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J February 2012 Volume 1, Number 2

Friends is constantly looking for ways to improve our group

or add things that will better the lives of the homeless animals in our community. So, what's new with Friends this

month? Here's a list of some of the things that are going on or currently in the works:

Microchips! Each year thousands of animals are taken into shelters as strays. Due to overcrowding, many of these

animals never make it home simply because they can't be identified. Collar tags can easily break or become unreadable and tattooing can become illegible over time. The only way

to ensure your lost animal will be safely and quickly returned is by a microchip. Every animal that is being adopted from Friends is now implanted with a 24PetWatch microchip that

is automatically registered to the new adopter. If the animal is ever lost or stolen, all universal scanners will be able to

read the chip and easily locate the owner. This will help prevent our adopted animals from ever finding themselves lost in a

shelter with no way to find their family.

ShelterCare Pet Insurance! All of Friends animals are now being adopted with a gift of a 30 day $750 pet insurance policy that covers many illnesses and accidents. There is no cost involved for Friends or the new

adopter. The adopter simply has to provide us with a valid email address and they must confirm the policy via email

within 3 business days of adopting. Information on the policy is provided to the family at the time of adoption.

Are you looking to Volunteer?

Look no further! Friends of the Animals of Jessamine County, Inc. is now taking volunteer

applications. It is simple - follow this link

OUR FEATURED PETS

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Donation Boxes! We ordered very

cute donation boxes to place in several different locations throughout our community. You may start seeing them

at checkout counters near you! We will need volunteers to be responsible for collecting the money at certain locations

when they're full. We'll let everyone know where they're located once we get them placed. These boxes

may be small, but they sure help offset other costs.

Georgetown Adoption Event! We've been invited to attend the ASPCA's Mega Match-A-Thon Adoption Event in

Georgetown, KY the weekend of March 30th. Scott County Humane Society was 1 of 54 organizations in the country to receive a grant funding to participate in this inaugural event.

Friends will be at the event on Sat. April 1 from noon til 6 pm. This will be a HUGE opportunity for Friends! We will need additional fosters and volunteers for this event. See our

Event tab on our website for more information.

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Last month we talked about our pet's dental health, and how chew treats can help in the fight for dental care. I also warned about rawhide. Many people were probably surprised at this statement. So let's talk about it.

The first thing is to understand what rawhide is; it is a by-product of the leather industry, not the beef industry. Also, it’s important to know where rawhide comes from; because tanneries (leather factories) are incredibly unpleasant, we only have around 30 here in the United States, versus the thousands in Mexico, Central and South America and China. Most of the animals hides have to be shipped from the U.S. slaughterhouses to the international tanneries for processing. Can you imagine fresh beef hide sitting in a shipping container for 2 weeks to months to get to China? What must they look like when they come out of those containers? Doesn’t flesh start decaying? Yes, it does. Many times, the flesh has decayed so much that it is black and putrid. This may bring on the question: How is rawhide so white when I see it on the shelves?

The processing that rawhide goes through is extensive and is not without toxic chemicals. If the animal hide is shipped within the United States it is iced and delivered to the tanneries within a few days, where it then takes a long bath in hydrogen peroxide. If the animal hide is being shipped internationally it is almost immediately put into a huge trough of brine; a highly concentrated salt solution, for 12-18 hours. I mentioned shipping times in the previous paragraph. It can take weeks or months to reach oversea tanneries, and while brining slows the decaying process it can’t stop it. So what happens when the hides get there?

"Once at the tannery, the hides are soaked, treated with lime (which helps strip the fat from the hide), de-haired (through physical and a chemical process), and then de-limed (accomplished by numerous water rinses). They are then treated with chemicals that help “puff” the hide, making it easier to split into layers. (“Full-grain” leather is made from unsplit hides.)" When the hides arrive and they are black with rot, at the least, they have to be bleached to make the appearance and the aroma more pleasant. Depending on how far the decay has advanced, they may have to be treated with more chemicals and painted with a layer of titanium oxide to make the rawhide look clean and white on the store shelves. Many different toxic chemicals have been detected in low quality, foreign manufactured rawhide, including lead, arsenic, formaldehyde, chromium salts, and mercury. Besides the way rawhide is processed, there are several other dangers; choking and bowel obstruction are the main two that come to my mind. Rawhide chews puff up when they are chewed on or gotten wet, and they are not digestible. So when your dog rips off a piece and then swallows it, it then expands in his stomach and could possibly cause a bowel obstruction as it tries to make its way out. This is painful for your dog and

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will most likely end up being a surgical procedure.

So rawhide is a piece of undigestible leather that has decayed, been dipped in bleach and then toxically treated to sell to you, that could then cause serious harm to your pet. Do you still want to give it to your best friend? Your child? If you still want to give rawhide to your pet, please make sure you are giving them items made in the USA. They at least have a better chance of being all natural.

