the Donkey Sanctuary - ORA - Organization for the Rescue of Animals

Transcription

THE CULL OF NORTHERN DOGS
ADOPT A RESCUED ANIMAL
HOW CAN I HELP?
Animal news
Recent study
reveals high
chemical
contamination
in pets
Pet products
to avoid:
TIPS TO A
HEALTHIER
ENVIRONMENT
for you and
your pet
Donkey
Sanctuary
Step by step
guide to
INTRODUCING
PETS
the
FALL 2008 CDN $3.50
Safe haven for a
humble animal
All proceeds from this magazine go to HELP stray and abandoned animals
FEATURES
7 Chemical contamination higher in pets
than in humans
A recent study reveals its dramatic
consequences for the health of your pet
10 Tips to a healthier environment for you
and your pet
What can you do to protect your pet?
12 The cull of northern dogs
Troubled life and death in northern Canada
17 A pet’s ten commandments
18 The Donkey Sanctuary
24 Introducing a new pet
Follow these basic principles for a smooth
introduction of a new pet in your home
30 Dogs’lives in Trinidad
Economic hardship and different values affect the life of dogs in
developing countries
34 Adopt a rescued animal, save a life
When you adopt an animal from ORA, you are not only giving a
home to that animal, but you are also making it possible for
another stray, abandoned or abused animal to be saved
38 How can you help?
Your money saves lives!
www.ora–animalrescue.org
A safe haven for a humble animal
22 News room: news from the world
Animal news | Fall, 2008
1
Where to find
Animal news
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outlets for their support
ANIMAL NEWS is sold by subscription and it is also found at the following outlets:
To subscribe please see page 39
ACTON
MISSISSAUGA
Acton Veterinary Clinic
10 River St.
Acton, Ontario
Tel: 519 853 1450
Bark & Fitz
129 Lakeshore Rd. E., Unit B
Mississauga, Ontario
Tel: 905 271 3892
Pet Valu
372 Queen St. E., #A3
Acton, Ontario
Tel: 519 853 9200
Dixie Animal Hospital
1760 Dundas St. E.
Tel: 905 270 5444
AJAX
Pet Valu
6085 Creditview Rd.
Tel: 905 821 4290
Global Pet Foods
314 Harwood Avenue
South Ajax, Ontario
Tel: 905 428 7387
AURORA
Global Pet Foods
15440 Bayview Ave.
Aurora, Ontario
Tel: 905 727 3448
Pet Valu
15340 Bayview Ave., #B2
Aurora, Ontario
Tel: 905 751 0851
BARRIE
Global Pet Foods
420 Essa Rd.
Barrie, Ontario
Tel: 705 792 4152
BURLINGTON
Bone Appetit Pet Boutique
1500 Upper Middle Road.,
Unit 5,
Burlington, Ontario
Tel: 905 336 7338
Pet Valu
3505 Upper Middle Road,
Unit C-7
Burlington, Ontario
Tel: 905 332 9664
HAMILTON
Ryan’s Pet Foods
989 Fennell Ave. E.
Hamilton, Ontario
Tel: 905 575 9422
HORNBY
Bahr Saddlery
13329 Steeles Avenue West
Hornby, Ontario
Tel: 905 878 8885
2
Pet Valu
Clarkson Crossing
980 Southdown Road, Unit E5
Tel: 905 855 8262
Ryan’s Pet Food
224 Lakeshore Rd. W.
Tel: 905 278 4112
NEWMARKET
Global Pet Foods
130 Davis Drive, Unit 18
Newmarket, Ontario
Tel: 905 898 7910
Happy Tails Grooming
540 Davis Dr., Unit #4
Newmarket, Ontario
Tel: 905 953 0880
Kloster’s Butcher Shop
18025 Yonge St., # 4
Newmarket, Ontario
Tel: 905 895 0437
Nature’s Emporium
Wholistic Market
16655 Yonge St.
Newmarket, Ontario
Tel: 905 898 1844
Pet Valu
300 Taunton Rd. East.
Oshawa, Ontario
Tel: 905 433 5564
Bark & Fitz
2570 Yonge St.
Toronto, Ontario
Tel: 416 483 4431
Pet Valu
1646 Bloor St. West
Toronto, Ontario
Tel: 416 537 924
PICKERING
Bark N Scratch
2404 Danforth Ave.
Toronto, Ontario
Tel: 416 424 2411
Pet Valu
869 Danforth Ave.
Toronto, Ontario
Tel: 416 778 9325
Barking Room
744 King St. West
Toronto, Ontario
Tel: 416 840 9461
Pet Valu
1337 Lawrence Ave. W.
Toronto, Ontario
Tel: 416 245 9691
Barkingham Palace
1338 Danforth Ave.
Toronto, Ontario
Tel: 416 461 3009
Pet Valu
5853 Yonge St.
Willowdale, Ontario
Tel: 416 225 4481
Dog Sense
535 Wilson Height Blvd.
Toronto, Ontario
Tel: 416 630 5255
Pet Valu
927 The Queensway,
Unit 1-3
Etobicoke, Ontario
Tel: 416 251 3454
Global Pet Foods
Amberlea Shopping Centre
1822 Whites Road, Unit 5
Pickering, Ontario
Tel: 905 831 4554
QUEENSVILLE
Cynthia Harcourt, DVM
21894 Woodbine Ave.
Queensville, Ontario
Tel: 905 478 1995
RICHMOND HILL
Global Pet Foods
1070F Major Mackenzie Dr. E.,
Unit 109
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Tel: 905 508 8895
STOUFFVILLE
Ballantrae Plaza Vet Clinic
11 Felcher Boulevard, Unit 1B
Stouffville, Ontario
Tel: 905 642 3349
K9 In Kahoots
6389 Main St.
Tel: 905 642 8289
Pet Valu
24 Westlawn Crescent
Tel: 905 642 6010
THORNHILL
OAKVILLE
Global Pet Foods
70 Doncaster Avenue
Thornhill, Ontario
Tel: 905 771 9227
Bark & Fitz
334 Lakeshore Rd. E.,
Unit 3
Oakville, Ontario
Tel: 905 842 2756
Pet Valu
10 Royal Orchard Blvd.,
Unit 5
Thornhill, Ontario
Tel: 905 889 1890
Pet Valu
280 North Service
Road West, Unit 21
Oakville, Ontario
Tel: 905 338 1646
Green Lane Animal Hospital
79 Green Lane
Thornhill, Ontario
Tel: 905 597 7373
OSHAWA
Global Pet Foods
575 Thornton Rd. N,
Unit #12
Oshawa, Ontario
Tel: 905 723 5428
TORONTO
Bark & Fitz
2116 Queen St. E.,
Unit H
Toronto, Ontario
Tel: 416 699 1313
El Pipil
267 Danforth Ave.
Toronto, Ontario
Tel: 416 465 9625
Global Pet Foods
243 Danforth Ave.
Toronto, Ontario
Tel: 416 463 7387
Global Pet Foods
75 Hanna Ave.
Toronto, Ontario
Tel: 416 534 7368
Global Pet Foods
2100 Bloor St. West
Toronto, Ontario
Tel: 416 604 9272
Global Pet Foods
2019 Yonge St.
Toronto, Ontario
Tel: 416 487 6267
Global Pet Foods
Progress Park Plaza
1595 Ellesmere Road
Scarborough, Ont.
Tel: 416 289 6255
Global Pet Foods
280 Sheppard Ave. E.,
Unit 105
Toronto, Ontario
Tel: 416 222 3935
Global Pet Foods
166 Bennett Road
West Hill, Ontario
Tel: 416 286 5673
Kennel Café
295 Roncesvalles Ave.
Toronto, Ontario
Tel: 416 531 3177
Pet Valu
Shoppers World
3003 Danforth Ave.
Toronto, Ontario
Tel: 416 693 0196
Purrfect Pet Supplies
3313 Lakeshore Blvd. W.
Etobicoke, Ontario
Tel: 416 259 0579
South Etobicoke
Animal Hospital
741 The Queensway
Toronto, Ontario
Tel: 416 201 9123
The Wearhouse Ltd.
790 Dundas St. W.
Toronto, Ontario
Tel: 416 603 3734
UNIONVILLE
The Uptown Dog
139 Main St., Unit #105
Unionville, Ontario
Tel: 905 305 1222
VAUGHAN
Global Pet Foods
2810 Major Mackenzie Dr.
Vaughan, Ontario
Tel: 905 832 3304
WHITBY
Animal news
Publisher and Editor
Claudia Vecchio
Art Director
Tracey Watt, Rave! Design
Proof Reader
Lenore Hawley
Writers
Dr. Emily A. Cappon, Jolie Cheung,
Alexandra Dobrin, Carol Isoardi,
Teresa Pérett, Anne Skabarnicki,
Claudia Vecchio
Cover Photo
Marco Caldarera
Print Production
Four L Graphics
Sales and Marketing
Corinne Thaw
Animal news is a quarterly publication of
ORA-Organization for the Rescue
of Animals©
www.ora–animalrescue.org
300 Coxwell Avenue, P.O. Box 22608,
Toronto, ON M4L 3W7
Telephone: 416.726.8895
Fax: 905.473.9291
Charitable registration #85580 9448 RR0001
No part of Animal News can be reproduced
without written consent from the publisher.
Pet Valu
601 Dundas St. W.
Whitby, Ontario
Tel: 905 666 8277
3
Editor’s Note
Pet Care Services
FOR DISCERNING PETS & THEIR HUMANS!
Dog Walks, Cat Visits, Puppy Visits,
Pet Sitting, Home Sitting, Home Boarding,
Pet Shuttle, Appointments and more…
Shari Jennings
Owner
Email:
petsrule@rogers.com
Call:
As
the temperature falls,
the plight of stray
cats becomes more
urgent. This winter, like any winter,
countless cats and kittens will freeze
and starve to death amongst the indifference of the most. Last spring
thawing snow revealed the corpse of a
young cat, likely dead before a heavy
snowstorm, and whose body was all
winter covered by snow and ice and
stepped over by passersby in front of a
building on a heavily traveled street in
Toronto’s west end. A compassionate
soul called us in tears: she could not
understand how that could have happened. Nobody picked up the dying
cat? Took him indoors? Rushed him
to a vet?
This episode remained in my mind
for a while, although, as a ORA volunteer, I am exposed to daily calls and
e-mails from people who find stray
cats in need and are unwilling to help.
Many of these people define themselves as animal lovers. When we
explain that they have to foster the cat
until other arrangements can be made,
all kinds of excuses start pouring in.
“My husband (or wife) will kill me if I
take home another cat”, “I already
4
have a cat and my cat does not like
other cats”, “It is not my cat” are the
reasons most commonly invoked.
Apart the obvious consideration that I
do not believe any adult mature person should worry about the reaction
of his spouse (or the one of his cat)
on something so insignificant as taking home a new pet, the “It is not my
cat” really amazes me. Although they
could claim ownership of that animal
just by taking him in, the implication
of the statement, “It is not my cat”
seems to mean: “I love animals, but
only if I deliberately acquire them, if
they are my property and therefore an
extension of me.” Such a selfish person could never be an animal lover.
Obviously, we must, as a priority, care
at the best of our abilities for the animals we have already taken
responsibility for: they are our friends,
and they depend on us. But animals
are not private property, they do not
belong to anybody, while it is our collective responsibility to protect and
care for them.
A self-attached label of “animal
lover” will not make you one, unless
your deeds confirm it.
This winter Toronto stray cat population needs all self-proclaimed animal
lovers out there to truly succor them.
When you find a cat in need or notice
a stray in your neighborhood, do not
905.812.9418
Experienced
Bonded & Insured
NOW HIRING DOG WALKERS!
Serving West Mississauga, Oakville and Milton Areas
rush to the phone to call an animal
rescue organization to take him. We
are all overfull with cats, and,
certainly, do not take him to a shelter
or pound where he will likely be
killed. Just take him in your house
under your care. That cat may have
come to you for a purpose: to prove
your compassion and your love. If any
animal caring person would do that,
this winter, many lives would be saved
and the thawing snow, next spring,
will reveal the human foot prints and
the kitties’ paws prints where the two
came together when the kitty was
lovingly lifted up toward a new protected life, never to know cold or
hunger again.
Please mention this ad when calling for an
appointment. For readers of Animal News,
I will donate the proceeds from therapeutic
massages to ORA-Organization for the Rescue
of Animals.
L UXURIOUS P ET S PA
www.luxuriouspetspa.com
Where both dogs and cats are welcome!!
AFFORDABLE GROOMING SERVICE
FOR YOUR BABIES!!
Starting at $25.00
Phone: 416.268.4834
Email: fazeela@luxuriouspetspa.com
Claudia Vecchio
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Study shows in dogs: High levels of plasticizers,
grease-proof chemicals, and fire retardants
35 chemicals detected — 40% at higher levels
in dogs than people
The dramatic increase in cancer in dogs
and cats and the epidemic proportions of
hyperthyroidism in cats may be due to the
high levels of toxic chemical contamination
present in our pets’ bodies.
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A comprehensive research, first study
of its kind, by the Washington based,
Environmental Working Group, found
that American pets are polluted with
even higher levels of many of the same
synthetic industrial chemicals that
researchers have recently found in
people, including newborns.
The results show that America’s pets
are serving as involuntary sentinels of
the widespread chemical contamination that scientists increasingly link to
a growing array of health problems
across a wide range of animals-wild,
domesticated and human.
Just as children ingest pollutants in
tap water, play on lawns with pesticide
residues and breathe in various indoor
air contaminants, so do our pets. But
with their compressed lifespans, developing and aging seven or more times
faster than humans, pets also develop
health problems from exposures much
more rapidly. The National Research
Council has found that sickness and
disease in pets can help us in understanding our own health risks (NRC
1991). Unfortunately for anyone who
has lost a pet to cancer or another disease potentially linked to chemical
exposures, this sentinel role played by
pets also translates into a devastating
personal loss.
In recognition of the unique role
that pets play in our lives, the
Environmental Working Group
(EWG) undertook a study representing the broadest monitoring research
yet conducted on pets to investigate
the extent of exposures pets face in
contaminants in our homes and in the
outdoor environment. Blood and
urine collected from 20 dogs and 37
cats were analyzed for chemical contamination.
The findings are appalling.
Cats and dogs were tested for contaminants such as plastics and food
packaging chemicals, heavy metals, fire
retardants, and stain-proofing chemicals and have been found to be
contaminated with 48 of the 70
industrial chemicals tested, while the
levels of 43 of those chemicals were
much higher than those typically
found in people: 2.4 times higher levels of stain- and grease-proof coatings
(perfluorochemicals) in dogs, 23 times
more fire retardants (PBDEs) in cats,
and more than 5 times the amounts of
mercury, compared to average levels
in people found in national studies
Just
as
children
ingest
pollutants in
tap water,
play on
lawns with
pesticide
residues
and
breathe in
various
indoor air
contaminants,
so do
our pets.
7
conducted by the Centres for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC).
This study has also found 23 chemicals reported in pets for the first time.
The results reinforce findings from
prior studies showing that pets’
unique behaviors may place them at
risk for elevated exposures and health
risks from chemicals pollutants in the
home and outdoors, in air, water,
food, soil, and consumer products for
people and pets.
For nearly all the chemicals included
in the study, health risks in pets have
not been studied. But the chemicals
have been linked to serious health
effects in other laboratory studies and
in studies on humans:
• For dogs, blood and urine samples were contaminated with 35
chemicals altogether, including
11 carcinogens, 31 chemicals
toxic to the reproductive system,
and 24 neurotoxins. The carcinogens are of particular concern,
since dogs have much higher rates
of many kinds of cancer than people, including 35 times more skin
cancer, 4 times more breast
tumors, 8 times more bone cancer, and twice the incidence of
leukemia, according to the Texas
A&M Veterinary
Medical Centre
(2008). Between
20 and 25 percent
of dogs die of cancer, making it the
second leading
cause of death in
dogs (Purdue
University
Department of
Veterinary
Pathobiology
2000).
8
• Cat samples contained 46 chemicals altogether, including 9
carcinogens, 40 chemicals toxic to
the reproductive system, 34 neurotoxins, and 15 chemicals toxic
to the endocrine system.
Endocrine (hormone) system toxins raise particular concerns for
cats, since they include the thyroid toxins and fire retardants
called PBDEs. Thyroid disease
(hyperthyroidism) is a leading
cause of illness in older cats
(Gunn-Moore 2005). The growing use of PBDEs in consumer
products over the past 30 years
has paralleled the rising incidence
of feline hyperthyroidism, and a
preliminary study suggests that
PBDEs are found at higher levels
in cats stricken with this disease
(Dye 2007). Studies also show a
high correlation between eating
canned food and developing
hyperthyroidism later in life
(Edinboro 2004; Kass 1999,
Martin 2000). In addition to
PBDEs, hyperthyroidism in cats
could be linked to the plastics
chemical and potent endocrine
disruptor BPA that is known to
leach from the pop-top cat food
can lining into
food (Edinboro
2004; Kang 2002).
In America there
are 8 times more
companion dogs and
cats than there are
children under five.
Seventy percent of
the households have
more dogs or cats
than children of any
age. These pets are
often beloved family
members, and yet
they can be subjected to chronic,
constant exposures to chemical contaminants in homes, yards, and parks
that pet owners cannot always prevent.
As cats meticulously groom themselves, they lick off accumulated dust
that studies show can be contaminated
with the neurotoxic fire retardants
PBDEs and reproductive toxins called
phthalates that were found in the cats
tested. A dog eating scraps from the
floor may also swallow dirt and dust
tracked in from the outdoors and contaminated with heavy metals and
pesticides. A flea collar can spew
droplets of insecticide that can be
Avoid yards and parks treated with
weed-killers and insecticides
Study results for cats reveals: notably high
levels of fire retardants, high levels of
plasticizers, and grease-proofing chemicals
lethal to cats (Linnett 2008). Dogs
and cats often eat food processing and
packaging chemicals that contaminate
their food, day after day and year after
year, resulting in cumulative exposures
with unknown health risks (FDA
CVM 2008b). Chew toys might contain plastic softeners, foam beds might
be infused or coated with fire retardants and stain-proofing chemicals
linked to cancer and birth defects, and
plastic water bowls might leach hormone disruptors.
Pets face chemical exposures that in
some ways are similar to those of
infants and toddlers, who have limited
diets and play close to the floor and
put their hands and household objects
in their mouths far more often than
adults. For pets as for children, exposures are greater and the resulting
health risks are higher (Betts 2007).
EWG’s review of scientific literature
identified studies that demonstrate a
plethora of links between chemicals
exposures and health risks for pets.
The perversely named “dancing cat
fever” describes the results of neurological damage in cats with acute
mercury poisoning (Koya 1964),
while “Teflon toxicosis” has been the
46 chemicals detected — 96% at higher
levels in cats than people
cause of death for hundreds of pet
birds nationwide whose lungs filled
with blood after they breathed in toxic
fumes from overheated, non-stick
pans (EWG 2003a, NRC 1991).
Horses have died after chewing on
wooden fences infused with the same
arsenic-based pesticide found in the
decks and playsets of 70 million
homes nationwide (Casteel 2001,
Edlich 2005, Khan 2006). Studies
show lung cancer (mesothelioma) in
dogs exposed to asbestos fibers at
home (Glickman 1983), bladder cancer in dogs living near industrial areas
(Hayes 1981) or exposed to topical
flea and tick pesticides (Glickman
2004) or lawn and garden weed killers
and insecticides (Glickman 2004),
lead toxicosis in dogs and cats in
homes with chipping lead-based house
paint (Knight 2003, Marino 1990,
Miller 1992), malignant lymphomas
in dogs whose owners use the lawn
pesticide 2,4-D (Hayes 1991), and
mouth cancer (oral squamous cell carcinoma) in cats exposed to flea
repellants (Bertone 2003).
Major gaps in our system of public
health protection allow most industrial
chemicals to be sold on the market
with no mandatory safety testing.
Chemical companies do not have to
prove products are safe before they are
sold, and there is no research done by
these companies of how much of their
chemicals end up in people, let alone
pets. There are few standards that limit
chemical contamination in pet food, pet
toys and other products for our companion animals (FDA CVM 2008a,b).
For pets as for people, the result is a
body burden of complex mixtures of
industrial chemicals never tested for
safety. Health problems in pets span
high rates of cancer in dogs (Paoloni
2008; Paoloni 2007; Waters 2006) and
skyrocketing incidence of hyperthyroidism in cats (Edinboro 2004;
Peterson 2007). Genetic changes can’t
explain the increases in certain health
problems among pets. Scientists
believe that chemical exposures play a
role (e.g., National Research Council
1991, Landrigan 2001).
The presence of chemicals in dogs
and cats sounds a cautionary warning
for the present and future health of all
of us. Exposures that pose risks for
pets pose risks for human health as
well. A new system of public health
protections that required companies
to prove chemicals are safe before they
are sold would help protect all of us,
including the pets we love.
9
Healthier Environment
for you and your pet
By Carol Isoardi
0
In completing a checklist of what may affect your pet’s health, we
must consider all the materials and pollutants your pet comes in
contact: what he ingests, drinks, breathes, sleeps on and plays with.
Food dishes
Use only stainless steel, glass or
ceramic dishes for your pet. Never use
plastic dishes or containers. Plastic is
made with chemicals that can leach
into the beverages and the food, accumulating and creating havoc in the
animal’s body. Two of the most
harmful chemicals contained in plastic
are PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and
phthalates.
Do not use plastic containers for
storing the left-over pet food either.
As per the ceramic containers avoid
any coloured one, as colour contains
lead that can sip into the food.
Feed your pet a natural healthy diet
The best food for your pet is a raw
diet of organic meat and vegetables or
what goes under the name of BARF
(Biologically Appropriate Raw Food).
There is copious information on
BARF on the internet (literally thousands of sites). However, the whole
matter is very simple: it is going back
to the origins, to what cats and dogs
were always fed before the multi-billion dollars’ pet food industry came
into existence, after the second world
war and tried, and somewhat succeeded, in brain washing people with
their captivating advertisements pass-
10
0
may kill pets and humans also along
the way. In fact you can maintain your
home clean and odour free by using
just dish soap, or better organic dish
soap, and vinegar. Vinegar can be
sprayed pure on any soiled surface
after wiping it. It is the best odour
removal. Dish soap can be safely used
to clean anything, floors included. A
mixture of water and javex is an
acceptable disinfectant of any object or
surface: just rinse well after worth.
Pet beddings, pet furniture and toys
ing on the illogical message that natural food is bad for your pet, while
processed mash and kibbles of
unknown origin is good for him.
If you do not feel able to prepare the
food yourself, which is very simple
and fast, since the food does not need
cooking, you can resolve to buy commercial raw food, available in most
pet stores.
Natural cooked food is the second
best: however, you must add some
vitamins and supplements, that have
been destroyed by the cooking
process, and that are essential to the
health of your pet. If you serve exclusively cooked natural food to your pet,
document yourself properly because
you could harm your pet by not
adding the needed supplements.
The following is a hierarchy of pet
diets from the best to the worst:
1. Natural raw organic meats and
vegetables
2. Raw no-organic meat and
vegetables
3. Cooked home-made meat
and vegetables (with added
supplements)
4. Organic canned food
5. Canned food made with human
graded ingredients
6. Dry food with human graded
ingredients, grain-free.
You can feed your pet a combination
of different foods, although dry food
should never be fed when you feed
raw food and, according to pet nutritionists, it should never be fed, even if
of the highest quality. Dry food is
unnatural (can you imagine eating dry
food day in and day out for the rest of
your life), and it is considered one of
the culprits of the vast incidence of
urinary bladder infections and kidney
and liver failures in both cats and
dogs. If you feel that you absolutely
must feed your pet dry food, just use
it as a treat and under no circumstances use dry food as the main
element of his diet. Besides, enjoying
a variety of good healthy foods is one
of the pleasures of life. Why would we
want to deprive our pets of it?
As for the water your pet drinks, it
should be as pure as possible. Use
bottled or spring water only, if possible, or at least filtered tap water.
Cleaning products
This is a particularly sensitive point.
Most pet-owners succumb to the
advertisers’ claims for an array of
chemical products that promise to
remove pet odours and stains and to
have bacteria-killing powers. Perhaps
some of these products do kill bacteria, but their carcinogenic ingredients
Check the origin of any pet bedding,
scratching post, cat tree and pet toy.
Favour those made in countries where
there are stricter regulations. Make
sure that pets do not put in their
mouth any toys made with dubious
colourants and material. Cover the pet
beddings with a towel made of natural
fibers and wash it only in organic
laundry soap. Do not use fabric softeners for any pet beddings or any
fabric that comes into contact with
your pets. Although they are wonderful to removal hair, they contain toxic
chemicals. To remove hairs, vacuum
the beddings and towels before washing them, or, if necessary, use the
static removal product after a first
washing and then rewash and re-dry
again naturally.
During the warm months, it is a great
idea to dry any pet bedding outdoors.
Not only does it save energy, but the
sun-drying has sanitizing powers.
Vaccinations, drugs and de-wormers
Administer drugs and any parasite
control substances with caution.
Although often necessary, they are
chemicals, and they may have very
harmful side effects. Never use overthe-counter flea and de-worming
products and follow the directions of
your veterinarian for any product prescribed by him/her.
Apart from your traditional veterinarian, also consult a holistic
veterinarian, especially for any chronic
illnesses. Although nobody would
deny the benefits of antibiotics to rapidly suppress any sort of infections,
homeopathy and holistic medicine
have been proven to have amazing
healing powers.
The vaccination issue is complex;
educate yourself and, in any case, do
not vaccinate your pet more than
every three years and never after
age seven.
Fresh air, sun and exercise
8
@
Fresh air, sun and daily exercise are as
important for our pets as they are for
us in maintaining a healthy body and
in helping to expel some of the chemical poisons from our organisms. Dogs
should not only be regularly leashwalked, but, if sociable and properly
trained to return, they should be very
frequently allowed to have vigorous
runs and playtime in off-leash areas in
a park, forest or conservation area.
Cats should never be allowed outside, unrestricted and unsupervised,
but fresh air and sun is important for
them too. If you live in a house, you
could build an outdoor covered run
that your cat can access from a window, so that he can feel the grass
under his paws, breath fresh air and
enjoy the warm sun while observing
birds and squirrels, with no dangers to
either of them or your cat.
Alternatively, you could take your cat
with you in the back-yard with harness and leash (if he co-operates and
agrees), but only when you are there
to supervise. If you have a solarium or
screen porch, that is also a good place
for your cat to spend some leisure
time taking in fresh air. Lacking that,
0
0
0
Tips to a
s
just make a window, screened with pet
screen, inviting for your cat to sit at.
Fresh air is needed in the winter too.
Even in the coldest months, put down
the thermostat for ten minutes each
day and open wide the windows to
circulate the air. That is greatly beneficial and highly recommended for
animals and humans alike.
Being considerate to your pets,
improving their environment by eliminating noxious chemicals and harsh
cleaning products may add years to
the lives of your pets and to yours.
11
The
CULL of
Northern Dogs
A Chihuahua Chat Group is trying to save
the life of Northern Canada Strays
By Anne Skabarnicki
Living in cities and towns, most dog
owners don’t give much thought to
stray dogs in Canada’s far north. We
do think of ourselves as a nation of
dog lovers. We take our pets to the
vet sooner than we take ourselves to a
doctor. Most of us assume dogs in
Canada are on the whole remarkably
well cared for. This summer, for several of us, a few emails from a remote
settlement in northern Quebec dramatically changed that view.
For the last few years, I have
belonged to a dog chat group. Most
of us have small dogs, mainly
Chihuahuas or Chi mixes. Many of us
have long been involved in dog rescue: we live all over North America
and come from all walks of life. Earlier
this year, one of our members, Dale,
emailed to say that she had moved
from her home in the Maritimes to a
small community, largely Inuit and
Cree, on Hudson’s Bay in the far
north of Quebec. Access is only by
plane. There is no vet and no pharmacy. She and her husband took jobs
with the Northern Stores in
Kujjuaraapik, Quebec, which came
with furnished housing and great
benefits.
A multigenerational family of stray
dogs more or less lives on the store
property, Dale told us, and she had
become particularly attached to the
150-pound matriarch, Mama, “a loving, kind, and wonderful old girl”. On
July 21st, Dale emailed in a panic that
Mama was suffering from an infection
from a porcupine quill that Dale had
been unable to remove. There was no
vet and no antibiotics. Worse yet, the
Inuit mayor had announced a cull of
stray animals, and people had already
come to the store property hunting
for Mama. Dog Shooting Days is a
WHO KNEW THAT COMMUNITIES IN CANADA SHOT THEIR DOGS?
Mama on the left with
her daughter Princess
and another offspring
12
13
practice used amongst Northern
Canada Aboriginal Communities to
control dogs’ overpopulation. During
the designated “dog shooting days”,
all dogs who are not tied up, are shot.
Dale had contacted the International
Fund for Animal Welfare in Ottawa
earlier, asking them to send a
spay/neuter team, and IFAW had said
‘‘
14
it would consider coming in the fall.
With the start of the cull, Dale
phoned them again, but was told
there was nothing they could do
immediately, that this was the way of
the community and that she would
just have to accept it. “Please advise
me,” she wrote. “I can’t stand the
thought of Mama suffering from the
infection, or that in a few days she
may be shot. It breaks my
heart.”
Our group was appalled.
Who knew that communities
in Canada shot their dogs? But
worse news was to come. Dale
reported that a puppy wearing
a collar had been dragged out
of its owner’s yard, hit repeatedly with a sledge hammer, and
tossed, alive and suffering, into the
back of a pickup truck to be taken to
the dump to die. Horrified bystanders
couldn’t move. A child with
Oreo, one of the dogs living on
the property of the General Store
at Kujjuaraapik, Quebec
Asperger’s syndrome was among them
and was completely traumatized.
We felt we had to act and act fast. We
immediately sent antibiotics for Mama.
We set up a petition, targeting the
Inuit Mayor and the Cree chief of the
community and pleading with them to
stop the cull and we asked IFAW to
send a team to spay and neuter the
strays and educate the community
about dealing with this population
problem (www.thepetitionsite.com/
2/help-stop-dog-culls-in-northerncanada). My daughter set up a
Facebook group and our list’s online
newsletter published an article about
what was happening.
The first couple of days, we averaged
200 signatures per day on the petition, but then they began to slow: our
goal was a 1,000. So I suggested we
go on www.petfinder.com, find nongovernmental shelters and rescues
within a 75-mile radius of our town or
city, and send off an email asking rescue and shelter volunteers to sign our
petition. This worked well. ORAOrganization for the Rescue of
Animals was amongst the groups con-
’’
Few politicians want to deal with the issue of
shooting dogs in Canada Northern communities.
They argue that it is a matter of native and
aboriginal cultural tradition.
tacted that way. ORA responded to
our appeal by offering to publicize the
issue and to support our initiative to
save the dogs of Kujjuaraapik.
Unfortunately not many members of
our group could take the time to help.
Some members decided to act more
directly and called the Inuit Mayor’s
office, explaining how dismayed they
were and how upset to hear that dog
culls were still occurring in Canada in
the 21st century. My husband, a
lawyer, called IFAW to let them know
what we were doing and to ask how
we could help. These actions alerted
both the northern community and
IFAW that many people were interested in seeing an end to the dog cull
issue and expecting some positive
progress.
A week later on August 6th, we
received a call from IFAW asking us to
close the Facebook group, delete
comments deemed “unsupported,”
and delete the petition. IFAW told us
that the mayor had suspended the cull
and that they were in negotiations
with the Cree community that would
be derailed by the “negative and
inflammatory” comments made by
petition signers and by Facebook
group members. We acted immediately to delete the comments on
Facebook, and the group was closed
to further members with an explanatory update.
The petition, however, has not been
deleted. Unfortunately, to this date,
we have not got yet any commitment
from IFAW about sending a spay/
neuter team. If and when the team
actually leaves on its mission, we will
happily delete the petition.
We also emailed organizations like
PETA, Animal Alliance, and
Greenpeace. None replied. We
emailed newspaper journalists, radio
stations, television personalities. None
replied. Clearly, this was not the feel
good story of the summer.
On August 8th, Dale herself visited
the mayor’s office and confirmed that
the dog cull has indeed been suspended for this year. She was told that
“the dogs won’t be bothered, unless
someone has been threatened or
attacked by one. Then it will be that
dog that will be destroyed.”
And what of Mama, the matriarch,
who inspired all this activity? Sadly,
she’s not doing too well. For a few
days, she stayed on store property,
received her antibiotics regularly, and
started to improve, but then she
began to hide. She has lost weight and
become lethargic. Her muzzle has a
mysterious hard swelling. It would be
nice to think of the northern dogs in
the beautiful wilderness setting on
Hudson’s Bay as free to live a “natural” life. But nature is cruel and the
price of freedom for dogs is often
danger, pain and starvation, to say
nothing of human cruelty.
Dale is trying hard to continue giving Mama her antibiotics. We are
sending off another express package
with Metacam for pain and have
offered to keep Mama supplied with
pain medications and antibiotics until
(if ?) an IFAW veterinary team arrives.
The most experienced vet I consulted
said Mama probably has an abscessed
tooth and must continue on antibiotics until she can get dentistry or
perhaps one of the porcupine’s quill in
Mama muzzle or gums was not properly removed and is causing the
infection.
Few politicians want to deal with the
issue of shooting dogs in Canada
Northern communities. They argue
that publicizing the whole matter
would demonstrate a lack of “cultural
sensitivity” to native and aboriginal
communities as we southerners identify as animal abuse what for
aboriginal is “a cultural tradition”.
Is it not reverse racism to assume that
a community “tradition” that causes
needless suffering to innocent creatures cannot be changed? The
traditions that do most honour to
native and aboriginal peoples demonstrate respect for natural environments
and creatures and an intent to preserve them. Most southern voters may
not enjoy hearing that the northern
dog cull, which essentially amounts to
animal abuse, is an ongoing fact of life
in our country. The outrage voiced by
people from all around the world who
have signed our petition support our
conviction that we must act to make
sure that this barbaric holdover from
earlier times ends and ends soon.
If you are willing to help, I would
strongly suggest that you sign our
petition, let your elected representatives know that you are concerned
about the issue of northern dogs and
want to see an end to dog culls, and,
when the time comes, vote for those
who have not closed their hearts and
minds to ending animal abuse.
Donations to help Northern dogs, can be
sent to ORA-Organization for the Rescue
of Animals. Please specify that your donation is for the “Northern Dogs”. We are
fundraising alongside Anne and her group
to raise $10,000 to send two veterinarians
(we already have the veterinarians) with the
proper medical equipment and medications
to Kujjuaraapik.for two weeks to spay and
neuter the dogs of that community. This will
avoid any need of dog culling due to overpopulation.
15
HAPPY PAWS
'RJZDONLQJDQGSHWVLWWLQJVHUYLFHV
10
A P ET ’ S T EN C OMMANDMENTS
Individual loving care for your pet.
3XSS\EDWKURRPEUHDNV
&DWVLWWLQJVKRUWDQGORQJWHUP
3HWWD[LWRDQGIURPYHWFOLQLFV
/HDVKHGGRJVZDONVDQGIRUHVWWUDLOGRJSURPHQDGHV
:HDUHH[SHULHQFHGLQSHWEHKDYLRXUDQGÀUVWDLG
:HFDQDGPLQLVWHUPHGLFDWLRQVDQGJLYHLQVXOLQ
WRGLDEHWLFDQLPDOVZKHQ\RXDUHDZD\
6HUYLFLQJ$XURUD1HZPDUNHW6WRXIIYLOOHDQG0RXQW$OEHUW
7HO(PDLOLQIR#KDSS\SDZVSHWVHUYLFHVFD
IURPDOOSURFHHGVLVGRQDWHGWR25$2UJDQL]DWLRQIRUWKH5HVFXHRI$QLPDOV
Loving care when you are not there.
1. My life is likely to last 10–15
years. Please don’t forsake me,
any separation from you will
be painful.
2. Give me time to understand
what you want of me. Change
can be more difficult for me
than for you.
3. Place your trust in me and help
me to trust you... It is crucial for
my well-being.
PP
C
•
•
•
•
•
PUR-R-FECT PAUSE
C A T S I T T I N G
(serving Toronto east end)
Retired 50’s cat lover & owner
Combing, playing, giving medication
Excellent references
Rates based on 1 hour or 1/2 hour visits
Daytime, evenings, weekends
Shirley 416•691•8650
16
4. Don’t be angry with me for long
and don’t lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your
friends, your entertainment, but I
have only you.
5. Talk to me. Even if I don’t
understand your words, I do
understand your voice when
speaking to me.
6. Be aware that however you treat
me, I will never forget it.
7. Before you hit me, before you
strike me, remember that I could
hurt you, and yet, I choose not to.
8. Before you scold me for being lazy
or uncooperative, ask yourself if
something might be bothering
me. Perhaps I’m not getting the
right food, I have been in the sun
too long, or my heart might be
getting old or weak.Try to understand what it is like to be me.
9. Please take care of me when I
grow old. Don’t abandon me, for
you, too, will grow old.
10. On the ultimate difficult journey,
go with me please. Never say you
can’t bear to watch. Don’t make
me face this alone. Everything is
easier for me if you are there,
because I love you so. ALWAYS!
Take a moment today to
thank God for your pets.
Enjoy and take good care of
them. Life would be a much
duller, less joyful experience
without God’s critters.
We do not have to wait
for Heaven, to be surrounded
by hope, love, and joyfulness.
It is here on earth and has
four legs!
~Author Unknown
t
17
the Donkey Sanctuary:
safe haven for a
humble animal
By Claudia Vecchio
Photography by Marco Caldarera
All animal species that come into contact with humans
need some compassionate humans to voice their plea,
protect and rescue those animals that other uncaring,
cruel humans abuse, mistreat and neglect.
18
19
The sanctuary is open
to the public from
May 1 to Thanksgiving,
on Sundays and Wednesdays
from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
and attracts
3,000 visitors a year.
Farm animals
are not exceptions; in fact, because of
their role as working animals, they are
often seen as a tool rather than as sentient living creatures. The more docile
and gentle an animal is, the more susceptible he is of being inconsiderably
exploited and abused.
Automation, on one hand, has liberated many animal species from hard
labour, but on the other hand, has
voided them of that economical value
that was ensuring them a minimum of
respect and care. That is the typical
case of donkeys and mules now mostly
raised as pets, therefore “unnecessary”, easily disposable and too often
neglected.
In Canada, since 1991, abused and
neglected donkeys and mules have
found a home and peaceful pasture at
the Donkey Sanctuary located just
South of Guelph. The Sanctuary, set on
100 acres of gentle rolling hills, was
founded by Sandra Pady and obtained
charitable status in 1992.
20
Sandra made it her mission to protect
and rescue donkeys in need. She was
always fond of donkeys, and after she
took in some, her love for these animals
grew. In the meantime she become
aware of the many donkey Sanctuaries
operating in Great Britain, and two of
them were very supportive by supplying
Sandra with copious information that
helped her in establishing the Donkey
Sanctuary of Canada.
48 donkeys and 9 mules reside
presently at the sanctuary while
another 44 donkeys are housed at foster farms. This is an interesting
concept: all the animals who are taken
in by the sanctuary are under the care
of the sanctuary for their lifetime and
are never adopted out. However,
prospective foster farms can apply to
foster a donkey. Foster farms take care
of the fostered donkeys,
but the donkeys remain
the property of the sanctuary. Several foster farm
field officers visit the fostering farms twice a year,
or more frequently, if
needed, to ensure the well being of
the fostered animals.
At the inception, the sanctuary was
run entirely by volunteers. Sandra was
taking care of the animals. She was
also in charge of fundraising, which, I
know from my experience with ORA,
is an enterprise of Herculean proportions, but now, thanks to the
fundraising efforts of Sandra, the sanctuary is in a financial position to
maintain a small full time and part
time staff. A full-time sanctuary animal caretaker and his assistant ensure
the proper care of the animals while a
humane educator and the foster field
officers are hired on a part-time basis.
Sandra is a full time fundraiser. To
fundraise is very time demanding and
a full time fundraiser is what any
organization needs, but often cannot
afford, to be able to properly fulfill its
mandate. This organizational efficiency allows the Donkey Sanctuary to
operate very effectively.
