IDA AND THE N’S GO TO KINDERGARTEN

The greatest audience in the world has be a room full of 5 year olds. Add a dog or kittens into the mix and you are going to have the time of your life. You just never know what the next moment will bring.

Even though spay/neuter is the main goal of Planned Pethood, education is part of their mission as well. So when I was invited to visit Mrs. Charlotte Steinman’s kindergarten class at Beverly Elementary, I have to admit I was excited and a little nervous. Twenty-four of those fresh little faces could be a smidge bit intimidating. Truth be told, however, one of those faces was one of my best buddies, my great nephew Finn. There was no need to worry, the kids barely noticed I was even there.

Most of you have met Ida in my previous blogs. She is a seven year old black lab pulled from the pound with heartworm disease. After many painful treatments and months with me as a foster, she became a permanent member of my pack. Ida ALWAYS carries around a toy and she is ALWAYS wagging her tail. She thrives on attention and continuously gives out big sloppy kisses. It was a no brainer that she would be a great canine role model for the kids. With a toy in her mouth and a patriotic bandana on to highlight election day, we were off to kindergarten.

Mrs. Steinman is not just a kindergarten teacher, she is a saint. The woman is an incredible combination of patience, love, and discipline. Everything in her classroom is orderly and organized. She has to have the most wonderful karma ever. Before our visit, she cleared us with the principal, and she sent home permission slips to each parent to make sure none of her students had animal allergies or fear of dogs or cats. On our arrival, we encountered four tables which each seated six adorable and enthusiastic mini-people.

The topic Mrs. S and I chose was how to meet a new dog and how to care for a dog properly. So after the introductions; with Finn acting as my “master of ceremonies”; I asked my rapt audience, what was the first thing they did when they got up in the morning? Very polite responses included, getting dressed and brushing teeth. Good answers but, does Ida get dressed and brush her teeth? With a smattering of giggles, we agreed that most dogs don’t do that when they wake up. Things went on in that vein for a while until I asked the kids, isn’t there something you a leaving out? The students exchanged knowing glances but did not respond. So I asked them, what about potty? I certainly was not prepared for their reaction. That subject produced 24 screaming and laughing munchkins thoroughly enjoying themselves. Finn’s dad, Dave, later offered his take on the scene with the comment, “you had a low brow crowd, Judy”.

Proving this description quite accurate, the same hilarity ensued when we discussed how dogs greet each other when one little boy stated they sniff each other on the bum. We covered a great deal of territory including play, training, baths and more and the time flew by. Before we left, however, each one of our new friends came to the front of the room to meet Ida and give her some pets and even a few hugs. It is hard to say who enjoyed it more, Ida or the kids.

Things went so well with Ida, we were invited back, this time with three of my foster kittens, the N’s. To avoid confusion, Planned Pethood names every litter of kittens and puppies with the same letter of the alphabet.  This was a perfect fit with our kindergarten buddies just learning their letters and sounds. There were originally five N’s but two had been adopted so eight week old Nessie, Netta, and Nena were off to Beverly Elementary. Again, I was a little concerned because while 2 of the N’s were sweet lovable poofballs, the third, Nessie, was a maniac. An affectionate nickname was the Loch Ness Monster. This baby had no fear of anything including a 95 lb. foster dog named Wanda. She would do drive byes, pounce and run. She would climb me or any other upright structure in the house. But again things went well, using the strategy that Mrs. S and I would hold the kittens as the kids came up to pet them. A final word on the LNM, she was adopted in Ann Arbor by a family who did dog rescue and she was a perfect fit.

We made a final visit to kindergarten right before their Christmas break. It was just a quick stop to drop off a treat for our small friends from the dogs and kittens (who has all been adopted by then). This time another member of my pack, Stanley, accompanied us as well. He is an endearing four year old shepherd mix who, like Ida, was rescued from the pound heartworm positive.

