Pet of the Week
This past week has been super busy at Have a Heart. There were several volunteers who were out of town for the Thanksgiving holiday. We also had a huge surge of dogs and puppies arrive. Our volunteer that does our photos and descriptions has not gotten to the new arrivals yet. Unfortunately, due to all these circumstances we do not have any specific featured pets for this week. However, we do have plenty of great dogs and cats in need of loving homes.
Our shelter is not very large. We have 10 permanent kennels and a couple temporary kennels and they are all full. In addition to the dogs at the Shelter, there are 20 dogs that are being fostered. One local man had 3 female dogs that all had litters in the same week, 17 pups in all. (Was this intentional, or caused by an unaltered male that was running loose?) Then we received 3 puppies that were dumped on the highway. We are hoping to send most of the puppies on transport this week. Then the 4 dogs whose elderly owner passed away. We have a waiting list of people who want to surrender their dogs. It never ends. This is why Have a Heart is constantly reminding everyone to spay and neuter their pets. Owners should also be committed to caring for their pets for the pet’s lifetime. If you think your dogs may outlive you, it would be wise to plan for this unfortunate event. For a pet, losing their owner would be a traumatic event which could only be made worse by then finding themselves at a shelter. Please consider your fur-kids when planning your final arrangements.
Have a Heart can always use more volunteers. If you can help out, even one day a week, we would love to have you. If you might be interested, stop by the Shelter for more information. The Christmas season is right around the corner and our community is always willing to help the less fortunate, be they two legged or four legged. Our fur-kids sent their letters to Santa. A couple of them were intercepted before being mailed, and here’s what the shelter pets had on their wish lists. Of course toys topped the list, but their caregivers want them to have sturdy toys that cannot be easily destroyed. Stuffed toys are not good for the dogs. Swallowing the stuffing can cause major complications. A better choice would be Nylabones, Kongs or Chucka balls. The fur-kids also requested treats. The Shelter dogs do not get rawhides. Some dogs can tolerate rawhide, but for most dogs it upsets their system. We prefer crunchy type bones like Milk-bones and can use all sizes. The kids are also in need of Purina puppy and kitten chow, clumping cat litter and leashes. Our dog walkers say the best leashes are “rope slip leashes”. United Country Realty is putting up a Christmas Wish tree for Have a Heart and Hope for Horses. You can visit their office and pick a Christmas wish to fill. If you prefer on-line shopping, Have a Heart has an Amazon wish list. You can find the link on our Facebook page. If you shop Amazon Smile, they will donate a percentage of your order to the Shelter. Also, a reminder that our Thrift Store has their “Winter Wonderland” with a great selection of Christmas items at bargain prices. Have a Heart is located at 657 Highway 202 in Yellville. We are open 9 am to 3 pm Tuesday through Saturday. Phone 870-449-7387.