News Alert: October 24, 2008

1. No Boo! Hoos: Treat Your Pets to a Safe Halloween
2. Extraordinary Dogs: Giving the Gift of Nine Lives
3. Meet the ASPCA Cat of the Year
4. Today: Get Answers to Your Dog Behavior Problems, Noon to 2:00 P.M.!
5. Wanted: We’re Looking for the Best-Dressed Dog!
6. MA & CA Residents: Make a Difference for Animals on Election Day!
7. ASPCA Job of the Week

1. No Boo! Hoos: Treat Your Pets to a Safe Halloween

That parade of kids, adults—and yes, even pets—in funny outfits is due to arrive at your door next week, bringing all the sweet and scary joys of Halloween! But pet parents, as you carve the jack-o-lanterns and fill those bowls of candy, please be aware that your furry friends may stumble upon dangers you hadn’t thought of.

Warns Dr. Steven Hansen, Senior Vice President, ASPCA Animal Health Services, which includes the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center in Urbana, IL, “Many of our favorite Halloween traditions could pose a potential threat to our companion animals. As pet parents start to make plans for trick-or-treating or costumes, they should be aware of Halloween-related products and activities that can be potentially dangerous to pets.”

The following are just a few precautions you should take:

No Chocolate: Even if your pet has a sweet tooth, ingesting chocolate—especially baker’s and dark chocolate—can be dangerous for dogs and cats, possibly causing vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity and even seizures.

No Sweets for the Sweet: Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can be poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar, which leads to depression, lack of coordination and seizures.

Dangerous Décor: Keep wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations out of reach. If chewed, your pet could experience damage to his mouth from shards of glass or plastic, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

Don’t Play with Fire: Keep your pets away from jack-o-lanterns with lit candles inside—knocking the pumpkin over can easily cause a fire. And curious kittens can get burned or singed by candle flames.

Costume Caution: Please don't put your pet in a costume unless you know that he or she loves it. Costumes can cause skin irritations, obstruct a pet’s vision or impede his breathing.

For more information on having a safe Halloween with your pets, please visit our complete list of Halloween Safety Tips. And if your pet accidentally ingests potentially harmful products, immediately consult your veterinarian or the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

2. Extraordinary Dogs: Giving the Gift of Nine Lives

When Barbara Daskal of Saylorsburg, PA, first met Cali, she was struck by the dog’s positive outlook on life. A mere four months old at the time, the happy-go-lucky pup was originally found wandering the streets of Staten Island and brought to an area shelter. “When we first saw her, she was the only dog who seemed to be smiling,” Barbara says. “I couldn't believe how happy she was.”

The Daskals hadn’t intended to adopt a dog that Memorial Day weekend in 2003. In fact, Barbara and her daughter had visited the shelter only to fill out an application. With incredible restraint, she reasoned that Cali would grow up to be too big for her family’s lifestyle and left the shelter with her daughter—but no fur kid—in tow. And yet, she says, “All the way home, I couldn't stop thinking about that happy dog.”

Of course, Barbara soon returned and adopted the irresistible Cali, who became an integral family member—full of joy and always ready to perform for treats. The following year, the Daskals moved to Pennsylvania, where they found a veterinarian for Cali near their new home in Saylorsburg. During one visit, Barbara saw a flyer for a blood donor program for dogs. “I thought it was a great idea!” she says. “We had her tested to see if she was healthy enough and had the temperament to qualify.” Cali passed the test, and now donates a unit of blood every three to four months. Her mother adds, “She does a world of service to other dogs who need precious blood.”

The Daskals even witnessed firsthand the life-saving results of their beloved pooch’s selfless service. “In the vet’s quarantine area, we saw a dog—a Hurricane Katrina rescue—who’d given birth, but both she and her pups had heartworms and needed transfusions,” Barbara explains. “In one day, Cali saved nine lives!”

This special doggie donor is happy to oblige and reap the sweet rewards. Barbara says, “Every time she gives blood, Cali receives a bowl of yummy food, a hug and a rub. I think she’s the only dog who loves to go to the vet!”

3. Meet the ASPCA Cat of the Year

In 1998, a six-week-old kitten abandoned in a pet store was found to be so severely malnourished that a veterinarian warned she was unlikely to survive. She was taken home by Terry and Deborah Burns of Middleburg, PA, who soon discovered that her rough start would not deter this intuitive little feline—whom they named Libby—from performing a very special task.

