Household Dangers

There is much curiosity and speculation over what foods and other common household items are, in fact, potentially harmful to pets. I, personally, have received several questions, specifically about foods and items such as rasins, grapes, chocolate, and plants.

So here is the skinny on household dangers from HSUS and AVMA:

Foods Potentially Poisonous to Pets
Common Household Dangers
Common Poisonous Plants
Household Hazards

We have collected these links along with several others on pet safety, care and training on our pet care page for your convenience.

DC Considers Tougher Dogfighting Laws

Hats off to the District of Columbia for putting forth the effort to crack down on dogfighting. The DC Council is considering making simply watching a dogfight a felony, subject to five years in prison. Unconstitutional? Maybe it's time to hold these people accountable, not just for their actions, but for supporting such actions, as well.

Take Your Dog to Work Day

Friday, June 22, is Take Your Dog to Work Day. While this may be a novelty at most workplaces, it’s a common occurrence at an animal shelter. Obviously, people who work in animal welfare are passionate about animals and are likely to bring their pets along whenever possible. But the other thing that makes animal workers unusual is that we understand very well why dogs in a place of business could also be a problem. No one wants a dog barking incessantly or jumping up on everyone while they’re trying to work. That’s why we have some rules. You can bring your dog to work occasionally so long as it is under control, in a private office or on leash, and not disruptive. You must clean up after your dog outside and (heaven forbid) inside if necessary. You can’t go out and leave another staff person to care for your dog.

The best thing about Take Your Dog to Work Day is the recognition by businesses that their employees’ companion animals are an important part of their lives, even members of the family. While most businesses don’t want dogs at work every day, it’s great for a business to have the flexibility to let an employee bring his or her dog when necessary. Perhaps you’re having work done on your house or your dog has a vet appointment in the middle of the day or your pet sitter canceled at the last minute. This is a great way for businesses to let their workers know that they see them as whole individuals with many kinds of responsibilities, not just workers. And for many of us our pets are one of our most important responsibilities.

Dogs for Defense

America has been diligent about supporting and thanking our troops that serve and protect us each day -- and we should. But wait, maybe it's time to take a moment to appreciate our four-legged protectors, too! Check out what our furry friends are doing to aid our troops and serve their Country.

Open Door Shelters

What exactly does "open door shelter" mean? Well, exactly that, a shelter whose door is open to any and all animals regardless of age, species, behavior, health, etc. It seems these days that everyone out their knows the term "no-kill" shelter but very few understand the true concept and certainly do not understand why the alternative is an "open door" shelter, NOT a "kill" shelter.

Kudos to two Pennsylvania animal shelters for building a site dedicated to educate the public on this sensitive topic. Now, open your mind and find out exactly what an open door shelter is and why these "no-kill" rescues could simply not exist without us.

Michael Vick & Dog Fighting

It began in April when investigators, based on reports of alleged dog fighting, searched the Virginia home of Atlanta Falcons' Quarterback Michael Vick and found three buildings of neglected dogs behind the home. Due to the severe nature of this crime and this high-profile suspect, the case has escalated, bringing the horrors of dog fighting and the ignorance of those involved into the public eye.

While Vick claims to not reside at the Virginia home, various reports have suggested that he has been involved in dog fighting for quite a while, placing bets on and attending dog fights.

Others have defended him, including Washington Redskins' Clinton Portis who claims that it's his business and the dogs are his property and that he should be able to do what he likes with the dogs. Since Portis' comments, the Redskins have had the good sense to apologize for Portis' remarks.

It is a sad state of affairs when our society cannot see what is wrong with dog fighting. It is cruel and unjust, causing undue animal suffering for what, entertainment purposes? Dogs, including pit bulls, are typically most interested in pleasing their guardians and dog fighters are exploiting the loyal nature of these dogs to create violent animals who suffer severe abuse, neglect and injury.

It is even sadder when "role models" like Vick and Portis cannot step out of their own, selfish ways to see the damage they are doing with their statements and their actions.

I hate to waste my time going on about why dog fighting is and should be illegal. As far as I'm concerned, a decent human being can figure this out all on his own. If, however, these reasons are not apparent to you, please take a moment to consult the following information to educate yourself on exactly what is so horrible, sadistic and sickening about dog fighting:
Underworld of Dog Fighting
Dog Fighting Fact Sheet

Pet Cell Phone

I love this! A super-small cell phone for pooch.

No, Fido doesn't have to learn how to dial, speak or text message. This gadget helps protect him from getting lost. This bone-shaped gadget, worn around your dog's collar, features GPS for tracking Fido if he get's lost, an owner call button for a good samaritan to call when Fido is found, and a speaker-phone that will only answer from your approved phone number.

Ok, so I'm not sure the call Fido feature is exactly handy or sane, but the GPS and owner-call features are brilliant ideas. Could this bring an end to the lost and never-found pets epidemic?

BARF Diet, One Alternative

As the list of recalled pet foods grows, loving pet owners worry more and more. "Is my pet's food on the list?" "Will it be added to the list?" Switching to a new type of food might be the answer, until the new food is suddenly recalled, too.

What is the alternative?

One possibility is the BARF Diet. The BARF Diet claims to be safe and nutritious and has been around for years. It is not a new philosophy, in fact, the BARF Diet website, Barf World, claims that the diet "mimics the way your pet used to eat before highly processed, grain-based foods entered our pet’s food chain." What is it? Basically, the diet is a "biologically appropriate raw food."

Might be worth a try but always check with your veterinarian before making any major changes to your pet's diet.

In the Lap of Luxury

When's the last time you went on an expensive vacation to a posh resort only to feel guilty about leaving Fido or Fluffy in a stark, no-frills boarding kennel? If this feeling is all too familiar, consider the latest luxurious pet hotels.

The Wag Hotel, just opened in San Francisco, is a luxury "hotel" just for pets. "Guests" of the hotel enjoy an array of perks including doggie facials, an indoor pool, a rooftop garden to romp, and plasma TVs in each room--kennel. And, thanks to cameras in every room, guardians of guests of the Wag Hotel, may also drop in for a virtual visit. At $45 to $85 a night, the pet hotel might be a nice alternative to your typical boarding kennel.

Don't live in the San Fran area? No worries, many new luxury boarding kennels have opened across the Country in the recent years. In our area (DC) we are fortunate to have the Olde Towne Pet Resort, where DC pets enjoy the same perks as those in the Bay area. Not too shabby.

Is Your Pet Stressed?

Japanese company Medical Life Care Giken claims to have the answer in a patch that measures his or her sweat. Just stick the patch on the bottom of your furry friend's paw and the color of the patch will change depending on sweat secretion which will, in turn, tell you how stressed your pet really is.

The company also makes a similar patch for humans. Hmmm, I think I remember these in the 70s... Weren't they called mood rings?

How Humane is Your Town?

Interested to find out how your city compares to others on humane issues? Check out the Humane Index from HSUS.

Although we live in a suburb of DC, we at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington are proud to live in an area that ranks 4th in overall humaneness of the largest metro areas!

Canine Heritage Breed Test

Walk into any animal shelter and you may find various breeds of dogs, including possible purebreds, but you will also find several "hound" mixes, "lab" mixes, "retriever" mixes and "shepherd" mixes. This labeling, while based on the best guess of shelter staff, leaves it up to the imagination to determine whether your new-found furry friend will have the fun-loving spirit of a Golden Retriever, the brilliance of a German Shepherd, or the aloofness of a Chow.

Enter the Canine Heritage Breed Test. This brand new dog-breed DNA test, will allow you to send away a swab of your dog's mouth to a lab in California for analysis and determination of your dog's exact breed(s). Sound interesting? Check out NBC's "Today" show next month when Meredith Vieira has her dog Jasper tested.

