Thursday, June 17, 2010

“Humane Society puts pets first: Officers also investigate cases of neglected, abused ... - Montgomery Advertiser” plus 3 more

“Humane Society puts pets first: Officers also investigate cases of neglected, abused ... - Montgomery Advertiser” plus 3 more

Humane Society puts pets first: Officers also investigate cases of neglected, abused ... - Montgomery Advertiser

Posted: 16 Jun 2010 09:21 AM PDT

(2 of 3)

"Usually, education (about caring for animals) does work," Hill said.

Anytime an animal appears to be suffering, humane officers will seize it and make sure it gets immediate medical care, Hill said.

'Economic euthanasia'

Economic hard times have a big impact on how many cases of abandonment, abuse and neglect humane officers encounter.

Abandonment has been widespread recently as people have been forced to move out of their homes. In the past few years, the cases have increased four- or fivefold, Hill said.

Humane officers call the phenomenon "economic euthanasia."

It is common to find dogs and other pets inside houses that have been foreclosed or properties where people have been evicted, Tears said.

"It's awful. It's terrible. (The pets are) left for dead. In cases like that, you hope to find (the owners) and prosecute because there are so many other options. There is really no reason for that," Tears said.

One thing that leads people to abandon animals rather than take them to the shelter likely is pride, Hill said. Some people are ashamed that they no longer can afford to care for a pet.

Others think they will get into trouble if they bring their pets to the shelter. That is not the case, Hill said.

"The minute they call the Humane Society, they have done something right," he said.

Another bad situation is created when a person keeps pets he or she no longer can afford.

"With the economic times, they don't want to lose their pets, so they try to get by with what they've got," Hill said.

Sometimes, taking your pet to the shelter is the best choice, although it also can be a difficult one when the pet is considered a family member, Tears said.

"It is life-changing for people," he said.

The Humane Society also offers to help people keep their pets by providing some extra food or other assistance, Tears said.

The shelter saw a huge increase in animals brought in last year. The number of animals at the shelter still is above average, but things have started to level off, Tears said.

Five Filters featured article: Headshot - Propaganda, State Religion and the Attack On the Gaza Peace Flotilla. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Protect your pets from heat - Taylor Daily Press

Posted: 17 Jun 2010 06:00 AM PDT

As the summer begins to sizzle, it's important to keep you and your family safe in the heat, but it's also important to pay attention to your pets and keep them safe, too.

"Dogs in air conditioning won't have any problems," Taylor veterinarian Larry Miller said. Dogs that are kept outside or in stuffy places like a garage are the ones at risk because the enclosed area has no way to circulate air.

Animals that need to have a close eye kept on them are animals who are overweight and animals who are pregnant.

Miller's number one piece of advice for pet owners who must leave their animals outside during the day: a large tub of water outside for dogs.

"(A large tub will allow) a bigger dog to go swimming, they can climb into (it)," Dr. Miller said. This will prevent them from overheating while their owner isn't home.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has many tips on keeping your pets safe, healthy and happy in the summer months:

• Visit the vet for a check-up in the spring or summer.

• Give your pets plenty of clean, fresh water. Make sure they have a shady place to rest outside, and make sure to bring them indoors when it's very hot.

• Never, ever leave your animals in a parked car. It can quickly become too hot and they can become ill.

• Do not leave animals unattended around pools; many animals are not good swimmers. Also, prevent your animals from drinking pool water — the chemicals can be very harmful to them.

• Make sure your windows are screened in. During the summer, the ASPCA sees an increase in injured animals that have fallen from windows or doors.

• Keep your pet's fur cut during the summer months so that they don't overheat. The ASPCA recommends shaving down to one-inch length, but never to the skin so that the animals are still protected from the sun's rays.

• When it is hot, don't let your animals spend a lot of time on hot asphalt. Their paws can heat up and burn quickly.

According to Dr. Lila Miller, ASPCA Vice President of Veterinary Outreach, "symptoms of  overheating in pets include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, stupor or even collapse. They can also include seizures, bloody diarrhea and vomit along with an elevated body temperature of over 104 degrees." Animals with flat faces, like Pugs and Persian cats, are more susceptible to heat stroke since they cannot pant as effectively. These pets, along with the elderly, the overweight, and those with heart or lung diseases, should be kept cool in air-conditioned rooms as much as possible.

Taylor Animal Control Officer Tom Waggoner also has an important rule for pet owners to follow: sufficient water for animals to drink that will be left outside.

"(I've been on calls and seen) this little itty bitty water dish (for the pet outside) and it's eight or nine in the morning and their supposed to survive on that all day," he said.

Waggoner advises pet owners to be on the lookout for heat advisories when they are issued.

"If there's a heat advisory issued, it's illegal to have your animal outside," Waggoner said. When the heat hits 105 to 115 degrees, it's common for a heat advisory to be issued.

Five Filters featured article: Headshot - Propaganda, State Religion and the Attack On the Gaza Peace Flotilla. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Local Motion: The Heavy Pets (self-titled); Members to Play Funky Buddha Tonight - Broward New Times (blog)

Posted: 17 Jun 2010 05:09 AM PDT

​The Heavy Pets
The Heavy Pets

Even the biggest fans of the biggest jam bands don't expect much from a studio album. In this writer's view, the jam band studio album can serve a couple of purposes. The first is to superficially introduce the band to newbies and the new songs to fans. And for fans, the studio renditions of songs are only teases of things to come in the live setting. The second purpose is to hopefully create an enjoyable disc while you're at it.

With their self-titled second full length release, the Heavy Pets have achieved both of these objectives. The songs are kept short, with the longest clocking in at 5:42. This wise move should allow for the album to be enjoyed by jammers and non-jammers alike. For the jammers, the cuts deliver perfectly sized doses of the band's various characteristics, giving a feel of their overall vibe, and suggesting what may happen on stage.

As far as that vibe goes, the Heavy Pets certainly noodle on the Phish side of the jam band spectrum. Rather than being a big, southern powerhouse, or a thumping, serotonin-sucking jamtronic outfit, the Heavy Pets are a classic, quirky, stoney jam band. There are times on this disc, though, where the band sounds as much like Weezer or Lionel Richie as they do anyone else.

One of the standout tracks, "How Would I," is a lovely, well-arranged pop song that sounds like it could have been penned by Rivers Cuomo himself (in his better years), yet the delivery is unmistakably, vibrationally, jam band. The dirty guitar groove that enters in just before the infectious refrain is an excellent teaser for the sort of energy this song could stir up live. The following track drops in like "Sexual Healing", and the track that follows it, "Lazy Anna", bears an odd resemblance to Linkin Park. The instruments keep a dark, ambient groove as an edgy, white-boy rap flows on top. Then, an emo-toned voice delivers the chorus. Elsewhere, on the rather boring "Spin 'Round," the band sounds like CTA with a Korg.

At times, while employing these different styles, the result borders on corny. However, it's done with a grin, making it far more tempting to join in the fun than to criticize. And that statement applies to the album at large. Though the Heavy Pets have not delivered an artistic masterpiece, they have given us a good disc. It's one that will be appreciated at parties and on the road towards summer music festivals. And it is one that will pique people's interests enough to seek out the live experience.

Those interested in seeing the band who happen to be in South Florida this week will not have to wait for long for a taste. Members of the Pets are set to take the stage at The Funky Buddha tonight.

Mike and Jeff of the Heavy Pets with The Funky Nuggetz Thursday, June 17 at The Funky Buddha, 2621 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton. Tickets cost $5.

Five Filters featured article: Headshot - Propaganda, State Religion and the Attack On the Gaza Peace Flotilla. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Pets 101: How do I find out what local laws and ordinances apply to my pets? - Examiner

Posted: 17 Jun 2010 04:05 AM PDT

Comment Subscribe

Subscribe


Communities across Texas all have laws and ordinances relating to pet ownership, from pet limits to leash laws and tethering to spay/neuter, and knowing and following those laws is one part of  being a responsible pet owner. 

Rescue groups and private shelters are often contacted by panicked pet owners wanting to surrender their pet after being cited by local authorities for a violation of a local ordinance.  This type of emergency is heart-breaking and totally avoidable, and it puts an extra burden on already-stressed organizations coping with the problem of too many unwanted pets.  So please be a responsible pet owner and know and follow the rules in your community. 

Do you know the laws in your area?  Find out below, so you'll know how to keep your pet from landing in a local shelter or with a rescue group. And while you're at it, please check out the adoptable pets at your local shelter and consider giving a homeless pet the ultimate gift.

Don't see your city listed here?  Simply do a web search for "animal control" and add your city's name.  Then look for "ordinances" or "regulations" and you should find what you need.  If not, don't hesitate to call and ask.  Remember, ignorance is not a defense to the law. 

 

 

Five Filters featured article: Headshot - Propaganda, State Religion and the Attack On the Gaza Peace Flotilla. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.
Posted by at

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)