This week I started off in a mild panic because we were low on pet food for our Senior Pet Food Project. Fortunately, we have Holly's Helping Hands to turn to when we need cat food. Dog food is a little trickier, because we lack a regular source. Then it rained. Food that is.

First, our intrepid volunteer, Debbie Shepherd, worked her magic and secured some food from A.L. Gilbert. They are a company that manufactures bulk feeds for cattle, horses, dogs, cats, etc. A.L. Gilbert is the same company that donated thousands of pounds of livestock feed for our emergency response trip to help out at the Telegraph Fire last year.

Next, I received a call from Save Mart, offering us all of the food and cat litter left from a product showcase at the downtown convention center. I borrowed my favorite teenagers, Naf and Tovi, and put them to work cramming my truck to the roof with bags of dry dog and cat food. Then we arranged to have the animal services folks come get the canned food and cat litter. They always need those items at the Finch Road facility and I'm happy to arrange donations.

Because we were well stocked with dry cat food, I swung by the office where one of our volunteers works. Karen is a very dedicated feral cat colony manager and advocate. With the economic crisis the colonies have grown exponentially and food is always an issue. I had the boys load her car with cat food and then we headed back to my garage with loads of dog food. Tovi was happy to see the cat food leave. I took a corner too sharply and half of it ended up on him.

That evening, we received a truck load of cat food from Holly's Helping Hands and packed up as many meals as we could. Many senior's and their cats will be well fed for days to come.

It takes many people and even more big hearts to make our program work. In operation without a break since it began, it's a remarkable testament to how much we care about animals and our senior citizens. This program enables homebound seniors to remain with their animal companions and be assured of food for them and themselves. The wonderful people at Howard Training Center generously provide the delivery service and the drivers. Major thanks to everyone. We couldn't do this without you!

Same location...2801 Louann off Rumble and Sisk.

Humane Society of Stanislaus County derives it's funding from donations and memberships. We do not receive any money from the government or national groups like HSUS or ASPCA. In fact, if you donate to HSUS or ASPCA your money goes to Washington, DC or New York City.

While HSSC can't afford to mass mail blankets, keychains, T-shirts and other "gifts" from larger groups, we can offer the feeling of doing something to benefit the community. We can offer the satisfaction of knowing one less cat will have kittens, one more dog was adopted to a forever home, dozens of senior citizens will get food for their pets, one more classroom full of children will learn about humane treatment of animals and more.

Please join us as a member, or make a donation, and help make our county, our community, a better place to live. For humans and non-humans alike.

Several months ago I took in an elderly, blind Chow Chow that had been abandoned in the backyard of a rental home. She was probably 14 or 15, had a heart condition, was extremely matted and filthy, and showed signs of having had a stroke. Despite all that she was a sweet, little dog that just had a rough life. She was pretty well known in the neighborhood because for years her "owner" let her roam without supervision. She was always matted and filthy and would eat whatever garbage she could find. Several times over the past 8 or so years I reported her for neglect. I could insert a rude comment here but I shall refrain.

Today, Bella went to the Rainbow Bridge. During her time here she was quite a presence. We jokingly referred to her as "The Puddle of Chow," since her favorite activities were eating and sleeping. Kinda like me. She memorized the backyard and knew her way around, despite being completely blind. She spent many hours snoozing under the apple tree and also took over the prime dogbed in the living room. Here is a picture I took a few days ago:



Over the last few weeks, I noticed she was having a harder time getting up. Her water intake had jumped markedly and signs of renal failure were impossible to miss. This morning she had her usual delicious meal of canned lamb and rice (premium!) and enjoyed a relaxing snooze in the shade. I took her to the vet this afternoon and held her as she slipped away. It is never easy to do the right thing, but she deserved to be treated with dignity and love. She was only here for a short while but she will be sorely missed. I just wish I could have rescued her sooner, she was a very special dog. Ciao sweet Bella, you were loved.

Yesterday's HSSC Garage Sale was busy! Despite the occasional burst of rain, people started arriving about an hour earlier than expected. But it's a good cause, right? We raised enough to spay and neuter about 15 cats. We received tons of great donations and our volunteers worked their butts off! Thank you everyone for your incredible support. Special thanks to Sherry Chapman for hosting the sale. Hopefully, she will be able to park in her own garage again!

The State of California is again poised to enact a mandatory spay/neuter law. While I am wholeheartedly behind spaying and neutering pets, this one is pretty draconian. These laws unfairly penalize low-income pet owners. Enforcing such a law is difficult at best and would find greater compliance if low cost options were available. This article is very well-written and deserves a read: Mandatory Spay And Neuter.

The program known as Project X is now accepting patients for its low-cost spay and neuter services. Please call 209-988-SPAY to book an appointment.

Sunday, I picked up a black Lab that decided to take a stroll on a very busy street. Without a collar. I coaxed her into my truck and scanned her for a microchip. Fortunately, she had one! I found her owner pretty quickly and home she went. Sadly, stories like these are the exception, not the rule.

Thousands of animals die in the county shelter each year due to lack of identification. Collars get lost, tags fall off, etc. In the case of cats, the likelihood of getting out of a shelter alive is remote. I ask cat owners about microchipping their kitties and they usually respond with, "oh she doesn't go outside." It only takes once. A scared cat that has never been outside before can easily get lost. A chip could be the difference between safe at home or a euthanasia needle in the abdomen.

Humane Society of Stanislaus County wants to make sure you never have to face that awful scenario. We have low-cost microchipping available at any of our events or adoption days. Chips are $20 per animal and registration is free. If you are an HSSC member, chips are $15. Inserting the chip is quick and relatively painless. I'm so fast at it, people are afraid to stand next to me for fear I'll chip them. :)

Bring your babies home again. It's the best investment you will ever make.

In this edition of: "I Could Have Told You That For A Lot Less Money"

About 80 percent of cats living in U.S. households are neutered, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Assn. The telephone survey of 1,205 adults, representing 850 cats, further revealed that annual family income was the strongest predictor of whether cats in the household were neutered, with middle- to higher-income households reporting rates of more than 90 percent.

Read the full article here: Household Income Strong Predictor Whether Cats Are Neutered