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Keep Your Pets
Safe and Secure This July
According to the National Council of Pet Population Study & Policy and the National Humane Society, more than 10 million pets are lost each year. Also,
July 4th is the day when more dogs and cats get lost than any other day of the year. As a result, July 5th is the busiest day of the year for animal shelters nationwide. Overall, there is a 30 percent increase in the number of lost pets between July 4th and 6th.
The reason? Pets can panic when they hear fireworks just like thunderstorms or become frightened by large gatherings.
This is why July is the perfect time for National Lost Pet Prevention Month. Created by PeHub, Inc. in 2014, the pet holiday was developed with the hope of helping owners reunite with their pets, or keeping them from losing them at all.
Three Tips for Preventing Your Pet from Getting Lost
1) Make Sure Your Pet Wears a Proper ID or is Microchipped
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July 1st is ID Your Pet Day. If you don't already have an appropriate ID for your dog or cat, get one and make sure they wear it on a secure collar, or microchip your pet. This will dramatically increase the chances of your pet being identified and safely returned to you if they wind up at a shelter or veterinary clinic.
2) Keep Them Inside on Holidays - On holidays where your dog or cat can easily get spooked from things like fireworks, keep him or her in a safe place inside your home. Loud, unfamiliar noises can be very scary and stressful, which may result in your pet wanting to escape to get as far away from them as possible. Set up a nice room or crate area for your pet with a favorite blanket, toys, and maybe even a sound machine to help him or her relax.
3) Secure the Areas Your Pet Spends its Time - Many pets attempt to escape from their homes or a car. Make sure yards are surrounded by high fences and any gaps they might escape from are closed off. Car windows should be secured to prevent pets from escaping out windows. Homes should also follow the same rules as a yard with major exits closed when not in use.
If you have lost your pet, make sure to give your local animal rescue organizations or shelters a call or visit them to see if they ended up there. They deal with lost and stray pets all the time as part of the great work they do.
For more information on how you can keep your pet safely at home and what to do if your pet is lost, visit PetHub's website.
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Come Meet Sweet Scarlett & Kellan:
They Can't Wait to Meet You!
SCARLETT
Miss
Scarlett
is a beautiful, long-haired, black-and-white/tuxedo cat who came to ROAR from Northern California thanks to an amazing volunteer who rescued her. This super sweet, calm girl is four-years old and can't wait to meet you.
Scarlett was found crying under a porch in the northern woods of California on Thanksgiving Eve. She was tiny, matted and very hungry. Her rescuer assumed she was a kitten, but discovered that she was two-years old and only weighed about two pounds during a vet wellness exam. She was so malnourished that she was unable to digest food. After a few, long months of antibiotics, slow feeding, food experimentation and baby onesies, Scarlett recovered beautifully.
For three years, Scarlett was well cared for at a farm. However, the owners lost their property and couldn't take her with them. No one wanted her to end up in the depressed shelter system there so a volunteer flew her to New York and back into her care. According to the volunteer, Scarlett is a sweet, playful, well-adjusted and affectionate cat. She is also a healthy eight pounds now and likes the company of both cats and people.
Scarlett is a little bit nervous in ROAR's Cat Room, which is understandable after everything she's been through. However, it doesn't stop her from soaking up any love that's given to her.
She is spayed, micro-chipped and up-to-date on her vaccinations. She is also FELV/FIV negative.
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KELLAN
Kellan is still available!
Come in and meet this sweet, handsome, three-year old boy! Kellan is a Hound mix who wants more than anything to be a friend. He knows that good friends are loyal and stick together no matter what. Kellan is extremely smart and very active. If you are in need of a hiking buddy, he is your boy! He is also a snuggler.
Kellen was privileged to recently participate with ROAR in a national program studying fostering effectiveness. He was a popular pup to go on numerous "Fido Field Trips." According to one of our volunteers who took Kellan on a few field and sleepover trips:
"He's very intelligent and wants to please you if he understands what you want. For example, he knows: sit here; lay on your bed, not my bed; stay here, etc. He was great in the house. He is housebroken and much calmer than when he's at the shelter. He has two spots he likes: on top of my ottoman looking out the front window; and on the couch facing the basement door that we use to go in and out of. He doesn't react to other dogs walking by outside when he's inside and he doesn't have a strong reaction to most dogs we walk past. He also likes to play fetch and tug with his toys in the house."
This lovely boy would do best in a home with no cats.
Kellan is up-to-date on vaccinations, neutered and micro-chipped.
At ROAR, everyone receives what they need to live happy,
healthy lives
until the home they are waiting for is found.
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Congratulations Graduates!!!
