Animal Advocates of Moore County: News

WRAL Article of Dog Removal

Dogs need new homes after removal from veteran's care

Posted: Nov. 6, 2008
Updated: Today at 7:51 a.m.

Aberdeen, N.C. — About 50 dogs are looking for new homes after being removed from a military veteran who was unable to care for them.

The animals have not been abused or neglected, but the owner, whose name has not been released, could not care for the animals.

The owner served in the Army and Navy and suffered several war injuries, authorities said. He now walks with a cane. His wife has also suffered health problems.

The couple most recently has encountered financial problems, authorities said.

The man had taken in the abandoned animals over time.

Moore County Animal Control Officers said the dogs were in good physical condition and appeared to have been cared for. They removed the dogs from the property in a rescue effort with Animal Advocates and the Companion Animal Spay/Neuter Clinic.

The dogs are being cared for by Animal Advocates of Moore County, 229A Ridgeline Road in Aberdeen. For more information call 910-944-5098.

Reporter: Christi Lowe

Basic Facts About Feral Cats

Every reputable study to date has shown that claims of cat predation affecting birds and wildlife populations are wholly overstated, and that the true causes of population declines are factors such as habitat destruction caused by human developement, pollution, pesticides, and drought.

Studies written from different continents throughout the world----all showing three very important points:

Cats are opportunistic feeders, eating what is most easily available.

Feral cats are scavengers, and many rely on garbage and handouts from people.

Cats are rodent specialists. Birds make up a small percentage of their diet when they rely solely on hunting for food.

And, cats may prey on a population without destroying it. If this were not so, we would no longer have any mice around.

Breeding Facts

A cat can have as many as 500 mates in one year. So much for being finicky! The fact is two breeding cats with all their offspring can produce 420,000 kittens in just six years!

Feral cats do not experience significantly more or worse medical issues than do house cats. In fact, feral cats may actually be healthier as a population than domestic pet cats. This is because feral kittens develop natural immunity to a variety of illnesses. Spay/Neuter further improves cat health by reducing wandering, mating, and fighting.

It is also not uncommon for feral cats to live ten or more years-a life span comparable to many domestic cats.

And while feral and abandoned cat may face hardships, we don't think death is better than a less-than-perfect life.

Feral Cats Pose A Rabies Threat To Humans!

A vaccinated, sterilized colony of feral cats poses no rabies threat to humans.

Raccoons, skunks, and bats are the most common carriers of rabies.

Fear of rabies far outweighs any real threat from this disease in the U.S. In the last 12-year period, the CDC reports there were only 36 human deaths from rabies, and at least 7 of those cases originated in other countries. And more importantly, none was acquired by a cat!

Compare that to more than 4,100 human cases of West Nile virus, with 277 deaths,in the year 2002 alone.

A PET'S TEN COMMANDMENTS

1. My life is likely to last 10 -15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.

3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

4. Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainments, but I only have you.

5. Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.

7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I have teeth that could easily crush bones in your hand, and yet I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.

9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too will grow old.

10. On the difficult journey, on the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can't bear to watch. Don't make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, Because I love you so.

Take a moment today to thank God for your pets. Enjoy and take care of them. Life would be a much duller, less joyful thing without God's critters.

How to Trap a Feral Cat

The following instructions on how to humanely trap a feral cat and have it neutered was provided by the Feral Cat Coalition of San Diego, California. To trap a feral cat, you'll need a trap. Havahart.com has designed stray-cat trap rescue kits for people wanting to help control the feral cat population. Follow Havahart.com's easy instructions for setting and opening the trap rescue kit.

1. Before you attempt to trap a feral cat, get the cat used to being fed at the same place and time each day. You might try leaving the trap unset and covered with a large towel during the routine feeding so that the animal will get used to smelling and seeing it. Don't feed the cat the day or night before you are going to trap it, so the cat will be hungry. Be sure to notify others not to leave food out then, either.

2. Plan to trap the cat at a time when it will not have to wait in the trap too long before surgery. Trapping the cat the night before the operation is usually the best approach. Cats should not eat 12 hours prior to surgery.

3. Prepare the area where you will be keeping the cat before and after the visit to the clinic. A garage or other sheltered, warm, protected area is best. Lay down newspapers to catch the inevitable stool, urine, and food residue. You may want to use peices of wood to elevate the trap above the newspapers so that the mess will fall through the wires, away from the cat. Spraying the area ahead of time with cat-safe flea spray (such as Adams or Ovitrol) will keep ants away.

4. Prepare the vehicle you will use to transport the cat. Plastic will protect upholstery, but you'll need to put something absorbent over it.

5. Plan your target day carefully. Remember that if you trap an animal and release it for some reason, it is unlikely that you will be able to catch it again; it will learn very quickly to avoid you.

6. If there are young kittens involved, remember that they should not be weaned before 4 to 6 weeks of age. If you are trapping a lactating female, you may want to wait until you have located the kittens and they are old enough to be weaned. If you wish to tame and foster the kittens so they can be adopted, they should be taken from the mother at 4 to 6 weeks of age. If you wait until the kittens are older before trying to tame them, you will find the job more difficult.

7. Plan to set the trap just before or at the cat's normal feeding time. This is often at night. Dusk is usually the best time to set traps.

