Events and Activist Suggestions

PLEASE DON'T LEAVE YOUR COMPANION ANIMAL IN A PARKED CAR!

Advice below adapted from the Humane Society of the U.S. hsus.org

1. On a warm day, the temperature in a parked car can reach 120 degrees in minutes - even with the windows partly open.
2. A companion animal can quickly suffer brain damage or die from heatstroke or suffocation in these conditions.
3. Signs of heat stress: heavy panting, glazed eyes, rapid pulse, unsteadiness, staggering, vomiting, deep red or purple tongue.
4. If your companion animal becomes overheated, begin immediate steps to lower her/his temperature as follows:
   • Move her/him to the shade and apply cool (not cold) water over entire body to gradually lower temperature;
   • Apply ice packs or cold towels - to head, neck and chest only;
   • Offer her/him small amounts of cool water or let her/him lick ice cubes;
   • Take her/him to a vet immediately; this could save her/his life.
5. If you see an animal in a parked car alone on a hot day, try to find the animal's person right away. If necessary, call animal control or the police.
6. Another reason to avoid leaving your companion animal in a car alone is that a thief might steal her/him.
7. When traveling in a vehicle, cats should be in a carrier and dogs should be in a dog harness.
8. Each animal should have ID, such as a tattoo or chip.

For additional tips on ways to protect your dog in hot weather click here

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Hidden Danger: Keep Your Pet Safe from Electric Shock

from ASPCA

Winter’s chill may have settled in your neighborhood, but your energetic pooch still wants to go for walks in the great outdoors. Take it slow and steady, pet parents. According to our experts, the danger of stray voltage on city streets can turn a simple stroll into a devastating event for our furry friends.

Most common in northern climes and urban areas, stray voltage occurs when dormant utilities leak excess electricity. Combined with wet streets and salt-based ice melts, this current can shock, injure or even prove fatal for those in its path. “Since salt used to treat icy streets is a great conductor of electricity,” says Dr. Louise Murray, ASPCA Director of Medicine and author of Vet Confidential, “the risk of shock from stray voltage is that much higher during the winter months.” The ASPCA offers the following tips to help you avoid potentially hazardous areas, and advice on what to do if your pet has suffered an electrical shock:

• Keep your dog away from metal fixtures, such as lampposts, grates or manhole covers. While these spots may be your pet’s favorite place to relieve himself, they may also conduct hazardous electricity.
• Your dog's snazzy, rubber rain boots may look good, but they won't protect your pooch from a strong current. Don’t depend on them to keep your pet safe. Some boots—those with metal studs, for example—may even make the situation worse.
• Observe your dog’s behavior. Is he skittish, frightened, angry or upset for no apparent reason? These sudden behavioral changes could be an indication of electric shock.
• If your dog is incapacitated due to shock, don’t try to touch or move him without protective gear. Your pooch may pass the current to you, rendering you both incapable of seeking help. Instead, call your local fire department immediately.

Winter Will Be Cold For Our Dogs Too

by Lou De Santis

Another frigid winter is coming to Central New York.  It's time to remember that every year, too many family dogs freeze to death in this country right in their own back yards.  To prevent your dog from becoming a victim when the mercury plummets, bring your dog inside.

Puppies, kittens, elderly and small dogs, and short-haired dogs such as Dobermans, pit bulls, and Dalmatians are especially vulnerable to the cold.  If you would like your dog to spend some time outside, limit it, and always provide proper shelter.  An effective doghouse must be made of wood; plastic does not provide proper insulation.

To prevent cold and dampness from seeping in, it should be raised several inches off the ground.  Putting foam sheeting, such as Tyvek, on the underside and in the walls is especially good for this.  The door should have rubber flaps to prevent drafts, and the area where the dog lies should be offset from the door.

Also, be sure to use plenty of straw for bedding; rugs and blankets will become wet and freeze.  Don't be afraid to complain about constant barking; it is a sure sign of a neglected pooch.  It's a dog's way of saying, "Hey, I'm lonely, bored and cold out here. Somebody, please help me!"

Throughout America, many municipalities now prohibit chaining of dogs.  Tucson and New Orleans are among those.  Many more limit time and tethering.  If you would like to know more about such progressive legislation, go to www.unchainyourdog.org.  If you feel, as I do, that legislation is needed in Central New York, contact me at LDesant3@twcny.rr.com.

AVOID ALL FUR, INCLUDING FUR TRIM

by Lou DeSantis, demonstration coordinator for PAR

November 28th is Fur Free Friday, an event that began over twenty years ago in this country and is now observed throughout the world. By the 1990's, after exposing the brutality of fur production, animal advocates had succeeded in making the wearing of fur taboo in the eyes of many people. Recently, to counter this, department stores have been promoting clothing with fur collars and trim that consumers mistakenly believe is made from scraps of leftover fur. In reality, animals suffer and die for each article, whether fur-trimmed or full length. And that death is not pretty.

In the U.S., nearly four million animals are caught in traps where they suffer for days before trappers break their necks or even bludgeon them to death. Throughout the world, an estimated 45 million animals will spend their lives in small cages on"fur farms". These animals' short, miserable lives are ended by such cruel methods as gassing, neck-breaking and anal-electrocution. In China, where most of the West's fur comes from, animals such as foxes, raccoons, cats and dogs are, unbelievably, skinned alive.

Fur trimmed items are now a half-billion dollar industry. The number of animals killed for fur trim is soon expected to overtake those killed for full-fur garments.

The holidays are meant to be a time of peace and kindness. Shouldn't that compassion extend to our fashion decisions?

Lou DeSantis, demonstration coordinator for PAR

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R.X. Rick, Membership Coordinator of People for Animal Rights, and Bob Graham ("Safari Bob") at Onondaga Free Library after Graham's power point presentation of photos he took in Africa of four species in danger from human overpopulation and over-hunting: gorillas, rhinos, elephants and lions.