pethoodga, Author at Planned PEThood of Georgia

Sometimes Love Means Letting Go

The idea of giving up a pet is unimaginable for most of us. However, there are individuals who find themselves in dire circumstances where this becomes their only option.

In early May, we received a heart-wrenching call from a woman who had been living in her car with her six cats, Tigger, Fluffer, Linus, Lucas, Major, and Cutie Pie. Despite her best efforts to care for them, she knew that their current living situation was unsustainable. She made the agonizing decision to surrender her cats with the hopes of us finding them new families, an act out of pure love.

Although it was an incredibly difficult decision, we are grateful that she placed her trust in us. Our hope is that by having her kitties under our care, she can find peace knowing they will be okay.

Now, just a few weeks later, Tigger, Fluffer, and Linus have been adopted and moved into their forever homes. While leaving their mom must have been hard for them, they are going to be well cared for and loved – which is all their mom wanted for them. We know it won’t take long for the others to find their forever homes. We have called the woman to check on her situation as well and look forward to helping her in whatever ways we can.

Fluffer and his new mom

Tigger goes home

Linus and his new dad!

Microchipping: What It Is and Why You Should Do It

Pets are a part of the family. If something were to separate them from you – a door is left open, your dog slips out of its c ollar, or your cat takes an unapproved field trip without you – you’d want a way to reunite with them as quickly as possible, right? Microchipping is a safe, easy, and inexpensive way to significantly increase the chances of your pet’s reunion should the unthinkable happen.

1 in 3 pets will become lost at some point in their lifetime. Tragically, many of these pets may not ever find their way home without a little help. A microchip can mean the difference between being reunited with your furry friend and never seeing them again when you come home from work. We occasionally see cats brought into our Spay/Neuter clinic for our TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) services that are thought to be stray cats. That doesn’t always end up being the case. Sometimes these “stray” cats are actually missing pets and because of their microchip, we are able to reunite them with their owner, like in Cali’s story. We wouldn’t be able to have these happy reunions without microchips.

Did You Know?

Here are some insane, but true facts about lost animals:

Dogs without microchips are reunited with their owners only 2.2% of the time, whereas microchipped dogs are returned 52.2% of the time.
Cats without microchips are reunited with their owners only 1.8% of the time, whereas microchipped cats make it back home 38.5% of the time.
Microchipped pets are over 20 times more likely to be reunited with their families, making microchipping extremely worthwhile.
1 in 3 pets will become lost at some point in their lifetime.

How Microchips Work

A microchip is a tiny electronic chip, about the size of a grain of rice, that is injected under your pet’s skin, typically between the shoulders. The procedure only takes a few seconds. While it’s not entirely painless, it doesn’t hurt any more than getting a vaccine. The microchip itself does not have a battery – it is activated by a scanner that is passed over the area. The radio waves put out by the scanner activate the chip. Each microchip has an identification number. When the microchip is scanned by a vet or shelter, it transmits this number. Animal shelters and veterinary clinics scan a pet’s microchip to get this identification number, then contact the registry in order to find contact information for the owners. The microchip is NOT a GPS device and cannot track your animal if they get lost.

Importance of Registering Your Information and Keeping It Up to Date

HERE’S THE CATCH – the unique identification number doesn’t do any good UNLESS you register it with a National Pet Recovering Database. When you register your pet’s microchip, you should enter all relevant contact information. Remember to keep your contact information up-to-date! A microchip greatly increases the chances of your pet being reunited with you if they get lost, BUT, only if your information is up to date! Not sure which company to call? Type in your pet’s chip number in microchiplookup.org Can’t find your pet’s chip number? Come by our clinic or any clinic and just ask them to check it for you. As long as you don’t mind waiting a bit, practically every clinic will do this as a free service for you.

Where to Get Microchips

Planned PEThood offers microchips through our Spay/Neuter Clinic and our Wellness Clinic for only $25 and that includes registration. All other veterinary clinics offer this service as well, ranging from $25-$75.

Another great resource to help find your pet is Petco Love Lost. Petco Love Lost helps reunite lost pets with their families. Simply enter a photo of your missing pet and search our national lost and found database to find them. Learn more about Petco Love Lost.

A Slithering Snake Makes an Appearance at KIRA Club

This month our KIRA Club (Kids Interested in Rescuing Animals) had an incredible meeting and were able to meet different animals than they are used to meeting.

