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Issue 4: Volume 10www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

ContentsPublisherJennifer Kitchens-Street

(281) [email protected]

Advertising(281) 384.5431

[email protected]

Contributing WritersLeptoinfo.comBob Williams

Marie Suszynski

Staff PhotographerJamie Fincher

Urban Paws MagazinePO Box 1556

Spring, TX 77383www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

© Copyright 2016. No part of thispublication may be reprinted or oth-erwise reproduced without the pub-lisher’s written permission. UrbanPaws magazine assumes no responsi-bility for unsolicited manuscripts,feature and idea submissions, orphotographs, and such material willnot be returned. Urban Paws maga-zine assumes no liability for the con-tents herein and has the right torefuse advertising for any reason.Urban Paws magazine does notendorse any specific product or serv-ice contained herein; we do encour-age you to support our advertiserswhenever possible.

Find us online!Website:

www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

Printed in the U.S.A.

4 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

MAY 2016

THE SCOOP 7Canine News and Happenings

BARK OF THE TOWN 12The Great Catsby Cat Cafe

HEALTH 16Leptospirosis: A Silent Killer

SAFETY 20How To Ensure Your Pet’s Food Is Safe

RESCUE & ADOPTION 22All Border Collie Rescue

SAFETY 24A Dog’s Bite Can Be Worse Than The Bark

Photo by Paw Prints Photography by Jamie Fincher

On the cover

The Scoop

MAY 14

Katy Community 'Chip Clinic

Low-cost microchip event at the Fort Bend

Shelter Pets Expo in Sugar Land! Visit with

adoptable pets, pet service providers, and

enter for some great prizes! $10 microchip

with free lifetime registration. Cash only.

www.facebook.com/events/2158816587830

27/.

MAY 15

Paws For a Cause

Sponsored by Better Homes & Gardens Gary

Greene, this pet adoption and rescue aware-

ness event is free to the public. This event

will also feature vendors, presentations and

Q&A from area specialists on pet nutrition,

low-cost vaccinations, grooming, and more.

Bring the entire family and enjoy food, music,

face painting, raffles and shopping. Gary

Greene Champions, 8817 Louetta Road in

Spring. 11am to 4pm. For more details, call or

text Tim Merritt, Gary Greene Realtor and

Event Manager, at 832-474-0770.

MAY 15

Bark in the Park

Join Houston Humane Society at Rice

University's Bark in the Park at 12pm. Tickets

are only $15 for you and your dog to enjoy

the game! HHS will be on hand with mobile

adoptions. Purchase tickets online at

www.riceowls.com/bark and use pro-

mocode: BARK.

MAY 20

Fierce & Fabulous Soiree Kick-Off Party

Houston PetSet & St. Nicola invite you to the

kick-off party for the 2016 Fierce & Fabulous

Soiree at 7pm. River Oaks District, 4444

Westheimer Rd. Enjoy refreshments and

fierce company to celebrate the upcoming

soiree in September.

www.houstonpetset.org.

MAY 21

Puppies for Breakfast

Market Square Park Downtown at 301 Milam

St. Houston, TX 77002. 10am - 2pm. Puppies

for Breakfast is a morning dog festival that

works to bring everything "dog" to one place

for a few hours!

www.puppiesforbreakfast.com

MAY 21

Pull for Puppies

A tug-of-war tournament featuring teams

from all over the Houston area and pet festi-

val. City Centre, 800 Town and Country Blvd.

Event benefits Forgotten Pet Advocates

www.forgottenpetadvocates.com

For the most up-to-date information, news and events, visit:www.urbanpawsmagazine.com


May 2016

Katy Community ‘Chip Clinic &Fort Bend Pets Alive! Succeed inHelping 70+ Local Pets GetMicrochipped

Katy Community ‘Chip Clinic (KCCC) in part-

nership with Fort Bend Pets Alive! is proud to

announce that just over 70 local family pets were

microchipped at its last event, at Whole Foods

Market Katy. The group offered $10 microchip-

ping with lifetime registration; community lost

and found and pet safety information; and pet

adoptions through local rescues.

