Carolina Tails | 2020 Winter Edition

CAROLINA

TAILS

OFF OUR COAST The Right Whale

WINTER 2020

A Charleston Animal Society Publication

SAVING THE PIT BULL 2020 Legislation

CATWALK TAKEOVER: Cats on the Beach!

CAROLINA

TAILS

Contents WINTER 2020

Publisher: Charleston Animal Society Editor-in-Chief: Dan Krosse Managing Editor: Joe Elmore Advertising Manager: Keith Simmons Advertising Sales: Ted DeLoach Graphic Design: Heineman Design Copy Editor: Eve Baker, Rebecca Overdorf Writers: Dan Krosse, Dr. Linda Bender, David Aylor, Joe Elmore, Photographers: Jeanne Taylor, Marie Rodriguez, Dan Krosse, Brenna Williams, Alexandra Rostad, Aldwin Roman, Kay Hyman For inquiries regarding advertising, distribution or suggestions in Carolina Tails call (843) 410-2577 or ksimmons@charlestonanimalsociety.org.

2455 Remount Road, North Charleston, SC 29406 (843) 747-4849 www.CarolinaTails.org

Chairman: Hank Greer Vice Chair: Gerri Greenwood Vice Chair: Laurel Greer Vice Chair: Aussie Geer Secretary: Peter Waters Treasurer: Martin Deputy Member At-Large: David Maybank, Jr., Esq. Member At-Large: Robert Nigro Member At-Large: Louise Palmer Members of the Board Linda Bakker Caroline Clark Henry Darby Sarah-Hamlin Hastings Ellen Harley Patricia Henley Carolyn Murray

Richard Murphy Celeste Patrick, MD Dillard Salmons Stevens Diane Straney Joe Waring, Esq. George "Pat" Waters Tami Zerbst

Chief Executive Officer: Joe Elmore Media & Marketing Consultant: Dan Krosse, dpk media solutions

Please contact regarding Carolina Tails distribution, advertising or suggestions. For all other inquiries, please contact Charleston Animal Society. (843) 410-2577 ksimmons@charlestonanimalsociety.org Carolina Tails is published quarterly by Traveler Communications Group, an independent publishing company. PO Box 22677, Charleston, SC 29413 (843 352-9048). Carolina Tails is a registered trademark of Traveler Communications Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

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Welcome

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Pet Pointers

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New Pit Bull Law? New legislation is designed to save the breed from euthanasia.

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Petco Foundation Celebrates Charleston Animal Society

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The Year in Review Looking back at Charleston Animal Society’s 2019.

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The Right Whale Visits Our Coast The endangered species migrates along South Carolina.

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Battling Animal Cruelty Is it time for a statewide Task Force?

21

Ask a Lawyer

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The Spiritual Lives of Animals An excerpt from a local author’s book.

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Take Me Home: Adoptions

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Your Vet Directory

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Paws in the Park We share the highlights!

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Cats Taking Over the Beach Is a new trend in beach walking underway?

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Kids Corner: Time to Play!

COVER PHOTO: There are only 400 Right Whales left in the world after centuries of hunting depleted their population. But each winter, they continue to mount a comeback, as these mammoths quietly glide by the South Carolina Coast. Read more on pg. 17.

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Welcome DEAR FRIENDS, 2020! It’s a year with so much significance – even in its numerology: 20 is key in the Mayan calendar; in the Bible, it took 20 years to build Solomon’s home and temple; in Hinduism, followers bow to statues of Krishna 20 times a day. 20-20 means perfect vision.

The number 20 has historically been associated with new beginnings – and how perfect is that as we begin a new year and a new decade.

OUR CHALLENGES CONTINUE With the new decade comes continuing challenges for the care and wellbeing of the animals we all cherish. As Charleston Animal Society President & CEO Joe Elmore writes in this issue, it’s time we all sit down and figure out a way to end cruelty to animals once and for all. For a new beginning like that -- I’m all in.

2020 will also see a strategic new push to protect the Pit bull. Carolina Tails speaks to the South Carolina Animal Legislative Coalition about new legislation they’re proposing that will work to stop the unnecessary euthanization of these types of dogs. Pit bulls make up 40% of shelter populations in South Carolina, but 70% of dogs euthanized! Please read up on this legislation – and help us get it passed in Columbia.

Just miles off our shore, there’s an important migration taking place. Winter is the time of year when families of Right Whales quietly swim along the South Carolina coast on their way to warmer waters off Florida. This endangered species has just 400 members left – but there is some hopeful news you can read about in our article.

SO LONG, FOR NOW As for me, 2020 is also bringing new beginnings. After three years as Chairman of the Charleston Animal Society Board of Directors, it is time for me to step aside and allow for new leadership. Fortunately, I know our new Chairwoman well – she is my wife Laurel Greer. She will continue to take the Society to new heights, and no one is more passionate about animals than Laurel.

Hank Greer will be stepping down as Chairman of the Charleston Animal Society Board of Directors after serving in that role for three years. Photo by Jeanne Taylor/ jtpetpics.com

I will still remain on the Board and actively pursue policies and strategies that will continue to benefit our community animals. So, it’s not really “goodbye,” as much as it’s “so long, for now.”

It’s my hope to see each of you at this year’s 146th Annual Meeting & Celebration (January 26, 2pm – 4pm) at Blackbaud World Headquarters on Daniel Island. If you’ve never been to one of our Annual Meetings, please come, because they’re really a celebration of the animals we all love so dearly.

Sincerely,

Hank Greer, Chairman of the Board Charleston Animal Society

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NEWS:: You Can Use

WINT

New ER Tidb s its

PET POINTERS

CHARLESTON ANIMAL SOCIETY IS BBB CHARITY CHALLENGE WINNER The Better Business Bureau (BBB) Serving Central South Carolina and Charleston was looking for a way to give back and support local charities in Palmetto State communities. That’s how the BBB Charity Challenge was born.

