By Clay Evans
Development Director
Longmont Humane Society

It’s 7:30 a.m. at Longmont (Colo.) Humane Society, and the day is in full swing already. Outside, clouds conceal a sun that will later send temperatures soaring into the high 90s, and a half dozen out of about 600 volunteers are already exercising dogs on leash at the nearby county fairgrounds. Each dog has been carefully matched with a restraint system that best fits his or her needs and personality, whether it’s a traditional collar and leash, a “gentle leader,” or a “sensation” harness.

“I always knew I wanted to work with animals,” says dog-walking volunteer Diana Cinnamon, 67, of Longmont. “After I retired, I found [the Humane Society's] ‘TLC’ classes, and I’ve been doing it now for about two years.”

Meanwhile, in the play yards next to the pand new, 58,000 square foot LHS Allen Center, behavior team member Sarah Clusman is keeping a watchful eye on 20 dogs, big and little, of every conceivable mix, peed, color and personality, as they romp and roll and take advantage of their daily opportunity to “just be dogs.”

“Our play groups enable us to fulfill a basic need they have for dog-to-dog interaction and socialization,” says Sarah. “They come back into the kennels feeling satisfied and content.”

Inside, staff members working with dogs have already “scooped” kennels and provided a nutritious peakfast to a horde of hungry canines before they headed out for a walk or play group. As kennels free up, staff members move in, en masse, with high-pressure hoses, disinfecting cleaner and squeegees to have them all ready for happily fed and rested dogs – and most importantly, for public viewing when the doors open.

The cats, too, are getting a pawful of early morning attention. Staff members are scooping litter boxes, providing a dollop of wet food (on top of the free-choice dry food that is available for feeding all day), spot wiping kennels and providing toys for enrichment. The cats with upper respiratory infections (simple kitty colds - they’re still available for adoption) are getting the same attention, but in a separately ventilated part of the shelter to prevent disease transmission.

“We try to set it up so that if staff members are working with URI cats, they don’t work with the healthy cats,” says kennel supervisor Cathy Durdin.

In service pods throughout the kennels, staff and volunteers are washing towels and linens throughout the day, washing dishes, stocking up on food and other supplies, and keeping up with spot cleaning in the kennels.

Just a few feet away from the kennel areas, well within earshot of all the meowing and barking, the front-desk staff members have booted up computers and are going through the daily ritual of trying to match lost pets pought in by the public or animal-control officers over the previous five days.

“We work really hard to get animals home,” says staff member Dori Detherow. “We go through and if we see a potential match, we’ll give a call.”

On this particular morning, there were two dogs tied up in front of the shelter when staff arrived. In the new building, there are “night drop” kennels which allow people to leave animals in a secure, warm environment, but whoever came by the night before didn’t get that message.

There are more than 300 animals on site on this day, including scores of kittens too young for adoption that are awaiting transfer to a foster-care program, where they will be cared for until they are old enough and healthy enough to find new homes.

In the back of the shelter, staff members are preparing for a day of spay-and-neuter surgeries on shelter animals (all animals are sterilized before going to their adoptive homes), laying out sterilized packs and supplies. Shelter veterinarian Dr. Steven Stasiak will work steadily (and efficiently) for hours on end, doing his part to ensure that LHS alumni do not contribute to the ongoing problem of pet overpopulation.

All that, and more, is in motion at Longmont Humane Society – and it’s not even 9 a.m., when the doors open to the public. More often than not, there are people waiting to come in by that time. Some are looking for lost dogs or cats, while others just want to see who’s in the shelter and start thinking about adoption (even though adoption services don’t commence until 11 a.m.).

While Longmont Humane Society, like any animal shelter, focuses on animals, the business really is all about people. The “invisible” part of the operation includes staff gearing up for fundraising events, contacting donors, preparing newsletters and email blasts, writing grants, and everything else it takes to keep a shelter that serves more than 5,000 animals a year running.

The wildly popular summer Kids and Critters Camp also is alive with giggling and chatter at the back of the shelter. During two daily sessions, children ages 7 to 12 spend time working with the animals, participating in activities – for example, walking dogs through non-toxic paint trays to create “pawprint” greeting cards – and learning about humane values. They’re not only having fun, but they will become ambassadors to their families, schoolmates and the larger community to help raise awareness about the issue of homeless pets.

When the clock strikes 11 a.m., many of our visitors already have picked out a special someone they’re interested in taking home. Adoption counselors work with them to gather information to make sure it would be a good match, arrange for the potential adopter to meet in a room with a cat or to take a dog out for a walk or to the play yards to get better acquainted. If all goes well (for both pets and people), a staff member will set up time to have the prospective new companion meet with the family’s other animals, to ascertain whether everybody will get along.

During the day, dogs often receive rubber Kongs that have been loaded with goodies and frozen, to give them something to work on between walks and feedings. Cats receive visits throughout the day from volunteers – including more than 160 youths age 13 and up – who play with them, pet them and groom them to keep them happy and healthy during their stay at the shelter. Throughout the day, staff and volunteers are doing everything from cleaning to walking, and adoptions to reclaims. It’s truly a “three-ring circus” – in the positive sense of the word: constant activity, focused on finding homes for lost and abandoned animals in the community.

