Please remember the Pedigree food donation program. Donation coupons can be obtained at the shelter located at 170 Kefauver Lane in Madisonville or on line at www.dogsrulegear.com. Pedigree will donate a 22 lb. bag of dog food for each bag purchased. Each bag will feed one dog for 40 days or 40 dogs for a day.

We are also in need of some more Kuranda dog beds.  You can easily donate a bed on line. These beds are guaranteed to last and help keep our dogs off the damp concrete, helping to maintain sanitary and healthy living conditions.

Looking for a new cookbook? Heather Brookshire and the staff of the Monroe County Animal Hospital have created a wonderful cookbook available for a donation of $5.00. Monroe County Animal Hospital has funded the cost of production and all proceeds are being donated to the animal shelter. Copies are available at the shelter and other area businesses.

We're still having some trouble at the shelter with unwanted animals being dropped off after hours. The shelter is located on private property and is rented to us by the owner as a service to the community. We require no fee to surrender animals at the shelter and with our extended hours there is no reason to discard these living creatures either at our driveway on private property or at our neighboring Wal-Mart on public property. In addition to exposing them to risk from the elements and predators, it is against the law to discard live animals on public or private property. We ask that you respect the law, our landlord, our neighbors and our business hours. The shelter is open from Tuesday-Thursday from 10 AM-5 PM, and until 6 PM on Fridays. With volunteer support, we're also

open on Saturday 9 AM-4 PM and Sunday from 12 Noon-4 PM for adoptions only. We are closed on Mondays. Call 423-442-1015 for more information.

Wire crates are needed for use in the runs during the summer months. Four to six medium size crates would really help. If you have a used crate to donate or would be willing to purchase a new one for use in the transport, please call Rolling Rescue Coordinator, Brenda Stinson at 423-261-2346.  Rolling Rescue runs are funded by The Monroe County Friends of Animals at a cost of approximately $50 per animal. Strict health procedures and rabies vaccinations are required of each animal included in the transport. If you would like to make a tax deductible donation to directly save the life of a dog or cat, you can donate online - designate your donation to Rolling Rescue. You may also send your donation to MCFA, PO Box 106, Vonore, TN 37885.

If you find a stray dog or cat without an ID but wearing a rabies tag, the animal can be traced to the owner by the number on the tag. Call Vicki Harris at 423-442-3993 x1035 for speedy identification. The animal shelter also has a scanner that can be used to pick up a microchip that will give identifying information as well. You can reach the shelter at 423-442-1015.

We are happy to announce that our Rolling Rescue to New York is now able to include cats. We are in need of funds to help defray the cost of these runs. You can send an animal to a no kill shelter in New York for $50.00. Partial donations are certainly welcome as well and can be made online or by mail to MCFA, PO Box 106, Vonore, TN 37885. Most of our animals are adopted out within a week - some within 24 hours of their arrival. With additional funding  we can arrange for more runs, saving the lives of more animals.  In order to qualify for the run, our dogs and cats must be living out of the shelter and in a foster home for at least 2 weeks before the trip. Many more foster homes are needed to give these healthy animals a second chance at the wonderful life they deserve. If you feel you might like to qualify as a foster home, please call the shelter at 523-442-1015 for an application.

MCAS is pleased to report that we have passed the on site inspection to allow us to participate in PetSmart Charities Rescue Waggin' program. Thanks to the hard work of the shelter staff and volunteers, the PetSmart representative was extremely impressed with our shelter and actually took notes to share with other shelters. The Rescue Waggin' program was created by PetSmart Charities to help save the lives of homeless dogs and puppies through partnership and collaboration with local animal welfare agencies. The program also works to proactively reduce pet overpopulation in those areas of the country that need the most help. An innovative animal welfare program, the Rescue Waggin' will allow us to use their extensive transport program to send our dogs to other areas where adoptable dogs are in demand. If you would like to know more about how we will benefit from this program, visit http://www.petsmartcharities.org/animal-welfare/rescue-waggin.php.  . Congratulations MCAS for passing this rigorous inspection with flying colors!