KCCC is proud to have partnered with Fort

Bend Pets Alive! for this effort. Fort Bend Pets

Alive! is dedicated to delivering solutions that

can make Fort Bend County a no-kill communi-

ty through programs such as education, adop-

tions, outreach, low-cost spay/neuter programs

and fostering. Microchipping more pets makes

reunions just a phone call away, when animals

are brought into a shelter.

The volunteers are especially thankful to Dr.

Patrick Choyce and the 24/7 team at All Pets

Animal Hospital for giving their time and effort

in administering the microchips. Also joining

Urban Paws Magazine 7

the event was Dogs on Deployment and Prevent

Unwanted Pets. Dogs on Deployment provides

an online network for service members to

search for volunteers who are willing to board

their pets during their owner's service commit-

ments. Dogs on Deployment promotes respon-

sible, life-long pet ownership by military pet

owners by advocating for military pet owner

rights, providing educational resources and

granting financial help for military pet owners

during times of emergency.

Prevent Unwanted Pets is dedicated to help-

ing decrease the number of unwanted and euth-

anized animals in our area. Their mission is to

aid people with the spaying and neutering of

family pets, feral cat colonies and abandoned

animals to decrease pet overpopulation.

Finally, the support of these “Top Cat” spon-

sors provided the resources needed to offer this

program: A Pet's Domain; Camp Bow Wow;

Cinco Ranch Dental; Circle Lake Ranch Pet

Resort; Fulshear Pet Services; Bob and Ann

Hodge; Paws Memorial Service - Pet Cremation

& Memorial Services; Rover Oaks Pet Resort;

Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming Katy.

Natural Pawz Recognized WithPrestigious Pinnacle AwardNatural Pawz - the #1 health food store for pets

- was recognized May 11 with the prestigious

2016 Pinnacle Award in the pet services catego-

ry at the Houston Better Business Bureau

(BBB)'s 24th Awards for Excellence Luncheon.

The Houston BBB supports and recognizes


businesses and nonprofits in greater Houston

that meet specified, high standards of excellence

and quality in the workplace.

"Winning the Pinnacle Award is really such an

honor," Biff Picone, co-owner of Natural Pawz,

said. "Like the BBB, Natural Pawz has strict

standards for ethical behavior, quality service

and community involvement. We are thrilled to

be honored with the Pinnacle Award."

The Pinnacle Award is the top recognition

given by the BBB each year. Natural Pawz joined

the BBB in 2013 and received the Winner of

Distinction Award in 2015. The pet food and

supplies retailer maintains an A+ rating with the

BBB.

"We pride ourselves on extensive product

trainings, hosting hundreds of pet adoptions

and putting people and pets ahead of profits,"

added Nadine Joli-Coeur, co-owner of Natural

Pawz. "Our employees really are dedicated to

improving pets' health and sharing with pet par-

ents the best options for their fur friends."

Natural Pawz will celebrate its 11th anniver-

sary in July 2016 with great specials and fun

activities for pet lovers in Houston and Austin.

More information will be made available about

The Scoop

the anniversary celebration at

www.NaturalPawz.com.

Dogs Across America AreFreaking Out Over the New MixMania Campaign

Brace yourself for a mealtime you won’t forget!

Dogs across America are licking their chops

over the Mix Mania campaign from Mars

Petcare, which encourages dog owners to MIX

IN wet food with dry kibble and LOOK OUT

for a full-on freak out from their furry friends.

Actress, musician and animal lover, Kristin

Chenoweth, has joined the Mix Mania madness,

lending her voice to hilarious videos showing

frenzied freak outs and mealtime craziness.

Consumers can join the fun by visiting

MixMania.dog where they’ll find lip-smackingly

delicious recipes, PAWsome content and a

unique remix station where they can share their

dog’s freak out video and have it remixed with a

hysterical voiceover from Kristin Chenoweth.

