In the meantime my sister and I repeatedly went back to try to take Ruby. We left TONS of food all over the place for her. She just wouldn’t come to us though.

The APL couldn’t get an officer out until two days later. I imagine they were quite busy with similar complaints and they are greatly understaffed in Ohio. The owner wouldn’t call the officer back at first.  The officer just went out there after a couple more days and the orchard owner denied having the dog. The officer persisted and the owner said it was his dog but that he had let her go months ago.

Let her go? More like chained her to the garbage in the middle of the orchard to die of starvation and hypothermia.

We found out the next day after the APL had made an effort to capture Ruby that the owner went out into the orchard and shot and killed her. Ruby, undoubtedly a product of one of the many surrounding mills, had just found freedom again. And he killed her rather than dealing with the consequences. He even showed the officer her body.

As for the German Shepherd “breeder” across the street? We lodged complaints with multiple local animal welfare agencies and groups and no one could do a thing. They are so understaffed and the problem is so rampant here that it’s hard to make a dent in the issue. Those shepherds were chained to a cement pad in the backyard, males separated from females. They howled when a car drove up. They paced around their cages. They had no water and no food. They looked pathetic. It w as obvious that they were either inbred or being used for breeding again and again and again. Why a person would buy a dog from there I cannot understand. Most likely those pups went to pet stores.

I think many animal fanatics subscribe to the theory that pet shops and puppy mills are close buddies. When one buys a pet from a pet shop, or even shops for pet supplies there they are (hopefully unknowingly) contributing to a heartless underground industry that forces dogs to spend their entire lives in small cages on cold cement floors. They are underfed and under-watered and are constantly bred to support “consumer demand” for puppies according to www.StopPuppyMills.com.

Do not be fooled by breeders and websites claiming the best of the best and showing green, lush surroundings and healthy looking animals. It’s usually quite another story if you go directly to a breeder after most of the dogs have been taken. Animals who don’t get adopted are sent to pet stores, left to die, or sometimes even sold to the black market trade for medical laboratory testing (which I will be writing an entirely separate post about soon).

And according to the Humane Society of the United States, websites “allow puppy millers to cut out the middlemen by selling directly to consumers. Not only is this more profitable, but in most states it allows the puppy mill to avoid being inspected by government agencies.”

There are tons of shelters and breed rescue groups that have dogs waiting for adoption. Contact the Humane Society of the United States Companion Animals staff at 202.452.1100 for help finding one. Or visit www.PuppyBuyersGuide.com for help finding a breeder who isn’t running a puppy mill.

If you live locally in Northern Ohio and want to support a local rescue organization, visit www.crazywfarm.com for Russell Rescue Inc. (for the cutest Jack Russell Terriers), and Multiple Breed Rescue, a shelter for all types of breeds. The shelter is clean with tons of open space, and the dogs are very well taken care of.

For more information on the Humane Society’s puppy mill undercover investigation efforts, visit Pacelle’s A Humane Nation, one of my favorite blogs.

Go to www.StopPuppyMills.com to sign a pledge to spread the word about deadly mills. Word-of-mouth is the best and most proven form of advertising and the more signatures the better.

One last thing – never stop at Miller Orchard in Amherst, Ohio for apples, cider or pumpkins.

Dogs, like humans, like instant gratification. Not only do they swallow many things whole because they taste so good, they also have been known to dive in head first and eat anything you hand over to them without knowing the consequences.

There are certain human foods/snacks that dogs should never get their paws on. Some human foods, although tempting as tasty treats for your canine, can cause serious harm and long-term health problems. Be sure you avoid the following in your precious pooches’ human food extras.

Grapes
Grapes and dogs are not a healthy combination. Although grapes are a semi-crunchy and healthy treat for humans and although your dog may enjoy them (because they are hard to squish in his mouth) grapes not only pose a choking hazard to your dog, but a serious health hazard as well. Grapes are grown with fertilizers and pesticides that can be harmful if taken in large amounts and have been known to cause renal failure. Grapes grown without chemicals have also been proven to be toxic and can cause vomiting and kidney failure. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Animal Poison Control Center held a study that showed grape intake causes acute kidney failure, which prevents your dog from producing urine since they can’t filer toxins out.

