I'm One for the Animals: August 2017

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

From Petplace.com The Best Housing for Your Bird....

From Petplace.com
The Best Housing for Your Bird

BIRDS

Written by: Suzanne Zweigart
Last Modified: September 28, 2015

The larger your bird's cage, the better. The absolute minimum size that your bird's cage should be is at least two wingspans wide. The width and length of the cage is more important than its height. Your bird should be able to flap his wings without hitting them on the sides of the cage, and without hitting his toys and perches. If you don't take your bird out of his cage daily for exercise, then the cage should be even larger.

Materials

It is important to know the material from which your cage is made. Stainless steel is the best material for a birdcage because it's the most durable and easiest to clean. Wooden cages can be easily destroyed by birds and are very difficult to disinfect. Some older cages contain zinc parts, which can be toxic to your bird. Galvanized metal will corrode when disinfected with most household cleansers.

If you're planning on housing a large bird, be sure the cage is sturdy and escape-proof. Cockatoos have been known to pick locks! The bars of the cage should be close enough together to prevent escape, but with no small areas in which the bird's toes or legs could become caught.

Choosing a Cage

Choosing a cage from a nationally known manufacturer may be the easiest way to know that you are getting a safe home for your bird. Talk to your avian veterinarian or respected bird breeder for advice on housing individual types of birds.

The floor of the cage should consist of a grate. Bird droppings and food should fall through the grate in the bottom of the cage out of the reach of your bird onto a pan below. The pan can be lined with newspaper, paper towel or butcher paper that should be changed daily. Daily cleaning minimizes bacterial and fungal overgrowth on waste materials. It also gives you the opportunity to observe your bird's droppings because a change in them may be a sign of illness.

Your bird is accustomed to belonging to a flock. In captivity, members of the household and often the other family pets are considered by the bird to be his "flock." When your bird is left alone and isolated from the flock, he will likely become insecure. Your bird's cage should be out of the main traffic area of the house but close enough for him to see the activities of the family. His cage should never be kept in the kitchen because the kitchen contains many harmful, even fatal things, such as boiling liquids, flames, smoke, knives, etc.

Your bird should be kept away from scented candles, air and carpet fresheners, perfumes and hairsprays because these chemicals may be toxic. Cigarette smoke is also harmful to your bird. Macaws have even been known to develop asthma-like symptoms.

If your bird is allowed free flight in the house, the area should be escape-proofed and safety-checked. Windows should be covered with blinds or curtains. Ceiling fans should be removed or turned off. All electrical cords should be well concealed and any toxic plants must be removed from the room. Your bird should NEVER be left alone out of his cage without supervision. Disasters can happen very quickly.

If you live in an area where your bird can be housed out of doors, make sure that his housing is predator-proof and escape-proof. Raccoons are notorious for reaching into cages and grabbing the legs of unsuspecting parrots, with devastating consequences. An outdoor cage should have food and water available at all times, as well as an area that provides shelter from sun and rain.

Perches

Every cage should have a variety of styles and sizes of perches, but there shouldn't be so many perches and toys that your bird doesn't have room to maneuver in the cage. The highest perch in the cage should be a concrete one that will promote healthy feet, nails and a well-groomed beak. Natural wood perches from a non-toxic tree are also good. Manzanita perches look nice, but are slippery and do little to promote the health of your bird's feet. Sandpaper perches are not recommended because they are not stable and are easily destroyed or ingested.

Toys

Birds are intelligent creatures and require mental stimulation. Parrots, in particular, have a strong desire to chew and destroy. Wood, leather and durable plastic toys are the most preferable. Rope toys can be dangerous because they can be ingested, causing a deadly obstruction.

Toys that make your bird think or work - to get a treat, for instance - are very good. Keep a variety of toys and exchange them in the cage to keep your bird interested. Smaller birds may like mirrors or bells. Make sure the clappers on bells are bird-proof. If they're not, remove them because they can be dangerous if ingested.

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?

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

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/
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104831238907682620486/about
Good Reads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/33550975-s-j

And now for some legal stuff: Copyright 2017 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.

