Tag: animal shelter pets

Heroic Cats – Small in Stature, Big in Deed

Written by Colleen Sedgwick. Posted in Fun Articles.

Dogs are well known for their heroic behavior. Their valor is sung by everyday pet owners all the way to those on the battlefield! Cats on the other hand have an established reputation for being self-consumed and having little genuine interest in anything beyond getting fed and petted. It turns out though that while cats may not have the strength to drag someone to safety, they do some pretty heroic things too! Cats are very attune to medical emergencies and on multiple occasions have alerted their owners to internal threats that they themselves didn’t know where occurring! Take a look at our list of five kitties due some recognition!

Heroic Cats to the Rescue!

Schnautize and the Gas Leak – A Montana couple fast asleep, were awakened by Schnautzie’s persistent paw tapping on their sleeping faces. Once awake they became aware of the sound of gas hissing! Upon evacuating the home and calling the fire department they were told their basement had been filling with gas from a leak while they slept! One spark from their furnace igniting would have sent the house to pieces!
Pudding and the Diabetic – Pudding was a shelter kitty who hadn’t even been in her new home for 24 hours when the woman who adopted her began to fall into a diabetic coma while asleep. Pudding, sensing something was wrong, tried to keep her new owner awake. When that failed she ran to the woman’s son’s room, waking and alerting him to action.
Leo and the Burglar – A robber breaking into a home one night encountered a cat named Leo. Leo was so upset by the burglars presence he began yowling and making such a racket that the surprised crook abandoned his pursuit.
Baby and the Fire – A grey tabby named Baby sprung into action when a fire broke out in his owners apartment and their fire alarm failed to notify them. Baby awoke the couple in time to get to safety, saving the couple and their unborn baby!
Masha and the Baby in the Box – An infant who had been left on a street in a box in Russia owes his life to a passing cat named Masha. Masha hopped in the box with the baby and laid on top of him to keep him from freezing. Not only did she keep him warm, she yowled at passerby’s to attract attention until the baby was discovered and taken into care.

Cats might be small in stature but their gestures and efforts are certainly heroic. Do you have a story about you cat alerting you to danger? Share it with us!

5 Great Reasons Why You Should Adopt a Senior Dog

Written by Colleen Sedgwick. Posted in Health and Safety, Pet tip of the Week.

By guest blogger Alexandra Seagal

When many families decide to bring a new dog into their home, they often think of a puppy first. But there is an equally good option found in rescues and shelters all over the country and who is deserving of a loving, forever home.

Senior dogs (dogs over the age of 7) offer so many benefits to potential adopters, yet many people wrongly conclude that older dogs in shelters are there because they are problem dogs. On the contrary, many adult dogs in shelters are there through no fault of their own, but due to a change in the previous owner’s attitude, allergies, or lifestyle changes.

So if you’re thinking of adopting a dog, consider our…

5 Great Reasons to Adopt a Senior

1. Senior dogs already know where to “go”.

Housetraining a puppy takes a significant amount of time, patience, and consistency, and you are bound to deal with accidents and damaged carpets along the way. Those wake-up calls in the early morning hours to race your puppy outside aren’t exactly a thrill either.

Senior dogs are already trained to eliminate outside, so you don’t have to start from square one with them. You can save a lot of time and money replacing furniture and rugs by adopting an older dog.

2. You’ll know about a senior dog’s behavioral and medical history.

Puppies are full of surprises, including being more rambunctious than planned and growing bigger than expected. That often leaves both owner and puppy frustrated at their circumstances.

With older dogs, you will be able to effectively choose a dog who fits with your lifestyle and living conditions. A senior dog’s size, personality, temperament, and activity level are already established; there is no need to guess about the dog at all. Additionally, knowing the dog’s medical background will allow you understand what you’re getting into when you adopt him.

3. Older dogs are already trained but are also willing and able to learn new things.

Training a puppy can involve large chunks of time and practice, not to mention fees associated with any training classes you might enroll your pup in and money spent on dog crates. Puppies are adorable, but puppies pulling on leashes, jumping up on people, not holding a stay command, or not socializing correctly with other dogs are not.

