Pet Adoption Archives - Dog Walkers & More at Coddle Creek, LLC

Did You Adopt a Cat Over Christmas?

January 10, 2017 By Beth Harwell 2 Comments

How to Adopt a Cat and Live Peacefully Afterwards

If you are ready to adopt a cat or recently adopted a cat we bet you know cat adoption is rewarding, fun and life saving. Congratulations on bringing that kitty home with you! Here are some tips to get everything off to a great start.

Chester getting a drink

Socialization First of all recognize that cats do like human companionship. Although they like to hunt alone they are not the solitary creatures we once envisioned them to be. Be sure to take time to teach your cat to play and interact with you. Pam Johnson-Bennett offers great advice in her book CatWise regarding socializing with other cats, with dogs and with humans.

Declawing If your new family member has not been declawed we urge you to forego that procedure. Declawing is the amputation of the first joint of all the cats’ digits and is extremely painful. Some cats suffer tenderness in their paws forever. If your cat has been declawed, please don’t let him outside. He can no longer protect himself without claws.

Scratching So what to do to protect your furniture from being shredded after you adopt a cat? Recognize that cats scratch to get good shoulder stretches, when excited about something pleasant and to displace tension.

Purchase or make a sisal covered scratching post. Make sure the scratching post is tall enough for your cat to fully stretch his shoulders. You may find it helpful to place the post near the corner of a sofa so it’s handy for your kitty. There are also scratching pads that hang from a doorknob and corrugated cardboard scratching pads that sit horizontally on the floor.

Litter Boxes If you live in a multi-level home be sure to have at least one litter box on each level. It’s also a good idea to have one more litter box than you have cats. Recognize that cats are fastidious creatures and don’t like to use dirty litter boxes. It’s ideal to scoop the litter two times a day, but please scoop at least one time each day. Remember that cats’ noses are sensitive so unscented litter is the best idea.

Exercise and Nutrition A fat cat is not healthy so give your cat opportunities for exercise. Did you know you can even clicker train your cat to walk in a kitty harness on a leash? Think vertically so your cat has places to climb and to feel safe. Jackson Galaxy in his book Catification offers lots of innovative solutions.

Arden Moore writing in her book Fit C at reminds us that cats need encouragement to remain hydrated. Bubbling water fountains encourage cats to drink water. Canned food or sodium free broth added to kibble will encourage cats to get greater water intake. Cats are obligate carnivores so need protein from chicken, beef, lamb, salmon, turkey or tuna. Avoid meat or poultry by-products.

This is a cool product

Indoor Happiness In addition to vertical spaces and scratching posts, consider adding a kitty garden and toys to your cats’ space. There are multiple options available but we like SmartCat Kitty’s Garden. Toys run the gamut from crinkled foil and cardboard boxes to tunnels and feather wand toys and laser pointers. Allow your cat to “catch” the prey to provide satisfaction. Remember to provide a variety of kitty beds and leave her carrier out. If she can go in and out of her carrier at will she will be less likely to hide when it’s time to visit the vet.

Veterinary Care Cats need routine veterinary care for a variety of reasons. Your cat can live a long healthy comfortable and happy life with regular check ups, necessary vaccinations, and dental cleanings. It’s a lot less expensive to be proactive than reactive too.

Pet Sitting When you initially adopt a cat it’s best to let your cat become accustomed to her new environment and comfortable in her surroundings. Try not to travel too soon after you bring your new kitty home. But eventually we know you will need to travel for business or pleasure. We recommend you hire a professional pet sitter so your cat can stay in the comfort of home.

We offer cat sitting in your home. Our service area includes all of Mooresville 28115 and parts of Mooresville 28117, parts of Mt. Ulla, Davidson and parts of Cornelius. If you reside out of our service area check out the pet sitter locators in Pet Sitters International and National Association of Professional Pet Sitters.

Where to Adopt a Cat

If you are ready to add a cat to your family please choose adoption. If you live in the Lake Norman area we recommend the following places to find sweet and needy cats.

Iredell County Animal Services

Catering to Cats and Dogs

Lake Norman Animal Rescue

Lake Norman Humane

Cornelius Animal Shelter

Filed Under: Articles, Cat Sitting, Pet Adoption, Pet Sitting Tagged With: adopt a cat, cat adoption, Cat Sitting, Catering to Cats and Dogs, Cornelius Animal Shelter, Cornelius NC, Davidson NC, Iredell County Animal Services, Lake Norman Animal Rescue, Lake Norman Humane, Mooresville NC, Mount Ulla NC, National Association of Professional Pet Sitters, pet adoption, Pet Sitters Internatiional, pet sitting

Are You Ready to Adopt a Dog?

