An email just came in from my friend Nicole Thebeau at Kent County Animal Rescue in New Brunswick. She was passing along good news she had just received, so I'll just copy part of the message here.
This is an important step forward because it means that we're making headway in raising awareness that animal abuse is a serious crime. It could also mean that more in government are realizing that animal abuse and domestic abuse are closely related.
This has been a battle, and so many are ignorant. I once had our County Sheriff tell me that there was NO known connection between dog fighting and domestic abuse or any other crimes. Of course, the connection is well documented, but she hadn't bothered to learn that - or chose not to believe it.
Maybe what it takes to get this kind of response in the U.S. is for more of us to speak out - contact our City, County, State, and Federal government leaders, write letters and articles, and of course support our local rescues.
Anyway... here's their good news:
"UPDATE
I am pleased to inform you that late this afternoon the New Brunswick government house leader and the opposition house leader signed an agreement that guarantees the passage of the amendment to the SPCA ACT Bill 85 that will increase fines for individuals and businesses who abuse and neglect animals to a maximum of $100,000 and/or 18 months jail time. The bill will be brought to third reading by June 18th.
This will make New Brunswick fines for animal abuse the harshest in Canada. This sends a strong message that New Brunswick will not be a haven for those who abuse animals. This is only a start. There is much more to do."
If YOU have good news to share, please help yourself to the comment button and start writing. All of us who love dogs (and other pets) love to know when good things are happening to benefit them.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Coyote Scare Tonight!
It took a half hour before I quit shaking!
Tonight I let the dogs out for their 10 o'clock run around the yard, and within minutes I heard the kind of barking that strikes fear into a dog lover's heart. Pepper and Suzie both sounded scared - panicked, even. Ralph, who goes on a rope when I let him out after dark, sounded angry. He's the only one large enough to defend against a coyote of any size, and he couldn't reach the others.
And the other voices that joined the fray sounded ominous. I know, it could have been a small coyote, visiting all alone. But it sounded like more than one, and that can mean death to domestic dogs.
Of course I started yelling at them to come back up the hill, then started screaming just some kind of noise in hopes of scaring the coyotes. Meanwhile, I remembered my fire crackers and ran back inside to get them. By the time I lit two of them my dogs were back at the door, looking relieved, and the "extra voices" had stilled.
I think that from now on, before I let them out for the night-time potty run, I'll go out and shoot a fire cracker or two. Knowing my kids have encountered intruders in the dark is just too frightening.
Tonight I let the dogs out for their 10 o'clock run around the yard, and within minutes I heard the kind of barking that strikes fear into a dog lover's heart. Pepper and Suzie both sounded scared - panicked, even. Ralph, who goes on a rope when I let him out after dark, sounded angry. He's the only one large enough to defend against a coyote of any size, and he couldn't reach the others.
And the other voices that joined the fray sounded ominous. I know, it could have been a small coyote, visiting all alone. But it sounded like more than one, and that can mean death to domestic dogs.
Of course I started yelling at them to come back up the hill, then started screaming just some kind of noise in hopes of scaring the coyotes. Meanwhile, I remembered my fire crackers and ran back inside to get them. By the time I lit two of them my dogs were back at the door, looking relieved, and the "extra voices" had stilled.
I think that from now on, before I let them out for the night-time potty run, I'll go out and shoot a fire cracker or two. Knowing my kids have encountered intruders in the dark is just too frightening.
Exercise - the Great Doggie Tranquilizer
You already know about Freckles - my neighbor's puppy who terrorizes my dogs by jumping all over them and trying to kiss them too much.
Last night they were visiting out at the shop when another neighbor came by to visit. When he opened the door, Freckles flew out and came bounding to where Suzie, Pepper, and I were busy feeding the horse.
Freckles doesn't get to run free at her house because her person is afraid she'll get in the road and be run over. So I took her for a long walk in our back meadow - and what fun she had!
She explored everything - the old truck parked off to the side, the hole Suzie dug in her search for underground critters, the scents on the pile of logs waiting to be turned into firewood, and of course the pond.
But best of all - she ran. She looked like a Greyhound in a race - stretched full out and taking 10 feet in a stride. She ran around the pond, she circled the garden, she ran for the pure joy of living.
And when we went back to the shop - she laid down and behaved herself. No pestering the other dogs, no jumping on the people. Good exercise was just the tranquilizer she needed.
I hope he brings her to visit often.
Last night they were visiting out at the shop when another neighbor came by to visit. When he opened the door, Freckles flew out and came bounding to where Suzie, Pepper, and I were busy feeding the horse.
Freckles doesn't get to run free at her house because her person is afraid she'll get in the road and be run over. So I took her for a long walk in our back meadow - and what fun she had!
She explored everything - the old truck parked off to the side, the hole Suzie dug in her search for underground critters, the scents on the pile of logs waiting to be turned into firewood, and of course the pond.
But best of all - she ran. She looked like a Greyhound in a race - stretched full out and taking 10 feet in a stride. She ran around the pond, she circled the garden, she ran for the pure joy of living.
And when we went back to the shop - she laid down and behaved herself. No pestering the other dogs, no jumping on the people. Good exercise was just the tranquilizer she needed.
I hope he brings her to visit often.
Friday, May 29, 2009
No Kisses!
You know about Freckles - my neighbor's puppy. She's about 9 months old now and still a bundle of energy. So much so that my dogs just want her to stay home! They don't appreciate being jumped on and kissed to extremes.
Ralph (the big guy) has come to terms with her and he tolerates her until he's tired - then snarls and tells her to knock it off. Susie, my Border Collie, gets mad and puts her on the ground with a lot of barking and snarling, but Pepper has a different approach.
Pepper just sits still and gives her dirty looks... like this one:
Monday, May 25, 2009
Puppy Season - take care to prevent Parvo
Puppies are so cute and cuddly - everyone who sees them wants to touch. But that's NOT a good idea. For the first few weeks, pups have some immunities from mom, assuming that she's healthy. But when they get old enough to get out and romp around, they're in the prime time for catching a disease - and Parvo is the worst of the worst.
If you've ever seen a puppy suffering from this disease, you know. It's something you never want to see again because they do suffer so terribly.
Parvo is a disease that attacks a dog's gastro-intestinal tract and then moves into its bone marrow. When treated at home, survival rates are less than 50%. When treated with I.V. therapy in an animal hospital, survival rates are still only 80 to 90%. Our vet called it "The Meanest Guy in Town."
Spring is a time of high incidence...probably because it is "puppy season" and the young ones are the most susceptible. Add to that the fact that everyone wants to pet a puppy...and the disease spreads.
None of us can remove all chances that our puppies will contract this disease, but there ARE steps to take to minimize the risk.
First, make sure all of your adult dogs are vaccinated, de-wormed, and carrying a healthy weight. The de-worming is important because worms weaken the stomach lining, giving the Parvo virus an easy target. Then, be sure that all your puppies get their first shots at 6 weeks of age. Give another shot every 3 weeks...making sure that they get two after 12 weeks of age. You can take them to the vet, or you can purchase the shots at a feed store or pharmacy and give them yourself. De-worm them as soon as the vet says they're old enough.
If you bring a new dog into your home, especially a puppy, keep it isolated from your other animals for 14 days. That is, unless you KNOW its history and know it has been vaccinated. And, since older, stronger dogs can carry the virus without becoming ill, keep your pup away from older dogs until he's had two shots after 12 weeks of age.
A pup who looks perfectly happy one day can be deathly ill the next - which is one reason why it's so important not to mix litters (as in a shelter) and not to pet a puppy without disinfecting your hands (and clothes) before you go anywhere with other puppies. At the first sign of intestinal upset, get that dog to the vet. If you catch it soon enough, you may be able to save the dog.
Protect All the Dogs you meet...
Humans often spread Parvo without even noticing. By forming some new habits...and instilling them in your children...you can help stop the spread of this dread disease.
First...Wash your hands. Before you touch a puppy... wash your hands. After you pet a dog... wash your hands. You don't know where you might pick up this virus... it could even be sitting on the handle of a grocery store cart...left there by some other customer. So wash your hands!
One significant outbreak of Parvo traced back to kids walking home from school and petting the puppies in yards along the way. They carried the disease along their entire route from school to home.
YES...they're adorable, and YES you like to give them attention and pet them... but by doing so could kill them. Don't.
Next, if you happen to step in a pile... don't just wipe your shoes. Wipe them with a mild bleach solution. If you know you've held a dog with Parvo, bleach your clothes as well. And if you've had a sick puppy in your home, you need to bleach all areas it occupied. One dog rescuer I know had to bleach the upholstery in her car, because she transported a Parvo puppy.
Speaking of shoes, don't leave the shoes you wear "out in the world" where your puppies can get to them. You have no way to know if you've stepped on soil that carries the virus, so just keep those shoes away from the pups.
According to our vet, the only things that can kill Parvo are bleach and hot sunlight. So if you've had a sick puppy in your yard, it isn't safe to put another dog in the yard until after a very hot summer. (There is a product on the market that shelters use - and I don't know the ingredients. I do know that the bottle has clear warnings not to get it on your skin.)
Vaccination is the first line of defense and careful habits is the second. Please use them both to keep your dogs alive and healthy.
Cats are also at risk - not from Parvo, but from kitty diseases. But they're in even more danger because cat diseases are generally airborne. So don't take your new kitten out visiting until he or she has had the series of vaccinations.
If you've ever seen a puppy suffering from this disease, you know. It's something you never want to see again because they do suffer so terribly.
Parvo is a disease that attacks a dog's gastro-intestinal tract and then moves into its bone marrow. When treated at home, survival rates are less than 50%. When treated with I.V. therapy in an animal hospital, survival rates are still only 80 to 90%. Our vet called it "The Meanest Guy in Town."
Spring is a time of high incidence...probably because it is "puppy season" and the young ones are the most susceptible. Add to that the fact that everyone wants to pet a puppy...and the disease spreads.
None of us can remove all chances that our puppies will contract this disease, but there ARE steps to take to minimize the risk.
First, make sure all of your adult dogs are vaccinated, de-wormed, and carrying a healthy weight. The de-worming is important because worms weaken the stomach lining, giving the Parvo virus an easy target. Then, be sure that all your puppies get their first shots at 6 weeks of age. Give another shot every 3 weeks...making sure that they get two after 12 weeks of age. You can take them to the vet, or you can purchase the shots at a feed store or pharmacy and give them yourself. De-worm them as soon as the vet says they're old enough.
If you bring a new dog into your home, especially a puppy, keep it isolated from your other animals for 14 days. That is, unless you KNOW its history and know it has been vaccinated. And, since older, stronger dogs can carry the virus without becoming ill, keep your pup away from older dogs until he's had two shots after 12 weeks of age.
A pup who looks perfectly happy one day can be deathly ill the next - which is one reason why it's so important not to mix litters (as in a shelter) and not to pet a puppy without disinfecting your hands (and clothes) before you go anywhere with other puppies. At the first sign of intestinal upset, get that dog to the vet. If you catch it soon enough, you may be able to save the dog.
Protect All the Dogs you meet...
Humans often spread Parvo without even noticing. By forming some new habits...and instilling them in your children...you can help stop the spread of this dread disease.
First...Wash your hands. Before you touch a puppy... wash your hands. After you pet a dog... wash your hands. You don't know where you might pick up this virus... it could even be sitting on the handle of a grocery store cart...left there by some other customer. So wash your hands!
One significant outbreak of Parvo traced back to kids walking home from school and petting the puppies in yards along the way. They carried the disease along their entire route from school to home.
YES...they're adorable, and YES you like to give them attention and pet them... but by doing so could kill them. Don't.
Next, if you happen to step in a pile... don't just wipe your shoes. Wipe them with a mild bleach solution. If you know you've held a dog with Parvo, bleach your clothes as well. And if you've had a sick puppy in your home, you need to bleach all areas it occupied. One dog rescuer I know had to bleach the upholstery in her car, because she transported a Parvo puppy.
Speaking of shoes, don't leave the shoes you wear "out in the world" where your puppies can get to them. You have no way to know if you've stepped on soil that carries the virus, so just keep those shoes away from the pups.
According to our vet, the only things that can kill Parvo are bleach and hot sunlight. So if you've had a sick puppy in your yard, it isn't safe to put another dog in the yard until after a very hot summer. (There is a product on the market that shelters use - and I don't know the ingredients. I do know that the bottle has clear warnings not to get it on your skin.)
Vaccination is the first line of defense and careful habits is the second. Please use them both to keep your dogs alive and healthy.
Cats are also at risk - not from Parvo, but from kitty diseases. But they're in even more danger because cat diseases are generally airborne. So don't take your new kitten out visiting until he or she has had the series of vaccinations.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Rescued Dogs in Jamacia Need Water - Please Help
What would you do if you suddenly had no water for 100 rescued dogs?
Can you imagine trying to handle the situation by filling buckets and bringing them from home? You might be lucky, if you had enough volunteers, to get just enough water for drinking. Never mind what you need for cleaning tasks.
ANIMAL HOUSE JAMACIA needs our help right now to provide water to their dogs - here's their story:
"We have a major problem at the moment and seriously need help.
The company that was supplying our water handed the water line over to a new company which, in turn, and without notice, discontinued our water supply saying it was too expensive to continue same.
Given that we have over 100 dogs at this location you can imagine what a difficult situation this has placed us in. We are negotiating with them but thus far they haven't budged an inch.
For the short term, it appears that all we can do is purchase tanks and a pressure pump and have water trucked in - not an ideal solution but the only option at present.
Major stumbling block here is that we don't have the funds to do this."
If you can help, please visit us at theanimalhousejamaica.org and scroll to the bottom to make a donation via Paypal or send a check to:
Animal House Jamacia
P. O. Box 775
Ocho Rios, Jamaica"
About Animal House Jamacia:
Founded in the 1990's because of serious concerns about the plight of animals on
the northcoast of Jamaica, THE ANIMAL HOUSE JAMAICA has been helping stray, injured, abandoned, and feral (wild) animals and their owners ever since. We provide food, shelter, medical care (including spay and neuter), and adoptive services to both animals and owners in need.
These folks desperately need our help, so if you can give even $2, go to theanimalhousejamaica.org and make a donation today.
All rescues struggle to get funds for food and medical care - but without water, the rest won't help at all.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
"Mad Dogs" get a Reprieve / My guest "appearance"
Summertime - we've all been waiting for it after a long cold winter and a Spring that's been none too warm.
BUT... it makes my dogs mad.
When the thermometer begins to rise it means they can no longer accompany me to town to do errands and get groceries, and they don't like that one bit. So I have "mad dogs."
But today the cool weather has returned - complete with wind that seems bent on beating my poor tomato plants to pulp. So they got to ride along.
Everyone please remember - temperatures inside your car can reach 130 degrees within minutes, so let your dogs be mad. Treat them like you would your small children - if you can't take them inside with you, don't take them at all.
Mad dogs at home are much more fun than dead dogs in your car.
And Now... an announcement
For all you folks in the Phoenix area, I've been invited to be a guest tonight on Fred Haney's "My Doggie Says..." radio talk show on KFNX 1100, from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Mountain Standard Time (which is also Pacific Daylight time).
If you live where you get that station, please join us!
BUT... it makes my dogs mad.
When the thermometer begins to rise it means they can no longer accompany me to town to do errands and get groceries, and they don't like that one bit. So I have "mad dogs."
But today the cool weather has returned - complete with wind that seems bent on beating my poor tomato plants to pulp. So they got to ride along.
Everyone please remember - temperatures inside your car can reach 130 degrees within minutes, so let your dogs be mad. Treat them like you would your small children - if you can't take them inside with you, don't take them at all.
Mad dogs at home are much more fun than dead dogs in your car.
And Now... an announcement
For all you folks in the Phoenix area, I've been invited to be a guest tonight on Fred Haney's "My Doggie Says..." radio talk show on KFNX 1100, from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Mountain Standard Time (which is also Pacific Daylight time).
If you live where you get that station, please join us!
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