Chocolate
Dogs and chocolate don’t mix. Chocolate is poisonous to your dog (and cat, too) because it contains theobromine, a naturally occurring stimulant. If a dog eats enough chocolate, its heart can beat so fast that it ceases to pump blood effectively (tachycardia).This is largely a dosage issue and the effects can vary based on the size of your dog and the amount of chocolate, according to petcaretips.net.

Bones from chicken, steak, etc
So many pet owners love to give the dog a taste sensation – the bones from steak, chicken and other meats. Cooked bones, however, are very dangerous for your dog. The cooked bone may splinter after ingested and can cause your dog to choke. The splintered bones can also poke your dog’s esophagus, stomach and intestines during digestion and excretion. Sometimes the splintered bone may not be digested at all once it has entered the body.

Undercooked Meat
Undercooked meat poses the same risk to dogs as it does to humans. A very bad food for dogs, undercooked meat has bacteria that can cause salmonella and other nasty food poisoning bouts. DogAge.com also advises against feeding your dog raw meat because of the risk of cysts that might be present in the meat.

Meat Table Scraps
When humans cut away the fatty parts of their steak or chicken, they are often inclined to hand it directly under the table to the dog. This is more dangerous than most pet owners know. Meat, which is generally high in fat, can cause pancreatitis and gastroenteritis. Big words that carry big problems. These are both potentially fatal conditions. Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas that can result in loss of appetite, frequent vomiting, diarrhea that may contain blood, weakness and abdominal pain. Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the stomach and intestinal linings and has similar symptoms. These cases often require hospitalization and fluid replacement.

Onions and Garlic
Onions and garlic are other bad foods for dogs as they contain the toxic ingredient thiosulphate. Hard to diagnose, poisoning occurs a few days after your dog has eaten the onion. Dogs affected by onion toxicity will first vomit and have diarrhea. They will refuse to eat and appear lethargic. During this time, according to bossiercity.org, the dog may be developing haemolytic anaemia, a condition that causes the red blood cells to burst while circulating in the body. All forms of onion can be a problem including dehydrated onions, raw onions, cooked onions and table scraps containing cooked onions and/or garlic. The toxins will usually pass through the dog’s system but he/she may need a blood transfusion before that happens. The scariest part of this? Onion poisoning can occur with a single ingestion (of a large quantity).

Macadamia Nuts and Walnuts
Feeding your dog human food in the form of Macadamia is also disconcerting. There is somewhat of a mystery surrounding the exact toxic component that causes poisoning, but it is known that ingesting them can cause locomotory difficulties. According to BossierCity.org, dogs develop a tremor of the skeletal muscles, and weakness or paralysis of the hindquarters. Affected dogs are often unable to rise and are distressed, usually panting. Some affected dogs have swollen limbs and show pain when the limbs are manipulated. Dogs have been affected by eating as few as six macadamia kernels (nuts without the shell) while others had eaten approximately forty kernels. Some dogs had also been given macadamia butter.

Moldy and Spoiled Food
Some of us humans may have a tendency to throw a spoiled lunchmeat or cheese into the dog’s dinner instead of in the trash. Stop right there! Spoiled food is no better for dogs than it is for humans. Spoiled foods can cause food poisoning, which causes vomiting and diarrhea. Mold contains the toxin Penicillin, which causes severe tremors and seizures. Your dog must be detoxified at the vet for this condition.

Coping with the grief after losing a pet can be a difficult thing to do. Those experiencing pet loss need to arm themselves with their toughest defenses because outliving a pet is a heartbreaking situation. The loss of any type of pet – guide animal, police animal, companion animal or other, is a devastating loss of a best friend.

The deep emotional bond one shares with an animal is hard to put in words. Whether you are grieving, or sympathizing with someone who is, take a soul-soothing journey through the pet loss poetry on this page. Pet loss poetry serves a dual purpose: it’s healing and supportive at the same time.

Feel free to comment and share with others experiencing pet loss.