Since the beginning of its operations,
the sanctuary has taken in 124 donkeys, from all over Canada, from
British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario
while one donkey came from as far as
West Virginia. I am surprised to find
out that there are so many donkeys
still being raised. “All the donkeys in
Alberta and Ontario,” says Sandra,
“are raised as pets apart from a small
number of animals raised in Alberta to
work as pack animals in the Rocky
Mountains.”
The fortunate donkeys under the
care of the sanctuary are mostly taken
in by requests from people who
inform the sanctuary about donkeys
living in questionable situations.
This is the case of an all-white
Donkey, named Chiclet, who was
born late in the season and was left in
the field in the winter with minimum
shelter. When Chiclet was rescued by
the sanctuary, in March, his body was
covered with ticks; there were patches
of sunburn all over his face, and the
tips of his ears had broken off, due to
frostbite.
One recurrent issue the Sanctuary is
dealing with is the modern myth that
donkeys can protect farms animals
from predators such as coyotes and
foxes. Donkeys are very gentle and
not aggressive creatures, and although
they are capable to effectively protect
another donkey or another animal,
usually sheep or goats fending off
predators’ attacks, they are only protective of animals they have bonded
with. Unfortunately when the myth is
disproven, farmers relinquish their
donkeys.
Any donkey at the sanctuary comes
from a history of abandonment or
neglect: some stories more compelling
than others.
Trooper, admitted at the sanctuary in
2003, is one of the saddest stories of
neglect, but it has an happy ending.
“Often people purchase an animal,
but they are unaware of the most elementary needs of the animal and just
because animals are quiet, they think
that they are stupid, and they do not
feel,” says Sandra.
When Trooper arrived at the
Sanctuary, he was unable to walk, and
an infection had caused his body to be
covered with open sores. In the early
stages of Trooper’s care, extraordinary
efforts were made by Sanctuary staff
to ensure that his recuperation would
be successful. As the days and weeks
passed, the infection was eradicated
and the sores gradually healed.
Corrective shoes were placed on his
hooves in order to encourage proper
regrowth of the hoof walls. After two
months, his appetite and strength had
improved considerably and, for short
periods at a time, he could walk carefully around the barn paddock.
During our visit at the Sanctuary, we
saw Trooper enjoying the sunny day
and the warm breeze in the serene
atmosphere of the sanctuary: definitely
a success story.
The sanctuary is opened to the public from May 1 to Thanksgiving, on
Sundays and Wednesdays from 9:00
a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and attracts 3,000
visitors a year.
Every year, in June, a special Donkey
Day is organized and is attended by
some 1,500 visitors.
“The majority of our supporters and
donors come from the Greater
Toronto Area”, says Sandra, which is
in character with what statistics indicate: urban residents are generally
more supportive of animal causes.
For more information on the
Donkey Sanctuary of Canada, go to
www.thedonkeysanctuary.ca or call
519.836.1697.
21
News Room
Put down by order
of the MNR
Animals Represented in Parliament
We often say that animals do not have
a voice because they cannot vote.
Well, this is not quite true in the
Netherlands. In 2002 the Party for
the Animals was
founded in the
Netherlands with
the mandate to
defend the interests
of the animals and to
protect all animal
species against economical exploitation.
Now the Party for
the Animals holds two of the hundred
and fifty seats in the Dutch Parliament
ANIMAL RESCUE IN THE
REGIONS STRICKEN BY
STORM IKE.
and one of the seventy five seats in the
Dutch Senate. In addition they hold
nine seats in eight of the provincial
house of representatives. The Party for
the Animals is the fastest growing
party in the Netherlands.
The Party for the Animals works
“towards respectful interactions
between people, animals and nature.
We want the destruction of our living
environment, the extinction of plant
and animal species and the unequal
distribution of wealth, to come to an
end,” they say in their platform. “The
Party for the Animals is not a oneissue party, but a big-issue party. The
TAKE YOUR DOG TO WORK DAY!
An increasing number of employers allow pets at work
either on a regular basis or in a pet-sitting emergency.
According to a recent poll by the American Pet
Products’ Manufacturers, nearly one in five companies
permits pets in the work place. That creates a more
relaxed working environment and reduces employees’
absenteeism. Also workers who are allowed to take
their pets at work are more agreeable to working
longer hours because they’re not worried about rushing home to walk the dog or feed their pet.
Also increasing is the number of retail
outlets and offices having a full-time cat
on their premises. Often this starts with a
Marianne Thieme
Party Leader and Member of
Parliament
way in which we as a civilization interact with our living environment is
central to our philosophy.”
cat roaming outside the place of business and a few
employees feeding him. If the majority of the employees and the employer agree, the cat is eventually
allowed indoor as an “office cat”.
While in most European countries you can take your pet
almost everywhere, to stores, even to grocery stores, to
restaurants, to shopping malls and to the movies, in
North America, pets are prohibited from sharing most
outside activities with their human caregivers.
Allowing pets in the work place is a wonderful step forward. Obviously, the temperament of the pet should
be suitable, and the work environment should be safe.
Kitten at work
It is hard to believe that after Katrina,
some people evacuating before and
after the storm Ike would still leave
their animals behind.
The animal toll is quite high: an estimated 4,000 farm animals drowned,
while it is unknown the number of
companion animals who have perished
in this storm.
However, it must be said that great
improvements have taken place since
Katrina.
The authorities in the affected area
facilitated the evacuation of animals.
Restrictions to interstates’ transport
of animals were lifted, and shelters
were set up to accommodate pets and
livestock, offering relief to people who
were forced to evacuate while providing a safe haven for their animals.
Some pounds evacuated their animals
days before the storm. Also since
Katrina, several groups such as the
American Red Cross have been work-
ing with animal-welfare specialists to
make pets and other creatures an integral part of the evacuation process.
In Texas, students at the A&M university teamed with the Brazos
County (Texas) Emergency
Management Team to arrange a shelter on university grounds for cats,
dogs, horses, cattle, pigs, and other
animals.
In the aftermath of Katrina, the
Pets’ Evacuation and Transportation
Standards (PETS) Act was approved
by Congress in 2006.
Under the Act, in order to qualify
for federal recovery funding, cities or
states must submit plans detailing
their disaster preparedness programs
and how they will accommodate
households with pets.
Still many animals were left stranded,
not only farm animals, but pets and
strays.
Nevertheless, it is comforting to
know that this time, animal rescue
organizations were allowed and welcomed in the storm-stricken areas
immediately after the disaster.
The Great Horned Owl destroyed
by the MNR
Reflection
We must not indulge in unfavorable views of
mankind, since by doing it we make bad men
believe that they are no worse than others, and we
teach the good that they are good in vain.
Walter Savage Landor
22
The Great Horned Owl who appeared in the
winter 2007 issue of Animal News in the
article on the Aspen Valley Wildlife
Sanctuary has been euthanized by order of
the Minister of Natural Resources.
The Owl was a permanent resident of the
Sanctuary: he could not be released in the
wild because he could not properly fly. The
Great Horned Owl was housed in a very
large and tall cage; he was properly fed, and
he seemed perfectly happy. However,
according to the Minister of Natural
Resources he had a poor quality of life and
he had to be put down. Many humans
would be glad to be just provided with food
and shelter and to be served hand and foot.
They would never consider that “poor
quality of life”. Certainly the earth would be
almost inhabited if any human with “a poor
quality of life” had to be put down
This is the large cage the Owl was
housed in
23
Two dogs meeting, compatibility is decided by sniffing.
ready, that is, she seems relaxed, you
can start introducing her to the rest of
thing you want is a mismatched couple
resulting in daily cat hissing and a pup
constantly getting his nose swiped. To
increase your chances for success, keep
the guidelines below in mind!
For our feline friends
Introducing a
new pet
Making introductions as
painless as possible for
the newbie, the resident
pet, and you!
24
Introducing a new Fido or Fluffy to
your household and existing pets —
whether it is another dog, cat, bird or
small mammal can be a smooth transition or a roller coaster ride of
emotions! People should not expect
their pets to greet each other ‘open
paws’ with hugs and kisses, as it often
by Jolie Cheung
takes a few weeks or longer before
they are relaxed with each other. A
peaceful relationship between your
new and existing pets requires time,
patience and work. Where possible,
research into the sex, age, breed and
past experience of the pet you plan on
bringing home, before making a lifetime commitment. After all, the last
The myth of placing new and existing
cats together and letting them sort
out their differences, might be successful, but usually, this is the quickest
way for one to witness a feline war!
The losing party might develop
behavioural problems, run away or
worse of all, suffer serious injuries.
When introducing a new cat, isolate
her in a separate room closed off from
other pets. These ‘safe rooms’ must be
equipped with all essentials a cat
needs: food, water, litter, bed, toys. If
a safe room is not possible, you could
use a kitten pen and put a blanket
over the top and sides, allowing the
cats to become familiar with each
other’s scents, without risks of physical attacks. You can even swap
sleeping blankets, beds, toys and other
items used by the cats. Usually curiosity will help the familiarization process
as the cats will start smelling each
other across the door and, often, they
will paw to each other underneath the
door. When the newcomer seems
the house, while confining the other
animals in the newcomer’s room.
Repeat this step over several days or
weeks; patience is key and you should
not expect Rome to be built in one
day. Remember, good things come to
those who wait! Your next step is to
enclose the newcomer in his carrier
and let the resident cat come into the
newcomer’s room. This meeting permits you to monitor their interactions.
You can expect the initial gathering to
include some hissing and pawing as
the cats are sizing each other up and
establishing hierarchy and territorial
rights. Gradually, you will feel that it
is time for some face-to-face meeting!
Administer both cats a few drops of
Flower Back Rescue Remedy (a natural flower holistic tranquilizer that you
can buy at any health store) and take
some yourself. Remember to remain
calm; cats are very sensitive and if they
feel that your are apprehensive, they
will interpret that as a sign of danger
and react aggressively to each other.
Keep a close eye on both animals;
keep a towel handy to throw on any
belligerent cat and leave open an
escape route for the retreating cat.
