It's a Noah's Ark of Animals Adoptathon This Saturday It’s a Noah’s Ark of Animals at the Humane Society! We could fill Noah’s Ark with all of the dogs, cats and critters now looking for forever homes at the Humane Society of Missouri.  They’ve come from the floods -- alone, in pairs and litters. They need you to give them a Second Chance for a great life. This Saturday only! Adopt one cat, dog or critter and get the second one for half the adoption fee*. *Second animal must be equal or lesser value. All this Saturday -- at a Humane Society location near you in the Westport area, St. Louis City or Chesterfield Valley. Click here for hours and locations.  Click here to view our adoptable animals.
		Operation CatSNIP Spay/Neuter for $19.95 in May An unspayed female cat, her mate and all their offspring, producing two litters per year, with 2.8 surviving kittens per litter can total: 1 year: 12 2 Years: 67 3 Years: 376 4 Years: 2,107 5 Years: 11,801 6 Years: 66,088 7 Years: 370,092 8 Years: 2,072,514 9 Years: 11,606,077 Help us fix the problem. Fix your cat.  We will spay or neuter up to 400 cats in May for only $19.95! Every spring, summer and fall hundreds of kittens are brought to our shelters. They all need loving, caring homes. If we reduce the number of kittens born, they all will have a chance for great homes. Hurry! Appointments are filling up fast. Call (314) 802-5700 for an appointment at St. Louis City and Westport Area Center locations: Macklind Avenue Headquarters in St. Louis City Westport Area Center in Maryland Heights  Watch the Help! cat music video now! Music video created by Alliance for Humane Action (AHA!)http://www.ahaworks.org/
		Count Down to Bark in the Park Volunteers Wanted Bark in the Park is set for Saturday, May 17 at Cricket Field in Forest Park. Put the “fun” in fundraising while we help dogs who don’t have a best friend. Sponsored by Purina ®, this is the largest dog festival in the Midwest. All Bark in the Park proceeds go to the Dr. Doolittle Fund to provide veterinary care for animals in our shelters. Sign up now to walk for the animals! Volunteer for Animals and Join the Fun! Without help from volunteers, it will be ARF-ully ruff to achieve a bark-eriffic success. Please let us know if you can help. Before the Event - Setting up at Cricket Field on Friday, May 16 Day of Event - Registration and check-in - Walk route water stations - Dog handlers (for registration and food court areas) - Watering Hole stations - Ticket sales ... and more! “The Fine Print” Special Events volunteers must be age 16 years or older. You need to be a current volunteer and have attended a volunteer orientation prior to May 17 in addition to the Bark in the Park training to be held in May. The next volunteer orientation will be held on Thursday, May 1 at 7pm. For more information, or to volunteer, contact Lauren Connors at 314-951-1577 or lauren.connors@hsmo.org.
		Submit Your Entry Today! 2009 Pet Calendar Contest Your Best Friend's Photo in Thousands of 2009 Calendars! Do you have a photo of your favorite feline, or a pooch who loves to mug for the camera?  Don’t miss this chance to guarantee your animal companion a spot in the sought-after animal calendar that honors Missouri’s favorite pets! Entry fee is $35 per photo and pictures must be submitted by August 1, 2008. Entries can be submitted online or by mail. Read complete contest rules here. For more information about the 2009 “Make Your Pet a Pin-Up” calendar contest, please contact (314) 951-1567 or email calendar@hsmo.org
		Always Fashionable Humane Society of Missouri Gift Shops These items and many more can be found at our Humane Society of Missouri gift shops. Click here for HSMO gift shop locations.   Remember: Each time you shop, you are helping homeless animals find new, forever, loving homes!
