Thinking about giving your pet away.  Please first read this article, FREE TO A GOOD HOME written by C.A.P.S.

Because of testing conducted by officials in North Carolina, Diamond Pet Foods has added Diamond Professional for Adult Dogs to the list of recalled products manufactured in our Gaston, S.C. facility and distributed in the eastern U.S.  Please click here to learn more.

THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF PUPPY MILLS IN JACKSONVILLE.  They are more common than you think.  But there is something that you can do.  Want to learn more, click here.

Animal House on Bell Fork Rd in Jacksonville NC currently offering very reasonable monthly rates an an additional 10% off for boarding for deploying military.  Please call them at 910-353-2684 for more information.

ATTENTION DEPLOYING MILITARY...

Are you one of the possible 14,000 troops scheduled to deploy to Iraq in January-March 2005?  It may seem like you have plenty of time to tie up loose ends, but your pets are something that need to be provided for as soon as you get orders.  Carolina Animal Protection Society will not be able to provide homes for the many displaced pets in our area, due to these massive deployments.  Waiting until the last minute can result in the harm or even death of your families pet.  Please click on the following links to get information on finding places for your pets to go while you are away.  Don't let them be last on your list of pre-deployment tasks!

http://www.hsus.org/ace/11821 - Foster Care Agreement

http://www.hsus.org/ace/11822 - Making arrangements for your pet

In North Carolina: Support Statewide Spay/Neuter Programs.  SB 511 creates and establishes the “Spay/Neuter Account” in the Department of Health and Human Services.   The “Spay/Neuter Account” will consist of funds generated from a portion of the cost associated with the sale of rabies vaccination tags and the Animal Lovers specialty license plate and will be used to fund a statewide spay/neuter program for companion animals in the state of North Carolina.  Millions of adoptable animals are euthanized each year in our country simply because there are not enough homes for all of them.  Click here to learn more and see how you can help.

JUST ONE LITTER SLIDE SHOW
Very powerful slide show about spay and neutering you animals! 

                 
Please be a responsible pet owner and spay or neuter your pet.  Did you know that that every year millions of cats and dogs are euthanized.  There are simply not enough shelters or homes.  Many of these animals are abandoned to try and survive on their own, unfortunately, most of them will die on their own before they can find a loving home due to starvation or being hit by cars.  The United States is suffering an incredible overpopulation of animals.  Many puppies and kittens born never stand a chance.  By spaying or neutering your pet, you are helping by not increasing this problem.  While there are no exact statistics, all you have to do is look at how many animals were put down in Onslow County alone last year.  That is just one county.  

If you would like to learn more, click here.  There is information about why to spay/neuter your pet, common excuses, as well as general information.   

Rainbow Bridge is a wonderful poem, especially for those coping with the loss of a pet.  

Onslow County Animal Shelter Stats for 2005:

Animals adopted/redeemed	1,839
Animals euthanized	5,876

To see more stats, click here.  While the animal shelter does their best to adopt as many animals as they can, from these numbers it is clear that there are just too many.  This is one of the reasons it is so important to spay or neuter your animal.  Click here to learn more about our low cost spay/neuter program or visit www.spayusa.org for alternatives.

To read a letter written to the Editor of the Jacksonville Daily News regarding a proposed assessment on pet food, click here.

7 Steps To Happier Pets

1.  Make sure your pet always wears up-to-date identification.

2.  Don't let behavior problems break up the family!  Address problem behavior, consult with a professional if necessary, and take dogs and pups to training classes.  Also learn how to prevent dog bites!

3.  Visit the veterinarian at least once a year.

4.  Spay or neuter your pet.

5.  Have a family disaster plan that includes your pets.

6.  Provide for your pets in case something happens to you and you can't care for them yourself.

7.  Adopt your next pet from an animal shelter or rescue organization.

Do you know what to do if your dog is stung by a bee.  Click here to find out.