New Pet Partner Whitney
Whitney
Breed: All American Mix
Birthday: June 22, 2007
Handler: Katy
Whitney is the ultimate sweetheart and quite the Mama’s girl. When first adopted in 2009, Whitney was shy and hesitant to make new friends. She’s grown-up a lot since then and has now become a very friendly, little pup.
Whitney loves taking walks, learning new tricks, and with her perky ears, she is always on alert. She loves going to the park on Saturday for play dates with her doggie friends. Whitney lives with handler, Katy, sister, Lilah, and cat friend, Bro.
Meet New Pet Partner Delilah
Delilah
Breed: Cocker Spaniel Mix
Birthday: May 26, 2011
Handler: Katy
Delilah loves everyone she meets. Her nickname is “Wiggle Butt”, because she is so excited to greet people, she can’t stop wiggling her bottom.
Delilah, or Lilah, was adopted from Camp Cocker Rescue in 2013 and quickly passed her Good Manners classes and Canine Good Citizen. She loves hanging out in the park with her doggie friends on Saturday. Lilah lives with handler, Katy, big sister, Whitney, and cat friend, Bro.
Board Member to speak at Continuing Education Event
Board Member and Manager of the AHF Caring Creatures’ Pet Partner program – Jan Vincent – will be speaking on how alternative therapies such as Pet Therapy can foser physical, social and emotional wellbeing at a Continuing Education Meeting for medical professionals.
The meeting will be held at Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in Laguna Hills.
Dr. Sheldon Altman Selected by AHF to receive Cortese-Lippincott Award
Dr. Alice Villalobos presented the Cortese-Lippincott award to Dr. Sheldon Altman in January, 2014 at the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association’s officer installation dinner.
In her presentation, Dr. Villalobos noted that Dr. Altman grew up on a feed lot farm outside of Denver. She has always felt bonded to Dr. Altman because they led parallel careers during the 70’s and 80’s. Shelley introduced acupunture while she pioneered oncology services for companion animals in So. California and both spoke widely about their passions.
Biography
Dr. Altman was born and raised in Denver, CO, received his BS degree in Biological Science and his DVM degree from Colorado State University. He has been a licensed veterinarian in Kansas, Colorado and California. Prior to retirement in 1998, his professional career spanned almost 38 years. He worked for the U.S. Dept of Agriculture, served in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps, practices veterinary medicine in Southern California, spent 2 years as a staff member of the Acupuncture Research Project UCLA Pain Control Unit, was Director of Research for the National Association for Veterinary Acupuncture and served on the teaching faculties of the Center for Chinese Medicine and the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society.
Dr. Altman has referred and written articles for several veterinary journals, authored chapters in several veterinary medical textbooks and has been an invited lecturer at many local, national and international veterinary meetings, seminars and convention. He has served on committees and been a member or a board member of the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association, the California Veterinary Medical Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society, the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture, the Colorado State University Alumni Association, American Veterinarians for Israel and the Animal Health Foundation of California.
Dr. Altman has been married for over 50 years, has three children and four grandchildren. In his retirement, he tutors elementary school children in reading, paints and plays classical guitar (but not very well).
How dogs protect humans from illness
Dogs’ superior sense of smell allows them to detect compounds secreted through human pores that signal health problems such as low blood sugar or an impending seizure. Diane Papazian is grateful to her Doberman pinscher, Troy, whose incessant nudging at her left side led her to find a breast lump that was malignant. “Dogs are a wonderful part of the development of new technologies,” says veterinarian Cindy Otto, executive director of the Penn Vet Working Dog Center. “Their incredible sense of smell allows them to detect very low concentrations of odors and also pick out specific odors from a tapestry of smells that can confuse standard technology.” Philly.com (Philadelphia)
KIM CAMPBELL THORNTON
Posted: Sunday, April 27, 2014, 3:01 AM
DIANE PAPAZIAN was allergic to dogs and she didn’t especially want a second one, but her husband, Harry, persuaded her to let him purchase Troy, a 3-month-old Doberman pinscher. Not long afterward, Troy was in bed with the couple one evening and began insistently nuzzling Diane’s left side. It caused her to start itching, and that’s when she discovered the lump in her breast. It turned out to be malignant, but Diane is now cancer-free after a double mastectomy and chemotherapy.
