four paws magazine november 2011

FourP wssouth florida’s animal rescue magazine



www.fourpawsmagazine.org


The Newcastle Vaccine: Distemper’s Miracle Cure?

Rescue Heroes:

MariaElenaPadron

Pet & RescueHoliday Gift Guide

N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 1

&SpayNeuter:

Very Necessary

FOUR PAWS MAGAZINE • fourpawsmagazine.org 4

WELCOME TO THE FIRST ISSUE OF FOUR PAWS – SOUTH FLORIDA’S ANIMAL RESCUE MAGAZINE! After months of planning, preparing, making changes

and working hard, we are proud to present some interesting stories and quality advertisers offering unique and beneficial goods and services. Our goal

is not to make a pile of money. Our goal is to raise money for our partner pet rescues (see page 40). Our goal is to get important information out to

animal lovers of all kinds. Our goal is to tell the tales of the unsung heroes who give all of their money, time and love to homeless pets. Our goal is to

support pet care and breed education. We focus on South Florida, but share information and products important to pet lovers nationwide. We hope you

continue to join us in reaching those goals.

How did this start for me? I have always been a dog lover and have had them as part of my family for most of my life. In 2006, we adopted a pit bull

terrier puppy from friends. His name is Omega, and he is the stuff of legend. More on him in a future issue. My husband, son and I always talked about

rescuing a shelter dog. We knew the time would come when we saw the right one.

In March of this year, we saw a picture of a bull terrier mix named Lacey at Miami-Dade Animal Services (MDAS). The picture was

shared on facebook by my animal rescue hero, Maria Elena Padron (see our profile of Maria on page 28).

Something clicked and we went down to adopt her. She had some mange, so she wasn’t getting

a lot of attention. She was beautiful to us.

We brought her home and renamed her Wabi-Sabi, for the perfection in imperfection she was.

We went through a very rough night when the painkillers from her spay surgery wore off. I brought

her water in a porcelain cup and my husband, Brad, and I stayed with her all night in our bed…

dozing off now and then in the spots she didn’t want. In the days that followed, she was coughing

and reverse sneezing. But we were hopeful and could see the gorgeous dog to come. She played

with Omega (check them out here http://youtu.be/kI12_ogTQiU) and enjoyed home-cooked dog food.

She played with toys and took over my chair outside. We took her to the vet and fed her the antibiotics

that were supposed to clear up her kennel cough. Unfortunately, that was not to be. Ten days, three vet

visits, added and changed medication…but Wabi got worse. On the 9th day, she was having trouble get-

ting comfortable and I called the vet to make another appointment. On the 10th day, she died in my arms

in the wee hours…blood rushing from her nose. This was right before the disease outbreak at MDAS that

made the news. We were so distraught, we had her cremated and did not have a necropsy. Discussions

with MDAS officials and experts at the University of Florida lead us to believe she died of strep zoo, a

horrible ailment that causes the lungs to hemorrhage.

Then the outbreak was announced and instead of being frozen by our horrible loss, we forged ahead.

We went down to MDAS in the middle of the mess and adopted a terrier mix they called Mia and we

named Boudica for the Irish warrior princess in history (more on her in a future issue as well). More than

anything, the facebook pictures of dogs needing a home and getting to see the situation and conditions

at MDAS inspired me to find a way to make a difference.

We don’t own a bunch of property, so we couldn’t adopt a ton of dogs. We don’t have the means

to start a rescue. I thought long and hard about how I could take what I know how to do and do

something good for dogs and cats in need of rescue. Nearly 20 years in media had to be good for some-

thing. So, I decided to start Four Paws. I talked about the idea to

Dani Dorsey, a very talented art director, graphic artist and cat lover I worked with prior. She was on board

right away. We are partners in bringing this publication to you.

We’ll also try to have a cool giveaway in each issue. This time, we thank our good friends at Wellness Pet Food for

offering Wellness WellBars as our prize. WellBars are oven-baked to crunchy perfection using wholesome ingredients

like Whitefish, Oatmeal and Sweet Potatoes. Not just empty calories, these bite-size nuggets are power-packed with

vitamins E, C and Beta-Carotene. To win our giveaway, search this issue for a bone that looks like this . Email

me at [email protected] with the page and location of the bone. All of the correct answers will be

entered into a random drawing for the yummy treats, which will be mailed to you directly. We love Wellness!

Please be sure to send questions, comments, suggestions, complaints and kudos to me at

[email protected]. We also want to see pics of your pets…rescue or otherwise…so send those to

the same email address. Some might even be included in a future issue!

Enjoy…and again, thanks for joining us!

Cheryl

By Cheryl Simone-MillerHow it All Started with a Dog Named Wabi-Sabi


4 How It All Started With a Dog Named Wabi-Sabi

8 Canine Health: Getting to the Heart of It

10 Spaying/Neutering Your Pets

12 All Kinds of Shelter Pets

14 A Family in Bloom

18 Holiday Gift Ideas

24 Shelter Stories: My Name Was A1368794

26 Four Paws Asks…

28 Portraits In Rescue: A Conversation With

Maria Elena Padron

32 The Pet Killer Lurking on the Lawn

34 No Kill Nation

36 The Story of Jake

38 Fighting Distemper with the Newcastle Vaccine

40 Rescue Partners

42 Surrendering Your Pet

46 Furry Facts

PO Box 8200 Coral Springs, FL 33075954.882.5456www.fourpawsmagazine.org

Four Paws Magazine will not be hold responsible for any errors found in the magazine. The publisher accepts no liability for the accuracy of statements made by the advertisers. And in this magazine are not intended as an offer where prohibited by state laws.

CONTENTSNOVEMBER 2011 • VOLUME 1 • NO 1

14

28

36

PUBLISHER/EDITORCheryl Simone-Miller

PUBLISHER/ART DIRECTORDani Dorsey

GRAPHIC DESIGNDiana Striker

ADVERTISING SALESTammy Vohs

WRITERSLois CrockettHannah SentenacEvelyn TipactiMaria Elena PadronBonnie Mandel PlafkeLauren Granado Pastrana...and our facebook family.

Cover Photo Credit: Ginger Price Monteleone


Canine Health:

ACCORDING TO THE ASSOCIATION FOR PET OBESITY PREVENTION, 43 million dogs are estimated to be over-weight or obese, and a primary risk of excess weight, in pets, is heart disease. And, just as humans often adopt a natural diet to help support cardiac health, feeding natural foods can also benefit their canine companions.

When it comes to canine heart health, there are two key things for pet parents to consider: feed a balanced diet that is rich in high-quality, natural foods and encourage regular exercise to help maintain lean body condition.

“The heart is an organ that benefits greatly from lean body mass,” said Dr. Al Townshend, staff veterinarian, Wellness Natural Pet Food. “Excess fat around the heart can create resistance, which makes the heart work harder for each beat.”

To help dogs maintain a healthy heart, Dr. Townshend suggests a feeding regimen that includes high quality pro-tein, fat and carbohydrates, along with essential vitamins

and minerals. Wellness natural food and snacks, including the Super5Mix dry dog recipes, are made with carefully chosen, authentic ingredients, each of which has a pur-pose. These natural recipes include key nutrients that can help with canine heart health, such as:

• Antioxidants, like beta carotene and vitamin E.• Taurine, an amino acid that is essential for the proper

functioning of the heart, regulating heartbeat and protect-ing the heart from calcium excess.

• Omega 3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties to support healthy blood pressure and help reduce the risk of blood clots.

Along with proper nutrition, pet parents should strive to provide their dogs with regular exercise in the form of walks, hikes and active play. Yearly veterinary examinations also can help maintain a pet’s heart health, as well as his or her overall well-being. For more information, visit www.wellnesspetfood.com.

“The heart is an organ that benefits greatly from lean body mass. Excess fat around the heart can create resistance, which makes the heart work harder for each beat.”

Getting To the Heart of It

NOVEMBER 2011 9


THERE IS NO QUESTION that as soon as we take an animal into our homes; dog or cat; male or female; rescue, foster or adopt, it should be taken to the vet as soon as possible – even before you bring the “new baby” home, especially in multi-animal environments. It is critical to know if it has been spayed or neutered (easy enough for a vet to tell you in the office, there’s usually a little scar in females and the absence of testes in males). How many times have we heard a story about a “house dog” that somehow got out and came home pregnant?

Spaying/neutering your pet/rescue/foster is one of the kind-est and most responsible acts you can do for the animal and for the animal population. The ASPCA cites only 10% of shelter animals are altered (another word for neutering), versus 75% of home-owned pets.

Females are spayed. Spaying is an ovariohysterectomy per-formed at two to six-months of age and the earlier, the better, preferably before the animals’ first heat period.

Males are neutered (al-though the term “neuter-ing” is some-times used for both sexes, as in Alleycat.org’s Spay-Neuter-Trap pro-gram). Neutering males, aka castration or, in the case of horses, gelding, should also be performed two to six-months of age and, again, the earlier the better.

Neutered animals will not add to the serious overpopulation problem of dogs and cats. Did you know four million cats and dogs are put down each year, about one every eight seconds, according to the American Humane Society? There simply aren’t enough homes for the animals and rescue/foster homes are maxed. Accord-ing to the ASPCA, five out of ten dogs and seven out of ten cats are destroyed in shel-ters because there just isn’t enough room to house them all. When a massive rescue

Spaying/Neutering Your Petseffort…such as the one earlier this year to save animals from the Miami Dade Animal Services (MDAS) disease out-break…results in further stretching of already thin private resources, one must take pause (paws?) to seriously consider the implications of not neutering pets.

