Our Wish List

Our "Wish List" for the Animals of our Shelter and Community encompasses a variety of items ranging from wellness and regular veterinary care to just tender, loving care and compassion. However, more than just ideals, we have some very practical needs to add to the list. Click to view Immediate Shelter Needs. One of our top needs is more Kuranda Beds! Below are listed just a few with some links to provide more information on how we can all help.

Raise public awareness in all areas of animal welfare

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• Spaying/Neutering
  

  The statistics from The National Council on Pet Population tell a grim story. They estimate that 6-8 million cats and dogs enter shelters around the country each year---about half these numbers are adopted and the rest are euthanized due to illness or injury or just because the resources are lacking to house and care for these animals indefinitely. These are very often animals that might have made wonderful pets and companions. With the average number of animal shelters in the U.S. at 4,000-6,000, it's easy to understand that the current level of pet over-population and the high reproductive rates of cats (a fertile cat can produce 3 litters a year with 4-6 cats per litter) and dogs (about 2 litters per year with 6-10 pups per litter) will require widespread planning among various organizations and the assumption of personal responsibility from individuals in order to solve the problem. Click on the following link to "What you should know about spaying and neutering" for more information on the importance of spaying or neutering your pet and for how you can help bring an end to this problem read "Overpopulation of Dogs and Cats".

• Microchip IDs
  

  Part of the job of being a responsible pet owner is providing your dog or cat with an I.D. tag with your name and a phone number. Keeping this kind of Identification on your pet at all times is one of the best ways to ensure that your lost pet will be returned to you as soon as possible. In recent years, advances in technology have now provided pet owners with an additional level of security, the "microchip", a small implantable device which contains a unique alpha-numeric code for your pet, which is entered into a computer database. When the device is read by an electronic, handheld scanner, this registered code is readily associated with information about the pet, owner's name and address and contact information so that the animal can be reunited with his family. In fact, if a pet becomes separated from his collar and I.D. tags, the microchip could be the only hope for a beloved pet to be safely and quickly returned home. There are two articles, one of which might answer questions if you are considering the microchip: "Microchips: Common Questions" ; and a great story about a rescue made possible by a microchipped pet: "The Tiny but Mighty Microchip Leads Stolen Dog Home".

• Vaccinations for disease prevention and Treatment against Parasites
  

  Vaccines are just one of the miracles of modern medicine, offering protection against many diseases of bacterial and viral origins. While they have beneficial effects in providing some immunity from deadly diseases and in preventing the transmission of these diseases, they are not without risks and there are many factors which can influence decisions on what vaccines need to be administered to animals: age, exposure to other animals, living environment and general health are all important determinants. A licensed veterinarian is the best source for information and can advise the pet owner on the "core" vaccinations needed and the schedule required according to the pet's age and state of wellness. For more information on vaccinations, see these articles: "What You Should Know About Vaccinations For Your Pet"; "Pet Vaccine Requirements and Protocols"; "Pet Vaccines".

  Another step in keeping pets healthy and free of disease is prevention of parasite infection: fleas, ticks, mites and heartworms are some of the most common. Fleas and ticks can transmit other diseases to pets or can induce an allergic reaction. Mites can cause tremendous discomfort (intense itching) for the pet and can result in hair loss, scaly and crusting skin, or rashes. Heartworms can cause serious illness to pets and may prove fatal---treatments are very costly and may be prolonged. For more information on parasite prevention and treatment: "Fleas and Ticks"; "Dirofilaria immitis (Heartworm)"; "What you should know about external parasites"; "What you should know about internal parasites in cats and dogs".

• Heartworm preventative
  

  

  Heartworm is transmitted to animals through a bite from a mosquito containing the infected larval form of the heartworm. When an animal is infected, the heartworm larva can grow and develop into worms. These worms live inside blood vessels within and surrounding the heart and lungs. The adult worms mate inside the blood vessels, and their offspring-which are called microfilaria-circulate in the bloodstream. These microfilaria can be picked up by another biting mosquito, and then passed to another animal.

  The disease can be easily prevented, but it does require a visit to a veterinarian. By federal law, heartworm preventative medicine is only available through a prescription. Pet caretakers should consult with a vet to discuss their pet's individual needs.

  If the disease goes untreated, the results can be fatal.
  
   

  In dogs, the adult worms live in the cardiovascular system and cause a great deal of physical damage. Severely affected dogs develop heart failure because the physical presence of a large number of these worms can actually obstruct blood flow through the heart. Untreated heartworm disease causes serious cardiovascular complications which can be fatal.