October 9, 2015 By Beth Harwell Leave a Comment

Where Can You Adopt a Dog?

If you’ve been thinking about getting a dog, there’s no better time nor place than one of our local shelters during October, Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. Adopt a Shelter Dog Month is sponsored by the ASPCA.

October is also declared Adopt a Dog Month by the American Humane Society.

Now is the time!

The LKN area is blessed with well run shelters and equally well run rescue organizations. Here’s a list to get you started with your adoption.

You can find many purebred dogs as well as mixed breed dogs at your local shelters. You can find puppies, full grown dogs and seniors. The opportunities are endless for you and your family. If you want a specific breed you can also check out the multiple breed specific rescue organizations.

And…don’t forget. The shelters and rescues have lots of cats and kittens available too.
Happy shopping…er…ah…ADOPTING!!

We support pet adoption and offer a 10% discount on our pet sitting and dog walking services during the first 90 days of your pet’s adoption.

Filed Under: Articles, Pet Adoption Tagged With: Adopt a Dog Month, Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, dog adoption

Pet Celebration Days in October

October 4, 2015 By Beth Harwell Leave a Comment

October Rocks for Pet Celebration Days

Here’s the rundown. Celebrate these pet celebration days where celebration is called for and take heed where action is needed.

Month Long October Celebrations

National Animal Safety and Prevention Month

With all the rain we have had lately, now is a good time to go on a search and destroy mission for wild mushrooms anywhere your dogs walk and play. A former co-worker’s dog spent the night at an emergency animal hospital last night after eating wild mushrooms. The dog had seizures as a result. The same thing happened to the dog of a Facebook friend a week or so ago. Sadly, Actor Dwayne Johnson’s puppy had to be put down after suffering extensive liver damage from eating wild mushrooms.

Adopt a Shelter Dog Month

The ASPCA urges us to adopt a dog from a shelter. We think that’s a great idea. We adopted our sweet Daisy Mae from National Brittany Adoption and Rescue Network (NBRAN) after they rescued her from Caldwell County Animal Shelter.

Sweet Daisy Mae

The ASPCA offers lots of tips about pet adoption.

The ASPCA tells us that approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats. Of the dogs entering shelters, approximately 35% are adopted, 31% are euthanized and 26% of dogs who came in as strays are returned to their owner.

Of the cats entering shelters, approximately 37% are adopted, 41% are euthanized, and less than 5% of cats who came in as strays are returned to their owners. About twice as many animals enter shelters as strays compared to the number that are relinquished by their owners. That’s why we support spay and neutering your pets and adoption instead of buying a pet.

Adopt a Dog Month

The American Human Association declares October as Adopt a Dog Month. They urge us to take the pledge to make our next dog addition an adoption either from a local shelter or a rescue organization. The Amerian Humane Association recommends Pet Finder as a great place to start. They remind us that nearly 3.7 million animals are euthznized every year in shelters. That’s a heart breaking statistic that we can all do something about. Adopt, rescue, spay & neuter.

Dogs bring so much to our lives. They love us unconditionally, encorage us to exercise and bring us lots of laughs. For that matter, cats bring us lots of laughs too…they just don’t show their love in quite the same way. Here are some of the dogs and cats we have known and loved during the early days of our pet sitting business (along with a photo of our three).

Special Weeks in October

October 1 – 7 – National Walk Your Dog Week

National Walk Your Dog Week was founded by Pet Lifestyle Expert & Animal Behaviorist “Colleen Paige” October is usually a great month for walking out of doors. What better way to get the exercise you and your dog need while strenthening the bond between you and your dog! Let this be a habit that starts you on daily walks with your dog. For those days that you cannot walk your dog due to work and family obligations consider hiring a dog walker. National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS) and Pet Sitters International (PSI) both offer free professional pet sitter/professional dog walker locater services.

October 11- 17 – National Veterinary Technician Week

Just as nurses and others in the human medical field are indispensable, so are veterinary technicians indispensable to the field of veterinary medicine. Checck them out on FaceBook and remember to thank them the next time you take your pet to the vet!

Special Days in October

We have four special pet celebration days in October.

October 4 World Animal Day

On their website the fouders of World Animal Day tell us about their mission:

To raise the status of animals in order to improve welfare standards around the globe. Building the celebration of World Animal Day unites the animal welfare movement, mobilising it into a global force to make the world a better place for all animals. It’s celebrated in different ways in every country, irrespective of nationality, religion, faith or political ideology. Through increased awareness and education we can create a world where animals are always recognised as sentient beings and full regard is always paid to their welfare.

