Joan - Pet Tails Magazine

Page 2 February March 2012 ~Spay & Neuter Your Pets ~ Pet Tails

Pet Tails 

For the first time since 

adopting our cat 18 months 

ago, we needed to go out of 

town. We placed our two dogs 

in a crate-free kennel and flew 

away, leaving Waldo in the 

care of a pet sitter. I realized 

not long before we left that 

Waldo had not been left alone– 

with neither dogs nor people– 

for any longer than four hours 

since coming to us from the 

Virginia Beach SPCA. 

My anthropomorphic 

tendencies went into overdrive. 

I feared he would think we had 

deserted him like his previous 

family had done and that he’d 

never see us again. I worried 

he wouldn’t eat, or that he’d 

sit in the dining room window 

continuously crying, as he 

does when my husband takes 

the dogs out for their dinner 

time walk. If I’m in another 

room and call to him, Waldo 

comes running and stays until 

they return. 

Despite being a cat 

with his typical high-level of 

independence, except at dinner 

time, I have applied to him not 

only human characteristics, 

but also those of a dog. We 

have lived with only dogs 

Continued on page 4 

Dental care is very 

important. Think of how it 

would be if we never brushed 

our teeth? No one would 

want to be around us, talk 

to us, or receive kisses from 

us. We brush our teeth, most 

of us brushing at least twice 

daily. Why does it seem like 

such a stretch to brush our 

cat’s and dog’s teeth then? 

Let’s take it one step further– 

we also schedule bi-annual 

dental check-ups with regular 

cleanings to maintain the 

health of our teeth, gums and 

promote fresh breath. Dentists 

have the right approach—find 

and fix the problems before 

they come to surface or show 

any clinical signs. Dental 

tartar is not just unsightly; it 

can lead to serious illness. 

Bacteria within the 

mouth have easy access to the 

gingiva and blood supply that 

is headed directly back to the 

heart. Oral bacteria may cause 

serious health concerns and 

infections, where the heart as a 

major organ and impact center, 

is one of the first stops. This can 

lead to heart complications and 

insufficiencies, which can turn 

the infection septic (spreading 

throughout the body) and 

~Spay & Neuter Your Pets ~ 

cause both localized and 

widespread pain. Resulting 

cardiac complications and 

insufficiencies can even result 

in death. 

Gingival infections 

can also lead to abscesses. 

These infections may result 

in the loss of teeth, and are 

extremely painful. If left 

untreated these infections may 

spread to the jaw bones, and 

other bones in the head, making 

them increasingly difficult to 

cure. Once a bone infection 

sets in, long term antibiotic 

treatment must be started and 

surgical debridement, removal 

of infected portions of the 

bone, is often necessary as 

well. These procedures are 

very costly and are easily 

preventable by having regular 

dental check-ups. Ask 

your regular veterinarian to 

incorporate a dental exam 

as part of your pets’ semiannual 

wellness examination 

and if that is not an option 

go ahead and make a special 

appointment. Dental care is 

not just important for cosmetic 

health and fresh breath, routine 

dental care can also aid in the 

early detection of some types 

of cancer. As we all know, the 

February March 2012 Page 3

Page 4 February March 2012 ~Spay & Neuter Your Pets ~ Pet Tails 

earlier cancer is detected, the 

better the prognosis for curing 

the cancer. 

Routine home 

dental care, namely brushing 

your pets’ teeth, is equally 

essential for the prevention of 

serious dental illness. Some 

veterinary offices provide a 

service called a “Brush and 

Flush,” where a veterinary 

technician or assistant brushes 

your pets’ teeth and then 

flushes the cleansed mouth 

with a dental astringent. I 

strongly recommended that 

this treatment be performed 

weekly for pets whose owners 

are unable to brush their pets’ 

teeth at home. For those 

owners who are willing to give 

brushing at home a try, there 

are many over-the-counter 

tooth pastes for pets that may 

be purchased at your local pet 

retailer. These pet-specific 

formulas should be used in 

lieu of human dental products, 

where many of the human 

toothpastes contain harmful 

products which may cause our 

pets’ hearts to stop if ingested. 

Another way to 

maintain your pets’ teeth at 

home are dental chews. Many 

varieties of dental chews are 

readily available at pet retailers 

and given the overwhelming 

number on the market it is 

best to discuss which chew 

is most appropriate for your 

particular pet with your 

veterinarian prior to purchase. 

Many of the dental chews on 

the market have the potential 

for causing obstructions and 

may not be appropriate for 

your particular pet. Once 

you and your veterinarian 

decide upon an appropriate 

product, keep in mind that 

you should always supervise 

your pet while they chew on 

the product so ingestion of 

inappropriate materials or 

oversize fragments does not 

happen. Obstructions can 

cause serious internal injury 

and even result in death. Some 

chews are too soft, and can fall 

apart in chunks that can lodge 

within the esophagus, stomach 

or intestines of your pet. If you 

observe or suspect that your pet 

has ingested an inappropriate 

material you should contact 

your veterinarian as soon as 

possible. The sooner your 

pet is seen and treated by 

a veterinarian, the better 

the prognosis. Another 

disadvantage of dental chews 

is that they may cause damage 

to the enamel of your pets’ 

teeth. Some dental chews 

may be too hard and can cause 

chipping or fracturing of the 

enamel and dentin of the teeth. 

As a result the damaged teeth 

may need to be removed, or a 

root canal or crown may need 

to be placed, depending upon 

the degree of damage that has 

been done. A large number 

of regular veterinarians have 

the training to perform root 

canals, place crowns and some 

even apply braces. 

In addition to 

dental chews, there are also 

numerous other over the 

counter dental care products 

for pets, including powder and 

liquid additives for their food 

or water and topical sprays 

that are applied directly to the 

teeth. You should always check 

with your regular veterinarian 

to ensure that a particular 

product is safe for use on your 

particular pet prior to purchase 

and use, as some products may 

be detrimental to their health 

or merely ineffective. Your 

veterinarian is the best resource 

in helping you decide what 

products will be beneficial for 

your particular pet and will 

likely have the products that 

they recommend in stock for 

your convenience. 

A yearly cleaning is 

recommended for your cat or 

dog, just as your own dentist 

recommends that you have 

bi-yearly dental cleanings 

done for yourself. Veterinary 

dental cleanings are routinely 

done under sedation, in order 

to enable the technician the 

ability to perform the most 

thorough cleaning possible 

and to allow extractions to 

be performed as necessary. A 

routine pre-surgical workup 

should be done prior to the 

procedure in order to notify 

your veterinarian of any 

increase in anesthetic risks. 

This workup consists of a 

comprehensive blood panel, 

urinalysis and an ECG to 

monitor how your pets’ body 

may react to the anesthetics. 

If any abnormalities are 

detected, they can be addressed 

prior to the procedure and 

necessary changes in the type 

of anesthetics may be made. 

Postponement of the procedure 

may also be necessary and 

other alternatives may be 

discussed. Some pets may 

require a course of antibiotics 

prior to a dental cleaning, 

dependent upon how old or 

severe the dental build-up in 

their mouth is. This is done to 

prevent infection from being 

released into the body and 

causing secondary infections 

during the dental cleaning. On 

the day of your pet’s dental 

they will come to the clinic 

in the early morning and stay 

for the day. During the actual 

cleaning, your pet’s teeth are 

thoroughly cleaned of all the 

tartar build-up and calculi with 

an ultra-sonic scalar, polished 

and a fluoride treatment is 

applied. The procedure for 

your pet is nearly identical to 

the cleaning that you receive 

when you get your own teeth 

cleaned by a dental hygienist. 

There is no down time 

following a routine cleaning 

and your pet may return to their 

normal activities that day. 

Dental care for your 

pets is absolutely essential 

and keeping up with it will 

ensure that getting kisses from 

our beloved pets is a welcome 

experience, especially those 

big sloppy wet kisses from our 

canine kin. February is dental 

month and a great time to start 

providing routine dental care 

for your canine and feline 

companions. It is not too 

late to make a New Year’s 

resolution. 

Continued from page 3 

for so long, it just happened. 

Thus, I presumed a level of 

neediness akin to a dog rather 

than to a cat. (Although we’ve 

never had a problem with the 

dogs wanting to drink out of 

the toilet, we do with this cat.) 

Therefore, because 

Waldo sleeps in our bed 

at night, I wanted to have 

someone stay at the house to 

sleep with him, to lessen the 

trauma I just knew he would 

suffer by our being gone. I 

gratefully received my daily 

text messages from Judy, with 

her notes and pictures of Waldo 

doing his normal things. I still 

was concerned about him, but 

did feel better. 

Once home, though, 

I learned Judy had needed to 

go hunting for Waldo in the 

middle of the night. He had 

retreated to his own bed in our 

closet and was sound asleep– 

all by himeself. 

I should have known 

better… 

Cindy 

Owner of 

From Wags to Whiskers, Inc.


