Service dogs for Foster families

A rescue group that trains service dogs for veterans says it’s in desperate need of foster families. Coco’s Cupboard says with the pandemic, fewer families are volunteering to foster service dogs in training, while the need for them among veterans and people with medical challenges is greater than ever.

Suzanne Aaron runs a rescue group called Coco’s Cupboard. She has trained service dogs for years. Recently, she started her own service dog program called Tails of Hope. It supplies dogs to veterans like Gail Johnston, who says her dog Sloan helps ease her PTSD symptoms

“If my leg is bouncing, she will put her paw on it to let me know that I need to calm down because I do it without thinking about it,” Johnston said.

But Aaron says among all rescue groups in Georgia, right now with the pandemic there is a shortage of foster families, and it’s even worse for service dog fostering.

“Right now we have about 70 dogs and we are in need of about 20 foster families,” Aaron said.

Kim Bolan is a volunteer who fosters dogs before their service training. She’s working with Kylo.

“He is learning to retrieve prescription medicines and even though he has no retriever in him, he is really good at it,” Bolan said.

Whitney Mattews is a volunteer and also has a service dog named Star Lord. She says prospective service dogs need family time.

“They need to experience the hustle and bustle of a home,” she said.

So they are desperately looking for foster families for these dogs, who will spend the rest of their lives as an important partner in someone’s life.

“When you see the impact it has on the person’s life, it’s a game-changer,” Aaron said.

If you would like to foster a service dog, or any of the dogs at the rescue, or support them with a donation or an adoption, you can find Coco’s Cupboard online.

In bad times every dog is a ‘very good dog

I have found myself looking at Bella with great envy these past few weeks. As I try to tamp down my panic and get work done, Bella naps in her dog bed next to my desk. At certain intervals, she gets up and fetches her fuzzy blue Yeti toy and delivers it by my feet, her brown eyes full of hope. How can she be so calm while the world is falling apart, I wonder? But I’m grateful. Her calmness brings me down a notch.

Emotional support is the dog job of our times. For our long-ago ancestors, dogs may have performed other functions, such as co-hunting or pulling sledges, but now they are full-time furry mental health practitioners. As dogs offer us their grounding presence and help us weather the emotional storm of a global pandemic, we should reconsider what we owe them.

Now that we are keeping our human networks at arm’s length, our need for emotional closeness with our pets has increased. This is a boon for many homed dogs, because these steadfast companions are the exact opposite of social distancers.

This inclination may be genetic. Scientists studying canine DNA have identified a gene for hyper-sociability; dogs are programmed for social closeness with humans, they need to be attached at the hip. Six feet, which is the new human definition of “personal space,” just doesn’t work for dogs. Being with us makes them calm and happy — just as being with them makes us calm and happy.

Our current solitude represents an opportunity to explore a certain one-sidedness in our social interactions with dogs. Why is “attention seeking” behavior in dogs — which is basically defined as them wanting our attention when we don’t feel like giving it to them — pathologized, with dogs sometimes punished and often medicated for it? Why do animal behaviorists advise us to ignore our dog’s advances?

I’m asking because now the shoe is on the other paw, and humans are suffering, in large numbers, from separation anxiety. We are separated from our friends, our social networks, and in many cases our parents or children. Maybe now we will get a taste of what millions of dogs are experiencing: the profound distress of being alone when we don’t want to be.

“Separation anxiety” is itself an example of the way we pathologize dogs’ behavior, which prevents us from understanding and empathizing with their experiences. A study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science in January suggests that “separation anxiety” is not helpful clinically because a diverse range of frustrations and distress experienced by dogs who are left alone too much are clumped under one vague label. Might we gain more sympathy for the canine set today, as we learn that our own experiences of social isolation are complex and multi-layered and definitely uncomfortable?

We need the sympathy and safe companionship of dogs more now, as social distancing drives us into their furry paws. Those of us lucky enough to live with dogs already are reveling in more together time. The number of dogs being temporarily fostered has mushroomed over the past several weeks, as more and more people have been told to stay home. A New York times story described how one animal shelter sent out a call for 200 foster placements and was surprised to receive 2,000 applications.

This is wonderful and heartwarming. Yet I have some dark thoughts about it, too: Part of what is driving the fostering frenzy is the fact that people who work long hours away from the home and who have (rightfully, in my opinion) chosen not to have a dog are all of a sudden home all day. I fear that these dogs may get intensively loved on for a few weeks or months. And then what? Many people who are fostering a dog while they are off work or working from home, who are “using” a dog for emotional comfort and social contact during this crisis, will have to return the dog to the shelter when all is said and done.

These people will have given dogs in need a beautiful gift by sharing their homes. But the sad thing is that the spark of hope and security that might be kindled in these open-hearted dogs will be dimmed when they must go back to the shelter. And although the home environment is, on the average, going to be less stressful for a dog than the shelter environment, the transition from one to another can be very hard for dogs emotionally. Dogs shouldn’t be in shelters in the first place. When this is over we should do some collective soul-searching about a culture of dog ownership that leaves so many dogs adrift.

Even dogs who remain with their owners will struggle with adjustment when life returns to normal and people return to work. The rough consensus among trainers and dog advocates is that four hours alone is comfortable for most dogs, but long days home alone can compromise their welfare. Dogs’ frustration, anxiety, and loneliness can manifest in behaviors that, under non-COVID19 circumstances, humans have labeled pathological. If the dogs remain in the home, separated from people and not getting enough attention, we may see an uptick in those so-called “behavior problems.”

Though this crisis is an opportunity for dogs to get more attention from humans, it is also a time of great risk for them. Reports out of China include heartbreaking details of dogs and cats who were abandoned during the lockdown and who are now starving to death. Here in the United States, there already are reports of dogs being chained up outside, thrown out to the curb, or being dropped off at shelters because of unfounded fears that the virus causing COVID-19 could sicken them. In truth, the giant packages of toilet paper that people are fighting over at the store are more likely vectors for the virus than a dog.

And this is just the initial wave. If past disasters and economic downturns are reasonable precedent, the numbers of dogs relinquished to the shelters or abandoned on street corners and rural highways after this crisis will swell.

Panic and upheaval can bring out the best in people as well as the worst. This is especially true in relationship to our dogs. The crisis for dogs may look different and follow a different trajectory, but we need to be attentive to what it is like for them as well as for ourselves. The emotional ecosystem of dog and human is mutualistic and beneficial to both organisms. In times of crisis, they need us as much as we need them.

Warren’s Pet Of The Week

WARREN, NJ — Meet Diesel! He has been chosen as Warren Patch’s Pet Of The Week.

