Thursday, October 31, 2013

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Pet safety during Halloween

This article courtesy of petinsurance-101.com

Tuesday October 19th, 2010

"Who keeps ringing the doorbell?"

Any time pets are forced out of their routine and made to face an unfamiliar scenario; there are chances that the animal, whether cat, dog, or hamster can get injured suffering physical or psychological stress.

Many injuries that are reported to the veterinary clinics on the days following Halloween are avoidable with a little bit of understanding and information on part of the pet parents.

Simple things can make a difference, for example, taking your pet dog out for a walk before the trick-or-treaters start coming in. Be sure that the animal is on a firm leash as it may get startled on seeing people in costumes. At home, keep the dog secluded till the traffic to your place is over. Kids can unknowingly injure an animal in their enthusiasm; candy and chocolates offered to cats and dogs can actually prove toxic, particularly to the small breeds. Theobromine in chocolates is toxic to the system of these animals. Symptoms of theobromine poisoning include pupil dilation, hyperactivity, rapid heartbeats, coma, and muscle seizures.

Dogs can get excited and run after trick or treaters. They risk accident and also theft if they step outside the front yard. If your pet is easily excitable or can get jumpy from sudden noises and being exposed to new sights and smells, there is a chance that it may hurt not only itself but also lash out or scratch others. Confine your animal in a large enough crate if you cannot spare a room. Give your pet dog its favorite bone, play soothing music, supply it with water, in short make the animal comfortable before the humans start partying. Putting an I.D. tag on your pet is a great idea to make identification and retrieval easy should it ever run loose.

It is worth reiterating that chocolates and candies are not for the pets. Keep them away from even the crumbs. All treats can be potentially lethal to the pets. Decorations and jack-o-lanterns are injury and fire hazards for frisky, curious, and energetic pets. Ditto for wire cords, tin foil, and cellophane. Don't force your pet into a costume unless you are very sure of its comfort. It may be an hour or two of fun for us but the time will pass very slowly for the suffering animal. If you have to do it and are sure that the animal will not become high strung then try out the costume beforehand. The animal should be able to breathe comfortably and vocalize easily. Avoid making them wear masks.

If your pet gets too nervous from sudden sounds, noise, and revelry then you should check with the vet if sedating the animal for the night is an option.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Stop Animal Abuse

I always get so excited when I hear stories of justice. It's an amazing feeling to catch stories about animal cruelty on the radio or news of a suspect being charged. It's a glorifying moment until you hear their sentence; "3 months probation along with a $100.00 fee, and not allowed to own animals during their probation period". DURING THEIR PROBATION PERIOD? How about for as long as their filthy, low life, disrespecting body exists on this earth? I think that would suit much better. I feel that social media plays a HUGE part in exposing animal cruelty along with aiding the search for the perpetrator(s). When the first post went out of the Mama Petunia reward flyer, it was shared over 300,000 times. That is incredible. 300,000 people helped us try to find her abuser(s). I agree with most regarding our laws or lack of strict laws, they are not harsh enough. The abuse of animals isn't a random act. Dog fighting is a premeditated act of cruelty that is thoughtfully and strategically planned out. Someone who breaks the legs of a puppy because he went potty in the house isn't someone who is a stable individual. And someone who burns a pregnant dog with boiling water or chemicals who shows then shows no sense of remorse should not be allowed to be part of our functioning society. There are numerous studies about these people who commit these acts of cruelty as children. They start by burning ants, pulling apart insects and it gradually escalates to torture of our most precious creatures. I truly believe Michael Vick is a sociopath. Someone who gains enjoyment from the barbaric act of dog fighting is a mentally ill person. At the same turn, I also believe that dog fighting and cock fighting is cultural. Children grow up watching their parents commit these acts and become desensitized to it. They are no educated and they are never taught that they should respect God's creatures. I wish I could remember my childhood education regarding animals. I have many memories of collecting caterpillars, feeding feral cats, setting spiders free when they found their way into the house and I cried every time I went to the zoo or any animal establishment. Who taught me that being kind to animals was the right thing to do? Are we predispositioned with this trait? Or did I learn it from watching others around me? I have a memory as a child. I was around 5 or 6. We had a neighbor who tied their Collies in the middle of their yard, rain or shine, snow or exhausting heat, their Collies were stuck with no where to go. My dad would repeatedly jump the fence to cut their chains. It didn't serve much purpose but it allowed them to roam the yard in search of shelter. Maybe this is where I learned to be compassionate. Anyways, back to my thoughts about our laws. I firmly believe that if we would stone people in public or allow us to torment them in the same ways they inflicted pain on our creatures we would see less and less animal abuse. I was happy to hear that they have a "person of interest" in the Puppy Doe case. Her tongue was slit, she had multiple abrasions and burns; I guarantee her abuser would re-think his act if he knew his tongue would also be split. I think there is something to say about an eye for an eye. The same goes for the sick disturbed individuals who abuse, rape and create horror against our youth. I will never be able to understand what goes through an individuals mind as they inflict suffering. How can the grueling sounds that exit an animals body when it is in pain or being tortured not be enough to stop? It's a scary thought to know we walk among these people daily. It's so important to our animals that we be their voice. If you see it, report it. If you see a petition floating around social media, sign it. We are getting stronger. Social media is helping us create awareness. Even if it’s only a blurb, news anchors are supporting us with airing our stories. One day, we our persistence and courageous battle forward, something will change. PS. This dog was rescued..Animal Rescue Corps (printed on the photo)

