Companion
Animal News
Vol. 26 No. 3
Fall Issue - Published Quarterly
Fall 2009
What is a Hero?
Heroes are selfless people who perform extraordinary
acts. The mark of a hero is not necessarily the result of their
action, but what they are willing to do for others and for their
chosen cause. Without need for recognition, they do what’s
right because it is right. They simply see a need and fill it.
Every society needs heroes. And every society has them.
SpokAnimal’s goal each day is to provide shelter for wayward
animals, a chance for a better life beyond their stay in our
adoption center and to create a more humane society. And
that undertaking requires many heroes.
SpokAnimal would like to recognize many heroes in the cause
of making the world a better place for animals.
Our staff, who scrub cages, empty litter boxes and make
sure the animals are fed and watered are heroes to the animals
they care for every day, 365 days a year. Our officers who rescue
strays from the dangers of the streets and deliver them back
home or to the shelter until their owners come for them. Those
who rescue animals from cruelty and neglect and prosecute the
offenders.
Our volunteer force, who get the animals out of their cages
for walks, to special events, schools, fairs and the businesses
who host them so more animals will find homes. To the people
who visit our outreach programs who will become enlightened
about the plight of animals and the responsibility of pet ownership. To the committed pet lovers behind the camera who
take photos of our adoptable animals and post them on world
wide web for all to see, every week, all year long.
Families who give our animals forever homes are surely
heroes to those animals; as are the staff who greet potential
adopters who visit our adoption center looking for a new
friend. The matchmakers who stroll our kennels and complete
What’s Inside:
Page
SpokAnimal’s Heros ............................................................. 2
From the Desk of the Board President ............................... 2
Heart Heros ............................................................................ 3
Bee Kind Garden ................................................................... 3
Lost Pet Online Hotline ........................................................ 4
Musings About Cats and Cat Behavior........................... 4-5
What to Do With a Cat Who Bites When Petted............... 5
Happy Endings................................................................... 6-7
Purrs, Licks and Tailwags ................................................... 7
Thank You Pet Sponsors ...................................................... 7
Farewell Basil ......................................................................... 8
the paperwork to make
those adoptions official
are heroes to families
looking for a new relationship with an animal
friend.
Behind the scenes
are staff who handle
office duties, schedule
staff, pay the bills, answer phones, answer
questions and complaints, and reunite
Lost with Found. People who write grants
and news releases.
Those who lead the
organization and direct
it. Veterinarians and their staff who keep our animals healthy
and prevent generations of future unwanted pets through spay
and neuter programs. Groomers and trainers who donate
their skills to make our animals more adoptable. Businesses
who promote animal welfare by donating funds and fund
raising opportunities, supplies, as well as physical space in
their stores and for advertising our needs.
There are heroes in the community who dedicate their time
and expertise for programs like HEART (Humane Evacuation
Animal Rescue Team (www.pnw-heart.org), Delta Society’s
Animal-Assisted Therapy or Search and Rescue and, of course,
those who give their time and open their homes to rescue and
provide foster care for homeless animals.
continued on page 2
What’s Inside:
Page
When I Am Gone................................................................... 8
In Loving Memory ................................................................ 9
Baffled By Behavior Column Questions .......................... 10
Stanley Speaks ................................................................ 10-11
Aloha ......................................................................................11
How You Can Help ............................................................. 12
From the Executive Director .............................................. 12
Finding the Perfect Dog ............................................... 13, 15
Is Your Pet Fit? Or Fat? ....................................................... 14
Purina Study Confirms Link Between Body Fat and
Chronic Health Conditions ....................................... 14-15
What is a Hero? (continued)
Board of Directors
Pres: Christel Carlson
Vice Pres: John Dorwin, Professor
Treas: Barbara Grant
Teri Atkinson
Molly Lundberg
Carmen Murphy
All are heroes.
There are those who write these articles - and you, our members, who read them
and share the stories with other pet lovers who, in turn, get involved, contribute their
time, money, ideas and energy to making the world a better place for all the creatures
in it by volunteering, donating, educating others and paying forward a very simple
concept. Kindness.
There is a hero in all of us. We thank you!
The following people are SpokAnimal’s staff heroes:
Advisory Board
Sally Bashar
Vickie Mendenhall
Jeff Bergstrom
Hope Merkison
Lisa Branford
Marilyn Meyer
Elizabeth Brush
Eileen Milla
SpokAnimal C.A.R.E.
N. 714 Napa • Spokane, WA 99202
Carol Byrnes
Corrie Brown
Nichelle Braunstein
Christine O’Keefe
Phone:
Krista Colvin
Linda Pruitt
Carol Ellsworth
Amanda Purcell
Laura Felgenhauer
Angela Scheres
Alicia Finch
LuAnn Suryan
Rose Gastineau
Laura Thulean
Judith Gilmore
Ken Trambitas
Ahna Hensley
Mary VanCourvering
Lori Humphrey
David Walker
Lydia Jenkins
Kandace Watkins
Karen Harris
Katie Wisner
~ OUR MISSION ~
Gail Mackie
Joleen Williams
SpokAnimal C.A.R.E. is dedicated
to the placement, protection and
health of animals through legislation, education and programs.
Lisa Marriott
Lori Humphrey, Public Relations
Kim Kamel
Mary Ronnestad
Cynthia Schwartz Michelle Trytko
Regina Winkler
Location:
(509) 534-8133 • Fax: (509) 535-9630
Website:
http://www.spokanimal.org
Shelter Hours:
Adoption Center:
10AM-6PM ~ Mon-Fri
Noon-4PM ~ Sat-Sun
Licensing / Front Desk
8:30AM-6:30PM
24-hour Lost Pet Hotline
232-2230
SpokAnimal and
Partners’ Stats
If you are interested in viewing the
partner organizations Community
Stats for SpokAnimal, Spokane
Humane Society or SCRAPS, please
visit their websites.
SpokAnimal:
www.spokanimal.org
Spokane Humane Society:
www.spokanehumanesociety.org
SCRAPS:
www.spokanecounty.org/animal
Issues of SpokAnimal’s
Companion Animal News are now
available for download online at
“http://www.spokanimal.org!”
Thank You For All The Hard Work You Do!
From the Desk of the Board President
Dear Friends,
The daylight hours grow shorter, but
unfortunately our work hours don’t. We
have had a busy summer and expect a
full fall schedule. We have so many great
activities planned with our wonderful
support staff and volunteers. We sure
hope to have your support and participation. We will make great use of our
new event center adjacent to the shelter,
as well as at all of our outreach sites with
our business partners.
We were hoping that December 31,
2009 would draw our animal control
activities to a close. However, the City
and County have not yet found finances
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or room to accommodate the animals.
At the request of Mayor Verner, we will
be considering a short extension of the
City contract in an effort to make sure
the animals care and that the City receive
the support services it needs. Our goal
is clear, but the current economic picture
has derailed the efforts of other parties.
We continue to appreciate your donor
dollars, volunteer hours (double those
of last year), and your believing in our
organization.
Sincerely,
Dr. Christel Carlson
Board President
H.E.A.R.T. Heroes
Several members of Spokane’s
HEART - Humane Evacuation Animal
Rescue Team - have recently returned
from a deployment to Missouri to help
with socialization and care for hundreds
of pit bulls rescued from a fighting ring.
The Humane Society of Missouri Animal
Cruelty Task Force worked with State and
Federal agencies on largest dog fighting
raid and rescue in U.S. history. Authorities arrested 26 people and seized more
than 500 dogs in Missouri, Iowa, Illinois,
Mississippi, Oklahoma, Nebraska and
Texas.
HEART member Nancy Zietlow
said, “It was definitely one of those
things where you cannot allow yourself
to think too much, or you’d just be sick
and heartbroken for these poor dogs
... How fair is life when these dogs
are maimed and mutilated and must
be successful fighters to survive while
my dogs go to obedience classes, PT/
hydrotherapy and doggy daycare?”
Fay is one of many rescued dogs
found permanently maimed from illegal
dog fights, many missing ears or legs. Fay
looks menacing as her teeth jut out from
a mouth without lips, which have been
ripped from her face along with part of
her nose during vicious dogfights. But
the 5-year-old black American pit bull terrier wags her tail relentlessly and presses
herself into the arms of strangers, hungry
for affection. To see videos of the rescue
efforts, go to http://member.hsmo.org/
site/PageServer?pagename=Federal_
dog_fighting_case_video_photos#fay
On Septmber 29th, several HEART
members were called to the Philippines
for Tropical Storm Ketsana relief
efforts.
Team members have been deployed
to Manila to aid in animal rescue efforts
in flooded areas. The team deployed
consists mainly of those versed water
rescue tactics.
Fay was permanently maimed from illegal dog
fighting, but she still longs for affection.
To find out more about becoming
involved with H.E.A.R.T., contact
Janis Christensen (509) 714-7391,
www.pnw-heart.org.
Bee Kind Garden - Head over Heels for Clicker Training!
By Carol Byrnes
The Bee Kind Garden is a place
created for children in foster care who
have been removed from their families
by the court system for reasons such as
drug charges, domestic violence, child
abuse.
There were only three kids on this
particular visit - two boys and a girl.
The girl was very quiet, very polite - she
whispered most answers. There was a
handsome blonde young man of maybe
7. The third was a boy we were told had
been working through anger management issues and a history of acting out
toward animals. He joined the group
lugging a five gallon bucket which he
proudly brought over to show me. It
was full of water skippers that they’d
caught in the pond.
We demonstrated a few of Stanley’s
tricks and talked about how the tricks
were taught. Then I turned a plastic
chair upside down and showed them
how I used the clicker to capture behaviors. Stanley offered many behaviors
with the chair. We narrowed it down
to shaping Stanley to rest his nose and
paw on the chair. The most important
part of the lesson was that he learned it
with all “yes’s” and not a single “no”.
Stanley was never wrong; he was just
a step closer to being right.
Then we showed them the training
game - a game where we shape a human’s
behavior using the clicker. I was clicking Pat who is one of my instructors.
While Pat waited out of hearing range,
the children voted on what we would
have Pat do. It was decided that we
would shape Pat to turn in a circle. They
watched as Pat tried many things and
eventually figured out what we wanted.
Then we gave out a clicker to each of the
adult volunteers who took the kids out
and shaped a behavior with them. After
several minutes we rang the bell and they
came back and we discussed how it felt
and what they learned. Then we sent
the kids off to train the adults.
A blonde young man and a mature
gentleman with a grey beard were
working close to us. The boy stood
motionless and clicked, clicked, clicked
for the tiniest leg movements until he
had his training partner bending his
knees, deeper and deeper and deeper
until he was squatting. When he got
so low he was having trouble getting
back up again, he happened to put his
hands on the ground - perfectly timed
click. After several more clicks he had
3
him bowing his head, lower and lower
until it touched the grass. That little
boy shaped a perfect somersault in tiny
increments in a man who probably had
not put his rear end above his head in
many years! It was stunning!
At the end, I introduced Pat and
her dog Charlie. The boy whom we
were told had anger management issues
called for me and Stanley to come sit next
to him. While Pat talked, he showed
Stan his water bugs, lifting them gently
from the water and holding them out for
Stan to sniff. He took out a red, white
and blue stick that he’d carried for the
whole session and tossed it onto the lawn
for Stanley. When Stanley reached for
it, the boy clicked and asked me for a
treat to give him. He spent many minutes clicking and treating Stanley for
retrieving the stick. When it was time
for us to go, he walked Stanley to the
door and presented the stick for Stan to
take home as a gift.
It was a very good day!
Thank you to the Bee Kind Garden
folks for making it possible for me to have
such great days! I’m sure that this was
a day that this young man will remember. Hopefully one that made a positive
imprint on his life - it did mine.
Lost Pet Online Hotline
If you’ve lost your pet or found one,
please be sure to visit SpokAnimal’s
online lost & found service on our website. Hundreds of postings list animals
who are lost or found - looking for their
owners. And don’t forget Craig’s list! A
large percentage of the postings on the
online sites are for lost kitties. There are
also the occasional post for an escaped
ferret or parakeet.
Remember, identification is your
pet’s ticket home. Animals with name
tags, licenses, microchips aren’t posted
unless the information on the tags was
obsolete. 90% of pets lost without ID are
never found.
If your pet is missing, call (509) 5348133 and visit all area shelters at least
once every three days in person!
Begine Looking Immediately!
Assume he cannot find his way back
to you or he would. The minute you think
he’s lost, he is! Don’t waste precious time
hoping he’s all right. Collars and tags
come off.
1. Check the neighborhood thoroughly. Whistling, calling, walking, and
driving are still the best first steps
to find your pet. Be sure to walk or
drive around at night. A pet who is
frightened may hide during the day
and become active at night. Remember to listen when you call. You may
hear your pet whimpering or meowing if he is stuck somewhere. Many
cats get stuck in garages or storage
sheds.
2. Talk to neighbors, leaving a description of your pet with as many as you
can. The more “eyes” watching for
your pet, the better. Neighborhood
children can be especially helpful. Let
your mail carrier and trash collector
know about your missing pet; they
cover a lot of territory.
3. Check at school playgrounds, churches, parks, shopping centers and other
places where people gather.
4. Check with ALL animal shelters in
your county.
5. Make flyers with a photo of your pet
and home/work phone numbers and
post where permitted. Leave them at
veterinary clinics, groceries, laundromats, pet stores, grooming parlors,
service stations in your neighborhood.
Pass them out to neighbors and to
newspaper carriers and other delivery
people who service your area.
6. Advertise in local newspapers. Also,
watch the “Found pet” ads, and respond to any that may possibly be
your pet. After a week of wandering,
your white poodle may look like a
“gray mixed breed.” Contact local
radio or TV stations that broadcast
lost pet reports.
Above all, don’t give up. You should
continue searching a minimum of eight
weeks! Your pet may wander or may be
kept by someone for some time before
being turned in. (Shelters say people have
turned in pets they found six months earlier!) Keep your reports updated weekly.
Keep your flyers posted. Your pet is out
there ... somewhere ... depending on you
to find him!
Musings About Cats and Cat Behavior
http://thecatcoach.com/blog
by Marilyn Krieger, CCBC
Introductions can be done with a
minimum of stress. They need to be done
slowly, it can take a month or longer to
properly introduce cats to each other. Cats
are territorial. It’s too much to ask any
cat to accept a stranger into her house
without proper introductions. People
are the same way. We don’t react well
when an uninvited stranger walks into
our home. Neither do cats.
The newcomer needs her own room
where she can be safe, away from any
other animals. This will be her safe room,
her sanctuary. It needs to be comfortable
for her, with food, water, bed, cat boxes, a
window to look out of and toys. The other
reason she needs to be confined away
from your resident cat is safety. Whenever
bringing in a new cat, ALWAYS keep it
completely separate from the other animals. There are diseases that can easily
be transmitted to your other cats. In fact,
4
I highly recommend keeping water hand
cleaner handy. Use it after you interact
with the newcomer. Too many diseases
are so easily transmittable.
The goal is to encourage the cats to
have positive associations through mutual activities while they are separated
from each other.
Judge by the cat’s responses in each
phase to determine the length of each of
the phases detailed below. There is no
typical time frame. Every cat is different.
If there is howling or hissing or any other
signs of aggression, prolong the phases.
Cats should remain separated from each
other throughout the introduction process described below:
1. Twice a day: Use two clean socks or
rags. Gently pet the new cat’s cheek
with one sock, transferring pheromones onto the sock. Repeat, using
Continued on page 5
Musings About Cats and Cat Behavior (continued)
the second sock on the resident cat’s
cheek. Place each sock where the other
cat hangs out, but not under their food,
near litter boxes or in their sleeping
area. Socks must always be clean.
2. Continue pheromone exchanges. Also,
2-3 times a day, feed the cats delicious
treats or regular meals simultaneously,
separated by the closed door. Try
feeding close to the closed door. If, at
first they either won’t eat or display
aggression towards each other, back
the food away from the closed door to
a comfortable eating distance. When
comfortable with the distance, move
the feeding stations closer to the door
until they are eating next to each other
(separated by the closed door) without
displaying aggression.
3. Continue the activities in Phase 2.
Twice a day: Continue to pet cheeks
with socks. Instead of putting the socks
where the other cats sleep, inch socks
towards feeding stations. Use clean
socks or rags each time.
Twice a day: encourage non-threatening interaction between the cats. Use a
toy with something cat-intriguing on
both ends. Position the double-ended
toy under the door so the cats can play
tug of war. Before play sessions spray
Feliway spray on the bottom of the
door. Don’t leave this toy out if you
can’t supervise the play.
4. Continue the activities in Phase 3,
separated by the closed door.
Change locations for a few hours
every day, putting the resident cat in
the newcomer’s room, allowing the
newcomer to explore another area of
the house.
Twice a day: Continue to pet cheeks
with socks. Instead of putting the socks
where the other cats sleep, pet their
cheeks with the socks that have the
other cat’s cheek pheromones on it.
5. Continue the activities in Phase 4,
separated by the closed door.
Introduce cats to each other without
the benefit of a closed door: Open
the door to the confinement room.
When door is opened, feed one cat at
a distance from the room at the same
time the other cat is being fed in the
confinement room. The cats should be
able to smell and hear each other and
if possible, see each other. Gradually
increase time the door is open by one
second at every feeding time. Supervise! At any sign of aggression, divert
the cats attention and close the door.
Watch the body and eye language and
the locations the cats choose to occupy.
Check for fur rippling, ear positions, fixed
stares, pupils dilating, pounce postures,
etc. If all OK, gradually extend their times
together, supervising them
Once a day: Use clean towels. Pet the
resident cat’s back and sides with a towel.
Pet the new cat with another towel. Then
exchange towels, petting each cat with
the other’s towel.
What to Do With a Cat Who Bites When Petted
By Sophia Yin
Q: I’ve taken in a stray cat that’s about
one year old and has been spayed.
She’s very affectionate; however, sometimes when I pet her she either bites or
scratches me. How can I stop her from
doing this?
A: Have you heard the joke about the
patient who visits the doctor? The patient
comes in and asks, “Hey Doc. My arm
hurts when I lift it like this. What should I
do.” The doctor replies, “Don’t do that.”
Sounds silly, but the same advice goes
here. If your cat bites and scratches when
you pet her, don’t pet her. I mean don’t pet
her when she’s going to bite and scratch,
not don’t pet her ever at all.
So what’s the deal? You’d think that
if you feed your cat and give her a good
home the least she could do is let you
pet her at will. But just like people, cats
can only take so much. They might like
the petting at first. But when enough is
enough, they’ll let you know. The tail will
twitch, the ears will flatten, and the skin
may develop a nervous tick.
At this point they’re screaming in
plain Meow. Stop! I can’t take anymore! If
you continue, they’ll give you a sign you
can’t miss. A bite meant to hinder not to
harm. If they’ve been punished for this
behavior in the past, they’ll even dart off
your lap to avoid the retribution that may
follow.
Now why cats don’t just leave when
they’re fed up I don’t know. Could be that
they want you to pet them but you’re just
5
not doing it quite right. In social grooming, cats groom others in short bouts. So
maybe Kitty wants you to pet but only
in spurts. Or maybe petting is good but
only in certain places. Cats have definite
areas they consider taboo. For instance,
touch Kitty on the belly and she may tell
you that area’s off limits.
Or it could be that they are comfortable where they are and don’t feel like
moving so they have to tell you to knock
it off.
What if your cat has a low tolerance
and you want to interact more? You can
teach Kitty that petting is fun—it’s paired
with yummy treats. Pet Kitty and give her
a treat before she starts getting upset. For
instance, pet her for 5 seconds while giving
her canned cat food. Then stop petting for
another 5 seconds. Then repeat the process
so she starts to understand that petting is
associated with good food. Or you can pet
her in an area she likes and gently move
towards an area that’s taboo. Only stay
there for a sec and then give her a treat
before she loses her cool.
If you do this carefully such that Kitty
only has good experiences with petting,
then you’ll actually get a cat that likes
petting more consistently.
Happy Endings ♥
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ ♥♥♥♥
Koda the Husky
Koda Before
On March 26th 2009 officers picked
up a Siberian Husky that had an injury
to his left rear leg. His leg didn’t appear
to faze him in the least, and he was
a friendly, happy boy. Once he was
impounded and was given his vaccinations, the employees named him “Koda”
and began to track down information
from his microchip. We discovered that
Koda had been sold to a new owner
over a year before, and that the previous owners who had originally had
him microchipped had received a call a
month previous to this impound when
Koda had been picked up by SCRAPS,
and told us his leg was injured at that
time. The new owner did reclaim him
from SCRAPS, and was allegedly planning on having the leg amputated. This
never happened, and poor Koda was left
to suffer. Now, a month later, he was
Cocoa Butter Update
found roaming again.
Koda spent five days at SpokAnimal
waiting patiently for his owners to come
to reclaim him. The staff called and left
messages, but no one ever came to reclaim
him. Poor Koda, injured and now abandoned was left to a questionable fate.
