Local Vet Dr. Mike Bonda Aids Last Chance Animal Sanctuary

Last Chance Animal Sanctuary is a local charity located in Bradenton, Florida. They provide love and care to kitties in need as they live the remainder of their lives at the sanctuary.

All cats/kittens are tested for feline leukemia, aids, heartworm, dewormed, flea treated, microchipped, receive their FVRCP and rabies vaccines, and are spayed/neutered. Many of the rescued cats require additional medical attention. That is where River Landings Animal Clinic veterinarian Dr. Michael Bonda comes in,

“I became involved with last chance through my client, Linda Litke, who is one of the volunteers and the main person involved with medical decisions on their cats when a medical concern arises.” 

Having been involved with Last Chance Animal Sanctuary for eight years, he has dedicated almost a decade to the cause and care of these felines. 

“The best part of working with last chance is being able to help with medical treatment and surgeries on the rescue and shelter cats that would not be able to have veterinary care elsewhere due to high costs and not being an owned pet.”

As you can guess, medical expenses and general everyday care add up. You can provide monetary donations towards any veterinary bills the shelter has with River Landing Animal Clinic. You may also donate any needed supplies from the shelter’s Amazon wish list.

For more ways, you can get involved just as our very own Dr. Bonda has— from adoption to volunteering— head on over to Last Chance Anima Sanctuary’s website!

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New Kitten and Puppy Care: Adoption​

So you’ve gained a four-legged family member. Now what? In this series, we will lay out what to expect when you’re expecting a new feline or canine friend to join the family. We continue this series with a topic close to our hearts: adoption, before & after. 

Are you ready to adopt?

Adopting an animal means committing to caring for an animal for its entire life. This could fall between 10 to 15 years for dogs and even up to 20 years for cats. When your lifestyles change, your animal will remain as part of your life. It also means fees that continue beyond a simple adoption fee. There’s food, veterinary care, spaying or neutering, and proper identification.

Having time for your pet is another factor. Dogs benefit from several hours of attention and exercise daily. Cats also love a good chase of a laser or catnip.

Which pet is right for you?

Consider the space a new pet will have to roam. Do you live in a cramped apartment and travel a lot? Consider a small dog or cat. Live with a family of 5 with a fenced in yard? Consider a larger breed of dog. Don’t hesitate to ask shelter staff for guidance to make for the perfect match.

Preparing your home.

From toxic foods left in bowls to pet-unfriendly plants and easy-to-get-into-trash bins, be sure to observe your home and make changes to assure your home is safe for a new canine or feline companion before their arrival.

Things to consider:

• A dog or cat bed. Pets are inclined to keep off furniture if they have a designated bed.

• Avoid vertical blinds, pooling drapery, ornate tassels, and long cords that are strangulation hazards.

• If you adopt a cat, install high-quality metal screens so you can open a window without risking an escape.

• If your new dog is not yet house-trained, consider temporarily storing away expensive rugs.

• Provide your new feline friend with scratching posts and perches.

• Use dog crates and gates to confine your new dog when absent from home until they are well-behaved.

• Provide dogs with plenty of things they are allowed to chew on toys or bones, so he is less likely to find your shoe as an alternative.

• Check that plants kept indoors or around your home are not poisonous to pets.

Local shelters include:

Last Chance, Cat Depot, Honor Animal Rescue, among many others listed in the latest issue of Pet Pages located in our lobby.

In this series

Don't forget to check out our previous piece on vet visits.

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Don't forget to subscribe to our email newsletter for more recipes, articles, and clinic updates delivered to your inbox (here). Or, you can keep up to date by liking and following our Facebook page (here). We also have additional tips under our tips category (here).