Spring Issue - Published Quarterly Spring 2008Vol. 25 No. 1

What’s Inside: PageFrom the Executive Director ............................................ 2Our Newest Program - Spay Washington ........................ 2President’s Message .......................................................... 3sNOwBALLS ...................................................................... 3Meet Your Match ............................................................... 4The Canine-alities ............................................................. 5Pawsitively Spokane ......................................................... 5Happy Endings .................................................................. 6Sit Up & Beg ..................................................................... 61st Annual Pets Are Family Too ....................................... 6How You Can Help .......................................................... 7Adopt-A-Cat Month ........................................................... 8Baby Acclimation Project .................................................. 9Unwanted Dogs ...............................................................10Top 10 Reasons to Leash Your Dog in Public ...............11Good News Alert .............................................................11Basil Barks ................................................................. 12, 15What Is My Dog Saying? ..................................................13Paws-n-Poles 2008 ...........................................................13In Loving Memory ............................................................13Purrs, Licks & Tailwags ....................................................14Pet Sponsors .....................................................................14

Companion Animal News

April 15th, 7PMLuigi’s - 245 W. Main Ave

Please plan to attend the AnnualMeeting where current projectsand upcoming events will bediscussed. Baked ziti - ziti pastatossed with Ricotta cheese andMarinara sauce, and baked withMozzarella, Provolone andCheddar cheese - will be servedwith salad and garlic bread.

To RSVP for this meeting, pleasecall SpokAnimal at 534-8133, ext. 200.

Annual Meeting Notice

On the morning of March 18th, Officer Walker respondedto a call about an injured dog at Perry Street and 3rdAvenue. He located the pup and transported him back tothe shelter. The pup wouldn’t use his right rear leg, soOfficer Walker requested that SpokAnimal’s veterinarian Dr.Lisa Branford take a look at the little guy. Through all hispuppy licks and tail wags, she diagnosed a badly brokenleg. She prescribed pain medication to ease his suffering.

In the mean time, the officers had a tip on the possibleowners and left a door tag for them on March 19th. No oneever called or came in looking for their missing familymember. The pup sat in the shelter, patiently waiting. As itturned out, his waiting was in vain.

The puppy became a favorite of all the employees withhis injured leg and sad brown eyes. He reminded me of myadopted dog, Chewy, that had passed away years before.We named him Chewy, in hopes that we would be luckyenough to get a second chance at life.

Days passed by, when his 72 hour hold was up, x-rayswere taken of his leg. It was much worse than any of ushad thought. The possibility of euthanasia loomed over our

Lucky To Be Alive

continued on page 3

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~ OUR MISSION ~SpokAnimal C.A.R.E. is a non-profitorganization dedicated to promotingkindness and consideration for animalsthrough education, to reduce petoverpopulation through sterilization,and to establish programs and shelteringwhich meet national standards.

TUNE IN!SpokAnimal is featured on:KREM Ch 2 Tuesday noon newsKXLY Ch 4 Tues. & Fri. on Good Morning NWKHQ Ch 6 Saturday morning newsThe BOB Catch us on Tuesdays at 4:30 pm

Board of DirectorsPres: Christel Carlson

Vice Pres: John Dorwin

Sec: Kimberly Kamel

Treas: Barbara Grant

Regina Winkler Linda Jacobs

Kay Nash Dori Peck

Mary Ronnestad

Advisory BoardTerri Atkinson Lori Humphrey

Cynthia Schwartz

Location:SpokAnimal C.A.R.E.

N. 714 Napa • Spokane, WA 99202

Phone:(509) 534-8133 • Fax: (509) 535-9630

Website:http://www.spokanimal.org

Shelter Hours:Adoption Center:

10AM-6PM ~ Mon-FriNoon-4PM ~ Sat-Sun

Licensing / Front Desk8:30AM-6:30PM

24-hour Lost Pet Hotline232-2230

Issues of SpokAnimal’s Companion Animal News are now available fordownload online at “http://www.spokanimal.org!”

From the Executive Director…Dear Friends, I hope youwill join the Staff,Board and I atthe SpokAnimalAnnual Meetingthis year. Wehave some trulyexciting thingsgoing on that wewould like toshare with you.

This newsletter is filled with informationon projects and programs, but that is justthe tip of the iceberg. You will soon behearing about the Amnesty Program wherewe have reduced fees to assist people inspaying their pregnant cats without bring-ing more unwanted animals into the world.You will be hearing about Spay Yo Mama,where people who bring in litters ofpuppies or kittens would have the oppor-tunity to have their mama spayed for freeto eliminate the chance of another litter.You will hear about SnipPit, a programwhich will sterilize over 425 male pitbullsin our area. You will hear about mash

clinics to be held on a monthly basis inareas where we have the largest stray turn-ins and areas in need. And you will hearabout our first ever sNOwBALLS eventwhere we sterilized over 60 male cats inone day, along with more being done atother area clinics. You will hear aboutSpayWa, a state-wide referral center forreduced fee sterilization of pets, a programthat has been funded through April 2008with grant funds. You will hear about ourdaily outreach activities to help placemore of our animals for adoption. All theseand more programs help us on a dailybasis to reduce intake, increase adoptionsand help our community. And you willhear from representatives from the ASPCAas to how the Mission:Orange grant isgoing. I promise you it will not be justanother boring meeting. Come join us!

Gail B. MackieExecutive Director

Our Newest Program - Spay Washington!Spay Washington is a statewide

referral network for low cost spay/neuter services. Participating veterinar-ians or clinics lower their pricesan average of 15-50% for our clients.Many people in Washington are unableto afford to spay or neuter their pets,even though they want to do the rightthing for their pets and their commu-nities. Please, help us reduce theeuthanasia of healthy, adoptableanimals by assisting pet ownersthroughout the state by donating toSpay Washington today. Please be sureto write “SPAY WASHINGTON on yourcheck. For more information, contact,Angela Scheres, Program Director,miracles@spokanimal.org, 534-8133,ext. 210 or visit the website atwww.spaywa.org”.

SpayWA has many clinics in ournetwork in the Spokane area:• TLC Veterinary Clinic- NEW!• Blackhawk Veterinary Hospital- NEW!

• Millwood Animal Clinic- NEW!• Mountain Empire Veterinary Clinic-

NEW!• Spokane Humane Society’s Beulah

Morgan Spay and Neuter Clinic• PetSavers- Low-Cost Clinic• SCRAPS- Voucher Program• SpokAnimal C.A.R.E.- Low-Cost

Clinic/Voucher ProgramSpayWA is looking for veterinarians

throughout Washington State to join ournetwork. Please go to the ‘Contact Us’page to request a veterinarian packet.

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Dear Donors,Our incredible staff continues to make

excellent progress with adoptions andreclaims. The ASPCA program ‘Meet yourMatch’ debuted for our dogs in Februaryand it has been interesting for adopters tofind out their ‘color’ and just which dogthey would be ideally situated to adopt.Come by, find out ‘your ideal match’, seeour staff in operation and join in oursuccess by taking a new family memberhome with you!