Businesses were asked to nominate their favorite charity. Voting was then calculated by how many likes and shares the charity received via the BBB Facebook Page.

Charleston Animal Society was excited to win this statewide award and received a $500.00 donation from BBB.

PROTESTS OUTSIDE SUMMERVILLE PETLAND Protestors concerned about the health and safety of animals being sold at the Petland store in Summerville lined the sidewalks outside the store on two days in December.

The protests began after local reporters spoke to multiple pet owners who bought puppies at Petland, only to find them sick with distemper, pneumonia and other ailments. One person told News 2 that her vet bill reached $14,000. One woman’s puppy died.

Petland told the news outlets that they have warranties on pets that are sold and follow South Carolina laws.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has been investigating Petland stores around the country, finding disturbing conditions in several stores (http://bit.ly/PETLAND).

Continue to follow local news and Google “Petland,” to stay on top of this developing story.

RIP GRUMPY CAT AND LIL BUB

2019 saw the passing of two feline Internet sensations: Grumpy Cat and Lil Bub. Both brought smiles to their millions of social media followers on a daily basis.

Lil Bub died in her sleep on December 1 according to her owner Mike Bridavsky, “We lost the purest, kindest and most magical living force on our planet.” Lil Bub shot to stardom after a picture of her went viral on Reddit in 2011.

Grumpy Cat died May 14, 2019. At the time of her death, this feline curmudgeon had 8.2 million followers on Facebook, 2.7 million followers on Instagram, 1.5 million followers on Twitter and her own Wikipedia page!

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VOTE FOR CHARLESTON ANIMAL SOCIETY

It’s that time of year when we’ll be counting on your support to help Charleston Animal Society win in the City Paper’s “Best of” contest.

We need your vote in the Best Nonprofit category. As we always say, “YOU are Charleston Animal Society,” so any award we win, is one for all of us.

Please go to www.BestofCharleston.net vote for Charleston Animal Society.

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STATEHOUSE:: Pit Bulls

LOOK ING AHEA D

Can a New Law Save the Pit Bull?

The South Carolina Animal Legislation Coalition (SCALC) is gearing up to take new legislation to the Statehouse in 2020 that would focus on saving the Pit bull. 30% - 40% of dogs that enter shelters in South Carolina are Pit bulls, but a whopping 70% of dogs euthanized are Pitties.

Carolina Tails spoke with SCALC President Denise Wilkinson about what lies ahead in 2020.

Carolina Tails: Tell us about 2020. What's ahead for this legislation that involves Pit bulls?

Denise W.: The main thing that came up from all of our discussions is we need to focus more on spaying and neutering the Pit bulls across the state of South Carolina. We have introduced legislation on the state level, and it's not mandatory that people have to spay and neuter their Pit bull, but we do encourage them through this legislation through a registration fee. If you don't want to spay or neuter your Pit bull, we believe you should pay a $500 annual fee to own an unaltered Pit bull. Then those funds will be used to help those individuals that own a Pit bull that want to alter them.

You're investing in helping us solve the problem in South Carolina.

Right now, taxpayers are assuming that responsibility. As a taxpayer, I know I don't want my funds being used to bring all these Pit bulls into municipal shelters across South Carolina only to be euthanized.

Carolina Tails: Paint the picture for people who don't understand what it's like in the shelters when it comes to Pit bulls.

Denise W.: Well, 30 to 40% of all the dogs coming into municipal shelters are Pit bulls, but 70% of all the dogs being euthanized in the shelter are pit bulls. 70%! When you walk down adoption row, currently at Pawmetto Lifeline, you are going to see Pit bull, after Pit bull, after Pit bull. They sit there for months and months. A lot of people are leery of them because many of them are adult dogs.

They don't know their history. They have a very bad reputation because the wrong people have owned this breed -- using them for fighting. People are leery of putting this dog with children and other pets. We're trying to educate the community about what a

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(Photo Jeanne Taylor / jtpetpics.com)

SCALC believes the answer to saving the Pit bull lies in legislation that would emphasize the spay-neuter of these animals by making it mandatory unless the owner wants to pay an annual registration fee ($500) to keep their Pit bull unaltered.

wonderful breed this is when it's with the right people, when they're trained, and when they're socialized. You go in any shelter in South Carolina and you're going to see an overwhelming number of Pit bulls sitting in those shelters just waiting to be adopted or they're waiting to be euthanized.

Carolina Tails: What kind of reaction are you prepared for from people who own Pit bulls and other people who, say, are concerned about what they consider to be breed specific legislation?

Denise W.: Well, I think that the people that are educated and understand the issues we're dealing with in our shelter are extremely supportive. Most all of the private conversations that I have had with political leaders and community leaders, they think, "Wow, this is a very, very smart way to address the problem that we're having." You're putting the onus on those that own this breed that don't want to alter them. You're generating funds through the $500 registration fee to help spay and neuter these pit bulls in many communities that are struggling with funding. We are getting a lot of support.

Carolina Tails: When it comes, though, to deciding which dog is considered a Pit bull, that's also part of the discussion and part of, I think, what you'll be educating people on, but who makes that decision?

Denise W.: What we did in the legislation, is we have very specific characteristics to identify a Pit bull. They can also get a letter

from a South Carolina licensed veterinarian that states, "This is not a Pit bull," or they can pay to get a DNA test done. There are three ways to either identify the dog as a Pit bull or to confirm that it is not a Pit bull.

Carolina Tails: Okay. What are the next steps? What should people anticipate as 2020 moves forward with this?

