With shelters overflowing with abandonded pets and a rising number of pet owners facing the prospect of giving up their beloved pets, there may be relief in a new bill introduced in congress.
U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, a Republican from Michigan, has introduced a bill that would allow pet owners a $3,500 tax deduction for pet food, veterinary care, and other pet-related expenses.
The smell of Thanksgiving dinner is hard for any dog to resist and it can be even harder to resist your dog's begging eyes. But the Thanksgiving holiday is also full of risks that can make your dog sick or even worse. So here are eight tips for keeping your dog safe this Thanksgiving holiday.
Avoid the turkey bones. Turkey bones are hollow and can break easily. Sharp pieces can break off and become lodged in your dog's intestine.
Do not feed your dog turkey skin or fatty side dishes. Fatty foods can cause diarrhea or vomiting or can even cause pancreatitis in your dog. If you want to feed your dog some turkey, make sure to peel off the skin and cut into bite size pieces.
Be sure to dispose of all foil and plastic wrap. Your dog may try to lick the food off the wrappers. If your dog swallows foil or plastic wrap it can cause an intestinal obstruction.
Do not feed your dog chocolate. Chocolate is toxic to dogs.
Keep your dog away from garbage. Your dog may decide to go on the hunt for his own Thanksgiving dinner and feast on the foods mentioned above.
Be careful in the kitchen. Your dog can easily get burned as hot dishes are taken out of the oven. Also your dog can trip you causing part of your holiday meal to end up all over the floor instead of the dinner table.
Keep holiday plants and ornaments out of the reach of your dog. Poinsettias, holly berries, and mistletoe are toxic to dogs.
And keep ID tags on your dog at all times. With guests coming and going, your dog can easily slip out the door.
Halloween may be full of tricks and treats for humans, but the holiday does not hold the same appeal for our canine counterparts. In fact, Halloween can be a downright frightening time for dogs. Paul Mann founder and CEO Fetch! Pet Care provides the following tips to keep your dogs safe this Halloween season:
Tricks are for kids. While ghouls and goblins provide entertainment, your dog does not understand the person behind that mask is their friend. Dogs are creatures of habit and can easily become frightened, aggressive or agitated by the unaccustomed sights and sounds of costumed visitors. So when the trick ‘or’ treaters come knocking at your door, it’s best to keep your canine friend contained indoors in a quiet, comfortable area of your home. Also, make sure all dogs are wearing collars and ID tags in case they get spooked and escape your home or yard.
Candy is not a treat for our dogs. Sweets may look appealing to dogs, but candy – especially chocolate – can be downright toxic to animals. Keep your candy bowl out of reach from dogs and make sure your children sift through their bags at a table where Fido can’t sneak a piece. Candy wrappers can be just as harmful. Instead, purchase a box of your dogs’ favorite treats for them to munch on. If you believe your dog has ingested a harmful item, call your veterinarian or the Animal Control hotline immediately.
Decorations should shock Trick ‘or’ Treaters – not our dogs. Keep all electrical cords and decorations out of reach. One chomp on an electrical cord could have a potentially deadly outcome. dogs can also become tangled and injured by dangling cords or decorations. You can purchase plastic tubing or casing at your local hardware store to provide some level of safety. Keep lit candles and jack-o-lanterns out of reach and on stable ground. Your dog could accidentally bump the pumpkin, resulting in fire damage to the home – and potentially to your dog.
Costumes are constraining. Yes, your dog may look adorable as a dinosaur or Cleopatra, but dogs can feel constrained and uncomfortable in costumes. Many costumes also have loose accessories that could be hazardous if chewed or swallowed. If you do dress your dog, find a costume that has few accessories and is loose fitting such as a dog specific costume.
As an alternative to keeping your dogs at home this Halloween, Fetch! Pet Care has the ability to provide a safe and quiet overnight boarding, day or evening care environment at one of their 5,000 dog sitter’s homes across the country. As a way to support the cause of dog safety on Halloween and throughout the year at homes and in shelters, Fetch! dog Care will be donating a portion of their Halloween revenue to Best Friends Animal Society, a partner in dog care and safety. For more information on Best Friends, visit http://www.bestfriends.org.
For more info: Paul Mann is the Founder and CEO of Fetch! Pet Care, the largest pet sitting franchise in the United States. For more information, go to www.FetchpetCare.com or call 1-866-FETCH-ME. Fetch! Pet Care has several Tampa area locations: Bradenton, Carrollwood, Lakewood Ranch, Land O Lakes, Long Beach Key, Lutz, Odessa, Sarasota, Siesta Key, and Trinity.
