pet connection

On Thursday, a fire destroyed the shelter owned by the Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society. Although more than two dozen dogs and cats were saved, 15 cats died in the fire. From the Contra Costa Times:

“It’s absolutely devastating,” said Katherine O’Donnell, communications director for the society. Tears streamed down O’Donnell’s face as she gave a tour of the burned-out building where the cats were housed. “The door between the cat and dog rooms was closed, so that kept some of the smoke from overwhelming the dogs.”

About 15 dogs are housed in outdoor kennels next to the main building and none were harmed, she said. They were taken to the Berkeley animal services building. The 15 cats [who] survived were brought to an animal hospital, O’Donnell said. “Right now we need to find foster homes for the dogs and cats,” O’Donnell added.

“We save about 800 animals a year and this fire will put a significant damper on what we do.”

The task of rebuilding will cost upwards of half a million dollars, but according to the San Jose Mercury News, the effort has already begun. And here’s where you can help. RebuildBerkeleyHumane.org is assembling a coalition of businesses who have all committed to donating a portion of their sales to put the shelter back on its paws again. Even if you don’t live in the Bay Area, there’s a page for donations through PayPal.

Making a sweet difference: It seems no-kill advocate Nathan Winograd has a sweet tooth, and he has found a way to enjoy delicious chocolate and support the No Kill Advocacy Center at the same time:  Rescue Chocolate.

Winograd says the treats are delicious, but I don’t see why I should take his word for it.  Since Gina insists I should “question everything,” I plan to do my own testing, in order to verify the chocolate in question is of acceptable quality. I’ll report back, after I’ve done sufficient research, of course.

Sammy Davis is alive and well … and being utterly charming in Pleasanton, Calif. Sammy’s a dachshund, by the way.  A man named Patrick Major was facing a daunting array of health problems, including grueling kidney dialysis.  His girlfriend Sabrina Seiden suggested he get a dog, which was an odd idea since neither of them had ever been dog owners before. The Oakland Tribune picks up the story from there:

The rambunctious pup constantly perched himself right behind the front door of their then-Hayward home, waiting for Major’s return. Once he was home, Sammy wouldn’t let Major rest, constantly plopping things at his feet. It started with a small piece of rope tied at both ends that Sammy would catch in midair. It progressed to balls and eventually Frisbees. And when Major grew tired of fetch, Sammy found pine cones and even paper airplanes to coax Major to keep playing.

“I was able to forget about how depressed I was,” Major said.  ”It took my mind away from dialysis.”  Instead, Major began to occupy his time playing with Sammy and scouring the Internet for dog training tips. The more Major worked with Sammy, the better he got at picking up commands.

“I would talk to him like he’s human,” Major said.  Sammy went from tracking down Frisbees to vaulting off Major’s back and catching the discs. As Sammy improved, so did Major’s health.

The story’s good, but the accompanying slide show is even better.  Go check it out.  Then visit Sammy’s website.  He’s quite the star.

Puppy mill bottom-feeders hiding in plain sight: Raised By Wolves shines a spotlight on puppy millers who brazenly advertise for new stock, though you might not realize at first blush that’s who they are.  Then again, when a rescue places an ad looking for puppies, that should raise a few red flags, don’t you think?  Shameful stuff.  Good eye, Heather. And don’t miss the chance to read Ms. Houlahan’s earlier post on what makes a dog trainer.  In a word: Experience.

Kittehs work behind the scenes at the Magic Kingdom:   Have you ever been to Disneyland in Anaheim?  It probably doesn’t surprise you to know the entire place is scrubbed clean each night.  But I bet you didn’t know that feral cats are part of the magic.  Read this short piece from the L.A. Times.

Up near Almost Heaven Ranch: When he’s not hopscotching around the country, Dr. Becker lives in the northern reaches of Idaho.  Although it’s beautiful country, I don’t often see news stories from his neck of the woods — until this week.  Sandpoint’s getting a dog park.

I always like to hear from readers, especially if you have tips, and links for interesting stories.  Give me a shout in the comments, or better yet, send me an e-mail.

Photo credits:   Fire, abc7news.com. Sammy Davis, ContraC0staTimes.

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