IN THIS EDITION
FOCUS: State animal shelters declare state of emergency
COMMENTARY, Brack: What happened to courage and pride in South Carolina?
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: SCIWAY
NEWS BRIEFS: On Medicaid, federal funds and port traffic
FEEDBACK: It’s time to protect the children of South Carolina
MYSTERY PHOTO: Where’s this streetscape?
CALENDAR: Grape-stomping festival set for Aug. 28
Staff reports | Pet owners are encouraged to take active steps to protect their pets during coming cold weather. Here are some tips from the Charleston Animal Society to help keep pets safe:
Keep cats inside. Domestic cats are not equipped for cold weather and can freeze, or become lost, stolen, injured or killed when seeking protection from the cold.
Provide warm shelter for feral cats. This can be provided through a variety of resources found in most homes. Simply take some kind of container, such as a storage bin, cat or dog carrier or even a sturdy box and provide it with insulation. For insulation, you can line the container with a variety or combination of things such as a blanket or a pillow, Styrofoam or hay.
Bang loudly on your hood before starting your car. Outdoor or homeless cats often seek the warmth of a car engine. When the motor is started, a cat huddled there can be injured or killed by the fan belt.
IN THIS ISSUE
FOCUS: Protect your pets during cold weather
COMMENTARY, Brack: Legislature needs to wake up on environment
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
NEWS BRIEFS: 39th Southeastern Wildlife Expo set for Feb. 11-14
FEEDBACK: Send us your thoughts
MYSTERY PHOTO: Hers, not his
CALENDAR: City to hold two more holiday market weekends; Free parking
Staff reports | With record-breaking heat arriving in the Lowcountry earlier than usual, pet owners are advised by the Charleston Animal Society, which has issued an early heat advisory, to make sure to keep their pets cool in hot weather. These tips are good any time of the summer.
Keep animals indoors and limit outdoor activities during a heat wave. People are urged to leave pets at home and not take them outside to the beach or other events. Even swimming, a dog can overheat.
“We know it’s always fun to take our pets with us, but we have to put their well-being first,” Dr. Lucy Fuller, senior director of veterinary care at Charleston Animal Society, said in a news release. “We are also reminding everyone not to leave pets in cars – even for a quick run into a store – it is just too dangerous.”
IN THIS EDITION
HONORING OUR HEROES. Let’s all take a few quiet moments today, Memorial Day, to honor Americans in our armed forces who gave their lives for our country. Thank you. Rest in peace. Learn more about Memorial Day.
FOCUS: Keep your pets cool in hot weather
COMMENTARY, Brack: State budget shows legislators’ values
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Charleston Gaillard Center
GOOD NEWS: First of new libraries to open June 10 in Mount Pleasant
FEEDBACK: Stop political attacks during council meetings
MYSTERY PHOTO: This mystery should be pretty easy
S.C. ENCYCLOPEDIA: Education in South Carolina, part 4
CALENDAR: Piccolo Spoleto and Spoleto Festival USA are in high gear!
Staff reports | The Fourth of July can be a lot of fun for people, but scary for pets. With that in mind, the Charleston Animal Society reminds us that the holiday is the most dangerous day of the year for pets because fireworks often scare them, causing them to run away and get lost.
If you want proof positive that reading can pay off, just talk to the Charleston Animal Society which last week received a $6938.35 contribution generated by a read-a-thon by elementary students at Charles Towne Montessori in West Ashley.
Each spring, the school, the only internationally-accredited Montessori school in the state, asks student teams to develop a class project. About eight teams of students pick different nonprofits they want to help and follow-up with a research-packed presentation. The class then votes on which charity to support.
Then the students solicit donations from family members, friends and neighbors to sponsor how much they read on a special day of reading at the school. (We’ve learned long ago, thanks to picture books, that it is best to sponsor a set amount, such as $30, instead of a per-page fee.)
Via TripsWithPets.com | With the busy summer travel season right around the corner, many families are planning to hit the road with their families — and that of course, means their four-legged family members too. To ensure safe travels for everyone, it’s important to take heed of a very real pet travel safety issue — pets and distracted driving.
By Dan Krosse, guest contributor | As the temperatures heat up, so do the risks of injuries for your pets. Dr. Lucy Fuller, DVM, of Charleston Animal Society says that the risk of heat stroke is the number one issue that pet owners need to be aware of.
“It takes less than five minutes for a car to get well over 100 degrees,” she warns. “There is no safe amount of time for a pet to be left in the car.”
Remember that dogs can’t sweat and the only way they can release heat is by panting. Health experts warn that just being outside can cause danger in the summer months.
We Can Do Better, South Carolina! (2019) by editor and publisher Andy Brack offers incisive commentaries on the American South, politics, the common good and interesting South Carolina leaders. Available exclusively for Kindle for $7.99. A paperback version will be ready soon. Learn more.
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