Companion Animal Welfare Fund

Last spring, the Michigan legislature passed a law that created a Companion Animal Welfare Fund. Beginning in spring 2009, taxpayers have had the opportunity to donate a portion of their tax refund or make a voluntary donation to this fund to help companion animals. The funds will be distributed through grants to animal shelters and rescue groups for adoption and sterilization programs. This is an easy and convenient way to help homeless companion animals.

Registered Shelters & Animal Control:

The department shall make grants to animal control shelters or animal protection shelters for only 1 or more of the following purposes:

1. Increase the number of dogs and cats that are sterilized and adopted.
2. Provide information to the public about the value of sterilization and adoption of dogs and cats.
3. Improve knowledge of proper care of animals pursuant to state animal anticruelty laws by education the public and training personnel authorized by law to enforce state animal anticruelty laws.
4. Support and enhance programs that provide for the care and protection of animals pursuant to state anticruelty laws.
5. Purchase equipment and supplies for programs that receive grants under this act.

Donation instructions:

Complete Form 4642 (Be sure to select “Number 2: Animal Welfare Fund”) and attach to Form 1040. You may download these forms from the links below:

• Voluntary Contributions Form -  4642 http://www.michigan.gov/documents/taxes/4642_260740_7.pdfIndividual

• Income Tax Return – MI 1040

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/taxes/MI-1040_260741_7.pdf

The Geneva Wrens 4-H Club and Dr. Kenneth Main, D.V.M of the Allegan Animal Clinic are hosting a Dog Clinic at the Bangor Fire Station at 417 West Arlington in Bangor on Sunday, February 28th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.  They will be providing rabies shots and other vaccinations.  Van Buren County 3-Year Dog Licenses can also be purchased.  For further information, contact Wendy Dopp at 269-637-1914. (This is a 4-H Event and not an Al-Van Humane Society Event)

National Animal Welfare Organization Offers Tips to Keep Animals Safe ‘Til Spring

While winter weather made a late debut this year in many parts of the country, it has certainly arrived with full force. Now that the thermometer is dipping lower and lower, the Al-Van Humane Society and ASPCA^® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals^®) wants to remind you that your furry or feathered companions may also be feeling the chill. In addition to being vulnerable to the cold weather, many wintertime household products can be harmful to pets. Here are some tips to help ensure that your pets stay healthy and safe until spring:

- Even if your pets are indoor/outdoor creatures, make sure their outdoor areas are well sheltered from the cold and wind. If possible, keep animals inside during especially cold spells and inclement weather. When taking pets outside for exercise or play, keep them warm with a sweater or jacket made just for them. If your pet is playing off-leash in a snowy area, keep them in sight at all times.  Snow makes it difficult for dogs to scent their way back to you and may become lost or confused.

- Although it’s not the “dog days of summer”, animals still need to drink plenty of water. “Winter air can be very dry, leaving pets dehydrated, just as they are during the hot summer months,” says Dr. Louise Murray, Director of Medicine for the ASPCA's Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital. Make sure your pets have plenty of food and water. If your pet’s water bowl is kept outside, make sure the water hasn’t frozen during a cold snap. And use caution when leaving your pet’s food outside, as wild animals may wander onto your property to graze if their usual food supply is suffering a shortage.

The ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center advises that while taking steps to prepare your car for the long winter, be on the lookout for any antifreeze or engine coolant spills that might occur. “These products contain chemicals that are harmful to animals,” said Dr. Steven Hansen, veterinary toxicologist and vice president of the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center, the premier animal poison control center in North America. “It’s important that you remember to store any potentially harmful chemicals in clearly marked sealed containers and in areas that are inaccessible to your pets.”

- During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars for warmth and protection. But a car’s fan belt can kill or injure an animal when the motor starts. If you are aware that there are outdoor or feral cats in your neighborhood, please bang on the hood of the car and wait a few seconds before turning on the engine.

- We rely on ice melts to rid slippery sidewalks, roadways and driveways of the ice and snow during the winter months. But these products may contain ingredients such as calcium chloride and sodium chloride (table salt) that can irritate animal paws or skin. Pets may also accidentally ingest ice melt from their paws or from the ground.  Depending on the amount ingested, ice melts can potentially produce a variety of effects such as drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, and, in severe cases, cardiac abnormalities, seizures, coma and even death. “If you suspect your dog may have accidentally ingested any harmful ingredients, please seek veterinary treatment immediately,” said Dr. Hansen.