This time the kids had a surprise for us, a huge Christmas/Thank you card, signed by each student with a picture each one drew of themselves. In addition to being highly entertaining, it will always remain one of our prized possessions. Ida was presented with a Beverly school tag for her collar as an honorary member of the class and the kids drew us pictures of Stanley, Ida, the N’s or one of their pets. They are classic.
Ida, Stanley, and I want to give a shout out to Mrs. Steinman and her students for inviting us to such enjoyable excursions. We are positive that we have planted the seeds for a new generation of RESPONSIBLE pet lovers when they have become doctors, lawyers, CEO’s, and first responders!

By Judy S

THE PERFECT DOG FOR YOU

It was completely and totally an accident. My first dog as an adult was the perfect dog for me, or really, for anyone. Adding a new dog or cat, puppy or kitten, is a major step for any family. Finding exactly the right new feline or canine companion for you can take some work. A million questions begin to run through your mind: breed, age, gender, activity level, personality, background, and more and more. Many people don’t even consider rescue, they just immediately seek out a breeder. It is too bad that people don’t realize that rescues like Planned Pethood can provide the ideal partner for almost everyone. I always tell people, if you don’t see the right dog on the website today, wait a couple of weeks and your lifelong mate will show up.

I was a clueless rookie when I rescued my first dog, Lucy, a stunningly beautiful five year old yellow lab. The only factor I considered was getting her out of the hellhole she was calling home. She belonged to a very troubled family who lived next door to my sister. She was kept in a confined area with absolutely no shelter in the snow or blistering heat. She was given water only sporadically. It is very cruel to isolate any dog but Lu was the most social dog I have ever met and this was tantamount to torture. My sister, Janet, used to go to the vet to get meds and treat her nasty ear infections over the fence. Thankfully for Lucy, the whole neighborhood took her under their wing. After way too long of an awful existence, we finally convinced the owners to surrender her to us. The man actually had the nerve to ask me to pay him $500 because that was what he paid the breeder. If I spent $500 on anything, even an inanimate object, I would at least take care of it.

So overnight I was a proud dog owner. Luckily for me, Lucy trained me. Our first order of business was to introduce the new dog to the cats and life in a house. I needn’t have worried. The first time Lucy entered the house and spied the cats, she dropped down and did a belly crawl over to meet them on their level. It was the damnedest thing I had ever seen. Her previous landlord told me she did not like to be in the house. He couldn’t have been more wrong. From day one, she slept in bed with me and made herself at home. She was a true ambassadog. She loved every living creature she ever met. Too bad they don’t hire dogs as greeters at Meijer, she would have fit the bill.

Rescue is in my blood so it wasn’t long before a tiny kitten arrived. Lucille was never spayed until she came to me but she, by some miracle, never had pups. But she became a mom to little Joan. She snuggled, cleaned, and nurtured her. They were inseparable until the day Lu died. Lucy greeted me every day at the door with a toy in her mouth and a tail wagging so hard it could clear a table in one sweep. When she became ill, and we had to let Lucy Lu go, it ripped my heart out. No one could ever replace this perfect dog.

Now let’s examine the other side of the coin, adopting the exact wrong dog. A dear friend and colleague went the shelter route to find her new companion. Ruth is a school librarian who was on the verge of retirement. We affectionately call her Ruthless, all 4’8” of her. She was searching for a small dog who would fit into her condo lifestyle in which fences are forbidden. She ended up adopting a puppy who is a hunting breed, probably a pointer. Ruth was going to name her “Friend” but cooler heads prevailed and the puppy became Rosie. I told Ruth her neighbors would think she had become a Quaker hearing her hollering, "Friend, Friend" out her back door. This baby whirlwind of terror was THE most hyperactive youngster I have ever seen.

There are a million Ruth and Rosie stories. One day Ruth came to work and looked like she was a victim of severe domestic abuse. Her eyes were blackened and she had scrapes and scratches all over. Rosie had pulled her over while on a walk. To Ruth’s credit, she never gave up on her unruly pup. As a matter of fact, the wild child had to repeat her obedience classes (to raise her GPA according to Ruthless). The two R’s are still a happy couple. After discovering Doggie Daycare and a loving dog walker, Miss Rosalita is a happy, healthy 60 pounder hanging out on the condo scene with the senior citizens and their miniature pets.

