BIA presents Antique Festival and more this weekend at the Morrisburg Village Plaza

Tee-Jay-Five year old, Rottie, not neutered, good health, house-trained. Friendly, happy boy. TeeJay is a ready made best friend. He is very friendly and loves to romp and play. Is in good health. A little bit older, he is a great companion for a familly who would like to skip the puppy training.

Brownie- 1.5 yrs, boxer mix, neutered house-trained. Friendly, good natured. Brownie is a beautiful boy. He is a calm dog and eager to please. He likes to play and has lots of energy.

Yeller– 1.5 yr old puppy, male not neutered, needs house and puppy training, very friendly. Yeller has a lot of energy and definitely is in need of training in the manners department. This is mainly due to his young age. He is a yellow Lab mix and would certainly learn quickly to earn his spot in any family scenario. Anyone interested in Yeller should be prepared to work with a dog that is a good sized but is still very puppy-like.

Ice-Mix possible Burmese Mt/Shepherd, not neutered, 8 month male. Ice is still a puppy and he is a puppy that is going to grow into a large-sized dog. He has a great loving attitude and is very happy go lucky. Due to his size and young age, he doesn't quite understand his own strength…so he does need puppy and manners training. With the right kind training and a loving family, Ice will grow into a gentle giant of a boy.

Suzy-Beautiful, mature (5-6 yrs) female Shepherd, good-natured, friendly, well-behaved, completely trained. Even anyone who has never considered a Shepher as a pet, would have a hard time walking away from Suzy. She is soooo affectionate and with her older years she is very calm and easy going. Suzy is in really good health, and like to run and play even with the young ones at the shelter. A great family companion for someon who isn't interested in getting into puppy training.

Jack… is a mixed breed dog possbly with some Golden Retriever/Australian Shepherd or Collie….he has the golden retriever colouring but not the retriever ears. A young dog, about 1.5 years old he is not neutered. He has a great temperament and we suspect he would be great in a family with children. Again, a dog that may need some puppy/manners training, but again a breed that learns very quickly and is eager to please.

Interested in adopting ? Call Kevin at the South Dundas 

Animal Shelter 613-543-2980 or 613-913-1476

This is a public service column. The Leader accepts no responsibility for the dogs or the adoption process.

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     Wednesday, February 3, 2016, South Dundas Recreation and South Dundas youth will be holding its first planned event.  The Glow Hard or Glow Home Skate is a youth (12-18 years) only event that […]

 “We need to reduce as much as we can the incidents of suicide in Canada: it’s important to act now,” said Augusta Waddell, who lost her talented son, David, to suicide, a few years ago. September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, designated by the International Association for Suicide Prevention and the World Health Organization. 

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the world, especially among young people. One million people world wide are lost to suicide each year. 

These are statistics that the Canadian Mental Health Association, Champlain East, hopes to address through educational programs, public awareness campaigns, and an emphasis on early detection and treatment of mental illnesses. 

“We need to alert and educate kids that mental illness is a disease like any other,” said Augusta Waddell. “It should be viewed the same way as any physical disease. A broken leg is obvious to everyone, but mental illness is less so. It’s important to approach kids as soon as possible, even at ages six, seven and eight, which is where the initial signs of mental illness can often occur.”

There are programs available to help people of all ages.

The CMHA offers high school units (Talking About Mental Illness.) that increase awareness of mental health issues, and introduce treatment options, support groups and specific information about organizations that can help teens and their families. 

Among the T.A.M.I. topics for high school students are life promotion and the impact of bullying on mental health.

“Mental health issues need to be out in the open,” Waddell said. “People should know that there are programs which exist right here in this community, and that help is available in South Dundas.”

She will be starting a support group for families in Iroquois later this month. Although government aid for mental health programs is very limited and often hard to get, there is absolutely no fee involved to attend this support group. The date and time of the meetings will be advertised, but people will register privately with Augusta. Health care professionals and guest speakers will attend the meetings. 

“There will be no judging at these sessions,” Waddell said, “just support from people who understand what a family is going through. No one should feel alone when dealing with mental illness.”

The CMHA offers websites and the expertise of trained professionals in the various fields of mental health. There are a wide range of programs and services designed to enhance the rehabilitation, recovery and independence of individuals living with a severe mental illness or concurrent disorder (mental illness combined with substance use disorder.) 

It is time to get rid of the stigma attached to mental illness and to find ways to  prevent suicide. 

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