Lee County Humane Society

Foster Dog Needs Great Home

Daisy is a year old energetic, smart and obedient small mix breed with some Border collie. She has already been spayed and is housebroken. For more information on Daisy send an email to her foster family.

Pet of the Week

"Bently," a young black and white rabbit is shown above with Lee County Humane Society staff member, Tana Hayes.  "Bently" likes to cuddle and hops really fast.  To visit "Bently" come by the Lee County Humane Society Tuesday-Sunday, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Does your Dog Jump?

For the past month my family has been fostering a great dog named Daisy. Daisy is a small, very smart, housebroken, energetic and obedient mix breed with a little Border collie in her. She minds well and when we have her out of the fence to play she stays right with us.

The biggest problem with Daisy is she likes to jump. She means no harm, it is just the way she plays. This is a natural activity for playful and friendly dogs and can be corrected.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has some great options for people like me who need a little help.

What to do:

• Teach the dog to sit and to pull away from you (off) on command.
• There are various procedures you can try. See what works best for your dog:
• Stand tall, look straight ahead, pull your hands up by your chest, say “Sit” and wait for the dog to sit. When the dog does sit, immediately look at the dog, kneel down, and calmly stroke the dog. If the dog jumps up again, stand up and repeat the steps.
• Stand tall, look straight ahead, pull your hands up by your chest, say “Off.” When the dog jumps on you, turn your body toward the wall so the dog can’t reach your face
• Stand tall, look straight ahead, pull your hands up by your chest, say “Off!” and continue walking into the dog. The dog will jump back to get out of your way. When all four feet of the dog’s feet are on the floor, say “Sit!” and wait. When the dog sits, kneel down and calmly stroke him. If the dog jumps up again, stand up, walk toward him and repeat the steps
• For this method, you’ll need to recruit a friend to help. Have your dog drag a leash. Stand tall, look straight ahead, pull your hands up by your chest, say “Sit.” When the dog jumps up, say “Off!” as the friend jerks down on the leash, in the direction of the floor. When the dog’s feet are on the floor, say “Sit.” When the dog sits, kneel down and calmly stroke him. If the dog jumps up again, jerk down again and repeat the steps. If a friend is not available and you are physically able, you can step on the leash yourself. As you stand on the leash, the dog will hit the end when he jumps up, and will correct himself back down toward the floor. Generalize the training by recruiting numerous friends to help you teach the dog not to jump on all people.

What not to do:

• Do not become really excited when you greet your dog. Stay calm.
• Do not shout at your dog. This can get him more excited and cause him to jump up even more.
• Do not try to grab the dog or push him away. The physical contact will likely cause him to jump up even more.
• Do not knee the dog in the chest, step on his back toes, pinch his front toes, or otherwise cause him pain or discomfort, when he tries to greet you or other people.

I have been using the technique of teller her to stay “off” then turning my body away from her and to a wall. It is starting to work.

If you are thinking about adopting a dog, consider Daisy. You can see her picture on our Website at www.leecountyhumane.org. If she doesn’t sound like your type, then visit the Lee County Humane Society to check out all the great animals available for adoption.

The Humane Society Weekly Wish: We are in need of dry dog food and cat litter please.  And don’t forget, you can follow the activities at the shelter on Twitter.com, username “leecountyhumane”.

Jack Fisher
Board Member

Petfinder is Now Mobile

The animals at the Lee County Humane Society are going mobile!  The Lee County Humane Society's on-line, searchable database provider, Petfinder, now has a mobile version of its website. Petfinder Mobile allows visitors to access LCHS pets on the road via cell phones, BlackBerrys and iPhones. 

Check out our pets on your mobile device and share them with your friends. To access the mobile version of Petfinder simply type m.petfinder.com into any mobile device's Web browser.  Petfinder's mobile website includes access to the searchable database of more than 250 thousand nationwide pets.  Search options include pet type, age, gender, and size.  The mobile website includes a Share with a Friend option that makes e-mailing pet you are interested easier than ever.

Pet of the Week

"Kayla" is a two year-old, solid black, short-hair mix who likes to be petted and gets along well with other cats. "Kayla"has already been spayed and would make a great addition to a loving home.  To visit "Kayla" come by the Lee County Humane Society, Tuesday through Sunday, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00p.m.

Would you clone your pet?

Animal cloning has been in the news for many years. Dolly the sheep was the first star in the world of animal cloning. In 1996 researchers at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, Scotland successfully cloned Dolly from part of a mammary gland. She lived to be six years old and produced six lambs.

What are the arguments in favor of animal cloning? Some scientists say cloning may eventually become a viable tool for preserving endangered species. It may also be important in the future production of transgenic (genetically modified organism) livestock.

Another potential use for cloning, according to some, is xenotransplantation. Xenotransplantation is the transplantation of organs, tissues or cells from one species to another. This type of transplantation would allow for the use of organs cloned and genetically altered in pigs and other animals to be transplanted in to humans.

I have to admit; I don’t know much about the details or success involving either of these two arguments for animal cloning. I would understand a wildlife biologist being in favor of animal cloning. I would also understand someone in need of an organ transplant being a huge supporter of animal cloning. 

What I do know about is the reality of pet overpopulation. Over the past few years I have read stories in the news about people who have cloned their beloved pet. Each time I read one of these stories it really irked me. 

The most recent article is about a woman, Bernann McKinney, who cloned her pet pit bull terrier. Ms. McKinney lives in Hollywood, CA and paid $50,000.00 to have her deceased dog cloned by a company in Seoul, South Korea. The result is five puppies born a few weeks ago.

My first question is why more puppies? In a world with way too many puppies and kittens being born than there are homes, what benefit would five more puppies bring? Ms. McKinney plans to keep three and donate two to work as service dogs for the handicapped or elderly. She currently lives with five other dogs and two horses.

My next question is why $50,000.00 and how else could that money have been used? Considering the cost of surgery, as many as 400 dogs could be spayed or neutered. This would save literally thousands of lives. 

What could the Boys and Girls Club of Lee County or the Food Bank of East Alabama do with $50,000.00? I could go on but I think you get the point.

I want to point out that there is a distinction between animal cloning and pet cloning. Animal cloning might have humanitarian uses, I really don’t know enough to support it or not.  Pet cloning is simply selfish and serves no real purpose but satisfying the pet owner.

I want to know what you think. Go to our Web site at www.leecountyhumane.org and take our poll.  This column is also posted on our Web site. If you are so inclined, leave a comment at the bottom.

The Humane Society Weekly Wish: Follow the activities of the staff on Twitter (www.twitter.com/leecountyhumane)

Jack Fisher- Member, Board of Directors

Take our poll! Would you clone your pet?

Pet of the Week

"Otis" is a 3-5 year-old, Alaskan Malamute mix.  Otis doesn't bark a lot and has already been neutered.  To visit "Otis" come by the Lee County Humane Society Tuesday-Sunday, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

A Simple Request

As many of you know the Lee County Humane Society is a private not for profit organization. From the Internal Revenue Service perspective we are a 501(c)(3) organization which means that monetary or in-kind donations are tax deductible.

A portion of our budget is funded through contracts by the three local governments; Auburn, Opelika and Lee County. This funding fulfills the requirement by State of Alabama law that all counties have a holding facility for stray dogs and that all cities of more than 5000 people contribute to that facility or maintain their own facility.

The portion of the funding provided by the governments covers almost 60% of our total budget. Since we are an open admission facility that accepts all animals from Lee County and the two cities, we welcome the funding from the governments. Because we are an open admission facility, we average 6000 animals arriving at our shelter each year.

There is still a great portion of our budget left to raise each year.  One way we do this is through donations. So my simple request is for you is to donate. Here is a list of things we need:

Items for the animals:

• Dry dog food
• Dry cat food
• Cat litter
• Dog treats
• Cat play toys
• Dog “Kongs”
• Peanut butter
• Shoe boxes
• Towels in good condition

Cleaning & Office Supplies:

• Bleach
• Pine cleaner
• Window cleaner
• Brooms
• Dust pans
• Copy paper
• Pens
• Washing machine
• Clothes dryer

Outdoors:

• Push lawn mower
• Bagged pine bark
• Gas powered blower
• Gas powered weed trimmer

This list highlights the most needed items. While it is not an exhaustive list, it is a great reference for anyone wishing to donate items the staff needs on a daily basis to help the animals.

I forgot one thing; we always need cash. You can send a check to 1400 Ware Drive in Auburn or visit our website at www.leecountyhumane.org.

The Humane Society Weekly Wish: Donate please.

Jack Fisher, Board of Directors

Summer Safety Tips for Your Pet

The sweltering heat of the summer sun can be dangerous for pets.  Here are a few tips to keep your companion cool:

Never leave your pet unattended in a parked car:
The temperature in a car can exceed 100 degrees within minutes. It is inhumane and can cause severe injury or even death within minutes.

Provide access to fresh, clean water at all times:
Water should be kept in a clean container and replenished daily.  Give your pets more water on excessive heat days.

Secure your pet's water bowl or bucket:
Anchor your pet's water bowl or bucket by tying it to a tree.  It's a good idea to place it inside a hole in the ground or an old tire to prevent your pet from knocking it over.

Give your pet frequent water breaks during exercise:
Just like humans, pets need a lot of water to stay hydrated during work outs.  Also, be conscious of ground surface during exercise.  Asphalt and concrete heat quickly and can be harmful to your pet's paws.  Schedule walks or runs during the cool hours of the morning or late evening.
 
Provide shade for your pet:
Sunlight moves throughout the day.  Don't allow your pet to be stranded in the scorching sun without cover.

When weather is dangerously hot, keep your pets inside:
Stay alert for signs of overheating in pets, which include excessive panting and drooling and mild weakness, along with an elevated body temperature.

Following these tips will make summer a breeze for you and your pet.