I am SO excited to share today’s guest post from Kristine Lacoste at Pets Adviser! She wrote to tell me how she was inspired by our talk of shelter drive-bys to do one herself, and it was a huge hit. Thank you Kristine for sharing this with us- and make sure you see what Pets Adviser is offering for others who do the same!
An article I read recently had an idea that kept coming to mind, and I wouldn’t be satisfied until I implemented it.
Dr. Jessica Vogelsang (“Dr. V”) of Pawcurious listed ways people could help be kind to animals for the designated week (the first week of May every year), and her “shelter drive-by” idea really inspired me.
Here’s what she does: She pops into her local shelter on her way to run errands or appointments and asks what they are low on or need. While she’s out, she picks up a few things and drops them off on her way back. Now, this I could do.
My First Drive-By
I knew I was going to be out and about on Saturday near my local shelter, so I called them to confirm their hours and asked what they needed. I jotted down the items and told them I would be there on Saturday to do a shelter drive-by.
“A shelter what?” they asked in confusion. I explained the idea, and they were thrilled. I’m sure it’s not a new concept — but with any luck, giving it a catchy name and describing how easy it is will get more people doing the same.
I ended up at the store for something else one night this week. While digging around for my debit card, I found the list of items. I was already at the store, so I grabbed a basket and filled it up with most of the items on the list. They didn’t have the milk replacement formula, so I stopped at a pet store. And toys. Um, lots of toys. I know, it wasn’t on the list, but who can resist those Frisbees, jingle balls, furry plushies and squeaker toys? How I love the squeaker toys. Once you know the toy squeaks, you have to squeeze it. Repeatedly. I dare you to try and resist the squeak.
The orange, purple and yellow toys are the squeakers!
Saturday arrived, and I think I may have skipped or bounced to the car. I was excited and looking forward to going to the shelter.
After my errands, I headed over with my goodies and some staff treats (people need treats too!), which included a large fruit tray — a welcome sight in the already hot day, I was told. They were excited and helped me bring in all the items. One staffer saw the milk replacement formula and was pleased to have more in stock with a batch of kittens on the premises.
I had no explanation for the small sea of toys, so I just squeezed the squeaker toy again and laughed. I really wanted to take that toy home with me.
My camera was on hand to take pictures of my successful mission, and the staff was gracious enough to hand me the keys to wander around and take more photographs. I visited the dogs, puppies and the cat cottage — a climate-controlled building specifically for the cats. This was a bad idea. I wanted to take every cute and furry face home with me. After a few pictures, I peeled myself away and thanked them before heading back home.
We’ve talked before about the high people feel when volunteering, and I was soaking it all up. Seeing all those happy faces and animals can’t help but make you smile, and knowing you are helping each and every one of them is something to cherish.
Why This Idea Rocks
A shelter drive-by isn’t time-consuming, and you’re already headed out to go somewhere. This is a convenient alternative for people who don’t have time to volunteer, and you can save more time by calling ahead for a list of items, as I did.
Let’s say you are already out and will only pass the shelter on your way home. That’s okay — there are tons of items you can pick up in various stores that shelters still need:
Towels
Blankets
Paper towels
Bleach
Dishwashing detergent
Collars
Leashes
Toys
Brushes
Milk replacement for kittens and puppies
Food (puppy/dog and kitten/cat)
Pet beds
Litter boxes and cat litter
Shelters may have different needs, but this list or anything you would give to your own pet is a good item to bring. Some shelters have smaller animals or an aviary, so ask if they need supplies for those animals. If you no longer have these types of animals but still have the supplies, ask if the shelter is interested in them or knows of anyone who might need them.
You Don’t Have to Spend Money
The shelter drive-by is easy to implement into your routine.
Older household items could be given to the shelter instead of being thrown away. Towels, for example — everyone has to bathe, so eventually those towels must be replaced. If they’re in decent shape, give them a wash and drop them off at the shelter.
Your pet may no longer play with certain toys or outgrow a harnesses, bed or carrier. All these items will be welcomed at the shelter. Please clean them first and make sure nothing personal is on or inside them.
