At the shelter

Does your dog or cat have shelter from the weather? It is important for them to have a warm, dry place to retreat. The safest, most ideal place is inside your home, especially during cold spells and inclement weather. If outside, a doghouse with dry bedding, such as a cozy pet bed with a warm blanket or pillow, is perfect. The doghouse should be in a sheltered area to keep the wind and rain from blowing inside. Give your pet plenty of protein-based food and fresh water during the winter months. Since water freezes in the winter, a bowl of fresh water should be available at all times. Otherwise, your pet can dehydrate just as they will in hot summer months without adequate water and shade. Cold weather is particularly intolerable to puppies and kittens and most can't survive outside. Also, remember that coolant and antifreeze are lethal to pets. Treat your pets as you would any treasured family member and they will reward you with love and devotion plus be healthy, happy pets.

I am pleased to report that "Sasha" and "Buffy," the pets featured in last week's At the Shelter, were adopted! Thank you for saving two more lives! Our shelter has only so much space and stays at capacity. The animals depend on you to adopt them. We have many more animals than people to adopt them. We may adopt out four to six animals in a day but receive 10 to 15 more the same day! Until people accept responsibility for their pets and spay or neuter, this situation won't change. Thankfully, we have a good response from petfinder.com. We have had people from Florida, Nashville, Memphis and other areas to drive to our shelter to adopt a pet they saw on the site. We are grateful to the State Gazette for the valuable community service of featuring "At the Shelter" every week. Most of the animals featured are adopted.

Today, we are featuring three deserving dogs. "Raja" is a gorgeous black shepherd with silver markings and has already been spayed. She has been at the shelter for a while and is desperately seeking a loving home. She is a very sweet dog and loves to play and be petted. Raja's shots are current and she is heartworm negative. "Brownie" is a pretty little reddish terrier mix. Like "Raja," she has also been at the shelter for a while and the clock is ticking. "Brownie" was a good little mother to her pups. They have been adopted and now she is waiting for someone to take her home. She will reward you with a lot of love and has such sweet, gentle ways. Please give her a second chance. "Brownie" is heartworm negative and her shots are current. Remember that spay and neuter is included in the modest adoption fee. "Buster" is a fluffy red chow mix and will lick you to death. He is a loving dog and dreams of being part of your family. He is also heartworm negative and current on his shots. We have many other wonderful dogs and cute puppies. Come to the shelter and meet "Ruby," a registered red and white Australian Shepherd. Meet "Speedy," a cute little Basenji mix and while you are at it, meet the rest of the gang.

We have a beautiful longhaired calico named "Holly" who is such a sweet kitty and "Tux," who loves to have her ears scratched. Both cats would make excellent companions. If you are a cat lover, there are many more waiting for you. Stop by The Pet Stop to see a selection of our cats or kittens, thanks to Laura Hart, our friend of the shelter.

If you are unable to walk dogs, there are so many other things you can do to help the shelter animals. Please consider volunteering to help with the Humane Society Golf Tournament, Hidden Garden Tour, Bark in the Park, and other events to benefit the homeless animals. There will be more information about these events and who to contact, in the near future. Consider being a foster parent for the shelter. For those who are able, volunteer to walk the dogs and interact with all the pets. They crave love and attention while they are waiting for a special person or family to adopt them. Soft, cuddly pet toys, rawhide chews, newspapers, paper towels, kitty litter, and supplies are always appreciated. Corporations, businesses, scouts, or classrooms, please consider adopting the shelter. It is such a worthy project to help us make the shelter animals' lives even better.

The Dyersburg-Dyer County Humane Society hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday. The shelter is located at 1120 E. Court St. and phone number is 285-4889. Donations to the shelter, the Beagley Fund (heartworm treatment) donations, Save a Life Makeover, and memorials may be mailed to the Dyersburg-Dyer County Humane Society, P.O. Box 223, Dyersburg, TN 38025-0223. On your check, please specify which fund your tax-deductible gift should be directed.