Please consider donating to the Durham Humane Society this holiday season to support them in their goal of finding a new and safe home for the 9 dogs and 2 cats that have survived this terrible fire.
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Fire At Humane Society Kills 160 Cats, Destroys Shelter
Wednesday December 17, 2008
CityNews.ca Staff
Whether vandals, faulty wiring or an as yet undetermined cause is to blame, one thing is certain: the Durham Humane Society will never be the same.
"It's devastating. Totally devastating. So many deaths. They were all so innocent," Karin Martens, president of the society, choked out through her tears.
"We're still in shock. We really haven't come to terms with the fact that these animals that we work with day in and day out and love like our own pets are gone," added distraught manager Ruby Richards.
An unthinkable tragedy just one week before Christmas has destroyed the shelter and killed about 160 cats.
According to a police report, the felines died from smoke inhalation after the blaze broke out early Wednesday morning.
"And now there's no animals left," sobbed volunteer Lori Neakin.
"It's just devastating. It is. We've had some, you know, electrical problems. We've had plumbing problems. I thought it was maybe something in the back room."
Officials were only able to rescue nine dogs and two cats.
The Oshawa Fire Department was already on the scene at Waterloo Street when police officers arrived around 2:30am. The front of the building was completely engulfed in flames.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
Christmas Tree Safety for Dogs and Cats
1. Choose the Right Spot in Your Home for the Tree. Pick an area where the tree can be fun and enjoyed by the family without becoming a "climbing tower" for your pet. Secure the tree to the wall or ceiling, and place away from furniture. Furniture can serve as a step ladder for your pet to reach higher limbs on the tree. Try to place the tree near an outlet so you don't have to run electrical cords across the flour and for long distances.
2. Securing Your Tree. Cats (especially frisky kittens) love to climb trees which can be very dangerous for small children and for your rambunctious kittens. Kittens can be injured if the trees or ornaments fall and break. Dogs can inadvertently knock over a tree by rubbing against or playing underneath it. Increase the safety of the tree by securing it to a corner from two sides to small hooks in the walls. Another trick is to place a small hook in the ceiling above the tree and use clear fishing line from the top of the tree to the hook. The clear line is invisible.
3. Hide the Electrical Cords. Electrical cords are especially dangerous for pets. Puppies and kittens will chew on anything, including electrical cords, this can cause serious injury or even death. Secure the cords by positioning them higher than the pet can reach or hiding them with special covers.
4. No Hooks. Check your ornaments and replace hooks with a loop of string tied in a knot. Ornaments often fall from the tree and pets may catch their mouths on or swallow the hooks.
5. Choose Safe Ornaments. Pet "safer" bulbs would be plastic or wood. Glass bulbs on the lower limbs can be especially dangerous as pets can step on them and cut their feet. Pet can treat the glass bulbs like a ball and chew on them causing them to break, resulting in mouth or throat trauma and bleeding. There is no perfectly pet-safe bulb, as any ornament can be ingested and cause an intestinal obstruction. Many pet owners have learned the hard way not to place any ornaments on the lower limbs. Be aware that ornaments made of food may be especially attractive to pets.
6. Ribbons. Replace tinsel and garland with big red velvet ribbons. Tinsel and garland can be eaten by cats and dogs and become caught in their intestine. Cats are especially attracted to the bright shiny tinsel. Ingestion of this material can cause intestinal obstruction that may require surgery.
7. Gift and Presents. Dogs and cats love to investigate and don't understand that the presents are not meant to be opened before Christmas Day, particularly by them. The draw of decorative ribbons and string can be enticing and if ingested very dangerous. Gifts can be destroyed by a playful pet so consider storing the presents in a safe area until right before the holiday. Another option is to make sure your pet is always supervised while investigating and searching for his special gift.
8. Sweep and Water Pine Needles. Sweep up the pine needles. Ingestion of needles can cause vomiting and gastric irritation. Keep the tree watered and only turn the lights on when you are at home. Risk of fire is always there with a live tree. Do not allow your pet access to the tree water to drink.
9. Supervise. The safest thing to do is to allow your pet access to the tree only when supervised. Pets that continue to want to bother the tree should be encouraged – using positive reinforcement – to leave it alone. Bitter apple can be sprayed on low branches for persistent chewers.
10. Enjoy. The holiday season is a fun time of the year for family (human/ canine/ feline), friends, and colleagues. During the busy holiday season it is easy to forget that pets still need to spend time with their loved ones. Make time for walks, play time, and cuddle time.
2. Securing Your Tree. Cats (especially frisky kittens) love to climb trees which can be very dangerous for small children and for your rambunctious kittens. Kittens can be injured if the trees or ornaments fall and break. Dogs can inadvertently knock over a tree by rubbing against or playing underneath it. Increase the safety of the tree by securing it to a corner from two sides to small hooks in the walls. Another trick is to place a small hook in the ceiling above the tree and use clear fishing line from the top of the tree to the hook. The clear line is invisible.
3. Hide the Electrical Cords. Electrical cords are especially dangerous for pets. Puppies and kittens will chew on anything, including electrical cords, this can cause serious injury or even death. Secure the cords by positioning them higher than the pet can reach or hiding them with special covers.
4. No Hooks. Check your ornaments and replace hooks with a loop of string tied in a knot. Ornaments often fall from the tree and pets may catch their mouths on or swallow the hooks.
5. Choose Safe Ornaments. Pet "safer" bulbs would be plastic or wood. Glass bulbs on the lower limbs can be especially dangerous as pets can step on them and cut their feet. Pet can treat the glass bulbs like a ball and chew on them causing them to break, resulting in mouth or throat trauma and bleeding. There is no perfectly pet-safe bulb, as any ornament can be ingested and cause an intestinal obstruction. Many pet owners have learned the hard way not to place any ornaments on the lower limbs. Be aware that ornaments made of food may be especially attractive to pets.
6. Ribbons. Replace tinsel and garland with big red velvet ribbons. Tinsel and garland can be eaten by cats and dogs and become caught in their intestine. Cats are especially attracted to the bright shiny tinsel. Ingestion of this material can cause intestinal obstruction that may require surgery.
7. Gift and Presents. Dogs and cats love to investigate and don't understand that the presents are not meant to be opened before Christmas Day, particularly by them. The draw of decorative ribbons and string can be enticing and if ingested very dangerous. Gifts can be destroyed by a playful pet so consider storing the presents in a safe area until right before the holiday. Another option is to make sure your pet is always supervised while investigating and searching for his special gift.
8. Sweep and Water Pine Needles. Sweep up the pine needles. Ingestion of needles can cause vomiting and gastric irritation. Keep the tree watered and only turn the lights on when you are at home. Risk of fire is always there with a live tree. Do not allow your pet access to the tree water to drink.
9. Supervise. The safest thing to do is to allow your pet access to the tree only when supervised. Pets that continue to want to bother the tree should be encouraged – using positive reinforcement – to leave it alone. Bitter apple can be sprayed on low branches for persistent chewers.
10. Enjoy. The holiday season is a fun time of the year for family (human/ canine/ feline), friends, and colleagues. During the busy holiday season it is easy to forget that pets still need to spend time with their loved ones. Make time for walks, play time, and cuddle time.
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