 TORONTO, February 26, 2013— Money may not buy the wag of a dog’s tail, but $170,000 will help shelters across Canada turn homeless pets’ stories into happy tales. Global Pet Foods and Hill’s Science Diet are proud to announce the 7th Annual Show Us Your HeartTM campaign raised over $170,000 for local animal shelters, breaking last year’s record. “I’m continually amazed by the generosity and support of our customers,” said Jim Walker, president Global Pet Foods. “This year we saw a 30 per cent increase in both the number of donations and the amount raised by customers. These funds will make a world of difference to shelters that are struggling to pay vet bills.” Fuelling the success of Show Us Your HeartTM was famous pet parent Don Cherry and his beloved dog Blue. Cherry and Blue donated their time and talent to act as the official face and heart of the 2013 campaign. “I’m thrilled Blue and I could help raise greater awareness of this important fundraiser,” said Cherry. “As an animal lover it’s rewarding to know these dollars will help shelters and rescues create a better life for pets in need.” From February 2 - 16 Global Pet Foods and Hill’s Science Diet, along with Cherry and Blue, asked Canadian pet parents to show their hearts to homeless pets by making a donation at any Global Pet Foods store or by texting ‘Heart’ on their mobile phones for a five dollar donation. Global Pet Foods and Hill’s Science Diet then matched the first dollar of each in-store donation. All proceeds raised during Show Us Your Heart will be donated to local animal shelters and pet charities. Since its inception, Show Us Your HeartTM has raised over $570,000 for homeless pets.  Maria Bell and Oralyn Whyte present a cheque for $25,000 to The Oakville and Milton Humane Society - funds were raised from the sale of Maria's book The Dogs of Oakville. Left to right - Maria Bell, Kim Millan , Brenda Dushko and Oralyn Whyte By Craig Bell A small, enterprising group of individuals has worked under the banner of the "Dogs of Oakville", on a creative project involving Oakville's dog and dog-loving community. On Thursday February 14, the group delivered a cheque to the Oakville/Milton Humane society for $25,000.00, a culmination of their efforts over the past year and a half. The monies will go towards the care of animals in the Oakville/Milton Humane Society. The project began as an idea from the creative mind of Maria Bell, a photographer and graphic artist living in Oakville. Combining her great love for dogs together with her creative talents, she imagined a showcase of photos in book format, featuring dogs of Oakville. Nothing like this had been done before and could never be accomplished without the help of others, as well as the support of the community itself. Happily, dedicated and determined people such as Oralyn Whyte and her husband Pat worked with Maria and gave their time tirelessly to the project. Without their participation, the fund-raising required for publishing and the subsequent book sales of "Dogs of Oakville" could not have happened. With a determination to see the project through to it's end, their countless hours of time given without reservation proved crucial. A good idea, pluck and determination can drive a project, but willing and voluntary community participation is essential. Oakville as a community, delivered in so many ways. Over 180 dog owners took the time to present their pets for photo sessions, at a variety of locations throughout the Town. They participated in the shoots, helping Maria to get the best image possible. Let's give some credit to the animals themselves, who put up with fussing and squeaky sounds until the right shot was captured. The business community also played an important role in the success of this adventure. Many of the retailers in downtown Oakville, took the "Dogs of Oakville" book into their shops, providing locations where the books could be purchased. A number of the pet shops in the area also dedicated time, space and publicity to various activities related to the project, another significant contribution. Remember this whole project as outlined above, was accomplished by people and local businesses volunteering their time, their dogs and their premises towards that $25,000 goal. We're happy to say that Maria Bell's concept proved a success, thanks to the support of the great community that is Oakville. In this case, a community helping animals. 500 books were printed and sold for $50.00 each - 100% of the proceeds were donated to The Oakville and Milton Humane Society An eBook is available online at www.dogsofoakville.com/ebook 
To download a full copy of How Much is that Doggie on My Browser? The Truth Behind Online Puppy Sales, please visit www.ifaw.org (Washington, DC - December 11, 2012) – A new investigation into online puppy sales highlights the problem of the Internet being used as a tool for exploiting dogs and consumers. To bring awareness to the magnitude of the issue, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW- www.ifaw.org ) today released its latest investigative report, How Much is that Doggie on my Browser? The Truth Behind Online Puppy Sales, marking the first publicly available large-scale examination of the connection between Internet puppy sales and suspected puppy mill operations. The one-day investigation focused on over 12,000 advertisements representing a total of over half a million puppies for sale on nine major buyer-seller Internet websites on just one day. Six of these sites are dedicated primarily to the puppy market and three offer puppies amongst a variety of other commodities. Employing the criteria set forth by a panel of experts, investigators further isolated the nearly 10,000 ads from the six puppy-specific websites and found that 62% of the ads qualified as “likely puppy mills.” “Consumers opting to purchase puppies over the Internet are