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Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) FAQ
FIV stands for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. This virus is in the same family of viruses as FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus). They are both retroviruses. But the subfamily of FIV is different: It is a lentivirus (or “slow virus”). The other familiar lentivirus to all of us is HIV, which causes AIDS in humans. So, humans are not alone in having a virus that affects the immune system.
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Don’t Be a Kitten-Napper
Community cats — sometimes referred to as feral cats or strays — are free-roaming cats without an owner. They may or may not be social with humans, but they are often well-adapted to their surroundings and either find a food …
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Facility Rentals
Did you know parts of our facility are available for rental? We’ve hosted a myriad of gatherings, including business events, family get-togethers, canine birthday celebrations, and even a wedding! Our beautiful campus is family-oriented in a park-like setting where people …
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Rehoming Your Pet
Note: ARF focuses rescue efforts on at-risk animals in overcrowded or under-resourced municipal shelters, and does not accept pet surrenders by the public. Sometimes, unfortunate circumstances arise and you are unable to continue caring for your pet: loss of employment, lack …
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Adoption Return Policy
ARF takes great care to match dogs and cats with just the right family so they can remain in their new homes for life. Sometimes, despite best efforts and intentions, the match isn’t ideal or life circumstances prevent the pet staying in the home. ARF is here to support you through the difficult decision to return your pet to ARF when it just doesn’t work out.
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Emergency Preparedness
Plan Ahead What types of disasters affect your area? Do you have advance warning before the disaster? What can you do to protect your pets in an emergency? What’s it like to rescue animals in a disaster situation—and how can …
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Lost and Found
Lost Pets Losing your beloved pet can be a scary experience for families and pets alike. It is important to do all of the following steps in order to reunite with your pet. The best chance a pet has of returning …
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Community Cats
Trap-Neuter-Return The cornerstone of managing community cats is Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). TNR is the only long-term strategy for humanely controlling the free-roaming cat population. Without spay and neuter as population control, cat colonies multiply quickly. Shelter impoundment and euthanasia is not a viable …
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Cats Need Claws
Declawing is not the same things as a nail trim. A nail trim is just cutting off the very tip of a nail — it is not painful or extreme. In contrast to regular nail maintenance, the standard declawing procedure calls for the removal of three things: the claw, the cells responsible for growth at the base, and part or all of the terminal bone of the toe. The operation is usually performed on the front feet. The amputation is comparable to the removal of human fingers at the last knuckle. The cat experiences considerable pain in the recovery and healing process.
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Adopting a Dog with Heartworm
Heartworms are worms that live in the heart and lungs of infected animals. Heartworm larvae are spread via mosquito bites, and heartworm disease can lead to lung damage and heart failure if untreated. Heartworm disease is easy to prevent with preventive medication available through your veterinarian. Once infected, however, elimination of heartworms is a lengthy process.