“We have had so many litters of puppies turned into the shelter, that we have to do something special to help them find a loving family – preferably before the holidays” states Dr. Ryan, Shelter Director. “Puppies are a wonderful addition to a family, and we hope that the public thinks of MCAS before they buy from a puppy store or pet store this holiday season.”

Puppies must be selected from designated kennels in the Puppy Adoption Room or designated pens in the shelter lobby. Puppies will have their first set of shots, but will need further vaccinations which can be scheduled though the shelter clinic. In addition, each puppy will need to have a free spay/neuter procedure scheduled through the shelter clinic.

“Our goal is to have all 60 puppies placed in homes before December 24, 2009. We want to turn these ‘unwanted births’ into bundles of joy for someone else. It’s the right thing to do” states Marci Glennon, MCAS Marketing volunteer.

The shelter’s goal is to save as many animals as possible by providing spay/neuter services, micro-chip services and promoting our animals for adoption. Think of Montgomery County Animal Shelter FIRST if you want a pet as your forever companion.

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About Montgomery County Animal Shelter: Montgomery County Animal Shelter is a county run facility founded in 2002. Striving to be a no-kill organization, MCAS works to find homes and provide care for homeless animals, and to bring people and animals together to make Montgomery County a no-kill community.

• How to keep holiday decorating safe for pets
• How to identify holiday-induced stress in pets and help relieve that anxiety
• How to choose the most appropriate gifts for your pets, at any budget
• Making time for your pet during holiday activities

To view the Online Pet Behavior Guide for the Holidays, click here.

• Holiday Ornaments: When decorating for the season, consider your pets. Holiday decorations such as bubble lights may contain poisonous chemicals. If your pet chews on them the
liquid inside could be dangerous to their health. Methylene chloride, the chemical in bubble lights, can result in depression, aspiration pneumonia and irritation to the eyes, skin and
gastrointestinal tract.

• Tinsel: If you own a cat, forgo the tinsel. What looks like a shiny toy to your cat can prove deadly if ingested. Tinsel does not pose a poisoning risk but can cause severe damage to a
cat’s intestinal tract if swallowed. Ultimately, cats run the risk of severe injury to, or rupture of their intestines and treatment involves expensive abdominal surgery.

• Plants: Though they have a bad rap, poinsettia plants are only mildly toxic. Far more worrisome are holiday bouquets containing lilies, holly or mistletoe.
“Lilies, including tiger, Asiatic, stargazer, Easter and day lilies, are the most dangerous plants for cats,” said Dr. Ahna Brutlag, assistant direct of Pet Poison Helpline. “The ingestion of
one to two leaves or flower petals is enough to cause sudden kidney failure in cats.” Other yuletide pants such as holly berries and mistletoe can also be toxic to pets and can cause
gastrointestinal upset and even heart arrhythmias if ingested.

• Alcohol: Because alcohol is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, it affects pets quickly. Ingestion of alcohol can cause dangerous drops in blood sugar, blood pressure and
body temperature. Intoxicated animals can experience seizures and respiratory failure. Additionally, foods such as desserts containing alcohol and unbaked dough that contains
yeast should be kept away from pets as they may result in alcohol toxicity, vomiting, disorientation and stomach bloat.

• Holiday Foods: With the holiday season comes a delightful variety of baked goods, chocolate confections and other rich, fattening foods. However, it is not wise (and in some cases is
quite dangerous) to share these treats with your pets. Keep your pet on his or her regular diet over the holidays and do not let family and friends sneak in treats. Foods that can
present problems include:

• Foods containing grapes, raisins and currents (such as fruit cakes) can result in kidney failure in dogs.

• Chocolate and cocoa contain theobromine, a chemical highly toxic to dogs and cats. Ingestion in small amounts can cause vomiting and diarrhea but large amounts can cause
seizures and heart arrhythmias.

• Many sugarless gums and candies contain xylitol, a sweetener which is toxic to dogs. It causes a life-threatening drop in blood sugar and liver failure.

