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The Pet Gazette • 1
Inside this Issue... Pg. 4-6 Pg. 7-8 Pg. 9-11, 14 Pg. 12-13 Pg. 15-17 Pg. 17 Pg. 18-20 Pg. 21-22
Donating Your Talent to Help Pets Get Adopted No Dogs Left Behind Adoption Stories Adoption Center The Unique Side of Pet Adoption Out & About Long Island Parrot Society Adoption Program, World Pet News & Tracks & Out & About In Memoriam - The Worst Day in a Dog Owner’s Life
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Publisher Letter Dear Fellow Pet Lover, This is our second Adoption Report since I took over from Jim, the publication founder, and in the process of compiling all the rescue organizations and their stories it became evident that this needed to be one of our annual Issues. As the cover says, “Awareness is the first step.” We all think we know what is going on out there with pet rescue, pet adoption and pet euthanasia, but the reality is far more substantial than most of us can wrap our minds around. There are a ton of organizations doings a ton of great work (thank you so much from all of us at The Pet Gazette!!!!) I asked them what can we do? First off they asked if you would follow them online. In this issue we have attempted to provide as many social media accounts as we could find to make this as simple as possible. Second, they suggested either donating 30min of your time to the rescue closest to your home or donating $5.00 to that rescue. Both acts help care for homeless pets, but it also provides the rescue staff mental support. That 30min or $5 says that someone is out there thinking about them and that they aren’t alone in their quest. It rejuvenates the organization. Lastly, they said we could help by fostering a pet. It is like borrowing a pet and volunteering from your home! Contact your local rescue organization or shelter for details. If you do any of the above, let us know via social media. We’d love to celebrate you!!
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Catering to US pet owners and pet businesses. New features now available daily online at ThePetGazette.com and via The Pet Gazette App.
Editors: Jason Klatsky, Jaydeep Kacha Writers/Contributors: Jennifer Galluzzo, Geoffrey Tischman, Jeffrey Beri, Susan Chamberlain, Greg Battersby Graphic Design: InMotion Media Digital Publication Founder: Jim Dempsey Publisher: Jason Klatsky PO Box 432, Somers, NY. 10589 info@thepetgazette.com, 914-273-9721
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Donating Your Talent to Help Pets Get Adopted G
eoffrey Tischman, a longtime resident of Rye, NY, has been the owner and chief photographer of Tischman Pets for over 15 years. A renowned pet photographer, Geoff not only brings together his lifelong love for animals and photography to his family and corporate clients, but also to the many deserving shelter animals looking for a loving home. Volunteering his professional photography skills, Geoff works with the rescue community photographing adoptable pets, adoption events, fundraising events and galas and calendar images. “First impressions are everything, and as most people start their search for a new pet family member online, it’s vital to have a great image of the adoptable pet that captures the attention of potential adopters and compels them to make an appointment and meet the pet face to face,” says Tischman. “Nothing makes me happier than getting an email
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from a family saying it was my photo that led them to their newest family member!” To help promote shelter pets Geoff has contributed photos to a rescue column in his local newspaper for the last 5 years, highlighting families and their adopted pets. He is also an active member of HeARTs Speak (heartsspeak. org coverd in detail in Issue #116 of The Pet Gazette), a global network of photographers and other creative professionals who donate their time and services pro-bono to animal shelters and animal welfare organizations across the country. “I’m super-proud to be a member of the HeARTs Speak team – working with this group of fabulous, like-minded artists is the most rewarding work I do. They inspire me to give more and to be a better photographer.” Geoff’s ability to capture the true spirits of our pets, as well as the special bond between pets and their humans, is rare and unique and has endeared
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The Pet Gazette • 5
him to his family and corporate clients. Today, while Geoff Tischman still shoots family and corporate events, his main focus is animals, including pet portraits, commercial work and rescue photography. His portraits of adopted animals and their owners adorn the walls of the ASPCA in New York City and his work with many celebrities and their beloved animals, including Georgina Bloomberg, Cheyenne Jackson, Bernadette Peters and Aida Turturro along with other corporate clients has
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garnered him a reputation as one of the country’s premier pet photographers. TPG Geoff lives in Rye, NY with his wife and daughter and their rescue pets, an Australian Shepherd dog, Lexy and cat, Batman. If you would like to book. Geoff for a Spring session and get memorable family portraits (with or without a pet) get in touch with him at geoff@gmt-photo.com to set up a time for a fun family shoot! For more information visit www.tischmanpets.com
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From the historic 6-19-17 truck interception where 1300 dogs were rescued
No Dogs Left Behind founded by Jeffrey Beri
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nnually, the world focuses on the Yulin Dog Meat Festival however, dog torture and consumption is a 365 days a year issue in China. No Dogs Left Behind has boots on the ground there, rescuing, educating and hoping to change the culture and the law. Dedicated to ending the dog meat trade by shutting down slaughterhouses, exposing the butchers, educating the general public about the humane treatment of dogs and working with government officials throughout the world to put laws into place to stop the brutal and barbaric treatment of dogs by humans, No Dogs Left Behind (NDLB) is a non-profit organization that needs awareness. To educate us, the staff at NDLB explains that much of the dog meat trade takes place in countries in Asia. “We believe that there are no borders in the fight to end the dog meat trade. We have chosen to
focus on fighting to end the dog meat trade in China because that is where the greatest number of dogs in the world are being brutalized. Every year about 20 million dogs are beaten, tortured and slaughtered in China. It is a 365-days-a-year fight.” The fight takes on more urgency with the annual Yulin Dog Meat Festival 10,000-15,000 dogs are butchered, eaten, and skinned, often alive, to make fur trims. “We will be on high alert at this time in order to rescue more dogs. The shocking thing is that the majority of the dogs being tortured and eaten were once someone’s house pet and were stolen from their homes or sold to the butchers by their owners.”
Offering the highest level of veterinary eye care for your pet by board certified veterinary ophthalmologists.
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(914) 674-4141 www.vesny.com
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The Pet Gazette • 7
importance: end the dog meat trade completely and permanently; and, until we accomplish that goal, rescue as many dogs as possible, rehabilitating them and finding them forever homes. The entire organization operates on the Five Pillars of Rescue which Beri developed:
Currently, NDLB has approximately 175 dogs in their shelter in Beijing - all rescued from dog meat trucks and slaughterhouses. As you can imagine, they need to make room for more of the dogs that will be rescued. And these dogs deserve loving, forever homes. Jeffrey and the shelter staff work patiently and tirelessly with the dogs at our shelter while they recover and learn to trust humans again. When they are sent to their new homes, the dogs are global ambassadors. Their behavior in their new homes speaks louder than any words. When they walk the streets of the U.S. or Canada, they send a message to everyone who sees them. They are survivors and ambassadors of the work that No Dogs Left Behind does. The dogs don’t realize just how special they really are. What you Need to Know In 2016, founder Jeffrey Beri had just come off of a historic rescue mission in China. He and other activists had rescued and were successfully treating, rehabilitating and transporting 121 dogs from Yulin with funding provided by the Soi Dog Foundation. It took Jeff and his team of volunteers months upon months of constant treatment and rehabilitation for these dogs to get well and learn to love and trust again. Having witnessed the extraordinary cruelty, Jeffrey made a decision: he was giving up his career and his life in the U.S. and he would remain in China, leading the rescue fight and rehabilitating rescued dogs. In early 2017, Jeffrey founded No Dogs Left Behind. NDLB has two missions of equal 8 • The Pet Gazette
Emergency Response – brave activists track and then intercept dog meat trucks and stop the drivers from taking the dogs to the slaughterhouse. NDLB and its team members provide emergency medical treatment to the dogs, all of whom are sick, beaten or starving (or all three). Shelter Operations Protocol – Once the dogs are stabilized, they are brought back to the NDLB shelter to continue medical treatment, be vaccinated and spayed/neutered, and rehabilitated emotionally and psychologically. Adoption – The goal is to adopt the dogs to loving homes. The adoption process is costly. It is expensive to pay for the dogs’ transport and we must find a “flight hero” willing to travel to Beijing and return to the U.S. or Canada with the dogs. Education – Educating the youth in China is a huge part of the operation. Teaching children to love and respect animals is what will ultimately bring an end to the brutal treatment of these dogs. Government Advocacy – Quite possibly the most important step is getting the sale and consumption of dog meat outlawed. As impossible as this may seem, increasing numbers of Chinese support ending the dog meat trade. While pressure from outside of China is important, this goal can only be achieved with the support of the Chinese people themselves. TPG No Dogs Left Behind is a registered 501.c.3 and engages every stage of rescue, from emergency response to final adoption through international alliances and engaging local resources. Thanks to our generous supporters they will receive the food and medical care they need to survive and a flight to a loving forever home in the USA. thepetgazette.com
Adoption Stories Adoption File #469
Rocket .. now Rylie “I feel blessed to have found Rocket as he is one in a million. We actually saved each other, and I’m training him as my service dog. I suffer from PTSD
Send us your story and inspire the next person to adopt
Adoption File #532
Oberin Joins Police Taskforce
“Oberon is doing so well. To be honest with you, I wanted a lovey dovey cat that would cuddle...and that is not Obie at all. He has a HUGE personality, Oberon is doing so well. To be honest with you, I wanted a lovey dovey cat that would cuddle...and that is not Obie at all. He has a HUGE personality, like nothing I’ve ever seen. He is hilarious and keeps us entertained all day every day. And he is SO HANDSOME! We adore him, and he has really bonded with my fiancé. The two of them play like you wouldn’t believe! I do treasure the rare moments that Obie will sit next to me on the couch, although they are few and far between. In short, I wouldn’t trade Obie for the world! We couldn’t have chosen a better cat to love forever!”
