Keep Your Pets Safe this 4th of July Weekend!

The 4th of July is a time to celebrate independence, enjoy barbeques and watch fireworks light up the sky. Sadly, it is the #1 day in which pets get lost and end up in shelters. Chances are, a high-kill shelter.

Many celebrations in the Chicago area begin before the 4th of July, so it is important to use caution even days before the holiday.

From dogs to cats and even horses, this is typically not a time of year that animals feel safe. The loud noises of fireworks spark, no pun intended, fear into animals.

Keeping identification on your pets during this time of year is extremely important. Make sure all tags have a current address, phone number and email. If your pet is micro-chipped, make sure that you have let your pet recovery service know if there have been any changes since the microchip was placed.

According to the American Kennel Club Companion Recovery Service, the 4th of July the most active time of year for pet recovery. Dogs are most susceptible, as they tend to get scared at the sound of the fireworks and run away.

Several Chicago area publications, such as  The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and animal advocacy Facebook groups have offered advice to keep your pets safe during the holiday weekend. (Please also see link at the end of the article to help pets that become homeless during the holiday weekend.)

The SEAACA has issued helpful tips to pet owners across the United States and is encouraging cross-posting and publications to share knowledge in their “Keep Your Pets Safe This 4th Of July And All Summer Long” campaign.

1.     Beware of fireworks. Fireworks are no blast for some pets, with many cats and dogs becoming easily frightened by the deafening roar of rockets bursting in air. The best option is to leave your cat or dog indoors (not leashed in the yard) during the holiday weekend (July 1-4) in a safe, secure, escape-proof room of the house with comfy bed, food and water. Also consider leaving a TV or radio on to drown out the sound of the fireworks and to provide familiar noises while you’re out.
2.     Confirm your pet’s collar and I.D. information. Dogs and other pets can become easily frightened by loud celebrations on the 4th of July. Make sure your pet is wearing a properly fitted collar with correct identification and tags just in case he or she becomes scared and runs away from home. Micro-chipping also is a great precaution to make it easier for your pet to be returned home safely and promptly.

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3.     Be careful with 4th of July decorations. Remember that your pet may easily mistake your red, white and blue decorations and glow sticks as chew toys; cats can even become tangled in streamers and ribbon. Make sure to pet-proof your home and keep fun decorations out of a paw’s reach.
4.     Call your vet. If you think your pet needs to be sedated or tranquilized to handle the fireworks noise and celebrations, contact your animal care provider.
5.     Watch the alcohol. Alcoholic beverages have the potential to poison pets; never leave your beverage unattended. If alcohol is ingested, your pet could become very intoxicated and weak, severely depressed, and could go into a coma or worse.
6.     No picnic table and grill scraps. Always be aware of what friends and family are sneaking to your dog under the table. While tempting on such a festive occasion, human food (bones, onions, avocado, grapes and raisins) should be off limits at all times to your dog. Some human food may be toxic or dangerous if ingested and cause stomach upset.
7.     Never leave animals tethered or chained outside. Pets can injure or hang themselves if they jump around or leap over a fence while trying to run from the noises. Cats should stay indoors.
8.     Never leave pets in unattended parked car. Partially opened windows on hot days do not provide sufficient airflow and also can put your pet in jeopardy of being stolen.
9.     Stay in the shade. Like humans, dogs and other pets can suffer from heatstroke. Keep your pets in shaded areas on very hot and warm days.
10.  Stay hydrated. Dehydration is the #1 concern and danger during those long summer heat waves. Make sure you have a generous amount of fresh water on hand to quench your dog’s thirst.

Article by:

Joshua-Paul Angell

Chicago Animal Welfare Examiner

June 29, 2011 - Like this? Subscribe to get instant updates.

Continue reading on Examiner.com 4th of July ranks highest in lost pets, tips to keep your pets safe - Chicago animal welfare | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/animal-welfare-in-chicago/4th-of-july-ranking-highest-lost-pets-tips-precautions#ixzz1QrWHRHk1

Check out the Cute Faces from the 2011 Super Save!

Thanks to your support, we saved 13 senior pets!!! Thank you for supporting Young at Heart Pet Rescue!!

Will You be a Hero to a Homeless Senior Pet?

