By Heather Nokes (aka Your Neighborhood Vet Assistant)

UPDATE: As of July 1, 2024, both Virginia and Maryland have outlawed declawing in most cases.

Scratching and clawing behavior is one of the reasons cats are often rehomed or not adopted. While declawing can seem like a viable solution, this controversial procedure actually creates more problems than it solves.

Why do cats scratch/claw?

• To “sharpen” their nails. Like any other animal, cats’ nails are constantly growing. This means that the outer husk of their nail dies off as the new nail emerges underneath. Often, cats scratch things in order to shed this husk. Not only does scratching “sharpen” the nail, it makes the cat feel better.
• To stretch their muscles. If you have ever witnessed a cat scratching or clawing something, you can attest to the fact that they often stretch out their front legs as far as they can go. Like the downward dog pose in yoga, this opens their body up and feels good.
• To mark their territory. When a cat scratches something, it leaves its scent behind on that object. Other cats can smell this and are warned of their trespassing. This is often comforting to the scratcher, especially the insecure ones, and makes them feel more at home.

What is declawing?

• The declawing procedure is referred to as an onychectomy. Per Merriam-Webster, this procedure is the “surgical removal of a toenail or fingernail”. However, the surgery itself involves using either a sterile nail trimmer, surgical blade, or laser to literally cut through the bone of the third digit of the toe, which is the bone from which the claw grows.

Why is the procedure so harmful?

• It is very painful. Imagine getting the last digit of your toes or fingers cut off. It would be difficult for you to walk or use your hands and feet for a while after the procedure.
• It can cause complications, diminishing the cat’s quality of life. A cat without claws is unable to defend itself and may become a biter because they no longer have their claws for defense.
• In addition, even when the procedure is done with great precision, it can leave the cat with an altered way of walking which can lead to the development of arthritis.
• For several days after surgery, shredded newspaper is typically used in the litter box to prevent litter from irritating declawed feet. This unfamiliar litter substitute, accompanied by pain when scratching in the box, may lead cats to stop using the litter box.

What are the alternatives?

• If adopting a young cat or kitten and a scratching problem is noticed, it is important for the owner to train their cat where it is appropriate to scratch, and where it is not. Scratching posts, boards, and furniture are available for sale almost anywhere pet products are sold. Because clawing and scratching is a natural behavior, kittens and young cats that have access to the appropriate scratching tools will use them.
• There are some cats that will just scratch whatever they see first, whether it be a scratching post or your grandmother’s antique chair. There are products that are meant to deter or attract cats from scratching. For example, something as simple as sprinkling cat nip on the scratching post can entice the cat enough for them to scratch there. There is also tape that can be applied to vertical surfaces of furniture. This tape is meant to be safe on furniture but uncomfortable for the cat when they attempt to scratch.
• Nail Caps. Talk to your veterinarian or local pet store employee about nail caps. These are made to fit over your cat’s nails and stay on with glue. Often made of soft plastic, the cat cannot do as much, if any, damage when scratching with them on.
• Frequent Nail Trims. As stated before, cats’ nails are constantly growing. By trimming them every week or two, the cat will not feel the need to scratch as much.

Declawing is illegal in over 40 countries and counting. Several cities in the U.S. have banned declawing. And, last year, New York became the first state to ban the procedure except in rare cases when it is medically necessary. The American Medical Veterinary Association (AMVA) “discourages the declawing (onychectomy) of cats as an elective procedure and supports non-surgical alternatives to the procedure.” HSLC does not condone declawing and will refuse an adoption if the candidate plans to declaw.

By Madeleine Devost

June is Adopt-a-Cat-Month®.  Started by the American Humane Association in 1974, the month marks an opportunity for animal shelters and rescue organizations like the Humane Society of Loudoun County (HSLC) to encourage the public to adopt rather than shop for feline companionship.  Here are two recent stories that show how wonderful adopting can be.

Melissa and Jeff found their new best friend after he was rescued along with 35 other cats from a home eviction in Stephens City (read the full rescue story here). The pair have adopted several cats over the years. They usually adopt older animals that need extra love but made an exception with Felix (originally named Foxy). The couple immediately fell in love with his playful and boisterous personality.  Felix is just over a year old and loves to relax and spend time cuddled up on the couch. He has brought so much joy to this forever family.

Another one of our new parents, Jacqueline, adopted three kittens after the passing of her Weimaraner at the age of 15. Jacqueline stated that she knew it was time to open her home to more rescues, particularly cats. After she and her family reviewed pictures of a new litter with three kittens –Peaches, Archie, and Toby– they felt an instant connection.  Thankfully, not wanting to separate the siblings, Jacqueline and her family adopted all three!

After two weeks in their new home, the kittens have all developed unique personalities: Archie the “snuggler”, Toby the “couch potato,” and Peaches the “regal queen.” Jacqueline highlighted how much joy the kittens have brought to the household, racing up the stairs and sitting in the windowsills to watch the passerby. She loves that the kittens bring such a unique energy to her home.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, HSLC has taken extra measures to ensure that potential adopters feel comfortable meeting our cats. Melissa and Jeff shared that they felt very safe throughout the adoption process and were excited to be able to meet Felix in person before adopting. Likewise, Jacqueline found the process to be safe and seamless, noting “It’s clear that HSLC really cares about the animals they are placing.”

If you are interested in adopting a cat through HSLC, please visit our website to view the available animals and complete an application.

 

The Humane Society of Loudoun County (HSLC), in collaboration with several other area organizations, recently participated in an effort that helped rescue 36 cats from a home eviction in Stephens City.  The initiative was spearheaded by For the Cat’s Sake who put out an urgent call for help.  Given the strong and swift response, they were able to pull together the rescue in just two days. 

The mostly friendly cats are now in caring hands who will find them great homes.  The participating organizations include 4Paws Rescue Team, PetConnect Rescue,  SPCA of Winchester, Frederick, & Clarke Counties, Humane Society of Warren County and Homeless Animals Rescue Team (HART). HSLC took in four of the cats, three of whom are already available for adoption.

The effort was a wonderful example of teamwork under a tight deadline. Our thanks go out to everyone who helped save these little lives and made the operation go so smoothly.

Here are the cats currently in our care:

The Humane Society of Loudoun County is excited to partner with House 6 Brewing to raise funds by having Bingo nights! Bring your family and friends to this monthly event where the Bingo Card donations go directly to help animals in Loudoun County.

8 games will be called. A packet for all games can be purchased for $15 or individual regular games are $2 and the final game is $3.

Melissa starts calling Bingo at 6:30 pm. Prizes will be given each game and are donated from House 6 Brewing, HSLC and other local businesses.

HSLC THANKS House 6 Brewing Co. for their support.

A Donor Advised Fund (DAF) is a simple way to manage your charitable giving.  It combines the most favorable tax benefits with the flexibility to support your favorite life-saving causes, including The Humane Society of Loudoun County (HSLC). DAFDirect, a widget available on our website, enables you to recommend grants to HSLC directly from your DAF as long as your DAF’s sponsoring organization is participating.

Now–before the tax year ends–is the perfect time to set up a Donor Advised Fund. DAFs can be established at many financial institutions or community foundations. HSLC does not directly manage Donor Advised Funds and does not give individual tax advice, so please always consult your professional tax advisor on how a Donor Advised Fund might impact you specifically.

Generally speaking, contributions and/or grants from a donor’s DAF can be made to one or more charitable organizations, and a donor may receive benefits including:

• An immediate federal tax deduction generally available in the year that contributions to the DAF are made in accordance with applicable law
• The flexibility of having one source to coordinate charitable giving, without many of the costs and administrative obligations of a private foundation

If you already have a DAF established and would like it to benefit HSLC, click here to access DAFDirect on our website. Simply type in the name of your fund, list The Humane Society of Loudoun County as the designated charity and indicate the amount you’d like to give. Then click “Next” to complete your recommendation. It’s that easy!

Thank you for your continued support.

Hurricane Florence hit the Carolinas hard in mid-September, impacting homes, people, and pets. Our caring volunteer, Jennifer, wanted to help the hurricane victims so the Humane Society of Loudoun County (HSLC) stepped in to make it happen.  Between Sept 16th and 23rd (just one week!)  HSLC worked with Jennifer to organize, collect, and send her off to deliver relief to the area.  We reached out to our network of community businesses, fellow rescues, and volunteers to make it happen.

Some other area animal rescues stepped up to work with us. Fancy Cats collected pet food donations and HART volunteer Kerry Kieger and crew helped at our trucks.

