January greetings from the Warwick Valley Humane Society

In the first two weeks of 2008, the animal shelter has admitted 10 dogs (six redeemed, three given up, one unclaimed); eight cats (three given up, three unclaimed strays, two infant kittens); four roosters, one hen, one injured hawk, one sick Black Headed Vulture and one obese domestic duck; five concerned calls for dogs without shelter; three late night police calls; and an assortment of requests for help with squirrels in chimneys, bats on the loose in the house and a family of hawks leaving their unwanted droppings. If this is any indication of the year to come, we expect to be very busy. I’d like to take this opportunity to remind dog owners that state law requires all dogs to be licensed and licenses are renewed yearly. In addition, any dog left outside must have appropriate shelter, which means an insulated dog house with a waterproof roof, raised off the ground and large enough to house the dog comfortably. An open porch or access to underneath a deck is not considered appropriate and therefore, is subject to a violation. The Humane Society recommends a heated water bowl or bucket as clean water must be available at all times. Rabies vaccinations should be kept current for all dogs, cats (even indoor cats) and ferrets for everyone’s safety. Please care enough about your family pet to do the right thing. In 2007, the Warwick animal shelter handled 305 dogs, 344 cats and more than 100 other animals of various species from homeless goats to injured and orphaned wildlife. Although still in the thick of winter, spring will soon be upon us. We beseech the community to leave all wildlife alone. Often it appears that bunnies and fawns have been abandoned. Moms will leave their offspring for long periods and, although unseen, will be very close by. If you find a baby bird, return it to its nest ASAP, cover bunnies in nesting material and leave a fawn alone, unless it is injured. Their ultimate survival is best if left to their parents. Cats now seem to be breeding year round. Thankfully, the towns of Warwick and Chester have renewed their support of the Spay, Neuter and Return program. Upon presentation of a recent cat spay/neuter certificate to our organization, the caregiver will be reimbursed $50. Last year, more than 85 cats were spayed/neutered through our towns’ subsidized SNR program, thus preventing the births of more than 500 kittens. We cannot handle the cat overpopulation alone. We need everyone in our community to do their part. We stand by our motto: “If you Feed ‘Em, FIX ‘EM.” Information on low cost spaying/neutering is available at the Humane Society. The staff and volunteer directors of the Warwick Valley Humane Society remain committed to the welfare of all animals. Our heartfelt thanks to all of our supporters for their generous contributions and kind words throughout the year. We truly rely on your help in order to help all of the lost, unwanted, abused, neglected, injured and sick animals that find their way to our shelter and inevitably into all of our hearts. Suzyn Barron is president of the Warwick Valley Humane Society.