and other physical injuries as a police officer and Marine veteran. I renamed him “Rylie” and he is adjusting very quickly. We are attached at the hip, he loves working and he has put on seven pounds since the adoption. Rylie enjoys daily walks in the park, physical therapy, playing ball with my son, and shopping at local stores. We love Rylie and he is my miracle.” facebook.com/ThePetGazette
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Adoption File #702
DEXTER SAYS IT BEST! “It’s been one whole year since we adopted Dexter (then, Squiggy) and we couldn’t be happier! Dexter certainly lives the life of luxury around here... he enjoys being fed puréed tuna straight out of the package, sharing bath time with his cat friend, Aurora, and uninvitedly climbing onto mom’s belly and dad’s back first thing in the morning. After adopting Dex we finally understand what they mean when they say “Who Rescued Who?”
Expecting my applications to be denied, I started on Petfinders, Adopt-a-pet and Facebook and found a beautiful puppy that had just been born, with 12 other puppy siblings, in a flea infested barn in Kentucky. After sending in my application I received an email from Kindness for Homeless Paws that she was taken, but that I wasn’t low on the waiting list in case anything happened. An hour later I received an email that the first adopters declined to move forward and that I was now the back-up on this list! I was surprised but still not hopeful, however later that afternoon another email arrived -- the back-up adopters had a family emergency out of state and were no longer able to take a puppy! I was now #1 on the list!! It felt almost like I’d been admitted to Harvard! A few weeks later my 10 weeks old half Golden Retriever and half Great Pyrenees was home with me at last. I named her Summer. She is now 11 months old and the largest dog in my building (let alone the block – and we’re talking West 57th Street in NYC). She is so full of love and is a silly girl who has never met a dog or a human whom she didn’t love at first sight. And, this time around, I feel guilty free and proud to have rescued a dog who has, at last, rescued me from a broken heart.”
Adoption File #949
My journey through pet adoption
“Last summer my dog Tessa died at 10 years old from an immune disorder. I was inconsolable. That started my journey through pet adoption, eventually bringing me to a happy place. I’d always had pure-bred dogs, though that was always accompanied by guilt, especially in view of all those TV commercials replete with emaciated-looking sad-eyed dogs that clearly needed help. Many years ago, in my search for my perfect pet-mate, I made an application to some national rescue organizations, none of which seemed to understand that living across the street from Central Park is better than having a fenced in backyard. I was denied each time and therefore decided to not adopt but to shop around instead, even though I had lots of love to give and a flexible work schedule. Fast forward 20 years and 2 soul-mate dogs later, I finally decided to try again. 10 • The Pet Gazette
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Adoption File #890
Sienna the bunny!
“We first met Sienna when we were taking our sick guinea pig, Lola, to Catnip and Carrots Veterinary Hospital in New York. I told my husband that if we were to ever get a bunny, it would be Sienna. We spent numerous hours with Sienna over the next several weeks, and we began to feel a special connection with her, especially after Lola passed away. Since Sienna was up for adoption through Long Island Rabbit Rescue Group (LIRRG), we reached out to them to see if anyone had started the adoption process for this adorable chocolate bunny who loved our attention. To our surprise, no one had tried to adopt her yet, so we began the adoption process with LIRRG which started with a telephone interview. They asked us some questions and we were given some basic bunny care information. The next step in the process was a home visit, so a few weeks later a volunteer from LIRRG came to our apartment and checked the space we had