Friday, July 8, 2011

13 Things I've Learned

How to make an eBook
How to make a Business Development Plan
How to make a Planning Page
How to start an eBusiness
How to create a blog
How to create pillar articles
How to add page counters to my website
How to make an online store through CafePress
How to ad AdSense Ads to my blog and website
How to submit my articles to a ezine articles database
How to make a donations page
How to make a privacy policy page
How to make a purpose page

Neighbors Help Animals Locked Inside Glen Lyon House

This is an article about how neighbors are helping take care of the animals in Glen Lyon's house while they wait for animal control to take them. This will also be my last blog for a while because our class has come to an end and I start my next one on Monday. Thanks for the great month and hopefully will be back soon!

Neighbors help animals locked inside Glen Lyon house

NEWPORT TWP. - The big mixed-breed dog drank thirstily from the cup of water Amanda Rake held up to the broken window.
"No, no, honey, you can't come out," she crooned, patting the dog's muzzle as others milled around in the junk-strewn, foul-smelling room behind it Thursday. "We're trying, guys. We're trying to get you out of this smelly hole."
Rake's boyfriend Robert Smith led an effort to ensure the eight dogs and other animals - four cats, two ferrets and a bird - in a vacant Glen Lyon house are fed and watered until authorities could do something about the situation. The Luzerne County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is meeting the owner's son Friday morning to collect the animals, SPCA employee Cary Moran said.
She said the animals weren't technically abandoned - a male resident of the house at 56 E. Main St. would visit in the evenings to take care of them - and although the house is dirty, the dogs seem to be in good shape. A neighbor has a key to the house and has been feeding the cats, which are locked upstairs.
"They're trying to do the right thing. It's not like they're really bad people," Moran said of the owners. "They got themselves in over their heads by taking in too many animals. Spaying and neutering would have been a good idea."
Moran said the SPCA was acting on a complaint by neighbors. Smith said he saw the dogs in the house for nine days, apparently without the owner stopping by, and decided to take action.
"It was just eating me. I couldn't sleep at night. I had to do something," he said.
After rigging up a system that allowed him to lower a bucket of water into the house for the dogs, Smith bought food from his own pocket, then put out signs and took up a collection from neighbors. He said he has collected $112 and six or seven big bags of dog food, which he plans to donate to the SPCA.
Moran said the SPCA has just two officers to cover all of Luzerne County, from Dupont to Hazleton to Newport Township.
And they have been busy this week.
On Monday, SPCA officers rescued 11 Australian shepherd mixes, a bichon frise and a tortoiseshell cat found malnourished, covered in feces and locked in a trailer Monday at the Petro Stopping Center in Dupont.
SPCA officers had their hands full again on Wednesday, when they responded to the Comfort Inn in Sugarloaf Township to find 21 cats, many in poor health, in one of the rooms.
"It is raining cats and dogs right now," Moran said. "Our shelter is so full. We're just not getting enough adopters through the door."

Microchip Your Pets

Unfortunately animals sometimes get away from their owners and get lost. This article talks about the importance of microchipping and how it can increase your chances of finding your pet if they happen to get lost.

State bill would require more microchips in pets

SCRAMENTO, CA - Supporters believe more dogs and cats would be saved from certain death and returned to their lawful owners if state legislators approve a measure requiring thousands of pets to get a microchip.
Hundreds of people braved the heat to get a free microchip for their pets at the State Capitol on Thursday.
The "Microchip Your Pet Clinic" was held as State Sen. Ted Lieu explained SB 702, a bill he authored that would require all dogs and cats leaving California animal shelters to get a microchip.
He believes "microchipping" would reduce the number of lost pets, the number that end up in animal shelters and the cost of euthanizing them.
"Every year shelters in California impound more than 1 million dogs and cats," Lieu said. "More than half of these animals are euthanized because they could not be reunited with their owners. This process costs taxpayers more than $300 million a year."
SB 702 said dogs and cats will be "microchipped" if they're leaving a shelter and being adopted by new owners or returned to registered owners.
"Lost pets that are not microchipped have only a 13 percent chance of being reunited with their owners. When they have microchips they have a 74 percent chance of going back home," Lieu explained.
Tamara Howard found her little chihuahua, LaBelle, on the side of Mack Road in May.
"She was looking lost so I opened my car door, called her and she hopped in," Howard said. "I took her out immediately to see if she was "chipped" and she wasn't."
Howard waited in line for two hours Thursday to get a chip injected under the skin on LaBelle's neck. About the size of a grain of rice, the chip can be scanned and will reveal a number.
As long as Howard goes online and registers her name, address and phone number with that number, her dog can be scanned with a small device which will reveal the number that will lead to Howard.
Howard said she thinks Lieu's proposal is a good idea.
"It's all about the little animals. They need to find their way home if they get out," Howard declared.
Desiree Lavilla, who brought her two dogs to the outdoor clinic, agreed.
"I'm doing the best I can," Lavilla said. "I'm waiting in line for a free microchip so they can come home one day if they ever get lost."
The clinic "microchipped" 300 dogs and cats and passed out vouchers for 300 more animals to get free chips at a veterinarian's office.
SB 702 passed the State Senate earlier in the day and is now being considered in the State Assembly.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Flood-Rescued Animals

With all of the recent bad weather, some facilities have been taking precautions to try and rescue as many animals as possible. This is an article about an animal shelter in Jacksonville.

