pet connection

Springfield, Ill., and Lynchburg, Va.,  are almost 600 miles from each other. One is a state capital, the other a sleepy rural college town. Yet the two communities share an important characteristic — they are both stunning examples of No Kill successes. Brent Toellner, the tireless creator of KC Dog Blog, recounts the drop in kill numbers, and notes the formula rarely deviates.

What is amazing about all of these success stories is that they are amazingly the same … and they all begin with the leadership at the shelter making the decision to quit killing.

Then, the solutions become obvious. They include providing low cost spay/neuter options. Doing aggressive marketing of the animals that need homes. They include building up a volunteer base and foster homes and doing off-site adoption events. It includes proactive efforts to reunite lost pets with owners and reaching out to the public to ask for their help and support and embracing the community (instead of blaming them for your problems).

It isn’t about the shelter, the region of the country, or what kind of pets we’re talking about. It’s about a community that wants to think differently.

Funeral dirge on Beale: Meanwhile, Memphis is still broken. You won’t be surprised to learn they’re not a No Kill community. (thanks to alert reader John Robinson)

Mice still playing across the pond: So they hire a new cat to patrol the premises at 10 Downing Street. Larry is in charge of mouse control at one of the world’s most famous addresses and…he’s doing a terrible job. MSNBC is on top of the story.

Barely had the 4-year-old tabby lapped up his first saucer of milk on the job, when a whiskering campaign began against him. He was, some said, simply not up to the job.

“He has shown no interest in the many mice in Downing Street,” said one of Larry’s anonymous accusers (cattily) from inside Number Ten. And, unusually for that place: “There is a distinct lack of the killer instinct.”

The problem is that he spends too much of his time, well, sleeping.

You can insert your own joke here.

Feline CSI: Now for some good kitteh news – your cat can help solve crimes (even if she’s asleep). As Discovery News explains, the fur shed by cats can have sufficient genetic material to be used as evidence.

Fur from a fluffy, white house cat has already been used in a murder trial. The accused, Douglas Beamish of Canada, had cat fur stuck to one of his pockets in a discarded jacket. The fur was genetically linked to victim Shirley Duguay’s cat, Snowball. The evidence helped to convict Beamish of second-degree murder, leaving him with a 15-year prison sentence.

So if some dastardly crime befalls 10 Downing, Larry can do something helpful.

A hero among us: Rob McMillian is a Facebook friend of mine. I have to admit that until I read this Culver City News piece about Rob and his wife Helen, I had no idea this man has done something so remarkable. Love, training and unswerving patience can accomplish wonders. Bravo, Rob.

Cami, get me a beer: I’m old enough to admit my all-time favorite Saturday Night Live commercial was for Shimmer. Today, there’s Bark4Beer. I make no judgments on the product. I am merely passing along the information.

Farewell, Bri: Wayne Mates is a dear friend and fellow Syracuse alum (Go Orange!). His website is devoted to tips and tricks for small business entrepreneurs, but he took time out to compose a tribute to his late dog Bri that choked me up until I couldn’t speak. Thank you for sharing this post with us, Wayne.

Finally, a chuckle: Once you’ve recovered from that, you can cheer up by watching Simon’s Cat cope with sticky tape.

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: Happy dog, flickr creative commons (wsimmons). Bri, waynemates.com

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The video of dogs and cats being removed from filthy and unsafe conditions, plus trash bags the contents of which you’re thankful you can’t see (or smell) appears on the evening news.

You hear that so and so, and their spouse, are being prosecuted. Stay tuned for weather and sports after these messages.

What you don’t see — and most people don’t think about — is what happens after the cameras leave. The best writing of the week picks up the story from there, and it’s one from the vaults at from Heather Houlahan’s Raised By Wolves.

She’s not rescued when the bolt cutters sever her chain.

She’s not rescued when the video camera is packed up and the van drives away.

She’s not rescued when the man who cut her lips off signs her over, nor when he is sentenced for his crime. Indeed, that has historically been when she is most likely to be killed by her custodians.

