Pet Tips

~ by Rachel Seagrave First, look to see if the mom is nearby.  If you find a kitten out in the open—such as a flower bed, or lying on the pavement or grass, it usually means the mom has dropped it. If there is any chance of getting the kitten back to its mom, TRY. Next and most importantly, when you find an orphaned kitten DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FEED IT! Kittens cannot generate heat and so can become chilled quickly. Feeding a kitten in a chilled state will almost always end in disaster.  You first need to make sure the kitten is warm before you do anything else. You can do this by simply putting the kitten under your shirt and against your chest…

Jackson is a male Doberman, approximately 7 years old. He was rescued this past December, 2015. He came to us due to medical neglect. Jackson had a large tumor on one hind leg. His owners were going to just let him die from the tumor. THANKFULLY, they agreed to surrender him to the Rutherford County Humane Society. The estimated cost of the surgery was $600. Donations had been requested and received. The problem was that he might have lost the entire leg, not to mention, his life. And the tumor might have been cancerous. He went into surgery to remove the tumor. The surgery was a success and the biopsy was negative. Jackson had physical therapy and time to recover. He was neutered and brought…

~ By Stephanie Janard It was official: I had fallen in love with the stray orange and white cat that barged into our yard one day and insisted on living with us. I set up a comfy space for “Skipper” on the back porch, where I let him in every night so he’d have a safe place to sleep. I even kept the porch light on for him. And in the daytime, I gave him plenty of attention and love wherever he was hanging out outside. But letting him inside was a different matter. In fact, I had decided he would need to be an outside cat.  I was simply terrified my two dogs would tear him to pieces. They sure gave every indication of…

~ by Rachel Seagrave Have you ever seen a kitten or cat with more toes than you think it should have? If you have, you were probably looking at a Polydactyl cat! Polydactyl simply means that one has more digits than the normal number of five on each paw. Most Polydactyl’s have one or two extra toes. The extra toes can make it appear that the cat has a thumb or is wearing mittens.  While not a trait of a particular breed, Polydactyl’s come in all types and colors, and is genetically inherited. Polydactyl cats have many nicknames such as Mittens, Snowshoes, or Thumbs, but my favorite name—and what I personally call them—are Hemingway Cats, named for the famous author who made his home in…

The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge is built  atop the historic, three-arch Historic Bridge #7 on North Carolina Highway 9 in Lake Lure, North Carolina. A unique and whimsical city park, the Flowering Bridge contains 30 gardens on and beside a reimagined bridge. One of the most popular features at the bridge is the Rainbow Bridge. Many visitors to the bridge come for the sole purpose of attaching their departed pet’s collar or tag to the Rainbow Bridge handrails. Often there are tears, but mostly it’s a calming place where pet owners can remember their beloved furry friends. You’ll find it at the entrance to the River’s Edge Dog Garden. The Rainbow Bridge is the brain child and creation of local artist Amy Wald. Amy built the…