Dr. Lisa Branford and clinic staffhelped make our part of the city wide‘sNOwBALLS’ cat neuter day in Januaryvery successful by performing over 60 catneuters at our shelter (city wide total was245). We will continue to target on amonthly basis an expanded spay/neuterprogram with an additional clinic day.Our first “Spay Yo’ Mama” is sponsoredfinancially by SpokAnimal Board ofDirectors members (Thanks everyone –John, Barbara and Tracy – time, brainpower and money too!). This program, inconjunction with Spokane City steriliza-tion vouchers, will offer free spays topeople who bring in a litter of puppies/kittens. We would love to have you oryour business sponsor one of these events

President’s Messagefor $1500. Call Gail for more details on justwhat you could accomplish for yourcommunity as well as your business.

We appreciate the heartfelt supportand donations (cash and supplies) manyof you brought during our last fundraising cycle. These funds are directedinto programs that directly benefit theanimals. We were awarded a grant fromthe ASPCA which is allowing us toupgrade our computers, improve ouroutreach materials, send staff to addi-tional training and seminars and ingeneral help us interact in a much moreorganized and professional manner. Beassured that every dollar you send us isstretched to the maximum and reallymakes a difference! Be sure to keep aneye on our website for updates on ouractivities, calendar of upcoming eventswith opportunities to volunteer and ofcourse the animals available for adoption.

The upcoming annual meeting withbe April 15 and we hope to see you there.We will have some exciting announce-ments (adult and junior volunteers ofthe year, business of the year, etc.) andwelcome the opportunity to share in moredetail with you some of our dreams andhopes for the future.

Spring is here (despite the weather)and that means it is puppy and kittenseason. Spay or neuter your own pet (theywill be healthier and a better citizen) andencourage others to do the same. I’mproposing a rebate program – for everyanimal you either bring in or the ownerslist you as the referral source for that wedo a paid (cash or voucher) spay/neuteron we will award you a $5 ‘Pawsitive’credit. This credit can be applied towardan adoption or other spay/neuter. Pleasehelp prevent unplanned pregnancies andthe thousands of lives they represent.We are trying so hard to increase theplacement of our cats and reduce intakenumbers; we are currently in all areaPetco and Petsmart stores each week.Volunteers are desperately needed forthat program. New programs include anexpanded TNR (trap/neuter/release)program for healthy feral cats and ournew ‘barn cats program’. Please call us ifyou need to have your pet spayed orneutered and you feel that you can’tafford it. We have programs, donateddollars, vouchers etc and we CAN make itaffordable for you to prevent thoseunplanned pregnancies.Christel Carlson, Board President

They braved the snowiest day onrecord in over a decade, but at the endof the day on Saturday January 26,sNOwBALLS was hailed as a hugesuccess. Between SpokAnimal, PetSavers, and the Spokane Humane Society,over 350 cats were neutered. Pet Saversalone did over 127 surgeries – almost likea MASH unit! All three shelters togetherdid 245 surgeries. (Pet Savers did 127, SHSdid 57 and Spokanimal did 61.) Betweenthe swiftly falling snow, the communityturned out in large numbers to make thissuch a success. Our deepest gratitudegoes to the many pet owners that madethis event a priority. We are all so thankful to all of theveterinarians and vet techs that braved themany inches of snow to make this eventsuch a success. One thing that wasreported from each facility was that themajority of cats being neutered were fullgrown breeding age males. We plan oncomparing the numbers this spring to last

sNOwBALLS!spring to benchmark the difference thisevent made.How much of an impact did this oneday make? One number we’d like to share is howmany potential cats have we preventedbeing born. Based on the averages pro-vided by the HSUS that a female can haveup to 3 litters per year with 4-6 kittens perlitter (we’ll use 5 for our number.) If theseboys fathered only 3 litters per year, overthe next 5 years, approximately 19,050kittens would be born. Wow! Throughour staff and volunteer’s hard work anddedication we just prevented almost 20thousand kittens from being born. Great job everyone!

Chewy. The employees refused to giveup on him. They contacted many ofthe wonderful veterinarians in town tosee how much it would cost to fix it.The break was so severe, a specialistwas recommended. We tried one more– Dr. Mark Fosberg at Indian TrailAnimal Clinic. He was kind enough tosave our Chewy’s life, by removing thebroken leg. Chewy will be in fostercare until he is well enough to beadopted.

SpokAnimal was only able to saveChewy with the help of donationsreceived for our “Lucky to be Alive”fund. Please donate and help us helpour injured and homeless animals!

Lucky to Be Alive(continued)

Call 534-8133 if you wouldlike to donate to the

Lucky To Be Alive Fundand Help Save a Life!

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Meet Your Match

Meet Your Match! The ASPCA’snational signature program was launchedin Spokane on February 14th and istaking off! Find out if you are a purple,orange, or green today!To whom it may concern,

On April 10, 1866 the AmericanSociety for the Prevention of Cruelty toAnimals® (the ASPCA®) was founded,creating the first-ever humane society inthe western hemisphere.

This year, on April 10, 2008, high-profile New York City buildings and land-marks will light up in orange to honorASPCA Day and the animals we serve andprotect. To celebrate this occasionnation-wide, we ask you, along withcities across the country to ‘Go Orange forAnimals’ on ASPCA Day by joining us ina celebration aimed at promoting adop-tion, preventing animal cruelty andinspiring animal lovers nationwide tospeak up for those without a voice.

We hope that you will join usin celebrating our four-legged friendson April 10th by choosing to participatein any of the following ways that

are feasible:1) Decorating your shelter in orange

(orange ribbons, orange lighting, etc)and sending us photos for use on ourwebsite and in marketing materials.

2) Include a paragraph about ASPCA Dayon your website or in your newsletterand ask your community for help in‘Going Orange’ on April 10th.

3) Spread the word about ASPCA Day bydownloading ASPCA posters (avail-able online at www.aspca.org/aspcaday) and posting around yourshelter and at adoption events, pet-friendly businesses, etc.

4) Purchase ASPCA orange pet bandanasfrom our online store and outfit yourshelter animals in them for pictures tobe used on our website, and in ourmember magazine.

5) Contact your local media and alertthem to the fact that you are taking partin an effort that is recognizing thehuman-animal bond and promotingadoption nationwide.There are many benefits to joining

our campaign:

SpokAnimal officer Ken Trambitas takes a call at the KHQ helpdesk as area shelters answered questions about Meet Your Match.

• You will be bringing awareness to theplight of America’s homeless animalsand helping to create a world free ofanimal abuse and neglect, overpopu-lation and abandonment.

• The lighting promises to garner muchattention from both the public andmedia.

• Photos and information on participat-ing buildings will be included on theASPCA’s website

• The ASPCA’s e-newsletter, which goesto nearly 750,000 people, will featurethe eventWhile headquartered in New York,

the ASPCA’s National Outreach programprovides advice, information, grants andtraining seminars to animal protectionorganizations and shelter professionals inall 50 states.

