Shelter News

Shelter News is a good place to check out what's happening at the shelter. We’ve also added our Facebook Calendar so that you’ll always know where to find us & our furry friends throughout Stark county and surrounding area to promote animal welfare, adoption, and education.

Shelter News aslo informs you with updates from our board president, articles from area veterinarians, and other contributors that “speak for those who cannot speak for themselves”.

We're always looking for ideas for articles, or other information for Shelter News so please Contact Us with your ideas.

President's Report

In the month of December, we take the time to reflect on the significant events of the year that is coming to a close, contemplate the joys of the Holiday Season, and prepare for the onset of another Northeast Ohio winter. As always, uppermost in our minds is the welfare of our furry friends. Securing their safety and comfort during the winter months requires a heightened emphasis on ensuring we have state-of-the-art equipment and the most up to date training possible. Diligence in stewarding our resources and vigilance in performing our duties are essential if we are to accomplish our mission to rescue sick, abused, and abandoned animals; provide recuperative veterinary care; and help them find loving adoptive homes.

Throughout the past 12 months weather patterns have changed frequently and a myriad of challenges presented themselves but our commitment never waivered. We continued rescue operations seven days per week. We pursued construction projects to improve the infrastructure and physical plant of the Shelter to provide a safer, healthier environment and a more comfortable setting for the animals in our care; while simultaneously creating more inviting surroundings for individuals visiting the Shelter with a view toward adopting one of our furry friends into their home. We augmented our education efforts, expanded our adoption locations, increased our participation in community events and introduced new and imaginative fundraisers geared toward presenting our many supporters with a broader perspective concerning the nature of our mission.

As we approach the Holiday Season we are buoyed by the feeling of hope and joy that emanates from the fact we have the overwhelming support of the community for our pursuit of a very worthy cause.

We know that Winter brings shorter days, colder temperatures and severely inclement weather conditions that make our task more daunting. But we will not be deterred. The major renovation at the Shelter will continue through Winter. We will persist in efforts to alleviate the suffering of our furry friends by shielding them from the harshness of Winter and the cruelty or neglect of those who would do them harm. We will continue to employ social media to keep the community informed of our activities and to humbly request continued support for our efforts. And we will reaffirm our commitment to demonstrate that we continue to be worthy of the confidence placed in us by our many supporters.

On behalf of the staff, employees, volunteers, and Directors of the Stark County Humane Society, I express to all of you Best Wishes for a Blessed Holiday Season and a Happy New Year. Thank you for standing with us as we...

"Speak for Those Who Cannot Speak for Themselves."

Jim Fidler, Board President

Honoring those who remember us in 2023

Over this past year we want to acknowledge the generosity of those who are no longer with us or their family members, who remembered the Humane Society while suffering the loss of a loved one. We thank you for thinking of the animals during a very difficult time and would like to honor those who passed.

  • JoAnne Anderson
  • Steve Andrews
  • Justine Bader
  • Margaret Baines
  • Diane Belfiglio
  • Phyllis Berry
  • Richard Blackledge
  • Mary Margaret Booth
  • Carole Brandle
  • Graham Bright
  • Cynthia Britzman
  • Vonna Campbell
  • Greg Campisi
  • Joyce Carver
  • Joseph Check
  • William Clark
  • Bonita Collette
  • Dixie Comeione
  • Patricia Cook
  • Alice Cosentino
  • John Covert
  • Barbara Crofut
  • Sonja Dawson
  • Monique DeChiara
  • Daniel T. Dennis
  • Berneta DeOrio
  • Gerald R. Dick
  • Jack Downs
  • Vicky Erchick
  • Donald Esber
  • William Fath
  • Judy Falenski
  • Carol Fazekash
  • Donald Fimple
  • Margaret “Peg” Finley
  • Robert Ford
  • Carolyn Galayda
  • Mary Jane Gibson
  • Katherine Giegel
  • Karal Glick
  • Elizabeth Golech
  • John Gooding
  • Robin Graham
  • Paul Guenther
  • Ronald Gulka
  • Jason Hallett
  • Linda Hawkins
  • Susan Hays
  • Jennifer Hoffer
  • Terry Hooper
  • Flora Ann Howell
  • Barry Johnson
  • Anna Joubert
  • John Kasper SR
  • Troy Kimble
  • Virginia Klausner
  • Lilly Knepp
  • Louise Knowles
  • Julie Kraft
  • John Lamm
  • Chuck Lerch
  • Elsie Lewandoski
  • Elicia Lipinski
  • Mike Login
  • Richard Loughry
  • Betty L. Lytle
  • James Mansfield
  • Tracy McCoffrey
  • James McKinnon
  • William Meaden
  • Shirley Milburn
  • Robert Milleman
  • Esther Mohr
  • Bradford G. Morgan
  • Amber Morris
  • Tom Morris
  • Veda Neding
  • Sarah Nixon
  • Kathleen Nolan
  • JoAnne Norris
  • Tom Oyster
  • Ruth Parker
  • Elizabeth Patterson
  • Jane Patterson
  • Jacqueline Pendleton
  • Chris Peters
  • James Phillips
  • Raymond Pifer
  • James P.A. Phillips
  • Debra Quinn
  • Debra Ramsey
  • Carol Raymond
  • Bob Reed
  • Joanne Reikowski
  • Davina Rice
  • Cynthia Robertson
  • Donna Rowland
  • Ronald Russel
  • Marna Sandru
  • Arden Schartiger
  • Connie Sharp-Schneider
  • Kathy Secrest
  • Tamie Shiplett
  • Marilyn T. Silimparis
  • James Skelton
  • Joshua Sourini
  • Robert Spence
  • Louis J. Stefancich
  • Helen Stevens
  • Chris Tamburro
  • Cathy Taylor
  • Brenda Thompson
  • JoAnn Tillman
  • Elizabeth Ann Townsend
  • Marilyn Venables
  • Charles L. Vickers
  • Jeanette Wagner
  • Tawni Wagner
  • Mary Harris-Wilder
  • Nancy Wise
  • Charlotte Wrich
  • Marlene Yoder
  • Joseph Zimmerman
  • Ronald Zwick

