HELP FIDO

Ohio House Bill 14

2011-02-07T11:21:00.004-05:00

As we mentioned previously when it was Ohio House Bill 79, in the new session of the Ohio House it is Bill 14. But the content remains the same: it would amend § 955.11 of the Ohio Revised Code to remove “pit bulls” from the definition of “vicious dog”. Ohio is the only state in the country that singles out dogs based on breed or way they look like without regard to behavior. We believe all dogs should be judged based on their behavior only. National organizations such as Best Friends strongly support this change in the law as do local Ohio organizations such as the Ohio Coalition of Dog Advocates, join them on Facebook here. Proponent testimony for HB 14 is scheduled for this Wednesday, February 9th at 9 AM in Room 114 of the Ohio Statehouse. There was a great group of supporters last year in support of this bill and we need to do the same now. If you have questions or would like more information, please email helpfido@gmail.com.

4th of July Safety Reminder

2010-07-02T15:03:00.001-04:00

A 4th of July reminder to dog owners. This weekend will be the busiest weekend of the year for animal shelters. Thousands of dogs are lost when they panic from the fireworks. Please bring your dogs inside, or put them in the garage. A backyard is not the place for them when the fireworks are going off. If you chain your dog, please bring it in. Many dogs will end up strangling/hanging themselves in a panic.

I buried your dog today

2010-06-03T14:14:00.002-04:00

Today I buried your dog. I don’t know what your story is or why you wouldn’t try to find your dog. He was a great dog. That cold December day when I found him wandering the streets, cold and emaciated, I thought for certain someone had to be looking for this kind, old soul. When I called animal control to come and pick him up, I did it with full certainty, knowing I was making the call that would reunite this happy, old boy with his family. When I found out three days later that he was never claimed, I drove to the shelter to pick him up and bring him home, certain I would see Lost Dog signs somewhere. We never did see those signs, our found dog ads were never answered. Trying to keep some faith in humanity, I imagined that perhaps he had an elderly owner who had died and the remaining family didn’t know to look for him. Once upon a time he had a family who must have loved him. He was housebroken, loved to lay in doorways and was elated to go on car rides. Somewhere, he had to have a family that had loved him for the past 14 years. But that family never appeared.

So in December, we argued with the local shelter in order to get the old guy released to us. With his being emaciated, eye infections, ear infections, horrible teeth, deaf, mostly blind and covered in lumps and tumors, he was deemed by the shelter to not be a candidate for adoption – “not even to a rescue” With some persistence, we were finally able to get him released from the shelter and headed towards our home. That’s when “Tucker” or “Old Man” moved in.

From the start, it was his house. He walked right in, met all of our resident pitties and settled right in. He quickly became one of the gang and a best friend to Charlotte and Izzy, a patient chew toy for the foster pups, and the bane of Rags’ existence. He was an attention hound who loved having the little spot right above his tail scratched and would turn and head butt you if you dared to stop. He would take turns lying in doorways blocking all entries, only raising his head every now and then as both humans and dogs stepped over him. He would get so excited and bark his hoarse bark, urging you to hurry and get him his food, and “whoooof, whooof, whooof” again if he wasn’t happy with what he found in his bowl. Over the course of the next month, Tucker put on weight, going from 44 pounds up to his goal weight of 71 pounds. His ear infections were cleared up as were the eye infections. He got to experience the fun of being groomed and thought the high powered blowers were pretty nice.

He had the most perfect winter. He loved the snow and would spend hours rolling around like a horse, making his own little snow angels. His face was almost always blanketed in the cold white powder. When he wasn’t out in the snow he could be found lying next to my Grandson’s bean bag chair or Hoovering through the house looking for stray pieces of kibble. When spring arrived and the snow melted, Tucker’s new love became rolling in mud puddles. There were many days he would walk back into the house completely covered in a thick, sludgy layer of mud, the only red fur showing would be a strip running down the center of his back which would leave us scrambling to find enough blankets to cover the carpeting before he could plop down and take one of his famous eight hour cat naps.

We thought that summer would bring new joys for Tucker, days being spent out under the shade trees or splashing in a baby pool. Unfortunately we were wrong. Tucker had a couple of strokes which he bounced back from but they worsened his Laryngeal Paralysis. The warm summer weather would only exacerbate the condition and make it nearly impossible for the poor guy to breath. Today as Tucker lay next to me, looking up at me with those soft brown eyes, gasping for breath, it became clear that it was time for Tucker to move on to his next destination.

So today, I buried your dog. I no longer care what the reason is for your not looking for him. I only wish you would have lost him a little earlier so that we could have had more time with him. So whether you care or not, please know that in his last months he brought so much love and joy into our home and left an impression that will never be forgotten. He was loved, so thank you.

Tucker came into our home December 11, he took over our house but more importantly he took over our hearts. Tucker will be greatly missed.

HumaneWatch.org - Telling the truth about HSUS

2010-05-02T11:36:00.005-04:00

We've addressed this topic in the past as part of the Michael Vick case and HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) has been a target of other humane organizations and animal welfare groups for a long time. But recently, HSUS has come under even more attack and for good reason. KC Dog Blog does an excellent job outlining many of the reasons. In the past couple months, a new website - HumaneWatch.org has launched which is a collaborated effort by many people to be a "watchdog" for HSUS.

HSUS is VERY slick in their marketing efforts. It wasn't until 4 or 5 years ago that I found out the truth about them and their director, Wayne Pacelle. I'm now embarrassed to admit I gave money to HSUS in the past. Although Anna and I have cared about animals and dogs for a long time, it wasn't until the past 5 years where we began to get more involved in dog issues after adopting one and then two rescued pit bulls and migrating through the many problems with Breed Specific Legistlation. As I read more and talked to more people, I quickly realized that there is HUGE difference between our (and likely yours as well) local Humane Societies and HSUS. The Capital Area Humane Society in Columbus, for example, has absolutely nothing to do with the HSUS. They receive zero dollars from HSUS and are completely independent from them. The ONLY thing they share is part of a name. We quickly stopped giving money to HSUS and now only give money to local Humane organizations where we know exactly where the dollars are going. HSUS is not at all what they seem or what many donors think they are. I encourage everyone to check out HumaneWatch.org and think carefully about where your donations go. If you'd like to join our email list, please send an email to helpfido@gmail.com.

Huge Changes in Toledo!

2010-04-26T12:03:00.009-04:00

Some more good news has come out of Toledo in the past month. After a 22 year reign of terror and incompetency, Tom Skeldon "retired" back in November. Since that time, Lucas County (of which Toledo is a big part) has been making a number of significant changes to improve the lives of dogs and dog owners, while also working to increase safety in their community.

One huge change is a new dog warden - Julie Lyle' who clearly feels MUCH differently about how to do things than her predecessor, Tom Skeldon. Our friends at KC Dog Blog have a great post with many more details about the new warden.

A second huge change is the Toledo Humane Society's reversal on their long-standing position to prohibit adoption of "pit bulls". As the Toledo Blade explains, the Humane Society plans to adopt out "some" members of the pit bull population that previously were killed pretty much immediately. Now this brings up a whole set of other issues such as: 1) what exactly is a pit bull? Breed identification is risky business; 2) many dogs fail the temperament testing by Humane Societies, regardless of breed. But some dogs are given the benefit of the doubt on testing while "pit bulls" often are not. Nevertheless, this is a positive step in the right direction.

We are hopeful things will continue to move forward in a positive direction. And special thanks to our friends at Ohio Coalition of Dog Advocates for their hard work in Lucas County.

End Discrimination! Ohio House Bill 79

2010-04-15T19:26:00.017-04:00

Happy Spring to all. Sorry for the lack of posts; our "work" lives have been crazy busy and we have not been able to update this blog as much as we would all like but we've been working diligently behind the scenes on a number of activities.

One very important news item for ALL dog owners in Ohio is the progress of Ohio House Bill 79. We previously posted about the details of this bill, which have not changed. It's relatively simple: would amend § 955.11 of the Ohio Revised Code to remove “pit bulls” from the definition of “vicious dog”.

HELP FIDO was present last Wednesday when HB 79 went before the Ohio House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, over a year after it was initially introduced by Rep. Barbara Sears. There were many supporters in attendance, some even occupying the adjacent “overflow room”. Roughly 10 people spoke, with only a couple expressing opposition to HB 79. Among the supporters were Jean Keating, co-founder of Ohio Coalition of Dog Advocates, Shana Klein, founder of Cleveland-based bully rescue For the Love of Pits, and Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop.

There was a wide range of topics discussed by the speakers who support the bill, ranging from the cost for a community to enforce breed specific legislation, to the fact that it punishes law abiding citizens and good dogs and may even be considered unconstitutional. Commissioner Konop, who attempted to have former dog warden Tom Skeldon removed from his position before Skeldon retired in November, stressed that no breed is inherently vicious, just as babies aren’t born evil. He spoke about the Toledo pound’s recent moratorium on killing pit bulls since Tom Skeldon is no longer the dog warden. Skeldon actually spoke briefly, but didn’t have much to say, other than giving his opinion that passing the bill would be a mistake. “The job of dog warden is to protect the public from dogs,” he said. Well, Skeldon, as we’ve said before, you’re missing the other half of the job description, and that’s why you’re no longer the dog warden. The committee members didn’t bother to ask any questions after his speech.

Some testimonies focused on the definition (or lack thereof) of the term “pit bull” and how this presents such a huge problem in identifying dogs where the law is concerned. There was a lot of talk about media sensationalism and how statistics condemning pit bulls are often skewed and inaccurate depending on the source. In regards to these statistics, it was importantly noted that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has not collected dog bite data based on breed in 12 years. They've stopped doing it. Speakers asserted that breed specific legislation, like that of Ohio Revised Code Section 955.11 and 955.22, creates a false sense of security and ignores the root of the problem, endangering the public more. Supporters stated that instead of breed discriminatory legislation, communities should crack down on irresponsible owners and those involved in criminal activity, enforce existing leash/containment laws, focus on educating the public, including children on bite prevention, and promote responsible ownership through lower-cost training and handling classes, as well as spay/neuter programs.

Speakers for the bill effectively presented rebuttals for the opposition in regards to multiple topics. While the speakers supporting HB 79 were extremely well-prepared, offering handouts and informational packets and promising follow-up data for any of the committee members who requested additional information, the speaker from an environmental division within the Franklin County Court could not give any additional information when he was asked by the committee to back up the statistics he presented about the danger of pit bulls. After a speech in opposition to the bill, one committee member commented “These dogs are just nasty, and I don’t see why anyone would want to have one.“ GASP!! HISS!! Well, on the subject of these "nasty" dogs' temperament, findings of the American Temperament Test Society (ATTS) were cited: the average score of the four breeds most often referred to or classified as a “pit bull” type dog, and who are defined as such in the Ohio Revised Code, is an 85.7%, higher than the Golden Retriever. The American Pit Bull Terrier alone received a score of 85.3. Other individual scores can be viewed here at the ATTS website. The reality of dog attacks was also discussed. Supporting speakers noted that often times attacks are the result of environmental factors, such as (abuse, neglect, starvation, and confinement) that would cause ANY animal, not a specific breed or type of dog, to attack, reinforcing Commissioner Konop’s “nature vs. nurture” statement. Other factors that contribute to bites include unaltered dogs and lack of socialization, which are also completely preventable issues.

Several speakers indicated that nearly all the credible animal welfare, veterinary medical, and human health organizations OPPOSE breed specific legislation, including the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the American Canine Foundation, the American Dog Breeders Association (ADBA), the American Dog Owners Association (ADOA), the National Animal Control Association (NACA), the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), and the American Kennel Club (AKC), among others; one speaker even pointed out that Ohio BSL actually asks local Animal Control Officers to go AGAINST the opinion of their own national organization.

Shana Klein, founder of Cleveland’s For the Love of Pits bully rescue gave testimony, as did her mother, who delivered a heartfelt speech in favor of pit bulls and HB 79. The Ohio Coalition of Dog Advocate’s Jean Keating had an especially thorough and well-delivered testimonial that included many of the aforementioned points, garnering a healthy round of applause from all the supporters in attendance. Toward the end of the hearing, after all scheduled witnesses had spoken, anyone who wanted to say something was given the floor. HELP FIDO’s Lisa had an opportunity to make a point about the insurance coverage that is required for pit bull owners in Ohio, and how many companies discriminate against homeowners based on Ohio’s current law.

We strongly support this bill as the scientific evidence from places such as the National Canine Research Council and detailed in numerous outlets such as KC Dog Blog and Stop BSL have shown, indisputably, that Breed Specific Legislation does not work! It is impossible to enforce as there is no accurate indicator of breed (aside from early DNA testing), extremely expensive to enforce and most important of all - does NOT make our communities safer. To read more, please click on the BSL link at the bottom right of this blog. What does work is judging each dog individually, based upon its behavior and actions.

As of right now there is no committee vote scheduled for the bill, so we’ll have to keep our ears open and our fingers and toes crossed in the meantime! Want to help HB 79? Visit the Ohio Coalition of Dog Advocates website.

Huge thanks for Lacy Marshall for contributing the majority of this post.

Poisonous Chewing Gum...Review!

2010-03-14T20:31:00.004-04:00

This post won't be new information for the blog but may be new information for some, so I'm reposting an entry Dr. Mandi wrote last year. I have a friend whose dog recently got into a shopping bag and ate a pack of chewing gum, and she wasn't aware of how dangerous the artificial sweetener xylitol is for dogs. She took him to the vet immediately as soon as I told her it could be poisonous to him, and he's fine thankfully. He cost her and her husband a pretty penny with that scare, but better safe than sorry! I think it's an important reminder, so here it is! :o)

Chewing gum...Poisonous???

Hello all! Recently I have treated several dogs that have gotten themselves into a "sticky situation" by eating various kinds of chewing gum. But all joking aside, if your pet gets into your purse or gets to that gum on the kitchen counter or your bedroom dresser they can be in some pretty serious trouble. The primary offender is an ingredient called XYLITOL. It is a sweetener or sugar substitute that many gum manufacturers are now using in their products. There has been some good information passed around recently on the internet, but here are a few more facts to increase your knowledge base about this sticky sweet "poison".

According to the most recent data from the National Animal Poison Control Center (NAPCC), a relatively small dose of xylitol can cause serious hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) that can be fatal if left untreated. (Something you would certainly NOT expect something sweet to do!!) For a small dog (5-10 pounds) the toxic dose could be as small as LESS THAN ONE STICK OF GUM!

Xylitol ingestion can also be associated with severe liver failure, which, even if treated aggressively, can result in death. Not all dogs that ingest toxic doses of xylitol develop hypoglycemia or liver failure, but because it is impossible to predict which dogs will develop these serious symptoms, it is recommended that all dogs that ingest potentially toxic doses be treated aggressively. Also, if your dog (or cat) consumes ANY chewing gum at all, you should contact your veterinarian, the local emergency service or the NAPCC immediately for consultation and treatment.

Treatment usually involves a veterinarian inducing vomiting, taking blood tests to monitor liver function, hospitalization for intravenous fluids (containing dextrose - sugar supplementation), blood sugar monitoring and other supportive care as needed. Dogs that have ingested large amounts may require long term care and follow up blood tests, may have permanent liver problems and may not survive treatment.

A simple solution is to only purchase xylitol free chewing gum. But remember to call your veterinarian if you even FOR ONE SECOND think your pet may have ingested gum. You can also call the National Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 for advice. They charge a $60 consultation fee which can be well worth it in this situation!!! The NAPCC can also answer questions about many toxic substances. Better safe than sorry!!!

Written by Dr. Mandi (April 7, 2009)

Hope for Bullys on Marine Base

2010-02-06T19:21:00.005-05:00

I recently received my Winter 2010 copy of "ASPCA Action" and read an article that really made me smile. The article titled "ASPCA Animal Behavior Experts Work with Marines to Evaluate Dogs and Keep Them on Base", gave me hope that more people are working to prevent breed bans and are fighting to give Bully breed dogs the chance they deserve.

This article is reprinted with the expressed permission of the ASPCA.

In early October, six ASPCA animal behavior experts traveled to assess the behavior of 85 dogs living in the Tri-Command housing units of the U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot. The dogs, mostly Pit Bulls and Rottweilers, were potentially subject to a new military housing breed ban, and the Tri-Command tapped the ASPCA to assess the dogs to ensure that they did not pose a threat to base personnel and their families.

The assessment, known as SAFER (Safety Assessment For Evaluation Rehoming), is an evaluation tool that helps identify the likelihood of aggression in individual dogs. SAFER identifies a dog's comfort level with certain interactions, like restraint, touch, reaction to new experiences, objects and sounds, bite inhibition, behavior around food and toys, and attitude towards other dogs.

"Our goal was to make sure safe dogs and their families were able to stay together," says Dr. Emily Weiss, ASPCA Senior Director of Shelter Research and Development. "We were seeking to identify behavior such as aggression, which often can be modified or managed." Dr. Weiss developed the SAFER assessment program, as well as the popular ASPCA Meet Your Match program.

Talk of instituting a breed ban on the base began after several incidents that involved dogs attacks. The Marine Corps had previously conducted tests that evaluated a dog's obedience and manners, but not aggression.

The ASPCA is opposed to laws that ban specific breeds of dogs or discriminate against responsible dog guardians based solely on their choice of breed. Dr. Weiss says, " We evaluated 85 dogs using the SAFER assessment. Of those, 83 showed no significant aggression issues that would cause them to be torn from their loving families." She adds, "Two dogs demonstrated significant aggression - that's just 2.4 percent of the dogs assessed, which is a powerful statistic when the alternative is an all-out ban on a breed."

(Copyright 2010. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). All rights reserved.)

Also in this recent issue were stories chronicling some of the ASPCA's recent work such as the evaluation of some of the dogs seized in the largest dog fighting raid in U.S. history (including a "pit-bull" that gave birth to puppies after she was rescued), their rescue of 250 dogs and cats in October raids on puppy-mills in Mississippi and Tennessee, and the passing of the Human Euthanasia Bill by the New York State Legislature that prohibits gassing as an accepted form of euthanasia for stray, homeless, abandoned or improperly cared for animals, requires euthanasia by injection to be done only by a certified euthanasia technician, licensed veterinary technician or licensed veterinarian, and prohibits intra-cardiac euthanasia on unsedated animals who are under the care of a shelter.

The ASPCA is a wonderful organization whose members and experts work tirelessly to save so many animals. But, what impresses me most, is their continued work to show the world that breed-bans are unfounded and that Bully breed dogs are worth saving too. Every day they work to give these dogs not only the care and medical attention they need, but to place them in the loving homes they deserve. THANK YOU ASPCA!!

Gift-wrap that sweater, not a puppy

2009-12-02T17:41:00.002-05:00

The holiday season is upon us yet again, and everyone is shopping for the perfect gifts for their loved ones. Many times, people make the mistake of giving a dog (or other pet) as a surprise gift, thinking how cute it will be to have the puppy in a box, wrapped up in a bow like that scene from Lady & the Tramp. But this is not a good idea. If the person receiving your furry present is not ready for a dog, financially or otherwise, or if the particular breed you chose for them is not a good match, it can spell disaster. Adopting a dog is a big decision, and the person who will be responsible for caring for the animal should be involved in every way. If the dog will be a gift for your own children, it should be a family event to make sure the dog is a good fit for everyone, including existing pets! Too many times when parents give a puppy as a gift to their kids, the excitement wears off, puppyhood becomes a reality, and there’s a dog that no one wants to take care of, no one wants to train. Before you know it, your sweet little puppy-in-a-box is in a shelter by St. Patrick’s Day.

Since individual breeds are so different, it’s important that the potential owner researches breeds before deciding on one; everything from size and temperament, to energy levels and health issues needs to be considered to ensure the dog matches its owner’s lifestyle. Instead of actually presenting the dog as the gift, you may want to purchase dog supplies or some dog books to give to the person on the big day. Then your loved one can find the dog best for them, or you can go together to adopt.

A word about puppy mills...

In addition to not giving a dog as a surprise holiday gift, PLEASE do not buy a puppy from a newspaper ad, on the Internet, or from a pet store!! The newspaper/Internet ads are almost always puppy mills advertising to sell animals directly to the public, and pet stores usually obtain their puppies from puppy mills as well. Pet stores will try to assure you that they only get the puppies from responsible breeders, but don’t be fooled. NO reputable or responsible breeder would sell to a pet store.

As you may know, puppy mills are commercial dog breeding operations that focus primarily on profit rather than the welfare of the animals in their facilities. Dogs in puppy mills live in unsanitary conditions, have inadequate food, water, shelter, and veterinary care, suffer overcrowding, and receive virtually no human companionship. In puppy mills, females are bred as frequently as possible and will likely never live life outside of a puppy mill. Many times, the puppies aren’t even purebred, and if they are, the quality is poor. Genetic testing for temperament and health issues is rare, and many of these puppies not only end up with kennel cough and chronic ear and eye infections, but also have serious genetic health problems that don’t show up until later. Despite the owners spending thousands of dollars on vet bills, these dogs often die an early death.

Don’t fall into the guilt trip of “Oh, I need to SAVE that puppy in the window!” Pet stores and puppy mills can only stay in business if you give them your money. Be part of the solution, not the problem.

If you are looking for a purebred dog, try your local shelter. 1/3 of the dogs in shelters are purebred, and many are young, contrary to popular belief. You could also find a breed-specific rescue group. Remember that while puppies are adorable and fun, they also take a TON of work and time. An older dog is often already housebroken and trained, and is just waiting for a loving home to share! Adopting a dog through rescue is also much less expensive than the hundreds or even thousands of dollars you would pay a breeder. Usually spay/neuter is even built into the relatively low adoption fee. If you MUST buy a puppy and haven’t found one through rescue, please make sure you choose a responsible, reputable breeder, and NEVER buy from a pet store.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

Lucas County Dog Warden Tom Skeldon Retires After 22-year Reign of Death

2009-11-21T00:33:00.009-05:00

This month, dogs and dog lovers all over the land are singing the Munchkins’ happy tune….”Ding Dong…!” First, Dorothy’s house landed smack dab on top of the Wicked Witch of the East with Jackie Thompson’s recall from Whitehall City Council earlier this month. Now, the Wicked Witch of the West (er, well…Northwest-ish) has all but completely melted, as Lucas County dog warden Tom Skeldon submitted a letter of resignation on November 19! His official retirement date will be January 31, 2010, however he plans to use leftover vacation time for the remainder of his employment, making the end of December his last day at the pound.

Now to give you some background on this beast. The departure of Skeldon from his 22-year position as Lucas County’s Chief Dog Warden has been over a year in the making. Last October, a petition with the signatures of over 3000 concerned Toledo-area residents was submitted, calling for his removal as the county’s head of animal control. Since then, Skeldon has been blamed for the wrongful deaths of 2 family pets. In February 2009, a 10-pound Pomeranian that was outside on its front porch waiting to go back inside, was shot by a deputy dog warden’s tranquilizer gun and later died. Then in August, a Chow named Bear got loose from his house on a Sunday evening, was hit by a car, and ran off. Though his family searched the area for him and looked at the pound, they couldn’t find him; however, they were told they had 3 days before he would be put down, should he come into the pound. The dog was found by police Tuesday night, and the dog warden called the family Wednesday morning to notify them that Bear had been put to sleep. The dog warden alleges that this action was taken because the emergency vet recommended it was the humane thing to do, due to the dog’s injuries. Bear’s injuries consisted of a broken leg. The owners had no opportunity to make a decision or to see their family member again.

Of course, Tom Skeldon has been most often criticized for his procedures of operation within the dog shelter. He has come under heavy fire from many animal advocacy groups, including HELP FIDO, but one of his biggest critics is County Commissioner Ben Konop. Konop, like many of us, finds the warden’s policies and actions completely unacceptable. From his statements, he seems to be both outraged and embarrassed by the pound’s astronomical euthanization rate (77%) and low adoption rate (13%), especially since Wood County has an adoption rate of 80%. Only 160 dogs have been adopted out in the last two years. Last year’s death toll was a staggering 2,483 dogs. So far this year, Skeldon’s office has killed 1,848.

