Microchip? Is that like GPS?

The following post is courtesy of www.animalalliancenyc.org.



Why microchip your pets?

Having your pets microchipped is one of the best ways to increase the chance that, if your pet becomes lost or stolen and winds up at an animal shelter or veterinary office, he or she can be returned to you. Unlike dog tags and collars, which can fall off or be removed, microchipping is a more permanent form of identifying your dog or cat.

How does it work?

A tiny capsule about the size of a grain of rice is injected under the loose skin on the back of your pet's neck. The procedure provides no more discomfort than a vaccination.

What do I have to do?

Register the chip. This is extremely important! If your vet does not submit the paperwork for you, make sure YOU complete the form and mail it to the company.  And even if your vet submits the paperwork for you, it's a good idea to follow up with the company to make sure the chip was registered correctly. (If you have your dog or cat microchipped at a Mayor's Alliance low-cost microchipping clinic, the Mayor's Alliance will submit the paperwork for you.)

I've lost my microchipped pet.  Now what?

If your dog or cat becomes lost and turns up at a shelter or vet's office, a scanner can be used to read the digital number on the chip.

A phone call to the microchip company to which you registered the microchip provides the shelter or vet with your contact information, and you can be contacted to retrieve your pet.

Where can I have my pet(s) microchipped?

The Mayor's Alliance holds low-cost microchipping clinics at events throughout the year where you can have your dog(s) or cat(s) microchipped for only $25 each. If you'd like to host a microchipping clinic in your neighborhood, please contact us at info@AnimalAllianceNYC.org.

You can also ask your veterinarian or local animal shelter for advice about microchipping and prices.
If you'd like to host a microchipping clinic in your neighborhood, please contact us at info@AnimalAllianceNYC.org.

Participate in our Then And Now Project

Adopters!

Send us a picture of your A Tail kitty.  We are posting "then and now" pics on our website and we'd love to see how your adopted kitty is doing.  Email info@atailatatime.org and we'll feature your cat on our website.

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Spring Fling

Click invitation for larger view

Monday Meow

Midnight is luscious black cat with a small white patch on her chest and fantastically soft fur.  She is affectionate, likes to be petted and seems to enjoy being picked up.  At a year old and weighing eight pounds, she's sweet and petit.  She'll make a wonderful pet.

Midnight was owner-surrendered due to allergies.  They're loss, our gain!  Look at those beautiful eyes!  Also, if you have a pet bird who's looking for companionship, Midnight is a friend to all birds!  She loves them -- and not in an eating kind of way.

If you or someone you know is interested in giving Midnight her furrrrever home, email us at info@atailatatime.org or visit our website at www.atailatatime.org for more information.

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More Kittens! And more and more and more...

Jay's kittens -- two girls and a boy

Without our foster families and our volunteers, A Tail at a Time would not be able to save the animals we save.  Kitten season is here in full bloom and we need help.  We're seeing more and more kittens on the alert lists, and just this weekend a cat we pulled from the kill list gave birth to three more.

While the number of euthanized animals has dropped in the past years, there are still thousands and thousands of healthy, affectionate, young, friendly cats and dogs killed annually simply because of lack of space and funds.  From February 2009 to January 2010, twenty-eight thousand one hundred sixty-eight (28,168) cats came into the NYC shelters.  Three hundred ninety-eight (398) of those cats were claimed and returned to their owners.  Eighteen thousand three hundred sixty-three (18,363) were adopted (either by individuals or adoption groups) and eight thousand one hundred eighty-eight (8,188) were euthanized.*

Each day, Tracey and Kathleen (founders of A Tail), receive an alert list from Animal Care & Control, which informs them of all new arrivals.  Thanks to kitten season, we are seeing nearly a hundred new feline arrivals each afternoon.  Some of the new arrivals are as young as three days and some are as old as nine years.  Some were surrendered by owners who are moving, getting a divorce, or having a baby.  Some were found as strays, wandering the street, crying for food, eager to be petted, stroked and picked up.  Some are there because their owner died and no one else wants them.  Some are there because their families don't want to deal with a cat and her new litter of kittens.