set up for our new fur-baby. She provided us with a ton of bunny information and gave us some tips and pointers. The last step was to go pick up Sienna at the foster home, and during that time we also received some great training on lifting, cutting nails, and giving medication. We were so excited to bring her home and so was she! She absolutely loves running around and jumping in her new play area (she’s currently sprinting in circles around my coffee table as I write this). She has brought such joy and laughter back into our lives and for that we are so thankful. She has settled in perfectly and is now the Queen of our apartment. She loves lying on the couch with us and getting pet for hours at a time. We are so thankful to LIRRG. They’ve answered our dozens of questions and concerns as first-time bunny parents and have been so helpful. Sienna was abandoned by her former family and was rescued this past winter. We are so happy to be able to have given her a forever home and to make sure she knows she will never have to try to fend for herself ever again.” - Brooke & Asif Shajib facebook.com/ThePetGazette
"LET ME HELP YOU FIND A HOME FOR YOU AND YOUR PET!! IT CAN BE CHALLENGING TO FIND A HOME ACCEPTING OF YOU WITH YOUR PET." MINT 1 BR/1 BATH W/ 2 TERRACES 301 East 69th Street #16G Web #: 19670291
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Adoption Center
For a complete list of locations you may visit our website NYC
A Tail At A Time atailatatime All About Labs Rescue Inc. 501-615-3844 All Creatures Big And Small, Inc. 888-717-7474 AllCreaturesBigAndSmallPetRescue
All Sentient Beings, Inc. SentientBeings Amster Dog Rescue 917-689 8414 AmsterDog Anarchy Animal Rescue AnarchyAnimalRescue Animal Care Centers Of Nyc 212-788-4000 NYCACC Animal Haven 212-274-8511 animalhaven
Animal Lighthouse Rescue animal_lighthouse
Big Hands Little Paws 212-203-1892 BigHandsLittlePaws Boroughs & Beyond Italian Greyhound Rescue BBIGRescue Bronx Tails Cat Rescue BronxTailsCatRescue City Critters 212-252-3183 CityCritters Eskies Online American Eskimo 860-908-9738 Eskies-Online-396342137113904 Eve’s Sanctuary - Animal Rescue evessanctuary Foster Dogs Incorporated fosterdogs Friends Of Animals 203-656-1522 FriendsOfAnimalsOrg
Humane Society Of NY 212-752-4842 HumaneSocietyNY In Our Hands Rescue 973-780-4647 inourhandsrescue
ASPCA Adoption Center 212-876-7700 aspca Badass Brooklyn Animal Rescue badassbrooklyn Best Friends Lifesaving Center 347-762-3678 bestfriendsanimalsocietyNYC
Bideawee 866-262-8133 Bideawee
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Manhattan Valley Cat Rescue 212-222-9007
Manhattan-Valley-Cat Rescue-123107644458
Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals 212-252-2350 mayorsalliancenyc Metropolitan Maltese Rescue 914-582-7242 MetropolitanMalteseRescue Mighty Mutts 212-875-7538 mightymutts Mr. Bones & Co. 917-297-9135 MrBonesandCo Muddy Paws Rescue 646-598-7297 muddypawsrescue Neighborhood Cats Inc. 212-662-5761 neighborhoodcats
Hearts & Bones Rescue 972-638-0130 heartsandbonesrescue Hopewell Rescue hopewellrescue
Anjellicle Cats Rescue 646-457-2130 AnjellicleCatsRescueInc
Lucky Black Cats Of Mew York luckyblackcatsofmewyork
North Shore Animal League America 516-883-7575 theanimalleague Ny Pet-I-Care Adoption Program 212 614-7194
NY-PET-I-CARE-ADOPTION
Inky Blue Sea Companion Animal Rescue 919-525-1526 InkyBlueAnimalRescue KittyKind 212-726-2652 kittykindcats
NY PetRescue NYPetRescue NYC Feral Cat Initiative 212-330-0033 nycferalcat
Little Wanderers 917-617-1669 littlewanderersnyc Louis Animal Foundation Inc. 212-685-3858
NYC Shiba Rescue 917-591-3408 nycsr NYC Siamese Rescue 646-349-3644 NycSiameseRescue
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Adoption Center
For a complete list of locations you may visit our website Ollie’s Place 212-875-7538 mightymutts
Place For Cats 212-751-2093 PlaceForCats Posh Pets Rescue 917-319-4304 PoshPetsRescue Pupstarz Rescue 212-942-0141 pupstarzrescue Purrfect Angels Of Inwood 917-664-6913 PurrfectAngelsofInwood Rabbit Rescue & Rehab RabbitRescueRehab Rational Animal 646–450–6509 rationalanimalorg Ready For Rescue readyforrescue Rebound Hounds 646 335 5473 ReboundHounds