Senior dogs are a ready-made package as they will already know basic commands such as “sit,” “stay,” and “heel.” You can avoid all the work that it takes to train a puppy by adopting an older dog who knows what he’s being asked to do.

This doesn’t mean that seniors are old dogs who can’t learn new tricks; in fact, they are better at learning new commands than puppies. Adult dogs can focus much better on the task at hand, something that puppies struggle to accomplish. Additional training for a senior dog is not only fun for you as an owner, but it also keeps your older canine mentally sharp and agile.

4. Seniors are ready to give you all of their love.

No matter what painful background experiences they’ve had — neglect, abuse, homelessness — dogs are all about living in the moment. They are excellent at forgiving and forgetting.

Whatever they have encountered in their past, whatever emotional or physical scars they carry, they are more than ready to let you into their hearts. All senior dogs want is love, kindness, a good home, and good food, and they will love you forever in return.

5. You’re giving an older dog a second chance.

Older dogs deserve the chance to live out their final years in a loving home surrounded by people who care for them. A crowded, noisy, stressful shelter environment is not the right atmosphere for a senior dog. But sadly, shelters and rescues are full of older dogs, and it takes much longer for seniors to get adopted.

Some shelters are overpopulated and may not have the time to wait for a senior dog to be adopted. Too many of these old pals are euthanized in shelters, while some spend years at rescue facilities waiting for a home. By adopting a senior dog, you are saving his life, literally or figuratively, and your kindness will be repaid by your new dog every day he is with you.

Senior dogs make the best, most loyal companions, so be a hero and adopt a senior dog! His gratitude for a loving owner and a permanent home will be the foundation of a beautiful relationship between you both.

Rehoming Your Pet – Make It Easier Both of You

Written by Colleen Sedgwick. Posted in Health and Safety.

Rehoming your pet can be a traumatic experience for you both. It’s something no pet owner ever wants to do. We often think that nothing could make us separate from our furbaby, yet dramatic life changes can push us to our limits. Maybe you need to move? Maybe you’re no longer able to physically keep up? Maybe you need to rehome a relative’s pet after their passing? Whatever the reason we’ve put together some helpful tips for how to make rehoming easier on you both.

Rehoming Made Easier

Contact your local shelter. Animal shelters don’t want to take animals. They are much happier if all pets have loving homes and never have to pass through their care. As a result, many shelters offer services to help you identify resources you may need. Do you need to consult with a specialist about behavior issues? Do you need a directory for rehoming services in your area? They can help!
Get you pets face out there. Take quality pictures and create a sincere write up about your pets personality, preferences, and medical history. Spread the word using social media and placing flyers in places frequented by pet lovers – dog parks, stores like Petco, nice neighborhoods, vet offices. Rehoming your pet yourself as opposed to leaving them at a shelter is easier on you and your pet!
Be discerning. It’s okay to be picky about who you let take your pet. Interview them, ask about other pets, experience, maybe even ask for a home visit. Make sure that the person showing interest is a true animal lover and not someone looking for free animals to sell or abuse. Feel free to ask a small fee too.
Look for someone close. If you can find a new home for your pet nearby and foster a good relationship with the new family you might be able to visit your pet or offer services like dog walking or trips to the park so you still get to have a relationship with your pet.

photo credit: Bennilover “It’s the Little Things, like having the Wild Things to play with at the park.” via photopin (license)

Diet Changes for Your Cat – What You Need to Add!

Written by Colleen Sedgwick. Posted in Health and Safety.

Before cats became civilized and domesticated, their primary diet consisted of raw meat. Of course, you aren’t going to let your cat out to grab a bite to eat for dinner every night, so you’ll feed him/her a commercial cat food. But what kinds are the right ones that provide a balanced and nutritious diet that your fur ball will thrive on?

Well, if you understand the 5 ways to improve their diet, you can keep your kitty happy and healthy for life.

Veggies are Good

You may think that as a carnivore, a cat only needs meat to survive. The truth is that even when they were wild they always took in some veggies by eating grass or the digested vegetation in their prey’s stomach. So, giving your kittycat a few veggies is a nice little treat. Familiarize them into your cat’s diet by mixing them into their regular cat food, or if they will have them, giving bits and pieces as treats. Some veggie suggestions are broccoli, green beans, squash, and carrots, but always make sure that meat makes up the bulk of your cat’s diet. However, a few veggies added every once in a while is a good thing.

Always Serve Cooked Meat

Yes, cats ate raw meat in the wild, and they also got parasites like worms too. Meat treats are terrific for your cat, but be safe and make sure they are well cooked.

Eggs Make Great Snacks

Eggs are a wonderful source of protein and B vitamins, and it doesn’t matter if they are sunny side up, over easy or hard boiled. Just make sure they are cooked, and you’ll be good to go.

Add Omega 3’s to Their Diet

Essential fatty acids, like Omega 3’s, are just as good for cats as they are for humans. Cold water fish are loaded with them, they are heart healthy and your cat’s fur will be silkier and shiny. Better still, research shows that they slow the spread of cancer, and if your cat has arthritis, they’ll reduce the inflammation.

… And Probiotics

If your cat has digestive problems, probiotics are the best thing you can do for them. Probiotic supplements are known for creating more effective and efficient digestion while strengthening a cat’s immune system too.

Follow the suggestions as illustrated, and you’ll see for yourself that a healthy diet means a healthy cat.

Thanks Feline Living for the great tips and infographic!

Shelter Animal Adoption Tips

Written by Colleen Sedgwick. Posted in Health and Safety.

Pet adoption is a cause near and dear to our hearts here at Pet Nanny. We like to see every critter in a warm loving home! Anything we can do to ease the adoption process and get a shelter animal in your home, we want to do!

Cindy Grant at NoLongerWild.com has compiled the ultimate treasure trove of shelter animal adoption tips! The labor of love is really impressive! Here are some of the highlights of her work, but ultimately, we suggest you head over to her site too for the full details if you have any questions or concerns!

Shelters

Did you know there are different types of animal shelters? Each different type has its own operating procedures. You may find it helpful to know what kind your local shelter is so you know what to expect before you go there! Here are the five types Cindy identifies:

Municipal Animal Shelters
Private Full Service Non-Profit Animal Shelters
Non-Profit Full Service With Animal Control
Non-Profit With Limited Space Animal Rescue Shelters
Animal Rescue Groups

Need help identifying good shelters from bad ones? She helps with this too! Aside from taking note of the general well-being of the animals and their living conditions she also addresses a couple important, yet not often mentioned aspects:

Is the staff friendly? That’s a great sign that they are happy to help a future pet parent! However, don’t be quick to get offended as they may grill you over certain aspects of your life. They’re not there to be your friend, they’re there to ensure each pet goes to a loving and capable home so they don’t see them back at the shelter!
Shelter pets aren’t “free”! While shelters shouldn’t demand a “donation” with adoption, they will charge you an adoption fee. This isn’t for-profit though, so don’t get the wrong idea. This fee frequently covers the cost of spaying/neutering, shots, and other preventative care your pet received under their care. It’s important that you get an itemized list of these things so you know what your pet has had, and what it still needs before you head home!

Know What Questions To Ask About Your Shelter Animal!

Shelter pets have a history and you should find out as much as you can before you adopt. Does it have any preexisting health conditions? Why is it in the shelter to begin with? What’s it’s general temperament? Important questions you need to ask! Make yourself a list – but be prepared to answer some yourself!

photo credit: M.P.N.texan Helen via photopin (license)

Wedding Season: How To Include Your Pet!

Written by Colleen Sedgwick. Posted in Health and Safety.

June is one of the most popular months for weddings! Whether you have a wedding planned this month, or next year, we’ve got some great tips for your celebrations As a pet parent, it’s only natural to include your furry friend in the nuptials. Here are some fun and creative ways how to do so!

Your Pet + Your Wedding

Engagement and Wedding Photos – Be sure to find yourself a photographer that is comfortable working with pets. Pinterest is a great place for photo ideas! Find poses your pet will be comfortable with and practice them a few days before the shoot.
Decor – Use some pictures from that awesome photo shoot in your wedding decor! Pets look adorable on name cards for the tables at the reception, as cake toppers, or on invitations.
In the Ceremony – An honor reserved for only the best of behaved pets! They can walk down the aisle with you, stand to the side as a “best man” or “maid of honor”, be the ring bearer, or even accompany the flower girl! Just be sure they are well rehearsed before the wedding to avoid any mishaps!
Dress them up! – Everyone else at the wedding will be looking their best, why not your pet too? Flower’s tucked around their collar, ankle cuffs, and even flower crowns! Check with your local groomer to see if they offer any extra services for making your pet shine!
Get a Pet Nanny – This might be the most important piece of advice for pets in a wedding. It’s your big day, but your future spouse deserves your full attention, as do your many guests! Be sure to have a trusted Pet Nanny looking out for your pet’s needs and keeping them out of trouble!

photo credit: IQRemix Shiba Inu all Dressed up via photopin (license)

Earth Day 2017 – Green Pet Tips for Wallet & Planet!

Written by Colleen Sedgwick. Posted in Fun Articles.

Happy April! Stuck inside due to April showers? Take some time to evaluate you and your pets carbon footprint. April 22nd is Earth Day – a great reminder to keep the planet in good shape for all the fuzzy (and not so fuzzy…) critters, including you! So what steps can you take in preparation for Earth Day? Find out below!

Green Pet Tips in Honor of Earth Day

Spay & Neuter – Every new critter your critter produces is four more little carbon footprints! Prevent accidental litters by making sure your pet is spayed or neutered. Got that taken care of? Consider donating to a local animal shelter or charity that offers free or discounted spay & neuter clinics for shelter animals.
Buy Reusable – Often times it can be a bigger upfront investment, but over time reusable pet items not only help the environment, but they save you money too! Here are some often overlooked reusable options for pets:
Replace cat litter with a Cat Genie!
Instead of use-once puppy pads, consider switching to a washable version
Get a pet bed with a removable cover that can be washed, or replaced
DIY Toys – While the toy aisle may be tempting, don’t waste your money! Most pets are happy with bags, boxes, or other household items! This awesome list from Barkpost will help you recycle your old clothes and water bottles into eco-friendly toys your pets will love! Make up several and gift them to friends for Earth Day!

Avoid Clay-based Litters – Clay-based cat litters are created by strip mining sodium bentonite out of the ground. Its acquisition leaves long-term damage to the environment. Grist.com has a great list of reviews for some of the top non-clay based cat litters out there. Find one that suits your needs and try it out!

Avoid Vinyl, Phthalates, and BPA – These are all potentially toxic and/or petroleum based products. Most plastics (food/water bowls) and leashes are made out of these materials. Consider investing in metal dishes and buy collars and leashes made from cotton or hemp!
Be A Minimalist – Every year we’re informed about the booming pet industry – 62 billion dollars in 2016. Our pets are frequently a lot lower maintenance than we make them out to be. Instead of doling out money on things they don’t need – be a minimalist. Take that money and invest it in services, training, a savings account, or pet charity!

photopin (license)photo credit: N’Grid Snif Snif via

Your Personality Pet Match – Take the Test!

Written by Colleen Sedgwick. Posted in Fun Articles.

Have you ever taken or heard of the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) test? It’s a test based on the idea that there are 16 personality types made up of combinations of different traits. We don’t know of any studies about how many types there are for dogs, but we do have a wonderful infographic from petdoors.com that tells you which breed best matches you!

Take the personality test!

You can take the test here, and read all the awesome things about who you are and how you work!

Match your breed!

Look below to match your results with the breed that best compliments you!

Charity for Pets – Helping You Give This Year!

Written by Colleen Sedgwick. Posted in Fun Articles.

Don’t forget about all the furry friends in need this holiday season! Making a charitable contribution in someone’s name can be a great gift for the animal lover who has everything. What pet charities have the greatest impact? Which ones best target the animals you feel are most in need? Let us help you find the perfect pet charity to donate to this holiday season!

Find the Best Pet Charity For Your!

Leave No Paws Behind – You know those pets at the shelter that are a little less desirable? Maybe their old, or have special needs? These are the pets most likely to live out the rest of their short and difficult lives in a small shelter pen. Leave No Paws Behind is an amazing charity who seeks these pets out and gets them hospice care, or finds them foster parents, not stopping until each one of these “less adoptable” animals has the comfort and dignity every pet deserves.
Fences For Fido – This charity helps “unchain” dogs and provide them with better outdoor care. Through this program, volunteers build dog-proof fences and provide an insulated dog house to animals kept on chains. They also help educate family’s on outdoor pet care and affect policy change to ensure pets are treated more humanely.
Pets For The Elderly Foundation – Double your impact with this charity! Loneliness is a serious affliction for elderly people and many who would enjoy the companionship of a pet are daunted by adoption costs. This charity aids elderly people with covering the costs associated with adoption – finding a home for an animal while providing companionship for a senior citizen.
Red Rover – Red Rover offers Urgent Care Grants for pet owners who can’t cover the cost of their animals unexpected injury or ailments. They will also help you locate help in your area!

photo credit: wuestenigel Golden Retriever via photopin (license)

Adopting a Dog – EVERYTHING You Need To Know

Written by Colleen Sedgwick. Posted in Pet tip of the Week.

There are a lot of misconceptions about adopting a dog these days… People hear of overloaded shelters and think that the volunteers will be happy to see them coming. They are happy to see you coming, but that doesn’t mean that you just walk in, grab your choice of pet and walk out. It’s important to the volunteers that pets that leave shelters are going to forever homes. They don’t want to see the same pet returned because the owner wasn’t prepared for the experience. So here are some things you need to know before you take that big step!

The Cost

Dogs cost more than a bag of food every so often. Make sure you are financially prepared for long-term pet ownership. Here are some cost you need to consider:

Adoption Fee
Vaccinations
Flea/Tick/Heartworm prevention
Grooming
Pet Sitting or Kennel Costs if your away
Food/Toys/Bed/Leash/Collar
Emergency Care

…before you go adopting

Is your lifestyle fit for a pet? Are you away most of the day? Travel a lot?
Is your home suited for a dog? if so, what size? If you rent, are pets allowed?
Are you prepared for dealing with potential barking, chewing, or bathroom accidents? Are you dedicated enough to train them, or have them trained?
Are you committed for the long-term?

The Adoption Process

If you’ve decided that you’re ready for that new dog you need to be familiar with the process of adopting. There is an adoption fee. Many people think if they’re going to a shelter instead of a breeder or pet shot the pet will be free. Not so. There is an adoption fee. This fee often helps the shelter cover spaying/neutering and care costs. Fee’s vary, so ask your shelter if your are concerned. Adoption paperwork will be required too and you should be prepared to answer some questions. Many shelters will inquire about these things:

Your income level
Your living situation (rent vs own, apartment, ect)
Your available free time daily for your pet
If you have a vet
Who will care for the pet when you travel

These questions are asked to ensure that you have thought about these things and aren’t making an impulse buy. They also give the shelter managers the ability to assess whether or not the dog is going to a good home. Shelters don’t want to just place dogs. They want to make sure these dogs are getting the homes they deserve.

This amazing infographic is your quick reference guide to pet adoption. Print it out and go over it with your family! For more information, check out this site: http://www.gapnsw.com.au/2016/09/09/ultimate-guide-dog-adoption/

photo credit: pit Bull x Siberian Husky via photopin (license)