Are you ready to be a Super Hero to Homeless Senior Pets? On June 20th, Young at Heart Pet Rescue will be rescuing over a DOZEN seniors from an open-door animal shelter for it's first ever Super Senior Save!  This rescue effort will change the lives of so many senior pets whose only fault is the age on their kennel card! But we know age is just a number, don't we?!  These seniors, both dogs and cats, with no where else to go and no one else to save them, will be rescued by Young at Heart Pet Rescue from the Animal Welfare League in Chicago, fully vetted at Arlington Heights Animal Hospital, and all will receive "make overs" courtesy of Best Friends Pet Care. Our friends at Trio Animal Foundation have offered to help with some of the veterinary costs, and are providing extra hands the day of the rescue.  How can you be a Super Hero to these seniors? New foster homes will allow us to rescue more than a dozen seniors during this one rescue effort. Donations will help us pay for medical costs of vetting so many seniors at once. Spreading the word will help us find new families for these once-forgotten senior pets!   For a fun way to help, our Mystery Sponsorships start TODAY! Pick a number of a mystery dog or cat to sponsor. Donate on behalf of that pet. We'll reveal which life your sponsorship literally helped save on June 21st!   We're so excited about this special rescue effort! As we near 400 senior lives saved, we can only say THANK YOU to all of our supporters who prove to the world and to our rescued pets that age is just a number! To find out more info on fostering a dog or cat for this special rescue effort, please contact foster@yahpetrescue.com. Help us help those who need it the most- homeless senior pets! Sponsor your mystery rescue pet today! At the bottom of the donation form, please put the number of the pet you are sponsoring for this special rescue effort!    Don't want to donate online, but still want to be a Super Hero to a Homeless Senior Pet? Checks can be mailed to: Young At Heart Pet Rescue PO Box 1293 Palatine, Illinois 60078 Thank you for saving the lives of homeless senior pets! www.yahpetrescue.com

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, it's a ... Super Senior Save!

Be a Super Hero to a Homeless Senior Pet!   We're So Excited for This Special Rescue Effort to Save Homeless Senior Pets! 1 Day. 1 Shelter. 12 Senior Pets Saved!

Are you ready to be a Super Hero to Homeless Senior Pets? On June 20th, Young at Heart Pet Rescue will be rescuing over a DOZEN seniors from an open-door animal shelter for it's first ever Super Senior Save!  This rescue effort will change the lives of so many senior pets whose only fault is the age on their kennel card! But we know age is just a number, don't we?!  These seniors, both dogs and cats, with no where else to go and no one else to save them, will be rescued by Young at Heart Pet Rescue from the Animal Welfare League in Chicago, fully vetted at Arlington Heights Animal Hospital, and all will receive "make overs" courtesy of Best Friends Pet Care. Our friends at Trio Animal Foundation have offered to help with some of the veterinary costs, and are providing extra hands the day of the rescue.  How can you be a Super Hero to these seniors? New foster homes will allow us to rescue more than a dozen seniors during this one rescue effort. Donations will help us pay for medical costs of vetting so many seniors at once. Spreading the word will help us find new families for these once-forgotten senior pets!   For a fun way to help, we'll be offering Mystery Sponsorships starting June 1st - pick a number one through twelve and sponsor that number-  we'll reveal which life your sponsorship literally helped save on June 20th! We're so excited about this special rescue effort! As we near 400 senior lives saved, we can only say THANK YOU to all of our supporters who prove to the world and to our rescued pets that age is just a number! To find out more info on fostering a dog or cat for this special rescue effort, please contact foster@yahpetrescue.com. Help us help those who need it the most- homeless senior pets! Mystery Sponsorships start June 1st, but you are welcome to donate to the entire rescue effort today! Click the Super Hero Dog above, and make your donation today! By clicking the dog, we will know on our end that your donation is to be used for this special rescue effort and the pets rescued on June 20th!  Thank you for your support!   Don't want to donate online, but still want to be a Super Hero to a Homeless Senior Pet? Checks can be mailed to: Young At Heart Pet Rescue PO Box 1293 Palatine, Illinois 60078 Thank you for saving the lives of homeless senior pets! www.yahpetrescue.com

Celebrate Earth Day 2011 with Your Pet on April 22

April 18, 2011, 5:25AM MT

By Barbara J. Koll, Best Friends Network volunteer

 

Tips to keep you and your pet “green”

For over 40 years, Earth Day has inspired individuals and organizations across the globe to demonstrate their commitment to the protection and sustainment of our environment. More people than ever are taking notice of the impact they have on the environment and making an effort to live “greener” lives. The pet industry is impacted by this movement with pet parents extending their eco-friendly behavior to food, toys and other products for their furry family members. There are plenty of ways to show Mother Earth how much you care with eco-friendly pet parenting. By lowering your pets’ carbon paw print on the planet you will be saving money also.

More and more pet parents are learning how to reduce their animals’ carbon paw print on the environment. Over 70,000 kittens and puppies are born each day in the United States adding to our pets’ impact on the environment. Our pets produce 10 million tons of waste annually. Ground water contamination resulting from the failure to clean up dog parks, backyards and road ways that dogs visit every day is a real health concern for everybody – not just pet parents.

No holiday or celebration is complete unless you share it with your furry best friends. Just like us, our beloved fur babies love to eat and play – but they haven’t yet gotten the concept of recycling and protecting the environment. Below are some “green tips” for your pets that will help make every day “Earth Day.”