In addition to this general lack of effort to place adoptable animals in homes, Tom Skeldon is known for his particularly ruthless bias against bully breeds, promoting discrimination against them and seemingly carrying out some sort of personal vendetta. He refused to adopt out any pit bulls or surrender them to rescue groups, instead euthanizing any that came through his doors. Since 2007, 400 puppies (all breeds) have been euthanized, 183 of which were apparently healthy (another fact that his critics took issue with). Half of the 400 puppies were pit bulls (or what Tom Skeldon considers a pit bull). This year alone, the dog warden's office has killed at least 932 pit bulls or pit bull mixes, including 46 pit bull puppies, regardless of age. Obviously the puppy-killing in general is ludicrous, since everyone knows puppies are so easily adopted. And Skeldon’s pit bull policy is ridiculous. Not only is it disheartening that he was judging solely on breed/type and not history, health, behavior, or temperament, but there's a good chance he was also incorrectly identifying many non-pit bull dogs as pit bulls.

If this weren’t bad enough, pit bulls aren’t the only breed Skeldon discriminates against. He has said “We’ll adopt out a good Rottweiler”, but he refused to place Rotties in the adoption area for the general public because they supposedly get “gangbangers” who come through kicking the cages, looking for a mean dog. While this may be a valid concern, not only did Skeldon’s description and choice of words land him in a different pot of hot water, but it may explain why Rottweilers are the 6th highest breed on the pound’s kill list this year. As of October, the Rottie death toll was 60. To top it all off, Skeldon has also been accused of not vaccinating dogs that come into the shelter, with no regard for the prevention of the spread of disease, and he refused to work with all-breed rescues. The only group Skeldon would work with is the Toledo Area Humane Society (TAHS). Even so, TAHS couldn’t get Skeldon to give them enough dogs, and they have room for more, so they had to pull from surrounding counties such as Hardin, Carroll, Franklin, and Montgomery. WHAT??!

Last week Commissioner Konop proposed that Skeldon be removed from office, but he was out-voted by fellow Commissioners Pete Gerken and Tina Skeldon Wozniak (Tom Skeldon’s first cousin). Konop says that Skeldon is doing the right thing by resigning; however, this has not softened his views on the dog warden. Konop wants him to step down immediately and says “I am not comfortable with him as our dog warden for even another day.” He plans to introduce a motion to have Skeldon dismissed immediately, and if that fails, he will attempt to have Skeldon suspended until his official date of retirement. Go Commissioner Konop!

Bonnie Mitchell, the current Dog Pound Manager, will act as the interim dog warden as Skeldon moves into retirement and until a permanent replacement is found. While this is a concern, since she must have been an integral part of Skeldon’s methods of operation at the pound (read: part of the problem), Commissioner Konop is not a fan of her stepping in as interim dog warden, and he hopefully, possibly, can find a better solution.

All in all, this is why HELP FIDO is JUMPING FOR JOY at the news of Tom Skeldon’s resignation! Judging from his decisions and practices while dog warden, one might conclude that Tom Skeldon finds some sort of sick pleasure or satisfaction in killing the hundreds of dogs that have had the misfortune of crossing his path. Mr. Skeldon has said that his first priority as dog warden was to protect the public from dogs. While this is of course an important and necessary part of being a dog warden, Skeldon seems to have forgotten that dogs often need protection from some people in society, as well as compassionate individuals to advocate for their well-being. Most citizens expect even a low level of these attributes from their county dog warden. Someone who does not understand or like dogs, who does not genuinely care about the welfare of animals, and who cannot or refuses to find a balance between protecting the public and looking out for the furry creatures that share our streets and homes, does not deserve or belong in a position of animal control.

Stolen Dogs - Columbus

2009-11-17T11:58:00.005-05:00

In the past few days I have heard of multiple cases of dogs being stolen from backyards in Columbus or in two instances, stolen from a shelter. Please be on the lookout for these pups.

Chrissy, an 8-10 week old white pit mix pup, disappeared from the shelter Sunday night (Nov. 15th). She may have been stolen, since coincidentally another pit disappeared from another shelter on the same night. If anyone was at PWP and saw ANYTHING that might lead to her recovery, or if you think you may have seen her or know of her whereabouts, please call the shelter ASAP at 267-PAWS or email us at mailto:%20pets@petswithoutparents.net.

***************************************************************

Someone posed as a CHA volunteer and stole Marley, a 1-year-old Akita/Boxer mix.
"They can come to the shelter anytime, ring the doorbell, knock on the door, bring the dog back, no questions asked at all," said CHA's Development Director Terri Montigny.
Montigny said the fake volunteer took the dog out for a walk in the play area.
Columbus police are investigating.
Marley was wearing a blue collar and a CHA tag.
Anyone with information is asked to call police or the CHA shelter at 614-891-5280

Also missing: Young, female, unspayed, white, tan and red female pit bull. She is not wearing a collar. It was removed from her and left laying in the yard

Please, if at all possible, do not let your dogs out unsupervised

Whitehall Election Results- GO BULLY!!

2009-11-06T19:54:00.005-05:00

The people of Whitehall have spoken!!!!

On Tuesday November 3, 2009, the fine people of the city of Whitehall came out in full force to make it known that no one will bully them, intimidate them, or embarrass their city. They voted 74.8% to 25.2% to recall city councilwoman Jackie Thompson in Whitehall's first ever recall election, and the first recall in Columbus since 1998. Ms. Thompson, as many of you may know, sponsored two proposed pit bull bans for the city over the last year, both of which failed.

Ms. Thompson was immediately relieved of her position the night of November 3rd once the election results were certified. When questioned about her recall, she responded, "If they think this is going to put an end to it, no, it's not. I intend to run for mayor." Although, many of her opponents do not think that she has the public support to pull it off, especially in light of the recent election results. One other interesting note, the current Whitehall Mayor, John Wolfe, gave $500 left over from his campaign funds to the efforts to recall Ms. Thompson, stating, "I felt it was a just cause." The city council has 30 days to appoint Ms. Thompson's replacement.

In other election news, Robert Bailey was elected to a four year term in his current appointed position on the Whitehall city council. Mr. Bailey sponsored recent positive changes in Whitehall vicious and dangerous dog laws and is opposed to breed specific legislation.

Also, Leslie Lacorte lost her bid for re-election to the Whitehall city council 58.4% to 41.6% to her opponent (former high school teacher and basketball coach VanGregg). Although Ms. Lacorte has been very passionate about her role as Parks and Recreation director and has made some good progress in this position, many think her close association with Jackie Thompson was her ultimate downfall. (Especially in light of Ms. Thompson's recent objections to Mr. VanGregg running against Ms. Lacorte.) Ms. Lacorte was the only other council member along with Ms. Thompson to support the pit bull ban in Whitehall and voted yes to the proposed ban legislation both times it was introduced.

Now a little personal editorial concerning the recent election and Ms. Thompson's assault on the people who live and work in Whitehall, in particular her assault on me. Over the past few months leading up to the recall, Ms. Thompson has been putting forth information on the Internet and distributing fliers in print that contain quotes attributed to me. These quotes are not only taken out of context to benefit her position, but they are SIGNIFICANTLY altered from their original form. She also has consistently referred to me following the quotes as "Whitehall Pit Bull Vet.". Although I have had much experience with bully breeds, they are not, by any means, my only patients. I treat all breeds of dogs from Chihuahuas, to Golden Retrievers, to Great Danes, as well as cats and the occasional rabbit, ferret or bird. I have also had experience with exotic/zoo animals and farm/large animals. She wants the people of Whitehall to think that I solely treat bully breeds and puts that information forward in a negative light. Ms. Thompson refuses to acknowledge my proper credentials in her public rants. I am a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine or DVM, and my years of training, schooling and experience should afford me the respect of being addressed as such, even when being misquoted. However, Ms. Thompson is not concerned with the issue of respect unless it pertains directly to her. Further, I would like to thank C.J. Thompson, Citizen Journalist, for helping to put forth election materials that show the public how Ms. Thompson has continued to harass many individuals over the course of her time on city council.

All in all, a good day at the office for bully lovers!!! Just goes to show how important it is to get out there and VOTE!!

National Pit Bull Awareness Day 2009!

2009-10-24T20:25:00.006-04:00

It’s National Pit Bull Awareness Day today!! So, I figured I’d do a little posting on this misunderstood “breed” that is so close to my heart.

First off, a little explanation. I use the word “breed” in quotes above, because “pit bull” is actually not a specific breed of dog. It is actually a very vague, umbrella-type term used to describe several different breeds, types, and/or mixes of breeds. Most commonly accepted under the “pit bull” term are the American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT), American Staffordshire Terrier (Am Staff), and Staffordshire Bull Terrier (Staffie), but in some cases, pit bull is used to describe American Bulldogs (as noted in the Ohio Revised Code) and even Bull Terriers (like Spuds MacKenzie), as well as mixes of all the aforementioned. Often times, the term “pit bull” is carelessly misused by the media and uneducated individuals to describe any dog that is vicious, has attacked, or simply has a similar appearance to the breeds listed above (boxy face, brindle markings, cropped ears, and/or short, muscular body) thus furthering the confusion and perpetuating the untrue stereotype that these particular dogs are always dangerous. Some enthusiasts of the American Pit Bull Terrier, a breed not recognized by the AKC, but by the UKC and other kennel clubs, feel that its name was in fact, stolen, and therefore they only consider the APBT to be a true “pit bull”. Some feel that only APBTs and Am Staffs are “pit bulls”. It all can be quite confusing, but it comes down to the fact that they are essentially the same dogs but have been bred for a different purpose and/or size standard since the mid 1930's. We can really only attempt to guess the breed by looking at differentiating subtlties. For all these reasons, the pit bull community, rescue organizations, and those of us who own this type of dog often use the even more general term “bully”. For the purposes of this blog, you may see both the terms “pit bull” and “bully”, as well as “pittie” or “pibble”.

A little history lesson…Pit bulls are descended from bulldogs, mastiffs, and terriers. Hundreds of years ago in England, they were bred to fight in rings or “pits”, in a “sport” called bull baiting. When bull baiting was banned, the breeders crossed these breeds to develop a strong, athletic dog and fought the dogs against each other. As most of us know, this brutal, cruel, and illegal practice unfortunately still exists today in rural areas and urban neighborhoods all over our nation. Though dog fighting is an obvious part of the pit bull’s history and original purpose, and care should be taken to properly handle and socialize them, this does not automatically mean that all pit bulls are dog aggressive and won’t get along with other animals. Many other breeds were also originally bred to chase, fight, and kill other animals, such as many of the hounds and terriers, but these breeds do not have the stigma attached to them that the pit bull does. Most important of all, pit bulls were NEVER bred to have any human aggression, and historically those that showed signs were destroyed. Pit bulls that are aggressive towards people are NOT the norm, and most likely are the result of poor genetics/irresponsible breeding, cruelty, and/or neglect. Although, even in these cases, it may be possible for these resilient dogs to be rehabilitated, as with the Vick dogs.

Pit bulls were once heralded as the most respected dog in the U.S., and even before that, they were known as “nanny dogs” because of their wonderful temperament and affection towards children. This image has sadly fallen by the wayside, and now pit bulls are feared, hated, and the target of unfair and ineffective breed specific legislation (BSL) in our states and in other countries around the world. They are also probably the most abused “breed”, as they of course are the first choice for dogfighting, and shelters are filled with them as a result of enforced BSL, neglect, and “backyard”/accidental breeding.

Despite these bleak circumstances, the true character of the pit bull continues to shine through when and where it can. Pit Bulls are one of the most stable people-friendly dogs in existence. The National Canine Temperament Testing Association tested 122 breeds, and Pit Bulls placed the 4th highest with a 95% passing rate! Pibbles are lovers, loyal and protective, energetic and lazy all at the same time. They are the best snugglers, the best kissers, and absolutely hilarious. Personally, I have always loved dogs and my family has always had them as pets. But I have never fallen so deeply and madly in love with a type/breed of dog as I have with the bullies I’ve encountered. Please realize that when it comes to the threat of dog bites or attacks, ANY dog is capable, regardless of breed. Be a fighter FOR the bullies, and rise against BSL, dog fighting, cruelty, neglect and irresponsible behaviors!! Spay and neuter your pets, ESPECIALLY pit bulls, and punish the deed, not the breed!

To report someone you know who is involved with dog fighting, please call the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Special Investigations Unit. You can remain anonymous.
614-462-3318

Or, call the Ohio Attorney General's Tip Line. If your information leads to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in dog fighting or cock fighting, the Humane Society of the United States offers a reward of up to $5,000. 1-877-244-6446

How to be a RESPONSIBLE pit bull owner:

-Educate yourself on the breed thoroughly before choosing the pit bull as your pet. Make sure you have the proper lifestyle to provide a good forever home.

-Consider adoption from a shelter or rescue group rather than a breeder.

-Comply with your city or state’s guidelines for owning a pit bull.

-Keep your pet up to date on Rabies and other vaccinations.

-Spend time playing with and exercising your dog daily. Pit bulls have a lot of energy and pent-up energy can result in aggression and other unwanted behaviors.

-Whether you have an older dog or a puppy, you should avoid playing rough with your dog. Rough housing with dogs teaches them it's ok to be rough or aggressive with people.

-Don’t hit, mistreat, or tease your dog, always treat them with respect.

-Never leave pit bulls unsupervised with children or other animals. When no one is around to keep an eye on them, the dogs should be safely crated or in separate rooms, even if the dogs are best friends. You never know what might trigger a fight in your absence.

-Always leash your pit bull when outside on a walk.

-Make sure your dog always has fresh water available.

-Don’t chain your dog outside for long periods of time. This can result in frustration and aggression.

-Don’t leave your dog outside in the cold or hot weather. Like people, they can get sick being left out in the cold or heat.

-Don’t leave your dog outside if you do not have a safe, secure kennel for him or her to stay in. Without adequate security your dog could be stolen, or it could run away.

-Avoid taking your pit bull to off-leash dog parks or other areas where it may come into contact with other dogs running loose. Even if your dog is not dog-aggressive, if another dog starts a fight, it will automatically be your dog’s fault in the eyes of many people.

- If someone is being too rough with your dog, or patting it in a way that you know your dog does not like, you can politely say, “Please don’t pat my dog like that, he/she prefers this”, and show the person how you would like them to interact with your dog.

-SPAY/NEUTER your pit bull!!! There are just too many without homes to create more, whether accidentally or on purpose. Spaying/neutering also reduces aggression and the urge to wander, as well as preventing health issues such as cancer. If you're tight on cash, check into local resources and low-cost spay/neuter clinics, like those mentioned in "Tough Times" a few posts down.

-MICROCHIP your pit bull!! You never know when your pet might become accidentally separated from you. Microchipping is quick, relatively painless, and inexpensive. Pit bulls only have about 72 hours in most shelters before they are euthanized, and microchipping will ensure that your family member is returned to you in case you lose one another.

Here are some famous people that own/have owned pit bulls:

- Jessica Biel
- Rachael Ray
- Helen Keller
- Jon Stewart
- Alicia Silverstone
- Rachel Bilson
- Michael J. Fox
- Jessica Alba
- Jamie Foxx
- Kevin Federline
- Madonna
- Brad Pitt
- P!nk
- Sinbad
- Eliza Dushku
- Redman (he formerly owned pit bull Daddy who is now featured prominently as a resident at Cesar Millan “The Dog Whisperer”’s Dog Psychology Center)
- Jesse James (West Coast Choppers)
- President Theodore Roosevelt
- President Woodrow Wilson
- General George Patton
- Linda Blair
- Humphrey Bogart
- Fred Astaire
- Thomas Edison
- Mel Brooks
- Bernadette Peters
- Judd Nelson
- Rosie Perez
- And a pittie with celeb status of his own, Petey, from The Little Rascals!

The pit bull is the only dog to have graced the cover of Life magazine three times.

Pit Bulls are heroes!...

- America's first war dog was a pit bull named Stubby. He earned several medals during World War I and was honored at the White House.

- The Ken-L-Ration dog hero of 1993 was a pit bull named Weela. She saved 30 people, 29 dogs, 13 horses and a cat during a flood in Southern California.

- A Pit Bull named Bogart saved a four-year-old child from drowning in a swimming pool in Florida.

- Dixie, the Pit Bull, was inducted into the Georgia Animal Hall of Fame after she saved some children from a Cottonmouth snake.

-Pit bull Norton saved his human mom’s life after she had gone into anaphylactic shock from a spider bite. Norton, who was rescued from a fight ring, went to the master bedroom and kept pushing his owner’s husband until he awoke and could rescue his wife.

-Popsicle the pit bull is the #1 U.S. Customs dog. He got his name when he was found in a freezer during a drug bust. He had been left to die after being used as a bait dog for dogfighters.

-Pit bull Weezie came to the rescue when 2 armed men broke into his family’s home! With a gun pointed at Melissa Willis and her son, Weezie placed himself between his family and danger, and with every advance by the men, he pushed his family backwards until they were to the exit. He kept the armed robbers focused on him so his family would be safe.

-Top-rated search and rescue dog Dakota the pit bull was requested by NASA to assist in the recovery of the astronauts after the tragic 2003 shuttle disaster. Dakota was also involved in the Laci Peterson investigation, as well as many other national cases, and is a certified hospital therapy dog, along with owner Kris Crawford's other bullies Cheyenne and Tahoe.

Look for pit bulls on…

-Rescue Ink Unleashed (NatGeo)
-The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan (NatGeo)
-It’s Me or the Dog with Victoria Stilwell (Animal Planet)
-Pit Bulls & Parolees (Animal Planet)
-Veronica Mars (canceled, formerly on UPN/CW)

For more information on pit bulls, pibbles, pitties, or bullies, check out these sites (thanks to many of them for the info in this blog!):
http://www.pbrc.net/
http://www.realpitbull.com/
http://www.badrap.org/
http://www.measlesanimalhaven.org/
http://www.pittiesplace.com/

Thanks for reading and for loving pit bulls! <3

Puppy-Mill Bill Update

2009-10-20T16:22:00.005-04:00

Hello all. I just received an update from the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA) Veterinary Political Action Committee (VPAC) concerning Ohio's "Puppy Mill"/Commercial Dog Breeding legislation and wanted to share it with you. This bill has been redrafted a countless number of times, it has morphed more often than a Mighty Morphin Power Ranger. The most recent changes have, in my opinion, added stipulations that have me extremely concerned about the welfare of the animals involved.

The latest version of the bill includes language that would specifically allow breeders to tail dock (amputate or "cut off" tails) and remove dewclaws on their premises. It would, in essence, legalize the practice of a any layperson to perform surgical procedures on puppies. Granting permission to perform such procedures can open the floodgates to individuals requesting permission to perform various other such procedures and seriously compromise the proper care and well being of animals in Ohio.

I for one do not like to perform these "elective" procedures, however, I routinely do so to prevent these surgeries from being done incorrectly and causing pain, disfigurement and potentially death to many animals.

Tail docking involves amputation of the tail. It must be done at an appropriate length in order for it to be acceptable in the case of pure bred, show dog standards. If made too short, it can cause problems and disfigurement to the anus and prevent these puppies from defecating normally and can cause fecal incontinence. The incision must be made between 2 vertebrae of the tail to prevent the unnecessary pain of cutting through bone. This requires skill and precision to perform. In addition, there are several major blood vessels involved in the procedure and failure to control bleeding can result in anemia, weakness and even death in rare instances. Suturing/stitching of the incision is also necessary. Infection can be a big problem if sterile instruments are not used and proper surgical procedure is not followed. (Note: Clean does NOT equal sterile. Instruments can only be properly sterilized in an apparatus made to do just that, such as an autoclave.) Since the procedure is routinely done when puppies are between 1-5 days old, they are very small and can succumb to the effects of blood loss and infection very easily.

Dewclaw removal is also a surgery that requires amputation of an accessory toe on the rear and sometimes front paws. It also requires skill and sterile equipment/procedure to perform, as well as proper treatment for blood loss. Improperly performing the surgery can result in disfigurement and significant scarring.

Veterinarians receive 8+ years of training for a reason (4 years of undergraduate college and 4+ years of veterinary medical school/internship/residency). The specialized training and education we receive prepares us to perform medical and surgical procedures appropriately and safely for our furry patients. I, for one, would not want an unqualified individual performing surgery on me or my family member on a kitchen table, barn floor or in a dirty garage, and I certainly would not expect the same to be done to any living creature. But, that is exactly what can and likely WILL happen if the current version of the legislation passes.

I very strongly feel that there is a dire need for legislation to prevent the horror that "puppy mills" perpetuate. However, there are MANY things wrong with the current version of the bill. Please do your research and make yourself aware of the wording of the bill and its frequent changes and contact your local legislator to voice your opinions. Help the lawmakers to know that we are listening and we want what is best for the animals involved.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!!

Dr. Mandi....OUT!

HELP! I’m in a kennel and can’t get out!

2009-10-04T19:00:00.005-04:00

Daisy: rescued, fostered, adopted!

Let’s say you love animals. Let’s also say you would like to help some animals in need. Well, you’re in luck. Every shelter and rescue organization is looking praying for you. And the animals are sure you’ll show up to help them—faces pressed up against the kennel bars, peering around the corner, waiting for the sound of your foot steps. Your fellow volunteers will welcome you with open arms. The animals need you to take them out for walks so they can stretch their legs, take them to adoption events so they can flirt their way home, bring them special treats to make them smile, sit in their kennels so they don’t get too lonely, bathe them so they smell nice, donate old towels and blankets so they can curl up on something warm, and most importantly perhaps, make room for them in your home whether permanently or temporarily. A little effort by you can make a world of difference for your community’s homeless animals. These times are tough for us all and even tougher still on others, but what a great opportunity to share what you have to give. Here in Cowtown we have many organizations that tirelessly take in, clean up and adopt out animals that have come upon hard times.

Here’s a very short list:

Franklin County Dog Shelter (http://www.franklincountyohio.gov/commissioners/ancl/)
Citizens for Humane Action (http://www.chaanimalshelter.org/)
Capital Area Humane Society (http://www.cahs-pets.org/)
Columbus Dog Connection (http://www.columbusdogconnection.com/)
Measle’s Animal Haven (http://www.measlesanimalhaven.org/)

Pretty sure the org’s listed above are open to new help…

Now, for you folks who have a hard time stomaching all the desperate, furry faces begging to come home with you, don’t lose hope! You don’t have to step foot in a shelter to greatly impact countless numbers of homeless animals. Foster homes are the life-blood of many animal rescue organizations. Fostering an animal can instantly save that animal’s life, while opening up precious kennel space for more animals to pass through on their way to a new beginning. For instance, let’s take a local rescue group, Measle’s Animal Haven. Measle’s focuses on taking in homeless pit bulls in central Ohio. They rely solely on foster homes to care for their dogs until a suitable home is found. So when the call comes in from ABC County Shelter to please take a deserving dog, Measle’s can only take on as many dogs as there are spots in foster care. Enter you! The rescue takes care of vet bills and you provide an extremely grateful dog love and leadership. Need a crate? Not sure about housebreaking? Not sure about how to manage a household of resident animals and a foster? There are plenty of resources within each organization to make sure your experience is a rewarding one and one that you’ll repeat. And no one will make fun of you if your foster turns into a permanent family member—we’ve all been there!

HELP FIDO looks forward to helping plug you into the many ways to make a difference in your community!

(This post is dedicated in memory of Lyle and Lilly. We’re working on making this world a better place for dogs like you.)

(written by and uploaded for Amanda)

Tough Times

2009-09-29T21:11:00.006-04:00

These days everyone if having financial difficulties. Times are tough. The economic downturn is affecting so many and, naturally, the hardship has been trickling down to our furry friends. Veterinary bills for routine vaccinations and preventive care are hard enough to keep up with, but when our pets suffer from an unexpected illness or have an emergency situation things can really get rough financially. However, there are some organizations and programs that can offer assistance as well as some ways in which pet owners can plan ahead for emergencies.

Many organizations are non-profit and volunteer based. Some are smaller scale and specifically breed oriented and others are larger and nationwide such as American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) or the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Almost all of these organizations are reporting a sharp increase in the number of requests for monetary assistance they have received in the last year, and as such, they do need unfortunately to turn some people away. But persistence pays off and contacting multiple organizations for help is always a good idea. Even if they can only offer a small amount, its good to know that help IS out there.

One way that pet owners can plan ahead for emergencies is to purchase veterinary pet insurance. There are many to choose from and I have written an earlier post that can help to decide how to go about the process. Paying the small monthly premiums can save a lot of money later on if disaster strikes. Another option is to keep a credit card on hand for pet emergencies or pet care expenses only.

Many veterinary offices and specialty/emergency practices offer Care Credit. It's a company that extends credit based on an individual application for veterinary care expenses. You can apply in person at the veterinary office or online at http://www.carecredit.com/. The company will let you know what type of credit amount you qualify for on the spot. Details can be explored on the website. This is a great option for emergency situations.

Many local humane societies, animal shelters or state/local veterinary societies also offer assistance programs and it's certainly worth the phone call to get the information. I suggest calling and obtaining the information before your pet is in a dire situation so that you know what your options are if an emergency should arise. Some of these organizations also offer low cost spay-neuter and vaccine clinics or other routine preventive medicine. In Central Ohio the Rascal Unit offers low cost spay/neuter services.

Please do not forget that many breed specific organizations are out there that may be able to offer financial assistance. Use your home computer or local library to locate and contact these resources for help if your dog is a specific breed or breed mix.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST- Always explore the option of asking your personal veterinarian for help. We are there to keep your pet healthy and more often than not your veterinarian will be willing to work with you. Ask if there is a way to set up a payment plan to break up larger bills into more manageable amounts. Also, most veterinary clinics/hospitals have a "Good Samaritan" fund or a similar fund set up for pets whose owners need financial assistance for emergency situations. Please also keep these funds in mind if you are financially stable and have a couple of extra pennies to donate. Your donation may help another pet who needs it...you never know when you may be on the other side of the coin someday!

Here is a list of some sources of assistance veterinary bills and other animal/pet care:

AAHA Helping Pets Fund - http://www.aahahelpingpets.org/ and www.aahahelpingpets.org/navta.html
Spay USA - www.spayusa/org/veterinarians/index.asp
United Animal Nations - www.uan.org/lifeline/resources.html
ASPCA - www.aspca.org/about-us/faq (look under "Financial help with my vet bills" under "Pet Care"
Humane Society of the US - www.hsus.org/pets/petcare
Help a Pet - http://www.help-a-pet.org/
Labrador Lifeline - www.labradorlifeline.org
IMOM (In Memory of Magic) - http://www.imom.org/
Care Credit - http://www.carecredit.com/
The Rascal Unit - www.rascalunit.org

That's all for now!! Good Luck to ALL!! Dr. Mandi....OUT!!

Damp Ohio Weather No Match For Loving & Responsible Dog-Owners!

2009-09-29T14:15:00.007-04:00

Thanks to everyone who braved the rain on Saturday to come out and microchip your canine family members at HELP FIDO's low-cost clinic in Whitehall! We chipped over 40 dogs, from tiny chihuahuas and dainty terriers, to beefy bullies and labs. The microchipping was quick and relatively painless in Dr. Mandi's capable hands; a few yelps from the little guys, but not a peep from the pitties (naturally). The good news is, you only need one chip, and you're set for life!

It was a very soggy day, but your dogs will surely thank you for your proactive measures, in the event that they are ever separated from you. Additionally, HELP FIDO greatly appreciates your support, as the proceeds from the clinic go to benefit spay/neuter and rescue efforts of the Dublin-based Measle's Animal Haven.

Thank you again and stay tuned for more HELP FIDO-sponsored events in the future!

$15 Microchip Clinic

2009-09-15T10:15:00.004-04:00

HELP FIDO will once again be holding a $15 microchip clinic for dog owners. The clinic will be held in Whitehall on Saturday, September 26th from 10am-1pm. A microchip will greatly improve the odds of your dog getting back home safely should he get loose. Please contact us at 614-853-3494 if you are interested in having your dog microchipped.

What is a microchip? A microchip is a tiny transponder the size of a grain of uncooked rice. This is a permanent radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip implanted under the dog's skin and read by a chip scanner or wand.

Does my dog need surgery to get the microchip? Implantation is done with an injector that places the chip under the loose skin over the dog's shoulder. The process is quick and no more painful than a vaccination, the chip can't get lost, the number is unique, the dog doesn't have to be wrestled to the ground and shaved to see if it's there, and the owners name and address are available on regional or national data bases so a dog can be returned quickly and safely.

How does it work? The chip identification number is stored in a tiny transponder that can be read through the dog's skin by a scanner emitting low-frequency radio waves. The frequency is picked up by a tiny antenna in the transponder, and the number is retrieved, decoded, and displayed in the scanner readout window. The radio waves use a frequency much lower than AM broadcast stations use, and they must be approved by the Federal Communications Commission before they can be marketed.

The chip, antenna, and capacitor are encased in a tiny glass tube. The tube is composed of soda lime glass, which is known for compatibility with living tissue. The glass is hermetically sealed to keep moisture out.

Dogs can be scanned when picked up by an animal control officer or brought to the shelter. If a chip is present, the scanner will read the number and the shelter staff member can call the appropriate registry for the identity of the owner.

Veterinarians who install the chips have scanners. Thus a found pet can be taken to a veterinary clinic for scanning and may never make the trip to a shelter.

HELP FIDO at Woofstock '09!

2009-08-18T18:08:00.007-04:00

Hey Everyone!

I am very excited, as this is my first blog post for HELP FIDO as a new board member! You'll probably be reading more from me in the near future, too.

This past Saturday I had the opportunity to join HELP FIDO as we hung out at Woofstock at Camp Mary Orton in Worthington for a very toasty day of food, music, and dogs! We had our tent set up to distribute our usual literature about dog safety, bite prevention, spay/neuter, rescue, health/veterinary info and BSL, as well as sign up more dogs for our upcoming Microchip Clinic.

Of course, the highlight of my day was getting to love on 2 darling little 9 week old pit bull mix puppies that Lisa had brought with her from the Pitties Place/Measles Animal Haven rescues! These two adorable girls are looking for their forever homes. When Willow and Buffy weren't busy playing, catching some zzz's in the grass, or flirting with passerby, they were stealing my heart with lots of puppy breath-scented kisses!

I didn't get the chance to see it myself, but I heard that many dogs were enjoying cooling off on the ice pile that was set up in the camp. I did my best to cool off with a delicious Lemon Shake-Up, although I don't think it had quite the same effect as rolling around in a mountain of ice.

Thanks to everyone that braved the blazing sun and heat to come out with their kids and furry family members to Woofstock in support of Columbus Dog Connection and other rescue/advocacy efforts!

HELP FIDO at Woofstock

2009-08-11T10:07:00.003-04:00

We had a great time last year! Come out and join us this year for a day of fun, food, music and dogs. There will be hiking, swimming, sand art, face painting, lots of free stuff, a giant slide, a blow up obstacle course and more!

August 15, 2009

12-6 pm doors open at 11:30

Camp Mary Orton

rain or shine

Beautiful, woodsy Camp Mary Orton is just north of 270 on High St in Worthington,

6755 N High St

Tickets: $15 - 12 & under free

HELP FIDO at Whitehall National Night Out

2009-08-05T08:21:00.004-04:00

Last Night HELP FIDO had a booth at the National Night Out event held in Whitehall. It was a huge success. We distributed nearly 2000 pounds of dog food to pet owners in need. We signed up 40 people for low cost microchipping, plus an additional 42 people in dire need of pet food. We distributed much needed information regarding low cost vaccines, dog licensing and low cost spay neuter.

I do have to say, it was so nice to hear all of the positive comments from the people of Whitehall and we really appreciate all of you who stopped by to simply say "thank you." That makes it all worthwhile!

EDIT: We distributed more dog and cat food in Whitehall this past Friday. This brings us up to a little over 3000 pounds. We also had confirmation that 12 dogs have signed up to be spayed/neutered within the next month. We will continue distributing food and supplies as they become available. To all of you who signed up for assistance, we will be contacting you before the next distribution date.

2009-07-30T10:55:00.000-04:00

Whitehall Pit Bull ban fails for second time.

2009-07-22T07:52:00.004-04:00

Good news for dogs and responsible dog owners in Whitehall, OH as Whitehall City Council AGAIN votes down Jacquelyn Thompson's discriminatory and completely ineffective pit bull ban. We'll post more news stories as they become available but here are a few so far:

NBC4 story

Citizen Journalist blog

Updated: 7/22/09 9:06 PM

Whitehall News

2nd article in Whitehall News about Jacquelyn Thompson which references HELP FIDO.

A special thank you, by the way, to Ms. Thompson and her cohorts for continually mentioning us (although all lies) in Whitehall City Council meetings and to the local media. Every time that happens, hits to our blog and website increase substantially and we are able to reach many more responsible dog owners of all breeds. Yes, we care about the horribly abused pit bull population; but fighting breed specific legislation is merely one part of what we do. Yes, we are concerned about what happens in Whitehall; but our concern stretches far beyond the reach of Ms. Thompson. And yes, we have been critical of Ms. Thompson in the past, but it has always been on the issues at hand and constitutionally protected free speech.

HELP FIDO is about helping all dogs and dog owners. Below is the full description of our goals.

HELP FIDO is a non-profit organization based in Central Ohio which seeks to promote a healthy relationship between dogs and citizens, especially those dogs often targeted for breed discrimination.

Our goals include improving public safety, decreasing dog bites, decreasing euthanasia rates, eliminating animal abuse, and decreasing overpopulation. Additionally, we work to change the public perception of bully breeds, end dog fighting, increase the numbers of bully ambassadors, and end breed specific legislation.

We do this through a 360-degree approach to the humane and human community, including dog owners, media, legislators and general public. We work with and coordinate existing community resources, as well as identify gaps and implement new programs where necessary. These efforts include voluntary spay/neuter and microchip programs, supporting rescue and adoption, obedience classes, responsible ownership, and dog bite prevention classes.

It's like deja vu all over again.

2009-07-08T08:05:00.002-04:00

HELP FIDO was in attendance at last evening's City Council meeting in Whitehall, OH. Everyone's favorite council person, Jacquelyn Thompson, was in her typical form spotting lies about anyone that opposes her desire to ban "pit bulls" from the city and making up "facts" or retellings myths on the fly to support for nonsensical rants. This is Ms. Thompson's second attempt to pass a "pit bull" ban and nothing has changed from last year, when it failed on a 6-2 vote. Breed specific legislation does not work and is opposed by every reputable dog organization out there. Rather than waste everyone's time rehashing this debate in Whitehall, please take a look at our blog posts about it from last year.

To show just how looney-tunes Ms. Thompson is, take a look at this fine blog from the good folks over at Citizen Journalist CJT.

HELP FIDO needs your help

2009-06-23T18:10:00.003-04:00

Greetings to "The Pack" & anyone else interested in dog welfare in Central Ohio:

Interested in joining others who've discovered the satisfactions of important volunteer work?

Wondering how you might get more involved with helping dogs in Central Ohio?

HELP FIDO is too.

HELP FIDO is now considering candidates to serve on our Board of Directors and we’re looking for assistance with our various committees (listed below). Also, we are always in need of volunteers to assist with various events around Central Ohio – there are a number of events coming up this summer including Alum Creek Dog Wash, Woofstock, Microchip clinics and more. Any amount of help you can provide is welcome and appreciated!

Committees

Education & Community Safety
Animal Welfare
Legislative
Bully Specific
Development, Funding & Volunteer Coordination
Communications & Public Relations

For more information about what's involved or to propose how you might help, please send us your contact information and some detail on how you would like to get more involved to helpfido@gmail.com.

Thank you!

Brian Cluxton

Chair, HELP FIDO

A voice for dogs in Central Ohio
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." - Gandhi

More Microchipping

2009-06-21T15:27:00.003-04:00

Yet another opportunity to have your pet microchipped!!

Cherry Valley Animal Clinic is holding a Microchipping Event on Thursday, June 25th from Noon until 7 pm at the clinic - 100 Westgate Drive, Newark Ohio. Microchips will be available for $35 per pet (1/2 of the regular cost of chipping!). $5 of which will be donated to Help Fido to assist in our future endeavors. Cherry Valley Animal Clinic is on the border of Heath, Newark and Granville. Veterinarians (including myself) and Veterinary technicians will be implanting the chips. Check out our indoor agility course and bring your training questions for our resident technician/certified dog trainer Angie during your visit.

For more information call 740-522-6056.

Hope to see you there!!!

Columbus, OH Charity Dogwash - $20 Microchipping

2009-06-09T13:02:00.002-04:00

Measle's Animal Haven is having a dog wash at Alum Creek Dog park in north Columbus Ohio Saturday June 27th from 10am-6pm.

We will also be microchipping dogs for just $20!

Our goal is to raise money so we can continue to save lives, and all proceeds will go directly to care for our current and future rescue dogs. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit animal rescue.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

FIRST, we really need dog washers!! Please contact Lisa at Lisa@pittiesplace.com or (614)853-3494 to sign up. You do not have to stay the whole day - we will be grateful for your help for even an hour or two, or you can sign up for a shift (9-12, 12-3, 3-6). It will be fun and you will be volunteering for a really good cause!

SECOND, please bring your dogs out for a bath! And if you or someone you know is interested in having a dog microchipped, please bring him or her out to see us!. A microchip permanently identifies your dog as belonging to you.

THIRD, please crosspost widely!

Thanks so much - hope to see you and your dog(s) on Saturday!!
Robin Laux
Director, Measle's Animal Haven
http://www.measlesanimalhaven.org/

P.S. We are hoping to see a lot of our former rescue dogs there (dogs we rescued who have since been adopted by loving families)!!

Oh Really? a.k.a. I wish I could go on SNL and do a skit on this...

2009-05-27T09:41:00.005-04:00

Indianapolis Republican City Councilman Mike Speedy had a proposed BSL bill tabled recently, and our good friend Brent Toellner posted on it at KC Dog Blog. It appears the apparently well-intentioned Mr. Speedy doesn't want to let the issue die quietly and is continuing to get his views into the press. We do live in a country with freedom of speech and I applaud his tenacity.
His letter to the editor appeared in yesterday's Indy Star and has already garnered 31 comments, not surprisingly.
Again, I say he appears well intentioned. He uses whole paragraphs devoted to stroking the egos of dog advocates:

"no other "bad rap" breed such as Dobermans or German Shepherds ever endured more than 20 years of abuse, torture, neglect, dog fighting or less desire to adopt from the public. Animal welfare groups and pit bull advocates have given their all for the past 10 years for voluntary pit bull specific spay/neuter,adoption, outreach and training programs with little progress."

(btw - Thanks. We know we have tough jobs. Ummmmm....your facts are wrong...but I'll leave that to others to counter.)

However - it is after this point that Councilman Speedy off the rails and shows that, like his name, the quickest solution is not always the easiest one:

The At-Risk Dog proposal simply requires the registration and sterilization of pit bulls, dogs specifically bred for dog fighting. If you reduce the population in a humane way, you will reduce the bites and the status image, and you will make the dog fighters and criminals easier to find.

Wow. It's that easy, huh?
Why didn't we think of that?
Seriously?
All we have to do is require people to register the dogs they are using for fighting and then they will bring them in and we can catch them then!
Amazing!
Brilliant! Bloody brilliant!
Someone buy this man a Guinness!
Really?
If it were that easy we would be passing these laws every day every where!
You think that passing a law like this and calling it "at-risk" makes it any less threatening to bully breed owners?
Really?
Have you thought of the consequences? Haven't you wondered why every other council person was opposed to this? Have you investigated that as thoroughly as you did your "facts" regarding dog bites?
Really? Seriously?
Please, people.

Michael Vick - Why not everyone deserves a second chance.

2009-05-21T11:03:00.004-04:00

Michael Vick has been back in the news a lot the last few days, with his release from prison yesterday. KC Dog Blog has an excellent post about Vick and the HSUS. This morning, I heard Colin Cowherd on ESPN Radio talking about Vick's possible reinstatement to the NFL and he made some great points which got me thinking about this issue again. I have always been in favor of giving people a second chance in life, if they are truly sorry for what they did and want to make amends. And I've honestly debated this issue in my own mind - trying to reconcile my own beliefs of giving people a second chance and Vick's actions. However, here's why I believe Vick does NOT deserve a second chance in the NFL.

First of all, it's not like Vick drove drunk, got in a bar fight, used steroids, dealt drugs, committed fraud, cheated on his wife or any one of a number of other illegal and/or immoral activities. ALL of those things and more are horrible. But he tortured and killed innocent dogs with his own hands. This was not just about dog fighting (as heinous and horrific as that is). He tortured animals. He threw dogs to the ground repeatedly until they were dead. He hooked up dogs to electrocution devices, drowned them or beat them to death. This was not Jack Bauer on 24 committing torture to save the world. These also weren't the acts of a 14 or 15 year old immature kid, shooting birds in the back yard with a bb gun. What kind of person does that? These were completely innocent dogs that just wanted some food, water, safe shelter and some love and attention every once in a while. What would you think of one of your neighbors if you found out they tortured and killed dogs? Anyone that would commit acts of torture like that is clearly a sociopath and has no place in a civilized society, let alone deserving of a second chance.

Legislative Day - HELP FIDO Discussing the Issues

2009-04-22T18:06:00.010-04:00

Hello all. Today was a GOOD DAY!! This is gonna be a LONG POST.....

This morning Brian and I attended OVMA (Ohio Veterinary Medical Association) Legislative Day in Columbus, Ohio. This is a yearly event hosted by the OVMA and invitations are extended to all veterinarians who are current members of the organization (this year about 50 vets...and Brian ; ) attended). The event allows veterinarians to have the opportunity to meet legislators to discuss issues such as animal welfare, public health, agriculture and items that affect the profession as a whole.

This year there were 3 specific topics that were at the forefront of discussion: State Rabies vaccination requirements for dogs and cats, The Puppy-Mill Bill, and House Bill 79 - removal of the "pit-bull" terminology from the existing Ohio vicious and dangerous animal law.

Brian and I were fortunate enough to meet with Rep. Dan Dodd and Senator Tim Schaffer today to discuss these issues. Overall, they seemed pretty interested in what we had to say and open to learning more. Here is a somewhat quick overview:

Rabies Vaccination Requirements - The OVMA is proposing that a bill be introduced to create a statewide rabies vaccine requirement for dogs and cats. Currently, Ohio is one of only 10 states, and the only state east of the mighty Mississippi, that does NOT have a statewide law requiring companion animals to be rabies vaccinated. On the local level, the state relies on local government (mostly health departments) to enact and enforce rabies requirements on animals within their jurisdictions (49% of local health depts. have such legislation in place). Rabies is a fatal disease(for animals and humans) and a huge public health concern as it is readily transmitted to people. Cats are an important part of the equation since they are the biggest risk of spreading the virus. They most often are in contact with wild animals, such as raccoons, and have the ability to traipse from yard to yard facilitating the spread should they bite another animal or person. Administration of the vaccine by a licensed veterinarian is critical to insure that the vaccine is stored properly and given correctly. If not administered properly, the vaccine (and thus the law) is useless.

Puppy-Mill Bill - (House Bill 124/Senate Bill 95) - Many of you have likely heard about this issue. Various attempts have been made to pass such bills for the last few years. There are 2 current versions on the table, one in the House and one in the Senate. Basically the bills wish to enact legislation to regulate large scale breeding operations. Earlier attempts at legislation have failed. So, the OVMA has developed a new approach (this was discussed by veterinarians with legislators today), to respond to instances where breeders are not adequately addressing the welfare of their animals. The new "two tiered" approach recommended by the OVMA will divide the enforcement between local and state levels depending on the size of the breeding operations. This is a complicated bill and too much to go into here. But those are the basics. Not sure where this one is gonna go. Rep. Dodd said that cost is a big issue with enforcement and opponents are concerned that fees will not cover the maintenance of entities that will be in charge of enforcement. Also, another issue is how to determine which of the existing governmental entities will be in charge of enforcement or will a new group need to be formed to do the job.

"Pit-Bull" Bill (House Bill 79) - AH...the one we've all been waiting for. This bill (as most everyone knows) attempts to remove breed specific language from Ohio law. More specifically, removing "pit bulls" from the vicious dog definition in the Ohio Revised Code. The OVMA supports this bill (YAY!!), as does the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Assn.). There was much discussion with both Rep. Dodd and Sen. Schaffer today about this issue. Neither said they had a specific position on the matter, but both were very open to information concerning the issue. Some points that were discussed included problems with breed identification, propensity of a dog to be predisposed to aggression, nature-vs-nurture, breed temperament & temperament testing, owner responsibility (quality of care and supervision by owner and humane ownership), owner education, behavior and socialization, position points (against BSL) of various animal welfare related organizations, effectiveness of current breed-specific legislation, and cost of enforcement. Overall I think we made good progress during both meetings and put a lot of good information on the table.

Other issues were also touched on including House Bill 55, which will allow companion animals to be included in various types of protection orders as they pertain to domestic violence situations, and House Bill 70 which increases the penalty for animal cruelty for companion animals from a second degree misdemeanor to a 5th degree felony. Two important issues, especially since April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month.

I was so happy to have this opportunity today and I think it allowed us to get our "foot in the door" as far as being a part of the legislative process, promoting PROGRESS and really making a difference.

WHEW....well that's it, I think. Except for this...since the legislators seemed so open to hearing about these issues and genuinely seemed unaware of some of the more important points we discussed, it is imperative that we all contact Rep. Dodd, Sen. Schaffer and all of our local lawmakers to give them good information and make them aware of how their constituents feel about these matters. The more information we provide them the more informed decisions they can make on our behalf. (That's presuming that politics in general don't muck things up!!)

There is a hearing on HB 79 scheduled for next WEDNESDAY APRIL 29TH with the House Agriculture Committee at 9:30 am, the more the merrier.

Dr. Mandi...over and out.

Chewing gum...Poisonous???

2009-04-07T21:57:00.005-04:00

Hello all! Recently I have treated several dogs that have gotten themselves into a "sticky situation" by eating various kinds of chewing gum. But all joking aside, if your pet gets into your purse or gets to that gum on the kitchen counter or your bedroom dresser they can be in some pretty serious trouble. The primary offender is an ingredient called XYLITOL. It is a sweetener or sugar substitute that many gum manufacturers are now using in their products. There has been some good information passed around recently on the internet, but here are a few more facts to increase your knowledge base about this sticky sweet "poison".

According to the most recent data from the National Animal Poison Control Center (NAPCC), a relatively small dose of xylitol can cause serious hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) that can be fatal if left untreated. (Something you would certainly NOT expect something sweet to do!!) For a small dog (5-10 pounds) the toxic dose could be as small as LESS THAN ONE STICK OF GUM!

Xylitol ingestion can also be associated with severe liver failure, which, even if treated aggressively, can result in death. Not all dogs that ingest toxic doses of xylitol develop hypoglycemia or liver failure, but because it is impossible to predict which dogs will develop these serious symptoms, it is recommended that all dogs that ingest potentially toxic doses be treated aggressively. Also, if your dog (or cat) consumes ANY chewing gum at all, you should contact your veterinarian, the local emergency service or the NAPCC immediately for consultation and treatment.

Treatment usually involves a veterinarian inducing vomiting, taking blood tests to monitor liver function, hospitalization for intravenous fluids (containing dextrose - sugar supplementation), blood sugar monitoring and other supportive care as needed. Dogs that have ingested large amounts may require long term care and follow up blood tests, may have permanent liver problems and may not survive treatment.

A simple solution is to only purchase xylitol free chewing gum. But remember to call your veterinarian if you even FOR ONE SECOND think your pet may have ingested gum. You can also call the National Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 for advice. They charge a $60 consultation fee which can be well worth it in this situation!!! The NAPCC can also answer questions about many toxic substances. Better safe that sorry!!!

