Six dogs and two birds died after they were locked in an unoccupied home in Woodland for several months, and an Oak Ridge father and daughter were cited for animal cruelty this week because they allegedly failed to provide the animals with food, water, care, and shelter, authorities said.
On Tuesday, the father and daughter—Hillman N. Wright, 90, and Annette M. Wright, 57—received nine misdemeanor citations each for animal cruelty, authorities said. [Read more…]
Here are four simple tips on how to keep pets safe during the July 4 holiday, plus a few bonus tips on how to find a lost pet:
The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter on Belgrade Road is pictured above.
More pets go missing around July 4 than at any other time of year, and noisy fireworks are to blame.
While many of us enjoy the sights and sounds of big fireworks, our pets are often terrified by the loud noises and can become frantic and run away, trying to find a safe haven. According to national statistics, animal control officials across the country see a 30-60 percent increase in lost pets each year from July 4-6.
Julie Armes, the supervisor for the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter, said July 5 is their busiest day of the year.
“People are coming in or calling, looking for their lost pets or bringing in pets they’ve found,” Armes said. “Sadly, many pet owners never come in to retrieve their dogs or cats.” [Read more…]
The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter has temporarily reduced its adoption fee from $110 to $45 so air conditioning units and new insulation can be installed. Puppies are pictured above in the front kennel area of the animal shelter.
The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter has temporarily cut its adoption fee by more than 50 percent—from $110 to $45—so air-conditioning units and new insulation can be installed in a rear kennel area.
“We can’t have the animals in here when we re-apply the insulation,” said Julie Armes, Oak Ridge Animal Shelter supervisor.
The rear kennel area has 40 dog runs, but it has never had air-conditioning. Temperatures there can exceed 90 degrees. Although the shelter hasn’t had any heat fatalities, Armes said the heat is hard on cats and short-nosed dogs, such as pugs.