October 14 National Pet Obesity Awareness Day

Did you know that 28% of all cats studied in 2014 were obese? Did you know that 17% of all dogs studied in 2014 were obese? Another 30% of cats were overweight and another 35% of all dogs were overweght.

Excess weight in pets leads to Osteoarthritis, Insulin Resistance and Type 2 Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Heart and Respiratory Disease, Cranial Cruciate Ligament Injury, Kidney Disease, Many Forms of Cancer and Decreased life expectancy (up to 2.5 years).

The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention offers these tools to help you help your dog or cat get back to a healthy weight. It takes conscious effort on our parts to accomplish these goals. You can start with simple steps such as feeding your pets on a schedule instead of free feeding them. Measure the amount of food you provide. Remember the calories in treats count too. Perhaps your dog could achieve a sense of satisfaction with a half cup of green beans added to his half cup of kibble instead of a full cup of kibble.

Get active with your pet. You can play chase games with your cat and provide climbing towers for him. Remember earlier we talked about walking with your dog? That’s a win win for both of you.

Dr. Nancy Kay, on her blog, Speaking for Spot, offers sage advice.

October 16 National Feral Cat Day

On their website, Alley Cat Allies provides sobering facts.

Cats have lived alongside humans for more than 10,000 years. They are part of the natural landscape. Feral cats are the same species as pet cats. Feral cats, also called community or outdoor cats, live in groups called colonies and can thrive in every landscape. They are just as healthy as pet cats, but they are not socialized to humans and are therefore unadoptable.
Trap-Neuter-Return—a humane approach to managing and caring for community cats—is the only effective method of stabilizing cat colonies. In the last decade, the number of local governments with official policies endorsing TNR has increased tenfold, with hundreds of cities and towns successfully carrying out TNR programs.
However, in the majority of cities, cats are still caught and brought to animal pounds and shelters where they are killed. The shelter system is the number one cause of death for cats in the United States. About 70% of cats who enter shelters are killed there, including virtually 100% of feral cats. That’s why it’s so important for people like you to join us for National Feral Cat Day®, and every day, to help change society and create compassionate communities for cats.

You can help change this by working locally to reduce the feral cat population. Get involved with Lake Norman Lucky Cat Program to help.

October 29 National Cat Day

On their website, the folks at National Cat Day suggest 20 ways to celebrate the day. If you decide to commission the portrait of your cat, we recommend Karen Dorchesty at Haute Dauge Portraits.

We agree with their recommendation to write your congressional representative urging the banning of euthnasia by gas chamber throughout the United States. And, if you decide to try the idea of donating needed items to a shelter or rescue organization please consider donating to our Presents 4 Pets 2015 campaign.

There you have it folks. Enjoy those special Pet Celebration Days in October!

Filed Under: Articles, Dog Walking, Pet Adoption, Pet Health & Safety, Pets and Holidays, Recreation and Pets Tagged With: Adopt a Dog Month, Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, Cat, cat adoption, Dog, dog adoption, feral cat, National Animal Safety and Prevention Month, National Cat Day, National Pet Obesity Awareness Day, National Walk Your Dog Week, veterinary technician

What Is There to do Around Lake Norman This Weekend?

October 4, 2015 By Beth Harwell Leave a Comment

Around Lake Norman This Weekend

Are you looking for something to do around Lake Norman this weekend? Well look no more. We have found loads to do around Lake Norman this weeekend and every weekend in October!! Some of the events are specifically for you and your dog to enjoy. Others are for you to enjoy but require that you leave your pets at home. Please be sure to check the details from the event website to know the rules. Proceeds from all the events go toward great programs around Lake Norman so you get to have a great time while supporting a worthy cause.

There are 3 Exciting Things to Do Around Lake Norman This Weekend – October 10, 2015

There are three, count ’em 3 great events going on around Lake Norman this weekend. They range from events greated toward the kids at a school in Mooresville, a run and adoption fair for pets in Davidson and a blow out delicious meal in Cornelius. Proceeds benefit a school tutoring program, the capital campaign for a state of the arts dog and cat adoption facility and wildlife. Events are free, low priced and expensive. Take your pick and whatever you do have a great time!!

When: Saturday, October 10, 2015 – 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM

What: 2nd Annual East Mooresville Intermediate School Fall Festival

Where: 1711 Landis Hwy, Mooresville, NC 28115 – 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Details: The 2nd Annual East Mooresville Intermediate School’s Fall Festival! This year will be bigger than ever! They will have multiple food trucks which include Maki Taco, Bebo’s American Bistro, Wingz on Wheelz, Robbinos Concession, Deluxe/Front Porch Ice Creams, Tastebuds Popcorn at the Lake. Face Painting, massage chair vendor, multiple inflatables and bounce houses and games galore. A silent auction with raffle baskets will be onsite! Many games and TONS of vendors! Purchase pre-event wrist bands for unlimited games for just $8.00 or $10.00 at the event.

Items for your cat: Value over $130.

Speaking of those raffle baskets, check out this photo to see the cat basket we donated. If you have a cat this is an opportunity to win a basket valued at over $130 for much less money while you have a great time, grab something to eat and support the tutoring program at East Mooresville Intermediate School.

The cat basket holds a cat bed, two food/water bowls, 3 cans of cat food, 12 toys, 2 Nature’s Miracle products, dental chews, slicker brush, nail clippers, collar and even a lint brush for the humans.

We will be at the event with a booth and will be happy to answer any questions you may have about our pet sitting and dog walking services.

When: Saturday, October 10 – 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

What: 5th Annual Pawz Too Run

Where: The Green in Downtown Davidson, 119 S. Main Street, Davidson, NC

Details: The event includes the Celebrated Dog Walk 3K (1.8 miles) or 1.5K (.9 miles); Dog Contests with Prizes, Individual and Team Awards; Vendor Fair on Health & Wellness for People and Pets; Animal Rescue Agencies with Dogs to Adopt; Live Music in the afternoon; Kid’s Inflatable Bounce House; Dog Washing Station courtesy of Davidson College Pre-Vet Society; Dog Bandanas for Participants and Opportunity Drawings.

Architectural Rendering of Friends of the Animals State of the Art Facility

Funds raised will help Friends of the Animals build a state-of-the-art facility to save more homeless dogs, cats, puppies and kittens in the greater Lake Norman region. Your support will help them to start construction.

When: Saturday, October 10, 2015 – 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM

What: Lake Norman Wildlife Oyster & Shrimp Festival

Where: LangTree Lake Norman

Details: The seventh annual event kicks off at 5 o’clock on the evening of Saturday, October 10th, 2015 at LangTree Lake Norman. Come out and support local wildlife conservation efforts while enjoying live music, wine and local craft beer from D9 Brewing, auctions, and tons of family fun! As always, Big Daddy’s of Lake Norman will be serving up some of the best oysters, shrimp and BBQ in the Carolinas!

Ticket price is $50 per person. Stayed tuned to Facebook for more announcements in the coming week to learn more about how to purchase tickets, receive member discounts, volunteer for the fest, and much more!

Oyster & Shrimp Festival

DON’T BE SHELLFISH – please come out and show your support for LNWC at the 2015 Lake Norman Wildlife Oyster & Shrimp Fest!

We Found Two Things to do Around Lake Norman This Weekend – October 16-18, 2015

These two events include an opportunity to visit Cornelius, listen to msuic while tasting beer and eating from one of the many food trucks that service the area around Lake Norman. It’s a great example of beautiful local flavor. The other option ranges over three days and is a spectacular event in Statesville with national renown.

When: Saturday, October 17, 2015 – 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM

What: 3rd Annual LaketoberFest Music & Brewfest

Where: Bailey Road Park, 11536 Bailey Road, Cornelius, NC

Details: The Cornelius PARC Department and Bella Love host this community event, featuring Live music from The Glass Hammers, Ben Gatlin Band and Pluto for Planet. Six of Lake Norman’s top breweries and bottle shops including D9 Brewing Co., The Clown, Primal Brewing, Bayne, Cork and Cask and Old Town Public House and 15 great food trucks will be on hand, There will be a Cornhole tournament along with a Kid’s zone with crafts and games Admission and parking are free.

Laketoberfest

Event proceeds benefit the Lake Norman Wildlife Conservationists. LNWC is a chapter of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation (NCWF) – a community based organization established for the purposes of environmental education, appreciation of wildlife and natural history, and conservation of wildlife habitat and natural resources. The Vision of the Lake Norman Wildlife Conservationists is to protect and enhance the natural resources and wildlife habitats of the greater Lake Norman area, for all to enjoy.

When: 16-18, 2015 – 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM

What: 21st Carolina BalloonFest

Where: Statesville Regional Airport, 260 Hangar Drive, Statesville, NC 28677

Details: This popular event is held annually the third weekend of October. Last year National Balloon Rally Charities, Inc donated over $82,000 to 25 local charities!

