Although ticks are found year-round across the United States, the Permian Basin is anticipating a particularly bad year for the presence of ticks.  Besides being a nuisance, they carry and transmit disease.  

According to the American Kennel Club, tick-borne disease is a growing threat to both canine and human health.

The most important tick-borne diseases that affect dogs are Lyme-disease, Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Babesiosis, Bartonellosis, and Hepatozoonosis. All can have serious health consequences for dogs, even be fatal. 

There are numerous preventatives for fleas and ticks.  Ask your veterinarian which one is best for your dog.

Another culprit that we see a lot of in West Texas is the venomous pit viper, commonly known as the rattlesnake. Although there is not a repellent for snake bite, there is a vaccination that buys you time to get to the vet if your dog gets bit.  Dogs are by nature curious creatures making them targets for snakes.  If your dog is bit, an antivenom administered by a veterinarian is your dog’s only savior and you only have a short period of time for this to happen. 
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Talk to your vet about where you live and your lifestyle to see if the two-shot vaccine with an annual booster is right for your dog. 

The time and money is well  worth it to keep your best friend healthy and safe!
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What made you decide to foster a pet?
I bought a house with a large empty backyard so I started thinking about getting a dog but wasn't sure of the commitment of one since I had never own one by myself, just the family pet growing up.  I looked at the dogs that were available at the shelter when my friend sent me the Instagram post of Midland Humane Coalition needing a foster for Ellie (then known as Roxanne).  I loved her picture and realized fostering would be a better option for me as I could give this puppy a home until she was ready to be put up for adoption.  Fostering gave us an opportunity to get to know each other and bond, and see if my home and my life would be right for her with the support of the Midland Humane Coalition.  

​How long did you foster Ellie? 
I fostered Ellie for a month.  We waited till she had all her shots, and her spaying and then we were able to make the adoption official.

What were the benefits of being a pet foster? 
There were lots of benefits I found when fostering Ellie with MHC. Since I wanted a puppy but was still unaware of the commitment, I was able to foster Ellie with the support of the ladies at MHC and learn all the commitments and her needs with their guidance.  They were always available for questions and tips.  I knew if something crazy happened or there was an emergency, I would have support while I was a foster for Ellie (luckily nothing went wrong and only smooth sailing!).  Even now after the adoption, every time we got to Petsmart, Ellie first wants to go say hi to her friends who helped her at the MHC Adoption Center!

​What made you decide to adopt your foster pet? 
It took me about 10 minutes into fostering Ellie that I decided I wanted to keep her but the sensible side of me knew we still needed to make sure it was the right fit.  It did not take long after for us to both feel like a family! Ellie is a Rottweiler/German Shepard/Australian Shepard mix, our best guess! I love her playful and quirky personality.  She loves people and just melts when she gets pets.  Ellie thinks everyone is here just to pet her and love on her!  But it isn't in a needy way, more of a she is just so grateful to be in a warm safe home and wants to make up for not getting loves the first four months of her life.  She also has a pretty calm personality and isn't wild like a puppy so it fit perfect in my life since it's just me to entertain her.  She became best fur friends with my parents' dog who is also a rescue and they can play together for hours.  Her fur is so soft, I can sit and pet her forever.  She has very big paws and she has that puppy clumsiness. Ellie loves to meet new people and explore new things.  

Tell us about life before and after Ellie 
 Before Ellie, I always loved dogs and being around them but never had one on my own.  I have a big family and a few dogs in the family. Like I said earlier, I have this huge lonely backyard that was screaming for a dog to fill it! 

Now I got Ellie, it is filled with a lot more love and entertainment. I am so happy I decided to adopt her and we are already making lots of memories together.  We love to go on walks together, and started the training classes at Petsmart.  She keeps life interesting and me on my toes.  She luckily hasn't gotten into any usually crazy puppy mischief. 

Ellie has done a great job fitting into my life and enjoying the things I like to do so now we do them all together,  like hanging out with friends, traveling, going out for lunch, and watch dog documentaries (those are her favorites!!) You can tell she is just so grateful to have a loving family. 

