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Spring is Here!
The snow has melted and we've already had some warm days. Ticks love the Spring, and mosquito season is right around the corner. If you don't use tick and flea control year round, this is a reminder to put that first dose of Frontline on your dog. I've already pulled two ticks off my cat! Ask your vet to help you choose a brand and dosage if you haven't done so in the past. And don't forget the monthly heartworm medication!
Something else to think about this Spring: your dog loves the change of season just as much as you do (see the Spring Fever article below.) Take your dog for an extra long walk, play with your dog outside, do some training or obedience work -- the fresh Spring air will do you both wonders.
Seana Dowling
President, PoundHounds, Inc. |
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The Story of a True Fighting Dog
A Memorial to Toby
Toby was a fighter. But not the kind of fighter you are probably envisioning. Toby, a 12-pound Lhasa-Apso mix was a love bug. His fight was to stay alive, despite all his medical issues. Toby was found wandering the streets of Mattapoisett, MA several years ago by Kathleen Massey, ACO. As if being lost and lonely on the steet wasn't bad enough, this little guy had a broken shoulder, bad teeth, an eye infection, Lyme disease and he tested positive for heartworm when the ACO picked him up.
The ACO called PoundHounds to sponsor a treatment plan for Toby. He had surgery to pin his shoulder, several heartworm treatments, anti-biotics to clear up the Lyme disease and eye drops that had to be administered every couple hours to get rid of the infection. Unfortunately, his heart and lungs had been permanently damaged by the Lyme disease and heartworm. Over the years, PoundHounds reached out for donations to support Toby's cause--the many vet visits and expensive medications he needed to lead a quality life.
But Toby's true saviour was Eleanor Kruczek, who took him in despite all his health problems. Kathleen Massey was there the day Eleanor picked up Toby, and tells us "I knew if there was anyone out there to care for this little guy, it was her, and I could see that Toby knew it too. Eleanor was Toby's Guardian Angel."
Eleanor describes Toby as a happy little guy. Whenever he needed his medications, she would say "time for your meds" and he would come racing down the hall, take them and thank her with a kiss. Eleanor and her husband Jim tirelessly took care of Toby and he brought much joy to their lives.
Sadly, Toby recently developed intervertebral disk disease, and on March 11th, he passed away. Together, Toby, Eleanor and Jim have a legacy of endurance, devotion and bravery that will live on as inspiration to persevere through the toughest situations. Eleanor says "It was an honor and a pleasure to have Toby. He gave us so much, I miss his happy little face." |
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Calling All PoundHounds Alumni!
'For the Love of Rescues' 2010 Calendar
PoundHounds has recently become part of a collaborative fund-raising project for rescue dogs through an organization called For the Love of Rescues. This organization is dedicated to printing calendars annually to help support rescue groups around the country.
Now is the time to submit a photo and a brief story of how your PoundHounds dog came into your life. The calendar organizers have provided guidelines for photo submission:
-High quality pictures
-No people in the pictures
-Attachments only-no links to online photo albums or placing the photo in the body of the e-mail
Submit your PoundHounds dog story and photo no later than May 1, 2009 to volunteer@poundhounds.org and we will ensure it gets to the calendar organizers for consideration. When the calendars go on sale later this year, we will be sure to provide you with the details on how to order! |
Barktoberfest - Save the Date!
September 20
Mark your calendars and tell your friends and family! Barktoberfest has been scheduled for September 20, 2009 at the 4-H Fairgrounds in Westford, MA.
Are you interested in volunteering to help us run the event? We need people to help us with the contests, vendor pavillion, merchandise tables, snack-shack, welcome desk and more! Do you like to bake? We have an excellent bake sale and we need good bakers to commit to making goodies. 100% of the bake sale proceeds go to PoundHounds.
If you are interested in helping out by baking for the bake sale or volunteering at the event, please e-mail us at volunteer@poundhounds.org and we will get in touch with you. |
Ask the Trainer
Spring Fever!
Question: Why is my dog suddenly digging holes all over the yard?
Answer: Spring Fever affects all of us, our animal friends included. More exercise, activity, and training may be the answer. Click here to read more and to learn about some specific tips for dealing with the determined digger.
"Ask the Trainer" is written by Sonia Mullen of Canine Techniques. To read more answers to common questions about dog behavior, visit the "Ask the Trainer" section of the PoundHounds web site.
If you have a question about your dog's behavior, please send your question to info@poundhounds.org and put the word "TRAINER" in the subject line. We regret that Sonia won't be able to respond personally to every question.
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ACO Resources
Tufts Offers Additional Surgical Slots March 23 - April 13
Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine's Shelter Medicine Program will be offering additional surgical slots to their normal Friday clinics during the weeks of March 23 to April 13. Surgeries can be scheduled Tuesday through Friday these weeks.
