Metropet june 2013web

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June 2013

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F OR T HE L OVE

OF

C ASH !

ARTICLES

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The Story of Buddy

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Giving Your Cat a Pill

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How To Give your Cat A Pill in Twenty Easy Steps!

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Quality of Life

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We Love Our Pets

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Connecting Animals with Loving Homes — Unleashed Pet Rescue and Adoption

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Travel Tips with Your Pets

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The No, No Bucket

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For the Love of Cash

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Punishment — Common Occurrence, Common Misconception

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The Birth of Jasmine’s Corner Pet Food Pantry

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Pawzlle

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Chip’s Next Adventure

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Pet Services Directory

We Love Our Pets Submit your favorite pet’s photo at www.metropetmag.com

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WELCOME TO SUMMER! Welcome to Summer! While we are ready for warmer weather, we may not be ready for the heat! But now is a great time to get outside and enjoy time with your pet. It doesn’t matter if you are going for a walk, digging in the garden, or just sitting on the porch, make sure you take Fido and Fluffy outside with you so everyone can enjoy the weather.

Besides, two or three is more fun than one!

This issue features a rescue group which allows the adoptees to set the adoption fee — Unleashed Pet Rescue and Adoption located in Mission, KS. Since it started in June 2011, Unleashed has adopted out nearly 3,000 dogs.

This amazing group of individuals also offers community education sessions. Corporate sponsors include Camp Bow Wow, Olathe, Treats Unleashed and the Paw Zone.

Learn more about this incredible group by reading the article on page 18.

This issue also includes an incredible story about a horse with a severe injury to his shin bone. The horse not only survived, but the owners learned about a fantastic new product and created a bond which has forever changed their lives.

There are also a few must read articles in this issue. The first is on page 5 and is the Story of Buddy. This article tells the story of life from the dog’s point of view. Reading this story makes you stop and reflect on how your pet would tell his/her story. Then, take time to read the Quality of Life article on page 12. Written from the human’s perspective, it can help you understand what humans can do to help pets have a better life.

Then, be prepared to laugh, until you cry, when you read the article on page 10 about How to Give your Cat a Pill in Twenty Easy Steps. After you dry your eyes, read the real way to feed your cat a pill with the article on page 8.

Dogs don’t think the same way humans think. The article Punishment — Common Occurrence, Common Misconceptions can help us understand how to help our canine friends avoid some of the “trouble” they can create.

Finally, we are pleased to announce the opening of Jasmine’s Corner Pet Food Pantry at Jewish Family Services. The pantry is scheduled to open in early June.

Please keep sending your awesome pet photos — see the latest ones on page 17. Have a great June!

Sincerely, Barbara Riedel, Publisher P.S. Please remember to support our advertisers!

Publishing Policy: Articles printed in the MetroPet Magazine express the opinions of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the formal position of MetroPet Magazine. Acceptance of advertising does not necessarily constitute endorsement by MetroPet Magazine. Articles: Readers are invited to submit articles for consideration for publication to editor@metropetmag.com. All materials are subject to editorial review. © 2013 MetroPet Magazine. All rights reserved. Request reprint permissions at info@metropetmag.com. MetroPet Magazine is owned and published by ROI Marketing Services, all rights reserved.

Staff & Contacts Publisher

Barbara Riedel barbara@metropetmag.com

Editor/Production Manager Dan O’Leary editor@metropetmag.com

Magazine Layout ROI Marketing 816.942.1600 • roi@kc.rr.com

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Advertising Sales Ad Sales: 913.548.1433

Deals of the Week deals@metropetmag.com

Contact MetroPet PO Box 480065 Kansas City, MO 64148 Phone: 913.548.1433 Ad Sales: 913.548.1433 Fax: 913.387.4313

Contributing Authors Ken Chenoweth Mike Deathe Pat Hennessy Pawlean Journe Heddie Leger Mary Sellaro Micah Townsend Cheryl Waterman, CVPM

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The Story of

Buddy

BY PAT HENNESSY

M

y heart is pounding; I feel a squeeze — like I am going through a chute. Then I feel a rush of cold but something pulls me inward; the connection is comforting. I nestle into the warmth of it. No sight, no sound, yet so familiar. Life begins.

I trot along, happy-go-lucky, playing with my mates. Suddenly, I am plucked up and my world is turned upside down.

I am flooded with sights and sounds This is Buddy’s story. He was one of the unlucky ones. For our domestic companion animals their lives are in our hands. From the moment they are born as perfect little puppies or kittens to the last breath.

What can we do to make a difference? We can have more patience and look to resources for guidance and support — be it trainers, doggie day care, pet sitters, friends/family (swap favors), etc. Another thing we can do to help animals in need is volunteering with rescue organizations — offering time (walking dogs, working events, transportation, etc.), fostering or boarding (even overnights), or donations (cleaning products, food, toys, blankets/towels, or money). We all need to raise awareness and be a part of the solution. Even a small effort can make a BIG difference. www.metropetmag.com

that are not familiar. Everything I knew has changed. “What do I do now?” goes through my mind. I explore a bit looking for clues or anything I can recognize.

EVERYTHING STARTS OUT GREAT! All seems ok at first. Everyone is interested in me. There are many visitors and I learn to read the different ones. The taller ones seem to have all the food and make these sounds to tell me when it is time to eat, to go outside or on a walk, or time to play. They can be a little scary though sometimes. They will use loud voices or swat at me and I’m not sure why. I am always happy to greet them when they come in the door. Sometimes they stroke me gently and scratch my chin. But if they look around the room and get a scrunched up face, then I know they will be making loud noises and I will end up outside or in a pen.

Some days are easier than others. When it’s quiet I will take a nap. If a delivery truck goes by then I like to watch. It revs me up. I get excited and go exploring. I can make fun with whatever I find - newspaper, shoes, or a pop-tart wrapper. One day I got into a package that was on the table. It had lots of pieces in the bag, kind of sweet, with little lumps in it.

After eating all of it, I didn’t feel so good. I really needed to go outside but I can’t open the door. That was one of those days I was greeted with the scrunchy face.

PLAY TIME When I first got here I used to play a lot with the short ones. They would laugh and run and throw balls. We had a lot of fun. Sometimes they would play a little rough, but I was careful not to play too hard with them. I didn’t want to make them squeal. It wasn’t any time MetroPet Magazine

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at all, it seems, and the little ones weren’t as little, I guess I was getting bigger and they weren’t.

After a while, everyone would come and go and they didn’t pay as much attention to me. The daily routine started with everyone scurrying around in the morning.

I would have my breakfast and then I was sent outside.

The short ones and the tall ones would all head off for the day. When it wasn’t too hot, too cold, or raining, it was nice to be out, but there aren’t as many of those easy days. I wanted to greet everyone at the door when they got home, but I don’t know if they could hear me from the backyard. Often they were right back on the road — to where I don’t know. By the time everyone is home for the night, it is dinner time and off to bed.

I FEEL HAPPY! I always felt happiest when we were all together and they would make their chatter and laughter and I would come around and join in and they would stroke on me or scratch my chest. Sometimes they would toss a toy around. And sometimes we would all just sit around in one room with some noise on in the background. I always felt I was doing my duty when I would bark and warn them of someone coming to the door. There were

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a few times that the shorter ones, or even one of the tall ones, came to me with a very sad face and they would chatter in a slow painful way. I would just nuzzle up to them and lick them as if I was licking a wound, and I would stay until they didn’t seem as sad. I think it was my job to comfort them.

Often times in my long days out in the yard, I would wait for the little dog next door. She was fun to watch and we would greet through the fence and run back-and-forth. One day a big truck came and they loaded it with a lot of stuff from the house. After that I didn’t see the little dog any more. A new tall one came to that house. That tall one was very nice and sometimes chattered over the fence to me.

THE SHORT ONES ARE NO LONGER SHORT Many days and many nights had passed. The short ones were no longer short. They had doubled in size and were almost as big as the tall ones. I had not gotten any bigger, but I sure didn’t feel like the same one who used to run and chase the squirrels. I didn’t get much time in the house any more.

The hotter days were harder to take and the colder days were impossible. I was a bit more stiff when I tried to get around.

Then one day, they asked me to go for a ride. I didn’t know if this was going to be a trip to the park (it had been a long time since I had been to the park). I was hoping it wasn’t a trip to the vet (those can be pretty scary). I rode along and watched the trees go by. We went down streets I had never seen, and pulled up to a long building. It didn’t look like the vet’s building.

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I followed along as we went inside. We were greeted by a tall one. There was some chatter and my tall one leaned down and patted my head. The greeter held on to me as my tall one turned and walked back out the door. I didn’t know what was happening. This wasn’t the vet’s building. What was this place? I could smell many interesting smells, but the one that bothered me the most was the smell of fear.

TAKEN AWAY AND LEFT IN A CAGE I was taken back and left in a long cage. I could see and smell others like me. I didn’t know what was going on. I started to feel very scared. My body didn’t feel good either. My bones hurt. My stomach hurt. I was shaking. I found myself just curling up to one side of the cage. The food didn’t smell good, nothing felt good about this place at all. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine I was back in my yard. Why am I here? What happened to my tall ones?

Night came. I stayed huddled in my ball. Morning came — there was a lot of banging and barking and clatter. Tall ones came and went, peeking in as they go by. I kept hoping one of them would be my tall one to take me home. Night came....then morning came. I kept hoping for my tall one to come. I just didn’t understand.

Then I heard the clanking of the cage. A tall one came to get me (not my tall one). I wobbled to my feet and didn’t know what to think. The tall one pulled me toward the front of the cage and put a long cord around me. They tugged on me and walked me down a long dim hallway. There was a door in the back. I felt a chill and smelled a stench I had never smelled before. I could sense this was not a good thing, and it was stronger than any feeling I had ever known.

WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME? Where were my tall ones? What is happening to me? What did I do? I hadn’t pottied in the house; I was hardly ever in the house anymore. I had always been there to greet them. I had always been there to nuzzle their sad faces. Where are they now?

I feel so cold and alone. If only something would pull me back to nuzzle into the warmth.

Pat Hennessy is the founder of N2paws, LLC, an organization that provides a holistic approach to companion animal care through behavior education, energy work, and positive training methods. Pat is a Level 2 TTouch® practitioner, CPDT, ACDBC, and member of the IAABC, IAATH and AWA. You may contact N2Paws via email pat@n2paws.com, phone 816522-7005, or visit the website www.n2paws.com.

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Giving Your Cat A

I

Pill

’m sure many of you may have seen a copy of the old “joke” about giving a cat a pill. (If you haven’t see this joke, see article on page 10.) I have to admit, it IS very funny.

That is, unless you actually have to give your cat a pill or medication for a particular condition.

Okay, here goes. These instructions are written for right handed people, so if you’re left handed, switch the directions around. Also, you can use these same instructions for administering liquid medication.

BY CHERYL WATERMAN, CVPM

EASY STEPS 1.

2.

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4.

5.

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7.

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Hold your cat in the crook of your left elbow.

Hold the pill in your right hand between your thumb and forefinger.

Use your left hand to hold your cat by the cheeks and lift his/her head up towards the ceiling. Your cat’s mouth should drop slightly open on its own.

With the middle finger of your right hand, pull down on your cat’s lower jaw and open wider (your cat doesn’t have a lot of strength with his/her lower jaw in this position, making it difficult for him/her to bite.

Place the bill as far back in the mouth as possible.

Let go of your cat’s head and watch for licking, generally this means that the pill has been swallowed. Although, some cats are good at hiding the pill in their cheek or behind their teeth, so you might have to open your cat’s mouth again to make sure the pill has been swallowed.

If possible, you can use a syringe to administer a small amount of water to make sure the pill isn’t stuck in your cat’s throat.

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ALTERNATIVES Some cats (and I’ve known a few) cannot be pilled no matter how well you follow these instructions. While giving the medication yourself is the most effective, you may find it necessary to try the following: • Some medications can be hidden in tuna or canned food, or crushed and given as a liquid. Be sure to check with your veterinarian before doing this, as there are some medications where it is contraindicated.

• Compounding pharmacies can mix some medications that are normally only available in pill form, into flavored liquids or chews. Again, check with your veterinarian on this.

• Transdermal gels are medications that have been compounded into a gel form and can be rubbed into your cat’s ear and absorbed through their skin. There are only a few medications that can be compounded, so ask your veterinarian if your cat’s medication is one of these. These, of course, are more expensive, but I can tell you it’s worth it when it comes to saving yourself and your cat the stress that comes from the usual way, if he or she is one that is determined not to cooperate.

TIPS AND TRICKS • Avoid approaching your cat from the front. Use the element of surprise by approaching your cat while he’s sleeping or has just woken up, and from behind.

• Wrap your cat in a towel or small blanket before trying to pill him; it will restrict motion and prevent him/her scratching you.

• Don’t try to pill your cat with his/her head in a neutral position, you are likely to get bit, and won’t be successful in getting the pill down him/her.

HELPFUL TIPS I sincerely hope that this information is helpful, and sincerely wish you good luck and good “pilling!”

Cheryl Waterman was the Hospital Administrator at the Cat Clinic of Johnson County and is a long-time cat lover. She is a member of the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association and the American Animal Hospital Association. If you have any questions regarding kittens or cats, please call the Cat Clinic of Johnson County, 913-541-0478. We are always happy to help.

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How to Give Your Cat A Pill In Twenty Easy Steps!

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Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your elbow as though you were holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat’s mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth pop pill into mouth.

Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

Pick the pill up off the floor and get the cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.

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Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.

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Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of closet. Call spouse in from the backyard.

Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger.

Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.

Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat’s throat vigorously.

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Get last pill from bottle. Go into bathroom and get a fluffy towel. Stay in the bathroom with the cat, and close the door.

Sit on bathroom floor, wrap towel around kitty, leaving only his head exposed. Cradle kitty in the crook of your arm, and pick up pill off of counter.

Retrieve cat from top of shower door (you didn’t know that cats can jump 5 feet straight up in the air, did you?), and wrap the towel around it a little tighter.

Make sure its paws can’t come out this time.

HE COOP With fingers on either side of its jaws, pry it open and pop pill into mouth. Quickly close For the real way to give your cat a pill see the article mouth (his, not yours).

T

REAL S

!

