Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Lost and Found - Scam Artists and Opportunists

People who lose their precious fur kids are often distraught; and understandably, will do anything to get their babies back. 

Scam artists and opportunists know this and will use this to their advantage. Sadly there are also pranksters.

 

For this article, this is how I'm defining the three:

Scam artists - those who lie, cheat, break the law to make money

Opportunists - those who may or may not provide a legitimate service but who use shady tactics to make money

Pranksters - those who aren't out to make money.  But enjoy a laugh at other's people's pain

 

A typical scam artist ploy:

I was in the area for a conference.  On my way home, I saw your dog. I took him with me.  I’d be happy to get him back to you; I just need xxx dollars to ship him to you.

 

A typical opportunistic ploy

I’m sorry you lost your dog; I just want to let you know about this great service that helped me find my dog…etc...

Note this email is sent like it’s from one person to another. But why would one stranger send another stranger this email when there are so many lost dog postings all over the place.

 

A typical prankster ploy
Someone calls and says that they have your dog. They give you an address. You tried to find that address and it doesn’t exist. When you try to call back, the prankster will not answer the phone or will answer the phone and claim that the dog ran away.

 

Also please be aware that scam artists will also try to take advantage of people who have found a dog.  They will claim that they want to buy the dog from you at a price that is too good to be true - without even meeting the dog.

 

The above are just some typical ploys. Be aware that other ploys exist:

Never send money or hand over money to anyone unless they are standing right in front of you holding your dog.

Don’t deal with people from out of town/state/country; don’t cash checks that are sent to you

 

Note that there are some legitimate pet searching companies (who may or may not be shady).  If you decide to use one, try to find someone you know who has used them – don’t rely on an email from a stranger. 

Ask them to provide the exact details of what they will do for you. Consider if this is something that you can do yourself (or with the help of friends) for free or for cheaper. Be sure to get an exact price quote in writing.  Be wary of those sites that make you enter a bunch of personal information before giving you a price quote.

Additionally, if are trying to find a place for a found dog, be sure to thoroughly check out the person who is taking the dog from you. More in this in another post.

 

Sadly, it’s been my experience that many scam artists and opportunists hang out on Petfinder. It is a useful site. Be sure to use for lost and found, but also be very wary of anyone who contacts you from there.

 

A good article on petfinder concerning scam artists

Includes actual scam artist letters: http://www.petfinder.com/classifieds/scam.html

http://www.petfinder.com/classifieds/scam_examples.html

 

 

 

 

 

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Monday, July 12, 2010

AnimalEducationLinks

Animal Presentation/Information Links
 

 

Slide Shows 

 
AAPAW Presenation Template



Lost and Found Pets



Avoiding Dog Bites



Cost of owning a pet



Pet care for kids



Dog Obedience Training



Spay Neuter Myths Benefits and Resources


Animal Presentation Example



Resources


Fido Friend or Foe Activity Book


Fido Friend or Foe Activities – Land of Pure Gold


Preventing Dog Bites – State Farm


Order Activity Books from Channing L. Bete


Pet Care PDF Files and info from US Humane Society

 
Shelters and Other Animal Resources
 
San Antonio Animal Control Pamphlet (includes reasons for spay neuter and spay neuter resources) 
 
 For additional resources, go to:
 
Free Pet Care Class at Northeast Lakeview College
 
Maricopa County Educational Materials
 
 
 
Spay Neuter/ Immunization Resources

Resources

 
  Man and Beast
  • (210) 590-7387
Windcrest Animal Hospital
  • 210) 653-3660

Own up SA
 

Additional information and education

Lost and Fond - Indentification Part II http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_792p9hz7ggt
Lost and Found - Indentification Part II http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_795cvhp79cj
Lost and Found - Sam Artists, Opportunists and Pranksters: http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_802d8d9r3ft\
Lost and Found - Be careful whem placing found pets http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_803hfr35df3
 
Videos
Pet Care Video for Kids - Avoiding Dog Bites: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atN46tQmN6M&feature=player_embedded
Pet Care Video for Kids - Going to the Vet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6htjmtxUOg
Using a slip leash Part II: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARA7pVgmOq0
 
Poems
Going to the Vet and What do our pets need: http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_799vt5mnqff
Puddin's Wrap Parents Just Don't Understand - Pet Safety: http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_798gkkbwkp8
 
General Info
Giving up Pets - Extenuating Circumstances: http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_769gkgd4cfv
 
Information from others:

Capacity Building Courses - To be or not to be a 501 C3 http://docs.google.com/View?id=dgq9n3n6_0g49p5pfh


 

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Lost and Found - Identification

A shelter employee once said me: "San Antonio has the cleanest strays." When I said, "Whatever do you mean?" Her response was that whenever someone reports their dog missing, when asked about collar or tags the response is usually, "Well I was just giving him a bath..."
 
After a bath, my dawgs like to run around like maniacs, drying themselves off on bed spreads, running outside to dry on the the grass, etc.. and I encourage the craziness because I want bath time to be fun. Since they are allowed outside immediately after baths (when it's warm of course), I put their collars and tags on while they are soaking wet.  The collars are canvas; it doesn't hurt anything. 
 
Some people want their dogs to be comfortable so they take their collars off when they are inside the house. But dogs slip out of front doors all the time. Especially homes with children who don't know or understand the dangers of letting Queeny run out the door.
One person told me the sound of all the jiggling tags is annoying.  That sound would probably be welcome music to the ears of someone who has lost a pet. Besides, you can buy those little rubber thingies to go around the tags to cut down on the noise.
 
Tags are super important for several reasons. 
1). If someone finds your dog, she/he can call you right away with info on the tags (keep your tags current!). 
2). Good Samaritans are more likely to pick up dogs wearing tags.  Folks who have been in San Antonio long enough know the big stray problem we have, and that no that no kill shelters are always full. They know that if they pick up a stray, they might be stuck with the dog for months trying to find place for the fur baby. But if a dog has tags, they are hopeful that they can reunite the dog with his/her parents quickly.
3). Proof of ownership might save your dog from getting killed at a municipal facility.
 
So, one way to prevent your dog from becoming a lost statistic is to make sure your baby is never "naked." Rex should always wear a collar with his Rabies tag (the law), his microchp number and most importantly, an ID tag with your phone number. Your dog should certainly be microchipped especially since tags can come off.  But ID tags can get your baby home a lot quicker. 
 
I picked up a blind dog once at 9:30 PM. She was also either death or hard of hearing.   She was wearing rabies tags that had a phone number to her vet but most vets aren't open at 9:30 PM.  I kept the dog overnight, called the vet the next morning and the dog was reunited with her parents. But if the dog was also wearing a tag with her parents phone number, they could have been reunited that night.  I guess I could have gotten in my car and driven to the closest emergency pet center that was open to see if she had a chip. But I was tired and sleepy, didn't know if I could get this strange dog into my car.  Didn't know if I'd drive all that way only to find that she didn't have a chip.  Some people don't even know about getting a dog scanned. What if this had been a Friday night. I could have had the dog all weekend.
More on collars later
More on lost and found later
La Trenda
210-649-0391
 
P.S.  ID tags, microchips are not substitute for a secure fence, for keeping your dogs on leash when outside of your secure yard. I've actually seen people who have lost pets and had them returned say - "next time, my dog will have his ID on."  Instead of saying, "I'm going to fix that missing board in my fence"; or "next time, my dog stays inside when I'm not home".  There are only so many good Samaritans to go around.  Your dog could meet a speeding car or a crook before she meets a good Samaritan.
 
 
 
 

 

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Puddin's Rap - Parents' Just Don't Un...

Puddin's Rap - Parents' Just Don't Understand
You know parents are the same

Even if there’s fur on their face

They don't understand that us dogs

Are going to make some mistakes

So to you other pups all across the land

There's no need to argue

Parents just don't understand

I remember one day

I wanted to go to the park

“Hold on there young lady,’ my doggie Mom barked

You wear a collar and tags in the day and in the dark

Aww! Come on Mom;   tags are really lame

I’d rather wear my fat gold chain, fat gold chain
Phat, Phat, Phat gold chain!

Then my Dad went mad and did the ultimate
I asked him for ice cream and she gave me kibbles and bits

Human food is bad for pups
Now take your kibble and eat it up

For the rest of the day, I’d tried to explain to my dad
That human food isn’t that bad

But even bit brother wasnt’ havin’ it
We don’t want  baby girl to sick

So all you other dogs all across the land
There’s no need to argue Parents just don’t understand


Oh-Kay, here the situation
I wanted to walk in a neighborhood location

My mom started bugging with this leash that she chose

I didn't say nothing at first

I just turned up my nose

She said, "What's wrong? This leash will keep you safe
It’s keeps you from running around all over the place
You need to have a leash where ever cars go
Your going out for a walk, not for a fashion show

Mom, Dad, you ruin my rep

Your only 9 months, you don’t have a rep yet!