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

A Guest Post with Mystery Author Kathleen Kaska: A Parting Gift from her rescue dog....

A Parting Gift

One question most writers are asked is why we decided to become a writer. For me, that’s an easy one to answer. I became a writer because I wanted to prove I could do it. Another question, but one not so easy for me to answer is, how I got started.

When S.J. asked me to be a guest on her One for the Animals blog, I felt this was the perfect venue to answer that difficult question.

I’d contemplated writing a novel for a long time before I worked on it. I wasn’t sure if I could do it. I got the nudge I needed in the summer of 1990. I was a teacher and it was the first day of summer vacation. I came home excited to have a long hiatus from the classroom. When I walked in the door that Friday afternoon, my fifteen-year-old dog, Lito was listless. I could tell he hadn’t eaten much that day and what he did eat, he couldn’t keep down. When his condition didn’t improve, I took him to the vet the next morning. The news was not good—kidney failure. Lito had a couple of weeks at the most. My wonderful vet sent me home with instructions on how to care for Lito and what signs to look for when the time came to help him cross the rainbow.

I was devastated. Lito had taught me unconditional love. I couldn’t image life without him. I was grateful that the situation occurred during the summer, and I could spend every last moment with him. He had always been there for me and it was my turn to be there for him. I decided I would not leave the house, except for a few quick trips to the grocery store and the neighborhood bookstore. At the bookstore, I didn’t even take time to peruse the bookstore shelves. I just walked in, grabbed a book off the bestseller table, and rushed home. During that last month with Lito, I sat by him and read one book after another. I’d always loved to read, but with my busy schedule I managed only one or two books a month. For someone who wants to become a writer, reading a lot is a must. During that difficult time, I probably read twenty books. Lito’s departing gift to me was to develop a passion for reading, which gave me the courage to write. That was twenty-seven years ago. I have nine published books and four more in the queue. The best thing is that, there’s not a day goes by that it don’t think of Lito and all the gifts he gave me.

Lito was a rescue dog. I found him at the pound in Waco, Texas. It was a difficult time in my life and I felt a pet was what I needed to help me through my troubles. When I walked by a pen full of jumping, squealing puppies, I noticed the tiniest one jumping the highest and squealing the loudest. He looked me straight in the eye as if to say, “Get me out of this mess!” I reached in and grabbed him and held him close. He immediately calmed down and I knew at this moment, things would be alright for both of us.

My latest book, Run Dog Run, the first in my new animal-rights mystery series, delves into the world of greyhound racing. A portion of the proceeds from book sales of Run Dog Run will be donated to The Greyhound [adoption organization] Project, Inc. If you read and enjoy my book, a review on Goodreads or Amazon will help spread the word.

From Black Opal Books:

Run Dog Run is Kathleen’s first mystery in the new Kate Caraway animal-rights series.

Synopsis:

Animal-rights activist Kate Caraway travels to Texas for much needed rest. But before she has a chance to unpack, her friend’s daughter, who is entangled in the ugly world of greyhound abuse, pleads for Kate’s assistance. On the case for only a few hours, Kate discovers a body, complicating the investigation by adding murder to the puzzle. Now, she’s in a race against time to find the killer before she becomes the next victim.

Kathleen Kaska also writes the awarding-winning Sydney Lockhart Mystery Series and the Classic Triviography Mystery Series. Kathleen is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. Although she spends most of her time on Fidaglo Island in Washington State, she’s a Texas gal. Except for an eighteen-month hiatus living in New York City after college, she lived in the Lone Star State continuously for fifty years. Since then Texas has been hit and miss—a little hit here and there, and a hell of a lot of miss. There was a time when she thought she would happily die in Austin, but things and weather—especially weather—changed that. When she gets homesick, she and her husband plug in the iPhone to Pandora and select Willie—as in Nelson, (I hope you don’t have to ask). Soon they are dancing the two-step, imagining they are at their favorite honky-tonk in Tokyo, Texas where the mayor is believed to be a dog. Who wouldn’t miss that?

