FICTION: Having a microchip implanted will hurt my pet. FACT: No anesthetic is required for a microchip implant. The procedure is performed at your veterinarian’s office and is simple and similar to administering a vaccine or a routine shot. The microchip comes preloaded in a sterile applicator and is injected under the loose skin between the shoulder blades. The process takes only a few seconds, and your pet will not react any more than he would to a vaccination. FICTION:Pet microchips work like global positioning devices (GPS) and tell me my pet’s location. FACT: Pet microchips are not tracking devices. They are radio-frequency identification (RFID) implants that provide permanent ID for your pet. Because they use RFID technology, microchips do not require a power source like a GPS. When a microchip scanner is passed over the pet, the microchip gets enough power from the scanner to transmit the microchip's ID number. Since there’s no battery and no moving parts, there's nothing to keep charged, wear out, or replace. The microchip will last your pet's lifetime. FICTION:My pet wears a collar with tags, so he doesn’t need a microchip. FACT:All pets should wear collar tags imprinted with their name and the phone number of their owner, but only a microchip provides permanent ID that cannot fall off, be removed, or become impossible to read. FICTION:Microchips are expensive. FACT:The average cost to have a microchip implanted by a veterinarian is around $45, which is a one–time fee and often includes registration in a pet recovery database. If your pet was adopted from a shelter or purchased from a breeder, your pet may already have a microchip. Consult your pet adoption paperwork, or have your pet scanned for a microchip at your next vet visit to reveal the unique microchip ID number and register it. FICTION: Only dogs, not cats, need to be microchipped. FACT:Both cats and dogs need to be microchipped. Cats often do not wear collars, and may not have any other form of ID. A recent study showed that less than 2% of cats without microchips were returned home. However, if a cat is microchipped, the return-to-owner rate is 20 times higher than if the cat was not microchipped. FICTION: My contact information is contained in the chip, and anyone with a scanner can access it. FACT:Microchips carry only a unique identification number. If your pet gets lost and is taken to a vet clinic or animal shelter, your pet will be scanned for a microchip to reveal his unique ID number. That number will be called into the pet recovery service, and you will be contacted using the contact information on file with your pet’s microchip. **It is vital to keep your contact information up to date so that you can be reached. FICTION: I need to microchip my pet more than once. FACT:A microchip will normally last the lifetime of your pet because it is composed of biocompatible materials that will not degenerate over time. The HomeAgain® microchip has the Bio-Bond™ patented anti–migration feature to help ensure the chip stays where it’s implanted. Also, since microchips require no power source and have no moving parts, there’s nothing that can wear out and need to be replaced. Pet owners can also check to make sure their pet’s microchip is still working by asking a vet to scan it during their pet’s next checkup. FICTION:Having a microchip gives a pet the best protection if he gets lost. FACT:A microchip is only the first step! You must register your pet’s microchip to give your pet the best protection. Register your pet’s microchip in a national pet recovery database such as HomeAgain with your contact information, so you can be contacted when your lost pet is found. Also, remember to keep your contact information up to date whenever you move or change phone numbers.
Portland, Oregon - Fences For Fido, an all-volunteer 501c3 non-profit, attends to all needs by building a fence, removing the chain, supplying a warm dog house, providing critical vet care and spay/neuter, and returning as needed to ensure the dog lives a safe, un-chained life. We are a 100% all-volunteer organization! We have NO paid staff! Mission
To improve the quality of life for dogs living outdoors by removing chains, building fences, providing shelters, offering spay/neuter, and raising awareness about the physical, mental and emotional needs of dogs and why chaining a dog is inhumane and dangerous. Awards 2009 News Maker of the Year: KGW TV and the Royal Rosarians Several volunteers recognized as Hometown Heroes by local news station Products Six foot high welded wire fences Wooden dog houses in various sizes w/ burlap sack dog beds filled w/cedar shavings Spay/Neuter Surgeries for intact animals Coordination, when possible, for help with re-homing animals. Fences For Fido is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization based in Portland, Oregon building free fences for dogs living outdoors on chains, tethers or in small outdoor pens. Our volunteers work in a large area of northwest Oregon and southwest Washington.
