AAP Migration Database

By Dr. Dan Carey, Bayer Veterinarian
Lights, camera … adoption! There’s nothing like changing a life, unless it’s saving a life. The photos are taken, social updates are posted and you’re finally on your way home.

First steps

Playtime, mealtime, downtime: Your shelter’s staff interacts with your cat, gets to know his temperament, daily habits and, most importantly, checks on his health and well-being. The shelter knows that when it comes time to call “Here kitty, kitty,” you don’t want fleas, ticks heartworms, intestinal worms and ear mites to come, too. Checkups, vaccinations and preventives prepare him for your home.

Behind the scenes

When your cat first arrives at the shelter, it’s an overwhelming experience for everyone. By following strict rules and guidelines, the veterinarians and staff move into action. Shelter professionals understand the need to immediately identify, treat or help prevent fleas, ticks, heartworms, intestinal worms and ear mites. After all, many shelter animals bring some unwanted guests along at check-in, and it doesn’t take much for a few tiny nuisances to spread into a large shelter-wide problem. You may adopt your cat on her very first day in the shelter, or it may take some time to find each other. Regardless of how long her shelter stay is, your cat has already begun to receive the care, treatment and prevention she needs to be healthy. The staff ensures she has effective treatment or prevention products to help reduce the risk of fleas, ticks, heartworms, intestinal worms and ear mites. Your shelter staff and volunteers spend time learning more about her unique personality and needs. They look for opportunities to keep her stress level low and increase her chances of adoption. Kittens receive proper care for growth and senior cats are given special attention, too. This can include giving supplements to support joint and digestive health.

Bringing home your new cat

You may be searching for a specific breed or personality, and you’ll know when you’ve found that perfect cat match. You’ll treat him like a new family member, with plenty of scratching toys, windows for gazing and under-the-chin rubs that build your strong bond. Making good health a priority is another way to show your love. Long after he leaves the shelter, the risk of suffering and disease due to fleas, ticks, heartworms, intestinal worms and ear mites remains. These troublesome trespassers can be found year-round, even inside. Without protection they can easily cause your new cat discomfort. As a new cat owner, you can establish an ongoing prevention and wellness routine as an essential part of doing your best for his health and happiness. Learn more about caring for your cat here.

Given that a well-trained dog can learn to differentiate between, and respond appropriately to, hundreds of commands from her human family, it is only right that we should make an effort to understand what our canine companions are trying to say to us. We all know that a growl is a warning, and a yelp is a sound of distress, but there are so many verbal signals in between those two sounds, and they all communicate different messages. There are also many nonverbal signals our pups give us before they make a peep. Below are a few of the most common bark signals and some body language cues, to help you to understand what your dog is trying to say.

Verbal:

Nonverbal:

This article was originally published on October 8th, 2015

Parts of this article are excerpts from Adopt-a-Pet.com’s book, The Total Dog Manual. For more great tips on all things dog, pre-order the book now on Amazon!

We all know that February is the month of love. Valentine’s Day is pretty unavoidable, by January 2 we are already seeing red and pink hearts splattered around all over our favorite stores. Rom-coms suddenly start to pop up in our Netflix recommendations and flowers are inexplicably 200 percent more expensive than they were a month ago.

Some of us relish in this holiday and love having an extra reason to dote on your significant other, but what if you don’t have a significant other or would rather just not spend weeks stressing over the right way to do Valentine’s Day? A few years ago we invented Galentine’s Day as a way to celebrate with you girlfriends when you are partnerless, but how about Pawlentine’s Day?

Pet’s are the most loyal and loving little fur balls in our lives and when we really think about it, they make much better Valentine’s Day dates than any human out there. Check out all the awesome benefits of asking your pet to be your Valentine.

