The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : July 2016 The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : July 2016

Sunday, July 31, 2016

A Stray Pit Bull Stabbed While Saving a Woman from a Knife Attack: Looking for His Forever Home – Now ‘Hero’…Needs a Hero, Will It Be You?


Baldwin, Georgia - A stray pit bull came to the aid of a woman in Georgia last week and saved her from a knife attack, it's been revealed.

Known as 'Hero', the dog can now be yours.

He got the woman away from a man in the July 22nd incident, which took place in Baldwin, WATE reported.

Officer Timothy Clay told the local news station in an interview: “The dog then lunged toward the male and the male came out with the knife and stabbed the dog several times.”

Hero was stabbed five times and was brought by police to the vet, the station said.

Clay explained: “I don't think we could have let that dog suffer and die. We felt like we needed to get that dog some help after what it had been through.”

Carla Welch with Fighting for The Bullys Pit Bull Rescue in Knoxville, Tennessee, told WATE in an interview: “He has had a really rough life. He has had a bum back leg and a bum front leg, but he gets around fine and he's looking for a good friend.”

She discovered what happened to the dog via social media and raised money for treatment, the station reported.

She said:  “I thought he was very courageous and very brave.”

Welch also said: “For those two officers to go to the extent they did to save him is very heroic and very awesome.”

If you're interested in giving Hero a home, visit the website for Fighting for The Bullys Pit Bull Rescue










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Thursday, July 28, 2016

MPD Officer Douglas Berlin Presented ‘Humane Hero Award’ by Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League


Washington, DC - The Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League presented Metropolitan Police Officer Douglas Berlin for his dedicated and compassionate actions during a fire at an apartment building in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.   Berlin was presented the award at a ceremony at the 3rd District Police Station on Wednesday by WHS-WARL President and CEO Lisa LaFontaine.

On Tuesday during a fire in an apartment building at 11th and Rhode Island Avenue, Berlin went to great lengths to save a small dog fleeing the burning building.  The 11 year-old Rat Terrier named “Lucy” was suffering from serious burns when she was fleeing the scene through busy traffic.

“Officer Berlin’s dedication to the care and safety of this dog is a shining example of what we strive to do every day – make a difference in the lives of the animals and the people we serve,” said LaFontaine.  “Officer Berlin put himself in harm’s way for to save Lucy’s life and that exemplifies what this award is all about.  He is a hero to Lucy and her family, to our organization and to the people of the District of Columbia.”

Officer Berlin arrived at the scene of the burning apartment building at the same time Lucy was seen running from the burning building.  Berlin realized the dog was suffering serious burn wounds and chased the dog in and out of traffic for several blocks to safely secure her.  Once Lucy was secured, a paramedic on scene transported Berlin and Lucy to City Paws veterinary clinic for treatment.

Lucy has been reunited with her owner and is currently recovering from her burns.







About Washington Animal Rescue League/Washington Humane Society (WARL-WHS)
The Washington Humane Society -Washington Animal Rescue League combined organization cares for more than 60,000 animals annually. The broad range of programs offered include: rescue and adoption, humane law enforcement, low-cost veterinary services, animal care & control, behavior and training, spay-neuter services, humane education, and many others.  Operating four animal-care facilities in Washington, D.C., the organization occupies a significant footprint in the District, and serves as a resource to current pet guardians and prospective adopters across the region.


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A D.C. Police Officer Received an Award from the Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League for Helping a dog who Escaped From an Apartment Fire


Washington, DC - As an apartment building fire sent a cloud of black smoke over D.C. Tuesday afternoon, a small dog was able to make a fast escape.

Lucy, an 11-year-old rat terrier, was inside a home on the 1300 block of 12th Street NW when the building caught fire. A Metropolitan Police Department officer was able to save her after he spotted the dog running from the building with burns.

Officer Douglas Berlin was making sure residents got out of buildings safely when he saw Lucy, who's black-and-white with big black ears, tear down the block.

"As I was coming down the stairs from one of the adjoining units, I saw Lucy take off, running down the street, and it looked like she had burns on her hindquarters, and her paws looked to be pretty bloody, so I gave chase," Berlin said Wednesday afternoon at a news conference.

He and a man with a skateboard dodged in and out of traffic for blocks to try to catch Lucy, said Berlin, who described himself as a dog-lover.




"I thought at one point she was going to get hit because she ran underneath a car," he said. "Fortunately, she came out on the other side of the median and didn't skip a beat."

Finally, the officer was able to catch the 13-pound dog. Berlin and others used water and ice to try to cool her down and rushed her to a nearby veterinarian. There, vets disinfected her paws and gave her painkillers and an IV.

Lucy was discharged from the vet on Wednesday, according to Berlin, who said he had exchanged texts with her owner.

"She's a fighter. She runs like she's 2. She gave me a good run for my money last night," Berlin said, laughing.

Three firefighters were hurt battling the blaze and 12 residents were displaced, including the family that owns Lucy, the head of the Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League said. She thanked Berlin for his help and presented him with the Humane Hero Award.

“What Officer Berlin did yesterday was above and beyond the call of duty,” CEO Lisa LaFontaine said. "A family that lost everything yesterday will at least have their family complete today because Lucy survived and that would likely have been a different outcome without Officer Berlin."





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Tuesday, July 26, 2016

What To Do If You Suspect Your Dog Has Heat Stroke


If you suspect that your dog is suffering from heat stroke to the following:

1.  Get your dog out of direct heat


2.  Check for shock. Signs include: collapse, body temperature 104° F+, bloody diarrhea or vomit, depression stupor, seizures or coma, excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart rate, salivation.


3.  Take your dog’s temperature.

4.  Spray your dog with cool water then retake temperature.

5.  Place water-soaked towels on the dog’s head, neck feet, chest and abdomen, turn on a fan and point it in your dog’s direction, rub Isopropyl alcohol (70%) on the dog’s foot pads to help cool him but don’t use large quantities.

6.  Take your dog to the nearest veterinary hospital.

During a heat crisis, the goal is always to decrease the dog’s body temperature to 103° F in the first 10-15 minutes. Once 103° F is reached, you must stop the cooling process because the body temperature will continue to decrease and can plummet dangerously low if you continue to cool the dog for too long.

Even if you successfully cool your pet down to 103° F in the first 10-15 minutes, you must take the dog to a veterinarian as soon as possible because consequences of heat stroke will not show up for hours or even days. Potential problems include abnormal heart rhythms, kidney failure, neurological problems and respiratory arrest.

It is important to know if your pet is predisposed to dog heat stroke, which is true of dogs with short snouts such as bulldogs, pugs and many other breeds. Other common causes of heat stroke include: a previous episode of heat stroke, leaving a dog in a parked car, excessive exercise in hot, humid weather (this may be exercise that your dog can usually handle but not in warmer weather), lack of appropriate shelter outdoors, thicker-coated dogs in warm weather and underlying disease such as upper airway, heart of lung disease.


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Medal of Honor Recipient’s Needs Your Help: His Service Dog Has to Have Surgery


Army Staff Sgt. Ty Carter was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the 2009 battle at COP Keating in Afghanistan, the same battle described by fellow MoH recipient Clinton Romesha in his best-selling book Red Platoon.

Nala is Carter’s service dog and she’s essential to his efforts to deal with post-traumatic stress. The veterinarians tell Ty that Nala has a herniated disc that’s almost severing her spinal cord. If she doesn’t have surgery, she’ll lose her ability to walk.

The government doesn’t recognize service dogs as a treatment for PTSD, or at least not a form that it’s willing to pay for.

There’s a GoFundMe page to help pay for Nala’s surgery. That’s sure to be covered soon. Any of our readers with the influence to get service dogs covered by the government should get on that right away as well.


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170 Animals Adopted During Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League “Clear the Shelters’ Event Saturday, July 23rd


Washington, DC - The Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League’s adoption centers on New York Avenue and Oglethorpe Street are eerily quiet today thanks to a very successful Clear the Shelters adoption event on Saturday.  WHS-WARL processed 170 adoptions during the seven hour-long adoption event.

WHS-WARL teamed up with NBC4 to host NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations’ Clear the Shelters second annual nationwide pet adoption drive, which featured fee-waived adoptions to qualified families.

“We were absolutely thrilled with the turnout and success of Clear the Shelters 2016,” said Lisa LaFontaine, President and CEO for WHS-WARL.  “In just one day, we changed the lives of 170 families by finding homes for these wonderful animals that – in most cases – have simply been unlucky so far in their lives.  We want to thank NBC4 for their outstanding support for this event and we look forward to next year!”

Interest in the event was evident in the hours leading up to Saturday.  Potential adopters began lining up outside of the shelter at 11:00 p.m. Friday night, with customers patiently waiting for the doors to open the following morning in hopes of finding a new, furry family member.   Hundreds of potential adopters visited the organization’s two shelters throughout the day.   The final count for the day included 68 dogs, 97 cats, and five small animals adopted from WHS-WARL during Clear the Shelters.

While WHS-WARL is celebrating the success of Saturday’s event, the sobering reality remains that the population of pets needing homes at the organization’s two shelters will steadily rise again over the coming days.  WHS-WARL encourages those that did not adopt on Saturday to consider adopting a homeless pet in the near future.

About Washington Animal Rescue League/Washington Humane Society (WARL-WHS)
The Washington Humane Society -Washington Animal Rescue League combined organization cares for more than 60,000 animals annually. The broad range of programs offered include: rescue and adoption, humane law enforcement, low-cost veterinary services, animal care & control, behavior and training, spay-neuter services, humane education, and many others.  Operating four animal-care facilities in Washington, D.C., the organization occupies a significant footprint in the District, and serves as a resource to current pet guardians and prospective adopters across the region. 


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Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League: Clear the Shelter Event Was a Huge Success – Take a Look at the Video


Washington, DC – On Saturday, July 23rd, I had the pleasure of covering the Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League’s ‘Clear the Shelters’ event for my blog, The Pet Tree House.

When I arrived at the center on Olglethrope Street, NW, the event had already started. The first thing I noticed was a long line of people waiting patiently in 98% heat. As I entered the shelter, There were people everywhere. The atmosphere was really nice, children pointing out animals to their parents, staff showing animals, and adopters filling out paperwork.

I decided to first get pictures of some of the animals in their cages before they were adopted.  I noticed that there was not a lot of barking. I can’t help but wonder if they knew what was going on and were on good behavior. Most of the cats\kittens were laid back sleeping, except for these two adorable kittens who put on a show for me. They were eventually adopted.

Take a look at the video below:


I noticed the NBC4 Washington table/tent and went over and spoke to them. They were busy taking videos, pictures and interviewing people. They were really nice people, and very professional.



I met some wonderful people:

As I walked around taking pictures and talking with people, I walked towards a family in the hallway and noticed that the dog was propped up on the cage, nothing unusual about that, they all do it. As I started to pass them, I looked down and saw a little girl rubbing, patting and talking to the dog. I usually ask if I can take a picture but decided not too for fear that it would draw her attention away from what she was doing…and besides the dog loved it!  I felt there was a connection there. Later I was outside taking pictures of people leaving with their new pets. I looked up from taking this one picture and realized that it was the little girl’s family, and yes, they adopted the dog.





I continue to walk around the shelter taking pictures. Again, I was passing someone in the hallway that got my attention. There was an older woman talking to a dog. She too was rubbing and patting the dog. I didn’t get much of her conversation, but did hear her ask the dog if she wanted to go home with her. I asked if I could take her picture and she replied nicely, “no, I don’t like my picture taken.” She began telling me how sweet the dog was and that she was thinking about getting her. She said that she lived alone and decided that she wanted a dog. The dog looked to be about 50 pounds, so I asked if anyone was there with her. She told me no, she had come alone. As I walked away, I told her, “you’ll probably get her.” 

It was hot outside, and I had just entered the building when this same lady came up to me with the dog on a leash and paperwork in her hand. She had the biggest smile and said, “I got her.” I congratulated her, and then she asked if there was a back door for her to go out of. I asked her why and she told me again, that she did not want the news people to take her picture or put her on television. I had her wait inside and I went outside and expressed her wishes to the news media, and of course, they complied. I watched her as she walked away with her new pet. It looked like they had been together for years. The dog was not pulling or jumping, and walked right beside her. 

