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RVHS NEWS – SPRING 2020 c P P r I n t s P P r I n t s c P P r I n t s P P r I n t s c c Rogue Valley Humane Society P. O. Box 951 Grants Pass, OR 97528 541-479-5154 RVHS-OR.ORG Rogue Valley Humane Society . . . Saving Lives Since 1965 THE ANIMALS NEED YOU – CAN YOU BE A PET FOSTER VOLUNTEER? Kitten and Puppy Season is here! RVHS wants to save more animals but our physical space is limited. Within a single week, RVHS is dealing with numerous animals that need to stay with us before finding their forever homes. Common scenarios include several litters of kittens or puppies brought into our facility, abandoned animals needing assistance, or individuals who can no longer keep their pets wanting to insure that they will be well taken care of. We have risen to this challenge by developing a foster parent program. Do you want to volunteer but lack the time to come to RVHS? Would you be interested in experiencing the joys of a companion animal but are not quite ready to adopt? Are you retired and have some extra love to share? By fostering for a short period, you will be creating room at our facility so we can save another life. We provide all the training and supplies – you provide the care and love. Together, we can make a huge difference in the lives of cats and dogs. RVHS NEWS BY MARGARET VARNER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dear Friends, We'd like to express our deepest gratitude for your support throughout 2019! Last year, we have gotten 784 cats and dogs off the street, reunited 70 beloved pets with their owners, adopted 629 deserving pets, and transferred 82 (we're happy to announce they have been adopted as well!!). Sadly, last year we had 13 losses...saying goodbye is never easy. When disease takes control and there is no hope…the kindest thing one could do is to say goodbye. Each and every one of those beautiful souls left this world knowing they were loved…even if it was for only for a little while. We couldn't be any happier with our accomplish- ments with our spay and neuter clinic last year! We altered 490 of our in-house cats/dogs and 487 of local rescues cats/dogs! In addition to our in-house surgeries, our Jones Fund spay/neuter voucher program assisted in getting 315 felines and 167 canines altered last year! That's over 1400 pets that we assisted in getting altered last year alone! We also have helped feed many furry mouths last year! Our community food bank fed over 5000 pets in 2019 and our Animeals Program delivered by volunteers helped to provide pet food to 35 low income families each month. All of this could have never been done without our wonderful community's support! Give yourselves a big round of applause…YOU helped make all of these wonderful outcomes happen! In 2020, Team RVHS will need your continued support more than ever to continue to help the animals in our community! This year Team RVHS has hit the pavement running. Our commitment to helping community cats has already begun, having altered 43 feral cats at the RVHS Spay and Neuter Clinic. Spring and mating season is definitely here, last week we TNR’d 12 community cats and FYI over 60 percent of the females were pregnant. Just one example of how easy the numbers can get out of control. Help us to be a part of the solution! To prove our commitment, we have dedicated funding of $250.00 every month for the spay / neutering of community cats! Since this is a community problem and we are unable to do it alone, we hope you or your business will consider matching that or even better topping it! Remember, you can help support our mission by telling your friends, family and businesses that you frequent about RVHS. Share our adoptable pets and events on your social media with friends and family! The Rogue Valley Humane Society is a 501(c)3 non- profit organization that depends on your donations, grants, Thrift Store sales, and events to continue helping animals in our care and the community four paws at a time! Thank you all again for your support and let's keep this momentum going! TNR IN ACTION!

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Page 1: Newsletter SPRING 2020 - Rogue Valley Humane Society · Changes in appetite can result from dental pain, metabolic disease and hormonal imbalances among other things. It is a good

RVHS NEWS – SPRING 2020

cP PrIntsP PrIntscP PrIntsP PrIntscc

Rogue Valley Humane Society P. O. Box 951Grants Pass, OR 97528541-479-5154RVHS-OR.ORG

Rogue Valley Humane Society . . . Saving Lives Since 1965

THE ANIMALS NEED YOU – CAN YOU BE A PET FOSTER VOLUNTEER?

Kitten and Puppy Season is here!

RVHS wants to save more animals but our physical space is limited. Within a single week, RVHS is dealing with numerous animals that need to stay with us before finding their forever homes. Common scenarios include several litters of kittens or puppies brought into our facility, abandoned animals needing assistance, or individuals who can no longer keep their pets wanting to insure that they will be well taken care of. We have risen to this challenge by developing a foster parent program.

