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You are here: Home / Archives for pets

pets

Baby, It’s Cold Outside!

December 27, 2022 By quadcities Leave a Comment

If it’s too cold for you outside, it’s also too cold for your furry family member.

It’s time to get prepared: Winter is in full swing, and it brings the dangers of severe cold weather, snow, ice and even power outages. It’s a good idea to prepare a disaster/emergency kit and include your pet in those preparations. Be sure to have enough non-perishable food, water and any prescription medications for you and your pets (as well as heartworm and flea/tick preventives) on hand to get through at least five days.

Just like us, our pets like a nice comfy place to sleep and may change their location if they need more or less warmth. I have a small space heater in my bathroom and my cat curls up in front of it and stays there all day and night. Give them options that allow them to change their sleeping place to adapt to their needs. Just like us, they want (and deserve) a nice warm bed to sleep in!

We’ve all seen the heartbreaking pictures of dogs or cats left outdoors during winter storms and snow. Just don’t do it! Let them in. They’re your family, and you wouldn’t want to sleep out in that kind of weather, so why would you make your pet? It’s a common belief that dogs and cats are more resilient than people to cold weather because of their fur, but it’s simply not true. Just like us, they are susceptible to frostbite and hypothermia, and it can come on quickly. Longer-haired and thick-coated dog breeds, such as huskies and other dogs bred for colder climates, are more tolerant of cold weather; but no pet should be left outside for long periods in freezing weather. Some dogs love to go out and play in the snow and that’s fine, but don’t leave them out too long where you are putting them in danger! If they get too cold, it lowers their immune system putting them at risk of upper respiratory illnesses and colds, just like us! Never shave your dog down to the skin in the winter as a longer coat will provide more warmth. Smaller dogs, short-haired dogs and older dogs should wear a sweater or doggie parka to help keep them warm and doggie boots are always recommended because they protect their paws from the salt commonly used to de-ice sidewalks.

Speaking of their paws, check them regularly for signs of cold-weather injury or damage, such as cracked paw pads or bleeding. When you get back inside after a walk, wash your pet’s feet, legs and belly to remove deicers, antifreeze or other chemicals that could be toxic to reduce the risk of them being poisoned if they should lick their feet or fur. Antifreeze can be lethal. It tastes sweet to pets but it contains a toxic agent, so be aware if your dog starts sniffing around in a driveway or parking lot, because it’s possible someone may have spilled antifreeze and your dog could consume it. If you think your pet has consumed antifreeze, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Finally, don’t leave your dog in a car during cold weather, as cars can act as refrigerators that hold in the cold and can cause serious injury or even cause them to freeze to death. Just like in the summer where your car can literally turn into an oven, in the winter, it becomes a freezer.

What it comes down to is this: If it’s too cold for you outside, it’s also too cold for your furry family member. Taking a few extra minutes and some simple precautions can prevent discomfort, illness and injuries to your precious pet during this colder time of year. QCBN

By Loree Walden

Loree Walden is the marketing manager at Yavapai Humane Society.

Filed Under: Columnists Tagged With: cold weather, Dogs, Loree Walden, pets, winter, Yavapai Humane Society

Having a Pet Will Do Your Heart and Mind Good

October 30, 2022 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Studies show that cats can also trigger calming chemicals in the body, decreasing stress and anxiety levels.

We live in a time where we are living stressful lives. Between our jobs or perhaps being out of work, our families, struggling with finances, health issues, the never-ending bad news on TV and all the time spent on our computers and social media, it’s important we take time for ourselves! We need to turn off everything, decompress and, for a lot of us, that involves spending time with our furbabies – instant relaxation for us and for them!

For most of us, but especially for our elderly and our veterans, a dog is sometimes a lifeline. Many soldiers return home with battle scars that are both seen and unseen. Dogs provide us with companionship, unconditional love, emotional support, helping to ease stress, depression, loneliness and anxiety. For most, the bonds made are immediate and forever, helping not only the humans but also the animals. Sometimes these animals need us as much, if not more, than we need them. It’s a beautiful and magnificent relationship!

Dogs help to increase mental well-being, enhance emotional health, ease loneliness, improve relationships, overcome trauma, encourage physical exercise, raise self-esteem, boost your confidence and help you to gain a new perspective on life and life experiences. Dogs also help to prevent social isolation because having a dog leads to more interaction with people. Think about it, when you’re out walking your dog, you tend to talk to people more than when you’re alone. Dogs “open a door” to conversation which, in this day and age, is welcome for all of us! It’s been proven that dog owners are happier and healthier because people/dog interactions result in an increase in dopamine levels in the brain of BOTH humans and dogs!

Lance, a Vietnam Veteran, said, “Some people think that a dog is just a dog. That may be true for those people, but not for me. I used to sit home alone and just let life pass me by. But now, having my dog, Hero, I have a reason to get up. Even if it’s just feeding him, or taking him for walks, he has truly motivated me to live again.” Alan, a Gulf War Veteran, said, “Bongo is more than just a friend. He’s my battle buddy. He’s my left hand. We’re connected by a leash, but it’s really our heartline and my lifeline. He’s more tuned into me and how I’m feeling than I am, and he knows more about me than I do sometimes. He lets me know what’s going on around me and he alerts me when my body is having health issues so I can take care of myself before there are severe consequences.”

There are many organizations that will help to match veterans with a companion dog. Soldier’s Best Friend is based in Arizona (soldiersbestfriend.org) but there are also organizations like Pets for Vets (petsforvets.com), too, that help with placement.

And let’s not forget about our furry felines. Studies show that cats can also trigger calming chemicals in the body, decreasing stress and anxiety levels. Plus, cat owners are less likely to be at risk for having a stroke than any other pet owner. Cats even reduce our risk of heart disease and heart attacks along with helping to reduce high blood pressure. Cats also help to boost immunity as exposure to pet dander and fur in the house results in increased resistance to allergens, decreasing the risk for allergies and asthma. Just like dogs, they are very perceptive to our emotions and illness. If I have had a bad day, I come home and sit on the couch, and my cat will jump right up in my lap. There is something very relaxing about sitting there, petting them, unwinding and even telling them about my day.

