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Text Box: Now is the time of year for all of us to protect our pets from cold weather and to remind others to do the same. There are a number of simple things we can do to keep our pets warm and happy. Domesticated pets have lost their ability to fend for themselves in cold weather. Contrary to popular opinion, cats and most dogs don’t like freezing weather and are ill equipped to deal with it. Shorthaired dogs, cats and puppies should be kept indoors when the temperature dips below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Below freezing, all pets need to be indoors. In all cases where a pet is kept outside for any period of time at all it should be provided with a dry, draft-free shelter. The shelter should be large enough to allow the animal to sit and lay down comfortably, but small enough to hold in its body

Text Box: heat. The floor should be raised a few inches off the ground and covered with fresh straw. The bedding must be checked regularly and changed if it becomes damp. The doorway should be turned away from the wind and covered with a heavy waterproof material such as thick canvas or plastic. In outdoor situations it is really important to ensure that the pet’s drinking water is not frozen. Check it often. Pets also burn more calories to stay warm in cold weather so they should be provided with extra food. Feral cat and dog caretakers should try their best to provide shelters for their animals as previously described. Straw bedding is especially good in this case because it is a very good insulator and tends to stay drier than other materials.

Text Box: Even when kept indoors, all pets need a warm sleeping area away from drafts. They should be provided with insulating bedding such as blankets or pet beds and cushions, especially if the flooring is cold like tile, wood or linoleum. Taking a proactive approach to keeping our pets warm will keep them happy, healthy and could even save their life!

Text Box: PetRescue.Com, Inc. P.O. Box 531057 Debary, FL 32753-1057

Text Box: SEASONS GREETINGS At the quiet end of the day, when all the chores are done, when the animals are warmly tucked in, sleeping peacefully, we know why we do what we do, and exactly what the rewards are! At the end of 2003, looking towards another year, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the people, many of whom we’ve never met, who have helped us over the years, both in words and deeds. We are constantly touched by your generosity of spirit. Rescue isn’t a whim, it’s a way of life. When the road gets rough and times are hard, your kindness and encouragement keeps us going! We wish you peace, love and happiness for this holiday season.

Text Box: Bitsy is a very sweet calico cream who has been with us since the holiday season in December, 1993. She had been living in the woods in a burned-out mobile home not far from the sanctuary. It was purely by chance that we heard her crying when we happened to be out walking. We followed the cries and found her hiding inside the burned remains. We immediately saw that she had a collar caught underneath her front leg. It had obviously been there for quite some time because we could smell the decaying flesh. Although she allowed us to approach her, she stayed tantalizingly out of arm’s reach. We were frantic! We knew just how serious the wound was. We spent hours there every day trying to catch her. She had obviously been trapped before because there was no way she would go near the humane trap we had set up. Even hunger could not coax her into it. We decided that our only option was to make a grab for her while she was eating. It was very nerve wracking because we knew we would only get one chance. If we missed she probably wouldn’t let us near her for weeks and by then it would be too late for her. The only positive thing at this point was the fact that we were able to put

Text Box: antibiotics in her food to help keep the infection from worsening. After a few days we started to gain her confidence. Although she would watch us very carefully out of the corner of her eye, she allowed us to sit by her as she ate. We decided that it was finally time to try and catch her. We waited until she was distracted by the food and managed to scoop her up by the scruff of her neck! We couldn’t believe our luck! After all of this, we didn’t want to tempt fate by transferring her into a carrier and perhaps run the risk of losing her, so I held her tightly in my arms and walked back to the sanctuary. The first thing we did was cut that awful collar off! Although it took over two years for the wound to heal, Bitsy is now healthy and very happy! Bitsy’s story is typical of the animals that we have here in our care at PetRescue.Com. Although each animal’s “tail” has its own beginning, they all share the same happy ending! They get to spend the rest of their lives in a warm, loving environment where they will never know fear or hunger again! This is our gift to them, not just during the holiday season, but each and every day!

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