Monday, January 4, 2021

8-Year-Old ‘Pet Detective’ Helps Find His Neighbor’s Missing Cat

Originally found on the Animal Rescue Site:

When 10-year-old cat ran away days after moving apartments, Tobin’s owner feared she might never see her beloved pet again. “I was desperate to find him. I put flyers up,” the cat’s owner, Ashley Goldstein, told WPTV.

But after weeks of searching failed to reveal a single clue, the West Palm Beach woman began to fear the worst. “Honestly I thought I was never going to see him again. I kinda gave up,” Goldstein said.

PHOTO: YOUTUBE/WPTV NEWS – FL PALM BEACHES AND TREASURE COAST

But what Goldstein didn’t know was that her new neighborhood was also equipped with its own ‘pet detective,’ 8-year-old Aiden Foster. “It’s this little boy telling me that he thinks he saw my cat,” Goldstein said, recalling her surprise when boy sleuth called her on the phone to offer his services.

PHOTO: YOUTUBE/WPTV NEWS – FL PALM BEACHES AND TREASURE COAST

As it turns out, Foster had seen Tobin, whom he recognized from Goldstein’s missing cat fliers, hopping over a fence in his backyard. But when the boy tried to follow him, Tobin slipped away, leading the child detective to change tactics. Aware Tobin would eventually get hungry, Foster left a trail of cat food along the missing cat’s path, correctly assuming food would eventually lure the missing feline back home.

PHOTO: YOUTUBE/WPTV NEWS – FL PALM BEACHES AND TREASURE COAST

In the end, Foster’s strategy worked. Roughly 2 months after Tobin’s disappearance, Goldstein found her missing cat nearby where Foster left his trail of cat food – just in time for Christmas.

“He not only made my Christmas, my holiday, but he brought my family back together,” said a very grateful Goldstein, who rewarded the young pet detective with $300 for his efforts. It was a Merry Christmas all around!

Find out more about Aiden Foster, Pet Detective, in the video below!


Click to see Video:  https://youtu.be/hZ9OyLSTQbM


The Animal Rescue Site is a place where people can help provide food and care to millions of animals in need, both in the U.S. and around the world. In addition to sharing personal rescue stories, shopping for the cause, and signing petitions, visitors can take just a moment each day to click on a purple button to help animals. Visit The Animal Rescue Site and click today - it's free!
FYI: To find an animal in need of a home; to find an animal shelter near you, check out  https://www.petfinder.com
0r   www.savearescue.org

Remember, all types, ages, breeds, even purebreds are waiting to be adopted. 

Thanks for visiting my blog for the animals. It's always great to connect with another animal lover. If you and I don't speak up for them, who will? 

POTW feature

Coins That Count: 
Is your coin jar overflowing? Turn that loose change into cash that helps animals by donating to The HSUS at participating Coinstar machines nationwide. Where to go» Find a Kiosk near you...

https://www.coinstar.com/kioskfinder?element=Charity&parmName=HumaneSocietyofUS
     
                                             
Until next time….hug your animals. Tell them you love them. If you don’t have a pet, adopt one. Make adoption your first option when seeking a pet. Adopt. Don’t shop. Can’t adopt. Please consider fostering one. The animal will have the taste of home and the shelter will cover the expenses. Can’t foster? Make a donation or volunteer at your local shelter. Please, don’t hunt. Unless you’re starving down in a ditch somewhere, there is no logical reason to do so. Whatever you do, however you do it, please be a voice for the animals large and small. All it takes is one to make a difference, good or bad.
                                     