		Summer Classes for Kids and Teens Register Now! It’s time to register for Kids for Critters Camp, Pet Etc., Horse Camps and PAC Classes! The dog days of summer are right around the corner, so what do you do with your kids?  Give them the ‘real’ dog (or cat, horse, cow..you name it!) days of summer!  Sign up for some of the fun, interesting and interactive classes offered for students at the Humane Society of Missouri and Longmeadow Rescue Ranch.  Have a lot of fun and discover great things about animals!  Learn responsible pet care, safety around animals and the interdependence of animals with humans and the environment.  Develop empathy for the plight of animals. Learn the roles that animals play in our lives.  Behind-the-scene look at surgery in our veterinary medical center. Explore careers with animals. Experience the unconditional love of the special animals waiting for homes in our adoption center.  At our Horse Camps, meet the current guests at Longmeadow Rescue Ranch—up close and personal!  All of this and a lot of fun too! Summer fun for kids ages 6—19.  For a full list and description of our summer classes, visit our website. Register online or call us at 314-951-1568 to request a registration form.  Register early….our classes fill up fast! We’re Accepting Critter Camp Counselor Applications We’re looking for teens who will paws for a good cause this summer! Are you a compassionate, enthusiastic animal-loving teenager age 15-18 who would like to work with a bunch of kids and animals? We need camp counselors to help engage the campers in a variety of fun, animal-related activities during our week-long Kids for Critters Camps and our one-day Pet Etc. classes!  Orientation: Thursday, June 12th, 10am-noon. Register and fill out an application to attend.  Call 951-1572 or email us at education@hsmo.org.  Counselor spaces are limited. Call now!
		Nominate an Amazing Teacher Humane Teacher of the Year Award Do you know a remarkable teacher like Parkway Central High School science teacher,  Kathy Burnett, who teaches and models compassion for animals on a regular basis in their classroom?  If so, he or she could be the purrfect candidate for our Humane Teacher of the Year Award. Each year, the Humane Society of Missouri Education Department searches far and wide across our state for a dynamic teacher who is dedicated to teaching respect for animals.  Ms. Burnett was awarded Humane Teacher of the Year in 2006 for her steadfast devotion to the animals in our community and her consistent efforts to teach humane values in her classroom. Download a nomination form from our website or contact joellyn.klepacki@hsmo.org or call (314) 951-1572. Nominations deadline May 1, 2008.
		Buddy Boy Finds a Forever Home Adoption Tale from the Ranch Buddy Boy is a Transylvanian Naked Neck rooster who was recently adopted by Trisha Freitag. Buddy Boy had been at Longmeadow Rescue Ranch since last summer. Trisha had been keeping her eye on Buddy Boy for several months by visiting our website frequently. After seeing the rest of his flock adopted, Trisha decided it was time to take him home. He has adapted well with the other feathered residents and has become quite the protector. He enjoys going out in the fenced yard and sunning himself. His crow adds just the right touch to her home. Trisha blogged about her postive experience and wrote, "For anyone looking for a pet of any kind, try the Humane Society or other shelters in your area. The animals there deserve a chance to have a loving home and a place where they can feel they belong. All 3 of our cats were rescues as well, and if I ever get another pet, you can bet it will be a rescue." Click here to see available animals at the Ranch.
		Make a Difference in the Lives of Animals  Women's Leadership Council   You are invited to join with women making a long-lasting difference in the lives of abused and neglected aninmals. As a member of the Humane Society of Missouri's Women's Leadership Council, you will be leading the way toward a more compassionate community for people and pets alike. To learn more visit our website or call (314) 951-1501.