Pet Food: The Alternatives

While the news about this alarming pet food recall doesn't seem to be subsiding, there does seem to be hope in the headlines for desperate pet owners trying to protect their beloved companions. The headlines lately, are focusing on alternatives for so many pet owners at a loss for finding safe nourishment for their furry friends. While I am not a veterinarian and do not specialize in what is best for Fido or Fluffy's health, I can bring you the news I have found on supposedly safe alternatives.

Here are the latest headlines:

Pet owners choosing locally made pet food

Basic recipes for homemade dog, cat food

Business booms in alternative pet food sources

After recall, pet owners go gourmet

Feeding dogs' inner beast
Orders jump for Winter Park firm's raw-meat food

It is good to see that information on what TO do is now as readily available to pet owners as what NOT to do.

Iditarod Musher Disqualified for Abuse

Two-time runner-up Ramy Brooks was disqualified from the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race for abusing his dogs. The 38-year-old Brooks hit each of his 10 dogs with a trail marking lathe, similar to a surveyor's stake, after two refused to get up and continue running on an ice field, race marshal Mark Nordman told The Associated Press from Nome on Sunday.

One of Brooks' dogs died the next day on the trail.

Not sure I could possibly have anything constructive to say about this one other than the fact that physical abuse is NEVER the answer. Would love to hear what you think.

Read the full story.

Recalled Pet Food

Menu Foods -- a major manufacturer of dog and cat food sold under Wal-Mart, Safeway, Kroger and other store brands -- recalled 60 million containers of pet food after reports of kidney failure and at least 10 deaths of cats and dogs.

Read the full story.

For updates on the pet food recall visit Menu Foods.

Top Ten Poisons Dogs Ingest

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center recently released a list of the ten most common poisons that dogs ingest.

1) Ibuprofen
2) Chocolate
3) Ant and Roach Baits
4) Rodenticides
5) Acetaminophen
6) Pseudoephedrine Containing Cold Medications
7) Thyroid Hormones
8) Bleach
9) Fertilizer, Including Plant “Foods”
10) Hydrocarbons Including Paints, Polishes, and Fuel Oils

For more information visit MSN Dog Central for the full article.

Rabbits: A Classic Story of What NOT To Do

As a child, I had two bunnies that I loved very much but knew absolutely nothing about. All I knew was that they were cute and fluffy and fun to play with from time to time. Little did I know that I was an incredibly irresponsible rabbit owner. My story is a classic case of everything a rabbit owner should NOT do.

My second grade teacher lived on a farm and bred various animals, including rabbits. She told the kids in her class when she had a litter of bunnies up for grabs and I, being a lover of all things furry, had to have at least one. I ended up getting two. I named one Snuffleupagus and my sister named the other Joshua. My father built a big wooden hutch for them, that we kept outside on the porch, with an outdoor area fenced with chicken wire, and an indoor area that we filled with sod.

The outdoor fencing of the hutch was not small enough to always keep the young bunnies inside and they frequently escaped. I remember running through the yard after one, finally cornering and catching him. As they grew, they could no longer escape, but often stuck their heads out through the wire, enticing our dog to lunge for them. The always escaped the dog's jaws but only by a hair.

Joshua was a rather sweet bunny that I often picked up and cuddled but Snuffleupagus was, well, vicious. He bit every finger that crossed his path, and I could only handle him, wearing thick gloves. Neither of the rabbits was neutered and, looking back on it, I guess we were lucky that Joshua was as sweet as he was, considering.

The bunnies were also very messy, I didn't know you could litter train them but I didn't know that they should be neutered, either. Cage cleaning duty fell on my patient father who ended up with scars all over his fingers from Snuffleupagus' teeth.

The mess spread into the house, too. We often let them out in the living room to romp, much to my mother's dismay, and they would leave droppings with each hop and chew the back of the sofa, chairs and anything else that looked chewable.

Eventually, Snuffleupagus died. Then when we moved from Maine to Virginia, I gave Joshua to a friend and never saw him again.

Why do I share this story with you now? Not to open myself up to critique or stone-throwing, rather to educate people like me who simply don't understand what it means to care for a rabbit.

