Halloween Safety Tips

Today is Halloween.  Here are a few safety tips to make the evening fun for you and your family, not a night spent at the emergency animal hospital:

·         Keep chocolate, raisins, and sugar-free gum out of reach.   Visit ww.aspca.org for more toxic foods.

·         Mind the candy wrappers too.  They smell great and could end up in your buddy’s mouth in the blink of an eye.

·         If you dress your pet in a costume, make sure it is not restrictive or prevents him or her from seeing clearly.  Remove it if your pet seems uncomfortable.

·         Taking a flashlight with you?  Make sure it does not end up in your dog’s mouth.  I cannot imagine the batteries would taste that great!

Have a safe evening!

Rescue Mommy

Help Me Heal Fund

Looking for a guaranteed way to double your money?  Thanks to a generous benefactor, contributions made to the “Help Me Heal Fund” will be matched up to $5,000.  So, your $20 donation becomes a $40 donation.

What is the “Help Me Heal Fund?”  Brother Wolf does not turn away any animal.  As a result, they frequently have animals in their care who have serious medical situations.  The cost of caring for these animals is very expensive.  The “Help Me Heal Fund” allows you to donate funds directly toward the care of these animals.

The matching period ends October 31, so get those donations to BWAR soon!  Be sure to note on your check that the donation is for the “Help Me Heal Fund.”  You can also donate online.  Visit their site at www.bwar.org.

Rescue Mommy

Looking for a Howling Good Time?

This weekend, there is no shortage of Halloween-themed events for your pooch if you are in the Asheville area.  I have detailed all of them on the Event Calendar page of our site, www.rescuepetsrule.com.

Happy Halloween (a few days early)!

Rescue Mommy 

Small Dog Info

I am a sucker for shows about dogs and cats.  Naturally, I like the Animal Planet channel. 

I found a section on their website that you might find interesting if you have a small dog:

http://animal.discovery.com/small-dogs/

I am not sure it will provide a lot of useful information about small dogs.  However, it is fun to see pictures and videos of small dogs, so enjoy!

Rescue Mommy

“Nature’s Recipe Oven Baked Biscuits with Real Chicken” treats have been recalled.  Here is a link to the FDA alert:

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm323823.htm

Please remember that it is important to wash your hands after handling pet food and treats.  Yes, we hate to see our pets get sick from bad food.  Did you know that you can be sickened too, simply from handling the treats?  Unfortunately, it takes someone (animal or human) getting sick before the recall is issued, so we have to take precautions. 

Rescue Mommy

Check the Event Calendar

This weekend brings you three pet-related opportunities for fun. I have also added a few other events that will be happening in the coming weeks. Please be sure to check the Events Calendar page of this website.


Rescue Mommy

Misbehaving

A few weeks ago, I reported that Gracie was doing well with off-leash work. Well, on Saturday, she was very rambunctious.
We were in the front yard, enjoying the sunshine. We had been out for awhile, and it was time to go inside. When I told Gracie to head for the door, she ran by me at full speed, growling. That was not a good sign. It meant she was feeling mischievous.

She made a sharp right and headed down the driveway. I tried to intercept her, but she has the advantage of being low to the ground and FAST. In a flash, she dashed past the gate and headed up “the holler.”

I know you non-Southerners will not know the meaning of “holler.” It does not mean “to yell.” In this case, I am referring to the section of land behind my house where no one lives. It is a little cove surrounded by mountains. Coyotes, stray dogs, deer, turkeys, and bears all enjoy the place. So does Gracie.

Despite my insistence that she return, she charged forward. She would sometimes run toward me. Then, just when she was ALMOST within reach, she would smirk (yes, smirk), wag her tail, and dash away.

Now, if you want to gauge the level of your fitness, try catching a determined Jack Russell terrier. It took awhile. I was gasping for air and sweating as if I just ran a marathon when I finally caught her. She stopped for a few seconds too long to investigate an interesting smell, giving me the opportunity I needed. Otherwise, we would still be running the hills!

Upon our return to the house, Gracie raided Kiki’s food bowl when no one was looking. My little angel has turned into a little devil!

Rescue Mommy

America's Pet Debate

While watching “Dogs 101,” a commercial aired for the “America’s Pet Debate.” Curious, I visited www.americaspetdebate.com  for more information.

Sponsored by Purina, the contest promises to settle “one and for all” the question: is America a cat or dog country? For every vote, Purina will give $1 toward Pet Partner’s Veteran Programs. (The maximum donation is $100,000.) According to the website, the donation will help fund visits to veterans from therapy animal teams. The contest ends November 9. You can vote daily for your preference – cat or dog.

Regardless of your political leanings, I am sure we can all agree that our veterans deserve support. As of yesterday afternoon, over $55,000 had been raised.

The contest is fun. You can see the preference for each state by clicking on the Current Results tab at the top. It was leaning more towards “Team Cat” yesterday afternoon, so all you dog lovers should log in and vote!

Rescue Mommy

Dublin Dog No-Stink Collar

Dublin Dog is a North Carolina-based company that makes dog collars, leashes, and tags. We recently ordered a no-stink collar for Gracie. We LOVE it!

When Gracie splashes in the ocean, her collar naturally is soaked. You must wash it and hope it dries by the next morning, or bring another collar for her to wear. We decided to give the no-stink collar a try.

The material appears to be rubber. After a romp in the surf, we simply wiped the collar clean. It held up well to the salt and sand of the beach.

If you are interested, check out their website at www.dublindog.com. They make really cute collars. We also ordered a Celtic cross dog tag that looks really cool. Enjoy!

Rescue Mommy

What Will You Pay?

During the month of October, Brother Wolf has a great deal for adoptions of cats or kittens. You can name your own price. That’s right. YOU determine what you want to pay for the adoption fee.

The fee is already a great deal, since your new friend has already been spayed/neutered and has received the necessary immunizations. They have a lot of cats and kittens, though, who really need homes. This promotion should help more of these animals find homes.

If you have been thinking about adopting a cat or kitten, give Brother Wolf a call. Their web address is www.bwar.org. You can take a peek at available cats and kittens. Keep in mind that they usually have even more animals that do not appear on the website.

Rescue Mommy

Big Adventure

We were in desperate need of a little break. The ragweed was in full bloom and making me completely miserable. We decided to spend a few days at Kiawah Island, SC.

We had a blast. Gracie did so well with the car rides. On the trip down, she was a little anxious. However, the return trip was a breeze. She really loves her new car seat.

The weather was hot, hot, hot! We spent some time splashing in the ocean. It is so nice to see Gracie enjoy splashing in the water as she chases birds and tries to get attention from anyone who passes by. We recorded some video of her ocean adventure. If we can figure out how to post it, we will share.

Unfortunately, all vacations must come to an end. Too bad we cannot win the lottery. Then, every day would be a vacation!

Rescue Mommy and Daddy