Author: Katya

This post is brought to Adopt-a-Pet.com by Rolan Tripp. Dr. Tripp received his doctorate from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and also holds a bachelor’s degree in music and a minor in philosophy. A regular guest on the Animal Planet Network, Dr. Tripp appears on both “Petsburgh, USA” and “Good Dog U.” “Shame on me!” That’s what I thought as I stood in the lobby of my own veterinary hospital 15 years ago. I was watching one of my valued clients dragging her dog into the hospital. The dog was a delightful Border Collie who obviously did not want to be there. There were two questions that came to mind: 1) Does this animal act like this at other locations? Answer, no. 2) Has she been to another veterinary hospital that I can blame for her fear? Again, no. Dogs simply don’t lie or make up stories. This dog had been treated in such a way that she didn’t want to ever come into my hospital again. Not only was I embarrassed, but I wondered if veterinary phobia might also influence loving owners who would not want to come to a place that frightens their pets.

Being a veterinarian, and owning my own practice had long been a dream for me. Now I felt terrible that either I or someone I was responsible for had treated this otherwise wonderful animal (and others) in a way that made my supposed haven for animals seem like the dungeon of terror. That moment was a turning point in my life. Since then I have been looking for ways to make the veterinary visit more fun and less scary for the pets under my care and have been attempting to influence other veterinarians to do the same.

Can you imagine a veterinary practice where virtually all pets LIKE to come in the door? I can now. After years of staff training, and implementing numerous protocols, my wife Susan and I gradually transformed our practice into something I was really proud of. Our basic strategy was to imagine what it was like to visit the hospital from the pet’s point of view. We had one Husky mix who repeatedly ran away from home to come to the hospital. I later attributed our high practice growth rate largely to managing the pet’s perception of the visit. If I were to own another practice, I would review every staff veterinarian’s performance partially on how much pets liked them.

We stocked tasty pet treats, and I became our very own practice, “Cookie Police.” I would come to any staff member and in a light-hearted way say, “Got cookies?” If not, we would share a little laugh and go stock up his or her smock pocket. Soon staff members proudly showed me their Ziploc baggies with tasty treats. Staff was trained to give a small piece to every healthy pet who would accept one. I have come to believe that one “stress test” of the pet’s mental state, is simply “acceptance of a treat.” Refusing a treat is a flag to inquire if the pet would have accepted the same treat at home. If the response at home is different, this treat refusal may be the first sign of a pet developing veterinary phobia.

Through my study of animal behavior, I learned that the canine brain goes through distinct developmental periods. I learned that the canine critical socialization period was from 4-12 weeks of age, with some tapering effect up to about 16 weeks. We were already offering puppy classes, but many puppies weren’t enrolled, so we initiated steps to increase enrollment. I finally understood that those pets deprived of early positive social experience could never be as great a companion animal as their genetic potential. It bothered me that we veterinarians were actually part of “the problem” when giving the outdated advice many of us learned in veterinary school i.e. telling people to isolate their puppy. Instead I now encourage the owner to take the 8 wk+ old puppy with them everywhere they legally can, but avoid contact with “sick or mean” dogs or people!

To supplement our puppy classes, we started offering “Puppy Day Care.” When the puppies developed adult teeth, we occasionally had to inform the client that the dog was now an adult and not eligible for puppy day care any longer. Some clients begged to allow their dog to continue to come to his favorite place, so we developed protocols and a separate area for adult dog day care. I now believe those dogs that periodically go to day care get tremendous mental and social stimulation, and I feel sorry for those poor dogs isolated at home who stare at a wall or fence every day. Most day care dogs learned the “social skills” necessary to get along with new dogs and people, and got to experience what I imagine is the deep canine psychological satisfaction of “hanging with their pack.” There were also some dogs that even with the best of socialization just could not get along with other dogs and were expelled from day care. When this happens I think it probably reflects some mix of genetic predisposition, negative experience, or lack of early socialization. I taught the staff how to do “Gentling” exercises with every puppy and kitten to desensitize them to human handling, always linking body handling to a little treat. We made it hospital policy to use very small needles, and learned techniques to distract the pet during any injection. We began enrolling every puppy owner in an online education course, and implemented a “fear prevention protocol” offering sedation before any procedure that might be painful. Our goal was for pets to remember lots of positive experiences, but not remember any negative ones. A “Pet Centered Practice” is what I now call a veterinary hospital where every staff member looks at the visit from the pet’s point of view. It is important to note that we were not able to successfully allay every pet’s fears, and those pets still required special handling, but our goal was to prevent new cases and reduce the severity of the existing ones.