It’s not just about items. Anything might be of value to the shelter. Do you quilt, or make custom jewelry or some sort of craft that has nothing to do with pets? Ask the shelter if you can donate extras that they can sell in their lobby. Call first for anything not pet related just in case they can’t make it work. If you are unable to travel or leave your home, ask someone to drop it off for you.
Don’t Forget the Tax Deduction
Most shelters are nonprofit, which means that anything you donate you can write off on your taxes. It’s a win/win for the shelter and for you. Just don’t forget to grab a receipt before you leave. Shelters also hold drawings and fundraisers from time to time, and anything you spend can be deducted.
If you don’t do this already, make a folder or envelope labeled for 2012 receipts or donations, and keep your documents inside the folder for easy retrieval at tax time. With any luck, you’ll have so many you’ll need a box!
Make It a Family Affair
Get the kids involved in your shelter mission. Explain to them why you are dropping items off or collecting household things to bring to the shelter.
Taking them with you is an even better idea. You’ll feel good about helping the shelter and will set a good example for your children that shows how important it is to help others and animals in need. There are many ways to get kids involved, and it is something they can continue when they grow up.
Kitten season is upon us, and that will soon lead into June — a cat-adoption frenzy month to find the kittens and mothers happy homes. Kitten supplies and food (especially milk replacement formula, since not all kittens enter the shelter with mothers) will be greatly appreciated during this time. Any other item is sure to be used. And if none of these ideas appeal to you, a cash donation is always appreciated.
Good luck on your shelter drive-by, and let me and Dr. V know how it goes!
Photos: Kristine Lacoste/Pets Adviser
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Kristine Lacoste, managing editor of the Pets Adviser community, is happy to announce a special contest. Anyone who signs up for Pets Adviser’s email newsletterbetween now and June 30 will be automatically entered in a raffle to win $100 in their name to the animal shelter of their choice. You can even earn three bonus entries by emailing us a photo of yourself doing a “shelter drive-by.” Email the photo to photos@petsadviser.com. We will contact the winner by email.
If I could go back and do it all again, I’d try to be a National Geographic correspondent. I just can’t get enough of their work- I’m quite certain this magazine is the reason I studied biology and primates. Today, I’m fortunate enough to have an excerpt and some amazing photographs about a koala story that I hope you find as fascinating as I do. (Look at the avatar on the Be the Change section of the site if you want to know how much I love them.)
I had always assumed koalas were in pretty good shape. Other than watching them shyly chomping on eucalyptus at the zoo, I’ve never seen one in its natural habitat, and I figured- hey, I have plenty of time to make it to Australia. But as an article in the May issue of National Geographic excerpted below asserts, the koala is in danger:
The koala, cuddly symbol of a nation and one of the most beloved animals on the planet, is in crisis. Before Europeans settled Australia more than two centuries ago, about ten million koalas lived in a 1,500-mile-long swath of the east coast eucalyptus forests. Hunted for their luxurious fur, koalas were brought to the edge of extinction in the southern half of their range. In the northern half, Queensland, a million were killed in 1919 alone. After the last open season in Queensland was held in 1927, only tens of thousands remained.
Through the next half century their numbers slowly rebounded, in part due to efforts to relocate and recolonize them. Then urbanization began to take its toll. Habitat was lost, and diseases spread. With urbanization came the threat of dogs and highways. Since 1990, when about 430,000 koalas inhabited Australia, their numbers have dropped sharply. Because surveys are difficult, current population estimates vary widely—from a low of 44,000 by advocacy groups to a high of 300,000 by government agencies. More than a decade ago a survey of the Koala Coast, a 93,000-acre region in southeastern Queensland, estimated a koala population of 6,200; today there are believed to be around 2,000.
“Koalas are getting caught in fences and dying, being killed by dogs, struck by vehicles, even dying simply because a homeowner cut down several eucalyptus trees in his backyard,” says Deidré de Villiers, one of the chief koala researchers at the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management. For 15 years de Villiers, 38, has been tracking koalas, monitoring populations, studying the reasons for their decline, and creating guidelines to make development more koala-friendly.
De Villiers insists that koalas and humans can coexist in urban environments “if developers get on board with koala-sensitive designs,” such as lower speed limits for streets, green corridors for koala movement, and, most especially, preserving every precious eucalyptus tree. Unfortunately, koalas have another problem.
