by The Ark Manager | Apr 29, 2021 | Blog
WELLNESS CLINIC
The Ark is pleased to announce that we are holding a Wellness Clinic with Coastal Animal Care staff, including Dr. Erin Church Libby.
Where: At the Ark 10-1 on 5/20.
First come, first serve.
Owners must wait in their vehicles while staff and techs come out to get your pet and bring them in. Pet owners will not be permitted to come inside. Owners may choose what vaccinations they would like- any or all.
The Ark is graciously accepting donations upon bringing your animals inside for the clinic. Please remember our staff work hard to make this clinic happen, and we will be closing for the day. Please have your donation ready when you arrive so we can continue doing what we do.
Costs:
$18 rabies
$21 distemper
$21 lepto
$43 Lyme
$25 bordetella
Free basic exam.
Payment separate, to the Ark:
$30 microchipping (includes registration)
Please read: You will receive your microchip registrations within TWO WEEKS after the clinic in the mail or in email.
Owners must show proof of previous rabies if pet owner wants the rabies to be good for 3 years.
If owners want to have boosters done for distemper, lepto or Lyme, we can schedule you to come back to the ark in 3-4 weeks
by The Ark Manager | Jan 13, 2021 | Blog
Hello Dear Friends!
We want to keep everyone in the loop and let you know that moving into 2021, the Ark will continue operating on an appointment-only basis. We ask that folks try and keep their appointments to a half hour or less, so we can continue limiting traffic in and out of the shelter. We are also going to require that applications be submitted and approved prior to making appointments to visit our adoptable pets. We apologize about the changes in operation, however we are doing our best to make sure that staff and public are safe, and that COVID guidelines are being followed. Thank you for understanding!
You can fill out our adoption application online, or print it off and mail it in. If you must come to the shelter to physically fill out an application, we will give you a clipboard and ask that applications be filled out in your vehicle to limit public coming into the building.
by The Ark Manager | Oct 26, 2020 | Blog
The Ark staff and Shelter Administrator would like to take a moment in recognizing Michelle M. Wright “Shelly” as the new Shelter Manager at the Ark!
Michelle has been a full-time Animal Care Technician since July 2019, and volunteered with us prior to being hired. She takes charge with confidence, is excellent with the public, committed to Pet Point Date Entry and is taking charge of it. Most importantly, Shelly is dedicated to the shelter and has natural insight to animal care and well-being. Shelly takes every animal that comes into the shelter under her wing. This includes dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rats, rabbits, birds, and any other critter that comes our way. Regardless of their behaviors and challenges, Shelly loves them and respects them.
Shelly was the first employee to be recognized as Employee of the Quarter, always being willing to help and being confident in decisions in regards to animal care. At any given moment, you will come into the shelter and hear Shelly gently cooing to every animal she sees while providing them all with love and respect.
Shelly has a background in animal care, employment in pet stores, and experience with staff management and training. Welcome to the management team at the Ark, Michelle! We are so happy and proud to have you as the Ark’s new Shelter Manager.
Very Sincerely,
Shelter Administrator
Shaina Mugford
by The Ark Manager | Jul 14, 2020 | Blog
Why Having a Dog Sleep in Your Bed Might Not Be a Great Idea
Owning a dog can be great for your health. Their wagging tails and barks every evening, when you get home from work, can make you smile and forget about your stressful day. And the fact that you must take at least two walks every day can help you stay fit. So, after leaving him at home the whole day, you just want to snuggle up with him in the evening and fall asleep.
But do you know that co-sleeping with your dog is not a great idea? As much as you don’t want him to be lonely at night, inviting him to bed can be detrimental to your health. Snuggling up with him in bed can help you fall asleep faster, but it can also destroy your chances of good night sleep. Here are a few more reasons why sleeping with your dog in bed is not a great idea.
It Can Affect Your Sleeping Patterns
Dogs are fidgety, and they have odd sleeping behaviors such as twitching and snoring. Your furry friends can wake up at night to dig into your beddings until they get a cozy spot, stretch, or walk around the room. Even a pooch that is capable of sleeping an entire night can sometimes wake up to drink water or patrol the house. And this will affect your sleeping pattern too. Therefore, you might end up feeling tired the whole day simply because you didn’t sleep well.
A study conducted by Mayo Clinic on whether co-sleeping with your pooch is beneficial confirmed that it’s not a great idea. Even though dogs can sleep peacefully throughout the night, the study confirmed that the sleeping efficiency of their owners was reduced.
They Can Destroy Your Expensive Bed Linen
Even the toughest and high-quality bed linen is no match for his claws and teeth. Dogs can get snagged in your beddings while looking for a comfortable spot or playing on your bed. And if you sleep with two or three dogs, then your beddings are not safe. Your dog can track some dirty from outside into your bed.
Dogs have a tendency of destroying or chewing their bed and in severe cases, they can even chew your furniture, papers, and shoes. This behavior can be a sign of stress, anxiety, and boredom. And revoking his bed privileges after he has slept for years might trigger this issue. So to avoid this you should get your dog a chew resistant and tough dog bed. These beds are indestructible, and they are the best options for chewers.
Your Pooch May Exacerbate Your Allergies
Other than hypoallergenic dog owners, pet owners are not usually allergic to their dogs. Your allergies might not be triggered by pet saliva or dander, but sharing a bed with him could still be dangerous. Some common allergens like dust and pollen can stick to his fur when playing outside and then be transferred to your bed.
These allergens can worsen your allergies, which can affect the quality of your sleep. So, instead of sharing your bed with them, why don’t you get him a doggy bed?
Your Bed Can Become Part of Your Dog’s Territory
Your pooch is a territorial creature that loves protecting his domain. Therefore inviting him into your bed every night can make your bedroom part of his territory. This can become a problem when you try to remove him from your bedroom in the future.
