Cheap Drive-Thru Rabies Shots for Pets

What do you usually get from a drive-thru? Coffee, late night fast-food, your prescription? What about your pet's rabies shots? That's exactly what pets were doing on Saturday afternoon at the Baptist School of Nursing.

The Humane Society of Saline County in Arkansas sponsored a drive-thru rabies event this past weekend. Instead of waiting at a vet’s office, dozens of dogs and cats got their rabies shots while waiting in the car. Not only was the rabies shot convenient for many pet owners, it only cost $10.

Veterinarian Kim Miller said many of the animals that received rabies shots would probably never have gotten the shot if this drive-thru service was not provided. At the vet, rabies shots can run as much as $65.

[Source: Today's THV]

Animal Cruelty Investigator Suspended After Rescuing a Dog

Three months ago, Tre Smith, an animal cruelty investigator for the Toronto Humane Society, saved a dog from an extremely hot car. After saving the dog’s life, Smith has been suspended for the past three months by the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Smith responded to a call where Cyrus, a Rottweiler, was stuck in a car during an intense heat wave. He broke the car window, and pulled out Cyrus to safety. Cyrus’ owner came out when he heard his car alarm go off. Smith said the man seemed to be dangerous and abusive and could be a potential threat to people around the scene.

Making a quick decision, Smith knew he had to get back to Cyrus and save his life, so he handcuffed the man to his car while he went to tend to the weak dog. While the man was handcuffed, bystanders threw objects at the man, and he was bleeding when officers took him away. After the incident, the Ontario SPCA suspended Smith’s license pending an internal review to see if Smith’s conduct of handcuffing the man was appropriate.

For the past three months, Smith has been “pushing paper” around while the Toronto Humane Society and OSPCA have been arguing over access to information, incident reports, decisions and disclosure. “The irony is that people who are caught and punished for animal cruelty get less time than what I’ve served,” Smith said. “The clear victims here are the animals of Toronto. By taking my license away, it’s one less officer on the road protecting animals from cruelty.”

Two weeks ago, Smith received a letter from OSPCA saying that they are “seriously considering” revoking his license. OSPCA CEO said that this was intended for Smith to present his side of the story to the organization. Toronto Humane Society spokesman Lee Oliver said, “Police said Tre didn’t do anything wrong and that it is his right to use handcuffs (as an investigator). The OSPCA then said his suspension was because Tre didn’t file (incident) papers on time.”

Despite the controversy, Smith did recently receive an award for saving Cyrus’ live from the International Positive Dog Training Association. For Cyrus, he has fully recovered from the incident, and he has moved in with a foster family who is asking for temporary custody. Since Cyrus is evidence in criminal proceedings, he cannot be legally adopted. But for now, he is enjoying his time with the family, getting three walks a day, and playing with his toys.

[Source: Itchmo.com]

National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week

This week is National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week. The Humane Society of the United States launched this week in 1996 to celebrate and promote animal shelters and increase public awareness of animal welfare issues and shelter services.

The Jefferson County Dog Shelter in New York sponsored an open house adoption event in celebration of National Animal Shelter Appreciation week and had a record breaking adoption day. The shelter has not had an open spot for an animal for six months. Workers at the shelter were surprised at the amazing results from the open house.

“I was so ecstatic. I got up at 7 a.m. this morning and got out there at 7:30 a.m.,” Jefferson County Dog Shelter Supervisor Todd Cummings said. “There was someone waiting here in line, believe it or not, waiting for a dog. By 10 o’clock there was about 35 people waiting in line to get into the building.” 15 dogs were adopted in the first two hours, and many more were adopted throughout the day. Last year, only seven dogs were adopted in total. Cumming said that some dogs have been waiting for homes since May and they finally have found a loving home after their long wait.

Here are some ways that you can show your appreciation for your local animal shelter:
* Adopt or foster an animal.
* Donate a pet bed.
* Volunteer.
* Say thank you or send a thank you note!

[Source: Itchmo.com]

Doctor Saves Dogs Across the Globe

Dr. Anteneh Roba, a Houston trauma care doctor, not only rescues humans, but he saves the lives of dogs also. Roba, who was born in Ethiopia, saves “cave dogs” in Ethiopia that would otherwise die.

The Gido Washa cave in Ethiopia has been used as a place to abandon unwanted dogs. Each month, many dogs have died in the cave until July when the Homeless Protection Society stepped in to save the last four dogs in the cave. But no one wanted to adopt the four rescued dogs, who had been named Haley, Tommy, Maria, and Hannah. Roba, who funded the rescue, then paid to bring the four dogs to Houston to look for new homes.

Roba wants to bring awareness to animal welfare, both in the U.S. and globally. He said, “That’s what I’m doing - that’s my responsibility. Someone has to take care of the animals. They have no voice. We’re their voice.”

The cave has since been sealed, and Roba is trying to raise money for the Homeless Animal Protection Society to spay and neuter the animals of Ethiopia. Haley, Tommy, Maria and Hannah have been put up for adoption. In the meantime, these four are the newest guests at a luxury pet hotel in the Houston area.

[Source: Itchmo.com]

Pet Cancer Awareness Month

November is Pet Cancer Awareness Month, so I thought I'd give you some facts about cancer in dogs. As hard as it is to deal with or talk about the possibility of your dog having cancer, it's always best to be aware of the facts concerning canine cancer. If you have any concerns about the health of your dog, seek medical advice from your veterinarian asap.

* Dogs get cancer at the roughly the same rate as humans. Approximately 1 in 4 dogs will develop a tumor of some kind during his lifetime.

* Over half the dogs currently aged over 10 years old will die of cancer.

* Fifteen years ago there was virtually no pet oncology; now the level of dog cancer treatment is similar to human oncology. Available surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatment is successful in treating many canine cancers.

* Early detection and effective treatment is essential to give your dog the best possible prognoses.

* Cancer treatment is expensive; seriously consider starting a pet insurance policy whilst your dog is healthy.

* On August 10th this year, an initiative was launched by the Morris Animal Foundation to eliminate cancer in the canine population in 20 years.

* Just like in humans, cancer can occur in virtually any part of your dog's body – for example the skin, gastrointestinal tract (stomach, bowels), kidney, bladder, blood, nervous system and bones. Also like in humans, each type of cancer is its own disease and will have its own treatment and prognosis.

[Source: DogTopics.com]

Diamond Encrusted MP3 Player for Dogs

JooZoo is an MP3 player for dogs that is encrusted with diamonds and 18 karat gold and is designed in a heart-shaped necklace. There is a speaker that plays automatically triggered sounds that correspond to various behaviors.

According to the company, the play system enhances your pet’s physical health and relieves stress through automatic content responding to various pet behaviors. For example, when you leave your pet at home alone or while your pet travels in a vehicle, the JooZoo encourages physical movement or increases blood flow rate by sound wave stimulation. A luxurious accessory type of remote control and the charger with sound speaker function are also included.

The downside? The device comes with a hefty price- between $1,500 and $2,000! I guess I won't be able to get my dog an MP3 player for Christmas this year. Oh well.

[Source: Itchmo.com]

7 Tips for Buying a Dog House

Before you buy your dog a doghouse, take the time to consider her height/weight and the type of climate you live in. Here are 7 tips that will hopefully make buying a doghouse a little easier:

1. Wooden doghouses enhance the look of your backyard with their classic style and design, while plastic doghouses are easy to clean and virtually maintenance-free.

2. If you live in cold climates, insulated doghouses are a must. Position the doghouse so the door faces away from the wind and provide lots of soft, warm bedding to help keep your dog warm.

3. Doghouses with peaked roofs and weatherproof liners within the roof will keep your dog dry and warm during thunderstorms and showers.

4. A raised floor that is a few inches off the ground will increase airflow and keep the doghouse cooler in summer and warmer during the winter.

5. Keeping a doghouse clean on the inside will make your dog feel more comfortable and healthy. A doghouse that features a removable roof makes cleaning much easier.

6. For design harmony within your backyard, choose a style of doghouse that the wood, brick or stone exterior can be matched to the exterior of your own house.

7. Another doghouse feature that will make your dog feel more comfortable and warm is an off-center door. This prevents wind from blowing straight into the doghouse.

[Source: Dog.com]

Pizza for Shelter Dogs

A Chicago pizzeria has been offering up some delicious dinners to homeless dogs at a local shelter.

Ted Lownik, a partime deliveryman at Barracco’s pizza, has been making special deliveries to the Animal Welfare League in Chicago since hearing about outbreaks of tainted pet food on the market. Instead of throwing away extra food in the garbage, Lownik has brought over 4.6 tons of beef, gravy, and pizza scraps to the shelter dogs. The Animal Welfare League was forced to destroy most of their stored food after many animals were killed by the tainted products. Now that's what I call good eating!