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Welcome to the Barkingham Mews, the Greater Birmingham Humane Society's monthly on-line newsletter. We hope to keep you informed about upcoming events, some of our adoption success stories, and other exciting opportunities available here at the GBHS! Your input is important to us, tell us what you would like to see in upcoming editions! |
You Have One Week...Adopt a Cat or Kitten Today! |
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 June is Adopt-A-Cat-Month. Take advantage of our reduced adoption fees before the end of the month!
As of June 21st the Greater Birmingham Humane Society has already received 1,943 cats and kittens this year. In comparison, the GBHS rehomed 312 cats and kittens. Our community, like many others, has an overwhelming cat overpopulation problem. There are simply far more kittens born, than there are responsible homes.
Despite the statistics and the horrifying facts, you can make the difference in the life of a homeless cat or kitten. When you adopt, you are taking one simple step to ensure that a precious pet is loved, respected, and given a forever home. To that pet, you will be his or her world. You will have saved a life, but not just one life. When you adopt, you give another pet the opportunity to find a loving home by freeing kennel space for him or her.
June is Adopt-A-Cat-Month. Help the Greater Birmingham Humane Society raise awareness about the wonders of sharing your life with a feline. Share your adoption stories and photos with us through our website. If you are a fan of the Greater Birmingham Humane Society on Facebook, share your story on our wall! If you have been longing to share your life with a feline, young or old, purr-crastinate no more! Come adopt your purr-fect feline from the Greater Birmingham Humane Society today!
During the month of June, in celebration of the special cats and kittens in our care, we are reducing adoption fees to: $50 for cats over 6 months and $100 for kittens under 6 months. All adoptable cats and kittens have been spayed or neutered, microchipped, vaccinated, and those over 6 months have been FELV tested. No value can be placed on the pet you will be adopting, only on the services we have provided for him or her. The average cost of services rendered to our adoptable cats and kittens is $240. Adopting your next pet from the Greater Birmingham Humane Society will save a life, save YOU money, and provide both you and your new feline friend years of love and joy!
Take the first step and meet some of our adoptable cats and kittens today! |
The Clock is Ticking - Pledge, Promote, & Provide Today! |
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 Did you know that three simple steps can save lives? That you can help reduce the number of unwanted pets in your community? That you have the power to help end animal cruelty? And that you can help the GBHS continue our 126-year mission to serve the pets and people in our community. By participating in the Greater Birmingham Humane Society's “Pledge, Promote, Provide” campaign you can make all of these things possible.
We are asking everyone in and around Jefferson County to commit to doing three little things that will make a BIG difference.
Take a moment to watch our YouTube video today and learn how your support - as a volunteer or financial or in-kind donor - will make a difference in the lives of pets and people we serve!
The GBHS has secured a very special Pet Care Package for one lucky participant! Eligibility is based on the completion of all three steps on or before July 1st.
Get started today! It’s as easy as 1-2-3! |
Keep Your Pets Safe This 4th of July! |
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 You love your pet. And your pet loves to be with you. However, holidays can quickly go from family fun to tragedy. It takes a little planning, but you can ensure a safe and happy July 4th for you, your pet, and your guests!
Learn how you can prevent a pet related disaster by taking a moment to consider a few safety tips:
Keep your animals inside the house in a secure room where they can not break through a window or dart out the door. If your animal is crate trained and you will not be home, keep your pet in his crate - he will be safer and happier in "his room".
Play soothing music or turn the TV on to a "pet friendly" station. This will help mask the sounds from outside and keep your pet calm and happy while you are gone.
Make sure your animal is wearing a collar with current ID tags. Microchips are also very helpful in the event your pet's collar comes off; however, nothing takes the place of a tag with your current contact details.
In the event that your pet does escape call your local Humane Society, Animal Control Office, Veterinarians, the Alabama Pet Registry (205-969-2241), and the microchip company with whom your pet is registered IMMEDIATELY. Time is critical when an animal becomes lost and is even more critical when there are extra stimuli (i.e. loud noises from fireworks) that produce fear. When an animal is frightened it is more likely to run farther distances (the fight-or-flight syndrome) and is less likely to be social with strangers, making her more difficult to catch.
If your animal remains lost for more than 12 hours begin putting up flyers with a thorough description of your pet and a current photo. Also include the following information on the flyer:
- Date and time lost.
