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Tag Archives: Animal welfare

11.21.12 PigStory #2: GenderBender

21 Nov

Sam’s passing, from a Guinea Pig respiratory infection at 4 years of age, was very hard on the family.  They were mourning the loss of him terribly.  Feeling sad for them, I told V and the kids to go and adopt a new pig.  I did not go with them as I was working.  They come home with not 1, but 2 new pigs, because, and I quote “there was only 2 in the cage and we did not want the other one to be lonely.”  Enter Georgia and Martha. 

They were the cutest little things (I had never seen a baby guinea pig before) but we noticed that within 24 hours Martha was having trouble breathing.  After rushing her to the emergency vet, we learned she had pneumonia, and they suggested putting her down immediately.  But that is not our way. 

Over the next 4 weeks we gave her medicine and we spent endless hours in the steaming bathroom and with a vaporizer next to her cage, to help this little creature start to breath again.  We moved her into the bedroom so we could monitor her 24/7.  And we held her and held her and held her.  When we finally got her to our vet (not the Emergency people), Dr. Kate said that Martha was much better, however, ‘she’ was a ‘he’ and that maybe we should consider changing his name so that he doesn’t get a complex (LOL).  Welcome, a now healthy, Mr, Moto.

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤

 
17 Comments

Posted by on November 21, 2012 in Animals

 

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Monday’s Fur Mask

12 Nov

animals-animals-animals: Wolf (by purple007)

animals-animals-animals:

Wolf (by purple007)

 
6 Comments

Posted by on November 12, 2012 in Animals

 

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11.5.12 <3 Doggie Daycare <3

05 Nov

The dogs love daycare.  Did I mention how much Louise and Sofie LOVE daycare?  They love daycare so much that the mere mention of the word makes them rush to the door with excitement.  The whole 7 minute ride there, they are singing in the back of the truck (OK whining, but they would sing if they knew a song).  Sofie gets so crazy that even the usual quiet Lulu Belle starts to make some weird vocal sounds just to join in.  “Woohoooooo!  We are going to play with our friends and run around unleashed all day.”  I wish that I could be a ‘fly on the wall’ and see what they are doing.  They tell me that, of course, Sofie is the trouble maker, and Louise is sweet and well-behaved.  Whoever came up with this idea of Doggie Daycare was a genius.  My dogs and I thank you who ever you are.

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤

 
12 Comments

Posted by on November 5, 2012 in Dogs

 

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11.4.12 How You Can Help Pets Effected By Storm Sandy

04 Nov

You can help the pets effected by Storm Sandy.  When shelters are without power the job is so much harder.

RumpyDog posted a great one on Helping Animals Affected by Sandy.  Thank you Rumpy for being so thoughtful.  Please help as you can.  This is going to be a hard winter for an already stressed animal population at the shelters.

Also, here are some good links from Petfinders Blog

Shelters and adoption groups damaged by Hurricane Sandy or assisting their communities in recovering won’t be taking time off this weekend. There is a lot of clean-up to be done, often in areas that still don’t have power.

Mochi is bundled up to stay warm while Animal Haven is without power!

Please take some time to review our posts on Petfinder animal welfare organizations who need help, and reach out to them this weekend if you can.  Here are our past posts from Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with additional shelters checking in below.

New York:

  • Animal Care & Control of NYC (AC&C)’s Manhattan and Brooklyn Care Centers are now open for adoptions, return-to-owners, and in-takes on a limited basis.  They ask that anyone intending on surrendering a pet to call Pets for Life at  (917) 468-2938 .  Updates are available via their Facebook page
  •  Animal Haven is on day five without power. They have posted a great video of their experience caring for their animals here on YouTube. You can follow their progress and find a link to donate via their Facebook page. They are also accepting donations outside the front gate at 251 Centre Street from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They need linens, towels, flashlights, lanterns, batteries for flashlights, paper towels, bleach and rubber gloves.

New Jersey:

  • Cape May Co. Animal Shelter (CMCAS)  Staff remained at the shelter throughout the storm. Luckily they were not flooded and did not lose power, however they need to find homes for cats, so consider adopting a hurricane kitty of your very own! They are also on Facebook
  • The Humane Society of Atlantic County  was not as lucky and experienced serious flooding. They report that “much of the cleaning is done and we are rebuilding some of the counters that were destroyed. We have power, heat, water for washing (not drinking though) and lots of friends. At this point [we] estimate the HSAC had about $100,000 loss in supplies, equipment, and business. We hope to re-open Monday. Financial support and Lowe’s/Home Depot cards are still needed.” You can find this update and more on their Facebook page. Monetary donations can be accepted via their web pagesmall brown rabbitWe hope Blair finds a home now that Sandy has passed.
  • The Humane Society of Ocean City  suffered minor damage from Hurricane Sandy. The structure is sound and they plan to open today, November 2nd at 11 a.m. All of the animals are safe. They are asking for donations of laundry soap, bleach, canned cat foot, 33 gallon trash bags, and towels, as these were the most used items during the storm. They would appreciate monetary donations as well. Updates are available via Facebook.