I MUST GET ON A QANTAS FLIGHT RIGHT NOW AND SMOOCH THIS CREATURE AND SAVE ALL THE KOALAS.
I had access to a third photo, a scene of a “koala morgue”, but it was so sad I decided not to post it here. You can see the full series here.
This excerpt and photo selection, used with permission, are from the May issue of National Geographic Magazine – on newsstands and ipad now. And for more from the fantastically talented photographer, check out his website, JoelSartore.com. OK, so who’s coming Down Under with me next week?
It’s Be Kind to Animals Week! Did you know that? You may know the American Humane Association best as the group that oversees animal use during filming and bestows the “No Animals Were Harmed” disclaimer at the end of shows and movies, but they are very involved in advocacy for not only animals, but also children- society’s most vulnerable members. Anyway, they started this special week and it’s a lovely opportunity to step back and reflect on what we are doing right, and what we could be doing better.
I know the people who read here are a self-selecting group that is already very aware of animal welfare, so this might be preaching to the choir, but it never hurts to have an official mandate to make a conscious effort to do a kind thing. Here are 5 different ways you can celebrate this week (and every week!)
1. Teach an old dog a new trick.
Studies in mice have demonstrated that mental enrichment can actually slow down cognitive decline due to age, a finding that can have huge implications for pets as well as people. Animals whose brains are challenged, through interaction, puzzle feeders, and daily tasks may actually tolerate the aging process better than those who lay about all day with nothing to think about. So keep up that Sudoku, because it probably affects us too. Brains: use em or lose em.
2. Offer to give a presentation to a school or scout troop.
No group of humans is more receptive to a talk about animal welfare than a group of little kids. And that’s a good thing, because they’re the ones who are going to grow up and take over for us some day. From how to greet a strange dog to how to teach a cat to sit, the possibilities are endless. It doesn’t take much: we want to get them engaged, because then they care- and you would be amazed at how often kids are the ones who get a busy parent to take a dog to training or to the vet.
3. Do a shelter drive-by
I have yet to come across a shelter or rescue that said, “We’re good, thanks” when I pop my head in on the way to Petsmart and asked, “What are you low on?” It’s something small- that’s what makes it easy- a few bags of Milk-Bones, some towels, toys, that sort of thing- but it’s a habit now, and it’s easy. Best part is, my kids see me doing it and are now coming up with drives and fundraisers of their own. The indoctrination has begun!
4. Pick a wildlife or environmental issue to learn about
We suffer from over-insulation sometimes, oblivious to the big picture because it’s not something that is confronting us immediately and doesn’t have an impact on our day-to-day lives. I’m not asking you to get a PhD, or make a $10,000 donation- just pick something, and learn about it. Then report back to me, because I want to learn about it too, be it the impact of human encroachment on mountain lion habitats, the impact of overfishing, whatever floats your boat. I don’t know when being inquisitive about the world around us went out of fashion- maybe it’s just me getting crotchety with age- but I, for one, embrace being nerdy and wanting to learn, learn, learn.
5. Don’t be afraid to stand up for animals
I’ve gotten my share of eye rolls from people when I’ve waited by cars on hot days to make sure the owner came back before the car overheated. I’ve had pursed lips from parents when I, as politely as possible, told their child that the way they were handling an animal was inappropriate- and why. (P.S. I’ve also gotten really good at giving them the Mean Stranger head shake when their parents aren’t looking. Yes, I go there.) I have to conduct myself in a certain manner as a member of the veterinary profession, but I also have an obligation to advocate for those who can’t do it for themselves. And I do. Politely, of course.
Any good suggestions I’ve missed? How will you celebrate Be Kind to Animals Week?
As a medical practitioner, I’ve been trained from day one to be excruciatingly careful with controlled substances at work. We painstakingly log every tenth of a cc of morphine, keep impeccable logs for the DEA, and keep all that stuff locked up tighter than the gold bars in the US Bullion Depository.
We do it not because we like making our lives- and yours- all that more difficult, but because unfortunately controlled substance abuse is a huge problem. And many/ most of the controlled substances we use in veterinary medicine are also used by people, correctly and incorrectly. It’s a godsend to be able to provide these powerful drugs for our canine and feline friends, but I know as a profession we are somewhat lacking sometimes in making it clear to owners just how careful they should be with these prescriptions.
As strict as I am about my prescription-writing tendencies for veterinary clients, I realized my own compliance as a patient was less than stellar. I was shocked to find how much medication I’ve accumulated over the years through injuries, childbirth, and surgeries when I went through our cabinets in preparation for an open house to put it all away and out of the hands of strangers.
It’s hard to know what else to do with a long expired bottle of Tylenol with codeine, or that bottle of chemo drugs I never finished with Emmett. Like many people, I’ve just hung onto it. Prescription drug abuse really is a terrible problem- nearly 15% of high school students misuse prescription controlled substances- and it really is important for everyone to have an easy way to dispose of leftover medications so they are not a temptation for kids too impulsive to understand the consequences. 12-13 year olds- just babies, really- are abusing these substances on a regular basis, and it’s heartbreaking.
This Saturday is your solution.
Fortunately, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy Foundation, in conjunction with the DEA, has designated April 28th as National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. I was contacted by the NABP specifically to let you all know that they WANT you to bring back your dog and cat meds. The take-back service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked. Sites will accept tablets, capsules, and all other solid dosage forms of unwanted medication. There’s no distinction between veterinary and human prescriptions at this event. Sites will accept pills, both prescription and nonprescription, for disposal.
I had the opportunity to interview the Executive Director of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, Dr. Catizone on the dangers of prescription drug abuse. Not only is Dr. Catizone the Executive Director of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), but he is a licensed pharmacist and currently serves as a Governor of the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) Board of Directors and Chair of the PTCB Certification Council. Dr. Catizone is regularly called to serve as an expert witness for the US Government in the areas of pharmacy practice and regulation on both the state and national level issues.
Below is my interview with Dr. Catizone. For more information on prevention and the April 28 DEA Take-Back Day visit www.AWARERX.org or www.facebook.com/AWARxE.
What is the main reason National Drug Take Back day was started?
Catizone:
Prescription drug abuse has reached epidemic proportions across the country. In 2010, 7 million people aged 12 or older abused prescription drugs, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a government agency that conducts a national survey on related topics each year.
The same survey showed that over 50% of people abusing these drugs got them from friends or family for free. Often those who abuse drugs, including teens, take them right of the medicine cabinet. This can include medications prescribed for pets.
Ridding the home of unused, expired, or unneeded medications, helps to prevent the drugs from falling into the wrong hands. Currently, law enforcement must be present if a person wishes to dispose of prescription controlled substance medications, such as certain pain pills. To provide opportunities for legal disposal of unneeded controlled substance medications, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began coordinating National Prescription Drug Take-Back events in September 2010. With locations in every state across the county, consumers disposed of 995,185 pounds (498.5 tons) of unwanted medication during the first three DEA Take-Back Days, illustrating the need for this service.
Why should people take drugs back as opposed to, say, throwing them away or flushing them?
Catizone:
Flushing certain medications or improper disposal in the garbage can lead to safety and environmental hazards. When drugs are brought to an authorized DEA collection site, or other legal disposal program, they are processed for safe destruction.
If there are no drug disposal sites near you, there are options for disposing of drugs at home. The information that comes with your prescription may provide instructions on home disposal. Only some medications should be flushed down the toilet and the US Food and Drug Administration has a list of these drugs on its Web site. If there are no instructions for disposal you can throw the drugs in your home garbage. But first, take them out of the container and mix them with an undesirable substance like coffee grounds or cat litter. Seal the mixture in a sealable bag, empty can, or other container that can be disposed of in the garbage.
More details about drug disposal programs are available on the AWARxE Medication Disposal page.
Why should pet owners be concerned about this issue?
Catizone:
As noted above, often those who abuse drugs, including teens, take them right of the medicine cabinet. This can include medications prescribed for pets.
Proper disposal of unneeded medications helps prevent the drugs from falling into the wrong hands, and also helps protect the environment by keeping drugs out of the local water system and the local environment.
FDA does recommend that certain drugs are flushed to prevent danger to people and pets in the home. FDA has determined that the risks of accidental ingestion of these select medications, outweighs the small risk to the environment. A link to the list of drugs that should be flushed for disposal, as well as additional information, is available on the Medication Disposal page of the AWARxE Web site.