Be prepared with cash for your purchases and plan to arrive early as traffic will be heavy. There will be 10+ music groups of various music genres; hot air balloon launches and hot air balloon rides; Kids Zone with Inflatables*, Bungee Jump, Climb Wall, Walk-in Balloon & Magic Shows; Wine & Craft Beer Tasting Garden; Canine Agility Exhibition and lots of food and beverage vendors!
* inflatables & walk-in balloon are weather dependent

If you have never witnessed a hot air balloon mass launch this is a must see. If you have been before you know how much fun it will be. Check out Carolina Balloon Fest for all the details.

When: Saturday, October 25, 2015 (Actually October 4 – November 22, 2015)

What: Carolina Renaissance Festival

Where: 16445 Poplar Tent Road, Huntersville, NC 28078

The Renaissance Festival is a 16th century European style art and entertainment festival combining outdoor theater, circus entertainment, arts and crafts marketplace, a jousting tournament, a feast fit for royalty, and much much more.

The Carolina Renaissance Festival was introduced in 1994 with six acres of exhibits, attractions and entertainment. The event has grown into a twenty acre theme park filled with charming cottages and castles, kitchens and pubs, and a most unusual collection of people powered rides and games of skill – all nestled in 325 acres of pristine woodlands just north of Charlotte, NC.

The Carolina event has grown to be one of the largest of the Renaissance fairs nationwide. Tree lined lanes are filled with over 100 purveyors of crafts and food, and non-stop music and comedy shows are presented on 11 stages every event day.

This is one of the most interactive entertainment shows ever created with wonderful amusements and antics ongoing all around you! You can sit back and watch, or you can become a part of the action, surrounded by over 500 costumed characters roaming the festival village. The village lanes are full of peasants singing sea-faring songs and street entertainers surprising you with tall tales and tricks, each with a role to play.

You can experience the clashing of armor and the thundering of hooves daily with full combat jousts at the King’s Tournament Arena.

When: Saturday, October 31, 2015 – Noon- 4:00 PM

What: The Great Chili Cookoff

Where: Mooresville Town Square, 279 Williamson Road, Mooresville, NC

Details: Sponsored by The Rotary Clubs of Mooresville-Lake Norman, Mooresville, Top of the Lake and Troutman.

Drenching rains have postponed this event three times but it’s always a hit. There will of course be loads of chili but lots of other food and craft vendors as well. Entertainment will be provided by Back Road. Back Road is a collection of 5 talented musicians with years of experience playing Country Rock Music in front of major recording artists across a variety of genera. Back Road has been the house band at the Frontier Bar in Gastonia for nearly two years.

Great Chilli Cook-Off

All proceeds from this event benefit local programs such as Health Reach, Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN), The School Backpack Project AKA Food for Days, and other charities supported by the four Rotary clubs hosting the event. The 2014 event attracted over 4,000 people and $50,000 for charities supported by Rotary.

When: Saturday, October 10, Saturday, October 17, Saturday, October 24, Saturday, October 31 – 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM

What: Rescue Ranch Fall Fun Days

Where: Rescue Ranch – 1424 Turnersburg Highway Statesville, NC 28625

Fall Fun Days events include arts & crafts, hay art, hay rides, a scarecrow contest, a straw maze and more! Be sure to get in touch ahead of time to learn how to enter a Scarecrow in the Scarecrow Contest, be a vendor and to learn about sponsorship opportunities!

$5.00 per person, not including pumpkin painting or food and beverage.

Fall Fun Days

Enjoy the Fall around Lake Norman!!

Filed Under: Articles, Coddle Creek Events, Lake Norman, Pet Adoption, Pet Health & Safety, Recreation and Pets Tagged With: cat adoption, cats, Cornelius NC, Davidson NC, dog adoption, dogs, East Mooresville Intermediate School, Friends of the Animals, Lake Norman Events in October 2015, Mooresville NC, pet adoption, Recreation, Safety

Are You Ready to Adopt a Shelter Cat?

June 1, 2015 By Beth Harwell Leave a Comment

How Are You Celebrating Adopt a Shelter Cat Month?

It’s Adopt a Shelter Cat Month so what better time to consider the necessary steps. If you have been thinking about adopting a cat, prepare and dive in. You will be richly rewarded.

Many of the steps for adopting a cat are the same as those for adopting a dog. The common considerations are the needs of the pet, proper nutrition, choosing a vet, groomer and pet sitter and over all considering the true financial costs of pet ownership.

Curious Cat

Too often new cat owners think that because cats are less social than dogs that they require very little attention. But we need to pay special attention to the needs of cats and have a basic understanding of why they do certain behaviors.

What Do Cats Need?