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Sit on floor with cat in your lap, stroking it under the chin and talking gently to it for at least a half hour, while the pill

on page 8!

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Retrieve cat from curtain rod, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered Doulton figures from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.

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Get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.

dissolves.

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Unwrap towel, open bathroom door. Wash off scratches in warm soapy water, comb your hair, and go find something to occupy your time for 7-1/2 hours.

Arrange for SPCA to get cat and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.

Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink glass of water to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse’s forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

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Retrieve cat from neighbor’s shed. Get another pill.

Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon.

Flick pill down throat with rubber band.

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Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Throw Tshirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.

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Call fire department to retrieve cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take another pill from foil wrap.

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Tie cat’s front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table. Find heavy duty gloves from shed. Force cat’s mouth open with small spanner. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of filet steak. Hold head vertically and pour one cup of water down throat to wash pill down.

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Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.

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Quality of Life E

BY HEDDIE LEGER

very day dogs die due to our inability to understand the true concept of what Quality of Life means. We live with dogs that are incapable of interacting with others whether two or four footed in a safe manner. We confine them to backyards, chains, kennels, the basement or any other place away from interactions to keep them safe and to keep others safe. It is time we ask ourselves, is this truly a quality life if an animal must live in solitary confinement its entire life. What are we saving them for and more importantly, what are we saving them from? If they are living a life in solitary confinement this is actually more a living death and more unfair and inhumane than if we gave them a peaceful, permanent rest from the misery of living in their tormented minds.

WE ARE TO BLAME We see a photo of dead dogs lying on the floor of a shelter and are immediately filled with rage at the vision and words before us “If you breed or buy, you are responsible for this.� But, actually ALL of us are to blame.

It is way too simple and easy to blame others like the breeders and non-shelteradopting dog owners for the problem of pet homelessness and euthanasia. But it is not that simple.

This kind of campaign preys on the innocent, and often uneducated, average 12 www.metropetmag.com

It is way too simple and easy to blame others like the breeders and non-shelteradopting dog owners for the problem of pet homelessness and euthanasia. But it is not that simple.

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dog loving American. A large percentage of pet owners are finding themselves faced with difficult decisions regarding the Quality of Life of their pet. Relinquishing a pet to a shelter has many causes, not of which are a mystery. How can we solve the dilemma?

What can the average dog lover and pet owner do to make a difference? Actually quite a bit.

BEFORE adding a pet to your family, educate yourself. This one action and decision has the potential to wipe out almost all causes of pet homelessness...

DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE adding a pet to your family, educate yourself.

This one action and decision has the potential to wipe out almost all causes of pet homelessness as we know it and save thousands of lives.

Why? Puppy mills would go out of business quickly because an educated consumer knows what to look for and what to demand. It is the old supply and demand theory in action. Dogs who are raised properly often remain in their homes. Dogs that are better socialized and find themselves homeless would be quickly rehomed as they would be house trained, well-mannered, friendly and have good bite inhibition. Well informed pet owners know to seek out a trainer. Thus creating more demand for dog trainers. Dog trainers would be busy conducting puppy classes and teaching students how to participate in all the sports and activities they wanted to do with their friendly, wellbehaved dogs, rather than trying to fix dogs with extreme social issues due to improper socialization at a young age.

NO BAD DOGS — JUST BAD OWNERS? As those who work in rescue work harder, they see a never ending flow of dogs, and with each newly relinquished, returned or euthanized dog the anger and resentment tends to increase. It is only natural that we end up resenting dog owners in general and convince ourselves that this whole problem exists because people are just stupid. This is when our minds really go the wrong direction. Faced with yet another dog who will probably die due to circumstances beyond his control we decide to twist, mangle and distort reality. We decide that since we can’t see a way to educate the public, we will find a way to throw their mistakes back at them.

HIRE A TRAINER — SOCIALIZE YOUR PET Why isn’t this happening? Those working in the field of rescue are often faced with a constant flow of under-socialized, untrained, ill-mannered and sometimes downright dangerous dogs who have become unwanted and consequently are either unadoptable or difficult to adopt.

Although they didn’t start out this way, their lives don’t have to end this way. We are faced on a daily basis with punishing an innocent dog with the death penalty while the guilty parties who created the poor creature walk away.

We can’t help but think that someone, besides this dog, must pay. It is totally unfair to man’s best friend, to be befriended in his time of need and be destroyed due to no fault of his own.

We want to point a finger and blame breeders, but which breeders should we blame? We tend to group them all together. The backyard breeder, professional breeder, the puppy mills, accidental pet breeders, and the pet stores that provide a market for the sale of these animals. www.metropetmag.com

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The dog is the victim here, so we advocate for him. The more damaged he is, the harder we fight for him.

It is not good to sugar-coat the behavioral problems and minimize the danger. We begin to touch on the emotions of the public, sell them a bill of goods and convince ourselves that if anything bad happens it is because people are so stupid. After all, there are no bad dogs, just bad owners, right?

ADOPTION TIPS Meanwhile, a dog-loving person who knows nothing about any of this walks into the shelter. What now? How about a strong dose of honesty? Here is what the dog owning public really needs to know.

A dog is your responsibility. Learn know how to care for it. Call on professionals when you need help. Don’t just dump your problem on someone else. Try to solve the problem by getting help.

If you are adopting a shelter dog, recognize that you are not responsible for the fearful, reactive, hard to deal with but heartbreaking dog who is up for adoption. If that dog ends up being euthanized it is not on your fault. Nor is it the shelter’s fault. It is the fault of the original owner. The person who did not accept responsibility in the first place.

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Adopter beware and be educated!

Consider having a trainer look over dog before you adopt it.

3

If the dog you adopt has some issues whether they be fearfulness, aggressive tendencies, resource guarding or otherwise damaged dog make sure you understand what that could mean for your future as a dog owner.

The dog could be too badly damaged to rehabilitate. It is important to be educated and know not only what, but what you can deal with. Adopter beware and be educated! Consider having a trainer look over dog before you adopt it.

If your dog is old or infirmed, remember that to prolong a life that is suffering is comprising their quality of life. If a dog is suffering from a medical illness and in pain or emotional duress, it is difficult to make that ultimate decision to give the pet a peaceful sleep, but it could be the most loving and human decision regarding the pet’s quality of life.

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An animal living in solitary confinement with no interactions with either human or other interactions is living like a caged animal. It is important to evaluate the quality of life for this animal. Are we just appeasing ourselves in keeping them alive? Is the animal really living life to its fullest? How many of us would want to live with someone just coming in to clean our room and hand us a bowl of food with no opportunity for play or interaction which gives us joy? Some animals are living horrid emotional tortured lives inside their skin, fearful of every little sound, everything that moves, and finding no comfort in living. We need to consider if this is really a Quality of Life.

accommodations for reduced ability. When the pet can barely move, that is another matter. Does this represent the “quality of life” you want for your pet?

Appetite/Eating Ability. Is your pet able to eat? Can it consume enough food to remain properly nourished? A pet that is unable to eat or gain sufficient nourishment from its food is on a slow road to starvation.

Breathing. A number of illnesses, including cancer, can affect the lungs. If your pet is panting or laboring to breathe, this is not healthy. If you see such symptoms occur, find out the condition with

WHAT ARE THE OTHER OPTIONS? We all have an obligation to each other and to man’s best friend to speak up and tell the truth. This is when true Quality of Life will begin to take place.