She’s not rescued when she puts the first tentative foot onto a cushion by the hearth of a foster family’s den.

She is not rescued when the surgeon pulls the last stitch.

She’s rescued when she has been made as whole in body and mind as can be done, and she’s living a life as a normal dog. Not an object of pity, not a poster girl for anything, not a project — just somebody’s dog.

Read the entire post, please. I’ve intentionally omitted the best passages.

Lyme disease link: For more than three decades, public health experts and scientists thought they were sure of the relationship between ticks, lizards, and Lyme disease. There’s one big catch: the fundamental presumptions might be wrong. SF Gate‘s article summarizes the work of researcher Andrea Swei and her team at the University of California, Berkeley. The results, published in this month’s issue of the Proceedings of the Royal Society, are further proof of what we say here all the time – question everything.  Tip of the cap to Susan Fox for the link.

Kitty, meet jetliner: The purr of a cat is soothing and makes you smile, doesn’t it? Sure, unless it’s the same decibel level as a Boeing 737 on final approach. The Daily Mail points out that Smokey (a British Shorthair) isn’t like most cats.

Diana Johnson, of Northampton Cats Protection, who has met Smokey, said: ‘I have never heard anything like her purr in my life. It can drown out your conversation.

‘It is very unusual and I’ve never found a cat with a purr that is anywhere near as loud.’

Smokey has become an honorary volunteer for Cat Protection’s Northampton branch and is helping to raise awareness of the important cat welfare work they do.

And also the importance of earplugs, right?

Are you domesticated? Can you pin down the difference between a domesticated animal and their counterpart in the wild through genetic analysis? National Geographic is asking the same question. (Thanks, Marge.)

Do NOT let the duck near Mafia Wars: I bet Facebook hates me. My roster of friends includes a ferret, a few cats, a bunch of Flat Coated retrievers, a Corgi, and a duck who is adept at predicting the weather. Because they have nothing better to do, Mark Zuckerberg’s minions are starting to aggressively target accounts maintained by pets (or the pets’ owners) — that is, if they’re personal profiles. The Duck is safe; hers is a “celebrity fan page.” The Courier-Post Online has the details.

A feel-good Golden: Here’s a heartwarming story from Sara Whalen, published in Guideposts.

Shelled creatures take on the world: On Monday, it was turtle vs. cat. That, of course, immediately spawned a note from my friend Cindy Steinle…dog vs. completely fearless tortoise.

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.

Image credit: Dog in cage, Flickr creative commons (bunchofpants). Smokey, Geoff Robinson.

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When you go out in the bitter cold, you wear a coat, hat, gloves and boots, right? Your pets don’t have all that gear.

Winter, particularly in the parts of the country plunged into the most frigid conditions, can be a dangerous season for pets. In the most extreme cold, frostbite can set in with some breeds in as little as ten minutes of exposure. From the Morton Grove (Ill.) Patch,

If the frostbitten parts freeze, they will die. If you see pale grayish skin and it feels hard to the touch you may be dealing with frostbite. In severe cases the skin is dark in color, scaly and may slough off. For first aid, warm the affected area with water at 85 degrees Fahrenheit or a gently applied warm, moist compress.

In the case of hypothermia, your pet may be shaking and have pale grayish gums. This is another reason to check your cat’s or dog’s mouth often and get them used to the exam as a matter of daily brushing. If their body temperatures are low enough they may not shiver, but will have pale gums. Immediately bring them in a warm room and bring their body temperature up slowly with towels or blankets warmed in the dryer.

With these symptoms of frostbite or hypothermia, call your veterinarian immediately or an emergency veterinarian clinic and take your pet in for care.

Also, beware that certain snow and ice melt formulations can burn a dog’s paws and nose. Make sure the mixture you use is safe for pets (it should have a label on the container).

Parrots are left-footed, uh, handed: Until recently, scientists believed that “handedness” (the inborn propensity to prefer one dominant side over the other) was a human-only thing. The newest wisdom refuting that idea comes from a team of Australian researchers at Macquarie University in Sydney. They studied different species of birds, and found nearly all parrots showed a distinct preference, whereas cockatiels did not. From the BBC:

“We looked at the eye preferences these birds have,” explains Dr Culum Brown, the project’s lead researcher.