• Leftover, fatty meat scraps can produce severe inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) leading to abdominal pain, vomiting and bloody diarrhea.

• Imported Snow Globes: Recently, imported snow globes were found to contain antifreeze (ethylene glycol). As little as one teaspoon of antifreeze when ingested by a cat or a
tablespoon or two for a dog (depending on their size), can be fatal. Signs of early poisoning include acting drunk or uncoordinated, excessive thirst, and lethargy. While signs may
seem to improve after eight to twelve hours, internal damage is actually worsening, and crystals develop in the kidneys resulting in acute kidney failure. Immediate treatment with an
antidote is vital.

• Liquid Potpourri: Filling your house with the smell of nutmeg or pine for the holidays may seem inviting, but if you’re partial to heating your scented oils in a simmer pot, know that
they can cause serious harm to your cat; even a few licks can result in severe chemical burns in the mouth, fever, difficulty breathing, and tremors. Dogs are not as sensitive, but it is
still better to be safe than sorry, so scent your home with a non-toxic candle kept safely out of kitty’s reach.

When it comes to the holidays, the best thing a pet owner can do is get educated on common household toxins and pet-proof your home accordingly. If you think your pet has been poisoned, contact your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline at 800-213-6680 with any questions or concerns.

About Pet Poison Helpline
Pet Poison Helpline is a service available 24 hours, seven days a week for pet owners, veterinarians and vet techs that require assistance treating a potentially poisoned pet. Staff can provide treatment advice for poisoning cases of all species, including dogs, cats, birds, small mammals, large animals and exotic species. As the most cost-effective option for animal poison control care, Pet Poison Helpline’s fee of $35 per incident includes follow-up consultation for the duration of the poison case. Pet Poison Helpline is available in North America by calling 800-213-6680. Additional information can be found online at www.petpoisonhelpline.com.

Holidays can bring unique foods and materials into the house that pose special threats to animals. Halloween, with its costumes and candy, can be a dangerous and stressful time for a pet. The following tips showcase what pet owners should watch out for around Halloween.

• Tricks, not treats! Some human treats can be deadly for pets

• Chocolate: Make sure your kids know to hide their Halloween stash from food-seeking dogs. Ninety-five percent of Pet Poison Helpline’s chocolate calls involve dogs getting into chocolate candy. Keep in mind, the less sweet and the darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is to your pet. Baker’s chocolate and dark chocolate pose the biggest problem.

• Other candy: Remember when you felt ill after gorging on too much candy? The same thing can happen to pets. Large ingestions of high-fat, high-sugar foods may lead to a condition called pancreatitis — a painful and potentially fatal inflammation of the pancreas. Signs of pancreatitis typically show up two to four days after ingesting a large high-fat meal. Monitor your pet for a decreased appetite, vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea and other odd behavior.

• Raisins/grapes: While small boxes of raisins are popular and healthy treats for people, keep them away from dogs. Even small numbers of raisins or grapes can cause kidney failure in dogs (and possibly cats). Never offer grapes or raisins as snacks for your pets. Choose carrots, peas, green beans or apples instead.

• Candy wrappers: Not only is candy toxic to pets, but so are the wrappers. Few animals will bother to unwrap Halloween treats before eating them. Ingestion of foil and cellophane wrappers may cause a bowel obstruction when ingested in large quantities.

Halloween hazards

• Glow sticks/jewelry: Pets, especially cats, love to chew on these colorful toys. Though not highly poisonous, the glowing contents can cause pain and irritation in the mouth as well as profuse drooling, nausea and vomiting.

•  Costumes: While dressing up our pets can be entertaining, keep in mind that your pet may not enjoy it. Make sure the costume does not impair their vision or movement. Also, beware of costumes containing metallic beads, snaps or other small pieces. If ingested, some metals (especially zinc and lead) can result in serious poisoning. Never dye or apply coloring to your pets’ fur. Even if the dye is labeled non-toxic, many are not meant to be ingested and can potentially cause harm.

