OCTOBER 2013
PET PORTRAITS
Page 1
Two projects that go hand
in hand are the Pet Portraits and the Animal Services Supporters Club.
Ms. Linda Brodowsky
has prior training at the
Ringling School of Art
and specializes in still
life's, sea-scapes and animals. She will paint a
portrait of your pet when
a donations is made to
animal services.
work from.
Desoto County Animal
Services Supporters
Club are persons who
have donated $100 or
more to Animal Services.
The club has 3 catego-
ries. Silver ($100 to
$249), Gold ($250 to
$499) and Diamond
($500 and over). New
members are listed in the
newsletter in the month
they join.
A portrait of a pet will be
painted as a 8X10 or 12 X
16 dependant on the donation made.
Donations of $100 will
warrant an 8X10 & donations of $150 or more will
warrant a 12 X 16. A
photo must be provided to
Office Depot awards Henry Schein Inc. with the Leadership in
Greener Purchasing Award which recognizes the procuring of
LEED-related products. (Products with environmental attributes
and Eco-Labels)
Inside this issue:
Page
Pet Portraits
Office Depot Awards Henry Schien Inc
1
Animal
Funny Facts
Puzzle Page
2
People
Ann’s Adoption Page
3
News Bites
4
October –Pet Health Month
Supervisor’s Corner
Dangerous Dogs
5
Puzzle Answers
6
For Your Information
Dog Study
The Best
7
Canine Ehrlichiosis
All Aboard
8
Felix
Says
Pg 9
Simply Amazing
FUNNY FACTS
1) The volcano Olympus Mons on the planet Mars is 16 miles high and its base is large enough to cover the state of Arizona.
2) The planet Saturn has a density lower than water, this means if a bath-tub large enough could be found, Saturn would be able
to float in it.
3) The fastest orbiting moon in our solar system circles Jupiter once every 7 hours which means it is traveling at 70,400 miles per
hour.
4) A jet plane traveling at a speed of 620 miles per hour is one atom shorter in length than its original length.
5) The oldest stars in our galaxy are Red Dwarfs, which are also the smallest and most numerous totaling 70% of all our galaxy’s
stars.
6) The Durango Desert in Mexico has a spot called the Zone of Silence and in this area you cannot pick up any clear radio or TV
channels, and fireballs are known to appear in the sky.
7) 70% of water world-wide used by humans is used for irrigation.
.8) The force of gravity is so strong on the sun that a 150 pound man would weigh 2 tons.
9) Orchids are the largest family of flowering plants with 35,000 species.
10) It takes plastic containers 5000 years to even start the decomposition process.
11) A silicon chip 1/4 inch square has the same capacity of the 1949 ENIAC computer which
covered a city block.
12) Tomatoes and cucumbers are actually fruits.
13) There are more insects in 1 square mile of soil than there are humans on the whole Earth.
This weeks puzzle page is question & answer. Put on your thinking caps and do your research. Good Luck!
1) The only creature known to be killed by a meteor was a dog in 1911. Where?
2) The Giant Bamboo is a member of what family?
3) Humans have 46 chromosomes, peas have 14. How many does a crayfish have?
4) What was the first man-made item to exceed the speed of sound?
5) How long will it take you to reach the Moon if you were traveling at the speed of light?
6) There has been only one satellite destroyed by a meteor, it happened in 1993. What is the name of the satellite?
7) What is Fulgerite?
8) How much is the speed of light?
9) How many atoms are in one pound of iron?
10) What is the densest substance on Earth?
11) Eggs contain all known vitamins except one. What is it?
12) A cosmic year is the amount of time it takes the sun to revolve around the center of the Milky Way. How many Earth years is a
cosmic year?
13) You are more likely to be struck bu lightening than eaten by a shark. True or False?
14) One gram of dust can contain how many dust mites?
15) What is the largest living structure on Earth?
16) How much garbage does American produce each year (on the average)?
17) A thimble full of mass from a Neutron star weighs how much?