Shelter Pet Project ShelterPetProject Social Tees Animal Rescue 212-614-9653 socialteesnyc SPCA International 888-690-7722 spcai Stray From The Heart 212-726-3647 strayfromtheheart The Animal Project 212-567-5206 animalprojectnyc The Well Mannered Pit Bull TheWellManneredPitBull Underdog Resq underdogresqinc Uptown Cats 646-701-1812 uptowncatsrescue Urban Cat League UrbanCatLeague Urban Woof NYC 212-535-2495 Urgent Pets On Death Row Urgentdeathrowdogs
Rescue City rescuecity
Brooklyn Adopt-A-Buddy Adopt-A-Buddy 299705416723272 Animal Care Centers of NYC - Brooklyn 212-788-4000 NYCACC BARC Shelter 718-486-7489 BarcShelter Beastly Rescue, Inc. 917-287-5869 beastlyrescue Brooklyn Animal Action BrooklynAnimalAction Official Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition 718-486-7489 BarcShelter Cypress Feline Rescue 347-739-0273 CFR11208 Dalmatian Adoption, Inc. 917 670 3892 Infinite Hope infinitehopeanimalrescue Motley Mutts Pet Rescue motleymuttspetrescue Red Hook Dog Rescue RedHookDogRescue
Rescue Dogs Rock Nyc RescueDogsRockNyc
Sheepshead Bay Cat Rescue 609-306-0909
Rescuzilla RescuzillaNYC
Wagging Tails Rescue NY Riverside Animal Hospital South waggingtailsdogrescueny 212-787-1993 riversideanimalhospitalsouth Waggytail Rescue WaggyTailRescue Rock & Rawhide Woof Dog Rescue Inc. 646-372-1703 203-973-7297 RockAndRawhide WoofDogRescue SaveKitty Foundation 347-993-3163
Sugar Mutts Rescue 917-966-8753 sugarmuttsrescue Unwanted NYC Pets unwantecnycpets
Sean Casey Animal Rescue 718-436-5163 SeanCaseyAnimalRescue Second Chance Rescue NYC SecondChanceRescue NycDogs Shelter Chic 212-227-7397 shelterchic
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Zani’s Furry Friends zanisff Zero Stray Pawject 917-929-5756 zerostraypawject
The Pet Gazette • 13
Adoption File #131
Oh, Sandy
This girl had a pretty lousy start at life. She was the first to be removed from a property of 18 neglected dogs in Georgia. She was in need of immediate medical attention as she was unable to bear weight on her leg. The vets determined she had severe nerve damage in one of her front legs and unfortunately needed an amputation. How she could be the sweet little kangaroo/ seal (she hops to you and then slides into your lap!) that she is after having gone through so much is beyond us, but a lovelier personality and soul you would have a difficult time finding! NOTHING stopped her!
Adoption File #243
Piper and the Umbrella Academy Puppies When this adorable, sleek, small, black lab mix arrived, much to our surprise, she was pregnant!!!! One of our wonderful volunteers immediately stepped up to foster. Petit Piper had an incredible 8 ‘Umbrella Academy’ (have you seen this great Netflix series?) Piper’s foster family did such an amazing job AND they wound up being a foster-fail with Piper herself. All 8 puppies (Alison, Cha Cha, Diego, Dolores, Klaus, Luther, Number 5 and Vania) have all found their forever homes!!!! {Pictures: Momma Piper * Momma and a few of her babies the day of their birth * and all 8 pups adoption pics}
Here she is enjoying her new bed in her forever home!!! She is much loved! And don’t you love that cheeky face with the tongue out? The face of a resilient warrior just having fun.
- Submitted by Paws Crossed Animal Rescue www pawscrossedny.org 14 • The Pet Gazette
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The Unique Side of Pet Adoption organizations 4 bringing adoption to a new level
By Jennifer Galluzzo
AdopetsUS MotleyZooAnimalRescue KauaiHumaneSociety AustinAnimalCenter
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re you searching for a pet? Adoption is a great option. Nearly 8 million pets enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Thankfully, people today are adopting pets from shelters at record numbers. Some made the experience easier and more memorable than others by providing something different and reaching a new level of service. The Pet Gazette has compiled a list of some of the most unique pet adoption organizations in the country.