Do you want to volunteer but lack the time to come to RVHS? Would you be interested in experiencing the joys of a companion animal but are not quite ready to adopt?

Are you retired and have some extra love to share? By fostering for a short period, you will be creating room at our facility so we can save another life.

We provide all the training and supplies – you provide the care and love. Together, we can make a huge difference in the lives of cats and dogs.

RVHS NEWSBY MARGARET VARNER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dear Friends,We'd like to express our deepest gratitude for your support throughout 2019! Last year, we have gotten 784 cats and dogs off the street, reunited 70 beloved pets with their owners, adopted 629 deserving pets, and transferred 82 (we're happy to announce they have been adopted as well!!).

Sadly, last year we had 13 losses...saying goodbye is never easy. When disease takes control and there is no hope…the kindest thing one could do is to say goodbye. Each and every one of those beautiful souls left this world knowing they were loved…even if it was for only for a little while.

We couldn't be any happier with our accomplish-ments with our spay and neuter clinic last year! We altered 490 of our in-house cats/dogs and 487 of local rescues cats/dogs! In addition to our in-house surgeries, our Jones Fund spay/neuter voucher program assisted in getting 315 felines and 167 canines altered last year! That's over 1400 pets that we assisted in getting altered last year alone!

We also have helped feed many furry mouths last year! Our community food bank fed over 5000 pets in 2019 and our Animeals Program delivered by volunteers helped to provide pet food to 35 low income families each month.

All of this could have never been done without our wonderful community's support! Give yourselves abig round of applause…YOU helped make all of these wonderful outcomes happen!

In 2020, Team RVHS will need your continued support more than ever to continue to help the animals in our community! This year Team RVHS has hit the pavement running. Our commitment to helping community cats has already begun, having altered 43 feral cats at the RVHS Spay and Neuter Clinic. Spring and mating season is definitely here, last week we TNR’d 12 community cats and FYI over 60 percent of the females were pregnant. Just one example of how easy the numbers can get out of control. Help us to be a part of the solution!

To prove our commitment, we have dedicated funding of $250.00 every month for the spay / neutering of community cats! Since this is a community problem and we are unable to do it alone, we hope you or your business will consider matching that or even better topping it!

Remember, you can help support our mission by telling your friends, family and businesses that you frequent about RVHS. Share our adoptable pets and events on your social media with friends and family!

The Rogue Valley Humane Society is a 501(c)3 non- profit organization that depends on your donations, grants, Thrift Store sales, and events to continue helping animals in our care and the community four paws at a time!

Thank you all again for your support and let's keep this momentum going!

TNR IN ACTION!

Page 2: Newsletter SPRING 2020 - Rogue Valley Humane Society · Changes in appetite can result from dental pain, metabolic disease and hormonal imbalances among other things. It is a good

Hello again from Anthony, the manager of the RVHS Thrift Store. First of all, I need to thank all of our patrons and donors for helping us have a fantastic year! The early Christmas sale was a huge success and as a result we will keep a part of the store open and dedicated to upcoming holidays year round! Our Facebook presence has increased significantly and we hope to keep it growing.

We had a fun little bit of publicity in September when a few large objects and piles of stuff were dumped in our walkway. Well, it seems that it's been long enough for people to forget. So please, I must ask the community to be the great people I know we are and not leave things in front of the store when we are closed. These things are not donations, and we struggle enough with the vagrant population as it is.

We continue to expand and re-organize the store. All of our tools and hardware are now in “The Garage” and the Book Room is fully organized by genre in both fiction and non-fiction. Soon we plan to add areas devoted to carpets, posters and more!

We'd love to hear back from everyone on Google, Yelp, Facebook or any other means. We value your input!Our Facebook presence has increased significantly and we hope to keep it growing. Don't forget to share our page with your friends and family! Yvonne, myself and our incredible team of volunteers is excited to see you all in the store shopping and donating!

Thrift Store supports RVHS . . .By Anthony Yanofchick

Senior Series: Is Your Aging Pet Trying to Tell You Something?By Dr. Sarah Adams

Our animals are creatures of habit and paying attention to their routine is one good way to keep track of how they are doing. A subtle change in their behavior may be the first sign that something is awry and often these changes can progress so slowly that they are easily missed. Some of the most common changes that can be seen as your pet ages revolve around appetite, weight, thirst, bathroom habits and mobility.

