San Antonio Pets Alive

2012 is going to be a wonderful year for animals in San Antonio. You may be aware already that the Austin city shelter has gotten to a greater than 90% save rate due largely to the efforts of Austin Pets Alive!

The great news is that San Antonio Pets Alive! has already been formed to make San Antonio a No Kill City with an estimated life-saving launch date of 1/19/2012. This new organization will use best practices from many different cities to get to a No Kill San Antonio as fast as possible - which would make us the largest U.S. city to be No Kill!

The world has long believed that there are not enough homes for the pets killed in shelters but according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, there are over 100,000 homes available to new pets in San Antonio each year. If we convince just 20% of those homes, through marketing, awareness, and adoption events to adopt a shelter pet instead of purchasing a pet, enough animals will be saved to make San Antonio a No Kill City (where only terminally ill or dangerous animals are euthanized).

Currently, the city of San Antonio euthanizes over 18,000 animals per year, or around 50/day. This is a crisis that needs immediate attention. SAPA will have a laser-like focus on the dogs and cats who are literally hours from euthanasia, and will provide temporary and emergency foster homes, medical aid, and adoption services to make sure they survive. Our first priority will be to save every single puppy and then move on to saving every single kitten, then on to the adults who end up on the euthanasia list.

Just like every animal ends up in the shelter through the action of one person, we need for every animal to get out of the shelter alive through the action of individuals like you who all step up to help. It is going to take the San Antonio community to help make this a success! Let’s all make a New Year’s Resolution to save our San Antonio animals!

San Antonio Pets Alive’s success will be possible because of YOUR thoughtful contributions (time and money). Because only by working together can we reach a time when there are No More Homeless Pets. Your tax-deductible gift will give hope and a loving home to San Antonio’s animals. Please don’t delay. I urge you to give your most generous gift now so that we can rescue animals that are currently in danger of euthanasia and help re-home them in the new year! Thank you and bless you for your kindness In partnership and excitement Dr Ellen Jefferson Executive Director

corner It is so important and easy for you to help San Antonio Pets Alive get started on the right paw. Please help us today by: • Click here to donate via Razoo • Click here to donate via PayPal Mail a check to: San Antonio Pets Alive!, P.O. Box 830006, San Antonio, TX 78283 *** Don’t forget to check with your employer to see if they will match your donation. It’s a quick and easy way to double your impact! ***

Donate!!!

Donate at www.sanantoniopetsalive.org or directly at: h ttp://www.razoo.com/story/Sanantoniopetsalive

Banner/Signs/Flyers printed Blankets

Can Food (for puppies, kittens) Collars (especially for puppies) Crates (especially LG and XL) Dog Beds DryDog Food (high protein)

Folding Plastic Table

IV Fluid Bags (LRS, 0.9%NACL, Normosal) and lines

IV Infusion Pumps, Nebulizers

Kitty Litter Laptops

MORE WAYS YO

Foster! Email: foster@sanantoniopetsalive.org

Volunteer Email: volunteer@sanantoniopetsalive.org “Like” SAPA! on Facebook! www.facebook.com/sapetsalive Learn More About SAPA! Visit www.sanantoniopetsalive.org

In the early weeks of bringing home a new puppy, many owners are overwhelmed. There are supplies to shop for, appointments to make, and lots of training to be done. Setting up the right behaviors and expectations during puppyhood is essential, and it starts with puppy obedience training classes.

There are many factors that go into choosing the right obedience training classes for you and your puppy. Certainly, distance is a consideration; however, convenience shouldn’t be the only factor that influences your decision. Other things like training methods, appropriate classes for your needs, compatibility of the instructor’s personality with yours, and certifications of the instructor should also play a role.

There are benefits to home training and group class training. Some trainers will come to your home and provide private one-on-one training. Some owners opt to train their own dogs.

Home training may allow you and your dog to focus more on each other. Group class training helps your dog learn to focus, even when there are distractions from other dogs.

One benefit of home training is that it is private — you and your trainer can focus on things you particularly want your dog to learn, while at group classes you may spend time on things you don’t personally find important. In some cases, you may not have any choice but to train at home; remote or rural areas may not have a local training school where you can take group classes.

Most training schools are happy to allow you to attend and observe a class or two to be sure the style of instruction fits with your beliefs (leave you pup at home for this.) Most dogs learn best through positive reinforcement training; rewarding the dog for making the right choice and withholding rewards, or ignoring the dog for making an incorrect choice.

When observing a class, take note of the dogs; do they look happy? Relaxed? Excited to work? Is the instructor encouraging dogs and owners? Does the class seem to be run in a safe and effective manner? If you don’t feel comfortable at a particular training school, your dog won’t either, and you’ll be setting your dog up to fail. Keep looking for a school where you feel comfortable; both you and your dog will succeed best in this environment.

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