duped into believing they are buying from reputable breeders,” said Ben Stein, Honorary Member, IFAW Board of Directors. “The cute puppy images shown on many seller websites hide the heartbreaking reality of the overcrowded and unsanitary conditions in which the dogs are housed.” Lacking the regulation assigned to some brick-and-mortar establishments, the Internet has become a preferred platform for unscrupulous commercial facilities to sell puppies directly to innocent consumers who are unwittingly supporting the puppy mill industry. “Most federal regulations designed to address the puppy trade pre-date the Internet and are insufficient in addressing the specific issues relating to online puppy sales,” noted Tracy Coppola, IFAW Campaigns Officer. “We launched our investigation to determine the scope and scale of the trade in an effort to better inform decision-makers as they are currently considering new policies to eliminate loopholes allowing this practice to continue.” The report also recommends that websites strengthen efforts to shut down puppy mill advertisements. According to a recent survey from the American Pet Products Association, the number of dogs living in U.S. homes is at an all-time high -- more than 78 million and growing. “As America’s demand for pet dogs grows, so does the number of online puppy sales,” added Jeff Flocken, DC Office Director, IFAW. “This holiday season and beyond, we hope that consumers looking to add a new puppy to their family will not fall victim to the deceptive practices of puppy mill operators over the Internet. Instead, they should proactively take a stand against puppy mills by always adopting from local shelters, responsible local breeders and rescue facilities.” The exploitation of animals over the Internet is not limited to dogs and other domestic animals. Since 2004, IFAW has performed numerous investigations on Internet wildlife trade; and its investigative report, Killing with Keystrokes, convinced eBay to institute a global ban on the sale of ivory products from its website.  Winter Wonderland Workout 2 Can't find a hard copy? No problem. Just click on the cover image and you've got it in an instant.  Carla Collins and Dr. Zira Our Winter Wonderland Workout 2 issue is going to press tomorrow and will be available in a week's time! To whet your appetite for winter, here's what you can look forward to:
 The voice on the other end of the phone is strong and confident. Jane identifies herself as a healthy, active 90 year old who is mourning the recent loss of her canine companion. “I’ve always had a dog,” she explains, “and I can’t imagine living the rest of my life without one. I’m old and I want an old dog so we can be old together. I walk everywhere. I’m always on the go. But it’s just not the same without the companionship of a dog. My family loves me but they have busy lives. I really want a dog to look after. Can you help?” In those few sentences Jane eloquently depicts the vital connection between older people and their canine companions. It is this connection that ElderDog Canada strives to support. Can we help? Of course. In an e-mail message a social worker from a small, rural hospital explains the plight of one of her clients. An elderly person, hospitalized for quite some time, had no choice but to leave her two beloved dogs in a boarding kennel for the duration of her hospital stay. The stress of worrying about and missing the dogs, combined with the worry about how she will be able to continue to cover kennel costs on a limited budget, is interfering with her recovery, the social worker tells me. On top of that she is concerned about how she will care for the dogs when she eventually returns home. “Her dogs are her life. The thought of returning home and once again being with them keeps her going. If she has to give them up, I’m afraid she will give up. Someone forwarded me this contact information for ElderDog. Is there anything you can do to help?” For this older person with some medical challenges, her own well-being is dependent on the well-being of her dogs. This is one of the core beliefs underlying the work of ElderDog Canada. Can we help? Yes, in many ways. The role of companion animals in seniors’ lives is well documented. For elderly people and those with chronic health problems, living with a companion animal provides a source of reliable and accessible companionship. Companion animals are considered by some to offer one of the most accessible enhancements to an older person’s quality of life. They provide unconditional support at any time, when family members or friends may be busy with other things or unreachable. Studies report that a majority of elderly dog owners see their dogs as their only friend and their relationship as strong as with humans. Animals have been found to help elderly people gain a renewed sense of purpose and an increased sense of self-worth, as well as a stronger sense of independence and agency. Most older adults express a desire to remain living in their own home as they age. Often they want to do so in order to be able to keep their pets. Approximately one-third of all older adults need some form of supportive care and services to remain living in the community. Dog care support, regardless of circumstance, is not a service readily available to seniors. And then there are Molly and Sandy and Chloe and O’Reilly and Cookie and Daisy and the list goes on: senior dogs who lost a human companion through illness, death, or relocation to a long-term care facility. Each has a story of love and loss. Those who are familiar with shelters know how difficult it is to find new homes for senior dogs. Thanks to ElderDog volunteers, who offer foster and permanent homes for senior dogs, the Mollies, Sandies, and other seniors of the dog world are living out their twilight years with the love and dignity they deserve after so many years