Several local businesses offer support to the shelter. This week, we'd like to especially thank Sapphire Tanning in Madisonville. All services generate a 10% donation to MCAS and adoptathons will be held at their facility on College Street. Thanks to the Kellogg's.

We are now able to provide short term foster care for animals in special circumstances. Currently our greatest need is for volunteers to foster puppies to go on the Rover Runs. In order to insure the good health of our eligible dogs, the new guidelines state that the dogs must be out of the shelter and in foster care before they can be transported. We have a list of items that we will provide, a list of emergency phone numbers and some experienced puppy raisers to guide you along the way. We are asking that each family take only two pups or one small adult dog for fostering. They can be kept indoors in a kennel (we provide) or sheltered outdoors. If you think that you would be able to help give these dogs an opportunity to have the life they deserve, please call Shelter Director Vicki Morgan at 423-442-1015.

Membership forms for MCFA can be found on line or by mailing a request to MCFA, PO Box 106, Vonore, TN 37885. The yearly cost of $25 per family or $15 per individual helps to fund our projects. Corporate membership and donations forms are also available. It's only with the help of the community that we can make a difference in the lives of the homeless cats and dogs of Monroe County.

Last year, a South Carolina a man was bitten by a dog that tested positive for rabies and he is now under a doctor's care and receiving a series of painful inoculations to prevent the disease. Rabies is fatal to humans and animals and anyone bitten, scratched or otherwise exposed to the saliva of a rabid animal must undergo immediate preventive measures to stop the virus from reaching the brain. Tennessee state law requires that all pets be vaccinated against rabies. With the warm weather approaching, we advise you to be careful around stray animals and make sure that your own pets have been vaccinated. There is no cure for rabies. Be wary of tame animals "acting wild" and wild animals "acting tame". If you are bitten or scratched by a wild animal or domestic pet, immediately wash the wound with plenty of soap and water and get immediate medical attention. Statistics show that in South Carolina about 400 residents have to undergo preventive treatment for rabies every year after being bitten by a rabid or suspected rabid animal. All animals adopted out of the Monroe County Animal Shelter have been vaccinated against this fatal disease. For more information about rabies, see www.cec.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies or www.scdhec.gov/rabies.

Shelter staff and volunteers headed over to Huntsville, AL in February to attend an Adoption Option workshop, sponsored by the Petco Foundation. In addition to valuable networking opportunities, workshops were held during the day covering the latest approaches to help increase quality adoptions, training in the shelter environment to increase quality of life and adoption potential and how to involve the veterinary community to work together to find positive and effective ways to non-lethally control the pet surplus. Volunteers put in endless hours at the shelter and still eagerly offer more time to learn how to improve the lives of the shelter animals. We thank those who offer that extra effort to help the homeless animals of Monroe County.

Every year shelters kill almost 5,000,000 cats, dogs, puppies & kittens. Most were beautiful, loving creatures that died simply because they did not have a home. Every puppy or kitten born costs a shelter animal its life. Save lives, spay-neuter & adopt for life! The next SNAP vouchers will be distributed at the Madisonville Court House Annex (side entrance) on Saturday, February 24. Call Mike or Susan at 423-884-6801 to see if you qualify for the vouchers which can be redeemed for a free spay or neuter procedure for your pet at a participating veterinarian.

The shelter always has a needs list, and our projected expenses for 2008 have increased drastically from the previous year. We have an ever-increasing number of animals coming into the shelter that must be fed, medically treated, housed and kept warm with our heating lamps and dog houses. All of our shelter animals receive the best possible care. Our wonderful volunteers provide walks and stimulation for these animals, and we can always use more help. Please give whatever time you have available.

We'd like to offer a huge thank you to Jim Craig of Craig Electric, LLC. Jim is a licensed electrician who recently moved to the area and donated 3 entire days at the shelter last week to check out the wiring and re-wire where necessary. Best of all, he's run the proper wire to all the outdoor kennels so that each of them is equipped with heat lamps and safety switches so that we can help keep the dogs warm during the long cold nights of winter. Jim provided a much needed service to the Monroe County Animal Shelter and the residents of Monroe County. You can call him at 423-295-2206 for your electrical needs.

