ACHS Impressions Members To Serve at Redbrick

By Sarah Holt

Impressions members on the Athens County Humane Society account will be serving at Redbrick Sports Pub on Wed., April 27, from 6-9 p.m. to raise puppy mill awareness. What’s better than getting delicious food and supporting an awesome cause? So come out to RedBrick to support a great cause!

The money raised will go toward helping an innocent dog or cat find a loving home as opposed to the terrible conditions that animals must endure in puppy mills. Here are a few of the facts that you should know about puppy mills:

- Puppy mills are distinguished by their inhumane conditions and the constant breeding of unhealthy and genetically defective dogs solely for profit.

- Very often the dogs in puppy mills are covered with matted, filthy hair, their teeth are rotting and their eyes have ulcers. We have seen many dogs whose jaws have rotted because of tooth decay.

- The dogs are typically kept in small wire cages for their entire lives. They are almost never allowed out. They may never touch solid ground or grass to run and play.

(www.prisonersofgreed.com)

These are just a few of the horrors that these poor animals face. So please come out and help—it’s as simple as eating a meal. We look forward to seeing you all there!

By Paige Kruse, ImPRessions ACHS account member

The Athens Humane Society ImPRessions account hosted a successful Puppy Mill Awareness event with the help of Redbrick Sports Pub.. On Wed., Jan.19, ACHS members served dinner and drinks with the tips benefiting the Humane Society and its fight for local pets. The Athens community and fellow students were able to stand up against puppy mills while enjoying a lively atmosphere and 45 cent wing night. Although most volunteers didn’t have a lot of serving experience, costumers were patient and ready to contribute for a good cause. Puppy Mill Awareness Week strives to shed light on the miserable conditions of puppy mill breeding.
With thousands of mills across the United States, most puppies are left in small, wired cages and never feel the grass on their paws. Large pet stores will buy dogs from puppy mills at low costs and sell them for a large profit. Puppy mill owners have been known to shoot the dogs rather than provide vet care.
Adoption is a great step toward bettering conditions for dogs. Interested in the fight against Puppy mills? Visit http://www.humanesociety.org/ or http://www.stoppuppymills.org/.

Winter Weather Safety

By Camille Davis, ACHS ImPRessions account member

When the weather gets cold, and the snow begins to fall, it is easy for us to add another layer of clothes. But what about our pets? Winter pet safety is an important subject for all pet owners.

One of the most basic ways we can take care of our pets in this harsh winter weather is by bringing our outdoor pets inside. Winter weather brings many perils, from the biting cold to the mountains of snow. It is not uncommon for pets to get lost in this weather, so when they do go outside make sure they are wearing their tags and keep dogs on leashes. It is easy for them to get turned about and have a hard time picking up the scent of home in the snow.

Pet owners should also take caution of outdoor cats. Parked cars provide cats a safe haven from the snow, so be sure to bang on the hood of your car to warn any sleeping animals that you are about to start the car.

Dogs may seem warm with their furry coats, but even they are subject to the cold of winter. When bringing your dog in from a walk be sure to fully dry off their legs and belly. No one wants to walk around in wet clothes, especially clothes covered in road salt. Also check the area in between the pads of their paws. Ice and salt can gather quickly in that space.

The fashionable dog owner can dress short haired dogs up in adorable, warm sweaters. If you aren’t the fashionista then be sure to not cut your dog’s hair short. For the dogs who love playing in the snow, you may want to give them a little extra food to keep their energy up!

While winter can be a dangerous time for people and animals, it can also be a lot of fun. The snow provides countless photo opportunities of dogs playing in the snow. Is there anything cuter than a furry snowball? What better time to curl up on the couch with your cat then when the snow is falling? With months of winter ahead of us, be sure to keep an eye on your pets and be sure to enjoy the winter!

Feline Leukemia Virus

(Editor's note: Volunteering with the Athens County Humane Society (ACHS), I have seen a lot of strays in need of foster or permanent homes. I recently took in a beautiful, friendly tabby that was abandoned on N. Lancaster St. I took him to the vet and was informed that “Tommy” has feline leukemia. Tommy was at least the sixth cat to be diagnosed with FeLV last month.)

By Kylie Whittaker

A positive feline leukemia virus (FeLV) or feline immunodeficiency virus (feline AIDS or FIV) test is any cat owner’s worst nightmare. Much like human AIDS, FeLV and FIV suppresses the immune system of a cat and can lead to many other health problems such as disease, infection, and cancer.

According to the Cornell Feline Health Center, three percent of all cats in the U.S. are infected with this virus. FeLV and FIV are spread by infected cats through saliva, nasal secretions, urine, feces, milk, and mutual grooming. Transfer of the virus can also occur between cats that share a litter box and saliva transfer from a bite wound. An infected mother cat can transfer the virus to her kittens during pregnancy or while nursing.