It is always a good idea to measure out the recommended amount of food with a measuring cup so that it is easy to keep track of how much they are eating or not eating. Even if your pet free feeds dry food throughout the day, put out the recommended daily amount and measure what is left at the end of a 24 hour period. This will allow you to pick up on subtle changes to appetite. Changes in appetite can result from dental pain, metabolic disease and hormonal imbalances among other things.

It is a good idea to get an accurate weight on your pets at regular intervals. If your older feline is losing weight despite a good or even voracious appetite, he or she may be hyperthyriod which is easily diagnosed and treatable. If your older dog is gaining weight despite your efforts to get them to lose it, they may be hypothyroid which is again easy to diagnose and treat. If these hormonal imbalances are left untreated, they can cause further more serious issues.

An increase in thirst is most often noted by owners when their pet is heard drinking for longer periods of time or more often throughout the day. An increase in thirst can occur because of something as simple as a bladder infection or it can indicate something more serious such as diabetes, kidney failure, or other hormonal imbalances which can be diagnosed with a urinalysis or blood work.

If you notice your pet is asking to go out more often or waking you up in the middle of the night, it is important to follow them out and figure out if they are having a urinary issue or diarrhea. If your pet is urinating more often, it may be because they are feeling the discomfort from an infection or from an increase in thirst as discussed above. If your older female is leaking urine while sleeping, urinary incontinence is fairly common and can be easily treated after other issues are ruled out.

Mobility issues are extremely common as your pet ages and there are many things that can be done to make your pet more comfortable. It is easy to attribute changes seen in your pet as “old age” changes but it is important to remember that age is not a disease and that more often than not there is an underlying, manageable issue, that needs attention. If you see changes in your pet's routine reach out to your veterinarian to schedule an appointment for a physical exam.

Best Little

Thrift Store

in

Grants Pass!

Page 3: Newsletter SPRING 2020 - Rogue Valley Humane Society · Changes in appetite can result from dental pain, metabolic disease and hormonal imbalances among other things. It is a good

Helping Our Community . . .4 Paws at a time!

Utilize the Power of our own Community Foundation to Support the Rogue Valley Humane Society

We have a Community Foundation?Yes! The Four Way Community Foundation serves Josephine and western Jackson Counties by holding and investing donations and bequests and making grants and planned distributions to support local nonprofits. It was established in 1975, and has a corpus of over $9 million dollars. In 2019, the Four Way Community Foundation gave over $350,000 in grants, directed distributions, and scholarships, all locally. All gifts to, or through, the Four Way Community Foundation are fully tax deductible. Our federal tax ID number is 51-0173092.

What is the process for giving a gift or establishing an endowment?Simply contact the Four Way Community Foundation at (541) 474-9774 or by email at [email protected] and tell us you would like to start the process of making a gift. We will guide you, and provide simple legal wording and any necessary documents to make a gift immediately, or through your estate.

You can give an endowment gift to RVHS by naming the Four Way Community Foundation in your will or trust, with RVHS as the named beneficiary. It's up to you if you'd like only the earnings from that fund to be paid to RVHS each year, or if you would prefer to create a fund that allows RVHS to dip into the principal at times of specific need. This, and any other stipulations, can be established in a simple legal document, usually drafted in one short meeting and then approved by your attorney. Funds are prudently invested and maintained in perpetuity. Endowment funds require a minimum gift of $20,000 and are assessed a 1.5% fee annually.

Why use the Foundation instead of giving directly to RVHS?When the gift is large, such as an endowment of $20,000 or more, the Four Way Community Foundation provides a way to keep your gift giving in perpetuity, without burdening RVHS with the task of managing investments. The Foundation's board will forever uphold and monitor any stipulations or restrictions you set for the gift, as agreed upon by RVHS when the fund is created. Also, if you prefer your gift to be anonymous, the Four Way Community Foundation will protect donor identity permanently.

Can I make an anonymous gift?Yes! You can utilize the Four Way Community Foundation to make an anonymous pass-through gift of any size over $5,000 to ANY nonprofit organization for a 3% fee, or establish an endowment gift with $20,000 or more, without being named, for a 1.5% annual management fee. Donor anonymity is strictly protected.

Can I make a gift of stock?Yes! The Four Way Community Foundation can liquidate your gift of stock and transfer it directly to RVHS for a fee of 3%. Stock gifts start at an estimated $5,000 value, and are converted to cash immediately. The final tax-deductible value is set by the sale price obtained. If there are any restrictions on the gift, those are determined and agreed to by the donor, recipient, and Foundation representative in a document, usually drafted in one short meeting, prior to the stock transfer.

