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July 4th Fireworks Are No Blast For Pets The sliding glass door to their backyard was open, and a hole had been dug under their fence. The Moores were gone for only four hours, but D.O.G., their 2-year-old, aptly-named white German Shepherd, was gone. Left on her own to face the tumult of fireworks and loud celebrations, she escaped, apparently to seek the familiar—her family—even if she had no idea where to look. "From what we can tell, when D.O.G. heard the fireworks she freaked out and pooped on the floor inside—for the first time ever—then she opened the sliding glass door with her paw, and dug a hole outside our fence.... She went searching for us," said Moore, of Maitland, Fla. The Moores' search for D.O.G. ended when she was found dead alongside a road where she was often walked. No Celebration Moore believes that D.O.G., who wasn't normally scared of thunder or other loud noises, panicked from the cumulative effects of the fireworks, the excited voices outside, and being left alone inside the house. The Moores' tragic loss isn't unique. Pets often become frightened and frantic by the noise and commotion of Independence Day. In fact, animal shelters across the country are accustomed to receiving "July 4th" dogs—dogs who run off during fireworks celebrations and are rescued by animal control officers or good samaritans who take them to the safety of a local shelter. Leave Them At Home Fortunately, preventing pet problems on Independence Day is possible by simply planning ahead and taking some basic precautions. "With a little bit of planning and forethought, you can enjoy the excitement of the Fourth of July and know that your animal companion is safe, sound, and enjoying a little peace and quiet," said Nancy Peterson, an issues specialist with The Humane Society if the United States. To protect your pet on the Fourth of July, take these precautions: Resist the urge to take your pet to fireworks displays. Keep your pets indoors at home in a sheltered, quiet area. Some animals can become destructive when frightened, so be sure that you've removed any items that your pet could destroy or that would be harmful to your pet if chewed. Leave a television or radio playing at normal volume to keep him company while you're attending Fourth of July picnics, parades, and other celebrations. If you know that your pet is seriously distressed by loud noises like thunder, consult with your veterinarian before July 4th for ways to help alleviate the fear and anxiety he or she will experience during fireworks displays. If you plan to go away for the holiday weekend, read our information on Caring for Pets When You Travel. If you follow these simple precautions, you and your pet can have a safe and happy Fourth of July.
Maimed body, friendly spirit…….June 25th, 2008
Bearing horrific scars, Gunny the pit bull has inspired people to give and to care.By Karen Sullivanksullivan@charlotteobserver.com
JONATHAN YOUNG - jyoung@charlotteobserver.comGunny the pit bull relaxes with Amy Murphy, his caretaker, largely unhindered by his amputated leg and scarred body. Murphy suspects Gunny was once used as a “bait” to train other dogs in the fighting ring.
Meet GunnyWhen : 7 tonight. Where : The Wine Vault, 9009-1 J.M. Keynes Drive in University Place shopping center. Details : www.northmecklenburganimalrescue.org Gunny developed a following online at www.northmecklenburganimalrescue.org, where Amy Murphy writes bios of the animals. You can send a donation to the North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue, P.O. Box 241, Harrisburg, NC 28075. Gunny’s body is scarred and he’s missing part of one leg, but otherwise it’s hard to believe this dog was once apparently bait in a dog-fighting operation. The pit bull terrier survived his ordeal with his spirit unbroken. He’s loving, gentle and eager for affection and playtime. Hundreds have donated money and gifts, followed his recovery online and found inspiration in his character. Now they plan to celebrate. Gunny’s caregiver, Amy Murphy, is inviting his supporters and the public to meet him today at the Wine Vault in the University City area. Other dogs aren’t invited. Gunny is still recovering from two surgeries, and as many as 100 people hope to attend, based on e-mails. “One of the things I’ve learned from Gunny is how willing people can be to help,” said Murphy, a volunteer with the North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue who took Gunny in last month. One of the first people to help found the 2- or 3-year-old dog on the side of a road and delivered him to an animal rescue agency. It didn’t take pit bulls, so Gunny ended up at an animal control center in Greenville, S.C. Laurel Watson, a Dallas, N.C., volunteer for the Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League, was scanning the animal control center’s Web site in May. Pictures of Gunny with a badly mangled leg moved her. She didn’t want to see the dog suffer for days waiting to be euthanized. Watson took Gunny to Lake Cross Veterinary Hospital in Huntersville. A veterinarian there said that Gunny didn’t have to be put down, but he urgently needed medical attention. Murphy, a friend of Watson’s, agreed to take Gunny in temporarily. Gunny brushed against Murphy, seeking affection, when she arrived to pick him up from the veterinarian’s office. He was so dirty she asked if he might have a contagious condition. His body was covered with scars – so many bite marks that no one has counted. At first Murphy thought he was wearing a purple cast on his leg. The leg was, instead, badly swollen, disfigured and infected, with a 3-inch wound that oozed so continuously it left a puddle. “That’s when I started crying,” Murphy said. Murphy and Watson said a dog of Gunny’s nature, one who would not fight, would have been used as bait, tied down near fighting dogs that likely tore into him in “training” sessions. Watson and Murphy and others circulated e-mails to raise money for Gunny’s medical care. Donations so far total about $1,800, and treatments have cost about $2,100. “This is a very rare thing to have his medical bills paid for,” said Beth Phillips, president and co-owner of the North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue in Harrisburg. His injured leg has been amputated and a second surgery unblocked his salivary glands. Gunny, as tough as the gunnery sergeants he was named for, licked the caregivers who prodded, poked and subjected him to other painful medical procedures. “His spirit is amazing,” Murphy said. “He has every reason to be afraid and timid. He has no reservations about people or animals. His ability to let things go and move on is so incredible.” Gunny gets along well with Murphy’s other dog, Oscar, and three cats – all rescued castoffs. Murphy, who lives in Harrisburg, still regularly posts information about Gunny at the North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue Web site, as she does for many animals that are available for adoption. Gunny, though, developed a following. “That dog has been to hell and back, but he looked like the happiest dog you could ever see,” said Gene Pleas, who met Gunny this month at a birthday party that Murphy hosted for her dog Oscar. “He was hopping around on three legs with a ball in his mouth. “If we can’t draw some kind of parallel, I think we’re missing the boat.”
