Special to the Star-Herald
October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. Are you looking at adding a dog to your family? Fall is a much better time to do it than winter. You can get housebreaking right out of the way without having to deal with freezing temperatures. We have so many wonderful dogs to choose from at the Central Aroostook Humane Society. Don’t know exactly what you are looking for? Speak to our friendly staff and they will guide you in looking for a wonderful dog to share your life with. If you aren’t looking to adopt right now, maybe coming to the shelter and taking a dog on a nice fall walk would be something you would enjoy. Our dogs love walks. Getting out of the cages and going for a walk helps to reduce stress in dogs, so believe me, it is helpful and we encourage it.
The shelter environment is a stressful and unnatural one for both dogs and cats. I encourage you to visit often and never judge an animal by how it behaves in the cage; take them out for a walk or take a cat out of the cage and play with them. Their true colors will shine through. We must show sympathy to these animals; most cats are strays, but some are there after being years in the same home with the same owners. The same goes for dogs, out on the streets fending for themselves, abused, neglected or abandoned at the shelter after living for years with people they trusted. It takes time to build a trusting relationship with an animal who has such baggage, but the task is not an impossible one. All of my dogs are “recycled” and they are all wonderful family members.
Don’t forget to sign up and help the shelter at www.zootoo.com/makeover and help the shelter earn points to win a makeover. It costs nothing.
Another way to help is to go on to www.searchandgive.com. For each search you earn the shelter one penny but it all adds up.
The shelter asks for help often but also tries to give back to the communities that support us. We offer free visits and informational presentations to anyone who asks about any animal-related topic you would like. We also visit four different nursing homes with ouR animals. It is wonderful to see faces light up as we place a puppy, small dog or kitten on a bed with a client or in their lap. It makes our visits all worth while. It is also good for our animals; it gives them a chance to socialize and visit outside of the shelter.
We work hard to provide the unwanted animals of our area with a safe place to be, a warm bed to lay on and food to eat. If you ask our employees, it is part of who they are. The shelter plays a huge role in their lives and they take their jobs seriously.
If you are looking for a friend for life, please stop by the Central Aroostook Humane Society. We are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday, or give us a call at 764-3441.
We are in need of cat litter at this time. We prefer the non-scoopable, as the clumping litter clogs drains due to the amounts we use. We appreciate all donations.
Please have your pets spayed or neutered!