DO:

Spay or neuter you rabbit
Give them a litter pan
Keep their cage inside, away from danger
Make sure that they cannot escape from their cage
Give them plenty of safe toys to nibble on
Line their cage with plain paper (shredded paper or care fresh, never cedar shavings)
Give them love and attention
Let them roam around the house in rabbit-proofed areas for some extra exercise
Teach your children about proper rabbit care and handling
Feed them appropriate rabbit food and veggies
Adopt a rabbit forever

DON'T:

Allow your second-grader's teacher to offer rabbits to him or her without consulting you, first
Leave your rabbit outside
Allow the dog or any other animal easy access to your rabbit
Corner a rabbit, you could frighten it to death
Breed rabbits, there are far too many homeless rabbits today
Give a rabbit as an Easter gift

In-Home Breeding Alternatives

A recent story about Yorkie pups that were advertised for sale and then stolen, at gunpoint, raises some real questions in my mind. This story certainly calls to mind the dangers of advertising and selling anything out of your home, but many of the comments I read suggest that dogs should not be bred and sold at all and some say that dogs should only be sold in puppy stores, both of which raise further questions, in my mind.

I, too, obviously believe in spaying and neutering all pets and, of course, knowing how many homeless pets are out there, am not a proponent of any kind of breeding of animals. But I am also realistic enough to know that, despite my wish, not everyone is going to adopt a homeless dog from an animal shelter.

So, what is the alternative to home breeding and selling? Puppy stores? Aren't these the places that get so much of their stock from puppy mills? And aren't puppy mills often guilty of overbreeding, inbreeding, poor care, overcrowded cages and neglect?

So, while so many chastise this family for breeding dogs, charging outrageous prices for them, and selling them out of their home, maybe we should consider the alternative.

Citizen Safety is Never a Waste of Money

Remember the bill that requires states to include pets in their disaster plans or risk losing federal funds? Remember the statistics citing that as many as 44% of those who chose not to evacuate for Hurricane Katrina remained in danger because they would not leave their faithful, furry companions?

Now, some States and Counties are doing the best they can to ensure the safety of their citizens in the event of an emergency. Arlington County, Virginia, has allocated 10% of a Homeland Security grant to purchase and stock an emergency trailer that will be used to transport supplies needed to set up a temporary pet shelter in the event of a disaster.

Of course, as expected, some citizens are grumbling over what a waste of money this is and that it would be better spent on the people of the County rather than the pets. However, if you take just a moment to review what we have learned from Hurricane Katrina, it is obvious that having a plan for Arlington pets is, in fact, helping to ensure the safety and welfare of Arlington citizens, as well. If New Orleans had also had a plan for pets, wouldn't there be 44% fewer people left in danger?

Spay/Neuter: The Truth

Spaying and neutering pets. It's a tough topic to cover in just one blog post and sometimes a bit controversial but with Spay Day USA tomorrow, now's as good a time as any to touch upon the subject.

Spay and neuter is such a fundamental topic for animal shelters that it seems unnecessary to mention. Doesn’t every thinking person agree that spay and neuter is the answer to ending the suffering and death of our surplus (unwanted) companion animals? This is not news, but there still seem to be people, even veterinarians, who are perpetuating the old ideas about waiting until an animal has been through its first heat cycle or even had its first litter(!) before neutering. Shelters across the country have been performing so-called early age neutering for 20 years without adverse effects. The American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Animal Hospital Association both support early age neutering.

The Animal Welfare League of Arlington started pre-adoption spay and neuter surgery in 2005 for all dogs and cats at least eight weeks old and weighing at least two pounds. Why is this so important? No dog or cat adopted from the League will create a litter of animals that may end up unwanted, uncared for, or abandoned. We think this is reason enough to do everything we can to promote spay and neuter not only for our adopted pets, but for all the dogs, cats, and house rabbits in our community. We sponsor Spay Day every year and subsidize low-cost surgeries for residents year-round with money from our Hantke Memorial Spay Neuter Fund. Until every pet that is born has a home, the campaign for spay and neuter will be a primary mission for all those interested in animal welfare.