Special to the Star-Herald
Santa Paws is coming to town and he will be at the Central Aroostook Humane Society on Nov. 29 and again on Dec. 6. Don’t miss this opportunity to have your pet’s picture taken with Santa. All proceeds go to help the homeless animals of our area.
Our little shelter has been in operation since 1966; we have had many growing pains, but we grow stronger each time. We strive to offer you wonderful pets for your family, pets that are healthy and well-adjusted. We offer animals who have been vaccinated and handled daily. If you are looking for a friend for life, the Central Aroostook Humane Society is the place to start. Currently we have many little dogs available for adoption, as well as larger dogs and cats. Little dogs don’t usually stay long, so check them out online at www.centralaroostookhumanesociety.org or on Petfinder.
We have all waited with baited breath for Thanksgiving. I can’t wait for dinner and leftovers! The holidays can be a dangerous time of year for our pets. Here are some tips to help you and your pet have a happy holiday:
• Keep poultry bones out of the reach of both cats and dogs. If ingested, bones can splinter and a trip to the vet may be necessary;
• Keep your pet out of the kitchen! During this busy time of year a dog or cat can easily be stepped on or cause someone to trip. You must be aware that hot items cause burns; add a pet into that and you are just looking for trouble;
• Confine your pet. It is very important to have control over your pet. They may become scared or confused and bolt out the door or act unpredictably. Children who have not been taught how to properly handle a dog or cat may injure the animal or be injured by the animal;
• We all overeat during Thanksgiving, but this is not healthy for us or for our pets. Sharing our dinner with our pets may cause serious stomach upset. Also, some foods may be toxic to pets so it is best not to share; and
• Be sure to have your vet’s phone number handy and ASPCA’s poison control number handy: 888-426-4435. You can never be too prepared.
It is important to protect our pets during the holiday season. You will probably have many visitors, strangers carrying packages or food etc. It is better to be safe than sorry.
As many of you have heard, Caribou Pet Rescue is closing their doors. It is unfortunate because there are definitely enough animals to go around, just limited resources. The Central Aroostook Humane Society has offered to help. We have offered to take animals who may be left after the closing and place them through our shelter. It is the right thing to do. We have met with Caribou Pet Rescue representatives and agreed to help on an “as space” basis.
It is very sad the number of animals who need to be “rescued” in our area. I lay awake at night, listening to the wind howling and wondering how many are out there shivering and hungry. I am a worry wart, but it is a reality. We don’t have any numbers, but just think about the animals who die, cold and hungry. It needs to stop and the only way it will stop is with education and spaying and neutering. We work very hard at the Central Aroostook Humane Society to educate the public as to the importance of having your pet altered and not letting them reproduce. There just aren’t enough responsible homes for all of these pets.
If your group would like a representative from the Central Aroostook Humane Society to visit and speak to you about who we are and what we do, we would be thrilled. Also, students from NMCC have organized educational materials that we offer for free to the public to use. If you are looking for good information on animal welfare topics, we have it and you are welcome to it. Knowledge is power and with knowledge we can fight pet over-population, animal abuse, animal hoarding and any other animal welfare issue that arises.
The Central Aroostook Humane Society does have a Christmas wish list:
• Non-scoopable cat litter (a huge expense to us);
• Bleach;
• Laundry detergent;
• Gas cards (we take our animals to the nursing homes in Mars Hill, Presque Isle, and Caribou, as well as the Caribou VA home);
• Heating fuel (just call DOC);
• Pine-sol;
• Paper towels;
• Dog toys;
• Cat toys;
• Dog chews; and
• Gift cards.
We are open to suggestions and surprises — we have been extra good this year!
From our table to yours, happy Thanksgiving!
Please have your pets spayed or neutered.
Photo courtesy of Christine Robinson
Brandon Hosford, age 10, and Stacy Landry, age 11, set up a lemonade at their yard sale on the Conant Road last October and all proceeds were donated to the Central Aroostook Humane Society.