Of course, surgery is always a serious consideration, especially on very young animals. There are risks associated with the operations but they are minimal.

C o n s i d e r other scenarios you might be forced to deal with in an unneutered animal: for females, heat is a mess. For those not in the know, “heat” means the animals’ menstrual cycle – no tampons, sanitary napkins or other such devices exist except for maybe the doggy diaper. The animal can get very vo-cal during this cycle, something like primal screaming in public during a human fe-male’s bout with PMS. Of course, the female emits pheromones, which will attract every loose tom or dog in the county to your door, usually in the middle of the night.

For unneutered males, they spray. All over. Spraying is their way of marking ter-

ritory and when testosterone runs high, territoriality is priority one in the male world. Male dogs latch on to pretty much anything, including your leg, and have at it. This is not easy behavior to stop and many people do not consider it endearing when Fido starts “dancing” with them in a most unpleasant manner. Further, male dogs can be in a public situation, such as a pet store or park, and go after (and sometimes get) any available female. Again, this is not

easy behavior to control or curb. This is the original “men are

dogs” scenario.There are an esti-

mated 70 million feral cats in the U.S. and, ac-

cording to the ASPCA, it is impossible to determine how many free-range feral

dogs roam the country. Dogs and cats birth any-where from one to 12 or more puppies or kittens per litter, with dogs capa-ble of one and cats, two, litters per year.

Unwelcome puppies and kittens, the result of untoward mating, add to the overpopulation of the feral commu-nity through aban-donment or may be treated inhumanely by being disposed of in horrific ways, such

as heart-sticking kittens in shelters for quick, painful dispatch of these little lives like they did at MDAS this past summer or drowning kittens in a bag with a brick, a private “remedy” that is sel-dom reported but frequently resorted to, even in these “enlightened” times.

Even purebreds are worthy of this con-sideration. Unless you are a breeder or own a show dog that must remain unal-tered, unneutered purebreds are subject to the same behavioral considerations as the mutt or alley cat. Sex is sex – the primal instinct to reproduce – and purebred ani-mals, no matter how refined they are, are not exempt from these urges or the rami-fications thereof.

by Lois Crockett

NOVEMBER 2011 11

As for cost, there are programs avail-able to help defray the expense. Friends of Animals sells discounted certificates you can order by mail by calling 1-800-321-PETS (1-800-321-7387) and request an application, or online at http://www.friendsofanimals.org/programs/spay-neuter. As of October 2011, it costs $65 to spay a female cat, $90 for a female dog; $51 to neuter a male cat, $64 for a male dog. Friends of Animals will also refer you to a local vet who accepts the certificates. According to the ASPCA, the cost of spay-ing or neutering a pet is less than the cost of raising puppies or kittens for a year.

When you take your animal for spay/neuter surgery, as with any hospital pa-tient, you will want to be soft and gentle with him or her, especially at homecom-ing. Neutering requires anesthesia and occasionally requires an overnight stay at the vet. If possible, take off work and stay

home with your pet after picking them up from the animal hospital. Kittens and pup-pies, just like children, fear abandonment after a scary hospital stay, so you want to give them lots of TLC after the operation. They’re usually a little groggy and out of it when they come home. They might hide a bit; but, keep a watchful eye on them to make sure they don’t excessively lick themselves and split their stiches. The vet will give you careful instructions to follow at home and follow these instructions to the letter. Don’t worry if they are off their feed for a day or two; but keep a weather eye out for lethargy or illness as it might mean infection may have set in, requiring immediate treatment by the vet.

Neutering an animal will not alter its personality. It doesn’t “rob” them of their natural male or female traits. Although males may lose some aggressive tenden-cies and females seem to become softer

and calmer, the pet’s basic, playful, and loving personality remains intact for a wonderful relationship for you both for the many years to come.

As your pet ages, you will want to keep in mind that neutering/spaying may effect older pets. Then again, many dogs and cats live long, healthy lives into senior sta-tus with fewer problems than if they were not neutered. Being aware means you can, of course, seek regular attention from the vet and implement preventive care, extending your pet’s life. Again, your vet is a valuable resource to safeguard your pet’s health with regular checkups, immuniza-tions and preventive care.

To find out more:• http://www.humanesociety.org • http://www.aspca.org/about-us/faq/pet-

statistics.aspx •http://www.friendsofanimals.org


All Kinds of Shelter Pets

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT VISITING A COUNTY SHELTER OR ANIMAL CONTROL CENTER to adopt a pet, chance are you pic-ture a cat or dog. Yet, animals of all kinds end up looking for new homes for all kinds of reasons. That includes rabbits; pocket pets like hamsters, guinea pigs and rats; ferrets and reptiles such as iguanas.

Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control (PBCACC) Community Outreach Coordinator Elizabeth Harfman says, “On occasion, we also adopt out birds… parakeets, cockatiels, and more exotic birds such as parrots. We also have a large live-stock area and six-stall barn located at the back of our 14-acre property to house horses, cows, pigs, chickens and other types of livestock. We don’t typically receive horses on a regular basis; however we do rescue quite a few of them throughout the year.”

Harfman says the strangest animal they’ve ever placed up for adoption was a small family of Sugar Gliders they received in 2010.

The adoption procedure is the same for livestock and other pets as it is for dogs and cats at PBCACC. You may want to check with your local shelter to see if it is the same at their location. “All potential adopters are asked to complete an adoption application, we screen them to assure they are choos-ing the best match for their family and life-style, we verify their address, and make sure

any current pets they own are current on rabies shots and county license tags,” says Harfman, “In some cases, we do require home-visits and backgrounds checks before an animal is released to their new family.”

Adoption fees range from $10 to the market price of the animal, usually for exotics.

A complete listing of all of the adopt-able animals at PBCACC is available at www.pbcgov.com/snap.

If you don’t see what you are looking for, call your local shelter and let them know the type of animal you would like to adopt. Whatever kind of pet love you want…don’t buy it, adopt it!

By Cheryl Simone-Miller

A portion of the proceeds of this event will benefit The Florida Humane Society

Open TO THe public3rd Annual lighthouse point Yacht & Racquet club

DOG ShOwSaturday, november 19, 2011

Admission : $20 adults & $10 Kids (10 and under)

Sponsored by

For more information & reservations call 954-942-7244

11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.Dog Fair

12:15 p.m. – 12:40 p.m.

parents & pup Fashion Show Adult Fashion by Body & Soul Boutique Denim Lily Boutique Pink Slip Threads Boutique

12:30 p.m. buffet lunch

1:30 p.m.

Dog contests {Smallest Dog, Largest Dog, Best Dog Trick,

Best Look Alike – Owner & Pet, Best Dressed} Certain restrictions apply.

The Florida Humane Society is dedicated to saving the lives of unwanted companion pets through adoption, as well as aggressively striving to reduce the pet population through spay and neuter programs.

Dog Fair participants :• Dee’s Dogs - Professional Dog Sitter and Dog Walking• Deana Cappucci - Comfortable Companion Pet Massage Therapy• The Hydrant - Puppy Emporium• Lighthouse Point Animal Hospital - Full Service Veterinarian• Salon Bark - Premier Luxury Mobile Pet Spa in South Florida• Stella & Dot

TheLightMag.com • (954) 727-9977


A Family in Bloom

By Lauren Granado Pastrana

Dogs is a bi-coastal rescue that takes larger breeds from shelters and transports them to foster and forever homes all over South Florida, from Miami Beach to Marco Island. Armed with my new information about her soon-to-be location, I told my husband her story. He was hooked as quickly as I was. We only had to work out a few kinks…like meeting her in person for the first time and dealing with the fact our Miami apartment building didn’t allow dogs!

I met her the following week and knew right away she would be the perfect addition to our family. Watching her run with her foster brothers and then come right up to me, sit, and tilt her head to one side, as if to ask “So, what’s it gonna be?”, I immediately decided I had to make her ours.

With one call to my husband, who was basing his decision solely on my opinion, we started making alternative living arrangements in Miami and I sent in the adoption application. Within weeks we had moved to a dog-friendly building on Miami Beach (thankfully, my apartment in Fort Myers allows pets, even larger ones!), and I waited for our girl to come to her new home.

SPRING IS THE SEASON FOR NEW BEGINNINGS. It’s the time for freshly cleaned homes and the return of flip- flops and bathing suits. New flowers and new friendships bloom. And for our very small family, it was time to grow. Only we didn’t know it at the time.

There was no big discussion to start the search for a dog. No drawn out debate over which breed would suit my husband and I best. In fact, since my current job has us living on separate coasts during the week, we had only ever discussed waiting to get a pooch until we were once again sharing the same home. Plus, our downtown Miami apartment didn’t allow pets of any kind, much less a large American Bulldog mix. Then a picture on Facebook changed everything.

