allaboutpets

ALL ABOUT PETS

July 2011 VOL. 1

A SPEC IAL PUBLICATION OF THE TRYON DAI LY BULLETI N

Miss GeorgianaKitty

Tryon Daily BulleTin / all aBouT peTs WeDnesDay, July 27, 2011

WeDnesDay, July 27, 2011 Tryon Daily BulleTin / all aBouT peTs page 3

Unleashed: Getting to know

the neighborhood pets

Karloff:Eric Russell

LULU: Caitlin

Van Hecke DUSTY:

MICHAEL DOTY

2011

Buddy: Rascal: Susan and Tagg Bowmen

Ralph:Toya Hegwer

OSCAR: Jo Hasenzahl deaken:

D.L. Williams

Jig:Billie Lewis

Daisy:

Denise Edwards JASmin & iris: abby santon:

judith kerns

Gary andCarol Broek


on The cover: Miss Georgiana Kitty s to le the hear ts o f our staff, as did many other animals within the pages of this special publication, but only one could end up on the cover. The proud owner of Miss Georgiana Kitty is Cindy Page Atkins of Columbus. Atkins’ husband, Calvin, purchased the cat as a Christmas gift. This photo was taken in December when she was 4 months old.

From The eDiTor:

The staff of the Tryon Daily Bulletin would love to thank each and every one of you who participated in our first All About Pets photo contest.

Attempting to put out a new publication is always a bit of a gamble but we had a hunch this community would respond enthusiastically to a special edition all about our beloved furry family members - and you did!

In total, we received more than 75 entries of photos that ran the gamut from hilarious to “ooh and ahh” sweet. Thank you for sharing your precious animals with us and the community.

Inside these pages we hope you discover a wealth of information from how to choose the right pet for your family, to the most important health concerns to consider with your pets and the funniest ways people have come up with their pet names.

You’ll also learn about homemade dog treats, dis-cover ways in which to memorialize your animals after they have passed and a little bit about a man with some unique creatures at home.

Enjoy!Samantha Hurst

Editor


contents

Pet photos 3, 17 and 28

Choosing the right pet 6

Living with reptiles 9

Prevention top priority 12

What’s in a name? 14

Foothills Humane Society 20

Taking on Special Cases 22

Treating your furry friend 24

Remembering pets 26

Pet treat recipes 30


by Samantha Hurst

Squeaky spinning wheels at night and crumbling, torn drywall are just two dilem-mas new pet owners face when they make the wrong decision about what pet to chose for their home.

“People, I think, don’t re-ally understand the commit-ment they are making,” said Foothi l ls Humane Society trainer Kayla Parrish. “A lot of people choose pets for the absolute wrong reasons – be-cause it was cute in a picture or it reminds them of their childhood dog. Those things don’t necessarily make for a good owner-pet relation-ship.”

Parrish recommends eval-

uating your household before getting roped into a purchase.

She said prospective pet o w n e r s n e e d t o c o n s i d e r things like the size of their home, whether members of the household l ive ac t ive or sedentary lives and how much time their schedule can allow for pet care.

Kim Burre l l a t the Pe t Gallery in Landrum regularly sells parakeets, cockatiels, f i sh , r abb i t s and l i za rds , among other animals.

She said many of these

animals can make great pets, but just like a cat or a dog, some can require a consider-able amount of attention and care.

“If you are getting a hand-fed bird you are going to have to spend a lot of time because all they’ve ever known is be-ing fed by people,” Burrell said. “If you get a tarantula, though, there isn’t a lot of time you have to spend with that. A small betta that stays in a bowl would be good for a child that’s 7 or 8 years

Choosing just the right pet for your familyold because they also don’t require a lot of work.”

Burrell said you should also consider potential al-lergies. She said someone who is allergic to cat or dog dander might also find them-selves sensitive to hamsters as well.

The cost of pet ownership is also something to keep in mind. Typically people might do the bare minimum but that isn’t all there is to it, Parrish said.

You have to be prepared for emergency medical bills or regular heartworm preven-tion treatment, she added.

Even once you and your

“People, I think, don’t really understand the commitment they are making.”

-- Kayla Parrish

Foothills Humane Society trainer, Kayla Parrish with her dog, Benjamin. (photo submitted by Judith Kerns)

(conTinueD on page 7)


family have thoroughly dis-cussed all of your needs and wants for an animal, Parrish warns again against letting pure emotion or excitement drive your decision.

She encourages parents not to bring their children on the first visit to meet the animal because chi ldren’s immediate reaction to a par-t icular animal could skew a parent’s decision-making process.

“When you are picking out a puppy from a litter there are a lot of things you have to look out for,” she said. “The puppies that usually run right up to you and grab at your shoelaces are the kind that everyone takes home but that dog needs an active home with a strong leader. If you have a more calm household you need the puppy sleeping in the corner.”

She said if this is the case, the puppy stealing the toy is also the one that will push its owners boundaries.

Parrish said parents might

be surprised by her recom-mendation for families with children. She suggests fami-lies adopt pit bull puppies.

She said this breed is ac-tually a really good dog for children because they don’t have as high pain reflexes and won’t nip at a child if he or she pulls the dog’s tail or ears when they are playing.

Parrish suggests parents not select a herding dog.

She said the herding breed will often try and chase the kids around the yard to herd them like they would sheep. Parrish also suggested fami-lies seriously consider mutts as a viable option for their household pet.

She said many mutts are great family dogs because they are not bred for a spe-cific purpose such as Labra-dors. Dogs that are bred for a mission, Parrish said, might often be found chewing dry-wall or knocking down fenc-ing because they were meant to go out and hunt. She said when dogs do this they are trying to follow instinct.

Owner Jordan with her dog, Gus. (photo submitted by Judith Kerns)

• Right pet(conTinueD From page 6)



“A lot of these pure bred animals have an init iat ive bred into them and if you can simply find a good mix you don’t get a lot of that neuroti-cism or obsessive behavior,” Parrish said.

Bur re l l sa id many f i sh make great pets for young-s ters because feeding the pellets each day can even serve as a tool to teach kids to count.

Animals like guinea pigs and rabbits are great , she said, because they are easily trained and cared for on a less demanding schedule than other pets.

H a m s t e r s , m e a n w h i l e , could also be poor choices for really small children be-cause of their natural habits – hamsters sleep during the day and tend to spin their wheels at night.

• Don’t bring small children with you to the shelter or pet store

• Evaluate your home for considerations such as space and available time to commit to a pet

• Consider whether you want a very active pet or one that will be happy with shorter walks and playtime

• Think about the pet’s regular habits and ask questions such as: do these animals sleep well through the night? How much will they need to eat?

• Right pet(conTinueD From page 6) Tips for

selecting a pet


by Leah Justice

When Chase Owens was about 6 years old, he start-ed bringing lizards and small snakes inside his house to keep.

When he began bringing cop-perhead snakes inside, his father decided to educate him about keeping reptiles and took him to a pet store to buy a snake. A non-poisonous one, that is.

Owens now has made keep-ing and saving reptiles a life-style. Along with dogs, cats and

Living with reptiles

Above: Chase Owens displays a snake several feet long to a group of kids at a birthday party this past winter. Right: Owens talks to the kids about his pet scorpion and also educates them about the difficulties of taking care of such exotic pets. (photos submitted).

birds, Owens normally keeps between 20 to 30 different spe-cies of animals, ranging from pythons to iguanas, caimans, scorpions and spiders. He also has dogs, cats, a love bird and an umbrella cockatoo.

Owens, who lives in Lan-drum, said he loves all animals and as a little kid was fascinated with reptiles.

