We had it all wrong. In 2001, Leslie and I opened Advanced Animal Care of Mount Pleasant. The very name was chosen to emphasize that our practice was progressive, on the technological forefront of our field. We wanted to be the practice that was … Continue reading An Open Letter to Our Clients
Here are a few pictures of our wonderful cats who live here at AAC. Darwin, Jax, and Daya are actually AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION! They are spayed/neutered, up-to-date on vaccines, and are current on heartworm & flea prevention. We deeply love and care for these guys, so if you are interested, please fill out an adoption questionnaire. Feel free to call us anytime with questions on our adoption process at 843-884-9838.
We have quite a few cats, ranging from all ages, looking for loving homes. All of the cats we take in come from either abusive homes, were abandoned by their caregivers, or were found living on the streets to fend for themselves. The younger … Continue reading “The Best Things in Life are Rescued”
Beverly was left to fend for herself outdoors when left behind by family. She came into our clinic by a kind person who wanted to see her have a chance at a better life. She was very sick and suffering from a longtime fight with … Continue reading Diabetic Senior Kitty Found A Family with AAC Staff
Dear friends,
As many of you may already know, there has been a bit of a storm brewing in the veterinary community of South Carolina and the rest of the country over the issue of low-cost practices and rescue organizations providing medical services i.e. spay/ neuter, vaccinations, parasite treatment and microchip implantation. The concern of some of our veterinarian colleagues is that their income may be compromised by these organizations which have an unfair advantage of providing these services at a sometimes significantly discounted price due to less stringent regulation and various subsidizing resources.
As veterinarians and practice owners, Leslie and I fully understand our colleague’s concern and agree on some of the issues; however we are very concerned about this proposed legislation. We have always worked hard to promote better health and care for the animals of our community, both the ones with a family and those without. We also are painfully aware of the many animals that go uncared for, that are neglected, that are homeless and are in homes in which the people do not have the means to fully and properly care for them.
Leslie and I are concerned that this animal welfare legislation S.687 has very little to do with promoting or improving the welfare of animals and more about protecting the veterinary communities own financial interest. Our greatest concern is the restriction of the ability of nonprofit organizations and other animal welfare groups to reach and care for those that are currently not being cared for. We know there are many pets in our community that are not under the care of a veterinarian due to a multitude of reasons (financial, transportation, education, etc.) which as a result of this legislation will now be “untouchable” by organizations that are designed specifically to provide care for those pets. These are pets that would not darken the door of a veterinary office to begin with, but if this legislation passes, would now not be able to get the care so very much needed. All because of the action of the community that took an oath to care for them!
Leslie and I are passionate about our calling. We are also disheartened by the organization and community that we love being a part of. We, however, are not politicians or understand what it is to be an activist, so we are reaching out to those that we know and respect who are of similar mind and are asking for your help. Please contact your senator (Lawrence Grooms or Paul Campbell, Jr of Berkeley & Charleston counties) that is on the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources and let them know about your concern. We would love to hear from you about your thoughts and opinions and of course any advice and help you may have on what we can do to make this a better piece of legislation.
Sincerely,
David Steele, DVM Leslie Steele, DVM
Veterinarians/Owners of Advanced Animal Care of Mount Pleasant
Friends, we need some help finding homes for four cats. Actually two pairs.
In the ideal situation, we get kittens at a very young age before they have become conditioned to fear humans. Some kittens learn this from their mothers very, very soon after birth. When we take in kittens that are 8-12 weeks old before they’ve known human contact, they tend to retain these “shy” characteristics even after they’ve learned that most people are “good” and would never hurt them. Their instinct is to retain a certain amount of healthy distrust, just to be on the safe side. These are the cats that will run up to you for treats, talk to you and maybe even rub against your leg. They may also like to be petted and rubbed, but are most likely rarely going to want to be picked up.
We have two pairs of kitties that are somewhat “shy”. In addition to being born to feral mothers, they have lived the majority of their lives in a veterinary hospital. And while they are loved and cared for daily, it is not a true home. They deserve to have their own family.
