This time of year (July), due to fireworks and thunderstorms, many dogs and cats runoff to escape the noise that frightens them. A large percentage of pets develop anxiety when dealing with loud noises and storms.Here is a step-by-step course of an action plan to take should your pet go missing.First, ascertain when the dog went missing, from where, and why. Sometimes people let their dog out into their yard unsupervised. When they return to the yard, their dog is gone. Did the dog jump the fence? Was a gate left open accidentally? (hear more)
Apr 29, 2022
4 min
Bringing home, your new pet is a very exciting time for you and your pet most of the time, but many pets suffer from anxiety when brought into a new environment. Not much different than humans who start a new job or attend their first day of college on a huge and unfamiliar campus, a new home or apartment is foreign to the pet, and they need time to adjust to their surroundings.Too often, people hurry a dog or cat into liking their new home environment. Give your pet some time to adjust, to smell, to explore so they can become more comfortable at their own pace. This is especially true when there are other pets already in the home. “They fight like cats and dogs!" is a common metaphor, and many times very true. Young, healthy cats are much faster than most dogs, so they can defend themselves from the overly aggressive canine if needed, but an older cat or a kitten can be in peril. (hear more)
Apr 29, 2022
4 min
Many seniors do not have a pet dog or cat because they don’t want to deal with the maintenance that comes along with a furry pet. Walks, picking up poop, litter boxes, 25 lb. bags of food, etc. However, one pet you can have is very easy to care for and is the ever-popular goldfish.Having a goldfish as a pet is the perfect solution for the senior who wants some companionship but doesn’t want to start a long-term relationship. Most goldfish can live 10-15 years, although one did live to be 43, but he worked out a lot and ate right. Most aren’t that ambitious. (hear more)
Apr 29, 2022
5 min
In 2018, a small and very neglected Staffordshire Terrier was brought to Halifax Humane Society by animal control. Malnourished and scared to death, the dog was bleeding from numerous bite marks all over his body. The smaller, more submissive dog was obviously used as a bait dog to train other more aggressive dogs for a dogfighting ring and was in dire distress. Another shelter might have elected to euthanize the animal, but our vet services team worked tirelessly to save the dog. After many weeks of rehabilitation, the dog, now named Bumpy, was on the mend physically, but his mental state was still a struggle. (hear more)
Apr 29, 2022
5 min
Column One – Why Do People Have Pets?I have always had a pet ever since I was 10-years old, and I see no signs of changing my position anytime soon. I don't think I could be happy without a dog or two (or three) in my life. I do recognize that as I get older, I may not be able to care for a pet physically, but I will cross that bridge when I get to it. Many seniors adjust their pet preference as they age, so a pet better fits their lifestyle. Instead of a large Golden Retriever, they may adopt a smaller lap dog or change species altogether and adopt a cat or rabbit, or bird.
Apr 29, 2022
3 min
I recently had the opportunity to talk to small groups of children ages 6-8, who attended the Halifax Humane Society (HHS) Summer Camp. I found their level of love and kindness for the animals fascinating, to the point, whereas a few of the campers would tear up when we had to take the dog or cat away to allow the camp to move on to the next presenter.One little girl, named Marissa, was so delightful. She loved coming to camp so much. Her parents let her attend almost every week. (Each week is the same camp for 9-weeks in a row, but she didn’t care; she just loved being with the animals.) (hear more)
Apr 29, 2022
2 min
One of our supporters recently emailed me to ask what the cost of care was for a dog coming into the shelter. I thought if they were interested in what the cost of care was, maybe my readers might be interested as well, so here you go.These are the average costs for a dog that comes into the shelter.First-day processing, evaluation, and care- $98.00Spay/neuter surgery-------------------------- $85.00Internal/external parasite protection---------$20.00Rabies vaccination-----------------------------$10.00Vaccination series------------------------------$20.00Basic diagnostic tests--------------------------$20.00Registered microchip--------------------------$15.00TOTAL-----------------------------------------$268.00These amounts do not include the cost of the building, utilities, animal care staff salaries, or any other animal care costs, (hear more)
Apr 29, 2022
2 min
Being a senior dog or cat is pretty much like being a senior man or woman. They move a bit slower, sleep a bit more, ache a lot more, and sometimes forget why they walked into the kitchen, but like senior humans, they still desire love, attention, and companionship.When I was 10-years old, I received my first dog for Christmas. A miniature Schnauzer puppy I named Lucky. He was a great little dog and stayed with me through thick and thin until I was 32-years old. Yes, Lucky was 22-years old when I finally came to terms with the fact that his life's quality was no longer at the level he deserved. (hear more)
Apr 29, 2022
2 min
We receive calls daily from residents of every city in Volusia County, asking if we will come to pick up the feral cats in their neighborhood. Halifax Humane Society does not nor are we authorized to pick up feral cats. The proper course of action is to contact your local animal control agency or the police department, which will connect you with animal control. They are the agency authorized to deal with feral cats. Another organization, CCFAW.org (Concerned Citizens for Animal Welfare), will also coordinate the trap, neuter, return (TNR) of feral cats in certain areas. HHS performs the spay/neuter surgeries for the cats but does not participate in trapping or transport. (hear more)
Apr 29, 2022
4 min
Every day for about the last two weeks, I have seen a momma duck and her ducklings walking in the subdivision where I live. Seeing the ducks reminded me of when I lived in South Dakota. (yes, I lived in South Dakota before relocating back to the Daytona Beach area) We lived on a 28-acre lake, and we would watch the geese and ducks come out with their babies. In almost every case, there were at least eight ducklings/goslings per adult couple and as many as 12-15 teams (duck families) on the lake at once. It was fun to observe the tiny little babies mature into adolescent birds, then obnoxious teenagers, and finally full-grown waterfowl. (hear more)
Apr 29, 2022
4 min