So you ask now, what are my options? What else can I give my dog who loves to chew on stuff? I personally give my dogs Elk and Deer antlers from the Bluegrass Barkey. They are naturally shed antlers, so no animals were hurt or killed to get them. I wanted to know more options, so I swung by the Barkery and talked with my friend Drew. I find that everyone who works at the Barkery is more than willing to help with any nutritional question you may have. They have been a vital resource in raising my two dogs.

Drew walked me around the store and pointed out some great alternatives to rawhide. Like I said before, I prefer the deer or elk antler. They are a little pricey, but they last 3-5 months and they are a lifesaver! There are also the Paragon Dental Chews which really gives your dog’s jaw a workout and keeps them busy. They are sweet potato based and double as a dental product. There are also the animal based products. They are naturally cut and are not treated with any toxic chemicals. There are pig ears, cow knuckles (with or without meat on them), bully sticks, and many other kinds of bones and chews. Also remember that size matters! So if you have a large breed dog, buy the large breed chews; and so on and so forth. The Bluegrass Barkery only carries the best and healthiest products on the market. If you have any questions about nutrition or your options for toys and treats, they will take the time to talk to you about it, whether or not you purchase from them. They really do care about your pet. And so do I!

So stayed tuned for next month's article that will delve further into dog toys and treats made in China. This will be a special edition with an interview with Clay from the Bluegrass Barkery... I hear he may even speak at a Friend’s event about nutrition... But we'll keep that a secret between us. :)

~Janna

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Here’s a note from barry and william’s mom:

"I have always believed that children who are not taught compassion do not learn

compassion. I practiced this belief with my children when they were young and

now, as a single grandparent raising 2 elementary-aged boys, I strive to instill this

in them as well. We first became involved with Friends of the Animals of

Jessamine County in the summer of 2011. Initially, it was because as a former

veterinary assistant and groomer, I have an intense love for dogs. We had already

taken in several rescued animals so the boys had a concept of what animal rescue

meant. Our first Friends 'event' was at Cici's Pizza. Barry (now 10) and William

(now 8) had an absolute ball! They walked dogs to potty, played with the puppies,

held the kittens, met several other children and made new friends. As time went

by and we fostered more dogs, attended more events, helped place more pets into

permanent homes, my belief that kids need dogs and dogs need kids was

strengthened. Animals have come into our home physically and/or emotionally

hurting. The boys have done whatever it took to help with their healing; whether

it be swimming with them in the pool or showing them that human hands can be

gentle and loving. The dogs quickly learn it's OK to trust humans (especially kids)

because part of the boys responsibilities at home are to feed all the dogs. The boys

also love to play, chase and wrestle with our foster dogs. Sometimes, they even

offer to share their beds with them! Getting a goodnight kiss from my boys and a

tail wag or lick from the dogs is comforting for Mom too. I have listened as Barry

or William explain to new children in our neighborhood just exactly why there are

so many dogs in our yard. There are our "permanent dogs" and our "foster

dogs". They also explain to them what fostering is and why we do it. Proverbs

22:6 states: "train up a child the way he should go: and when he is old he will not

depart from it". So, I admonished to teach these children that helping others is

fun and the satisfaction you get from helping is all the payment you

need." ~Darlene Cox Dicken

We LOVE having kids at our events and Barry

and William are no exception! They are at

PetSmart with us most Saturday and even come to

our monthly meetings! Now, we know that it’s not

all because they want to, but they do seem to

really enjoy being involved with our group. Part

of our mission is to bring about awareness and

change in Jessamine County, and kids are where

we need to start. We are confident these 2

young boys are getting off on the right track

and will be great humane educators one day!

Click here

for a

coloring

page for

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Animal rescue and fostering is not easy. Don't get me wrong; it's one of the most

rewarding things I've ever done. We learn to be happy and joyful with little

accomplishments and try to accept the hard times by focusing on the positive. But that's

not always easy. As many of you are already aware, Friends suffered a great loss this

month. Addie and Scooby came to us from a Central KY shelter where they were

surrendered together by their owner.

When Friends offered to pull them, we had no idea they were in such horrible

condition based on their photographs we received. They were severely dehydrated, their

tiny bodies were flea infested and consumed with worms and parasites, and they were

literally skeletons with skin stretched over their bones. They were so frail they could barely

walk without stumbling and wobbling. Flea baths were immediately given and medical

treatment was started.

We knew they were in poor shape but were hopeful they would make a complete

recovery. Once again, we were blessed with wonderful fosters that offered to give them the

around-the-clock care that they needed. Unfortunately, on 2/23/12, Addie's fragile little

body couldn't withstand her ailments any longer. She peacefully passed away at her foster

mom's home cuddled with her blanket and toy.

