Small Breed Rescue of East Tennessee

FEATURED PET!   Puppymills

Event Calendar - May 2012 S M T W T F S     1 2 3 4 5 Village Vet Pet Fair (Farragut) 11 am - 2 pm Cinco de Mayo Celebration (Gatlinburg) 4 pm - 8 pm 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Dog World Resort 1 yr. Anniversary (Maryville) 1 pm - 4 pm 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 PetSmart Adoption Event (Morrell Rd.) 1 pm - 4 pm 27 28 29 30 31

Foster Homes Needed    ASPCA's List of Top 10 Pet Toxins of 2010

Donations needed:   The support of local veterinarians is vital to any rescue group, and we are very fortunate to work with two clinics that offer us a discount on services; however, veterinary care for our foster dogs is still extremely expensive. Rarely does the adoption fee for a dog cover the expenses that have been incurred. If you are considering making a financial contribution to SBRET, any amount is welcome, or you might wish to make a specific donation to cover any of the following expenses:

$140 - Spay/neuter, inoculations, microchip, heartworm and fecal check for one dog

$50 - Gas card to defray a small part of the transportation expenses: rescuing dogs from surrounding counties, transporting dogs to the vets, home visits, or transporting dogs to other rescue groups

$75 - Dental cleaning for one dog

$15 - Heartworm and flea preventative for one dog for one month

$5 - New collar and leash for one dog

$30 - Worming one dog with appropriate medication

$30 - Grooming (usually total shave down) for one dog who comes to us severely matted.

Knoxville American Red Cross Pet First Aid Classes

Keeping your pet indoors and under your control outdoors is the best way to protect against most accidents. Be prepared for the unfortunate accidents with skills learned at the Pet First Aid classes at the Knoxville American Red Cross. The $25 investment could save your pet's life! The American Red Cross pet first aid class gives cat and dog owners the skills necessary to tend to unexpected emergencies and to monitor their animals' health. The class allows pet owners to provide care until they can get their pet to a veterinarian. Check their website for registration information.

Toy Breeds and Dog Safety

Keep the mini dog breeds out of harm's way.

Ever spent any time with a Pomeranian, shih tzu, Chihuahua, fox terrier, or other toy breed? If so, then you know its size is often disproportionate to its personality. These dogs are small in stature but larger than life. That said, their extreme "petite-ness" means they need a tad more looking out for than bigger breeds in order to help prevent them from getting injured or seriously hurt. In her book, The Safe Dog Handbook, Melanie Monteiro offers a few house rules that can help keep your little one safe and healthy:

• Be careful with collars. Toy breeds have smaller, more delicate necks, so it's better to use a harness rather than a leash attached directly to the collar when walking them. This will help prevent overjerking and possibly injuring the neck or trachea.
• Be cautious in crowds. Be sure to keep a close eye on your dog when you're in large groups. People who aren't used to being around such small dogs may forget your tiny pooch is even there and accidentally step on her. Yikes!
• Be gentle. Toy breeds are much less resilient than bigger dogs, so any roughhousing should be done with a light touch. Make sure your children and other guests understand what gentle play means. Also, always supervise when your mini is playing with other larger pets.
• Be "crateful." If your little pooch is comfortable and used to being in her crate, it's a great place to put her when there's just too much going on around your house for her to be running around. (Things like kids' birthday parties, holiday dinners, construction, household repairs, etc.)
• Be afraid of heights. Don't let your toy pup get up on furniture or other elevated places where she could jump off and hurt herself. Most beds are even too high, so it's best to find your girl a bed of her own that she likes, so she's not as interested in getting into yours. If you can't bear to ban her from your bed, be sure to help her up and down -- don't let her jump down herself. Also, think about getting pet steps -- available at pet-supply retailers -- to give her a safer way up and down.
• Be aware. Smaller dogs can be seen as prey to wild animals, like coyotes, so always keep a close eye on your pup outside -- even if she's just in your yard. And try to take her along clear paths when on walks; tall grasses and weeds could easily poke her eyes.
• Be prepared. Keep a few light layers of doggie clothes on hand along with a substantial sweater that you can slip over her as needed. Little dogs have less insulating body fat and need extra help keeping warm during chillier months and to avoid hypothermia in especially cold climates.

Find other great pet care tips at realage.com (formerly dogage.com)

SBRET is in DESPERATE need of foster homes! We have been inundated with requests to take in WONDERFUL dogs, but we cannot take many of them in, simply because of a lack of foster homes! Won't you please considering fostering a dog? It's a short-term commitment with long-term results - you end up knowing that a simple action on your part has saved a life. Yes, the actions of one person CAN make a difference, as anyone who has read "The Starfish Story" can tell you. And we'll make it as easy as we can for you. We provide all needed medical care, and even loan you a crate if needed - all you must provide is a safe place to live, food and water, and lots of love! So if you're interested in fostering, PLEASE contact SBRET or complete our online Foster Application!