I’ve never been fond of the phrase “love at first sight”, but there’s no doubt the cliché applies to how my husband and I felt about the white dog with sad brown eyes who stared into my soul through the barrier of my computer screen. I first saw my girl,

who was named Snowie at the time, via a Facebook post shared by a friend in South Florida at the end of February. I clicked on the image purely out of curiosity. Her eyes were piercing and her pink bandana was adorable. Assuming she was in Miami, a safe distance away for her cute-ness to have any sort of permanent effect on me in Fort Myers, I sent the picture via text to my husband with a caption that read something like “Look at this dog. Isn’t she gorgeous?” He responded immediately with an emphatic “Yes! Where is she? Is she up for adoption?” So I read on.

I found out she had been rescued from Miami Dade Animal Services by the group Big Hearts for Big Dogs. The first “rescue” that saved her had shut down, and before that, she was the victim of dog aggression and neglect. But the most shocking detail of all…she would be in Fort Myers that weekend! Big Hearts for Big

I’ve never been fond of the phrase “love at first sight”

NOVEMBER 2011 15

We learned she was heart worm positive, but that didn’t deter us. We were ready to support her through the treatment and thanks to Big Hearts for Big Dogs, the expenses were taken care of.

By March, we were adjusting to life as dog owners. Though, my husband and I will tell anyone, our dog owns us. We tried out the name Snowie for a while, but it just wasn’t working for us. It wasn’t really working for her either. She never really answered to it. Staying true to form, the name discussion didn’t take long either. We had one idea, and it stuck. We settled on Daisy, an ode to the fact we always thought we’d one day have a bulldog named Duke.

Having Daisy, who we affectionately call Crazy Daisy when she has one of her sudden bursts of unbridled energy, has been a pure joy. Because she wasn’t a puppy when we got her, we didn’t have to worry too much about accidents (though she had a couple early on) or any destructive behavior (she doesn’t chew our furniture or shoes, but her toys don’t stand a chance). Her first weekend with us included a trip to an outdoor festival in Coral Gables. It was warm and crowded and there were other dogs sniffing around, yet she didn’t even bark! She would just strut her stuff like the awesome dog she is. To this day, it’s rare to get a bark out of her. She prefers to whimper, which endears her to us even more. A fact we are sure she is well aware of.

Our love for our girl grows every day, but we know we have more to give. There are eventual plans to add another four-legged child into the mix, as well as a few human ones. For now, we are a family in bloom, centered on our very own Daisy.


IN OCTOBER, a disease outbreak hit the cat population at Miami-Dade Animal Services. The potential killer was feline Panleukopenia (FLP), also known as feline distemper. Shelter officials had to scram-ble to isolate infected cats, keep incoming cats from getting infected and revaccinate then all. 14 cats were confirmed to have FPL and veterinary infectious disease spe-cialists from the University of Florida were called in to get things under control.

What is feline Panleukopenia? It is a serious disease and part of the highly con-tagious parvovirus group. There is no cure for FLP. Most cats are vaccinated against the disease, but feral cats, kittens and cats with weakened immune systems can fall victim to this killer.

Dr. Sandra Brooks with www.Veteri-naryPartner.com says, “The feline distem-per virus amounts to a single strand of DNA surrounded by a protein coating. It is extremely stable in the environment, which leads to its characterization as ubiq-uitous…or everywhere. It can last a year indoors at room temperature and survives freezing. It also survives treatment with

Cat Killer Feline Panleukopenia

By Cheryl Simone-Miller

such common disinfectants as alcohol and iodine. Fortunately, a 10-minute soak in bleach…diluted one part bleach in 32 parts water…exposure will kill it.”

The virus enters through the nose or mouth. Symptoms include:

• A hunched appearance due to abdominal pain

• Diarrhea• Vomiting• Loss of interest in food or water• Depression • Lack of grooming• Appearance of what looks like a

“third eyelid” in the corner of the eyes

While other ailment might mimic these symptoms, a blood test show-ing almost no white blood cells can pretty much confirm FLP, since there are few other causes of such a drastic dip in white cell count. Let it suffice to say, if your cat is displaying any of the above symptoms, get to the vet immediately. There is no time to wait and see. The virus progresses rapidly. Death can come in as little as two days.

Dr. Brooks says, “An infected cat can re-cover if the cat can be kept alive until the immune system recovers from the panleu-kopenia and can throw off the infection. This means that the invading intestinal bacteria must be kept at bay with antibi-otics, and aggressive fluid therapy must control dehydration. This is essentially the same therapy as for canine parvovirus in-fection, though the feline experience seems to be more lethal. There is little chance of survival without hospitalization.”

Get through the ordeal and your cat will suffer no permanent damage. The cat will be immune for the rest of his or her life. Bear in mind, the virus is still shed for as long as six-weeks after recovery. Clean up excrement right away. Keep your cat away from other cats. Do that 10-minute soak with bleach solution.

Your best defense against FLP is vaccina-tion for all new cats. Newborn kittens have natural immunity from their mother’s milk, but should be vaccinated at 12-weeks of age.

As for Miami-Dade’s outbreak, the in-fected cats were moved to an outside facility. They were treated and most were adopted.

Three of the very adoptable cats at Abandoned Pet Rescue in Fort Lauderdale.


IT’S THAT TIME of year again. Time to

give your loved one the ultimate gift.

Fresh out of ideas? Well, we’re not.

Check out these great choices for your

favorite pet.

CYCLE DOG

WWW.CYCLEDOG.COM

503.318.8066

RECYCLED DOG COLLARS

Made with reclaimed bike inner tubes, Cycle Dog’s Latch-Lock™ Collar is made in the USA from reclaimed bike tubes. They dry quickly, reduce odor buildup and are super durable.

THE FREEDOM LEASH by The Paws Republic was designed specifically for the active pet owner with two dogs. Featuring a dual retractable leash and tangle-free cord system, your dogs can walk freely while leaving your other hand to do other things - like carry a coffee mug! It gives you the freedom you desire, while keeping two pets safely con-trolled. Stop the awkward “leash dance” now! Paws Republic

THE PAWS REPUBLIC

1-877-987-PAWS (7297)

WWW.THEFREEDOMLEASH.COM

HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS

ORGANIC, ALL-NATURAL, ECO-FRIENDLY SHAMPOO and conditioner for your dog. The Organic Oscar product line includes: Organic Oatmeal Shampoo, Organic Aloe Vera Sham-poo and Organic Aloe Vera Conditioner. These products do not contain soaps, parabens, sulfates, petroleum based ingredients, artificial fragrances or dyes. Great for dogs with sensitive skin!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ORGANIC OSCAR VISIT

WWW.ORGANICOSCAR.COM

NOVEMBER 2011 19

THE ULTIMATE TRAVEL & ORGANIZER BAG for all your pet’s belongings. Our signature pleated pockets allow for easy access to the necessities like water, treats, collars, leashes, and clean up bags. The spacious inte-rior holds food, dishes, grooming supplies, bedding, clothes and more. Available in 3 convenient sizes. The perfect gift for every pet owner on your list.

DOGGY BAGGAGE

WWW.DOGGYBAGGAGE.COM

SMARTDOG JERKY uses human grade, USDA certified premium meats that are sourced and made in the USA. Their naturally wheat and grain free line of jerky includes chicken breast, beef, venison, rabbit and lamb. They proudly support rescue by way of donating a portion of their jerky to rescue organizations and pro-humane shelters!

SMART DOG JERKY

WWW.SMARTDOGJERKY.COM

“SHELBY THE HEMP MOUSE AND CATNIP ESSENTIAL OIL SPRAY”“Biodegradable, all natural, safe, strong, filled with organic catnip, Shelby the hemp mouse is a sure success with even the most finicky cats. The mouse face is stamped with natural food colorant. She can be rejuvenated by our potent catnip essential oil spray. Our spray can also be used as a training tool to attract your cat to his scratch post or new fluffy bed. All Made in USA!”

FROM THE FIELD

PHONE : 877-676-7689

WEB: WWW.FROMTHEFIELDPET.COM

E-MAIL: [email protected]

SCOUT & ZOE’S NATURAL ANTLER DOG CHEWS are allergy-free and a green, organic, renewable resource created from 100% naturally shed, grade A premium USA elk antlers. Containing calcium and phosphorous, the chews are not only good for your pup but also help keep those pretty teeth clean and healthy. Great for the exceptional chewer in your pack as well as dogs with allergies.

WWW.SCOUTANDZOES.COM

OR CALL 855-DOG-CHEW TO

PLACE AN ORDER.

Holiday Gift Ideas continued on page 20


COCOTHERAPY® VIRGIN COCONUT OIL AND COCONUT CHIPS are certified USDA Organic, and are 100% natural, and human-grade. Coconut oil is comprised primarily of a medium chain fatty acid (MCFA) called Lauric acid, which is also found in

breast milk. MCFAs builds a healthy immune system, keeps animals from getting viral, bacterial, or protozoal infections, promotes healthy skin and coat, promotes normal thyroid function, and helps reduce weight. In addi-

tion, CocoTherapy Coconut Chips provide beneficial fiber to promote a healthy diges-tive system and alleviate fiber-responsive diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease,

colitis, diarrhea, and constipation.

