Copper Country Humane Society

Precious Cat Litter

LeRita — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:01:32 +0000

CCHS’s feline friends will benefit greatly from a kind and generous donation of Precious Cat Ultra litter by Dr. Elsey’s Quality Products for Cats. Not only will our shelter benefit from this donation but they are also donating a free 20# bag of Cat Attract cat litter with each kitty adopted from CCHS. Visit their website for more information on ”Matching Cat Owners with the right Solutions” www.preciouscat.com

From Adopter to Incredible Volunteer

LeRita — Wed, 09 May 2012 15:14:11 +0000

An adoption of a big floppy eared bloodhound from CCHS 6 years ago, has evolved into a passion to help animals in the community. Carla Belopavlovich started out volunteering to do whatever was needed, from cleaning kennels to feeding the pack, to walking the dogs. Carla’s work with animals and people has grown into a role that is priceless to CCHS. Carla is a familiar face to everyone who walks into the shelter. Her bright smile, her willingness to help everyone find that right pet and her compassion for the animals keeps her volunteering almost everyday. She is our shelter manager’s right hand woman and a real gift to CCHS and all who visit the shelter.

When asked what her favorite thing is about CCHS – “The animals, seeing them being adopted into good homes and matching a person or family with the right pet is so rewarding”

Carla’s life outside of CCHS is also very animal friendly. She, her husband, two daughters and son share their home and life with 6 dogs (ranging in size from 2 chihuhuas to 2 bloodhounds, St. Bernard and lab/shep mix) 2 cats, 15 chickens and 20 coy. She and her family are the heart and soul of what animal rescue is all about. Thank you Carla for giving so much of your time, talents and being such a dedicated volunteer. You make a difference!

Spring Vaccination Clinic

becki — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 04:17:45 +0000

The CCHS Spring Vaccination Clinic will be held on Saturday, May 12 from 11:00 – 2:00 at the Copper Country Mall.

The clinic will be held behind the mall in the parking lot. PLEASE do NOT walk through the mall with your animals. There is plenty of parking in the back, or you can park in front and walk around.

Our price list is as follows:

Dog and Cat Combo Vaccinations – $10.00
One-year Rabies – $10.00
Three-year Rabies – $20.00 (MUST have proof of prior year rabies – NO exceptions!)
Nail trims & Ear Cleaning – FREE!

If you have any questions about the clinic or want to know what your pet needs according to our records, please email snapdogs@charter.net.

UNO

Happy Tails — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 02:25:23 +0000

17 years ago my husband and I adobted a dog from the alliance/CCHS. Her name was Shannon and she was found out in the back woods of Baraga with 2 brothers. She was the perfect puppy for my husband and me who were just told we could never have children. Shannon was our baby! 16 years later we had 2 children of our own and our shannon loved them like her brother and sister. She had a wonderful life and we all enjoyed everyday with her!
on June 28, 2011 after a year of failing health, loss of hearing and eyes going bad my Sha-shan finally gave me the look and asked me to stop her pain. This was a VERY hard decision for our family to make. But Dr. Cole’s office helped us wonderfully thru the process of putting her down and ending her pain. It’s been a hard process and dealing with the loss of a loved one. Although she will never be forgotten or replaced..I felt the need almost a year later to have a puppy in the house again. Back to CCHS we went. A couple different visits… and alot of adorbale babies…. we found Sir UNO..I knew instantly, like I did when I saw Shannon… that Uno was the one for us. It took a couple days of discussion and a visit with our St. Bernard and Sir Uno came home with us on April 14th 2012. He has proven everyday to us that he is AMAZING and WONDERFUL! He is the happy puppy thoughts that we needed in the house to help us finish the mourning of our beloved Shannon! I know she is watchin with a happy wag from that puppy hevean in the sky, that we are all smiling again. I want to thank CCHS for all their help in our process of adopting Uno. He is wonderful and we will enjoy everyday of his life as we did our Shannon! Thank you so very much!

Special Thank you to Dr. Sue Kapla

Lynn — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:40:26 +0000

The Copper Country Humane Society was proud to host Dr. Sue Kapla this past Sunday for special training session in positive reinforcement techniques.

Dr. Kapla demonstrated many basic techniques for improving dog behavior and provided these handouts for all attendees.

About Dr. Kapla

With an emphasis on humane and effective techniques, Sue has been training dogs since 1989 and has been offering individualized behavior consultations and training to owners experiencing problems with their canine companions for over ten years. She earned her B.S. and M.S. at Northern Michigan University and received her Ph.D. from West Virginia University in 2005 where her research focused on problem behavior in companion dogs.

