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Morty

MEET MORTY!

Morty

This week’s featured shelter of the week is Morty, a shy and sweet 10 1/2 year-old Havanese currently being cared for at the Smithtown Animal Shelter.

Little Morty was found as an unhealthy stray with severe skin infections. He has a long road to get back to normal, but his spirit remains bright and he loves meeting new people. This sweet boy has been neglected but he didn’t let it break him. He needs a home where he can be treated like the prince he is!

Morty will do fine with calm dogs, cats and older children.

If you are interested in meeting Morty, please fill out an adoption application online at www.townofsmithtownanimalshelter.com. The Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. For more information, call 631-360-7575

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METRO photo

The Town of Smithtown Youth Bureau is currently hosting an Animal Food Drive to benefit the wildlife residing at Sweetbriar Nature Center. The preserve is in need of donations of fresh fruits and vegetables for the animals rehabilitating in their care. Residents can drop off groceries on the porch of the Sweetbriar Nature Center, located at 62 Eckernkamp Drive, in Smithtown. An Amazon Wish List is also available for anyone who prefers to order supplies online. The items most in need are berries, grapes, apples, carrots, celery, lettuce or similar produce.

“For over 50 years Sweetbriar has provided a safe haven for injured wildlife, educational programming and has watched over 54 acres of gardens, woodland, and wetland habitats along the Nissequogue River. Sadly, the coronavirus pandemic has had a severe impact on Sweetbriar Nature Center’s fundraising efforts which directly affects the wildlife in their care,” said Supervisor Ed Wehrheim. “I am grateful for the Youth Bureau’s noble efforts and am confident that we as a community will join together in support of the innocent animals living on the preserve.”

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Sweetbriar has been forced to cancel many of the fundraising initiatives hosted throughout the year which typically fund the needs of the animals. In addition, the main house and indoor areas of the preserve remain closed to the public for the foreseeable future. Residents wishing to assist Sweetbriar can choose to donate online via GoFundMe, Register with Amazon Smile by typing in “Environmental Centers of Setauket Smithtown” or visit www.wweetbriarnc.org for a list of items which are of great need.

For further information, please call 631-979-6344.

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Scout

LUCKY DOG

Gladys Siegel of East Setauket took this adorable photo of her dog on July 13. She writes, ‘This is Scout. She is 8 1/2 years young. She loves having me home during this strange time and especially loves taking car rides down to Stony Brook Harbor in the early morning or at the end of a beautiful day. She is easy to photograph, too, because she knows how to hold a pose!’

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Dogs die in hot cars! Stock photo

Dogs and cats can suffer from the same problems that humans do in hot weather. These health concerns include overheating, dehydration and even sunburn. By taking some simple precautions, you can keep your companions healthy and happy in higher temperatures.

▶ Never leave your animal alone in a vehicle. Even with the windows open, a parked automobile can quickly become a furnace.

▶ Limit exercise. Your pet may slow down when the weather heats up, so the best time for exercise is in the early morning or evening, but never when it’s especially hot or humid. 

▶ Take care not to let your dog stand on hot asphalt, his body can heat up quickly and his sensitive paw pads can easily burn.

▶ Never trim your pet’s coat to the skin, which can rob your dog of his protection from the sun. 

▶ Always provide plenty of shade and cool, clean water for animals when outdoors.

▶ Bring your cat or dog inside during the hottest part of the day.

▶ Make sure your pet always wears a collar and identification tag.

▶ In Suffolk County tethering a dog outside in temperatures over 90° is against the law.

If you see a dog in a hot car, record the information about the vehicle (make, model, color, license plate number), alert the management of the business and call 911 or the Suffolk County SPCA at 631-382-7722.

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Stock photo

By Matthew Kearns, DVM

My last article focused on some general potty-training techniques. This article will focus on crate training.

Crate training is a wonderful way to give your puppy the guidance it needs. Crate training originates from a “den theory” observed in wild dogs. Wild dogs are nomadic by nature, but they do settle down for part of the season to mate and raise pups. Males hunt and females search out a den. This den is a safe haven away from other predators and the elements. Wild dogs also instinctively go to the bathroom outside the den. If the crate is treated the same way it can be a nice, safe area for the puppy.

The primary goal is always, ALWAYS make the crate a “safe area” for your puppy. Do not isolate the crate and never use the crate as a form of punishment. When you (or other family members) are home the door to the crate should be left open to allow your puppy to go in and out as they please.

A favorite toy or a treat before you put your puppy in the crate is a great distractor/reward. A crate is most effective, but a crate does not always have to be a crate. You can baby gate off a portion of the kitchen, give a room, etc.

Avoid leaving your puppy in the crate too long. This could lead to them soiling the crate (if left with no choice). Remember from our last article that puppies can only physically “hold it” for so long. A good rule of thumb is to count the number of months old the puppy is and add one to come up with the number of hours the puppy can hold it. For example, an 8 week (2 month) old puppy can hold it for 2 + 1, or 3 hours.