1. Your dog will never be late for your date, won’t have high expectations about how the night should go and won’t be distracted by a cell phone or social media! All your pet truly wants is to be near you.
2. You don’t have to share your dessert with a pet (and probably shouldn’t). Let’s face it, dessert (especially chocolate) really is the best part about Valentine’s Day and if we’re really honest with ourselves, we don’t want to share our goodies. Giving your pets dessert would literally make them sick, so you don’t have to feel guilty about hoarding all the sweets. Sit back and enjoy that box of See’s, but maybe throw Fido an extra piece of cheese so he doesn’t feel left out.
3. You don’t really need to buy you pet anything for Valentine’s Day. Your little fur ball will be perfectly content with some snuggles and an extra walk or some catnip. It works out well if you’re on a budget.
4. If words aren’t really your strong suit you don’t have to worry about saying “I love you” in a fancy way. Just give your cat a long slow blink and she will know exactly what you mean.
5. Your dog, cat, bunny — or whatever other critter lives in your household — will be happy to spend the night in, watching a movie and snuggling. A big bonus to that is, you won’t have to argue over what movie to watch.

It’s official! We’re right smack in the middle of the holiday season.  Our houses are decorated, we’ve been drinking nothing but Pumpkin Spice Lattes, and we’re crossing off all our wish lists. But, in all your holiday cheer did you remember to get your pet the perfect gift?

It’s ok if you didn’t, Adopt-a-Pet.com has you covered. We’ve put together a list of some awesome presents to impress and delight all the pets and pet parents in your life. Check out our top picks below!

The social media gurus among us know that Saturdays have permanently been renamed Caturday, but did you know that October 29th is National Cat Day? Yes, it’s true, this entire weekend is all about the cats.

According to NationalDayCalendar.com, National Cat Day was founded to help the public recognize the number of cats that need to be rescued.  It’s also a day for cat lovers to celebrate the cats in their lives for the unconditional love and companionship that they give. Though the kittens in our lives aren’t always the most expressive, we think today is a great day to show them just how much we love them. Here are five ways you can show your cat how much you appreciate him/her.

#1 – Plant a Catnip Garden

Anyone who’s ever owned a cat knows that cats go crazy for catnip. This harmless herb gives our feline friends a pick-me-up and enjoyable “high.” Combine catnip with a special toy and you’ve really ramped up the fun for your pet. Or, if you want something more permanent, plant an indoor or outdoor catnip garden so your feline can have a nip every now and then. Cats will love you back when you shower them with catnip.

#2 – Bird Feeder by the Window

Cats love to watch birds. They also probably wish they could pounce on those birds. Thank your cat for being her sassy self by putting up a bird feeder or bath where your kitty can watch in the window. This way she gets all the enjoyment of bird watching and none of the gore.

#3 -Cats Massage

While cats aren’t known to be as affectionate as their canine counterparts, they still appreciate some loving from their furless pals. Simply stroking your cat, gives an all-over feel-good experience that lowers his blood pressure —your blood pressure will also go down as an added benefit. Pay special attention to the places he likes best, such as the base of the tail and under the cheeks. Touching, petting, and massaging your cat also serve as well-cat checks to find any fur mats, lumps or bumps or sores that need medical attention.

#4 – Outdoor Play Enclosure

Sometimes you kitty may want to give into her wild side and go for a romp outside. She may sit at the window and dream of going on a hunt, but you know it’s not safe, so what do you do? Get your kitty a outside play enclosure as a way of saying thanks for putting up with the required monthly bath.

#5 – Cat Grooming

Cats spend half of their waking hours self-grooming. What can we say, cats like to stay spiffy, they also like to groom their friends as a sign of affection. Not only does the comb/brush feel like an all-over massage, it keeps fur mat-free and skin clean, reduces fur-balls, and enhances the bond between you and the cat. If you really want to amp up the bonding opportunity you can try licking your cat during the grooming session. Don’t worry, we don’t mean literally, but there is a cat brush that is made to simulate a cat tongue — if you’re into that kind of thing.

Big news! Animal welfare organizations and companies have come together to help families find their missing pets following natural disasters like hurricanes at FindMyLostPet.com, a brand new website dedicated to the mission of uniting lost pets with their homes. FindMyLostPet.com has powerful search capabilities that can be used to find pets that are missing from hurricanes as well as helping after future natural disasters too!

In an unprecedented move, 17 animal welfare organizations and private companies have come together in a coalition to share database information regarding lost pets from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma to create one centralized, searchable website to find lost pets.

Hurricanes Irma and Harvey devastated the lives of people in Houston and Florida, many lost all material possessions. But for many, the biggest tragedy is their beloved family pet is missing. FindMyLostPet.com is a brand agnostic website that will link to all available databases where families can search for their missing pet as well as other pet related resources related to recovery.

