ANIMAL CONNECTION

Archive for the ‘Food’ Category

Imagine what it would be like if police officers would be allowed on the street without first receiving extensive training in their local, state or federal law enforcement academy.  We would think this to be outrageous and would hear the outcry of the citizenry.  Why then wouldn’t we expect the same of our animal services officers who represent animals and protect citizens in the communities they serve?

In most, if not all police departments, an officer must successfully complete comprehensive law enforcement training that is consistent from recruit to recruit before being allowed to operate on the street.  Have you ever wondered what animal services officers are schooled in before they’re released to the street?  It is more a question of variance than one of any real constant answer even if the animal services division in a community is located within the local law enforcement entity.

I got a great article I wanted to share with you from my friend, Steve Dickstein, a writer for the examiner.  This is such an important topic, which can save the lives of so many animals.

Recently, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) released a groundbreaking research study that   “. . . stresses the critical role that animal services and animal cruelty investigations play in communities nationwide while pointing out the obstacles that law enforcement professionals face in responding to animal abuse.”  The question is how can animal services and law enforcement officials fulfill this role without targeted basic, specialty and continuing training that will allow them to appropriately react to incidents involving the safety and well-being of animals and the communities they serve.

According to Dr. Randall Lockwood, Senior Vice President of the ASPCA’s Forensic Sciences and Anti-Cruelty Projects, the impetus for a recent study entitled “Professional and Public Perspectives on Animal Cruelty” was to try and get a sense of how the ASPCA could outreach to the public and law enforcement on animal cruelty.  The goal is to help them take animal cruelty more seriously.

The research study was conducted primarily in three phases, as follows:

1. Qualitative – – utilized law enforcement focus groups in New York, Dallas and San Diego.  There were more than 30 police officers and several animal control officers included;
2. Quantitative – – consisted of two 15-minute online surveys targeting the general population and law enforcement officers throughout the country; and
3. Media Analysis – – gathered animal cruelty coverage visualized in print and online media outlets during a finite period.  More than 175,000 news stories were gathered of which 9,552 animal cruelty stories (excluding wildlife) were deemed qualified and included as part of the analysis.

Pup with Police Dad

Dr. Lockwood emphasized the high level of dog ownership (78%) amongst law enforcement personnel and pointed out how that allows them to relate to the impact of animal cruelty on both the animal and law enforcement.  Nonetheless, they still rank animal cruelty issues below crimes such as “. . . violence against a minor, domestic and family violence, assault against another person, drug-related crimes and property theft in terms of importance.  However,  animal cruelty ranks above white-collar crime and traffic violations.”

The report, in talking about obstacles in dealing with animal cruelty cases, states that law enforcement officers were “. . .  being asked to do more with less.  For officers it comes back to the issue of humans versus animals, and with limited time and resources, humans become their priority.”

Said Dr. Lockwood, “These findings validate what we have long assumed—that there is a major need for training for officers charged with enforcing animal cruelty laws and investigating cruelty cases.  The ASPCA is unique in that we offer staff with specialized knowledge on this topic and have developed partnerships with shelters to help facilitate temporary housing for animals seized in such cases.  We support local agencies across the U.S. with law enforcement training programs and other resources.”

Starved Dog

The ASPCA training, in conjunction with the United States Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office, includes “. . . an in-depth, free on-line course on combating dogfighting and is developing a ‘dogfighting tool kit’ for law enforcement and animal welfare professionals.”

It is important to understand the multi-faceted world that animal related incidents penetrate in terms of response.  The line between criminal and civil citation action is often misunderstood by the public at large with regard to animal concerns. This is further complicated by the way in which jurisdictions approach the investigation of animal complaints; sometimes handled by personnel within a government law enforcement agency, an independent government agency, contracted to a local non-profit humane entity or a combination thereof.  It is often not as simple as dialing 911 for help.  You should become familiar with the set up wherever you live and the reporting agency to contact should you need animal related services.

For example, under Florida Statute 828.27(1)(b), “‘Animal control officer’ means any person employed or appointed by a county or municipality who is authorized to investigate, on public or private property, civil infractions relating to animal control or cruelty and to issue citations as provided in this section.  An animal control officer is not authorized to bear arms or make arrests; however, such officer may carry a device to chemically subdue and tranquilize an animal, provided that such officer has successfully completed a minimum of 16 hours of training in marksmanship, equipment handling, safety and animal care, and can demonstrate proficiency in chemical immobilization of animals in accordance with guidelines prescribed in the Chemical Immobilization Operational Guide of the American Humane Association.”

The Florida Animal Control Association (FACA) believes in “. . . an initial mandatory certification program, special certification training, and ongoing certification training for animal control and protection officers.  An initial mandatory certification program for county animal control officers became effective on January 1, 1990, and requires animal control officers to complete a minimum 40 hour training curriculum approved by FACA before they can issue citations, as outlined by FL Statutes, 828.27.  This certification program should impart both the knowledge and the skills needed to perform the job in a professional manner.”

In Orange County, Florida, Orange County Animal Services (OCAS) adheres to the following protocol for educating their officers:

• Florida Animal Control Association (FACA) requires a 40-hour ACO Certification Course; every 2 years required to complete 4 hours of post certification continuing education training.  Training may include, but not limited to, training for animal cruelty investigations, search and seizure, animal handling, courtroom demeanor and civil citations.
• Orange County Animal Services provides ongoing in-house training including ordinance training, report writing, dangerous dogs, animal handling, impound/identification, cat and dog first aid, aging and sexing, bite investigations, cruelty investigations, heatstroke, heartworms, vaccines, medications, toxicology and citation training.
• As budget allows, officers complete Level I, II, & III National Cruelty Investigation training, including dogfighting and hoarding.