Denise W.: Well, we're hoping that we're going to have a committee meeting in January with the Department of Ag. We're just excited about the possibility of having the opportunity to address concerns and really educate people in South Carolina. People go, "What's next? The Golden Retriever? What's next? The Poodle?" No, that's not next because we can adopt those dogs out. We cannot adopt all of these Pit bulls and unfortunately most of them are dying in the shelters. Truly, this is all about protecting the breed by limiting the population so they too can be adopted instead of overwhelming our shelters. That's the primary reason we're doing this.

Carolina Tails: Finally, if I have a pit bull and my pit bull was spayed or neutered, this law has absolutely no effect on me at all?

Denise W.: Correct, if you have an altered pit bull, it does not apply to you. It only applies to those individuals that own an unaltered pit bull and you have the right to choose. You can either alter it and there is no registration fee, or you can choose not to alter it and then you pay that annual $500 registration fee.

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WINNERS: Petco Foundation

PETCO FOUNDATION AWARDS TWO CHARLESTON ANIMAL SOCIETY STORIES HOLID WISH AY ES

THE PETCO FOUNDATION When you shop at Petco, you have the chance to donate to their foundation at the cash register during checkout. The foundation then pours millions of dollars back into local communities by supporting shelters and programs that save animal lives.

The Petco Foundation believes that every animal deserves to live its best life. Since 1999, the foundation has invested more than $260 million in lifesaving animal welfare work to make that happen.

As the "snow" fell in front of Petco in West Ashley, Irene Holland and her dog Donald celebrated the unveiling of the $10,000 Petco Foundation grant her story won the animals at Charleston Animal Society.

(Photo Jeanne Taylor / jtpetpics.com)

IT WAS LIKE A SCENE OUT OF THE North Pole: two giant candy canes leading a parade of dogs and people as they parade/paraded to the Petco Store in West Ashley, dancing to holiday music!

It was all part of Holiday Wishes, sponsored by the Petco Foundation on December 12.

Two Charleston Animal Society adopters submitted stories about how their animals have changed their lives --- and out of more than 4,000 entries, both entries won prizes!

IRENE AND DONALD Irene Holland, a widow who recently moved to Charleston, sent in a story about how adopting her senior dog, Donald, has brought her the companionship she was searching for. Donald is completely blind! Irene’s story 10 CAROLINA TAILS | WINTER 2020

won Charleston Animal Society a $10,000 grant from the Petco Foundation.

You can read more about Irene and Donald in the Winter 2019 edition of Carolina Tails.

TED AND CAITLYN Ted Corvey shared the story of how, as a prosecutor handling the high-profile animal abuse case involving Caitlyn the dog, he and his wife ultimately had the chance to adopt Caitlyn. Now, she completes their furry family. Caitlyn’s story won Charleston Animal Society a $1,000 Petco Foundation grant.

Ted told those in attendance that he was glad to share Caitlyn’s story again to encourage the prosecution of animal abuse cases around the country.

TED AND CAITLYN Ted Corvey was the prosecutor who handled Caitlyn's case when she was horribly abused by her previous owner. Ted and his wife Danielle adopted Caitlyn after the case finished! His adoption story was also a Petco Foundation winner. (Photo Jeanne Taylor / jtpetpics.com)

2019: Looking Back

2019: YEAR IN REVIEW

365 DAYS

JANUARY - MARCH

The year began with the rescue of 10 German Shepherds from horrible conditions. It was part of massive cruelty operation in Georgia, in which Charleston Animal Society assisted.

In February, six horses were brought to Charleston Animal Society for rescue.

Four of the horses were Marsh Tackies, one of the most endangered horse breeds in the world, These horses played a significant role in South Carolina history. (Photo Jeanne Taylor / jtpetpics.com)

The Rachael Ray Foundation™ began a relationship with Charleston Animal Society in March, providing funding for two lifesaving programs: the spay neuters of free-roaming cats and Pit bulls in our area. Later in the year, the foundation became a Paws in the Park sponsor.

WCBD-TV Anchor and Charleston Animal Society Board Member Carolyn Murray hosted the inaugural "Applause for Paws" Gala at Hotel Bennett in Charleston. 350 animal lovers attended! (Photo King & Fields)

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APRIL - JUNE

Big news came to Charleston Animal Society in June with the Petco Foundation's announcement that it would continue to support the No Kill South Carolina (NKSC) program with a $400,000 investment. NKSC is one of the boldest animal care initiatives ever undertaken in the USA. Thanks to the efforts of NKSC, funded by Petco Foundation: 9,806 fewer dogs and cats entered South Carolina open-admission shelters between 2016 and 2018.

18,590 fewer dogs and cats were euthanized in open-admission shelters during the same time period.

New animal welfare legislation passed the Statehouse in May and was signed by the Governor in June. While improving standards of care for animals in several key ways, two key provisions, humane tethering and shelter standards, had to be dropped. Those items will be revisited in 2020.

(Photo Jeanne Taylor)

A major milestone was reached in June, when Pounce Cat Cafe made their 1,000th adoption! All of the cats at Pounce come from Charleston Animal Society. Since millions of tourists visit Charleston each year, this means many of those cats are now living in loving homes in faraway places.

In March, the rescue of Rocky the puppy went national after North Charleston Fire Department Captain Paul Bryant arrived on the scene. Rocky was trapped beneath a pile of rocks and it was Captain Bryant who managed to reach in and pull Rocky to safety. The puppy was brought to Charleston Animal Society, where Captain Bryant soon came to his rescue again and adopted the puppy.

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JULY - SEPTEMBER

The Pick Me! SC Statewide Adoption Event was a huge success, managing 1,556 adoptions in one weekend July 12 - 14. The event was organized by No Kill South Carolina, a program of Charleston Animal Society. It was sponsored by Petco Foundation and Bobs by Skechers.

Helping Hands for Rural Paws celebrated its one-year anniversary in July.