As a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist with the Animal Behavior Society, she is one of fewer than 50 in the nation. Dr. Kapla has worked closely with local shelters and veterinary clinics in Michigan, West Virginia, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Sue is currently an adjunct assistant professor in the Psychology Department at Northern Michigan University where she continues her studies on the behavior of dogs.

For more information about Dr. Kapla and Canine Consulting, visit http://www.canineconsult.com or for more information about the workshop please call CCHS (906-487-9560) or email: contactus@cchumanesociety.com

Vote for CCHS!

LeRita — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:37:45 +0000

The Animal Rescue Site Shelter Challenge has begun and with just a click each day to vote for the Copper country Humane Society (5 seconds of your time), you can help so many animals. Vote for CCHS every day – then share who you voted for! The Shelter Challenge gives your favorite eligible Petfinder.com rescue group the chance to win grants from $1,000 to $5,000 to help animals. When you spread the word, you increase the chances that your shelter will win!

Remember vote everyday and voting officially ends at midnight Pacific Time on Sunday, June 17, 2012! http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces

April is Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month

LeRita — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:41:16 +0000

Wondering how to stop animal abuse? April is Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month and Petside is supporting this cause by giving you five simple ways you can help prevent cruelty….
In just minutes, you can stop animal abuse and make a difference in your community.
1. How to Stop Animal Abuse: Speak for Animals
Animals can’t speak up when they are being abused, so when you see something, say something. If you witness an act of animal cruelty in your neighborhood, contact the authorities immediately. Report the incident to your local police department, animal control or humane society. Animal cruelty, neglect and abuse is illegal in every state in the nation under the Animal Welfare Act.
2. Preventing Animal Cruelty: Teach Children to Respect Animals
Be a role model to your children and show them how to properly take care of and handle animals. To reach even more kids, talk to your children’s school or neighborhood community center and see if you can arrange an assembly on responsible pet ownership. Respecting animals needs to start young because acts of violence towards pets can sometimes be an indicator of violence towards people later in life.
3. How to Stop Animal Abuse: Vote!
Put politicians in office that support animal protection legislation. Check out candidates’ websites or call their headquarters and find out how they plan to help stop animal abuse in your area. You can also write to your current representatives and ask them to support laws that increase punishment for animal abusers or increase the number animal control officers.
4. Preventing Animal Cruelty: Say NO to Puppy Mills
Puppy mills are a horrible reality of the pet industry. Refuse to buy pets or supplies from any store or website that sell animals. While you may think buying a puppy mill pet is saving an animal, it is only encouraging these mills to stay in business by keeping up the demand for their product. Only adopt from shelters or buy from reputable breeders and tell your friends to do the same.
5. How to Stop Animal Abuse: Volunteer or Donate
Volunteer your time and talents to a worthy cause. Even a few hours a week holding and petting animals at a shelter increases their chance of being adopted by making them more people friendly. If you are a writer, offer to help write the newsletter or lend your design skills to their website and advertisements. If you don’t have the time to volunteer, you can still make a difference by donating to an animal rights organization in your community. Information from - www.petside.com

MTU – Sledheads Help CCHS

LeRita — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:38:15 +0000

The snow may be gone but the kind and generous donation made by the “Sledheads”- Snowmobile Club of Michigan Tech will be put to good use well into the spring thaw. All of Sledhead members have a passion for snowmobiling and being in the U.P. is a great area for snowmobiling. They do a lot of work and events with the Range Snowmobile Club. Every year the Sledheads hosts a Charity Ride to donate back to a local organization and CCHS was the lucky recepient of this years Charity Ride. On March 31st, CCHS was presented with a $1000 check from the Sledheads along with hosting a BBQ and an afternoon of dog walking. THANK YOU SLEDHEADS for making a difference and helping the animals!

FREE – Dog Training Workshop at CCHS

LeRita — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 18:13:56 +0000

Mark your calendar – On Sunday, April 15th at 1pm, CCHS is honored to host a FREE dog training workshop featuring Dr. Sue Kapla. The workshop will be at the CCHS Animal Shelter in Houghton, rain or shine. Dr. Kapla will be demonstrating (using shelter dogs) actual hands-on positive training techniques and show you how easy it is to train any dog. Whether it is a shelter dog or your own pet, these training techniques can help transform your dog into a well adjusted and well behaved canine companion. Dr. Kapla will use shelter dogs to demonstrate great training techniques. (In effort to provide as much training information as possible without distractions from other dogs not being trained, we ask that you DO NOT take your own dog to the workshop).

If you love dogs and want to learn more about positive training and communicating with your canine friend, this is going to be a great opportunity for you to learn more from an expert in dog training and behavior. You don’t want to miss it!

More About Canine Consultants & Sue Kapla…

Sue is currently an adjunct assistant professor in the Psychology Department at Northern Michigan University where she continues her studies on the behavior of dogs.

CCHS Supporter John Dee Featured

Lynn — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 20:17:13 +0000

John Dee has been a long-time supporter of CCHS and even donates 100% of the proceeds from sales on his website johndee.com to our organization. He was recently featured in an article put together by UP’s Second Wave. Learn more about John Dee…Read more.

Little Ella has a Big Heart for Animals

LeRita — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 23:56:10 +0000

At the very young age of 4 years old, Ella Roy knew exactly what she wanted to do with her special Valentine’s Day present from her grandmother and grandfather. She wanted to buy presents for the shelter animals. Ella and her mom filled up a shopping cart with pet supplies and headed to CCHS where they were greeted with lots tail wagging, barking and furry friends eager to enjoy all the donated goodies. A special thanks to Ella, and her pet friendly family for making a difference and helping the animals.

Ella is the daughter of Dr. Jinny Sirard & Dr. Tyler Roy.

Bridger aka Wolfgang

Happy Tails — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 23:33:50 +0000

We met Bridger while walking dogs at the Humane Society one Saturday in late October. There was an instant connection and after talking to the workers about him, we knew he was meant for us. His owner had been deployed and couldn’t keep him. As Kyle had been in Iraq for a year it seemed perfect. It was decided that we would take him home that Monday. After two days with him we knew it was meant to be and we adopted him on Wednesday! It has been 4 months now and we couldn’t be happier. He has a great mentality, gets along with everyone, and loves skijoring, hiking and running. We couldn’t imagine him not in our lives. Thanks!!!
Amber and Kyle

Pet Portraits by Brockway Photography – Priceless

LeRita — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 20:44:49 +0000

A HUGE THANK YOU TO BROCKWAY PHOTOGRAPHY and everyone who participated in the incredible CCHS Pet Portrait Fundraiser. Check out many of the portraits by going to Brockway Photography – Designer Portraits FB page. These pictures are priceless and Mike’s (Brockway Owner and Photographer) donation of time, talent and portraits are an incredible gift to CCHS! Special thanks to Heather (Mike’s assistant) for making it extra special for everyone. Thank you from CCHS and all the animals you help!

http://brockwayphotography.com/

Keep Your Pet Safe this Valentine’s Day

LeRita — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:26:16 +0000

Lavish your pet with lots of love but keep the treats and flowers out of their reach! Valentine’s Day is typically filled with gifts of chocolates, flowers and candy. However, these gifts can be very harmful to our canine and feline loved ones. Chocolate is especially a hazard this time of year, dogs seem to love the taste as much as we do. Unfortunately, the fat and caffeine derivatives (methylxanthines) commonly cause intestinal problems (vomiting and diarrhea), and can cause panting, hyperactivity, seizures and heart problems leading to death. The darker the chocolate, the more toxic, with baking chocolate being the most dangerous. Another toxic food ingredient that has recently been shown to cause liver failure and is highly toxic to dogs is xylitol, a sugar substitute used in some chewing gums and sugar-free baking products.
Many flower and plant varieties are poisonous or harmful to pets. Different plants and flowers have varied effects. Some of the more popular varieties that may be found around Valentine’s Day are: Baby’s Breath, Chrysanthemums, Daffodils, various Lilies, Ferns, Hyacinth, Hydrangea, Impatiens, Lily-of-the-Valley, Rubber plants, and Tulips. Cats, especially, find grass-like plants irresistible and have access to just about everywhere. Lilies are particularly deadly to cats. There are many more flowers and plants that can cause upset and even death to your pet, so please be aware to keep all varieties of flora and fauna away from them.

Esme

Happy Tails — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:23:36 +0000

My wife and I will always remember the date,December 3 2011. That is the day we brought home Esme. Now when my wife on that day introduced herself to Esme, she received a rather cold reception, in fact Esme attacked her hand. We realized the the chance of adoption for her was slim, in fact she had been one of the longest to have been at the CCHS. We took her home. We had set up her own area in our computer room, food water litter box to give her time to adjust at her own pace. For six weeks she stayed in that room, in fact under a table. We made contact with her every day, made sure she was cared for and was comfortable. Very slow progress but we kept at it. Esme first accepted Lisey (Former Jewel from CCHS)and started to come out and look around. Love and patience has its rewards. Today Esme has accepted the rest of the gang and often chases Lisey down the hallway. At night she sleeps on our bed and although she remains independent, when she wished attention can be quite
affectionate.We have no regrets at all in having to take her home with us. She now is a part of our family and we are happy to have her. Just a word to all those looking for a friend from the CCHS. All of the animals in their care want a forever home, no matter how friendly they are or are not. Time, love and patience has its rewards. Tell the volunteers what you are looking for in regards to, do you have children,other animals,perhaps a lap cat and so on. Let them help you make your decision. When you arrive home, understand some animals take a long time to adjust, be loving and patient. We are so happy to have Esme as a forever friend. Thank you to all the folks at CCHS for caring.

