Raw Feline, A Subsidiary of Crescent City Animal Shelter

Who Do You Turn To When Your Pet Needs Help But You Cant Afford The Bill?

First, an article on how to budget for and afford vet care:
http://www.kvia.com/Global/story.asp?S=859109

The list of Organizations (Alphabetical):

American Animal Hospital Association
http://www.aahahelpingpets.org/home/
"The heartbreak happens all too often  a pet owner is unable to afford
treatment and their sick or injured companion animal pays the price.
If the owner is elderly, disabled or on a fixed income, the cost of care
may be too much of a stretch for their pocketbook. Perhaps they have been
victimized by crime, property loss or a job layoff and are experiencing a
temporary financial hardship  making it too difficult to afford pet care.
And some animals, brought to clinics by Good Samaritans, don't have an
owner to pay for treatment. Whatever the situation, the fact remains the
same: When sick or injured animals are unable to receive veterinary care,
they suffer. Through the AAHA Helping Pets Fund, veterinary care is
possible for sick or injured pets even if they have been abandoned or if
their owner is experiencing financial hardship."

Angels 4 Animals
www.Angels4Animals.org
"Angels4Animals, a non-profit organization and a program of Inner Voice
Community Services, has a mission to serve as the guardian angel of
animals whose caretakers find themselves in difficult financial
situations. At Angels4Animals we believe that animal owners should not
have to say goodbye to the animals that they love. Our work is
accomplished in conjunction with veterinary clinics across the country,
eager to assist as many animals, and their owners, as possible. Our
services range from financial aid to complete treatment to those pets and
pet owners in need."

Care Credit
www.carecredit.com
A credit card company for health care, including veterinary care.
"CareCredit, the leader in patient/client financing, has helped more than
3 million patients/clients get the treatment or procedures they needed and
wanted. With a comprehensive range of plan options, for treatment or
procedure fees from $1 to over $25,000, we offer a plan and a low monthly
payment to fit comfortably into almost every budget."

Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance (FVEAP)
http://www.fveap.org/sys-tmpl/door/
"The NEED & The HELP: Seniors, People with disabilities, People who have
lost their job, Good Samaritans who rescue a cat or kitten - any of these
folks may need financial assistance to save a beloved companion."

The Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program is a nonprofit
501(c)(3) organization that provides financial assistance to cat and
kitten guardians who are unable to afford veterinary services to save
their companions when life-threatening illness or injury strikes.

Help-A-Pet
http://www.help-a-pet.org/home.html
"Our efforts focus on serving the elderly, the disabled, and the working
poor. For lonely seniors, physically/mentally challenged individuals and
children of working parents, pets represent much more than a diversion."

IMOM
http://www.imom.org
"Mission Statement:
Helping people help pets.  To better the lives of sick, injured and abused
companion animals. We are dedicated to insure that no companion animal has
to be euthanized simply because their caretaker is financially
challenged."

The Pet Fund
http://thepetfund.com/
"The Pet Fund is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit association that provides
financial assistance to owners of domestic animals who need urgent
veterinary care. Often animals are put down or suffer needlessly because
their owners cannot afford expensive surgery or emergency vet visits.
Companion animal owners must often make the difficult decision to put an
animal down or neglect urgent medical needs because of the costs involved.
The purpose of the Pet Fund is to work towards a future where decisions
about companion animal medical care need never be made on the basis of
cost."

United Animal Nations
http://www.uan.org/lifeline/index.html
"The mission of LifeLine is to help homeless or recently rescued animals
suffering from life-threatening conditions that require specific and
immediate emergency veterinary care. We strive to serve Good Samaritans
and rescue groups who take in sick or injured animals.  In certain cases,
LifeLine can also assist senior citizens and low-income families pay for
immediate emergency veterinary care."

UK Assistance with Veterinary Bills
http://www.petloversonline.co.uk/financial.htm
"Most of us can cope with the financial commitment involved in the day to
day care of our pets.  However, how many of us come out in a cold sweat
when our pet is ill or injured and we know we have to take it to the vet?
Most of us are fortunate enough to be able to afford it but, some of us
who love our animals dearly cannot. Unfortunately we do not have a PDSA or
a RSPCA Centre within our area, but there are a few charities who may be
able to help."

Other Groups Who are Breed or Injury Specific:

Corgi Aid
http://www.corgiaid.org/

Dachshunds Needing IVDD surgery
http://members.rushmore.com/~dds/applyforhelp.htm

HandicappedPets.com
http://www.handicappedpets.com/Articles/help/
"From time to time, HandicappedPets.com recognizes a caretaker of
handicapped pets that need some special attention, and a little extra
help. There are those who are so selflessly dedicated to their animal
families that they give up a little more than they can afford."