It is often truly said 

that for many people, pets aren’t 

just animals they are members 

of the family–but would you 

go so far as to clone your fourfooted 

family member after he 

had passed away? Cloning is 

not a new subject and neither 

is pet cloning. However, 

recent stories in the news and 

a recent showing of the TLC 

network’s “I Cloned My Pet” 

have brought the subject to the 

forefront once again. Our pets 

provide us with years of love 

and enjoyment, so much so that 

the possibility of keeping them 

with us forever is a tantalizing 

prospect. One critic of the 

science has stated that “dog 

cloning is not as ‘cuddly’ as 

it seems.” Pulitzer Prizewinning 

investigative reporter 

John Woestendiek reveals the 

darker side of cloning our furry 

friends. What Stiff did for the 

dead and Fast Food Nation did 

for the burger, Woestendiek’s 

Dog, Inc.: The Uncanny 

Inside Story of Cloning 

Man’s Best Friend does for 

the stranger-than-fiction world 

of commercial dog cloning. 

Woestendiek was 

inspired to write this book by 

the story of former Wyoming 

beauty queen Bernann 

McKinney who was so 

distraught over the death of her 

pit bull Booger that she paid 

$50,000 for the chance to bring 

her beloved companion back 

to life. The result was 5 new 

“Boogers” in 2008. The author 

was struck by the lengths 

people were willing to go for 

their pets and intrigued by the 

compelling questions about 

the boundaries of science, 

commerce and ethics. As he 

states: “It was great material 

for a book–and, ultimately, 

I wanted to explore one big 

question. If cloning 

dogs is okay, is 

cloning humans 

okay?” This book 

follows a host of 

colorful characters 

who sought to 

replace their 

companion animals 

with a new but 

genetically identical 

generation– 

”colorful” because 

as the author stated when 

questioned: “In addition to 

being moneyed [cloning 

doesn’t come cheap!], these 

are people who relish being 

in control, like things their 

way, and don’t like being told 

they can’t do something”–as 

well as providing in-depth 

investigative reporting of the 

scientific background and 

complex genetics, the Korean 

and American scientists and 

companies who are involved 

in this emerging industry, the 

allegations of scientific fraud, 

and much more, all written 

in a readable, conversational 

style that will appeal to a wider 

audience than just dog lovers 

or those involved in either side 

of the cloning issue. 

The author feels 

that domestic cloning has 

focused on dogs because 

people tend to connect more 

with canines–”a lot of owners 

come to see themselves in their 

dogs...and no other domestic 

animal is closer, emotionally, 

to humans.” Dogs have 

come indoors to be coddled 


like children. They have 

increasingly been outfitted with 

enhancements from collars, 

to clothing, to pacemakers 

and more. The author argues 

whether artificially lengthening 

dogs lives has less to do with 

their wellbeing than with our 

attachment to them. Dog, 

Inc. is a fascinating look at 

how our emotional needs 

are bending the reaches of 

science and technology. With 

our pet obsession climbing to 

new heights and our scientific 

abilities even more so, this 

book raises the question: are 

we crossing the boundary of 

controlling science in the name 

of love, in the name of science, 

in the name of merchandising, 

or a blend of all three? 

Published by Avery 

Books, this book was published 

in hardcover under this title 

in 2010. It was released in 

paperback in January of this 

year under the title: Dog, 

Inc.: How a Collection 

of Visionaries, Rebels, 

Eccentrics and Their Pets 

Launched the Commercial 

Dog Cloning Industry. 

And now for 

something COMPLETELY 

different! 

As a young child, 

Peter Brown found a frog 

in the woods and brought it 

home to be his pet. 

His mother was not 

happy: “Would you 

like it if a wild animal 

made YOU its pet?” 

To which he replied: 

“Absolutely!” Thus 

was formed the 

seed for a humorous 

and heartwarming 

picture book twist 

on the classic “first 

pet” story by grownup 

author/illustrator 

Peter Brown entitled Children 

Make Terrible Pets. 

When Lucy, a young 

bear, discovers a boy in the 

woods while practicing her 

“twirls,” she is delighted and 

brings him home, begging 

February March 2012 Page 5 

her mom to let her keep him. 

Her mom warns: “Children 

make terrible pets!” Lucy 

prevails and names her new pet 

Squeaker. Through a series of 

hilarious and surprising scenes, 

young readers can join Lucy 

and Squeaker on their day of 

fun and decide for themselves 

whether or not children really 

DO make terrible pets. A great 

book with fun illustrations for 

story time or bedtime reading. 

Publisher: Little Brown Books 

for Young Readers 

Pub. Date: 2010 

I leave you with the 

following thought: “I would 

be most content if my children 

grew up to be the kind of 

people who think decorating 

consists mostly of building 

enough bookshelves.” - Anna 

Quindlen. 

Til next time. 

Joan 

Joan is a retired chief 

librarian in Lynn, MA. 

She can be contacted at 

JoanR50@netzero.net


Volunteers–where 

would many organizations be 

without them? These special 

people are the backbone of 

many charitable groups. I 

truly believe God sends angels 

in the guise of volunteers. My 

wildlife refuge is no exception. 

We could not survive without 

these wonderful people. 

I realized this 

two years ago when I was 

diagnosed with rheumatoid 

arthritis (RA). It came on me 

suddenly with all the pain 

typically associated with RA. 

It was in my hands and arms 

and it was almost impossible 

for me to hold and feed baby 

wildlife, clean cages, or do 

any chores. From that early 

time I went from bad to worse. 

I was also diagnosed with 

osteoarthritis in both my legs 

and knees. 

Because of these 

issues I became very attached 

to my couch–I was barely able 

to move. But I’m a realist. I 

knew that I might have to give 

up operating the refuge, and 

stop caring for the hundreds 

of baby wildlife that came 

into the refuge each year. My 

husband, Jim, agreed with me. 

We both knew he would not 

Allison Lindsay is a 

freelance writer and 

animal lover, living in 

the Smoky Mountains of 

North Carolina. To contact 

Allison, email her at allison. 

wieringa@gmail.com. 

be able to handle the refuge 

by himself. It needed the pair 

of us to maintain the level 

of standards we had set for 

the refuge. With our decision 

made, I informed my good 

friend and Vice President 

Donna Hamilton about what 

we needed to do. 

To say that this 

decision made us unhappy is 

an understatement; it affected 

us deeply. But the 

one thing I had not 

counted on was the 

indomitable spirit 

of volunteerism. 

Within 24 hours, six 

“angels” showed up 

at my door. They 

all knew what they 

had to do, courtesy 

of Donna. Animals 

were fed, cages 

cleaned, outside 

bird feeders cleaned 

and replenished 

with fresh birdseed, 

bird baths cleaned 

and fresh water 

added. And they 

didn’t forget the 

squirrels either. 

Donna was in charge of the 

work force. She also attacked 

the housework with all the 

extras that are necessary for 

running and maintaining a 

home/refuge. She did this on a 

daily basis. 

Seeing the dedication 

from these terrific people 

made me determined to seek 

help for this disease. I know 

I’ll never be free of RA, but 

by seeing an RA specialist I 

now have it under control with 

medication. Although I’m not 

back to my old normal, I’m 

now able to handle a lot of 

the work. But with volunteers 

being how they are, they don’t 

allow me to do much. When I 

try to share some of the load, 

I hear the same thing from all 

of them: we can manage, leave 

us alone, we will do this... 

Two years later the 

refuge is still going strong. The 

volunteers–bless them–are 

still doing what they do. I’ve 

resigned myself to the couch, 

working on crossword puzzles 

and my second book. 

Volunteers, 

God bless them! 

Kelly Galbraith, 

Donna and Jim 

Hamilton, Connie and 

Lawrence Hiebert, 

Noah Meyers, Pam 

and Joe Monahan, 

Katie Ocana, Brenna 

Perez, and William 

Powell. 

As always, if 

you are interested in 

becoming a volunteer, 

call Evelyn at 757- 

430-2886 or e-mail 

her at rehabwild@ 

cox.net.





There are approximately 

5,000 community 

animal shelters in the United 

States. This seems like a 

large number until you think 

about how many companion 

animals these shelters serve, 

which is somewhere around 

five to seven million animals 

annually according to the 

ASPCA. Then it becomes 

apparent how small the animal 

welfare community really is. 

“SPCA” and 

“Humane Society” are general 

terms that any group can 

use. Often seen as one large 

organization, these entities are 

really little islands operating 

in their own little ecosystem. 

Frequently competing for 

public favor, media attention, 

and the limited resources 

available to animal shelters, 

expanding our reach can 

seem daunting. However, we 

all have areas of operation 

in which we can use help, as 

well as areas of strength that 

we can offer to others. 

This fact was reemphasized 

to me in January 

when the Virginia Beach 

SPCA received 18 dogs from 

the Humane Society of the 

United States (HSUS), which 

were obtained from a large 

hoarding case in Mississippi. 

This is not the first time we’ve 

received dogs from HSUS. 

Often these are very visible 

cases–like the Michael Vick 

case in 2007 from which we 

received 12 dogs–but there 

are many more that occur 

and fly under the radar where 

dogs from outside our city and 

state are taken in by Virginia 

Beach. 

Animal transferring 

is not a new concept. Every 

region has a carrying capacity 

for certain types of animals. 

