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 Guest Posts News and insights from special guests—from experts to enthusiasts.
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Writing for The Bark, I’m always hearing ideas for making the lives of dogs richer, safer and healthier. From ways to increase spay/neuter and more engaging toys to surprising activities and rescue initiatives. Not every idea takes off but it’s the energy and creativity I find so inspiring. I wish there was an equivalent in the dog world to venture capital competitions for tech startups—a gathering for dog-interested companies, foundations and individuals to learn about and support for-profit and not-for-profit pitches. Like Mark Lukas’s soccer dogs idea.
Lukas owns the Florida-based Soccer Collies, which features his two fired-up soccer-playing Border Collies, Ms. Z and Bek, who have performed at various events including L.A. Galaxy games, SoccerNation Expo, festivals, private parties and much more. The dogs shoot and score on their two-footed goaltenders. Participants love the soccer dogs and often say they want one of their own, which fits beautifully with Lukas’s larger vision.
He wants to introduce a simple soccer program into shelters across the country. Essentially, shelter staff would identify ball-motivated dogs and promote them for rescue on a soccer dog website. There might even be a video component. In the end, you draw soccer families into rescue and the dogs end up in active, playful families where they are likely to have plenty of exercise and stimulation. Lukas has been developing the idea with the Humane Society of Marion County, Fla.
I like that the idea could reach into an active, organized community that might otherwise be a little outside the everyday rescue conversation—expanding the pool of adopters.
Confession: I’ve been looking for love online—Match.com, eHarmony—off and on for years. With little success. I’ve made several great friends, dated a few men for short periods, but have failed to find a true partner.
I now realize that my three dogs likely have a lot to do with my on-going singleness. The real question is: Did I create this situation subconsciously-on-purpose? Perhaps. Probably. I love my dog-centered lifestyle.
Many articles about dating bemoan single women’s relationships with their dogs, theorizing that we’re replacing men with our canine companions. After all, what man could possibly be as adoring, forgiving, trustworthy and unconditionally loving as our dogs? No issues regarding toilet seats, either.
Most of us diving into the online dating seas have a list of deal-breakers. Mine include smoking and young kids at home. As I scroll through online profiles, I realize that I also often screen out men who have dogs. Why? I want a dog-loving man; indeed, a lack of affinity for dogs is another of my deal-breakers. But because two of my dogs are aging females, one somewhat reactive to other large female dogs, I’m skipping profiles that show a man smiling beside a large breed dog. If a man has a small dog, I keep reading, but warily. If he has more than one dog, I move on because I can’t imagine trying to combine my three dog household with more than one additional small dog. These are men who in all other respects appear to be good prospects. But if I can’t imagine adding their dogs to my current pack, why bother even making contact? So I don’t.
Then I have an aha moment, putting myself in the men’s shoes: Coming upon my profile with photos of me posing beside two huge wolf-like Malamutes and other photos with my Aussie, they must be thinking….no way! Too many dogs! A dog nut! Deal-breaker!
And they’re right. Dogs—and trail running—are my lifestyle. If a man doesn’t like at least one or the other, we won’t be spending much time together. He doesn’t have to be a runner, but he does have to love dogs, my dogs in particular. With three dogs, my ability to travel, even get away for a weekend or an overnight, is limited. Many men in my age group (50-65) are retiring and list travel as their top interest. Talk about a lifestyle disconnect.
Like many of the women profiled in those articles about the hazards of dating women with pets, I’m quite happy with my life and lifestyle. The thought of all the disruption and compromise required to incorporate someone new is frankly exhausting. Finding the right partner can’t be forced. It needs to happen naturally, with the right person—another dog-nut who accepts my dogs and me (although I’ll continue to hope he’s temporarily dog-less when I meet him).
I’ve decided to save my money; my Match.com subscription has expired. Nor will I try a pet-centric dating site like DateMyPet.com. I hope that the less I try to find the dog-loving partner I desire, the more likely it is I’ll bump into him in some random, casual way. It’s all about timing. Meanwhile, I share my space, time and love with my dogs, who happily reciprocate.
Helping out in the shelter
There are more than 100 dogs at our county shelter. They are there for a variety of reasons. Lost, unwanted, their owners lost their home, had a baby, moved or don’t have time to care for them anymore. Some are bite-quarantine or court cases. They represent a tremendous variety of breeds, sizes, ages and temperaments. Some are beautiful and healthy with wagging tails and happy faces. Others are painfully neglected, thin, mangy, matted. A few are frighteningly aggressive. Most of them would be wonderful pets in the right situation.
When I have time, I help in the kennels. As an animal control officer, it’s not technically my job but I enjoy it and on the rare days when I don’t have a lot of calls, I feed the dogs and help with the cleaning. It gives the shelter techs time to catch up on some of the endless tasks of running a shelter, and gives me a chance to connect with the dogs.
I go from kennel to kennel with a tub full of kibble on wheels. I also have a bucket of puppy kibble mixed with canned food and hot water for the thin, the young and the very old. I speak to each dog as I go, coaxing those who are scared and catering the amount of food to each dog’s needs. An emaciated Chihuahua gets just the puppy kibble. A huge, adolescent Shepherd-mix needs a heaping bowl. An obese black Lab receives a reduced amount, but they all get a little of the canned food gravy on top, just to make life a little nicer.
I make a few notes as I go. A sweet-faced Pit Bull mix has a cough, so I put him on the list to be seen by the vet. The bulging belly and mammary development on a little Terrier inspire me to move her to a quieter room and provide her with an enclosed crate.
As a dog lover, my heart breaks for the animals in our care but I try to put my energy into making things as nice as possible for them. We provide toys, treats and soft bedding and the floors are radiant heated. Even just scooping poop and disinfecting kennels gives the satisfaction of creating a clean environment. It means a lot to me to know that the dogs are getting good food and a little comfort while in our care.
Early in the morning, the barking is deafening as everyone clamors for attention and breakfast. As the dogs are fed and the kennels cleaned, they begin to settle down. As we finish up, the dogs settle on their blankets and relative peace descends on the shelter.
During my breaks, I love to sit in a kennel with a shy dog and cuddle for a few minutes. It’s a revealing perspective to be down on the floor at the dog’s level, watching the world go by through the chain link. The faint smells of bleach and lemony disinfectant mingle with the odor of dogs and kibble. The occasional barks and whines of the other dogs echo and the warmth of the dog’s body fills my lap and my heart. Work is waiting and I reluctantly leave her but I can see that the experience has left her feeling more comfortable. She wags her tail as she watches me go.
Scenes from the life of a therapy dog deployed in Afghanistan
Prepare for a double take in these videos from the Army’s 7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment filmed in mid-April. A three-year-old Boston Terrier relaxes inside an armored vehicle defended by at least one visible gunner stationed in a hatch. He walks down dusty war-ravaged roads. Plays fetch and relaxes in sandbagged shelters.
How did this spunky, little pup end up here? His “therapy dog” vest is the key. Hank is a service dog deployed to Kunar Province, Afghanistan with Army psychologist Captain Katie Kopp as part of a new combat stress initiative. Hank is there to comfort the soldiers and help make Capt. Kopp more approachable.
I have mixed feelings watching Hank in a war zone. He looks so vulnerable in this context. But when I see and hear how the soldiers react to Hank and witness the nuts and bolts of his life (the b-roll)—plenty of stimulation, activities, interaction and play—I think his is a more engaged and meaningful existence than many dogs have here at home.
B-roll scenes from Hank’s deployment:
Interview with Capt. Katie Kopp, Brigade Psychologist, Co. C, 704 BSB, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, and Sgt. Nahum Campos, Infantry Soldier, HHC 2-12 Infantry, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division:
The story behind Arizona’s HB 2780
Early this month, legislation exempting ranch dogs from animal cruelty laws passed easily through the Arizona legislature. Despite opposition from the Arizona Defense League for Animals, the Humane Society of the United States, county officials, media, animal shelters across the state and a large number of citizens, Gov. Jan Brewer signed it into law almost as soon as it crossed her desk. The bill, known as HB 2780, has a history as sordid as its content.
On June 6, 2011 Pima County animal control officers responded to a cruelty investigation on a remote ranch. Neighbors hadn’t been seen the owner since May 31, 2011. Despite the county’s anti-tethering law, three dogs were restrained by tie-outs. Two others were inside a filthy horse trailer. Food was not available. Investigating officers described the water as “green with algae that you could not see into it.” The water smelled foul. Dogs had little or no protection from the sun. Officers recorded the outdoor temperature at 93 degrees.
More scenes for the raid: skinny dogs and slimy water.
Obviously irate about the citations, the rancher approached Rep. Peggy Judd (R-Wilcox) who represents the district and asked her to support a state law exempting farmers and ranchers from Pima County’s anti-tethering legislation. When he talked to Judd he failed to mention his citations for animal neglect.
Not satisfied with merely amending Pima County’s anti-tethering law, the unidentified rancher pushed for a statewide exemption, enlisting the Arizona Cattleman’s Association, a powerful lobbying group. Patrick Bray, the association’s president, wasted no time urging Judd to pass HB 2780. Bray says dozens of Pima County ranchers complained about the anti-tethering law because ranchers may have to tie their dogs for safety reasons when rounding up cattle. However, there are no records of such complaints. The anti-tethering law has been in effect since at least 1997 but neither Judd nor Bray could explain on why it is so urgent now to pass legislation that exempts farm dogs statewide from local anti-tethering ordinances.
While Judd admits there wasn’t full disclosure about the case, she says, “I would have still pursued this law because of the knowledge of the necessity of tying working dogs in some situations on ranches and farms.” Judd, who was HB 2780’s main sponsor, grew up on a ranch in Arizona.
HB 2780, which was later amended in the legislature, prohibits local government from enforcing anti-tethering legislation against farmers and ranchers if “the activity is directly related to the business of shepherding livestock and the activity is necessary for the safety of a human, the dog, or livestock or is permitted by or pursuant to Title 3.” Title 3 is Arizona’s Agricultural Code that governs farm and ranch activity. The cattle industry already has numerous exemptions under state animal cruelty laws.
HB 2780 seems like it was misrepresented to lawmakers. Only Pima County has anti-tethering legislation. If there were no complaints about the law, then why change it other than to appease a disgruntled rancher? Judd, however, says she is proud of the bill. Ranchers she says “should be free of threat and that makes me as happy as anyone.”
Karen Michael of Arizona Defense League for Animals says HB 2780 is unnecessary, overly broad and preempts local animal cruelty laws. “It also sets a dangerous precedent by creating exemptions under local laws for special interest groups,” she says. Kathleen Mayer, legislative liaison for Barbara LaWall, Pima County Attorney, agrees that this bill was tailored for one person.
The case against the rancher is still pending in Pima County.
Explaining a Seeing Eye dog’s vision to children
Whitney and I visited a school on the North Side of Chicago recently, and for some reason the first and second graders seemed particularly interested in color blindness. When one of them asked me if it’s true that dogs can only see black and white, I explained that dogs do see some colors, but they can’t tell the difference between red and green.
“If we’re at an intersection with a stoplight, it’s my job to judge when it might be safe to cross.” I described the way I stand up straight, concentrate and listen for the rush of cars. When it sounds like the traffic is going the direction I want to go, I take a guess the light is green and command Whitney to go forward. Whitney’s ears perk up; she listens for traffic and looks left and right to confirm it’s safe before pulling me across.
The students seemed satisfied with that answer and went on with other questions. Are you blind all of the time? When you were at the Seeing Eye school, what was your teacher’s name? Does Whitney like to lick a lot? What do you and Whitney do to have fun? Their thoughts eventually returned to colors, though.
One girl told me that her school uniform is red. “But does Whitney think they’re green?” I gave that question some thought, and realized I couldn’t answer it. When I got home, I did some research.
Dogs see colors, but not the same way humans do. People can see variations of violet, blue, green, yellow, orange and red. Dogs can only see blue, violet, yellow and some shades of gray.
My source? An article in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association called “Vision in Dogs,” written by P.E. Miller and C.J. Murphy. A credible source, but not sure it answers this sweet first grader’s question.
If dogs can’t see the color red, what do they see instead? Blue? Violet?
Yellow? If any of you blog followers have an answer, by all means leave a comment. I’m curious to know now, too!
Hallmark channels the pet adoption message
Cut from the same pastel fabric as most Hallmark movies, Duke is a classic tearjerker-with-a-happy ending—made a whole lot better by a dog. Marine Sergeant Terry Pulaski (Steven Weber of “Wings” and “Brothers & Sisters”) plays an Afghan war veteran with serious physical and emotional injuries that drive him to leave his wife and young daughter. The bulk of the story focuses on his life ten years later, which finds him living in a trailer with Duke, a bright-eyed and endearing former stray, played by a talented, especially when pretending to be sick, 10-month-old Border Collie named Zeke. (Duke premieres Saturday, April 28, 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7 p.m. CT on Hallmark Movie Channel).
There is a lot that is predictable in this story, which is “inspired by true events,” but that didn’t stop me from sniveling my way through several tissues. I especially liked the scenes of Duke comforting Pulaski through severe bouts of PTSD, and I was moved by the attempt to portray Pulaski’s grief over Duke’s death (the rumors of which are greatly exaggerated) as deep, nuanced and lasting. In the end, I was a little embarrassed by how Pulaski seemed more enthusiastic to reunite with his canine family than with his human family—but even that had a ring of truth.
The film is part of Hallmark Channel’s Pet Project, launched in early April “to celebrate the joy and enrichment pets bring to our lives, while shining a spotlight on this country’s epidemic of pet homelessness and encouraging the public to adopt.” PetSmart Charities and American Humane Association are partners in this initiative. In addition to original movies, the Pet Project features pet-centric programming, including the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards; a microsite featuring videos, photos, pet care tips and pet-finder resources; and public service announcements voiced by Hallmark talent encouraging people to find their next pet through adoption—which is a feel-good message I can totally get behind.
Check out what Zeke’s fellow actors have to say in the video below.
Florence Ion
How do you keep track of your dog’s medical records? Many of us manage with some combination of a calendar and manila folders jammed with vet records. Finding important information can be frustrating, time-consuming and, in an emergency or when you're away from home, nerve-wracking. Whether your pup has special needs or you just want to keep track of annual checkups and vaccinations, there are a few apps out there that can help. While most keep track of very simple things, such as your dog’s medications and next appointment, a few go a step farther.
For iPhone and iPad users, Dog Medical Agenda stores all of your dog’s medical information (such as microchip information, allergies, last exam, surgeries and medications), including the infrequent visits to the acupuncturist or masseuse. For a new puppy, there’s a vaccinations tab that tracks which shots your dog should be getting at certain stages in his first year of life.
There’s also a tab that hooks up with your veterinarian’s contact information from your iPhone’s address book and stores it for future reference. The best part about Dog Medical Agenda is that you can password protect all of the data. You can then export all of that information into iCal or email it to share with family members or back-up caregivers or dog-sitters.
The only caveat is that each version of the app is priced differently, so you’ll have to pay three times over: $3.99, $4.99, and $6.99 for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac app, respectively. The developers at Jupiter Engineering hope to offer iCloud integration in a future version of the app.
For Android phone and tablet users, Pet Master Pro is the best app for keeping track of your pet’s health information. For $4.99, the app comes with a Daily Log feature that enables you to record information such as your dog’s dietary history, weight and behavior or just keep track of general notes. You can set notification alerts for upcoming appointments.
The app has a nice, clean interface, and also stores typical information, such as allergies, insurance provider and medical conditions. Unfortunately, there are no notifications to help remind you to update the daily logs, which is a shame because there are so many of them.
There’s a free version of Pet Master available, though it’s ad-supported and some of its features are only available as a one-month trial. However—and this goes for both apps—the convenience of having your dog’s vital health information organized in digital format is worth the price of a box of dog biscuits.
Key decision but not a precedent
We all share this nightmare: somehow, our beloved dog gets out of the house, runs into the street…and is tragically hit by a car. Now imagine that awful scenario being the result of someone else’s negligence. That’s what happened to a Colorado family. Last summer, Robin Lohre’s dog Ruthie was killed after being hit by a car. Ruthie escaped the family’s home while a cleaning service was working in the home and Robin had left to run an errand. To make matters worse, the cleaning service employee knew it happened, found the dog and brought her inside, laid her underneath the dining table, and left—without ever calling Robin or a vet, or even leaving a note.
Robin and her seven-year-old daughter Imogene were devastated by the loss of Ruthie.
Lohre sued Posh Maids, the cleaning service, for negligence and emotional distress. Colorado, like so many other states, considers pets to be property. Usually, when someone negligently damages your property—say, your car—you can sue only for the replacement cost. However, in recent years, attorneys across the country have been making inroads, expanding the animal law specialty and pushing the envelope with regard to how our legal system looks at pets. When someone suffers a loss like the Lohre’s, suits for emotional distress seek to address the true wrong suffered—the loss of the human-canine bond and companionship—even if the state’s statutes don’t specifically provide for those damages.
