A time of potential and possibility and opportunity

Jennifer Vanderau
Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter

(1/2025) Ahh, the New Year. A time of potential and possibility and opportunity. The future is in front of us and it’s a blank slate.

Is there something you’ve been meaning to do for a while, but you just never got around to it? Maybe 2025 is the year you can tackle that challenge.

We can say goodbye to 2024 and hello to a whole new moment in time. What could it bring?

It’s all basically up to you.

I’m super proud to say we have seen a lot of great adoptions this past year. We found forever homes for almost 800 animals. That’s amazing!

We’ve also seen a lot of generous donations. We have such amazing supporters and I will be forever grateful to every one of you.

It does my heart good to know that no matter what happens with the economy or in the world, we are still finding animals homes at CVAS and we will continue to do that no matter what 2025 brings.

With the start of each new year, I also like to remind everyone that now is a good time to consider taking inventory with the paperwork side of having animals in our lives. So let’s talk vaccinations and licenses, shall we?

Every dog three months of age and older in the state of Pennsylvania must have a current, up-to-date dog license. Licenses go on sale as of January 1.

Dog licenses need to be purchased January 1 and expire December 31 each year. So even if you got a dog license, say, in March 2024, it will expire on December 31. If you have a canine, make sure a license is on your list to start the year.

Rabies vaccinations are also a law in Pa. Any dog over 3 months of age must have a current rabies vaccination. This also pertains to cats that are inside your home for any amount of time in a 24 hour day, according to Pennsylvania state law.

In Maryland, all cats, dogs, and ferrets be vaccinated against rabies by the time they are 4 months old and may require a license, depending on the county in which you live.

Failure to provide your pet with a license or rabies vaccination could result in fines. It’s the law in Pa. and Md., so it’s a good idea to make sure your furry friends are up-to-date.

I also like to talk about microchips because we’ve had a lot of success with getting animals home because of microchips and beginning a new year seems as good a time as any to consider them.

Every time an animal comes into the shelter as a stray, we scan him or her for a microchip. Collars and tags seem to be one of the first things to go if a pet is running for a while, but a microchip is permanent identification, embedded just under the skin between the shoulder blades.

We have a scanner that reads the number and that number corresponds with the owner. A lot of veterinarian offices I know have the scanners, too. Believe me, it is a happy day at CVAS when a microchip leads back to a mom or a dad and a dog or a cat doesn’t have to spend any time in a kennel at the shelter.

One of the best parts about having your animal microchipped is you can qualify for a for a lifetime license in Pa., which means you no longer have to worry about getting a new one every year – it’ll be good for the life of your dog. It’s another way to make microchips more appealing for pet owners.

Maryland also offers lifetime license.

As we enter into a new year that we all are hoping has some good in store for us, making sure our animals are cared for should be one of our top priorities.

From all of us at CVAS, we wish you and your family (both two-legged and four-legged members) a fantastic 2025!

Jennifer Vanderau is the Publications and Promotions Consultant for the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter and can be reached at cvascomm@cvas-pets.org. The shelter accepts both monetary and pet supply donations. For more information, call the shelter at 263-5791 or visit the website www.cvas-pets.org. CVAS also operates a thrift store in Chambersburg. Help support the animals at the shelter by donating to or shopping at the store.