A Word From... Dr. C.A. Heller III DVM

Happy Holidays

With the upcoming holidays, many of us are looking forward to all the wonderful food that accompanies these festive times. Just as we can overindulge so can our pets.

Please remember that the most common illness that your veterinarian sees during the holiday seasons is gastrointestinal upset. This illness can result in very mild self limiting symptoms or it can be life threatening.

The most common cause of gastrointestinal upset is a sudden change in your pets diet. During this time of the year lots of activity is going on preparing food. Just as this food smells wonderful to us it also appeals to your pet. Please be aware of this when preparing your meals. All ingredients, final food products and any leftovers should be kept out of reach of your pet. Even the garbage should be placed where your pet can not get to it. Many a cat of dog has been known to help themselves to these wonderful tidbits.

If your pet does develop gastrointestinal upset, the most common signs are vomiting and diarrhea. If these signs develop and your pet is acting normally you can simply with- hold food for 6-12 hours. After this time if the vomiting and diarrhea has stopped, you can feed small frequent bland meals. The most frequently used bland meal can be made at home. Mix together one part of boiled ground beef, that has been drained in a colander, with four parts of cooked white rice. Take the normal volume of this mixture that your pet would normally eat in a day and split it into four small meals to be fed throughout the day.

If you pet continues to have vomiting and diarrhea or is not acting normally a trip to your veterinarian is in order. Your veterinarian will then decide whether or not your pet can be treated as an outpatient or if it needs to be hospitalized.

With all the stress during this time of year I hope this article will prevent the extra stress of your having a sick pet as well.

Sincerely,
C.A. Heller III, DVM

Annual Meeting & Elections

THE ANNUAL MEETING WILL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2024 AT 7:00 PM HERE AT THE SHELTER

Six Directors will be up for election. Any member, in good standing, wishing to be considered for nomination to the Board of Directors, may pick up a nomination form, in the front office during regular business hours.

The deadline for return of these forms will be Monday, January 15, 2024 at 5:00p.m.

A Special Note of Thanks

We would like to take a moment to thank our Monthly and Quarterly Pledges! We greatly appreciate their willingness to include the Stark County Humane Society among the causes that they give to!

The Stark County Humane Society appreciates all our members and donors and feel the Importance of saying, thank you! Our mission would not be possible without your continued support!

On behalf of all of us at SCHS and our furry friends, thank you! Happy Fall Y’all!

Puppy Bowl Tailgate Party

We would like to thank everyone that came out for our Second Puppy Bowl at the Pro Football Hall of Fame!

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

PLATINUM

SILVER

BRONZE

We hope you had as much fun as we did! On behalf of all of us at SCHS and our furry friends, thank you!

Free Initial Exam Voucher

We would like to thank and recognize the local veterinarian hospitals and clinics that so generously accept the Stark County Humane Society Free Initial Exam Voucher!

This voucher is given out with every adopted animal from the Shelter! This Free Initial Voucher entitles the holder to one (1) Free Examination for the pet adopted from the Shelter! The voucher is good for two weeks and waives the office visit fee. As a first step in caring for your pet’s medical needs, is to have a client / veterinarian relationship. This voucher allows our adopters to get started with a free office visit/ physical examination. We appreciate the local veterinarian hospitals and clinics for their continued support of SCHS adopted furry friends!

