The Pet Connection

Pet of the Week: Meet Calvin!

dhipp — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:43:54 +0000

Hi, I’m Calvin, a seven year-old Maine Coon with the world’s goofiest cat mustache. I’m a big, handsome boy who loves to lounge and play and have my luxurious fur brushed by someone who loves me. I also know some basic commands. You won’t find that in many cats! My favorite perch is on a windowsill where I can check out the birds and squirrels and feel the breeze. Once I know you’re my friend, I will talk to talk to you with a booming meow, follow you around, get in your lap, and nuzzle your face. If you allow me a little while to settle in and learn that I can trust you, I will love you forever.

To make an appointment to meet Calvin, contact us.

The Pet Connection Improves Life for Shelter Dogs

dhipp — Wed, 08 May 2013 18:15:25 +0000

The Pet Connection is embarking on a six-week project of training staff at two Kansas City area shelters — KC Pet Project and Unleashed — in methods of decreasing problem behaviors among shelter animals. We will also train staff at both shelters on how to safely allow shelter dogs to exercise and socialize in supervised play groups.

The Pet Connection’s Plan:

Teach shelter staff how to alleviate barking and anxiety in a kennel environment.
Offer behavioral assessments for shelter dogs.
Train shelter employees to safely supervise dog play groups that allow shelter dogs to get much-needed exercise to reduce kennel-related stress and anxiety.

Why it’s Important:

Properly supervised play groups allow dogs to release stress caused by a shelter environment, become more sociable with dogs and people and ultimately become more adoptable.

Melody Kelso and other animal behavior specialists from The Pet Connection will offer this important training – an average of 30-40 hours per week — to shelter employees and kennel staff at no charge.

How You Can Help:

The Pet Connection needs donations for toys, treats and gasoline expenses for volunteer trainers and behavioral consultants. You donations will go directly toward this project, and you can even specify which shelter will receive the benefits of your donation.

Donate via Pay Pal. Please specify in the Pay Pal comments section whether you want your donation to benefit KC Pet Project, Unleashed or either shelter.

For more information, contact Melody Kelso at melody@thepetconnection.net.

Coming Soon: New Sanctuary

dhipp — Wed, 08 May 2013 17:22:42 +0000

The Pet Connection will break ground on our 4,500-square-foot animal sanctuary in Beloit, Kansas this summer, and we plan to be up and running at our new location by 2014. In addition to our work at the Beloit sanctuary, The Pet Connection will continue to hold adoption events and offer dog training, socialization and pet rehabilitation classes at The Great Mall of the Great Plains in Olathe, Kansas.

Our Vision:

The Pet Connection plans to create the only full-rehabilitation facility in Kansas and Missouri for shelter pets. Our goal is to collaborate with animal shelters and rescue groups in order to move the Kansas City metro area toward a no-kill community.

The new Pet Connection sanctuary will offer more than just shelter for homeless animals. This larger facility will enable The Pet Connection to broaden our life-saving work with more programs to help hundreds of homeless pets find great homes and families:

Adoption services, dog socialization and training classes.
Collaboration with animal shelters and rescue groups in the Kansas City metropolitan area so that we can transfer animals from crowded city shelters to our sanctuary in Beloit.
Rehabilitation for dogs and cats with aggression, fearfulness and other issues.
Consultation and training for rescue groups with cats and dogs that might otherwise be deemed unadoptable due to behavior issues.
Cage-less environment to decrease animal stress and anxiety and foster a more homelike atmosphere.
Radiant heat system for better animal health and safe care of newborn puppies and kittens.
The Pet Connection has always been a no-kill organization, and its no-kill philosophy will continue at the Beloit sanctuary.

At The Pet Connection, we believe that consistent care from familiar faces is important to animals’ well-being and progress. That’s why our new facility will provide 24-hour care to shelter animals by staff members who live on site.

Staff members will collaborate on individual animal’s needs and training to ensure that each dog or cat receives the same methods of care consistently, much like the care that the animal would receive in a family setting. This will make our animals more adoptable, less stressed and more successful in their adoptive homes.

How You Can Help The Pet Connection Save Animals’ Lives:

Sign up to foster a homeless animal and help them get familiar with a home environment so that they can become more adoptable.
Volunteer to get the word out about our dogs and cats by posting on facebook and other social network sites.
Transport animals from Kansas City area shelters to our Beloit facility in North Central Kansas (approximately three hours away) or to local foster homes.
Donate to The Pet Connection to assist with veterinary care, food and numerous expenses associated with animal rescue.

For more information, contact melody@thepetconnection.net

CT Paws for a Cause – Olathe Schools HELP homeless pets in need

Melody — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 00:32:27 +0000

A group of student volunteers from the Olathe School District have been planning an adopt-a-thon with several twists this April 13, 2013 from 12-4. The day starts with a group of art students painting the front entry way to The Pet Connection. This huge adoption affair will also have a bake sale and students will attempt to fill several trucks full of animal supplies to benefit several local shelters, rescue groups, and animal caretakers in our community. See our wishlist on our support page. Please check out the art work on TPC’s windows which will be designed and completed for the first time on April 13th. The art students in Olathe donated their time to complete this project and have been collecting items for TPC’s resource store. TPC has a tradition of supplying food and supplies to many other local rescues and shelters so that they can provide good care to the animals. Items can be donated any weekend at the Great Mall of the Great Plains on Saturday from 12-4. All animal supplies are accepted. All cleaning supplies are accepted. All office supplies are accepted.

Pets Visiting our Adoption Center – Call for their schedule

Melody — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 23:38:25 +0000

Snooki is a rehabilitation dog that lives at Unleashed. She can be scared when she meets new people and should not go to a home with children. She LOVES other dogs though and is doing a “job” twice weekly when she comes to re-socialize dogs that are scared or need assistance to play well with others. Come watch Snooki in social shaping classes. Our all glass front will allow you to observe her at work with the other dogs….If you wish to meet her, just call for appointment.

These pets visit from local shelters and rescue groups around the metro. The Pet Connection has hosted adoptions for: Barkin Dogs, Kansas City Pet Project, The Animal Rescue Alliance, Unleashed, and many more area rescues and shelters.

If you text/call 913-671-7387, we can tell you more or where you can go to see them today!!! They visit the adoption center at least once a week on a schedule (we can give you details when you tell us which one you like) and by appointment. . We will help you find your new friend…..

Lyric is a dog that was originally from Kansas City Pet Project and moved to one of The Pet Connection’s foster care homes for recovery. Unleashed is assisting in her adoption. She is a golden colored mutt mix. She loves to play and run. She has herdy dog energy. She likes children. We have played around with her breed, but who knows…(Samoyed has also come to mind). She is a young dog who was injured when she came in to the shelter. She has healed and is ready for her forever home.

Jack was recently pulled by The Pet Connection from Kansas City Pet Project. He is living in foster care, but will be visiting the adoption center every Saturday or by appointment until he’s adopted. He is a rat terrier, about 9 years old…good with kids, dogs, and cats. He’s an all-around GREAT DOG.

Purdy is a great dog. She is still, young (10 months old), but she settles very nicely. She walks well on a leash and knows basic commands. She likes other dogs although she can be anxious during the introduction so may need a little assistance. She is GREAT with kids. She likes to ride in the car and likes to sit on your lap.

Save the Date: Hamburger Mary’s Bingo Night

LeAnne — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:24:40 +0000

The Pet Connection will be hosting Charity Bingo Night at Hamburger Mary’s Kansas City on Wednesday June 26th. We look forward to packing the place with fun-loving guests, eating, drinking and playing some bingo to raise money for The Pet Connection’s upcoming animal sanctuary, the homeless pets in our program, and our outreach programs that support other area rescues and shelters. We hope to see you there, so save that date!

SUPER adoption and Pet Fair

Melody — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 20:39:18 +0000

Great Mall of the Great Plains – Olathe, KS. March 09, 2013 12-4

Join these and many more adoption agencies and pet businesses!!!!

Kansas City Pet Project

Missouri German Shepherd Rescue

Olathe Animal Control

MOSH PIT

We love pets training

The Pet Connection Adoption and Training Center

Barkin Dogs

Prairie Paws Animal Shelter

Mid America Bully Breed Rescue

HELP Humane

Jade’s Mission

Unleashed

Kansas City Regap

Midwest Pugs and Pals

Beaks N Wings

Ichabod – a story of Rescue and Recovery

Melody — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 06:12:37 +0000

Ichabod came back to The Pet Connection in October of 2011 after 12 years in his adoptive home.

