During these tough economic times we have a tendency to cut costs across the board, but before you start buying your pet food on price alone there are some things you need to consider. Cheap prices and larger quantities for the same price may seem like a bargain at first glance, but more expensive foods may be a better bargain over the lifetime of your pet. All animals require certain nutrients, vitamins and minerals to not only survive but to thrive, and how your bubs respond to a downgrade in their food will be a good indicator on how their body is processing the new kibble. We tried downgrading once during a layoff but they developed a smell almost immediately that they’d never had before (and let me assure you, there were no roses in this perfume, if you get my drift). It didn’t take long before the whole house had that distinct stinky dog smell the moment you hit the door and it wasn’t something that grew on you the longer you were exposed to it. Low quality foods are big on fillers, artificial coloring, artificial flavoring and other additives. It won’t be long before you’ll notice a problem with their digestive system, and if you’re not processing your food correctly you’ll end up with all kinds of new health problems like allergies, skin problems or worse. No matter what feed you purchase check the label to make sure the first item listed is a meat. Price isn’t the best indicator of a quality pet food, ingredients are, so by checking this one item you’ll be assured you favorite friend will have significantly fewer problems over their lifetime. Think back to the melamine that has made its way into the food supply in China. Melamine gives a high nitrogen reading. The common tests scientists use to determine the amount of protein in a food is to simply look at the amount of nitrogen in the food. Looking at the percentage of protein can be misleading because you don’t know if it’s from meat or a melamine filler, and you don’t want to be one of the unfortunate souls that lose their best friend because someone in the food chain cheated to boost profits. Another important item to check is the quantity of food to feed per day by weight. These amounts can vary wildly even from the same manufacturer, so if you buy a cheaper food that requires 6 cups per day over one that requires 3 cups per day, well you can do the math and see it’s not such a great deal after all. And while we’re on this subject, get out your measuring cup and start measuring how much you’re feeding your dog per day. Overfeeding not only wastes food but could result in an unhealthy pet and more vet bills. Another money saving tip is if you and your friends all have pets, think about going together and buying bulk, then splitting it up between you. The larger the bag the cheaper the price so even if your pet won’t eat that much food in a month, between two or three friends it’s the right amount at a reasonable price. And last but not least, check the paper for coupons and visit manufacturers’ websites to sign up for their email list for special offers. There are many ways to get through tough times if we’re smart about how we go about it.
The Randolph County Humane Society will have their annual Santa Paws photo event for pets with Santa on Saturday, November 22nd at the YMCA in Red Bud and Sunday, December 7th at the Movie Gallery in Sparta, both events open from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. This year the Randolph County Humane Society is taking a different approach with the pictures with Santa fundraiser. They’ve gone all out and have a professional photographer that offers photo packages and ala carte items such as individual photos, key chains, and calendars that you will cherish for years to come. Santa even grew his beard out in time for the photo shoot, making this a one of a kind opportunity for a permanent memory of your love monkey that you’ll be able to frame and hang proudly above the mantle for years to come. However, in creating this once in a lifetime package for you the profits from the event will be much lower than in years past so they need everyone to turn out and support the event. The RCHS felt it was important for animal lovers everywhere to have this opportunity for a professional photo shoot with their pet without paying an exorbitant sitting fee, so please, tell all your friends and family and see if we can get them to turn out in big numbers to support the shelter. This is the fundraiser that keeps the heat running and the lights on and buys all the veterinary supplies until the next fundraiser in March, four long, cold months away. And as we know there will be no shortage of animals to fill the kennels. The shelter is funded solely on the kindness of people just like you that love animals and want to see the right thing happen for them, especially the ones surrendered by the Randolph County folk that are hurting so bad right now and have to give up the love of their lives in order to survive. Never forget, there but for the grace of God go I, so if you have anything left in your Christmas budget support the shelter and come away with a memento you’ll cherish more in the years to come than you can imagine.
