Saturday, August 27, 2011

Canine Cruelty Prevention in Missouri

We are happy to announce the launch of the Canine Cruelty Prevention Unit’s web site. Follow this link: http://ago.mo.gov/CanineCruelty/ for access. The site includes a canine cruelty complaint form, where consumers can lodge a complaint against unlicensed breeders or breeders against whom they have animal cruelty or consumer complaints. The Canine Cruelty Prevention Unit will investigate all complaints. Also included is an information chart that explains the revisions to Missouri’s animal welfare laws, as well as a copy of the newly enacted legislation. You will find a list of frequently asked questions and access to the Attorney General’s Hotline, where individuals can call with complaints. Attorney General’s Office hotline operators have been trained on the Animal Care Facilities Act and the new Canine Cruelty Prevention Act.
Have a great week, everyone!
Jessica
Jessica L. Blome
Assistant Attorney General
Missouri Attorney General's Office
P.O. Box 899
Jefferson City, MO 65101
Phone: (573) 751-3640
Facsimile: (573) 751-8796



Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Pet Health Myths....

by: Michelle Hainer

Myth One: Parasite Prevention isn't necessary year-round
"I'd like to see people think of parasite prevention as preventive medicine," say Dr. Jay Stewart, owner of Aumsville Animal Clinic in Aumsville, Oregon, and a Companion Animal Parasite Council board member. Dr. Stewart adds that some parasites, like roundworms and those carried by mosquitoes, can infect pets at any time of the year, so only continuous prevention is effective against them. To keep pets safe from fleas, ticks, heartworms, and intestinal parasites, you'll need to administer broad-spectrum parasite prevention medication once every month.

Myth Two: Neutering Makes Dogs Soft.
Intact males are frustrated every time they smell a female dog in season and even males in single-dog households can detect the scent. Dogs exhibit this frustration in a number of ways, poor appetite for a few days, spells of breaking house training and mounting other dogs in the family or people's legs. Neutering can quiet these tendencies when done at a young age. At the same time, it won't diminish skills, such as hunting, that are characteristic of a breed, says Dr. Danielle Wehr with All Valley Pet Clinic in Meridian, Idaho. Neutering also protects against testicular cancer and an enlarged prostrate.

Myth Three: It's OK to Skip brushing pet's teeth.
Dental health impacts heart, liver and kidney function. Failure to brush regularly can lead to serious gum disease and significantly decrease your pet's overall quality of life. When started at a young age most pets enjoy brushing. Even older pets enjoy teeth brushing.

Myth Four: Itchy Ears Must Mean Ear Mites.
" The only ear mites I have ever seen in a dog came from a puppy living among others in a deplorable hoarding situation," Dr. Wehr says. " More often, a dog scratches its ear because of a yeast infection or bacterial infection that requires appropriate medication to treat. " Those infections typically occur as a result of food or inhalant allergy or as a direct result of water getting into the ear, which creates a moist environment for yeast and bacteria to grow. Over the counter ear mite solutions usually end up making the ear canal more inflamed.


Thursday, August 4, 2011

What Greater Gift Can You Give To A Child !!?!!

Monday, August 1, 2011

No Kill Advocacy


The No Kill Advocacy Center is working to end the systematic killing of animals in U.S. shelters.
The No Kill Advocate is our free e-newsletter and listserve. Stay informed of No Kill news from around the country. Learn more and subscribe by clicking here.
A National Tragedy

We are a nation of cat and dog lovers. But the shelters we expect to provide these animals with a second chance are instead killing millions of them every year. And for far too long, we have been told that there is no other way. More than that, we have been told that the killing is exclusively the public's fault. That shelters—through no fault of their own—are merely performing the public's dirty work—with skill, compassion, and dedication. Nothing could be further from the truth.

This year, roughly four million dogs and cats—and countless other animals—will be put to death in our nation’s animal shelter. Their only “crime” is that they have no human address. Others may be sick or injured, but they could be saved with little effort. Unfortunately, they, too, will be killed. And still others are feral cats who should never enter shelters in the first place. But there is hope.

A Reason for Hope

In the last decade, several progressive shelters have put into place a bold series of lifesaving programs and services which have dramatically reduced the death rate in their communities. The resulting success proves that there is a formula for lifesaving, and that if we are to achieve a No Kill nation, it is incumbent upon shelters nationwide to embrace the programs and services which have been proven to save lives.