The campaign highlights freak outs at their

best with serious slobber and overjoyed pooches

captured in slow motion videos. The long form

video shares a taste of the mania, and a series of

short form videos with outrageous voiceovers

from Chenoweth leaves consumers begging for

more.

“Mix Mania inspired me to try mixing in wet

food for my dog, Maddie. It was amazing to see

how doing something so simple got my dog

ridiculously excited! I’m a huge dog lover, so it’s

been so much fun to work with the CESAR®

and PEDIGREE® brands on this campaign,”

says Kristin Chenoweth. “The best part about

this program is that anyone can join the

#MixMania madness by sharing images and

videos of their dog’s funny faces. You can even

get your pet’s video remixed by yours truly!”

Beyond the remix station, consumers can also

share their pup’s freak out face photos and

videos across social media using #MixMania for

a chance to win custom Wag Swag such as a

surfboard, skateboard, playing cards and more,

all with their dog’s face featured prominently.

“For the first time ever, Mars Petcare is bring-

ing together our full portfolio of wet dog food

brands – CESAR®, PEDIGREE®, NUTRO™

and IAMS™ – for a fun and engaging pro-

gram,” said Dan Jackson, Marketing Director

for Mars Petcare. “Our Mix Mania program is

an easy way for pet parents to show their love.

All they have to do is mix in and look out!”

For more information on how to join the

madness, visit MixMania.dog or their social

channels on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

AAR Spay/Neuter Clinic OpenAgainAbandoned Animal Rescue’s (AAR)

spay/neuter clinic is again open to the public.

To schedule a spay/neuter appointment, email

[email protected] with your pet's info (

cat/dog, breed, age, sex, and color).

truth and Petco Unleash Anti-Smoking Campaign Aimed at PetOwners

truth is teaming up with DoSomething.org to

give pets an opportunity to speak — err, bark

or meow — up about that. Together, they’re

enlisting some very special — and very furry

— advocates to help finish smoking for good

by spreading the word about its effects on pet

health.

truth is asking pet parents (and pet lovers)

out there to nominate a pet for the Four-

Legged Finishers competition by submitting a



photo and a caption showing how their furry

friends feel about the fact that secondhand

smoke affects pets. Twelve photos will be

selected to be made into memes for a nation-

wide meme contest, ultimately crowning the

winner.

Internet fame and helping us become the

generation to end smoking? It’s a win/win.

Plus, each contestant is entered into a drawing

for a $5,000 scholarship when they submit a

photo.

Head to DoSomething.org to learn more

about the competition and check out a few of

the entries on their Facebook page at

www.facebook.com/truthorange.

Free Days withGeorgeBY COLIN CAMPBELL

Bestselling author Colin

Campbell and one very

big dog named George

kicked off a nationwide tour on Tuesday, May

3rd in New York to coincide with the official

launch of the highly-anticipated memoir Free

Days with George. The book has been named one

of the Top 20 Editor’s Pick for Spring Nonfiction by

Amazon (http://goo.gl/KIOSnm). Free Days

with George is the remarkable true story of a 140-

pound homeless dog named George and his

adopted human Colin, who felt like his life was

The Scoop

crumbling around him. George teaches Colin

the real meaning of happiness and hope

through their connection which transcends a lot

of things we know about loyalty and love.

Information for pre-ordering Free Days with

George can be found online at: http://www.pen-

guinrandomhouse.com/books/243531/free-

days-with-george-by-colin-campbell/.

Dog Only Knows: TheWord of DogBY TERRY KAYE

Author Terry Kaye’s new

book, Dog Only Knows: The Word

of Dog is a funny, poignant and

candid examination of life as only a dog could

tell it. By looking at the world through Belle’s

eyes, we gain insight not only into canine behav-

ior, but also into our own. Belle, a small black

fluff ball with a white goatee, is THE relation-

ship guru for dogs and their people, helping us

communicate better so we can love each other

better. This sweet, sassy rescue dog reveals the

secrets to enjoying a doggone great life and a

happy, fulfilling canine/human relationship. For

more information, visit

www.dogonlyknows.com.