It's time for me to make a “minimum distribution” on my IRA. Can I give that to RVHS and avoid taxes?Yes! That is called a “qualified charitable distribution.” You can make that gift directly from your IRA or 401K to RVHS, or utilize the Four Way Community Foundation to establish a fund, or to give anonymously. Annual distributions are a popular way to build an endowment fund over time.

I want to leave a large gift to RVHS, but I don't know how much money my surviving spouse will need. What should I do?You can make a “residual gift” that will not be transferred until after your primary beneficiaries have passed away. Often that is done as a percentage, so that after expenses are paid, a set percentage of the “residue of the estate” would then go to the Four Way Community Foundation for the express benefit of RVHS (or any other nonprofit you stipulate.) You may also utilize the Four Way Community Foundation to make gifts to multiple local nonprofits.

RVHS WISH LIST¨ 33 Gallon Trash Bags¨ 13 Gallon Trash Bags¨ Gift Cards¨ Clorox Bleach¨ Paper Towels¨ Toilet Paper¨ HE Laundry Soap¨ Dryer Sheets¨ Oxi Clean¨ Rescue Disinfectant Gallon¨ Taste of the wild Pacific Stream

Adult and Puppy Food¨ Taste of the wild Feline Dryfood

Rocky Mountain and Canyon River¨ Royal Canin Kitten canned pate

and Dryfood¨ Fancy Feast Filet Mignon Adult

Dryfood¨ Fancy Feast and Friskies Feline

Canned food – all flavors¨ Potty Pads¨ Gloves¨ Forti Flora Canine and Feline¨ Baby wipes delicate no scent¨ Nutri Cal Kitten and Puppy¨ Pedialyte unflavored¨ Miralax unflavored¨ Sardines, Clam Juice¨ Advantix, Frontline, Advantage Flea

meds for Cats and Dogs¨ Postage Stamps

Page 4: Newsletter SPRING 2020 - Rogue Valley Humane Society · Changes in appetite can result from dental pain, metabolic disease and hormonal imbalances among other things. It is a good

Kanine Kroniclesby Scot Roberts

ROXY CLAUDIO MOXIE

ROXY'S athleticism is the first thing you notice about her. Long and lean you can see that she was built to move efficiently and with speed. She loves to fetch—and show off—and would make a great agility dog or hiking and running companion. She is, truly, a dog that if you put in the time to show her how she can be helpful she will learn it and do it flawlessly. Human interaction is what she yearns for and we know she will find her special someone who can bring out all of the potential of this two-year-old Shepherd blend.

CLAUDIO'S brown eyes seek connection with every person that visits Rogue Valley Humane Society. As a large dog—a Lab and American Staffordshire blend that is nearly ninety pounds—not everyone is positioned to adopt him, but his lengthy stay has not diminished his energy, personality, or desire to learn. When the kennel is the noisiest, Claudio is stoic and unflappable. Maybe he knows that he has to try that extra bit harder to get his chance at a home or maybe he brings a deep reservoir of peace with his whole being. We cannot wait to meet the person who falls for him and meets his gaze with enduring love.

MOXIE has an air of mystery about her. Found on the street she has a totally unique look married to a haughty temperament—she can be a bit of a diva! Her head is blocky and appears almost chiseled and reminds some of Marmaduke from the comics. Short and stocky the effect is she can sometimes look like a hippopotamus. We call her a Lab-Shepherd blend, but know there is more to her. This six-year-old is in need of a home without cats and a human or two that she can share her secrets with — in exchange for unconditional love!

Thank you to everyone who will help clear dry brush from the RVHS property for fire safety to prepare for the hot months of summer. This always helps keep our furry friends safe from the threat of wildfire.

We appreciate all of you for your hard work!

A Special Thank you and Paws Up to Crystal Fresh Bottled Water for donating bottled water to both the Facility and the Thrift Store for many years now!This donation is so generous and allows staff and volunteers to have fresh clean water all year!Address: 3921 Highland Ave.Grants Pass, OR 97526Phone: (541) 474-0801

Also a Huge Thank you To Roman Gottfried and Barbara Buck for helping Team RVHS with dog and staff training! Roman Gottfried, CPDT holisticdogtaining.org Featuring Online Training 203-654-0350

Thank you to Baldini’s Restaurant in Merlin for hosting the Spayghetti Dinner to raise funds for the spay/neuter assistance programs at RVHS. The community really appreciates the financial help, and we would not be able to help as many people without fundraising and donations!