In her new home, the kitten met the Burns’s seven-year-old Lab/shar pei mix, Cashew. Terry Burns remembers how their relationship began: “Cashew would poke her head into the kitten box for nuzzles, seemingly just to let Libby know that she wasn’t alone.” The two spent the next seven years together.

By the time Cashew was 13 years old, she’d lost the use of her eyes and ears. Libby, who’d had no training as a therapy pet, began to care for her friend. She guided Cashew by the shoulder to her food and water dish, through doorways and to her dog crate, where the two slept together. If Cashew walked too close to the furniture, Libby would immediately position herself between the canine and the item to keep her from colliding. “Libby was also protective about people entering their sleeping area,” says Burns. “If we came in, she would look intently at us as if to say, ‘Please stay quiet. I just got her settled and sleeping.’”

When Cashew was taken on her daily walks around the property, Libby—who liked to hang out on the patio instead of being indoors—would randomly show up. “It was as if she was checking on us to make sure we were providing proper supervision for Cashew,” says Terry. “After taking a look, she would race back to the house and wait at the driveway for her friend to return.”

When Cashew passed away at age 15, Libby missed her deeply, and continued to sleep in their bed and watch for her return. “The only time they had ever been apart was when Cashew went for her walks,” says Terry.

For being an intuitive and extraordinary guide cat, Libby was named the ASPCA Cat of the Year for 2008, and this ten-year-old tabby shows no signs of giving up her post as caretaker. Burns informs us, “Libby has now moved on to protecting her shy feline sister, Lucy.”

4. Today: Get Answers to Your Dog Behavior Problems, Noon to 2:00 P.M.!

How can I ease my dog’s separation anxiety?
Help! My dog has been chewing on every shoe he can find!
Why does my dog stare at the cat all day, but never go near
her?

No one loves your dog more than you do, and that’s why you’re tuned into his every—shall we say—idiosyncrasy. If you’d like some insight into why your pooch behaves the way he does, please join Trish McMillan, ASPCA Director, Animal Behavior, for a live discussion on the ASPCA Online Community. She’ll be available today from noon to 2:00 P.M. EST to give advice on how to better understand and communicate with your canine. For inspiration on what to ask, check out last year’s behavior chat with Trish.

5. Wanted: We’re Looking for the Best-Dressed Dog!

We would like to remind you that the deadline for our ASPCA Adopt-A-Shelter Dog Month Photo Contest is approaching fast! This year, we’re looking for the best-dressed dog in town. Whether your pooch has been donning this fall’s hottest trends or plans to sport the spookiest Halloween costume, send us the photographic evidence. The top ten winners will be awarded with an ASPCA Prize Pack, and will also be featured on the ASPCA website. Deadline for photo submissions is next Friday, October 31.

6. MA & CA Residents: Make a Difference for Animals on Election Day!

This November 4, it’s not just the presidency that’s on the line. In Massachusetts, citizens will have the chance to ban commercial greyhound racing, and in California, voters will decide yea or nay on Proposition 2, the ASPCA-supported Standards for Confining Farm Animals Act. If passed, Prop 2 will phase out the practice of confining veal calves, breeding pigs and egg-laying hens in cages and crates so small that they cannot turn around, lie down, stand up or fully extend their limbs.

The Standards for Confining Farm Animals Act was written with factory farms in mind—a factory farm is a large-scale, industrial operation that raises thousands of animals for food, often in unhealthy, inhumane conditions. Similar farm animal confinement-related laws have already been passed in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Oregon and throughout the European Union’s 27 member countries.

This legislation champions the principle that all animals deserve humane treatment, including those raised for food. If you’re a California voter, remember to vote YES on Prop 2! And if you don’t live in California, but have family and friends who do, please tell them to vote YES on Prop 2—visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center to shoot them emails!

7. ASPCA Job of the Week

Are you a lawyer looking for a cause? The ASPCA is hiring a Corporate Counsel to manage the organization’s legal department and oversee all intellectual property matters. We’re searching for someone with five to seven years of corporate legal experience, a law degree and excellent judgment and discretion. If you’re adept at reviewing and drafting licensing agreements and establishing legal protocols, you could be the one!

The ASPCA offers generous benefit packages for full-time employees. Please submit your resume and salary requirements for our prompt consideration.

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