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  • Group urges students to make considerations before owning pets
    (By Kate Szyszka) It happens every year. Students sign their first apartment lease, they start buying their own groceries, cleaning their own bathroom, paying their own bills, and living on their own without the comforts and security of a dorm. Some students decide that this is also the time when they should get their own pet, whether it be a beta fish, a guinea pig or a Labrador Retriever, students want their own pet. The student group Leadership in Action, along with animal science students, wants these potential pet owners to be educated on different parts of animal welfare before making that commitment. The majority of the group members are enrolled in the College of ACES or earn credit for specific classes in the animal science program. The group, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has focused on educating University students about the responsibilities and costs of owning animals. "Owning a dog costs $1,500 per year," said Marissa Woodall, a sophomore in ACES and student working with the group. "1,500 bucks is a lot of money." Aside from cost problems, students often have extremely sporadic and hectic schedules. "It is so hard to give them what they need with a college student's lifestyle and schedule," said Dr. Amy Fischer, professor of animal sciences. "Dogs especially appreciate routines." Some students may adopt animals but then face life changes at the end of the year such as graduation, moving back home or moving to a place where they cannot bring a pet. "Often times people just leave their pets behind at the end of the semester," said Blake Ruebush, senior in ACES and member of Leadership in Action. A number of pet owners bring their animals to the local humane society when they cannot continue to care for the pet, especially at the end of the school year. "We definitely see an influx of animals coming in during May and June," said Kate Meghji, shelter manager of the Champaign County Humane Society. According to the shelter, 1,133 animals were relinquished to the shelter between April and August. Between December and March, only 717 pets were relinquished. For students who choose to have pets on campus the group suggests some key tips to provide the best care possible. "It's really important to build in consistent time to exercise animals," Fischer said. Other recommendations include having one person ultimately responsible for care of the animal, neutering the pet, providing stimulations for animals while at class or work such as toys. The group also plans to post fliers on buses and in the Tenant Union and team up with registered student organizations to have an event on the Quad. The students are also planning a presentation on their work at the University to the Central Illinois Animal Welfare Coalition in January. For students who are animal lovers but can't commit to being owners, Fischer recommended fostering animals and volunteering at the local shelter. "My number one recommendation is to get involved with an organization," said Fischer. "They can get involved but have no long-term commitment." People who work at the shelter agree. "It is a commitment, a responsibility much like having a child," Meghji said. "I'm not opposed (to students having pets) as long as they are ready for a long-term commitment." (Get Animal Radio Breaking News streaming LIVE 24/7 at http://AnimalRadio.com - Get this news via e-mail...sign up at AnimalRadio.com)


  • NY pet cemetery ranked with Taj Mahal, pyramids
    WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - A travel guide's list of the best places in the world to be entombed includes a New York suburban cemetery _ for animals. "Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2009" includes the Hartsdale Pet Cemetery with the Taj Mahal and the Great Pyramids among the 10 "best places of rest." A spokesman for Hartsdale says it's "delighted to be in such esteemed company." The guide says the headstones at the pet cemetery make fascinating reading. One says, "Sport: Born a dog, died a gentleman." There are 70,000 creatures and several bereaved humans in the 112-year-old pet cemetery, which is 20 miles north of New York City. A spokeswoman for the publisher says the book tries to include "a variety of travel experiences." (Get Animal Radio Breaking News streaming LIVE 24/7 at http://AnimalRadio.com - Get this news via e-mail...sign up at AnimalRadio.com)


