Paw Print

(from a 6-year-old)

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog’s owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker’s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker’s Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, ‘I know why.’

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I’d never heard a more comforting explanation.

He said, ‘People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life—like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?’
The Six-year -old continued, ‘Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long.’

Live simply.

Love generously.

Care deeply.

Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you’re not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

I’m an advocate for children spending their time playing with their physical friends and enjoying a breath of fresh air, bike ride, etc. but I also know it’s difficult to drag our youth from action packed and often violent video games.  A safe, educational and fun suggestion for the pet loving children on your holiday gift list - a Webkinz.
Webkinz are stuffed animals that each have an attached tag with a unique Secret Code printed on it that allows access to the virtual Webkinz World, where users will find a virtual version of their pet. Every pet gets its own room in Webkinz World where you care for your virtual pet, redecorate the rooms, buy items for their pets (including a yard!), answer trivia, earn KinzCash, and play the best kids games on the net!. If a safe, educational and fun online community is not on your gift list this year, you might want to reconsider!
Check it out:  http://www.webkinz.com/us_en/

A friend forwarded this to me this week after I had told her about my 20 year old cat, Coby, just being diagnosed with a stomach tumor.
The vet sent me and Coby home with a small bottle of Prednisone to reduce the size of the tumor so food would be able to get to her stomach easier. 
When he was telling me this was really the only way to treat her at her age I couldn’t help but visualize me getting a pill into her mouth much less swallowed,
particularly after watching her less than stellar behavior in the vet’s office.
As suspected and feared Coby showed her ugly side and after day two I gave up the fight, ironically she’s doing pretty well and I’m not maimed.

How to Give a Cat a Pill

1. Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if
holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side
of cat’s mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding
pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow
cat to close mouth and swallow.
2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in
left arm and repeat process.
3. Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.
4. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding
rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to
back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of
ten.
5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of
wardrobe.Call spouse from garden.
6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front
and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold
head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. 
Drop pill down ruler and rub cat’s throat vigorously.
7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. 
Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains.Carefully sweep
shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for
gluing later.
8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head
just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, 
force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.
9. Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink 1beer
to take taste away.Apply Band-Aid to spouse’s forearm and remove
blood from carpet with cold water and soap.
10. Retrieve cat from neighbor’s shed. Get another pill.Open another
beer. Place cat in cupboard, and close door onto neck, to leave head
showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat
with elastic band.
11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on
hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of scotch. Pour shot, drink. Apply
cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus
shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back
another shot. Throw Tee shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.
12. Call fire department to retrieve the damn cat from across the
road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to
avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.
13. Tie the little bastard’s front paws to rear paws with garden
twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy-duty
pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by large
piece of filet steak. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and
pour 2 pints of water down throat to wash pill down.
14. Consume remainder of scotch. Get spouse to drive you to the
emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and
forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture
shop on way home to order new table.
15. Arrange for SPCA to collect mutant cat from hell and call local
pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.

How To Give A Dog A Pill
1. Wrap it in bacon.
2. Toss it in the air.

My dogs prefer their pills smothered in butter, huh, what pill?

According to the website of The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore the zoo has announced an early closing - get those children bundled up for one last visit with Samson the baby elephant and all of the other fabulous animals. 
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore will close for the winter season this year beginning on December 15 and will reopen Saturday, March 14, 2009. The Zoo, which is closed during January and February, is taking this step to spend additional time on zoo campus improvements, while at the same time offsetting recent budget cuts.
“When reviewing our operating budget, we realized that closing the Zoo for an additional four weeks would save a substantial amount of money, as well as allowing us to start early on some planned improvements,” said Don Hutchinson, interim president/CEO. “It was not a decision we made lightly, as it does affect some of our seasonal staff. However, the Zoo currently operates without a reserve fund, has no endowment, and is in need of costly structural repairs. So after considering a number of options, we are choosing to move in this direction.”
While the Zoo is closed to the public, animal care staff will be still be working closely with the animals and the Zoo’s education staff will be concentrating on the Zoo’s Outreach programs which bring animals and education programs to schools, senior centers and community centers all over Maryland. On Zoo grounds, a number of capital projects will be undertaken. These projects are largely funded by capital dollars provided by the state of Maryland, Baltimore City and Baltimore County:
o Lion holding area and Wading Bird roof repairs,
o Elephant floor and outdoor shade structure installation,
o Miscellaneous repairs, the primary focus of which is to correct life support and safety issues throughout the Zoo,
o Village Green (concessions area) renovation,
o Roof, gutter and porch repairs on the historic Maryland Building,
o Completion of a new manure handling system, and
o Replacement of the Hospital roof.
“We encourage people to come visit us over the next few weeks,” continued Hutchinson. “Many of the animals are more active in the cool fall weather, and we have some fun on-grounds programming coming up like

The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is accredited by The Association of Zoos and Aquariums.        .