At day’s end, everything runs in reverse, sort of like an old movie of a man “jumping” from a swimming pool onto a diving board. Kennels are spiffed up for the night, litter boxes emptied, new bedding laid down, evening chow served, and everyone – cats, dogs, small mammals and birds – receives anything else they might need for a comfortable night.

The doors close to the public at 6 p.m. – though on any given night there may be a board meeting or volunteer training – and by 6:30 or 7 p.m., only a few stray barks and random meows echo throughout the building, as the animals settle down for a few hours of well-earned shuteye.

After all, they’ll be up and at ‘em again tomorrow – both people and pets – to start all over again in hopes of finding loving forever homes for every animal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tQR7k6BNYk

Isn’t he cute?

WHERE AT LOOK

Sure, you could just pick a vet at random from the Yellow Pages or from an Internet search; but having the right vet is crucial to your dog’s health and happiness (and, presumably, this plays at least some part in your own happiness and peace of mind as an owner, right?)

Think about it this way: if you were trying to choose a doctor for yourself, would you be happy to just select one at random from an impersonal list?

Probably not. You’d want somebody who comes highly recommended – somebody you feel like you can trust.
Your vet isn’t just your dog’s doctor; he or she is also the dentist, manicurist, psychologist, and – hopefully! – a friend. When you roll all these things up into one, you can see why it’s necessary to spend some time confirming that you’ve made the right choice.

The best place to start looking for a vet is by word of mouth. If you have any friends or relatives who take good care of their dogs, then that’s a great place to start: ask them who they’d recommend, and why. This last one is particularly important, because everyone has different priorities: for example, perhaps they like their own vet because he/she is a specialist in their own particular breed; or they don’t charge very much; or the clinic is only five minutes’ drive … their priorities are not necessarily yours, so it’s a good idea to make sure that your values coincide with the person giving the recommendations.

Another great place to find a vet is through local training clubs (Schutzhund, agility, herding classes, police K-9 academies, etc.) These organizations are almost guaranteed to place a great deal of importance on high-quality veterinary care, because the health and well-being of their dogs is such a priority.

Once you’ve got a list of vets that you’re interested in pursuing further, all you have to do is call up the clinic and explain that you’re looking to find a regular vet for your dog(s): can you come in for a quick chat, introduce your dog, and have a look at the premises?

HAVE A LOOK BEFORE YOU NEED TO

Before you decide to align yourself and your dog with a particular clinic, test the waters first. Ideally, you want a chance to talk to the vet, and discuss his or her philosophies and approach to pet care.

This is really important. If your dog ever really needs vet-care (if there’s an emergency, or if she needs an urgent short-term appointment), you want to be sure that you’ve made the best possible choice as far as her health and comfort levels are concerned. Neither of you should be subjected to any unnecessary extra stress at a time like that – and you can avoid a lot of grief by spending a bit of time in preparation.

THINGS TO ASK THE VET

While you’re at the clinic, you’ll want to be assessing your potential vet’s overall attitude and approach to health care and animals; and you’ll also probably want answers to some specific questions.

Here’s a list of useful questions to help you on your way:

- How many vets are there on staff? If you need to make an urgent appointment, you don’t want to be waiting around while precious minutes tick past. Ideally, there’ll be at least two qualified veterinarians on hand (not just technicians or assistants.)

- What kind of testing and analysis capabilities does the clinic have If they have to send away to a lab for this kind of stuff, it means that the results are going to be delayed. If your dog is very sick, time is an important factor: it’s best if the clinic has at least blood-analysis testing on hand.

- What after-hours services are available? A lot of clinics close the doors in the evenings and on weekends, which means that if there’s an emergency, you’ll have to go somewhere else – and subject your dog (and yourself) to an unfamiliar vet. (If you don’t mind this, then that’s fine; but be aware that in a high-stress situation when emotions are running high, it’s reassuring for your dog and yourself to deal with someone familiar.)

- What’s their price range? How are payments made? Is there a facility for payment plans in case of unexpected vet bills? The payment-plan option is particularly important. Even with pet insurance, vet bills can sometimes be astronomical – and not everyone has the resources to deal with large vet bills straight away. Ask the clinic how they cater for situations like that.

- How up-to-date is the staff with advances in the industry? Do the vet, the technicians, and the assistants attend seminars and workshops regularly? The field of medical care is always moving forward – responsible vets make the effort to keep up with the times, and see that their staff do, too.

MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE

When you choose a vet, you’re balancing convenience and quality. There’s no right or wrong vet for you and your dog – which is partly why making the choice can be so confusing. There are lots of vets to choose from, and they’re all different!

Even though it’s tempting to go for the one right around the corner with the rock-bottom prices, it really is worthwhile taking the time to shop around. Your dog is utterly dependent on you for her healthcare – and if you take her seriously as a companion and member of the family, you’ll want to do the best thing by her.

A good vet knows how to take care of you as well as your dog. The relationship that you have with your vet will hopefully be one that’s based around a healthy mutual respect and positive synergy - there should be very little scope for misunderstanding. When the two of you see eye to eye, it makes caring for your dog that much easier.

FURTHER READING

For a complete survival guide on stress-free dog care, including detailed information on when your dog needs to see the vet, how to respond to pet emergencies, dog First Aid, and all common health problems, check out The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health. It’s a complete handbook on dog health care, and teaches you how to take a proactive and prepared approach to knowledgeable dog ownership.

You can visit The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health by clicking on the link below:

Ultimate Guide to Dog Health