The Learning Zone
Animals With Special Needs
by Nancy Colby, Advocate for Special Needs Animals
Every animal is special. Every animal deserves special attention. However, not every animal is a special needs animal. What is a special needs animal?
Simply put, the animal has a physical limitation that necessitates the owner taking extra effort, extra time and perhaps expense to insure they have a safe, healthy and happy life. It's our responsibility to provide the specific kind of care needed to help the animal live a full life.
For years I have had a very keen interest in special needs animals particularly cats. Currently, three blind cats call me mom and several others have more minor limitations. They are all thriving and are often seen out in the public bringing awareness to the cause ta support, adopt and love these little guys with their own special needs.
Does it take more time? Yes.
Does it take patience? Certainty-
Does it take a little extra money?
Sometimes.
Is it worth it? Absolutely!
In shelters, special needs animals are often overlooked because potential adopters shy away from the commitment. I am the first to tell a person who shies away that maybe they are not suited to a special needs amimal. Adopting the wrong animal always ends badily for the animal. But for the person who is interested in these special needs animals, I encourage you to find out about the certain limitation. Find out what it means and how ta best help the animal. Some special needs are physical: blind, deaf, lame, or other attributes that can been seen right away. Other special needs are hidden to the eye: internal problems, food limitations, heart or other organ problems.
Research the
limitation and really make the hard decision whether or not you are suited to handle it for the life of the pet. If you are.... adopt! Then dedicate yourself to helping them to live a long and happy life with you.
Whether you adopt a special needs animal or not, please appreciate they are simply a little different and therefore need us even more. Often times when people see my blind girls they say "Poor thing". I quickly say, "She is not a poor thing. She is happy, healthy and deserves a wonderful life. She doesn't have eyes but she has a heart and is very happy". My mission is to help everyone understand and appreciate that special needs animals are indeed very special.
Animal shelters and rescues are full of sweet, smart and healthy animals who were abandoned or surrendered not because of their behavior, but due to issues of their guardians. The most common reasons for surrender are due to a move, divorce, new baby or not enough time. Animals are living, breathing creatures with whom we share our days. They warrant our love and the commitment involved to be a responsible pet guardian.
I have been surrounded by animals my entire life and every single one has been adopted. Day in and day out, I walk through our shelter witnessing the countless animals, some young, some old... waiting patiently for a home. There are so many reasons as to why they are here, but in the end there is the simple fact that they no longer have a home. For whatever reasons they were left behind, they desperately deserve a second chance. I look into their precious eyes and I see hope. Hope -for finding that special someone.
Adoption is their hope, their second chance. All adoptable animals at a shelter or rescue have been evaluated, temperament tested, current with all necessary vaccines, microchipped and altered. These organizations provide plenty of new owner support in the form of materials concerning training, common behavior issues, nutrition, basic grooming and general care. All are just a phone call away for any questions or concerns. Please, help us stop the number of unwanted and abandoned animals. Adopting from a shelter or a rescue is truly an act of love. It is a good deed for you, for the shelter or rescue and most importantly for the animal who greatly needs you. Not only will you have the distinct pleasure of living with a new furry friend, you will be happy to be the one who offered him/her a second chance. I believe that animals know they have been rescued which in turn makes the bond you share much more meaningful. By adoption you have also freed up another cage for another animal in need of a home.
Not only have you significantly changed an animal's entire life, you have offered yourself the chance to become a better person, reawaken your connection to other living creatures and reaffirmed the sanctity of life itself. Thank you for choosing to ADOPT.
The Shelters Are Full
by Sharon Thomas
Few debates have raged hotter then TNR over the past few decades. Trap-Neuter-Return is the practice of collecting homeless cals.providing surgical sterilization and returning the unsocialized ones to colonies where they are managed and looked after by carelekers. Young kittens and older cats with the appropriate personality traits are further socialized and adopted out.The cats are trapped by volunteers the night before the procedures are done. The next morning, they are anesthetized and examined by volunteer veterinarians. Any health issues are addressed at this time. If healthy enough, the cats are then neutered ovariohysterectomy for spay) for the females and castration for the males. The top of the left ear is snipped off while the cat is still under anesthesia to denote from a distance that the cal has been through the program. Most cats passing through a TNR program will also be vaccinated, dewormed, and given antibiotics.
Once awake, the cats are returned to the colony from which they were collected. The caretakers then will monitor their health, feed them and assess their needs in the days and years ahead. These are not the forgotten ferals of yesteryear. These are community cats that live full and content lives.
Early arguments against TNR. have for the most part been proven untrue.
The colonies do decrease in size over time, while the health and body weights of the cats is vastly improved. Not only are the cats physically healthier, but they are more content to stay in place and live peaceably with others of their colony.
The cost to the community is greatly reduced. While it costs an average of $120 per cat to trap, house, kill and dispose of a feral cat through an animal control agency: the cost of a TNR. program is $25 per cat. This also frees up space in humane shelters for adoptable animals.
While cats are not a native species, they are here due to no fault of their own. People have introduced them to the area and then decided not to continue to care for them. People move and abandon their pets. They do not spay and neuter their pets responsibly and the unfortunate animals end up with litter after litter of unwanted, unhealthy babies with no one to look after and care for them. With the only other alternative for feral cais being euthanasia, the TNR program is not only a better option, it is one we can all live with.