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GROVE CITY, Ohio (NBC) — Imagine your dog falling out of your vehicle and onto a busy interstate. Would you go back or drive off, leaving the animal to die on the side of the road? Most people would stop, but that was not the case for a Border Collie which was found dying on Ohio’s Interstate 71 near Grove City on Sunday. The border collie has been named “Miracle.”“The first car that stopped to check on the dog, found the owner’s name and cell number on the dog’s tag,” Wendy Brill said. “But when they called, the owners told them they had no plans to come back for the dog.” Brill and her family wasted no time adopting the injured and scared dog, which they have appropriately named Miracle. Choking back tears, Wendy said, “She was in a horse trailer and they saw her jump from the horse trailer and just kept going.” Miracle is now at the VCA Mill Run Animal Hospital receiving treatment for her injuries. “She suffered a dislocated hip, a shattered hind knee cap may need to be replaced,” said Wendy. “She was also treated for gashes on the top of her head, a gash by her eye. A lot of what they call road rash.” The bills to fix Miracle could easily run into the thousands of dollars, but the Brills say the affectionate dog is well worth the expense. “When I was holding her on the side of the road she was licking me, she is just a really gentle dog,” said Wendy of her new family member. While Miracle faces a good life in Central Ohio, Wendy remains shocked at her former owner’s callousness. “I cannot imagine someone just leaving, knowing that they saw the dog jump. To leave it for dead on the side of road, I cannot imagine that there are people out there like that,” she said.
Rockingham County Animal Shelter Needs A/C As many of you know we do not have a/c at the shelter. The animals are suffering terribly from this. We have collected enough money for one unit, and one unit has been donated. To finish cooling the dog ward we need one more unit. Please go to the below link to donate for the shelter. The animals need everyone's support. Thank you. Click here to Donate online at Fundable Souring economy puts the bite on pet owners By RODRIQUE NGOWI, Associated Press Writer FRANKLIN, Mass. - Diana Bardsley wiped tears from her eyes as she recalled taking food off her plate to feed her beloved spaniel Hunter and two Siamese cats. Some hope was restored after she visited a local food pantry, which has started offering free pet food to help owners keep their animals out of shelters. "I know a lot of people will probably say, 'Well, if you don't have enough money to be able to feed your animals, that you shouldn't have pets,'" said Bardsley, 53, of Franklin, as Hunter played in the living room with three of her grandchildren. But, "Just because financially you may go downhill a little or a lot, doesn't necessarily mean you have give the part of your family that you love," she said. For some pet owners, though, there is little choice. The rising costs of fuel, food and housing — and the rising tide of foreclosures — have generated a surge in requests for pet food from traditional food pantries and prompted some pet owners to give up their animals. Others are trying to save money by forgoing veterinary care. The Animal Welfare League in Chicago Ridge, Ill., has seen the average number of pet owners getting monthly rations from its pet food pantry increase by more than 50 percent since last year. Meanwhile, the number of people seeking service at its discounted veterinary clinic has more than doubled, said Linda Estrada, the group's director and president. "We could do it every day if we had enough food, I mean, that's how bad it's gotten," Estrada said. "The line goes all the way down the street" as pet owners gather once a month for supplies. In Santa Cruz, Calif., a pet food bank run by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has seen demand spike by about 20 percent just in the past six months. The facility typically hands out about 5,000 pounds of free pet food a month. "In the past, the demographics has been people who are disabled or on disability and senior citizens," said executive director Lisa Carter. "Nowadays, during the pet food program, I see people who are able-bodied and not able to find a job." The deepening foreclosure crisis also is having an effect. A growing number of pet owners are abandoning their pets or surrendering them to shelters after losing their homes or being forced into housing that doesn't allow animals, said Brian Adams, spokesman for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Angell Animal Medical Center. "We've seen where people have abandoned dogs in the house, we've seen dogs that have been surviving for weeks on toilet water, we've seen dogs that have either been chained up outside or left in the yard when the people have left, we've seen cats who are just set free," Adams said. "We've seen people do something sort of in the middle of the road — where they don't abandon it, they don't surrender it, but they give it to a neighbor or friend and then that person brings it in maybe a week or two later when they realize, you know, it was something that was sort of dumped on them when they weren't really ready for it yet," he said. Petco Foundation, the charity arm of Petco Animal Supplies Inc., is establishing a program to provide up to $5,000 in grants to shelters to train, care for or find new homes for pets abandoned during the foreclosure crisis, said director Paul Jolly. The program will also benefit shelters that help pet owners find homes that allow pets or supply food to disadvantaged homeowners who want to keep their animals. N.C. State: Dogs are in no danger Martha Quillin
Dianne Dunning holds Jacqueline, a just-bathed 6-year-old beagle that served as a research and teaching dog at NCSU. RALEIGH - Animal welfare advocates hoping to save the lives of nine dogs have frantically contacted N.C. State University's veterinary school this week, after an e-mail message hinting at the canines' imminent demise was widely circulated on the Internet. If you've seen that message, relax. The dogs most certainly will not be euthanized by Friday, as feared. In fact, it's highly unlikely they will be put to sleep at all. The message that started the furor was originally intended just for students, faculty and staff of NCSU's College of Veterinary Medicine. The impassioned plea sought help finding homes for nine dogs that had been used for teaching and research. The message said that if the dogs were not adopted by Friday, they would "go to a terminal study." It noted the service the dogs had given to research. It listed their names. It linked to color photos. Sometime Friday night or Saturday morning, the message was posted on Craigslist. From there it was copied and pasted to numerous other Web sites, asking people to call or send a message to the veterinary school. Dianne Dunning, assistant dean at the school, started getting calls Saturday. She was still getting them Wednesday afternoon. More than 130 so far, including one from an animal-rescue group in California that said it was prepared to send a plane to North Carolina to get the whole canine crew. "It's been wonderful," said a patient and smiling Dunning, who hasn't been able to get much else done for trying to return the calls and e-mail. "People really care." The dogs were not in immediate danger of being euthanized, said Dunning and Warwick Arden, dean of the vet school. In fact, Warwick said, NCSU's is one of only a handful of vet schools across the nation that has made it a practice to try to find homes for all its research animals: dogs, cats, ferrets, anything that would make a good pet. The school has had the placement program for 14 years. NCSU buys its research animals, most often from breeders who raise them for that purpose, Dunning said. Most dogs used for research are beagles or hounds, and the animals may stay at the vet school for a few months or a year. While they're there, Dunning said, they're well cared for, doted on by students and faculty. They have regularly scheduled play times, plenty of food and the best in animal health care. In exchange, they may be used to teach veterinary students how to draw a blood sample, how to listen to a heartbeat or what a healthy limb should feel like during a physical exam. They may be used to test how fast a medication enters and exits the system. At the end of their service, the animals are offered to the people who have worked most closely with them -- those who teach and study at the vet school. If suitable homes are not found for all the animals that way, Dunning said, the school works with local agencies that handle animal adoptions. Only as a last resort, Warwick said, would the animals be euthanized, and that rarely happens at NCSU. Warwick said schools that routinely euthanize their research animals do so in a way that contributes to research or teaching, such as using tissue samples to study disease and develop treatments. Already, Dunning said, arrangements have been made for three of the nine dogs now available for adoption. Enough people have called in that the other six will be placed in homes, too, she said. It takes awhile, she said, because the dogs are state property, and a lot of paperwork is involved in transferring them to private ownership. Warwick said that although it's gratifying to see such interest in these dogs, "The real tragedy is that at animal shelters across the country there are 3 million dogs and cats euthanized each year" because no one offers them a home. From: Carrie Weeks <carrie@carrietransport.com> *****Please Crosspost*****
Molly the Pony Romps in Life.....on Three Legs |
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We're advocating for a more compassionate Guilford County.