Euthanasia comes from the Greek language which means “good death.” A good death is therefore, something to be considered when a a dog’s life appears to become too distressing and intolerable. This humane and peaceful procedure may therefore the best option.

While a veterinarian, and veterinarian staff, may direct towards one option or another or give suggestions of when a dog should be euthanized, it really ultimately comes down to the owner to make such decision. Only owners know their dogs best. Only the owner can make this informed decision.

Yet, this remains the most difficult decision a dog owner may have to face. For more information defining this topic, please visit http://vetapps.vet.upenn.edu/cbarq/ index.cfm or read Quality of Life by Moira Anderson Allen, M.Ed.

WHAT TO DO FOR A SUFFERING PET When a pet is suffering from an illness that has no ultimate cure, our first impulse may be to do whatever we can to alleviate the symptoms of that illness, so that the pet can live a happy, pain-free life. There are many treatments that can assist, and even completely alleviate some of the most serious diseases and conditions that affect pets.

Eventually, we will reach a point where treatments are no longer beneficial. We will hear, “We can try one more thing but it may not help...” At that point we have to evaluate what is best for the pet. The true “quality of life” should become the focal point. That decision is individual to each pet and each owner. There are several factors consider, including the following.

Mobility. An older pet often loses mobility. A dog may no longer be able to climb stairs or hop into a car; a cat may lose the ability to jump onto a bed or chair. At this stage, the pet may still be healthy and happy. Owners can easily make

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a chest x-ray. If treatment has been tried and/or is no longer effective, it may be time to say goodbye.

Discomfort. It can be difficult to determine if your pet is in pain.

Animals instinctively mask discomfort. There are clues — watch for posture and expression. Lack of mobility can also be a sign of pain.

An animal in pain will seek a safe place where it won’t be disturbed by other animals. A more obvious indication of pain is a pet’s reaction to touch. If your pet responds to touch by flinching away, hissing, snarling, or even snapping, this is a clear indication of pain.

Incontinence. Many pet owners feel guilty when a pet becomes incontinent. They feel they should be more loving, more patient. Incontinence, is a stressful to the pet as it is to the owner. As a basic survival mechanism, animals learn not to “mess where they sleep.” When an animal can’t control when or where it urinates or defecates, it is very unhappy.

Mental Capacity. Older pets may develop signs of diminished mental capacity or forgetfulness. In some cases, confusion may be the result of a hearing or vision loss, to which you can adapt.

Response to Treatment. While you might first react to your pets illness by finding a treatment plan, the number of test, treatments and repeated trips to the vet may not improve your pets life, but cause more stress.

Making that Decision. Assessing a pet’s quality of life is an ongoing process, not a one-time decision. When that point has finally been reached, you — the pet parent must make the difficult decision about what to do next. Don’t postpone or delay the decision, no one benefits from this situation, gain advice from the experts so you can make the right choice at the right time.

Heddie Leger is a Certified Humane Education Specialist (CHES). Her lifelong passion for animal welfare has taken her down the path of rescue, rehabilitation, training and rehoming of many animals through the Missouri Puppies for Parole Program. She is a charter member of the Heartland Positive Dog Training Alliance and KC Representative for Animals and Society Institute through the KC-CAN Link Coalition. She can be reached at pawzone@yahoo.com.

Don’t postpone or delay the decision, no one benefits from this situation, gain advice from the experts so you can make the right choice at the right time.

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We

Our Pet s

L-R: DAISY, PATSY, PIPER, TRES AND JONESIE DREAM The sable and white Shelties were all adopted from Kansas City Sheltie Rescue. My current foster, Patsy, the bi-black is available for adoption through Kansas City Sheltie Rescue.

Submitted by Debbie H.

ZU-ZU AND ARES Zu-zu had been moving every time we tried to shoot the picture to the point that even Ares was hoping that she finally would sit for the picture. Submitted by Carlos R.

MICKEY AND MINNIE Mickey is a rescue from Wayside Waifs. We call him our ambassador because he loves every animal that he ever comes into contact with. We often foster kittens and he is always right there to help out and make them feel at home. Here he is hanging out with his sister, Minnie who is a feral cat that will only let him touch her!.

Submitted by Jami. www.metropetmag.com

We Our Pets Submit your favorite pet’s photo at www.metropetmag.com

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Unleashed Pet Rescue and Adoption

Connecting Animals with Loving Homes THIRD

IN A

SERIES

This article features the shelter and rescue group Unleashed Pet Rescue and Adoption. Unleashed is a licensed, nonprofit animal shelter that works to save the lives of homeless pets and strives to improve the image of bully breeds in society.

It also works daily with high kill shelters in the Kansas City area to pull unwanted pets to safety. It relies on fosters, adopters and donations to make it all happen!

The shelter is located at 5918 Broadmoor, Mission, KS. You can find out more information at www.unleashedrescue.com, by phone at 913-831-PETS, or by email at unleashedrescue@gmail.com.

Adoption hours are Tuesday — Sunday. See the website for exact times.

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U

nleashed Pet Rescue and Adoption was founded in June, 2011. It was a foster home based program until March of 2012 when it acquired a building in Mission, KS. Since the rescue was founded, the organization has saved over 3,000 animals from local “Like” and follow us on Facebook shelters across the Kansas City metro under Unleashed Pet Rescue and Adoption area.

— facebook.com\unleashedpetrescue In the world of animal rescue and rehabilitation it is the little things that really matter. Unleashed not only does the little things, but makes a big difference in offering a one of a kind perspective in the world of rescue.

This is the world where funds are slim and the

It is much like an honor system where the adoptive families are trusted to give what they can.

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The Unleashed Pet Rescue and Adoption in Mission, Kansas

flow of income is unreliable because it is dependent soley on donations. Unleashed Pet Rescue and Adoption never charges a set fee for any animal. It is much like an honor system where the adoptive families are trusted to give what they can.

DONATION ADOPTION FEES “Donation adoption fees and sharing pets via social media has been a key to success for Unleashed,” said Andrea Knobbe, Unleashed Pets secretary. “Offering trust to an adoptive family that falls in love with an animal enables the person to bring home that furry friend as a member of their family.”

Since founded, staff, volunteers and foster homes have formed a safety net around animals in high kill city shelters when they are full. This safety net offers a safe place and second chance at adoption for these pets.

Most organizations have a set adoption fees. These fees are set at a level to enable the group to recoup its costs. Sometimes these fees are too high for families, possibly eliminating wonderful adoptive families from the adoption process.

The original vision for an donation based adoption organization came from Danielle Reno. She shared it with Andrea Knobbe, Melissa McMillin, friends and co-founders. Together, they have formed one of the most vibrant and viable organizations in the area. Danielle now serves as President of Unleashed Pet Rescue and Adoption.

The recent Racin’ for the Rescues event raised money for the shelter.

Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love, faith, and trust. www.metropetmag.com

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If you are interested in adopting a pet, please visit us at unleashedrescue.com or at their facility located at 5918 Broadmoor in Mission, KS! They are open Tuesday-Friday 12-7 p.m. and Saturday/Sunday 12-5 p.m. 913-831-PETS

lower income areas of the Kansas City area. Unleashed responds to calls about neglect/abuse cases, and it provides education and assistance to pet owners (food, water, proper shelter, tie outs, vaccinations, and spay/neuter services.) If you see a pet in need please contact Unleashed via email at unleashedoutreach@gmail.com

FOSTER PROGRAM

Brandy is waiting to be adopted at Unleashed Pet Rescue and Adoption.

EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Unleashed also has a comprehensive foster program! Fostering a dog is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have (other than adopting). Fostering an animal enables the animal to adjust and prepare for adoption. Contact unleashedfostercare@gmail.com for details.

Don’t want to foster, but love to spend time with animals? Become a volunteer! Dog walking, socializing, fundraising/events, whatever your talents, we want you! Contact us at unleashedevents@gmail.com for information!

CORPORATE SPONSOR PROGRAM In addition to adoptions, Unleashed has Because adoptions are based on donations, several educational programs if offers.

Outreach on a Saturday morning.

Unleashed developed a corporate sponsor proEducation to the public regarding responsigram.

Corporate sponsors choose the level of support they ble ownership is a key ingredient. Andrea Knobbe visits schools and can afford. In exchange, Unleashed recognites their support groups on a regular basis. She brings the message of the importance of in multiple ways. spay/neuter, vacations, proper care and feeding of pets, and the impor“Unleashed Pet Rescue and Adoption has done an outtance of training. The organization also has an active training and standing job of trying to save as many homeless pets in the behavior modification program for adopted pets. The Outreach team community as they can.” Camp Bow Wow has done several focuses on the importance of spay and neuter and proper pet care in fundraisers and supply drives to help Unleashed achieve its financial goals so it can continue to save the homeless pets in our community. We have had “spa days”, daycare special days, donation jars, as well as our annual Lend a Paw Dinner. In the future, we will host our Anniversary Pawty at Camp Bow Wow, Olathe. The folks at Unleashed are grateful for each and every donation that they get as they try to save one pet at a time.

Treats Unleashed has really enjoyed working with Unleashed Pet Rescue and Adoption through adoption events and fundraisers. Unleashed provides such an important service for our community by finding loving homes for so many unwanted pets in our area.

The PawZone is pleased to support Unleashed as it has helped thousands of pets find forever homes.

For details about becoming a corporate sponsor visit www.unleashedrescue.com.

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5 Travel Tips for your Pet

AROUND TOWN Pet Identification. Your pet should always have a sturdy collar with address and telephone number on the collar. You may also want to a microchip your pet. It is also good to carry a current clear photograph if he gets lost.

while there are vents for the heat and A/C in the front of the car, there may not be any in the back.

ROAD TRIPS Pack and Plan for Your Pet. Pets like the comforts of home: bedding, toys, brush, even their own dishes. Pack a bowl for water; bring treats, a first-aid kit, medications (both oral and topical); and bring copies of medical records. Most important, bring your pet’s own food.

Municipal water systems vary from city to city, so bring a gallon of water from home and “water your dog” along the route, refilling the gallon from a local water source at each stop. This provides a gradual change.

Confirm the hotel will allow your pet to stay in advance and make sure you know the pet policies and services. You don’t want any surprises when you get there — like weight limits or quantity limits. Don’t forget the poop bags.

Take frequent breaks. A dog’s legs need to be stretched just like yours do — perhaps twice as much. Your pet also needs water, exercise and potty breaks at regular intervals. Having your dog lie beneath the café table while you eat lunch is not exercise, so be sure to take Fido around the block before jumping back in the car. Taking time for your pet may help you take in some interesting sights along your trip.

Animals Can Get Car Sick, Too. Check with your veterinarian or holistic practitioner about treatment options. Avoid food or feed lightly prior to travel. Make sure you have water or ice cubes, which are easier on your pet than gulping down large amounts of water. If your pet isn’t accustomed to car travel or to a carrier, break him in gradually by taking him on short trips and using lots of praise.

Adjust Temperature Accordingly. Your dog or other pet can’t tell you if he’s feeling hot or cold, so be aware of the temperature. If the humans are wearing jackets, perhaps Fido would appreciate a blanket, too. In warm weather, open a window or raise the air conditioning to prevent overheating or dehydration.

(Direct sun can be even harder on dark-colored dogs, so consider sunshades if your windows aren’t tinted.) Bear in mind that www.metropetmag.com

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NO NO BUCKET OK

I many of you have taken my classes and loved learning the command “Leave it” but in class we use treats to teach the command.

Many have asked, what if the dog is great at leaving treats alone but still wanting to grab, destroy or play keep away with items like socks, tissues, underwear, shoes or TV remote controls?

BY MIKE DEATHE

CREATE A NO NO BUCKET! Well an idea came to me last week. Why not practice with those items and create a No, No Bucket! What you ask is a No, No Bucket? Well it is a practice bucket with items Fido likes to chew up, like old shoes, socks with holes in them or broken glasses or remote controls.

I have always made it clear that if you don’t practice something with a dog, well don’t be shocked if it doesn’t work. So once you have learned the command “Leave it” Using treats why not use your newly created No, No Bucket as a way to practice your leave it commands with the items your pooch likes to steal or grab? Let’s face it, dogs do not easily translate or generalize skills from one situation to another so while learning “Leave it” with treats is a great way to practice and start the learning process adding real life items to practice with not only creates a stronger “Leave it” command, but helps teach Fido what items are not appropriate.

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WHAT IS LEAVE IT? A complete description of the “Leave it” command is and how it works is available in a previous article called “Leave it vs. Wait,” available at www.muttzmembers.blogspot.com. In the meantime, here are a couple of quick comments on dogs and how to deal with stealing.

• Dogs love the game of chase and many times will grab stuff only to see if you will chase them to get it back! It is the dogs way of saying “tag, your it, now come and get me.” Don’t fall for it.

• If your dog does grab something, don’t fall into that “you have to give me that cause I say so” technique that you have seen on TV. • Teach your dog a reliable drop or item exchange command.

For example, if Fido has a sock, trade him for a chew toy or some other appropriate toy. Now you both have what you want and all is the good in the world!

bucket.) Now all you need to do is start teaching your dog the difference between right and wrong. With a little practice the next thing you know, you will have a dog that only takes what is his and not yours!

With a little practice the next thing you know, you will have a dog that only takes what is his and not yours!

A YES, YES BUCKET! The idea is simple, create your “No, No Bucket” and you should also a “Yes, Yes Bucket” (another word for the dogs toy

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Mike Deathe is a stay-at-home dad who found his passion as a dog trainer in 2008.

He is the author of Keep It Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Pet Blog, and has written several books on dogs and dog training. As an avid pet lover, he regularly sees dogs and cats that never find a home, so in 2009, he and his wife Kate founded Muttz “R” Us, a t-shirt and pet product company with the motto of “Saving Pets...One T-Shirt at a Time.” In 2010, KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID (KISS) DOG TRAINING was born. Since then Deathe has been teaching dogs and owners at Broadmore Kennels, located in Shawnee, KS. For more information about KISS or Muttz “R” Us visit us on Facebook, twitter or follow the blog at http://muttzmembers.blogspot.com. We can’t wait to help you speak dog as a second language.

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For the L o v e of Cash!

BY KEN CHENOWETH s pet parents we always try to do right by our pets. It doesn’t matter the breed or the size, and this includes farm animals — like horses. When they are injured, we do whatever it takes, even if that means lots of work for hundreds of days.

In March 2012 a good friend of mine and I purchased a two-year old stud horse to use in field trials. When we brought him back to Missouri, we had him gelded. This didn’t stop him spirit and one day I returned home to find him caught in a barbed wire fence. He had so severely injured his back right hind leg that the skin was gone, the tendons were torn, and the bone was exposed. It was a horrible injury.

A

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A visit with our vet told us the painful truth — this might be the end of the road for this fine animal.

The injury was very serious...

THE PAINFUL TRUTH A visit with our vet told us the painful truth — this might be the end of the road for this fine animal. The injury was very serious, almost 5” of Cash’s shin bone was exposed. If it dried out, then the vet would have to implant bone grafts and the chance of success was limited. The only hope was an intense treatment plan that he laid out for us to follow. Even this plan didn’t look promising. In part, because the patient was 800 lbs, and treatment would be twice daily.

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The treatment plan that would take 250 days to complete, would take a huge commitment from us. It would also involve a brand new product.

The first step in his plan was several weeks of an intravenous feed of antibiotics and painkillers. During this time period, Cash was in so much pain he wouldn’t eat. It was horrible. As pet parents, you want the best for every animal; even it is tough on you. We persisted in the treatment plan, but we couldn’t make Cash eat.

In addition, to the medical treatment, we started cleaning and dressing the wound twice every day. To heal the wound, our vet recommended a new product called Nixall. The product only had a short history of use, but it would both clean and heal the wound at the same time. Taking care of any pet in pain is difficult, but with a horse that weights 800+ pounds, it was a lot of work!

After we got through the first few weeks, the infection was under control and Cash’s pain decreased.

between us grew.

Today, Cash’s attitude towards us is unshakable and our commitment to him is unbreakable.

Ken Chenoweth is the proud coowner of Cash.

Here he is shown with Cash during a field trial. Ken has been active in the training of dogs and horses for over 30 years.

He has worked for eight years for Midwestern Pet Foods, which manufacturers Earthborn, ProPac and SportMix pet food. Visit www.midwesternpetfoods.com for more information about the pet food. Visit www.nixall.com for information about the wound treatment product.

A LONG RECOVERY PERIOD After we got through the first few weeks, the infection was under control and Cash’s pain decreased. While he was far from out of the woods, his future was beginning to look brighter. Cash was starting to eat and he had formed an incredible bond with us.

During the next four months, Cash’s wound healed. The tendon regrew —an amazing thing to see, and his skin healed.

While some people might have given up hope, we persisted. The new product, Nixall, was amazing. It not only healed the wound, but also kept it clean. And, we didn’t have to worry if Cash licked it — as it is safe to ingest. Amazing!

A FULL RECOVERY Today Cash has fully recovered. His hind leg is a little larger because of the way the tendons regrew, but he can walk and run like before the injury.

What did we learn? That recovery is possible — even in the direst of situations. Secondly, don’t be afraid to try something new. When the vet suggested the treatment plan with a product that has a short, but proven history, we didn’t hesitate. We immediately knew we had to give it our all.

During those long weeks, 32 to be exact, with twice-daily dressing changes, we learned to trust each other. The bond www.metropetmag.com

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Punishment Common Occurrence — Common Misconceptions

The dog is not capable of watching you leave, getting mad, plotting revenge by eating the couch...

T

BY MARY SELLARO

he scenario is a familiar one-human finds an off limit object which has been chewed up or an “accident” on the floor and the dog is missing in action. The next logical step in the human’s mind is to find the dog, bring him back to the scene of the crime, show him the evidence and pass sentence. The dog appears to plead guilty; he will avoid punishment in the futuremission accomplished. However, the same situation is repeated a couple of days later. The human becomes frustrated; the dog must be mad and is retaliating for some reason, right? Wrong.

Simply put, dogs are not human.

UNIQUELY HIS OWN THINKING The thinking and learning process of a dog is uniquely their own. While dogs have a capacity for reasoning, they cannot grasp the reason for being punished after the fact. The seemingly “guilty” act or look which follows does not mean comprehension or acknowledgement of the wrong doing. The dog is reacting to the human’s display of anger and/or frustration. In essence, we are teaching the dog to act at fault by our actions.

Simply put, dogs are not human.

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LIVING IN THE MOMENT Dogs live in the moment and generally their thought process can be described as “what do I need and how can I make it happen?” For example, the

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TRAINING TIPS • Some behavioral problems stem from the dog having too much pent up energy and the need to release it becomes overpowering.

The result is often chewing or playing with inappropriate items or damage to the house or yard.

Daily walks, an extra long play session, time at doggie daycare or a trip to the dog park are ways to burn off energy. A sufficiently tired dog has little need to look for ways to “entertain” himself.

• Boredom can be a cause for dog to look for an outlet. A dog needs mental stimulation as well as physical to exercise his mind and make him “think.” Obedience training and/or toys which are like puzzles and “need to be figured out” are great ways to provide exercise for the dog’s brain.

• When shopping for toys, look for ones which dispense food or treats. This will keep the dog busy and engaged in the toy. Toys with a hollow center can be “stuffed” with the dog food, hard biscuits and then capped with peanut butter (low sodium is best) or canned dog food. Put stuffed toys in the freezer to make them last longer. A fun option is to take an ice cube tray and fill the individual slots with small, hard dog biscuits. Pour just enough water over the biscuits to cover them. Put the tray in the freezer. When the biscuits are frozen put the dog outside and turn him loose with the “ice biscuits” for a game of soccer!

• Too much space or access to areas which hold tempting, off limit objects can invite a dog to break the rules. The use of a crate or baby gate will eliminate contact and the possibility of a mishap.

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Too much space or access to areas which hold tempting, off limit objects can invite a dog to break the rules. The use of a crate or baby gate will eliminate contact and the possibility of a mishap.

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE EASHES og L E U V E D RUN- e leashes have helped thousands of d

RUN-Devu better owners gain r their control ove s. By pulling dog er conbeing in bett dog, you trol of your er relaenjoy a bett have tionship and r more time fo ining! ra ssed.

Pawsitive T ted and stre ra st u fr g in e Stop b e have ey back vue leash. W e -D N U R rs — mon a e m o Try st u c d of satisfie u? See the THOUSANDS work for yo . l il w it re -devue.com n Not su ! u e .r te w n w ra w a t u g video a .com after online .run-devue before and w w w t a e n Order onli

dog is anxious about left alone and chewing seems to be a good way to alleviate their fears. If the couch is the nearest thing handy, it becomes the victim of an anxiety assault. The dog is not capable of watching you leave, getting mad, plotting revenge by eating the couch and coming to the conclusion that this act will prevent you from leaving him alone tomorrow. If dogs had the ability to map a plan, teaching cues and commands would be a very different process.

INABILITY TO REMEMBER The dog’s inability to remember being corrected hours, even minutes after the fact, is clear as the dog will wait for the human to leave before breaking the rules, but does not demonstrate the foresight to clean up or hide the evidence. Dogs may or may not feel guilt, however, a dog will react this way regardless of whether they did anything wrong. The human’s anger is an unstable mystery and the dog’s body language is a sign he is uncomfortable.