“This is my boy Diesel. During this time with so many uncertainties, the one thing we can all be certain of is the comfort that our fur babies are bringing us. While this pandemic is keeping all of us quarantined, our pets have never been happier to have the entire family home surrounding them. I believe our pets are playing a huge role in keeping our sanity. They are all emotional support animals right about now, so give you’re fur babies a hug and kiss, thank them for being there, and keep them safe as well! God Bless and be safe!”

— Michael Aprile, Warren

Do you think your pet should be Warren’s Pet of the Week?

Participating in the Pet of the Week happenings is simple: submit your nomination by emailing alexis.tarrazi@patch.com with subject line “Warren Pet Of The Week.” Be sure to include a photograph or two of your pet, a paragraph about what makes him or her so great, the town you’re from, and your name.

Then just keep an eye out for a photo of your pet on the Patch!

The photo can be of a present pet, or it can be a baby picture of the adult pet you’re so proud of today. All photos must be property of the submitter. By submitting a photo to Patch the submitter agrees to give permission for it to be published on Patch.

Additionally, selected winners each week will be given a free treat bag when they stop in Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming inside Bridgewater Towne Center at 732 US-202. And winners can also bring their pet into the store for a picture. Woof Gang Bakery will put them up on their Facebook page as well.

Family of huskies offering emotional support across South Yorkshire

As he chats, six-year-old husky, Thunder, is laid on his owner’s chest – his favourite place to curl up.

Adrian bred, delivered and raised Thunder, and it’s clear the pair share a special connection. But Adrian, a South Yorkshire photographer, claims the most impressive thing about Thunder is his emotional sensitivity.

“He picks up on everybody’s emotions,” Paul reveals.

“He’s like the man in that film, Green Mile, who absorbs others feelings and illnesses; everybody who’s met Thunder can feel it. When you look into his eyes, it isn’t like looking at a dog at all.”

Thunder is one of a family of four husky dogs – Thunder, his two siblings, Binny and Thor, and mum Stormy. Together, the four – along with Adrian – form ‘Therapy Huskies’; a team of emotional support dogs providing care across the country for those living with anxiety, autism, illness, and bereavement.

“The dogs each have a speciality,” says Adrian, who launched Therapy Huskies three years ago, after delivering all three dogs six years ago, and falling instantly in love with them.

“Thunder, as we know, is sensitive, and he provides a vital end of life support service. He’s also a schools therapy dog, and does a lot of work with children with ADHD and autism.

“Binny is a cuddler, so she works as a bereavement dog. If someone hugs her, she’ll just hold them, however long that may be for.

“She’ll put her head on someone’s lap and stare into their eyes. She’s such a good little girl, very special.

“Thor looks after people with autism, and those who can’t communicate.

“He has beautiful blue eyes, and looks like a polar bear, and he’ll wink and slow blink at people and they often communicate with him.

“Finally we have Stormy, who is the other three’s mum. She’s beautiful to look at, with one brown eye and one blue eye.

“A lot of her work is with children living with cancer, and she does all kinds of little tricks – she’ll speak, give high-fives, put her paws on her head, spin around, that sort of thing.

“They all work in dementia hospitals, care homes, and schools. They’re a really special team.”

Adrian says the hardest job he has to do, and the one he refuses to charge anything for, is his end-of-life visits with Thunder.

“It’s incredible, and a real privilege, to be asked to share someone’s final moments, and Thunder brings such a sense of peace and calm,” he says.

“He lays with them on the bed, holding his paw on their hands and slows his breathing down to match theirs, and then when that person passes away, he leans over and kisses them, just once.

“Everything he does is instinct. Afterwards he’s always quiet, and takes a couple of hours in a corner of the house on his own, before coming to sit on my knee. It’s as if he grieves every passing.

“Those are hard days, heartbreaking, but it means such a lot to be able to offer something, anything, in those moments, to a family that needs it.”

But like many businesses across the region, Therapy Huskies has been hit hard by the current pandemic, and its effect on our way of life.

“We’re always incredibly busy, but business just dried up overnight, as did my photography work,” says Adrian, who lives with the dogs, and wife Clare, in Barnsley.

“It’s hard for the dogs, especially being stuck inside so much, as they usually get four or five walks a day, and we’ll often cover 12-15 miles in a day, so – though we respect the reasons for it – the single walk that is allowed is tough on them.

“Thunder especially is finding it hard; he’s a working dog and absolutely loves it, so it’s hard for him not going and seeing people; he seems a bit depressed at the moment.

“On the business side, we’ve gone from earning quite a bit to absolutely nothing.

“The important work the dogs do, which we all love so much, helps to pay for their health, their food, their life. They’re expensive animals to keep, the food bill alone is £600 per month, then there’s insurance on top of that, then health insurance, public liability, transport, it all adds up.”

But though times are hard, Adrian says the family is grateful to be healthy and to have one another, and they and the dogs have set about providing a different, more socially distanced, type of therapy to those who need it in the coming months.

“Our focus has been on the Therapy Huskies Facebook page, posting photographs, videos of the dogs, and messages and updates,” says Adrian, who is currently training to be a counsellor, and has also signed up to be a volunteer driver for the NHS throughout the coronavirus crisis.

“It’s a difficult time for everybody, and there’s a lot of anxiety flying about, so we want the dogs page to be somewhere people can come to escape, and the smile.

“They have over 7,500 followers on Facebook, so we’re filling it with as much positivity as we can, because that’s what they’re all about.

“Even though they can’t leave the house, they’re still doing their job, providing a form of therapy to people at a difficult time.

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We want to be here to help them

During the COVID-19 outbreak, many on the front lines work tireless hours. It makes it very difficult to get pets their full attention at home. Now, one luxury pet resort and doggy day care is saying “Thank you” by offering some relief.

“We know that the first responders, the nurses and the healthcare workers are working so hard during the day and they have pets and they come home and they’ve got those little blue eyes or those brown eyes and that wagging tail that says, ‘Hey, take me for a walk,'” said Denise Follett, of Brook-Falls Veterinary Hospital, Exotic Care and Luxury Pet and Doggy Day Care.

While first responders and health care workers fight the spread of COVID-19, Brook-Falls Pet Resort and Doggy Day Care shows appreciation by offering up to five either half or full days of free doggy daycare. The day is full of fun, games, and interaction for the pups.

“We know that it is a hard job, and we know what dedication it takes and so we identify with them and think that that would be the best way that we could help,” Follett said.

As those on the front lines take care of others, the staff takes care of their furry friends. The goal is to allow those emergency workers time to relax while making sure the animals get emotional support too.