The day after Addie's passing, Scooby's condition worsened and continued to

gradually decline. He was admitted back into the hospital on 2/24/12 where he was barely

holding his own. Scooby's body finally succumbed to his conditions on 2/26/12 at the

hospital where he was surrounded with love and comfort. It's hard to find positive in such

tragic situations, but we are all comforted with knowing that both Scooby and Addie went

to the Rainbow Bridge knowing what it felt like to be warm, fed, comfortable and most

importantly... loved.

Friends will forever be grateful to Reva and Tara for taking such great care of these

babies, as well as to the many supporters that donated toward their costly vet bills. We are

so blessed.

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We are adding a new feature to our newsletter where we will share one of our favorite “Nicholas moments” from the past month! If you follow us on Facebook, you already know that Nicholas can be quite the character! In order to fully appreciate each moment, you first need to know Nicholas’ story.

“I got a request to keep my eye out for a family puppy. Their

research kept bringing them back to getting a Golden Retriever for their two young boys. It was only a day or two later that another rescuer posted that a Golden puppy was found abandoned in a coal mine in Eastern Kentucky. I offered to help and drove to Berea one sunny September afternoon to meet her and pick him up. He was stinky, coughing and had skimpy hair due to mange. Maybe seven weeks old.

Really not very cute at all in his condition, but playful. So off to the vet he went and his treatments started. Along the way I also found Nicholas was very food aggressive. Wonder what could have made such a little baby so protective over his food? Not a good prospect for a family with young boys. He continued to get healthy. The cough went away, the mange healed up. Slowly his coat seemed to be getting thicker, but…there was just something not right. Another visit to Dr. Burdick revealed his heart did not sound good. Dr. Reimer, a veterinary cardiologist agreed to discount her services and one of the attorneys I work with paid for him to have an

ultrasound. Nicholas was diagnosed with Tetrology of Fallot, a complex condition that involves several congenital heart defects. Surgery would possibly cost around $15,000.00, was not available in our area, was very risky and still would not guarantee Nicholas a full and normal life. Nicholas does not get sufficient oxygen to his organs. When his heart attempts to pump oxygen-rich blood out of his heart to his organs, the artery is so narrow that most of the blood washes back down into his heart. He is almost always out of breath, sometimes worse than others and exertion makes it worse. His lips and tongue sometimes turn blue and he stretches out his neck and sticks his nose in the air to catch his breath. On rare occasions he will pass out and drop to the floor for a brief moment. I could not have him put down. He was not ready and Dr. Burdick agreed. He is a very happy boy and doing well overcoming his food aggression issues and eating well. His tail is constantly wagging and he loves toys. His quality of life is high and Dr. Burdick says Nicholas does not realize he does not breathe well. He has never known any different. Nicholas is now maybe eight months old and hanging on. When he sprawls in my lap I can feel his wildly beating heart with no rhythm whatsoever. He is growing, maybe 45 pounds. His weight is fair for his size and his coat is thick and healthy. He is simply a love and expresses his joy of life with the constant wag of

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his big hairy tail and a big smile on his face. Dr. Burdick tells me Nicholas might have three weeks or three months or three years. He will likely either have a massive heart attack or begin to suffer organ damage due to lack of oxygen. Until then……we will love him. Nicholas makes the most of every day he is given. I want to share him with you. Maybe you will find him as entertaining as me as I watch him move through his days and deal with his illness, grow up and become an adult (hopefully), and cope with the three little drama dogs he lives with who find him way too much like a bull in a china shop. I constantly tell him how much I love him because I never know when a moment might be his last. How I relish the times when he climbs up in my lap or lays on top of me on the couch or bed for snuggles. He is not often still and I love our brief times. He has taught me a lot and I will never forget him – not ever. Nicholas, I love you…… Christy”

Here is an example of a normal heart and heart with tetralogy

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Miranda Gregory Congratulations to Miranda for being nominated as our February

Volunteer of the Month! Miranda has contributed SO much during her short time with our group. She designed our website which she is constantly updating and adding new features to.

She attends adoption events when work doesn't interfere, helps keep our Facebook page updated, has been a tremendous help

with getting our software system up and going, designs and publishes our monthly newsletter, creates graphic designs for

various projects, and much, much more. We wouldn't know what to do

without our graphic artist/technology expert who is just a phone call away! We've enjoyed getting to know her and establishing a friendship. We appreciate you, Miranda, and thank you for all that you do for Friends!

Our adopters who saved a life!

All of our individual contributors

All of our volunteers who foster, transport, work at events, and

much more.

The veterinarians and staff who work with our program:

Animal Hospital of Nicholasville and Bluegrass Veterinary Clinic.

PetSmart in Brannon Crossing for allowing us to have events at

their location.

A Big Thank You To: