animal life december 2015

Complimentary December 2015/January 2016

animal lifeYour pet. Our purpose.

Tri-State Area Pet News

Inside:It’s all about Rescues!

95 Summer Street, Lee, MA 01238413-243-0253 • www.fittercritters.org

Best Wishesfrom all the Fitter Critter Staff

Stay on Top During the Howlidays & Through Out the New Year.

Animal Lifer December 2015 animallifeonline.com 3

Why so many dogs?1.We live in a “disposable” society; impulsive buying is prevalent, and dogs are considered commodities…. not always a family member.

2. People don’t research the right breed for their lifestyle.3. Irresponsible breeders create poor quality dogs with health problems. Theybreed too many dogs and do not take responsibility for these puppies/dogs for their life time.

4. Layoffs, cut backs, and illnesses or death require that lovely dogs of all agesbe rehomed.

5. The plight of southern dogs has become apparent. Due to lack of spaying andneutering, wandering, and abandonment hundreds of neglected Southern dogs aretrucked North on a weekly basis. 90%+ of sheltered dogs in most Southern states,are Euthanized, thousands die annually.

What is Rescue?1. Shelters rescue and rehome dogs locally. Many NE shelters bring Southerndogs to Northern Shelters to help find new families.

2. Pure-bred Rescue is available throughout the NE. (See Davey and Champsstory) Almost every AKC breed is available. Explore breed characteristics todetermine the breed that suits you and your families lifestyle. These are wonderful, healthy and fabulous family companions. You can go to the AKCwebsite to check out information on various breeds. Then click rescue in theNorth East to find the nearest breed rescue to you.

3. Mix breed rescue organizations are prevalent. Dogs may come from Northern or Southern states. Dogs may come from outside the USA such asAsia or Puerto Rico. (See Sophie’s story) Some Rescue groups focus on smalldogs and some on large dogs. Some do not care about size but help all dogs.

4. Shelter dog selectors are rescue volunteers that frequent high kill rate shelters, usually in larger cities like New York City. These volunteers workwith reputable rescue organizations to identify highly rehomable dogs. Then they locate the nearest pure-bred or mix breed rescue group to foster if theycan not or do not provide foster care services.

What is a Reputable Rescue Group?Whether a Shelter or Rescue group all share the following qualities.

1. Most reputable Rescue Groups are non-profit organizations (501C3). They are operated by volunteers with few or no paid employees. All donations areapplied directly to dog care because there are few “administrative” costs.

2. A Qualified rescue will require an application process, ask many questions,and do a home visit before you are approved.

3. Good rescue will match the right dog to the right person(s). This means youcould be a super dog owner and like a certain dog but, the foster family mayfeel another dog is a better choice. Respect their expertise.

4. Reputable rescue organizations will provide education and require you tosign a contract when a dog is adopted. They will take the dog back the lifetime of the dog. Also, you will be required to return the dog to that organization if you can’t keep the dog.

5. Dogs will have full health and behavior disclosure. If there are problems youwill be informed before adoption. Ask for this information.

6. Your adopted dog will have been recently evaluated by a veterinarian. It willhave current vaccinations and be spayed or neutered. This is included in theadoption fee. Avoid any organization that cannot give you dated health papers signed by a Veterinarian.

7. Foster care, or being in a Northern Shelter, is essential so the dog can be properly assessed for health and temperament. Avoid adopting a dog that hasnot had a professional evalutation. Some southern rescue groups take dogs directly from shelters and cannot foster them. Hence these dogs are not carefully assessed. In MA, dogs coming from the outside the area are required tohave a short quarantine period to assure proper health.

8. Quality rescue assures that you will meet the dog and want the dog beforeadoption occurs. Avoid meeting your dog for the first time off a truck in aparking lot. Assure this is the dog you want and it is a forever match.

9. Quality rescue assures the dog you select. A common problem is not gettingthe dog you selected on the internet.

In SummaryRescuing a dog is an incredibly rewarding

experience when done with a reputable organization. Adopting a young or olderdog, rather than a puppy, allows you toknow exactly what the dogs’ characteris-tics are. Some rescue dogs have been neglectedor abused but they love you more, knowingyou have helped them. Many rescue dogshave never been abused or neglected. Theyhave been raised in loving homes but their people have fallen on hard times. Finally, if you have never adopted a senior dog please consider it. People worrythey may die sooner than a middle aged or younger dog. Keep in mind this isn’tnecessarily true.

“Enjoy being a responsible dog owner wherever you find that ‘love of your life”.

Jody ChiquoineFounding Member and Past President of North East Pyr RescueOwner of Fitter Critters, Canine Rehabilitation and Aquatic TherapiesWe at Fitter Critters, in the past 15 years, have donated more than 500 rehabilitation andaquatic treatments / services to Rescue Organizations and Shelters in our area. We willcontinue to avidly support the Shelters and responsible Dog Rescue Organizations thatwork diligently to help make this world a better place.

Rescue MeThe number of rescued dogs in the USA & other countries have rocketed in the past decade. Pure-bred, mix breed, large & small dogs are finding their way into loving hearts and homes.

Publisher/Owner Kim Arre-Gerber, [email protected] Writers

Iris Bass Karen Karlberg Carol LewYoanna Y. Maitre Tobie Petkus Mary Koncel

Krista Wroldson Miller Leea Foran. The Canine MindCirculation, John Depaoli Advertising Sales, Karen Karlberg, Lisa Betkoski

Cover photo by Jennifer Smalstig Addeo

For advertising rates or information call 413-459-5894Mailing Address: 9 County Court, Pittsfield, MA 01201

www.animallifeonline.comA Paw Print Division of Animal Laughter Studio®. All original content copyright® 2015 Animal Life. Original content

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I want to take this time to wish you all a warm and loving HolidaySeason and a Happy New Year! This edition is dedicated to all of thepet parents who have adopted new family members and shared theirgreat stories with Animal Life readers.

During this season of giving I want to extend a special thanks to allof the employees and volunteers who dedicate their time and effort toour local shelters and rescues all year long. Please consider adopting a pet and giving them a new home for the holidays.

New for 2016, Animal Life will be publishing the first week of everymonth, starting in February. We will be expanding our coverage inthe Tri-State area and continuing our ongoing website enhancement.Thank you to all our columnists, writers and advertisers who makeAnimal Life possible each month. I look forward to another great yearas together we head into 2016.

Warmly,

Kim Arre-GerberPublisher/Owner, Animal Life

Happy Holidays!

Kim


Bella is a white female Boxer mix that came to the shelter so terriblymalnourished that we truly feared that she would not survive the week.She weighed a mere 25 pounds and was unable to keep food down. Herskin was stretched over her bones with no muscle tone whatsoever. Hernails had grown into her paws and her teeth had been worn down intonubs from trying to free herself from her crate. Dr. Ray of South StreetVet put Bella on a regular regimen of B-12 shots, prednisone, the an-tibiotic Tylan and a diet of a mix of wet and dry Hill’s Prescription IDfood. After a long recovery period, Bella was finally strong enough togo to her forever home. And that is where Nan and her son Richardcame in.After losing their beloved fifteen year old dog to cancer, Nan was toldby a friend about Bella’s plight. After only one meeting, they were inlove. They didn’t mind the bi-weekly (now bi-monthly) trips to the vetfor Bella’s shots. They understood that her separation anxiety was oneof the worst cases we had seen. They accepted that she would have toeat special food for life. They were the angels that Bella needed. Andthey had come.Today, Nan bakes Bella treats in the oven from her kibble and wet foodsince her diet is so limited. Bella is sensitive to protein and is extremelylimited in what she can actually eat. She has tried to “protest” her kib-ble in the past by spitting it out and eating only her wet food. Nan,being one step ahead of our dear little Miss Bella, has started runningher kibble through a food processor, and then mixing it with the cannedfood. I cannot imagine a more perfect home for our little princess. Bella lays her head down at night with Nan in her bed. She curls upnext to her under the blankets. For a smaller dog, she ends up taking upquite a bit of room and just loves to sleep on Nan’s side of the bed.Quite often, she will maneuver her way onto Nan’s side; whether Nanis on it or not. Thankfully though, she is on the smaller side, as she isstill under the false impression that she is a lap dog. Both Nan andRichard agree that Bella is a bit of a home body, preferring her ownyard to extended jaunts through the neighborhood. She loves to play inthe side yard and has even claimed Nan’s zero-gravity chair as her own.Bella is known to sun bathe on the patio while Nan gardens or tends toyard work. And of course Bella goes everywhere with Nan, unless theweather is inappropriate for her Highness to wait in the car during er-rands. Nan considers Bella somewhat headstrong, stubborn and almost tod-dler-like. She is amused by Bella’s quizzical head tilts that are oftenher responses to Nan’s directives. She swears Bella is asking her “Whycome?” or some other queer little toddler-ism. Lovingly, they oftenrefer to her as “the Empress,” as Bella not only knows what she wants;she often knows exactly how to get it. While we are talking, Bella sitsregally on Richard’s lap, surveying the room. I can see where the nick-name comes from. Both Nan and Richard were pleasantly surprisedthat although Bella’s willful personality has been apparent from dayone, she has never once been aggressive to anyone despite all that shehad been through. While Nan does insist that she follow the rules of thehouse, it appears that she still has wrapped them both around her littlepaws, and that they love her unconditionally. It is a balance. She isspoiled, but with rules.We head out into the yard and Bella wants to play. Richard tosses hera tennis ball. Bella ignores it. I have now witnessed “the Empress” inaction. She will play, but she will play what she wants to play. She isrunning, and wagging her little tail so vigorously that her whole backend is wagging with it. I suppose this might be where the expressionabout “wagging the dog” could have originated. Both Nan and Richardare beaming like proud parents as they watch her antics in the yard.Their love for this little dog is so apparent. As I prepare to leave, I snug-gle Bella one more time and scratch behind her ears. I couldn’t be hap-pier. Bella has her forever home and it is perfect.

Krista Wroldson MillerSonsini Animal Shelter

SavingBella

GGetting out of my car I almost can’t believe my eyes. Of courseI had gotten a quick glimpse of her precious mug staring out ofthe passenger side of Nan’s van at the grocery store a coupleweeks back, but I wasn’t able to visit with her then. Bella jumpsup and starts kissing me immediately. It has always been herthing. Bella can give you a full doggie style tongue bath in about6.2 seconds. Her little boxer nub is wagging furiously. Her coatis soft and full. Her adopted mom, Nan, reports that she weighs38.6 pounds now. To say that my heart soared when I heard thatwould be an understatement of epic proportions.

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myth & truth about dog behaviorthe canine mind!We adopted an older dog from the shelter (we think he’s about 7 or 8 years old).He clearly didn’t have much attention in his life. He doesn’t know any basic skillsand doesn’t even know how to play with toys. Our friends have told us he’s too oldto learn those things at his age but we would like him to have a full life for his remaining years. Is it too late to train him?

First of all, good for you for selecting an older companion! So many of the dogs atthis age get passed over. It is never too late to train a dog. He is still able to learn anddo anything he is physically capable of doing. As you live together over the nextfew months you will be developing a relationship based on trust and respect. Beforeyou enroll him in a group class, or make a long list of skills you want to build, startwith a few important good manners like Sit, Stay and Come. Link his learning andcorrect performance to a variety of things he cares about and use those as “life re-wards” such as--SIT before putting on his leash, STAY before opening the door,COME for a treat and lots of pets. You may also discover that he came with a fewbad habits. At his age it may take a bit more patience and perseverance to replacethose habits with new more appropriate behavior. If you need a behavior consulta-tion to help you address any problems, be sure to choose someone with experiencetraining older dogs. Learning to play with toys may come slowly if he never had achance to play. Select a variety of toys and see his response--something hard for himto chew on, a soft squeaky toy, a ball or toy for tossing/fetching, a Kong or other toythat will hold some food. Introduce them slowly and be very interactive so it is asmuch about attention and fun with you as it is about playing with the toy.

Leea Foran, CDBC, CPTA-KA is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and Behavior consultant and owner of Foranimals, LLC in Lenox, MA. For more information: www.trainingforanimals.com or 413-445-8843


IIn the USA, when we think of “marketing” a product, we are not thinking of dogsas food! This is not true in Asian countries where dog is a delicacy that rivals apork chop. “Sophie”, a two year old female mix breed, was part of the Korean DogMeat Market & being prepared for slaughter, when someone heard her screams.Sophie’s hind legs were crushed and broken in an effort to jam her into a stackedcrate far too small, it was hoped she’d fatten for the market and that the meatwould tenderize for later butchering. Like most dogs raised for the meat market in Korea, these dogs have had verypoor lives; they’ve been caged outside in the elements, sometimes five to ten dogsper crate. They’ve been dirty, left without enough food and water, and not ever so-cialized. Getting these dogs into loving forever homes is a more involved processthan most adoptions. Fortunately for Sophie, Imagine Pet Rescue came to her aid.Imagine Pet Rescue is a non-profit animal rescue located out of NYC, whosemission is rehabilitating and rehoming animals from high kill shelters, hoardingsituations, and rescuing animals who find themselves fighting for their lifethroughout the US. They’ve recently been involved with rescuing dogs from theKorean meat market, and are the ones who gave Sophie a second chance at lifeon December 6th 2014.Sophie, who was non-ambulatory and unable to walk on all four legs, requiredextensive reconstruction surgery and physical therapy to heal her broken and de-formed hind limbs. She was in constant agonizing pain, emancipated, and hadchronic eye and ear infections when the shelter first homed her. The shelter raisedover $2000 towards Sophie’s surgeries which were both performed at her staywith the rescues founder. The first scheduled surgery was performed in February2015 with a second following in March 2015. Sophie’s second chance continued, when her owner came across her touchingstory on the urgent adoption list through the Imagine Pet Rescue organization,and she was adopted into her forever home in Mid-March 2015, roughly 2 weekspost-op from her second surgery. With her hind limbs extremely contracted ren-dering her unable to walk, Sophie’s owner, Karin, contacted Fitter Critters, A Ca-nine Rehabilitation center located in Lee, Ma, looking for post-operative extensiveRehabilitation to restore strength & flexibility while increasing Sophie’s overallquality of life.At our first initial consultation, Sophie was very deconditioned with extensivemuscle atrophy of her hind limbs. She was fully contracted in her hips and kneesand presented with a significant limp. At times she was 100% Non-Weight bear-ing in the hind; she walked on her front legs only. Her spine also had a “hump”,from shifting her weight forward at the walk and stance. In our program our primary goals were focused on extreme bodywork for con-tractures and to increase hip extension, increase knee extension and improve herhock mobility. Gait retraining was started to encourage walking and proper pawplacement.Sophie has been working with us at Fitter Critters for the last 7 months in ouractive Rehabilitation program and is flourishing. She has improved in many ways.Her contractures have significantly resolved. She has increased in flexibility,strength, muscle size & tone. Most importantly she is now fully using her hindlegs. Her owner, Karin, reports to us on a weekly basis that she has exceeded inall their expectations. She has settled in beautifully as a part of the family. Now that the worst is far behind them, Sophie’s days now consist of lying on thecouch, and running free in the yard. She is keeping her mom on her toes with hereverlasting determined spitfire personality.

If you would like to make a donation toImagine Pet Rescue go to www.imaginepetrescue.org

Hillary Clark is the Operations Manager, Canine Rehabilitation Clinical Specialist, and is a Certified Aquatic Therapist at Fitter Critters.

“Marketing”: Gives Rescue a New Meaning

Sophie’s StoryHillary Clark B.S. Animal Science

Like most dogs raised for the meat market inKorea, these dogs have had very poor lives;they’ve been caged outside in the elements, sometimes five to ten dogs per crate.

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IIn his condo in Mocha’s Mall at BerkshireHumane Society (BHS), Mr. Whiner iscurled head-to-tail in his bed, sleeping theafternoon away. Last month, the six-year-old male with a luxurious black coat anddeep yellow eyes was surrendered to BHSwhen his owner had too many complica-tions in her life to keep him. “He’s so laid-back,” says Erin Starsja, Supervisor ofFeline and Small Animal Services. “And areal lover.”Not far away, at Purradise, BHS’s satelliteadoption center in Great Barrington, Jonasis giving face nudges and kisses to sheltermanager Danielle Hammell. According toDanielle, he’s another sweetheart, just look-ing for someone to snuggle with on a couchor in a bed. Three months ago, Jonas, athree-year-old male tiger, came to Purradiseafter his owner could no longer care forhim. Besides being affectionate, charming, andirresistibly handsome, Mister Whiner andJonas share two other similarities: both catsare FIV positive and both desperately needa home. Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, or FIV, isa lentivirus and in the same class of virusesas HIV in humans. Typically, FIV weakensthe cat’s immune system. Although thereare no specific symptoms of FIV, as a resultof their compromised immune system, FIVpositive cats are more prone to infections,including dental disease. FIV is not highly transmittable from onecat to another. The most common way thatit spreads is through deep wound biteswhich are often the consequence of nastycat fights. Occasionally, however, a mothercat can pass on the virus to her kittens inutero or from her milk; although rare, sex-ual contact can also transmit FIV. FIVposes no health risks to humans. Erin estimates that between six and eightFIV positive cats are surrendered to BHSeach year – often without their ownersknowing that their cats are carrying thevirus. Both Mr. Whiner and Jonas were di-agnosed after they came to BHS. As partof our routine in-take at the shelter, all kit-tens and cats are not only given a healthexam and appropriate vaccinations but alsotested for FIV and Feline Leukemia Virus,or FeLV. Unfortunately, there is no cure or treat-ment for FIV, but the encouraging news is

that cats with the virus can still lead happyand healthy lives. While some experts es-timate their average life expectancy to beabout six years, other dismiss this numberand say that they can live just as long as catswithout the virus. In fact, as both Erin and Danielle explain,caring for FIV positive cats can actually beless complicated and expensive than caringfor cats with other medical conditions, suchas kidney disease. Besides a good diet, ex-ercise, and lots of TLC, the only special ac-commodations for FIV positive cats areproviding them with regular veterinary vis-its to monitor their health and eliminatingstress.The latter is why it’s especially importantthat Mr. Whiner and Jonas find their newforever homes soon. As Danielle explains,although they receive excellent care by staffand volunteers at BHS and Purradise, shel-ters are extremely stressful for any animal,creating an environment that could com-promise the immune system of a FIV posi-tive cat. Mr. Whiner and Jonas are alsomore susceptible to other airborne diseases,such as upper respiratory infections, thatoccasionally occur in the confined spacesof a shelter. While placing any special needs cats canbe challenging, both BHS has been verysuccessful placing FIV positive cats intonew loving homes – even if it takes a monthor several months. Like other FIV positivecats, Mr. Whiner and Jonas would need tobe indoor cats and either be the only cat inthe household or share their home withother FIV positive cats.Asked why someone should adopt Mr.

Whiner or Jonas, Danielle offers a simpleresponse: “They need a home of their own– They just want to be with people.” Are you that special adopter who couldopen your heart and home to these wonder-ful cats? To learn more about them, callBHS at 413-447-7878 about Mr. Whinerand Purradise at 413-717-4244 about Jonas.Or just stop by and meet them. Welcominga new furry family member into your homeis a great way to celebrate the holidays andthe new year.

Mary A. KoncelMary A. Koncel is the Community OutreachCoordinator at Berkshire Humane Society.

Looking Beyond FIV - Finding a Home for Mr. Whiner and Jonas

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, or FIV, is a lentivirus and in the same class of viruses as HIV in humans. Typically, FIV weakens thecat’s immune system. Although there are no specific symptoms of FIV, as a result of their compromised immune system, FIV positive

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Jonas is a 3 year old FIV positive cat. (feline immunodeficiencyvirus)He is the sweetest cat in the world but needs a special home.There is no cure for FIV, he will need supportive medical care, indoors only, and has to be an only cat or live with another FIVpositive cat. Jonas will have a shortened life, the average age is 6for an FIV cat. But he deserves to have the best life possible. Weare making a plea for someone to find it in their hearts to adoptJonas. The shelter life is the absolute worst place for an animalwith a weak immune system.

While we frequently consider childrenand other loved ones when preparingour wills, very few consider their furryfamily members. Fortunately, there'snever been a better time to considerwhat will happen to your pets if you areno longer alive or become unable tocare for them. Massachusetts hasadopted legislation validating pet trusts.Because pets are legally still consideredpersonal property, they were previouslyincapable of being named as benefici-ary of a trust. The Massachusetts leg-islation, however, now permits pets tobe identified directly as beneficiary of atrust, and supports the validity of suchtrusts. Establishing a trust for a pet issimply a way of making sure your pet isprovided for by selecting someone tocare for them and setting aside meansto fund their care. In addition, Massa-chusetts adopted a new Probate Codewhich went into effect in 2012. Thenew code eases the strict formalitiesformerly required in estates and trusts.This means that trusts in wills (testa-mentary trusts), and trusts that take ef-fect while you are alive (inter vivos)

will all be significantly easier and lessexpensive to administer. These changesmake planning for pets easier than everbefore.

There are a few simple thingsyou need to consider whenplanning for your pet:

1.Who will care for your pet? Some key considerations involved inselecting a suitable caregiver includetheir willingness to assume responsi-bility for your pet as well as their abil-ity to provide a stable home for yourpet. An alternate caregiver should beidentified as well in the event the pri-mary caregiver is unwilling or unableto serve when the need arises.

2. Who will serve as trustee of the trust?

The trustee of your trust is the individ-ual who manages the funds held in thetrust and makes sure the caregiver isdoing a good job. You may select afamily member or friend who is willing

to do the job without charging the trust,or even the caretaker themselves in cer-tain circumstances. Depending on theamount of money held in trust, it maybe prudent to select professionaltrustees with experience in managingtrusts, although they will charge fortheir services.

3.How much money should beplaced in trust?

Consider the life expectancy of yourpet and project the annual costs of food,veterinary bills, grooming, whetheryour trustee will be paid and other spe-cial circumstances that may apply toyour pet. You should avoid over-fund-ing your trust as this could lead to otherbeneficiaries contesting the trust. Ifcontested, the Court may reduce theamount in trust if it feels the amount isvastly excessive, as it did in the case ofhotel heiress Leona Helmsley who left$12 million in trust for her dog Trouble(the Court reduced it to $2 million).One thought on funding a trust is toname the trust beneficiary of a life in-surance policy.

4. Which type of trust is right for me?

The type of trust that is right for you de-pends on your circumstances. A testa-mentary trust is simple and inexpensiveto include in a will. The testamentarytrust, however, only applies at deathand is subject to supervision by the Pro-bate Court. The inter vivos trust is morecostly, but is private and not generallysubject to Probate Court supervision,and it applies during your lifetime inthe event you are no longer able to carefor your pet, as well as following yourdeath.

Including pets in our estate plans is notonly a way to show compassion forthem in exchange for their uncondi-tional love, but it is a responsibility wetake on when we assume their care.And now its simpler than ever.

Holly Rogers Holly Rogers specializes in estate planning andprobate administration and serves as Guardianad Litem for the Berkshire County ProbateCourt. She is a1998 cum laude graduate of theSuffolk University Law School. Attorney Rogerspracticed law exclusively in the Boston area be-fore relocating to the Berkshires in 2007 whereshe lives with her dog, Sherpa. For more infor-mation see HollyRogersLaw.com.

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FFive years ago this month, my lifechanged forever when two scraggly,long legged, camelids arrived at theirnew forever home: Scooby Doo andShaggy Too, as they are now called.My former boss at the Berkshire Hu-mane Society, John Perreault, jokinglyasked if anyone wanted to adopt a pairof llamas that were coming to the shel-ter as a result of an abuse and neglectcase. I raised my hand and said “Iwill”, and then called my husband,Mark, to asked him for a barn forChristmas. After explaining who wouldbe coming home for the holidays, hesaid “sure”. Then I called my friendsat American Fence to come and put upan additional 6 ft. high stockade enclo-sure around the new barn to make surethe new llamas would be safe and se-cure. I also did some research on thecare of llamas and made arrangementsfor Berkshire Ambulatory VeterinarianServices to come and give them acheck-up and the necessary inocula-tions they would need. Dr. Maître toldme a year after that first visit, that shewas not sure they would make it be-cause they were so underweight andriddled with parasites. A couple of weeks later on a brightcrisp day the two arrived at their newhome. They were unaccustomed tograss under their feet, since they hadcome from a pen with nothing but mud.Scooby Doo started to kick up his heelsand run around his new backyard.

Shaggy started to munch on the For-sythia bushes, and kept on munchingtill they were totally gone about 2 yearslater. It may have taken a while for Scooby& Shaggy to get accustom to beingcared for by Mark and I, but it onlytook us a few days to fall madly in lovewith these gentle creatures. They areso ethereal and give us a profoundsense of tranquility when you are nearthem. One of our favorite time isspending an evening on the deckwatching the llamas pronging (a type ofprancing) about and snacking on Chee-rios. When I tell people I have pet llamas,one of the first thing they usually ask is“do they spit”. I proudlytell them, that llamas are asocial animal and will usu-ally spit when they don’thave another llama around.Our boys are a bonded pairand while they may spit ateach other over who getsthe best spot in the barn orthe choicest hay they do notspit at us. Well, maybeShaggy does when he getshis shots. We discovered after a cou-ple of years of caring forour llamas, that they wouldbe happier with a purpose so weadopted a flock of chickens to givethem something to protect. I can attest

that Llamas are excel-lent guard animals.We live in the middleof a wetland area sur-rounded by mink, coy-ote, fox and otherpredators and nothinghas made it into thebarnyard to attack anyof our pets thanks tothese two 450 lbs. bigbrown giants. I would be remise if Idid not mention thathaving two full grownllamas can have its

down moments too. Like when they es-caped their yard and galloped off downRoute 20, twice! The “Escapees”

needed a police escort and other helpfulneighbors to get the rascals homesafety. But I wouldn’t trade a minuteof the adventures these lovely crea-tures have given me. We are trulyblessed with a happy ending.

Till next time, watch for animal signswherever you may roam.

Karen Karlberg resides in Becket MAwith her menagerie of rescued barn-yard & domestic animals and her hus-band Mark. She is actively involved inconservation efforts as a citizen scien-tist, town official, and an accomplishedartisan and nature photographerwww.kattailphoto.com

out & aboutKaren Karlberg

I

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LAAngel:

A study in miracles

Jacks Galore Matching you with the right rescue Jack.Rescues and rehabilitates Jack Russell terriers to rehome into forever homes

www.jacksgalore.org

Angel is a study in miracles; a Facebook outcry from a shelter appeared all overthe Jack Russell community pages - please save, please pull, please help!Brought to a shelter after someone found her after an apparent accident, this lit-tle five year old jack russell girl, rightly named Angel, had one rear leg missingthat she had chewed off and her other rear foot badly damaged with an openwound that seemingly would not heal. With many rescue partners assisting ingetting her to Jacks Galore before she was euthanized, she landed on our doorstepwith the most wonderful smile and wagging tail. When given a tennis ball, shedragged her rear legs behind running like crazy, bringing it back for you to throwagain. The will to live! Taken immediately to our fabulous South Street vet, afterx-rays and exam we were made aware that she had at some point been hit by acar breaking her back resulting in extensive nerve damage. Angel now has nouse of her back end from the middle of her spine down, which makes her in-continent. The second thing we did was take her to Eddies Wheels in ShelburneFalls who builds carts for dogs who require assistance walking. She was set upwith a pair of wheels that now allows her to walk for any length of time, play-ing ball, and straightening her spine which helps her good rear leg with its mo-bility. We then set her up in the kennels with dog ramps made by our dearestfriend Dave, with special carpeting on it she scoots through the dog door with-out a problem; and that she does whizzing in and out whenever she sees one ofus coming to greet her. We immediately set up a schedule at Fitter Critters inLee for twice weekly treadmill therapy and laser work. Their experience hasproven invaluable in her recuperation and the increased mobility in her leg andstrengthening spine. After just a month of proper exercises and massage, a 1 ½mile daily walk, and exercise work; with her cart she now “walks” extremelywell with pronounced front muscular strength and more often than not uses herhind leg for traction. We spread the word that she was ready for her forever home;but who would want to adopt a dog with such a handicap? Yet a jack ownerstepped up to the plate and has adopted Angel. Well aware of all the work in-volved , she will head down to Delaware before Christmas with her wheels intow, and a bag a tennis balls; she will have a tripod Jack pal, will continue withwater therapy and exercise in hopes that she will one day be a tripod. With thejoy that Angel has brought our rescue, with her enthusiasm and extreme will toheal, she has truly given us our Christmas miracle. Whoever she meets will begiven joy, and show that life is what you make it.Pauline ClarkJacks Galore

Boyd to the Rescue!

Little Guild of Saint Francis For the Welfare of the Animals

www.littleguild.org

DLeaving Paw Prints in your Hearts D Please support all of our local shelters and rescues D Your Help will be greatly appreciated! D

Little Guild of Saint Francis is a small, no-kill shelter based out of NorthwestConnecticut. Although we pull dogs from all over, we are fond of helping out ourlocal animal controls and shelters. We found Boyd at Bridgeport animal control.He was so new to them, he didn't even have a name yet, just a number. As wetook him out of his kennel, he was beyond happy to be able to stretch his legs andenjoy some fresh air. We fell in love with him immediately and decide he wouldbe taking the trip back to the Little Guild with us. On the long ride back to WestCornwall, we chose his name Boyd. We found it fitting considering he was thebiggest pit bull at Bridgeport pound. Later he would end up being called, BigBoyd by staff and volunteers.Boyd enjoyed romping around in the big fenced in yards with other dogs of allshapes and sizes, as well as his alone time with his giant plastic ball that peoplecould hear his enjoyment with from a mile away. We found he was a giant mush.As people would pass him in his kennel, he'd jump up to give them kisses throughthe bars, volunteers adored him and staff couldn't help but fall in love!As time went by, we found people had little interest in him. We kept telling himthat he was such a good boy and some amazing family would scoop him up. Ashe was at an adoption event, we were able to find him a foster home, which had2 other pit bulls in it. After some time, his foster had to return him simply becauseof the fact that he was falling too in love with Boyd. A short time after he had re-turned to the Guild, his prayers of finding a permanent home (maybe even withsome playmates in it) were answered. An amazing family and pit bull advocates drove to meet Boyd and spend sometime with him. After spending about 2 hours with him, they fell in love, as mostpeople did when they met him. The next day, Boyd was delivered to their hometo do a meet and greet with their 2 other pits, Cady and Gus. It went fabulous ofcourse! It was a hard day to say goodbye to Big Boyd but we knew he was ingreat hands and great company. Throughout the next couple of weeks, we were up-dated on how Boyd's name was changed to Loki, the Norse God of Mischief,which suited him very well. All of his new family were falling more and more inlove with him as each day passed. His family consists of Steve and Mo, and their3 children, Madi, Rylan and Jilly, who Loki loves to cuddle under the blanketswith, as well as 2 lizards, Puff and Jerome. When he's not meandering around out-side, finding dog toys long forgotten by the other dogs, he is inside sleeping in a"pittie pile" with his other canine siblings. Loki has come so far from being anumber, to living and being loved in a home he can call his own. Both staff andvolunteers from The Little Guild have been so fortunate and happy to have beenable to love this big guy and find him a home that he truly deserves. D

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BDTwo Rescue Dogs withHearts of Gold

NEPR Northeast Great Pyrenees RescueRescue & Re-homing • Education • Consultation & Assistance

www.nepyresq.org

Davey (aka Mars) is an 18 month old love. The Franklin county Sheriff’s officecaptured Davey in the Greenfield area of Massachusetts. He was starved, had abad flea and worm infection. He had maggots in his sores on his back and butt.They took him to a vet for immediate care. Northeast Pyr Rescue contacted thesherrif’s office and worked with Leslee Colucci, Shelter Director to take Daveyinto our rescue. Thank you, Leslee, for trusting him to us.He has been with us a couple of months while he healed and grew stronger. Hehad a coat except on his naked butt when he came to us. What a site! These pic-tures are when he first left the vet’s office. Based on his condition he was starv-ing in a crate or confined space for a time. We believe he was dumped. He hadno meat on his bones and lacked muscle. He has spent time at Fitter Critters in Lee, Massachusetts. to build up his mus-cles as he gained weight. With the water treadmill and therapy exercises done byhis foster family (Tracy, David and Quintin Crosby) he has improved dramati-cally. He stands proud now with his hindquarters up, supporting himself the wayhe should. November 21st he will go to his FOREVER home. He deserves to be treatedlike a king. His new mom is a certified massage therapist and will continue tomake him stronger. We will miss him but have rescues to do.I'm nicked name Champ because I am fighting Sarcoptic mange and a skin in-fection. I have been like this for the last 6 months and my friends at NEPR havejust taken me in to care for me. It will be a long road to get me well. I am con-tagious so I cannot be hugged like I long for yet. That will be my Christmaspresent. To be able to be hugged. I’m just 13 months old so I’m still a baby andwant to be cuddled.Then I will start my treatment for Lyme and Anaplasma. Then I will be giventime to grow back my hair, gain weight and be happy. Eventually I will beneutered and ready for the FOREVER HOME I deserve.I did not deserve this, no dog deserves this. IT IS SO CRUEL! If you would like to follow my progress you can find Northeast Pyr Rescue onFacebook, or check me out on their webpage under available dogs. They will up-date my information there. When I am adoptable they will change my descrip-tion on their page letting people know I’m ready.You can also make donations there to help NEPR care for me and my cousins.www.nepyresq.org/page/getting-involved-5.html

New England Basset Hound Rescue, Inc. All Volunteer Rescue

www.newenglandbassethoundrescue.org

Brutus is a kind and loving 11 year-old Basset Hound that was rescued by NewEngland Basset Hound Rescue. He spent his first eight years tied to a tree with nomedical care and little food. I saw him online and instantly fell in love with him.He was blind from an untreated eye infection and his eyes were white and sunkenin. Without question, I adopted him! After my husband and I built him a rampwith rails to get out the back door, we took him home where he instantly becamea part of our family. Taking Brutus in, I was inspired to volunteer for the New England Basset HoundRescue as the Adoption Coordinator and help these beautiful animals find theirforever homes.In the meantime, Brutus had to have his eyes removed due to pressure from hisprevious infection. He adjusted well to the surgery and has been happy since.Three months ago, he had to have his spleen taken out due to swelling and im-minent rupture. My husband and I did not hesitate to pay the $2,500 to have thesurgery performed. Brutus then made a full recovery. Unfortunately, three weekslater, he was diagnosed with Stage 3A Lymphoma. According to the Oncologist,our boy is a great candidate for treatment and they're optimistic that it will put himinto remission for one to two and a half years. There is even a 5% cure rate! Ofcourse we are fighting this and are not ready to lose Brutus! Brutus will be undergoing nineteen treatments that will cost us around $6,000 bythe time we are done. We have taken on multiple jobs to ensure that Brutus' spleensurgery was paid for and that he will receive his chemo treatments moving for-ward. I am in love with this sweet boy and am not ready to part with him, as hehas plenty of life left. My husband and I are asking for any little bit of help towardthis life-saving effort and thank you for taking time to read Brutus' story.

If you would like to send your donation directly to Brutus' account at the hospital, the information is as follows:

VCA Boston Road Animal Hospital1235 Boston Rd.

Springfield, MA 01119Phone: 413-783-1203

Please specify that the donation is for Jessie and Brutus Sullivan from Becket, MA

Thank you,Jessie Sullivan

Adoption Coordinator for New England Basset Hound Rescue

Help Rescue BrutusFight Cancer!

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DLeaving Paw Prints in your Hearts D Please support all of our local shelters and rescues D Your Help will be greatly appreciated! D

in the tri-state area

AdoptionsM o l l yTHIS WEEK’S DOG IS:

I am Miss Molly, and golly I am in need of a new home. My first ownerwas moving and couldn't take me and then after a time in a newhome I was a bit too much. I am the cutest hound with great floppyears and jowls! I enjoy spending time inside and if I am able to spendtime on the couch, chair or bed it's a dream day. I know a few com-mands and I may be pursued to perform them. I can be vocal whenthere is alot of activity. I am sound sensitive and would appreciate amore rural setting please. I would love to meet my new family andstart settling right in.

214 Barker Rd., Pittsfield, MA • 314-447-7878

Dog of the Month!Each week HADDAD SUBARU will be sponsoring a “Dog of the Week”.

If that dog is adopted during that week, Haddad Subaru will pay $50towards the adoption fee!

D D

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Merrill Road,Pittsfield

[email protected]

Clarice is a 3-4 year old American Fox Hound!Foxhounds make great pets for active individu-als, families, experienced dog handlers, peopleliving alone, and those who enjoy the outdoors.Living in an apartment is not recommended forClarice because she will need vigorous daily ex-ercise and a safe spacious area to run around.Clarice is a sweet girl, loves all people and otherdogs, but we are not sure that she has ever livedinside a house.

Clarice

Sponsored by:

At theEleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter

36 Pittsfield RoadLenox, MA

[email protected]

I am new to the shelter. I am a young, maleJack Russell, Terrier mix. I love to play with mytoys and run. Please stop in and see me tofind out more. I would love to find my foreverhome for the holidays.

Sparky

Sponsored by:

At theBerkshire Humane Society

36 Pittsfield RoadLenox, MA

[email protected]

Liberty is a sweet girl, who loves endless amountof attention! She is good with cats, dogs, and kids!She would do well in any family! She is a domes-tic shorthair/mix, medium in size and just a lover.

Liberty

Sponsored by:

At theEleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter

Friendship isn’t about whom you have known the longest . . .It’s about who came and never left your side.

-Unknown

D

Momma Mia

Please call Berkshire Humane Society

413-447-7878

in the tri-state area

Adoptions

Harriet Koss, Dalmatian Adoption, Inc. 917-670-3892 • email: [email protected]

We are waiting for ourFur-Ever Home

LubeyLubey, a handsome 9 month oldneutered Dalmatian MAY be availableto the right home with experience andability to work with training/behavioralissues.

(This is a complimentary ad for a VA. Rescue Group)

MilkyMilky is an eight year young neuteredmale large Dalmatian. He is a GOODboy! Good with people, pets and chil-dren, housebroken, leash trained, play-ful, sweet and very smart. He weighs 75pounds and does have a growth on hisback which is being vet checked. He hadall shots and would make someone awonderful family companion.

HersheyIt started when Police found me wandering thestreets of Brooklyn. I was friendly so they took meto the shelter, but it was a kill shelter, too over-crowded for another black pit bull. He loves people,he does not like other animals and would do bestas an only pet. . When I caught a cold (kennelcough) they put me on a list. Do you know whatEuthanasia List means? Please HELP timing iseverything!!! I am only 2 years old, 64 pounds, andI really need some leash training and a good kindfoster home now!!

Petey


Our

FamilyNew

The day I brought her home was the beginningof our new family. She has filled a void in my heart that I didn't know existed.

“ “MMany of my fondest childhood memo-ries involve dogs. From the time I canremember, we always had at least oneor two dogs. From Boy, the beagle whotaught my sister to walk by allowingher to hold onto his collar, to Tasha, theGerman Shepherd/Husky mix whoshared almost all of my childhood withme, dogs have been with me every stepof the way. We had many beagles overthe years starting with Boy, and thenMisty, Patches, Penny, and Muffin, whohad an appetite for my mother's un-mentionables! Tasha was there thru allof my adolescence, and she was myconfidante and best friend. My motherbecame ill when I was around 10 andTasha was there for me everyday, whenmy mother couldn't be. When i was inhigh school we got Dusty, a cockapooand one of the smartest dogs i have everknown. Sadly he passed away after suf-fering for a few yrs with diabetes andold age. Baby Lou was an Englishcocker spaniel whose owners weremoving and leaving him behind. Hehad been left tied outside, scared andcompletely covered in filth and mattedhair. My parents took one look at himand brought him home. He was themost loyal, loving dog, and never leftour side. When my sister and I had chil-dren of our own, he became theirguardians by never letting them out ofhis site. Sadly he passed away whenmy daughter was around 7 or 8.

After this heartbreak my mother sworeoff getting another dog. She just could-n't bear the thought of going throughanother loss like this one. I was rentingan apartment at the time and pets werenot allowed, so I felt a void in my life.When I bought my own place the fol-lowing year, one of the 1st things Iwanted to do was get a dog. I wantedmy daughter (an only child) to havesomeone to love unconditionally, toteach her loyalty and responsibilty.After getting settled in, we made a tripto the Berkshire Humane Society, to"just look" and start the applicationprocess. My daughter has sensory is-sues so I needed to make sure that wefound a good fit, for the dog as well asmy daughter. Loud, rambunctious dogswho jumped alot were out of the ques-tion, but she still wanted one who wasyoung enough to run and play with her.On that first visit I sat with one of thestaff members and went over what icould handle with my lifestyle. I workfull time and am a single mom so myfree time is limited. I needed to have adog that was already house broken andgood with children. I filled out the ex-tensive application and I felt goodknowing that the questions were allgeared towards helping us find the bestpossible match for our family. Therewas no rush. We were told to take allthe time needed to find our forever dog.That day i mentioned my affinity for

cocker spaniels and how my parentshad lost theirs the previous year, notknowing that this one comment wouldhelp bring us our new family member.We left that day one step closer to find-ing a dog, and my daughter was so ex-cited. At the same time she wasextremely sad to see all of the animalswho needed homes. She now had herheart set on rescuing a dog so that therewould be one less shelter animal wait-ing for a family to take them home.Within a week I heard back from the

Humane Society. They had just taken ina cocker spaniel who seemed to be agood match for us!! I went to meet Myafirst, without my daughter to see how itwent. As soon as she came around thecorner my heart melted. And that wasit. My daughter and I came and visitedseveral times to make sure that it was agood fit for us as well as Mya. Everytime we saw her we fell a little more inlove. We knew that we wanted her andwent ahead with completing the adop-tion. We were told that she needed to bespayed before we could bring her home.The staff explained to my daughter thatby spaying and neutering the animals,it helps keep the number of unwantedpets down, so that there will be less an-imals in shleters. The day I brought her home was the

beginning of our new family. She hasfilled a void in my heart that I didn'tknow existed. She has taught my

daughter patience, responsibility, for-giveness, and unconditional love. Shehas also wormed her way into mymother's heart (and my father's al-though he will never admit it)!!! Thewoman who was not going to have anymore dogs "babysits" Mya every daywhile I work. And when my daughterhas a sleepover at Grandma's, so doesMya!! The road has not always beensmooth. With a rescue you not only res-cue the animal, but all of their ingrainedbehaviors as well. My dog absolutelyLOVES to get into the trash and shredany paper towel or tissue she can find.She also hides socks. Everywhere. Sowe don't ever have a matched set!! Butthese are small things compared to whatMya has given to my family. The lovethat my daughter and her share cannotbe matched. The lessons that Mya isteaching her, as well as the memories,will last a lifetime. My daughter will beable to look back on her childhood andher fondest memories will include Mya.The love and lessons that I had learnedfrom my childhood dogs is now beingpassed on to my daughter. And that Iswhat I have always wanted for her.

Thank you Mya for being mydaughter's best friend!

Rebecca Stanard


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Peter Zheutlin is a freelance journalist and author whose workhas appeared regularly in the Boston Globe and the ChristianScience Monitor. Mr. Zheutlin has also written for The Los An-geles Times, Parade Magazine, AARP Magazine and numerousother publications in the U.S. and abroad. He is the author ofAround the World on Two Wheels: Annie Londonderry’s Ex-traordinary Ride (Citadel Press, 2007) and Rescue Road: OneMan, Thirty Thousand Dogs and a Million Miles on the LastHope Highway (Sourcebooks, forthcoming October, 2015). Heis also the co-author, with Thomas B. Graboys, M.D., of Life in the Balance: A Physician’sMemoir of Life, Love and Loss with Parkinson’s Disease and Dementia (Union Square Press,2008), with Robert P. Smith, of Riches Among the Ruins: Adventures in the Dark Corners ofthe Global Economy (Amacom, 2009), and, with Judith Gelman, of The Unofficial Mad MenCookbook: Inside the Kitchens, Bars and Restaurants of Mad Men (SmartPop/BenBella Books,2011) and The Unofficial Girls Guide to New York: Inside the Cafes, Clubs, and Neighbor-hoods of HBO's Girls (SmartPop/BenBella, 2013). Prior to starting his writing career, Mr.Zheutlin practiced law and taught legal skills at the University of Virginia and NorthwesternUniversity law schools. Mr. Zheutlin is a graduate of Amherst College and Boston CollegeLaw School and resides in Massachusetts with his wife, author Judith Gelman.

Rescue Road by Peter Zheutlin

“If you think you love dogs, you’ll meet your match in Greg Mahle. This Ohio manhas traveled more than a million miles, finding homes for tens of thousands of dogsfrom impoverished areas across the South. Learn how Mahle has embraced theunique bond between dogs and humans and brought immeasurable joy to everyonehe encounters.”

- Parade Magazine


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SPECIAL NOTE Due to popular demand, 2016 AnimalLife will start printing the first week ofthe month. Because of the currentprinting schedule, there will be NOJANUARY ISSUE. The 1st issue ofthe year will be printed FEBRUARY5th, 2016. Thank you for your support.

