Posts
Jill Rosen - Baltimore Sun
Sun colleague Jill Rosen has written on her pets blog, Unleashed, about an unconventional solution to drops in church attendance:
When one pastor noticed church attendance dropping off, she came up with a creative, a touch Noah's Arc-ian solution: What if people could bring their pets?
Rachel Bickford, pastor of the Pilgrim Congregational Church in North Weymouth, Mass., writes about her experience leading a more-literal-than-usual flock in Guideposts.com.
Bickford writes about looking down from the pulpit and seeing Lucy, a terrier, Sam, a pug and Bernese mountain dog Chloe. She started services with animals last October.
"Growing up, I’d wanted to be a vet, but in my twenties I felt called to seminary. After seven years at Pilgrim Congregational, I still loved coming to work," she writes. "But folks just weren’t coming to church as much anymore. Too many sporting events on Sundays and too little faith. I looked out at the half-empty sanctuary one Sunday and thought, Lord, what can I do to get people as excited as I am about coming to church?"
Would you bring your pets to church, or do you think they would interfere with the service?
news.puggal.com
Gidget, the Chihuahua famous for Taco Bell commercials from 1997-2000 died the other night at the age of 15. Gidget will always remembered for its popular phrase used in the Taco Bell commercials, “¡Yo quiero Taco Bell!”. On Tuesday, Gidget died of a stroke. Since the end of the Taco Bell advertising series, she had lived comfortably with her trainer and made cameo appearance along side the GEICO gecko in a 2002 commercial.
In the Taco Bell ads, Gidget played a male dog and she was voiced by Carlos Alazraqui, Argentine American actor. Carlos Alazraqui is best known for his role in Deputy James Garcia on Comedy Central’s “Reno 911.” This ad campaign was not proved good enough for the other associated people. The 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals that the Chihuahua character creators were not compensated for their work properly. $42 million was the amount, ordered to be paid, from the court.
Gidget’s trainer, Sue Chipperton, told People.com,
“She made so many people happy,”
She said,
“I like to joke that it’s like looking after a plant,”
She added,
“Gidget always knew where the camera was.”
She said the retired actor used to spend her days by laying in sun. She said Gidget’s career became limited due to typecasting. Earlier with an interview with People pets Chipperton described Gidget as a consummate professional on the set.
PRNewsWire.com
NEW YORK - When a dog or cat bites, an infection can follow.
"Wounds that are most likely to become infected are those on the face and hands or when people wait more than eight hours before seeking medical attention," said Dr. Kate Stenske, a clinical assistant professor at Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. "If you are bitten, first wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water, and then call your physician right away."
Stenske said that bite wounds can become infected because dogs and cats both harbor a mixture of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in their mouths. Bites are an ideal way for bacteria to be transmitted, she said, because teeth damage tissue, making it more prone to infection.
"Cats especially have very sharp little teeth, so they can inject bacteria deep into a person's skin without causing much of an external wound," Stenske said. "Some of the more common bacteria we worry about are Pasteurella, Bacteroides, Fusobacterium and Streptococcus. We also worry about the potential spread of the rabies virus from animals to people through bite wounds."
Some bite-induced infections can't be blamed on pets, she said. Bite wounds can be contaminated with bacteria people carry on their skin, rather than bacteria from the pet's mouth.
Bites are a public health concern, she said. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, more than 4.7 million people in the United States are bitten by a dog each year. Most dog bites, Stenske said, are from dogs owned by the victim's family, friends or neighbors.
"Children ages 5-9, especially boys, are at greatest risk of dog bites and tend to have the most severe injuries, probably because of their size and proximity to dogs, their loud noises, fast movements, unintentional provoking, and not understanding the dog's body language."
Stenske said it's important to understand that any dog can bite, even cute, friendly dogs you have known for years.
"If they are put in a new and threatening situation, they may bite," she said.
To minimize the risk, she said it helps to recognize subtle signs of fear, nervousness or aggression in a dog. It also helps to neuter your dog or cat, train and socialize them and use a leash when outside. When it comes to strange dogs, Stenske said, it's best to never approach them. If a strange dog approaches you, she said veterinarians advise children to "stand still like a tree," or if on the ground to "curl up like a rock."
