Help Feral Cats in Burns Flat, Oklahoma

Feral cats need our help and protection. As you may know, feral cats are domestic cats that have reverted to a wild state. They are afraid of humans, and live in the shadows in urban and rural areas, scrapping out a bare existence. Sadly, many communities deal with feral cats by trapping them and destroying them, which is hardly a humane solution. A far better and more humane solution to control feral cat populations is trap, neuter, return. To learn more about trap, neuter, return (TNR), please visit Alley Cat Allies.

I recently received an email regarding a colony of feral cats located in the rural community of Burns Flat, Oklahoma. These cats are located on private property, and the property owners have demanded that the cats be removed, or they will be killed. A local rescue organization has teamed up with Forever Friends Humane Society to help these cats.

Forever Friends will trap, neuter, and relocate all the cats to barn homes, and take any adoptable cats into their adoption program. They have been offered a great deal with the VAW SPOT clinic to neuter all these cats. There are approximately 50 cats, and all can be neutered/spayed and vaccinated for rabies for about $750.00.

Forever Friends Humane Society has set up a campaign on Fundable. If you're not familiar with Fundable, donors pledge a certain amount of money. If the campaign reaches its goal by the deadline set by the organization, the money is then collected. If the goal is not reached, no money is collected. Foreover Friends and the feral cats desperately need you to pitch in to help reach their goal of $750.00. The deadline to raise this money is November 5, 2008. Foreover Friends is a 501(c)3 charity, so all donations are tax deductible. Please click here to donate!

I pitched in, will you??

The Devastation of Parvo: Can You Help Save This Pup?

Parvo: Puppy Killer

Parvo is an absolutely devastating, highly-contagious viral canine disease. It most often strikes puppies, and typically, those infected with Parvo have only a 50% chance of survival. Puppies and adult dogs are usually vaccinated against Parvo, but shelter pups, who have often never received their puppy shots, are extremely susceptible to this terrible disease.

It is also extremely easy to spread Parvo, and the virus itself is extremely hardy. Most disinfectants don't kill it, and it can live in the environment for five months or longer.

In puppies, the virus usually takes about 7-10 days to incubate, which means that up to a week may pass after exposure before the puppy shows symptoms, or before the pup tests positive for parvo. The first symptoms of Parvo usually include a high fever, lethargy, depression, and loss of appetite. As the disease progresses, symptoms include vomiting and bloody diarrhea. Left untreated, the disease progresses to dehydration, shock and death. For more excellent information about Parvo, please visit the Working Dogs website.

Parvo Pup Needs Your Help!

Recently, I received an urgent plea for some pups at the St. Martin Parish Animal Control Facility. Three pups came in, and over the course of just a couple days, their physical health rapidly deteriorated. A kind soul brought the sickly pups to the vet, where they were diagnosed with Parvo. Unfortunately, as of this morning, two of the puppies have died. Their young systems just couldn't beat this devastating disease. One puppy is fighting to survive.

This little girl, 444518, is a baby rottweiler mix, and she's fighting for her life to survive.





Given the severity of the disease, the costs for treating the puppies, both the puppies that didn't make it, and the one puppy that is fighting for her life, are going to be enormous.

If you have a few spare dollars, please consider donating it to help offset the costs of treating the pups. Donations can be made to the St. Martin Humane Society. Please note that the donation is for the "parvo pups."All donations are tax deductible.

If you can't donate, please consider cross-posting this plea for help, or please send your prayers and/or good vibes to the one pup fighting for her life.

UPDATE 3/20: I'm very sad to report that the remaining "Parvo pup" has gone over the Bridge. She appeared to be doing a little bet better, and then she was gone. Thank you to anyone who donated, cross-posted, or sent prayers or good thoughts to the sick puppies.


In loving memory of the two babies who didn't make it. May you find love, health, and peace at the Bridge.

Attention Pet-Loving Bloggers: Contest!!

Greetings!

