Pet Portraits with Santa Claus will be held Saturday, November 21 from 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. at For Paws Boutique in Auburn.  Photos will be taken by Fotos by Focht, and all portraits will be available in time for holiday greeting cards.  A portion of the proceeds from this event benefits the animals of the Lee County Humane Society.  

The Lee County Humane Society would like to thank For Paws Boutique, Fotos by Focht and the Rental Center for their sponsorship of this event.

It used to be this time of the year was the beginning of the slow time for the staff at the shelter. Puppy and kitten season was tapering off and the number of owner relinquishments was slowing down. Not so much any more. 

With the steady growth in Lee County comes additional pet overpopulation problems and it seems the shelter is full all the time. The average person does not understand the problem of pet overpopulation and how many dogs and cats are homeless.  They do not understand that there simply are not enough homes for them all of them. 

If you have a grasp on the problem of pet overpopulation, I applaud you.  If you do not then I encourage you to thoughtfully read the following facts:

• According to the Humane Society of the United States, between eight and twelve million pets enter animal shelters across the country annually.
• Between four and six million of these animals are euthanized.  This solution has an annual price tag of over $2 billion.
• ONE THIRD of all animals in shelters today were surrendered by owners.
• The number one reason owners give for surrendering their pets is problem behavior.
• In some areas of the country, only 30% of owned dogs and cats are spayed and neutered. 
• Most studies indicate that only about 50% of new owners have the pet they adopt from a shelter spay or neutered.
• In 6 years, one female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies.
• In just seven years, one female cat and her young can produce 420,000 kittens.
• In addition to the 60 million owned cats in the United States, there are an estimated 60 million feral and free roaming cats.  Unaltered (spayed or neutered) feral cats are both a cause and effect of feline overpopulation.
• Since my first year as Director in 1997, the staff has seen over 70,000 animals come through our shelter doors.  Of those approximately 45,000 were humanely euthanized by the caring staff of the Lee County Humane Society.

Pet overpopulation is real and it is a community problem.  Until dogs and cats are routinely spayed or neutered, AT LEAST by the age of 6 months, we will continue to have a problem.  I encourage you to cut out the facts in this column and pass them on to anyone you know who has allowed their pet to reproduce. 

The Humane Society Weekly Wish:  We can always use dry dog and cat food as well as cat litter please.

Jack Fisher

Board of Directors

     On September, 25 the Charter Foundation presented the Lee County Humane Society with a check for $5,000.  LCHS won the Charter Foundation Customer Voting Program.  The Lee County Humane Society thanks all the Charter customers who supported our organization by voting and Charter Bank for this generous gift. 

     Students in Mrs. Laurie Osborne's Health Occupations Students of America group at Auburn High School collected donations for the Lee County Humane Society in a "Dog Pounding" food drive to show their spirit for Auburn vs. Opelika football rivalry.  The students also raised $750 for the animals at the shelter at a coin drop during Homecoming Week at Auburn.  The LCHS would like to thank these students for their generosity & support!

      The sisters of Delta Zeta sorority will support the Lee County Humane Society by hosting Day at the Park 2009 on Sunday, November 1 from 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.  The event will include food, live music, and loads of great prizes for all participants.

      Participants will enjoy the day with their dog, and receive a great t-shirt and an Iams goodie bag for your pet. ($15.00)  There will be a trick contest, costume contest, and obstacle course that for pups to participate in and and the chance to win more prizes!

   Delta Zeta will also host an Ultimate Frisbee Contest at the park.  The entry fee per person is $15.00. All participants will receive a t-shirt, Frisbee, and water bottle. 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place prizes will be awarded at the end of the tournament.

Download DZ Registration Form

The LCHS thanks the sisters of Delta Zeta for their continuous support of the mission and work of the shelter.

For more information, please contact Jessica: jls0014@auburn.edu

The Lee County Humane Society’s Humane Education Department is making an impact on children, youth and adults across Lee County. Led by Stasia Dunlop, the department visits schools, civic groups and other organizations to make a difference in the lives of animals and the people who care for them through education.