The Papazians credit Troy with saving Diane’s life. And he’s not the only pet who has helped owners make such a discovery. A number of dogs and cats have alerted their people not only to various cancers and dangerous infections, but also to oncoming seizures, allergic reactions and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
Our dogs and cats may not have been to medical school, but their superior senses of smell, as well as their habit of closely observing us 24/7, put them in the catbird seat when it comes to recognizing that something in our bodies has changed, even if we’re not always sure what they’re trying to tell us.
Scientific studies have confirmed the canine ability to sniff out lung, breast, bladder, prostate, colorectal and ovarian cancer, in some cases before it’s obvious through testing. They do this by taking a whiff of urine or breath samples from patients. Dogs have also been trained to alert people to oncoming epileptic seizures and assist them to a safe place until the seizure is over.
What’s their secret? Dogs and cats live in a world of smells, and their olfactory sense is far more acute than our own. Physiological changes such as lowered blood sugar or the presence of cancer produce or change volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted through the pores of the skin. Animals smell the difference and respond to it by licking, poking or pawing at the area.
Your doctor won’t be sending you out for a “Lab test” or “CAT scan” any time soon, but scientists are working to determine the exact compounds that dogs are scenting, with the goal of developing an electronic “nose” that could detect cancer
“Dogs are a wonderful part of the development of new technologies,” says Cindy Otto, DVM, Ph.D., executive director of the Penn Vet Working Dog Center, in Philadelphia. “Their incredible sense of smell allows them to detect very low concentrations of odors and also pick out specific odors from a tapestry of smells that can confuse standard technology. Unlike some of the other members of the animal kingdom with a highly developed sense of smell, dogs are also willing collaborators in our work.”
Read more at https://www.philly.com/philly/living/pets/20140427_Now__dogs_will_teach_you_to_heal.html#ZRUbuBu4pfE0YScA.99
Read more at https://www.philly.com/philly/living/pets/20140427_Now__dogs_will_teach_you_to_heal.html#ZRUbuBu4pfE0YScA.99
HSUS: Pet euthanasia rates decline at US shelters over past 40 years
As Reported on FOX News – ATLANTA – The number of dogs and cats put to death in U.S. shelters is about one-fifth of what it was four decades ago.
“They were euthanizing about 15 million pets back in 1970,” said Betsy McFarland, vice president of companion animals at the Humane Society of the United States. “We’re now down to about 3 million every year. Of course, that’s 3 million too many. But that is tremendous progress that’s been made over the last four decades.”
During that same time period, the number of dogs and cats in the U.S. increased from 64 million to more than 160 million, according to Humane Society estimates. McFarland attributes the decline in euthanasia rates to spay/neuter campaigns targeted to underserved communities, better coordination among animal welfare organizations and changing social attitudes toward pets.
“I mean pets are really considered part of the family,” McFarland said. “And that has been a shift over the many decades where maybe pets were a little more utilitarian.”
Although the number of pets entering shelters has decreased nationwide, euthanasia rates at these shelters average close to 50 percent. But the Humane Society and other groups say their goal is to bring the number to zero, and they’re finding creative ways to head in that direction.
In the Atlanta area, the non-profit LifeLine Animal Project has helped two shelters lower their euthanasia rates from historic highs of 85 percent to less than 20 percent. LifeLine, which now manages shelters for Georgia’s DeKalb and Fulton Counties, brings its pets to adoption drives at shopping malls and other areas with large crowds. LifeLine also keeps many animals from entering shelters by offering “surrender counseling” to owners who are considering giving up their pets.
“What we found was that so many of the calls from the people who wanted to surrender their pets, they didn’t actually want to surrender their pets,” said Debbie Setzer, Lifeline’s community outreach director. “They may have had some financial hardship where they couldn’t afford dog food. They may have had a fence complaint where the dog was getting out.”
Pet owner Adrian Robinson, who’s already caring for a foster child and two adopted kids, says she felt overwhelmed when a highly energetic puppy joined her household.
“Keno doesn’t know his own strength,” Robinson said. “He was running around, jumping on the kids.”
LifeLine arranged free neutering, vaccinations and a training crate for Keno that helped calm him down and made it possible for Robinson to keep him. The mother and pet owner says she’s grateful to LifeLine’s staff for their assistance and advice.
“I love them,” Robinson said. “They did something for me that I couldn’t do for myself.”
Lifeline has helped other owners by repairing fences and helping them obtain donated pet food.
“Anything that we can do to keep that animal from coming into the shelter, we’ll try to do,” said LifeLine CEO Rebecca Guinn.