Please log onto www.aspca.org/aspcaday for more information. We hopethat you will join us in what promises tobe a very special day for animals, and thework that we all care so deeply about onApril 10th.Sincerely, Melissa Treuman

The Meet Your Match program was launched in Spokane onFebruary 14th.

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green orange purple

Which are You -Green, Orange or Purple?

I think everything is fun, interestingand meant for play, especially you.Anything you do, I’ll want to do too.With my own brand of surprise, lifewith me will keep you constantly onyour toes, and the fun isguaranteed.

life of the party

Intelligent, independent, confidentand clever, I prefer making myown decision but will listen to youif you make a good case. We’repartners in this adventure. Treatme like one and we’ll both livehappily ever after.

free spirit

Want to get more exercise? Action ismy middle name. My “Let’s GO” life-style will motivate you to get outsideand move I’m just like the sunburning and working 24 hours,seven days a week. I will run formiles, chase a ball for hours and stillwant to play at the end of the day.

go getter

Pawsitively Spokane!Three Groups. One Cause. Working Together to Save Lives.

Come to any of the threePawsitively Spokane shelters to

Meet Your Match!

SCRAPS, SpokAnimal and the SpokaneHumane Society are “Working Together,Saving Lives” and are collectively callingthemselves Pawsitively Spokane!

Our three organizations all sharethe same cause and are working togetherto end euthanasia of adoptable petsin Spokane County. The PawsitivelySpokane team has a new website atpawsitivelyspokane.com. The drivingforce behind this great idea was receiv-ing the designation by the ASPCA® as aMission Orange ™ target community.Only five communities across the United

States last year received this honor. TheASPCA is focusing the bulk of itsresources to aid animal welfare effortsand education in the target communities.In addition to providing such resources,the ASPCA will invest up to $200,000 inSpokane towards capacity-building andrelated animal welfare efforts as deemednecessary by the community leaders, toassist these communities in not justbecoming, but maintaining, “humanecommunities.” Overall, based on shelterstatistics, the common goal will be toincrease the community shelter adoptionrate by at least 10 percent by the endof 2008, and toward a 75 percent ‘saverate’ for the community shelter partnersby 2010.

The momentum for working togethercame when the groups received theMission Orange designation but it wasthe positive attitude and willingness towork together that gave birth to thePawsitively Spokane idea.

Shy yet charming caninesearching for patient owner withrelaxed life-style. Looking forgentle guidance to help me comeout of my shell. Treat me sweetand kind and I’ll blossom.

wallflower

I’m a fun-loving, happy-all-the-time, glass-is-half-full kind of doglooking for someone who loves tolaugh and play around. Must havea great sense of humor and abunch of tennis balls.

goofball

I’m a naturally playful, curious andtrusting canine. Take me for a longwalk every day and give mesomething to do. After my job’sdone, I’ll curl up with you in theevenings. I’m a dog on a mission toplease you and myself.

busy bee

Looking for an emotionally secure,mutually satisfying, lowmaintenance relationship? I am allyou need. Let me sit at your feet,walk by your side, and I’ll be yourdevoted companion forever.

constant companion

Like the easy life? Then I’m theperfect match for you. I’m a relaxed,laid back kind of dog who enjoyslong naps, watching movies, curlingup on laps, and walking very shortdistances from the couch to thefood bowl and back.

couch potato

I’ve got the whole package - smart,fuzzy, four legs, love to learn andlive to please. Go ahead, teach meanything. Sit, stay, balance yourcheckbook, I can do it all. Keep meentertained and I will be yoursforever.

teacher’s pet

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Happy Endings ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Good Morning,Several years ago (maybe 6), some-

one from Diamonds in the Ruff helped usout with our annual auction. The organi-zation was WAMPUM and it was held atthe downtown (what is now) DoubleTreeCity Center. Anyway, we had put togetheran Adoption Package that included arescued pup from SpokAnimal along withassorted certificates for training, board-ing, food etc. and someone fromDiamonds actually picked out the pup forus and then brought him to the auctionand showed him.

That puppy is now my best bud“Sparky” ... the sweetest little guy in theworld. I now have 3 rescued dogs!Michael Bagley

Sparky

Gail,Here are some pictures of Joey

(cocker) and Lilly (St. Bernard) that wereadopted by my family members last year.

Joey goes everywhere with Mark andlikes to visit Mark’s Grandma at herassisted living center.

Lilly is now 80 lbs and loves her newbuddy Bart - our 180 lb Newfoundland.She is a big love and is full of energy,

Joey & Lilly

which keeps Bart from being lonely afterthe loss of his Pyrenees playmate.

I will try to get more pictures of Joeyand some commentary from Mark abouthim, and also some pictures of Bubba(Pomeranian) that I adopted for my Dad.He is adjusting well and gets along greatwith Wendy, his new playmate. (a blackPomeranian)Christine Porter

WE NEED -• Simple Green & Swiffer Wet

cloths

• Double sided mop buckets,mop heads and handles

• Blankets and towels

• Commercial washer and dryerfor clinic and receiving

• Bleach, bleach, and morebleach

• Wet floor signs

• Office supplies, writeable CD's

• Vacuum cleaner

• Bathroom tissue, paper towels

• Photo paper

• Laminating sheets

• DVD-R disks

• Thumb drive 1.4gb

• LCD flat panel computer moni-tors (not the huge bulky ones)

• Volunteers to do follow-up callsto adoptors

Dog/Cat Enrichment Program• Volunteers to stuff Kongs, providing activities to pass the time for those who wait.

• Cheez Whiz (kong stuffer)

• Peanut Butter (kong stuffer)

• Large rawhides (temperament evaluations)

• Small kitty toys or ping pong balls

• Canned food fordogs/puppies

• Dog toys and all sortsof treats and goodies!!!

• Cat and dog kennelsponsors (See form onpage 7)

Sit Up & Beg

1st

Annual

“Pets are

Family

Too”

April 19, 200810 a.m. til 2 p.m.Dream Dinners328 N. Sullivan RD, Ste 3Spokane, WA 99037(509) 924-4044

Dream Dinners and Liberty Lake Pets

Sitters are teeming up to host a fund-

raiser to benefit SpokAnimal. Bring an

item to donate to SpokAnimal and

Dream Dinners will provide you with

the experience of creating a Healthy

Homemade Entrée to take home to

your family as a thank you for

supporting SpokAnimal.

7

HOW YOU CAN HELPSpokAnimal is a non-profit and tax-exempt organization.All contributions, donations and gifts are tax-deductible.

MEMBERSHIP: for just $20 per year youreceive our great newsletter, know youare helping animals gain new and lovingforever homes.

GENERAL DONATIONS: any denomina-tion, funding amounts will be carefullyused towards our area of greatest need.

LUCKY TO BE ALIVE: whatever yourheart wants, your financial donationssupport individual animals for specializedveterinary services far beyond our normallevel of excellent care.

INDIVIDUAL CAT SPONSOR: $25 MINI-MUM, donation is applied directly to theadoption fee of hard to place cats. A cardis placed on the kitty condo announcingyour sponsorship. The card is mailed toyou after adoption. You may choose thecat you sponsor or let staff pick one.

INDIVIDUAL DOG SPONSOR: $25 MINI-MUM, donation is applied directly to theadoption fee of hard to place dogs. A cardis placed on the doggie dorm, announc-ing your sponsorship. The card is mailedto you after adoption. You may choosethe dog you sponsor or let staff pick one.

YEARLY KITTY CONDO SPONSOR: $75FOR 2008. A plaque with your sentimentsis placed on the condo for one year.Renewal option is available at end ofsponsor period. Repeat sponsors will

be so designated. Only 54 available, soact fast.

YEARLY DOGGIE DORM SPONSOR:$100 for 2008. A plaque with your senti-ments is placed on the dorm for one year.Renewal option is available at end ofsponsor period. Repeat sponsors willbe so designated. Only 61 available, soact fast.

OUTDOOR GET ACQUAINTED RUNS:$1000 FOR 2008. Only 3 of these areavailable. You will receive banner signageon the very busy Napa street, one blocknorth of Trent, mention on our website,one year membership to SpokAnimal,subscription to the Companion AnimalNews.

TRUCK DISPLAY ADVERTISING: $250PER MONTH, 24x24 inch signs on theback doors of the animal control trucksthat drive about a hundred miles per day,200 days per year. We have great artworkfor the signs, with a tag line for yourbusiness. Get noticed.

OUTDOOR GROUP PLAY YARD/EVALUATION AREA: $2500 FOR 2008,ONE ONLY. You will receive large bannersignage on the very busy Napa, one blocknorth of Trent, mention on our website,one year membership to SpokAnimal,subscription to the Companion AnimalNews, lunch with the President and

Executive Director of SpokAnimal. Thisis a great area for group play, located inthe fenced area of the newly purchasedadjoining property. This is a great displayarea for your business and wonderfulfor us.

VOLUNTEER: Volunteers are needed tohelp here at the shelter and at offsiteevents! Help find homes for these animalstoday! Hours include: Monday-Friday10am-6:30pm or Saturday-Sunday 12pm-4pm. Also below are listed some newvolunteer opportunities where you couldhelp out at local events coming up inSpokane:• REI Grand Re-Opening• PetSmart & PetCO Adoption Days• Pet in the Park Day• Senior Wellness ExpoBe Part of Our Solution - contact KaciWinkler at (509) 534-8133 EXT. 210 oremail at kaci.winkler@yahoo.com or askat the front desk to get started today!

FOSTER HOMES NEEDED: Kitten andPuppy Season are fast approaching. Weneed more foster homes to handle theinflux of babies that we will be getting.Often these guys just need a coupleweeks to grow and socialize to becomeavailable for adoption. Please contact ourFoster Coordinator at 509-534-8133, ext.207 Monday through Thursday from 8:00am to 6:30 pm if you are interested infostering for us.

Name ___________________________________

Address __________________________________

City_______________ State____ Zip ___________

Day Phone ________________________________

Evening Phone ______________________________

Please Help Save A Life - Become A Kennel SponsorPlease fill out the information below and mail along with your contribution to:

SpokAnimal C.A.R.E. •  Kennel Sponsor • P.O. Box 3151 • Spokane, WA 99220

Important: your message must fit in the squares below:

(make checks payable to SpokAnimal C.A.R.E.)

If you have further questions, please contactSpokAnimal at 534-8133.

✁

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American Humane’s Adopt-A-Cat MonthCelebrated each year in June, Adopt-

A-Cat Month encourages people to adopta cat from a shelter. This year, Adopt-A-Cat Month is sponsored by 9Lives®Morris’ Million Cat Rescue™, a campaignled by 9Lives® Cat Food’s own Morris®the Cat, who was originally rescued froman animal shelter in Chicago in 1968.

Beginning in the Fall of 2006, 9Lives®Cat Food and Morris® the Cat, supportedby his newly adopted pal, Li’l Mo™ (thefirst rescued cat in a million) kicked off anationwide mission to find loving homesfor 1 million cats. To deliver on thispromise, the 9Lives® brand built its veryown custom Mobile Adoption Center thatallows partner animal shelters to conductadoption events at local venues in topmarkets across the country. In June,9Lives® Cat Food tripled its commitmentto cat adoption by launching two moremobile tours dedicated to supportinglocal shelters and saving cats’ lives. Withstops now totaling over 400 at both localretailers and major events, it’s just anotherway 9Lives® Cat Food is dedicated tothe cause of cat adoption. To learnmore about 9Lives® Morris’ Million CatRescue™ and how you can help, visitwww.9lives.com/.” 9Lives® is donatingto shelters every time you buy 9Lives®Cat Food.

Celebrate the age-old grace andbeauty of cats! Adopt a feline friendduring American Humane’s Adopt-A-CatMonth and all year long!

Every spring and summer, animalshelters receive dozens of litters ofkittens. These kittens are in addition to allthe adult cats who find their way into theshelters. Animal shelters don’t have the

space or the resources to take care of thatmany animals. Out of the millions of catswho enter shelters each year, only aboutone in four are adopted into loving homes.In fact, most of them – more than 70percent of them – must be euthanized.This is why American Humane’s Adopt-A-Cat Month was established.Why adopt a cat?

Everyone knows that pets can reduceyour blood pressure and help preventheart disease. But cats can provide ben-efits that other pets can’t. Here are someother reasons to adopt a cat:• Having a cat fights depression and

loneliness.• Cats are entertaining to watch and fun

to play with.• Cats provide companionship.• Cats will cuddle up with you on a cold

evening.• Cats are independent and can be left

alone while you’re at work.• A cat’s mere presence will ward off

unwanted mice and pests.• Cats are comfortable in small spaces

like apartments.• Cats are very clean; they bathe them-

selves!• A cat’s purr is instantly calming and

relaxing.• Cats are affectionate.• Just 15 minutes a day of playing with

you will satisfy a cat.• Cats are easy to house train, especially

adult cats, who are probably alreadyhouse trained.

• Cats bring a little bit of the wild intoyour house.

• Indoor cats and spayed/neutered catslive long lives, providing up to 20 years

of companionship.• Cats are cheaper to spay/neuter than

dogs, especially big dogs.• Taking care of a cat can help teach

a child responsibility and humanevalues.

• Lots of cats need good homes; whenyou adopt one, you’re saving a life!

And don’t forget these important catcare steps once you’ve adopted your newfeline friend:• Spay/neuter: If the animal shelter you

adopt from does not spay or neutertheir adopted animals, take your cat toa veterinarian for this simple proce-dure. Your cat will actually be happierand healthier for it, and you won’t haveto worry later about finding homes fora litter of kittens.

