Tag Archives: pets

April 9, 2013 · 4:07 pm

Spring Allergies

 

Nation’s Largest Pet Insurer Reveals Most Common Causes of Veterinary Visits

Just like their human counterparts, when pets are afflicted with even seemingly minor ailments such as an ear infection, stomach ache or cough, it can prompt a visit to the doctor. While the majority of these conditions are rarely life threatening, they can become chronic and expensive to treat. Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI) policyholders spent more than $58 million in 2012 treating the 10 most common medical conditions affecting their pets. VPI, the nation’s oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance, recently sorted its database of more than 485,000 insured pets to determine the top 10 dog and cat medical conditions in 2012.  Ear infections traditionally topped the list for dogs, but for the first time in the last five years, skin allergies now lead the way. Below are the results:

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Dogs

1. Skin Allergies
2. Ear Infection
3. Skin Infection
4. Non-cancerous Skin Growth
5. Upset Stomach/Vomiting
6. Arthritis
7. Intestinal Upset/Diarrhea
8. Bladder Infection
9. Periodontitis/Dental Disease
10. Bruise or Contusion

Cats

1. Bladder Infection
2. Periodontitis/Dental Disease
3. Overactive Thyroid
4. Chronic Kidney Disease
5. Upset Stomach/Vomiting
6. Diabetes
7. Intestinal Upset/Diarrhea
8. Skin Allergies
9. Lymphosarcoma (Cancer of Lymph Node)
10. Upper Respiratory Infection

“Although a few of the top 10 dog and cat conditions can be associated with an animal’s natural aging process, many of the conditions listed above can occur in any pet,” said Dr. Carol McConnell, DVM, MBA, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. “Regardless of the age or breed of the dog or cat, pet owners should familiarize themselves with their pets’ daily routine in order to identify abnormal behaviors that might indicate an injury or illness.”

In 2012, VPI received more than 68,000 canine claims for skin allergies, the most common cause for taking a dog to see a veterinarian. The average claim fee was $96 per office visit. For cats, a bladder infection was the most common reason to take your kitty to the veterinarian. VPI received more than 4,000 medical claims for this ailment – with an average claim amount of $251 per office visit.

The most expensive canine condition on the list (arthritis) cost an average of $258 per visit, while, for cats, the most expensive condition (lymphosarcoma) cost an average of $415 per visit. In addition to familiarizing themselves with their pets’ routine and behavior, pet owners should schedule their pets’ semiannual veterinary examinations on a regular basis to help prevent and identify certain conditions before they become serious or costly.

Pet owners can find more information about VPI Pet Insurance, call 800-USA-PETS (800-872-7387) or visit petinsurance.com.

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If your dog is suffering from the itchies from Spring allergies, you might consider that with Spring Flowers also comes Spring / Summer Pollens…

As well as, Achoo for Us Humans and Itchy / Paw Chewing, Gunky Ears for our DOGs

Many Pet Parents with Itchy DOGs are not aware that their Canine Friend Suffers from the Same Enviro Allergy TroubleMakers as You Do !

85% of our Allergy DOGs have Enviro Allergies.

Cici and I have found out the best remedy for doggie allergies is Doggy Goo and it tastes good, too, so it is easy to give to the dog. She thinks it is a wonderful treat.  We have tried baths, change of diets and slathering her with creams and spraying her with other stuff, too… but Doggy Goo works from the inside out…

More info:

http://www.doggygoo.com/

Do you / Your Dog Live in the TOP Allergy Cities in the USA ?

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has once again compiled a list of the most challenging places to live for people with allergies.

Despite the persisting cooler temps, the AAFA predicts a longer, strong spring allergy season, partially due to more extreme weather conditions.

Here are the TOP 10 ALLERGY Cities in the USA

1  Jackson, MS
2  Knoxville, TN
3  Chattanooga, TN
4  McAllen, TX
5  Louisville, KY
6  Wichita, KS
7  Dayton, OH
8  Memphis, TN
9  Oklahoma City, OK
10 Baton Rouge, LA
To find Your City, visit the below Link…

http://allergycapitals.com/downloads/AAFA_Dymista_Spring_Allergy_Capitals.pdf

For more info about Doggy Goo (CICI LOVES licking this peanut buttery best tasting dog medicine that seems like a treat), http://www.healthygoo.com/

About these ads

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February 12, 2013 · 2:30 pm

Shelters to do list

“We could be a No Kill nation today. But we aren’t. And we aren’t for one reason and one reason only—shelter managers find killing easier than doing what is necessary to stop it…”   Winograd, Nathan J.  (2009-11-12). Irreconcilable Differences

Get Friendly Fire today: http://amzn.to/XdEaDU

“There is a great hypocrisy in the humane movement. While shelters decry the public’s irresponsibility, shelters reject responsibility for the animals in their care. And while they tell the public not to treat the animals as disposable, they treat animals exactly that way by killing them—and literally disposing of their bodies in landfills.”

…

“the problem is a lack of lifesaving programs for all the categories of animals entering shelters and poor efforts in finding homes for animals who need one. From poor customer service, to a lack of weekend and evening hours, to dirty facilities, to under-performing staff, to a lack of marketing, to a failure to do offsite adoptions, to exorbitant fees, SPCAs and animal control agencies across the country are not run effectively, efficiently, or humanely, and thus are needlessly killing animals.”

Winograd, Nathan J.  (2009-11-12). Irreconcilable Differences

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Imagine, when shelters get creative and implement these and other programs:

1. cats and dogs are sent off to live in jails for programs with inmates  (if every jail had a dog and cat) that would be homes for thousands of cats and dogs…

there are about 3,000 jails in america.

there are 1821 prisons nationwide, 102 are federal prisons and 1719 are state.

415 of those 1821 are actually privately owned prisons.

2. techie toys for cats where people can interact with the kitties

3. shelter dog parks where doggies can socialize with one another

4. adoption events and fundraisers regularly with lots of public / community participation

5. every orphanage and homeless shelter should have a dog and cat

6. every senior living place, retirement, nursing home should have a dog and cat

7. every foster home should have a dog or cat or both

8. every school, community college and university should have a mascot live animal to support and live on campus

9. every holiday, offer free photos with pets to be and just adopted, dressed up in costumes (halloween, xmas, valentine’s day, easter, etc)

10.  follow the no kill equation  (see below)

Tender Loving Dog Care Adoptions
Mansfield Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 788, Mansfield, OH 44901
(419) 525-4455, ext. 2010

Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation
PMB 351
450 Shrewsbury Plaza
Shrewsbury, NJ 07702-4332
www.trfinc.org

TLC Greyhound Adoption
323 2400 Avenue, Solomon, KS 67480
(785) 655-2208
www.tlcgreyhoundadoption.com

Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office
Animal Safe Hospice
(602) 256-1923
www.mcso.org

Ohio Wildlife Center
2661 Billingsley Rd.
Columbus, OH 43235
www.ohiowildlifecenter.org

more than one million men, women and young adults are living their lives in confinement. They’re there for a variety of reasons—anger, drug abuse, robbery, murder—but in time, most will get a chance at a better future. Meanwhile, 15 million prisoners of a different sort are facing a possible death sentence. They’re animals with whom we share our world—dogs, cats, horses and even wildlife. They’ve committed no crime, but they will be punished unless someone steps forward and gives them a second chance at life.

http://www.petfinder.com/animal-shelters-and-rescues/volunteering-with-dogs/prison-dog-programs/

No Kill Equation. These programs include: Comprehensive adoption opportunities including incentives, weekend and evening hours, and offsite adoption venues; Foster care for underaged animals, those not ready for adoption, those who may need more focused care, and when space at the shelter is at a premium; Socialization and behavior care and rehabilitation efforts to keep or to get dogs and cats happy and healthy; Thorough cleaning and care standards so animals do not get sick; Medical care and rehabilitation as prevention and for care of already ill/injured animals; Working with rescue groups; Trap-neuter-release (TNR) programs for feral and other free-roaming outdoor cats; Helping people overcome behavior, medical or environmental conditions that cause them to relinquish animals; Proactive efforts to help reunite lost pets with their families; and, An effective public relations strategy so that shelters effectively compete with commercial sources of animals.

