Pet Veterinary Services & Pet ID Clinic - Sat., Mar. 13

     Murray State University's Animal Health Technology/Pre-veterinary Club and the Humane Society of Calloway County are hosting Animal Health Technology Day and Pet ID Clinic on Sat., Mar. 13 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Carmen Pavilion. Carmen Pavilion is on College Farm Road directly across from Calloway County High School.
     Murray State animal health technology and pre-veterinary students will provide free physical exams for dogs and cats under the supervision of licensed veterinarians. Students will do a heartworm test for dogs for $14 and feline leukemia (FELV) and feline immunodeficiency (FIV) tests for $18. They will bathe pets for $7 each, clean ears & trim nails for $4 and do fecal tests for $8. The spa package of a bath, nail trim and ear cleaning is $10. “The works” for dogs is $29 and for cats is $33. A special package for puppies under six months old is $15 and does not include a heartworm test.
     The Humane Society will microchip dogs and cats for $10 each. A microchip the size of a grain of rice is inserted between the shoulder blades of a dog in a relatively painless and quick procedure. Each microchip transponder has a unique number which enables a shelter or veterinary clinic to scan the animal for this number which will be registered with a national database allowing the owner to be contacted when the pet is found. Local veterinary offices, the animal shelter and Humane Society have scanners to read these microchips, as do most across the country.
     The Humane Society will also make custom pet ID tags for $3 each and photograph pets for their free Lost Pet Photo Registry.
     For questions regarding Animal Health Technology Day or animal issues in our community, contact the Humane Society of Calloway County at 270-759-1884 or humanesociety@murray-ky.net or visit their office at 607 Poplar Street Suite A-1.

Seminar Trains Volunteers to Help Neglected Horses - Mon., Mar. 15

Kentucky Horse Council to present seminar for persons interested in knowing how to help abused and neglected horses in our community

     The Kentucky Horse Council in cooperation with The Humane Society of Calloway County will present a two-hour seminar on Monday, March 15 for people who want to know how to help abused and neglected horses in our community. The seminar, Volunteer Role in Supporting Abused or Neglected Horses, will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Murray State University Equine Center, College Farm Road, Murray.
     The cost is $15 per person. A minimum of ten registrants are required for the program to be held and a maximum of 25 registrants will be accepted.
     Topics covered will be:

How to identify horses at risk
Working with animal control and law enforcement officials to support the investigation of cruelty
Re-feeding the starving horse following AAEP Guidelines for Re-feeding the Starving Horse

     Pre-registration is required so that packets can be assembled. To register for the volunteer seminar, contact the Humane Society of Calloway County at 270-759-1884 or humanesociety@murray-ky.net .
The form is available here and by contacting the Humane Society at 270-759-1884 or at humanesociety@murray-ky.net.
     “We hope that people across the area will attend this seminar and learn more about how to help horses in all our communities,” said Humane Society Executive Director Kathy Hodge. “Our goal is to have as many people educated about recognizing and supporting abused and neglected horses as possible.”
     The program for volunteers precedes a three-day seminar, Mar 16-218, on equine abuse investigation for professionals. Attending will be animal control officers, law enforcement personnel and humane investigators. Also conducted by the Kentucky Horse Council and in cooperation with Murray State University, the professional training will provide hands-on opportunities to prepare the participants to identify, manage and care for neglected horses. Contact the Kentucky Horse Council at 1-866-634-0030 to register for the professional training program.

Microchip IDs reunite pets and their families

     The Humane Society of Calloway County offers microchip ID clinics for dogs and cats regularly throughout the year, primarily in Calloway County and in adjacent counties upon request. Microchipping is a permanent way to identify an animal and can often lead to the return of the animal to its owner in the unfortunate event that the animal gets separated from its owner. The cost of the chip, implanting the chip and registration in the national database is only $10.
     The microchip is approximately the size of a grain of rice and is injected under the animal’s skin between its shoulder blades. The life expectancy of the microchip is 25 years.
     Approximately two dozen Humane Society volunteers are trained on how to inject the microchip and fill out the associated paperwork that accompanies each chip. The Humane Society has microchipped more than 2000 dogs and cats since the program began in March 2006.
     Statistics indicate that 30% of companion animals will become separated from their owners at some point in their life. According to Stephanie Hagen, Humane Society coordinator of the microchip program and animal health technologist, “Having a permanent way of identifying the animal is critical because sometimes collars and identification tags will fall off.”
     The identification number which appears when the pet is scanned is directly linked to the owner of the animal and will give the person scanning the animal enough information to reach the owner. The contact information is kept on file in a national database and can be updated at any time by a phone call or on the Internet. The microchip used by the Humane Society can be “read” by any scanner used in the United States.
     Humane Society Immediate Past President Tom Rottinghaus said, “The overwhelming majority of animals that enter animal shelters have no identification on them. It is estimated in Kentucky that 85% of animals that enter animal shelters are euthanized because of overpopulation and not being able to identify the animal’s owner. We’re trying our best to do something about that and make happy reunions possible for lost pets and their families.”
     For more information on microchip IDs, click here or contact the Humane Society at 270-759-1884 or humanesociety@murray-ky.net.

2010 Humane Society Events Calendar

March 13, 2010 (Saturday)
AHT DAY - Animal Health Technology/Pre-Vet Club event
Carmen Animal Health Technology Building, 8 am - 4 pm, College Farm Road, Murray, Ky.
- MICROCHIP your pets for $10; Click here for details
- VET SERVICES include free physicals for cats & dogs; fecal tests, heartworm tests for dogs and feline leukemia tests for cats, baths, ear cleaning and nail trims at very reasonable rates
- CUSTOM ID TAGS made while you wait for $3

March 13, 2010 (Saturday)
CHARACTER COUNTS FAIR
Calloway County High School Gym, 9 am - 11 am, Murray, Ky.
- For youth of Calloway County
- Responsibility focus of Humane Society booth
- Come visit with Pet Therapy pets!

March 15, 2010 (Monday)
SEMINAR: VOLUNTEER ROLE IN SUPPORTING NEGLECTED OR ABUSED HORSES
Murray State University Campus, 6:30 am - 8:30 pm, Murray, Ky.
- Presented by the Kentucky Horse Council
- Seating is limited
- Seminar fee is $15 per person
- Click here for more details
- Click here for registration form

April 5, 12 & 19, 2010 (Mondays)
PUPPY PARTY
Animal Health Technology Building, 6:30 – 7:45 pm, College Farm Road, Murray, Ky.
- Conducted by Murray State University Animal Behavior students
- For puppies 6 to 14 weeks of age
- Fee: $25 donation to Humane Society
- Puppies and puppy parents attend all three session
- Space is limited. SIGN UP NOW!

April 17, 2010 (Saturday)
ANNUAL YARD SALE
Calloway County Public Library Annex, 9 am - 2 pm, Main Street, Murray, Ky.
- Set up & donations accepted; Apr. 16 (Friday) 10 am to 6
- Donations from many households!
- Custom Pet ID tags made while you wait; $3 each

June 10, 2010 (Thursday)
AKC CANINE GOOD CITIZEN DOG OBEDIENCE CLASS
Animal Health Technology Building, 6 pm, College Farm Road, Murray, Ky.
- For dogs six months and over when the class begins
- Eight consecutive weeks skipping July 1
- PURPOSE: To help dogs become good citizens of the community
- FEE: $70 for non-members, $50 for members
- Click here for more details

June 10, 2010 (Thursday)
AKC S.T.A.R. PUPPY TRAINING
Animal Health Technology Building, 6 pm, College Farm Road, Murray, Ky.
- For puppies eight weeks to thirty weeks old when class begins
- Seven consecutive weeks skipping July 1
- PURPOSE: To get dog owners and their puppies off to a good start
- FEE: $70 for non-members, $50 for members
- Click here for more details

September 8, 2010 (Wednesday)
AKC CANINE GOOD CITIZEN DOG OBEDIENCE CLASS
Animal Health Technology Building, 6 pm, College Farm Road, Murray, Ky.
- For dogs six months and over when the class begins
- Eight consecutive weeks
- PURPOSE: To help dogs become good citizens of the community
- FEE: $70 for non-members, $50 for members
- Click here for more details

September 8, 2010 (Wednesday)
AKC S.T.A.R. PUPPY TRAINING
Animal Health Technology Building, 6 pm, College Farm Road, Murray, Ky.
- For puppies eight weeks to thirty weeks old when class begins
- Seven consecutive weeks
- PURPOSE: To get dog owners and their puppies off to a good start
- FEE: $70 for non-members, $50 for members
- Click here for more details