Friday, October 25, 2013

F.D.A. Moves To Regulate Food For Animals ..........

F.D.A. Moves to Regulate Food for Animals

By SABRINA TAVERNISE

The Food and Drug Administration proposed rules on Friday that would govern the production of pet food and farm animal feed for the first time.

The regulation would help prevent food-borne illness in both animals and people, officials at the agency said, as people can become sick from handling contaminated animal food and from touching pets that have eaten it.

The proposal comes six years after the biggest pet food recall in history, when a Chinese producer contaminated dog and cat food with melamine, a compound used in plastics, causing the deaths of animals across the United States.

The public outcry helped lead to the inclusion of animal food in theFood Safety and Modernization Act, a landmark food safety bill which passed with broad support in 2010 and was the first major overhaul of the Food and Drug Administration’s food safety laws since the 1930s. It gives the F.D.A. more control over food imports as well as broad new powers to set standards to prevent contamination of produce and processed food.

Jerky treats have also caused pet deaths. Since 2007, the F.D.A. has counted about 580 pet deaths connected to chicken, duck and sweet potato jerky treats, nearly all of which were imported from China. However, it is not clear whether the regulations, if passed, could have prevented the deaths because the F.D.A. is not sure yet what the hazard is. The agency had received more than 3,000 complaints about the jerky over five years.

The proposal is open for public comment for 120 days. If passed, it would regulate the production of feed for millions of farm animals, including cows, pigs and chickens, as well as pet food.

Much like regulations proposed for human food this year, the rules would require makers of animal food sold in the United States to develop a written plan to prevent food-borne illnesses, like salmonella, and to put it into effect. Producers would need to put protective procedures into place at critical points in the production process where problems are likely to arise.

For example, for canned dog food, producers might have to set up a system to monitor whether the food has been cooked long enough at the right temperature, said Michael R. Taylor, deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine. They would also need to keep records to document it.

“We know from experience that when the system doesn’t deliver, people get irate,” Mr. Taylor said. “It’s all about having a systematic plan to make the food safe.”

The rules would also require producers to correct problems that arise and re-evaluate their plans at least every three years. And they would require them to maintain standards of cleanliness for the facilities and people who work in them.

The proposal does not address the use of antibiotics given to animals, sometimes in feed. Public health advocates warn that it is contributing to dangerous levels of antibiotic resistance in humans.