“For every species except one, there was a very strong correlation between the eye they view food with and the foot they use to pick it up.”

The exception is the cockatiel, the smallest species of Australian cockatoo, which showed no relationship between eye and foot preference.

The researchers suggest this difference may have evolved because of differences in cockatiel foraging behaviour, as cockatiels graze on small grass seeds that may require little coordination between the eyes and feet.

Dr Brown’s research shows that in four species of the 16, almost every individual member of each parrot species was either left handed or “left footed”, or right footed, showing the preference for using one side has somehow become fixed in the population.
“Indeed we have yet to find a right handed Sulphur-crested cockatoo, says Dr Brown.
“It is interesting because there are very few examples of extreme foot preferences in any animals except humans.”

Ninety percent of humans are right-handed.

Cat food for cats, dog food for dogs: Is it safe to feed your dog the same food you feed your cat? How about the other way around? Pet Connection BFF Dr. Patty Khuly says no, and discusses the reasons for her view in this special column for USA Today.

Bomb diggity meeses: After all the mention I’ve given to dogs who have bomb-detecting skills, I’d like to give other species their due. At Bio Explorers, an Israeli company, the talents of mice are being examined. Details at New Scientist:

Eran Lumbroso conceived the mouse-based explosives detector while serving as a major in the Israeli navy. Along with his brother, Alon, he founded the company and built a device that looks much like an average airport metal detector or full-body scanner.

Along one side of an archway, a detection unit contains three concealed cartridges, each of which houses eight mice. During their 4-hour shifts in the detector, the mice mill about in a common area in each cartridge as air is passed over people paused in the archway and through the cartridge. When the mice sniff traces of any of eight key explosives in the air, they are conditioned to avoid the scent and flee to a side chamber, triggering an alarm. To avoid false positives, more than one mouse must enter the room at the same time.

“It’s as if they’re smelling a cat and escaping,” Eran says. “We detect the escape.” Unlike dogs, which are often trained for explosives and drugs detection, mice don’t require constant interaction with their trainers or treats to keep them motivated. As a result, they can live in comfortable cages with unlimited access to food and water. Each mouse would work two 4-hour shifts a day, and would have a working life of 18 months.

What’s more, mice beat dogs for olfactory talent, and by much more than a nose: dogs have 756 olfactory receptor genes, while mice have 1120, resulting in a more acute sense of smell.

(insert wisecrack about mice replacing TSA staff, and working for easy cheese)

Count the birdies! I’ve mentioned it before, but PetHobbyist reminds us it’s that time of year again — time for the Great Backyard Bird Count.

A horse saga with multiple angles: First the good news. …Through the wonders of social media, 52 Thoroughbreds in Ohio found homes in an emergency in a matter of days.  That part we’re sure of. Both The Horse and Eventing Nation agree on that part. Where the story gets a little muddier is the point at which Fugly Blog picks up the trail. There’s either some significant spin at work, or, equally likely, someone isn’t being entirely truthful. Not entirely sure which. In either case, I’m glad that more than four dozen horses have new homes in the dead of winter.

An ode to the feline soul mate: My colleague (and resident cat expert) Ingrid King tipped me to this wonderful meditation from the Natural Cat Care Blog on the feline soul mate. It’s a well-written post that rings oh, so true.

Finally, the last word in today’s post goes to the band of geniuses at icanhascheezburger. I don’t know why this picture makes me think of our Dr. Tony, but it definitely does…you too?

see more Lolcats and funny pictures
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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 credit: Snowy paw print, Laura Frisch.

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Over on SFGate.com, our own Dr. Marty Becker spoke with me for my column this week. Our topic: Helping pets and pet owners in need this holiday season.

