Simply Pets Magazine

WINTER 2016 ISSUE

a lifestyle magazine for people who love pets and animals

Lisa Smith Putnam {LSP} Home, Holiday, Family & Petkids

PETKIDS & SNACKS (Recipes For The Holiday) Up close and personal with

Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick A lifetime of love with animals and nature

BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE PROTECT YOUR PETKIDS FROM WINTER HAZARDS

Pets are family too Gearing up for the Holidays and the New Year!

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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CONTENTS

Winter / Special Holiday Issue ON THE COVER: Lisa Smith Putnam {LSP} Artistic Director: Gregory P. Bell

Special

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Up close and personal with Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick A lifetime of love with animals and nature

OUR HERO BOCKER THE LABRADOODLE Is it ever the right time?

Bocker a dog? NO, he was an angel with paws.

Touching the hearts of everyone he would meet.

08 We have always said that pets are

family too. Her family, her petkids just happen to be two- and-a-half to seven-ton elephants with five- to eight-foot-long tusks.

Features Jenny Alonzo One More Night (In her own words)

15 How do you say goodbye to

someone when you don’t even speak the same language? How do you say goodbye to someone when you believed you saved them and in reality they saved you? The language spoken was of the heart, and the truth is they saved each other.

38 YOUNG VOICES NANI: LOST IN SEATTLE Nani was lost when Brandon was six years old. What happened next has stayed with him until this day.

Round The Tree

29 Did you know? Pet facts! Join the discussion round the tree.

STOP! LOOK! and LISTEN! 42 Favorite- Books, Movies and Music for Holiday and Beyond

Take a break. Enjoy some of our favorite things!

YOUR LIFE WITH YOUR PETKIDS 46 A day in the life with you and your petkid.

Anja Denker Love Stories

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24 As a wildlife

MS. PETIQUETTE IS HERE FOR YOU!

photographer, Anja is passionate about all animals. But her favorite animals are anything but wild; her loves are her petkids— Bari and her shelter dog Laila.

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Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

She will give her opinion.

She will be an impartial quirky, funny, and yet sometimes serious lady with her response.

We HAVE YOU! Ms. Petiquette to the rescue.

WHAT'S OUT THERE? ANIMALS AND SPIRITS

by Jennifer Petrone 60 I truly believe that all life is sacred and all things have souls.

A RAINBOW HUG

By Alizabeth Ashley Smith

76 I was feeling quite melancholy one day, so I went for a walk in the woods.

BEHAVIOR ~ YOURS AND THEIRS

DEALING WITH A SPRAYING CAT - WITHOUT LOSING YOUR MIND!

by Francine Piriano-Davila 62 A cat that sprays can be extremely frustrating, for both you and your cat, but there is a reason behind the spraying.

HEALTH & SAFETY

HOLIDAYS AND YOUR PETS

by Healey Lockett 66 We’re all gearing up for the magic season! It starts with Halloween and rushes right on through to New Year’s Eve.

BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE

WINTER IS HERE 72 Just like you love being warm in the

winter, it’s important to think about your petkids and the temperatures outside and inside the house.

Great tips from Kim Salerno

PAW AND ORDER

DO OUR PETS HAVE LEGAL RIGHTS?

by Jeremy Cohen 50 Where do your local, state, and national elected officials stand on pets’ rights?

PETKID FUNNIES LISA AND THE PET DETECTIVES By {LSP} 56 Move over Scooby Doo and Nancy Drew. Lisa and the Pet Detectives is a new children’s book and soon to be an animated television show.

PETKID TIDBITS! 54 Just a few things that will make your lifestyle a little easier with your petkid!

NICE FIND

By Toni Patillo 70 Tips for Pet Owners When Purchasing a Home by Toni Patillo When I purchased my first home.

HOME, HOLIDAY, FAMILY, & PETKIDS

FIRST LOOK

By Teija DeVere 48 My life is full of love. I know, I know— ugggh what a cliché. But it’s true.

By Lisa Smith Putnam {LSP} 79 I grew up in a family of six humans (me, my sister, my two brothers, my mom and my dad) and at any given time two to four PetKids as well.

Petkid and snacks! Need we say more?

Recipes for the holidays.

the following people for celebrating us even before one article was ever written.

THE LOVES OF MY LIFE

WHO'S IN THE KITCHEN AND WHAT'S COOKING? 62 Who wants snacks? Petkids do!

PLAYTIME 64 Have some fun while learning

WITH LOVE 81 Simply Pets Magazine wants to thank

something new!

Pet and animal crossword puzzle. Fill in the ________.

THE SCOOP FROM LSP

FOUNDER AND PUBLISHER LETTER

By Lisa Smith Putnam 07 As Founder and Publisher, I am honored that you have chosen Simply Pets Magazine!

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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a lifestyle magazine for people who love pets and animals

Simply Pets Magazine Founder and Publisher Lisa Smith Putnam {LSP} Cedric D. Fisher Consultant

Content Editor Lillie Ammann

Marketing Director Marc Hamilton

Chief Technology Officer Dave Lohr

Creative Consultant Gregory P. Bell

Chief Financial Officer Josephine Rimpau

Columns Editor Diana Opong-Parry

Social Media Director Jason Irwin

Gratitude Guru Theresa Oschmann

Director of Sales Susan Lyman

Animated Illustrations Albert Saavedra

Artistic Director and Design Alauddin Ahmed

Counsel Simply Pets Media Tom Osinski Esq.

Simply Pets Media Creative Director

Lisa Brambilla Doble

Contributing Writers

Dr. Robert Shelto, DVM Marie Shelto Susan Lyman Jeremy Cohen, ESQ Ernie Lansford Brandon Drake Jennifer Petrone Jenny Alonzo Ashleigh Smith

Toni Patillo Teija DeVere Joel Ehrenzweig, DMV Francine Piriano-Davila Diana Opong-Parry Ms. Petiquette Healey Lockett Chef LoveJoy Cole Jennifer Olson (puzzle editor)

SIMPLY PETS MAGAZINE

620 South Orcas Street #80651, Seattle, Washington 98108 | 310.773.1406 www.simplypetsmagazine.com | info@simplypetsmagazine.com facebook/simplypetsmagazine SimplyPetsMag simplypetsmagazine

Š Copyright: Simply Pets Magazine is published by Simply Pets, LLC. The entire document of Simply Pets Magazine is Š 2016 by Simply Pets, LLC. No portion may be reopened in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the express written permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of ownership or management. Editorial or advertising does not constitute advice but is considered informative. Simply Pets Magazine is nationally and internationally operated. Occasionally we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services that we believe would interest our readers. If you do not want to receive these offers, please advise us to Simply Pets Magazine Attn: OptOut, 620 South Orcas Street #80651 Seattle, Washington 98108. Please include your exact name and address as it appears on your subscriber label.

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Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

The Scoop from LSP

As Founder and Publisher, I am honored that you have chosen Simply Pets Magazine! If you pre-ordered our magazine sight unseen, I truly hope it is all you expected it would be.

If you just happened upon it, welcome, and I hope you love what you see and snatch up a yearly subscription for yourself and a friend (at SimplyPetsMagazine.com)!

Releasing the first issue of Simply Pets Magazine during this season of thanks is very exciting. As I settle in to enjoy the holidays with family and friends, I can’t help but be filled with appreciation to those that have worked alongside me to bring this magazine to fruition. I am also very thankful to you, our reader, for taking time to pick up this magazine and to read this letter.

December is my favorite time of the year! Maybe it’s because it’s my birthday month, maybe it’s because everyone seems to be filled with an extra dose of cheer, or maybe it’s because this month is filled with fond memories of family and friends being together. It is in that spirit that I share with you how Simply Pets Magazine came to be.

For more than twenty-five years I’ve worked in the music, television, radio, and now print industries. However, it is my love of animals that’s taken me on this fantastic journey while juggling the rest. I’m the proud PetMom of five PetKids: three big labs and two cats. Although I am allergic to these loves, I’m sure my life would not be quite as rich without them. I wanted to create Simply Pets Magazine for those of us that who love pets and animals in general. I wanted to create a magazine that your whole family can read together, one that represents you as a PetParent, as well as your PetKids, your values, and your interests as a pet-loving person.

We humans can learn so much from animals, first and foremost love (I’ve learned to love on such a deeper level) and patience.

Did I mention patience? Someone is always needing something. Why is it the minute I think tonight is the night for a good night’s sleep, someone has to go potty in the middle of the night—and it isn’t me. In this season

Photo By Denise Knudson

Lisa Smith Putnam {LSP} with her PetKid Jaxxs

of thanksgiving and time with loved ones, our PetKids are part of it all.

I hope this magazine occasionally makes you laugh, and sometimes causes you to shed a tear. Maybe you’ll learn a few tricks (page 54 for our "Tidbits section) and some great recipes for your PetKid in the “Who’s in the kitchen and what’s cooking?” section (page 62) too. Through amazing pictures and stories, we’ll take you to far-off places, then bring you back home again. Our feature story is about Doctor Dame Daphne Sheldrick, whom we interviewed in Africa (page 8). She helps orphaned elephants find care and a forever home. The magazine will celebrate pet and animal life, pet families, and all the things that are dear to my heart and, I believe, to the hearts of other PetParents.

We here at Simply Pets Magazine hope you’ll be an active part of the journey we’re on to have this publication represent all the things I’ve expressed so far. How do we make that happen? By having you share

your stories, pictures, and even your jokes!

After all, this magazine is for you and the loving, always-full-of-adventure life you lead with your PetKids, whether at home or on the road! We will continually evolve, because YOU, your PetKid, and your family are constantly evolving too. We welcome you to be a part of this creation and adventure every other month.

Feel free to reach out to me directly, lisa@simplypetsmedia.com, and let me know how we’re doing! I love to encourage people to Laugh, Share, and Play every day! LSP

I am Lisa Smith Putnam {LSP}…that’s me!

Founder & Publisher of Simply Pets Magazine CEO of Simply Pets Media twitter @lisasmithputnam facebook/lisasmithputnam

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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Up Close

Daphne Sheldrick W

hen I first decided to publish Simply Pets Magazine, I thought about the story I wanted to be the premier article for the inaugural issue. The choice wasn’t difficult as I recalled an interview I’d seen many years ago with a woman named Daphne Sheldrick. The magic of that story never left me, so it is fitting that I share with you that magical tale with the hope that it will touch your heart as it has mine.

Although I saw the interview more than fifteen years ago, the story, the emotion, and the reasons she did what she did have stuck with me all these years. I can’t forget the tears she shed, the love she showed, and the courage she exhibited to go it alone to be the voice for those magnificent creatures. I knew she had to be a part of my magazine. I want to embrace people like her all over the world who dedicate themselves to protecting and enhancing the lives of animals—those who give love to animals, not because it is cool, not because there are cameras running, but because they love those beings that have no voice and need us to protect their very existence, now more than ever.

Webster’s Dictionary defines the word inspire as follows: 1) to make (someone) want to do something: to give (someone) an idea about what to do or create; 2) to cause someone to have (a feeling or emotion).

Dame Sheldrick has inspired me for years. She was one of the inspirations for the creation of Simply Pets Magazine to share stories that reach deep and touch our hearts even when we think all hope is lost.

She has inspired me, like many others, to raise my voice for those who cannot speak, but who need love, understanding, and compassion from us humans.

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Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

Up Close Sadly, for many, their very survival depends on us.

We as humans must learn to hear their silent cries for help. If more people simply listened like Dame Sheldrick does, I wonder where we all would be.

It’s people like Dame Daphne who have learned to listen, not with their ears, but with their loving hearts and to open their arms to give hope to many.

This magazine is about all animals— both wild and domestic. We can learn from all animals, not only the wild, but also the domesticated, our �etkids.

Dame Sheldrick, please allow me to share your story and take the readers on a trip to the great continent of Africa, which many elephants call home. Allow them to fall in love with the elephants and feel motivated to act, to do something!

If this article inspires only one person to help animals, big or small, anywhere there is a need, I will be pleased. Whether you help a lost dog find its home or a missing cat reunite with its parent, we thank you. You—we—will have given that animal another day and in some small way ourselves a fighting chance.

I am a firm believer that the way we treat the children and animals of this world is the benchmark as to how the human race is doing. I take heart that more and more people are understanding the bond between human and animals, the things we can learn from the animals.

I take heart that there are people like Doctor Dame Daphne Sheldrick. Not everyone can have a life of love like Doctor Sheldrick, but certainly everyone can have a life of love. And those of us with a petkid in our lives know truly how rewarding life can be. Doctor Sheldrick refers to elephants as her children. Many years ago when I saw her being interviewed, she was caressing the trunk of a very large elephant.

When she was asked what these elephants mean to her and why she cares so much, she replied, “These are not just elephants to me. They’re like my children, each needing love and care….” She started to tear up and then cry. I felt her passion, and the love, care, and tenderness she showed makes Dr. Sheldrick one of my heroines and the reason she is the first feature in Simply Pets Magazine. We have always said that pets are family too. Her family, her petkids just happen to be twoand-a-half to seven-ton elephants with

five- to eight-foot-long tusks.

I have seen many inspiring video clips and stories about the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. I believe most humans love only what we know or think we know, but few of us have ever been close to an elephant except at the zoo. I invite you to fall in love with some of the most majestic giants that roam our planet— the elephants that Doctor Daphne Dame Sheldrick has come to love and adore.

Dame Sheldrick has lost a great human love, yet she continues to give love with her whole heart to the elephants and the team that cares for them. Even with the sometimes-tragic poaching that occurs, her heart remains open and optimistic about people and life. Through it all, she still believes in the goodness of all people’s hearts; she believes in humanity.

I feel blessed and honored that Dame Daphne granted me an interview. The privilege of interviewing someone I have long admired who is so passionate about love, life, and animals makes my soul vibrate at the highest level. Her story resonated with me, and I hope you enjoy this glimpse into her world through a magnificent window. If I have succeeded, you will come to know and understand why I so lovingly call this piece “a lifetime of love—love for animals, family, humanity, and life.” We all know that sometimes giving love is not easy

and understanding can be difficult. But sometimes against all odds, if we never give up, we might experience awe. We can do the incredible and learn wonderful things—if we just let awe happen. We may be separated by an ocean and continent, yet we are connected in spirit by love.

The following is excerpted from the prologue to Love, Life, and Elephants: An African Love Story, by Doctor Dame Daphne Sheldrick.

The day had begun well. My friend and I were in Tsavo National Park, among the tangled vegetation and wild herds, searching for Eleanor. I was eager to find my most treasured orphaned elephant.

Over my many years of involvement with elephants, there was no doubt about it: Eleanor had taught me the most about her kind. We had been through many ups and downs together. She was my old friend. …At last – in the right area – we spotted a wild herd. From a distance it was never easy to identify Eleanor among a milling crowd of her fellow adults, and I had never felt the need to do so, certain that she would always know me. Unlike the other wild elephants of Tsavo, who had no reason to either like or trust humans, Eleanor would always want to come when called, to greet me, simply for old times’ sake. I have come to know a lot about elephant memory and how very similar to ourselves elephants are in terms of emotion – after

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Simply Azul Chocolates your passport to the heart of blue Inspired by Lisa Smith Putnam Created by Jan Struab

www.simplyazulchocolates.com Twitter/@simplyazulchocolates Facebook/simplyazulchocolates

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Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

Up Close all, greeting an old friend makes you feel good, remembered, wanted.

There stood a large cow elephant drinking at a muddy pool, her family already moving off among the bushes.

From this distance, it didn’t look much like Eleanor, for although as large, this elephant was stockier. I told my friend as much. ‘How disappointing,’ he said. ‘I was so hoping to meet her.’ ‘I’ll call her,’ I replied, ‘and if this is Eleanor, she will respond.’ She did. The elephant looked up at me, her ears slightly raised, curious.

She left the pool and walked straight up to us. ‘Hello Eleanor’ I said. ‘You’ve put on weight.’ I looked into her eyes, which curiously were pale amber. I had a fleeting thought that Eleanor’s eyes were darker, but I dismissed this instantly. This must be Eleanor. Wild elephants in Tsavo simply did not behave this way, approaching humans so trustingly. The Tsavo herds were now innately suspicious of our kind, having been relentlessly persecuted in the poaching holocaust of the 70s, 80s, and early 90s.

‘Yes,’ I said to my friend. ‘This is Eleanor.’

Reaching up, I touched her cheeks and felt the cool ivory of her tusks, caressing her below the chin in greeting. Her eyes were

gentle and friendly, fringed with long dark lashes; her manner was welcoming.

‘She’s beautiful,’ murmured my friend.

‘Stand next to her so that I can take a photo.’ I positioned myself beside one massive foreleg, reaching up my hand to stroke her behind the ear, something that I loved doing with Eleanor. The hind side of an elephant’s ear is as soft and smooth to the touch as silk and always deliciously cool.

I was totally unprepared for what happened next. The elephant took a pace backwards, swung her giant head and, using her trunk to lift my body, threw me like a piece of weightless flotsam high through the air with such force that I smashed down onto a giant clump of boulders some twenty paces away. I knew at once that the impact had shattered my right leg, for I could hear and feel the bones crunch as I struggled to sit up. I could see that I was already bleeding copiously from an open wound in my thigh. Astonishingly, there was no pain – not yet, anyway.

My friend screamed. The elephant – I knew for certain now that this was not Eleanor – rushed at me, towering above my broken body as I braced myself for the end.

I closed my eyes and began to pray. I had a lot to be thankful for, but I did not want to leave this world quite yet. Inside I began to panic, jumbled thoughts crowding my mind. But suddenly there was a moment of pure stillness – as if the world had simply stopped turning – and as I opened my eyes I could feel the elephant gently insert her tusks between my body and the rocks.

Rather than a desire to kill, I realized that the elephant was actually trying to help me by lifting me to my feet, encouraging me to stand. I thought: this is how they respond to their young. But lifting me now could be catastrophic for my broken body. ‘No!’ I shouted as I smacked the tip of the wet trunk that reached down to touch my face.

She gazed down at me, her ears splayed open in the shape of Africa, her eyes kind and concerned. Then, lifting one huge foot, she began to feel me gently all over, barely touching me. Her great ears stood out at right angles to her huge head as she contemplated me lying helpless, merely inches from the tip of two long, sharp tusks.

I knew then that she did not intend to kill me – elephants are careful where they tread and do not stomp on their victims. If they do intend to kill, they kneel down and

‘She’s beautiful,’ murmured my friend.

‘Stand next to her so that I can take a photo.’ I positioned myself beside one massive foreleg, reaching up my hand to stroke her behind the ear, something that I loved doing with Eleanor. The hind side of an elephant’s ear is as soft and smooth to the touch as silk and always deliciously cool.

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Up Close our attention these days? And please share with me why you are so drawn to them.

DAME DAPHNE:

Lisa, everyone should care not only about elephants but about all who exist within the natural world and appreciate that each and every species has a role to play that contributes towards the balance and health of the earth. All animals are special, and I’m drawn to the eyes of any animal (and of humans too). Eyes are the windows to the soul and also indicators of mood. Eyes speak volumes and seldom lie.

LISA:

That is a wonderful statement, Dame Daphne. Your eyes seem to pierce the very soul of one’s being and yet the love that reverberates back to you gives a sense of calmness, one of love.

