Lynchburg Humane Society Blog

It is Thanksgiving Day; you are surrounded by family and friends. You hear the sound of a crackling log in the fireplace and smell the aromas of the feast laid out before you. All of the fixings: stuffing, green bean casserole, rolls, mashed potatoes and gravy, and roasted squash. Children trying to snag a taste of the freshly baked pies including pumpkin, pecan, apple, and chocolate cream as they make their way to the dessert table. The main event catches your full attention as the long awaited turkey makes a debut in all of its golden glory and your beloved dog patiently waiting underfoot for the remnants of your thanksgiving dinner. But what you don’t know is that the delicious morsels that Fido is waiting for could be dangerous to him. Take a look at the following tips from ASPCA experts for a   great Thanksgiving that your pets can enjoy, too.  Talkin’ Turkey If you decide to feed your pet a little nibble of turkey, make sure it’s boneless and well-cooked. Do...

So far this year has been an amazing one for the animals at the Lynchburg Humane Society.   None of it could have been accomplished without YOU!   Because of community involvement and your influence we were able to work with city council to strengthen our partnership and to establish a fair compensation and lease agreement for our new humane education and adoption center.  Council received more emails and phone calls around this topic than any other in their tenure.  We officially merged the operations of the South Central Spay/Neuter Clinic in Evington with ours giving us a more regional focus on reducing the numbers of homeless animals in our entire community.   With a new full-time veterinarian, Dr. Pearson, we have begun to provide more services for the community.  We are up in surgeries and revenue and because of generous donations to our spay/neuter fund and many grants awarded this year, we have fixed over 700 animals for free. ...

The word “pit bull’ usually conjures up two distinctly different reactions: fear of the breed or the sentiment that they are misunderstood.    I have been in this field for 12 years and although I have always had a healthy respect for pit bulls, they have never been my favorite breed.   So why am I writing an article about pit bulls?   One reason is because October 27 th is National Pit Bull appreciation day which was created to help bring the breed to a more positive light and the second being that I have recently changed my personal opinion about the breed.   Today, pit bulls or their mixes are the number one breed seen in shelters and a result it is estimated that about 1 million are euthanized across the country each year, mainly because of how they look.   This surge in the breed started about 10 years ago when we would see many used as backyard dogs or fighting dogs.   Over the years I have been taught a lot about the breed and the ma...

Abby was found by an animal control officer tangled up and choking from the heavy chain around her neck.   She arrived at the Lynchburg Humane Society very afraid of everyone.    There are few things worse than seeing a dog who has not had any positive contact from the humans in her life.   She obviously lived outside on a chain for the first year of her life.   We vaccinated and treated her for minor medical issues and the staff began working with her to help her realize just how wonderful people can be.   Tiny kisses to faces and wiggling all over is now how she greets people rather than shrinking in fear.   She was adopted by a wonderful couple and is living her life as a family member rather than just a chained up, back yard dog.   If we don’t help them who will?   Tanya like so many other cats in our shelter, got a virus due to stress, lack of immunities as a young kitten and the improper air handling systems that exist in ...

I want to first give warning that this is a tough love blog post brought on by some recent events but it is an effort to hopefully open some eyes and make people think.   I also want to make it clear that this blog is directed to SOME, NOT ALL groups and not to the good people of our community trying hard every day to help the animals.   This is the first in a series of blogs I am going to do around this topic on “start trusting people”, in hopes of making people think.  When you know better you do better…. This is one of my favorite quotes because it embodies my career in this field.   I have learned so much over the 12 years in animal welfare.  I learn something new all the time because this field is ever changing or there is a new fresh idea to use, you name it things change.    So it struck me recently, at which point did animal welfare organizations decide it was better to kill pets rather than trust people?   I know it seems li...

We are always looking for good foster care homes, recruiting new homes is something we have to do each year.  Fostering an animal in need is one of the most rewarding things you can do and it is the most helpful program we have.  What is the foster program?  People often don’t understand what it means to foster and they are afraid of the commitment.  In the foster program the foster volunteer gets to decide the kind of animal they want to foster and how long they can handle the foster.  So you can choose what you want your fostering experience to be. On top of being in control of your experience we can provide you with food and supplies if you need them.  If you are fostering kittens, all they need is a small room or bathroom to live in until they are old enough to be fixed and have received all their shots. If you are fostering puppies, we can provide you with a crate for them to live in.  This is a way for us to try to keep them safe from the terri...

We are bracing in anticipation of a long hot summer and the summer in Virginia is brutal.   It is important for us all not to forget about how the heat affects our pets.   If you have a dog that is kept outside all the time please make sure they have shade or a place to get away from the hot sun, and that their pen or area has good ventilation and access to plenty of clean fresh water to drink.    If they are long-hair ask your vet if they should have a summer cut or shave.   Another concern is exercising your dog outside in the heat.   Last year we had a dog walker take one of our larger/older dogs for a long walk/run when it was 90 degrees and after 15 minutes the dog was in distress from the over exertion and the heat of the day.    According to Vetinfo website, signs of heat exhaustion and when you should immediately intervene include: heavy panting, hyperventilation (deep breathing), increased salivation early then dry gums as the heat ...