Dogs Going Green

• Attend a dog-friendly Earth Day event. Click here to find an event in your community. 
• Organize a neighborhood or dog park clean up event. Your dog deserves a clean and beautiful place to walk and play. Click here for tips on organizing a neighborhood clean up event. 
• Take a nature hike with your dog on a dog friendly hiking trail. Find a dog friendly trail on HikeWithYourDog.com.
• Use only natural shampoo and grooming products that are biodegradable and do not contain harmful pesticides or chemicals. Instead of using a blow dryer to dry your pet, towel or air dry him/her.

Cats Going Green

• Choose an earth-friendly, bio-degradable cat litter designed to protect the environment. Clay based litter is not bio-degradable and does not break down and thereby creates a huge impact on our environment. It is also full of silica dust and can be harmful to a cat’s lungs. The addition of sodium bentonite, a clumping agent, increases the impact on landfills due to its ability to swell up to 15 times its original volume. Clumping agents can also swell inside the cat’s digestive tract if ingested and cause significant internal damage. 
• Give your cat a kitty bed and scratching post made from sustainable materials such as bamboo plywood, recycled cardboard, hemp and water-based finishes. 
• Protect wildlife and birds by keeping your cat indoors or walking him/her on a leash. And remember, outdoor walks are not just for dogs. Taking your cat for a leisurely walk on a leash is a great opportunity for both of you to enjoy the great outdoors and a great conversation starter with your neighbors. Click here for tips on taking your cat for a walk. Click here for a Network article about cat walks at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.
• Read more about green living ideas for cats and cat lovers at Green Little Cat. 

Additional environmental-friendly tips for pet parents 

• There are now lots of toys, dishes, collars, leashes and other pet items made from recycled or organic material. Some pet stores even have sections that feature recycled products.
• Recycle your newspapers and help out homeless pets. Animal shelters and rescue organizations use the old newspapers to line the cages for sanitary reasons. You can also donate towels, bedding, leashes, litter boxes, pet toys and other gently used items that you plan to throw away. Some rescue organizations may also be interested in your old printers, computers, fax machines and other office equipment and furniture. Many organizations have a “wish list” of needed supplies on their websites.
• Go paperless with your support of animal rescue organizations. Make your donations on line and sign up for email newsletters and updates and reduce the amount of mail you send and receive.
• Keep household products away from curious pets. Pesticides, salts, de-icers, and automotive products are all dangerous and potentially lethal to your pets. According to the ASPCA, most pet poisonings come from household products or plants. 
• Don’t use bleach for cleaning up your pet’s messes. Use a mixture of vinegar and water instead – it’s a green alternative that removes odors and kills mold and bacteria. 
• Cut down on the use of paper products to clean up after your pet. Clean up with old rags or towels or recycled paper towels. 
• If you are a gardener, check your mulch. The cocoa hulls that are used in many mulch compounds can be toxic to pets if ingested. Lawn chemicals can also be toxic to both animals and people. Research gardening practices to find out how to reduce the amount of insecticides and herbicides you might need. 
• Choose natural and organic pets foods without low-grade animal by-products and preservatives. Natural and organic pet foods use meat products from animals raised in sustainable, humane ways without any added drugs or hormones and are minimally processed and preserved with natural substances. 
• Use only natural flea and tick control products on your pets. Talk to your vet about the safest flea and tick control choices. 
• Properly dispose of your pets’ unused medication to ensure that they don’t end up in the local water supply. Click here for disposal tips from 1-800-PETMEDS.
• Make your own dog treats and cat treats. Make sure you don’t use garlic, raisings or other obviously potentially toxic ingredients. Recipes can be found on SimplyPets.com and ThePoop.com.
• Buy your pet supplies in bulk or in the largest size available. You will make fewer trips to the store and cut down on the amount of packaging. 
• Give your pet filtered tap water instead of bottled water. If you must use bottled water, make sure to recycle the containers. 
• Repurpose common household items for cat and dog toys or make your own toys. Pine cones and old socks filled with cotton balls and catnip make great cat toys. Click here for tips on making your own toys. If you must buy toys for your pets, buy toys made with recycled materials or sustainable fibers such as hemp. 
• Grow your own organic catnip or cat grass. Leftover yarn or fabric you might otherwise throw away can be easily transformed into unique, one-of-a-kind cat toys. 
• Use safe methods for disposing of pet waste. Don’t use plastic shopping bags because plastic lasts forever and does not break down. Pick up after your pet using a biodegradable or flushable bag. 
• Spay or neuter your pet. Your pet will live a longer and healthier life and you will not be contributing to an increased number of unwanted animals. That will leave even a larger carbon paw print on our planet.  