  Our wish is for pet owners to put their animals on heartworm preventative to avoid unnecessary pain, suffering and even death in animals.

• Routine medical and dental care
  

  Pets need routine health check-ups with a licensed veterinarian to help spot any medical problems before they become serious and require costly treatment. Twice-yearly exams coupled with good preventive home care will go a long way toward insuring that your pet and family share long, happy lives together. Sometimes, pets are born with medical conditions or develop them later in life or with age and need regular visits to the vet for treatments or medication.

  Regular home dental care is as important for your pet as it is for you. Check out the following link to important facts about your pet's dental care: "Dental Health Facts".

• Proper exercise and nutrition
  

  A good exercise routine is a component of wellness and can help your pet control their weight as well as provide an opportunity for quality time with your pet. Twenty minutes to as much as 2 hours (depending upon the breed and age) a day of leash-walking, swimming, or just playing fetch are good activities as well as "agility training".

  Nutritious diets will help your pet maintain good health and give him energy and a strong immune system. A good, balanced diet should contain proteins (meat sources such as chicken or beef meal), whole grains, some amount of animal-based fat (or if on a low-fat diet supplements such as Omega 3 and 6 oils), vitamins, minerals, and some fruits and vegetables. Probably the most important part of their diet is "good taste" since if they won't eat it, good nutrition won't matter much. Dogs need carbohydrates for energy---ground brown rice or oats are good sources. Healthy, low-calorie snacks can consist of a few pieces of fresh apple, raw carrots, or cooked green beans (all relatively low in fat). For special need pets, it's always a good idea to consult your veterinarian for suggested foods and treats or prescription diets. Watch this video for more information on pet foods and exercise: "Pet Tips With Annie Wolf [Part 4] - Exercise And Nutrition".

• Training
  

  Socialization and training create happier pets and pet owners and improve pet safety and health. Some of the areas to consider for training a pet are:

  • Walking on a leash
  • Biting and mouthing
  • Housebreaking
  • Crate training
  • Bark control
  • Destructive Chewing
  • Whining and begging
  • Jumping on people or furniture
  • Curbing submissive and excitement urination
  • Other types of obedience training, e.g. coming when called

  Visit http://www.perfectpaws.com/help.html for advice on training cats and dogs in these areas and more.

• Humane treatment
  

  No "Wish List" would be complete without touching on the subject of humane treatment of animals. Treating our earth and all its inhabitants with respect is a deep, wide subject but an extremely important one. When you stop and think about it, our "humanity" or compassion defines our society and influences our quality of life. Since our pets add so much "quality" to our lives, could we consider less than humane treatment for them? It begins with public education and awareness and passing that along from generation to generation. Some areas for action in our communities are:

   

  • Reporting dog fighting operations and supporting legislation to stop it
  • Discouraging animal hoarding (excessive numbers of pets in one household), "puppy mills" and sale of pets in stores and on street corners
  • Refraining from "tethering" , i.e. chaining them to trees or other stationary objects, which causes territoriality and aggressive behavior and could even result in the dog accidentally choking itself to death
  • Reporting abuse and neglect of animals to authorities
  • Ending greyhound racing

   

  A website to visit for articles and videos related to humane treatment and stopping inhumane treatment of animals is the Humane Society of the United States: http://www.hsus.org/acf/cruelty/publiced/frequently_asked_questions_animal_cruelty.html and the website of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: http://www.aspca.org/

• Prepare for Disaster
  

  Overview
  Those who survived Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 will not soon forget the images of what would become largest animal rescue in our history. The human death toll from these hurricanes was a sad testimony to the lack of planning and preparation for a disaster of this magnitude. Sadder still, however, was the plight of many companion pets, which, because their owners could not evacuate them, were left to fend for themselves for days and even weeks---many were rescued but for others, the help came too late. There were many heartbreaking stories and stories about the courage and perseverance of many animals who struggled to survive---some won the fight, some did not: "After the Flood: Animals Find Ways to Survive in the Big Easy While Awaiting Rescue".
  
  Our nation learned many lessons from these disasters and one of the positive things that resulted can be summed up in one word: "AWARENESS". Governments, from local to national, realized that taking care of our pets in such a disaster played an important part in taking care of HUMAN life---many pet owners refused to evacuate prior to the hurricane and flooding in the coastal area because they were not allowed to evacuate with their pets. Some people waited until disaster was imminent before evacuating and left their pets behind, believing that they would be able to return quickly after the storm passed through and reunite with their beloved pets---as you know, many people were prevented from returning to the flooded areas and were unable to save their animals from starvation or drowning.
  
