Cats and Dogs, a Magazine Devoted to Companion Animals by Cats and Dogs, a Magazine Devoted to Companion Animals

cats and DOGS A Magazine Devoted to Companion Animals

Our Readers Write My dog knows Spanish Page 26

Dee Gage - Page 16 West Michigan Ferret Connection

Sandi DeHaan, left, and Valerie Hysell taking care of Inner City Cats Pages 4-5

Spring 2020

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CONTENTS Animals for Adoption Carol’s Ferals .......................................................................

Cannonsville Critters ...................................................

BestPals Animal Rescue ..................................................

Reuben’s Room Cat Rescue ............................................

Muskegon Humane Society .........................................

Crash’s landing .................................................................

Almost Every Month Willow’s World ..................................................................

Business Card Directory ..............................................

Community Resource Guide .......................................

Furry Philosophy ..............................................................

Ask the Trainer ...................................................................

Cat Corner ............................................................................

Our Readers Write ...........................................................

On the Wild Side ................................................................

Furry Philosophy Page 14

Features Caring for Inner City Cats ........................................

Pet Tales Rescue ..................................................................

Ferret Facts .........................................................................

Sanctuary Moon, Rescuing Domestic birds ...

Cats and Dogs PO Box 996, Jenison, MI 49429-0996 616-777-0645 catsanddogsmagazine@comcast.net www.catsanddogsmagazine.com Cats and Dogs, founded in 2006, is a free publication supported by advertisers. Magazines are distributed throughout Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon and surrounding counties. We are not responsible for services and products advertised. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission from the publisher.

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Publisher: Janet Vormittag Owner: JLV Enterprises LLC Deadlines Spring: Feb. 10 - Summer: May 10 Fall: August 10 - Winter: Nov. 10 Home delivery of Cats and Dogs is $16 per year. Make your check payable to Cats and Dogs and mail to: Cats and Dogs, P.O. Box 996, Jenison, MI 49429-0996

Advertising information: 616-777-0645 - catsanddogsmagazine@comcast.net

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Caring for Inner City Cats By Janet Vormittag “I love plants, old people and animals,” Sandi DeHaan said. While working as a nurse doing home visits, Sandi volunteered at the Humane Society of West Michigan. When a client, who lived in a manufactured home park on South Division, had a cat with five kittens living under her trailer, Sandi couldn’t ignore it. She borrowed a live trap, caught the entire family, and got them spayed and neutered. She took the kittens to Crash’s Landing in Grand Rapids and then started volunteering at the cat rescue. That was 16 years ago. Sandi has been trapping and caring for colonies of cats ever since. She retired, but returned to work part-time. “I needed the money for cat rescue,” she explained. Her work still involves home health care. While visiting her clients she always watches for cats. About 11 years ago, at Walden Woods, a senior apartment complex in Wyoming, she met an older couple who were feeding outside cats. She helped trap the cats, got them “fixed” and provided shelters. A client who lived on Sheldon Street had a neighbor with several cats on the porch. Sandi offered to get them spayed and neutered but her offer was turned down. The next spring, when there were several kittens, they asked for help. When Sandi finds kittens, she has a network of friends and rescues, including Focus on Ferals, she calls for help. Can someone provide a foster home? Socialize them? Get them into an adoption program? When Sandi does TNR (trap-neuter-return), she feels a sense of responsibility towards the cats. “Once you trap them you have to feed them,” she declared. She also supplies shelters for the cats to live in. Through her trapping Sandi met Cheryl Gachter, a like-minded woman who also has a mission of taking care of homeless cats. Every day, either Sandi or Cheryl, make the rounds to 13 feeding stations throughout the inner-city area to supply fresh water and food. Another friend, Diana, does the care on Mondays. Often Sandi’s friend, Valerie Hysell, travels with her to care for the cats. I went along with Sandi and Val on a cold day in January. “I love it. It’s my therapy,” Val said. It takes about two hours to make the rounds. More if there’s snow that they have to shovel from around the cat houses. Some cats are friendly. Obviously once pets, but for reasons unknown, now living on the streets. Such is the case of Lionel, a big gray and white boy who not only Cats and Dogs - 4

Sandi DeHaan, left, and Valerie Hysell with Lionel, one of the outside cats they take care. wanted food, but attention. The women argued over who loved him more. Lionel lives with Shelby and Caboose in a wooded area at the end of a dead-end street. The location is near train tracks hence the train names. It’s an area littered with trash, apparently a dumping area for more than just cats. When Sandi thinks a cat would be happier as a house cat, she takes the cat to Dr.Jen Gillum for vaccines, testing for FIV and feline leukemia and spay/neuter surgery. The cats are put on a waiting list for Crash’s Landing or the Humane Society of West Michigan. Sandi thinks Lionel is a candidate for adoption, but she worries about breaking up friendships. Such is the case with Curline and Violet. The two girls shared a cat house and have been best buddies for seven years. But Curline recently quit eating. Sandi took her to Dr. Jen, who runs Crash’s Landing. Curline’s teeth were rotten and had to be pulled. Doc also suspected a spot on Curline’s head was cancerous. She recommended not putting her back outside. Curline was resting comfortably in a cage in Sandi’s living room when I visited. “I don’t know what to do,” Sandi said. Should she try to find Curline an inside home and take her away from Violet? Then Violet would be alone. But Violet is weary of people and probably wouldn’t appreciate being brought inside. It’s a decision Sandi has to think about. As we made the rounds, most cats recognized Sandi’s car and come out to greet her. Some watched from a distance, others allowed her to pet them. “I’m as happy to see them as they are to see me,” Sandi said. One of the heartbreaking aspects of caring for outside cats is sometimes they disappear, and she never knows why. Val and Sandi have a routine. Val is in charge of cleaning the bowls and dispensing fresh water. Sandi Continued on page 5