• ID Tags: Your cat can’t carry a wallet,so he needs a collar with an ID tag.Even if you keep him inside, he couldslip out one day and become lost, andyou may never see him again. Includeyour name, address and phonenumber on the tag.

Improve your life with a cat’scompanionship, and combat the tragedyof overpopulation! Visit your local animalshelter to adopt a cat!

Follow-up from last issue’s “Kitty Acclimation Project” - Nemo & Bugs are now best buds!

9

Baby Acclimation ProjectWe’re having a baby and have to get rid of our dog…By Karen Hertel

My name is Karen Hertel and when Iwas growing up was not allowed to havepets. When my husband and I weremarried and bought our first house, webought a dog, a Malamute we namedSasha. (Yes, we bought a dog, but sincethen I have had many lessons about dogsand rescue when I found my first dumpeddog over 14 years ago!)

We had dogs for years before wedecided to take the plunge and havechildren.

At the time we decided to havechildren, we had Sasha, Maggie andNikooshka. All were Alaskan Malamutes.Sasha I was not worried about, norNikooshka with kids. Maggie, we wereworried about. Maggie did not like kidsor fast movement of anything other thanan adult. Nor did she really like otherdogs. We got pregnant right away and Irealized I had to work with Maggie. Ieven had thoughts of having to put herdown and that even made me workharder to make this work! I could nothave that happen to my Maggie – Maggiewas my little girl who had issues and wastimid herself and I had worked throughall of them with her for years and I wasnot about to give up because we decidedto have kids!

I bought a doll that cried, and then Ibought a doll that ate and drank. I letMaggie, Sasha, and Nikooshka check thedolls out and I never pushed them away.The doll would cry, and drink and I letMaggie check this all out! I wouldsnuggle with Maggie and the doll while Iwas pregnant, letting Maggie get used tothe noise and the noises that babies makewhile eating, and check out the diaper ofthe doll, too.

We went to parks where there werekids and we just sat and watched from adistance. As I got bigger in my pregnancyand could feel movement, I had Maggiewith me and had her sit with me andput her paw on my belly so she couldtell something was up. All this time, Ipracticed the yoga breathing so not tohave any feelings of being nervous withthe dogs.

The big day came, it was time to goto the hospital. I had a normal birth andKyle was born. As soon as Kyle was withme and was nursing, he had a dirtydiaper. Keith took the diaper and Kyle’s

Pups who learn to love kids early have abetter chance of being great with kids laterin life.

dirty clothes home to let the dogs, mainlyfor Maggie to sniff and check out. Keithdid NOT pull it away. Maggie checked itout thoroughly. All three dogs were verygentle with the dirty diaper and clothing.We did this for the 2 days I was gone andstayed in the hospital.

When I came home with Kyle, I saton the couch and let Sasha, Nikooshkaand Maggie smell the new baby Kyle. Inever pushed them away, but firmlyheld Kyle safely in my arms. Keith wasright next to me watching, and beingvery careful with what the dogs weredisplaying, which were no signs at all.Maggie was not as relaxed at first, butshe was not showing her nervousness asshe has shown with little kids she hasseen in the past. Maggie was relaxing,as we were relaxed and letting her bepart of the family!

I knew it was going to be ok onenight when Maggie performed a miracle!Maggie would not let me go to sleep onenight. Finally I got up and followed her toKyle’s room. Kyle had thrown up andwas on his back. Maggie knew and shetold me – to me that proved to me thatthings were going to be OK! Maggie is theperfect example of a dog who can beworked with and trained when you areplanning a family or even when there isthe surprise of a family! There are ninemonths to prepare and if I can do it – socan you!

Maggie proved over and over to be agood kid’s dog and she learned from ourkids too to trust other people’s children.To this day, she is excellent with kids.She will be 15 in Feb. 2008.

It will take time and if you love yourdog, you can make it work!

About the Author andPreparing for Baby

Karen Hertel lives in Sagle, ID andshe and her husband Keith created“Sasha’s Legacy of Idaho Siberianand Malamute Rescue” and haveworked with the Panhandle Animalshelter in Sandpoint for 14 years.Karen’s kids help her with all thedogs that come to her and know togo slow with the timid ones, bring-ing many compliments on how herchildren treat the dogs and catswhen they visit the shelter.

To contact Karen you can call: (208)255-6331 (cell) or go towww.petf inder.com/shelters/sashaslegacy.htm or email atalpenglow@sandpoint.net.

Also check out “Preparing Fido,” aCD filled with the baby sounds thatyour pet is most likely to hearwhen you bring baby home. TheCD contains recordings of babycrying, babbling, cooing, gigglingand screaming, plus a 13-minute“variety” track that contains a com-pilation of the various baby sounds.

Included with the “Preparing Fido”CD is an instructional booklet thatcontains important tips and recom-mendations from The HumaneSociety of the United States aboutlovingly preparing your pet for thearrival of a baby.

This highly recommended CDis available for $16.99 plus $4.00shipping and handling and canbe purchased online atwww.preparingfido.com.

If you have any concerns aboutyour child’s safety around thefamily dog, we urge you to seekprofessional help, immediately.

10

Unwanted DogsIan Dunbar PhD, MRCVS

At eight weeks of age, many puppies already have incipientor existing behavior and temperament problems. Most puppiesare severely under-socialized, even though the Critical Period ofSocialization is already nearly two thirds over. Few puppies arehousetrained or chew toy-trained and hardly any have beentaught to come, sit and lie down. By the time they enter puppyclass at 12-18 weeks of age, most puppies have alreadydeveloped significant behavior and temperament problems thatare already beginning to strain the puppy/owner relationship.Problems increase and rapidly worsen as the puppy collideswith adolescence, whereupon many dogs are surrendered toshelters for re-homing.The Problems

The developmental course of behavior, temperament andtraining problems is all too common and usually starts with twosimple problems – house soiling and destructive chewing – twoutterly predictable and easily preventable problems.

Puppies leave their original (breeder’s) homes at eightweeks of age – when the Critical Period of Socialization is nearlytwo thirds completed. Certainly, many breeders do a brilliant jobsocializing, handling and training the young pups. However,some do not. Indeed, far too many eight-week-old puppies areun-socialized, un-housetrained, un-chew-toy-trained and haven’teven been taught to sit or lie down. For many of these puppies,their future already looks bleak.

If not immediately trained in their new homes, the puppieswill eliminate anywhere and everywhere and chew anythingand everything (as they have become accustomed to doing intheir previous home). Un-housetrained and destructive puppiesare often relegated to the backyard by the time they are four tofive months old. The puppies continue to eliminate and chewindiscriminately, and soon learn to learn to dig, bark and escapein their quest for some form of occupational therapy to pass thetime of day when left in the yard alone. The lonely puppiesbecome stressed and bored. When occasionally invited indoors,they are overcome with excitement and express their joy byenthusiastically circling, barking and jumping-up and so, theyare invited indoors less frequently. When neighbors complain ofthe excessive barking, the dog, now a six-month-old adolescent,is further confined to the basement or garage. With nothing todo in solitary confinement, the dog destroys the basement.Living in social isolation, the dog begins to de-socialize and isnow less inclined to want to greet his owners during their briefand increasingly infrequent visits. The dog becomes wary andharder to catch and may become agitated and snap and lungeif approached. By eight-months of age, the dog is abandoned orsurrendered to a shelter to be re-homed.

