The Escambia County Animal Shelter is located at 200 West Fairfield Drive. For more information call (850) 595-3075.

Special thanks to Sonshine Pets at 3180 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Ivey's Pet Center on 9 Mile Road and Barnes Feed Store on Old Palafox for their dog food donations.

Pet Fest 2008
Don't miss the Pet Social Event of the Year!

This Saturday, May 10, 2008, from 10am to 4pm, the Gulf Breeze Area Chamber of Commerce will host Pet Fest 2008 at the Shoreline Bark Park sponsored by “Frontline: say goodbye to fleas and ticks”.  The Shoreline Bark Park is located across from the South Santa Rosa Recreation Center ( 800 Shoreline Drive ) in Gulf Breeze. “The committee voted unanimously to invite pets to bring their human friends again this year!  There will be pet contests, door prizes, celebrities, music, demonstrations, a pet parade and more- so bring the whole family for a fun day at the Shoreline Bark Park in Gulf Breeze!” stated Pet Fest 2008 Co-Chairs: Barbara Bonowicz, (Mediacom) and Limarie Rodriguez, DVM, (Gulf Breeze Animal Hospital).

Seven area veterinarians will be on-hand providing educational information on flea control, heart worm disease, micro-chipping, exotic pets & much more! Enter to win a Pet Fest contest:  Pet Tricks (11:30am), Anything Goes (1pm),  Pet/Owner Look-A-Like (2pm) and  Pet Fashion Show (3pm). Be sure to stick around for the Best of Show Parade for all pets at 3:45pm!  Pensacola Pelicans’ Scoop, Cat Country’s Cat, and the Pensacola Ice Pilot’s Ice Man will also be at Pet Fest 2008.  The Santa Rosa and Gulf Breeze K-9 Units and the Five Flags Dog Training Club will give demonstrations throughout the day.  Bring the kids to meet Tuffy, A Real American Quarter Horse Hero!  Other sponsors include: Fetch! Pet Care, Gulf Coast Crematory, Inc., Invisible Fence, Navarre Animal Hospital and Soundside Animal Hospital .  Peoples First Community Bank of Gulf Breeze will provide grilled hot dogs and beverages. Look for the Pet Fest 2008 commercial starring “talking” local pets on Mediacom!

Last year over 300 pets and 1,000 of their human friends enjoyed the contests, activities and fun!  Sponsorships and Vendor space are still available. $5 admission fee. Proof of rabies vaccination for pets required. For more information call the Chamber at 850-932-7888 or go to www.gulfbreezechamber.com

 Low Cost Spay & Neuter Funding Still Available
 
Funding for low cost spaying and neutering is still available to Santa Rosa County pet owners. Made possible by a one-time grant of $18,000 from “Florida Animal Friend, Inc.” license plate program, Santa Rosa County Animal Services is offering a discount spay and neuter program for income-eligible residents. By making the sterilization of animals more affordable, animal services hopes to decrease the number of unwanted animals born each year. Seventy percent of the animals received by Santa Rosa Animal Services are euthanized each year.

As part of the grant, approved applicants who already own their pet pay only $20 for dogs and $15 for cats to have their pets spayed or neutered at a participating veterinarian clinic. The grant subsidizes $50 per pet. Rabies vaccinations must be current for each animal and only two animals per household are eligible. For more information, call Santa Rosa County Animal Services at (850) 983-4680 or visit the shelter at 4451 Pine Forest Road, Milton between 8a.m.- 4 p.m., Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Saturdays.  The application can also be found online at http://www.santarosa.fl.gov/animals/spayneuter.html. 
 
To learn more about the animal friend license plate program, visit:  http://floridaanimalfriend.org/About.html .

Why Spay or Neuter?

According to the Humane Society of the United States, spaying or neutering is good for your pet, you and the community:

Spaying or Neutering Is Good for Your Pet

• Spaying and neutering helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives.
• Spaying and neutering can eliminate or reduce the incidence of a number of health problems that can be very difficult or expensive to treat.
• Spaying eliminates the possibility of uterine or ovarian cancer and greatly reduces the incidence of breast cancer, particularly when your pet is spayed before her first estrous cycle.
• Neutering eliminates testicular cancer and decreases the incidence of prostate disease.

Spaying or Neutering Is Good for You

• Spaying and neutering makes pets better, more affectionate companions.
• Neutering cats makes them less likely to spray and mark territory.
• Spaying a dog or cat eliminates her heat cycle. Estrus lasts an average of six to 12 days, often twice a year, in dogs and an average of six to seven days, three or more times a year, in cats. Females in heat can cry incessantly, show nervous behavior, attract unwanted male animals, and also exhibit escape behavior.
• Unsterilized animals often exhibit more behavior and temperament problems than do those who have been spayed or neutered.
• By altering your pet, it will be less likely to be involved in a bite situation.
• Neutering makes pets less likely to roam the neighborhood, run away, or get into fights.

Spaying and Neutering is Good for the Community

• Communities spend millions of dollars to control unwanted animals.
• Irresponsible breeding contributes to the problem of dog bites and attacks.
• Animal shelters are overburdened with surplus animals.
• Stray pets and homeless animals get into trash containers, defecate in public areas or on private lawns, and frighten or anger people who have no understanding of their misery or needs. 

The Junior Humane Society still offers a low cost spay/neuter assistance program in Escambia county. For info call 850-968-3260

The Junior Humane Society is also in need of Qualified Temporary Foster Homes & Forever Homes willing to make an animal a member of their family. 
Click here to visit their website

DART (Disaster Animal Response Team) members or anyone with experience with animals that would like to volunteer please contact Sheena at clawsandpaws63@yahoo.com for information and meeting dates.