8. Don't attempt to trap a cat in the rain or the heat of day without providing adequate protection from the elements. Cats are vaunerable in the traps and could drown during storms or suffer heat stroke in the sun. Use common sense!

9. If trapping a cat in a public area, place the trap where it will not be noticed by passersby (who may not understand that you are not trying to harm the cat). Bushes provide good camouflage for the trap, and cats tend to hide among them.

10. Use food with a strong odor to bait the trap. Canned mackerel is very effective and relatively inexpensive. It is best not to put bowls inside the trap to hold food, since the animal can easily hurt itself on it or panic or while recovering from the anesthetic.

11. After setting the trap, cover it with a large towel, and fold the material at the front end of the trap to expose the opening. This will help to camouflage the trap and also calm the cat after it is caught.

12. Once you have trapped the cat, take the trap to a quite area and make sure you have caught the right cat and not someone's pet. If you have captured a lactating female, check the area for kittens, and remember this female must be released 10 to 12 hours after surgery so she can care for and nurse her kittens.

13. After you have finished trapping, you will probably have to hold the cat overnight until you can take it to the vet, unless you have made previous arrangements to bring it to the clinic directly.

14. Place the cat in the protected area that you have prepared. Don't feed it. You can place a small bowl of water in the trap by opening the door just a couple of inches and placing the bowl inside. Use a bowl that won't be tipped over easily; an empty cat-food can works fairly well. Remove the bowl before transporting the cat to the vet.

15. Wash and change clothes before having contact with your own pets as a precaution against spreading any contagious diseases the feral cat might carry.

16. Always get feral kittens checked by a vet, and isolate them from your pets. Some deadly diseases can incubate without symptoms. Consult your veterinarian and use caution.

17. When the cat is ready for release, return to the area in which it was captured and release it there. Do not relocate the animal, or it will be disoriented and most likely will die. It's probable that cats in the new area will drive it away.

18. Make sure the spot you pick for release does not encourage the cat to run into danger (such as a busy street) to get away from you. Keep the trap covered until you are ready to release the cat. When ready, simply hold the trap with the door facing away from you, and open the door. The cat will probably bolt immediately. If it is confused, just tilt the trap so the back os slightly up, and tap on the back of the trap to encourage the cat to leave. Never put your hand inside the trap.

19. After releasing the cat, hose off the trap and disinfect it with bleach. Never store traps in the "set" position (door open); animals may wander into even unbaited traps and starve to death.

Rainbow Bridge

This anonymous essay is commonly shared among bereaved pet owners, and it had brought comfort to many. These wise and well-loved sentiments have been adapted in many other forms.

Just this side of Heaven is a place called the Rainbow Bridge. When an animal who has been especially close to someone here dies, that pet goes to the Rainbow Bridge. Here there are meadows and hills for all our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water, and sunshine so our furry friends are always warm and comfortable.

All the animals who have been ill or old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in dreams of days gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special who had to be left behind. The yall run and play together, but the day comes when one animal will suddenly stop and look into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; his eager body quivers. Suddenly he is flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling to each other in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress that beloved head and you once more look into the trusting eyes of your pet, gone so long from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.

About Feral Cats

Cats roaming outside come in two main types: feral and stray. It is easy to understand why some people mistakingly refer to all independent outdoor cats as stray or feral. So, how can you distinguish between the two?

Stray cats are felines who have been previously owned and now find themselves abandoned or lost. Strays tend to be vocal, sport dirty or disheveled coats, and will immediately gobble down bowls of food offered to them. Some will approach people and accept being petted.

Ferals are felines rarely spotted in the daylight hours. They move silently and sport well-groomed coats because they have adapted to living outside. They are more likely to approach a bowl of food only well after you have left the scene or after you have moved far away from the bowl. They have no desire to be petted or picked up by people. In fact, they survive by hunting and scavenging for food.

At best guess, the United States is home to more than 10 million feral cats. Many live in small groups, called colonies, around businesses and homes of caring people who leave out food for them.

Feral cats fare best outside and living independently of people. However, to reduce the risk of spreading feline disease, animal humane groups (formal and informal) strive to protect these cats through a worldwide campaigne known as TNR (trap, neuter, and return). Feral cats are trapped humanely, given medical exams and vaccinations, and are spayed and neutered. Before they are returned to their colonies, a tip of one ear is notched----usually the left----as a universal sign that this feral cat has already recieved veterinary care.

Rescuer's Creed

The Rescuer's Creed

(requested to be printed by a member)

I promise I will take your unwanted animals.
I will heal their wounds, their diseases, their broken bones.
I will give them the medical attention they need and deserve.
I will nurture their starvation and give them a warm place to sleep.
I will spay and neuter them, vaccinate them against the diseases that can harm them.
I will treat them and honor them.
I will buy them toys, blankets, balls, and teach them to play.
I will speak softly to them.
I will try to teach them not to fear, not to cry, and not to hate.
I will whisper sweet, kind, gentle words into their ears, while gently trying to stroke their fear, their pain, and their scars away.
I will face their emotional scars and give them time to overcome them.
I will socialize them, potty train them, teach them to be obedient, show them dignity, and hold their paws, and stroke their ears if they have endured too much and walk them over the Rainbow Bridge, BUT most of all I will teach them LOVE.
Author Unknown