COCOTHERAPY

PHONE: 630-578-6752

WWW.COCOTHERAPY.COM

ORGANIC COTTON HOT WATER BOTTLE COZY BUDDIESThe perfect cozy for hot water bottles. We created the hot water bottle cozy when our kitty cat was diagnosed with cancer, and needed a safe way to stay warm. Perfectly fitted to house a standard size hot water bottle, this Cozy Buddy will be your pet's cozy pal on those cold chilly nights. Or when you're away, insert a t-shirt or PJ's with your scent inside the pouch so your pet will think you're close by! Either way, this Cozy Buddy is the perfect companion for a new puppy (or kitten), new litter of puppies, at the boarding kennel, visit to the vet, or any time your pet needs warmth and comforting. Knitted with 100% organic cotton. Available in: Benny the Bear and Geraldine the Giraffe Cozy Buddy.

OSCAR NEWMAN LLC

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I WAS BORN ON NOVEMBER 21, 2003. I was a cute little fluffy Maltese. My owner bought me as an

anniversary present for his wife who soon became my best friend. I had a wonderful life! My day would be something like this: My owner Marc would leave to work early in the morning, the children Patrick and Anne would leave to school. I would spend the rest of the morning following my loving Angelica around the house while she did her chores. After lunch, we would sit on the couch and watch the soaps while she caressed me. When the children came home, I would spend a few hours in the yard playing with them and running after lizards or anything that caught my attention. When Marc would get home from work, I would run to the door where I always greeted him with so much love. He did not acknowledge me much. He said I was too needy.

For the next seven years, I continued to go to the door hoping that one day he would be happy to see me. He never did. After dinner, we would all sit in the family room and watch tele-vision. I would always be at the foot of the coach while they talked and laughed. On weekends, I would sometimes visit my grandparents or go for car rides with my family. I had a wonderful life!

Seven years later, my mom Angelica became very ill and passed away. For the next few days everyone was very quiet and Marc seemed to be angry at me. One

afternoon, I heard Marc come in from work and I did what I always did, I ran to the door to greet him. Soon he carried me and put me in the car. It was the first time Marc and I had

gone out alone. I was excited. He drove for a while until we reached a grey building. He then carried me out and went through a few doors. He spoke with a lady and took some papers and wrote on them. He handed me over to

the woman and I saw him walk away. I was tied and placed on the floor for a while. I began to tremble. I saw a big light hit my eyes. I was very confused I did not know what was happening. There were other people with other dogs doing the same thing. I could hear the barks of other dogs and smelled a very unfamiliar smell which terrified me. I went from person to person for a while until I was placed in a cage with newspaper and a plate of food. I went to the very back of the cage and sat there until there was no sunlight and people were no longer there. I heard some dogs bark and others cry. I could not sleep. I knew Marc would come for me.

The next morning people began to pass by my cage again. Some stopped and looked at me but very briefly, others totally ignored me. I always went to the front of the cage thinking it was my owner. Eventually I realized he was not coming. I spent the next 6 days lying in my own urine most of the time and patiently waiting. On the sixth day, the lady who had fed me and cleaned

my cage came for me. She carried me out of the cage and placed a leash on me. I walked down a long corridor wagging my tail. I was so happy Marc had come for me. We entered a cold room where a man was standing and did not even look at me. She carried me and caressed me while I sat on a cold table waiting for something. I was so scared. The man came towards me and injected me with something.

My name was Julie. No one ever said my name...

By Maria Elena Padron

Shelter Stories…

My Name Was A1368794

”I Had a Wonderful Life!!!“

NOVEMBER 2011 25


Suzi Luvspitsndals Macy says, “Do their homework as to the breed they are considering adopting. Of course, I l ike it when folks adopt and don't shop! Also the new pet needs to have a two-week shutdown…that is, the pet should not be thrown into the whirlwind of the home; it is just too much for them. They need some quiet time, to get used to the new surroundings, remember it’s a lot for a dog to take in all at once.

Camille Recanati Loge says, “Unless the person receiving the pet knows what it takes to care for it properly, it can be a burden. In this economy, vetting, [medications like] Frontline and Heartguard & good food is expensive. Many shelters fill up right after the holidays because people decide they want to return their "gift."”

Denise DeGeorgio Cooney says, “The advice I would give would be to think BEYOND December 25th!! Despite the joy and excitement you may bring to your child for that moment, keep in mind that owning a dog is a 10-year minimum commitment, and they should be prepared for this. There will be training, vet visits, and lots of attention needed. If they are still set on getting a puppy, I would suggest a good breed match for the family.

Suzi Luvspitsndals Macy answers, “Yup, my thoughts exactly...no matter what time of year, do your homework on the breed of dog. Make sure you can give this animal a live with you forever.

Annette Gongora's Rescue Page says, “I agree with what Denise said and would only add, based on a recent rescue experi-ence, to make sure that they realize that the whole family has to be agreeable to get-ting a dog. They may think their child is "old enough" to care for an animal. If the child becomes overwhelmed or bored with the cleaning, feeding, walking etc. someone else (usually a parent) will need to step in and care for the pet. Pets, especially dogs, need a human to care for them. Also keep in mind the expense of caring for a pet in society's current economic situation. What are their plans if the dog gets sick or in-jured?? Will they be able to afford to get it expensive emergency vet care if needed? Have they planned ahead to make sure they have insurance on the pet? Pets should be treated just like their children and everyone needs to have plans in place in case of an emergency. Getting "rid" of the pet should never be an option, after all, you wouldn’t get rid if your child because you can’t afford to provide proper care.

Sandra Brookman says, “ONLY if it is a 100% family effort! Parents should NEVER get their kids a pet unless they are ready to enforce their care and responsibility, OR they are RESPONSIBLE for their care themselves WITHOUT complaint!”

Jacqueline Ross says, “Make sure the family is REALLY willing to commit. The companions are cute at first, and then the newness wears off!!!

Make it Illegal to sell Dogs/Puppies in Pet Stores says,

“Save a life and adopt....many purebred puppies/kittens in shelters don't cost a fortune, have been micro-chipped, have all of their shots and are usually housebroken. Just don't buy from a pet store, as over 90% of puppies in pet stores are from puppy mills.

Terry St Angelo says, “It depends on their lifestyle - if they have no children, Xmas is fine to adopt. Adopt a dog that will suit your age and health.”

Gena Wszeborowski says, “Do not adopt around the holidays. Emotions run high and it’s not a good time to make a good decision. Investigate and research the breed. Take your time, choose carefully and always remember; it’s a life that will depend on you for many years to come. Be sure you are willing to commit to caring for your new dog for the rest of his/her life. :) And remember...Adopt, don’t Shop!

Four

Paw

s A

sks…

Every month, we pose a question to our friends and rescue partners via social media. This month, we asked…

“The holidays will be here before you know it...and many people are considering a dog, cat or other pet for someone in their lives. What advice do you have for them?”

NOVEMBER 2011 27


Four Paws: Tell me a little bit about where you are from and where you grew up.Maria Elena Padron: I am originally from Cuba. I came to the US when I was 5-years-old with my grandparents and brother. I lived my formative years in New Jersey and then came to live in Miami in 1974.

FP: Did you have pets as a child?MEP: When I was 7-years-old, I was playing with my friends and a girl had a box of puppies. I took one and showed up at my home with it. She lived with us for the next eight years.

FP: How did you get started in pet rescue? MEP: I have always been picking up strays and bringing them home from the streets. I went to the shelter (Miami-Dade Ani-mal Services) for the first time in 2008 when I lost my pit bull, PeeBee to kidney failure at the age of nine, and adopted two dogs. I saw the situation and started transporting for Big Dog Ranch and Miami Pets Alive. Then I started volunteering at the shelter. There I witnessed the problem of pet overpopulation at the shelter and the reality of how many innocent dogs and cats were put to sleep. I had a better perspective from both the shelter and the rescue community. I knew right then and there I had to do more. I would take my camera and go to B&C

Portraits in Rescue… By Cheryl Simone-Miller

A Conversation With Maria Elena Padron

TALK TO ANYONE IN THE SOUTH FLORIDA PET RESCUE

COMMUNITY and, chances are, you will find they know or

know of Maria Elena Padron. Visit her facebook page and

you will find people calling her a “saint” and an “angel.” You

will see a string of photos of canine faces she has saved

from certain death at Miami-Dade Animal Services, nursed

back to health and found homes for. You will find her tagged

on photos of countless dogs in need of rescue in all parts

of the nation. You will see on her list of friends rescue

groups of all kinds from every corner of the world. Meet

her in person, and you will feel the radiating kindness and

serenity in the storm that comes from knowing one’s personal

mission. Four Paws had a chance to ask Maria some

questions to find out the history and philosophy of this pet

saving phenomenon.

NOVEMBER 2011 29

wards and those areas that were restricted where the dogs had absolutely no expo-sure and would take photos of both the dogs and the kennel cards. I then started to post the photos on Facebook and began gathering animal lovers on facebook and requesting them to be my friends. I soon had over 5000. This made a lot of impact because people be-gan to volunteer to foster and transport. It motivated a lot of independents to want to start rescuing these animals. I also started fostering dogs from MDAS. Since then, approxi-mately 80 dogs have come to stay at our home. I rescue in all capacities. I take the pics, follow them on facebook, place the holds, fundraise, foster, transport. I will drive dogs anywhere they have to go within the state.

FP: What is the hardest part of rescue? MEP: One of the hardest parts is not being able to rescue many of them…seeing them one day and finding out they were killed the next, or even a few hours after I leave the shelter. The other is getting the dog out of the shelter and then having it die from shelter-related disease. I have had many that have not made it and have died in my arms. I will spend days on end locked in a bedroom with them until they either get better and survive or do not make it.

FP: If you had the power to change one thing about the state of shelters, what would it be? MEP: For starters, I believe the shelter directors and staff should make an extra effort to educate the community. This is my future goal. Most people are not aware of the reality of what happens to their animals when they are dropped off. They believe the dog will be saved and adopted out. This is not the case. Fiscal year 2009 – 2010, 36,000 animals came in and 20,100 were euthanized. This is Miami-Dade Animal Services alone! Shelters have to be-come people friendly, more compassionate and make more of an effort to educate, get more dogs adopted and also go the extra mile to get dogs returned to owners. The number of “return to owners” is extremely low and has remained that way for years. There is much that needs to change, but I believe this is a critical effort which cannot delay.FP: If you could get one message about animal rescue out to the public...what would it be?

MEP: Aside from rescue, bringing awareness to the community is my passion. I know that people do not have the slightest clue of the sad reality that awaits animals at the shelter. I would stress the importance of identifying your pet...most dogs that arrive at the shelter come in with collars (some very expensive) but no ID. If the person, for whatever reason, does not want to put the rabies tag on the dog they should go to a local pet store and purchase an ID tag with the name of the animal and a contact phone number. Also, a shelter is not a hotel. Animals get there and become very depressed, nervous and confused. Their im-mune systems are compromised and they become ill with vari-ous diseases…some fatal. They also are given 24-hours if they are owner surrendered. Puppies under 6-months are also given 24-hours. It is up to the discretion of the shelter to extend the stay or not depending on the number of dogs which are there at any given time. During the summer dogs/cats are surrendered at a staggering rate. Sometimes the daily intake is 100+. Only one cat out of 10 gets out…the rest are put down. Big dogs don't stand a chance, neither do black dogs. There is a phenomenon known as “Black Dog Syndrome,” which is basically black dogs are not adopted out. They are doomed at any shelter and are the first to be put down. The community can make a difference. Something as simple as lending your home to a foster animal can save a life. At the shelter there are too many animals and people go and become overwhelmed. There is not enough staff to attend to potential adopters individually and people walk out empty handed. It has been my experience that once a dog/cat leaves the shelter it is easily adopted out. We are desperately in need of fosters, both short term for quarantine and long term, until the animal gets adopted out. If you are interested in fostering, please contact me at [email protected].

Portraits in Rescue continued on page 30


FP: If someone wanted to contact you about fostering or adopt-ing a dog, how should they do that? MEP: If you can volunteer for transport, fostering, or any other capacity…or if you simply have any questions, you can contact me, Maria Elena Padron, either on Facebook, email us at [email protected] or call 786.356.9011 or 305.774.1184.

Maria is also the author of a series of short stories called “Shelter Stories.” They are fictional tales based on real-life scenarios and told from the view of the dog. We will feature them in Four Paws and you can check out our first one on page 24.

FP: You have rescued so many...is there one ex-perience and story that stands out to you that you remember the most? MEP: I have many stories…some with very happy endings and some that make me very sad, but at the same time motivate me to carry on. I think the cri-sis at MDAS with the distemper outbreak in March of 2011 is the most significant since the commu-nity was so instrumental in allowing all 350+ dogs to evacuate the shelter with a three-day period. Because there was so much attention brought about by the media, people turned out in droves to adopt and save these animals. I was touched and very happy that not one dog had to be sacrificed and this showed me how we the community have the power to make a change in the lives of these animals. A $65 adoption fee… which includes spay/neuter surgery, rabies tag, microchip and the basic inoculation…is so little compared to the amount of love these animals give us in return. During the crisis, on the very last day as I was leaving, there were two ladies who were returning a dog in a small box. I was walking outside and asked to see the dog. Out came a five-pound terrier who was completely emaciated, his skin was raw around his eyes and he looked almost transparent. I knew if I left him there he would be put down, so I did what I have done on many occasions. I brought him home with me. I hand-fed him with a syringe for five days and on the fifth day he began to eat on his own. I stayed in my office with him until he fully recuperated and he has been with me since. He was named Very Lucky for obvious reasons. I look at the dogs and my heart fills with love and joy. I could not see myself doing anything else in my life. This is definitely my calling.

FP: Is there a resource for pet parents you think everyone should know about? A website or book? MEP: We have been gathering tips and FAQS about pet own-ership and fostering. Facebook has been instrumental in the amount of information and resources available. The rescue com-munity is at work 24/7 and is always willing to help answer any questions. We also recycle crates, dog beds and help in provid-ing resources for vet care for foster parents in the event the pet becomes ill. We also encourage anyone who has the time to visit Miami-Dade Animal Services at least once to get a clear view on exactly what goes on. MDAS is always looking for volunteers to help with the animals. They work with the person's schedule and the only thing that is required to become a volunteer is a two-hour class, which they offer both Thursdays and Saturday. You can always call and get more info at 305.884.1101.

Portraits in Rescue continued from page 29

NOVEMBER 2011 31

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THE PET KILLER LURKING ON THE LAWN

HAVING A PET AND BEING A PROUD PAR-ENT TO FIDO OR WHISKERS is an enjoy-able and integral part of an animal lover’s life. Although we all have to go through the inevitable, losing a pet is the type of pain only a pet owner can describe.

But when your beloved pet is taken away because of someone else’s careless-ness, it’s an even more heartbreaking situa-tion. This is exactly what is believed to have happened to a woman from Bayonne, N.J.

Maria Perez walked Plato, her adorable 8-year-old Bichon Frise, regularly around her 49th Street neigh-borhood, never suspecting those walks would eventually cause his death.

In early June, Perez received a call from Plato’s doggie day-care telling her Plato had an injury to his mouth that would not stop bleeding. Perez took Plato to his veterinarian, who said Plato was suffering from a dog bite. The vet performed surgery and sent Plato home. However, surveillance video from the daycare showed that the injury did not come from another dog.

“It was a very confusing time, because everything pointed to a dog bite,” said Perez. “But as time passed, it became more and more apparent that Plato was not bitten. But we still had no idea what was causing the bleeding.”

The vet did what he could to try and stop the bleeding, and Plato’s condition seemed to im-prove. However, throughout his first night back home, Plato continued to bleed from his mouth. When the bleeding would not stop, Perez re-turned to the vet, who told her Plato would need another surgery be-cause the damage was worse than initially thought. Not only had the wound become larger, but a new lesion had appeared on his nose. Unable to control the bleeding, the vet told Perez that Plato would not make it. By the next day, Plato had died.

The veterinarian concluded that Plato’s death was actually caused by rat poison, which thins the blood and makes the body unable to produce clots –eventually causing an animal to bleed from the nose or mouth. Rat poison does not have to be ingested to cause the damage – a dog can walk on the poison and then lick their paws, enough contact to cause death.

Perez believes Plato ingested the rat poison placed on front lawns and curbs by homeowners trying to keep animals off of their property.

“Bayonne has a big issue with the large population of feral cats in town, and some homeowners are putting out rat poison to control the cat population. However, dogs are also in danger if they come into contact with the poison. Small dogs, like Plato, don’t stand a chance. The poison works its way through their little

bodies so quickly. And Plato, whom I adopted when he was 6, had been a homeless dog, so he was used to eating off the street to survive.”

According to published reports, many of the town’s citizens contacted city officials to see if there’s a way to ascertain what caused the Plato’s death, as several other pet owners have indicated the same thing happening to their pet.

“When I went to pick up Plato’s ashes, his vet told me that it was the third case he’d had

that week alone,” said Perez. “In one instance, the dog was a large breed, so he was able to be saved. Sadly, the second case was of a cat that didn’t make it.”

“I don’t think people realize the consequences of what they’re doing,” added Perez. “I’d like to give them the benefit of the doubt that they’re just trying to scare off the feral cats and other animals, but it’s a big public health hazard. Innocent animals are getting hurt – not to mention the danger to children, who will touch pretty much anything.”

A few months after Plato’s passing, Perez attended a City Council meeting, at which the issue was addressed. While many on the council agreed that it was an issue that concerned them, the consensus was that nothing could be done about it – a state-ment with which Perez disagrees.

“I know they can’t control individual homeowners,” she said, “but they certainly are in a position to educate people to their responsibilities as citizens and to the consequences of their actions – and to make other pet owners aware of the possibility this could be happening in their neighborhood.”

The use of rat poison is governed by state law, and when used for reasons other than those intended, it is illegal. If you or some-one you know has experienced a similar situation, please contact your local city officials and animal welfare agencies.

“It’s so important that you notify the appropriate agencies,” said Perez. “They can only address the issue if they know about it. I also suggest getting the word out via social media. Had I not posted the notice on Facebook, which was then re-posted by friends and their friends, this issue might not have been addressed. Although this was a very sad situation, I hope that bringing the danger to light might help save another animal from the same fate.”

“I don’t think people realize the consequences of what they’re doing. I’d like to give them the benefit of the doubt that they’re just trying to scare off the feral cats and other animals, but it’s a big public

health hazard. Innocent animals are getting hurt – not to mention the danger to children, who will touch pretty much anything.”

