Experiencing the loss of a loved one is devastating. It is the most stressful, disorienting and agonizing event we can suffer through. For some, the process of planning and attending the memorial services for their deceased companion is more than they can bear. One White Plains, NY funeral home has found a way to ease that burden, if only for a short while. Ballard-Durand Funeral Home has an extra staff member who provides a special kind of comfort to grieving clients. Her name is LuLu and she is a therapy dog. The majority of the facility’s clients have heard about their one-of-a-kind employee and specifically request Lulu’s services when they come in. Matthew Fiorillo, the president of Ballard-Durand Funeral Home, told NBC Today that he came up with the idea of getting a therapy dog during a particularly stressful visit to the airport. Fiorillo’s flight had been canceled and he was battling the anger and anxiety of the situation when a Maltese trotted past with its owner. Just the presence of a dog was enough to soothe his rising tension. “A wave of calmness washed over me and after it happened I was like, wow, that was really powerful! Fiorillo began researching the logistics of incorporating a dog into the delicate practice of funeral services. Lulu the Goldendoodle officially came on board the team in May of 2015. Like many dogs, she instinctively senses where, when and how she’s needed most. Fiorillo told NBC Today: “She’ll park herself right next to an older person to let them pet her one minute and the next she’s prancing around with kids. It’s been really impressive to watch. Lulu is a calm, sturdy beacon of support for those whose lives have spun suddenly out of control. Her presence allows otherwise stoic men to weep, and gives brokenhearted children the chance to laugh again. Fiorillo also takes comfort in Lulu’s companionship. The funeral services profession is highly stressful and very emotional. Sometimes a replenishing hug from Lulu is just what he needs to help him release his own emotions and better serve his clients. “Humans need to touch. Even just petting her can be a subtle distraction from the tremendous amount of grief people are going through.
For those who take comfort in spirituality or the belief in a higher power, Lulu’s ability to “pray” is astonishing. Chelsea Sules lost her 25-year-old brother on June 17. Her grief was stifling, but within minutes of meeting Lulu, she found herself laughing once again. She told NBC Today: “Lulu was with us for both of the wakes and out of nowhere we see her kneeling on a bench with her head down and praying in front of my brother’s casket. It blew us away.
Washington, DC - The Washington Humane Society–Washington Animal Rescue League today announced that it has teamed up with NBC4 to host NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations’ Clear the Shelters second annual nationwide pet adoption drive. WHS-WARL will offer the public fee-waived adoptions on Saturday, July 23, as part of the nationwide Clear the Shelters initiative that seeks to find new homes for homeless pets. All pets available for adoption at WHS-WARL have been spayed/neutered. “Clear the Shelters was a great success last year and it was a terrific partnership between NBC4 and shelters from across our region,” said Lisa LaFontaine, President and CEO of WHS-WARL. “We sent 151 animals to new homes last year and we hope be even more successful this year.” This year’s Clear the Shelters event comes after last year’s highly successful inaugural effort, which resulted in nearly 20,000 pets finding new homes through an unprecedented partnership between the NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations and hundreds of animal shelters located all across the country and in Puerto Rico. The nationwide day of action literally emptied dozens of animal shelters across the country and inspired local communities to take action and open their homes to animals in need. WHAT: Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League to participate as an official Clear the Shelters partner alongside NBC4. WHS-WARL will offer fee-waived adoptions. WHEN: Saturday, July 23 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM WHERE: Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League’s two Adoption Centers: Washington Animal Rescue League 71 Oglethorpe St., NW Washington, DC 20011 Washington Humane Society 1201 New York Ave., NE Washington, DC 20002
INFO: Available animals can be seen at www.washhumane.org or www.warl.org. Viewers can visit www.NBCWashington.com to access more information about Clear the Shelters, including the full list of local participating animal shelters ADOPTION TRACKER: A real-time pet “Adoption Tracker” – posted on ClearTheShelters.com – will record the total number of pets that are adopted across all participating markets
SOCIAL: Use the hashtag #ClearTheShelters to follow the effort on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Clear the Shelters themed Snapchat filters will be activated on July 23. Spanish-language viewers can use the hashtag #DesocuparLosAlbergues
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.
