Why Giving Animals As Gifts Never Makes Good Sense

Animals, like us, require love and proper care to flourish. Although people who give animals as gifts invariably have good intentions, it is unfair to give an animal to anyone unless you are absolutely certain that the person wants that particular animal as a companion and is willing and able to give a lifetime of proper care.


Think Twice Before Giving

Adding an animal companion to the family is an important decision. It means making a permanent commitment to care for and spend time with the animal and to provide for his or her lifelong care.

Before adopting, consider the time and money involved in proper animal care. Will your loved one have the time and patience to exercise and housetrain the animal? Is he or she prepared to pay for food, accessories (such as toys, grooming supplies, leashes and harnesses, and bedding), inoculations, and veterinary care, including spaying or neutering, flea treatment, deworming, and emergency care?

If a family decides to adopt an animal, every member of the family should go to the local animal shelter together to choose the animal, having already discussed the obligations and long-term commitments involved. Please, never buy from breeders or pet stores, and always practice your ABCs ~ animal birth control. For every animal purchased from a breeder or a pet shop, a potential home is taken away from a homeless dog or a cat at a local animal shelter.


Teaching Children Responsibility and Kindness

Small children may unintentionally harm animals, even breaking their fragile bones or causing other fatal injuries, when they think they are playing. Puppies, kittens, bunnies, chicks, baby ducks, and other young animals are especially vulnerable.

We have heard too many stories about families in which the child has lost interest in an animal, and the adult is forced to make the difficult decision on the best way to “solve” the problem. Often this means turning the animal over to a crowded shelter or pound or ~ worse ~ passing the animal on to a series of homes, causing trauma, psychological scarring, and behavioral problems.

Rarely A Happy Outcome for the Animals

Animal shelters are filled beyond capacity with homeless animals, many of whom were former “pets” who, for one reason or another, didn’t fit into someone’s lifestyle. No matter how much they would like to, many people who receive animals as gifts find that they are unable to make the lifelong commitment to care for their new companion.

Sadly, many people end up turning animals they received as gifts over to an already overburdened humane society or animal control agency that is likely filled to capacity. In worst-case scenarios, some people even abandon animals on the road or in the back yard when they move away.


Here's What You Can Do 

~ Don’t ever give an animal as a gift. If you have discussed the idea with the prospective recipients and know that they have the time, willingness, ability, and resources to properly care for an animal and make that serious commitment, consider offering them a gift certificate from the local animal shelter.

~ If you attend a fair, flea market, or other event at which animals are being given away, try to politely educate those who are responsible. If people are offering free kittens or puppies, for example, explain the risks of giving animals to unknown passersby ~ some people sell dogs and cats to laboratories or dealers, and others abuse, neglect, or abandon them.

~ Make a pledge that you will never buy an animal from a pet store or a breeder and that you will always practice your ABCs (animal birth control) by spaying or neutering your animal companions.

Senior Pets Matter!

When private individuals want to relinquish a senior pet, our mission is to be able to offer advice to try to keep the senior pet in the home. For example, sometimes a house-soiling problem can be controlled by the use of a belly band, the introduction of puppy pads, or even canine or feline diapers. We also assist senior pet parents who may be having difficulty affording vet care, medication, or even just basic necessities. Our priority is to try and keep senior pets in their homes, rescue senior pets who have been relinquished to a shelter, and help senior people keep their own pets.

Too often, senior pets are outright abandoned, which is when we offer help in finding them a safe place to land. We are unable to accept owner-surrendered pets at this time, as we do not yet have a sanctuary. It is our goal to learn about any issues prior to a surrender or abandonment, however if that is not the case, we do our best to keep senior pets out of high-kill shelters and offer financial assistance until they can be placed in a foster home or a forever home.

Donations are a critical part of our mission, as we cannot help without the resources to sustain what we do. Keeping a senior pet in their home through common sense solutions, or helping a senior person afford their current pet is far less expensive than trying to re-home a senior pet. It is also far less traumatic for everyone concerned . . . . especially the senior pet. Shelters can be quite scary and confusing to a pet who has been abandoned. Even though most pets are very resilient, it is preferential to keep them out of the shelters and in happy homes. Please, won't you help us sustain our mission by making a generous donation today?! No amount is too small. Many raindrops fill an ocean.