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D E S O T O C O U NT Y A NI M A L S E R V I C E S
ANN’S ADOPTION PAGE
DIVA 10/7/13
,MONSTER 10/4/13
NOAH 10/7/13
LOLA 10/11/13
09.107 10/4/13
DIESEL 10/21/13
ADOPTING SAVES LIVES
Page 3
D E S O T O C O U NT Y A NI M A L S E R V I C E S
NEWS BITES
Hills Pet Nutrition has a mission to help enrich and lengthen the special relationships between
people and their pets. Learn more about Science Diet & Prescription Diet pet foods at
HillsPet.com.
If you are a special needs person who may need to evacuate during a disaster, Desoto County Animal Services has a pet disaster shelter. The informational pamphlet and application for your preregistration can be acquired at Animal Services at 2048 N.E. McKay St.
Don’t forget the Disaster Volunteer Program. If interested, you can obtain the pamphlet and application at Animal Services at 2048 N.E. McKay St or call 863-993-4855 for more information.
Daily volunteers are always welcome to walk dogs, play with the cats, clean pens, bathe animals,
file, sweep, dust and mop. Its never the same thing twice.
Be the first to hear about the pet of the week by tuning in to radio station 106.9 fm “The Bull” on
Wednesdays. Desoto County and Hardee County swap every other week on 106.9 fm at around
7:45 am.
Tours and activities can be scheduled at the Animal Services facility. School groups, classes, clubs
and activity centers can schedule a tour by calling 863-993-4855. Lectures and talks can also be
arranged to have an Animal Services representative come to you.
Donations of pet food and pet treats are always appreciated. Blankets, towels and small area rugs
are of great use as pet bedding. (No clothing items please) Special needs are a chain link play area
for the dogs.
Live humane traps are available for nuisance hard to capture animals. Cat, dog & chicken traps are
available for a deposit of $25. Upon return of the trap Desoto County will refund $20 by check
through the mail. The traps are available for 7 days which can be extended for another 7 days with
a simple phone call.
Desoto County Animal Services has a pet food bank to help feed pet of households that may be
struggling with hard economic times. Wet (canned) and dry cat and dog food are available according to stocks on hand. 2 draws per year can be made per household. Supplies are limited.
Donation of a trailer to use for off-site events and for the safer and more efficient transport of pets,
cages and other equipment is needed. A tax credit can be obtained from the County for a donation
of this type.
S E PT E M B E R 20 1 3
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OCTOBER - National Pet Health Month
Contributed by H. Henry Meredith - Desoto County ACO
None of us like to think about the fact that we will most likely out-live our pets. On average our pets age 7 times faster
than we do. That means at 4 years of age, your pet is considered middle-aged and by age 7, large breed dogs are considered seniors.
The good news is that thanks to advances in veterinary medicine, pets are living longer and healthier than ever before.
Working together with your veterinarian there are things you can do to ensure this.
First, be aware of your pet’s habits at home and alert your veterinarian of any changes in your pet’s behavior, appetite,
weight or personality. Don’t assume that alternations in your pet are just a result of “getting old”. Many changes signal
serious medical conditions, such as a senior dog urinating in the house could have bladder or kidney stones, arthritis or
weak bladder muscle tone. An older cat who is less active may be losing vision, have arthritis, or early heart disease.
Weight gain could signal an under active thyroid or diabetes.
Second, ensure your senior pet has a wellness exam every 6 months as recommended by the American Veterinary Medical Association. These exams review all body systems and assist your vet in diagnosing, treating or preventing problem
before they become life-threatening. A review of your pet’s changing nutritional needs and behavior issues can also be
addressed at this time. Third, as part of the wellness exam, discuss havening preventative screenings. You can visit
www.CompanionAnimalCareFDL.com for more details.
Remember, our pets are a part of the family and we must upkeep their health as we would our own!
DANGEROUS DOGS
Following is a listing of
dangerous dogs residing in
Desoto County, having
been so deemed by Florida
Statute 767.
“Harry” a black male unal-
“Lucas” a red neutered male
Shard Pei mix residing at
1518 Eucalyptus Ave.
“Chico” a white & brown
unaltered male American
Bulldog/Pit Bull Terrier
mix residing at 2366 Snow
St.
“Spanky” a white unaltered
male American Bulldog with
a brindled patch on left eye
& part of left ear, residing at
3847 NW Valencia Ave.
“Chico” a red unaltered
male Mastiff/Bull Terrier
mix residing at 4460 Tulip
Dr.
Page 5
tered Labrador/k9 mix residing at 115 N. Osceola
Ave.
“Rocky” a blue/gray &
white male intact Alapaha
Blueblood pit bull terrier
residing at 118 N Johnson
Ave.
D E S O T O C O U NT Y A NI M A L S E R V I C E S
SUPERVISOR’S CORNER
As most of you know I go on a rant from time to time. Sometimes its just the ramblings of an old frustrated lady, other
times I am on a tangent and will not let go. (That’s the pit bull
owner in me coming out.) Fair warning, I am on a tangent!
A hot topic that haunts every animal center is that of kill vs
no-kill. I have for years stated there is no such thing as a total
no kill center because even a no-kill or for life shelter contributes to the kill rate at others by filling up and then having to
turn away animals for the very reason of being full. It is very
commendable to carry the concept of no kill but it is not feasible. There will always be more animals than can be room for, if
for nothing else than the fact that they multiply not by ones or
twos but by many per litter and each animal is capable of a life
span into the decades in length. Once a shelter is full, animals
are turned away for that very reason and it could be years before any more animals can be admitted to the kennel.
We catch so much slack because we are not a no kill shelter.
Actually we are not a shelter at all but an animal control pound.
This means that we are an open admission kennel/animal control facility that serves Desoto County and as long as the animal originates from Desoto County, we cannot turn it away. As
a result, we euthanize within a certain period if the pets are not
adopted or successfully placed in a shelter or with another
agency.
PETA.org/NoKill has a multitude of information on the
trials and tribulations both pro & con and encourage the use
of open admission kennels, because in the long run, at least
every pet has had the same amount of time and opportunity.
One of their articles has a “What you can do to HELP” blurb
at the end in which they encourage you to “Spread the truth
about the Real Solution to animal homelessness.
* View PETA’s no kill video expose and share it with family, friends and co-workers. Support only shelters that welcome every animal and never warehouse animals in cages.
Prevent animals from becoming homeless by always spaying
and neutering your animal companions and paying for others
to do the same.
The only absolute truth in the care and safety of any pet
long term is population control through spay and neuter to
curtail the multiplication of unwanted and uncared for pets.
I encourage you to read the article “No Kill can mean No
Help for the neediest animals. A PETA Expose” and form
your own opinions and although I know no two people ever
totally agree on anything, maybe a little more understanding
will be brought to light. .
Vindication in my line of work often comes in very small
doses spread out very thinly over a period of years, but when it
does come, my resolve is renewed.
PETA’s Animal Times has completed a Expose confirming
what I have said and believed all along. No kill is extremely
appealing to the sensibilities but everything has a ramification
and some of these effect the pet population in a far more negative way than the actual fact of no kill or for life shelter in that
many of these housed long term animals face trials of their own
in a different way and many animals needing the shelter are not
afforded the opportunity because they are not admitted

No Kill Can Mean No Help for the Neediest Animals A
PETA EXPOSE.
PUZZLE ANSWERS
1) Nakhla, Egypt
8) 670,610,000 miles per hour
15) The Great Barrier Reef
2) The grass family
9) 5 trillion trillion
16) 215 million tons
3) 200
10) Osmium
17) Over 100 million tons
4) Bull Whip
11) Vitamin C
5) 1.2822 seconds
12) 225 million years
6) European Space Agency’
Olympus
13) True
14) 15,000
7) Fossilized lightening
SEPTEMBER 2013
Page 6
FLORIDA STATUTES CHAPTER 767
Chapter 767
DAMAGE BY DOGS
767.01 Dog owner’s liability for damages to persons, domestic animals, or livestock.—Owners
of dogs shall be liable for any damage done by their dogs to a person or to any animal included in
the definitions of “domestic animal” and “livestock” as provided by s. 585.01.History.—RS 2341; ch. 4979,
1901; GS 3142; RGS 4957; CGL 7044; s. 1, ch. 94-339.
Chapter 767
DAMAGE BY DOGS
767.04 Dog owner’s liability for damages to persons bitten.—The owner of any dog that bites
any person while such person is on or in a public place, or lawfully on or in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, is liable for damages suffered by persons bitten, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owners’ knowledge of such viciousness. However,
any negligence on the part of the person bitten that is a proximate cause of the biting incident reduces the liability of the owner of the dog by the percentage that the bitten person’s negligence
contributed to the biting incident. A person is lawfully upon private property of such owner within
the meaning of this act when the person is on such property in the performance of any duty imposed upon him or her by the laws of this state or by the laws or postal regulations of the United
States, or when the person is on such property upon invitation, expressed or implied, of the owner.
However, the owner is not liable, except as to a person under the age of 6, or unless the damages
are proximately caused by a negligent act or omission of the owner, if at the time of any such injury the owner had displayed in a prominent place on his or her premises a sign easily readable including the words “Bad Dog.” The remedy provided by this section is in addition to and cumulative
with any other remedy provided by statute or common law.History.—s. 1, ch. 25109, 1949; s. 1, ch. 93-13; s. 1155, ch.
97-102.
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D E S O T O C O U NT Y A NI M A L S E R V I C E S
DOG STUDY ON PREVENTIVE CARE
According to a study conducted by
Zoetis Animal Health on more than
7800 dogs who underwent wellness
check-ups, 31% had some kind of laboratory panel abnormality. This was also
compared to a health risk assessment
questionnaire submitted by the pet
owners. It was found that the lab and
survey results mirrored each other. 264
primary care vets participated and the
surveys were collected in 46 states
from 2007 to 2012. The results were
presented in July at the AMVA conference in Chicago.
* 26% showed dogs experiencing stiffness when getting up or after exercise
of these 45% were ages 10 to 12 years
and 67% were 13 years old or over.
* 10% of pet owners neglected to give
their pet heartworm preventives and
30% only gave sporadically.
* 68% of pet owners who did not provide regular examinations had pets who
tested positive for heartworm while
only 2.9% of diligent owners with
regular preventives tested positive
The Pet Wellness Report is available at
veterinary clinics in the East & Midwest and is scheduled to be made available nationwide in October.
LOOKING FOR
THE BEST
PetPlan pet health insurance is accepting nominations in a contest to identify
the year’s top veterinarian, veterinary
technician, practice manager and veterinary practice. Pet owners, veterinarians
and veterinary staff members may nominate a worthy individual or practice at
GoPetplan.com/VetAwards. Dead-line is
11/15/2013. 3 finalists in each category
will receive an all-expense paid trip to the
Western Veterinary Conference in Las
Vegas for the announcement of the winners & dinner on 2/16/2014 at the Four
Season’s Hotel.
The Veterinary Awards honor professionals who provide exceptional levels of
pet health care and exemplary customer
service.
Florida shows 29% increase in Canine Ehrlichiosis
Idexx Laboratories of Westbrook,
Maine which manufactures veterinary
diagnostic equipment and products has
revealed that vets reported a 29% increase in Canine Ehrlichiosis in Florida
so far for 2013. 554 cases so far this
year as compared to 429 cases for they
years 2012 & 2011.
The responsible culprit is the Lone
Star Tick and it has expanded it’s range
into Florida.