Bow Wow Books


Bark Of the Town

ost cafes serve the usual coffee and

tea. But, now you can enjoy a cup of

Joe along with the company of some felines at

The Great Catsby.

Cat Cafes are an exploding international trend.

They started in Japan and have spread to

London, Copenhagen, New York and Los

Angeles. A Cat Café is designed to be a relaxed

setting where adoptable cats can roam free and

people can play with them or just hang-out for a

small cover charge. Helen Caddock, Cat

Adoption Team Lead for Operation Pets Alive

pounced on this global trend. "Cat cafes are a

new concept that were started in Japan, where

not many people could have cats. They could go

to cat cafes to hang out and play with the cats."

Open since October of last year, this pop-up

Cat Café is located in Old Town Spring.

Caddock was excited to spear-head this project.

“For customers, we hope it will be a fun and

unique experience and for our cats, it gives them

a chance to showcase their personalities to

potential adopters.” The Great Catsby is named

after one of Operation Pets Alive’s bottle-fed

kittens, adopted and renamed by Dr. Sarah

Goodyear, a local veterinarian.

Due to licensing restrictions, food cannot be

served on the premises but Operation Pets Alive

has team ed up with a nearby restaurant and cus-

tomers can order food and beverages, which will

be delivered to them at the Café. The Great

Catsby is open at its current location, The Spirit

Would You Like Some Cat With Your Coffee?

M

Quest Center in Old Town Spring on select

weekends throughout the year. However, as a

‘pop-up’ café The Great Catsby can ‘pop-up’

anywhere - schools, colleges, businesses.

For more details about The Great Catsby, fol-

low them on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/thegreatcatsbytx or contact

[email protected] if you would like

more information about hosting The Great

Catsby.

The Great CatsbyThe Spirit Quest Center

303 Main Street

Old Town Spring, TX 77373


Mutt Mugs

“A dog is one of the few things in life

that is what it seems.”- Mark J. Asher



Health

eptospirosis (lepto for short) is a growing

concern for dog owners throughout the

United States, including cities, suburbs and rural

areas.

What is leptospirosis?Leptospirosis (lepto for short) is a serious bac-

terial disease of dogs, multiple animal species,

and humans that occurs in countries around the

world. In recent years, leptospirosis has become

an increasing concern of pet owners and veteri-

narians in the United States, especially in cities

and suburbs. The primary reason is growing

populations of wildlife, like raccoons and

skunks, which carry disease and infect dogs indi-

rectly. Dogs can get sick even if they never come

into direct contact with infected animals.

Lepto has been diagnosed in all types of dogs.

All breeds and sizes of dogs are at risk. Lepto

can be a very serious disease and can be fatal if

not diagnosed and treated early. It generally

attacks a dog's liver and kidneys and can lead to

organ damage or failure. However, if lepto is

caught early, it responds well to antibiotics.

Preventative measures, such as vaccinations, are

available to pet owners as well.

A bacterial diseaseLeptospirosis is caused by the bacterium L.

interrogans, part of a group of corkscrew-

shaped bacteria called spirochetes.

Leptospira spirochetes are further divided

into multiple "subfamilies" called serovars or

strains. Around the world, there are more

than 200 serovars of lepto. Although there

are many serovars, only a few are known to

cause disease in dogs. Newer vaccines contain

four serovars for protection against today's

most common serovars.

Lepto serovars are maintained by "reservoir

hosts" that have subclinical infections and

shed the organisms for long periods of time.

Dogs can be reservoir hosts for the serovar L.

canicola. Many academics consider L. canico-

la the least frequently isolated serovar in dogs.

Dogs are "incidental hosts" and generally

develop more severe clinical disease for L.

grippotyphosa, L. pomona, and L. ictero-

haemorrhagiae.

Signs in dogsSome dogs never display any signs of illness.

