Vol 2, issue 1, Precious Pets 1st Anniversary by PreciousPets

Precious Pets

FIRST ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 1 • AUGUST 22, 2014 • www.preciouspets.ca

THIS ISSUE 5

LE NICHOIR

An Avian Success Story

TRUE LOVE

Pet owners get companion tats

13 DRUM ROLL PLEASE

When cats and music meet

DUE TO SPACE CONSIDERATION IN THIS, OUR FIRST ANNIVERSARY ISSUE, BRAM IS BARKING LESS THIS TIME. HIS EDITORIAL COLUMN WILL RETURN IN OUR NEXT ISSUE, SEPTEMBER 2014.

Barking Bram with Bram D. Elsenthal

One fantastic year indeed BY BRAM D. EISENTHAL - EXCLUSIVE TO PRECIOUS PETS

So, it all comes down to this. One fantastic year. In August 2013, we put out a unique paper appealing to lovers of animals and you responded in kind. Our readers read. Our advertisers advertised. And we would not be here today without you both, so we thank you from the bottoms of our animal-loving hearts. A paper does not come together by itself, however, and I wanted to thank the others who have worked so devotedly to bring you a paper I am really proud of... one that I consider to be among the finest in the community paper field. I have a career history writing for and sometimes editing community papers, so this is no ignorant boast. I know the good from the bad and I would not be involved with Precious Pets if it was bad. The people who have helped me

bring this to you monthly include: Tina DiSalvia, our sales manager and a woman with charm, grace and a winning attitude with our clients. From the first week hawking ad space, Tina has been secondto-none and I would put her sales skills up against anyone’s. She does a whole lot more, too, and suffice to say this would not be possible without her. Our layout is also very enviable and for that we thank the very talented James McCafferty, who followed the fine earlier work of Mark Lehberg with nary an artistic stutter. To James – and of course to Mark before him – thanks for your inspired designs. Now, I would be horribly remiss if I did not thank my amazing stable of columnists. When I edited The Local Herald, while some were veteran

scribes, I was also fortunate to find many non-writers who discovered they were pretty good at the craft. Precious Pets benefits as well from a seamless blend of veteran writers and newbies who put in tremendous effort and for the most part require very little of my editing. To Dawn Mirsky, Barbara Etcovitch, Samantha Havill, John Truss, Meira Frankl, Dr. Wojciech Wybranowski and Chantal Gargano, as well as Concordia student Elysya Scerbo-Pasta (who writes now and then and also proofreads and helps us with delivery), a tremendous debt of gratitude. Thanks, too, to Father John Walsh, who has contributed several times, as well as to West End Montreal resident Louise Chenevert, our resident “Wolf Lady,” who slaves to protect the lives of wolves and also reminds us that there are some pretty good trails in Quebec upon which to share adventures with your dogs. A very special thanks goes to West Island-raised Janet Boiangiu, whom I have known since she was a little girl and who now resides in Ontario, not too far from Ottawa. Janet handles our social media, but she also contributes in many other immeasurable ways and both Tina and I are proud to be associated with her. In fact, we love you, Janet! I was really curious as to why people WANT to devote time and energy to what is still a fairly fledgling, non-profitable endeavour and I therefore invited them to comment.

Here are a few of their replies: Said Elysya Scerbo-Pasta, a Concordia communications student who started volunteering for us starting around issue 3 or so, it was love at first sight. “I think it is very diverse in its subjects, all of which are always very interesting and useful. There’s something new to learn every issue. I also get to write about animals and pets, pretty much anything I’d like (though of course with basic guidelines) and I know I help people by disseminating information to anyone who may need it. “It really has been a great experience to work with you (Bram and Tina). You’ve always been so relaxed and understanding of me as a student. You’re so professional and experienced, and coming into this paper having no idea what I was doing or getting myself into, it’s been great to have such awesome leaders that never once looked down on me or took advantage. I’m forever grateful for the opportunity you presented me with. Working with PP has been really awesome. It’s an amazing paper that, to be honest, I think can only continue to grow.” For holistic practitioner and certified reverend Barbara Etcovitch, who pens our Pet Healer column, it was a simple matter of her loving animals and enjoying our “dedication to the cause.” She has made some excellent suggestions that we

STORY CONTINUES PAGE 10

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ADVERTISING AND CLASSIFIEDS: ........................................................438 E-MAIL: ......info@preciouspetscanada.com EDITORIAL:................. 514 The ultimate monthly paper for pets and their owners Precious Pets is a publication of Precious Pets Media Group Inc. Volume 2, Issue 1, August 2014. Copyright 2014. Precious Pets does not accept responsibility for errors, misprints or inaccuracies published within. The opinions and statements of our columnists are not presumed to be the opinions and statements of Precious Pets Group Inc.

VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 1 • FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

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MAILING ADDRESS: ..............................................P.O. Box 66521, Cavendish Mall, Côte Saint-Luc, QC H4W 3J6 PUBLISHER AND EDITOR:.....................................................................................................Bram D. Eisenthal SALES MANAGER:........................................................................................................................ Tina Di Salvia CREATIVE DESIGN:. .............................................................................................................James McCafferty ONTARIO DIRECTOR & DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA:...........................................................Janet Boiangiu PROOFREADER:............................................................................................................... Elysya Scerbo-Pasta

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 1 • FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014 • www.preciouspets.ca

Remember your pet companion forever, with a tattoo STORY AND PHOTOS BY BRAM D. EISENTHAL - EXCLUSIVE TO PRECIOUS PETS

Tattoos have been around a long time, maybe hundreds of thousands of years, as early man and woman decided to try decorating their bodies with more panache than impermanent mammoth blood accorded him. In centuries and decades past, you’d find tats on drunken sailors and die-hard criminals, hence a somewhat nasty rep. Nowadays, however, everyone’s got one, it seems. I recently got my third, reflecting something The (Montreal) Gazette’s Mike Boone promised when he wrote a major piece on the subject about 10 years ago. He had just received his fifth piece of indelible body art and he warned that if you got just one, it became addictive. I now agree. It occurred to me that much of the art you see on people’s bodies – the exposed portions, in any case – involved animals. So I decided to head to a West End Montreal tattoo parlour to research the subject. I went to NDG’s Saving Grace and spoke to owner/artist Alex K’eh, who is, believe it or not, a former accountant. K’eh was just about to tattoo a longtime client and since it was the man’s pet, his Lab-Pitbull mix Nixon, I stuck around and asked 29-year old photographer Shawn Bennett about his love of animal tats. His body is fairly-well covered with birds, panthers and other big cats and, now, Nixon was about to be graphically and permanently commemorated on his upper left thigh.

What’s with the love of animal tattoos, I asked Bennett? “First-off, I am not into hard-core tattoos and I am not as severely judged with animals etched onto my skin,” he told me. “I was raised on a farm in Shawinigan and Nixon is my seventh pet, the others including horses and goats.” Nixon is his favourite pet and, as he just turned 7 years of age, Bennett wanted to remember him forever. That’s where an artist like K’eh comes in. He takes a picture of the dog, traces the facial features and then improvises the rest. The result is fairly stunning, especially the dog’s eyes, which is what Bennett wants to remember most. Why the upper thigh? I asked. “It was either that or my ribs and that would be too painful for me,” he replied. I watched as K’eh took his excellent and expressive drawing and applies it to Bennett’s thigh.

He presses on the paper and this leaves the outline of the animal on the flesh. He then proceeds to take his clean needles, prepare Bennett’s skin and get to work on the outline. The majority of the inner work, such as the shading, will be done at a later date. Saving Grace charges $125 per hour, so depending on the intricacy of the work, you may pay a few dollars for a tattoo as large as this one. “Lots of people come in asking for animals tattoos these days,” K’eh told me. Bennett, who is a good friend of K’eh’s, added that this has become a much more frequent practice. Saving Grace tattoo artist Daniel Belanger – who has worked on me and is excellent, I can attest, agreed, telling me he receives requests like these much more frequently nowadays. The area where Saving Grace is located has, by the way, become a rather cool strip of the Cote

des Neiges-NDG borough. Right across the street is Encore Books and Records, a second-hand fave of mine for decades. Next to the tattoo parlour is the two-month-old Vapeking, featuring electric cigarettes. Their number is 514-4810999 and they are always eager and willing to discuss these controversial new devices. One block west you will find Bofinger, which smokes pulled pork and other delicious meats like nobody’s business. And a bit further west, same side, is popular café and live entertainment locale Kokkinos. Next door to that is pet supply retailer Doguehaus. We know our readers visit them, because they always request our paper. Saving Grace is located at: 5629 Sherbrooke W. (in NDG) Tel: 514-487-6666 www.savinggracetattoo.com

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 1 • FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014 • www.preciouspets.ca

Huge reptile expo slithers into Toronto next month Spiderz and Snakez with Grant Crossman

From Saturday September 13 – Sunday September 14, 2014, the International Centre in Toronto will be crawling, jumping, fluttering and slithering with all types of Snakes, Birds, Lizards, Frogs, Toads and

Next Issue:

FRIDAY. September 26 DEADLINE WEDNESDAY, September 17 info@preciouspetscanada.com

other animals that are sometimes overlooked... considering the amazing pets that they make. The Canadian Reptile and Exotic Pet Breeders’ Expo is taking place in just a few weeks, with an amazing family fun event for all pet lovers. This event is truly world class and brings together Vendors, Exhibitors, Guest Speakers and some pretty incredible educational programs. In addition to the core Reptile and Amphibian offering, 2014 marks the first year with a strong Avian presence. Mark Hagen from H.A.R.I. is scheduled to attend and share some of his knowledge about the captive breeding of parrots in Canada. Safari Jeff brings his Living Wild show for the whole family. Providing audiences of all ages with a thrilling adventure, discovering amazing animals from around the world. Safari Jeff will educate and entertain with his intriguing live reptiles and captivating multimedia experience. The Canadian Raptor Conservancy will be on hand with live Birdof-Prey demonstrations. Hawks, Eagles, Owls and other incredible raptors will fly above the audience, showcasing their incredible training, amazing precision, and awe inspiring grace. Be sure to confirm your attendance around one of the six scheduled demonstration times! Robert Sprackland, Tom Crutchfield, Dr. Nick (DVM) and the Urban Jungles Radio crew will also all be in attendance, giving various talks and interacting with visitors about the multitudes of subjects in their specific genres. Responsible Pet Ownership is the message from the Canadian Reptile and Exotic Pet Breeders’ Expo and, in addition to the wonderful displays, amazing animals for purchase, educational facilities and great kid friendly activities, we hope that all attendees take the time to recognize and realize that responsible pet ownership is a personal choice. We encourage every-

one to embrace and foster these values regardless of the types of pet they choose to keep. For more information on the Canadian Reptile and Exotic Pet Breeders Expo, in Toronto September 13-14, 2014, take a look at

their website at www.reptilebreedersexpo.ca/ ED NOTE: Precious Pets will have a booth at the event. You will find a full report on the Expo in our October 2014 issue, Pernicious Pests, our annual Halloween special.

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PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 1 • FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014 • www.preciouspets.ca

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Quebec’s LE NICHOIR: A fly-away success story BY CHANTAL GARNANO PRECIOUS PETS EXCLUSIVE

Have you ever found an injured or orphaned wild bird in your yard? When a situation like this happens, it is not obvious to know what is best to do in order to help the bird. Fortunately, there is Le Nichoir, located in Hudson, Quebec. Le Nichoir was founded in 1996 as a non-profit organization. Their goal is to care for injured or orphaned wild birds and release them back into the wild. Today, they are the largest rehab center for songbirds in Canada! In 1996 they received and cared for 478 wild birds vs. more than triple that number in 2013, when there were 1523 birds! Executive Director Susan Wylie said that since January 2014, they had already received over 960 birds and, at the present time, they have 270 in their care. Did you know that it costs Le Nichoir an average of $75 per bird to offer proper care? A nesting bird will stay with them about 4-6 weeks, while injured adults will stay about 2-3 weeks. Their length of stay and level of care will also depend on the type of injuries, type of diet, age of the bird and how much staff time is required to care for the avian. Mrs. Wylie further explained:‘’The most common reasons why people bring young birds to Le Nichoir is mainly because they are orphaned, abandoned or intentionally taken. Once birds are almost fully feath-

ered, they fall from the nest and spend 2-3 weeks on the ground before they can fly. During this time the parents will feed them every once in a while but they will not stay with the young. This is when people often think the birds need rescuing... but the best thing is to let the bird simply ‘be’ and allow the parents to care for it. “This is a critical time in their life, as it is their time to explore, learn about their environment and exercise to develop their flight feathers. Injured adult and juvenile birds are admitted for three main reasons:Window collisions, cat attacks and vehicle collisions. Other reasons include entanglement in fishing line or rope, oiling and/or soiling of feathers, malnutrition, eye injuries, etc.’’ The most common species that Le Nichoir receives is the American Robin and the Mallard. The most unusual or rarest species they have received over the years are the Black -Billed Cuckoos, Yellow-Billed Cuckoos, Atlantic Puffin, Common Eider and Razorbill. They also get some of Quebec’s threatened species, such as Barn Swallows, Chimney Swifts and Least Bitterns.

Recently, I had the opportunity to return to Le Nichoir during their yearly Open House Event held on July 19, 2014. During that fun day, I went on a bird watching walk, learned facts about owls, visited various information kiosks and saw their new songbird aviary that was completed in November 2013. Susan Wylie told me that this year’s Open House was their biggest ever They had approximately 1000 visitors, which represented double what they received in 2013! My recent visit to Le Nichoir was really ‘’worth crowing about’’ because I learned a lot and had a lot of fun. A little bird tells me that I will

be returning soon for another visit! If ever you find an injured wild bird take note that Le Nichoir is accepting birds Monday to Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. without appointment and they do not charge for their services, but keep in mind that they do run primarily on donations. The Barn is open from midMay to mid-September. After that they ask people to call to make an appointment, because the Barn is not open full time. During the winter, the Barn closes but they continue to accept birds by appointment only.They work with local veterinary clinics and drop off locations. You can visit Le Nichoir and their new store La Plume Verte Monday to Sundays from 12h pm to 4pm. Le Nichoir is located at 637 Main in Hudson, QC. Tel: 450-458-2809. You can also visit their website at http://lenichoir.org/en

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 1 • FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014 • www.preciouspets.ca

Help with house-breaking puppies Most puppies can be expected to be potty-trained by the time they are six months old. Once puppies learn to “hold” themselves, they can be expected to “hold it” for as many

Editorial Board THE EDITORIAL BOARD OF PRECIOUS PETS IS COMPRISED OF INDIVIDUALS CONNECTED TO THE PET FIELD IN SOME MANNER, WHO ARE READY TO ADVISE THE PARTNERS AND/OR STAFF WHEN

ASKED FOR THEIR OPINIONS. THEY ARE:

Doggie Doggie DoDo

hours as they are months old, give or take an hour. So a three month old puppy should be able to hold it for 2-3 hours. Most puppies tend to avoid doing their business where they sleep and eat, (provided that they weren’t forced to live in those conditions previously, as is sadly often the case with puppy mill dogs). This desire to keep clean is where using the crate works very well, but it is important to first crate train the puppy and not just put the puppy in the crate for hours at a time, without first acclimatizing the dog to it. The size of the crate is critical, as the pup should only have enough room to stand up and turn around

with Meira Frankl

with Meira Frankl to potty every time the dog wakes up, 15 minutes after eating, after playing, after waking up from a nap, along with the number of hours that the pup is, converted into months. Take him out for five minutes. If he does his business, then praise him,

MICHAEL J. COHEN, COUNCILOR, CITY OF COTE SAINT-LUC (QUEBEC) AND FOUNDER OF ITS CATS COMMITTEE AVERIL ROBINSON, OWNER PET FRIENDS (VAUDREUIL, QUEBEC)

GERDY GOURON, OWNER OF GERDY’S RESCUES AND ADOPTIONS (QUEBEC) DR. WOJCIECH WYBRANOWSKI – VETERINARIAN (MONTREAL’S WEST ISLAND) GABY DUFRESNE-ST. CYR – OWNER OF DOGUESHOP (MONTREAL) SUZANNE VILLENEUVE – PRESIDENT: SUZANNE VILLENEUVE ASSOCIATES INC. & SVBIZ INC.

inside. There shouldn’t be enough room to do business in one corner, and then move away to lie down in the other, cleaner, corner. This is what teaches the pup to hold it, gradually, for longer periods of time. Most crates today come with dividers for this purpose, so you can alter the size of the crate as the dog grows. The other option is to keep the puppy leashed, taking him outside

but only after he is done. Stay outside and play with him for a bit, then give him 15-30 minutes of off leash freedom once back inside. If puppy doesn’t go potty within the five minutes, then bring the leashed puppy inside, taking him back out again

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 1 • FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014 • www.preciouspets.ca

every 10 minutes, until he does. Do not let him off the leash inside. Do not give him the chance to go potty in the house. He only earns free time once he’s gone potty outside. Keeping feeding schedules are also helpful. Puppies will usually defecate as many times as they are fed. If you feed twice, then expect two number twos. If you’re gone for long periods of time, then try not to crate longer than the pup can hold it. Instead, confine to the kitchen or laundry room, along with pee-pee pads, or find someone to give the puppy a pee break. Accidents are bound to happen. When they do, make sure to refrain from punishing. Pushing puppy noses into their mess doesn’t teach them that it’s wrong. This does nothing to help. It’s also important to clean up messes with the proper products (Knock Out, Nature’s Miracle, enzyme removers) so as not to entice the puppy to use that same area again, which they are prone to do. Setting the puppy up to succeed, along with great management, will result in a well trained, clean puppy ... and quite quickly, too!

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 1 • FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014 • www.preciouspets.ca

Pet Whisperer with Rita Fert

Even pets can benefit from a cool moniker I understand that, for some pets, it’s really important what name you pick for them. For instance, a cat I know, Buddy, was named after the singer, song writer and pioneer of Rock n’ Roll, Buddy Holly. The cat was rather perplexed at his name. He was trying hard to understand what it meant and how he should integrate it into his life. He was mentally downloading everything from the Cosmos that concerned Buddy Holly – especially who he was and what qualities he had. Then he started acquiring those qualities for himself. His name was still nonetheless a big puzzle for him. He told me he doesn’t mind the prospect of being renamed. He said that he has a very specific ‘universal frequency’ and that the name should preferably match it, but now he is stuck with a name that is a big question mark to him. I told him that “Buddy Holly” can also compare to “holy buddy,” which means he is a holy friend. The cat liked this idea and started to download everything on enlightenment and being a saint. He understood that saint implies compassion and told me something very surprising: That he would like to be vegetarian so that he can save the farm animals. I know that cats are carnivores, but a vegetarian option still exists for them. If cats go vegetarian, or vegan, they need to be supplemented with Taurine, minerals, etc. I once had a very healthy vegetarian cat and I was putting a food supplement for vegetarian cats in his food, that was especially formulated for this reason. It’s called “vegecat” and can be ordered on the site www.vegepet.com. Anyways, back to Buddy, he really took this new meaning seriously and actually became enlightened. He started giving me very enlightened pearls in telepathy. He also became more understanding than before and more humorous. Buddy is a particularly gentle cat... he even gives licks as kisses. My boyfriend Gary calls him “Purrball.” He is really a being full of love and now he is also very wise thanks to his meditation on his own name. As I said in my previous article, animals are very quick and can really understand big chunks of information instantaneously, as soon as a new notion is presented to them. That’s how Buddy got himself into very “gigabytic” meditations and achieved a result that quickly. By the way, Buddy is a cat that appreciates beauty. I once gave him a lemon to explore and he told the lemon: “You are magnificent.” He said the lemon was very ethereal. On another occasion, he noticed I had make-up on and complimented me on it. I never thought cats notice these things. On the occasion of the paper’s first anniversary, I asked Buddy what he would like to tell the readers of Precious Pets and he told me the following: “I really want you to understand that we are very good to everybody. We really care about the pain of the farm animals. There is a fish (in the house, in an aquarium) of the type Plecostomus (sucker fish) that talks to me telepathically and I really didn’t want Buddy to eat fish anymore. I am really enlightened about this and I am telling you: Be vegetarian!” Rita Fert’s e-mail: dogmcmurphy@live.ca

