I have been working in animal rescue for a long time now as I am sure most of you are aware. It has always been a struggle to combat myth and misinformation about things such as breed traits, and spaying and neutering, but for the most part I feel like we are making progress. Or at least I felt that way until I stumbled across an internet site that enables pet owners to hook their unfixed pets up with other unfixed pets for the purpose of breeding.

Yes you heard me correctly, your ears are working just fine! I said a DATING site for pets! Matchmakerpet.com allows users to set up a profile for their animal the same way a human user would set up a profile on a dating site. Users can then contact each other when they find the “right” mate for their pet to breed with.

I hear all of you screaming…I was VERY disturbed by this internet service that goes against everything we teach the general public about NOT breeding for the hell of it, and spaying and neutering your pet. I mean here we are busting our butts to make people understand that unfixed pets only ADD to the overpopulation problem, and then some moron goes and builds a pet dating site like it is the most natural thing in the world. Wonderful! This genius has found one more way to exploit companion animals. Worse than that? People are actually USING the service!

This site needs to be shut down, but how? Legally you can put pretty much anything up for sale on the internet as long as you are not breaking any laws, and sadly no laws are being broken here. However, if this type of thing is allowed to continue, it will seriously raise the population of companion animals and place a lot more unwanted pets on the already overburdened shoulders of the rescue community.

What’s more it is aiding the exploitation of companion animals, and creating more backyard breeders that care only for the money that a litter can bring. People need to realize that the responsible thing to do is SPAY or NEUTER your pet. Breeding an animal for money is wrong, breeding an animal because it is cute and well behaved and EVERYBODY wants one is wrong.  We don’t need more “breeders” we need more people who are willing to spread the news about the necessity of responsible pet ownership. We need more people to voluntarily spay and neuter their pets. In short, we need people to realize that if it lives and breathes it IS NOT a commodity.

I am calling for a BOYCOTT of Matchmakerpet.com. If you know of anyone using this site please take the time to explain to them why they should NOT breed their pet, and why their pet should be spayed or neutered. I am looking into the legalities of attempting to shut the site down, but am not sure anything can be done in that avenue. Right about now I welcome your suggestions.

Until Tomorrow Remember

BE THE CHANGE YOU SEEK!

Janette

Dateline: March 20, 2011

Japan’s “Cat Island”

On Tashirojima, an island about 9 miles off the coast of Japan, cats outnumber its 100 aging human residents, and luckily, all survived the devastating 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami that hit the country last week.  But both the feline and human residents of “Cat Island,” like so many others, are in desperate need of aid.

Cats outnumber the human residents of the island.

The feral cat population on Tashirojima exploded after fishermen brought the pets to curb the island’s growing rat population. The cats are valued for their beauty and companionship, and Cat Island, which features a shrine for felines and cat-shaped homes, had become a popular tourist destination for cat lovers.

There was concern that the island and its residents did not survive the earthquake, aftershocks, and tsunami, but Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support posted this on Facebook March 14th, 2011:

Just to give everyone an update on Tashirojima, the cat island. The people and cats are safe but short of food. A volunteer looked into transporting food by boat, but there is too much debris in the water. A helicopter is the only way. The army will probably get a helicopter ready soon so we are looking into the possibility of asking them to take cat food too.

Aid workers load supplies for needy cats on Japan's "Cat Island"

Together with another organization, Animal Friends Niigata, workers with the Japanese rescue and support team are now in Sendai, near the epicenter of the quake. Efforts are being made to get food to the cats on the island.

This latest disaster reminds us to be prepared for emergencies. If you have pets, please consider following the recommendations mentioned in this U.S. Department of Homeland Security brochure: Download Pets

Feel like you want to help out the animals of Japan?

Here are six ways you can help the animal victims of the disaster in Japan:

1) Donate to Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support. A coalition of three groups - HEART-Tokushima, Animal Garden Niigata and Japan Cat Network, their intention is to keep animal rescue on the agenda, provide shelter space and coordinate some earthquake/tsunami animal rescues.

2) Animal Refuge Kansai is also accepting donations. The organization says they have facilities in place and a team of experienced staff able to deal with traumatized animals.

3) The Search Dog Foundation has deployed teams to Japan to help search for victims.

4) Donate to Humane Society International. They have deployed disaster response staff to the region and reached out to Japanese partner organizations involved with animal care and rescue to identify where and how best to provide emergency support and veterinary attention.

5) World Vets are preparing the deployment of a first-responder team to carry out an “on the ground” assessment and provide initial aid.

6) Join the Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support Facebook page to support animal rescue efforts.

Our thoughts are with the people of Japan and their pets.  Here’s a documentary video clip that gives you an idea of what happens on Japan’s “Cat Island” Enjoy!

See You Next Week!

MEOW!

Storm

Today we have a message from our HuMom. We really hope you listen to what she has to say!

I have been rehoming rescue dogs for a very long time, and one thing is abundantly clear,  the stigma that shelter pets have been stuck with for many years is that they are “damaged goods”. We in rescue know that while physical, as well as psychological damage may have been done, these dogs are not “damaged irreparably” as many people seem to believe. Today we thought we would try to dispel a few of the myths about rescue pets.

Myth: Shelter dogs obviously have issues, the original owners wouldn’t have gotten rid of them if they didn’t

Truth is animals are brought to shelters for a large variety of reasons, some of which are…

Their owners have passed away

An irresponsible owner didn’t get their pets spayed or neutered so they found themselves with a litter of babies that they could not keep or did not want

The animal’s owners were abusive to the animal, so the authorities have removed the pet from the harmful environment

An animal was purchased or adopted by someone who did not take into consideration all of the responsibility that caring for that pet would entail. A good example of this would be someone who adopts a pet in an apartment complex that does not allow animals and then is subsequently forced to get rid of the pet.

Fact is that there are far fewer owner surrenders to shelters than you think, and many of those owner surrenders have absolutely nothing to do with the behavior of the animal.

Myth: Animals from abusive homes will never be good pets because they have been mistreated for so long

Most animals coming from abusive homes will typically make a full emotional recovery – with proper care and attention. Don’t get me wrong you have to work with them patiently. As with humans emotional recovery takes time, but it is possible. I know, EVERY single one of my family pets has been a rescue.

Myth: You never know what you’re getting with shelter pets

Although its true that the medical history and temperament of an animal adopted from a rescue shelter are not always available, it is really no different than an animal you might get from a pet store, shelter animals actually tend to be healthier than pet shop pets.

Myth: All animals in rescue shelters are sickly or unhealthy

Once again, it certainly IS possible that a pet adopted from a rescue shelter may have medical problems, however the majority of the animals that are adopted from shelters are perfectly healthy, and just need a good home. If anything, you’re more likely to get an honest answer about an animal’s medical problems from a shelter volunteer – who is clearly there because they *care* about the animals – as opposed to a pet store owner or breeder that is only it in for the money. Additionally, animals in shelters are typically treated much better than animals in pet stores, which have often spent their short lives in cramped environments with little socializing and often, unsanitary conditions.

When you go to a pet store, the animals are kept on display in tiny cages, often with multiple animals in one cage. Puppies are generally purchased from puppy mills, and are often sick before being shipped to the pet store. When they are placed together in cramped cages with other puppies the possibility for disease to spread is created.When you go to a shelter, you will usually find much bigger animal pens, where the animals have some room to move. They are usually kenneled one pet to a kennel, making the possibility for disease to spread less than in the pet shop.

Take it from someone who has NEVER had anything but rescue dogs. They are no different than a dog you would buy from a breeder or a pet shop, but they can be far more loyal in the end. They need you to understand that it is not their fault they ended up in a shelter, and you shouldn’t label them as “BAD” dogs because they did.

Adopt! Don’t shop! There really is no difference in the end, except maybe that you could be saving the life of an animal that through no fault of its own has ended up in a shelter.

Until Next Week

May your feet stay furry, your nose stay wet, and your food bowl never empty!

Love Ya Lots

Harley & Pebbles

Well here we are at the end of the week again! You all know what that means…time for that uplifting “Happy Tail” to revive us all from the horrors of the week behind us, and remind us why we do what we do so we can find the strength within to keep on doing it. Today I bring you the story of Pebbles. A seven pound Toy Poodle. Enjoy!

Shown here hours after rescue.

Hello Everydoggie! (All you humans too of course!)

My name is Pebbles. I am five years old. I am a six..no wait seven pound (I gained a whole pound since I got here! Can you believe it? Time to sign up for doggie pilates!) Anyway, I am a little white Toy Poodle. I was born in the home of a BYB* who did not believe in taking his dogs to the dogtor! He cropped my tail with a round stretchy thing my human Mom says is called a rubber band. He wrapped the rubber band around my tail so tight it made it fall right off! Can you believe it?!?! I was very scared of the man. One day a human lady came and took me home with her. I was afraid to go and leave my brothers and sisters. What would happen to them? Oh my goodness! What was going to happen to me?
I tried to hide behind the lady when the man got mad at me, but the lady wasn’t always there to hide behind. Sometimes the man kicked me when she wasn’t there. It hurt and I would run and hide behind the couch where the man couldn’t see me. I would stay there until the lady came back, but I was a very scared little doggie. I used to shake all the time. One day the lady went away, and I hid behind the couch for a very long time. When the lady came back she brought a girl puppy of her own with her. Things were good then because the lady stayed at home all the time and the man stopped kicking me. Soon the lady brought home another puppy, this time a boy. Everything was fine again, for a while, then the boy puppy grew up and he started to kick me! He even kicked me down the stairs. The lady tried to make him stop, but he kept kicking me. He was a bad puppy who didn’t listen to his mother.

