Animal Families by AddisonPress

Addison Independent, Monday, March 18,2013 – Animal Families — PAGE 17

Animal Families

Special Section

The participation in our first annual Addy Indy Best Pet Contest was astonishing! Thanks to all the families that shared photos and stories of their animal families through this contest. Please flip to pages 20-21 for this year’s contest winners.

PAGE 18 — Animal Families – Addison Independent, Monday, March 18, 2013

Animal communicator helps people understand their pets BY CHRISTY LYNN “It gave me a tool to utilize and ability to It isn’t just Dr. Doolittle and Ace Ventura practice what I had been doing all along with who can talk to animals. There are animal intention and clarity,” she says. communicators that live and work everyIn her practice, Young routinely works where, even here in Addison County. One with animals to establish a relationship of of these communicators is Alyson Young, a trust and compassion. Whether in situations certified energy medicine practitioner and of abuse, neglect, anxiety, trauma or loss, animal communicator (as well as certified Young connects with an animal and begins to practitioner of several other holistic healing learn about his or her complex histories and practices). experiences. Young believes she has Using information that been communicating with “Sometimes comes to her through animals throughout her life, animal commusensory cues such as but it became most apparimages, words and visceral ent when she was a student nication becomes or emotional reactions, of wildlife biology at the as simple as Young is often able to help Washington State University, bring owners and their pets where she had an opportu- offering myself as to a deeper understanding nity to work with Mari, a a liaison or faciliof each other. young moose that was aban“Sometimes animal tator between the communication doned by her mother. becomes “For my whole life I was people and the as simple as offering perceiving things from as a liaison or facilanimals that they myself animals and people, but it itator between the people really started to become very live with.” and the animals that they solidified in the experience — Animal communicator live with,” she says. (of working with Mari),” When behavioral or Alyson Young Young says. health issues present themThe young woman and the selves, a more complex young moose worked together from when energetic component is called for, which Mari was only three weeks old until she was Young employs, incorporating energy healfull grown. Having bonded over that time, the ing methods similar to reiki and other touch adult moose continued to snuggle and lay her healing practices. massive head on Young’s lap. Consulting a professional animal commuYoung’s animal communicator prac- nicator could be appropriate in many ordinary tice developed as she began learning more as well as complex situations. If a rescued about energy work and shamanism and the animal displays signs of trauma or stress, opportunity to do specific work with animal is sick or injured, or acts aggressively or communication. violently, an expert may be able to work with

The

that animal to correct or understand behavior. The communicator may also help find lost animals, too. Communicator services can be relevant for families bringing a new animal into their home or to determine whether a specific match is going to be positive or negative. When families are going away on vacation, moving, experiencing a change in their household or experience loss, an animal communicator can help facilitate an easier transition for the

animals. Young says that in these types of situations, communicating with an animal as well as working with them through energy medicine and therapy can be an effective way for understanding why an animal is behaving the way it is and helping that animal realize that they are safe and secure. “In discovering what is really the issue, we can learn what’s going on with the animal and (Continued on next page)

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Alyson Young, a certified energy medicine practitioner and animal communicator, is seen here with Mari, a young moose who was abandoned by her mother.

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Addison Independent, Monday, March 18,2013 – Animal Families — PAGE 19

(Continued from previous page) conducts research on words, images, maps what it needs, so that the family understands and other information she receives, to make better how to support it,” Young says. sense of how each piece can help solve the ENERGY WORK puzzle. The other piece, Young says, is finding the Sometimes it doesn’t make sense at first, energetic component that is present in the Young says. animal’s body. Young works with the energy “But inevitably when I go look it up I find fields until the balance is restored and it’s no that it makes perfect sense. It’s amazing!” longer causing a continuous problem. An office visit can be followed by home “Everything in its most basic form is simply visits to see the animal in their environment, energy,” she says. “So when things exist which helps the communicator collect more within our energetic body that cause imbal- information and observe how that animal is ance or inhibit the flow of the life-force energy reacting to various objects, other animals and — when left like that unresolved, it can begin people. Hands-on work that could include to manifest into physical or emotional condi- energy healing, use of herbal or floral essences tions: discomfort, illness, disease.” and further dialogue with that animal would Young has had opportunities to work with help supplement further care. animals on short-term bases for specific trauYoung was once brought in to help with mas or illness, as well as long-term sustained a donkey who had ongoing behavioral chalcare with animals. She says her services can lenges that owner Pam Dunne was seeking to be helpful alone or as a part of a larger healing understand and better adapt to. process to help facilitate care and recovery. “Alyson’s work with my donkey Jenny A typical course was a special of work with experience an animal first for all of us,” involves a remote Dunne said. healing session, “She showed Young says. During me that there is these sessions, indeed a wider Young works to and deeper relaestablish a connectionship that we tion with the can have with animal while there animals, espeis as little disrupcially the ones tion to that animal we share our as possible and lives with.” they can remain Young works in a neutral, safe with many environment. species of Animal commuanimals, from nicators and healers cats and dogs to have many different horses and other ways of receiving barn animals. information from She has also animals. Some feel communicated it kinesthetically, with wild some empathetianimals, from cally, some receive As a student of wildlife biology at the Washington Mari the moose images, words, State University, Young had the unique opportunity to a swarm of scents or telepathic to work with Mari as she grew into an adult moose. hornets followmessages. ing an incident Young says she is where a young able to receive many different kinds of feel- child in their neighborhood was stung after ings from animals, but most often she feels stepping on the nest. during these sessions as if she is present with Young says she communicated the safety the animal and is able to witness what they are concerns to the hornets and requested that they experiencing. Sometimes she says she can feel relocate. a particular energy in her own body when she “I never saw them again after that,” she says. is communicating with an animal, indicating This case demonstrated a universal truth for to her that the animal has an issue with that Young. body part. Other times Young will receive “When you’re speaking authentically with images of such things as plants or flowers that an animal about their safety and well-being — may be helpful in finding an aid for the animal. it’s not just ‘I don’t like you,’ but it’s ‘Here’s Young combines these clues to draft a the situation,’” she said. “There’s usually a picture of that animal and what it needs. She response.”

