Australian Animal Protection Society

Easter enews 2014

Leah

Daisy

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Leah an 8y.o staghound & Daisy 18month old Beagle X are a dynamic duo that are seeking a place to call home together. These gorgeous girls are a vibrant happy team that keep each other in check. As you can see both are well mannered and tolerant. Daisy has a fail-safe party trick where she will sit at your feet, hoping for a treat!

AAPS is glad to report that all the animals featured in the Christmas eNews edition have since been adopted. This could not happen without community support or the tireless efforts of our shelter volunteers. The shelter currently has a number of positions available, so if you`re interested and have passion for animal welfare refer to our website for further details www.aaps.org.au

Casual Animal Attendant required Casual Relieving Animal Welfare Coordinator/ Office/ Administration Officer Experienced Vet Nurse (Casual) See other ways you can assist the shelter by checking the following link How you can help

Training Tips One of the greatest benefits for both pets and family members is putting time on to training your pet. It is amazing how a little time and effort can make everyones life a bit easier as your pet can understand what you expect from them and in turn provide some predictability to the owner. Basic commands such as sit stay drop okand come cover most scenarios. You can use words that have a similar meaning however they need to be basic, short one syllable words to help your pet learn. Remember to your pet its like learning a new language and as you would when learning a foreign language, simple basic terms enable you to learn more effectively. Here is a link Purina have published for good videos on training exercises for your dog to Sit, Drop, Come and Stay. Training videos 2|Page

AAPS VET CLINIC

The AAPS vet clinic was established to not only provide care to shelter animals but to also provide affordable vet care to the community. Refer to the link for vaccination and other related healthcare costs. Whilst looking after your pet health needs you are also helping shelter animals as all the proceeds from Veterinary surgery help with the running of the shelter. For further information Phone ( 0 3 ) 9 7 0 1 5 7 8 5 to make an appointment or refer to the vet clinic link below..

Vet Clinic Information

Feline health Kitty Cautions

You may be surprised! We're alerting you to a few kitty dangers you might not have thought about. These are just a few of the hazards we find people forget about or are not aware of. Human medicines - medicines such as panadol and antidepressants pose a serious threat to your cat, so keep them in a place he cant get in to. Common houseplants can be hazardous to your cat's health: lillies, poinsettia and tulips are the main culprits Some chemicals taste especially good to cats - keep these and all chemicals locked away: antifreeze, bleach, detergents, fertilizers, herbicides, insect spray (eg. ant rid) and rodent bait Dog flea and tick medication - A cat that shares a house with a dog that has had supermarket pyrethrum flea treatment is at risk. These can KILL your cat. Ask us for the safest flea prevention for ALL of your pets Household products - chicken bones, dental floss, yarn, string, lights and tinsel can lead to intestinal blockages If you think your cat might have ingested something toxic - phone us immediately for advice

Wildlife help
Many will be driving long distances this holiday season and it is not uncommon to come across injured wildlife along the way. What should you do? Keep a cardboard box and towel in the boot of your car in case you find an injured animal If you see an animal beside the road pull over only when it is safe to do so and put your hazard lights on Approach the animal carefully and cover it with a towel or blanket to calm it and contain it Stress is the major killer of injured animals so keep handling and disturbance to a minimum Keep it in a dark, quiet and warm place and do not try and feed the animal, however you can offer water Contact a local vet or local wildlife hotline in the appropriate state and they will direct you on what to do next. Remember to leave out a bowl of water for our wildlife in the hot weather AND keep cats and dogs inside and under control wherever possible.

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MEMOIRS OF A VOLUNTEER DOG WALKER

Its been over two years now since I first started walking the doggies at the Keysborough Shelter. Every Thursday, around 8 am, rain, hail or shine you will find me there (unless Im sick or on hols). I only go for a couple of hours each Thursday, but to my way of thinking if everyone gave just a small amount of their time REGULARLY it would be fabulous. You dont need to spend hours and hours, just be reliable and go the same time/day each week. It makes it so much easier for the co-ordinator. Walking only a couple of hours also means it can be done EVERY WEEK at the same time and you dont get burnt out. Thats me anyway. I used to worry why the dogs were there, how could anyone give their dog/s away, why are they thin, how come they are so healthy looking etc. etc. they must have been loved once. Now I dont

Rhona and Cocasse

think about it as much, all I know is that they are well fed, very well looked after, loved by all staff and volunteers, safe and secure and, believe it or not, happy and waiting for their new homes. AND THEY ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEIR WALKIES. You only have to see it in their faces when volunteers arrive. Pick me! Pick me! What about me! Im next they say. They bark and yell at each other as if they are jealous that anothe r dog is getting a walk and not them. But they ALL eventually have a walk sometimes two and three times in a day which is just wonderful. I have been slobbered on, licked on, jumped on, scratched on (even humped on) and recently even piddled on!!! But I wouldnt have it any other way, because as the dogs love their walkies, so do I love giving them a walk. Unconditional pleasure in each others company and quiet chats and the occasional cuddle as we meander down the road outside the Shelter. Rhona Van Der Kaay

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TIPS FROM THE AAPS FOR EASTER AND PETS

Chocolate is toxic for dogs

The toxic components in chocolate are theobromine and caffeine, and the level of toxicity is based on the type and quantity of chocolate consumed. Different types of chocolate have different amounts of theobromine and caffeine; dark chocolate contains the highest concentrations and white "chocolate" contains the least. Early clinical signs are vomiting, diarrhoea and trembling.