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 1 • FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014 • www.preciouspets.ca

They Call Me Dr. W

Is your Pet's scratching driving you crazy?

It could be Allergies! (Part 2 - Food allergies: Less common, but very important!) (BY DR. WYBRANOWSKI, B.SC. DVM CCRT)

Excessive scratching is the most frequent reason that exasperated clients bring in their pets seeking veterinary help. In our last column, we explored environmental allergies and their treatment. In this one, we will discuss food allergies. Both have similar causes. The pet’s immune system becomes overstimulated and erroneously starts producing anti-bodies against normal day-to-day protein molecules found in the pet’s environment. When these proteins enter the body - either in the food via allergies, or through the airways and by contact on the skin - the specific antibodies in the bloodstream that lie in wait attach to these proteins to destroy them and protect the body… just as they would from a virus or bacteria. These attachments of antibodies and foreign protein initiate a whole cascade of immune mediators with the end result of the release of Histamine and Histamine-like-substances in the pet’s skin. Skin inflammation and itchiness is the end result with pets, while asthma, runny nose and itchy eyes is the end result for people. With food allergies, the pet is allergic to a specific protein, like peanut allergies in people. No matter how you eat the peanuts you have the same allergic reaction – whether the peanuts are in a chocolate bar, ice cream or cake. We must first differentiate between food intolerance and allergies - If your dog ate dry dog food all his life and suddenly you gave him pizza, he could develop diarrhea. This would be intolerance and the diarrhea would go away soon after the dry food was re-introduced. Intolerance does not involve the immune system. An allergy does. An allergy involves the immune system and its signs are much more severe - Only food proteins have the ability to fool the immune system into thinking that they can be dangerous, due to their complicated molecular structure. The ”fooled” immune system then mounts a defense by producing antibodies that circulate in the blood stream: Whenever this food is eaten, various chemicals, including Histamine, are released, causing pets to scratch, lick or even bite their skin (ears or other areas, as well).

Testing for food allergy is simple - The pet must be fed a diet consisting of proteins that the pet cannot be allergic to. This can be done either by feeding a food that contains only a new “novel” protein… which means that the pet has never eaten it before… or a food in which the protein has been modified by hydrolysis. Hydrolysis is a method of using water molecules to cut the large molecules into small pieces, too small for the immune system to recognize as something that could cause an allergic reaction. The problem lies in that this diet needs to be fed for up to three months - and during this time the pet cannot have anything else to eat - no treats, no rawhide bones to chew, nothing at all, must enter his mouth except for this hypo-allergenic diet and water. If the itch disappears or decreases significantly during the three months of the trial, we need to challenge the pet with its old food: If it has a food allergy, the itch will come back within a few days to weeks. The hypo-allergic diet is, then, re-introduced and if the itch once again goes away, we have proven beyond any doubt that we can make the allergy go away and come back at will.

The solution is to then feed the pet the hypo-allergic diet all its life, in order to be disease free. Another option is to add one protein at a time to see which ones he can or cannot tolerate. Most owners simply prefer to leave the pet on the hypo-allergenic diet. Secondary treatments are limited - Food allergies do not respond well to treatment with anti-Histamines and steroids, probably because of the large dose of “allergenic proteins” the dog gets in every meal. Blood tests do exist

but are not 100% reliable by themselves and they should be used only together with a food elimination trial, not instead of one. Food allergies are too important to ski p over on a chronically itchy pet. Testing for food allergies requires dedication and perseverance on the owner’s part, but it is the only hope to help an itchy pet in distress. At Animal 911, we are experienced in diagnosing and treating your pet’s allergies. And we will be there to support you through the treatment process.