  • The canine credit crunch starts to bite - As day-to-day upkeep, vets' bills and insurance costs rise, animal shelters report more owners giving up their pets. Brian Brady investigates
    They are the forgotten victims of the credit crunch. As money becomes tight in millions of homes throughout the country, it is the four-legged members of the household that are most likely to feel the chill wind of recession. Thousands of families are giving up their pets as they count the cost of their day-to-day upkeep, soaring insurance premiums and vets' bills. Animal shelters across Britain report a steep increase in pets being left with them over recent months, as well as a decline in the numbers of people willing to take on their abandoned dogs and cats. "We have seen a big increase in the number of strays being brought to us," said a spokeswoman for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in London. "We can't be certain that this is directly attributable to the credit crunch, but there is an assumption that this is the reason. There has also been a 20 per cent decrease in the number of people providing new homes for animals, compared with this time last year." The Dogs Trust, the largest dog welfare charity in the UK, reported a dramatic impact "in terms of footfall and rehoming waiting lists" at most of its 17 centres. The trust's spokeswoman Caroline Hook said the charity's Harefield centre, in west London, had started to feel the pinch in the past month. She added: "The Harefield waiting list for dogs to be rehomed is normally about three months. However, the centre is now having to tell people it will be between five and six months. "Our London HQ has been inundated with calls from people wanting us to rehome their dog – one in five is now a rehoming request compared with just one in 10 a few months ago. The main reasons people are quoting is the credit crunch and that things are getting tight. It is a particular problem for people who have poorly dogs who require regular vet treatment and medicine." The average vets' bill for a dog is estimated at more than £300 by Saga insurance, although the cost of treating more serious conditions runs into thousands of pounds. Sainsbury's Bank has found that 1.6 million dog and cat owners have had their pets put down over the past five years because they could not pay for expensive treatment. A further 2.6 million pet owners confessed to forgoing treatment recommended by their vets, because they believed the cost was too high. However, millions of owners cannot even rely on insurance policies to cover the cost of expensive treatment. The pet insurance sector is the fastest-growing area of the market. The value of the sector climbed to £440m last year, fuelled by hikes in premiums which insurers in turn blamed on an increasing number of claims. The Blue Cross animal welfare charity also reported a huge increase in the number of abandoned dogs taken in so far this year, with many of the owners citing economic problems, house moves and lost jobs. Aldwyth Bates, a trustee of Powys Animal Welfare Trust, said: "There's no question the rise in the number of animals we are dealing with is down to the credit crunch. The situation is in crisis. Roughly speaking, we're taking in about three animals a day, and we now have 400 cats and 20 dogs." In an attempt to convince owners that there is an alternative to dumping their pets, Battersea is preparing an owners' guide to looking after dogs cheaply. The Dogs Trust already has guidelines, including feeding animals dry food instead of tinned, buying in bulk and avoiding extravagant extras including sparkly collars. "You may think your pooch looks pretty but if you're out to save money, a plain one will do the job," a spokeswoman said. "If you are thinking about getting a dog, a rescue centre such as Dogs Trust is a good place to start looking and is cheaper. You will know that your dog has had all its inoculations, and you get six weeks' free insurance and advice." One of the family ‘It costs almost as much to insure my dog as my house' David Ryan always knew that buying a Bernese mountain dog would cost him more in the long run, as the breed is prone to health problems. But he never expected the insurance premium for Jess to be close to the cost of insuring his house. "We have to have her insured, mainly for the vets' bills," he said. "Last year when she was four, we got some very expensive insurance quotes, but we shopped around and got one for about £22 a month. "But with a lot of insurance companies, six years of age is a cut-off point – either they don't take on new dogs or they impose big increases. The best I could get for Jess is £35, which is only £10 less than my home insurance. I can just about afford it, but I wonder what people with less money would do." (Get Animal Radio Breaking News streaming LIVE 24/7 at http://AnimalRadio.com - Get this news via e-mail...sign up at AnimalRadio.com)


  • Abused dog's plight brings donations, adoption offers - Elicits donations, adoption offers
    (By Michele Morgan Bolton) By nature, Hilary Cohen is protective of the lost or abused animals she sees in a day's work for Norfolk, whether it's a cat, dog, rooster, or - once - an alligator. But she says a recent case, in which a puppy's leg was shattered with a baseball bat, has shown the town's animal control officer both the best and the worst of human nature. Last week, she arranged reconstructive surgery for the 11-month-old German shepherd mix, served an animal-cruelty complaint against a woman allegedly involved in the case, and orchestrated fund-raising to pay the medical bills for "Buddy," an effort that touched a chord with animal lovers beyond the town's borders. "I'm seeing people driving in from everywhere," said Cohen. "It really blows my mind." Buddy was allegedly attacked in the early hours of Nov. 5, but it wasn't until the next afternoon that officials got a tip and were able to take him for treatment, Cohen said. At first, the dog's owners wouldn't allow Cohen in, she said, so she obtained a search and seizure warrant in Wrentham District Court and then removed him. On Wednesday, Patricia King, 44, of Mirror Lake Avenue in Norfolk, was charged with one count of cruelty to animals by allegedly failing to seek medical care for Buddy in a timely way, depriving him of food and water, and keeping him in an unsafe environment, Norfolk police said. Charges against another individual are expected, Cohen said. "Animals have no choice who their owner is," Cohen said. "And no animal chooses to be put in this type of situation." After surgery, Buddy was as loving as he was when Cohen and three police officers initially took him from his home on a stretcher. "He didn't know who we were, but there was no bite, no aggression," she said. "He's such a good boy. It's hard to see an innocent puppy go through this." Norfolk has seen a number of animal cruelty cases this year, including a dog that was covered in paint this summer and four domestic rabbits abandoned near the grounds of the state prison in town. This year, the Massachusetts Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Angell will handle more than 3,000 cases of animal abuse, said spokesman Brian Adams. "That's not all the cases in the state, just the ones that come to us as lead investigator," he said. "There could be thousands more." A tanking economy can contribute to abuse, Adams said. "People get frustrated and take it out on a spouse, a child, and their animals," he said. "Unfortunately, people tend to be inventive. We've seen dogs shot, stabbed, and one man went after his with a chain saw." Punishments have been tightened since animal cruelty became a felony in 2004, he said. Now, conviction can bring a maximum of $2,500 in fines and five years in prison. A pair of bills pending on Beacon Hill, to make attendance at dog fights a felony and to protect pets through temporary restraining orders in domestic violence cases, would also help, he said. As of midweek, donations to help Buddy's convalescence had risen to more than $4,000. Among those who contributed was Josie Rowean, a fifth-grader at Norfolk's Freeman-Centennial School, who prompted her fellow Junior Girl Scouts in Troop 3614 to help Buddy. "I wanted to give him some of my money because I have $20," she said. "I felt sad, because he was hurt bad. Then my mom had an idea to have the Girl Scouts do it, too." Rowean and fellow Scouts Camille Beaulieu, daughter of leader Kathy Beaulieu, as well as Haley Morgan, Gabriella Martucci, Rylee Collins, Megan Bechett, and Lindsey Mollor gathered at the town library last week to make collection cans. They dropped one off at school, as well as at Main Street Hardware, Something Special, Bourque's Restaurant, and Tedeschi's, all in Norfolk. Cans are also located in Walpole at the Village Groomer, and Vet-Med Pet supplies in Franklin. The collections will continue until Friday. Denise Rowean, Josie's mother, said there is no excuse for hurting an animal. "It breaks my heart, and it broke Josie's, too," she said. "I hope Buddy's OK and he has a good home," Josie added. "I'm hoping to adopt him." So are scores of others, Cohen said. When news first broke of the dog's attack, 150 voice mails were waiting from people offering assistance. Among others who have offered help are members of King Philip Middle School's PEACE (Pets and the Environment And Community Effort) Club. "These are kids who want to help support living things," said the school's principal, Susan Gilson. "They have devoted one of their next fund-raisers to this." Cohen's brother raffled off four tickets to a New England Patriots football game, and other raffles in town are planned next week. In the meanwhile, Buddy is recovering in an undisclosed location with a large green cast on one leg. Norfolk Police Chief Charles Stone praised Cohen's determination to right a wrong. "When Hilary finds something like this, she acts," he said. "Some people consider this type of thing a prank. We don't." (Get Animal Radio Breaking News streaming LIVE 24/7 at http://AnimalRadio.com - Get this news via e-mail...sign up at AnimalRadio.com)


  • In search of the First Puppy
    (By JESSICA MEYERS) As Barack Obama moves ahead at staffing a new administration, he must make another crucial decision – the presidential pet. Virtually every president after Chester Arthur has leashed – or unleashed – some animal in the White House, from Calvin Coolidge's roaming raccoons to Zsa Zsa the rabbit during John F. Kennedy's tenure. "It makes them an all-American family," said Claire McLean, founder of the privately funded Presidential Pet Museum in Williamsburg, Va., a repository of information and artifacts on presidents and their four-footed friends. "So many people in America have a pet. He becomes an everyday guy." The president-elect promised his daughters, Sasha, 7 and Malia, 10, that they could get a get a puppy for their move to Washington. But the politics of pets and Malia's allergies have delayed the selection process. Mr. Obama has suggested a shelter dog, because they're "mutts like me." Malia has said she wants a "goldendoodle," a golden retriever-poodle hybrid. Ms. McLean advocates a Portuguese water dog, a nonallergenic breed that has ancestral ties to the poodle. "He's more of a family dog than a snob dog or a high-maintenance dog," she said. Other groups pushing a favorite pick have weighed in, such as the Friends of the Peruvian Hairless Dog Association. Locally, Maura Davies, a spokeswoman for Dallas' Society for the Prevention and Cruelty of Animals, has a tally of allergy-appropriate hounds for the family. She advised bypassing shaggier dogs such as golden retrievers in favor of more hairless pups. Other SPCA candidates: the bichon frisé and Toto reincarnations such as the cairn terrier. After Grits the dog (Jimmy Carter), Socks the cat (Bill Clinton) and Macaroni the pony (JFK), naming the presidential puppy may end up being the easiest part. 1. Labrador retriever 2. Yorkshire terrier 3. Poodle 4. Shih tzu 5. Golden retriever (Get Animal Radio Breaking News streaming LIVE 24/7 at http://AnimalRadio.com - Get this news via e-mail...sign up at AnimalRadio.com)

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