Winograd, Nathan J.  (2009-11-12). Irreconcilable Differences

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February 1, 2013 · 3:18 pm

Cupid Canines

The way to a Woman’s Heart is not Diamonds, hearts, flowers, candy or balloons…

As Valentine’s Day approaches ,

according to a survey conducted by PetPlan Pet Insurance of more than 4,300 American Pet Parents, 66% of women said they would rather receive Valentine’s kisses from their four-legged friends than their two-legged sweethearts.

And that’s not all. Petplan’s survey reveals that 67% of FEMALE Pet Parents would end a relationship with a significant other if their partner clashed with their pet, and nearly 60% of women plan to spend more on their four-legged loves than their human lovers this Valentine’s Day. Move over diamonds – it looks like Pets are a WOMAN’s Best Friend !

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MEN picked their partners over their pets in every category; nearly 60% said kisses would be sweeter from their significant other, and nearly 70% plan to spend the most money on their two-legged honeys this February 14. Less than half of the men surveyed said they would leave a partner who didn’t connect with their pet.

Despite these differences, men and women agreed that their pets make a cute Cupid; 68% polled say their dogs and cats bring them and their significant others closer. And the overwhelming majority (81%) of pet parents plans to give their fur-kids a special gift for Valentine’s Day. (Our annual Valentine’s Day Gift Guide will be posted soon)… lots of goodies for pet parents and their pooches.

“When it comes to our pets, we wear our hearts on our sleeves,”

This Valentine’s Day…

Give your Fur Friend a Healthy GOO Glow !

Thank you Healthy Goo for all your Hard Work and for this blog post.

www.HealthyGOO.com

and here are some savvy tips on how to find love in all the right doggie places…

http://www.petside.com/article/top-10-ways-dog-lovers-can-find-love

Cupid Costume for Your Dog

Cici would destroy this homemade costume in 2 minutes or less…  (video)

B002B9EXJW%3FSubscriptionId%3D19BAZMZQFZJ6G2QYGCG2%26tag%3Dsquid902095-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB002B9EXJW

http://www.squidoo.com/cupid-costumes

what do you think, is your pet your best friend and are you buying them a gift and/or dressing them up for V-DAY???

 

Blog Hop time…thanks to Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume…  grab the blog hop  link

 

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January 25, 2013 · 4:18 pm

cats and dogs and kids, oh my

9 Things Parents Should Know About Cats and Kids

The funny thing is that I was just talking on Facebook to a friend I have never met about cats and dogs and the different energies, benefits of both types of animals as pets. We love them all and she has a few cats and a dog and is going to be getting another dog, who is being trained to help her daughter with her peanut allergy. Cats are wonderful beings and can be trained, despite conventional thinking. If Cici did not have cat issues, I would have brought a cat into our home for us. On Must Love Cats on Animal Planet last week I saw a show where people were teaching cats to do agility and cats were competing at shows.  Cats are much smarter than people give them credit for. And you can walk them on a leash, too.

Here are a few of Nikhi’s fur babies, are these the cutest fur babies ever???

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Alfie and Oliver, the cat…

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Well, after my Facebook chat, I received this gift guest blog post and decided to post it here. Enjoy !

If you’re considering adding a pet to the family, cats can seem like the ideal choice. They don’t have to be taken for walks, housebreaking is a breeze and their largely independent attitude means that they don’t need the same level of attention and companionship as a puppy or even a full-grown dog. Households that count small children among their number, however, should take a few things under consideration before adding a feline friend to the family.

