We have big news! Audrey Merritt, our Vice Pres, has been working really hard these past few weeks to get all the neighborhood feral cats spayed or neutered. And we’re thrilled to announce that she has managed to get 53 cats sterilized!
Some of the cats will be staying at a neighbor’s house. They will have access to the garage and will have a warm place to sleep when the winter weather hits north Texas. The rest have been relocated to a local drive-in movie theater. The proprietors have promised to take care of the cats and provide housing during the winter months. The cats will stay in sheds where they will have all the comforts of home and the freedom to roam the grounds.
We want to thank everyone, especially Kip and Jess Miller from Bikers Against Animal Cruelty, who has donated funds these past few months to make our first trap/neuter/return project a big success. We thank you for your generosity and compassion.
The Queenie Foundation raised $231 for Susie's Fund with the assistance of A New World Laser Tag in Middletown and Equinox (equinoxband.net). We had great prizes that included a cleaning package from Molly Maid of Manchester and Glastonbury, a dog or cat crate/carrier, handyman services from We Fix It Handyman Services in Manchester, an angel card reading from Soul Star Healing in Middletown, a year's membership to A New World Laser Tag, a beautiful cultured pearl necklace from Classic Find Jewelry in Manchester and two gorgeous beds from The Puppy Hugger in Greenwich.
We thank A New World Laser Tag, Equinox and all the merchants that donated their goods to assist us in serving the community with spaying and neutering.
By Veronica Sanchez, M. Ed, CPDT, CABC
Cooperative Paws LLC
February 2008
Adding a new family member is an exciting time. New guardians have been dreaming of leisurely walks in the woods, a fun visit to the dog park or a relaxing cup of coffee in an outside café with their dog. Now that your dog is home, it is hard not to want to do all those fun things right away!
For the dog, however, the transition from an animal shelter or a foster home to a new home can very stressful. Many new guardians inadvertently add to the dog's stress level by overwhelming him or her. It's important to allow for settling in time. Give your new dog an opportunity to relax, explore his new environment and introduce new experiences slowly over time as you and your new dog get to know each other.
Remember that it takes time for a dog to adjust and the behavior you see the first few weeks after adoption may not be the same behavior you see later on. This is especially true for adolescent dogs between the ages of approximately five months and two years (adolescence may last even longer for some dogs). Like human teenagers, adolescent dog behavior often fluctuates.
Some Tips for New Dog Guardians:
1. Your new dog needs to be in your line of sight or safely confined to a dog-proofed area or crate. Do no not assume your new dog is house trained or has learned not to chew furniture.
2. Provide outlets for stress. KONG toys and other similar type toys can be stuffed with your dog's foofood or special treats. Always supervise your dog with a new toy to make sure it is safe for him.
3. Allow for down time and short periods of alone time. You can help make this time fun for your dog by providing a long lasting chew toy.
4. Familiarize yourself with indications of stress in dogs. Be ready to remove your dog from situations whwhere he seems anxious or fearful.
5. Have healthy treats available so you are always ready to reward behavior you like.
6. Introduce other family pets carefully and give animals breaks from spending time together. Provide adadditional exercise, chew toys and play time for other pets too. Remember that adding a new family memember can be challenging for them as well.
Be ready to get professional support if you see any behaviors that worry you. Even older dogs benefit from training using gentle, reward-based techniques. Every dog is different, some dogs will "be themselves" in a few days. Other dogs may take weeks to months to completely settle in. Have fun getting to know your new family member!
Courtesy of www.GoodDogz.org
By Stanley Popovich
Animals and our pets can be a great way to reduce our every day stresses and anxieties. It is not easy to deal with our fears and anxieties, however, spending time with animals can makes us feel better. Here is a list of ways of how animals can help us to better cope with our fears, anxieties, and stresses.
Spending time with animals can be a great source of companionship. Whether you have a pet or go to your local shelter, spending time with an animal or pet can help us to feel better. Also many people talk to their pets and this can help us to get their problems out in the open. Animals can be of good company to all of us and can prevent the fear of being alone during our troubles.
Helping animals and other people through community service can be a great way to overcome our anxieties. There are many animals out there who could benefit from your time and talents. Doing something that will help your pet or other animals can give you a source of pride and accomplishment and also can lead to possible friendships with others.
Sitting around and accomplishing nothing will not make things any better whether its dealing with the fear of being alone or something else. Animals can help us to be active and to focus our energies on working with them instead of worrying about things that may or may not happen. This will prevent us from worrying about our current situation.
One of the ways to manage stress is to challenge your negative thinking with positive thoughts. Animals can help us to relax and help us to focus on the good things in our lives. This will help us to focus positively on any situation. Playing with animals can help reduce our fears and anxieties in any situation.
Animals can get our minds off of our problems. A person could do an activity with their pet or other animals that will give them a fresh perspective on things. Spending time with animals will get your mind off of the problem and give you the energy to do other things. Most importantly, playing with animals will give you the self-confidence that you can cope and that you can get through the day.
Remember that there are many ways that animals can reduce the stresses of our every day life, however, they are not a substitute of getting professional help. If your fears and anxieties become overwhelming, then you will need to talk to a counselor. The next time you feel stressed, spend some time with your pet or other animals and you will be better able to cope with your worries.
BIOGRAPHY:
Stan Popovich is the author of "A Layman's Guide to Managing Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non Resistant Methods" - an easy to read book that presents a general overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties. For additional information go to: http://www.managingfear.com/
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