It’s no secret that many communities, including our own, are currently approaching the brink of catastrophe regarding the exponential growth in local feral cat populations. Each and every day the Humane Society of South Central Michigan, and other similar organizations, field dozens of calls from concerned citizens struggling to address the burgeoning feral cat population in their community. While non-profit and municipal organizations alike are constantly working to address this issue through extensive community education and adoption programs, unfortunately resources are too scarce and many citizens are left feeling helpless against the surge of feral cats wandering the community.

There is good news though. From the depths of this struggle an opportunity has risen. This crisis has provided us with the chance to put our collective compassion to work in order to address this very real, and very desperate, situation. The Humane Society of South Central Michigan is offering a Feral Cat Spay/Neuter program which affords concerned citizens the opportunity to take the reins and make a real difference their community by trapping, fixing and re-releasing local feral and barn cats at an extremely discounted rate.

According to a University of California-School of Veterinary Medicine study a single unaltered feral couple can produce up to 781,250 kittens in a seven year span. In response to these numbers and the current crisis we face, the Humane Society of South Central Michigan is willing to provide you with the tools and resources necessary to ensure that our community isn’t overrun with the famished, sick and often hostile offspring of these unaltered animals. The process simple, just follow these three easy steps in order to begin making a difference in the lives of these animals and your community today:

1. Rent a humane-trap from HSSCM for just a $50 deposit and $10 for the first seven days
2. Call or visit HSSCM for more information on scheduling a surgery date for the feral cats in your area. We’re happy to offer this program at an extremely discounted rate of only $40 for female cats and $20 for males.
3. After you’ve scheduled your surgery, captured the cat(s) and the sterilization is complete, simply re-release the feral cat back into the wild to live out the rest of its life in peace.

These three simple steps are all it takes to make a tangible difference in your community as well as protect future generations of cats from the pain and suffering associated with living under these dreadful circumstances. Please call the Humane Society of South Central Michigan today at (269)963-1796 to receive more information on getting started.

We’ve all seen it on the news. We’ve all seen it in the paper. We’ve even seen it on some of our favorite television shows. But do you know it when you see it in your neighborhood?

Dog fighting isn’t exclusive to big cities with ‘big crime’ problems. Dog fighting is everywhere, and the best tool we have to combat this atrocity in our community is a knowledgeable and attentive citizenry. And the best part about doing your part to prevent dog fighting in your community? You can have a big impact with just a little bit of knowledge.

The next time you’re out-and-about in the community, be on the lookout for the following signals common in dog fighting culture: 

• A curious amount of pit bulls, rottweilers or other such dogs in a particular area
• Locations where dogs are chained or tethered for several hours at a time
• Inordinate groups of unsocialized dogs or pups in one location
• Locations where people are coming and going with dogs at strange hours
• Physical signs of dog fighting, such as scars on a dog’s face, front legs, backside or even torn ears or broken tails on a dog
• Training equipment used in dog fighting, such as canine treadmills, break-sticks (long sticks used to break fighting dogs apart), automobile tires (often misconstrued as ‘toys’, but in reality used to strengthen the canine’s bite), spring-poles (springs chained to trees or other elevated items used to inhibit bite and pull-strength) or any other peculiar items being used as ‘toys’, particularly those being hung from elevated places
• A suspicious number of transport kennels on a property
• Trophies, calendars or other tools used to organize fights or recognize winners
• Suspicious individuals filming their dog(s) ‘playing’ or documenting their dog(s) personal features
• Any household featuring pro-dog-fighting publications such as; The Sporting Dog Journal, Your Friend and Mine, American Game Dog Times, The Scratch Line, Face Your Dogs, The Pit Bull Chronicle, The Pit Bull Reporter, The American Warrior

If you, or someone you know, have become aware of a potential dog-fighting operation avoid all contact with these individuals as they may be dangerous and call your County’s non-emergency hotline right away. In addition to calling the authorities, the Humane Society of South Central Michigan (269-963-1796) and the Humane Society of the United State’s tip-line (1-877-TIP-HSUS) are great sources of information linking you to other resources. Rewards for tips which lead to the successful identification of dog-fighting operations may also be available through the Humane Society of the United States.

The summer months in Michigan can be scorching, but don’t let the heat keep you and your furry family members from having fun by following just a few of these AKC approved Summer Safety Tips:

-Make sure your dog always has access to water and shade during summer days. Dog houses don’t count, as they tend to trap heat and make your pet more uncomfortable.

-It’s a good idea to fill a child-sized pool with fresh (renewed daily in order to prevent flea larva and algae growth) water for your dog to cool off in during hot summer days while the family is outside.

-Never (ever!) leave your pet in a vehicle during warm weather. The temperature in a car can quickly rise to unbearable levels and in addition to this important health concern it’s often illegal to leave a pet unattended under these conditions.

-Always limit outdoor playtime with your pet to make sure they aren’t getting over-heated or stressed, as many dogs aren’t eager to stop playing in order to cool off.

-Don’t let you shorthair or lightly colored dog stay out in the sun for too long, as they may receive an uncomfortable case of sunburn.