Other items that are toxic for your dog include

Onions xylitol garlic Artificial sweetener grapes macadamia raisins hops Avocado nuts mouldy food

For more info refer to this website

Toxic Foods List In the event you dog has consumed a toxic substance seek veterinary advice immediately

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Cooper`s Story
Hi Im Cooper and this is my story. I was born in 2009 and my beagle mum and dad were successful show dogs at the time. I was in a pen inside with my mum when a young couple came to see me. Also in my pen was my twin brother. It was apparent to me that this young couple had done their research, knew about puppy farms and also my breed Beagle hence why they came and saw my mum and where I was brought in to this life. It was a big change for me leaving my k9 family to go to my new home, but I went to school to learn some manners. This was easy because every time I did the right thing I got a rewarded with one of my greatest loves FOOD. I had to work for it, but really appreciated the effort mum and dad put into training me as it really helped settle in to my new home. At just 4months of age I had a large health scare, when during my usual afternoon kip lying on the couch I suffered a seizure. Dad looked very worried about me and took me to the vet where I was to under-go tests the following day. A few hours later I suffered another seizure and my parents rushed me to the hospital where I was placed on observation overnight. Luckily after my third seizure that night they seemed to have stopped. Around a month later I suffered another seizure whilst in was in the car coming home from my great aunty`s place and dad who was away at the time asked mum to take me straight back to the hospital. I was lucky in some ways as my dad being a shift worker kept in touch throughout the night with my vets and whilst it was traumatic I felt I was in good hands. I had a lot of tests done and thankfully no serious or unfixable issues were detected and at just 4 months of age I was diagnosed with epilepsy. I was a bit worried as I know this was very expensive and hadnt been in my new home for long. I just hoped that this wouldnt affect my relationship with my new family. I was lucky in that dad didnt even think twice before spending money on me but always did before spending it on himself! I was one very lucky beagle pup. I heard my nana say to my dad how we were destined for each other for a reason and that this was maybe why as like me I was well aware that the care I needed may not have been so forth coming by other people. My dad was very proactive in getting me as much of a normal life as possible as drugs needed to control my seizures tended to be quite aggressive on my little growing body and organs. He decided to put me on a less aggressive drug, which was a good call as I still to this day have not had a seizure since and can gladly say Im now off all medication for over 2 years now. After this life was all good, I had the run of the house, slept wherever I wanted to and went to the off leash park and ran for hours with other k9 friends. I believe the human term is known as spoilt. Then I heard that we were getting a new addition to our family in the form of a little person mid-2011. While I was excited I did wonder how this would affect my relationship with my family and if I would still be the centre of attention. I was hearing things like stay outside more and sleeping outside, less time for him etc. My dad was reading this material produced by organisations trying to prepare pets for when human babies are born. Then I heard something comforting and possibly the funniest, least expected thing I ever heard from my dad If it was me, Id be pissed if for no reason at all I got shafted like that! He said why dont we include Coops and not exclude him which was the general genre in all this material. I went on holidays to the beagle Taj Mahal when my human brother was born and when I came home had some new boundaries which were fair, but most importantly I was included in my family and very much a part of our new era. My new human brother was also the reason I could come off my medication as I now had the luxury of stay at home mum to keep an eye on me 24/7. The same thing happened just 15months later where I then had two new human brothers but I wasnt concerned this t ime. Im now 4yrs old and as mentioned before free of my seizures and loving spending time playing with my two human brothers. The moral of my story is treat others as you would expect to be treated, invest time in to training me and we will both reap benefits from it and also little humans and pets can have a great value adding relationship for all of us given a chance to do so.

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TALK TO THE ANIMALS ADOPTION SECTION

With the influx of animals to the shelter AAPS has many animals needing loving homes and are now available for adoption. The animals listed have been in our care for an extended period of time and would dearly love their own place to call home. AAPS is located at 1 0 H o m e l e i g h R o a d , K e y s b o r o u g h , 3 1 7 3 ,
Victoria, Australia - ph (03)9798-8415 or (03)9798-8044

ROO

Photos taken by David Oakley of R I V I D Fine Art Portraits website www.rivid.com For more information of animals available for adtion refer the the weblinks below 1. Dog adoption 2. Cat adoption 3. Other animal adoption including Rabbits & guinea pigs

Roo was surrendered to us because her elderly owner could no longer care for her.
She is such a joy, so affectionate & playful. She has her quiet times when she just likes to chill out & watch the world go by. She loves her walks & shes pretty good on lead. She is housetrained & best suited to a moderately active adult family or a family with teens. If you would like to have Roo as a part of your life contact the shelter for further details.

