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!
Join Us This Sunday, October 25th, at Shower for the Shelter!
What: Celebration of 126 Years of Service by the GBHS When: Sunday, October 25th from Noon to 4:00 P.M. Where: The GBHS at 300 Snow Drive, Birmingham, AL 35209 Entrance Fee: A Gift for the Homeless Pets at the GBHS The pets' top five gift picks are: fleece blankets & towels, cat toys, Kong toys for the dogs & pups, baby shampoo, and cleaning supplies. View more needed items on our wish list.
GBHS Adopt-A-Pet Month is in Full Swing!
The GBHS has declared this October, Adopt-A-Pet Month. Our Pay It Forward campaign has gone a long way to help raise funds for the pets in our care and to help reduce adoption fees for some of our "long termers" or special pets. Of our Pay It Forward candidates, we are pleased to announce that Dusty, Coco, Jerry, and June have been adopted. However, we still have Santina, Chloe, Snoopy, Ebony, Little One, and Princess who have been in GBHS care for more than 90 days. You may wonder, "what is wrong with these pets to keep them from being adopted?". The answer is simple, nothing is "wrong" with them. They are simply older pups or adult cats who have continually been overlooked.
We have 11 days and need to find responsible loving families for at least 78 more pets to meet our Adopt-A-Pet month goal of 241 adoptions!
Some ways you can help us meet our goal this month are:
Help us reach our goal of adopting 241 pets this month! Adoption fees have been reduced for October.
When Buster came to the GBHS, he was emaciated and had a heart filled with heartworms. He was soon an office "foster" where he received heartworm treatment, lots of good food, and even more love. After several weeks of recovery, Levon was ready to find his forever home and that was when Ms. Blanchard saw him.
"Levon (previously Buster) is the first dog I started seriously looking at online. I was only three weeks away from getting married, and KNEW it was unfair to adopt a dog right before the wedding/honeymoon chaos.
When my husband, Mark, and I returned from the honeymoon, I was shocked to see that Levon had not been adopted yet. Sure, he was no longer a puppy (about 2 years old now), but he was BEAUTIFUL! That's when I convinced myself, and Mark, that it was meant to be.
I went to meet Levon that weekend and fell in love with him right away. I learned that he had been left at the front gate of the Humane Society in the most horrible condition. He had heartworms, a broken toe, and was severely malnourished. The GBHS had completely transformed this dog. He was almost 100% by the time I saw him!
He was shy at first, but has completely warmed up to Mark and me. His favorite thing in the world is water, and he even prefers it over food. Sometimes he does a little dance when we bring him a new bowl of it (which we can not fill up fast enough). He loves his walks, especially marking his territory, but has not quite grasped the game of catch. He is amazing with people and other dogs and even gave my parents' cat a chance to play with him (which Demetri regretfully declined). We are lucky that Levon was waiting for us at the Humane Society and are happy to have him as part of our new family!"
Baby, It's Cold Outside...It's Time to Keep Your Pets Out of the Cold!
Just like us, pets need to become acclimatized to temperature changes. Unless your pet has always been kept outside, it is safer to start in the summer. Allow your pet to gradually become accustomed to the changing seasons. Puppies or old dogs should never be kept outside in the winter. They do not have the fur or body fat to defend them against freezing temperatures.
It’s never too late to train your dog to live inside. If you’d enjoy having your dog in the house but are concerned about behavior, call us for advice at 205.397.8522. Remember, dogs are social creatures and prefer to live within a family group.
If you know of a pet that is not welcomed indoors, you may want to share some cold weather safety tips with the owner.
If your dog cannot live inside, here are some tips to keep him safe:
If you use a dog house be sure to face the doorway out of the wind or cover it to reduce draft. The temperature may not be freezing, but the wind-chill can still kill.
If you have a garage, use it for the colder months to protect your dog from extreme temperatures.
Dogs eat more in the winter, be sure to supply plenty of food. Keeping warm requires a lot of energy. Check water bowls every morning to crack the ice.
Allow plenty of bedding. Dogs will nest in whatever material is available to keep warm.
If you have more than one dog, buy a dog house big enough for them to sleep together to keep warm.
Certain breeds with short hair or naturally low body fat reserves are not suitable to live in cold temperatures. For example greyhounds do not retain enough weight to keep warm outside.
Heating pads and raised dog beds can be purchased to make your dog more comfortable.
Cold Weather Tips for Cats
Much like dogs, cats too must acclimate to the weather changes. The Greater Birmingham Humane Society recommends keeping your cat indoors at all times. However, if you permit your cat to go outdoors or live outdoors completely, it is especially important to provide adequate shelter during cold weather.
If your cat cannot live inside, here are some tips to keep her safe:
Cats, much like the smaller dogs, often do not have the body fat or thick fur coats to keep warm during cold weather.
If your cat is kept outdoors throughout the year, make sure you provide increased amounts of food during the winter months and check the water bowl daily.
Your cat may also appreciate a warm place to get out of the weather i.e. a small dog house with appropriate bedding or access to your garage.
If your cat is typically kept indoors, please remember that the shock of the temperature change can be very detrimental to your cat's health.
If you would like your cat to learn to live indoors with you, contact us at 205-942-1211 for assistance in making this transition.
Featured Pet: Ebony
If you are searching for a beautiful pup who is sure to bring you years of joy, you need to meet Ebony - a 5 1/2 month old Lab/Shepherd mix.
Ebony is still 100% puppy, but has had most of her puppyhood stolen by the lack of a real home. She has been with the GBHS since July 3, 2009 - she was only 9 weeks old.
Despite these obvious setbacks, Ebony is very well rounded. She is friendly, playful, and loves people and other dogs. She would LOVE a home where she can get LOTS of belly rubs and have some GREAT chew toys!
Get Your Howl-iday Photos With Santa!!
Looking for a fun, unique way to celebrate the holidays and spread holiday cheer to your family and friends? Join us for Howl-iday Photos this November!
Login or register today to book your photo session at the GBHS! Santa will be available for photos, if desired. Howl-iday Photos will be offered from 11 AM to 2 PM on Saturday, November 7th, 14th, and 21st.
The GBHS has declared this October, Adopt-A-Pet Month. Our 
When Buster came to the GBHS, he was emaciated and had a heart filled with heartworms. He was soon an office "foster" where he received heartworm treatment, lots of good food, and even more love. After several weeks of recovery, Levon was ready to find his forever home and that was when Ms. Blanchard saw him.
Just like us, pets need to become acclimatized to temperature changes. Unless your pet has always been kept outside, it is safer to start in the summer. Allow your pet to gradually become accustomed to the changing seasons. Puppies or old dogs should never be kept outside in the winter. They do not have the fur or body fat to defend them against freezing temperatures.
Much like dogs, cats too must acclimate to the weather changes. The Greater Birmingham Humane Society recommends keeping your cat indoors at all times. However, if you permit your cat to go outdoors or live outdoors completely, it is especially important to provide adequate shelter during cold weather. 
If you are searching for a beautiful pup who is sure to bring you years of joy, 
Looking for a fun, unique way to celebrate the holidays and spread holiday cheer to your family and friends? Join us for Howl-iday Photos this November! 