“When I was little I’d go outside and catch them (lizards and snakes) and as I got older

I got pet ones,” Owens said. “I started bringing home poisonous snakes. Copperheads. So my dad took me to a pet store and bought me a corn snake.”

Owens, who works with Bon-nie Brae Veterinary Hospital and

works on the side showing his animals at events and children’s parties, has also saved many animals. He said many people think reptiles are cool pets to



• Reptiles(conTinueD From page 9)

have, but don’t realize the work involved in caring for such animals. He’s rescued numerous snakes, lizards, tortoises, spiders and many other animals from the brink of death.

Owens now takes those res-cued species and tries to educate people, especially children, on how to take care of them and cautions children and parents about which species do not make good pets.

Owens said species that are not native to this area take a lot of work and attention.

He said people who do their research and know they can take care of an exotic pet should do so, but no one should get an ex-otic reptile without doing their research and speaking to some-one who knows about reptiles.

Listening to someone at a pet store is not enough because they want to sell you the pet, he

cautions.Many species must have a

temperature-controlled environ-ment. Owens keeps his animals in buildings and keeps certain ones in different environments.

Owens has several snakes, including reticulated pythons, Burmese pythons, ball pythons and boa constrictors with two of them as large as 16 to 18 feet in length and 100 to 200 pounds. He keeps them in an 85 to 90 degree building.

He also raises food sources for his animals, including ro-dents and rabbits for the snakes. Sometimes, his snakes might need to eat chickens, he said.

“I like to know my rodents are healthy,” said Owens. “There are a lot of diseases that reptiles can catch from rodents. Rodents are 10 times more work than a reptile. The biggest amount of work is keeping the food sup-ply clean.”

Owens said his larger snakes need about 10 pounds of food a

week to keep them happy and healthy.

And keeping cages clean is very important as many reptiles get bacterial infections of the lungs and skin, he said.

“They can be enjoyable pets but you have to realize the big-ger the reptile, the bigger the workload,” Owens said. “The biggest group of people buying exotic pets are kids. And they don’t have the life experience to realize the amount of work it takes to keep a reptile happy and healthy.”

Reptiles also live much lon-

ger than many people realize. Owens said larger snakes can live well into their 20s, with smaller snakes living into their 30s. Caimans live into their 40s, alligators into their 60s or 70s and tortoises can live to 90 or 100 years old.

“I wish everybody would think ahead, do their research and think, do I have the time for this animal before purchasing,” said Owens.

Anyone wishing to see Ow-ens’ animals at an event or party can email him at [email protected].

“They can be enjoyable pets but you have to realize the bigger the reptile, the bigger the workload ... The biggest group of people buying exotic pets are kids. And they don’t have the life experience to realize the amount of work it takes to keep a reptile happy and healthy.”

-- Chase Owens


Chase Owens d isp lays h is assortment of reptile pets during Jessie Emory’s birthday party. (photo submitted).


Dr. Iain Fitch examining a cat. (photo by Leah Justice)

by Leah Justice

Local veterinarian Dr. Iain Fitch said pet owners should be vigilant about keeping their pets cool this time of year.

Fitch said during the sum-mer months Bonnie Brae Vet-er inary Hospi ta l sees dogs especially with heat strokes.

“It is a must they are kept in the shade and have access to plenty of water,” Fitch said. “Dogs don’t sweat like people.”

Fitch said heat issues are one concern tha t some pe t owners don’t pay close enough attention to, as well as heart-worm prevention, vaccinations, getting older pets checked for diseases and spaying and neu-tering pets.

One suggestion for outside dogs during this time of year, Fitch said, is to keep a kids’ pool nearby for the dogs to not only drink water out of but to get in to cool off.

Fitch also said with dogs, it is very important to get them tested for heartworms and give them prevent ive medic ines because it is a lot easier and cheaper to prevent heartworms than treat heartworms.

Vaccines are also very im-portant, especially with two recent wild rabid animals.