Not only does having a pet help you, but it also helps them. You’ve given them a home and they provide you many health benefits and, most importantly, unconditional love. They don’t talk back, they don’t judge us, and they love us more than they love themselves!

If you’re looking for your new furever friend, there’s a lot of great animals at Yavapai Humane Society just waiting for their furever home! Check out yavapaihumane.org for all the available animals and then make an appointment to come meet them. It’ll do your heart and mind good! QCBN

By Loree Walden

Loree Walden is the marketing manager at Yavapai Humane Society.

Filed Under: Columnists Tagged With: adopting a pet, Cats, Dogs, Loree Walden, pets, Yavapai Humane Society

Giving Thanks for a Pet-Loving Community

November 2, 2021 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Because of your support, we are able to help decrease cat and dog overpopulation, and we are thankful.

For almost 50 years, Yavapai Humane Society has been proud and honored to be a part of this amazing pet loving community. We’re here because of the generosity of our donors and our community partners, who continue to support us and our mission to promote and protect the health, safety and welfare of companion animals. Through thick and thin, you’ve all been here for us and we want to take this opportunity to thank you for all you do for us. Whether you are a one-time donor, a regular monthly donor or an annual donor, you all matter to us. Some of you have joined our Planned Giving Program and have made provisions for us in your will or estate. You all matter to us, and we are thankful.

Our community partners include Findlay Subaru, which has sponsored many of our events and hosted adoption events at its dealership location. Last year, they presented us with a check for $20,000 from their Share the Love Event. PetSmart provides us with toys, food, adoption events and our cat Adoption Center in their store. Prescott True Value sponsors three segments per month for us on AZTV to share news about YHS and the amazing animals available for adoption. There are many other businesses that have sponsored adoption events, held fundraisers and supported us in various ways. You all matter to us, and we are thankful.

Every time you shop at the Thrift Store, you support us. Every time you have a spay/neuter surgery or get a vaccination for your pet, you support us. Every time you adopt a dog, cat or horse, you support us. Every time you check our social media pages and share a post about an animal available for adoption, you support us, and we are thankful.

As an open entry shelter, animals come to us in every condition imaginable. Many need medical care and time to heal while waiting to find their forever homes. At Yavapai Humane Society, we love and care for them all. We’ve had numerous hoarding situations through the years where many animals come to us under horrid conditions. Because of your support, we are able to treat each of these animals medically, mentally and physically so they are able to find their fur-ever homes. Many animals come to us as strays who have been out on the streets for who knows how long. They are often scared, hungry and in need of medical attention. Because of your support, we are able to give them all the love and care they need so they can go home sweet home.

Through our New Hope Program, we have partnered with other shelters throughout California, New Mexico and Las Vegas, so that we are able to transfer out animals that need another chance at adoption by being in a different location. We are also able to do the same by bringing in animals that are in need from those shelters. The New Hope Program has allowed us to place many hard-to-adopt dogs in new homes. This is all possible because of your support, and we are thankful.

Through our Big Fix Program, we are able to provide very low cost spay/neuter surgeries to those in need who might not otherwise be able to afford these surgeries. This program is funded solely through donations that are specifically dedicated to it. Because of your support, we are able to help decrease cat and dog overpopulation, and we are thankful.

Yavapai Humane Society has a four-star rating with Charity Navigator, the world’s largest and most-utilized independent non-profit evaluator. Charity Navigator empowers donors of all sizes with free access to data, tools and resources to guide philanthropic decision making. Through Charity Navigator’s ratings, non-profits are equipped with the non-profit sector’s premier trust indicator and a powerful platform to raise awareness and funds.

We are very proud of this excellent Charity Navigator rating and highly encourage you to visit the Charity Navigator website to learn more about how our organization achieved this four-star rating through our lifesaving work helping Yavapai County’s homeless pets find forever homes.

It’s because of you, our animal loving community, we have the resources to rescue and rehome thousands of animals each year. From every one of us, we thank you for continuing to support not only Yavapai Humane Society, but all the businesses locally who partner with us. Thank you for standing with us and loving the animals. You all matter to us, and we are thankful. QCBN

By Loree Walden, QCBN

Loree Walden is the marketing manager for the Yavapai Humane Society.

Filed Under: Columnists Tagged With: Findlay Subaru, New Hope Program, pet community, pets, PetSmart, Thrift Store Prescott, Yavapai Humane Society, YHS Prescott

Keeping Pets Safe in the Home and Garden

August 5, 2021 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Animals give us so much, including their unconditional love. In exchange, it’s our job to take care of them and make sure no harm comes to them.

Our homes, gardens and yards are full of items that can be potentially hazardous to our furry family members and, as they are part of our family, it is our responsibility to help keep them safe.

Little things laying around like coins, batteries, jewelry, paper clips, rubber bands, buttons, string and more, seem harmless to us but they could become a choking hazard to your pets. Plastic grocery bags can easily become a hazard to curious cats who love to climb in them and play. I can’t tell you how many times I have been unloading groceries and turn around to find my cat, Pooh Bear, all tangled up in a bag with his head through the handles.

Medications, cleaning supplies, plant food and other things found in cabinets could potentially be fatal. Baby-proofing your lower cabinets or placing these types of items in upper cabinets can help prevent accidents. The garbage can is another potential danger, as it could contain something that smells good to pets but isn’t good for them at all. There are several foods that can make your pet sick, which should be avoided. They include, but are not limited to, grapes, mushrooms, raw meat, salt, meat bones, chewing gum, candy, fat trimmings, avocados, artificial sweeteners, garlic, onion, leeks, chives, yeast dough, alcohol and coffee. Most of these foods result in upset stomachs, vomiting and diarrhea, which might mean a trip to your vet and, sadly, some of these foods could lead to death soon after being eaten.