Others may suffer from a lack of energy and

show signs of depression. Some may display

LeptospirosisTransmitted through water and a silent killer of dogs

L

any or all the following signs:

• Lack of interest in eating

• Vomiting

• Abdominal pain

• Fever

• Jaundice (yellowish color in the mouth or gums)

• Changes in urination patterns or frequency

VaccinationAnnual vaccination for leptospirosis is an

affordable means to help protect your dog from

a disease than can be very costly to treat. Ask

your veterinarian if they use a vaccine that pro-

tects against 4 serovars.

Your veterinarian will determine an appropriate

vaccination series, depending on your dog's vac-

cination history and risk factors. Your dog may

need an initial vaccination and a booster a few

weeks later. Annual vaccination is needed for

continued protection.

Environmental precautionsVaccination is extremely important, but also,

you may want to consider the following steps

you can take to prevent leptospirosis:

• Have your dog vaccinated against the 4

serovars of Leptospira

• Wash your hands after direct contact with your

pet or its urine.

• Where possible, avoid exercising your dog in

wildlife habitat areas.

• Prevent your children from playing in areas

used for exercising dogs.

• If you have been around a dog diagnosed with

lepto, seek medical information from your vet-

erinarian or medical provider.

Lepto carriers can live in urban, suburban, and

rural areas. To learn more and take a risk assess-

ment test, visit www.leptoinfo.com.



ith pet food recalls making recent

headlines, buying that next bag of

dog or cat food may give you pause.

These pet food tips can help you prevent food-

borne illness so you can keep your pets — and

your family — safe.

Nearly 1,000 pet food products have been

recalled in the past few years, with more than

200 brands of dry and canned food affected.

Contaminated pet food has caused serious kid-

ney problems in dogs and cats and has even

been linked to Salmonella infections in humans.

It’s a scary prospect to think that feeding your

pets can make them seriously sick. And in cases

like Salmonella poisoning, your pet may be

resistant while you or members of your family

can get ill.

In a recent study published in the journal

Pediatrics, researchers found that a 2006

through 2008 outbreak of Salmonella that sick-

ened 79 people from 21 states, was linked to cat

and dog food. Young children, in particular,

were at risk.

Thankfully, there are steps you can take to avoid

food-borne illnesses from pet food.

Keeping Your Pet and Your Family Safe

You can have a healthy pet even during a time

of frequent pet food recalls. Follow these steps

to protect your pet and your family.

Check the recall lists. Paying attention to pet

food recalls is a must. Go to your pet food man-

ufacturer’s website, the U.S. Food and Drug

Administration’s pet food recall list, or the

American Veterinary Medical Association’s web-

site to find lists of the pet food that has been

recalled.

Check the lot number. If you see the brand of

pet food you use on a recall list, don’t panic.

How to Ensure YourPet’s Food Is Safe

Health

W

Contamination is happening at individual plants,

so the pet food you bought may not be affected,

says Mary Schell, DVM, senior toxicologist at

the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center in

Urbana, Ill. Compare the lot number and expi-

ration date on your pet food with what’s on the

recall list. If you go to the manufacturer’s Web

site, you’ll find information about what to do if

your pet food is on the list. Often the companies

are asking consumers to return the food to

where it was bought so they can oversee the dis-

posal of it, Dr. Schell says.

Look for symptoms. Your dog may or may not

show signs of a food-borne illness if he’s

exposed to Salmonella or another type of bacte-

ria through pet food. If you see warning signs,

such as soft stools or diarrhea (especially if it

has a bad odor), lack of appetite, lethargy, vom-

iting, a change in how much water your pet is

drinking, or a change in how much your pet is

urinating, a trip to the vet is in order. You can

also call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control

Center 24-hour hotline: (888) 426-4435.

Keep your hands clean. People are getting sick

from pet food primarily from handling the food,

but it can also happen when you’re cleaning up

By Marie SuszynskiMedically reviewed by Jennifer Garcia, DVM


after your pet, Schell says. That’s where diligent

hand washing comes in. Wash your hands

before and after feeding your pet, scooping up

his stools, and even after petting and playing

with your pet.

Keep pet food away from young children.

Because kids are at higher risk for infection, it’s

a good idea to keep pet food out of their reach.

Continue to buy premium pet food. Although

even the more expensive brands of pet foods

have been affected by recalls, they’re still a good

choice because there’s less risk associated with

higher quality pet foods, Schell says.

If you make it yourself, get advice from your

vet. Some pet owners feel better about making

their own pet food to make sure it’s safe. Schell

recommends working with your veterinarian

about what to make so you’ll be giving your pet

a balanced diet. Leaving out meat or feeding

dogs only meat can lead to serious nutritional

deficiencies, she says. She also recommends

cooking pet food and not serving a raw meat

diet because not cooking meat can increase risk

of the food-borne illnesses you’re trying to

avoid in the first place.

Be picky about your dog’s treats. Dog treats such

as rawhide bones and pigs ears may be at the

highest risk for contamination because many are

bundled together and put out in large barrels at

the pet store, Schell says. She recommends

avoiding bulk treats and doing some research on

the manufacturer before you buy treats to be

sure the company uses safe practices.

Taking these precautions means you’ll be able

help keep your pets and your family free of

food-borne illness.

Health

Looking Ahead...

COMING IN JUNETraining & BehaviorMeet the MPS Army

COMING IN JULYSpecial Anniversary Issue

Contact us for special advertising

opportunitiesat 281.384.5431


All Border Collie Rescuewww.allbordercollierescue.com

All Border Collie Rescue (ABC) is a not for profit volunteer rescue organization dedicated to the res-cue of Border Collies. This passionate group of Border Collie lovers have had the good fortune ofmeeting and befriending each other through past rescue work. Some of our volunteers are new toworking with Border Collies, while some have over a decade of experience with them. The dogs wetake in come from many shelters throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and neighboring states.Many are All ABC dogs are fully vaccinated, spayed/neutered, have been heart-worm tested and onheart-worm prevention. Our goal is to rescue, in some cases rehabilitate, and successfully match ourBorder Collies to forever homes with well-matched temperament and abilities. All Border CollieRescue members know that it’s ALWAYS all about the dogs.

Dare is a six-year-old, male red and whiteBorder Collie. He came to ABC rescue afew years ago and was adopted, but dueto his owner’s illness, he was returned.Dare is a typical Border Collie that comeswith a few quirks that only true BorderCollie lovers may appreciate. He is afraidof storms and will climb in bed with hisfamily when one approaches. Much like acat, when Dare wants affection, he wantsaffection. He lives to play ball, does fineon walks, but prefers his exercise to behad in the backyard. Although he is cratetrained and house trained, Dare has had afew accidents due to the many transitionsthat he has recently endured. Only fami-lies with older children will be considered,since he doesn’t appreciate little ones thatdon’t understand when he wants to be leftalone. Dare gets along with other dogs,but doesn’t really want to play with them.He also tolerates dog savvy cats.

Dare!

Rescue & Adoption

Contact us for information on how you can be a Partner for Pups sponsor!

Gus is a sweet, tall, lanky border boy. He loves allpeople and would do well with school-aged chil-dren. He can grumble a little with new dogs atfirst meeting, but lives peacefully with 4 otherborder collies. He recently had a type of spinalembolism that has now healed and has startedchasing balls again. Gus has a great interest inplaying ball and loves to play keep away from hishumans! Gus is not great with cats as he hassome herding drive. He rides great in a car, walkson a leash well, and sleeps in his crate fine. But,since he is so trustworthy out of his crate, hisfoster mom leaves him loose all day long with noproblem.

Teller is very happy and playful, three-year-old,black and white Border Collie. Weighing in at 50pounds, he is great with children and has madefriends with his foster mom’s two cats. He playswell with other dogs and enjoys games of tug,chase, and wrestling with them. Teller enjoysplaying with a variety of toys. He knows basiccommands and is crate trained, although he canget antsy after a while in the crate.

