Vet Bill Assistance: Get Help With Vet Bills

Dealing with high vet bills? See assistance options for affordable pet care. Get the support your pet needs without breaking the bank.

Even the most responsible pet owner can be caught with an unexpected and overwhelming potential vet bill. Our vets tell us sadly time and time again of owners that, when faced with their pet’s medical emergency, end up choosing to put their pet to sleep simply because they can’t afford a costly veterinary surgery, and their pet is suffering too much to live without it. While we certainly advise preparing for your pet’s vet costs, it simply isn’t always possible. Pet insurance can be a life-saver, but perhaps it is a pet you just rescued off the street, or a pet with a pre-existing condition not covered by insurance. We often get emails from pet owners asking us if we know where they can get help for their vet bills. While there are a few charities that offer limited help (usually small personal grants around $100 – here’s one directory of them, and here’s another), and some that offer help to specific breeds or diseases, in most cases YOU the pet owner are going to have to figure out a way to fundraise to cover your pet’s expenses.

Here are some tips on how to lower or get help paying for your vet bill:

1. Talk to your vet
Veterinary hospitals are businesses that need to charge what they charge to survive. It may seem like they are making a fortune, but the cost of insurance, staffing, supplies, rent etc make a for a huge overhead. That said, they sometimes can offer you a discount if you can prove you qualify for low-income assistance. They may know of any local charities that offer financial support to people who can’t afford vet care. They may have a new vet-in-training on staff who can do a procedure for a much lower cost, especially if the only other option is euthanasia.

2. Get a 2nd Opinion
Sometimes all you have to do is ask to speak to another vet in the same hospital, and they may be able to offer a less expensive treatment option to try first, say a medication vs. a surgery. It that might take longer or not be quite as effective, but can still help your pet live comfortably and happily. Or they may confirm there is only that one treatment possible. A sole vet, just like a human doctor, can’t possibly know everything about everything. You may need to visit a 2nd vet hospital to get a 2nd opinion, see #3.

3. Look for a less expensive vet or clinic
Call other veterinary hospitals to ask how much they charge for the treatment your pet needs. Explain in advance what your budget is, and see if they can offer a treatment within that budget. You can also see if there is a Veterinary College near you as they may offer discounted care.

4. Fundraise
If your pet’s vet care need isn’t urgent, or you’ve used your credit card or CareCredit, you can try fundraise yourself to cover each month’s payment. Have a yard sale; offer your services (whatever skills you have) to friends, coworkers & neighbors in return for a donation; setup an online fundraiser and ask all your friends on Facebook, Twitter, etc and in your email contact list to donate. This is how rescuers pay their vet bills, and you as an individual pet owner can certainly try this too. You may have to swallow your pride to ask friends and family to help, but isn’t your pet worth it?

5. CareCredit
A regular credit card is great if you have one with an available limit, and you can fundraise (see #4) to cover the monthly payments to pay off your balance. However, what if you need the funds urgently, or aren’t sure if you’ll qualify for a regular credit card? There is a special kind of credit card that is exclusively for vet costs, called CareCredit – it can be a lifesaver. If your vet doesn’t take CareCredit, they can help you locate a local vet who will, including a participating vet locator on their website.

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Lost Dog Poster Template: Lost Or Found Flyer

You might not think a template is needed for a lost pet flyer or found pet poster, as it is not a very technically complicated thing to create, but when you’ve just lost your pet and are in a panic, or are trying to figure out what to do with a pet you found, you might not be able to calmly figure out the best design for maximum impact. You just want to reunite a lost pet with a distraught and caring owner! You can also use the LOST templates to create a flyer *now* of your pets, so you aren’t frantically searching for a good photo — when you could be out searching for your lost pet. So we’ve created a very simple but effective LOST DOG or LOST CAT poster template that you can click to download and edit in Word, as well as a FOUND DOG or FOUND CAT poster templates in Word. We used our decades of experience working in animal shelters and seeing what works (and what can be dangerous) to create these simple and effective flyers for your free use.

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The FOUND posters are very simple, as it is best if you do not include a photo. You can edit the word “DOG” on the poster to CAT. Click to download Found Pet free Microsoft Word document:

Found-Pet-Poster-template.doc

Please read our Tips if you find a stray pet before re-homing a pet you’ve found, and you might also like to read our FAQ answer for: “How can I find a home for a pet that I’ve rescued?“

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The LOST posters have a place for a photo, and you can add in the $ amount of the reward too. You can also edit the word “DOG” on the flyer to CAT or to the dog’s breed if a very well-known breed like Lab, Poodle, etc. Click to download Lost Pet free Microsoft Word document:

Lost-Pet-Poster-template.doc

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For helpful tips if you lost your pet, see our Lost Pet Guide.

Final tip: Petbond.com has a free online PDF flyer generator, which offers less edibility than our templates, but is a great way to make a good-looking printable Lost or Found Pet Flyer quickly and easily online.

Dog Training: How To Train A Dog Not To Bark

Is your new dog constantly barking? Discover the potential reasons behind the barking and find effective methods to stop it.

One of our lovely Adopt-a-Pet.com fans asked us to blog about how to stop our dogs from barking when we’re not home. Well, your wish is our command! First, it’s important to understand why dogs bark. They bark to communicate, just like we speak. Some common types of barking include alert barking to let you know of something, defensive barking to avoid or stop something the dog doesn’t like, attention barking for your attention, frustration barking when confused or stressed, and boredom barking which occurs as an outlet for the dog to amuse himself. (Check out Karen Pryor’s books for more detailed explanation of why dogs bark.)

Not all barking is a problem. Often it’s a natural way for your dog to tell you he wants to go outside or is hungry. But when dealing with your dog barking excessively, take into account that it’s often a symptom of another problem such as anxiety or boredom. The barking is a symptom and will not go away until the source is addressed so consider what is going on for your dog that is causing him to bark before devising a plan of action.

For example, if your dog is barking for attention, one of the most effective ways to handle this is to remove what he wants – your attention – when he is barking. When he stops barking, give your dog all the attention and love you can! He will soon learn that being quiet gets him what he wants and will pair barking with your ignoring him. If your dog alert barks when someone comes to the door thank him for his help and let him know you’ve got it under control. Then throw a ball or a toy he likes to get his focus off of alerting you and on to a game. You can also teach your dog to be quiet on command with the help of a trainer or dog training class. By teaching your dog to bark on cue, you can also teach him to be silent.

If your dog barks when you are gone, accept that the environment and set-up you have is reinforcing his barking. And barking is, unfortunately, a self-reinforcing behavior which becomes a learned habit. So if you want to stop your dog from barking when you’re not home, change the set-up that is inadvertently reinforcing the barking. For instance, if your dog barks when he’s alone in the backyard, try keeping him inside in a crate instead when you’re gone. (Please note: a dog should not be kept in a crate for more than 6 hours at a time – see our How to Crate Train article.) If you think certain street sounds trigger him while you’re gone, try leaving classical music playing to calm him, or check out special soothing dog CDs for such purposes (like www.throughadogsear.com). If your dog barks at people or other dogs passing by a window, draw the blinds or keep the dog out of the front room except when you’re there to address the problem.

Keep in mind that your dog might be barking when you leave home because he is simply bored. Is your dog getting enough exercise and stimulation? If he is good with other dogs, consider adopting a second dog so they can keep each other company and play while you’re gone, or try fostering a pet with a local rescue group to see if that helps relieve the boredom and barking. Experiment with giving your dog a chew toy like a bully stick or Kong (best when filled with peanut butter or treats) to keep him occupied while he’s home alone. Give him a chew treats as a project to work on right as you’re walking out the door as this will help keep him busy and also positively associate your absence. Try only giving him these high value chew treats when he’s home alone. (Please note: if you have more than one dog, do not leave them unsupervised with high value chew treats as they may lead to fighting.) See my past article on When to Give Your Dog a Chew Toy for more on this topic!

In sum, watch and listen to your dog. What is causing him to bark when you’re home? Those are good indicators of what is causing him to bark when you’re not home. Then figure out how can you alleviate these triggers for him and set him up to succeed barklessly!

Katya Friedman is Adopt-a-Pet.com’s Director of Partnerships and Promotions and a certified dog trainer.

Stray Pets: What to do if You Find a Stray Pet

Found a stray animal and not sure what to do? Here are ten tips to guide you.

What to Do If You Find a Stray Cat Losing a pet can be a traumatic experience for a pet owner. If you find a stray animal and you think it could be someone’s pet, it’s important to do all that you can to reunite the animal with its owner. Here is a list of things you should do if you find a stray animal.

Approach with Caution – A frightened, injured, or feral animal may act aggressively or bolt away. If the animal looks threatening or makes you feel uneasy in any way you should stay away and notify your local animal control center. If you do decide to approach the animal, speak calmly and warmly and make sure you are clearly in views.
Assume there is an Owner – Although the pet may seem afraid, this may be his natural behavior, even at home. His appearance may also be deceptive – if he has fleas, seems malnourished, or has an injury, it may simply be because he has been lost for some time. It’s best to assume the animal has an owner until all measures to find that owner have failed.
Take the Animal to the Shelter – The animal shelter is often the first place pet owners will look for their lost pets, but the last place where people will take a found animal because they fear the animal will be euthanized. Many shelters will let you shelter the animal if you fill out a found report with a description of the animal, the location you found it, and your contact information.
Check for ID – Many pets will have ID tags on their collars or a tattoo on the inside of an ear or leg. You may also want to have the animal shelter or a veterinarian search for a microchip embedded under the animal’s skin with identification.
Go for a Walk – Something that often works well for adult dogs is to put a long leash and secure collar on the dog, then tell him to “Go Home!” Many dogs will be familiar with their own areas and will lead you right to its home. However, don’t release the dog to anyone unless you are sure that you have found the rightful owner(s).
Look for LOST Signs – Look in a one-mile radius around the area where you found the animal for LOST PET signs. Keep in mind that signs may not appear right away if the owner was on vacation or has a disability, or if the animal was lost relatively recently. Don’t assume there is no owner if you don’t see signs – keep checking for signs whenever you can.
Make FOUND Signs – Make large, brightly colored FOUND signs with a few descriptive words such as “SMALL BROWN TERRIER” that can be read from far away, along with your contact information or the number of the animal shelter. You may also want to take a picture of the animal for the poster. Then you should put a poster near the spot where you found the animal, as well as a few others nearby where they can be seen by many people. You may also want to consider putting signs at animal shelters, pet supply stores, and animal rescue centers.
Check Other Sources – Periodically check the “Lost & Found” section in your local paper for an ad about the lost animal–you may also want to place a “Found” ad in this section. You may also want to look on the internet for local lost pet websites, as well as online classifieds like Craigslist.
Make Sure You’ve Found the Right Owner – If you receive a call from someone claiming to be the owner, have them give you a full, detailed description of the animal. Don’t ask leading questions such as, “Does the dog have a brown spot on its back?” but you could ask something like, “What does the dog’s fur look like?” Leave it to the caller to give you a full description. If you agree to deliver the animal, bring someone else with you and let someone know where you are going.
If You Cannot Find an Owner – Check with your local animal control for what the legal requirements are for when you’ve found a stray pet. Some cities laws require you surrender the pet to them for a certain number of days to give an owner a chance to reclaim their pet, before they can adopt it to you or anyone else.

If you cannot find an owner, and have checked with your local animal control about the laws, you can decide if you want to adopt the pet yourself, or want to help that pet find a new home. Please read Adopt-a-Pet.com’s Lost Pet Guide for helpful tips!

Ashley Porter is a pet lover who writes about various topics including pet health issues and is the owner of the site Guide to Becoming a Veterinarian Technician.

Fostering Pets: Should I Foster A Dog Or Cat?

Considering pet fostering? Read more to determine the ideal foster pet based on your lifestyle.

foster kitten spotted belly nap Fostering is one of the most selfless acts you can do to help homeless pets. You take an animal into your home, give them all the love and care you would lavish on your own pets, often nurse them through being sick, or train them through adjustment behaviors. Then when they’re ready and the right adopter comes along – like a child going off to college or getting married, your heart breaks with both happiness and sadness as you usher them into their new loving fur-ever home! So… once you’re convinced you want to save an animal’s life by fostering, how do you pick the best type of pet to foster? This article is here to help!

The criteria for picking a good pet for your home to foster can be similar but is not the same as if you were adopting the pet as your own. We speak from experience! We’ve fostered and helped others foster thousands of pets in our decades of rescue and shelter work. But we can’t pick a good foster for you: you know your home best. What we can do is help you understand the Time, Space, Cost and Experience the most common types of foster pets need, to help you decide on the type of foster pet that will most likely be a good fit and make for happy fostering!

Time

You may be wondering what the silly photo of one of our former foster kitties is doing on this article. Muggles is demonstrating one of the most important aspects of foster care: relaxation time! How much free time (or time spent on expendable activities, like maybe watching TV) do you currently have in your day, every day, over the next few weeks or months? How much relaxation time and activity time do you have where you can include the foster pet?

When you are looking to adopt a pet, you look at this criteria too, but for FOSTERING you likely only need to consider this for the time it takes the rescue or shelter to find a new home for that pet, or get those pets ready for adoption (like underage kittens and puppies). Between jobs or on summer vacation? You might be able to foster a more time-intensive pet that wouldn’t be a good long-term match for your life in the future.

Below is a general guideline showing how much time a FOSTER animal takes daily. Now some of the “time” could be just hanging out like Muggles is doing or on the couch/chair next to you while you do other things, but we’ve counted mostly for “active” time you’ll need caring, cleaning, training and loving these types of foster pets!

Also… pairs of pets always take less time than a single pet.
#1 is below requires the LEAST amount of time:

adult/senior cats
adult/senior dogs (trained)
puppies
adult/senior dogs that need basic training
kittens 8 weeks to 6 months old
bottle babies

Space & size

Pick a pet that you have room to isolate in your home. Cats are fine in smaller spaces temporarily (think: bathroom), while even tiny dogs need to get out several times a day – can they do that without crossing paths with your other pets space? If you are fostering a pet that is coming straight out of most animal shelters, and if you have other pets, you will need enough space to keep the new foster totally separated.

Isloation space is good for three reasons: One: shelter pets can appear healthy, but can be incubating sickeness or parasites, and most vets will advise keeping them separate for 2 weeks. (Many experienced rescues with fosters and their vets know their shelter’s common illnesses, and how effective vaccinating foster’s own pets is against them, and may guide you otherwise.) Two: it can take time for your current pets and the new pet to learn to get along, and keeping them totally separated while doing a slow introduction may be the safest and least-stressful path. Three: sometimes, the pet you are fostering may not get along with other pets in your home. Be prepared for a ‘worst case’ senario to have a comfortable, separate room where your foster pet can live until he or she is adopted.

We hope these general guidelines help you pick the right kind of pet to foster. Thank you for helping pet adoption by opening your heart and home to foster a pet! You can register with the Adopt-a-Pet.com Volunteer database so that shelters and rescues near you can see you’re interested in being a foster home, and you can also use the Adopt-a-Pet.com Shelter Search to find a shelter or rescue near you to ask them if they could use your fostering help.

Cat Scratching: Train A Cat Not To Scratch

Wondering how to get your new cat to stop scratching? Discover effective strategies to redirect their natural scratching behavior.

pPETS-3759229r200 Cats have a natural need to scratch. It stretches their muscles, marks their territory, reduces stress, and removes dead layers of their nails. If you don’t provide your cat with desirable scratching surfaces and, if needed, train them to scratch where you want, they may choose to scratch the corner of your couch instead! Cats and kittens of all ages can be trained to scratch where you want, some more easily than others. Each cat’s environment and past experiences play a role in how quickly they can be trained. Here are some suggested steps to train your cat to scratch where you want:

1. Prepare your home

During training, remove access to or cover appealing surfaces where you don’t want your cats to scratch. Cats often like rough fabric. For example, if your cat is going after your recliner or couch, cover furniture with a smooth sheet or blanket, or apply double-sided sticky tape (spot test a small non-visible area first) or tin foil wrap. Cats don’t like slippery or sticky surfaces. If they are scratching the wall-to-wall carpet, cover where they are scratching with a plastic carpet runner or put a piece of furniture on top of the spot. Some household items are just too tempting for a cat. You wouldn’t leave a hamburger out in the middle of your living room floor and expect a dog not to eat it! You may need to donate your wicker hamper to a charity, or put it in the closet with the door closed.

2. Supply scratching posts

Buy or build two or more different types of scratching posts. Posts should be sturdy and tall enough to allow the cat to completely stretch – ideally 3 feet or taller. A bark-covered log, a post covered with sisal, or a burlap-covered box, or there are countless cardboard or sisal scratchers in pet retail stores. You can find a great selection of cat scratchers at Chewy. Soft carpeting will not typically satisfy a cat’s need to scratch. Soft, fluffy, carpeted scratching posts rarely work, and may be one of the main causes of declawing – which is painful, inhumane, and can cause other behavior issues – because cats often don’t like the posts. Every cat is different, so if your cat ignores one post, try another material and location.

3. Scratching post locations

Place one scratching post where the cat is already clawing or likely to claw, such as the side of the couch, and another close to where he or she normally sleeps. Cats like to stretch and scratch when they first wake up. Another option is the cardboard or sisal “scratching box,” which lies flat on the floor. These are inexpensive and small enough to scatter around the house, allowing your cat easy access to an “approved” scratching spot at all times. They can wear out fairly quickly if you have an avid scratcher, and need to be replaced when too worn down — otherwise, cats may revert back to using furniture.

4. Training

Next, give your cat specific instructions as to where to claw and where not to claw. Invite your cat to investigate the new scratching post and scratch it yourself to make a scratching noise. Baby kittens you can gently hold and move their paws in a scratching motion on the post. This will scent the posts and encourage exploratory clawing. Make the post a “fun” place to be. Play games with your cat on and around the post and attach hanging strings, balls and/or bouncy wire toys to it. For adult cats, you can try sprinkling catnip on the post, too. A once-a-week or so “refresher” application will keep your cat interested. Raise with praise! When kitty uses the post, reinforce her good behavior with verbal praise.

5. No punishment

When the cat claws furniture or another undesired surface, never punish cats with physical force or a loud voice. You can say “no” if it makes you feel better, and gently move or lure them to a scratching post.

As a last resort, some behaviorists say you can calmly mist room-temperature water from a spray bottle directed next to the cat, one misting spray not a stream and not multiple ones. NEVER spray the cat. The spray sound is like a cat hiss and most cats don’t like water spray. We don’t recommend this as in our experience, it makes the cat afraid of you. Also, most cats quickly figure out if you’re not standing there with the spray bottle, there’s no spray and they will scratch away! Instead, consider one or more motion-activated pet deterrent spray cans like this.

6. Nail caps like Soft Paws

Nail caps are soft vinyl nail caps that are applied to cats’ newly trimmed nails. The nail caps allow cats to scratch naturally, without harming furniture. Each application lasts about four to six weeks. Some cats take a while to get used to them, but most cat don’t seem to notice they are on. You can use the clear kind, or have fun with colors! Nail caps are only for cats that never go outside. Nail caps for cats are available at most pet supply stores and online here.

Our final tips

Supervision and repetition are key. Supervise your cat so you can praise her when she uses the scratching post, and deter her if she starts scratching something she shouldn’t. Repeat as often as possible! This is the most reliable way we know to train your cat to scratch where you want.

Bite Inhibition: How To Teach A Puppy Not To Bite

Is your new pup biting everything? Learn effective ways to curb this behavior and teach bite inhibition.

puppy-bite A puppy biting your hand or using your pant cuff as a chew toy – cute? Not so fast! Teaching a puppy what is OK to bite when they are young is the single most important item for any pup. Mouthing and biting is a normal part of being a puppy, but how cute will that be when they bite your hand – or a child’s hand – when they are an adult dog? Damaging dog bites are not cute! Puppies must be taught by people to control the force of their biting behavior so that they learn to have a soft mouth if they do accidentally grab onto a human (instead of a toy or food being offered). Then they should be taught to reduce the frequency of puppy mouthing, so that as an adolescent and adult dog they will not harm a person they are playing with – or their clothing!

The program outlined below is best for puppies who are up to about 18 weeks, while they still have their baby teeth, who have not yet learned to control their playful biting. If your puppy is under 6 months and not biting too hard (already has some self-taught bite inhibition), it can still be used – but for dogs older than 6 months that are play biting you, please consult a professional dog trainer.

For this program, it is important that EVERYONE who interacts with your dog, (e.g. everyone in your household and any visitors) follows the same rules. Children should be closely supervised to ensure that they are following the rules, too!

This puppy program is broken down into three steps, to be followed in order:

No painful bites
No pressure with teeth
No mouthing at all

Puppies normally develop bite inhibition through interaction with their litter mates. When a puppy bites another puppy too hard, the second puppy will yelp and discontinue playing. In this way the first puppy learns not to bite so hard. This technique has you take the place of littermates, and teach in much the same way.

1. No painful bites.
In the same way you as humans must act like fellow littermate and let your dog know when he has bitten you too hard. In the first phase of training, if the puppy puts his mouth and/or teeth on you and doesn’t bite down, you can immediately redirect their mouth on to a toy and praise. BUT if the puppy uses pressure (they usually will at some point, they are testing everything out when they are young) so that you are feeling a pinch or more: yelp like a puppy just enough so your puppy notices – and then walk away and ignore him for about a minute.

Dogs vary in their sensitivity, so it is important that your yelp volume and intensity is appropriate for your particular puppy. If when you yelp your pup doesn’t seem to notice, or immediately comes back to bite you again, then next time try a louder yelp and move away more quickly. Similarly, make sure that you do not startle your puppy too much. If your pup cowers or runs away tail tucked between his legs when you yelp, then you are most likely yelping too loudly; next time try a quieter yelp. When you return after the minute of ignoring them, make sure you have a toy ready so they can bite the toy, which is good! Reward that good behavior with lots of attention and praise.

NOTE: Ignoring means no looking at your dog, no speaking to your dog and no touching your dog! If necessary you can leave the room for that minute (a ‘time out’) so that he has no chance of play-biting you while you are ignoring him.

It may be tempting to say an angry “no” and/or push the puppy away. However, this is giving them attention – even if it is “negative” attention. Attention is a reward! You don’t want to reward the undesired behavior.

2. No teeth on you.
Once your dog has learned that painful bites are unacceptable and has stopped doing them, you can progress to teaching that any pressure of his teeth against your skin is unacceptable. At this point, the yelp is NOT appropriate. If the puppy puts his mouth on you with no teeth pressure, either redirect onto a toy immediately, or (better) get up and away from puppy to ignore for 30 seconds, then return with toy to play again.

3. No mouth on you at all.
Once your dog has learned that he should not put his teeth on you, you can progress to training your dog that any mouthing of you or your clothing is unacceptable by stopping the game or attention when he mouths you.

Depending on the age and temperament of your puppy, the time it takes to reach step three will vary from a week or two to a few months. Here are some guidelines to help speed the process along:

Never hit your dog (his nose or any other part of him) in response to his mouthing or play biting! Not only is this unnecessary but also it will likely encourage him to continue biting you, either in play or in self-defense.
Do not forget to provide appropriate chew toys and bones for your dog and praise him for chewing on these. In this way your dog will learn not only what is UNACCEPTABLE but also what is ACCEPTABLE in terms of using his mouth.
You may find it helpful to use a taste deterrent (available from pet shops) on your hands or clothing while you are going through this program. First make sure that the product is actually distasteful to your dog (some dogs like the taste of taste deterrents).
Make sure your puppy is getting sufficient exercise both mental and physical. Play biting can be a result of being bored and having pent up energy.

Once your dog has successfully completed all stages of bite inhibition you will want ensure that your dog continues to have good bite inhibition throughout life. Therefore it is a good idea to handle his mouth daily (open it and touch his teeth and tongue) – easy to do if you are brushing their teeth daily, a great habit – and reward him or her for being gentle with praise and affection.

Learn more about Jennifer, our blog author at Google+

Pet Tax Deductions: Can You Claim Pets On Taxes?

Wondering about tax savings for pet expenses? Learn about Pet Tax Deductions to understand how to claim your pet on taxes

This is no April Fools joke: your furry friends – and helping nonprofit rescues and shelters – can save you money come tax time! As Uncle Sam comes-a-callin’ this time of year, Adopt-a-Pet.com spokesperson and MarthaStewart.com Daily Wag contributor Dr. Pia Salk consulted with her accountant and fellow animal lover Mary Tonden. Mary shared some priceless pet-related tax tips for everyone who loves animals! (Photo: pets really can help at tax time.)

To all you tax-paying animal lovers out there,

I can’t tell you how many clients ask me if they can claim their beloved pooch or kitty as a tax deduction. Unfortunately, until our pets get their own social security numbers, all the kibble in the world will not lower our tax liability. That said, here are several ways your love for our furry legged (or feathered or gilled) friends can pay off at tax time. Remember to check with your tax preparer to make sure these tips apply to your particular situation.

Give Money: Any cash donation you make to a qualified charitable organization is tax deductible for those who itemize deductions (ask you accountant if this is you!) Don’t know if your favorite rescue fits the bill? Check out IRS Publication 78 for more information on qualifying organizations.

Give Stuff: Local animal shelters need your newspaper, old towels, sheets, pet beds, sweaters, crates and blankets. They may also be looking for items such as digital cameras, video recorders, printers, fans, heaters, cleaning supplies, office equipment, printer paper, carpeting, and furniture. You can also purchase and donate new items including food, toys, new litter boxes, dog beds, and cat trees.

Even if your donation isn’t useful to the shelter itself, they might be able to use it to raise funds. The value of items donated can be a tax deduction! Again, assuming they are a qualified organization, you can deduct the fair market value of the property at the time of the contribution, so keep track of what you give and when, and be sure to save the receipts of those newly purchased items.

Give Your Time: While you typically cannot deduct the value of your time, you can deduct mileage traveling to and from the shelter or rescue. For 2010, the IRS allows a deduction of 14 cents per mile driven in service of a charitable organization. Keep a notebook in your car to track mileage, or use an iPhone or Android app such as Mileage Pad.

Partner with an Organization: If you are providing a service such as trap, neuter, return (TNR), or ongoing food and medical care for a colony of cats in your area, find a registered non-profit animal rescue to affiliate with and have them write a letter to document your charitable work to the IRS. As a result, your out-of-pocket expenses may be deductible.

