HELOISE Organization helps find low-cost pet sterilization

Dear Heloise: For more than a decade, SPAY/USA has been helping people find spay/neuter services they can afford, and gradually the surplus of cats and dogs has been going down. However, our nation's shelters are still inundated.
The Pet Savers Foundation, our parent organization, is now launching a "Prevention, Not Destruction" campaign to emphasize that it is far easier to prevent litters than to try to deal with the surplus. One of the interesting findings during this decade has been that it costs cities and towns about one-third as much to prevent litters as it does to round up, house, try to adopt out, then euthanize surplus cats and dogs. And as the number of cats and dogs comes down, we are able to find good and permanent homes for them.
To date, hundreds of thousands of people have called our toll-free number, (800) 248-SPAY, and millions of unwanted animals have therefore not been born. We thank our callers for caring, and you for spreading the word so effectively, Heloise! Esther Mechler, director, SPAY/USA program, Stratford, Conn.
Your group deserves a round of applause for all the good work you do. I'm very happy to spread the word for such a worthy cause! It is important, folks, to help prevent the births of so many unwanted cats and dogs.
Please call the toll-free number, and be a responsible pet owner and get your dog or cat spayed or neutered. Heloise
Dear Readers: Dennis and Rebecca Gobble of Chapin, S.C., own a beautiful 5-year-old Shih Tzu. The photo they sent shows him lying under a coffee table, taking a break from his many activities.
Visit my Web page, www.Helo-ise.com, and click on This Week's Pet to see this cute pup. Also, if you have an unusual pet photo, send it to: Heloise/Pet Photo, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279. Heloise
Dear Heloise: I cut too far down on my dog's nail and caused it to bleed. I remember reading something in your column about using flour. I did it, and it worked! I dipped her foot in a cup of flour, and voil & aacute; -- it worked! The bleeding stopped almost instantly.
It's really tricky knowing where to cut. Her nails are dark, so I can't find the vein. Please tell your readers to be very careful when trimming their pets' nails. C.D., Via E-mail
Only snip the tip -- just a bit, not too much. If you are uncomfortable doing this, then it's a good idea to take your pet to the veterinarian or pet groomer, since it's very difficult to see the vein in dark nails. Heloise
FYI: If you are thinking of buying a hook-billed bird, know that they love to chew on wood and shiny objects. Don't put parakeets, cockatiels, etc., in a cage with wood bars. They can chew their way out in no time. There are many cages suited for hook-billed birds that will keep them safe. Heloise
XSend a great hint to: Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, Fax: (210) HELOISE or E-mail: Heloise@Heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate