The Shelter Pet Project

Today The Humane Society of the United States is launching is largest-ever ad campaign, The Shelter Pet Project, to promote shelter adoption in the U.S. With two commercials, one airing tonight on Animal Planet, focusing on the positive aspects of shelter adoption, the hope is to end the common misconception that there is something wrong with or undesirable about pets who come from a shelter.The fact is, shelter animals make wonderful pets. They are loyal, well socialized, loving, and oftentimes less expensive and less work than animals from pet stores and breeders. They are all spayed or neutered, updated on vaccines, treated for health and behavioral issues, socialized with other animals in the shelter, and nowadays many are even micro chipped - all before setting one paw on the adoption floor. That is A LOT of money saved in vet bills and a lot of time and effort saved by new owners!

Many people seem to think that if an animal is at a shelter it's because it has a behavioral problem, is not housebroken, or has expensive health issues. That could not be further from the truth. Most animals who end up at shelters are not there through any fault of their own. Things like divorce, financial hardship, allergies or a move can land the most devoted and well-behaved pets in a shelter.Another myth about shelter animals is that you cannot find a purebred at a shelter. Actually, one in four dogs living in shelters are purebred. There are also tons of animal rescue groups who focus on finding homes for specific breeds of dogs and cats. However, it's my personal belief and a common belief held among animal workers that mixed breeds have all the advantages of purebred animals and fewer of the problems associated with various pure breeds. It's more important to choose the individual dog or cat than to choose based on a particular breed; there is no guarantee that the animal you end up with when choosing on breed alone will have the qualities you admire about their pedigree.

I think The Shelter Project is a great way to spread the word about the positive aspects of adopting from shelters. There are so many benefits and much fewer risks. If just 20% of people who welcome new pets into their homes each year adopt from shelters, it would save over 3 million healthy dogs and cats from euthanasia.

Please help spread the word about adopting homeless pets from shelters. Through The Shelter Project you can send an Adopt-A-Gram to friends and family urging them to adopt their next furry friend from a shelter. You can go here, then click Adopt-A-Gram at the bottom of the page to send yours today!

Mah Baybees

Sappho

Rawr.

ArloWhaddaya mean this isn't my bed??

Ella

Dis where I hide mah Twinkies.


Sappho

I can has some privacy here, Dad? Sheesh!

FIV+ Cats

Plenty of cats living in shelters throughout America were brought in as strays. Which usually means that they are not fixed and not vaccinated. Many of these cats test positive for FIV, or feline immunodeficiency virus. If that sounds familiar it may be because this retrovirus has a similar name to the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, which is the cause of AIDS in humans.

Now, there's good news and bad news for cats living with FIV.

The bad news is that it slowly kills off their immune systems, leaving them susceptible to all manner if illnesses that could cause death. They are also some of the most difficult cats to find homes for, as many people do not understand FIV or are unwilling to take on the responsibility of having a cat with the virus.

The good news is that cats living with FIV are often healthy, happy animals. FIV is passed only between cats (which means you cannot catch FIV or HIV from your cat, neither can you give the viruses to a feline). It is actually quite a difficult virus to transfer. FIV can be passed through blood transfusions, severe oral infections, or deep puncture wounds (most often betwen outdoor unneutered male cats, who are more prone to fighting). So things like playing, cleaning, and eating & drinking from the same dishes cannot transfer FIV from one cat to another. Also good news: cats can live years and years without complications from FIV. Yes, it is important that you have a vet who is up-to-date about current FIV practices. It is also important that you keep FIV+ cats indoors, both to keep them from spreading the virus and to protect their weakened immune systems. Lastly, FIV+ cats should be kept updated on vaccinations and fed a good quality diet.

My point is that there are SO MANY wonderful kitties waiting in shelters for the home that will never find them. And there's just no reason why they shouldn't be welcomed into the lives of people looking for a new cat, especially if the people don't already have a cat. When kept indoors and monitored closely, FIV+ cats are like any other feline companion: fun, loving, and full of personality.

And now, because I think this is a great little fact sheet from Best Friends:

FIV Facts

1. The Feline Immuno-deficiency Virus is a slow virus that affects a cat's immune system over a period of years.

2. FIV is a cat-only disease and cannot be spread to humans or other non-felines.

3. FIV cats most often live long, healthy, and relatively normal lives with no symptoms at all.

4. FIV is not easily passed between cats. It cannot be spread casually - like in litter boxes, water and food bowls, or when snuggling and playing. It is rarely spread from a mother to her kittens.

5. The virus can be spread through blood transfusions, badly infected gums, or serious, penetrating bite wounds. (Bite wounds of this kind are extremely rare, except in free-roaming, unneutered tomcats.)

6. A neutered cat, in a home, is extremely unlikely to infect other cats, if properly introduced.

7. Many vets are not educated about FIV since the virus was only discovered 15 years ago.

8. FIV-positive cats should be kept as healthy as possible. Keep them indoors and free from stress, feed them a high-quality diet, keep and treat any secondary problems as soon as they arise.