You may have noticed, that we here at Let’s Adopt Canada firmly believe in spaying/neutering your pets.No rescue leaves for its forever home before having “the surgery.”

Would you kill a happy, healthy, loving pet? If you answered “no”, then spaying or neutering your pet is absolutely essential. If you answered “yes” leave now and never return you are in the wrong place!

Spaying is the surgical sterilization of a female animal by removing the ovaries, oviduct, and uterus. Neutering is the surgical sterilization of a male animal by removing the testicles.

Both surgeries are safe when done by a qualified veterinarian. And not only are they safe, having your pet spayed or neutered also has significant health benefits.

The other compelling reason to spay or neuter your pet is the very real fact that there are not enough loving homes available to adopt all the needy pets. Humane societies, animal shelters, dog pounds, rescue foundations … most will euthanize animals simply because no homes were available.

Other animals, who are not so fortunate, die in the streets. Their deaths are not so humane: they can die from exposure to the elements – bitter winds, cold temperatures, or extreme heat; a slow starvation, trying but unable to scrounge enough food to survive; a painful disease, slowly weakening them until they can no longer keep going; poisoning, or outright cruelty.

People often balk at having their pet spayed or neutered … and for various reasons.

Reason #1:

“It’s not right to neuter a male. Only females should be sterilized because they’re the ones that have litters.” This view forgets one important point: it takes both a male and a female to produce a litter. In fact, males can father far more young than a female could ever produce in a lifetime.

And what happens if your intact male escapes the house and mates with an intact female?

It’s both owners’ responsibilities to be sure their pets have been spayed or neutered.

Reason #2:

“I want my children to see the miracle of birth.” There are other ways of teaching children about birth that do not involve bringing unwanted animals into this world. For example, visits to a farm or a zoo can show them the same thing. Videos and books are also an option.

Reason #3:

“Don’t worry, we’ll find homes for the litter.” Maybe so … but for every new animal that’s brought into this world, there are others waiting to be adopted from humane societies and animal shelters.

Reason #4:

“Females should be allowed to have one litter.” There is no reason for a female to have a litter; she will mature properly without it. It will not improve her health or permanently change her personality.

In fact, spaying your pet before her first heat will significantly reduce her chances of developing breast cancer later in life.

Reason #5:

“Spaying or neutering my pet will make it fat.”Proper exercise and nutrition will keep your pet healthy. If your pet is overweight, cut down the amount you feed and fit in a few more minutes of exercise.

Healthy animals are put down every day because there are simply not enough homes for them – and more and more come in everyday. It is heartbreaking to know that a loving, happy, and healthy animal is to be euthanized simply because there is no one to adopt it..

We must all work together to stop uncontrolled and irresponsible breeding of our pets. We can help to stop the suffering of these innocent creatures by reducing the number of unwanted pets being brought into this world.

Do your part by having your pet spayed or neutered. You’ll be saving more than just one life!

Do you take care of your pet’s needs in our cold Canadian winters? Dog owners are always being warned to take their canine friends inside especially on these brutally cold nights. But what about our feline population? Are you aware they have special needs as well?

Cats left outdoors in winter without shelter are subject to all sorts of health problems.

We tend to think of cats as having the ability to withstand the cold, and to some degree this is true. But they warrant special considerations as well. Contrary to what some people believe, cats do not thrive well in excessively cold temperatures. They like being warm. If you are a cat owner you have no doubt witnessed their incredible ability to tolerate the heat. For example, when I was living in Hamilton, my upstairs apartment in an old house had the old accordion style floor radiators. My cat Sheesa would sleep on these radiators when they were so hot I could barely touch them, and she was not affected whatsoever. I would cover them with old towels to try to protect her from heat burns, but I believe I was more concerned than she was. Cats will manage to find the most unreachable areas in your house to bask in rays of sunshine beaming through your windows on a nice sunny afternoon.

Unfortunately, not all cats are lucky enough to have places to escape the brutally cold nights. If you have feral or stray cats in your area, there are things you can do to provide them with some comfort and escape from the elements. Most cats will survive extreme temperatures if you can shelter them from the bitterly cold winds and windchill factors which we all know drops temperatures considerably in our northern climate. If you have a nice sheltered area to provide for them, line it with a bit of straw as this makes perfect bedding material, and if you are even more generous, a piece of flat Styrofoam underneath the straw bed will provide excellent insulation.

If you have a feral colony or strays you look after, put out a bowl of warm water out at least once a day, twice if you can, and be consistent in the times you provide it for them as it will freeze over fast. They will come to know when you put it out and will be waiting and grateful for the sips of fresh warm water to warm up their cold bodies. I also like to give mine extra treats in the winter as hunting gets a little more difficult. The extras help them build up their layers of fat which provides them with extra inner insulation for the winter. Some nice treats of scraps of meat for protein will be graciously appreciated. Keeping your outdoor cats well looked after will improve their immune systems to help them fight off eye and respiratory infections, two particularly rampant infections in feral colonies if left unchecked.

