PAWS NEWSLETTER. Surprising the Family with a Pet?

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1 PAWS NEWSLETTER December 2016 Surprising the Family with a Pet? Contact Us: Office: Fax: Our Staff: Animal Services Manager Uriel Villalpando, MBA Veterinarian Dr. Robert E. Osborne D.V.M. Shelter Supervisor/ Rescue Coordinator Hugo Espinoza Animal Services Leads Adrian Olivarez Jose Martinez Justin Craft Department Coordinator Gracie Morales Before you decide to surprise your family with a new pet for the holidays, consider the following before taking on this huge responsibility: What are the ages of your children? Different pets are appropriate for different ages. Does your family really want a pet? Not all children really want to have them around the house nor do they want to take the responsibility to take on full-time care of a pet. Have you thought about the cost? The cost of getting your new pet vaccinated, food, supplies needed or for emergency visits. If you feel that everyone is ready and committed visit your local animal shelter. The adoption fee at Garland Animal Services is only $80 and includes spaying or neutering, rabies vaccination and city registration. Help give a homeless pet a new chance at life. Animal Service Officers Arsenio Araiza Brad Vanover Brandon Williams Chad Miller David Hernandez Emmanuel Vargas Juan Porras Julie Springfield Rey Zavala Rudy Mancilla Stephen Bernal Animal Shelter & Adoption Center 600 Tower St. Garland, TX Mon. - Fri. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sat. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m Pet Adoption Center 813 Main St. Garland, TX Mon.-Wed p.m. Thu. 12-7:30 p.m. Fri p.m. Sat. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 1

2 Did You Know? By Lead Animal Services Officer Justin Craft November Statistics Well it s that time of year again when it starts getting cold outside. In these cold months it is crucial to provide proper care for your pets. If you have an outside dog, an owner shall provide sufficient, good and wholesome food and water, proper shelter and protection from the incumbent weather, veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering, and with humane care and treatment. Section (J) Maintenance of enclosures, states an owner shall maintain all enclosures for the owner s animal; in a state of good repair and in such a manner as to prevent the animal that is enclosed from escaping or running at large. Outside dogs should always have access to some sort of shelter to stay warm, either in an enclosure or a fenced in backyard. In addition to shelter, hay can be used as a great insulator and bedding for dog houses. Did you know it is against City Ordinance (E) to leave an animal in a standing or parked vehicle in any weather condition without providing the animal with adequate air and protection from heat or cold? Additionally, City Ordinance (D), states that no owner shall transport an animal in an open vehicle without being contained in a kennel or being secured by a rope or tether in a manner that prevents the animal from falling or jumping. 143 ANIMALS WERE ADOPTED BY RESCUE GROUPS 51 PETS WERE ADOPTED BY GARLAND PAWSIBILITIES & PET ADOPTION CENTER 100 ANIMALS WERE ADOPTED BY GARLAND ANIMAL SERVICES SHELTER 88 PETS WERE RECLAIMED BY THEIR OWNERS 3 PETS WERE SPONSORED 593 PETS WERE REGISTERED 757 STRAY ANIMAL CALLS RECEIVED 103 PETS WERE STERILIZED BY CITY VETERINARIAN 1711 VISITORS 2

3 Preparing for Pet Emergencies By Dr. Robert E. Osborne, DVM Fluffy hurts herself in a fall. Kahn is having trouble urinating. Buddy gets into the trash and is now vomiting. Are you prepared should your pet suddenly get sick or injured? There are steps you can take to be ready in case such things befall your pets. Such unplanned health issues can be expensive. 1. Take measures to prevent sickness or injury. Keep your pets vaccinations current. Keep your dogs on heartworm prevention. Keep your pets indoors and prevent them from roaming. Spay and neuter your pets. Take your pets to their vet for an annual physical. 2. Prepare for how you might pay for unplanned vet expenses. Have money budgeted for such occurrences. Consider having health insurance for your pets. Many vets also accept Care Credit allots you credit for medical expenses. In some cases this is offered interest free if paid off in six months or so. 3. Plan where you will take your pet. Know your vet s office hours. Some offer extended hours during the week and on weekends. Know if your vet takes after hours calls. Find the closest animal emergency clinic. Most emergency clinics are open all night on weekdays, all weekend, and holidays. 4. Ask for estimates. If you do have to take your pet in for emergency care, ask for an estimate up front. Discuss payment policies up front. Any health emergency is stressful and can be quite expensive. Being ready for such events can lessen the stress and let you focus on getting your pet well. And don t delay seeking veterinary help as the longer you wait, the sicker your pet may become. What does Rudolph want for Christmas? A pony sleigh station! What do reindeer hang on their Christmas trees? Horn - aments! What would a reindeer do if it lost its tail? She'd go to a re-tail shop for a new one! Which reindeer has the cleanest antlers? Comet! 3

