Celebrating 20 Years. 2000-2020
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November is ASPCA Adopt a Senior Month
If you are thinking about adding a pet to your family, please consider adopting one of our very special senior dogs or cats like Lucy, Jade or Jericho. They are just waiting to meet you and have a lot of love to give! And since November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month, it's the perfect time to add a new furry friend to your pack.
Unfortunately, it is a sad fact that senior dogs and cats are often the last to be adopted from shelters. According to the ASPCA, senior dogs are adopted 35 percent less often than younger dogs and puppies. Older pets may have a few years on their younger counterparts, but they are just as loveable, cute and loyal.
Ten Benefits of Adopting a Senior Pet
- Many senior dogs and cats are already house-trained.
- Since senior pets are fully grown, you'll be immediately aware of important information like personality type and grooming requirements, making it easier to choose the perfect pet for your family.
- A senior pet may even be more suitable to your lifestyle.
- You won't have to deal with constant monitoring and training that puppies and kittens require.
- You won't have to deal with puppy teething.
- Senior cats often know that scratching posts (not furniture) are for scratching and toys are for biting (not your feet or hands) too.
- Years of fun and love are still ahead. Dogs can live 10-15 years, and some even longer. According to the ASPCA, the average life expectancy of an indoor cat is 13 to 17 years, however, cats have been known to live to be 20-years old.
- You can teach an old dog or cat new tricks. Their attention span and impulse control makes them easier to train than puppies and kittens.
- Senior dogs and cats are often content to just relax in your company, unlike younger dogs and cats, who may get into mischief because they're bored.
- Senior pets make great napping buddies.
When senior pets are adopted, they seem to understand that they've been rescued, and are all the more thankful for it. Also, when you adopt a senior pet, you're not only welcoming a lifetime of love into your home, you're also saving a life.
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KONG Recipe - Thanksgiving Feast
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Ingredients: - 1 cup shredded turkey
- 1/2 Cup Canned Pumpkin
- 1/4 Cup Dried Cranberries
- KONG Classic
- 1 Tablespoon KONG Peanut Butter Spread
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Split mixture between KONGs and freeze for greater challenge.
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Please Support Our Mission to Save Lives
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Please donate today to our 2020-2021 Annual Appeal so that we can
continue to deliver on our mission. R ead our Appeal Letter to find out more!
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Come Meet Jade and Jericho!
Jade is a sweet cat mom who was rescued with her two, six-month old kittens. She was a great mom and model pet parent. Her adorable kittens have already been adopted, and now it is her turn to have a fur-ever home.
As we've gotten to know her, we feel that Jade is our little gem! Some legends say that the jade gemstone might bring joy and happiness to your life. Maybe she'll do that for you!
A beautiful, black-and-white tuxedo cat with long, silky fur, Jade's distinctive markings on her nose are very endearing and unique. Did you know that Shakespeare had a tuxedo cat? Jade also has the most lustrous green eyes.
While Jade can be a bit shy at first, she loves to be pet! Our volunteers say that she feels more confident every day and they know she would just blossom in a home of her own. Jade recently celebrated her sixth birthday and is also available for ROAR's Senior for Seniors program, which waives the adoption fee. She is spayed, micro-chipped and up-to-date on vaccinations. To meet Jade, call us to set up an appointment.
***Please remember to keep your cats indoors, especially during this time of year, as predators are active preparing for the harsh weather ahead.***
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Jericho
Jericho is "a happy-go-lucky gentle giant" as described by one ROAR volunteer. He is eight-years old and might be the sweetest, special Bulldog mix you will ever meet. What makes him special? Jericho is deaf. Owning a deaf dog is challenging, but also rewarding. As humans, we are used to dogs responding to verbal commands. Things are different when communicating with a deaf dog. Adjustments and learning new ways to communicate are necessary to live a harmonious life together. There is no reason why any deaf dog cannot live a long and happy life. Jericho already knows many visual signs. With some further effort on your part, consistent hand motions and positive reinforcement, Jericho will understand you just as well as a hearing dog. He loves chasing balls in the yard and going for walks. But please be mindful Jericho must be kept on a leash when he is outside because he will not be able to hear danger, like a car approaching. Jericho is up-to-date on vaccinations, micro-chipped and neutered. Since he is a senior dog, Jericho's adoption fee is waived for a human senior. However, he is a big, strong boy, so no matter the age, he will require an experienced and dog-savvy adopter when he is on leash walking. To make an appointment to meet Jericho, call the ROAR Donofrio Animal Shelter.
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To help rescue more amazing animals like
Jade and Jericho, please help support ROAR!
ROAR is continuing to celebrate our 20th anniversary by continuing our "$20 for 20 in 2020" monthly donation drive. Now in its seventh month, we are asking for contributions of $20 (or more) on the 20th of each remaining month in 2020.
Your generosity allows ROAR to continue on its mission to support and deepen the bond between humans and animals, built upon unconditional love and acceptance. Our mission has never been more important than it is now. To read our annual appeal letter, please click on the following link.
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Pets for Vets® -- ROAR Ridgefield CT Chapter
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Chuck & Charlie
Chuck Gartland is a Vietnam Veteran who served in the United States Marine Corps. For years, he was suffering from PTSD, spinal damage, and eyesight damage. Charlie, a Black Mouth Cur Lab mix, was suffering in the shelter for three years longing for a second chance. Two years ago, Chuck and Charlie rescued each other. Since that time, the two have been inseparable.
Over the last year, however, Chuck has been in and out of the hospital, enduring chemo, losing weight, and losing his strength and energy. Chuck now relies on a scooter and walker to get around. To make matters worse, Charlie was very nervous and afraid to see his best buddy with this new equipment. Because of this, the inseparable pair were unable to go on their regular walks and outings which used to be the highlight of their day. "I couldn't take my dog, Charlie, with me like I used to whenever I went out," explained Chuck. He decided to reach out to Pets for Vets® ROAR CT Chapter to see if there was anything they could do to help.
Pets for Vets® ROAR CT tells every Veteran-pet match that we are with them for the life of their pet and we mean that! When Chuck told Didi Tulloch, Chapter Director of Pets for Vets® ROAR CT, his situation, she immediately called Jamie Ianello-Morrissey, who had identified, trained, and matched Chuck and Charlie back in 2018. Jamie found Charlie at For the Love of Dogs Rescue in Ossining, NY where she is their dog trainer. "When I heard Chuck was not able to go on his outings like he used to with Charlie, I got there as fast as I could," explained Jamie, "I know how much Chuck loves taking Charlie out and he was surely missing spending time with him!" And without hesitation, Jamie swiftly came into Chuck's and Charlie's lives to help desensitize Charlie to Chuck's walker and scooter and stop Charlie from pulling on his leash. After a few sessions, it didn't take long for Charlie to pick up on the training. Before we knew it, the two best friends were back on the road together again and we could not be happier! Pets for Vets® ROAR CT considers Chuck part of our family and we will always be there to help in any way we can.
Jamie is still continuing to work with Chuck and Charlie and will continue to help them wherever she can. "It warms my heart knowing I can help Chuck, a dedicated Veteran who so proudly served our country and is now facing health consequences because of it, get back out there with his loyal boy Charlie," expressed Jamie. "They are the perfect pair and I am so proud to work with Pets for Vets® and help families like the Gartlands and dogs like Charlie."
However, what we cannot prevent or help with is Chuck's diagnosis. Chuck served from 1967-1971. Although four years may seem like a short time, the effects of the war are still felt for many Vietnam Veterans. The long-lasting legacy of the Vietnam War is heavily attributed to exposure to Agent Orange, a poisonous chemical dioxin that was used to defoliate forested lands as a tactic meant to deprive guerrillas of food and concealment and clear areas around base perimeters. It was only after April 1970 that evidence was found linking several diseases and health conditions to Agent Orange exposure. These resulting health conditions include cancers, severe psychological and neurological problems, and birth defects, to name a few. Many Vietnam Veterans are just beginning to feel the harmful effects of this toxic poison and are only now being diagnosed. If you know anyone who served during the Vietnam War, please encourage him/her to see a doctor and to share the information with his/her U.S. senator and congressperson.
