Stray pets arrive at Second Chance Humane Society with a trail of mystery and intrigue tailing behind them. Is there a heartbroken person out there looking for this sweet little dog? Is there a child sitting at home waiting for this friendly cat to return?  Did the family move and the pet went out looking for them?  Was this bright eyed but tired floppy eared dog abandoned or was he scared by a thunder storm and jumped his fence? 

As a homeless dog here at Second Chance I ask you to consider that, although a shelter may not be the ideal environment for pets, it is a temporary haven where pets in need, like me, receive care, love and a chance for a new life. It also provides a ripe setting for miracles to occur. Wait, what? A shelter is the home of miracles?

Have you ever seen a pet looking happy in a Halloween costume? I haven’t, yet you people keep right on dressing us up anyway. It’s O.K. We tolerate it because we love you so much (and we are secretly planning our revenge of drooling all over your Halloween candy). Dressing up pets has become as much a Halloween tradition as pumpkins, witches, and toilet paper and, despite it all, we do appreciate being included. In fact I created a new adoption promotion slogan: Happy Halloween from Second Chance - Come Find a New Adoptable Pet to Humiliate!  

Are cavity creeps lurking in your dog’s mouth? Well today’s Second Chance Pet Column offers a simple guide on brushing your dog’s teeth in an enjoyable and bonding manner that is positive for pet and person. Don’t believe me? Well heck most dogs are happy when our people just look in our direction – a few minutes of being coddled while that yummy chicken flavored doggie toothpaste is smeared onto our teeth is simply delightful.

Making a decision to adopt a dog is a serious process resulting in a lifetime-commitment and responsibility. After pushing through the ping ponging whirlwind of doubt and clarity and signing the adoption form most new dog parents discover that they have made one of the best choices of their lives. But for some “adopter’s remorse” can set in, like waking up with a big hangover in the wrong bed wondering “what have I done?!?”

So the other day I was walking down Main Street and some normal looking dude stopped, defecated on the sidewalk and walked away like nothing happened. I couldn’t believe it - and his wife acted as though it didn’t even happen. So there was this stinking pile just left on the sidewalk all exposed and abandoned – waiting to be squashed by the shoe of an unknowing pedestrian. Needless to say it was rather disturbing to witness.

My name is Ferris. I am a handsome and intelligent 2 year young German Shepherd mix, and I am a Zoomier. Or perhaps I should say I am a dog who gets the zoomies. Or maybe there is simply no proper grammar for this state of being. But if you have a zoomier you will know exactly what I am talking about.

Remember the stories from the 70’s when the U.S. tried to get with the rest of the developed world and adopt a universal measurement system (aka the metric system) and found it “was too much work” and gave up trying? Well today’s Pet Column topic is like that but different. Today I write about the popular misconception that cats age seven human years for each calendar year. However, the results of this bad measuring is sloppiness at best and cats dying at worst.

In 1965 Britain's Farm Animal Welfare Council developed the Five Freedoms which have since become internationally accepted standards of care that affirm every living being's right to humane treatment. I am almost 2 years old and these basic freedoms have been denied to me most of my life. I am writing to change that.

You know how your cat is being all lovey dovey drunk and giving you all the signals to pet her and she is purring and rubbing on you letting you know how wonderful you are? And then in the blink of an eye she is sinking her teeth into your hand? Well, that is normal. But I can tell you why it is normal and how to avoid the little “love nibbles” in the future. Please note, just because I am writing this does not mean that I condone or participate in this behavior.