Prevention, as opposed to punishment, is the best way to avoid potential problems.

Mary Sellaro has been training dogs since 1990. She has taught group and private lessons from puppy through advanced. Mary has also worked with dog owners on behavioral issues, including aggression. She developed and implemented a training class program for Retired Greyhounds as Pets.

Mary has been the temperament test evacuator for the Children’s Mercy Hospital’s Pet Pal Program since 1997. Mary is now the Director of Training for Pooches Paradise Daycare and Resort in the Waldo area of Kansas City. Mary is a certified American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen evacuator.

May Pawzzle Answers

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The Birth of Jasmine’s Corner Pet Food Pantry

BY MICAH TOWNSEND

D

The pantry will be located at the Jewish Family Services offices and is scheduled to open in early June.

on Goldman and his feline friend, Jasmine, visited VCA Mission Animal Referral and Emergency Center, Mission, KS, many times concerning Jasmine’s ongoing health issues. During one of the visits, Goldman noticed an article in a VCA newsletter. The article mentioned VCA’s involvement with local food pantries.

He realized there were needy pets in the Kansas City area and felt it would be great if there was a pet food pantry in the Johnson County area. As the Executive Director and CEO of Jewish Family Services of Greater Kansas City, Goldman was already involved with the people food pantry and he realized Jewish Family Services of Greater Kansas City had the ability to branch out and help needy families unable to afford pet food for their animal companions.

After a great deal of hard work “Jasmine’s Corner Pet Food Pantry” was created. The pantry was created by the dedicated and caring staff of Jewish Family Services and named in memory of Jasmine, Goldman’s longtime animal companion. Sadly, Jasmine passed away in March of 2013. She is missed terribly.

Goldman asked the local VCA hospitals to support and participate in this pet pantry, especially since VCA Mission had lovingly cared for Jasmine. Because of Jasmine, a partnership was formed between Jewish Family Services, VCA Mission, and VCA Welborn Animal Hospital, Kansas City, KS, to help the needy

29 www.metropetmag.com

pets and their families in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Donated food will be distributed monthly at the Jewish Family Services Food Pantry in Overland Park. It is hoped that 150 families can receive assistance from the pantry each month.

Donations for the pet pantry will be accepted at the VCA Mission, VCA Wellborn, and the Jewish Family Services Food Pantry, Overland Park, KS. The pantry located at the Jewish Family Services location is scheduled to open in early June.

Micah Townsend is the Client Services Referral Coordinator at VCA Mission Animal Referral and Emergency Hospital. She has over 10 years experience in the veterinary field. She can be contacted at 913-722-5566.

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PAWZZLE

BY PAWLEAN JOURNE

For tips on the answers to this pawzzle, read the story about Chip’s Adventure on page 32.

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Across:

Down:

4.

1. When a dog cannot control it’s bladder or bowels it is

Where did Chip find his MawMaw?

7.

We must use __________

2. People who work in a shelter or rescue.

when adopting dogs from

3. ________ is like electricity, you cannot see it, but you

shelters.

8.

9.

called ______________.

know it is there since you can see the light.

It is important for your pet to

5. Keeping a dog away from others to keep it safe.

____________ life.

6. It is important for a dog to have good ______________

Object used to confine a dog that can cause aggression.

11. Name of game Chip was playing on the beach.

13. Solitary confinement is _______________.

17. We want to ___________ others for the problem.

18. One way an animal might try to communicate it’s discomfort.

20. What will help others understand quality of life issues?

22. If is difficult to determine the amount of _____________ an animal may have.

24. Ability to move around is

health.

10. Dog’s are the ______________ victims of people not being good pet owners.

12. It is not good to ____________ sugarcoat problems.

14. Name of a storm that took Chip away from his original family.

15. When adopting a dog, it is your ________________ to give the dog a good life for his/her entire life.

16. Helping an animal be comfortable in it’s last days is called _____________.

19. Place where many, many dogs are bred and born.

21. An animal living alone with no interactions with anyone lives in __________ confinement.

23. Person who helps owners learn how to work with their dogs.

25. What was Chip afraid of on the beach?

called __________________.

26. An animal may loose it’s ___________ if it is not feeling well.

27. Greek word for peaceful death

Clues for this pawzzle can be found in Episode 5 on pg 32.

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Chip’s

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Next

Adventure RECAP FROM EPISODE 4 - 2013 As we drove, I could smell more familiar smells, I could hear more familiar sounds of birds and a roaring water sound. We were getting near the ocean. Memories started to flood back into my mind. I could hear Stephanie, Robert, Allen and Penelope talking about a hurricane like a memory they did not want to remember, but they agreed it was important for Allen and Penelope and me too, to figure out what had happened to us. So we kept traveling South and then I smelled something I could not believe. I could not believe my nose. It was the last smell I had remembered when my MawMaw disappeared and I was placed in the box. I could not place it yet, but my memory was slowly coming back.

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FAITH — CONFIDENCE OR TRUST IN A PERSON OR THING: BELIEF THAT IS NOT BASED ON PROOF

H

BY HEDDIE LEGER

urricane, hurricane, take cover! We could hear it everywhere. My memory continued to come back. I could sense the fear in people’s voices and see my MawMaw in my memory running around, barking, crying, and jumping. She had been trying to tell her loved ones to go to a safe place, but no one was listing. I sensed that we were all in danger, but my MawMaw looked at me with a look in her eyes that said everything was going to be fine, not to fear and to have faith that we would be alright. Then everything went black and I was in a box and could only see little slivers of light through the corners. Then the wind, then the swooshing sounds, then everyone’s voices went away and I could no longer hear my MawMaw. But, I could still her face and eyes in my mind and could hear her voice.

LET’S PLAY! We were at the beach, on the shores and all was peaceful now. The sun was out, the birds were flying overhead. Penelope and Allen were making sandcastles, laughing and having fun. I June 2013

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was sitting under an umbrella with Stephanie and Robert. It was quite relaxing, very different than my last memories. The ocean was beautiful and I loved the smells of fish, fresh air, salt water and the sounds of the seagulls flying overQuote of the Month head. Robert pulled out Faith is a knowledge within the a Frisbee and called heart, beyond the reach of proof.” out, “Come on Chip, Kahlil Gibran Let’s Play.” He threw the Frisbee in the water. At first I was afraid to run in to get the Frisbee. Robert ran in and got it. He threw it again. He was laughing so hard at the expression on my face, that I forgot to be afraid and took a leap of faith. I ran into the water the next time he threw it. “I got it, I got it,” and ran back to Robert with the Frisbee. He threw it over and over again until I lost all fear of the waves and water.

Once I took a drink and YUCK, it was awful. Never, never drink sea salt water. It is the worst tasting stuff ever, and it makes you even more thirsty. We played with the Frisbee for a long time.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see a dog sitting watching us. I could not tell if it was friendly or not. The wind was coming from the wrong direction and I could not smell the dog, but no doubt it was watching us intently.

Then Stephanie got out hotdogs, and started to grill them. I could see the dog inch closer and it’s nose quiver as it got a whiff of the hotdogs. I was going to go over and invite the dog to come play and eat with us, when it came running full throttle towards us.

A BIT AFRAID I was a bit afraid, but was remembering my MawMaw’s words real loud, have faith, have faith, things will work out okay, don’t be afraid. As the dog got closer, the wind changed. All of a sudden, I caught the scent of the dog. It was one I had smelled before. I

DISCUSSION STORY TIPS 1) What were MawMaw’s words to Chip that helped him the most?

2) Did Chip recognize his MawMaw at first?

3) When did he recognize his MawMaw? 4) Why was Chip’s family afraid of the other dog?

5) How did Chip get over his fear of the water? www.metropetmag.com

FAITH

Confidence or trust in a person or thing: belief that is not based on proof.

HUMANE EDUCATION POINT Faith is like electricity. You can’t see it, but you can see the light.

ACTIVITY Share a time when things looked bleak and you kept the faith in the face of negative odds. What happened when you did this?

What was the outcome? How did it make you feel?

started to move towards the dog and it stopped. It seemed it seemed afraid, not certain what to do and almost ran away.

Then all at once, it came back to me with one more big whiff of scent. It was my MawMaw. It did not look like her. She had white hair. Her fur was matted, a dirty brown and greasy. She looked quite skinny and unkept. But, I knew that scent anywhere. I ran towards her, she ran towards me and then our eyes connected and we knew!

Behind me I could hear everyone yelling, Chip come back, come here, danger, danger. But they did not know. This is the thing I had been looking for all along. As we got closer and closer, she started to smile. I could hear the words in my head — this time they were louder — always have faith, never give up, don’t be afraid, even if things look really bad. Keep the faith!

AT LAST — I FOUND HER! We finally reached each other and it was my MawMaw! We rolled, and played, and laughed, and hugged. Everyone finally caught up with me and saw we were happy. That I was not in danger and they all started to join in the fun. They realized that we knew each other.

In time, they would begin to see this was my MawMaw, especially when she got cleaned up. I wondered if we would look alike in any way once she was cleaned up. I guess we will find out...

Heddie Leger is a Certified Humane Education Specialist (CHES). Her lifelong passion for animal welfare has taken her down the path of rescue, rehabilitation, training and rehoming of many animals through the Missouri Puppies for Parole Program. She is a charter member of the Heartland Positive Dog Training Alliance and KC Representative for Animals and Society Institute through the KC-CAN Link Coalition. She can be reached at pawzone@yahoo.com.

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Pet Services Directory Attorney at Law

KELLI COOPER ATTORNEY AT LAW

201 East Loula • Olathe, KS 913-254-7600 www.kellicooperlaw.com Kelli assists clients with family law, criminal defense and animal law. She is a passionate pet advocate and skilled trial attorney.

Adoption Great Plains SPCA (913) 742-7326

www.greatplainsspca.org Great Plains SPCA’s mission is to save, protect and improve the lives of animals, while strengthening the relationship between pets and human companions.

Locations in Merriam, KS, and Independence, MO, offer veterinary care, adoption, rescue and education programs.

Wayside Waifs 816-761-8151

www.waysidewaifs.org Wayside Waifs is a charitable animal shelter whose purpose is to improve the quality of animal welfare in our community by providing humane treatment and advocating for companion animals. It offers rescue, adoption, education programs, and pet memorial services.

Daycare & Boarding Camp Bow Wow, Lee’s Summit 1010 SE Hamblen Road Lee’s Summit, MO 816-246-7833

www.campbowwow.com/us/mo/leess ummit At Camp BowWow your pups reap the benefits of exercise and socialization while having lots of fun romping & playing with their canine friends.

Camp Bow Wow, Olathe 1150 W. 151st Street Olathe, KS 913-322-2267

www.campbowwow.com /us/ks/olathe/ Rest assured knowing your camper is well taken care of at all times whether you are gone for one day, overnight or for an extended period.

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New Listings in Blue Daycare & Boarding

Pooches in Paradise 7200 Wyandotte Kansas City, MO 816-361-3388

www.poochesparadise.com Pooches Paradise was created with your dogs needs in mind. We are dedicated to offering the finest in boarding, daycare, obedience training and spa treatments. New location — one block off Wornall, on 72nd Street.

Grooming Best Friends Pet 13008 State Line Road Leawood, KS • 913.498.1397 Peculiar, MO • 816.984.5481

www.bestfriendspet.us Best Friends Pet is a full service salon including caring and gentle stylists, a licensed pet chiropractor & a professional pet photographer. Call us today!

Pet Food, Supplies, Grooming Treats Unleashed 4209 West 119th St. Leawood, KS 913-451-2000

www.treats-unleashed.com Treats Unleashed is a gourmet pet specialty store with an in-store bakery. It also offers a full line of pet supplies & food, a self-serve bath area & grooming services.

Pet Food Distribution American Midwest Distributors 820 Atlantic Street North Kansas City, MO • 816-842-1905

www.americanmidwestkc.com A local distributor which supplies local stores with Earthborn and ProPac pet food, and various other products.

Pet Friendly Car Dealership Lee’s Summit Subaru 2101 NE. Independence Ave Lee’s Summit, MO 816-251-8600

www.leessummitsubaru.com This pet friendly dealership offers a wide selection of new and used Subaru’s at low prices. Check out our service department.

SHOWCASE YOUR COMPANY IN THIS DIRECTORY.

913-548-1433

Veterinarians Arbor Creek Animal Hospital 15971 S. Bradley Rd Olathe, KS • 913-764-9000

www.acanimalhospital.com We believe that every pet has a different set of healthcare needs. Utilizing a blend of traditional medicine and holistic veterinary gives everyone options!

Aid Animal Hospital 8343 Wornall Rd Kansas City, MO 816-363-4922

www.aidanimalhospital.com For 37 years, Aid Animal Hospital has provided quality veterinary medical & surgical services to Waldo and entire Kansas City area. We pride ourselves on quality customer service.

Cat Clinic of Johnson County 9426 Pflumm Road Lenexa, KS 913-541-0478

www.catclinicofjc.com A feline exclusive clinic! Your cat is an important part of your family and you want the best medical care available. Our team is ready to provide cutting edge care.

Cedar Creek Pet Hospital 23700 College Blvd Olathe, KS 913- 254-1954

www.cedarcreekpethospital.com Cedar Creek Pet Hospital a full-service medical and surgical hospital. We offer boarding, daycare, grooming and pet supplies.

Quivira Crossing Veterinary Clinic 11770 W. 135th St. Overland Park, KS 913-647-4141

quiviracrossingvetclinic.com Quivira Crossing Veterinary Clinic is a full service companion animal hospital. It is our commitment to provide quality veterinary care throughout the life of your pet.

Veterinary Software Veterinary Pharmacy Reference 1-866-639-3866

www.vpronline.com Interactive, electronic VETERINARY pharmacology software has Interaction Matrix, dosage calculator, client info sheets, etc.

Semi-annual medicine database (over 2,488 brand and 864 generic meds) updates.

June 2013

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0% Financing Up to 48 Months On 2013 Outbacks With approved credit

2013 Outback 2.5i

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Why ask for directions?

2101 NE Independence Ave., 816-251-8600 816-251-8600

www.leessummitsubaru.com

Lee’s Summit, MO

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