In the year or more prior to his return to us, he began to have repeat urinary tract and bladder infections with resulting ongoing litter box issues. He developed ear infections that eventually became a chronic issue. His behavior changed and he was grouchy, growly and unpleasant – and who could blame him. The icing on the cake for the owner was development of Diabetes requiring intensive treatment.

We took him ‘home’ and the subsequent changes to his care netted awesome results! By switching him from kibble to high quality canned food at regular, frequent daily intervals, his diabetes resolved comletely. We were able to stop testing and treating with insuling after only a month. The veterinarian believes his diabetes was in response to prednisone given for the ear infections.

We started a more gentle and natural approach to what was discovered to be yeast overgrowth in his ears. That, along with the canned diet containing no grains or carbs (sugars feed yeast), and the ear infections also resolved. He still has thick ears and scarring in the canals, but no more head shaking, painful yeast infections.

He still had periodic litterbox issues that, at this point, had become a behavioral response to stress and pain as well as a result from chronic UTI and bladder infections. Once the medical issues were dealt with, the behavioral aspect took a little longer to resolve, but we did it over time and with specific positive reinforcement and a plan. One of the biggest differences was made when we gave this very big boy of 20 pounds and appropriately sized litter box made from a storage tub and easy access by sturdy pet stairs. We also arranged his living space to avoid rugs and mats, which were his fall back for peeing when stressed.

He was given a quiet space of his own during this time to keep his stress down and better manage his needs. His behavior changed for the better and Grouchy Cat only revealed itself on the one subsequent occasion early on that he developed another UTI.

From the beginning we noticed that his eyes were ‘uniquely speckled’. Upon further research and review of his complete medical records, it was discovered that this speckling was actually a condition called Iris Melanosis. This eye condition is a precursor to Iris Melanoma, a cancer that invades the iris and can lead to cancer of the major organs and result in death. We immediately had a veterinarian assess his condition and ‘map’ his eyes. At that time, there were no markers indicating that cancer had developed and our plan was to reevaluate every 3 months, which we did. And it’s a darn good thing we were on top of it.

Our mobil vet, who had seen Ichabod now 4 times, came for a re-check of his eyes and discovered that there were, indeed, changes present. We took him in for a chest xray, which also included his other organs, and ruled out any current spread of cancer. The eye changes were confirmed by this vet as well.

Next was the eye specialist. Her diagnosis? Iris Melanoma in both eyes – yes, in just 3 short months cancer had developed in both eyes. The only solution was immediate removal of the eye with the million tiny pigment speckles – all cancer filled and showing changes. The other eye had one large speckle and she was confident she could laser the heck out of that eye to mitigate the cancer areas, which were along the ‘edge’ of the speckle.

Ichabod, one of the most awesome cats I’ve ever had the pleasure to know – who had been through years of painful UTI’s, chronic and uncomfortable yeasty ears, diabetes and all that entails, and, finally, the loss of the only home he had known since he was a kitten – was going to now have one eye removed and one eye lasered in the hopes of saving his life.

So, surgery over. Ichabod is now recovering. He is tolerating it all like the sweet boy he is – in stride. This should tell you everything you need to know about how amazing this boy is….

Ichabod before surgery

Valentine’s Fundraiser

Melody — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:47:46 +0000

Won’t you be our Valentine? Shop at The Great Mall of The Great Plains and help homeless pets.

Many vendors are coming together to create a Valentine shopping extravaganza!!! Don’t miss out on the deals and helping the homeless pets on February 9, 2013 from 2-6 p.m. at The Great Mall of the Great Plains. Vendor booths will be located throughout the mall. Be sure to stop by The Pet Connection to see adoptable pets and purchase raffle tickets. You can also purchase raffle tickets online. Many items valued at $25 or more that have been donated by participating vendors will be raffled.

Pet Pictures with Santa

LeAnne — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:26:52 +0000

Come visit The Pet Connection and have a picture of your pet taken with Santa or have your picture taken with your pet in front of our holiday backdrop.

The Pet Connection in The Great Mall
Every Saturday from 5-7 p.m. through Christmas
Located just inside the theater entrance

One photo for $7 or two photos for $10

All proceeds go to support homeless pets. If your fur kids would like to drop off a gift for the homeless pets under our care, we’d welcome them under the tree. You can find our wishlist here: http://www.thepetconnection.net/tpc/donate/

Thank you for supporting The Pet Connection and Happy Holidays!