Spring2007




Effective July 1, 2009: Adoptions fees will be: Dogs (canines) $90 Cats (felines) $65 to include spay/neuter, vaccinations for rabies and distemper, and treatment for worms and fleas. An additional fee is charged for a Feline Leukemia/Aids test, if requested.

	ANIMAL CRUELTY is one of the most disgusting and abhorrent things a person can do, especially in light of the fact that there are SO many accepted studies showing a connection between animal cruelty and cruelty to family, friends and relatives by the perpetrator. Be very cautious around such a person and do not confront them directly; they could as quickly turn their cruel attentions on you as to continue to abuse their animals. Instead, report the incident to the proper authorities. *Another serious and just as important aspect of the cruelty to animals problem is Puppy Mills. For more information about Puppy Mills, click the relevant link to the left.* ASPCA.org has updated and posted a very good FAQ (Frequently Asked Question page) on their site concerning animal cruelty. Of particular interest to me was their list of some things that can be considered cruelty. Namely: Tick or flea infestations Wounds on the body Patches of missing hair Extremely thin, starving animal Limping An owner striking or otherwise physically abusing an animal Dogs who are repeatedly left alone without food and water, and/or often chained in a yard Dogs who have been hit by cars—or are showing any of the signs listed here—and have not been taken to a veterinarian Dogs who are kept outside without shelter in extreme weather conditions Animals who cower in fear or act aggressively when approached by their owners Another very interesting quote on their latest newsletter that caught my eye was this one: <QUOTE>“Without phone calls from the concerned citizens who report cruelty in their neighborhoods, we wouldn't know about most instances of animal abuse,” says ASPCA Supervisory Special Investigator Annemarie Lucas, whom you may have seen in action on Animal Planet’s Animal Precinct. <END QUOTE> You can sign up for their newsletter at http://aspca.org . They can not protect themselves; it is up to us to help them. You can read the above and much more by visiting: http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=cruelty_faq#whatiscruel The link will open in a new window, so to return here, just close its window. It is a fairly well known fact that many people who abuse animals will also abuse children, their spouses, strangers and even their own immediate family. There are some well written F.B.I. articles on the subject which I will post links to when I get the time. If you wish to initiate your own research on this, you can go to www.fbi.gov their public web site. Please, report animal abuse via the proper channels and quickly whenever it is observed. But, never, ever use this privilege maliciously or to get back at anyone just because you’re mad at them. It’s against the law. - web site manager There are some very compelling reasons why we should care about animal cruelty that go beyond the concepts of humane treatment and being kind to our pets. The following information is from the Humane Society of the United States and other reliable resources. Are there actually laws that protect animals? ASPCA.ORG has a Mailing List that will keep you up to date on animal law and much more; almost everything from a to z. Check them out. Check State Anticruelty Law What is animal cruelty? Animal cruelty encompasses a range of behaviors harmful to animals, from neglect to malicious killing. Most cruelty investigated by humane officers is unintentional neglect that can be resolved through education. Intentional cruelty, or abuse, is knowingly depriving an animal of food, water, shelter, socialization, or veterinary care or maliciously torturing, maiming, mutilating, or killing an animal Why is it a concern? All animal cruelty is a concern because it is wrong to inflict suffering on any living creature. Intentional cruelty is a particular concern because it is a sign of psychological distress and often indicates either that an individual has already experienced violence or may be predisposed to committing acts of violence. Is there any evidence of a connection between animal cruelty and human violence? Absolutely. Many studies in psychology, sociology, and criminology during the last twenty-five years have demonstrated that violent offenders frequently have childhood and adolescent histories of serious and repeated animal cruelty. The FBI has recognized the connection since the 1970s, when its analysis of the lives of serial killers suggested most had, as children, killed or tortured animals. Other research has shown consistent patterns of animal cruelty among perpetrators of more common violence, including child abuse, spouse abuse, and elder abuse, In fact, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) considers animal cruelty one of the diagnostic criteria of conduct disorder. As natural "explorers," don't all children sometimes harm animals? Absolutely not. While some children kill insects, few torture pets or other small creatures. If allowed to harm animals without penalty, children are more likely to commit violent acts later in life. Children who abuse animals are generally involved in bullying, vandalism, and more serious crimes, including arson. Animal cruelty, like any other form of violence, should never be attributed to a stage of development. Rather, it should be considered a warning that a child may be experiencing some form of psychological or physical distress. Not all animal cruelty is intentional, however, and a child's acts of innocent exploration should be turned into opportunities for humane education. Telling stories, role playing, and creative writing can help you find out if a child is in distress and can help the child develop empathy. Additionally, teaching by example is one of a teacher's most powerful tools your efforts to rescue a bug or feed the birds will make a lasting impression. What is the difference between innocent exploration and calculated animal cruelty? Innocent exploration may come of simple curiosity, but calculated animal cruelty is motivated by a desire to harm. While even innocent acts of cruelty should be addressed, it is particularly important to intervene when a child is insensitive to the obvious distress of an animal, repeats a harmful behavior or derives pleasure from causing an animal pain. How can I find out if a child has witnessed, experienced, or perpetrated cruelty? A child perpetrator may boast of harming an animal, either verbally or in a story; a child who has witnessed animal cruelty may recount an incident that took place at home or in the neighborhood. These children may be cruel to, or unnecessarily rough with classroom pets or other animals in school. Other children may report something that was said by a child perpetrator or victim of abuse. What should I do if I suspect a child has abused an animal or reports that a family member has abused an animal? Discuss your suspicions with the school principal, psychologist, resource officer, or other law enforcement officer assigned to the school. Review the child's behavior, including attendance, peer relations, and academic performance. A parent/teacher/principal consultation is recommended before further action is taken. Like any other serious crime, animal cruelty should be reported to the proper authorities. In most jurisdictions a report should be filed with the humane investigator at the local animal welfare agency. If there is no such organization in your area, report the incident to the police or sheriff's department. The child's parents should be made aware of the necessity of such a report. Based on the history of the student and the school team's findings, it may be necessary to file an additional report with the local child welfare agency often, children who abuse animals are abused themselves. If a child reports that a family member is abusing an animal, a school team conference is necessary before filing reports with animal welfare and child welfare agencies. Will I be required to testify? If the case goes to court, you could be asked to testify at some point. Can the cycle of abuse be broken? Yes. According to the National Research Council, early prevention efforts are more likely to reduce adult crime than are criminal sanctions applied later in life. The APA's Commission on Violence and Youth encourages the adoption of broad and coordinated initiatives to prevent all youth violence or mitigate its effects. How can I promote kindness, respect, and compassion through the curriculum? Humane education, introduced by either classroom teachers, concerned parents, or local animal welfare agencies, should be an integral part of every elementary school curriculum. You will be an effective agent for humane education. if your lesson plans include peer mediation and conflict resolution and your long term objectives are to encourage empathetic responses and ensure the safety of children and animals, The Youth Education Division of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) publishes KIND News, a four page newspaper for elementary school students, KIND News helps teachers establish a classroom theme of kindness, respect, and tolerance. For subscription information, contact HSUS Youth Education Division, PO. Box 362, East Haddam, CT 06423. top

