Animal Shelters Provide Cozy ‘Real-Life Rooms’ to Help Dogs Get Adopted

October is National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month…which should be every single month, right?! To help reduce the huge number of pets who don’t make it out of animal shelters alive — an average of 2.7 million every year in the United States — some shelters are taking innovative steps to help dogs find homes.

“Real-life rooms” provide a soothing environment for stressed-out shelter dogs. The rooms are furnished like a cozy living room, with comfy sofas or chairs, TVs, rugs on the floor and soft lighting from a lamp.

For an hour or so, dogs can enjoy the room by themselves, or often a volunteer or staff member will join them.

Fearful dogs who are less likely to be adopted may get the most benefit from real-life rooms. The rooms also help dogs who were always kept outside adjust to living indoors.

The Toledo Area Humane Society (TAHS) in Ohio, one of the oldest animal welfare organizations in the U.S., created its first real-life room several years ago. Its latest room debuted last month at a new shelter in Maumee.

“[Dogs] all handle the stress of sheltering differently; some get really amped up, some sort of become very introverted,” Stephen Heaven, president and CEO of TAHS, told the Toledo Blade. “It’s nice to give those guys a break.”

A Respite from the Non-Stop Barking

Dogs in shelters get very stressed out by the constant barking of the other dogs, a 2006 study discovered.

“While employees may wear hearing protectors, dogs don’t have that option,” said Crista Coppola, a veterinary medicine instructor at the University of Illinois. “Excessive noise in shelters can physically stress dogs and lead to behavioral, physiological and anatomical responses.”

Not surprisingly, being in a calm, quiet area significantly reduces the level of stress hormones in shelter dogs.

“When they spend time in the real-life room, their cortisol levels drop,” Kelly Sears, director of animal welfare for TAHS, told the Toledo Blade.

Another Toledo animal shelter, Lucas County Canine Care and Control, also has a real-life room.

“You’ll see a dog who is jumping and lunging in the kennel, then he’s in there for five minutes and is passed out on the couch sleeping,” Jodi Harding, the shelter’s interim director, told the Toledo Blade. “It’s stressful back in the kennels. Any dog is going to do better in a quiet environment where they can relax a little bit.”

In fact, thanks to decompression time in the real-life room, a dog named Cubbie was taken off anxiety medications. A dog named Jake who’d spent his entire life outdoors would constantly pace back and forth inside his kennel at the shelter. After Jake spent time in the real-life room, his pacing almost stopped.

The Perfect Place for a Meet-and-Greet

The areas of many shelters designated for potential adopters to interact with pets can be stress inducing for the animals, so it’s difficult to gauge a dog’s true personality.

But the relaxed atmosphere of real-life rooms helps put the pets at ease, making these areas ideal for a meet-and-greet. “It definitely shows a different side of the dog,” Harding told the Toledo Blade.

Kelli Nicholas, a volunteer adoption counselor at Pet Orphans in Van Nuys, Calif., said the shelter’s three real-life rooms “can really change a dog’s personality for the better” — which means higher adoption rates.

Real-life rooms can be inexpensively created with donated furnishings. Here’s hoping there’s at least one in every shelter soon.

Photo: Gateway Pet Guardians/YouTube

This story was originally published on Care2.com.

Hero Pit Bull Dies after Protecting His Family from a Deadly Snake

Zeus, a 9-month-old Pit Bull, played in his Webster, Fla., yard last week as 10-year-old Oriley Richardson and his 11-year-old brother, Orion, cleaned the young dog’s water bowl.

Suddenly Zeus pounced on the ground near the boys and started attacking something. Oriley thought Zeus was playing with a rope.

But it wasn’t a rope. It was a venomous coral snake. These snakes, with red, yellow and black bands, live in the southeastern United States. According to National Geographic, this snake is “famous as much for its potent venom as for the many rhymes — ‘Red and yellow, kill a fellow; red and black, friend of Jack'”—created to help distinguish between coral snakes and other non-venomous snakes with similar skin patterns.

Zeus used his body to cover the coral snake, laying on top of it to prevent it from moving toward the boys.

The dog’s eyes looked “bugged out,” the children’s’ mother, Gina Richardson, told CNN. When they turned Zeus over, they saw he had bitten off the snake’s head — but not before the snake bit him four times.

Although the Richardson family rushed Zeus to an animal hospital and a veterinarian immediately gave him anti-venom medication, the hero dog died the next day.

“I just started bawling,” Richardson told CNN. “My kids woke up and heard me crying and then they too started crying. We were all an emotional wreck.”