“We want to be here to help them so do that we don`t come out three months from now or another month from now and we do have dogs with separation anxiety,” Follett said.

Staff members hope more people will take advantage of the offer. But they also remind pet owners if you are feeling sick, have someone else take care of your four-legged friend.

Justice for Puppy Beaten to Death With a Hammer by Abuser

It’s always difficult to understand how someone can just be cruel to animals. But some animal abuse cases are just nearly impossible to believe. That’s the case with an 11-month-old puppy named Izzy who was brutally murdered by his owner who lied about it until she finally confessed.

Justina Robinson was supposedly training Izzy to become a service dog for her fiancé. One day she claimed to walk her fiancé to work and says she returned to find Izzy bleeding from his head in the kitchen. Izzy was taken to the Pet Emergency Center where it was determined that he had a severe crack in his skull and had to be euthanized.

Police noticed the dog was beaten with a hammer. However, the hammer used to beat him came from within the home and there was no sign of forced entry. Her other two dogs were also fine and uninjured.

Nicole Bawol, Executive Director of Erie Humane Society says: “What my humane officer saw was cold blooded murder. It was horrific. It was absolutely the worst thing I have ever seen in the 4 1/2 years I have worked in the animal industry. He was an 11 month old little chocolate lab retriever mix and to see the pain and anguish in his eyes and in his face, thinking what is happening to me, is gut wrenching.”

After a few interrogations, Robinson stopped lying about the burglary and confessed that she was the one who beat the dog with a hammer. According to Your Erie news site: “Robinson faces multiple charges including one felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals, along with misdemeanor counts of possessing an instrument of crime, cruelty to animals, and false reports to law enforcement.”

What Robinson did was absolutely horrible and hopefully she is convicted appropriately. People like her should never again be able to be around animals.

NETFLIX FEATURES THE HEALING POWER OF DUDE AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOG

Nothing better than a rainy night and a good binge-worthy show, personally I’m always on the lookout for a show the whole fam can watch together. Throw in a healthy dose of feel-good moments and teachable lessons, and you’ve got a winner. Which is why I was intrigued and cautiously optimistic when I heard about a new Netflix show called “The Healing Powers of Dude.”

This new family show centers around Noah, a middle schooler with a severe case of social anxiety disorder. In fact, his social anxiety is so severe that his parents convince him to get an emotional support dog to take to school with him.

Netflix does a great job demonstrating what it feels like for someone living with social anxiety disorder – and what it can also feel like to have someone really understand you. Along with a super loving and supportive family, Noah finds companionship in Dude his emotional support animal and his new friends, Simon (played by Mauricio Lara) and Amara (played by Sophie Kim).

This new Netflix series was created and produced by Erica Spates and her writing partner/husband, Sam Littenberg-Weisberg. The story is loosely based on Littenberg-Weisberg’s younger brother, who is also named Noah, who has social anxiety disorder. Spates says ” that Noah really struggled with the transition to middle school”.

“Social anxiety disorder is the intense fear of being judged or rejected in a social or performance situation,” Spates explained. “In the real Noah’s case, there wasn’t a sarcastic talking emotional support animal voiced by Steve Zahn, but there was an incredibly supportive family and group of friends.”

“This show was foremost written to be entertaining for the whole family, so we hope people will laugh a lot and maybe cry a little,” Spates said. “We’d love for our show to help families start difficult conversations about mental illness and disabilities in general.”

N.J. ATTORNEY GENERAL FINE LANDLORD FOR NOT ALLOWING EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS

A New Jersey woman with an emotional disability and lives at an apartment complex in Vineland, N.J., wanted to get a Yorkshire terrier puppy as an emotional support dog and followed Federal Law and obtained an emotional support animal letter of recommendation touting the benefit, but the property had a “no pets” policy and denied her request.

Another New Jersey woman with an emotional disability was told by her condo association in Ventnor that she couldn’t keep both her Chihuahua and a cat, despite an ESA Letter from her doctor that she needed them for her health. (The association’s rules allowed condo owners to have up to two pets, but restricted renters like her to one pet.)

In both cases, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office stepped in, and now, the two women can keep their emotional support animals. And the property managers have agreed to change their policies, provide their staff with anti-discrimination training, and pay the residents thousands of dollars, the office announced Friday.

“Property owners, managers, condo associations, and others involved with New Jersey’s housing industry need to comply with our anti-discrimination laws,” New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said in a statement Friday. “Their obligations include reasonably accommodating tenants with disabilities, which may include allowing tenants to keep support animals that do not otherwise satisfy pet policies.”

The first woman lives at the Valley Garden Apartments in Vineland and filed a complaint with the Division on Civil Rights against the property owner, Valley Gardens LLC, and manager, Pearce-Jannarone Real Estate. The companies agreed to pay her $6,125 to resolve allegations that they violated state anti-discrimination law.

The renter at the Newport Gardens condominiums in Ventnor filed a complaint against her condo association and Thompson Realty Co., which provides property management services there. Under a consent decree, the association and company agreed to pay the resident $4,000 to resolve her discrimination allegations and a civil penalty of $1,000 to the state.

Dog Food Delivered to Western Alaska Amid Virus Concerns

Hundreds of dogs living in largely Alaska Native villages in southwest Alaska won’t go hungry this spring after more than 8,000 pounds (3,629 kg) of dog food were delivered, a humanitarian effort coordinated by two of the nation’s largest animal welfare groups in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 242, 30-pound (13.6-kg) bags arrived in Bethel, a southwest Alaska hub community, late Thursday on a cargo plane from Seattle.

The single employee of the Bethel Friends of Canines worked Friday to break the pallets apart and ferry the bags back to their building. There, the food will be stored for eventual distribution to those in need, including dog owners from about 35 communities dotting southwest Alaska’s Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.

“Well, it’s definitely needed, and I think we are just very aware that the supply chain might be damaged in the near future,” said Theresa Quiner, the Bethel shelter’s vice president. “So it’s really comforting to know that we have this stash of dog food now in case people aren’t able to get dog food.”

The dog food drop from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Humane Society of the United States was necessary in roadless western Alaska because travel restrictions and dwindling supplies is making delivery of dog food to the region difficult during the coronavirus pandemic.

And it’s not just dog food. Quiner said she tried to order flour off Amazon and was told it would take a month to arrive. Many people order their dog food through Amazon.

“It’s really heartwarming that these organizations thought of us and just immediately knew that the supply chain gets difficult for everybody all over the country, that the communities out here in the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta are more vulnerable than elsewhere,” Quiner said.