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PAW PRINTS

ST, LAWRENCE VALLEY SPCA

NEWSLETTER-SPRING 2007
YOUR PERFECT PET IS HERE! www.StLawrenceValleySPCA.org

Shelter Hours
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday
1:00-4:00 p.m.-Thursday 2:00-6:00 p.m.
Closed Sunday, Monday & Some Holidays

Phone (315) 393-5191

6718 SH 68 (P.O. Box 594)
Ogdensburg, NY 13669

Before surrendering all animal, please call the Shelter during regular working hours to make a^rrangements to bring it in. We make every) possible effort to take in an animal as soon as possible. However, sometimes space isn't available and you'll be asked to be on a waiting list. Please work with us. If you have a stray dog, you must call the Dog Control Office in your town. Wayne Ashley is the Dog Control Officer the city of Ogdensburg. His phone number is 393-1.1555. All other towns must call their Town Supervisor or Clerk for' the cor^rect information. They are listed in the T^ranswestern and Verizon SuperPages di^rectories in the blue pages.

Spay/Neuter Now...is a nonprofit organization that helps obtain low cost spay/neuter for qualifying applicants. Applications can be picked up at the SPCA Shelter, 6718 SH 68, Ogdensburg, NY during regular open hours, by calling 324-5969, accessing the Spay/Neuter Now web site at www.spayneuternow.org or by e-mailing spayneuternow@yahoo.com. Please be a responsible pet owner and have your pets spayed or neutered. Perhaps you know someone who needs the program.

Help Prevent Easter Cruelty

This Easter, you can help prevent cruelty by giving your little ones stuffed animals and, alter the holiday, if your family is ready for a new pet, consider an adorable, adoptable dog or cat from the St. Lawrence Valley SP( :A or other animal shelter .

The vast majority of the baby bunnies, chicks and ducks who are given as Easter gifts die within a few weeks. They are frequently the victims of t unintentional neglect and cruelty. Requiring special feeding, care and constant temperatures. these extremely vulnerable little animals are poorly suited as pets. They are simply too fragile for small children to handle and often rough play will break bones and cause other fatal injuries.

Many are killed or maimed by neighborhood dogs and cats. And, those animals who do survive the first few weeks are often surrendered to shelters or humane societies. The vast majority are euthanized because good homes can not be lout Id for them.

Provided by The American Humane Association

The Need to Grieve

The death of a pet is a very difficult, stressful loss to deal with. Listed below are 8 tips for coping with grief.

1. Reach Out to people who will take your grief seriously. You don't have to suffer alone.

2. Give yourself permission to grieve. Be tender and accepting of your feelings, and get extra rest as needed; grieving is fatiguing.

3. Treat your deceased pet as a unique loss. Your special friend can never be replaced.

4. Avail yourself of supportive resources. There are hot lines and pet-loss support groups to help you through.

5. exercise and eat right to elevate your mood and overall health.

4. Avoid people who invalidate or mate light of your grief.

7. Think positive. Remember the good times and funny memories.

8. Avoid black & white thinking such as, "Ill never get over this", or "She was the only friend I ever had".

Don't rush into adopting another animal until you have dealt with your feelings. It may be a week, it may be a year, but you will Know when the time is right for you. Visit petloss.com and the SPCA website for further information on how to deal with a pet^'s loss and adopting another "forever" friend.

Adoption Fees
Cats: $50.00
Dogs: $75.00

This fee includes spay/neuter, distemper, parvo and upper respiratory vaccinations. Animals will be checked for worms, fleas, ticks and other parasites and treated if necessary. Cats can be tested for feline leukemia for an additional $10.00 fee.

The Humane Society of the United States presents FUR FREE 2000, a unique way to benefit wildlife. Fur coats, stoles or other garments can be donated to HSUS which will then turn them over to licensed wildlife rehabilitators who use the fur to warm and comfort injured and orphaned wildlife as they are nursed back to health. These garments, taken from such sad beginnings, will find wonderful and useful endings and are a gift to wildlife.

The HSUS is a qualified 501 (c) (3) organization, so you may be entitled to claim a deduction on your income tax for the value of your Oft. This should be discussed with your accountant or tax attorney.

For further information, contact Andrea Cimino, Campaign Manager, HSUS, at (301) 258-3109 or e-mail furfree@hsus.org.

· 2007 Book Sale

Mark your calendar! The 2007 St. Lawrence Valley Book Sale is scheduled for each Saturday in May, 8:00 a.m.-noon, at 309 Rosseel Street, (behind Nadine's Ice Cream Shop) Ogdensburg.

This is a wonderful, not to be missed opportunity to clean out your book shelves, stock up on summer reading at bargain basement prices and help the SPCA at the same time. If you have books to donate, drop them at the Shelter during regular open hours. Please!-no magazines, library discards, encyclopedias, Reader's Digest Condensed books or text books!

Canine Urolithllasis More commonly known as bladder stones, urolithiasis is a painful condition that occurs in the urinary bladder. With proper nutrition and treatment, your dog can live without this discomfort. Stones are formed in the urinary bladder, in part due to the changes in pH of the urine, typically caused by urinary tract infection, and also from the presence of excess protein, calcium, phosphorus or magnesium.