There are two stages of FeLV.
-Primary Viremia is the early stage of the virus. Some cats can have an effective immune response removing the virus from their blood stream and halting progression to the secondary viremia stage.
-Secondary Viremia is the later stage that is said to be the point of no return. At this point, infection of bone marrow and other tissue will begin. If FeLV progresses to this point, the cat will most likely have the disease for the remainder of their life.
(www.vet.cornell.edu)

The disease varies but seems to be most common in cats under 2-years-old. Symptoms include inflammation of gums and mouth, reoccurring respiratory problems such as sneezing, nasal congestion, and coughing, digestive or skin disorders, and tumors.

Within the first months of contracting the virus, your cat may not show any signs or symptoms. This is why it is very important to pay attention to any changes in your cat’s behavior. Some signs to watch for include a loss of appetite, slow weight loss, poor coat condition, enlarged lymph nodes, eye conditions, seizures, behavioral changes, diarrhea, or persistent fever. If you notice any of these behaviors or symptoms in your cat, make an appointment with your veterinarian to have the cat tested. Two types of blood tests are commonly used to detect a protein component of the virus.

-ELISA can be performed at your vet’s office. This type of test detects both stages FeLV.
- IFA tests must be sent to a diagnostic lab and test for secondary viremia only.
(www.lbah.com/feline/felv.html)

In the unfortunate event that your cat has positive test results and is diagnosed with FeLV or FIV, there are many things you can do to improve the health and prolong the life of your companion.

-Keep your cat indoors. Since your cat’s immune system will be much weaker, keeping them inside will prevent their exposure to bacteria and infections. It will also prevent them from spreading the virus to other cats in the neighborhood.

- Feed them a balanced and nutritious diet.
- Avoid uncooked foods like raw meat and other foods that have high bacteria and parasitic levels.
- See your vet frequently. It is important to monitor the status of your cat’s condition and make sure the virus is not progressing.
(www.felineleukemia.org)

Under good care, cats with FeLV or FIV can remain in good health for as many as months to multiple years.

It is very important to take every precaution in preventing FeLV and FIV in negative testing cats, especially if they have been in an environment where they could have been exposed to the virus. The best way to protect your cat is to prevent their exposure. You can do this by keeping your cat indoors. If you have an outdoor cat, provide a secured area that prevents the cat from wandering, and talk to your vet about the FeLV prevention vaccination. If you have an infected cat and an infection free cat, keep them separated. Do not allow them to share food and water dishes or a litter box.

If you haven’t already tested your outdoor cat for FeLV, consider contacting your vet. Be on the lookout for behavioral changes and symptoms. As mentioned before, avoiding exposure is the only sure way to prevent the virus from spreading, so take every precaution in keeping your cat safe.
If you have any questions, feel free to email ACHS at info@athenshumane.org.

Centennial Celebration

By Kylie Whittaker

Athens County community members showed their love and support for the ACHS on Sat., Oct. 9, at the Centennial celebration. The Chinese auction was possible because due to the many generous donations from local businesses. The support of the community is vital to the ACHS organization, and we were thrilled to celebrate 100 years of service with our supporters.

"We were pleased to see so many of our supporters at the Centennial celebration,'' said ACHS President Arianna Rinaldi-Eichenberg. "Our top goals are to reduce pet overpopulation and find permanent homes for adoptable pets. We couldn't achieve that without their support.'' So far this year, ACHS has found permanent homes for 10 dogs and 60 cats, and through its low-cost spay/neuter clinics, ACHS has altered about 600 dogs and cats. To help low-income residents of Athens County afford the cost of spaying and neutering their animals, ACHS has provided about $8,000 in assistance.

Tables were lined with the items donated for the auction, including a basket filled with Donkey Coffee goodies, a $100 gift card to Raphael’s: An Aveda Concept Salon, and a hand drawn map of Athens from Lamborn’s Studio and Custom Framing, just to name a few. Zach Parkman played light acoustic music as guests decided which prizes to try their luck on.

Special thanks go out to the Athens Community Center for providing us with a great location, Minuteman Press for making our event tickets and programs, and advertisements, Bellavino for their wine donation, Heavens Oven for desserts, Zach Parkman for entertainment, and the rest of our generous sponsors and community members for helping us celebrate 100 years!

Calendar Contest

Do your dogs smile when you say cheese? Do your cats stare at themselves in the mirror with admiration? ACHS is accepting entries for our 2011-2012 rescued pets calendar contest. All pets featured in the calendar must be rescued and currently living in Athens. To apply please send a picture of your dog or cat (in .jpeg format) along with a short biography of the pet to achscalendar@yahoo.com. There is a $10 non-refundable entry fee for each pet and $5 for each additional pet which can be donated by going to the ACHS website (www.athenshumane.petfinder.com) and clicking on the “Just Give” button in the “donate” section. Please write your last name along with the name of your pet and calendar contest in the ‘designate my donation’ section of the form. Entries will be accepted through Oct. 17^th at midnight. There is only one week left, so make sure you get your pictures in! Once we pick winners we will be sending our photographers out to get a high resolution picture of your pet, so make sure you are checking your email after the 17th. Please email achscalendar@yahoo.com with any questions.We can't wait to see your pets!