Goings on with HELP FIDO

2009-04-06T19:52:00.003-04:00

Please excuse our lack of many recent blog posts, we've been busy working with other groups to push for passage of Ohio House Bill 79 (see post right below this one for full details on that Bill and how you can help).

Because we are heading into the Spring and warmer weather, I thought it would be useful to repost some info from Dr. Mandi about Canine Heartworm Disease.

I was alerted to another great website this week devoted to the Doberman Pinscher. Well worth checking out.

Ohio House Bill 79 - Please support!

2009-03-24T08:34:00.005-04:00

Ohio House Bill 79, introduced last week by Rep. Barbara Sears of Sylvania, would amend § 955.11 of the Ohio Revised Code to remove “pit bulls” from the definition of “vicious dog”. HELP FIDO is working hard on legislative efforts and strongly supports this bill for the following reasons:

BSL (breed specific legislation) is never a good idea, it only serves to punish responsible dog owners while doing nothing to crack down on irresponsible owners and in Ohio, has led to the slaughter of thousands of innocent dogs simply because of what they look like.
Ohio is the only State in the country that automatically defines pit bulls as vicious. Some States, such as Texas, have taken the opposite approach and have prohibited BSL completely.
No breed of dog, including pit bull, is inherently dangerous or vicious. Even dogs that have been bred and trained as fighting dogs, such as the Michael Vick dogs, are often able to be rehabilitated.
Current Ohio law places an undue hardship on responsible dog owners by requiring pit bull owners to purchase additional insurance. All pit bulls or dogs that "look" like a pit bull and the good owners and bad owners are all lumped together. There is not even a provision for dogs that pass the Canine Good Citizen test.
All definitions of dangerous or vicious dogs should be based on the behavior of the individual dog.
Some additional reasons and evidence are cites on Best Friends Network.

Please contact your legislator to voice your support of H.B. 79. Phone calls, faxes and letters work the best. Additionally, please contact the bill's sponsor, Rep. Sears, to thank her for sponsoring this bill and voicing your support. Lastly, the bill has been assigned to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and we urge people to contact them as well. Bless the Bully's blog has contact information for all the Representatives on that committee.

Second Chance Humane Society

2009-03-16T18:52:00.004-04:00

The local news featured a quick story on our friends from Johnstown at Second Chance Humane Society tonight. The shelter has been inundated with abandoned cats and dogs. Shelters across the country are filling up as owners feeling the pinch of the economy, are dumping cats and dogs in record numbers. Paula Evans SCHS’s president, reminds pet owners of the responsibility of owning a pet and the importance of finding a suitable home before displacing a pet.

Companion animal abandonment is a misdemeanor in the state of Ohio.

If you would like to see pets available for adopting from Second Chance Humane Society, look HERE.

Toledo Blade calls for the end of Skeldon's reign

2009-03-01T21:45:00.007-05:00

Lucas County is a long way from central, Ohio but we couldn't resist posting and agreeing with the sentiments from the Toledo Blade today...

New dog warden needed

AS THE recent killing of a Point Place family pet makes perfectly clear, the first recommendation from the committee formed to suggest ways to improve the Lucas County dog warden's office must be a change at the top.
It is time for Tom Skeldon to go.

The Feb. 10 death by tranquilizer dart of Princess, a 10-pound Pomeranian-beagle mix that had gotten loose from its home, gave the county's dog warden a chance to show remorse, sympathy, understanding, and flexibility. Instead, after a cursory "sorry," he dug in his heels and blindly defended his department's policies.
It is through such policies, particularly a narrowly envisioned crusade against pit bulls, that Mr. Skeldon has developed a reputation as an uncaring zealot.

Enough.

Please read the entire article HERE

Shopping for PET INSURANCE

2009-02-27T21:38:00.004-05:00

As a veterinarian I get questions about pet insurance on a daily basis from my clients. Questions about what company is best, what policy/plan is best, should a cancer rider be added, cost, etc.? In a nutshell, pet insurance can be a wonderful, helpful option for our pets, but there is a lot of research and homework that should go into choosing a provider. My personal opinion on pet insurance is that it is not absolutely necessary to have for your pet, but it certainly helps a great deal when illness or surgery occurs when least expected. For the most part, it works very similarly to our own health insurance.

Generally, most pet insurance companies will cover a small portion of the basic yearly costs incurred with pet care/preventive services, such as vaccinations, fecal analyses, heartworm tests and heartworm and flea/tick prevention if that type of coverage is purchased. Although their reimbursement of these costs is usually minimal, they do help offset some of the routine veterinary fees. The real benefits of pet health insurance come with unexpected illnesses, emergency surgery, dental services and the like. But it all depends on the company and plan you choose. Like human health insurance, most pet insurance companies will not cover pre-existing medical problems. So, if you choose to insure your pet, it's a good idea to do so when your critter is young. Puppies and kittens are usually the least expensive to insure.

Cost of a policy is normally based on the level of coverage you want your pet to have. Generally there are caps on pay-outs for a single diagnosed illness and/or chronic illness. The way reimbursement usually works is as follows: You bring your pet to the veterinarian, along with a claim form provided by the insurance company. You pay the veterinarian for services. After the visit, your veterinarian fills out the form, which is then submitted along with a copy of the invoice from the visit. Submissions can usually be made by fax or mail by the policy holder or the veterinary office. Occasionally insurance companies will ask for further information about the diagnosis or procedure or even request full patient records for review. Once the carrier reviews the claim, the pet/policy owner receives reimbursement for a portion of the cost of the veterinary services.

Depending on how extensive a plan you would like for your pet, you may choose to add additional coverage. For example, a cancer rider (an add on to the policy that covers for services related to a cancer diagnosis in your pet). This may be indicated if you have a breed of dog or cat that is more prone to certain types of cancers. Depending on the insurance carrier they may have many options to choose from, many levels of coverage to offer, and several coverage add-ons.

Here are some questions to keep in mind when shopping for insurance coverage for your pet:

QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT THE INSURANCE PROVIDER -

Does my veterinarian recommend this provider?
Does the provider employ certified and trained professionals, and are the provider and person selling the policy licensed in your state?
How does the provider handle renewals (for instance, if your pet develops a chronic condition over the course of a year, will it be considered a pre-existing condition when the policy comes up for renewal?
How do the complaint and appeals processes work?
Is there a money-back trial period for new subscribers?
Are there any exclusions for pets of a particular species, breed or age?
Will I be able to see my own veterinarian or do I have to go within the provider's network?

QUESTIONS TO ASK REGARDING THE POLICY-

What exactly does the policy cover? What do I expect/want it to cover?
Will I be able to afford the monthly premium, deductible and required co-pay?
Is there coverage (and how much) for chronic, hereditary or pre-existing conditions?
Are there policies for preventive care, and are the worth paying the additional premium?
Are there any types of accidents, illnesses, or other health problems that are NOT covered?
How are claims submitted and how long does it take to be reimbursed?
How is reimbursement determined? Does the policy pay up to a certain amount based on "usual and customary fees" and are these amounts in line with what my veterinarian actually charges?
How often does renewal occur and are any additional fees assessed annually? Is my premium "locked in" or am I subject to annual increases in premiums?
Is there a discount if I purchase more that one policy (eg., multiple pets)?

There are MANY companies out there providing insurance policies for pets. ALWAYS, ALWAYS do your homework. Ask your veterinarian what providers they recommend, (most vets will have pamphlets or handouts in the office for one or more companies). Talk to more than one provider before deciding on purchasing a policy. Work out your finances ahead of time to determine what you can comfortably afford. Make a list of questions you would like to ask a company representative.

That's all for now....GOOD LUCK!!

Animal Control in Ohio... it can be different.

2009-02-22T12:06:00.013-05:00

There have been many negatives in news this week regarding animal control in Ohio. This week, the persons holding the top two positions in Franklin County’s Animal Care and Control Dept. were fired, everybody’s favorite dogcatcher from up north killed a dog on its front porch with a tranquilizer for “running at large.” Things seem pretty upside-down here right now.

There is excellent news on AC&C out of Calgary.

Attacks by aggressive dogs are at the lowest level they've been in 25 years despite a steady population growth and the absence of breed-specific legislation brought in to tackle canine issues in other jurisdictions.

Ahem… anyone listening here in Ohio?

Bruce said Calgary is a leader in reducing dog attacks in Canada, noting that he often receives invitations from animal services around the world to talk about the work done here to reduce dog bites.

Franklin County, Mr. Bruce spoke when you hosted the Ohio County Dog Warden’s Convention in December… here's hoping some attendees were paying attention.

A new pet owner bylaw was brought in three years ago that included stiffer fines and a recognition that aggressive behaviour in dogs is normally traced back to irresponsible owners. Bruce said both the heavier penalties -- ranging from $350 to $1,500, to euthanizing the dog--and the philosophy of blaming bad owners rather than pets has helped reduce incidents.

"We want to look at everything that led up to an aggressive dog attack," said Bruce. "We're hoping to find four to six common things that people do that causes dogs to bite. Our goal is not to have anyone bitten by a dog."

In case anyone isn’t understanding… they are having success, and reducing bites by focusing on aggressive dogs, and prevention… NOT how dogs look. And it is WORKING! It’s such a simple philosophy it’s brilliant.

Please take the time to read the article in its entirety. If you don’t already know, Calgary and its model for AC&C is quickly becoming THE model of how to successfully run an AC&C operation. Just to throw in… Calgary’s operation is 100% self-funded through licensing fees, that means $0.00 from tax revenues. Thank you Bill Bruce for your realistic approaches, your success, and for all the work you’re doing to help the rest of North America come into the 21st century.

Disappointment

2009-02-21T10:02:00.006-05:00

(written by Amanda Spires, who is currently without internet access)
It's the middle of February and I'm spending a few days in sunny, warm Phoenix, AZ.
It's 75 degrees and sunny every day here. Home is Columbus, OH. It was most likely well below freezing there today and snow appeared to be unavoidable.
Yuck, right? Well, I can't wait to get back to the cold--apparently it's keeping people more honest than the tan yokels.
I'm on day number 3 of a 4 day trip and am happier than you can imagine that tomorrow I get to board a plane, lose 2 hours and drop about 50 degrees.
Why would someone be so bass-ackwards you ask? It's a dog thing. I, of course, miss my three four-legged spazzes. But that's not quite it.
You see, I have been informed tonight by blood relatives that my dogs are dangerous . . . aggressive . . .not to be trusted. In a word: bad. Oh, and by the way, they have never met any of the three dogs.
Some reputation, huh? They happen to be such unfortunate creatures that they picked the wrong parents. Dummies. Furthermore, my oldest dog was so stupid that he managed to get himself chained outdoors for an unknown period of time and then shelved in a shelter for 15 months (10 of which were spent as an "invisible" dog with no out of kennel privileges or visits from volunteers). *sigh* It's 1 AM here, but sleep is impossible. I guess I like to live dangerously. The silver lining here is that there was also a blood relative on "my" side.
She's met my dogs, stayed at my house and tried to help plead my case. This was to no avail. People think a small child is vulnerable to a naughty dog?
Try a frail (though feisty) woman whose skin falls off if you look at it the wrong way. She sat on a bed changing the bandages that cover the majority of her body (a daily routine for her) while 65 pounds of unidentifiable ghetto pit bull/American Bulldog/who knows/? mutt lay calmly and patiently to get his neck scratched by the kind and patient visitor.
Thank Dog for Godmothers.

Why the HSUS is horrible!

2009-02-16T15:21:00.005-05:00

I've hesitated writing something so negative in the past about HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) because I was hopeful that they were taking some steps forward when it came to helping ALL animals, in particular all dog breeds. But a recent dog fighting case in Wilkesboro, North Carolina has changed my mind. Just today, the judge in the case ordered all 127 dogs be euthanized. From the article:

Judge Ed Wilson entered the order after hearing arguments from Wilkes County officials, from the prosecutor and from The Humane Society of the U.S. that the dogs are dangerous and would pose a risk if adopted into homes.

My emphasis added in red. This comes after another article about the same case in which John Goodwin, the manager of animal-fighting issues for the HSUS said "...the dogs have been bred for fighting and it would very difficult and expensive to re-train the dogs, even the puppies, so that they could be adopted." Donna Reynolds over a BAD RAP has an excellent blog post in which she describes the absolute lunacy of Goodwin's statements and I encourage you all to read it yourself here.

So why is this so outrageous? After all, these are "fighting dogs" right? They are bred to kill? Well, the HSUS (and PETA) said the EXACT same thing about the Michael Vick dogs - they can't be rehabilitated, they're all killers, you can't adopt them out, blah blah blah. And what happened? Groups like Best Friends and BAD RAP begged and pleaded with the judge in the Vick case to let them have an opportunity to take the dogs. After working with the Vick dogs, many of them have been able to do exactly what HSUS and PETA said could not be done. In fact, many of the Vick dogs have surpassed any and all expectations and are living wonderful lives. They are living in homes with children, working as therapy dogs and hanging with other pit bulls, even frisbee champions. Similar events occurred in recent dog fighting cases in Oklahoma and Missouri. Brent Toellner at KC Dog Blog has one of the Oklahoma dogs now. Have the people at HSUS learned nothing from these cases???? This is reprehensible. At least with the dog fighters out there, we all KNOW their agenda - they don't care of the safety or humane treatment of their dogs. But let's look at the HSUS's "State of Principles and Beliefs" - this is from their own website, copied today:

The mission of The HSUS is to create a humane and sustainable world for all animals—a world that will also benefit people. We seek to forge a lasting and comprehensive change in human consciousness of and behavior toward all animals in order to prevent animal cruelty, exploitation, and neglect, and to protect wild habitats and the entire community of life.

"For all animals." For ALL animals. "to prevent animal cruelty" What about the dogs in the Wilkesboro case?? Are they not animals that deserve prevention from cruelty? Euthanizing them in this case, without any individual determination of behavior of each dog and when there are groups out there willing to help, is murder, pure and simple. These dogs are not suffering and many of them could go on to have lives every bit as grand as those of the Vick dogs. This is NOT euthanasia, it's murder.

I normally try to stay on an even keel with these issues and especially writing blog posts but I'm very angry with HSUS's action in this case. Please tell your friends about this, spread the word, the HSUS is not what most people think it is. Please give your donations to a more deserving group, not to the HSUS.

$20 off Vet Care

2009-02-16T10:01:00.002-05:00

A veterinary health company plans to give away $20 coupons to encourage pet owners to take their animals to a veterinarian for a check up.

Bayer Animal Health will disperse the coupons from a Web site beginning Monday morning, 10TV's John Fortney reported.

Animal lovers were talking about the importance of regular veterinary care at the Franklin County Animal Shelter's Mingle With the Mutts program on Sunday."I think it's very important to get on top of flea control and heartworm prevention," said veterinary technician Jessica Murray.

Bayer plans to distribute $250,000 worth of coupons from a special Web site, www.gettothevet.com. The coupon giveaway begins at 9am They are giving out 80 vouchers per hour.

Spay Day in Columbus, Ohio

2009-02-12T11:04:00.002-05:00

We are promoting NATIONAL SPAY DAY this month, and encouraging everyone with an unaltered pet to "do the right thing," and get that animal fixed.

As you know, Measle's Animal Haven alters all our bullies before we adopt them into forever home, but we are also hoping to convince people who own unaltered pit bulls to get them fixed too. Pit Bull overpopulation is at an all time high in Franklin County.

We have partnered with Rascal Unit, which also has a special program on National Spay Day 2/24 just for people with pit bull terriers. On the 24th Dr. Gonzales at Rascal Unit will do spay or neuter surgery on pit bulls for just $20 (plus a rabies shot!).

This program is supported by Measle's Animal Haven, Colony Cats and by the Franklin County Dog Shelter. We hope that several responsible pit bull owners will take advantage of it and sign up.

http://www.rascalunit.com/RascalUnit/Home_Page.html

More absurdity from Franklin County Ohio

2009-02-02T14:02:00.002-05:00

Rescue groups get deal on dogs. 2/2/09 http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/02/02/dogshelter01.ART_ART_02-02-09_B1_KLCOVAV.html?sid=101

This has to be the most absurd headline and story I have seen. Does this reporter honestly think rescues are pulling dogs from this shelter and then making a profit? Does she not realize that dogs pulled from a shelter often need medical treatment, vaccinations, deworming, sterilization and microchipping? Not to mention training and socialization which can cause these dogs to remain with the rescue for months and sometimes years. Typically the adoption fee doesn't come anywhere close to covering the expenses to rescue these dogs. Rescues typically rely on fundraisers, grants and donations to cover the operating expenses - not adoption fees.

The Franklin County Commissioners should commend the dog shelter for working with reputable rescue groups. This results in lower operating costs for the shelter, lower vet care costs, fewer dogs languishing in a shelter environment, less trauma for the staff who have to kill dogs when there is no more space, and lower disposal rates to haul away the carcasses of dogs who without rescues would be dead.

Rescue groups aren't lining up at the shelter clamoring to take dogs. Dogs needing rescued are a dime a dozen and rescues have to turn dogs away every single day because there just isn't enough space or resources to help them all. Just take a peek at any Craigslist forum and you will find pet owners begging people to take their dogs

Michael Vick to release to halfway house

2009-02-02T11:40:00.006-05:00

As this Boston Herald article states, Michael Vick could be released from prison in Kansas and sent to a halfway house in Virginia "any day".
From the article:
"A return to Virginia to serve the last six months of his term would allow Vick to begin rebuilding his damaged career from his hometown rather than from behind bars in the Midwest. Time in a halfway house might also increase the likelihood that Vick could return to the NFL in time for next season.
That depends, of course, on league commissioner Roger Goodell lifting the quarterback’s suspension, and another team taking a chance on hiring him. His old team, the Atlanta Falcons, has already said they don’t want him back. Goodell said he won’t consider lifting Vick’s suspension until the sentence is complete in July."

Obviously, this is going to be a huge story in the coming months and especially heading into this fall's NFL season. It's going to be interesting to see what Roger Goodell decides to do. The NFL has quite the track record of allowing players to resume their careers after run-ins with the law and even time in prison. I don't recall anyone resuming their career after a dog fighting charge but many players have come back from various violence charges, lots of drug charges, etc. So it's going to be difficult for Goodell to say Vick cannot return, assuming he meets his legal obligations. In NO WAY am I advocating his return, just saying it's going to be hard for the NFL to prevent Vick's return, based on precedent with other players. Then comes the issue of whether an NFL team is willing to bear the incredibly bad PR that would result from signing Vick. Of course, PETA and other animal rights groups will be there to picket. Not too mention, we're not exactly talking about a sure-fire NFL player here when he's been out of football for 2 years and was a mixed bag of success even when in the league. If my favorite team, the Cleveland Browns, signed Vick, I would no longer be a Browns fan. The only way I would change my mind on that is if Vick were to completely admit his mistakes again, apologize to the dogs (which he's never done) and most importantly, become a true advocate for the humane treatment and care of all dogs and a huge opponent of dog fighting. Perhaps he would do all of that, but I doubt it.

So, what do you think, should Michael Vick be allowed to return to the NFL and, if so, under what conditions?

More from up North...

2009-01-19T13:25:00.015-05:00

While we are talking about Skeldon’s work up in Lucas County… HERE is a great example (thank you KC Dog Blog) of what happens when you focus your animal control on policing ‘pit bulls’ instead of policing actual 'dangerous' dogs.

"A neighborhood is being held hostage by a pack of dogs, say some local residents. A woman's beloved pet was mauled to death; but this goes beyond dogs attacking other dogs. Neighbors fear children might become victims next..."

"Lucas County dog warden Tom Skeldon says he's investigated at least 10 complaints involving boxers and other non-violent breeds at the house over the last five years. They range from unlicensed dogs to dogs running the streets and dogs attacking other dogs. The owners were cited last week because two of the dogs didn't have licenses."

"Boxers and other non-violent breeds?" What exactly does that mean? Apparently as long as a dog is not a 'pit bull' everything is hunky-dory regardless of how the animal is allowed to behave. I hope the folks up in Avon Lake are paying attention as they are currently tossing around legislation with breed specifics in it. This is exactly what happens when you judge animals based on breed and not behavior.

Toledo, Ohio - Another example of why BSL does not work

2009-01-14T17:10:00.008-05:00

Everyone's favorite dog warden, Tom Skeldon, in Lucas County (Toledo) is in the news again. This guy gets almost as much press coverage as Britney Spears and always for the wrong reasons. The article's headline is "Pit bull seizures decrease slightly from year before" (link above to the full article). This article raises a number of issues, all related to Skeldon's claim that his tactics, and Toledo's vicious dog laws, have made the community safer.

"Seizures of pit bulls are down." First of all, the entire issue of breed determination is inherently flawed unless you have papers showing the breed registry from a group such those as the AKC. Obviously, the kinds of dogs that Skeldon calls "pit bulls" have no such papers so the breed determination is based upon what he thinks they are. As we highlighted previously in this blog post, breed determination is MUCH more involved than that. DNA testing has shown many instances of dogs that "look like" pit bulls actually have no ancestry (or a very small amount) of the breeds commonly defined as a pit bull. Also, there is a group of concerned dog owners up in Lucas County that have gathered information proving that many dogs euthanized (murdered) by Skeldon because they classified by him as a pit bull, actually were not pit bulls at all! Yes, this is truly outrageous!
"33.9% of the dogs seized last year were pit bulls." Following from #1, how in the WORLD is this determination made? Were all of the dogs DNA tested before they were euthanized (murdered)? Also, given Skeldon's widely publicized feelings to eradicate bully breeds from the face of the earth, there is a pretty good incentive to question a possible inflation of this number.
"Dogs bites in Lucas county have actually gone UP in the past year." If the goal of the Toledo vicious dog legislation was to make the community safer, these bit statistics show that those efforts were a complete and utter failure. "...the number of dog bites and attacks investigated by the warden's office increased from 329 in 2007 to 403 last year." That was the last line of the Toledo Blade article. This fact alone makes all the rest of the article irrelevant. Despite slaughtering thousands of dogs over the years, simply because of the way they look, without true behavior testing or TRUE breed determination, the city of Toledo is less safe than it was before and more dogs are biting people.

Pro-Breed Specific Legislation leaning groups (including Skeldon and Lucas County) typically focus only on one group/breed of dogs. They believe the problem is the dogs. The problem is NOT the dogs, the problem is owners and until the focus is rightfully placed on the owners and cracking down on bad owners, the failures of BSL all over the country will continue.

First Puppy continued

2009-01-12T11:19:00.003-05:00

We mentioned this topic after the election in November, but current news is that the Obama's have narrowed their choice on the "First Dog" to a Labradoodle or a Portuguese water hound. Best part is that the search is on in Washington DC area shelters - great news there! Evidently, the feedback from people around the country on this subject has been overwhelming, much of it encouraging them to adopt a dog from a local shelter or humane society.

"Dogs returned to shelter after attacks"- Columbus Dispatch

2009-01-02T08:57:00.028-05:00

The Columbus Dispatch has recently run a few rather critical stories on the Franklin County Dog Shelter, the latest published December 30th titled “Dogs returned to shelter after attacks.” HELP FIDO would like to examine a few points from this latest story in a bit more depth.

Ohio State veterinarians cited the adoption of pit bulls and other dangerous dogs as a concern in a 2007 memo, which also described animal suffering, altered medical records and disease at the shelter, 1731 Alum Creek Dr. Soon after, OSU's veterinary college stopped training students there and providing the shelter with free services.

To point out, this is the second time the Columbus Dispatch has reported this information in a way that might have the reader believe OSU discontinued it’s service to Franklin County Dog Shelter based on ‘problems.’ In the first article it is stated that OSU decided to instead train students at Capital Area Humane Society due to the fact that at CAHS, the students would be exposed to a broader scope of animals and not just dogs. It would seem that this decision was made in the interest of broader educational opportunities and not to due to shelter conditions.

"We're not putting pit bulls up for adoption," Wahoff said.

