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Issue No. 2, Vol. 1 |
FEATURE
What to do when your pet goes "MIA"There's nothing quite as stressful as a companion animal gone "MIA," for both you AND your furry family member. Animal Services of El Dorado County offers a number of helpful suggestions on its website for owners of lost pets. Here's what you can do when your loved one goes missing: 1. Begin your search immediately at local shelters. Visit Animal Services's Finding Your Lost Pet webpage and click on the links to animals at Animal Services shelters in El Dorado County. You can also visit the shelters in person. Check shelters every two or three days. Most animal shelters only hold stray animals for a few business days before they are either made available for adoption or must be euthanized. Do not assume that a telephone call is enough. When you visit shelters check the kennels and "Found Animal" reports that may be posted in the office. Click here for a list of area shelters. 2. Complete a Lost Animal Report and bring or FAX it to the El Dorado County Animal Services business office in Placerville at 415 Placerville Drive, Suite N, FAX: (530) 622-6851; or in South Lake Tahoe at 1120 Shakori Drive, FAX: (530) 577-5318. You can also come to the shelters and complete this form. 3. Post and distribute flyers in your area. Make flyers with your pet's photo and description and the date and location he or she was lost. Be sure to include your address and phone number on the flyer. Post these in the neighborhood and distribute them to local veterinarians, groomers, pet and feed stores, schools and other local businesses. (And once you have found your pet, be sure that you take down the flyers and notify the businesses!) You can use the Services' Lost Animal Report for your flyers, or design them yourself, as this little girl did. 4. Place an advertisement in your local newspapers and offer a reward, but do not specify the amount. This can act as an incentive for people to keep an eye out for your pet. Also, keep checking the "Found Pet" ads; often persons finding a lost pet will place an advertisement. Many newspapers offer free "Lost and Found" ads (try the Mountain Democrat or Tahoe Tribune). 5. Talk with local veterinarians. Oftentimes, people who have found a lost animal will notify the closest veterinary office to inform them that they have found a lost pet. Animal Services even provides a list of local veterinarians 6. Talk with your mail and newspaper delivery persons. Provide them with a photograph and ask them to keep an eye out for your pet or any "found pet" signs in the area. |
 7. Go door-to-door and inform neighbors that you have lost your pet. Also drive around looking for your pet and calling your pet's name. 8. Search the Internet for your lost pet and post a notice regarding your lost animal. You can visit the Pet Shelter Network and view animals at shelters outside the immediate area by visiting petharbor.com In closing, Animal Services strongly encourages you to not give up. According to these local experts, many pets are found months after they are lost. You're encouraged to keep looking and keep doing everything you can to bring your pet home |
NEWS
"Taste of Italy" dinner/fundraiser will be held Saturday, April 18, at the Lion's Club Hall, 4701 Missouri Flat Road, Diamond Springs. This is a first for Animal Outreach, who will host the event in an effort to support the forgotten petsof the economic crisis. Featured will be an alcoholic beverages/cash bar hosted by the Lion's Club, along with 40 raffle prizes and a silent auction. Tickets are $12 adults and $6 for kids 10 and under. Tickets can be purchased in advance at Animal Outreach headquarters, 6200 Enterprise Dr., Suite D, Diamond springs. For more information, call A.O. at 530-642-2287.
Mobile Clinic up and running Following three years of hard work, fundraising and thousands of volunteer hours, the PAWED mobile clinic was put into service to spay and neuter local dogs and cats. The milestone event took place Jan. 27 at Animal Services, 511 Placerville Dr., Placerville. At the end of the first day and after four hours of surgeries, six cats, four puppies and two adult dogs had been altered. And that's just the beginning of the joint venture between PAWED (People for Animal Welfare in El Dorado County) and the El Dorado County Animal Services shelter. A complete story on the operation will be featured in an upcoming issue of Mewsings. In the meantime, you can visit the PAWED website to learn more about this local organization.
Legislation addresses overpopulation SB 250, introduced by Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez (D-Shafter), provides steps towards reducing pet overpopulation in California. The bill requires that dogs be spayed or neutered unless their owner/guardian obtains an unaltered dog license when they license their animal. SB 250 also requires that roaming cats be spayed and neutered by their owner/guardian. For complete information on the bill, visit the Yes on SB 250 website.
The Annual Dog-a-Thon will be held May 2, 2009. The event is organized by the local Lions clubs to benefit the El Dorado Center for the Visually Impaired. Prior to the event, participants may pick up an entry form to begin seeking pledges for his or her entry. On the day of the event, registration begins at 8 a.m. at Schnell School with the walk commencing at 9 a.m. along the El Dorado trail. Vendors will be on site and prizes, raffle, entertainment will be offered. Sponsors are welcomed. For more information, call 530-686-6715 or 622-6860.
Citrus Heights Efforts Outstanding Despite the severe economic downturn, Animal Outreach and its Citrus heights volunteers found homes for 35 cats and kittens in February. For the first time ever, A.O. actually ran out of kittens. Among those adopted out was Bliss, a resident of the cat room for a good two months. Because of volunteer efforts such as Phyllis Christenson, who came into PetSmart to work with Bliss and socialize her, the shy kitty was adopted by a yong woman who has no other pets. All of your hard work and efforts do pay off.
Email your NEWS articles to Debra at to be included in the next issue of Mewsings.
HEALTH
Cats can be good for you, according to a recent study presented at the International Stroke Conference in New Orleans. The study, which found its way into the media in February, suggests cat owners are less likely to die of a heart attack or stroke than people who don't own a feline. Researchers at the University of Minnesota found that feline-less people were 30 to 40 percent more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than those with cats. Unfortunately, dog owners seem to have the same rate as non-owners and "no protective effect of dogs as domestic pets was observed." The study was based on a group of 4,435 people who had answered questionnaires about pet ownership and other risk factors.
Declawing painful, inhumane The United States is unusual compared to our European counterparts with respect to the acceptance of declawing in veterinary practice. For example, there is growing support of the European Council's Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, which prohibits declawing. To date, the Convention continues to gather signatories, and since its inception, countries such as Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, Norway and Germany have enacted laws expressly prohibiting declawing. European veterinary medical professional organizations, such as the UK's Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, have publicly expressed their accord, equating declawing with "mutilation" and stating that declawing for the "prevention of furniture or carpet damage is unacceptable."
In the United States, the city of West Hollywood has recently banned the declawing of animals within the city borders. This action, according to its City Council, "sends a clear message that West Hollywood prides itself on providing strong leadership in compassionate care of animals." In February, New Jersey passed a statewide law prohibiting the devocalization (debarking) of dogs. Like declawing, this is a non-therapeutic surgery that affords no benefit to the animal.
The information above and more, including health issues related to declawing, can be found at The Paw Project's website. The organization promotes animal welfare, specifically issues pertaining to the declawing of domestic and big cats.
Email your HEALTH articles to Debra at to be included in the next issue of Mewsings.
ADOPTIONS
Bunnies in need of a good home The Eldorado County Animal Services routinely offers dogs and cats for adoption but sometimes they do come up with other kinds of lovable critters. As of press time, the shelter had three bunnies available for adoption: Hippity, a two-month-old black male pictured left; Hoppity, a two-month-old brown female pictured right; and Tippy, a white female, age unknown and photo unavailable. All three are at the shelter, 511 Placerville Drive. Adoption hours are 9:30 until noon and 1 p.m. until 4, Monday through Saturday. Click here for a map to the shelter.
As with all adoptions, Animal Services requires that potential adopters:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Provide verifiable identification.
- Guarantee adequate exercise, food, water, shelter, vaccinations, medical care, grooming, identification, lifelong care and love for your new pet.
- If you rent, provide permission for a pet from the owner or manager of your rental unit.
- Adhere to state and local ordinances pertaining to animal care and control.
- Complete an adoption application.
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You can find your feline companion at one of the following locations:
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Animal Outreach 6200 Enterprise #D, Diamond Springs Saturdays 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Petco 855 East Bidwell (near Blue Ravine), Folsom Saturdays 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. PetSmart 2705 East Bidwell, Folsom Saturdays 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Sundays 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. |
El Dorado County Animal Services 511 Placerville Dr., Placerville Monday thru Saturday, 9:30 a.m. until noon; 1 until 4 p.m. (530) 621-5795 El Dorado Humane Society 777 Pleasant Valley Road (next to Scalise Meats) Monday thru Friday, 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Sunday, noon until 4 p.m. (530)642-2734 PetSmart Corner of Greenback and Sunrise, Citrus Heights Saturdays & Sundays noon until 4 p.m. PetSmart 10830 Olson Dr., Rancho Cordova Saturdays noon until 3 p.m. |
Email your ADOPTION articles to Debra at to be included in the next issue of Mewsings.
VOLUNTEER
Kitten season will soon be upon us and volunteers interested in fostering little ones are desperately needed. All you need is a quiet, warm room such as an extra bathroom. If they're "bottle babies," you'll need special formula and bottles and lots of spare time. They will also require a litter pan, non-clumping litter, toys and loads of love. For more information, contact Animal Outreach at 642-2287.
Volunteers are always needed at the local Animal Shelter (both Placerville and South Lake Tahoe). Among the many jobs for volunteers at the shelter are:
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Dog Exercising Cat Socializing Adoptions |
Foster Care Lost and Found Special Events |
Grooming Training Humane Education |
Office Support Grounds Maintenance |
All volunteers are required to complete a Volunteer Application, attend the Volunteer Orientation and be trained, at a minimum, in Basic Dog and Cat Handling before volunteering can begin. Other specific training may be required as identified for specific jobs. If you are interested in volunteering, call (530) 573-7925 in the Placerville area, or (530) 621-5795 in the South Lake Tahoe area and the shelter will end you a Volunteer Application packet.
Email your VOLUNTEER articles to Debra at to be included in the next issue of Mewsings.
PET SERVICES
Dirty Dog Pet Salon not only offers all-breed grooming but large tubs for self service. Flea and tick control applications are available. Dirty Dog Salon is located at 6196 Pleasant Valley Road in El Dorado just down the street from the Post Office. Call (530) 621-1432 for an appointment or more information.
To feature your pet-related business in the PET SERVICES section, write to Debra at . Classified PET SERVICES ads are free; for rates and specifications of display ads, also write to Debra.
FLEAMARKET
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The "New Yorker" magazine offers some of its funniest pet cartoons in a variety of gift formats. This cartoon, one of my all-time favorites, can be purchased as a t-shirt, greeting cards, or as a matted print. Prices vary. You can check out the Cartoon Bank's offerings and limit your search to "Pets" for all the funny companion animal material. Large airline-approved dog crate, like new (only used once). Asking $50. Call Alan at (530) 903-4257 (Placerville). |
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