Thank you for your support.

www.SeniorPetProject.org

Cold Weather Safety Tips For Pets

 Brrrr ~ it's cold outside! The following guidelines will help you protect your companion animals when the mercury dips.

* Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felines can freeze, become lost or be stolen, injured or killed. Cats who are allowed to stray are exposed to infectious diseases, including rabies, from other cats, dogs and wildlife.

* During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape.

* Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm, dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags.

* Thoroughly wipe off your dog's legs and stomach when he comes in out of the sleet, snow or ice. He can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his paws, and his paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice.

* Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as a longer coat will provide more warmth. When you bathe your dog in the colder months, be sure to completely dry him before taking him out for a walk. Own a short-haired breed? Consider getting him a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly. For many dogs, this is regulation winter wear.

* Never leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death.

* Puppies do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs, and may be difficult to housebreak during the winter. If your puppy appears to be sensitive to the weather, you may opt to paper-train him inside. If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed type, take him outdoors only to relieve himself.

* Does your dog spend a lot of time engaged in outdoor activities? Increase his supply of food, particularly protein, to keep him, and his fur, in tip-top shape.

* Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol. (The ASPCA has a 24/7 poison control center and hotline. ASPCA.org or (888) 426-4435).

* Make sure your companion animals have a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. A cozy dog or cat bed with a warm blanket or pillow is perfect.  Never leave your pets outdoors!  Pets are family . . . . if you're cold, they're cold.  Bring them inside!


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Raven is an engaging entrepreneur who encourages others to celebrate pets as part of the family, as well as keep them happy, healthy, and spoiled with her online specialty pet boutique, premium pet food business, and holistic healing therapies. She is also a professional intuitive, spiritual coach, and holistic healer who works with the Angels, Ascended Masters, Spirit Guides, and Animal Spirit realms when counseling clients, which includes animals and people.

Pet Care 101: Holistic Veterinary Care

More and more pets are reaping the benefits of holistic veterinary care every day. Veterinarians are becoming frustrated with their patients not responding to the protocols that they were taught in veterinary school. As a result, many are continuing their education by taking classes in complementary modalities. These may include: Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, Homeopathy, Chiropractic, and Flower Essence Therapy, to name a few.  Large and companion animal vets have embraced these new therapies. In wildlife and zoo animal medicine, homeopathy and flower essences are especially beneficial. This is because of their palatability, infrequent dosing requirements and the fact that they work so well in cases that have a strong emotional basis.

Of course domestic animals have their share of emotional issues also. One of the most rewarding aspects of obtaining a holistic veterinary education is the knowledge one acquires to be able to help in the area of grief. As in people, animals become sad and despondent with the passing of a loved one. Many times the holistic veterinarian will prescribe homeopathic remedies for grief.  A common scenario is:  two senior dogs, let's say Labrador Retrievers who are brothers, 10-12 years old. One becomes ill and dies. The remaining brother stops eating and loses his will to go on.  Most vets are not called until this has been ongoing for 1-2 weeks.  The pet parents are grieving and afraid they are going to lose their other senior boy. However, once they start giving one of the homeopathic remedies for grief (there are a few), within a day or two the remaining Labrador begins to eat, and he is no longer ill from being sad.

All types of animal patients benefit from holistic pet care. The conditions holistic vets see the most are: Arthritis, Allergic Dermatitis, Neurological Disorders, Cancer, and Autoimmune disease. However, emotional issues are common also, such as aggression, separation anxiety, dementia and fearfulness. As in people, often the physical symptoms of the diseases vets see are preceded or accompanied by emotional imbalances. Luckily, holistic veterinary medicine provides a myriad of treatment options for the few, but increasing, holistic vets who have had the good fortune to experience and learn these modalities.

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To keep your pets healthier, happier, and living longer lives, we recommend feeding them our premium line of natural pet food, treats and supplements, as well as caring for them with our line of holistic pet care products.  All of our products are formulated by our holistic veterinarian, Dr. Jane Bicks, who works very hard to not only provide the best, health-promoting products . . . . Dr. Jane and Life's Abundance have also established a foundation to help improve the lives of abandoned companion animals all across the U.S.  Every time you purchase a Life's Abundance product, a portion of the profits are contributed to a fund that supports the operation of this organization.  Thank you so much for your continued business! Together, we are making a positive difference in the world, one animal at a time. 

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Raven is an engaging entrepreneur who encourages others to celebrate pets as part of the family, as well as keep them happy, healthy, and spoiled with her online specialty pet boutique (http://www.TheGiftedPet.com), and premium pet food business (http://www.PremiumPetFoodStore.com)

For more information, please visit her Facebook page to PM her (https://www.facebook.com/TheGiftedPet), or email her at Raven@TheGiftedPet.com

Understanding Grief and the Importance of Mourning Pet Loss

As we take this journey together in understanding pet loss and the grief process, it’s important that we understand some of the basics of these emotions. We’ll cover topics from the definitions of grief and mourning to why pet loss is considered a “disenfranchised grief” for many suffering the loss of a beloved pet.

Definitions

Grief is what we feel on the inside. It’s the intense feeling that sits within our heart, our stomach and our entire being that says we hurt from this loss. The loss can be death, divorce, a child moving away, illness, loss of a job or a variety of other things that represent someone no longer having something.

Mourning is what we show when we lose something. In other words, it’s grief gone public. It can look like crying, screaming, yelling, throwing things, or a variety of other physical actions that one might do to show their emotions.

One of the most important parts of a grief journey is to actively mourn. “He who mourns, mends.” A grieving heart needs to be active with their mourning, to show their grief through mourning, to physically do things to get to a point that the death and the loss has been reconciled into one’s life.

Companioning with a grieving heart is walking the grief journey with them. It’s not leading them, guiding them, or taking the journey for them. It’s merely being there as a companion to listen and to provide the permission that a grieving heart needs to do their active mourning.

As a companion, it’s incredibly important to “honor the story” with the grieving heart. To be patient with their broken heart so that they can actively mourn through the use of telling their story, telling about the life they shared with their beloved pet. Companions should provide that safe place that one needs to know that they can share their deepest emotions, their innermost thoughts, and to know that they will not be shamed nor made to feel “crazy” for the hurt they are experiencing with this loss.

The Death of a Pet and Disenfranchised Grief

When we lose a human family member, most people have a built-in support system. Or, if nothing else, people will most always empathize with the expression of loss of a human family member with “I’m so sorry to hear about your dad.” However, with sixty-two percent of our population having a pet, that means that 38% does not. Therefore, if a person’s entire support system is comprised of those that represent 38%, a person who’s experiencing grief over the death of a pet might not receive the empathy and support that would organically be expressed with the loss of a human family member.

Help for Sick and / or Dying Pets

Should you have a sick or dying pet, we can provide your pet some comfort with our energy healing known as Animal Reiki.  Learn more here ~ Animal Reiki

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Raven is an engaging entrepreneur who encourages others to celebrate pets as part of the family, as well as keep them happy, healthy, and spoiled with her online specialty pet boutique (http://www.TheGiftedPet.com), and premium pet food business (http://www.PremiumPetFoodStore.com)

For more information, please visit her Facebook page to PM her (https://www.facebook.com/TheGiftedPet), or email her at Raven@TheGiftedPet.com

Pet Adoption 101 ~ Adopting a Rescue or Shelter Pet

Adopting a new pet involves far more than choosing an adorable animal from a rescue website or shelter cage and bringing it home.  Every rescue and shelter has their own unique approach, and set of guidelines to finding new homes for their adoptable pets.  However, most of them do try to balance the interests of the pet and the adopter.  The adoption process usually involves the following steps:

* Filling out an adoption application
* Interview with shelter staff
* Selecting your new pet (if you haven't already from their website)
* Waiting period for reference checks (vet / landlord / etc.)
* Signing an adoption contract and paying fees
* Trial period (some rescues build this in to the process)

Furrends

The Application and Interview

Many pets are surrendered to shelters because people are often unrealistic about the time, effort, money, lifestyle compatibility, and facilities that pets require.  Because of this, shelters often perform vigorous personal interviews to insure a great match for you and your new pet.  You will usually be required to fill out basic contact information, provide photo identification, proof of residence, and proof of prior pet ownership with veterinary and licensing records if applicable.  In addition, the shelter staff will use the following information to help match you with your perfect pet: 


* Reasons for getting a pet (e.g. companion for yourself, children, or another pet; agility dog, etc).
* Number and ages of children and pets you currently have and previous pet experience.
* Facilities or housing situation and whether you rent or own.  Some shelters will require a letter from a landlord stating that pets are allowed.
* Lifestyle information ~ activity level, travel, etc.


Selecting Your New Pet

It can be overwhelming when you arrive at a shelter to see how many choices you have. Before you arrive, it is important to construct a list of desired traits ~ such as coat type, size, shape, temperament, activity level, gender, and age.  As many shelters have purebred dogs and cats, you should also research breeds that appeal to you in both physical and behavioral characteristics.  Some shelters will keep a waiting list and contact you if a particular breed you are looking for becomes available. 

Oftentimes pets that appear quiet, scared or even overly excited are overlooked by potential adopters.  Ask the shelter staff about the personality of each pet you may be interested in. The shelter staff usually has had the opportunity to interact with the animals in various environments and can often assist you in better observing his or her true personality. 

Please feel free to request more information regarding choosing the right pet for your home and your lifestyle!  We are happy to provide you with additional resources to help you make the best decision.  (Messaging and contact information can be found at the end of this article!)

Shelter Dog Waiting for Adoption!

Waiting Period

Many shelters and rescue groups will require a waiting period of 24 to 48 hours (or more) before allowing you to take your new pet home.  This is intended to give families time to discuss the decision of getting a pet and make sure it is not just an impulse.  A family must be emotionally, financially and personally ready to take on the responsibility of a new pet.  It is important that all members of a family are "on board" with getting a pet and everyone is committed to its care.  It must be decided who will feed, groom, exercise and pick up after a pet in advance.  This waiting period also gives prospective families time to prepare their home for a new pet.  


Adoption Contract and Fees

Most shelters require that you sign a contract when you adopt a pet.  These contracts will often require that adopters be responsible for:

* Spaying or neutering (though many times this is included in the adoption fee, especially with older pets)
* Provision of suitable housing (not dumping your pet outdoors in harsh climate conditions!), nutrition and health care
* Return of the animal to the shelter if an adopter can no longer care for him or her
* Associated costs of adopting the pet

Some shelters also require post-adoption visits by shelter staff.  In almost all cases, you will need to pay an adoption fee to the shelter.  Also, if the animal has experienced significant health care costs while at the shelter, they may ask the adopter to help with the costs. Shelters always appreciate contributions toward their programs and facilities. 

Trial Period

Many shelters offer a trial period that allows you to take your new pet home to determine how he or she does in their new environment.  This is particularly important if there are already pets or children in a household.  Occasionally a behavioral or medical problem may be discovered that was not noticed in the shelter.  Some shelters offer post-adoption assistance with minor behavioral or adjustment problems.  If the adopter or shelter feel the match is not a good one, the animal can be returned during this trial period to the shelter without penalty. 

Again, please feel free to request further information regarding your new pet into your home and family!  We are happy to provide you with additional resources to help you make the transition as smooth as possible. (Messaging and contact information can be found at the end of this article!)

Many shelters have information about their specific adoption process on their websites so you can prepare in advance.  Although this process may seem extensive, it is beneficial to all parties involved ~ you will have a relationship with your pet for the lifetime of the pet,  so it is worth the time and effort to insure the best match possible.

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Raven is an engaging entrepreneur who encourages others to celebrate pets as part of the family, as well as keep them happy, healthy, and spoiled with her online specialty pet boutique (http://www.TheGiftedPet.com), and premium pet food business (http://www.PremiumPetFoodStore.com)

For more information, please visit her Facebook page to PM her (https://www.facebook.com/TheGiftedPet), or email her at Raven@TheGiftedPet.com