The Bethel group has been a partner of the Humane Society’s Pets for Life program, which focuses on providing access to pet resources for people living in poverty or underserved communities. The group has been providing services and supplies to Yukon Kuskokwim Delta villages, said Amanda Arrington, senior director of Pets for Life.

“When the COVID-19 crisis happened, it just made it even tougher for us to get supplies up to Alaska,” Arrington said. “Even during a good time, it’s not easy logistically. It’s definitely not cheap, and so food supplementation is something that is an ongoing need, and it’s even greater right now.”

The humane society ordered and purchased the food at cost from FristFruits Feed of Redmond, Washington. Owner Tim Matts agreed to order and sell the 8,000 pounds (3,629 kg) of dog food at cost. The dog food was delivered Wednesday, repacked on 800-pound (363-kg) pallets and delivered to the Seattle airport for transport to Alaska.

FirstFruits refers to the company’s philosophy.

“We always believe that you should give the first 10 percent of your profit to the community to help animals and to help people, because we recognize that animals are a very important role in people’s lives,” Matts said. “We’re just grateful we could help.”

Lou Guyton, an ASPCA vice president, noted 8,000 pounds (3,629 kg) of food is an enormous amount.

“Right now, we’re moving that amount of food daily in our other locations. But to get to Alaska is certainly a challenge, and it’s great to know there are people there who can use it,” she said.

Pet-owner unity through respite, training

A group of women with passion and compassion for dogs is at the heart of Tucson’s Sol Dog Lodge and Training Center, a nonprofit organization. The community has recognized their dedication: they have garnered the annual Arizona Daily Star’s Readers’ Choice Award for best dog daycare/boarding for the past four consecutive years.

Sol Dog does provide traditional boarding services from a small kennel on Prince Road near Interstate 10. But, in the big picture, the lodge aims to keep dogs in forever homes and out of shelters. In that capacity, it provides temporary shelter to pets when their families have emergency challenges, sometimes training or boarding pets in crises or providing other support care through the Hearts at Ease Program.

Some examples are:

A beloved dog was placed in respite at Sol Dog while his owner was in rehabilitation following surgery.
When a couple added their first baby to the family, they wanted to ensure their large mastiff would be gentle with the infant. The dog entered training at Sol Dog boarding day camp* to ensure that.
Recently, a dog’s owner died unexpectedly, and the dog was surrendered. The staff is working to rehome the dog. If the new home situation doesn’t work out, the pet will come back to Hearts at Ease for another placement.

“The goal is for one less worry during stressful times,” says Valerie Pullara, executive director and board secretary.

“I really cannot say enough great things about Sol Dog,” says client Jenny Albright-Perry on Sol Dog’s Facebook page. “I discovered them when I needed some help with my dog who was reactive to other dogs. I took Mabel there for four days of day training, and [trainer] Terra Hockett was just wonderful with her. Not only did Mabel learn and grow in just four days, Terra gave me very useful tips to bring home that have helped me to continue to work on Mabel’s reactivity. Mabel is now able to easily interact with other dogs and attends their day camp a few times a month to ensure she has opportunities to socialize. She always comes home exhausted from her play day, and she’s getting better and better with her interaction skills!”

“We receive calls every day, the need is so great,” says Shelley Harris, director of marketing and community outreach, who also is board member. “Not through the fault of existing animal shelter services or the different rescue groups we work with, it’s just a gap in the system.,” she adds.

Last year, the organization received about 600 inquiries for help with boarding, training, and respite care. While not every call was an emergency, they were able to help about 48% of the situations.

The organization is constrained by space. A local builder designed a new facility for the organization’s future 12,000 square foot campus on 4.5 acres in Marana that will triple operation space and provide six times the capacity.

Today, Sol Dog helps about 75 pet owners annually with non-emergency respite care. In the new space, this capacity will grow to 300, Harris says.

The Hearts at Ease program trains dogs for therapy, psychological and emotional support, K9, or a specific service. They select dogs that have the appropriate temperament, and the work gives the dogs a purpose in life. Currently, they train about four service dogs annually. In the new facility that will grow to 24 service dogs.

Because of its robust training program, Sol Dog often provides training for the 24 different dog rescue groups in Tucson. “We take the toughest of tough dogs to get them to the appropriate calm state so they can be adopted,” Harris says. Such training can keep dogs out of shelters and get them into forever homes. “We work with rescues and shelters to see other aspects of the dogs,” Pullara adds.

Common behavioral issues that shelter adoptees may exhibit are resource guarding (not allowing people to touch a food bowl, toy, or bed without growling), lunging when walking on a leash, or aggressive behavior. Pullara explains that after a consultation, an individualized training plan is created, based on the dog and the person. “The strategy is to identify what’s happening and work with the dog to redirect the behavior and with the people to be consistent with their response,” she says, adding that it often takes people longer to respond to the training. Other common training programs includes obedience, behavior, and K9 Good Citizen.

“We work to help active-duty military and first responders,” Harris says. “We want them to be able to do their duty with a free mind.” During Hurricane Dorian last August, a first responder needed to deploy urgently to the Bahamas and wanted to ensure his dog, Chance, was safe. Chance stayed at Sol Dog and was reunited when his owner returned.

The Arizona Greyhound Rescue board had a dream for such a facility eight years ago but didn’t put pen to paper until 2015. “We knew the need,” says Harris, who has a background in hospitality marketing and always has been a dog lover. She and Pullara both left their jobs in the last three years. “We’re all in. The five board members put skin in the game,” she says. Four of Sol Dog’s board members also are on the board for Arizona Greyhound Rescue, which is rebranding this year as Arizona Heartfelt Hounds.

Through rehoming greyhound rescues, “we saw the emergency needs. We found we were [meeting emergency needs] more and more, seeing it through rehomed dogs and our expansive adoptive network,” says Harris. Arizona Greyhound Rescue worked with Rachel Molyneux, owner of the original for-profit Sol.DOG Tucson kennel. With the merger, the new Sol Dog Lodge & Training Center nonprofit was formed in July 2018. Molyneux has a lifelong career in shelter operations across Southern Arizona and remains with the group as the director of dog care and kennels. She is revered in the dog community for her professional talents.

With the move to the Marana campus, expected by the end of the year, Sol Dog will be joined by Arizona Heartfelt Hounds and another nonprofit, Asavet Charities. Founded by two veterinarians in 2014, Asavet promotes affordable veterinary care, responding to requests in Arizona and New Mexico. They work with indigent referrals from other vet providers to provide owners with lower-cost options and provide mobile vet services. Asavet will occupy a 2,000 square foot clinic at Sol Dog’s Marana campus. For more information or to contribute to the organization’s capital campaign, go to sol dog lodge.com.

