This is how chicken is prepared in the slaughter line… want some fries with that?  While I know not everyone will choose vegetarianism or veganism like I have, but I implore you:  PLEASE be aware of where you meat came from, and support cruelty-free, local farmers instead of these freak show factory farmers who only care about the bottom line and not the safety or well-being of their livestock.

Too many times I have seen a dog on a retractable leash, just barely avoiding a catastrophe.  It baffles my mind these are still produced and that people are still able to purchase them.

– It teaches them to pull.  Since their leash changes length all the time and sometimes doesn’t have a set length at all, they learn to pull when walking on a leash.

– You lose control.  When your dog can get that far away from you in situations where they are supposed to be on leash, it can lead to some serious problems.  The most gruesome dog attack I ever saw was a small breed dog on the retractable leash was attacked by another, much larger dog.  The owner was so far away, she couldn’t pull the leash to get the dog away or help.  I’ve also seen dogs almost get hit by cars countless times since they can easily hop into the road from the sidewalk.

– It can hurt others.  Having a leash that long and cord-like can cause a lot of pain for others.  Nothing like a dog getting excited, running around, and an innocent bystander gets serious rope burn from the leash wrapping up on them.

Please avoid these leashes!!  If you see someone looking at one at the store, please speak up!  They are not safe, and encourage poor behaviors in your pup.  Get a standard six foot leash and enjoy those walks!

Last fall, I adopted a kitten (Calliope) with FeLV.  She actually has a couple conditions going on, but the one most people usually don’t know about or understand is FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus).  FeLV is an incurable virus that behaves much like HIV does in humans.  It affects the immune system and greatly shortens a cat’s lifespan.  It is also rather easy to spread (unlike HIV), and is most commonly spread through saliva (cat’s grooming each other) and through blood transfer (fighting).  It can also be spread through shared bowls and litter boxes, but that is less common.  Because it is so easily spread, cats with this virus cannot be with cats without it.  They must be kept completely separated to avoid transmission.

Sadly, most shelters will automatically kill cats who enter their facility and test positive for FeLV.  Luckily, it’s becoming more and more common for shelters to have FeLVie sanctuaries as part of their facility.  Calliope comes from such a shelter, Fort Collins Cat Rescue, where she arrived with her litter mates, all who were born with the virus.

Calliope will probably not live to see her second birthday, but that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t get to enjoy life before then.  Which is why I decided to adopt a FeLV kitty after my Loki passed away.  While she won’t live a long life, I intend to make her life a full one nonetheless.

If you don’t have any cats and are looking to add a kitty to your home, consider a cat with FeLV.  While their lives will be shorter and there are a few added care-taking tasks, it is most definitely worth it!

Now what?  Instinct will be to scoop those little fur balls up and take them to the nearest shelter.  But don’t do that quite yet!!  Odds are there is a Mom cat who is out and about getting food, hiding from you, or transporting the litter.  If there is indeed a Mom cat, leave the kittens be as she will be their best caretaker.  If there is no mother, unless you have a local nokill shelter don’t take the kittens there.  The vast majority of underage kittens are killed within hours of intake at standard shelters since they don’t have the setup to handle these little guys.

If you have determined there is no mother, and your local shelter is not nokill, it’s on you to help them!  You can get great advice from a local vet on how to take care of them, but basically you need to feed them every 2-3 hours and definitely don’t give them cow’s milk.   If your local shelter is nokill, then call them ahead of time because they probably need to setup a foster for your little guys and a heads up is greatly appreciated.

Care2 has a great, comprehensive article about how to handle it all, so check it out if you want to learn more and happy kitten season!

There are actually many ways a shelter can be innovative and increase their live outcome rate, despite being an open intake shelter.  But one that is quite simple:  hours open to the public.

It is probably the first thing I look for when checking out a shelter’s website – their hours.  This is usually my first indicator to whether the shelter leadership is progressive or if they are outdated in their practices.  Are they open late on weekdays?  Are they open both weekend days?  Are they open most major holidays?  THESE hours are when people are off of work and able to look for a new companion animal.  A shelter that is closed on weekends, holidays, and close by 6pm on weekdays are making it difficult for families to meet and adopt the animals.

Being open when people are off of work helps increase adoptions; increasing the live outcome rate and decreasing the length of stay.  It also gives the animals more socialization time and volunteers more opportunities to give back.

Check your local shelter’s hours.  If they are closed more than they are open, reach out and encourage them to change their hours to be more friendly for the public and for the animals.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Larimer County are preparing for summer – where the Clubs are open all day (7:30am – 5:30pm) and offer an extensive variety of impactful programming for over 1500 youth in Larimer County.  As we prepare for all these programs for all these wonderful kids, we are asking the community to support us!  Please consider a gift towards the summer programming (and beyond!) for these amazing youth.  Gracias!  🙂

This is the best graphic I’ve found on pet CPR and the Heimlich for dogs/cats.  Definitely something to know and be prepared for in case of an emergency with your four-legged family members.

In honor of National Dog Fighting Awareness Day (NDFAD) on Wednesday, April 8, the ASPCA is asking animal advocates across the country to help them ‪#‎GetTough‬ on dog fighting.  This brutal form of animal cruelty occurs in every part of the country and in every type of community, and it must be stopped.  The ASPCA is working to eradicate dog fighting by assisting in raids and rescues alongside law enforcement agencies and by advocating for stronger laws and sentencing for those who commit this terrible crime.

Visit aspca.org/gettough to:

1. Get the #GetTough toolkit

2. Get justice by signing the petition

3. Learn more about dog fighting

I’ll admit that I never thought twice about letting my dog chew on a stick or throwing one to play catch with him.  It is quite possibly his most favorite thing to do when we are out on a hike or walk:  pick up a stick, carry it around proudly, beg for me to throw it, chase it, chew it.  The stick was the cheapest, best toy my pup could want.

But this past summer, I learned a very valuable lesson about sticks.  They are not a toy.  Your dog should NOT play with them.  We were in a dog park, having our usual fun.  Monty brought me a stick and did his usual play-bow to encourage me to throw it.  I, of course, obliged.  The second Monty reached the stick and bit down on it, I heard the most disturbing scream my dog has ever made.  He instantly laid down, and I don’t think I’ve ever run that fast in my life to get to him.  There was a little blood coming out of his mount, but I couldn’t see anything wrong inside.  He perked back up pretty quickly and we walked back home.

That night, he didn’t eat or drink and was not his usual self.  I finally decided it was time to get over to the animal emergency room.  After many hours and a transfer from the E.R. to a full vet hospital, I learned Monty had been stabbed by the stick.  Through the base of his tongue and into his throat.

He had surgery to clean the puncture wound up and close it.  When we got home, I googled to see if this was a common situation for dogs with their sticks, and I was shocked to learn it is VERY common.  TOO common.  How did I not know this?!  I was taken aback.  But lesson learned, and luckily Monty is perfectly fine now.  We have learned to walk with a ball in my pocket so we can avoid using sticks.

I wanted to write about this to warn anyone who may not know or realize the dangers of sticks.  It seems so natural to play with a stick with your dog, but PLEASE, PLEASE do not.  It is not safe and your dog could become injured or, even worse, die from the wound inflicted.  Use approved toys that we all know are safe instead and both you and your pup will be much happier!

Kye was a 3-year-old Belgian German Shepard and he worked as a K-9 with the Oklahoma City Police Department.  Kye was killed in the line of duty last month and was just given a full police burial.  The service included full police honors and a 21-gun salute.