4 Garland Pawsibilities News Congratulations to our latest volunteer of the month, Julie Hatton! Julie joined our group earlier this year and has quickly become a valuable asset to us. When sweet Dakota the dog showed up from the shelter at an adoption event with two huge lumps on his side she nursed him back to health through our medical foster program. Julie Hatton Volunteer of the Month Julie volunteers at the PAC several times a week and has helped us out with fundraisers. When another core volunteer became ill, Julie put her photography hobby to good use and eagerly stepped in and began taking gorgeous photos of adoptable pets for our Facebook page. She also got us up and running on Instagram and has done wonders with all our social media pages. When not working or volunteering at the PAC, Julie enjoys spending her sparse free time cooking and relaxing with Loki and her foster Dakota. * Congratulations and thank you Julie for all you do! * You are truly appreciated! Exciting News We are pleased to announce the beginning of a monthly low cost clinic on a Saturday each month at the Pet Adoption Center. As many of you know, Texas Coalition for Animal Protection (TCAP) has offered a weekday clinic for many years (which they will continue to do). We are now excited to offer that same service from TCAP on the 2nd Saturday of each month, beginning in December. No appointments needed, first come first serve. Cats must be in a carrier and dogs on a leash. TCAP accepts cash or credit only. 4

5 Garland Pawsibilities News We are always in need of volunteers to help staff the Pet Adoption Center (PAC) at 813 Main Street in downtown Garland. The PAC is staffed entirely by volunteers - so if you can spare some time to help us out - we'd greatly appreciate it. Our volunteer activities are scheduled on the website Meet Up. Right now we are actively recruiting volunteers to help us out at our Saturday adoption events. Click here for more information and to sign up. If you'd like to attend one of our monthly meetings to learn more about us and other ways you can help, check out our monthly meeting schedule on Meet Up. In addition to help with staffing the Pet Adoption Center we could use your help with fundraising, handyman duties and any special skills or interests you'd like to share that could help us out. Paws up to you and we hope to see you soon! Sincerely, Your four legged and two legged friends at Garland Pawsibilities 5

6 Roosters By Lead Animal Services Officer Jose Martinez Article I section (A) of the city ordinance states that any fowl (a domesticated bird, including, but not limited to chickens, ducks, geese, swans, guinea fowl, turkeys or peafowl) being harbored or kept at a non-zoned area for agriculture shall be kept confined in an enclosure no less than 30 feet from the nearest residential dwelling. Only 4 fowl are permitted per residential house hold. It is a violation of Article I to harbor and or keep any roosters or male peafowl (peacocks) in a residential area. Keeping one of these feathery plumed critters in a residential area can often cause a noise nuisance for they are considered to be very vocal. They can often be heard punctuating crows in the early we hours of the morning and through out the day. Ferrets By Lead Animal Services Officer Adrian Olivarez Ferrets must be vaccinated for rabies and registered with the city of Garland, The registration fee for each ferret is Five dollars, city registration expires when the pet s rabies vaccination expires. Also every ferret must wear a collar displaying current city tags and if over the age of six months must be sterilized, if you chose to take your ferret outside he or she needs to be on a leash just like our pet dogs. We do not offer a rabies vaccination for ferrets but we will be more than happy to register them once they have a current rabies shot. 6

7 By Shelter Supervisor Hugo Espinoza Cold weather is approaching soon, maybe. The Great State of Texas provides wild weather at times, but yes we do encounter some cold temperatures at some point of what we call winter. While we have many options for staying warm, our four legged companions don t have the option of easily throwing on that favorite sweatshirt or jacket. They can t sip on hot cocoa, as cocoa/chocolate can seriously be dangerous or cause harm to your pet. If you thinks it is cold outside, your little furry family member probably feels the same. Please remember to help your pets stay warm during these cold Texas winter days. Here are just a few tips for your pet during cold weather: Try and limit bathing your dog (and cat, if they are into that sort of thing). Washing too often can remove essential oils and increase the chance of developing dry, flaky skin. If you absolutely need to bathe your pet, try using a recommended moisturizing shampoo made specifically for your pet. Feed your pet a little extra food. We humans love holiday feast, but let your pet enjoy a little extra when it comes to feeding time. Pets burn off extra energy by trying to stay warm during cold weather. Just a bit of extra food can go a long way is ways we may not see. In the event of extreme cold or freezing temperatures, consider bringing your outdoor pets inside. If it is not possible, ensure that you pet has adequate shelter from the elements. A suitable dog house with proper bedding can be a great way to ensure your outdoor pets are protected. Make sure you change bedding often. Long-stem grass hay is a natural bedding that provide some insulation for your pet. Check water often and provide a fresh supply to avoid freezing. Providing inadequate shelter for your outdoor pet may result in a visit from one of our animal control officers. Keep your pet as dry as possible. When coming in from outside after taking care of business or a walk, be sure to wipe off your pet s paws, legs, and belly. Booties or rubbing a bit petroleum jelly on your pets paws can help in the event your pet comes across walking over from salt or chemical agents used to de-ice driveways, sidewalks, or streets. Avoid completely shaving your dog to the skin. If you own a short hair dog, consider clothing them with a sweater or pet jacket. Cold weather means more car owners top off or replace antifreeze. Avoid any spills when attending to your car. If a spill occurs, be sure to clean it up immediately. Antifreeze attracts dogs and cats as it may appear sweet to the taste, but it is extremely dangerous. Make sure to store any containers with antifreeze where it is not accessible to your pet. On the subject of vehicles, keep in mind a warm engine may attract cats or other small animals. A courtesy warning may help you save a life and repair bill. If you have a remote start on your car, consider checking your vehicle before turning on during these cold months. 7