Cats need items to scratch. It’s best to provide both horizontal and vertical scratching posts to see which style your cat prefers. They dislike soiled litter boxes and need sufficient litter to cover their pee and poop. That’s why it’s so important to follow the general rule of thumb for having one more litter box than cat, and a litter box on every level of your home. It’s important to scoop the litter box at least daily to assure they don’t go outside the box.

Cats need to sleep in a quiet area where they can feel safe and secure. This may be on a cat hammock, under your bed or on a cat bed all curled up. They need elevated perches where they can see the world around them. Their version of “cat tv” is a perch in front of a window with a view of a birdhouse.

Toys they can interact with are important. Cats love to pounce on moving objects like balls or moving wands because this brings out their instinct for hunting prey. Cats prefer to approach us rather than let us approach them. They like play time to be short, but frequent. Keep that in mind to avoid being scratched or bitten. When kitty is through playing, he is through!!

The cat may benefit from cat calming spray to help him feel more comfortable around the humans. And the humans may appreciate an enzymatic cleaner for those inevitable kitty “oops.”

Where Can I Find a Cat to Adopt?
We are blessed with great adoption agencies throughout our region. Check out Catering to Cats and Dogs, Iredell County Animal Services, Lake Norman Animal Rescue, Cornelius Animal Shelter and the Humane Society of Iredell for your next cat adoption. There is no better way to celebrate Adopt a Shelter Cat Month!

The Most Stylish Hidden Cat Litter Boxes

Filed Under: Articles, Pet Adoption, Pet Health & Safety Tagged With: cat adoption, Catering to Cats and Dogs, Humane Society of Iredell, Iredell County Animal Services, Lake Norman Animal Rescue, pet adoption

How to Change a Pet’s Life

January 24, 2015 By Beth Harwell Leave a Comment

Change a Pet’s Life Day

Did you know that January 24 is Change a Pet’s Life Day? This celebration began in 2009 to increase awareness of homeless pets and to encourage adoption of pets from shelters and rescues. Of course there are numerous things we all can do to change a pet’s life. Activities range from teaching your own dog a trick (after all, January is National Train Your Dog Month!) all the way to adopting a dog. Often people are just not able to adopt a dog for various reasons. They still can contribute to changing a dog’s life though. That might include taking pictures of homeless animals so they look attractive on an adoption website. It might include grooming a dog, taking shelter dogs for walks, providing transport for dogs from a shelter to a foster home, or fostering a dog. Of course, financial contributions are always needed too, especially to pay for long neglected medical needs.

Today we want to talk about one lovely dog that longs for her forever home. Mocha has a special friend, her “Aunt Michelle” who is working hard to change a pet’s life. “Aunt Michelle” visits with Mocha on a regular basis, takes Mocha to her own home for some family life time and takes Mocha on outings in the community. She advocates tirelessly on Mocha’s behalf and has even created a FaceBook page to showcase Mocha right into her own home. She has done a beautiful job of keeping Mocha well socialized.

Meet Mocha-Chino ……in Her Own Words

Mocha

I am a beautiful chocolate colored pittie girl, about 3 years old, with the most stunning eyes that will melt your heart. I am one of the most affectionate dogs out there but I keep getting overlooked.

Here’s the thing with me….I can’t remember everything from my past, but I do know that someone witnessed me being thrown from a moving vehicle and because of that, I have some trust issues. I take a bit of time to warm up to new people BUT PLEASE understand that I want to love you and trust you and I try really hard, but I get scared so you need to give me a bit of time (and plenty of yummy treats) and once I trust you, there is nothing that you can’t do to me. Once I give my trust (and it only takes a couple visits) , it’s yours 100% and I will love you with my whole heart and soul!

I would do best in a home with older, respectful children and I am selective with other dogs,. If they are submissive and calm, I am calm but if they’re in my face and hyper, I don’t like that. Just ask and we can do a meet and greet with your doggy to see if it’s a match. It may take a little time though as I don’t have a lot of experience with doggy manners. I do know that I don’t get along with cats though.

I may be best as the only pet in the home. I definitely cannot live with cats. I was in a temporary foster home for 6 months and lived with a teenage girl and I was great but I had to come back through no fault of my own. I have wonderful house manners, I’m housebroken, know basic obedience, ride wonderfully in the car and am a really good girl. I’d love to have a family of my own real soon. Check out my bio to learn all there is to know about me. Woof!

If you’d like to make my acquaintance, please complete an adoption application & be sure to mention my name – MOCHA!!

Mocha

How We Know Mocha

We know Mocha through her Facebook Page . From her page (and from communicating with her “Aunt Michelle”) we have grown to know and love Mocha. She resides with Eleventh Hour Rescue in Randolph, New Jersey. Click here to see Mocha’s very own web page.