You can even try putting their food
bowls side by side. Even though the
cats may hiss, they will less likely do
so with their mouths full. Also make
their encounter enjoyable, by enter-
taining them with interactive games
and several balls, so that each cat can
have her own. Give them treats, speak
to them softly and make sure that
there are no loud noises elsewhere in
the house. That way the cats will associate their meeting and being together
with fun and enjoyment. Once they
have begun to accept each other and
meet without hostility, they are
allowed to cohabit without supervision. The longer the cats go without
tolerating each other, the less likely
that they will accept each other; therefore, make sure to work toward their
acceptance every day. Some cats may
surprise you and accept the newcomer
immediately, others will make a lot of
fuss, but cats are very forgiving;
today’s worst enemies may be tomorrow’s best friends.
For our canine
companions
Ideally, when introducing a newcomer
to a resident dog, it is best to have
both on leashes handled by separate
people. Furthermore, choose a neutral
location, such as a park, or somewhere
that the resident dog is less likely to
view the newcomer as an intruder on
his territory. From the initial meeting,
establish a good rapport by letting the
dogs greet each other briefly via their
favorite activity — sniffing each other.
Afterwards, teach the newcomer and
repeat with the resident dog, simple
commands, such as “sit” and “stay”
and reward them with treats as
encouragements. Keep a close eye on
25
their body postures. While dogs with
his front legs on the ground and her
hind end in the air indicate a playfulness; teeth baring, deep growls or
prolonged stare usually elicit aggressive behaviors. If signs of aggression
arise, calmly disrupt the dogs’ interaction by attracting them to something
else. For example, have both handlers
call for them to ‘sit’ and lure them
with treats as incentives. You can try
allowing the dogs to mingle again;
(top) Perfect Fit: sibling
bonding amongst cats is
often very strong. Avoid
introduction issues by
adopting two siblings or
a Mom and her kitten.
(right) Some adult dogs
can be very happy to
greet and have a new
adult companion.
26
however, this time, use greater distances and shorter time periods. When
the dogs seem to get along without
fear and aggression, you can take
them home. If you have multiple
dogs, it will be best to introduce the
newcomer to each resident dog individually, thus reducing the chance of
the newcomer getting bullied.
Interactions between dogs are difficult
to predict. Most adult dogs are more
likely to accept puppies than another
adult that has been unfriendly to him,
although some adult dogs can be very
happy to greet and have a new adult
companion. Temperament, socialization, breed, age and sex are elements
to be considered.
When cat meets dog
Dogs and cats are often depicted as
natural rivals. With a misunderstanding of body languages, no wonder it is
so! When a cat runs, the dog’s instinct
is to chase and play. When a cat raises
its paw to swipe and attack, a dog
might think it wants to be friends!
Extra care is required when introducing a dog and a cat to one another.
Dogs with high prey drive should
never be left alone with a cat as they
can injure or kill a cat easily. There are
several breeds of dogs with the reputation for being potentially aggressive.
These include the Pit Bull Terrier, the
German Shepherd, Rottweiler, Jack
Russell, among others, and more
attention must be given when introducing new pets to them. The first
step that one should take in introduc-
ing a cat to a dog is ensuring that the
dog recognizes and obeys your commands, such as ‘sit’ and ‘stay’.
Reinforcing these commands with
bribes, for example, food and treats,
while keeping the dogs under control
will allow them to learn that the cat is
not “fair game” while, at the same
time, supporting good behaviour.
After the new cat and resident dog are
comfortable with each other’s scents
as described above, a face-to-face
meeting can be attempted with the
animals in opposite sides of the room.
With the dog on a leash, have him sit
next to his favorite treats. Then, carry
the cat in, unrestrained, with another
member of the family, while offering
him food. Repeat this process several
times until both animals accept, or at
least tolerate each other’s presence.
Next, let your cat explore around your
dog and his area, while having your
dog on a leash and praised for his
composed behavior. Continue with
this positive reinforcement so that
your dog knows what to do and what
to avoid in the company of the cat.
Direct supervision is recommended
for all interactions between the cat
and dog until you are positive that
both animals will be safe when you are
not home. If in doubt, keep the cat in
a separate area when you are not
around or you are sleeping.
Feathered pals
period is usually when the animal’s
symptoms appear, if it is carrying a
disease or infection. During the quarantine stage, keep your new bird and
your resident bird at a distance. Also,
be extra stringent in terms of cleanliness, for example, not switching
dishes, toys and perches between the
birds and washing your hands thoroughly after handling them. After the
isolation stage, you can keep an eye
on how the birds react to each other
by putting them side-by-side in separate cages. If all goes well, eventually,
you can allow your Pollys to have their
crackers together and exercise outside
their cages at the same time. If they
become combative at any point, distract them by clapping your hands or
squirting them with a spray bottle.
A bird should never be left alone with
a dog or cat even if they have all lived
under one roof for a while and appear
to be happy. Unless the sturdy cage is
out of reach, the feline or canine
predatory instinct could awaken one
day and harm your feathered friend, or
vice versa. Let your animal family interact only when there is full supervision.
Pocket pets
If you are adding a new hamster, gerbil or guinea pig to the flock, keep in
mind the sex and age of the newcomer, as that could very well lead to
fights due to dominancy or unexpected pregnancies. Moreover, the
newcomer should be quarantined,
usually for 60 days, before his introduction to the current group. In the
meantime, keep the original crew
safely away from their new friend. You
can start off by putting the newcomer
in a box next to your original’s cage
and observe any anger or fights arising. Then, allow them to meet on
neutral territory for some one-on-one
time. Have a towel handy to drop on
them, in case a fight breaks loose. If
they seem to get along, then you
could allow them to live with each
other under supervision. When dealing with hamsters, one should note
that they can be quite territorial and
may clash among themselves. In addition, females may attack their
offspring or the ones of another hamster. This is also common for male
hamsters. Hence, females and their
offspring should be separated from
other hamsters when babies are present. Guinea pigs are hierarchical
animals, so take extra caution when
introducing two males. Gerbils on the
contrary are very social rodents, even
in the same sex, which is why it is best
to own them in pairs.
Your cat or dog should be introduced with your rodent pets in your
house but extreme care should be
exercised. Your cat and dog should be
fully aware of who and what is in their
territory without activating their prey
drive. Therefore, it is recommended
to keep the rodent cages safely tucked
away and only allow interactions
under restricted control.
Congratulations on your new furry
or feathered family member and best
of luck!
}
{
When introducing birds, it is important to note that while most birds are
not naturally aggressive, in captivity
they could hurt each other if they feel
threatened. The trick again, is to
introduce them cautiously and slowly.
Moreover, never introduce a new bird
into your home without a proper isolation period, usually between thirty
and ninety days. This quarantine time
27
MANY THANKS
TO
DR. TARA SERMER
OF
in Thornhill
Dr. Tara Sermer has performed 11
free dentistry for ORA cats. Several of
the cats we rescue have rotten teeth
caused by malnutrition or simply by
the neglect of the previous owner.
This is a serious health hazard since
the bacteria from the decaying teeth
and infected gums may cause kidney,
liver and even heart failure. However,
once the teeth are properly removed
(most of the time, all the teeth must
be removed) the cats, free from pain
and from the bacterial infections, rapidly regain their health. They gain
weight and they are visibly happier.
These operations, although necessary,
are also quite expensive ranging from
$700/$800 and up.
GAH8402_overhead_signage_2A.eps
3/27/08
Dr. Sermer pro-bono work has
really made a difference for ORA’s
cats. The dentistry has been performed with great care. Tara couples a
high professionalism with a generous,
compassionate heart.
There is a great need of pro bono
work by veterinarians in the GTA.
With an estimated 100,000 stray cats
in the city, pro-bono spaying, neutering, diagnostics and other surgeries
would help rescue organizations like
ORA to accomplish their mandate and
to help the animals in need.
All categories of professionals,
lawyers included, are proud of doing
community pro-bono work.
Unfortunately veterinarians have not
yet joined in. That makes the work of
Dr. Sermer even more commendable
Ask your veterinarian if he or she is
interested in doing some pro bono work
and patronize veterinarians who do.
It makes sense to select for your
pet’s health care a veterinarian who
really cares for the animals and shows
it with his or her deeds.
Dr. Tara Sermer’s practice is located
at 79 Green Lane in Thornhill.
Tel: 905-597-7373.
9:18:11 AM
GAH8402
PROOF
• IMMUNIZATION AND
2
a
WELLNESS CARE
• PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE
• SURGERY
• DIGITAL RADIOLOGY
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the collective
30 Lesmill Rd, Unit 7
Toronto, ON M3B 2T6
416.449.4412
artdept@thecollective.ca
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28
Dr. Tara Sermer with Muffino.
Dr. Tara Sermer has skillfully and
very successfully performed the eye
enucleation on Muffino.
INITIAL
DATE
OUR HO
URS ARE
:
Monday
8 am – 6
pm
Tuesday
8 am – 8
Wednesd
pm
ay 8 am
–
6
Thursda
y 8 am – pm
8 pm
Friday 8
am – 6 p
m
29
Bertha was tied by her
owner, she was in a yard
with 2 other dogs, who
were well fed purebred
dogs. Bertha’s owner did
not want her so tied her in
the sun and decided he
would starve her to death
— when she was found by
a neighbour she had a
stomach full of stones that
she had eaten trying to
stay alive — Bertha has
been adopted and now
lives in a great home and
is the companion for an
older woman and
her son.
Mammary tumour. The owner had noticed
the tumour getting bigger but did nothing.
We commonly see mammary tumours, prostate
hyperplasia and tumours of the prostate and
testes as animals are not spayed or neutered.
Some veterinary literature reports that 50% of
unspayed females over the age of 7 will
develop mammary carcinomas.
Dogs’ lives in
Trinidad
by Dr. Emily A. Cappon
30
In the words of Mahatma Gandhi,
“The greatness of a nation and its
moral progress can be judged by the
way its animals are treated.” In the
case of Trinidad, the way animals are
treated is not ideal. Trinidad is a beautiful country with beautiful people,
but, despite having a rich supply of
natural resources such as oil and gas,
it is still a third world nation. The
average income is low, and the cost of
living is high, making it difficult to
financially prioritize animals.
However, Trinidad is a dog-loving
nation and many people, even those
who can barely support themselves
and their own families, will have a
canine friend in their lives.
Many pet owners have the best intentions when it comes to animals, but
often they do not have the knowledge
or the money to take care of their pets.
There are major differences between
the way Trinidadians and Canadians
treat their animals. In Trinidad most
dogs live outdoors, in the yards, partly
because of the warm climate and partly
due to cultural reasons. Dogs in
Trinidad are often kept for security,
given the high crime rate.