Why do you feel it is you who must protect these magnificent creatures, and do you feel a personal connection with each and every one?

DAME DAPHNE:

Photos are courtesy of The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust provided by Mr. Anthony Ngethe.

Special thanks to Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick for granting us the interview and to Ms. Lina Sideras for coordinating everything on our behalf for this wonderful opportunity.

use the top of the trunk and forehead.

And it was at this moment – with an astonishing clarity of thought, that I can still feel within me to this day – I realized that if I were to live, I needed to fulfil the debt owed to Nature and all the animals that had so enriched my life. For even as I could feel the broken bones within my crumpled body, feel the fire of pain now engulfing me, and even though it was one of my beloved creatures that had caused me this distress, I knew then and there that I had an absolute duty to pass on my intimate knowledge and understanding of Africa’s wild animals and my belonging to Kenya.

I thought: if I survive this, I will write. This will be my legacy. I will set

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down everything I have learned in my efforts to contribute to the conservation, preservation and protection of wildlife in this magical land. It was as if this elephant had heard my thoughts. There was a tense silence as she took one more look at me and moved slowly off. I would live on.

As a journalist, I was taught to always make sure to ask the why early. Why will allow the story to unfold. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: Doctor Dame Daphne Sheldrick: In her own words and the why…

LISA:

Why should we as humans even care about the existence of elephants and their treatment/existence in the world, especially with so many causes wanting

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

I am passionate about the natural world and all its wild denizens, not just the elephants. In my time, I have handreared orphans of most African wild species—many antelopes, big and small; rhinos; buffaloes; zebras; ostriches; in fact, just about everything save the big cats.

LISA:

What is it that you know that perhaps many might not know if they’ve never been around animals?

DAME DAPHNE:

When you raise an animal, you learn the inside story—how it feels and thinks and what makes it tick, always, of course, with an understanding of its natural role within the big picture. Our earthly home was not created only for humans, nor did it devolve only for humans. In fact, humans have stepped out of nature and the consequence of that could be terminal for our species.

If it’s true that we humans have stepped out of nature, then I believe that we owe it to ourselves to get back to nature and understand that our todays affect our tomorrows.

It’s important that everyone

Up Close understands that all species belong to the earth, and each and every one contributes in different ways to the health and wellbeing of the whole.

We can learn so very much from elephants and all animals. From elephants, we can learn humility and gentleness despite strength and size, forgiveness, and caring for others irrespective of age.

LISA:

When you look back over your life, is there one moment in time that made you think what you were doing was not worth it?

DAME DAPHNE:

No! I’ve never dreamed of doing anything else. No, never.

LISA:

Besides your animals, looking back over your life, what or who are your greatest loves?

I can already feel your excitement, commitment, and warmth before you even respond.

DAME DAPHNE:

My husband was exceptional in every way, not only with stunning good looks; he was extremely competent in everything he undertook. He was a born leader, and his love of the natural world plus his compassion and understanding of nature were awesome and unmatched. He taught me all I know today. We were totally compatible, and I loved him unconditionally and still do. For me, there is no one else that could ever match David

in stature, in competence, and in looks. He was surrounded by an unmistakable air of authority that nobody could possibly miss.

LISA:

And what does that love mean to you?

DAME DAPHNE:

For me family is everything, as it is for the elephants. They mirror us humans in terms of emotion, age progression, and longevity, but they’re better than us in many other ways, with mysterious means of communication that include telepathic capabilities. Family is, of course, one’s human family and extended family, but also the animals under one’s care who are also much loved.

LISA:

People talk about legacy often when someone has done so much, and their body of work fills us with a sense of wonder and awe. As it relates to Dame Daphne, the Sheldrick legacy lives and will live on in Tsavo, Kenya’s largest and most important protected area and home to a wider variety of wild species than any other place on earth. It is there that the Northern and Southern forms of the same general species just happen to meet, e.g., the Maasai and Somali ostriches, the normal Grant’s gazelle and the Peter’s gazelle, to name just a few.

Dame Daphne, what would you hope and love for your personal legacy?

DAME DAPHNE:

I’d rather talk about the legacy of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT).

I’ve recorded this wonderful legacy in

Long after my interview with this amazing lady, I was honored to receive an autographed copy of Love, Life, and Elephants: An African Love Story. I already had a copy as I had previously read it for pleasure, then read it again preparing for this interview.

However, I will cherish forever the copy Dame Daphne sent me with a wonderful inscription that read “To Lisa~ Thank you for what you do to serve and protect the animals who call this planet home!

Please continue on with what you are doing as love is needed to and for all.

With love and affection…Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick” I can tell you my heart was and will forever be touched and humbled by her love and support.

If you would like to participate with the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and Foundation, please visit www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org. They have a program that lets you sponsor one of the orphan elephants and receive personal updates on its wellbeing.

You must have much trust to take care of any animal, domesticated or wild, but when that animal is an elephant that is much bigger and stronger than the average man or woman, you must have an enormous amount of trust and respect for the animal because your life depends on it.

my four books and encapsulated it in my autobiography, Love, Life, and Elephants: An African Love Story. One day I hope this will be a film on the big screen, but long after I have passed away.

I founded DSWT in 1977 in memory of my exceptional husband. The elephant and rhino rescue and rehabilitation program is recognized around the world.

We also have mobile and aerial vet units, anti-poaching units, conservation initiatives, and community outreach.

Did you know?

Male African elephants are the largest surviving terrestrial animals and can reach a height of four meters (thirteen feet) and weigh 7,000 kilograms (15,000 pounds). Their heart beats twenty-eight times per minute compared to that of a human at sixty to ninety beats per minute.

I asked Dame Sheldrick about donations to the trust and how it works. “People get detailed accounting of every donation given for a specific purpose, but many people trust us to use their contributions wisely and where they will have the most impact.

In this respect one reaps what one sows and people like what we do and trust us to do it well.”

Her answer made me smile. My why? Maybe that is it. A little trust and a little love go a long way—much further than you’ll ever know. It is evident that Dame Sheldrick’s love and trust for the animals and mankind will never stop. It will just continue to grow and grow.

As Dame Daphne wrote in her memoirs, the elephants seem to know her and they never forget. I will certainly never forget Dame Sheldrick.

May her work and her legacy continue for generations to come, so all people may have the opportunity to see some of the most beautiful and elegant creatures— big or small, domestic or wild—in her work and in those who are impacted by her work and in others who strive every day to make this world a better place for all creatures.

To find out more about Doctor Dame Daphne Sheldrick and the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, please visit the following websites: www. sheldrickwildlifetrust.org, www. facebook.com/thedswt, www.twitter. com/dswt, www.youtube.com/ dswtkenya, www.iworry.org.

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Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

One More Night

JUST ONE MORE NIGHT In her own words ~ Jenny Alonzo Introduction by Lisa Smith Putnam

How do you say goodbye to someone when you don’t even speak the same language? How do you say goodbye to someone when you believed you saved them and in reality they saved you? The language spoken was of the heart, and the truth is they saved each other.

L

ove like that never leaves you. Like a melody that plays over and over in your mind, so does the memory of this love. Many people just call a dog a dog, but to Jenny Alonzo, he was her heart.

Have you ever had a heart dog? You know—a dog that you feel knows what you’re thinking? Knows when your feet hit the door? Knows when you’re blue? A dog that seems to look right through you to your core? A dog that just knows you through and through? Yeah, I’m sure you do, and if you have never experienced it, please remember this. One day, if you keep on giving, if you keep on loving, one day that heart dog is going to come along and your life will be forever changed. Forever changed to the positive as you’ll try a little harder, be a bit better, and love a lot deeper. It will come with ease as you would have learned from one of the best.

You will never ever forget that one; you will then know what it means to have the love unconditionally from the one many refer to as “the heart dog.” Do you receive only one heart dog in your lifetime? Can it only be a dog? Those are wonderful questions, but I don’t think there is an answer; it depends on the person and the love they share with that animal.

For Jenny Alonzo, it just happened to be a dog, her loyal companion, her love, her petkid, and all she wanted more than anything was just one more night … Here is Jenny’s story.

I sent out an email to friends and

My daughters were in their grooves at school, which kept them busy. But my husband works out of the house, so every corner he turned, there was a memory of Randy. And he didn’t want to throw anything out—he didn’t want to throw out his bed, he didn’t want to throw out his balls, he didn’t want to throw anything out. family when Randy passed, and I got such responses from everyone who read that story. I’m going through a very hard time right now. We adopted a dog after Randy passed. We put Randy down October 14, 2012, and we ended up adopting another dog December 13, 2012, two months later. I was spending a lot of time in LA, traveling back and forth to New York.

My husband was going through a sort

of depression after we lost Randy. My daughters were in their grooves at school, which kept them busy. But my husband works out of the house, so every corner he turned, there was a memory of Randy.

And he didn’t want to throw anything out—he didn’t want to throw out his bed, he didn’t want to throw out his balls, he didn’t want to throw anything out. So we ended up adopting. We found another dog through the internet and we adopted Copper. He is mixed pit and Rhodesian Ridgeback, so he’s huge; he’s 103 pounds.

He is absolutely stunning.

We can’t walk the streets without people stopping us about Copper. But, unlike Randy, he’s not pet-friendly. He doesn’t like other dogs, he doesn’t like cats, he doesn’t like pets. He doesn’t mind birds—he’ll walk around a bird or a duck. But a cat or a dog or a squirrel, he just goes crazy to the point where we had an incident with him where he bit.

I was walking him, and someone else was walking their dog without a leash.

The dog came running towards Copper; I couldn’t hold him, and Copper ended up biting the other dog’s ass. Even though the other people were walking their dog without a leash, I could tell the family didn’t have the necessary resources. So we ended up paying $5000 to get that bill settled to save that little dog. From that point on, we became extra cautious with Copper.

Copper has created a lot of angst

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One More Night

All photos courtesy of Jenny Alonzo

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Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

in the family. My daughter Alexa didn’t want us to adopt another dog; she didn’t understand why we were bringing in another dog so fast. She wasn’t given the opportunity to grieve her pet, a dog that she saved, that she fought to bring into the house. And that created a lot of tension between her and my husband who wondered, “Why don’t you like this animal? Why don’t you like Copper after all we did for Randy? We welcomed Randy into our home, and when you went back to school, we took care of him. Why is it that you show this kind of disregard for Copper?”

My husband didn’t understand that she was grieving, and she didn’t understand why my husband needed to have another dog in the house right away.

It has created a tremendous amount of angst in the family to this day, to be honest with you.

But Copper is just the most amazing, sweet, playful, sometimes mischievous dog you’ll ever meet. He’s a mush with people—he thinks everybody is his best friend. As a matter of fact, people say, “If you ever lose him, you’ll never get him back,” because he’ll literally go with anyone. But some see that he’s a large pit, and they’ll cross the street when they see us coming. It’s ignorance; they don’t know what to expect. If they’re coming with a dog, I’ll be the one to cross the street because I want to prevent any issues. I’ll usually say, “Oh, he’s just not pet-friendly, and we’re keeping him away from other animals.”

But Randy was my first entry into having a pet, having a mascot. I’d never even had a goldfish. Randy changed my entire life. He really came into my life to save my life. Without him, I would have never caught the cancers I had. It’s interesting that once I went through all my surgeries and was in full recovery, Randy was diagnosed with cancer all over his body, and he ended up leaving.

They say people come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Randy came into my life for a reason, and it’s the kind of thing you just never ever forget.

Because of Randy I have a strong affinity for animals, especially dogs.

It doesn’t matter where I am—on an airplane, anywhere—I can’t resist a dog. I’m this crazy dog lover now. I have friends who aren’t big dog lovers, and they ask me, “What’s wrong with you?”

I tell them, “I can’t explain it. Because

One More Night I was you. Many, many years ago, I was you. Before 2011, I was you. I wondered what was wrong with that person who was so passionate about dogs. I’d think, That’s a cute dog, and move on. I can’t explain the change to you.”

Dogs have an ability to change people’s lives, and so it was with my daughter Alexa, who is a psychology major who graduated from Fordham University. She had gone into St. John’s as a chemistry major because she intended to become a vet. After taking her first year of chemistry, she changed her mind. She said, “I don’t want to do this.” She started looking into the life of a vet. She volunteered at a couple of shelters in New York City, shadowing vets.

She said, “I can’t do it, Mom.” She transferred to Fordham and decided to go into psychology.

She wants to open an agility center in New York City—there isn’t one. Just as someone goes to a rehab center for physical therapy, people can go to this agility center for therapy with animals as well as physical therapy. They will experience not only treatment but also the connection with a pet. With the owners’ permission, the pets can be taken once a week to different centers around the city to visit children or war veterans who are sick or patients who are lonely and depressed. That’s her ultimate goal.

Right now, she’s dog-walking; she started walking dogs while she was going to school. She was right there by Lincoln Center, so she approached someone.

That person led to another that led to another and another. She’s now walking dogs for quite a few prominent people in Manhattan. As she got more and more customers, she had to hire a couple of dog walkers. She has a student from Hunter College and two from City College in Manhattan who are walking for her. She’s got her own little business, and she’s looking to expand and get more clients.

She’s all about positive reinforcement; she doesn’t believe in punishment—spike collars or anything like that. She’s a certified trainer. Her clients have referred her because of her approach. Every client gets a journal, and all the dog walkers write a journal entry for every dog every day. An entry might read, “Today Henry walked along the east side of Central Park. He pooped three times; he played with so and so; he got into trouble with me because he picked up a bone.” It’s like babysitting; when you pick up your kid at night, the babysitter tells you, “Oh today he had a good day. He ate all his Farina but he didn’t want to drink his milk.” So you, the parent, know what’s going on. “He didn’t poop today so make sure he poops tonight.” Alexa keeps the petparents informed, and they love it. It really lets them feel like “Oh wow, this is our child.” It’s their petkid, right?

Alexa has kept me with that connection to dogs.

I’m now separated from my husband, and he has Copper. We’re going through a challenge because Copper was recently diagnosed with lymphoma.

Copper is going through chemo back in New York,

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One More Night

and the pressure is on my husband. I’m here working in Los Angeles, and it’s really tough. I don’t know that I can go through this with another dog because I’ve never experienced more heartache than when we lost Randy.

Randy was a rescue—he was found chained to a turnstile in a subway station in Queens. He was brought to the animal control center in Manhattan, which is a kill shelter. That center was one of the places that Alexa volunteered. She was going to school and volunteering at shelters across New York City—including Tribeca, Lower East Side, and Upper East Side.

Randy was brought into the Manhattan shelter around December 17, 2010. Alexa fell in love with him, and he fell in love with her. We went to Florida for the holiday. While we were there, she said, “There’s this dog that I love. Mom, why don’t we adopt a dog?”

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I said “No, absolutely not.” I’m a germaphobe, and the idea of a dog coming into the house and shaking mud all over just killed me. I said “Absolutely not. That is not happening. If you want a fish, I’ll oblige. Let’s get a tank.”

Alexa insisted she didn’t want a fish.

We went back and forth.

After we returned from the holiday vacation, there was storm after storm after storm. Mayor Bloomberg was criticized by the media because sanitation wasn’t ready; it was a whole disaster. Sidewalks and cars were buried, and Alexa headed into the city. I didn’t want her out in those conditions, but she said she would take the bus and the train.

When she got into the city, she found the dog was still there—he hadn’t been adopted. She came home and said, “Oh Mom, this dog—his name is Randy—is such a good dog. You really should consider it.”

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

Again, I said, “Absolutely not.”

That Thursday, I was downstairs on a phone call when Alexa ran down the stairs sobbing hysterically. I told the person on the phone I’d call them back. “Alexa, what’s the matter?”

“It doesn’t matter,” she replied. “You don’t care. What difference does it make?

You don’t care.”

“Alexa, what’s wrong?”

“Jerry told me they’re putting Randy on a list.”

“What does that mean?”

“Mom, they’re going to kill him.

They’re going to kill him!” She was crying so much I could hardly understand her.

“Why would they kill him, Alexa?”

“Because no one has adopted him, and he can’t be there much longer. They only hold them for a few days.” She continued to sob, inconsolable. Finally, she went back up to her room and locked herself in.

Her dad called me. I said “Lewis,

One More Night I think Alexa is having a nervous breakdown.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I can’t get her to calm down. She’s been crying for hours.” I told him what was going on.

“Well Jenny,” he said. “You know Alexa has always been a great kid. I’m not really sure we should completely dispel this.”

“Lewis, do you realize what you’re asking? She’s going back to school in a few weeks; don’t forget she’s still on her winter break. Who’s going to take care of the dog when she goes back to school?”

At that point she was still at St. John’s and living in the dorm. “I just can’t do this.”

“Well, let’s at least consider it. Maybe tell her she’s got a couple of weeks. We save the dog, and she can find it a home.”

I said, “Well she can find it a home over there.”

I eventually agreed to take her to the animal control center on Saturday. By that time Lewis would take the car out of the garage and plow the driveway. “Tell them we’re coming and not to do anything with Randy,” I said.

“What’s your plan, Mom?” “Look, we’ll give them money to hold Randy so they don’t kill him. I’ll write a check for $1000 and tell them to hold him until you find him a home. But he’s got to stay over there; he’s not coming here. At least they won’t kill him. You can go over to him every day, you can go walk him, you can do whatever you want, Alexa. But he’s not coming to the house.”

Saturday we got to the shelter about four. At 8:30 we walked out with Randy, adopted.

When we got there, they brought him out right away. The supervisor of the animal control center said, “He has a love affair with your daughter. When he sees her, he goes nuts.”

They were inside, and I was behind a door that has a glass window. They took Randy out of the area he was in. When he saw Alexa in the hallway, he started running, like he was running a marathon for his life.

I screamed, “He’s going to eat my daughter.”

The supervisor said, “No, no, no. He loves your daughter.”

She grabbed him and sat on the floor up against the wall. Randy licked her, and Alexa hugged him.

When I saw them together, I said “Oh Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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One More Night

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So I called my husband, and we agreed with Alexa that we were going to bring Randy home and she had three weeks before she went back to school to find him a permanent home. She promised that she was going to use her social media and talk to everyone she knew to find Randy a home.

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

my, what am I doing?”

The supervisor told me, “We don’t really know anything about him. He doesn’t have chip; he doesn’t have a collar. All we can tell you is the police found him in a subway station and brought him here. Both cops say he behaved very well in the car and gave them no problem. So far what we see from him is that he’s very loving, but we can’t make you do anything.”

So I called my husband, and we agreed with Alexa that we were going to bring Randy home and she had three weeks before she went back to school to find him a permanent home. She promised that she was going to use her social media and talk to everyone she knew to find Randy a home.

Yes, she found Randy a home—our house. The first week was hell for me. I was so scared of him that I wouldn’t be alone with him. If I was alone in the house, Randy was in the basement. He ended up spending most of his time in Alexa’s room, where his bed was. If he came down to eat, he came with Alexa or Lewis. I was not open to this dog because he was a pit, we didn’t know anything about him, and his ears were cut.

The turning point came one Saturday when we were all home. My husband and I were downstairs in the family room watching TV. Alexa came down to the kitchen and failed to close her door completely. Suddenly, Randy started down the stairs.

I called to Alexa that Randy was coming down.

“Mom, relax. I’ll be right there.”