Video:
These volunteers are marking their 1,000th fence built to free dogs that are chained up and can't run free. For more information:
This is what our volunteers do after the fence building is complete and the Fido is ready to be unchained. We make a large circle of love and, oh yeah, there might be some celebratory squeals as well. Welcome to our 'unchained pack' Cupcake; you are number One Thousand.
A cow in Northeast Texas has apparently defied great odds and given birth to four calves that have been named Eeny, Meeny, Miny and Moo. "DNA tests will be done on tissue samples from the three bull calves and the one heifer calf to satisfy those who may question the births from one mother." said Jimmy Barling. "We knew she was pregnant, but we didn't know she was going to do this," the 76-year-old Barling said. "This was a shock." Barling's wife, Dora Rumsey-Barling, owns the couple's 20 cattle outside of DeKalb, near the Arkansas and Oklahoma borders. Rumsey-Barling's granddaughter named the four black calves Eeny, Meeny, Miny and Moo, Barling said. A local veterinarian, Mike Baird, called the March 16 births "extremely rare." He said the odds of four live births from one cow are 1 in 11.2 million. Baird knows the couple well and is nearly certain the four came from one mother, rather than a nearby cow perhaps birthing one or two and then moving along so that it appeared the four came from the Barling's cow. "In the interest of science and the animal world, it's one of those things that need to be verified beyond a shadow of a doubt," he said. The couple watched the birth of the fourth calf after going to check on her when they saw buzzards circling above a field. Because the mother cow is unable to nurse all four calves, the couple are relying on neighbors to help. Moo has stayed with her mother, while Eeny, Meeny and Miny are with two different caretakers. Meeny is the smallest of the calves, weighing in at about 25 pounds. A typical healthy birth weight for a calf is 75 pounds. Standing has also been difficult for some of the quadruplets.
Delta Air Lines Inc. will offer what it says is the first pet-tracking device to reassure passengers who are separated from their beloved furry companions during flights. Delta customers will be able to monitor their pets in real time, with data on the surrounding temperature and whether the animal is right-side up or sitting askew. The gadget was developed by Sendum Wireless Corp. and will be available for $50 per flight from 10 U.S. airports. “When things go wrong with a pet, it often goes horribly wrong,” said Neel Jones Shah, an airline adviser to Burnaby, British Columbia-based Sendum and former Delta cargo executive. The new GPS gadget wasn’t specifically meant to address the airline’s past trouble with animal shipments, Delta spokesman Morgan Durrant said. United Continental Holdings Inc. said it’s also testing a pet tracking device. Sendum’s PT300 has uses beyond monitoring live animals, including temperature-sensitive organ transplants, Durrant said. It’s the furry friends that make the headlines, however, and transporting animals can be a tricky business. The Humane Society of the United States urges people not to ship their pets by air “unless absolutely necessary,” according to its website. English bulldogs, Pekingese and other dogs with short snouts have may have trouble breathing during flights, so much so that some airlines ban the breeds, said Walter Woolf, a veterinarian and owner of pet mover Air Animal Inc. in Tampa, Florida. The number of animals that die while in an airline’s care has been dropping in recent years. Delta has had the most animal deaths among U.S. carriers in the past five years, with 51, though it has had only 6 since 2013, Transportation Department data show. In 2014, U.S. airlines reported 17 animal deaths, including some that were out of the airline’s control. That’s down from 39 in 2010. Delta, based in Atlanta, will offer the new GPS-based device to owners who bring animals to the Delta Cargo facility at New York’s LaGuardia and nine other airports in Atlanta; Cincinnati; Detroit; Los Angeles; Memphis, Tennessee; Minneapolis/St. Paul; Seattle; Salt Lake City; and Tampa. The service is not available for pets sent by checked baggage at the passenger terminal. Placed on the animal’s crate, the device notes location, ambient temperature and other factors, including how the crate is positioned. If the temperature rises above 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29 Celsius), for example, it will shoot an an alert to Delta’s call center, Shah said. The pet owners also can check on their animal’s stats by visiting a website, he said. A caveat is that the system only sends alerts before and after a flight because restrictions on cellular communications prevent it from sending notices while airborne, Shah said. Still, many of the accidents that cause an animal to go missing or die occur at the airport and not in the air, he said. Woolf, the animal shipper, regularly plots round-the-world flights for pets, recently shipping a dog from Sydney to London and another animal from San Francisco to Zurich. He’s not convinced people will pay extra for real-time following of pets, since all animals already get a tracking code called an airway bill. Sendum is hoping pets offer a new venue for its monitors, which more often are used to keep tabs on alcohol and tobacco and to make sure seafood is kept cold, founder Wayne Chester said.