of loyal devotion to their former human companions. For older persons who have no choice but to leave their dogs behind and for family members unable to take over the care of their loved one’s canine companion, the act of surrender is a form of loss often accompanied by feelings of grief. Those who have had direct experience with the loss of a companion animal know that bereavement over animal loss is not, generally speaking, well understood or socially sanctioned. And yet, as those same people will attest, the loss can often feel as, if not more, profound than that of a loved human companion. Often the work of ElderDog involves various forms of bereavement support. Whether it is helping healthy, independent seniors like Jane to find an older canine companion to be old with; assisting with financial costs of temporary housing or veterinary care; providing assistance and support to seniors who need help with basic daily dog care; finding new homes for older dogs who have lost a human companion; or providing support for those experiencing loss, the work of ElderDog Canada is dedicated to supporting aging dogs, aging people, and the important connection they enjoy. ElderDog Canada Inc. is a relatively new, federally incorporated, volunteer-run, non-profit organization (charitable status pending). It is inspired by a long standing program of research in the area of caregiving and seniors, direct experience with animal-assisted therapy with seniors in long-term care, and by an old and ill chocolate Lab named Mr. Brown who was with my brother when he died very suddenly. While Mr. Brown’s future home was never a concern (I was only too happy to welcome him into our family where he lived and loved until he died) the death of my brother and Mr. Brown’s potential predicament prompted me to wonder and worry about all the less fortunate Mr. Browns left aging, (ill), and homeless. A recent report from Statistics Canada reveals the aging nature of the country’s population. Studies abound that show the varied and significant role of dogs in seniors’ lives. As people and dogs grow old together they are likely to need some form of assistance and support. It is incumbent upon us, as a society, to honour our elder dogs and elder people and the vital bond they share. ElderDog’s national office is in Nova Scotia and that, by default, is where most of our activity currently is situated. It is our dream, however, to grow ElderDog Canada across the country foot by paw; to have Pawds (chapters) in communities everywhere. The need is clear and strong. ElderDog’s growth and potential is limited only by the number of people who become involved. To find out more about ElderDog Canada and how to take part visit our website at www.elderdog.ca or send an email to info@elderdog.ca.  Pugs Might Fly - p. 59 - On August 15, 2011, in the skies above California, Otis the skydiving pug made his 64th jump with his master, veteran skydiver Will DaSilva. Otis has been skydiving in a special tandem harness with his owner for more than nine years and seems to love every minute of the ride. No Eyes - p. 74 -Rowan, a German Spitz dog owned by Sam Orchard of Bedfordshire, England, was born without eyes but is able to navigate its way around by echolocation, using its barks. $1.5M Puppy - p. 69 - A red Tibetan mastiff puppy named Hong Dong was sold for $1.5 million in 2011. Tibetan mastiffs are fierce guard dogs and are rarely found outside Tibet, which makes them highly exclusive and sough-after. Hong Dong was bred in Qingdao, China, and weigh more than 180 lb (82kg) at 11 months. Nose for Wine - p. 66 -With a nose that is 2,000 times more sensitive than a human's, bloodhound Louisa Bella has been trained as a wine tester by her owners, wine label proprietors Michelle Edwards and Daniel Fischl of Melbourne, Australia. After just two weeks of training, she could sniff out a tainted wine cork within 30 seconds. Poop for Gold - p. 67 - Dog owners in New Taipei City, Taiwan, were given the chance to turn their pet' poop into gold. In an attempt to clean up the streets, anyone handing in a bad of dog poop was entered in a lucky draw, the top prize for which was $2,100 in gold bars. Shaggy Dog Story - p. 63 - Norman, a shaggy Briard dog owned by the Cobb family of Canton, Georgia, has been riding a scooter since he was a puppy. He balances on the scooter unaided with his front paws resting over the handlebars while he pushes himself along using his hind leg. Videos of his tricks have been a massive hit on YouTube, and he even has his own Facebook page. Tiny Police Dog - p. 68 - A long-haired Chihuahua has been accepted as a police dog in Japan's Nara prefecture. Momo, who weighs just 6 lb 10 oz (3 kg), passed a search-and-rescue test by finding a person in five minutes after merely sniffing their cap. Momo specializes in rescue operations following disasters such as earthquakes, where she can squeeze her tiny body into places too small for normal rescue dogs. Doggie Facelifts - p. 69- Grandmother Amanda Booth from Melbourne, Australia, is using her life savings to pay $15,000 a year on facelifts for her Shar Pei dogs to prevent them from suffering eye problems. The designer dogs are bred to have folds of floppy flesh on their face, but the heavy skin forces their eyelids to turn in, causing their eyelashes to scratch their cornea, often leading to blindness. 
 Left: Actress/writer/ comedian Carla Collins takes the stage in Woodbine park yesterday for the Paws in the Park Walk-a-thon with her new friend Amina. Later in the day, Amina, a deaf dog without a home, was adopted by a loving family. Carla Collins will be featured in the December/January issue of Dogs Dogs Dogs. 
The Woofjocks Canine performance Team provided the entertainment with a dazzling display of agility and obedience. Here, exhausted members of the team get ready for the drive home.
| DDDOGS
|
RSS Feed