Econo Cares

LeRita — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:26:29 +0000

Econo cares for our community and our shelter animals. CCHS volunteer, Roger Woods, graciously accepted a check for over $1900.00 from Econo Foods Supervior – Colin Gifford and book keeper – Dennece Robeson this week. This incredible donation is part of their “Econo Cares – Register Grocery Receipt Program”. CCHS earns 1% on the total of grocery receipts collected and thanks to all of you for giving us your receipt, CCHS turned in the most receipts again this year! YAY! Keep saving those Econo Food Receipts and Our Family Bar Codes for CCHS, because together we can make a difference for the animals!

Happy Tails

Happy Tails — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:03:48 +0000

Brought Sonic (Nikki) home just three days ago. She’s wonderful and very smart – exactly the dog we were looking for to add to the pack! She’s fitting in with our dogs perfectly, as you can see by the photo. Thanks!

February is National Pet Dental Health Month

LeRita — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:29:26 +0000

Your pet needs dental care too – regular, professional care from your veterinarian, as well as care at home from you can help keep your pet healthy and happy. Oral disease is the most frequently diagnosed health problem for pets. An astounding 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of oral disease by age 3, according to the American Veterinary Dental Society.

Oral Disease Can Lead to Other Health Problems

Bleeding gums
Tooth loss
Inflammation and infection of the gums can lead to heart, liver and kidney damage. In an alarming new study, gum disease, which can occur in up to 75 percent of dogs and cats by middle age, has been linked to the occurrence of heart disease.

HOW TO BRUSH YOUR PET’S TEETH AT HOME

STEP 1: Introduce a brushing program to pets gradually. Avoid over-restraining your pet and keep brushing sessions short and positive. A cat or small dog can be held in your lap. Praise and reassure your pet throughout the process.
STEP 2: At first, dip a finger into beef bouillon for dogs or tuna water for cats. Rub the soaked finger gently over the pet’s mouth and teeth. Make the initial sessions short and positive.
STEP 3: Gradually introduce gauze over the finger and gently scrub the teeth in a circular motion.
STEP 4: Finally, you can introduce a soft toothbrush designed for pets. Use a sensitive or ultra-soft brush designed for people or a brush designed for pets. Special pet toothbrushes are available from your veterinarian or specialty pet store. Don’t use toothpaste designed for people because it could upset the animal’s stomach.

Information Source: http://www.oxyfresh.com/news/ha_pet_gum_disease.asp http://www.petdental.com

SHOP ECONO FOODS and save “Our Family” UPC barcodes for CCHS!

LeRita — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:27:59 +0000

Econo Foods is adding a new way to help animals by raising MORE money through their wonderful community programs. Not only do your Econo Foods Receipts add up to over $4000 annually in donations from Econo Foods (SO PLEASE KEEP SAVING RECEIPTS FOR CCHS) but now if you buy “OUR FAMILY” products and save the UPC barcode, Econo Foods will donate 5 cents for each barcode CCHS redeems. It is simple – Shop Econo Foods “Our Family” brands, save the UPC barcode and give to CCHS! You can mail barcodes, drop in any CCHS canister or stop by the animal shelter. Together we can make a difference for many animals! Thank you!

“Pet Days” at Brockway Photography

LeRita — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 15:13:43 +0000

Once again Mike *Brockway Photography* is donating his services to help raise money for the Copper Country Humane Society on January 25th and 26th, 2012. The donation is $60.00 and in return you get a beautiful 11×14 portrait of your pet. Appointments are still available for both days. Please call their studio at 482-1900 to book your appointment. Some photos from past Pet Days can be viewed on their website: www.brockwayphotography.com

THANK YOU Brockway Photography for making a difference for animals in our community…year after year!