I was a very sad doggie because I always hurt and no one loved me. Then one day a lady I had never seen before came to my lady’s house. She didn’t look at me or make a fuss and scare me the way people usually do. I ran up to her and jumped on her leg. “Hello Pebbles” she said, but she didn’t touch me. This was interesting, I pawed at her leg. She ignored me! My lady went into the house and came out again with my bed and my bowl in a bag. She gave the bag to the new lady. The new lady took it and then my lady handed her my leash. What was this? The new lady bent down and clipped my leash to my little pink collar. “Are you ready to go home Pebbles?” she asked me. I wasn’t afraid. For the first time ever in my life, I left that backyard. and I wasn’t scared of the world on the other side of the fence anymore, it was where the new lady had come from. I trusted the new lady who is now my Mom.

I didn’t know it when I left the yard, but my new Mom has lots of dogs just like me! There is even a little boy dog named Hercules who looks just like me, he’s a toy poodle too! Diva, she’s my best friend. We run and play together all the time, she’s something called a Shih Tzu. They come from China you know, Mom calls Diva her little foreign boarder. Mom calls me Princess, and she took me to something called a furdresser for a doggie makeover (we even did blogs with before and after photo spreads and everything!). I have my own bed right beside Mom’s big bed and I get brushed every day. Me and all the other little dogs have breakfast with Mom every morning. The big dogs have their breakfast in the other room. I don’t know why they can’t eat with us but Mom says it is important to have rules at meal time. I think it is just because Mom thinks that some days the big dogs are so hungry they might eat us tiny guys by mistake!

We go outside lots during the day and run around in the big yard and play. Sometimes I stay on the porch with Mom and watch the other dogs run and run. I don’t know how I got so lucky, but I am not afraid anymore! Mom loves me and she will take good care of me.

I am Pebbles. I am a good dog, and I am home!

*BYB(back yard breeder; a person who owns dogs to breed them for profit. These people generally do not care about the animal just the money it’s offspring can make them.)

If you would like to see your rescued pet’s story here in our weekly “Happy Tails” blog, write it in 800 words or less and send it with pictures, to:

jhamilton_LA_Canada@bell.net

Don’t forget to hug your pet!

Janette

The summer months will soon be upon us. Warm weather and sunshine will soon brighten our days. Temperatures will rise, and we will take to the outdoors. We will enjoy the summer weather, and so will our dogs.

Many of you think that leaving your dog in an outdoor run is fine during the summer, and it is, as long as you ensure the safety of your pet. “What do you mean?” you ask. “Of course my dog is safe in his outdoor run, it is well built and secure.”  However, I am not just talking about making sure your dog’s run is escape proof. There are many other dangers in a backyard that can threaten the life of your dog.

Even in a secluded, fenced backyard, your dog’s life could be in danger. Many pet owners are unaware of the hidden dangers in their own backyard that could harm, threaten, or even take the life of your four-legged friend.

A backyard that appears to be a dog’s oasis can still be full of all sorts of dangers, especially for rambunctious puppies. Puppies are energetic and tend to explore everything they encounter. Their natural urge to chew can be deadly in a dangerous backyard.

The most common age for dogs to fall victim to harmful backyard dangers is between the ages of six months and one year. Some breeds of dogs, like Golden Retrievers, have a tendency to chew and gnaw all throughout their lives.

What Are Backyard Dangers for Dogs? To protect your dog, it is best to eliminate all dangers in your backyard regardless of your dog’s age or breed. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ASPCA, the most common backyard dangers to watch out for are:

Citronella candles that repel mosquitoes and contain chemicals that could poison your dog

Mulching around trees, plants, and shrubs that contains cocoa

Compost bins and garden or grass fertilizers

Traps designed to catch snails or slugs that contain metaldehyde

Fish ponds or decorative fountains that contain blue-green algae

Insects, toads, snakes, and other animals that may leave behind harmful toxins

Chemicals and supplies for swimming pools or hot tubs

Azaleas, grape vines, sago palms, and other plants that are known to be poisonous

Fly repellents and traps with metonym

Dog owners must play an active role in protecting their dog or puppy from these dangers, as well as other common perils, both inside and outside of their home. Keep chemicals, lawn equipment, and gardening supplies secured and out of your dog’s reach. Make sure garbage cans and other containers are closed tightly at all times.