NOT Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤

 
3 Comments

Posted by on November 4, 2012 in Animals, Cats, Dogs

 

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11.3.12 Anticipation

03 Nov

Thank you to all our Facebook and Blog friends that prayed for us during the recent Super Storm. I really think that made a difference.  My heart goes out to all those effected in so many terrible ways.  Please keep those prayers and virtual hugs coming – it will be a long road to normal for many.  We are fine here at DogDaz and appreciate the support. – Lorian (the human of DogDaz)

Sometimes being prepared days before for something as big as Super Storm Sandy, the ‘Frankenstorm’ as they are calling it (because it was near Halloween), only made all our anxiety levels go up with the anticipation.  All the hubbub of getting prepared kept me busy for days but then, once ready, I had to just sit and wait for the actual event.  Anticipation is an interesting thing.  When the animals anticipate what is coming, like when they know I am going into the cookie jar, they try to figure out what I am going to ask them to do to receive the cookie.  Both of them sit in anticipation, and if I wait a little to long Louise will start to drool and Sofie will raise her paw (in case I am going to ask her to ‘shake’).  Waiting for positive things, like treats, or parties, or walks, is a ‘good’ anticipation. Waiting for a Super Storm, well that is down right ‘bad’ anticipation.  There was no way of knowing what was going to happen.  Sofie stuck to my side like glue during the whole prelude and event.  Louise just slept mostly.  But we all got through it.  V and me and the 5 cats and 2 dogs cuddled by the fire place and ate a lot of fattening treats until it past.  

Now we are in clean up mode,  Power was finally back Thursday and phone, internet, TV took the worst hit, but the main box has been replaced and is running again.  The dogs are tired of wet feet but like their new water bowl (the bottom of the picnic table).  I am glad that all my family is safe, though those up north are still without power for an unknown length of time.

No matter where you are, please make sure to anticipate weather and be prepared.  Mother Nature is unpredictable at times and we can not change that, but we can protect ourselves and our loved ones.

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤

 
16 Comments

Posted by on November 3, 2012 in Dogs

 

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10.29.12 Preparing for the Perfect Storm with Pets

29 Oct

Watching the hurricane Sandy roll in

The animals feel the storm much earlier then humans, I think.  Actually, I have been feeling it for days, but I am one of those weird humans that is really in tune with every change in pressure for hundreds of miles.  The atmosphere here at the zoo has been pensive.  Maybe it is because we have been rushing around for days, thanks to the predictive awareness of the National Weather Center, and the robo calls that have been coming from every utility because of the early declared state of emergency. 

Preparing the property is one things.  Preparing for a prolonged outage, or inage (being captive in the house for days), is another when you have animals.  This got me thinking about what, more than animal food and litter, should I be prepared for, in case I really did have to evacuate.  Though we are within 1,000 feet of the water, we are on high ground, so it is very unlikely; but what if the roof got damaged or something.  So, here is my list:

5 cat carriers and 2 dog kennels.

Vet papers on all animals.

Dry and wet food for 1 week: 21 cans wet cat food, 14 cups dry cat food, 2 cans wet dog food, 40 cups of dry dog food, 

5 cat food bowls and 2 dog food bowls.

Minimum 2 littler pans and 1 large bucket of litter (and scooper and bags for scooped stuff).  (Maybe I need to have some small little set up in each carrier if they have to stay in there (I need to think about that).)

Minimum 1 dog water bowl and 5 small water bowls for cat carriers.

Muffin’s heart medicine and baby aspirin.

Kitties anti-anxiety medicine.

Animal first aid kit,

Blankets for each carrier and 2 extra for dogs.

Dog marrow bones and 2 toys to keep them occupied.

Leashes and collars (with all their tags).  (I don’t have collars for the cats with any ID.  To late to buy now, but maybe I need to figure out something so they each have ID.) 

Also should know where I can go with the zoo.  I can’t go to my sister-in-law because her dog hates dogs, my Mother-in-law’s cat would freak out, so next step would be a shelter.  Who will take all of us?  I better start working on that since the wind and the rain are here.

This is really hard.  Even when we have been without electricity or heat before for more than a week, we have never left the animals, and we never will.  One big winter storm we lost 2 out of 4 large tanks of fish, because they got to cold.  Now with the generator hopefully that won’t happen again.  But, one must be prepared.

Please be safe wherever you are.

Keep you loved ones close and your animals out of harms way too.

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤

 
48 Comments

Posted by on October 29, 2012 in Dogs

 

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Friday’s Cat Rescue

26 Oct

 
8 Comments

Posted by on October 26, 2012 in Cats

 

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Wednesday’s Harlequins

24 Oct

animals-animals-animals: Harlequin Ducks (by Mark Schwall)

animals-animals-animals:

Harlequin Ducks (by Mark Schwall)

 
2 Comments

Posted by on October 24, 2012 in Animals

 

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10.19.12 Deep Scars

19 Oct

There can be no knowledge without emotion. We may be aware of a truth, yet until we have felt its force, it is not ours. To the cognition of the brain must be added the experience of the soul. ~Arnold Bennet

What is life if not the culmination of the things that we have experienced; the deep and unyielding collection of events that are burned into our memory banks.  Some of them we can not even remember, but they still created a mark, a scar maybe, a ripple in the scheme of our total recall. 

Louise is an emotional dog.  She was about 5 months old when we rescued her, and that could be a lifetime of experiences that we just will never really know about.  I think Louise’s start in life was bad.  I know she was neglected, but I think that she probably was emotionally, if not physically, abused. 

She is a good dog.  And to those she trusts, she is a sweet dog.  She is leery of strangers and fearful of loud and overwhelming humans. The freedom and abandon she possesses as she runs at max speed across a field is amazing, but then she can quickly hide behind me and snarl at a dog or human that is getting to close or reminds her of something.  I adore this dog but I do not understand her yet.  She is teaching me about her fear and shyness and how the emotions can scar the soul so deeply and longly, that building confidence can become a life long challenge.

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤

 
14 Comments

Posted by on October 19, 2012 in Dogs

 

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Friday’s Plea

12 Oct

(via oceansdream)

 
12 Comments

Posted by on October 12, 2012 in Cats, Dogs

 

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