Polk County has seen both a rabid fox and raccoon this year and others in surrounding

counties.NC state law requires rabies

vaccinations be kept up to date.Fitch said pets need to have

their first rabies vaccine at 4 months old, then one year later and every three years there-after. Plenty of rabies clinics are held throughout the year in Polk County.

Fitch said other concerns are spaying and neutering pets to keep down stray animals in the area.

“This county is lucky with

the Foothills Humane Soci-ety,” said Fitch. “They have programs to get pets spayed and neutered at low costs. It

just solves so many problems.”Another concern of Fitch’s

Prevention should top pet owners’ priority lists

Tips for Pet owners

• Buy a kiddy pool for outdoor pets to cool off in during summer months

• First rabies shot is needed at 4 months old, then a booster at 1 year old and follow-up shots every three years thereafter

• Rabies clinics are held regularly throughout Polk County to keep your pet’s shots up-to-date

• Get blood work done regularly on aging pets to check for things such as liver disease or arthritis



• Prevention(conTinueD From page 12)

is that pet owners get blood work done on aging animals. He said liver and kidney issues can become common in older pets as well as arthritis and pet owners may not always know when their pet is sick or in pain.

“Animals hide discomfort well as a protective measure,” Fitch said.

Fitch is a veterinarian at Bonnie Brae in Columbus and does chiropractic care for hors-es and small animals. Different veterinarians there have differ-ent specialties and the hospital sees a variety of animals.

On occasion, Fitch said the hospital treats wild animals that have been injured, includ-

ing otters, groundhogs, beaver and deer.

“That’s a lot of fun,” Fitch said. “That’s really gratifying that we can do that (help wild animals).”

Dr. Fitch encourages pet owners to ensure their pets have routine check-ups and bloodwork as they age to check for liver disease or arthritis. (photo by Leah Justice)

“Animals hide discomfort well as a protective measure.”

-- Dr. Iain Fitch


What’s in a name?usha

Ashley Pobanz came up with a name she thought would fit her rescued kitten perfectly.

“Usha is Hindi meaning ‘dawn,’ but I named her after the princess demon, daughter of heaven and sister of night. I work at the humane society and one day after hours a guy shows up with a bucket telling us ‘this is the second one I’ve found this week!’ I peeked in and there was a 2-week-old terrified kitten. I felt so bad I took the kitten home ... she bit me several times and would viciously try to attack you if you came near her. Usha just fit her personality so well. I do have to say she still lives up to her name.”

skooDlesLots of animals have

unique names that originate from family jokes and favorite movie characters, but this cat earned its unique name from a loving 2-year-old. Brian Phil-lips said he’s not sure where his daughter came up with it, but Skoodles just stuck.


Sidney Lanier and Dobin P. McRatt are the rescue dogs of Sally and Hugh Hursey.

“Sidney was just roaming up here as a puppy. When they said what’s his name I just pulled out Sidney Lanier, after the poet,” Sally said.

Sally and her husband took regular walks and would make up little stories as they walked with a character they called Dobin P. McRatt. Since their second rescue dog looks like a rat terrier, they felt the name would be perfect.

“They are both rescue dogs and just have such unique personalities so they needed unique names,” Sally said.

amazing graceLandrum resident Cathy

Calure said Amazing Grace is a rescue dog that her fam-ily got in South Carolina.

“She is just so sweet and loving. She was 7 years old when we got her and for

whatever she went through she is just such a wonderful dog,” Calure said. “I just think of her snuggling right up against the neck of just about anybody who will love on her.”

siDney lanier & DoBin p. mcraTT


UPS FedEx

mcgill The name McGill was des-

tined to end up as the moniker of at least one animal in the Wright household. Jim and Kathy McGill of Tryon own five dogs, four of which are rescues.

But McGill, a Bernese mountain dog, was a puppy they purchased while living in

Quebec. While there, the Wrights

lived on a street named McGill and would always joke about the Rocky Raccoon song by The Beatles.

“Her name was McGill, but she called herself Lill, and everyone knew her as Nancy.”

So therefore when the two met their sweet girl, McGill just stuck.

Pooh and QuBee are the dogs of R.J. and Chuck Reeves. R.J. said QuBee is a show dog so her proper name is Queen Bee. But how the Reeves came about the name is quite comical.

“We were in Charleston and had walked out near where the boats were lined up to read the boat names.

pooh anD QuBeeBut we just couldn’t find anything,” R.J. said. “Finally we walked over to King Street and saw this woman walk toward us in this wide-brimmed hat with peacock feathers … she even had this little dog at the end of a leash dressed just like her. Chuck goes, ‘Now isn’t that just the Queen Bee?’ And I said, ‘That’s it!’”


george: Jo Hasenzahl SUGAR:

Pam Hutchenson

MAX:

Diane Cash lady: Chris Sumner

Eddie: joewilliamson

daisy mae: june boyce

puffy:

Andy Shrom

lexi:

LaJoyce Shrom

buster fisher:

Holly Fisher

mink:

Ashley Pobanz

Casey:Patricia Roshaven

max:JudithKerns


Eddie: Mickey:billie lewis

COAL:billie lewis

Sam Logan:

Bettye Logan

cinnamon:chip grochowski

bo chamberlain: sally chamberlain

winston: Rocco Lionetti

tuxedo:Brian Phillips smokey: Crystal Phillips

rascal:Jamie Smith

saber:Ron & Sandy Peters

charlie:Shannon Slater katie: Vana Bolling

Oil- Pastel- Pencil- Charcoal

Original work and prints available

Artwork can be done from photos.

Commissions By Victoria Victoria Taylor-Equine Artist

(828) 817-9699 [email protected]

Portraits of Horses, Dogs, and Cats


by Samantha Hurst

Walk inside many a busi-ness in the Footh i l l s and you’re likely to find yourself greeted by the beloved shop pet, such as the ever-lovable P o r t u g u e s e w a t e r d o g a t the Antique Warehouse in Landrum or the fuzzy, gray beauty of a cat at the Melrose Inn in Tryon.

Another testament to the love of animals in our area is the immense support shown for the Foothills Humane So-ciety. And they do great work with the funds provided.

“It is exciting to live in a “No More Homeless Pets” communi ty — one of the few in the count ry,” sa id Society Director Dot Meyer. “Foothills’ success has taken the efforts of the whole com-munity, and we are a model for other communities. I am

personally proud to be a part of this lifesaving team and to help people find the animals that are so important to their happiness and well-being.”

The shelter increased its l ive - re lease ra te f rom 56 to 98.7 percent in just two short years, and since Janu-ary 2010, 100 percent of all healthy and adoptable ani-mals have been released.

Meyer attributes this suc-cess to the community’s sup-port and the society making

every effort to better educate w o u l d - b e p e t o w n e r s o n their responsibility to the pet population.

“Spay/neuter is our num-ber one priority,” Meyer said. “It is income qualified, and made possible by the gener-ous donations of discounted services by our wonderful local vets Bonnie Brae, Lan-drum Vet and Cloverf ie ld Vet.”

In fact, since 1979 the so-ciety has helped low-income

o w n e r s a f f o r d m o r e t h a n 2,200 sterilization surgeries. More than 600 were pe r-formed in 2010 alone.

More than 1,000 feral cats h a v e b e e n s t e r i l i z e d a n d r e tu rned s i nce t he ca t ch , sterilize and release program began in 2007.

Two other key components are the society’s matchmak-ing and training programs for pet owners.

The first, Meyer said, helps families find the right pet to begin with (See “Choosing the right pet” on page 6) so those animals don’t end up back at the shelter.

The dog training classes also assist with obedience concerns, another failsafe to prevent the return of animals.

Community helps humane society reduce unwanted pet population

Foothills HUMANE Society

(conTinueD on page 21


Little mtn. 2x5

PROGRAMS:Foothills Adoption-Guaran-

tee Shelter (one where every healthy, adoptable animal is placed).

It is not a no-kill shelter, where no “treatable, manage-able” animal is euthanized. Every effort is made to place temperamentally adoptable animals who are not healthy, but are “treatable or manageable.”

Shelter capacity is up to 75 cats and 55 dogs. Many more animals are served in the homes of foster families.

Owner support andoverpopulation programs:• Spay-Neuter Assistance Pro-

gram (SNAP) is the area’s only subsidized spay-neuter program. SNAP provides a $15 co-pay spay-neuter

surgery or discounts at local participating veterinary clin-ics for low-income residents who would otherwise be unable to afford sterilization for their pets.

• “Fix Your Pit for Free” and “Moms with Litters” pro-grams offer free sterilization to high-risk pet owners.

• “Keep ‘Em Home” provides medical, training, educa-tion, spay/neuter and food assistance for financially challenged owners who are considering relinquishing their pets.

Placement programs: • Return to owners when pos-

sible, including spay/neuter and education assistance.

• Foster homes to relieve shelter crowding, facili-tate rescue, allow babies to “grow up,” provide needed rehabilitation and hospice fosters when appropriate.

• Shelter adoption - placement of adoptable animals to suit-able homes.

• On the Road - off-site adop-tions at various locations in the region.

FHS non-shelter programs:

• Po’Kitties (a trap, neuter and return program for feral cats) traps, sterilizes and ear-tips free-roaming cats and assists feral cat colony caretakers.

• Foothills Rescue Assistance (FERA) finds homes for equines (and occasional farm animals) which have been abandoned or abused, and assists owners who are unable to care for their pets.

• Animal Cruelty Preven-tion and Investigation Sup-port. Five certified FHS volunteer animal cruelty investigators assist the lo-cal animal control officer.

FHS investigators also as-sist owners who have prob-lems adequately caring for their animals. Supplies and equipment are also provided to the animal control officer to assist in the humane care of the animals. Cruelty case holds are boarded at Foot-hills’ shelter for nominal cost to assist enforcement efforts.

• Community Education and Outreach at local and re-gional adoption and other events. FHS sponsors com-munity education programs, participates on local govern-ment animal advisory com-mittees, pursues frequent public relations initiatives in the local and region-al press with community groups and communicates through the newsletter, the website www.foothillshu-manesocietyorg and the FHS and Po’Kitties Face-book pages.

• FHS(conTinueD From page 20)


by Lennie Rizzo

For the purpose of this fea-ture article, the Bulletin staff asked two questions of me. Could I list some of my success stories and why do I do what I do?

Thank the Lord, the answer to the first question could fill this paper cover to cover for a week, so I’ll focus on the later. Those who are frequent readers of my columns are well aware of my faith.

Though I leave preaching to others, I do not hide my lamp under the table. To paraphrase St. Paul, “We all have different

talents to serve the Lord.” With the Lord’s grace, help and hope-fully approval, I have decided to be a voice for what I feel is His wonderful gift to us. Before I retired to this area a little over five years ago, I had been dealing with animal behavior and care for the previous 20 years. Upon retirement, I decided to work for and with the Foothills Humane Society to supplement my fixed income and to be close to my passion.

I had always been aware of

Taking on Special Cases

sergiozippo

BaTman

Treasure Freckles



the abuse, neglect and downright ignorance that befall many of these pets.

Still, the people I had dealt with in the past were posi-tive and responsible owners who strived for the happiness and well being of these pets. It was from these wonderful people that I acquired the name “Uncle Lennie” and there are many with whom I still keep in contact.

I wasn’t prepared to be hit like a ton of bricks when I began to expe-rience the stories of these animals up front and personal. I literally wept and prayed on it asking the

Lord, “What can one man do?” The answer I r ece ived

in my heart was “You just do what you can and I will help.” Through the years I have used whatever talents the Lord has blessed me with to try and make a difference.

That being said, it is you, all of you, who in one way or another help support my cause. It is you who are the angels that He has promised me. May God bless you all and as al-ways. Thanks for listening.

Editor’s note: You can read a weekly column from Lennie Rizzo on Fridays in the Tryon Daily Bulletin. Rizzo brings stories to readers regarding one of the many Special Cases he works to fund healthcare for on a regular basis.

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• Special Cases(conTinueD From page 22)


by Samantha Hurst

Not many of us can turn down a little mid-afternoon nibble, so why deny your furry friend one either?

Several local pet enthusiasts believe, however, if you’re going to spoil your pet with a treat you should do so with a fresh, all natural option.

Cinda Austin, who sells homemade dog treats at the Columbus and Saluda farmers markets, sticks to natural items for her

ingredients. She said she found

herself led to mak-ing the t reats af ter personal experiences with her own ani-mals.

“ We h a d s o m e dogs that had skin

allergies, so by elimi-nating a lot of the unnatural things that were in the other dog biscuits

we found the skin started clearing up,” Austin said. “We had another experience where our Great Dane ate a raw hide bone and he bloated. The vet was able to save him but it still was a traumatic situation. So, making these treats is basi-cally about promoting the health of the dog.”

Austin makes her treats without artificial additives or coloring.

Austin uses organic whole wheat flour because she’s learned the whole grains help digestion in dogs She also keeps the treats sugar free and salt free.

“A lot of people don’t realize dogs aren’t supposed to have a lot of sodium,” Austin said. “I also try and eliminate the fat you might find in a lot of commercial treats.”

To replace the artificial sugars and salts, Austin said she makes a point of using ingredients already

Treating your furry friend to healthy snacks



packed with flavor. Sweet potato and pumpkin,

which have also been found to be good digestive aids, go into many of her items. She even makes sweet potato chews as replacements for rawhide chews.

Just like humans, Austin said, pets too have distinctive palates.

While many dogs seem to jump for joy at the all-natural peanut butter items she makes, her own shepherd snarls his nose at them. She also regularly uses cinnamon and honey to sweeten items.

“It’s just like small chil-dren – they know some-body made something special for them and that makes them happy,” Austin said.

Austin pointed out there is an assortment of in-formation available on how to make homemade

dog treats and even food on the Internet and in cookbooks found in many bookstores.

There are a few things you should stay away from, how-ever, when mashing up a treat for Fido. Dogs should never be fed chocolate, of course, but they should also not eat grapes, avocados, onions, garlic, macadamia nuts, persimmons or peaches, according to www.pets.webmd.com.

• Treats(conTinueD From page 24)

Find treat recipes on page 30.


by Barbara Tilly

The death of a pet is a heart-wrenching experience regardless of the circumstances. Unfortu-nately, few pets will outlive their owners, so it’s an experience most pet lovers will have to go through at least once.

Added to the emotional toll of the loss itself are the practical questions that follow:

• Do you want your pet buried or cremated?

• If you decide to bury your pet, do you want to handle the burial yourself or would you prefer some help from a profes-sional?

• If you decide to cremate your pet, who can handle that proce-

dure locally and what services are offered? Would you like the ashes returned to you, and if so, if what type of container?

• Would you like a marker to memorialize your pet?

For help in answering these questions, many people turn to their veterinarians, who are experienced in handling these situations and know the options for related services in the area.

According to Karin Flanagan of Landrum Veterinary Hospital, clients are given numerous choic-es in the event of a pet’s death. They can take their pet home and handle the burial themselves, or

In memory of our beloved furry friends


Left: Chris Carroll of Carroll Woodcrafts Unlimited made this cross for a woman who wanted to memorialize her cat, Tomboy.


• Memorials(conTinueD From page 26)

they can choose to have their pet cremated.

Flanagan said Good Shepherd Pet Services in Greenville, S.C., typically handles Landrum Vet’s cremations. Owners can choose to have the ashes returned in a wide variety of containers, including urns, pendants and figurines. Al-ternatively, owners can choose to have their pet’s ashes sprinkled in Good Shepherd’s special memorial garden.

Mamar Pet Cremation Services in Mill Spring is another local busi-ness available to help families who have lost a pet. According to Mamar’s website (www.mamar-cremation.com), the business offers several types of cremation services, including community cremations, after which ashes are spread in a pastoral setting, and private crema-tions, after which ashes returned to the owner. Families can also choose a cremation service attended by the

pet’s owners and friends. There are several options for pet

transportation to Mamar. You can bring your pet yourself, Mamar can transfer your pet from a veterinar-ian’s facility or Mamar can pick up your pet from your home or other location. The business also offers a wide range of containers for your pet’s ashes, including figurines,

digital photo urns and framed photo urns. Burial markers and plates are also available.

Another possibility for owners who want to memorialize their pets is to commission local artists to create individualized works of art for them.

Chris Carroll of Carroll Wood-crafts Unlimited in Mill Spring

said he has created wooden plaques and caskets of various types, often inscribed with pets’ names and other images.

One of his clients was an elderly woman who wanted a cross to me-morialize her pet cat.

“She was real attached to the cat,” Carroll said. “The cross I made helped make a closure for her.”

An urn, above, and a marker, right, memorialize beloved pets. Mamar Pet Cremation in Mill Spring offers both to pet owners. (source: www.mamarcremation.com)


rusty: david merry:michael doty

lulu:john calure

Dyna:

judith kerns

buckwheat: Alexis Phillips

spike:

linda

Joshua Goldstein & Astrid Schmid

mandy: andy: Chuck & Helen Trevathan

angus:nick holmbergChuck & Helen Trevathan

balu: stihl: billie lewis o

zzie:

kim nelson

Joshua Goldstein & Astrid Schmid


louie:Ken Busch

buford: Ellen Flynn

Baxter:

Hugh

Flynn

Britt and Buck: judith kerns

scout:Harry Goodheart lucy: Rolfe Wardner

hootiekatt:cindy page butler: Belynda

rockii:Jeanette Larson

blu:

Lisa & Mike

StokesPapillion: Debra Halborn

munchkin: Harriet Case

mojo:Ron andSandy Peters bravo:

Ron and Sandy Peters

Rocky:

judithkerns


IngredIents

4.5 oz. (125g) deep frozen spinach2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese3.5 oz. (100g) all-purpose flour3.5 oz (100g) fine rolled oatswater and flour as required

dIrectIons

Cook the spinach in a little water, then drain it thoroughly and puree in a blender. Mix the spinach puree with the remaining ingredients to make an

IngredIents 2 carrots1 banana7 oz (200g) all-purpose flour3.5 oz (100g) fine rolled oats1.5 fl. oz. (50ml) sunflower oilwater as required

dIrectIons

Grate the carrots finely and mash the banana with a fork. Mix to make a

easily shaped dough. If necessary, add a little water or flour.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

Shape little portions of the dough with a spoon and place them on the baking

sheet. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes.Let the spinach cookies cool on a wire

tray and store in a cookie tin. The cookies will keep for about two weeks.

Makes about 40 cookies

Dexter’s Spinach Cookies

Bonnie’s Banana Cookies dough with the flour, rolled oats, and oil.

If necessary, add a little water.Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about .5” thick and cut squares about 1.5” in size. Place these on the sheet and

bake for 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and let them cool

overnight in the oven. Store in a paper or linen bag. The cookies will keep for

about three weeks. Makes about 30 cookies

Source: These recipes are from “Baking For Your Dog: Tasty Treats For Your Four-Legged Friend” by Ingeborg Pils.

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