Babies on Board

Category: Gary's Column, Spring 2017, Wild About Wildlife 275 0
Spring issue cover photo
San Diego Humane Society’s staff veterinarian Dr. James Ransom and communications specialist Stacy Archambault are foster volunteers. They host neonate puppies who need special feeding and socialization until they are ready to be adopted. Credits: Solana Beach residence and interior design by Kristianne Watts. Photo by Jennifer Siegwart.

Spring might bring a burst of blooming wildflowers (especially this year, considering our bounty of rain), but at San Diego Humane Society, the season is centered around something even more beautiful: babies! On an average day, we care for more than a thousand animals throughout our programs and facilities, and during what we lovingly call “baby season,” that number swells by an additional 500. Hundreds of kittens are born, nursed, and rescued every spring, so our Kitten Nursery is buzzing. Since opening in 2009, we have rescued and cared for nearly 10,000 underage kittens in our Kitten Nursery, thousands of which came in as neonates who couldn’t yet see or eat on their own. I’d say the nursery is our number-one lifesaving tool, and you can read more about it and the team involved on page 16.

Now, as cute as kittens and puppies are, there’s a lot to consider when it comes to adopting a young animal. That’s why we’re bringing you a comprehensive look into the life cycle of your pets in this issue, including a guide on how to care for them at every stage of life. Wellness isn’t just for us humans. Our furry friends need the same consideration of their mental, physical and psychological health. Read our helpful guide on page 19, and stop by one of our campuses anytime to speak with one of our many trained adoption counselors.

It’s not just cats and dogs for us at SDHS. This time of year, you’re likely to see some fluffy ducklings and bunnies, or great horned owls and baby hummingbirds around our local parks and open spaces, too—unfortunately, we see an influx of orphaned or injured wildlife during the spring. You can read about all the great work we do at
Project Wildlife to care for these animals, including a helpful guide on what to do if you come across them yourself, on page 29.

Now, while the rains have subsided for a bit, let’s get outside, leash up our dogs and smell the roses! I hope to see you at our Walk for Animals at Liberty Station on May 6. It’s our version of the season’s “opening day,” and you’re all invited.

GarySignature

Gary Weitzman, DVM, MPH, CAWA
President and CEO
San Diego Humane Society


 



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