The good news is that you can help.  You can volunteer for an animal rescue organization by helping at adoption events, you can spread the word about free spay/neuter programs, you can foster a pet (or several!), you can encourage friends who want to buy a pet to adopt one instead.  We are a small group now, but it's our mission to recruit more fosters so we can save more animals, and it's our dream to have a greater impact on the people of NYC, who's responsibility it is to make sure that all of their pets are spayed and neutered.

The fact of the matter is that the animals pouring into the ACC every day are victims of people who are too busy, too distracted, and too uninformed.  We can change that.  We can't save all the animals, but we can save a tail at a time.

If you'd like to help, please email us at info@atailatatime.org or visit our website www.atailatatime.org for more information.  And always, always, always opt to adopt!



*Statistics taken from the NYC ACC website www.nycacc.org

LOST CAT

Click photo for larger view

Adoption Event This Saturday!

This Saturday will be our first event as an official 501c3 Non Profit Group!

Where:  Pet Health, 81st and Amsterdam

When:  Saturday, April 17, 2010, from 12 to 4

We need volunteers for the following shifts:

11:30 to 1:30 or 2

1:30 or 2 to 4:30 (includes breakdown)

We need a total of four volunteers per shift, two outside at the table and two inside.

If you'd like to help, email info@atailatatime.org.

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Meet the Family (UPDATED)

This week's featured adoptable, Hazel, is the mother of five seven-week old kittens.  There's Bailey, an affectionate, beautiful blonde tabby who loves to play and pounce and snuggle:

Ella and Tula, who are best friends and would love to be adopted together:

Tula's got a face that's just begging to be kissed!

Lovely Ella is looking for a human to love...

And Gus and Floyd, two sweet little boys:

For more information about any of our adoptable cats and kittens, or if you're thinking about becoming a volunteer or a foster, visit our website at www.atailatatime.org or email us at info@atailatatime.org.

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Good news!!

We got our non-profit status!  It's all official -- now when you donate to A Tail At A Time you can deduct it from your taxes!!





see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Weekly Feature

Hazel is a ten-month old kitten who had a litter of her own kittens just seven weeks ago.  She's a wonderful mama and a wonderful pet.  She's very affectionate, friendly, playful and loves to be petted and cuddled.

Oooh, yeah... right there... little to the left... purrrrrrfect!

Right now Hazel is living in a foster home with her daughter, Bailey.

Snack time! 

(Bailey eats regular kitten food, but she nurses for comfort.)

This beautiful mama would make a great addition to just about any family.  For more information about Hazel, Bailey, or any of our other adoptable cats and kittens, visit our website at www.atailatatime.org or email info@atailatatime.org.

Opt to Adopt!

Jay

Jay is a young cat who was pulled from the kill list three weeks ago.  She was released without being spayed because she was too sick for surgery.  Low and behold, just a few weeks after A Tail got her, we found several small lumps in her belly.  Several small lumps that jump and squirm and wiggle.  Either she's been probed by aliens or she's going to have kittens!!

Weekly Feature

Sookie is a beautiful dilute tortie who is only a year old.  She enjoys cramming her body into very small spaces and chirping loudly to get your attention.

Sookie is shy because she came out of a hoarding situation, but give her a little bit of time and she'll open up.  Talk to her when she starts chirping and you'll find she can talk for hours.  I'm sure this pretty girl has a lot to tell whoever decides to take her home.

Recently Sookie met two motherless kittens and to everyone's surprise she adopted them as if they were her own.  She's particularly bonded with Steve, a two month old spotted heartbreaker.

For more information about Sookie or any of our adoptable cats, email info@atailatatime.org or visit our website at www.atailatatime.org.

Opt to Adopt!