Posts by Wendy Welch

HSHV & Tiny Lions cat café reopening to the public with added safety measures

HSHV & Tiny Lions cat café reopening to the public with added safety measures

June 15, 2020 | Comments Off on HSHV & Tiny Lions cat café reopening to the public with added safety measures

Beginning Wednesday, June 17, the Humane Society of Huron Valley (HSHV) and their Tiny Lions lounge and adoption Center will reopen for limited public visitation. “While we continually offered essential services including pet food assistance, intake of stray animals, and emergency veterinary care during the shut down, we’re delighted to see more of the animal-loving community again and safely allow people to enjoy the benefits of animal interaction and vice-versa,” says Tanya Hilgendorf, HSHV’s CEO. “HSHV takes the health and safety of our human visitors, employees and volunteers very seriously,” says Hilgendorf. “We are following guidelines from the CDC, state
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Identifying Responsible Breeders

Identifying Responsible Breeders

May 21, 2020 | Comments Off on Identifying Responsible Breeders

How to identify responsible, caring breeders: Meet breeder in person at the location the dogs are housed and bred – no off-site, roadside, or parking lot meetings Ability to see the conditions the puppies – and their mother – are housed in Conditions should be clean, spacious, and temperatures appropriate for the specific dog breed – not crowded or caged continuously Dogs should be provided with nutritious food, bedding, and toys as appropriate Research the breeder beforehand – a quick Google search of their name for news articles or negative reviews can help you identify bad actors Ask what happens
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Humane Society Offers Virtual Class on Co-Existing With Coyotes

Humane Society Offers Virtual Class on Co-Existing With Coyotes

May 12, 2020 | Comments Off on Humane Society Offers Virtual Class on Co-Existing With Coyotes

May 11, 2020 (Ann Arbor, MI) –   Have you spotted a coyote in your neck of the woods lately? You’re not alone. Coyotes are highly adaptive and can thrive anywhere, including in wilderness, suburban, and urban areas. And they are an essential part of a healthy ecosystem, controlling rodent populations – and thus rodent-and tick-borne diseases like Lyme and Hantavirus – and protecting crops. As the Michigan DNR points out, homeowners can take basic steps to discourage coyotes from their properties, and there are many ways for us to coexist peacefully with them. “There is so much misinformation and hostility
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Cat Enrichment Ideas During Times of Change or Stress

Cat Enrichment Ideas During Times of Change or Stress

May 7, 2020 | Comments Off on Cat Enrichment Ideas During Times of Change or Stress

[print-me]   It’s been an uncertain time for all of us – including the kitties in our lives. We’re home more and our cats are likely wondering why their nap schedule has been suddenly thrown off by human intervention.  Cats thrive on schedule/routine, and even if they’re used to you being home, they’re likely not used to you being home ALL of the time, and their normalcy can be easily disrupted.  Cats may respond to this change in many ways, like being active at times they’re usually not (cat suddenly waking you up at night?), vocalizing more than normal, seeking
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Dogs and Masks

Dogs and Masks

May 6, 2020 | Comments Off on Dogs and Masks

[print-me]   There is no doubt, the recent weeks have been strange and stressful for all of us.  Coming months will also likely bring more changes and adjustments in our lifestyles for both us and our pets.   One of the new sights that you might increasingly be encountering out on walks may be people wearing CDC-recommended face masks or other facial coverings.  You may be getting used to this new sight yourself, so imagine how strange it may look to your canine companion, who is suddenly wondering why humans look so different.   Help your dog out by getting
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Returning to work? How to prepare your dog

Returning to work? How to prepare your dog

April 24, 2020 | Comments Off on Returning to work? How to prepare your dog

[print-me]   Is your dog actually loving the current stay-at-home order?  Pets may be the one part of the population who are not minding this new routine, as now they have you all to themselves all day long!  While you are hopefully enjoying all this extra time with your pets, you may have concerns about how your puppy or dog is going to adjust when things start to return to normal and we are leaving during the day again.  Now is the time to start working on preparing your dog for this eventual change.   First, set up a special
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Animals and COVID-19

Animals and COVID-19

April 10, 2020 | Comments Off on Animals and COVID-19

As you may have recently heard in the news, a tiger in the Bronx zoo became mildly ill and tested positive for COVID-19. There have also been media reports about a small study just published suggesting that domestic cats are susceptible. Dogs may be vulnerable too, but the evidence points to this being less likely. In this study, a few cats and kittens were injected with mega doses of the virus, contracted the disease and infected other cats. Understandably, these stories are adding to the confusion and worry about how to keep ourselves and our animals safe.  But neither the zoo
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Humane Society goes virtual during Covid-19 crisis

Humane Society goes virtual during Covid-19 crisis

April 7, 2020 | Comments Off on Humane Society goes virtual during Covid-19 crisis

April 6, 2020 (Ann Arbor, MI) – Like many other animal shelters in Michigan, HSHV is offering only essential services and following all official recommendations to stop the spread of COVID-19. Adoptions and animal intakes are by appointment only. The outpatient veterinary clinic is no longer performing outpatient sterilizations or other non-essential exams. All onsite programs and events have been canceled and HSHV’s cat cafe, Tiny Lions Lounge and Adoption Center, remains closed until further notice. But, during this time of social isolation, community members can still connect with animals and people from the comfort of their couch.  HSHV has gone
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How You Can Help Animals Now

How You Can Help Animals Now

March 26, 2020 | Comments Off on How You Can Help Animals Now

HSHV is deeply committed to our animals, our animal loving community and the many vulnerable families in our community. In this time of turmoil and uncertainty, there are many things we can’t do, but many things we can.
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HSHV reminds community, “We’re still here for the animals and you”

HSHV reminds community, “We’re still here for the animals and you”

March 18, 2020 | Comments Off on HSHV reminds community, “We’re still here for the animals and you”

As many hunker down with their furry friends, others suffer quarantine loneliness or economic uncertainty, and Washtenaw County's 120+ year old Humane Society of Huron Valley (HSHV) wants to remind you they're still here. "Our pets are so important to our families, health and wellness. While HSHV has cancelled or postponed all group activities, we remain open for the most critical needs of our beloved animals," says Tanya Hilgendorf, HSHV's CEO.
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