Feline Frenzy Especially this Saturday   View adoptable cats and kittens Adoption Centers hours and locations
		Purses for Pooches & Pals See Event Photos Purses for Pooches & Pals was a HUGE Success! What an exciting evening for women from throughout the area to connect with each other, enjoy the Humane Society of Missouri and its adoptable animals and win fabulous designer purses. More than 450 professional women attended. Thank you to our committee members, restaurants and purse donors. Click here to view pictures of the event!
		Seminar by Emma Parsons Tools to Help Your Aggressive Dog Help for Reactive Dogs The Humane Society of Missouri Behavior Department is pleased to sponsor a weekend workshop designed to give reactive-dog owners important tools to safely manage, and in some cases decrease, their dog’s reactivity.    Click to Calm Healing the Aggressive Dog with Emma Parsons A two-day seminar designed to give you the necessary tools for managing a reactive dog. Saturday, July 26, 2008  Sunday, July 27, 2008 LEARN MORE AND REGISTER NOW!
		Humane Society of Missouri Gift Shops Unique Pet-themed Gifts 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!
		Humane Education Canine-to-Camper Connection Program Dog Training is lots of fun. And the kids love it, too! Obedience training helps deepen the bond between owner and canine, resulting in a more peaceful life-long companionship.   Our shelter dogs need the same training  owned dogs do, plus these educated dogs are more appealing to adopters!    Our new Canine-to-Camper Connection Program teamed up Critters Campers with our kid-loving shelter dogs. The results were amazing! The carefully selected pooches enjoyed 30 minutes a day learning and polishing new commands while interacting with compassionate kids. Campers developed greater empathy for shelter dogs and learned positive reinforcement training techniques that they can use with their family pets. And campers gained a sense of pride and accomplishment for making a true difference for these shelter animals! Each training session was conducted by HSMO’s Behavior and Training Supervisor, Lorraine Martinez, Ph.D. She developed fun sessions based on positive reinforcement that included basic obedience, clicker training and agility course exploration.  During the final class, the kids eagerly showed off what they and their pooches learned.   The program wouldn’t have been possible without our dynamic pet pal volunteers who specialize in socializing and training our shelter dogs on a daily basis. They volunteered to be handlers for each of the shelter dogs so they could read the dog’s body language for signs of over stimulation, exhaustion and anxiety.  The hardest part of this adventure was saying goodbye to the shelter dogs on the final day of class.  Although the campers had finished their week-long Kids for Critters Camp and the shelter dogs have found life-long homes, their memories of each other and the companionship they found in the shelter will last a lifetime.  We are proud to report that four of the six shelter dogs participating in the program have been adopted! For more information about our various education programs for kids and adults, please visit our website or contact the education department at education.office@hsmo.org
		Humane Education Pet First Aid Class Become a Life-saver for your Pet! You can get certified in Pet First Aid through the American Red Cross and potentially save animal lives!    This course teaches information and skills to help you: prepare, prevent, and respond to pet first aid emergencies learn how to respond to life-threatening conditions such as choking, breathing emergencies, poisoning and exposure to extreme weather conditions Use dog and cat mannequins to perform rescue breathing and CPR skills. Stuffed animals are also used in the class to give you hands-on practice in controlling bleeding, bandaging and other First Aid skills.  You will receive a certification card upon completion of the class.  Sign up now! An animal’s life could depend on it! Saturday, July 26, 2008 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Humane Society of Missouri Headquarters Upper Level Board Room 1201 Macklind Ave. St. Louis, MO 63110 Course Fee: $35.00 To register call the American Red Cross (314) 516-2738 The fee includes a textbook and take-home breathing barrier. Additional family members can attend for $26.00, without the book.  There is no minimum age for this class, as long as children attend with an adult.
		Longmeadow Rescue Ranch Rescued Thoroughbred Going Home Stan arrived at Longmeadow Rescue ranch in September 2006 after a tractor-trailer filled with 41 horses and a mule bound for a slaughterhouse overturned on Interstate 44 in Franklin County. Stan suffered scrapes on his body, face and legs. In addition to his injuries, Stan was thin and had bowed tendons on his front legs. After the horrific accident, he collapsed and rescue staff immediately administered IV fluids and medications. The 21-year-old thoroughbred got his Second Chance on June 30, 2008. 19-year-old Emily Grady and her family adopted Stan so he could live the rest of his life on their farm outside of Springfield, MO. Stan is one of the last horses adopted from the I-44 wreck. Visit us this Saturday! 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  ● ● ● Adoptable Horse and Farm Animals Barn Buddies NEW Gift Shop Click here for directions to the Ranch   Related Links: View adoptable animals at the Ranch See Barn Buddies in action through our Ranch Cams Educational summer programs for kids at the Ranch
		Ways to Help the Animals Shop and Eat to Help the Animals   Eat at Malone's on Saturday, July 19th! You must present your copy of this ad in etails for the Humane Society of Missouri to receive the donated portion. Visit your neighborhood Malone's Grill & Pub on July 19 and the Humane Society of Missouri will receive 15% of your total bill. (beverage and entree purchase required) Click here for locations.                      Wednesday, July 23, 2008 7 -10 PM at JECCA 14 Meramec Ave, Clayton, MO 63105 After Party at Roxane 12 Meramac Ave, Clayton, MO 63105 15% percent of the proceeds benefit the Humane Society of Missouri ALIVE Magazine and Roxane have teamed up with the Humane Society of Missouri to cordially invite you to the grand opening of JECCA boutique on July 23rd. Join us for cocktails, appetizers, fashion and music as we introduce Jessica Young and celebrate St. Louisʼ most anticipated new womenʼs boutique.
		Ask the Vet Giving Meds to Your Cat   Dr. Suzanne Saueressig, DVM   Any tips on how to give medication to my cat?   Giving pills to your cat is easier when you know how. It's hard to deceive a cat because most pills can't be hidden in a bite of cat food. Besides, cats are both curious and suspicious, so they will nose around any new food item. Just put the pill where the cat has to swallow it. The most effective way is to put the cat on your lap, with its back to you so that she can't get away. Then grasp the teeth of the upper jaw and tilt the head backwards gently. Holding the pill between your thumb and index finger of the other hand, use the other fingers to gently pry the cats mouth open. You can then drop the tablet down the throat. Sometimes you'll need to give it a gentle push. Be sure to talk soothingly to your cat during this process, and reward her when you are finished. Your cat won't like this until she gets used to it. So remind yourself that it's for her own good. “Administering Medication" Purina.com
		Pet Behavior Introducing a New Cat Introducing Your New Cat To Your Other Pets Copyright Denver Dumb Friends League and Humane Society of the United States. All rights reserved.   It's important to have realistic expectations when introducing a new pet to a resident pet. Some cats are more social than other cats. For example, an eight-year-old cat that has never been around other animals may never learn to share her territory (and her people) with other pets in the household. However, an eight-week-old kitten separated from her mom and littermates for the first time, might prefer to have a cat or dog companion. Cats are territorial and need to be introduced to other animals very slowly in order to give them time to get used to each other before there is a face-to-face confrontation. Slow introductions help prevent fearful and aggressive problems from developing. PLEASE NOTE: When you introduce pets to each other, one of them may send "play" signals which can be misinterpreted by the other pet. If those signals are interpreted as aggression by one animal, then you should handle the situation as "aggressive." Confinement Confine your new cat to one medium-sized room with her litter box, food, water and a bed. Feed your resident pets and the newcomer on each side of the door to this room. This will help all of them to associate something enjoyable (eating!) with each other's smells. Don't put the food so close to the door that the animals are too upset by each other's presence to eat. Gradually move the dishes closer to the door until your pets can eat calmly, directly on either side of the door. Next, use two doorstops to prop open the door just enough to allow the animals to see each other, and repeat the whole process. Swap Scents Switch sleeping blankets or beds between your new cat and your resident animals so they have a chance to become accustomed to each other's scent. Rub a towel on one animal and put it underneath the food dish of another animal. You should do this with each animal in the house. Switch Living Areas Once your new cat is using her litter box and eating regularly while confined, let her have free time in the house while confining your other animals to the new cat's room. This switch provides another way for the animals to experience each other's scents without a face-to-face meeting. It also allows the newcomer to become familiar with her new surroundings without being frightened by the other animals. Avoid Fearful And Aggressive Meetings Avoid any interactions between your pets that result in either fearful or aggressive behavior. If these responses are allowed to become a habit, they can be difficult to change. It's better to introduce your pets to each other so gradually that neither animal becomes afraid or aggressive. You can expect mild forms of these behaviors, but don't give them the opportunity to intensify. If either animal becomes fearful or aggressive, separate them, and