4473 Barton Orleans Road Orleans, VT 05860 802-754-2228

October celebrates Adopt a Shelter Dog Month and November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month. With two consecutive fall months promoting adoption from your local animal shelter, we can easily say that Autumn is the season for spreading the word about all the great animals that are in local shelters searching for forever homes. 

Each year in the US, many people find a devoted furry friend or new family member at their local shelter. Pope Memorial Frontier Animal Shelter encourages everyone to "Make Adoption Your First Option." The goal is to encourage people to give first consideration to their local shelter when planning to add a pet to the household.

As cat guardians at Pope Memorial Frontier Animal Shelter, we strive to make every month “Happy Cat Month” for our shelter kitties, and September is especially designated as the month to celebrate cats and ensure that they are happy, healthy, and valued.

Cats are often viewed as self-reliant loners who don’t need much beyond an appropriate diet and a place to sleep. However nothing could be further from the truth! Cats need companionship, environmental enrichment, daily play, and most of all, they need us to love them just as much as they love us.

Just like older people, senior pets sometimes need special care and attention. With continually improved technology, veterinarians can take a proactive approach to help maintain your older pet’s good health. Laboratory tests and health screenings can detect problems in very early stages so that treatment can be started before a disease progresses too far. Therefore, it becomes increasingly important that your pet receives regular wellness checks and physical exams with the vet of your choice. The longer a problem remains undetected, the more serious the outcome can be. Keeping your pets healthy throughout their entire life and helping them grow old gracefully are two of the best gifts you could ever give them.

June is Adopt-a-Cat Month and PMFAS has quite a variety of furry feline friends just waiting for their new forever home. The shelter staff is ready and eager to help you adopt your very first cat, or add another kitty to your feline family.

In considering bringing a new kitty into your household, give some thought to these ideas and suggestions offered by American Humane (www.americanhumane.org)

With the arrival of some real spring weather, May also brings National Pet Week, starting on May 3, 2020.

As a strong supporter of National Pet Week, the American Veterinary Medical Association (www.avma.org) offers some basic ways to assure that your furry friend is as happy and healthy as possible. For example, it’s important to give some thought and consideration to selecting the kind of pet that is best for your family and household. This means assuring as much as possible that family members can be responsible for meeting the various social and health needs of the pet you choose. If a dog is the addition to your family, encourage family members to provide regular exercise. Going out for a walk and for some playtime with the dog is always the best choice. Not only does it improve cardiovascular health but it helps maintain a healthy weight and support good mental health for all involved – human and canine!