I later noticed a couple with a big dog sitting on the floor. The dog was so happy, he was jumping all over the place. He was definitely excited about going to his new home. I stopped to speak with them and found out that they had arrived at the shelter around 11:00 p.m. the night before. They wanted to be first in line. Unfortunately, I did not get names of the adopters or the animals as they left. They were coming out of the building so fast.





                                   He even said goodbye to one of NBC4's crew members!


Take a look at the video below:



I also met two people who adopted senior cats. I love it when senior animals are given a second chance to live out the rest of their lives in a loving home.

I left around 2:30 p.m., and headed down to the other center located on New York Avenue. I entered the shelter to find out that most of the animals had been adopted earlier in the day. I did however, get to see two dogs and a cat leaving for their forever homes.

At the end of the event, the shelter was cleared and a total of 170 animals were adopted including 68 dogs, 97 cats and 5 small animals.

While this years ‘Clear the Shelters” event is over, please don’t let that stop you from adopting. Yes, the shelters are clear for now, but they will fill up again. If you are looking to add a new furry family member, please don’t buy one. Consider visiting your local animal shelter and save two lives. When you adopt and animal, you leave a space for another animal to enter the shelter.

WARL/WHS Merger

On Wednesday, February 10, 2016, the Washington Humane Society (WHS) and the Signing of agreement Washington Animal Rescue League (WARL) announced a definitive agreement to merge the two organizations to create the first end-to-end animal care organization in a major U.S. city. To read more on the merger, click HERE.


Website: Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League


If you would like to make a donation, click here DONATE





If you would like to make a donation, click here DONATE


I had an enjoyable day and got home only to find out that my little rescue, Jonas, wanted nothing to do with me…for a while.

I’ll end with my favorite quotes: “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.” ― Anatole France

Please take a look at the video below:



Thank you Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League for inviting The Pet Tree House.

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Sunday, July 24, 2016

Washington, DC - Meet Marcus, an Adorable 1-Year-Old Dog Looking for His Forever Home: Available at the Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League



Animal ID: 32172973 
Species: Dog 
Age: 1 year 1 month 9 days 
Sex: Male 
Color: White 
Declawed: No 
Site: Oglethorpe Street 

To learn more about Marcus, click HERE.

HEY! Over here! I'm Marcus! If you're looking for a large best bud, I could be the dog for you! I really like other dogs, but due to my size and my enthusiasm, some dogs don't really care for me. The staff here at the shelter says I'm kind of rude to them, but I just really want to play! If you're dog doesn't mind a little roughhousing, I could be the perfect playmate. Sound good? I'll be hanging out here at the shelter until my new family comes along to adopt me. Paws crossed that I find the right fit soon!

You can visit Marcus at:

Oglethorpe Street Adoption Center
71 Oglethorpe Street, NW
Washington, DC 20011
202-726-2556

Adoption Center Hours:
12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Tuesday - Sunday
Closed for adoptions on Mondays 

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Washington, DC - Meet Roulette, an Adorable 2-Year-Old Dog Looking for Her Forever Home: Available at the Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League



Animal ID: 32176877 
Species: Dog 
Age: 2 years 8 days 
Sex: Female 
Color: Black 
Declawed: No 
Site: Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League 

To learn more about Roulette, click HERE.

You can visit Roulette at:

(New York Avenue Adoption Center - WHS is contracted by the Department of Health to operate this facility)
1201 New York Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002
202-576-6664

Adoption Center Hours:
12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Tuesday - Sunday
Closed for adoptions on Mondays

Please Share Roulette!


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Saturday, July 23, 2016

Great News! 170 Animals Were Adopted at the WHS-WARL’s ‘Clear the Shelter’ Event Today: However, Two Dogs Remain at the Shelters: Meet Roulette and Marcus


The Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League’s ‘Clear the Shelter’ event was a huge success.  A total of 170 animals were adopted including 68 dogs, 97 cats and 5 small animals.

While this was a one day event, there will always be animals needing loving homes. There were two dogs left at the shelters. Meet Roulette and Marcus who are still in need of loving homes. If you have room in your heart and in your home, please considering giving Roulette or Marcus a second chance at having the loving home that they deserve.



