Animals Abused & Abandoned Blog

SHOP AND MAKE A DONATION TO A3 AT THE SAME TIME! For those that haven’t heard of it Goodshop by Goodsearch is a search engine that allows you to shop at popular stores online and a donation of up to 30% of your purchases will be made to your favorite charity (in this case A3) – below is the link to the site – put Animals Abused and Abandoned in where it asks “what charity do you support?” and then follow the links. Even though we are nearing Christmas you can continue shopping and taking advantage of the many holiday and seasonal discounts year round — thanks so much for your continued to support – and Happy Shopping!
http://www.goodsearch.com/goodshop.aspx

Posted on December 21st, 2009 by Carolyn
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It’s almost October which means Halloween is just around the corner. While you are planning your parties, picking out your costume, buying candy for the kids and putting out the decorations, please remember to take extra care to keep your cats safe and secure during the month of October.

Although cats remain the most popular pets in the United States and elsewhere, there is also a tendency towards vicious behavior and abuse of cats – probably because of their size and vulnerability. This is especially true at Halloween, when cats – especially black, orange or white cats – sometimes are victims of abuse, misuse and in rare circumstances sadistic rituals.

While it is best to always keep your cat inside – (indoor cats generally live from 12-18 years of age, while outdoor cats generally live to be only four to five years of age) – here are a few tips to keep kitty extra safe at Halloween – be it inside or out:

• Remember the best way to keep your cat safe is to keep it indoors at all times – that way kitty won’t run into hostile dogs, cars or people and won’t be exposed to the many diseases which are often carried by feral cats.

• If your cat is an indoor-outdoor cat, be sure to keep it inside on weekends and at night several days before Halloween, as celebrations often start early.

• During the month of October it is important to take extra care with black, white and orange cats – never adopt out a cat to someone you don’t know without suitable references – and especially do not adopt out or sell a black cat to anyone you don’t know in October, particularly near Halloween.

• On Halloween night keep your cat(s)  safe inside. Make sure your cat is kept away from the door so it doesn’t escape when you give out candy to trick-or-treaters. If your house gets alot of visitors on Halloween night, or if you are having a party, secure your cat in a room with its favorite toys, food, water, litter box and other familiar items, so you’ll have peace of mind knowing kitty is safe – and kitty will be contentedly away from unknown noises, smells or people.

• Resist the urge to put a costume on your cat. Cats are free spirits and generally dislike anything on them (be it hats, sweaters or booties). Avoid tying something around a cat’s neck, such as a cape, tie or ribbon – anything which could get hung up and accidentally lead to choking or injury to your cat, or which kitty might try to swallow.

• People in costumes can also be scary for cats and pets so better not to let kitty see you dressed up as a gypsy or a fireman.

• Be sure your cat is microchipped (and dogs too) and has a collar with current contact information; microchipping is an amazing technology that can locate missing pets worldwide – it is an inexpensive procedure that pays off in dividends if kitty (or doggy) gets lost and can’t find his or her way home.

• Do not keep lit candles on surfaces your cat frequents – shelves, ledges, tables – and keep candles in an enclosed container so as not to tempt kitty with enticing flickering flames or scents. Swishing tails are also a hazard near open flames so be sure your fireplace, heater or any other flames are safely gated.

• Keep all candy – especially chocolate – away from cats and all other pets – chocolate and sugar can be lethal in small doses to small animals

• After Halloween, get rid of aging pumpkins as they sometimes harbor bacteria which is harmful if eaten.

These are just a few suggestions for keeping your cat and other pets safe at Halloween (and year round). Please share any additional ideas or suggestions you have regarding pet safety – we would love to hear from you!

Posted on October 7th, 2009 by Carolyn
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Greetings Animals 3 Friends,

I am writing today to alert you to our new Spotlight Story. Nudge, the American Paint Horse, was rescued recently at a horse auction. Although his age is uncertain, he is still a young foal, and it is evident that Nudge has been severely neglected from the start of life. Underweight and coping with a variety of physical problems, Nudge serves as a reminder of the fact that animal neglect and abuse are problems that extend beyond the realm of household pets in our society.

Please  read Nudge’s story and make a donation for his care. I also “nudge” you to share this story with friends and let them know how they can help animals that have been abused or abandoned.

Posted on August 18th, 2009 by janehimmel
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Dear Friends,

I wanted to share with you a letter I received from Lady’s adopted mother Cynthia. This letter describes Lady’s integration with her new family and the progress she has made!

Hi Monique!

First, I wanted to share with you how I felt when I first met lady. I saw the horrific the pictures before I actually saw her. It took me a while to process what I was looking at. The CCHS staff took me in to see her. She was standing in the back of her cage in a difficult to describe frozen posture. I think it was the most painless position for her to maintain when she was chained as seen in previous pictures. Also she was just staring ahead with a very vacant facial expression. I assumed that she was not going to be responsive to humans because of the horrible abuse she had experienced. I got close to her and softly spoke her name over and over. When she began wagging her tail, I was in love!!!!!