The program deploys Charleston Animal Society's mobile veterinary and spay/neuter clinic (“Simon’s Rig") to targeted rural communities. By the end of year one, the clinic had traveled more than 4,800 miles, performing more than 5,200 FREE spay-neuters, vaccinations and medical procedures in McClellanvile, Awendaw, Edisto Island, Hollywood, Ravenel, Johns Island and Wadmalaw Island.

Before Hurricane Dorian's winds died down on September 4th, 332 animals had been evacuated out of harm's way by Charleston Animal Society and its partners.

"We are the lead emergency responder for animals in South Carolina and along the I-95 corridor," said Charleston Animal Society President & CEO Joe Elmore.

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OCTOBER - DECEMBER

It was all hands on deck in December as shelters across South Carolina began the month with record levels of overcrowding. Hundreds of dogs and cats were on death's doorsteps when Charleston Animal Society's No Kill South Carolina program launched a statewide holiday emergency adoption event that ran throughout the month and saved hundreds of lives. Shelters across the state agreed to offer free or low-fee adoptions to help save lives.

A Rabies alert went out in 2019 after months of skyrocketing rabies cases in South Carolina. People are urged to take caution when encountering animals they don't know, including kittens, puppies and other friendly looking animals.

Cold temperatures and wet weather couldn't stop hundreds of animal lovers from turning out for Charleston Animal Society's Paws in the Park walk and run in November. The event raised money for the shelter's medical fund.

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THE SEAS:: Right Whales

ENDANGERED WHALES PASSING BY OUR COASTLINE

IT’S STAGGERING TO THINK THERE are only 400 North Atlantic Right Whales left in the entire world. These massive animals make their way every year from New England to the Caribbean, passing the South Carolina coast in the process.

Once plentiful in the Atlantic, the Right Whale was hunted in the 18th and 19th centuries to the point of near extinction.

The good news is that seven calves have

been spotted along the migration trail this winter, according to researchers tracking the Right Whales.

The Right Whale is as long as a bowling lane and weighs as much as eight elephants combined. While being a giant has its benefits, dangers such as fishing line entanglements, vessel strikes, and ocean noise increasingly cause stress and injury.

Ship traffic in the Atlantic along the

!

AHOY

migration path poses great risks for the whales. New federal policies regarding drilling for oil and gas are also raising concerns for whale lovers.

Seismic airgun blasts are used to search for oil and gas deposits – and scientists say these deafening blasts can injure and kill marine life, including the Right Whale.

Visit http://bit.ly/CarolinaTailsWhale for more information on how you can help.

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ANIMAL CRUELTY:: Finding Solutions

THE BATTLE TO STOP ANIMAL CRUELTY

TASK E? FORC

By JOE ELMORE, CHARLESTON ANIMAL SOCIETY PRESIDENT & CEO

AS WE BEGIN A NEW DECADE, I CAN’T HELP BUT LOOK back and reflect on the number of suffering animals from our community and state that I witnessed last year alone.

It reminds us of the need to be vigilant and responsive to animal cruelty: • Animals abandoned and nearly starved to death • Dogs left on chains for days on end limiting natural movement • Dogs burned with chemicals • Pets thrown into traffic • Animals left outside with no shelter to freeze • Cats thrown against walls • Horses worked to exhaustion • Horses stabbed • Unrestrained animals falling out of pick-up trucks It goes on, but it doesn’t have to.

BLEAK PICTURE Unfortunately, this is what Charleston Animal Society addresses weekly, sometimes daily, and, as made famous in the 1976 movie Network by Peter Finch’s character Howard Beale, “We’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take this anymore!”

The Animal Society works closely in assisting law enforcement and the courts to respond to suspected cases of animal cruelty, helping navigate forensics, providing expert testimony, facilitating necropsies, and offering rewards to bring information forward. It is not enough.

Upward of 10,000 unwanted or stray animals enter Charleston Animal Society each year. That’s about 95% of our local animals in Charleston County. Hundreds are suspected victims of cruelty, intentional or not. This does not include the numerous animals found by Good Samaritans and rushed to their personal veterinarian or elsewhere.

We continue to fight this battle together, not only for the sake of the animals but for the safety of our families because study after study confirms the link between animal cruelty and human violence. One who harms animals will also harm humans.

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DEMAND SOLUTIONS NOW It is far past time for a statewide animal cruelty task force to examine where and why these events occur in such high numbers and, most importantly, how to effectively respond to them.

While Charleston Animal Society made history in leading Charleston County to become the Southeast’s first No Kill Community in 2013, shamefully, animal cruelty is still too common in the area and throughout South Carolina.

We have built a No Kill Community, but continued instances of inhumane treatment are a terrible blight on such a historic achievement. Why are animals starving to death in a state that is a leader in human obesity? This is madness.

Anyone who has ever loved or cared for an animal must help put an end to this rampant animal cruelty by demanding our elected officials place a high priority on crimes against animals and to put actions and resources in place to aggressively pursue the perpetrators of these crimes.

However, our elected officials are not solely responsible; we must support local law enforcement and animal control officers in identifying where intervention is needed. This intervention will primarily consist of education and cultural pressure; however, when law enforcement is warranted, it must be swift and firm.

ENFORCEMENT NEEDED What good does the strengthening of the state animal cruelty laws in the last legislative session do if they are rarely, if ever, utilized at the local level to punish crime? Too often, our felony cruelty statutes are nothing more than a paper tiger.

Making Charleston County a humane community is simple: If you have an animal, care for it. If you cannot, call Charleston Animal Society, contact another local animal rescue group or veterinarian, or reach out to your neighbor to help care for your animals. Don’t let the animal suffer.

You will not find a community across the country with more generous veterinarians, rescue volunteers, or Good Samaritans than here.

As we begin a new decade, we can and must do better.

(Opposite Page): You can see the fear in this cat's eyes after being rescued from a hoarding case in Charleston County in May. (Clockwise): King was found emaciated in Mt. Pleasant, hiding under a car, after he managed to chew through a rope that his owner had kept him tethered on. King is now in a safe, new foster home and his previous owner faces cruelty charges.

Police say Xena's owner hit her with a shovel and then tried to bury her alive before she was rescued in Ravenel. The owner faces charges.

Poo the dog is prepared for x-rays at Charleston Animal Society after she had been thrown into traffic on Rivers Avenue.

Thankfully, she survived.

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LAW & ORDER:: Your Pets

ASK A LAWYER No matter how much we love our pets, there’s always the chance they will run into a legal situation. Attorney David Aylor took time to answer questions from our readers in this edition of Ask a Lawyer.

QUESTION: I keep hearing that marijuana or CBD could be helpful for pets and pain as they age. My dog is 11 and I'd like to try it, but I'm worried I could get arrested. Any advice?

-- Weedless for Now in Park Circle DAVID AYLOR: Hi Weedless for Now in Park Circle, it is understandable to seek relief for pets as they age. However, due to its classification as an illegal substance in the State of South Carolina, possession of marijuana would cause you to be arrested. Conversely, although CBD is legal in some forms, it does have a variety of restrictions on its consumption and use. You should consult your veterinarian to find an acceptable treatment for your dog.

QUESTION: My neighbor recently adopted a dog. But within two weeks, I started getting worried over what I was seeing. The dog got a Urinary Tract Infection that she ignored, and the poor dog just sits outside chained up from 7am until about 8pm. I'm worried the dog is not getting basic needs met and does not have decent living conditions. What recourse do I have now to get the dog help?

-- Worried Near Walterboro DAVID AYLOR: Hi Worried Near Walterboro, sorry to hear that your neighbor’s dog may have found itself in less than ideal living conditions. The South Carolina legislature enacted provisions to assist animals living in these conditions. Title 47, Chapter 1, and Section 40 of the South Carolina Code contains statutes concerning, the “ill-treatment of animals.” This section states that, “a person who knowingly or intentionally...ill-treats an animal, deprives an animal of necessary sustenance or shelter...or by omission or commission knowingly or intentionally causes these acts to be done, is guilty of a misdemeanor...”

If you believe that your neighbor’s dog is being mistreated, try reporting the abuse or neglect to the Colleton County Animal and Environmental Control, by either calling 843.893.2651 or emailing ccaec@colletoncounty.org. If the Colleton County Animal and Environmental Control finds validity in the complaint, they will dispatch an officer to perform a welfare check and determine whether abuse or neglect is present.

QUESTION: Can my sister just take our family cat when she moves out? She asked my parents for a cat a few years ago, but then went away to college. I've been taking care of the cat ever since, except when she's home on breaks. Now she's threatening to take the cat with her when she graduates, and I'm so upset I can hardly sleep at night. I'm in the 9th grade. What rights do I have?

-- Kitten Fever on Daniel Island DAVID AYLOR: Hi Kitten Fever on Daniel Island, it is always tough to make decisions concerning living arrangements for family pets. However, as a minor your parents are responsible for the family pet. If your parents have agreed to allow your sister to take the family cat, there is not much you can do. Try speaking with your parents about your feelings concerning the family cat, and the possibility of either you or your sister getting another pet.

David Aylor with his son Fletcher and English Lab, Belle.

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CONNECTIONS: Animals

AL M I AN SDOM WI

THE SPIRITUAL LIVES OF ANIMALS A 6-year-old girl discovers the love of an animal for the first time.

By DR. LINDA BENDER

AS A CHILD, I WAS AWKWARD, shy, and slow to learn to talk. I had trouble connecting with other people and seeing how I fit in with the world around me. When I look back on the first six years of my life, I can’t remember much.

It’s all an unhappy blur, until I come to the night during the summer I was six that changed everything for me. Around 2:00 a.m., I awoke to the sound of screaming outside my bedroom window.

The screaming didn’t seem to be coming from a person. I had never heard anything like it before. I woke my parents and we went out to the yard to investigate.

There we found a baby rabbit, quivering and unable to move after a near-death encounter with some larger animal. Frozen in terror, she was incapable of fleeing, and allowed me to pick her up. Her mother was nowhere in sight, so I decided I had better bring her inside where she would be safe.

I lay down on the orange shag carpeting in the kitchen and placed her on my chest, where she could feel my heartbeat. Gradually she calmed down, giving only an occasional whimper.

not have explained it in words, I knew on some level that this rabbit and I shared the same life, the same spirit, that we were connected to each other by something greater than the both of us, and something much bigger was running the show.

A feeling of profound peace settled over me. Whenever I hear the phrase, “the peace that passeth understanding,” it is that moment that comes to my mind. Though I had intended to stay awake all night, I drifted off to sleep.

When I awoke later that morning, the rabbit’s little face, just inches from my own, was the first thing I saw. She was still resting on my chest.

I think of that night as the first time an animal rescued me. I had been so tenuously attached to the world that a strong wind might have blown me away, but then I felt as if I belonged here. The mingling of the rabbit’s tremulous little heartbeat with mine made my own heart feel big and strong and sufficient. In stroking her warm, silky fur, I discovered what my hands were for.

To save an animal’s life made sense of my own life.

Feeling Love That was the first time I can remember feeling love. Great waves of it seemed to be swirling around us, engulfing both my newfound friend and me. Though I could

All Grown Up As a passionate animal advocate with a degree in veterinary medicine, my life’s work has been coming to the aid of other creatures and saving their lives when I can.

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What I discovered at six has continued to be true: in rescuing an animal, I rescued myself. This reciprocity between animals and humans is woven into the very fabric of creation. It is the ecology of Paradise.

If we are open to it, a very deep rapport with animals becomes possible. We can come to share their thoughts, feelings and perceptions, to look at the world through their eyes and see what they find so good about it.

In this way, animals can become our spiritual teachers. Animals have taught me to perceive the connectedness of all living things and to experience for myself the joy they experience in this connectedness. They have taught me to accept the limits of my own understanding and to relax into the mystery of existence.

They have taught me how to be less afraid of death, and less afraid of all the other things that are not under my control.

They have taught me to lighten up and enjoy the present moment. Most of all, they have taught me how to find repose in the certainty that I am loved.

Dr. Linda Bender holds a doctorate degree in veterinary medicine, is a gifted healer, intuitive, and spiritual teacher. This article is an excerpt from her award-winning Amazon best-seller Animal Wisdom: Learning from the Spiritual Lives of Animals.

RESCUE:: Adopt, Don’t Buy!

TAKE ME HOME

RESC U ME E

It's a New Year and a new decade! Can You Make Room for One More? Our pets come vaccinated, microchipped and spayed or neutered. If you're downtown, stop by Pounce Cat Cafe (283 Meeting Street). All of the cats at Pounce come from Charleston Animal Society. Visit our shelter at 2455 Remount Road in North Charleston, seven days a week, or visit www.CharlestonAnimalSociety.org.

Cat Photography: Marie Rodriguez / MarieRodriguezPhotography.com; Dog Photography: Jeanne Taylor/JTPetPics.com

I'm Donatello and quite the lady's man. I can play fetch with the best of them and can also be quite the snuggle bug. Come visit me at Charleston Animal Society!

I'm Bella and I'm looking for a home to call my own. I love it here at Charleston Animal Society but can only imagine having a yard of my own someday. Come by and say hello (tell me what your yard's like).

I'm Angelo and am quite the curious kitten.

I can squeeze through just about anything and would love to meet your acquaintance sometime soon. I'm at Charleston Animal Society!

They call me Picasso because if you look at me from one angle, I look completely different than from the other. It's all because of my amazing markings. Hope to see you soon.

I'm Junior and am learning my way around the shelter, but would really like to have a place to call home....filled with scratching posts and catnip. Please stop by Charleston Animal Society sometime soon.

It's the New Year and I just can't bear to take this tuxedo off (hehe). I'm Rex and I'm looking for a permanent place to hang out and cause some mischief. Sound good to you? Please come visit!

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VET DIRECTORY Charleston

West Ashley

North Charleston

Saddleback Mobile Veterinary Service (843) 718-4299 Mobile

Air Harbor Veterinary Clinic (843) 556-5252 1925 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407

Animal Hospital of North Charleston (843) 352-8404 8389 Dorchester Rd, North Charleston, SC 29418

All Creatures Veterinary Clinic (843) 579-0030 224 Calhoun St, Charleston, SC 29401 Patrick Veterinary Clinic (843) 722-4470 667 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29403 Charleston Harbor Veterinarians (843) 410-8290 280 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403

Bees Ferry Veterinary Hospital (843) 769-6784 3422 Shelby Ray Ct, Charleston, SC 29414 West Ashley Veterinary Clinic (843) 571-7095 840 St Andrews Blvd, Charleston, SC 29407

Olde Towne Veterinary Clinic (843) 723-1443 17 Pinckney St, Charleston, SC 29401

Animal Care Center (843) 556-9993 1662 Savannah Hwy #135, Charleston, SC 29407

Lezotte Animal Chiropractic (843) 410-3420 Mobile

Animal Medical West (843) 766-7387 704 Orleans Rd, Charleston, SC 29407 Charleston Veterinary Referral Center (843) 614-8387 3484 Shelby Ray Ct, Charleston, SC 29414 VCA Charles Towne Animal Hospital (843) 571-4291 850 Savannah Highway Charleston, SC 29407 Banfield Pet Hospital (843) 766-7724 2076 Sam Rittenberg Blvd, Charleston, SC 29407

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Lowcountry Pet Wellness Clinic (843) 556-7387 5900 Rivers Ave, Unit D-1, North Charleston, SC 29406 Veterinary Specialty Care (843) 793-2161 3163 West Montague Ave, North Charleston, SC 29418 Dorchester Veterinary Hospital (843) 552-0259 5617 Dorchester Rd, North Charleston, SC 29418 Coastal Carolina Veterinary Specialists (843) 747-1507 3163 W Montague Ave, North Charleston, SC 29418 Charleston Heights Veterinary Clinic (843) 554-4361 2124 Dorchester Rd, North Charleston, SC 29405 Northwoods Veterinary Clinic (843) 553-0441 8320 Rivers Ave, North Charleston, SC 29406 The Animal Hospital of North Charleston (843) 608-8948 8389 Dorchester Rd, North Charleston, SC 29418 Banfield Pet Hospital (843) 797-4677 7620 Rivers Ave, Charleston, SC 29406

::

COMMUNITY

2016 Chili Cook-Off

Charleston Animal Society and Carolina Tails want to always promote the best habits for animal care possible and seeing your veterinarian regularly is key to having a happy, healthy animal.

