Pet of the Week – Jethro

Jethro is possible Bluetick mix, male, about 3 years old, around 50 lbs. He is a simply wonderful dog our staff loves. He is good on a leash, funny and goofy, great with other dogs, kind of scared of cats, good with older children, even good with goats we were told. He knows sit and likes playing fetch with balls. Not super high energy but not a couch potato either. He wants to be inside with his family as might escape a fence to go find company.

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 Jethro or any of our pets, our first step is our Adoption Application you can do here: https://elmorehumane.org/adoption-application-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 334-567-3377 and our website is www.elmorehumane.org for more information.

By Rea Cord Executive Director

Last week we talked about all the considerations we hope families will make about adding a new pet to the family over the holidays. For those who are taking the plunge, here are some more pointers to get pet and people off to a good start.

No matter where you get your new pet, please give your new pet time to adjust. There are dogs and a few cats that quickly adapt to their new home with little effort. But there are others for whom change is more challenging and will need more time to develop trust in their new home and situation. That means patience in allowing those new pets the time to learn about life with their new family. For these pets it can be a matter of a week or a month or more, but most will end up being wonderful pets if they are simply given the time to adjust and trust that they have a new and permanent home. You cannot force these pets to adapt on your timeline, so be honest with yourself if you are able and willing to help a new pet that might need just a bit longer to feel comfortable.

If you are bringing home a new puppy, keep in mind that puppies are like toddlers in that they don’t understand what is safe and what is off limits. Remember, if a puppy can get something in his mouth, he’ll eat it or chew it! That’s why it’s essential to puppy proof your home and yard. Look at your house from your new puppy’s point of view. Get on your hands and knees so you don’t miss anything at ground level. Keep anything dangerous, like cleaning supplies, behind locked cupboard doors or stored up high. Tie all electrical cords out of your puppy’s reach.

Knickknacks and cell phones can’t be destroyed if they’re kept in drawers or on a high shelf. Keep shoes in a closed closet. If you don’t want something to become a chew toy, prevent your puppy from getting it in the first place. Food smells will attract your puppy, so be sure he can’t get in your trash. Use barricades like baby gates or exercise pens to keep your puppy confined to safe areas or out of unsafe ones. Check the yard for things like poisonous plants, toxic chemicals, yard tools and look for holes or gaps under gates a small puppy could squeeze though. string, wax paper, and scissors.

If you are bringing home a new kitten, much of the above still applies though you have to also look high since kittens climb and jump quite well. To help a kitten or new cat transition, give it a place to hide. Cardboard boxes or sheets draped over chairs make ideal hiding spots when you first bring kitty home. If the kitten or cat does hide, just let it be and let it come out to investigate on its own timeline. Just like dogs you cannot force a new cat to come around on your schedule.

Make sure the kitten/ cat knows where its litter box is located and place the food and water across the room or in another room as who wants to eat next to their toilet.

Keeping new pets confined to limited areas of the house can help greatly in not only housetraining but just keeping them safe as they learn about their new home. Don’t worry if your new pet(s) doesn’t eat all that well the first 24-48 hours as they learn new routines.

And let your pet get to know you and your family before carting it all over the place as that place even more stress on an animal that might be struggling to feel comfortable in its new home. If your holiday schedule is beyond hectic with parties and activities, perhaps delay bringing in a new pet until after the first of the year when things are calmer, and you have more time to help your new pet become a loved member of your family. Sadly, all our area shelters will still have many pets in need of new homes after the New Year and every month thereafter so don’t fret if you find it best to wait until after the holidays to add a new pet to your family.

Winter is the coldest of the four seasons. The first day of Winter occurs around December 21, the day of the Winter Solstice. The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. This is when the North ern Hemisphere of the Earth (which includes the United States) is as far away from the sun as possible. Without as much heat from the Sun, temperatures become colder, and the days are shorter. The Sun sets much earlier in the day than during the other seasons of the year. In many places, it is cold enough to turn rain into snow. Some animals grow thick coats to keep them warm in the cold Winter. Some mammals hibernate through Winter. Hibernation is when an animal sleeps through the cold months for long periods of time. In order to survive the Win ter, birds migrate south to warmer weather. They return to their homes in the Spring. People enjoy Winter sports like skiing, snowboarding, and ice skating. Kids enjoy warm treats, like hot choco late, and they also enjoy playing in the snow.

Step One: Lay a piece of waxpaper down on your work area.

Step Two: Using your imagination, arrange as many cotton swabs as you would like into a snowflake-shaped pattern. Cut the swabs in half to complete your design.

Step Three: Once you have made a design you like, take your glue and glue the cotton swabs together using small dots. Glue may touch wax paper. When you have applied glue to each connecting part, let them dry for 2-4 hours.

Step Four: When the glue has completely dried, pick up your ornament. Che for any parts that may not have stayed glued. If needed, re-glue and allow to dry. Then attach a 5-inch string to the ornament. Step Five: Hang it on the tree or in a window.