We put out a plea for donations and the response was overwhelming. Avalon Consulting provided pet food donations as well as monetary donations for us to buy supplies to take down to the hurricane relief area.  Clarus Merchant Services was very generous to provide donations allowing us to rent two trucks for all the supplies we collected and cover expenses there and back.  HSLC donors also stepped up to provide funds for us to buy supplies for the hurricane victims.

We contacted Spanky’s Shenanigans in Leesburg for some advice because they helped with Hurricane Harvey last year.  They immediately offered to help us “stuff a truck” at their weekly Wednesday Yappy Hour.  Thank you to owner Azmi, servers Katie & Joanie, and all their wonderful friends and patrons (both two and four legged) who helped.  Just a few doors down, our friend Darla at the Leesburg Petsmart worked to collect a large pallet of pet food donations, personally delivering them to Spanky’s.

Our “stuff a truck” efforts didn’t end at Spanky’s. We obtained permission from the Dulles Landing Petsmart in Chantilly to park our truck at their store to continue collecting donations from Friday to Sunday.  Thank you to managers Corey, Andrew, and Lauren.  Coal Fire Pizza manager Alexandra ran into us in the parking lot and set up a fundraiser at their restaurant to help with the cause.

HSLC was already scheduled to attend the “Caturday” event at Gum Springs Library on Saturday Sept 22^nd so we arranged to have the donation truck in their parking lot that day. Thank you to Jessica Moore and team!

On the evening of Sunday September 23^rd Jennifer, Katie, and Kyle set out to deliver our relief supplies to NC.  After navigating though the hurricane devastated areas, their first stop was at A Dogs Dream in New Bern. This was one of the harder hit areas. A Dogs Dream is a boarding and grooming facility which opened up their doorsto receive donations and continued to be a distribution point during the coming weeks.

Watch this video of Jennifer and team at A Dogs Dream.

The next stop for our intrepid wanderers was to Loaves and Fishes in Beaufort,  a ministry pantry that acted as a distribution center for the pets and people of Beaufort in need of supplies. It’s ran alongside local churches there.  Craven Pamlico Animal Services Center received donations as well. Both of these facilities continued to get the call to help for weeks to come.

Then it was on to Cause for Paws in Raleigh,  our point of contact for finding out where the supplies were needed. They were one of the rescues who helped the over 200 animals at the Raleigh fairgrounds and continued to help flood victims in the continued weeks.

Thank you to all the HSLC volunteers who helped to make this happen: Melissa, Anne, Molly, Christina, Kerry, Theresa, Juanita, Sharon, Julia, Melanie, Katie, and Kyle. And, of course, a big thank-you to Jennifer.

 

 

The Humane Society of Loudoun County has an immediate and urgent need for the public’s help in finding homes for a group of endangered local community cats.  Because they are outdoor “working” cats and not suited for life indoors, ideal situations for these cats include breweries, wineries, nurseries, warehouses and larger residential properties with large garages, barns, or stables—where rodents can be plentiful and mousers are welcome.  All our barn cats are fixed, vaccinated and ready to lend a helping paw.  Humane Loudoun provides all the equipment, set-up, and advice for a successful transition.  All you need to provide is food, water and a big heart.  No adoption fee will be assessed but, as always, donations are appreciated.

Humane Loudoun’s “Critter Control” program is a form of organic pest control that can help keep rodents away from grain, food storage, etc.  They are a cleaner, more effective alternative than dangerous pesticides and they are on duty 24/7.  The adopting local businesses will enjoy their company from afar as well as having the satisfaction of giving them a much-needed home. If you currently have unspayed barn cats, you can also receive assistance in having them sterilized.

Humane Society of Loudoun County is an all-volunteer, no-kill, registered non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. If you own or manage property like those previously mentioned, and have permission for long-term placement of animals on the property, please contact the Humane Society of Loudoun County at helpanimals@humaneloudoun.org.  For more information visit our website.

Looking for that purrfect holiday project for your family, church group, school or office? If so, consider conducting a pet food drive for the Loudoun Pet Pantry (LLP).

All it takes for a pet to go hungry or be surrendered to a shelter is for their family to have an unexpected medical bill or a job loss. Therefore, in 2013, The Humane Society of Loudoun County (HSLC), Loudoun County Animal Services, and Loudoun Hunger Relief created the Loudoun Pet Pantry to help keep pets in their furever homes by providing food supplies to people in need.