Roulette
Animal ID: 32176877
Species: Dog
Age: 2 years 8 days
Sex: Female
Color: Black
Declawed: No
Site: Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League

To learn more about Roulette, click HERE.





You can visit Roulette at:

(New York Avenue Adoption Center - WHS is contracted by the Department of Health to operate this facility)
1201 New York Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002
202-576-6664

Adoption Center Hours:
12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Tuesday - Sunday
Closed for adoptions on Mondays




Marcus
Animal ID: 32172973
Species: Dog
Age: 1 year 1 month 9 days
Sex: Male
Color: White
Declawed: No
Site: Oglethorpe Street

To learn more about Marcus, click HERE.

HEY! Over here! I'm Marcus! If you're looking for a large best bud, I could be the dog for you! I really like other dogs, but due to my size and my enthusiasm, some dogs don't really care for me. The staff here at the shelter says I'm kind of rude to them, but I just really want to play! If you're dog doesn't mind a little roughhousing, I could be the perfect playmate. Sound good? I'll be hanging out here at the shelter until my new family comes along to adopt me. Paws crossed that I find the right fit soon!



You can visit Marcus at:

Oglethorpe Street Adoption Center
71 Oglethorpe Street, NW
Washington, DC 20011
202-726-2556

Adoption Center Hours:
12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Tuesday - Sunday
Closed for adoptions on Mondays


Please share Marcus and Roulette!



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Thursday, July 21, 2016

Village Enthralled by 7-Year-Old Who Naps, Cuddles with 16-Foot Python


Setbo Village, Cambodia - Being responsible parents, rice farmer Khuorn Sam Ol and his wife might not be expected to be keen on having their child play with a 16-foot-long, 220-pound snake.

Yet they are unflustered that their 7-year-old son, Uorn Sambath, regularly sleeps in the massive coil of the female python, rides the reptile, kisses it and even pats it down with baby powder.

"There is a special bond between them," Khuorn Sam Ol said. "My son played with the snake when he was still learning to crawl. They used to sleep together in a cradle."

The boy and his snake have become a tourist attraction in Setbo village, about 12 miles south of the capital Phnom Penh, as well as a source of wonder to the locals.

"People sometimes call the boy and the snake husband and wife," said Cheng Raem, a 48-year-old neighbor. "Maybe they were a couple from a previous life."

Boy and snake grew up together, ever since the python slithered into the family home when Uorn Sambath was 3 months old. His 39-year-old mother, Kim Kannara, discovered the reptile, then about the size of a thumb, coiled beneath a woven mat on their bed.

Khuorn Sam Ol took the snake away, releasing it into some bushes by a river, but one morning two weeks later, he found it back inside the house. He decided to keep it and named it Chamroeun — meaning "progress," in English.

He came to believe the snake possesses a magical spirit that understands what he says and protects the family from illness. The snake has its own 7-by-10-foot room with a spirit house at which Khuorn Sam Ol prays for the python to keep his family happy and healthy. The snake is so familiar with his son — one of four children — that it would never hurt him, he said.

According to Nikolai Doroshenko, a Russian snake expert living in Cambodia, it's true that pythons rarely attack humans unless provoked.

But there is still an element of danger in allowing any young child to play with a large python with a grip powerful enough to break bones, said Doroshenko, who runs the Snake House guesthouse in the southwestern city of Sihanoukville, with its own collection of snakes and other reptiles.

Chamroeun — whom it takes three adults to carry — eats about 22 pounds of chicken meat every week, posing a heavy financial burden on the family, said Khuorn Sam Ol.

His meals used to be a spiritual burden as well, when they fed him live rats and chickens. Uneasy that they were breaking the Buddhist injunction against killing living things, Khuorn Sam Ol said the snake eventually answered his prayers for it to stop eating live animals.

Wildlife and police officials used to come by to try to take the snake away and put it in a zoo. But they relented after seeing Uorn Sambath lovingly cuddling the reptile. They left with some pictures they took of the boy and the snake together, Khuorn Sam Ol said.

"I will not let anyone take her away from me, either. I love her very much," declared his son, Uorn Sambath, kissing his pet on the head.

























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