Month: November, 2020
Sunday, November 22, 2020
The Chautauqua County Humane Society’s 2nd Chances Thrift Store is kicking off the holiday season with the 12 Days of Christmas sale. Thrift Store Manager Larry Spontaneo explains, “Starting Friday, November 27th the first customer of the day will choose from a selection of Christmas ornaments that will be on display at the register, each ornament will offer a different savings and that will be the special 12 Days of Christmas deal for that day. We thought it would be a fun way to thank customers for their support throughout the year.”
The Twelve Days of Christmas sale will run through Saturday, December 26th. Spontaneo says “The Twelve Days are the days we will be open during the time, so we invite everyone to stop by 2nd Chances Thrift Store, 707 Fairmount Avenue in Jamestown to see all of the amazing gift ideas and to save even more on what are already the lowest prices in town.” 2nd Chances Thrift Store is open 9 am to 7 pm for everyone, and donations are accepted from 10 am to 4 pm on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Please note the 2nd Chances will be closed on Thanksgiving in observance of the holiday.
When asked what would be on the Christmas wish list for 2nd Chances Spontaneo said, “We could always use donations of 18 gallon or larger totes, paper towels, and cleaning supplies. Every dollar we save is another dollar that goes to cover the cost of care for the animals at the Chautauqua County Humane Society.” You can find all of the shelter Amazon Wish lists here.
Tuesday, November 17, 2020
Thanksgiving is a time of gratitude—and indulgence. With all the extra food and chaos this time of year, it’s important to be prepared to treat pets for common foods served around the holidays. Here are some helpful tips from the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center for the diagnosis and treatment of common Thanksgiving pet poisons.
Onions and garlic: These common vegetables are prevalent in holiday casseroles, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and many other items, and can be toxic to pets. They belong to the Allium family and can cause oxidative damage to the red blood cells in cats and dogs, leading to anemia and methemoglobinemia. Cats are much more sensitive than dogs—it takes roughly half the amount of garlic to cause hemolytic anemia in a cat compared to a dog. Inducing emesis may be necessary if a patient has ingested a large amount of onions or garlic--and it’s important to be ready to give a dose of activated charcoal and monitor a CBC for five days. If the patient develops hemolytic anemia, IV fluids, antioxidants, and, on rare occasions, blood transfusions may be needed.
Animal bones: Cooked animal bones tend to splinter, so there is a risk for esophageal damage if emesis is induced. Therefore, it is recommended to increase the fiber in the patient’s diet and monitor the passage of bones through the gastrointestinal tract. If a foreign body does develop, surgery may be required.
Bouillon: Many people use bouillon cubes when making stocks, gravy, and other items. Bouillon contains a very high amount of sodium and ingestion of these cubes may lead to hypernatremia. Signs of hypernatremia include gastrointestinal upset, polydipsia, ataxia, tremors, and seizures. If untreated, these patients can develop cerebral edema that can be fatal. If a patient is hypernatremic, it’s important to reduce the sodium level quickly if the hypernatremia has developed within the last 24 hours. Intravenous fluid therapy, oral water and water enemas are all helpful in bringing down the sodium level. Charcoal is contraindicated in these patients because it can cause the sodium level to rise even more. Electrolytes will need to be monitored closely and treatment should continue until the sodium level is mid-range normal.
Baked goods: Pumpkin pie with whipped cream and apple pie with ice cream are all classics during this time of year and can lead to pancreatitis if ingested. Treatment is typically symptomatic and supportive with these patients. Baked goods made with xylitol can cause hypoglycemia, possibly resulting in liver failure. If the patient was exposed to xylitol, carefully monitoring blood glucose levels is key. If the patient ingested a hepatotoxic dose of xylitol, be sure to monitor liver values and start dextrose and liver protection. With elevated liver values, there is an increased risk for coagulopathy, so clotting times should also be monitored.
Call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435 for additional assistance anytime, 24/7.
Find more great ASPCA material here.