Together, you and I can make a difference in an animal's life.  I’m one for the animals. Are you? Thanks for visiting. Stay safe. Be strong. Be happy. Smile. Show compassion. Be nice to one another. Pass it onward. If you like what you see here, please consider signing up to become a follower. Please feel free to share this post with others.
    Regards,
    S.J. Francis
    In Shattered Lies: "Good and bad, it's All About Family."  Available now from Black Opal Books and for sale at on-line retailers and independent booksellers.
   “Some secrets should remain that way.” 
  My Black Opal Books Author Page:
            http://www.blackopalbooks.com/author-bios/bio-sj-francis
                 My web page: http://www.sjfranciswriter.com
                                     Twitter: https://twitter.com/sjfrancis419
Image result for black animals need help
 Facebook fan page:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/SJ-Francis/480058115420325
                  My writing Blog: http://sjfranciswriter.blogspot.com
                                                     
          A Book Review 4 U: http://abookreview4u.blogspot.com
                  A Consumer's View: http://aconsumersview.blogspot.com
Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/sjfrancis419/  
                 
Good Reads:       https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/33550975-s-j

And now for some legal stuff: Copyright 2021 by S.J. Francis. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, S. J. Francis and are meant to entertain, inform and enlighten, and intend to offend no one.
Make spare change make a difference for the wild. Join @CaringCent & purchases will be rounded & change 
donated: https://donate.caringcent.com/#/go/wildearthguardians
                                         
Remember: Animals don't have voices. We must be their voice. Always. Forever. Wherever. whenever. I'm one for the animals. Are you?  
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Monday, December 7, 2020

Pesticide-Treated Lawns and Fields Are a Hazard to Children and Dogs....


Many parents avoid pesticides in food, but what about in parks and playing fields?

Updated August 06, 2020
child plays on freshly mowed lawn
Child plays on freshly mowed lawn.

@rubypeanut via Twenty20 

This summer I am having some landscaping work done by a young couple who come each day with their eight-month-old baby in tow. They're experienced landscapers, but are new to the challenges of working with a young child around. The baby, however, seems very content to spend her days riding in a carrier on her mom's back, napping in her carseat, and playing in the grass and dirt. 

One day, as her father set her down on my weedy, lumpy lawn, he said, "Don't take this the wrong way, but I can tell you don't spray." He's right. Our lawn stands out like a sore thumb among the perfectly manicured ones in our neighborhood – owned, of course, by lovely retired people who have all the time in the world to pluck at their immaculate lawns with tweezers and shears. "And that's why I'm comfortable with her sitting on it," he finished. "I would never set her down on a perfect lawn because who knows what's on it."

In that moment, he validated my own thoughts and concerns about soaking lawns in pesticides for the sake of appearances. I quizzed him further, and he said there was nothing wrong with letting weeds grow and keeping them mowed, and that it results in a healthier, more resilient eco-system that won't die and turn brown nearly as fast as my neighbors' perfect lawns. "Just keep doing what you're doing," he said. "No one can tell from the street, and you're the ones using and enjoying it. Plus, your kids are on it all the time."

His words were fresh in my mind when I received a press release this week from Stonyfield Organic, the yogurt company, which has recently spearheaded an initiative to get pesticides out of kids' playing fields across the United States. It made a profound point – that 69% of parents want to reduce their children's exposure to pesticides in food, while nearly the same number (67%) don't view it as a threat at sports fields, playgrounds, and parks. 

Perhaps they don't realize that "65% of playing fields in the U.S. are sprayed with harmful pesticides like glyphosate, 2,4-D and Dicamba," which are potentially carcinogenic. Stonyfield goes on to say that 2,4-D has been linked to Parkinson's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, thyroid and endocrine disruption, and that children are more susceptible than adults to its harmful effects because they weigh less and their organs are not yet fully developed. 

Dr. Philip Landrigan, founding director of the Children’s Environmental Health Center at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, said, "Several of the most commonly used chemicals on playing fields are either proven or likely endocrine disruptors, which can interfere with the development of children’s immune, reproductive, and metabolic systems."

Kids play with their dog on a lawn
Kids play with their dog on a lawn. @TonyTheTigersSon via Twenty20

Pets are also at risk, with studies showing that dogs have a 70% higher risk of canine lymphoma cancer after being exposed to herbicide-treated lawns than dogs who have not been exposed. Most pet owners are not nearly as worried about this as they should be.

"The majority of pet parents (58%) were not aware that public parks are using pesticides to treat the grass where their pups run and play. Paradoxically, 75% of pet owners think it’s important for humans to take their shoes off before entering a house, but 77% don’t wipe their pet’s paws after outside play and walks, leaving the door open for pesticide residue to be tracked inside the home. What’s even more alarming, 74% of dog owners also said they let their dog sleep on the bed or couch!"

Stonyfield wants to start a widespread movement toward pesticide-free lawns and playing fields, and the coronavirus pandemic has only served to highlight the importance of this campaign. Many more people have started spending time outdoors, whether it's in their own backyards or at local parks, and this increased time walking, playing, or lying on chemically-treated lawns could be a health hazard. Stonyfield's initiative is called #PlayFree and it includes a lawn-care guide for homeowners wanting to detoxify their own yards, as well as a commitment from Stonyfield to convert 14 U.S. communities to organic playing fields. You can see a list of the communities with chemical-free fields here.

In the meantime, I'm thrilled to know that I'm already on the right path with my chemical-free yard. I've even decided to reseed the back portion of my yard with a wildflower mix that the landscapers say will attract pollinators, never has to be mowed, and will be a colorful, dynamic play space for my kids. I'll provide an update on that as it grows.

The Animal Rescue Site is a place where people can help provide food and care to millions of animals in need, both in the U.S. and around the world. In addition to sharing personal rescue stories, shopping for the cause, and signing petitions, visitors can take just a moment each day to click on a purple button to help animals. Visit The Animal Rescue Site and click today - it's free!                    https://theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/clicktogive  
FYI: To find an animal in need of a home; to find an animal shelter near you, check out  https://www.petfinder.com 0r   www.savearescue.org
Remember, all types, ages, breeds, even purebreds are waiting to be adopted. 

Thanks for visiting my blog for the animals. It's always great to connect with another animal lover. If you and I don't speak up for them, who will? 

POTW feature

Coins That Count: 
Is your coin jar overflowing? Turn that loose change into cash that helps animals by donating to The HSUS at participating Coinstar machines nationwide. Where to go» Find a Kiosk near you...

https://www.coinstar.com/kioskfinder?element=Charity&parmName=HumaneSocietyofUS
     
                                             
Until next time….hug your animals. Tell them you love them. If you don’t have a pet, adopt one. Make adoption your first option when seeking a pet. Adopt. Don’t shop. Can’t adopt. Please consider fostering one. The animal will have the taste of home and the shelter will cover the expenses. Can’t foster? Make a donation or volunteer at your local shelter. Please, don’t hunt. Unless you’re starving down in a ditch somewhere, there is no logical reason to do so. Whatever you do, however you do it, please be a voice for the animals large and small. All it takes is one to make a difference, good or bad.
                                     
Together, you and I can make a difference in an animal's life.  I’m one for the animals. Are you? Thanks for visiting. Stay safe. Be strong. Be happy. Smile. Show compassion. Be nice to one another. Pass it onward. If you like what you see here, please consider signing up to become a follower. Please feel free to share this post with others.
    Regards,
    S.J. Francis
    In Shattered Lies: "Good and bad, it's All About Family."  Available now from Black Opal Books and for sale at on-line retailers and independent booksellers.
   “Some secrets should remain that way.” 
  My Black Opal Books Author Page:
            http://www.blackopalbooks.com/author-bios/bio-sj-francis
                 My web page: http://www.sjfranciswriter.com
                                     Twitter: https://twitter.com/sjfrancis419
Image result for black animals need help
 Facebook fan page:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/SJ-Francis/480058115420325
                  My writing Blog: http://sjfranciswriter.blogspot.com
                                                     
          A Book Review 4 U: http://abookreview4u.blogspot.com
                  A Consumer's View: http://aconsumersview.blogspot.com
Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/sjfrancis419/  
                 
Good Reads:       https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/33550975-s-j

And now for some legal stuff: Copyright 2020 by S.J. Francis. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, S. J. Francis and are meant to entertain, inform and enlighten, and intend to offend no one.
Make spare change make a difference for the wild. Join @CaringCent & purchases will be rounded & change 
donated: https://donate.caringcent.com/#/go/wildearthguardians
                                         
Remember: Animals don't have voices. We must be their voice. Always. Forever. Wherever. whenever. I'm one for the animals. Are you?  
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