I encourage every small animal veterinary hospital to host puppy parties in the lobby one hour a week after the hospital closes, and allocate a small area for puppy day care. These positive visits help overcome unavoidable unpleasant memories. Positive socialization along with owner education, treats, injection distraction, and preemptive pain sedation result in pets that are friendly instead of fear aggressive. When these dogs come in the front door they are wagging their tail looking for the next cookie or the next party with their dog friends.

About the Author…

Dr. Tripp received his doctorate from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and also holds a bachelor’s degree in music and a minor in philosophy. A regular guest on the Animal Planet Network, Dr. Tripp appears on both “Petsburgh, USA” and “Good Dog U.” He is a Veterinary Behavior Consultant for Antech Laboratory’s “Dr. Consult Line” and an Affiliate Professor of Applied Animal Behavior at both Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Tripp is the founder of the national behavior consulting practice, www.AnimalBehavior.Net. He is now the Chief Veterinary Pet Behaviorist of The Hannah Society (www.hannahsociety.com) which helps match people and pets, then keeps them together. Contact info: Rolan.Tripp@HannahSociety.com.

This post is brought to us by Dr. Rolan Tripp. Dr. Tripp received his doctorate from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and also holds a bachelor’s degree in music and a minor in philosophy. A regular guest on the Animal Planet Network, Dr. Tripp appears on both “Petsburgh, USA” and “Good Dog U.” Most dogs do not like their feet handled. This is a natural response because one defense is to run away, and holding a paw removes this option. If the dog is ever “quicked” (cutting the vessel and tissue inside the nail known as the quick) the pet may develop a nail trim aversion, which is an understandable response. Webster defines phobia as “an irrational, excessive, and persistent fear of some thing or situation.” An aversion may become a phobia because of genetic predisposition, pain threshold, severity of tissue damage, repeated bad experiences, and possibly other factors.

Prevention

Veterinarians are ideally positioned to prevent nail trim phobia. Pet owners in our society routinely bring puppies to veterinarians when they are still in their critical learning period (4-12 weeks of age). In addition to providing preventive medical care, it is simple to show the client how to gently handle the pet’s feet and nails while giving a food treat. Ideally, this is done by the owner daily at the same time as other gentle techniques such as hugging, cradling, and massaging the gums and ears.

Other preventive strategies include maintaining sharp trimmers, and careful training of anyone in the practice authorized to perform this procedure. If a nail is quicked, this should be a signal to trim the other nails less aggressively, both to avoid a phobia, and because the operator has clear evidence of an anatomically long quick in this patient. If at all possible, the nails should be trimmed after a bath because standing in water softens the nails.

Technique

Assistants should be taught to trim at least 2 mm beyond the visible quick in clear nails. With pigmented nails, trim small increments and look at the distal end of the nail after each clip. In black nails the goal is to identify a “target sign” of concentric circles at the nail tip. This is created by the central dark, distal, painless center of the quick, surrounded by white connective tissue, surrounded by the dark pigmented nail.

After trimming the nail to the desired length, it is recommended to do multiple angled cuts of the same nail, attempting to create a domed instead of a flat nail end, and then file the edges. Removing this outer hard nail allows the quick to recede with use, and extends the time period between required nail trims. One indication for a nail trim is tapping when the dog walks on a hard surface.

If mild fear is observed, (e.g. pulling foot away) simply offering food treats or other distraction techniques such as muzzling, hooding or applying a head collar may be sufficient. Generally, acceptance of a food treat before and after trimming suggests no aversion. In an aversion, moderate fear (trembling, struggling, and refusal of food) is observed and it is recommended that behavioral treatment be initiated immediately because the prognosis is much better if treatment is started early. Advise assistants that a phobia is likely present if more than one person is required for restraint, or if thrashing, vocalization, elimination, or aggression is exhibited. Then stop and either postpone or use chemical restraint.

Veterinarians may wish to train staff on nail trim technique using an online pictorial description of correct restraint and nail trimming provided by the Washington State University Vet School Website at www.vetmed.wsu.edu/cliented/dog_nails.asp

Behavioral Therapy

For home behavioral therapy, the owner should purchase their own trimmer to be used during systematic desensitization and counter conditioning. The owner should store the trimmer in the dog food as a reminder to bring it out and leave it near the food dish while the pet is eating.

During desensitization, separate the senses. First the pet only sees the trimmer until it is ignored. Then while hand feeding, combine seeing and hearing the clipper as a positive association. Finally touch the trimmer to the nail, (without clipping), to earn a special treat.

Between meals the owner should begin to gently handle the feet and nails while feeding small high value treats. The goal is to gradually work up to actually trimming a tiny amount from one nail per day. If this is impossible, filing alone might be accepted by the pet, or consider tapering use of anxiolytic medication. An excellent video showing systematic desensitization and counter conditioning incorporating clicker training is available at www.YouTube.com by searching on “Tucker Nail Trim.”

Pharmacologica Treatment

Even if behavioral therapy is available, some owners may prefer the convenience of serial veterinary nail trims. For simple aversion or mild fear, oral pretreatment with a mild sedative prescribed by your vet may be sufficient.

For more severe nail trim phobia in healthy adult dogs, the author’s preference is oral pretreatment of medications prescribed by your vet, 1 hour before the owner leaves for the vet visit.  Note that some medications carry the potential for dis-inhibition of fear aggression which can occur without warning. Therefore, any oral medication related to trimming is only indicated prior to trips to the veterinary hospital where the pet can still be muzzled if necessary, and medically supervised.

If oral pretreatment is not possible, then the DVM may choose injectable and ideally reversible sedation, but this introduces another injection in a pet that already has a phobia related to veterinary visits. These pets benefit from regular visits to the facility with only positive experiences like daycare, or food treats.

The goal for all veterinary staff should be prevention of fearful veterinary experiences using gentle and professional techniques. (See www.AnimalBehavior.Net/DistractionTechniques) If a nail trim phobia is identified, the only permanent solution is to work with a competent behaviorist incorporating systematic desensitization and counter conditioning.

About the Author

Dr. Tripp received his doctorate from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and also holds a bachelor’s degree in music and a minor in philosophy. A regular guest on the Animal Planet Network, Dr. Tripp appears on both “Petsburgh, USA” and “Good Dog U.” He is a Veterinary Behavior Consultant for Antech Laboratories “Dr. Consult Line” and an Affiliate Professor of Applied Animal Behavior at both Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Tripp is the founder of the national behavior consulting practice, www.AnimalBehavior.Net. He is now the Chief Veterinary Pet Behaviorist of The Hannah Society (www.hannahsociety.com) which helps match people and pets, then keeps them together. Contact info: Rolan.Tripp@HannahSociety.com.

This post is brought to Adopt-a-Pet.com by Susan Tripp, MS, co-author of the Positive Pet Parenting e-Course for www.AnimalBehavior.Net. She is also a member of www.PetConnection.com’s advisory board and founder and president of the non-profit www.positivepetparenting.org You’ve noticed something odd lately about your cat. Instead of lounging on the couch she’s holed up in your closet all day. And when you walk into the room a blur of fur streaks by as she bolts for the safety and comfort of your bed – only she’s underneath it.

Has your cat lost it?

Cat hiding behavior is not unusual and is a normal feline response. Cats withdraw suddenly from life and hide the day away when something is just not right in their universe. Common reasons why your cat may cower and want to avoid the public spotlight include one or more of the following conditions: a medical problem, pain, fear or stress.

Medical: Start by ruling out any medical issues. A change in pet behavior is often the first sign of an underlying illness or disease that may be causing discomfort. Medical issues can be ruled out with a thorough veterinary exam that includes diagnostic lab work. If your cat is not feeling well, then a health screening will give you a plan of action. If your veterinarian proclaims a healthy cat, then seek a behavioral explanation.

