June 2023 - Planned PEThood of Georgia

Keep Your Pets Safe During Holiday Fireworks

As the 4^th of July approaches, it’s important to remember that our furry friends experience these celebrations differently. This holiday is fun for us but can be the worst day imaginable for some cats and dogs. The loud noises from fireworks can cause stress to our pets and result in unwanted situations. Frightened, panicked pets tend to bolt and run far away from whatever scared them, leading to lots of lost pets. In fact, more pets go missing on July 4^th than at any other time of the year, making July 5^th the busiest day of the year for animal shelters nationwide.

Here are a few simple tips for a stress-free, safe day for both you and your pets:

Microchip and ID your pets. Having an up-to-date microchip and collar with an ID tag can make a HUGE difference if your pet were to escape and get lost. Even if your pet is an indoor-only pet, they should still wear a collar and ID tag. They can become frightened during fireworks and try to escape. Ensure your microchip information and ID tags are up-to-date with current contact information. Tags are available at most pet stores and even many Walmart locations.

Work them out. Giving your pets lots of exercise during the day can help so they’ll be worn out once the fireworks start. A tired pet is a calmer pet and can help with stress and anxiety levels.

Keep them indoors. Loud sounds can scare your pets, causing them to run away. Put them in a cozy spot well before the fireworks start. No matter how much fun it sounds, leave your pets are home for the firework show.

Provide a safe, quiet place. Help them feel safer in a quiet room or crate that is escape-proof. Try blocking out the light from outside.

Provide distractions. Focus their attention on things such as toys, treats, music, etc. Use TV or radio to mask the noises outside. Consider a Kong toy stuffed with peanut butter or a fun cat nip toy.

Ask a veterinarian for help. Some pets are more terrified of fireworks than others. There are medications and techniques that might help with your pet’s fear and anxiety. If your pet’s anxiety is severe, it might be helpful to book an appointment with your vet well in advance of the holiday to discuss how to help your fur baby.

Do your pets a favor and make sure they are well-protected and safe so they’re with you for many years to come!

Fantastic Volunteers Help 17 Community Cats Through TNR

Two fantastic Planned PEThood volunteers and dedicated fosters, Melissa and Shannon, spent their Memorial Day helping community cats and preventing overpopulation in the Buford area. Together they trapped 17 cats and kittens. That’s a lot of cats in one day!

An elderly woman who lives with her disabled daughter, neither of whom drives, had called and asked for assistance. They were concerned about the growing number of cats and kittens around their house.

Melissa and Shannon are seasoned feral cat trappers and were more than happy to help. They spent about 4 hours trapping cats. It was exhausting but rewarding! They trapped those 17 cats and then brought them into our Duluth clinic for their spay/neuter surgery and vaccines. The kitties then went home with several different volunteers to recover from their surgeries. All the surgeries were covered by a grant from Second Life Atlanta. Their thrift store in Avondale Estates provides charities around Georgia with critical income to help in situations like these.

Planned PEThood kept two friendly adults, who Melissa is fostering, and the five kittens, who another wonderful foster is fostering, in hopes of finding them forever homes. The babies were hand pulled from underneath a wood pile. Can you believe it?

The remaining 10 cats were released back to where they were found after they recovered. The kind woman who called will continue to feed the colony without having to worry about the population growing out of control. Those 10 cats who were returned to their outdoor home were also ear tipped, which will allow people to tell from a distance whether or not they have been spayed/neutered. This will save the cats the stress of being trapped and anesthetized a second time.

TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) is the ONLY effective way to manage outdoor cat populations. Left unaltered, these cats can reproduce, and before long there will be dozens of community cats living in your neighborhood. TNR helps prevent the birth of unwanted litters AND the unnecessary euthanization of cats in shelters.

You can trap community cats near you! We offer humane trap loans to the public at no cost, so you can TNR community cats in your neighborhood, at your workplace, or anywhere you’ve seen them.

Reserve a trap today!