The Power of the Dog

Excerpt:  
When the body that lived at your single will
When the whimper of welcome is stilled (how still!)
When the spirit that answered your every mood
Is gone wherever it goes–for good,
You will discover how much you care,
And will give your heart to a dog to tear

A  Poem for the Grieving…

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn’s rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there, I did not die…
-Anonymous

The words inspired by Misty Blue, a retired racing greyhound may also be comforting.

Other good resources:
• Four Paws in Heaven
• http://www.pet-loss.net/
• My Pet Loss

If you happen to be comforting someone else through their tough time, try sending a little pet loss gift to show your support. Framed pictures are always a nice gesture. Surprise them with a note in their inbox to cheer them up; there is a wide variety of pet loss cards available online. A loss of a pet eCard might brighten their day a bit and let them know you are sympathizing with them.

Other uplifting gifts for pet loss include donations to an animal welfare groups like the Fund for Animals (which allows you to “adopt” a specific animal with your donation), In Defense of Animals, or a shelter in your area.

It has been said that animals have a sixth sense. Now it’s entirely up to you whether you believe that statement, but I am someone who does.

My husband Michael and I absolutely adore our English Bulldog, Capone. While I haven’t always been an animal lover, I must say that I have recently jumped in head first to join the club.

At 3 ½ months old, Capone fits the bulldog stereotype to a tee: affectionate, not exactly athletic, and definitely mellow. The perfect addition to our family, you’d have a tough time convincing our parents, brothers and sisters that he’s not a child. In fact, if you try to convince my brother, Capone’s “Pupfather” and sister-in-law, Capone’s “Pupmother” otherwise, you might have to brace yourself. (That’s another story in itself that will have to wait!)

Back to the story at hand…

For the past several weeks, we had a feeling something had happened. It started with a slight change in Capone’s demeanor. All of a sudden, our pet dog became quite irritable and would start barking for no apparent reason. If you know Bulldogs, you know they’re notorious for chewing on things, but not barking. In fact, they only bark when they want something.

So we checked…Hungry? Nope. Bathroom break? Nope. Go for a walk? A joke, right? You get the point.

Oddly enough, he’d get into these barking fits around the same time each night and it happened for a few weeks. I was a little spooked because it was almost as if he could see something we couldn’t.

So, Michael and I put on our detective hats and attempted to figure out the answer online. We looked on several websites, but to no avail. We then decided to email the breeder and ask about the demeanor of Capone’s parents. We also asked if, by some long shot, something had happened. Sure enough, Champion Ike, Capone’s father, had passed away several weeks ago; right around the time his fits began.

Mystery…solved?

As I sit here writing this, I can’t help but think to myself: “Is it possible that, even though Capone’s father lived nearly 300 miles away, did Capone already know? Even though he hadn’t seen Ike in months, could he have possibly sensed it? Do dogs really have a sixth sense?”

When Michael and I get home, we’ll share the sad news with Capone. We both have a feeling that Capone will be okay, because he sensed it awhile ago.

I’ve come to realize that Capone wasn’t barking at shadows. He wasn’t barking because he was hungry or wanted to play, but he did want something. Perhaps, our little pup Capone simply wanted us to know that his father, Ike, came to visit, one last time.

They say there is something special about a rescue animal. They know adversity. They know brutality and pain (unfortunately). They know neglect and the human race’s emotional bankruptcy.

And they know – eventually – when they’ve been saved.

Sasha is a special cat who has moved on from her rootless beginnings to help save someone else.
—————————————————————————————————————————–

Sasha suffered severe neglect until I rescued her when she was about 6-7 months old, and to this day it shows in her quiet little personality. I call her my little “teeny one” because she is tinier than tiny. She’s teeny. She is all fur. Even her meow is teeny. But her spirit is soaring and bigger than a lot of humans’ I know. (I, however, like most animals better than I like most people).