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Rosie was surrendered to us because her Mishka is playful, energetic, alert & affectionate. She will do so
well in a calm, assertive environment where she will be provided with training, exercise & a steady routine. owners were moving. She is a quiet, yet friendly & loving girl with the sweetest of natures. She has always lived indoors & according to her former owners, she is good with dogs. NB. Rosie has been with us a very long time. She celebrated her 12th birthday on April 1st, and would love to be adopted before she reaches 12 years and 1 month! She is just so beautiful and no trouble at all

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Daisy & Duke

Duke & Daisy
are a quiet, patient brother & sister duo. They have been waiting very patiently for their forever home in a nice peaceful environment.

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Cocasse/Coco
Cocasse was
surrendered to us because his owners could no longer keep him & its not often that we would be thrilled with an animal being surrendered but in this case, it was definitely in Cocasses best interests. He had been terribly neglected by his former owners. He had fly bite that became so infected that our vets decided it would be best for a partial amputation of his ear tips. His coat was dull & unkempt & he didnt show much interest in getting to know people. He is now a much improved, very handsome boy who loves to play ball & he is just so smart & loyal with those he knows. He loves his walks & he would suit an active adult family or a family with older teens.

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SPECIAL BUNNY ADOPTION SECTION

Bethany is a bit shy at first, but is a very lovely rabbit who loves a nose rub and an ear pat when she gets to know you. She's beautiful with other rabbits and will love a desexed male rabbit to snuggle with for the rest of her days.

Miffy is just over 2 years old and is a desexed female dwarf lop. She will need a desexed male dwarf lop as a friend. She's a beautiful girl who will need to lose weight slowly as she's too fat at the moment. Gorgeous Rissy is a desexed female dwarf x. She is approximately 3 years old but may be younger. She is looking for a home with one of the bunnies she came in with, or a desexed male rabbit.

Carrie is around 2 years old, and a desexed female dwarf x. She is a very sweet rabbit, and will be a great friend for a desexed male rabbit of her choosing.

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DYNAMIC DUOS LOOKING FOR HOMES

Snoopy & Indi were
surrendered to us because their owner fell on hard times financially. They are a gorgeous duo, both very friendly, intelligent & affectionate. We would love to find them a home where they can live together but we would definitely consider separating them for the right family. Snoopy qualifies for our Golden Oldies Program. Hes mature in years but hes still pretty sprightly!

They are

available for separate adoptions as well.

Sasha & Buddha

were surrendered to us because their owner could no longer keep them. They are great dogs, both friendly & lovable. Sasha is the contemplator & Buddha is the more initially outgoing & affectionate. They have both had some basic training & they are housetrained. They would suit a moderately active adult family or a family with teens.

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A Tribute to Blue RIP

Blue came to us aged 12 years because his owners were moving. Everyone at the shelter instantly fell in love with this gentle, beautiful boy, who was very stressed & depressed, being given up so suddenly by the family he loved. Its difficult for any animal being given up by their beloved owners but its the Golden Oldies who seem to suffer the most. Blue wasnt coping alone in his pen so we took him into our office area & he fitted in so perfectly, always respectful of the other animals & constantly wanting cuddles & lapsits from the office girls. We posted his details on our website & Facebook, hoping desperately that someone special would come along & adopt him & we didnt have to wait long because two beautiful angels, Jacqui & Clara came along & took him home, where he was lavished with all the love & creature comforts a dog could ever want. Jacqui & Clara have kept in regular contact via Facebook since adopting Blue in 2011 & we were always thrilled to get the updates because they were just a reminder that there are wonderful people out there for our animals. We nd recently found out that Blue passed away on 2 March, 2014 & were all very saddened by the news but not half as much as his mums must be & we send out our love, thanks & condolences to you, Jacqui & Clara. Bless you beautiful Blue & love always from your shelter familyxxxxxx

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Above all else our goal is to not just find a home for animals in our care, we need to find the right home for them. Animals are living things and to take on the responsibility should be an educated decision supported by all persons involved that are thinking of pet ownership. Listed below are links to documents created by the RSPCA to assist potential new owners with information regarding purchasing a cat or dog as health care, training and microchipping are just some of the initial steps to responsible pet ownership. The AAPSs animal welfare coordinators are there to ensure and assist in this. RSPCA Smart-Puppy-Buyers-Guide RSPCA Pet Kitten or Cat Buyers Guide If youre thinking about adopting a pet or have a passion for animal welfare, here is a link to a feel good utube video the SPCA (America) created. This was very well done and I think shares the same message that sectors of animal welfare all over the world have in common. Unfortunately rescue pets tend to be tainted as something is wrong with them and this is just not the case, as you can see nearly all animals listed for adoption are there because previous owners cant care for them any more for one reason or another and hence are in our care through no fault of their own. Take a chance A feel good utube video which is the message we are all trying to get out there. Watch "Take a Chance" Video here 14 | P a g e

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