By now most if not all animal lovers know about the infamous Mary Bale, dubbed the “Cat Woman”. She tossed a sweet tabby cat named Lola into a trash bin. Apparently she has now lost her job at a bank where she has worked for many years. The video below has gone viral on the internet over the incident. Leave it up to the Brits to inject some humor. There even is a fake Twitter account, @CatBinLady which has been created. And yes there is a Facebook page as well, Cat Lady should do time in a bin.
The most important message in all of this is that animal cruelty of any form is wrong and inappropriate behavior. So please be vigilant in observing such acts and immediately report it to your local rescue or shelter. PLEASENOTE that the @CatBinLady Twitter account’s web address is the RSPCA. They along with the SPCA do incredible work to support and protect animals…..MANY THANKS!
There is a new iPhone app in town and Snoopy the well known character from Peanuts is the leader of the pack. Snoopy has teamed up with HomeAgain® Pet Recovery Service to help bring pet parents back together with their missing pets. The new free app on the Apple® iPhone and other devices like the iPad is a nationwide “HomeAgain PetRescuer” network.
According to Gary MacPhee, director and general manager of HomeAgain “if anyone sees a dog or cat on the loose in the streets and is concerned the HomeAgain PetRescuers app will make it easy for pet lovers to play an active role in helping lost pets get home quickly.”
There has been much focus and deservedly so on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. But there are other communities that are being impacted by weather with hurricanes, tornados, wildfires and floods. Most recently the flooding in Nashville, Tennessee. Countless animals have been displaced being found wandering the streets, and in desperate need of homes. A spate of urgent requests for pet adoptions have been the end result.
To lessen the trauma of losing a pet and likelihood of pets seeking new homes BEFORE a DISASTER:
Prepare. Get a pet emergency supply kit, including food, water, medicines and medical records, first aid kit, collar with ID tag, leash or harness, crate or pet carrier and sanitation items.
Microchip: Make sure your pet is micro-chipped so that it may be easily identified. Keep registration up to date, and include emergency number of friend or relative that does not live in the immediate area.
Plan: What will you do in an emergency? Create a plan to get away and develop a buddy system.
Stay informed: Know about the types of emergencies.
DURING a DISASTER:
Make sure your pet is inside well before storm begins. And do not leave a pet chained outside.
Keep pet by your side to reassure them.
Never tranquilize a pet. It will be inhibited from using it’s natural survival instincts.
If you are instructed to evacuate do not leave pets behind.
Re-orient dog to home by walking it on a leash. For both cats and dogs familiar scents may no longer exist.
Be aware of downed power lines, debris and reptiles.
Contact your local animal control office if a pet is missing to find out where lost animals can be recovered. Bring a recent picture of your pet, tattoo number or microchip number.
Do not let your pet eat food or drink water that might have been contaminated.
Pet behavior might change after the trauma of a disaster. Report any changes in behavior to your veterinarian.
DISASTER AFTERMATH:
After a natural disaster, displaced people and companion animals face many dangers. There are many hazardous, life-threatening situations for helpless strays and displaced pets.
Disorientation, panic and stress, and leads dogs and cats seeking refuge into hazardous situations when there are no longer familiar landmarks or scents.
Floodwaters contaminated with waste and bacteria can cause intestinal parasites and gastroenteritis.
Animals trying to swim in floodwaters can quickly become exhausted and drown.
Displaced dogs and cats are frightened, lost, thirsty and very hungry and do not understand that they should steer clear of standing water and any food they may find.
Some of you folks might remember the good fortune of this dog being rescued from river earlier in the year. He was certainly fortunate but there are so many animals around the country struggling to survive after being displaced from their families. Please do take preventative measures and plan in advance for not only your safety and well being but your pets as well.
I went for a walk and it is very warm outside. There were a few folks walking with their dogs. One in particular I was a bit concerned for. He didn’t have his summer cut yet and his tongue was practically hanging to the ground. Not sure how long the dog and its owners had been walking. But it was a stark reminder that one cannot be too careful when it comes to protecting your pet (cat or dog) from extreme temperatures.
The unofficial start to Summer, Memorial day is this coming weekend. And I have already read news report of a dog dying from heat stroke after being left inside a car.
Hot Weather Tip Reminders:
The temperature inside a car can reach 40 degrees higher than the temperature outside.
When temperatures reach 70 degrees it is dangerous to leave an animal unattended inside a vehicle.
Hydration: having clean fresh water always available.
Make sure there is access to shady areas while outside.
So remember, take it easy with your pets during those warm and balmy days. I think Hopey has the right idea hitching a ride from this tortoise…
Nothing like a visual aide to “drive home” the point regarding deplorable conditions at puppy mills. Speaking of baseball analogies, Tony LaRussa manager of the St. Louis Cardinals joined the board of the Puppy Mills Reform Committee, created by Missourians For the Protection of Dogs group. He has been a long time advocate for animal welfare. The group is funded by the Humane Society and is looking to establish new regulations on dog breeders within the state. And to make “puppy mill cruelty” a crime advocating for creation of the “Puppy Mills Cruelty Prevention Act”.
Missouri has THE highest concentration of puppy mills. These businesses bring in tax free cash sales annually. With new regulations the hope is for:
adequate shelter, food and veterinary care
improved living conditions and space for exercise
minimize animals living on the streets
limit breeding of cats and dogs to 50 per facility
It is always great to know of a sports celebrity who is helping to improve the welfare of animals. All too often we hear more about those who do not. Thank you, Tony LaRussa for the incredible work you do on behalf of animals!
I got my haircut this past Friday at my local hair salon, Radiance Aveda. And was watching video, “How to Make a Hair Boom” from Matter of Trust, the environmental charity making headlines. Low and behold at 36 seconds into the clip I notice that Radiance Aveda is one of the salons donating hair clippings….WOW….YEAH!
Matter of Trust collects hair and fur from salons and pet groomers to create hair stuffed containment booms with recycled pantyhose, which are then sent to areas that suffer from oil spills. Most recent of course in the Gulf of Mexico. These booms are laid out on beaches and are magnets for the oil.
Facts & Figures
Since April 20th 5,000 barrels (210,000 gallons) daily is escaping from the BP rig in the Gulf of Mexico.
On average there are 2600 million oil spills annually.
On average 726 million gallons of oil are spilled annually.
363 million gallons of motor oil are washed into ocean annually.
1Quart of oil can contaminate 1 Million gallons of drinking water.
(My town was one of communities in Boston area a couple of weekends ago that did not have ready access to drinking water due to pipe bursting. A minor inconvenience for a couple of days. But what a wake up call with respect to not having access to clean, drinkable water long term.)
