4473 Barton Orleans Road Orleans, VT 05860 802-754-2228

PMFAS encourages everyone to "Make your house a home, adopt a shelter dog!" Each year in the US, millions of people find a devoted best buddy at their local shelter. PMFAS encourages everyone to "Make Adoption Your First Option." We hope that everyone will think first of their local shelter to find their new best friend.
There are many good reasons to consider adopting a dog, in October or at any time of the year. Dogs can be loyal companions that make a big difference in your world as a best friend, an exercise buddy for walking, hiking, boating, a pal that can be trained to provide animal-assisted therapy, or simply a sweet, fuzzy face to greet you each morning and evening after a hard day at work.

Is your pet growing old gracefully...?

Just like older people, senior pets also need special care and attention. With continually improved technology available to them, veterinarians can take a very proactive approach to help maintain your older pet’s good health. Laboratory tests and health screenings can detect problems in very early stages so that treatment can be started before a disease progresses too far. Therefore, it gets increasingly important to assure that your pet has a wellness check and physical exam with the vet of your choice. The longer a problem remains undetected, the more serious the outcome can be.

Adopting a senior pet is one of the most wonderful things you can do – not only for them, but for yourself also! Sometimes it feels like society doesn’t always have a lot of respect for older things or beings. With so much emphasis on how “important” it is to have the latest car, computer, or gadget, sometimes we forget the wonderful wisdom that age can bring. Many shelter volunteers will tell you that they are completely convinced that if more people knew how amazing it is to rescue, foster and share their life with a senior pet, senior pets wouldn’t spend so much time in so many shelters. While it is true that senior dogs and cats are likely to spend less time with their human families than younger pets would, the time that they do have can easily be measured in terms of great quality. It’s a matter of quality over quantity when adopting a senior pet!

Each year during “kitten season,” thousands of newborn kittens join the millions of cats already in shelters across the country. The same is true of this area and that means that PMFAS has some cute, cuddly kittens in addition to all the mellow, adult cats - cats of every size and color awaiting their new forever homes. The staff at PMFAS is ready to help you adopt your very first cat, or bring home a friend for another beloved feline!
In considering bringing a new furry friend into your household, give some consideration to these ideas and suggestions offered by American Humane (www.americanhumane.org)

With the arrival of some real spring weather, May also brings National Pet Week and National be Kind to Animals Week. Ironically, both are celebrated at the same time, May 7 to 13, 2017.

In acknowledgement of National Pet Week, the American Veterinary Medical Association (www.avma.org) offers some basic ways to assure that your furry friend is as happy and healthy as possible. For example, it’s important to give some thought and consideration to selecting the kind of pet that is best for your family and household. This means assuring as much as possible that family members can be responsible for meeting the various social and health needs of the pet you choose. If a dog is the addition to your family, encourage family members to provide regular exercise. Going out for a walk and for some playtime with the dog is always the best choice. Not only does it improve cardiovascular health but it helps maintain a healthy weight and support good mental health for all involved – human and canine! While we know that being overweight is often a problem for humans in the US, we are also learning that approximately 52% of dogs and 57% of cats in the US are also considered overweight or obese. If your pet is in this category, regular veterinary visits that include discussions about healthy food choices will help your dog or cat obtain a more appropriate weight. Adding regular physical activity to the daily routine helps to expend calories and use up all that extra energy. Other ways to assure a happy, healthy pet is to spay or neuter, and to develop a family or household emergency plan that includes your pet’s needs. For more information about National Pet Week, visit www.petweek.org.

April showers bring May flowers and April also brings awareness to a number of pet health issues. The following article discusses some important information and describes resources to help prevent or treat these health problems in your four-legged family members.