Sasha grew up with me in a college town in a house full of five girls, on a friendly neighborhood street. She would sit in the windowsill (going in and out at her own free will since I took the screen out for her) for hours and have conversations with the birds, squirrels or whatever else was alive, in front of her, and smaller than her. She always butt in when any of the roommates was eating anything, and I mean anything: yogurt, goldfish crackers, potato chips, fast food sandwiches (lettuce and all), macaroni-n-cheese, egg salad, tacos, chicken paprikash, and of course, ice cream.

Since she and my other cat are outdoor cats, obviously they spent many sunny Colorado days hanging out in my yard and the neighbor’s yards. My next door neighbor took quite a liking to them and used to leave food and milk out for them constantly (even when I asked her to stop). I would come home and pull in the driveway and see my two cats standing on the hood of her truck livin’ it up with wet food and milk. It drove me NUTS.

One time Sasha was catnapped. It was two days before Halloween and Sasha is black-as-night over her ENTIRE body – pads, feet, belly, ears, everywhere. And she has green eyes, so she is some psycho-nut’s Halloween dream. I was an absolute disaster for three days. I had signs posted by the second day and went to every neighbor’s house up and down the street and across the creek (even though there was no possible way she could have crossed it) every day. Finally, the day after Halloween my roommate was outside smoking when she heard really loud meowing. She followed the sound and started calling Sasha’s name. Sasha kept answering her and finally my roomie was just two houses down the street.

These idiot guy neighbors stole Sasha for the reward money. My roomie literally busted in there and stole her back and said they would be lucky if we didn’t call the cops on them. Of course, I’m sure Sasha sauntered over there looking for some lovin’, or chasing a bird or something, and probably ended up sleeping on their porch, and probably gave them the sweetness when they came home from class, and that bore a beautiful friendship. Years later I still wonder what really happened… I was beginning to realize that Sasha gets around quite a bit.

She also has an affinity for getting herself locked in people’s garages. She goes in there to nose around and ends up getting locked in. I racked my brain and drove around our entire neighborhood in California one night looking for her. I was terrified a coyote would get her, and finally I heard her meowing through a garage door. I had to wake the family up at 10:30 at night to get my cat out of their garage; God was that embarrassing.

When we first moved to Ohio in the summer of 2006 my cats were delighted. Quite a change from the aridity of southern California, they were suddenly back in lush green surroundings with tons of trees, grass, birds, squirrels, bunnies, field mice, and other rodents. They were constantly outside. As was custom, they both started wandering to make friends in the neighborhood (and find helpless creatures to chase). Theodore (my 14-pound Maine Coon Tabby mix) was known for ridding the neighbors of pesky moles and chipmunks (a favorite of both cats). He is a mouse’s worst nightmare and reminds me of the mean old cat in The Secret of Nimb.

Anyhow, as they both made friends in the neighborhood, Sasha became particularly smitten with the neighbor two houses down. Her name is Laura and she is sweet as sugar.

Sasha started coming around their house when Laura first came out of remission. She had been sick for years with what started as breast cancer. The Dr.’s told her she wouldn’t survive. Laura was very sick from chemotherapy in the summer of 2006 when Sasha started visiting, and Sasha was constantly at Laura’s throughout the summer and fall.

It started with Sasha hanging out on their back porch catching birds and chasing anything else with four legs. It then proceeded to the neighbors stopping by and telling us how Sasha lounges around on their back porch furniture all day long in the sunshine and cool breeze. Then she stared meowing to come in their house. Never to turn down a sweet and innocent face, Laura started letting her in and it was love at first cuddle.

At some point Sasha got chased by a rather large Great Dane who was visiting the house behind us and she stayed inside for the winter and then through the spring of 2007. When she finally started going outside again – late spring – it was straight back to Laura’s. It was like she went outside and immediately ran over there.

Something was wrong and Sasha knew it.

She was constantly standing at our door meowing to go out. She would zoom over to Laura’s as soon as the door opened for her in the morning, and stay over there all day until we went to get her at night or Laura’s husband brought her home.

