Author: Abbie

This past weekend, at a brand-new event called the Purina Pet Project, the folks at Purina once again showed their enormous commitment to supporting not only homeless animals, but the shelters and rescue organizations that care for them.  I had the pleasure (and it was!) of attending this event, along with Adopt-a-Pet.com’s director of animal shelter outreach, Jennifer Jacobsen.  We were both so impressed with what we saw, and absolutely inspired.

Here’s a little background: every year, Purina employees participate in a day of volunteerism to help St. Louis-area animal shelters, taking part in a variety of projects like assembling dog and cat beds, doing shelter makeovers, and making blankets to keep shelter pets warm .  These projects really make an impact on the animal welfare community in St. Louis.  This year, our friend Caroline Holke at Purina had an amazing, big idea, which began with a simple question: If the employees of Purina could make such a big difference in a single day, how much more could be done if the general public were given the opportunity to volunteer as well?  Caroline’s idea was embraced by her colleagues, and presto! The Purina Pet Project was born.

The event was held on Saturday, October 1st at Purina Farms.  Before the doors opened to the public, we took a look around. More than 30 different projects were waiting to be completed. More than 30 rescue groups and shelters were there with adoptable pets on display.  There were empty troughs waiting to be filled with donated items from a wish list Purina had provided to the public, things that shelters really needs like toys, bleach, and other supplies.  An empty volunteer sign-up sheet sat at a booth dedicated to the biggest project of the year: a complete makeover of the Five Acres Animal Shelter, which was to be completed the following weekend, if enough volunteers could be recruited.  So many opportunities to help…but would anybody show up?

The doors opened, and we got our answer: a resounding YES!  The folks at Purina were really hoping they’d get 1,000 people to come out and help.  Instead, they got about 2,800!  People poured in the door, many carrying items to donate, and all ready and willing to lend a hand.  It was a beautiful thing to behold.  It was especially wonderful to see so many parents and children working together.  Kudos to those parents for teaching their children the spirit of volunteerism (and kudos to the children who taught their parents, of course)!

The results?

15 dog houses were beautifully decorated

200 Kuranda dog beds were assembled

40 Kuranda cat towers were assembled

220 pet blankets were made

600 pet bowls and 550 bandanas were decorated

$2,000 raised from games and raffle tickets –the winner of the 50/50 raffle donated the cash back to the animal shelters

Approximately 20 pets were adopted and MANY other leads were made (most organizations reported receiving at least 4 applications)

12 troughs were heaping with donated items

27 volunteers signed up at the to help with the Five Acres Animal Shelter makeover

Fabulous, in other words.  Thank you, Purina, for caring so much about homeless animals (and the people who take care of them)!

And here are some photos of the event:

Imagine taking off, just you and your canine best friend, on a great adventure across the country.  That’s exactly what a blogger named Will and his dog Mr. Eko are doing. With the support of petcentric.com, they’ve set out on the road looking for adventure and trying to find the best pet-friendly destinations the country has to offer. Thanks to their blog, you can be right there with them…virtually, at least. You can suggest destinations for Will and Mr. Eko, and you might even get ideas for trips you and YOUR dog can take together! What a fun project!  Check it out at www.markingourterritory.com.

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By Nancy Kay, DVM

Melissa Ross / Stocksy
Halloween can be incredibly enjoyable — for us humans, that is. Think about it from the perspective of your pets: The ridiculous costumes they are forced to wear and scary sights and sounds, such as the horror show of constant doorbell rings over and over again. For our dogs and cats, Halloween can be downright ghoulish and, in some cases, even pose a threat to their safety.

But, if you absolutely must indulge in this spooky celebration, here are six safety tips to ensure your pets don’t become unwilling participants in a haunted house of horrors. Because let’s face it, the only thing our pets want this Halloween is a quiet night and a comfy spot on the couch — and maybe a few treats. (If you’re considering adopting a pet, October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, the perfect time to adopt one of the many pets who are still searching for their forever homes. See all the available adoptable pets in your area.)

Halloween safety for your pet

1. Guard the candy bowl

Given the opportunity, most dogs will gladly gorge on chocolate, wrappers and all. Chocolate contains theobromine, a substance chemically related to caffeine and toxic to dogs. The richer (darker) the chocolate, the more toxic it will be for your pup. And while cats are less likely to eat chocolate, it’s still toxic for them.

Symptoms of chocolate toxicity include restlessness, irritability, increased urination, muscle tremors, and sometimes even seizures. Vomiting and diarrhea are also commonplace following chocolate ingestion. 

If you suspect your dog(s) has raided the candy bowl, call your family veterinarian or local emergency clinic immediately. The sooner treatment is initiated, the better the chance for a good outcome. Based on the approximate weight of your candy thief and the type and amount of chocolate ingested, you will be advised whether or not your dog needs medical attention. Downing a couple of milk chocolate kisses is likely no big deal for a Great Dane, but for a four-pound Chihuahua, however, a few ounces of bittersweet chocolate could be a lethal dose.

2. Don’t forget the wrappers

Although a discarded candy bar wrapper may not contain enough chocolate to be dangerous, it may have enough to be tasty. If ingested, candy wrappers can create a blockage in the esophagus or digestive system, so throw all candy wrappers away in a secure trash can with a lid.

3. Watch the front door

If you welcome trick-or-treaters to your home, your front door will open and close repeatedly, providing many opportunities for your dog or cat to escape into the dark of night when their familiar territory has become particularly spooky. Getting lost or running out in front of a moving vehicle are potentially disastrous holiday outcomes, so don’t include your pets as part of your Halloween welcoming committee. It’s far safer to confine them behind closed doors.

Keep pets indoors on the days leading up to Halloween. Animal abduction and torture might sound like a cheesy horror movie, but it does happen, so better safe than sorry.

4. Switch up your nightly routine

Also, while there is likely nothing your dog enjoys more than accompanying you for a walk around your neighborhood, doing so on Halloween night may be a downright spooky experience for your best buddy. It’s better to give them some long walks earlier in the day and keep them inside at night.

5. Give them a calming space

Does your cat hide under your bed every time someone new comes to your home? Does your dog’s job description include barking and protecting whenever a stranger (trick-or-treaters included) arrives at your front door? Think about how these poor animals must feel on Halloween night when that doorbell rings dozens of times within just a few hours. Talk about emotional exhaustion. Confine your pets behind closed doors, ideally in a sound-proof part of your home, and consider the following options to preserve their sanity:

• Provide trick-or-treaters with a “help yourself” candy bowl on your front walkway, or sit outside with the bowl to avoid the doorbell ringing.
• Board your pets elsewhere on Halloween night.
• Turn off your house lights and skip the holiday altogether (although, there are no guarantees your house won’t be egged the following day).

6. Limit Halloween costumes for pets

Halloween costumes for pets certainly make for some giggles and terrific photo opportunities. But how do our pets really feel about wearing those silly outfits? They aren’t huge fans. If you do decide to dress your pet up, make sure there are no small parts your pet can choke on, and never put anything around your pet’s neck other than their collar.

The bottom line? Halloween is a holiday for humans. Let’s leave our pets out of it.

Nancy Kay, DVM, Dipl., American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, is a 2009 recipient of AAHA’s Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award and author of Speaking for Spot.

If you know me, you know I like to talk about pet adoption. A lot. Ad nauseum. Like, always. And it’s a bit much, I realize. Even my closest friends tend to go glassy-eyed these days as soon as I start shifting the conversation petward. I’m sure my statuses have been hidden more than a few times by my Facebook friends. (If you’re one of them, please unhide me. I miss being seen by you. Plus, I have this great post today about a pit bull who bonded with a Chihuahua in the shelter. I think those guys would look great in your living room.) Today, I’m turning the topic on its ear. Yes, adopted pets are wonderful. Yes, acquiring a pet from a shelter is the right thing to do. However, I’m here today to admit that there’s a dark side to adopting a pet. Here, my friends, are the downsides of pet adoption: 

1. That doctor you’re secretly crushing on? You’ll probably see him or her a lot less often. And think of all those wasted insurance premiums!
Here’s the problem: pets improve your health in so many ways that your trips to see Dr. Eyes-That-See-Into-Your-Soul may be limited to yearly checkups. Recent studies show that pet owners have lower blood pressure, lower resting heart rates, and lower levels of cholesterol than non-pet-owners. Just a few weeks ago, in fact, the American Heart Association released a study that found that pet ownership can vastly decrease a person’s risk of heart disease. Back in 2008, the American Stroke Association found that cat owners have fewer strokes than non-cat-owners. In fact, people who have never “owned” a cat have a 30% higher risk of dying from a stroke, and a 40% higher risk of dying from a heart attack, than those who have “owned” a cat (You cat managers out there will understand the quotation marks).

