Thank you for reading the SPCA of Hancock County's monthly email newsletter. This month we're featuring topics that come into season with the warmer weather!
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A message from Nichola Redmond,
our Exectutive Director
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At the SPCA of Hancock County we take animals into the shelter from all kinds of different circumstances. Some animals have had a good life in their former homes but have lost those homes through often tragic circumstances. Others, however, have not been so fortunate. Animals suffer anxiety over instability in their living situation just as people do. Add that to the anxiety caused by coming into a shelter― even an excellent one―and these poor homeless pets are really stressed. In general, this is more problematic with dogs, probably because we can create a more cat-friendly environment in the shelter.
Dogs often show their anxiety by being reactive in the kennel environment,which makes it difficult for them to show their best selves to potential adopters. This is compounded by the fact that these dogs have usually come to us with anxiety-based behavior challenges. Why do these dogs have these problems? It is a combination of nature and nurture – or lack of, actually. Genetics play a role. Predisposition to anxiety can be inherited; though with careful and purposeful socialization and good training, it is easily managed.
In the case of some dogs who make their way to shelters, they have come from less than ideal circumstances. However, that does not make them “bad” or untrainable. Almost all of these dogs, with an understanding adopter, careful handling and reward-based training make wonderful, loving and loyal companions. They just need for the humans around them to care enough to meet them where they are and encourage them. If you would like to understand more about how you can help a dog with anxiety or how to avoid raising an anxious dog, ask the staff at the SPCA HC for suggestions.
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Featured Adoptable Animals at the SPCA
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These animals are currently available for adoption and located at our facility at
141 Bar Harbor Rd., Trenton, ME 04605.
Adoptions can happen fast, so we recommend calling ahead to check current availability.
(207) 667-8088
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Gia
Do you recognize Gia? She's currently one of the longest-term adoptable cats at the shelter. She arrived here in October, raised her kittens, and watched all of them get adopted. Gia has a lovely personality and gets along well with other cats.
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Journey and Karisma
Journey and Karisma belonged to a very special friend of the shelter who has since passed away. We are looking for a quiet, loving home to adopt them together. They are gentle and affectionate kitties. Can you help us honor our dear friend's memory by helping us find them a home?
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Sperry
Meet Sperry! She is a fun-loving, active dog who needs a second chance. Sperry already has some great skills: she walks well on leash, is housetrained, and knows several tricks. Not only that, she uses the cutest little foot-stomp when she wants your attention! She is looking for a home where her great personality will be appreciated.
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Chase
Chase isn't a picky fellow about most things - he just knows that he doesn't want to live with a dog. He tried that and didn't like it, not one bit! Luckily he thinks both other cats and humans are great company. Chase is a snuggler who even likes to be picked up and held sometimes! He had his fur trimmed to remove the mats, and it's already growing back in.
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Rescue
She's got a little bit of sass and a whole lot of love to give! Rescue is 6 years old. She loves her people enough to tell them how she really feels with her amazing squeaks and other vocalizations throughout the day. Toys? Meh! Who needs those when you have friends to talk to and food to eat?
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Shaw
"Sigh," says Shaw, "Here I am at the shelter again." This handsome fella needs another try at finding a home. He's discovered that he prefers not to have other animals competing for "his" attention. Shaw is our front desk helper here at the shelter, and he loves to shower us with purrs and affection.
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Gus
Gus is still here. It's true that he needs a bit of a special home - he's an active, playful young dog who is very sensitive to his environment. New people are scary to him and he takes a while to make friends. Gus finds the shelter very stressful, which makes it even harder for him to relax enough to meet new people and realize they are nice, but we know he can do it! We need some help finding him the right person. Do you know anyone who might be right for Gus?
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Want more success stories and adoptable animal updates? Join the
Mid-Month Extras list by clicking the button below!
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April Wishlist Items
Looking for a way to help the shelter? These are items we particularly need this month.
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SnuggleSafe Warming Disks.
These microwaveable heat disks are incredibly valuable for kittens at the shelter. One disk heated in the microwave for a few minutes can keep a litter of kittens warm for ten hours. We need a few more of these to send home with kitten fosters. Find them online at Chewy or Amazon.
Grain Free Dog Food.
We have a couple of new dogs who have special dietary needs. Can you bring us grain free dog food? We need both canned and kibble. We don't see donations of grain free foods as often, so we're in a bit of a pinch at the moment!
Clorox Wipes.
No, we don't use these on the animals! But we do use them to wipe off door handles, phones, and other front desk/office items that get handled a lot to reduce the spread of germs (which benefits both people and animals). Even a container or two would be very helpful!
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Flyer Crew:
A volunteer crew helping the critters
Have you noticed SPCA of Hancock County flyers posted around your town? If so, a Flyer Crew volunteer probably posted them there! We started the Flyer Crew last year to help spread the word in towns across Hancock County about adoptable animals and shelter programs. Flyer Crew volunteers post anywhere from two flyers to ten or more in locations convenient to them.
