Crazy for Critters

BLOG ON VACATION

But Steffi the Dalmatian mix STILL needs a home (as of July 31). Leave a message at 305-376-3631 if you're interested.

Good tips about pets in the heat

HELP YOUR PET SURVIVE THE SUMMER HEAT

SEAACA Provides Smart Tips to Help Pet Owners Keep Animals Safe, Comfortable, & Happy When the Temperature Rises

LOS ANGELES (July 28, 2011) - SEAACA (Southeast Area Animal Control Authority; www.seaaca.org) is helping pet owners and animal lovers across Southern California with useful tips on how to survive the summer’s high temperatures. In the summer heat, many cats, dogs, and other pets can suffer from a wide variety of ailments, including dehydration, exhaustion, heat stroke, and more. With a few preventive measures and safety precautions, however, pet owners can protect their beloved animals and help them enjoy these fun months.
 

Here are some important tips:

1.    Drink Up. Ensure your pets always have cool, clean water that is easily accessible. Drinking water is the best way for pets to avoid dehydration. Plus, remember that water warms up fast, so replace water dishes frequently to keep them cool and clean.

2.    Keep It Cool. Make sure your air conditioning is on, or that your windows and doors are open. Cross-ventilate to keep air moving through your home. You can also cover windows by using shades, blinds, and curtains to block the hot sunlight during the day.

3.    Not In the Car. Never, under any circumstances, leave your pet in a car. Within just a few minutes of being trapped in a hot car, your pet’s temperature can rise to dangerous and lethal levels. And remember, rolling down the windows or parking in the shade while your animal is in a car is not acceptable.

4.    Take It Easy. Too much exercise, particularly in the middle of the day, can exhaust your pet during the hot summer months (especially for older pets, short-nosed dogs, and pets with thick coats). Try to take walks and exercise with your pet in the morning or evening, when the temperature is cooler. Also, avoid walking on hot concrete or asphalt and instead use soft grass areas if possible.

5.    Don’t Get Buggy. Fleas and ticks can be extra problematic during the summer. Make sure to use flea and tick treatments recommended by your veterinarian, as over-the-counter products can be toxic to some animals.

6.    Apply the Lotion. Some pets can get sunburned, especially if they have light-skinned and exposed flesh on their noses, ears, and other body parts. Talk to your veterinarian and apply appropriate sunscreen to your pet’s vulnerable areas.

7.    Watch It. Pets can’t tell you they’re stressed by the heat, but you can notice multiple telltale signs. These include heavy panting, constant thirst, dizziness, lethargy, unusual clumsiness, fast heartbeats, glazed or unresponsive eyes, vomiting, excessive salivation, and deep red or purple tongue color. If your pet exhibits any of these characteristics or behaviors, contact your veterinarian or animal hospital immediately.

8.    Take Action. If your pet is succumbing to the heat, here are actions you can take before seeking professional medical assistance: move your pet into a shaded or cooler area; place your pet in cool (not ice cold) water; apply cold towels or ice packs to your pet’s head, neck and chest; help your pet suck on ice cubes or drink water.


“The summer is a time to play and have fun, but it also unfortunately can be a dangerous period for our favorite pets,” noted SEAACA Executive Director, Dan Morrison. “We are here to spread the word and give pet owners tips on how to help animals survive the heat. A few precautions can save a pet’s life,” he added.
 

Wildlife Rescue Issue

This involves a kind person who is concerned about turtles and fish in a neighborhood lake that's about to be filled in with dirt. If you're inclined to rescue wildlife, you should know this.

 

The query: ''I received a Hearing Notice regarding some zoning changes in the Fountainebleau Park

area in Miami (zip code 33172). The petitioner is requesting "to permit the filling of an existing lake"

- how would they go about it? The rather small lakes around here are home to fish and turtles and

it would be simply too cruel to just fill them up with dirt in order to gain land for construction.

I am aware that these are not protected species but am still wondering if anything could be done

to either prevent it or do it humanely.''

