Howl-O-Ween Dash this Saturday + A Veterinarian talks good pet ownership

We love our pets! Even when they're a little too extra, we can't imagine life without them. That's why Fernhill Realty is a sponsor for the Howl-O-Ween Dash this Saturday. Read on for the full story.

To complement the special event, we talked to a trusted veterinarian about what to look for when choosing a pet doctor and how to be the best pet owner you can be.

We hope you find this week's Edition helpful and inspiring, and ready for the big Halloween holiday.

Thank you for being here!

The Editors, Fernhill Edition

Feature Story

Dr. Jason Bonner says don't be embarrassed by your pet

In honor of the fundraising event, the Howl-O-Ween Dash to benefit local animal shelters this weekend, we wanted to hear from someone on the inside of pet care. Matt Golley's own trusted and beloved vet, Dr. Jason Bonner, who has been with North Alabama Animal Hospital since 2007 and is now part owner, shares his insight and experience that's helped Matt's beloved "Golden Girl", Jovi, over the years.

How did you get into veterinary medicine?

Oh gosh, it's gonna be a super cliché answer. I grew up with horses and multiple dogs and multiple cats. I've always just wanted to do it. I've always kinda had a heart for it, I guess would be the best way to phrase it.

What would you say are some of the biggest challenges of being a veterinarian?

You have a patient that comes in that cannot verbally communicate with you. They can't verbalize pain, discomfort or how they feel, so there's some nuance to being able to assess them. There's also nuance in interpreting what a client perceives their pet is doing, and what that actually may or may not mean. That's a pretty difficult one.

The other thing that can be difficult is that it costs money to take care of pets, and it's not a field that's heavily subsidized by insurance. That can be a big stressor for us and clients alike. Sometimes we can't do everything we need to do because of finances. That's something we always try to work through, and we offer multiple options, both diagnostic and therapeutic, based on budgets.

Those are probably the two biggest things: interpreting what may be affecting an animal that can't completely communicate with us, and then the financial responsibility of doing those things.

What makes a really good pet owner?

Somebody who pays attention to their pet and is intentional with their care. Knowing [when] something's not right with them, or they're holding their ear funny, or [they] limped. An owner who can be descriptive about what they're seeing is very, very beneficial to us. Being able to say, "Well, gosh, this is something I noticed two months ago, and now I'm noticing it again"...That intentionality helps.

And then being able to communicate that effectively, and being open and honest with us.

Open honesty about how your pet is doing and what you feel comfortable with financially is a great thing for us as veterinarians. It gives us a lot of guidance.

“The last thing I ever want is to get to the end of an appointment where I've run blood work or taken X-rays or done an ultrasound, and you've used all your available funds for the day, and I can't do anything to actually treat the pet.” —Dr. Jason Bonner

What are your best tips on how to choose a veterinarian?

If you're moving into an area, there's nothing better, for us personally, than word of mouth. I think it speaks volumes when somebody's willing to vouch for the care anybody provides.

If you go into a clinic, here's what I'd want to assess if I were on the opposite side of the table:

How do these people interact with my pet, and how do they interact with me?

How do they communicate? Are they willing to take the time to explain things?

What's the follow-up supposed to be like?

Do they have a plan in place?

Does it smell clean and look clean?

Those are things we've tried to focus on as a practice.

That's what I'd want to evaluate if I were walking into a medical facility on the client side, not the doctor side.

When's the last time you got peed on?

This morning. Really.

Pee is not the bad one. You gotta worry about the other stuff. The feces and anal glands are the stuff that really stays with you.

If there's one thing I'd say to clients... So many people come in and start apologizing for their pet and how they act because of a stress response. It's one thing if you've been negligent as an owner and haven't tried to socialize your animal. That's a different scenario.

But if you're bringing your pet in because you want the best care for them, and they urinate or have a bowel movement, that's life. We expect it. You don't need to feel ashamed, and you don't need to feel judged.

Urination is a very common part of the job.

A Good Neighbor

The 2nd annual Howl-O-Ween Dash this Saturday!

The Howl-O-Ween Dash has a surprising origin story. The first one was held in 2021 and created by then-student of Florence High School, Emily Wilkes with help from her mother, Paula Wilkes, as her end-of-the-year service project for the Nenon Club. That event raised $6,500 for the two animal shelters.

This year the event returns for only the second time with the woman-owned law firm Keene & Scott leading the way. Fernhill Edition talked with team member Addie Franks about the event and why the firm chose to bring back the Howl-O-Ween Dash.

Rebecca Keene, one half of the law firm duo, attended the original event and loved it, Addie says. "Rebecca had always talked about wanting to bring this event back to the community, and we decided this year is the year for us to do it."

"We're big animal people at Keene & Scott. We bring our dogs to work with us, to real estate closings, realtors bring their dogs, and clients bring their dogs," says Addie. "We thought this would be a really good event to support our community. And who doesn't love to dress their dog up?"

“I feel like our shelters go unnoticed. With the Shoals being such a tight-knit community, we could be doing more for the shelters, because our shelters are also full right now.” —Addie Franks, Keene & Scott

Whether you're a pure breed pet owner or prefer to give a forever home to a rescued pet, supporting the local animal shelters helps keep abandoned pets and our community safe.

The run or walk 5K and fun run is a family event with activities for kids, pets, and adults. You can register for the race here. Registration is open through race morning. "Anybody's welcome to walk either of the events, because I know not everyone loves to run," Addie says. "If you wake up Halloween morning and decide you want something to do, you can still come and register the morning of [at the event]."

You can also make a donation to the cause even if you can't make the event.

The 2nd Annual Howl-O-Ween Dash run-down:

What: 5K and 1-mile fun run (walkers welcome)
Free pumpkin painting for kids (supplies provided)
Wonder Coffee Truck
Physical therapist offering recovery services for racers
A dog-treat vendor
Dog costume contest with prizes and trophies

When: Halloween morning, October 31st. The 5K is 8:30–9:30 a.m. and 1-mile fun run 9:30–9:45ish.
Costume contest winner announced around 10 a.m.

Where: McFarland Park

Beneficiaries: Proceeds split between Florence-Lauderdale Animal Shelter and Colbert County Animal Shelter.

Registration: Open through race morning. You can also donate even if you can't attend the event.

Fernhill Realty is a sponsor of the Howl-O-Ween Dash, and we'll be there! Will we see YOU?!