As the end of the year draws near, a local businessman has organized a donation drive to help the dogs at Red Sky Rescue.

Tommy Johnson, associate broker at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Indiana Realty in Seymour, had heard a lot about Red Sky Rescue, a safe haven in Medora where homeless dogs are rescued and rehabilitated until they find a new home.

After meeting shelter manager Ruth Riley, he said he could really feel her passion for helping animals and wanted to help out in some way.

"I organized the fundraiser because my wife and I have two rescue dogs and one rescue cat," he said. "We love to support local animal shelters and their mission."

Items on the Red Sky Rescue wish list may be dropped off through Monday at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, The Tribune or The Brooklyn Pizza Co. in Seymour.

For information or to have donations picked up, contact Johnson at 812-525-2886 or send a Facebook message.

Earlier this month, Riley said there were 45 dogs at the shelter. That included 15 adoptable dogs/puppies, 20 unadoptable that were in the process of rehabilitation or behavior modification and 10 hospice dogs, which are seniors or other dogs that have significant health- or age-related issues.

"Out of those numbers, seven adoptable dogs were already scheduled for a transport to another bigger shelter on Dec. 13," Riley said. "Another three adoptable dogs were to be adopted and scheduled to go home with their new families on Dec. 15."

Since 2006, Red Sky Rescue has served the community by rescuing abandoned, neglected and surrendered pets. As of 2017, more than 5,000 homeless dogs have passed through the doors of the shelter, where medical care also is provided when needed.

Riley said the shelter relies heavily on the financial support of the community in order to continue the work of saving dogs’ lives.

Visit Red Sky Rescue’s Facebook page to see stories of pets they have helped. Monetary donations to help the shelter’s cause can be mailed to Red Sky Rescue, 8305 W. County Road 150N, Medora, IN 47260.

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Cold weather safety tips

Keep your home humidified and towel dry your dog as soon as it comes inside, paying special attention to its feet and in between the toes, removing any snow or ice from between its foot pads.

Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as a longer coat will provide more warmth. If your dog is short-haired, consider getting it a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly.

Bring a towel on long walks to clean off irritated paws. After each walk, wash and dry your pet’s feet and stomach to remove ice, salt and chemical and check for cracks in paw pads or redness between the toes.

Bathe your pets as little as possible during cold spells. If your dog must be bathed, use a moisturizing shampoo and/or rinse to avoid dry, flaky skin.

Massaging petroleum jelly or other paw protectants into paw pads before going outside can help protect from salt and chemical agents. Booties provide even more coverage.

Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol.

Pets burn extra energy by trying to stay warm in wintertime. Feeding your pet a little bit more during the cold weather months can provide much-needed calories, and making sure it has plenty of water to drink will help keep it well-hydrated and its skin less dry.

Make sure your pet has a warm place to sleep off the floor and away from all drafts. A cozy dog bed with a warm blanket or pillow is perfect.

Remember, if it’s too cold for you, it’s probably too cold for your pet, so keep your animals inside. If left outdoors, pets can freeze or become disoriented, lost, stolen, injured or killed. In addition, don’t leave pets alone in a car during cold weather, as cars can act as refrigerators that hold in the cold and cause animals to freeze to death.

Source: aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/cold-weather-safety-tips

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Items needed:

• Dawn blue dish soap
• Household bleach
• Hefty or Sam’s Club Mark 33-gallon black trash bags with drawstring
• Any liquid laundry detergent
• Bounty paper towels
• Dryer sheets
• 8-inch zip ties
• Pedigree canned ground-style adult or puppy food (chicken or beef, not chicken with gravy)
• Rawhide dog chews
• Purina Dog Chow in the green bag
• Soft dog toys without stuffing
• Rubber or plastic medium-sized squeaky toys
• Soft, chewy bagged treats

Drop-off locations through Monday:

• Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Indiana Realty, 905 E. Tipton St., Seymour
• The Tribune, 100 St. Louis Ave., Seymour
• The Brooklyn Pizza Co., 753 W. Second St., Seymour

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