“No, Randy is on his way down. What did we agree on?”

And suddenly he was standing in front of me. I sat there, not willing to move because I didn’t know how he would react to me because I’ve been kind of weird with him, as you can imagine. He came over and sat and put his face on my

knee. My hands were on my knees, but I was afraid to move them. I’d seen how quickly he moved. Randy snuck his nose in between my hand and my knee and lifted my hand up so I could pet him. And he put the other hand on my other leg and just stood there for a little bit like he was telling me, “See, I’m not that bad.” I looked at him without moving.

Alexa realized she didn’t hear anything and ran into the living room to look for Randy.

When she saw us, she said, “You see, Mom.” I looked at her and said, “Oh my….”

She went back to school with the deal that she would come home on weekends to be with Randy. She got busy with school, though, and that didn’t happen.

I became the one taking care of Randy, especially on weekends.

My youngest daughter is at home, but she’s involved in a lot of activities, so I was the one caring for Randy.

I took a project with one of the Viacom networks, and I went into the city every single day. By that time, everyone knew Randy was staying, and someone needed to walk him.

My husband walked him in the morning, and I walked him at night. Whether I got home at 7 o’clock, 9 o’clock, 10 o’clock, or later, Randy would be waiting at the front entrance. No matter how tired I was, I changed my shoes, put on my snow boots, got a heavier coat, put on my music, and took Randy out.

Those daily walks caused me to start losing weight. I was a good thirty pounds overweight from the lifestyle of travel, eating at hotels and restaurants, and eating at 10 o’clock at night, with no time for the gym.

For many years, I’d had a bump between my shoulder and the base of my neck. I had gone to the doctor for it long ago, and the doctor told me, “It’s just a lipoma, a ball of fat. You don’t need to worry about it unless it

One More Night bothers you. People get them all the time.

Sometimes they go down; sometimes they don’t.” So I ignored it, because it wasn’t bothering me and it wasn’t that visible.

That summer, though, after I lost weight, the bump became noticeable. My husband encouraged me to get it checked again, so I made a doctor’s appointment to get a physical. My blood work and all the tests came out fine, and the doctor referred me to a surgeon to remove the bump, which was done in June.

I decided while I was going to the doctor, I should go to every doctor I know.

I hadn’t been to dermatologist in over a decade, so I made an appointment with a new dermatologist and got a referral to a new gynecologist near where I live.

My appointment with the dermatologist was a week after the lipoma was removed. The dermatologist did a whole body scan. She asked me about the two-inch incision where the lipoma had been removed, and I told her about that surgery. Then she saw something on the front of my shoulder, right before my armpit. She asked me what it was.

“I don’t know,” I answered.

“Does that bother you?”

“No.” It was a little mark the size of my pinkie fingernail, and when you touched it, it felt like there was a little lump inside.

“Has that changed? When did you first get it?” she asked.

“I have no idea.”

“Has it changed in size or in color?”

I answered, “I have no idea. I’ve barely noticed it. I just figured it’s some kind of scar tissue or something. Why?” “I want to take a biopsy of that. It looks like something called CFST. I don’t want to scare you, but I want to take a look at it. If it’s CFST, it’s cancer that stays very intact. It doesn’t grow into a mass or ball like other cancers. This one has a nucleus but then it has tentacles like an octopus, like a spider web—that’s how it grows. I’m concerned that it’s so close to your arm, to the lymph nodes in your neck, your armpit, and your breast. We need to figure that out right away.” She pointed to the incision on my back. “Who did this behind you? I see you still have the stitches.”

I told her my surgeon’s name and said, “I need to get the stitches out on Friday.”

“I know Dr. Lightener. I’ll call him. I’ll have him take care of it and send me the

results.”

At the appointment on Friday, Dr. Lightener took out the stitches, then took a biopsy of the spot Dr. Karol had found.

After the procedure, he and his assistant returned. “Remember I told you when we removed the lipoma that it was an easy procedure. I do about a hundred of those a year. They’re very common. Well, about 5% of that 100 come back bad. You’re one of the five.”

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“It’s cancer. We need to go back in and make sure we got everything. And then depending on how much we’re able to get, we’ll have to see what else is going on in your body.”

The biopsy on the spot on the front also came back cancer—CFST. I had to have two separate surgeries. For one, I had to be facing down, and for the other one I had to be facing up. They put me through a body scan to determine which was most urgent.

When I went to the gynecologist, I discovered I had a 10.5-centimeter fibroid on my uterus. It was too big to use a laser, so I had to face another surgery. If the fibroid was affecting only the uterus, I wouldn’t have any long-term effects. At age fifty, I no longer needed a uterus.

However, if the ovaries were also involved, I would have to have hormone therapy.

I asked the doctor if I could wait until after we got back from vacation at the end of August. My entire family had made

plans for the summer. We scheduled the fibroid surgery for August 29, then I had a speaking engagement at the end of September and another huge one in October. The other two surgeries would have to wait.

I scheduled the one for the back of my neck for the Monday after Thanksgiving, then I had to wait three weeks before they could do the one in the front, the one with the CFST that Dr. Karol was concerned about. The uterine surgery went well; there was no involvement of the ovaries.

However, it was a long and painful recovery. When they did the surgery on my back, I told them to make sure they got it all. Little did we all know that cancer, what I had been told was a lipoma—just a ball of fat—was already eating the muscles of my neck. I went from a twoinch incision to an entire six inches of scar into my muscle. After all that surgery, the recovery was long.

The last surgery was December.

The following summer we went back to Florida. We have a house down there and try to go there every break we get. We drove down because we took Randy. My mom and the girls flew down, and my husband and I drove. Sometimes the girls rode down with us if my mother wasn’t coming.

The summer of 2012, we all drove down, and it was great. Randy loved it there even though it was very hot. The house there is three times the size of

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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One More Night the house in New York. It’s sunny and beautiful, and he has the pool and lots of space.

When we returned to New York, Randy was a little down for a couple of days, and we wondered what was wrong with him. We decided he was probably depressed because we were back in New York. We didn’t think anything was really wrong. He sometimes vomited a gooey yellow thing, depending on what he ate.

We told the vet, but he wasn’t concerned since Randy seemed strong.

One morning, I was in the kitchen; everybody else was out. I heard a big tumble down the steps and ran to the living room. Randy was on the floor; he had fallen down the stairs. He’d never done that before, so I ran to him and took him over to his bed.

“Baby, what’s wrong?”

He looked at me and tried to get up again. I called my husband and said, “It’s the weirdest thing. Randy just fell down the stairs.”

I called Alexa and suggested we take Randy to the vet, but within an hour he seemed fine again—not as happy as usual but functioning fine. A couple of days later, Alexa took him to Waggers to have him groomed. The groomer discovered a lump inside his left hind leg. Alexa called me and told me the groomer said we should take Randy to the vet immediately.

I told her I would meet them at Bayside Animal Hospital, near Waggers.

We took him in and they did tests, including blood work. We got a call the next day; Randy had cancer, and it was throughout his body. The hospital wanted to start treatment immediately and gave us an appointment for the next week. My husband did a lot of research and wanted to get a second opinion. We made an appointment at the animal medical center in Manhattan, and there, on September 10, 2012, the oncologist told us the truth.

He said, “Randy’s got cancer all over. It’s not worth putting him through treatment. His record says he’s seven years old, but we think he’s more like eleven. The best thing you can do is take him home and keep him as comfortable and happy as you can. We’ll give you steroids to help his body a little bit. Just feed him right and keep him safe, and you’ll have anywhere from six weeks to six months.”

We took him home. I was going back and forth between LA and New York. I had

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We brought him home in a box and buried him in our backyard.

We didn’t want to take him into a cemetery, and we didn’t want to cremate him. Lewis was very upset, so we called someone to find out the laws for an animal burial in the yard. We were told that if we had a place in the yard that was not near a water main line or any kind of sewer line, we could do it. So we buried Randy inside our yard. wrapped up a project in Los Angeles, but I was still coming in for other things that were happening. I flew out on Sundays and flew back on Thursdays, which would get me into New York Friday mornings on the red eye. Usually as soon as I walked in the house, I could hear Randy running down the stairs to greet me. On October 11, Randy was downstairs when I got home. He came over to me and lay down on the floor, and I lay down on the floor next to him. Lewis came down the steps.

I said, “He was down here.”

“Yeah, he didn’t want to come up last night.”

I had asked the oncologist, “How do we know? Does he start throwing up?”

“He’ll let you know.”

I was on the floor with him right there on foyer, lying face to face. I looked in his eyes; he licked my nose, opened his eyes, and looked at me. At that point, I knew— he was ready to go. I told my husband, and we told our daughters that afternoon.

We agreed we were going to take him in to the vet Saturday, the next day.

Saturday came, but Alexa refused to take him in. She just couldn’t do it. “I can’t, Mom.” “Alexa, he’s suffering. We can’t do this.”

“Just one more night, Mom, one more night.”

So we agreed to keep him home one

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

more night.

That Saturday night we just stayed with him. We brought sleeping bags into the living room; everybody slept on the floor with him around his bed. They were so distraught. I slept on the couch, just looking at them on the floor like that. The next morning, we got up and got ready.

Neighbors came by to say goodbye to him; the girls’ friends came by; everybody came by. Then we drove him to the bank—they knew him there. We drove him by Petmobile, the gas station, CVS (all the folks there knew him), Waggers, my nail shop—everybody said goodbye to Randy.

Then we got in the car and drove into the city. Randy died at 2:28 pm that Sunday, October 14, 2012. We brought him home in a box and buried him in our backyard. We didn’t want to take him into a cemetery, and we didn’t want to cremate him. Lewis was very upset, so we called someone to find out the laws for an animal burial in the yard. We were told that if we had a place in the yard that was not near a water main line or any kind of sewer line, we could do it.

So we buried Randy inside our yard. It was horrible; it was so hard. Lewis was out there shoveling; two of his friends came to help him. By the time we were able to bury Randy, it was about 8:30 at night.

I had buried my dad. I lost him when I was twenty-three and he was only fiftytwo. He died of a heart attack, and that was very painful. But I knew my dad was not doing well, and I knew that every day I had with him was a gift. When we lost him, I wasn’t shocked. He was miserable; he wasn’t doing well; he’d lost so much weight. It was almost a relief that he had passed on.

With Randy, it was such a weird roller coaster ride. It was like he specifically came into my life and into my home to save my life. That’s the Randy story. A dog that I hated, that I couldn’t even look at, that I was afraid of became my guardian angel. God sends us angels in the most unusual way.

Now with Copper, it’s another roller coaster. With him, we’re going through the treatment. He has lymphoma, so we know there’s no cure. Treatment will buy us maybe another year after he’s done with his treatment, but it’s a year we’re willing to take.

So now you know the story of Randy.

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Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

23

Love Stories

ANJA DENKER

By Leslie Jacobs

Anja Denker has been called many things throughout her life: photographer, compassionate conservationist, wife, mother, friend, and as we like to call her, devoted and beloved petparent. To be honest, she is a keeper of the hearts. She records with her photography the vibrant pictures of animals, pictures that capture the animals’ beauty, the very essence of their beings, and the souls of the wonderful and majestic creatures that she captures through her lens as a wildlife photographer.

Let us now take you on a wonderful journey.

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A

s the story goes, once upon a time, and then there was Anja. The first thing you notice about Anja is that she has a passion, a true passion for life. She’s passionate about arts, and she’s a very creative person.

Her passion has been developed through a multitude of experiences and places she has called home. She was born and raised in Windhoek, Namibia, and spent a few years in Cape Town, South Africa, where she studied as a fashion designer.

After moving back to Namibia, she worked as an illustrator and visual artist, specializing in postage stamp design.

All of this has led her to her current

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

All photos courtesy of Anja Denker

true love. Anja has allowed us to journey with her as she tells the story of her life and the wildlife seen through her lens, the eye of her camera. If it is true that the eyes never lie, then we as a people, we as a planet, will be okay. Anja’s work is simply beautiful. Perhaps it is a mirror image of her own beauty, as beauty itself is surely represented from the inside to the outside.

Anja and her husband are celebrating their twentieth anniversary this year.

They have a seventeen-year-old daughter who is finishing school at the end of the year. Luckily, both her daughter and her husband share her love of the outdoors and wildlife. They spend most of the

Love Stories school holidays traveling to wildlife parks or camping, and Anja does most of her photography during their travels.

In fact, it was while on a family holiday in Australia that Anja purchased a DSLR camera. Little did she know that the camera she bought to capture family adventures would capture her heart.

The outdoors, wildlife, and now her excitement for photography made sense!

It was all just an extension of everything she loved.

As a wildlife photographer, Anja is passionate about all animals. But her favorite animals are anything but wild; her loves are her petkids— Bari and her shelter dog Laila. Having grown up with

Bullterriers and Rottweilers as a child, she loves dogs, especially Bari, a male Rottweiler, and Laila, a female that is half Belgian Shepherd.

Love of animals and pets and an eye for beauty and exquisite talent runs in the family. Her daughter, who was introduced to horses when she was little, has a horse of her own and is an incredible show jumper with her horse.

When asked what her perfect day off would include, Anja’s answer is what you would expect from one who is in love with what they do. “I don’t really take days off.”

If there was such a day, Anja continued, “I’d spend it as I do while working. I would be out on safari, in the bush,

photographing wildlife. I could spend every day of my life like that. But if the truth be told, some of my best days (photo shoots) are those captured in my very own backyard a stone’s throw away from my family and petkids!”

She has spent many days, weeks, and months in her garden photographing birds. She has always been fascinated with mastering their art of flight. I can’t help but think of the words and lyrics from my favorite scene and the theme song from the Wizard of Oz. “There’s no place like home…” and “If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why oh why can’t I?” Perhaps I feel that Anja loves the life she has created at home and

As a wildlife photographer, Anja is passionate about all animals. But her favorite animals are anything but wild; her loves are her petkids — Bari and her shelter dog Laila. Having grown up with Bullterriers and Rottweilers as a child, she loves dogs, especially Bari, a male Rottweiler, and Laila, a female that is half Belgian Shepherd.

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Love Stories admires the specimens that enchant us everyday with the beauty and gifts—the art of flying to soar beyond the skies and see what only those that take to the sky can see. Aha, maybe that’s it. With Anja and her photography, perhaps it is that she captures glorious visions that the rest of us can only imagine ever getting the opportunity to see. And then because of her passion for what she does and this planet, she shares them with all of us.

When asked about her favorite photo, she said, “It’s very difficult to answer; there are several—all special for different reasons. Usually they represent a unique moment captured or reflect a particular situation or feeling. It’s impossible to narrow it down to just one!”

But of photos taken at home— domesticated, so to speak—photos that she took of a young pearl-spotted owlet and a lovebird quickly come to mind. We’ll have to leave the rest of that story for another time, another day. Sometimes in life, nature and her tendencies are not for the faint or weak at heart.

“When out amongst the wildlife, I don’t plan beforehand because you usually can’t control what you’ll see that day or what will pop out of the bush. However, if I’m at a waterhole, for instance, I’ll look at the behavior of the animals closely, take lighting into consideration, and note where the shadows fall. Then I see how best I can photograph an animal and make the most out of every situation. The light can be very harsh, and the best moments for photography are the early hours in the morning and again the late golden afternoon light.”

You must take patience with you when out in the bush, Anja insists. With a playful voice that only someone in love with what they do might understand, she goes on to say that she never thought of herself having much in the way of patience. “But, when it comes to being out in the wild, I have a lot of patience and can spend a few hours in one spot or position if I want to get a particular shot, such as waiting for a lion to get up and move.” A lot of luck and being in the right spot at the right time are involved!

“You always have to be ready, though, as things can happen very quickly. You must be prepared, your camera settings must be right, and you must have your camera in your hand all the time!”

Good camera equipment—especially

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lenses—can be very heavy. Anja works out a lot and trains her arm muscles, especially because she prefers to shoot handheld, which gives her more flexibility, as often as possible.

“You have to be pretty fit, also,” Anja said. “When you’re out walking in the bush with your equipment, the heat and general weather conditions in Africa can be daunting.” You must be prepared, as there are days, moments, and hours when you’re so exhausted you feel you just can’t go any further. Then suddenly the shot you had only dreamt of is right in front of you. “In that moment, your adrenalin carries you through,” Anja said. “It’s in those moments that you feel it is all so very worth it!”

We asked Anja what her life purpose is. “My life purpose is being happy— happy with all that I do,” she answered.

“There is so much to see in the world and through travel. If my passion for wildlife shows in my photos and especially if the photos convey the emotions of the animals, that makes me very happy.”

Anja is not a boastful spirit, and it’s hard to have her brag on her

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

accomplishments. Begrudgingly she mentioned her accolades, and we added a few more as we truly want to celebrate her.

Much of her work has been seen around the world. She has created more than 140 postage stamps for Namibia and other countries, including postage stamps for the Soccer World Cup in South Africa.

One of her postage stamp souvenir sheets for Botswana was named “Best Souvenir Sheet in the World” in China and features the national birds of eight African countries. Many other accolades have adorned her.

Anja does not do what she does for the love of fame or money; she is about making the world a better place. She is about telling the stories—her stories and the stories of the animals she photographs. She tells stories about life through the lens (eyes) of her camera.

Anja believes that conservation and the support of conservation projects by way of photography is important. She gives back to save our wildlife and those who take care of them, to preserve a way of life and future for generations to come.

Love Stories One such initiative is an educational magazine for schoolchildren called Pako Magazine, which she supports by way of photos. She also supports the Desert Lion Conservation Project of Namibia (via photos and fundraising), Africat and Okonjima, the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, and other projects through her photography.

Anja was chosen as one of only sixtyfive wildlife photographers contributing to a coffee table book called Remembering Elephants. The book, which recently launched in London, supports the Born Free Foundation to help in their antipoaching endeavors.

“I find animal behavior and interaction fascinating, and I try to capture special moments that are a challenge as it can be tremendously rewarding. From the animal kingdom, lions are my absolute favorites. They are such charismatic, inquisitive, majestic, and proud animals, with the most soulful and expressive eyes.

I often feel a kinship with these animals— self-projected, I know—but I’m always lucky with lion sightings and interactions and am a staunch supporter of the Desert Lion Conservation Project.”

The founder of Simply Pets Magazine reached out to Anja because she felt that Anja conveys powerful stories with her pictures, which are so moving, so very beautiful. These two women had never met, but a kinship and bond formed when one told and the other read, if you will, what was shared. As Lisa recalled after viewing one of Anja’s pictures on Facebook, “It’s as if this woman has captured the very soul of these animals through her lens.” The picture that captured Lisa’s attention was a photo of a lion—a proud, majestic, inquisitive, and charismatic lion.

Two women, strangers, but both intrigued and in love with the lion, the very essence of the lion captured by Anja. The photo intrigued Lisa so much she reached out to introduce herself and thank Anja for the story. Immediately a kinship developed. Two strangers from different countries with an ocean and a continent separating them. Two petmoms and animal lovers sharing a story that requires no words to be spoken, because the language of the heart was strong enough to connect these two dynamic ladies, who are both as charismatic as the lion they love.

When Anja is not out shooting wildlife

or viewing the sixty-seven different species of birds that have visited her lovely garden over the years, she can be found in front of the computer editing her photos and building up a photo library. Her photography and documentation have become a natural extension of her passion and daily life with her petkids. Anja creates wildlife calendars, writes photo articles for magazines, and is currently busy

developing her own website.

Anja’s heroes include Ansel Adams for his black and white landscapes, Art Wolfe for his versatility and technical brilliance, Bence Máté for his avian photography, and David Lloyd and Hannes Lochner for their wildlife photography.

“I believe that if you are truly passionate about something, you will make a success of it!” ~ Anja Denker

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Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

Round The Tree

Round The Tree Did You Know? Pet Facts

by Diana Opong-Parry

The Dangers of Sago Palms

The sago palm plant can be deadly to your petkid if ingested. According to a news report by WMBF News in South Carolina, the sago palm plant, which can be purchased at large home improvement stores, killed one family pet and nearly took the life of another.

In the report, a dog-loving family bought a sago palm without knowing its toxic properties. One of their dogs ingested the plant, and within twenty-four hours the pet was vomiting and very sick. Lethargy set in and their beloved pet died in less than thirtysix hours. Weeks later, the family’s other dog was seen taking a bite out of the sago palm in the yard and exhibited similar symptoms within hours, so the petparents acted quickly and got their pup to the vet in time for life-saving intervention.

Many petparents find it frustrating that the sago palm is not always tagged with a proper warning stating that it can be deadly to dogs. VetStreet.com reports that a single sago palm “seed can kill a dog. Vomiting usually begins within 24 hours. … This plant is one of the most toxic, with a mortality rate of around 30 percent.”

A sago palm has dark green leaves, two to three feet long. The fronds look feathery but are stiff and have the feel of plastic. The color of the plant’s scaly bark ranges from dark red to dark brown.

And now, you know!

Sources:

1. WMBF Website: www.wmbfnews.com/story/29287744/toxic-lethal-sago-palmnearly-kills-second-family-pet-in-a-year Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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Round The Tree Pets Help Young Readers!

Growing up with a dog has benefits for children and petparents alike. In addition to learning responsibility, many young kids learn compassion and create lifetime bonds with their pet friends. According to AnimalPlanet.com, “there are a number of proven health benefits for people, including physical, mental and emotional improvements.”

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When young children are first learning to read, a pet can be an unlikely, yet helpful, reading companion. In Washington State a program has been established to do just that. Reading With Rover “is a community-based literacy program volunteering in … schools, bookstores and libraries.” The Reading With Rover program is especially helpful to young children who may experience trouble with reading. Dogs are nonjudgmental reading companions that help relax young readers and boost their confidence over time.

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

Many programs like this exist around the United States from North Carolina to Utah and beyond. If you’re looking to help your young reader, or even if you have an older reader who needs a little more help, check out a local dog-reading program near you.

And now, you know!

Sources:

1. AnimalPlanet.com: www. animalplanet.com/pets/benefits-of-pets/ 2. Reading With Rover: www. readingwithrover.org/

Round The Tree

St. Francis of Assisi

Within the Catholic community, many know who St. Francis of Assisi is, but for others the name may have little meaning. St. Francis of Assisi, who was born in Italy in 1181 or 1182, is known as the Patron Saint of Pets (or animals). The Humane Society reports that St. Francis had a deep commitment to his faith that extended not only to his human brethren but also

Did you know in the iconic movie Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer that the reindeer that guide Santa’s sled are boys, but in reality they would be girls.

According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year, male reindeer

to all of the creatures within his world. It is recorded that he spoke to and preached to animals and considered all creatures to be brothers and sisters under God. Like many other churches around the country, First United Methodist of Seattle, Washington, honors St. Francis each year by inviting attendees to bring their PetKids to church. They “celebrate and bless the animals, large

and small, that are dear to” pet families.

And now, you know!

drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December. Female reindeer retain their antlers till after they give birth in the spring.

Therefore, according to every historical rendition depicting Santa’s reindeer, every single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzenhad to be a girl.

We should’ve known. Only women, while pregnant, would be able to drag a fat man in a red velvet suit all around the world in one night and not get lost.

And now, you know!

Sources:

1. Humane Society: www. humanesociety.org/about/ departments/faith/francis_files/ st_francis_of_assisi.html 2. First Church FaceBook Event Post: https://www.facebook.com/ events/1747881395499550/

Source www.breakthechain.org/ exclusives/...

a lifestyle magazine for people who love pets and animals

www.simplypetsmagazine.com

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Is here for you! Her column will appear here in the Simply Pets Magazine bi-monthly.

You can find some weekly questions and answers on the Ms. Petiquette Facebook page and you can write to her at info@ simplypetsmagazine.com Attention Ms. Petiquette and on Facebook.

If you have a question for Ms. Petiquette write to her. She will give you her opinion. She will be an impartial quirky, funny, and yet sometimes serious lady with her response.

WE HAVE YOU! Ms. Petetiqute to the rescue.

Email or mail your questions and then look for your answers in each issue of the Simply Pets Magazine or on Facebook!

Dear Ms. Petiquette, I am a twenty-nine-year-old man living in Boston, and I have a new girlfriend who does not like my dog or, as a matter of fact, any dogs. She doesn’t have a particular reason, like she was bitten when she was little. She just thinks they are dirty and that if someone has a dog, it should be kept outdoors. I’ve had Benji for five years, and he has been a real pal. I’m not sure what do as I have never encountered this problem before. What do you think I should do?

-Robert Boston, MA Dear Robert, Get a new girlfriend.

There are way too many dog-loving women out there who will love you and your dog. Find one of those and know that when you’re not around, your petkid is not in harm’s way and not being treated harshly.

Let me know how it goes!

Ms. Petiquette is on the case! *** Dear Ms. Petiquette, A friend keeps inviting me to dinner. I always suggest that I cook at my place or that we go out. They have a cute yellow bird, but they allow it to fly all around all the time. And I mean all the time. I’m just not comfortable with the bird flying around when we’re eating, with feathers and bird poo that can and does land everywhere. Several times when I have just been visiting (and I try not to visit too much anymore), the poo has even landed on me. YUCK! How do you suggest that I deal with this person and their invitations to dinner? I don’t want to hurt their feelings, but to be honest it just grosses me out.

-Justine Los Angeles, CA

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Dear Justine, I wouldn’t want bird poo on me or in my soup either. I agree—YUCK! Tell you what I would do. Don’t go to dinner; one thing I hate more than cold soup is poo in my soup. If you like this person, just ask them to keep the yellow bird in its cage when they invite you are over for dinner.

Thank goodness it sounds like a little parakeet or something. Can you imagine a big ole’ cockatoo-size bird flying around and pooing? Holy smokes! Now that would be outright horrible! And tell them why you want the bird caged. If they’re your friend, they should understand. If they don’t, then it’s up to you if you still want to be their friend. That bird is their petkid, so don’t be disappointed if they side with it. My guess is as long as you like their bird but are just not a fan at dinner time, they might get it!

P.S. If you’re going to dinner, let me give you a heads-up, sweetie. You might want to suggest you help prepare the meal. That way you don’t have to worry whether the little bird left you a present in your soup while it was being prepared. LOL! Let me know how it goes!

Ms. Petiquette is on the case! *** Dear Ms Petiquette, My wife and I are retired, and recently we had a new family move next door.

They seem nice enough, but we really haven’t gotten the chance to get to know them. We do know their dog. Now we love animals—as a matter of fact our beloved Jack Russell passed away a few years ago, and we just can’t bear to get another one right now. The problem is that while they’re at work, their little guy or gal barks and whines all day long. It truly is unbearable. What can we do? We don’t want to be bad neighbors, but my wife and I are at our wit’s ends.

-Richard Salem, Oregon

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

Dear Richard, Sorry for your loss of your Jack Russell.

If you have the ashes, there is a great product by BioUrn that allows you to plant a tree in memory of your beloved (www. biourn.com). It’s very lovely to see a living memory every day. Now back to the whiner.

I would take a basket of goodies to your new neighbor. You know, maybe some wine and cheese and chocolate, perhaps—whatever you think is appropriate. But include a couple of snacks for the dog. Nothing that the dog wouldn’t be able to eat, like chicken, just in case they have allergies, or perhaps even a cute dog toy and a snack. Make sure that they are home and take it over, maybe on a Saturday afternoon or after dinner on a Thursday or Friday evening. Let them know you live next door and have been in the neighborhood for years. Maybe give them the skinny on the neighborhood and offer to assist them with anything as a good neighbor, such as bringing the garbage can back in to their yard after garbage day instead of them having to drag it in after work.

Then ask them about their dog and tell them about yours, maybe show some pictures. Let them know that their petkid barks and whines all day. MAYBE believe it or not they do not know it? After all, if they’re not there, how would they know?

They might say the petkid is lonely or hasn’t been feeling well. If you’re up for it, maybe offer to take the dog out for a walk if they will let you or play with it for a few minutes in the morning or afternoon. People who have petkids and love them want them to be happy. After they get to know you and realize that you too are pet lovers and not going to rob them while you’re at work J, I’m sure they want their petkid to have a potty break and love during the day. And YOU and your wife might just be the blessing they were in need of—one never knows.

Let me know how it goes!

Ms. Petiquette is on the case!

CHRISTINE WATTS Charming Pet Products® 175 E. Wilbur Road, Suite 201 | Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 Tel: (818) 865-1503 | Fax: (818) 865-1132 | www.charmingpet.com

John Lund Photography

www.johnlund.com

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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Our Hero We finally moved from an apartment into a house. With my husband being on the road frequently as a professional singer, it was time to get the dog we always wanted. He would be a family pet and company for me while Steve was away. Steve had severe asthma, and singing was his livelihood. So, a new, lowshed breed, Labradoodle, seemed to be the right fit.

Bocker came into our lives in August 2003. Why the name Bocker? I grew up a New York Knicks fan, and we had already rescued a cat that we named Knicki. So Bocker was the natural fit to round out Knickerbockers.

BOCKER THE LABRADOODLE

by Marie Shelto

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Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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t wasn’t long before we knew there was something very special about Bocker. He was pensive, looking like he was thinking about his next move, and always calm. Everyone said he had very human eyes. And yes, what is now known as the Bocker Head Tilt made him look as if he was listening and trying to understand every word you were saying. After constantly being told he should be photographed for magazines, I decided to send

Our Hero

Bocker’s photo to an animal agent in New York City. It didn’t take long for Bocker, at age eighteen months, to land his first paying modeling job with Tommy Hilfiger and then with Ralph Lauren. He went on from there to appear in numerous print ads, TV commercials, and movies. He seemed to enjoy the work and had the patience to deal with it.

His calm demeanor made him a natural for therapy work. I was always amazed at his effect on children. Maybe it was because he was so tall that they could look right into his eyes. I decided to take him for therapy dog certification.

Without having any formal therapy training, Bocker passed the test with no problem. We started to visit children and adults in hospitals and senior homes. We took part in Tail Wagging Tutor programs, where children who have trouble reading,

especially in front of their teachers or peers, read to a dog. It’s amazing how this program has helped raise reading levels and self-confidence in the children.

At age twelve and a half, Bocker and I still made visits to a day program for young people affected by muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy, a big change from our work with children. After three years visiting the facility, it was amazing to see the smiles when he walked into the room and to see the difference he has made in so many lives. Bocker’s motto was “Always ready to lend a helping paw.”

After the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary, I talked with my niece’s husband. He was a pediatric dentist in Newtown, and eight of the twenty children who were killed were his patients. He said he knew that Bocker could make a difference. With Bocker

His calm demeanor made him a natural for therapy work. I was always amazed at his effect on children.

Maybe it was because he was so tall that they could look right into his eyes. I decided to take him for therapy dog certification.

Without having any formal therapy training, Bocker passed the test with no problem. We started to visit children and adults in hospitals and senior homes.

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Our Hero

adding author to his credits upon the release of his book, Chasing Bocker’s Tale, we arranged a day for the Newtown children to come to meet celebrity Bocker the Labradoodle at their library and to read with him. This was the start of many amazing friendships that we know will last for life. Bocker was part of Sandy Hook’s extended family and invited to all their events. The big furry, always-calm guy brought smiles wherever he went.

His social media world grew. He has a website, a Twitter account, a Facebook page nearing 850,000 followers, and a growing Instagram following of 12,000.

This is a full-time job for mom, who is Team Bocker.

In December 2014, Bocker just wasn’t acting like himself, and I knew something was wrong. He was diagnosed with lymphoma and wrote a new, very unexpected, chapter in his life, but one where he has made a difference again.

After a twenty-five-week chemotherapy program and radiation at the Veterinary Cancer Center in Norwalk, Connecticut, he lost all his hair. Bocker went into remission, and his fluffy hair grew back.

Bocker let his social media friends follow along on his journey, the good days and not-so-good days—as he called it, his bump in the road.

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He always told his followers that “no one fights alone.” He received thousands of messages of love and support, but what was most touching and amazing to us were the messages from people—not only those with their pets being ill, but from humans going through their battles with cancer and other illnesses. They constantly said that Bocker gave them strength and the will to go on.

Obviously in all these ways Bocker has changed my life. Yes, it’s lots of fun doing all the photo shoots and meeting so many amazing people along the way, but in all honesty, the most rewarding part of Bocker’s life to me has been how he has helped others and brought smiles just by walking into a room. He became a spokesdog for NYS Animal Advocacy, being the voice against animal cruelty, and worked to help homeless animals in search of their furever homes.

Bocker continued to open more doors for me and different roads to travel. His bout with lymphoma helped me learn so much and has sparked my interest to learn more about comparative oncology.

I want to be involved so that others don’t have to go through what we did.

We partnered with the Animal Cancer Foundation with the mission to increase awareness and to help find a cure.

Bocker led me down a new path, and he was here until his work was done. I always tell people that Bocker was my therapy dog first! He definitely made a huge difference in my life, and I know he has touched and affected the lives of so many. In 2011 my husband, my best friend, passed very suddenly. Without Bocker, I don’t know what direction my life would have taken. A close friend told me, “It’s not time that heals; it’s what you do with the time that heals.” I know I am the luckiest person in the world to have had Bocker by my side, helping me heal, and making a difference for others. ~Marie Shelto Bocker is now frolicking in the meadow at the Rainbow Bridge. Simply Pets Magazine pays tribute to Bocker and the difference he made in so many lives by recognizing him as our first Honor Pet. website: www.bocker.tv www.facebook.com/bocker bockerdoodle - Instagram @bocker - Twitter email: bocker@bocker.tv For more information on the life of Bocker and how his mother Marie Shelto is carrying on his legacy and how you can help, please visit: https://www.bocker.tv/home.html

Obviously in all these ways Bocker has changed my life. Yes, it’s lots of fun doing all the photo shoots and meeting so many amazing people along the way, but in all honesty, the most rewarding part of Bocker’s life to me has been how he has helped others and brought smiles just by walking into a room. He became a spokesdog for NYS Animal Advocacy, being the voice against animal cruelty.

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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Nani: Lost in Seattle

by Brandon Drake

When I was six years old, my parents bought my brother and me a brand-new puppy. Our previous family dogs passed away when I was only two years old, so I considered this puppy to be my first dog.

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e decided to call her Nani; the reasoning behind the name is a blur to me.

My parents said they decided on the name because it means beautiful in the Hawaiian language, a culture that is very influential in my family. But I can’t help but feel that we chose the name from the character Nani from Lilo and Stitch, which was very popular at the time. At only ten and six years old, my older brother and I were blessed with our furry ball of happiness. The saying “A dog is a man’s best friend” does not encompass how much our family felt for our puppy.

From the very beginning, we considered Nani as another child in the family.

Through the next couple of years, we had the same schedule. The kids went to school while the parents went to work.

My mother left work to be home by the time my brother and I got off the bus, and Nani actually went to work with my father

Young Voices because no one would be home to watch or take care of her until the evening. My parents decided it was a good idea to crate train her while she was a puppy, and my father taking her to work in a crate was a great system to do so.

When I was eight years old, two years after we adopted Nani, my father’s car was stolen with Nani inside. My father let her out of the car every hour and played with her at a nearby park, but within one of those hours, the worst thing in the world happened. My father nearly had a panic attack when he didn’t see his car in his company parking lot, but my mother actually had a panic attack when she heard over the phone what had happened.

When she told my brother and me, I vividly remember that it felt like time froze. Obviously I started bawling, but I don’t think my brain fully registered what had happened. The best thing in my life had disappeared, and with a complete stranger—with a criminal. I had heard stories of dogs getting lost, but nobody thinks that it would happen to your own.

My father called the police right after calling my mother and filed a report for a stolen car and a stolen puppy. Soon after, he also called the local news station to see if our family could get a small amount of air time to help find her, and we did. The next day the news station came to our house and filmed us for about ten minutes, asking us questions about what happened.

I remember that I was so devastated and

scared for Nani that I didn’t want to say anything.

The next day, the police called my father with news that they found his stolen car, but Nani’s crate was open and she was missing.

All hope I had for finding our lost puppy went down the drain. I bawled again and again, and I think the rest of my family was starting to grieve at the realization that our doggy was gone. Either the people who stole my father’s car took Nani for themselves, or let her go to roam the streets of downtown Seattle. I think the reason my family accepted that our beloved dog was gone was this: How could a two-year-old puppy, who was barely trained in anything, survive in Seattle alone with no food or shelter?

The thought of any dog going through that breaks my heart.

Around two days later, my prayers were answered. Remarkably, someone found our Nani and called the number on her collar.

She was apparently fighting someone else’s dog in their front yard when they found her. My father met the man who found Nani immediately at a park near his house, and the moment Nani saw my dad’s face, she bolted towards him. My father describes it as the stereotypical movie moment or the time a soldier comes home from the war to be reunited with his dog. When my mother told me the news, I bawled again—tears of happiness. When my father brought my dog home that day, we all cried around her and stayed up much later than my bedtime playing with her again.

The only things she did for the next week or so were sleep and eat. Other than the first day back home, she didn’t even have enough energy to walk. Our family has wondered to this day how she survived.

Did she sleep? Did she eat? Where did she find shelter? How scared was she? All the questions as to how Nani miraculously came back to us were running through our heads for the next couple of months, until we decided not to ask questions anymore and just be thankful that we got our puppy back.

I have never had an experience in my life that has been as dramatic, heartbreaking, and scary as this story of my lost dog. The connection humans have with their dogs is so much more than a “best friend;” our pets are family. Eleven years after Nani was found, I am now nineteen and Nani is twelve. Every time I look at my dog, so much happiness overflows through me. She is and has been the best thing in my life, and as I am going through a stressful transitional

Through the next couple of years, we had the same schedule. The kids went to school while the parents went to work. My mother left work to be home by the time my brother and I got off the bus, and Nani actually went to work with my father because no one would be home to watch or take care of her until the evening.

period in my life with college and becoming an adult, I can always count on Nani to be there for me at the end of the day. She’s my PetSister, and I love her so much. We’ll always wonder what Nani did in the days of being lost in Seattle, and we’ll always be thankful that she made it home.

Brandon Drake is a regular contributor to Simply Pets Magazines website and Simply Pets Magazine. As a budding film maker and photographer we are proud to have him as our Young Voices Head Writer.