The cats are gonna laugh at this leash that I’m wearin

If they are laughing you don’t need ‘em cause their not good friends

It didn’t help to try to plead my case;

Well, parents are the same no matter time nor place

To all you other kids all across the land

take it from Pudd, Parents just don’t understand

 
La Trenda
210-649-0391
http://rrc.petfinder.com
http://www.facebook.com/aapawfans

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Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Taming Vet Bills








Taming Vet Bills





Taming Vet Bills
Times are tough. Many people are unemployed or under-employed.  With so many other things tugging at our pocketbooks we need to be sure that our fuzzy kids aren't left out when it comes to proper vet care.
 
Contents
 
 
 
 

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. 

It's an old cliche' but so very relevant in so many situations.  If you don't get a 30 dollar oil change every few months, you can wind up spending thousands to repair your engine.  If you don't get the proper preventative care for your pets, you could wind up spending thousands at the vet.
  • Get your pets vaccinated.  Parvo are distemper awful diseases that affect many unvaccinated pets - especially puppies. Pet parents who have experienced these diseases can tell you that their dogs suffer greatly. Sometimes a pet parent can spend thousands of dollars at the vet and the dog still dies.  Those that survive can have life long complications - especially from distemper.  Vaccinations against Rabies, Parvo, Distemper are only need once every one to three years (depending on the vaccine).  Luckily, these are not surprise or emergency vaccinations - pet parents can put away money specifically for these costs. Getting Rabies vaccinations is the law. This disease is transmittable to humans and can be fatal to humans and dogs. 
    • Puppies must get a series of shots by the time they are 16 weeks old. Talk to your vet about the schedule and please please don't let your pet on the ground or on the floor in public until he/she is done with shots.  Please don't let him/her out at the dog park, Petco, Petsmart, etc.. They can pick up diseases so easiy before they are done with shots.
    • note: For the more experienced pet parents -  I know there are some schools of thought about how often or even if vaccs are needed.  I'm not smart enough to debate anyone on this subject. But I will say with some confidence though that if you choose not to vaccinate your pet for health reasons then titer testing is a must to make sure your pet still has antibodies. But this is a discussion for another time. This post is about saving money. Titer testing costs several hundred dollars. Vaccinations are quite cheap in comparison.
 
  • Keep your pets on heartworm preventative each and every month.  Heartworms is an awful condition that is fatal if not treated.  Worms grow in the heart and cause all kinds of complications - eventually death.  Many dogs feel like they are choking as the worms fill up the heart.  Treatment for heartworms is basically poisoning.  Some dogs don't even survive the treatment.  Also the treatment is very expensive. Expect to spend 600 dollars or more for treatment depending on the size of your dog.  Heartworm preventative will cost about 10 dollars a month depending on the size of your dog.  That's about 30 cents day. Once again - not a surprise expense - something can prepare for.  Note the Animal Defense League will treat heartworms for 200 dollars but that is still more expensive that preventative and your dog still suffers greatly from the treatment.
    • Dogs that are mostly inside still need preventative.  All it takes is one mosquito bite for your dog to become infected.
    • Also note: If you have never used heartworm preventative, get with your vet first.  An inexpensive test needs to be done to insure your dog doesn't already have heartworms and certain breeds (collie type breeds) might have medical issues with certain brands of heartworm preventatives.

 

  • Keep Fifi's or Fido's weight in check.  Obese dogs have the same complications as obese humans - heart disease, diabetes, joint issues, etc.. Keeping weight at an acceptable level will save on vet bills.  Feed your dog a nutritious dog food (talk to your vet) and cut way back on table scraps.  Some human foods are okay for an occasional low calorie treat - carrots, apples, etc.. Once again talk to your vet and see a previous post about foods that are bad for our pets: http://www.meetup.com/sabigdawgs/messages/boards/thread/8403478
    • Note: I'm not smart enough to talk about a raw diet.  If you decide to do this, do your research and talk to your vet

 

  • Keep your fence in good repair. Replacing a board might cost 5 dollars.  Much cheaper than the 600 to 1,500 dollar vet bill you will incur if your dog gets hit by a car.  Fence only 4 feet high and your dog keeps jumping it?  If you can't afford a 6 foot fence right now, keep Fido inside until you can save up the money.  Sometimes no matter what you do, your dog will get out of the yard. Some of them are just that good. These dogs should only be allowed outside when they can be attended to.  These dog are not only in danger of causing you a huge vet expense but they could loose their lives, get lost or get stolen.  More info on escape artists in another post. Additionally, even if your dog is not an escape artist, never take him/her out in public without a secure collar and leash.  Not only is this the law in most areas, but more importantly, any dog can get distracted and take off.  A dog running after a rabbit might not notice the speeding car coming in her/his direction.  
    • Caution - tethering, tieing out, chaining your dog is never a good way to restrain your dog for oh so many reasons.  Please do not leave a tethered dog unattended.  More on this in another post.
 
