Dog safety for kids
Gloria Towle
Board Member
We are excited — 2014 has started out great! In the months of January and February, we saw many dogs and cats find loving, warm homes to call their own! And the best news is that two cats — Smokey, who arrived back in March 2013, and Jerrie, who came to us in May — have both found new families to love!
Tractor Supply invited us to participate in a Valentine’s Day Adoption Fair on Feb. 15. What an awesome day. We decided to waive the fee for six cats that had been at the shelter seven or eight months; all of them were adopted that day. We are so thankful to those that have opened their homes and hearts to these deserving animals.
Dogs can be fun, but remember, kids, a dog is not a toy. Always be kind with your dog, and never poke, step on or pull your dog’s hair, ears or tail.
You can learn the following rules and share them with family and friends:
• Always ask the owner before petting a dog; there might be a good reason why a dog should not be touched. He may be “on duty” as a handicapped person’s helper or he could be hurt, sick or afraid of children;
• Approach a dog from the front or side. Hold your hands low and speak softly. Don’t surprise a dog from behind, wave your hands in the air or speak loudly, you could scare the dog and cause him to try to bite you;
• Let a dog eat and sleep in peace. A dog who is eating may think you are going to take his food away if you come too close, so be sure to leave him alone until he is done. If a dog is sleeping, you might scare him if you come too close and wake him up, so speak gently or wait until he wakes up by himself;
• Watch out for special toys; some dogs have strong feelings for their favorite balls and chew toys — just like you do with your toys! You wouldn’t want someone to grab your favorite toy away from you, so don’t take a bone or toy away from a dog’s mouth unless you have trained him to drop it and give it to you first; and
• Lastly, respect a dog’s space. Dogs naturally protect their territories. Sticking your hand inside a strange dog’s pen, through a fence or in a car window where a dog is sitting may cause him to bite to protect his property.
We are continuing our $20 adoption fee on all cats for just a little longer. Remember that state law requires a $100 deposit on unaltered cats that will be returned as soon as proof of altering is shown.
Check us out on Petfinders.com and Facebook or stop by the Central Aroostook Humane Society, Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closing for lunch noon to 12:30 p.m. Please be responsible, spay and neuter your pets!