Join the SPCA of the Triad and other local animal welfare organizations this Thursday night. Animal agencies will be joining together to present information to the Guilford County Commissioners about the state of animal welfare in the county.
Show up. Stand up. Show the commissioners that you care about the welfare of animals.
Where: Old Guilford Courthouse, 2nd Floor, 301 West Market Street
When: Thursday, April 17th at 5:30 p.m.
For more information, email Frankie at fpatzsch@yahoo.com |
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We have to pee.
We have a lot of dog-walking (and kitty-lovin') to do. Ask about volunteering with the SPCA of the Triad. Kids of all ages are welcome.
Email Jenny at forpaws@triad.rr.com for more information. |
April 17, 2008 Guilford County Commissioners Public Meeting
Let's get something positive happening for the animals. They are counting on you and we need your help and support
If 16,000 arrive, 8,000 killed made headline news in the morning, we would all stop to find out what in the world was going on. Unfortunately it didn't and hasn't make headlines and it continues to go on unnoticed. It keeps on happening year after year. The unwanted, abandoned, neglected and abused animals of Guilford County pay the price as 8,000 sweet souls are euthanized year after year.
The SPCA of Triad and the Director of A New Leash on Life SPCA of the Triad have been working with the Animal Control Coalition Work Group, Animal Rescue Groups and a fairly large, diverse group of residents from our community who are speaking out to create awareness and change for the animals in Guilford County who have no voice to ask for help.
We have been granted an audience with the Guilford County Commissioners at their Regular
(Public) Meeting on April 17.
We will present facts and figures to the Commissioners on
1) The worsening situation as it exist for our animals
2) Resources and services now being offered and stretched to the limit and request an opportunity to make change for our animals by working with the Guilford County Commissioners in ongoing sessions at their regular work sessions.
What we need from you, the animal community, volunteers and supporters of animals, is a very BIG, STRONG TURNOUT at the meeting. As well as being heard, our strength in numbers needs to be seen. I am asking that you come and bring everyone you can. We have been advised that numbers (of supporters) are heard much more clearly than spoken messages with our representtives and law makers. Please come and raise your hands for the animals.
Let's get something positive happening for the animals. They are counting on you and we need your help and support.
Date: April 17th, 2008
Time: 530PM
Place: Old Guilford County Courthouse
Officials seize 77 dogs from home
By Melanie Davis and Caroline Monday
Melanie@mountaintimes.com
CMonday@mountaintimes.com
CLICK HERE FOR RELATED VIDEO
Seventy-seven dogs and three dead puppies were seized during a search warrant executed at a home located at 10430 N.C. 194 north near Todd Thursday evening.
The search warrant was the result of a joint investigation between the Watauga County Sheriff's Office and the Watauga County Animal Care and Control department.
Animal Care and Control officer Steve Norris holds one of
the seized dogs that appears to be suffering from mange.
Photo by Caroline Monday
According to officers with Animal Care and Control, the investigation began with a stray dog picked up in that area of the county. The dog was in poor condition leading to an investigation.
Animal Care and Control officer Steve Norris holds one of the seized dogs that appears to be suffering from mange. Photo by Caroline Monday
On March 13 Animal Control officers visited the residence on N.C. 194 with a sheriff's deputy and seized three dogs and one dead dog.
Anna Mae Warner, 18, was charged at that time with three counts of cruelty to animals, with another charge filed at a later date. She is scheduled to appear in district court on April 22 in lieu of a $2,500 unsecured bond to face those charges.
The investigation into Warner's treatment of the numerous animals at her home continued after that arrest warrant was served.
Warner is alleged to have been breeding dogs for sale. Of the animals seized, there were miniature schnauzer, Papillon, Maltese, Jack Russell, toy poodles, Yorkshire terriers, shih tzu, chihauhua, pug, Pomeranian, spitz, Pekingese, Boston terrier and cocker spaniel breeds.
A statement from the sheriff's office said the cause of the seizure was the lack of medical treatment for the dogs and the animals not being fed and watered properly.
Local veterinarians are seeing the animals beginning on Friday, treating them for malnutrition, dehydration and mange.
Seventy-seven animals were seized at one time.
Photo by Caroline Monday
The investigation by the Watauga County Sheriff's Office is ongoing and further charges against Warner are pending.
The bulk of the animals are being housed at the Animal Care and Control office, while the Watauga County Humane Society is assisting the officers with the care of the animals.
The younger puppies, pregnant dogs and some others are in the Humane Society's shelter. That location is better equipped to handle those special needs animals, according to officials.
The dogs that have been seized are considered evidence in a criminal case. Therefore, the animals are not available for adoption or foster care. They must remain in the custody of Animal Control and the Humane Society until the disposal of the case through the court system. The Animal Control officers may only feed, clean and provide medical care to the animals until a decision is reached in court.