What is the most compelling or memorable story you know of regarding the dangers of prescription drug abuse?
Catizone:
Justin Pearson, a resident of St Cloud, MN, died tragically at age 24 because of a prescription drug overdose and his story was the inspiration for the AWARxE campaign. Justin had struggled with prescription drug addiction, and died on December 25, 2006, after taking a mix of prescription drugs which he ordered from an illegal Web site. Taking the drugs without a doctor’s prescription, and mixing a high dose of different prescription drugs led to Justin’s death.
More information about Justin’s story is available on the home page of the AWARxE Web site.
What is the most common veterinary drug of abuse?
Catizone:
Pain relievers and tranquilizers are two of the most commonly abused drugs, as reported in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Survey, and both types of drugs are used in the practice of human and veterinary medicine.
DEA has also indicated that buprenorphine and ketamine are drugs of abuse; each of these drugs is a prescription controlled substance approved for human and veterinary use.
For all the topics I’m happy to joke about, this is one that I take very seriously. I have seen too many bright and wonderful people have their lives destroyed by prescription drug abuse. So please, mark your calendar for Saturday and get rid of your leftovers. Or am I the only one who has a pile of half empty bottles in the cabinet?
By the way, Dr. Catizone’s idea for disposing of drugs in cat litter is pretty brilliant. Is there no end to the uses for cat litter?
You know this scene from Up. Unless you were living under a rock back in 2009, you found yourself blindsided when you settled into the movie theater expecting some animated shenanigans, only to have your heart ripped, still beating, from your ribcage, stomped on, wrung out, and rubbed in wasabi for good measure before being unceremoniously deposited in your lap to absorb all your tears. All in the first five minutes.
I’m sure there were one or two people out there who didn’t sob like a wee babe, and to you, I say- are you made of stone? How is this possible? Well, no matter. I think those of us who were reduced to sniveling messes were because, in some way or another, we all have known a Carl in our lives. A crusty old man who, underneath that slightly misanthropic salty exterior, houses a heart that beat ceaselessly for his Ellie. Together, yin and yang, they faced the world and all its thrills and disappointments as a team, sharing joys as well as sorrows, him drawing strength from her unwavering love and support.
And what is one without the other? What’s left when the person on whom you have depended over an entire lifetime of triumphs and defeats is no longer there in the morning when you open your eyes and look over for the face that has greeted you for decades, only to find air and emptiness?
It is, I imagine, awful. And then you become the Carl we meet in Up, a veneer of anger over a core of sadness. And because Up was a Pixar movie, he finds redemption in a Boy Scout, a Golden Retriever, and a promise made good to have an adventure. But real life isn’t always so neat, is it. (more…)
When I was in college, a friend of mine decided to get a rabbit. She brought it home, purchased all the necessary bunny-equipment, and then about one week in realized she was living with Bunnicula. Far from being the sweet and docile cat-substitute she was hoping for, this bunny was a real demon.
It chewed up the carpet. Every time she picked it up, it pooped all over her. When she opened the cage, it would hiss. No, really, it hissed. This was not a nice bunny. I’ve never met a rabbit who disliked humans as much as this one.
Nonetheless, it was her bunny, so when she decided that it wasn’t going to work out and she was going to set it free to be a feral bunny, I had to step it. Keep in mind we lived in coastal Los Angeles, otherwise known as the Concrete Jungle, and this rabbit had lived the entirety of its short life in captivity. We had a talk, there was some waving of hands, and after all of that she found a place for the poor misanthropic lagomorph in, of all places, a petting zoo. No, it wasn’t ideal, but certainly better than what she had initially planned, so I had to take whatever small victories I could get.
My point is, we humans are terrible when it comes to the decision making process. “Turn them free,” we say when we want to be free of the responsibility we’ve taken on, with zero thought as to the consequences.
In some cases, what we do is doom the poor creature to a slow death from starvation, exposure, or predation.
In other cases, we trash an entire ecosystem. (more…)
There are lots of reasons I love living in San Diego. I could go on about it for days- the weather, the pet friendly atmosphere, the tacos… but today, I’m particularly grateful that I live in the same town as the Petco headquarters. For the second year, I was fortunate enough to be extended an invitation to the Petco Foundation Hope Gala. At this weekend’s fourth annual gala, the recipient of the Petco Foundation HOPE Award, which celebrates the spirit of hope through a life dedicated to promoting the pet human bond, was none other than the inimitable Ms. Betty White.
