How to Help Pets Affected by Hurricane Harvey

Courtesy of The Atlantic

If you're like me, the images of people and their pets affected by Hurricane Harvey are both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. I remember being horrified when I heard about the reported 250,000 pets lost 12 years ago in Hurricane Katrina. Federal leaders have since unanimously passed Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act of 2006, guaranteeing that rescue operations would focus on the needs of furry family members in future emergency evacuation situations. But these pets and their people need help.

Below are links to organizations accepting donations, courtesy of Dogster:

Houston SPCA

With Houston being one of the hardest hit areas by the storm, it is currently operating with a skeleton staff of folks able to safely make their way to the shelter. Nonetheless, it is feverishly answering calls for animal rescue. In the area, call 713-861-3010 for emergency-only rescue assistance. Spokesperson Julie Kuenstle reports they also anticipate hundreds of injured and orphaned wildlife intakes as flood waters recede. Donations can be made here.

San Antonio Humane Society

This shelter is currently housing at least 19 pets for owners with no other place to leave them, as well as a couple dozen strays, with hundreds more expecting in the coming days and weeks. The cost for current intakes alone has topped $25,000 (for staff, supplies, vaccinations, housing, etc.). Donations can be made here.

Austin Pets Alive!

Safe from the harm of hurricane weather, this facility has transported over 330 animals already and expects to take in hundreds more over the next few days. With a stock of animals already waiting to be adopted (these are not orphans from the storm), this is a great place to find your next best friend or volunteer to foster some of the more vulnerable animals (preferably in homes with no other pets). Links to its donate button and wish list of supply needs are here.

Wings of Rescue

This amazing, unique animal rescue has chartered several flights already to evacuate homeless animals from the San Antonio area to make room for the influx of lost and surrendered pets to come. Founder Cindy Smith told Dogster they flew 100 dogs to Saint Hubert Humane Society, 88 dogs and 22 cats to Rancho Coastal Humane Society, Labs and Friends and San Diego Humane Society, have another flight going to Oregon and Washington on Wednesday, and another 250 flying out to a yet to be determined location on Saturday. Smith says they’ll continue to evacuate as many animals as donations allow, in order to make room for hurricane victims. Donations can be made here.

Humane Society of Missouri

This St. Louis-area organization has reportedly taken in 55 dogs already, to make room for incoming Hurricane strays. They recently announced on Facebook that they’re sending a rescue team to Harris County, Texas to transport dozens more out of harm’s way. Donations can be made here.

Louisiana SPCA

Not safely out of the storm’s path themselves, this shelter transported over 100 animals to Greater Birmingham Humane Society to make room for local needs post-storm. Another flight is planned to remove another 100 animals this week, allowing them to partner with Houston SPCA and Texas SPCA to take in any animals as needed. Louisiana SPCA has also made preparation for local rescues, should the need arise. For emergency-only help in New Orleans, call 504-368-5191 x 100. Donations can be made here.

PAWS Chicago

Old hands at helping its friends in the south, PAWS Chicago did a trip ahead of the storm to bring 26 ready-to-be-adopted cats and dogs to Chicago. Representative Sarah McDonald informed Dogster that its team is gearing up to make a second caravan to Texas with its medical staff and volunteers as soon are roadways are safe for travel — and surely bring more in-need animals back to Chicago, making room for pets lost or orphaned in the hurricane to be reunited with their Texas families. Donations can be made here.

ASPCA of New York City

The expertly trained search and rescue crew of this group have deployed with a fleet of boats and trailers to assist with emergency rescues. As the storm settles and more needs are assessed, ASPCA will further develop an assistance plan to reunite Texans with their beloved pets and livestock. Donations can be made here.

Best Friends Animal Society

With a team trained for natural disaster and extreme rescue situations, animals of all kinds are in good hands when rescued by this group. They have a view in Houston with boats, a state-of-the-art animal rescue trailer and partnerships with other state and federal agencies to seek and rescue as many lives as possible in the coming days. Best Friends staff is also transporting animals to Austin Pets Alive! for care, and prepping them for foster and adoption, in order to make room in the Houston area for incoming hurricane victims. As with all rescues, plans are still developing as the dire situation is addressed. Donations can be made here.

Humane Society of the United States

At the forefront of the Hurricane Katrina rescue efforts, and largely responsible for the passing of subsequent legislation protecting pets in times of emergency evacuation, it’s no surprise the Humane Society of the United States is well-prepared to assist before, during and after Hurricane Harvey. They’ve been on the ground in Texas since last week, evacuating homeless shelter animals in preparation for an influx of strays and surrenders of biblical proportions this week. So far, they’ve deployed expert search and rescue teams to Texas City, Dickinson and League City, Texas and are partnering with countless local and national organizations on coordinating efforts, keeping the public informed and developing a safe and strategic plan to secure as many stranded, injured and found animals of all kinds. Text LOVE to 20222 to donate $10 to HSUS Disaster Relief Fund. Donations can be made here.

Friends For Life Animal Rescue and Adoption Organization—Houston

This organization is on the ground in Houston helping make stories like this one about Gabrielle and her 4-month-old kitten, Aurora, possible. Make a donation here.

More organizations to support: 

• 4 Paws Farm
• Rescued Pets Movement

Bliss and Seven’s Staycation at Silver Strand Beach in Oxnard, CA

Silver Strand Beach is by far the most popular beach to visit in Oxnard, especially for dogs and their owners. When I moved to the area six years ago, I didn’t know that besides being an absolutely beautiful beach, it’s also dog-friendly!

Located at the end of South Victoria Road, Bliss and Seven recommend dog owners bring their furry family members to Silver Strand for a fun filled day frolicking in the waves. Better yet, they suggest a daily run along the breathtaking white sandy beach, which is not a problem since it’s dog-friendly before 9 am and after 5 pm.

This mile-long stretch of silvery beach is a beautiful spot to relax while your dog burns off his or her energy. Public restrooms are at the north end of the beach and parking is free from sunrise to sunset. Lifeguards patrol between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Besides being dog-friendly, Silver Strand offers world class surf, fishing, kayaking, cool to moderate water temperatures, and a family friendly atmosphere. This Beach Break has three peaks. The Jetty, which is a fabulous right-hand break for longboarders and intermediate surfers both human and canine, the Bowl, which fires perfectly in the Fall and Winter, and La Janelle, a sandbar left-hand break that will make dogs and their owner's froth at the mouth in delight.

In the early mornings and late evenings, you’ll most likely run into other sociable dogs romping in the surf. On crowded days, be sure to practice good beach etiquette and respect the leash laws. The beach is usually deserted in the evening so be sure to stay for a breathtaking sunset. Poop bags are located on the beach but sporadically so best to bring your own.

There are more than 23 dog-friendly restaurants near Silver Strand beach that welcome dogs at their outside patios. Bliss and Seven highly recommend Sea Fresh Restaurant at 3550 S Harbor Blvd in Oxnard, CA 93035. Located in the Channel Islands Harbor’s newly renovated Marine Emporium Landing, dogs are welcome to join their owner on the two outdoor patios that sit right on the water. Offering Lunch and Dinner Daily and Breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays, Sea Fresh has a variety of delicious and fresh menu items including a sushi and oyster bar. Bliss and Seven love the doggie dining menu featuring rice and chicken or beef. Bone Appetite!

If you need to spend the night near Silver Strand, there are at least nineteen pet-friendly hotels in the area. At the Crown Plaza Ventura, dogs of any size are welcome for an additional fee of $75. It’s centrally located near the Ventura Harbor Village. With a beautiful and scenic walking Promenade at Ventura Harbor Village extending to Ventura County West Marina in one direction and the Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center at the other end, it’s the perfect stroll with your pooch.

Pet-friendly Ventura Harbor invites you and your dog to have a safe, clean, and fun outing seaside. The proof is the harbor’s Doggie Bag stations, a Doggie Water Fountain near Beach Break Surf Shop in the Harbor Village, a photo board designed just for dogs to easily stand behind for that fun photo op on the Harbor Promenade, and a grassy lawn area.

Many Ventura Harbor restaurants offer dog-friendly patios, and several shops offer doggie-themed gifts and artwork. A new addition is a dedicated pet-friendly PAWlor Menu at The Parlor restaurant. You can also take your dog with you for a ride on the water with Ventura Boat Rentals electric boat rentals, pedal boats, kayaks, and stand up paddle boards.

Ventura Harbor offers events for pets too like the Annual HOWL-O-Ween Pet Costume Contest in October, Pirate Days Pet Costume Contest in July, Felix & Fido adoption events, and Cabo Dogz Breeders Association activities.

Dog owners can also check out the beachfront vacation house rentals to enjoy the sunset with their fur baby and all the comfort of home. The Ventura Beach Houses in Pierpoint Bay feature three bedroom, two bath properties (additional Jacuzzi tub that accommodates 2 in the first floor Master Bedroom) that are fully equipped with double master bedrooms, and bunkbeds in the third bedroom. Cable TV's with premium channels (DVD on request). Each of these homes offers a full-size washer and dryer.

For a complete listing of things to do in Oxnard – Order a FREE Visitors Guide. For more information about traveling with your dog, visit Travels With Bliss. Woof!

City Dogs Vs. Country Canines: Who Is At A Greater Risk?

As the old saying goes, home is where we hang our hat, but it’s also where we place our pets. Whether we’re in a rural setting or living in a teeming city setting, there’s important differences these opposing residents should aware of to ensure their animals are healthy, safe and happy.

For example, country folk may believe city dogs are at a greater risk from cars, trucks, traffic and other moving obstacles. But in reality, country canines, which are commonly off leash, are just as likely to be struck by vehicles as city dwelling dogs. Also, when it comes to traumatic injuries, more dogs are seen in rural veterinarian emergency rooms as a result of attacks by other animals.

ACCESS & AWARENESS

Pet owners living in city settings can be more aware of their dog’s daily activities and are therefore likely to spot problems faster, like vomiting or other imminent threats that may require immediate medical attention. Dogs that spend a majority of the time outdoors could have gastric issues, urine or stool difficulties that may go unnoticed. As a matter of fact, city critters are 44% more likely to visit a vet for stomach trouble compared to their rural counterparts.

Depending upon their location, urbanites could live a considerable distance from their nearest veterinarian’s office or animal clinic. An emergency situation could go south quickly and given the additional distance involved in getting a dog to medical attention, this time could make a big difference. At the same time, many country vets will come out to rural homes and are on call when other city veterinarians are unavailable for care.

ALLERGIES & PARASITES

Pampered pooches in the city are more prone to allergens that are primarily found indoors, compared to their outdoor counterparts. In many cases, canines who live the majority of time outside will build up a better immune system and are less susceptible to allergies in general.

On the other hand, indoor critters have a much lower exposure to parasites like fleas, ticks that carry lyme disease and mosquitoes that spread the deadly heartworm virus. While there are preventative treatments available for all these canine threats, they aren’t 100% effective and it’s obvious that outdoor animals are exposed to these parasites at a much higher level.

TOXINS & POISONS

These doggie dangers can be found in both environments, but on farms and other rural settings, dangerous liquids can puddle up under equipment and go unnoticed. Lapping up a small amount of something like antifreeze for example, can be deadly to a dog who is easily enticed and attracted by its sweet aroma and flavor.

On the contrary, indoor poisonous harm can come from a dropped prescription drug, an over-the-counter pain reliever or other discarded pill can be quickly gobbled up by a doting dog and these can be equally as dangerous. Other things that may not seem to be a big threat to pets, household detergents, certain indoor plants, chocolate and a number of other seemingly innocent items can be deadly in some circumstances.

ACTIVITY & EXERCISE

Not to end on a sour note for city dwellers, but one of the biggest threats facing today’s pet population is obesity, and not just for dogs, cats are in danger too. This condition is obviously far more prevalent in less active animals that are homebound. If you do have an indoor dog, be sure it gets plenty of exercise, is taken on regular walks, trips to the dog park, whatever it takes to get them more active.

As always, you should see your dog’s veterinarian regularly, regardless of your living situation.

Check out this infographic for more information on recognizing possible dangerous diseases in your dog.

Written by Amber Kingsley, a freelance journalist and writer. She also created the accompanied infographic titled "Most Dangerous Diseases for Dogs." 

How did you train Bliss to do that?

Every day, someone asks me how I got Bliss to "do that," whether it's basic obedience, amazing tricks or even sporting a pair of sunglasses! It's really very simple. Whether we know it or not, we train our dogs every time they are with us. From now on, make everything you do with your dog an opportunity to consciously train your dog to perform behaviors you want: while feeding, walking and even watching television. With dogs their behavior is either getting better or worse so it’s important to notice bad behavior right away and replace it with a behavior you want.