It’s an important topic for both of us. Speaking for myself, I’m totally done with the small but vocal camp of nasty pet-haters who predictably trot out their “If you care about pets you must hate people” crap every single time anyone writes about sharing so much as a scrap of bread with a dog or cat.

I’m equally fed up with the sanctimony of those who intone that we shouldn’t help poor families or the sick, disabled or elderly keep their pets because we’re just enabling them to have animals they can’t care for. I’m so glad these people, however loud and obnoxious they are, are few in number, because if they ruled the world, it would be full of even more misery and woe than it already is.

Wow, how’s that for holiday spirit?

So let’s let Dr. Becker have his say, because he’s a lot more upbeat than I am:

You can read the full column here — it includes a list of both Bay Area and national campaigns to help pets and pet owners facing homelessness, job loss, illness and other challenges. If you need those services, you can find them there, and if you don’t — count your blessings and donate a blanket, sack of pet food or a few bucks to help those who do!

And if you want to hear more about what Dr. Becker has to say on the subject of helping homeless pets during the holidays and throughout the year, please click on over here!

Photo: Two dogs snuggling on a pet bed donated by a caring pet owner through the shelter bed donation program at Kuranda.com.

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Hey everyone, it’s bunny time!  I’m going to give you an article summary that sounds like it’s straight from The National Enquirer, but it’s true.

A rabbit inspired an abused woman to seek help, which then led to the rabbit being cured of cancer.   I didn’t make this up. Even I’m not that imaginative.  A tip of the hat to loyal reader Mary Mary for this one.  The bunny story comes to us from USA Today.

In November, Joy Gioia, head of the St. Louis chapter of the House Rabbit Society, which takes in and re-homes some of the growing number of pet rabbits landing in animal shelters, got a heartbreaking call. It was from a woman who’d been abused by her husband for a very long time and had finally screwed up her courage in October to flee … with nothing but her rabbit.  She’d lived on the streets for a time, she told Gioia, making do with handouts. When food was scarce, she made sure there was enough for the dark-furred bunny she had named Ruby Angel because the white mark on her nose resembled an angel.

[...]The rabbit was saved not just from more abuse, but from cancer. When Ruby was spayed two weeks ago, as is the practice when HRS accepts rabbits, she was found to have uterine cancer. The cancer had not yet spread, so Ruby has a future.

Recovering with four-legged friends requires less pain medication: Although this feels intuitively true, data now backs it up.   Specifically looking at joint replacement surgery patients, the study says that patients  with pets needed up to 50% less pain medication then those who didn’t.

“Evidence suggests that animal-assisted therapy (AAT) can have a positive effect on a patient’s psychosocial, emotional and physical well being,” said Julia Havey, RN, study presenter and senior systems analyst, Department of Medical Center Information Systems, Loyola University Health System (LUHS). “These data further support these benefits and build the case for expanding the use of pet therapy in recovery.”

You can read the rest of the article here at ScienceDaily.

Indiana looks to control puppy mills: If you live in Indiana and run a commercial dog brokerage operation, starting New Year’s Day you’ll have to register with the state board of animal health and pay the state $1,000 a year.  The threshold for brokers: 500 dogs or puppies sold annually.  For breeders: it’s 20 unspayed females who are at least a year old, and the fee will depend on the number of dogs (after 20, presumably).  One important note from the article:

The law doesn’t affect animal shelters, rescue operations, hobby breeders, and anyone who breeds at least 75 percent of their dogs for sporting, service or law enforcement and military purposes.

Common sense advice on handling pets around people at the holidays: A valuable annual reminder from The Other End of the Leash.  It never hurts to keep in mind some of these guidelines before the aunts and uncles, nieces, nephews and assorted cousins descend upon you, or when you head across the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house (hint: dog sitters can be worth their weight in gold).

The best newspaper lede of the week: “So you think you know about dogs?  Sorry, you do not”.  That’s the beginning of a column from the Denver Post that made me laugh out loud and think.  The message behind the humor is sobering, which makes it even more effective. …

I’ll be back Monday if not sooner. Got a good link? In the comments to share.

Image: Ruby Angel, from USA Today.

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