​There is the commitment side I am learning, not able to leave her alone for long, talking her to the vet, not able to just go off and do whatever whenever, luckily potty training wasn't too bad with her as she was already halfway trained but there was cleaning up accidents, she enjoyed her kennel so that wasn't an issue.  All the puppy difficulties and commitments, Ellie was worth it.  She is great company for me and looks like a protector (be softy though).  I have loved my two months with Ellie so far and everything we have gotten to do together.  

How to start GOING GREEN with your pet this Earth Day:

1. Scoop up the poop. It’s not the most glamorous thing to do, but properly disposing of your pet’s waste has a huge impact on the environment. Feces from any animal can carry harmful bacteria that can contaminate water sources. Dog poop is an environmental pollutant and a health hazard for humans, dogs and other animals. 
2. Go digital!  Get a digital ID tag (or microchip) for your pet. Instead of tossing the old tag each time you move or get a new phone number or when the old one gets destroyed, get an ID that is permanent, never tarnishes and one that you can update with your info whenever you need to - a microchip! Here’s what we use for our MHC Adoptables: Smart Tag! ​ If you need more proof that microchips are the most  reliable form of ID, check out this story. 
3. Reuse, Recycle and Donate. Don’t throw out your old towels, blankets, bedding, bowls, coats, collars, harnesses, leashes, and toys you’ve amassed over the years. Contact your local shelter or rescue groups before you toss things out into the landfill. We could always use your pet’s gently-used items in order to make pets feel more at home at the Adoption Center!  
4. Go Natural. Opt for biodegradable doggie bags instead of the plastic ones (that take hundreds of years to decompose). Choose kitty litter made out of plant-based materials like wood chips or wheat. Look for pet products that use natural, eco-friendly materials. Hold the bleach and toxic chemicals found in cleaning supplies and use vinegar, baking soda or lemon to clean pet messes.  
5. Use less! Be more mindful of how much energy and commodities you are consuming in the name of your pet.  Here are some ideas: 
   • Buy less! Does your pet need that fifth bed, third collar, or Nth costume?  Probably not!
   • Use rags instead of papers towels when cleaning up.
   • Use less energy by air or towel drying your pet’s fur instead of using a hairdryer.  Walk instead of driving to the park.
   • Buy only what your pet truly needs from a local store to reduce shipping and transportation, not to mention limit packaging material!   
   • Instead of buying, create your own pet toys made of materials you already have at home. Check out these cool DIY Toys(please always supervise your pet while playing).
6. Recycle pets! Thinking of getting a pet? Get one second-hand and ADOPT a homeless pet. There are many deserving pets in shelters waiting for loving homes. Stop supporting puppy mills and irresponsible breeders just so you can get a “designer” dog. There are so many wonderful pets capable of giving you love who are being euthanized for no good reason other than overpopulation. 

There are many more ways to help your pets have less of an impact on the environment. Although these acts seem small and insignificant, if everyone made even one small change, together, we all could make a positive impact on our planet!  

They believe that he had learned to open the screen door of the rental property and let himself out.  He was wearing a harness and a bandana, but no collar with an ID tag. However, Fisher was microchipped.

The family immediately began looking for him and extended their stay in Ocean City to search. They put up signs, notified the police, lifeguards, fire department and searched on foot, on bicycles and in cars. They hired a dog tracker and Fisher’s picture appeared on the city’s famous floating billboard, The Seaboard. 

You name it, they did it, but eventually the family had to return home without Fisher. Elissa started a group Facebook page, “Find Fisher.”  

“We will never give up until we find him,” Elissa posted. 

The posts went viral and thousands and thousand of people responded with well wishes and pictures of Boston terriers each time one was found. Unfortunately, for nine long months, 290 days, Elissa’s response was always the same, “Thank you for sharing, but it’s not Fisher.”

Until yesterday! Goose bumps and tears, when in response to the picture of a found dog, the post read, “I think it is Fisher.”

A male Boston had been found roaming the streets of Baltimore.  He was picked up, taken to a vet,  scanned and confirmed to be Fisher. 

​Elissa made the five-hour drive from her Connecticut home to Maryland yesterday afternoon and in a tearful reunion and repeated exclamations of “Oh, my god,” she was reunited with Fisher, making her family whole again.

Elissa commented this morning that she would like to turn the “Find Fisher” Facebook group page into a place to post all lost dogs in an attempt to get them home and reunited with family. 
For those of us who have followed the story and prayed for Fisher’s safe return, we are ecstatic about this happy ending and once again, encourage everyone to microchip their pets. 

