 Safe Haven Humane Society is a community resource. SHHS offers the opportunity for families seeking pets to find wonderful PETS seeking families through our adoption program. If you're not sure you are in the market for a new furball family member but would like to foster a cat or dog, Safe Haven is the place for you. We also want to help inform our community about things like spaying/neutering, microchipping, preventing heartworm and more.
ADOPT or FOSTER
You can be assured that a pet you adopt from Safe Haven will have seen a vet to assess its general health and estimate age, have been heartworm tested, placed on heartworm and flea preventatives, be current on age-appropriate vaccinations, and have been spayed/neutered. In addition, all dogs are microchipped before going to a new home. We don't adopt our cats to be indoor/outdoor cats but it doesn't mean that they couldn't also be microchipped if you choose to do so. Our adoption fees go to the treatments that each pet receives prior to leaving as well as some of our pets that are injured or ill (like heartworm treatment).
FOOD BANK
Safe Haven endeavors to help pet owners during periods of financial hardship by providing pet food. We don't always have food available but when we do, it's absolutely there for those who need it. Just call or email if you're in need of food for your pets.
MICROCHIPPING -- a little security if your pet is lost
We are also very committed to microchipping. Currently, all of our dogs are microchipped prior to adoption. Having a microchip can be the difference between finding your pet or possibly always wondering where they ended up. A microchip is inserted beneath the skin between the dog's shoulders. If your dog is found by someone, any vet, shelter, or humane society will scan your pet for free to see if it has been microchipped. Once that chip is read, you will be contacted to come get your beloved pet.
SPAY/NEUTER
Spay/Neuter Express: Low-cost spay/neuter mobile clinic. Call 616-897-8865 or go to www.spayneuterexpress.com to find a location near you and make an appointment.
AS FUNDS ALLOW:
Safe Haven will help when possible to spay or neuter pets whose owners cannot afford the total cost of the surgery. Contact us by email at shhspets@hotmail.com or by phone 616-522-1611 and let us know why you need help.
HEART WORM -- Prevent it
Safe Haven is passionate about educating our community about heart worm. Many pet owners have heard of it but don't really know what it is or that it is carried by mosquitos. Safe Haven strongly recommends heartworm testing your pet annually at the very least, and using monthly prevention year round. Talk to your vet to see the best thing for your pet. The American Heartworm Society defines heartworm as:
. . . a serious and potentially fatal condition caused by parasitic worms living in the arteries of the lungs and occasionally in the right side of the heart of dogs, cats and other species of mammals, including wolves, foxes, ferrets, sea lions and (in rare instances) humans. Heartworms are classified as nematodes (roundworms) and are filarids, one of many species of roundworms. Dogs and cats of any age or breed are susceptible to infection.
It may seem that monthly heartworm-prevention medication is too costly to keep up. The alternative is TREATING it, which is not only costly to your pocket book, but also to your pet's quality of life, and in some cases may take your pet's life. The treatment is also very difficult--sort of comparable to chemo treatment for your pet. True, if caught early the treatment may be less invasive. Is it worth the risk? Sometimes buying the medication each month instead of 6 or 12 months at a time is the most affordable option when things are tight. When you have multiple pets and buy multiple doses you also may be eligible for discount coupons from whichever medication you're using. Heartworm medication prescriptions for cats and dogs are only available through your vet. If you choose to get from an online source do a little research and understand you still need a prescription.
KEEP YOUR PET SAFE WHILE DRIVING
Having a dog is a great experience in one’s life. It not only teaches you responsibility, but how to take care of something. And that is what your objective should be, keeping your pet safe. You need to think of ways that will protect your dog wherever you go. So many dog owners tend to just stick them in the back of a truck and think they’ll stay. Remember, they are animals and may jump off the back gate if left unattended.
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