We all love to celebrate and July 4th is traditionally a day for respectful fun and thanks for the freedom that was made possible in 1776. Now, here we are in 2021 Independence Day in Montgomery County, but it is a tough time for Animal Shelter Volunteers of Texas (ASVT) to celebrate wholeheartedly when animals in our community are suffering. ASVT are in the trenches daily striving to give “independence from suffering” to animals in need. We are contacted daily about starved, abused and unwanted dogs and cats and there are more out there that are not being helped.

Our community and animal shelters are overflowing and there is no end in sight…. unless we promote SPAY & NEUTER. Yes, over 300 animals were taken in by ASVT since January and more keep arriving. If you have ever considered adopting, now is a perfect time, but we still need to concentrate on spay/neuter. Don’t worry – we will not run out of puppies or kittens! We are at disgraceful epidemic levels of unwanted, neglected and abused animals. You can visit our website www. ASVTexas.org to see all our pets available for adoption. All pets shown in this article are available for YOU to adopt! Montgomery County has a TNR program and it works!! TNR is reducing the number of suffering, unwanted cats and kittens in the county!

TRAP NEUTER & RETURN (TNR) is one of the solutions that will help prevent an escalated epidemic in our community. “WE” can help make the difference. WHAT IS TNR? Here are some facts from Alley Cat Allies to help inform you: Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), the humane approach to addressing community cat populations. It saves cats’ lives and is effective. Trap-Neuter-Return is successfully practiced in hundreds of communities and in every landscape and setting. It is exactly what it sounds like: Cats are humanely trapped and taken to a veterinarian to be neutered or spayed and vaccinated. After recovery, the cats are returned to their home— their colony—outdoors. Kittens and cats who are friendly and socialized to people may be adopted into homes.

What about puppies you ask? ASVT has a Spay/Neuter program to prevent further overpopulation of puppies also. The stray animal population in Montgomery County is HUGE! Public and private shelters are overcrowded. The community at large is mostly unaware of the problem and doesn’t realize there are relatively easy, inexpensive ways to help solve the problem. Spaying female and neutering male animals guarantees no new puppies or kittens are born. ASVT and other animal rescue organizations in the local area have money to grant to low income families to help offset the cost of spaying and neutering. If you, your friends, family or colleagues have dogs or cats that have not been spayed or neutered, contact ASVT at [email protected]. We will do our best to help.

This month we celebrate our Independence Day and also celebrating National Pet Fire Safety Day on July 15th. An estimated 500,000 pets are affected annually by home fires, however, nearly 1,000 house fires each year are accidentally started by the homeowners’ pets, according to a data analysis by the National Fire Protection Association.

Prevent your pet from starting fires…

• Extinguish open flames – Pets are generally curious and will investigate. Ensure your pet is not left unattended around an open flame and make sure to thoroughly extinguish any open flame before leaving your home.
• Remove stove knobs – Be sure to remove stove knobs or protect them with covers before leaving the house. According to the National Fire Protection Association, a stove is the number one piece of equipment involved in pets starting a fire.
• Invest in flameless candles – These candles contain a light bulb rather than an open flame, and take the danger out of your pet knocking over a candle. Cats are notorious for
  starting fires when their tails turn over lit candles.
• Beware of water bowls on wooden decks – Do not leave a glass water bowl for your pet outside on a wooden deck. The sun’s rays when filtered through the glass and water can actually heat up and ignite the wooden deck beneath it. Choose stainless steel or ceramic bowls instead. Fourth of July fireworks can be entertaining for humans, but can be a nightmare for animals.

Keep your pets safe this year by taking a few easy safety steps.

• Make sure collars and microchips are up-to-date.
  
• Don’t take your dog to see fireworks.
• Use a crate or keep them in a quiet room.
• Take your dog for a walk before the fireworks start.
• Play soothing sounds or white noise to calm your pets.
• Encourage hydration.
• Consider a sedative if your pet has a history of anxiety.
  
• Use a “Thundershirt.”
  
• Have treats on-hand as a distraction.
  
• Consider staying home with your pet to keep them calm through the trauma

KROGER PLUS CARD

Kroger grocery stores will donate a percentage of your purchases to ASVT. Every time you shop, be sure to use your Kroger Plus Card or Alt-ID at checkout. Use the link below to sign in or create a Kroger account. When you edit your Kroger Community Rewards information, be sure to enter ASVTs NPO# HJ136. THANK YOU Kroger shoppers! https://www.kroger.com community rewards

HOW CAN YOU HELP US HELP THEM? ADOPT, SPONSOR, VOLUNTEER, FOSTER, DONATE!

Special thanks this month to Grand Harbor Ladies Association and Gil and Kay Bazan for their generous donation. Thank you for Helping Us, Help Them. You can visit our website to sign up to volunteer and/or foster and donate using our DONATE button. Donations help us pay for medical expenses, food, supplies and transporting animals to areas with high adoption needs. The accomplishments of ASVT would not be possible without partners like Wiesner Automotive, Empire Electric, Ransom’s Steakhouse, Animal Hospital of Montgomery, Bruce and Toni Sellers, Dock Line Magazine and so many more.