The public can help by fostering the other dogs in the care of Animal Control. The facility is near full capacity due to the seizure.
Other strays and unwanted animals need foster homes until a permanent location can be found.
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The animals will be kept at the county facilities and at the Humane
Society shelter until the court decides the case.
Photo by Caroline Monday
Warner's operation falls under the classification of a puppy mill. The legal definition of this term is anyone who owns more than five breeding age, unspayed female dogs and is not licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a dog breeder.
Humane Society shelter manager Lynn Northup said, "The problem with puppy mills is that they do not care about the quality of the animals. There is more concern for the money than for their care and well being."
Northup also gave warning signs for those interested in purchasing a pure breed dog. "If you're going to buy a pet instead of getting one from a shelter or a breed rescue, ask to see the parents, ask to see where they were living."
She said red flags to look for include advertisements for five to six different breeds from the same person, or the breeder asking to meet in a parking lot or place other than the kennel.
Photo by Caroline Monday
If the pictures don’t come through go to this link:
http://www.wataugademocrat.com/2008/0407/0411dogsseized.php
Pit Bull Rescue Central
The PBRC website (www.pbrc.net) is a virtual shelter and resource for owners and caretakers of American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and pit bull mixes. Just click on the banner below to go to this great site.
Adopting a four-legged veteran
By Karen Jowers - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Mar 24, 2008 11:00:42 EDT
Armytimes.com
GREG SOUSA / GOLDSBORO NEWS-ARGUS
Benny, a former military working dog,
was adopted after retirement.
Benny was declared “excess” by the military and scheduled to be euthanized by January, according to his military medical records.
Today, Benny — a spry German shepherd — is anything but excess to Debbie Kandoll, who found him during a determined search to adopt a retired military working dog.
Even at the advanced dog age of 10, with degenerative bone disease, Benny has become an integral part of the Kandoll family since he was adopted from Langley Air Force Base, Va., on Jan. 4.
Kandoll, the wife of an Air Force Reserve officer currently on active duty, wants to get the word out to other military families and civilians that retired dogs are available for adoption at military working dog facilities across the country, as are some younger dogs who may have washed out of the program.
She has launched a Web site that includes phone numbers for 125 military working dog facilities.
The idea of supporting the troops, said Kandoll, who lives near Goldsboro, N.C., “should apply to all veterans, not just the human ones.” Kandoll said she thought at first that she could adopt retired dogs only through the Defense Military Working Dog School at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.“People should check with regional facilities to see what is available,” she said.
As for Benny, he’s thriving and his mobility has improved, she said — partly because he now gets to sleep on comfy pillows instead of concrete. Although Benny is no longer on military patrols and sniffing for drugs, he is anything but retired. He visits hospitals, including the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Durham, N.C., as a certified therapy dog. Kandoll and Benny make appearances at local events to raise awareness and encourage more civilians to adopt retired military working dogs.
Last year, 360 retired military working dogs were adopted or transferred to law enforcement agencies, according to officials at the Defense Military Working Dog School, with the 341st Training Squadron at Lackland. Of those, 103 were transferred to law enforcement agencies, 139 were adopted at Lackland and the remaining dogs were adopted elsewhere, many likely by former military working dog handlers.
Under a law passed in 2000, dogs declared “excess” by the Defense Department can be adopted by law-enforcement agencies, prior military handlers and the general public. “A lot of people still don’t know they can adopt dogs,” said Ron Aiello, founder of the U.S. War Dogs Association and a former military dog handler in Vietnam. “They don’t know dogs were used in Vietnam and that they are being used now. I’d like to see more veterans adopt military working dogs.”
Aiello said he works closely with Kandoll to provide information to people who want to adopt dogs. Interest has come from a number of Vietnam veteran dog handlers, many of whom had to leave their dogs behind in Vietnam. He and Kandoll think adopting the dogs can be therapeutic for veterans.
To adopt a military working dog, prospective owners fill out a basic application with questions about their experience with dogs, other pets in the household, yard size, fencing and children in the household, officials said. Once a match for a prospective adoption is made, an agreement is signed for the transfer of ownership, in which the new owner releases the Defense Department from liability. The dogs are free, but the new owners must pay all costs, including transportation.
Officials at the Military Working Dog School said they have not had to euthanize any dogs for lack of someone to adopt them. In fact, they’ve had to establish a waiting list because there are not enough dogs to meet the high demand for them in the community and with law-enforcement agencies.
Kandoll’s dream is to build a Web site that connects people to working dogs. “These people at Lackland go above and beyond to place dogs in a home,” she said. “But it’s such an overwhelming job. The problem is that the word hasn’t gotten out that after the handlers and law enforcement, civilians can adopt the dogs.
“That’s why the kennel master had this smile in his voice when I called and asked if he had a dog available for adoption on the afternoon of Nov. 29,” she said. “He said, ‘Yes, I do. ... His name is Benny, and he’s a great big goofball.’”
Kandoll had checked with Lackland officials earlier in November, but Benny was not in their database of dogs available for adoption, although he had been declared “excess” — ready to be retired — in October. “If I hadn’t had the military connection, I would not have known how to contact these other facilities,” she said. She and her husband drove to Langley Air Force Base on Jan. 4 and picked up Benny.
As part of the adoption process, Kandoll received Benny’s military medical records. She quickly noticed that on Nov. 29, Benny officially had been scheduled for euthanasia in December or January. Nov. 29 was the same day Kandoll had made her 20th phone call — the one that led her to Benny
To find out more about adopting a Four Legged veteran visit the links below:
www.uswardogs.org/
www.militaryworkingdogadoptions.com/
MWD Facility Contact Numbers thru-out US below
www.militaryworkingdogadoptions.com/donations.html
Black pups face doggie discrimination
Dark-coated pooches tend to linger in shelters the longest
Photo Illustration by msnbc.com
Big, black dogs are often the last to be adopted from animal shelters — a phenomenon known in pet rescue circles as "black dog syndrome."
Melissa Dahl
Health writer
msnbc.com
It's not like Pamela Gregg was a stranger to helping out the underdog. She thought she knew what kinds of pooches linger the longest in animal shelters: Older dogs, abused dogs, sick or injured dogs — dogs like George Bailey, the hound mix she'd rescued after he'd been struck by a car.
But black dogs? While searching for a companion for George Bailey, Gregg was shocked to see a banner on an Ohio animal shelter's Web site that detailed how tough it is for big dogs with black coats to find homes.
"It said something like, 'We know that you people prefer colors, but we've got wonderful black dogs here, won't you please consider them?'" recalls Gregg, who's 49 and lives in Xenia, Ohio. "I was shocked, because I think that black dogs are beautiful — and I couldn't believe people would not get a dog based on its color."
To the uninitiated, the idea seems so strange — doggie discrimination? But among those in animal rescue circles, the phenomenon is commonplace enough to have earned its own name: "black dog syndrome."
"There's not a lot of that type of statistics on many aspects of sheltering," says Kim Intino, the director of animal sheltering issues for the Humane Society of the United States. "But I think that every person that has worked in a shelter can attest that in shelters animals with black coats can be somewhat harder to adopt out — or to even get noticed."
Even after a year had passed at a Los Angeles animal shelter, no one had noticed Estelle. Except, of course, for the staff; they fawned over the big black dog and her gentle demeanor. They started letting Estelle roam the office during the day, which let one couple see her in action — outside her cage and calmly interacting with people. They fell for her, and took her home.
But not every black dog is lucky enough to get that kind of special attention, says Madeline Bernstein, the president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Los Angeles.
"They're the hardest to adopt out, they're in the shelters the longest and therefore, they're most likely to be euthanized if nothing happens," Bernstein says. (Breeders don't tend to face this problem at the level that shelters do, simply because they have fewer animals to deal with than a city shelter that takes strays in every day.)
Bernstein has plenty of theories about why people might not want black dogs in animal shelters. It's mostly an unconscious thing, she says, which may explain why black cats have the same problems finding a home. People who are aware of superstitions about black cats (don't let them cross your path!) may also be unconsciously harboring superstitions about black dogs.
In British folklore, such as stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Sir Walter Scott, the black dog is a creepy, spectral figure that haunts cemeteries and is an omen of death. (Non-lit geeks who've never heard of those stories have at least seen "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," in which a big black dog called the Grim stalks Harry.) Another Englishman, Winston Churchill, battled serious bouts of depression which he called "the black dog."
But some speculate that black dogs just don't have the right look to catch the eye of potential adopters.
"Black dogs might appear older; even when they're young, they have bits of facial hair that may be white or gray," Bernstein says. And the ignored breeds are often those who simply look a little big and scary, and whose bad reputations may have preceded them, such as Rottweiler, Doberman pinscher and pit bull mixes.
Bernstein says some people turn in their black dogs to the shelters because they've gotten new furniture and don't like the dark fur their pet sheds.
Too hard to see
But it may be the simplest reason that's costing these dogs a good home — their black coats can make them invisible in poorly lit kennels. (Same problem happens with amateur photos on shelters' Web sites, which is how many people find the dog they intend to adopt.)
"Sometimes if a potential adopter sees a whole row of black dogs, they think, 'Maybe they're not being adopted for a good reason. Maybe there's something wrong with these dogs,'" Bernstein says.
So volunteers at some shelters put extra energy into getting their black dogs noticed. They place brightly colored, eye-catching blankets and toys in their kennels. At Bernstein's shelters, they tie pink ribbons around the necks of the girls, and fasten big bow ties around the necks of the boys.
"In our kennels, the black dogs are all decked out," Bernstein says.
One shelter in Kettering, Ohio, the Society for the Improvement of Conditions for Stray Animals even ran a special discount on black dogs in February, slashing adoption fees in half after executive director Rudy Bahr realized that out of his shelters' 42 dogs, 28 of them were big and black. Bahr instructs his employees in the same sort of tactics Bernstein's shelters take to attract attention to black dogs, like tying bandannas around their necks and taking the dogs to a well-lit area outside to have their photo taken for their Web site.
It was that kind of photo on the shelter's site that attracted Gregg's attention as she continued her search for a companion for George Bailey. "I was trolling through their pictures and there she was," Gregg says. "She was a hound mix like George Bailey, but Molly is sleek, shiny black. As soon as I saw her I completely fell in love. I couldn't get in my car fast enough."
Molly and Bailey turned out to be a perfect match, and if Gregg someday rescues another dog, she says she'll definitely go for a big black dog.
"If and when I get another dog, I will probably deliberately look for another black dog, only because I've learned of black dog syndrome," Gregg says. "Bring 'em my way, because I love 'em."
Service Dogs May Help Autistic Children
Many Parents Who Spoke to ABC News Raved About Their Experience With the Dog Therapy
By BOB WOODRUFF
April 1, 2008
Matthew Plunk's parents say they have seen a vast
improvement in their autistic son since he got a service dog.
On Matthew Plunk's third birthday, his parents, Jeff and Jennifer, received some life-changing news: Their son had autism.
Matthew Plunk's parents say they have seen a vast improvement in their autistic son since he got a service dog.The diagnosis came as no surprise to the Plunks, who had long struggled to contain their son's emotional outbursts and antisocial behaviors.
"He had a lot of fears," said Jennifer. "Just a truck going by would make him want to climb up you."
After years of trying different therapies and experimental diets for Matthew, the Plunks noticed he had made significant progress but still suffered from intense anxiety and difficulty interacting with strangers.
"The biggest thing I was looking for [was] a calmness for Matthew," said Jennifer. "His mind is just going 90 miles an hour. It's like his foot is always on the gas pedal."
So when Matthew was 6, Jennifer went online in search of something else she hoped could help him -- a dog. She had heard about service dogs specially trained to work with children with autism so she researched a program that would help her find a canine companion for Matthew.
"I really believed in the calming impact that a dog can have," said Jennifer.
Her research led her to 4 Paws for Ability, one of several organizations that trains and places dogs to work specifically with autistic children, helping them to become calmer, more social and more comfortable in the world.
As part of their application to the training program, the Plunks submitted hours of home video to demonstrate the problems that Matthew was having, as well as lengthy descriptions of their family's habits and challenges.
Once accepted into the program, they were then required to raise the $12,000 necessary to train the dog, which they did through the generosity of friends, family and their community.
With the money raised, the Plunks headed to the 4 Paws center for a two-week training course in which they were introduced to Matthew's new service dog, Ajax, a Great Pyrenees-boxer mix.
"It was amazing," said Jennifer, describing their first day at the center. Matthew, who had always struggled with forming new bonds with strangers, recognized a picture of Ajax and immediately ran to him.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Board will study panel for shelter
It did not discuss concerns about euthanasia by gas
By Lisa Boone-Wood
JOURNAL REPORTER
DANBURY
Stokes County commissioners said last night that they will consider creating an advisory board to oversee the county’s animal shelter.
About 30 people, including members of a local animal-rights group called Stokes Citizens Against Gassing, attended the commissioners’ meeting. Four people spoke, urging the county to change shelter practices, including the use of carbon-monoxide euthanasia.
Velvet Kitzmiller, who moved from Maryland to Stokes County about a year ago, presented a petition to the commissioners with what she said was more than 2,200 signatures of county residents who objected to carbon-monoxide euthanasia at the shelter.
“We have decided as citizens in this county, this is not an acceptable practice and we will come to you on a monthly basis until this is changed,” Kitzmiller said. “It’s time that we move forward in this county.
“I do understand that you are considering the options and you’re not ready to make a decision,” she said. “I can’t for the life of me understand why we would be considering keeping the gas chamber.”
Jennifer Turney, who lives in Forsyth County and serves on a Forsyth County animal-control board, told commissioners that Forsyth County was in the same position as Stokes County 15 years ago.
“Much like you, our county commissioners had a lot of difficult choices to make,” Turney said. “I’d like to ask you to look at this issue very carefully.”
The Forsyth County Animal Shelter now uses lethal injection to euthanize animals.
Commissioners didn’t discuss the comments by animal-rights advocates last night, but they did discuss a proposed animal-control advisory committee.
County Manager Bryan Steen asked that the proposed animal-control advisory committee be put in place to make recommendations on how money donated to the shelter should be spent.
“I would like to have input, rather than it being an expenditure decision made solely by the county manager,” Steen said.
Commissioner Ron Carroll suggested that an animal-control advisory committee do more than just recommend how to spend money donated to the shelter.
Carroll said he wants to have a committee to advise the board on any animal-control issues.
“There is certainly a lot of interest there, and I think it would be wise to tap into that,” he said.
Commissioners will discuss the proposed animal-control advisory committee again at the their next meeting on April 14.
■ Lisa Boone-Wood can be reached at 727-7232 or at lboone-wood@wsjournal.com.
Human Foods, Products Can Kill Pets
Medicines, Fruits, Veggies Dangerous For Animals
Barbara A. Besteni, Staff writer
An apple a day may keep the doctor away for humans, but the cyanide in apple seeds can kill your dog.
Surprised? You're not alone.
In 2007, the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center received more than 130,000 calls. Most cases of animal poisoning were caused by common household items.
Sixty-eight percent of the calls had to do with an animal having ingested a medicine or drug normally prescribed for humans. It is the most common cause of pet poisoning in the U.S. And it's not just a case of Fido getting into his pet parent's medicine cabinet.
In many cases, experts say, pet owners give their feline and canine friends an over-the-counter medication to ease an animal's pain. But acetaminophen and ibuprofen, the active ingredients in many common pain relievers, are extremely toxic to dogs and cats. They can cause gastric ulcers, liver damage, kidney failure and sometimes death.
In 2007, the discovery of rat poison in some brands of popular dog and cat foods sparked a massive recall after dozens of animals reportedly got sick or died from eating the tainted food. And while you wouldn't dream of intentionally feeding your pet rat or mouse poison, it's easy enough for them to accidentally eat it if it's left somewhere where they can get to it. Be a responsible pet parent and keep all poisons in tightly sealed containers on shelves high enough where your curious pets can't get to them.
Mothballs are another common cause of poisoning in pets. Those that contain 100 percent naphthalene can be deadly.
If you use fabric softener sheets, keep them away from your pet pals. These sheets contain detergents known as cationics that are potentially harmful, especially to cats.
Pennies minted after 1982 are made of copper plating around zinc core. APCC experts say that the zinc in just one penny can cause kidney failure and damage red blood cells in pets.
In The Kitchen
While it's OK to occasionally treat your pets to people food, beware that many foods that humans enjoy can be dangerous to animals. Here are a few of the most toxic.
If your Cinco de Mayo celebration calls for guacamole, keep your pet pals away from the table. Avocados contain a toxic component called persin, which can damage heart, lung and other tissue in many animals.
And we've all seen the cute commercial where a dog goes to the refrigerator and gets his human a beer. But there's a reason why you never see the dog sharing that beer. Alcoholic beverages can cause the same damage to an animal's liver and brain as they cause in humans. But the effects can be deadly on smaller animals.
Nuts are also common party fare that can be hazardous to pets. Walnuts and macadamia nuts are especially toxic.
Chocolate is supposedly good for human hearts. But chocolate contains theobromine, which if eaten in enough quantity, can kill your pet pal. Dark and unsweetened baking chocolates are especially dangerous.
Another problem is candy or anything containing Xylitol, a common sweetener found in some diet products, which can cause a sudden drop in an animal's blood sugar, loss of coordination and seizures. If not treated, the animal could die.
Keep cherry pits, peach pits, pear pips, plums pits and apricot pits far away from your pets. Like apple seeds, they all contain cyanide. There's also the danger that an animal may choke on large pits.
Coffee, tea or any product that contains caffeine stimulates an animal's central nervous and cardiac systems. This can lead to restlessness, heart palpitations and death, depending on how much the animal consumes.
Grapes and raisins can lead to kidney failure in dogs. As little as a single serving of raisins can kill them. And their effect is cumulative, meaning that even if a dog eats just one or two grapes or raisins regularly, the toxicity that builds in his system will eventually kill him.
Onions are another common food that can be highly toxic pets. They can destroy an animal's red blood cells and lead to anemia, weakness and breathing difficulties. Their effects are also cumulative over time.
In The Yard
According to APCC, June, July and August are the deadliest months of the year for pets. About 47 percent of pet poisonings during those months involved exposure to pesticides and herbicides.
Something as harmless as a walk through a lawn newly treated with one of these products can poison a pet that licks its paws afterwards.