Puppies and kittens are soooo cute but there are many benefits to adopting a grown animal. While puppies and kittens are very appealing, the care and training of an energetic youngster is often more than meets the eye. If you have young children, you may find that rearing a puppy and a child together can be overwhelming. A grown dog may already have had some obedience training, is often house-trained and has an established personality that could blend right into your family life. You have a much better chance of assessing the adult dog or cat's qualities and genetic disposition than you do in a puppy or kitten. Whether you choose a puppy, kitten, dog or cat, please remember that ownership of an animal is a life-long responsibility. You will need to provide shelter, veterinary care and lots of love and affection for your choice for many years to come. Be sure you're up to the awesome responsibility!!!

All dogs adopted from the Monroe County Animal Shelter are eligible for free obedience classes.

Puppies, puppies, puppies ...... unusual for this time of year, but we've been deluged with puppies  over the last few weeks. A "Send a Puppy to New York" run was organized and 46 puppies left Tennessee to seek their fortune in New York this past Wednesday. Our puppies are usually quickly adopted upon arrival and we are most grateful to the volunteers who help coordinate and make these runs. We are seeking more drivers to make this possible. The trip takes about 16 hours and you are put up at an area motel and given a meal voucher. If you enjoy driving and adventure and would like to help give these puppies a chance at a wonderful life, please contact the shelter at 423-442-1015. You can also donate to the fund.

What a shame that we have to ship these unwanted, homeless babies to others for care. Please spay or neuter your animals to prevent this needless creation of lives that are considered a "problem." Every living creature deserves to have a caring home and to be loved. We are creating more creatures  than we have homes. A single cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 kittens in just 7 years. Only by spaying or neutering your animal can we provide the care that these animals deserve. Call the shelter for low cost or free spay/neuter locations.

MCFA has monthly meetings at the Madisonville Courthouse on the 3rd Thursday of every month (except December) at 7 p.m. Please come see what we do and how you can get involved. Whether you have an hour per week or more, find out how you can make a difference in your county.

We now are able to provide Avid Microchipping for your adopted pet at a low cost of $20. A microchip is about the size of a piece of rice and is painlessly imbedded under the skin at the shoulder. Once you register your information with Avid, a scanner can locate the chip. Most shelters, veterinarians and animal control facilities scan animals as soon as they are brought in. Should your pet become separated from you for some reason, a quick telephone call to the issuing company will provide owner identification and your pet can be returned to you quickly.

Shelter Director, Vicki Morgan would like to stress that the animal shelter does not provide veterinary care to the public. Thanks to the funds raised by the Monroe County Friends of Animals (MCFA), we can provide limited care for the animals turned in to the shelter. Some are feral and/or have severely neglected medical problems and need special care to ease suffering. If you are in need of veterinary services for your pet, you will need to bring your animal to any of the qualified and caring veterinarians in the county who provide low cost services. Spaying or neutering and quality health care are essential to the well-being of your pet. It is important to look into the cost of providing care for a pet before you bring one into your life.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) confirms the potential effects of theobromine and caffeine on dogs: Cocoa beans contain the stimulants caffeine and theobromine. Dogs are highly sensitive to these chemicals, called methylxanthines. In dogs, low doses of methylxanthine can cause mild gastrointestinal upset (vomiting, diarrhea, and/or abdominal pain); higher doses can cause rapid heart rate, muscle tremors, seizures, and death.

Eaten by a 50-pound dog, about 2 ounces of cocoa bean mulch may cause gastrointestinal upset; about 4.5 ounces, increased heart rate; about 5.3 ounces, seizures; and over 9 ounces, death. (In contrast, a 50-pound dog can eat up to about 7.5 ounces of milk chocolate without gastrointestinal upset and up to about a pound of milk chocolate without increased heart rate.)

While not a popular selling mulch due to cost and no documented deaths have occurred by eating cocoa mulch, rather than gamble that your dog won't be attracted or harmed by the mulch, responsible pet owners will probably prefer to choose another form of soil enhancement for their gardens, such as cedar-based products.