What’s even more heartbreaking is that Zeus died on Oriley’s birthday. “He was a good boy and I loved him with all my heart,” Oriley told CNN. “I played with him all the time. I feel sad and I miss him.”

The vet bill for Zeus was $1,000. But the Richardson family doesn’t have to worry about paying it, thanks to donations to a GoFundMe fundraiser from animal lovers touched by the Pit Bull’s heroism.

That heroism is the one upside to this tragedy. Zeus has been making national headlines for saving the lives of those boys.

Their father, Gary Richardson, told CNN that Zeus was his best friend. “I’m torn between wanting to be happy that this situation has brought awareness to his breed and their kind and loving nature, and the sorrow of having lost him,” he said.

He told FOX 35 Orlando that although he’d had many different animals in his life, “Pit Bulls are the most loyal dog I know of.” (I agree wholeheartedly.)

Gina Richardson noted that if a Pit Bull is aggressive, “most likely, it’s because they weren’t treated right,” she told FOX 35 Orlando. “If you treat them right, they would give their life for you and I owe my son’s life to him.”

Rest in peace, Zeus, and thank you for being such a very good boy.

Photo: Zeus the Hero Pitbull Vet Bills GoFundMe page

Could Your Dog Become a Therapy Animal?

If you have a dog who’s mellow and loves being around people, and the idea of helping your pet bring joy to others appeals to you, you might just have a therapy animal in the making.

Accompanied by their owners, therapeutic visitation animals – which are most commonly dogs, but can also be cats, rabbits, pot-bellied pigs, horses, etc. – regularly visit people in hospitals, nursing homes, schools and other facilities, providing furry comfort and compassion.

“Four-footed therapists give something special to enhance the health and well-being of others,” says the website of Therapy Dogs International (TDI), a nonprofit organization that regulates, tests and registers therapy dogs and their handlers. “It has been clinically proven that through petting, touching and talking with animals, patients’ blood pressure is lowered, stress is relieved and depression is eased.”

What It Takes to Be a Therapy Dog

Therapy animals are “born, not made,” according to TDI. They must have an outstanding temperament, and be outgoing and friendly to people of all ages. They must also behave well with other animals.

In general, therapy dogs must also be at least one year old; current on all vaccines required by local laws; and be clean and well groomed when visiting people.

Along with the ability to obey basic commands like “Sit,” “Stay,” “Come” and “Leave it,” dogs are tested by therapy dog certification organizations to ensure they can do the following, according to TDI (most of these requirements apply to other species of potential therapy animals as well):

  • Listen to their handlers
  • Allow strangers to touch them all over
  • Not jump on people when interacting
  • Not mind strange noises and smells
  • Be calm for petting
  • Not be afraid of people walking unsteadily

Getting Your Dog Certified as a Therapy Animal

Think your dog has the right stuff to be a therapy animal? To get an idea of the type of testing involved, this TDI brochure describes each of the 13 tests a dog must pass in order to be certified.

Some therapy animal organizations, including Pet Partners, offer workshops so you and your dog can practice the required skills before being tested for certification.

The AKC website has a list of therapy animal organizations all across the U.S. from which your dog can receive certification. Contact the one nearest you for further information.

The Difference Between Therapy and Service Animals

Although the two are often confused, therapy animals are not the same as service animals, which “have been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability,” according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

“An example of a service dog is a dog who guides an owner who is blind or assists someone who has a physical disability,” the American Kennel Club (AKC) explains. “Service dogs stay with their person and have special access privileges in public places such as planes, restaurants, etc.”

Therapy dogs, on the other hand, are are privately owned. Unlike service animals and their handlers, in most U.S. states, therapy animals and their owners don’t have protections under federal law (ADA, the Fair Housing Act, etc.), reports the National Service Animal Registry.

Additional Resources

You can find out more about therapy animals and getting your dog certified from these organizations:

This story was originally published on Care2.com.

Photo: University of Illinois Library

Allowing Dogs on Doorless NYC Helicopter Tours Is a Truly Terrible Idea

 

Last year, five passengers taking a FlyNYON tour over New York City were killed when the helicopter they were riding in crashed into the East River.

FlyNYON, which is facing lawsuits and federal investigations over that accident, is still in business. It offers “doors-off” flights so that passengers can dangle their feet and legs 1,000 feet above the ground for super awesome, super Instagrammable photo opportunities.

Now FlyNYON is apparently trying to drum up more business by allowing dogs on its sightseeing helicopter flights.

This is a terrible idea for at least a couple of reasons. One is that the helicopter doesn’t have doors, so it seems like it could be possible for an extremely stressed-out dog to squirm out of their harness and owner’s lap, and jump out. Why would that dog be so stressed out? Because of the loud noise and the fact that the dog is 1,000 up in the air in a doorless helicopter. Frankly, I’d be terrified, too.