Additionally, pets may be afraid of people dressed in costumes and may not even recognize those they typically know. Fear can cause animals to act aggressively or in an unpredictable manner. If your pet seems nervous or afraid, make sure to have a safe area for them to hide or take a “time out.”

• Candles: Wagging tails and curious noses do not mix with candles. Keep candles well out of reach of four-legged friends and, when possible, use safe, electric lights in jack-o-lanterns.

The best thing any pet owner can do is to be educated about the common foods and items that are potentially toxic to pets. Make sure to avoid accidentally feeding your pets human foods that may be dangerous for them and keep poisonous products out of your pet’s reach. When in doubt or if you think your pet has been poisoned, contact your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline immediately at 1-800-213-6680 with any questions or concerns.

A mask for every Fire Truck was created to allow the public to sponsor a pet oxygen mask for their local Fire Department. More then 30,000 Fire Departments and EMT offices are located nationwide and most of those have more then one Fire Truck per station. the Mask can only work if they have it to use.Would your pet survive a fire?

Sadly, more than 500,000 pets are affected by fires each year and over 40,000 pets each year die of smoke asphyxiation. Losing a pet in a house fire can be a devastating experience. As you secure your homes for fire safety, be sure to remember your four-legged friends in the event of a fire.

To become a sponsor, visit www.bark10-4.com.

For information on how to enter and for contest rules, visit ronburns.com/contest.

The agreement allows two small dogs that Boado claims are his children’s pets to be given to the children’s mother when the dogs are healthy and have been neutered and spayed.

Harris County Vince Ryan, who represented the State of Texas in the case, said, “We think this is a fair settlement for a horrible situation. These animals have been treated in a despicably cruel manner because Mr. Boado didn’t want to spend money caring for them, and he will loose the animals and his property.” The settlement does not resolve any criminal charges that could be filed, Ryan said.

Boado and his lawyers negotiated the settlement with Ryan and assistant County Attorneys Mimi Han and Linda Geffin just before a custody hearing before Justice of the Peace David Patronella. The hearing could have resulted in forfeiture of the animals and a judgment against Boado for the cost of care of the animals, estimated to be more than $200,000.

Boado sold a variety of animals at area flea markets. The animals removed on September 23 included ducks, geese, iguanas, turtles, hamsters, chickens, a goat, a small horse, parrots, parakeets, and finches. Three dogs were removed. Many of the animals had no food or water.

The animals were removed by Harris County Precinct One Constables and the Houston SPCA Cruelty Investigation Team on September 23 after an anonymous tip was received. It was one of the largest animal cruelty seizures in the United States.

The fate of the animals in one of the largest animal cruelty seizures in the United States will be decided Wednesday, September 30, at a hearing beginning at 2 p.m. before Justice of the Peace Dale Gorczynski. The court is at 7300 N Shepherd Dr, Houston.

Depending on the results of the hearing; the ducks, birds, ponies, turtles, hamsters and other animals could be returned to their owner or could remain in the care of the Houston Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

County Attorney Vince Ryan said, “This animal trafficker showed wanton indifference to the suffering of these animals. This is despicable cruelty on a large scale.”

The animals were removed from deplorable conditions in Northwest Houston last Wednesday by Harris County Precinct One Constables and the Houston SPCA Cruelty Investigation Team acting under a warrant. According to Deputy Constable Christine Kendrick, the ducks and geese were drinking from puddles that had dead chickens in them and one trailer was full of caged animals that were kept in the dark with no food, water or heat. Some cages had dead and live animals in them, she said.

After the animals were examined by a veterinarian, the extent of the damage to the animals from their mistreatment was revealed.  Houston SPCA Chief Investigator Charles Jantzen states, “In this case all of the animals at the location were subject to animal cruelty and the deplorable conditions that we found these animals in shows the extent of the cruelty they had endured.”