PET

COLUMN

The Story of Shay Shay…The Eyes Have It

Written by Park and Tay on May 23, 2022.

Sometimes you think someone is right for you, but you end up going in a completely different direction. This happens in both romance and pet adoptions.

When Janie and Steve Goldberg of Telluride lost their beloved DeeDee, The One- Eyed Dog, they were devastated. Steve wanted to wait to bring another canine family member into their home, but Janie thought it might help to heal their hearts to adopt another dog sooner rather than later.

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How Hard is it to Walk a Dog?

Written by Chipeta on May 16, 2022.

Walking peacefully along a path with your best friend; you are enjoying the fresh air, your dog is sniffing the grass and greeting other dogs. This is what every human hopes for when you venture out for a walk. Sometimes, it doesn’t quite work out. Walking a dog can be one of life’s greatest joys, but it also can be stressful, anxiety-inducing, and downright infuriating if your dog is not well trained on a leash.

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Why Dogs are the Best Pets

Written by Dodger on May 09, 2022.

I saw last week’s pet column, “Why Cats are the Best Pets”, and I was confused. Why would anyone question the superiority of canine companionship? When you see all the funny, playful, adorable, loyal dogs here at Second Chance, you might want to adopt them all! Here are just a few of countless reasons why a dog is the very best pet.

Loyalty. Dogs are there for you no matter what you’re going through (unlike a cat or a person). A dog will love you unconditionally. We’re good listeners and will never judge you for confessing your embarrassing secrets. Dogs are there for you.

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Why Cats are the Best Pets

Written by Pearl on May 02, 2022.

When you are adding a pet to your family, you might be deciding between a dog or a cat. The choice is obvious- go feline. I have many attractive, playful, loving, and loyal friends here at Second Chance who would be perfect. Why are cats the best? Here are just a few reasons.

Cats are great lap warmers. Whether you’re working at home, reading a good book, looking out the window, lounging on the patio- a cat will be happy sitting right there on your lap. We are champion nappers- most of us sleep up to 16 hours a day!

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What’s Really Happening with Pandemic Pet Surrenders?

Written by Wendy on April 26, 2022.

You may be wondering (we’ve been asked): Are people truly surrendering the pets they adopted during the pandemic?

We’ve seen reports in newspapers and magazines that shelters are overwhelmed by pandemic pet surrenders and are running out of space and resources.

Here in our region, we have not experienced a spike in surrenders related to pandemic pets being returned. The vast majority of our adopting families have done their homework, considered the commitment, made an informed decision to add a pet to their home, and are not undertaking adoption on a whim. In fact, we’ve seen no evidence that pets adopted in 2020 or 2021 were returned to us at any higher rate than we typically see.

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Volunteer Love

Written by Ben on April 18, 2022.

Believe it or not, there are people who willingly spend time cleaning litter boxes, teaching rambunctious puppies good manners, holding cats during medical procedures, walking dogs, teaching frightened cats to trust people, scooping dog poop, bottle feeding tiny kittens every few hours, reading with pets and kids at schools, and holding leashes at adoption events. Oh, and they don’t get paid (unless you count tail wags, puppy kisses, or purrs). These are the noble, loving, generous species known as volunteers. They come in all shapes, sizes, backgrounds, and talents, but they all have one thing in common. They want to make the world a better place- one pet at a time.

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Cat Body Language

Written by Aurora on April 11, 2022.

Spring is here and you know what that means…yep, time to adopt a new cat into your family! Knowing that the transition from newcomer to treasured family member can take a bit of time, I’m here to help you read the signals your cat is giving to make the transition more smooth.

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Reading with Chief

Written by Belle on April 04, 2022.

Reading is challenging for many young students. Reading out loud can be stressful. Sometimes, all you need is a good listener, and I know where you can find one…

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Dog-like Cat or Cat-like Dog?

Written by Diamond on March 28, 2022.

When a dog is aloof or independent, they might be called “cat-like”. Whereas a cat who fetches toys will be labeled “like a dog.”

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What is the Right Breed for You?

Written by Callie on March 21, 2022.

The purebred dog world recently shared the most popular dog breeds for 2021. As usual, the Labrador Retriever was number one- with French Bulldogs, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, and Poodles rounding out the top five. I understand the urge to pick a purebred dog, based on past experience or expectations. But maybe there is someone even better out there for you…

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Second Chance Humane Society Animal Resource Center and Thrift Shops service San Miguel, Ouray and Montrose counties. Call the SCHS Helpline at 970-626-2273 to report a lost pet or to learn about adopting a homeless pet and the SCHS spay/neuter, volunteer, feral cat or other programs. View our shelter pets and services at adoptmountainpets.org.