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handles the food; dry kibble topped with chunks of canned food. Sandi feeds Costco’s cat food or other highquality food if received as a donation. On Sundays, Sandi has extra stops. A mail woman, known as Flash, traps and feeds homeless cats on her mail route. She fills in for Flash on her day off. Sandi frequently gets calls from people, some she doesn’t even know, asking for help with cats. She does her best to help everyone even if it means paying for surgeries or food out of her own pocket. “There are times I can’t take one more cat in my house,” she said. One friend setup up a GoFundMe campaign that raised $600. But it doesn’t take long to spend hundreds of dollars when caring for so many cats. While Sandi hasn’t had a vacation in years and taking care of the cats is financially and emotional draining, she isn’t about to quit. “I don’t know how I can stop. I can’t just stop feeding them,” she said. If you would like to help Sandi or make a donation, email her at dehaan2543@comcast.net.

Some of the cats who depend on on Sandi, Val, Cheryl and Diana. Spring 2020 • www.catsanddogsmagazine.com

It takes close to two hours to make the 13 stops to feed and water the cats. Cats and Dogs - 5

Willow’s World Under the Table By Tricia L. McDonald “Is she okay under there?” our friend John asks. It is Thanksgiving Day and our friends have joined us at our home for dinner. Mike spent all day cooking and there is an amazing spread of food on the kitchen counter. Our agreement is that he cooks and I clean. I definitely have the better end of the deal as he is an amazing cook. After we fill our plates, the eight of us sit down at the dining room table. Actually it is tables plural as we had to add an additional table in order to have enough seats. Just like Thanksgiving days in the past at grandma’s house with the kids’ table. However, there are no kids at this meal except our furry kids. Eli is sitting nonchalantly in his normal dinner position just to the left of the person on the opposite side of Mike. That way he is out of Mike’s sight and there is less of a chance he’ll get scolded. He has that really I’m not enough noticing there is food on the table look. During the meal he is likely to sneak around the chairs if he senses a weakling that will fall for his waif-like look. Ernie spent the day underfoot in the kitchen “helping” Mike with the cooking. He was the floor cleaner—grabbing anything that fell before it hit the floor. It is obvious that was an exhausting job as he is now lying on the doggy pillow in the living room, just off the dining room. He can barely keep his eyes open, but keeps peeking just in case some food should find its way to the floor and Eli misses it. Every once in a while a snore escapes from his adorable little old man face. Then there is Miss Willow. Sweet, crazy Willow. She is underneath the table. Yes, she is laying underneath the table among the many human feet. She has her tail in her mouth and she is whining. Which brings us back to John’s question of whether or not she is okay, because she sounds like she is not okay. Plus, she looks like she is not okay. I mean, she is laying underneath the dining room table with her tail in her mouth and whimpering. Is that okay? And what dog does that? Miss Willow does. Cats and Dogs - 6

This is something she does every time we sit at the table for any amount of time. It doesn’t matter if it is only one of us, or if there are many of us. It doesn’t matter if we are there for 15 minutes or 2 hours. As soon as we sit down, she scoots under the table, executes a few spins, grabs her tail, drops to the floor, and starts whimpering. Why does she do this? Only Miss Willow knows. The whimpering isn’t because she is hurt. I know this because I’ve crawled under there to see if she was okay. She was. Once we leave the table, she lets go of her tail, stands up and leaves also. As a writing coach, my clients come to my home and we work at this same dining room table. Have you ever tried to focus on writing with a dog under the table whimpering with her tail in her mouth? I have. It doesn’t work. Now on the days when I meet with a client, Willow goes to doggy daycare. We are now so used to this odd Willow behavior we don’t even notice it anymore. In fact, the only time we realize it is happening is when others point it out. “Is she okay under there?” our friend John asks as he looks under the table at Willow. “Oh yeah,” I say. “This is her normal dinner time behavior.” John looks across the table at me with his eyebrows raised. “You know that’s not normal dog behavior, right?” “It’s normal Willow behavior,” I say. We all shake our heads and return to our dinner conversation. Nowadays when Willow is under the table and I’m eating, I rest my bare feet on her body. It’s like having a fur-lined personal heating and vibrating pad all to myself. Now if I could just get Eli to stop giving me the side-eye every time I lift my fork to my mouth.