"Waving your arms, running or making noise will keep the dog's interest, while staying perfectly still will encourage the dog to walk away," she said.
For more information on dog bite prevention, Stenske suggests visiting the American Veterinary Medical Association's Web site at: http://www.avma.org/public_health/dogbite/
Video available: http://www.youtube.com/kstate#play/user/1BCCC01FC736F623/7/9zOFLXaxXng
SOURCE Kansas State University
msnbc.com
Corey is healthy and social after his ordeal: ‘He’s coming out of his shell’
A cat in Malden, Mass., is recovering after being trapped in a sewer drainpipe until rescue workers freed him with a pump on Tuesday.
The cat, a 3-year-old domestic shorthair who is being called "Corey" by shelter workers, had been sliding in and out of the sewer for several days, but got stuck after it rained in the area.
Firefighters came to the rescue and blasted water into one end of the drain, with a plan to push the cat out and into a net held by animal control officers.
The cat was still stuck, so animal rescue officer Mark Vogel went into the sewer. "When I saw him in there, he was probably seven feet away from us, but he was just standing there trying to hold his ground," he told WHDH-TV.
Firefighters pumped more water into the drain and crews were able to grab the feline.
"This is … a feel-good rescue, probably the best of the year," Malden Animal Control's Kevin Alkins told WHDH-TV.
For now, Corey is staying in a shelter and is doing well.
"He's been checked by the vet and he's healthy," said Marianne Gasbarro, manager of the Boston Animal Care and Adoption Center. "At first he was very nervous, but now he's coming out of his shell … he's very social and getting more affectionate."
The Animal Rescue League of Boston is trying to find his owner, but no one has come forward to claim the cat. If he's an orphan, they will put him up for adoption.
Click on banner to visit The Pet Warehouse
Click on banner to visit AmeriMark
ForTheLoveOfTheDogBlog.com
With that hot time of year here, I thought this would be a great time to share some ‘cool’ doggie recipes! This summer heat gets to all of us and our canine companions too so here are some homemade summer treat recipes with coolness in mind!
Peanutty Pupcicles
1 ripe banana
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
Mash banana’s and peanut butter, stir in wheat germ. Chill 1 hour. Place in container,
store in refrigerator or freezer.
Fruity Yogurt Treats
2 kiwi fruit — mashed, or jar baby food fruit
8 ounces strawberry yogurt — or other
Mix together, freeze in ice cube tray. serve.
Frozen Peanut Butter Yogurt Treats
32 ounces vanilla yogurt
1 cup peanut butter
Put the peanut butter in a microwave safe dish and microwave until melted. Mix the yogurt and the melted peanut butter in a bowl. Pour mixture into cupcake papers and freeze.
Icy Paws
2 cartons plain or vanilla yogurt (32 oz each)
1 small can tuna in water (8oz.)
2 tsp. garlic power
24 3 oz. plastic cups (not paper)
Open yogurt, if they are full to the top use a spoon & scoop out one cup. (these will be
frozen as plain yogurt). Put half of the can of tuna in each yogurt container add the garlic
power (1 tsp. in each) & stir thoroughly.
Use a spoon & scoop the mixture into the cups. Place on a tray & freeze
overnight. Makes about 24 treats.
VARIATIONS:
Mix in garlic powder, brewers yeast & fennel seed. Veggie Delight: Mix in cooked peas
or other vegetables.
Chicken Icy Paws: use canned chicken instead of tuna
Potassium Boost: Add in a mashed banana.
These recipes also work great stuffed in a Hong. Best served outside, they can get a little messy.
The Vindicator
With the fall season in sight, many of us will venture to the great outdoors and go camping. All kinds of fascinating creatures can be found in the great outdoors, but when your puppy is roaming around, beware the skunks! Puppies especially can become curious when they come across these foreign creatures, but skunks are startled easily and have no mercy. The skunk odor, which is actually a poison, can sometimes take years to remove from a dog’s fur.
Skunks have an incredible talent for spraying with accuracy. They also have the ability to spray multiple times in a row, reaching up to ten feet away. The spray that a skunk emits is a type of oil, accompanied by a horrific odor that will seep deeply into a dog’s fur. Thankfully, there are multiple options for getting rid of the odor.
Most people believe that tomato juice is the best remedy for getting rid of a skunk’s odor, but this is in fact, false. Tomato juice is not very effective on animals and will sometimes stain a light-haired animal’s fur. Tomato juice is also very acidic and is thought to be harmful to cats, but it is not known for certain just how harmful. Better options include hydrogen peroxide, lemon juice, dishwasher detergent, or a variety of commercial products that are available at local pet stores or from your veterinarian. While commercial products are more costly than home remedies, they are often more successful at removing the odor on the first try.
Dr. Alice Blue-McLendon, a veterinarian at the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University cautions pet owners to always wash their pet outside if it has been sprayed by a skunk. She also warned pet owners to be sure pets do not get loose on the way to the bath tub, because the odor-causing oil will stick to anything it touches.
There are no toxins in skunk spray, so it will not harm your pet. However, it could become uncomfortable for them.
“If your pet was sprayed in the face, make sure to clean it properly,” said Dr. Blue-McLendon. “ Wash the eyes out with a saline solution and clean out the nostrils with a damp paper towel or cotton balls.”
The smelly skunk spray should not be the only concern to pet owners. Skunks carry rabies without showing signs of the symptoms. One bite from a skunk and your pet could become infected with the rabies disease; his life in danger. If there is a chance your pet has been bitten by a skunk, Dr. Blue-McLendon stressed that you should take your pet to see a veterinarian immediately, if there is even a chance it has been bitten by a skunk.
Skunks like to hide in dark places, so it is a good idea to train your pet not to go under houses or decks, and always have them updated on their rabies vaccinations.
“If you own fruit bearing plants, remove the fallen fruit quickly to reduce food sources that may keep skunks coming back to your property” said Blue-McLendon.
“There is no way to train your pet to stay away from skunks,” noted Blue-McLendon. Most pets will keep their distance after being sprayed once, but some pets never learn their lesson, and continue to be sprayed by the paranoid skunks.
ABOUT PET TALK…
Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the Web at http://tamunews.tamu.edu.
Click on banner to visit this site
Phoric.com
I have a small Chinese algae fish, about 25 adult guppies, a Glofish, and a lot of guppy fry. I'm VERY desperate for a great way to take them to Canada by car. I'm moving there and it will be a 3 or 4 or maybe even 5 day trip to get there. I need all the information I can get on how I can make it less stressful for them, how much I would feed them on the trip, what I would put them in, and if you have an estimation on how many could survive because I do have a lot of little guppy babies. An option I cannot take is give them away or sell them. I've been raising generations and generations of this specific family of guppies. Thank you and please help me!
Best Answer
Hi, the best thing you could use would be a big polystyrene box as that will keep the heat in better than anything else. Try to keep them in the dark as this will keep them from getting stressed. Also, I don't know if you have it there but Protozin treatment acts as a sedative for fish and will help to keep them calm. Aquatics centres use pure oxygen for putting in the bags or boxes of fish so contact a good aquatics centre for advice on this. The oxygen in the container is more important than the water for keeping the fish alive. Give them very little food on your journey as you don't want to have problems like high nitrates.
Your fish should be fine, don't stress!
The Boston Channel.com
BOSTON -- For the second time in less than a week, a family pet has been killed by a coyote in Georgetown.
A Clark Street resident said he saw a coyote come onto his porch on Sunday night and grab his cat, the Newburyport News reported.
Just four days earlier, a Jack Russell terrier was killed by coyotes as its owner walked it in the Georgetown/Rowley State Forest.
In June, a woman reported being surrounded by coyotes while she walked her dogs in the woods of nearby Groveland. She was able to get out of the woods without being harmed.
No comments:
Post a Comment