From the Publisher

For a 2016 Media Kit, please send request via email: [email protected]


Tthis side of purradise

Iris BassRegroupingTwo thousand and fifteen was a toughyear for Lenox resident Jay. After hav-ing spent several previous years bat-tling illness himself, he was blindsidedin August by the death of his husband,Rick, just a week before what wouldhave been the anniversary of their hav-ing spent 31 years together. Other fam-ily tragedies and the demise, very soonafter Rick’s passing, of the next to lastof the nearly 10 variously rescued shihtzus the couple had shared their homewith, made for an exponentially mourn-ful autumn. What to do? Adopt a cat, ofcourse.It had become a joke, whenever Jayand Rick drove by Purradise and spot-ted their friend Sheila gardening outfront, that Rick would refuse to stop thecar, warning that unless they drove on,they’d go home with a cat. Rick didn’tdislike cats—in fact, their first pet wasa Himalayan, Mario, who lived to be21. But to add a cat to a family of shihtzus didn’t seem quite the right mix.Now, though, that only one shih tzu re-mained—Chloe, likely also mourningthe loss of both her human and her lastcanine housemate—Jay was eager todrive right in to Purradise and bringhome a cat. There was a curious double condition,however. A hairdresser by profession,Jay loves to groom long fur (thus his at-

traction to shih tzus)—and he is com-mitted to providing a home to matureanimals that tend tobe overlooked byothers seeking toadopt. And so, hecalled Purradisemanager Danielle tosay quite seriously,“I’m looking for anold, hairy cat.” “Wedon’t get that re-quest very often,”she said. When hedropped in, none ofthe feline residentsat Purradise quiteclicked with him—but then Danielleintroduced him tothe website of the“mother” shelter,Berkshire HumaneSociety (BHS).When he cameacross the photo of a roughly 10-year-old smoky Persian then named Nemo,it was love at first sight, and actuallymeeting Nemo at the Pittsfield shelterdid not dissuade him—despite Nemo’shaving needed a fairly severe clippingto remove matted fur, his needing majordental work, and his having a heartmurmur that might forestall getting that

dental work done, due to the risk of anyill effects from the general anesthesia.

Jay decided togo ahead withthe adoption,anyway, firstbringing Chloeto BHS to testwhether the catand dog wouldget along—not aproblem. Nemo,now renamedAngelo, wenthome withJay—and as canbe seen in thephotos, he andChloe settledinto the sharedspace with narya spat, eatingside by side, sit-ting on Jay’s laptogether, and

piling into bed with him. As Jay toldme, “I don’t think Chloe thinks he’s acat; or he, that Chloe is a dog. To them,they are the same.” He’s had dogs with a cardiac condi-tion, so the murmur was not a dealbreaker. In fact, when an ultrasound re-vealed that Angelo’s health was not asdire as first suspected, he went ahead

with the tooth extractions, which An-gelo sailed through problem-free. Al-though his fur is still a little patchy andshort from his original clean-out-the-mats clipping at BHS, this handsome,owl-faced boy can look forward to thebest ’do in town—well, perhaps in a tiewith Chloe’s—once his full Persiancoat grows back in.Jay and Chloe are still adjusting to

their losses, surrounded in their homeby so many memories, but betweenJay’s tending to this “old, hairy cat”’sphysical needs and Angelo’s immediatebond with both man and dog, the heal-ing of hearts has begun. Says Jay,“There’s truly a reason for every-thing—Angelo came here at the righttime.”

This series follows the special human-feline bond at Purradise, the BerkshireHumane Society Cat Adoption Centerat 301 Stockbridge Road, Great Bar-rington, MA 01230 (413-717-4244),berkshirehumane.org. Open Wed., Fri.,& Sat. 10–4 p.m.; Thurs. 10 a.m.–6p.m.; and Sun. noon–4 p.m.

Iris Bass, coauthor of the Cat Lover’sDaily Companion, shares her Lee homewith five shelter cats.

Dinnertime on Angelo’s first day home.

Jay, Angelo, and Chloe.

Winter Care of Community CatsWinter is the most challenging time of the year for cats who live outside. It’s harder for them to find food and water,

and proper shelter. If you have cats in your neighborhood, consider helping them. Here’s how you can do it:• Provide them with food and water on a regular basis. It’s a big help when they know where to get food, and they really need those calo-ries. When it’s extra cold, dry food is best because wet food freezes quickly. Water will freeze more slowly if it’s in a larger bowl, but wa-tering twice a day is a good idea too. Animal DREAMS has a food pantry for outdoor cats, so give a call if it’s difficult for you to afford tofeed outdoor cats who visit you. • If you think they do not have a place to shelter, create one for them. You can call Animal DREAMS for advice or if you have access to theinternet, Alley Cat Allies has a great website that includes ideas about shelters. Whatever shelter you offer to them, some of the most im-portant features are creating a wind block, and proper insulation; straw fluffed up so they can burrow in it is the best. Straw is much betterthan blankets, hay or anything else that will get wet and freeze. Some kind folks let cats into their houses or basements on the coldest days.Friendly cats appreciate that, and sometimes even feral cats will take a person up on that good deal!• Think about getting the cats fixed in the spring if they’re not already. We welcome you to call Animal DREAMS. If Animal DREAMS cannot help you withthe entire project, we can help in other ways; information about spay and neuter options, the loan of traps, trapping advice.

Carol Lew, TNR Coordinator Animal DREAMS 413-997-2287


SSo you want to buy a purebred puppy,and you don’t have the first clue as tohow to find one? Back many yearsago I volunteered to take on the re-sponsibility of doing breeder referralsfor our Kennel Club. This entailed a lotof hard work and it became a challeng-ing task. Quite frankly, it was frustrat-ing because I spent hours on the phoneeducating prospective puppy buyers,and later learned they purchased a dogfrom the Mall. It’s the reason why Istopped doing breeder referrals! Butmy hope is that someone out there willappreciate my advice, so here it is.If you want a well-bred dog, I don’tcondone going onto an animal-relatedface book site or Craig’s List to find apurebred. Yes, they will be less expen-sive, but as the saying goes, “You getwhat you pay for”.First, I recommend doing research ondifferent breeds in order to make anhonest decision on which one will fitinto your lifestyle. You can do this theold fashioned way & read books, oryou can take the quick approach andsurf the net. The American KennelClub website has a warehouse of infor-mation, and I would suggest startingthere. You’ll be able to find not onlyevery breed recognized by the AKC,but a list of breeders in every state foreach breed of dog. The AKC websiteis akc.org.Once you’ve made a breed choice, jotdown questions you want to ask thebreeders, and start calling them. Thefirst question you NEVER want to aska breeder is how much a puppy cost,since it will immediately turn them off.That should be one of the last questionsyou ask. You might start the conversa-tion by saying something like, “I’ve

done some research on (yourbreed choice), and I knowthis breed will fit intomy lifestyle”. Youmight also tellthem a little aboutyou & your family.You should then ask themabout their breeding pro-gram?” At this point thebreeder should tell youhow many years he/she hasbeen breeding, and whatthey’ve accomplished withtheir dogs, i.e. titles, champi-onships, etc. They should tellyou what genetic testingthey’ve done on their breedingstock, and they should tell youthat both the sire & dam havenot only been deemed healthy(free of parasites, up-to-date on inocu-lations, etc), but they have done thenecessary pre-breeding care and test-ing. Breeders will usually give the firstset of inoculations and worming to theirpuppies too. If they aren’t forthrightwith this information, ask these ques-tions. You might ask them how manylitters they have each year, and mostimportant ask if they breed any otherbreeds of dogs. If the breeder has morethan 3 litters a year or breeds more than3 different breeds, I would stay awayfrom them. They maybe a puppy mill!Any breeder worth their salt will ask

you many questions and be prepared toanswer them honestly! They may askquestions about whether or not youhave a fenced in area or if not, how doyou plan on exercising the puppy? Abreeder doesn’t want to hear that you’rejust going to open the door & let thedog out! You might feel like you’re

going through the acquisition of thecentury, but they just want to makesure your going to be a safe, for-ever home for one of their babies. Be prepared to have sticker

shock at the cost of a purebreddog that has been bred by a “rep-utable breeder”. Puppy priceshave considerably increasedthroughout the years. Breed-ers incur mega expenses be-fore a litter is even on theground. Some of the ex-penses incurred will beshowing a dog to prove