Clinical signs can include fever,
effective method of prevention. Check
bleeding disorders, discharge from the
you pet regularly and consult with your
nose & eyes and edema of the legs &
vet for a recommendation on flea and
scrotum. In its chronic
tick control and remain
phase the pet can experifaithful to the preence weight loss, pale
“ Tick control is the most scribed regiment. Any
gums, anemia, bleeding,
suspicion of a disease
effective method of
coughing, lameness, retior sickness in your pet
nal hemorrhage, neuroshould be discussed
prevention.”
with your vet right
logical disease and death.
away.
Tick control is the most
ALL ABOARD! Pets could get tickets to ride Amtrak
Amtrak Railways operate more than
300 trains a day, reaching 46 states and
the District of Columbia as well as 3
Canadian Providences. The railway
today allows only service animal to
travel on it’s train, but service animal
does not include comfort pets, search &
rescue or police dogs. This may soon
change.
The Pets on Trains Act is a bill that
Page 8
is winding its way thru Congress and
designate a “Pet Car” on each train and
would allow Amtrak passenpermit a fee to be charged
ger to bring their caged cat
for the service. All cats or
or dog with them. The bill
dogs must travel in crates
has the support of 18 conand no trip can exceed 750
gressional co-sponsors and
miles.
the Pet Industry Joint AdviCountries such as France
sory Council and was introand Italy already welduced in May.
The web site GovTrack.us
come pets on passenger
If passed, this law would Gives the legislation a 49% trains.
of becoming law.
NEWSLETTER TITLE
Whenever we here at Animal Services are searching for a rescue to send some of our small breed dogs to, we think first
of Canine Castaways. They have been a faithful Animal Services Animal People for 10 years and November this year is
their 10th anniversary. Kim Rinaldi is the driving force behind this small breed dog rescue and along with dedicated
friends and family has made Canine Castaways one of the best dog rescues around. Small breed dogs are rescued not
only from Desoto County but also from Sarasota, Manatee, Collier and Hardee counties. The success for this group lies
with the numerous foster homes that have come on board to help shelter and care for these pets while they are awaiting
their for-ever homes. This network extends from St. Pete all the way to Naples.
All rescued pets are given a complete physical, vaccinations and are sterilized, then they are ready for adoption. Adoptable pets can be viewed on PetFinder.com. or at caninecastaways.org. Many of these rescued pets are also available
for adoption at many adopt-a-thons through-out the area.
In addition to the very noticeable van used by the rescue, the recent addition of a motor home wearing the same Adopt-a-dog
paint job is usually at many on site adoption events and offers
comfortable seating as well as air conditioned comfort in which
to consider a pet.
Animal Services values the multitude of lives saved by Canine
Castaways Inc. and looks forward to many more shared years of
pet rescue , care and adoptions. As Kim says, “ Saving one dog
may not change the world, but it will change the world for that
one dog.”
Felix Says
Mom sent me to my room today! I can’t believe it!! She has always told me I am
the ambassador of good will out here and then she goes and does something like
this. I am beyond indignant! I don’t even know why she sent me to my room, I mean
here I am doing my job, greeting everyone who comes in and I was especially kind
and friendly to this one gentleman and mom kept telling me to go on and stop it.
Stop what? So I keep doing my thing and the next thing I know mom has picked me
up and taken me to the cat tree and put me all the way up in my hammock. In front
of everybody! I was so embarrassed. I haven’t spoken to her since. That should
teach her.
I have always prided myself on my prompt and polite service to the public and the
visitors who come here. My professionalism is beyond reproach. Even though mom
says I can be a bit overbearing sometimes, I have never heard anyone complain
about my service. I just don’t get it?! Well, we will see how long it takes her to extend apologies. I am not speaking to her for awhile and have told her so. She says I
will forget about that as soon as it is time for my treats because she says I am
spoiled. Who? Me? Spoiled?
Well it’s almost closing time and it’s time for my afternoon treats. I wonder how I
am going to get mom to give me one without speaking to her. Let me ponder on this
for a while, priorities you understand.
SEPTEMBER 2013
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