Tuesday, November 17, 2020
The Chautauqua County Humane Society kicks off the Holiday season with the Season of Hope adoption event at our store in the Chautauqua Mall. The Season of Hope is made possible with the lifesaving help of the ASPCA (The American Society For The Prevention of Cruelty To Animals) and Happy Hounds Hotel and Day Spa. This event will be held on Saturday, November 28th from 12 pm to 4 pm. Make 2020 a year to remember by adding a fur baby to the family. There will be a variety of dogs and cats available for adoption. CCHS Partnership Director Brian Papalia said, “Our normal goal is to get 100 pets home during the Holiday Season, but this year, due to COVID, we have no idea where to set our goal. So, we are going to leave it up to you to guess how many of these loving pets will find homes throughout the season.
The Chautauqua County Humane Society was awarded a $50,000 grant from the ASPCA as part of its ASPCA Relief and Recovery Initiative, which provides critical funding for animal welfare organizations to fund essential life-saving services like this CCHS adoption event. With the shelter currently adopting by appointment, this opportunity allows folks to meet these homeless pets while keeping traffic at the shelter limited to protect both staff and the public.
There will also be Chautauqua County Humane Society T-shirts and pet goods available for purchase. Watch the CCHS Facebook page and Chqhumane.org for a sneak peek at pets that will be available for adoption as we get closer to this adoption event. All CDC guidelines will be strictly enforced and masks will be required for entry.
Friday, November 13, 2020
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY ANNOUNCES UPCOMING FREE RABIES CLINIC
The Chautauqua County Humane Society (CCHS) will be holding a free rabies vaccination clinic from 9 am to 12 pm, Saturday, November 21st, 2020. This will be a drive-in clinic and all animals must be pre-registered to receive vaccinations. Vaccinations will be provided free of charge to all dogs, cats, and domesticated ferrets three months of age and older. The clinic will be held at the Village of Falconer Highway Department, 1 Coleson Drive, in Falconer, NY. Please enter from South Work Street near the front of Tops Market onto Coleson Drive.
ALL AVAILABLE APPOINTMENTS HAVE FILLED UP. WALK-INS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
During the clinic, donations of dog and cat food will be gladly accepted whether you are participating in the clinic or not. These donations will stock the shelves of the CCHS Pet Pantry. CCHS will have a van at the clinic and participants can leave donations in the van while they wait their turn for the clinic.
At the clinic, people will stay in their vehicles with their pets. People must wear facemasks. Pet owners must bring previous vaccination records for each animal to ensure proper and effective vaccination; clinic staff will confirm previous rabies vaccination records. All dogs must be on a leash (small dogs may be in a carrier). All cats must be in a carrier. Animal handlers will transport animals from the vehicle to the veterinarian for vaccination.
New York State public health law requires that each dog, cat, and domesticate ferret over the age of four months be vaccinated against rabies and county residents are encouraged to be responsible pet owners by having their pets vaccinated.
Rabies is a profoundly serious disease of warm-blooded animals caused by a virus. Raccoons, bats, skunks, and foxes are common disease carriers. The virus is transmitted to humans and animals through saliva and it can enter the body through a bite, scratch, scrape, or open cut. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system and can cause brain swelling and ultimately death within days of the onset of symptoms.
For more information about the clinic and rabies visit Chqhumane.org.
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Catherine Hughes is a member of Girl Scout Troop 30327 in Evans, New York. For her Girl Scout Silver Award she wanted to help the animals that rely on the Chautauqua County Humane Society. Why would Catherine want to help an animal shelter that is more than an hour away from her home? She said, “It’s because I adopted my dog Rose from there (CCHS) on October 19th, 2014. She had been at the humane society for over a year.”
Towards her 50 Silver Award Hours, Catherine made 25 cat beds, 39 T-shirt dog ropes, 4 jean dog ropes, 18 water bottle dog toys, 12 pill-bottle cat toys, 18 noise-making Easter-Egg cat toys and an assortment of other items including handmade Birthday and Thank You cards.
Catherine also saved up money she made from doing chores and collecting donations to buy items from the CCCHS needs list. She donated copy paper, paper towels, collars and harnesses. CCHS Partnership Director Brian Papalia said, “It was amazing. When Catherine’s Mom called saying that they had a large donation to bring, she was not kidding. Catherine had varying numbers of everything on our list. Whether they were handmade or goods she purchased, she covered everything on the list. In the time I’ve been with the shelter, she is the first to do that. At CCHS we are so grateful for the effort and enthusiasm Catherine put into her Silver Award project. We can’t thank her enough.” Catherine said, “I was shocked by how much stuff I collected just by asking family and friends.”
Catherine said she learned a lot from her project, “I really enjoyed working on my Silver Award and collecting items that the Chautauqua County Humane Society needed. Working on this project taught me communication skills, how to manage my time, become better organized, and to learn how to use a sewing machine and to sew by hand. I am feeling very happy that I can make the animals feel loved while waiting for their new forever home.
At the Chautauqua County Humane Society we are always grateful for the support of the community. For anyone that may be contemplating a project to benefit the pets at CCHS we encourage you to contact CCHS Partnership Director Brian Papalia at 716-665-2209 x213 or by email at bpapalia@chqhumane.org to help with ideas or to give you information that can help your project along.
Thursday, November 5, 2020
Jax is a little guy with a HUGE personality! There is no one better than Jax to tell you about himself...
Hi, my name's Jax! I am an active little guy with the sweetest personality! I really would love a home with another dog about my size and age. That way we could play all the time! I'm currently in a foster home, my foster lady is pretty awesome! She thinks I'm a little nutty, but still loves me a lot. She has an older dog who just does not think I'm any fun to play with. She also has a few cats. There is one that is big and scary, I leave her alone. The other ones I kind of like to torment. When I came into CCHS, I had a lot of pain in my hind legs. Actually, that's why I'm with my foster lady! After doing some x-rays, it was decided that I had broken my hind legs. They were healing, though! So I was on crate rest for forever! Thankfully, the meds I was on kept me a little loopy so I didn't mind it too much. Now I'm good to go and ready to play! I will need to keep a slim figure. If I gain too much weight, I'll have pain again! I don't want that! I'm super cute, but I will also need your help learning to be the best dog I can be! If you think your home is a good match for my needs, then please fill out an adoption application at chqhumane.org!
Watch the video above to hear CCHS Canine Activity Specialist Danny Reynolds talk more about Jax.
Wednesday, November 4, 2020
The Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Division of Public Health has announced that two free rabies vaccination clinics will be held on Saturday, November 7, 2020. Both clinics will be a drive-in clinics and animals must be pre-registered to receive vaccinations. Vaccinations will be provided free of charge to all dogs, cats and domesticated ferrets three months of age and older.
The City of Jamestown and the Chautauqua County Department of Health will co-sponsor a clinic from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Jamestown Parks Department on 115 Fairmount Ave. in Jamestown, N.Y. Dr. Gregory Hoyt will be the attending veterinarian. You must pre-register by calling the Jamestown City Clerk’s Office at (716) 483-7613 anytime between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The Town of Dunkirk and the Chautauqua County Department of Health will co-sponsor a clinic from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Dunkirk Town Hall on 4737 Willow Rd. in Dunkirk, N.Y. Dr. Joseph Bache will be the attending veterinarian. You must pre-register by calling the Dunkirk Town Clerk’s Office at (716) 366-3967 anytime between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
To pre-register pet owners must provide their name, address, and pet’s information. Everyone will be given an appointment time to arrive at the clinic. There are a limited number of spots available at each clinic, so pet owners should call to pre-register as soon as possible. Walk-ins will not be accepted.
At the clinic, pet owners will stay in their vehicles with their pets. People must wear facemasks. Pet owners must bring previous rabies vaccination records for each animal receiving a shot to ensure proper and effective vaccination; clinic staff will confirm previous rabies vaccination records.
All dogs must be on a leash(small dogs may be in a carrier). All cats must be in a carrier. Animal handlers will transport animals from the vehicle to the veterinarian for vaccination.
New York State Public Health Law requires each dog, cat, and domesticated ferret over the age of four months be vaccinated against rabies, and county residents are encouraged to be responsible pet owners by having their pets vaccinated.
Rabies is a very serious disease of warm-blooded animals caused by a virus. Raccoons, bats, skunks, and foxes are common disease carriers. The virus is transmitted to humans and animals through saliva and it can enter the body from a bite, scratch, scrape, or open cut. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system and can cause brain swelling and ultimately death within days of the onset of symptoms.
For more information about the clinics and rabies in general, visit
www.chqgov.com/environmental-health/rabies-prevention or contact the Division of Public Health at
(716) 753-4481.
Wednesday, November 4, 2020
The Chautauqua County Humane Society’s Walk For Paws Pet Costume Parade presented by Happy Hounds Hotel and Day Spa was a great success. The parade was held at the Chautauqua Mall on Halloween Day. Nearly $14,000 was raised for the homeless pets that rely on CCHS and nearly 50 dogs took part in the parade. CCHS Relationship Director Brian Papalia said, “COVID created some added challenges to the walk this year, but thanks to the efforts of the management team at the Chautauqua Mall and to the support of our sponsors including Happy Hounds Hotel and Day Spa, Chautauqua Chemicals, Fessenden, Laumer & DeAngelo PLLC, Greater Chautauqua Federal Credit Union, and UBS Financial services we were able to hold a really fun pet costume parade in a very safe environment. We also want to thank Media One Radio Group for all of the work done to promote the walk and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church for bringing dog biscuits for the participating dogs.”
As in the past the focus of the Walk For Paws is fundraising done on behalf of the pets at the shelter by folks in the community. This year medallions were presented to the top 3 individual fundraisers and trophy’s went to the top 3 fundraising teams. This year’s top fundraising teams were Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Board of Realtors ($1,176.30), CHQ Humane Board ($857.50), and Working For Paws ($257.80). The top 3 fundraising individuals were Keith Warner ($2,200), Reiley Kolstee ($1,000), and Alex Southworth (681.74).
New to the Walk For Paws was the attached adoption event. Papalia said, “In 2019 we had a dog named Brandy that was adopted by an attendee and the walk and that sparked the idea to hold an adoption event as part of the walk. Over the course of the day we saw 7 of the 9 shelter pets that were brought to the mall go home. It was awesome to see all of the folks come together in support of the pets at the shelter and then to combine that with the notion of that many pets finding new homes as part of the Walk For Paws experience. Simply put, it was a great day.”
Monday, November 2, 2020
Rita and Alfie came to the Chautauqua County Humane Society (CCHS) from the town of Sheridan Saturday, May 2nd, and have now found their forever homes 469 miles away in Coventry, Connecticut.
CCHS Behavior Team Lead Danny Reynolds said, “Rita and Alfie were a matted mess when they came in. Molly (CCHS Veterinary Technician Molly Loomis) and I were able to get about ten pounds of matted fur off of Alfie and about seven pounds off of Rita. They may not have looked the best, but I'm sure they felt so much better! They are such sweet and loving dogs.”
After a month of promoting Alfie and Rita through Chqhumane.org and CCHS social media, Cathy Derench of That Newfoundland Place, Inc. reached out regarding the pair after being tagged on the Facebook posts by folks who knew they would be interested in transferring the pair to their rescue to help get them home. Through a network of supporters, Alfie and Rita made the trip from Jamestown to Connecticut where families were already lined up to adopt them. Alfie went home with his family on Monday, July 6th and Rita who has been adopted will go home once the family finishes the fence they are putting up to keep her safe. Derench founded That Newfoundland Place Inc. with her husband Ed 30 years ago. You can learn more about this great organization at Thatnewfoundlandplace.com.
CCHS Executive Director Kellie Roberts said, “This is a great example of what can happen when shelters and rescues work together. Rita and Alfie were not catching the eye of our community, but very quickly caught the eye of Cathy Derench and now they are part of loving families. Thanks to Cathy and the folks at That Newfoundland Place Inc, and we also thank you. With your support, you are a key part of the team that saw Rita and Alfie get home.”