Dr. William Gesel, a veterinarian who authored Columbus' dangerous-dog ordinance, would beg to differ. Twice this month, two unsuspecting clients brought in pit bulls that the county adopted as Labrador mixes. He asked the clients, both Labrador lovers, 'What are you doing with a pit bull?' "

A veterinarian’s first and foremost concern should always be the health and welfare of the animal he or she is treating, not necessarily the owner's choice of ‘breed’ or in the specific cases quoted in the article its ‘look.’

Gesel said it isn't all that complicated to properly identify pit bulls. He once explained to a judge, "Any kid on the street can tell you if it is a pit. If it has the characteristics, it's a pit."

It’s important to point out that many institutions including the American Veterinary Medical Association would contest Dr. Gesel’s position on the ease and effectiveness of breed determination based on physical characteristics.

Although the colonial selectmen of Massachusetts might disagree, breed determination is not as simple as ‘’throw it in the water, if it floats, it’s a pit bull.’ It’s a wonder how many Labs and Boxers (let alone the dozens of other look-a-like breeds) have been misidentified and killed in US shelters because they‘looked’ like or had “physical characteristics of” a pit bull. Just as there is no way of determining a man’s predisposition toward violence or criminal activity by looking at his physique, haircut, or skin color, there is no way of determining a dog’s personality or temperament by the way it looks. To be effective, laws and policies regarding vicious and dangerous animals MUST be based on actions, and behaviors. To focus on anything else will be wasting resources and ultimately will lead to a decrease in public safety.

And again many organizations not limited to the American Veterinary Medical Association, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, The National Animal Control Association, and many DVM’s have hardline positions against breed specific legislation because it has been found to be among other things, discriminatory, ineffective, cost prohibitive, and counter productive.

The timing of these defamatory articles should be noted, the first being published on Dec. 21st, (article link within our response) just in time for Christmas. While many will debate whether or not a dog under the tree is a great way of introducing a new pet to the family, surely this article secured many animals fate’s for a Christmas morning behind the bars of the County’s kennels instead of warm loving homes. How many people didn’t look to adopt that week, or worse how many people decided not to call Animal Control to get help for that abused or neglected dog because of this article?

Lastly and quite troubling is Columbus Dispatch editor Ben Morrison’s blog entry “Shelter Story Sparks Response,” where he takes a rather negative stance toward those readers who expressed their dissatisfaction with the article on Franklin County Dog Shelter. He accuses shelter volunteers of a letter writing campaign. While in every shelter environment there is surely room for improvement, these stories seem to push the boundaries of a smear campaign. It appears that the Dispatch has chosen to raise their flag on one side of the drawn line, which is a shame for the readers depending on unbiased reporting. This is all too common of an occurrence in news media these days. While the print and broadcast media are wondering why there is such a decline in their outlets, it is curious why an editor would choose to chastise readers who express their discontent, if a reader isn’t welcome to share their opinions by writing to the editors, perhaps they will choose to voice their concerns by means of another canceled subscription.

If you are having behavior issues with a pet please don’t wait for a serious accident to get help. There are many people who can help you get your pet's naughty behavior under control. The Columbus Dog Connection has a great page on behavior and also has compiled a great list of trainers and behaviorists who can help.

"Not fit for a dog" - Columbus Dispatch

2008-12-23T10:42:00.007-05:00

This past Sunday, the Columbus Dispatch had an article entitled "Not fit for a dog" that was very critical of the management of the Franklin County Dog Shelter. While we here at HELP FIDO cannot speak to all of the issues raised in this article and are currently gathering more information through local networks, we feel it is important to highlight some of the issues. The following letter was submitted to the Dispatch editors. We are hopeful it will be published in the coming days.

As the chair of HELP FIDO, a voice for dogs in Central Ohio, I felt compelled to write in and address some points brought up in the recent Columbus Dispatch article “Not fit for a dog” about the Franklin County Dog Shelter.

Judging every dog as an individual (as the Shelter Director, Ms. Wahoff mentions) is an excellent goal. However, this should be guided with temperament testing, supported with behaviorists, education classes and socialization – not simply based upon what a dog looks like. The temperament testing at FCDS was discontinued due to lack of funding. Perhaps the money from the dog licensing fees which is currently being funneled to OSU for animal research, would be better spent on funding the temperament testing program.

FCDS is accused of knowingly adopting out "pit bulls" and "pit mixes" as "mixed breeds." This statement is inherently redundant as breed identification is purely subjective, and, short of the still developing field of DNA breed testing, is a guessing game, not a science. Determination of breed based solely on certain characteristics is inherently flawed, and leads to frequent misidentification in options for adoption, insurability, impoundment statistics, licensing statistics and bite statistics. The American Veterinary Medical Association, the National Dog Warden Association (U.K.) and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals all have made statements that reject that physical characteristics or appearance as an effective way to determine an individual animal's temperament or breed. Furthermore, all of these organizations have rejected against the discriminatory nature of legislation that targets specific breeds or what a particular dog looks like.

While there is always room for improvement, the programs and policies that have been put in place by Ms. Wahoff have been highly beneficial to the dogs and residents of Franklin County. In 2007, FCDS provided care and shelter for over 13,000 animals. More than 2900 dogs were returned to their owners. 4,018 dogs were adopted or released to rescue. 3,930 spay/neuter surgeries were performed, with thousands more vaccinated for rabies and other transmissible diseases. Thousands of school children and adults have received education, teaching them how to be safe around dogs. Unlike other counties in Ohio, dogs are humanely euthanized at FCDS rather than being taken out back and shot or gassed to death. I challenge the FCDS detractors to compare the statistics of FCDS to other county funded shelters throughout the state.

An excellent model for FCDS and all animal shelters in the country is Calgary Animal Services in Canada. Earlier this month, we met with Bill Bruce, the director of Calgary Animal Services. Calgary has a 100% self–sustaining program, a 95% licensing compliance rate, 80% of stray dogs are returned to their owners – all done without useless breed specific laws, pet limits or mandatory spay/neuter laws. Mr. Bruce spoke at the recent Ohio Dog Wardens Conference here in Columbus. We are hopeful his ideas and successes in Calgary have inspired dog wardens in Central Ohio and throughout the State. I encourage the County Commissioners to review the Calgary model and consider implementing this type of program in Franklin County.

Brian Cluxton
HELP FIDO, Chair
A voice for dogs in Central Ohio
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress
can be judged by the way its animals are treated." - Gandhi

Helpful Holiday Hints

2008-12-20T17:20:00.003-05:00

Hello all...Dr. Mandi here again with some hints to make Fido's holiday season a safe and happy one.

There are many holiday traditions that we enjoy with our families and our pets during this festive season. However, there also things that can be harmful to our furry friends this time of year.

Christmas Plants/Flowers - Poinsettias and Amaryllis are a beautiful touch to holiday home decor and Mistletoe is sure to make us cuddle up to those we love. But all of them are considered toxic to dogs and cats. Even in small amounts they can be very harmful. So keep these plants/flowers up high or in places where animals cannot get to them.

Treats/Holiday Cooking - Many of the sweet treats we enjoy for the holidays can cause our pets to become ill. Just a simple change in diet can cause vomiting, diarrhea and life threatening illnesses like pancreatitis. Candy, cookies, cakes, peppermints and especially chocolate can cause everything from mild intestinal upset to death. Bones from meat and poultry, cooked or raw, can be very harmful to pets. They can cause choking, intestinal obstruction and intestinal punctures all of which can lead to death. They can also lead to broken teeth and mouth infections. If you ever have any questions as to whether or not a treat is safe for your pet, never hesitate to call your veterinarian and ask.

Snow Globes - This is a holiday hazard that I have just found out about myself!! These novelties have been a holiday staple for years and years, so it may be surprising to know that they can be deadly to our pets. Many snow globes contain ANTIFREEZE which is extremely toxic to dogs and cats and causes kidney failure and frequently is fatal. Antifreeze tastes sweet and can be appealing to our furry friends. So keep the snow globes where animals cannot reach them and if ever there is an antifreeze spill, make sure to clean it up thoroughly and keep furry friends out of the area until the job is done. If there is any question whether or not your pet has ingested antifreeze, err on the side of caution and take him/her to your veterinarian IMMEDIATELY.

Stress - The holidays are not only a stressful time for us humans, but for our pets as well. The holiday hustle and bustle, and visits from family and friends can cause dogs and cats to become nervous and excitable. Not to mention that they can sense OUR stress levels rising! To help pets cope, try to set aside plenty time to spend with them. Walk or exercise them prior to arrival of guests to relieve stress and expend some excess energy. It is a good idea not to allow the family dog to greet unfamiliar guests. In general, commotion and unusual circumstances can be scary and stressful to our pets. Give pets a break in a quiet room with things that are familiar to them like their favorite toys, bed or blankie and allow them to join the festivities after things have calmed down a bit. Never allow children to bother pets when they are eating. Also, dogs pant and, therefore, drink more when their stress level increases, so make sure they have of water available at all times.

Cold Weather - While it may seem convenient to put pets outside when company arrives, remember that cold temperatures, snow and ice can be very dangerous. Many animals suffer from frostbite every year, even if left out for what may seem like a short period of time. Also, remember when treating your front walk with salt or de-icing substances to make sure they are pet friendly. Many can be very irritating to our furry friends sensitive paws and toxic if ingested.

Holiday Decorations - Although Christmas trees are a wonderful tradition, they can lead to problems for curious pets. There are some simple things that we can do to prevent holiday disasters. To prevent a tree from tipping over, anchor it to the ceiling or wall. Hang non-breakable ornaments near the bottom of the tree. Tinsel is beautiful but can be deadly if ingested by pets. It can cause intestinal obstruction that can require emergency surgery and lead to death. Don's allow pets to drink Christmas tree water as it can contain chemicals that help the tree to last longer and can cause serious intestinal upset to pets. Even pine needles that fall from the tree can be harmful. They can puncture holes in the stomach and intestines if ingested, so make sure they are swept or vacuumed up regularly. Lastly, candles can give the holidays a wonderful warm glow, but are very easily tipped over by a curious pet. Keep candles out of reach to prevent pets from getting burned or causing a fire.

Toys/Gifts - Children's toys can be a hazard to pets if chewed or swallowed. It is a good practice all year long to keep small toys and pieces out of reach from pets to prevent a trip to the veterinary emergency room. Help your pet stay occupied and out of the holiday decorations by giving them their own gifts. Make sure to consult your veterinarian on which toys are appropriate for your pet ahead of time.

I hope these tips will help everyone to have a wonderful and safe season.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!!!!!

Toys For Fido

2008-12-15T21:30:00.004-05:00

Hello all!! Dr. Mandi here to tell you all about a wonderful, easy way to help your furry Fido friends this holiday season. TOYS FOR FIDO!!

Stop by one of our two local collection centers to donate a dog toy or treats to benefit homeless dogs in our area.

Town and Country Animal Clinic
4263 East Broad Street
Whitehall, OH 43213

(Near the cross streets of Broad St. and Yearling Rd.)
614-235-3453

OR

Cherry Valley Animal Clinic
100 Westgate Drive
Newark, OH
740-522-6056

Donations will benefit dogs at Columbus Dog Connection.

YOUR KINDNESS IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!

Hero Dog

2008-12-10T16:04:00.002-05:00

Family Dog Takes Bullet to Save Family
Dec 10, 2008 03:01 PM EST

Family Dog Saves Family’s Life
The family has no idea why the man broke in or how their dog, D-boy, survived.
By Amy Lester, NEWS 9
OKLAHOMA CITY -- A family dog made a lifesaving move when the family needed him most.
The dog's more than a friend, even more than a companion and family members said he's the reason they're alive.
The family's hero is their dog, D-boy.
Roberta Trawick was sitting on the couch when a man busted in, through the front door.
"He came in, pointed a gun at me and said, ‘Get down on the ground'," Trawick said.
The next thing Roberta knew, her dog ran in from another room, ready to attack.
"I was too scared to move, I didn't know what to think," Trawick said.
But before the dog could get a hold of the intruder, the man started shooting.
"I seen him shoot the dog twice," Trawick said. "He shot him once in the head and he was still going after him and the guy shot him again."
D-boy was shot three times, altogether. The intruder, apparently spooked, took off out the front door.
To donate to D-boy, you can send a check to:
Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Hospital 1800 W. Memorial RoadOklahoma City, OK 73134
* Checks can be made out to VECCA and please add D-boy to the memo line.
"It is amazing, it's amazing that he want after that guy, and that I still have a family," family member Angelic Shoemaker said.
The family has no idea why the man broke in or how the dog survived.
"The vet said if it wasn't for his hard head he wouldn't be here," Trawick said. "He's got a hard head."
That hard headed dog was determined to protect his family, and a family that owes a debt of gratitude to their four legged friend.
"I'm sorry my dog got shot, but I still got my family and we still got our dog," Shoemaker said.
The family now faces another obstacle. They don't have enough money to pay the dog's medical bills. So far, they owe around $1,500.
Police are still looking for the man who shot the family dog. If you have any information, call Crimestoppers at 405-235-7300.

Now what is wrong with this story? It is a great story, with a wonderful, heroic dog. Unfortunately, nowhere in this piece does it mention this dog also happens to be a pit bull.

Measle's Animal Haven Fundraiser

2008-12-04T08:47:00.004-05:00

Please join us on this Saturday, Dec 6 for a fundraiser at Fado Irish Pub in the Easton Town Centre (Columbus), organized by our beloved volunteer and foster mom extraordinaire, Kris McKenna!

*Saturday December 6th, 2008 2-4 p.m. Fado Irish Pub *4022 Townsfair Way Columbus, OH 43219 (614) 418-0066

Events include:

* Silent Auction and raffles, including "Spot the Pit Bull"

* Meet other responsible pit bull owners at a super-cool pub!

* Pit Bull Christmas cards, calendars, T-shirts and magnets

* Breed education and BSL educational materials

* All proceeds from this fundraiser will be used for the care of our rescued dogs

ALSO

Please take a moment to vote and support Measle's Animal Haven. The shelter with the most votes by the end of January will win $10,000 Voting is quick, easy and completely FREE! Please feel free to crosspost the link far and wide!

* Please vote in Care2.com 's "A New Year of Hope for Animals" contest to help Measle's Animal Haven, win a grand prize of $10,000. As you know, Measle's Animal Haven in the only Pit Bull Specific rescue in the Central Ohio area, and we need your help in order to be able to keep helping the dogs. We need your help to get enough votes to help Measle's Animal Haven win.

Please vote here: http://www.care2.com/animalsheltercontest/72020/?refer=28435.04.1228260512.8927"

Thanks for your vote and hope to see you Saturday!

"Goings on" with HELP FIDO

2008-12-03T17:21:00.005-05:00

Although our blog has been a bit quiet the last couple weeks with less frequent posts than we would like, all of us at HF have been busy with some "goings on" behind the scenes. After our work with the City of Whitehall regarding breed neutral legislation, we've become active in that community in other ways - a microchip clinic, educational opportunities at local community events, etc. Our blog has more information about those topics, if you're interested. Most recently, we met with many of the Principals and other School Administrators with the Whitehall City Schools to discuss ways HF can help with after school canine-education programs, science classes and other opportunities. Everyone was very receptive to our ideas and had many of their own ideas as well. More information to come on these events in the Whitehall School district, in the near future.

Additionally, we are very excited to have the opportunity next week to meet with Mr. Bill Bruce - the Director of the Animal and Bylaw Services for the city of Calgary, Alberta. Mr. Bruce has had a tremendous impact on the quality of life for animals in Calgary and has attained some of the best results in the world when it comes to humane treatment and education. Brent Toellners blog post over at KC Dog Blog, from last year, really highlights the achievements Calgary has made. We can't wait to meet with him and get some insight on getting on the road to similar success in Central Ohio.

Time to renew those tags!!!!

2008-12-02T11:30:00.001-05:00

All dogs in Franklin County over three months of age are required to be licensed and vaccinated for rabies. You will need a current rabies tag number to renew or apply for a dog license. You can apply online here . The license renewal period opens every year on December 1 with a deadline of January 31.
You can also purchase a dog license at the Capital Area Humane Society during regular hours.
So go get that puppy tagged!!!

What we're thankful for

2008-11-26T13:43:00.004-05:00

On this day before Thanksgiving, each of us here at HELP FIDO are thankful for many things:

Lisa: "I am thankful for having the opportunity to be surrounded by so many dogs who have taught me such valuable life lessons. I am thankful for having met so many people this past year who have managed to restore my faith in humanity. I am thankful for my kids and the rest of my family who have the patience to allow me to devote myself completely to an issue I feel so passionate about"

Dr. M: "I am thankful for the new people I have met this year and the opportunity to work with them doing something I really enjoy while making a difference. As always my family (my furry family too), friends, good health and my work which I love so much. And ALL of the FIDOS!!!"

Amanda: "My household (Big D, Little L and Verry 'Berry) is very thankful that love will always be stronger than hate, ignorance or prejudice."

Anna: "I am thankful for my dogs, my husband, and my health. All the rest is bonus - and I am thankful for all the bonuses."

Adam: "I am thankful for my family (including all of our dogs) and my friends, who have shared joys and sorrows over the years, but have always stuck together."

Brian: "Thankful to be helping our 4-legged friends, especially those that don’t have many advocates out there. "

We are all helpful to have found each other and to have formed HELP FIDO.

So to all of you (and a month late to Caveat and other friends up north!) -

Happy Thanksgiving!

Aurora, Colorado "pit bull" ban goes to court

2008-11-19T18:51:00.004-05:00

As detailed in this article from the Denver Post, the court case for Aurora Colorado's ban on "pit bulls" started on Monday in U.S. District Court. This is a landmark case for breed specific legislation and could have huge ramifications across the country. Our friends over at KC Dog Blog have an excellent post about this trial.

In Memory of Sandy

2008-11-13T09:47:00.003-05:00

6 1/2 years ago we welcomed Sandy into our home. Sandy was a 12 year old, big white mutt, who found himself facing death row after his elderly owner had died and the rest of the family didn't want him. A lady drove him to us from New York. Had we only known what we were getting!

He arrived scared of EVERYTHING and more than happy to bite anyone who came to close or tried to touch his head. He joyfully proceeded marking every single piece of my new furniture and crating him was not an option. He lived his first year with us trying to squeeze under the couch to hide or trying to get behind coffee tables. We finally got him over that and as the years passed he grew less and less fearful, especially the last couple of years. Still he was never a cuddly, love on me type of dog. He would walk by and wag his tail, or follow me around the yard but he didn't want much hands on contact.

Old age finally caught up with him. He lost his hearing, was losing his sight, losing his strength and ability to stand and was getting multiple tumors. So we finally made the call.

The past couple of months he hasn't really known where he was much less who I was. But today on the way to the vet, that darn dog crawled up to the front seat and put his head on the console and stared at me adoringly with his cloudy old eyes. I don't know if he was trying to guilt trip me or just telling me it was ok but whatever he was doing it turned me into a blubbering mess. I never thought it would bother me so much to let the old guy go. Here's hoping that he is in a better place and having the time of his life. We will miss you Sandy and I thank you for the lessons you taught our family; patience, healing, committment and unconditional love.

New Education Program - Franklin County

2008-11-09T17:29:00.002-05:00

As detailed in this article in the Columbus Dispatch, Franklin County Animal Care and Control is starting a new program beginning in January - "instead of paying a fine of as much as $150 for having a loose, unlicensed or un-vaccinated dog or failing to control a dog, owners will have the option of taking a class on how to be a responsible caregiver." While Franklin County and the State of Ohio have a long way to go to reach the successful programs of a city such as Calgary, this is definitely a good step in the right direction. By educating people, or actually rehabilitating them, we may be making the first inroads towards ultimately achieving more responsible ownership. Another thing that could be impacted by this could be the number of dogs abandonded in the animal shelter. These dogs are often then adopted out IF they pass the behavior test (and IF they are not "of a breed associated with pit bulls"). But that leaves a bunch of "IF's" and ultimately does not address the problems of un-vaccinated dogs running loose. Nor does it address the culture of "throw away ownership" that can be perpetuated with high fines.
By offering an alternative, we hope that many goals will be achieved and that ultimately the dogs of Frankin County will benefit.
Two paws up!

The "First Puppy"

2008-11-05T08:43:00.002-05:00

In Barack Obama's speech last evening, he mentioned that his daughters were going to get the puppy they've been wanting for when they move into the White House. Regardless of how you felt about this election, please consider contacting the Obama's to encourage them to adopt a homeless pet instead of buying from a breeder or something. What a great message that would send for the First Family to adopt a dog from a shelter, humane society or rescue! You can share your thoughts here.

Johnstown, Ohio update

2008-10-25T09:03:00.005-04:00

Johnstown’s Tuesday council meeting was a full house again. Eventually, the 4 pet limit was dropped; although the breed specific and exotic pet limitations were still included. There was one resident that spoke in favor of the 4 pet limit out of the several dozen who spoke against it during to two public hearings and it appeared that she was actually confused about a feral cat issue. We are assuming her thinking, was that by restricting the number of cats a person could legally own would reduce the feral cat population. However by definition, a feral animal is a “wild animal” that lacks domestication. Thus meaning even restricting ownership rights will not reflect a decrease in the feral population.

Aside from several Johnstown residents (including Paula from Second Chance) several other people from animal welfare organizations testified, including a primate vet, a pit bull rescuer, a dog trainer / AKC CGC evaluator, a reptile specialist and a representative from the Licking County Board of Health. Besides pointing out the lack of proponents for the proposed regulations, several testimonies highlighted, that enforcement would be nearly impossible, and that there are STILL several legal issues with the legislation and how it relates to Ohio Revised Code.

At one point the Sarah Philips, Johnstown Village Manager, stated (to the effect) that several portions of the code in question were word for word out of the ORC, which was later pointed out not to be true as the proposed code was actually more intrusive than the ORC, and included additional language. Also through testimony an interesting detail relating to the supposed “pit bull” incident (from this past spring) that started all of this hoopla emerged. Apparently in the official police report there was NO mention or documentation of ‘breed’ relating to the incident.

Without a push from the residents of Johnstown, one is left to wonder, why the need to limit pet ownership rights? There doesn’t seem to be a real problem with pit bulls, rhinoceroses, elephants, lions, cheetahs, or hyenas (yes those were all included along with several others in the legislation) in Johnstown. With so many experts and for the second public hearing on legislation that still contains many problems, it would seem that if everyone would just work together a solution could emerge that satisfies all parties involved. Johnstown seems to have several organizations, and members of the public willing to help. Hopefully they will embrace these organizations and residents of Johnstown to work toward a positive solution that might encourage and promote responsible pet ownership, instead of limiting pet ownership.

The ordinance has been tabled again until Tuesday, November, 4th.

People get ready...

2008-10-24T09:40:00.006-04:00

News is coming out of Virginia that convicted dog-fighter and former NFL pro Michael Vick is planning to plead guilty to state dog-fighting charges. This could enable him to be eligible for early release. THAT would enable him to possibly be picked up by an NFL team and hit the summer training field in 2009.
The thought of this really burns me up inside. First, I am bothered by the fact that he could be released in 2009. I do realize he is serving his time and has paid his fines (including money to support those dogs who were rescued from his dog-fighting house of horrors). But in my heart I feel he can never serve enough time.
Secondly, I am bothered by the possibility of him being able to return to the playing field. I realize this could be a remote possibility...but it is a possibility none-the-less. The NFL commissioner would need to grant him status to play. Then a team (and it would have to be an extremely brave owner and coach) would have to sign him.
Could this happen? Could someone who slammed dogs to a concrete floor until they died, or ordered their electrocution for not fighting well be allowed to have this status in society? Could someone who financed and gambled on heinous, illegal activities be allowed to appear on television in that often heroic status of a professional football player? Could a man who abused, neglected, and murdered animals be given an opportunity to become role-model for children?
There are rumors in the anti dog-fighting world that, contrary to what was hoped, there has been some increase in teens getting into dog fighting. This could be because Vick's conviction, imprisonment, and loss of sponsors is seen as one more way "to keep the black man down," that he might not have, in fact, "deserved" what happened to him. That it happened to him not of his own doing. And that, as had been said by others, if they were his dogs he could do with them what he wished.
Chicago's Tio Hardiman has had success in making inroads to change the culture amongst these kids. And therein lies the brilliance. Simply making an activity illegal doesn't make it stop happening (see everything regarding breed specific legislation!!). One must approach the activity from a 360 degree view and see why it is happening, what makes it attractive and to whom, and what would make it unattractive.
Tio has worked hard to change the culture that these at-risk kids operate in. He makes them see dogs as pets again - not as a commodity or status symbol. Or more specifically - he changes the the interpretation of the status symbol. It becomes "cool" to have a dog who is well-behaved, sociable, and participating in agility or obedience activities.
And a kid can be a kid with a dog again and not a kid with a weapon.
My last comment - if Michael Vick is released there will be a huge movement to contact the NFL and others and ensure that he does not rise yet again to a level of hero.
He has never apologized to the dogs.
He does deserve forgiveness or a second chance.
People get ready. . .

