Hoarder!
Thanks to new and popular T.V. shows, this has become one of the most over-used "curse" words in the animal community today. People with four pets will be called a hoarder by those who only prefer one pet. Rescues with 20 cats in a home will be called a hoarder behind their backs, despite how clean and well cared for the cats might be.
So what IS a hoarder, anyway?
Wikipedia defines animal hoarders as follows:
Animal hoarding involves keeping higher than usual numbers of animals as pets without having the ability to properly house or care for them, while at the same time denying this inability. Compulsive hoarding can be characterized as a symptom of mental disorder rather than deliberate cruelty towards animals. Hoarders are deeply attached to their pets and find it extremely difficult to let the pets go. They typically cannot comprehend that they are harming their pets by failing to provide them with proper care. Hoarders tend to believe that they provide the right amount of care for their pets.
So what does this mean exactly? If you have one or two pets and are not caring for them properly, you are simply neglectful. But when you have multiple neglected pets, and refuse to see the neglect and cannot let them go, you are a hoarder.
Does this mean that a rescue with 20 cats is a hoarder? Let's think.
The rescuer may have 20 cats in their home. This IS an unusually high number of animals. However, the question becomes - how are they being cared for? Are the litter boxes clean? Are the cats well fed on an appropriate diet? Are they receiving proper and frequent medical care from a licenced Vet? Does this rescuer simply collect and house 20 cats, or do they find loving, forever homes for them?
Many families, with jobs, social lives, kids, and hobbies, are not well equipped to caring for a large number of animals. But some people, like rescuers, will devote a large amount of time, energy, and funds to animal care, and may actually be capable of providing clean, loving care to a large number of animals. They may develop systems to streamline their care, building kennels or purchasing self-cleaning litter boxes. They use proper sanitizers, parasite control, and properly dispose of feces and hair.
The point I am trying to reach here is that not everyone with a large number of animals in their home is a hoarder. This word is hurtful to rescuers who do spend time and money caring for their fosters properly, and giving them every opportunity at a good life.
Be wary of anyone claiming to be a "rescuer" who does not adopt out the animals they receive. The inability to let go of the animals in their care is a big tell tale sign. All rescuers with large numbers of animals should have records for Veterinary care for each of their dogs or cats, including their personal ones. Their facility or home should be clean (no one with any pets has a "white-glove" clean home, so bear in mind that clean is a relative term!) and without large amounts of feces and urine.
I should also mention that breeders, even those of good quality, will usually have more animals than most people, as they should have diverse stock to breed from. The same cleanliness and Vetting standards apply to them too. If you buy a puppy from a location with alot of dogs in it, you may be purchasing from a Puppy Mill and a hoarder. Please report breeders with ill or unclean animals to your local SPCA or Animal Control.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Helping Out and the Feel Good Crew
As many of you have heard, we have been very busy supporting our sister rescue, Dames For Danes and the Midnight Blue 6 that they were able to rescue from a hoarding breeder in West TN. The total costs for these 6 emaciated, some heart worm positive, Great Danes is at $3,500.00 and climbing.
Whats even more sad is that, in the limelight of these 6, the tragic stories of the two they had JUST taken in prior to the 6 have been lost in the chaos. Lavergne, a senior, emaciated female was spayed by the YWAC when she was 8 years old and over 30 lbs under weight. She's still struggling to recover. Also, there is Big Foot, a GORGEOUS Harlequin boy, who is heart worm positive and also very underweight.
Please remember that while large groups of neglected dogs are tragic, we see hundreds of individuals with pitiful, sad stories every day. Each of them deserves your sympathy and encouragement as they grow healthy in rescue too.
On another note, we are filling up fast this week and are in critical need of foster homes. We would like to welcome Midnight, a 20 month old Black female. We also have Marmalade, a crop-eared fawn female and Marshall, a 5 yr old Blue Merle heading into rescue over the next week. Keep watching for pictures and stories on them.
Just wanted to share my thoughts with you all today. More money saving tips and great Dane gifts in our next post.
Whats even more sad is that, in the limelight of these 6, the tragic stories of the two they had JUST taken in prior to the 6 have been lost in the chaos. Lavergne, a senior, emaciated female was spayed by the YWAC when she was 8 years old and over 30 lbs under weight. She's still struggling to recover. Also, there is Big Foot, a GORGEOUS Harlequin boy, who is heart worm positive and also very underweight.
Please remember that while large groups of neglected dogs are tragic, we see hundreds of individuals with pitiful, sad stories every day. Each of them deserves your sympathy and encouragement as they grow healthy in rescue too.
On another note, we are filling up fast this week and are in critical need of foster homes. We would like to welcome Midnight, a 20 month old Black female. We also have Marmalade, a crop-eared fawn female and Marshall, a 5 yr old Blue Merle heading into rescue over the next week. Keep watching for pictures and stories on them.
Just wanted to share my thoughts with you all today. More money saving tips and great Dane gifts in our next post.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Cats, kittens, and other beastly things.
So this weekend we were able to place all of the remaining kittens we took in from May of last year. There had been 10 kittens and two moms total, and they have all found wonderful, loving homes. Congratulations to all of their families, and to each of our beautiful cats.
Today, I'd like to share some ways to save on your pet's prescription costs and help you save some much needed cash.