  1. Growing Up Together isn’t Always the Best Route – Common advice for parents considering a new pet dictates the addition of a kitten when children are still young. This recommendation is given with the assumption that the two of them will “grow up together.” In fact, adult cats are usually much better choices for young children than kittens. The fragility and delicate nature of a kitten’s physiology does little to protect them from accidental rough treatment, which may be difficult for very young children to understand.
  2. Proper Handling is Imperative – Before you adopt a cat, you should make sure that your child is well informed about safe and proper handling. In addition to running the risk of hurting the cat or causing it to become withdrawn, wary and antisocial in reaction to being handled roughly too often, you’re also increasing the chances of a hiss, swat or bite that turns your child off from cats altogether.
  3. Supervision is Required – Because cats are typically very independent, it can be easy to forget that they still need to be supervised all the time when they’re in the same room as a young child. If you’re present when a child pets too roughly or picks Fifi up by her neck, you can put a stop to the behavior before someone is injured or gets upset.
  4. Declawing isn’t the Kindest Answer – In preparation for bringing a cat into the house, some new owners opt to have their feline friends declawed. What most of them don’t realize, however, is just how cruel and painful the process is for cats. Rather than having a part of the cat’s body removed because you’re nervous about scratched furniture or children, you may just want to reconsider the idea of adding a cat to the family in the first place. The human equivalent of declawing would be the removal of each of your fingers at the last knuckle.
  5. Cats Can Help Kids Learn Responsibility – When your child helps to feed and water his new cat, clean the  litter box and look after her, he’s learning very valuable lessons in responsibility and compassion. There are plenty of reasons why adding a cat to the family may be the perfect choice for your family, but this is potentially the best.
  6. Sharing is Caring, But Not When it Comes to Chocolate – You may be aware of the fact that chocolate is toxic for dogs, but it’s just as dangerous for cats to ingest. Make sure that your child knows that even though she wants to share her chocolate candy, doing so can make her new cat very, very sick.
  7. Cat Scratch Fever isn’t Just a Classic Rock Song – If the only thing that comes to mind when you hear the term “cat scratch fever” is an old Ted Nugent record, you’ll probably want to brush up on the subject before you bring a cat into a house with children. Cat scratch disease is caused by the bacteria Bartonella henselae, and is spread through bites and scratches from an infected cat. While it’s generally not serious, cat scratch disease can cause fatigue, fever, headache, swelling of the lymph nodes and overall discomfort. If your child is showing any of these symptoms, it’s best to inform his doctor that you do have a cat in the family.
  8. The Great Outdoors isn’t All That Great – Your child needs to spend plenty of time outdoors engaged in physically active play. Your cat, however, has a statistically higher chance of living a long life and dying of natural causes if it spends its life indoors. Outdoor cats are much more likely to be injured or even killed by other animals and moving vehicles than their indoor brethren.
  9. Patience is a Virtue – When you first bring your new cat home, it’s normal for your child to be so excited that she wants to spend every moment with her new friend. As a parent, it’s important for you to understand that your cat will need time to adjust to new surroundings, and may be a bit standoffish until he’s more comfortable in your home.

Cats are beautiful and gracious creatures with their own individual personalities and quirks. For some families, they’re irreplaceable members of the household that are dearly treasured. Others may find them too aloof and disinterested, depending upon the temperaments involved. Before making the decision to bring a cat home, you should make sure that the lifestyle of your household is conducive to caring for a cat.  (Editors note:  Please adopt a cat or dog or pet from your local animal rescue or shelter, ie, save a life and spay and neuter your pets, thank you).

http://www.summernanny.com/blog/9-things-parents-should-know-about-cats-and-kids/

Blog Hop time…thanks to Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume…  grab the blog hop  link

 

 

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January 22, 2013 · 5:59 pm

doggone it, homeless kids

Funny thing is, ironywise, this morning, I met Pat LaMarche on the internet because Alternet had an article about her tour titled Pit Bulls, Mama Bears and Fire-Breathing Dragons, oh my… I was a tad perturbed by the negative image of rabid pit bulls and told her so… AND that started our conversation rolling… she is a pit bull fan actually and she thought that the analogy of her being like a pit bull is not a bad thing… it is actually a compliment… ok then…

some pit bulls are teaching homeless kids to learn to trust again…

http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id=8554507

 

Darreena-Harding

http://stubbydog.org/2011/05/nothing-cuter-than-photos-of-pit-bulls-and-kids/

***

Starting today, Jan. 22 in Little Rock, AR and rolling westward for a month through Steinbeck-land and beyond, Pat LaMarche and Diane Nilan will strive to call attention to and raise compassion for homeless children and youth. They’ll collaborate with local activists and hold events, including film screenings (My Own Four Walls and on the edge: Family Homelessness in America), book talks (Left Out in America and Crossing the Line), and meet with mayors to survey them about local homelessness issues and efforts.