  • Please don't let your dog ride in the back of a pickup truck.  All it takes is that one time for your dog to jump out while you are speeding down the highway - huge vet bill or worse.  Not only could your dog get injured or killed but you might even cause a traffic accident.  Some folks might say that their dog has never jumped from the back of a moving truck, but my response is another old cliche' - "there is a first time for everything".  One example (of many I hear): A lady who was needing help finding a lost dog was telling me that her dog always walk down the street to go visit the neighbor's dog and "he always comes back".  A short time later, I received another call from a good Samaritan.  Her dog was found dead.  So the baby always came back - except for that one time that he was run over by a car.  You dog might always ride well in the back of a truck - except for that one time he sees a deer or a female dog in heat.  Restraining our dog in the back of the truck is a bad idea as well. The dog can try to jump out and hang herself.  Pet parents should also be extra careful about letting their dogs stick their whole head or parts of their body out of the car window.  They could jump out or get hit by flying debris.
 
 

Establish a relationship with your vet

Find a vet you like and go to him/her for all of your vet care needs.  If your dog gets injured or sick, your regular vet might be more willing to work with you on a payment plan.  Shot clinics are a great way to save money; but a yearly check up at your vet is a must  - not only for preventative care but to also establish that relationship.  Also, if a vet sees your dog regularly, he or she will be more attuned to your dog's needs and will be able to see health changes more easily. I get my dogs nails trimmed and anal glands expressed at the vet about once a month. Sometimes I go to my vet for nothing.  We just sit in the lobby and take treats.  This works for me for two reasons - 3 of my dogs are very shy and nervous.  I want them to get accustomed to the vet's office and I want them to know that going to vet office doesn't always mean something bad.  And of course, it establishes that relationship. The staff there knows me and my dogs. 
 

Get small health issues taken care of right away 

So you see a tiny little bald spot on your dog. You don't want to spend 30 or 50 dollars or so for a vet visit for something so small?  Well think about what it will cost when the spot gets bigger and it's harder to treat. What if that little spot turns out to be sarcoptic mange - which is transmittable to humans.  Take care of small problems before they become big problems.  Not only is it much cheaper in the long run, but your baby will avoid needless suffering.
 

Get your pet spayed or neutered

This is a good idea for so many reasons - pet over population, health issues, etc.. A neutered dog might be less likely to want to roam. A 200 dollar spay surgery is much cheaper than taking care of 15 puppies - or worse. Some Mama's have complications during birth just like humans. The vet bill can be very expensive and your dog will needlessly suffer.  There are many low cost or even free spay neuter clinics in San Antonio. Two Hundred Dollars is probably about what you'd pay at a regular vet.
 

Get Pet Insurance

Shop around and read the fine print.  Some deals are better than others. Some are not deals at all. Ask your vet for advice.  It will be easier to come up with 10 to 20 dollars per month for insurance rather than come up with 600 dollars for an MRI or X ray if something goes wrong.  We have medical insurance for humans - why not for our companions?
 

Establish a savings account for your dog

Even if you only have a couple of dollars to spare, put it away for Rex.  If you don't have 2 or 3 dollars a month to put away, then start looking at what you can do without to come up with that amount (or more is better).  Eat out less, give up foods that aren't good for you.  If you smoke or drink alcohol - give that up.  Give up that cable or satellite TV.  Instead of going out to the movies or to a night club, socialize with people and other dogs at free dog walking meetups.
So times are tight and you've done all that already and there is still no money?  Look a little harder.  Nutritionally, a meal of beans and brown rice has about as much protein as streak.  And it provides plenty of vitamins, minerals and fiber. You can get about 10 or more servings out of a 50 cent pack of dried lentils.  Gave up meat, candy and pastries already?  Can you eat a little less food?  Many of us eat way more than we need.  Can you cut back on a snack a day for the health of your dog?
 