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Surf Dog Ricochet, the

Canine Ambassador for Surfers wit

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Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

SURFice Dog

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Ricochet is the only SU RFice dogÂŽ on th e planet w h o provides th erapeutic assistance while creati ng unique surfi ng experie n ces that empow er kids wit h special nee ds, people with disabilities, wounded w arriors & veterans with PTSD. For more in formation on Ricochet an d to see oth er great surf pictures or to purchase R icochets bo ok please visit : www.surfdog ricochet.com/

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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STOP! LOOK! and LISTEN! Favorite - Books , Movies and Music for Holiday and Beyond

STOP!

Take a break we found some fantastic reads for you this holiday season.

HIBERNATION STATION

By Michelle Meadows Illustrated by: Kurt Cyrus For Ages: 4–8 An enjoyable read for kids this winter!

Everybody at the station!

It’s time for winter hibernation! The sweet rhyming text of this book will calm even the most rambunctious kids and have them dreaming about what it’s like to hibernate.

Young readers will be soothed and delighted as this story introduces them to different types of hibernating animals.

your inner energy. It then delves into what you can do to free yourself from the habitual thoughts, emotions, and energy patterns that limit your consciousness.

Finally, with perfect clarity, this book opens the door to a life lived in the freedom of your innermost being.

3. SAD ANIMAL FACTS

By Brooke Barker

This Guide to Pet Safety is packed with pet safety information that is easy to use and understand.

It is organized into seventeen intuitive chapters for quick reference to help you save valuable time when a pet’s life depends on it.

By Michael A. Singer

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A) GUIDE TO PET SAFETY

By Cameron “Camy” Thumwood

2. THE UNTETHERED SOUL With the new year approaching, what a perfect time to reflect inward so that you can project outward in the upcoming year. Michael A. Singer is a New York Times number 1 bestselling author with his book The Untethered Soul. We found The Untethered Soul to be a wonderful read.

The Untethered Soul begins by walking you through your relationship with your thoughts and emotions, helping you uncover the source and fluctuations of

4. TWO SAFETY BOOKS CAUGHT OUR EYE FOR THIS LIST AND WE THINK BOTH ARE WORTHY OF A PLACE ON YOUR BOOKSHELF.

B) PET FIRST AID FOR KIDS

By Denise Fleck and Sandrina Lee

Gosh! This book would make a fun gift for young and old! You will learn a thing or two and laugh at more than a few facts within. Brooke Barker is a writer, illustrator, and animal enthusiast; it’s no wonder that Sad Animal Facts is a New York Times bestseller!

This melancholy menagerie pairs the more unsavory facts of animal life with their hilarious thoughts and reactions.

Sneakily informative and wildly witty, Sad Animal Facts will have you crying with laughter.

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

In emergency situations, it is useful to know how to give basic CPR, even to our pet dogs and cats. We love this book created by our friend Denise Fleck and Sandrina Lee because we believe everyone in the household should know what to do in case of an emergency. Not just the adults, but the human kids too! Look for Denise as she begins her US Pet Safety Tour next year.

5. DOG CARE AND TRAINING FOR THE GENIUS

By Healey Lockett This book teaches you how to develop a deep bond with your dog petkid. Sharing your life with a dog petkid enriches you in so many ways, because a dog petkid is more than just a pet. A dog petkid is your friend and a member of your family.

In Dog Care and Training for the GENIUS, Healey Lockett teaches you much more than just how to train your dog to sit or to stay. She teaches you to communicate with your dog, to learn how to read your dog’s behavior. She helps you understand the fundamentals of training so that you can effectively teach your dog petkid.

6. NIPPED IN THE BUD

By Debra Vey Voda-Hamilton Sometimes things don’t go as planned in a family, and you need to figure out a way to deal with conflict— sad, but true!

This is a great book to help you through what could be a difficult time when trying to figure out what’s best for your petkid when the humans separate.

Nipped in the Bud, Not in the Butt is a great book to show you how to use mediation to resolve conflicts over animals. Litigator-turned-mediator Debra Vey Voda-Hamilton introduces her proven techniques for addressing your conflict, working out a mutually satisfactory solution, and ensuring the wellbeing of the most important party—the beloved pet or animal in need.

7. HEARTFELT CONNECTIONS

By Dr. Anne E. Beall Looking for a great book to read while snuggling with the petkid? We found it!

From beloved family companions to therapy animals, search and rescue canines, and other animals who help their human partners heal, learn, and grow, there are compelling reasons to believe that animals and people are inextricably and deeply connected to one another.

Author and social psychologist Anne E. Beall explores the relationships that occur between humans and animals.

8. THE MOST SCENIC DRIVES IN AMERICA

Newly Revised and Updated: 120 Spectacular Road Trips By the Editors of Reader’s Digest Last, but not least!

Road trips!

Who doesn’t love a good road trip?

From kids to parents to petkids, road trips are a great way to share some family time and to see some wonderful places. If you prepare for your great adventure, it never gets old and is always a lot of fun! With each edition, this book easily becomes one of our favorites. It would make a great gift for anyone who wants to travel or just loves to look at the beauty this wonderful country has to offer. This great coffee table book is brought to you by the editors of Reader’s Digest.

Each featured road trip is pictured in stunning full color and described in vivid text, keyed to an easy-to-follow newly revised map. Whether you choose a drive in a far corner of the continent or a back road in your own state, this book is your ticket to North America’s most beautiful byways.

Look!

We found some great movies that we think you might want to see. By the way, movie passes make great stocking stuffers!

1. OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY

This is for adults only, and yes, it is very adult minded.

Think about all the things you’ve heard or seen at office parties yourself and put a funny twist on it and enjoy!

Co-workers host an epic office Christmas party in an effort to impress a potential client and close a sale that will save their jobs.

In theaters Friday, December 9, 2016.

Directed by: Will Speck, Josh Gordon Many celebs make cameos in this film, but a few of the main characters are: Jennifer Aniston Jason Bateman T.J. Miller

2. ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY

We are sci-fi lovers, and we’ll be there on opening day for this one! This is rated PG-13 and is good for the whole family.

Following the formation of the Galactic Empire, a rogue band of resistance fighters unite as unlikely

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heroes for a daring mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things.

In theaters Friday, December 16, 2016.

Directed by: Gareth Edwards Main Cast: Felicity Jones Ben Mendelsohn Forest Whitaker

3. SING

What’s not to love about this movie?

It’s fun for the whole family, it involves two of our favorite things—pets and music, and it’s just plain adorable. Rated PG-13.

An unlikely boss, a koala named Buster Moon, has one final chance to restore his theater to its former glory by producing the world’s greatest singing competition.

In theaters December 21, 2016.

Directed by: Garth Jennings, Christophe Lourdelet Main Cast: Matthew McConaughey Reese Witherspoon Seth MacFarlane

4. ALIEN: COVENANT

Now this one isn’t due out for a while, but we’ll let you in on a little secret in case any of you out there are Sigourney Weaver fans. The Alien movies with Ms. Weaver are our founder’s favorite movies ever! Why? Well, we asked her and she said, “It’s because Sigourney Weaver is such a badass in the films. Growing up, I saw only men being

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the heroes, and then Sigourney came along and wow! She brought this hero thing to a whole other level—my first action heroine. Love her! Please, just let Sigourney know that I’ll be her sidekick in any movies she has lined up.” She laughs.

“Okay, just let me do an interview with her, and I’ll be a happy camper!”

And yes, she knows Sigourney is not in this film, but she still thinks it will be worth checking out when it hits the box office! But you’ll have to wait, friends!

This one is not scheduled to hit theaters until August 4, 2017.

Ridley Scott returns to the universe he created in Alien with Alien: Covenant, the second chapter in a prequel trilogy that began with Prometheus and connects directly to Scott’s 1979 seminal work of science fiction. Bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, the crew of the colony ship Covenant discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise.

Actually, it is a dark, dangerous world, whose sole inhabitant is the “synthetic” David (Michael Fassbender), survivor of the doomed Prometheus expedition.

Directed by: Ridley Scott Main Cast: Michael Fassbender Katherine Waterston Danny McBride

2. JOHNNY MATHIS

Album: Merry Christmas Actually, any of Mr. Mathis’ Christmas albums will do the trick! But his version of “Winter Wonderland” sure makes you feel like having some hot chocolate and sitting by the fire with petkids and maybe play a game or two!

3. CARPENTERS

LISTEN!

Do you hear what we hear?

This is what we’re listening to.

This list could go on and on. Trust us!

Everyone in the office had a very long list. In order to make everyone happy we threw about fifty titles into a hat, actually a big dog bowl. Then we asked Coopah, one of the petkids at the office, to grab three out. Here they are.

1. CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS

One cannot go wrong with this fun-loving soundtrack. And as we put this section of the magazine to bed, someone has just put on, and we’re dancing to the “Linus and Lucy” song. Oh yea! It’s feeling like Christmas!

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

Album: Christmas Portrait The song? Well, just like with our other two choices you can’t go wrong listening to the whole album, but “Merry Christmas Darling” is the song pick from this album and a fitting way to end this post!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Simply Pets Magazine Favorite list staff No matter what Holiday you celebrate we wish you the very happiest and safest holiday ever!

Paw Map - protecting all paws

P

aw Map is a smartphone app created by Orion Pharma's animal health division and Make Helsinki. Both companies are located in Finland and are very interested in animal well being. The app was created to help animal lovers and pet owners to have an easy way to communicate with one another. Thanks to Paw Map, dog walkers are able to warn others of danger such as snakes, broken glass, poison and harmful algae. App users can mark down hazards they see in only a few seconds and also check the local area before they take their four legged friends outside.

Paw Map is currently available in Finland, the UK, the US and Estonia. The app has been a huge success in Finland. During the first two weeks the app was downloaded 7000 times and it got a significant amount of media coverage. Paw Map offers an easy way for everyone to help their dogs avoid poisons, paw cuts and snake bites. The app locates the user automatically, so map alerts are always accurate for the users immediate area.

Users can also quickly and easily add a picture of any hazards they encounter. Paw Map is 100% free of charge.

Find us at www.pawmap.com/ and on social media:

F fb.com/pawmap

twitter.com/paw_map

instagram.com/paw_map

Please join a good cause and help us protect all paws out there! - The Paw Map crew Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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YOUR LIFE WITH YOUR PETKIDS HOW DO YOU MANAGE YOUR ACTIVE LIFESTYLE WITH YOUR PETKID? Well our cat is fairly easy. He is indoor and doesn’t require daily follow-up except for some head scratches. Every morning I make sure that he has food and fresh water. We just switched from an automatic litter box to one that we have to clean every day or two. So much better. I can’t recommend that enough, but I digress.

As for Pistachio the pug, he has a fairly regular daily routine. I get up before my wife to either go for a run/gym or get ready for work. Pistachio waits to get out of bed until I start to go downstairs. He goes right outside to do his business.

Then he comes in to watch me make and eat my eggs. After I am done, I scrape my yolks onto his dry food, and he eats until he’s full. We then go back upstairs to say goodbye to my wife, and I drive him to daycare (my dad’s house) on my way to work. Sometimes instead of going to daycare, he’ll be picked up by my wife’s parents and stay with them for the day. In the evening my wife picks him up and takes him home. He usually lounges until I get home and settled, and then he’s comfortable enough to eat his dinner. He’s usually so active during the weekdays that we don’t have to take him for a walk. On the weekends, he’ll walk with us to get coffee in the mornings or walk around the neighborhood just to stretch his legs.

DO YOU HAVE A DAILY ROUTINE WITH YOUR PETKID? 46

During the week, it is very routine. On

the weekends, it all depends on whether we’re going places where dogs are welcome. If so, he goes with us; if not, we either leave him home (for short times) or drop him off with my in-laws if we’re going to be out for a while.

Is it just you as PetParent or do other family members have tasks regarding their care as well?

Both my wife and our families help out. I mean who wouldn’t want to spend time with a pug? ~Jason I. Seattle, Washington ***

HOW DO YOU MANAGE YOUR ACTIVE LIFESTYLE WITH YOUR PETKID? ONE MAIN CALENDAR? A REGULAR ROUTINE? Simone, my Pomeranian/Papillon/ Chihuahua mix, and I don’t exactly have an active lifestyle, so I don’t need a calendar unless I’m leaving her with Mom overnight. We do have a regular routine though.

DO YOU HAVE A DAILY ROUTINE WITH YOUR PETKID?

Go for a walk about 6:30am for exercise and potty time. Come back and give Simone her breakfast while I have coffee. Simone gets a treat after breakfast.

She’s one of the few dogs I’ve heard of that needs to be enticed into eating. If she doesn’t eat her food, she doesn’t get a treat. After I shower and dress, we head to the car—usually about 8am. Simone sleeps in her car seat while I drive her to

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

Then he comes in to watch me make and eat my eggs. After I am done, I scrape my yolks onto his dry food, and he eats until he’s full. We then go back upstairs to say goodbye to my wife Mom’s. She wakes up when we’re about a block away and gets very excited. Mom takes Simone for a walk around noon and again around 3:00pm. Simone will go potty only on walks rather than in the backyard. At 6:30pm, I pick Simone up, and we go for a walk. Simone gets her meds with dinner and then another treat. Bedtime is at about 11:00pm.

Is it just you as PetParent or do other family members have tasks regarding their care as well?

I am very blessed to have a regular caregiver for my dog. My mom lives only a few miles away, and I drop Simone off at her house every day during the work week. It’s a wonderful arrangement for all of us. Simone isn’t alone while I’m at work, Mom gets her exercise by walking Simone, and I have peace of mine knowing my dog is being well cared for.

I also leave Simone with my Mom if I go out of town and can’t take her with me (something I try to avoid). I’ve had many offers from other people who want to look after her, but I like the fact that she’s very comfortable at Mom’s and knows her routine there. ~SUZI L., Sierra Madre., California

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First Look

The Loves of My Life Picture credit: Seamus and Baby taken by Teija DeVere The picture of Arabella and Teija was taken by Raija Engblom.

M

y life is full of love. I know, I know—ugggh what a cliché. But it’s true. I came back home and am surrounded by people I’ve loved since I was a kid.

And to top it all, in a short time I’ve met amazing people whom I already love and adore. Of course, I remember we’re in Finland, so I’m not shouting it on a rooftop, and I try to remember not to hug my boss every morning when she arrives at the office. I do hug my boys—Seamus, Ronin, Baby, Loki, and Christopher— as many times a day as possible. I love them so much it hurts.

One of my loves is not here, and I’ve stayed surprisingly sane about it for five months at this point. Someone who was a huge part of my work, my every morning, my personal goals, my exercise—my late-night

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Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

chatting partner, my Arabella. For people who have not lived with another being and learned to communicate with them without a mutual language, it may be a hard thing to understand. This giant animal may just seem like another animal amongst others to normal people. A pet. Something you own. Something that empties your wallet every month and destroys your shoulder and back.

Something you become obsessed with. Something you can’t stop talking about. And it’s true—that’s part of it.

But she is so much more than that.

Back in the day, after I first moved in with Chris, I struggled to feel like I belonged. I worked at an office and felt like I would do better in Finland. I worked at a barn and started to miss the barn I used to go to in Finland.

I felt like our home wasn’t mine. I felt like the country wasn’t mine. I felt like I would never find friends like the ones I have in Finland. When Arabella moved in, I felt like I belonged where she was. I had a meaning other than being Chris’ wife or an employee. Someone needed me.

I was able to start a career with dressage because I had a horse to work with. But most of all, I felt like I made a lifelong friend.

Because of Arabella, we moved around a lot.

I saw the world (well, America at least) and got to work with amazing trainers, people, and colleagues. I learned what it means to be poor (true, poor people don’t have horses), and I learned not to give up on my dreams when life gets tough. Arabella taught me to understand that not everyone who tells me they love me actually does. She taught me that it’s okay to not go with the flow. To be different. To be yourself.

My bond with this 800-kilogram mare with a personality bigger than mine carried me through many things I never spoke out loud about. In her stall, late at night, I cried because of lost friends, I cried because of mistakes I’ve made, and I cried because of the heartache my dad’s death left behind. She was always there, eating hay, not judging or giving advice. The saying goes “If these

First Look walls could talk...,” but it should go “If my horse could talk....”

I’ve come to a point where I can’t watch her pictures or videos without crying. It aches. I’m incredibly happy with my life right now. I got my friends and family back, I have an amazing husband and truly the best family members (rest of the boys), and I love my new job like crazy. Everything is spot on. Except the one thing that used to keep all the broken pieces together.

I love you Arabella, we’ll meet again soon.

DOG & CAT FIRST-AID KITS

CLASSES

BOOKS

WOOF there!

My name is Seamus. I was born in the United States, Massachusetts. My humans like to travel a lot, so I’ve been sniffing around different states, such as Maine, New Hampshire, and California.

I’ve made a lot of friends during my four years of sniffing, pulling, grunting, and barking. My best friend Baby (in the picture) has funny ears and he eats weird stuff like hay and carrots. I love him anyway, and I often sit down and munch his not-so-tasty food with him.

Just to be polite.

My silly humans recently moved to another sniffing ground. They call it Finland. I’ve been super busy dragging them around my new digs! There are a lot of trees and parks around. I also think the neighbor’s poodle is secretly in love with me. She keeps barking at me every time she sees me. Anywoof, I’ve been super excited to be in a new place where people are friendly and everyone wants to pet me. Finlandground seems very quiet, and humans don’t talk to one another a lot. On the streets, I mean. So I do it for them!

Whenever a stranger walks by, I do my best to spread the love. I usually jump and lick their faces. My Human-Mama always tells me not to and starts calling me “Seamus-NO-Jumping!” I’ve also noticed there are no loose dogs on the streets, ever. Oh, oh! And people seem to have a lot of bunny friends, like Baby! It’s great because who wouldn’t love bunnies?!

Better get going, more of that white fluffy stuff coming down outside. Baby and I better go and investigate! I hope you have a wiggly day!

I actually saved my own dog’s life thanks to Denise Fleck’s great class.

-- Shirley DeFazio

www.PetSafetyCrusader.com

(818) 951-7962

Rrrwouff,

Seamus (and Baby)

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Paw and Order

DO OUR PETS HAVE LEGAL RIGHTS?

by Jeremy Cohen Where do your local, state, and national elected officials stand on pets’ rights? More people have pets than guns, but the law remains old and stagnant for our dogs and cats. It considers them the same as our furniture, something that can easily be replaced. We know our companion animals are deserving of some higher type of constitutional protection.

Jimmy Mugs, a four-yearold English bulldog, lives an hour south of Boston. Recently he nipped his owner’s hand while playing; the injury required a stitch.

W

e see the advancement of the love and care we have for our pets in the pet specialty shops that open up and amaze us with new products or services. And now this: Boston Dog Lawyers, a law firm specializing in the national representation of pets and their owners. We handle pet custody disputes, defend dangerous dog allegations, argue for emotional support animals, and pursue wrongful pet death cases. We are Simply Petparents with law degrees. Our mission is to be the voice for those whose time it is to be heard.

What we really specialize in is hope. We hope that pet owners will learn that there are ways to successfully challenge authority when it comes to our pets. We have hope that legislators and judges will make room for us and our arguments about what may be in the best interests of our dogs and cats. We have an awareness that we will be better lawyers tomorrow than we are today, and we have the same hope and expectations of our laws and leaders. As a voting bloc, we pet owners are too smart to accept the current legal status afforded them. We need to press our local and national candidates to align the laws with our modernized beliefs. Pets are more than mere property, and they and their parents deserve fair hearings and equal protection.