This coalition was formed to solve problems on the ground in the hurricane impacted areas. One of the biggest need is to reunite pets with their families because hold periods (the time between finding lost pets and trying to reunite them with their families and, if unable to reunite, offering the pets up for adoption in a new family) for dogs and cats rescued following the hurricanes are ending. Once the hold periods are over, shelters and rescue groups will be allowed by law to adopt out pets to another family.

The growing list of organizations working to get the word out about where you can be reunited with your pet, listed in alphabetical order are:

Live for only a limited time, the database sharing and website will be able to be reenacted if and when another natural disaster strikes that affects pets on the same level.

For more information or to search for a pet lost from one of these natural disasters, please visit FindMyLostPet.com.

The statistics are troubling: One in three pets will get lost. Without identification, only 10% will return home. Losing your beloved dog or cat is a terrible experience, and we hope it never happens to you. Follow the links below for specific advice:

The Best Option: Prevent Your Pet From Getting Lost
What To Do If You’ve Lost Your Pet
What To Do If You’ve Found A Pet

THE BEST OPTION:
PREVENT YOUR PET FROM GETTING LOST IN THE FIRST PLACE:

Don’t have an “it can’t happen to me” attitude:

Don’t ever assume just because your dog or cat has never gotten out before that it can’t happen. Nobody ever thinks their pet will get lost; if they did, they’d know how to prevent it from happening. Think about these possibilities: What if there’s a fire while you’re at work and firemen kick the door open? What if an earthquake shatters windows? What if a sudden thunderstorm or fireworks causes your dog to get scared and dig under a fence or jump through a window? Perhaps a local utility worker opens your gate. The point is, there are a million reasons why an environment you think is secure can be compromised through no fault of your own. Know that it can happen to you, and be prepared.

Proper identification is your pet’s best chance of being returned:

• First and foremost: keep identification on your pet. When your dog or cat gets out, he can’t go up to a stranger and tell them his name and address. ALWAYS keep tags on your dog or cat with a current phone number (with area code). The moment your phone number changes, get new tags!
• We cannot stress this enough…get your pet MICROCHIPPED. If you adopt an already-microchipped pet, send in the paperwork and get the chip registered in your name. In case your pet’s ID tag falls off, this is your one chance to make sure your pet will be returned to you. If you move or change your phone number, make sure to contact the microchip company right away to notify them of your new information.
• When traveling with your pet, add a temporary tag with local contact information, if possible.

Other precautionary measures:

• Keep good, recent photos of your pets. These will come in handy if your pet gets lost and you need to distribute flyers.
• If your dog spends any time alone in your yard, check your fence and gates often for signs of wear. Check along the bottom of the fence for signs your dog is digging.
• Be especially careful on holidays like the Fourth of July and New Years Eve, when fireworks cause more pets to bolt than any other days of the year. The shelters are absolutely filled with pets on July 5th and January 1st—make sure your pet is not among them. Keep in mind that extreme fear can cause your pet to behave out of character. Many pets become frightened and panicked enough to jump through windows or bust right through fences.

IF YOU’VE LOST YOUR DOG OR CAT:

This is obvious, but it bears saying anyway. If your pet is lost, there are only a few possibilities: Your pet is either on the streets, your pet has been found and taken somewhere like a shelter, someone’s home, or to a rescue organization, or your pet has been stolen. The following suggestions deal with each of these possibilities to ensure your pet has the best chance of coming home again.

In case your pet is still on the street:

• If you have a regular route where you walk your dog, comb that route on foot. Bring along a leash, strong-smelling food, such as a hamburger patty, hot dog, or an open can of wet cat food, and your dog’s favorite noise-making toy. Keep in mind that your dog may be hiding out of view, especially if he or she is afraid, so walk slowly and alternate between calling your dog’s name and listening quietly for any movement or response.
• If you’ve lost your cat, he or she may not have roamed very far. Try leaving some food out at night, when cats are most active, and note if the food is being eaten. If you’re not sure if it’s your cat or a wild animal eating the food, here’s a tip: place the food on a mat, and sprinkle baby powder on the mat. In the morning, you’ll be able to see paw prints in the powder, which will let you know the size of the animal that’s been chowing down!