Join the Crusade

But the challenges we face are great. From entrenched bureaucrats who are content with the status quo, to uncaring shelter directors hostile to calls for reform; from agencies mired in the failed philosophies of the past to those who have internalized a culture of defeatism—the roadblocks to No Kill are substantial, but not insurmountable. We have a choice. We can fully, completely and without reservation embrace No Kill as our future. Or we can continue to legitimize the two-prong strategy of failure: adopt a few and kill the rest. It is a choice which history has thrown upon us. And a challenge that the No Kill Advocacy Center is ready to take on. The No Kill Advocacy Center is the nation’s first organization dedicated solely to the promotion of a No Kill nation. And it is the only national animal welfare agency that is staffed by people who have actually worked in and created a No Kill community.

The power to change the status quo is in our hands.
No Kill Advocacy Center 6114 La Salle Ave. #837 Oakland CA 94611 (510) 530-5124
©2011
Conferences
The only national conference that says we can end the killing and we can do it today. Learn more by clicking here.
Campaigns
From model legislation to ground-breaking studies; from legal action to direct assistance, learn more by clicking here.
Join the No Kill Advocacy Center community:
If every animal shelter in the United States embraced the No Kill philosophy and the programs and services that make it possible, we would save nearly four million dogs and cats who are scheduled to die in shelters this year, and the year after that. It is not an impossible dream.

Boston Terrier Rescue of Alabama



KAIAH NEEDS YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Kaiah needs your financial help to pay for saving her only eye. She came to rescue on November 28, 2008 at the age of seven (7). She was found wondering the streets in a small town in Mississippi. She had been attacked by another dog. Her left eye was hanging out of the socket, part of her tongue had been chewed off and part of her left ear is missing. A wonderful lady saw her and took her to her vet and paid to have Kaiah’s left eye removed as there was no way to save the eye. She called Boston Terrier Rescue of Alabama and asked if we could take her in to our rescue. We said yes and Kaiah has been with us ever since.

Sadie was her original name. Since she was in such bad shape and loosing her eye had not helped her natural Boston good looks, BTRA changed her name to Kaiah. The native American Indian meaning of Kaiah is “rare beauty”. Now every time anyone says her name she will know that she is truly beautiful--inside and out.

Kaiah is somewhat of a loner. She is a very humble and unassuming girl. She is thriving in the love and attention that she is now receiving. She never “pushes” herself on any one. She loves her foster mom and her foster fur brothers and fur sisters. As a shy girl, her foster mom usually has to initiate any “lovin” time with her as she has never know what it is like to truly have someone want to love her. She was simply used as “breeding stock” and when she reached an age when she could no longer produce enough puppies for her owner, she was turned out to roam the streets and fend for herself.

Kaiah injured her remaining eye in a recent accident. BTRA simply could not let Kaiah go blind even though she is a senior citizen now at ten (10) years of age. Life is hard with one eye, but to be blind for her remaining years just was not an option. BTRA took Kaiah to an ophthalmologist and had her eye operated on immediately so that she would be able to have the ability to see out of her remaining eye. We felt that she deserved this opportunity. Sight is a true gift in life.

Now the surgeon’s bill must be paid. Kaiah needs $2,383.00 from BTRA’s friends and benefactors to pay this bill. You have always been very generous in helping Boston Terrier Rescue of Alabama get the medical assistance that our babies require, and we are sincerely grateful and hopeful that you will continue to help us help these precious ones.

She has come home now to recoup but is on five different eye medications as well as pain relief meds and will have to remain on these medications for two months. Any donation that you can give for Kaiah will go directly to her veterinary surgical bill. BTRA has no paid staff and no overhead costs, rather only dedicated volunteers who donate their time, money and love to save as many as we possibly can with your caring financial help.

We know we made the right decision in saving Kaiah remaining eye in order for her to have sight for her senior years. If you will evaluate this decision and look at your financial ability to help, Kaiah and Boston Terrier Rescue of Alabama will be extremely grateful and you will know that you helped a very deserving senior citizen.
Sincerely,
Jo-Ellyn G. Vincent, President
Boston Terrier Rescue of Alabama

P.S. Again, Kaiah says thank you for all you do for her and all the others in the care of Boston Terrier Rescue of Alabama.

Jo-Ellyn G. Vincent, President
Boston Terrier Rescue of Alabama
Please visit our website.
In advance, thank you all for your support.