And if you’re just going to be healthy as a result of sharing your life with a companion animal, you’re throwing that health insurance money down the toilet. Might as well burn it, as my mom would say. She’d also say she never said that. Mom, you totally did. But I digress…

2. You’ll need more retirement savings.
Yes, you’d better contribute the max toward your 401k. With all those health benefits, you’re probably going to live longer than your sad, pet-less friends.

3. Au revoir, la mélancolie. And Prozac.
Victor Hugo wrote, “”La mélancolie, c’est le bonheur d’être triste.” Translation? Melancholy is the happiness at being sad. Yeah, you know what I’m talking about: sometimes you just want to stare out over the ocean, conspicuously alone, your green eyes showing deep sadness and, at the same time, a steely resolve to rise above. You sigh, lost in the romance of it all. The pink light of an early sunset highlights your cheekbones, while the soft breeze lifts your bouncy red curls. Oh, wait. That’s my fantasy. Anyway, I know you have your own version. Yeah…good luck with that if you adopt a pet. Kiss that depression, romantic or otherwise, goodbye.

Numerous studies have shown that both dogs and cats significantly lower the severity of depression in even the most clinically depressed people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledges that the companionship of animals can help manage anxiety and depression. There are numerous charities that pair depressed persons with companion animals. Organizations like Pet Partners train people and their pets to become therapy teams, visiting hospitals and nursing homes. Being in the presence of an animal lifts the spirits. Taking responsibility for a pet’s welfare forces you to get out of bed in the morning, even if all you feel like doing is moaning in between bites of the leftover pizza from the box you accidentally used as a pillow last night. Touching an animal, whether it’s a dog, cat, rabbit, horse, bird, ferret or otherwise, soothes the soul in a way that’s nearly indescribable. When you come home to a pet, you never feel alone. And who wants that?

4. You might not get to try all those nifty fad diets all your friends are always going on about.
Your dog isn’t going to walk himself, you know? So you’re going to end up going on two or three good walks a day. Plus, who can resist taking a long weekend hike or a trail run with their dog as a workout partner? Studies show pet owners are more active than those couch potatoes without pets. In fact, one study from Michigan State University found that people who regularly walk their dogs were 34% more likely to be getting federally-recommended amounts of exercise each week.

On top of that, if you consider all the stress-lowering benefits of pet ownership, you can kiss those late-night emotional-eating binges goodbye.

More exercise + less stress = skinny jeans without the juice fasting. You’ll have to sit out those conversations about stomach stapling vs. the Morning Banana Diet.

5. Your social calendar is always full.
So, you’ll be healthy, and you’ll be happy, and you’ll be active. What does that lead to? Friends, of course. You’ll be out and about, walking your dog in the neighborhood, meeting your neighbors who are out walking their dogs. You’ll instantly connect to strangers at the dog park; after all, you have something in common: you LOVE your dogs. Soon, you’ll have friends all over the place. No more anonymity: guess you’ll have to put a little makeup on before you leave for your morning jog with your best friend.

Okay, you’ve been warned. Adopt a pet, and you’ll be healthier, happier, more active, and more social than you would be otherwise. If you can handle those consequences, go for it!

UPDATED: 11:16 am PDT, Wednesday November 7th   Many people have contacted Adopt-a-Pet.com looking for opportunities to help pets and their humans affected by Hurricane Sandy.  We can’t thank you enough for wanting to help. We’ve compiled a list of resources to help you find the right volunteer or donation opportunity for you.

Make sure to use and follow hashtag #SandyPets on Twitter for a wealth of information.

