Ferguson Animal Coalition

Fireworks Can Literally Scare a Pet to Death

As we prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July, there are some who are less enthusiastic about fireworks. PETS.

With each sizzle, pop and boom of a dazzling and people-pleasing fireworks display, or neighbors setting off firecrackers, your cat or dog will most likely tremble in fear and may even run away due to the shock and stress of it all. Fireworks (and celebratory gun shooting) can be terrifying for all animals.

Animal control officials nationwide expect to take in 30% to 60% more pets than normal over the holiday week. And shelters have nowhere to put them because they are already packed to the brim with homeless animals.

Thanks for doing the right thing by keeping them safe. Follow these tips below:

IMPORTANT TIPS:
1) Please plan to keep your pets at home and inside.

2) Provide a quiet place for them to hide.

3) Keep a radio or TV on. A loud hepa air filter can also help drown out the scary booms.

4) And for potty breaks, keep your pup on a leash because loud booms may send them running. And be sure to take them out before dusk.

5) Call your vet ahead of time to get any needed calming medications.

6) Make an ID tag with your phone number listed. If you don’t have a tag, wrap dog collar with duct tape and use a permanent marker to write your number on it. Or write directly on the collar.

7) If your pet is microchipped, be sure the chip company has your current contact information including your address. If your pet is not chipped, be sure to microchip your pet.

Your pets will love you for keeping them safe. ❤️

FREE! 🐶 🐱

“Keeping dogs safe” is one of our missions. Yesterday morning, helping a little bandit beagle who enjoys hopping the fence to explore. Working on a plan.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=959621402193228&id=100044361313309

UPDATE--Reposting the new flyer in the prior post since it had 107 shares that we don't want to lose.

We are excited to announce OPERATION PIT (AND KIT!) STOP, a community-wide collaborative effort to spay and neuter up to 1200 owned pitbulls and pitbull mixes, and community cats, sponsored by Coalition for Pet Progress and Wings of Rescue.
This event will take place from March 23 - May 18, 2024, throughout the Greater St Louis and Metropolitan Illinois region with these 8 amazing organizations providing surgeries: Animal Protective Association of Missouri (APA), Belleville Area Humane Society, Center for Animal Rescue and Enrichment of St. Louis - CARE STL, Carol House Quick Fix Pet Clinic, Gateway Pet Guardians, Metro East Humane Society, Operation SPOT and Partners 4 Pets.
The motivation behind this complex and resource intense initiative is a drastic rise in cat and dog overpopulation in our community. Our shelter, rescue and spay/neuter providers are operating above capacity and cannot currently serve all of the animals that are in need. WE MUST ACT NOW!
For more information, or to schedule an appointment, go to www.coalitionforpetprogress.org/operationpitstop
More to come!

Have an ID tag made for FREE! It’s their only ticket home if they get lost! 🐶

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=419118710477457&id=100071379945736

Please. Spay and neuter! Its FREE! 🐶 🐱

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=801264922027425&id=100064317747010

We are excited to announce OPERATION PIT (AND KIT!) STOP, a community-wide collaborative effort to spay and neuter up to 1200 owned pitbulls and pitbull mixes, and community cats, sponsored by Coalition for Pet Progress and Wings of Rescue.

This event will take place from March 23 - May 18, 2024, throughout the Greater St Louis and Metropolitan Illinois region with these 8 amazing organizations providing surgeries: Animal Protective Association of Missouri (APA), Belleville Area Humane Society, Center for Animal Rescue and Enrichment of St. Louis - CARE STL, Carol House Quick Fix Pet Clinic, Gateway Pet Guardians, Metro East Humane Society, Operation SPOT and Partners 4 Pets.

The motivation behind this complex and resource intense initiative is a drastic rise in cat and dog overpopulation in our community. Our shelter, rescue and spay/neuter providers are operating above capacity and cannot currently serve all of the animals that are in need. WE MUST ACT NOW!

For more information, or to schedule an appointment, go to www.coalitionforpetprogress.org/operationpitstop

More to come!

Keeping your dogs safe …. 🐾 🐾

🐶🐱Who we are and what we do:

Overview: The Ferguson Animal Coalition is a 501c3 non-profit organization that was founded by a group of long-time animal rescue volunteers in the St. Louis area, to provide a structure for the volunteer work they already do.

The goal of our organization is to do anything we can, to help an animal in need. We support local pet families by providing tools they may need to help keep their dogs and/or cats in good homes (behavior remedies, food, spays n neuters, fence repairs, etc.). Or we help find the right, safe home for pets that the owners can no longer keep. Our goal is to help dogs and cats lead healthier and happier lives.

All participants are volunteers working for free. Any funds raised are for specific rescue situations, for example covering the cost of vetting an abandoned dog so it can be placed in a good home or providing free dog food to a family in need. Many times, it’s something as simple as educating a dog owner about ways to help their dog burn off energy, to keep them from being returned to a shelter. We have repaired many fences to keep dogs safe and off the streets. The Ferguson Animal Coalition won’t be able to help every situation, however, we will do anything we reasonably can to better the life of a companion animal.

The Need: Companion animals are important members of many families, providing love, comfort and for children a chance to learn responsibility. An estimated 70% of all US households have some kind of pet. However, having a pet is also an emotional and financial commitment. Sometimes a pet just isn’t the right fit for a home or hasn’t been introduced properly into the home. Sometimes the home situation changes, and the pet is no longer welcome. Sometimes families have sudden financial difficulties that force them to relocate and have to give up their dog or cat. Over 6 million dogs and cats are left or abandoned at shelters or animal control every year. Each one of these abandoned animals suffers.

Mission Statement: The mission of Ferguson Animal Coalition is to:

• Provide support for animals and their owners.
• Help Ferguson public safety respond to pets, strays, and feral cats in need.
• Help reunite lost pets in North County with their owners.
• Assist individuals in re-homing their dogs and cats, either directly or sponsored by a rescue.
• Provide support and resources for families with pets who are having behavioral issues.
• Provide new pet owner basic training 101.
• Encourage spaying and neutering and provide educational information for free opportunities.

The overall goal of Ferguson Animal Coalition is to keep dogs and cats safe and happy and out of shelters.

To donate:
PayPal - [email protected] Venmo -

The time is now to start preparing for the bitter cold that is heading our way. PLEASE plan to bring your pets inside. (I understand huskies love the cold, but…) ❄️❄️❄️

If you absolutely refuse to, 🥺, be sure your dog’s house is packed with fresh, dry straw, guarded from the wind. And it’s the law to provide unfrozen water at all times.

For those that have stray cats, its very easy to make a cat shelter using a foam cooler. (See pic). Remember, many strays are sadly being dumped and were once indoor house-cats.

Thanks for having a ❤️

Great news for dog and cat parents!!

Need assistance with pet food? Check out this great stl organization to see if you might qualify. Dates for monthly distribution are listed under their events tab. They also have a phone number you can call. 🐶 🐱

📸 Look at this post on Facebook https://bi-statepetfoodpantry.org/need-help/?fbclid=IwAR2L-bx-IWf3PL_GA24Hcr9fRV6vHvD_zKFdzlKOO5Eu4pmbDIvhf2RWSC4_aem_AWUPzWKB1yRgx4cyTUNnugXwiS0MltFsFn7WZEpplYveI57en256vCbcmucDp-ZrQio

Need Help Need Help? If you find yourself experiencing financial difficulty and are unable to provide for your pet, we will be more than happy to help. Guidelines Applicants must be the pet owner and at least 18 years old. Only one person per household can apply for services. You must have had your

Many families get a puppy for Christmas. 🌲 They are cute as buttons … but … read through these puppy stages and really examine if you have the time and energy to raise a happy, healthy, well-balanced puppy before you make that impulse decision. And as always, ADOPT! Don’t SHOP! Shelters are overwhelmed with homeless animals.

A Complete Guide To All The Puppy Stages: What To Expect While They Grow Bringing a puppy home is an exciting time. Discover the different puppy stages below, and learn how to support them at every stage.