Labrador Lifeline
http://www.labradorlifeline.org/success/2005-abbey.htm

LabMed: Rx For Rescued Labs
http://www.labmed.org/aid_main.html



Recognizing an Emergency: Who and When to Call

By: PetPlace Veterinarians
	
	
http://www.petplace.com/dogs/recognizing-an-emergency-in-dogs-who-and-when-to-call/page1.aspx#> 

Phone numbers for your veterinarian and local emergency clinic should 
always be on hand.

When to Worry:

* If you’re a typical pet owner, you have probably faced this quandary: 
Your beloved companion may be ill, but you don’t know whether you’re 
overreacting or whether you should bring her in to a veterinarian. And 
she can’t tell you if something is bothering her, or how serious it is.

The simplest way to determine if it is an emergency is if you are 
concerned, contact a veterinarian. The veterinary assistants and 
veterinarian can help you determine if an emergency visit is necessary 
or prudent.

Performing a brief at-home physical exam may also help you. If you see 
any abnormalities, consult your veterinarian. For mild symptoms, 
scheduling an examination may be enough. But you should be aware of the 
signs that require immediate care. These include:

* Seizures
* Difficulty breathing
* Non-responsive or comatose
* Uncontrollable bleeding
* Extreme pain
* Continued vomiting, especially with blood
* If your pet was struck by a car or some other vehicle
* Ingesting poisonous material or improper medication
* Bloody stools
* Collapse

You should have your veterinarian’s phone number and address handy in 
case of an emergency, along with his/her pager. You should also have 
the phone number, address and directions to the nearest veterinary 
emergency clinic.

If you cannot contact your veterinarian or he cannot help you, consult 
a local veterinary emergency clinic. If all else fails, look in your 
telephone book and try to find a veterinarian that is available to 
help.



*Who Should I Call?*

* If you notice an injured animal, try to contact your veterinarian for 
instruction and assistance.

* If your veterinarian is not available, try to contact a local 
veterinary emergency center or 24-hour veterinary hospital.

* Some local humane societies or animal shelters have ambulatory 
services if you are unable to transport the animal for care.

* Animal control officers have equipment and supplies to help transport 
an injured animal.

 * Police officers can sometimes be helpful if the injured animal is 
posing a risk to people (such as affecting traffic flow).

* If there is a tag on the injured animal, contact the owner to inform 
them of what has occurred and where the animal is being taken.

* For wild animals, contact an area wildlife rescue or rehabilitation 
center or conservation department.

http://www.petplace.com/cats/be-cat-prepared-for-disaster/page1.aspx



Tips for Specific Emergencies/ Natural Disasters
By: PetPlace Staff

A hurricane marches up the eastern coast toward your town. Do you know 
how to keep your pets safe? Although we can’t prevent many disasters, 
we can certainly learn how to deal with them.

Disasters come in two forms: natural and man-made. Natural disasters, 
are the most predictable because they are often seasonal. Hurricanes 
and storms are tracked for days before making landfall. Earthquakes are 
still random events, though, and tornadoes can occur with little 
warning.

Man-made disasters are often unpredictable. Most are accidents, such as 
the spilling of hazardous material or accidental fire. Others, as we 
have witnessed, can be the result of criminal activity (such as arson) 
or terrorism.

Here are a few tips on how to handle five potential disasters: 
hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, floods and wildfires. These tips 
were compiled by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which 
has partnered with the Humane Society of the United States to help 
protect pets during emergencies. You can learn more about how to handle 
disasters by visiting FEMA’s Web site at www.fema.gov.

Preparedness is the key in any emergency, especially if you have pets. 
You can learn more about how to best prepare yourself and your pets by 
seeing the related article "Keeping Your Cat Safe When Disaster 
Strikes."

Hurricanes

Although they can be very destructive, hurricanes are very predictable. 
The National Hurricane Center in Miami tracks weather patterns and 
notes possible hurricanes long before they pose a threat. The important 
thing is to monitor a storm’s progress to see if it becomes a risk to coastal 
areas. (A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when winds reach 74 miles 
an hour; but a storm is still a storm and not to be taken lightly.) The 
hurricane center issues three levels of warning: hurricane advisory 
(which tells where the storm is located and direction of movement); 
hurricane watch and hurricane warning.

A watch is issued when hurricane conditions are possible within 24 to 
36 hours. At that time you should:

* Begin evacuating large animals (such as horses) and large populations 
of dogs and cats (such as those in shelters) from vulnerable areas.

* Keep your pets indoors and accessible. Cats can sense a hurricane and 
may be hiding. You may want to put them in their transport cages so you 
don’t lose valuable time finding them.