Thomas Jefferson believed that “laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. …

Opinions change [and] with the change in circumstances, institutions must advance also, and keep pace with the times.” The days of allowing the loudest voices in the room to win are coming to an end.

Being given the responsibility to keep someone’s dog or cat alive and with them becomes very personal. When we are hired, your pet becomes our pet. Your emotions, hopes, and goals as dog owners become our emotions, hopes, and goals as dog lawyers.

Here are some recent examples.

Never surrender: The case of Jimmy Mugs

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Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

After going to see her dog in jail, the owner found us online and wrote: They said he was going to be evaluated; now he is going to be put down and they will not release him. So I guess I just killed my dog!

Jimmy Mugs, a four-year-old

Paw and Order get one thing right. My client cried but only after I told her of the court’s decision. They were tears of joy as she got her Diesel back.

Pet custody cases are complex and rely on piles of evidence. We submitted receipts and affidavits and pictures, but still there are better arguments to make. As a firm, we hold strategy sessions not only to advance the current case but also to formulate arguments that could perhaps establish a precedent. We always look to elevate the legal status of our dogs and pets for future cases. Here we asked the court to consider the best interests of the dog. While that argument was outwardly rejected, it was still heard. For our clients, sometimes just making the argument can be a victory.

Dig deeper for buried facts, especially after Midnight

English bulldog, lives an hour south of Boston. Recently he nipped his owner’s hand while playing; the injury required a stitch. The trip to the doctor triggered a visit from the animal control officer (ACO).

While the ACO was at the home, an elderly family member told a funny story of how Jimmy got pepper sprayed this summer by the mailman. Another showed a scratch from when Jimmy was playing with his cane. These anecdotes led the ACO to view Jimmy as a danger and to seize the beloved pet. The owner was told to sign surrender paperwork or the dog would be killed immediately. Once Jimmy’s owner signed, the ACO said the animal would be put down after the rabies quarantine period.

Once retained, we immediately contacted the city and demanded a fair and meaningful hearing. Within a week Jimmy Mugs was freed and cleared of any wrongdoing. Pet owners should never sign paperwork surrendering a pet unless their lawyer has reviewed it. Our client’s property was taken without a hearing. According to the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to our Constitution, “No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.”

The loudest voice in the room did not win!

The nine lives of Odie Odie is a beautiful boxer hound who was accused of attacking a dog and was facing a hearing to find him dangerous. While it never sounds good when a bigger dog bites a much smaller dog, we had to investigate further. Boston Dog Lawyers presented evidence that the victim dog was not on a leash. Also, we demonstrated how well managed Odie is and how engaged his owners are in avoiding incidents like this. The case was dismissed, and Odie was cleared. Even more amazing, Odie had been rescued by his present owner after Odie’s story appeared on TV. When he was a puppy, someone strapped firecrackers to his back, causing burns that needed surgery and skin grafts. Odie just can’t be defeated.

We made a modern argument for Diesel

A young woman called our office in the spring and said she and her boyfriend split up and he was keeping the dog. The thing is, it was not his dog. He told our client that if she hired a lawyer she would never see the dog again. Her ex guaranteed her that after the trial, she would be the one crying. After two days of testimony the defendant did

In 2012, Midnight bit an eight-yearold boy on the hand, and for this she was sentenced to be euthanized. That seemed fair to most people reading the headline, but not to us. I was hired to file an appeal for Midnight. My investigation revealed that quite often the boy and his friends threw rocks through the chain-link fence at Midnight when she was alone in her yard.

The day he was bit, the boy was alone, and Midnight was on a leash. There was no fence between them and when he reached to pet her, she bit his hand. To defend her I reached out to an animal behaviorist who explained how dogs can remember things like a boy throwing rocks at them. We won the appeal and the case was dismissed. Her actions were justified. We combined facts and the law to save Midnight.

Perhaps because pet supply greatly exceeds pet demand right now there is less pressure on our legislators to make changes. We must raise our expectations of the laws and of those who write them.

While the practice of law established its roots many centuries ago, the concept of a law firm dedicated to dogs and pets was unthinkable a decade ago, even a year ago.

To some it is still difficult to understand.

The public support has been awe-inspiring as we do our small part translating barks and meows into successful legal arguments.

Jeremy Cohen is a regular contributor to Simply Pets Magazines website and Simply Pets Magazine. He is owner of Boston Dog Lawyers and a proud petdad.

For more information about Jeremy and his practice please visit www.bostondoglawyers.com

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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PetKid Tidbits! *When you’re on the road with your pet for the holidays or just a family getaway, keep an extra copy of your petkid’s health records available. You never know when they might come in handy.

This tidbit is from Simply Pets Magazine

*Spaying and neutering doesn’t just cut down on the number of unwanted pets; it has other substantial benefits for your pet. Studies show it also lowers the risk of certain cancers and reduces a pet’s risk of getting lost by decreasing the tendency to roam.

This tidbit is from Chelsa~Newark

*While traveling with your petkid in a vehicle, please keep them restrained for their own protection and yours.

Petkid dogs can be kept in a kennel comfortable enough for them to sit, stand, or lie down in, and petkid cats can be confined to carriers. Once they are confined, it’s a good idea to secure that carrier with a safety belt as well.

This tidbit is from Eric~ St Louis

*Think about getting your petkid chipped.

Microchipping allows for the pet to be reunited with its petfamily, no matter how far away from home it may have roamed. Microchips are only about the size of a grain of rice and can be inserted under the skin of the petkid in less than a few seconds. The chips do not require a battery and can be easily scanned by animal control or a vet. These chips can provide a level of comfort in case you are separated from your petkid, and the cost is minimal compared to the stress relief it will provide.

This tidbit is from Robert~Texas

*Dog Petkids do love trucks, but please do not allow your petkid to ride with their head out the window or ride in the back of a pickup truck. While it might be tempting, both of these actions could result in injury to your petkid.

This tidbit is from Tom~Bakersfield

*Always carry spare water. You never know when you or your petkid might need to quench a thirst!

This tidbit is from Elizabeth~Boston

*Hair! If you have petkids, then you are always trying to remove hair. Here is our favorite tidbit. Grab a pair of house cleaning gloves. You know the kind that go all the way to your elbows. Most of us have a pair around the house for washing dishes or perhaps cleaning the oven.

Carry a pair of those in your car and put them on to brush off your clothes or seat. These gloves are miracle removers for pet hair. You can even use them around the house if you don’t feel like bringing out the heavy vacuum.

This tidbit is from Donna~Seattle

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Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

A “MUST HAVE” PET SAFETY PRODUCT Especially for this Holiday Season

PETALERT

Give All Pets A “CHANCE AT LIFE” When In Danger!

Use the PET ALERT INFORMATION SAFETY SYSTEM to protect all pet’s survival:

parents who care about the welfare and safety of their pets.

•

•

Easy to Use and Economical with 3 Options Available.

Complete safety package that works 24/7 for all pets.

It is designed to “ALERT First Responders” to Help locate and Save Pets during 911 emergencies and disasters.

Approved by Firefighters, Police and Veterinarians throughout the US and beyond.

Protects up to 5 pets and gives you and your clients a peace of mind that their pets will be taken care of during emergencies or in their owner is injured.

Be pet safe! Encourage pet safety practices and help pet parents understand they may be risking their pets without using the only complete pet safety system available for the home, the car/RV, when traveling or when pets are left alone, and the Pet Alert Emergency Information System can help protect their pets.

PET ALERT Emergency Information System was created to benefit pet

Use the PET ALERT INFORMATION SAFETY SYSTEM to protect your pet’s survival: Easy to Use, Economical and available in 3 options.

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Protects up to 5 pets and gives you the peace of mind that your pets will be taken care of during emergencies.

Be pet safe EVERYWHERE: at home, in the car/RV, when traveling and even when you’re unable to be there PET ALERT Emergency Information System was designed to benefit pet parents who care about the welfare and safety of their pets and approved by firefighters, police and veterinarians to bridge the gap to safety for first responders and animals.

IT ‘ S WORTH IT TO PROTECT YOUR PET! 912-459-1617 info@petalert.com www.PetAlert.com Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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Comic features

Lisa and the Pet Detectives is a new children’s book and soon to be an animated television show. The series is a collection of ten stories; the first one takes the characters out in the world of camping. Written for children and their parents who love animals and adventures, we think you’ll love their exploits. Story timeisa will and never the be thePet same!

As a special feature, we’ll run the first series throughout the next year! The first story is Lisa and the Pet Detectives Detectives and their Camping Adventure. Come along as Lisa and the boys—Coopah, Blizzard and Jaxxs—begin their journey. Enjoy!

L

is a new children’s book and soon to be a animated television show. The book is a collection of ten books with the first one that takes them out in the world of camping.

Written for children and their parents who love animals and adventures, we think you will love their adventures. Story time will never be the same!

As a special feature we will run the first series throughout the next year! The first in the series is Lisa and the Pet Detectives and their Camping Adventure. Come along as Lisa and the boys- Coopah, Blizzard and Jaxxs begin their journey…

Enjoy!

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Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

As Lisa, Jaxxs, Blizzard, and Coopah lounged around the living room Saturday morning after breakfast and play…

Lisa thought to herself…

Mmmm, springtime is here, we should go camping!

The boys would love getting out on a camping adventure.

“Coopah, Blizzard, and Jaxxs!

I am going to find us a great place to enjoy the outdoors and do some of our favorite outdoor activities! Do you guys have any ideas? I mean, should we go where we can fish, hike and, and? Hey fellas! How about we find a location where we can do it all?”

Hey Guys!

Did we pack the life jackets and first aid kit? We have to remember to be safe while we’re out camping!

Comic features Coopah double checks and says, “YES mom, I think we have packed everything!

Blizzard, Jaxxs, and I know it is ‘safety first’ always.”

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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With everything packed and Lisa and the boys loaded up in the car, Blizzard exclaims, “We’re off! Yay!” As they make their way to Lake Majestic, Lisa and the boys take in all the amazing sights.

“Hey fellas, smell that wonderful fresh air,” Jaxxs says, with his nose out the window.

“Now Jaxxs,” Lisa says, “make sure you stay in your seatbelt.” “...okay mom!”

Coopah and Blizzard laugh at their little brother because he is so excited about making their way on the trip!

“Are we there, are we there, are we there yet, Mom?” says Coopah.

“Are we there, are we there, are we there yet, Mom?” says Blizzard.

58 weSimply | Winter Issue “Are there,Pets areMagazine we there, are we2016 there yet, Mom?” says Jaxxs.

...continues in next issue

freely Roam

This holiday season give someone you love the gift of Glamping with Pets

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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What's Out There?

Do animals have spirits Do they possess souls What happens to them When it’s time to go Are they greeted in heaven Is there green grass and sun Will they be warmly welcomed Like everyone If you want my opinion I have to say yes For the unconditional love they show Can never be second guessed They are a reflection of God’s love In the purest way And there they will sit patiently waiting for us

I

Until it is ... our day.

truly believe that all life is sacred and all things have souls. This includes our beloved family pets. We live in a world of facts and figures where people want answers so they can plan or rationalize what is happening to them. With death, there are no definitive answers, only speculation. But if we are mindful in any way, every now and then something happens to let us know that there is much more to this life than we can see—giving us a glimpse into the possibilities. One such thing happened to me.

I had lost my close companion Shane quite suddenly. A beautiful yellow Lab was he. His death was completely unexpected, for up until that day he had been the picture of health. One morning when I arose, he was bloated and would not eat.

This was highly out of character. He was rushed to the vet hospital and a battery of tests was run. Exploratory surgery was required, and what they found was devastating. His liver, spleen, and stomach were riddled with cancer. I made the heartwrenching decision to let him go while under anesthesia. This was very peaceful for him but very traumatic for me. I sat and cried in the waiting room for three hours, unable to leave.

It was dark when I finally arrived home. I was exhausted and began fumbling around the house trying to make sense of it all when something outside caught my

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ANIMALS AND SPIRITS

by Jennifer Petrone

eye. The headlights on my vehicle were on. I knew I had turned them off when I got out, so I went to the window to take a closer look. Suddenly they turned off. Then I looked to see if someone was in the car, thinking it might be a burglar. But there was no one there. Then again, the lights turned on, and each time they flickered a bit. I was puzzled, but it suddenly occurred to me that Shane used to go everywhere in that vehicle with me. It was his second home. By that time the lights had turned off again.

I looked at the vehicle and said, “Shane, if that is you, turn the lights on again.” No sooner than I finished that sentence the lights came on but this time with full high beams. It was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen. They stayed on for at least twenty seconds and then instead of going off immediately, they slowly dimmed and began to flicker at the end—as if he was saying goodbye. I couldn’t contain myself as the tears again began streaming from my eyes.

This is one of those moments we can’t rationalize. The closest I can come is to believe that Shane’s spirit was still present and alive. Due to the quickness of his leaving, knowing how devastated I was— and the extremely close bond we shared— he was letting me know that he was okay. I needn’t worry, for we would be reunited on the other side someday.

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

The next evening while I was watching television in bed, something else happened.

Shane always lay in bed with me, and we watched TV together. On this night as I started drifting to sleep, the television suddenly turned off. I hadn’t touched the remote. I reached over and turned it back on. It happened again. I turned it on a third time and said, “Shane, if that is you, turn it off again.” Out it went. I then said, “Turn it on,” and up it came. This time I didn’t cry but instead smiled, for I felt I was given affirmation that he was indeed safe and alive. I became flush with joy, turned off the television, and then thanked my special boy.

We don’t know what happens to us when we leave this world, but this experience convinced me that life goes on and the mysteries of it are magical and mystical.

Do I believe animals have spirits and souls? There is not an inkling of doubt in my mind.

Have faith and keep your hearts open, for your cherished friends are waiting for you.

I believe when we leave ourselves open to miracles, miracles happen.

This was the gift I was given on those two occasions.

All my best—and may you always cherish your relationships with your pets.

Jeni

Behavior Yours and Theirs

Dealing with a Spraying Cat—

Without Losing Your Mind!

A

cat that sprays can be extremely frustrating, for both you and your cat, but there is a reason behind the spraying. Your cat isn’t trying to make you crazy—his spraying is instinctual.

In this article, we will explore some of the reasons why your cat is spraying and come up with possible solutions to resolve this issue and win back your sanity.

There are many reasons why your cat may start spraying throughout the house.

Firstly, you should take your cat to the vet to rule out any health issues. If everything checks out, you need to explore other possible triggers for the spraying. A cat sprays mainly if he is feeling threatened.

For example, if another pet joins the family, your cat may not like it. He is the king or queen of the household, so he will most likely feel threatened by this new being that is taking over.

A good way to introduce a new pet to your current one is very slowly! I stress slowly because if you introduce them too fast, the outcome will be disastrous.

You wouldn’t want to live with a total stranger, so you can’t expect your cat to be inclined to do so. There must be a warm-up period; otherwise it just won’t work.

How do you introduce a new pet?

First, you need to keep them apart for several weeks. Keep the new pet in a separate room, and your current pet should still have access to the entire house. Let your old pet get used to another animal being in the house. Give your cat a blanket or toy the new pet has been using. They will get used to their scent, and the first meeting won’t be as traumatic for them.

What happens if you introduce a cat too quickly to another pet? They will

by Francine Piriano-Davila

feel threatened and their instincts will kick in. They’ll most likely start marking their territory throughout the house with that lovely aroma of urine. Once the two animals meet, there is no going back, so you need to stick to the plan.

Why else would a cat spray? A change in your circumstances, such as moving to a new place. Cats are creatures of habit.

They don’t adapt well to change, so you need to ease them into it. If you introduce this new environment to them too quickly, they may get overwhelmed and start spraying. Try separating them from the rest of the new house for a week or two. Put their food, water, and litterbox in a small room. Include some toys and a bed or blanket. Once they are comfortable with their new surroundings, you can let them explore the rest of the house.

Whether it’s another pet or a new place, you now have to correct the spraying behavior immediately. This could be very challenging and time consuming, so you need to be up for the task.

I know your first inclination will be to yell at your spraying cat out of frustration, but try not to give in to your frustration.

Trust me—I know it will be difficult, but you need to stay calm. Yelling at your cat will just worsen the situation, and your cat will not respond well to it. Instead, try moving the litterbox to where he’s spraying the most. If your cat sees a litterbox there, he will be more inclined to spray in the box and not on your sofa.

Also, try putting a long piece of cardboard inside the litterbox (stand it up), so your cat can spray on the cardboard.

There is another method I have personally used. It may sound a bit odd, but it works. When a cat sprays, it shakes its tail. If you catch your cat in

the act, gently touch its tail. The cat will immediately stop spraying mid-way through. It’s almost like your cat is in a trance while he is spraying. By touching his tail, you break the spell.

There are products you can use to calm your stressed cat, but I personally don’t find them very useful. For example, Feliway contains synthetic cat pheromones that are supposed to destress your cat. You simply plug it into the wall and voilà, your cat is cured. I’ve used these products for my cats in the past, and they were a waste of time and money.

Neutering your cat will stop the spraying immediately.

I am a licensed veterinary technician, so I have worked in several veterinary practices. A prescription medication can be used in extreme cases. Prozac is the medicine of choice. I must say, it does work. It’s not a miracle drug, but it dramatically reduces the spraying episodes. I’ve used it on my cat, and it helped significantly. However, I would try to resolve the spraying problem in other ways before resorting to Prozac because it does have side effects.

There are ways to prevent spraying without having to give up your cat. It can be a very challenging and difficult road, but your cat will appreciate the effort.

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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Who's in the Kitchen and What's Cooking?

Lisa Smith Putnam {LSP} with Chef Lovejoy Cole

Chef Lovejoy Cole

Banana Kale Peanut Butter Dog Treats Ingredients 2 eggs

1 cup of mashed bananas

2 tablespoons of Peanut Butter 1/2 cup of sautéed Kale 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons of dry milk

2 1⁄2 cups all purpose flour 1/4 of alkaline water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Blend eggs and bananas, peanut butter, & kale together; add salt, dry milk, and flour.

Add water as needed until dough is workable Dough mixture should be stiff and dry

Make sure to work the dough with your hands only; it’ll be too thick for a mixer Roll dough into 1/4 inch balls

Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet

Bake for 30 minutes; let cool and serve to your furry friends

Chef Lovejoy Cole is a celebrity chef, cooking for many of the top television, music, and film stars! His most important role though is that of being petdad to his petkid dog Buddy, the newest member of his family!

Simply Pets Magazine is excited to have Chef LoveJoy provide this yummy recipe for our special holiday issue. If you love this recipe

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Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

and we think you will, you will love the cook book Chef Lovejoy and Lisa Smith Putnam (Simply Pets Magazine Founder) have coming out in 2017. They promise to have all sorts of fun with food and snacks that you too can cook for your petkids and even a few for yourself!

Who's in the Kitchen and What's Cooking?

Doggie meatballs Sharon Wallingford

Ingredients

5 pounds of ground turkey 5 whole eggs, raw or cooked 3 cups cooked rice (white or brown) 2 cups of mixed vegetables (chopped green beans work well) 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese 1. Start by taking all the ingredients above and combining them into an appropriate-sized bowl. Please use your hands to mix to make sure all ingredients are thoroughly mixed together.