Cancer and Our Pets

2008-10-23T11:09:00.008-04:00

Hey all, Dr. Mandi here again. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Ive decided to dedicate this blog to some general information about cancer as it applies to our pets. I routinely diagnose cancer in dogs in cats to varying degrees. From simple skin tumors that are easy to remove and require no follow up care or treatment, to larger internal or bone masses that require major surgery and sometimes chemotherapy and radiation to treat.

Pets are diagnosed with many of the same cancers as humans, such as, bone cancer (osteosarcoma), breast or mammary gland cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer (melanoma) and do suffer from the spread of cancer (metastisis). Some of these cancers are preventable in our pets. Breast cancer can be prevented, to a large degree, in female dogs and cats by spaying them at a young age (5-6 months). Melanomas and other skin masses that can spread internally (like Mast cell tumors) can be removed providing a very good prognosis if they are found early. Routine examination of pets at home and by your veterinarian can provide early diagnosis and intervention.

Although a diagnosis of cancer can be frightnening for many pet owners, with many of today's medical treatments and nutrition, there is hope. You veterinarian can give you information about your pet's specific disease and give you options for the best course of treatment.

Here is some general information about the disease:

What is cancer? - Cancer is a condition associated with the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells within the body. These cells can form masses or tumors that can create a variety of potetially painful and serious problems. Cancer can be found in any organ. Some types are less aggressive than others and can be cured just by removal of the tumor.

Is my pet at risk?- Many factors can influence the likelihood fo a dog developing cancer.

Age - Nearly half of all dogs 10 years or older will develop cancer.
Breed - Certain tumors are more common in specific breeds. For example skin tumors in Boxers and other Bully breeds, spleen tumors in German Shepherds and Retriever breeds, and bone cancer in giant breeds like Mastiffs.
Gender - Some cancers develop under the influence of sex hormones. Spaying or neutering your pet can decrease the chances of some types of cancers (like breast cancer).
Environment - Exposure to chemicals, such as some pesticides, herbicides and radiation can increase the possibility of cancer in animals just like they do in humans. Exposure to the sun can also increase the possiblity of some cancers in your pet.

What are the signs of cancer in my pet? - Due to the complex nature of cancer, many different signs may indicate the presence of the disease. The following are some of the most common signs.

-Abnormal swellings that persist or continue to grow
-Sores that do not heal
-Weight loss
-Changes in appetite
-Bleeding or discharge from any body orifice
-Offensive odor
-Difficulty eating, swallowing or breathing
-Lethargy or loss of stamina
-Persistent lameness or stiffness
-Difficulty urinating or defecating

If you notice any of these symptoms in your pet, it is important to consult your veterinarian. Althought these symptoms may indicate cancer, they can also indicate other diseases that your veterinarian can diagnose and treat. Also, these may not be the only signs of cancer that your pet could exhibit, so anything that is not normal for your pet should be discussed with your veterinarian as soon as possible.

Just as with humans, early diagnosis and treatment offers the most successful outcome for our pets. Since they cannot tell us what is bothering them we need to be aware of subtle changes in their health and daily habits. We need to be their voice so that we can find the disease as soon as we can and begin treatment.

Well that's all for now. Remember - "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care". This month show how much you care by thinking PINK!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-10-22T17:13:00.002-04:00

Apparently all the cool dogs are doing it.

So - we will too.

Are dogs allowed there?

2008-10-20T16:52:00.003-04:00

Maybe it's just me, but I always feel really bad taking our dogs to the kennel when we're going out of town. They don't really mind the kennel and the people there are great! (quick plug for Blendon Kennels if you're in the Columbus area). But Anna and I still feel bad and we honestly enjoy a vacation or quick getaway more if the dogs are with us which we try to do as much as possible. If you feel the same way, below are some good resources for traveling with your four-legged friend. Also, in recent years more and more places, including many malls and shopping centers, have changed their policies to allow pets (but check first)
Travel & Lodging - Dog Friendly & Pets Welcome
Restaurants & Shopping - Pet Friendly & Dogster

Get your dog microchipped and help other dogs!

2008-10-17T10:09:00.003-04:00

Friday October 17th and Saturday October 18th:
Protect your pets, support canine programs at the Ohio State University!
The Blood Bank in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and the Greyhound Health and Wellness Program are hosting a microchip fundraiser from 5-8 p.m. today (10/17) and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday (10/18) at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Veterinarians promote the placement of microchips in dogs (and cats) to assure that lost animals will be reunited with their owners. The minimum donation of $25 for each microchip includes a $15 donation to the Blood Bank and Greyhound Health and Wellness Program at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Ohio State.

Johnstown, Ohio... got pets? Heads up!

2008-10-13T12:23:00.011-04:00

Last Tuesday night Johnstown Village Council tabled an ordinance that was to limit the total number of pets (dogs or cats) to 4 per household, limit the number of ‘Pit Bull type’ dogs to 1 per household, and place restrictions on ‘exotic’ pets as well.

The manager of the Licking County village, Sarah Phillips was quoted in the Columbus Dispatch saying, “the ordinance was drafted to address problems with pit bulls, but she acknowledged that it could ensnare otherwise-law-abiding animal lovers." Oddly enough the only recent ‘Pit Bull’ incident was in early spring of this year where two unconfined dogs, "presumed Pit Bulls," killed another dog.

Paula with Second Chance Humane Society (located in Johnstown) gave a very thorough and informational testimony. She noted that it was unlikely that Licking County animal control would enforce legislation beyond what is laid out in the Ohio Revised Code, without an addition contract with the village for providing additional services.

Several very informed Johnston residents came out and spoke in opposition to the proposed ordinance. There wasn’t a single person who spoke in favor of any of the measures in the proposed ordinance. Those who spoke agreed the passage of limit laws only guarantees an increase in homeless pets, and people “dumping” house pets in the rural area.

Looks like Johnstown will be making some changes to the proposed legislation and it will be presented again on Tuesday October, 21st.

Here's to Going Above and Beyond

2008-10-06T19:35:00.004-04:00

A good friend shared this storywith us. It seems a church in Weymouth, Massachusetts decided to allow their members to bring along man's best friend for a special weekly worship session. We think this is an excellent way for a community to recognize and legitimize how important dogs have become to some families. However, we had to raise an eyebrow when we read that the church had to increase their in$urance so that pit bulls would be allowed to attend. There are so many things wrong with that we don't know where to begin. As our friend at Caveat likes to ask "How will they know it's a pit bull?" Perhaps the janitor graduated from the same school as the "locking jaws" expert we came across before? Or perhaps the minister would sprinkle holy water on the dog's head to see if it changed colors? The mind boggles!!

This being said, we applaud the church for paying the extra dough so that no dog is discriminated against (or should that read 'no dog is left behind'?).

And with that, we wanted to include a cute photo of Charlotte, who belongs to HF's own Lisa, taking a bubble bath.

Because if a lady is going to go to church, she needs a bubble bath!

October is National Adopt-A-Dog Month!

2008-10-01T07:00:00.003-04:00

This Fall, Adopt A Dog and Rock Your World.

"Big dogs, small dogs, adult dogs, puppy dogs -- you can find them all at your local shelter or breed rescue group. And each one is guaranteed to enhance your life, make you smile and rock your world.

Millions of dogs are surrendered to our nation’s animal welfare organizations every year, not because they are bad or unlovable, but because their owners just couldn’t take care of them anymore. Now these dogs are homeless, and they need a second chance."

If you're interested in adopting a dog in central Ohio, our friends at the Columbus Dog Connection have compiled a list of rescues and shelters (in Ohio) full of lovable dogs looking for their forever homes.

Unconditional Love

2008-09-29T16:00:00.007-04:00

I am having a crappy day at work. Heck - I am having a crappy year.

As with most folks - it impacts how the rest of my life goes. It affects my relations with my husband, my family and my friends. However, it really doesn't impact how my relationship is with my dogs. A friend recently gave me some words of wisdom . . . "You cannot control how others treat you. But you can control how you react to their treatment of you."

Dogs have this luxurious capacity to dwell in the present tense. They are happy you are finally home. They are happy you are feeding them. They are happy you are taking them outside. They are really happy you are talking to them in a strange voice that they don't understand but sounds good.

Their eyes and their tails belie this happiness. The warmth of their bodies are comforting when your world sucks.

I have read many an article, as I am sure you have too, about abused, neglected dogs who are rescued from the clutches of certain death . . . and sometimes from a situation worse than death. And yet, the dogs do not turn on their rescuers. They express happiness in a new found friend. Certainly there are those who have issues moving past what they have experienced. But far and away most dogs respond to the love and compassion that is bestowed upon them by returning it with equal measure. This is no more obvious than in the rehabilitation of the Vick dogs and the wonderful accomplishments they have made. Proof positive (or is that pawsitive?) that even in the "worst" of cases you can drill down to that original depth of emotions in the dog.

And so today when I return home from my awful Monday, bitter and stressed, I know that Sasha and Sparky will be just as happy to see me as when I return at the end of a good day. They will relate their happiness solely to the fact that I am home. In their eyes why shouldn't I be happy too? And when I look into their eyes I will have a hard time remaining bitter and stressed. I will seek comfort in their warm wiggly bodies. I will find humor in their actions and peace in their kisses. I will remember why I go to work...to earn more money for kibble and chew toys :-)

And I will lay my head down tonight and go to work tomorrow with renewed vigor and vitality.

Unconditional love.

World Rabies Day - September 28th

2008-09-29T11:44:00.002-04:00

Meant to post this earlier, but yesterday was World Rabies Day. Amazingly, 55,000 die worldwide every year. More information can be found on AVMA's website. Another page has some great information about rabies prevention and what to do if you are bitten by a dog or your dog bite's someone else.

Another senseless death

2008-09-24T07:33:00.003-04:00

When are people going to wake up and become responsible? In 2007, Youngstown, Ohio passed an ill-planned breed ban which has never been enforced. The ban was put in place to ensure that another child wasn't harmed by a dog with the appearance of a pit bull. Bravo Youngstown. You chose to focus your efforts on one type of dog rather than focusing on the total pet owning population. When you could have been educating and enacting preventative measures, you instead chose to spend your efforts on a witch hunt.

Yesterday a 3 day old baby paid the price. The three day old infant was left alone in a bassinet while the father went to another room. While the father was out of the room the family's Husky grabbed the infant, inflicting multiple bites to the head and neck. The baby was dead at the scene.

Please people, do NOT leave a child alone with an animal....EVER. Why is this such a difficult concept for people to grasp?

Dogs and their routines

2008-09-23T08:46:00.003-04:00

I was reading a post on the Happy Pit Bull blog - about her dog Dozer and how he was depressed when they were packing suitcases for a trip. That got me thinking about all the dogs I've ever had and how they so quickly fall into a routine. For example, every night, without fail, our two dogs get up at 10 PM - looking for their last meal of the day. They could both be crashed out, twitching with their doggie chasing rabbits dreams at 9:58 but two minutes later, at 10, they're both up looking for food. How do they know??? Cracks me up. Likewise, Sasha simply knows when we are leaving - before even heading to the door, just getting ready to leave at a certain time of day and she gets in her crate. It's both sad and funny at the same time. Sparky's usually completely oblivious but that's a whole other story :) Anyway, what about your dogs - do they do anything like that? I'm sure they do, let's hear 'em.

Just do it - get involved!

2008-09-18T11:15:00.006-04:00

I know it's sometimes difficult, when facing a large problem such as dog and cat overpopulation or irresponsible dog ownership, to get frustrated and overwhelmed - not knowing where to start. I've definitely felt that way at times in our work starting up HELP FIDO and other issues in the past (both animal related and non-animal related). However, everyone in HF has come to realize that the key is to simply get started. For example, we had been talking for a couple months about having a low-cost microchip clinic in Whitehall Ohio. After Anna sat in on teleconference with Ken Foster (the author of "Dogs I Have Met" and other books) we followed his advice to "just do it" and went ahead and set a date of September 13th to have a microchip clinic in Whitehall. Some members of HF had done this in the past but we hadn't as a group, so the logistics of everything were a bit intimidating at first. But, with a deadline in place, we had no choice but to make it happen. And the result? A rousing success! We microchipped 44 dogs (just about every breed under the sun) at $10 a piece and everything went off without a hitch; we also were able to talk to people about the importance of spay/neuter and other issues. BTW - if anyone else out there is thinking of doing something like this, feel free to contact me and I'll be happy to give you some advice on things we learned.

Likewise, we've also found that the key to getting involved in your local communities and working to influence citizens, City Council, State Legislatures and Congress is really simple - go to meetings, stay after, talk to your respresentatives, call or email their offices (calls are more effective). Thanks to Brent Toellner, Michelle Davis and others for that piece of advice. Honestly, most people will listen to you and are receptive - not all, but most. Just by doing these things, HF has already accomplished so much in a short period of time and we look forward to doing more.

In Memory of K-9 Officer Marty Martin

2008-09-11T17:50:00.021-04:00

Today has been a difficult day. First, today is the 7th Anniversary of September 11th. This brings to mind many images for all Americans. We should always remember the bravery shown that day by the first responders, police officers, fire fighters, medics and other personnel as well as the people that lost their lives that day. Also, we should always remember the Search and Rescue dogs that served in both Washington and New York City in the days following 9/11, searching for survivors.

Today has been difficult for another reason - a great Deputy Sheriff, Certified Police Dog Instructor, husband, father and friend - Marty M. Martin - died in the line of duty this past Saturday. Marty's funeral was earlier today. There were over 1,000 attendees including hundreds of officers from around Ohio and the country. Marty started a Police Dog kennel along with his wife and some friends a few years ago and some of the K-9 Police Dogs were at the funeral as well - simply amazing animals. Marty's wife, Jody, and Anna (another HELP FIDO board member), are both breast cancer survivors and met a few years ago through work with the Young Survival Coalition. So Marty's death, coupled with what Jody and the rest of Marty's family is going through right now, really hit home for Anna and me. Please keep Marty, Jody, their 6 year old son Kyle, their special dogs ~ Bul, his retired K-9 Unit dog, Charly his competition sport dog, Sydney, Tess, Tak, Tigra and Brita, and many Liberty Hoeve Kennel canines ~ and all of their friends and family in your thoughts and prayers.

On this day of days - a heartfelt thank you to both Marty and Jody for the bravery they have shown in their work and in battling cancer, and being such great people.

**If you would like to read more or for ways to help Jody - you can see Anna's blog.**

Be Part of the SOLUTION!

2008-09-07T20:23:00.003-04:00

Hey all, Dr. Mandi here again saying that if you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem. There are an overwhelming amount of puppies and kittens, dogs and cats across this country without a roof over their heads. There are strays roaming the streets with no shelter or food and no place to call home. The solution to this sad state of affairs? Spay and neuter your pets. Owning a pet is, in my humble opinion, a privilege and comes with certain responsibilities. Spaying and neutering not only benefits you and your family, but your pet and your community.

How does it benefit you?
Spaying and neutering can eliminate or reduce the incidence of a number of serious health problems for your pet that can difficult and expensive to treat.

Spaying and neutering can make pets better companions for you and your family.

Neutering can make it less likely for dogs to mark their territory with strong, foul smelling urine not only outside but also inside of your home.

Spaying a dog (or cat) prevents her from having a heat cycle. Estrus (heat) lasts an average of 6-12 days, often twice a year in dogs. Dogs in heat may appear nervous, can be edgy and sometimes aggressive and can attract unwanted male dogs to your home.

Neutering can make pets less likely to roam, run away, get into fights with other dogs and get hit by a car.

Unsterilized animals often exhibit more behavior and temperament problems than those that have not been spayed or neutered.

Neutering may make dogs less likely to bite.

How does it benefit your pet?
Spaying and neutering helps cats and dogs live longer, healthier lives.

Spaying females eliminates the possibility of uterine and ovarian cancer, and greatly reduces the incidence of breast cancer, especially when your pet is spayed before her first heat cycle.

Spaying can prevent various reproductive tract disorders, such as pyometra. Pyometra is an infection of the uterus that many times requires your pet to be spayed as an emergency procedure. Performing surgery when an animal has a pyometra can be risky and the condition itself can be deadly.

Neutering eliminates testicular cancer and decreases the incidence of prostate problems like benign prostate disease.

How does it benefit your community?
An estimated 8-10 million animals are taken in by animal shelters each year.

An estimated 4-5 million animals are euthanized (put to sleep) in shelters each year.

Tax-payers spend millions of dollars each year to control the unwanted animal population.

Animal shelters are many times filled to capacity and overburdened with surplus animals.

Stray pets and homeless animals may get in to trash containers, defecate in public areas or on private lawns and can spread disease that could potentially make humans ill. They can also frighten or anger people who have no understanding of their needs or misery.

MYTH: It is NOT "healthier" for your dog to have a litter or go through a heat cycle before they are spayed. The opposite is actually true. For each heat cycle your dog has, the chances of her developing breast cancer INCREASES significantly.

MYTH: Your dog is not "missing something" by not breeding or having a litter. They are not sexually motivated in the same way humans are. Guys...your dog does not miss his testicles.

So please people...spay and neuter. I know this sounds like a Bob Barker, Price is Right public announcement, but seriously it is important. As a veterinarian I see the effects of what NOT spaying and neutering can do to a family pet. I recently had to anesthetize a 15 year old dog to spay her due to a pyometra and cystic ovaries. It was a very difficult procedure for her and it took a very long time for her to recover from the anesthesia. I have had patients pass away from pyometra, testicular cancer and breast cancer. These are things that can be prevented. Also, remember that the older your pet is the more difficult the procedure is for them, so by spaying and neutering them at a young age you can save their lives.

That's all for now folks and remember..."People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."

Discrimination during hurricane rescue efforts

2008-09-02T21:34:00.002-04:00

Ms. Donna at BAD RAP has a great post up about the discrimination against "pit bulls" in New Orleans as part of hurricane Gustav rescue efforts. While I certainly applaud the rescue efforts of the SPCA of Texas, it's shameful that they would leave any dog behind simply based on what it looks like (btw - see here about breed identification, that's a whole other story). If a dog is aggressive and cannot be safely rescued during a hurricane or other natural disaster, it's absolutely acceptable and probably unavoidable to leave some dogs behind. But if a dog or dogs really are being left behind simply because they may be a pit bull or look like a pit bull, that's a disgrace. Thankfully, the aftermath of Gustav has been a far cry from Katrina for both our 2-legged and 4-legged friends. Speaking of Katrina, if you haven't already seen this, please check it out - Michelle Davis from KC Dog Advocates posted about their rescue efforts following Katrina in 2005.

Do spayed dogs get hot flashes?

2008-08-30T10:55:00.002-04:00

I wrote this up on my personal blog, so in the art of being lazy I am going to copy it here as a Saturday funny-haha-post.

Our first dog, Maggie, was about 6 months old when we adopted her from Capital Area Humane Society. When we adopted her she was intact, but when we picked her up, as we knew would happen, she had been spayed. For the first couple years of her life she slept in a crate at night. But slowly she made her way into our bed. First she took naps, then when I came home from my mastectomy surgery, she slept at my feet (due to the type of surgery I had I had to keep my knees bent so I used her as a way to keep my knees up), and eventually she slept all nights with us. We always made fun of how wish-washy she was about being under the covers one minute, then out and panting, then back under the covers . . . this would go on through the night. When Sasha came into our lives, we noticed that she too, moved in and out of the covers through the night.

I had hot flashes when I started chemo, and they never completely went away though they did lessen with time. Recently, I had my ovaries removed as part of ongoing prevention and also as a way to finalize the decision not to have children. As fully expected, my hot flashes increased both in frequency and intensity. And I noticed that my nightly temperature fluctuations seemed eerily similar to those of Sasha's.

And so I began to wonder...do spayed dogs get hot flashes? (okay I just got a crazy vibe as I read back through this ending with the question that this post sounds like something out of 'Sex and the City'. I can almost hear SJP's voice in my head as I re-read it!).

I have done some preliminary online research and I am not the first to ask this question. However the answers are incredibly unsatisfactory because they mostly fall into a "no they don't because we are removing their ovaries so no estrogen left to go through menopause." Oh yeah? Because let me tell you, my ovaries are completely gone and I have RAGING hot flashes. So this answer just doesn't cut it.

And how would one know? You can't survey a dog. I discussed this with Dr. Mandi here at HELP FIDO , and she immediately had some good questions one could ask a dog: "Do you find yourself trying to lay on cold tile floors? Do you want to hang your head out the window inappropriately in the winter?"
I asked my mother-in-law about her current spayed female, Belle, and her previous spayed female, Chloe (RIP) and she agreed - both dogs exhibited signs consistent with running hot and cold. And neither of her male dogs have.
I don't quite know where I am going with this other that to say that I find it fascinating!

Puppy Luvuuuuv

2008-08-28T12:58:00.006-04:00

(admin note: posted for Amanda - who still does not have her computer hooked up at home and can't access blog from work. But we love her anyway!)

Here at HELP FIDO, we love dogs. We love dogs with no tails, dogs with bad manners, dogs with one eye, dogs that can't hold their water, dogs with pedigrees and dogs that resemble a heap of spare parts (admin: we even love dogs with only two legs!). We love ALL dogs. We believe that dogs deserve our respect, understanding and compassion. We believe that every dog should have his/her day. So that's part of the reason why we get so hot and bothered when someone decides to deny any dog those rights, solely based on an impossibly hard to nail down breed ID.
Why, our local Humane Society is still nursing a stinging wound courtesy of an individual in Tennessee. CAHS' very own Batman made his debut national television appearance and in doing so, stole the heart of a Knoxville, Tennessee detective.

We had visions of Batman with his new Dad, donning his uniform and ready to roll in a marked vehicle. His potential new Dad even promised us those darling pics, saying he'd be "tickled" to do so. But alas, his significant other succumbed to the media hype and fear that have us believe the problem is the dog. No home for Batman...yet. We'll keep looking. Meanwhile, Batman continues to show us why we do what we do. Sure glad he doesn't know how close he came to being finally "home."
So, to the naysayers, go ahead and keep up with the lies and myths! We're running on pure doggy Luuuv at HF! What could be sweeter?

Happy National Dog Day!

2008-08-26T08:51:00.002-04:00

National Dog Day has two goals: to honor dogs, and to rescue dogs from homelessness and abuse. It's an opportunity for us to recognize and appreciate the value and importance of dogs in our lives.

This day is intended to honor dogs for all that they do for us. In addition to giving love and companionship, dogs help us out in countless ways. They are watchdogs for our safety. They lead the blind. Dogs aid in search and rescue, and they seek out bombs and drugs.

The second goal of National Dog Day is to rescue dogs in need. On occasion, dogs need us to save them from homelesness and abuse. The goal of the National Dog Day foundation is to rescue 10,000 dogs a year. Lend a hand to help a dog in need today, or any day.

National Dog Day

Animal Planet "Animal Witness" Michael Vick Documentary - Not for the Faint of Heart . . .

2008-08-25T15:17:00.006-04:00

. . .or faint of stomach for that matter.

I stayed up late last night watching this new series on Animal Planet. I read Donna's warning on the Bad Rap's blog last week and knew that I would be witnessing some rather graphic dog fighting footage. However, I was unprepared for the gratuitousness of the violence. I literally "threw up a little in my mouth" a few times. I also found myself covering the eyes of Sasha and Sparky (because in my mind this was like a horror film on crack...and even though they are dogs...I just couldn't let them "watch" it).

This morning I found a site for viewer comments to Animal Planet and posted the following statement:

I am writing to express my disappointment in the Animal Witness program about Michael Vick. The middle section was so extremely graphic in the footage of real dog fights that I was almost overcome with nausea. I expected more information such as the details from the case in regards to Vick crossing state lines to buy dogs, and the funding schemes of Bad Newz Kennels. I expected much more in terms of the details of how the dogs have been rehabbed. The last 20 minutes were the best in terms of demonstrating how dogs can come out of this awful situation. Perhaps more time could have been spent discussing the generalities of dog fighting. Some discussion of how laws have increased since the Vick case to help protect dogs might have been utilized. But the gratuitous violence of the dogs fighting…how is this any different than violence on crime shows? To show one dog pinning another down with blood spurting from its neck is, at the very least, needless violence. All this serves is to up the hype and to numb the viewers as to how truly awful it is. Also, why did you outline “how to host a dog fight”? You have provided an instruction manual. I am also disappointed that you included extensive interviews with PETA–who was never actually involved with the case! Also, there was an incorrect statement regarding the number of dogs sent to sanctuary–you stated 22 when it was actually 10. Please consider editing to focus more on the treatment of the dogs. This is Animal Planet – not the Sopranos!
If you would like to send them your own comment you can go to http://extweb.discovery.com/viewerrelations - you will be limited 1,500 characters so I suggest preparing something ahead of time. All that being said - the footage of Leo, former fight dog and now a therapy dog - is absolutely wonderful. And the interviews with the folks at Bad Rap show the real deal. Here's hoping that a few minds get changed this week!

ALERT: From CAHS - Please pass along!

2008-08-25T09:36:00.002-04:00

For those of you living in central Ohio, or if you know of any cat or dog owner who does - please pass along this frightening alert from Capital Area Humane Society:

The Capital Area Humane Society says two dogs were shot with cross bows in two different parts of town.
By Nicole Franks - 610 WTVNnicolefranks@ clearchannel. com
Saturday, August 23, 2008
The Capital Area Humane Society is warning pet owners after two dogs were shot and killed with what appears to be a cross bow. The latest incident happened Friday evening to a 13-year-old German Shepard dog. Jodi Buckman, the Humane Society's Executive Director says the dog was in a fenced backyard near Sawmill and West Case Road. The first attack happened a week ago to a Rottweiler mix near Rumsey and Lockbourne Roads. "We cannot make any assumptions as we continue the investigation as to whether or not these two attacks are related," Buckman said. "Or if they could possibly be related to similar attacks on cats with arrows earlier this year." A reward is being offered that leads to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator. To report information people can call the Capital Area Humane Society's cruelty investigations division at 614-777-PETS ext. 250.

More here on WBNS 10tvHarly, the Rottie mix, did not survive. Readers - this incident follows on the heels of the two cats shot with arrows in April. That crime is still unsolved. If you own a cat who normally goes outside, please consider keeping them indoors for the time being. If you own a dog, please do not leave them out unattended. Protect your family, including your 4-legged members. And if you have any information please call CAHS!

Toy might be DANGEROUS!

2008-08-21T22:05:00.011-04:00

If you think you might have a "Pimpleball w/ Bell" please read the following links and check to make sure your dog is not in danger.

The following quote is from the VP of the toy's manufacturer.

"After reviewing the product we found there to be a manufacturing flaw in the mold. By simply looking at the product the problem is not visible, that is why our QC Department did not catch this prior to the product being shipped. The toy has a large hole on one side and a small hole on the other side. The smaller hole is there to insure airflow in order to prevent any type of suction. At first glance, the ball appears to be fine; it is only when you hold it up to the light that you can see that the smaller hole is not completely open. We have reached out to all of our customers to have them remove this product from their shelves and return them to us. We are reworking all of this inventory to insure that the product functions correctly.

We are also going to post on our website and by any other means we can find to let consumers know that if they currently have this product, they should hold it up to the light and make sure the small hole is completely opened. If it is not, all they need to do is take a sharp object such as a nail and carefully push it through the small hole to open up the airway. Please be assured that we have taken all necessary steps to ensure that a situation like this does not happen again."

You can read the enitre repsonse HERE.

Also you can read about Chai a sweet boy who eventually had to have his tongue amputated due to the injuries from the toy HERE.

I still have yet to find a warning on the FourPaws website, about the possible dangers of this toy.

Another Dog Died Today......

2008-08-20T08:47:00.002-04:00

Today another handsome, muscular, square-headed dog felt the sting of a needle, breathed his last breath, as his eyes became glassy.

Today another once exhuberant, happy go lucky dog is placed in a garbage bag and waits in the freezer to be moved to his final resting place.

Today another dog lost his life not because he was vicious and a threat to humans or other animals but because he made the mistake of pushing open a partially latched door and his owner was financially unable to buy an insurance policy.

Today an 18 month old little boy lost the friend who shared peanut butter kisses and cuddles on the couch.

Today another rescuer shed a tear for you, for not being allowed to be your lifeline.

Goodbye sweet boy. I know you will be missed and will not be forgotten.

The Dogs of HELP FIDO

2008-08-20T07:00:00.001-04:00

Izzy's story:

Izzy is a rescue which a county pound begged us to take. She came to us with her sister and 2 brothers when they were about 8 weeks old, having been labeled "pit bulls" They were quaking bundles of fear and had to patiently be cajoled out of the car.

The day after they arrived they all became really sick with parvo. Her brother Heckle, died 12 hours after becoming ill. Her sister Kota and brother Jeckle survived after being hospitalized a couple of days. Izzy, on the other hand, became VERY sick and was hospitalized over a week. On her 5th day of hospitalization the doctor called and said Izzy is not going to make it. Her temp is very low and she is so weak she can't even raise her head. She is suffering and we should put her down, do you want to be here?

Hubby and I rushed right over. The vet asked if we wanted some time with her before they put her down. Of course we did! We were warned about how bad she would look etc. They carried her in, nothing but skin and bones, wrapped in a blanket and laid her on the examining table. She wasn't moving. I squatted down and got up to her face and started talking to her.

All of the sudden "thump, thump, thump" her little tail started wagging. The next thing we knew she hopped up and started running all over the table and the counter. Full of wiggles and kisses for everyone. The vet called it a true miracle and said if she hadn't have seen it, she never would have believed it. Izzy made a full recovery and was home 2 days later. We decided that if we meant enough to Izzy that it gave her the will to live, how could we ever send her away. So she has stayed and become one of the gang and is a fantastic dog, one of the smartest dogs I have seen. As far as her being a "pit bull"? Nah, not so much but a GREAT dog nonetheless.

The Dogs of HELP FIDO: Louie's Story

2008-08-17T15:02:00.016-04:00

Louis (a.k.a. Lou, Louie, Louis Bean, Sir Louis of Beansworth, Louieboy, Stinkyface, Momma's Boy, and "what did you do??!!") became a part of my furry family in July of 2004. He was about 6 months old.

I first saw this precious pup when he was about 8 weeks old. He had no name and was only called "Puppy" on his chart. I was in my 4th year of veterinary school and working my way through clinical rotations. My classmate was carrying him like a baby through the main hallway to the x-ray ward. You could hear all of the "oohs and aahs" as she walked him down, as students and professors alike were stopping to give him a little belly tickle or to marvel at his absolute cuteness.

His reason for evaluation at OSU Veterinary Hospital was his inability to walk correctly. He hobbled on his back legs and could barely get around. After being seen by the Orthopedic veterinary specialists and being x-rayed, he was found to have a condition called Grade 4 bilateral medial patellar luxation. In simpler terms, his kneecaps were fixed into an abnormal position on inside surface of each of his back legs at the area of the knee. Each time he tried to walk, malformed ligaments would pull tightly and cause him pain and discomfort. This is a common condition of small dogs and usually causes very minimal problems. However, Louie was a larger breed dog and he was one of the unfortunate few that had the condition to such a serious degree that he would require orthopedic surgery to correct the defect.

When Louie's owners were informed of his diagnosis and the surgery required to make him walk normally, their response was this, and I quote: "If he's not going to be an athletic dog then we just want to put him to sleep." My classmate and the residents on the case were, needless to say, horrified at the owner's unemotional and seemingly final decision. They immediately pleaded with the powers that be, and the orthopedic surgeon to take pity on this pup. They managed to persuade Louie's owners to sign ownership over to the OSU Vet Hospital. Louis was scheduled to have surgery under the "good samaritan" sanctions of the hospital, meaning that his care would be paid for from a fund established for just such cases.

Surgery included shaving down some bone, cutting and repositioning ligaments and inserting 2 pins into the bone of each of his back legs. He had a long road to recovery. He spent several months under strict cage rest with physical therapy. Along the way he had this really funny walk where he had his knees turned out and walked on his toes...he looked like a little frog.

So, how did I come to take in this lucky boy? Needless to say I immediately fell in love with him the first time I saw him. And so did everyone else in the vet hospital. I visited him every day, and he frequently spent time in the surgery office, main office, reception area and radiology ward with the technicians. Everyone wanted to spend time with little Louie. I came forward, initially to adopt him for my parents in NY who had very recently lost one of their dogs. The adoption was approved and shortly thereafter Louie (who my parents called "Tre" because he was their 3rd dog) was driven across 600 miles to become a new yorker. Unfortunately, one of my parents other dogs did not approve of Louis and after a period of trying to make things work, my parents did not think they could keep him.

Here is where I come in. Accepting the plight of all veterinarians and vet students of taking in every down and out creature, I adopted "Tre" and changed his name to Louis. The rest is history.

Louis is now about 4 and a half years old. He is the sweetest pup you could ever know and is a real momma's boy. He gets along famously with my 2 other dogs and 5 cats. He is always ready to snuggle, give a wet slobbery kiss (seriously...he gives the BEST puppy kisses!!), or a really great hug. He does have an occasional problem with separation anxiety (its no wonder with all of the time he spent in a cage), but is very happy with his new digs here in Ohio. As far as his activity level and ability to get around, it's like he never had a disability at all. He is EXTREMELY active! Along with loving to play ball and fetch a stick, his other favorite activity is jumping about 4-5 feet straight up into the air.

Although his front paws stick out to the side a bit and his front legs are "bow-legged" because of all of the pressure he put on his front end while he was recovering from surgery, his only real reminder of his ordeal are the small scars on each of his knees. The bowed legs and turned out toes give him character, and I wouldn't want him any other way.

He has gotten me through so much over the last few years, and I couldn't ever imagine my life without him. He is a true inspiration to me. He is my Louie.

Mail Carrier Safety-are they truly concerned?

2008-08-14T08:05:00.001-04:00

Almost daily I hear another report of a Mail Carrier being attacked by a dog. These dogs, more often than not, are animals that are usually confined on their own property be it by fence, chain or behind a screened door. Confined until something or someone provokes the dog enough to jump a fence, break a chain or force its way out a door. I recently sent a letter to the Postmaster General in an effort to address the issue and offer suggestions.

Mail Carriers are in the unique position of being a provocation for many dogs, without meaning to be. There is no other person who “invades” the dog’s yard on a daily basis, usually around the same time each day. This creates an unhealthy and potentially dangerous pattern. In the dogs view, “Here comes that person, walking through my yard again! Now they are closer, oh my gosh, they are on the porch! I must bark and defend this territory and make them leave.” As the dog is barking and behaving in this manner the Mail Carrier finishes delivery and leaves the property. This creates an action/reward scenario for the dog and the dog is conditioned to act aggressively toward the Mail Carrier. This is reinforced daily, six days a week, fifty-two weeks a year. With this level of reinforcement, if given the opportunity, the dog will take it to the next level, resulting in injuries to Mail Carriers. Unfortunately, many dog owners are not overly responsible, and are either not aware or unwilling to take the precautions necessary to safeguard the Mail Carriers.

I am not quite sure why the USPS feels it is necessary to place the Mail Carriers in this vulnerable position when there are alternatives available. Carriers would be much safer if they were able to deliver mail from the safety of a vehicle rather than on foot. There is no reason why mail needs to be delivered to the door. Most neighborhoods are designed in a manner which would accommodate curbside mail delivery via a standard mailbox. If mail theft is a concern, the consumer could purchase a locking mailbox. In neighborhoods where on street parking is the only option, central mail distribution boxes could be installed, similar to those found in many apartment complexes. I am sure the cost of installing these boxes would be much less than the medical expenses incurred by Mail Carriers that are attacked by dogs.

I received a response from the USPS who wrote "We would prefer to deliver mail from the vehicle to a curbside mailbox and avoid the consequences of unwanted interaction between the dog and the carrier, just as you suggest. However, the vast majority of the population does not see it quite this way. We are just finishing a response to a Congressional inquiry as to why we will not deliver to the door of a man whose dog DID attack and injure a carrier. And when we do try to relocate mailboxes to either the curbside or a centralized delivery point we are met with a barrage of hostile letters." "I am sure any major change such as this would face insurmountable objections from the general public as well as their elected representatives."

Can it be? Can those people and representatives who are chanting about "Dangerous Dogs" really have a serious objection to curbside mail delivery? Is slipping on a pair of shoes and walking 50 feet to a mailbox really such an inconvenience? Why is the USPS at the mercy of these people? Why are elected representatives not concerned about mail carrier safety unless a situation can feed into the dangerous breed hysteria? I think the USPS and local representatives need to take a stand and have concern for the carriers. I think the general public needs to get on board and send letters to the USPS and their city leaders in support of curbside mail delivery.

The Dogs of HELP FIDO

2008-08-13T19:02:00.017-04:00

(admin note: This is the second in a series of stories about the dogs who belong to the members of HELP FIDO. These stories will help you to understand why we do what we do. Also - this was written by Amanda Spires but because she STILL hasn't hooked up her pc at home and her work won't let her see blog's - it has been posted by Admin. Maybe someday we will be able to convert her posts over to her name - if she EVER gets online at home!)

Diamond Dog's Story:
Diamond's special. And when I say special, I mean short bus special, different special, backwards special and silly special. He's all sorts of special, folks. He was one of two dogs that bravely took me in a new direction that changed my life. If that sounds overly dramatic, that would be accurate. Even before I met my little alien, I had raised my hand to help a few deserving dogs from our shelter find a new home who would otherwise be put to death for just being something that “could be identified as” a pit bull. "Yea," I thought, "we’ll transfer these guys to all those awesome pit bull rescue groups that are just aching for more dogs to place. It’ll be really easy." Yea, real simple. That bubble didn’t take long to burst. After a few months of disappointing news from inundated pit bull rescue groups, and other groups that couldn’t get involved with “those dogs”, we went back to the drawing board and I found a new passion.

OK, back to Diamond. Diamond lived out an estimated 1-2 years tethered to a chain-link fence in a dusty backyard. His "shelter" was a Vari kennel (the type OK'd to transport dogs in airplanes). As an outdoor dog in Central Ohio, he endured rain, snow, freezing temperatures, broiling temperatures, fly strikes, fleas, sunburn, eye infections and probably some not so nice treatment from our fellow two-legged types. A friend of mine refers to this type of existence as "bird bath terriers" (pit bull terriers plopped in a yard and left to rot there much as an unattended birdbath would). Enter a few amazing animal cruelty investigators (two women that he worships to this day), a search warrant and the local police. Diamond’s fate took close to 1 year to be determined. Since then, over the past 2 and half years, he's been a huge part of my life. I tend to say he adopted me, but truth is the first (and last) time someone inquired about adopting him, I had to turn them down. The idea of him living with someone else was just something I couldn't bear! So, he became my "foster" dog. I think we all know the rest.

He's put on about 10 pounds since then (so he's close to 70 pounds currently) and has clothes now (which he loves, especially the rain coat and his fleece). He's been beaten up by no fewer than 2 cats and has been reduced to a shivering mess by a feisty Shi Tzu. He's my shadow and has learned to put up with a lot of changes in the past 12 months. My dude that loves . . . no . . . clings to routine lost the first real home he ever knew when I didn't renew my lease last summer. I put our life in storage, quit my job and stuffed him and his large dog bed in the car for a road trip that took 4 days to finish. I think people wondered where I found such a backwards, unidentifiable character, but he loved the West Coast sun and we found quiet spots to enjoy together. We're settled once again and his life now includes a new-ish canine lil' bro and a bratty foster puppy. He really does love to wrastle with the youngsters, but every once in a while (like when he gets clobbered by two teenaged pit bulls reenacting the Indy 500 at 11:30PM) I swear I see a look in his eyes that seems to miss that dusty Vari kennel. I know I'll never have another dog like him, and I love him to teensy weensy neurotic white dog pieces!

(Admin note: Amanda started and coordinates the bully breeds adoptable program at the Capital Area Humane Society. )

Busy Weekend!!

2008-08-11T11:07:00.009-04:00

The crew of HELP FIDO was busy this weekend! In addition to our booth last Tuesday for National Night Out, we had a booth at the Whitehall Family Fun Night on Saturday! In total we have signed up more than 70 owners of more than 100 dogs for the planned fall micro-chipping clinic! We are tentatively looking at Saturday September 13th in Whitehall. We are also looking into the possibility of offering low-cost vaccines (including rabies), and Franklin County dog licensing. Additionally, for the two-legged folks, we may be offering voter registration! If you are interested in participating either as an owner, a volunteer (we will need many!), a vet or vet tech to help, or as a donor or sponsor please contact us!! Or if you want to make sure to hear about this and any other upcoming events, volunteer needs, or just stay in contact with us - sign up for our mailing list and Join the Pack!!
We also connected with the folks at Whiskers Animal Welfare. This rescue group shares many of our same goals and has some gorgeous kitties up for adoption. (Believe it or not, reducing the numbers of feral and intact cats can also lead to improved quality of life for dogs!!) They will be hosting a car show fundraiser September 21 in Lancaster and we hope to post more info soon!
While we were busy enjoying the beautiful weather, food and music outside, HELP FIDO treasurer and rescuer Lisa was speaking at a local pit bull expo. Lisa was invited to speak about responsible breeding practices (spay neuter contract!), image control (do you REALLY need that spiked collar?), and BSL. Lisa reports that the dogs were precious and the owners were excellent listeners. We are so thankful she was invited to speak and we look forward to more opportunities to spread this information!
Dog owners unite! Several folks in the blogosphere are reporting on what our friends up in Lucas County / Toledo are doing to get rid of the maniacal Tom Skeldon. Not only are they looking to ditch the dog warden - they are demanding low-cost spay neuter services and educational programs! If you would like to sign their petition go here and consider sending the link to anyone you know who lives in or around Lucas County. The group spearheading this movement is called 4 Lucas County Pets. Also, via comments below from Caveat via KC Dog Blog, Lakewood residents are also starting a petition - this time to repeal their recently approved ban. Go Bucks!

Senior Dogs - Part 2

2008-08-08T20:34:00.007-04:00

Well here it is...Part 2 of my discussion on our aging furry friends. This time we will talk about things that should prompt a phone call to your local doggie doctor when it comes to your aging pups.

Regular veterinary examinations (generally every 6 months for wellness exams) are important for dogs of any age. Many people think annual examinations are sufficient, but more frequent exams may been needed based on your pet's health. If you think about things in terms of human versus dog years, dogs age an average of 7 years for every one human year. Taking a dog to the vet only once a year is about equivalent to a human going to a physician every 7 years. This is certainly not frequent enough to make sure our pets are in tip top shape, especially aging pets.

As a dog ages, signs of potentially serious health problems are commonly overlooked by pet owners as "normal for an old dog". It is much better to err on the side of caution and have anything new or unusual in your dog checked out as soon as possible by your veterinarian. Timing is critical for older pets and as such, it is important to report any changes in appetite, behavior, elimination or any new symptoms as soon as they occur.

Arthritis pain - As previously mentioned in Senior Dogs Part 1, there are many medications and treatments available today to help ease the pain and discomfort of arthritis. There are also certain pharmaceuticals that can help prolong the onset of more serious arthritis pain and discomfort. If your dog is exhibiting problems rising, moving around, getting up/down stairs, limping, or chewing at their joints contact your veterinarian.

Bad breath, bleeding gums - Good dental health is important not only for the teeth, mouth and gums, but overall general health as well! As a dog ages, tartar, gum disease (periodontal disease), and tooth loss are all potential problems. Oral cancers, infections, metabolic diseases (kidney disease, Diabetes Mellitus) are also potential causes for bad breath and oral health problems. Certain disease processes like heart disease/failure, kidney disease and diabetes can actually become more serious as a result of bacteria building up in the blood from dental/mouth infections and disease. It is important to take care of your dog's teeth at any age, but it becomes even more of a serious health risk as they age if their teeth are in poor shape.

Sudden blindness, hearing loss, head tilt / staggering - These signs can be seen with a variety of causes such as infection (nervous system, ears, sinuses), poisoning/toxins, age-related vestibular disease (problems with balance/equilibrium), cancer, etc. If you notice any of these signs in your aging pet you should consult your veterinarian as soon as possible so a diagnosis can be made and treatment can be started as soon as possible. Sudden blindness could be a result of cataracts that develop as a result of diabetes. Cataracts can develop very quickly (over a few days) and you might see very acute changes in your dog's sight.

Change in weight or appetite - Weight loss or gain should be kept track of, as well as any changes in diet or eating habits. Dogs should be fed a diet appropriate for their age and general health. Generally a "senior" type dog food is ok for an aging pet. These diets usually have a lower amount of sodium and protein to keep up with your older dog's changing metabolism and kidney function. Your veterinarian may prescribe a special diet to help treat certain disease processes like kidney, liver or heart disease.

Change in urine output and thirst - Dogs should not drink more water simply because they are old, it's hot out, or they are nervous. The most common causes of increased water intake are diabetes and kidney problems. Urine leakage or having uncontrolled "accidents" also signal problems, either with infection, loss of bladder control, or other underlying disease.
Many of these problems can be treated successfully with medications once they are properly diagnosed by your veterinarian.

Cognitive Dysfunction - Dogs, like humans, can experience age-related dementia. You may see your dog wandering aimlessly through the house, standing in corners or barking/whining at inappropriate times (like in the middle of the night). There are certain medications that can help some dogs with these problems. Consult your veterinarian to see if there is a treatment appropriate for your dog.

Hair loss, itchy skin - This can occur at any age, and should not be ignored whether your dog is 12 days or 12 years old. Dogs can do a lot of damage to their skin by licking, scratching, biting and chewing and can suffer from extreme discomfort as a result of dermatological problems. Some dogs suffer from endocrine (hormonal) diseases including hypothyroidism (discussed in Senior Dogs Part 1) that can cause skin/coat problems. Dogs can also get fleas and ticks at any age. It is important to make an appointment at your veterinarian's office as soon as you discover your dog has a skin problem.

This list is just the tip of the iceberg as far as the problems your older furry friend may experience. There are many, many more things that I see on a daily basis, but these are the most common things you should look for. Generally, if your dog is "not himself or herself" in any way, or if you are seeing anything out of the ordinary, then it is time for a check up at the veterinary clinic! Regular checkups and communication with your vet will ensure that you are doing all you can to help your pet to live comfortably and enjoy his or her senior years.

That's all for now!!

National Night Out

2008-08-06T20:29:00.006-04:00

National Night Out in Whitehall, OH was held on Tuesday August 5th, and HELP FIDO was there.

What a wonderful event it was! Hundreds of Whitehall residents came out to promote safety in their community and we were happy to provide them with a boatload of information on topics like dog bite prevention, spaying and neutering and our upcoming microchip clinic this fall. I am happy to report that we had more than 50 people sign up for the microchip clinic at the event! The Whitehall City Council members all seemed thankful for our participation and many of them visited our booth to thank us personally. We are certainly grateful to them for giving us the opportunity to provide our services to the good people of their city.

The event was such a success we decided to do it all over again this Saturday, August 9th!! HELP FIDO will be at the Family Fun Day/Music in the Park event in Whitehall from 2-9 pm. We will again be providing citizens with tons of information on various doggie topics like those mentioned above as well as others like shelter adoption, vaccinations, pet insurance and many many more! We hope to see everyone there!!!

This is Dr. Mandi signing out!

DNA testing....Aren't we all just mutts?

2008-08-04T10:03:00.007-04:00

BAD RAP reported on this in a great blog about Tank...a mixed breed pup with what Franklin County dog wardens would probably label as a "mixed breed dog whose appearance and physical characteristics is predominately those of any of the dogs . . . or is a combination of any of the dogs listed" including American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and American Bulldog. How they become experts at this is any one's guess. Lisa will be posting a longer blog detailing the ins and outs of Ohio Revised Code and how it is enforced. But I wanted to touch again on the importance of how difficult it is to determine the breed of a dog, and more importantly how that determination is used to decide whether a dog is adoptable or to be killed simply because of its supposed breed and not because of behavior.

Taking a cruise through the Franklin County Dog Shelter's adoptable website - one finds some lovely mutts. This little guy to the left is labeled as a mixed breed - and I am certain he is!! But look at that brindle coat . . . those ears...that big head... dogs like him (especially in Whitehall where everyone is the expert!) might find his very life at stake because he looks so . . . mixed!

Noted in BAD RAP's blog is a recent article in the Boston Globe about DNA testing, and how several shelters in the Boston area are ready to stop trying to identify breeds in obvious mixed dogs and label them as "New England Mutts" (note: Would that mean if done here they would be "Buckeye Mutts"?? Ponder this and get back to me!). Later in the Boston article they tell of an owner who had her dog tested, and whose test results showed a "trace" of pit bull. Hoping to prove a point she asked that her dog's label as pit bull be changed...only to be told by the city's ACO's that the trace was enough. To me, and this is not meant in any way to lessen the drama of their plight, this situation reminds me the civil rights movement. In the very least, the discussion of "trace" ancestry reeks of Nazi-ism.

So - as a reminder - if you or someone you know has gotten their dog DNA tested, HELP FIDO is accruing this information for a research project. You can read more here and you can contact us for more info. Unlike some places in this country. . . all dogs and their test results are welcomed!!

Charity Dog Wash for Measles A HUGE Success!

2008-08-03T20:21:00.003-04:00

Thanks to all the Pack members who turned out to scrub and dry pups at Alum Creek! Over a thousand bucks was raised for Measles Animal Haven. If you missed your chance and wish to make a donation to them you can visit their site.
Special "two paws up" to Celine Brotherton who came up from Cincinnati to help! Woof woof!!
Photos will be up soon on Pitties Place and here so keep your eyes peeled!

Join the Pack this Tuesday night, August 5th, for National Night Out in Whitehall, John Bishop Park, 5pm - 9pm.

To find out about more events and volunteer opportunities, Join the Pack!

The Dogs of HELP FIDO

2008-07-30T12:06:00.024-04:00

(admin note: This is the first in a series of stories about the dogs who belong to the members of HELP FIDO. These stories will help you to understand why we do what we do. If you would like to share YOUR story - please send it to helpfido@gmail.com !)

Sasha's story:

Around November 2005, my job was managing a cancer genetics counseling program at OhioHealth. The counselor (Susan) who worked for us had a friend (Liz) who worked as a teacher in a low-income part of town, nicknamed "the bottoms" because of its propensity to flood. Liz sent this email and a bunch of photos (including this one) out to Susan and some others:
"She was tied up outside of an abandoned house down here by the school and I think that this caused her to have some separation anxiety. She likes to be by your side at all times. She probably would do best in a home with another dog or dogs . . . She is so smart it is scary and somewhat headstrong so she needs someone with alot of patience and knowledge of puppies. If I didn't already have 2 dogs, I would keep her. She really will make a loyal, loving pet for someone. "

Brian and I had another dog, Maggie, a Catahoula who we had adopted from Capital Area Humane Society. We were starting to think about getting another dog and had looked around a little but hadn't taken the steps to venture to CAHS because we knew... once we went we would surely come home with a dog! So Susan forwards this email to me...and I forwarded it to Brian. And both of us basically fell in love at first sight with that big goofy face. Over the next couple of days we learned more we learned more of her story. . . she was initially given to a young woman who ran an unofficial daycare and Liz saw all these kids running all around, hanging on Sasha and pulling on her (as kids will do). . . she weighed less than 20 pounds . . . although she was putting on weight quickly.

Liz brought Sasha by and she and Maggie got along great so we decided to keep her. Maggie was not aggressive but she definitely had enjoyed being queen of the house. Her BFF was a black lab named Madison who, while older and wiser, submitted to whatever plans Maggie had for playtime. Now here her parents are bringing in this young little upstart with endless energy...let's just say it took some work but they quickly became inseparable.

On our first weekend with Sasha, while taking a group dog-nap at a cabin in Hocking Hills, Sasha urinated in her sleep. This happened many times over the next few weeks. We called our vet (at the time -shall remain nameless) and he put her on a drug called phenylpropanilamine (PPA) for incontinence. It sorta worked - but not really.

On New Year's Day we came home from dinner with family. Brian and I each disappeared to change into comfort clothes leaving the pups unattended. I came in to find Sasha had pulled the PPA bottle off the counter and eaten an uncertain amount. Terrified, we called the ASPCA poisen control hotline. They instructed us to have Sasha drink hydrogen peroxide (which she did quite easily!). She regurgitated about 20 tablets...all about half their normal size. Meanwhile the ASCPA folks were still on the line with me and as I was talking with them Sasha's entire body turned bright red and every hair stood straight out. They told us to leave for MedVet immediately. As we rushed in they immediately took her back. If you have ever been in this situation you know the terror of sitting in the waiting room...filling out paperwork through crying eyes...not knowing what is taking place. It is awful and we felt awful! Eventually they came out to tell us that they had used charcoal and gotten whatever else might be left in her stomach - however her blood pressure was still sky high. This was complicated by the fear that when it dropped it could plummet so quickly as to send her into a coma. So they would actually have to keep her pressure elevated at least overnight. We were allowed to see her briefly - still beet red and a little crazy eyed at this point. They sent us home with assurances that they would call us with any changes. Early the next morning I called to check on her - no real changes. We went in and she LOOKED much better. As the day went on her pressure normalized and they kept her one more night for observation but released her the following day with some gentle urgings to find a new vet (which we did!). Thankfully, she recovered fully.

Sasha looked very "bully" to us and others and we were immediately faced with people's instant discriminatory looks and fears. Many people assumed she was a pit-bull. Many people acted frightened of her without getting a chance to know her. This too, provided challenges. When Sasha and I completed an all breed obedience class though, with about 20 other dogs, she was the unanimous choice for most improved! But that experience gave us a taste of what so many bully-type dog owners must face all the time.
We had about one whole year together with Maggie and Sasha. About 9 months after adopting Sasha, our dear sweet Maggie was diagnosed with kidney failure. The photo at the right was taken about 2 weeks before one of the hardest days of our life for our little family. After Maggie's passing, Sasha became depressed and was starting to get grouchy (that is the only way I can describerher). I began searching for a new addition to our family and found Sparky....but that is a story for another day!

Senior Dogs - Part One

2008-07-26T17:13:00.005-04:00

Hello all! My last post was about puppies, so I thought I would balance it out this week and talk a little bit about the other end of the spectrum....senior dogs.

As dogs age there are many things we need to think about in terms of their well being.

What things should I expect as my dog ages?
Each dog is different and ages differently. Larger breed dogs age more quickly than smaller breed dogs. But there are some things you will generally see as every dog gets up there in years.

Slowing down - As your dog gets older you may see him/her start to slow down a bit. Generally you may notice subtle changes in how s/he gets up, lays down, and uses stairs. Is there any hesitation or stiffness? Does a change in the weather (rainy, cold) make it worse? Your dog could be suffering from arthritis. Arthritis is common in dogs as they age, particularly large breeds. Arthritis can occur in any joint, most commonly the legs, hips and spine. There are many prescription medications and joint supplements that can be given to your dog to help ease the pain and symptoms of arthritis. Discussing the problem with your veterinarian will help to determine which drug or combination of medications would be best for your best friend. Your veterinarian may recommend simple blood tests to determine if your dog is able to take certain arthritis medications.

Another potential cause of slowing down is hypothyroidism, an endocrine disorder common in dogs where the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone for your dogs metabolism to work properly. This condition is easily diagnosed with a blood tests and can be treated with proper veterinary care.

Graying around the face, muzzle - Dogs commonly show a bit of gray around the face, or muzzle, at middle age (about 5-6 years depending on the dog). Fortunately, there are no detrimental effects of this color change.

Reduced hearing - As with aging humans, it is common for dogs to lose their hearing to some degree. Sometimes they do become completely deaf. Is your dog hard to wake up after sleeping or does s/he become startled easily if you approach from behind? Does s/he not respond to their name being called? Hearing loss or deafness may be a reason for this. There isn't a lot that can be done for age-related hearing loss, but a veterinary exam should be done to rule out other medical problems, such as an infection, tumors or masses, or foreign objects in the ear. If your dog does experience hearing loss, be sure to protect him/her from hazards, such as cars, children or other animals that s/he may not hear (or see). Dogs can learn to respond well to hand signals. It is a good idea to get your dog used to using these signals when s/he is young so that if hearing loss is a problem later in life these signals can be used instead of verbal commands.

Cloudy or "bluish" eyes - As they age, dog's eyes often show a bluish transparent "haze" in the pupil area. This is usually a normal result of aging caused by the lens of the eye changing shape and is akin to changes that humans experience as they age. Our response is holding the newspaper farther away from our face to see the print. Since dogs cannot read, their response is different. You may see your dog have trouble navigating in the dark, or s/he may not be able to see things well in the distance. The medical term for this is lenticular sclerosis. This is NOT the same as cataracts. Cataracts are white and opaque and can be caused by some disease processes like Diabetes. Vision CAN be affected by cataracts. If you think your dog's eyes look different or cloudy in any way, make an appointment with your veterinarian to investigate this further.

Muscle atrophy - Mild loss of muscle mass (thickness), especially of the hind legs, may be seen with old age. Some muscle atrophy, notably on the head and the belly muscles, can signify other potentially serious diseases. Sometimes a decreased muscle thickness is noticeable when a dog has arthritis in a certain limb or in the hips. If you notice any change in your dog's muscle mass, contact your veterinarian to determine if there is a more serious reason for these changes.

Well that's all for now! Next week part two on our older "furry kids"...until then remember, people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

New source for No Kill community

2008-07-25T11:32:00.006-04:00

Happy Friday! I first heard about the new website http://www.thenokillnation.com/ on KC Dog Blog. Also, I recently finished reading Nathan Winograd's book - "Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No Kill Movement in America". What an amazing book! It tells the history of animal shelters in America and how many of the shelters that were started to be a safe haven, have instead become the place where many animals simply go to be killed. I know that sounds harsh but calling what many shelters do to animals "euthanasia" is not, in fact, euthanasia. It is killing, pure and simple. Thankfully, there is a solution and Mr. Winograd does an excellent job explaining what went wrong and how we all can participate in changing the status quo. I encourage everyone to pick up a copy of this book, available through Amazon and other places on his website.

The No Kill Nation website describes its vision as: " ... to create a portal for an online community of caring people who are working to see a day when no savable animal is senselessly killed in an animal shelter. Each and every person who cares about companion animals has a role to play in helping our nation reach this goal." It's a fantastic gathering place of contributors from various organizations around the country and a place to share ideas, etc.

Verizon's new ad

2008-07-21T18:52:00.009-04:00

Hello everyone - haven't posted in a while, thanks to others in HELP FIDO for keeping up with the blog. You may have heard about this but Verizon Wireless has a new commercial out that shows a guy climbing a fence into a junkyard to get his cell phone and trying to avoid two pit bulls. You can see the video here. Personally, I find it outrageous and have contacted Verizon about this. Thankfully, a lot of dog owners are upset about this and the story has made the advertising magazines. To send your own views to Verizon management - here's a page with the Corporate bigwigs.

Admin edit: Marni Waldren is the regional President of the midwestern area. You can email her directly. Please make sure to let her know if you are Verizon customer. Also - BAD RAP has some nice postcards you can print out and mail in.

Puppies and Kids

2008-07-18T07:00:00.003-04:00

Hello all. Dr M here again with more helpful tips.

Getting a new puppy when there are human kids in the house can be a very joyful and stressful situation all at once. Here are a few tips that can help to make the transition a smooth and safe one.

- First and foremost DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Think carefully about what breed of dog you want, research that breed very carefully (this is extremely important!!) to make sure it is a good fit for your family and lifestyle, decide whether you want to purchase a pure bred dog from a breeder or if you want to adopt from a shelter/animal rescue/humane society, do you want an adult dog or a young puppy, will you have the time to train a young puppy, can you financially afford a new puppy/dog, can you obtain the proper veterinary care this new member of your family needs, if you rent a home/apartment are dogs allowed and are there any restricted breeds, are there any restricted breeds in your city/state and are there any specific home owner insurance requirements for specific breeds of dogs. Do NOT impulse buy!! This is a pitfall I have almost fallen into myself. It is very easy to walk into a pet store and fall in love with every puppy. These are all very important things to think about before going out and getting that little furry bundle of joy.

- Talk to your children about dogs and puppies. You can even get a few children's books about getting a new puppy. Discuss how fragile puppies are and how important it is to train them properly and how much responsibility it is to have a dog/puppy. Involve the kids in the entire process!

- Ask children not to give their food to the puppy and not to feed him/her from the table. This is difficult with smaller children as it is common for bits of food to fall from a highchair but do your best to get this point across.

- Explain that it is very easy for a small puppy to get hurt and there are things that they should not do to and with the puppy. Small breed and "toy" puppies are VERY fragile and can be very easily injured. It is common for me to see small puppies in my office with broken legs because they were dropped or roughly handled by a child. This can be a very painful and stressful situation for the puppy and is usually a very costly experience for owners. So think twice before getting very small or "toy" dogs if you have toddlers.

- Tell children not to pull on puppy's tail, ears or legs and discourage them from touching or bothering the puppy while he/she is sleeping.

- Show kids the correct way to handle/hold/lift the new puppy. Start with small steps like allowing the child to hold the puppy in their lap while sitting on the floor or in a chair.

- Remind children that the puppy is not a child, and as such, cannot engage in certain play activities that they do like going down a slide, riding on a swing or jumping into a swimming pool.

- It is of course also important to involve the kids in the process. Give children small puppy care chores that they can easily manage. For example, filling the puppy's water dish, hanging up his/her leash after a walk, or putting the puppy's toys away at the end of the day.

- Understand that it is the adults in the household that ultimately are responsible for all of the puppy's care and overall well being.

-Teach kids to respect the puppy's "privacy" when he/she is making potty and when the puppy is in its crate.

- Always, always, always supervise children when they are interacting with a dog/puppy. This will insure that both puppy and child are safe and happy.

By following these simple tips, having a new puppy or dog in your house can truly be a joyful experience for all!

When It Comes to Dog Laws....Everyone is the Expert

2008-07-17T20:19:00.003-04:00

For those of you who think 'beyond' the hype of the six o'clock news....our friend Brent Toellner over at KC Dog Blog has a very elegantly written piece about the pitfalls and pratfalls of legislators and legislation. In light of the recent events in Whitehall it holds particular merit with those of us here at HELP FIDO. Check it out here and if you don't have his blog bookmarked - you should!!

Dr. M's Whitehall Meeting Adventure

2008-07-16T18:57:00.007-04:00

Hello all! These are the basics of the testimony I gave on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 at the Whitehall City Council meeting in response to our old friend Jackie Thompson's comments concerning "outsiders" running the city of Whitehall. She made her comments at the previous meeting on July 1st. Here goes.....

I would like to take this opportunity to address some comments made by Councilwoman Thompson at the last public meeting.

I am obviously not a resident of Whitehall. I am what Ms. Thompson refers to as an "outsider". I am, however, a Veterinarian working in Whitehall. I am the Veterinarian mentioned by Ms. Thompson during her butchered, self-edited reading of a post she found on a "pit bull" website. I have quietly sat by watching what has unfolded during meeting after meeting of this council. I have come here with many others, taking time out of our busy schedules, taking time away from out families because of our concern for the citizens and animals of Whitehall. Many of us have friends or family in Whitehall. As for me, a large majority of my clients and patients live here. That makes what happens here very important to me. At first, I attended the meetings so that I would be more aware of the situation for the sake of my clients and patients. However, as I learned more, I wanted to get involved. Living most of my life in NYC, and practicing there for several years, afforded me the opportunity to work with many "pit bull" type breeds and as such, I thought I could help to make some positive change here in Whitehall. I must say that I am very pleased with the passing of the new ordinance. But, I know that we have a long way to go with enforcement.

Although many council members expressed that it was what Whitehall citizens said to them that swayed them to vote "yes", I think that what the "outsiders" did in public and behind the scenes was also very important.

I also must say, Ms. Thompson, that you yourself have many times in this forum quoted information and statistics obtained from "outsiders", and mentioned incidents that occurred in "outside" communities when it suited you to support your point of view. However, you vehemently scorned "outsiders" when you addressed the public at the last meeting. I find this the epitome of hypocrisy.

I have spoken to many members of the Whitehall community regarding BSL, and although many are opposed to it, they are reluctant to come forward in public to the council for fear that they may become direct targets for Ms. Thompson and her supporters. This is a downright shame that people should have to feel this way. As a result, many of us "outsiders" thought it would be the right thing to step forward and assist Whitehall citizens in having their voices heard, as well as to be a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves...the animals.

Also, what happens in Whitehall does not necessarily stay in Whitehall. Individuals from other communities are interested in what happens here because they do not want BSL to come to their municipality.

Aside from my clients and patients residing in this city and my overall concern for them, I also pay Whitehall taxes. So, whether or not you like the fact that I live elsewhere, that alone should make my opinion matter to you.

In addition, I think that Whitehall residents, council and most importantly the MEDIA should be less concerned with "outsiders" who are trying to make positive changes and be more concerned with impostors who are touting imaginary credentials and posing as "experts". Just because someone gives themselves a title does not make it so. Before believing what a person says and taking what they say as gospel, or better yet, putting what they say in print and reporting it to the public as fact, please do your homework and check into their background. Whether they claim to be a veterinarian, behaviorist, an animal rescuer, or what have you.

I think that now that this animal ordinance has passed, EVERYONE needs to work hard to put it into practice to make Whitehall a safer place for its citizens. My hope is that Whitehall will become a model for other communities to follow when it comes to bite prevention, safety, public education and proper animal care.

Thank for your time.

Well, that's it folks. I also have a couple of side notes to add. During my reading of this statement as well as while other individuals (like our own Adam, and a Whitehall citizen who has been very active in the recent events) were reading their own statements, Ms. Thompson donned her familiar smirk and folded arms and occasionally whispered to fellow councilwoman Leslie LaCourte. She was her usual disrespectful self. She then accused the public last night of attacking her and continued on her tirade against "pit bulls", the Whitehall city budget, etc. UNTIL....city attorney Mike Shannon left quietly (I'm not sure if that was in response to Ms. Thompson's comments) and then THE MAYOR pretty much stormed out without a word during her usual anti "pit bull" escapade, followed by the city auditor Kim Maggard. That cut Ms. Thompson short as she seemed quite embarrassed. I never thought anything could stop her ranting...but this pretty much did it! Overall a very entertaining meeting. That's all for now!

Genetics and Dogs or…HELP FIDO’s DNA Study

2008-07-14T13:21:00.007-04:00

This week there has been quite a buzz in the news about a recent study from the University of Pennsylvania on canine aggression. Brent Toellner over at KCDogBlog did a great write up on it that, if you haven’t read, you should do so now! A major problem that I have with the whole story, as covered by the media, is that the study has yet to be published. As far back as May of this year you can find references to it being published “this week” in the Applied Animal Behavioral Science journal. However, I have access to journals and I can tell that even in the upcoming August edition it does not appear. I am a HUGE believer in reading the actual science article in a peer reviewed journal before I form an opinion. Unlike many of our elected officials…I believe in getting my facts from the source and not from a media account.

But I digress.

From what I can discern from the limited information available so far about this study, it shores up what many anti-BSL advocates have been saying for a long time…you cannot create policy based solely upon the breed of a dog because breed means little. You MUST evaluate each and every dog on its individual behaviors. Genetics has always fascinated me. In my former “day job” position at a Columbus healthcare system I managed the Cancer Genetic Counseling program. Being a young cancer survivor, I was tested early on for a genetic mutation associated with breast cancer. I tested negative, however because I had great counseling I understand that this does not mean I don’t have some sort of familial condition that might have put me at risk. In other words, as much as has been learned about genetics…the unknown is far greater. That is how I came to be interested in canine genetics and the various breed tests and mixed breed “panel” tests that are currently being marketed.

Then a story aired on “60 Minutes” about human genetics and ancestor discovery. A key point made in this story is that you don’t have to go back very far in your own pedigree to see that one individual can have multiple influences such that it is nearly impossible to nail down where you “came from.” For every generation your DNA sources double: 4 grandparents, 8 great-grandparents, 16 great great-grandparents, 32 great great-grandparents…you get the picture. In case you don't - if you go back just 20 generations you have more than one million grandparents!!

Along those lines, HELP FIDO has embarked on a research study looking at breed identification subjectively and with DNA. The hypothesis is that, absent a pedigree, one cannot determine with any consistent accuracy the predominant breed of any one dog. Therefore, it is unconscionable to set policy based on a breed rather than behavior, because the penalty of being wrong is a death sentence for the dog in question.

We are doing this by collecting DNA results, photos, and narratives from owners of dogs of any breeds (with a focus on those dogs determined to be bully breeds). One outcome of this project will be to analyze how DNA results correlate with previously put-upon breed determinations. A perfect example of this comes from Jennifer Thomas over at happypitbull.com. She posted a story about her DNA test results for Dozer and I commented back about our study, shamelessly soliciting for her results, which she has generously supplied. Reprinted here with her permission is some fascinating information about what Dozer has been labeled:

"Dozer is usually somewhere between 80 and 87 pounds (he should be 80 lbs at healthy weight) and stands about 26 inches at the shoulder. Though it’s hard to tell in the photos, Dozer’s body is really not very wide or muscular; it reminds me more of a Lab’s body than a pit bull’s body.When we adopted him (as a little puppy), the shelter said he was a purebred pit bull, and told us he wouldn’t get larger than about 50 lbs. We went for a second opinion when he was about 8 months old, and a pit bull rescue group worker said he was not a pit bull at all—he was a Dogo Argentino. Though everyone at our vet office has generally acknowledged he’s a pit bull mix… Another vet .. said he was obviously a 'Lab mix of some sort.' And one time, a really clueless stranger at Petsmart marveled at our 'white Rottweiler.' "

And Dozer’s DNA results? According to his Mars Mixed Breed Panel test “Dozer ancestry contains distant traces of American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier, Bulldog, and Dalmatian. There are also faint signals from other breeds which are not strong enough to identify.” And yet in some cities in our country Dozer would be banned because he might possibly have some physical characteristics matching those of a pit bull.

Another outcome will be to develop a test using photos and DNA results. This test will then be taken by animal control officers, dog wardens, veterinarians and techs, animal rescue workers, and lay people. The test will be on one’s ability to determine the predominant breed of a dog based on the physical characteristics (photos) alone. Unlike the “Find the Pit Bull” tests which give you a 50% chance of guessing correctly, this test will ask the subject to determine the dogs’ predominant breed. We will then analyze the results looking at consistency associated with training, background, education level, etc. versus the DNA results.

If you would like to participate or have further questions about the study, please contact us at helpfido@gmail.com.

Fascinating stuff!