The National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a helicopter survey Thursday along the Potomac and Anacostia rivers, although it had to be cut short due to wind. All three of the nests sighted were active, with an adult either brooding (caring for young) or incubating, said the agencies. At the National Arboretum, an adult female was spotted sitting on a nest. Experts said it was difficult to confirm whether she was incubating or brooding, but they believe there is a recent hatchling or hatchlings in the nest due to the way the female positioned her shoulders and a slight "blanketing" of her breast feathers. There were two fish in the nest. During a ground survey the same day, a male bald eagle was seen delivering a fish to the nest. The female stood and began breaking the fish into small pieces, appearing to demonstrate feeding behavior. The agencies will make another check of the National Arboretum in mid-April.
If you have ever adopted a pet, you may not know it…but you saved a life! Adopting is also know as 'rescuing' an animal. Some people adopt animals but never realize that they are saving the animals life. When you adopted your pet, you gave them a home, love and a second chance at life, a chance to be part of a family. There is an animal shelter, called, Animal Allies, Inc., located in Fairfax County, Virginia. They are a non-profit organization that relies solely on donations and volunteers to operate. They are dedicated to rescuing homeless and abandoned animals. They could use your help to care for the animals. Please help by purchasing this great T-shirt for $17. All funds will go directly to Animal Allies of Fairfax, Virginia. Thank you. I have setup a fundraiser to help Animal Allies, Inc. My fundraiser is called, Animal Allies of Fairfax Fundraiser, and I am selling T-shirts that I designed. The T-shirts are in both men and women's sizes. On the top left front of the T-shirt is a dog and cat logo, with the words, "I rescued my best friend." On the center back is the same logo, with the words, "Visit your local animal shelter…and save a life, 'Adopt Don't Shop'. They are made of Gildan Ultra Cotton, and come is sizes: YXS - XXXXL This fundraiser ends on April 18, 2015. You have 2 weeks left to order yours! Your shirt will be delivered about 2 weeks after closing. The fundraiser also has a section on the form if you would like to make an additional donation. Ready to Order? click here:Adopt Don't Shop T-Shirt About Animal Allies: Animal Allies, a nonprofit, all-volunteer no kill organization dedicated to the rescue of homeless and abandoned animals. We are a registered 501(c)(3) organization incorporated in the State of VA. Founded in 1984, Animal Allies is devoted to curbing the irresponsible breeding of pets in an effort to end the overpopulation of homeless animals. Animal Allies volunteers work to rescue lost, abandoned, or stray animals and find loving homes for them if possible. All animals in our system are vetted to check for disease and spayed and neutered to stop the cycle of unwanted animals. Through a detailed process, we do our best to make sure each animal goes to a suitable home where they can enjoy love and shelter and the necessities for the rest of their lives, and provide their human companions with love in return. Our organization is funded solely through the generosity of the public and countless hours put in by our volunteers. Visit their website at:Animal Allies, Inc. Order your shirt today! After April 18, 2015, they will no longer be available! Please share with family, friends and co-workers who have adopted/rescued an animal. Thank you for adopting your pet and saving a life! Administrator, The Pet Tree House
Prince George's County, MD - Today isn't just any ordinary Saturday - it's Cassie's Day!! What does that mean, you ask? Well, it's pretty simple and very exciting! Today we are celebrating Cassie, A418105, a 3 year old female American bulldog. If Cassie receives an approved application today (4/4/15), an anonymous donor has offered to pay $25 towards the cost of her spay surgery! From Cassie: Shelter Staff named me Cassie, and I am an unaltered female, white American Bulldog mix. The shelter staff think I am about 3-years-old, and I weigh approximately 44 pounds. I have been at the shelter since Jan 17, 2015. Shelter Staff made the following comments about this animal: Cassie is a beautiful 3year-old white American Bulldog. Cassie craves affection. This loving and lovable dog would be a wonderful addition to any family. This stray is a staff favorite and deserves a new forever home, and human best friend.