Mocha has lots of friends and her “Aunt Michelle” created Mocha’s FaceBook Page. Although “Aunt Michelle” would love to adopt Mocha, she cannot do so. Mocha explains the reasons quite well.

She has a very dog aggressive dog at home that cannot share her home. Aunt Michelle knows that this is not the ideal situation for me and wouldn’t put me in a potentially dangerous situation. I have made so much progress in my dealings with the real world and she doesn’t want me to regress and have any set backs. She loves me enough to say that her home is not 100% ideal for me, even though i know it hurts her, I understand her decision and know how much she loves me and only wants the best for me. She is my best friend and I love her for all she does for me.

Special Perks that Accompany Mocha

Mocha’s adoption fee will be covered to an approved adopter by http://www.sammyshope.org/daves-faves
A local trainer has offered to provide training for Mocha, free of charge to her new family

A Few Requirements

Due to Mocha’s trust issues, you must be willing and able to come meet Mocha a few times.
Mocha must feel comfortable with you before you will be able to bring her home.
The Eleventh Hour Rescue will not transport Mocha to you.

Mocha is waiting. Will you be the one who changes Mocha’s life today?

Filed Under: Articles, Inspiration, Pet Adoption Tagged With: Adoption Fee Paid, Change a Pet's Life, change a pet's life day, dog adoption, Eleventh Hour rescue, Free Training Offered, Mocha, Mocha-Chino, pet adoption, Pittie, Randolph New Jersey

There is a lot going on in October!!

October 2, 2014 By Beth Harwell 3 Comments

There is no shortage of dates to celebrate this month.

Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
Adopt a Dog Month
National Service Dog Month
National Pet Wellness Month
National Animal Safety & Protection Month

October 1 – 7 National Walk Your Dog Week

October 12 – 18 National Veterinary Technician Week

October 1 National Fire Pup Day
October 2 World Farm Animal Day
October 4 World Animal Day
October 8 National Pet Obesity Awareness Day
October 16 National Feral Cat Day
October 29 National Cat Day
October 31 Halloween

We are aware of three opportunities on October 5 to participate in a Blessing of the Animals in honor of the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi. Dogs must be leashed and cats and other small animals must be in carriers.

St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church in Mooresville will hold a special service in their outdoor worship area at 10:30 AM.
St. Peter Catholic Church in Mooresville will hold a special service at 11:00 AM.
Davidson College Presbyterian Church will hold a special service at 3:00 PM on the lawn in front of Lingle Chapel. They are requesting that you bring an offering of pet food to be shared with the Loaves & Fishes pantry at the Ada Jenkins Center.

Filed Under: Articles, Pet Adoption, Pet Health & Safety, Pets and Holidays, Recreation and Pets Tagged With: Adopt a Dog Month, Blessing of the Animals, Davidson NC, Mooresville NC, National Animal Safety & Protection Month, National Cat Day, National Feral Cat Day, National Fire Pup Day, National Pet Obesity Awareness Day, National Pet Wellness Month, National Service Dog Month, National Veterinary Technician Week, October 2014 Pet Themed Special Days, St. Francis of Assissi, World Animal Day, World Farm Animal Day

Presents 4 Pets in Mooresville, Davidson and Cornelius

September 27, 2014 By Beth Harwell Leave a Comment

Christmas Giving Opportunity

We have a wonderful Christmas giving opportunity right here in our community to benefit homeless pets!! From November 1 through December 15, 2014 Dog Walkers & More at Coddle Creek, LLC is coordinating a collection of needed items for dogs and cats housed at the animal shelter operated by Iredell County and animals in foster care with two local rescue organizations. Presents 4 Pets is an annual project sponsored by members of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS). http://www.petsitters.org/

combined-01cat toys

The recipients of our local Presents 4 Pets campaign for 2014 are:

Iredell County Animal Services
- http://www.co.iredell.nc.us/Departments/Animal_Control/
Catering to Cats and Dogs
- http://www.c2cnd.org/
Lake Norman Animal Rescue
- http://www.lknrescue.org/

We are currently contacting local veterinary hospitals, groomers, pet supply stores and other interested businesses regarding serving as a collection location. Stay tuned to our social media sites and be on the lookout for press releases to find out where the collection sites will be located.

The recipients have identified their most needed items. Now is the time to stock up if you see these items on sale.