We visited many times before we decided to adopt her. I didn’t want to let her down after what she had been through. We returned to Raleigh and I found myself thinking about her all the time! After several weeks, I decided to adopt her. My daughter, Annie, 14. helped with Lady’s introduction and inclusion into our “pack”. We have 4 cats, all rescues. Also, we have a very sweet English Springer Spaniel named Wally. He was found in the Walmart parking lot. Our greatest challenge was introducing Lady to Wally. After gradual introductions, they bonded beautifully. They play together, sleep together, and seem to be “best buds.” Then Lady began to show some dominance issues. Wally responded and reestablished himself as submissive. At first I was concerned about this, but they accepted their positions into the pack. Lady at first seemed disinterested in the cats, but then seemed to startle at times when they approached. Around this time, Annie told me she thought Lady had cataracts. I thought this was not possible since she was so young. When we took her to the vet, we discovered she was totally blind in the left eye. She had a cataract and no tear production, most likely from blunt force trauma to the head. This explains other behaviors such as bumping into our legs on walks, bumping into stairs, and difficulty seeing on nightly walks. We think her decrease vision causes a startle response when the cats approach on her left side. She requires daily eye drops, which she loves receiving. I think she likes the attention and the soothing affect.

Sometimes Lady becomes anxious and agitated for unknown reasons. She responds quickly to verbal and physical reassurance. Specifically she is fearful of men who have a muscular build. She has shown improvement after gradual exposure to such men. She is extremely bonded to her family members and is very sociable with most people. We affectionately refer to her as our “Happy Girl” and love her unconditionally. Overall, Lady has made remarkable progress.

Everyone who meets Lady and hears her story seems profoundly affected. For example, the vet, the staff, and especially her groomer express compassion and admiration for this incredible animal. Her extraordinary story and recovery has shown people that there is always hope even in the worst cases.

Many Thanks,
Cynthia

Posted on July 11th, 2009 by Monique
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I have great news to share with everyone regarding Princess Girl and Doucette!

Princess Girl (Prinnie) was adopted last week. This wonderful lady saw Prinnie’s photo on line and decided this was the dog for her. This person is a senior herself and wants to dedicate her time to an elderly dog that no one wants because of its age or its medical condition.

The foster mother, Yvonne, brought Prinnie to meet this lady (Rusty) who immediately felt at home from the moment she stepped inside the front door. Rusty knew instantly this was the little Princess she wanted to share her life with. The only question Rusty asked: “Is she house trained?” “Yes, she is.” (It would not have made a difference in the decision to adopt her if she had not been.) Within a couple of days, Prinnie had a change of address and is now living a life that many pets envy. (By the way, Prinnie mastered the doggie door that same day.)

Rusty is fully aware that Prinnie may have medical problems. She had two tumors removed while living at the shelter. One was benign, the second one was “benign with neoplastic infiltrates”. Rusty will keep her little friend comfortable and pain free as long as possible, if those mammary tumors, which have returned, are cancerous. At her age, and depending upon the type of cancer, there will be no heroic efforts. Prinnie’s quality of life is more important. She has already been seen by her new veterinarian for her constant scratching. She is on daily medication and soothing oatmeal baths given three times a week which have already helped her allergies. In one month she will return to the clinic and will have lab work done and her tumors looked at again. Everyone who has met Prinnie prays for a positive outcome.

I wish to thank Yvonne, the foster mother, for having cared for Prinnie in a very loving manner. She selflessly gave of herself to this little dog which became her focus. When traveling for work, she searched hard for a caring person who would take excellent care of Prinnie during her absence. Yvonne saw a downward curve in her social life, because Prinnie required a lot of reassurance that she would not be abandoned again. She made it as easy as possible for this lovely pet to transition from mourning a relationship of ten years, to the frightening environment of a shelter for a couple of weeks, to her foster home for four months where she received consolation and love. She made it conceivable for Prinnie to again embrace life to its fullest.

I recently called Rusty asking her if she had made the right decision in adopting Prennie. “I never thought I would bond so quickly with this little dog. She is absolutely perfect. She is very affectionate without clinging to me. I am in bed watching television and she is next to me sound asleep. Thank you for permitting me to adopt her.” I am moved by Rusty’s devotion to this senior sweetheart. A beautiful ending, indeed.

The other bit of good news is that Yvonne will foster Doucette. This is a senior dog who also will again enjoy a soft place to lay her head and a gentle hand to scratch her ears until her family finds her.

Posted on July 5th, 2009 by Monique
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