The response:

Thank you for your concern regarding our fish and wildlife--this is a question that comes up occasionally whether the cause is construction, or drying up water bodies during drought. Your sentiment is in the right place, but unfortunately there is not a practical solution for this situation, and it also raises a number of issues. The first issue with relocating fish or wildlife in a case like this is the possible transfer of diseases from one area to a new location, detrimentally affecting a new population. Second is the possible accidental movement of exotic species (of which Florida has both turtles and fishes) to a new location, which is illegal. Third, there are issues regarding legal methods of collecting the fish and turtles, as well as bag limit restrictions, which would actually require a special permit (and all the accompanying application and documentation paperwork) to accomplish. (For example, if someone grabbed their cast net and caught and moved six bass from a drying-out canal to the lake in their HOA, they've just broken at least two laws--even though their intent is good.) In addition, the negative ecological impact is very small--as would be the possible positive impact of successfully moving fish and wildlife to a new location. For all these reasons, and because filling in is similar to natural drought which occurs annually in many parts of Florida, we do not recommend moving fish or wildlife under such circumstances. However, we appreciate your concern.

Regards,

John Cimbaro
Biological Scientist III
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
561-625-5122, Ext. 123
john.cimbaro@myfwc.com

Meet the Official Postal Puppy!

Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum Celebrates Owney the Postal Dog

In the last decade of the 19th century, one of the world’s most famous travelers was a dog. At a time when mass communication sped at the rate of a train, a mongrel pup gained fame for riding the rails with the mail. The dog, Owney, is the centerpiece of an exhibit renovation at the National Postal Museum. The new exhibit, “Owney: Mascot of the Railway Mail Service,” opens today and features this extraordinary dog and his story. The museum and its visitors will be joined in that celebration by the U.S. Postal Service, which is issuing a commemorative postage stamp in the dog’s honor at an event in the museum’s atrium.

When Owney died in 1897, mail clerks raised money to preserve their beloved mascot. Now a taxidermy specimen, Owney was sent to the Post Office Department’s building in Washington, D.C., and was transferred to the Smithsonian Institution in 1911. Owney has been on display for most of the past 100 years, 17 at the National Postal Museum.

Owney is an old dog—and it showed. The museum’s preservation office recently provided Owney with a 21st-century “extreme makeover” befitting of a treasured Smithsonian artifact. Owney collected more than 400 tags during his travels, many of which also received conservation treatment, along with the original collar and harness he wore to display them.

Also on display through the spring of 2012 is Bill Bond’s original painting of Owney that was produced for the stamp. This new exhibit, “Art of the Stamp: Owney the Postal Dog,” also showcases six sketches illustrating various poses of Owney that the artist created as he developed his final portrait. Five tags that were given to Owney on his many travels and selected by Bonds as background for his stamp art are included.

Dog owners and lovers across America are joining in the celebration of Owney’s new postage stamp. The museum, in partnership with the Washington Humane Society, is supporting those celebrations by launching an Owney Look-Alike Contest on the museum’s Facebook page to identify the three dogs that best reflect the spirit of Owney. The winners will receive prizes and have their photos displayed in the museum.

The museum is hosting four days of family-friendly Owney activities through Saturday, July 30. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, visitors can make a tag for Owney, track Owney’s travels on a map, sort mail in the Railway Post Office, make a topical stamp collection, participate in a scavenger hunt and meet the author of a popular Owney book.

The National Postal Museum is devoted to presenting the colorful and engaging history of the nation’s mail service and showcasing one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of stamps and philatelic material in the world. It is located at 2 Massachusetts Avenue N.E., Washington, D.C., across from Union Station. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). For more information about the Smithsonian, please call (202) 633-1000 or visit the museum website at www.postalmuseum.si.edu.

Doggie Food Truck Joins the Trend

Open Media Miami

Laly Albalate, who owns Doggie Bag Café & Pet Boutique in the Upper Eastside, a place where people can schedule birthday parties for their dogs, has put her business concept into a food cart to cater dogs all over the city.

Tonight(Tuesday) at the Miami Street Food Court in North Miami, NE 127th Street and Biscayne Boulevard, from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m, Albalate’s Doggie Diner on Wheels will be rubbing shoulders with some of the big names in the business like Ms. Cheezious, Nacho Bizness and  Latin Burger & Taco. Tonight's entree will be organic sirloin with rice and veggies.