If you are searching for your perfect pet, Planned Pethood does a super job supplying all the pertinent information a prospective adopter needs. The beauty of the program allows the foster families to get to know the dog or cat in a home setting including the good, the bad, and the ugly. You will know in advance if they are housebroken, good with other dogs and cats and kids, their activity level, and so many other factors. Plus they are all spayed and neutered, vaccinated and in proper good health.

A few people complain about the process being too cumbersome including a lengthy application, a vet check, and a home visit. The organization tries to do everything possible to make your match perfect. Even with all of this, pets do get returned for a variety of reasons. However, not to fear for their safety, any dog or cat goes back into foster care until they can be adopted again. Finally, if Ruth decides she wants to find a companion for Rosie, she has promised me that she will begin her search with Planned Pethood and will use me as her guide.

--Judy S

TNR: CONTROVERSIAL BUT EFFECTIVE

It was a warm summer night and I was D & D (desperate and dateless) that particular Saturday night. So I decided to take the dogs for a bit of a stroll around the neighborhood. It seems like an innocent enough pastime. But nothing is ever simple or easy in my world. As we walked, we encountered a little boy playing with some kittens, who were running free. I asked the kid to go get his mother.  Instead nana emerged after a few minutes. Her home was adjacent to a park and first the mama cat had shown up, then one baby, then another, then finally three. The woman was at wit’s end. Luckily, the kittens were socialized and friendly therefore they were adoptable so I returned with a carrier and whisked them off. I explained to her I would be back later to do a TNR (Trap/Neuter/Release) with the mother. Spay/neuter is a founding principle upon which Planned Pethood is based.

The next day I was able to corral the mother without much trouble. As a matter of fact, mama was not much more than a kitten herself and she was very friendly. So I called Karen, Planned Pethood’s Cat Intake Coordinator. Karen has one of the toughest jobs in rescue. She literally gets 50 to 100 calls a day from people who want to dump cats or kittens, usually during the height of kitten season. And that is to her own, personal phone number! That's on top of the calls filtered to her from our FIXX Line (419.826.FIXX).  She must make the decision of who will be saved.

Well, Karen was in no position to add another adult cat to the program at that moment, but we got the cat in. People want to adopt kittens, the smaller the better. Adults tend to linger in foster care for months. We had Alice (I was on a presidential relatives naming kick) spayed and vaccinated with her foster going to be my semi-significant other, Bob. Bob tried fostering but he failed miserably because he ended up adopting Alice himself. Currently, two cats own Bob, Alice who is now 4ish and Brittney, both his former fosters ending his career as a foster dad.

TNR is misunderstood and people are wary about using it. So here is a short primer on what the heck TNR is. The cat population is out of control. One unaltered female cat can be responsible for thousands of offspring. Cats form colonies from which all new cats are excluded. If all the cats are fixed, the colony will eventually disappear through attrition. Friend and fellow rescuer, Nancy points out, “rehoming does not work as has been proven by every trailer park that has the decades old approach of forbidding feeding, then killing, or trapping/dumping”. Those trailer park problems persist.

Most people get the trapping and neutering but have issues with releasing the cats where they were found. We must point out too, that there is a big, big difference between a stray and a feral cat. Feral cats live in the wild without any socialization with humans. Trying to adopt a feral cat would be like trapping a squirrel and bringing it into your home as a pet. The goal is to trap the cat, spay or neuter, then release them where they were found.

My friend Jeannie is a self taught TNR expert. She has, to date, been responsible for TNR with 19 cats and kittens, most of them on her own dime. Planned Pethood began to help out when they discovered her need. They are known at the clinic as Stoney Creek #1, #2, #3…#19. Employees there and Jeannie are on a first name basis. She has had to fend off a great deal of resistance from upset neighbors. At one point, they were releasing the cats from their traps, thinking the traps were inhumane. Another resident stole her trap entirely. Some still are hostile to her efforts. She and other neighbors have a pool of money from which they feed the cats. I just got a bulletin from her: NO NEW KITTENS this season, it read. But this unbelievable dynamo did not stop there. She used TNR with the feral cats at her lake house too. They are known as the royal family, the Queen, Prince, Princess, and even Royal Consort (although his consorting days are now over). Hopefully, more and more people will become enlightened if not become an activist like Jeannie.

Traps can be obtained from Humane Ohio in the Toledo area for a cash deposit. They provide a low cost spay/neuter option. Any cats that arrive in a trap do not need an appointment. For those in economic hardship, Planned Pethood can provide assistance toward with the cost of spay/neuter in some cases.

Further information about TNR can be found at Humane Ohio and Alley Cat Allies websites. My heart and encouragement go out to all the dedicated and selfless volunteers who trap and transport. In most cases, it can be a thankless job. They are real heroes.

Regards, Judy S

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We are dedicated toward the end of the pet overpopulation problem. Statistics have shown that the majority of litters in shelters are the product of unintended pregnancies. They have stories attached to them about how Sparky somehow got out of the yard or how some strange dog jumped into their yard. Your unaltered pet is the source of that unintended pregnancy. You have insurance on your car knowing you probably won't need it, but you have it when you do need it. Don't take the risk of having your pet contributing to the overpopulation problem (and, yes, this includes your cat or dog).

Planned Pethood began over 25 years ago when a small group of concerned animal lovers wanted to do something to stop the huge pet overpopulation problem in our area. They began a program of working with local veterinarians to offer low cost spay/neuter. Today we continue that mission.

When you join Planned Pethood, at an associate level or higher, your annual membership entitles you to low cost spay/neuter at any of the participating veterinarians listed below.

Clark- the five-year report

 Five years ago, we signed papers, and Clark, the part-Doberman, part who-knows-what dog was officially part of our household. He had worked his way into our hearts a week or two earlier.

We had gone to the Planned Pethood event at PetSmart in Rossford to see a girl puppy. When we arrived, someone was signing papers on her. Clark was in an end crate; One of the chow mixes was barking and raising a fuss two crates down, which set Clark off. Winter, a German Shepherd was on the other side also driving him crazy.

Clark Gable & David share a snuggle

I went down the row of crates a couple of times, and asked if we could get that dobie-mix male out and “socialize” him. I didn’t want a male dog. I wanted a female, but I felt bad for the boy going crazy in the crate and if I could get him out for a bit maybe he would calm down. I sat down cross-legged on the floor. Clark walked over to me, climbed in my lap, and put his head on my shoulder. My wife, Michelle, asked me if she should start pricing crates. It was that obvious.  I said, "No we are not getting a male dog.  Especially not today" and made Michelle take me to lunch.  I had been sitting with Clark for about 2 hours and was hungry.

We discussed Clark all through lunch and tossed around the idea of MAYBE fostering him to see if he would fit in with us. We returned to PetSmart to discuss the possibility of fostering him with PPI and saw the "Pet People" who had been helping us, Vicki and Barb.  As we pulled up, they starting practically jumping up and down and shouting, "It's Clark's people.  It's Clark's people. They came back."  Deb had taken Clark home by that time but they promised to get in contact with her right away and we just needed to fill out the forms online.

About a week later Deb brought him over for a sort of trial run, and he moved into what became his forever home. By the time Deb had brought him to us a 50lb bag of food, a large box of treats and a few toys had been purchased. My wife asked “What if we don’t keep him?” “They can take this stuff with him.” was my reply. The money didn’t seem relevant at that time.  Less than 4 days later it had been determined that we needed to tell PPI that he was staying with us and to start the final paperwork.

Since then, we have grown to love our silly boy more and more. His antics entertain us, his excitement at just simply seeing us return from time away raises our own spirits. The affection he shows, by laying his head on your lap to get scratched, to taking a nap with you (in the big bed), to climbing in your hap (at 50 pounds, no small feat) comforts us when we are tired or anxious.

He also provides a modicum of protection; when we had trouble with some neighbors, Michelle wouldn’t walk past their house without him. Another time, he came to the defense of Daisy, our other PPI dog, who was being attacked by a mean schnauzer. It was Clark who jumped in the middle of that and made the other dog run away.

He goes with me to the office on weekends to catch up on work, where he reminds me to take a break now and again. He’s gone with us to Illinois to visit my mom, where he’s a good house guest. He is so much our dog, that we can read his facial expressions, from “I’m happy and excited,” to, “This is not the routine and I don’t understand.”

Even now as I write this, he is curled up on the dog pillow we keep here in our “office.” As long as he and Daisy are with us, they are happy, and we are too.

It has been five years, and Clark is truly our forever boy.

Thank you for not giving up on him.

PS I still giggle at the thought of the pics we sent to all of you titled "Clark Stressed" and it was Clark sleeping peacefully with his first stuffed animal "Crate Baby"   Which like any good parents, we have saved !

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Planned Pethood makes it a priority to find homes for pets in our own backyard. Until there are no more unwanted cats & dogs in the Northwestern Ohio area, we will continue our policy of accepting only local animals. We place a priority on strays and animals that are on death row in kill-shelters.

BLACK: The Hot Color This Season

Little black dress in the closet, check. Sleek, black BMW in the driveway, check. Black dog or cat to make the family complete, OMG, no way! Tragically, being born black is the kiss of death for many adoptable dogs and cats. Black pets are euthanized more than any others, they linger in shelters more than any others, and they are the last to be adopted from rescue organizations, like Planned Pethood. Planned Pethood volunteer, Colleen, has one of the toughest jobs in the rescue world. She heads to the pound weekly to determine which dogs are adoptable and which are not.

Poor Colleen has shed many a tear and spent many a sleepless night resulting from her life and death decisions. She has sent frantic emails in search of just one more foster. We call them DRD’s (death row dogs). The pound Colleen frequents has euthanasia scheduled for Fridays. When they get enough dogs to fire up the incinerator, the dogs go down. In most cases if we cannot get them out of there by Friday, it is over for perfectly adoptable canines. I know this is not a very appealing picture but it is something people need to know is reality. In this life and death roulette, black dogs are the ones who lose most often. So let’s focus instead and celebrate the minority of black success stories.

A sweet lab mix we named Lena defied the odds- big time. This poor girl had a myriad of strikes against her. Here is the list: number one she was black, she looked like she had some pit bull in her (which isn't a big deal to us but it is to some), she was limping on her back leg, and she had some hair loss. Lena was for sure going to be put down pronto if we did not get her out of there. But she had one huge positive going for her: she had the BEST nature of any dog.

After busting her out of jail, I took her to one of the Planned Pethood vets who gave us some pretty devastating news. The bones in her back leg had been crushed and it would have to be amputated. This sweet and gentle dog had been in horrific pain for at least 4 months. Just when it looked like things couldn’t get any worse, it got worse. Lena was also diagnosed with ringworm (a fungus). Despite all of these obstacles, after Lena’s ringworm was cleared up, she was spayed, and had her leg removed, Lena found a phenomenal home where her sunny nature is still brightening up her family’s days.

Any discussion of black dogs from the pound would not be complete without telling Ernie’s story. Colleen discovered a black lab who would be put down if he remained at the pound past Friday. I was flabbergasted when I met Ernie. He was one of the most stunningly beautiful dogs I had ever encountered.

He weighed 100 lbs. and was not yet one year old and had a head as big as a TV. I laugh now about my days of fostering Ernie but it was not so funny at the time. He would NOT tolerate a crate. When I came home, he was out roaming in the house. He had not just escaped the crate, he bent the bars down. Okay-Okay- we went to plan B: confine Ernie to a bedroom.

As I walked down the street that hot summer day, my neighbors were hollering, “Hey Judy, here comes a big black dog behind you”. I turned to discover, he had busted out the screen and leaped out the window to follow me. When I took the screen in to be repaired, I took Ernie with me. Let’s face it, there was no leaving him alone. I was quickly surrounded by 6 grown men all ooooing and aaahing over the dog. I kept hearing “I wish my wife would let me adopt him”. No one seemed to notice the ruined screen in my other hand. Happily, the big guy found his forever family who live on a lake and have two golden retrievers as his running companions. Last I heard he ate a piano leg and he is still not in a crate.

But families are sadly all too often hooked by looks, not personality.

And it is not only black dogs who get passed over. Black cats and kittens have the odds stacked against them too. Last summer I fostered a litter of kittens, all with names beginning with the letter “C”. I never called them by their names because I could never tell which one was which. The blacks were with me for months, growing up in foster care. They had the best, most affectionate nature. But families are sadly all too often hooked by looks, not personality.

YoYo has beaten the odds and survived a horrific start in life.

The only kitty harder to adopt out than a black kitten is a BIG black kitten. Just when I despaired of the last kittens getting adopted, along came Debra. She is a twenty something from Ann Arbor, met and formed an inseparable connection with Cierra. And what a home it is! She described how her boyfriend installed cabinets near the ceiling so the cats had tunnels to run through. Then she sent me pics of Cierra, now Miss Beast (due to her rambunctious nature) in the cat stroller. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, a stroller for cats. She said her kitties all vie to be the first out the door. Even though she has relocated to Colorado, Debra and Miss Beast are our regular correspondents.

When it comes time to adopt a new family member, please keep your minds and hearts open. Planned Pethood gets the message loud and clear. They recently sponsored a mega adoption event in which all black dogs’ adoption fees were reduced to $5 to add a little incentive to adopting an ebony friend. Please note the standards for adoption were not reduced. My love and respect goes out to all of the Colleens and Debras out there who are doing their part. My own pack now includes two DRD’s, one of whom is black, Stanley and Ida.
 
by Judy Szewczak

 
To learn more about what is called Black Dog Syndrome click here.

All of Planned Pethood's pets are up to date on age-appropriate shots and flea and heartworm prevention before being offered for adoption. In addition, Planned Pethood's policy is to treat all medical ailments, regardless of cost, unless the treating vet feels there is nothing more that can be done. We do not refuse treatment to our animals based on cost of treatment or on the age of the animal.  When we take in a dog or cat, we take that commitment seriously.

Fourth Of July: Not A Cause Of Celebration For Most

It is the fourth of July and the neighbors are at it again. Well, lighting off a few fireworks in the ‘hood is harmless fun, right? Maybe not. More dogs & cats are lost on the fourth of July than any other day of the year. Many animals are terrified by all the noise and commotion so they bolt and even jump fences as the fear courses through their veins. Years before I became a foster for Planned Pethood my rescue dog Helga had developed severe storm and fireworks anxiety before she became part of my pack.

Just a bit of background on the big girl. Helga Sue was marked down at the shelter because she had been there for months without any interest whatsoever. The employee there must have been desperate to get rid of her. She told me that our meeting was the first time she had wagged her tail since she had been incarcerated there. My semi-significant other and I rolled our eyes. The employee also commented the dog was obese and depressed. I retorted, 'aren’t we all?' I’m not one to resist a sale, so Hellie was on her way to her forever home. When we got her there, she immediately started chasing the cats and exhibiting nearly every bad behavior known to dogdom. Poor kitty Bernice lived in the basement for four months.

[SIDE NOTE:  Hel’s name had been Honey, a name that was so ill-suited that we laughed. The shelter told me she was a golden/husky mix but she was so unusual that I had her DNA tested. The certificate came back blank and the company gave me my money back.]

We had no clue about her anxieties until the first serious thunder storm hit. And, I am ashamed to say, we did everything wrong. Helga was a big girl and she would pace and try to stuff her large butt under the bed (ain’t happenin’).  I would try to console her and pet her which in reality was reinforcing her negative behaviors. Then we looked for solutions to the problem.

The vet recommended anti-anxiety medication (downers). My next question was, when do I give them to her? The answer was astounding. They told me to watch the radar on T.V., then an hour before the storm was to arrive, give her the pill. Really? So, on goes the T.V. and down goes the pill. I cannot tell you how many times Helga Sue was high but the storm blew over. Then we figured out a system. We used an herbal remedy that lasted about 20 minutes while we waited for the drugs to kick in. We also had to tell the big girl to suck it up because she was not going to be coddled anymore. That was terribly hard because we felt so badly for her.

Over the years, several of my Planned Pethood foster dogs, including Stanley who I have adopted, have experienced various stages of these kinds of fears but I have always dreaded the fourth most of all. We close the windows, turn up the stereo, and crank up the AC, all in an attempt to blunt the effects of well meaning people out to celebrate our nation’s birth. This will be Stanley’s first Independence Day with us. Maybe people would think twice if they knew the heartbreak and panic families experience when they find their companion is missing.

Protect your animals by keeping them inside days before and after July 4^th.  Close windows and secure doors.  Your animal might have been fine last year, but may have a problem this year.  For those who are especially frightened by loud noises such as storms, please secure your animal in a place like your basement or a cage indoors.  Your vet may think it best that your animal be given medication prior to fireworks to help with anxiety levels in your pets.  Consult your vet before it’s too late. 

Should your pet become lost, you can find helpful hints here.



Mission Statement:  To reduce the overpopulation and suffering of dogs and cats through education and low-cost spay/neuter programs and to rescue, vet and place adoptable dogs and cats into
good permanent homes.

 This blog is dedicated to the memory of Helga Sue who we lost to a kidney disease at the age of 10.  Blogger extraordinaire- Judy Szewczak

Insurance Premiums Increased

No good deed goes unpunished as they say and for Planned Pethood, Inc. along with many other shelters, rescues, boarding facilities and kennels it is no exception.  Planned Pethood, along with these other entities, are about to feel the grip of a drastic increase in liability insurance.

Mitzi shows off her two staff members
(cook & chauffeur) and the limo they
drive her around in

Planned Pethood is being hit with a 100% increase in its liability insurance premiums this year.  This increase significantly gouges the coffers for direct intake and care for animals needing services from our programs.  Help from the community is desperately needed.

According to leading insurers for animal rescues and shelters, a number of these companies have experienced a 600% loss ratio; taking in one dollar for every six they are paying out.  Directors, officers and the rescues themselves can be victims of lawsuits which can run in the thousands for defense.

How and why did this happen?
In 2009, the largest dog fight bust in United States' history, in six states, with the cooperation of state and federal law enforcement and the ASPCA, was conducted.  Over 500 dogs were seized by authorities and 30 people were arrested. The Humane Society approached rescue organizations to take in a number of redeemable dogs and puppies, but the rescues first had to secure adequate insurance.

Additionally, more and more states have and are developing new animal negligence laws.  These increasing laws also contribute to an increase in the number of animals seized and in need of rescue placement.

The year of 2008 also saw the onset of significant unemployment and housing foreclosures forcing many people to relinquish their pets whether due to lack of ability to feed and care for their pets or forced to move to rentals which do not allow for pets.  There has been a 50% increase in the number of surrender animals in need of a rescue.
Planned Pethood's agent also related to us that other smaller rescues have caused all the rescues to suffer.  Their sloppy, slapped together adoptions, negligent attention to safety and/ or lack of policies and processes to follow have resulted in dog bites, volunteer injuries and lawsuits.  Those rescues acting in these rash manners have caused almost all rescues to experience an increase in insurance premiums. 

The catch?  The more animals taken into a shelter or rescue - the higher the liability.  Unfortunately, many shelters and rescues do not have adequate insurance and it cannot simply be obtained by your personal insurance agent, but through commercial liability insurance companies.

