With summer temperatures climbing above the 90 degree range for days on end this summer, we need to take precautions to insure the safety of our pets. As humans we are able to rely on our sweat glands throughout our bodies to help keep us cool. Cats and dogs do not have this luxury. Except for a few sweat glands in their foot pads and noses, cats and dogs rely on panting to keep them cool. They exhale the hot air and inhale the cooler air to keep them from overheating. So you can imagine when the air they are inhaling is in the 90 degree range, this method of self cooling is not as efficient. This is a major reason why we never leave a pet in a closed car where, even with the windows cracked, the temperature can soar above 120 degrees in minutes. It is best to leave your pet in a nice air conditioned environment or fan-cooled area while you run those errands.
Other things you can do to keep your pets safe include walking them in the early morning or later evening when the sun is less intense. Keep in mind that the pavement can be scorching to those paw pads over prolonged exposure and look for shady places or cool grassy paths to walk on. If you have an outdoor cat or dog, bring them inside during the peak heating hours. Be sure when they are outside that there are shady areas and plenty of water available. A few ice cubes in the water keeps it nice and cool.
For summer haircuts, the one inch rule is a good one. It allows protection from sunburn as well as the coolness of a shorter cut. If your pet is a hairless or very short-haired breed, invest in pet approved sun tan lotion for those times when he will be exposed to the sun. It is also a good idea to brush your cat or dog frequently to prevent matting as mats do not allow air to circulate between the hair and skin.
A kiddy pool in the backyard can provide cooling fun for your dog. A lawn sprinkler is also a fun method for keeping your dog cool.
Watch for symptoms of overheating. If your pet shows signs of excessive panting, drooling, lethargy, dark, red gums, difficulty getting up, vomiting, or other unusual behaviors such as confusion, he may be suffering from heatstroke. Cats and dogs with flat faces such as pugs and Persians do not pant as effectively as other breeds and are more susceptible. Pets who are elderly, overweight, have heart or other medical conditions should be kept in an air conditioned environment. If you suspect heatstroke, you must get to the vet immediately as this is a life threatening condition. It can cause damage to vital organs such as the heart, liver, kidneys and brain. Apply towels soaked in cool water to hairless areas of the body, especially the feet during the transport to the vet.
Keep your pets safe with these tips and enjoy your summer!
Tails Untold is very proud to have made a donation to the New Rochelle Humane Society, thanks to Stella, who just went on a Tails Untold Personalized Pet Book Adventure in New York City.
For more information, please visit: www.newrochellehumanesociety.org
Founded in 1911, the New Rochelle Humane Society is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing individual loving care for lost, abandoned, injured, and mistreated animals. We service 17 communities in Westchester County including Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Eastchester, Elmsford, Greenburgh, Harrison, Hartsdale, Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington, Larchmont, Mamaroneck Village, New Rochelle, Pelham Manor, Rye, Rye Brook, Scarsdale and Tarrytown, and rescue over 500 dogs and 900 cats each year.
About 50% of the shelter’s funding is from services provided for animal control (rescuing homeless cats and dogs). The other 50% comes from donations, wills and bequests. We do not receive any state or federal funding.
Sunshine Golden Retriever Rescue is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that rescues Golden Retrievers who have lost their homes through no fault of their own. Through adoptions, we seek to place them in their forever homes from NJ through ME.
Everything you need to know about Sunshine Golden Retriever Rescue can be found via the various links and pages of our site. Our website is frequently updated to provide you with the most current information about our organization and available dogs. If you are visiting for the first time, please be sure to visit our information page and various other pages to learn more about what we do.
We have all heard stories of wealthy pet owners leaving their fortunes to their pets. Although we think of our pets as family, the legal system designates them as “property”, which you can’t leave property to. When you meet with your lawyer to plan your will, remember to include your furry companions. Today there are over a million wills in the United States that include pets. The following are some examples of pets whose rich owners have or will provide for them for their lifetimes:
* A chihuahua named Conchita, who belonged to a Miami heiress named Gail Posner was left a mansion and a 3 million dollar trust fund. Her son did contest the will and said his mother was drugged by her staff who wanted the 8.3 million dollar mansion for themselves.
* Gunther, a German Shephard inherited 80 million dollars from his Austrian blue-blood owner, Karlotta Liebstein. When Gunther passed on, the rest of the estate went to one of his puppies.
* Oprah Winfrey’s 5 dogs, some of whom were rescued from shelters, have had 30 million dollars set aside for their care after her death.
* Betty White’s will includes 5 million dollars for her Golden Retriever Pontiac. Betty is well-known as an animal-rights activist, in addition to her fame as an actress.
* A former alley cat was rescued by the late Maria Assunta of Rome and received 13 million dollars, the entire estate of the heiress.
* Ben Rhea left nothing to his relatives, but he made sure his beloved cat Blackie was taken care of . Blackie inherited 25 million dollars after Ben’s death. This story is featured in the Guinness Book of World Records.
* The widow of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry set aside her mansion and a 4 million dollar trust fund for her dogs. She also left 1 million dollars to her pets’ caretaker.
* The well-known hotel heiress, Leona Helmsley, gave her Maltese terrier Trouble, 12 million dollars from her estate. She wanted the public to be aware that our pets need to be planned for. Trouble will be buried in the Helmsley mausoleum with Leona and her husband.
You do not need to be a millionaire to give your pets a lifetime of contentment. Check with your state as there are 39 states that have statutes outlining pet trusts. It is best to designate a caregiver who will provide for your pet after you are gone. This should be stated in your will. If you can’t find a caregiver, look at breed-specific or general no-kill shelters or rescue organizations. Be sure your chosen caregiver has a diary of information about your pet’s likes and dislikes, including favorite treats or habits. This information is also very important if your pet will go to a rescue organization or shelter. If your pet dies before you, the money you planned to leave your pet stays with your estate.
Thinking of your pet and providing them with care after you are gone is one of the best gifts you can give them. After all, even if the legal system thinks of pets as “property”, they are members of our family and deserve a lifetime of love.
When you are in the market for a new dog, you may wonder about adopting the pet or getting it from a breeder or pet store. Some people fear that if a dog is in a shelter or with a rescue organization that there must be something wrong with it. While this can be true, there are many different reasons why dogs are put in shelters. It can be due to illness or death of the owner, a move that will not allow for a dog, or someone in the family is allergic to the pet., among other reasons. On the negative side, the owner couldn’t take the time to properly train the dog so it was given up.
Just the act of adopting a dog from a shelter or rescue organization is rewarding and fulfilling, knowing you have saved a dog’s life. You may need to invest a lot of time initially in training your newly rescued pet. But once over the hurdles of ridding excess doggy baggage, the love and bonding you have from your pet is priceless.
If you go to a shelter, interview the staff and volunteers about the pet’s personality and habits. They will usually tell you if the dog was a stray or had to be given up by its previous owner. Ask about the reasons the dog was given up. Ask about health or behavioral issues that have been evaluated. Work with the staff to figure out which dog is a good match for your lifestyle and personality.
Often shelters or rescue groups have covered the costs of spaying or neutering, vaccinations and flea or tick treatments among other things. This can save hundreds of dollars over the initial vet costs you would pay for a purchased puppy. Adoption fees vary but are much less than the cost of a dog from a pet store or breeder.
Remember, when you buy your dog from a pet store, thinking you are freeing it from life in a small cage, you are actually perpetuating the puppy mills. These are dog breeding factories with overcrowded and less than healthy environments. Often these dogs are inbred and may have genetic problems. Mixed breeds, which make up about 70% of a shelter population, are less likely to have inherited genetic diseases since they are not inbred.
Dog rescue organizations often save a pet from euthanization, which is common in over-crowded shelters. These rescued dogs may then live with a foster family who can take the time to assess behavior and do any training needed before the pet is adopted. There is also the added benefit that if for some reason the adopted dog does not work out for you, the rescuers will take the dog back.
Whether you adopt from a shelter or a pet rescue organization, you are saving a dog’s life. Plus, you are creating an opening for another dog that needs rescuing. It is a win-win situation for all of our abandoned friends!
Tails Untold is proud to announce that donations have been made to The American Cancer Society Bark For Life in New York City and in Bangor, Maine. Thank you, Joann and Lily and Kelly and Riley for participating.
The American Cancer Society Bark for Life is more than just an event. It is an event that gives people an opportunity to help save lives and create a world with less cancer and more birthdays by supporting the American Cancer Society. By taking part in Bark For Life, they are helping the American Cancer Society save lives by:
Tails Untold is so pleased to donate to another wonderful rescue organization the Doodle Rescue Collective. Having just completed another adorable Tails Untold Personalized Pet Book this time for Bocker T. Labradoodle, at Bocker and his mom, Marie’s request, we donated to this great Rescue Organization. Please visit http://doodlerescue.org
Founded in 2008, Doodle Rescue Collective, Inc. (DRC) is recognized as a national, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, charitable organization since 2009. Comprised of a “collective” of volunteers dedicated to Labradoodle rescue & Goldendoodle rescue and education, DRC provides refuge, foster homes, vet care, rehabilitation, transport and quality forever homes for doodle dogs in need. DRC also provides support services and educational resources for doodle owners, aspiring owners, rescuers and enthusiasts and re-home assistance for those needing to find new forever homes for their family pets. To date, DRC has saved and successfully placed over 550 doodles in need.
This heartwarming and thought provoking novel about a woman’s crusade to rescue as many dogs as she can while barely subsisting herself, is a must read! I actually read it two times, the first time in one afternoon. The main character, Miss Pink inspires us to give of ourselves to those people and four legged pals who need our help and love. She is like a dog whisperer who can calm the most abused canine into accepting her trust at the New York City animal rescue center. There are some twists and turns as she befriends a not-so-popular woman and a broken-hearted young woman. The final chapters give us hope and made me wish for a sequel so I could read about Miss Pink’s plans coming to fruition. Sarah Cavallaro is a writer who pulls us in and does not let go with her insights into the human and canine psyches. I do hope she writes another book starring Miss Pink and her pals.
Tails Untold will be participating in the Pre-Westminster Fashion Show on February 10th/ http://www.pre-westminsterfashionshow.com/. A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to the NYC Animal Care & Control Organization. http://www.nycacc.org. “Animal Care & Control of NYC (AC&C) is the largest pet organization in the northeast rescuing nearly 40,000 animals each year. As a not-for-profit organization since 1995, AC&C has been responsible for NYC’s municipal shelter system, rescuing, caring for, and finding loving homes for homeless and abandoned animals in NYC. To service all NYC communities, AC&C facilities operate in all five boroughs.”
Please come and visit our table and see our Personalized Pet Books and learn how you can create your own. Bring your pet for a natural treat or a drink of water. Look forward to seeing you there!
Tails Untold is proud to announce that we just made another donation today. Our recipient is Bideawee www.bideawee.org. This is a wonderful organization, founded in 1903 by Mrs. Flora D’Auby Jenkins Kibbe, Bideawee, which means “stay awhile” in Scottish, is one of the oldest humane organizations in the United States.
MORE ABOUT BIDEAWEE
Bideawee is one of the nation’s leading animal welfare organizations; but there’s so much more to what they do. Bideawee is a community – of compassionate caregivers, volunteers, and friends – dedicated to helping people and animals build safe, loving, long-term relationships.They know this is ambitious, but they believe it’s crucial for breaking the cycle of unwanted or abandoned pets in our world.
Consider joining the Bideawee community. Explore their site – learn about the innovative adoption, veterinary care, education, behavioral training and other services they offer.
| Name: | Weezie |
| Nickname(s): | The Boss |
| Gender: | female |
| Characteristics: | One eye, white face, very large pointy ears |
| Personality: | stealthy, determined, quiet, funny |