Make It a Business Expense: There are some instances in which caring for animals is a legitimate business expense. If you own a business or farm, properly caring for, sterilizing, and feeding a few feral cats can be a green way to manage a rodent population or simply a way to keep them away from your inventory. Ditto for a guard dog. (Be sure he is being paid with love and shelter too!)

Foster an Animal in Need: This is a great alternative for those who aren’t in a position to take on a pet of their own. You can deduct many of the costs you incur including food, veterinary expenses, cleaning products, medications and supplies. Just be sure to ask the organization for a letter stating that you are a registered foster and keep it in your tax file.

Keep in mind, the smallest gesture can brighten the life of an animal in need!

And if you keep meticulous track of all that you do, you might just find yourself with a fatter refund!

Mary Grace Tonden, Tonden & Associates
Accountant/Cat Lover
Mary@TondenTax.com

Thanks Mary for such great info!
In kinship,
Dr. Pia Salk

How To Raise A Puppy: Tips For New Pet Parents

Did you just bring home an adorable puppy? Check out our complete guide on how to raise a puppy, including best practices, training, and must-know medical tips.

How do you raise a friendly puppy? Puppy socialization is key! That means exposing your puppy or young dog to a variety of people and situations so he or she becomes accustomed to them. For young puppies, between four and twelve weeks is a critical stage for socialization, and is a period when they quickly absorb new information. Puppies that are not sufficiently socialized during this time are very likely to grow up fearful and unsure of themselves, people, and their environment. Since fear is often at the root of aggressive behavior such as biting, proper puppy socialization is critically important! If you are adopting a fearful dog, you can often help them by socializing them at any age, to help them get used to new situations. Below are some very basic puppy and dog socialization guidelines and exercises!

TAKE IT SLOW!
The overall plan is to slowly introduce your puppy or dog to noises, people and places, and make the experiences enjoyable. It doesn’t do any good to expose your puppy to, say, a room full of very loud children who pull on the puppy’s ears – that’s terrifying, not socializing!

REWARD THE GOOD
As you expose your puppy or dog to noises, places and people, praise or reward the puppy for any appropriately friendly response.

IGNORE FEAR
If your puppy or dog responds fearfully to anything new, remove your puppy from the cause, but avoid ‘reassuring’ him or her, which is actually praising the puppy for acting scared. Fearful body language to keep an eye out for includes: tail tucked between legs, white of eye showing, trembling, lying down or hunching over and not wanting to move, careening about on the end of a leash trying to escape.

REDIRECT BAD BEHAVIOR
Don’t allow any unwanted behavior while you are socializing. So jumping up, biting you or the leash, or barking should all be cut short by ending the socialization exercise and moving away from what is causing that behavior. Then in a few minutes or the next day, try again more slowly, from farther away, working them up to being well-behaved in the situation where they were previously misbehaving. Practicing obedience commands while in new situations can keep the puppy focused on you and the commands, and help avoid the unwanted behaviors.

FULLY VACCINATED
Keep in mind that puppies must be kept safely away from areas where un-vaccinated dogs may have been until their last series of puppy vaccinations are effective. Typically this is around four months, but verify with your vet for your puppy. No parks, walks or contact with the ground outside your yard and your house until that time. Puppy socialization will help you end up with a happier, better pet, which is good for everyone.

NOW FOR SOME EXERCISES!

Noises: If your puppy lives in a quiet room, set up a CD player to play normal household noises: doorbells ringing, vacuum cleaners running, doors slamming, toilets flushing, music playing. Start out at a low volume and over time raise it to a real-life level. Bring the puppies to different rooms so they can hear the noises and acoustics of various spaces. Take them for a pleasure ride in the car to expose them to outdoor sights, sounds and smells. Further widen their horizons by taking them for an outdoor walk in your arms if weather permits.
Places: Take car rides (using a crate is best), visit friends, pet supply stores, and, once vaccinated, parks, beaches, outdoor cafes, the vet’s waiting room, everywhere and anywhere dogs are allowed.
People: Try to introduce your puppy to at least one new person a day for the first few weeks. A store clerk, the mailman, your neighbors, your neighbors kids, friends, family, strangers walking down the street. Encourage positive interactions with the people, starting with just standing near them if your puppy or dog is at all unwilling to approach, and progressing to the people petting and giving them treats. As with noises and places, praise or reward the puppy for any appropriately friendly response.
Other animals: If you want a dog that is friendly towards other animals, such as dogs and cats, and you don’t have any of your own, you’ll need to find a way to regularly expose your puppy to them. Training class is a great place to start for other dogs, especially classes just for puppies. Cats that live with dogs already can help ‘train’ a puppy to keep his nose and teeth to himself – but until puppy has learned to keep his or her distance from kitty’s claws, keep puppy safely in a crate, playpen, or use baby gates to give kitty security.
Classes: puppy classes that allow off-leash socialization are wonderful! When your puppy is older, obedience training is a good way to get your puppy to practice focusing on you in a distracting environment, so you can continue your puppy’s socialization on into adulthood and new situations.