Flood-rescued animals returned to shelter

As recent floodwaters inundated Jacksonville’s animal shelter, volunteers scurried to save the dogs and cats trapped inside from possible drowning.
“I went to the treatment plant to see if there were any flood problems and I noticed that the water was two to two and a half feet up on the animal shelter,” said Rich Jackson, an employee of Jacksonville’s wastewater treatment plant and president of Protecting Animal Welfare Society, commonly known as PAWS.
Jackson said he got permission from animal control senior warden Lyle Walker to relocate the animals to his home on North Main Street. And with the help of about six PAWS volunteers, Jackson loaded up eight dogs, two puppies, 11 cats and seven kittens and took them home.
“Since the [June 18] flood, we have been taking care of the animals from the shelter andduring the past two and a half weeks, we have received about 18 other dogs and 13 other cats that have since been reclaimed or adopted,” said Jackson’s wife, Lisa, who serves as PAWS’ operational manager.
“We received numerous donations of cash, pet food and litter from people in the surrounding area that was very much appreciated,” Rich Jackson said.
On Wednesday, PAWS volunteers took three dogs and two kittens to the animal shelter that the not-for-profit organization had received from animal control during the past week.
“The three dogs and two kittens we took to the animal shelter have not been reclaimed and are available for adoption,” Lisa Jackson said.
It costs $80 to adopt a dog and $50 for a cat. Animal control will provide a $40 certificate to those adopting a dog and $25 for a cat to be applied toward neutering or spaying.

Child And Pet Neglect

Animal neglect is one of the most sad and avoidable problems I frequently hear of. When you throw children into the mix, it gets even more sad. This is an article about a mother who was letting her kids and pets live in a disgusting home.

Police: West York mom charged for letting kids live in filthy home

Officials rescued four children and a number of dogs and cats from a West York house that was infested with fleas and full of sewage and garbage.
Charges have been filed against the mother of those children, according to West York Police Chief Justin Seibel -- four counts of endangering the welfare of children and one count of cruelty to animals.
He identified the woman as Rebecca Jackson, 34, of 1648 Monroe St.
On Tuesday, the house in the 1600 block of Monroe Street house was deemed unfit for human occupancy due to unsanitary conditions.
Eleven dogs and cats were rescued from the home by the York County SPCA, executive director Melissa Smith said.
"The house was unsanitary from waste, but it was mostly human waste," she said.
Smith said sewage was backed up into the basement, and garbage was found in living areas.
York County senior deputy prosecutor Amy Eyster said the county's Office of Children, Youth and Families have taken custody of the four children. Eyster said she'd been told caseworkers were trying to place the children with a family member or friend, and that they are no longer with their mother.
Eyster said she advised West York Police to file the charges against Jackson.
"My position is that no children should be allowed to live in conditions like that," Eyster said. "And when we're notified of conditions like that, we will be filing charges."
Police discovered the children living in filth after recently going to the home on an unrelated matter involving the children, Eyster said.
West York Fire Capt. Charles Zienkiewicz said conditions in the home were "bad enough to deem it unfit for humans."
Pets seized: All told, three pit bulls and eight cats -- including a number of kittens -- were taken from the home, Smith said. All of them were infested with fleas, she said.
She said she hopes the cats will soon be available for adoption.
"We had concerns about the dogs' temperament with other animals, and they are unavailable (for adoption)," Smith said.
SPCA investigators received reports that one of dogs attacked another dog in neighborhood, according to Smith.
On Wednesday, West York Code Enforcement posted a notice to the padlocked front door of the home.
Violations: Also posted on the door was a list of nine health and safety violations, which include insect infestation and hazardous electrical and plumbing systems. The violations must be corrected before the house can be lived in again.
Ericah Brunner and her family moved in across the street from the house about six years ago.
She said she noticed a problem there almost right away. The porch was piled with items.
"And the children were just so dirty," Brunner said.
She said she knew the homeowner had cats because she would see them walking on the roof of the home and on top of air conditioners sticking out of windows. Brunner said she didn't know there were dogs in the home.
Brunner said she wasn't surprised when officials went to the home earlier this week.
However, she was surprised to learn how bad conditions were inside.
"I didn't realize it was that bad," she said.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Protect Furry Friends From Heat

I know I already posted one blog that gave tips for responsible summer care, but my friend just told me a horrible story of an individual that left puppies in their car for a couple hours. The puppies were no longer living when she returned to the car. The windows were rolled up and it is very hot outside. Here is another article about how to protect your pets from the heat.

Pet owners reminded to protect furry friends from heat

• HOT CARS/HEATSTROKE: Always leave your pet at home and NEVER leave a pet in a parked car. The temperature inside a car, even with the windows cracked and parked in the shade, can reach 120 degrees in a matter of minutes. If the air becomes too warm, a dog’s body temperature, normally 100.5 to 102.5 degrees, will continue to rise. If it exceeds 106 degrees, heatstroke could result, causing seizures, organ damage and even death. Signs of heatstroke include (but are not limited to): excessive body temperature, excessive panting, dark or bright red tongue and gums, staggering, stupor, seizures, bloody diarrhea or vomiting, and coma. If you suspect heatstroke in your pet, seek veterinary attention immediately!

• HEARTWORM PREVENTATIVE: Both dogs and cats should be on heartworm preventative year-round. Heartworms are potentially fatal parasites spread through the bite of just one infected mosquito. During the summer months, heartworm preventative is especially important due to the increased mosquito population.
• EXERCISE: On very hot days, limit a pet’s jog or walk to the early morning or evening hours. Keep in mind that asphalt gets very hot and can actually burn your pet’s paws.
• SHELTER: It’s best to leave your pet inside your air-conditioned home. If your pet must stay outside, make sure he / she has adequate shelter with access to plenty of cool, fresh water and shade.
• VACCINATIONS: Your pet should be up-to-date on all vaccinations. If you are planning a vacation and your pet will be boarded, make sure to speak with your veterinarian about any additional vaccines they would recommend for the kennel environment.
• FLEAS/TICKS: Fleas are a common problem, but it is possible to get rid of and prevent further infestations. Talk to your veterinarian about the appropriate product for your animal and follow all instructions exactly. Many accidental poisonings and deaths happen each year because people use the wrong product on their pet.
• WATER/BEACH SAFETY: Many people head to the beach, lake or pool to escape the heat and humidity. Remember that not all dogs are excellent swimmers. Always supervise your dog near the pool. At the beach, a strong undertow or riptide can drag a frolicking pet out into the water. . Make sure you bring lots of fresh water for your pet to drink. Rinse any sand, salt or chlorine off your pet as soon as possible.
• HERBICIDES/PESTICIDES: Plant food, fertilizer and insecticides can be fatal to a pet if ingested. Pet owners should read labels carefully and contact manufacturers for specific recommendations about using certain herbicides and pesticides around pets.

Safety do's and don'ts for pets

Here is part of an article about the Safety do's and don'ts for pets. For the full article, please click on the title of this article.

Pet Talk: Safety do’s and don’ts for pets

Do not tease a dog or cat. Remember that you do not like to be teased.
Never touch an unknown dog. Even if you know the dog, always ask permission from the owner first.
Don’t invade any dog’s space. Let it come to you.
Dogs do not like to be approached by surprise, from behind or touched on the head. Once they know you are present, pet them under the chin, on their chest or on the back.
Never stare at a dog’s eyes or put your face close to theirs. Look at them briefly and then look away. This helps them trust you.
Dogs that are tied up or are behind a fence should be left alone. They feel protective and might become aggressive trying to defend their territory.
Sleeping dogs or cats might be startled if disturbed and could react aggressively.
Eating dogs and cats should be left alone. Some are greedy about their food and will growl or bite if they think you are going to take it away.
Dogs can also be very possessive about bones or other treasured toys.
Remember that dogs and cats are living creatures and not cuddly toys. Many do not like to be hugged, carried around or played with roughly. Their only defenses are their teeth and claws and they may use them.
Children can be taught what actions to take if they should be approached by a potentially dangerous dog. Most stray dogs are not dangerous but that can not be known by a child. When a dog’s “prey instincts” are aroused they are more likely to pursue or try to attack. Following are some rules to follow when kids find themselves in an uncomfortable encounter with a dog.
Do not run from a dog or wave your arms around.
Try very hard not to scream or cry out. Kids have to practice this drill as it is against all their instincts.
Avoid eye contact and slowly back away if possible.
Or remain motionless. Be “still like a tree”.
In most situations, the dog, will lose interest and go away.
If a dog comes close, frightens a child or makes bodily contact their best option is to:
Put something between themselves and the dog like a book bag, bicycle or clothing and then slowly back away to a safe place.
If knocked over they should roll into a ball, protecting their head with their arms and lie still.
Be “still like a log” and stay that way until someone comes to help.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Pet Talk: Beware of the Cocoa Bean Mulch

Since summer is upon us, that usually means gardening. Here is an article warning of the harmful, and possible deadly, affects cocoa bean mulch can have on your dog.

Pet Talk: Beware of the cocoa bean mulch

I received, from three different pals last week, a much-bounced-about e-mail that described this incident: A young Lab mix named Calypso devoured a bunch of cocoa bean mulch, vomited some (typical of her when she pigged out on something she shouldn't consume, the e-mail pointed out) and showed no other symptoms. Next morning, while on a walk with her owner, the dog had a seizure and died.

As with so much on the Internet, the absence of a discernable point of origin makes it impossible to know if this is a true story. And it worries me that, as with so many other things that flood our in-boxes without invitation or trackable source, the information is being widely discounted as completely baseless.

So let's set the record straight.

I can't confirm whether a dog named Calypso died from eating cocoa bean mulch (also sometimes marketed as cocoa shell mulch). I can confirm — because I've spoken to the experts — that the garden mulch can, indeed, be highly toxic to dogs and can, in fact, cause death.

Cocoa mulch is made from the shells that come off in the roasting of cocoa beans. Those shells contain the same compounds — theobromine and caffeine — as those in chocolate, which most people know by now can be toxic for dogs.

Cocoa bean mulch, which many dogs are inclined to chow down on because it smells almost as yummy as brownies, can cause gastrointestinal issues (vomiting and diarrhea), cardiovascular issues such as abnormal heart rate, and central nervous system problems including tremors and seizures, says Camille DiClementi of the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center. The risks, of course, depend on the size of the dog, the amount eaten and the level of the theobromine in the mulch (and that varies hugely).

The center has received calls on 162 dogs that ingested cocoa bean mulch in the past 10 years, and one of the dogs died.

That, of course, is not the sum total of all dogs that have eaten such mulch, gotten sick or died. Not everyone calls the poison center when an animal ingests a known toxin. Moreover, until recent years, most owners did not associate the cocoa mulch in their yards with a dog suddenly becoming ill. Several humane groups claim to know of several cases of dogs that have died after eating cocoa bean mulch.

How to react.

Use this general procedure after a dog has consumed cocoa bean mulch: Induce vomiting if the pet has no health conditions that would make that a risky step. The vomiting removes some of the toxic material, and it may provide a sense of how much mulch was consumed so there's a better idea of how high the risk is. The veterinarian may use activated charcoal and flush the animal's system with fluids. The vet will monitor for high heart rate, blood pressure or seizures, and will take counter-measures if those develop.

The level of theobromine in such mulch varies greatly from brand to brand, and there's no way to tell, even if you know the brand, what the level is — it's not printed on the bag or available anywhere. So when talking an owner or vet through the what-to-do process on the phone, the center's poison experts "estimate the highest level" or "worst-case scenario" and make recommendations based on that, DiClementi says.

How to prevent.

What's the responsible dog owner to do about all this? "If you have a dog that eats things he shouldn't," it wouldn't be advisable to use this kind of mulch in an area he can access, DiClementi says. Moreover, "all dogs explore with their mouths" so it's possible that even dogs not completely indiscriminate about the stuff they'll snarf up could surprise you and munch on some.

For my part, I won't have the stuff around. I really don't need any less-than-subtle chocolate scents reminding me how much I'd love to have a hot fudge sundae right this very minute. And although my dog isn't much of a gulper of all things, many of his visiting dog pals are.

Fewer Pets Killed Because of Spay, Nueter Programs

This week I will be featuring different articles about cats and dogs. The first article is about how spaying and neutering is helping animal overpopulation become less of a problem.

Fewer Pets Killed Because Of Spay, Neuter Programs

by The Associated Press

text size A A A

LOS ANGELES July 5, 2011, 09:46 pm ET

When Stephen Zawistowski got his first dog 50 years ago, she was the only dog in the neighborhood that was spayed.
"She had an incision that must have been a foot long and was sewn up with what looked like piano wire," says Zawistowski, science adviser for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
It took years of campaigning to change thinking about sterilizing pets, but it has paid off. This year fewer than 4 million unwanted dogs and cats will be euthanized, down from as many as 20 million before 1970.
There are several reasons: Aggressive adopt-a-pet campaigns are carried out every day in cities all over the country and breed rescues save many dogs. But animal experts believe spaying and neutering has played the biggest role in saving so many lives.
Nearly every public shelter, private rescue or animal welfare organization in the country donates money, space or time to low-cost spay and neuter clinics.
Spaying and neutering has become the law in some states, counties and cities. Many states require all shelter animals to be sterilized. Rhode Island requires most cats to be sterilized, and Los Angeles requires most dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered by the time they are 4 months old.
While shelters are firmly onboard, the biggest problem has been selling sterilization programs to pet owners.
When pets are sterilized, their reproductive organs are removed so they can no longer breed. Some people consider that unnecessary mutilation of their pets.
There are those who say: "You won't do that to my dog because I wouldn't want it done to me," Zawistowski says.
And it wasn't just pet owners who had to be convinced — so did veterinarians, he says.
Medical procedures have caught up in the last half-century and a lot of people have changed their thinking.
"Now they make a one- or two-inch incision and use self-absorbing sutures" that mean a much quicker recovery for the animals, Zawistowski says.
Aimee Gilbreath, executive director of Found Animals, a Los Angeles-based charity, agrees. "It's become a tenet of responsible ownership," she says of spaying and neutering.
"I'm 36. My childhood dog was never neutered. We lived in some rural places and he roamed the countryside. Who knows how many litters he fathered," Gilbreath says.
"Today my dog is neutered. My parents' dog is spayed. In my family, it's gone from something you didn't do to something that is automatic."
In addition to eliminating shelter kills, spaying and neutering can make pets easier to manage, less aggressive and healthier, said Andrew N. Rowan, president and CEO of Humane Society International and chief scientific officer for the Humane Society of the United States.
So what drove the changes, and what now?
The first public spay and neuter clinic in the U.S. was opened in Los Angeles in 1969 and was so successful that there was a four-month waiting list. Another opened four years later and charged $17.50 for spaying female cats and dogs and $11.50 for neutering males, said Linda Gordon, director of facility development for the city's Department of Animal Services.
A low-cost shelter today charges about $55 to neuter a male cat and $60 to spay a female cat, around $150 to spay a female dog under 30 pounds and between $150 and $250 (depending on size) to neuter a dog, said Carrie Harrington, communications director for the Marin Humane Society in Novato, north of San Francisco.
The first private low-cost clinic was opened in 1973 by the Marin shelter, using $42,000 raised by its women's auxiliary thrift store. This year, the group will raise money to help sterilize about 2,300 pets, Harrington said.
The steep decline in the number of animals being euthanized each year comes even as the pet population has boomed. In 1970, there were about 62 million companion pets and today there are about 170 million, Zawistowski said.
But 4 million animals put to death is still 4 million too many, said Betsy Banks Saul, co-founder of Petfinder.com, an online adoption database that has helped with 17 million adoptions since it started in 1996.
The next step may be in the form of an affordable pill, implant or vaccine to sterilize cats and dogs.
Dr. Gary Michelson, a billionaire orthopedic spinal surgeon and founder of Found Animals, posted a $25 million prize in 2008 for the creator of such an affordable chemical sterilant that works in male and female cats and dogs. Michelson has also put up $50 million for grants to allow scientists to do the research.
Found Animals has received 150 grant applications so far and 14 projects have been approved for funding, Gilbreath said.
"When we first saw grant proposals coming in, we saw old ideas that had been laying around for 15 or 20 years. What we are seeing now are proposals based on cutting edge science — areas related to cancer and stem cell research. The level and sophistication of the science has moved to a higher level," said Zawistowski, who is on the prize board.
In 2003, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first sterilant for male dogs. But at about $50 a shot, Neutersol was too costly. It was reworked, the price was cut to about $6 a dose and it was again approved by the FDA under the name Esterilsol. It's been used in trials around the world and is expected to be available in the United States later this year.
Miami-based 600million.org, named for the number of stray dogs that can be found around the world on any given day, is working on a contraceptive pill for dogs. The most promising and closest to completion is the female sterilization pill, said group founder Alex Pacheco.

Monday, July 4, 2011

Purrs and Pants (Week of July 3- July 9)

This weeks featured pets are from the great state of Oregon. There will be both males and females of all ages. Hope everyone enjoys the selection. Again, all pets are found at Petfinder.com. I have also posted an article I found on Petfinder about what parents should watch out for when adopting.

For Parents - What to Watch Out For

Sue Sternberg

1. Watch out if your dog uses his mouth in play or to move or control the child. Any dog over 5 months of age should not be using his mouth to play, and is probably not playing, but actually trying to control or dominate humans with his teeth, no matter how gentle your dog appears to be.

2. Watch out if your dog cuts in between you and your child during hugging or engaging in any affectionate interactions. This can indicate jealousy, or rank aggression, or guarding of you, the owner.

3. "Let sleeping dogs lie" is a saying created by someone who really knew dogs. Teach and NEVER allow your children, (or visiting children), to startle, awaken or hug a sleeping dog. Also, dogs by nature are grouchier and testier at night, or in the evenings, and if your dog drops off into a heavy sleep in the evenings, put him away in another private room, or encourage him into a crate, so that you can prevent the possibility of a child startling or waking the dog.

4. Watch for any growling, whether in play or not. Dogs never growl for any other reason except to warn us of biting. So often owners have commented that their dog growled all the time, and were shocked when it finally bit someone, having believed that the growling meant the dog would never bite. Growling is never a vocalization a dog makes just to "talk", although some breeders of certain breeds have mythology that their breed "talks", commonly Rottweilers. Dogs don't "talk" by growling - they growl to let us know that they need help, as they are warning us they would like to bite.

5. Watch for combinations of events: i.e. your dog may be fine if approached by your child while chewing on a rawhide, and separately, your dog may be fine when approached and hugged while resting on your couch, but your dog may growl or even bite when approached by your child AND hugged WHILE he lies on the couch chewing a bone. I.e. your dog may be fine being hugged by your child in general, and your dog may be fine when held by the collar and restrained from chasing the family or cat or bolting out the front door, but your dog may growl, snap or bite when hugged WHILE being restrained or keyed up or frustrated.

Betty Boom- Mill City


		Madison- Lebanon

Happy Fourth of July

I would first like to start this blog by saying HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY to everyone! I would also like to thank all of those that have, do, and will be serving this great nation. Next, I would like to inform all of those that are lighting off fireworks by my house that my cats have gone into freak out mode. Isis and Pouncer have been hiding all night. Pyrrha has been freaking out more than usual. She is running around and keeps jumping around to look behind her every time she hears a pop from the fireworks. She then proceeds to run to either my mother or I and look at us with a panicked look on her face and go into the hall way. While I think fireworks are pretty, my cats would appreciate it if you would stop lighting them off and go to bed already! Fireworks have been going off around here for about two hours straight now. I think two of the houses in our neighborhood are having a firework war. Pyrrha is especially appreciating the grand finals that people keep having. The fourth one just went off. I am pretty positive that she may be furless after tonight from her shedding all of her hair off because she is so scared. It was funny at first, but now I just feel really bad for my poor baby. I would just like to thank all of those that have served one last time before I end this blog and make sure that all of you make it home safe!!!!

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Pet-Friendly Fourth of July Picnics

While I was on Petfinder's website, I came across an article that gives you tips on how to have Pet-Friendly Fourth of July Picnics. For the full article please click here.
Elaborate, booming firework displays are exciting for people -- especially for children anticipating the creative shows -- but the loud noises often petrify dogs and cats alike, says Louise Murray, DVM, Director of Medicine for the ASPCA's Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital in New York City.

Owners should undoubtedly leave their dogs at home when they go to take in the fireworks displays, despite temptation to do otherwise, Murray says. Dogs have been known to bolt at fear of the loud, abrasive sounds -- and even their preempting rumble -- and can easily become lost.

"A lot of dogs can become completely incapacitated by fireworks, becoming so terrified that they just suffer," Murray said. "If dogs are even outside in the early dusk hours and hear neighbors setting off fireworks or firecrackers, they could well become very afraid and just take off."

Murray recommends keeping all pets inside the house before dusk. If owners know that their pets very sensitive to fireworks and don't respond well to them -- or if they don't handle thunderstorms, which have a similar effect, with a tail held high -- they should think ahead.

Murray recommends keeping pets in a comfortable, confined space that can mask the outside noise. Turning on the radio, television and the air conditioning could also help provide some soothing white noise for nervous dogs and cats.

If those methods aren't sufficient to soothe the most panic-stricken dog and cat, owners can also consider asking their vets for a sedative, Murray recommends.

Dogs tend to exhibit signs of nervousness and tension through panting, shaking and other visible symptoms, so owners can generally read their dogs' fear without any problem. Yet cats can also become afraid of the loud noises, even though they exhibit their fear in less obvious ways.

"Cats can become just as terrified, but they don't have the same visible reaction that dogs do," Murray said. "They just sort of withdraw and are more stoic, but they can still become lost and run away and can get quite far."

Pets might also find July 4th weekend comes with some other unpleasant surprises -- a bad case of an upset stomach, which can be brought on if owners indulge their animals in their own BBQ feast.

Murray says after all major holidays centered on sit-down meals and lots of food, like Thanksgiving and Christmas, she always sees a sharp increase in patients being treated for pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas.

"Make sure your dog doesn't have any treats, like pork chops or hot dogs. As much as you feel like having the dog or cat partake in the activities, they might be better off in a cool room by themselves," Murray said.

"There's no need for someone to get sick and to potentially run a good Fourth of July weekend."

Glow sticks, while certainly not a recommended chew toy, are not toxic, though they may look poisonous, according to the ASPCA's Poison Control Center, if consumed in small doses.

The liquid, glowing substance inside the neon necklaces, bracelets and sticks is called dibutyl phthalate and according to the Poison Control Center, animals who have ingested some of it exhibit signs like profuse drooling, hyperactivity, agitation and/or aggressive behavior. Those symptoms typically don't last for more than a few minutes, however, and are a result of the liquid's bad taste. Concerned owners can try to dilute the taste's residue by giving their pet some milk or pet food, the ASPCA recommends.

Petfinder

Another one of our tasks in my class is to do a review post. I decided to review Petfinder.com. I choose this site because I find it very useful in finding animals to adopt and information regarding animals. This is the site where my mother and I found our first rescue, Pyrrha. It was easy and we found her in about 15 minutes, called the place to come visit. The same day we found her on the website is the same day we got her. This site helped make our adoption very easy. This site also provides customers with all kinds of tools and information for you about your pets. They have different tabs that provide you information about what to do before and after you decide to adopt. The give many pet care and health tips. They give you ideas and tips for training your pet. They have pages with information dedicated solely to cats and dogs. They have a tab titled “Lifestyle” that allows you to adopt the animal that fits your way of life best. They have a page dedicated to providing information about how you can help pets. There is also a page that provides you with the latest in pet news. They have different videos uploaded that provide you with information and tips on how to raise you pets. They also have a “Learn” page that educates you on different areas that you feel you could use some more information on. Lastly, they have pages dedicated to different shelters and animals in your area that are in need of a good home. Petfinder is one of my favorite websites to use because of its ease and range of information.

Friday, July 1, 2011

You Are Not Welcome Here

Our house is full of adults and we do not have company over that often so they do not deal well with guests, especially children. When we have company over, each of our cats does something different. Our oldest cat, Pouncer, will sit at a comfortable distance and stare out the window while still keeping an eye on everyone. If a child decides to get too close or try to pet her, she will start to hiss. She has never bitten anyone but we do not want to take the chance so if we see a child near her, we keep a very close eye on both her and the kid. If an adult decides to get near her, she will tolerate petting for about one minute then start to hiss. Our middle cat, Pyrrha, goes completely nuts. She demands to be where everyone is to see what is going on and to try and bully them out of the house. She will go up and smell them, then hiss. She will run at them, stop and hiss. She will glare and try to intimidate them until they leave. She gets very upset and we sometimes have to put her upstairs so she can calm down and so she does not actually attack anyone. Most of our friends find it funny, but she also has never bitten anyone and we do not want to push her to that point. Our youngest cat, Isis, hides. It is a rare occasion if any of our guests see her and if they do, it is usually a flash of grey.

No More Water

On Thursday of this week I finally was able to try the water on Pyrrha. This did not go as well as I had hoped. I give full details of what happened in the blog titled “Counter Kitty”. Anyways, she has been on pins and needles ever since. She has been extra jumpy and more psychotic than usual. I read this blog titled “when a cat is like a teenager” where they recommend putting them away in a different room until you are finished with what you are doing to avoid the situation from the start. Cats go through different stages, just like humans, and need to be disciplined differently at different stages. We have figured out that she is at the stage where she does not want to listen to us; she just wants to do what she wants. At this stage it is also harder to teach them new lessons. This is the stage that is similar to teenagers. She has not got back on the counter since Thursday so hopefully the water worked. If we find that it did not work, we will try putting her in a different room while we are in the kitchen. I will let you know how this works if we are forced to do this. I do not think that closing her in a room will be as traumatic to her as the water, but I do think that she will be upset with being closed in a room. She is an extremely sensitive cat and hates being punished, yelled at, or forced to do anything she does not want to do.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Adopt a Pet

One of our tasks in my class is to analyze a top blog. The blogs I decided to analyze is the ones from the Adopt a Pet website. The first thing I noticed is that all of their blogs contain pictures which I think helps attract reader interest. I also noticed that they cover a broad range of topics as long as it has something to do with animals but still mainly promoting adoption. On their blog site, they have a categories list to help narrow down the readers search. For instance, if you have rabbits, they have blogs dedicated specifically to rabbits. Adopt a Pet also promotes many other websites, products, shelters, etc. through their blogs, which also helps to better their website too. After I looked at how the page format was set up, I decided to read a couple blogs that interest me. One thing I found interesting that they do is that they promote different products, animals, websites, etc. through reader participation. For example, one of their blogs is asking people to click “like” on Rally to Rescue’s Facebook page. One blog I decided to read called “when a cat is like a teenager” talks about how cats, just like other animals and humans, go through different developmental periods. This blog also gives advice on how to deal with certain situations. I found this particularly useful because I have been having problems with one of my cats getting on the counter and they suggested putting her in a different room when I am preparing food to help promote her not getting on the table. I will most definitely be giving this a try and recommend this website and blog to other animal lovers.

Counter Kitty

Today was the first day that I have been able to catch Pyrrha on the counter and throw water on her. My mother has done this with our other cats but I have never had to do it. It was awful! I told her to get off the counter and she just sat there looking at me, so I went and filled up a cup with about two inches of water and tossed it on her. She took off so fast and hid behind the table. I have never felt so bad about disciplining my cats. Her face looked so hurt and she will not come by me now. She observes me from a distance and is ready to run if I move too quickly or get a cup. I had to go to my room for something and when I came out, she fluffed up because I scared her. I then left to bring my mother lunch at work and when I got back home she was on the kitchen table! I yelled at her and she just looked at me so I went and got a glass and she took off and backed herself into a corner. I did not toss water on her this time because she seems to be getting the point that she is going to get soaked if she keeps this up. I also did not have the heart to because her face looked so hurt. I really hope she stops this soon because I feel terrible doing this, but it is a necessary evil.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Recap

I have done several blogs now and would like to recap what they are about so that you can find what you are looking for faster without having to look through all of them!

*Welcome*- This blog is an overview about why I started this blog and also tells you a little about myself.
*Homeward Bound 1*- This blog talks about how my family got our first rescue.
*Homeward Bound 2*- This blog talks about how my family got our second rescue, which I caught myself.
*It’s Potty Time*- This is a blog about different products for both cats and dogs that help to promote a healthy lifestyle and healthy digestion.
*Purrs and Pants*- All of the blogs with this title is about featured cats and dogs of the week.
*It’s Toy Time*- This talks about why playing with your pet is important and toys that we have found work best for our cats.
*Furry Friends*- This mentions the benefits of having more than one pet in a single household.
*The Gift That Just Keeps Giving*- This is a blog that mentions the physical and mental benefits to owning a pet.
*Sweet Summer Time*- This gives you summer tips for your pets.
*Furever Friends*- This tells you about my website.
*We’re In The Red*- This is a story about what it is like around my house when we have bad storms.
*Tornado Ready*- This mentions some things you may want to do when storms get bad.
*Pets Aren’t For Everyone*- This is a blog explaining why pets are not for everyone.
*Make New Friends, But Keep The Old. One Is Silver, The Is Other Gold*- This is explaining why your old pets need just as much attention as your new pets.
*Bad Kitties*- This is a story about two of our cats and one of their bad habits.
*Games For Pets*- This blog reviews another blog that gives suggestions to playing with your pets.
*Adoption Tales 1&2*- These talk about other people’s experiences with adoption.
*Texas Passes It’s First Puppy Mill Law*- This is just what the title says and I also give a few of my opinions about the situation.
*Poops*- This is a story about how our cat, Pouncer, got her nickname Poops.
*Routines*- This talks about the importance of routine in an animals life.
*Ways To Help Out*- This mentions a few different ways to help less fortunate animals out.

Ways To Help Out

Even if you are not able to adopt a pet, there are other ways to give back. One way to help the animals is to donate to different nonprofit organizations or shelters. Donations are always appreciated and you know that all of the money donated is going to helping take care of the animals. Another way to help is to volunteer at a nonprofit organization or shelter. There are always shelters that are looking for help especially volunteered. This not only benefit’s the animals, but it can also benefit you. Volunteer work is a great way to boost your resume and set you apart from other applicants. A third way to help out less fortunate animals is to start your own fundraiser or event. You can set up a car wash, a benefit, a marathons, etc. to help the animals. This would also look good on a resume because it would show to potential employers that you can effectively set up and run an event. You can also help transport animals to their homes. People from different places often find animals that do not live close to them and need help getting their pets to them. You would pick up the pet and drive them part way and drop them off to another person who would take them part way and this goes on until the animal is at its new home. There are many other ways to help out less fortunate animals that are inexpensive and very rewarding in many ways.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Routines

My previous post titled Poops talks about how one of my cats gets upset easily. One thing that I have found that helps to keep not only her, but our other two cats, relatively calm is a schedule. All three of our cats are a little high strung and tend to get upset. All three of them react in different ways though. Pouncer will leave turds around the house. Pyrrha will get very jumpy and be on edge all the time. And Isis will start to get very nervous and hide. To avoid putting too much unnecessary stress on our cats we make sure to keep them on a schedule. We make sure to feed them at the same time, or within a half hour, every time they are fed. They get fed periodically throughout the day to avoid over eating and stale food. We also make sure to play with them at the same time everyday. Each of us plays with them at different times, so they still get played with several times throughout the day, just by different people. They also have their routines with each of us everyday. They help each of us get up and ready and know who gets up at what time and what our routine is. Our house has no children or any other pets besides our three cats so it is usually pretty calm over here. Even with that just said, our cats still get upset easily, even when their schedule is interrupted, and we try to do all we can to make sure that they are as happy as we are.

Poops

Our oldest cat Pouncer is a very sensitive cat. She gets very upset when people yell and will start to meow and panic. When she gets extremely upset, she will also leave little turds around the house. Luckily she does not do this very often and it is always in a place where we can see it. But her doing this has led us to give her the nickname Poops. She first started this when she was about 3 years old when my mom’s boyfriend moved in with us. Before he moved in with us she would sit on him and love on him. It was after he moved in with us that she started to leave turds. Luckily she did not do this for too long, probably about a week, and she tolerates him now but does not really pay too much attention to him. She still will leave turds periodically when she is extremely upset. We do not make a big deal out of it or yell at her because she only does this when big changes happen or she is extremely upset. Instead, we make sure to give her extra attention and try to calm her down. The extra attention seems to work and now she will only leave turds for a day, maybe two. Also, she only leaves a single turd about once a day when this does happen. So if you find that your cat is randomly doing this, try to just give her a little extra attention and see if the problem goes away.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Purrs and Pants (Week of June 26- July 2)

I have decided to do dogs and cats from a different state each week. This week our featured dogs and cats are going to be from the state of Washington. The featured dogs and cats will also be babies (puppies and kittens) that are ready for a wonderful home and family to love. I will also be providing a list, provided by ASPCA, of the top 10 reasons why people should get their pets spayed and neutered. For the full article please click here.

1. Your female pet will live a longer, healthier life.
Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and breast cancer, which is fatal in about 50 percent of dogs and 90 percent of cats. Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases.

2. Neutering provides major health benefits for your male.
Besides preventing unwanted litters, neutering your male companion prevents testicular cancer, if done before six months of age.

3. Your spayed female won't go into heat.
While cycles can vary, female felines usually go into heat four to five days every three weeks during breeding season. In an effort to advertise for mates, they'll yowl and urinate more frequently—sometimes all over the house!

4. Your male dog won't want to roam away from home.
An intact male will do just about anything to find a mate! That includes digging his way under the fence and making like Houdini to escape from the house. And once he's free to roam, he risks injury in traffic and fights with other males.

5. Your neutered male will be much better behaved.
Neutered cats and dogs focus their attention on their human families. On the other hand, unneutered dogs and cats may mark their territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house. Many aggression problems can be avoided by early neutering.

6. Spaying or neutering will NOT make your pet fat.
Don’t use that old excuse! Lack of exercise and overfeeding will cause your pet to pack on the extra pounds—not neutering. Your pet will remain fit and trim as long as you continue to provide exercise and monitor food intake.

7. It is highly cost-effective.
The cost of your pet's spay/neuter surgery is a lot less than the cost of having and caring for a litter. It also beats the cost of treatment when your unneutered tom escapes and gets into fights with the neighborhood stray!

8. Spaying and neutering your pet is good for the community.
Stray animals pose a real problem in many parts of the country. They can prey on wildlife, cause car accidents, damage the local fauna and frighten children. Spaying and neutering packs a powerful punch in reducing the number of animals on the streets.

9. Your pet doesn't need to have a litter for your children to learn about the miracle of birth.
Letting your pet produce offspring you have no intention of keeping is not a good lesson for your children—especially when so many unwanted animals end up in shelters. There are tons of books and videos available to teach your children about birth in a more responsible way.

10. Spaying and neutering helps fight pet overpopulation.
Every year, millions of cats and dogs of all ages and breeds are euthanized or suffer as strays. These high numbers are the result of unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying or neutering.

Texas Passes It's First Puppy Mill Law

Texas has finally signed into law the Commercial Dog and Cat Breeders Act (CDCBA) on Friday, June 17. This act will allow inspectors to go into commercial dog and cat breeders facilities to make sure that they are enforcing the new law. This law includes the minimum standards for the “humane handling, care, housing and transportation of dogs and cats kept by large-scale Texas breeders” (ASPCA). Texas had become a retreat for bad breeders because of the lack of state inspectors. While Texas has taken the first step in animal protection, there are still a few problems that the ASCPA will be working to get fixed. Two of the problems ASPCA will be working towards getting fixed is to prohibit cages with wire flooring and to prohibit “the stacking of cages” (ASPCA).

I think that it is sad that it has taken Texas so long to finally decide to do something to help protect animals, but I am glad that they are taking some action. I hope that in the next year, or few years, they decide to add the removal of cages with wire flooring and prohibit breeders to stack cages. I also would like to see the few remaining states that do not currently have animal protection laws take action like Texas has finally done. For more information on this topic and the ASPCA’s involvement in the fight against puppy mill cruelty, please click here.

"Victory: Texas Gets Its First Puppy Mill Law!." ASPCA. ASPCA, 24 Jun 2011. Web. 27 Jun 2011. <http://www.aspca.org/News/National/National-News-Detail.aspx?NDate=20110624&NType=National#News5>.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Adoption Tales 2

This story is about my aunt and uncle. They have just recently gotten married and bought a home. They have both finished college and pretty content at their jobs. They are not ready for children yet, so they decided to rescue a puppy from a shelter. They rescued a retriever mix so they knew it would be a decent sized dog. They also assumed that it may take a little more work because the dog was already a few months old when they got him. They were completely wrong. This has turned out to be one of the best and easiest dogs I have ever heard of. They barely had to train it and when they do it does not take long because he catches on quick. He is very friendly and loves people of all ages. He also loves other dogs and never starts a fight with any. He loves to play and is not annoying or obsessive about it. He does not beg for food or jump up on you when you are eating. He does not freak out and go balistic when they leave. He is basically an amazing dog. He actually made my parents contemplate getting a dog, but they say that we are all too busy for a dog and that our yard is not big enough. I could not agree more but it still sucks. I cannot wait until I have the time and room for a dog. I am sure my cats cannot wait either!

Adoption Tales 1

I know I have told stories about my adoption experiences and how they have turned out great for me. I am sure this is not always the case, but I would like to think that it is usually the case. This blog and the next one will both contain success stories of adopted animals.

My cousin has been adopting animals for years. She has had both outdoor and indoor animals. People have literally gone over and just dropped animals at her house because they knew, one way or another, they’d be taken care of. As of right now she only has three pets that she has rescued. One cat named Grayson. He is one of the sweetest cats I have ever met. He just walks up and loves to be pet, held, and played with. She also has two dogs. One dog is a Boston Terrier named Lizzie and she huge. It is around thirty pounds and very hyper. I think he is such a cutie but he does get annoying. Her other dog is named Flower and I forget what kind of breed she is. I am not that big of a fan of her and she reminds me of a little mop. My cousin however is completely in love with her. All of them have been adopted at different times with the pets being different ages. The pets still get along great and she rarely has problems with one fighting with the other, or the dogs wanting to fight with the cat.