By Evelyn Tipacti

Plato

NOVEMBER 2011 33

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IN THE WORLD OF ANIMAL RESCUE, it can often feel like we’re fighting a losing battle. Every day, thousands of innocent pets die in our nation’s animal shelters and it often seems impossible to save them all. The good news is it’s NOT impossible. No Kill is an achievable goal, and it’s been accomplished in more than 20 communities across the US. That number is on the rise.

Pet overpopulation is a myth. According to a nationwide study, 17 million American families are looking for new pets each year and could be convinced to adopt from a shelter. Only a small percentage of these people need to adopt in order to save the lives of the three to four million animals killed annually. While there will always be an element of cruel, irresponsible people who abandon or abuse their pets, they represent an extremely small percentage compared to the majority of Americans who love and respect pets.

In the end, it’s up to the shelters to take responsibility. They’re the ones who perpetrate the killing, and the killing must stop with them. It can be done. It has been done.

The No Kill movement has its own proven lifesaving program called the No Kill Equation (NKE) – a set of 11 proven, cost- effective steps for shelter leadership to implement. It is the only formula that has been effective in creating No Kill condi-tions at open-admission municipal animal shelters. Communi-ties as diverse as Reno, Nevada; Ithaca, NY; Charlottesville, VA; Shelby County, KY and Austin, TX have all achieved at least 90% save rates for their animals. Compare that to the alternative: the national average is a 50% kill rate. In Miami-Dade County specifically, 61% of impounded animals were killed in 2010.

Often, the No Kill Equation can be implemented at, or even below, a community’s current budget. When a shelter director makes the choice to adopt the No Kill philosophy, public support

is consistently overwhelming, and many of the costs are often transferred to the public – versus government funding.

THE STEPS OF THE NO KILL EQUATION ARE AS FOLLOWS: I. Feral Cat TNR ProgramTrap Neuter Release (TNR) programs are the only proven effective methods of reducing a feral cat population and No Kill communities across the country have embraced these tactics as a method of drastically reducing shelter intake and saving lives.

II. High Volume, Low-Cost Spay/NeuterLow or no-cost, high volume spay/neuter programs are a key component to reducing shelter intake and become especially effective over time.

III. Rescue GroupsRescue groups are an invaluable element of the NKE. Any transfer of an animal to a rescue group reduces tax-payer cost for vet care and boarding (or euthanasia), in addition to freeing up a kennel for another animal.

IV. Foster CareFoster care is an irreplaceable way to drastically ex-pand shelter capacity. Volunteer foster parents provide boarding, food and care for animals. They serve as key advocates for the shelter’s mission. These programs also save the lives of neonatal kittens and other animals who cannot survive in a shelter.

V. Comprehensive Pet AdoptionsYou CAN adopt your way out of killing, but it takes hard work and innovation. There are more than enough homes for our nation's homeless pets, but shelters

By Hannah Sentenac

NOVEMBER 2011 35

must compete with outside sources of animals. They must offer promotions, multiple off-site adoption options, and creative adoption ideas. They must implement effective marketing programs to get pets out the door.

VI. Pet RetentionMany of the reasons people surrender their an-imals are preventable. Shelters must work with the public to help them retain their animals. On-site counseling services for those who must surrender their pets for a variety of reasons can reduce intake and keep families together.

VII. Medical and Behavior RehabilitationA key part of any shelter's responsibility is to insure the health and well-being of its inhabitants. Animals must be treated for medical conditions and rehabilitated for behavioral issues. This step includes the implementation of proper cleaning and hygiene protocols, vaccination, behavior evaluation and other guidelines.

VIII. Public Relations/ Community InvolvementCommunity support is a key part of No Kill success. By increasing public exposure and devising a powerful public relations program for the shelter, the community will become involved. This means more volunteers, more adoptions, more donations, and more lifesaving success.

IX. VolunteersNo Kill efforts succeed with expansive volunteer programs. The use of volunteers expands the shelter’s operational efforts without additional expense.

X. Proactive RedemptionsIn Washoe County, Nevada, almost 65% of the animals taken into the shelter are returned to their owners. Active efforts to return lost pets to their owners can drastically reduce shelter intake and kill rates.

A crucial factor in reaching a No Kill community is effective leadership. Unless a shelter director is progres-sive, compassionate and hard-working, efforts towards No Kill are likely to fail. The leader dictates the policies and procedures of the organization. If a leader makes a decision to stop the killing - it will stop. If the director chooses not to do so, No Kill Nation philosophy dictates they must be replaced.

Through tireless dedication to lifesaving and a collaborative effort between our shelters and communi-ties, we can achieve No Kill success.

For more information, visit: www.nokillmiami.org or www.TheNoKillNation.org


I met this boy at the local kill shelter.I was there to photograph the dogs two

or three days in a row and noticed this boy never moved, didn't eat and would not take the treats that all the other dogs went mad for. I decided to check and see what the deal was with this boy. I went up to the desk and they said he had two holds placed on him. I was about to walk away, figur-ing he would be adopted, but something

The Story of

was telling me not to. So, I placed a third hold on the pup, hoping I would never be called and he would find a loving home with one of the other holds. Well, the holds never showed and I rescued Jake. There was something very wrong right from when they brought him out to me. He was not only cowering but when any man ap-proached; he went out like a bear rug, down to the floor and shook uncontrollably. He

Cheryl’s Note: The following is a tale of how a local rescuer added a sweet dog to her family in the process of saving so many other pets

left at the Miami-Dade shelter. It is also a tale of the brutality many of these animals suffer at the hands of human beings. It is amaz-

ing to see how Jake…and many like him…learn to forgive.

was visibly nervous with women too, but nothing like when a man walked over. He is so gorgeous, everyone kept coming over to see him and each time, he got worse and worse. We lifted him up onto the counter where I stroked him and made him feel comfortable. Suddenly, he yawned and I saw a sight that I will never forget. This 4-YEAR-OLD had many missing teeth, rotted teeth and teeth handing by a thread...even some of the beautiful white teeth were loose. I thought the shelter made a terrible error in his age...he must be 14 NOT 4. They insisted he was around 4. I took him right to my vet where we scheduled dental surgery the following week because he needed massive antibiotics to clear up the infection in his mouth before surgery. We were determined to do everything we could to make sure he was in great condition... both physically and mentally before plac-ing him into a loving home.

Long, long story short: The shelter did NOT make a mistake.

Jake is only 4-years-old. He was severely abused. The teeth were knocked out of his mouth by a monster, his vocal chords were injured badly (he was not de-barked, he was beaten) and he has burn scars on his body which we discovered at the groomer during those first few days.

For days he slept standing up. He was actually afraid to lay down. He must have been beaten when he tried to sleep. He

JAKE

By Bonnie Mandel Plafke

NOVEMBER 2011 37

This book illustrates the one hour the author spent with Patrick.

Jeff Coltenback was enrolled to evaluate him and give him a thorough

temperament test for a custody battle. The book illustrates the events

leading up to the evaluation, the evaluation itself as well as personal

experiences of the author with other abused pit bulls. If this book doesn’t

motivate you to want to help animals in need, then nothing will.

“One Hour with Patrick” is available online at Amazon and CreateSpace, a subsidiary of Amazon.com.

Purchase now at:Amazon.comKINDLE https://www.createspace.com/3627251

On March 16th, 2011 a Newark city employee found a garbage bag thrown down a trash

chute containing the body of an emaciated, almost dead, barely breathing dog. The

veterinarian on staff at the local shelter made the courageous decision to save the dog’s life.

still stands in a show position, even today. Legs back, head high and tail pointed…but sleeps beautifully now. He must have been beaten when he barked. He did not bark for over a month, but he does now!!! He never would kiss your face. He must have been beaten when he tried to kiss, but last month for the first time, he kissed my face. A few weeks ago, he licked both my husband’s and my hands. He took to me immediately and it didn't take that long for him to become comfortable with Robert. It was so sad in the beginning to see him cower when Rob stood over him or came up to him. At least he wasn't going down on all fours, spread out like a bear rug. Our three other dogs have brought him into the pack and my little Inali (our youngest dog) refused to let Jake sit on the sidelines. She made sure he knew he was part of this family, and Simcha and Maximus joined in as well. Even our cat Spree took a liking to Jake.

Jake found his loving home...indeed!

He still has issues...absolutely detests strangers, especially men, but we are working on that. He will warm up to you, but it takes time...a lot of time. He is a great watchdog and barks at the slightest sound now (his bark has a strange sound because of his injuries). He has gained a lot of weight and can finally eat with-out pain, can finally kiss without pain, can finally play without pain, can finally sleep without pain, can finally live without pain and most of all, can finally love without pain.

This is the happy beginning of The Story of Jake...


Distemper 101 Diane Jarvis, who has been involved in animal rescue since 1995 in California and Arizona and who helped es-tablish Paw Placement in Flagstaff (www.pawplacement.org), says, “The distemper virus is transmitted from dog to dog via urine, blood or saliva. The most common transmission is through sneezing, coughing or sharing food and water bowls. It may take anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks for your dog to show the symptoms, and the first signs may resemble a bad cold; thick mucus dis-charge from the nose or eyes, coughing and sneezing. The dog may also suffer from fever, lethargy, vomiting and diarrhea. Distemper causes a puppy to be very weak and barely able to stand. The virus can travel to the dog’s brain, causing seizures or disorders of the nervous system such as shaking and trembling. There may even be some paralysis. Distemper weakens the immune system and the dog cannot fight off secondary infections like pneumonia or bronchitis.”Jarvis continues with, “Distemper is a horrific, debilitating disease with a survival rate of approximately 20 percent. Since distemper may start with such mild symptoms it may not be recognized or diagnosed immediately, allowing it to progress. Once diagnosed, treatment is mostly supportive care such as intravenous fluids and antibiotics to prevent secondary infections. Dogs that recover may suffer perma-nent brain, nerve or retinal damage, or hardening of the skin of the nose or footpads. Once a dog has had distemper, he cannot ever receive the distemper vaccine.”In a multi-puppy household, as many foster and rescue omes are, this can be a recipe for disaster and will definitely delay the adoption process until the disease is addressed, rooted out, and conquered.

Newcastle Vaccine The basis of the treatment is the Newcastle virus vaccine, which was developed for chickens.Dr. Alson Sears, an independent vet in Lancaster, California, discovered NDV serum accidentally in the 1960s. A mistake during an experiment created the serum and suddenly dogs with distemper were getting better. To this day, nobody knows exactly why. In a grassroots effort, word is spreading about "the NDV cure" and dogs have been treated successfully in Florida, Texas, Southern California, Alberta Canada, India, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Romania, Hungary, Turkey, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The NDV serum is manufactured by independent vets adhering to strictly defined protocols for creating the vaccine.By vaccinating a healthy donor dog with live Newcastle Disease, the NDV serum can be created with the donor dog's blood by a veterinarian. Timing is critical in drawing the donor dog's blood for the serum and a licensed veteri-narian should only create this serum. The trick is to treat the dog before seizures occur, usually within the first six days of exposure and infec-tion. If the dog is in the early stages of distemper, an NDV serum vaccination is all it may need to get better. Ed Bond, project director on canine distemper for the non-profit Kind Hearts in Action (http://www.kindheartsinaction.com), says, “I believe in this treatment because my dog, Galen, came down with canine distemper in 1997. Dr. Sears treated him before the seizures hit, and Galen was completely cured. He lived a full life for nine years until he died of liver disease in October 2006.” Bond says he has heard from pet owners around the world whose dogs have been saved by Dr. Sears’ serum. “So many more dogs

Fighting Distemper with the Newcastle Vaccine

by Lois Crockett

DISTEMPER. It is a word that stops us dead in our tracks and a disease that strikes fear into the hearts

of pet owners, rescue groups and shelters. It is the disease at the center of the March 2011 crisis at

Miami-Dade Animal Services that led to a mad scramble to empty the building of dogs. A diagnosis of

distemper leaves us praying for the survival of our beloved pets. It has long been thought to be a death

sentence, but there is hope in the form of the Newcastle serum and vaccine.

NOVEMBER 2011 39

could have been saved if only their owners would have heard of the treatment in time,” he adds. If the dog is in the neurological stage of the disease, the New-castle vaccine can be injected directly into the dog's spinal canal. Survival rate is 50-percent, but as Bond says, “…this is better than doing nothing.” Rescuer Maria Elena Padron says, "I have used it twice. The first time it was done right away and the dog recovered and is very well. Second time around, we waited too long and the dog was already neuro and it did not work."However, NDV serum is not yet widely accepted by the veterinary community and reactions may be mixed from being touted as the “new miracle cure” to what Bonnie Mandel Plafke with our partner rescue Pawsitive4Life says, "I've never used it, but know many people who have. Hit and miss...mostly.”If you are dealing with distemper, failing to act quickly could lead to death.

For more information:

You may write directly to Dr. Sears at [email protected]. He is retired and may be hard to reach. You can also write to Ed Bond with Kind Hearts in Action at [email protected] for more information and a referral to vets in your area who may be able to help. Include your dog’s age, what symptoms you are seeing and where you live.

Visit Kind Hearts in Action’s website for a wealth of information at http://www.kindheartsinaction.com/.

Join the facebook group Save Dogs from Distemper at https://www.facebook.com/SaveDogsFromDistemper.

Your holiday gifts can help pit bull rescue with

beautiful, unique jewelry created by The Ringleader!

Find these gorgeous pieces and others inspired by tattoo art at

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The artist's purpose for making these pieces is to help raise

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This unique jewelry is the perfect

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APR’s primary goal is to assemble a no-kill community. This is quite a daunting task; nonetheless, APR is making a valuable contribution

to the animal community and will continue to do so as long as support is

provided from generous donors. APR is dedicated to matching the right pet with the right home for the enduring happiness of both pet and owner. Our pets are with us as long as they need to be & to be healthy and well adjusted. Often they need medical care, love and time to feel secure before they can be placed up for adoption. Our lives are dedicated to finding forever homes for each of our pets. It is our passion, it is our responsibility. If you would like to make a donation to support APR, click on the PayPal donation button to the right!

www.abandonedpetrescue.org

Animal Aid Inc. is a non-profit, no-kill animal rescue shelter and adoption center. Our shelter takes in emergency, abuse and neglect cases as well as dogs and cats from various animal control agencies in Palm

Beach, Dade and Broward Counties in South Florida. We offer cats and dogs for adoption 7

days a week. We rely solely on donations.

One of our goals is to address the overpopulation problem of stray and feral cats by offering the public a humane trap/spay/return service. Our program includes vaccinations, AIDS and leukemia testing, recovery & release, foster homes, medical care and an adoption program

November 10th from 7 – 10pm, join us for a silent auction, raffle and other fun at Christopher’s Night Club at 2857 East Oakland Park Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. Susan Ashley will be performing, hosted by Jen Giangrisostomi. $10 at the door includes appetizers, 2nd drink free and $5 raffle tickets.

Sunday, November 20th, starting with registration at 6:30pm…check out the Saving Stray Animals One Frame at a Time bowling fundraiser. Find it at Strikes in Boca Raton at 21046 Commercial Train, 561-368-2177. $15 per person includes 3 games, shoes, popcorn & soda.

http://www.animal-aid.com

Our goal at Pawsitive4Life is to help promote and support ef-forts to secure the safe haven and well-being of dogs and cats needing homes in Florida.

We aim to help save as many lives as possible from high kill shelters, as well as other animals that are in jeopardy. The focus is to raise the funds needed to achieve this goal by working with other organizations, independent rescuers and the community at large.Our reward is that we have helped save more than 275 dogs just this year alone by working with numerous rescues and independent rescuers.

For more information, email [email protected].

h t t p s : / / w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / p a g e s / P a w s i t i v e - 4 -LIFE/116147841823470?sk=info

Warm Hearts Pet Rescue, Inc. is a Flor-ida Not-for-Profit corporation dedi-cated to the rescue, rehabilitation and re-homing of South Florida's high-kill shelter dogs. We are a non-kill facility.

We are located in Boynton Beach at our brand new facility. If you would like to volunteer at the rescue or any

upcoming events, or foster/adopt a dog or cat, please contact the rescue at 561-588-0083. We are located at 550 Industrial Way, Suite D, Boynton Beach, FL 33426. Please call in advance to schedule an appointment to see our adoptable pets. Volunteers are needed throughout the day.

November 19th and 20th, visit with us and meet the dogs at the Charity Fest being held at the South Florida Expo Center, 9067 Southern Boulevard in West Palm Beach.

On November 20th, we will also be at the Boynton Open Market from 11AM until 6PM.

http://sflrdr.com/

Big Hearts for Big Dogs started as a small group of individuals who saw a

desperate need for advocates of larger breed dogs. Smaller dogs are adopted

faster and rescued more often. And just like that a new hope is born. A new hope and

beginning for big dogs all over South Florida. Our hope is that this rescue brings big hearts together to save more animals.

We are having an adoption event, Saturday Nov 12th at the Pet Supermarket in Kendall, 11561 North Kendall Drive, 12-3pm

http://www.bigheartsbigdogs.com

r e s c u e p a r t n e r s

NOVEMBER 2011 41

SmartBones, by PetMatrix, are chew treats made with chicken, vegetables and other healthy ingredients. These rawhide-free treats are perfect for consumers who prefer not to feed their dogs rawhide.

SmartBones are available in four different sizes: Mini SmartBones

(5-10 lbs.), Small SmartBones (11-25 lbs.), Medium SmartBones (26-50 lbs.) and Large SmartBones (over 50 lbs.).

Available in Chicken and Peanut Butter flavors or a special Dental variety offering additional ingredients to assist with oral health.

SmartBones are available in stores nationwide. Find additional information at www.SmartBones.com

or by calling 877.336.DOGS (3647).

Looking for an alternative to rawhide chew treats? Try SmartBones, the 100%-rawhide free, vitamin & mineral fortified treat for your best friend!

The Miami Coalition Against Breed Specific Legislation (MCABSL) was founded to fight Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) anywhere it rears its ugly head, starting with Miami-Dade County. BSL consists of laws that regulate and

prohibit certain breeds of dogs from entire cit-ies, towns and counties. They are laws that have torn apart families. They are laws that are full of prejudice. We promote education and awareness as our ethical and prominent tools in order to advocate the change so desperately needed.

We are a non-profit organization in the State of Florida. We hope you will visit our web site, unitedagainstbsl.org, for extensive information on our mission and how you can help. Our members from all over the world share the love for Bully Breeds and the struggle for their birth right of freedom. Please join us!


I THINK OUR SOCIETY NEEDS A HUGE WAKE-UP CALL. As a shelter manager, I am going to share a little insight with you all...a view from the inside, if you will. First off, all of you people who have ever surrendered a pet to a shelter or humane society should be made to work in the "back" of an animal shelter for just one day. Maybe if you saw the life drain from a few sad, lost, confused eyes, you would stop flagging the ads on craigslist and help these animals find homes. That puppy you just bought will most likely end up in my shelter when it's not a cute little puppy anymore. Just so you know, there's a 90% chance that dog will never walk out of the shelter it’s dumped at. Purebred or not! About 25% of all of the dogs that are "owner surrenders" or "strays" that come into a shelter are purebred dogs.

The most common excuses: "We are moving and we can't take our dog (or cat)." Really? Where are you moving that doesn't allow pets? Or they say "The dog got big-ger than we thought it would." How big

did you think a German Shepherd would get? "We don't have time for her." Really? I work a 10-12 hour day and still have time for my 6 dogs! "She's tearing up our yard". How about making her a part of your family? They always tell me "We just don't want to have to stress about finding a place for her…we know she'll get adopted, she's a good dog".

Odds are your pet won't get adopted. How stressful do you think being in a shelter is? Well, let me tell you, your pet has 72 hours to find a new family from the moment you drop it off. Sometimes a little longer if the shelter isn't full and your dog manages to stay completely healthy. If it sniffles, it dies. Your pet will be confined to a small run/kennel in a room with other barking or crying animals. It will have to relieve itself where it eats and sleeps. It will be depressed and it will cry constantly for the family that abandoned it. If your pet is lucky, I will have enough volunteers in that day to take him/her for a walk. If

I don't, your pet won't get any attention besides having a bowl of food slid under the kennel door and the waste sprayed out of its pen with a high-powered hose. If your dog is big, black or any of the "Bully" breeds (pit bull, rottie, mastiff ) it was pretty much dead when you walked it through the front door. Those dogs just don't get adopted. It doesn't matter how “sweet” or “well behaved” they are.

If your dog doesn't get adopted within its 72 hours and the shelter is full, it will be destroyed. If the shelter isn't full and your dog is of a desirable enough breed, it may get a stay of execution, but not for long. Most dogs get very kennel protective after about a week and are destroyed for show-ing aggression. Even the sweetest dogs will turn in this environment. If your pet makes it over all of those hurdles chances are it will get kennel cough or an upper respiratory infection and will be destroyed because the shelter gets paid a fee to

Surrendering Your PetPerhaps you have decided, for whatever reason, you cannot keep your

pet any longer. What happens when you drop him or her off at a kill

shelter, such as Miami Dade Animal Services? You might want to think

your pet will be taken care of and adopted by another family. But the

volume of dogs coming into a county shelter is often much higher than

those coming in to adopt. If you dog is older, black, injured or suffering

from any kind of injury or skin

ailment…chances get even lower.

Think about the joy your dog or cat showed when you came home after

being away…or the wagging tails and purrs that came when you played with

them. Take that emotion to the other end of the spectrum. Imagine your

pet’s confusion when you drop them off in a strange place and walk away.

The following was written by an unnamed shelter manager and has been

making the rounds via rescue groups and other online communities.

Surrendering Your Pet continued on page 44

NOVEMBER 2011 43

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euthanize each animal and making money is better than spending money to take this animal to the vet.

Here's a little euthanasia 101 for those of you that have never witnessed a perfectly healthy, scared animal being "put-down". First, your pet will be taken from its kennel on a leash. They always look like they think they are going for a walk happy, wagging their tails. Until they get to "The Room." Every one of them freaks out and puts on the brakes when we get to the door. It must smell like death or they can feel the sad

souls that are left in there. It's strange, but it happens with every one of them. Your dog or cat will be restrained, held down by 1 or 2 shelter workers depending on the size and how freaked out they are. Then a shelter worker, who we call a euthanasia tech (not a vet), finds a vein in the front leg and inject a lethal dose of the "pink stuff." Hopefully your pet doesn't panic from be-ing restrained and jerk. I've seen the needles tear out of a leg and been covered with the

resulting blood and been deafened by the yelps and screams. They all don't just "go to sleep", sometimes they spasm for a while, gasp for air and defecate on themselves. You see shelters are trying to make money to pay employee pay checks and don’t forget the board of directors needs to be paid too, so we don’t spend our funds to tranquilize the animal before injecting them with the lethal drug, we just put the burning lethal drug in the vein and let them suffer until dead. If it were not a “making money issue” and we had to have a licensed vet do this procedure,

the animal would be sedated or tranquilized and then euthanized, but to do this proce-dure correctly would cost more money, so we do not follow what is right for the ani-mal, we just follow the fastest way we can make a dollar. Shelters do not have to have a vet perform euthanasia, so even if it takes our employee 50 pokes with a needle and three hours to get the vein that is what we do. Making money is the issue here not los-ing money.

When it all ends, your pet’s corpse will be stacked like firewood in a large freezer in the back with all of the other animals that were killed waiting to be picked up like garbage. What happens next? Cre-mated? Taken to the dump? Rendered into pet food? Or used for the schools to dissect and experiment on? You'll never know and it probably won't even cross your mind. It was just an animal and you can always buy another one, right?

I hope that those of you who still have a beating heart and have read this are bawling your eyes out and can't get the pictures out of your head. I deal with this every day. I hate my job, I hate that it exists & I hate that it will always be there unless you people make some changes and start educating the public. Do research, do your homework, and know exactly what you are getting into before getting a pet. These shelters and humane societies exist because people just do not care about animals anymore. Animals were not intended to be disposable but some-how that is what they are these days. Ani-mal shelters are an easy way out when you get tired of your dog (or cat), and breeders are the ones blamed for this. Animal shelters and rescue organizations are making a hefty profit by keeping this misconception going.

Between nine and 11 MILLION animals die every year in shelters and only you can stop it. I just hope I changed one person’s mind about taking their dog to a shelter, a humane society, or buying a dog. For those of you who care - please repost this to at least one other craigslist in another city/state. Let's see if we can get this all around the US and have an impact.

So, what are your options? First off, try to overcome the issue prompting you to give up your pet. Training can keep ani-mals away from new carpet or furniture. There are plenty of real estate agents who specialize in finding pet-friendly property. Otherwise, try to find a home for your pet on your own. Speak to friends, co-workers, schoolmates...anyone you know! You never know who is looking for a new pet. If your pet is a specific breed, search for breed spe-cific rescues in your area. Look for no-kill shelters. Or contact one of our rescues for suggestions and help.

Suurendering Your Pet continued from page 42

NOVEMBER 2011 45


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WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT…DALMATIONS?Dalmatians were used as guard dogs during wars…leading to their title of “dogs of war.” They were also used as fire-apparatus followers, following and coaching horse drawn fire engines. That’s why they became the firehouse mascot in the U.S. Dalmatians also served as hunting dogs. There is little definitive information about their origin. Some believe they originated in Dalmatia, which used to be a province of Austria, but is now in Italy.

Our hero, Jughead, who came in second in the Pooch Park Doggy Day Care ‘My Pooch Photo Contest’.

KITTY IN THE HOUSEPLANTS?Cats are naturally inquisitive, so you may have noticed yours investigating your houseplants with lots of interest. Plenty of plants can be dangerous if your cat eats the leaves, plus it’s far too easy to knock the plants down and make a mess. There’s an easy way to keep them out.

Most health food stores sell a pot of growing wheatgrass, which is often used in juicers. Purchase one and place it in a spot that is easily accessible for your cat. Most cats love the taste of this safe-to-eat grass, so they will generally leave the other plants alone. There’s an added bonus too! Wheatgrass will naturally freshen your cat’s breath.

YOUR DOG’S TEETHThough most vets and pet experts will tell you it’s important to brush your dog’s teeth, sometimes getting them to sit still is nearly impossible. Where there are plenty of chew treats on the market aimed at whitening your pup’s smile, there’s also a more economical option. Give your dog raw carrots! Their texture will brush away plaque and tartar while your dog eats them. Small dogs can have one or two baby carrots. Medium and larger breeds can eat more or even handle a regular carrot. Don’t use them as a treat much more than twice a week, because that’s a lot of fiber!

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…and We Want You to Join Us to Help the South Florida Animal Rescue Community

Take a look at the special offers we have for you. ✺ Take a ad in our online publication for an amazingly low rate.

You’ll receive a free website ad on www.fourpawsmagazine.org, invitations to write articles, plus promotion at events and via social media.

With top notch editorial and a beautiful, sophisticated style, Four Paws will inform the public about adopting shelter animals, fostering and much more plus put the spotlight on so many unsung heroes.

Remember, a percentage of receipts from every issue goes back to the animal rescue community of South Florida.

This is for animal rescue! There are stories to be told and information to get out there! We cannot make this labor of love work without YOU!!

Contact us at 754.484.7729 or [email protected]

south florida’s animal rescue magazine


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four paws magazine november 2011

Documents

animal rescue hero

animal lovers

rescue heroes

gorgeous dog

dog lover

shelter dog

important information

mdas officials