Dry or canned (pate´consistency) dog/cat/puppy/kitten food
Collars, harnesses and leashes (any size)
Kong toys of any kind
Kong toys that unscrew
Rope toys, tennis balls, Nylabones, rawhides
Dog & cat treats
Cat toys & catnip
Kitty litter (scented is awesome in a shelter setting)
Disposable kitty litter pans
Dog & cat shampoo
Wire crates (any size)
Playpens (new or clean used)
Puppy pads
Dog and cat beds
Towels and blankets (new or clean used)
Chicken stock or broth (used as a medium in frozen stuffed Kongs)
Bleach, laundry detergent and fabric softener sheets
Lysol or Clorox wipes
Paper towels
Adams Flea Spray
Nature’s Miracle products
Hand sanitizer
Petco or Petsmart gift cards

Iredell County Animal Services also has some special needs for their surgery room.

Digital baby scale
Small double sided crock-pot (to warm surgical scrub)
Twin size electric blanket (to warm the pets after their spay/neuter)
Twin size waterproof mattress cover for electric blanket
Pill Pockets
Advantage Multi for Cats
Ophthalmoscope
Otoscope
Lint rollers (to prepare surgical draping prior to laundering)
Home-made rice socks to warm the pets during & after spay/neuter surgery

Your participation in this Christmas Giving Opportunity will add to the safety, health and comfort of our homeless animals and enhance their chances at finding their perfect forever homes.

Speaking of forever homes and such……foster or adoptive homes are always needed. If you cannot foster or adopt find out if you can help with transport. If you cannot transport, can you play with pets at the shelter? Can you share their pictures on your social media sites? Have you had your pets spayed or neutered??

On behalf of NAPPS Dog Walkers & More at Coddle Creek, LLC thanks you for contributing to Presents 4 Pets 2014.

Panda’s Freedom Ride

November 26, 2013 By Beth Harwell 6 Comments

What a beauty she is. Panda is the first black and white Brittany I have met. She is a real stunner with those panda bear eyes. We can easily see how she got her name. Panda’s life story is sad. She was picked up as a stray, along with her siblings, Angel and Spot. Iredell County Animal control checked: sure enough Angel and Spot were chipped!! Oh happy day!!

Panda gets ready to leave the shelter.

Not so fast. A phone call to the owner was disappointing. He said he had “given away” all three dogs. Really? Pretty lame. But at least he came to the shelter and completed the owner surrender paperwork.

This freedom ride thing is a lot scary

All three took their initial rides to freedom this weekend. Angel and Spot left a little earlier in the day to be fostered by New England Brittany Rescue (NEBR). I picked up Panda and transported her to Rock Hill, SC where a foster mommy with American Brittany Rescue (ABR) was waiting to take her to her home in Columbia.

Panda is warming up!!

Panda is pretty in pink. She is a little chubby (60 pounds!) but will slim down in no time after she recovers from her spay surgery. Here’s to a happy life for Panda the beautiful Brittany Spaniel.

Happy Panda ready for new life!!

Filed Under: Articles, Pet Adoption Tagged With: American Brittany Rescue, Brittany, Coddle Creek, Dog, dog adoption, foster dogs, foster parents, pet adoption

Open Adoption: For Dogs

November 24, 2013 By Beth Harwell Leave a Comment

Our Experience with Open Adoption: For Dogs

The front door was open so we could see through the storm door. The doorbell rang. We were nervous. What if Trooper didn’t remember his former Daddy? Would he know him when he saw him or would he have to smell him? Luke and Daisy were in the den and took off for the living room door. I called Trooper; no response. Had he not come back from his walk with Daddy?? I opened the stairway door and here he came, trailing a leash behind him. This was our opportunity to see how open adoption: for dogs would turn out.

Wow, look at that tail wag! Here he goes jumping up and down. Even Luke and Daisy were jumping up and down but had no idea why. Guess it was just contagious exuberance! No need for Trooper to smell; he knew his first Daddy by sight. He just could not get close enough to his Daddy. It was a great hour-long visit and we hope the first of many.

Trooper’s elderly first Daddy was diagnosed with cancer and had to have chemo. His doctor told him he would not be able to withstand the treatment and look after three dogs. He convinced his MD to let him keep the oldest dog and his vet hooked him up with English Springer Rescue America (ESRA) for help in re-homing Trooper and Brownie. Enter Trooper into our lives and for this we are grateful. So are Luke and Daisy Mae.

Filed Under: Articles, Pet Adoption Tagged With: Coddle Creek, Dog, dog adoption, English Springer Rescue America, open adoption, open pet adoption, pet adoption

How to Adopt a Cat and Live Peacefully Afterwards

Related articles

Where Can You Adopt a Dog?

Iredell County

Mecklenburg County

Cabarrus County

Rowan County

Lincoln County

Catawba County