Monday, August 31, 2009

Break it down!


We get weekly emails from the Customer Care Manager, Allison, that let us know how many cats and dogs were adopted over the week. I have to say, this week was a great one--53 adoptions--, but even more impressive to me than the number of pets, is that a poor cat that has been here since June has found his forever home! That's almost three months of waiting. But he was patient!!
I am so glad that we had room for him and could take care of him someone fell in love and took him home. Aren't you?


Monday, August 17, 2009

Ready for my Close-Up!

Your pet can be a "Pin-Up" Star in the Peninsula SPCA's 2010 Calendar!

The Peninsula SPCA's first online pet photo contest is one week away! You will be able to submit your pet's best picture online and have your friends and family vote for your pet.

Start taking those fun summer pet pictures now, because the contest will go live on Wednesday, August 19th, 2009 at 10:00 a.m.

The top five cat pictures and the top five dog pictures (as determined by the amount of votes received) will be featured in the 2010 calendar. The spokespets for Paws for a Cause and Furball will be featured in the months of February and May. The top three pictures will win special prizes, including tickets to Furball 2010.

To submit your pet's photo, a minimum $10 donation is required for a single photo to enter the contest. To vote for your favorite pet will require a minimum $5 donation (one vote for every $1 donated). All tax-deductable donations will benefit the homeless animals of the Peninsula SPCA!

Please share with your friends and family!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

"Bad" dog gone good!


Some dog breeds have a bad reputation. Forbidden by apartment communities and villainized in movies, the big three outlawed as aggressive breeds are Pit bulls, Rotweilers, and German Shepherds. While breeds certainly have characteristics-herders herd, fetchers fetch, there are no "mean" or "bad" dog breeds. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states in its Dog Bite: Fact Sheet, "there is currently no accurate way to identify the number of dogs of a particular breed, and consequently no measure to determine which breeds are more likely to bite..," it goes on to say that OWNERS should be responsible for their dog's actions. Dog lovers know that aggressive behavior is taught or can also be a result of abuse, and need to educate the public that these breeds are not "bad". One way one dog and one dog lover are helping to restore a breed's "bad rep" is by working as a therapy dog.


Tess is a seven year old Rotweiler who has been a therapy dog for six years. "Rotweilers are not mean," her owner, Denise says, and Tess is determined to prove it. As a therapy dog, she visits hospitals to comfort those who are sick, and libraries to help teach kids to read. She has undergone training from the time she was a pup, so that she knows how to act and interact. She had to pass several tests including: completely ignoring other dogs, leaving food (or pills!) dropped on the floor alone, approaching wheelchair bound people gently and from the side, without putting her paw up on broken or brittle arms and legs, and more. Folks at the hospitals are scared and lonely and a visit from Tess may be just what the doctor ordered. Petting a dog lowers your blood pressure and can help alleviate stress. This seventy-five pound dog will lay still through pretty much any kind of petting imaginable, and that is why she is great with kids, and loves to visit CHKD.


Another thing that Tess enjoys is helping children learn how to read. How does a dog help a kid read? Well, it is just a matter of listening. When an adult listens to a child read, it is automatic for him to correct mispronunciations, or try to help with big words, but Tess just listens. Sometimes she gets excited during the dramatic parts, but she doesn't judge if the child mispronounces every single word. This helps the new reader develop confidence and independence, which makes her want to read more! Tess loves to visit the library. She also visits the Summer Reading Program at the Newport News Public Libraries (fun and free!). She and her friend Daisy, a yellow lab interacted and educated about forty children, showing them how a therapy dog works, and how pleasant a trained dog can be. Some of the children were afraid of dogs, but after watching Tess and Daisy remain calm and docile, every single child petted the dogs after the program.


A lot of Rots and Pit bulls come through our shelter doors. These are not bad dogs! Most of them have the potential to be just like Tess, calm, well-trained, helpful dogs. While all of them might not be appropriate for therapy work, you can certainly take them to training to learn proper dog manners. There are many places in Hampton Roads that offer training, either for dog "good citizenship" or therapy or just basic obedience. We recommend all dogs adopted at our shelter take obedience classes. A little time and love from his owner will make a dog of any breed a responsible good member of society.