Puppies can usually hold it longer at night. However, when you first get a puppy, it would be a good idea to get out of bed to let them out (or even set an alarm clock) to take them outside (SUPERVISED) to go to the bathroom and praise them when they do. Remember that eating and drinking will stimulate the puppy to go to the bathroom, so allow extra time to bring them back outside after they eat and drink. If the puppy soils the crate just clean it up. We want the crate to be a safe area away from punishment if it is to be effective. 

Do not try to force an older dog into a crate or you may be at your veterinarian’s office for broken nails and teeth (as they do anything to get out of the crate). That is not to say that you cannot crate train an adult dog but it takes time, patience, and the guidance of a behaviorist or trainer. It is much easier (and less expensive) to start at a younger age, remain patient, and consistent. I hope this helps and good luck. 

Dr. Kearns practices veterinary medicine from his Port Jefferson office and is pictured with his son Matthew and his dog Jasmine. Have a question for the vet? Email it to [email protected] and see his answer in an upcoming column.

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Local animal activists and Brookhaven town to set up the new task force in March. File photo by Kyle Barr

Town of Brookhaven TNR [trap-neuter-return] Task Force, which started up as a pilot program in March, has already spayed and neutered 113 cats in the local area in April, according to Erica Kutzing, one of the heads of the task force and animal rescuer with Strong Island Animal Rescue League.

Erica Kutzing, of Strong Island Rescue and Brookhaven’s TNR Task Force, spoke at PJ Village’s July 20 meeting.

On a call with the Port Jefferson village board July 20, Kutzing said 113 cats no longer producing kittens means an exponential decline in the number of feral cats (aka community cats) crowding local areas.

While in the grand scheme of the many thousands of feral cats in local communities 113 may seem paltry, every neutered or spayed cat is potentially a way to slow the growth of feral communities. Kutzing said they have trapped, neutered and returned 40 feral cats back into their homes in Port Jefferson. Of those 40, if 20 are female, that means those cats can no longer produce five additional kittens per litter; and if a cat produces two litters per year, neutering 20 potentially prevents 200 more cats on the streets.

“Every neighborhood has a feral cat,” Kutzing said. “They usually hide, and you don’t see them, but there are feral cats all over the place.”

The Brookhaven voted to create the task force back in March, providing $60,000 that all goes to the costs of paying a veterinarian to perform the procedures. Kutzing, who works with Katrina Denning, the founder of Jacob’s Hope Rescue, and cat enthusiast Jenny Luca all work on a voluntary basis. They said the pandemic put their plans on hold, but they plan to be out again in August.

Though she said some locals may be hesitant to contact them, Kutzing emphasized there is no charge to the homeowner and they are professionals who know how to capture the felines without harming them. Though some residents may want the rescuers to move the cats from the area, taking an animal like a feral cat away from its habitat is considered abuse and is against the law.

The TNR Task Force can be contacted online at its Facebook page by searching TNR Taskforce of Brookhaven.

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Join the Smithtown Historical Society, 239 Middle Country Road, Smithtown for an old fashioned drive-in movie night under the stars on Monday, July 20 featuring“Night at the Museum” (2006) on the main lawn at 8 p.m. Suggested donation of $15. Snack packs are available for pre-order. Gates open at 7 p.m. Tickets available at www.eventbrite.com. Questions? Call 631-265-6768.

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Uno

MEET UNO THE NUMBER ONE PUP!

Uno

This week’s shelter pet is Uno, a handsome and loving 1 1/2 year old Australian Cattle Dog/Shepherd mix currently up for adoption at the Smithtown Animal Shelter.

Uno adores people and kids and is an energetic and highly intelligent young man that needs an active home where he is challenged with new tricks/tasks and exercised often. He makes a great running partner too! He does prefer to be the only pet in the home.

If you are interested in meeting Uno, please fill out an adoption application online at www.townofsmithtownanimalshelter.com. The Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. For more information, call 631-360-7575.

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Photo from Sweetbriar

Visit Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown for a special Creatures of the Night fundraiser program on Friday, July 17 from 7 to 8 p.m. Meet some nocturnal animals and embark on a walk into the darkness to enjoy the night and maybe call in an owl or two. Bug spray is highly recommended, bring a flashlight, and bring a mask for when you can’t physically distance more than 6 feet. The hike will be self guided and the trails will be lit with lanterns. Adults and teens only. Cost is $10 per person. To purchase tickets, visit www.sweetbriarnc.org. For more information, call 631-979-6344.

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A kitten was rescued by Suffolk County Police July 10 from a Terryville storm drain. Photo from SCPD

Suffolk County Police officers responded as quick as a cat to a little kitten reported stuck in a Terryville storm drain Friday, July 10.

Police said officers responded to 39 Clymer Street at around 6 p.m. after a 911 caller reported a kitten had fallen into the drain on the side of the road. The officers notified the Emergency Service Section.

ESS Officer Michael Viruet then climbed into the drain, police said, and rescued the kitten. The baby cat was adopted by a local resident once removed from the drain.

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