Sunshine

The days may be getting more gloomy outside but you can add a little sunshine by adopting Sunshine, a female shepherd mix available at the Geauga County Dog Shelter.

According to shelter officials, Sunshine was a found in Chardon in September. 

She is looking for a family that will care about her.

If you are interested in adopting Sunshine, stop by the shelter at 12513 Merritt Road in Chardon, or call 440-286-8136.

If you cannot adopt a dog, you can help feed the shelter dogs by dropping off dog and puppy food at the shelter or sending in a donation to the above address.

-- Robin Palmer
rpalmer@news-herald.com

The annual Black Cat Ball to benefit the Lake Humane Society is coming up on Saturday, Oct. 26; find all the info in the flyer below:

Mandy Osborne with the Lake Humane Society says, "All proceeds from this event will benefit the injured, abused and abandoned animals here at Lake Humane Society. The event is a blast and it helps us raise tens of thousands of dollars for our cause."

Zeppe's Tavern & Pizzeria, 11110 Kinsman Road in Newbury Township, will be having a fundraiser to benefit Geauga Humane Society's Rescue Village and Lake Humane Society. The Howl-o-Ween fundraiser will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 19.

Information from a news release:

Zeppe’s will be hosting a Howl-o-Ween Fundraiser with the Lake Humane Society & Geauga Humane Society on Saturday, October 19 at 11am at Zeppe’s Tavern & Pizzeria in Newbury. The event will be free for guests & their pets, with the request to donate whatever they can to support such a worthy cause.

Enjoy a delicious slice of a 100 foot Zeppe's Sub! Rock out to live music with Smack the Frog, a pet costume contest with prize baskets for cutest, funniest and most unique pet costumes judges by Bill Louis.

Plus, there will be wonderful, loving pets in need of a good home! We will also feature entertainment for the whole family such as a face painter, kissing booth, caricatures, photos with pets, pumpkin painting contest & more!

Today is National Pet Obesity Awareness Day. Below is a news release with tips and pointers on keeping your dogs fit and active from Camp Bow Wow CEO and founder Heidi Ganahl:

Identify and Prevent Obesity

Signs to indicate your pet is overweight

• Pet tires easily
• Difficulty getting up
• Visually, there is a lack of a waist line and you are unable to feel the ribs of your pet easily
• Breathing problems
• Arthritis
• High blood pressure
• Hair coat problems

Tips for readers to get in shape with their pets

• Invite a neighbor dog (one that likes to play) to come over for a “play-date” to make them more active
• Take your dog on a hike –great cardio and muscle-building activity for both pet and owner
• Take your dog to pet friendly stores with you for extra exercise
• Sign up for a run/walk (5K) that allows pets, so you are able to stay active with your furry friend
• Cut down on treats for your dog and feed responsibly; count calories
• Consult with your local vet on nutrition
• Keep your pet active and set responsible goals that will become a daily routine

Examples of human foods that can quickly lead to pet obesity

• Snacks like potato chips and ice cream, or more commonly cheese and peanut butter (which are frequently used to conceal medicines) are quick ways to pack on the pounds

Other solutions

• A lot of products and diets are marketed and available for pets, which can help ameliorate obesity
• Some dog food companies are following “prepackaged” and “measured” systems, which help to avoid over-feeding, as well as appetite suppressant products

Benefits of Socializing Pets

• Physical exercise keeps dogs from displaying behavior problems that dogs who don’t get exercise tend to display, like chewing, digging, excessive barking, etc.
• Just like humans need friends, so do dogs. They need a core social group of other dogs to interact with - especially if they are an “only” dog at home.
• A tired dog is a good dog! Camp wears the dogs out from all of the stimulation that they get (both mental and physical), so parents get to bring home a nice, tired pup at the end of the day.
• Keeping your dog socialized will help keep dogs from displaying serious behavior issues like aggression toward other dogs or people.
• Getting dogs out of the house on a frequent basis helps stimulate them mentally. Dogs need as much mental stimulation as they do physical stimulation to keep them happy and healthy.
• For parents that have longer work hours and don’t have as much time to walk their dogs as they would like to, camp gives the parents a great way to give their dog the benefits of interacting with other dogs and people instead of leaving them at home.

Lake Humane Society has an adoption special for the month of October: "Adopt a black cat or an orange cat of any age during the month of October and you choose the adoption fee!"

This special will run through the end of the month. All adopters must first be approved. Some restriction may apply.

For more information, call 440-951-6122. Visit the shelter at 7564 Tyler Blvd., Building E, in Mentor. View adoptable animals by visiting Lake Humane Society's website.