When it comes to plants, dogs and cats don’t know what’s safe to munch on. Many common plants that we have in our homes, yards or communities can potentially kill your pet within hours. Some fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides and certain mulches contain ingredients that can make your pet very sick or worse, so be sure to check the labels to make sure the product is pet-friendly. Among the many flowers and plants that are potentially deadly is Foxglove. While very beautiful with its trumpet-like blossoms, it is very poisonous to dogs, cats and even humans! Cherry, plum and peach trees carry an extremely high level of toxicity in their leaves, pits and basically all areas of the tree, causing respiratory problems, anxiety, staggering, collapsing and even sudden death. All parts of azaleas are poisonous and as little as ingesting 0.2% of an animal’s body weight can result in poisoning. Foxtails are also extremely dangerous for our pets. The barbed seed heads of the foxtail plant can work their way into any part of your dog or cat, from the nose to between the toes and inside the ears, eyes and mouth. The problem with these seeds is they don’t break down inside the body and an embedded foxtail can lead to serious infection for your dog and even death if left untreated. One thing that is so dangerous about these is they can migrate from inside your dog’s nose and make their way to its brain or, if your dog inhales it, can make its way to a lung and perforate it. Foxtails can easily become embedded between toes, so be sure to check for foxtails and the small, barbed seed that could be hiding – you may notice swelling, limping or if your dog is constantly licking them. If your dog is shaking its head a lot, tilting it to the side or scratching more than usual, this could be signs of a foxtail in its ear, and, possibly, one that might be so deep inside the ear canal that you can’t even see it. When it comes to their eyes, if you notice redness, discharge, swelling, squinting and pawing, these all could be signs that your dog has a foxtail lodged in its eye. If you notice any of these things that aren’t normal for your pet, you may want to schedule an appointment with your vet. Be sure to check out PetMD.com, which is a fantastic website that contains information on everything regarding your pets, their safety and health.

Animals give us so much, including their unconditional love. In exchange, it’s our job to take care of them and make sure no harm comes to them. The investment and time you take to make sure your home and yard are safe is easily worth the benefits you’ll receive from your pet. QCBN

By Loree Walden

Loree Walden is the marketing manager for the Yavapai Humane Society.

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: Cats, Dogs, foxtail, Loree Walden, pet news, pets, QC Pet News, Yavapai Humane Society

Arizona Foothills Volunteers Supporting Pets, People, Firefighters in Emergencies

August 5, 2021 By quadcities Leave a Comment

“Save our homes, save our deserts/forests, save our pets and save our firefighters”.

Three years ago, when her young son was gravely ill, Sunny Parker prayed and made a promise: “My son was dying in the hospital. I prayed, ‘Lord if you spare his life, I will spend the rest of my life doing good.’ My son walked out of there. The Lord kept his promise, so I kept mine. I try to spend as much time as I can educating people about defensible space, protecting the desert, and doing what I can to keep my promise.”

True to her promise, her good works have been many and varied through the years, including a flight early on to bring relief to a child in need.

“When I started, I went to Maryland to pick up an emotional support animal for a young man who needed it,” Parker recalled. “I flew and I was the only person on the airplane. I never intended for this to turn into what it has; it just sort of happened.”

What has happened is the creation of Arizona Foothills 911, a pending non-profit organization in the form of an emergency support chapter designed to help neighbors and their animals when emergencies and tragedies strike.

The Arizona Foothills area includes Cave Creek, Carefree, New River, Desert Hill, Rio Verde, North Scottsdale, Black Canyon City and Anthem; however, the group helps where it is needed all over the state.

With the motto, “Neighbors helping neighbors because it’s the right thing to do,” the chapter’s goal is to “Save our homes, save our deserts/forests, save our pets and save our firefighters,” said Parker, who is the president and founder of the organization.

There is also an Arizona Foothills 411 site that sends out alerts about car wrecks and notifies residents in surrounding communities about fires, floods and other emergencies.

“It gets the word out to NAU [Northern Arizona University] and U of A [University of Arizona] kids about road emergencies in those areas,” she explained. “We’re starting to grow and more people are reaching out to me. People in Northern Arizona can post there, too. We’d like to help people establish chapters, so we can save our beautiful way of life. My goal is to have a chapter in Flagstaff and a chapter in Sedona and to eventually cover the entire state of Arizona.”

Parker operates the chapter out of a back office at her home in Cave Creek, which will soon be ready for use by firefighters and first responders during emergency scenarios if needed.

Located on three acres, Parker said she has “a zoo here – geese, chickens horses, tortoise, dogs, cats, fish and two Mexican parrots.”

The chapter began about two-and-a-half years ago. It numbers around 10,700 members and operates with a board of directors. An updated website is expected by January 2022. The chapter started in time to help out during some large fires. During recent fires in Bagdad, the Arizona Foothills 911 community delivered a large truckload of clothing, food and pet supplies to area residents. More recently, the community collected more than 3,500 pounds of dog food, cat food and litter for Globe.

In 2020, during the Ocotillo and Aquila fires, Arizona Foothills members helped rescue horses, livestock and other animals, as well as people. A plan was in place to take the horses and other livestock to the Cave Creek Memorial Arena Rodeo Grounds. “It was amazing to see llamas, alpacas, horses, tortoises and many other kinds of animals be in a safe place. Prior to the big fires here, we had never had anything like this,” she said.

Journeys to bring support, including her recent trip to Frontier Town in Cave Creek to distribute 300 Ready-Set-Go packets with emergency information, are documented on the group’s Facebook page at Arizona Foothills 911. All services and materials are free.

Recently, veterinarians were added to the chapter, including “two horse vets, a dog vet, a reptile vet and an exotics vet,” she said.

The group has reached into Northern Arizona, where volunteers have provided assistance to the Interagency Bear Jaw Fire and Fuels Management crew, firefighters aligned with the Highlands, Pinewood and Summit Fire District.

“Funding for wildland firefighters is quite limited,” Parker explained. “We were able to purchase 22 flashlights for 22 firefighters. Those were Fenix flashlights that penetrate smoke. The Bear Jaws also mentioned they were sleeping on the ground when they hike into the fires. We were so blessed to have so many people donate and raise the money so we could go to Munds Park and give each and every one of those firefighters a cot [at $389 each].”

Currently, Parker and others are trying to raise money to replace the Bear Jaw’s

all-terrain utility vehicle (UTV) that can be used for many purposes, including to rescue injured firefighters.