For instance, Danville 

Humane Society in Virginia is 

a frequent partner in adoptions 

through the transfer system 

from whom we’ve received 

approximately 124 dogs since 

2008. They tend to receive 

many small dogs that seem to 

adopt out better in Hampton 

Roads. 

By applying 

basic supply and demand 

philosophy, shelters can both 

shelter local animals, and 

still extend a hand to animals 

from other regions. The key 

is not to forsake local animals 

in an attempt to assist other 

organizations. There also 

needs to be a willingness 

to accept the help of others 

and let animals go to those 

who might better serve 

them. There is a balance, but 

through careful foresight, an 

equilibrium between local 

animals and regional animals 

can be obtained. 

I know it sounds 

sappy, but I am a humane 

educator after all: The world 

is a better place when we play 

well with others. Just ask any 

dog. 

Visit the Virginia Beach 

SPCA on-line at 

www.vbspca.com





Life is a cycle–a 

process of getting from 

one point to another. If the 

process becomes broken, 

there are consequences. 

When I brought home nine 

hamsters from animal control, 

it was more out of a sense 

of urgency than fascination. 

The whole bunch had been at 

animal control for a long time 

with no hope of adoption. I 

didn’t know that the hamsters 

had been inadvertently mixed 

up and not separated by sexes; 

the result was many baby 

hamsters. 

Although my rodent 

rescue is tiny, I had two empty 

aquariums to house the boys 

and girls. Lucky for me, I 

was able to adopt all of the 

boys out during a fantastic 

pet adoptathon at the Holy 

Family Catholic Church. I 

passed along care sheets with 

the hamsters, and worried for 

days about their wellbeing. 

My husband, Jim, calls me a 

mother bear when it comes 

to the care of my rodent 

charges. 

Among the remaining 

hamsters was a new mother 

and her eight babies, or pups 

as they are called. I looked at 

this helpless mother nesting 

on the hard pellets of corn cob 

bedding in her cage and my 

heart melted. Her plaintive 

eyes looked up at me and 

begged for my help. After 

shredding toilet tissue for 

her to build a nest, I moved 

the other hamsters out of the 

aquarium so she was alone 

and undisturbed. I began to 

research what I should do to 

help her raise her pups. She 

received a ration of cream, 

mineral blocks, and added 

food to help her generate more 

mother’s milk. Beyond that, I 

could only watch and wait. 

As time went along, 

eight hamsters became six. 

When mother hamster moved 

away from her nest, I observed 

the health of her brood and 

counted noses. Five hamsters 

were strong and squeaked the 

loudest for milk. Their eyes 

were open, their brown fur was 

fuzzy, and the characteristic 

dark stripe down the back of 

a Campbells dwarf Russian 

had formed. However, one 

pup was small, the runt of the 

litter. Pinky was still hairless 

and his eyes were not open. 

He wobbled and seemed to 

be pushed aside by the other 

pups. Whenever I checked on 

the babies, I always expected 

that Pinky would not be there, 

but he hung in and seemed 

to get what nourishment he 

could from his mother. 

After two weeks, the 

healthy pups began to leave 

the nest and wander around 

on bowlegs, searching for 

adventure--Pinky stayed 

behind. He was still sparsely 

furred. As I observed closer, 

I wondered if Pinky was an 

albino, his fur lighter than 

the others. As the healthy 

pups became independent, the 

mother hamster began to feed 

Pinky more. With the added 

attention, maybe Pinky would 

grow brown fur and catch up 

to his siblings. Hamsters are 

ready to leave the nest after 

four weeks. It would be a 

tense two weeks with Pinky. 

Would he live and catch up 

with the others? 

Pinky opened his ruby 

red eyes and his fur began to 

thicken. He still stood out 

among his siblings. He was 

a blue Argente characterized 

by sandy cinnamon fur and 

red eyes. The others were 

platinum colored with dark 

eyes. I learned a great deal 

about these dwarf hamsters. 

The most popular pet store 

hamster is the Campbells 

dwarf. They are easier 

to handle, originate from 

the steppes of China, and 

mature in two months. Dwarf 

hamsters have a lifespan of 

1.5 to 3 years depending upon 

which species of hamster you 

have. 

Two weeks after the 

adoptathon, one more litter of 

hamsters appeared, sired prior 

to the event. A few days later, 

there was another litter of 

three. Ironically the last litter 

appeared on the same day 

that our little Minnie Mouse 

died. Our rodent rescue was 

beginning to resemble the 

cycle of life. Now there were 

eleven babies and five lady 

hamsters looking for a home. 

No matter what 

the future of these little 

hamsters, each litter was seen 

by a veterinarian, the sexes 

separated, and a quality of life 

restored to these innocent small 

rodents who rely upon human


intervention to make things 

right. I have marveled at the 

miracle of birth and the quick 

process of maturation among 

these unexpected youngsters 

born from circumstances 

beyond their control. To hold 

a baby hamster that is 21 days 

old in the palm of your hand, 

and realize that at 28 days 

that baby can reproduce, is a 

revelation more pet owners 

should think about. It is easy 

to dump unwanted hamsters 

(or any animal) into the lap 

of someone else, but it would 

be easier for all if the process 

of pregnancy ends before it 

gets started by using a little 

common sense. 

Often hamsters 

from a pet store give birth 

unexpectedly once they 

come home. It is the owner’s 

responsibility to research 

and know what to do to 

stop the cycle of reckless 

reproduction. Most pet stores 

will not take baby hamsters 

from non-breeders; therefore, 

one must separate the sexes at 

21 days and buy an extra cage 

to separate the sexes. Bonus 

hamsters can be a blessing 

and add more excitement 

and educational value for 

everyone or they can end up 

tragically unwanted. 


Pinky and his brothers 

were very lucky. A home was 

found for them right away. 

Pinky became known as Cyn 

(Cinnamon) and his brothers 

were named Force and PJ. 

Of the nine hamsters 

rescued from animal control, 

four were adopted and five 

gave birth to a total number 

of 11 babies. Five babies and 

all five mothers remain in our 

rescue. 

Lucinda Rideout is 

a member of the East 

Coast Mouse Association, 

the South East Fancy 

Mouse Association, and 

volunteers at Virginia 

Beach Adoption and Care 

Center. 

Solution on page 30 



It is often said that 

the only way to end a pet’s 

suffering is to make your own 

suffering begin. Deciding to 

euthanize a beloved pet is one 

of the most difficult decisions 

a pet owner can face. This 

decision is affected by the pet 

owner’s personal beliefs, their 

relationship with their pet, 

and the pet’s unique situation. 

The animal’s healthcare team 

can provide guidance during 

the decision-making process, 

but the final decision is the 

owner’s. As a pet owner, it is 

important to understand that 

you also have a choice in how 

the procedure is performed. 

Euthanasia is most 

commonly performed in a 

veterinary hospital, whether 

it is a general health practice 

or an emergency veterinary 

facility. While most veterinary 

hospitals attempt to minimize 

the emotional distress of 

the events surrounding 

euthanasia, they are typically 

busy facilities. The sometimes 

hectic environment may not 

be the ideal setting to say 

goodbye to a beloved friend. 

Recent articles in the 

NY Times and the Washington 

Post have focused on the 

increasing popularity of 

having euthanasia performed 

at home. Correspondingly, 

more veterinarians are making 

compassionate, end-of-life 

care for pets the focus of their 

careers. They can provide 

short-term hospice care at 

home in order to maintain 

a higher quality of life in a 

setting where pets and their 

families are most comfortable 

until the pet’s passing. These 

veterinarians may also perform 

euthanasia at home. 

In-home euthanasias provide 

owners a more private, 

relaxed, and personalized 

atmosphere in which to say 

goodbye to their beloved pets. 

Pets can stay in their favorite 

location inside the house 

or in the yard and avoid the 

anxiety associated with a car 

ride and visit to the veterinary 

hospital. 

These visits can also 

be scheduled around the clock 

to accommodate the families 

schedule, avoiding the 

additional stress of trying to 

make an appointment within 

hospital hours. Remaining 

at home allows for the entire 

family to gather and take 

comfort in each other, instead 

of trying to put on a brave 

face for strangers in a hospital 

atmosphere. Other pets may 

be present for the procedure 

and are able to say goodbye 

to their buddy on their own 

terms. 

Most veterinarians 

perform in-home euthanasia 

similarly to how the procedure 

would be performed in the 

hospital, with the exception 

that your pet is never 

removed from your side. A 

brief physical examination is 

followed by administration of 

a pain medication and sedative 

combination. This injection 

is given under the skin with 

a very small needle. Most 

animals don’t react to this 

injection at all, however others 

behave much like how they 

would to getting their annual 

vaccines. After approximately 

five to ten minutes, the pets 

lay down and fall into a 

heavy sleep. Once they are 

comfortable and sedate, a 

second injection is given. This 

injection is an overdose of an 

anesthetic agent and leads to a 

gentle progression from being 

sedated, to being anesthetized 

(and therefore unconscious) 

to passing away without fear 

or pain. 

Aftercare options are 

the same as those available 

through a veterinary hospital 

and include cremation (with or 

without ashes returned), home 

burial, and cemetery burial. 

Transportation of your pet is 

arranged with the veterinarian 

providing the house call or 

with the after care company, 

depending on your wishes. 

