By Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

UPDATE: 10/31/2012

Many places are still offering help if you have been displaced and have no where to bring your pet.  See below for an updated list of pet organizations and businesses offering assistance.   They are doing a tremendous job helping families and their pets get through this storm-a big thank you to everyone lending a hand in whatever way you can!

As Hurricane Sandy is bearing down on the East Coast, many people have been evacuated and many of those people own pets.  We are lucky that now, there are more and more pet friendly emergency shelters offering assistance to pet owners so they don’t ride out the storm with their pets when they should already be evacuated.

However, we know some people wait until the last minute or don’t know where they can go with their pets, so here is a comprehensive list of available places.  I will be updating this as more information comes in to me.  Please be safe, make sure you pet has proper ID on at all times, proper collars (so he or she can’t slip out of them), extra water, their food, extra leash, any medication they might be on, etc.  Pets can get very scared during a storm like this, so please be careful!

For emergency shelters and privately owned pet businesses that are able to help, please see below:

Suffolk County:

• For Suffolk County residents go to this link to find out more information click here to find out what county government offers: Pet Friendly Shelters in Suffolk County.

• In Westhampton Beach,  East End Boarding Kennel is open, fully supplied, staffed and sits almost 20 ft above sea level. There phone number is: (631) 288-7292.

• Pet Sitter Jen Devine of Devine Solutions can also help if you need it in the Huntington area.  Contact her at (631) 697-5995.

• Lisa Mongiell of Innovative Pet Care Services in Stony Brook can board small animals, birds, and reptiles.  Owners will need to bring enclosure, and food. Call (631) 433-6679.

• K9 Clubhouse in West Babylon can help between Sunday and Tuesday if you need to suddenly get your dog to a safe place after our business hours, don’t panic, they can assist you. Call 631-609-7518 and they will help you.

• Pamper ur Poochie Parlor in Selden is offering assistance to families that need to board their dogs. (631) 860 3093.
• Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons (ARF) is the official evacuation center for pets for the Town of East Hampton. Call (631) 537-0400 for more info.
• Hounds Town in Port Jefferson is open if anyone needs help there.  Call  Marianne Carrano Deszcz at (631) 404-5605.
• The Groomery in Stony Brook is offering assistance housing cats dogs and any birds and reptiles that people cannot bring with them. If you need help contact Melissa at (631) 751-7815.
• Jungle Bob’s Reptile World in Centereach is helping if you have reptiles or turtles, etc.  They are housing pets for a $5 fee per night.  Please call (631) 737-6474

Nassau County:

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

In just a few days, pet bloggers and pet companies from across the country will gather in Atlanta, Georgia for the annual Bark World Expo!  This is one pet industry person who is attending and excited to be there and meet other like minded pet writers, pet companies and pet industry leaders.   This will be my first time at the expo and will be reporting back after the event to tell you all about it!   To find out more see who is speaking at the national social media petworking conference, click the Bark World logo below.  And don’t worry cat lovers, Meow World will be debuting this year at Bark World to!

If you are interested in going, there are only a couple seats left!  Hope to see you there!

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

By now if you are in the pet industry, you’ve known for quite a while that October is Adopt-a-Shelter Dog Month, and it is now also Pit Bull Awareness month. But to the average Joe, someone who may own a family dog but isn’t engrossed in the pet industry or rescue, what does Adopt-A-Shelter Dog month really mean to them and the rest of the world?

Plain and simple – Adopt-A-Shelter Dog Month is a month to bring awareness to the general public about getting them to think of going to their local shelter to adopt a dog. Personally I see the month as a way to educate the general public about how many dogs there are available locally at their own town municipal shelters and private shelters. I would love to see more people open their minds, hearts and eyes to shelters dogs and see that they make amazing pets. And to educate themselves about why they should not buy puppies in puppy stores.

In the past four Pet Events Newsletter I have been featuring Asia, a complete sweetheart of a pit mix with two different colored eyes, who loves people, kids, and dogs. Asia has been at the Town of Islip Animal and Adopt-a-Shelter Center for 19 months (that’s a year and 7 months people). They take great care of her, and she is even a little chubby, but she came into the shelter very preggers gave birth to her pups which of course were all adopted quickly, and she remains. If I could take her, I would – I went to visit her not to long ago and she was so silly in her kennel when
I was talking to her it was a riot, I was cracking up laughing her ‘please adopt me antics’ she was doing.  She is a very good dog – and was even featured on News 12 this morning. I really hope someone opens their home and hearts for this sweet girl.

The Town of Islip is having their Annual Adopt-a-thon tomorrow, Saturday, October 13, from 11am – 3pm at the shelter (210 S. Denver Avenue, Bay Shore, NY 11706) with a ton of vendors, music and of course TONS of adoptable pets. They are also announcing who will be the lucky family to bring Joey the pit pull puppy home who had over 100 applications for his adoption. LINK. I really hope in honor of Joey that the hundreds of people who applied to be his new family will go into the shelter and take the time to meet some of the dogs, cats, and bunnies there waiting for love.

There have been adopt-a-thons going on all across the country and right here on LI. Another upcoming fun offsite adoption for Kent Animal Shelter will take place on Saturday, October 27, 2012 from 11am to 3pm at Westhampton Pet (29 Riverhead Road in Westhampton Beach – Exit 63 off of Sunrise highway south). They will have dogs available for adoption. Bring your dog down to visit dressed in their best HOWL-O-Ween costume and a prize will be awarded for best dressed dog!

October may be Adopt-A-Shelter Dog month – but any chance you can get to go to your local shelter and meet a potential new family member, take it, you won’t be disappointed. A lot of adoptive pet parents and rescuers can tell you that somehow the dogs ‘know’ that you are their new person. It’s true – and you will be much happier with your decision knowing you are adopting and taking a dog home out of a loud, stressful environment to live he or she was meant to live. By your side!

Photo credit: Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island