OCAS officers possess varied educational backgrounds ranging from high school graduates to those on staff with college degrees.

When asked what importance their agency places on training and development of staff, OCAS responded that:

• Animal Services places a high priority on providing ongoing training to officers to help enhance and professionalize their position.  In addition, non-officer staff are encouraged to attend industry, technology or other specialty conferences when held locally.  Within the last year, staff have attended conferences including the Florida Veterinary Medical Conference, Chameleon (in-house database) Conference, Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) workshops, and domestic violence response training.
• Recently we partnered with the HSUS to host an Illegal Animal Fighting Investigations Workshop, which was attended by local law enforcement and animal welfare organizations.
• In November, officer and non-officer staff attended the 2010 FACA Educational Conference.

And yet, in other local communities across the country, so-called training may be nothing more than riding around with different animal control officers for a number of weeks without the benefit of any formal and dedicated training curriculum in place. If you’re a service contracted to government, depending on how the contract language is written, formal training may go almost unnoticed with some form of on the job training passing as the standard.

The point is training for animal services officers or those charged with responding to animal related concerns is all over the map.  It is often inconsistent, may be even non-existent and in the words of Dr. Lockwood “quite spotty.”  That is in the eyes of this column a failing of many local governments to adequately train responders to protect both animals and their human counterparts in the communities they serve.

Dr. Lockwood feels that funding is a big obstacle to obtaining appropriate training and notes that animal control is often the first thing to be cut when there are municipal budget woes.  Whether located within a law enforcement agency, independent or a contracted service, he further believes that leadership is needed to take the training issue for animal responders seriously.

OCAS provides training for their officers through the Animal Services Trust Fund.  According to Kathleen Kennedy, OCAS Program Coordinator for Marketing & Public Relations, “The trust fund is comprised of public donations and surcharges from citations.  The surcharge line item is used for officer training.  Usage of the other donations is approved by our Advisory Board and County Administration.”  The current fiscal year budget for officer training is $8,500.

Said Dr. Lockwood, “Animal services officers are a vital part of the crime fighting and violence prevention team in a community.” Unfortunately they are still often perceived at the dog catcher level instead of animal care and control professionals.  He believes they need respect and more recognition for the role animal services plays in the community.

Furthermore, Dr. Lockwood maintains animal services is part of the broader community response and believes in the notion of true community oriented policing instead of a lack of communication between various services.  Often animal related calls are first identified to local law enforcement.  If there is a law enforcement response they may then kick the call back to animal services to handle, but without certain enforcement power to fully carry on with the case the system may then bog down between those and other agencies that are needed to respond.

All responders need to be appropriately trained in their own disciplines, but also need to have the ability and philosophy to communicate as partners to help the victims they are responsible to protect.  For many situations responded to there is an interconnection and the trick is to get responders that are already doing their jobs to talk with one another.  In short, there needs to be better communication between agencies on interconnected cases and concerns.

The animal welfare or protection movement has managed to move laws nationwide on animal cruelty forward, but still according to the ASPCA study less than 30 percent of law enforcement officers are familiar with the penalties. There needs to be more awareness incorporated into police training and Dr. Lockwood advocates making animal cruelty training a standard part of law enforcement training.

While likening animal cruelty training today to the same lower level domestic violence training for law enforcement officers was at a point in times past, Dr. Lockwood wants to see a standard recognition for animal cruelty training similar to what domestic violence training has become.  For law enforcement officers domestic violence is now more widely recognized for the true crime it is, but recognition of animal cruelty as part of an officer’s everyday psyche still has a long way to go.

Dr. Lockwood believes a multi-faceted approach to animal cruelty is needed if we are to be successful long term in fighting animal cruelty.  This approach would encourage the following to take place:

1. The development of decent laws to address animal cruelty;
2. Persuade the public to report the animal cruelty they see by teaching them what the law is and who to call;
3. Train police officers how to respond to complaints of animal cruelty, explain why they should respond and to emphasize animal cruelty complaints should be taken seriously;
4. Train veterinarians how to document animal cruelty;
5. Educate prosecutors on how to effectively prosecute animal cruelty cases; and
6. Educate judges to take animal cruelty cases seriously and to make sound recommendations.

The ultimate goal is to set up greater involvement by law enforcement in recognizing animal cruelty and animal cruelty investigations.  For example, Dr. Lockwood pointed to the high level of recognition by police of animal hoarding as a real concern.  This recognition is a major step forward from even five years ago.

Animal cruelty is something that continues to invade our sense of right and wrong and desire to protect those four-legged souls we love.  In a mere three-month period (between March 12 and June 14, 2010), according to the ASPCA study, “. . . there were 9,552 animal cruelty stories (non-wildlife) visible in print and online media outlets in the US . . . Nearly 300 animal cruelty stories reported on the link between acts of animal cruelty and violence on humans.  Overall there were more than 109 million opportunities to see reports that those who have committed cruelty on animals are significantly more likely to carry out violence on another human being.”

The need for mandatory training nationwide for animal services, animal control,  humane law enforcement officers, or whatever the given name in a local jurisdiction is long past due.  Diana Culp, fellow Examiner and former director of education for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), is an advocate for training but also realistic in her thinking.  She asks how certification could be made mandatory if there are not widely available programs?

Ms. Culp is correct, but whether the solution is for the animal community to develop training locally, seek regional cooperation, ask for help from the state or rely on national animal organizations to supply a curriculum with appropriate input particular to a specific jurisdiction is a concern that should be raised as a priority issue within the animal community and the governmental community that is ultimately responsible for the health, protection and well-being of both the two and four-legged citizens it serves.

Just like training police officers before they hit the street fresh with their new found responsibility, and adorned with badges of enforcement power, animal services officers should be provided with standard professional training so they too can bear the heavy responsibility their community places on them to appropriately and successfully protect and investigate animal related matters.