The majority of people who care for
dogs cook food for them, because the
cost of imported dog food is too high
for the average wage earner. Although
a natural food diet, properly balanced,
is superior to most commercial
brands, lack of knowledge of a dog’s
nutritional needs often results in an
THE CONDITION
OF COMPANION
ANIMALS IN
TRINIDAD IS
TYPICAL OF MANY
THIRD WORLD
COUNTRIES
AND CAN BE
PREDOMINANTLY
ATTRIBUTED TO
THE LACK OF
EDUCATION AND
FINANCIAL
MEANS.
inadequate nutrition or in dangerous
feeding practices such as feeding
cooked bones.1 Also, spaying and
neutering are not yet common practises. Many people cannot afford
regular veterinary care and do not
seek medical attention, even when
they should. Luckily, Trinidad is
rabies-free. The idea of preventive
medicine is not widespread, and as
many animals are unvaccinated, parvoviral infections are common. Often
people wait until a tick infestation is
serious, rather then preventing it with
the use of anti-tick drugs. Some will
even get rid of their animal because of
tick problems. They don’t recognize it
as their responsibility to try to protect
their animal from endemic parasites.
Home remedies for de-worming are
occasionally effective, but not as effective or reliable as with most
inexpensive and safe de-worming
products available. It can be frustrating to practise veterinary medicine in
Trinidad because so many of the
health issues we see, are preventable
with proper nutrition, vaccination,
anti-parasite treatment, spaying and
neutering. The key is education, and
we are continuously trying to educate
our clients, while treating these preventable problems. We certainly have
a long way to go before the average
pet owner in Trinidad is as aware
about pet care as the average
Canadian pet owner.
1 Please note that while raw bones are part of
a healthy dog diet, cooked bones can splinter,
and they should never be fed to dogs as they
can cause lethal perforations of the gastrointestinal tract.
31
A serious issue in Trinidad is represented by the stray dog population
Because animals are not spayed and
neutered, there are numerous breeding animals. Unaltered male dogs are
extremely creative about getting out
of their yard, and the problem is compounded by people dumping
unwanted un-sterilized animals on the
street or in the countryside. The
TTSPCA Trinidad and Tobago
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals, Northern Branch alone
takes in over 8,000 animals a year,
mostly unwanted, relinquished pets
(many litters of puppies). Obviously,
on an island of 1.3 million people, the
number of available, suitable adoptive
homes is very limited. Thus, we are
struggling with a phenomenal high
numbers of unwanted animals and with
the heart-wrenching inevitability of
euthanasia. This situation could be easily rectified by convincing pet-owners
to spay and neuter, which is not easy
since it goes against the cultural norm.
We have to remember that we, as
Canadians, live in a country where the
standard of living is relatively high,
and animals such as dogs and cats are
generally treated well. In Canada,
enforced licencing laws prevent animals from roaming the streets and
causing a menace and public health
risk to people and other animals.
In Trinidad, the most common form
of animal abuse is passive abuse or
neglect: leaving an animal chained or
kenneled for hours every day, not
seeking veterinary attention when it is
necessary, not feeding animals an adequate, nutritionally balanced diet or
supplying fresh drinking water, not
supplying shelter are common problems. It is not that Trinidadians don’t
love their dogs and cats, but they
often don’t understand the responsibilities of pet ownership. People in
Trinidad often treat their pets like
possessions and not like dependent
living beings. As possessions, animals
are extremely disposable in Trinidad,
and we get many animals relinquished
to the TTSPCA simply because their
owners are tired of having the responsibility of caring for them.2 Most of
these animals are euthanised because
we don’t have the space or finances to
accommodate them. Part of the problem is the misconception that we are
able to home all the animals relin-
2 Unfortunately objectification of animals, lack
of commitment and relinquishing of companions animals to shelters and rescue
organizations is a common ongoing problem
in Canada as well. This irresponsible behaviour is much more reproachable in our country
given our greater resources and knowledge.
THE FIVE FREEDOMS
Years ago, the five freedoms were put forth
by Dr. John Webster in the UK and they have
since been used to define animal welfare.
1) FREEDOM FROM THIRST, HUNGER
AND MALNUTRITION
by ready access to fresh water and a diet to
maintain full health and vigour.
2) FREEDOM FROM DISCOMFORT
by providing a suitable environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
3) FREEDOM FROM PAIN, INJURY
AND DISEASE
by prevention or rapid diagnosis and
treatment.
4) FREEDOM TO EXPRESS NORMAL
BEHAVIOUR
by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind
or an owner/handler.
5) FREEDOM FROM FEAR AND
DISTRESS
by ensuring conditions that avoid mental
suffering.
ABANDONED PUPPIES
THE VAST MAJORITY OF ANIMALS
RELINQUISHED/ABANDONED
ARE PUPPIES.
Our canine and feline population are entitled to these freedoms and it is clear that we
still have a long way to go, before our animals are treated the way they deserve to be.
quished to us. The fact is that the
majority of the 8,000 animals we are
taking in each year are animals relinquished by their owners and of these
only 800 were adopted in 2007.
Clearly, we are forced to be very selective about which animals are kept. We
require home checks before we adopt
out dogs, to ensure that they will not
end up being chained or kenneled for
more than an hour or two a day and
that they will generally be treated well.
Common cruelty cases that are
brought to the TTSPCA for treatment
or euthanasia include obvious neglect
such as leaving a wound or injury
until the damage is so severe that it is
irreversible. We have seen cases of
maggot wounds where large parts of
flesh have been eaten away, fractures
that are months old, cases of mange
resulting in bald animals that could
have been easily cured for a few dollars in the early stages. As a veterinarian
I find it hard to try to bring back to
health, or to have to euthanise animals
who have obviously been suffering for
so long, when the health problems
could have been so easily treated if
only the owner had sought veterinary
care earlier.
Currently, in Trinidad, we are also
dealing with a rise in active or violent
animal abuse corresponding to the
increase in violence in the country.
The perpetrators of violent crimes
who show blatant disregard for
human life will also have no regard for
animals. Our job at the TTSPCA is to
do all that we can for the sick, stray
and unwanted dogs of Trinidad and to
investigate all cruelty complaints. One
of our major goals is to reduce the
unwanted dog population through
spaying and neutering campaigns. We
will be running our first spaying campaign in October 2008 with the help
of international sponsorship from
Pegassus Foundation, USA, the
International Humane Society (HSI)
and the animal welfare network in
Trinidad (AWN). If we can reduce the
dog population we believe this will
alleviate a lot of the animal suffering
on the island. Through continual educational campaigns targeted at the
youth of the nation, we hope that we
can change the perception of animals
as possessions to the consideration
that they are sentient beings who
deserve to be loved and protected, as
they love and protect us.
Emily A Cappon, D.V.M. practises
veterinarian medicine at the TTSPCA.
If you are interested in helping the dogs in
Trinidad, in adopting or fostering a
Trinidadian dog or puppy, please call us at
416.726.8895. Some airlines are offering
reduced shipping fees for rescued dogs
coming to Canada.
Cassidy was abandoned in an enclosed yard with another dog. His owners
emigrated and left the dogs to fend for themselves: Cassidy was heavily matted
and starved and he was so thin that he managed to fit through the bars. He
stayed alive by eating from the bins in the area. He was re-homed to a loving
family (and now sleeps in the house). Cassidy has only 3 legs.
32
Fluffy came in with a severe maggot wound involving his whole neck. You could see his
esophagus and trachea as all the flesh had been eaten away. His owner waited for a
week before bringing him in and then abandoned him at the SPCA.
33
R E S C U E A S T R AY.
Adopt a rescued animal,
!
e
f
i
l
a
e
v
a
S
By Teresa Pérett
A
ADOPTING
A RESCUED ANIMAL IS
MORE COMPLEX THAN JUST BUYING ONE AT THE PET STORE: AS
WITH MOST THINGS IN LIFE, TO
DO THE RIGHT THING IS NOT THE
EASIEST THING.
Those rambunctious kittens at the pet
store and those adorable looking puppies are hard to resist, and, besides,
they need a good home.
Unfortunately in the moment you are
making the purchasing transaction at
the pet store, you are encouraging
more unscrupulous puppy mills and
backyard breeders to carry on their
lucrative business of indiscriminate
breeding, often in very unsanitary and
abusive conditions, without any consideration for the animals. Also those
kittens and puppies are sold to any-
34
These stray cats need a home, would you like to adopt one? “From the streets to a home”
is a program established by ORA-Organization for the Rescue of Animals. Choose the stray
you want to adopt and ORA, will rescue him from the streets. The cat will be checked by a
vet, vaccinated and sterilized and then personally delivered to your home.
body who has money or enough
credit to purchase them and without
consideration for the long-term implications of caring for a pet. This results
in numerous puppies and kittens
going to pounds and rescue organizations. Worse, many of those kittens,
when they reach adulthood, they are
not sterilized and they are allowed
outside or let stray outdoors, and they
contribute to the growing number of
stray cats and kittens and to their own
suffering.
At ORA, we have taken in, throughout the years, many dogs, even pure
bred, who were purchased as puppies
at petstores, sometimes for a considerable amount of money, on the whim
of the moment or under pressure by
the selling staff. Often people had
good intentions at the time of purchase, but those good intentions were
not sustained by the daily commitment to care for the animals for the
many years of their natural lives.
If there is space for another cat in
your home and in your life, consider
giving a home to a stray. You may not
have far to go to find one. Some cats
may be already knocking at your door.
In most neighbourhoods, there are
numerous stray cats roaming around
and in desperate need of someone to
care for them. Just rescue one or
more of those poor needy creatures.
Although some strays may be fearful
of humans at first (it is that fear that
secures their survival) they will quickly
understand that you are a human they
can trust. Rescuing a stray cat may be
as simple as letting him or her walk
through the front door or in same
cases it may take a bit of coaxing or
you may need a humane trap and
allure the kitty in with some food,
preferably tuna. The first thing you
may want to do, once the cat is safe in
your home (he should be quarantined
in a separate room away from existing
pets), is to take him for a visit to your
vet, to have him vaccinated, checked
and treated for worms and fleas. The
rescued cat will devour enormous
quantities of food at first; just let him
eat as much as he wants. He is trying
to absorb all the nutrients he has been
deprived of for so long. After a few
days, or sometimes a few weeks, his
food consummation will normalize.