Watch the heartwarming reunion video: here. 

Why shouldn't you buy a pet?
Your local pet store that sells pets is the obvious and most convenient place to go when looking for a  new pet.  It is an establishment located in a shopping center you frequent, has been around for a long time and often offers attractive registrations and finance plans.  So why not?  

Because, most pet store puppies are sourced from commercial dog breeding operations (aka puppy mills), where making a profit takes precedence over how the animals are treated.   This results in perpetuating the abusive cruelty of puppy mills. You also pay a premium for an animal that may have medical or personality issues due to in-breeding and poor breeding in unhealthy conditions.  How do we stop this horrid practice? 

Puppy mills are not breeding puppies because they love animals or want to show them in conformation or to preserve the lines and qualities of purebred dogs.  They are breeding for money.  It is simple supply and demand; if no one is buying, they will stop producing.

Okay, if not a pet store, then where do I go? Check the ads in your local newspaper. I did that once and drove several miles to a small Texas town (Texas is not known for the best treatment of animals) and purchased a darling little Boston Terrier puppy from a couple in the country who seemed nice enough. But the very first evening at home, I began to suspect something wasn’t quite right with the pup. She was not playing and she seemed lethargic. The next morning, when the diarrhea began, I took her to the vet where Parvo was confirmed. After a fairly lengthy and very expensive stay in the hospital (the nice country folks refused to take any responsibility for selling a sick dog) she became a 14-year joy. But we were lucky, it could have had a different ending. 

So, what next?  People are turning to the internet.  Once again, you don’t know anything about where the puppy was bred or the conditions of the kennel.  Reputable breeders take excellent care of their animals and health test to try to prevent inherited medical issues. And they don’t sell their litters to just anyone.

Paying high dollar for a pet and purchasing from people who are dealing in pets for profit augments animal cruelty by supporting inhumane breeding and over population. 

Unless you are a “dog fancy,” a group of people comprised of professionals and hobbyists who are invested in the sport of showing dogs in judged competitions, you really don’t even have a need for the often-coveted AKC registration that may accompany a purebred dog. A piece of paper does not prove the quality of the dog or enhance the joy, love, and happiness that a dog can bring to your life. 

If you want a particular breed because you like that look or personality, check out the breed rescues. If you just want a companion, household member or family pet, visit your local shelters and rescues. Thus the phrase, adopt, don’t shop! 

When you adopt, you are giving a homeless animal a home rather than perpetuating the already over- populated canine and feline populace. And, once again, you are not encouraging inhumane breeding practices. The reasonable amount of money that you spend to adopt goes toward helping other homeless animals rather than the unethical business of irresponsible and/or unscrupulous profiting from animals.

If you adopt an adult pet you also have the advantage of knowing it’s “full-grown” size and appearance.  You have some insight into personality. The animal is likely potty trained and past the chewing stage. 

One more thing! When talking about appearance, animals, like people, respond to love and nurturing.  My little rescue was deemed “unadoptable” by animal control before a rescue took her.  She was skinny from malnutrition, had lost her hair from stress and flea infestation and considered too unattractive to be adopted.  Today, with her proper weight, full coat and toothy grin, people stop me on the street to comment on how cute she is and want to know her breed.  Guess they want one that looks like her!     

Give a homeless dog a home, but don’t give someone who is unethically treating animals a reason to continue!
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Midland Humane Coalition and other local rescue groups are working towards saving homeless pets from euthanasia. When animals are surrendered or abandoned, they end up at the shelter.  The problem is, when space runs out, so does their time. Often times, there's nothing wrong with these pets aside from the fact that their human guardians failed them and they are consequently homeless. 

When you adopt a pet from MHC, we take the time to ensure we have a good match for both pet and the home. If, for any reason, the adopter has any issues with a pet down the road, we are always willing to offer a helping hand -- whether it's giving advice or helping to re-home the pet. We want to ensure that  no MHC pet ever ends up back in the shelter or on the streets! Our doors will always be open to MHC pets. 

If you're interested in finding a new member of your family, check out the local rescue groups! Adopt a pet and save a precious life. There is a cat or dog out there just sitting and waiting for you to meet them:  www.midlandhumane.org/adoptables  
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