What is TNR
by Dr. Robin Jenkins, DVM
The barbaric "sport" of dog fighting has existed for hundreds of years. It is not just the fights themselves that are cruel-so are the methods used to prepare a dog for fighting: isolation from other dogs, injections of anabolic steroids and other drugs, and crudely performed ear cropping and tail docking. Pit bulls are used most often for fighting, but various other breeds may be utilized as "bait" animals to train the fighting dogs.
One of the highest profile dog fighting rings to be discovered and eliminated was that involving NFL player Michael Vick's Bad Newz Kennel.
Vick received a 23-month prison sentence in 2007 after pleading guilty to funding a dog fighting operation and associated gambling; he acknowledged that not only did he know about four dogs killed by three co-conspirators, but he himself had drowned 6-8 "underperforming" dogs. The ASPCA evaluated 49 seized dogs from Vick's kennel. Only one of the 49 was recommended to be euthanized due to extreme aggression-the others were deemed suitable for adoption by families, training as police dogs, or placement in a sanctuary. (Vick was hired in August 2017 as a studio analyst by Fox Sports, despite a Change.org petition with 60,000+ signatures of people who do not believe he is repentant for his involvement in dog fighting.)
Unfortunately, in August 2017 a number of dog fighting cases came to light:
Push Seaberry and Jason Herring were charged with various crimes, including felony dog fighting, child endangerment, and animal cruelty, after investigators in Jones County, Mississippi discovered 11 dogs, including 9 tied to trees without access to food, water, or shelter, Herring admitted to training the dogs for fighting
More than 100+ neglected dogs at two locations in Polk County, Georgia became part of a dog fighting investigation against Devecio Rowland, who is expected to receive 105 misdemeanor animal cruelty charges and 107 felony charges connected to dog fighting.
One of the most disturbing stories involves Martin Jakubowski, an animal control official in Indiana who admitted that he supplied prescription antibiotics, housed several dogs in animal shelter buildings, and gave two pit bull-type dogs to Pedro Cuellar, a Chicago resident who recently pleaded guilty to a federal dog fighting conspiracy charge in New Jersey.
How can you help stop dog fighting? Report suspicious activity to your county/city animal control or law enforcement. Donate to, volunteer at, and adopt from local shelters/rescues, which frees up resources for rehabilitating seized dogs.
Dog Fighting for Sport
One of the sickest things man can do
By Jenn Bonaskiewich
Often, when we think of pets, we think of a dog or a cat. Ever consider an equine as a pet? In the world of 'Man's best friends' many of us view our magnificent horses, ponies, donkeys and even mules as our 'pets'. Horses range from 150 lbs to 2200 lbs. Although you can't exactly put your equine pet in your lap, they offer the same companionship as a dog or a cat.
Florida has the 3rd largest population of horses in the United States with over 500,000 (based on a survey in 2005) Many are used in sporting events, pleasure riding and some are used as therapy horses. For the horse lovers of the world, they are indeed our pets, and we love and treat them like family.
There is an ever growing need for animal Rescues, Shelters and Sanctuaries in our state of Florida. There are many reasons why we all must exist but the number one reason is, the lack of knowledge in the proper care of pets. We encourage everyone to do their homework before making a lifelong commitment of adding that very special family member. Be sure you are willing to provide a safe and happy environment for the rest of your pet's life.
Even 2000 pounds
Can be a Pet
by Tina Garrett
For those people involved in animal-sheltering, surgically removing a cat's claws is an emotionally charged and fervently debated topic. First, be aware that declawing a cat is sort of an American thing. It is something people tend to do for their own convenience without doing research on what actually occurs to their family pet. In England declawing is considered "inhumane" and "unnecessary mutilation." I completely agree. In many European countries including England, Scotland, Whales, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Israel, Slovenia, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, as well as, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand, declawing is illegal. I salute their attitude. Even though this surgery is commonly done in the U.S. the state of New York is currently addressing a ban on declawing of cats. Thank you New York, it's about time.
Declawing is not a surgery to be taken lightly. It is not a simple manicure... it's a serious surgery. A cat's claw is not a toenail. Actually, the claw is adhered to the bone and so closely adhered that it must be removed surgically.... all of them, one at a time. There are different surgical procedures performed by veterinarians to declaw a cat. The most likely being an onchyectomy which involves amputating the last joint of the cat's toes. This removes the claw entirely along the bone to which it is attached. Amputation may be done with a scalpel, guillotine clipper or laser. This is equivalent to amputating a human finger at the first knuckle. Ouch!
Obviously a painful surgery with a painful recovery period. The cat's feet are usually bandaged to control bleeding and swelling. Antibiotics will be prescribed to prevent infection. Healing can take weeks. Just using the litter box will be an agonizing challenge, since they do not have the luxury of a walker, a wheelchair or even a bedpan.
A Cat's body is perfectly designed to give it agility and grace. Their claws are a vital part of this design. Amputating them dramatically alters the conformation of their feet which can affect balance and definitely defence. If your cat manages to get outdoors, it will be deprived of its main means of defense, leaving it vulnerable to predators. I know that you are thinking that your cat will never get out, but what if it does?
With the well-being of our feline friends as a priority, performing surgery to save your sofa or new expensive drapes is a radical measure. Please, think this through and search out alternative options... providing scratching posts, addressing new motivation techniques, introducing medical therapy and making physical changes in your home. Talk to your veterinarian for suggestions. Again, search out other opportunities and choices before committing to such a drastic action.
Some people strongly feel that it is unnatural to remove a cat's claws, especially when it is done to benefit the owner and not the cat. The arguments can go on and on, but what it really boils down to is ... cats are born with claws and they should keep them.