2. Now, make meatballs! Scoop the desired size you want to utilize for your petkid. We recommend you use a tablespoon.

3. Place the meatballs when finished

Directions

Preheat the overn to about 350 degrees e

PetKid to Chef Lovejoy Col

on a baking pan and bake them at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until fully cooked.

4. We recommend that you do not grease the pan.

5. Once done, allow them to cool to room temperature.

6. Once cool, invite your best petkid over for a snack. If you want, you can make a whole meal out of these for your petkid!

6. Feel free to eat any leftovers! Okay, just seal them up and refrigerate.

These meatballs will last in a sealed container up to five days. If you want to double the recipe, you can even freeze them (cooked) and they will last for about 2 months. This recipe makes about 62 meatballs, which go pretty quickly in my household. I am proud petmom of two Huskies, Roger and Felix.

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63

SIT. STAY. PLAY. (crossword puzzle for those who love animals)

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Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

Across 5.

6.

8.

Arctic _____________ typically travel in packs of six.

During the winter they have an insulted white coat that keeps them warm and camouflaged to their environment.

_____________ burrow under snow during the winter in order to find food. They do not hibernate. Rather, these medium-sized animals are active in their environment.

There were many _____________ present at the birth of Jesus. Through the holiday season, too, people put this animal on display to symbolize love and devotion.

11. Sea _____________, a marine mammal, enjoy spending most of their time in water than on land. They are natural-born swimmers.

13. _____________ are said to have brought the Three Wise Men to see Jesus when he was born in an inn’s manger.

15. During the winter months, humpback _____________ give birth to their young and can often be seen swimming together.

16. Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus rode bareback on a _____________ to Bethlehem after his birth.

18. On Dasher! On Prancer! On Donner! On Blitzen!

But wait, don’t forget Rudolph the red-nosed _____________ — the most important of all!

20. While they spend most of their time on land, the _____________ is actually a marine animal. These nonaggressive animals are often playful and can weigh up to 3,000 pounds.

22. _____________ _____________ are among the top largest owls within North America. The majority of this bird’s coat is white. They hunt day and night.

23. Twas the night before Christmas. Not a creature was stirring; not even a _____________.

26.

_____________ _____________ live along the Arctic coastline, searching the sea for fish and salmon.

27. The _____________ is a short-tailed weasel that is found within Arctic regions of Asia, Europe and North America.

28. _____________ whales are social creatures. They can often be found off the coast of North America or Russia, blending in well with the water.

Down 1.

The _____________’ short wings give them the capability to swim well. They have black and white feathers and live in colonies.

3.

The _____________ hare, found in North America, is quick to escape predators. Their fur matches their environment and they have extra-big back legs. Their name comes from how quick they are on their feet.

2.

4.

7.

9.

10.

12.

14.

17.

19.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

English settlers were the first to bring wild _____________ to America. Now they are a popular holiday feast.

The _____________ is a fierce hunter. They are powerful and willful members of the weasel family. They challenge prey of any size in order to survive.

_____________ are part of the dolphin family. They are also known as killer whales and haven’t any real predators in the wild.

The _____________ is associated with the Chinese New Year celebration, held each year in late January or early February.

Snow _____________ are often found in Canada. Yet, when it gets cold, they head south to warmer temperatures. Their ideal summer home is a farmer’s field. In fact, their beaks give them the ability to dig in the ground.

The _____________ _____________ is the only eagle that is exclusive to North America. This bird can easily be spotted by its love of soaring the skies. Rarely does it ever flap its wings. _____________ are a very unique species of reindeer. In this particular species, the males and females have antlers.

Irish traditionally sacrifice a _____________ in hopes that it will leave the old year in the past and lead to a prosperous future.

The _____________ represents peace and forgiveness throughout the holiday season.

_____________ made their debut onto Christmas cards in the mid1800s. They reflected postal carriers that wore red jackets and shared the name with this winged bird.

The red _____________ does not hibernate. Before the winter they gather nuts and seeds, while they still collect food during the cold season. _____________ are recognizable with their oversized rack of antlers. They are the largest size of deer and eat over 34 pounds of food during the winter.

Scandinavians often enjoy _____________ as a festive feast. Many within this culture include this animal as a holiday decoration.

The Arctic _____________ begins to shed its brown coat starting in September, exchanging it for a warmer and thicker white one intended for the winter.

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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Health & Safety

HOLIDAYS AND YOUR PETS

by Healey Lockett

We’re all gearing up for the magic season! It starts with Halloween and rushes right on through to New Year’s Eve. We get so busy with parties, decorating, and entertaining that it’s easy to forget about our animal companions and how this time of year affects them. Let’s look at some common holiday risks for your pet, then we’ll talk about making things easier on your furkid.

Holiday Decorations

F

rom scary ghosts and zombies to temptingly decorated trees, these are big changes in your home’s decor. Your pet can perceive decorations as scary or as a new toy. Or even try to eat them! While this is less than desirable from a behavior standpoint, it is a real threat to your pet’s life if items are ingested. Emergency surgery becomes a very real possibility if your dog or cat swallows anything that’s not food.

About That Food…

So many delicious meals, many that only come around at this time of year— candies, baked goods, turkey. Yum! We know that too much is bad for us, and even if we do overindulge a little, we know when to say when. Your pets don’t.

Many will eat anything they can if given even half an opportunity. A lot of these foods are not just highly caloric, they’re toxic. The mildest thing that can happen if your pet eats too much or something they shouldn’t is vomiting. Symptoms can progress to diarrhea, dehydration, even organ failure and death.

Stress

Holidays mean lots of visitors— parties, family and friends all celebrating together. New people in the home and changes in the daily routine will all cause your pet to feel some stress. Even the most easygoing furkid is going to feel a little put out with all the rushing around and extra bodies. Indicators can be subtle—a little decreased appetite, reluctance to leave quiet areas. Or they can be obvious, such as hiding, vomiting, a change in potty habits, even biting.

Escape!

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With so many people coming and

going from your home, it’s very easy for a door to be left open and a furkid to escape, especially if your pet is nervous or intimidated by the increased activity.

They may actively try to escape the home, searching for any opening and taking opportunities they might not ordinarily seek out.

What to Do?

Did you realize the holidays were such a risky time for your pet? They don’t have to be. A little extra time and care now can help you prevent any tragedies, so you can fully enjoy your holiday season.

Keep breakable items out of pet’s reach.

Worried about the heirlooms that only come out once a year? Put them up high where your pet cannot get to them.

Closely monitor your pet’s behavior when decorating. Observe their reactions

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

over the next few days to make sure they’re not chewing, or eating, or frightened of the new items.

If your dog exhibits fear of the new stuff, desensitize! Desensitization is the slow, systematic exposure to something scary so that it becomes not scary. This will require several steps and some treats.

You want to get your dog to voluntarily approach and investigate whatever is scaring him. Start far away from the item—your dog should be relaxed and paying attention to you and the treats. Then gradually approach whatever’s scaring him and encourage him to follow you. Use praise, use treats, and ask your dog to calmly approach you and it.

Do not drag your dog. Use the treats and encourage him to follow as you step closer and closer to the item. It must be a voluntary approach on his part. Go as

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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Health & Safety slowly as you need to. If you can only get your dog to follow you one step, then go one step. Praise him, and walk away. Call him back and see if he’ll now follow you two steps.

Once you get to the scary thing, encourage your dog to investigate it. If you need to, hold a treat close to the item so he has to reach toward it. Give him praise and treats when he can walk up to it calmly.

So much food! Especially during the holidays, you need to be aware of what your pets are eating. Fall and winter gatherings seem centered around food, and it’s often left lying around—too much temptation for the best-behaved pet!

The bottom line is this: It’s your responsibility as a petparent to protect your petkid. You must be the one to exercise good judgment because most pets can’t. You must consider your guests AND your pet. You want them all to be comfortable.

You could ask your guests not to feed your pet. Can you trust them all to comply?

You could secure your pet in an area that is off-limits to guests when food is being served.

You could designate an eating area where food is consumed that is off-limits to pets.

Let me say a quick word, too, about plants in the home at this time. Poinsettias are a very popular winter plant. While it’s true they are poisonous if eaten or chewed, the toxicity level is low. They are rarely life-threatening, but the symptoms are still unpleasant. Other plants used in bouquets and arrangements are more toxic. Lilies can cause kidney failure if ingested. The best rule with plants in the house is to make sure that pets can’t reach them. Observe your pets, and adjust plant locations to keep your pets safe.

So much stress! Pay attention to your pet’s behavior. Even if they’re not acting out, chances are good they’re feeling some increased tension. Try to give them some extra attention. Extra exercise will help too. The physical activity is a good stress relief, and a tired pet will be less distracted by the heightened activity in the home.

If your pet is really bothered, consider setting aside a safe room that is off-limits to guests. Provide toys and water. For extra comfort, give them some towels or blankets with your scent on them. Low

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lighting will encourage calm and sleep.

Playing soothing music will help mask the sounds outside. Check on your pet periodically, and feed when appropriate.

Be sure to spend time in there with them, too, so they don’t feel ignored.

Setting up a safe room will be especially important if you think your pet is at risk of escape, or if they don’t have the best manners around guests. Better to separate and keep everyone safe if you have any doubts.

The best way to protect your pet this holiday season is to think ahead.

Consider your plans, your guests, and your pets.

Know your pet! Does she run to greet visitors? Or run and hide? Is he a food vacuum? Or a finicky eater that will turn his nose up when someone holds out a treat?

Make a plan ahead of time. Decide where pets and guests are and aren’t allowed. Decide if it’s safe for your pet to have full access to the house and guests or if you need to divide areas.

Get creative with baby gates, shut

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

doors, and posted signs to contain pets and to direct guests.

Check on your pets often. Be sure they don’t become overwhelmed, and if they do, move them to a safe room so they can relax.

A safe, successful, and fun holiday season can be done! But you must take the time and put some thought into it to keep everyone safe and happy. Your pets will thank you. And knowing your pets and guests are taken care of will make it all worthwhile.

Want to know more? I teach desensitization techniques, and setting up safe zones, as well as understanding dog behavior and training in my book, Dog Care and Training for the GENIUS. If you order through my publisher at this link (bit.ly/dct-ftg) and use the coupon code “dct-ftg,” you’ll get 15% off!

Website: healeylockett.com Facebook: Healey Lockett, Author Link: https://www.facebook.com/HealeyLockett-Author-83621627534/?ref=bookmarks Twitter: @HealeyAuthor

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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Nice Find

Tips for Pet Owners

When Purchasing a Home

by Toni Patillo

I

When I purchased my first home, the absolute first order of business was to find my true lifetime companion, the love of my life—Buju, a purebred Rhodesian Ridgeback who was always a part of my plans of becoming a homeowner. From childhood to this moment, I’ve always been a pet lover, and home ownership was not complete without having that element included.

always had felines that traveled with me from the time I graduated from high school. Today, my kitty Gizmo is my only pet who is a rescue. He was left behind by a tenant being evicted from one of my listings back in 2012 and by divine order was gifted to me. Gizmo is forever grateful for his rescue and is most appreciative for being included as a part of our family and lifestyle.

If you have animal members of your family, it’s important to keep your pet’s needs in mind in any pending home purchase.

When pets are a central part of your life, like Killer, Sunni, Buju, and Gizmo were and are in my life, you will find personal enjoyment in your future house only if it accommodates the needs of your pet. As you consider the needs of your family, including pets, decide what you must have and what you can compromise on. You can also speak casually to potential neighbors to see if they are pet friendly. After all, a happy pet makes a happy owner.

Ten Tips for Buying a Home Pets Will Love:

Some people will openly admit that they treat their pets like children.

Many who feel that way have chosen to delay parenthood or simply not to have children. Others, such as baby boomers whose children have grown and left home, sometimes substitute their pets for the

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kids who have moved out.

But when a pet lover turns into a home buyer, look out. Like parents who research the best school districts when considering neighborhoods in which to shop for a home, home buyers with pets have specific requirements, too.

goat. Notwithstanding, I did, in fact, own a Nubian goat. Even though my neighborhood was called Goat Hill, the city ordered me to find another home for my goat. Many cities restrict the number and types of pets allowed within city limits.

Imagine my shock when the city of Costa Mesa, California, informed me that I was not allowed to own a

Not every HOA allows pets. If the homeowner association permits pets, most likely the association’s bylaws will

1. Check County and City Code Restrictions

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

2. Read Home Owner Association (HOA) Documents

Nice Find address restrictions on numbers, types, sizes, heights, noise factors, and whether pets are allowed to freely roam the premises.

Many HOAs strictly enforce their bylaws. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking the bylaws won’t apply to you because they are silly restrictions or that the HOA won’t enforce its own rules. Many homeowner association covenants carry severe penalties for those who violate their HOA regulations.

3. Consider the Home’s Features

A Sacramento buyer was adamant that she would not buy a home with carpeting.

She wanted a home for her Schnauzer with wood or ceramic floors throughout and did not want to deal with ripping up carpeting.

Another first-time home buyer adopted a cat who ate fabric, so the home could not have drapes covering any of the windows.

Perhaps an outdoor faucet is important for bathing your dog. If so, check to make sure the home has exterior faucets; it’s an easy thing to overlook.

Make a list of your desired preferences before going home shopping to find the right home.

4. Examine the Home’s Layout

Aging pets might have trouble climbing stairs, so for some home buyers with senior pets, a single-story home is ideal. Cats like windows, and those with window ledges or low to the ground are preferred by felines. Is there a playroom for your pets? Plenty of closet space for storing pet supplies? Your cat will appreciate a private place for a litter box, and you may prefer to keep the cat box out of sight.

Pets love to run and chase each other in circles—will your home allow a race around the house? If you keep your pets confined to certain rooms, is the layout conducive to that arrangement? It can be expensive to pay for a pet-friendly home remodel.

5. Inspect Street Traffic

Sometimes, even the most wellbehaved dogs bolt when the front door is opened.

Cats are inquisitive, and a curious cat can find a way to push open a screen door to get outside. In unfamiliar surroundings, pets can dart into the street. To prevent tragedy, it’s better to pass on buying a

for referrals to pet vendors. For example, where can you find the best: Pet food store Veterinary clinic Doggie day care center Pet sitter Groomer

Pets love to run and chase each other in circles—will your home allow a race around the house? If you keep your pets confined to certain rooms, is the layout conducive to that arrangement? It can be expensive to pay for a pet-friendly home remodel.

9. Search for a Local Dog Park

A great way to meet your neighbors and make new friends is at the local dog park. Here are few questions to ask about the dog park: Will you be expected to keep your dog on a leash?

Are dogs encouraged to play with one another and socialize?

Who maintains the park?

Does the park provide stations and containers for picking up after your dog?

Are you restricted from going to the park during certain hours of the day?

Can you hear dogs barking at the park from your new home?

home that is located on or near a busy thoroughfare.

6. Ask About Previous Pets in House

If the seller is selling a home where pets live, check for pet damage, especially under rugs. Look at the backs of doors for scratches or gouges. Ask about pet accidents. Inquire about fleas in the house.

Pet odors are almost impossible to eliminate from a home but might not be noticeable to you, so bring along a friend who does not own a pet to act as your official sniffer. Cats, especially, mark territory; and if you own a cat, you don,t want the process of improper elimination to repeat itself.

7. Find Out if the Neighborhood is Pet Friendly

Drive around the area to see if you can spot neighbors outside walking their dogs or notice cats sleeping in sunny windows.

Look for community-placed receptacles for waste deposits. Consider whether you would prefer an area where dogs are on leashes and the owners carry plastic bags or a community where dogs run free, chasing cars, while the pet owner, say, staggers behind, slurping from a can of beer?

Very important, does a dog live next door who will bark all day at your dog? Talk to the neighbors.

8. Locate Pet Services

If you are buying a home in a new area, ask your agent and the neighbors

10. Is the Yard Fenced?

If the yard does not have a fence and you want to provide a safe play area for your pets, find out how much it will cost to construct your own fence. If the home has an existing fence, make sure it is gated, the gate latches, and the fence is high enough so your dog can’t jump over it. Inspect for loose fence boards that may need to be replaced.

Moreover, if you plan to buy a swimming pool home, either get a cover for the pool or install a security gate around it.

Your new home will be your pet’s new home as well. By following these tips, you will find the ideal place for both of you.

tonipatillo.com/team-view/toni-patillo Toni Patillo, Broker of Record Keller Williams Santa Monica/Palisades 2701 Ocean Park Blvd., #140 Santa Monica, CA 90405 toni@tonipatillo.com www.tonipatillo.com

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Winter is here

WINTER IS HERE! Just like you love being warm in the winter, it’s important to think about your petkids and the temperatures outside and inside the house. Some animals get hot even when the heat is up too high.

Do you have a place in the house for them to stay cool?

And many of us will want to walk our dog petkids as they love going out in the rain or snow. It’s important not only to dry their fur but also to wash off and dry those paws as well!

The New Year is also a good reminder for us humans and our petkids to Get our annual checkups! Preventive medicine is always the best medicine!

And if your New Year plans involve getting you and your petkid into shape because you haven’t gotten off the couch in a while and your petkid hasn’t been out of their bed, be careful and check with your doctor and veterinarian before starting any workout regimen.

And start out slow and do your stretches! After all, cats don’t do the downward dog because they want to pay homage to their dog friends.

Here are some other great tips from Kim Salerno

W

interize my house - check, winterize my car - check, winterize my petkid - what?

With the full wrath of winter upon us... arctic winds, plummeting temps, snow and freezing rain (ugh), have you taken the time to be sure that your pet is winterized? That is, prepared for the frigid temps and all that goes along with it? Take note of these special precautions and tips to ensure your pet is safe and protected this winter.

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Un-Pet Friendly Winter Products Anti-Freeze: Be sure that you keep your pet far away from automotive antifreeze. This highly toxic yellowish green fluid poses a life-threatening danger to pets. It contains ethylene glycol which is a potent toxin to the kidneys. Just as little as a lick of this dangerous fluid can be dangerous to your pet. Take your pet to the vet immediately if you suspect that your dog or cat has ingested anti-freeze. Early treatment is essential.

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

Windshield Washer Products: Less toxic, but also a danger, are windshield washer products. They contain methanol which can cause severe nervous system depression in pets. If pets ingest these fluids they may exhibit drooling, vomiting, and instability.

Ice Melt Products: Treating sidewalks, driveways, and steps with rock salt and other ice melt products is another routine of winter months. If pets ingest these products, they can suffer from

CRITTER CAMP

Critter Camp Exotic Pet Sanctuary is excited to announce the publication of our book Frankie Finds Critter Camp!

Heartwarming story for all ages of Frankie the ferret who loved his person Mindy, but when she could no longer care for him he found himself lost and alone.

Follow Frankie as he heads out to find Critter Camp, where animals have a place to live out their lives when no one else will care for them. Along the way, Frankie meets other former pets like himself, each with their own touching stories. This book is based on true stories of real-life animals that have been cared for at Critter Camp. All proceeds benefit the 300 rescued animals living their lives safe, happy and loved at Critter Camp Exotic Pet Sanctuary. ebook $1.99: http://www.lulu.com/shop/ beth-randall/frankie-finds-critter-camp/ebook/ product-22835104.html Paperback: http://www.lulu.com/shop/bethrandall/frankie-finds-critter-camp/paperback/ product-22817548.html Critter Camp is the only small and unusual pet sanctuary of its kind in the US and possibly the world! We provide a safe healthy happy loving forever home to an average of 300 unadoptable small and unusual pets of 30 different species. We hope this book with entertain and educate people at the same time. No animal is disposable, and all come with a commitment to their care for their entire lifespan.

www.crittercamp.org Thank you!