- Owner name, phone number, and area of town (be specific).
- Offer a "REWARD" but do not state the amount.
- Color of collar and types of tags that the animal is wearing.
- Microchip number, if applicable.
- Complete description of your pet: Breed(s), Hair color, Eye color(s), Length of tail (especially if unusual length for the breed), Sex (altered or unaltered), Any Distinguishing Marks (i.e. that freckle beside his nose or the heart shaped mark on her paw).
Be sure to circulate the flyers to your local Humane Society, Animal Control Office(s), Veterinary Offices, the Alabama Pet Registry, your neighbors, local stores, and any other high traffic areas.
Most important DO NOT LOOSE HOPE and stay in contact with these organizations as they may have many other "lost" pets on their lists. Your beloved companion is relying on YOUR tenacity to bring him home! If you have any questions or concerns, call us at 205-942-1211 or send us an e-mail!
May you and yours have a very safe and happy Fourth of July! |
Birmingham's Young Professionals Reach Out to the Pets at the GBHS! |
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 Join Birmingham's Young Professionals this Thursday, June 24th, at Workplay for a social & networking event to benefit the pets at the Greater Birmingham Humane Society!
Purchase your tickets on-line and save $5 or buy them at the door and pay $25. Tickets include beer, wine, & food (while supplies last).
A portion of the proceeds will benefit the pets that currently call the GBHS home.
Visit ypbirmingham.com for more information.
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Hissapurra: Love is Just a Hiss & a Purr Away!
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 Queen Hissapurra didn’t start out in life as royalty. As a tiny kitten, she had been living all alone in the wild and was eventually captured in a “have-a-heart” trap as a semi-feral stray. Under normal circumstances, feral strays are deemed too wild and terrified to be kenneled and, sadly, face only one unfortunate option. But this little kitten was different; she was given a second chance. Her rescuers, Josh & Stacey N., volunteered to foster her with the hope that she could come out of her shell.
Little Hissa’s story is told by her new-found “mom”…
“Originally nicknamed simply “Hissa”, the little kitten was very reluctant to trust humans. She hid under the sofa and hissed any time we came near. Hissa quickly bonded with Norman, an adult male cat in the home, and seemed to accept him as her stand-in mother. Norman would spend hours cuddling with Hissa, grooming her, and tumbling around playing with her. With time, Norman taught the little kitten that she could trust humans. After about a month, “Hissa” transformed into “Purra”. Rather than running and hiding from us, Hissapurra began to greet us at the door, weaving in-between our legs and begging for attention. She loves to play with people, cats, and dogs, and has turned out to be a real lap-kitty. We always knew she had lots of personality!
 When it was time for Hissapurra to come back to the GBHS to be spayed, the doctor discovered that she had coccidia, an intestinal parasite that causes great discomfort. She was treated for the intestinal parasite, and re-tested a week later. Her new test results brought even more bad news. Not only did she still test positive for coccidia, she was also infected with two different types of lung parasites. The lungworms are rarely seen in house cats, and typically infect feral cat colonies where food is scarce and hunting is a must for survival. Cats acquire the parasite when they consume an infected host, which are typically birds and small mammals. Living in the wild had really taken its toll on little Hissapurra.
Although the GBHS is accustomed to treating cats and kittens with coccidia, the lungworms posed more of a challenge. Besides the additional expenses involved, treatment for lungworms is not always successful and can even be fatal. Thanks to the Skipper Fund, little Hissapurra bravely received her first round of injections without a whimper or a hiss. In fact, she purred.
After all we went through with this little kitty, we just couldn’t imagine life without her! Hissa fit into our family so well, that we decided to adopt her. These days, Queen Hissapurra is happy and healthy, and enjoys a life fit for a queen. She purrs non-stop and even meows on command! We are forever grateful to the Greater Birmingham Humane Society for helping us save Hissa’s life.” |
Mark Your Calendar: Gimme Shelter Barkitecture Tour & Charity Auction |
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 Mark your calendar for the event of the summer!
The Greater Birmingham Humane Society's Board of Directors presents the third annual Gimme Shelter Barkitecture Tour & Charity Auction! This year's event will be held at Old Car Heaven on Saturday, August 22nd.
Learn more about the event and purchase your tickets today at gimmeshelterbirmingham.com. |
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