*As of March 23, Sol Dog Lodge suspended its day camp in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Check their website for updates.

Difference Between Emotional Support Animals and Service Animals

You’ve probably encountered an emotional support animal or service animal before and if you don’t know the difference between the two, you are not alone. While there can be a tendency to use the names “emotional support animal” and “service animal” interchangeably, the two serve very different purposes with specific legal differences. Check out what happens to service dogs when they retire.

What are service animals?

Service animals are “dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities,” according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Service animals have a mighty list of responsibilities that can range from guiding people who are deaf to alerting and protecting somebody from seizures. They can also be tasked to remind someone with a mental illness to take prescribed medications, or to calm someone with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack.

“Service animals are used to make their owner’s lives more normal and easier,” according to Sara Ochoa, a small animal and exotic veterinarian in Texas and veterinary consultant for dog lab.com. While service animals require training, they do not need to receive professional training, according to Ochoa. They simply need to be trained to do the tasks they are assigned to do. If you’re skeptical about just how helpful service animals can be, check out these service dogs who saved the life of veterans.

What are emotional support animals?

“Emotional support animals are different than service animals,” Ochoa says. “They are trained to follow basic commands but are not trained for a specific task. They are to provide emotional support and help keep their owners calm in stressful situations.”

Emotional support animals can be used to support trauma survivors, people with lower levels of anxiety, and people with depression. People with emotional support animals might receive more questions than people with service animals, Ochoa adds, as they might not have any physical disabilities or outward signs of why they need an emotional support animal.

What are the legal differences?

Service animals have access to a lot more places than emotional support animals, according to the ADA. “State and local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations that serve the public generally must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the facility where the public is allowed to go,” the ADA states.

Therapy dogs, on the other hand, visit hospitals, nursing homes, schools, airports and other facilities that they are invited to and that are covered by their therapy dog insurance, according to Nicole Ellis, certified professional dog trainer with Rover. As they are not covered by the ADA, they are not allowed in public places such as restaurants and stores.

Emotional support animals for first responders

Not all superheroes wear capes as our local heroes wear scrubs, badges and aprons, said Santa Barbara County Second District Supervisor Gregg Hart.

“It’s important we all take steps to protect ourselves and loves ones and perhaps save a life,” Hart said during the press briefing Thursday afternoon.

Public Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg said there has been an increase in 28 cases of COVID-19 since April 1, with a total 139 in Santa Barbara County. The ages of those positive range from 20’s to 70’s. Of those new cases there are 11 in Santa Maria, five in Orcutt, three in North County, two in Lompoc, one in the Santa Ynez Valley, one in Goleta and five in Santa Barbara, according to public health officials.

Ansorg reported of the 139 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 81 recovering at home; 24 have fully recovered; 23 are in hospital with 16 ICU; 10 are at home and waiting on condition results and 1 unfortunately has died. The county reported yesterday the patient who died was at Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria, lived in the northern part of the county, was in their 60s, and had underlying health conditions.

Ansorg also gave information coming from the Centers for Disease Contraol and the World Health Organization are finding those who have COVID-19 are “presymptomatic” for 48 hours before they even show signs and symptoms so anyone who does test positive needs to inform anyone they were around two days prior to showing symptoms.

“This makes social distancing even more important, and people should be wearing masks or some kind of cover on their faces if they need to go into any public setting,” Ansorg stated.

He added that people can make masks or covers at home, having the N95 masks available for first responders and health care workers are especially important right now.

Some positive news Ansorg gave is that the local Pacific Diagnostic Lab can provide same day results for high priority patients and have already helped the local healthcare force. Ansorg said they are processing roughly 10 tests per day, which have helped immensely.

Additionally, there have been a lot of negative tests coming back which is good, but Ansorg alluded that if they had more tests it is likely there would be even more confirmed cases.

Noozhawk’s Tom Bolton asked why there was such high numbers coming from North County as opposed to South County and if health officials had any data showing why. No findings are available now, but Ansorg said they are still talking to clinics and hospitals to gather data to know that answer.

The Star asked if there had been any recovered patients giving antibodies, to which Ansorg said not yet as he is uncertain a substantial amount can be produced here to be effective. The Star also asked if any of the local patients are using the malaria treatments, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are investigating the use of the drug chloroquine. This is already approved for treating malaria, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, but the FDA is determining whether it can be used to treat patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19. Ansorg said no local patients are using this treatment currently, however health officials are doing trials with difference antivirals.

Hart said the county is also looking after the well-being of the first responders and giving access to Rhonda, the first emotional support dog through Santa Barbara County Fire. Rhonda and her handler Sam Dudley are helping first responders with the stress and giving emotional support.

“To best serve you they (first reponders) also need to take care of themselves,” Hart said.

He added that there are currently 100 cats in foster care and local shelters are nearly empty. He added that Care4Paws is offering pet food and veterinary services if needed and helping people create plans for pets in event they become sick. The Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society/DAWG in Buellton is also open for placements by appointment. More information about their animals is available here. To schedule a meet, call 805-688-8224.

Cats can catch and spread COVID-19 if exposed to high levels

A newly-hatched study out of China, so raw that it’s not yet been peer-reviewed, has some disturbing news for cat lovers.

Our furry feline friends appear to be susceptible to catching COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2.

Even worse, the cats in the study were able to infect each other, although they showed no signs of illness.

Ferrets were also able to “catch” the virus, although it didn’t appear to harm them.

Dogs, on the other hand, were not susceptible, according to the study.

The virus showed up in the feces of five dogs, but no infectious virus was found.

Pigs, chickens and ducks were also not very hospitable places for the virus.

But there’s no need for cat or ferret lovers to panic, experts say.

There’s no evidence their pets could get very sick or die from the novel coronavirus.

“Yes, people should embrace their pets,” said Dr John Williams, chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

“These researchers squirted the virus down the cat’s nose in high concentration, which is pretty artificial.”

No realistic exposure

The lab experiment used a scenario that is completely unrealistic, experts say.

First, researchers forced extremely high doses of virus up the nostrils of five eight-month-old domesticated cats.

Cats in our homes or even in the wild would never be exposed to that level of virus.

“That’s a whole lot more than an average human would get,” said infectious disease expert Dr William Schaffner, a professor of preventative medicine and infectious disease at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville.

“So this is an artificial circumstance and we don’t know that it happens in nature at all,” Schaffner added.

Two of the five cats were euthanised six days later.

Researchers found virus particles in their upper respiratory systems.

