RESCUE ME!

Left on our doorstep,  in an extra-large cage with a towel and sweater and a note explaining that a home could not be located,  this  little Siamese-mix is now safe and warm and awaiting a forever home.   WARL has a big, welcoming double door front entrance, but the cage was left at a side entrance.  The kitten was discovered early one morning two weeks ago, after probably spending a long, cold night at the top of the stairs.  Her discovery was due in large part to her loud Siamese voice.  Siamese cats are known to be quite vocal, and this kitten is quite the belter.  

It's cold outside and temperatures are dropping -- FAST.  Cats and dogs belong inside where it's safe and warm.  If you see an animal outside, without proper shelter, please report the situation to your local animal control agency.  

Cat on the Table

According to weather.com it is currently 13 degrees and feels like negative 2.   That's cold.  Like everyone in much of the U.S. this morning, I was freezing while running the short distance from my home to the car, despite wearing lots of layers under my heavy coat.  Nigel, with just his every day black Labrador retriever coat, seemed invigorated by the frigid air.  Even so, we were not about to stay outside for more than a minute.  The drastically low temperatures are not safe for us or our animal companions.   If you see an animal outside in the cold, report it immediately to the local animal control or welfare agency. 

In the District of Columbia (202) 576-6664 

In Montgomery County, Maryland (240) 773-5960

In Prince Georges' County, Maryland  (301) 780-7201

In Fairfax County, Virginia 703-691-2131

If you see a person outside in the cold  needing immediate help, please call the Hypothermia Hotline at 1 (800) 535-7252.  No one should be in these record-breaking arctic temperatures for long.

So, why the picture of Buzz (formerly Billy Elliot) sitting regally on the dining room table in his forever home?  I was combing through recent adoption photos and this picture just leaped out at me.  Nothing better on a cold day than enjoying the company of an animal companion in a warm home. 

No Snow in Washington, But Bitter Cold and Wind are Cruel Reminders that Not Every Animal is Safe Inside

Doesn't Magda look cozy?  In her curled cat position snuggled up against a warm blanket, hers is a picture of a perfect life.     Mgada's  adopter wrote of her her first couple of days  in her new home, "just wanted to let you know that Magda is doing well at her new home.  She seemed to adjust really well; she ate right away, explored the apartment, used her litter pan immediately,and spent the night snuggling with me on the couch. She is such a sweet and smart girl! Thank you so much for the opportunity to meet and fall in love with Magda."  

What does Magda's perfect report have to do with extreme weather?   Nothing, except to remind us that not all animals are so lucky as to have a person to cuddle with.  Strays are obviously in need of immediate help, even when the weather is not freezing.  But, sometimes animals who appear to have "homes" should be reported to the authorities, too.   In the District of Columbia it is against the law to chain a dog and all dogs outside for an extended period of time in a fenced in area MUST HAVE a proper dog house.  That means, the structure needs to be off of the ground, have a door flap to guard against wind, and have adequate dry bedding inside.  Cats should not be outside. They constantly seek warmth and sometimes they find it under the hood of a recently parked car.  Those temporary shelters can turn into death traps.  Report animals in distress to District Animal Control, 202 576-6664.  To report animals in need outside of D.C.find your local animal control agency through 411 or google search. 

All animals should have a doting guardian who takes photos and writes emails just like Magda's.

Snow Again! This is DC, not Michigan!!

Well, according to those who keep records the average snow fall in the D.C. area is less than two feet per winter. The six plus inches we got on Saturday took us beyond our average. The snow is beautiful and lots of fun to play in, but with it, particularly this winter, comes cold -- extreme cold. Dogs and cats should not be left outside. Report any animal unattended to the proper animal welfare agency in your community.

Be an animal hero. Speak up for animals.

Don't Forget the Birds

I don't have a bird feeder. I did years ago, but I attracted just as many mice as birds, so I gave up feeding the birds. But, the recent snow and the on-going cold made me think about the birds. Can they find enough food to eat? If I feed them today, do I need to feed them all winter long? Since I didn't know the answer to either question, I asked Jim Monsma, the League's resident bird expert.

Here's what he said.

It is fine to feed animals now and then. They eat what they can find, when they can find it. You could leave them in a bad situation if you fed them regularly and then cut them off suddenly.

More important is what you feed them – no bread, for instance – and keeping feeders clean, which many people fail to do. That’s why we have the outbreak of the eye disease among house finches, for instance. This was news to me, when I was growing up we always put out bread crusts for the birds.

Other important considerations --
Keep bird feeders no more than 3 feet from nearby windows (collisions with glass kill more birds than any other single factor with estimates that, on average, every single structure in the country kills 3 birds/year – think about that for a minute).

Keep cats indoors. I can do that!

HAPPY 2010!!!

It feels like we've been celebrating this holiday season in the north pole. And, while this might be great weather for penguins and polar bears, cats and dogs need a little extra attention. Their bodies are not primed for day after day of freezing temperatures. Dogs and cats should not be left outside.

Some animals like the cold. Nigel really enjoys his walks in the cold. But, they are just that -- 10 minute walks, not life on the ice floes. After the brisk walk it's back inside the house with the thermostat set to 68 degrees (not exactly warm, but comfortable, and the lower temperature helps to save energy). And, Nigel's buddies Micky, Merl and Bruce are inside always -- cats do not enjoy the cold and are NEVER safe outside.

Please, Please, Please report animals left outside to the proper agencies. Sometimes just telling an unknowing neighbor that his cat or dog would be a lot happy, safer and WARMER will do the trick. Believe it or not, there are folks who say, "but he's wearing a fur coat." I may not have fur, but when I go outside bundled up from head to toe, I still get cold and don't want to stay outside for very long. How different is that than my short-haired dog who goes outside barefoot?

New Year's resolution number one -- help keep animals warm and safe this winter.