Paw Prints
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A blog by the friendly folks at Midland Humane Coalition
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Other items your pet will need include: Food and water bowls. You can find everything from Fiesta ware to Waterford dog and cat bowls. Nothing wrong with fun and folly, but remember, that is for you and your home décor; your pet doesn’t care about the brand or pattern of the dish, only what’s in it. Make sure that the bowls you choose are the right size for easy reach and comfortable eating and made of safe materials. Litter box, kitty litter and poop bags. Decide where you want to place the litter box so that it is convenient for your cat and out of the way. People usually choose a mudroom or utility room. You will also need a scoop for keeping it clean between litter changes. A pooper-scooper is handy for the backyard and poop bags are a necessity for walks in the neighborhood or the park with your dog. Comfy bed. Unless you have a pet with special needs such as arthritis, simply select a soft, warm bed from the many cat and dog beds on-line or at the pet store. Make sure it is the right size for your dog or cat for cozy snuggling. Grooming tools. Shampoo, brush, toothbrush, dog safe toothpaste are a few items you will need to keep your pup looking and feeling its best. Cats are excellent self-groomers. However, they still may require some brushing. A crate is a great option for keeping your pup safe and confined when you are not around, especially necessary for a puppy whose curiosity can cause it harm. Even cats may feel more secure in a cat carrier during a ride to the vet. A crate is an ideal space if you have workers in the house, a social gathering where someone may leave an exterior door open, or whenever you need to confine your animal. Never to be used as punishment, dogs often find solace in their crate. It is their space, their den. Make sure your selection is the right size so that your animal can stand and move around within the confine. Leash and collar. Unless you are working on special training and need a certain-type lead, a standard 4-ft. leash is what you need for your dog, (please forgo the retractable ones as they can be a danger to your dog and to others), a comfortable collar with enough room for two-fingers as a checkpoint, and an identification tag with your information, including your cell phone number. Cats, on the other hand, climb and get into spaces that dogs probably would not. That said, collars can get caught posing the risk of a collar related injury such as strangulation or chocking. Be sure you provide your cat with a break-away cat collar. Toys are not just a luxury; they both stimulate and reassure your pet. Look at the fun toys on-line or at the pet store. Make sure that the toy is large enough that they can’t swallow it or pieces of it. If the dog is successful in retrieving the “squeaky” from inside the toy (and probably will be) take it away as it could be swallowed. Don’t toss it though, put it in your camera bag as it becomes an excellent attention getter (ears up) for photos ops. Cats love catnip and toys designed for them, especially the mobile types that they can bat back and forth. Plus watching can give you hours of entertainment. Keep everyone happy! Can’t say enough about the virtues of baby gates. These portable gates are handy for blocking off rooms that are not puppy-proof, like the one with the oriental rug while you are house training. Provide your kitten or cat with scratching posts—better for their instinctive scratching activity than the arm of a chair or sofa. To quote Nobel Prize winner, Anatole France, “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.” For many of us, a home without a furry friend is simply not complete. Enjoy your new family member.
The story below was written by Jonna Smoot, MHC Board Member, Presto's former Foster Mom and new Forever Family Falling in love with Presto didn't take very long. In fact, it was almost love at first sight, except Presto wouldn't come to me so that I could actually see him. Instead, he ran and hid under his bed at the Adoption Center, curled up in the tightest ball in the furthest corner. At that point, having come from another rescue to MHC, Presto had spent just under 6 years being a "homeless" rescue dog and he was just under 6 years old. I didn't think I had it in me to have a dog who had spent so long not knowing the comforts of a home and not having a "person" to love him. So, I fostered Presto in mid-August 2020, thinking I'd help prep him for his furrever home. From the minute I got him home, Presto was truly the sweetest dog ever. I even kept a journal of all of his comings, goings and doings for the person who would eventually end up with him. Presto had some issues with eating (wouldn't), being in the house (wouldn't) and greeting guests (couldn't). Over the next several months, I worked with MHC on tips to best acclimate Presto and how to let him properly decompress. Each time, they were so helpful and welcoming with information. When it became apparent that Presto had severe trust issues with guests in my home, I turned again to MHC and they assisted me with getting Presto the paws-itive reinforcement training that he so desperately needed to be able to live a calm and happy life. I was still fostering Presto at that time and didn't want to not be able to assist him on his journey of getting to his "person" at his furrever home, wherever that might have been.
Thanks Midland Humane Coalition and PetSmart for my Happily Furr-Ever After story.
Bringing a new pet - whether adopted or fostered - into your home is more than just fun and games. Of course there will be plenty of time for that later, but first things first, you’ll need to prepare your home to ensure the safety and comfort of your new cat or dog. Pet proofing your home for a new pet, regardless of their age, is similar to baby proofing your household. Pets are inquisitive by nature and will be inclined to explore every corner of your house upon their arrival. It will be up to you as a responsible pet parent to ensure that every room in your house is a safe environment. Prior to welcoming your new pet, go through all the rooms in the house to get rid of potential hazards and danger zones. You may have to rearrange your home for a while, but this is temporary until your pet gets more acclimated to the new environment. Here are a few tips for pet proofing your entire house.
Living Room
Garage
One last thing, when you're bringing a new pet home, especially a younger dog or cat, know that they will inevitably make mistakes or have accidents. Please be patient -- your new pet needs time to learn the ropes. To avoid unfortunate incidents, make sure they have a safe, secure and comfortable space to call their own - like a play pen or a crate - where you can be certain that they are out of harm's way and unable to cause mischief around the house whenever you're not around to keep an eye on them. Once you’ve inspected your whole house and eliminated all potential threats, you can now relax and focus your time and energy on making your new pet feel right at home. And, yes, you can certainly bring out all the pet-safe toys and treats!
Why foster a pet? Here are a few good reasons:
Providing a temporary home for an animal in need is a win, win situation! The more foster homes we can get, the more cats & dogs we can rescue together. Then, when you’re bored with the diet and want a piece of cake, think you can’t do one more 30-minute session of exercise or attack another closet or drawer that needs organizing, you can cuddle on the sofa with a loving foster animal. Contact Midland Humane Coalition (or other local rescue groups) and find out how you can become a foster home. Send an email to FOSTER@midlandhumane.org Fore more information on our Foster Care Program, click here.
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