  Many organizations locally and nationally have sought to prevent this kind of devastation from ever occurring again by establishing Cooperativity between organizations such as The Red Cross and the Department of Homeland Security as well as several animal protection organizations such as the ASPCA and HSUS. Through PLANNING and preparation before any disaster strikes, many lives can be saved.
  
  There are many sources of information for this kind of disaster or emergency preparation. Just a few links listed below can get you started in your awareness and planning.

  • http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/disaster-preparedness/
  • http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/prepare/pet_plan.shtml
  • http://www.hsus.org/hsus_field/hsus_disaster_center/
  • http://www.fema.gov/individual/animals.shtm

   

  The best thing you can do to protect your pets is to take them with you when you evacuate.
  
  Before disaster strikes, consider these suggestions to protect your family, including your pets.

  Make a Plan
  More Info
  
  Map your routes for evacuation, research accommodations that are "pet friendly" (http://www.petswelcome.com/) and make arrangements in advance. If your plan is to "shelter in place" and stay in your home, consider how you will safely do that and what provisions you will need to stay in your home for at least seven days, perhaps without electricity, fuel, and the ability to obtain supplies. Remember, the best plan for your family and pet is the plan to INCLUDE your pet in the evacuation/shelter and know that it will be safe.

  Build a Kit
  More Info

  Include items for your family and your pets in your disaster kit. Your disaster kit should include portable carriers/crates for your pets (should be large enough for your pet to stand and turn around comfortably), collars, leashes, i.d. tags, immunization and medical records, food, water, dishes for food and water, medications, toys, recent photos of your pets (this helps locate lost pets and prove ownership), newspapers or other absorbent materials for your crates/carriers, towels and blankets. Consider also putting together or purchasing a "pet first aid" kit, also useful for humans! (http://www.petfinder.com/disaster/firstaid.html)
  
  If ever there was an opportunity for you to consider "microchipping" your pet, planning for an emergency or disaster is your best opportunity. For more information, see: "Microchipping Your Pets".

  Consider designating an alternate caregiver
  When a disaster strikes, things may happen to you that you did not include in your planning---you may become injured and unable to evacuate or provide care for your family or pet. Consider your options: your vet, a local kennel, or a neighbor or friend who can assist with your situation. Discuss your thoughts ahead of time with your proposed caregiver---get their phone number and make sure that they have keys to your house and access to your pet AND make sure that they have met your pet and will agree to both short term and, if needed, longer term care for them. Here is a link to information on "Pet Living Wills: Peace of Mind for PetLovers".

  The good news is that not long ago, Hurricane Katrina led to the Pet Evacuation & Transportation Standards Act passage in the United States. Even so, we have a tendency to procrastinate and often fail to take action and plan in such a way as to prevent our circumstances being worsened by our lack of planning and preparation.

  Be a responsible pet owner and start planning now!!

Increase the numbers of pet adoptions, shelter volunteers, and foster families

We desperately need to encourage members of our communities to obtain pets through Shelters and Rescue organizations and we need to join hands to support our local shelters and rescues with our time, talents, our money, and our homes (foster families). Visit or phone your local shelter (MCAS) and rescue organizations for a list of their immediate and on-going needs and support organizations that promote responsible pet ownership and provide care and assistance to pets and their owners.

Support Our Non Profit Partners by Giving Money, Time and Hope

The Woodlands Dog Park Club - The Woodlands Dog Park Club has donated more that $200,000 to area rescues, shelters and rescue initiatives since its inception in 2004. The Club's mission is to support local rescue and foster healthy bonds between pets and owners through education and dog-friendly socialization, thus encouraging pet retention and thereby lowering the numbers of companion animals that end up abandoned or surrendered to shelters. TWDPC continues to strive to reduce the number of animals euthanized as a result of pet overpopulation, neglect and owner surrenders. Contact Laura McConnel for more information (281) 851-8844.

Montgomery County Texas Animal Shelter (FMCTAS) is a Texas 501(c)3 Non-Profit organization dedicated to saving animals and providing medical assistance, spay, and neutering to the animals at the shelter. Since the non-profit creation in may 2007, FMCTAS has exclusively supported the shelter by raising funds to treat sick and injured animals who would otherwise be put down. Contact Sandra Hanson for more information (954) 336-3222.