At first I was hurt that Sasha wanted to spend so much time with Laura. I felt like she was abandoning her home, and more importantly, me and my Mom. We always joke that over at Laura’s Sasha has a silk pillow with satin lining and an “S” engraved on it. This is surrounded by a personal fan, a porcelain dish consistently filled to the brim with crème, and an entire corner of the couch. And I wouldn’t be surprised if this is true. One of the many times I went over to Laura’s to get my cat after her curfew I noticed little play mice scattered around the foyer. Hmmn. And I know for a fact there are kitty treats – the good kind — over there. And I know Laura has given her whatever the family has for dinner because she tells us that Sasha meows for food and she can’t resist her sweet little ways.

Laura was in such bad shape at this point that her son came home from college to help his father. The chemo was totally wrecking her body and for quite awhile we didn’t see her outside in the yard gardening orenjoying the spring weather.

When she finally did appear in the mid-summer she wandered over to our house. Practically in tears she told my mom and I that she didn’t know what she would do without Sasha. She told us how Sasha would comfort her and help lower her blood pressure. Sasha would lie on her (or next to her) for hours to keep her company. Sasha was the only thing that made her happy and gave her hope. She always had the energy to snuggle Sasha no matter how tired she was.

We offered to help Laura find a rescue cat to keep. She said she wouldn’t be able to do it because she would never want to leave the cat. We asked her where she was going and she trailed off, “I don’t know how long I’ll be…” She kept repeating how Sasha is her savior and how enamored with her she is.

My Mom and I were almost in tears after that. We realized just how much Sasha meant to this sweet lady. We started letting her stay there day in and day out, bringing Sasha home only at night time to sleep with me. Sasha was growing increasingly depressed at our house and would come in and eat, meow for two hours to go back out, and then settle down in my bed right next to my head for the night. First thing in the morning it was back to the door to go outside.

We discovered in the fall of 2007 that Laura’s parents, old and feeble (and adorable) had moved into Laura’s house to be with her on an “extended visit.” Not one to pry, I suspected this meant that Laura had taken a turn for the worse. Sasha immediately fell in love with these old folks as well.

This reminds me that there is something to be said for pets used in therapy. The Grandpa, forgetful and a little slow, tells tales of Sasha lying on his belly for hours and helping him rest from worry. She is the ray of sunshine in everyone’s day in that whole house. She cheers them all up, wandering from room to room throughout the day bringing her sweet sense of sympathy with her. Even Laura’s son is in love with Sasha. He holds her and plays with her and feeds her just like the rest of them. (The Grandpa especially likes to give Sasha some of whatever he happens to be eating.)

Laura has her good days and her bad days. The family was blessed enough that Laura’s cancer again went into remission. It was a tumultuous struggle for her and her family, and she has said that Sasha helped her through it and is still very therapeutic.

It’s no wonder that so many animals are used in therapy. It’s comforting to know that Sasha, one of Heaven’s angels according to me and everyone who meets her, is there to comfort someone through the worst possible circumstance that life can hand out.

No one knows what will happen with Laura. All we have is hope: the same hope that little Sasha had before she got rescued. The same hope that she brings to Laura’s family. And most importantly, the same hope that she brings to Laura.

All that in one teeny cat.

Henry is a wayward Basset Hound.                                               
His nose is always to the ground.                                                               
He feels the need to announce himself,                                                                 
to other dogs on a walk, to people, and himself.
Henry prefers to spend his days lounging around.                                                       

Henry’s nose is long and stout.                                                           
It frequently steers him about.
He loses all control
When chasing smells is his goal.
His nose directs his whereabouts.

Henry likes to run away.
He gets caught up in a world of smells day-to-day.
He sneaks out the back,
His owner has a mild heart attack.
He then saunters home in his nonchalant way.

Henry’s ears hang down to his toes.
They’re almost as long as his banana nose.
They take quick dips in the water bowl
They get ice-covered on walks in the snow
Amazing how he can’t hear a thing when his owner scolds.

Henry has three-inch-long legs.
He uses them to look pitiful when he begs.
He whines and he squawks,
‘Til he gets what he wants
He makes visitors think he’s underfed.
 

Sometimes Henry’s too lazy to go potty.
He hates moving his hovercraft Bassett body.
He’ll just go in the driveway
Making his owner deal with the fray
He doesn’t care when he’s being naughty.