  • Alliance Animal Hospital
  • Animal Care Clinic
  • Camden Animal Hospital
  • Companion Pet Care
  • Co-Twins Vet Clinic
  • Dove Vet Clinic
  • For Paws
  • Fulton Animal Hospital
  • Hartville Vet Clinic
  • Hill-Crest Vet Hospital
  • Hometown Vet Services
  • Lake Cable Animal Hospital
  • Manchester Animal
  • Market North Vet
  • Massillon Animal Hospital
  • Mellet Animal Hospital
  • NavarreAnimal
  • North Canton Vet
  • Northwest Animal
  • Nose to Tail Vet Clinic
  • Oak Point Vet
  • Red Stark Vet Clinic
  • Stay @Home Mobile Vet
  • Thompson Animal
  • Town & Country Vet-Bolivar
  • Town & Country Vet-New Phila
  • Tri-County Animal
  • Valley View Animal
  • VCA Green Animal
  • Veterinary Wellness
  • Viking Animal Hospital
  • Westside Animal Hospital
  • Humble Creature

On behalf of all of us at SCHS and our furry friends, thank you!

A Word From... Dr. C.A. Heller III DVM

New Parvovirus Treatment

Parvovirus infection strikes fear in all new puppy owners. It is a viral infection of the intestinal tract. Its main symptoms are severe vomiting and diarrhea, often with blood. Infected dogs will be very lethargic and have no appetite. Most infected dogs are either incompletely vaccinated puppies or unvaccinated adult dogs.

Treatment up to now has only been to provide supportive care. IV fluids to correct dehydration, anti-vomiting and anti-diarrhea medications and antibiotics to prevent sepsis. Due to the aggressive nature of the disease treatment involves hospitalization, often for many days. Despite this intensive treatment one third of infected dogs may still succumb to the effects of the virus.

There is a new treatment coming that may change this situation. This new drug is a monoclonal antibody treatment. This drug is given intravenously once. This single treatment can reduce the parvovirus’s ability to cause such severe symptoms. Less severe symptoms means shorter hospitalizations. Since this is a new drug it may not be available at all veterinarians.

Remember the best treatment is prevention. This illness can easily be prevented by making sure that your puppy receives it’s vaccines once every four weeks until the age of four months. Boosters after that should be given as advised by your veterinarian.

Wishing you and your pet a wonderful Autumn.

Sincerely,
C.A. Heller III, DVM

ANNUAL DONATION WEEK TO SUPPORT THE STARK COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY

Bring 3 or more items from the Fall WIsh List to Cathy Cowgill Flowers, 4315 Hills & Dales Rd. NW, Canton, and receive a FREE bouquet of flowers!

DATES ARE MONDAY, OCTOBER 30 THRU SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH

PET ADOPTIONS Friday, November 3rd, 11am - 2pm

Stark County Humane Society In HoF Parade

The Stark County Humane Society is grateful to be in a community with such amazing animal advocates! A special thank you to Ziegler Tire for their generosity! Proud part of this years Pro Football Hall of Fame Grand Parade. A note of thank to the Canton Chamber of Commerce and Cathy Cowgill Remarkable Flowers!

Watch the video now.

Readers to the Rescue

The Stark County Humane Society is launching Readers to the Rescue! We're encouraging kids, and adults, to stop out to the Shelter and read a short story to one, or maybe even a few, of our furry friends. We have a variety of books on hand or feel free to bring your favorite book with you! Call to schedule your Readers to the Rescue at 330-453-5529.

On behalf of myself and our furry friends, thank you!

A Word From... Dr. C.A. Heller III DVM

A lot has changed since 1975, the year the current shelter building was built, including how animal shelters are structured and operated.

So despite multiple additions and upgrades over the last forty plus years, the shelter is still in need of improvements. The Board of Directors have been working with the shelter director to implement plans to keep pace with the ever changing needs of our pet population and our building.

Following is a short summary of the projects that are underway and the plans to be initiated over the next three to five years.

Years of Ohio winters and weather have resulted in parking lot settling and drainage pipe collapse. Unfortunately during heavy rains, the shelter lobby and office area are taking on rainfall run off as water enters the front door. As with everyone’s homes and businesses, storage space is at a premium. The shelter needs to free up storage space to allow us to move forward with animal housing improvements.

The above two concerns are being addressed in a project that has been underway for over a year. Regrading the parking lot along with replacing the drainage system will correct the water issue and the building of a pole barn for storage will free up space within the shelter building to create new animal housing. After months of surveys, rainfall/drainage/runoff calculations, permitting, soil samples and estimates, this project should break ground this Summer with the cooperation of the weather.

