Saturday, November 28, 2015

Missing Dogs Massachusetts featured on CBS




Congratulations from Seattle to our virtual soul-siblings on the east-coast for this excellent piece of PR on the local Boston CBS affiliate. The group has been doing a fantastic job using Facebook to help Reunite missing dogs with their frantic owners. 


BOSTON (CBS) — Thousands of dogs in Massachusetts are lost every year.

On Sunday’s Pet Parade, WBZ-TV’s Kerry Connolly talked to one organization that’s doing its best to bring those dogs home.

Missing Dogs Massachusetts has helped to find 700 lost dogs since January, working through social media to raise awareness about missing dogs.

The group shared tips on what to do if your dog goes missing, and steps dog owners should take ahead of time to increase their dog’s changes of being found if it does run away.

Missing Dogs Massachusetts says newly adopted dogs often have a higher risk of going missing.


http://cbsloc.al/1TEOHYz

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Here's the advise the group's website gives to owners


Steps to Reunite a Found Dog with its Owner


  1. Immediately contact your local Police/Animal Control (required by law).  This dog may already have been reported to them as missing.  If the dog’s appearance is alarming - do not assume that he/she has been neglected.  A dog that has been missing for any length of time can quickly become dirty, matted & thin.
  2. If the Dog is wearing a tag, call the number on the tag. If there is no ID tag, but there is a rabies tag or a town license, call the number of the town clerk’s office or the veterinary practice that administered the vaccine – they should have a record of the dog’s owner.
  3. If the dog is not wearing any tags, take the pet to the closest shelter, vet, or animal control agency, and ask them to do a full body scan with a Universal scanner.

    If the dog is chipped, and the chip is registered, the individual conducting the scan will be able to secure the contact information for the owner.
  4. Take the dog for a walk (on a secure leash) throughout the area in which it was found. He/she may lead you back home.  Be sure to ask homeowners in the vicinity if they recognize the dog.
  5. Create and post simple “Found Dog” flyers in the area in which the dog was found.  The flyer should contain a clear/ large photo and giant lettering/contact information so that it may be viewed from a passing vehicle.
  6. Use the internet to search for postings for the found dog.  Review both “Lost & Found” and “Pets” category on your local Craigslist.  Create posts (with photo) and place them in those categories as well.
  7. Fill out the MDM Found Dog Form so that we can create a post to share for you on our FB page  (NOTE starting in Spring 2016 No Lost Dogs in Seattle we will soon have its own active NLD Facebook page and forms)

Monday, November 23, 2015

What your dog CAN and CANNOT devour this Thanksgiving



Are you and your dog ready for Thanksgiving? Here are some foods your dog can and cannot eat!

Thanksgiving is only a few days away! All loving dog owners include their dogs in the celebration, but not all traditional Thanksgiving food is healthy for dogs.


According to a survey in PetMD, 56% of respondents said they share Thanksgiving table scraps with their pets.

While this is a wonderful way to share the Thanksgiving spirit with our pooches, there are also hidden dangers in it.

Here are some Thanksgiving foods your dog can and cannot eat.



Mashed Potatoes:

Potatoes on their own are fine for dogs. Just be aware of additional ingredients used when making this food. Mashed potatoes may contain cheese, sour cream, butter, onions, and gravy which can be dangerous for your dogs and other pets.

Turkey:

Turkey is great source of lean protein. Just make sure to stick with white meat and remove any excess skin or fat. Also, do not give your dogturkey bones.

Cranberry Sauce:

Cranberry sauce is generally okay for dogs but make sure to watch the amount of sugar in it.

Macaroni and Cheese:

If your dog’s stomach handles lactose just fine, macaroni and cheese is a safe to share. To be safe, you can always give your dog plain macaroni.

Green Beans:

Plain green beans are a healthy vegetable treat you can give your dog. But if the green beans are mixed with the casserole, be conscious of the other ingredients in it.


Onions, Garlic, Leeks, Or Any Allium:

Don’t give your dog anything with alliums. It may be true that small, well-cooked portions can be okay.  But ingesting these foods in large quantities can lead to toxic anemia in dogs.

Grapes and Raisins:

Many people do not know how toxic grapes and raisins are to dogs. The fruit has been shown to cause kidney failure in dogs.

Xylitol:

In the new age of food handling, artificial sweeteners are used as a substitute for sugar. It may be a healthier choice for humans, but it is terribly fatal for dogs.