PAGE 20 — Animal Families – Addison Independent, Monday, March 18, 2013

! s r e n n i W e Th

Best Actio st

s r e d a e r endent

e d n I n o s y Addi

Contest! o t o h P t Pe n to our rst ever w fi o r d u t i o f o ow ere are winners d to narr h r e a d h h n t t a i l l t s d a ions to ul entires and foun r who they liked be e look forward t a l u t a r Cong d many wonderf readers voted fo ed photos and w ive of our ubmitt s 0 0 o 3 We rece h n w a e h on More t to every u o top ten. y k n ear! lts. Tha the resu ven more next y e to seeing

n o d e t o As v

Cutest Pet

2nd

Mason

Mason is a one-year-old Collie/Lab mix with a lot of energy. He gets many Frisbees thrown to him daily. He loves to jump and catch....

Lily

‘Puppy Eyes’

2nd

Penn

Mason

‘Cat Ka

‘Frisbee Dog’

t a t o P h c u o C t Bes Sadie

‘Soccer Face’

3rd

f Pup’

‘Sleeping Mastif

me Sadie Hi! My mom calls onth-old m 6Bug. I am a and, yup, I f tif as m h is gl En couch potaam the queen of eham with or toes. I live in Sh Patsy and d, da d an om my m n. so un M t ot Sc

3rd 2nd

Hooligan

3rd

‘Pet Pillow’

Reeva

‘Lounging’

Cruiser ‘Nap Time’

Addison Independent, Monday, March 18,2013 – Animal Families — PAGE 21

on Shot

Funniest Expression

Leo

‘Dinner Time Angst’

Leo, a Dachshund/ Terrier mix, is so excited for dinner that he cannot keep his face in place.

Harley and Davidson

‘Moto Dogs’

Hi! We love living in Vermont. In the wintertime we love to chase squirrels from the bird feeders and play in the snow. In the summer months, Mom and Dad take us for a ride on the motorcycle and most of our trips end up at a creemee stand — OH BOY — vanilla with sprinkles!!!!

2nd 3rd Callie and Freckles

Max ‘Ball?’

‘Tongue Out’

Best Dressed

arate’

st Oliver

‘Winter Sweate r’ This is a pict Shichon. His ure of our new puppy. He na is a he is adorable me is Oliver. Of course we ! think

Tucker

‘Straw Hat’

2nd

3rd Jeremy

‘Post Surgery Stripes’

PAGE 22 — Animal Families – Addison Independent, Monday, March 18, 2013

Hilarity days BOULDER, A STANDARD poodle puppy, and Monty, a 1-year-old golden retriever/ Great Pyrenees mix have lots of puppy fun.

Photo submitted by Gayle Grim

Vt. vets say animals need regular dental checkups If you ever wonder what your teeth would look like if you never brushed or flossed, take a look at your dog or cat’s teeth. According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, more than 85 percent of dogs and cats show signs of oral disease by age three. The trouble begins when food particles and bacteria build up in the mouth to form plaque and tartar, which leads to reversible gingivitis. Gingivitis, if ignored, will progress to periodontal disease. Irreversible periodontal disease is a painful process that leads to tooth decay, bad breath, bleeding gums and, in severe cases, tooth loss. When bacteria from periodontal disease travels into a pet’s bloodstream, the lungs, heart, kidneys, liver and nervous system can be affected. These infections usually are treatable when caught at an early stage. However, if they are not caught in time, they can cause serious organ damage and even death. All pets are at risk for developing dental problems, so it is important for you to have your pets examined by a veterinarian annually

to detect problems early. It also is important for owners to check their pets often between visits for these warning signs: • Bad breath. • Tartar buildup on the teeth. • Swollen, receding or bleeding gums. • Fractured or abscessed teeth. • Change in eating habits. Experts recommend that a pet be taken to a veterinarian immediately if it shows any of the above symptoms. While February was officially “National Pet Dental Health Care Month,” any month will do to review a pet’s dental care and take the necessary steps to ensure the pet has healthy teeth and gums. These steps include an annual checkup, where recommendations may be made for cleaning, polishing and other dental care in the hospital and a program of home dental care, which may include regular brushing, specific diets and dental chews. Editor’s note: This story was provided by Dr. M. Kathleen Shaw, DVM, of the Vermont Veterinary Medical Association.

Stare down BELLA, A 9-YEAR-OLD springer spaniel, loves to hunt! She got this mouse away from a cat and the chase ensued. The mouse put up a good fight, but needless to say, it was no match for such a fine hunter. Photo submitted by Shannon Kayhart

Addison Independent, Monday, March 18,2013 – Animal Families — PAGE 23

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PAGE 24 — Animal Families – Addison Independent, Monday, March 18, 2013