Both HUD and the Mayors gloss over the fact that millions of kids—babies, toddlers, school-age, and youth—are homeless. And, homelessness hurts, especially if you’re a kid.

It hurts your chances of success, it trashes your most formative years, it ruins your health, it undermines your academic performance, it devastates your self esteem, it shatters your friendships, it obliterates your sense of security and stability, and I could go on and on….

Ask any reasonable and knowledgeable person in any community if they think we’re doing enough to meet the needs of kids and families without homes. No. Ask these knowledgeable persons if their mayor is aware of this gap in housing and services. No. The Babes of Wrath aim to change that.

Homelessness hurts. And kills.

And if you would like to donate pet food for pets of homeless kids and families, please contact me at prmatchmaker at yahoo.com… Cici and I have a feeding Pets of the Homeless collection site where we receive pet food donations and give the food to the homeless. thank you.

http://www.hearus.us/compassion-epidemic/doggone.html

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November 1, 2012 · 8:17 pm

Pets and Hurricane Sandy

It is in times of need that true humanity and love of one’s neighbors really shines. May we all remember these actions even when we aren’t caught in such circumstances.  Share the good, power, millions of folks are still without power…
Obama on Hurricane Sandy: “I am not worried at this point about the impact on the election. I’m worried about the impact on families.”

http://dogtime.com/hurricane-sandy-causes-devastation-and-pet-evacuations.html

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/pets-rescued-in-storm-slideshow/pets-rescue-photo–1280166863.html

The Huffington Post

A resident and his dog are evacuated on Tuesday from a neighborhood in Little Ferry, N.J., one day after Hurricane Sandy slammed the East Coast: http://huff.to/X1CaUz
Photo Credit: Getty Images

alley cats

http://blogs.bestfriends.org/index.php/2012/10/31/atlantic-city-boardwalk-cats-thumb-noses-at-sandy-and-tnr-alarmists/

http://www.theonion.com/articles/romney-pitches-in-to-repair-thousands-of-downed-ro,30205/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=SocialMarketing&utm_campaign=standard-post:headline:default

Instead of donating $5,000 to the Red Cross, Romney spent $5,000 staging his own charitable event for a photo op with canned goods.  Red Cross doesn’t want canned food or photo-ops. It needs cash. Text “redcross” to 90999 & give $10.

From the NJSPCA:  Patrick and the Scavelli’s did fine during the storm just another new adventure for Patrick.  looks like at least 10 days before power is restored here at a minimum. Sorry for the disruption of information. We were hit pretty hard. Please contact your local shelters and see what help they need. NJSPCA is working with many hard hit shelters. Capt is dreaming of a hot shower sometime in the future…

“Hurricane Capt” will strike NJ next week dealing with any and all shelters that refused to accept people with their animal companions. Seriously there are still shelters that will not allow animal companions ?? New Jersey Governor Chris Christie told people to keep their animal companions with them as they headed to shelters. Shelters that allow animals are comforting for all involved including children and the elderly. If anyone is refused entry into a shelter here in NJ because of an animal companion Capt wants to hear from you. Take your companions with you and do not accept being turned away. Stay safe and again do not be intimidated into separating from your animal family. Capt

I’ve lived in Jersey most of my life and have NEVER seen such devastation. I have close friends who lost everything they own including their home. Food is scarce and gasoline is a 2.5 hour wait if you can find it. Yet through all this NJSPCA agents and officers are fighting the destruction to help save lost/missing pets – starting with the hardest hit, the Jersey Shore. These animals need food, blankets, crates, towels, cleaning supplies, etc. Donations are urgently needed. NJSPCA will transport and distribute the supplies to animals and shelters in need. Monetary donations can be made at njspca.org hurricane chipin. Thank you for your help! Tiffi