Chocolate:

Humans love chocolate and it seems that dogs cannot resist it too. While we always make sure to keep chocolates away from out dogs, mishaps happen. During the holidays, baking chocolate is often used in recipes and sometimes forgotten about by the time the dishes are served on the table.

To keep your dog safe, make sure your dog does not eat anything with chocolate, especially the baking kind.

Alcohol:

Never give your dog any food with alcohol – even in little amounts. What humans consider a small amount can be toxic for dogs. Bear in mind that alcohol poisoning can be present in foods like fruit cake and unbaked bread.

Article reposted from:
http://www.newdogworld.com/thanksgiving-foods-your-dog-can-and-cannot-eat

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Ettore the Lab-Mix is Found "Guilty"; "Punished" with Hugs










Apparently Ettore's crime was to make yet another hole in his owner's sofa. His Italian owner can't bring himself to make the "punishment' fit the "crime."  No knowledge of Italian needed to appreciate the beauty of the drama that unfolds.







(Video used for non-commercial purposes by No Lost Dogs.org a non-profit volunteer group.
For commercial use please contact Anthony  )

Monday, November 16, 2015

Onyx the Black Lab Found Inside Stolen Car and Reunited with Owner




                                                     Onyx reunited with relieved owner Nancy

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. (WHP) — Police in Franklin County say a dog and car stolen from a gas station parking lot have been recovered and the dog is back with his owner.

Chambersburg police said the car, which had a 10-year-old black lab named Onyx inside, was stolen from the Sheetz parking lot along Norland Avenue Wednesday morning.

Police say the car, belonging to 79-year-old Nancy Sheaffer, was left running.

The car was found late Thursday in the Greencastle-area of Franklin County.

Onyx was inside and later reunited with Sheaffer. "He's just like a baby to me," Sheaffer said Thursday.

Police say the person believed to have stolen the vehicle may have headed toward the York County area because of credit card transactions made on Sheaffer's cards.

"Every hour of the night I was out here walking outside to see if maybe he's trying to get home, or hurt or coming down the street...I mean every hour," Sheaffer said Thursday.

Police said their investigation into the vehicle theft was ongoing.

Source WHP

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

No Obamacare for Dogs! But Don't Overlook Canine Health Insurance



Pet insurance is not like human health insurance. It is designed to be more like automobile insurance, helping you prepare for the costs of large medical issues. Subscribers pay a monthly premium (prices vary depending on plan and company) instead of being surprised by a major illness or injury. It is like a safety net to catch you when you fall. It is certainly nice to have in an event where price is the last thing that you want to worry about.

When your dog is critically ill or injured, the last thing you want to think about is money. Her life and well-being certainly are priceless, but unfortunately budget must be a consideration.  When your pet is covered with pet insurance, you can focus on the important things and know that the price tag is taken care of. It is one less thing to worry about when worry is all you can do.

There are many companies and brands to choose from.  There are certainly charlatans (like in every industry) and you should ask for referrals from people you trust, like your veterinarian or fellow animal lovers. Good companies are more than willing to discuss their products and offerings.  Call around and talk with several and if you do not feel comfortable with one, mark them off your list.

There are a lot of options out there for pet insurance.  You can choose your carrier, your plan and deductible. The plan and the company need to be right for your pet’s needs and yours. See if you can find out what would be the best fit for your pet, taking into account his age, breed, lifestyle and health up that point. Make sure the premium is something that your budget can live with and that the plan covers your specific pet’s requirements.

Each company and plan has specifics that you should familiarize yourself with. Most have age and preexisting condition limitations. Pet owners hesitate to explore pet insurance because they hope that will never need it. If you do not, you can consider yourself lucky and if you do, you will be grateful for the policy.

Human health insurance covers preventive care in most cases. Some pet insurance companies offer riders to cover preventive care as well as catastrophic care too.  Make wellness coverage a part of your research, so that you know the variables of the plan, like deductible and premium. Preventive care is an issue that touches every pet because all pets need it. Ask your vet to estimate for you an average yearly cost for routine care, so you will know a good value when you research it.

If you are the type of person that can set aside a monthly amount on your own to plan for catastrophe (or dog-astrophe), you might not find benefit from an insurance plan. But if you would prefer having a safety net that is planned for you, pet insurance is an important consideration.

Being proactive about the things you can prevent and having pet insurance are things that you can do to keep your pet and your budget happy and healthy!

Source  By Dr Kathryn Primm