In Lohre’s case, the defendant never responded to the lawsuit, so a default judgment for the full claim of $65,000 plus interest was entered. While on the surface this is a great financial result for the Lohre and her attorney, it’s too soon to celebrate. First, since the case didn’t go to trial and a judge didn’t render a decision, the case doesn’t provide the sort of legal precedent that others later can use for their own cases. Second, we lawyers have a saying: judgments are easy to get but hard to collect. Given that the defendant was a small business owner who didn’t hire an attorney to respond to the suit, my guess is that she won’t pay, and may even file bankruptcy to avoid payment.
Still, I see the case as a victory for this most basic reason: it publicizes the idea that our pets are more than simple property. They are our invaluable companions, and the law should treat them as such. The case is also a heads up to all businesses that send employees into peoples’ homes to provide a service: be as mindful of the family pet as you would a human child.
Here’s ABC’s full report:
Helping a tornado survivor who lost husband and two Doxies
Sheryle Pickett lost everything when a tornado swept through Holton, Ind., on March 2. Her husband of 39 years, Ron Pickett, had come home sick from work and was there alone with the couple’s two Dachshunds, Jules and Katie, when the storm struck their home.
All three were killed. The house was destroyed.
“They were both little love bugs, little snugglers,” says Pickett of Jules and Katie. “That’s why I know they were all there on the couch together. Nobody died alone. They were all together.”
In the aftermath, Pickett informed the Dachshund Rescue of North America foster mom who’d taken care of both dogs before adoption. Ron and Sheryle were volunteers with the group, too. Moved by the story, Jules and Katie’s foster mom posted a note on Facebook—and word spread as fast as a Doxie on the run.
April Scott, president of the Dachshund Delights pet-supply company, spotted a sympathy message for Pickett in her Facebook feed. Inspired, she set up a ChipIn site and a raffle of Dachshund Delights gift certificates to raise Pickett some money.
“My goal was $5,000,” says Scott. “We had that in the first day.”
Thanks to Dachshund Delights’ Facebook fans and email subscribers, plus the efforts of DRNA supporters, helping Pickett became a cause célèbre in the Dachshund social-media community.
“Members of DRNA donated to the fund and also spread the word about the fundraiser,” Scott says. “Other dachshund rescue groups picked it up and told their followers about it. We got donations from individuals and from other rescue groups themselves.”
By the end of a week, contributions totaled more than $13,000.
“That is the largest single gift I’ve ever received, from people I’ve never met,” Pickett says. “After the ChipIn was closed, I received cards from Dachshund mommies and daddies with checks and great words of comfort. And some from outside of the United States, people I’ll never meet.”
Scott thinks a little of the Dachshund’s spunky nature rubs off on its owners, making them especially willing to help in an emergency.
“The Dachshund is tenacious beyond common sense,” she says. “Dog people in general, I think, try to take care of their own. But the Dachshund is a unique breed and Dachshund lovers are really a subculture of the dog world.”
“I think they just felt that they needed to do something,” Pickett says. “They lived too far away to come clean my lot, come to the funeral home … I’ve gained hundreds of Facebook friends and email friends that I didn’t have six weeks ago.”
Pickett used some of the donated money to help pay for Ron’s funeral, and stashed the rest to put a down payment on a new house. She’s currently living in a rental home in Greensburg, Ind., with Bear, Ron’s dog, who survived the tornado.
In a phone conversation, Pickett talks about Ron’s love of music and motorcycles, Jules’s adorably stubborn personality and Katie’s “why walk when you can run?” attitude. Reservations are made for a Dachshund-rescue reunion in the fall. She’s already planning to decorate her future kitchen in a Dachshund theme, painting it red for Jules, her “little red-headed girl.”
“People will think I’m a crazy dog lady, and I don’t care,” she says.
She also hopes to keep the goodwill going by helping others in the future.
“I’m going to give what I can every time,” she says. “I’ll never tell anybody no again for a truly good cause. There are so many good people in the world. People say, ‘I can only give 20 dollars.’ Those 20 dollars add up. I truly appreciate it. I will never forget.”
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