Storm and Elmo:
Storm is an 18 mo old female/spayed dilute tortishell (patches of grey and peach). She was found as a tiny kitten in a dumpster on Clements Ferry Road. She is very independent and extremely active and athletic. Elmo is an 18 mo male/neutered black cat that has an absolutely fantastic personality. He is a third generation of a family of cats living under the cottages at Charles Pinckney Elementary School in Mt Pleasant. He is very, very smart and always very busy. Both love to play and are very attached to one another.
Pictured: Elmo (black) left, Storm (gray) right
Darwin and Jax:
Darwin is a 12 mo old male/neutered red and white tabby. He was found stray at about 8 weeks of age with his sister. After she was soon adopted, Darwin became a bit withdrawn and became less interactive. Jax is a 9 mo old male/neutered back cat with adorable linx tips on his ears. Jax was also born beneath a cottage at Pinckney Elementary school; but probably 4th or 5th generation. He has always been very shy, and therefore sat back as he watched his siblings being adopted out one by one. He and Darwin bonded instantly and are rarely seen very far apart. They are also very active, inquisitive cats that need more of a life than a clinic has to offer.
All four of these cats are extremely healthy and hardy. In addition to routine vaccinations, they have had the opportunity to develop real life immunity by growing up in an animal hospital. They are all smart, inquisitive and beautiful cats. They would all benefit from safe outdoor time as they would love to run and play and hunt. If you have room in your heart for either of these pairs of kitties, please let us know. Adoption fees are negotiable. For more information click here.
Pictured: Darwin (orange) left, Jax (black) right
“The love for all living creatures is the noblest attribute of man.” – Charles Darwin
It is difficult to see all the images thrown at us online of domesticated pets freezing to death outside. What is even more heartbreaking is seeing it with our own eyes. Although many people do comply with obvious pet care standards by bringing their pets inside during the coldest of nights, so many of our neighbors do not. It is important to help spread the word to others about the importance of making sure these animals have a warm place to sleep. It is understood that some people will NOT bring their “outside” dog or cat indoors, but there are ways you can make sure they have a warm shelter whether inside or not.
Here are a couple tips on how to keep those pets warm this winter:
Food & Water. Outdoor pets will require more calories during cold weather to generate more body heat to help keep them warm. Some pet owners think it is helpful to keep their pet’s weight on the heavy side to help protect them from the cold, but this is not true. It is more important that they keep and maintain a healthy body condition. It is imperative that your pet has unlimited access to clean, non-frozen drinking water.
Shelter. Provide a warm, solid, dry structure that protects against gusts of winds. The floor of the shelter should be off the ground to help minimize loss of body heat. The door of the shelter should be positioned away from prevailing winds. Space heaters and heat lamps should be avoided because of risk of burns or fire. Exercise extreme caution when using heated pet mats which can also be capable of causing burns. 
Bedding. Bedding should be thick, dry, and changed regularly to provide a warm, dry environment.
ID Tags. It is very easy for cats and dogs to become lost during the winter. If they are not in a fenced in yard, they may start wondering in hopes of finding adequate shelter. Be sure your pets have a microchip, and/or collar with identification tags in case they are picked up and brought to a rescue or shelter.
Cars. Cats will often find temporary shelter underneath a car, on a tire, or even under the hood. Make sure to check your car before starting the engine and driving away. A couple knocks on the hood should be enough to wake up a sleeping kitty. It is also important not to leave your pets in the car during the winter, just as it is during the summer. Cars can serve as a type of refrigerator and keep the cold inside. Remember that puppies and kittens have an even harder time adapting to cold weather than adults.
Even if you do not own any outside dogs or cats, you can still provide temporarily shelter for the stray pets in your neighborhood. Styrofoam coolers with dry bedding and a small hole cut for an opening, can provide a makeshift shelter for stray felines, and is very cost effective. Please speak out if you see a pet left in the cold. If we all do what we can, then more and more pets will be able to survive the harsh winter.
For more information please call Advanced Animal Care of Mt. Pleasant @ 843-884-9838.
Sources:
https://www.avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/Cold-weather-pet-safety.aspx
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cold-weather-tips
http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/protect_pets_winter.html
http://cedarspringspost.com/2013/01/24/cold-weather-dangerous-for-pets/
