All Things Dog - September 29, 2008

October is Adopt A Dog month sponsored by the American Humane Association.

According to the Trib, Hillsborough County Animal Services will be changing the hours for the animal surrender portion of their facility. Starting Oct. 1, hours will be from 1-5 p.m. Mondays and Fridays and 2-6 p.m Wednesdays. Previously they were open six days a week in the afternoons. Animals to be surrendered should be vaccinated for rabies and have county tags. Marti Ryan, spokesperson for HCAS encourages owners to seek out other options for their pets, using Animal Services as their last resort. HCAS does their best to adopt out the animals they receive, but they are a kill shelter, and far t oo many animals don't walk back out that door.For more info see HCAS or call (813) 744-5660.


A warning was sent to me by a reader about dogs ingesting cocoa mulch, sold by Target, Home Depot and other garden centers. Ingredients in the cocoa shells used in the mulch can be harmful to dogs if ingested and have resulted in death in at least one case. You can read more about this product and the potential risks at snopes.