Already underway is the planning for our next phase, animal flow and housing improvements. We have electrical, plumbing, and exhaust drawings in the works that will allow us to consolidate two laundry areas into one. This space along with the now open storage areas will result in the relocation and creation of dog housing units. We can then upgrade our cat housing resulting in a new standard of pet care and complete species separation.

Please join us in this endeavor with your continued and greatly appreciated support.

Sincerely,
C.A. Heller III, DVM

A Word From... Dr. C.A. Heller III DVM

Spring Time

Our pets will soon be spending more of their time outdoors. With the extra time outside pet owners notice a couple of things more often.

Lots of pets enjoy eating grass. This normally occurs in the early springtime, when the grass comes out of it’s winter dormant state and starts growing rapidly. Pets are attracted to this lush grass. They have not seen it in a while and it looks like a tasty salad to them. Most pets will eat a mouthful or two and then wind up vomiting. This vomiting is oftentimes alarming to the pets owner. If your pet has been eating and drinking normally, as well as behaving normally prior to eating the grass, there is most likely no cause for alarm. Simply try and limit your pets exposure to the grass so that they do not eat enough to cause the vomiting. However, if your pet was not eating and drinking normally as well as not acting normally before eating the grass, I would consider contacting your veterinarian. Some pets when not feeling well will eat the grass in order to induce vomiting. The theory is that if they ingested something bad for them this is natures way of expelling it from their body. As a result, in this type of situation, this behavior could be an early sign of illness.

The other thing that owners notice in the late spring or early summer are circular areas of dead grass. These will occur in the areas where their pets urinate. These circular areas of dead grass can be very distressing to owners who pride themselves in having a healthy green lawn.

This dead grass is caused by uremic waste that is normal in urine. If the urea is too concentrated it will burn and kill the grass. Much like if you applied too much fertilizer to your lawn. Teaching your pet to eliminate in a far off corner of the yard is one way to combat the issue. Also encouraging your pet to drink more water will help. This dilutes the amount of urea to the point where the grass will not die. Watering down the area that was just urinated on will also dilute the urea and prevent the death of the grass.

Enjoy the warmer weather!

Sincerely,
C.A. Heller III, DVM

WHAT FUN WE HAD AT OUR FALL FUNDRAISER AT TOM BENSON HALL OF FAME STADIUM

For those of you who attended we hope you enjoyed the view from the club level!

Our sincere appreciation to those who attended, who were a lucky winner of one of our fabulous raffle items or the winner of our 50/50. We appreciate you!

We thank those of you who have contributed to our Raise The Roof pole barn fund since we asked earlier this year- We cant do it without all of you who support the shelter and our furry friends.

The goal of your Stark County Humane Society over the next several years is to separate our dogs and cats into different sections of the building, increase their kennel size and create additional community cat rooms. There are plans in place to further update all parts of the building to better serve our furry friends awaiting adoption and to better serve you as you visit to adopt or spend time as a volunteer.

With sincere appreciation,
Kathy Cowgill, Chair Ways & Means

UPDATE: Welcome Back Volunteers

Volunteers are welcome to contact the Office at (330)453-5529 to schedule an orientation! We will be hosting orientations on Fridays at 4:00pm and Saturdays at 1:00pm! Orientations will be limited to 10 volunteers per orientation. Once you have completed orientation you are welcome to sign up and start volunteering! Groups of volunteers please call the Shelter directly to schedule your group!

On behalf of myself and our furry friends, thank you!

Jackie Godbey
Executive Director

UPDATE: Callin All Cat Lovers!

The funds donated by you for the “CATIO” are much appreciated and still needed. We experiencing a drainage issue at the shelter during rains and steps are being taken to correct this as it impacts the area where the “catio” will be built. Once the drainage issue is resolved the “catio” will be built and enjoy by our feline friends. We are also going to create more community cat rooms and reduce the number of kennels for cats. Studies show that the communities are better for them.

Catio: A catio is a cat enclosure or “cat patio” that provides feline enrichment outdoors.

We need your help-while our cats are at the shelter awaiting adoption we want to give them the best possible environment. A “catio” would allow them to enjoy the outdoors safely. The catio will be installed to the west of our main entrance for all to enjoy. Please consider making a donation to this need.

catio

Call the shelter at 330.453.5529 or online and note “catio”.

Kuranda Dog Beds

Give the gift that keeps on giving.

Each canine friend gets a Kuranda Bed in their kennel! This bed provides them days and evenings of comfort. We are currently in need of several bed. Once the need has been met, Kuranda will mark our wish list as full.

