Dear Friends,
last month I asked whether, we as a community could save 100 animals this summer.

What has happened since…

I’ve met Mary Ann, a wonderful lady from NC.She saved several cats from a property, who’s owner threatened repeatedly

Using cats for target practice for procreating? An oxymoronic situation considering who's doing the shootin'

to just use the cats  for target practice.
Mary Ann and her patient husband set up traps, and over the course of a week were able to catch all of them.

trapped kitty - ready to be spayed

All have been altered, vaccinated and an older kitty is being treated for a couple of fighting wounds.
Stay tuned for Mary Ann’s story…..

a new lease on life instead of a never ending cycle of kittens

Then there is Daniela, who literally took us up on our challenge the very next day. She lives in Atlanta, went to a high kill shelter in Rome, GA and saved a beautiful English shepherd mix from death row.

Daniela named him Borgo, after a district in Rome.

Borgo on Death Row at the Rome, GA animal pound

Within days Borgo came down with the kennel cough. Daniela spent hours taking him to the vet, treating him, comforting him.

After several baths, a trip to the groomer, lots of love, vaccinations and finally getting neutered – Borgo is ready to move to his new home, which is already waiting for him in Indiana.
Unfortunately, Daniela is a poor student, with a minimum wage job on the side and has exhausted her resources.

She needs help with transport and/or shipping Borgo to Indiana. Please contact Daniela if you can help. dragomirovad@yahoo.com

What about the challenge?

We are a community of over 2000 members in the US. I think we can do better. Daniela, a student, with a minimum wage job, living in a small apartment has proven that there’s always a way to save a life.

Borgo and his personal angel, Daniela

Every life is worth saving. No matter how old or broken an animal is. We owe it to them to make things right.
If we don’t intervene, who will?
What can WE – as a community, as individuals do this coming month?

Step ONE: sign up as a volunteer with us.
if you can’t volunteer please consider supporting us via the Simba Fund.
100 cents of each dollar go to the care of our animals, and funding of special rescue operations. Let’s Adopt! does not have any overhead, because we are ALL volunteers.
This sets us apart from any other big organization.

• Send me your stories and pictures of the animals you saved.
• Sign up to volunteer for us. We are looking for volunteers in ALL 50 States and also in Canada RIGHT NOW.

Shoot me an email with your information:

• Name
• Location
• Volunteer Interest

Let’s make this summer one to remember…

Let's Adopt! Summer Of Luuuuv 2010

The summer we saved 100 animals - TOGETHER!

BE The Change
~Misha

Whenever you visit our blogs, you might have noticed
the Let’s Adopt Community Map to the lower right of your screen.

Put yourself on the map and start saving lives.

What is it all about?
Very simple – The Map connects YOU to the rest of the Let’s Adopt! Network worldwide!

This is the place to put your marker on the map, tell us a little about yourself or copy the code to of your Facebook badge and let us know in what capacity you can support us.
For example: foster, transport, flight volunteer, action calls, etc).

Misha Dee

Create Your Badge

SAVE THE MAP and you’re all done.

Need a step-by-step?

:. sign in or register with Google
.:. Go to the map at
http://bit.ly/LetsAdopt-Network-Map to add your pin to the map.
.:. zoom the map,
.:. click the blue pin and drag it to your location.
.:. add your information, and be sure to SAVE the map when you’re done.

Easy – Yet such an important step to connect with others.

Share the map and invite all your fellow animal activists, rescuers, and volunteer friends and family, so we can truly build a tight network and react fast in any sort of emergency rescue situation.

Become part of the solution.  Join Let’s Adopt! USA today.

BE The Change!

Misha

Please SHARE/RT

The following is a compilation of advice from Alley Cat Alliance, and my own experience as an active rescuer and “kitten wrangler” for over 16 years.
My specialty is neonatal orphans, who are THE most fragile, require the most care, but getting them through the first 14 days is also incredibly rewarding.

I have fostered over 700 kittens/cats,a few dogs & pups over the years – most of them were tiny orphans, special needs, geriatric or hospice cases.. Not all babies survived, due to either disease, injuries, or were eaten alive by parasites, and it was too late by the time they came to me.
Those were the toughest cases, and losing any of these babies is never easy – I won’t lie.
I’ve said many times I can’t do it anymore – yet when the call comes in about another baby with eyes still closed…. I’m the first to say YES.
So, here are some important tips on what to do when you find kittens.