Regardless of where 

the euthanasia occurs and 

under what situation, there are 

pet loss resources available 

for those grieving. Pet loss 

support hotlines, websites, 

chat rooms, and local support 

groups are available to help 

those who have lost a pet 

work through the emotions 

and realities of pet loss. In this 

area, the Hampton Roads Pet 

Loss Support Group meets 

once monthly and is free and 

open to the public. 

While making the 

decision to say goodbye to a 

furry member of the family 

is unimaginable to most pet 

owners, I hope that when 

the time comes to consider 

euthanasia, pet owners in 

Hampton Roads will be aware 

of the options for making their 

pets final goodbye a more 

peaceful and personal one. 

Hampton Roads 

Veterinary Hospice & 

In-Home Euthanasia 

757-474-5968, www. 

hrvethospice.com, 

hrvethospice@gmail.com





days. 

arrived. Little did I know that again. This is one of those 

From then on, I kept from that day on life would instances where you have to 

tabs on the rescue through never be quite the same. In put your selfishness aside and 

their website and their the last two years I’ve gained put your heart into a good 

Facebook page. They are a amazing friends, volunteered cause. You have to go into 

solely foster-based rescue at countless events, and have fostering with the mentality 

and always on the search for had twelve foster dogs pass that you are giving a dog a 

new foster homes. I dreamed through my door. (Thirteen home for a brief amount of 

of the day that I could finally dogs if you want to get time until he or she finds that 

be a foster parent for a dog in technical, but I adopted one, so perfect family who has been 

need, but my current situation I’m not sure if that counts.) searching for that perfect 

wouldn’t allow it. With two Fostering has been an dog. It’s not about you; it’s 

My friend and I we weren’t going to get him people, three medium to large amazing opportunity and has not about how sad you’ll feel 

had taken in a young dog, adopted out on our own. We sized dogs, three cats, two truly changed my life for the when the dog is adopted; 

Benji, who had been in a bad needed help. On December ferrets, and a snake already in better. When people find out it’s about you giving a dog a 

situation. We hoped of finding 17th of 2009, I contacted the residence, fostering wasn’t an that I foster dogs, it’s usually chance at a happy life. This 

a home for him. We already K9 Justice League. I emailed option. However life changes, the same response: “Oh, I’d is something that he or she 

had three dogs in the house Benji’s story and my plea for and as the months went by, love to foster, but I just know would have never had if you 

and couldn’t permanently take help; I had a response within I found myself living alone, that I could never give them hadn’t fostered. The best part? 

responsibility for another. a half an hour. They were one dog less, and with much up!” Little do they know You get to save another dog 

We had Benji for a couple willing to help, and that was more time on my hands. that if anyone is incapable once the last one is adopted! 

of months before throwing that. Benji was adopted into On September 6, of giving up an animal, it’s There’s nothing like it. 

in the towel, realizing that an amazing home within ten 2010, my first foster dog me. But I do it over and over Many of us go


through life thinking that we 

can’t make a difference. How 

can one person change the 

world? My response? Foster. 

Maybe you’re not changing 

the world, but you are saving 

one life at a time. You are 

making a difference. You are 

changing the world for that 

dog–without you, that dog 

didn’t have a chance. 

Take the K9 Justice 

League for an example. Two 

young women had a dream to 

start a dog rescue, and that’s 

exactly what they did. I’ve 

watched them grow from 

having a few adoptable dogs 

to having fifteen adoptable 

dogs at a time in just a 

couple of years. That is why 

fostering is so important. The 

more families that are willing 

to foster, the more dogs they 

can help. So, please, take a 

chance, open your heart and 

your home, and allow a foster 

dog into your life. 

I’m a foster dog mom, 

and I always will be. I can’t 

imagine life any other way. 

For more information, visit 

the K9 Justice League online 

at www.k9justiceleague.com 




Pit bulls throughout this 

country suffer on a daily basis 

as a result of the public’s many 

misunderstandings about 

these dogs. Fear and prejudice 

arise from a general ignorance 

about the breed. In the 50s 

and 60s, Rottweilers, German 

shepherds, and Doberman 

pinchers were feared in a 

similar fashion. Ironically, the 

German shepherd now ranks 

second on the AKC American 

Kennel Club’s list of popular 

dog breeds. 

Quite often dogs that 

attack are identified as pit 

bulls when they are not. It 

seems that that any dog of 

medium build with short hair 

is thought to be a pit bull. 

There are 20+ breeds that 

are commonly incorrectly 

identified as pit bulls. 

The following was first 

published in the June/July 

2007 issue of Pet Tails under 

the title “Banned in Boston.” 

It was written by Joan 

Reynolds who writes the “Pet 

Tales Reviewed” column each 

issue. Since it first appeared, 

Pet Tails readership has more 

than tripled and it reappears 

now to help fight the prejudice 

surrounding these wonderful 

dogs and fight breed-specific 

legislation. 

I live in Massa-chusetts 

where “banned in Boston” is 

more than just a phrase. Our 

Puritan forefathers banned 

dancing, working on Sundays 

and, over the years, numerous 

controversial books. Banning 

is not, however, just a thing 

of the past. Currently 

Massachusetts legislators, in 

response to several dog attacks 

in recent months, are debating 

the creation of an amendment 

to our “dangerous dog” law that 

would ban pit bull ownership 

in the Commonwealth. If 

Massachusetts were to pass 

such legislation it would be 

the first state in the U.S. to 

do so, although a number 

of communities and other 

government entities across the 

country have already done so 

including Denver, Colorado, 

Prince George’s County, 

Maryland, Springfield, 

Missouri, Cleveland, Ohio, 

and Newport, Rhode Island. 

The legislative proponents in 

Massachusetts have expressed 

the belief that “these dogs are 

kept specifically for fighting 

or as weapons, and ... have 

no place in civilized society.” 

At the heart of the matter is 

whether pit bulls - including 

American Pit Bull Terriers, 

American Staffordshire 

Terriers or Staffordshire 

Bull Terriers - are inherently 

dangerous. 

Pit bulls were first 

bred in England in the 17th 

Century - a cross between 

terriers and bulldogs - and 

were often used in dogfights 

because of their strength. 

They came to the U.S. in the 

1800s with Irish immigrants 

to Boston who subjected them 

to further breeding which led 

to the American versions of 

today. The deputy director 

of advocacy for the Mass. 

Society for the Prevention of 

Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) 

agrees that “it so happens that 

pit bulls are the breed most 

favored by those who like 

to raise dangerous dogs, but 

they also make great family 

pets.” He further adds that 

a ban against pit bulls will 

not work “because owners 

who train their dogs to be 

aggressive would not comply 

with it anyway.” Both Detroit, 

Michigan and Baltimore, 

Maryland found it to be true 

that a ban on pit bulls did not 

work because the law was too 

costly, too difficult to enforce 

and ineffective and repealed 

theirs. 

It is a general 

perception that pit bulls are 

born with a mean temperament 

common to the breed. The 

American Temperament Test 

Society - which each year 

tests thousands of dogs to 

determine the soundness of 

their temperament - has found 

consistently that the various 

breeds of pit bull rank in the 

average range of temperament, 

well above many more popular 

breeds of dogs such as beagles, 

collies and cocker spaniels. 

The result of their testing has 

shown that with respect to 

pit bulls: “the American Pit 

Bull Terriers participating in 

our temperament evaluation 

have thus far shown a passing 

rate of 95% while the other


121 breeds tested showed an 

average passing rate of 77%.” 

It has been determined by court 

cases in Ohio and Alabama 

that pit bulls, as a breed, are 

not dangerous “when correctly 

trained and adapted in social 

situations.” 

Opponents of BSL 

(breed-specific legislation) 

feel that the problem is not 

something inherent in the 

breed of dog, but rather as Jane 

Berkey, President of the Animal 

Farm Foundation, states: 

“an issue of irresponsible 

ownership - owners that don’t 

understand dog behavior and 

cruel and criminal owners who 

damage dogs and make them 

dangerous.” The National 

Animal Interest Alliance 

“recognizes that efforts to 

reduce dog bites fail because 

lawmakers tend to emphasize 

laws and policies that restrict 

dog ownership rather than 

penalizing irresponsible dog 

owners.” Other organizations 

opposed to BSLs include 

the Humane Society of the 

U.S. (HSUS), American 

Society for the Prevention of 

Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), 

American Veterinary Medical 

Association (AVMA), National 

Animal Control Association 

(NACA) and the American 

Kennel Club (AKC). Jane 

Berkey notes that while a 

BSL addresses a legislator’s 

immediate political emergency, 

“it creates in the public a false 

sense of security and diverts 

needed resources from real 

solutions. It has a devastating 

effect upon innocent owners 

and dogs as well as agencies 

left to cope with the flood of 

‘cast-offs’.” 

In Massachusetts, 

a Worcester representative 

in favor of such legislation 

rejects the argument that dog 

owners are more to blame for 

problem animals. “That’s the 

same argument that opponents 

of restrictive gun laws give 

us–it’s the person not the gun. 

But the fact of the matter is that 

if you reduce the availability 

of a weapon, whether it’s a pit 

bull or a gun, you reduce the 

number of incidents.” 