Beth Randall Director beth@crittercamp.biz 815-266-1342

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Winter is here gastrointestinal tract irritation, as well as depression, weakness, seizures, cardiac issues, and other life threatening issues.

Without ingestion, rock salt and other ice melt products can dry out and irritate your pet’s paws and stomach. Dry paws can lead to cracks and possible infection (not to mention discomfort). There are pet safe ice melts on the market; however, you can’t control what others are putting on their sidewalks. To help prevent irritation and injury to your pet, gently wash and dry off their paws AND bellies at the end of their walk. If you are traveling with your pet, be sure to wash off your pet’s paws and belly once you get them in the car. As a preventative measure, you may want to consider boots for your pet...however; I have yet to find some that stay on!

Applying pet paw wax to your dog’s pads is another preventative measure.

Space Heaters: In seeking out warm places, pets may cozy up to space heaters or heat lamps which can also pose dangers to your pets. Keep fluffy tails away from heat lamps and space heaters, as they can easily ignite into flames. In addition, dogs and cats love to seek out the warmth of a fire. Be sure that your fireplace is protected by either a safety screen or glass to help prevent sparks from flying out and landing on your dog or cat.

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OUTDOOR THREATS

The Elements: Your pet needs to be protected from the cold itself. Just because your pet has fur doesn’t mean they are completely protected from the elements.

If you have a short haired breed, you may want to consider protective clothing for them. In addition, when the temps really dip (particularly when the wind chill is a factor), limit their time outdoors. In addition, if you are traveling by car with your pet, do not leave them in a freezing cold car. After you turn the heater off, the temperature rapidly drops. You know your pet best, so be sure to keep a close eye on them and bring them in if they are exhibiting signs of being too cold. Monitor your pet closely to avoid any type of severe reaction to overexposure to cold such as hypothermia. Signs of hypothermia include: lethargy, weakness, shivering, and muscle stiffness, difficulty breathing, fixed and dilated pupils.

Bodies of Water: Most dogs love to romp in the snow off-leash. Be sure to know the area in which you are playing with your dog. Be sure to keep your pet away from bodies of water - even if they appear frozen. Incidents of dogs falling through the ice happen way too often and are easily preventable.

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

Car Engines: Outdoor cats find warm engines the perfect place to find warmth during the cold winter months. Turning your car on with a cat curled up on your engine is obviously a big danger. To alert any cat that may be near your car engine, bang on your hood a few times before getting in and starting your car.

ESCAPING THE COLD

Some choose to skip the winterizing stuff and travel to a warmer climate with their dog or cat. If you plan to travel with your pet to escape the cold, be sure to plan ahead. If traveling by plane, check with your carrier to determine their airline pet policies. If traveling by car, be sure to plan ahead and take all the necessary steps to ensure your pet has a safe and happy journey, including securing pet friendly hotels along your travel route!

Kim Salerno is the President & Founder of TripsWithPets.com. She founded the pet travel site in 2003 and is an expert in the field of pet travel. Her popular web site features pet friendly hotels & accommodations across the US and Canada, along with other helpful pet travel resources. Her mission is to ensure that pets are welcome, happy, and safe in their travels.

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A Rainbow Hug

By Alizabeth Ashley Smith

I was feeling quite melancholy one day, so I went for a walk in the woods. As I was walking, I heard a sweet and delicate chirp from a bird that sounded like all that is true and beautiful and good. I looked above to find it, and saw perched on a branch a small and very radiant sparrow.

“My, what a melodic tune you chirp!” said I to the sparrow. “’Tis because I’ve been struck by the greatest of loves!” replied he to me.

“That sounds divine!” said I. “I must say this love from a fellow sparrow really makes you shine.”

“No, no! You see the love I received was from a rainbow! While I was thrusting through the sky about to catch the next gust, I flew through a rainbow and was embraced by the warmest and fuzziest of hugs.”

“A hug from a rainbow? A rainbow hug?!

Why that’s just about the strangest thing I’ve heard since I was the age of nine!”

“And what was it that you heard at the age of nine?” asked the sparrow.

“That an alligator six feet wide swam through a canal that was three feet narrow.”

“Indeed, that is strange,” said the sparrow.

“But there’s nothing strange about a hug from a rainbow. It’s gentle and kind and makes you look all aglow. It’s a ray of love from Great Spirit that puts you in the flow.”

“Wow! That sounds amazing!” said I. “But, unfortunately not something I can try.”

The sparrow sat perplexed for a moment and then asked me why.

“Because I’m not a bird that can fly to touch a rainbow in the sky!”

“No need to fly,” chirped the sparrow.

“Anyone can access the love of a rainbow.

Simply gaze upon its radiance and take in its beauty. The rainbow knows who needs a hug; the one who feels a bit ... moody.”

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I sensed the sparrow knew how I was feeling, and moody was putting it lightly.

And then at that moment a raindrop fell, while the sun was still bright and shiny.

Perfect weather for a rainbow! I thought.

So off I went in search of one. Why not?

I walked and I walked with my head held high.

“I know I’ll find a rainbow!” I said to myself. “It’s just a matter of time!”

Then suddenly off in the distance I saw it—a shimmering ray of multicolored glory. I ran to get close to it, only to realize it was already right before me.

“I am Love to those in need of it,” whispered the rainbow. “And my well never runs dry. Great Spirit is my provider and because of this my capacity to love is always very high.”

Then just as I was about express the feeling I wanted to convey, I felt a strong, comforting warmth envelop me, and my melancholy simply melted away.

“Thank you, good rainbow! Why, thank you so much! I really don’t know what else to say.”

“No need for words, my dear. The gratitude emanating from you makes it oh so very clear.”

“Well, at least let me return the favor.

May I get you a gift and come back a little later?”

The rainbow chuckled softly —one of the most delightful sounds I’d ever heard.

I know, I know. The idea of a rainbow laughing—or even hugging for that matter—you might likely find absurd. But if you stop to think about it for a minute, isn’t the sight of a rainbow one of the happiest visions on earth? So just imagine it laughing and you’ll get me, for what it’s worth.

But I digress. Confused by the rainbow’s laughing at my offer to give her a gift, I cleared my throat to speak.

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

But as seems to be the norm with Mother Nature, she anticipated my words and chose to speak before me.

“Can’t you see, my child, you are my gift. For when I heal you, you heal me.

Now go forth and run free. The effects of my hug will grow with time; you’ll see. “ “But I’m human; I’m imperfect, so surely my deep melancholy will return. What shall I do then?”

“Now, now, my dear, I’m not suggesting you’ll remain in a perfect state of Zen. But there’s nothing imperfect about you. Your emotions are part of you, and you are a part of All That Is. Trust that Great Spirit loves you, even when you’re in a tizz.”

“But what if I want to feel the love from a rainbow hug on days when they’re no raindrops and sunshine?”

“Well that’s easy,” replied the rainbow.

“There are many ways to feel the Divine.

Hug yourself, hug a friend, hug a stranger, hug a tree! For with every hug you give, you’ll be feeling the love from me.”

“You mean, because when I hug someone that hug heals me?”

“You got it!” chuckled the rainbow.

And again my body tingled with joy from the sound of such a beautiful jingle.

So there you have it—a story about being hugged by a rainbow. It might seem like the strangest thing you’ve ever heard or even a story too good to be true. But I can profess with all my heart that what I experienced was not some strange brew.

Rather it was the unconditional love from Great Spirit in the form of a multi-colored hug. So if you’re ever feeling down and in need of a little love—hug yourself, hug a loved one, hug a stranger, hug a rainbow!

I guarantee you’ll find it much better than the effects of any drug. I promise; you’ll see!

@SimplyPetsMag simplypetsmagazine simplypetsmagazine HEY YOU! What are you looking forward to doing with friends, family and petkids in the New Year?

OUR QUESTION IS: What are you looking forward to doing with friends, family and PetKids in the New Year?

TERRY SHOEMAKER

We are looking forward to welcoming a new PetKid in the house after being without one for a few years!

PAULA BOGUIRE

Can’t wait till spring to head to the coast And take the PetKid to the beach and play!

SCOTT AND GAYLE MAGIO

Anything they want to!

We are retired and will just go where life takes us with our girls.

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THE ARK The ARK at JFK is a comprehensive, multi-purpose animal handling and air cargo facility at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Approved by the Board of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, The Ark is being constructed by ARK Development, LLC with substantial completion slated for Fall 2016 and commencement of operations shortly thereafter.

The facility will provide both airside and landside services, including a USDA -approved import quarantine, in-transit companion animal kenneling, boarding, and veterinary and diagnostic services.

ARK DEVELOPMENT, LLC Cargo Building 78

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John F. Kennedy International Airport Š 2012-2016 ARK Development, LLC

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Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

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Jamaica, New York 11430

HOME, HOLIDAY, FAMILY, & PETKIDS

T

his is a time of traditions for many families, and mine is no different. Growing up Catholic and sharing a birthday month with Jesus, I figured it was the best time of year! I always felt extra blessed in December.

My dad worked for Boeing and had two weeks off every year between Christmas and New Year’s. I thought everyone’s dad had those two weeks off.

As I got older, I realized that wasn’t the case, but I carry forth this tradition with my team. I ask that only a skeleton crew check in and make sure that nothing gets left undone. Everyone else checks emails from home when time permits, but otherwise, I tell them to rest and enjoy the season as the new year is always a busy one!

But when I was little, my family and I had extra family time, and was it great!

I grew up in a family of six humans (me, my sister, my two brothers, my mom and my dad) and at any given time two to four petkids as well. We always had a cat and a dog, but over the years our crew included extra dogs and cats, birds—wild and tame, rabbits, and just about anything I (and yes, I was the main ring leader) thought needed a home! Lovingly my parents somehow managed to find room for just one more.

Christmas was always a special time, and although everything was decorated and we celebrated all month long, the main event started Christmas Eve. We

Lisa Smith Putnam {LSP} with petkids Blizzard and Coopah

counted down the clock till the big guy’s arrival with nervous anticipation of delight! After dinner and showers, we all dressed up as a family, and we kids tried to be on our best behavior for Mom and Dad. We braved the cold and sometimes snow as my father ensured we traveled safely to and from midnight mass. You would think that it would be hard for us kids to stay awake, but, no, not this evening. We were wide awake!

It was magical; it was wonderful. The church was packed. But seeing so many familiar and unfamiliar faces together and fully understanding the meaning for the season was a good thing. Friends and family shared love as we Catholics celebrated the birth of Jesus.

Having grown up in a neighborhood with so many different people and religions, my family and I came to love and celebrate all people and their faiths

and traditions. The one thing that bonded us was that we were good people and respected each other and how each enriched our lives as neighbors and friends. I honor my many friends and readers of different faiths and traditions during this special time. May everyone find the peace they seek.

Back to Christmas Eve, we kids came home from midnight mass and went straight to bed. Mom encouraged us by letting us know that Santa would soon be there. Even our PetKids seemed to jump into bed and quickly fall asleep. Funny how sleep can find you when you know that once you awake it will be Christmas Day. And Christmas Day soon arrived! It was finally here!

Waking up before daybreak on Christmas was easy. Heavenly smells came from the kitchen, and the Christmas music seemed to be singing to me and begging me to do a

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Home, holiday, family, & petkids singalong. And I did! Even if I didn’t know the words, I hummed as loud as I could and requested a dance from my petkids and with the little petkids, like my cat(s). I held them and whisked them around like only the best dance partner could do while listening to the holiday sounds.

All these years later, I realize that neither Mom nor Dad got much sleep.

Mom was busy cooking and wrapping, and Dad was busy putting together toys, a bike, a dollhouse, a hot wheel track–something always needed putting together.

Mom and Dad always were so delighted as all of us kids and petkids opened presents, happy that Christmas Day was finally here. Everything halted as we unwrapped presents and shared. Eventually we all got dressed. We kids had to do a few chores before playing more with our toys, and there was always a petkid who needed fresh water, a walk, and feed.

An early dinner came soon, and knowing the feast that waited, even as kids we didn’t want to eat much to spoil our appetites.

After days of food preparations by Mom—oh, how she labored for hours and days making a delicious dinner for her family, we enjoyed turkey with all the trimmings, yams, green beans, and so much more, including every dessert a child could dream of. The typical Christmas cookies always tasted so great straight out of the oven. What a feast!

Mom never once complained or acted like she had something better to do.

With kids and petkids everywhere, presents she and my father had spent hours wrapping disappeared in minutes.

Food that took days to prepare was eaten in seconds, and Christmas paper was scattered everywhere.

Wow. Mom and Dad, along with Santa, thought of everything. We kids rushed straight to our presents and were never disappointed. No matter what Santa brought, we all got everything we wanted. I must say, though, my siblings and I always cared about those children who had not, so none of us ever went overboard on our Christmas list. Don’t get me wrong—I must tell you I really scored having my birthday close to Christmas. My family always made sure we celebrated it separately, but I felt spoiled because December was one big celebratory month.

And yes, my parents even remembered the petkids, and they enjoyed getting their dog and cat presents.

I grew up in Seattle, and even the weather knew that it had to whip up a special order for Christmas. Usually it

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was cold, windy, and wet, which made the fire feel that much warmer. When we had snow, before cleaning up for dinner, an awesome snowball fight and winter soccer with the dog petkids delighted us.

After dinner came dessert and one of our favorite things: getting into our p.j.’s for the annual Smith family movie night.

We all tried to grab our spot on the floor or sofa with a blanket or sleeping bag. Of course, we grabbed a petkid to snuggle.

Then let the movie watching begin. Even the petkids knew this was the night we’d all been waiting for all year.

Dad stoked the fire to keep it going.

The fire helped us stay warm and cozy and acted as our nightlight while we hunkered down for our movie marathon.

Even after eating my mom’s amazing dinner, on Christmas, we all, even the petkids, had snacks.

While we watched the television screen, we somehow managed to eat more cookies, drink a little more eggnog, and even grab more turkey. The movies we watched were the classics like Rudolph, Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Story (the one with Ralphie and the BB gun—if you’ve never seen it, grab a copy for the whole family; you’ll be laughing and glad you did), White Christmas …. The list could go on and on, especially as we got older and our busier schedules didn’t allow us to watch during the year. The movie marathon was a perfect way to catch up on movies from drama to comedy. It was such fun. If we’d had digital streaming services back then, we would have called it binge watching.

Eventually we fell asleep one by one, and our movie marathon turned into a makeshift slumber party. The next morning, we woke up to the sound of my dad making breakfast singlehandedly—a delicious post-Christmas feast. Who knew Dad was such a great cook? Maybe his dayafter-Christmas breakfast was a present to my mom to thank her for the fantastic Christmas meal she prepared. Any good partner knows giving a hardworking mom a break is always a good idea.

Dad called us to the table when breakfast was ready, and we shared stories while passing food. We talked about some of the movies we’d just watched (giving our thumbs up or thumbs down). We laughed, ate, and went back to movie watching. Usually we needed to replay the tail end of the last movie we watched, because most of us had fallen asleep and missed the ending.

We kids would still be in our p.j.’s (Mom and Dad were dressed, though,

Simply Pets Magazine | Winter 2016 Issue

just in case company stopped by). As we got older and knew company always stopped by, we decided it might be wise to be dressed too, but otherwise we didn’t interrupt our day-after plans!

I’d like to tell you all these fond memories are from my childhood, but it’s pretty much the same today. It’s just that I’m a big kid now, and there are more bodies, husbands, wives, petkids galore, nieces, nephews, and now even a great niece to boot.

Mom always made sure the petkids got a special piece of turkey, and I carry on the tradition with all five of my petkids to this day. Mom is no longer with us, but I can still hear her say, “It’s Christmas; give the pets a small piece of turkey. They’ve been good too.” So Coopah, Blizzard, Jaxxs, Tinka, and Scooter will get their small turkey morsel with their Christmas dinner this year. Who am I kidding? They will have a little bite of turkey with their breakfast and lunch too.

I give thanks for so many blessings, and I’m so thankful for what the season brings.

If you’re traveling, I wish safe travels for you and your petkids. Enjoy friends and family, and if you find yourself alone, volunteer at a shelter for pets or humans.

This time of year, everyone can use a helping hand and appreciate a smiling face. And me? You’ll find me at home with my petkids and my family.

I'll let you in on one more secret. I work hard all year, but Christmas Eve is my favorite night of the year. It’s when I get my best sleep ever! I call it my Christmas sleep. It’s the best sleep night of the year because I usually have no business calls and no place to be. My only care is just to be. I snuggle in and sleep like a baby.

So you see, December really is the month for me—launching Simply Pets Magazine, enjoying my birthday, celebrating Christmas, and relishing Christmas sleep! From my heart and house to yours this holiday season, I wish you a great Christmas sleep, a wondrous holiday, and a fantastic New Year!

I am Lisa Smith Putnam {LSP}…that’s me!

Founder & Publisher of Simply Pets Magazine CEO of Simply Pets Media twitter @lisasmithputnam facebook/lisasmithputnam

WITH LOVE

Simply Pets Magazine wants to thank the following people for celebrating us even before one article was ever written.

In no particular order please find some of our wonderful angels, our stars below.

With love and gratitude, THANK YOU! Tram L. Williams Franki Storlie Theresa Santa Oschmann Jenelle Greninger Susan M Lohr Ashley Kindt Rick P Thomas Sarah Jones Weston Dona Magno Dina S Macs Eric L Bain Denise M Gruzensky Kathryn R Yamamoto Robin Setto J A Putnam-Petrone Josephine Rimpau Bill Rimpau Jennifer Blackstone Debra A Morin Andrea M Lee Roundfield Caryl Hamilton Elizabeth Brambilla Marie Shelto Susan E Lyman Sarah Parker Craig Merrick Monica Alexander Tayor Carr Kristine Waters Rosa Lundborg

Ernest Lansford Deseriee Whitwer Virdie Guy Janice Kezirian Janet Straub Kim Guy Bill Guy Roger Evans Philip Garland Boston Dog Lawyers Rebecca Sikich Celeste Halford Terri Benish Kirk Wendelburg Virdie Smith Sarah Woodall Cobey Woodall Dari Jobes Char Sundust Sarah Parker Burien Veterinary & Team Alan Rothblatt Khandi Alexander Allison Young Connie Gits Robert Silver Bette Bell Wendy Harris Doris McCoy Elizabeth Olson

And last but not least the petkids who inspired Simply Pets Magazine‌The Putnam Petkids!

Coopah, Blizzard, Jaxxs, Scooter and Tinka!

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SIT. STAY. PLAY. (answers) (crossword puzzle for those who love animals)

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24303 Town Center Dr, Suite 110, Valencia, CA 91355 T. + 1 661 254 6414 | F. + 1 661 254 6416 | E. info@romajewelers.com SOCIAL MEDIA FB. – facebook.com/romajewelers TW. – twitter.com/romajewelers