Humane Society of Elmore County News

By Rea Cord Executive Director

We have been talking about cold weather and pets but let’s address horses. Right now, pastures are brown, hay supplies are low, and neglected horses become more noticeable to passersby. Many horses will do fine on good pasture alone during the summer, but once their grass dies, they require supplemental food and hay to keep them going. Your veterinarian can provide the best advice as to your horse’s nutritional needs but, at a minimum, they need plenty of good quality hay to munch on in the winter. Not only does the hay provide nutrition, but it also keeps them warmer in cold weather — think of stoking a stove.

Where bagged/processed feeds are concerned, some horses may do fine on a simple sweet feed while others

Pet of the Week – Doc

may need a Senior or special formulation to give them what they need. If you are unsure what your horse needs, consult your veterinarian, talk to the folks at your local feed mill, call your area extension office, call a local stable, ask fellow horse owners, or get on the internet, though of all of these we definitely recommend your large animal veterinarian.

One excuse that does not fly about a horse that is horribly thin is that it is ‘old!’ Old horses that are fed correctly for their nutritional needs will maintain a generally healthy weight and condition. There is, however, a lot more to maintaining an old horse, or any horse for that matter, than just grain and hay. One of the simplest things every horse owner must do is to de-worm your horse(s). De-worming may be the single most important reason why today’s horses live so much longer

Doc is a ten-month-old male, Dalmatian/Great Pyrenees mix. He came to us after being given away and when we got him to a vet to see why he was walking oddly, it turned out he had multiple fractures of his pelvis. So, Doc has spent the past couple of months on kennel rest to allow him to heal and he is now ready to find a loving home. Doc is a very sweet boy, 50-60 lbs., great with other dogs and craves attention. He would sure love a nice soft bed inside a home with a family to call his own and that will keep him safe from further injury.

Our adoption fees are $100 for dogs and $50 for cats under one-year-old; cats over one-year-old can be adopted by approved adopters for a fee of their choosing. This adoption fee completely covers the mandatory spay or neuter, basic immunizations, de-worming, microchip, heartworm check for dogs, rabies vaccination if old enough, free health exam with your participating veterinarian.

If you are interested in meeting Doc any of our pets, our first step is our Adoption Application you can do here: https://elmorehumane.org/adoptionapplication-online-form2.html. Once approved, we will coordinate with you to set up an appointment to meet and adopt.

We are located at 255 Central Plank Road, Wetumpka, AL, 36092, our phone number is 334567-3377 and our website is www.elmorehumane. org for more information.

Staff Report TPI Staff

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is searching for the location of fugitive Levonta Wheeler, 30.

According to a CrimeStoppers release, Wheeler, 30 is Black male standing five feet 10 inches tall and weighing about 170 pounds.

“Wheeler is wanted for two counts of felony domestic violence third degree criminal mischief,” the release said. “Court documents indicate that and it is easy and relatively cheap. The best approach is to get a fecal sample to your veterinarian to see what kind of parasites your horse may have. But many of the broad-spectrum de-wormers available at your feed store or online can safely control most intestinal worms. Another thing that many owners do not know is that as horses age they develop very sharp points on their teeth that can cause them pain and problems properly chewing their food. This is easily remedied by having your veterinarian ‘float’ your horse’s teeth. Floating or filing can be done on the farm and for many horses should be done at least once per year and can make an amazing improvement in their physical condition.

Horses also consume a lot of water and may actually need more in the winter so should have clean and

Wheeler destroyed property belonging to the victim with whom he was in a dating relationship.” unfrozen water available at all times. There are inexpensive floats and ‘in-tank’ water heaters to keep water tanks full and unfrozen at all times –just ask your local feed store.

Central Alabama CrimeStoppers continues to take a stand against domestic violence and is offering a cash reward for information that leads to the location and arrest of Wheeler.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Wheeler is asked to call police or CrimeStoppers using its 24-hour tip line at 215-STOP (7867) or 1-833-AL1-STOP or download the P3-tips app. If anyone gives a tip, they are asked to make sure they receive a tip ID and password in order to dialog with investigators in case there is a follow-up question. A tip may lead to a cash reward.

Should horses have shelter to get out of the elements if they want – well, yes, we think so, but it is not required by law in Alabama. You don’t have to go broke building a fancy barn to help your horse – a three-sided run-in shed where a horse can be shielded from the wind and/ or rain can go a long way to helping a horse stay healthy and relatively comfortable in bad weather.

Blanketing horses in inclement weather is sometimes a good thing but not always necessary. Older or infirmed horses may need blanketing in bad weather to help them maintain their body temperature but healthy horses with good winter coats are likely to be just fine in Alabama winters without blanketing. For owners who do blanket, however, it is essential that those blankets be removed and dried out routinely and the horse brushed out to make sure they aren’t wearing a wet blanket or to check that the blanket is not rubbing/chafing the horse anywhere. Blankets left on too long can cause more harm than good as the horse sweats when the sun comes out and the temps warm. Think about it if you kept your winter parka on all night and day long no matter the temperature swings!

If you suspect a horse is being neglected or treated cruelly, please contact the Elmore County Sheriff Department at 334-567-5227 so they can investigate. They will contact us for assistance if necessary and we are glad to help them.