“They need a new one,” she said. “We’re going to try to raise $32,000 to get those guys a new UTV. They desperately need this.”

Helping firefighters and other rescuers save pets is challenging. Keeping information up to date for each pet is essential, she says, as well as having the right kind and number of pet carriers needed for each rescued animal.

“When you have to evacuate, you should have carriers in the house with a marker that has the pet’s name, allergies and medication list, so you are ready to take them in a moment’s notice. Some people leave pets behind, and rescuers come in and don’t have the information they need. The more information we can have out there for rescuers, the better.”

Making sure the microchip on an animal has current information is also important.

“With the microchips, the problem is people don’t update them,” she said. “The microchip may go back to someone who died three years ago. With a dog or cat, it’s a good idea to have a collar and tag with a name and phone number that is current.”

If families have stickers on doors alerting rescuers to pets in a house, they should also be kept up to date, she advises. “The problem with stickers posted on windows is that they do not have a date on them. The sticker could belong to the previous homeowner, and you might have no pets at all. We must keep our firefighters in mind and their safety. Update your door/window stickers yearly when you change your fire alarm batteries.”

She notes that people have all kinds of pets, including exotic animals. “What do they eat? We didn’t know. That information is helpful to have during an emergency.”

During the 2020 Ocotillo Fire northwest of Cave Creek, she recalls some area residents had birds but no carriers.

And, she adds, special consideration should be given for larger animals like horses. “You have to train your horse to get into a slant trailer, a flat trailer or a straight trailer. You don’t know what type of trailer rescuers will bring. When you have helicopters overhead and a 1,500 pound animal is completely terrified, it’s a deadly situation if you are not prepared and your horse is not prepared.”

She advises equestrians to have identification tags for horses. She recommends ID My Horse emergency medical and identification tags that can be braided into the mane and include the horse’s name, owner’s name and phone number, as well as a list of medications and diet details for the horse.

“Some horses cannot have alfalfa, others can only eat Bermuda. If a horse has had colic surgery, the rescuer needs to know the diet restrictions.”

Parker emphasizes preparedness and being informed about Ready-Set-Go, a nationwide program that educates residents about proactive measures to take before an emergency and actions to follow when communities are threatened.

“If I have pets, especially horses, I recommend leaving on the ‘Ready.’ Once they say ‘Go,’ the roads are congested and that causes many problems for our first responders as well as residents attempting to leave the area.”

She says the best approach to emergencies is to establish individual chapters throughout the state so volunteers are familiar with the terrain and roads of their area. QCBN

By Betsey Bruner, QCBN

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: Anthem;, Arizona Foothills, Arizona Foothills Volunteers, Black Canyon City, Carefree, Cave Creek, Desert Hill, Emergencies, Firefighters, New River, North Scottsdale, People, pets, Rio Verde

Dogs May Suffer as Owners Return to Busy Lives

June 27, 2021 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Stress and anxiety are common conditions for animals housed in shelters.

The more than 15 months of the COVID-19 saga have brought many changes for pets, some favorable and others sad, such as becoming homeless when a family had to move because of an eviction after jobs and income were lost.

Jennifer Brehler, executive director of the Humane Society of Sedona, said one of the bright spots early on was a “significant increase” in the number of people stepping up to both foster and adopt shelter animals and “coming forward to help homeless animals in general and to open up space at shelters for other animals in need.”

In fact, by some accounts, a record number of pets were adopted during COVID.

“We had such a successful year last year,” Brehler noted. “They [pet owners] had more time to devote and spend with their animals, so they weren’t looking at surrendering pets.”

But, the story may be changing as pandemic restrictions are lifted across the country and family members who are suddenly busy outside the home again may see pets as too daunting to maintain. This includes cute COVID puppies that have grown up.

For some unsuspecting pets, the “Welcome” mat may be abruptly pulled off the doorstep.

“We have seen an increase in owner surrender for sure, but I’m not sure if it is directly related to dogs being adopted during COVID – it’s hard to say,” said Julie Tasch, the shelter manager at High Country Humane in Doney Park near Flagstaff. “People have said they have had to surrender due to financial hardship during COVID. People lose their jobs or are not able to find work. It seems like a dramatic increase.”

High Country Humane is located in the former home of the Second Chance Center for Animals on North U.S. Highway 89, which closed in 2017 because of financial difficulties. Today, the shelter has about 338 animals in the system, but many of them are in foster homes outside the facility, she added.

“I do think we get told reasons for why they surrender,” Tasch said. “It seems to be across the board – either they’re moving, or behavioral challenges, or financial challenges. A lot of our animals have come off the reservation, with the reservation being closed for so long because of COVID. That could play into that as well.”

But, the actual picture on pet adoption and surrender is unclear, and statistics vary widely nationwide.

“Does the data actually show that, or is it anecdotal?” Brehler asked. “I’m not sure if there are more surrenders or not. I know that there have been a lot of articles; it’s a little controversial. In Sedona, we’re not seeing a significant increase. What we are hearing from other shelters is that they are inundated by owner surrenders.”

She said areas farther south, like Phoenix and Maricopa, have “expressed having a lot of animals currently. Across the county, I know it’s been a big topic of discussion.” She added, “2019 was a more comparable year, with numbers similar to now, rather than in last May or June.”

Sedona may be a bit different in its shelter scene than other communities because of demographics, she said, “with more retirees who are not necessarily going back to work,” as well as people who live elsewhere and commute to Sedona to work.

Many shelters have software companies to tabulate their figures, Brehler said.   There are only national estimates of statistics for the animal protection movement and “the figures may vary from state to state,” according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

“Approximately 6.5 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year,” according to the ASPCA’s website.

Stress and anxiety are common conditions for animals housed in shelters.

“With anxiety, we do everything we can to keep things stress-free here, but it’s still a shelter environment,” Tasch said about High Country Humane. “It’s definitely more stressful that being in a home.”

Some animals handle the shelter experience better than others.

“Owner surrenders seem to have a harder time adjusting than strays,” she said. “They’re used to routine and home, compared to strays. For strays, this can be a step up for them, with food and a warm bed. It’s a comfort for them sometimes.”