Rehoming unwanted adult dogs is an extremely expensive,time consuming and labor intensive business. Also, rehoming isnot always easy or successful. Many shelter dogs carry significantbehavioral baggage from the lack of training in their previoushome(s). Whereas most behavior problems may be resolvedfairly quickly and easily with appropriate shelter training, dogswith temperament problems, such as anxiety, aggression, anduniversal fearfulness, often take months, or years, to rehabilitate.

For many unwanted shelter dogs, re-homing is simply notan option.

The SolutionThe time to rescue unwanted adult dogs is during puppy-

hood. All unwanted shelter dogs were once perfectly normalpuppies. Friendly and mannerly (socialized and well-trained)puppies stay in their original homes and don’t requirere-homing.

When choosing a puppy at eight weeks of age: owners mustrealize that all puppies are different. They may carefully chooseone that is well-socialized and well trained, or they might selecta “lemon” – a puppy that is already so developmentally retardedthat they will be playing catch up for the rest of the dog’s life.

At eight weeks of age, all puppies should be: well-socialized,especially to children, men and strangers; eager to approach;easily handled; housetrained and chew-toy-trained; and at thevery least trained to come, sit, lie down, stand and rollover.

Having chosen a puppy at eight weeks of age: owners mustappreciate the enormous urgency for the puppy’s socializationand training over the next few weeks and months. There is somuch to do and so little time to do it. The most pressing itemson the puppy’s educational agenda are: Socialization, socializa-tion and socialization – especially with children, men andstrangers; and errorless house training and chew toy training toprevent excessive barking and separation anxiety.

Regardless of breed or breeding, owners will make or breaktheir puppy during his first couple of weeks and months at home.With timely and appropriate education and training, the puppywill survive, and thrive, to thoroughly enjoy spending his sunsetyears with his wonderful owners.

Obviously, some puppy owners will require much moreguidance than that offered on dogSTARdaily.com, but at leastaccess to dogSTARdaily will keep the puppy on the right trackuntil the owners come under the expert tutelage of a trainer inpuppy class.

Early socialization and education will not save every puppybut it will save most, keeping them in their original homes. Andcertainly, preventing problems during puppyhood is consider-ably easier and quicker and a whole lot more fun than theprospect of trying to rehabilitate and re-home an unwanted two-year-old dog that is universally fearful and snaps at strangers.

Please forward this email to every prospective and newpuppy owner that you know.Thank you, Ian Dunbarwww.dogSTARdaily.com

11

Top 10 Reasons to LEASH Your Dog in PublicIt’s the LAW!In many areas, it is the law that dogs mustbe on a leash. Many of the reasons for thisare found below. It can be very costly ifyour dog is seen by an officer or ranger orif your dog is involved in an incidentwhile off leash.

Aggressive DogsJust because your dog is friendly does notmean that the dog he’s meeting is nice. Ifthe aggressive dog is on-leash and bitesyour off leash dog, you will not be able tocollect any money for your dog’s vet billsand you will likely be fined for havingyour dog off leash, even if your dog doesnot survive the attack.

Fearful PeopleMany people of all ages are afraid of dogs.Not only is it rude to allow your dog tofrighten people, it could cost you. If yourdog causes a fearful person to get hurt intheir attempt to get away from your dog,you could be held liable for their medicalbills. People have a right to protect them-selves from a perceived threat, so even ifyour dog is friendly, if they see it asaggressive they can hurt or kill your dogin self-defense and you have no legalrecourse.

ChasingYour dog could chase wildlife into astreet. If your loose dog causes an autoaccident, you can be responsible for thecar repairs/injuries. If your dog chases a

child into the street, your problems couldbe much more substantial.

PoisonYour dog could get into something poi-sonous like antifreeze or into dangeroustrash like cooked chicken bones beforeyou can stop it. This can cause large vetbills or death of the dog.

Ban on DogsIt is often the actions of just a few irre-sponsible people that cause local govern-ments to ban dogs from a popular area. Ifyou break the rules or laws, you are oneof those irresponsible owners regardlessof the training level of your dog.

Mind of Their OwnDogs have a mind of their own and evena well trained dog can choose to disregardyour “Come” call. Please don’t rely ononly training to contain your dog andkeep him/her safe.

All Dogs Can BiteWithout a leash, you have no control overthe situations your dog could get into. Ifsomeone threatens your dog to a pointthat it feels it needs to defend itself, yourdog could bite. This could cause you to beliable for the injuries caused by that bite.

Small Dog = PreyOften times people feel that because theirdog is small, it’s OK to let them run free.Many small dogs have been killed by

bigger dogs because they are seen as aprey animal. If your small dog is off leashwhen it gets attacked and possibly killed,especially if the attacking dog is on a leashor contained in a yard, then you may haveno legal recourse for compensation.

It’s the Responsible Thing To DoWhen you are in public with your dog,you are representing all other dog par-ents. People will judge all dogs by yourdog’s actions, especially people that don’town dogs or that don’t like dogs. As a dogparent, you have certain responsibilitiesthat should not be ignored. Keep yourdog safe by keeping a leash on. Many ofthe people you see on the news with dogsthat caused horrific situations never ex-pected that they would be in that situa-tion. No one expects to be the parent ofa dog that causes a death or that gets killedor that bites someone. However, you cangreatly reduce your chances of that hap-pening if you act responsibly and as anambassador for good dogs everywhere.

- Reprinted with permission fromDogScouts of America. For more info go towww.DogScouts.org

Animal loverand gardenerAndrea Fontenothas launched ano r g a n i c s e e dcompany , theMax Seed Com-pany, to raisemoney for spayand neuter forcompanion ani-mals. All profitswill be donatedto spay and neu-

ter. According to the Humane Society ofthe United States, each year in the US “we”euthanize as many as 4,000,000 dogs andcats for want of a home.

The lovely models used for the MaxSeed Company package covers areAndrea’s pets Max, Ruby and Lily. Maxgraces the cover of all vegetablepackages, Ruby the flowers, and Lily –the cat – is of course the Cover Girl forCatnip. Max Seed offers 33 varieties in2008, all available on line atwww.maxseedcompany.com.

The Max Seed Company is certifiedOrganic Handler by Oregon Tilth.Ultimately the Max Seed farm willgrow a portion of seeds on at the existingflower farm in Shelton, but in themeantime all seeds are purchasedfrom other organic growers. The onlyvariety of seed not organic is the 2008Catnip. The Max Seed line of seeds are

Good News Alertavailable for retail outlets. Contactandrea_fontenot@maxseedcompany.comif interested in carrying the Max Seeds.

In addition donating all profits fromMax Seed to spay and neuter, Andrea isa licensed real estate agent workingin south Puget Sound. She will be donat-ing 15% of each commission to ananimal control organization in the countyin which the property purchase or saletakes place.

Andrea Fontenotandrea_fontenot@maxseedcompany.com(360) 870-3993120 State Avenue NE #247Olympia, WA 98501www.maxseedcompany.com

12

Dear Basil.My eight month old dog is becoming aggressive

around people. It started when he was about 6

months old - at that point he was just barking and

growling at people he didn’t know. Now he seems

better at first, but now he seems to be waiting until

they get close enough and then snaps, or he’ll let

them pet him and then go after them when the turn

to leave. I’ve tried scolding, correcting with the leash

and being the pack leader by taking him down on his

back. Help!

Signed,

Hasn’t Bitten ... Yet

Dear Not Yet,Of course, when ever dealing with serious behavior

problems, step one is to get one-on-one help from a behavioristor professional trainer who specializes in positive behaviormodification techniques. Given your dog’s age, it is likely thatthe source of your dog’s defensive reaction is fear. Stop allcorrections and focus on building confidence and helping yourdog feel safe.

Part of the problem could be the solution. At first scolding,corrections and “dominance” moves appear to be working.“Knock it off!” and the dog is shocked into silence. He barksagain and you escalate the correction. He may be quiet again fora moment, but it isn’t solving the issue – and it’s likely makingit worse.

“Even when punishment seems mild, in order to be effectiveit often must elicit a strong fear response, and in such cases, thefear response can generalize to things that sound or look similarto the punishment. Punishment has also been shown to elicitaggressive behavior in many species of animals. Thus, usingpunishment can put the person administering it or any personnear the animal at risk of being bitten or attacked.

BASIL BARKS

SpokAnimal’s Official Pet Beha

viorAd

viso

r

Basil

Sometimes You Need toSeek Professional Help!

More Basil Barks on page 15

Punishment can suppress aggressive and fearful behaviorwhen used effectively, but it may not change the underlying causeof the behavior. For instance, if the animal behaves aggressivelydue to fear, then the use of force to stop the fearful reactions willmake the animal more fearful while at the same time suppressingor masking the outward signs of fear; (e.g., a threat display/growling). As a result, if the animal faces a situation where it isextremely fearful, it may suddenly act with heightened aggressionand with fewer warning signs. In other words, it may now attackmore aggressively or with no warning, making it much moredangerous.”American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior

✁A Special Memorial or Tribute Gift

Donor’s Full Name: ______________________________

Street Address: _________________________________

City: ___________________State: _____ Zip:_________

Daytime Phone: (_________) ______________________

Amount of Gift $ ________________________________

In Honor of: ____________________________________

In Memory of : __________________________________

Special: _______________________________________

Pet or Person: __________________________________

Send Acknowledgement to: _______________________

Comments: ____________________________________Cut out this form and send to: SpokAnimal C.A.R.E.

at 714 N. Napa • Spokane, WA 99202

13

Paws-n–Poles 2008On a beautiful winter day on Mount

Spokane, dog lovers on skis gathered for afun day with man’s best friend at ourannual Paws-n–Poles event - and raisedmoney to help those who wait for homesin our adoption center.

Would like to know more aboutyour dog’s body language? Diamondsin the Ruff offers a monthly dog bodylanguage lecture featuring a 3+ hourpresentation with video and stills ofdog body language. Presenter CarolByrnes is SpokAnimal’s educationdirector. The next date is April 11 at6:30PM at Diamonds in the Ruff, 2925N. Monroe. Visit the website to register- www.diamondsintheruff.com.” Costis $35 per family. Mention SpokAnimaland $10 of your tuition will be donatedto the shelter.

In Loving MemoryRalph and Peggy Scott-Jan and Johnny Humphreys

“Simba”-Lorriane William-Jan and Johnny Humphreys

“Roca”-Inga Jablonsky

“Mathis”-Heather Hubert

Virginia Dem-Ann Shaw

Ethel Weathermon-Harold Meyers-Gerald and Dawn Goertz

John Bradfield-Donna McKinstey

Julia Lackey-Teresa Simon

“Kelly and Trooper”-Carolynne Myall-Sydney Chambers

“Big Sam” Huppin-Shirley Keefer

“Sheba” “Bugsy”-Carol Ellsworth

Lu Fisher-Verla Conklin

Karen Llewellyn-Don and Marlene Brown

Richard Dean Rowbotham-Kevin and Diana William-Wendy R.R. Burroughs

“Slick”-Brenda and Gerald Beckham

“Meerkat”-Bonnie and Buddies

“Nickey”-Kris Mote

“Tigger”-Sheila Anderson

Katie A. Lake-Rahi Weinstock

‘Beyond Grand’ pet therapy cat“Pamberi” - missed by Diana Roberts- from all of us at Diamonds in the Ruff

In Honor OfChristine Gillette & Caya Sires-Linda Thielman

What is My Dog Saying?

14

Purrs, Licks & TailwagsThank you!Thank You Volunteers! Thank You! Toeveryone that has helped me with off-site events! You guys are the best and Iam so happy to have you guys workingwith me! You have truly helpedSpokAnimal succeed in so many ways,and have helped dozens of homelessanimals find homes. I couldn’t havedone it without you!• Sandee Ditt• Heather Horn• Amber Eide• Lauren Zuckerman• Bonnie Kongchunji• ReaAnne Currie• Brooke Trca• Nessa Johnson• Jessica Springer• Tyler Halverson• Chelsea BransfordSincerely, Kaci Winkler (SpokAnimalCARE Volunteer Coordinator)

To our wonderful and dedicated Boardof Directors who are the heart of theorganization, and extra special thanks toboard members John Dorwin, BarbaraGrant and Tracy Aikens for funding

the first round of BEAT THE HEAT-SPAY YO MAMA! They personallydonated $1100 to kick off the fund.

Central Valley High School recentlyhad a fund raiser for SpokAnimal, called“Pennies 4 Pets” organized by PEACE(People Ending Animal Cruelty andExploitation). They brought in a trunkload of cat and dog food, treats and toys.

The Inland Empire Gardener’s“Snoopy’s Great Adventure Fun Club”recently sponsored an Annual DonationDrive for SpokAnimal. What an awesomegroup of people. We attended their Marchmeeting where we were presented with$236.00 and lots of dog and cat food,toys, cleaning supplies, office supplies,treats, blankets and towels.

Windsor Elementary - for all of thefood they donated from their fundraiser.

A HUGE heart-felt thanks goes out toWill Parks from all of the animals andemployees at SpokAnimal. From dona-tions of litter boxes, food and money, to

25 cat beds in December and the wash-ers and dryers to clean them, Will isalways there to help. Paying money isnot enough for him. He pays attention toevery cat when he comes to drop offdonations. Often those donations aremultiple sponsor cards which can makethe difference in whether cats get adoptedor not. Will made it possible for a youngwoman to adopt a cat that she would nothave been able to adopt if he hadn’t fullysponsored the cat. That cat is now in agreat home with all of the love andattention he deserves. When we run outof sponsor cards Will has told us to callhim and let him know. Within hours heis there with more cards for us. Theworld would be a better place with morepeople like him. THANK YOU, Will!