Some dogs tend to become aggressive every time you sleep on a specific part of the bed. If this happens, you should stop sleeping with your dog until he curbs this aggression. Another disadvantage of allowing him to make your bed his territory is their behavior of marking their domains with a little urine.
Doggy Drool
Some dog breeds tend to drool a lot, especially when asleep so that you can wake up to several wet spots on your bed. If this is the case, you can get him a comfortable bed next to yours. Some dogs love sleeping in your bed even when you are not at home. This might not be an issue, but wait until he comes to bed all muddy and rests on your clean sheets.
House Training Accidents Can Happen
Even though cuddling with your newly adopted dog helps with bonding, it is not a good idea, especially if you are still house training him. He can forget and urinate on your bed in the middle of the night. Throwing his beddings in your washing machine is easier than steam washing your mattress.
It Might Not Be Suitable for Your Marriage
Allowing your pet to join you in bed can interfere with the kind of intimacy that contributes to a great relationship or marriage. A dog can become jealous and start guarding one of the spouses against the other. If your dog starts exhibiting these behaviors, then it’s time to remove him from your bed.
It Can End up Being a Lifetime Commitment
Snuggling up with your dog can form a habit that can last for his entire life. You might be single right now, and you don’t mind sleeping with your pooch every night. But what will happen when you finally start a family. What will happen when you start sharing your king-sized bed with your child and spouse?
The bed will become overcrowded, and revoking bed privileges at that stage can be challenging. Therefore, you should introduce your pooch to his own bed on the day you adopt him.
Your Dog Won’t Be on Guard
One of the best things about being a pet owner is that your pooch can alert you in case of intruders. Dogs have very sharp hearing, and they can hear someone breaking into your home long before your human ears hear anything. However, with him nestled deep in your beddings and the bedroom door closed, he might not hear noise disturbances at night.
Warming Your Bed
Dogs tend to give off some heat every time they sleep, which can increase the temperature in bed. While this factor can be quite beneficial during winter, it can affect people who don’t like sleeping warm. If you sweat a lot when the temperature increases, then snuggling with him is not a great option.
by The Ark Manager | May 21, 2020 | Blog
Funded by the Ark Thrift Shop in Blue Hill, the Ark has the most comprehensive spay/neuter program in the North East since 1984. It’s called Stitch in Time. We work with our local vets to help you get your pet spayed and neutered. The vets will pay a third, the Ark will pay a third, and the owner will pay the remaining third. All you have to do is make an appointment with your vet of choice and then send us proof of low-income, and we will fax a voucher to your vet.
While many people realize that the Stitch Program alleviates the unwanted pet population, what many people don’t realize is that spaying and neutering also can alleviate unwanted behaviors and expensive health problems in regards to your pet.
“Marking” and “Spraying”
While unaltered female dogs/cats sometimes can urinate in the home, it’s most often males. Male dogs will “mark” and male cats will “spray” in your home to claim their territory or make known their reproductive status. Unaltered males will often spray in your home, and their urine often smells very strong due to the chemicals in their urine from not being neutered. Spaying and neutering your pet greatly reduces this unwanted behavior.
Health Concerns
In females, it is important to get them spayed prior to their first heat, if possible. “In heat” refers to a cat who is mature and ready to mate. Spaying prior to a cat’s first heat decreases chances of infections in reproductive organs and different types of cancers.
In males, prostates can become enlarged without neutering, causing infections, pain, and other issues.Testicular cancer and other medical conditions could also result from not neutering.
Urge to Roam
Cats and dogs who are not spayed/neutered tend to wander, seeking a mate. Therefore, it is much more prevalent that un-altered cats are hit by vehicles or killed in nature.
Aggression
Some people believe that an unaltered animal can develop aggressive behaviors and be more territorial.
Unwanted Pet Population
Our world is filled with shelters that are housing unwanted animals, and oftentimes “kill” shelters are euthanized daily in order to keep up with the demand of incoming pet surrenders, while no-kill animal shelters meet their quota and are full and can no longer keep up with the demands of society’s lack of responsibility. Spaying and neutering your pet will stop reproduction, thus contributing to helping society with the issue of unwanted pets. Please be responsible socially and as a pet owner and spay and neuter your pets. The Ark is here to help you if you have any concerns about spaying/neutering, or if you need to utilize a Stitch voucher!
Shaina R. Mugford
Shelter Administrator
by The Ark Manager | Apr 22, 2020 | Blog
Hello Dear Friends,
We need some of the following items taken care of at our shelter. We are willing to hire someone reputable for our roofing needs, and possibly others. However, we are hoping to get some volunteers in to take care of some of these tasks.
Also, we are looking for someone to make a donation for our paint, so we can purchase paint to re-do the inside of our buildings.
- The Bottle Shed has a leak in the roof that we need repaired
- The Overhangs on the Modular leak-new overhand needed
- The Upstairs cat ramps in the Farmhouse need to be sanded and painted, or replaced.
- We will need to find a lawn maintenance person to take care of lawn mowing and weed whacking this spring/summer/fall.
- The banking/skirting on the modular needs to be replaced.
- Both buildings need to be repainted on the inside
- In the modular, the door leading into the office area needs to be repaired/replaced.
- The Bedding shed needs to have shingles replaced/redone, and has a leak.
- The ISO 1 exit door needs to be painted to seal it.
- The Kennel Room needs to have the cracks in the cement floor sealed as it’s very difficult to thoroughly clean feces and urine out of the cracks.
- We need a n ew doorstep in front of the farmhouse by the walkway
- There is a pile of of debris near the bottle shed that must be disposed of.
Please call Shaina Mugford, Shelter Administrator at (207) 271-1647 or (207) 546-3484 for more information.
Thank you!