Thanks to these volunteers, we're able to reach people who aren't online. People who have never visited us before start to come into the shelter after seeing a flyer in their town. We're right here in Trenton, but not everyone knows that! We're here to help, and we want to make sure the community knows how to find us. This is why the Flyer Crew is so important.
We have a handful of dedicated people currently in the Flyer Crew, but there's a lot of territory to cover and we need more helpers. Would you consider joining up? We're even happy to have seasonal Flyer Crew volunteers who can only post flyers for part of the year.
All you need is an email address, a printer, and the ability to post a flyer every two weeks. We're especially looking for Flyer Crew members in towns west and north of Ellsworth - but we'll take new Flyer Crew members anywhere!
Flyers usually feature adoptable animals, shelter events, or fundraising projects that we want to alert the community to.
For more information or to join the Flyer Crew, click the button below to email us.
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Don't forget Coloring for the Dogs
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The photo contest is open and competition is already fierce for the top spots in several categories. Did you enter your pet(s) yet? There's still time!
Entering is open until 9pm on April 28.
Remember that those $1 votes add up to help the shelter pups.
Voting is open until 9pm on May 1.
Click the button below to check up on the contest. The leaderboard is at the bottom of the page to show you who's ahead in each category.
Right: Darel, Gavin, and L.E.' s photo is a top contender in the "Group Photo" category.
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Give a dog some space: tips for sharing sidewalks, trails, and other public places with dogs this spring
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As the weather warms up, more people are going out for a walk - and more people are taking their dogs on outings to new places, too! Everybody can benefit from getting some fresh air in shared public spaces, but it helps if we all follow some etiquette to keep those shared spaces safe and comfortable, too.
If you're on the human end of the leash, for starters, please do
use
that leash! Most public spaces are leash-only. There are few things scarier than walking a leashed dog in a leash-only area and seeing an off-leash dog barreling down the trail. There is no way for the leashed dog (or human) to know whether that dog is friendly or not. Startled dogs can react in unexpected ways - this situation might turn out ok... or it might not. Leashes help keep everyone safe.
Another note about leashes: those flexible retracting leashes may seem like a good idea, but please realize that they provide little to no control. All it takes is five seconds of little Fluffy running in circles around someone's legs to cause severe rope burns. Yikes! A standard four or six foot leash is much safer, especially in locations where there are other people and/or other dogs.
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Have you ever seen a dog with a yellow leash, harness or collar on? The lovely image above was created by Lili Chin of
Doggie Drawings
to explain what that's all about.
There are many reasons a dog might need space: they may be fearful, recovering from an injury, currently in a training session, or working as a service dog, for instance. They might even have been recently adopted from the shelter! These dogs still benefit greatly from going outside and walking around the neighborhood, but would do better without having close contact with other people or dogs. The yellow ribbon can signal from a distance that this dog needs some space.
Do's and Don’ts if you see a Yellow Ribbon Dog:
Don’t
walk up to pet them.
Do
change your path so that you don’t approach closely.
Don’t
stare at them. (Staring and eye contact make it harder for dogs to stay attuned to their handler.)
Do
keep aware of where they are so that you can politely give them space.
Don’t
walk your dog up to them. Even if your dog is the friendliest, gentlest dog in the whole world! Remember, it’s not about your dog – it’s about their dog’s safety, training, and/or ability to work in the moment.
If your dog is off-leash,
Do
call them to you and put their leash on until the Yellow Dog is out of sight. Please do this even if you're in a location you would normally walk your dog without a leash.
Do
spread the word about the Yellow Dog Project! The more people who know what this signal means, the safer our communities will be for dogs who need a little fresh air, and also need a little space to be able to enjoy it.
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Kennels Sponsored:
These community members have chosen to Sponsor a Kennel at the SPCA. Kennel Sponsors receive email updates about their kennel's "tenants" throughout the year as well as our gratitude!
Virgina Reams, Lobby Cat Condo
Cheryl Curtis, Canine Kennel #2
To sponsor a kennel, visit our website or call us at (207) 667-8088. Kennel Sponsorships last one year and are renewable.
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Pets Sponsored:
These sponsorships contribute to the care of the animals at the shelter. Can't adopt? Sponsoring that adoptable pet you love is another way to help!
Adoptable cats Journey and Karisma
Kelly Griffith
We are seeking sponsors for adoptable pets!
To sponsor an animal by phone, please call us at (207) 667-8088.
To sponsor an animal online, click the button below to go to Petfinder and choose a pet to sponsor. Your name will appear in this feature and on our Sponsors Board at the shelter facility.
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Business Sponsors
Thank you to these businesses! Their generous support helps us help the animals.
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