What are we doing to help?
We started with shopping for a new policy or agency.  Turns out the policy we had was the best one for our needs.  Additonally, Planned Pethood implements best practices to limit exposure to liability.  Planned Pethood has a policy and procedures manual and it is provided to all volunteers during training and reviewed during quarterly meetings.  It provides details for all operations and how they are to be performed along with proper protocol .  Planned Pethood holds regular meetings and training sessions on a consistent basis to ensure communication, enforcement and review of policies.  Volunteers are screened, monitored, trained, required to adhere to our Code of Conduct and provided with the best personnel, assistance and outside resources for animal car to minimize all risks.  By taking these precautions, Planned Pethood can focus on their main goal – spay/neuter and finding homes for rescued animals.

Our need
The community needs to come together and has an obligation to do our part by helping provide for victims of cruelty and neglect.  The more we do to support the efforts of rescues like Planned Pethood, the more we will be able to show the love these companion animals can enhance a person's life.

Planned Pethood operates strictly from donations from generous and loving people of the community.  While there are obvious expenses directly related to the care of our dogs and cats in our foster program, the rescue incurs other significant expenses the public may not be aware of; insurance is one of them.  Your help and donations are greatly appreciated in any amount.

Mission Statement:To reduce the overpopulation and suffering of dogs and cats through education and low-cost spay/neuter programs and to rescue, vet and place adoptable* dogs and cats into good permanent homes.

A Cautionary Tale

Ida was next to death from
Heartworm disease

Your best friend could be the victim of an insidious silent stalker and you might not even know it. I had been vaguely aware that I administered a pill each month to address potential heartworm in my dogs. Then the reality of it slapped me in the face when my Planned Pethood (plannedpethood.org) foster dog, Ida, was diagnosed heartworm positive.

My education of the horrors of heartworms was about to begin. Ida is a stunningly beautiful 6 year old, 70 lb. black lab who was nabbed from death row at the pound. She is named after Ida Tarbell, a turn of the last century African American journalist who wrote about conditions for blacks and women. She was experiencing a dry cough which sounded like she had been a smoker her whole life. I found out later that symptom does not develop until the disease is quite advanced. Ida was about to undergo treatment to rid her heart of the parasites that had been transmitted to her from an infected mosquito.

Ida was given a chest x-ray and prescribed antibiotics. The next step was deep, painful injections with a drug (which actually contains arsenic) to kill the heartworms. That drug, by the way, has been taken off the market in the U.S., creating shortages similar to the problems with some cancer drugs. The aftercare was the worst part for my big girl. She had to be completely restricted for the next 4 weeks. She happens to be an athletic “fetch-aholic”. No balls for Ida for months. It was out to take care of business, then right back in. Dogs rarely die from the treatment but can lose their lives from the side effects. Too much activity can lead to a stroke or a heart attack because the parasites are dying right in the heart. After 4 weeks, she was administered an oral treatment and got permission to leash walk only. Then we waited.

Ida could be retested after 4 months. We anxiously awaited that date. But it was bad news, she was STILL HW+. The poor girl had to undergo the whole process once again.

There was a lesson to be learned for me through Ida’s ordeal. That pill once a month is critical. It seems like there is an epidemic of heartworm positive dogs out there. Planned Pethood’s (plannedpethood.org) rescues last year included 14 dogs with the condition, including Stanley, my own foster dog. We must end this cautionary tail (yes, pun intended) with a happy ending Ida is now a permanent member of my pack after nine long months of anxiety and restrictions. She is happy, healthy, and can be seen 24/7 with a ball in her mouth.

All of Planned Pethood's pets are up to date on age-appropriate shots and flea and heartworm prevention before being offered for adoption. In addition, Planned Pethood's policy is to treat all medical ailments, regardless of cost, unless the treating vet feels there is nothing more that can be done. We do not refuse treatment to our animals based on cost of treatment or on the age of the animal. When we take in a dog or cat, we take that commitment seriously.

(submitted by Judy S)