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

May 6 to 12, 2018

With the arrival of some well-earned spring weather, May also brings National Pet Week and National be Kind to Animals Week. Both are celebrated at the same time, May 6 to 12, 2018.

In acknowledgement of National Pet Week, the American Veterinary Medical Association (www.avma.org) offers some basic ways to help your furry friend enjoy a happy and healthy life. For example, it’s important to give some thought 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.

Living in northern New England, most of us assume that heartworm disease is not really a problem up here in a climate where much of the year is relatively cool or cold and several months are snowy. We tend to think of heartworm disease as being a big problem in warmer southern states. The fact is that heartworm disease can be found in all 50 states, and risk factors vary, including climate conditions, wildlife carriers such as foxes, coyotes and wolves, interstate travel of dogs and other pets, and extent of disease-carrying mosquitoes which thrive throughout the US. Furthermore, because infected mosquitoes can come inside, both outdoor and indoor pets are at risk. In sharing the information in this article, we thank the American Heartworm Society, www.heartwormsociety.org, for their educational resources.

Heartworm disease is serious and progressive. The earlier it is detected, the better are the chances for your pet’s recovery. Unfortunately, there are few, if any, early signs of the disease when a dog or cat is infected with heartworms. This emphasizes the importance of an annual heartworm test for all your furry friends. The test is done through a blood sample that can most likely be processed directly at your veterinary clinic.

Another year is coming to a close soon, and while we at PMFAS are busy with the ongoing tasks of feeding, cleaning and caring for some 60 or 70 furry friends who at any given time reside at the shelter, we also recognize that once again we have much for which to be thankful.

We acknowledge all our friends and supporters, from our Keepers of the Kennels and Kitties, individual volunteers and families to local businesses and the towns we serve. Whether your support comes in the form of time, work, kind words or donations of many kinds, we definitely appreciate it all!

A big Thank You to the talented and generous folks at Northeast Kingdom Online (www.northeastkingdomonline.com) for their timely and detailed attention to our website. They work quietly and graciously behind the scenes making prompt and creative changes to the site, all of which help to promote our animals and enhance their adoptability.

At animal shelters and rescue groups everywhere, there are loving, healthy senior pets looking for that one special person or family to cherish them for the rest of their life. They don’t ask for much: just a warm place to sleep, good meals and plenty of love. They often enjoy going for walks with you and they can cuddle and snuggle as well as any younger pet!

Adopting a senior pet really means that you’re adopting a furry friend that has years of experience in being a best friend.
During Adopt a Senior Pet Month, take the opportunity to get acquainted with the older pets available at Pope Memorial Frontier Animal Shelter. Visit the shelter at www.petfinder.com or find us on Facebook at Pope Memorial Frontier Animal Shelter. 

PMFAS encourages everyone to "Make your house a home, adopt a shelter dog!" Each year in the US, millions of people find a devoted best buddy at their local shelter. PMFAS encourages everyone to "Make Adoption Your First Option." We hope that everyone will think first of their local shelter to find their new best friend.
There are many good reasons to consider adopting a dog, in October or at any time of the year. Dogs can be loyal companions that make a big difference in your world as a best friend, an exercise buddy for walking, hiking, boating, a pal that can be trained to provide animal-assisted therapy, or simply a sweet, fuzzy face to greet you each morning and evening after a hard day at work.