Pain: A medical exam will usually identify a physical pain unless that pain is caused by, for example, a child who may pull or squeeze the cat’s tail or other parts within grabbing distance. On the other hand, cats who are unable to get to their litter boxes because of a closed door or a bully cat sometimes refuse to soil outside of the box and may experience emotional and physical discomfort.

Fear: Cats see the world through the eyes of a predator and the eyes of prey, which makes them somewhat unique. Using physical punishment is a big mistake with cats. Cats respond to any type of threat or perceived threat with avoidance. Hiding is normal behavior for cats who want to avoid contact with a perceived threat. For instance, some cats share better than others. So, if your cat must share his or her stuff with a power hungry housemate who is bullying your cat, he or she may be afraid of public places or may just choose to avoid conflict. Territorial aggression is normal in cats so if you have more than one cat, be on the lookout for cat bully behavior.

Stress: Cats bond to territory and therefore are stressed by changes in the environment. Take a look around. Have you added new furniture? Is a new cat or dog now part of the family? Maybe a neighboring cat has taken up residence in your backyard. Has your routine changed? How is your stress level? Yes, if you’re stressing out your cat may be stressing with you! Try to keep your cat’s stuff such as feeding bowls, litter boxes and climbing trees in the same place. Keep in mind that we may like to change up the furniture but our feline friends do not.

If you are not sure why your cat might be stressed, seek the help of a professional. In the meantime, allow your cat safe hiding places like under the bed or in a closet. Cats feel less stress when they are able to hide or can perch in high places. To give your cat extra comfort, add a tall floor to ceiling cat tree with plenty of comfy perching places. Add calming feline pheromones to your cat’s sleeping areas or to the cat’s favorite rooms with a commercial product diffuser or mist.

First and foremost, do not scold, shout or swat the cat to correct or control any behavior. Do not forcibly remove your cat from her perceived safe area. Cats feel less stress when they are able to choose movement and are able to move freely. Lessening stress will likely decrease the cat’s hiding behavior.
As tempting as it can be, do not stroke or soothe your cat during the hiding. You may accidentally increase the hiding with your loving attention. Instead, ignore the cat. Do praise your cat for bravery and for any other behavior you want more of.

Think of ways you might make it worthwhile for your cat to come out of hiding. Call your cat for meals and treats. If your cat will eat near you, try hand feeding your cat. Lack of appetite is one sign of stress. If the cat won’t take food from your hand, try sitting quietly near your cat and tossing an occasional treat. If your cat takes the treat, toss the treats closer to where you are sitting. Over time, the cat may take the treat from your hand.

If all of these suggestions fail to reduce your cat’s hiding behavior then make sure you visit with your cat frequently to give mental stimulation and ensure he or she is getting nutrition, water and access to the litter box. Or, consider giving your cat a private room that is people and pet free. Make that private room a cat sanctuary that has everything your cat needs for comfort and security.

***
Susan Tripp, MS, is co-author of the Positive Pet Parenting e-Course for www.AnimalBehavior.Net. She is also a member of www.PetConnection.com’s advisory board and founder and president of the non-profit www.positivepetparenting.org (Positive Pet Parenting Saves Lives®), a shelter program that helps prevent pet neglect, abuse and surrender. Susan is now a behaviorist and Placement Center Manager of The Hannah Society (www.hannahsociety.com) with the goal of keeping people and pets together for life and keeping pets in the home. Contact info: susan.tripp@hannahsociety.com

Adopt-a-Pet.com’s partnership PEOPLEPets.com is raising awareness of animals adoption! Each month, PEOPLEPets.com highlights a pet from AdoptaPet.com who is looking for a home. Today we’d like you to meet Beatrice, a black-and-tan coonhound from Arkansas whom we met through Adopt-a-Pet.com.

Beatrice was found tied to a tree without shelter, food or water. Cold and hungry, the 3-year-old was frightened, but has since warmed up to her human friends at the Humane Society of Garland County. “She is grateful and kind, [has] plenty of food, and loves her warm place to sleep and the many ‘boyfriends’ she plays with,” says volunteer Theresa Carter. The pup walks very well on a leash, and enjoys strolls with shelter staffers.