This is a woman who has had a long and successful career. At ninety, she’s got every right to sit back, ignore the rest of the world, and enjoy whatever it is she likes to hang around doing most. And yet here she is, not only working on a sitcom and multiple other projects, but she’s also continuing her life’s passion as an animal advocate. The proceeds from the gala, which had surpassed a couple hundred thousand dollars just based on the auction items alone, will go to Actors and Others for Animals, a California non-profit dear to Betty that provides spay/neuter funds and emergency assistance for pets across the state.
Like all good galas, there were tables upon tables of items for people to bid on in the silent auction portion of the event. Unsurprisingly at a Petco event populated by animal lovers, there was a particularly large section for the Pet items. (I tried to get my husband to bid on the 5 day trip to Paris for the Julia Child experience at Le Cordon Bleu, but no dice.)
Talented and lovely local artist Katy Helen of Katy Helen Art was there with a portfolio of her lively and expressive pet portraiture, and to add to the ambiance was actually working on a recent commission while she was at the gala. What a cool sort of energy to go into a portrait. (I also found out from her website that she does custom millinery, which given my fascination with fascinators could be a very dangerous piece of information for me to have at hand.) P.S. Her prices for custom pieces are really good.
And then there was the lady of the hour herself, Betty White. She didn’t come alone- Doris Roberts walked not three feet behind my chair, jaunty in a bright red suit; Ed Asner was there to offer support as well. The crowd was notably appreciative of this esteemed group of comedy legends.
And Betty didn’t disappoint. After the applause from her standing ovation died down enough for her to talk, she spoke to a rapt group about her love of animals that she’s had “for 90 years,” she said, then- “longer than 90 years, really- since the womb.” I recorded a bit of it, if you want to see how effortlessly she can throw in ad libs. 0:22 and 1:15 are my favorite moments. Love this witty woman.
After Betty spoke, Petco Foundation Executive Director Paul Jolly spoke from the heart about a special dog named Wonder, who touched his life all too briefly when he rescued her from the street only to find out she was in massive organ failure. I stared down at my plate while he spoke, thinking that after all these years hearing sad stories I should be able to hear one without sniffling, but who am I kidding. I always sniffle, and I always will.
And so did everyone else around me. That’s why everyone was there, because they care. And the generosity of those in attendance will make a real difference for many thousands of animals in the state. So thank you to Petco for the generous invitation, and to Betty for proving to me that there is no upper age limit for giving back, no need to ever retire from the job of making life better for others.
When you think of a champion show dog, the kind who eventually makes his way to the upper echelons of Westminster, a certain life arc comes to mind. A pampered pooch, born with much pomp and circumstance, raised lovingly by a person ready to groom them from day one for a life in the spotlight. A dog who knows little of pain and neglect, attended to like a celebrity from the get-go. And for the most part, you’d be right.
Then again, Maverick isn’t like most dogs.
Sure, he started life with all the right underpinnings: born to a breeder of champion Weimaraners, he began his journey with a man on the West Coast who planned to show him. But his owner lost his house, and that’s when Maverick’s life took a sad detour.
Rather than contact the breeder, who had been trying to track them down with no success, Maverick’s owner sold him on Craigslist to a family on the East Coast who was unprepared for life with a large dog. The man who bought Maverick liked Weimaraners, but spent a lot of time away from home. His wife, busy with the children, had little time or patience for a young dog. So Maverick spent the next year and a half in a crate in an apartment, chewing himself raw with boredom and stress. No walks, no training, a body deprived of both physical and emotional nourishment. (more…)
I like spending time with my family. We do crafty things, because they’re fun and everyone enjoys them. One of our traditions, started back when my daughter was in kindergarten, is to make little Valentine’s Day trinket boxes to send to school on Valentine’s Day- a craft I found on the Martha Stewart website and immediately fell in love with. It’s a cute craft- you take empty matchboxes, cover them with scrapbook paper and ribbons, and fill them with conversation hearts. It’s simple, sweet, and it’s always gone over well.
Until this year.