Adopt Online with Adopets We all see Facebook posts about adoption events, but then you have to go out and wait on a line at all hours of the early morning to get a shot at the fur baby, you fell in love with on your screen. Why not just adopt online? Adopets, the innovative pet adoption online platform, streamlines the pet adoption process, saving shelters and rescues time, while giving pet parents an easy and fun adoption experience. With a mission to find every shelter pet their forever home, the Adopets platform was designed to connect shelters and rescues with adopters. facebook.com/ThePetGazette
In just a few simple steps, potential adopters can create an account for free, where they can access over 280,000 registered animals from 11,000 organizations throughout the country. Users can search for animals in their desired location and view the pet’s description, which includes everything from gender, size, breed, age, as well as a short bio. Pets can be saved to a “favorites” file or the user can apply to adopt and make the adoption fee payment directly to the organization. The applicant will then go under review by the shelter or rescue. Once the applicant is approved, they will be notified via Adopets and will then be contacted by the organization to move forward with the adoption. Currently, Adopet has animals available for adoption in every state in the U.S. Learn more at: https://www.adopets.org
The Pet Gazette • 15
Rock and Rescue at Motley Zoo Based in Redmond, Washington, the quirky Motley Zoo Animal Rescue dedicates its work to end pet overpopulation and the resulting euthanization of healthy, adoptable animals due to limited space and funds of animal welfare organizations, as well as working to end abuse and neglect of all animals. They have saved over 2,500 pets in the last decade. Better yet, they have their own beer, a line of merch, and have been featured all over the world for their signature - to name the animals after bands and musicians, then bring the animals to meet the artists. The Motley Zoo crew is primarily comprised of individuals, connecting via the internet, in their spare time, unpaid, to fulfill their mission to save lives. Another unique aspect? The first of its kind dog daycare and training center to support the rescue’s mission, called Rock Star Treatment Doggy Daycare Studio. The benefits of having an onsite facility are endless, including in person cat adoptions, socializing, the ability to offer training classes to adopters, and to intervene and support when adopters are having trouble. Motley Zoo sends the animals to great homes but are able to see them come back each week to play - which has increased their success rate, and therefore mitigated the number of animals returned. They recently added grooming and in-house boarding as well, all which help to fund their original mission. Why is adoption so important? According to Jme Thomas, Executive Director of Motley Zoo, “When you buy an animal, an animal in the animal welfare system will die. There are only so many homes and there are not enough 16 • The Pet Gazette
to adopt out every animal in need.” Every year, millions of people go and buy dogs - primarily because of the “pure-bred puppy” myth people thinking that they need to buy a puppy with papers to get a good family dog. “The reality is this couldn’t be further from the truth. People rely far too heavily on “good breeding” or the choice of breed to pop them out a good grown up dog - without any real understanding of how to “build” a puppy from the ground up and how much of that is dependent upon them, no matter which breed you choose,” says Thomas. “Many people overemphasis the importance of the breed choice and seriously underestimate socialization and training,” Thomas continues. “I want to cry when people tell me they got bought a puppy for $2,500 and can’t afford training, or just as bad, the spay/ neuter cost.”
Dogs Day Out – In Paradise Imagine being able to rent a dog for a day on vacation? You can at the Kauai Humane Society – sort of ! In 2013, the Kauai Humane Society launched a program called Shelter Dogs on Field thepetgazette.com
Trips. Through this program, visitors to Kauai Humane Society can take an adoptable dog out of the shelter for a day of fun at one of Kauai’s dog friendly beaches or hiking trails. How cool is that! It’s super easy - come to the shelter during their pick up hours, let their staff match you with an appropriate field trip buddy, and then off you go! Then you bring your pup back by the designated return time. Your dog fix is taken care of, and you’re doing something good. The program provides dogs an opportunity for enrichment during their stay at the Kauai Humane Society but also help facilitate adoptions. Since the program launched, more than 300 dogs have been adopted by their field trip “chaperones!”
How to Help Your Foster Find Their Forever Home – Faster!
Foster parents at the Austin Animal Center (AAC) get more than just a foster pet to love and dote on. They get a lesson in marketing. So why are fosters so important? Megan Marrs, founder of K9 of Mine, a site that offers tips and guides to help dog owners care better for their canine companions, says “When a dog stays with
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a foster, they end up being so much happier than being stuck in a shelter. Not only that but dogs often behave better in a home than in the stressful shelter environment, which means that when they do meet potential adopters, they present better and are more likely to find a forever home. I’ve seen many troubling behavior issues disappear once a dog is out of the crazy shelter environment and is in a quiet, loving home!” She adds that fosters also often become huge advocates for their pets. At the Austin Animal Center, they have a whole kit for fosters on how to “market” your pet, with ideas ranging from social media postings to printing out flyers for your foster and putting them up around town. This program has helped countless pets get adopted and find their forever home. Whether you find your pet in paradise or adopt online, they will be grateful. Don’t miss out on providing a loving home for an animal in need. Visit your local shelter today and see what you can do. You just may find your perfect forever friend waiting for you! TPG
The Pet Gazette • 17
LONG ISLAND PARROT SOCIETY
ADOPTION PROGRAM
The Parrot Placement
Here are a few joyful adoption stories Team at The Long facilitated by The Long Island Parrot Island Parrot Society knows the Society:
decision is difficult and is based on what is best for the adopt a lovebird for their teenage daughter. There bird. Happily, most parrots adapt very well to new was a cutie lovebird on our site, we let the owner homes. know about our qualified family—they went over The team works with the owner to find out what to meet the lovebird and it was love at first sight. type of environment the bird is accustomed to (small The new owners send us photos of their daughter children, other pets, additional birds, lots of activity, and the lovie all the time etc.) and makes every effort to assure a A couple wanted an African grey parrot. The wife similar lifestyle in the potential new home. was hesitant. They wanted a fully-feathered friend The Parrot Society acts as liaison until they met an African grey whose between bird owners and qualified feathers were not in great condition. adoption candidates. How does one get The bird’s personality captivated them, qualified? Potential parrot parents and they adopted him. We get constant complete an adoption application and updates and photos showing how he is submit a fee of $35, which includes a thriving. In fact, the wife is the bird’s complimentary one-year membership to main squeeze! The Long Island Parrot Society. A large, active family was interested in Once the application is received, the adopting a cockatoo. A Goffin’s ‘too applicant is called to make an from a similar family was looking for appointment for a home visit. There is a check-list a new home. Perfect match! Both that covers experience level, planned location of bird families were thrilled, and the bird is loving life in the home, quarantine if there’s an existing flock, A Moluccan cockatoo’s owner died. There was no household hazards, other pets in the home, diet, avian family to take the bird in. We found an emergency veterinarians, willingness to adopt a bird with foster home. That foster mom became a foster plucking or other behavioral issues, designated failure and adopted the bird—the Moluccan has a caregivers, smoking in the home (which is a no-no), home and is thriving! small children, (poking fingers in cage; etc.). Once a person/family is qualified, they are matched with the An adoption candidate wanted a talking African owner of a bird that will best thrive in their home. grey—she was in no rush. A family had to place their “talking” grey immediately— we had the The process may take some time, so applicants are qualified candidate waiting in the wings. Everyone advised to be patient. It is ultimately up to the owner where their bird is placed. is happy
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Parrots are re-homed for many reasons: Owner’s death, lifestyle changes, relocation, avian behavior issues, allergies and other human health problems, loss of interest in the bird and numerous other situations. 18 • The Pet Gazette
The Long Island Parrot Society is currently seeking reasonably priced rental property in a central location for the Island’s first open-to-the-public avian shelter and adoption center. When this is realized, the Society will be able to provide emergency shelter to displaced pet birds and to enable direct adoptions. thepetgazette.com
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In one year Team Member, Diane Hyde, fielded 22 calls from people wanting to place their birds. (Placement Team members took other calls). Half of these were emergency situations requiring immediate placement or fostering. Numerous other requests were received via email. 13 birds were placed through the program; 11 were placed by their owners and the status is unknown on some of the others. Four owners decided to keep their birds and they were removed from the Parrot Placement Program. 58 birds remain in the program and are eligible for adoption to qualified homes. For more details, visit the Parrot Placement Team at a Long Island Parrot Society meeting or at the Parrot EXPO on October 5th (Freeport Recreation Center) There’s a bird out there who wants to share the joy with you! TPG The Long Island Parrot Society of New York, Inc. is a non-profit, 501c3 organization and New York State registered charity # 43-65-18 The Long Island Parrot Society PO Box 2754, North Babylon NY 11703 631-957-1100 www.liparrots.org info@liparrots.org Everywhere you take your pet, you'll find...
World Pet News Dog is rescued after it’s found swimming 135 MILES out at sea This is the incredible moment a dog was rescued after being found swimming in the Gulf of Thailand - 135 miles from shore. Workers on an oil rig noticed the pooch’s head poking out above the ripples as she paddled through the ocean last Friday. They called out to the exhausted animal - which is between three and five years old - and she swam towards them, taking refuge among the rusty metal bars of the rig. For more, visit www.tpg.pet/news or Scan the QR code using your iPhone
Tracks For local events, please visit www.tpg.pet/local or Scan the QR code using your iPhone camera or by downloading and using TPG app.