You should also watch for wild mushrooms that sprout up in your yard. They can cause abdominal pain, drooling, liver and kidney damage, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, coma and death.
If you pride yourself on growing your own tomatoes, keep your pets away from them. Tomatoes contain atropine, a product sometimes used to treat eye problems in animals. But too much atropine can cause dilated pupils, tremors and heart arrhythmias. The leaves and stems of tomato plants have particularly high levels of atropine.
Prepare For Emergencies
Despite all the precautions you take to keep your pet pals safe, accidents do happen. That's why the ASPCA, Humane Society and animal advocates advise pet owners to keep the telephone number of their local veterinarian and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center -- (888) 426-4435 -- in a prominent location.
Common signs of poisoning include muscle tremors or seizures; vomiting and diarrhea; drooling; redness of skin, ears and eyes; and swelling and bleeding.
If you suspect your pet has consumed, inhaled or come in contact with a toxic substance, stay calm and call for help immediately.
You will be asked for the following:
Your pet's species, breed, age, sex and weight
Exact name of product ingested, inhaled, or absorbed. If possible, have the product's container available
How much the animal consumed or came in contact with
How long ago did this occur?
If you see your pet consuming anything you think might be toxic, seek emergency help immediately even if she is not exhibiting any symptoms
A haven for abuse victims who keep their pets close
By Steve Marcus for USA TODAY
Rose Terry, 55, a resident of the Shade Tree women
and children's shelter in Las Vegas, visiter with her
six-year-old Norwegian Forest cat Byron at the
shelter's "Noah's Animal House."
When Rose Terry finally resolved to leave her abusive boyfriend, she knew she'd have to live in a shelter for a few weeks before she could start life anew. She had no reservations about that.
But she anguished over Byron, the cat who had seen her through the awful times. None of her friends could take the female feline (the family was first told she was male, hence the name), and she couldn't bear the thought of placing her in an animal shelter until she got back on her feet. "I was desperate, weeping," Terry says. "She's my family."
When Terry learned one Las Vegas domestic violence safe haven, Shade Tree Shelter, had just built a pet-boarding facility on its grounds for residents' animals, "I was in such relief." Terry packed up her suitcase and her cat just before Christmas and checked in. "It's just so good to get to visit with Byron every day," says Terry, 55, who has a new job and nearly enough savings to lease an apartment and start over. "It helped so much that I didn't have to worry about her."
Domestic abuse shelters have long recognized that abused families, often kept so isolated that pets are their only friends, won't leave the abuser because they know animals left behind may be harmed as a power play or retaliation. So shelters have worked with animal-welfare groups that provide temporary pet care to ensure that everyone gets out of the situation.
Today, the emerging alternative is for domestic abuse shelters to provide on-site pet boarding. So far, fewer than a half-dozen such shelters exist, says Allie Phillips, director of public policy for the non-profit American Humane Association. But the numbers are certain to increase, as efforts are afoot on two fronts.
American Humane has just compiled and distributed a how-to guide, and Phillips' goal is that by year's end, at least 15 shelters will offer or will soon offer on-site pet boarding. Doorways for Women and Families Safehouse in Arlington, Va., will be the first to use American Humane's Pets and Women's Shelters (PAWS) Program start-up guide — officials there are in final planning to provide pet housing later this year — but Phillips has been contacted by others seeking advice.
"Shelters are overworked and underfunded, and the last thing they feel they can do is add more to their plates, even though they might be inclined toward having on-site pet care. My goal was to simplify everything, answer all the questions, debunk all the myths and walk them through the process, from how to raise money to fund it … to how to keep the people and animals safe," says Phillips, a former prosecuting attorney who was presented with hundreds of domestic violence cases and spent nearly a year putting together the guide.
Having a blueprint that reduces to minutes or hours the animal-care planning discussions that heretofore would probably have taken weeks "removes a lot of the obstacles" that have prevented many shelters from launching such a program, Phillips says.
'Enormous' need for service, comfort
Concurrent efforts are in the offing from Staci Columbo, a Las Vegas marketing executive who launched Noah's Animal House, the pet facility at Shade Tree. She's developing her own guide "to take to other communities" this year. Her goal: "at least six across the country in five years." The need, she says, "is enormous."
Noah's, which accommodates up to 15 cats and 18 dogs, has drawn so many pet-owning families since its opening in October that it is full most of the time. Expansion plans already are being discussed.
Some abuse victims are satisfied with placing their pets temporarily in an animal shelter. But there are downsides: Sometimes the shelter is full, and some animals don't adapt well to that environment. And often, the already-stressed families are further troubled by their pets' absence, and they're not allowed to visit the animal for fear the abuser might track them there, putting people and animals at risk.
"When a person is in the midst of nothing familiar, the comfort a pet can provide is enormous," Phillips says.
"We had the experience with several women who would arrive with a garbage bag full of possessions and a pet in tow and refuse to check in when they learned that we would find a safe place for the animal, but it couldn't stay here with them," Columbo says. "We've known of women who lived in their cars so they could keep their pets with them and women who stayed in a shelter but kept their pet in the car parked on the street, and, of course, women who wouldn't leave their abuser because of concern for the safety of their animals. Each situation like this tore your heart out."
Benefits vs. concerns
Still, many say there are good reasons for not housing pets in domestic violence shelters — concerns about allergies, noise and bites; debates about whether pets on the grounds may put everyone at risk by attracting the spurned partner; and worries that a pet's presence may prevent a victim from focusing on addressing her own issues.
Marci Sanders, director of the Shelter for Abused Women & Children in Naples, Fla., says her staff had to consider all those questions when contemplating providing on-site care for residents' pets. But they moved ahead five years ago, "and the benefits so outweigh the negatives," she says. It costs less than $1,000 a year to care for about 100 pets annually in crates in an out-of-the-way room. And although "we've had a dog that dug holes in the yard, and one that barked for a while," she says, "in the big picture that is nothing."
Phillips hopes that within 10 years, "these kinds of arrangements will be commonplace." She placed a petition seeking support of on-site pet facilities at domestic abuse shelters online Feb. 23 at thepetitionsite.com; it has attracted more than 18,000 comments.