Before helping to create LifeLine, Guinn worked as a lawyer specializing in white-collar crime. While assisting a neglected dog in her neighborhood, she learned about the high euthanasia rates at her local shelter. Reducing those rates became her new passion (and full time job).
“There are more pets in American households than there are children. So, they’re a part of our lives,” Guinn said. “The idea that we use taxpayer dollars to round them up and then end their lives, to me, is not the right way to do it. And we’re working on a model where a shelter is truly a shelter — where the pets come in here, receive the care that they need and then can be re-homed — and where the community at large becomes a better community for pets to live in.”
Fox News’ Chip Bell contributed to this report.
Jonathan Serrie joined Fox News Channel (FNC) in April 1999 and currently serves as a correspondent based in the Atlanta bureau.
February is Responsible Dog Owners Month-Whole Dog Journal Tips and Rescouces
| Being a responsible pet owner is not an easy task. It takes a lot of time and effort to make sure your furry family members are well taken care of and happy. We’d like to share some of our favorite tips for keeping your dog save and healthy: |
| • ID at All Times – The one certain thing in life is unpredictability. Hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, power outages, sudden illness, car crashes – any number of things can separate you from your beloved pal. Make sure he’s always wearing ID (with current contact numbers) and is microchipped. And regularly check the ring or rivets fastening the tag to his collar. For more on collars and leashes, purchase Whole Dog Journal’s ebook Guide to Collars and Leashes. |
| • Train Every Day (If Only For a Minute) – Dogs are hardwired to live in an orderly and cooperative “pack” environment. You can easily and peacefully underline your role – and your dog’s role – in the household by asking him to perform a few simple behaviors (sit, come, down), and rewarding him when he complies. This daily exercise reminds him that you are the leader. For more on training your dog in a positive way, purchase Whole Dog Journal’s ebook Positive Training Basics. |
| • Keep Them Slim, Keep Them Moving – There’s no doubt about it: Fat dogs are more prone to injury, illness, and mobility issues than their slimmer compatriots. Studies have shown that, on average, dogs who are slightly underweight live longer than overweight dogs. More food is not more love, no matter what your dog says. If you really love him, you will keep him slender. For more on weight control and fitness, purchase Whole Dog Journal’s ebook Weight and Fitness Handbook. |
Pets also get deliveries from Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels programs in several states have expanded their offerings to include donated pet food for clients’ companion animals, said Jenny Bertolette of the Meals on Wheels Association of America. Volunteers for the program, which provides meals to the disabled, poor and elderly, began seeking donations from shelters and pet organizations after noticing clients were sharing food with their pets. Participating groups solicit and deliver pet food to Meals on Wheels as well as to senior centers and nursing homes. Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.)/The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES – If Meals on Wheels didn’t deliver donated dog food, Sherry Scott of San Diego says her golden retriever Tootie would be eating the pasta, riblets and veggie wraps meant for her. But thanks to partnerships between the program for low-income seniors and pet groups across the country, fewer people and pets are going hungry.
After Meals on Wheels volunteers noticed a growing number of clients giving their food away to their furry friends, they started working with shelters and other pet groups to add free pet food to their meal deliveries. Those programs, relying on donations and volunteers, have continued to grow in popularity as seniors began eating better, staying healthier and worrying less about feeding their pets, one group said.
Meals on Wheels is just one organization serving people who are poor, disabled or elderly, but it has a vast reach. It has teamed up with independently run pet partners in several states, but how many isn’t known, said Jenny Bertolette, spokeswoman for Meals on Wheels Association of America in Alexandria, Va.
Partner pet groups will solicit, pick up, pack and get the animal chow to Meals on Wheels or another agency that donates food, volunteers said. Agencies also take pet food to nursing homes, senior centers or community centers.
Those who qualify for Meals on Wheels or similar programs are almost always eligible for a free pet food program.
Welcome to Pet Partners, Diana & Massimo
Massimo is an English Black Labrador retriever and was born at the Guide Dogs of America School in L.A. on May 2, 2011. Diana was the puppy raiser for Massimo until he was 18 months old, which meant that he went everywhere with Diana and her family. After that, Massimo went to “college training” where he learned how to do Guide work. Unfortunately, he didn’t like to walk on manhole covers, so GDA made him a “career change dog”. Diana’s family adopted Massimo and now, he’s pursuing his next career as a therapy dog!
Mocha at Mission Hospital
The Tayanaka’s therapy dog, Mocha, really enjoys her job visiting patients
at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, CA. Looks like she might stay for the afternoon!