Dog in Kuranda Bed Dog in Kuranda Bed

Donate Here

Piero Memorial Fund

We would like to thank and acknowledge the Piero Memorial Fund for their kindness! With their kind donation we were able to complete our Ringworm Feline area. This is a section that was once utilized for air handlers over the past several years our HVAC system has been upgraded. With the upgrades of our HVAC system so where the air handlers. Therefore, we had an open area to be filled and utilized!

This area is now an area that allows us to safely treat our feline friends for ringworm if needed!

Ringworm Feline Area

A Message of Thanks from the Executive Director

We would like to take moment to thank and recognize the Essential Employees of the Stark County Humane Society! During these trying times and Covid 19 our staff has continued to work diligently to provide for the less fortunate animals of our community! A huge thank you to all of you for your continued support of our mission, “We speak for those that cannot speak for themselves”! This would not be possible without you!

We wish all of you a Happy and Safe Holiday Season! On behalf of myself and our furry friends, thank you!

Jackie Godbey
Executive Director

A Word From... Dr. C.A. Heller III DVM

Selecting/Adopting a New Pet

There are many things to consider when contemplating adding a pet to your home. Things like how much time and energy are available to dedicate to the care of the new addition. How much will the care of this pet cost? What type of pet would best fit in your home? How much training will be needed?

Someone who has limited mobility may find it best to consider adding a fish tank or a pet bird. These animals can be easily enjoyed in one location. They also do not require walking outside for exercise and eliminations.

Another person might be very busy and not able to be at home a lot. For this person a cat might be the ideal pet. Cats are very independent and do not mind being alone. They do not require much in the way of training. They perform all eliminations in a litter box and as a result do not require walks. Because they graze when eating, they can be left with plenty of food and water and it will last the day.

For people who have more time available a dog might be the correct choice. They do require a higher level of training in order to get them housebroken. They also need to be taught some basic commands like how to sit, come when called, stay in place, heel when walked and drop unwanted things from their mouth. There are lots of other things that they can be taught to do, it is just a matter of time and effort. Remember that dogs come in all sizes and energy levels. Someone who has a very active lifestyle can select a breed that is very active and requires a lot of exercise. The next person may require a laid back and calm dog. Your local veterinarians are excellent sources of information about what pets may or may not fit into your home. Please do not hesitate to ask for their input before making your selection. Many dog and cat breeds are known to have genetic susceptibilities to certain illnesses. Your veterinarian can provide you guidance to help minimize selecting an afflicted individual.

Above all do not rush the process! Take your time and the right pet will eventually find you.

Sincerely,
C.A. Heller III, DVM

We Need Your Help

The Stark County Humane Society is successful today all because of you. Through the years you have supported us whenever we have asked.

We have installed new air handlers in our facility to provide quality heating and cooling for the employees and our furry friends. This project was a large undertaking for us, successful due to past fund raisers and donations from you.

The shelter has a wonderful walking path on our property, it is used daily by staff and volunteers exercising the dogs. The love the opportunity to get out and spend time with a handler. Along the path we have several “paw-tios” that were constructed from memorial bricks, purchased by you.

The PAWS wing is now complete-we received a generous donation from PAWS.com to start the project and with help from you it was completed. It is a wonderful addition to our building, featuring extra large kennels and a indoor play area.

But we still need your help. The SCHS was constructed more than 30 years ago and it has met our needs in every way. Generous donations from you have filled many areas of the shelter that could be put to better use. We are creating a 10 year plan to better use our building to best keep our cats and dogs comfortable while awaiting their forever home.

In order to achieve this we are going to have a pole barn constructed on property that can house “cold storage” items so the interior of our building can be better utilized.

This is where we need your help. With the pandemic of 2020 carrying into 2021 our major fund raisers have been put on hold. We were fortunate to hold our Reverse Raffle in June and just recently enjoyed the Mutt Strut at the shelter. But we need to raise funds for our pole barn. Please consider making a donation to our “Raise the Roof” fund. If you wish you can mail us a check or call the shelter with a credit card number, but be sure and tell us it is for the pole barn. You can also donate through our website, but please make a note that it is for the “Raise the Roof” fund.

If you donate to help us complete this project you will be invited to the SCHS to write your name on our “wall of donors” in our pole barn once it is completed.

I thank you for your support of the Stark County Humane Society, and I want each of you to know how important you are to our continued work in the community.

In appreciation,
Kathy Cowgill,
Chair Social/Ways and Means

Foster the Fuzzies

Kitten season is coming soon, and the shelter needs fosters. If you love kittens and have a safe space and some time for tons of cuddles and kisses, please become a kitten foster. The SCHS will provide you with a starter kit, instructions for fostering, scheduled checkups and medicine if needed, and support from an experienced foster mom.

Call Shetzi, Foster Coordinator, at 330-453-5529 to learn more and to put your name on a list to become a kitten foster.