Please…get them fixed. 🐶🐈‍⬛

https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=746699367499759&id=100064791068216&set=a.269610395208661

Snip and save! St. Louis County Animal Care & Control offers a Reduced Cost Spay/Neuter Voucher Program providing financial assistance for St. Louis County residents who choose to have their pets altered. Be sure that your veterinarian accepts our voucher when you make your pet's appointment for surgery. Residents residing in Wellston, Jennings, Normandy, Berkeley, Ferguson and Kinloch are encouraged to apply, but this program is available to all St. Louis County residents.

For more information on how to receive a voucher, please email: [email protected]

Fix your pets! It’s FREE! 🐾🐾

Regretfully Ferguson has way too many dumped or feral cats living on the streets and with winter here, many suffer. Here is a very simple way to provide a little comfort and warmth to these kitty-kats who need some extra help now. ❤️

How do you make a warm place for a feral cat?

Strong insulation – needed to trap body heat, which turns the cats into little radiators. Use straw, not hay or blankets. Minimal air space – a smaller interior area means that less heat is needed to keep the occupants warm. Have the entrance face a wall so only cats can get in and out.

https://www.facebook.com/100068568933346/posts/637938871835072/?mibextid=PvxIeS

UPDATE-all slots have been filled.

No trick, just treats🎃...and an opportunity for North County residents to spay/neuter their pets!

This Thursday, October 19th, SAVE is partnering with Stray Rescue to provide spay/neuter for 24 cats/dogs (plus microchips and vaccines (1 year). This is part of SAVE mission to decrease the number of animals entering the shelter system in St. Louis County.

You can schedule your appointment starting at 8 AM tomorrow by emailing [email protected]. First come, first serve. This event will fill quickly.

If you would like to support SAVE's efforts to stop the flow of animals into the shelters, please consider a donation - https://www.paypal.com/US/fundraiser/charity/2897598

Thank you!

Yep, dogs love soft beds. We’ve given away quite a few to make these pups lives just a little bit better. Here are a few. 😊

We’ve been very busy lately, providing fencing and repairs for doggy families, given out comfortable beds for pooches that didn’t have one. And have helped cover spay/neuters for some that couldn’t afford it.  Plus canned food for a senior boxer with no teeth. It’s so cool to spread joy to pups and families throughout our community. 

❤️ We are so gracious for the donations and help from so many folks! We couldn’t do it without you! 🐶

😊To donate:
Paypal [email protected] Venmo

FREE!! 🐶 🐱

If you have stray cats, please reach out to the St. Louis group below. They can help you get them fixed! 🐈‍⬛

Ask me how! 😊

One of the goals of Ferguson Animal Coalition is to help keep dogs happy and safe in their good homes, and out of crowded shelters.

We provide education to dog parents by sharing lots of canine enrichment activities to keep Fido busy and out of trouble, plus positive, fear-free training tips when needed.

We also provide assistance for escape artists by fixing fences, or installing trolley systems to help keep dogs off chains.

Another community outreach mission of FAC is to provide education about the importance of spaying n neutering of dogs and cats, and connecting low income families with assistance for getting this done.

⭐️Scroll down for canine enrichment tips!

Need help? Just send us a message. 🐶

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Boredom Busters for Dogs - Helping Keep Dogs in Good Homes
By Dara Ashby

People call me regularly for help with their destructive, bored dogs. Over the course of my many years in rescue, I have collected a fairly-large bag of tricks for helping dogs succeed in their homes. Hopefully this information will help other dog parents.

Exercise is great but mental stimulation is just as important for your dog’s health and happiness. Boredom can lead to behavioral problems, destruction, and frustration for both of you. Because of their nature, dogs need opportunities to solve problems and exercise their minds. A bored dog is an unhappy, frustrated dog which leads to you being unhappy and frustrated; chewed shoes, remote controls, unwanted digging, etc.

Below are some tried and true things that you can do, to provide mental stimulation for your companion dog.