Last Friday, as I was at home recovering from the jetlag of my Westminster trip, I was interrupted in my reverie by a phone call from the school principal, who called to let me know that she had received “multiple complaints” about my little craft. My immediate thought was, oh no, the kids forgot to remove the matches from some of the boxes, but that wasn’t it. Some parents were just mortified that I used matchboxes for a craft. The principal patiently explained, in the same tone one might explain to a kindergartner why gargling with Drano is a bad idea, about the dangers of sulfur residue. Then she said the part that really killed me: “You need to think about the message you are sending here.”
The message I had sent, or so I thought, was, “I care enough about your kids to spend a day running around gathering supplies to make a cute and time consuming re-purposing project.” But people being the contrary types who like to assume the worst read something else into it, what, I don’t know exactly. “Hey kids, pyromania is fun!” “Crack is cool!” Empty matchboxes are the gateway craft, y’all. (more…)
Joe Tosini knows how to command a room. When he shakes your hand with an iron grip and leans in to stare you in the face, you know right away that whatever it is he’s about to say, he feels it from his temples to his toes.
“I used to be a preacher,” he said to me, and I believe it. He has that ability to grab a group of people. I first watched him do it at an ACES session at the Helen Woodward Animal Center, when he was there to tell a group of animal rescue advocates from around the country about his company, Ark Sciences, and how he wanted to change the world.
His subject now is not religion but unwanted pets, but he brings the same fist-clenching conviction to the topic that one would expect from any passionate believer. “We’re going to change the world,” he says, while talking of the pain he felt travelling all over the world and seeing the suffering resulting from animal overpopulation. The room felt it too.
With no background in animal science to speak of, Joe founded Ark Sciences and assembled a team of veterinarians, scientists and animal experts to move forward with his goal. They acquired the patent for a form of chemical castration, which had languished as Neutersol, and re-vamped the protocol under a new name, Esterilsol. (more…)
We tend to take for granted all the medicine we have at our fingertips for our pets- ultrasounds, MRIs, surgeons with insane specialties. It’s easy to forget sometimes the conditions most of the rest of the world functions in. It’s one of the reasons I am in such awe of organizations like World Vets, which sends vets all over the world to not only help animals, but help the vets in other countries learn cutting edge skills.
Running a multi-national nonprofit like this presents challenges you never would think about until you actually get into it: you can’t just show up in a place, do a few fancy surgeries, and take off without taking into account the people that are already there who might resent your intrusion if not done properly. In the case of World Vets, training is a core part of the program: not only for the veterinary students who volunteer in order to acquire more skill, but for the local veterinarians who take an active role in the projects, get trained themselves, and can use those skills year-round to improve the life of the animals who live there. From their January press release:
This year, World Vets officially opened its first year-round International Training Center. Located in Granada, Nicaragua, the Latin America Veterinary Training Center will train over 500 Latin American veterinarians in 2012. In addition to Latin American veterinarians, the training center will also see 160 U.S. veterinary students this summer as part of the International Veterinary Medicine program offered by World Vets.
But what does this mean, really? It means when a pet is injured in a manner a veterinarian is uncomfortable treating, they have a good relationship with a mentor vet they can call for help, and everyone benefits. Take, for example, Princessa. (more…)
by Dr. V | Sunday | November 20, 2011 | Comments are off for this post
It’s a week of being thankful, and in that vein I’m reaching back into something I used to do regularly and make a Sunday post highlighting something great from around the web. Today, two large scale projects meant to bring more shelter pets into their forever homes:
Home for the Holidays
Iams’ Home for the Holidays program has just surpassed the 6 million mark for number of pets who have been adopted since the program’s inception in 1999. Way to go! They’re still working on their goal of 5 million bowls of food donated, as well.
2011 Results to date:
Since October 1st, we have helped find new loving homes for:
Dog/Puppy 214,741
Cat/Kitten 190,484
Other Adoptions 8,678
Total adoptions so far: 413,903
Total meals donated so far: 1,525,920
The Shelter Pet Project
Speaking of adoption, the Shelter Pet Project has just released a new set of Public Service Announcements in a joint project with the Ad Council, HSUS and Maddie’s Fund.
The PSA message is “A person is the best thing to happen to a shelter pet.” Truer words were never spoken!