Rewarding Your Dog

What motivates your dog most? Usually it is food, but toys and praise are two more motivators to put in your training toolbox. Many people are reluctant to train with treats, but why leave out the most powerful motivator, when once a behavior is solid, you can wean your dog off them?

Event Marking

When your dog gives you the behavior you want, you will want to “mark” his success. Event marking is an audible cue. It can be a verbal “Yes!” or some prefer clicker training.

(http://www.clickertraining.com/whatis)

"Clicker training" is an animal training method based on behavioral psychology that relies on marking desirable behavior and rewarding it.

Desirable behavior is usually marked by using a "clicker," a mechanical device that makes a short, distinct "click" sound which tells the animal exactly when they're doing the right thing. This clear form of communication, combined with positive reinforcement, is an effective, safe, and humane way to teach any animal any behavior that it is physically and mentally capable of doing. The essential difference between clicker training and other reward-based training is that the animal is told exactly which behavior earned it a reward. This information is communicated with a distinct and unique sound, a click, which occurs at the same time as the desired behavior. The reward follows.

Without hearing a click during an action, an animal may not connect the reward with that action. Or, the animal may associate the reward with another, unwanted action. With the click, a trainer can precisely “mark” behavior so that the animal knows exactly what it was doing. That’s why clicker trainers call the click an “event marker.” The click also bridges or connects the behavior and its reward, and so is also called a “bridging signal.”

Fast Food vs. Fine Dining

There are two methods of rewarding with treats: Fast Food and Fine Dining. Each method is used for different reasons. Sometimes, when teaching a new behavior, you need to instantly reward the dog’s success; that’s Fast Food. Fast Food is like a Pez machine; you pop treats in a dog’s mouth as an instant reward for performing a behavior.

Other times, you need to encourage your dog-in-training to stay in one position; that’s Fine Dining. Fine Dining is slower. One small treat held between the forefinger and thumb can be presented to the dog to lick or nibble as long as she holds a requested position.

If you are worried about overfeeding your dog, break the treats into tiny bits (about the size of a tic-tac), even for large dogs. They’ll think they’re getting tons of treats. If you are training often, consider reducing the size of their regular meals according to how many treats you use. 

Intermittent Reward

To avoid a “Show me the money,” dog that will comply only if he sees a treat coming, practice Intermittent Reward. Once your dog learns a behavior, delay the reward by a second or two, then longer. Also, change up the type of the treat(chicken, cheese, roast beef, etc.), as well as the amount to include the occasional “Jackpot” of a favorite food and lots of it. The benefit of this technique is that the dog never knows when or how much he will be rewarded, but knows he will be rewarded and sometimes hit the “Jackpot.” Eventually, your dog will do the behavior without expecting a reward, but always hoping.

Before you Start

·      Always set your dog up for success.

·      Smile when training your dog.

·      Train a little and often. Several short sessions of dog training are better than one long session.

·      Work incrementally in small steps.

·      Capturing behavior. The easiest way to train a behavior is to observe a behavior you want (such as “Down”) and reward it. For example, if your dog is lying down, surprise her by rewarding her (as long as she is in the position) and introducing the verbal cue by repeating: “Good down.”

·      Socialize your dog to be able to perform in different situations. Be sure each behavior is solid before moving to the next phase.

o   Begin training in a Familiar Place with No Distractions (in the house) until a behavior is solid.

o   Graduate to a Familiar Place with Distractions (the front or back yard).

o   An Unfamiliar Place with No Distractions (e.g., a park before people and/or dogs arrive or after they leave).

o    In an Unfamiliar Place with Distractions (outdoor coffee shops, department stores that allow pets, pet stores, parking lots, etc.).

·      Reward all good behavior. Ignore incorrect responses with a chirpy “Uh-oh” and start over. Keep “working” the behavior you want.

·      Stop if you get frustrated and resume when you calm down.

·      Learn how to “speak dog.” Dogs read our body language and learn everything they need to know just by watching us. Learn your dog’s body language to know how he’s feeling and to anticipate wanted, as well as unwanted behaviors.

·      Be clear and consistent in your instructions. Don’t repeat a verbal command over and over. Say it once and let the dog figure it out. If he needs it, help him out.

·      Take your dog on walks to exercise his body and mind (and yours).

·      Have fun and above all, try to be the person your dog thinks you are!