The remaining three infected cats were put into a cage adjacent to three non-infected cats.

One of those three cats later tested positive for the virus, while the other two did not.

Still, the researchers felt that showed the virus could be transmitted via respiratory drops.

Or did it?

None of the infected cats exhibited signs of illness.

And even if they did pass the virus to each other, that doesn’t mean they would be able to pass it on to humans.

That’s what happened nearly two decades ago with a sister coronavirus called SARS-CoV, which causes the deadly pneumonia-like respiratory disease called SARS.

Just like now, science found cats could be infected with SARS-CoV and infect other cats.

But the virus didn’t transmit widely among house cats during the 2002 to 2004 pandemic, nor were there any known cases of transmission to humans.

Ferrets affected too

The study found ferrets were also “efficient” replicators of the virus — meaning that the virus can easily grow and reproduce in their long, slinky bodies.

“SARS-CoV-2 can replicate in the upper respiratory tract of ferrets for up to eight days, without causing severe disease or death,” the study said.

The study did not look at a longer time frame.

That’s good news for researchers looking for a way to test any future vaccines for SARS-CoV-2, also called the novel coronavirus.

“It’s necessary to have an animal model to do initial tests of vaccines and understand how viruses cause disease.

“So, this will be useful to the field,” Williams said.

It’s actually not surprising that ferrets appear to respond to the novel coronavirus.

A ferret’s lung and airways are strikingly similar to a human’s.

In fact, biologically and physiologically ferrets are more similar to humans than they are to a mouse or rat.

“Ferrets are classical animals in which to study influenza – it’s been done for decades,” Schaffner said.

“If scientists were looking for an animal model, they would reach for the ferrets first.”

What this means

Will your cat or ferret come down with coronavirus?

Highly unlikely, experts say, pointing to the fact that we would certainly have heard of many cases in pets by now, considering the significant spread of the virus in the US and Europe.

Hong Kong has been quarantining animals belonging to people diagnosed with COVID-19 and has found only two cases of positive results in dogs.

The dogs showed no signs of illness during the quarantine.

Rare as it may be, it appears one cat in Belgium may have gotten the virus in March from her owner, who was ill with COVID-19 after returning from a visit to Italy.

But even though the cat had respiratory problems and high levels of the virus in vomit and feces, researchers aren’t yet sure if the cat was sick from COVID-19 or another illness.

“While 2 dogs (Hong Kong) and 1 cat (Belgium) have been reported to have been infected with SARS-CoV-2, infectious disease experts and multiple international and domestic human and animal health organisations agree there is no evidence at this point to indicate that pets spread COVID-19 to other animals, including people,” the American Veterinary Medical Association says on its website.

Normal precautions

The AVMA and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend taking normal precautions when cleaning litter boxes and feeding animals.

“Out of an abundance of caution,” the AVMA suggests anyone ill with COVID-19 symptoms limit contact at this time, “until more information is known about the virus.”

“Have another member of your household take care of walking, feeding, and playing with your pet,” the AVMA states.

“If you have a service animal or you must care for your pet, then wear a facemask; don’t share food, kiss, or hug them; and wash your hands before and after any contact with them.”

Saying goodbye to ‘a gentle giant

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary lost one of its retired members recently with the passing of police service dog Biff.

The beloved German shepherd, who passed away March 17, was 10 years old.

Biff’s policing career began in 2011 after he and his handler Const. Jody Ryan completed the Police Service Dog Training Program in Alberta.

Ryan and Biff were stationed in the RNC’s Corner Brook detachment until 2016 when they moved, with Ryan’s family, to the force’s headquarters on the province’s Northeast Avalon.

Even before he chose a career as a police officer, Ryan knew working with animals was what he wanted to do.

“So this is a perfect fit for me. It’s the best job in the world,” he said.

When he joined the RNC in 2006, Ryan said it was always his goal to join the force’s police dog unit. After five years as a street patrol officer, working out of headquarters in St. John’s, a position came up in the police dog unit in Corner Brook.

“I was willing to go anywhere to get the job. It didn’t matter to me where it was. I knew it was what I wanted to do.”

Being a dog handler is much more than a job or a career, Ryan said. It’s a lifestyle.

“We have our dogs with us 24-7 and 365 days of the year … We spend all our working time with them and they live with us at home on our property. Biff’s kennel is more like a garage. It’s amazing,” Ryan said.

On days off, Ryan and Biff would be out exercising and training.

Biff began spending short periods of time in Ryan’s home at about age five. By age six, he was living with the family, where he continued to work as a police service dog until his retirement.

“He transitioned into a beautiful pet … I have a young child at home and they were the best of buddies. He was a gentle giant. She loved him.”

Special dog

A full profile police service dog, Biff was trained in everything from illegal narcotic detection to tracking, from searching for people or evidence to obedience and agility.

“Police dogs have to go places that pet dogs don’t want to go,” Ryan said, such as into attics and in confined spaces on vessels.

Over his career, Biff located hundreds of thousands of dollars of illegal drugs and was involved in hundreds of calls for service that helped in investigations and led to arrests, Ryan said.

Searching for vulnerable people was among the most rewarding calls, he said.

Ryan spoke of one such call involving a young child missing in the woods.

“We were able to find him after several hours. That was very rewarding,” he said.

Biff was eight years old when he retired in 2017.

“I knew I wanted to give him a good retirement … I knew I was keeping him as a pet when he retired … I would never have been able to give him up,” Ryan said.

Ryan is now on the job with his new partner, Avalon. They hit the streets in 2017.

“I had Avalon for about two months before we went away for training. When we came back, Avalon was a full-time working dog and Biff was retired at home,” he says.

One of the toughest parts of transitioning from Biff to Avalon was when the time came to head to work, Ryan said.

“Biff would be up in the window looking at myself and Avalon going to the truck. You could hear him whining inside the house.”

For Ryan, it’s nice to know that Biff and Avalon are from the same bloodline. Like all RNC police service dogs, they are both from the RCMP’s breeding program.

“Avalon is Biff’s nephew. That’s very cool. I’m happy about that,” Ryan said.

Help find this family’s daughter’s service dog

For many, pets are just like members of the family, and losing one of them can be traumatic. But when someone steals a very special member of the family right out of the front yard, it hurts even moreso.

Four-year-old Savannah likes playing with her brothers and sister, but bedtime for this little girl is no fun at all.

“She has night terrors, and Boots wakes her up and is able to stop them. Wakes her up to kind of calm her down,” said Savannah’s mom, Brittany Newton.

Newton said Boots is her daughter’s service dog, and a big part of their family.

Savannah loves the dog and spends a lot of time with the beloved pet; but last Friday, someone took Boots away from her — right out of the front yard.

The incident was caught on the family’s security camera.

“All of our dogs were out here, and somebody was walking past this way and just opened the gate and just grabbed Boots,” Newton said. “She grabbed her neck — by the skin of her neck, the scruff of her neck — and just pulled her through the gate. Picked it up and walked that way with her.”

Newton and Savannah’s father, Jerry Savala, would like for the person caught on tape to return the family pet as Savanna has had some long nights without her friend.

“She isn’t even able to sleep,” Savala said. “She’s had maybe six hour of sleep, which affects us ‘cause we’re not sleeping. We’re up dealing with the situation.”

Like most families these days, Newton and Savala have enough on their minds trying to keep their family safe. Now, they have even more to worry about.

“Everyone supposed to be coming together, staying safe,” Savala said. “Now you can’t have your dog out in your own yard no more?”

The family describes Boots as a 2-year-old female black pit bull-Lab mix. Boots has white on all four of her paws and on her chest, and she is microchipped.

The family is offering a $1,000 reward for the safe return of their dog and asks anyone who knows anything about Boots to call 1-531-213-7314.

They say they just want their dog back — no questions asked.

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Veterans organizations are making a difference and you can help, too

According to U.S. Census data, Dallas County is home to more than 95,000 U.S. military veterans. And, nearly 109,000 veterans live in Tarrant County. Many of these men and women suffer the effects of their sacrifice to such an extent that they have great difficulty being with their families, holding jobs or even finding places to live. They lack the health care, education and employment needed to live rich, happy lives.

Government resources are often not enough or are difficult to navigate — and that’s where the private sector can help. Here are a few North Texas nonprofits that are providing veterans with the assistance they need.

DFW Canines for Veterans

The Mansfield-based organization provides service dogs to combat veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or traumatic brain injury. Co-founders Melissa and Carrie Caposello work alongside a team of volunteer U.S. military members to train dogs and the veterans who will become their owners.

Ninety percent of the dogs trained by DFW Canines for Veterans come from city kill shelters, and training costs on average $20,000 per dog. Funds come from private donors and corporate sponsors, and 100% of monies donated go toward training and gear. Veterans pay nothing for their service dogs, the training, or a lifelong commitment of camaraderie and support. The group has an Amazon wish list of dog beds, harnesses, leashes and more. Get more information and donate at dfwcaninesd . com.

Homeless Veterans Service of Dallas

Located south of the Dallas VA Medical Center in Lancaster, Homeless Veterans Service of Dallas (HVSD) offers a place for homeless or underserved veterans to use computers, take showers, find meals, do laundry and get a haircut for free. The group also works with the Veterans Administration to provide temporary housing and employment opportunities.

In 2018, it helped open Dallas’ first tiny house community for homeless veterans. HVSD maintains a wish list on its website that includes items such as cereal, flash drives, backpacks, batteries, bus passes, gas cards and rain ponchos for veterans, as well as coffee, bottled water, and towels and washcloths for the center. There are also opportunities to volunteer your time. Get more information and see the full list of needed items at hvsd . org.

Greater Dallas Veterans Foundation

The all-volunteer nonprofit is dedicated to honoring veterans throughout the community and supporting other veterans organizations. It hosts the Greater Dallas Veterans Day Ceremony and Parade, which takes place this year on Monday, November 11, and commemorates the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. Ceremonies begin at 11 a.m. in front of City Hall; the parade begins right after.

You can show your support for veterans by attending the parade. Find out how to volunteer or donate with the Greater Dallas Veterans Foundation at greaterdallasveteransfoundation . org.

Veteran Women’s Enterprise Center

Located in Lancaster and created to help female veteran business owners, Veteran Women’s Enterprise Center connects women with one another, public/private-sector opportunities, and services and funding, while also providing personal and professional resources. It operates a co-working space with a coffee lounge and meeting rooms, as well as an affordable conference center.

The organization often needs volunteers in the areas of data entry, social media, event marketing, public relations and building maintenance. There are also opportunities to serve as a mentor or coach to a female entrepreneur. Find out more and sign up to volunteer at veteranwomensec . org.

The Veterans Center of North Texas

One of the biggest challenges facing veterans today is locating qualified service providers that can address their needs. That’s where The Veterans Center of North Texas comes in. The Plano-based, all-volunteer group supports veterans and their families by providing information about and access to (when possible) services such as housing, employment, education, health, financial and legal.

The Veterans Center of North Texas does not charge veterans for assistance, and most affiliated providers offer free or reduced charges for their services as well. Learn more and find out how you can volunteer at veteranscenterofnorthtexas . org

Texas veterans unite with service dogs

In October 2008, Army Captain Alli LaCombe was just two weeks away from coming home to Keller, Texas, from her second deployment in Iraq when her life changed in an instant. Her unit was in the countryside preparing a space for incoming American troops when insurgents broke through the perimeter of the site and a firefight broke out. Responding to the commotion, LaCombe stepped outside her tent without protective gear. After hearing gunshots, she turned to retrieve her gear when a rifle round smashed into her spine, leaving her permanently paralyzed from the waist down.

After being airlifted to a hospital in Germany, LaCombe underwent multiple surgeries to remove shrapnel fragments from her spine, though some remain in her body to this day. From there, she was transferred to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio for six intense, arduous months of physical therapy.

Finally, LaCombe returned to her home in Keller, which unfortunately was not wheelchair accessible. The house had two stories, and most doorways were not wide enough for a wheelchair. Those circumstances made everyday activities, like going into the bathroom or taking a shower, a serious challenge for her.

Those who qualify to apply for the program include people with physical or developmental disabilities; adults who are deaf or hard of hearing; and professionals working in health care, visitation, educational or criminal justice settings who can demonstrate that an assistance dog will enhance their independence or quality of life.

The comprehensive application process begins with an exchange of basic information to make sure the program will be a good fit for the applicant’s needs. Experienced Canine Companions for Independence staff review the applicant’s needs and qualifications to determine if the process will continue. If the applicant is accepted, the wait time can vary depending on the kind of canine assistance required. Canine Companions strives to invite each candidate to be matched with an assistance dog within 12 months; however, class invitations rely on availability of suitable dogs.

The dogs — Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and Lab/Golden crosses — are trained for up to two years. They are valued at about $50,000 for their lifetime, but recipients pay nothing for their dogs. After receiving some basic training from volunteers, the dogs are taken to one of the six regional training centers for more advanced work, during which they learn up to 40 assistance commands. Once matched with their recipients, the dogs work for about eight years, after which they can retire and spend their golden years as pets.