Two weeks after the first vaccination
comes the time to spay or neuter the
kitty: an absolute must. On the internet you can find copious information
on rescuing and caring for strays. You
can also call animal rescue organizations for guidance. At ORA–
Organization for the Rescue of
Animals, we will be always prepared
and glad to answer all your questions
and to guide you through the whole
rescuing process.
If there are no cats at your door steps
begging for food and shelter, you may
do the next honourable thing and
adopt a cat from a rescue organization.
The cat will have already been checked
by a vet, vaccinated and sterilized, but
you will have to undergo the adoption
process. When adopting from ORA,
this may take two or three days. It is
the interest of the cat that is at stake
here, and it is important to bear in
mind that the whole adoption process
is to ensure that the cat goes to a loving, committed home willing and
capable of caring for him, to treat him
like a member of the family and to
provide any necessary veterinarian care,
no matter how costly that may be (pet
insurance can really help in such cases).
The first step of the adoption process
is to complete an adoption application
either on line or in person. It is
important that the application be
answered in detail not only to determine if your home is right for the cat,
but also to assess which cat may be a
better match for you and your
lifestyle. It will follow a phone interAnimal news | Fall, 2008
35
ORA ensures a lifetime return policy:
if, for whatever reason, the adopter
does not wish any longer to keep the
animal, ORA will take him back, even
fifteen years after adoption. Given the
care we place in our adoption procedure and our strict adoption policy,
very few animals have been returned
to us and, sad as these cases may be,
dealing with the traumatized animals,
we are glad that we get the animals
back rather than having them end in a
pound and being euthanized.
The lifetime return policy is exactly
designed for that purpose: to avoid
the possibility that an animal we rescue will ever again finish homeless or,
worse, be euthanized in a pound.
Unfortunately, we are a limited intake
organization which means we can rescue only as many cats and dogs as our
accommodation and financial
resources allow us, but for those animals we try to provide the very best.
When you adopt an animal from
ORA, you are not only giving a home
to that particular animal, but also, by
freeing space in our organization, you
are making it possible for another
stray, abandoned or abused animal to
be saved.
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(including this one)
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that the cat is fine and that he is eating and to provide any necessary
information and answer any questions
the adopter may have about the
adjustment of the new arrival in the
home and the interacting with preexisting pets. A few phone calls will
follow, as needed, until the cat is fully
integrated and appears to be happy in
the new home. The adopter is encouraged to keep in touch with ORA by
phone or e-mails and to send pictures
or relate cute stories about the
adopted animal. ORA reserves the
right to visit the adopted animals to
ensure that everything is fine. Often
the adopters ask us to come for a visit
as they are proud to show the
progress that they have accomplished
and the good health and happiness of
the adopted cat. We love to hear
happy stories and to receive pictures
of ORA adopted animals. That makes
us feel good about what we are doing
and somewhat rewards us for our
efforts, for the large amount of energies, time and money we dispense.
AVE
!
view that may take 30 to 40 minutes
basically designed to find out more
information about you and your situation and to provide more information
to you about the cat or cats you are
applying for, their history, their
health, character and their particular
needs.
If the prospective adopter passes the
phone interview and if he or she is
still interested in adopting, the cat or
cats are delivered to his home. During
this home visit, the volunteer who
brings the cats will assess the safety of
the home and the ability of the
adopter to properly handle the animals. If everything is fine, the cat is
left with the adopters together with all
necessary instructions. The adoption
agreement is signed, and the adoption
fee is paid. The adoption fee covers a
part of the vet bills of vaccinating and
sterilizing the animal. The balance of
the vet costs are hopefully covered by
donations.
The day after the adoption, a ORA
volunteer calls the adopter to ensure
To view a portfolio tailored to your specific requirements (or perhaps just a nice glass of wine?)
please contact Tracey Watt at 416.253.5636 or tracey@ravedesign.com www.ravedesign.com
A
Adoption procedure for dogs is slightly
different, although similar. For more
information about adopting a companion animal from ORA, please
call 416-726-8895 or e-mail
info@ora-animalsrescue.org. Only a
small number of the animals for
adoption are on our website. Please
ask us and we can provide with information on many other cats and dogs
we have available for adoption.
36
37
How can you help?
ORA-Organization for the Rescue of Animals does not
receive any public funding and is funded only on private
donations. ORA is run entirely by volunteers, and all the
rescued animals are housed in foster homes. We do not
have a shelter, nor staff; therefore, no money goes to pay
for rent, occupancy fees, salaries and administrative
expenses. 100% of your money goes to the animals, to pay
for pet food and supplies and veterinary care.
You can also donate directly to cover ORA vet expenses at
any of the following veterinary clinics (please make sure to
mention that your donation must be credited to ORA and
do not forget to notify us of your donation so that we can
claim the credit:
Ballantrae Plaza Vet Clinic
Beaches Animal Hospital
Newmarket Animal Hospital
Acton Veterinary Clinic
Tel: 905.642.3349
Tel: 416.690.4040
Tel: 905.597.7373
Tel: 905.895.2512
Tel: 519.853.1450
Credits at Global Pet Foods Tel: 905.898.7910 are also
much appreciated.
Yes, I want to help the animals...
WHAT ORA NEEDS:
• Volunteers to fund-raise, to do
computer work, to care for the cats
in store adoptions (Mississauga
area), to foster rescued cats and
dogs, short-term (one month or
less) and long-term
• Advertisers and sponsors for
Animal News
• Urgent free storage area for ORA’s
fundraising items and donated
goods
• Cash, cash, cash to buy what is
needed when it is needed (see form
on opposite page)
Your donation makes possible for us to rescue stray, abused
and abandoned animals!
I want to subscribe to Animal news
Monthly giving plan
One year subscription, four issues:
Please accept my monthly gift of: $
●
●
$14 (+GST) in Canada ● $25 in US
$40 membership to ORA
(yearly subscription to Animal news included)
For subscription rates outside Canada and the US please
enquire by e-mail at info@ora-animalsrescue.org
I am making my donation today by:
● Post-dated cheque(s)
● Visa
Name
Address
Telephone
Postal code
Card number
Evening
Name on card
Expiry date
Email Address
Personal cheque
● Visa
●
We are pleased to inform that Amy, one of
the dogs rescued from being gassed in a
Ohio pound, is now safe in Toronto enjoying
a new life with her adoptive family and a
companion dog. In the picture Amy, looking
“at home” just two days after her arrival.
With your help we can rescue many more
dogs like Amy from being killed. To adopt
or foster dogs on death row, please contact
us at info@ora-animalsrescue.org or call
416.726.8895
Mastercard
$100
● $50
Signature
Mastercard
Card number
YOUR MONEY SAVES LIVES!
●
Date
I am making my payment by:
●
● I am enclosing 12 post dated cheques
● I authorize ORA — Organization for the Rescue of
Animals to deduct the above amount from my credit card
on the 1st of each month and understand that I may cancel this arrangement at any time by notifying
ORA — Organization for the Rescue of Animals.
One-time gifts
Name on card
Expiry date
Signature
● $1000
● $500
● $250
●
Other
Please send form/s to:
Tax receipts are issued for donations over $10
I am making my donation today by:
ORA,
300 Coxwell Avenue,
P.O. Box 22608,
Toronto, Ontario.
M4L 3W7
●
Personal cheque
● Visa
●
Mastercard
Card number
Name on card
Expiry date
Signature
Please make cheques payable to:
ORA-Organization for the Rescue of Animals.
Charitable Registration Number: 85580 9448 RR0001
38
39
All proceeds from the sale
of this magazine go to the
animals under the care of
ORA — Organization for
the Rescue of Animals
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE — TODAY
• Campaigning for and financing spaying and neutering in order to contain
pet over-population
• Locating suitable permanent homes
for tamed feral cats, for stray cats and
for cats abandoned by their owners
Toward the preservation of Canadian
wildlife, endangered by urban
sprawl, ORA is working to:
• Acquire large acreages of forested
land in different sensitive areas of
Ontario to be preserved as permanent
sanctuaries for the indigenous fauna.
• Solicit donations of private land in
any area of Ontario to create oases
where the wildlife can live peacefully
and protected.
David Young
ORA–Organization for the Rescue of
Animals, is a registered charitable
organization, 100% volunteer based,
promoting the humane treatment of
all animals and the preservation of
wildlife.
ORA operates in and around the
Greater Toronto Area and we are working for the well-being and protection
of all our fellow animals. While any animal species is the object of our
concern (dogs, raccoons, skunks, bears,
coyotes, etc.), and while we are
devoted to protect their rights and
interests, we have found ourselves
largely involved with the rescue of
cats. In this field ORA is committed
mainly to:
ORA
300 Coxwell Ave.,
P.O. Box 22608,
Toronto, Ontario
M4L 3W7
Tel: 416.726.8895
Fax: 905.473.9291
Timeless Memories
24 Centre Street,Thornhill
905.707.5770
www.horvathphoto.com
40
David Young
Gift Certificates are Available
www.ora-animalrescue.org
Charitable registration
#85580 9448 RR0001
ADOPTION CENTRE
Please give these animals a loving home
h
KATRINA a six years’ old calico,
MINI AND MOXI are super adorable,
does not let age slow her down:
she is active like a kitten, but she
also enjoys cuddling time.
playful and affectionate. These four months’
old siblings are very bonded and should be
adopted together.
TOBY a very sweet Cockapoo,
LUCA is an energetic, very
SAM a recently rescued male
friendly, six months’ old boy. He
two years old, is seeking a new
kitty, approximately four months’
home. He would like a family who is gorgeous with his bright
old, is healthy and beautiful. He is
orange coat and a very fluffy tail. a bit timid at first, and he needs a
can pay a lot of attention to him
and take him everywhere they
quiet environment.
go. He does not like to be left
For more in
alone for too long, and he suffers
formation o
n these and
pets for ad
from separation anxiety. Toby is a
other
option plea
se
visit:
quiet, well behaved dog, very
www.ora-a
nimalrescu
sociable: he loves people, chilor call 41
6.726.8895e.org/adoption.php
dren, cats and friendly dogs.
i

the Donkey Sanctuary - ORA - Organization for the Rescue of Animals

Transcription

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