“She’s a good girl who is longing for her very own family that will love her and take good care of her,” Carter says. “She will love them with all of her heart for the rest of her life!” View her profile at Adopt-a-Pet.com here.

Training your dog to stop pulling on the leash has so many benefits, it’s hard to count them all! Since you’ll both enjoy walks so much more, you’ll likely go on more walks, which has health, behavior, and emotional benefits for your dog – and you. Physically, you’ll avoid potential injuries to your hands, arms, neck, shoulders, back… and many more. Your dog will avoid possibly injuring their neck, throat and back too. Even if your dog is “off-leash” trained and you live in an environment where you almost never need to use a leash, you never know when good leash skills will come in handy – a trip to the vet, at friends or families houses, or in any new environment. Sometimes when you adopt a new dog who’s a strong puller, it can seem like an impossible task to get them to stop. But there are many easy-to-follow exercises that with repetition and persistence, can teach your dog not to pull on his or her leash, and instead walk happily at your side. Below is one great exercise from our trainer-in-residence, Katya.

Katya’s exercise:

1. Hold your leash in your hand, with your hand firmly behind your back or at your side. This is so that every time your dog pulls he doesn’t get the reward of an extra 2 feet from your arm stretching out.
2. Now, play the Red light/Green light game! When your dog pulls, red light! Stop and stand still – and what he wants (moving forward) ends.
3. As soon as he does anything that causes some slack in the leash (stops pulling, backs up, looks at you, etc), Green Light! Give lots of praise and immediately start walking again.
4. Gradually over time you will increase the distance your dog will walk without pulling.

This exercise teaches your dog that pulling does not work and that we move forward by walking right by you on a loose leash. The trick of this exercise is that it’s a patience game for us, so if you want your pooch to stop pulling, be consistent with this practice and “red light” every time he pulls, “green light” only on a slack leash.

This post comes from Barbara Heidenreich, whose experience includes consulting on animal training in zoos and other animal related facilities. Barbara has written several books on training parrots and has an excellent website (www.goodbirdinc.com) with content on how to live a healthy life with your pet parrot. One of the worst fears most bird owners is having your flighted parrot escape. Barbara recalls her experience loosing her parrot. “I was visiting my parents as I was moving from southern California to northern California. When I arrived I brought Tarah in his cage to my old bedroom. I opened the door to the cage to allow my bird some much needed free time. Before I knew it, he bolted off his cage, through the bedroom door, took a right and made his way down the hall. He then banked left and flew through the living room. At that very moment my father was just opening the sliding glass door to step out onto the deck. Guess who went through the door too? The deck was on the second floor, so my bird had two stories of lift to assist him on his grand flight.”

Immediate response if you bird is flying away:

• Call to your bird loudly as he is flying- it may help him find his way back to you.
• As your bird is flying, do not take your eyes off of him. Note the last place you saw him, the level of his flight, how tired he looked. He may have landed in that area. (Radio or phone contact for a group of people searching can be very helpful in this situation. Grab your cell phone!)

To find out what happened with Barbara’s parrot, and to read about searching for your pet parrot read the full post on Barbara’s website.

Time for another helpful guest blog article written by By Liam Crowe, CEO and Master Dog Behavioral Therapist from Bark Busters USA! Can’t Play Outdoors? When the weather outside is frightful, try these indoor games with your dog. All dogs need exercise, even when the weather doesn’t cooperate. On those cold, snowy, windy or rainy days when it’s too nasty to take your daily walk, try playing some of these indoor games with your dog to keep him healthy and happy. In addition, playing with your dog, like training him, enhances the bond you share and helps him keep his focus on you!

You can change these games depending on how your dog is best motivated: praise/belly rubs, favorite toys, items to fetch, or treats. If you do use treats, one way to keep your dog from gaining weight from too many snacks is to use some of his mealtime kibble to play the games. As with any activity, keep each session short and fun! It’s better to end the game before your dog gets bored or overly excited.

WHERE’S THE TREAT?