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 1 • FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014 • www.preciouspets.ca

BOOKS

Will to Live: A Saga of Survival by Gary Edinger REVIEWED BY ELYSYA SCERBO-PASTA

Will to Live: A Saga of Survival is the autobiography of Gary Edinger, a Wisconsin logger who, through sheer strength of will, survived a logging accident that caused him to lose part of his leg. This book recounts the important events of his life leading up to this event. I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but I have to admit that I was a little surprised when I pulled the book out of its packaging. The concept of the autobiography was very intriguing, but the cover looked like someone had copied some pictures into Microsoft Word and stuck on some Word Art for the title. That being said, this is actually a good book! Coming from someone who didn’t study to be a writer, the book is very well written. There’s a great deal of charm in its short length and simplicity, and the author’sconversa-

STORY

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are looking at implementing in the future. And we cannot omit our newest writer, Chantal Gargano (who writes mainly about birds), has been very enthusiastic and, along with her husband, Ron, is an active participant in our monthly Little Bear Pet Grief Group. The couple lost two beloved rabbits a while ago and this deeply impacted their psyches. “I think that just the fact of having a paper purely dedicated to various types of

tional, yet at times poetic tone. The story of his life is very interesting in itself. From childhood he’s dealt with exciting and traumatic events that can only have been experienced by someone from his walk of life. All this experience, in the end, culminates into the strength he needs to survive the accident. After reading his story it’s very hard not to respect this incredible man. My favorite aspect of this book is Edinger’s philosophical musings. The reader gets a sense of the great pride he has in his family and his lineage. He holds absolutely no shame for his lifestyle, and if anything can make even the most skeptical come to respect him. He has a strong sense of freedom and salvation in nature, and philosophies concerning human nature and the universe. The ultimate

treasure of reading this book is the inspiration: Gary Edinger is proof that, with hard work and enough will power, you can do nearly anything. I do, however, have a few issues with the book. The first being that it’s not in chronological order. The author’s life is instead divided into sections later referred to at the end. It’s not a bad way to go about it, but it does jerk the reader back and forth along the timeline a bit, and could get confusing if someone’s not paying close attention. The next issue I have is with the placement of a set of coloured photos pertaining to Edinger’s life. Though a great addition, they’re not only smack in the middle of the book, but also in the middle of the story. They become out of place and a little distracting in this way. They might have been better placed for

reference at the end, or beginning of the book. Finally, despite the fact that I enjoyed Edinger’s philosophical musings, and though the pride he has in his family is respectable, I feel at times it’s being spoon-fed to the reader. Part of the charm of the author’s writing is how straightforward he is, but with a little more subtlety, the reader could be given more room to think about it themselves and question his words, as opposed to being told directly. All in all, it certainly is worth the read. It’s short, sweet, and makes you think. Not only did Edinger live an amazing, interesting life, but he is entirelyinspirational. It was a pleasure to read. You can learn more about the book and this man’s incredible story at: http://www.garyedinger.com/

pets sets you apart from other publications,” Chantal told me. “You also provide a nice variety of articles and you feature stories about unique pets like snakes and such.

I love the idea that you can find all types of resources needed for our pet care.” Finally, while I stress again that every advertiser with Precious Pets counts – whether you take a business card or a full page – you all make this paper possible. And we hope that your advertising experiences with us are enjoyable and, of course, profitable. But I must single out several advertisers who have gone above and beyond supportive and have been there since the very beginning for the most part. Rothenberg Capital Management is on the back cover of 10 issues annually and our appreciation for them knows no bounds. Thank you to Jack Rothenberg and his staff. Any of you may confidently invest your funds with this solid company anytime and never, ever worry about losing your money due to the shenanigans so prevalent in today’s market. Jack has branches Canada-wide and is trusted for a reason. Averil Robinson of Pet Friends in Vaudreuil, Quebec has been much more than an advertiser. She has been a mentor since Day One and has become a true friend to both Tina and I. When Tina’s beloved dog Rocco died less than two months ago, Averil’s help and caring made all the difference to the lost and dev-

astated Tina. This deep sense of caring for clients is something you can expect from Averil whether you know her or not. Dr. Wybranowski’s wise monthly column (They Call Me Dr. W) goes hand-in-hand with the ads for his veterinary clinic, Animal 911, and he has become a key ingredient to the PP mix. Thanks to Dr. W and his assistant, Karine. Veterinarians have unfortunately not been very supportive of our paper to date, but Dr. W. has been a noteworthy exception. Chuck Altman of Westmount’s Animalerie LIttle Bear is a client of more recent vintage, but he sponsors our monthly pet grief group, held the last Thursday of every month in Cote Saint-Luc’s ACC (Aquatic and Community Centre). Chuck, we thank you... your dollars help us bring an invaluable service to the public. Thanks, too, to the City of Cote Saint-Luc, to Councillor Mike Cohen and to Harold Cammy of the ACC for their support regarding our Little Bear Pet Grief Group.

“Quite honestly, I have enjoyed writing all of my columns so far. My favourite ones if I really have to choose, would be the story and interview I did about my visit to Spring Farm Cares and the one I just wrote (for this issue) about Le Nichoir.” Advertisers have also enjoyed supporting us. Myrna from Manoir Minder stated: “This is the first newspaper publication that is devoted exclusively to animals of all kinds.

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 1 • FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014 • www.preciouspets.ca

Thanks, all, and here’s to a successful second year! See you all at our party at Dollar Cinema on Wednesday, September 10. Don’t forget to RSVP by end August... details in this issue!

BOOKS

“Animals in Spirit’’ by author Penelope Smith BY CHANTAL GARGANO

When you are grieving the loss of one of your pets, either caused by a long illness, a sudden death or because your pet left one day and never returned home, it is not easy to find the comfort and empathy you so desire. When both of my pet rabbits passed away from illness a few years apart from one another I was truly devastated. I was trying to find resources to help me in my grieving process but it was hard to find locally. Therefore, I started to search on the Internet and found that there area lot of very good books relat-

ed to pet loss available out there. I find that reading on that topic was quite therapeutic for me. Some of the books I read even brought a new light on what happens to our pets when they die. One of those book is called ‘’Animals in Spirit’’ by Penelope Smith. This book was, for me, the most

interesting one I ever read on pet loss. I first read it in December 2012 when my rabbit Bunbun passed away and even now I still refer to it at times. Mrs. Smith lives in Prescott, Arizona and she is one of the first to introduce the notion of interspecies communication. She is an Animal Communicator and wrote two books on this very interesting topic called ‘’Animal Talk’’ and ‘’When Animals Speak’’. She believes that every animal has a soul and that somehow, all of us (humans, animals and all other living things) are all connected. I have to warn you, however

that you have to be open-minded to truly appreciate the notions discussed in this book. Mrs. Smith explains the life and death of animals in a very spiritual and different way. She believes that the soul of the animal will never die and that when an ani mal moves on into spirit his life does not end. After passing, she explains that the animal spirit (or soul) will continue to exist but it will live in a different realm then ours. This book contains 11 chapters such as ‘’Guilt and Grieving’’, ‘’Letting Go and Euthanasia’’, ‘’Shelter and Rescued Animals’’, ‘’Dimensions of the Spirit Realm’’, ‘’Messages from Departed Animals,’’etc. Penelope Smith was able to present her different vision of life

and death in a very easy to understand way and as you read through her book you truly feel that she writes with all of her heart. I was profoundly touched by her wisdom and by her ability to present the abstract notion of animal and death in such a positive and beautiful way. After reading this book, I managed to view the death of my animals from a very different perspective. I would recommend this book to everyone who is open and curious to learn about a different view of life and death. Because this book provides such a unique perspective on pet loss and because it is a great and easy read, I give it 5/5 on the ‘’Chantal Paw Prints BookScale.’’

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PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 1 • FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014 • www.preciouspets.ca

You love animals, right?

Do the right thing... Celebrate with us ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014, 7 P.M., YOU ARE ALL INVITED: DOLLAR CINEMA (AT MONTREAL’S DECARIE SQUARE MALL, 6900 DECARIE BLVD, 2ND FLOOR)

OUR FIRST BIRTHDAY BASH, FEATURING FOOD - ENTERTAINMENT - DOOR PRIZES - PET LITERATURE TABLE ADMISSION: FREE!

JUST CONSIDER BRINGING A DONATION THAT WE WILL GIVE TO GERDY’S RESCUES, ONE OF THE CITY’S MOST RESPECTED, HARD-WORKING PET ORGANIZATIONS. PLEASE RSVP YOUR ATTENDANCE BY AUGUST 29, 2014, AT 514-975-7745 OR BY E-MAILING BRAM EISENTHAL AT INFO@PRECIOUSPETSCANADA.COM. PRECIOUS PETS MEDIA GROUP INC. QUARTIER CAVENDISH P.O. BOX 66521 5800 CAVENDISH BLVD. COTE SAINT-LUC, QUEBEC H4W 3J6 12

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 1 • FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014 • www.preciouspets.ca

What to do when your pet is upset Pet Healer

EVENT PROGRAM THE MUSIC WE LOVE: BEST OF THE CLASSICS– THE CAT’S MEOW TUESDAY,AUGUST 26, 2014 7:30 P.M. AT THE MARYMOUNT ADULT EDUCATION CENTRE 5785 PARKAVEN AVENUE BENEFITTING THE CÔTE SAINT-LUC CATS COMMITTEE AND EDUCHAT WWW.COTESAINTLUC.ORG/CATS WWW.CSLCATSCOMMITTEE.BLOGSPOT.CA WWW.EDUCHAT.CA 514-485-6800 EXT. CATS

with Barbara Etcovitch PROGRAM

Introductions by Côte Saint-Luc City Councillor Responsible for Animal Protection Mike Cohen - Tribute to the late Mayor Bernard Lang

Pet guardians know how difficult it can be to deal with an animal that has been scared, injured or abused. Homeopathy, fortunately, is an effective solution. The following four homeopathic remedies address a variety of mental states and can be easily administered: 1/ If the animal can be held, several crushed pills of the remedy can be placed on the tongue. If not, the remedy can be easily administered in the water that the animal will eventually drink. Certain remedies can also be inhaled. 2/ Aconite 30ch and Rescue Remedy are the first to be considered. Both can be used for the first stages of fright and/or panic which come on suddenly from any cause and in which there appears to be an intense fear of death and much restlessness. The animal may be hysterical and refuse to be touched. 3/ Gelsemium 30ch, the remedy I refer to as the ”D” Remedy produces a profile of dizziness, drowsiness, dumbness and dullness. When we meet an animal that is paralyzed from fear or fright (“frozen”) Gelsemium is a good bet. Anticipatory anxiety also responds well to this remedy.

4/ For your four-legged friend that is in a state of hysteria due to loud noises, Phosphorus 30ch is to be considered. The animal in a Phosphorus state will start at the sound of sudden loud noises such as thunder or cars backfiring and cannot bear to be alone. Many other mental states can be addressed by Homeopathy and guardians do not have to worry about ”side effects,” since Homeopathy is a safe, gentle and effective treatment for even the gentlest of our companion souls. Barbara Etcovitch is a Classical Homeopath, Interfaith Minister, freelance writer and lecturer. She has a BA from Sir George Williams University, an MA in Literature from the University of Ottawa, and a Diploma in Classical Homeopathy from the School of Homeopathy is Devon, England. She was ordained by the Allfaiths Seminary International in New York in 2004. She offers naming and funeral services for animals, grief counseling for guardians, and includes the treatment of animals in her homeopathic practices in Quebec and Ontario.

GREETINGS Côte Saint-Luc City Mayor Anthony Housefather - D’Arcy McGee MNA - David Birnbaum Côte Saint-Luc City Councillor Sam Goldbloom

FEATURING

The Musicians of the World Symphony Orchestra

THE CÔTE SAINT-LUC CATS COMMITTEE

The Côte Saint-Luc Cats Committee was initiated by Councillor Mike Cohen. Via a small group of volunteers, activities undertaken include: Trap, Neuter & Release; Trap Neuter & Adopt and Education and Sensitization. See Alexandra Cohen’s special video on homeless cats at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVt-sxpA930.

EDUCHAT

The objective of this organization is to neuter both homeless cats and those of low income families. Another is to create public awareness about animal welfare and the importance of animal population control. Shelley Schecter, a founding member of the Côte Saint-Luc Cats Committee is the director of Educhat. For more information log on to www.educhat.ca.

THE MUSICIANS OF THE WORLD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Musicians of the World Symphony Orchestra (MWSO) was founded in 2006 by conductor Joseph Milo and his wife Lucy Ravinsky. This one of a kind orchestra was formed when it was discovered that a great pool of professional musicians, recently immigrated to Montreal, had no opportunity to make use of their valuable talent in their new home. The MWSO was created, not only to provide these new Canadians with the opportunity to engage in their main passion; making beautiful music in an orchestral setting, but to give them back the professional dignity they had enjoyed in their homelands and most especially, to share their wonderful talents with the music lovers of Montreal.www.musiciansoftheworld.ca

SPECIAL THANKS TO

Alvin Fishman, event coordinator - Lily Percs and the Women’s Group (Chomedy Branch) of Stamp out Violence. - Norman Zimmerman. Steve’s Music Store Jacques Monfette, Hippolito Corral and the staff at Marymount Adult Education Centre - Bram Eisenthal, Tina DiSalvia and Precious Pets

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 1 • FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014 • www.preciouspets.ca

ADOPT, don’t shop! Every year around 20,000 animals end up at shelters in Quebec and half of them are euthanized. Quebec needs to change this and the first step in that direction is to encourage people to adopt rather than shop. If you read my June column about how the SPCA takes in about 1600 abandoned animals around Quebec’s moving season; you’ll be ecstatic to know that the SPCA and the City of Montreal have teamed up this year and have launched a program called “Operation Adoption.” Operation Adoption’s goal is to try to place as many animals as

possible into new forever homes. The City of Montreal stepped up and covered $50 toward each of the first 100 cats adopted over the weekend of July 11 - 13, 2014 and gave a starter kit worth $25 to the families of each dog adopted. The SPCA managed to adopt out 149 cats and 23 dogs!!! Wow…..what a success!! There will also be a second Operation Adoption weekend in September, so stay tuned to Precious Pets and other media for updates. Along with the rebates and starter kits, the SPCA staff has a plethora of information to give each new adopting family. This information is also available on the

Chatty Catty with Samantha Havill

City of Montreal’s website. Did you know that just one unsterilized female cat can produce 276,000 kittens over four years if you add up the litters of all the babies she produces? It’s hard to imagine, but it’s a cold-hard statistic. The SPCA knows these numbers need to change and I am happy to say that each cat adopted through the SPCA is spayed/neutered prior to adoption. This is just one more step the SPCA is taking in the right direction to control our ever growing cat population. In short, adoption saves lives, helps control our pet population

and gives beautiful animals a second chance for at life in a happy home. Each animal deserves to be happy….don’t they?! Please come and support the SPCA and adopt, don’t shop! ED. NOTE: Municipalities every where can also do a lot more to help lower the burgeoning cat population. They can take lessons from the Quebec municipality of Cote Saint-Luc, a shining example of a community that has become increasingly proactivein this area.

Puzzles

THIS WEEKS SOLUTION

PRECIOUS PETS • VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 1 • FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014 • www.preciouspets.ca