If you want to give / donate for pets, give to local rescues and no kill shelters such as our friends who have helped Patrick, at the NJSPCA,

  • 1119 Livingston Ave.
  • New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901
Phone (800) 582-5979
Website http://njspca.org

Please DO NOT donate to ASPCA nor Humane Society of USA nor PETA. They do NOT help animals/pets.   More info at :  http://www.nathanwinograd.com/?p=10899

Friendly Fire…

Blog Hop time…thanks to Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume…  grab the blog hop code

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October 26, 2012 · 2:27 pm

Domestic Violence and animal abuse

RedRover
(www.redrover.org), a national animal protection nonprofit based in
California, is bringing attention to the connection between animal
abuse and family violence during Domestic Violence Awareness Month by
offering information about grants available to domestic violence shelters.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, more
than 70 percent of pet-owning women entering domestic violence shelters
reported that their batterer had injured, killed or threatened family
pets for revenge or psychological control. As many as 48 percent of
domestic violence victims are unable to escape their abusers because
they fear what will happen to their pets when they leave. Only three
percent of shelters can house pets on-site; a portion provide off-site
housing referrals while the majority of shelters do not offer any
resources at all.

RedRover offers aid to victims of domestic violence and their pets
through the RedRover Relief program. This program provides financial
support for veterinary care and boarding to enable domestic violence
victims to leave their batterers without having to leave their pets
behind, and new in 2012, the program provides grants to domestic
violence shelters to enable them to fund the creation of on-site space
to house pets.

“Sadly, many domestic violence victims stay in abusive homes because
they are afraid to leave their pets,” said Nicole Forsyth, RedRover
President and CEO. “Their pets are often also victims of abuse,
suffering from injuries and neglect. RedRover Relief grants make it
possible for victims to safely escape, reassured that their pets are
protected.”

Donations to the RedRover Relief program have funded critical care and
shelter for animals displaced by family violence. In one case, RedRover
awarded a $300 grant to a woman seeking a protective order against her
husband, who had threatened to drive her cats into the woods and
abandon them. Another applicant finally found the courage to leave her
abusive husband, but said she would sleep in her car before she gave up
her elderly pug. And in another case, a grant from RedRover paid for
two months of boarding for a family’s dog while they sought child- and
pet-friendly housing after fleeing a very dangerous situation.

Increased outreach and greater public awareness on domestic violence
issues have led to a 70 percent rise in applications for the RedRover
Relief program in the last year.

RedRover Relief grants can help  family violence shelters include pets.

Learn more at www.redrover.org/domestic.

Founded in 1987, RedRover focuses on bringing animals out of crisis and
into care through a variety of programs, including emergency animal
sheltering and disaster relief services, financial assistance for
urgent veterinary care and humane education. Learn more at
www.redrover.org.

 

beyond the myth free til nov 2

http://www.hulu.com/watch/417334

“Patrick’s Law, which toughens the civil and criminal penalties for animal cruelty, passed the state Senate this afternoon.

“The bill is named after Patrick the Pitbull, a dog that was starved, thrown down a garbage chute and left for dead in Newark in 2011. The legislation was praised by animal rights activists during a committee hearing last month, and it received unanimous support in the Senate today.

“If the bill becomes law, abusing an animal or depriving it of food, water or other necessities would be a fourth-degree crime. It is currently a disorderly persons offense. If the animal dies as a result of the abuse, the crime would be increased to the third degree.

“The law would increase the civil penalty for animal abuse to a fine of $1,000 to $3,000 for a first offense, and $3,000 to $5,000 for a subsequent offense.”

http://blog.northjersey.com/thepoliticalstate/5367/senate-passes-patricks-law-increasing-animal-cruelty-penalties/

Blog Hop time…thanks to Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume…  grab the blog hop code

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October 4, 2012 · 4:37 pm

World Animal Day

Today is the feast day of St Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals. St Francis was renowned for his relationship with animals, famously brokering a peace between the townspeople of Gubbio, Italy, and a local wolf. Many churches take the opportunity to bless pets around this feast day.

