It has been a very rough year for us with dealing with parvo puppies. Five litters so far have come in having picked up the virus from on the streets or at their animal control shelters. We don’t usually see so many litters with parvo cases in just a few short months. But this morning, we lost our fourth pup of the year to the virus. Davidson had been at the ER vet overnight along with his littermate, Phoebe. We sent them and Marley to our regular vet for continued treatment, hoping for the best, knowing the worst may come. No matter how many littermates suvive the virus with each treatment, it still tears me up each time I lose one.

Why does this keep happening? Why do we keep getting sick puppies? Well, let’s start off with the number one reason: people are not spaying and neutering their animals. It’s not a difficult concept to grasp, and low-cost spay options are available, espcially through our local SNAC clinic. But why aren’t people doing this? Profits from puppy sales, long-held beliefs that spaying is cruel, and men who are insecure about their manhood refusing to allow their male pets to be neutered.

Past the obvious reason, what else is there? Moms that are not properly vaccinated have no immunities to pass on to their babies. We saw a case just a week ago of a purebred puppy bought from a CKC registered breeder that died from parvovirus. If mom was properly immunized and the puppies properly vaccinated as the family had been promised, then there should have been no issue. Even after having been notified about the parvo puppy, the breeder sold the remaining eight puppies (an independent third party called over the weekend to check).

So we have the problems with reproduction and negligent care. What’s left? The external environment in which the pups are raised. All our puppies come from local animal control shelters. These shelters are several decades old in most cases and completely run down. Only routine maintenance is done, and most cleaning methods are ineffective as the buildings harbour viruses so well. Add to that a climate that never experiences a hard freeze to kill parasites.

Our job as rescuers is to save as many lives as possible. We know the risks with accepting puppies, but our choice is to either accept that risk or stop taking them at all. At this point, we have over $1,000 in vet bills for the three puppies that started aggressive treatments last night. So while we are diligently trying to give them a second chance at life, the costs to do so mean we can’t accept other pets that will also need care.

So we push on, praying for the survival of our pups and hoping people will stop purchasing pets that fuel these profit-seeking breeders and instead look.

*Donations are very much in need right now. Every little bit makes a difference. Please consider making a donation towards our puppies today.*

With all the recent stories from around Georgia and the Lowcountry involving law enforcement officials doing horrible things to our four-legged friends, we would like to take this opportunity to tell you about two local agencies that are doing something positive.

Last Friday, Sgt. Salas and three handlers from the Chatham County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Unit donated 20 pavers for our kennels at the ranch. The guys showed up very early in the morning and unloaded the pavers and even gave the pups some extra attention. Sgt. Salas said they were happy to help a group so dedicated to helping homeless pets.

Yesterday morning, Tybee Island Police Department went out of their way to take care of an elder pet that had been hit by a car. The poor animal had no tag or microchip, and after they were turned down by animal control to pick the pet up for transport, one of the officers called CPR’s president directly. We made arrangements with our vet to have the pet stabilized until the owner could be located. One of the officers drove the pup all the way to Crossroad Animal Hospital. We initiated an email blast throughout Tybee, and the owner was located and reunited that afternoon. Thank you, TIPD, for showing such compassion.

Coastal Pet Rescue is taking a cue from Oprah’s new show to garner community support.

“We’re not afraid to dream big,” says Coastal Pet Rescue president and founder Lisa Scarbrough. “If Oprah’s people can change lives, there should be no reason we can’t get the Savannah business community to help us do the same.”

With little in donations in the last six months and mounting veterinary expenses, the volunteers at Coastal Pet Rescue are trying something new.

“The challenge is to get businesses to donate money, their services or volunteer time to help us in our mission,” says Scarbrough.

In the short time Coastal Pet Rescue has issued the challenge, four businesses have already accepted. Gary Helmey of Daniel Kitchen & Bath will complete fencing for the dog play yard on Friday morning and has offered to additionally build a custom cabinet for storage. Moesch Media has donated $3,500 work of advertising in its publications to promote adoption and volunteering. Habersham Beverage will donate water and soft drinks for volunteers at the next adoption event, and The New South Cafe has pledged five dinner gift certificates to give foster parents a night out.

“There are so many ways people can help,” says Scarbrough. “We just need someone to make an offer. We have big needs such as roof repair for our storage shed which houses our supplies and food and funding towards veterinary care. But we can also use gas cards and cleaning supplies to help foster parents and volunteers who already give so much to the organization.”

Coastal Pet Rescue has established a new page on its website with ideas as well as to track the progress of the Big Give Challenge. Photos and videos of the deeds will be showcased and even sent to The Oprah Winfrey Show. Log on to www.coastalpetrescue.org/big-give.php or call 912-228-3538 for more information and updates.

“We had $2,000 in vet bills since Saturday,” says Scarbrough. “It would be great if we could get some help so our services will continue to be available to our community’s pets.”

Founded in February 2003, Coastal Pet Rescue is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to saving the lives of homeless, abused and neglected dogs and cats in the Coastal Empire Savannah and Lowcountry South Carolina areas.

Today is a day for celebrating love, but your pets celebrate their love for you all year long. They show you with their wagging tails, sloppy and wet kisses, and little surprises they leave for you when you least expect. But your pets actually do quite a bit to keep you happy and healthy.

According to the American Animal Hospital Association, animals actually improve the human condition:

The Harvard Health Letter explained that companion animals offer unconditional affection and pet owners’ benefit through lower blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety levels.

The University of California at Los Angeles found that Medicare patients who owned pets had fewer medical care visits than those who did not.

Australia’s Baker Medical Research Institute evaluated men and women for heart disease risk factors. Researchers found that pet owners had lower blood pressure and lower levels of blood cholesterol and triglycerides in comparison to non-pet owners.

Cambridge University (England) studied how human health could be improved by pet ownership. When investigators concluded their timed study, those with pets reported improvement in general health over those without.

The State University of New York in Buffalo found that people confined to wheelchairs, and who had service dogs, were less depressed, less dependent on caregivers, and more active outside their homes than those without.

So this Valentine’s Day, be sure to take a moment to give your pet some love in return. Pick up a special treat or chew toy on the way home and spend some time thanking them for helping to keep you healthy. And while you celebrate with your loved ones, be sure to be aware of some Valentine’s hazards for your pets:

Chocolate - As delicious as it is to humans, chocolate can be toxic to dogs because it contains theobromine and caffeine, stimulants which can be hazardous — and even fatal — to pets. According to the ASPCA, chocolate toxicity is one of the most common poisonings seen by vets.

Jewelry - Sparkling gems are appealing to our four legged friends, too. Fido or Kitty’s instincts may tempt them to taste the jewelry, causing stomach ailments and possible breathing difficulties. Don your new jewelry immediately, or place it safely away.

Flowers - Some flowers and plants are dangerous if ingested by pets, including buttercups, calla lilies and tulips. The packaged plant food that accompanies some floral arrangements can lead to stomach problems as well.

Other dangers - A romantic candlelit dinner can turn into a fiery disaster by a pounce on the table from a curious cat. And scented cards and love letters spell danger if ingested.

If you don’t have a pet, then give yourself a great Valentine and adopt a pet - just so happens, we have a few of those available!

Adoption: A process in which a rescued pet is placed into a permanent home.

That’s the simple explanation. But the process is really much more involved.

You see what you believe is the perfect pup for you: he’s cute, he’s cuddly, and loves to chew his toys. But he’s going to grow up and be a big dog, maybe over 70 pounds. You live in a one-bedroom apartment and work 10 hours a day (8 hours plus 1-hour commute each way) five days a week. You’d be the perfect puppy parent.

Well, not exactly. The more time a puppy spends alone, the more destructive and desocialized they become. So while you may have a lot of love to give a pet, a puppy isn’t right for your lifestyle. This is why we have adoption applications.

Coastal Pet Rescue’s adoption applications are not meant to deter you from adopting, but to help our coordinators match you with the pet that best fits your lifestyle. In the example above, an older dog or even a cat might be a better fit. Our leadership team members attend workshops yearly and courses online to learn how to place pets in homes and keep return rates low. Thus our adoption application might seem a bit intrusive to first-time adopters. But the formula works.

Coastal Pet Rescue does not operate an actual shelter. All the pets live with foster families in their homes. For that reason, we don’t let people just visit pets at will. We want to be sure that the safety and privacy of our foster parents is respected. For that reason, adoption coordinators will review applications and interview the families before they go to the meet the pets. We want to be sure the entire family is ready to meet the needs of the pet as well as the lifetime commitment, anywhere from 10 to 20 years.

So what are the requirements to adopt a pet? Families must be able to provide proper care for an animal’s entire life. This means proper diet and continuous fresh water, regular visits to the vet for checkups and shots, shelter from the elements, proper identification and daily exercise and companionship. Additionally, families are expected to provide adequate training and supervision. For these reasons, pets will not be adopted to homes where the families expect the animal to live outdoors and not be a part of the family life inside the house.

Maybe you already have a pet in your home and want to adopt another for companionship. That’s great, but be understanding that we will call to check your vet reference for that current pet as it is a clear indication of the treatment your adopted pet will receive. If your current pets are not current on their shots by more than two months, we will deny the application. It is important for your pet’s lifetime health that they receive their annual shots. Additionally, it is a Georgia state law that all pets, dogs and cats, receive an annual rabies vaccination. It is also essential that pets are kept current on their monthly heartworm preventative. Heartworms are not only deadly to your pet, but the treatments to eliminate them far exceed the cost to prevent.

Part of Coastal Pet Rescue’s mission is reduction of pet overpopulation. For that reason, and in accordance with Georgia State Law, all pets adopted through Coastal Pet Rescue are spayed and neutered prior to adoption. If the current pets in your home are not currently spayed or neutered, we will deny the adoption application. Many territorial and behavior issues are related to unsterilization, and it can cause issues when a new pet is brought into the home. If you are interested in having your pet spayed/neutered so that you may adopt one of our pets, we will happily reconsider your application once proof of spay is provided. You may arrange for a low-cost surgery through the Spay/Neuter Alliance and Clinic in Ridgeland, SC (they do offer free transports in certain areas).

Coastal Pet Rescue takes great pride in the condition of the pets at the time of adoption. We provide copies of the veterinary records to make the transition easy for your veterinarian to treat your new pet. But sometimes, pets have health issues not long after adoption. We are happy to provide information about pet health insurance through ShelterCare.com. Families are given literature about this program at the time of adoption and to make their own decision of using this program, which is not affiliated with Coastal Pet Rescue.

It is important to us that the adoption experience be a positive one. Our adoption coordinators and foster homes want only the best for our pets, and we hope the education provided during the adoption process makes the transition to a new home just as seamless for the pet as the new family. Families are always invited to email us or call with questions or concerns as our commitment to the pets does not stop at the adoption. Anything we can do to ensure a lifetime of happiness for the pet, we will certainly work to accommodate.