Tue Mar 11, 11:01 PM ET
Man clinging to boat: Save my dog first
CORE, W.Va. - Life jackets are made for people, not dogs. So, when Randy Earl's small boat capsized while he was fishing with his dog Lacy, a black spaniel mix, he stayed in the water with his life jacket while making sure Lacy was OK.
"When the boat flipped over, I put the dog on top of the boat," Earl told The Dominion Post of Morgantown.
While waiting for someone to rescue them on Mason Lake in northern West Virginia, Earl clung to the 12-foot boat's hull. The water temperature was about 50 degrees, said J.M. Crawley, a senior conservation officer for the Division of Natural Resources.
Another fisherman, Jan Thorn, watched from shore as a state trooper paddled out to rescue Earl and Lacy.
"He asked the state trooper to take the dog first," Thorn said. "It was very touching."
Earl, 53, said Lacy means a lot to him and his wife since they lost both of their children in a car accident 15 years ago.
"That dog is like a child to us," he said.
GET INVOLVED....Sign the Petition for the Proposed Statute on Spaying and Neutering of Animals in North Carolina. Click here to view the proposed Statute on Spaying & Neutering in North Carolina.
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3/1/08
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Stokes' animal shelter is closed today for cleaning and painting
The Stokes County animal shelter is off of Sizemore
Road near Germanton. It will not be open to the public today.
(Journal File Photo)
By Lisa Boone-Wood
JOURNAL REPORTER
Stokes County officials are closing the county’s animal shelter to the public for the day in an effort to make the shelter cleaner and safer for animals.
The shelter off Sizemore Road near Germanton will be closed all day to be cleaned and painted, and to have sealant applied to the floors, officials said.
County officials are also considering the shelter’s euthanasia practices.
The Stokes shelter, which has been criticized by animal-rights advocates for using carbon-monoxide euthanasia, is making arrangements to offer training in lethal-injection euthanasia to employees, County Manager Bryan Steen said.
The N.C. Board of Agriculture adopted new euthanasia rules Feb. 13 that strictly govern the use of carbon-monoxide euthanasia.The rules still have to be approved by the state’s Rules Review Commission, but approval could come as early as April. Stokes wants to be prepared if the rules are adopted, Steen said.
Shelter officials are cleaning the shelter because some areas have had a rise in a new strain of parvovirus, a dog disease that attacks the gastrointestinal tract and is highly contagious, officials said.
They are planning to use a new cleaning substance called Nu-quat that will rid the shelter of parvo, Steen said. County officials have also ordered a high-powered steam machine to keep the shelter clean, he said.
“It’s also trying to enhance our infection-control program so that animals are unable to acquire or pass along infections from any other animals that are in the shelter,” Steen said. “This is a good time of the year because the calls haven’t started picking up from a natural birth cycle from these animals.
“If we didn’t do it now, we would probably have to delay it because of capacity issues until January or February of next year.”
Steen has met with town government officials throughout Stokes County. He has asked each town to consider encouraging spay and neuter programs and adopting animals from the county’s shelter with information sent out from the towns, he said.
County officials are also considering a policy that would require that any animal adopted from the county’s shelter be spayed or neutered before adoption to control the number of unwanted pets and reduce the need for euthanasia, Steen added.
“We’re trying to do our part to treat animals as well as we can in the circumstances that we’re dealing with,” Steen said.
■ Lisa Boone-Wood can be reached at 727-7232 or at lboone-wood@wsjournal.com.
Pet Sterilization Becomes Law in LA
LOS ANGELES - Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed one of the nation's toughest laws on pet sterilization, requiring most dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered by the time they are 4 months old. The ordinance is aimed at reducing and eventually eliminating the thousands of euthanizations in LA animal shelters every year.
"We will become a no-kill city and this is the greatest step in that direction," Councilman Tony Cardenas said as he held a kitten at a news conference. Councilman Richard Alarcon, who like Cardenas is a co-author of the bill, brought his two pet Chihuahuas to the event to be neutered in a van operated by the city.
The ordinance exempts some animals, including those that have competed in shows or sporting competitions, guide dogs, animals used by police agencies and those belonging to professional breeders. The average pet owner, however, must have their dog or cat spayed or neutered by 4 months of age (as late as 6 months with a letter from a vet). People with older unneutered pets and newcomers to the city with animals have to obey the law.
First-time offenders will receive information on subsidized sterilization services and be given an additional 60 days. If they still fail to comply they could be fined $100 and ordered to serve eight hours of community service. A subsequent offense could result in a $500 fine or 40 hours of community service.
The ordinance brings the nation's second-largest city into line with about a dozen of its neighbors with similar laws. Many states require animals adopted from shelters to be sterilized, and New York City requires the same for animals bought from pet shops, but restrictions such as those in Southern California are rare. A 2006 Rhode Island law requires most cats to be sterilized.
A measure similar to Los Angeles' passed the California Assembly last year but did not gain state Senate support.
LA animal shelters took in 50,000 cats and dogs last year and euthanized approximately 15,000 at a cost of $2 million.
Bob Barker, who famously ended every "Price is Right" show with a call for sterilizing pets, pushed for the law's adoption and was at Tuesday's news conference. "The next time you hear me say, 'Help control the pet population, have your pet spayed or neutered,' I can add, 'It's the law in Los Angeles,'" a jubilant Barker said.
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Dogs give up their lives to save family
Tue Feb 12, 1:32 AM ET
WINONA, Minn. - Bella, a 3-year-old golden retriever/collie mix who was once rescued as an abused puppy, returned the favor to her owners by alerting them to a house fire. With help from Maddie, a 6-month-old golden retriever, Bella helped get Sue Feuling and her 9-year-old daughter, Mckenzie, out of the house last week. The dogs didn't make it.
"Those dogs were without a doubt the heroes," said Winona Assistant Fire Chief Jim Multhaup.
Bella had jumped on Feuling's bed early Friday morning and started barking, and Feuling then smelled smoke, grabbed her daughter and rushed out of the house.
But Feuling couldn't coax the dogs out of the house, even when she tried to run back in to yell for them.
"Bella must have thought Mckenzie was still in the house," Feuling said.
A firefighter who arrived at the scene tried to save the dogs, but it was too late. The Feulings were taken to an area hospital for smoke inhalation monitoring, but were OK, Multhaup said.
The fire, which was caused by an overloa