If you have questions about puppy socialization, consult with your pet trainer or behaviorist.

photo credit: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/943033

Declawing Cats: Is Declawing A Cat Harmful?

Is declawing a cat harmful? Uncover the truth behind this debated practice, its impact on feline well-being, and ethical considerations.

cat-paw-shelter Declawing is a surgery to permanently remove a cat or kitten’s claws. Many pet owners are unaware that in order for the nails not to grow back, the operation is actually 10 to 18 amputations, removing the end bone in each of the cat’s or kittens toes! If that made you think “ouch!” you already have an idea of how painful that is for a kitten or cat.

A feline’s claws are attached by powerful ligaments and tendons so they can extend and retract. Those tendons, ligaments, as well as the skin and nerves (and often the pads of the paw) are cut to remove the entire end toe bone, as the claw grows out of tissue within the end bone. The operation in veterinary terms is called an onychectomy . There is another operation called a tendonectomy, in which the vet severs the tendons that extend the cat’s claws. Both are painful, unnecessary operations, with a good chance of serious life-long medical complications. Most vets and vet associations do not recommend performing onychectomy or tendonectomy on cats. Declawing is painful enough to be considered illegal animal cruelty in many countries and a growing number of US cities.

Why would anyone want to declaw their cat?
Cats have a natural desire to scratch. Scratching exercises and stretches their body from the tips of their nails up through their shoulders and back. In nature, wild cats whose claws aren’t trimmed keep their nails from growing into the pads of their feet by scratching rough surfaces, which removes the longest layers. Scratching also creates a visual and scent territorial marker on the scratched surface.

Though humans have domesticated cats and brought them safely indoors, the desire to scratch remains. If you don’t provide your cat or kitten with enough appealing scratching posts, along with redirection training if needed (as explained in the previous chapter), your cat will still need to scratch. She will seek out materials that remind her of rough tree bark, which can include the upholstery on your couch! A frustrated pet owner might consider declawing, not realizing the dark side, and the pain-free humane alternative of scratch training, and/or applying vinyl nail caps to make her scratching destruction-free.

The dark side…

Litter box issues. When a kitten or cat is declawed, they often wake up with gauze strips in each toe’s incision. The gauze is a drain to help the deep incisions heal with a decreased chance of abscess infections. Some vets use surgical glue; others use stitches. So that the kitten won’t rip out the painful drains, stitches, or glue with their teeth, or lick the wounds (high infection risk), the kitten must wear an e-collar – a plastic cone that looks like a small lampshade, tied tightly around their neck. In addition, to avoid litter getting into and infecting the wounds, the vet will instruct the pet owner to only use shredded newspaper in the cat’s litter boxes. Because of the pain, your vet may give your cat pain medication, which can cause drowsiness, disorientation, and nausea. Since kittens are the most often declawed (the operation can be even more dangerous for adults because of hemorrhaging), the lack of cat litter and pain when they try to dig in the litter pan, often causing a strong life-long aversion to going in a litter box.

Biting. When kittens discover they can no longer use their claws for stability when jumping or climbing away from something fearful, they will use their next line of defenses – biting. Declawed kittens may become aggressive and unfriendly cats. Cats in pain will often withdraw, hide, and not want to interact with you or other pets. Since cats can’t talk, and are historically stoic or reclusive when in pain, some pet owners who have declawed their cats claim their cats are just fine. But studies have shown that declawed cats are significantly more likely to have litter box issues and biting issues. [See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onychectomy] That is not just fine for most cat owners!

Medical complications. Amputating all of your cat or kitten’s toes carries a risk of complications that last well beyond the day of surgery. Hemorrhage, infection, abscess, claw regrowth – often deformed growing into the pad causing more pain and abscesses, limping, permanent limping, and bladder inflammation due to the pain, stress and litter box aversion.

There is no way to know how much pain your cat or kitten will be enduring for the rest of their life if you have them declawed. Please, don’t declaw your cat! Instead, humanely train them to scratch where you want, and use vinyl kitty nail caps instead.

Tag: First Batch