L OCAL LIVING
District animal watch
These were among cases handled by the Washington Humane Society. The society operates its shelter at 7319 Georgia Ave. NW and the District’s at 1201 New York Ave. NE. For information or assistance, 24 hours a day, call 202-723-5730 or visit www.
washhumane.org.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Close call for a pit bull
GALLAUDET ST. NE, 1900 block, June 18. A Humane Society officer responded to a call about a chained dog that had jumped a fence and was near strangulation. Residents moved the pit bull, which was no longer in danger.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Dog in a hot wire cage
CLAY ST. NE, 4500 block, June 20. A Humane Society officer found a pit bull confined to a wire cage in a yard and left outside in the heat. The dog had defecated and knocked over a water bowl in the cage. The owner was not home, and the dog was impounded.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Cat and dog left behind CENTRAL AVE. SE, 5500 block, June 20. Investigating a report, a Humane Society officer found a cat and a dog abandoned in a home. The owners had moved out a few days before, and the officer was seeking to gain lawful entry into the residence.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Dog in a closet
GEORGIA AVE. NW, 7300 block, Jan. 5. A 2-year-old terrier pit bull mix was found abandoned in an apartment utility closet with no food or water. It was made available for adoption at the shelter.
The following were among cases handled by the Washington Animal Rescue League, 71 Oglethorpe St. NW. For information, call 202-726-2556 or visit
www.warl.org.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Baltimore dogs move to D.C.
BALTIMORE, Stockholm St., 300 block, June 16. Two league employees picked up seven dogs from the Baltimore animal shelter for adoption. The sick and the injured
dogs were treated at the league’s medical center and were being evaluated for adoption.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Kitten bottle fed
SIXTH ST. NE, 900 block, June 22. A man found a 5-week-old kitten on the steps of a porch and took it to the league. The kitten was being held in the medical center and will be fed from a bottle until it is old enough for adoption.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Abused sick dog treated
BUENA VISTA TER. SE, 3100 block, June 22. A man who took a 9-month-old pit bull from what he called an “abusive situation” discovered that it had parvovirus, a disease that can be prevented by routine vaccinations but is generally fatal if untreated. Unable to afford the treatment, the man surrendered the animal to the league. The dog was being treated at the medical center.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Pit bull celebration
The Washington Animal Rescue adopt a pet
Summer, 2, was rescued by the Washington Humane Society after she was found abandoned in a utility closet of an apartment on Kenilworth Avenue NE. The pit bull mix was made available for adoption at the society’s shelter.
The D.C. Animal Shelter, 1201 New York Ave. NE, and the Washington Humane Society Shelter, 7319 Georgia Ave. NW, offer animals for adoption. The D.C. shelter has viewing and adoption hours from noon to 8 p.m. weekdays except Wednesdays and noon to 5 p.m. weekends. Hours at the society’s shelter are noon to 7 p.m. daily. Pictures of other available animals can be seen at www.
washhumane.org. For
information, call the D.C. shelter, 202-576-6013, or the society’s shelter, 202-723-5730.
WASHINGTON HUMANE SOCIETY
15 DC
League is hosting a pit bull adoption from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Adoption fees are $100, and adopters receive a certificate for a
animal doctor Cat loves the other white meat, but will it love her in return?
Dear Dr. Fox: Our cat craves pork. Is there a reason why there are no pork cat foods? Is it safe to give her table scraps?
D.K. Bethesda
DF: Pork — unsalted, unprocessed and well cooked — is a good source of protein for cats. Pork from free-range pigs, including the fat, is far more nutritious than the flesh of corn-fed pigs from cruel factory farms. The meat should be well cooked because of the risk of trichinella, a muscle parasite. Pork fat is used in many manufactured pet foods, but is not always listed as such. Pork trimmings and various pig organ parts that do not end up in pork sausages are probably included under the generic pet-food industry label of “meat byproducts” and “meat meal.” Giving a few nutritious, high-protein leftovers from one’s table is fine for cats, but all things in moderation. Cats can be manipulative and train their owners to feed them only what they want, such as just tuna or ground beef, which could have serious health consequences.
BOUNTY FROM THE SEA
Dear Dr. Fox: After losing our beloved
Australian shepherd to hemangiosarcoma, a fast-moving form of cancer, I took your advice and fed your homemade natural food to her 11-year-old sister. I am amazed at how little time it takes to prepare her rations. However, I have had trouble finding dried kelp. I finally found some sheets of dried kelp at a local natural-foods store, and I’ve cut it into pieces for use in the dog food. Is this what I should be doing, or do you recommend something else?
B.M. Golden Valley, Minn.
DF: Seaweed is a good addition to dog (and human) meals. I often put it into our soups and stir-fried vegetables. It is advisable to rotate from one variety to another, because kelp can be contaminated with arsenic. Wash to remove excess salt if you are using whole leaves rather than powder. The best sources are health-food stores and Asian markets. Some varieties of seaweed purportedly have anti-cancer properties.
STANDOFFISH SIAMESE
Dear Dr. Fox: In October 2009, a male
kitten we think is full Siamese appeared at our house. He made a home for himself under our shed. I set out plates of food and toys, and I made a bed for him in our garage. He has never let me pet him. As it became colder outside, I lured him inside with chicken, and he has been inside every day since then. He has bonded only with me and only tolerates my mother and husband, even though they try to love him. He is definitely skittish. My main concern is that he bites me a lot (no scratching, just biting). I give him a firm “no” and then ignore him. Sometimes he jumps at me from out of nowhere and gives me a scare. He jumps quite high and then lies down at my feet. A lot of the time, he acts as though he is going through the “terrible twos,” and I’m sure he knows better. He’s about 9 months old. We will be getting another neutered cat as soon as possible. What do you suggest I do about the biting and jumping? F.A.W.
Springfield, Mo. DF: I am pleased to know that
you have saved an obviously wonderful strayed-and-lost cat, and that you plan to adopt a second young cat. You should have him neutered as soon as possible, about three to four weeks after he has been examined by the vet, wormed as needed and given the three core vaccines for feline distemper/ panleukopenia and respiratory viral infections. Have the rabies vaccine given to him a month or so after he has been neutered only if mandated by local laws. You should understand that he simply wants to play (most intensely in the early evening, I bet). You need to learn to think more like a cat and play with him. Check out your local pet store and ask about interactive cat play toys such as wands and snakes that you use as a lure to trigger his predatory instincts. This will help redirect his attentions from you, ankles being a favorite target for a cat’s play-attack stimuli. Engage him in hide-and-seek, peekaboo and other social games that a second young cat will more fully participate in, to the delight of all.
HARASSING WILDLIFE fox continued on 20 SF
free six-week obedience class at the league. Dogs will have a free collar or a harness. 202-726-2556,
warl@warl.org,
www.warl.org. — Compiled by Ria Manglapus
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THE WASHINGTON POST • THURSDAY, JULY 1, 2010
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