Out & About
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Esperanza (Hope in Spanish)
Boyka watching the world, 2 years
Camden, 1 year
Tyrone - adoption #3 8 weeks
Holiday Gift Guide Editorial Submission Deadline: First Monday in May First Monday in August First Monday in November First Monday in February
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In Memoriam
when she came into our lives even though that name wasn’t our first (or even 20th) choice. We immediately fell in love with the puppy who
The Worst Day in a Dog Owner’s Life looked as if she just walked out of an LL Bean by Greg Battersby It is said that the two happiest days in a boat owner’s life are the day that they buy the boat and the day that they sell it. For a dog owner, that’s probably only half right—the happiest day is when you bring home that crazy little puppy but the worst day is that day when you conclude that her body is failing her and it’s necessary to put her down to stop her suffering. That’s tragic and it was one we faced recently when our soon-to-be 13-year-old yellow lab’s body simply wore out. My wife, Susan, and I have owned dogs for the better part of our lives. They’ve included mutts, a huge Newfoundland who used to walk my wife, a German Shepard who proved to be a one woman (not man) dog, and finally, a yellow lab named Ruby who we adopted 13 years ago who loved everyone and shared that love with anyone who came in contact with her. She had already been named Ruby
catalog. Puppy life with Ruby was typical…. She was always carrying something in her mouth; she developed a taste for the grout between the tiles in our kitchen floor; and she chewed the wall adjacent her crate (while in it), seemingly digging for China. She even managed to jump out of the passenger seat of a convertible while waiting for a traffic light. Normal puppy stuff. As Ruby matured, she turned into the ideal family pet. She became my “Pizza Dog,” accompanying me on errands, pizza runs, etc. riding shotgun the whole way. She “guided” my wife on her frequent walks around town. Ruby played with us as well as the other dogs in our family and she loved and was loved by our children and grandchildren. She viewed every visitor to our house as someone who was coming to visit her, and she greeted each one with a wagging tail…. always with the hope that they might honor her with a pet or, better yet, a treat. Never once in 䘀䤀一䐀 吀䠀䔀 倀䔀刀䘀䔀䌀吀 一夀䌀 䄀倀䄀刀吀䴀䔀一吀Ⰰ 圀䠀䔀刀䔀 夀伀唀刀 倀䔀吀匀 䄀刀䔀 圀䔀䰀䌀伀䴀䔀䐀 吀伀伀⸀
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her almost 13 years with us did she ever growl and the only time she barked was when “calling for” her buddies next door or trying to scare off visiting deer. This last year became tough for all of us, however, as her health began to fail. About a year ago, her breathing became heavy, which our veterinarian son attributed to an issue with her trachea. She stopped going upstairs, breaking a daily tradition of greeting me each morning and celebrating the fact that we had both made it through another night. X-rays and an ultrasound test revealed that she had a growth on her liver which was clearly impacting her health and appetite. We tried various diet changes which would work on a short time basis, but she soon tired of the new food and we were back to where we started. It became difficult to even administer pills to help treat her condition because she wouldn’t eat them. Thank goodness for the “Paw Patrol” cheese sticks (which we had bought for our grandson) since she always found them delicious. When the grandchildren were there, she somehow managed to rally and show some interest in whatever they dropped, which was normally quite a bit. Apparently, the growth also impacted her overall strength as we noticed that her hind legs were weakening to a point where she could not get up from a prone position. For a small dog, that might not be a life-threatening problem, but for an 85-pound lab living with two senior citizens, it had the potential to be a serious issue. The beginning of the end came last week when she totally stopped eating and couldn’t get up from the floor. Our veterinarian son had always said that she would “give us a sign” when it was time. We kept looking for it but we weren’t sure what form it would take. I had been trying for years to teach her to talk but she simply wagged her tail and ignored me. This was no different. What she was doing, however, was staring at me with no interest in either being fed or wanting to go out. It was as if she was saying, “I’m really hurting coach, but I’m trying as best I can.” 22 • The Pet Gazette
The growth inside her seemed to be taking over her body. You could feel her spine. The muscle tone had atrophied so much that she couldn’t control her hind legs to get up. Susan and I looked at each other and then at Ruby and finally concluded that she had suffered enough. It was time. Honestly, I had been reluctant to make that decision for weeks. Putting a dog down simply because she couldn’t stand up from a prone position shouldn’t be the reason for terminating the life of someone who had become a member of our family. As a senior citizen, I knew that there were times I had trouble getting out of a low chair or struggled to walk. Did that make me a candidate for euthanasia? When we looked at the whole picture, however, we knew that she was ready. The happiest dog in the world had not wagged her tail for weeks and had lost her joy of eating. We had never seen a lab that didn’t love to eat. Every day had become a struggle for her. There was a sadness in her eyes as opposed to the normal joy of life that we had seen since the day she first graced our home. Was she giving us a sign? We thought so. The end was tragic, yet peaceful and loving. We took her to the veterinary office where she was surrounded by her family and the people who loved and adored her. It was over in a matter of a few minutes. The vet was professional, caring and compassionate. We each said our goodbyes while feeding her a few last dog biscuits and then returned home in tears…. Ruby was an extraordinary dog. While I was obviously unsuccessful in teaching her to talk, she was far more successful in teaching me such qualities as loyalty, companionship, a joy of life and happiness need only come from a full feeding dish (on time, of course), a belly rub and a walk outside. We’re going to really miss her. She was easily the best dog that we ever had but probably the last dog we’ll ever have. We question whether we can go through this again at this stage of our lives. TPG thepetgazette.com
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