Always use fertilizers, pesticides, and other harmful agents exactly as instructed and heed any safety warnings on the labels. There are many organic and natural products that can be used in the place of hazardous chemicals for complete canine safety. Your vet or landscaper may be able to recommend quality products.

But the products you use are not the only things you have to worry about, if you leave your dog outside in an outdoor run for any length of time during the hot summer days, there are other things you must consider. It’s hot out there, and dogs and heat DO NOT MIX!

Dogs do not sweat through their skin like humans – they release heat primarily by panting and they sweat through the foot pads and nose. If a dog cannot effectively expel heat, the internal body temperature begins to rise. Once the dog’s temperature reaches 106°, damage to the body’s cellular system and organs may become irreversible. Here are a few things to remember when sharing the summer weather with your canine companion:

Short nosed dogs such as bulldogs and pugs are more susceptible to heat stroke, their exposure to heat should be minimal.

NEVER leave your dog alone in the car on a warm day, regardless of whether the windows are open. Even if the weather outside is not extremely hot, the inside of the car acts like an oven – temperatures can rise to dangerously high levels in a matter of minutes.

Avoid vigorous exercise on warm days. When outside, opt for shady areas.

Keep fresh cool water available at all times. (No leaving a bowl of water for your dog when you leave in the morning is not enough, you must find a way to provide your dog with a constant supply of fresh cool water they can not spill)

Certain types of dogs are more sensitive to heat – especially obese dogs and brachycephalic (short-nosed) breeds, like Pugs and Bulldogs. Use extreme caution when these dogs are exposed to heat.

Summer can be a great time for you and your dog to explore the world around you, just make sure that both of you are safe from harm, and you’ll have a safe and happy summer!

Until Tomorrow Remember

BE THE CHANGE YOU SEEK!

Janette

We are coming into the spring season, a time of year that from a rescue perspective, I dread immensely. Gone are the sub-zero temperatures that marked the winter months, and encouraged cat owners to keep their pets inside. Now the snow is melting, and the earth is awakening to the warmer temperatures, and your cat wants out! But before you open that door, before you let kitty loose on the world, think about one thing, is kitty fixed? If not, close that door before the cat gets out, pick up the phone and call your vet or local spay and neuter clinic, it is high time you took care of the situation.

I call this time of year kitten season. The time of year when kittens are abundant, and local cat rescues and shelters are over run with pregnant strays. The time of year when the number of pregnant owner surrenders and abandoned pregnant cats goes through the roof. It is also the time of year when cat haters come out of the woodwork to complain about stray cats in their garbage, spouting phrases such as “there are too many damn cats around here!” The reason? Too many pet owners who think spaying or neutering their pet is a luxury not a necessity.

There are many reasons to have your pet spayed or neutered, preventing unwanted litters is only one of the reasons, a good reason I will grant you that, but there are other reasons why it is a good idea. For example, are you aware that spaying or neutering your companion animal is better for their health? It’s true, males dogs and cats who are neutered stand less chance of developing prostate cancers, and females are less likely to contract mammary cancers. Females fixed before the age of five years stand a better chance of avoiding pyometra (a severe infection of the uterus that can be fatal if not treated.) In short spaying and neutering is medically beneficial to your pets health.

Take a look around you, visit your local animal shelter. What do you notice? Do you notice that the number of cats seeking homes far outweighs the number of dogs seeking homes? For some reason, dog owners seem far more inclined to have their animals fixed than cat owners do. Which is not to say that cat owners are any less diligent about their pets health than are their canine loving counterparts, they just see things differently.

Many cat owners do not feel the need to have their pets fixed, their excuse? “My cat is an indoor cat, she NEVER goes outside, so I don’t have to worry about her getting pregnant.” Don’t you? What about when your four year old leaves the front door open in her haste to get outside and enjoy the nice spring weather? Out goes the cat, three days later back she comes, and six weeks after that?  Now there are six!

The only way to ensure that “accidental” pregnancy does not occur is to make sure your pet has been spayed or neutered, indoor cat or not! Pregnancy in animals is not difficult to prevent, you simply have to spay or neuter your pet. Remember, if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem!

Until Tomorrow Remember

BE THE CHANGE YOU SEEK!

Janette