Did you know that most pet prescriptions have generic versions too, just like human meds? These generic medications are just as effective, but may come in alternate forms.
For example:
Heartgard - The generic version of Heartgard is Ivermectin. Actually, that's kind of a lie. Ivermectin is the drug inside Heartgard, but you can buy Ivermectin in a liquid or paste form, instead of the beefy chewable. The cost to buy a 6 month supply of Heartgard online for a 150lb Dane is approx. $65.00.
To buy Ivermectin in a liquid form is approx. $35.00 for a 50ml bottle. To prevent heartworms in Danes, we give 1cc/ml per 100lbs. Meaning, for a 150lb Dane, that $35.00 bottle of Ivermectin will last about 33 doses. That's over 2 and a half years of monthly heartworm prevention for HALF the price of what you'd pay at the vet's office.
Rimadyl, a medicine commonly prescribed for dogs with arthritis or other types of pain, also has a generic called Novox.
A commonly interchangeable NSAID is Meloxicam. Many vets will give this as an alternative to Rimadyl. Meloxicam is on the list for $4.00 prescriptions at Walmart, meaning you can get a 30 day supply for $4.00.
The cost for 30 days of Rimadyl? About 70.00 online.
Common antibiotics are also available at Walmart for $4.00 including Cephalexin, Amoxicillin, Metronidazole, and Doxycycline. Ask your Vet to write you a script, rather than have them fill their own. You'll save a lot of money fast.
Please remember, I am NOT a vet, and this is NOT medical advice. Please do not give your pet any medications without first consulting a licenced Veterinarian. We have given these meds to our Danes safely, but yours may be an exception. We simply want to make you an aware consumer, and help you to keep your Dane healthy and happy for less money.
Today, I'd like to share some ways to save on your pet's prescription costs and help you save some much needed cash.
Did you know that most pet prescriptions have generic versions too, just like human meds? These generic medications are just as effective, but may come in alternate forms.
For example:
Heartgard - The generic version of Heartgard is Ivermectin. Actually, that's kind of a lie. Ivermectin is the drug inside Heartgard, but you can buy Ivermectin in a liquid or paste form, instead of the beefy chewable. The cost to buy a 6 month supply of Heartgard online for a 150lb Dane is approx. $65.00.
To buy Ivermectin in a liquid form is approx. $35.00 for a 50ml bottle. To prevent heartworms in Danes, we give 1cc/ml per 100lbs. Meaning, for a 150lb Dane, that $35.00 bottle of Ivermectin will last about 33 doses. That's over 2 and a half years of monthly heartworm prevention for HALF the price of what you'd pay at the vet's office.
Rimadyl, a medicine commonly prescribed for dogs with arthritis or other types of pain, also has a generic called Novox.
A commonly interchangeable NSAID is Meloxicam. Many vets will give this as an alternative to Rimadyl. Meloxicam is on the list for $4.00 prescriptions at Walmart, meaning you can get a 30 day supply for $4.00.
The cost for 30 days of Rimadyl? About 70.00 online.
Common antibiotics are also available at Walmart for $4.00 including Cephalexin, Amoxicillin, Metronidazole, and Doxycycline. Ask your Vet to write you a script, rather than have them fill their own. You'll save a lot of money fast.
Please remember, I am NOT a vet, and this is NOT medical advice. Please do not give your pet any medications without first consulting a licenced Veterinarian. We have given these meds to our Danes safely, but yours may be an exception. We simply want to make you an aware consumer, and help you to keep your Dane healthy and happy for less money.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
2011 and How Time Fleas.
I am renewing my commitment in 2011 to try and keep up with this blog regularly. I think we'll set a more reasonable goal of once a week, and if I feel up to writing more, well, you just get lucky. ;)
Some new things are big on our minds as we begin our third year as MGGDR. We started uploading some of the new content we've been working on today, so you may notice the all new home page. In fact, it's probably how you got to be reading this blog. There will be all new pages, new info, new layouts and new photos over the next month, and a fully revamped site by spring.
Hopefully.
On another note, our Free Spays and Neuters Program remains on temporary hold, due to lack of funds. If you have a Great Dane and are unable to have him or her altered on your own, we can still get you set up with a very low cost spay or neuter. Please don't hesitate to call us if you are need.
This month's top needs are:
Some new things are big on our minds as we begin our third year as MGGDR. We started uploading some of the new content we've been working on today, so you may notice the all new home page. In fact, it's probably how you got to be reading this blog. There will be all new pages, new info, new layouts and new photos over the next month, and a fully revamped site by spring.
Hopefully.
On another note, our Free Spays and Neuters Program remains on temporary hold, due to lack of funds. If you have a Great Dane and are unable to have him or her altered on your own, we can still get you set up with a very low cost spay or neuter. Please don't hesitate to call us if you are need.
This month's top needs are:
- 54 inch crates, with or without trays
- Great Dane sized nail clippers
- Flea prevention meds in any size and type (except Hartz or Seargents)
- Ivermectin (if you don't know what this is, you need to email me. Now.)
- and Purina One and Purina Dog Chow
On a final thought, I know I promised you a blog on low cost and effective treatment. Instead of just regurgitating it to you, let me give you the link for what will soon become your go-to product for more than just fleas.
Start here, and read this entire website. It will change your life.
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