start over with the introduction process in a series of very small, gradual steps, as outlined above. Precautions If one of your pets has a medical problem or is injured, this could stall the introduction process. Check with your veterinarian to be sure that all of your pets are healthy. You'll also want to have at least one litter box per cat, and you'll probably need to clean all of the litter boxes more frequently. Make sure that none of the cats are being "ambushed" by another while trying to use the litter box. Try to keep your resident pets' schedule as close as possible to what it was before the newcomer's appearance. Cats can make lots of noise, pull each other's hair, and roll around quite dramatically without either cat being injured. If small spats do occur between your cats, you shouldn't attempt to intervene directly to separate the cats. Instead, make a loud noise, throw a pillow, or use a squirt bottle with water and vinegar to separate the cats. Give them a chance to calm down before re-introducing them to each other. Be sure each cat has a safe hiding place. Cat To Dog Introductions Dogs can kill a cat very easily, even if they're only playing. All it takes is one shake and the cat's neck can break. Some dogs have such a high prey drive they should never be left alone with a cat. Dogs usually want to chase and play with cats, and cats usually become afraid and defensive. Use the techniques described above to begin introducing your new cat to your resident dog. In addition: Practice Obedience If your dog doesn't already know the commands "sit," "down," "come" and "stay," you should begin working on them. Small pieces of food will increase your dog's motivation to perform, which will be necessary in the presence of such a strong distraction as a new cat. Even if your dog already knows these commands, work with obeying commands in return for a tidbit. Controlled Meeting After your new cat and resident dog have become comfortable eating on opposite sides of the door, and have been exposed to each other's scents as described above, you can attempt a face-to-face introduction in a controlled manner. Put your dog's leash on, and using treats, have him either sit or lie down and stay. Have another family member or friend enter the room and quietly sit down next to your new cat, but don't have them physically restrain her. Have this person offer your cat some special pieces of food or catnip. At first, the cat and the dog should be on opposite sides of the room. Lots of short visits are better than a few long visits. Don't drag out the visit so long that the dog becomes uncontrollable. Repeat this step several times until both the cat and dog are tolerating each other's presence without fear, aggression or other undesirable behavior. Let Your Cat Go Next, allow your cat freedom to explore your dog at her own pace, with the dog still on-leash and in a "down-stay." Meanwhile, keep giving your dog treats and praise for his calm behavior. If your dog gets up from his "stay" position, he should be repositioned with a treat lure, and praised and rewarded for obeying the "stay" command. If your cat runs away or becomes aggressive, you're progressing too fast. Go back to the previous introduction steps. Positive Reinforcement Although your dog must be taught that chasing or being rough with your cat is unacceptable behavior, he must also be taught how to behave appropriately, and be rewarded for doing so, such as sitting, coming when called, or lying down in return for a treat. If your dog is always punished when your cat is around, and never has "good things" happen in the cat's presence, your dog may redirect aggression toward the cat. Directly Supervise All Interactions Between Your Dog And Cat You may want to keep your dog on-leash and with you whenever your cat is free in the house during the introduction process. Be sure that your cat has an escape route and a place to hide. Keep your dog and cat separated when you aren't home until you're certain your cat will be safe. Precautions Dogs like to eat cat food. You should keep the cat food out of your dog's reach (in a closet or on a high shelf). Eating cat feces is also a relatively common behavior in dogs. Although there are no health hazards to your dog, it's probably distasteful to you. It's also upsetting to your cat to have such an important object "invaded." Unfortunately, attempts to keep your dog out of the litter box by "booby trapping" it will also keep your cat away as well. Punishment after the fact will not change your dog's behavior. The best solution is to place the litter box where your dog can't access it, for example: behind a baby gate; in a closet with the door anchored open from both sides and just wide enough for your cat; or inside a tall, topless cardboard box with easy access for your cat. A Word About Kittens And Puppies Because they're so much smaller, kittens are in more danger of being injured, of being killed by a young energetic dog, or by a predatory dog. A kitten will need to be kept separate from an especially energetic dog until she is fully-grown, and even then she should never be left alone with the dog. Usually, a well-socialized cat will be able to keep a puppy in its place, but some cats don't have enough confidence to do this. If you have an especially shy cat, you might need to keep her separated from your puppy until he matures enough to have more self-control. When To Get Help If introductions don't go smoothly, seek professional help immediately (see online: "When the Helpline Can't Help"). Animals can be severely injured in fights, and the longer the problem continues, the harder it can be to resolve. Conflicts between pets in the same family can often be resolved with professional help. Punishment won't work, though, and could make things worse.   If you have questions about behavior-related issues, contact the Humane Society of Missouri Behavior Helpline at (314) 951-1540 or e-mail our behavior department.