First, if you’re in a hurricane-affected area and have lost your pet as a result of the storm, we have some suggestions:

1. Visit all of your local shelters.  We highly recommend a visit instead of just a phone call, because shelters may be inundated with lost pets, and the person you speak with may not have time to check all recently impounded pets to see if one matches your pet’s description.  Please go to the shelter and walk up and down the kennel aisles, talk to volunteers, and post lost pet flyers. Also, keep in mind that your pet may not be in the shelter closest to you, so visit as many shelters as you can. You can find a list here: http://www.adoptapet.com/animal-shelters.
2. Call and visit all veterinary offices in your area.  A well-meaning citizen may have brought your injured pet for treatment, or brought your pet to be scanned for a microchip.
3. Visit the Facebook page established for Hurricane Sandy Lost & Found Pets. Upload information for your lost pet, and include as much detail as possible.
4. Post a lost pet notice on Craiglist.
5. Create and hang lost-pet flyers all over your neighborhood and surrounding areas.  Post notices in veterinary offices, outside schools and grocery stores, and any other high-traffic areas.
6. If finances allow, use a service like http://findtoto.com, which will blast out phone calls to every home phone in your area.  This is obviously only useful if phone service has been restored in your area, and homes are still standing and not empty.

Volunteer:
Volunteers and foster homes are always needed, never more so than during and after a natural disaster.  Even if you live outside the disaster zone, your local shelter or rescue group may have taken in pets from shelters inside the disaster zone.  Please visit http://www.adoptapet.com/animal-shelters to find your local shelters and rescue groups, and contact them to offer your help.

State Specific Resources: (Help us add to the list.  If you know of a shelter needing help, please email us at info@cms.adoptapet.com.)

Connecticut:
–  The Little Guild of Cornwall came to the rescue of the heavily-damaged Animal Friends of Barbour County shelter in West Virginia.  The Little Guild is bringing back 80 animals (see the article in the Litchfield County Times here) to Cornwall.  They need foster homes and donations. Please support their efforts here or call (860)868-6868.

New Jersey:
–  Kinship Circle is a remarkable non-profit group. Kinship Circle volunteers have been on the ground working directly with FEMA, in areas that have been hit. They are working around the clock to save stranded animals. Adopt-a-Pet.com worked together with Kinship Circle during Hurricane Katrina, and we can say without reservation that she is completely dedicated to the animals and those concerned about them.  Information about donating and volunteering here.
–   Alley Cat Allies is working to help the famed feral cats of the Boardwalk.  They say they’ve been overwhelmed with offers to volunteer and now have more people than they need.  You can donate to help the relief effort here.
–  The New Jersey SPCA (http://www.njspca.org/) is available to help anyone with pets needing assistance.  (Call 855)-407-4787.
–  Liberty Humane Society (http://libertyhumane.org/) was hit hard by the storm.  They need volunteers and donations of food and cat litter (and, of course, cash donations are most appreciated). Visit their Facebook page for up-to-the-minute information.
–   Morris County pet friendly hotels and shelter info – http://www.nj.com/morris/index.ssf/2012/10/morris_county_parsippany_can_t.html
– Cape-Atlantic Citizens Altering The Strays (C.A.T.S.)  @ Mew To You, 959 Asbury AVenue, Ocean City NJ 08226. Phone: 609-399-4228.  “Downtown Ocean City was flooded during the hurricane and 2 feet of water came into our thrift shop which supports our cat rescue operation and our two adoption rooms.  The cats and kittens were evacuated on Monday and all are safe. We are cleaning up and have restoration people working so we can get back in operation as quickly as possible. The cats lost all their cat trees, scratchers, toys.  We need funds to help replace washer, dryer, hot water heater which were destroyed.  People can donate by going to Capeatlanticcats.com where there is a paypal link or send a check. Anyone local who can come help with the cleanup is welcome, we’re here every day from 9-5.”
– Humane Society of Atlantic County contacted us on November 8th: “We had flooding throughout our entire facility and have been making repairs and replacing ruined supplies/medications since the storm, but there is a long way to go. Right now, our needs are Lowe’s/Home Depot gift cards, laundry detergent/fabric softener, paper towels, bleach, heavy-duty trash bags, hand soap/hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies, canned cat food, and monetary donations.  PayPal donations can be made at http://tinyurl.com/hsacsandyfund and checks/supplies can be mailed to 1401 Absecon Blvd. Atlantic City, NJ 08401.  Thank you for your help!”
– Seer Farms. Located in Jackson, NJ, Seer Farms is working with NJ’s statewide emergency animal response team to rescue animals from the devastation and keep them safe until they are able to be reunited with their families. People who have been temporarily displaced from their homes and have a pet should contact Seer Farms at email info@seerfarms.org or call 732-928-1804 if they need their animals temporarily placed. For more information or to make a donation go www.facebook.com/SeerFarms – look for the link there to their Amazon wish list for items they currently need to care and house for Sandy pets.