Start with 3 or 4 buckets (old cups or margarine tubs would work too). Show your dog that you have a treat or a favorite small toy. Put your dog in a SIT/STAY or DOWN/STAY about 10 feet away, then make sure he can see you as you place his prize under one of the buckets. Then say WHERE’S THE TREAT? and encourage him to smell the buckets—give him lots of praise when he paws, sits beside, or barks next to the correct bucket, and then lift it up so he can claim his reward. You can up the difficultly level by changing the position of the buckets after you place the treat or pretending to put treats under multiple buckets.

NAME THAT TOY

Gather a group of toys that are noticeably different (for example, a stuffed duck, pig and shark). Hold a toy up for your dog to sniff and see, get him excited, and toss it, saying WHERE’S YOUR SHARK? When he comes back with it, give him lots of praise, then do the same with the pig, then with the duck, etc. Repeat again and again, and be consistent with your naming. Once he has mastered a few names, set out multiple toys and tell him which to get.

FIND IT!

Put your dog in a SIT/STAY. Show your dog a toy or treat and put it on the floor so the dog can see it. Say FIND IT! Naturally, your dog will enthusiastically—and hopefully, easily—find the toy or treat. Make the next prize a bit more difficult to locate, say, behind a chair. Continue to vary treat placement, or, for a real challenge, set up a roomful of hidden delights in advance. Watch your dog as he searches, and tap your foot and give an OOH or gasp to get him excited about the ones he’s missed.

STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN

Settle in at the bottom of the staircase, putting your dog in a SIT/STAY next to you. Throw your dog’s favorite toy to the top of the stairs. Say FETCH or GET IT. After he dashes up the stairs and grabs the toy, call him to COME, ask him to DROP or RELEASE, and repeat as above until your dog slumps to the floor in giddy exhaustion. (Note that this is not a good game for puppies, as their joints are still developing, or dogs prone to injury.)

RECALL REPRISE

Enlist a significant other or child to help with this game. Each person grabs a handful of treats or kibble. Stand a couple of feet apart. One person calls the dog to COME. When he does, he receives praise and a treat. Then the other person calls. Praise and treat. Both people take two steps backwards. Repeat. Every fourth or fifth time, use praise only. See how far apart (Different rooms? Different floors?) you can venture. For even more fun, have three or more people in different rooms calling the dog.

CLEAN UP!

Teach your dog to CLEAN UP after playtime by picking up his toys and putting them back in the toy box. Have your dog pick up a toy while you hold the toy box up to him. Tell him to DROP IT. When he does, give him lots of praise. Repeat with the next toy. Once he gets the idea, put the toy box on the floor and guide the dog over to it and say DROP IT. Keep it fun and simple, and use the same words each time for every command.

COME WHEN CALLED

Call your dog to COME, put him in a SIT/STAY, and then move away from him. After a minute or so, call him to COME again, and repeat. Try to increase the distance you move away and the length of time you wait before calling your dog to you. This game is great for dogs with attention-seeking behaviors, as it teaches them to wait for your commands.

CIRCUS CLOWN

If your dog likes to jump, you can burn off a lot of his energy by teaching him to jump over and through things. Start with your dog on a leash. Place a pole or stick just barely off the ground, and have your dog walk over it. As you raise it each time, you will need to move him back and let him get a running start. Give him lots of praise every time he jumps over. Once he masters the pole, try a Hula-Hoop!

HIDE & SEEK

This old standby is still loads of fun for you and your dog. Have your dog STAY in one room. Go into another room and hide. Call your dog. Try not to give away your location by laughing! Kids love to play this game with the family dog.

WORK FOR YOUR DINNER

Remember that dogs use about the same amount of energy when they are challenged mentally as physically! Treat-rewarding puzzles, such as the Buster® Food Cube, Canine Genius® connectable toys, or the Wobbler by KONG®, make your dog work for his treats—or you can use kibble with the toys to feed your dog his entire meal.

In addition to the games above, Training Dogs the Aussie Way by Bark Busters founders Danny and Sylvia Wilson contains about 20 pages of tricks to work on with your dog (available at BarkBustersBoutique.com, Amazon.com, or from your local Bark Busters trainer). Remember that basic obedience is the foundation for having fun with your dog—games and tricks should be a fun and rewarding bonding experience, not a stressful time, for you and your dog.

