Fido 411

Staff reports

DOGTV now available 24/7 across the globe

LAS VEGAS — There is now a worldwide devoted to dogs — DOGTV! Considered a "new breed" of television, DOGTV was created by scientists and experts exclusively with canines in mind, a press release detailed. This 24/7, digital TV channel aims to provide dogs with "the right company" when at home alone.

DOGTV is available on Xfinity, Directv, SlingTV, RCN, Dish and Cox in the United States, the release explained, adding that the newly created OTT channel can be streamed worldwide on Roku, Amazon FireTV, AppleTV, and on any IOS or Android device.

The channel will feature more than 500 hours of content for dogs shot from over 30 locations around the world.

Some of the world's top pet experts spent many years creating special content," said Beke Lubeach, General Manager for DOGTV North America. "This is a TV channel that meets the specific attributes of a dog's sense of vision and hearing and supports their natural behavior patterns. This results in a confident, happy dog who is less likely to develop stress, separation anxiety or other problems associated with spending time alone.

DOGTV was designed to support a dog's natural behavior patterns and is divided into three content categories:

— Relaxation programs reduce stress with dedicated soothing music and visuals to relax a dog and make them feel at ease.

— Stimulation programs encourage movement and playfulness through the use of more engaging videos and sounds from dogs and other animals.

— Exposure videos include subjects that typically make a dog nervous, i.e. vacuums, car rides, and busy streets, which are introduced gradually to acclimate dogs to these events.

Photo courtesy of DOGTV

For more information, visit DOGTV.com/unleashed.

Launch of CUDDLY ID t o aid pet adopt ion process

SEAL BEACH, Calif. — CUDDLY Inc., a pet tech leader, has announced the launch of CUDDLY ID.

According to a press release, more than 3.3 million dogs and 3.2 million cats are adopted annually from rescues and shelters across the nation. CUDDLY ID aims to ease tracking and verifying pet adoption applicants, streamlining the process for their animal welfare partners. The platform powered by globaliD, a leader in the identity verification space, allows users to prove their identity and reputation for adoption purposes without compromising personal information and documentation.

For more information, visit cuddlyid.com.

Research finds spending time with pets benefits older adults

OMAHA, Neb. — One in five Americans reports they feel lonely, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. What's more, according to the University of California San Francisco, 43 percent of seniors say they experience loneliness regularly. But there is good news.

A new survey of adults age 65 and older by Home Instead, Inc. found regular interaction with animals can help to reduce these feelings of isolation and loneliness.

While there are many benefits to owning or interacting with a pet later in life, Home Instead found unconditional love to be the No. 1 perk of pet ownership, followed closely by company and comfort, a press release noted. Nearly half of pet owners also cited stress relief, sense of purpose and exercise as leading advantages.

For more information, including free resources and tips to help seniors incorporate animals into their lives, visit petsandseniors.com.

Report unveiled on reducing dog shootings in police encounters

WASHINGTON — The National Police Foundation and National Canine Research Council are aware of growing awareness and concern over shootings of dogs by law enforcement officers. At the same time, law enforcement leaders acknowledge that their agencies' legitimacy and reputation are tied to community members' perceptions about fairness, trust, and confidence in the police. When pet dogs are shot by police, this can erode public trust and legitimacy — and result in increased risks to bystanders and officers.

To shed light on this critical issue, the National Police Foundation and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Los Angeles(spcaLA), have released a report entitled "An Evidence-Based Approach to Reducing Dog Shootings in Routine Police Encounters: Regulations, Policies, Practices, and Training Implications."

The report includes the following four crucial points that all law enforcement officers should know to handle dog encounters safely:

— Circumstances vary widely and misconceptions can lead to shootings that might otherwise be avoided.

— Commonly held beliefs about dog behavior are often inaccurate and based on stereotypes.

— The differences between K-9 dogs and pets need to be better understood.

— All training is not equal and better standards and policies are needed.

View the full report at policefoundation.org.

The power of grooming

STERLING, Ill. — For a shelter dog, sometimes a good first impression meant the difference between life and death. That's where the Dirty Dog Contest, the brainchild of pet industry leaders Wahl and GreaterGood.org, comes in. Now in its eighth year, the contest donates funds and grooming supplies to rescues and shelters nationwide so thousands of dogs can have a happy ending. Hundreds of these makeovers are shared through photos in the Dirty Dogs Before & After Gallery — including the Top 10 Shelter Dog Makeovers of 2019.

According to a press release, since 2012, Wahl's pet shampoo donations have helped rescues and shelters nationwide transform more than 130,000 dogs and get them ready for adoption.

To view the entire gallery, visit dirtydogsgallery.com. Additionally, the site allows visitors to search for adoptable dogs in their area, learn more about the dogs' backgrounds and stories and share their favorites on social media.

To promote the gallery and help get the dogs adopted, Wahl launched launching the eighth annual Dirty Dogs Contest (dirtydogscontest.com), in which 10 of the most dramatic transformations from the gallery received public votes to determine the top three winners. Animal shelters and rescue groups affiliated with these transformations will receive monetary grants to further support their efforts, with first place taking home $5,000, second place $2,000 and third $1,000.

The Dirty Dogs Contest ran Aug. 6-19 with Arlo of Lost Fantasy Rescue taking first, Zorro of the German Shepherd Rescue Orange County in second and Gaston of the National Mill Dog Rescue in third.

Photo courtesy of dirtydogscontest.com