Want to help those in need, but cannot forster? Please consider donating items for the Foster Kitten Take-Home Box (newborn to three-week old kittens):

  • Plastic Storage Tub to house kittens*
  • Package of bottles and nipples*
  • Container of KMR (Kitten Milk Replacement)
  • Box of rice cereal powder
  • Wash Clothes*
  • Hand Towels*
  • Soft blanket*
  • Puppy pads*
  • Heating pad*
  • Roll of toilet paper
  • Roll of paper towels

*These items are to be returned to the Humane Society Shelter when the kittens are ready for adoption.

Welcome to Pawzshop.com Addition!

We are happy to announce that the Pawzshop.com addition is Open!

Pawzshop.com addition

A Word From... Dr. C.A. Heller III DVM

Obesity

One of the most common problems that pets face is the illness of obesity. This is usually the result of a lack of exercise and too much food. Most house pets will eat more food than they really need. Long term obesity can lead to diabetes, premature arthritis, early heart disease and slipped spinal cord disks. Maintaining a proper weight has been shown to result in a longer lifespan. As a result, it is well worth a pet owner’s time and effort to prevent excessive weight gain in their pets.

The best way to determine if your pet is too heavy is to simply run your hands over their back and sides. If it is not possible to just barely feel the backbone or the ribs your pet is too heavy. Conversely if your pet is too thin you will be able to see the ribs from a distance. If you can’t feel the ribs and backbone decrease the amount of food your pet is eating. If you can see the ribs increase the amount being fed.

Most pet's are not active enough to eat the amounts of food that are recommended on the food bags. As a result you should use these recommended amounts as a general starting point and then tailor the amount to your individual pet's needs.

By maintaining your pets’ proper weight you will be helping them live a longer healthier life. Enjoy your summer and have fun with your pets.

Sincerely,

C.A. Heller III, DVM
Animal Care Clinic

A Word From... Dr. C.A. Heller III DVM

Pets & COVID-19 and Pets

We are now one year into the Covid 19 pandemic of 2020. By now we all know to wear masks, stay socially distanced, wash our hands frequently and get vaccinated when our turn comes.

What do we know about this virus’s effects on our animals? Just like with our human knowledge, our level of understanding of the virus is constantly changing as time passes and we learn more about it. We do know that there have been scattered reports of cats and dogs who had symptoms consistent with respiratory infections, who when tested were positive for Covid 19. These animals were found to be living with their human owners who were sick with Covid 19. It is felt that these animals were exposed to large populations of Covid 19 virus from their owners and then became sick. There has been no indication, that these positive animals were able to infect other negative Covid 19 humans.

So if you are sick from Covid 19 what steps can be taken to protect your pets? You should not only self isolate from your family but also from your pets as well. Wear masks when you have to be around your pet. Avoid close contact when grooming, feeding or letting your pet eliminate. Once you test negative for the virus it is then safe to resume normal activities with your pet.

The only animal that has been found to become infected with Covid 19 and then go on to pass the virus to none infected humans are mink. It is for this reason that the commercial mink farms in Denmark were depopulated of all mink. At this time I do not know of any vaccine that is in development for use in animals.

Keep up all current precautions until we are told that it is safe to do otherwise. Be well!

Sincerely,
C.A. Heller III, DVM

A Word From... Dr. C.A. Heller III DVM

Blue Green Algae Toxicity

During the past several years, there has been a increase in the number of algae blooms in Ohio’s lakes and ponds. What many people do not realize, is that some of these algae blooms are caused by a type of algae called Blue Green Algae.

Blue Green Algae can produce toxins that can affect people, livestock or pets, that swim or drink from water where Blue Green Algae is growing.

Two toxins are produced by this algae. The first one is Micosystin. Mycocystin is a liver toxin. It is capable of causing vomiting, diarrhea, blood in the feces, weakness, pale mucus membranes, siezures, disorietation, coma and even death. The second toxin is Anotoxin. This is a neurologic toxin. It can cause salivation, muscle tremors, muscle rigidity, paralysis and death.

There are no known antidotes for either of these toxins. If you think that your pet has been exposed to Blue Green Algae, the first step would be a good bath. The second step would be to consult with your pet’s veterinarian. The only treatment is aggressive supportive and symptomatic treatment in the hospital.

If you see any algae in a body of water that you or your pet is going to swim in, it would be best to just assume that these toxins are present and look for another location to swim.

Have a good year and keep yourself and your pets healthy.

Sincerely,

C.A. Heller III, DVM
Animal Care Clinic

r old Pony of the Americas mare that came to the Humane Society from a backyard in East Canton with a body condition score of 1/9. Despite her age and shocking condition, the old girl has a great will to live! When she rst arrived at the farm, it took her 4 days to pass a pile of manure! A normal horse will pass 4-8 piles of manure per day! Cinnamon has been with us for 2 weeks and she gets a little stronger everyday!

She nickers with joy when we bring her food and she even trots around her paddock. She is slowly but surely gaining weight and shedding hair. She gets fed four times a day with senior feed and hay, plus small turnout sessions four times a day. Once she is stable enough, she will have her teeth oated and will receive vaccinations. We will continue to post updates on Cinnamon and we are happy so far with her recovery process!

Church & Dwight

We would like to thank Church & Dwight of Old Port, OH for their generous donation of cat litter totaling 64,000 POUNDS!

We received the frst truck load on Thursday, February 9, 2017, and would like to thank Gary of Car Kare LLC for transporting it to the shelter and the SCHD staff for unloading the cat litter! On Tuesday, March 21, we would like to thank the local company for transporting the litter, they have chosen to remain anonymous! For the second load we had a friend of the Humane Society offer to bring and use his company’s tow motor to unload; a thank you to Bob Phillips from Action Recycling! We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all of those who helped make this possible!

A Word From... Dr. C.A. Heller III DVM

Neutering

We have all heard the term neutering at one time or another. But what exactly does it mean and WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?

Neutering is the surgical removal of a male dog’s or cat’s testicles. It is performed under a general anesthesia. In dogs, it is performed through a single incision, just ahead of the scrotum. Your veterinarian may or may not use sutures that need to be removed 10-14 days later. In cats, it is generally performed through an incision on the scrotum directly over each of the testicles. Sutures generally are not used in the male cat.

From a shelter viewpoint, neutering is done to help prevent unwanted litters of puppies and kittens. Shelters are usually overwhelmed with a seemingly endless population of unwanted animals. Anything that can help reduce the tide of unwanted animals is a great help in the situation.

From the pet’s perspective there are a number of health benefts. Neutering helps prevent roaming in both cats and dogs. It can reduce unwanted urine marking. In dogs it can prevent enlarged and sometimes abscessed prostate glands. It can also prevent perianal adenomas in dogs. Perianal adenomas are benign tumors, that grow near the rectum, in response to hormones that are present in un-neutered dogs. Un-neutered dogs can also develop perineal hernias. These hernias form in the distral part of the colon. Once this type of hernia forms, feces accumulate in the herniated portion of the colon. Affected animals will strain and be unable to pass feces. Once a perineal hernia develops, it requires invasive surgery to correct.

For all of these reasons, it is very important to have all non-breeding male animals neutered. It is for this reason, our shelter strives to have all male animals neutered prior to being adopted.

Sincerely

C.A. Heller III, DVM
Animal Care Clinic

Rocky’s JOURNEY

On January 8, 2017 at 5:14am Rocky came into our Shelter. It was apparent he had a hard life and was in need of medical attention. He was emaciated and had been injured. With his determination and the dedication of all those at SCHS, he began to show improvements. It took nearly six weeks to bring him to health. Once healthy he was then neutered and microchipped and ready for adoption. An amazing volunteer dog walker from the Shelter fell in love with him and decided to adopt him. This gentlemen and his wife are forever loving Rocky. The pictures show his journey and his new beginning in his home. The Shelter accepted 4,649 dogs and cats into the facility last year! Rocky’s journey is just one of the many animals that found their forever homes. These journeys would not be possible without the support and efforts of the Board of Directors, Staff, Volunteers, and your friends and supporters!

On behalf of myself and our furry friends, thank you!
Jackie

Sadly, It Is a Story That We Hear All Too Often

Life happens, & the pets become less of a priority. However, sometimes they don’t become a priority at all & end up neglected. One of the most common neglect injuries that we see at the Humane Society is an embedded collar. If a collar is too tight, eventually it causes irritation, infection, & a complete break in the skin. This is often a gradual, painful process. In Rocky’s case, he was tied outside with a choker chain that continually rubbed his neck as he moved around. He arrived at the shelter with deep, infected wound around about 50% of the circumference of his neck with the collar still in the wound. The collar was immediately cut out, & Rocky was started on antibiotics & pain medications. Wound care was done to help the infection clear before surgery was performed to close the wound, which healed beautifully. Just as important as the physical healing was Rocky’s emotional healing. He came in scared & depressed. Quickly, his sweet, gentle spirit came to the surface. He was adopted within a few weeks on the adoption floor to a precious couple.