Cats which reside outside all year long begin in the late summer and fall, when temperatures begin to drop, to build up an extra layer of hair under their outer layer. They also begin to bulk up in weight as well, like most wild animals will do. They are adapting their bodies to survive the winter. However, if you have an indoor cat which happens to go outside as well, it has not likely gone through the transition, and so if kitty gets locked outside at night on a particularly cold night, you are subjecting your pet to inhumane conditions. Be conscientious of your pets whereabouts on those nippy nights and if kitty is begging to get outside you may be doing him/her more of a favour by just saying NO.

Until Next Sunday,

Love your pets, they’re the best friends you’ll ever have!

Gloria

Next Sunday:   The bittersweet story of 3 very tiny rescue kittens.

Firstly, let me apologize for the slow week. I am currently undergoing some medical problems and had to take a couple of days off this week for medical appointments. All is well, not to worry.

There have been many cases of off leash dogs biting innocent bystanders in our neck of the woods lately, so I thought today I would address the subject of owner responsibility. Owning a dog is a serious responsibility, one that should not be taken lightly. But what exactly does being a responsible dog owner mean? Well, it is easy, but it does involve a few different elements.

First of all, you’ve got to make sure that your dog does not become a nuisance to others. Your dog shouldn’t be out roaming the streets, destroying property, chasing animals or children, leaving excrement in the park, barking incessantly, etc. It really comes down to proper control of your dog, good dog training, cleaning up after your good friend, and giving him or her the proper attention and exercise that is needed. Here are some golden rules for owning a dog.

You should be committed to properly training and socializing your furry friend. You might consider a dog training class if you have never trained a dog before. You should become involved in activities that both you and your dog find enjoyable, such as agility training, fetch, Frisbee, running, swimming or learning tricks. You should protect him from any harm (using a leash on walks is a good place to start,) instill good doggy manners, and teach him what is right from wrong.

You will commit to your dog as a lifelong companion. You will love and care for him, provide good nutrition and veterinary care, regular exercise, and mental stimulation. Regular veterinary check-ups and vaccinations are not optional they are NECESSARY to your dogs good health. Most importantly, you will take responsibility for everything your pet does, and do everything in your power to ensure that your pet does not harm another human or animal. This means keeping them leashed when out in public, and muzzling them if they have a tendency of aggressive behavior toward strangers.

Leashes not only protect others from your dog they protect your dog as well.

Just as it is your responsibility to teach your children, so is it your responsibility to teach your dog. But it is also your responsibility to follow the law in your area concerning animals. Walking your dog without a leash is NOT proper supervision, and in most communities it is illegal to do so unless you are in a designated off leash area. It also isn’t a very wise thing to do, and I’ll tell you why.

Animals react to body language and energy. If your body language and energy says you are tense, it will put even the most well trained dog on guard. We as pet owners love our dogs, we are not afraid of them and they behave well when with us. However, we must remember that just because we love our dog doesn’t mean everyone else does. When out in public with our canine companions it is our responsibility to see that they are controlled and do not invade the space of strangers.

Yeah I know, your dog is a wonder you can take him anywhere off leash, and he is fine with everyone. But is he? All it takes for an off leash dog to become a problem is someone else’s reaction. You can not control how someone else will react to your dog, but you can control how your dog reacts to them. Leashing your dog is not only the law, it is the smart thing to do. Most communities provide off leash dog parks of unrestricted play and exercise, use them.

Remember, the leash protects others from what your dog might do, but it ALSO protects your pet from what others might do. Be responsible, leash your pet on walks, it keeps everyone safe.

Until Tomorrow Remember

BE THE CHANGE YOU SEEK!

Janette

It is with a heavy heart, and a mind overwhelmed by images of inhumane treatment I can not begin to comprehend, that I write to you today. Many of you who are members of Let’s Adopt Canada are also Let’s Adopt Global members, and are aware of the current situation in Istanbul, Turkey. Those of you not familiar with the situation, please watch the following video (WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES):

This is the person responsible for the atrocities you have seen in the preceeding video. Kadir Topbas, the Mayor of Istanbul. Call Kadir Topbas, the Mayor of Istanbul NOW. Let him know the entire world is looking at these same images on their computer screens and DEMAND the correct application of Turkish Animal Welfare Law 5199.

Kadir Topbas direct line: + 90 212 45521400
Email: baskan@ibb.gov.tr

Some of you may be wondering why I am reporting on a situation that is taking place a half a world away. The answer is simple, kindness knows no boundaries of geography. Compassion knows no nationality. Our friends in Turkey need our support, they need us to let the Mayor know that the world is watching, that we will not stand idly by and allow him to perpetuate the suffering he has been responsible for inflicting on innocent animals.

Whether you live in Turkey, Canada or anywhere else in the world, lend us your voice, give us your support, help us make a difference for the street animals of Istanbul. After all isn’t that why you are here?

Until Tomorrow Remember

BE THE CHANGE YOU SEEK!

Janette

Why is it that every service dog you see is a pure bred?

Delta, BC’s police department’s latest recruit is more likely to lick people than arrest them. The two-year-old male yellow Lab, is the first police therapy dog in Canada. Adding a dog to the department’s victim services team is a new approach to helping people in traumatic situations. The four-legged therapist will offer support and reassurance for “excessively emotional” people.

