Join us on Sunday, February 12,  from 11am-4pm and enjoy a great day of golf that supports an even better cause – Pet Pal Animal Shelter! The afternoon includes 18 holes of golf at Countryside Country Club  with cart, lunch, cigar, awards for the ‘longest drive’ and‘ closest to the pin’ and gift drawings. Partial proceeds raised during the day will be donated to Pet Pal Animal Shelter. Special thanks to our friends Joel and Debbie from the Cigar Republic who are putting on this “smokin’ ” tournament! To sign up, contact Debby Harris at 727-388-1410 or email dharris@cigarrepublic.biz. Registration forms are also available at Pet Pal Animal Shelter

Tank is a 1 1/2 year old male Pit Bull Mix- just don’t tell him that because he thinks he’s a lap dog. Tank is a goofy character, who knows basic commands such as sit and shake and loves to play fetch. He does well with other dogs and even better with people. Tank has been with us for a while and frankly we don’t know why. Please come on out and visit this boy and who knows…he may just win your heart!

It’s funny-what was adorable behavior in your puppy at six weeks, is downright annoying at 6 months. So what happened? Well, for lack of a better term, their “puppy license” expired. Puppies are given a puppy pass because well, frankly-they’re adorable. Nature is no fool- it does this for a reason. Then, sometime between 5 and 6 months, your dog begins to experience adolescence and you’re left asking, “Who is this monster and what have he done to my dog?” Suddenly, your dog won’t come when called or possibly he begins to exert his authority just a bit too much. Take a deep breath and realize that this is a normal part of your canine’s development and not a reason to surrender your pup to the nearest shelter. Our best teachers for how to deal with this actually comes from our adult dogs who understand this behavior and react accordingly. When dealing with puppies, an adult dog will tolerate an occasional gnawing of the ear or body slam but begins to set clear boundaries when this same behavior is exhibited by a slightly older, slightly larger dog. If you think about it, it’s not much different from how humans handle adolescence; a baby grabbing a fistful of hair will be tolerated more than a 12 year old doing the same act. This is mainly because they have developed the capacity to receive instruction on appropriate behavior. Because of this, clear consistent boundaries must be set and adhered to and, before you know it, that “little monster” has grown up to become your well behaved pal.

Holiday Parties, Fire Works Displays and New Year’s Day-The hustle and bustle of people and loud noises can be rather stressful on your pet. Make sure you provide pets with a safe, quiet room they can go to during holidays. This way they can retreat to their ‘safe place’ and the likelihood of your pet bolting out of front door is greatly diminished.

New Year’s Day next to July 5th, is the busiest day for animal shelters and people looking for their lost pets. Prior to any holiday celebration, make sure your pet has:

(1)Identification tags with accurate information.

(2) A microchip: More pets find their way home due to their microchip. If your pet doesn’t have a chip, having one inserted before New Year’s might not be a bad idea. Remember to update your microchip registration if you’ve moved or changed phone number.

(3) An up to date photo of your animal to have on hand to give to animal services or other local animal shelters and to make flyers with. Remember that a picture speaks 1000 words.

Best Wishes to you and your pets and we look forward to seeing you soon at Pet Pal Animal Shelter.

As this year comes to an end, we’d like to express our gratitude to all of you who have believed in and supported Pet Pal this year. Because of you, we had more adoptions in 2011 than in any other year in Pet Pal’s history. A shelter is not a building but rather a community effort to bring together animals and people for the greater good of both.

We will be closed to the public Saturday, December 24th and will reopen on Tuesday December 27th Don’t worry, though- Our animals will be well cared for with visions of dog biscuits and scratching posts dancing in their heads.

Merry Christmas to you all!

This holiday season, Pet Pal has several gift ideas for your two AND four legged friends.

Stained Glass Ornaments- These lovely tree ornaments, shaped into pawprints in colors green and red are available at Poodle Palace and Pet Boutique (6660 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach)) Quantities are limited and 100% of the proceeds from the sale of each ornament (retail value $150)go directly to Pet Pal’s emergency medical fund.

Murals for Mutts- Save 25%now through December 31st when you have your pet’s portrait painted on the Gas Plant Antique Arcade Mall (1246 Central Avenue). For every portrait painted, a donation will be made to Pet Pal Animal shelter. For more information, visit www.muralsformutts.com

Gone to the Dogs Boutique-This holiday season GTTD is teaming up with Pet Pal. For a minimum donation of $1, you can decorate an ornament with your dog’s name to place on their store’s Christmas tree. 100% of the proceeds will benefit the shelter.