FlyNYON is “flying dogs high above New York, offering thrill-seekers the chance to dangle their feet — and now their pet — above city buildings, bridges, waters and more,” Sen. Chuck Schumer said at a news conference today, NBC New York reports.

Schumer, Sen. Bob Menendez, the Humane Society of the United States and PETA are all urging FlyNYON to stop these dangerous flights. Schumer also called on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to look into a “loophole allowing doors-off [flights] to remain operational in the first place.”

It’s extremely disappointing that FlyNYON has what it calls a “special partnership” with the nonprofit Pilots N Paws. Volunteer pilots with this organization provide transportation for animals so they can be rescued and adopted. How on earth could they be on board with the awful idea of allowing pet dogs on doors-off helicopter flights? There are much safer and more humane ways to raise funds.

A FlyNYON spokesperson insisted in a statement that the company is “fully compliant with all FAA operating and safety standards.”

But, as Schumer said, to allow dogs on its flights “is a sheer jaw-drop.” He said the same company involved in last year’s fatal crash is now “strapping in dogs for people to snap pictures of while the animals all but dangle high above New York skies, experiencing the sound of the rotors and who knows what other cruel things.”

The dog-friendly flights are “cruel and inhumane,” according to Brian Shapiro, New York state director for the Humane Society of the United States.

The FlyNYON spokesperson invited Senators Schumer and Menendez  to come to the company’s New Jersey office “and discuss this very important matter.” Hopefully the senators will do just that and convince flyNYON why it’s very important not to allow dogs on their helicopter tours.

Photo: FlyNYON/YouTube screen grab

How to Help Dogs in the Bahamas Displaced by Hurricane Dorian

 

Hurricane Dorian literally obliterated many areas of the Bahamas while causing catastrophic flooding. At least 40 people have died. Tragically, that number is expected to increase a lot.

Here are some of the ways you can help the dogs who survived this record-breaking disaster by helping the shelters, rescues and nonprofit organizations that are caring for them.

Humane Society of Grand Bahama

More than 100 dogs and cats lost their lives at the Humane Society of Grand Bahama (HSGB) when over five feet of water came rushing into the shelter. But thanks to the heroic efforts of six staff members who remained there — with the water up to their necks — more than 150 pets miraculously survived.

Among the survivors was a dog who the staff found in an upstairs bathroom, sitting on debris, two days after the storm. “The owner has been contacted and cried with gratitude to hear the news,” the HSGB reported on its Facebook page.

The HSGB is planning to have all the survivors airlifted to shelters in the United States.

HOW TO HELP

Make a cash donation to the Save the Potcakes Bahamas online fundraiser. This is the only GoFundMe fundraiser sanctioned by the HSGB.

Make a donation to the Kohn Foundation, a nonprofit that supports the HSGB.

Voiceless Dogs of Nassau

Graciela “Chella” Phillips, founder of The Voiceless Dogs of Nassau and truly an angel on Earth, made news headlines by taking nearly 100 stray dogs into her home as Dorian was approaching. They all survived.

“I am just an animal lover,” Phillips told the Miami Herald. Her goal was to raise $20,000 online to help care for the dogs. As of Sept. 7, people inspired by her compassion have donated over $276,000 — or 1,383% of that goal.

HOW TO HELP

Make a cash donation to The Voiceless Dogs of Pawtcake Refuge online fundraiser.

International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)

Founded 50 years ago, the nonprofit International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) improves conditions for animals, people and the environment. IFAW’s disaster response team has been deployed to the Bahamas “to provide on-the-ground support to communities and wildlife and reunite families with their pets,” according to its Facebook page.

The HSGB reports on its Facebook page today that IFAW is assisting the shelter “with care for the animals and to give some of the shelter staff a much-needed reprieve.”

HOW TO HELP

Make a donation on the IFAW website.

Greater Good

This nonprofit is also on the ground in the Bahamas, helping people and pets. Before Dorian struck, Greater Good’s disaster response team shipped more than 500 crates to the Bahamas from its partner, The Animal Rescue Site, so animals could be evacuated before the hurricane or relocated to the United States afterward.

HOW TO HELP

Make a donation on the GreaterGood.org website. Tito’s Handmade Vodka is currently matching each donation dollar for dollar, up to $10,000.

Photo: Chella Phillips/Facebook

If you know of another shelter, rescue or nonprofit organization in need of donations to help to care for Bahamas dogs, please leave a comment and I’ll add it to this story.

 

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