Flyers are a must. Here are some tips for effective flyers:

• Flyers should always include a photo, ideally a close-up photo made as large on the page as possible.
• Keep in mind that most people who see your flyers will be driving by quickly or will see your flyer from a distance, so make them as easy-to-read and as eye-catching as possible. Make the flyer with brightly-colored paper. Use the largest photo and letters possible.
• Keep the information very simple. Include the word “Lost”, a large photo, the pet’s name, the date, your phone number, and the word “reward”, if one is being offered (see below). Do not give out too much information. You will want to make sure anyone who calls you is actually in possession of your dog or cat, especially if you’re offering a reward, and you can do that by asking them for more specific information, like color of the collar your dog was wearing or the location of your cat’s three brown spots.
• Always include the date so people know it’s a current flyer will actively be on the lookout.
• Consider offering a reward. The word “Reward” on a flyer is very eye-catching and may cause more people to look at your pet’s information and photo. A reward is also a good incentive for people to be extra vigilant in keeping an eye out for your pet. Be sure you have your pet back in your possession before you give out the reward—there are unscrupulous people out there willing to scam a heartbroken pet owner out of reward money, so be careful.
• Place flyers not just on telephone poles and signposts, but also on car windshields in your neighborhood, on local public bulletin boards in retail stores and parks, and in the lobby of apartment buildings nearby. If the apartment lobby is locked, don’t be shy about asking a resident to let you in so you can post a notice.
• Hang your flyers in a wider area than you’d think necessary. Dogs and cats can end up quite far away in a short period of time.
• Bring flyers to all local veterinary offices. If someone has found your pet, there’s a chance they’ll take him or her to a vet to be checked out and scanned for a microchip.

Be Proactive in Your Search:

• Immediately call and visit all local animal shelters, even those you think might be farther away than you think your pet would have traveled. A phone call to the shelter is a first step, but should always be followed up by a visit; sometimes the volume of animals in the shelter is so high that the staff may not be aware of new pets that have been brought in. Call and visit the shelters very frequently, daily if possible, keeping in mind that in shelters that euthanize, your window of opportunity to claim your pet may be limited
• At the shelter, make sure you check in all areas, including the infirmary. Also, a more unpleasant task that we hate to mention: check the shelter’s list of dogs that have been impounded deceased.
• Call and email all the animal rescue groups in your area. Often, the first thing a well-meaning person who found a dog or cat will do is call no-kill rescue groups to see if they can take the pet. Ask your local rescue groups if they’ve taken in a pet matching your dog or cat’s description or if they’ve been contacted by someone who found such a pet.
• Keep actively searching and visiting your shelter for at least two to three months.
• Place a Lost Pet ad in your local paper’s classified section. Check all local classifieds for a Found Pet ad, too.
• There are many web sites that specialize in lost and found pet postings. Be sure to check these out and utilize their service as well.

IF YOU’VE FOUND A DOG OR CAT:

• Post flyers, much in the same way as a person who lost their pet would. See the section above for detailed advice.
• Keep a couple of key details off the flyer. Give out only enough information so the pet’s owner will suspect it’s their pet. For instance, if you find a Bichon Frise with a red collar, you might advertise “Found: Small white dog with collar”. When the owner calls, ask him or her to describe the collar and ask what breed their dog is. Beware of unscrupulous characters who will try to claim dogs for nefarious purposes.
• If you can safely house the pet while you attempt to find the owner, that’s wonderful. If not, call local rescue groups to see if anyone has room to foster the pet for you and to help find the pet a new home if the owner cannot be located.
• Take the dog or cat to a vet or shelter to have him scanned for a microchip.
• If there are children playing in the neighborhood where you found the pet, talk to them! Children are an incredibly valuable resource in this situation—they tend to know all the pets in the neighborhood by sight, since they spend so much time outdoors.
• Call all local shelters to see if anyone has reported their dog missing. Post flyers in all shelters.
• Take flyers to all veterinary offices in the area. If they don’t recognize the pet as one of their patients, ask if they can post the flyer in the waiting room.
• Place a Found Pet ad in your local newspaper classifieds, and check for a Lost Pet ad as well.
• There are many web sites that specialize in lost and found pet postings. Be sure to check these out and utilize their service as well.