Posts by Wendy Welch

Deer Doctor makes a virtual house call to Ann Arbor

Deer Doctor makes a virtual house call to Ann Arbor

March 12, 2021 | Comments Off on Deer Doctor makes a virtual house call to Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI (March 12, 2021) – In 2015, Ann Arbor City Council approved a four-year deer management plan including shooting deer in city limits; 2020 was the fifth year. To date, Ann Arbor has spent over $750,000 on deer management, including $469,700 to contracted sharpshooters who have also been counting the deer. In 2020, their aerial survey counted 137 deer in the city, versus 224 the year previous. “As a community leader faced with the impact of deer damage in parks, yards, and gardens, and conflict among your constituents regarding an effective solution, you are not alone,” writes Sandy Baker,
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Why all the barking?

Why all the barking?

March 2, 2021 | Comments Off on Why all the barking?

“How do I stop my dog from barking?”  is a common question trainers get. To answer that, the first things we need to know are 1) in what type of situations is your dog barking, and 2) what need are they trying to meet? Dogs bark for a lot of reasons: boredom, fear, attention, excitement, etc.  In any of these cases, the focus shouldn’t be on stopping the behavior, but instead, thinking about meeting the dog’s need before the barking starts.  For good tips on addressing different types of barking, check out this blog post: https://positively.com/dog-behavior/nuisance-behaviors/barking/ Avoid devices or methods
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The DC Cat Count

The DC Cat Count

February 26, 2021 | Comments Off on The DC Cat Count

This month, we wanted to highlight a first-of-its-kind study on feral cat populations. In late 2020, the D.C. Cat Count project wrapped up its field work. Over two years, they collected over 6 million photos in the D.C. area in order to figure out how many cats live there. A final result of the 3-year project is set to come out later in 2021. This kind of work is, in our opinion, incredibly exciting and extremely important. So much about community cats – including even basic things like how many are out there – is not fully understood. The more
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Humane Society of the United States awards HSHV’s Cruelty and Rescue Supervisor

Humane Society of the United States awards HSHV’s Cruelty and Rescue Supervisor

February 16, 2021 | Comments Off on Humane Society of the United States awards HSHV’s Cruelty and Rescue Supervisor

Melinda Szabelski, Cruelty and Rescue Supervisor at Washtenaw County’s Humane Society of Huron Valley (HSHV), was named a “local hero” in the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) Stop Puppy Mills Campaign. The award is given annually to 14 people across the nation who’ve made a difference fighting puppy mills in their communities.
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Bringing outdoor kitties in – When should you do it and how?

Bringing outdoor kitties in – When should you do it and how?

January 25, 2021 | Comments Off on Bringing outdoor kitties in – When should you do it and how?

We have all faced times when we find an outdoor cat that we think would do well inside. Still, the first question to ask yourself is how likely the kitty would be to even want to be inside. As indoor creatures ourselves, sometimes we assume that all animals would want to be indoors. But cats that come for feeding, and eat near you, but never want you to touch them may love you and still not want to live inside – living outdoors can be a great life for a cat, particularly when they have caregivers who feed them and
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How to keep kids’ toys from becoming dog chews

How to keep kids’ toys from becoming dog chews

January 15, 2021 | Comments Off on How to keep kids’ toys from becoming dog chews

In homes with children and dogs, it sometimes can be challenging to keep kid’s toys from becoming dog chew things, especially during the holidays or birthdays when toys are all over the place.  Here are a few tips for keeping your kids’ (or your own) things safe from your dog’s jaws!
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Senior dog adopts a senior

Senior dog adopts a senior

January 11, 2021 | Comments Off on Senior dog adopts a senior

I was looking for an older dog and Happy was only dog pictured on HSHV site at the time, April 2018. The info said she was 10 years old. I went first thing the next day and met her in the office, I believe, because she barked at every animal in the shelter. The note said she enjoyed leisurely walks, but when out on the leash she took off at a rapid pace. I’m a walker so I enjoyed that speed. She was known to have a heart murmur, but a later evaluation by a canine cardiologist indicated that did
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Sammy❤️

Sammy❤️

January 11, 2021 | Comments Off on Sammy❤️

My son Joey has been really wanting a black cat. So on Thursday we came to HSHV. We started to look around at all the cats but my son kept walking past them until we came up to Miss Prissy’s cage. Right away she started to purr and wanted our attention. My son and I fell in love right away and knew we wanted her more than ever. So we brought home an amazing 8 year old cat who is so sweet and caring. Bringing Sammy home was the best decision we made that day. Age really doesn’t matter, you
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