🐶Sniffs on walks. When going on walks, let your dogs sniff like crazy. A dog’s nose is like our eyes when we read the newspaper, filling their minds with lots of great neighborhood information. Don’t pull your dog away when they discover a good smell.

🐶Enrichment lick toys. Invest in enrichment toys that you can stuff or cover with peanut butter, plain yogurt or cream cheese and keep in the freezer, ready to go. A marrow bone, once emptied, can be restuffed with these things listed above and provide hours of challenging entertainment. A Kong can also be used. Lick mats are a great resource also. Spread these with yummy ingredients and keep in the freezer ready to grab. You can find these on Amazon or Petco.

🐶Foraging toys. Treat dispensing toys, snuffle mats and dog puzzles provide mental challenge and foraging that dogs naturally love to do. Fill these with their favorite small treats or kibble. You can find these on Amazon or at Petco. Also google
Sniff Games for dogs.

🐶Kiddie pool. Buy a plastic kiddie pool and fill with hard plastic (dog safe) balls and hide treats in the pool. Or for the digger dogs, provide an A-OK place for them to dig by filling it with sand and hide treasures (treats) in the pool. You can find these on Amazon or at Petco.

🐶Splash pool. Get a splash pool for hours of entertainment. Many different varieties can be found on Amazon.

🐶Keep a toy box filled with a variety of different toys and chew bones. Variety is the spice of life for active minds.

🐶Schedule doggy playdates with a friend or neighbor. Having time with other dogs is critically important for continued socialization and enrichment plus dogs will love you for it. NOTE: If your dog hasn’t spent time with other dogs, follow these steps found here: https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/resource/how-successfully-introduce-two-dogs

🐶Car rides. Dogs love seeing the world. A nice car ride is a great alternative to a walk, especially on a rainy or cold day. This is a great way to wear them out. NOTE: If you have a dog that gets carsick, check this article out: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/car-sickness-in-dogs/

🐶Provide an entertaining window view. Dogs love watching activity. They love sitting in front of a window waiting for you to come home. Keep the curtains open and shades up so pup can watch the world outside.

🐶Canine Enrichment FB page. If you are on Face Book, join the Canine Enrichment FB page for some great ideas from other dog parents just like you.

🐶Doggy Day Care. Enroll your dog at a local doggy day care place. Be sure to do your research to make sure it’s a positive, safe place for your dog to go to.

🐶Group dog training. Enroll you and your dog in a group dog training class. It’s important for you to be with your dog when going to any type of dog training. Learning together helps you form an important bond with your dog. It also gets you out to meet like-minded people and make new friends. Group classes will help build your dog’s confidence. Dog socialization is very important throughout their lifetime, providing many positive experiences. Be sure to use “force free” training classes. Petco, Petsmart, and for those in St. Louis, Greater St. Louis Dog Training Club at https://gsltc.org/ is a great place to check out.

🐶Dog Agility Clubs. For the Einstein doggies out there, or those that LOVE to climb, leap, herd, and run, joining a local agility club can be awesome for your dog’s brilliant, busy mind and a lot of fun for you as well. For those in St. Louis google Greater St. Louis Agility Club.

🐱 Many cats are reported missing in our area. Here are some important tips in case your kitty gets lost.

Kitten season is regretfully here. If you have stray cats in your neighborhood, please help our dire cat overpopulation problem and reach out to the St. Louis TNR people to learn how you can help get them fixed.

🐱 ❤️Spaying & Neutering is the only solution!

🐶Keeping dogs safe in good homes by repairing fences so pups are off the streets and out of shelters is one of our latest goals. Also hoping to keep dogs off chains.

We’ve been working on 2 fences in need of repair to help 4 doggies stay in their yards. 😁 These lil escape artists are a bit of a challenge but we are determined!

If you’d like to donate to help the cause, Ferguson Animal Coalition has a PayPal account set up. All funds go towards fence supplies, vetting/fixing low income dogs and cats and misc other projects here in Ferguson.

PayPal account is: [email protected]

Volunteers are also needed and very appreciated