-Fleas, ticks and mosquitoes often carry heartworm disease which could be potentially dangerous or fatal to your pet and are more prevalent during the summer months. Be sure to visit your veterinarian to receive appropriate preventatives.

-Avoid prolonged exposure to hot sand and asphalt which may burn your dog’s paws.

-Brachycephalic (short-faced) dogs such as bulldogs, boxers and pekingese breeds have an especially difficult time in the heat due to their inability to pant efficiently. Be sure short-faced breeds stay in a very cool environment during hot summer days.

These are just a few tips to keep your furry family members comfortable this summer. The best rule of thumb is to use extreme caution whenever your pets are outside during hot summer days. Be sure to call us at (269)963-1796 or check out http://www.akc.org/public_education/summer_safety.cfm for more great tips and information.

Stories of animal malnourishment and abuse are common it today’s society. While most people reading this blog or visiting our shelter understand the importance of proper pet care, there’s a growing population among us that have never had the opportunity to learn about the pet care techniques that lead to successful and lasting companionship. In order to address the issue of proper companion animal education in our community, HSSCM is ratcheting up our efforts to spread information about proper pet care to the most receptive minds in our community.

Each week HSSCM representatives visit local schools and daycares to teach kindergarten aged children the basics of pet care, from healthy food and water to proper shelter and licensing. The goal of our visits is to leave the children with a lasting impression of what it takes to care for their pets as well as give them the insight necessary to recognize improper care in their home and neighborhood. In addition to educating young minds, our visits also provide a unique opportunity to build strong bonds with our community, a bond we will continue to nurture and appreciate in the coming years.

We have received nothing but enthusiastic support from the educators we have visited and it’s important to remember that without their support, our mission of education would be all but impossible. If you or someone you know are interested in bringing the HSSCM early childhood education program into your child’s classroom or daycare, please call our Program Coordinator at (269)963-1796 x 11.

Every year the Humane Society of South Central Michigan receives hundreds of calls from worried pet owners who have lost their four-legged family members. As spring rolls in and the weather gets better, the volume of these calls greatly increases and the HSSCM staff members work diligently to track lost pets and reunite them with their families. While we certainly hope for successful reunions, it’s often the case that once a pet has wandered too far away from home, they cannot find their way back.

The good news is there’s a sure-fire way to reconnect you and your pets if they happen to wander–microchips. Upon receiving a stray animal nearly every animal shelter or veterinarian will first check for a microchip. By waiving an electronic wand over the skin of the animal the animal’s rescuer can instantly tell if a tiny microchip is present within the animal and if so, obtain the owners contact info instantly, reuniting the lost animal with its family.

While microchipping utilizes 21^st century technology to reunite families, there is a common misconception that microchipping a pet is a difficult and expensive process. The Humane Society of South Central Michigan offers resQ microchips for only $25. The best part about the microchipping service we offer is that it only takes a few minutes, your pet feels no more pain than a pinprick and it tracking capabilities last forever. From the moment you leave our facility you’ll have the peace of mind that you’ve done everything to protect your four-legged family member in the event they become lost.

You don’t need an appointment to microchip your pet at the Humane Society of South Central Michigan, just visit us at 2500 Watkins Rd. Tuesday-Friday from 12-6, Saturday 11-4 or call us at 963-1796

HSSCM is pleased to welcome our newest dog behaviorist, Tim Little! Tim will be teaching the Dog Obedience and Dog Tricks classes throughout the year. The next session of Dog Obedience classes starts up on Saturday, February 5, 2011 from 11:00am-noon at the agency’s Binda Education and Training Center. You can register and pay for the class through our website or by calling 269.963.1796.

Dog Obedience and Dog Tricks classes are taught by certified behaviorist Tim Little. Tim is a certified dog trainer and groomer who was born in Marshall, MI but raised in a military family. His family always had dogs growing up by his real passion for dogs came in his adult life. Tim started the same as most pet owners, raising and training his dogs to sit, toilet outside, and not chew up the house. Everything changed seven years ago when he and his wife rescued an Airedale Terrier. They had never experienced a dog with severe behavioral problems that culminated into aggression. Tim began to look for help from trainers, but found they were leading him to solutions such as choke chains and forcing dogs into submissive positions. These proposed solutions did not help at all and he ultimately had to surrender the dog. Having had his heart broken and feeling frustrated and angry, Tim starting reading and studying dog training and behavior on a serious level and his suspicions were correct. This was not the way to treat the problems this dog had! Tim’s passion for wanting to help dogs like this and owners who may have similar problems lead him to Animal Behavior College. This was a good fit as they focus on positive reinforcement training and behavior modification. The program took about a year and half to complete including an excellent externship training experience at The Dog Zone in Battle Creek, MI and a volunteer program at the Humane Society of South Central Michigan. Tim graduated from the course in May of 2009. He continues to educate himself through books, videos, other professional dog trainers, and experiences with dogs and their owners. Tim owns a grooming and training facility in Albion, MI and hopes to continue to enrich the relationship between pets and their people.