Thank you, KHQ Success by 6! for theirad featuring SpokAnimal’s educationdirector Carol Byrnes with importantsafety tips for dogs and kids of all ages.Thank you also to Ann-Luise Marshall,son Christian and dog Wally for sharingthemselves and their living room for theshoot.

Thank You Pet Sponsors!The following kind folks have shared their love of animals with those who wait in our adoption center - these donations of $25or more make a huge difference in our quest for forever homes.

William & Pam Whitcomb 3

Ruby McNeil 7!!

Shirley Alexander 8!!!

Will Parks 8!!!

Linda Thieleman 2

Ronald Reed 12 !!!!!

Jan & Johnny Humphreys 5!

Mary Elaine Penton 2

Carran Kelley

Donna Roecks 2

John & Kathleen Roche

Jennifer Quick

Donna McKinstry 4

Truiella Stone 4

Claudia Kuttner

Mark & Pamela Pierce

Bette Topp 2

Charles & Linda Murphy

Roberta Samson 4

Carolynne Myall

Deahn Glover

Steven & Patti Jo Foster

Jack & Pat Trapp

Sherri Farlard

Edgar & Marilyn Baster

William & Gayle Gordon

Ingeburg Fisher

Ronald & Colleen Webber

Danny & Lue Mencke 2

Liza Jenson

Janet Im

Patricia Mac Main

Ester Payne

Jim Weinstoch

Cheryl Papesh 4

Erin Clason 4

Jon 7 Sharon Fink 4

Lawrence Massey

Carol Puetz 2

Ellen Selby

Theresa Burgess

Dian Nelsen

Trista Fryer 2

Ryan Gagnon 2

JoAnn Gauerke

Paula Hodgson

Sally Wright

Ernest Sly 2

Robert & Helen Hinnenkamp

Warren & Sandra Walker 3

Holly Renga 2

Arthur & Alma Vogt 2

Francesa Bailey

Tania Morrow

We love our pet sponsors!

15

Basil

Basil Barks! Continued

Dear Basil -Hi, I’ve adopted a dog, probably a German shepherd/

husky mix?? who is a love with people and other dogs, but

will chase cats and squirrels to the ends of the earth. He

was left by his previous family because they moved to NYC

and presumably (wisely) knew that this pup in the city

would never work. He loves to run, and he’s fast. He’s a

charming, ingratiating, stubborn, and protective

knucklehead, very smart, but just can’t be off his lead, and

I can’t run with him and keep up. He’s pulled me off my feet

in the harness (not the thin kind, the substantial kind) so

I’ve ditched the retractable lead and harness in favor of a

Halti and a six foot cotton lead. He’s four or five, was in the

pound for a month, then fostered by one of the Humane

Society staff (this dog is REALLY likable). He was fixed in

February when the Humane Society got him. My question

is, can I reasonably expect him to change his ways, or

should I find him a home in the country? We live in a

neighborhood with leash laws, but the dog owners gather

in the park and the dogs gambol together off lead. They

don’t run away. Mine plays and then usually bolts. I love him

and would love to keep him but he is fast and finds his way

to the neighbors three cats (who lounge in our yard) and

goes crazy. I will train him, take classes, etc. if it will help,

but I’m not rich and don’t want to invest the time if we don’t

have at least a fifty percent chance of success. Oh, and

he’s very smart as well.

Thanks,Squirrel Chase R

Dear Chase,Overcoming genetically programmed prey drive is difficult

at best, and will always include a combination of managementand consistent proofing of “leave-it” and “come” to the point thatthe commands are so well practiced and proofed that the dogresponds immediately - as if on auto-pilot. If you notice thesquirrel before he does, calling him back will be easier. If he’s“just” spotted it, not quite as easy. If he’s already started towardit, more difficult yet. And if he’s in hot pursuit, VERY difficult. Themore successful he’s been and the more fun he’s had at chasingand catching, the more difficult it will be to control his behavior.It’s not impossible, but it takes a lot of hard work and diligentproofing to reach a point of reliable recall from that level ofdistraction.

As for “a home in the country” - a hundred years ago when“the country” meant acres and acres of farmland and slowermoving traffic, “room to run” was a very different thing.Nowadays, country animals can get into a lot of trouble - andusually end up dead under the wheels of a fast moving vehicleon a busy roadway. Your high prey drive dog is safest on a leashand behind a fence where he has less access to things that run.

Note: Basil enjoys a good squirrel chase, hasa really reliable recall, but is never off leashanywhere near a road!

Dear Basil,We have a 5 month old

Aussie that is quite timid and

yawns frequently. What does it

mean?Signed,

Yawning But Not Tired

Dear Yawning,Yawning is a sign of mild stress and

is often seen in response to social pres-sure. It is often a sign of anxiousness,indecision or conflict. It’s usuallyaccompanied by blinking, lip lickingand looking away. Well-socialized dogsand observant humans respond to theyawn by slowing down, being less inva-sive and responding with lip licking,looking away and sometimes yawningback, which serve to acknowledge theyawning pup’s discomfort and make herfeel better.

You can use yawning to help calmyour dog. I sometimes get stressed andcar sick or worried at the vet’s. My momdeep sighs and yawns and hums nurseryrhymes - it always makes me feel better!

It’s Contagious!

Basil

Be Safe!

This could be your last issue . . .Is your membership current ?

SpokAnimal C.A.R.E.N. 714 NapaSpokane, WA 99202(509) 534-8133

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pass it along to a friend !

Mailed quarterly to over 3,500 animal lovers.Editor: Carol A. Byrnes

Executive Director: Gail B. Mackie

Mr/Mrs/Ms ______________________Phone __________

Address ________________________________________

City___________________State _______ Zip _________

I'd like to volunteer! Please call me!

Please use the following membership/donation of $____in support of SpokAnimal C.A.R.E. in its work withanimals and public education.

Yes, I'm a SpokAnimal C.A.R.E. member !

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Junior (under16) . . $5

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Membership/Donation FormSpokAnimal C.A.R.EA non-profit organization dedicated to theprevention of cruelty to animals.

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We Need To Know ! !

Looking to adopta cat or dog?

Pick up amouse!

Visit us on the web!www.spokanimal.org

andwww.petfinder.com

ASPCA DayApril 10 (See article on page 4)

Annual MeetingApril 15, 7:00pmLuigi’s, 245 W. Main Ave.

Pets Are Family TooApril 19, 10:00am-2:00pmDream Dinners, 328 N. Sullivan Rd.

June is Adopt-A-Cat MonthCome to SpokAnimal to find theperfect feline companion for you.

New Volunteer OpportunitiesREI Grand Re-openingPetSmart & PetCO Adoption DaysPet in the Park DaySenior Wellness Expo

Upcoming Events