As with their regular Friday clinic, all animals must be friendly, healthy (no heart murmurs), and be between 12 weeks and 7 years of age and 3 to 65 pounds. The costs for services will be the same as their usual high volume/low cost pricing (contact Tufts for pricing).
To book an animal email Sue at sue.carbone@tufts.edu or Paula at paulabdryden@verizon.net.
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Featured Dog for Adoption: Quiz Adorable Mix-Breed Needs a Home
The Animal Control Officer in Gardner named this darling Quiz because his breed mix is a puzzle! His wrinkles suggest he has some Shar Pei in him. He's young, gentle and housebroken. Because he's shy, Quiz needs a confident owner to supply him with the socialization, training and exercise he needs to build his confidence. To learn more about Quiz, click here. |
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Happy Tails!
Sometimes things are just meant to be. Six-month old Dingo was surrendered by his family due to problems with aggression. Billerica, MA ACO Maureen Ray assessed Dingo and believed that with a training intervention, Dingo could be an excellent pet. She contacted PoundHounds to sponsor training with Sonia Mullen of Canine Techniques.
Dingo stayed with Sonia for a month during his training. Sonia taught him basic commands and was able to identify some aggression 'triggers' he needed help getting under control. Dingo is a Catahoula Hound, a unique breed known for 'guarding' their people and being strong willed. Sonia felt that Dingo should only go to a home with a confident, experienced dog owner.
Then along came Louise from Cape Cod! Louise was not only a strong and confident dog owner, it was a perfect match because she had experience with two Catahoulas who were both dominant--and deaf! Louise was thrilled to take on the challenge of Dingo. Louise has re-named him Ringo, and reports that he has already visited the cranberry bogs and made a new doggie-friend, Harley. "He is a joy," says Louise, "life is good with Ringo." |
Campaign of the Month
Leashes By the Pound
This is an easy, fun and creative activity for the whole family. Ask your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers to donate used or extra dog leashes and dog collars. Town dog pounds don't have much of a budget and every leash and collar helps! All leash lengths and collar sizes are useful, but there is a greater demand for large-sized collars since larger dogs find themselves in pounds more often than small dogs.
Take up a collection at the office by sending out an e-mail and asking everyone to drop off their old leashes and collors in a box in your workspace. For kids, ask the principal if you can help your community and animals in need with the Leashes by the Pound program. Bring a big bag, bucket or box into the classroom and spread the word about the campaign through your school. Ask your friends to help you design some posters that you hang up around the school, or make a flyer that students can bring home with them. Local pet stores may allow you to run the Leashes by the Pound program in their store.
When you feel like you have collected all the leashes and collars you can, send us an e-mail at volunteer@poundhounds.org. We will make arrangements with you to get your collection and distribute to town pounds in the area. |
About MAC
Spay/Neuter License Plates
 The Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC) disburses grants to non-profit humane organizations and municipal animal control agencies. The grants are funded by the sale of the Massachusetts Spay/Neuter License Plate Program.
MAC has provided funds for PoundHounds to pay for spay/neuter procedures for PoundHounds sponsored dogs. In 2007, funding from MAC allowed PoundHounds to help 8 different town pounds spay/neuter 81 dogs. Those procedures represent $10,000 in MAC support.
Please show your dedication to animals and help control over-population. Register your new car or swap your existing plates for spay/neuter plates.
The cost for a license plate is $40. Of that, $28 funds this statewide program; the remaining $12 is a one-time only cost to cover the manufacturing of the plate. Two-year renewal fees of $40 go directly to the program.
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Lyme Disease
It's Not Too Early to See Ticks
Along with the warmer weather comes a most unwanted visitor - ticks! Each year, thousands of dogs contract Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. As in humans, Lyme disease in dogs can be difficult to detect because the symptoms often come and go and may not even appear until months after infection. Common symptoms include recurrent arthritis/lameness that lasts 3-4 days; stiff, painful gait; swollen joints that may be warm to the touch; pain in legs or body; fever, fatigue, or swollen lymph nodes.
Follow these simple steps to keep your canine companion free of Lyme disease:
- Check your dog every day for ticks
- Use a tick preventative product (start now!)
- Have your vet test for Lyme disease at your dog's annual exam.
Visit dogsandticks.com for more information. If you order preventative product from 1800PetMeds.com and use the referral code "PoundHounds", PoundHounds will receive a portion of the sale from 1800PetMeds! Use code INQ906 to receive $5 off your order. | |
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Thank you for your continued interest and support of the invisible dogs in town pounds. We can't do it without you! Please visit the PoundHounds website at: www.poundhounds.org for more information. Or, contact us directly:
Message Center: 508.435.5029
Address: PoundHounds, Inc. - P.O. Box 454 - Hopkinton, MA 01748
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