A Letter from the Executive Director

Dear Friends of Chesapeake Humane Society, 

We are quickly approaching the one-year mark of modified operations and restrictions we would never have imagined feasible due to the pandemic. The care we provide to the pets in our adoption program and through our veterinary clinic is essential service so our team hasn’t skipped a beat over the past ten months. It’s been stressful and trying more often than not, however, we are grateful that we have not had to furlough or lay off any staff members as so many other companies have had no choice but to do so. 

Throughout the pandemic, Chesapeake Humane Society’s (CHS) services continue to be in high demand. We have seen a significant increase in adoptions and fostering as families are home more often. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have seen an increase in need for our low-cost veterinary services and pet pantry assistance as folks are financially impacted by the pandemic.

A little back story about CHS – as you may know, our sheltering model is a bit different from the traditional shelter model. Throughout the years we have refined our program to help shelters in our region as they need support with caring for homeless pets. We work to transfer animals in from our shelter partners as they need assistance due to space, behavioral needs, or medical needs. 

We often take in animals that require a lot of time and money to care for such as heartworm positive dogs, litters of kittens and puppies, and FIV+ felines, to name a few. All of these animals deserve a second chance at life and we are here to help provide that for them. 

This model works well for our region and we plan to continue building off this structure as we expand our shelter program. Last spring, we embarked on a plan to expand and by happenstance, we had an incredible opportunity presented to us by one of our long-time partners, The Las Gaviotas Pet Hotel and associated Animal Assistance League here in Great Bridge. It’s an opportunity many organizations only dream of – the gift of a building and property.

 It was certainly a poignant moment as they brought their operations to a close and turned the building over to CHS. The Pet Hotel and Animal Assistance League was a staple in our community for nearly 30 years.  We are committed to put the property to good use and save the lives of many shelter pets. Our mission is aligned with that of Animal Assistance League and we vow to build on the good work that they’ve accomplished in our community. 

 In the coming months, we will be doing some renovations to our new building located at 1149 New Mill Drive to suit our programmatic needs. We hope to be open to the public later this year. Once renovations are completed, the New Mill Drive location will serve as a dedicated sheltering facility for CHS and our location on Battlefield Blvd will continue as our low-cost veterinary clinic.

This new building will greatly expand our shelter program and we plan to offer a new, much-needed service in our community for crisis-based boarding. We are currently exploring partnerships with local human service organizations to offer pet boarding to individuals and families escaping domestic violence or facing other hardships such as displacement from a fire or boarding needs due to unforeseen medical procedures. Our new crisis-based boarding program will help pets stay with the ones they love at a time when that human-animal bond and companionship is so important.

Whether you are familiar with CHS or not, I invite you to get to know us better over the coming year. We have a lot of exciting goals ahead of us and I hope you’ll continue to support us in our venture.

If you’d like to make a gift to support our expansion project, please reach out to CHS Executive Director, Lacy Shirey, at 757-401-6201 or director@chesapeakehumane.org.

 

Warm Regards,

Lacy S. Shirey, Executive Director

Chesapeake Humane Society

Crate Training a Beneficial Tool

Animal Connections
Published by the Virginian Pilot on 01-06-2021
Written by Lacy Kuller, Chesapeake Humane Society Executive Director

All three of my dogs were adults when I adopted them, and they all lived their lives outside before being welcomed into my home. One of them was pretty scared of everything in life when I first took her in, and the other two were not housebroken at all. I mention that only to prove that crate training can be used with dogs of any age and with a wide range of backgrounds.

In their first six months or so with me, I implement crate training methods consistently. Usually, it’s harder on me than it is on them.

Having a routine and remaining consistent with any training is often the most important factor. It’s also hard for me because when I say good night to them and tuck them into their crate, I secretly wish they were snuggled up with me in my bed. But it’s worth it. The result is that they see their crates, or their dens, as a safe place.

And don’t be fooled because I work with animals — my dogs are not the most trained or well-behaved dogs. Thankfully, they were housebroken pretty quickly, but they bark more than I’d like (they are hound dogs), they jump up on people when they are excited to see them, and my bloodhound will dig a giant hole in my backyard if I turn my back for too long while he’s outside. I’m not perfect, and neither are they.

After the initial training is over, I leave their crate doors open for them to come and go as they please. To this day, some nights they snuggle up with me in bed and some nights they curl up in their crates — both of those scenarios make me happy.

Foster puppy from Portsmouth Humane Society working on crate training!

They rarely get closed in the crate, but if I do close them in, they are comfortable, not anxious, and I know they are safe. If a thunderstorm rolls in or if fireworks can be heard, I often find my dogs in their crates that’s where they feel protected. If I have a contractor in the house who isn’t fond of dogs, I know I can put my dogs in their crates without causing them stress.

I never use a crate as punishment. Their association with the crate should always be positive. I feed my dogs in their crate, which helps with creating a rewarding experience, especially if you have a food-motivated dog.

I have certain toys that only come out when they are in the crate, making it exciting for them. The toys I use for crate training are very durable, like a large Kong or a Nylabone, so I know they won’t destroy and swallow parts of a toy while unattended. I never use plush toys or rope bones unattended as those could easily be ingested and lead to a harmful blockage.

I’m careful to close my dogs in their crates for different scenarios so they don’t associate going into the crate with me leaving the house. So when they are being trained, they’ll periodically have crate time for 20-30 minutes at a time while I’m still home. This helps to build their independence and can help with or prevent separation anxiety — especially since many of us are home more due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

I will mention, I have worked with dogs that just don’t do well in a crate. Despite working with them in a positive way, the crate causes them so much anxiety that they are physically harming themselves in an attempt to escape. In my experience, this has been with dogs that have extreme separation anxiety or have a negative association with a crate from previous experiences.

Thankfully, this is not the case with most dogs, but it is something to keep in mind. If you are having issues to that extent with your dog, hopefully you are working with a behaviorist and your veterinarian on that behavior.

If your dog continues to be anxious in a wire crate, try covering half of the crate with a blanket or try using a more enclosed airline crate. For some dogs, this simple trick makes a world of difference in making them feel comfortable, so it’s worth trying if you are struggling with crate training.

Lacy Shirey is executive director of the Chesapeake Humane Society. She can be reached at director@chesapeakehumane.org.