First things first.
When you find a litter of kittens or an orphan, make sure to check whether there’s a mother around. Assess the situation and see whether the kittens are in distress. If they are exposed to heat, rain or wind then they have likely been abandoned. However, if they seem content, watch the area for a while from the distance to see whether the mother has only left to hunt for food. She should return as soon as she feels it’s safe to approach. Therefore it’s important that you keep a good distance from the “nest”.
If the mother hasn’t shown up after a few hours, it is probably a good idea to take the kitten(s) inside.

Now What?

Don’t panic!

· Determine The Kitten’s Age:

- Under one week: (3-8 oz) Eyes are shut, ears are folded down, and kittens are unable to walk. They can purr and make tiny noises. The umbilical cord may still be visible.

kitten less than one week old

1- 2 weeks old

- Three weeks: (7.5-14.5 oz) Eyes fully open and ears are open and standing up. Kittens will start to respond to noises and movement. The first wobbly steps are taken and baby teeth start to come in.

2 - 3 weeks old

- Four-five weeks: (8-16.75 oz) Running, playing, digging, and pouncing occur often. Kittens will start to wean and will be able to lap up formula, eat soft food, and use the litter box by themselves. Eyes have fully changed from blue to their adult color.

5 -6 week old "trinity of trouble"

- Eight weeks: (2 lbs) Kittens look like little versions of full grown cats.
This is the best age at which to begin the socialization process.

Matangi - with Uma, one of my special needs kittens. She had a hole in her diaphragm with her intestines growing through it. She passed away the day after her surgery.

· Ask for Help:
Depending on the kitten’s age: If you have a neonatal, contact local veterinary clinics and no-kill shelters to ask if they have a nursing mother cat or experienced volunteers available to bottle-feed the kittens. People have had a lot of success having mother cats “adopt” more kittens. This can go either way, as some shelters are more concerned about passing diseases by mixing litters. I personally see the survival of the kittens as most important, and will take orphans at any time.
· Foster:
There’s a good chance you will have to foster the kitten(s) for some time, before you can get them into a no-kill shelter/rescue.
Please do NOT surrender them to a city shelter OR the Humane Society, as they will be euthanized.

Most larger shelters will not accept kittens that are not eating on their own. The municipal shelters (a.k.a. city pound) will, because they HAVE to by law, however THEY WILL KILL THEM!!

orphaned kittens under 3 weeks are routinely killed at our city shelters. Organizations such as the HS or SPCA refuse to take them.

We will talk about the numbers games of so-called no kill shelters at another time.
· Heat and Bedding: Kittens can easily become chilled and can actually die from chilling within a short time frame. Be sure that from the moment you find them, the kittens are kept constantly warm. Continually keep an eye out for signs of chilling (i.e., kittens are listless and feel cool to the touch). If you have nothing else on hand, use your own body heat to warm up a cold kitten, and rub gently to aide circulation. It is important to note that kittens cannot control their own body temperature until they are at least three-weeks-old. Do not bottle feed until kittens have warmed up completely.

At home, provide kittens with a soft nest (like a box or kitty bed) with a heating pad or other warming device. Completely cover it with a blanket or towel, and make sure that kittens can move away from the heat if they want. Change the bedding daily or as needed when accidents occur.

Chilling can occur after a kitten becomes wet.Never submerge kittens in water. If you need to wash them, wash only certain parts or use a moist wash cloth. Be sure to always fully dry them with a hair dryer (on low) and towel.

· Food: Never feed kittens cow’s milk—this causes diarrhea. Feed only kitten formula, such as KMR, which can be purchased at most pet supply stores. Use kitten bottles to feed, as they are designed specifically with a kitten in mind.If you have an option for nipples, the elongated nipples are easier to use. Follow the directions of the bottle manufacturer for bottle preparation. You may have to make your own holes in the nipple with a sterilized pin or razor; be sure you do this correctly so that the kitten replacement milk drips out slowly when the bottle is turned upside down. I found the elongated nipples the easiest to use for the smaller kittens.  If you can’t find those, then use a pin to puncture a hole AND then use a razor or pair of small scissors to cut an X into the top. Do NOT cut off the top – just slice it. If you have a very young kitten, stop by your vet, and ask them for a couple of 3cc/ml or 5cc/ml syringes. They will work as very well for those tiny kittens.

bottle feeder

Sterilize the bottles before using. Wash your hands before and after each feeding.

This Emergency Kitten Formula can be made at home:
It should only be used in emergencies, and should not replace kitten formula completely.
8 oz. can (unsweetened) regular evaporated milk
1 beaten egg yolk
2 TB Karo syrup
Mix all ingredients well and strain. Warm before serving. Keep refrigerated.

·Proper Feeding: Hold or place kittens on their stomachs and arch the bottle so less air gets in (do not feed kittens on their backs). Always warm the kitten replacement milk and test it on your wrist to be sure it is warm but not hot.
Remember, do not feed chilled kittens.

· Feeding Schedule: Feeding should occur every two hours around the clock for kittens one week or younger.
You can reduce feeding to every three to four hours at two weeks and from then on, most kittens can be fed about two to three times daily with a wet food/formula mixture. Follow the guidelines on the formula label for how much to feed. Kittens will usually stop nursing when full.

If you are having trouble getting a kitten to “latch” onto the bottle, try pulling on the nipple when they start to suck, this will encourage her to suck harder and latch on. You can also try moving the nipple back and forth in the kitten’s mouth.

If your kitten is too ill to suck on a bottle, you may have to use other methods such as tube feeding. Consult a veterinarian before attempting this yourself, as you might cause serious harm to the kitten if the tube is not inserted properly.

Weaning occurs around four to five weeks of age. Mix formula with wet food so kittens can begin to lap it up, or put the mixture in a bottle. Then mix with dry food and begin providing water.

· After feeding: As long as kittens are eating formula, you must burp them. Put them on your shoulder or on their stomachs and pat them gently until you feel them burp. Kitten formula is sticky, so be sure to clean kittens after feeding with a warm, damp washcloth.
· Elimination: Kittens under four weeks must be stimulated in order to go to the bathroom after each feeding. Usually a mother cat would lick her kittens, but you can use a warm, moist cotton ball to gently rub the kittens’ anal area to stimulate urination and defecation. Completely solid feces usually will not form while kittens are drinking formula. Start litter training at four weeks. Use a small litter box with non-clumping litter. Show kittens the litter box and put in a used cotton ball, and this should do the trick.
· Weight: Kittens should double their weight each week of their life. It’s a good idea to weigh the kitten and record its progress daily. Alley Cat Allies offers a wonderful PDF for download, which I highly recommend to print out, as it includes additional vital information on caring for your kittens, as well as feeding schedules, weight/health charts to keep track of any changes.
· Health Concerns:
Upper Respiratory Infection (URI) – Though this is common in kittens, you should not ignore it. If heavy yellow discharge develops or the kitten has trouble breathing or eating, see a veterinarian immediately. A mild URI can be cleared up by simply wiping away discharge with a warm, wet cloth and keeping kittens in a warm, damp environment.

Fleas – Fleas on a very small kitten can cause anemia. First, pick fleas off with a flea comb. For a bad infestation, you can bathe the kitten in warm water to get rid of fleas, since using topical flea treatment can make small kittens ill. Remember, never submerge kittens fully in water. If giving a bath be careful of chilling – dry kittens thoroughly with a warm towel or hair dryer on low, then place on a heating pad. No shampoos or topical treatment should be used in kittens six weeks or younger.

Parasites/Diarrhea – Any drastic change in stool consistency can mean trouble. Parasites can often cause diarrhea, strange looking stool, and dehydration. If you notice any unusual signs, your kittens should be seen by a veterinarian.
Intestinal parasites are normal in kittens and therefore they  should be wormed with at the age of 4 weeks and again at 6 weeks. First FVRCP vaccine should be administered at the age of 6 weeks, with 2 more boosters every 3-4 weeks after that. If you’re lucky your kittens will be accepted by a no-kill shelter by this time.
· Rehoming: If you decide to re-home the kitten(s) yourself, please screen the homes carefully, ask for an adoption fee (can be a donation to a rescue of your choice), and supply the adopter with a spay/neuter voucher, to be used within 4 weeks of adopting the kitten. Contact your local no-kill or feral cat organization for low/no cost spay/neuter clinics in your area and have the kittens fixed before you adopt them out.



Resources:

Alley Cat Allies Neo Natal Handbook (PDF)(right click to save link): Must Have for any new foster of neo natals. Lots of wonderful tips, forms, schedules, etc.

Kittens For Dummies byDusty Rainbolt: Great Beginner’s Book. The author spends great detail on examining kitten poop, which may sound excessive, but trust me, this information will come in handy.

The Cornell Book of Cats: The Comprehensive and Authoritative Medical Reference for Every Cat and Kitten – for the advanced and brave foster

The Pill Book Guide to Medication for Your Dog and Cat by Kate Roby and Lenny Southam: essential for any rescuer.

Feel free to post any questions or suggestions.

Join our Facebook network and share pictures.

What? WHAT?? We weren't doing nuffin'

Post your questions to this blog or mail me at misha@myletsadopt.com

BE The Change

Misha

April 20, 2010   //   kittens, no-kill, rescue, Spay/Neuter, volunteers   //   4 Comments   //   Tags: adoption, disease, emergency formular for kittens, feeding, feral, feral cat, feral kittens, foster kittens, kitten baby, kitten care, kitten feeding schedule, neo natal, neonatal, no kill shelter, no-kill, number scam, orphaned kittens, orphans, parasites, pet bottle, runt, uri

Dear Friends,
UPDATE: Hope & Pipas Have Been ADOPTED To GERMANY!!

These pups were dumped outside the most notorious kill ‘shelter’ in Istanbul, while Let’s Adopt! staged a protest about the horrific conditions and unjustified killings at the death camp.The injuries they sustained indicated that both of them were thrown out of a car.

Pipas had a broken jaw and the skin on her lower jaw had been ripped apart.

Pipas

Hope was found with a broken leg and hip

Hope

It took us two months of operation, treatment and intensive care to get them out of danger.

Today the two puppies are saved, but they are looking for homes.

(: Hope & Pipas today

Animal lovers picked them up and handed them over to Viktor, asking Let’s Adopt! for help. Once again – we cared for these pups, paid for their vetting and gave them a safe place to heal.

Here we are months later, and these cuties still don’t have a home.

Not one offer.
At this point we are accepting applications from other countries.

Preferably EU countries w/out lengthy quarantine laws, the US & Canada.
Let’s Adopt! application standards apply.
Please contact viktor@myletsadopt.com for more information.

Let’s Adopt! is an animal rescue organization, the largest in Turkey.We educate leading by example.
This is your change to do something unique, and to change the life of an animal (and yours), forever.
Hope and Pipas are looking for foster or final homes. We cannot keep them at the vet forever.
Hope and Pipas, you helped us save their lives. Help them now providing or finding a forever home for them.

Take action today. Adopt or foster one of this two babies.

Please keep in mind that we are also looking for flight volunteers from Turkey to Germany, France the US or Canada. There is no cost or paperwork involved for you. Everything is handled by Let’s Adopt! Representatives.

Please share/RT this note with your network, friends,

We need homes for our animals currently in our care, so we can rescue others.

Be The Change….

~misha

Arthur loves running in the snow in our backyard.

I am queen of the foster failures. And now it appears I am also turning into queen of the transport failures…

I was due to drive King Arthur from the pound to the airport back in November so that he could be flown to a rescue out of state, but it seems that just wasn’t meant to be because he is still lying at my feet as I type this post. He is a nearly one-year-old Tibetan Mastiff who is so big (almost 100 pounds now…) that you forget he is still a puppy until you catch him carrying blankets around like Linus!

In truth, I have always wanted a giant dog. I’m the sort of person who daydreams about how cool it would be to have three Great Danes (rescues, of course!) who greet visitors to your home. That’s how I found out about Arthur’s transport needs in the first place. A friend who manages a shelter sent me the posting about him the day after I had met with her to pick up a dog that needed transport and had spent half an hour drooling over her rescued Great Dane named Sport.

I had never even heard of a Tibetan Mastiff when I read about Arthur, but I fell in love as soon as I saw him. He is perfect in every way, and absolutely everyone who sees him wants to come up and pat him. I’ve certainly done my fair share of reading up on the special considerations of giant breeds and am learning everything I can to make sure Arthur grows up to be as healthy and strong as he can be. There always seems to be a steep learning curve with every new member of the family. Every animal has its own special needs.

Arthur’s brother went to a rescue somewhere in Cincinnati. They certainly weren’t from the same litter, but they came into the pound together. He was a golden-colored dog, and I would love to find him and his new family so that he and Arthur could run together in our backyard. I am so glad those two made it out of the pound alive, and it breaks my heart every day when I think of all the dogs who do not have such a happy ending.

There are a few lessons we can all learn from gentle souls like Arthur:

1. There is never any reason to go to a breeder for a purebred dog. Pounds are filled with purebred dogs – especially the small ones like Terriers, Chihuahuas, and Malteses. Giant dogs might not be appropriate for everyone, but large dogs such as Black Labs and German Shepherds die every day in pounds across America while people continue to go out and buy them from breeders.

2. Black dogs (and black cats) are statistically the least likely to make it out of the pound alive. People have strange superstitions about them and overlook them, so please consider black dogs and cats when you are ready to adopt a new pet.

3. Big dogs have big hearts. They are gentle giants. And yet far too many of them are put down in pounds because far too many of us are unwilling to adopt big dogs. I have always found big dogs to be a lot easier than small dogs and certainly a lot friendlier with strangers and even small children. Most people with small children want to rush out and get a small puppy, and I think that’s probably one of the biggest mistakes they could make. With small children in the house, who has time to train a puppy? And with children who are not already dog-proofed, a larger dog like Arthur with a more laid-back attitude is going to react a lot less than a smaller, feistier dog when his ears get pulled or a child falls on top of him.

Arthur with Claus in the background

Let’s Adopt! in Turkey also has a very special giant named Leon who is looking for his forever home. You can see his photos here. As usual, get in touch with Viktor if you would like to open your heart and your home to this special boy.

Several beautiful Turkish dogs have found homes right here in the United States. In fact, Let’s Adopt! recently placed a King Arthur of its own in an American home. The adoption process is very simple as long as you meet the criteria and your application is approved. Ge in touch if you would like more information.

And ask your local rescue about large and giant dogs. Rescues oftentimes have difficulty finding foster and forever homes for larger dogs, so they are not always able to pull them from the pound. Why not step up and offer to foster or adopt one?

What have you learned from the animals you have adopted? Share your stories in the comments section.

Oliver on the day he came home with me...and before he got his first Martingale collar!

Greyhounds found their way into my heart back in 2007 in Australia when I got involved with an RSPCA raid to save starving, neglected animals on the property of an animal hoarder just outside Sydney. Several Greyhounds were among this group of animals, and some of them were lucky enough to make it out alive. One of them, Oliver, made it into my home. He was possibly the biggest of the Greyhounds in that group, and yet my mean little Mr. Claus picked him. (I’ll write about Mr. Claus and fear aggression in dogs in a later post!)

I will spare you my rants about everything that is wrong with the Greyhound racing industry. Suffice it to say that I strongly believe it should be outlawed altogether. Oliver and I were in the newspaper back in Sydney after a Greyhound died in the back of his negligent owner’s car outside a pub on a hot summer day. Raising awareness is important – especially in a country like Australia where nearly 95% of all Greyhounds are put to sleep (or worse) by age 2 or 3 when they are no longer “racing material.” That’s why I always encourage adopters to consider Greyhounds. Dogs seem to find their way to me, but if I were to handpick a houseful of dogs to adopt, you can bet that there would be several Greyhounds among them.

Greyhounds are perfect couch potatoes. One of the biggest myths about them is that they need a lot of exercise. In fact, they usually prefer to “roach” on your couch most of the day. (If you’ve never seen a Greyhound roaching, do yourself a favor and look up some images on the Internet. It’s hilarious!) One thing to keep in mind when adopting a Greyhound is that they are similar to puppies. Because they have never been treated as pets in anyone’s home, they do not know about hardwood floors or steps, for example. Sometimes they take a while to understand their new home and any other dogs and cats who share it. Keep in mind that the only other animals most Greyhounds have ever met are other Greyhounds. They are not socialized with other animals at all when they are brought up in kennels and on racetracks. I’ve heard it said that if you are having problems with your Greyhound all you need to do is adopt another Greyhound! I’ve also heard it said that Greyhounds are one of the few breeds who remember/recognize their littermates if they are reunited later in life.

I can’t think of a gentler, more sensitive, or more wonderful dog than a Greyhound. They are amazing creatures, and I would encourage you to go and meet some at your local Greyhound rescue. I’m willing to bet you’ll fall in love and want to adopt at least one! Let their last race be into your heart…

Here are four great links for more information about Greyhounds and rescue groups in your area:

The Greyhound Project, Inc.

Greyhound Pets of America

National Greyhound Adoption Program

National Greyhound Foundation, Inc.

Do you already have a Greyhound? Tell us what you love about him or her!