July 2017

 

 

 

Prevention.

 

Treatment.

 

Lost AND FOUND!


Pet Health Awareness Month

Our Shelter's on-site vet clinic will be holding a WALK-IN (no appointment needed) Vaccine/Rabies and Micro-chip clinic at the shelter.

What: Vaccine/micro-chipping clinic
When: Thursday August 24th 2017
Where: Shelter’s on-site vet clinic at:
17 Laurelwood Drive
Sterling, MA 01564
Time: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
More Info: Check out our website OR visit our Clinic Facebook.

Why rabies vaccines are so important, even for indoor pets?

We are often asked why indoor only pets must be vaccinated against rabies. For starters, it’s?? the law. Rabies is a fatal disease that is easily prevented with vaccination. The virus that causes rabies is transmitted through the saliva of infected animals. In our area, the raccoon is the main carrier of the disease. However, any mammal is a potential threat, including foxes, bats, and skunks. So why must indoor-only pets be vaccinated against rabies? Because things happen — bats get into homes through air conditioning units and raccoons climb down chimneys. While this may seem unlikely, the consequences are severe. If your animal is exposed to a potentially rabid animal and is overdue for a rabies vaccination, it is required that the animal be either euthanized or kept under a strict six-month quarantine. Domestic animals accounted for 7% of all rabid animals in the United States in 2008, and rabies is still responsible for 2-3 human deaths each year. Rabies kills humans and it is endemic to our area. So not only is rabies vaccination required by law, it is essential in controlling the spread of this disease and paramount in keeping your family protected. Whether you have a 3-lb. Yorkie that barely leaves your lap or a 15-year-old housecat that has retired to bird-watching from the window, rabies vaccination is necessary for all pets.

For more information, visit the CDC's rabies page.

Microchipping 101: Why is it important to microchip My Pet?

Registered microchips give lost pets the best chance of returning home. High-tech protection can prevent heartbreak. The statistics indicate that missing pets rarely make it home:

  • The American Humane Association estimates over 10 million dogs and cats are lost or stolen in the U.S. every year. One in three pets will become lost at some point during their life
  • A study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, including 53 animal shelters across the U.S., confirmed the high rate of return of microchipped dogs and cats to their families, and the importance of microchip registration. From the study:
    • Only about 22 percent of lost dogs that entered the animal shelters were reunited with their families. However, the return-to-owner rate for microchipped dogs was over 52 percent (a 238 percent increase).
  • Less than 2 percent of lost cats that entered the animal shelters were reunited with their families. The return-to-owner rate for microchipped cats was dramatically higher at over 38 percent (more than 2000 percent better).
  • Only 58 percent of the microchipped animals’ microchips had been registered in a database with their pet parent’s contact information.

Enter the pet microchip — a simple, elegant product of our high-tech age. No bigger than a grain of rice or more costly than a month’s supply of pet food, a pet microchip and enrollment in a pet recovery database brings lost pets home and provides peace of mind that your beloved companion will never wander unknown. Veterinarians encourage microchipping. And with good reason—microchipping substantially increases the likelihood of a pet returning home by offering secure, reliable, unique and permanent identification.

 

 

 

Not sure what supplies the shelter needs to keep our pets safe, warm, and happy?

 

Check out our Amazon Wish list!


Donating Made Easy

Our shelter has been helping a lot of great organizations in the South to take puppies, dogs, kittens and cats. They are all in desperate need of getting animals out of their shelters/rescues as sadly most are facing euthanasia.

Due to all the new groups and animals we are working with, we have depleted our shelters supplies and are in desperate need of many inexpensive, but important items. We’ve finally created an Amazon Wish List where you can easily click and order right from your home or place of work.

You can click on the box above and it will direct you to the Sterling's Wish List, which has been sorted in order of need from highest to lowest.

 

 

Path for Paws!


Path for Paws and Our New Pond!

What was once an eye sore of a “pond/swamp” in front of the shelter, is now a beautiful pond. We are finishing up the final touches and offering an opportunity to add your very own custom engraved brick for the Path for Paws.

Celebrate with us to commemorate our new pond! We are ready to start adding the custom engraved bricks in our path for Paws. From now until August 15th 2017, we are offering:

  • $50 OFF the cost of a 4x8 inch brick (normally $150 - now only $100)
  • $100 OFF the cost of an 8x8 brick (normally $300 – now only $200)
  • BOTH brick sizes offer FREE CLIP ART

We’d like to share a new and exciting way YOU CAN support our shelters pets and programs – and the pets in our care as they wait for their “furever” homes. The PATH FOR PAWS is such a special and unique way to leave your “permanent mark” on and at our shelte. Show your support for the shelters pet and programs, to create a permanent memorial and life-saving idea to celebrate your special holiday/s-birthday-graduation-weddings-births-anniversaries or to honor a beloved friend, family member or pet - past OR present – or even to commemorate a milestone in your family.

