Holidays with Your Pet (Part I: Travel)

The holiday season is upon us! As many of you hit the road or the skies to visit loved ones, here are some things to remember if you're bringing your furry friend with you:

Hitting the road?

• Keep your pet secure in a crate or in a fitted harness that attaches to the seatbelt. This will prevent him from losing his balance during sudden stops or starts and around corners. The crate should be large enough for him to stand up and turn around in. Both crates and car-ready harnesses are readily available at major discount stores and pet stores.
• Feed your pet about 3 or 4 hours before hitting the road, to ensure she can digest a bit and won't become carsick. If it's a particularly long journey, offer your pet food at a rest stop or gas station when the car is not in motion to ensure she's able to eat comfortably.
• Plan for emergencies! In addition to his regular collar and tags, include a travel tag with information on where you're staying and a cell phone or local number where you can be reached. If he's not already, consider getting your pet microchipped as an extra method of identification. Also, bring a copy of your pet's vaccination records, in case your animal gets loose and is picked up by local animal control - they may need proof of a rabies vaccination before he can be returned to you!
• It should go without saying, but never leave your pet alone in the car for anything longer than a quick bathroom break! In the winter, the car can act as a refridgerator, trapping and holding cold air, potentially giving your animal frostbite or worse!

Travelling by air?

• Schedule a visit to your vet in the week before you leave. Most airlines require a clean bill of health and vaccination records before your pet is allowed to fly. At this vet visit, you can also discuss whether its safe to tranquilize your pet. While tranquilizing can affect your pet's breathing and has it's own risks, for some pets the benefits of being calm during the stress of air travel outweigh the risks associated with medication.
• Book a direct flight if possible. This will eliminate the chance that you and your pet become separated during travel due to delays or missed connections. Carry a photo of your pet with you when you travel, and let airline staff both at check-in and on the plane know you're travelling with your pet so they are able to keep you informed.
• Check with your airline to verify documentation and procedures for travelling with your pet. Some smaller pets may be allowed to ride under the seat in the cabin; most will ride in the pressurized cargo cabin. Ensure that the crate you have for your pet is approved by the USDA for air travel - the store you purchase your crate from should be able to tell you.
• In addition to the collar and tags your pet will wear during travel, ensure you have your contact information and travel information attached to the crate. You may also want to attach a photo of your pet, on the slim chance she may escape her crate during travel - airline staff will be able to identify her and return her to the proper crate.

November is National Adopt-A-Senior-Pet Month!

In the month of November, animal shelters across the country are highlighting an often-overlooked section of their population: their senior pets. What age defines “senior” varies from shelter to shelter, but these adult animals are often overlooked for the cute, roly-poly kittens and puppies in nearby cages.

However, there are many benefits to bringing an older animal into your family! Consider this:

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  Senior pets’ personalities are already developed, and shelters or rescues probably have a personality profile on the animal, so you can be sure you’re getting a great fit for your family


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  Senior pets have longer attention spans and better impulse control, making for much easier training! Additionally, senior pets are very likely to already be housetrained and familiar with many commands!


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  Because senior pets often had an owner before they ended up in a shelter environment, they are particularly grateful and always seem very aware that they were rescued!


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  Senior pets are great for a quieter lifestyle – they will be more mellow than a puppy or kitten, and less likely to get into boredom-induced mischief![1]


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  Senior pets are great companions for existing animals in your family! They often already have experience with other dogs or cats, and cause less stress for existing animals than a puppy or kitten might.


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  Senior pets are great for senior humans looking for companionship! They don’t require as much exercise as a younger pet, and are content to curl up on the couch as a napping partner for as long as you’d like![2]

To celebrate our senior pets this month, CMHS is reducing their adoption prices and hoping you’ll consider bringing one of these wonderful animals into your home!

[1] First four tips come from Petfinder.com
[2] Last two tips from cats.about.com

It’s almost National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week!

Shelter Appreciation Week is held the first full week of November each year, making this year’s event from November 7th through the 13th. The idea originated in Lincoln, NE, with the Capital Humane Society, and was picked up nationally by the Humane Society of the United States as a way to acknowledge and promote the contributions of shelters around the country.

This year, the Central Missouri Humane Society has already been able to contribute a lot to the community!

• Between January 1 and November 1, CMHS has taken in 5,133 animals, providing food, shelter and veterinary care during their stay
• Our amazing vet staff has completed hundreds of spay and neuter surgeries, both for the animals adopted from the shelter and for animals in the community!
• Quarterly vaccination clinics offered by CMHS administered 321 routine vaccinations, 30 microchips and 99 nail trims at an affordable cost for pets in the community!
• CMHS keeps extensive files of lost and found pets in the community, checking each day if there are matches to be made and lost pets to return to their families!
• Our food pantry has given out hundreds of pounds of pet food to families in the community who are struggling to make ends meet.
• And of course, we help families find their newest pet and our animals their ‘fur’ever homes every day!

Our volunteers and supporters are a huge part of our ability to provide services to our community! In 2009, our volunteers contributed almost 5,000 hours of support to CMHS, assisting with everything from special events to animal socialization! (At minimum wage, that's over $30,000 in support!) Additionally, donations from the community are a fantastic help – every pile of newspapers, jug of bleach and bag of kitty litter that is donated allows more of CMHS’s limited funds to go directly toward the care of the animals.

If you’re already a volunteer or donor, this week is as much for you as for us! We simply couldn’t keep doing what we do without your help. CMHS is able to keep its doors open because of you, and we’re so fortunate to have such a wonderful and diverse group of supporters!

If you’re interested in ways to offer support, consider these opportunities:

• Host a donation drive! Gather your coworkers, classmates or friends and collect bleach, kitty litter, durable dog toys, towels, blankets, etc. Every item donated is one less item CMHS has to purchase, helping us stretch our budget!
• Volunteer! We are always looking for great volunteers to help care for our animals, assist with special events and promote our pets!
• Adopt! If you’re looking for another pet, please consider the wonderful animals we have at CMHS. Your pet will come fully vaccinated, spayed or neutered and microchipped, all for an adoption fee that goes right back into the care of the animals!