New York:
–   If you live in New York and left your pets behind due to the storm, call the New York City Animal Planning Task Force’s 24-hour hotline for help: 347-573-1561
–  North Shore Animal League America is providing medical care and attention to evacuated animals.  They’re also taking in animals from other shelters that have been damaged or evacuated.  Learn more here.
– Purina donated $20,000 donation to North Shore Animal League for their Mobile Rescue Units and Emergency Pet Shelter which is housing evacuated animals; and Purina donated $15,000 to “PetSmart Charities, which has set up a temporary distribution center to hand out food, litter and supplies to animal welfare organizations across the entire northeastern United States.” Read more here. http://www.petsmartcharities.org/events-news/press-releases/pci-provides-emergency-relief-to-pets-affected-by-hurricane-sandy.html
–  Another organization doing great work at the center of this disaster is The Humane Society of New York.  Donate here.
– Anarchy Animal Rescue in Staten Island, NY say: “We lost our food and pet supplies in the area they were stored due to hurricane Sandy. We have over 50 animals that need help! We are asking people to donate: Food, Wee wee pads, Blankets, Beds, Leashes, collars and harnesses. Thank you!” You can contact them via Facebook at www.Facebook.com/anarchyanimalrescue to make a physical donation, offer to foster a Sandy pet, or donate funds via PayPal at www.anarchyanimalrescue.org
– Byram Animal Rescue Kindness Squad, Inc  (BARKS) in Sussex County NJ.  “We are currently looking to buy a gasoline powered generator to run a facility.  Sandy has been a devastating storm that has affected hundreds of shelters and rescues in our area.  Our main shelter is still without line power 11 days into this.  Many of our foster homes are still without, while others have been restored.  This generator would be a huge deal for us, and some donations for Sandy have already come in over the internet, so we have established a fund for this project.” Donate at http://www.barksinc.com

– Westchester County residents seeking additional information can visit http://emergencyservices.westchestergov.com/animal-response-team

– Emergency veterinary services are available:
Yonkers at Animal Medical Center, 914-457-4000
Veterinary Specialty center and ER in Hudson Valley, 845.632.3200 www.vschv.com
Katonah-Bedford Veterinary Center, 914-241-7700 www.vcahospitals.com/katonah-bedford

Maryland:
–  Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Center is in need of foster homes to help with the vast amount of homeless pets they’ve taken in after Sandy.  See the news report here, and find information here.

Pennsylvania:
–  The Red Paw Relief Team is in need of donations to continue their relief work.  They’re also posting volunteer opportunities on their Facebook page.
–  Pennsylvania’s County Animal Response Teams are hard at work.  To find out more, to volunteer, donate, and to learn about specific shelters in need of help, visit their web site.

West Virginia:
–  The Animal Friends of Barbour County sustained major damage due to the hurricane.  They are badly in need of volunteers and donations.  Visit their Facebook page for updates.

Yes, I want to hear about Mitt Romney’s tax plan.  And, yes, I’m very interested in Obamacare.  And foreign policy.  And the deficit.  And the mortgage crisis.  But there’s another topic I’m just as interested in, one I’d like both presidential candidates to be asked about at the next debate: how to solve our national companion animal crisis.  Namely, how to remake a system that wastes hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on housing, and ultimately killing, millions of healthy dogs, cats and other companion animals.

Perhaps some of you just rolled your eyes, but I’m guessing not many.  After all, according to theAmerican Pet Products Association’s National Pet Owner’s Survey in 2011, 62% of all American households include at least one pet. There are over 78 million owned dogs and 86 million owned cats (“owned”, meaning not a stray, currently for sale, or awaiting adoption in an animal shelter or rescue organization).  In 2011, Americans spent $51 BILLION on our companion animals, the highest expenditure ever, even in the face of global recession.  In short, we Americans love our pets.  And many of us spoil them rotten.

