Friday, November 12, 2010

“Gary Bogue: More on dog walkers not cleaning up after their pets - San Jose Mercury News” plus 2 more

“Gary Bogue: More on dog walkers not cleaning up after their pets - San Jose Mercury News” plus 2 more

Gary Bogue: More on dog walkers not cleaning up after their pets - San Jose Mercury News

Posted: 12 Nov 2010 12:38 AM PST

By Gary Bogue
Contra Costa Times

The leaves keep dropping

Golds, reds, burnished cinnamon

Buries newspapers.

-- Gilbert B. Battung, Danville

Dog walkers

Responses to Tuesday's column ("Dog walkers need to carry plastic bags"):

  • I would like to add a bit more to the dog walkers who don't clean up after their pets column.

    I use the Kings Canyon Loop trail in Moraga from the Valley Vista staging area and every week plastic bags of dog poop are left on the trail. These are not picked up on the way back and the same bags are still there later in the week. I guess they think the "gardener" will come clean up after them!

    Please, if you are going to put poop in a plastic bag, do NOT leave it on the trail, but throw it away in the proper receptacle. Also, many dog walkers have their dogs off-leash and have NO control over the animals. The dogs run wherever they want, ignoring their owners, while the people run after them pleading for them to come back. When you ask them to leash the dogs for their safety, the people say if the dogs get hurt, it's their fault! Please take some responsibility for the animals in your care. Thank you. (G.J. from Walnut Creek)

  • I suggest always being prepared with TWO plastic bags. (I have a small dog, but sometimes she requires two bags on one or the other of her daily walks.) Also, I suggest carrying the empty bag tied to the leash (not in the pocket) so it is a visible reminder and encouragement to other dog walkers. (George, Pleasant Hill)
  • I handle my distress at random dog poop by carrying extra bags and picking it up myself. After all, I'm already toting around poop from my pups anyway. More exercise for me. (Kristen Bodie, cyberspace)

    Save Mount Diablo

  • Please send your tax-deductible donation to: Save Mount Diablo -- Friends of Gary, 1901 Olympic Blvd., Suite 220, Walnut Creek, CA 94596.

    Please help them save another piece of open space on your mountain.

  • If you want to see some of the lands Save Mount Diablo has preserved in living color, join them at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, beginning at the carpool lot at Peacock Creek Drive and Marsh Creek Road, Clayton. Seth Adams, SMD's Director of Land Programs, will lead a hike in Irish Canyon, east of Clayton (about 6 miles round trip). Irish Canyon is between Mount Diablo State Park and Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve. SMD bought the property in 2007 but has not been able to lead hikes for the public there until now. RSVP or get more details at 925-947-3535.

    Interesting film

  • The public is invited to see the film "Earthlings" on Saturday at the IBEW Hall, 6250 Village Parkway, Dublin. There's a 6:30 p.m. meet and greet potluck; film starts at 7 p.m. The event is free. Call 925-462-3459 for details.

    A person who critiqued this film said, "Warning: This documentary is graphic. This is the brutal reality of meat, fur, and entertainment industries. Pulls no punches. This documentary cuts right to the chase regarding our sad, exploitational relationship with animals."

    Dear Gary:

    Can you give squirrels popcorn? They just love watermelon. Also one of our squirrels lost all the fur on his tail. Do you have any idea what caused it?

    Linda, San Leandro

    Dear Linda:

    Popcorn isn't the best thing to feed a squirrel. It sticks in their teeth. They prefer unpopped corn, nuts, apple, grapes, etc.

    The bare tail is probably from mange, which should clear up on its own. It's pretty common in squirrels.

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Pets of the week: Purrr-Cilla and Kenya - Deseret News

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 08:56 PM PST

Published: Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010 9:55 p.m. MST

Purrr-cilla is a 1-year-old domestic shorthaired cat and has been at the shelter for more than a month. She has an amazing and outgoing personality, but what makes her unique is her single eye. She came to the animal shelter with some trauma, and the veterinarian thought it was in her best interest to have an eye removed. She would do great in any home, and she is litter-box trained and spayed.

Kenya is a very sweet 5-year-old Siberian husky. She is extremely friendly and gets along great with other dogs. She loves to sit on your feet and get her head scratched. She is apparently house-trained and passed her temperament test with flying colors. She does not like to be tethered and will chew through a lead if you leave her unattended. She gets along great with everyone she meets. She especially likes small dogs.

Those interested in adopting a pet can visit Salt Lake County Animal Services, 511 W. 3900 South, Salt Lake City, between 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday, call 801-559-1100 or visit www.slcoanimalservices.org

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Pets 101: When a pet dies - Examiner

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 04:10 PM PST

Here's the truth pet owners prefer to ignore until they have no choice: pets die. Whether in just a couple of years (small rodents), or 10-15 (most cats and dogs), or decades for longer-lived birds, reptiles, and large animals such as horses, most pets die before their humans. (Parrots and tortoises are a different story, involving willing their care to successor caretakers—but that's a topic for another day!)

This also means that, if you have children, the first time your children confront death may come with the death of a family pet—or even a friend's pet. Grieving yourself, you now face the task of explaining death to your child. How do you handle this?

I argue for candor and simplicity. The pet died. It did not go away, "fall asleep," or any other potentially confusing poetic language. Especially with younger children, who still think very concretely, the use of metaphor can cause confusion, guilt and even fear. (Will I not wake up? Will I be sent away?)

So, candor and simplicity: Explain that their dog/cat/mouse/ferret/budgie is no longer moving and will not, ever again: not breathing, not eating, no heartbeat … dead. If you had to make a decision that the time had come to take a pet to the vet to end a pet's suffering, explain why: your pet could no longer eat or move or enjoy life, was getting sicker, was in pain and could not understand why its people weren't helping.

Because of the immediacy of their thinking, the younger the child, the more times you will need to remind them that the pet is no longer alive. But even very young children will accept the fact eventually, however much they try to imagine the pet still able to play with them.

And who can blame them for that? Most adults also spend a good bit of time reliving happy memories with their pets, too—or regretting choices that might have kept the pet alive and well longer if made differently.

Without encouraging hysteria on either side, I do recommend admitting to your children that, yes, you also feel sad that your pet has died. Yes, you also miss playing with the pet, cuddling with the pet, even feeding and cleaning up after the pet. Children need to know there's nothing wrong with being sad about a loss. They also learn that, while the fact of the death doesn't change, they can live through the grief, and can even find comfort remembering how much they loved their pet and how their pet showed love for them.

Should you get another pet right away? Or ever? That decision should be made using the same criteria you should use anytime you consider acquiring a pet. Consider your family's budget, lifestyle, children's ages, living quarters, etc.

What you generally should not do: buy or rescue another animal immediately "to replace the lost pet." Grieving is important. Distraction via provision of a new animal will not replace the process of grieving. However, if a child is rebuked for continuing to grieve even with a new pet, the result could be resentment of the new animal—quite the reverse of the new best friend the parents intended.

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