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Archive for October, 2018

The Tide is Turning – Towards Adoption

October 28th, 2018

The Tide is Turning – Towards Adoption

In 2007 only 14% of pets were adopted from shelters or rescues.

In 2017-2018, 44% of dogs and 47% of cats were adopted from shelters or rescues. 

These figures were gathered by Shelter Animals Count and represent a tremendous change in awareness about the need to save homeless animals and the joy of rehoming animals.

The growth in adoption is also part of dramatically lowering the euthanasia of friendly and healthy animals in US shelters. Just imagine the millions of happy ending stories that surround these statistics. WOW!

The animals are our heroes AND SO ARE THE ADOPTERS!!

Letter From Our Executive Director

October 23rd, 2018

Welcome to www.rescuevillage.org!

 

If you’ve made it to our new blog, Village Voices, then you’re already starting to experience our brand new website www.rescuevillage.org. Welcome to our humane community of friends as we blog about all things animal welfare and pets. Here you will find tips for you and your pets; stay up-to-date about advocacy and what’s happening at the Ohio statehouse and nationally; read Rescue Village in the news; hear heart-warming success stories about life-saving and insights with plenty of humor and warmth. 

The new website will give “live” profiles of animals available for adoption. Forms will now be available for filling out and submitting online. Fetching information and learning about all of Rescue Village’s programs and services will be so much easier. And, beyond being oh so purrty, the new site will make it easier to volunteer, make donations, and find our events. 

Sign up to be on our “E-mail list” and be sure to come back often! We believe that “the best shelter is a humane community.” We invite you to interact, leave comments, ask questions, and support the cause!

Sincerely,

Hope

Hope Brustein, Executive Director, CAWA

Ohio’s New Puppy Mill Legislation Upgrades Standards of Care

October 23rd, 2018

We at Rescue Village believe that puppy mills should be banned altogether. However, Ohio’s new puppy mill law, which was enacted last month, upgrades standards of care for dogs kept in breeding kennels that churn out large numbers of puppies, also called puppy mills.

 

“Commercial breeders in Ohio can no longer cram dogs into cages that are stacked on top of each other and deprive animals of basic necessities, like space to move, exercise and access to veterinary care. Under the new law, each dog must be given daily exercise that allows the animal to extend to full stride, play and engage in other types of mentally stimulating and social behaviors, receive an annual veterinary exam, and be housed with other dogs in temperature-regulated kennels, among other reforms. The law also mandates that only healthy dogs can be bred, and limits the number of times a female dog can be bred. It requires retailers selling puppies in Ohio to acquire animals solely from breeders who meet these standards, regardless of what state they are in…”

Humane Society of the United States

 

We encourage you to throw your support to the ongoing efforts to ban puppy mills in Ohio.

What you can do:

  1. Adopt your next pet
  2. Don’t buy a puppy online or from a pet store unless they offer rescued animals
  3. Take action against pet stores that sell dogs supplied by puppy mills
  4. Support legislation that regulates and reduces breeding of animals
  5. Become an expert on the subject
  6. Know the existing laws.

Click here to learn more.

Cold Weather Safety Tips

October 19th, 2018

As the temperatures drop in Northeast Ohio, be sure to keep your pet safe and warm! Check out some of these helpful tips for the winter. Exposure to winter’s colder temperatures, dry air, and snowy weather can cause chapped paws and itchy, flaking skin. To help prevent these cold weather dangers, please read the following tips:

  • Keep the air from getting when they are inside. Make sure to keep your home humidified and towel dry your pet as soon as he or she comes inside. This will help to prevent itchy, flakey skin as the air outside becomes dry in the winter. Also, pay special attention to feet and in between their toes and make sure to remove any snow balls from in between the toes.
  • Keep them warm! Never shave your dog’s (or cat’s) fur in the winter. Longer coats provide more warmth. If your dog is long-haired, you can trim the fur to prevent clinging ice balls. Make sure to trim the hair between their toes too! For dogs with shorter hair, consider getting him or her a coat or a sweater for more warmth when they are outside.
  • Bathe your pets as little as possible during the winter. Washing too often can remove the essential oils and increase the chances of dry, flaky skin. If they absolutely need to be bathed, find a moisturizing shampoo or rinse.
  • Keep their paws from cracking. Massaging petroleum jelly or other paw protectants into the paw pads before going outside can help prevent from salt and chemical agents. Booties provide even more coverage and can also prevent salt and chemicals from getting stuck in between their toes and causing irritation. Use pet-friendly ice melts on your own property whenever possible.
  • Keep chemicals where they can’t get to them. Antifreeze is a lethal poison for both dogs and cats. Thoroughly clean any spills from your vehicle.
  • Feed them more. Pets burn extra energy by trying to stay warm in the wintertime. Feeding them a bit more during cold weather months can provide the extra calories they need.
  • Provide shelter! Make sure your pet has a warm place to sleep. If you have an outdoor cat, consider making or buying them a special shelter. Inside pets should have a warm place to sleep off of the floor and away from drafts. A cozy dog or cat bed is a great option!
  • If it’s too cold for you, it’s too cold for your pet! Keep them inside. If left outdoors for too long, pets can freeze, become disoriented, injured, or even killed. Don’t leave cars alone in a car during winter months either! They can act as refrigerators that hold in the cold and can even cause animals to freeze to death.

All You Have to Be is Humane.

October 16th, 2018

All You Have to Be is Humane.

 

The RV barn program, headquartered at Billie’s Barn (named after major funder Billie Howland Steffee), has saved 65 horses since 2005 when the barn was built. While we provide education and assistance to owners, our court certified humane agent has the authority, with a court issued warrant, to take animals into our protective custody if laws have been broken and, without intervention, they are acutely suffering or in danger of dying.

This is difficult work. It is not a given that a starving horse, for example, can be saved. But Rescue Village is willing to spend thousands of dollars (that will never be made up by adoption fees) on their care, rehabilitation, and rehoming. We are required to enforce the law and we believe all animals deserve our moral concern.

Rockette at intake

Geauga County is a center for the horse industry in Ohio. It is not surprising that, while most horse owners take decent care of their equines, there are a few owners who allow their horses to dangerously decline in health and well-being. Rescue Village works closely with qualified veterinarians to make medical evaluations. In fact, we encourage owners who are unable to properly care for their horses to contact Rescue Village for assistance before the situation becomes critical.

The myth that humane societies, like Rescue Village, save horses in order to sell them at a profit could not be farther from the truth. Rescue Village picks up the entire cost of humane law enforcement in Geauga County – we receive no government funding. We enforce the laws pertaining to dogs, cats, horses, and farm animals. The barn program exists to carry out this responsibility. You can imagine the heartbreak when a normally 1,100 pound horse comes to us weighing 800 pounds.

It takes months to successfully bring an abused or neglected horse back to health and even more time to rehabilitate and rehome them. Community members who donate to or volunteer with the barn

program get tremendous satisfaction helping to bring dignity, better health, and safety to these animals. This, not financial gain, is the reward. Watching a horse regain his/her health, “brightness,” spirit, trust, playfulness, and movement is worth every dollar we spend. The cost of the RV barn program is approximately $120,000 annually. In 2017, we received $2,500 in adoption fees for all barn animals.

The RV barn program is a friend to the people, horses, and farm animals of Geauga County. This service continues with the support of the community. Ending cruelty and neglect – it is the law AND it is the right thing to do! We (and, most importantly, they) thank you. ■

Rockette after months of care at Rescue Village