FDA Recall of Peanut Butter Products

The recall of peanut butter products due to salmonella has spilled over into pet products. It is important to educate yourself in an effort to keep your pets safe and happy. Take a moment to look at the FDA site to make sure you do not have any of these products on your pantry shelves. (This also includes wild bird seed/suet that contains contaminated ingredients).

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm


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"Because Your Dog is Worth it, Too" 2009

Be sure to mark your calendars!!

We have received the exciting news that L'Oreal is planning its 6th annual "Because Your Dog is Worth it, Too" Day on Saturday, August 15, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It will be located on the grounds of their facility in Cranbury, NJ.

There will be many activities to enjoy with your pooches while supporting Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure of Central and South Jersey. To date, this event has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help fight breast cancer. For 2009, they are preparing to organize new events, refine well-loved features, register guests and welcome supporters.




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“How Do You Do It?”

People often tell us that they admire our dedication toward the many deserving animals that cross our paths, the countless hours we spend helping them, the way we open our homes to them, how we can look beyond the ill or disfigured animals we find to be able to see the happy animal they will become, and the money we spend to make these wonderful creatures whole again. Then they will ask, incredulously, “How do you do it?”

In truth, what they really mean is, “WHY do you do it?”, because they couldn’t or wouldn’t. Quite simply because it doesn’t merit the rescuer a bonus or raise at work (in fact, it sometimes takes time away from our jobs!), it doesn’t garner praise and accolades from politicians or other important people, it certainly doesn’t render one capable of keeping the cleanest house or car, and it doesn’t put money one’s pockets or food on one’s table…

Honestly, in some of my rare moments of clarity, I wonder what I think I’m accomplishing with rescue when, for every dog I find safely ensconced into their new home, another one in worse shape is just around the next corner. I grieve being counted among a human race that seems incapable of understanding its obligations to those other equally important sentient beings that we share this planet with.

Every once in a while we meet an Angel in Disguise who already knows why we do it and who is so socially evolved that they are light years beyond the rest of the human race. An Angel who, in their own way, helps us to keep fighting the good fight of rescue when we sometimes think we just can’t do it anymore. Here’s an email recently received from one of those Angels that just made all of us who volunteer at rescue weep in appreciation:

“Subject: Valentine Donations

Hello!!

My name is Kristen. I am a 24 year old Graphic Designer that works at (a large Corporation). I am writing to you because I am a huge animal lover, and although I would love to take in every pet that needs a home and love it forever, reality sinks in and I know that I can't. However, I realized that I can do my small part to help organizations like yours. I wanted to let you know that I ran a Pet Supply Drive for a month within my department to help support your wonderful organization. Through the generosity of not only the people in my department, but various others that heard about what I was doing, I collected a Valentine's gift to help the animals in need that you are fostering. This gift includes food, toys, beds, treats, etc... along with a monetary collection.

Also, I am sure you are wondering why I picked Ayou? Well, I decided that I am going to pick one organization monthly and take collections to help support their cause. I was reading through the list of shelters and organizations in this area and I came across your web site. You do wonderful things for animals in need and one story in particular tugged on my heart strings, Emily, the Golden Retriever's. See... I grew up with Goldens. My Family had one named Shawnie when I was a baby, he became sick with congestive heart failure when he was only 4 years old. My Parents kept him alive through weekly out of state trips to specialized Vets, along with a lot of medication and most of all lots of love. They eventually had to put him to sleep when he was 7 because he was just getting too bad. Then when I was 12 we got another Golden named Barnie. I loved him dearly, he was my Fuzzy Brother for 10.5 years. We lost Barnie in December of 2006 after a 3 month battle with cancer. It was one of the hardest things that I have ever had to go through. Then, a year later my Family got Willie, the crazy Golden puppy. Willie was My Little Man. I loved him so much. He was only one year old when he suddenly passed early one Saturday morning. The Vet said that he had something lodged in his throat, however he had not eaten yet that day nor was even awake long enough to get into anything before my Parents found him on their bedroom floor. We were hardly over the loss of our Barnie when we found ourselves having to endure the same pain once again. So to get to the reason why I picked All Star is because you gave Emily a chance at life, and that is a gift that can never have a price tag attached to it.

I would like to say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for helping all of the animals that you do on a daily basis. It is extremely heartwarming to know that there are people and organizations out there that care for those with out a voice.
Once again, THANK YOU!
Kind Regards,
Kristen”


No, Kristen…. Thank YOU (and the others you inspired) for being an Angel to our rescued Pets!!!

A PET'S TEN COMMANDMENTS

I received this from a rescue friend in an email and just had to share it here. Please enjoy.

A Pet's Ten Commandments

1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me

3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

4. Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.

5. Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.

7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.

9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old.

10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can't bear to watch. Don't make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.

Take a moment today to thank God for your pets. Enjoy and take good care of them. Life would be a much duller, less joyful experience without God's critters.

Our Responsibility to Our Pets

My rescue companions and I have a soft spot for the cats and dogs who find themselves in the unenviable position of being in a cold, dirty animal shelter with nothing or no one familiar to comfort them. It doesn’t matter how they got there, it‘s just heartbreaking to see the fear and the need to be touched and comforted by a human hand.

Whether it was because their caregiver died, went into a nursing home or hospital (and the rest of the family didn‘t want to be bothered with that beloved pet left behind). Sometimes it is because the family moved and either could not take them or didn’t want to take them; or just because they are getting old and are requiring more medical care, possibly because their vision isn’t as good, or they are developing incontinence or maybe because the pet has become somewhat cranky and snappy (due to underlying medical issues).

Sometimes the owners or family of the absent owners just open the door and let the pet out to fend for themselves; or put it in the car and drop it off in the middle of nowhere; or tie it to a sign or shelter fence (some have even thrown these poor animals over the fence into the shelter grounds). Sometimes they call animal control to pick up “a stray” or they go to animal control with the pet and pretend it is a stray that they “picked up” or that wandered onto their property. Or worse yet, leave the abandoned pets in an emptied out home where they are imprisoned until a realtor, a concerned neighbor calls the police about a possible abandoned pet or the new owner or tenant finds them, sometimes in bad shape.

I often wish that those people who leave these pets in this way would be haunted forever by the faces we are forced to see after they’ve gone on with their lives, probably without a thought for the pain and suffering left behind.

At times there are legitimate reasons why people have to give up their pets, but there is never a legitimate excuse for running out on your responsibility to that animal. Sometimes the kindest and most loving thing to do for some of these elderly, terminally ill, sickly pets or pets with severe behavioral issues is to have them humanely euthanized by a veterinarian, surrounded by the people that they have always known and loved during their lifetime. It is a cowardly mistake to not face up to your responsibility toward that loving companion when they need you most; and it causes that pet the most unspeakable pain and suffering to have to reach the end of their days alone, frightened and feeling unloved in a dirty, dark and foul smelling shelter - or worse…

On the other hand, just because a pet is elderly or even sick is not always a reason to have it put to sleep if a good alternate home can be found. This is also a responsibility that the owners or the family of the owners need to take seriously. This means that AS SOON AS POSSIBLE (and not 2 days or a day before they have to be removed from the home as many people do!) you need to start asking friends, neighbors or co-workers, asking at local vets if they have clients who may be interested in adopting this pet, or contacting shelters and rescues to ask for them to consider taking the pet in to that shelter or rescue.

Most rescues are filled up and it may not be possible for them to take that pet in, but perhaps they could post that pet on their rescue site as a courtesy to you and screen potential adopters while you continue to care for that pet until an adoption can be arranged. Working with a rescue group also means being available to possibly bring that animal to adoption days or to make it available to potential adopters if inquiries are made on the pet. It also means being honest about that pet, its behavior and it medical issues, if any.

“www.petfinder.org” is a good place to look for potential rescues to help you to find a family for rehoming this pet or pets. Some of these rescues may have limited means to take in dogs, so be prepared to take this pet to a vet for updated shots; neutering or spaying; etc.

Even with the best of intentions and with a lot of hard work and some expenses on your part, sometimes no home is found for that pet. Then what?

You have a big decision to make at that point. Please remember what you’ve read here before you act next. That pet is depending on you.

How Can You Help to Save a "Coconut Retriever"?

The Island of St. Croix is the home of many wonderful but homeless pets. We often work with a caring group of people in a venture called "Pets from Paradise" to offer these little island pups a chance they otherwise would not have had.

Pets From Paradise rescues these little cast offs who would otherwise never have lived to enjoy the love of a human family or to know what it really means to be loved and cherished. They are spayed and neutered prior to being sent to their new homes or to rescues in the United States.

Maybe you already have a pet or two at home or are otherwise not in a position to take in a dog or cat as a rescued pet. But you CAN still help...and enjoy a nice vacation at the same time.

How, you may ask?

Well, are you going to be vacationing on this lovely island? You can help one of these little ones (referred to as "Crucian Critters" or "Coconut Retrievers") make their way to loving homes in the U.S. simply by offering to ferry one of them home to the States on your return home in a carrier provided by Pets from Paradise. Their foster home or sponsor will meet you at the airport to take your little charge to their new home. What a great way to cap off a lovely vacation....don't you think?

To be a Travel Partner or for more information, please contact Anna Loizeaux, Pets-From-Paradise Coordinator at the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center. Give her a call at 340-778-1650 or via email at aloizeaux@hotmail.com.

The pups pictured above are a few of our island pets who found homes here in the U.S.

For more information about the Pets From paradise click on this link:

http://www.gotostcroix.com/petsfromparadise/index.php

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