And, the need is growing. Recently, HSLC doubled its food deliveries to better meet the increasing demand. So, we are in constant need of pet food donations.

As a result, we are hoping that compassionate folks across the community will help out by conducting their own pet food drives. You’ll find helpful ideas for getting started on our website.

No time for a food drive? Please consider dropping off a bag or two of dog or cat food at the many donation box locations across the county. Dry food must be unopened, unexpired, non-prescription adult food; we cannot use kitten, puppy, or senior food for the pet pantry. Because space is limited, we can only use bags of dry food between 4 and 8 pounds. However, we can use all sizes of canned food.

We also appreciate monetary donations as they allow us to fulfill any specific needs. And, if you donate through our website, please specify “Pet Pantry” in the dedication field.

Lastly, HSLC is looking for a new, donated or discounted, climate-controlled space for the growing Pet Pantry. Please contact helpanimals@humaneloudoun.org with any suggestions.

Imagine being dumped on a country road to fend for yourself in unfamiliar surroundings.

Now, imagine you’re a 3-month old kitten who is totally blind.  What are your odds of survival?

And so begins the story of Daredevil, an incredibly sweet and trusting kitten abandoned and left to die – just because he couldn’t see.  Fortunately, a friend of a Humane Society of Loudoun County (HSLC) volunteer found Daredevil and he is now safe and sound with us.

His nonstop purring and fondness for snuggling tells us that he is grateful to be alive and in such caring hands—perhaps for the first time in his young life.

Daredevil isn’t going to see again and his ruptured eyes have already been surgically removed. Currently, he is being fostered by a caring vet assistant who works at Towne Animal Clinic.

It takes a village to save a kitten’s life.  From the volunteers who rescue them from unthinkable situations to the foster parents who give them a loving home to the donors who help cover their various medical expenses. But, it’s all worth it when we can give a beautiful animal like Daredevil the happy ending he deserves.

Daredevil is looking for his forever home.  Check out his video below and see if you can resist this adorable love-muffin!

 

 

 

The Humane Society of Loudoun County (HSLC) learned about 4-year-old Sophie through one of our contacts in Wise County, Virginia.  They needed immediate transfer of dogs due to overcrowding at the Wise County Animal Shelter. Sophie had been surrendered simply because her former owners were moving. Our Animal Coordinator, Donna, and volunteer, Christina, were sitting at an adoption event when Donna mentioned the situation. Once Christina saw Sophie’s picture, she couldn’t say no.

Christina and her husband picked Sophie up on a sunny day in June from Towne Animal Clinic in Leesburg. She was super excited to see them and couldn’t stop wagging her tail. Sophie crashed out on their couch for the first couple of days then started to play with their dog, Max, and chew bones. She was super happy to sleep in the bed, cuddle, and give kisses. 

A couple of days after Christina began fostering Sophie, we found out Sophie tested positive for Lyme, roundworms, and hookworms. She was immediately put on medications to help with these issues. But Sophie started to have a tough time getting around after about a week on the medications. One morning, she couldn’t even get out of her dog bed to go potty outside. They immediately took her to Towne Animal Clinic where her medications were changed and they decided to keep her for a couple days. Sophie improved slowly but was very tired. After a couple weeks, she bounced back and was back to her normal, loving self. She again enjoyed going on long walks, binge watching Netflix, helping with dinner prep (i.e., eating extra food), and exploring in the woods.

When Sophie met her first potential adoption family, she knew it was meant to be. The family had two dogs – Buddha and George. Buddha and Sophie got along swimmingly on their first walk and she was okay with George, too. Sophie immediately took to their backyard, sniffing everywhere and trying to mow the grass with her teeth. After the second and third visits, both Sophie and her new parents knew it was a match. Sophie absolutely loves her new home and her two new adopted brothers. As foster parents, Christina and her husband miss her dearly, but are so happy she has found her forever home! 

 

 

 

 

 

You too can help dogs like Sophie by becoming a HSLC foster or adopting. For fostering information and/or to apply, visit FOSTERS NEEDED or email helpanimals@humaneloudoun.org. To view our adoptable animals visit our ADOPT page.