Mount Pleasant Exotic Vet Care (843) 216-8387 814 Johnnie Dodds Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 East Cooper Animal Hospital (843) 884-6171 993 Johnnie Dodds Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Island Veterinary Care (843) 628-1941 Mobile Mount Pleasant Animal Hospital (843) 884-4921 1213 Ben Sawyer Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Pet Vet Animal Hospital (843) 416-9304 307 Mill St, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Shuler Animal Hospital (843) 884-4494 1769 Highway 17 N, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Veterinary Specialty Care (843) 216-7554 985 Johnnie Dodds Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Advanced Animal Care of Mount Pleasant (843) 884-9838 3373 S Morgans Point Rd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29466

Animal Eye Care of the Lowcountry (843) 881-2242 1131 Queensborough Blvd Suite 100, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

Tidewater Veterinary (843) 856-7300 1964 Riviera Dr Suite G, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

Animal Medical Center of Mt. Pleasant (843) 881-5858 958 Houston Northcutt Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

Banfield Pet Hospital (843) 971-7460 911 Houston Northcutt, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

Cats Only Animal Hospital (843) 849-1661 1492 B North Highway 17, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Long Point Animal Hospital (843) 971-7701 757 Long Point Rd, #B, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Palmetto Veterinary Hospital (843) 881-9915 2443 Hwy 17 N, Mount Pleasant, SC 29466 Park West Veterinary Associates Park West Veterinary Associates Simply Spay & Neuter (843) 856-9190 1054-C Johnnie Dodds Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Southeast Veterinary Dermatology & Ear Clinic (843) 849-7770 1131 Queensborough Blvd Suite 100, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

Banfield Pet Hospital (843) 971-7460 (843) 388-1701 676 Long Point Rd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

Isle of Palms Sandy Cove Veterinary Clinic (843) 885-6969 1521 Palm Blvd, Isle of Palms, SC 29451

James Island Folly Road Animal Hospital (843) 762-4944 1038 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412 Charleston Veterinary Care (843) 789-3222 51 Windermere Blvd, Charleston, SC 29407 Maybank Animal Hospital (843) 795-3131 1917 Maybank Hwy, Charleston, SC 29412

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ANIMAL CARE

James Island

Goose Creek

Oceanside Veterinary Clinic (843) 795-7574 1509 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412

Creekside Veterinary Clinic (843) 824-8044 431-G St. James Ave, Goose Creek, SC 29445

Sea Islands Veterinary Hospital (843) 795-6477 1310 Camp Rd, Charleston, SC 29412

Mt. Holly Veterinary Clinic (843) 405-7765 113 St. James Ave, Goose Creek, SC 29445

James Island Veterinary Hospital (843)795-5295 756 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412

Animal Medical Clinic of Goose Creek (843) 569-3647 102 Central Ave, Goose Creek, SC 29445

Banfield Pet Hospital (843) 406-8609 520 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412

Goose Creek Veterinary Clinic (843) 553-7011 501 Redbank Rd. Goose Creek, SC 29445

Pet Helpers Spay and Neuter Clinic (843) 302-0556 1447 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412

Johns Island Angel Oak Animal Hospital (843) 559-1838 3160 Maybank Hwy, Johns Island, SC 29455

Hanahan Best Friends Animal Clinic (843) 414-7455 1000 Tanner Ford Blvd, Hanahan, SC 29410 Hanahan Veterinary Clinic (843) 744-8927 1283 Yeamans Hall Rd, Hanahan, SC 29410

Bohicket Veterinary Clinic (843) 559-3889 3472 Maybank Hwy, Johns Island, SC 29455

Ladson

Johns Island Animal Hospital (843) 559-9697 1769 Main Rd, Johns Island, SC 29455

College Park Road Veterinary Clinic (843) 797-1493 186 College Park Rd, Ladson, SC 29456

Riverbank Veterinary Clinic (843) 277-2250 2814 Maybank Hwy, Johns Island, SC 29455

Ladson Veterinary Hospital (843) 900-1600 3679 Ladson Rd, Suite 101 Ladson, SC 29456

Southside Animal Hospital (843) 556-6969 3642 Savannah Hwy Suite 176 West Ashley Place, Johns Island, SC 29455 Sun Dog Cat Moon (843) 437-0063 2908 Maybank Hwy, Johns Island, SC 29455

Daniel Island Daniel Island Animal Hospital (843) 881-7228 291 Seven Farms Dr, Daniel Island, SC 29492 Lowcountry Home Vet (843) 406-2997 Mobile

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Moncks Corner Foxbank Veterinary Hospital 113 Foxbank Plantation Blvd. Suite A, Moncks Corner, SC 29461 (843) 405-4611 Lowcountry Pet Hospice and Home Euthanasia (843) 640-9755 Mobile

Summerville Sangaree Animal Hospital (843) 494-5121 1665-A N Main St, Summerville, SC 29486

Sangaree Animal Hospital at Cane Bay (843) 494-5121 1724 State Rd, Unit 5D, Summerville SC 29486 Banfield Pet Hospital (843) 832-0919 470 Azalea Square Blvd, Summerville, SC 29483 Flowertown Animal Hospital (843) 875-6303 1357 Bacons Bridge, Summerville, SC 29485 Westbury Veterinary Clinic (843) 873-2761 1497 W 5th North St, Summerville, SC 29483 Central Veterinary Hospital (843) 851-2112 1215 Central Ave, Summerville, SC 29483 Shambley Equine Clinic (843) 875-5133 122 Kay Ln, Summerville, SC 29483 Knightsville Veterinary Clinic (843) 851-7784 478 W Butternut Rd, Summerville, SC 29483 Nemasket Veterinary Clinic (843) 871-4560 605 Miles Rd, Summerville, SC 29485 Oakbrook Veterinary Clinic (843) 871-2900 1705 Old Trolley Rd, Summerville, SC 29485 Sweetgrass Animal Hospital (843) 225-9663 9730 Dorchester Rd, Suite 101, Summerville, SC 29485 Summerville Pet Clinic (843) 718-8980 1915 Old Trolley Rd Summerville SC 29485 Veterinary Specialty Care (843) 216-7554 319 E. 3rd North Street Summerville, SC 29485

ANIMAL ADVOCACY:: Paws in the Park

Paws in the Park

PET WAL K

Photos: BRENNA WILLIAMS, ALEXANDRA ROSTAD AND DAN KROSSE

More than 1,000 signed up for fundraising walk and run.

“It was cold and wet but aren’t our animals worth it?” That’s how Charleston Animal Society President & CEO Joe Elmore summed up Paws in the Park on November 16th, “This day will stay in all of our memories; that time we got out and walked in the rain for homeless animals in Charleston!”

1,000 runners and walkers signed up for Paws in the Park, held November 16th at Riverfront Park in North Charleston. The walk and 5k run wound its way from the park, through the old Navy base and then back to the park.

“We were excited to see so many hundreds of animal lovers brave the cold and the rain for animals,” said Charleston Animal Society Director of Special Projects & Business Partnerships Elena Lawson.

With every step, participants walked and ran for the abused, hungry and abandoned animals in our community. All of the money raised went to Charleston Animal Society’s medical fund, Toby’s Fund.

This year’s sponsors included: The Rachael Ray Foundation • Crews Subaru Fleet Feet • Minero • Southern Eagle • City of North Charleston

The Fleet Feet arch was the finish line inside the beautiful Riverfront Park in North Charleston.

One police officer along the course lifted runners moods by blowing bubbles of encouragement.

The beautiful oaks along parts of the course offered some shelter from the rain.

Top finishers received gift baskets and engraved water bowls for their doggie athletes.

This pooch had a front row seat in a bike basket for the Paws in the Park course.

The dogs didn't seem to mind the wet, muddy conditions on November 16.

You could see the look of accomplishment on all of the walkers' and runners' faces after they pushed through the 25mph winds to the finish line.

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Blind dogs, dogs with three legs, and dogs with other medical conditions all came out to run for Toby's Fund, Charleston Animal Society's medical fund!

There were several high fives going around after the walk and run. Many children who participate in running clubs came out for the cause.

Finish line nuzzles were the only prize many of the pooches needed after Paws in the Park.

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CATS:: On the Beach

NE I L E F VY O O GR

Catwalk: On the Beach

By DAN KROSSE

T

HE PAW PRINTS IN THE SAND ARE IMPOSSIBLY SMALL. A Poodle? A Dachsund? Nope, it’s just Lovey – the neighborhood cat.

Lovey didn’t get the memo that Lowcountry beaches are the fiefdom of dogs. Instead, you’ll find this 14-year-old, Maine Coon blend strolling along her stretch of beach on Sullivan’s Island -anytime she gets the itch to.

LIFE’S A BEACH I first heard whispers of Lovey from other dog people I knew.

What? A cat walking the beach? This sounded categorically ridiculous.

Then I knocked on Lovey’s owner’s door and there was Lovey; snuggled on a couch with a beach view behind her, licking the sand out of her paws from her morning walk! I said I’d return at 1pm for the afternoon stroll – and Lovey didn’t disappoint.

From one end of the beach Lovey (rescued from an animal shelter) sauntered along the water’s edge, eager to rub against a stranger for a petting, even if he was laying in the sand trying to snap her photo.

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Jessica Lichty and Link find their own private sandbar on Folly Beach. (Photo: King & Fields)

Link has loved the beach since the day Jessica's boyfriend Lonny encouraged her to bring Link to Folly Beach. (Photo: King & Fields)

Lovey and Samantha walking their stretch of beach on Sullivan's Island.

Lovey instinctively takes off if she sees a dog coming. (Photo: Dan Krosse)

“If she knows I’m out here, she’s out here,” said Lovey’s owner Samantha White. “She has no idea she’s a cat. She thinks she’s a dog!”

As Samantha swims, Lovey keeps a watchful eye from the sand. She doesn’t like the water.

And despite a mass in her lungs, Lovey continues her daily walks on the beach with Samantha and her boyfriend Dean Feltmann. Samantha says she wouldn’t have it any other way, “Sometimes the winds are so strong, I’m afraid Lovey will blow away, but you have to let your animals live life to the fullest.”

ACROSS THE HARBOR All this got me thinking. Are there other cat walkers out there? Will cats one day outnumber dogs on the beach?

Meet Jessica Lichty and Lonny Selego. Their pack includes 5 dogs and 4 cats – but one cat stands out in this story -- Link.

Found behind a chain-link fence in Columbia, Link is now living the life, with regular walks along Folly Beach, across the harbor from Lovey’s beach.

On a whim, Jessica put Link in a harness and Link took to it right away. It was Lonny who suggested a walk on the beach, which Jessica was a little worried about, “I said, ‘Lonny you’re crazy! There are waves and dogs and craziness!’ But Link loved it all.”

THAT CONFUSED LOOK Jessica says one of her favorite parts of her walks with Link are the looks on people….and dogs’ faces.

“People and dogs are always confused. They’re like, ‘Wait, is that a cat?!’

Link will try to walk up to the dogs and if allowed, he will head butt them and rub on them. He loves dogs,” Jessica said.

Jessica says she goes to beaches where dogs are supposed to be on leashes and says there’s never been an issue.

Link does put his toes in the water, but Jessica isn’t stopping there. She’s hoping he’ll be paddle boarding with her by the end of next summer. We’ll keep you posted.

Lovey is 14 and battling against a mass in her lung, but she never misses the chance to walk the beach.

(Photo: Dan Krosse)

WALKING YOUR CAT ON THE BEACH C.C. Bourgeois, CSAT, CPDT-KA, PMCT, with Wonderdog University (www.wonderdoguniversity.com) in Charleston (she also works with cats) offered these tips to those of us intrigued by the idea of walking our cat on the beach: • Go slowly and prepare before going to the beach.

• Acclimate cat to leash and harness in home, then in yard (only when comfortable with harness and leash).

• Use toys to entice cat to play in harness, creating a positive association.

• Only visit the beach during hours when dogs must be leashed.

• Understand the risks of having a cat on a wide open beach.

• Scoop that poop, it is the world’s largest kitty litter box when you think about it!

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TIME TO PLAY!

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Kids are some of the best animal advocates so we’ve devoted this space to young pet lovers.