Establish credit

Just so you will have it for emergencies.  Don't use it to buy new clothes or a game station. I you haven't established credit yet or if you are trying to repair bad credit; then you might have to start with cash secured cards or department store cards. Buy some necessities with them (groceries, school clothes, etc..) to get your credit going - but be sure to pay them off right away. Don't even wait until the end of the month. Have the money to pay the bill before you use the card. For vet expenses, also look into Care Credit: http://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/
 

When that big expense happens

So, you've kept your dog safe in your yard or on leash; you've kept Queen's weight to an acceptable level and fed her quality dog food.  But a big vet bill still comes in and you are low on cash - what do you do?  Pay day loans are always a bad idea. But if you don't have credit established, then you might have to consider that.  Pawn something  - Jewelery, furniture, electronics, etc.. Anything that is worth less than your dog's life or health.  Which is everything.  If you spend time calling around to see which vet is the cheapest, the dog could be getting worse and the expense could be going up - not to mention your dog might be suffering.
 
So you've sold everything, you are hungry from lack of eating and you still can't afford the vet bill?
Charitable organization are over taxed but give them a try -
 
 
Our dogs do so much for us and ask for so little in return.  We should try our best to make sure they are safe, happy, and well.  For more info on vet expenses,  and for information on free or low cost spay/neuter vaccinations, please see:
 
For information on cutting back on expenses - The Tightwad Gazette is an excellent resource - don't buy it. Get it at the Library:
 
Other useful info on saving money
 
 
La Trenda
210-649-0391
 
<[IMG]http://i686.photobucket.com/albums/vv229/latrenda12/LupeMatt-MattJulieShareaMoment01-24.jpg[/IMG]
 

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Summer Safety

The summer heat can be dangerous for all dogs but some are more susceptible than others - the "winter" breeds - the dogs with long thick coats - Huskies, Akitas, Malamutes, Chows, etc..


The dogs with short snouts - Boxers, Rotties, Bulldogs (Frenchies, English, etc..); the very old and the very young.



Also be extra cautious if your dog has white fur or very short fur or pink skin. These dogs can sunburn easier than other dogs (any dog can sun burn)



Watch for signs of heat exhaustion like excessive panting. Some dogs will tell when they are tired. If your dog stops all of a sudden during play or walking, listen to him or her. It's time to go inside and rest. But note that some dogs will not know when it's time to quit. They will keep going just to please you. You will have to know when it's time to take a break.



Be very careful taking your dog out in the middle of the day (avoid it if possible). Pavement can get very hot - can even burn their sensitive little feet.



If your dog is mostly outside, check his/her water source often. The water can become hot very fast. Put out some ice cubes often to keep the water cool. Make sure the dog has plenty of shade and/or a dog house. Of course, living inside is much better especially during extreme temperatures.



Most garages will not provide suitable housing for our Big Dawgs. Most are not insulated and the temperature can be just as extreme as the outdoors. Maybe even hotter if there is no ventilation.



If your dog hasn't been exercising much - now it not the time to start a jogging regimen. Dogs have to slowly get into shape just like us humans.



See this link for more info on summer safety: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=405527368488&id=219916225124&ref=mf


Interesting note - according to the above article, a wet dog can become overheated. The water can heat up on the fur causing a "sauna" effect.



La Trenda
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Sunday, May 30, 2010

If you don't have time for your pets

As a rescuer, you want to see dogs and cats and other pets in safe in loving homes. Of course you won't be able to take in every stray and you won't be able to take in every owner surrender. One of the ways to cut down on animal suffering is to try to keep pets in their home. If a pet parents tell you that they want to surrender their pet because they "don't have time and it's not fair to the pet," try to educate them on how they might be able to make time:




Are there some things you can cut back on in order to pay a dog walker or pet sitter to visit your baby while you are at work? It's very expensive but look long and hard and some things that you might be able to do without in order to pay for the pet sitter - i.e. cable or satellite TV. Can your dog stay at a play and stay facility while you are at work?



Sometimes, just being home with with you pet means the world to her. As long as your pet lives inside with you, you are spending time with him... when you are helping the kids with homework, cooking, cleaning etc..



Giving her to another family won't guarrentee that she will get the time and attention that she deserves. Most people have full time jobs, children or parents to care for, etc..



Can you figure out away to work your fur kids into your social schedule - i.e. making friends at dog friendly meetups as opposed to other outings.





Instead of going to an indoor movie theater, go to an outdoor movies theater and bring your dog. Or rent a movie and stay home with the dogs and cats. If you want to eat out, visit one of the many dog friendly dining establishments or have a picnic in the park with your dog or simply stay home with your cat.



When you are washing the car or pulling weeds in the front yard, take your dog outside in a crate and talk to her while you are working.



Instead of going to the gym, take your dog on a nice long walk or job. For an upper body working, wear a weight vest. Do calesthenic in the home - pushups, situps, etc.. Bad weather keeping you inside? Ask a trainer for help in teaching your dog how to walk on a treadmill.



Instead
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