Starting the year off on the right paw

First of all, I’d like to thank each and every one of you for your continued support. We had a remarkable year in 2015 and were able to help more animals than ever in our history. But it’s not a time for us to rest on our

Mary Martin AnimalMD

Mary Martin
AnimalMD

laurels – we are absolutely pushing ourselves to do even more in 2016.

This crew NEVER sits back and relaxes; we are always trying to “know better” and, as poet and author Maya Angelou said, “do better.” The best place to watch our progress is on our Facebook page and Instagram account. I’m not exaggerating when I say, you are missing out on heartwarming stories if you haven’t taken a minute or two daily to see what we are up to. And if you want to learn about the Shelter in a more detailed way, check out our new High Desert Podcast or, rather, our High Desert PAWDcast where we talk about issues important to animal lovers.

This year, I promised my dogs and cats that I was going to start the year making sure they were healthy. First off – a trip to the groomer to avoid the embarrassment of bringing raggedy dogs to the veterinarian for a checkup. EVERYBODY feels better after a good warm bath and a brush, and my dogs are no exception. My cats are not crazy about baths, so at least they get a good brushing before their trip.

Once everybody was looking presentable, off to the clinic we went. In the “olden days,” we would only take our pets in for annual vaccinations or emergencies, but I have learned, and I can’t exaggerate the value, to go in for an annual checkup.  Our companion animals pack a lot of living into one year and much can change for them in a short time.

It is so important to build a relationship with a veterinarian who you trust and love, and let them see your furry kiddos once a year.

Unfortunately many people have become afraid that the cost of veterinary care is out of reach. TALK to your vet; they are people too. Explain your needs and most veterinarians will work with you to prevent catastrophe from happening. That’s what I did, and my vet found a few things that I had missed entirely. These were health issues that would have become a big deal down the road – a lump or two here or there and a missed broken tooth.

We talked about heartworm prevention, how even in Santa Fe, our dogs should be on a monthly preventative ALL YEAR ROUND. It is so cheap, especially when you know how dangerous and expensive it is to treat a full-blown case of heartworm disease. We chatted about vaccines, and I was pleased to know that none were needed because of how long vaccines last these days.

In the end, all my furry kids left the clinic set for the year and, if all goes well, we won’t have to be back until next January. I feel better about that and I think Mandy, Sadie, Henry, Buddha, Bucky, Patti and Lloyd are just a little bit healthier.​

And that’s the same I hope for you – your furry friends and family. It’s an off-repeated phrase but one that’s worth saying again, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Here’s to another milestone for the animals of Northern New Mexico – no exceptions!

Mary Martin, Executive Director

Santa Fe Animal Shelter