Montgomery County police charged a 47-year-old woman with 66 counts of animal cruelty Wednesday after 66 dogs were seized Jan. 1 from her home on Glen Mill Road in Rockville. Police said Katherine Ting Tiong, of the 1300 block of Glen Mill Road, was attempting to operate an animal rescue service named Forever Homes Animal Rescue out of her home. However, when investigators with the police department’s Animal Services Division entered the property, they found numerous signs of neglect. Police said most of the dogs were contained in soiled crates and were suffering from a variety of ailments such as eye and ear infections, urine-soaked fur and matted hair. “This is the largest number of dogs ever seized in one case I’ve ever seen in my career,” Officer Jack Breckenridge, a 13-year veteran of the Animal Services Division, said Thursday. Breckenridge said police were investigating a report about a dog bite when he first approached the house at the end of December. At first, he said he guessed there were 10 dogs in the house, but the next day when police returned with a search warrant, they discovered dozens of dogs. “We entered the house and it was overwhelming the volume of dogs that were in the space provided for them,” Breckenridge said. “It was substantially less than what would be normally required for 66 dogs.” He said loose dogs and dogs being kept in crates covered every space inside the house that wasn’t occupied by items being stored. “Name a breed and it was probably there,” Breckenridge said. He added that there’s no special license required to run a dog rescue service. Three of the dogs were in such poor condition that they had to be euthanized at the Montgomery County shelter, police said. Another dog died of unknown causes, which police are investigating. The dogs have been cared for at the county shelter in Derwood since being seized. Police said several have been adopted, but many still remain at the shelter. Those that remain are now up for adoption, but some suffer from medical problems or behavioral issues, police said. “In the past, we have seen Montgomery County residents step up and provide loving homes for our ‘special needs’ animals,” shelter manager Kate Walker said in a statement. Potential adopters are encouraged to visit the shelter at 7315 Muncaster Mill Road, Derwood, or call the shelter at 240-773-5900. Tiong was released on bond after being arrested Jan. 1. The Animal Services Division also released photos Thursday of some of the dogs before and after being treated at the shelter. You can read the initial story here:Montgomery County, Maryland Police Seized 66 Dogs from a Rockville Woman's Home on New Year’s Day
Clementine, one of the dogs seized from the home on Glen Mill Road in Rockville
Wendell, left, and Clark, right, before being treated
Phantom the Labrador’s owners left him behind in their apartment when they moved out. The 2-year-old dog wasn’t discovered until months later, when neighbors complained about a foul smell emanating from the now-vacant space. That’s when Phantom’s body was found. This horror took place in Hudson, Massachusetts, in 2011. Half a decade later Phantom’s legacy may be a first-of-its-kind law that helps prevent other animals from suffering this same dreadful fate.
This proposed law — S. 2174, which was written by Senator James Eldridge and passed the Massachusetts Senate— would require landlords to check on a vacated property to make sure no pets have been left behind within three days of a tenant getting out. This applies to foreclosed properties, or those that are empty for any other reason — even if the tenant has just taken off, which the landlords knows (or should have known) about. If there are animals discovered during the inspection, the landlord (or agent of the landlord) must contact animal control or the police. It’s that simple. And advocates hope it will come into law and be very effective. Says Kara Holmquist, director of advocacy for the MSPCA-Angell: One animal who dies of dehydration or starvation in an abandoned property in Massachusetts is one animal too many. Under California law, landlords must let animal control know if they find an animal left behind in a property. Massachusetts would be the first state to tell landlords they have an affirmative obligation to go check for these animals. It’s an important tool in saving lives, says Bill Ketzer, the ASPCA’s senior director of state legislation for the Northeast region. “By requiring owners to inspect for abandoned animals at recently vacated or foreclosed units and immediately notify an animal control or law enforcement, needless suffering can be reduced,” he said to BarkPost.