Family albums are not complete without photographs of the family dog. Photographing the family dog can be a lot of fun, especially when you are able to catch a funny or cute moment. For those amateur photographers wanting to get some great pictures of their dogs photographer Erica Bickerstaff of EB Phtography gives the following tips for capturing your dog at his best.
Try getting down on your dog's level for a more interesting perspective.
Try to capture images of your dogs when they don't realize you're watching. Look for an opportunity when they are playing with a toy, 'hunting' something of interest, or parked in the front window waiting for their favorite family member to return home.
Pictures of dogs running are always beautiful, especially if you can get in front of their path to get a shot of their face as they run toward you or a profile shot against a gorgeous backdrop like the tide or sunset.
If your dog has good manners and sits pretty, you've got it made! A stately photo of a handsomely posed dog is always stunning. Just make sure to fill the entire frame with the dog to bring focus to the animal rather than his background.
A photo of a dog displaying human-like characteristics is always amusing. If you catch your Great Dane sitting upright in the corner of the couch with one 'arm' propped up on the arm rest, grab your camera!
With the news of tropical storms Ana and Claudette and Hurricane Bill churning in the Atlantic, its a good time to make sure you have a hurricane plan that includes your dog. Here are some must haves for your dog's hurricane kit:
two week supply of food and water.
food and water bowls
ID tags with your telephone number
collar and leash
dog crate
medications
first aid supplies
favorite toys and treats to comfort your dog
recent photo
pick up bags to clean up after your dog
up-to-date health records
If you find you must evacuate for any type of emergency, don't leave your dog behind. It may be days before you are permitted to return to your home. If you are going to stay with friends or family, make sure your dog is welcome.
The next best option is to check into a dog-friendly hotel or motel. There are many motels in the Tampa Bay area that accept dogs, including most Holiday Inns and Residence Inns. Call ahead to see if there are any breed or weight restricions for dogs.
As a last resort there are several dog-frindly hurricane shelters in the Tampa Bay area. These are the least desirable options as they will be very busy and noisy, adding to your dog's stress. Also dog's are usually kept in a different area from their owners. Pet-friendly shelters do limit the number of dogs they accept so its important to check early for availability. Below is a list of dog-friendly hurricane shelters in the Tampa area:
1. Braden River High School, 6545 State Road 70 East, Bradenton. 2. Manatee High School, 1 Hurricane Lane, 902 33rd Street Court West, Bradenton.
Pasco County
1. Pine View Middle School, 5334 Parkway Blvd., Land O'Lakes
Pinellas County
1. Dunedin Highland Middle School, 70 Patricia Avenue, Dunedin 2. Oak Grove Middle School, 1370 S. Belcher Avenue, Clearwater 3. Thurgood Marshall Middle School, 3901 22nd Avenue South, St. Petersburg
Sarasota County
1. North Port High School, 6400 W. Price Blvd., North Port 2. Pine View School, 501 Old Venice Road, Osprey 3. Heron Creek Middle School, 6501 W. Price Blvd., North Port 4. Brookside Middle School, 3636 S. Shade Ave., Sarasota
With shelters overflowing with abandonded pets and a rising number of pet owners facing the prospect of giving up their beloved pets, there may be relief in a new bill introduced in congress.
The smell of Thanksgiving dinner is hard for any dog to resist and it can be even harder to resist your dog's begging eyes. But the Thanksgiving holiday is also full of risks that can make your dog sick or even worse. So here are eight tips for keeping your dog safe this Thanksgiving holiday.
Halloween may be full of tricks and treats for humans, but the holiday does not hold the same appeal for our canine counterparts. In fact, Halloween can be a downright frightening time for dogs. Paul Mann founder and CEO Fetch! Pet Care provides the following tips to keep your dogs safe this Halloween season:
Family albums are not complete without photographs of the family dog. Photographing the family dog can be a lot of fun, especially when you are able to catch a funny or cute moment. For those amateur photographers wanting to get some great pictures of their dogs photographer Erica Bickerstaff of EB Phtography gives the following tips for capturing your dog at his best.
With the news of tropical storms Ana and Claudette and Hurricane Bill churning in the Atlantic, its a good time to make sure you have a hurricane plan that includes your dog. Here are some must haves for your dog's hurricane kit: