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May 2016 Issue
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Get More Photos + Videoin Our Digital Magazine!
Take Urban Paws with you wherever youand Fido roam. Our digital edition includes
everything from our printmagazine, but with bonusfeatures! You’ll soon findeasy links to the productsand services in each issue,plus bonus photos andvideos. Visit urban-pawsmagazine.com/about-us/currentissue today!
Issue 4: Volume 10www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
ContentsPublisherJennifer Kitchens-Street
(281) [email protected]
Advertising(281) 384.5431
Contributing WritersLeptoinfo.comBob Williams
Marie Suszynski
Staff PhotographerJamie Fincher
Urban Paws MagazinePO Box 1556
Spring, TX 77383www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
© Copyright 2016. No part of thispublication may be reprinted or oth-erwise reproduced without the pub-lisher’s written permission. UrbanPaws magazine assumes no responsi-bility for unsolicited manuscripts,feature and idea submissions, orphotographs, and such material willnot be returned. Urban Paws maga-zine assumes no liability for the con-tents herein and has the right torefuse advertising for any reason.Urban Paws magazine does notendorse any specific product or serv-ice contained herein; we do encour-age you to support our advertiserswhenever possible.
Find us online!Website:
www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
Printed in the U.S.A.
4 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
MAY 2016
THE SCOOP 7Canine News and Happenings
BARK OF THE TOWN 12The Great Catsby Cat Cafe
HEALTH 16Leptospirosis: A Silent Killer
SAFETY 20How To Ensure Your Pet’s Food Is Safe
RESCUE & ADOPTION 22All Border Collie Rescue
SAFETY 24A Dog’s Bite Can Be Worse Than The Bark
Photo by Paw Prints Photography by Jamie Fincher
On the cover
The Scoop
MAY 14
Katy Community 'Chip Clinic
Low-cost microchip event at the Fort Bend
Shelter Pets Expo in Sugar Land! Visit with
adoptable pets, pet service providers, and
enter for some great prizes! $10 microchip
with free lifetime registration. Cash only.
www.facebook.com/events/2158816587830
27/.
MAY 15
Paws For a Cause
Sponsored by Better Homes & Gardens Gary
Greene, this pet adoption and rescue aware-
ness event is free to the public. This event
will also feature vendors, presentations and
Q&A from area specialists on pet nutrition,
low-cost vaccinations, grooming, and more.
Bring the entire family and enjoy food, music,
face painting, raffles and shopping. Gary
Greene Champions, 8817 Louetta Road in
Spring. 11am to 4pm. For more details, call or
text Tim Merritt, Gary Greene Realtor and
Event Manager, at 832-474-0770.
MAY 15
Bark in the Park
Join Houston Humane Society at Rice
University's Bark in the Park at 12pm. Tickets
are only $15 for you and your dog to enjoy
the game! HHS will be on hand with mobile
adoptions. Purchase tickets online at
www.riceowls.com/bark and use pro-
mocode: BARK.
MAY 20
Fierce & Fabulous Soiree Kick-Off Party
Houston PetSet & St. Nicola invite you to the
kick-off party for the 2016 Fierce & Fabulous
Soiree at 7pm. River Oaks District, 4444
Westheimer Rd. Enjoy refreshments and
fierce company to celebrate the upcoming
soiree in September.
www.houstonpetset.org.
MAY 21
Puppies for Breakfast
Market Square Park Downtown at 301 Milam
St. Houston, TX 77002. 10am - 2pm. Puppies
for Breakfast is a morning dog festival that
works to bring everything "dog" to one place
for a few hours!
www.puppiesforbreakfast.com
MAY 21
Pull for Puppies
A tug-of-war tournament featuring teams
from all over the Houston area and pet festi-
val. City Centre, 800 Town and Country Blvd.
Event benefits Forgotten Pet Advocates
www.forgottenpetadvocates.com
For the most up-to-date information, news and events, visit:www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
6 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
May 2016
Katy Community ‘Chip Clinic &Fort Bend Pets Alive! Succeed inHelping 70+ Local Pets GetMicrochipped
Katy Community ‘Chip Clinic (KCCC) in part-
nership with Fort Bend Pets Alive! is proud to
announce that just over 70 local family pets were
microchipped at its last event, at Whole Foods
Market Katy. The group offered $10 microchip-
ping with lifetime registration; community lost
and found and pet safety information; and pet
adoptions through local rescues.
KCCC is proud to have partnered with Fort
Bend Pets Alive! for this effort. Fort Bend Pets
Alive! is dedicated to delivering solutions that
can make Fort Bend County a no-kill communi-
ty through programs such as education, adop-
tions, outreach, low-cost spay/neuter programs
and fostering. Microchipping more pets makes
reunions just a phone call away, when animals
are brought into a shelter.
The volunteers are especially thankful to Dr.
Patrick Choyce and the 24/7 team at All Pets
Animal Hospital for giving their time and effort
in administering the microchips. Also joining
Urban Paws Magazine 7
the event was Dogs on Deployment and Prevent
Unwanted Pets. Dogs on Deployment provides
an online network for service members to
search for volunteers who are willing to board
their pets during their owner's service commit-
ments. Dogs on Deployment promotes respon-
sible, life-long pet ownership by military pet
owners by advocating for military pet owner
rights, providing educational resources and
granting financial help for military pet owners
during times of emergency.
Prevent Unwanted Pets is dedicated to help-
ing decrease the number of unwanted and euth-
anized animals in our area. Their mission is to
aid people with the spaying and neutering of
family pets, feral cat colonies and abandoned
animals to decrease pet overpopulation.
Finally, the support of these “Top Cat” spon-
sors provided the resources needed to offer this
program: A Pet's Domain; Camp Bow Wow;
Cinco Ranch Dental; Circle Lake Ranch Pet
Resort; Fulshear Pet Services; Bob and Ann
Hodge; Paws Memorial Service - Pet Cremation
& Memorial Services; Rover Oaks Pet Resort;
Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming Katy.
Natural Pawz Recognized WithPrestigious Pinnacle AwardNatural Pawz - the #1 health food store for pets
- was recognized May 11 with the prestigious
2016 Pinnacle Award in the pet services catego-
ry at the Houston Better Business Bureau
(BBB)'s 24th Awards for Excellence Luncheon.
The Houston BBB supports and recognizes
8 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
businesses and nonprofits in greater Houston
that meet specified, high standards of excellence
and quality in the workplace.
"Winning the Pinnacle Award is really such an
honor," Biff Picone, co-owner of Natural Pawz,
said. "Like the BBB, Natural Pawz has strict
standards for ethical behavior, quality service
and community involvement. We are thrilled to
be honored with the Pinnacle Award."
The Pinnacle Award is the top recognition
given by the BBB each year. Natural Pawz joined
the BBB in 2013 and received the Winner of
Distinction Award in 2015. The pet food and
supplies retailer maintains an A+ rating with the
BBB.
"We pride ourselves on extensive product
trainings, hosting hundreds of pet adoptions
and putting people and pets ahead of profits,"
added Nadine Joli-Coeur, co-owner of Natural
Pawz. "Our employees really are dedicated to
improving pets' health and sharing with pet par-
ents the best options for their fur friends."
Natural Pawz will celebrate its 11th anniver-
sary in July 2016 with great specials and fun
activities for pet lovers in Houston and Austin.
More information will be made available about
The Scoop
the anniversary celebration at
www.NaturalPawz.com.
Dogs Across America AreFreaking Out Over the New MixMania Campaign
Brace yourself for a mealtime you won’t forget!
Dogs across America are licking their chops
over the Mix Mania campaign from Mars
Petcare, which encourages dog owners to MIX
IN wet food with dry kibble and LOOK OUT
for a full-on freak out from their furry friends.
Actress, musician and animal lover, Kristin
Chenoweth, has joined the Mix Mania madness,
lending her voice to hilarious videos showing
frenzied freak outs and mealtime craziness.
Consumers can join the fun by visiting
MixMania.dog where they’ll find lip-smackingly
delicious recipes, PAWsome content and a
unique remix station where they can share their
dog’s freak out video and have it remixed with a
hysterical voiceover from Kristin Chenoweth.
The campaign highlights freak outs at their
best with serious slobber and overjoyed pooches
captured in slow motion videos. The long form
video shares a taste of the mania, and a series of
short form videos with outrageous voiceovers
from Chenoweth leaves consumers begging for
more.
“Mix Mania inspired me to try mixing in wet
food for my dog, Maddie. It was amazing to see
how doing something so simple got my dog
ridiculously excited! I’m a huge dog lover, so it’s
been so much fun to work with the CESAR®
and PEDIGREE® brands on this campaign,”
says Kristin Chenoweth. “The best part about
this program is that anyone can join the
#MixMania madness by sharing images and
videos of their dog’s funny faces. You can even
get your pet’s video remixed by yours truly!”
Beyond the remix station, consumers can also
share their pup’s freak out face photos and
videos across social media using #MixMania for
a chance to win custom Wag Swag such as a
surfboard, skateboard, playing cards and more,
all with their dog’s face featured prominently.
“For the first time ever, Mars Petcare is bring-
ing together our full portfolio of wet dog food
brands – CESAR®, PEDIGREE®, NUTRO™
and IAMS™ – for a fun and engaging pro-
gram,” said Dan Jackson, Marketing Director
for Mars Petcare. “Our Mix Mania program is
an easy way for pet parents to show their love.
All they have to do is mix in and look out!”
For more information on how to join the
madness, visit MixMania.dog or their social
channels on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
AAR Spay/Neuter Clinic OpenAgainAbandoned Animal Rescue’s (AAR)
spay/neuter clinic is again open to the public.
To schedule a spay/neuter appointment, email
[email protected] with your pet's info (
cat/dog, breed, age, sex, and color).
truth and Petco Unleash Anti-Smoking Campaign Aimed at PetOwners
truth is teaming up with DoSomething.org to
give pets an opportunity to speak — err, bark
or meow — up about that. Together, they’re
enlisting some very special — and very furry
— advocates to help finish smoking for good
by spreading the word about its effects on pet
health.
truth is asking pet parents (and pet lovers)
out there to nominate a pet for the Four-
Legged Finishers competition by submitting a
Urban Paws Magazine 9
10 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
photo and a caption showing how their furry
friends feel about the fact that secondhand
smoke affects pets. Twelve photos will be
selected to be made into memes for a nation-
wide meme contest, ultimately crowning the
winner.
Internet fame and helping us become the
generation to end smoking? It’s a win/win.
Plus, each contestant is entered into a drawing
for a $5,000 scholarship when they submit a
photo.
Head to DoSomething.org to learn more
about the competition and check out a few of
the entries on their Facebook page at
www.facebook.com/truthorange.
Free Days withGeorgeBY COLIN CAMPBELL
Bestselling author Colin
Campbell and one very
big dog named George
kicked off a nationwide tour on Tuesday, May
3rd in New York to coincide with the official
launch of the highly-anticipated memoir Free
Days with George. The book has been named one
of the Top 20 Editor’s Pick for Spring Nonfiction by
Amazon (http://goo.gl/KIOSnm). Free Days
with George is the remarkable true story of a 140-
pound homeless dog named George and his
adopted human Colin, who felt like his life was
The Scoop
crumbling around him. George teaches Colin
the real meaning of happiness and hope
through their connection which transcends a lot
of things we know about loyalty and love.
Information for pre-ordering Free Days with
George can be found online at: http://www.pen-
guinrandomhouse.com/books/243531/free-
days-with-george-by-colin-campbell/.
Dog Only Knows: TheWord of DogBY TERRY KAYE
Author Terry Kaye’s new
book, Dog Only Knows: The Word
of Dog is a funny, poignant and
candid examination of life as only a dog could
tell it. By looking at the world through Belle’s
eyes, we gain insight not only into canine behav-
ior, but also into our own. Belle, a small black
fluff ball with a white goatee, is THE relation-
ship guru for dogs and their people, helping us
communicate better so we can love each other
better. This sweet, sassy rescue dog reveals the
secrets to enjoying a doggone great life and a
happy, fulfilling canine/human relationship. For
more information, visit
www.dogonlyknows.com.
Bow Wow Books
12 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
Bark Of the Town
ost cafes serve the usual coffee and
tea. But, now you can enjoy a cup of
Joe along with the company of some felines at
The Great Catsby.
Cat Cafes are an exploding international trend.
They started in Japan and have spread to
London, Copenhagen, New York and Los
Angeles. A Cat Café is designed to be a relaxed
setting where adoptable cats can roam free and
people can play with them or just hang-out for a
small cover charge. Helen Caddock, Cat
Adoption Team Lead for Operation Pets Alive
pounced on this global trend. "Cat cafes are a
new concept that were started in Japan, where
not many people could have cats. They could go
to cat cafes to hang out and play with the cats."
Open since October of last year, this pop-up
Cat Café is located in Old Town Spring.
Caddock was excited to spear-head this project.
“For customers, we hope it will be a fun and
unique experience and for our cats, it gives them
a chance to showcase their personalities to
potential adopters.” The Great Catsby is named
after one of Operation Pets Alive’s bottle-fed
kittens, adopted and renamed by Dr. Sarah
Goodyear, a local veterinarian.
Due to licensing restrictions, food cannot be
served on the premises but Operation Pets Alive
has team ed up with a nearby restaurant and cus-
tomers can order food and beverages, which will
be delivered to them at the Café. The Great
Catsby is open at its current location, The Spirit
Would You Like Some Cat With Your Coffee?
M
Quest Center in Old Town Spring on select
weekends throughout the year. However, as a
‘pop-up’ café The Great Catsby can ‘pop-up’
anywhere - schools, colleges, businesses.
For more details about The Great Catsby, fol-
low them on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/thegreatcatsbytx or contact
[email protected] if you would like
more information about hosting The Great
Catsby.
The Great CatsbyThe Spirit Quest Center
303 Main Street
Old Town Spring, TX 77373
Urban Paws Magazine 13
Mutt Mugs
“A dog is one of the few things in life
that is what it seems.”- Mark J. Asher
14 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
16 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
Health
eptospirosis (lepto for short) is a growing
concern for dog owners throughout the
United States, including cities, suburbs and rural
areas.
What is leptospirosis?Leptospirosis (lepto for short) is a serious bac-
terial disease of dogs, multiple animal species,
and humans that occurs in countries around the
world. In recent years, leptospirosis has become
an increasing concern of pet owners and veteri-
narians in the United States, especially in cities
and suburbs. The primary reason is growing
populations of wildlife, like raccoons and
skunks, which carry disease and infect dogs indi-
rectly. Dogs can get sick even if they never come
into direct contact with infected animals.
Lepto has been diagnosed in all types of dogs.
All breeds and sizes of dogs are at risk. Lepto
can be a very serious disease and can be fatal if
not diagnosed and treated early. It generally
attacks a dog's liver and kidneys and can lead to
organ damage or failure. However, if lepto is
caught early, it responds well to antibiotics.
Preventative measures, such as vaccinations, are
available to pet owners as well.
A bacterial diseaseLeptospirosis is caused by the bacterium L.
interrogans, part of a group of corkscrew-
shaped bacteria called spirochetes.
Leptospira spirochetes are further divided
into multiple "subfamilies" called serovars or
strains. Around the world, there are more
than 200 serovars of lepto. Although there
are many serovars, only a few are known to
cause disease in dogs. Newer vaccines contain
four serovars for protection against today's
most common serovars.
Lepto serovars are maintained by "reservoir
hosts" that have subclinical infections and
shed the organisms for long periods of time.
Dogs can be reservoir hosts for the serovar L.
canicola. Many academics consider L. canico-
la the least frequently isolated serovar in dogs.
Dogs are "incidental hosts" and generally
develop more severe clinical disease for L.
grippotyphosa, L. pomona, and L. ictero-
haemorrhagiae.
Signs in dogsSome dogs never display any signs of illness.
Others may suffer from a lack of energy and
show signs of depression. Some may display
LeptospirosisTransmitted through water and a silent killer of dogs
L
any or all the following signs:
• Lack of interest in eating
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Fever
• Jaundice (yellowish color in the mouth or gums)
• Changes in urination patterns or frequency
VaccinationAnnual vaccination for leptospirosis is an
affordable means to help protect your dog from
a disease than can be very costly to treat. Ask
your veterinarian if they use a vaccine that pro-
tects against 4 serovars.
Your veterinarian will determine an appropriate
vaccination series, depending on your dog's vac-
cination history and risk factors. Your dog may
need an initial vaccination and a booster a few
weeks later. Annual vaccination is needed for
continued protection.
Environmental precautionsVaccination is extremely important, but also,
you may want to consider the following steps
you can take to prevent leptospirosis:
• Have your dog vaccinated against the 4
serovars of Leptospira
• Wash your hands after direct contact with your
pet or its urine.
• Where possible, avoid exercising your dog in
wildlife habitat areas.
• Prevent your children from playing in areas
used for exercising dogs.
• If you have been around a dog diagnosed with
lepto, seek medical information from your vet-
erinarian or medical provider.
Lepto carriers can live in urban, suburban, and
rural areas. To learn more and take a risk assess-
ment test, visit www.leptoinfo.com.
Urban Paws Magazine 17
18 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
ith pet food recalls making recent
headlines, buying that next bag of
dog or cat food may give you pause.
These pet food tips can help you prevent food-
borne illness so you can keep your pets — and
your family — safe.
Nearly 1,000 pet food products have been
recalled in the past few years, with more than
200 brands of dry and canned food affected.
Contaminated pet food has caused serious kid-
ney problems in dogs and cats and has even
been linked to Salmonella infections in humans.
It’s a scary prospect to think that feeding your
pets can make them seriously sick. And in cases
like Salmonella poisoning, your pet may be
resistant while you or members of your family
can get ill.
In a recent study published in the journal
Pediatrics, researchers found that a 2006
through 2008 outbreak of Salmonella that sick-
ened 79 people from 21 states, was linked to cat
and dog food. Young children, in particular,
were at risk.
Thankfully, there are steps you can take to avoid
food-borne illnesses from pet food.
Keeping Your Pet and Your Family Safe
You can have a healthy pet even during a time
of frequent pet food recalls. Follow these steps
to protect your pet and your family.
Check the recall lists. Paying attention to pet
food recalls is a must. Go to your pet food man-
ufacturer’s website, the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration’s pet food recall list, or the
American Veterinary Medical Association’s web-
site to find lists of the pet food that has been
recalled.
Check the lot number. If you see the brand of
pet food you use on a recall list, don’t panic.
How to Ensure YourPet’s Food Is Safe
Health
W
Contamination is happening at individual plants,
so the pet food you bought may not be affected,
says Mary Schell, DVM, senior toxicologist at
the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center in
Urbana, Ill. Compare the lot number and expi-
ration date on your pet food with what’s on the
recall list. If you go to the manufacturer’s Web
site, you’ll find information about what to do if
your pet food is on the list. Often the companies
are asking consumers to return the food to
where it was bought so they can oversee the dis-
posal of it, Dr. Schell says.
Look for symptoms. Your dog may or may not
show signs of a food-borne illness if he’s
exposed to Salmonella or another type of bacte-
ria through pet food. If you see warning signs,
such as soft stools or diarrhea (especially if it
has a bad odor), lack of appetite, lethargy, vom-
iting, a change in how much water your pet is
drinking, or a change in how much your pet is
urinating, a trip to the vet is in order. You can
also call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control
Center 24-hour hotline: (888) 426-4435.
Keep your hands clean. People are getting sick
from pet food primarily from handling the food,
but it can also happen when you’re cleaning up
By Marie SuszynskiMedically reviewed by Jennifer Garcia, DVM
20 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
after your pet, Schell says. That’s where diligent
hand washing comes in. Wash your hands
before and after feeding your pet, scooping up
his stools, and even after petting and playing
with your pet.
Keep pet food away from young children.
Because kids are at higher risk for infection, it’s
a good idea to keep pet food out of their reach.
Continue to buy premium pet food. Although
even the more expensive brands of pet foods
have been affected by recalls, they’re still a good
choice because there’s less risk associated with
higher quality pet foods, Schell says.
If you make it yourself, get advice from your
vet. Some pet owners feel better about making
their own pet food to make sure it’s safe. Schell
recommends working with your veterinarian
about what to make so you’ll be giving your pet
a balanced diet. Leaving out meat or feeding
dogs only meat can lead to serious nutritional
deficiencies, she says. She also recommends
cooking pet food and not serving a raw meat
diet because not cooking meat can increase risk
of the food-borne illnesses you’re trying to
avoid in the first place.
Be picky about your dog’s treats. Dog treats such
as rawhide bones and pigs ears may be at the
highest risk for contamination because many are
bundled together and put out in large barrels at
the pet store, Schell says. She recommends
avoiding bulk treats and doing some research on
the manufacturer before you buy treats to be
sure the company uses safe practices.
Taking these precautions means you’ll be able
help keep your pets and your family free of
food-borne illness.
Health
Looking Ahead...
COMING IN JUNETraining & BehaviorMeet the MPS Army
COMING IN JULYSpecial Anniversary Issue
Contact us for special advertising
opportunitiesat 281.384.5431
22 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
All Border Collie Rescuewww.allbordercollierescue.com
All Border Collie Rescue (ABC) is a not for profit volunteer rescue organization dedicated to the res-cue of Border Collies. This passionate group of Border Collie lovers have had the good fortune ofmeeting and befriending each other through past rescue work. Some of our volunteers are new toworking with Border Collies, while some have over a decade of experience with them. The dogs wetake in come from many shelters throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and neighboring states.Many are All ABC dogs are fully vaccinated, spayed/neutered, have been heart-worm tested and onheart-worm prevention. Our goal is to rescue, in some cases rehabilitate, and successfully match ourBorder Collies to forever homes with well-matched temperament and abilities. All Border CollieRescue members know that it’s ALWAYS all about the dogs.
Dare is a six-year-old, male red and whiteBorder Collie. He came to ABC rescue afew years ago and was adopted, but dueto his owner’s illness, he was returned.Dare is a typical Border Collie that comeswith a few quirks that only true BorderCollie lovers may appreciate. He is afraidof storms and will climb in bed with hisfamily when one approaches. Much like acat, when Dare wants affection, he wantsaffection. He lives to play ball, does fineon walks, but prefers his exercise to behad in the backyard. Although he is cratetrained and house trained, Dare has had afew accidents due to the many transitionsthat he has recently endured. Only fami-lies with older children will be considered,since he doesn’t appreciate little ones thatdon’t understand when he wants to be leftalone. Dare gets along with other dogs,but doesn’t really want to play with them.He also tolerates dog savvy cats.
Dare!
Rescue & Adoption
Contact us for information on how you can be a Partner for Pups sponsor!
Gus is a sweet, tall, lanky border boy. He loves allpeople and would do well with school-aged chil-dren. He can grumble a little with new dogs atfirst meeting, but lives peacefully with 4 otherborder collies. He recently had a type of spinalembolism that has now healed and has startedchasing balls again. Gus has a great interest inplaying ball and loves to play keep away from hishumans! Gus is not great with cats as he hassome herding drive. He rides great in a car, walkson a leash well, and sleeps in his crate fine. But,since he is so trustworthy out of his crate, hisfoster mom leaves him loose all day long with noproblem.
Teller is very happy and playful, three-year-old,black and white Border Collie. Weighing in at 50pounds, he is great with children and has madefriends with his foster mom’s two cats. He playswell with other dogs and enjoys games of tug,chase, and wrestling with them. Teller enjoysplaying with a variety of toys. He knows basiccommands and is crate trained, although he canget antsy after a while in the crate.
Penn and his brother Teller came to ABC Rescuevia a shelter outside Houston where he was sur-rendered by his owner who could no longer carefor him. Penn, a two and a half-year old, blackand white male, is a giant love bug. He greatlyenjoys sitting with you with his head in yourlap or curled up next to where ever you are sit-ting. Plays well with other dogs and enjoys gamesof tug, chase, and wrestling with them. Heenjoys playing with a variety of toys. He willchase after a ball but is still working on the partabout bringing it back to you. He knows basiccommands and is crate trained, although he canbe stubborn when it is time to go in the crate.
Urban Paws Magazine 23
24 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
ay is National Dog Bite Prevention
Month and Bark Busters wants to do
everything possible to keep you safe. Read these
tips so you're not a dog bite victim!
They say a dog's bark is worse than his bite, but
most of us would rather not find out. According
to the Center for Disease Control, more than
4.7 million Americans are bitten by dogs every
year, with 880,000 requiring emergency medical
treatment. In fact, more than 30,000 victims of
dog bites undergo reconstructive surgery each
year, and 15-20 people die from dog bites year-
ly.
Who Is At Risk? With more than 70 million dogs in the U.S. and
multi-dog households, it's important to do
everything you can to safeguard your loved ones.
Children between the ages of 5 - 9 are the most
vulnerable, and men are more frequent victims
than women (who are bitten by cats more
often). Children under 4 are often bitten on the
face, head and neck, mainly because they are
about the same height as a dog.
Safety Tips for Parents• Never leave a young child or baby alone with
any dog.
• Never allow your young child to discipline a
dog.
• Never allow your child to feed or walk a dog
unsupervised.
• Never allow your child to approach an unfa-
miliar dog.
• Never allow your child to pull on a dog's collar,
ears or tail.
• Never allow any child to play aggressive games
(like wrestling with any dog).
• Never allow your child to pet a dog that is in
someone else' car or truck.
When To See A DoctorIf you or your child has been bitten, try to find
out from the owner if the dog is up-to-date on
his rabies shots or rabies treatment plus a
tetanus shot may need to be given. If the dog
causes a laceration, puncture or tear to the skin,
or pain near the dog bite, it is best to see your
doctor. Dog bites can often cause infections
because bacteria can seep deep into your tissue.
Exposure to a rabid animal does not always
result in rabies. If treatment is initiated prompt-
ly following a rabies exposure, rabies can be pre-
vented.
A Dog’s Bite Can Be WorseThan The Bark
M
Safety
Urban Paws Magazine 25
If your dog has a tendency to bite or is aggres-
sive, contact your Bark Busters trainer. We can
help you overcome this problem behavior and
hopefully prevent injuries in the future.
Bob Williams is a Master Dog Trainer at Bar Busters. Toschedule an appointment, visit www.barkbusters.com.
By Bark Busters Home Dog Training
Tail End
Some Companies Are Now Allowing Pet Bereavement Days
f you’ve ever lost a pet, you know the emo-
tional toll that it takes. They are part of our
families and we deeply mourn their loss.
While there is no law requiring this, some U.S.
companies are recognizing the pain and grief
suffered by pet owners and allowing them to
cope by offering “pet bereavement days.”
Some companies have now followed the trend,
including software company VM Ware and
Maxwell Health. Pet friendly Kimpton Hotels
and Restaurants allows up to three days away
from work, and pet insurance company
Trupanion gives employees one paid pet
bereavement day. Statistics say pet parents grieve
an average of six months, and that this is a rela-
tively common human response to death even if
it pertains to an animal.
The attachment or relationship that pet owners
have with their animals is a significant part of
their lives and in some cases, the grief can turn
to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The
most vulnerable ones are those who look to
their pets as children.
Meanwhile, aside from pet bereavement days,
these companies also provide allowances for
employees whose pets might require more care
and attention due to treatments and operations.
Workers can even bring their pet to work so that
they can watch over them during the work day.
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26 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com