A tennis ball bomb is exactly what it sounds like. A bomb that people make using a tennis ball as the casing for the bomb. They look just like a regular tennis ball but will have a fuse sticking out. They also may be wrapped in duct tape, with a fuse sticking out. Earlier this year a man found two explosive devices. They were tennis ball bombs. He notified authorities, the tennis ball bombs were rendered safe and nobody was injured. However back in November of 2000 a man was walking a friend’s dog and found a tennis ball wrapped in tape. He kicked it a few times and then threw it for the dog to fetch. Sadly it exploded in the dog’s mouth according to Snopes.com. This is not an act of terrorism, it’s usually something curious teens do because they want to see something explode. If you find a tennis ball on the ground, that you do not own, leave it alone. If it looks suspicious, call authorities immediately. This YouTube video shows teenagers playing with tennis ball bombs. You can see the incredible force of the explosion and imagine what this would do to a dog’s mouth and face.
Rockville, Maryland - The investigation began Dec. 31 when animal services officers responded to the home for a dog bite case. While speaking to the homeowner outside, police said the officer became suspicious that there might be a large number of animals inside. A search warrant was executed Jan. 1, and it took 16 hours for animal services to find and track all of the dogs in the house. “When they went in, they saw the conditions, they saw the circumstances, and at that point in time, what we thought was maybe 20-plus dogs, it ended up being over 60 dogs – 66 in total,” said Tom Koenig of Montgomery County Animal Services. On Monday, FOX 5’s Emily Miller saw dog food piled up inside the house and dog feces all over the backyard. The owner was not home. “I've been doing this 11 years and this is the most dogs I’ve ever seen seized,” said Koenig. The 66 dogs were taken to the county shelter. They are different breeds, sizes and ages. Some of them required immediate medical care. “It was a variety of conditions. Some okay, some not so okay,” Koenig said. Currently, the dogs are being kept out of public view because they are considered evidence in an ongoing investigation. The owner could face criminal charges, including animal cruelty and abuse. The shelter says it will advertise on its website when the dogs that were seized are ready to be adopted. Until then, they have plenty of other dogs available. Learn more about adoption:www.montgomerycountymd.gov/asd
If you love cats you know how horrible and inhumane it is to declaw them, yet some people still insist on having the cruel treatment done to their cats to “save their furniture” even though there are many other ways to deal with the issue. A south New Jersey Assemblyman named Troy Singleton is sponsoring legislation that would make “onychetomy” which is the medical term for “declawing” your cat a crime of animal cruelty punishable by law. Both the cat owners seeking out the procedure and the veterinarians who perform it would face fines of up to $2,000 and 6 months in jail. Declawing is not a suitable replacement for proper training of your cats, it’s inhumane and cruel and it’s nice to see lawmakers are finally willing to take the steps to make this crime of animal cruelty illegal. Let’s hope this movement spreads across the country. If the law passes New Jersey would be the first state in the U.S. to outlaw declawing. A few cities in California have banned declawing, but it’s not a crime punishable with jail time and fines. Declawing may seem like a quick and simple solution to your problems but it’s not the humane solution, so if you or someone you know is considering declawing a cat, please get educated on the procedure and how cruel it really is.
Like many cat owners, Dr. Jessica Quimby spends a lot of time worrying about feline health. With six cats of her own, this veterinarian knows the odds are that at least one will develop chronic kidney disease. In fact, her cat Sophie already has the highly common and incurable disease. “I’m really surprised when a cat in its mid-teens doesn’t have kidney disease. It’s so common that it is more abnormal for an older cat to have normal kidney function,” said Quimby, an assistant professor and board-certified internal medicine specialist in the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Veterinarians estimate that up to half of cats over 15 years old will develop renal failure. That’s 2 million cats in the United States. Chronic kidney disease is irreversible, so treatment focuses on treating complications through changes in diet, medicating high blood pressure, and keeping the cat hydrated. Quimby is a cat crusader, doggedly pursuing these and other treatments that will make life better for ailing cats and their humans. “As an internal medicine specialist, I work with both cats and dogs, but I always had the goal of working with cats – elderly cats, complicated cats. I grew up with cats on a farm and saw them suffering from various diseases, so I came to CSU so I could have the power to do studies and learn new things to help them,” said Quimby, whose office in the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital is decorated with photos and paintings of feline friends. Does your cat have chronic kidney disease? To read more on this story, click here:Starting from Scratch: CSU Veterinarian Searches for Answers to Chronic Kidney Disease in Cats