Concern about separation anxiety in animals is not new to many shelters, trainers and behaviorists.“We have seen this happen in the past with a smaller percentage of dogs when families return to school and longer work days after summer vacation,” Brehler said in earlier news reports. “Given the extended timeframe of the pandemic, there is reason to worry.”

Typically, more dogs are surrendered than cats.

“With the employment issue, going back to work, dogs are harder to manage than cats,” she added. “Cats are more forgiving of us leaving them at home. They use the litter box.”

A late-May press release from Assisi Animal Health, a company with headquarters in New York that offers stress-reducing products for pets, such as the Calmer Canine system (featuring a targeted, pulsed electromagnetic field), said, “shelters are reporting a 100% increase in pets surrendered and abandoned post-lockdown.”

It cited sources like the Lucky Dog Rescue service in Dublin, California and a story in The New York Post (May 11, 2021), which warned, “The number of dogs and cats returned to the shelter has doubled over the last few months – and it’s only expected to get worse.”

Ideally, the goal is to rehome or cross-post pets so that they can be placed in a new home quickly.

“It’s a sad situation,” Brehler said. “Anytime an animal is coming to a shelter, of course we’d prefer that they be in a nice home instead.”

During the COVID crisis, “so many of us in the shelter world worked outside the shelter” to provide “tips and support and helping owners find a new owner,” so the pet travels from “home to home,” rather than “home, to shelter, to home,” and “We’re continuing that as we can.”

Rehoming is also a big focus at High Country Humane.

“We work with owners in every way we can to keep their dogs and cats in the home,” Tasch explained. “We have a food bank, low-cost vaccinations and a spay-neuter clinic. We try to rehome their pets, rather than bringing them into us.”

Unfortunately, when people are no longer working from home, there is a higher likelihood they are going to turn their pets in to a shelter.

“Whether there are more animals or not being surrendered, anytime an animal loses a home, it’s tragic,” Brehler concluded. QCBN

By Betsey Bruner, QCBN

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Cats, Dogs, High Country Humane, pet owners, pets

Rough Year for Pets, Too

May 3, 2021 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Pandemic has caused challenges for pets and owners.

It’s tricky enough to match up homeless pets with new owners, but the upheavals of 12 months of pandemic conditions have added to the challenges of animal adoption.

In some cases, it also has added new difficulties to the world of pet ownership.

Sudden changes for families facing unemployment and a loss of income because of the sweeping effects of COVID-19 have caused some to have to leave their homes because of evictions and foreclosures.

The unexpected and unwelcome chaos has left some pet owners to believe they have no other choice than to surrender their pets to animal shelters.

It is a heartbreaking way to have to part with one’s pets, said Jennifer Brehler, executive director of the Humane Society of Sedona (HSS). “Sadly, so far this year, 25% of the animals surrendered by their owners to HSS were the result of housing challenges.”

For the Humane Society of Sedona, the focus is on companion animals, dogs, puppies, cats, kittens and other small household companions such as rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters.

“Our shelter is in a unique position that most of our animals come from other communities by way of being transported from other animal shelters, as we have a very low stray population in our immediate area of Sedona,” said Brehler, who began her career in animal sheltering and welfare 24 years ago at the Michigan Humane Society.

However, transporting animals of all kinds became more complicated and worrisome when the pandemic was unfolding.

“For the first few months of the pandemic, animal shelters across the country halted transporting animals to other communities, as there was so much unknown with how COVID may affect animals, as well as the risk to the people doing the transportation to other communities,” she recalled. “Once it was determined animals did not pose a significant risk and protective measures for people were put into place, we were able to begin transporting in animals to HSS.”

One bright spot during the pandemic is that pet adoption has become more popular, as people are spending so much time at home.

“Early on, we saw a significant increase in the number of people stepping up to foster and adopt shelter animals, with them having more time available and especially for individuals living alone, as they were looking for companionship,” she said. “A large majority also came forward to help homeless animals in general and to open up space at shelters for other animals in need.”

There is some concern, however, that there will be a significant increase in the number of animals becoming homeless as the eviction moratorium is lifted across states, said Brehler, who lectures regularly at national animal welfare conferences and is an active member of The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement. “I’ve heard some shelters have experienced this already as tenants are choosing to move sooner rather than continue to collect charges that they will not be able to pay back as they have lost their jobs.”

Meanwhile, the Humane Society of Sedona has been operating on an appointment-only basis since the pandemic began. “It has significantly changed the level of guest services and increased the satisfaction and connection to our adopters and others we serve with our surrender, rehoming and lost and found programs. Visitors get a better experience, and the stress placed on staffing and animals has greatly decreased.”

Accommodations are still being made for walk-in traffic for various programs, including some adoptions.

For small animal and feline adoptions, adopters can visit in the animal rooms, but canine companion adoption meet-and-greet opportunities occur in the outdoor play yard and dog park.

“At times, people may be asked to come back a short time later for the next open appointment time,” she said. “We monitor traffic flow, require masks and maintain physical distancing throughout the facility.”

Many new procedures brought on during the pandemic may continue well beyond.

“At this time, we intend to continue with this model past the pandemic,” Brehler said. “It has allowed us to streamline our programs, given us the time to focus on community involvement to help keep people and pets together, and dedicate better, not just more, time to the animals in our care.”

Looking ahead, there will be additional challenges when pets have to adapt to a return to normalcy for their owners’ work and school responsibilities. Brehler says shelters, trainers and behaviorists are bracing for separation anxiety in animals, especially for dogs. “We have seen this happen in the past with a smaller percentage of dogs when families return to school and longer work days after summer vacation. Given the extended timeframe of the pandemic, there is reason to worry.”

For those interested in providing a home for an animal in need, there are four main animal shelters with adoption programming in the Verde Valley and Flagstaff areas:

Humane Society of Sedona, 2115 Shelby Drive, Sedona AZ, 86336. For more information, call 928-282-4679, email info@humanesocietyofsedona.org, or visit humanesocietyofsedona.org.

Verde Valley Humane Society, 1520 W Mingus Ave, Cottonwood, AZ 86326. For more information, call 928-634-7387, or visit verdevalleyhumanesociety.org.

High Country Humane, 11665 N. US-89, Flagstaff, AZ 86004. For more information, call 928-526-0742, or visit highcountryhumane.org.

Coconino Humane Association, 3501 E Butler Ave, Flagstaff, AZ 86004. For more information, call 928-526-1076, or visit coconinohumane.org. QCBN

By Betsey Bruner, QCBN

 

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: animal adoption, Cats, companion animals, Dogs, HSS, Humane Society, Humane Society of Sedona, kittens, pandemic, pets, puppies

Destination: Forever Home

April 2, 2021 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Volunteer pilots transporting rescue dogs to a better life

A puppy had been badly burned and needed immediate medical care, according to the urgent online post.

It was Saturday morning, March 6. Recently-retired American Airlines Boeing 787 Captain David Weeks was at home in Flagstaff, enjoying the sound of the breeze through the pines on this unusually warm winter day when he read the message on the Pilots N’ Paws discussion board. The pup, six or seven months old, had been stabilized at a small remote clinic, but required an emergency flight to Scottsdale for extensive long-term treatment.

“I can take off by 12 and be in Shiprock by 1,” he figured.

And with that, he and his Cirrus SR22T four-seater were headed toward the solitary northwestern New Mexico airstrip that has become a familiar landing site. “They don’t have a control tower; you just look both ways and go.”

Weeks, a seasoned pilot based out of Phoenix for much of his career, is used to flying commercial passengers to international airports in Europe, Asia and South America. These days, he is thrilled to be piloting a small plane again.

“I missed it,” he explained. “I came up through general aviation, was a flight instructor, flew air taxi, worked for an air ambulance in the ‘80s and was a demonstration pilot for Gates Learjet.”

Weeks is part of a network of volunteer pilots, connected online through Pilots N Paws, a non-profit organization that coordinates transport requests for animals in need. He retired in October after flying for 34 years. “I knew retirement was coming up and we [David and his wife, Nancy] talked about buying a light aircraft. We wanted to do volunteer flying and already knew about the organization.”

Much different from flying into New York’s JFK International Airport “for the 500th time” or “being number 27 for takeoff at Dallas/Fort Worth during rush hour on a Friday afternoon,” Weeks says it’s a nice change to go to smaller airports in the Four Corners region near places like Rifle, Colorado, Park City, Utah, or Wickenburg.

“David has to research ahead of time to find what canyons to fly through without going up over the tops of mountains,” said Nancy, who often joins him on these flights to Shiprock to pick up the precious cargo and then take off to locations across the Southwest where animal shelter volunteers are waiting for the delivery. “Their lungs may not be developed,” she explains about the rescue puppies they transport. “We don’t want to take them to a high altitude over 10,000 feet because the plane is not pressurized. We’ve got to protect those little lungs and little ears.”

Puppies and pregnant mama dogs are frequent clientele, as well as dogs between 1 and 2 years old. Affectionately known as Rez Dogs, most are descendants of working dogs from sheep camps. “We get a lot of herding dogs – great Pyrenees, huskies shepherds, heelers – you’re never going to get a purebred,” said Hannah Browning, who volunteers for Turquoise Paw Rescue, an animal rescue operation and transfer hub that serves the Navajo Nation. “If someone adopts one and does a DNA test to see what kind of dog it is, it’s a mix of five to 50 different breeds. You never know what you’re going to get.”

Yvonne Todacheene and her husband, Izzy A., have been rescuing reservation animals and operating Turquoise Paw for more than a decade. “We started in 2006 with just a few animals but at the time there was nowhere to really take them,” she said. “I didn’t start keeping records of the animals we rescued until 2014. The records from 2014 to 2019 show that we rescued close to 10,000 animals during that time period. In 2020, we decided it was time to file for 501c(3) status since Hannah came on board and was able to help with the arduous task of moving the animals out.”

Last year, Turquoise Paw rescued, fostered or transported 3,048 animals to new lives off the reservation. So far this year, the operation has processed about 1,150 animals.

Todacheene and Browning may drive hundreds of miles a week rescuing animals – mostly canines. They commonly pick up boxes of puppies or kittens left on the side of a highway or at a gas station. Sometimes they get a call that a dog has been hit by a car and is alone and injured on the side of a road, or a female has given birth to a litter in a hole she dug by a dumpster. Sometimes their condition is grave or advanced, like an extreme infestation of botflies. With limited resources, difficult decisions need to be made.

“These dogs kind of live in packs. They are very dog friendly. A lot of times, they’ve never been touched by people, never been in a vehicle, never been indoors or fed from a dish,” said Browning. Despite this, she says, most of them make loving pets.

The problem of homeless dogs is as massive and layered as the ancient rock monuments that dot the reservation. Browning says there are only two or three veterinarians who serve the entire Navajo Nation, and with the high poverty rate, most families can’t afford medical expenses for their pets. “It’s unrealistic for them to pay for veterinary costs. A lot of non-profits do these clinics. Soul Dog Rescue drives down almost weekly from Fort Lupton and spays or neuters 70 to 150 animals in a weekend. They’re doing it, we’re doing it and others are doing it, but the waitlist we have is over 400 names long. Soul Dog’s is over 1,000. Dogs can have two or three more litters before we get to them at the rate we’re going,” she said. “We need funding, vets and facilities. There’s a huge lack of resources.”

Todacheene is grateful for the Navajo Nation chapter houses and various churches and business that allow clinics to use their facilities for spay and neuter sites. She bases Turquoise Paw Rescue’s philosophy on the Navajo culture belief that Dine’ people are stewards of all living things – the earth and living creatures.

Neither Todacheene nor Browning receive a paycheck for their work or even get reimbursed for gas in their vehicles. Todacheene is a caretaker. Browning is an event coordinator who works nights and weekends remotely. Both foster the animals until they can get them to a shelter or a forever home. At her residence in Farmington, Browning takes on the “bottle babies,” the ones too young to feed themselves. Sometimes, it’s a whole litter, which her personal rescue dogs don’t seem to mind. Todacheene takes the rest to what has become known as “The Farm,” her land in Shiprock, where she has about 15 outdoor kennels.