You can purchase Life With Sally: Little White Dog Tails, Still Spinnin’ Tails, Waggin’ More Tails and Princess Tails in Grand Haven at Must Love Dogs and The Bookman; in Grand Rapids at Schulers Books. You can order books at amazon.com. The cost is $13.95. The books are also available on Kindle and Nook for $5.99. www.catsanddogsmagazine.com • Spring 2020

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Saturday, May 16 Noon to 4 p.m.

2977 Corporate Grove Drive Hudsonville, Michigan

For more details look for Pints For Pits 2020 on Facebook. Cats and Dogs - 10

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Pet Tales Rescue

BUSINESS CARD DIRECTORY

By Janet Vormittag Pet Tales Rescue is celebrating ten years of finding homes for unwanted dogs and cats. “There’s such a need, but I couldn’t do it without the support of volunteers,” said founder Kathy Brown. Pet Tales, based in Kentwood, relies on foster homes to take care of the animals in their adoption program until new homes can be found. They have nearly 100 volunteers and 30 foster homes, but always need more. Volunteers help with adoption events, fundraising, fostering and the transport of animals. Applications to volunteer can be found on the group’s website. Kathy works full time in the finance department of a law firm in downtown Grand Rapids. She runs the rescue and fosters dogs when she’s not at work. “I have no spare time,” she joked. The animals in Pet Tales’ care come from a variety of places. Some come from the Detroit Pit Crew, an allbreed rescue that takes in strays off the streets of the Motor City. The group frequently gets dogs from Genesee and Calhoun counties and over the years has taken in animals from most of the counties in Michigan, except Kent. “I could get a dog from every county, but the one I lived in,” Kathy said, adding that has changed since the county animal shelter hired a new director last year. Pet Tales also works with shelters in Alabama, Texas and Louisiana. “I’ve made good friends across the country. We’re all working together to make a difference,” Kathy said. While the dogs accepted into Pet Tales come from around Michigan and out-of-state, the cats and kittens in their program come from West Michigan, where overpopulation of cats is still a problem. They found homes for 486 animals in 2019. Pet Tales is funded through adoption fees and donations. Their budget for 2019 was $135,000. Of that, $120,000 was for veterinary care. Before being put up for adoption, all their dogs and cats are microchipped, spayed/neutered, dewormed, tested for species-specific diseases, and have age appropriate vaccines. Their biggest fundraiser, now in its 7th year, is Pints for Pits, which will be held May 16. Last year close to 400 people and 140 dogs attended. There’s music, food, raffles, and vendors. Last year they raised $12,000. “If everyone donated $10 in honor of our ten-year anniversary, I’d be happy,” Kathy said.

616-949-1390 www.noahspetcemetery.com noahspc@comcast.net

For more information: www.pettalesrescue.com or 616446-1591. Spring 2020 • www.catsanddogsmagazine.com

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Community Resource Guide Cemeteries

Pet Boarding/Sitters

Clock Timeless Pets 1469 Peck St., Muskegon, MI 49441 231-722-3721 - www.clocktimelesspets.com

Canine Country Club In-home pet sitting and dog walking 231-755-3230

Noah’s Pet Cemetery & Crematory 2727 Orange Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616-949-1390 – noahspc@comcast.net www.noahspetcemetery.com

Dogs Bay Inc Boarding, daycare, grooming, CBD products 3675 64th St., Holland 49423 or 3225 132nd Ave., Holland, 49424 616-218-4493 – dogsbayinc@gmail.com – www.dogsbay.net

Sleepy Hollow Pet Cemetery 2755 64th St. SW, Byron Center, MI 49315 616-538-6050 – www.sleepyhollowpc.com info@sleepyhollowpc.com

Pet Villa – Lodging, Daycare, Grooming 3934 3 Mile Road NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49534 616-735-3191 – pvpetvilla@gmail.com www.thepetvilla.com

Feral Cat Support Services A Feral Haven Supporting feral/community cats in Ottawa and Allegan Counties by loaning live traps, and providing spay/neuter vouchers and food. http://www.aferalhavenmi.org – 616-399-1774 a.feral.haven.mi@gmail.com

Humane Societies/Shelters Allegan County Animal Shelter 2293 33rd Street, Allegan, MI 49010 269-686-5112 - www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI299.html Harbor Humane Society 14345 Bagley Street (at US 31), West Olive, MI 49460 616-399-2119 - www.harborhumane.org Humane Society of West Michigan 3077 Wilson Drive NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49534 616-453-8900 - www.hswestmi.org Ionia County Animal Shelter 3853 Sparrow Drive, Ionia, MI 48846 616-527-9040 - www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI342.html Kent County Animal Shelter 740 Fuller Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 616-632-7300 - www.accesskent.com/kcas Pound Buddies Animal Shelter & Adoption Center 1300 East Keating Ave., Muskegon, MI 231-724-6500 - www.poundbuddies.org

