LEAGUE CITY, Texas — If you’re a struggling pet owner, the Houston SPCA wants you to know they're there to help, hoping to do anything they can to keep pets inside people’s homes.
Others are also trying to help, like one League City dog hotel.
On Thursday, Baby, a pitbull pup who has spent the past year waiting to find love at a Dickinson animal shelter, wined and dined, and she’s feelin’ fine.
“Pay-per-view movies, massages," said Thuy and Judd Gottlieb, founders of Mount Pleasant Avenue Premiere Canine Villas and Spa. “The love all of our people are giving these kids is amazing, and you can see the dogs are responding to it. They’re happy, they’ve totally changed.”
Mount Pleasant Avenue is a premier pup resort. Normally during Spring Break, they’d be fully booked. But with coronavirus forcing the cancellation of everyone’s plans, they’ve lost almost all of their business.
But the spa is trying to make the best of it.
“If we’re going to go down anyways, we’re going to go down and try to help as many kids along the way as we can," Judd said.
Those "kids" are shelter pups.
So far, the resort has taken in nine shelter dogs, offering their new guests their most lavish services: makeovers, luxury suites, even dance lessons, helping the pups shine on the inside and out. They're hoping someone will soon give them a new home.
“We’re actually watching them be dogs and play and have fun, and it’s an incredibly heartwarming thing to witness," Judd said.
If the pups don’t get adopted, they will eventually have to go back to the shelter, which can be a problem as shelters continue to fill up in the Houston area.
Making matters worse, the Houston SPCA found a box of puppies dumped outside their building earlier this week.
“They just dumped the box. We didn’t know what was in the box until we started seeing little heads pop out," Julie Kuenstle said.
Kuenstle said with surrenders and adoptions postponed, they are concerned things like that will keep happening.
“Reach out to your neighbors and friends and your family. Likewise, neighbors and friends, reach out to those who have pets and have needs," Kuenstle said.
They ask pet owners to look at every available option before dumping their pets illegally.
“Go for a walk, maybe grab an extra bag of dog food, or cat food if they’re in need, and let’s help each other out through this crisis," Kuenstle said.
Coronavirus symptoms
The symptoms of coronavirus can be similar to the flu or a bad cold. Symptoms include a fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Some patients also have nausea, body aches, headaches and stomach issues. Losing your sense of taste and/or smell can also be an early warning sign.
Most healthy people will have mild symptoms. A study of more than 72,000 patients by the Centers for Disease Control in China showed 80 percent of the cases there were mild.
But infections can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death, according to the World Health Organization. Older people with underlying health conditions are most at risk for becoming seriously ill. However, U.S. experts are seeing a significant number of younger people being hospitalized, including some in ICU.
The CDC believes symptoms may appear anywhere from two to 14 days after being exposed.
Human coronaviruses are usually spread through...
- The air by coughing or sneezing
- Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
- Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands.
Help stop the spread of coronavirus
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Eat and sleep separately from your family members
- Use different utensils and dishes
- Cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hand.
- If you use a tissue, throw it in the trash.
- Follow social distancing
Lower your risk
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- If you are 60 or over and have an underlying health condition such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes or respiratory illnesses like asthma or COPD, the World Health Organization advises you to try to avoid crowds or places where you might interact with people who are sick.
Get complete coverage of the coronavirus by texting 'FACTS' to 713-526-1111.