Training should not be considered a luxury item in an agency or organization’s budget, because it is a necessity. As citizens we need to encourage this and make sure to hold our local governments accountable to provide the resources necessary to government agencies or contracted organizations (on their behalf) to provide the community with professionally trained animal services personnel and law enforcement officers who can identify and respond to animal cruelty.

For more information on the ASPCA research study, please contact Emily Schneider at emilys@aspca.org or (212) 876-7700 x4575.

Do you care about animals?  Would you like to find a new job, or need a job? Listening to the news I would think the economy is coming back, but not when I talk with a lot of people around the country.  Making a living still seems to be a challenge for most.  Many people are very unhappy doing the work they are doing everyday.  They have passions and desires that are not being fulfilled.  Others are out of work and say they want to find “anything” because they need the income.

This is the perfect time to evaluate what is really important to you, what your passions are AND help animals at the same time.

If you are out of work, or would like to do something else, this is the best time to open the doors for the kind of work YOU want to do.  Do you know what you’re really passionate about?  Most people have no idea.  Don’t think in terms of income but what kinds of things get you really excited and leave you happy and fulfilled when you are finished. It could be ANYTHING:

1. Walking in the woods

2.  Doing crossword puzzles

3. Meeting new people

4. Caring for animals

5. Gardening

6. Talking on the phone

7. Reading

8. Traveling…..the list goes on and on

Recently I’ve had a number of friends ask me to help them figure out what they should do, they are not happy doing what they are doing, or they got laid off and fear they won’t find a job in their industry.

If you know what you’re passionate about, you can use that passion to help animals and open doors for your next career.  Yes, CAREER, not job. The animal organizations, and charities, around the country need help now, more than ever before.  Funding has dried up so they can’t hire the people they need.  They also can’t afford to buy the food and supplies needed to care for the animals.  Everyday I get requests from these organizations for volunteers and donations.

Right now you are asking yourself, “How can helping an organization help me”?  It can, in MANY ways. You meet new people who might open the door to your next position.  You also get to do the things you are passionate about.  It’s a great way to find out if it’s something you want to do for a living.  If so, you can put the experience on your resume.  Most people have only worked in the field they have been trained in, but that is not what they love doing.                                                                                                    

Here are some ideas for you to think about:

1. Walking and caring for animals at a shelter (if you like being outside)

2. Help the staff with ideas about how to raise money and supplies (doing crossword puzzles)

3. Feeding baby animals or holding ones that are afraid (caring for animals)

4. Cleaning up and landscaping the facility (gardening)

5. Making calls for supplies, donations, volunteers, etc.  (talking on the phone)

6. Research and help find new ideas that can benefit the organization (reading)

7. Animals and supplies need to be transported to other locations (traveling)

These are only a few ideas.  I could go on for quite sometime.  There are also a lot of animals that need to be fostered until a permanent home can be found.  They can be cats, dogs, ferrets, iguanas, pigs, etc.

What kinds of animals do you like?

1. Tigers

2. Dogs

3. Cats

4. Birds

5. Horses

6. Monkeys

7. Deer

8. Pigs

There are organizations caring for any kind of animal you can think of, all over the country.  All of them need help. You can Google the kind of animal you want to help with “rescue” or “shelter”, then your area.  (Ex: ferret shelter Florida)  You will most likely find something in your area.  If not, call or email the ones that pop up.  The animal community is very small and we all help each other the best we can.

I hope that this post will inspire people to find their true passion, and use their passion in a way that will fulfill them personally and help animals that have a lot of needs.  At the very least, you will open doors by meeting other people who might know a company that needs a position filled with someone who has your qualifications.

The holidays are a wonderful time of year; friends and family visiting and an abundance of new toys for your pet.  Those annual holiday items we think are beautiful and peaceful are viewed as toys by your dog and then a menace when they ingest it.  To make sure that your holiday runs smoothly, here are a few tips to dog proof your house during the holidays.  These suggestions should be used for other your other pets as well, like cats and ferrets.

Everyone loves the holiday lights that glow beautifully in the night this time of year; but there is an unseen hazard.  Dogs, especially those who are over curious, will find the cords to your indoor and outdoor lights a toy.  This is a hazard if your dog chews on the cords, they could expose the wiring which could shock or even electrocute your pet.  To avoid this, make sure to tie your cords together and hide them under a sheet or cord cover and check regularly that your pet hasn’t messed with the cords.

The tree looks beautiful to us but to a dog it is covered with lots of toys.  All those shiny, glittery balls are great to knock off the tree, then break, and then eat.  And once it’s eaten, the problems multiply.  The last thing you want during the holidays is a pet with a blocked intestine and in need of surgery.  Set your tree off the floor on boxes and cover those boxes with a large tree skirt, and don’t hang ornaments too low where your pet can get to them.

Everyone knows the best food of the year is made during the holiday season.  There is a lot of turkey, chocolates, cakes, cookies, and the list goes on.  All of these foods are dangerous to your pet.  After cooking a turkey, make sure the keep it out of the way where your dog can’t get at it, and when you are finished with the turkey, take the trash with the bones out to a lidded trash can immediately.  Dogs love turkey bones which are sharp and can puncture the intestines if eaten.  Many meals contain a chocolate treat this time of year as well.  Chocolate is a poison to dogs and should be kept out of reach at all times.  Keep an eye on your dog to make sure it’s not getting into anything they shouldn’t be.

Dogs react to alcohol just like anyone does.  Except, your dog has a low tolerance and can get sick from it.  Every year beloved pets die from alcohol poisoning.  Don’t let them drink from the punch bowl or the eggnog.  Keep it out of reach of your pet.

Holiday plants like poinsettias, mistletoe and holly can be dangerous to pets.  Recent studies have shown that the plants are not as dangerous as they were thought to be, but they can still cause stomach upset for your pet.  Use fake plants instead, just make sure that your pet doesn’t eat the fake flowers which are also dangerous.

Dogs, like humans and all other living organisms, need food. The right food is important, it makes your dog look, act, and feel better. The wrong foods can upset their stomachs, give them gas, make them appear unhealthy, or even be fatal. Here is some information to help you decide what foods are best for your dog.

Dogs should be maintained on dog food. Whether it be dry or wet food or a mixture of both. There are many dog food companies out there and all of them want you to purchase their food. But which is right for your dog. The first rule about dog food; look on the back of the package at the ingredients. If it starts with anything including the word “meal”, this is a poor food. Good foods will always start the ingredients with a real meat like chicken, lamb or beef.

Many people like to feed their dogs people food. If you know what is good and bad, then it’s ok. But where does that hazy gray line come in? The second rule about dog food; if you shouldn’t eat it, neither should your dog. Giving your dog the scraps at the end of the meal is not good. These scraps are pieces of fat, bone and unedible material, your dog doesn’t know that, but relies on you to feed him appropriately. Some of these scrap foods can make your dog overweight, cause intestinal blockage, or gastroenteritis.

So what can you feed your dog off the table that won’t raise your vet bill? Start with some vegetables. Third rule about dog food, always feed your dog raw or frozen plain vegetables. This means no canned vegetables and no vegetables marinated in butter or other tasty sauces. Good foods are broccoli, carrots, green beans and cauliflower. The downside to the tasty goodness, the gas. Broccoli and cauliflower are known to cause caustic gas. When it comes to meat, feed them steak, chicken or pork, as long as it is not covered in seasonings.

Foods for dogs that are absolute no-nos; well there’s a few and they have serious consequences. Chocolate is poisonous; it causes gastroenteritis and can lead to death if not dealt with quickly. Garlic, onions and shallots are all poisonous. If you season your meats or vegetables, make sure they don’t contain these ingredients. Here is a link to foods poisonous to your pets.
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1659&aid=1030

Proper food makes for a healthier dog. Feed your dog well, treat often, but make sure it’s doggie safe.

If you notice that your pet got into something they shouldn’t have, call your vet immediately.  Let your vet know if you notice any changes in bowel movements, eating and drinking habits, playfulness, lethargy; these symptoms will help your vet pin point your pet’s problem and help to solve it sooner.

For more animal related information please visit this link as well.

Have a happy holiday season and remember to animal proof your house for the holidays.

Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin, also known as ascorbic acid.   The vast majority of animals and plants are able to synthesize their own vitamin C.   Among the animals that have lost the ability to synthesize vitamin C are: humans, primitive primates, small rodents including guinea pigs and capybaras, as well as flying mammals like bats.

In 1753 Captain Lind of the British Navy showed that the disease scurvy, which was common in sailors, could be cured by giving them lemons, limes and oranges.  Ascorbic acid is readily absorbed from the intestine and stored in the liver, adrenals, pituitary and corpus luteum.  Foods that contain Vitamin C include, but are not limited to: fresh fruits, mainly citrus, like lemons, limes, oranges, tomato, pineapple and papaya.  It is also found in fresh vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, lettuce and beans.  Amla is one of the richest sources of Vitamin C, either fresh or dried.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps the metabolic process in the body, which includes: tissue growth and repair, adrenal gland function, healthy gums and wound repair.

It is NOT manufactured by our bodies so it must be obtained by diet or supplements. Most Vitamin C is lost through urine.

Smoking and alcohol decrease Vitamin C in the body.  Canning and prolonged cooking destroys most of the Vitamin C in foods.  Certain medications as well as depression will decrease Vitamin C.

The animals that are similar to humans when it comes to inability to synthesize Vitamin C, are also prone to scurvy and other health issues if they don’t get it in their diet.

Many veterinarian’s say that cats, dogs and horses benefit from having Vitamin C.  There is also controversy as to whether dogs and cats should have Vitamin C.  Some say it can cause issues like kidney stones.  Please talk with your veterinarian before giving your animal any supplements.  It has been shown to help with stress in animals.

The makers of the vitamin supplement, Emergen C, have generously offered to donate hundreds of thousands of packages to animals. The packages are at their expiration date, so they are asking that they go to animals.  If you have a shelter, or organization, with animals that need Vitamin C, please let me know.  I can get the Vitamins to you.

There might also be other Vitamin C packets available that can be distributed to missionaries and people who need these Vitamins.

Please contact me if you have interest in knowing more and getting some of these Vitamins.

Fall is approaching and that means lots of fun things to do.  I am working on an event that will take place in New Orleans. It will benefit the wildlife, pets and other animals that have been affected by the oil disaster in the Gulf.  Once I get more specifics finalized, I will be sending out information.  Stay tuned…….

If you, or someone you know, has an event coming up, please send me the information.  I will place it on this post, so please come back to see new announcements, anywhere in the world.

Here is information on an event that will take place on Saturday September 18th. It is an adoptathon put on by the Humane Society of Sarasota County. If you are on the West Coast of Florida, this is an event you might want to check out.  Click here for a website.

If you like golf and animals, this is the event for you. Saturday, September 25th in Sarasota, FL. It’s the Ron Gordon golf tournament. It’s always a fun event, which also happens to be in Sarasota, Florida. You can contact Ron at:  nuts4golf@verizon.net

Oak Street Pelican Block Party in New Orleans on Saturday October 23rd. This is a fundraiser for the Humane Society of Louisiana and the theme is “Everything Pelican”. To learn more click here to go to their website.

If you are in the Fairdealing Missouri area on Saturday Sept. 4th you might want to stop by and say hi to these guys. They are having an adopt-a-thon. This shelter is always saving animals, even ones that are dumped on the road and no longer wanted.  Any help you can give them is greatly appreciated.   Click here to learn more about them.