A dog’s presence can help children and people with disabilities calm down and communicate. The “calm and easygoing” dog will accompany the victim services team whenever it is called to events such as break and enters, assaults, serious collisions or fatalities. But if a victim is allergic to or afraid of dogs, this member of the squad will be sent back to the office. For his own safety, the dog will not attend calls where drugs or alcohol are involved.

Several dogs “interviewed” for the job, but the Lab chosen had the best rapport with the handlers. To see if he could deal with the job’s daily stresses, the dog was exposed to police sirens, taken to the hospital and to court, and introduced to his colleagues: the other fiercer dogs on the squad.

The dog, who has undergone at least six months of advanced training, will live and work full-time with his handler, the coordinator of victim services. The dog was raised and trained by the Pacific Assistance Dog Society (PADS), a non-profit organization based in Burnaby. Until his transition into the workforce is complete, the dog’s name and photograph will not be released, which is PADS policy.

Personally I think this is a great idea! I know that when I am at my lowest, it is my dogs who keep me from going over the edge. their calming presence is usually enough to keep me from becoming overly emotional. I am however, a little discouraged by the fact that every time I see a working dog in Canada, it is a pure bred. Think about the dogs you have seen who are working dogs, dogs who act as seeing eye or hearing ear dogs, police dogs, search and rescue dogs, dogs with jobs. Have you ever seen a mutt with a job?

Here we are, a country with a companion animal overpopulation problem, and our government is BREEDING dogs to train for service jobs. Hundreds of trainable intelligent mutts are killed on a daily basis, but our government breeds MORE dogs to fill their service needs. Why do they feel the need for pure bred dogs to fill these jobs? Would it not make more sense to scout city shelters and rescue groups for trainable dogs before breeding?

ANY dog is trainable, pure bred or not, so why do we feel the need to use ONLY purebred dogs for service jobs? Agencies who train service dogs are usually non-profit agencies. They constantly complain about the expense of the breeding and training of each pup, would it then not make sense to scout out strays and shelter animals for fitting animals first? Would training shelter animals to perform these jobs not reduce the cost?

Even if these agencies can not be convinced to use cross breeds for service jobs, there are MANY pure bred animals awaiting a second chance in shelters and breed specific rescues all over the country. Training rescues to work as service dogs would help to reduce the overpopulation of companion animals in shelters, and give these animals a second lease on life. Perhaps it is time that Canadian agencies that train service dogs woke up and realized that pure bred dogs are not the only dogs capable of working with people.

Until Tomorrow Remember

BE THE CHANGE YOU SEEK

Janette

Fighting between rescue groups only hurts the animals they have sworn to protect.

The THS (Toronto Humane Society) and the OSPCA can’t get along, for years there has been a feud between the two rescue groups. That feud erupted into full on war in 2009 with the OSPCA raid on the THS’ River Street facility in Toronto. High ranking executives within the THS were arrested, handcuffed and displayed for the scandal hungry media. They were charged with conspiracy and cruelty to animals.

When the smoke cleared, all charges against THS executives were dropped and neither organization was seen in a good light. Public opinion was divided on who was right and who was wrong. I of course tended to side with the agency which killed less animals, rather than one that kills more than it saves, but that is merely my opinion. THS executives were charged with cruelty because according to the OSPCA any facility that brings down the number of animals it kills must be needlessly keeping suffering animals alive. Obviously the two agencies tend to disagree on the concept of no kill.

The problem here is a simple one, and it is not a new problem in the world of animal rescue. The problem is agencies that insist theirs is the only proper method of animal rescue, and malign all other agencies who do not share their beliefs. The truth is there are many philosophies when it comes to animal rescue. There are groups such as the OSPCA who feel that NO KILL is a fantasy and the only way to control the companion animal overpopulation problem is by euthanizing animals. Then there are your groups who like the THS believe that NO KILL is possible, and that no animal should be killed for the sins of mankind. We all know which category Let’s Adopt falls into, but we are not here today to talk about or defend our belief in no kill.

What seems to become lost under the feuding and bickering is the true goal of animal rescue, to save lives. In every aspect of our lives we form opinions and beliefs. Those opinions and beliefs differ from one person to another, it is what makes us individuals, each different from the next. What sets us apart. In matters of religion and politics we seem to have no trouble agreeing to disagree, but when it comes to animal rescue all attempts at diplomacy and tact seem to go out the window.

One of the biggest hurdles we face in animal rescue is the inability of rescue groups to work together toward a common goal. Ego plays far too big a role in animal rescue. Each group thinks theirs is the only proper method of rescue, and their beliefs be it no kill or otherwise, are the only true beliefs. They argue and malign each other publicly. The only ones hurt in these feuds between rescue groups is the animals they were created to protect.

It is high time that we as rescue workers, learned to get along. We need to put our differences aside and unite to work towards the common goal of saving lives. If we all find our niche, the part of rescue work we excel at, we can all work together in unison to bring about the changes we seek. After all saving lives is what we are all here to do, does it really make sense to waste our time and energy arguing amongst ourselves over how we go about it?

Until Tomorrow Remember

BE THE CHANGE YOU SEEK

Janette