Luckily, there are excellent Siberian
Husky rescue groups in our area. Karen
with Sasha’s Legacy in Idaho came in and
rescued Koda on March 31st. The foster
home that took him in was a veterinarian
who gave him excellent care, monitored
the calcification and made sure he got
plenty of exercise to strengthen that leg.
Koda is almost 100% recovered and will
soon be ready to find his new forever
home - we hope with other dogs, cats
and kids for him to play with and love.
With the heart of a Husky, he has tons of
love to give!
From Karen of Sasha’s Legacy Rescue:
“LOOK AT HIM NOW!!! He is running
and playing and standing on it. That is my
oldest son who helps me with dogs and I
wanted a picture of Koda standing on both legs
- he could NOT have done that before!”
Koda gives a howl of joy for the excellent
care he was given.
Cocoa Butter the Shih Tzu’s owners had left her inside their Volvo and
walked across the street to RiverPark
Square to catch a movie at the theater
late on a summer evening. When the
couple returned to their car just before
11 PM they found the window broken
out of their car and Cocoa Butter lying
unconscious on the sidewalk.
Security video from City Hall
showed that while the couple were gone,
an unidentified man tried several times
to kick out the car’s window while a
woman he was with tried to restrain him.
The man is seen breaking the window
and then he reaches inside, grabs the
Shih Tzu by the leash and slams her to
the ground.
Veterinarians think Cocoa Butter
suffered a traumatic brain injury from
being slammed into the pavement and
6
feared she may have to be put down.
The dog took a turn for the worse and
her survival was in doubt. But Cocoa
Butter rallied and her health continues
to improve.
A tip led to the identity of the man
who allegedly broke into a car parked
in front of Spokane City Hall on June
22nd, grabbed “Cocoa Butter” 4 year old
Shih Tzu and then slammed her onto the
pavement. The incident was caught on
surveillance cameras at City Hall. Police
later identified the man responsible,
20 year old Michael J. Jones who later
turned himself in, was arrested and
charged with 1st degree animal cruelty,
a class C felony.
A big thank you to those who contributed donations to the Lucky to Be
Alive fund to help Cocoa and animals
Continued on page 7
Purrs, Licks & Tailwags
Thank you!
Thank You Pet
Sponsors!
Thanks to Shirley Alexander for obtaining and purchasing stethoscopes for the
shelter.
To all of our hard working Volunteers
who give of themselves and their time
to help us care for our animals.
Hungry animals extend their gratitude to
Target Northpoint, Costco in Spokane
Valley, Walmart at Northpoint, Walmart
at Shadle, Bi-Mart in Cheney, Safeway
at NorthPoint & on North Hamilton for
their generous donations to the Pet Food
bank.
To our members who are the backbone
of our organization and make all our
programs possible.
Thanks to Prairie Dog Mercantile for allowing us to offer pets for adoption, sale
of SpokAnimal merchandise, and showing
our video.
To Diamonds in the Ruff and their students for allotting space in their classroom
to sell pet supplies to their students to
benefit SpokAnimal C.A.R.E.
Residence Inn on east Indiana for donations of towels and sheets for our pets.
Thanks to our media partners:
To KREM for continuing their Pick of the
Litter for over 20 years! Thanks to Parker
Toyota for sponsoring. Our very first
sponsor of the program has returned all
these years later to sponsor again, thanks
Jim Parker.
To KXLY for continuing to invite us to
their Monday morning news to feature
one of our pets for adoption.
To KHQ for inviting us to be in their fair
booth. We adopted 6 kittens and a dog
on that day!
Happy Endings (continued from page 6)
like her who need funds to help pay for
required veterinary care. Stacey Carr
from the Spokane Police Dept reports,
“I saw Coco Butter last Wednesday. She
had a haircut and was visiting everyone
at the Farmer’s Market. I am going to
arrange for her to visit the City Hall
Staff who helped track down the video
surveillance.” A visit I’m sure they will
enjoy!
Cocoa’s Story Sparked Interest
Statewide
Dear Ms. Mackie:
I just learned of the horrendous attack
on the little dog broken out of the car
in Spokane while its owners were at the
movies. I’m a critical care RN (and animal
lover) at Harborview Medical Center in
Seattle and this story is heartbreaking
to me.
A check to help Cocoa will be in Monday morning’s mail. Please let Cocoa’s
owners know they are in my prayers and
that I’m hopeful for a speedy recovery for
their pet.
Sincerely, Gayle Krona, RN
Seattle
On Mon, 6 Jul 2009, Gail wrote:
I just spoke with the owner. Cocoa
began eating and drinking on her own
over the weekend. They are supposing
due to bruising of throat starting to
heal. X-rays today showed no broken
bones, more good news. We are now
talking about $800 in vet bills. Your
help is much appreciated as she isn’t
out of the woods yet. Thanks so much
I did let Louise know your prayers are
with their family.
Gail
Gail,
Thank you for the update re Cocoa.
I’m so happy to hear of her progress.
I mailed a check this morning in the
amount of $250 designated to help
Cocoa’s medical expenses. I hope this
helps.
Thank you for the opportunity to
help Cocoa and for all the terrific work
you do on behalf of animals.
A Seattle Fan,
Gayle Krona
7
The following kind folks have
shared their love of animals with
those who wait in our adoption center - these donations of $25 or more
make a huge difference in our quest
for forever homes.
Shirley Alexander x13
Donald &Rosemarie Rader
Pam Whitcomb x3
Shelly Canter
Ruby Mc Neill x6
Lea Smith x 7
Chris & Gayle Corativo
Meloni Glaesemann
Megan Dodgson
Darby Pate
Jennifer Dotson
Mary Elaine Penton x2
Joan Tiaegel
Robert & Micaela Sutphin x4
Robert Wilson x4
Lucy Benjamin
Richard Naccarato
Rod & Anne Hartman x4
Carol Puetz x4
Pat Maxfield
Frank Stolp
Alla Marysheva x2
Peter & Joann Greenan
Jan Ray
Carole Denison
Charles Dix
Nancy Jacobs
Vivian Canfield
Ken Adams
Katie Rongey
Will Parks x6
Mark & Marjorie Winters
Suzanne Steel x2
Jan & Johnny Humphreys x4
Vickie Peckham
Jean A. Huber
Maria Riegert
Charles & Patricia Cates
Bette Butchen Topp
Farewell, Basil
racked with arthritis, his muscles wasting, his vertebrae poke
up like a dinosaur spines in a steep arch on his back. Unlike
his younger years when he’d crash from simply going too fast
and underestimating his stopping ability, he totters around on
legs that won’t cooperate. He falls often and needs help getting
up. A good friend loaned us a fleece lined sling to help get his
feet back under him and help him traverse the slippery kitchen
tile. He accepts the help, but he hates it.
When do you know it’s time?
Several times in the past weeks I figured “this is it.” And
then he’d rally. Sometimes he sleeps so quietly that I stop and
watch for the next quiet breath. I hoped out loud that when
his time came that he would simply slip away in his sleep and
spare us the difficult decision to help him on his way. Today,
the heat of summer was hard on him. His sides heave and
his breath rattles in his chest. I told my husband, Dana, “We
need to make a decision, soon.” Monday perhaps, would be
the day.
A few hours after writing the above sentence, Basil would
wake us for the first of several times during the night, barking. Just the day before Dana had said, “His column may be
‘Basil Barks’ but it’s been a long time since we’ve heard him
say anything.”
He left us at 7:45AM on July 19th. It was a beautiful Sunday morning. He died at home with our hands on him, Dana
whispering in his ear, “Good boy, Basil.”
We miss you, good buddy Baz.
Basil hosted “Basil Barks” from 2000 to 2009. Basil took
over the role of the Companion Animal News behavior advisor
at the passing of his dear house mate Rio. Many still remember
her column, “Ask Rio”.
Within a few days of joining our family at 5 months of age,
Basil snagged his ear on a rose bush during a wild run and
left the walls looking like a murder scene when he shook his
head to escape the sting. That nick in his soft ear leather was
the first of many tears in thin whippet skin over the years. Affectionately called ‘Basil Gump’ – “he was running!” - because
on numerous occasions he failed to realize how fast his long
whippet legs were carrying him, resulting in several collisions
and falls. He earned the nickname “Frankenbasil” for many
stitches over his lifetime.
He was fast in his younger years. He enjoyed playing
Frisbee – but only if dad threw it. He’d chase down just one of
mom’s poorly thrown tosses, and then take it to dad instead.
Basil earned his American, British and Australian Canine
Good Citizen certificate at one of Terry Ryan’s last training
camps in Moscow, Idaho. He was an excellent demo dog for
Diamonds in the Ruff classes – many people remember him to
this day. He loved to show off his tricks, but he had no qualms
about letting us know how much he disliked rude puppies in
his personal space. He passed his Delta evaluation test with
flying colors. He visited many elementary school classrooms
but never set foot in a hospital like his house mates Rio & Eddie.
He could have done the job, but he wasn’t really interested in
schmoozing with other people. He was mom’s dog. Mom’s
shadow.
Physical reminders will remain of his many years with us.
An oddly placed stepping stone marks the last hole dug in the
backyard by Shiner, the last family dog to leave us a few years
ago. Basil’s legacy would be a badly chewed French door –
his comment on being left behind for the first time when we
moved to a new house. He taught us a lot about living with a
dog with severe separation anxiety.
As I write this, he is still with us. He eats very little, and
only what suits him. He wanders the house in the night as
though trying to find us … or something. He stands in the
yard as if wondering why he’s out there. His old bones are
When I Am Gone
When I am gone...release me, let me go.
I have so many things to see and do.
You mustn’t tie yourself to me with tears,
Be thankful for our beautiful years.
I gave to you my love. You can only guess
How much you gave to me in happiness.
I thank you for the love each of you have shown
But now it’s time that I traveled on alone.
So grieve a while for me if grieve you must
Then let your grief be confronted in trust
It’s only for a short time that we must part
So cherish the moments locked within your heart.
I won’t be far away for life does go on
So if you need me, call and I will come.
Though you can’t see me or touch me, I’ll be near
And if you listen with your heart, you’ll hear
All my love around you, soft and clear.
And then when you must come this way alone,
I’ll be waiting to greet you with a smile,
and say “Welcome home”.
Author Unknown
8
,Q/RYLQJ0HPRU\
of Basil - much missed by Carol
& Dana Byrnes
- Earl & Myrtle Smith
- the SpokAnimal staff
of Patches - missed by
Barb Baumann
- all of us at Diamonds in the Ruff
of Budgie and Houston missed by Lorraine Costanza
- Carol & Dana Byrnes
of Donn Paulson
Dear Gail,
Thank you so much for rescuing
Donn’s cats, and for helping me
get them back. And thank you and
Christel for your kind words. It did
really mean a lot to me – he was a
good person.
- Linda Lee H. Wood DVM
Donations to Spokane Dog Park
In memory of “Sweet William &
Hobbes”
- Robin Rudd
- Diane Davis
- Mr. & Mrs. Jack Daylay
of Rita Anderson
- Joseph & Erin Mustach
of “Ed”
- Donna Mitchell
of Donn Paulson
- Susan Stanton
- Dixie Carter
- Wendle Motors, Inc.
- Johnny & Jan Humphreys
- Linda Lee H.Wood DVM
of Bonnie Jones
- Mr. & Mrs. James Henry
- Nord’s Electric Supply,Inc.
- The Louck Family – Bert, Donna,
Jay, Ken, Bruce & Gloria & Families
of Barbara Joan Pryor
- Bob & Delora Engman
- Jean Riehdeau
of Carol Brown
- Chuck & Barb Grohs
of Judi Brown
- Kenneth, Scott & Steve Brown
- Romeo, Stacey & Tala Grace
of “Opie” - much loved Greyhound of Corwin Malott
- Carol & Dana Byrnes
of “Benjy”
- Boyd Foster
of “Bear” - Beloved companion
of Margaret Young
of “Tishka”
- SpokAnimal staff
of Calvin Milner
- James & Barbara Milner
of “Myra” - Lucky to be Alive
- Judith Young
of Rita Strange
- J.M. Garland
of “Johnnie F.Cat”
- Larry Mitcham
of Alice Bosch
- Valerie Maier
- Mrs.Jerald Beha
- Stuart & Theresa Hart
- Linda Murphy
of “Stella “
- Bud & Pamela Beasley
of Barbara Maurice
- J.Douglas & Pauline Smith
of Richard Alan Davis
- Mr& Mrs Ronald Webber
of Rich Davis
- Charlie & Joy Wilson
of “Shelby”
- Daniel & Donna Weidert
of “Gracie”
- Terri LeFriec
of Fred Piekarz
- Katherine Johnson
of “Fluffy”
- Ariane Carman
of Bruce Monroe Norton
- Steven & Sharon Lewis
of Virginia Wood
- Geraldine Conrad
of Vincent Van Valer
- Laura Pedace
of Joe French & “Levi”
- Margaret Wilkinson
- June French
- John & Juanita French
9
of Leonard “Skip” Partridge - Skip
and his therapy dogs, Dagwood
and Darby, provided much comfort
to those in need in our community.
- all of us at Diamonds in the Ruff
IN HONOR & TRIBUTE
of David Haupt & Lesley Dunn,
Wedding 8/2009 Congratulations!
- Camille Haskins
- Megan Sicilia & Shana Gibson
- Millie Haupt
- Denny & Sue Kassa
- LT. Col.Robert & Carol Dunn
of Nick Vieth & Tricia Knoll,
Wedding 8/8/2009
Congratulations!
- Steve Knoll
of Dan Alden - Happy Retirement !
- Arlene Caferro
of Nyah Holland - Happy Birthday!
- Thalia Felice
of Debbie Walker - Happy Birthday!
- Charles & Shelley Warner
of “Lulu” for the Lucky to be Alive
fund
- Kenna May
of Debbie Walker and “Chico”
- Barbara White
“Baffled By Behavior” Column Questions Still Need Answering
Big Paw Prints Need Filling
The question of who would take
over Basil’s column wouldn’t be an easy
choice. But the answer came to us. When
Basil passed away, we moved his still
body to a shady place in the courtyard to
wait for Family Pet Memorial Gardens to
come for him. He lay on his bed under
his blanket as though sleeping.
We’d let all of the dogs sniff him
before we moved him. One of our dogs,
Stanley, still stood at the gate long after,
staring and whining. I opened the gate
and he ran to Basil, circling and nudging
the blanket. I slid the blanket back. Stanley inspected him from head to toe and
then lay down in the grass next to him.
He stayed there for quite some time, even
after being invited back into the house.
Perhaps he was saying goodbye. Maybe
he was getting his last instructions.
“Basil Barks” has now been retired, as
“Ask Rio” was before it. This column will
now be called “Stanley Speaks’ - hopefully for many years to come. Welcome,
Stanley.
Introducing Stanley
Baffled By
Behavior?
Stan is a three-year-old Beagle/
Rat terrier mix, a rescue dog whose tail
rarely stops wagging. He and his litter
mates originally came from a pet store
in Sandpoint, Idaho; an impulse buy.
His first home gave him up; he was too
active and escaped the yard. She didn’t
have time for both a new baby and a
lively adolescent dog who was an escape
artist. Claudia at River City pet Rescue
called and asked if I could foster him - just
temporarily ... He’s a “failed foster” who
found his forever home with us. Stanley
enjoys doing classroom visits in area
schools and is a favorite at the Bee Kind
Garden. He’s a movie star - featured in
two movies filmed locally - “The Family
Holiday” and “The Golden Door.” And
now, he’s the host of this column.
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Hi Rocky,
Check out the front page story in the Winter 2007 issue of
SpokAnimal’s newsletter entitled “Cat Acclimation Project”.
It has a step-by-step story of our cat’s adjustment period. Past
issues of this newsletter are available on SpokAnimal’s website
- www.spokanimal.org. Please share it with your friends!
It can take weeks and redirected aggression toward people
isn’t uncommon when a cat is stressed. Ours was next to impossible to handle at first, and now she’s an absolute pest for
attention and is best buddies with everyone.
Another helpful product in the process is “Feliway”:
http://www.feliway.com/gb. SpokAnimal has it for sale in
their lobby area.
Also see pages 4-5 for a reprint of a great article from
Marilyn Krieger, cat behaviorist.
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More Stanley Speaks on page 11
10
Stanley Speaks!
close the door and wait patiently for permission to go in and
out. Work to a point where she will listen and follow directions
and not bark when you ring the bell while standing right there
and it’s obvious there is no one there. Then work up to the point
where someone she knows and isn’t alarmed about rings the
bell and you go through the motions of “go to your matt” or
whatever you want her to do when the bell rings and people
come in. When she’s really good at it with people she knows,
then practice with familiar people she doesn’t know quite as
well. If the opportunity to practice doesn’t happen often, it isn’t
going to become strong or maintain its strength over time.
The other way of dealing with it is a management technique, which might be more practical in your situation of few
visitors. Teach her to “go to your room” - first when there is no
one there. All day every day for no good reason, “go to your
room” (pick a room that you can easily send her to and close
the door when a car pulls in or the door bell rings). Keep extra
fabulous treats in the room that she will receive before she is
released from the room. At first it’s enough to just run in there
for a treat, then she must wait while you close the door and then
open it right away, then for a moment, then longer. Work until
she will wait quietly in the room for an undetermined length
of time. Then start sending her to her room, going and opening
the door as if someone were there, then going and rewarding
her and releasing her.
If you practice this a lot, the sound of the doorbell will become the cue to “go to your room”. This way visitors can enter
without a fuss, big boxes can be brought in without a problem
and she can be allowed to greet visitors when she is more calm
and things are likely to go better, away from the “hot spot” of
the doorway where the intruder alert has been thwarted.
That way everybody is safer, your dog feels safer and you’ll
be happier!
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Intruder Alert
Dear Intruder Alert,
There are two primary ways you can address her issues at
the door. You can identify all her triggers and train and desensitize - and you can manage the situation. Usually a combination
of the two is best. I’m assuming that she is not free in the front
yard when visitors come, but is fenced safely away from the
driveway? It’s imperative that she allow you to be in charge at
the door.
First of all, she needs to learn “door control”. Start when
no one is there. Ask her to sit and wait while you open and
Best of luck!
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ALOHA
The staff and board of SpokAnimal
is all about adoptions and having fun.
Our first ever Hawaiian Days were held
at SpokAnimal September 28-October 4.
You can adopt a cat from “Meowii” or a
dog from “Howl-alulu”. All staff will be
outfitted in the latest of Hawaiian print
shirts, grass skirts, and maybe even a
set of coconuts. Each person who visits
wearing Hawaiian attire would pick a
message in a bottle for free merchandise
while Jimmy Buffet and Don Ho play
on the boom box. The shelter is bright
with flamingo lights, palm trees and Tiki
huts. Our next celebration? Stay tuned
for Mardi Gras!
SpokAnimal adoptee Murungu dons his
Hawaiian duds in celebration of Hawaiian
Days! Thanks, Diana!
11
HOW YOU CAN HELP
SpokAnimal is a non-profit and tax-exempt organization.
All contributions, donations and gifts are tax-deductible.
Sit Up & Beg
WE NEED • Food/treats for temperament
evaluations
• Cheeze whiz or peanut butter for
stuffing kongs
• Purina One kitten food
• Ping pong balls for cat enrichment
• Dog toys and all sorts of treats and
goodies
• Plastic trash bags 45 gallon heavy
duty
• Portable cd players
• Ziploc bags
• AA, AAA, and D batteries
• For those with points or reward
cards, consider converting to gas
cards and donate for use
in our pet transport program
• Animal themed books for the library
• Bleach
• Dawn dish soap
• Pigs ears
• General office supplies
• Kitty litter (non clumping)
• Paper towels
• Grooming equipment
• Mardi gras decorations
• Volunteers - See the back
page for upcoming volunteer orientation dates and
times
From the Executive Director…
Dear Friends,
Thanks for
your help. For
many years
now, our city
and county
has had a huge
overpopulation problem
with cats.
Beginning
in
1996,
SpokAnimal in
conjunction with the City of Spokane
has offered vouchers for dollars of the
cost of a cat/dog sterilization, good at
any area veterinary clinic. In 2001, our
numbers leveled out and have held.
A few years ago, Spokane County adopted our program. Both programs are
funded by license fees to the tune of
over $100k in each the City and County.
Those funds have been exhausted. The
fact that numbers are not increasing at
the rate they were a few years ago, the
problem remains.
Partnering with other area agencies
has offered us a many pronged battle
to combat the problem. We received
a grant to fund the SPAY YO MAMA
program, where owners who come to
the shelter to relinquish their litters
are offered free sterilization if they will
keep the mama. Those funds have been
exhausted.
We received a grant to enable us
to do the Trapped Cat Tuesday, which
funded the majority of sterilization costs
for trapped cats who would be returned
to their managed colony. Those funds
are nearly exhausted. For several years
we have supported a state-wide program
called SpayWA. We received a grant
to start it and a partial funding grant
for 2008. However, we are now totally
responsible for funding. This program
does state-wide referrals for sterilization
to owners in need. Veterinarians sign up
to be a part of the program. Cost to continue is $10k per year. Because of these
programs, we feel that we are making
progress.
Your help has been invaluable, and
we would like to take this opportunity
to thank you.
Gail B. Mackie, Executive Director
SpokAnimal C.A.R.E.
509-534-8133
12
Plan to shop at Macy’s
on Saturday, October 17th
and a part of the proceeds
from each sale will be
donated to SpokAnimal.
Finding the Perfect Dog
There is no such animal. So, stop looking.
By Jon Katz
The Slate, Posted Tuesday, May 18, 2004
Americans love animals and know
little about them. We are used to convenience and short cuts; we respond to
marketing. Meanwhile, the pet industry
needs to move a lot of animals, so it promotes the idea that there’s a Perfect Dog
for everyone.
The Perfect Dog is an enticing fantasy pooch. It’s the dog that instantly
learns to pee outdoors, never menaces
or frightens children, plays gently with
other dogs, won’t jump on the UPS guy,
never rolls in gross things, eats only the
appropriate food at the right time, and
never chews anything not meant for
him. This dog does not exist.
(The Perfect Dog is first cousin to the
equally yearned-for Disney Dog. That’s
the one who loves you alone, who will
sacrifice his life to pull your toddler back
from the busy street, who will cross 1,000
miles of towering snowdrifts to find you
if you accidentally leave him behind in
the Arctic. I want such a dog, but I don’t
have one. Mine would make their way
to the nearest deli and stay there.)
The peddling of Perfect Dogs
amounts to a multibillion dollar business in the United States. You’ll never
see images of ugly dogs vomiting in
the living room or terrorizing the letter
carrier on dog food commercials. Those
dogs—the ones we want—are always
adorable. Their happy owners are not
holding pooper scoopers.
Because people have such ill-informed and unrealistic expectations,
dogs often suffer when their true hungry,
messy, and alien natures are
revealed. They get yelled at,
irritated by studded chains
and zapped by electronic
collars, tethered to trees,
hidden away in basements
and back yards, or dumped
at shelters and euthanized.
The most important
time for you and your dog
is the stretch you spend considering whether, where,
and how to get a dog and
what sort of dog to get. Unfortunately,
that process lasts only a few minutes
for most people. Thus, much trouble for
both species.
Most Americans acquire dogs impulsively and for dubious reasons: as a
Christmas gift for the kids. Because they
saw one in a movie. To match the new living-room furniture. Because they moved
to the suburbs and see a dog as part of
the package. Because they couldn’t resist
that wide-eyed puppy in the mall pet
store or the poster published by the local
shelter.
Even the scant time it will take to
read and mull over the following questions (and some answers) might improve
your chances of finding the right dog.
Why do I want a dog?
Researchers studying human-animal
attachments find we have complex personal motives for wanting a dog (or cat)
and for choosing a particular one at a
given time. It’s important to understand
some of those impulses, even if it means
picking at psychic scabs. Are you lonely?
Sick of people? Unhappy at work? Reenacting some familial drama? Drawn
to the aesthetics of a beautiful purebred?
Compelled by the idea of rescuing, but
not necessarily training, a dog? Understanding your own motivation doesn’t
mean getting a dog is wrong, but it
may help you make a better choice of
animal—or decide that what you really
need doesn’t come on four legs.
How can I get a well-behaved dog?
You can’t. You can only create one.
Dogs don’t come that way. It’s natural
canine behavior to chew on all sorts of
things, roll in other animals’ droppings,
hump and fight other dogs, menace anything that invades the home. All these
behaviors can be curbed, but that takes
a lot of work. Trainers say it requires
nearly 2,000 repetitions of a behavior for
a dog to completely absorb it.
Does it matter what kind of dog I get?
There is a kind of canine communism
that suggests all dogs are equal and, potentially, wonderfully alike. I don’t think
Continued on page 15
✁
Become A Kennel Sponsor - Dog = $100 Cat = $75 for a year
Please fill out the information below and mail along with your contribution to:
SpokAnimal C.A.R.E. • Kennel Sponsor • P.O. Box 3151 • Spokane, WA 99220
Important: your message must fit in the squares below:
Name_______________________________________
Address _____________________________________
City___________________ State_____ Zip _________
Day Phone ___________________________________
(make checks payable to SpokAnimal C.A.R.E.)
Evening Phone ________________________________
If you have further questions, please contact
SpokAnimal at 534-8133.
13
Is Your Pet Fit? Or Fat?
Lack of exercise and poor diet can result in a shortened life-span
for man’s favorite friends.
Photo credit: Bea Wachter
take it personally when you tell them
they have an overweight animal.
But pet obesity isn’t just about looks.
Extra weight can lead to myriad health
problems and even shorten an animal’s
life span.
“Some of the pets I’ve seen have severe respiratory, cardiac, metabolic and
orthopedic dysfunction that is drastically
worsened by just being obese,” Yee says.
One beagle she treated tore a cruciate
(knee) ligament three times and had to
have multiple surgeries, all because he
was carrying too many pounds.
The growing obesity problem doesn’t
exclude pets. “We are seeing so many
overweight dogs and cats, and it’s sad because their weight levels are completely
manageable with diet changes,” says Dr.
Kristine Yee, a veterinarian at California
Animal Hospital in Los Angeles.
But pet owners are often slow to
admit that their animals need to shed
pounds. A 2005 study from pet-food
maker Purina found that 60 percent of
pets in the U.S. were overweight. But
almost half of the owners of overweight
pets rated their cats and dogs as having
the “ideal” body condition. Pet obesity
can be a sensitive issue, says Susan Davis,
a pet nutritionist based in Lake Forest,
California, who has helped many pets
trim down. Because some owners treat
their pets like their children, people can
The obesity test
You can find out if your pet is overweight by determining its body condition
score. This test is available on several Web
sites, including Ohio State University’s
College of Veterinary Medicine. It’s the
same test that many vets use to determine
a pet’s ideal weight.
• Run your hands across the chest of
the dog or cat. You should always be
able to feel their ribs but not see them.
There should never be a layer of fat
over the ribs.
• Look at the standing dog or cat from
a bird’s eye view. They should have
what looks like a waist that tucks in
right in front of the hips.
Steps to slimming down:
• Control portions. Look at everything
you are feeding your pet -- pet food,
treats and human food -- and reduce
the amount. Use proper measuring
tools.
Also, food packages will recommend
portions by weight ranges. Use the
weight range of the overweight pet’s
ideal weight, not its current weight.
And use the lowest suggested amount
for that range. For example, if the
manufacturer recommends two to
three cups for dogs over 30 pounds,
give the dog two cups.
• Control quality. Don’t feed your pet
human junk food like pizza or sweets
such as baked goods, ice cream or
cookies. Home-prepared meals using
fresh ingredients are acceptable, Davis
says. Wholesome items such as brown
rice, fresh lean meats and carrots are
recommended. Be sure to avoid the
human foods that can be toxic to cats
and dogs: grapes/raisins, mushrooms,
chocolate and coffee. Tomatoes and
garlic can also be toxic for cats.
• Increase exercise. Get into the habit of
walking your dog every day. Getting
outdoors is good for a pet’s emotional
health, too, giving it a chance to make
social contact and find out what is going on in the neighborhood.
With dogs, you can also play fetch,
play hide and seek, set up obstacle
courses for them or take them swimming.
Cats can stay active indoors or out by
playing with toys, “hunting” for food,
or being walked outside on a leash.
Diet pet foods are also available.
Ask your vet if he or she recommends
feeding your pet reduced-calorie foods.
Homemade meals tend to be lower in
calories and healthier than prepared pet
foods, because they don’t contain fillers.
In either case, vets say, portion control is
the main issue in reducing or managing
an animal’s weight.
Purina® Study Confirms Link Between Body Fat
and Chronic Health Conditions
Study Provides Clues to the Relationship Between Body Fat and Glucose Tolerance
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (September 30,
2003) – Results from a Purina study
confirm the link between body fat and
the development of chronic health
conditions. The article, published in
the September issue of the Journal of
Nutrition, also found a link between
the length of time a subject was overweight and the subject’s longevity and
how early in life the subject’s health
conditions developed. The findings are
additional results from the landmark
Purina Life Span Study, the first completed lifelong canine diet restriction
study.
Researchers discovered that excess
body fat reduces insulin sensitivity,
which impedes the ability of cells to
14
absorb glucose. Glucose and insulin left
in the bloodstream can hinder the ability of organs, tissues and body systems
to function properly, which can result
in the development of chronic health
conditions.
“This study is significant because
it sheds some light on why obesity can
Continued on page 15
Purina® Study Confirms Link Between Body Fat
and Chronic Health Conditions (continued)
lead to disease. It shows that excess
body fat is a factor in the early development of chronic health conditions
and shortened life span,” says Brian
T. Larson, Ph.D., nutrition research
scientist, and primary author of the
study.
Even Moderate Weight Gain Can Be
A Problem
Further analysis indicated that the
impact of compromised glucose tolerance and insulin resistance on health
appeared when the dogs were moderately overweight, not grossly obese.
The study showed that on average,
insulin resistance began to appear in
dogs that scored a 6-6.5 (overweight) on
the 9-point Purina Body Condition System (BCS), with 4.5-5 being ideal body
condition. A score of 6-6.5 is equivalent
to 20-25 percent over ideal body weight.
In human terms, this is comparable to
a man that should weigh 180 pounds
actually weighing 216-225 pounds.
Other Purina research found that
most owners couldn’t accurately
assess their dogs’ body conditions.
When owner and expert scores were
compared, only 28 percent of owners
characterized their pets as above ideal
body condition, while 79 percent of
the experts scored those same animals
to be above ideal body condition. Dr.
Larson says this gap is serious because
pet owners are not likely to recognize
that their pets are overweight and even
moderate excess body fat can lead to
problems.
DVM, executive director of the Purina
Pet Institute.
“Limiting weight gain and early
intervention are powerful tools to help
decrease the development and severity
of chronic health conditions,” adds Dr.
Christian. “Dog and cat owners should
see their veterinarians for an accurate
body condition score and receive guidance on how to check their pet’s BCS
at home. If the veterinarian discovers
your pet is overweight, he or she will
help you with a weight loss plan.”
Public Health Message - Less is
More
The study confirms that being at
ideal body condition plays a vital role in
our pets’ overall health and well being.
“What pet owners need to learn from
this study is that weight gain – whether
slight or considerable – can have an
impact on health and may even shorten
their pets’ lives,” says Dan Christian,
Finding the Perfect Dog (continued)
so. It is both foolish and irresponsible to
know nothing about the characteristics
of the animal that you, your family, and
your neighbors will have to live with
for years. Last year, more than 400,000
kids were bitten badly enough by dogs
to require a hospital visit. Don’t add to
the number.
Is it wrong to buy a purebred when
so many dogs face confinement and
death in shelters?
It’s about as wrong as having a
baby when millions of poor children
suffer. Getting the right dog involves
not only moral but practical considerations. Acquiring a rescue or shelter
dog can be incredibly rewarding, but
when you adopt one, you may also
acquire behavioral issues caused by
previous mistreatment. You may need
to be prepared for even more arduous training than usual. Raising a dog
acquired from a good and reputable
breeder, who understands the dog’s
temperament and the human’s circumstances and can match the two,
is much easier. Working with a Lab,
standard poodle, golden retriever, or
German shepherd—breeds that have
worked with humans for centuries
and whose behavioral traits are well
known—may mean fewer surprises.
How should I get a dog?
There’s no one way. Avoid the
puppy mills—unscrupulous breeders mass-breed and in-breed dogs and
sell them to pet stores. Go to a shelter,
rescue group, or experienced breeder
(get some references). Whoever provides the dog should be skeptical. A
good breeder or experienced rescue
agency wants you to prove that you’ll
be a capable caretaker. The interrogation and screening can be annoying,
but it’s also a sign that you’re on the
right track. A breeder ought to know
if you work long hours away from
home, have a fenced yard, have kids
or other animals, or if you have access
to parks. Why are there all those mastiffs, Rottweilers, and border collies in
Manhattan? It’s what happens when
unscrupulous breeders meet thoughtless customers.
15
Is it a mistake to buy a dog for your
child?
Only if you are unrealistic enough
to believe your kid’s promises that of
course she’ll take care of the new puppy. Kids have short attention spans.
They’ll coo over the puppy, but in a
few months it will be a dog. And who
will be walking it at 6 a.m. on a winter morning? Don’t surprise your kids
with a puppy—they really might prefer
a new computer.
Some romantics see the match between a human and dog as kismet; If
they’re “right” for one another, or destined to be together, they’ll fall in love
at first sight. But most puppies are
cute. And few humans like to accept
the idea that the affectionate puppy
is as drawn by the food he smells on
your hands as by some mysterious
ethereal connection. Be cautious. Go
slow. Think about it.
Jon Katz is the author of “The Dogs of Bedlam Farm: An Adventure With Three Dogs,
Sixteen Sheep, Two Donkeys and Me.”
Upcoming Events
Looking to adopt
a cat or dog?
Volunteer Orientations
October 21, 6:00 P.M.
November 21, 10:30 A.M.
December 12, 10:30 A.M.
December 30, 6:00 P.M.
at SpokAnimal - 710 N. Napa
Pick up a
mouse!
Shop For a Cause
October 17th at Macy’s
Save the Date!
Sunday, January 31
Dog Behavior Workshop
Staff, Volunteers, Foster Homes,
Dog Lovers & Trainers
Topics will include early and
ongoing socialization, training basic
skills, helping the shy dog, reading
dog body language, conditioning
for easy handling and grooming.
Mailed quarterly to over 6,500 animal lovers.
Editor: Carol A. Byrnes
Executive Director: Gail B. Mackie
For more information on any events,
call Kandace Watkins at
(509) 534-8133, ext. 209
or email: [email protected]
When you finish
this newsletter
pass it along to a friend !
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Visit us on the web!
www.spokanimal.org
and www.petfinder.com
TUNE IN!
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