To cool off pooches from to the heat, the food truck will also offer cold treats like frozen mac 'n cheese with bacon and even three ice cream flavors: blueberry, peanut butter and vanilla. To learn more, go to the Miami New Times food blog Short Order.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/07/26/2331685/food-truck-for-dogs-to-roll-through.html#ixzz1TFHKtRBu

Citizens for Pets In Condos

I had the privilege of calling "critter bingo'' and pulling raffle tickets at a fundraiser for Citizens for Pets in Condos last week. Met some interesting people (and dogs) and was happy to contribute to a good cause. Check the site here.

Boozza Needs A Foster or Forever Home ASAP!!

Booza, Dutch  shepherd mix, was left abandoned in a house when his family moved. All alone with no food or water.

BOOZZA's Story...
Boozza is a really sweet boy. He loves riding next to someone on a bike (great for an early biker, runner etc) he loves other dogs, cats and children and if a dog growls or barks aggressivly he becomes submissive quick. He is housebroken (he roams with the pack) and he is all around an amazing and GREAT family dog.  He is already neutered, housetrained, up to date with shots, good with kids, good with dogs, and good with cats. If you are interested in adopting him please
contact Joanna at toppaw@live.com

 

Be on the Lookout!

Bark in the Park

TAKE YOUR FOUR-LEGGED BEST FRIEND OUT TO THE BALL GAME

Bark at the Park with the Florida Marlins and the San Francisco Giants on Friday evening August 12 will benefit the Humane Society of Greater Miami Adopt-A-Pet

 MIAMI, FL—July 13, 2011—Tired of taking your dog to the same old same old spots? How about a change of venue that also benefits a worthy cause? Bring your dog to watch the Florida Marlins battle the San Francisco Giants on Friday August 12, at 7:10, at Sun Life Stadium and help raise money for the Humane Society of Greater Miami. Here’s how it works. To purchase tickets please contact Cynthia Coutard at 305-749-1842 or Cynthia@humanesocietymiami.org Tickets are only $12 for adults, $6 for kids and $6 for dogs. Dog owners must carry proof of the rabies vaccination with them to the game. Please download and sign the Waiver document you can find by going to www.humanesocietymiami.org and clicking on 2011 Bark at the Park, and bring with you to the game. Proceeds from all dog tickets will benefit the Humane Society of Greater Miami.

Day-of-game sales for Bark at the Park will take place at Gate B beginning at 5pm and concluding in the second inning of the game. Fans and their dogs should enter Dolphin Stadium through Gate B, with disabled fans and their dogs using the Gate G entrance starting at 4:30pm. Seating will be general admission in the upper deck sections 401 - 404. Doggie pools, water dishes and a dog-walking area will be available throughout the game. Group tickets are also available by calling 305-626-SAVE. For further information and to purchase individual tickets please contact Cynthia Coutard at 305-749-1842 or Cynthia@humanesocietymiami.org

 

Cooking for your Pet

HOW TO PREPARE WHOLESOME FOOD FOR YOUR PET
SPECIAL FREE DEMONSTRATION BY HOLISTIC JODI
Hosted by Hollywood Animal Hospital--FREE!!

WHAT:
Many people are interested in preparing healthy, homemade food for their furry children but aren’t quite sure how to begin. Through this free demonstration, participants will learn how to create delicious, nutritionally balanced, species appropriate meals for cats and dogs.

Additionally, information will be shared on where to find ingredients, time-efficient ways to prepare foods and how to introduce a new diet to pets.

WHO:
Jodi Ziskin (Holistic Jodi) is a Holistic Nutrition & Wellness Consultant for cats and dogs. She is a Certified Pet Nutrition Consultant who also holds a Master of Science degree in Holistic Nutrition. Jodi educates pet parents in their home environment, via Skype or by telephone on how to make the best holistic diet and lifestyle choices for their animal companions. For more information, visit www.holisticjodi.com.

Hollywood Animal Hospital (HAH) has earned a solid reputation for offering the very best in veterinary medicine as well as the latest technological advances and therapies. Founded in 1947, HAH features 19 veterinarians and more than 100 highly trained technical and support staff members. For more information, please visit www.hollywoodanimal.com

WHEN:
Thursday, August 11, 2011
7:00pm

WHERE:
Hollywood Animal Hospital – Annex Building
2864 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, Florida 33020
954-920-3556

HOW:
The demonstration is FREE, and open to the public. Space is limited. Please RSVP to holisticjodi@gmail.com