Grooming Doggie Paws Brenda Christensen 410 E Division St, Sparta, MI 49345 616-887-7060 – brendasilverleaf@yahoo.com www.doggie-paws.com

The Cat’s Meow Loving Home Care For Your Cat Jeanine Buckner, veterinary assistant - 616-481-6878

Pet In-Home Hospice Heaven at Home Pet Hospice In-home pet hospice, palliative pet care and euthanasia for companion animals 616-498-1316 – doc@pethospicevet.com www.pethospicevet.com

Pet Services Pleasant Hearts Pet Food Pantry Helping keep pets and families together since 2016 info@pleasantheartspetfoodpantry.org www.pleasantheartspetfoodpantry.org 1539 Taylor Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505

Pet Training Paradigm Dog School Professional dog training 616-886-4214 – paradigmds@gmail.com www.paradigmdogschool.com Wolf Song Enterprises, LLC Animal behavior consulting, Animal training, Animal talent Wolfsongenterprises@gmail.com – 231-744-7141

Rescue Groups Bellwether Harbor P.O. Box 475, 7645 West 48th St., Fremont, MI 49412 231-924-9230 - www.bellwetherharbor.org BestPals Animal Rescue Center 13888 Blair St., Holland, MI 49424 Call for appointment, 616-212-3368 www.bestpalsarc.wix.com – bestpalsarc@gmail.com Cannonsville Critters Helping cats in Montcalm County Michelle Hocking, 989-287-2553

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Community Resource Guide Carol’s Ferals Trap-Neuter-Return and Adoption 616-560-0555 – www.carolsferals.org Crash’s Landing Cat Rescue & Placement Center No-kill, Non-profit 501(c) organization 616-821-6065 - www.crashslanding.org Headin’ Home Pet Rescue 185 Panther Dr., Holland, MI 49424 616-886-1474 - headinhomerescue@sbcglobal.net www.headinhomerescue.org Hearts of Hope Dog Rescue Until there are none, rescue one 616-366-8455 - rescueofhope@gmail.com www.rescueofhope.com Mackenzie’s Animal Sanctuary ‘A home along the way’ for dogs in need. Adopt - Volunteer - Donate 8935 Thompson Rd. Lake Odessa, MI 48849 www.mackenzies.info Muskegon Humane Society - a no kill, non-profit shelter 2640 Marquette Ave., Muskegon, MI 49442 231-773-8689 - www.muskegonhumanesociety.org Pet Tales Rescue A non-profit, volunteer, foster-based, all-breed dog/cat rescue. Kathy Brown, P.O. Box 88084, Kentwood, MI 49518 616-446-1591 – pettalesrescueboard@gmail.com www.pettalesrescue.com – www.facebook.com/pettalesrescue Reuben’s Room Cat Rescue Jeanine Buckner A no-kill, non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization 616-481-6878 - www.reubensroom.petfinder.com Safe Haven Humane Society P.O. Box 55, Ionia, MI 48846 Fax: 517-579-5948 616-522-1611 – shhspets@hotmail.com – www.shhspets.com Vicky’s Pet Connection www.vickyspetconnection.com West Michigan Ferret Connection Education - Boarding - Adoptions - Rescue Dee Gage, 616-447-2978 - wmfc2001@sbcglobal.net

www.westmichiganferretconnection.com

Westie Rescue Michigan Inc A nonprofit volunteer organization providing assistance and foster care for homeless West Highland White Terriers. Jackie Curtis – 810-632-5477 westierescuemi2@yahoo.com – www.westierescue-mi.com

Spay/Neuter

C-SNIP Affordable spay/neuter services We have clinics in Grand Rapids and on the Lakeshore 616-455-8220 – info@csnip.org www.csnip.org

Specialty Businesses Critter Cottage Adoption/outreach for Vicky’s Pet Connection 7205 Thornapple River Drive SE, Ada, MI 616-682-4855 - www.vickyspetconnection.com Happy Cat Cafe Cat Lounge & Adoption Center 447 S Division, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 616-202-4750 – happycatgr@gmail.com www.happycatgr.com. Kristina VanOss Studio Pet portraits made personal 616-566-2113 – inastateofre@gmail.com Wishbone House Thrift shop and Pet Adoptions 165 Blue Star Highway, Douglas, MI 269-455-5247 – www.wishbonepetrescue.org

Veterinarians Family Friends Veterinary Hospital 6555 28th St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616-575-6520 – chelsey.rosemeck@familyfriendsvet.com www.familyfriendsvet.com Laketown Cat Hospital 3604 64th Street, Saugatuck, MI 49453 (269)455-5056 mail@laketowncathospital.com www.laketowncathospital.com Mapleview Animal Hospital 185 Panther Dr., Holland, MI 49424 616-399-2140 -mapleviewah@sbcglobal.net www.mapleviewanimalhospital.net

Wildlife Lowell Farm and Wildlife Center 12494 Vergennes St., Lowell, MI 616-885-4223 – www.farmwildlife.org Wildlife Rehab Center 1504 Union Ave. NE, Grand Rapids 616-361-6109 – www.wildlife-rehab-center.org

Wishbone Pet Rescue Alliance Managing the Allegan County Animal Shelter P.O. Box 124, Douglas, MI 49406 (800) 475-0776 - www.wishbonepetrescue.org

Spring 2020 • www.catsanddogsmagazine.com

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Furry Philosophy By Jodi Jarvis -Therrian, CCPDT-KA CTDI “Let others believe you are dead if they desire; but I want no part of it for as far as I’m concerned, you are vitally alive and just as much the ‘old pal’ now as ever. It could not be otherwise, I know too much about the expanse of the real you.” J Allen Boone Even though his furry earthly body left on my birthday, January 30, and he is not here to snuggle, the real Odin J will live forever. I will dedicate my life to honoring him and his messages. Over fifteen years ago my daughter, Paige, saw his face on Petfinder and that was it. My heart was stolen. We had to adopt him. A poor little boy left to freeze in the snow, taken to a foster home where the children were not nice, and he was not in great condition. I’ve told many people, when I work with them and their dogs, that we have to celebrate our dogs for who they are. I believe every being is brought into our lives for a reason. Odin’s was to be my teacher. He reacted with children and fast movement. He forced me to educate myself more. He taught me to look deeper to find ways to help him and other dogs. I am so glad dogs are forgiving. At first, I went the wrong direction. Did I once do an alpha roll? Yes, sadly, I admit it. Did it work? NO! It made it worse. I spent 15 years expanding my knowledge. I took classes, seminars, and read to help him. I believe this is how we became closer than any other being I’ve ever encountered. Odin taught me that taking time, having patience, and learning what he needed to make scary situations better was what made it easier. When we started doing this, he soared. I look back at our videos together now and he watched my every move, we achieved an incredible bond and shared a dance. I believe that can only be achieved with pure love and trust and having FUN together. Odin went on to achieve greatness. He won many first prize ribbons at rally trials and earned his Advanced Canine Good Citizen, his AKC trick performing title, and at the age of fourteen, he became a Champion Trick Dog. I don’t believe titles are the do-all-end-all, but for a little rescue reactive dog, he overcame so many obstacles. We had so much fun together achieving these goals. I believe that his most important lesson he left was for me is to Cats and Dogs - 14

help other dogs live their best lives by telling his story and helping dogs and their humans understand each other better. I have hundreds of stories about this boy. All so priceless to me. You can read a lot of them on my blog furryphilosophy.blogspot.com or in my book, “Furry Philosophy and Memoirs Set in Stone.” So many happy memory videos. If you would like to see a few. This is my favorite: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=pxhpOt81yRY. You can also go to YouTube and type in Odin J. DMWYD or AKC trick performance title. Odin was an angel to other dogs. He has helped shy dogs, at classes I taught, to overcome their fears by just being sweet and kind. He was referred to as “Uncle Odin” and others said, “my puppy’s first best friend.” He is very missed by my grand-puppy and his sister kitty, Raven. He was always kind to rescue squirrels and ducks. He is missed by so many. The outpouring of love has been a tremendous help to me and such an honor to his name. When it was the end of his life, my heart broke. I sobbed like no other. I felt it from the depths of my soul. When you bond with a creature that much it’s the hardest goodbye you’ve ever felt. He will always be alive, as far as I’m concerned, in my heart, and in many ways to come. He will be honored, and his name will live on by helping other dogs live their best lives. I love you Odin J. I am thankful for every lesson you taught me and for being my teacher. You are my heart and my soul, and always will be. Alexis, the talented director at Muskegon Humane Society, designed a graphic that I am having made into a car sticker with Odin’s message. It’s a fundraiser for Muskegon Humane. To order, please contact me via info below. The cost is $5 each. Look for “Odin J’s Helping Dogs Live Their Best Lives” group on Facebook. As one of my favorite philosophers, a wise ol’ bear named Winnie the Pooh states, “How Lucky I Am To Have Something That Makes Saying Goodbye So Hard.”

Memory Stones by Jodi Honoring the memories of your loved ones in a beautiful way. Fur or ashes can be permanently fused in a stone that can be made into a sun catcher, keychain or jewelry.

www.memorystonesbyjodi.com

231-893-1227

www.catsanddogsmagazine.com • Spring 2020

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Ferret Facts By Dee Gage Founder of the West Michigan Ferret Connection I saw a meme on Facebook with a picture of Will Smith from the Men In Black movie where he’s holding up a memoryerasing neuralyzer and the caption read, “You are now going to forget everything Petsmart told you and do your own research.” In my world of ferrets, Petsmart could be substituted with any pet store name that sells ferrets. First, how you see a kit (baby ferret) displayed in a pet store IS NOT how they should be housed and maintained in the home. Ferrets are not rodents. They are obligate carnivores like cats and dogs and have a kitten-like quality all their lives. Caging a ferret is like kenneling a dog, it’s their safe space when they are not out interacting with their owners. In my opinion, the best ferret cage is the Midwest Ferret Nation cage. Many ferret owners have a designated, ferret-proofed room for their ferret(s) where the cage door can be left open and the room has all their toys. DO NOT use Carefresh or shavings for litter or bedding. Ferrets can be litter box trained and Yesterday’s News (better yet, wood stove pellets) is recommended. Do you honestly have the best living environment to keep a ferret? Being a renter is a huge risk factor because renters are considered a “transient lifestyle,” and most apartment complexes do not allow ferrets. In general, ferrets do not do well with young children under 8 years of age and I do not recommend it. Having a ferret is like having a 2-year-old in your house; they play bite, they have sharp little teeth and they are excitable. Are you ready for a long-term commitment of 6-8 years? Parents of teens (older and younger teens) need to keep in mind their youngster is in a stage of their life with many changes: high school, expanding network of friends and activities, part-time jobs, driving, graduating, college, leaving home and in essence this cute little ferret becomes mom and dad’s responsibility as their child’s interest wanes. It breaks my heart when a 4-5

Dee Gage, founder of the West Michigan Ferret Connection year old ferret is surrendered to the shelter because “we don’t have time anymore.” Ferrets are small but they aren’t cheap. High quality food that meets a ferret’s nutritional requirements is not cheap. It’s not unusual to pay approximately $25 for a 4-lb bag of food. Unfortunately, even pet stores don’t supply appropriate brands of “ferret food.” Read the labels. Chicken should be within the top five ingredients. Avoid any food with peas (prominent in grain-free foods) and too many fillers. Ferrets are considered “exotics” and vet bills can be expensive. It’s important to have a vet who actually “knows” ferrets. Ah, yes, I forgot about the smell. Ferrets have a naturally musky odor. Bottom line is either you like it or you don’t. Baths do not remove the odor … NO BATHS! The best way to keep the odor down is to feed them the proper food, keep their bedding clean and keep their litter boxes clean. In summary, research on how to care for a ferret prior to purchasing or adopting. Talk to as many ferret owners as you can. Ferret people love to talk about their ferrets. www.westmichiganferretconnection.com

A special thanks to Noah’s Pet Cemetery & Crematory for sponsoring our page.

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This Reuben’s Room Cat Rescue page is sponsored by Sleepy Hollow Pet Cemetery.

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In-Home Pet Care When You Can’t Be There THE CAT’S MEOW Pet Sitters

Need more customers, clients or volunteers?

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Jeanine Buckner Veterinary Assistant

616-791-9696

Loving Home Care For Your Pet During my 18 years of working in veterinary medicine, I realized the need for an alternative to boarding. Thus, The Cat’s Meow Pet Sitters was created. By keeping your feline friend in her familiar home surroundings, you and your cat experience less stress while you are away. My first home visit with you and your cat is at no charge. Information regarding medical care, instructions on feeding and watering, litter box patrol and playing with and/or grooming your cat will all be discussed. At no additional charge, bringing in mail and/or newspapers and watering plants can also be done. Pampering your cat in her/his own home is a wise alternative to boarding. Your cat will thank you! Jeanine Buckner, Owner

Ask the Trainer

Cats and Dogs A Magazine Devoted to Companion Animals

Reach more than 12,000 people who care about pets. Contact us at: catsanddogsmagazine@comcast.net 616-777-0645

By Robert Crough - Owner Paradigm Dog School www.paradigmdogschool.com

HOW DOGS MEET -VS- HOW PEOPLE MEET Dogs and humans share very similar social family structures. Due to this, we often enforce human psychology and standards on our dogs when it comes to meeting someone for the first time. This can have serious consequences as dogs and humans are in many ways quite different. One way in particular is how dogs meet each other. You will notice in the chart below that our greeting rituals are completely opposite in almost every way to how our dogs have to do it. DOG VS. HUMAN GREETING RITUALS HUMANS Eye contact Touch - Humans hug & shake hands Sound - Talk in loud tones Excited Plant feet stop motion

DOGS No eye contact No touch - Maybe a nose brushing by No sounds Calm Constant circular motion, sniffing butts.

These differences are dramatic and need to be understood and taken seriously. For the dog, the human breaks every “greeting ritual rule” they have. This can be perceived by your dog in some cases as a challenge (dog growls/ snarls at guests) or as over-excitement (dog jumps & behaves in a hyper manner toward guests). Whichever the case may be, to be fair to the dog, it is our responsibility to understand and respect the needs and social structures of the animals we bring into our home. Here are a few body postures that are very unnatural to your dog that you should be aware of and teach your children not to do them. Patting a dog on top of his head is a highly impolite and inappropriate greeting in a dog’s world. A more appropriate greeting would be to hold out your hand out palm up, and let the dog come to you. Once accepted by the dog (nose nudge, lick, wagging body/tail) you should first pet or scratch the dog under the chin or on his chest. Hugging: Being restrained constitutes cause for concern in the dog world. It can be very dangerous for children who are almost always viewed as weaker by the dog. Kissing: In the canine world, dogs lick the side of the mouth as an appeasing, lower rank greeting. If you kiss a dog on the lips/mouth you may be sending the wrong message to your dog. I do not recommend ever kissing a strange dog, but you can kiss your own dog on top of his furry little head if he doesn’t have any dominance issues. Spring 2020 • www.catsanddogsmagazine.com

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Sanctuary Moon Rescuing Domestic Birds By Janet Vormittag The popularity of backyard chickens has put pressure on rescues to take in roosters and sometimes hens, when they’re no longer wanted. “There’s a lot of dumping that goes on,” said Rachel Hipp, co-founder of Sanctuary Moon, a nonprofit rescue in Lowell that specializes in domestic birds. “We were born out of necessity,” she added. Co-founder of the Sanctuary is Rachel’s husband, Ryan, who spent years volunteering at a nearby wildlife rescue and a feral cat organization. In 2014, the couple adopted a flock of ducks, which was the start of their sanctuary. Rachel explained domestic birds can’t survive on their own. When they’re dropped off at parks or in the country, the birds fall prey to predators or die from starvation. Sanctuary Moon has 38 residents; 21 roosters, 7 hens, 4 ducks, 4 turkeys and 2 goats. “Everyone here is a rescue. Everyone here is a permanent resident,” Rachel said. The Sanctuary is behind the couple’s home, situated on 3½ acres. An 8-foot tall woven-wire fence surrounds the area where the animals are housed. During the day a radio is tuned to a talk program to discourage predators. At night, the animals are locked inside their coops. In the winter, the coops have heaters because birds are susceptible to cold and frostbite. Determining the sex of a chick isn’t an exact science and sometimes the hens people buy grow up to be roosters. In urban settings, a rooster’s cock-a-doodledoo isn’t always welcomed and the unwanted males are disposed of. Roosters are exploited and marginalized by both industrial and backyard farming. In commercial egglaying farms, the male chicks are disposed of, sometimes by grinding them alive. Egg-laying breeds aren’t used for meat. Rachel said they had hoped the sanctuary would be self-sustaining, but it isn’t. In 2018, the couple donated $21,000 to the organization, which was 53 percent of its budget that year. Their largest expense is veterinarian care. “We provide the same level of care for the birds that people do for their cats and dogs,” she said. They use local vets for routine care, but travel to Toledo, Ohio when they need an avian specialist. Modern chickens are an unnatural breed. Their lifespan is shorter and they have health issues. A small group of volunteers help with cleaning at the Sanctuary. Every other weekend they remove old shavings and straw from the coops and put down fresh. Cats and Dogs - 20

Some of the residents at Sanctuary Moon, a rescue for domestic birds in Lowell. While they do some fundraisers, Rachel said they have to weigh the time commitment to the amount of funds that might be raised. “I don’t have enough hours in the week,” she said. She and Ryan both work full time. Rachel as a social worker, and Ryan works in marketing and is a children’s book author and illustrator. Compared to the scale of the animal agricultural industry, Rachel admits the amount of animals they’ve saved is a drop in the bucket. “Caring for animals is passive activism. Vegan advocacy is what we do,” Rachel explained, both Rachel and Ryan have embraced a vegan diet. Their primary goal for Sanctuary Moon is to introduce people to farm animals and a plant-based diet. To achieve that, they participate in community events, such as Grand Rapids Veg Fest, and have a strong presence on social media. Rachel has also been a speaker at national animal rights conferences. Rachel said there is a trend towards certified humane farming, but the practices on such farms aren’t always as caring as the label leads people to believe. Two of the turkeys at Sanctuary Moon came from a humane farm and both animals have had their toes and beaks clipped. Clipping prevents birds from injuring one another, which happens when too many animals are crowded together. While the practice prevents the birds from hurting one another, it makes balancing and eating difficult. Rachel urges people to reduce the amount of meat they consume instead of feeling good about eating humanely raised animals. “There’s no right way to do the wrong thing,” she said. For more information follow Sanctuary Moon on

www.catsanddogsmagazine.com • Spring 2020

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Our Readers Write

On the Wild Side

My Dog Knows Spanish

with Allyson Swanson

By Debbie Dodge Do you have a pet that understands Spanish or some other language? Well, you won’t know unless they are around someone who speaks that language. We adopted Gizmo, the only dog in a three-cat family. He adjusted well, but something seemed off. He knew sit, come and a few other commands, but otherwise he was in his own little world and did his own thing. Last summer our cousin, Roger, and his wife, Rosa, visited us. Rosa spoke very little English so as we sat visiting, Roger translated Rosa’s Spanish. Gizmo seemed to melt at Rosa’s feet and cuddle right up to her. Roger had an idea to speak some words in Spanish to Gizmo to see if he understood anything. Roger told him to sit in Spanish and Gizmo did so. He also told him to lay down in Spanish and Gizmo understood that too!

I can’t begin to tell you how Gizmo’s attitude changed. I spent the rest of the day looking up Spanish words and learning what Gizmo already knew. He had never lain beside me at night; sleeping only at the foot of the bed, but that night he spent the entire time snuggled up tight against my leg. He must have been so happy that Momma finally knew that Spanish was the language he had lived with for the first five years of his life. He finally really did fit into his new family. I share this with you in hopes that anyone you know who has adopted an animal can test this theory if their fur baby doesn’t seem to respond to commands or requests. Maybe, just maybe, the cat or dog that has found their forever home understands a language other than your own. If you would like to share any similar stories with me I would love to hear them. You may email me at rubyslippers00@hotmail.com. Cats and Dogs - 26

So many people ask me, “What should I study?” or “How do I become a rehabilitator?” I always have the same answer: “Volunteer first.” If I have learned anything in the past 15 years, it is that rehabilitation is not a hobby. It is a way of life. You sign your name to that license and your life belongs to the animals. Your every waking moment will be spent tending to them, thinking about tending to them or planning ways to collect funds so you can tend to them. Most people need to experience it to understand, and it’s only a small population of the general public who are a good fit for the job. Oh, and as for vacations? Even those belong to your wildlife. Ah, Vacation. Not a common word in the vocabulary of a wildlife rehabilitator. Between an insanely busy baby season and over-wintering more than 80 animals, it’s no wonder a “little getaway” doesn’t fit into the plans. However, as I write this I am preparing for what some might call a “vacation” as our departure date for the National Wildlife Rehabilitator Association’s Annual Symposium approaches. I started going to this event every year about five years ago and it’s so much more than a vacation. The annual symposium is a learning experience where people from all over the world come to one place to share their knowledge, experience and love for wildlife to better the health of animals worldwide. In past years, I have met colleagues who have dined with Jane Goodall and then those who started as a lowly volunteer, just like me. It is an astounding thing to be among people who truly understand the daily struggles but who also want the same things you do. It’s humbling to see the sheer size of that crowd. This year is all the more special that we are able to bring along two of our licensed subpermittees. To bring back three times the knowledge to use with our animals is more worth the trip. Our goal at WRC is to save, rehab and release as many animals as possible. Dedication and education are essential in making sure that we are doing the best we can for wildlife. The world is changing and in order to continue to be the best we can be, we too must change with the times. Want to join our group? Research and reach out. We need you as we try to save them all. Allyson Swanson is a Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator with Wildlife Rehab Center Ltd, 1504 Union Ave NE, Grand Rapids. She has been licensed since 2013 but started as a volunteer over sixteen years ago. Since then she has worked with countless species of birds and mammals and has become one of the main local resources for Virginia Opossums. She is the Center’s Education Coordinator and does presentations with their Educational Ambassador animals. allyson@wildlife-rehabcenter.org – 616-606-5805.

www.catsanddogsmagazine.com • Spring 2020

When Alison Cavera’s moral compass doesn’t align with the law, she dons a disguise and does what she believes is right. By light of the moon, this spunky animal activist cuts fences to free whitetail deer from captive hunting preserves. During one of her escapades, a camera silently records her illegal activity. By day, Alison works at the county animal shelter. When she confiscates a beagle, the dog’s owner is furious. It’s a decision she soon regrets. Alison struggles with what society finds acceptable and regrets she can’t be the law-abiding woman her family and friends think she should be. Her inner battles take her down a dangerous path, one that could lead to prison or even death. Can Alison bridle her compassion before her life unravels? The Save Five Club is the third novel in the Save Five Series, a collection of fictional books that explore some of today’s relevant animal issues such as factory farming, medical and cosmetic research, dog fighting, animal hoarding, and captive hunting preserves. If you have compassion for animals and love to read, you’ll appreciate Janet Vormittag’s heroic tales of Alison Cavera as she fights for animals who share this planet with us. $13.95 plus tax ($14.79) ---- Free Shipping Mail check, made payable to Janet Vormittag, to: Cats and Dogs, P.O. Box 996, Jenison, Mi 49429-0996 Coming soon to Amazon.com

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Meet the author at:

2020 West Michigan Women’s Expo

DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, MI March 13-15 Friday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

West Michigan Pet Expo

DeltaPlex, 2500 Turner Ave. NW, Walker, MI April 4-5 Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

FarmGirl Flea Market

5235 Park Ave., Hudsonville, MI (Fairgrounds) May 15-16 Friday: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. ($15 entry fee for both days) Saturday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ($5 entry fee) Spring 2020 • www.catsanddogsmagazine.com

Janet Vormittag is a life-long animal advocate. She is the publisher and editor of the West Michiganbased Cats and Dogs, a Magazine Devoted to Companion Animals, which she founded in 2006. In addition to The Save Five Club, Janet is the author of Dog 281, More Than a Number and You Might be a Crazy Cat Lady if ..., a humorous memoir about living with cats. Janet has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Grand Valley State University and was a correspondent for the Grand Rapids Press for ten years. Janet lives in West Michigan with more cats than she cares to admit.