Cindy at Contests & Challenges has posted a contest with neat prizes AND...the best part is, the contest helps shelter pets!!

I've posted about this before, but it's definitely worth reiterating. Add an Animal Rescue Site widget to your sidebar, like the one you can see on the right hand of my site, and you are eligible to participate in Cindy's contest.

From Wildcatsthree:

I received word from a friend of mine who is a foster mom for Lil Paws Rescue that the Animal Rescue site is experiencing a low number of clicks, and therefore is not getting enough sponsor money to buy food for the rescued animals.

If you have a website or blog, and would like to help the Animal Rescue Site by displaying their clickable widget on your site, click here. Once on the page, look in the upper left corner for "Link to us." That will take you to the page where you can choose your widget, and get the code to paste into your template.

This is such a worthy cause. It costs you nothing, but can go a long way in helping feed the rescued animals until a permanent home is found for them.

Here are the guidelines for Cindy's contest:

"1.) Get the widget and place it on your blog or web page. (the instructions for doing this are in the italicized portion above) Added note: it does not matter if you've had the widget for ages- you can still leave a comment and be entered in the contest-every widget counts in helping the animals.

2.) Leave a comment on this post linking to your post and telling me that you've placed the widget on your page. Please, and this is important: include your e-mail address in your comment so I can reach you if you're the winner.

3.) This one's optional, but it would help spread the word. Write a post like the one I copied (above) from Wild Cats Three and include the appropriate links.

That's it. A winner will be selected randomly thirty one days from today (February 29th)from the list of comments.

The prize is twofold.

First the winner will receive this pin. It's all gold in color (camera made shadows) and that's a real pearl in its' paws.




and second, a donation of $20 worth of pet food will be given to our local chapter of the SPCA in the winners' name.

You may comment once daily throughout the contest for multiple chances at winning."

10 Cool Things You Can Do Online to Help Needy Pets for Valentine's Day

This Valentine's Day, think outside the box of chocolates and bunch of roses. Do something to make a difference! Here are ten cool things you can do online to help shelter pets in need for Valentine's Day.

1. Give Gifts of Life and Love through Best Friends.

"What do you give a Valentine who’s positively purr-fect? Doggone dandy? Frisky as a filly? There’s "no bones about it"... a Gift of Life & Love from Best Friends is the perfect way to let your feelings show on February 14th. So go ahead and pick out a face you know they’ll love. Sponsor an orphan pet from Best Friends, as a gift to all the sweethearts in your life this Valentine’s Day!"

2. Purchase a Vaccine in Lieu of a Rose for A Shelter Cat from Winging Cat Rescue.

For $8.00, you can purchase a rose or vaccines for a shelter cat. The live of a cut rose is 1 week, and the life of a cat is 15 years. Which is the better investment?

Each donor will receive an email with a photo of a shelter cat that he or she helped vaccinate.




















3. Help Dogs Deserve Better send Valentines to Chained Dogs on Valentine's Day.


It is the goal of Dogs Deserve Better to send 10,000 Valentines to the caretakers of chained dogs to remind them that their dogs deserve better than life on the end of a chain. What DDB needs most for this project is the addresses of chained dogs. Of course, your submissions are anonymous.







4. Donate a Comfortable Bed to a Shelter Dog at Help the Animals, Inc., a no-kill shelter in Richmond, Indiana.

From Rachel, the Shelter Dog, "I would like a warm bed while I am waiting for my forever home. The floor here at the shelter is hard and a Kuranda bed would enable me to have a soft, elevated bed to lie on during long nights. Some of my friends already have a donated bed, but I don't have one yet."





5. Make a donation to MSPCA-Angell and send a Valentine's E-Card to Your Loved Ones.

The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Angell Animal Medical Center (MSPCA-Angell) is a national and international leader in animal protection and veterinary medicine. Founded in 1868, it is the second-oldest humane society in the United States. Its services include animal protection and adoption, advocacy, humane education, law enforcement and the highest-quality veterinary care available anywhere in the world. MSPCA-Angell provides direct hands-on care to more than 250,000 animals each year.


6. Send a Free Purina Valentine's Day E-Card, and Generate $0.50 to Help Animals in Need.

Send a free customizable Valentine's Day e-card to your favorite people, and Purina will donate $0.50 to help shelter pets in need.









7. Donate a Cat Perch for Valentine's Day for Shelter Cats at the Liberty Humane Society.

Don't know what to get that special cat lover in your life this year for Valentine's Day? Why not purchase a "cat perch" on behalf of that extra special loved one? These cat perches will provide homeless cats at the shelter with much needed exercise, mental stimulation and privacy while they await a new home. Once you purchase a perch, a Valentine's Day card will be sent to the person of your choice by an adoptable cat at LHS.




8. Purchase a Raffle Ticket for the Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love Fundraiser for Hawkeye & Friends Animal Rescue.

Hawkeye & Friends Animal Rescue is a No-Kill Non-Profit animal rescue located in Memphis, Michigan. Purchase a $10.00 raffle ticket for your chance to win an 8G I-Pod Touch, or a Bath & Groom for your pet at Paws & Suds in Shelby Township, Michigan.










9. Write an Online Review of a Local Business for the Columbia Humane Society Valentine's Day Fundraiser.

The Columbia HSPCA is raising funds to purchase a new truck for their cruelty prevention program. Take 5 minutes to sign up to Insider Pages and write an honest review of a local business. Each review you write earns between $0.50 and $1.50 for the Columbia HSPCA.







10. Make a Valentine's Day Honor Gift to the ASPCA.


This Valentine's Day, consider making a donation to the ASPCA in honor of your loved ones. Then, send them an e-card to let them know how much you care!

Winging Cat Rescue

Winging Cat Rescue is one of my favorite rescue groups. If you are interested in virtual volunteerism on behalf of shelter pets in need, Winging Cat Rescue is a really great group with which to get involved.

Winging Cat Rescue consists of a wonderful group of cat lovers from across the United States who work incessantly to end the needless euthanization of healthy, adoptable cats. Cats are euthanized at an alarming rate because too many owners do not take responsibility for their cats, and too many are allowed to breed indiscriminately. There are simply not enough homes for them all.

Winging Cat Rescue focuses most of its efforts on a county animal control shelter in Griffin, Georgia, which still uses the gas chamber as its method of "euthanasia." Thanks to the tireless efforts of WCR the euthanization rate for healthy cats has been reduced from about 95% to about 5%.

In the short term, Winging Cat Rescue raises funds to rescue cats from death row, vet them, board them, then transport them to adoption centers and sanctuaries in the Northeast, or adopt them out locally.

As part of its long-term goals, Winging Cat Rescue also sponsors low-cost spay and neuter clinics, spay and neuter certificates, and vaccines for animal control shelters.

HOW YOU CAN HELP!

1. DONATE DIRECTLY TO WCR.
It takes roughly $170-$190 to sponsor one cat, including pull fees, vetting, s/n, shots, boarding, and transport.

2. Purchase an Item From WCR's Online Store.
All proceeds go to WCR's Medical fund.

3.ADD WCR to your MySpace Friends!
Keep up-to-date on WCR's latest efforts.

4. Help Sponsor Phoebe. Right now
WCR is trying to save the life
of a very special kitty in need. "Phoebe" came in to animal control with injuries to her ears. Until she gets to the vet, there's no way to tell exactly what is wrong with her. Without the help of WCR, she will almost certainly be euthanized. Can you help sponsor her to safety?

***HAPPY UPDATE 2/2!*** SWEET PHOEBE WAS TREATED FOR HER INJURIES AND WAS ADOPTED! THANK YOU, WINGING CAT RESCUE, FOR SAVING HER LIFE AND HELPING HER FIND A NEW HOME!