* Know your community’s preplanned evacuation route.

* Store a week’s worth of fresh water and food for yourself and your 
pets, and prep your house (i.e., put up hurricane shutters, etc.).

A warning is issued when a hurricane is 24 hours or less away from 
striking. You should complete all preparations in a hurry before high 
winds and heavy rains arrive. Remember that storm surge is especially 
dangerous. Only stay in your home if it is safe, and always bring your 
pets with you, even if you are not sure where to take them.

Earthquakes

Unlike most natural disasters, earthquakes are still unpredictable 
events. An earthquake is a wave-like movement of the earth’s surface, 
caused when the crust and upper part of the mantle grind against each 
other along fault lines. When masses of rock slip along a fault, energy 
is released in waves.

* Do not place dog runs or other animal enclosures underneath objects 
that could fall on them during an earthquake or sharp tremor.

* Keep a pair of bolt cutters in your disaster kit, in case cages are 
damaged and can’t be opened.

* Know where to turn off gas supplies to the house or barn.

* Include your pets in family earthquake drills, and instruct your 
family on how to handle them. Remember that in an emergency, a 
frightened pet may bite or scratch.

* If you plan to leave your pet at a kennel, inform them of your 
earthquake preparedness plans.

If an earthquake hits, keep your pets with you and safely confined, if 
possible. Pets that escape often return during mealtimes. Make sure 
they do not eat or drink anything other than from your supplies.

Tornadoes

Tornadoes can be very destructive and can touch down without warning. 
The weather service issues two levels of warning: tornado watch and 
tornado warning.

A watch is issued when tornado conditions are possible. At that time 
you should:

* Keep your pets indoors and accessible. You may want to put them in 
their transport cages so you don’t lose valuable time finding them.

* Make sure you have a week’s worth of fresh water and food for 
yourself and your pets and prep your house.

A warning is issued when a tornado has been spotted. Retreat to a 
basement, storm shelter or sturdy room in the center of the home. Bring 
your pet with you.


Floods

Floods can affect any part of the United States, and each year more 
than 300,000 people are forced to evacuate due to rising waters. Floods 
are classified by how quickly they rise.

Slow-rising floods are more predictable and usually involve rising 
rivers or streams. Flash floods can hit quickly from heavy rain or 
melting snow. They can also be caused by dam failure. 

There are three types of flood warnings:

* Flash flood watch. This is issued when a flash flood is possible, but 
not necessarily imminent. You should prepare to evacuate your pets, if 
necessary.

* Flash flood warning. A flash flood is imminent or may be in progress.
* Flood warning. This warning is an advanced notice that a flood may 
occur (or has occurred) in a specific location or river basin. You 
should begin to relocate large animals (such as horses) that are in 
danger.

You should map out several evacuation routes; don’t rely on mapping out 
just one. You should also anticipate the path a flood may take; this 
may have a bearing on how you evacuate larger animals such as horses. 
Head for the nearest high ground with your pets. It is better to err on the 
side of caution and evacuate early. If the evacuation proves to be 
unnecessary, consider the experience as practice for the real thing.

Never leave any animal behind unless your safety would be compromised. 
(If you absolutely must leave him behind, make sure he has an easy 
escape route.) Never tie up an animal if floods are threatening.

Note: The threat of disease is especially strong after a flood. Keep 
your pets well away from standing pools of water; they should only 
drink from water you bottled or boiled. This includes tap water. Unless it 
was protected, consider animal feed contaminated and dispose of it safely.

Wildfires

Wildfires typically occur during summer, when the air is hot and dry. 
Once lit, they can consume millions of acres, forcing the evacuation of 
thousands of people. The smoke from wildfires often closes nearby 
highways.

For this reason, you should plan several escape routes for you and your 
pets in case fire blocks your path. You should also practice fire drills 
with your family, and include your pets in the drills. Here are a few 
actions you can take to protect your home and pets:

* Provide wide spacing between trees, and cut back vegetation 
overhanging buildings.

* Create a “fire break” around your home or barn by clearing away 
vegetation, especially dead brush. Fire breaks should be about 30 feet 
wide for all structures. For homes built in pine forests, they should 
be 75 feet wide.

* Buy rope or leather halters for horses (nylon halters melt when 
heated and could injure your horse).

* If a fire is close, wet the manes and tails of horses, and place a 
piece of cloth around the nostrils to reduce smoke inhalation. You may 
want to blindfold them to make evacuation easier.

* Take all animals with you, if possible. If you can’t bring a horse, 
lead him to the safest part of the pasture, then shut the barn door.

Deaths during and after a wildfire are usually caused by complications 
from smoke inhalation. If an animal was exposed, monitor him for smoke 
inhalation pneumonia.