But just like with the ubiquitous “99%”, inside the pet population, there are clearly the “haves” and “have-nots.” The ASPCA estimates that 5 to 7 million companion animals enter animal shelters each year. 3 to 4 million of those, the majority of whom are healthy and adoptable, are killed for lack of space, or because they slowly became unadoptable after living in the high-stress environment of a shelter for a period of time.  This is unacceptable to anyone who cares, who acknowledges the positive effects of sharing our homes and our hearts with those who have paws (or wings).  If you’ve ever cried into the fur of your beloved dog or cat, you know that this method of dealing with homeless animals must stop.  As Mahatma Gandhi famously said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated.”  What does it say about our national morality that we find it acceptable, if sad, to take the lives of innocent creatures, creatures full of potential to love and be loved, to be a best friend and family member, but who instead leave the shelter in a trash can?

And then there are the tangible fiscal issues.  The candidates are debating cutting miniscule funding for Big Bird while governments in every city and county in the nation pour taxpayer dollars into the rounding up, housing, and killing of innocent animals.  That money could be used to help underserved kids, Mr. Obama, or refunded to taxpayers, Mr. Romney.  Furthermore, when nearly every state in the union is operating at a deficit, it creates a drain on the federal government. It’s in our national interest to stop this wasteful, irresponsible spending at the state level.

Before I cast my vote next month, I’d like to know where the candidates stand on this issue.  Currently, of course, all companion-animal laws are enacted at the state or local level.  There is nothing, however, that precludes our national politicians from having an opinion on states issues, and from putting forth ideas on how to solve them (and, if you need examples of that, see same-sex marriage, Roe v Wade, and other issues that are active at both a national and state level).  Both candidates own, or have owned, companion animals (I can hear all those Seamus-on-the-roof or Obama dog-eating comments now), and I assume they both love their dogs.  Disclosing their stances on the companion animal crisis will tell us a lot about these two men: their capacity for compassion, their problem-solving abilities, their willingness to acknowledge a problem that affects millions who don’t have a voice of their own, but are every bit as much a part of the American fabric as you or I.

On behalf of the millions of Americans who care about this issue, and on behalf of the millions of companion animals who will not survive their time in a shelter this year, I ask that this subject be broached at the next Presidential debate on Tuesday, October 16th.

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We’re excited to show you a sneak preview of our new public service announcement, which will soon be seen on television all over the United States.  We call this ad “Potential”, and for good reason: it compares the story of Miami Marlins pitcher Mark Buehrle with the story of Bear, a dog who, at first glance, appeared just like any other in a Texas animal shelter.  Both stories have one important thing in common: if nobody had seen the potential in either Buehrle (who was cut from his high school team twice) or Bear, neither of them would have gone on to do astounding things. Please feel free to share this PSA.  It’s only 30 seconds long, but it just might change the way people think about pets in shelters. Without further ado, we present “Potential”: click here to watch the Potential PSA on YouTube.

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“Dear Adopt-a-Pet.com, Over a year ago with the help of Adopt-a-Pet.com we were able to find a 9-month-old lab mix to come and stay with us. We run a spiritual center and on weekends there are people of all ages showing up. He has become the official greeter and people look forward to seeing him. There are several people who had a fear of dogs but he has taught them to love dogs. 
We have a large family of critters: a horse, a goat, chickens, ducks, turkeys, cats, parrots etc. Most of them are rescues or raised here and our buddy think they are his to take care of. He can walk right up to any of the birds or cats and go nose to nose to them without scaring them.
 I cannot thank of a thing we would change in him. We know he was supposed to be here and that happened through Adopt-a-Pet.com and Bardstown rescue. Thank you! Here are some pictures of Firedog doing what he is good at. This photo is him with a baby turkey sitting on his foot. I have pictures of them playing all over him and he just laid there. [Read on for more photos of Firedog!]

This is Firedog:

This is him with Baby Ducks.  When they first got here he only left them to eat, drink or go outside for about 4 days.  He slept by them and did not want people touching them.

This is with one of his buddies watering the rabbits

Everyone loves a friendly game of tug of war

Catching a nap with his best friend George.  You will notice George is laying on his back feet.

Here he is with his adopted Brother Sky who comes to visit often as possible.

So there are a few pictures of Firedog and his normal days.

Thanks,
Bo and Cheryl