Saturday, Oct. 2nd in Cookeville, TN. there will be the 7th annual, walk-in-the-park.  It will be a lot of fun for everyone involved, including the animals.  Click here to learn more.

REGAP (Retired Greyhounds as Pets) of Illinois is hosting a Reunion Picnic on September 25th. Click here to learn more.

Greater Chicago Cavalier Rescue is having a 5th anniversary party on September 12. Click here to learn more.

Saturday, October 2nd at the Loose Screw Bar & Grill, 45 Church Street , German Valley, IL . 7pm to 1 am. Join the fun at this Benefit party for Critter Camp Director Beth’s 50th Birthday to raise funds.  Click here for more info.

The Humane Society of Southeast Missouri is hosting their annual Bark in the Park on Saturday, Sept. 25 at Kiwanis Park in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. This event helps raise money for the shelter. Click here for more info.

This is a very inspiring video that my mom sent me. I wanted to add it since it is uplifting and shows how connected humans are with animals.  Please enjoy!

Unfortunately, there are tragedies as well. Below is an email I got today.  We have had a number of really bad storms in my area.  These are stories about Greyhounds.  PLEASE KEEP YOUR ANIMALS SAFE!!!!

A greyhound got out because the storms had weakened the fence. Please check out your fenced areas if you plan to leave them out unsupervised.   This female grey pushed open the weakened area and was missing for what seemed an eternity for the frantic parents looking for her.  She was found in the river, but safe.

Other stories…… not so good an ending:

1) 2 greys get out of a gate left open – one is hit on a busy highway almost immediately – $ 2,000 later pinned and recovering. The other was found after 5 days of intense searching and she had been hit twice and required over $ 5,000 of treatments and huge help from the kennel owner

2) weaken fence with another 2 greyhounds getting out both get into a pond and 1 is bitten by a gator, but miraculously survives. Has had 2 very expensive procedures and now has a permanent pin.   Let’s make these learning moments to help us all protect our seemingly invincible greyhounds.  

Hurricane Preparedness Tips for your Pet

Now that we are into the heart of hurricane season, we would like to remind everyone to make sure and include your pets in your hurricane evacuation plan.  If you need to evacuate and cannot take your pets, make arrangements for them ahead of time at a local shelter or boarding facility.  Never leave pets at home alone.

Be Sure to:

Prepare adequate supplies of food, medications, and water for your pet.  Also, be sure to have medical records, leashes, collars, food bowls, bedding, toys, trash bags for waste, and a crate/carrier ready. Because sometimes our pets can get separated from us micro chipping is also a great idea. Many shelters are overwhelmed with found pets with no ID and a micro chip would get them back to you safely and quickly.

If you have dogs or ferrets, this is your lucky Friday. It has been a challenging week for me.  I have had a number of issues come up regarding dogs and ferrets.  I had to do some research and contact other rescues and shelters for help.  It’s amazing how animal people all stick together and help each other so animals can have a better life.  Thank you!!

One challenge I had were ferrets with fleas. I never had ferrets with fleas so I was not sure what to do about them.  I know they are delicate animals and it can be deadly if they are treated like dogs and cats for a flea problem. Here are some of the things I found out:

1. A flea condition is 100% fixable.  I spoke to rescues who told me that ferrets die from fleas. They are such small animals and it doesn’t take long for them to be sucked dry. The fleas are coming in from a source.  Once you find out what the source is, you can correct it.   Ferrets, being indoor animals, should not have fleas.

2. If you have dogs or cats that come in and out you can give them Capstar. You have to get it from a veterinarian.  This should not be given to ferrets, unless you just adopted them and need to get the fleas off this one time.  (Talk to your vet about dosage).

3. You can also get an 8oz. spray bottle.  Put about 2 tablespoons Skin-so-soft with 1 teaspoon alcohol (to cut the oil) and fill with water. You can spray that on the dogs and cats and rub it in.  This will kill fleas.  Again, be very careful not to use this too much with ferrets since they have very sensitive skin.

The one recommendation I got over and over again, get everyone and everything out of the house.  Fumigate the whole house and have the yard treated.  While you are gone, get all of the fleas off of all the animals.  When you return, you are starting new. Make sure all of the animals stay in the house.  If they must go outside, make sure they stay in your yard, if possible.  Give them Capstar before they go out to be sure they don’t get any fleas.  The ferrets should no longer have a flea problem, ever.

I also had people asking me about the proper food they should be feeding their dogs.  Since I have not had dogs in years, I was not sure what to tell them.  I have a friend, Greg Martinez, DVM who just wrote a book called, “Dr. Greg’s Dog Dish Diet”.  That book has a wealth of information when it comes to feeding your dog. It gives you histories of different breeds, what different breeds eat, how different foods affect different dogs, etc.  Did you know dogs are not suppose to have any corn or beef?

Here are a few tidbits I got from the book that I thought were interesting and I wanted to pass along:

1. A Tablespoon of olive oil or canola oil on the food daily, or an egg yolk in the food three or four times a week, can have a wondrous effect on health.

2. Never give your dog chocolate.  That goes for ferrets too.  Ferrets should not have any sugars or fruit.

3. The closest ancestor to a dog, the wolf.   99.8% of a dog’s DNA matches the wolf. To feed dogs well on a diet that resembles the natural diet of a wolf, make sure the mix of ingredients and nutrients are similar.

4. Wild game provides the wolf with a high-water, low-carbohydrate diet that is also high in protein and fat.   With the exception of a few of the newer diet; canned dog foods most closely match the wolf’s natural diet.

5. Ounce for ounce, canned dog food has about a third the calories of dry food.

6. A healthier diet may actually prevent, decrease and often cure many of the common chronic problems in dogs.

These are the top 10 claims for Veterinary Pet Insurance:

A.Ear Infections

B. Skin Allerfies

C. Pyoderma (hotspots/ bacterial skin infections)

D. Gastritis/Vomiting (stomach upsets)

E.  Enteritis/Diarrhea

F.  Urinary Tract Infections Benign

G.  Skin Tumors

H.  Osteoarthritis

I.  Eye Inflammation

J.  Hypothyroidism

7. Allergies in dogs are caused by three common allergen groups:

A. Fleas

B.  Pollens, grasses and molds

C.  Allergenic food ingredients (most often wheat, beef and corn)

8.  Wolves keep their teeth clean by chewing on the bones of prey animals. In that tradition, you can give your dog raw or frozen chicken theighs, smoked pork bones or beef knucklebones, and they’ll gnaw the tartar away.  PLEASE, be careful what you give your dog. They should be able to chew NOT eat bones.  The book goes into detail about this.

To learn more about dogs and their diets click here for Dr. Greg’s Book.

Then I had questions about adopting dogs.  The best timing in the world because I had information sent to me from “The Camping Dog”.

It specifically talked about adopting a shelter dog. They say one of the best gifts you can give yourself is adopting a shelter dog.  Are shelter dogs right for everyone?  Absolutely not.  You never really know what you’ve got until you get your new friend home.  And odds are even that your dog will need specialized attention and care for health or behavior issues for some period of time.  Unless you’re willing to be patient and work with your pup, you have no business having a dog at all – and especially not a shelter dog who may well have had traumatic experiences.

There is nothing more rewarding than watching a dog blossom into their true personalities. Seeing a dog learn how to play for the first time is a delight.  And watching them grow as they learn new behaviors and have new experiences is so much fun!  And they do thank you for it in so many ways!

If you would like to know the questions to ask yourself if you are thinking about adopting a dog click here.

I want Friday’s to bring awareness to other organizations that are doing wonderful things for animals. If you have information you want to share, send me a paragraph on the topic with a link to the website, by 11am on Thursday.  I will do this each Friday.  Please pass this link on to bring awareness to these wonderful organizations, thanks!

1. Have you ever thought about the food you eat?  How does it affect your body and health?

There is a new movie called Food, Inc.  It educates people about the food they eat. Oprah dedicated one of her shows to this topic.  Alicia Silverstone wrote a book called “The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet”. She also discusses this topic.

When we used to cook quality food at home our health care costs, and medical needs, were much lower.  Our world has changed.  People buy fast food an average of 4 times a week.  With that increase there has been an increase in health issues and health care costs.  Animals are force fed and given all kinds of hormones.  This impacts the animals, as well as the humans that consume them.  A few of the topics discussed in the movie:

1. Where our food comes from
2. How it affects our health
3. How to purchase quality food at the best price
4. Restaurants that serve high quality food that has been raised caged free

What are your thoughts about this?  You can comment below.

2. They say bears hibernate in the winter, right?  Watch the video below to see what they really do in the comfort of their own caves!  This is live video inside a bear’s den!

A team of  biologists go to a black bear den to study a female bear and her two newborn cubs. The group recorded each cub’s weight and gender and examined the mother bear.   Please listen to what they have to say about the bears and humans interacting.  Sound familiar about other animals in the wild?

THESE ARE WILD ANIMALS, PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS ON YOUR OWN!!

3. Kirsten Starcher plays bass in a Vancouver-based rock band and while performing in Toronto, Canada in 2006, took a poignant photograph of a homeless man with his dog nestled in his arms.  Her photo has touched many hearts around the world.  Her consent to “Pets of the Homeless” to use her photo set a wave in motion.

“Years later, it still amazes me how this one tiny action, which almost didn’t happen, has had a ripple effect I never would have predicted,” wrote Kirsten for an article in the March 2010, Pets of the Homeless Newsletter.

People started writing to tell Kirsten about how the photo affected them.  More charities asked to use it in their writings; artists asked to paint their own versions of it; a musician wrote a song about it. She received email from a woman in South Africa who found it on a flyer on the beach and was deeply moved. One of the artists planned to give a percentage of his gallery’s earnings – for a month – to a local homelessness charity, by way of appreciation.

This stunning photograph can be seen on the Pets of the Homeless website.

Our world is ever changing. Remember when there were only three networks on TV?   Now there are so many choices that people are overwhelmed.   You add reality TV networks to the mix and it’s impossible to keep up.  A lot of people record, or “Tivo” shows so they can see them “when they have time”.  When does that happen?  We have become so overwhelmed with keeping up with work and family life that most people don’t have time for TV.  When they do watch it I wonder, how many people really take in what they are watching?  Are their minds still on something else?

Now, add the internet to the mix. Most people are on their computers for work and play.  It’s no wonder TV shows try to direct you to their website.  That’s where most people spend their time.  It is the place to find love, food, cars, investments, TV shows you missed, coupons and specials, old friends, as well as anything you need regarding animals.  That is why I am placing my show on the internet, so I know you will see it!

I wanted to share with you some sites I think you might want to put into your database.  You never know when you might need them.  You’re already on the computer reading this 🙂   I have posted them below.

There is also a term a lot of people have heard but really don’t understand.  It is called “Fostering”.  I recently did a report on Greyhounds.  The dogs are rescued, sent to prison and trained by the prisoners.  After they are trained they are sent to foster homes, or rescues, until they are adopted.

I always thought that fostering meant you HAD to keep the animal until a new home was found.  That is not the case. Most of the time animals are only with you for a short time, maybe a week or two.  If you have to leave for a trip, the organization will take the animal.  If you only want a “friend” for a few weeks or a month, that is fine.  There is a HUGE NEED for foster homes everywhere.  There are all kinds of animals that need a foster home.  It can be fun to learn about a new animal without the long term commitment.  The animals come with food.  Any medical care is also taken care of for you.  All the animal needs is a safe and loving place to stay, temporarily.  In addition, think of the love you will get in return.

The other nice thing about fostering is that you just opened up a spot for another animal.  If it had not been for you, that animal might have been put down because there was no place for it to go.

If you would like to find out more regarding fostering, I suggest you contact your local shelter, rescue or other animal organization.  Ask, “what does takes to be a foster parent”?

If you are looking for animals to adopt:

1.www.petango.com – These are all PetPoint Shelters.  They also have a web based store and will make a donation to a selected shelter as a result of the person’s purchase.

2. www.adoptapet.com – People can do a “search saver” which will send them an email when a specific breed they are looking for becomes available.

3. www.pets911.com

4. www.petfinder.com

5. www.akc.org – breed specific rescue groups

If you lost an animal:

1. http://petharbor.com

2. http://helpmefindmypet.com

3. http://dogdetective.com

4. http://haveyouseenthispet.com

5. http://www.pets911.com

6. http://petfinder.com

7. http://www.missingpet.net

Organizations that will help owners that cannot afford vet care.

Most of them handle serious medical conditions and injury.  Some focus on low income, elderly and handicapped owners.  A couple of them are for rescue organizations and homeless pets.

1. www.angels4animals.org

2. www.carecredit.com

3.www.fveap.org/sys-tmple/door

4.www.imom.org

5.http://thepetfund.com

6.www.uan.org/lifeline

7.www.corgiaid.org

8.www.handicappedpets.com

9.www.labradorlifeline.org

I am sure there are many more organizations that can be added to this list.  If you would like to post about one you know of, please submit it under our “Resources/ Organizations” page.  Thanks for all you do for animals around the world!

I want Friday’s to be fun and bring awareness to other organizations that are doing wonderful things for animals.  If you have information you want to share, send me a paragraph on the topic with a link to the website, by 11am on Thursday.  I will do this each Friday.  Information about animals in need will be posted at the bottom.  This week……. ferrets need transportation help.

1. Have you heard of these sites that give away free kibble to dogs and cats?

http://www.freekibble.com/

http://www.freekibblekat.com/

Not only do they give away free kibble, but it’s fun.  Each day the sites have trivia questions regarding dogs and cats.  It’s interesting to see how much you really know about these animals.

As of today they have donated over 2.2 million meals to homeless dogs and cats in shelters across the country!   There is a very neat event happening today, Friday.  It’s call the “Free kibble kat Hi-5”

The “Free kibble Hi-5 “event for dogs was a huge success and they raised 20,000 meals for homeless dogs in one day! Now, on February 5th, they are going to be having the first ever FreekibbleKat Hi-5 event for homeless cats!

Please go to  www.freekibblekat.com TODAY.  They will be donating 5x’s the kibble when you play Meow Trivia! Their goal is to generate 5 million pieces of kibble in one day!   Halo Pets is sponsoring the event with no limit on the kibble!

2. Cat Depot, is one of the largest nonprofit no kill feline adoption, rescue, education and resource centers in the nation.  This might sound crazy, but they have a working dog that works with the cats.  Her name is Beignet.  She takes her job seriously. Rising before dawn every day, she heads to Cat Depot in Sarasota, Florida, where she socializes with more than 100 cats and kittens. Some dogs might think her job is a bit silly, but not Beignet. She knows that when she works with the kittens, she is acclimating them to live with a family dog. And that might makes their chances of getting adopted a little bit better.

Some adult cats are larger than her, but that doesn’t stop her from saying “hello.” In fact, their reaction lets cat caregivers know if a cat is dog-friendly. Heck, every once in a while a cat will get downright mushy and kiss her all over.

They can tell Beignet has an affinity for animals in need. A survivor of Hurricane Katrina, Beignet understands being alone, hurt and confused. Not finding her family, she too was once in an adoption center. Rescued with a broken jaw and broken teeth, an eye injury and missing fur, she can relate to misfortune. But Beignet also knows about hope, and every day she spreads the word to Sarasota’s cats and kittens that find themselves temporarily placed at Cat Depot. Beignet may not be the cutest or the youngest girl in town, but she knows she has an important job and that makes her feel good about herself. She welcomes all visitors, too, and demonstrates daily that you don’t have to be perfect to give love

Vote for Beignet!  It only takes a few seconds at http://www.sarasotamagazine.com/Misc/Best-Pet-Finalists-2010.asp.  Cat Depot and all the homeless cats and kittens appreciate your support!

3. Many health problems in pets can be traced back to the foods they are being fed. There is a huge debate in the pet industry about the quality of foods we feed our dogs. One thing that is often discussed is the need to change your dog’s diet – both to give them variety and to ensure they get quality and nutritionally balanced food to maintain optimum health. This article gives some really easy recipes to make at home that are quick, affordable, nutritionally balanced and that your dogs will love. There should be certain proportions of carbohydrates, proteins, vegetables and fruits in a healthy canine diet.  Go to this website to get specific recipes that you can make in 3 minutes or less. http://www.squidoo.com/dogfoodrecipies

This was sent to me by CampingDog.  They deal with dogs exclusively.

4. Ferrets Need Transportation Help in Florida. A woman named Sheri has 3 ferrets she needs to give up.  She lives in Casselberry, Florida.  A wonderful ferret rescue in Broward County, Florida will take them if they can be driven down to that area.  The name of the woman who runs it is Dona.  If you are able to assist please contact Sheri at may_8th_2006@hotmail.com or Dona at fuzzyrescues@aol.com

5. My Name is Brogan Horton, I am an investigator for Animal Recovery Mission ( A.R.M) We are facing an enormous crisis here in Miami, Florida concerning the illegal back yard slaughter. Hundreds of horses are bought straight from the track and transported to these “facilities” which are car ports and razor wire fencing. They are forced to drink rancid water, and stand in 1-2 ft of mud in the backing sun.  Mares, foals, geldings, stallions are all mixed together in dog pens. Once an order is placed for a horse, they are lead to the “kill pen” where they are axed, hit with hammers, or stabbed with knives. Almost all of them are butchered alive to “ keep the blood flowing”. And its not just the horses. There are pigs, sheep, goats, chickens and geese . They also have puppy mill’s set up.   There are currently 150 of these farms around Miami. The conditions are horrid and the treatment is beyond inhuman.  Miami date animal services and the SPCA are over whelmed and unable to  take in a house these animals.  They also don’t have the man power or means to prove the help and investigations it takes to shut these places down.
We at ARM work exclusively in investigating and shutting down these facilities. Please, check out our website to follow along with what we are working on. CNN, ABC, NBC, have all aired stories featuring ARM and directly concerning the backyard slaughter.
We are about to raid and seize the animals on about 25 farms.  This will include, horses, donkeys, goats, sheep, pigs, lots of chickens and geese. Were talking over 500 chickens and geese.  The Media will be very much involved and will spotlight any rescue involved unless you wish to remain unnamed.
We are in desperate need of rescues to take in what ever you can take. We have horses of every type including some high name thoroughbreds, donkeys, sheep, pigs of every type and breed, goats, chickens and geese, as well as some puppies.
Please- if you can help contact me ASAP so we can start working out the details. Even if you know someone who might be able to, please forward this to anyone you know.  We need homes and transportation.

Thank you very much for your time,

Brogan Horton
Investigator
Animal Recovery Mission
207-939-7852
www.animalrecoverym ission.org

Click Here to See Horse Videos

6. The Road Ahead in Port Au Prince

Devastated by a recent earthquake and its aftershocks, the people in Port Au Prince were left with little ability to care for the animals there, including more than 150,000 community dogs.

After a thorough assessment of animal welfare issues, the Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti (ARCH), which includes Best Friends, sprang into action, setting up veterinary services in and around the city.

Right now team members from ARCH – including Best Friends Rapid Response Manager, Rich Crook – are on the ground, working with a regional partner from neighboring Dominican Republic. Rich had this to report from the field:

“The team is now on the ground in Port au Prince and I can tell you firsthand that this is the greatest devastation I have ever seen … The scope and scale is overwhelming as you enter the city. After being here only a few hours, we saw several dogs that are in need of our help.“

In the coming weeks, ARCH also plans to open several veterinary clinics. Not only will these clinics help animals right now, but part of their goal will be to put longer-term strategies in place for the care of both family pets and stray animals. These strategies will include lifesaving spay and neuter for Haiti’s dogs and cats.

That means your support will be saving animals for years to come!

The Haitian government and people have been very welcoming of this news, too. They have been providing lots of support and even security.

But not only will animals be touched by your kindness. ARCH is hoping to staff several of these mobile clinics with local, young veterinarians with mentoring from international veterinarians from ARCH.

So your support will benefit animals and humans alike!

That’s the miracle Best Friends members make possible every day! On behalf of the entire Best Friends family and all of the animal lovers from Port Au Prince, thank you for all that you do.

P.S. And there’s more good news! All of your donations for Haiti are tax deductible on your 2009 taxes! See HR Bill 4462www.mGive.org/receipt. and consult your tax advisor for more information.

These days we hear about more and more people leaving their pets behind as they leave their homes.  It’s even harder to think about during the holiday season.  Some people will find reasons to leave an animal behind; relocation, financial issues, divorce, more responsibility for an older animal….and the list goes on.  For some, that is not an option.  They will lose everything but they will never leave their beloved pet behind.  The animal is the only thing that keeps them going in this crazy, unpredictable world.  It is called unconditional love and it’s an emotional bond of loyalty.  We all search for it when most of the time it is right in front of us, our pet.  The tragic part is that these pets don’t choose their owners.

It is estimated, by the National Coalition for the Homeless, that 3.5 million people are homeless.  Between 5% to 10% of homeless people have dogs and/or cats. In some areas of the country the rate is as high as 24%.  Most people who experience homelessness are homeless for a short period of time, and usually need help finding housing or a rent subsidy.   Unfortunately for those with pets it becomes more difficult.  Many are forced to choose between their pet or a roof over their head.

Picture this, a well dressed woman walks up to a homeless man and gives him a bag of fast food on her way to work.  The man has been sitting on the sidewalk in the same spot for weeks, he looks up and says “God bless you.”  The woman nods and walks away but not before she turns to see him open the bag and remove a burger, take a bite and give the rest to his dog.   This scene is probably something that goes on more often than we would like to think.

There is an organization I found out about called “Feeding Pets of the Homeless”.   They provide medical care and food for pets that belong to the homeless and the disadvantaged.  They do this by teaming up with Veterinarians and pet related businesses in different areas of the country.  They’ll do talks in communities about this issue and work with food distributing organizations about the importance of including pet food.  They also have collection sites across the U.S. and Canada.  These sites are clinics, hospitals, businesses, storefronts and nonprofits that understand the human/animal bond. They work hand in hand with the food pantries and food kitchens, so the animals can be fed as well as the homeless.  They also provide grants to licensed Veterinarians and other nonprofit organizations.  You can email them at: info@petsofhomeless.org for more information and an application.

Please, go to their website and see if there is a collection site in your area.  If not, please think about starting one for the animals and people in need.  Feeding Pets of the Homeless is available to help.  This is a hard time for everyone, animal and human.  It takes a lot of courage, and love, for these people in need to stand by their pet, literally.