We call him a Perpendicular Peanut
We call him the Tubular Dog
Henry is genuinely one-of-a-kind
with his stubborn little Bassett mind.
He’s the sweetest little hound one could ever hope to find.

Looking to rescue a pet? Want to save one from a dog or cat shelter? Of course you can adopt from any animal shelter (including Humane Societies, local animal shelters, no kill animal shelters, or smaller, local rescue groups), but pet ownership starts with a good evalutation of the place where you get your new cuddler. A good animal shelter should have the best interest of the pets in mind, and should imbue friendliness and warmth in spirit. Take a look at these requirements:

1. Spay/Neuter
The local animal shelter you choose should have spayed or neutered the animal upon receiving it. This is a standard protocol for most animal shelters and the low cost is usually built into the adoption fee. See Number 2.

2. Veterinarian Health Care
Compassionate care from skilled/professional people is a must. If a vet is spending his/her free time contributing to the animal welfare goals of a shelter (for little to no money), you know the animal has been well-cared for. Some cats and dogs come in with:

• fleas
• ear mites
• respiratory infections
• kennel cough
• worms
• colds
• open wounds
• broken limbs
• other animal bites
• bacterial infections

Vets who volunteer at pet adoption shelters are there to ensure that the little sweeties are receiving the health care they need and are healthy enough to go home with you. Most shelters will not let an adopter take an animal home if he/she is not in good condition. You may be allowed to put the animal on hold or get your name on a wait list if the animal isn’t yet well enough to go to your home.

3. Shots/Animal Vaccinations
Relating to Number 2, a cat or dog shelter should also provide a round of shots for the animal. Again, the cost is usually built into the nominal adoption fee. Dogs and cats should both get Rabies and Parvovirus vaccines and Distemper shots; stray cats may also be vaccinated for Herpes and Calici, and dogs may also get Bordatella, Modified Live Virus (MLV). The vaccines really depend on the age of the animal. If your cat will be an outdoor animal, he/she will require additional vaccines which will not come with the shelter’s first round of shots.

4. Cleanliness
Cleanliness is next to Godliness; however, feelings on cleanliness can also be subjective. Some people may want to get an animal the heck out of a dirty shelter while others may feel more comfortable with a shelter that has sparkling cages and unsoiled play areas. Regardless, make sure the litter box and/or cage floor is free from feces and/or urine; otherwise the animal may have been lying down in it, which can cause further bacterial infections. Make sure the animal itself has had good hygiene put in place and doesn’t seem stinky or dirty.

5. Pleasant Staff Who Seems Happy to be There
It is true that cats and dogs have a sixth sense. They sense disaster and human emotions. The happier the person, the happier and more fun-loving the animal. Animals will always reflect the spirit of their owners and that sometimes starts at the shelter. Of course, there will always be some dogs and cats that were abused and seem depressed and afraid. (Personally I think these are the ones who end up with the sweetest demeanors because once they realize they are safe there little personalities come out and they start to mature their emotions.)

6. ASPCA Visits
To verify that your chosen shelter is run effectively and with the animals’ welfare as a first priority, ensure that the shelter is regularly visited by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Humane Societies do not get visits from the ASPCA as they are privately funded national organizations with regional arms, and have their own standards.

Every year the ASPCA visits more than 150 other shelters throughout the country to talk with directors, volunteers and employees. The ASPCA is there to discuss problems and assist the shelter staff with suggestions, materials and resources. It takes a lot more than good intentions to run a shelter, and the ASPCA’s Shelter Outreach team is staffed by seasoned animal welfare professionals who are there to help with sheltering situations in your area.

7. Adopter Screening
Your local animal shelter should always have the pets’ welfare in mind. This includes a full screening of the hopeful adopter. You want to ensure the rescued pet will be going to the best possible environment, i.e., if the cat doesn’t like dogs, it shouldn’t be adopted out to a home where there is a dog. If the dog is afraid of men or was abused, it should be adopted by a woman with a gentle character and lots of free time.