8 Our Christmas Wish List Please think of our pets on your next shopping trip or during your house cleaning. We take in many pets every year, and you can help us by donating: Blankets Bleach Dry Dog Food Puppy and Kitten Food Cat Litter Dog Crates Fabric Sheets Hand Sanitizer/Soap HE Liquid Laundry Soap Newspaper Paper Towels Pine-sol SOS Pads Stainless Steel Food and Water Bowls Towels Any and all donations, including monetary, are appreciated. As always, we thank you for your donations and continued support. Please call Gracie Morales at for credit card donations or you may drop off donations at Animal Services 600 Tower St, Garland, TX Homemade Peanut Butter Dog Treats Ingredients 3 c whole wheat flour 2 c quick-cook oats 1 c peanut butter (smooth or chunky, your choice!) 1 c unsweetened organic applesauce 1 t baking powder 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil or coconut oil, optional Instructions Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients well. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface. If the dough is too loose and crumbly, you can add a 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil or coconut oil at this point. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick and then cut into shapes with cookie cutters. If you don't want to use cookie cutters, simply make small dough balls. Place cookies on baking sheet, approximately 1/2 inch apart. Bake in preheated over for approximately 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool and then serve. Notes Courtesy of thelazypitbull.com Store uneaten cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. 8

9 Events Thursday, December 1, 5:30-9:30 p.m Christmas on the Square Downtown Garland Garland Pawsibilities Animal Adoption Event Thursday, December 3, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Garland Pawsibilities - Adoption Event 2402 Firewheel Parkway Garland, TX Saturday, December 10, 11 a.m. 3 p.m. DFW Rescue Me Santa Paws Event Whole Foods Market 4100 Lomo Alto Dr. Dallas, TX December 1, 8, 10, 15, a.m p.m. Low-Cost Vaccinations (Walk In) Garland Pet Adoption Center 813 Main Street, Garland, TX For Additional Information and Sterilization Scheduling call or TCAP. Holiday Schedule We will be closed on the following dates: Christmas Friday, December 23 - Monday, December 26 New Year s Day Monday, January 2 Donations We would like to thank the public for donating food, pet supplies and monetary donations. Your generous donations mean the world to our animals and to all of us. Amanda Williams Aster Tewelde Barbara Urban Carol Lowenstein Dennis Gray Eliazar Campos James Seehorn Susan Horn TNR Todd Steele Eddie/Maria Marez 9

10 Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) Donation I wish to support the Trap, Neuter, Return program by making a contribution to the animal shelter to help spay and neuter TNR cats. Enclosed is my check for $ Please mail this form and check to: Garland Animal Services TNR Program P.O. Box Garland, TX payable to the Garland Animal Services - TNR **Please call Gracie Morales at if you would like to make your donation by credit card. *** Name: Street: City: State Zip All donations are tax deductible and we will mail you a receipt. Garland Animal Shelter Adoption Sponsorship Program I wish to support adoption of hard to place: (check one of the following) ( ) dogs ( ) cats ( ) dogs and cats by making a contribution to the animal shelter to help prepay the $80 or $35 adoption fee. Enclosed is my check for $ payable to the City of Garland Animal Adoption Sponsorship. Please mail this form and check to: Garland Animal Services P.O. Box Garland, TX **Please call Gracie Morales at if you would like to make your donation by credit card. ** Name: Street: City: State Zip address: NOTE: Your contribution toward Garland s Adoption Sponsorship program will be used to prepay the adoption fee of an animal that would otherwise likely not be adopted. We put a prepaid sign on the animal s cage at the shelter, and those looking for a pet will be much more likely to adopt a prepaid animal. Your contribution is tax deductible, and we will mail you a receipt. For contributions of at least $80, we will you the photo of the dog(s) and/or cat(s) you sponsored when they are adopted if you would like to receive the photo. We will also include your name as a sponsor on the prepaid sign on the cage if you would so desire. I would like to get an photo: ( ) Yes ( ) No I would like to include my name on the prepaid sign: ( ) Yes ( ) No If you have any questions about this program, please contact Hugo Espinoza at (972)