When I first saw this I thought wow, Berlin, Maryland, how forward thinking! 
I’m volunteering at Our Daily Bread in Baltimore on Monday and I can already envision looking at every person that comes through the line as a dog.

Soup kitchen opens for dogs - Berlin, Germany
Fri, Oct 31 14:12 PM EDT

BERLIN (Reuters) - A soup kitchen exclusively for dogs has opened its doors in Berlin providing pets of the homeless and unemployed with a free meal, the director of the establishment said on Friday.

Despite the looming financial crisis, director Claudia Hollm dismissed criticism that it may be more sensible to collect money for humans than for dogs.

“Nowadays people underestimate dogs. They are incredibly important for those who lack social contact with other humans,” Hollm told Reuters.

“Making sure dogs don’t go hungry is just as important as making sure that people don’t starve,” she added.

Hollm, and her company “Animal Board,” gets sponsorship from companies, including animal food manufacturers.

One woman who uses the free service said she had two dogs, four cats, a rabbit and some guinea pigs.

“Without this animal bread line, I’d probably starve to death,” the 20-year old told German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

The opening of the soup kitchen follows last month’s launch of a new bus service in Berlin for dogs, which shuttles their furry friends to a luxury dog day-care center.

(Reporting by Josie Cox)

After a day of dismal economic news my daughter-in-law sent me a these photos which for me resulted in a genuine huge smile, giggle and awl factor of 10, what about you?  Think these photos are too cute?  Maybe we could learn from these photos and have chimps tend to the thousands of unloved and unwanted children around the world, we need more CHIMPS!

As the time for holiday planning draws nearer, Hilton Hotels & Resorts would like to remind you not to forget your furry friends.

Hilton Hotels – now Pet Friendly across the Americas – has partnered with famed artist William Wegman and Crypton® Super Fabrics to create a line of upscale amenities designed exclusively for Hilton, which includes pet beds, food and water bowls, and an exclusive pet amenity kit complete with disinfectant deodorizer and upholstery brush.  All are available for purchase online at http://www.HiltonToHome.com (and in all Hilton guestrooms upon request).

I thought the Hilton Pet Bed would make a “purr”fect addition to your holiday gift list or holiday travel plans this year. Included is a description of the product below, including colors, dimensions and pricing. I’ve also attached a couple photographs of the bed so you can check it out for yourself! (Photos courtesy of William Wegman for Crypton Fabrics)

All of our special pooches should enjoy the comfort of a great bed home or away!

Assorted dog quotes from various sources, doubtful Cat quotes would have any similarities. 
The first two hang in my home.

“Please God Make Me The Kind Of Person My Dog Thinks I Am.”
—Unknown

“Please clean your plate the dog hates my cooking!”
—Unknown

“If your dog is fat, you aren’t getting enough exercise.”
—Unknown

“He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.”
—Unknown

“If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man.”
—Mark Twain

“The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.”
—Andrew A. Rooney

“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”
—Will Rogers

“Dogs love their friends and bite their enemies, quite unlike people, who are incapable of pure love and always have to mix love and hate.”
—Sigmund Freud

“Of all the things I miss from veterinary practice, puppy breath is one of the most fond memories!”
—Dr. Tom Cat

If have a favorite dog quote , share it with me!

In a past issue of House Beautiful, the Ask The Dog Shrink Q&A column by Kathy Santo, caught my eye for a couple of reasons but let me tell you about this one.  A reader writes in that they have recently moved and the 9 month old dog has started chewing the furniture, what to do? Of course dog shrink Kathy Santo advises that a move can be emotional for dogs often disrupting their daily schedule of walks and play, and while you’re busy tending to setting up the new house boredom sets in for the dog,  I smell trouble!  She suggests in addition to keeping the dog supervised and exercised,  a chew deterrent that she created called Don’t Chew Dare, (cute name!) will save the furniture.  Don’t Chew Dare is an organic spray containing bitter herbs (white pepper, spearmint leaf) - a few spritzes help you save the furniture and keep your pooch out of the doghouse!

Citizens Urged:
Report Endangered Manatee Sightings to Ensure Timely Rescues
An endangered Florida manatee was rescued from Sesuit Harbor in Dennis, Massachusetts on Saturday October 11, 2008.  The manatee, named Dennis after the town where he was rescued, died en route to SeaWorld Orlando on Sunday, Oct. 12th.  Had Dennis survived, he would have received medical treatment at SeaWorld, a facility that rehabilitates numerous manatees with a variety of injuries and ailments each year.  “Save the Manatee Club commends the Massachusetts citizens who notified authorities about this manatee, including Harbormaster Terry Clen and Deputy Harbormaster Rick Lemont,” said Patrick Rose, Executive Director of Save the Manatee Club.  “SeaWorld’s excellent animal care staff should be commended for their efforts to rescue and care for Dennis during transport.”
There have also been sightings of other manatees along the Eastern Seaboard in recent weeks.  On September 29, 2008, a manatee was reported in the warm water outflow area of the Brandon Shores Power Plant in Baltimore, Maryland.  Another manatee sighting in that area was reported on October 10th.  Additionally, a sighting of possibly two manatees was reported in the Middle River, near Baltimore, on October 1st.  Further south, a manatee was sighted in Bogue Sound, near Atlantic Beach, North Carolina on October 8th.  These recent sightings suggest that there are at least several manatees in coastal waters north of Florida at this time.

Residents of Maryland, North Carolina, or any eastern state north of Florida should report manatee sightings to their local wildlife officials.  Those local officials should then contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Jacksonville, Florida at 904-731-3336.  “Citizens should be prepared to report the number of manatees observed; the physical location of the manatees, with reference to any nearby landmarks; and a general description of the size and behavior of the manatee, said Dr. Katie Tripp, Director of Science and Conservation of Save the Manatee Club.  If possible, photos of the manatees, particularly clear photos of any scars or injuries, should be taken as these photos help biologists identify individual manatees.”  Citizens can also contact Save the Manatee Club with questions about unusual sightings by calling 1-800-432-JOIN (5646) or e-mailing .

In recent years, manatees have been sighted during summer months in states including North Carolina, Maryland, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.  Dennis was the northernmost manatee ever reported.  In 1994, a manatee named Chessie gained national attention after being sighted in the Chesapeake Bay.  Save the Manatee Club helped fund Chessie’s rescue and transport back to Florida in the autumn of 1994 and the Club has consistently been involved in manatee rescue and rehabilitation efforts over the years.
“These recent sightings highlight the importance of public involvement in locating wayward manatees and coordinating with authorities in an effort to ensure timely rescues of this endangered marine mammal,” added Tripp.
While manatees can typically locate sufficiently warm water and abundant food supplies in northern waters during the summer, once waters begin to cool in the autumn, manatees must return south to Florida.  As a subtropical species, manatees cannot tolerate prolonged exposure to water temperatures below 68 °F.  Along the east coast of the United States, water temperatures are dropping and approaching or surpassing this critical threshold.  Younger, juvenile manatees that wander north are particularly susceptible to these colder temperatures because of their smaller body size.  Such manatees may also be naïve and less likely to successfully find their way back to Florida.  Manatees that have not returned to Florida waters by this time of year are at risk from developing cold stress syndrome, which is a potentially fatal condition.  In 2008, 19 manatees have died so far from cold stress, including Dennis, whose cause of death has preliminarily been attributed to cold stress.  Through October 12th, a total of 264 manatees have died from a variety of causes, including 71 watercraft fatalities.

Save the Manatee Club was established in 1981 by singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett and former U.S. Senator and Florida Governor, Bob Graham, to protect manatees and their aquatic habitat for future generations.  Today, it is the world’s leading manatee conservation organization.  The Club is a membership-based, national nonprofit organization that promotes public awareness and education; sponsors local and international scientific research and rescue, rehabilitation, and release efforts; advocates for the conservation of manatees and their essential habitat based on the best available scientific data; and takes legal action when necessary.  To find out more about manatees or the Club’s Adopt-A-Manatee program, go to http://www.savethemanatee.org.