Pet Advice

/Pet Advice

Cold weather dangerous for stray animals

By | May 6th, 2016|Categories: Friends of the Bay Village Kennel, General, Lost Pets, Pet Advice, Pet Safety Tips|Tags: , |

Three darling Bay Village cats came very close to being victims of the bitter early cold snap that hit our area last week. Because of the rapid response, compassion and warm-hearted residents, each were rescued by different individuals or families in Bay and all ended up in forever homes. Friends of the Bay Village Kennel would like to remind residents to report animal issues to the Bay Village Police at 871-1234. Please remember to keep all pets safe, have identification and provide shelter and food. If you are aware of an animal that does not have the proper shelter, please contact the police or call Ruth Glasmire, president of Friends of the Bay Village Kennel, at 835-8139 for options on how to make or purchase outside housing for animals. Per public records requests the City of Bay Village has just over $8,000 in donations under animal control. This is item line 284. These funds are separate from what the Friends of the Bay Village Kennel have been collecting and expending on animals in Bay Village. The city of Bay Village has the potential to still accept a gift of a brand new kennel. The Friends of the Bay Village Kennel [...]

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Summertime pet safety tips

By | May 6th, 2016|Categories: Advocacy, Friends of the Bay Village Kennel, Pet Advice, Pet Safety Tips|Tags: |

Friends of the Bay Village Kennel would like to remind residents that with warmer weather, please remember to take the following precautions to keep pets safe. Do not take pets in the car and leave them with cracked windows even to run a quick errand – leave them at home. Do not leave pets outside without fresh water, food during the day, shade and shelter. When walking, use soft cloth or leather leashes that correlate to the size of your dog, and pick up and move them to the lawn so bikes and others can pass safely. Pick up that dog waste. If you utilize electronic containment DO NOT leave your pets unsupervised. Recent increases in coyote activity and power failures could be deadly. Please visit friendsofbayvillagekennel.com for ordinances and tips

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Do Animals Possess Instinctive Ability to Sense Impending Storms?

By | May 6th, 2016|Categories: General, Pet Advice, Pet Safety Tips|Tags: , |

Male Pronghorn Antelope in Saskatchewan field Animals may possess an innate ability to react to weather quicker than humans, but don't count on their behaviors determining how much snow is expected for winter or how severe a hurricane season could become. That is because while there are indications that animals do have advanced capabilities to recognize changes in weather, how far in advance they can predict such changes is still to be determined. "I certainly think that [animals] have abilities to sense that," said John Linehan, president and CEO of Zoo New England, which operates Franklin Park Zoo in Boston and Stone Zoo in Stoneham, Massachusetts. "I've certainly seen behavioral changes in the many years I've been observing animals, but how far in advance, I don't actually know." Linehan's experience working with animals covers more than 30 years and he has seen many peculiar occurrences in animal behavior as it relates to weather. Animals have more developed senses than humans, such as sense of smell and hearing, and that leads to their ability to detect impending weather changes sooner, Linehan said. "Certainly, many have a better sense of smell than we do; they can smell rain coming when [...]

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Did you know?

By | May 5th, 2016|Categories: Advocacy, General, Pet Advice|Tags: , |

Did you know, each day 10,000 humans are born in the USA  - and each day 70,000 puppies and kittens are born. Dog Auctions January 12th, 2011 I wish I were a fiction writer and the details within this blog were simply a product of my imagination.  Unfortunately dog auctions are a painful and despicable fact of life. As much as I dislike crafting blogs that are “downers” I’ve recognized the importance of educating as many people as I can about animal-related issues that undermine our humanity.  Dog auctions certainly fit the bill. In case you are unfamiliar with dog auctions let me fill you in.  Envision rooms filled floor to ceiling with crates and cages each housing dogs whose sole purpose in life is to make puppies.  Every dog in the room is identified by the number on the auction tag hanging round his or her neck. There are purebreds of multiple varieties although some might not be recognizable as such given their lack of health care and horrifically overgrown hair coats. And, of course, there are plenty of “designer hybrids” the mutts that are purposefully planned because they are “all the rage” and their litters will garner thousands [...]