Kathleen’s books are available through bookstores, Black Opal Books, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and her website.

http://www.kathleenkaska.com

http://www.blackopalbooks.com

https://twitter.com/KKaskaAuthor

http://www.facebook.com/kathleenkaska

From S.J. Francis: For more information about The Greyhound Project, an adoption organization seeking homes for the mistreated Greyhounds: http://adopt-a-greyhound.org/

https://www.facebook.com/GreyhoundProject

A magnificat, mistreat Greyhound

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? Be a voice for the animals and put a little joy in your heart while speaking up for them.

Want to help out shelter animals without spending a dime?

Go to www.freekibble.com

Answer a question daily for dogs and cats and kibble is donated to feed them.

Click on www.freekibble.com/litter and help give litter for cats.

Another way to help feed shelter animals without spending a dime is to visit and click the big purple box at:

http://theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/ars/home

Coins That Count:

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

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/

Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104831238907682620486/about

Good Reads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/33550975-s-j

And now for some legal stuff: Copyright 2017 by S.J. Francis. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, S. J. Francis and guest and are meant to entertain, inform and enlighten, and intend to offend no one.

"When I look into the eyes of an animal I do not see an animal. I see a living being. I see a friend. I feel a soul." ~ANTHONY DOUGLAS WILLIAMS

- Read more at: http://emilysquotes.com/when-i-look-into-the-eyes-of-an-animal-i-do-not-see-an-animal-i-see-a-living-being-i-see-a-friend-i-feel-a-soul/

Remember: Animals don't have voices. We must be their voice. Always. Forever. Wherever. whenever. I'm one for the animals. Are you?

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Pet Theft is On the Rise Worldwide: Know How to Protect Your Pet. It Really Is Up to You....

A NOTE FROM SJ FRANCIS: PET THEFT IS ON THE RISE WORLDWIDE. YOU CAN DO A GREAT DEAL TO PROTECT YOUR PET FROM BEING STOLEN. KEEP YOUR PET INSIDE YOUR HOUSE WITH YOU. NO, YOUR BACK YARD ISN'T SAFE FROM PET THIEVES UNLESS YOU PADLOCK your GATE AND HAVE A PRIVACY FENCE.

THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT YOUR PET IS FOR THE THIEVES NOT to see YOUR PET. IF YOU CAN'T KEEP YOUR PET IN THE HOUSE, HOW ABOUT YOUR GARAGE? Do not let your pets roam freely around your neighborhood, even if you live in the country. Dont tie your dog outside a business. My dogs and cats are in my house 24/7 and when I let the dogs out, someone is with them. My greatest fear is that someone will try and take them. I take precautions I tell you about.

Animals have no voice. We must be their voice. we must protect them from everything and everyone. If you are not willing to commit yourself to your pet, don't get one. if you believe your pet should be outside 24/7, you are very wrong. Your dog cannot protect you if he is outside. Outside your dog is subject to poisoning, getting shot or stabbed, or being taken away all before you are even aware of it. If you care, really care about your pet, keep them safely inside with you. That is the only sure way to keep them where they belong.

What happens to your stolen Pet? Read on and find out the terrifying truth. Pet theft is not a joke. don't let your pet be a statistic...

From Petfinder.com

LAST CHANCE FOR ANIMALS

Pet Theft

Up to two million animals are stolen each year. Only about 10% are ever returned home.

What happens to stolen pets?

They are used in the following ways:

Thinkstock

Sold to research laboratories
Fighters or bait in dog-fighting
Breeders for puppy mills
Meat for human consumption
Meat for exotic animals
Fur for clothing and accessories
For sale in pet stores
Dissection Protective guard dogs
Ritual sacrifice for satanic cults
Sadistic acts

The USDA and Class B Dealers
The United States Department of Agriculture licenses animal dealers; anyone selling animals to laboratories (or selling more than 24 dogs or cats per year at the wholesale level) must be licensed. Many of the people involved in the sale of stolen animals are licensed by the federal government. Class A dealers maintain their own breeding colonies while class B dealers obtain animals from “random sources.” For a $50 fee, anyone can acquire a USDA Class B dealer license. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) inspectors are responsible for seeing that dealers records are current and complete, and for ensuring the health and safety of the animals. Unfortunately, the USDA has not made the latter a priority, for there is a shortage of inspectors and enforcement of existing regulations is extremely weak.

Where do random source animals come from?
Many are stolen from someones backyards. Others are obtained through Free to a Good Home ads. B Dealers prey on unsuspecting people who can no longer care for their companions. Bunchers acquire animals for free by making fraudulent promises of a good home and tender care, then selling the animals, sometimes the same day, to Class B Dealers. Most will be sold to research facilities, many of which are funded by tax dollars. Researchers prefer to experiment on pets and other animals that have lived with people because they tend to be docile and easy to handle.

What is pound seizure?
Pound seizure, in which animals who arrive at the pound are required by law to be turned over to laboratories for experimentation on demand if they are not reclaimed by their guardian or adopted out, is still in effect in some animal shelters. Some pounds therefore must or choose to sell animals to Class B dealers or research facilities.

Investigations of Class B dealers have revealed:

Live dogs in cages with dead dogs
Dogs suffering from parvovirus, distemper, and rectal bleeding
An open burial pit containing several dog carcasses in various states of decay
Large dogs in cages with small dogs and female dogs in cages with male dogs, both violations of the Animal Welfare Act
Live dogs eating dead dogs

LCA Fights Pet Thieves

LCA set a national precedent when we gathered enough evidence to convict USDA licensed B dealers and co-conspirators for their involvement in a massive pet theft ring for research labs. They were the first B dealers sent to state prison for pet theft as well as the first people to serve a prison sentence for an animal related issue. LCA also assisted in sending two other individuals to federal prison.
A class B dealers license was permanently revoked for the first time in history as a result of an LCA investigation. Since then, four more dealers have had their licenses revoked.
LCA introduced the Pet Safety and Protection Act into Congress

What You Can Do to Protect Your Pet

Keep your pet indoors, especially when you are not at home. Do not leave animals unattended in your yard; it only takes a minute for thieves to steal your pet. Do not let your pet roam free in the neighborhood.
Remember that indoor cats live longer, safer lives.
Keep companion animals safely inside your home when you are expecting repair personnel, meter readers, or guests.
Properly identify your pet with a collar and tag, microchip, and/or tattoo.
Know where your pet is at all times.
Maintain up-to-date licenses on your pets.
Keep recent photos and written descriptions of your companion animals on hand at all times.
Spay and neuter your pets. Fixed animals are less likely to stray from home.
Be aware of strangers in the neighborhood. Report anything unusual such as suspicious neighborhood activities or missing pets to the police and animal control.
Padlock your gate; outdoor dogs should be kept safely behind a locked gate.
Make sure that your animal is not visible from the street.
Keep your pet on a leash whenever you go outside.
Do not tie your pet outside a store to wait for you.
Never leave an animal unattended in a car.

Finding a Good Home for Your Pet

If you use Free to a Good Home advertisements to place your pet, talk make sure you know as much as possible about the adoptive home before giving your pet away.
Dont place an animal until your interview the prospective adopters, visit their home, photocopy their picture i.d., record their drivers license number and license plate number, and check their references.
Ask prospective adopters about their prior pets, how they would care for and discipline your animal, and the name of their veterinarian.
Ask the neighbors of potential adopters about the number of animals they have seen coming into and out of the adopters home and related questions
Have the adopter sign an adoption contract reviewed by a humane organization and pay an adoption fee.
Do not allow potential adopters to take an animal from your home; always deliver the animal yourself.
Consider taking your animal to a rescue group or asking rescue group staff how to conduct an adoption on your own.

You Can Help

Adopt animals from shelters.
Never buy from pet stores. Some stores sell stolen pets or animals from puppy mills.
Spay or neuter your animals and educate others about doing the same. With cats and dogs in such high abundance, dealers have no trouble filling their cages.
Ask the U.S. Department of Agriculture to create and enforce regulations to stop pet theft. Write to Dan.Glickman@usda.gov
If a stolen animal is positively identified in a dealer’s possession, report it to LCA and to USDA officials in your state; ask that the dealer’s records be inspected.
Educate family, friends, and neighbors about pet theft and what they must do to keep their animals safe.