Need help to spay/neuter your cat or dog?

Call the RVHS Hotline number:

541-761-3932

Page 5: Newsletter SPRING 2020 - Rogue Valley Humane Society · Changes in appetite can result from dental pain, metabolic disease and hormonal imbalances among other things. It is a good

Kitty Kornerby Jaclyn Morris

HEROIC 100 SPONSORSHIPPROGRAM

Would you be interested in supporting RVHS through a kennel and cattery sponsorship? You can help the animals while also promoting your business or honoring a beloved pet or family member.

As a part of your sponsorship, we will order two magnets that include the name of your business, loved one, or a phrase of your choice. One magnet will be displayed on a kennel or cattery, the second on our metal sandwich board which greets the public at our front door every weekday.

On Saturdays, the board is displayed at the Grower's Market. Your sponsorship visually shows your support for RVHS to the community. Additionally, it helps promote your business (if you so choose) and our Heroic 100 program to thousands of people who visit our facility and the Grower's Market throughout the year.

Sponsorships may be purchased for $250, $500, or $1,000 with the magnets differing in size in relation to the amount of the purchased sponsorship. The magnets will be displayed for one year from the date they are first put up on the sandwich board and kennel/cattery.

Save those bottles and cans for us, we recycle them frequently to raise money! Bring them to the facility for us to recycle.

Please think about your pet's future if something were to happen to you and make a plan for their well-being.

Happy Spring to everyone! We have 3 wonderful and sweet cats to highlight for you this month that are just waiting for someone to fall in love with them and take them home! These three all came in as strays and were never claimed by their owners. Situations such as these are so unfortunate, so if you'd like to get some tips to help prevent that from happening to your pet, please see our article in this newsletter on the importance of microchipping your pet.

MR. DREAMY is a beautiful longhaired white and black cat that came in as a stray in January. His personality is so cute and adorable that we just can't believe no owner claimed him. Mr. Dreamy is about a year old and is very social with humans. He tilts his head and vocalizes back at you when you talk to him, almost as if he understands what you're saying! He actively seeks to be friends with other cats in the neighboring kennels next to him. He is extremely playful and goofy, and therefore would need a home that can give him the adequate exercise to keep him busy and entertained. He is a total gem and will bring much happiness to the family that adopts him!

ANNABELLE came to RVHS as a stray at the beginning of January. She is such a sweet and gentle cat that we believe is around 8-10 years old. She perks up the minute that you enter the room and immediately says hello. She is a huge fan of treats, chin rubs, and the company of humans in general. She would do best in a home where she can be the lap cat that she desires to be and be loved unconditionally for the rest of her life!

DOMINO is a bright and vibrant young cat. He is so full of energy and would prefer to spend his days playing with string toys and being around his favorite humans! Domino has been at RVHS for a month due to coming in with an upper respiratory sickness. He is completely healed of it and has transformed from being slow and lethargic into a brand new bubbly cat! Since intake, he has been confined to our intake room and has not been viewed for adoption as much as he should. He is a wonderful cat that would be the perfect addition to a family that can keep up with his need for exercise. He does also have a sweet side and does enjoy the occasional cuddles as well.

MR. DREAMY DOMINO

ANNABELLE

Page 6: Newsletter SPRING 2020 - Rogue Valley Humane Society · Changes in appetite can result from dental pain, metabolic disease and hormonal imbalances among other things. It is a good

Volunteer CornerWe appreciate all of the hard work our volunteers have put in to making our facility run as smoothly as possible! There is always so much work to do and so little time to do it, so THANK YOU all for helping us out. In 2019, volunteers contributed more than 10,000 hours to RVHS. WOW—we are so blown away by our volunteers' generosity with their time and we are so thankful for their dedication to our mission. You all really do make a huge difference in the lives of our resident animals and our community.

We would be lost without you!

Our wonderful volunteer receptionists help us out every day, whether by answering phones, helping greet customers, and always making sure we have plenty of copies of our adoption applications and packets. We love their consistent dedication week after week helping us in this area so that our staff can dedicate more time to potential adopters and caring for any of our sick animals.

Paws up to Kathy Thompson, Linda Young, and Pat Post for being such a consistent help in our front office, which is a great help on days we are busy!

FYI – Kathy helps us 4 days a week with office assistance. We don't know where she gets all that energy, but we are so thankful!

Plus – Linda not only helps as receptionist once a week, but also helps manage our donation letters and inputting. We love that she is willing to help wherever it's needed!

Our volunteer laundry staff really has a positive impact in our day to day shelter operations. If you've ever spent all day at our facility, you know how much laundry we have on a day to day basis! Thank you so much to any and all volunteers that help with dishes, folding laundry, and organization in our laundry room! We'd like to give a huge paws up to Marci Coey, Marsha Dennis, Darrin Ammar, Kim Wittrig, and Mary Frances Morris for keeping our laundry room safe and clean—this helps our animals stay healthy!

FYI – Any day that Marci volunteers, she devotes the whole entire day to keeping our laundry going and making sure it's all neat and tidy. Thank you, Marci!

GROWERS’ MARKETVisit our booth at the Growers Market every Saturday. You can view photos of all of our adoptable animals, see what fund-raising events are coming up, and chat with our volunteers.

KATHY

MARCI

LINDA YOUNG

Rogue ValleyHumane Society

429 NW Scenic DriveGrants Pass, OR 97526

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 951Grants Pass, OR 97528

541-479-5154Fax: 541-479-5666

Email: [email protected]

BOARD OF DIRECTORSRobbie Buckley President

Jeff Harris Treasurer Margaret Varner

Cyndy Holder Secretary Dr. Sarah Adams

Marian Szewc

FACILITY STAFFMargaret Varner, Executive Director

Maria Becket, Director of Medical CareJennifer West, Cat CoordinatorANIMAL CARE ATTENDANTS

Samantha Towne, Jeremy Snyder,Amanda Lanto

SURGICAL SUITE STAFFTeri Skaggs, Elizabeth Harris, Rita Bourdon

THRIFT STOREAnthony Yanofchick and Yvonne Moore

VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR Jaclyn Morris

WEBSITE

www.roguevalleyhumanesociety.orgwww.RVHS-OR.org

Visit us onFacebook!

RVHS Thrift Store1169 Redwood Avenue

541-955-3367

Page 7: Newsletter SPRING 2020 - Rogue Valley Humane Society · Changes in appetite can result from dental pain, metabolic disease and hormonal imbalances among other things. It is a good

Saying “Goodbye” . . . You'll be in my heart forever!

Unfortunately, last week I had to say goodbye to my Best friend Cody. Some of you may have had the pleasure of meeting my handsome boy. Cody was not just an RVHS alumni, in his prime he was part of our team.

Cody in his 13 years touched many hearts helping us to educate kids during field trips, senior visits, events, parades, and even snuggling staff and volunteers on tough days. As I write this my heart aches… I remember how he looked at me with those eyes, you know the ones, your pup looks at you with eyes that communicate the depth of a thousand sappy poems or love songs in one stare. The adoration, commitment, and pure love seen in that stare is enough to melt your heart. It's simply the sweetest!

Dogs have a singular devotion to YOU! I can say anyone who has or had a dog like this knows just how lucky they are to be the target of such unwavering love.

Pets in Vehicles!For many responsible pet owners, their dog is an important member of the family. So it's natural to want to take your friend with you in the car. It doesn't take long for a car to heat up in summer temperatures or cool down during the winter. But is there a safe temperature to leave a dog in a car? Currently, 22 states have laws that either make it illegal to leave a dog unattended in a parked vehicle, or grant private citizens immunity from being held liable for damages resulting from freeing the dog, if it's obvious the dog is at risk of injury or death. The language in most of these laws state that for a pet owner to be in violation of the law, an animal must be confined or left alone inside a parked car under certain conditions that put the pet at risk. Some laws specifically state that it's unlawful to leave a pet alone in a car in extreme hot or cold temperatures, while others are written more generally and only say conditions that are likely to result in injury or death.

In states with no laws on their books addressing pets left in vehicles, city governments are enacting ordinances and it's likely others will follow suit.

Heat and humidity affect our furry friends the same way it does us. Humidity accompanied by 90 degree or higher temperatures make us feel miserable. Even lower temps with humid air can be dangerous for pets trapped inside a car. It doesn't take long for a vehicle to heat up, and cracking the windows open even on a mild day doesn't really help. The hotter the temperature is inside a vehicle, the harder it is for a dog, or any pet, to stay cool when hot air is the only thing they have to breathe. That puts them at risk of heat stroke.

