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Community Corner

Money- and Life-Saving Pet Adoption Deals Available

There are two new programs at the Cobb Animal Control shelter created to help more animals find homes. Plus check out our vet tips on chocolate and your pet's safety.

The mood at the Cobb County Animal Control shelter was noticeably lighter this week. A couple of new programs are starting—a Pet of the Week program started by staff and a basic dog obedience training being put together by the owner of Top Dog Pet Boutique, with the help of shelter volunteers.

For the Pet of the Week program, the staff will choose a dog and a cat to be featured that week on the county website as the shelter’s pets of the week. They will also be posted on various other Internet social media—let's hope including the various Cobb Patches—being worked on at this writing. The dog and cat chosen that week will be fully vetted and offered for an $80 adoption fee as opposed to the regular $110. This price will be good from Tuesday until Sunday for that animal for that week.

The cats and dogs that are chosen will be the crème de la crème…the absolute favorite of at least one, if not several of the staff and volunteers. It’s a way for the staff to showcase the personality of the animals that have won their hearts and hopefully find them a home with someone who loves them. (This week’s cat is last week’s Patch Pet of the Week—, everyone just loves this guy!)

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The basic dog training will be done on Mondays by a certified trainer. The trainer will be teaching basic command skills to the dogs at the shelter; this will help them to be even more highly adoptable. At last check, additional volunteers were needed to help make this happen. If you have free time on Mondays and would like to help out, contact Top Dog Pet Boutique or Kent Johnson at the animal control shelter.

These fine boys are the Patch pets of the week: Chaplin, Buddy, and Simon.

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Chaplin was one of the numerous cats that spent time out on the back dock waiting to come inside the shelter. His coat is a bit worn from the experience but his spirits are high. Chaplin, a British Shorthair mix, was one happy camper when I whipped out the kitty brush. He so appreciated a good brushing. Head, face, chest, body, and tail—he loved it all. This cutie was in a cage out in the hall during the last adoption event. He was a big cat amongst cages of kittens. Poor bloke didn’t even get the time of day. You could tell he was disappointed. Now that he’s inside, he’s sure to be noticed. With his unique face and accepting laid-back nature, 3-year old Chaplin would fit into any household. ID No. 536370

Nine-year-old Buddy came to the shelter Oct. 16, turned in by his owner. He’s a happy guy who anticipates someone coming to take him out of his cage to a new home. He’s not much for being held but certainly likes to socialize. Buddy is good with kids and adults and doesn’t mind his fellow kitty roommates. He is a sweet fellow that will be happy to keep you company or hang out on his own until his company is needed. Buddy is very well behaved and has good housekeeping skills. Can you find room in your home for this slightly senior boy? ID No. 536975.   

Simon is a black and tan Manchester who came into the shelter Aug. 20 as a stray. He had a microchip, but it was never registered by his owner, so no one knew where to find him. He’s the perfect-sized pup—not too big, not too small—with a wonderful disposition. Simon’s about 1 1/2 years old, cute as ever, housetrained, likes other dogs, and adores people. He is just waiting for his perfect someone to seek him out. Simon will be there ready to go when they come. ID No. 534858.

If you would like to help make these animals stay a bit more comfy, you can order a kitty bed for a donation of $15. These beds are made locally and with much love for the animals.

For a dog bed, donate a Kuranda bed. They can be purchased and donated to the shelter by ordering online. The beds will be sent directly to the shelter www.cherokeeanimals.petfinder.com.

To see more available animals at the shelter, see here.

My blog: A cat in a dog’s world

Friends of Shelter Cats - FB page

Vet Tip of the Week

With Halloween approaching, we must be very careful not to let our pets eat any chocolate. Chocolate toxicity is mainly due to the caffeine and the obromine it contains, but the high fat content can also cause pancreatitis, a potentially life-threatening condition. The toxic dose of chocolate depends on your pet’s weight and the type of chocolate ingested. Baking chocolate and dark chocolates are the most toxic, followed by semi-sweet and then milk chocolate. 

Signs of chocolate toxicity include:

  • Vomiting.
  • Diarrhea.
  • Tremors.
  • Seizures.
  • Hyperactivity.
  • Racing heart rate and/or abnormal heart rhythms.
  • Death.

If your pet has ingested any chocolate, please contact your veterinarian immediately. You should be ready to tell them which type of chocolate, how much your pet has eaten, and when it was eaten. Your vet can determine if your pet has ingested a toxic dose. Immediate treatment gives the best outcome. 

Dr. Lori Germon is a veterinarian at Chastain Animal Clinic in Smyrna. You can find information on pet introduction and other pet topics at their website. You can also find them on Facebook.

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