“The animals are safe and warm and fed until we can move them to a safer, better place,” said Browning. But sometimes that never happens and the tasks are overwhelming. The women coordinate with 70 to 100 shelters on a regular basis and about 10 to 15 pilots. “Everybody meets the Turquoise Paw volunteers at the Shiprock airport. Sometimes we’re the only airplane, sometimes there are three or four others,” said David.

David and Nancy Weeks fly in once a week with a mostly empty fuselage and fly out with crates full of dogs. “The most we’ve had is 15, with multiple puppies in some of the crates,” said Nancy. “Usually they are very quiet on the flight. I think they are terrified,” added David. “They might whine for a little while, but then they seem to go catatonic.”

Turquoise Paw hosted its first spay and neuter clinic last month. In four days, volunteer veterinarians performed surgery on 178 dogs and cats, and administered 1,500 vaccinations. One hundred and one animals were put into rescue homes. Services were offered for free, paid for with $4,000 in donations raised through a GoFundMe page.

“We are doing what we do because we love the animals and we are passionate about the animals,” said Browning.

David and Nancy also are animal lovers and have their own rescue dogs. “It’s very hard not to want to take the Rez Dogs home,” said Nancy, who retired from a career in investment management. “It’s so much fun, the dogs are so cute and it’s wonderful to know they are going to better lives.”

“We’re in a position to do this as a charitable contribution and I love flying light aircraft. It’s just about the perfect charitable work,” said David, who also is involved with Angel Flight, an emergency transport network for humans and LightHawk, an environmental conservation nonprofit that requires aerial photography.

“I’m so proud of David,” said Nancy. “Within a month of his retirement, he found a way to combine his love of flying with doing something meaningful.”

And that “burn baby,” as Browning once called him, now goes by Sage. “The doctor says he is eating and wagging his tail and the fluids are helping him a great deal. The vet staff has fallen in love with him,” Browning assured Turquoise Paw followers on Facebook. “Sage’s vet bill is continuing to be very costly. We know he is worth it but we could really use the help covering his expensive treatments.”

To make a donation to Turquoise Paw, visit the Facebook page at facebook.com/TurquoisePaw/ or send a check to Turquoise Paw Rescue, P.O. Box 4707, Shiprock, NM 87420. QCBN

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

 

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: adopt a pet, Dogs, pets, Pilots, rescue dogs, Rez dogs, Turquoise Paw

Support Limited for Suffering Cats and Dogs

April 1, 2021 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Red Rose Inspiration looking forward to hosting fundraising events.

Slowed throughout the pandemic, but not forgotten, the goal at Red Rose Inspiration for Animals continues to remain top of mind for the founder. Since 2009, Tina Allegrezza has been working to help animals through emotional or physical issues, plus paying for medical and dental care through her non-profit organization. Her ultimate objective has been to create a spay and neuter clinic and rehabilitation center and animal sanctuary in Sedona, while being able to help pet owners in the community who can’t afford to take their dogs and cats to the vet.

However, a year of social distancing with COVID-19 has posed challenges for her to be able to recruit volunteers and host fundraising events that support the efforts. In the past, most of the funding has come through arts and crafts shows, Red Rose Shows, in Sedona – the fee for booth space paid by art vendors goes to Red Rose Inspiration. But in the last year, those events have been canceled or significantly reduced because of regulations regarding public gatherings. So, currently, the bulk of Red Rose Inspiration support comes from a total of six volunteers and sales from two thrift stores at the Village of Oak Creek Bell Rock Plaza.

“The Red Rose Thriftique looks like a high-end boutique,” she said. Items include clothing (for humans) and shoes, artwork, jewelry and home décor. It’s been described as an upscale department store setting with thrift store prices. Two doors down is the Red Rose Barkin Basement. “That really is a thrift store,” she said.

Meanwhile, Red Rose Inspiration has continued to operate an active TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release) feral cat program, mostly in Camp Verde. “We have two active volunteers in the field and we take in kittens that are young enough to be adopted and socialized and then adopt them out.”

Allegrezza says feral cats are considered a nuisance and treated badly. “It’s a pretty big problem in Camp Verde, worse than ever last year.”

Red Rose Inspiration works with the Camp Verde Marshal’s Office to trap the wild cats. “They overpopulate an area. You can have hundreds of cats in no time if they aren’t neutered and spayed. People are not nice to them and take matters into their own hands by drowning them in the river or poisoning them,” she said. “We’re lucky if we can get kittens when they are really young and we can get them adopted into homes where they can live indoors.”

Allegrezza moved to Sedona from New York City in 2005 with her partner and their rottweiler/pit-bull mix, Rosey. Two years later, Rosey was diagnosed with bone cancer. “She had to be put down and when she died, I got into a bad funk,” said Allegrezza. “She was a rescue pup herself. Rosey was always sweet and sympathetic to dogs that were suffering with emotional problems. She would provide them comfort and help them to grow their confidence. She had worked with various other dogs to help rehabilitate them emotionally. I’ve lost plenty of dogs in the past, but not like her.”

Thus, in 2009, Allegrezza started Red Rose Inspiration to give back to animals as a legacy to Rosey. “One of our goals is to stop the pet over-population in our community. Our primary focus for proceeds raised from our events is for the planning stages for our rehabilitation center and sanctuary for animals.”

Upcoming Red Rose Shows are scheduled for most weekends this month, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Olde Sedona Bar and Grill. For more information or to make a donation, visit redroseinspiration.org. QCBN

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: Cats, Dogs, fundraising, pets, Red Rose Inspiration

Hard-Working Service Dogs Improving Lives

February 26, 2021 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Trainers, owners express frustration with those who pass off pets as service animals.

For the first time in her life, Nannette Oatley Johnson has a service dog. Winchester, or Winnie, is a 75-pound, 2-year-old “goldador” – half golden retriever, half Labrador – that has been in training since she was a puppy. Winnie opens doors for Johnson, pulls her through grocery stores and can even pick things up that Johnson may have dropped, like her cell phone, although it may be covered with saliva and scratched up a bit when Johnson gets it back.

The author and motivational speaker calls herself “a sit-down person in a stand-up world.” An athlete all her life and top gymnast as a teenager, Johnson’s life changed dramatically when at age 22 a snow-tubing accident left her a quadriplegic. She ultimately gained back the use of her hands and arms, gave birth to three children post injury, and returned to athletic competition winning the 2001 U.S. Open Wheelchair Singles and Doubles Championship titles.

Now, at age 61, Johnson can feel the strain of an active life in her joints and she’s happy to have a little help from her service dog. “The greatest thing is when I’m going to the soccer fields to watch my grandson and granddaughter. Winnie helps pull me across cement, dirt and grass. She has a handle on her harness. I grab the handle, and away we go!”

Together with Debbie Lipely, Prescott’s Pawsitively Awesome Dog Trainer, Johnson is teaching Winnie how to assist her with more tasks.

“I’m a dog lover and I’ve always had dogs as companions. But I just had no idea how smart dogs were and what services they can perform for people,” said Johnson. “It’s brought me so much joy knowing she is there for me, to serve and not just love me. It’s like I went on a journey with her in the last couple of years and that alone has been life-changing to work with her. And it is work!”

Lipely says true service animals are life-changing to the people they help, but there is great confusion around what constitutes a service animal versus a therapy or emotional support animal, and what rights they have. “There is no such thing as a certified service dog,” she said. “So, it seems everyone makes their own rules. ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) doesn’t recognize anything and there’s a lot of chaos surrounding the issue.”

Moran Henn, owner of Above and Beyond Dog Training and Pet Care for more than 20 years who received her dog training as a corporal in the Israeli Air Force, agrees. “There’s no real way to regulate it. You don’t have any certifying entities that determine whether your dog is or is not a service dog, so the problem is anybody can say it is. Some people do go through very professional trainers or organizations that train service dogs. But, technically, you can train your own service dog. This creates a lot of issues for handlers of service dogs, trainers, businesses, government offices, etc.”

Henn says individuals who blur the lines between actual working service animals and pets with owners who want to bring them along on their outings are causing a disservice to people with disabilities. “The issue now is they are not believed.”

Julie Mumford, a Prescott veterinarian technician, finds this behavior frustrating. “A lot of these dogs are not socialized correctly. They put other people in danger. And it’s not fair to those who have put the time and money into training their animals. It’s a lot of work, especially for seeing-eye dogs, it’s really super intense training.”

Mumford suffers from a condition called “syncopal disorder,” which causes her to black out. Her fainting episodes began to increase a couple of years ago and she has suffered concussions because of it. So, now, she lives with a golden retriever named Willow, a service dog who alerts her before she’s about to lose consciousness.

“I don’t know when it’s going to happen. There’s no warning. I can hit my head and injure myself, but Willow can detect it ahead of time. She alerts me to it and I’m able to sit down.”

The 43-year-old Mumford says Willow is a vital part of her life and her co-workers feel more comfortable when Willow is around as well. “She’ll mouth my hand to alert me. If I ignore her, she’ll get more persistent. She’ll jump on me or whine if I’m ignoring her. She’ll get to the point of barking at me.”

Mumford says Willow works hard. “We’re asking a lot of these animals and it’s mentally difficult.”

Lipely, Henn Johnson and Mumford all emphasize the word “work” when they talk about service animals. And that is an important distinction for businesses and pet owners to understand when it comes to service animals.

“The term ‘service dog’ is a dog that is specifically trained to conduct a task – that assists a person with a disability. So the key is an animal that is ‘trained to perform a task,’” said Henn. “The task can be everything from a very elaborate seeing eye dog that does a thousand tasks, like stopping before crossing the street and waiting for a closed door to open, to a service dog that’s just trained to put its paw on your thigh to create pressure, lick you, create a barrier between you and somebody else, turn on lights, pull a wheelchair or pick up something off the floor.”

Henn notes that service animals don’t have to just be dogs, noting that monkeys have the ability to handle tasks like helping an owner brush their teeth. Service animals are allowed to go wherever the person they are helping goes, and training one can cost up to $20,000. She says service dogs are not emotional support animals, which are animals that put people at ease or make them feel better. They are not therapy dogs either, which might be found with volunteers in nursing homes, libraries and hospitals. “They are not performing any tasks, they are just friendly and only need basic training,” said Henn.

As Lipely stresses, service animals must be invisible. “They‘re supposed to be there for the person, not supposed to even acknowledge another dog. If they are distracted from their handler, they are not actually doing their job.”

And that’s when Henn says businesses can send an animal and its owner on their way. “Businesses trying to do the right thing don’t have to allow dogs or other animals in that are not well behaved. And people attending any kind of business have the right not to be disturbed by a pet,” she said. “A dog wearing a service dog vest should not grab a sandwich from a kid standing in line. A dog should not be whining, barking, growling or jumping. If an animal is creating a nuisance, the behavior should be documented to protect the business owner.”

Forcing the issue recently have been airlines. In recent years, they’ve received far more complaints about animals allowed on flights than ever before – animals like squirrels, peacocks, small horses and iguanas. In December 2020, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced revisions to its Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA). The final rule defines a service animal as a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability. DOT no longer considers an emotional support animal to be a service animal.

In addition, the new DOT rule allows airlines to require people flying with a service animal to fill out a special form up to 48 hours in advance of travel. They’ll also be allowed to require that a service animal fit within its handler’s foot space on the plane.

Business owners confused about the rules have the legal right to ask what specific task the animal performs, but may not ask about the disability. Lipely advises her clients to carry a doctor’s note explaining the need for the service animal. She also makes herself available by phone if a client needs her to explain the situation.

As for the hard-working service animals, both Johnson and Mumford say their dogs know that when the vest comes off, they are no longer on the job.

“When her equipment is off, we call her ‘Wild Winnie,’” said Johnson. “I’ve seen her jump over an end table from the couch. She’s allowed to be all dog, all puppy, all fun and all wild.” QCBN

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: disabilities, dog trainer, pets, service animals

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