— Written by By Liam Crowe. Liam Crowe is the CEO and grand master dog behavioral therapist of Bark Busters USA (www.BarkBusters.com), the world’s largest dog training company. Since inception, over 500,000 dogs have been trained worldwide using Bark Busters’ dog-friendly, natural methods, which focus on fostering a positive relationship between owner and dog to establish a lasting emotional bond based on respect and trust.

Did you know that the staff here at Adopt-a-Pet.com has decades of volunteering experience helping homeless pets? Be inspired by our stories (and yours!) in our brand-new Volunteer Newsletter! To subscribe, and lend a helping paw to shelters and rescues near you, fill out your Volunteer Profile at http://www.adoptapet.com/volunteer/signup. Make sure you check the box next to: “I want to receive Adopt-a-Pet.com’s special quarterly newsletter all about volunteering.” Now, read on as Katya Friedman, Adopt-a-Pet.com’s Director of Partnerships and Promotions, shares her journey into volunteering…

“How can I best make a difference?” – written by Katya

I got bitten by the volunteer bug at a young age. In high school, I was the kind of girl who was always making announcements about how to get involved in after-school programs that help at-risk youth or reading to kids. I started a Community Service Club, and began my journey as someone who wanted to be involved, work with community, and turn awareness into action. I think I knew even back then that I was on the right path. Working with children remains one of my greatest joys.

Although my family always had dogs and I always loved our pets, it would not be until years later that I focused my volunteerism towards the animals. About five years ago my friend who is a screenwriter (I live in Los Angeles so its par for the course!) wrote a Cinderella-type story about a Pit Bull at a shelter. He visited one of our local shelters to get a better idea of the reality for his writing, and I had the good fortune of going along with him; from that day on, I truly would never be the same.

I saw the best and the worst in humanity, all wrapped into one day. I saw a world of hurt for the animals, but I also saw hope in the hands of volunteers. Confusion and anxiety hung like a cloak on so many discarded pets, but volunteers brought comfort and peace in the walks and talks they offered. There was fear in the eyes of dogs, cats and bunnies, but volunteers were there to quench that fiery fear with love. All around me, I saw caring shelter staff who supported their volunteers, and volunteers who in turn supported their shelter staff. It was symbiosis at its finest and the beneficiaries were the animals.

I signed up for orientation, and I was off and running. When I began volunteering at the shelter, I was worried about where I was needed most. Where could I make the biggest difference? Where could I help other volunteers do what they’re doing? Where could I most efficiently put my time to help more animals? I started with dog walking, and I even lost a few lbs right away (nice perk!) Walking dogs who are living in kennels is so rewarding. The exercise, the sunshine, sitting under a tree in the shade and letting the dog just be. It was bonding and felt invigorating, as much for me as it did for them.

I moved onto taking pictures of dogs and cats to update the shelter’s website. The photos sessions were a blast because I got to know the personality of the animals. Even though it can be challenging to convince a cat to warm up to a camera, or get a young pup to sit still, I came armed with treats and did my best. These new glamor shots helped many animals get seen better – and we all know that when animals get seen they get saved.

Next I attempted crafting pleas to network animals whose time was up. I think the creativity and vulnerability required to effectively network shelter animals comes easily if you spend a little time getting to know them. It all comes from them, and what fun it is to craft their story! That’s when it hit me: even the small things we do can be efficient and useful and important when it comes to saving animals. Even one hour a week of Tweeting Critters from your lunch desk at work – every single bit helps. Being involved isn’t about a time minimum or the perfect activity, it’s about opening your heart. Whether you can volunteer every day or at one adoption event a month, being a part of the solution to end animal population and inspiring others to do the same IS the best way to make a difference.

A little less than a year ago, I was lucky enough to begin working for Adopt-a-Pet.com. I am so grateful that every day I get to think about what can be done to help animals most, and how we might be able to help make that possible. Moreover, I’m so grateful every day that there are volunteers like you. Without you, the shelters and rescue groups could not do it. They need our support and help to do all they do, as it really does take a village. It takes a volunteering community.