A third viewpoint 

on the matter was expressed 

in a court case by an Ohio 

prosecutor: “often dogs 

categorized as ‘vicious’ or 

‘dangerous’ are just acting like 

dogs.” 

In the interest of 

absolute disclosure I have to 


admit that I am opposed to 

the idea of a BSL primarily 

because I feel that, as with 

humans, a whole breed of 

dogs should not be punished 

for the actions of a few. In 

the meantime, the debate will 

rage on for some time here in 

Massachusetts. What do you 

think? 

Joan 



You do everything 

you can to make your home 

comfortable and beautiful, 

but some of the things you 

are doing could be killing 

your birds. Birds have much 

smaller lungs than people, and 

little things in the air could 

cause tremendous damage 

that wouldn’t be detected by 

humans. That’s why miners 

used to send canaries into the 

coal mines ahead of them. 

If there were any poisons in 

the air, it would kill the bird 

immediately. If the bird lived, 

it was safe for miners to go 

inside. 

Second Hand Smoke is Not 

Just Bad for Humans 

Second hand smoke 

causes a lot of problems for 

people to be sure, but it will kill 

a bird far faster. Don’t smoke 

in your home if you own birds, 

and don’t let anyone else smoke 

either. That’s a pretty good rule 

even if you don’t have birds. 

Second hand smoke in an open 

area is bad; but in the confines 

of a small room or home, it is 

magnified greatly. 

Perfumes and Candles 

The scent of perfume 

and the aroma of candles 

are pleasing to us, but can 

overpower a bird’s lungs. 

Over-exposure will kill them. 

Keep candles in separate 

rooms if you must use them, 

and apply perfume after you 

leave the house. 

Self-Cleaning Ovens 

Self-cleaning ovens 

make life easier for people, 

but the fumes they release are 

extremely toxic to birds. These 

types of ovens are coated in 

Teflon to make them release 

grease. Teflon coated anything 

is bad for your birds, so while 

you are shopping for a new 

oven, shop for new pots and 

pans to replace any with Teflon 

coating. This is most 

important if your 

bird is in 

the kitchen 

with you 

often, caged 

in the kitchen 

or in any room 

that shares open 

doors with the 

kitchen. It’s less important, 

but still a good idea to avoid, 

if your bird is in a room on a 

different floor, far from the 

kitchen. 

Febreeze and Other Cleaning 

Products 

Any aerosol type 

cleaning product or room 

freshener leaves a lot of tiny 

particles in the air that can kill 

a bird quickly. Be aware of any 

cleaning products with strong 

odors like bleach, waxes and 

floor cleaners too. Nail polish 

remover and hairspray should 

never be used around birds. 

Ozone Emitting Air Purifiers 

Ozone is harmful to 

people too, but in small limited 

amounts can be helpful for 

those with allergies because it 

clears the air. However, these 

machines produce enough 

ozone to do a lot of damage 

to your birds. Do not run any 

air purifiers with a bird in the 

room, and never run an ozone 

machine anywhere in the house 

if you have a bird. 

Keep Cats Away 

While any other 

species should be carefully 

monitored when around 

your bird, cats are especially 

hazardous. Just the saliva 

from your cat contains enough 

bacteria to kill a large parrot. 

Cats licking the cage can 

transfer saliva to an area the 

bird grasps with its beak and 

make them sick or even kill 

them. Cats also harbor a lot 

of bacteria under their nails. If 

your cat scratches your parrot 

it can kill them. While dogs 

cause some danger to loose 

birds in the home, they aren’t 

much of a problem when the 

bird is in their cage, but cats 

can, and often will lie on top 

of or close to the cage and 

antagonize the bird, while 

leaving behind bacteria that 

can kill them. 

Parrot proofing your 

home can seem a lot like the 

ordeal you went through to baby 

proof it if you have children. 

However, it is an important 

step to take to ensure your bird 

lives a long and healthy life. 

Tami Parrington is a 

freelance writer who 

lives in rural Illinois on a 

small farm, surrounded by 

many animals, including 

a Yellow Nape Amazon, 

A cockatiel and two 

budgies. Contact Tami 

at countryhavenranch@ 

gmail.com





Selecting the fish for 

your home aquarium is one 

of the most exciting parts of 

the process but it may not be 

as easy as it sounds. Many 

novice fish-keepers simply 

stop in their local pet store and 

purchase whatever species of 

fish that catches their eye. 

This is certainly one method 

of selecting the occupants 

for your tank, but it is not the 

best option to go with if you 

hope to maintain a successful 

aquarium. In order to ensure 

that all of your fish get along 

well and thrive together in 

the same tank you need to do 

a little bit of basic research 

regarding fish compatibility. 

Fish compatibility is a 

phrase that aquarium hobbyists 

use to describe the ability or 

likelihood of certain species 

of fish to coexist peacefully. 

Think about this: you wouldn’t 

keep your hamster in the same 

cage as your pet snake, would 

you? Even if the snake did not 

end up eventually eating the 

hamster, simply being in the 

same environment as the snake 

would cause the hamster stress 

and it would not be likely to 

thrive. The same is true of 

aquarium fish. While there 

may not always be a significant 

risk of one fish eating another, 

some species can be very 

aggressive and may create a 

stressful environment for your 

other fish. 

When I started my 

first tank I did not know 

anything about tropical fish 

compatibility–I was like one of 

those novice fish-keepers who 

just wanted to fill my tank with 

the prettiest fish I could find. 

Luckily, the sales associate 

in the fish department at the 

pet store was knowledgeable 

enough to steer me in the 

right direction. Many pet 

stores now include some basic 

compatibility information 

on the description tags for 

the fish they are selling to let 

aquarium hobbyists know 

which species are likely to get 

along with each other. If you 

do not do any research before 

purchasing your fish, at least 

look at these labels to prevent 

problems with your fish after 

you get them home. 

Aquarium fish can 

generally be divided into three 

categories to describe their 

compatibility: community 

fish, semi-aggressive fish 

and aggressive fish. Most pet 

stores offer a large selection 

of community fish–those 

species which are generally 

peaceful and likely to get 

along well with other species. 

Many community fish thrive 

best when kept with three or 

more of the same species. A 

few examples of community 

fish include tetras, swordtails, 

mollies, platties, danios and 

corydoras catfish. Community 

fish can coexist with some 

semi-aggressive species as 

long as the semi-aggressive 

species are not significantly 

larger in size. 

The second category 

of aquarium fish includes semiaggressive 

species. Belonging 

to this group are those fish 

which grow larger than many 

community fish and have some 

aggressive tendencies. Fish in 

this category are likely to be 

territorial–especially the males 

of the species–and may show 

aggression toward other fish in 

the tank if they feel threatened. 

If you select a semi-aggressive 

species for your tank, be sure 

you purchase only one male 

of any particular species or 

you may find that one of the 

males quickly dominates and 

eventually kills the other. 

Some species belonging to 

this group include gouramis, 

barbs, sharks, loaches and 

plecostomus. 

Some of the largest 

and most aggressive species 

of fish belong to the final 

category. Species of fish 

belonging to the aggressive 

category must often be kept 

in a tank by themselves or, 

if kept with other fish, only 

with their own species. The 

largest group of fish belonging 

to this category is cichlids. 

Many species of cichlid grow 

to be very large and can be 

extremely aggressive and 

territorial. In general, it is 

not wise to keep cichlids in 

a community tank because 

the cichlids may harass the 

more peaceful fish in your 

aquarium. Your cichlids will 

also eventually grow so large 

that they might prey on your 

smaller fish. 

The best way to 

ensure success in stocking 

your tank is to do some basic 

research before you buy. If 

you like, make a visit to your 

local pet store to see what they 

have available then research 

the species you like best to 

see what other kinds of fish 

with which they might coexist 

peacefully. If you are not sure 

where to begin, select a few 

species from the community 

category of aquarium fish and 

purchase three or more of each 

species, depending on the size 

of your tank. Be sure you do 

not overstock your tank–it 

is recommended that novice 

aquarium owners stick to the 

rule of one inch of fish per 

gallon of tank capacity. 

A good tip to 

remember when it comes 

time to stock your tank is 

to introduce your fish one 

species at a time. Even though 

community fish are generally 

non-aggressive, they may 

establish a pecking order and 

if you try to add to an existing 

school later the new fish may 

have difficulty fitting in. To 

increase your odds of success 

in achieving a peaceful tank 

environment, provide your 

fish with plenty of live plants 

and other hiding places. In 

the event that one or more of 

your fish displays aggressive 

tendencies, having places 

to hide will decrease the 

level of stress your other fish 

experience. If you take the time 

to do some basic research and 

take precautions in selecting 

your fish you will find that it 

is not as difficult as it might 

seem to foster harmony in 

your home aquarium. 

Katherine Barrington is a 

freelance wrtier specializing 

in the topics of aquarium 

fish and household pets. 

She can be contacted at 

kwbarrington@gmail.com.





One of my clients 

recently agreed to take in 

another horse to keep her mare 

company. Her mare had lived 

with her as a single horse for 

several months. Although 

I strongly recommend that 

horses live as part of a herd, 

this particular horse needed 

focused one-on-one time with 

her new human to overcome 

a few human-related scars. 