World Animal Day is celebrated each year on October the 4th. It started in Florence, Italy in 1931 at a convention of ecologists.[1] On this day,animal life in all its forms is celebrated, and special events are planned in locations all over the globe. The 4th of October was originally chosen for World Animal Day because it is the feast day of Francis of Assisi.

There are still many people who think that dogs are nothing more than security alarms – people who keep the animals  chained up in yards, like living doorbells.

And there is the blight known as BSL…and too many healthy animals are killed in shelters, dog fighting, animal abuse, etc.

Animals are precious and we are their voice.

If you have a pet, dog or cat or rabbit or bird or fish, whatever, you know that they are special and bring lots of love and often entertainment into your home.

My Cici aka polka dot princess does often with her silly antics. As did my cats Precious and Abundance.  Pets not only make our world furrier but also funnier. Love and enjoy them while you can.

Celebrate World Animal Day !!!!

there is even a blog hop…

enjoy this hilarious video (some strong language) of a dog trainer talking to a typical dog owner

watch?v=ZJ7vIufVkCk&feature=player_embedded#!

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June 18, 2012 · 5:06 pm

Take your dog to work day

Got Dogs?

According to a 2012 survey by the American Pet Products Association, 62 percent of U.S. households own a pet. That means that millions of four-legged friends are sitting home bored each day with nothing to do but chew up your shoes and shred your custom curtains. However, you can do something about it — and least for one day: Take your dog to work with you!

what are the benefits of bringing your dog to work?

besides, no more worrying about what they are doing to destroy your home while they are left alone…

Dogs make great lap and foot warmers

Encourage talk around the water cooler

Assist with the mail and mail persons… Dogs especially like to open cardboard boxes

Search and Rescue old lost files

Increase productivity 

The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA) found a way to enhance performance levels and promote office efficiency at work.  They found that when employees took their pets to work, it created a more productive work environment in 73 percent of the participating companies.

Small companies and Big companies like dogs at work

While only 17 percent of U.S. employers currently allow animals in the workplace, according to a survey from the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, pet-friendly, often specifically dog-friendly, environments are building steam. From major companies like Google, Zynga, and Amazon.com to growing start-ups (some featured in Inc.’s Winning Workplaces), more and more canine companions are showing up to work.

http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-05-24/strategy/29997821_1_dog-friendly-pet-italian-greyhounds

More benefits:

Stress Reduction

Man’s best friend may make a positive difference in the workplace by reducing stress and making the job more satisfying for other employees, according to a Virginia Commonwealth University study.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120330081235.htm

Entertainment

Dog antics make for fun interactions with co-workers and bosses… and make everyone laugh.

Save Money

You won’t have to pay a pet sitter or doggie daycare or replace items chewed up by said dog.

Boost Morale, Team Trust and Inspire Creativity 

Researchers from Central Michigan University first brought together 12 groups of four individuals and asked each group to come up with a 15-second advertisement for a fictitious product. Some of the groups had dogs around while they worked on this project and some didn’t. Afterward, they were asked how they felt about working with their teammates. Those from groups that had a dog ranked the others on their teams more highly on measures of trust, team cohesion and intimacy than did members in the groups who had no canine companionship while they worked.

The same investigators conducted another experiment with 13 groups in order to see how the presence of a dog affected team member behavior in the game “prisoner’s dilemma.” All four members of each group had been “charged” with a crime and each one of them had a choice of snitching on their teammates or not. This is a complicated game, but the upshot was interesting: members of teams that had a dog with them were 30 percent less likely to snitch on a team member, compared to the snitching habits of teams who didn’t include dogs in the workplace.

 http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400866/Dogs-at-Work.html

Dogs with Jobs 

Mascots

Greeters

Ambassadogs

Herding dogs herd sheep and other animals

Guide dogs for the blind and disabled people

Service dogs

Therapy dogs

Sled dogs

Police dogs

Military dogs

Ranger Lori Oberhofer and Python Pete (pictured) work together to track down and remove pythons from Everglades National Park in Florida. These pythons came to South Florida as pets and when people no longer want or cannot care for them, they are often released into the Everglades.