The most common types of bladder stones in dogs are struvite, calcium oxalate and urate. Some dogs are more prone to stone formation than others due to their individual chemistry and/or breed.

· Signs of Urolithiasis

+ Inability to urinate, sometimes confused with constipation.

+ Difficult, slow urination

· Pain when urinating or inappropriate urination.

· Frequent attempts to urinate.

· Abdominal discomfort or vomiting.

· Incontinence.

· Blood in the urine.

Depending on the type and number of stones, your Veterinarian may recommend a combination of several options including therapeutic food, antibiotics or even surgery. He or she will discuss the best course of action with you.

· Home care:

· Watch for signs of recurrence and call your Vet if they appear.

· Carefully follow your Vet's instructions for feeding and medicating your pet.

· Speak to your Vet before changing your pet's medication or feeding regimen.

· Provide free access to fresh, clean water.

· Shelter Wish List

Purina Kitten :Chow
Urinary Tract Health Cat Food
Rubber Gloves (Medium & Large)
45 Gallon Trash Bags (Heavy Duty)
Dish Soap - Laundry Soap - Bleach
Towels, Blankets, Comforters

How to Set "Strict" training limits for Your Dog

I) The Dog is not allowed in the house.

2) Okay, the dog is allowed in certain rooms of the house.

3) The dog is allowed in all rooms but has to stay off the furniture.

4) The dog can get on only the old furniture.

5) Fine, the dog is allowed on all the furniture, but is not allowed to sleep with the humans on the bed.

6) Okay, the dog is allowed on the bed, but only by invitation.

7) The dog can sleep on the bed whenever she wants, but not under the covers.

3) The dog can sleep under the covers by invitation only.

9) Fine, the dog can sleep under the covers every night.

10) The humans must ask permission to sleep under the covers with the dog.

From the whole gang at the St. Lawrence Valley SPCA, our sincere thank you to those who support our work and help make it all possible. We couldn't do it without you!

The Rabies Cycle

It has been several years since St. Lawrence County has been threatened with a high rate of rabies outbreak but everyone needs to be aware of the rabies cycle.

1) Skunks, raccoons, foxes and bats are the most common carriers of the rabies virus. As populations expand into more rural areas and these hardy mammals learn to adapt to urban and suburban lifestyles, the threat of exposure increases for our domestic animals and to humans.

2) As animals with rabies may survive up to 20 days in the infectious state, they are extremely dangerous to humans and other animals. They will often attack viciously with or without provocation and may attack numerous other wild or domestic animals during this period.

3) When pets or humans are attacked by a rabid animal, the rabies virus is introduced through bite wounds or scratches and moves into the nervous system. The Rabies virus attacks the nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain. Depending on where the person is bitten it can take from 20-60 days for symptoms to occur. The farther from the brain the bite occurs the longer it takes for symptoms to occur. The virus destroys the nerves in the spinal cord causing paralysis and mental delusions.

4) Symptoms appear within 2-24 weeks, although a 3-8 week incubation period is most common. These symptoms are classified into three forms-"Prodromal, "Furious" and "Paralytic. In "prodromal" rabies, the animal usually exhibits apprehension, nervousness, anxiety, solitude and variable fever. The animal may excessively bite or lick the wound. The

more common "Furious" rabies usually includes convulsions, muscular in coordination, extreme irritability, frenzied behavior and foaming at the mouth. In "Paralytic" rabies, the animal usually becomes depressed and may hide. Paralysis of the jaw is followed rapidly by general paralysis.

What to look for in the early stages of all forms are abrupt changes in behavior. After the onset of symptoms, death usually occurs within 2-7 days.

Only three people have survived rabies once symptoms of the viral infection began. Many people have been successfully treated to prevent the virus from destroying the person's nervous system. Therefore, prevention is key to avoiding rabies infections and disease.

Rabies vaccination is the most practical way to prevent this deadly disease. All vaccines available in the United States provide either 1 or 3 year protection. Your Vet can discuss vaccination protocols with you.

Rabies vaccination is an easy way to prevent this deadly disease from wreaking havoc with your pets and your family.

Don't Wait! Vaccinate!