Congratulations to these fabulous dogs and owners who just graduated from our latest ROAR Therapy Dog Program and will now be ambassadors of ROAR assisting our community!!!
ROAR will also hold another ROAR Therapy Dog Program training session with classes this Fall, which will also take place again in ROAR's Blue Buffalo Community Room at the shelter.
If you are interested in learning about the program and scheduling a screening session, please contact Kerry Dobson at [email protected].
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Paying it Forward One Paw at a Time
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Megan with Elsa before their first family trip together to Block Island
(two months after Elsa was adopted)
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ROAR Happy Tails -- Elsa
E
lsa came to ROAR as a rescue dog from Mississippi with her 13 puppies. A Lab mix, she was a homeless new Mom who was found with her pups under a shed. The family who owned the property where she was found contacted The Homeward Bound Project of Mississippi who worked with ROAR to have Elsa and her pups transported to Connecticut.
When Elsa arrived at ROAR, she was very sick. Tests revealed that she had heartworm, a very serious and potentially life-threatening disease. Elsa had also been shot with a BB gun and a pellet was still lodged in her shoulder blade. Despite everything that Elsa had been through, she was a very happy and loving dog with people, her puppies and other dogs.
Megan, a volunteer with ROAR for more than five years, had two young children and a senior Black Lab Lucy at home. She wasn't sure she was ready for another dog until she met Elsa during one of her dog shifts at the shelter. According to Megan, "I looked into Elsa's eyes and we had an instant connection. I knew that she was the one! I had met so many amazing dogs during my time at the shelter but the day I met Elsa, I knew I couldn't live without her."
ROAR worked with Megan to help introduce Lucy and Elsa to see how they interacted with each other. There were a lot of wagging tails and they were instant friends. Elsa was also great with Megan's kids.
Before joining Megan and her family, Elsa spent a few months with another wonderful volunteer at ROAR while she underwent heartworm treatment and needed a quiet place to rest. She also had the BB pellet removed from her shoulder. As soon as her medical team was confident that she was healthy enough to go to her new home, Megan and her family jumped at the chance to welcome her into their family.
"I don't know who rescued who," said Megan. "The second Elsa walked in our door, it seemed like she had been a part of our family forever. She's been by my side through good times and difficult times. She is so sweet, and makes my heart happy."
Unfortunately, Elsa had to go through a second treatment for heartworm after she went home. However, today, she is happy, healthy and heartworm-free.
Elsa goes everywhere with Megan and is well-known in Ridgefield due to her very friendly and sweet disposition. "She is a real people pleaser," said Megan.
When an opportunity arose to participate in ROAR's Pet Therapy Training Program this spring, Megan knew it would be a great way for her and Elsa to help ROAR give back to the community.
ROAR's program enables dogs and their owners/handlers to put smiles on the faces of seniors in elder care facilities, help young readers with one-on-one reading programs, and visit area schools to help children with special needs.
After setting up a screening session with ROAR, Megan and Elsa participated in the training program with seven other teams. Classes were held for one hour for five weeks at ROAR's shelter in its Blue Buffalo Community Room. Elsa passed with flying colors.
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Megan with her kids and Elsa
on the day of her adoption. |
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Looking ahead, Megan and Elsa can't wait to "paw it forward" through ROAR's Pet Therapy Program and help educate people on the rewards of adopting a pet.
Elsa is a true example of the unconditional love and joy a rescue animal can give. "She is such a happy dog and a huge part of my family. We share an incredible bond and I am forever grateful to ROAR for bringing her into my life," said Megan.
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Why Do You Do What You Do for ROAR?
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"Dogs have always been such an important part of my life, giving unconditional love and support. I am dedicated to 'give back' to animals in need, helping to find their fur- ever family to love."
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- Susan R., Board Member and Volunteer
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July 20
- Ballard Park, Ridgefield, CT
(10:00-2:00 p.m.; and 4:00-7:30 p.m.)
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Help Support ROAR in August at
Stop & Shop In Ridgefield
with Reusable Bags
ROAR will be the recipient of a donation made by Stop & Shop in Ridgefield, CT when shoppers purchase a "Give Back" Community Bag during the month of August.
For every reusable, shopping bag purchased at the store in Ridgefield, $1 will go to ROAR.
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ROAR Wishes to Express Our Heartfelt Gratitude to:
FitGuana
in Ridgefield, CT for supporting ROAR by raising funds
through its recent Fitness Challenge Fundraiser and
becoming a new Friends of ROAR donation box site.
Fit Club and Village Cleaners & Tailors
in Ridgefield, CT
for becoming new Friends of ROAR donation box sites.
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Thank You to Our Annual Sponsors!
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