its worth, genetictesting to ensure

offspring won’t befall toinherited diseases, and

temperament testing. Thereare a number of breeds that need

Cesarean sections due to the fact thatwhelping naturally may endanger thedam or the offspring. And then thereare other breeds that need to be artifi-cially inseminated in order to becomepregnant. Both C-sections and AI’s arequite expensive procedures! If a breeder tells you they won’t havea litter of puppies for awhile, you caneither ask to go on their list or ask themto refer you to other “reputable breed-ers”. Once you and the breeder feellike you have a comfortable fit with oneanother, the next step is to ask if youcan visit their kennel. Some breedershave elaborate kennel facilities, andothers are smaller scaled. One is notbetter than the other. The main objec-tive is to make sure you are purchasinga puppy from a breeder who ensurestheir dogs and puppies are in a clean,healthy environment. One last thing . . . Once you purchase

a puppy, the breeder will expect you tosign a contract with them. This con-tract protects you, the breeder, and mostimportantly the puppy. There might beclauses in this contract that state youwill spay/neuter your puppy and/or willattend puppy/obedience classes. Ifyou’re leery about this contract, havean attorney go through it first beforesigning. Breeders will also load you upwith many articles to read about puppycare, and they will usually send a puppyhome with the food it’s been fed, andtoys. And a “reputable breeder” willALWAYS give you AKC registrationpapers once you purchased a puppy.There is NO reason why a purebred dogshouldn’t be purchased without gettingthis important piece of paper since itsproof that they are a purebred! If thebreeder feels the puppy shouldn’t bebred, he/she will check a box which in-dicates a limited registration. This typeof registration disallows the puppy tobe shown in conformation or to bebred. Although, it does allow thepuppy to compete in other venues suchas obedience, agility, or rally trials, etc.The breeder will also give you a 3-5generation pedigree of your puppy. I could go on and on about this subjectand I am sure I’ve missed a bunch ofthings. At least I’ve given you somethings to think about and a good start tofinding that purebred puppy!

Good Luck!Gloria McClayGloria has been a member of the GreatBarrington Kennel Club since 1981. She isa former breeder/owner/handler under thekennel name Glorial Schipperkes & Rot-tweilers. Gloria is the author of the book,“Dog Sense” and owns/operates CanineConnection (Cheshire, MA)

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Tuesday!Happy Holidays


animal life go-to directoryboardingBowMeow RegencyA Daycare, Boarding & Grooming Facility for Dogs.92 Cook Road, Sheffield, MA 01257Honor S. Blume 413-229-0035www.bowmeowregency.com

Gina’s K-9 Bed & BreakfastQuality care pet sitting in my safe, comfortable home349 Farm Road, Copake, NY 12516Gina 518-329-4675Happy Dog Kennel & Day CareBoarding • Day Care • TrainingCovering, Alford, North Egremont, HillsdaleOld Chatham, Chatham and more!Nora Hayes 413-528-0877The PlayyardDay Care • Boarding • Training88 County Rt. 21, Hillsdale, NYwww.theplayyard.comSusan & George Clark 518-325-9807

groomingHappy Hounds Mobile GroomingAll breeds welcome, Cats too! Natural & Hypo-Allergenic Products. Specialized treatments. Nights & WeekendsJesse Sullivan413-446-8676Email: [email protected]

pet storesBensDotter’s PetQuality Foods & Supplies, Raw Diet Specialists. 940 Main Street, Great Barrington, MAwww.BENSDOTTERS.com413-528-4940Chez PetPremium foods and treats. A neighborhood pet supply store with everything you need fora healthy pet. Special orders welcome.Lenox Commons, 55 Pittsfield Rd., Lenox, MA413-637-0800 • www.chezpet.comMeow GrowlAll organic-Natural Dog & Cat FoodSelf Serve Dog Wash Stations!59 Main St., Lee, MA • www.Meowandgrowl.com413-243-1220

volunteerDARTBerkshire Disaster Animal Response Team Reducing risk for pets during disasters and more!Corrine McKeown, Director • www.WMDART.com

rescues & sheltersBerkshire Humane SocietyOpen Tues.- Sat. 10am to 4pm, Thurs Eve. 5 - 8pmSun. Afternoon 1 - 4pm • Closed Mondays413-447-7878 • www.berkshirehumane.org214 Barker Road, Pittsfield, MA

Bluebird Farm Animal Sanctuary413-446-3345

Dalmatian RescueHarriet Koss(917) [email protected]

Eleanor Sonsini Animal ShelterOpen Tues.-Fri. 12 to 6pm, Sat. & Sun. 12 - 5pmClosed Mondays413-448-9800 • www.sonsinianimalshelter.org63 Downing Parkway, Pittsfield, MA

Little Guild of St. Francis285 Sharon Goshen Turnpike, W. Cornwall, CT860-672-6345www.littleguild.org

NE Basset Hound Rescue, Inc.Dawna Hartman, Intake Coordinator, [email protected], www.nebhr.org(508) 243-3622 MA

NE Pyreness Rescue(toll free) 877-528-0637www.nepyresq.org

PurradiseOpen Wed. & Fri. 10am - 4pm, Thurs. 10am - 6pm, Sunday 12 - 4pm301 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA413-717-4244 • www.berkshirehumane.org

veterinarian servicesAllen Heights Veterinary HospitalDog and Cat GroomingAmanda Bevens, 289 Dalton Ave., Pittsfield, MA413-443-4949Berkshire Ambulatory Veterinary ServicesYoanna Y. Maitre, DVMMobile practice providing quality medical and surgical care for horses and farm animals. Vaccination, strategic deworming,Coggins & health certificates, custom dentistry (hand & Power-float), castrations, dehorning, & more. Serving MA & NYby appointment.www.berkshirelargeanimal.com413-637-2223

North County Veterinary HospitalDr. John C. Reynolds, Dr. Laura A. Eiszler & Dr. Lindsay M. Cermak, DVM’s838 Curran Memorial Hwy, North Adams, MA413-664-4570

veterinarian servicesPittsfield Veterinary Hospital24 Hour Emergency care, animal chiropractic and dental care.John C. Reynolds, DVM, Laura A. Eiszler, DVM, Michelle P. Looney, DVM, Melinda M. Payson, DVM, Carmen A. Swinson, DVM, , Lindsay M. Cermak, DVMHours: Daily Mon-Fri. 8am to 8pm,.Sat. & Sun 10am-5pmwww.pittsfieldvet.com413-499-1580

pet timesA listing of upcoming events inthe Tri-state areaDecember 19th, SaturdayShamrock Dog Grooming Christmas Photo EventNoon to 3pm$10 Donation. All proceeds going tothe Animal SupportProject, supporting animals & their owners throughtough times since 2006.10 Lyman Street, Suite 10, PittsfieldCall for information: 443-9700

December 20th, SundayLittle Guild of St. Francis Holidays at the Guild11am to 5pmRefreshments will be served.Gifts of toys, food, and treats for the animals are greatly appreciated..285 Sharon Goshen Turnpike, West Cornwall, CT860-672-6346www.littleguild.org

January 10th, SundayBerkshire Humane SocietyCoffee Hour presents “ Non-lethal Management of SuburbanWildlife Populations”Allen T. RutbergTufts/Cumming School of Veterinary Medicine

February 7th, SundayBerkshire Humane SocietyCoffee Hour presents “ Living with Coyotes”John Baguranis The Coyote ProjectAs always, the speaking series will take place in either our class-room or Family Dog School training room – 2:00pm. Reserveyour spot by contacting Mary at 413-447-7878, ext. 128 or [email protected]. And yes, we’ll have thoughtful conversation, those delicious desserts, and the infamous t-shirtraffle – for those who reserve a spot!

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animal life december 2015

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