More ways to celebrate Earth Day

• Take the Best Friends “pledge to adopt” your next pet from a shelter or rescue group and commit to participating in one of the ultimate forms of “recycling” – giving a new home to an abandoned, abused or stray animal. Over 70,000 puppies and kittens are born each day in the United States who need a loving forever home. Shelters are always overcrowded and these pets are a great bargain. They have already had their shots and been spayed or neutered. Sometimes they have even been microchipped. Check Petfinder.com to see the pets available at a shelter or rescue group in your area. 
• Another way to celebrate the earth as a home for animals is to volunteer for a special Earth Day project or learn more about local conservation. Your local zoo, aquarium or wildlife refuge is a great place to learn about conservation in your community. Click here to find out about Best Friends’ participation in Earth Day events in Southern Utah.
• There are organizations that recycle products and donate the proceeds to animal rescue organizations. Discs for Dogs offers a free and convenient way to turn old CDs and DVDs into a second chance for a homeless dog or cat and decrease landfill waste at the same time. The website gives simple instructions to ship the items which are resold with all proceeds donated to the Erie County, New York SPCA. The organization will even reimburse you for your shipping costs. Recycle 4 Pets collects use cell phones, iPods, laptops, digital cameras and other items and donates the proceeds to various animal-related organizations such as the ASPCA, the National Wildlife Federation and the Canine Health Foundation.
• Many animal rescue organizations have “thrift stores” and flea markets with all proceeds going back to the organization. Keep this in mind when you do your spring cleaning and are ready to donate items that you no longer need. Second Life is an independent thrift shop in Metro Atlanta that donates all of its proceeds to four local animal organizations. Click here to read a Network article about Second Life.

Lead photo of earth and photos of dogs courtesy of MorgueFile.com
Photo of cat on leash (Lucky from Benton’s House at the Sanctuary) by Barbara Koll

Guilty Dog

Do you enjoy mysteries and cute dogs? If your answer is yes, then this video is for you.

A man returns home to find a torn and empty bag of cat treats and decides to search his house for the culprit. He approaches the two dogs closest to the scene of the crime and the first dog seems indifferent to the empty bag. Then he turns his attention to the other dog, named Denver. The lab looks incredibly guilty and adorably refuses to make eye contact. In an act that is both sad and cute, Denver solemnly trots away after being told to go to the kennel.

While the case is solved, we would like to know what the cats are up to because it's awfully suspicious that they're nowhere to be found.



Source: Huffingtonpost.com

Senior Top Ten

Top 10 Reasons to Adopt an Older Dog
ASPCA

1. What You See Is What You Get
Older dogs are open books—from the start, you’ll know important things like their full-grown size, personality and grooming requirements. All this information makes it easier to pick the right dog and forge that instant love connection that will last a lifetime. If you’re not so into surprises, an older dog is for you!

2. Easy to Train
Think you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Hogwash! Older dogs are great at focusing on you—and on the task at hand—because they’re calmer than youngsters. Plus, all those years of experience reading humans can help them quickly figure out how to do what you’re asking.

3. Seniors are Super-Loving
One of the cool parts of our job is reading stories from people just like you who have opted to adopt. The emails we get from pet parents with senior dogs seem to all contain beautiful, heartfelt descriptions of the love these dogs give you—and those of you who adopted dogs already in their golden years told us how devoted and grateful they are. It's an instant bond that cannot be topped!

4. They’re Not a 24-7 Job
Grownup dogs don’t require the constant monitoring puppies do, leaving you with more freedom to do your own thing. If you have young children, or just value your “me time,” this is definitely a bonus.

5. They Settle in Quickly
Older dogs have been around the block and already learned what it takes to get along with others and become part of a pack. They’ll be part of the family in no time!

6. Fewer Messes
Your floors, shoes and furniture will thank you for adopting a senior pooch! Older dogs are likely to already be housetrained—and even if they’re not, they have the physical and mental abilities to pick it up really fast (unlike puppies). With their teething years far behind them, seniors also are much less likely to be destructive chewers.

7. You Won’t Bite Off More Than You Can Chew
There are those who yearn for a doggie friend of their own, but hold back because they worry what might happen in their lives in the years to come. And they are wise to do so—a puppy or young dog can be anywhere from an 8- to 20-year responsibility, which is not appropriate for the very elderly or those with certain long-term future plans. Providing a loving home for a dog in her golden years is not a less serious commitment, but it can be a shorter one.

8. They Enjoy Easy Livin’
Couch potato, know thyself! Please consider a canine retiree rather than a high-energy young dog who will run you ragged. Not that older dogs don’t require any exercise—they do—but they’re not going to need, or want, to run a marathon every day.

9. Save a Life, Be a Hero
At shelters, older dogs are often the last to be adopted and the first to be euthanized. Saving an animal’s life offers an unparalleled emotional return on your investment, and you’ll feel the rewards every day you spend together.

10. They’re CUTE!
Need we say more?

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