Lee County Humane Society

Halloween Safety Tips for Your Pet

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 and 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. 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. 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.

Now Hiring a Director of Community Outreach

The Lee County Humane Society is seeking a Director of Community Outreach to develop, implement, and oversee educational programs for local schools and organizations. This one half time position reports to the Executive Director.

Download the job description.

LCHS Awarded $5000.00 by The Charter Foundation

Troy Godwin (left) and Mike Waldrop (right) are shown above presenting $5,000 on behalf of the Charter Foundation for LCHS animals to Executive Director, Heather Meadows(center.)

Representatives from the Charter Bank Foundation presented the Lee County Humane Society with a $5,000 check on Tuesday, Aug. 26.  The LCHS won the Charter Foundation Customer Voting Program.

This program gives every Charter Bank customer the opportunity to select their favorite local charity.  The top three charities are awarded $5,000 each.

"We are extremely proud to award this gift on behalf of our many customers," Troy Godwin, Senior Vice President, Charterbank said.

The LCHS has won the Charter Foundation Customer Voting Program several years.

"The program allows customers to voice their opinion about what charities are important in the community and also gives Charter a chance to give back," Barbara Quinton of Charter Bank said.

The LCHS thanks all the Charter customers who supported our organization by voting and Charter Bank for this generous gift.

Petfinder is Now Mobile

The animals at the Lee County Humane Society are going mobile!  The Lee County Humane Society's on-line, searchable database provider, Petfinder, now has a mobile version of its website. Petfinder Mobile allows visitors to access LCHS pets on the road via cell phones, BlackBerrys and iPhones. 

Check out our pets on your mobile device and share them with your friends. To access the mobile version of Petfinder simply type m.petfinder.com into any mobile device's Web browser.  Petfinder's mobile website includes access to the searchable database of more than 250 thousand nationwide pets.  Search options include pet type, age, gender, and size.  The mobile website includes a Share with a Friend option that makes e-mailing pet you are interested easier than ever.

Summer Safety Tips for Your Pet

The sweltering heat of the summer sun can be dangerous for pets.  Here are a few tips to keep your companion cool:

Never leave your pet unattended in a parked car:
The temperature in a car can exceed 100 degrees within minutes. It is inhumane and can cause severe injury or even death within minutes.

Provide access to fresh, clean water at all times:
Water should be kept in a clean container and replenished daily.  Give your pets more water on excessive heat days.

Secure your pet's water bowl or bucket:
Anchor your pet's water bowl or bucket by tying it to a tree.  It's a good idea to place it inside a hole in the ground or an old tire to prevent your pet from knocking it over.

Give your pet frequent water breaks during exercise:
Just like humans, pets need a lot of water to stay hydrated during work outs.  Also, be conscious of ground surface during exercise.  Asphalt and concrete heat quickly and can be harmful to your pet's paws.  Schedule walks or runs during the cool hours of the morning or late evening.
 
Provide shade for your pet:
Sunlight moves throughout the day.  Don't allow your pet to be stranded in the scorching sun without cover.

When weather is dangerously hot, keep your pets inside:
Stay alert for signs of overheating in pets, which include excessive panting and drooling and mild weakness, along with an elevated body temperature.

Following these tips will make summer a breeze for you and your pet.

Keep Your Pet Safe on the Fourth

The Lee County Humane Society wishes you and your pet a safe and happy Fourth of July!  It is important to remember pets often become anxious and scared amidst our traditional patriotic celebrations.  The following precautions will help make your holiday festivities four-legged friendly: 

 

• Do not take your pet to fireworks displays.
• Do not leave your pet in the car. With only hot air to breathe inside a car, your pet can suffer serious health effects—even death—in a few short minutes. Partially opened windows do not provide sufficient air, but they do provide an opportunity for your pet to be stolen.
• Keep your pets indoors at home in a sheltered, quiet area. Some animals can become destructive when frightened, so be sure that you've removed any items that your pet could destroy or that would be harmful to your pet if chewed. Leave a television or radio playing at normal volume to keep him company while you're attending holiday celebrations.
• If you know that your pet is seriously distressed by loud noises like thunder, consult with your veterinarian before the holiday for ways to help alleviate the fear and anxiety he or she will experience during fireworks displays.
• Never leave pets outside unattended, even in a fenced yard or on a chain. In their fear, pets who normally wouldn't leave the yard may escape and become lost, or become entangled in their chain, risking injury or death.
• Make sure your pets are wearing identification tags so that if they do become lost, they can be returned promptly.
• If you plan to go away for the holiday weekend, take the proper steps to make sure your pet is cared for and share these tips with their caregiver.

 

Following these tips will ensure that the Fourth of July is a blast for you and your pet!