		Are You Using a Flea Preventative? Time to Protect Your Pet   Dr. Suzanne Saueressig, DVM
		The flea is a hardy insect with a lifespan of 6-12 months. During that time, a pair of fleas could produce millions of offspring. Fleas have survived millions of years in a variety of environments. Some species can leap 15 to 36 inches high. That's equivalent to a man jumping over the 555-foot Washington Monument. All that may be admirable, but fleas on your pet or in your household aren't. Fleas can cause reactions in your pet varying from a mild skin irritation to a severe allergic reaction. Because fleas feed on blood, an extreme infestation can cause anemia or even death in animals. All cats and dogs, and other mammals, too, are susceptible to flea infestations. Whether or not you actually see fleas on your pet, they may be there. Scratching, scabs and dark specs, or "flea dirt," found on the skin can all be signs that your pet has become the unwitting host for a family of fleas. To battle flea infestation requires patience and perseverance, so put on your armor and get to it! Because the life cycle of a flea is three to four weeks, it will take at least that long to completely rid your pet and its environment of the enemy. Different flea control products work in different ways, have varying levels of effectiveness and kill different flea stages (eggs, larvae and/or adults). You'll need to use a combination of products at the same time to be effective. Dips, shampoos, powders and sprays will usually kill the adult fleas on your pet. Using a flea comb regularly will help, too. But more adults may be lurking in your home or yard, and eggs or larvae may be lying in wait, as well. You'll need to rid your house of fleas by vacuuming and washing your pet's bedding once a week, and using a disinfectant on washable surfaces and an insecticide or insect growth regulator in cracks and crevices (sometimes foggers are recommended) every two to four weeks. If yours is an outside pet, you'll need to tackle the yard, too. Sunlight kills fleas, so concentrate your efforts in the shady areas of your yard especially. You can spray your yard with insecticide, or you can battle fleas with their natural enemy, nematodes. Nematodes are microscopic worms that kill flea larvae and cocoons. Apply them to your yard once a month until the fleas are gone. Check with your veterinarian or your pet supply or garden stores to find out more. Flea control has reached new levels in recent years. Today, there are products on the market that you can treat your pet with once a month that will help keep those annoying little jumpers away. Insect growth regulators, or IGRs, are safe and act like flea hormones to interrupt the life cycle of the flea, preventing them from maturing into adult fleas. Lufenuron is one example of an IGR. It inhibits flea egg production, but doesn't kill adult fleas, so flea bites can still occur. Others, such as imidacloprid and fipronil kill adult fleas, and the latter works on ticks as well. Depending on the product used, you may be giving your pet a pill, spraying his coat or applying a liquid substance to one area of his skin; the substance will spread to cover his body. These treatments are available only from your veterinarian and are given once a month. Be very careful to use the products as directed; some may be effective for dogs, but toxic to cats. Consult with your veterinarian before implementing any flea control program. Now that you're armored with some information, you can help your pet win the war against fleas. “Fleas" Healthypet.com. American Animal Hospital Association. <http://www.healthypet.com/library_view.aspx?ID=28&sid=1>.
		Fear of Storms Seasonal Weather and Pets My dog really panics during thunderstorms.  This past month his reactivity has increased to the point where he starts pacing and panting before the storm even starts.  Do you have any ideas? Thunderstorms are common in many parts of the country, especially during the spring and summer.  For pets with noise phobias, this can create quite a problem.  There are some things that pet owners can do to help decrease their pet’s anxiety level. - Talk to your veterinarian about medications to help the situation.  It is important that the drug be given and take effect PRIOR to the start of the storm.   Your veterinarian may suggest a combination of medications that together help reduce anxiety and calm the dog down.  Owners can also use DAP® (Dog Appeasement Pheromone) in conjunction with medications. - Avoid punishing or fussing over the dog when he is fearful.  Both of these behaviors will only serve to convince your dog that there really is something to be afraid of.  Instead, ignore his fearful behavior. - Give your pet a quiet, safe place to stay during a storm.  This can be an inner room as far from the noise of the storm as possible.  Deaden the sound by closing doors and windows and darken the room with heavy curtains to avoid the flashes of light. - Try using a calming cap, an anxiety wrap or learn some TTouch therapy to reduce your dog’s anxiety level.  -  Provide background noise like music with lots of bass (it does not need to be loud as long as the bass is constant), a fan running, a television or radio playing can help to distract your dog from outside noises. - Train your dog to settle (relax) and watch you on command using tasty treats and favored toys.  Practice it regularly in his safe place so that he will have learned a positive association with the location prior to any storms.  Then you can attempt to distract him with these same exercises when he is fearful. - Make certain that your dog is micro-chipped and always wears a collar and tags.  If he should panic and escape, you will have a much better chance of finding him later. Contact us for a list of other things you can do to help make the stormy season a little less scary for your dog.  Once the storms are over, a veterinary behaviorist can help ensure your dog overcomes this fear.  If you have questions about panic attacks or other behavior-related issues, contact the Humane Society of Missouri Behavior Helpline at (314) 951-1540 or e-mail our behavior department.