Due to their high intelligence, Labrador retrievers are often used as guide dogs for the blind, for search-and-rescue teams, or in narcotics detection with law enforcement, like this yellow Lab which helped Colombia’s police seize three tons of drugs.

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/photos/dogs-with-jobs/

http://www.takeyourdog.com/About/faqs.php

Tips on successful visits

Plan for a safe, successful visit:

* Take only well-behaved pets who are comfortable and reliably safe around strangers. Leave pets who show aggressive tendencies towards people at home.

* Make sure your dog understands the basic commands, such as SIT, STAY and DOWN.

* Take only pups or dogs who have been socialized to people and other animals.

http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_PetsAtWork.php

are you taking your dog to work this week?  Friday, June 22 is Dog Day… but many people are taking their pets to work all week…

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June 11, 2012 · 1:55 pm

Just one day in June

It’s a good day to Adopt a Shelter pet today… as shelters across the nation put down their euthanasia apparatus for Just One Day and have pledged to focus on ADOPTIONS instead…When shelters partner with the community, amazing things happen.

Some shelters are reporting they’ve run out of animals for adoption, others have lots of empty cages because they’d done more adoptions today than they normally do in a week, one animal control shelter reported mass crying by their staff as the animals went out the front door in the loving arms of new families in droves.In just one community, 88 out of 100 dogs and 28 out of 30 cats were adopted by 11 am. In another, they stopped at 186 adoptions because they ran out.If you are one of those communities, don’t close shop. It is still early. Call neighboring shelters, call local rescue groups, have them bring animals for adoption to your facility! Imagine being an animal control shelter and RESCUING animals FROM rescue groups!

The level of success that shelters are experiencing is in direct proportion to the level of effort put in. Those shelters that heavily marketed and hosted Just One Day events are reporting that animals are being adopted in droves. Some shelters are completely empty. Every available animal was adopted. Other shelters are having more modest results. But there is a central lesson here: When you engage and partner with the public, when shelters work with rescue groups, when they reach out to the media, and when they make it easy for people to do the right thing, great things happen. They empty the shelter the good way.

Florence AL reports “amazing results” including a $1,000 donation. Morristown TN says they’ve done “huge” numbers of adoptions. Greensville SC reports 78 animals went home. Another shelter reports 94 dogs and 37 cats saved.

FREE registration to any MUNICIPAL shelter director who took the Just One Day pledge and wants to attend the No Kill Conference to learn how to end the killing now and forever (While supplies last). For more information, contact them at www.nokillconference.org.

Four million pets a year are put to sleep across America. But not today.

http://www.justoneday.ws/

Adorable puppies, kittens, cats and dogs – all available for adoption – will put their best paw forward to encourage Americans to open their hearts and homes and adopt. Special adoption events will take place all across the nation.

What is a day?There are many ways to answer that question.A day is 24 hours.  One day represents 10,411 lives needlessly lost.
Imagine a day as a No Kill nation.
Shelters across the USA took a pledge not to kill any savable animals on June 11, 2012. For Just One Day, “Euthanasia Technicians” will put down their syringes and pick up cameras. Instead of injecting animals with lethal doses of sodium pentobarbital, they will photograph them and post them on the Internet, on Facebook, on Twitter. On June 11, 2012, they will market their animals to the public, they will reach out to rescue groups, they will host adoption events with discounted rates, they will stay open for extended hours, and they will ask their communities to help them empty the shelter the good way.
Instead of going into body bags in freezers, the animals will go out the front door in the loving arms of families. At the end of the day, the shelters will be emptier than when the day started. And, no one will have had to die in order to make that happen.
On average, if each animal shelter in the USA adopted out or transferred to rescue groups an extra three animals on June 11, the USA can become a no kill nation. And if we can do it today, we can also do it on June 12 for Just Another Day. . .
Please do your part to make today a Success… for the love of animals.  No healthy pet deserves to die when they can be adopted and have a good home.
Shelters should become Adoption Centers and work with local rescue organizations. A place where animals are housed temporarily until they find their forever home.  If not now, when?  Today is the day to make it happen.
What can you do/are doing today to make this event a Success?

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