These custom bricks are truly the gift that keeps giving and helping to save more lives every day as well as helps to make our new pond even more attractive and special! You brick can r ecognize your pet(s), h onor a family member, and celebrate animals finding loving homes as well as all the programs the shelter has for both people and pets. A custom brick is also a unique and special gift idea – one that is permanently displayed year round and will be seen by hundreds of thousands of people over the years!

All bricks are a classic brick red with black lettering. Each brick size has different options for lines – characters – and location for clip art – Spaces count as “letters”, as do punctuation. The cost for a single 4×8 brick is NORMALLY $150.00. Should you wish to order more than ONE brick we are happy to discount additional bricks for only $100 each (to receive discount on more than 1 brick additional bricks must be ordered at the same time). The cost for a single 8×8 brick is NORMALLY $300.00 Should you wish to order more than ONE brick we are happy to discount additional bricks for only $250 each (to receive discount on more than 1 brick additional bricks must be ordered at the same time).

Some of the current bricks we’ve had engraved are beautiful sentiments dedicated to a family or friend – others are dedicated to a pet we’ve maybe loved and/or lost – some honor a wedding/birthday/anniversary or the day they adopted their beloved pet from our shelter and many others are just thoughtful shelter supporters with their family names on the beautifully engraved bricks that memorialize something special to the family. We still need your help to finish our PATH FOR PAWS. We are still (and will continue to take orders over the upcoming month/years.. as we have a lot of space to fill!) accepting brick orders and will be doing so you can order your custom engraved brick in either a 4×8 or 8×8.

To order your CUSTOMIZED Brick - simply print and return page 3 & 4 to:

  • Fax - 978-422-8574,
  • Mail to the shelter,
  • Email to leigh13@ix.netcom.com, or
  • Call the shelter at 978-422-8585 and ask for more information – or the staff can help you order over the phone

The shelter accepts checks made payable to ANIMAL SHELTER INC (please indicate PATH FOR PAWS in note section of check), cash or Visa/MasterCard (please add 3% if using credit cards).

Complete details and order form can be found on the Shelters Fundraising Brick Campaign page.

 

LIGHTS – FOUNTAINS – CAMERAS … oh my!!
We have already been approached by many people and groups who are interested in actually having photo shoots done at the pond as well! From prom pictures, to wedding photos and even senior class photos. Even with the pond in the construction phases and not quite done, we’ve already had a two different school groups (Watchusett and Leominster HS) arrange to “rent” our pond for their photo shoots!!! Who knew???

If you have a special event coming up and might be interested in having your family portraits, school photos, wedding photos or just fun photos done at the pond please contact leigh13@ix.netcom.com. We would be more than happy to work something out to help you!

Check out the photos from Leominster & Watchusett H.S.  pre prom pix at the pond. We filled the pond and turned on the fountains for some great photos!

 

 


 

 

vol·un·teer
(vŏl′ən-tîr′)

 

A person who performs or offers to perform a service voluntarily.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Our Volunteer of the month is Cathy Quinn!

We are honoring one of our amazing volunteers, Cathy Quinn.

Why are you volunteering?
There has always been a dog in my family until 10 years ago. My daughter suggested I volunteer at an animal shelter. I needed something to fill empty hours. Volunteering brightens my day even though I have a dog at home. I thought it would be hard to see so many dogs/cats in kennels but I soon realized they quickly go to forever homes .

What are you getting out of the volunteer experiences here with us?
The smiles on the families who adopt are priceless. They in turn make me smile. Also by listening to the staff I have learned quite a bit about dogs. My best experience was finding my Sato puppy “Sonny” in June of 2016 .

What are your overall thoughts about our shelter and how we operate?
The shelter is so clean and well run and all the employees and other volunteers I’ve met are such wonderful people and do an amazing job. It’s amazing how fast the animals get adopted .

Why should others consider volunteering for the shelter?
Volunteering helps the shelter use adoption fees to go directly to the animals care. If not for the volunteers they would have to hire more employees and less funds would go to the animals. It also makes you feel really good to be able to go and visit and help animals find a forever home. Playing with kittens and puppies, walking dogs – what could be better .

 

» Learn more about volunteering at the shelter.

Want to help the Shelter? Have you considered our Recurring Giving system. This convenient system allows you to automatically make a donation to the Sterling Shelter every month via credit card or checking account. This is an extremely powerful fundraising method that can allow the Shelter to save thousands of additional animals every year with a donation as small as $2.00 per month from you. Thank you for your support!