PAW PRINTS

Volume 1, Issue 3 June 2010

Welcome to our June Newsletter

June is the month we welcome summer, eat fresh strawberries and plan July 4th gettogethers.

If you stop by and visit our animals, you may quickly find you want to

add some fuzzy fur feet to your summer plans…read on for more information.

Each month we’ll bring you stories of pets who have found a home and profile one

or two who are up for adoption. Additionally, we’ll cover general pet care tips,

adoption guidelines, volunteer information, donation requests and much more.

Pet Care 101: Helpful Hints and Tips

With the onset of summer we here at Paradise Animal Rescue would like to pass along

a list of special considerations for taking care of your dog in the summer heat.

Heartworm: No where is it more true that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound

of cure. This infection is spread by Michigan’s ever present mosquito population after

they bite an infected animal. A simple blood test can detect the deadly parasites so get

your pets tested.

It’s dog gone hot: Make sure to provide adequate shade for your pet and regular

hydration in the form of fresh, clean water. If your dog is on a surface that absorbs

heat (cement, asphalt, etc) it is important to remember that these surfaces can become

too hot for your dog’s feet. Wet the surface during the warmest part of the days or,

better yet, move your dog to a natural turf. Wet/canned dog food left in the sun is a

breeding ground for bacteria – throw away uneaten food or keep it inside where it’s

cool. Avoid heatstroke by walking of your dog in the cooler parts of the day - this is

especially important for older dogs.

A bucket list: Tragically, dogs whose water is provided in a bucket have gotten their

heads caught under the bucket’s handle, drowning. Keep the handle pointing away

from your dog and situate it so your dog can’t get behind the bucket. Better yet,

remove the handle altogether as this prevents the issue entirely.

Fencing: Check your dog’s enclosure periodically for holes or weak spots where they

may get loose. Look for pieces of the fencing’s material that may be protruding as this

can eye or skin injury.

Upcoming Events

Open House

On June 12th we will be having an “Open House” to include the following activities:

Garage Sale: Donated items will be for sale to the public.

Car Wash: While you’re busy at the garage sale, have us get your vehicle cleaned up for

the return trip home.

Pets: Visit our wide selection of pets that are ready for adoption.

Jack and Abby – Encore Edition

Some seven years ago, Jack’s kitten-shaped shadow pounced about the Paradise

Animal Rescue building, etching his place in the memories of those who prepared him

for his upcoming adoption. But like any good shotgun, this adoption had a second

barrel; Abby. The two kittens were adopted as a set. The owner of seven years, sadly

falling on hard times, has returned the dynamic duo, hoping another loving family

might adopt one or possibly both.

A discount of the feline variety…because both cats are seven years old, they qualify

for the “senior pet discount” which means a lower adoption fee for the new owner.

Both are spayed or neutered, up to date on their immunizations and have a clean bill

of health from the veterinarian.

Jack                                                                                 Abby

 

(continued on next page)

Good Eatin’

Our staff will be volunteering their time waiting tables on July 26, 2010 from 5-8 pm at

Archie’s restaurant located at 625 N. State Rd. (M-15), Davison, Michigan. Come out and

join us for a night of fun.

All proceeds from the open house and tips from the restaurant will be donated in their

entirety to Paradise Animal Rescue.

A Message from the Director

Another month has gone by and Paradise Animal Shelter continues to face financial

hardships. We have tried to get our situation out to our caring and supportive public

by word of mouth and other means.

The status of the public and private economy is stressed as we all are aware in this

community, county and state.

The Board of Directors continue to search for a new building that is less expensive

and we can still meet the ever increasing needs of our community, its citizens, the

multitude of animals in house, and those waiting to be served. I can’t emphasize

enough to the public how much ALL of our volunteers want to increase our service to

the animals of our community, not lessen the service. This is an overwhelming goal of

the staff. At present, and for some time, we are not able to accept any more animals

due to a more than full capacity of cats and dogs.

We at P.A.R. dislike telling a citizen that we are full, but is the sign of the times and we

all feel badly that we are at this point.

As director, I can assure the public that we will do everything in our power to help –

as long as we have the resources we will offer food / material assistance and

information of other shelters that might be able to help. We will also continue to

follow-up with all those who call for help so we do maintain a tie with our public. It

IS our philosophy to keep on trying to help those who come to P.A.R. for help.

I strongly wish to invite the public to visit our shelter and talk to our volunteer staff.

Please share your ideas and suggestions with us as how to help the shelter help you

and the animals of our community.

Paradise Animal Shelter has plans for a variety of fund raising events, but P.A.R.

cannot solely rely of these events to raise the required funds to maintain the present

operating costs.

We depend on YOU for your support.

(Message from the Director continued)

As many county animal control shelters are deemed to close around our state, the

public will turn to shelters like Paradise for help. If we are not around to provide this

service, I do not want to know what will happen to our four-legged friends.

WE WANT TO HELP OUR ANIMALS and that is our most important single

mission.

Thank you all for your thoughts and help.

 

Iron Duke – A Story of Survival

Left behind…

The sounds of gunshots could be heard in the distance. Hunters, coming and going in

their time-honored quest to bag a big buck, flocked to the woods of Gratiot County,

Michigan. One hunter in particular entered the woods with his trustee dog Duke

leading the way. He slipped the collar from around his Duke’s neck, abandoning his

trusting companion to an uncertain future, slipping away quickly lest others might

discover his cowardly deed.

Duke, a Treeing Walker Hound, wandered the woods for days desperately hoping to

find food of any kind. As each day passed, his condition worsened, leaving him

emaciated as his final hours began to slip away.

A battle against time…

As time was about to run on, Duke’s fortunes turned when a stranger found him,

turning him over to local animal control. After three days, time was yet again running

out for Duke. When he was within hours of being euthanized or given up for animal

testing research, Duke was discovered by the organization “Helping Furry Friends”

which in turn contacted us.

Saved and ready for a new home…

Upon arrival at Paradise Animal Rescue, Duke was severely underweight in his

emaciated state. He recovered slowly over time and now is at a normal weight. He is

neutered, vet checked and up to date on all his immunizations.

Duke ready for his new home.