These days it’s not easy to find a sense of community in a city as large as Los Angeles. Often it’s not easy to find a sense of community anywhere, be it the town is small or sprawling. With our computers and phones and cars and automated everything, we’re moving fast and we have less and less time for one another. The beauty of volunteering is that volunteers come together from all over, just to help the animals; and that is exactly how we will save more lives. In doing so, it’s also how we will save each other. We cannot live in isolation and change this problem alone. We need everyone’s strength to move this mountain. By working with shelter staff and rescue groups, working together, and working for the animals, we’re also working to better our own lives as a community.

If you’re not already, I’d like to invite you to be a part of Adopt-a-Pet.com’s Volunteer Community – or as I like to think of it, our Community Service Club! Thank you for doing all you can do, however you can, and know that you’re the answer.

Most of us know that exposure to household toxins like asbestos can lead to mesothelioma in humans; animals are just as susceptible to common hazards. Understanding that there are hidden dangers lurking around their house, pet owners can keep their furry friends safe, healthy and ultimately protected.

Most pet owners know to keep dangerous materials away from their animals such as cleaning supplies, people food and antifreeze, because any inquisitive pet easily ingests those items. However, there are more household items overlooked by pet owners that are equally as dangerous that a pet may ingest or inhale.

Household garbage poses the single, largest threat to any pets’ health. Animals are drawn to the smelly refuse, typically looking for delicious scraps of people food left over. Especially with dogs, picking through the trash to find the tastiest bits is not practical; instead, any trash that smells good is munched.

This is a terrible hazard since garbage cans hold a smorgasbord of household waste including medications, paper towels used for cleaning, and even batteries. Broken glass, say from a light bulb, can cut an animals’ gums or tongue, and can cause horrible damage to the esophagus or stomach if swallowed.

Many pet owners do not know the threat airborne toxins can have on their furry shadows. Inhalation of any toxin, like bleach vapors, secondhand smoke or paint fumes not only have damaging health risks for people, but also for pets. Animals are naturally curious, exploring the world through their sense of smell or taste, simply investigating what their owners are doing can be risky.

Though most pet owners understand the dangers cleaning supplies can pose for their animals, but what is often missed are the hazards of home renovations. Construction dust, insulation particles, asbestos or mold, common side effects of any renovation project, are also unsafe for animals.

Anything that is toxic for people is also toxic for pets. This overlooked hazard can often cause silent, yet deadly diseases in pets. Especially with inhaled toxins, animals can develop respiratory problems, circulatory disorders or cancer.

Ways to Keep Your Pet Safe

Simply, if it is unsafe or unhealthy for humans, it is also for animals. By following a few easy rules, any pet owner can keep their animals happy and healthy.

• Keep trashcans securely covered.
• Do not put unused or expired medications in the trash or down the drain. Many communities have safe ways to get rid of medications through local refuse collection sites.
• For cleaning or renovation projects, wear a protective mask and coverings, have proper ventilation and keep pets away.
• Do not leave any hazardous items on the floor, counters, tables or anywhere a pet can easily access.
• Keep dangerous products, like cleaning supplies, renovation materials or unsafe people food in a locked cabinet. Since many pets are able to open cabinets easily, attach child locks.
• For any extended home renovation including painting, tiling, wallpapering, sanding or refinishing surfaces, keep pets out of the house. If the renovation lasts more than a day, keep pets at a friend’s house or a kennel. Animals can not only ingest or inhale hazardous materials, there is also a threat of animals stepping on nails, glass, insulation or broken tile.
• Always inspect pets’ mouths, eyes, ears and feet to see any telltale signs of naughty behavior.

The most important way pet owners can protect their furry friends is to use common sense. Remember “If it is dangerous for me, it is dangerous for them.” For many pet owners, having an inquisitive shadow is so common that sometimes they can forget what they are doing may not be healthy for their animals.

By keeping a watchful eye on your curious friend, you can keep them safe and healthy. If you suspect that your pet ingested or inhaled a toxin, seek immediate veterinary care.