Increased awareness is necessary for all of the Veterans who sacrificed themselves and may now be suffering. Our Veterans deserve our full and whole-hearted support!
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Five Foods to Keep Away
From Your Pets
The majority of pet owners consider their dogs or cats to be part of their family. As a result, chances are, you might be tempted to share some "lovin' from the oven" with your dog or cat on Thanksgiving.
However, before you give your pet a treat, it's important to understand what common foods served can be harmful to your pet.
- Onions and garlic: A common ingredient in holiday casseroles, stuffing, mashed potatoes and many other items, onions and garlic can be toxic to pets. They can cause oxidative damage to the red blood cells in cats and dogs, leading to anemia and methemoglobinemia. If your pet ingests a large amount of onions or garlic, it may be necessary to induce regurgitation. Therefore, it's important to be ready to give a dose of activated charcoal and monitor a CBC for five days. If a cat or dog develops hemolytic anemia, IV fluids, antioxidants and, on rare occasions, blood transfusions may be needed by your vet.
- Animal bones: Cooked animal bones tend to splinter, so there is risk for esophageal damage if emesis is induced. Therefore, it is recommended to increase the fiber in the patient's diet and monitor the passage of bones through the gastrointestinal tract. If a foreign body does develop, surgery may be required.
- Bouillon: Many people use bouillon cubes when making stocks, gravy and other items. Bouillon contains a very high amount of sodium and ingestion may lead to hypernatremia. Signs of hypernatremia include gastrointestinal upset, polydipsia, ataxia, tremors and seizures. If untreated, cats and dogs can develop cerebral edema that can be fatal. If a patient is hypernatremic, it's important to reduce the sodium level quickly if the hypernatremia has developed within the last 24 hours. Intravenous fluid therapy, oral water and water enemas are all helpful in bringing down the sodium level. Charcoal is contraindicated in these patients because it can cause the sodium level to rise even more. Electrolytes will need to be monitored closely and treatment should continue until the sodium level is mid-range normal.
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Baked goods: Pumpkin pie with whipped cream and apple pie with ice cream can lead to pancreatitis if ingested by cats and dogs. Treatment is typically symptomatic and supportive with these patients. Baked goods made with xylitol can cause hypoglycemia, possibly resulting in liver failure. If the patient was exposed to xylitol, carefully monitoring blood glucose levels is key. If the pet ingested a hepatotoxic dose of xylitol, be sure to monitor liver values and start dextrose and liver protection. With elevated liver values, there is an increased risk for coagulopathy, so clotting times should also be monitored.
Call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435
for additional assistance anytime, 24/7.
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Thank You to our October Adopters!!!
Thank you to all of our October adopters who opened their hearts and homes and made these lucky pups, dogs, kittens and cats a part of your packs!!!
P.S. - Moose & Mouse were camera shy but happily are in their new homes too!
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Why Do You Do What You Do?
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"For me, a day with the animals, dogs in particular, is a good day, whether it is playing with a young pup who is full of spizz or walking an older dog, my favorite, and experiencing his/her world, or fostering a dog whose life may not have been the best. Showing a dog what having a loving family is like and teaching him/her the skills and manners that will be needed in a new furever home is why I do what I do.
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Save-the-Date!
Do you have or are you expecting a new dog or puppy in your home?
Please join ROAR and Canine Company for a free, one-hour interactive and informative session on "What to Expect When Expecting ... a Dog."
The virtual session via Zoom will take place on:
Wednesday, December 9 at 5:00 p.m.
To sign up, please call ROAR at 203-438-0158 or email Kerry Dobson at [email protected]
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Thank You Colonial Subaru!!!
at its Subaru Loves Pets event last month, helping us find great, forever homes
for many of our dogs and cats, and for the generous contribution of $100 for
every adoption in the month of October.
We reached our goal of 31 adoptions, and then some!
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Thank You to Our Sponsors!!!
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