Thanks to Autrey Mill Nature Preserve, the kids learned all about rescue in the wildlife world and even had the chance to meet a few interesting creatures. Bottle Cap, a snake, and Mr. What, a turtle, loved meeting the KIRA Club kids. It was a fun and exciting meeting that will make a huge difference and impact these kids. The Autrey Mill Nature Preserve is a wonderful resource for the community and family. Make sure to check them out!

Animal rescue, compassion, and kindness can and should be taught at a young age, which is why we developed KIRA Club (Kids Interested in Rescuing Animals). Thanks to a grant from Orphan Kitten Club and Kitten Lady in Kira Serisky’s memory, we were able to start this program.

KIRA Club has monthly meetings to discuss certain tops and educate/inspire children on the importance of animal rescue. These meetings include crafts, projects, speakers, presentations, and opportunities to meet a few furry (in this case scaley) guests. Children ages 5 to 17 are welcome to join.

Learn more about KIRA Club and sign up for meetings

Mother-Daughter Superstar Fosters Approach 100th Foster Animal

Meet Tiffany and Jeanne, the mother-daughter duo, who have fostered dozens of bottle babies! These two superstar fosters have fostered 89 animals in total. That’s incredible!

Of those 89 animals, they’ve had 2 mama cats, 8 older kittens, and 3 puppies, with the remaining 76 all being bottle babies. In addition to fostering these 89 animals, they constantly help out when other fosters are out of town. That’s a lot of fostering!

Tiffany and Jeanne learned about Planned PEThood of Georgia years ago, when Jeanne, the mom, was driving by and saw an opening sign outside our building. She stopped by to ask if we took volunteers. That’s when it all began.

One February during an extremely prolific kitten season, when Tiffany was volunteering at the front desk, someone dropped off a solo bottle baby at the front door and drove away. Elizabeth, our Executive Director, started calling all of our bottle baby fosters, desperately searching for someone to care for this bottle baby. While Elizabeth was making these calls, another staff member was showing Tiffany how to feed the bottle baby. Her mom walked in and asked, “What’s that?”. Tiffany explained the situation and her mom said, “She’ll take her.”. And so, they brought home their first bottle baby. That’s when their fostering all began. Another litter showed up the next day and their first bottle baby suddenly turned into three.

A few years later, Tiffany and Jeanne switched over to fostering bottle babies full-time. Bottle babies are a tremendous amount of work, but over the years, they have created the perfect system. Jeanne takes the day shifts and Tiffany covers the nights. This way no one loses sleep. They even have their own incubator at their home for the bottle babies.

Natsu, one of their foster fails

Not only have Tiffany and Jeanne helped dozens of animals find their forever home, but they have also adopted several animals of their own. That first kitten they ever fostered was their first foster fail and became a permanent part of their family. These two do more than fostering. Jeanne constantly helps out with our Wednesday shelter days as a part of our Go Fix Georgia program and Tiffany does bottle-feeding demonstrations at various events for Planned PEThood.We asked Tiffany a few questions about her experience fostering with Planned PEThood of Georgia. Below are her answers.

Why do you continue to foster with Planned PEThood? Planned PEThood keeps calling us with kittens!

What is your favorite part about fostering? The reward of seeing a little 80g bean grown into a lively kitten and go to a forever home.

What advice do you have for someone interested in fostering? Think of being a foster like being a Kindergarten teacher. You provide the education and nutrition until they graduate to their new homes. Yes, it is hard to let them go, but there’s a new class waiting for the same opportunity to grow! Every cat that ‘graduates’ means another you can save after that!

What do you get out of fostering with Planned PEThood? I get a lot of purpose out of fostering. I’m disabled so that limits a lot of options in employment. Working with animals gave me something meaningful to do with my time. I got inspired by some of our medical challenges with the little ones to go to Vet Tech school, so I could do better and save more kittens. Turns out that my disability is a barrier there too, but I might be able to be a Vet Assistant. Fostering has also inspired me to look into building my own neonatal nursery. I hope to continue to work through Planned PEThood if that ever comes to fruition.

Volunteers and foster parents are vital to our success. The animals depend on our efforts to place them on solid ground. If you have even a tiny bit of time to spare, a unique talent or trade to offer, or a spare bathroom/basement to occupy, consider contacting Planned PEThood today.

Apply to become a volunteer.

Apply to become a foster home.

If you have any questions about fostering, email foster@PEThoodGA.org

If you have any questions about volunteering, email volunteer@PEThoodGA.org

Fostering and volunteering are rewarding experiences. Your life will be filled with more hair, but your heart will be happy!

Help for 227 Gwinnett County Pets and Their Parents

Planned PEThood’s outreach team, Go Fix Georgia, teamed up with Gwinnett County Animal Welfare and Enforcement to provide free vet care and supplies to pet owners in need on Saturday, April 15th. In just four hours, 165 dogs and 62 cats received much-needed assistance including 200 FREE rabies vaccines, 214 FREE distemper vaccines thanks to Petco Love, and 152 FREE microchips!

The need for outreach events like this continues to increase unfortunately as the cost of pet food and veterinary care soars. The need was obvious as dozens of people lined up early in the morning hours before the event started. Our team ran ahead of schedule the entire time and was able to help every owner who showed up. 54% of pets had not been spayed or neutered, with most of that percentage never having been to a vet before in their life! We plan to continue working with Gwinnett County and other counties to host outreach events like this in the future.

There were so many amazing organizations and volunteers that came together to help make this event such a success. Without their support, this would have never been possible. THANK YOU! Our Go Fix Georgia team could not have done it without our event sponsor, Fix Georgia Pets, or without the assistance of Gwinnett County Animal Welfare and Enforcement.

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Event Sponsor:

Fix Georgia Pets

Other Assistance Provided By:

Gwinnett County Animal Welfare and Enforcement

Petco Love

Atlanta Humane Society

The Original Poop Bags

Department of Agriculture Spay/Neuter Tag

Make sure to check our newsletters and emails for upcoming dates! We are always looking for partner companies or individuals to sponsor outreach events. Please email tweaver@PEThoodGA.org if you or your company might be interested in giving back.

How to Prevent Kitten-Napping!

Kitten Season is here, and it is in full swing! Spring marks the beginning of Kitten Season, where outdoor female cats continually go through a heat cycle, giving birth to dozens of kittens. It’s not unusual to find kittens or a single kitten seemingly abandoned by the mother. While it can be tempting to scoop them up and bring them indoors, it’s important to know that this is almost never in the kitten’s best interest.

So, what should you do if you find a litter of tiny kittens?

Leave them be, but keep an eye on them!

Even if you see the kittens alone, it is more than likely their mother is nearby. Do not assume that the kittens are abandoned just because you do not see their mother. She may be off searching for food, in the process of moving her babies from one location to another, or hiding nearby until you leave. A mother cat is the kittens’ best possible caregiver and the best chance for survival, so please LEAVE THEM BE! Mama cats are resourceful. There is a reason they survive cold temperatures and continue to breed. They find warm spaces to keep their babies, and they know when their babies are in danger. Taking kittens who are not weaned away from their mother puts the kittens at greater risk.

While it can be hard, walking away is often the best thing to do. As long as the kittens are safe for the moment and you can come back to check on them within a few hours, leave the kittens alone.

If there is a mama cat, it’s best to leave the kittens with the mom until they’re weaned. If you want to help mama cat and her kittens, you can help make them more comfortable as mama cat cares for her kittens. provide regular food and water, an outdoor shelter to create a safe space, and peace and quiet to avoid causing stress. Just make sure to pick up the food at night so it doesn’t attract predators.

Unless the kittens are in danger from other animals, traffic, weather, etc., it’s best to leave the kittens outside with the mama cat.

When the kittens are older, you can help them find homes, but not until they are able to eat on their own. Cats can get pregnant as young as four months of age, so it’s ideal to get the mama cat and her kittens spayed/neutered as soon as possible. Our Keep the Mama, Not the Drama Program, thanks to Orphan Kitten Club, offers free spay surgeries and vetting for mama cats while the kittens are placed in foster or adoptive homes.

If the kittens are indeed orphans, it’s best to act quickly because young kittens are fragile. If you or someone you know is able to provide foster care, a local rescue, like Planned PEThood, can give you tips, tricks, and even supplies to help to care for the kittens. Keep in mind that kittens can be a significant commitment for you, especially if they are unweaned. Local rescues, like us, might have lifesaving programs and foster programs that can help provide care for the kittens. Many shelters cannot take in young kittens since they do not have the resources to provide bottle-feeding or other 24-hour care. It’s best to contact the rescue or shelter before arriving at their location.

Remember, most kittens are not abandoned by their mother. Before you move the kittens, leave them be and wait to see if the mama cat returns. You can drastically help kittens by being educated, knowing when to take action, and getting involved when help is needed!

Use this helpful guide to determine how old the kittens are.

Here are some tips on how to care for mama cats and kittens.

Read these tips on how to care for neonatal kittens.

Breaking News - $59,000 stolen in check fraud scheme.

Criminals Tried to Steal $59,000 From Our Animals

Did you see Planned PEThood on WSBTV? We love making the news, but not for this reason!

Watch the news report.

Sadly, we were the recent target of a check fraud scheme. Our checking information was stolen, and the criminals stole more than $59,000 from our bank account. In total, there were 10 fraudulent checks ranging from $4,000 to $13,000.

Fortunately, our bank has reimbursed us for the stolen funds. We now have the costly administrative headache of closing the affected bank account, switching over automated debits to a new account, canceling automatic payments, contacting our vendors, and other tasks necessary to clear away this mess. We will incur an additional monthly cost to add protection to our new bank account.

We are working with the police and our bank’s fraud department to figure out where the initial check was stolen and who is behind this check fraud scheme. Hopefully, the criminals can be caught so they can’t do this to anyone else.

If you can help us fight against these criminals and recoup the cost of this attack, make a donation now.

DONATE NOW

Learn How to Keep Pets Safe During Pet Poison Prevention Awareness Month

March is Pet Poison Prevention Awareness Month.

The perfect time to learn about the dangers of accidental pet poisonings and how to prevent them. Understanding what potentially harmful poisons exist in your home and yard is the first step to keeping your pet safe. Some common items are very obvious but others might be new to you. Often when pets are accidentally poisoned by something, it’s safe for humans, but toxic to pets.

Below are the most common items that are toxic to pets to help keep your pets safe. Ensuring that your pet doesn’t ingest them will be well worth the time and effort needed to keep them a safe distance away.

Many foods that are safe for people to eat can be deadly to pets. Keep the following toxic foods away from your furry companions.

- Chocolate
- Xylitol (found in sugar-free products)
- Macadamia nuts
- Grapes and raisins
- Onions
- Garlic
- Alcohol
- Coffee

There are several plants that are especially toxic to pets. These are just a few of the plants. Visit this website to learn more about poisonous plants.

- Lilies (especially around Easter)
- Tulips
- Daffodils
- Azaleas
- Lily of the valley
- Sago’s palm
- Olender
- Hyacinths
- Rhubarb leaves

In 2018, almost 20% of all calls the ASPCA received were related to the ingestion of over-the-counter medications, such as ibuprofen, naproxen, cold medications, and herbal supplements. Never give your pet a medication that is not approved for veterinary use. Keep all medications (both RX and over-the -counter) away at all times and never leave pills lying around in purses and backpacks.

Prescription animal medications are often flavored to increase palatability, so pets may mistake them for treats and eat more than prescribed. Keep all medications out of your pet’s reach. Animals can chew through plastic bottles, so child-proof may not mean pet-proof!

Many household cleaners and other products can be used safely around pets. However, the key to safe use lies in reading and following product directions for proper use and storage. Read labels carefully on items like Bleach, Essential Oils, Insecticides, Detergents, and Paint.

Know the Signs and Symptoms of Poisoning:

Pets who have been poisoned may behave strangely or only exhibit mild symptoms. Signs of poisoning in dogs and cats can range tremendously based on the underlying poison. While this list is not exhaustive or complete, some common signs of poisoning generally include:

- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Excessive drooling
- Inappetance
- Excessive thirst or urination
- Weakness or lethargy
- Pale gums
- Coughing or vomiting of blood
- Nausea
- Racing heart rate

If you suspect your pet has ingested any of these items or any other questionable substance, call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435, Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661, or your veterinarian for assistance.

When it comes to poisoning, the sooner you treat your dog and cat, the better the outcome. Pets love to chew on all kinds of things, so please keep any potentially dangerous items and substances out of your pet’s reach.

