Chew Treats Needed to Calm Shelter Dogs on July 4th

Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services’ Town Lake Animal Center, Austin's largest animal shelter, needs rawhide bones and chews to help keep the over 300 dogs in its care calm and safe on July 4th.
The shelter's location puts the animals in close proximity to the City's largest 4th of July fireworks display. The noise and lights of the fireworks can cause a great deal of stress for the dogs at the shelter, so shelter managers are putting out the call for rawhide chew treats and toys.
“Chewing can be a healthy way for dogs to relieve stress, and fireworks can cause a great deal of stress for a dog,” says Dorinda Pulliam, shelter director. “By providing all the dogs at the shelter with natural rawhide treats, we can help re-direct their nervous energy away from potentially dangerous activities-- like attempting to jump or dig to escape their kennels-- to the healthier, safer activity of chewing on rawhide.”
While ingesting a great deal of tough rawhide can be hard on a dog’s digestive system, the rewards of providing chews to the dogs at this time of year or at other times of stress far outweigh the minor risks the chews might pose.
"We like to do whatever we can to try to help our dogs get through the fireworks displays safe and healthy,” says Pulliam. "We're hoping the wonderful, pet-loving people of Austin will help us out by donating natural rawhide chews in the coming days."
Natural rawhide treats of all shapes and sizes are needed, and can be dropped off at the Town Lake Animal Center during business hours: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Church, youth, neighborhood and business groups, as well as individuals, are encouraged to organize collections and bring the rawhide treats in to the shelter anytime before July 4th. Town Lake Animal Center is located at 1156 W. Cesar Chavez, between MoPac and Lamar on the north side of Town Lake.
For interviews or more information, contact Dorinda Pulliam at 972-6088 or Amber Rowland at 972-6025