Learn more about TNR

Two Special Needs Kitties Find Their Forever Home Together

After overcoming life-threatening medical issues and spending over a year in foster care, we are excited to share that Haze and Roger have found their forever home -TOGETHER!

These loveable boys have spent over a year with their dedicated foster moms waiting to find their forever homes. Haze and Roger are some of the friendliest cats, but due to their variety of medical issues, they have struggled to find an adoptive home. That all changed when Haze attended the Cat Extravaganza show with his foster mom in early May.

Haze came to Planned PEThood in June of 2022 when the nice lady caring for Haze noticed he desperately needed help. After he was rescued from an outdoor life, it was determined that he might not survive. He was barely a year old but already incredibly sick. Haze tested positive for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus), a common infectious disease that affects cats’ immune systems, had an upper respiratory infection, a possible heart issue, very bad teeth, and more. However, with good vet care and extra TLC from his foster mom, Patti, Haze proved he was a fighter and became a thriving, healthy cat. He may be FIV positive, have a few allergies, and have no teeth, but he is a lovable kitty with a great personality.

Roger came to Planned PEThood in September of 2021 as a kitten with all kinds of medical issues. He struggled through calicivirus, a highly contagious respiratory infection, and chronic rhinitis, a common complication of upper respiratory infections that can cause permanent damage to the nasal passageways and result in frequent infections and ongoing issues. He almost didn’t make it as a kitten, but he was a trooper. Thanks to our medical staff and his foster mom, Karen, he is doing well. Although Roger has chronic upper respiratory issues, Roger is a very friendly kitty who loves cats, dogs, and people.

Their new mom met Haze at the Cat Extravaganza event and fell in love. She lost her senior rescue kitty a few months earlier and was ready to adopt a new feline friend. After meeting Haze, she decided to adopt him, but she was interested in a buddy for Haze. Patti suggested Roger. These two are like brothers and have so much fun together, so it’s the perfect match. She is ready to spoil them.

It’s been a tough goodbye for Haze and Roger’s foster moms after caring for these boys for such a long time, but they are both thrilled that Haze and Roger found a forever home together. Karen and Patty will even be babysitting the boys while their new mom is on vacation.

Happy life Haze and Roger! We wish you both the best life at your new home!

Kittens Tossed From a Car Find Forever Home with Their Rescuer

As you may remember, in early April, there was a devastating story involving two neonate kittens being thrown out of a moving SUV while passing through a busy intersection featured on Southern Living, 11 Alive, USA Today, WSB-TV and more. Kittens just tossed out like trash!

Fortunately, a woman witnessed the terrible act. She was suspicious and decided to stop and check it out. She couldn’t believe what she saw! Two neonate kittens, less than 5 days old! Thankfully, the Good Samaritan was able to rescue the abandoned kittens, care for them overnight, and bring them to our Duluth clinic for medical attention the next morning.

As soon as the kittens came in and we heard the story, we called the police to file a report. The Duluth Police Department immediately sent out a compassionate cat dad to help. The incident was investigated as animal cruelty, but after lots of efforts to find the person responsible, they were ultimately unsuccessful.

Although this story started off incredibly sad, it has a happy ending. After the kittens arrived at our Duluth clinic, they went home with Jeanne and Tiffany, a mother-daughter duo, who have fostered dozens of bottle babies.

Thanks to Jeanne and Tiffany, these two kittens, later named Case and Mazda after the Rick Case Mazda employee who rescued them, have been thriving. They’ve become such healthy kittens, growing so much in the last two months.

Now, at about 8 weeks old and after nearly two months in foster care, they have found their forever home! The kind woman who stopped in that busy intersection to save these poor kittens decided to adopt them. While it’s only been a few days since they moved into their forever home, Case and Mazda are already settling in nicely. The purr-fect ending to a sad story!

We’re so grateful the Good Samaritan stopped to help these kittens and we are beyond thrilled she is making them a part of her family. A truly beautiful adoption story!

Happy Case and Mazda (now named Leia and Nova)!