Over the previous few months, 

much healing had occurred and 

a wonderful bond had been 

forged. My client now felt it 

was time to provide equine 

companionship to the mare, if 

and when the right horse and 

owner came along. They did 

and my client jumped on the 

opportunity. 

When the new 

companion horse entered the 

picture, her mare revealed 

many other hidden scars. 

Herd dynamics caused these 

issues to come to the surface. 

Suddenly her mare became 

worried about her food. She 

felt she needed to defend her 

food, the way she had in prior 

homes. She was standoffish to 

the new neighbor, kicked the 

fence and pinned her ears. Her 

old fear of being bullied was 

back. The mare did not feel 

like socializing with the new 

horse, so much so that she 

avoided her run-in stall when 

the other horse hangs out in 

the neighboring stall. Almost 

every time the new horse tries 

to connect, my client’s mare 

backs off and gives the other 

horse the evil eye … or hoof. 

On the one hand, my 

client felt awful for bringing 

this new horse into their 

lives. It seemed to create 

such misery for her mare. Yet 

she also felt that her decision 

was overall a good decision. 

Her mare would have another 

horse to watch over her, so 

she could rest once in a while. 

They could keep one another 

company while my client is 

at work. However, it quickly 

became clear that she needed 

to provide her horse support 

during this transition. 

I was reminded of 

Jesse our thirty-four year old 

Percheron. I had a similar 

situation with him when we 

saved Mellow and Isaac, our 

goat and sheep combo, that we 

rescued as they were headed to 

the auction. When Jesse first 

laid eyes on Mellow and Isaac 

he freaked out and immediately 

lost his hip alignment. He 

started to gimp around as badly 

as the day he had arrived. I 

suspected that he must have 

had a bad experience with 

goats or sheep, which was later 

confirmed. A few years earlier, 

Jesse had been terrorized by 

a bunch of goats at his prior 

home. They had robbed his 

feed bucket and occupied his 

barn like squatters. 

I felt terrible, just as my 

client now did about her mare. I 

had taken on the responsibility 

to care for Jesse and help 

him heal, but my big-hearted 

“save the ruminants from 

auction!” move had triggered 

his old trauma. [Rumianants 

are mammals, which have 

chambered stomachs for the 

digestion of plant based food.] 

What a disaster! 

However, I had caused it and 

therefore I needed to fix it.I 

was determined that Mellow 

and Isaac were not going off 

to the auction and Jesse was 

not going anywhere either. 

I had to be responsible for 

their collective well-being and 

figure out what to do. 

Eventually I realized 

that, of course, everything 

had happened for a reason. 

Because of Mellow and Isaac’s 

presence, Jesse was able to 

work through his old trauma. 

With my help, they were kept 

away from him when he ate, 

and they were not allowed to 

occupy his resting spots. A 

few weeks later the picture had 

changed. Jesse was telling the 

ruminants to ‘back off’ when 

he needed his space. And if 

one of them happened to come 

too close to his feed bucket, he 

nudged them and shooed them 

away. He had found his power 

again. 

But until I saw 

him change, it was my 

responsibility to watch out for 

Jesse. And let me be clear–I 

did not know how long it 

would take. How long would 

he need me to be his offensive 

tackle and protect him from 

the ruminant pass rush? What 

mattered was that Jesse knew 

he could rely on me. That 

allowed him to eventually gain 

enough confidence to take on 

his own defense. 

So I asked my client 

how she could support her 

mare during this transitional 

time. We came up with two 

things. My client would 

ensure that the wall between 

the two horse stalls would be 

high enough that the other 

horse could not hang her head 

into the mare’s stall. Her mare 

would also be guaranteed 

privacy during feeding time. 

Her hay would not be placed 

by the fence, near the new 

horse. And if and when the 

horses are turned out together, 

the mare would always have 

a few hours to herself so she 

could enjoy some meals in 

solitude. 

These and any new 

ideas we come up with will 

help the mare to work though 

some of her food fears and 

space issues. As my client 

is mindfully observing the 

mare, she will know when her 

horse is ready to be turned out 

with the new neighbor. She 

will know when her mare’s 

wounds will be truly healed. 

At that point her mare will 

enjoy fellow horses for what 

they are–natural companions. 

Nicole Birkholzer is 

best described as an 

equine behavior- intuitive. 

She helps horses and their 

humans to successfully 

communicate through body, 

mind & sprit. Check out her 

blog and services at: www. 

mindful-connections.com


There are three 

things that may determine the 

longevity of an animal’s life: 

Genetics 

Environment - daily routine 

Nutrition 

It is important that 

you understand the nutritional 

needs of your pet in order 

to maximize its health and 

performance throughout 

life. In designing a dietary 

plan for your pet you should 

feel confident in choosing 

a good quality pet food that 

meets your pet’s nutritional 

needs. A specific dietary 

recommendation for an 

individual animal is made 

after assessing its overall 

health, energy requirements, 

and anticipated lifestyle. It is 

also important to keep in mind 

that your pet’s nutritional 

needs may change depending 

on life stage (growth, mature, 

senior), activity level and 

health status. 

Safety First – A pet 

food safety plan should be 

implemented which includes 

measures to protect your pet 

from over eating or ingesting 

hazardous materials. Avoid 

uncooked meats or raw food 

diets that can potentially 

harbor pathogens such as 

bacteria or parasites. Certain 

foods such as onions, garlic, 

grapes, and chocolate can all 

have toxic properties when 

eaten in excessive quantities. 

Human foods can be an 

excellent treat as long as they 

are safe and do not exceed 

10% of their daily caloric 

requirements. Baked or boiled 

meats (no skin or bones), 

egg, cooked string beans and 

raw carrots or apple (cut into 

appropriate sizes to avoid 

choking) are all excellent 

choices as long they do not 

have excessive butter or oil 

and/or salt added. 

As your pet matures 

it will be important to 

understand how to assess your 

pet’s body condition score 

(BCS) in order to evaluate 

body fat and properly adjust 

their feeding regime to 

maintain a healthy weight. 

Use the feeding guidelines on 

the pet food label as a general 

guide to the amount of food 

offered. Puppies and kittens 

should be fed a food designed 

to support growth until they 

are full grown which can 

be up to 18 months in giant 

breeds such as Great Danes. 

After spaying or neutering 

most dogs and cats will have a 

decrease in their daily caloric 

requirements, and the amount 

of food offered should be 

decreased slightly in order to 

prevent weight gain. 

Although pet food 

labels and the manufacturers’ 

websites contain important 

information, additional 

information is needed in order 

to assess the quality and safety 

of a product. It is essential to 

obtain information from a 

credible source. 

The National 

Academy Press (www. 

dels.nas.edu) has two 

nutritional guides: Your 

Dog’s Nutritional Needs 

– A Science-Based Guide 


for Pet Owners and Your 

Cat’s Nutritional Needs – 

A Science-Based Guide for 

Pet Owners. Reports are also 

available from the Consumer 

Lab, www.consumerlab.com, 

on test results. For example, 

does a product contain the 

ingredients listed on the 

label or contain any harmful 

substances not on the label. 

The FDA Pet Food Site, www. 

fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary, 

provides links to information 

on food safety issues, recalls, 

pet food labels, and selecting 

nutritious foods. 

Also, visit the Pet 

Care Veterinary Hospital’s 

website, www.petcarevb.com 

and review the pet owner’s 

FAQ page. Let us help you 

give your pet a long and 

healthy life. 



Whether consciously 

or not, nearly everyone 

believes in the “What goes 

around, comes around” world 

view. Some call this “justice,” 

some call it “karma,” and 

others just keep getting 

blind-sided by the “effects” 

of causes they have set into 

motion many moons ago and 

wondering, “Why?” When we 

do think about the law of cause 

and effect, we commonly do 

so in humanistic-- “Do unto 

others as you would have 

others do unto you”--terms. 

But, what about the humananimal 

connection and the 

causes we’ve set into motion 

in this realm? 

Since the beginning 

of time we have been using, 

abusing, eating, killing 

for sport, training for our 

amusement, racing until they 

drop, and destroying the habitat 

of the animal kingdom. Many 

do this without conscience, 

and with a religiously inspired 

sense of entitlement, referring 

to the Book of Genesis when 

morality and ethics are called 

into question. After all, God 

gave mankind “dominion” 

over the “beasts of the Earth,” 

didn’t he? As with most things 

read, however, we tend to pick 

and choose the passages most 

compatible with and least 

upsetting to our already formed 

points-of-view to internalize 

and remember. If we really 

scrutinize Chapter One, 

verses 26-30 of this book, we 

find that: to “subdue” is used 

in the sense of “to bring under 

cultivation” and refers to the 

land; that God gave mankind 

“every herb yielding seed” 

and “every tree which bears 

fruit yielding seed” for food, 

not animals; and, that he gave 

us dominion over animals in 

the context of creating human 

beings in his image and 

likeness and permitting us to 

govern the animal kingdom, 

as he governs us. While 

“dominate” connotes the 

exercise of power and control, 

it also means to be the major 

factor or influence in the lives 

of those under our control. 