Penn and his brother Teller came to ABC Rescuevia a shelter outside Houston where he was sur-rendered by his owner who could no longer carefor him. Penn, a two and a half-year old, blackand white male, is a giant love bug. He greatlyenjoys sitting with you with his head in yourlap or curled up next to where ever you are sit-ting. Plays well with other dogs and enjoys gamesof tug, chase, and wrestling with them. Heenjoys playing with a variety of toys. He willchase after a ball but is still working on the partabout bringing it back to you. He knows basiccommands and is crate trained, although he canbe stubborn when it is time to go in the crate.



ay is National Dog Bite Prevention

Month and Bark Busters wants to do

everything possible to keep you safe. Read these

tips so you're not a dog bite victim!

They say a dog's bark is worse than his bite, but

most of us would rather not find out. According

to the Center for Disease Control, more than

4.7 million Americans are bitten by dogs every

year, with 880,000 requiring emergency medical

treatment. In fact, more than 30,000 victims of

dog bites undergo reconstructive surgery each

year, and 15-20 people die from dog bites year-

ly.

Who Is At Risk? With more than 70 million dogs in the U.S. and

multi-dog households, it's important to do

everything you can to safeguard your loved ones.

Children between the ages of 5 - 9 are the most

vulnerable, and men are more frequent victims

than women (who are bitten by cats more

often). Children under 4 are often bitten on the

face, head and neck, mainly because they are

about the same height as a dog.

Safety Tips for Parents• Never leave a young child or baby alone with

any dog.

• Never allow your young child to discipline a

dog.

• Never allow your child to feed or walk a dog

unsupervised.

• Never allow your child to approach an unfa-

miliar dog.

• Never allow your child to pull on a dog's collar,

ears or tail.

• Never allow any child to play aggressive games

(like wrestling with any dog).

• Never allow your child to pet a dog that is in

someone else' car or truck.

When To See A DoctorIf you or your child has been bitten, try to find

out from the owner if the dog is up-to-date on

his rabies shots or rabies treatment plus a

tetanus shot may need to be given. If the dog

causes a laceration, puncture or tear to the skin,

or pain near the dog bite, it is best to see your

doctor. Dog bites can often cause infections

because bacteria can seep deep into your tissue.

Exposure to a rabid animal does not always

result in rabies. If treatment is initiated prompt-

ly following a rabies exposure, rabies can be pre-

vented.

A Dog’s Bite Can Be WorseThan The Bark

M

Safety


If your dog has a tendency to bite or is aggres-

sive, contact your Bark Busters trainer. We can

help you overcome this problem behavior and

hopefully prevent injuries in the future.

Bob Williams is a Master Dog Trainer at Bar Busters. Toschedule an appointment, visit www.barkbusters.com.

By Bark Busters Home Dog Training

Tail End

Some Companies Are Now Allowing Pet Bereavement Days

f you’ve ever lost a pet, you know the emo-

tional toll that it takes. They are part of our

families and we deeply mourn their loss.

While there is no law requiring this, some U.S.

companies are recognizing the pain and grief

suffered by pet owners and allowing them to

cope by offering “pet bereavement days.”

Some companies have now followed the trend,

including software company VM Ware and

Maxwell Health. Pet friendly Kimpton Hotels

and Restaurants allows up to three days away

from work, and pet insurance company

Trupanion gives employees one paid pet

bereavement day. Statistics say pet parents grieve

an average of six months, and that this is a rela-

tively common human response to death even if

it pertains to an animal.

The attachment or relationship that pet owners

have with their animals is a significant part of

their lives and in some cases, the grief can turn

to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The

most vulnerable ones are those who look to

their pets as children.

Meanwhile, aside from pet bereavement days,

these companies also provide allowances for

employees whose pets might require more care

and attention due to treatments and operations.

Workers can even bring their pet to work so that

they can watch over them during the work day.

I


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