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How shelter dogs are helping U.S. veterans battle PTSD

By | May 4th, 2016|Categories: Advocacy, Pet Advice|

By Brian Prowse-Gany They’re called man’s (or woman’s) best friend, and for good reason. Dogs seem to have the natural ability to feed off human emotions and reciprocate. Through a mutual understanding of things like happiness, fear and empathy, dogs and their caretakers are able to form a bond the way one would with a family member or friend.  Clarissa Black has devoted her career to understanding the minds of animals. As an animal trainer with a master’s in anthrozoology — the study of interactions between humans and other animals — Black spent years working with elephants and dolphins. But it was a trip to the local Veterans Affairs Hospital with her dog that sparked the idea that would become her passion.  Watching how the veterans lit up and responded to her dog, named Bear, Black was inspired to use her skills and resources to start training rescue dogs as a means of therapy for America’s veterans, particularly those struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury, anxiety and depression.  “You could almost feel this weight being lifted off of them, that sort of sigh and that breath, and you could see their smiles,” said Black.  She started the [...]

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Join Bay volunteers in caring for distressed animals

By | May 10th, 2015|Categories: Advocacy, Friends of the Bay Village Kennel, Lost Pets, Pet Advice, Pet Safety Tips|Tags: , , , |

The sweet, skinny, young adult black cat pictured here was recently found abandoned on Huntmere Drive in Bay Village. This is one of multiple cats and kittens that the Friends of the Bay Village Kennel are currently assisting. FOBVK reminds residents to advise the Bay Village Police Department of all animal-related issues. The city's current kennel only houses dogs, which are transported to the Cuyahoga County Dog Kennel if not claimed. Cats and kittens must fend for themselves on the streets of Bay Village. If you are concerned with the safety of Bay Village's pets, please join us to ensure that the city of Bay Village undertakes the construction of a new kennel. Until further notice, FOBVK will continue to assist distressed animals through the use of generously donated monies for the purposes including: spaying and neutering, other veterinary care, food, medications, etc. FOBVK continues to have the support of a benevolent benefactor willing to fund the construction of a new kennel facility within the city. However, this facility would be owned by the city with conditions requiring city participation and cooperation. FOBVK would be happy to volunteer to help with the operation and maintenance of this kennel. Visit our [...]

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Scent of family lures dog home

By | May 22nd, 2014|Categories: Lost Pets, Pet Advice|Tags: , |

When many Bay Village residents were preparing for and finalizing Fourth of July festivities, family, friends and many with compassionate hearts were pounding the pavement in search of a Bay Village beagle named Brutus. Brutus has storm and firework phobia like many other animals and his family, the Pullmans, and rescue volunteers knew that time was of the essence since firework displays were set to go off all around the area. Some said prayers to patron saints like St. Francis, St. Christopher and St. Anthony to please keep this little dog safe and bring him home. The city was plastered with flyers, email blasts, social media and no sightings. The dog's bed and food were left out on the porch with the light on, and still nothing. Rescue contacts encouraged the family to fan out efforts, resulting in a sighting in Westlake. A humane, large dog trap was delivered to Westlake Police, but Brutus sightings were not consistent enough to set the trap. Cue a clever beagle lover, who considered how search and rescue canines work and suggested the family hang out laundry and create a scent trail home. Brutus's mom, Darcy Pullman, left recently worn T-shirts and some pillow [...]

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Accommodating barking bikers

By | February 10th, 2014|Categories: Advocacy, Pet Advice, Pet Safety Tips|Tags: , |

With the warmer weather upon us, perhaps you are thinking about taking your canine companions on a bike ride. Here are some healthy safety tips, links and suggestions for doggie apparatuses for your outing. Riding on the sidewalk is the safest place to be for you and your pooch and the highly recommended turf per safety forces. Options to consider based on the size, age and type of dog(s) include a bicycle dog leash, bike trailer, or a bike basket. Dog trainer and behavior consultant Susan Sarubin penned an excellent article in Whole Dog Journal about bike riding with your dog.  The in-depth article features information on getting started, equipment for the cyclist and dog, initial training, starting to ride, where to ride and cycling for non-athletes. "Sometimes, the safety precautions that we take to protect both humans and our companion animals may seem so cumbersome that they take all the fun out of some of our activities," Sarubin writes. "But when it comes to the health and welfare of your dog when accompanying you on bike rides, taking the appropriate safety measures can potentially save your dog's life, as well as your own. Training, using proper equipment and adhering to sensible exercise practices [...]

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