The ASPCA posted another great article for everybody to read, and we've reposted it here. You can see the original on their website by clicking this link.

Conquering Your Pet's Back-to-School Blues

As the summer light fades into fall, pets across the country are adjusting to new routines as their family members go back to work or school. What were once carefree days cruising around the park or swimming in the creek are now spent sitting by the front door waiting for busy pet parents to come home.

But what if your pet doesn't adjust peacefully to this new reality? It's not an uncommon problem—after all, cats and dogs are particularly vulnerable to any change in their schedules, and they thrive on stimulation. With nothing to do, pets are forced to find ways to entertain themselves, which may include excessive barking or meowing, gnawing on shoes, raiding the garbage, eating houseplants and scratching furniture.

Here are some common signs that your pet may be having a hard time saying goodbye to summer:

• Urinating and defecating in the house
• Incessant barking and howling
• Chewing and digging
• Attempting to escape the house or yard
• Pacing without pause

But all is not lost! Our behaviorists have some great advice for keeping your pet's "back-to-school blues" at bay.

• Start small by desensitizing your pooch to the cause of his anxiety. Introduce several short periods of separation, and then gradually increase time spent apart.
• Help your dog associate being alone with something good such as a tasty treat. Every time you leave the house, give your dog a food-dispensing toy—the Kong is one of our favorites, but there are plenty of others.
• Please don't scold your dog if he doesn't adjust quickly. If you punish him, he may become more upset and the problem could get worse.
• Be patient, and work with your pet until he feels comfortable and enjoys spending time alone. For a thorough guide to helping your pet overcome his anxiety, please visit our Virtual Behaviorist.

P.S. Thinking about adding another furry friend to your family this fall? Check out how to find the right pet for you!

And don't forget to check out our adoptable pets here at the Corinne T. Smith Animal Center!

Each month we like to showcase a cat and dog who have touched the hearts of the staff here at CTSAC. These are pets that have touched us with their stories, their personalities, or just the way they remind us of pets come and gone.

John the cat looks like an ordinary tabby boy, and maybe that's why you haven't given him a second glance, but he is actually a super cat! He's super friendly, super quiet, and super suave, and will be a great companion pet for you or your other cat now that the kids are back in school. He's a big lap cat and is one and one-half years old. Won't you come down to the shelter and play with our tabby darlings?

Labs are playful and love to make friends. Winston, a lovely black lab who is housetrained, is no exception. Always smiling and aiming to please, Winston will make a wonderful addition to your home. Labs love playing, so if you have a lonely pup at home, why not give Winston a chance at finding a forever friend? Winston is already fixed and ready to to show you what a great friend he can be!

This Happy Tail is from Jimmy and Tammy. They write:

"We adopted 'Bowen'--or Boo as we now call him--from the animal shelter in October 2008. We already had one cat, a brown tabby that we brought home from a litter at the golf course and named Putter. Putter would always chatter at the stray cats that came through our back yard, and he was lonely during the day when we were at work. I had always wanted a black cat, so we looked at the shelter and there was our Boo! He was so friendly the minute we laid eyes on him, coming to the front of his little cage and stretching out, begging to be petted. Of all the cats we saw that day, Boo was the most calm and laid back. It was love at first sight.

Since we brought him home, Boo and Putter have become the best of friends. They love to play chase with each other! Boo is a very affectionate kitty, he loves to curl up next to us on the couch and be petted. He purrs so LOUD! It's like a motor boat! Boo loves to play catch. We toss his little toys in the air and he will jump up and catch them. He jumps so high, and sometimes he'll even do a flip! He has grown to be quite a large cat and he has a beautiful, soft black coat. He loves being brushed and wants to look pretty all the time. When we have visitors they are amazed at his size and how beautiful his coat is.

Boo (and Putter ) keeps us laughing daily with his crazy antics and personality. We are so happy we adopted Boo!"

Do you have a Happy Tale about an animal you adopted from CTSAC? Please send us a letter or an e-mail, preferably with a picture, and you and your pet might get featured on the site!