Our Shelter Information
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ADOPTING A PET
The adoption fee for any animal from the Mayfield / Graves County Animal Shelter ranges from $100 to $300.00. We make every effort to insure that the animals leaving our shelter to join a new family are as healthy as possible. All of our dogs are up to date on shots, have been dewormed, have been heartworm tested if they are old enough and are spayed or neutered prior to adoption. All of our cats are also up to date on shots, have been tested for feline leukemia and FIV (if 6 months or older), and are spayed or neutered prior to going to their new home. We hope that the pets adopted from our shelter will live healthy lives and provide many years of pleasure and companionship for their new owners.
Our major concern continues to be the large number of unwanted animals in our city and county. We are often asked if we are a no kill shelter and the answer is always "No, but we would love to be". The truth is that there are simply more animals than there are homes for them. We grieve for each and every animal that is euthanized in our shelter. Until pet owners take the responsibility to insure that animals do not continue to produce unwanted litters of puppies and kittens, the number of animals will continue to grow much faster that the number of homes available for them. We urge all pet owners to spay or neuter your pets and if you are looking for a pet for your family, please consider saving one from a shelter.
SHELTER STAFF
Our Shelter Manager is Joseph Lacewell. Stop by our shelter to meet him and the shelter staff, Don Norman and Jennifer Schramer.
SHELTER CHANGES
Many changes have taken place at our shelter in the past couple of years. We have made major renovations to the existing facility and have added twenty-two new kennels for the adult dogs with inside/ outside access. We now have isolation rooms for dogs and cats coming into the shelter and incoming animals are kept away from the resident animals for observation, evaluation and treatment. We have a "Meet and Greet" room where potential adopters can visit with the small animals and an outside fenced area to get acquainted with the larger dogs and puppies.
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2007 Statistics (To Date)
There were 1,964 animals brought into our shelter from January 1 - December 17, 2007. Of this number, 787 were strays and 1,177 were surrendered by their owners. There were 1,106 dogs and 858 cats.
531 of the 1,964 were adopted. 470 were euthanized. Only 79 were reclaimed by their owners. 884 went to rescue groups.
1,181 animals of the 1,964 were brought in from Graves County. 703 came from within the city limits of Mayfield. 80 animals came in from other counties.
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SCIENCE DIET FOOD PROGRAM
We kindly ask that you not contribute pet food at this time. Our Board of Directors has made the decision to participate with Hills Science Diet's shelter program. Our hope is that by only feeding Science Diet, we will have healthier pets! If you would like to contribute food, we request that it is Science Diet. Thanks!
GOODSEARCH
The Mayfield Graves County Animal Shelter now participates with GoodSearch! By using GoodSearch as your Internet search engine (just like you already do with any of the major, well-known search pages), you can support the shelter.
You can help animals as you search the internet by clicking the button below and choosing the Mayfield Graves County Animal Shelter as your charity of choice. Each time you use GoodSearch to find information on the Internet, a small donation will be made to the shelter--every cent counts! You can even click on the link to see how much the shelter benefits from GoodSearch!
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Articles
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SHELTERCARE PET INSURANCE
Alleviate the financial stress associated with your pet's unexpected
medical expenses and generate funds for our shelter at the same time!
Simply apply for a ShelterCare Pet Insurance Program by using the
ShelterCare banner-link.
Here's how it works: ShelterCare Pet Insurance Programs cover you when your pet needs essential veterinary care from an illness or injury. Also, every time a completed application for a ShelterCare program is generated through our shelter's website, we automatically receive a $25 donation to help cover common needs like blankets, litter and food. This donation is of no cost to you and provides us with essential funds. Make the right move and enroll today!
Support our shelter! Buy
Frontline Plus and pet medications today! Buy online or Call 1-800-738-6337 and Mention: "MGCANIMAL".
HELP FOR DESTRUCTIVE CAT BEHAVIOR
By tooth and nail, indoor cats can cause tremendous household destruction. Some cats nosh on house plants and eat inappropriate materials such as dirt, leather and wool -- a habit referred to as pica. Others resort to that old feline classic -- using the furniture as a scratching post and the curtains as a jungle gym. Feline destruction can be handled by managing the problem, offering the cat more palatable options, and making former choices less rewarding. A combination of all three will solve most problems.
Taking the Bite Out
The first step in dealing with pica is a veterinary exam to rule out a physical problem such as a metabolic imbalance. After getting the go-ahead from your veterinarian, consider the following options for plant protection:
Hang tabletop plants or put them in an off-limits solarium.
Spray leaves with an anti-chew agent for plants, and attach balloons or double-stick tape to planters. Cats avoid sites of loud noises (popped balloons) or surfaces that are tacky to the touch.
Satisfy your kitty's craving for fresh vegetation by making flats of catnip and wheat grass available to him/her.
The first line of defense with a cat who eats or chews non-plant items is to keep these objects in drawers, closets or closed containers. Distract the cat with plenty of his or her own playthings. Chewing inappropriate items may signal boredom and isolation, so try to increase exercise sessions and rotate toys every few days. Introducing a second cat as a playmate might also alleviate this problem, but this is only an option if you truly want a second cat. Bringing additional cats into a household can initially stress the existing occupant, and fighting, inappropriate litter box habits, nocturnal behaviors and even stress-related health disorders such as Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease can result.
You can also try combating pica by attempting to retrain the cat through dietary measures. Feed a premium-quality dry food with adequate fiber or a raw diet, and no other supplements or treats. At the same time, remove the former pseudo-food items for at least two weeks. After the requisite time period, douse the items with an anti-chew spray and reintroduce.
Surviving without a Scratch
To deal with the No. 1 destruction complaint, furniture scratching, choose furniture and drapes that are tactilely unattractive to cats. Most smooth cottons (chintz) or silky parachute cloth don't interest felines, who prefer rough, bumpy Haitian cloth, Herculon, raw silk and leather. If the furniture pre-dates the cat, you can protect it with a sheet, comforter or the dreaded plastic slipcover. You can also retrain the cat by covering favorite targets with double-stick tape, balloons, tin foil, contact paper (sticky side up) or a commercial product like Sticky Paws™.
Cats inherently need to scratch in order to remove dead nail sheaths from around their sharp new claws. Trim the cat's nails every two weeks to keep them blunt, and provide a suitable scratching post.
Install a sturdy, wide-based post at least three-feet tall covered in sisal, coiled rope or similar rough-textured fabrics. A natural (but de-bugged) tree trunk is another option.
Initially set the post beside the inappropriately scratched item, and then gradually move it to a preferred location. A good choice is near a cat's favorite napping place, as the urge to scratch is often strongest upon awakening.
Entice your cat to the post by running your nails over it (and praise the cat when he or she responds), or dragging a ribbon or other interactive toy over or near the post.
Several times a month, sprinkle potent catnip on the post if your cat responds favorably to this herb.
There is no doubt that by providing for a cat's physical and mental needs in a stimulating environment, much of the destruction typically caused by tooth and nail can be avoided.
"By Tooth And Nail:
Resolving Household Destruction"
By Jacque Lynn Schultz, C.P.D.T.
Companion Animal Programs Adviser
National Shelter Outreach
ASPCA
424 East 92nd Street
New York, NY 10128-6804
www.aspca.org
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MICROCHIP INFORMATION
Help your pet find his way home!
Only 15% of dogs are returned to their owners and 2% of cats (HSUS). If shelters routinely scanned, and more owners microchipped their pets...more could be returned. A microchip the size of a grain of rice is inserted between the shoulder blades of a dog in a relatively painless and quick procedure. Each microchip transponder has a unique number which enables a shelter or veterinary clinic to scan the animal for this number which will be registered with a national database allowing the owner to be contacted when the pet is found. Local veterinary offices and the animal shelter have scanners to read these microchips.
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The Dog Whisperer on Excess Barking
Cesar Millan, host of the program "Dog Whisperer" on the National Geographic Channel says that, over the centuries, human beings have actually rewarded dogs for barking.
"When humans first started domesticating dogs, one of the things we liked most about them was their barking. They could warn us of dangers, and when hunting, they could let us know from far away if they had found our prey."
Today we don't appreciate the barking so much. That dog in your neighbor's fenced-in back yard might drive you crazy! Millan says the fence might be one reason he barks. "When dogs live behind walls -- whether those walls are a one-bedroom apartment or a 20-acre estate -- they store up a lot of nervous energy that makes them more likely to bark at little things."
What can dog owners do?
Millan recommends "exercise, discipline, and affection -- in that order."
How you take your dog for a walk is important, he says.
"A vigorous, 45-minute walk -- done correctly, with you in front! -- every morning is crucial. This represents a primal migration with the pack leader. So it becomes both a physical and psychological exercise. ... Well over 50 percent of all barking cases are caused by lack of exercise."
You also have to take charge.
"From the first time your dog begins barking at a time you don't agree with, you need to let your dog know firmly that you don't agree with that behavior. Only once your dog begins to understand and obey your rules should you reward with affection or treats."
How can we ordinary people become dog whisperers?
Leadership, he says. Good training brings your dog's respect. Then comes great communication.
Article By Jeff Elder, The Charlotte Observer, N.C. Nov 2006
Visit Caesar Milan's website for more information on his training methods and his dog psychology center!
Dog Psychology Center
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