Enchanted Forest Christmas Party - On Thursday, December 15th from 5-8pm Queen’s Head, located at 2501 Central Avenue will be holding a special Christmas party with phenomenal food and drink and, of course a Canine Christmas Costume Contest, which will benefit the pups at Pet Pal. Call 727-772-5218 for more info.

Iron Pelican- The Iron Pelican (2454 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg) is providing a drop off site for toys for our good little four-legged girls and boys. In appreciation for your kindness, The Iron Pelican will offer a 10% discount off your purchase now through December 23rd.

Great Russian Nutcracker Ballet-Tickets are available for the holiday classic, The Great Russian Nutcracker, performed by the Moscow Ballet on Monday December 26th and Tuesday, December 27th at the Mahaffey Theater in downtown St. Petersburg. For every ticket purchased, a $5.00 donation will be made to Pet Pal. For Tickets call 1-800-320-1733 x 15. Remember to use the code “pet pal”.

Meet the Cast Party- On Monday night, December 26th,St. Petersburg Nights (St. Pete Beach) is offering a cast party to meet the performers of The Great Russian Nutcracker Ballet, while enjoying traditional Russian Cuisine, music, dance and the ballet following. A silent auction will also be held that evening to benefit Pet Pal. For tickets to this event, you may contact 727-363-3832.

Pavers- For that person on your Christmas list that has everything, consider purchasing a paver, from our Help Pave the Way program. Pavers 4 x 8 and 8 x 8 in size are avaiable and will be engraved with your special message. An application for the paver can be found on this website.

Visit our Retail Store- Pet Pal Animal Shelter’s retail store is full of collars, leashes, toys and more for your furry friends as well as zippered hoodies, pet pal t-shirts and one of a kind humorous shirts for you not so furry friends!

Aah…the weather is cooler and the windows are open, letting in the autumn breeze. Unfortunately, in Florida and much of the south, mosquitoes are still up to their old tricks, taking a “bite ” out of our good time. What may be an annoyance for humans, however, can prove deadly to our pets. Heartworm larva is deposited into dogs when they are bitten by an infected mosquito. Within six months the larva grow into adult heartworms causing severe damage to the animal’s heart and lungs.
Treatment for heartworms is costly and lengthy, taking up to 2 months to treat. However, Left untreated, the disease will prove deadly. Prevention by comparison is safe and inexpensive and, if administered properly, is extremely effective. Talk to your veterinarian today about heartworm treatment. Your pet with thank you.

Because Cats appear to be so independent, we often forget that they need enrichment as much as any other animal. First and foremost is the positioning of our cat’s 3 basic resources-food, water and elimination. Because cats are prey as well as predators, they feel most vulnerable when eating, drinking and eliminating. To avoid this feeling, position these resources away from areas where you cat is likely to be startled.
Scratching and climbing are natural to your cat, so rather than scolding him for climbing where he shouldn’t be, provide an appropriate space where he can do both such as a cat perch and a scratching post.
Auditory (hearing) and olfactory (smelling) stimulation can also aid in your cat’s enrichment. Turning on the radio or television and/or providing your cat with some Valerian or catnip may be just the thing he needs.
Of course, we can’t forget about the feline- human bond. Structured play and grooming are just two ways to interact with your cat. Remember, providing love and attention is a two-way street that can lead to a long and happy life for both you and your cat.

Keep your animals safe and healthy this Halloween by following these tips:

During hours when you will be visited by “Ghosts and Goblins”, put your animals in a separate room. This will not only keep them from slipping outside but also protect them from getting overly excited by the constant stream of visitors.
Keep candy away from you pets. At the very least, candy can give them an upset stomach (not exactly the “treat your were looking to clean up”!) More importantly some candy can be toxic to your pets.
Avoid the temptation of taking your pets out trick or treating with you. The loud noises and youngsters running around can make it a scary experience.
If you wish to show off your pet in his or her cute Halloween costume , consider doing so at one of the many pet friendly costume contests that are being held this week in the area. For more information, you can visit our events page.
Happy Halloween!

To the person who thought that Lotus wasn’t “Worth It”-the last laugh is on you. Yesterday Lotus was adopted by a wonderful family, complete with a beautiful home , other dogs to play with, a yard to run in and unconditional love. Lotus is proof that every animal deserves a second…and sometimes even a third one.

Good luck Lotus-it’s your time to bloom!