For more information about Cassie, call: Prince George's County Animal Management Division at (301) 780-7200 Ask for information about animal ID number A418105
Please help us spread the word TODAY and let's give Cassie the best reason to celebrate - a new home of her own!
There are many different species of plants called “lily”: Easter lily, day lily, Asiatic lily, tiger lily, peace lily, calla lily, and lily of the valley, among others. And though they may be beautiful to look at, a cat could die of kidney failure if he should eat any part of these toxic species and not receive treatment immediately. In fact, as little as two leaves can make your cat sick, and if left untreated, can become fatal in as little as three days.
Things to watch out for:
Drooling Vomiting (pieces of plant in the vomitus) Loss of appetite Increased urination, followed by lack of urination after 1 to 2 days Dehydration
When determining if a lily plant you want or have is toxic, always look at the scientific name of the plant. The scientific name is a two-part name: the “first name,” which is capitalized, is the genus; the “second name” is the species, and it is not capitalized. You may see additional names following the first and second; these are subdivisions of the species and are not important for determining toxicity. The second name is sometimes abbreviated sp. or spp. This means that the actual species has not been identified. Sometimes the first name is abbreviated, usually with just the first letter of the name. This is usually done when there is a list of several species from the same genus.
The lily plants of greatest concern are any from the genus Lilium (Lilium sp.), which includes Easter lilies, tiger lilies, and Asiatic lilies, and any from the genus Hemerocallis (Hemerocallis sp.), which includes day lilies.
If your cat has recently eaten a lily and has not vomited, call your veterinarian to see if you should induce vomiting before bringing her to an animal hospital. Call the nearest animal hospital or the Pet Poison Helpline at 1-855-213-6680. The sooner she gets treatment, the better her chances are for survival. And if you can, bring a piece of the lily plant to the hospital.
Finding a chewed-on lily plant or pieces of plant in the vomit allows for a definitive diagnosis. Because the toxic principle in lilies attacks the kidneys, blood and urine tests will be taken to evaluate kidney function. If your cat has only recently ingested the plant material and has still not vomited, your veterinarian will try to induce vomiting. Activated charcoal will be given orally to absorb any toxin that might remain in the gut. The key to survival is high volumes of fluids given intravenously (IV) to try and prevent dehydration and the kidneys shutting down. The fluids will be given for 1 to 2 days, while monitoring your cat's kidneys as well as urine output. Lack of urine production is a sign that the treatment was unsuccessful.
Calla or arum lilies (Zantedeschia aethiopica) and peace lilies (Spathiphyllum sp.) contain crystals that are extremely irritating to the mouth and digestive tract, causing drooling, vomiting, and diarrhea; however, they do not affect the kidneys.
Lily of the valley (Convalaria majalis) affects the heart, causing irregular heartbeat and low blood pressure, and can progress to seizures or coma.
If treatment is successful, there are no reported long-term consequences. Monitor your cat for changes in his urination habits, especially frequency of urination.
If at all possible, do not have lilies in your house, not even as cut flowers. If you do have lilies in the house, make sure your cat cannot reach them and inform everyone in your household of the dangers lilies pose to the cat.
Cats are less likely to chew on lilies in your yard, especially if there are more appealing things to chew on, like grass and catnip; however, it is best not to have any lilies in your yard.