Whether that influence be 

constructive or destructive is 

entirely a matter of free will. 

So, how do you think 

we have handled this immense 

privilege and trust so far? 

While I imagine responses will 

vary according to individual 

moral codes and sensitivities, 

I’m thinking the one thing we 

might all be able to agree upon 

is that this is a question worthy 

of serious consideration. 

Whether it be the increased 

proliferation of mosquitoes 

and other disease carrying 

insects due to displacement 

of the birds and amphibians 

that would naturally feed on 

them; changes in our body/ 

mind chemistry resulting 

from ingesting the flesh of 

animals shot through with 

antibiotics, hormones, and 

who knows what else; or 

losing entire species of land, 

air and sea creatures due to 

over-harvesting and pollution, 

we will get to experience the 

results of our actions. Even 

worse, where our treatment of 

dogs, cats, and other animals 

we have domesticated as pets 

is concerned, I believe an 

even more insidious effect 

is taking place. The abuse 

of an innocent who loves, 

trusts, and depends on us for 

its very existence diminishes 

and brutalizes us as human 

beings. It severs us from our 

connection with the natural 

world and desensitizes us to 

pain and suffering. It turns 

us into gods of destruction. 

And, at a subconscious level, 

it compels us to question and 

fear the intrinsic nature of the 

God who holds dominion over 

us. After all, we are made in 

his likeness and he allows us 

to govern the animal kingdom 

as an expression of that 

likeness. What if our God has 

within him the same tendency 

toward ruthless domination 

and cruelty that incites us to 

treat animals as we do? What 

if one day he gives himself 

permission to govern us in 

the same way that we have 

given ourselves permission to 

govern them? 

Perhaps 2012 will 

be the year of awakening 

and enlightenment that so 

many are pinning their hopes 

on. Then again, maybe not. 

In either case, this could 

be the perfect year to begin 

the reversal of at least one 

negative momentum we have 

set into motion–our selfcentered 

exploitation of the 

animal kingdom. Whatever 

we decide to do, or not do, 

we will get to experience the 

effects of our conscious, freewilled 

decisions. That’s how 

it works. Let’s make this the 

year we begin to bank good 

karma. 

Karen Reed 

Hadalski 

is a writer living in 

Virginia Beach. 

Contact her at 

www.karereedhadalski. 

com or follow 

her on Twitter (@ 

enduringdestiny.com).





Across 

Down 

2 short-haired, tailless cat 1 low guttural sound 

6 black, red, and white cat 2 sterile hybrid offspring 

coloring 

of a male donkey and a 

8 elongated, posterior part female horse 

of an animal 

3 large flocks of raptors 

9 stiff facial hairs 

are called this 

11 female rabbit 

4 bright-colored carp 

12 characteristic of birds 5 undomesticated animals 

13 issue due to cat 7 accumulates to form 

grooming 

reefs 

16 used to supply lime into 10 claw mark 

the diet of pet birds 12 scalare 

19 weasel-like mammal 14 edible fat fed to birds 

21 water-filled enclosure 15 feathers 

23 largest registry of 17 used to lead an animal 

purebred dog pedigrees 18 a roost for a bird 

in US 

20 used by a snake for 

24 rabbit coop 

smelling 

27 leather seat secured on 22 lower beak of a parrot 

an animal’s back 25 smallest dog breed 

30 type of crab 

26 Siamese cat with ermine 

33 a long projecting nose coat 

34 A young bird that has 27 famous beagle 

recently acquired its 28 versatile fish able to live 

flight feathers 

in both freshwater and 

35 long-bodied reptile 

saltwater 

36 the tallest terrier 29 a group or flock of 

37 to remove the ovaries of crows 

an animal 

31 A place providing 

protection or shelter 

32 to breathe rapidly in 

short gasps






Adopt A Spot Dalmatian Rescue 

P.O. Box 9375 Chesapeake, VA 

23321 (757) 484-2940 Debbie Kidd 

adoptaspotdalrescue@cox.net 

American Brittany Resue 

www.americanbrittanyrescue.org 

Animal Aid Society of Hampton 

8 Butler Farm Road, Hampton 23666 

(757)-865-0511 

www.animalaid-va.org 

Animal Assistance League of VA 

1149 New Mill Drive Chesapeake 

VA 23322 (757)548-0045 

aalofva@aol.com 

www.aalofva.com - All Pets - 

ART (Animal Rescue of Tidewater) 

P.O. Box 11535, Norfolk, VA 23517 

(757) 456-1354 

www.artanimals.org 

artanimals@yahoo.com 

Mixed and purebred dogs & cats. 

Basset Rescue of Old Dominion 

www.brood-va.org 

Beagles to the Rescue 

1847 S Centerville Turnpike 

Chesapeake, VA 23322 

(757) 204-4411 

Rita Phoenix, President 

www.Beaglestotherescue.org 

Biewer Breed Club of America 

Rescue (BBCAR) 

Providing biewer rescue across the US 

and Canada. (757)523-0608 

general@biewerrescue.com 

www.biewerrescue.com 

The Cat Corner No Kill Cat Shelter 

85 Fulton Street, Hampton, Va 23663 

(757) 722-0590 

Chesapeake Animal Control 

3807 Cook Blvd. 


(757) 382-8080 Press 1 

www.cityofchesapeake.net/ 

animalcontrol 

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers 

Chessie Rescue of VA 

www.chessierescueva.org 

Chesapeake Humane Society 

757 546-5355 P.O. Box 15061 

Chesapeake VA 23328 

www.chesapeakehumane.org 


ANIMAL RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS 

Collie & Sheltie Rescue 

of S.E. Virginia 

imtani@cox.net 

www.Colie-Sheltie-rescue.com 

Colonial Greyhound 

Adoption Inc. 

P.O. Box 805 

Williamsburg, VA 23187 

757-221-8332 

adopt@colonialgreyhounds.com 

Colonial Newfoundland Club 

Rescue 

(301).223.6365 

www.cncnewfs.com 

Doberman Assistance Rescue, 

and Education, Inc. (DAR&E) 

Servicing Maryland,Virginia,DC and 

West Virginia. (410) 663-1694 

www.dobe.net 

East Coast Asian Dog Rescue 

www.asian-dog-rescue.org 

Evelyn’s Wildlife Refuge 

Contact: Evelyn or James Flengas 

Phone: (757) 430-2886 

Email: rehabwild@cox.net 

www.evelynswildliferefuge.org 

Gone to the Dogs 

www.gonetodogs.com 

All breed/mixed breed 

Great Dane Rescue of the 

Commonwealth 

www.gdroc.com 

Guinea Pig Rescue 

Sharon Coffey (757) 420 2376 

Heritage Humane Society 

430 Waller Mill Road 

Williamsburg, VA (757) 221-0150 

www.heritagehumanesociety.org 

Happy Tails Refuge 

501(3)c Non-profit, NO KILL, all 

breed Animal Rescue 

www.happytailsrefuge.com 

(757) 416-4387 

Hope For Life Rescue, Inc. 

610 Jack Rabbit Road, Suite #1 

Virginia Beach, VA 23451 

(757) 491-4609 

www.hopeforliferescue.com 

Isle of Wight County 

Animal Shelter 

13100 Poorhouse Road 

Isle of Wight, VA (757) 365-6318 

www.petfinder.com 

Isle of Wight County 

Humane Society 

PO Box 273 

Smithfield, VA (757) 357-4214 

www.petfinder.com 

Iguana & Bearded 

Dragon Rescue 

(757) 818-8692 

www.iguanafirst.com 

K-9 New Life Center 

P.O. Box 6427, VA Beach, VA 

23456 (757) 721-BARK 

www.k9newlife.org 

Mixed and purebred dogs. 

Lhasa Apso Rescue 

Susan Giles (804) 749-4912 

ssgiles@aol.com 

Long Dog Dachshund Rescue 

www.lddr.org 

Mid-Atlantic English Springer 

Spaniel Rescue 

P. O. Box 15354 Richmond, VA 

23227 (301) 362-0423 

www.maessr.org 

Mid Atlantic Great Dane Rescue 

www.magdrl.org 757-478-0440 

Stacey Gilbert kermit716@cox.net 

Mid Atlantic Saint Bernard 

Rescue 

Stephanie Osler 757 619-3622 

www.saintrescue.org 

Mid-Atlantic Weimaraner Rescue 

5503 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia 

Beach VA (757) 289-2700 

Miniature Pinscher Service 

Serving the Mid-Atlantic Region 

(757) 636-1871 

Minpin Rescue 

(888) 685-6613 

www.rescueminpins.com 

National Greyhound Adoption 

(757) 486-7956 Gay Latimer 

Email gryhound@cox.net 

www. NGAP.org 

Norfolk Animal Care Center 

5585 Sabre Road (near Janaf), 

Norfolk, VA (757) 441-5505 

www.nacc.petfinder.com 

Norfolk SPCA 

916 Ballentine Blvd., Norfolk, VA 

(757) 622-3319 

www.norfolkspca.com 

Peninsula SPCA 

523 J. Clyde Morris Blvd. 

Newport News, VA 23601 

(757) 595-1399 

www.peninsulaspca.com 

Pet Guardian Pet Services 

www.petguardianpets.petfinder.org 

(757) 428-0653 

Pet Sanctuary 

www.abusedandthrownawaypetsanctuary.com 

(757) 986-2121 

“Give an Animal a New Life.” 

A Non-Profit Organization 

Portsmouth Humane Society 

2704 Frederick Blvd., 

Portsmouth 23704 

(757) 397-6004 

www.portsmouthhumanesociety.org 

Pug Rescue 

(757) 240-0815 

Cathleen@pugrescuenc.org 

www.apugrescue.org 

Rainbow Animal Rescue, Inc. 

Norfolk, Va 23518 (757) 583-8777 

www.rainbowanimalrescue.net 

Shar-Pei Rescue of VA, Inc. 

(757) 399-PEIS 

tracey@sharpeirescueofva.org 

www.sharpeirescueofva.org 

Shiba Rescue Mid Atlantic 

www.ShibaRescue.com 

Info@ShibaRescue.com 

Siberian Huskies In Need 

Everywhere 

(757) 303-1309 

adoptahusky@shinerescue.org 

www.shinerescue.org 

Siamese Cat Rescue Center 

www.va.siameserescue.org 

SE Virginia Collie & Sheltie 

Rescue 

www.lassie.nxweb.com 

SE Virginia Golden Retriever 

Rescue 

(757) 827-8561 

www.sevagrreat.org 

So Sharpei Inc. 

(757) 687-PAWS 

www.Sosharpei.org 

Southern States Mastiff Rescue 

(757) 410-8851 

www.sosmastiffrescue.com 

sota78@hotmail.com 

February March 2012 Page 29 

Suffolk Animal Control 

124 Forest Glen Drv. 

Suffolk, VA (757) 923-2160 

www.suffolk.va.ua\anml_ctrl\ 

Tidewater Afghan Hound Rescue 

www.Afghanhound.net 

Tidewater Bichon Frise Rescue 

Whitedogresq@yahoo.com 

Tidewater Humane Society 

Virginia Beach, VA (757) 497-7729 

www.tidewaterhumane.org 

Virginia Beach Bureau of 

Animal Control 

2665 Leroy Road, Virginia Beach 

23456 (757) 385-4444 

vbpdac@vbgov.com 

Virginia Beach SPCA 

“Adoption. Education. Compassion.” 

Shelter open 7 days per week. 

On-site Veterinary Clinic. 

3040 Holland Road Virginia Beach, 

VA 23453 (757) 427-0070 

www.vbspca.com 

Virginia German Shepherd 

Rescue 

www.Shepherdrescue.org 

Virginia Reptile Rescue 

PO Box 1035 

Christiansburg, VA 24068 

www.vareptilerescue.org 

Virginia Wild Horse Rescue 

(757) 721-7786 

www.Virginiawildhorserescue.com 

Web Of Life Animal Outreach, 

Inc. “Animal Rescue, Education & 

Sheltering Services” A Non-profit in 

Chesapeake - 757-718-6447 

www.weboflifeanimaloutreach.com 

Wildlife Response, Inc. 

PO Box 2904 Chesapeake, VA 

23327 

(757) 543-7000 All wildlife 

www.wildliferesponse.org 

An advantage to shelter 

adoptions is that the fees are 

usually much less than the 

purchase price of an animal 

from a pet store or breeder. 

And your new pet is more 

likely to be vaccinated, 

de-wormed, and spayed or 

neutered.


BOARDING / DAYCARE 

Boulevard Veterinary Hospital 

6636 Virginia Beach Blvd.Norfolk, VA 

(757) 461-4416 

www.blvdvet.com 

Care-A-Lot Pet Resort 

1924 Diamond Springs Road 


(757) 457-9483 also at 

301 Oyster Point Road 


(757) 969-1004 

www.carealotpets.com 

Cosmo’s Corner 

All natural pet foods and treats 

505 Central Drive #101 

Virginia Beach,VA 23454 

(757) 457-7834 

www.cosmoscorneronline.com 

Family Dog Club 

“Open Boarding/Daycare” 

1847 Centerville Turnpike South 


(757) 204-4411 

www.familydogclub.com 

Hope’s Garden Resort & Boutique 

610 Jack Rabbit Road 

Virginia Beach, VA 

757-491-7720 

www.hopeforliferescue.com 

Kitty Island - “A Cat Vacation Spot” 

315-A First Colonial Road 


757425-PURR 

www.Kittyisland.com 

Please ask for Gilligan 

CREMATION SERVICES 

Cherish Pet Cremation Services 

“A Dignified End For Your Best 

Friend” 24 hours, pick up and 

delivery service (757) 630-2926 

www.cherishpetcremations.com 

Pet Cremation Services of Tidewater 

“ A Sensitive Alternative” 

105 Happy St. Virginia Beach, VA 

(757) 340-0016 

www.petcremation.com 

GENERAL 

Grayson Kellam, Realtor 

Rose and Womble Realty Company 

(757) 284-7110 

www.graysonsellsvb.com 

Photography by Sonja 

All pets welcome 

Your home or mine (Near Tabb Lakes) 

757-871-5085 

www.asmileadayphoto.com 

GROOMING 

Care-A-Lot Pet Supply 

Two locations to better serve you. 



(757) 457-9431 and 



(757) 969-1004 


Ja-Pen Grooming Salon 

“Quality Grooming Since 1962” 

5608 Va Beach Blvd #504 

- One block east of Newtown Rd. 

757-497-7387 

Two Brothers Dod Wash 

426 Newton Rd. Virginia Beach 

(757) 497-WASH(9274) 

OBEDIENCE / TRAINING 

Care-A-Lot Pet Resort 



(757) 457-9483 




( 757 ) 457-7834 

K9 Obedience Doggstuff 

Problem dogs are NO problem for us. 

564 N. Birdneck Rd. Virginia Beach, VA 

23451 (757) 422-8166 

www.doggstuff.com 

Kustom K-9 Training 

“We’re Your K9 Personal Trainers” 

Obed-Behavior-Scent work-Service Dogs 

Kim Willis 757-421-0446, *House Calls 

Manners Mastered K9 Academy, LLC 

Certified Behavior&Training Specialist 

www.mannersmastered.com 757-202-7653 

PET SITTING SERVICES 

Cool Canines & Hip Kitties Pet 

Sitting 

In Home Pet Care, Serving Va. Beach 

(757) 425-(PETS) 7387 

www.caninesandkitties.com 

Dogs’ Best Friend 

In Home Pet Sitting/House Sitting 

Licensed & Bonded 

Serving Virginia Beach 

Contact RC at 757.214.2852 or 

Palofpooches@aol.com 

From Wags to Whiskers 

In home pet care, serving Va. Beach, 

641-0099 or visit us online at www. 

LifeWithDogs.us 

Two Lines of Copy $10 and 

$3 each additional line. 

Directory of Professional Pet Products & Services 

PET SITTING SERVICES 

Cont. 

Loving Care 

Pet sitting, house sitting, companion 

services 

Cindy Britt (757)497-2773 

Pampered Paws Pet Sitting 

Licensed - Bonded - Insured 

Serving, Portsmouth, Western Branch, 

Driver, and Northern Suffolk 757-673- 

2698 

www.pamperedpaws4u.com 

Purr-fect Pet Sitting Service 

“Providing your pet with professional 

in your home pet care” 

757-536-PURR (7877) 

www.purrfectpetsittingservice.com 

The Furry Godmother 

“Granting Their Wishes While You’re 

Away” Pet Sitting in Great Bridge 

www.furrygodmom.com 

(757)546-7073 

PET WASTE REMOVAL 

SERVICES 

Doody Calls 

When nature calls ... We answer. 

1 800 366-3922 

www.Doodycalls.com 

PRODUCTS 

All Pet – “Your Pet’s Best Friend” 

Two locations to serve you - 

Hilltop Square - 550 First Colonial 

Road, #400 Virginia Beach, VA 

(757)425-0148 

www.allpetdiscounters.com 

Care-A-Lot Pet Supply 

Two locations to better serve you. 



(757) 457-9431 



(757) 969-1004 



All natural pet foods and treats 



(757) 457-7834 

www.cosmoscorneronline.com 

Doggstuff 

564 N. Birdneck Rd. 


(757) 422-8166 www.doggstuff.com 

PRODUCTS 

Cont. 

Muddy Paws 

“Everything Under One Woof” 

3700 Hampton Blvd., Norfolk, VA 

757-965-9702 

www.themuddypaws.com 

Pet Supplies “Plus” 

Thousands of toys, treats and foods. 

5394 Kempsville Drive Suite 101, 

Virginia Beach (757)424-8448 

VETERINARIANS 

Boulevard Veterinary Hospital 

Dr. Constance Pozniak 

Dr. Jerry Redding, II 

6636 Virginia Beach Blvd.Norfolk, VA 

(757) 461-4416 www.blvdvet.com 

Norfolk SPCA Vet Clinic 

5585 Sabre Rd. 

Norfolk, VA 383-6690 and 

916 Ballentine Blvd. 

Norfolk, VA 699-3319 ext. 119

Joan - Pet Tails Magazine

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