Learn more about the warning sign, common dangerous substances, and other resources at:

1. https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/pet-owners/basics/signs-of-poisoning-in-dogs-and-cats/ https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control
2. https://www.aspcapro.org/resource/pet-poison-prevention-infographics-and-resources

Here are a few emergency vets local to Duluth, GA. It’s a good idea to keep your local emergency vet’s information on your fridge in case an emergency ever arises.

- BluePearl 24/7 Emergency – Lawrenceville, GA
- North Georgia Veterinary Specialists – Buford, GA

Sources:

https://www.aaha.org/your-pet/pet-owner-education/ask-aaha/Household-Toxins/
https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/pet-safety-tips/national-poison-prevention-week-march-20-26/

Walton County Residents and Their Pets Get the Help They Need at Our First-Ever Walton County Outreach Event

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Our first Walton County Outreach event was a complete success! On January 14th, 171 pets received much-needed assistance in Walton County. Planned PEThood’s outreach team, Go Fix Georgia, teamed up with Walton County Animal Control and Best Friends Animal Society to provide free vet care and supplies to pet owners in need. In total, we were able to help 123 dogs and 48 cats and provide:

137 rabies vaccines
150 distemper vaccines
158 microchips
120 spay/neuter vouchers

These events ensure the wellness of pets in the community and reduce overpopulation through free spay/neuter. The need for outreach events like this was obvious as people lined up early in the brutally cold morning. There were two urgent medical cases mixed into the crowd. Just days after the Walton County Outreach event, our vet team was able to perform two lifesaving surgeries. These kitties and their owners would not have gotten the help needed without the outreach event. Watch the video below to hear more about their incredible stories.

So many amazing organizations and volunteers came together to help make this event successful. THANK YOU ALL! Our Go Fix Georgia team could not have done it without our event sponsor, Best Friends Animal Society, or without the assistance of Walton County Animal Control. We hope to work with Walton County Animal Control to help more pets and people in Walton County in the future.

Event Sponsor: Best Friends Animal Society

Other Assistance Provided By:

Walton County Animal Control

Atlanta Humane Society

Petco Love

Bissell Pet Foundation

GA Department of Agriculture

Fi Nano

Miracle FIP Adoption Story!

Piper, our FIP warrior kitty, found her forever home in time for the holidays!

Piper was rescued earlier this year at 7 weeks old. It was a very typical rescue story. Her mama was an outdoor cat and by the time the family was found, there were only two kittens left. They both entered a foster home and began preparing for adoption. Then in August, Piper was finally adopted and was off to start her new life at her forever home. Everything started out perfect until her tummy started to grow and she became very ill. Her adopters were extremely concerned and reached out for help. Once Jess, our Adoption Manager, laid eyes on her, she knew something was wrong.

Piper’s abdomen was filled with fluid and she was losing weight rapidly. Her adopters decided to surrender Piper back, as that was the best option to get Piper the care she desperately needed.

Our medical team examined her and diagnosed Piper with Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), a viral disease of cats caused by certain strains of the feline coronavirus. There is no test or prevention for this disease. Once a cat develops symptoms of FIP, the disease is usually progressive and results in death in nearly every case.

Until recently, FIP was considered to be a non-treatable disease. However, there is a newly developed treatment that is having success. We have seen it with our own eyes. Inky, another cat in our foster care, went through the treatment and is thriving today. The treatment is very expensive and difficult to find. Luckily, with the generous support of our donors and supports and a $3,000 grant thanks to Kitten Lady and Orphan Kitten Club, our vet team was able to get their hands on the treatment for Piper. Without that treatment, Piper might not have survived.

Piper went through 80 days of injection treatment and was a champ the whole time (as long as she had some churu tubes). Within 40 days of treatment, the fluid in her abdomen dissolved and she was starting to get back to her playful, spunky self. Her amazing foster mom and our dedicated vet team continued to monitor her, checking her weight and blood work, throughout the 80 days.

At the end of her 80 treatment period, Piper was doing fantastic and healthy and she still is! Today, Piper is about halfway through her 80-day observation period just to make sure everything continues to go great. Her journey has been a true miracle!

Piper found her forever home in time for the holidays. Her new adoptive family had recently lost their cat to kidney disease and the younger daughter was longing for another cat. The mom, dad, and older sister adopted Piper as a Christmas surprise for the younger sister. Piper has a zest for life and this family totally gets her. She’ll be spoiled rotten and receive LOTS of love and attention.

Happy life Piper! We wish you the best life at your new home!