When the outside temperature is 70 degrees, a car can heat up to 89 degrees in just 10 minutes, and to 104 in 30 minutes. At 80 degrees outside, you're looking at 99 degrees inside a vehicle in 10 minutes and 114 in 30 minutes. At 95 degrees, it only takes 10 minutes to reach 114 degrees and the temperature soars to 129 degrees in 30 minutes.

We wouldn't want to stay in a vehicle and endure any of those temperatures for very long. Yet every year we read about pet owners who leave their dog alone in a vehicle while shopping, dining out or doing other things. This is putting their pet at risk.

As much as a car can heat up in summer temps, it can cool down to under freezing just as fast. Pets that don't normally spend a lot of time outside in the winter are more susceptible to the cold when left alone inside a vehicle. Hypothermia can become a risk at 50 degrees.

Is there a safe temperature to leave a dog alone inside a parked car? Not really. It's best to leave your pet at home where you know he's safe.

Page 8: Newsletter SPRING 2020 - Rogue Valley Humane Society · Changes in appetite can result from dental pain, metabolic disease and hormonal imbalances among other things. It is a good

Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID

PERMIT NO. 37 Grants Pass, OR 97528

CURRENTRESIDENT OR

Mission Statement:

The Rogue Valley Humane Society provides compassionate care for stray, unwanted, displaced, and abandoned animals and works toward ending pet overpopulation so that there will be no more homeless pets. We are committed to placing every healthy, adoptable animal in a loving lifetime home, teaching responsible pet guardianship, and maintaining our community spay-neuter programs.

Vision Statement:

The Rogue Valley Humane Society envisions a community where every healthy adoptable companion animal has a lifetime, loving home and all homeless animals receive the care and compassion they deserve until they are adopted by their forever family.

Core Values:

l We believe that every animal’s life has value and is worthy of respect and protection.

l We believe that euthanizing healthy, adoptable animals is not acceptable.

l We believe that animals contribute to the health, happiness and quality of human life.

l We believe that we must manage ourresources to assure the long-term future of our organization.

l We believe in providing quality medical and shelter care by following evidence-based animal welfare practices.

l We believe that through humane education we can help foster compassion, protection and guardianship for companion animals.

l We believe that we should treat everyone with dignity and respect. Community members, staff, and volunteers are partners in improving the welfare of animals and helping us fulfill our Mission.

l We believe that we can end pet overpopulation by adhering to our commitment to spay/neuter all of our animals before adoption and by providing community-assistance spay-neuter programs.

l We believe that we best serve our community by placing healthy companion animals in responsible, loving homes.

Coming Events to benefit the Animals . . .Spay-ghetti dinner - March 22, 2020 Baldini's 3-8 pm

Mother's Day Tea - Bear Hotel May 9, 2020

The FurBall - Grants Pass Golf Club June 27, 2020

Blues Brews and BBQ Sept. 2020 Tom Pearce Park more info to come

Howl-O-Ween Oct. 31 2020 more info to come

MICRO-CHIPPING

Everyone has heard that micro-chipping your pet is often recommended, but what is micro-chipping and how does it benefit pets and their owners?

A microchip is a small, rice sized computer chip that is injected under your pet's skin via needle and syringe, much like a normal vaccination, and has a unique identification number associated with it. When the microchip is scanned, your pet's identification number pops up along with the phone number to reach the company it's associated with. If your pet is found and brought to a vet or animal shelter, your microchip company is contacted, which allows you to be alerted that your pet has been found.

One benefit to having your pet micro-chipped is the staying power of the device. Collars and tags have been known to fall off or get misplaced prior to pets going missing, which does not happen with microchips! Since they go under the skin, the worst thing that can happen is migration from the implantation site, but it still stays under your pet's skin. Dogs and cats with microchips are statistically more likely to be reunited with their owners—who wouldn't want that if their pet gets lost?

Getting a microchip is as easy as 1-2-3! This super short procedure can be done at the vet's office followed by a few minutes of filling out the microchip registration form and sending it off in the mail.

Microchip maintenance is not hard to do, but is very easy to forget. Once a microchip is registered with your name and address, the company has that on file to help with reunification of you and your pet. However, if you change your address or happen to get a new phone number, the microchip company will not know unless you notify them! It's as easy as a simple phone call or email to the specific company you have your pet's microchip registered to in order make that small change. Your pet's safety is a priority and you owe it to yourself and your pets to do this one small thing for your peace of mind.