Our Sweet BB (aka Beatrix)

Happy Tails — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:28:29 +0000

We have always dreamed of having a St.Bernard, little did we know that the time we actually weren’t looking, Miss BB came into our lives. She was in her kennel barking her head off and I said “I want to walk her!” The instant we got her outside she was an absolute angel and the most beautiful girl we had ever seen. We knew that we could not live without her! She immediately bonded to us, her new “parents” ). She loves following us around the house, going for nice long walks on the trails and around town, going for car rides, and most of all, snuggling every second she can! She is such a love sponge! She often walks by and sits her little behind right on your lap, yes, she has no concept of her size. Another thing she loves is going to visit Grandma and Grandpa on weekends. She gets along well with the kitties and Bella (our old golden retriever). She is the classic definition of a gentle giant. She brings so much joy to our family, I cannot imagine our lives
without her. She is a true blessing and we feel so lucky to have found our ‘little’ girl. Thank you so much CCHS!

Brandon Spigarelli and Megan Lindeman (BB’s proud parents )

Deacon

Happy Tails — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:26:36 +0000

I moved to the Copper Country all the way from South Dakota when my husband and I got married, and we had to live at the student apartments at Michigan Tech (no pets allowed). Being around cats all my life, it was weird to be an apartment without a purring fur-ball on my lap. I would often visit the CCHS, just to pet and play with all the kitties. On one particular visit, I saw this large long-hair gray cat named Deacon, minding his own business, not paying attention to any of the other cats or even the people. I gave him some pets and he loved all the attention. I fell in love with him instantly, and would of adopted him right then if I didn’t live in a “no pets” apartment. After that, I made several trips to the shelter just to see Deacon, and I would bring my husband along to meet him too.
Months pass, my husband was getting closer to graduating from Tech, and we would soon have to move out of the Tech apartments. My husband was determined to find us an apartment in the area that allowed pets so I could have Deacon. It was a long and tough search, but we found one. Just a few days after we moved into the new place, we went to the CCHS, picked up Deacon and brought him to his new home.
Deacon is a very happy, content kitty. He’s very laid back, loves his toys, and he especially loves his scratching pad. Almost every night when my husband comes home from work, Deacon gets extremely hyper, and runs all over the apartment. He’s social with just about everyone that visits our home, he’s even won the hearts of people that once claimed that they never liked cats. Deacon has been the perfect addition to our family, he brings a lot of joy, smiles and laughter to our home. Thank you CCHS

- Kelsey Anderson

sidney (sid)

Happy Tails — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:24:26 +0000

we adopted sid in mid december so he spent his first xmas with us. we love him very much
and he adapted right away. hes a mommy and daddys boy. hes a senior but i hope we have
many years ahead with him. the rest of his life will be full of hugs and kisses.thanks for all
you do at the shelter. you all are truly special people.
jackie and jim

Make 2012 the Best for Our Furry Friends

LeRita — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:56:47 +0000

Many of us look a the new year in terms of being healthier and happier. We are also hoping that 2012 is the year we all do a little more for animals. Our busy lives and crazy schedules often leave little time for pet care, but here are some simple tips to help you, your pet and animals in general.

Talk a 30 minute walk with your dog a few times a week. This is a win-win for both you and your dog.
Provide your pet with yearly health checks and routinely check your pet at home to help identify possible health issues at an early stage. Check your pet’s teeth for tartar, run your hands down your pet for abnormal bumps or lumps, check ears and keep nails trimmed.
Feed your pet good quality pet food. A healthy diet is key to a healthy pet.
Make 2012 the year of ID TAGS for your pet. A simple ID tag can help reunite your lost pet so collar and tag your pet. Micro chipping is a permanent way to ID your pet.

Be an animal advocate this year:

Report animal abuse or neglect to law enforcement and be the voice for animals.
If you see a lost animal, rescue it! Most lost animals are rescued by private citizens doing a good deed. Don’t assume the animal will “find its way home”, most do not, so be that hero for a lost pet. Provide a temporary safe haven in your garage, shed or home and then contact your local animal shelter for further assistance.
Never buy an animal from a pet store. Never buy products from a pet store that sells animals. In retail environments, animals are treated like merchandise and not like living beings. Conditions are often unhealthy, neglectful and often these puppies are products of puppy mills. Make 2012 the year of adopting animals and not buying them.
Encourage family, friends and everyone you know to have their pets spayed and neutered. Help stop the cycle of unwanted litters and help end euthanasia of unwanted animals.

Taz

Happy Tails — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:45:05 +0000

When I came into the shelter I really wasn’t looking to take a cat home that day. But,when I saw this big old fat cat yes he’s a pretty huge cat and a long face just laying there looking up at me of course I had to go over there and give him a pet, he purred and purred and just melted in my arms. Both Taz and I fell in love.