One tool used by Stacia is the award winning KIND News from The Humane Society of the United States. KIND News is a classroom newspaper featuring articles, activities, puzzles, and celebrity interviews.  It emphasizes the importance of kindness and helps children and youth put basic values like compassion, responsibility, and respect into practice.

KIND News is read by more than a million students nationwide, meets National Education Standards, and is published in three editions for different reading levels. It serves as a valuable tool for encouraging literacy, violence prevention, good citizenship, and peaceful conflict resolution.

Through the Adopt-a-Classroom program, the Lee County Humane Society is providing KIND News to classrooms across Lee County. “As an investment in our future, we’d like to reach as many classrooms as possible through our KIND News Adopt-a-Classroom program”, says Stacia.

Our hope is to sponsor KIND News in all of the schools in our area. All it takes is $30 to sponsor KIND News for a classroom for the whole school year. A school year’s subscription includes: 28 copies of the newspaper each month, September - May, a teacher’s guide with each issue, access to reproducible worksheets for students, and a two-sided megaposter calendar of fun facts and tips on helping animals.

If you are a business owner, parent, parent/teacher organization, community leader or simply someone who supports the efforts to “adopt” classrooms, I’d encourage you to contact Stasia. Sponsors may choose the classrooms they adopt or let Stacia select one for you. This would be a great gift for an animal-loving child and to our community.

Another great resource for children and youth is KIND News on the internet. It contains a variety of fun and educational activities, articles, videos, surveys and quizzes. There is even a special section just for teachers. You can find it at www.kindnews.org.

If you would like more information or would like to adopt a classroom please contact Stasia Dunlop. She can be reached at the Lee County Humane Society at 821-3222 or by email at stasia@leecountyhumane.org.

Humane Society Weekly Wish: Keep your pet safe during the Halloween season. Don’t feed them candy, keep your dog’s tail away from candles in pumpkins or on tables and make sure they are in a calm place if you have a Halloween party in your home. Another big safety tip is to keep your pet indoors around Halloween, especially if you have a black cat.

Jack Fisher 

Board of Directors

The Lee County Humane Society would like to thank Sun Self Storage, Inc. for donating the use of a storage facility to the shelter.  The LCHS has limited area for storage at their facility and this donation allows for more space for the animals at the shelter.  LCHS appreciates Sun Self's support of its mission and dedication to the homeless animals in Lee County.

     The Lee County Humane Society is honored to have a special group of people who spend many hours of their time caring for the animals at the shelter.  LCHS core volunteers hold a special place in the hearts of the LCHS staff.  The staff's work at the shelter wouldn't be possible without the volunteers' many hours of time and dedication.

     On Sunday, October 18, LCHS staff and core volunteers enjoyed a picnic honoring the volunteers at Town Creek Park.  Staff and volunteers enjoyed hamburgers and played field games at the park.  Everyone enjoyed the festivities at the park, even the four-legged friends.

October is Adopt-a-Shelter Dog Month. We have seen quite an increase in adoptions this month and we are excited that this might be the best month ever for adoptions. We are offering a lowered adoption fee of $40.  If you are considering adopting, here are some tips recommended by the Humane Society of the United States:

• Why do you want a pet? It's amazing how many people fail to ask themselves this simple question before they get a pet. Adopting a pet just because it's "the thing to do" or because the kids have been pining for a puppy usually ends up being a big mistake. Don't forget that pets may be with you 10, 15, even 20 years.
• Do you have time for a pet? Dogs, cats, and other animal companions cannot be ignored just because you're tired or busy. They require food, water, exercise, care, and companionship every day of every year. Many animals in the shelter are there because their owners didn't realize how much time it took to care for them.
• Can you afford a pet? The costs of pet ownership can be quite high. Licenses, training classes, spaying and neutering, veterinary care, grooming, toys, food, kitty litter, and other expenses add up quickly.
• Are you prepared to deal with special problems that a pet can cause? Flea infestations, scratched-up furniture, accidents from animals who aren't yet housetrained, and unexpected medical emergencies are unfortunate but common aspects of pet ownership.
• Can you have a pet where you live? Many rental communities don't allow pets, and most of the rest have restrictions. Make sure you know what they are before you bring a companion animal home.
• Is it a good time for you to adopt a pet? If you have kids under six years old, for instance, you might consider waiting a few years before you adopt a companion. Pet ownership requires children who are mature enough to be responsible. If you're a student, in the military, or travel frequently as part of your work, waiting until you settle down is wise.
• Are your living arrangements suitable for the animal you have in mind? Animal size is not the only variable to think about here. For example, some small dogs such as terriers are very active—they require a great deal of exercise to be calm, and they often bark at any noise. On the other hand, some big dogs are laid back and quite content to lie on a couch all day. Before adopting a pet, do some research. That way, you'll ensure you choose an animal who will fit into your lifestyle and your living arrangements.
• Do you know who will care for your pet while you're away on vacation? You'll need either reliable friends and neighbors or money to pay for a boarding kennel or pet-sitting service.
• Will you be a responsible pet owner? Having your pet spayed or neutered, obeying community leash and licensing laws, and keeping identification tags on your pets are all part of being a responsible owner. Of course, giving your pet love, companionship, exercise, a healthy diet, and regular veterinary care are other essentials.
• Finally, are you prepared to keep and care for the pet for his or her entire lifetime? When you adopt a pet, you are making a commitment to care for the animal for his or her lifetime

Having a companion animal as part of your family can be very rewarding.  Think it through before you make that decision and when you are ready visit us at the Lee County Humane Society.

The Humane Society Weekly Wish: Remember the date November 21 and join us for Pet Portraits with Santa at For Paws Boutique.

Jack Fisher

Board of Directors

Follow these Halloween safety tips for your pets:

1. No tricks, no treats: Be sure to keep all candy away from your animals.

Chocolate in all forms—especially dark or baking chocolate—can be very dangerous for dogs and cats. Symptoms of significant chocolate ingestion may include vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, increased thirst, urination and heart rate—and even seizures.

Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can be poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts of xylitol sweetener can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar, which leads to depression, lack of coordination and seizures. In cases of significantly low blood sugar, liver failure has been known to occur.

Ingesting tin foil and cellophane candy wrappers can pose a choking hazard or cause intestinal blockage.

2. Beware of Hazardous Household Plants: Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively nontoxic, however when ingested they may upset your animal’s stomach.  Keep an eye on your pet and make sure they do not eat your harvest décor.

3. Watch Out for Wires:  Keep wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations out of reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet could experience damage to his mouth from shards of glass or plastic, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

4. Protect Your Pets from Pumpkins: A carved pumpkin certainly is festive, but exercise extreme caution if you choose to add a candle. Pets can easily knock a lit pumpkin over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned or singed by candle flames.

5. Be Careful with Costumes Do not put your dog or cat in a costume unless you know he or she enjoys it.  Uncomfortable costumes may cause a great deal of stress for animals.

6. Make Sure Your Costume is Safe:  If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume isn't annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict the animal's movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe, bark or meow. Also try on costumes before the big night. 

7. Take a Closer Look at Your Pet’s Costume: Make sure it does not have small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that he could choke on. Also, ill-fitting outfits can get twisted on external objects or your pet, leading to injury. 

8.Find a Safe Place for Your Pet: All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treat visiting hours. Too many strangers can be scary and stressful for pets.

9. Make Sure Your Pet Stays Inside: When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, take care that your cat or dog doesn't dart outside. 

10. IDs, please! Always make sure your dog or cat has proper identification. If for any reason your pet escapes and become lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip can increase the chances that he or she will be returned to you.