Dr. Kim Carter, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

Feeding and Stimulating the Kitten

Things to consider when caring for a kitten:

  1. When the kittens are brought home, set up the box with the heating pad in the bottom, followed by puppy pad and then hand towels or small thin blanket. (Heating pad should be positioned so that the kittens can maneuver away from it.)
  2. Set the heating pad to low, at frst to gauge the temperature. It should not be hot, since it could burn the kittens.
  3. Follow instructions and mix the formula making sure not to have lumps in the liquid. A whisk will work very well in mixing the formula. Mix up enough formula for several feedings.
  4. Warm the bottle with formula in a glass/cup of hot water until it achieves the warm temperature. Formula should be warm not hot when given to the kittens. Do not microwave the formula.
  5. Keep the unused formula either in a container or bottle in the refrigerator until next use.
  6. Kittens that are newborn to two weeks should be fed every one to two hours. Newborn kittens to three weeks old should be awakened to eat.
  7. Two to three week old kittens will eat every three hours.
  8. As soon as a kitten has eaten, use some toilet paper and stimulate the anus of the kitten. The toilet paper may be dampened in warm water before use. Discard toilet paper in trash or toilet. Be sure to wipe the kittens face with a wet-warm cloth before stimulating kitten.
  9. Kittens should urinate and possibly have a bowel movement after every feeding. Kittens will urinate more frequently than have a bowel movement.
  10. Place kitten back in the plastic tub with the heating pad on.

At four weeks old, add rice cereal to the formula. Mix it according to the instructions. You can also start putting soft canned cat food into the mixture at about four weeks also. Use whisk to mix in.

Volunteer Orientation

The Stark County Humane Society hosts a volunteer orientation every Saturday here at the Shelter. Orientation for volunteers is at 11:00am. Please come to the lobby of the Shelter. The Shelter is located at 5100 Peach St NE, Louisville. We recommend interested individuals to come out for orientation and we encourage you to speak with your veterinarian prior to volunteering. Many of us just want to give back. With this, you need to make sure your children, and pet(s) at home are protect from any possible fomite and zoonotic diseases.

Stark County Humane Society Facebook

We would like to invite all members to join us on Facebook. Our site is, Stark County Humane Society. Give us a “like” and keep up with all the wonderful animals of the Stark County Humane Society. The staff would like to recognize Shetzi Powers as our Facebook mistress! She updates the site daily.

Not only is she working diligently on pet photos but also on keeping all the upcoming events and outreaches posted. For the most current details of the Stark County Humane Society “Like” Stark County Humane Society.

For those whom choose not to go on Facebook you may also see our adoptable animals on Petango.com. As always, for more information please call the Shelter at (330) 453-5529 or visit our Facebook page.

Your Kindness Can Live Forever

The animals of the stark County Humane Society will need your help during your lifetime and forever!

Animals are not lesser creatures than humans; they are just packaged differently!

If you wish to remember them in your will or life insurance policy, our proper name is “Stark County Humane Society.” In providing for the animals by making the Shelter beneficiary, you can provide for the animals needs after your gone.

Recycle

The shelter is always in need of newspapers. We accept newspapers as long as they are bagged and or bundled. The shelter recycles any paper we cannot use for the animals. We keep a Slesnick Recycle bin at the shelter; please feel free to recycle paper products at the shelter. We also recycle aluminum cans. So before you throw away cans – papers please remember by recycling you are not just helping the environment but also the homeless animals of Stark County.

When you replace your old washer and dryer – please remember the shelter is always in need of one or the other. Our staff starts laundry in the morning and the washer and dryer keep running all day long. The staff cleans and dries every cage – every dish in the shelter on a daily basis. The blankets, bathes, and general housekeeping of the shelter equals a lot of laundry. So before, you “pitch” your old working washer and or dryer please call the shelter.

No Time Limit...

Sometimes we see some confusion on our no time limits on animals up for adoption. We have noticed recently that a lot of misinformation has been conveyed to the public regarding our policy.

The shelter does not enforce a time limit for the animals in our shelter. The animal(s) may remain at the shelter as long as they stay healthy and friendly. There are three main factors when euthanasia has to be considered. The first being an “owners request” this is when an owners pet has become very old and poor physical health warrants this. The second is when an animal has been at the shelter for an extreme long period of time and begins to show signs of “cage psychosis” in this event a veterinarian will make the diagnoses. The third reason would be due to illness, particularly ones that are highly contagious, and the severely injured animals that we pick up, usually from being hit by a car.

The Board of Directors and the staff have worked over the past several years to implement a new Veterinary Care Protocol & Policy in which the shelter follows diligently. Training programs have been provided by area veterinarians for the staff. Audits of the animal cards and medical charts are performed by Board Members on a regular basis.

Animal sheltering is one of the most difficult fields that one could choose to go into. The Board, employees and volunteers that are associated with the shelter do so willingly, so rest assured, the care and love given to the animals is truly the best we can give.