Even after they place a dog in a home, Canine Companions for Independence follows up with every team for the lifetime of the placement. This includes in-person visits, reunions, workshops, and phone or email support — even a 24/7 help line for emergencies. Recipients are personally and financially responsible for meeting the dog’s day-to-day needs, including food, veterinary care, exercise and grooming.

Program expands to include veterans with PTSD

To assist the number of military personnel returning from service with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Canine Companions for Independence launched a pilot program to place service dogs with veterans with PTSD in 2015. In this facet of the program, dogs are trained to perform tasks that include nightmare interruption, turning on lights, retrieving items and supporting their handler in crowded public situations that might provoke anxiety.

The campus in Irving is the third Canine Companions location in the United States to grow its programming to serve veterans with PTSD. To date, the organization has placed more than 300 service dogs with veterans nationwide, and Alli LaCombe is one of them. While LaCombe’s service dog was matched to help with her physical disabilities, the expanded PTSD program will offer specific training to support veterans diagnosed with PTSD.

Since their graduation from the program, LaCombe and Erik have been inseparable companions, and LaCombe now lives a robust and fulfilling life. She works full-time for the State of Texas.

In addition to being her constant companion in all these activities, Erik potentially saved LaCombe’s life during a near-tragic incident in July 2019. Because severe spinal cord injuries interfere with the body’s normal responses to heat and cold, LaCombe suffered a heat stroke and lost consciousness. Erik began barking to summon help, and when colleagues and emergency medical personnel found her, she was unresponsive and her temperature had soared to 104° F.

LaCombe survived (though full recovery took more than a month), but the outcome could have been very different had Erik not been there to call for help. Looking back on that incident and the life she and Erik have shared over the past three years, LaCombe says simply: “He has awed me to tears.”

If you or a family member think you may qualify for canine assistance, you can apply at Canine Companions for Independence’s website. There you’ll also find information about making donations or volunteering to raise puppies for the program.

Applicants for the program must be United States Armed Forces veterans with a PTSD diagnosis and live anywhere within the state of Texas, or other select regions throughout the country. The process to receive a Canine Companions assistance dog involves multiple steps. Veterans are invited to review the application information and contact Canine Companions for Independence if they are interested in applying.

Working dog

He wasn’t hired only for his fabulous hair, or even for his ability to stay cool under pressure.

Rocket was handpicked to be the first-ever facility dog at M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital because of his advanced, specialized training from Canine Assistants, a Georgia-based service dog organization.

Since the two-year-old golden retriever joined the hospital staff in November, Rocket and his handler, certified child-life specialist Anna Dressel, have spent 40 hours a week working with children at the hospital.

They’ve encouraged children to get up and walk after surgery, helped kids learn to take their medicine, and simply been there for a good cuddle on hard days. Because of his rigorous training, Rocket also may stay in patients’ rooms during medical procedures to provide comfort during those particularly stressful moments.

It’s all part of the hospital’s new NutriSource Facility Dog Program, launched by a $250,000 gift from KLN Family Brands and supported by many Rocket fans.

If you cats get coronavirus, experts say it is nothing to worry about

A newly-hatched study out of China, so raw that it’s not yet been peer-reviewed, has some disturbing news for cat lovers.

Our furry feline friends appear to be susceptible to catching Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. Even worse, the cats in the study were able to infect each other, although they showed no signs of illness.

Ferrets were also able to “catch” the virus, although it didn’t appear to harm them. Dogs, on the other hand, were not susceptible, according to the study. The virus showed up in the feces of five dogs, but no infectious virus was found. Pigs, chickens and ducks were also not very hospitable places for the virus.

“Yes, people should embrace their pets. These researchers squirted the virus down the cats nose in high concentration, which is pretty artificial,” said Dr. John Williams, chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

No realistic exposure

The lab experiment used a scenario that is completely unrealistic, experts say. First, researchers forced extremely high doses of virus up the nostrils of five 8-month-old domesticated cats.

Cats in our homes or even in the wild would never be exposed to that level of virus.

“That’s a whole lot more than an average human would get,” said infectious disease expert Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventative medicine and infectious disease at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville.

Two of the five cats were euthanized six days later. Researchers found virus particles in their upper respiratory systems.

The remaining three infected cats were put into a cage adjacent to three non-infected cats. One of those three cats later tested positive for the virus, while the other two did not. Still, the researchers felt that showed the virus could be transmitted via respiratory drops.

Or did it? None of the infected cats exhibited signs of illness. And even if they did pass the virus to each other, that doesn’t mean they would be able to pass it on to humans.

That’s what happened nearly two decades ago with a sister coronavirus called SARS-CoV, which causes the deadly pneumonia-like respiratory disease called SARS.

Ferrets affected too

The study found ferrets were also “efficient” replicators of the virus — meaning that the virus can easily grow and reproduce in their long, slinky bodies.

“SARS-CoV-2 can replicate in the upper respiratory tract of ferrets for up to eight days, without causing severe disease or death,” the study said. The study did not look at a longer time frame.

That’s good news for researchers looking for a way to test any future vaccines for SARS-CoV-2, also called the novel coronavirus.

“It’s necessary to have an animal model to do initial tests of vaccines and understand how viruses cause disease. So, this will be useful to the field,” Williams said.

“Ferrets are classical animals in which to study influenza — it’s been done for decades,” Schaffner said. “If scientists were looking for an animal model, they would reach for the ferrets first.”

What this means

Will your cat or ferret come down with coronavirus? Highly unlikely, experts say, pointing to the fact that we would certainly have heard of many cases in pets by now, considering the significant spread of the virus in the US and Europe.

Hong Kong has been quarantining animals belonging to people diagnosed with Covid-19 and have found only two cases of positive results in dogs. The dogs showed no signs of illness during the quarantine.

Rare as it may be, it appears one cat in Belgium may have gotten the virus in March from her owner, who was ill with Covid-19 after returning from a visit to Italy. But even though the cat had respiratory problems and high levels of the virus in vomit and feces, researchers aren’t yet sure if the cat was sick from Covid-19 or another illness.

The AVMA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend taking normal precautions when cleaning litter boxes and feeding animals.

“Out of an abundance of caution,” the AVMA suggests anyone ill with COVID-19 symptoms limit contact at this time, “until more information is known about the virus.”

“Have another member of your household take care of walking, feeding, and playing with your pet,” the AVMA states. “If you have a service animal or you must care for your pet, then wear a facemask; don’t share food, kiss, or hug them; and wash your hands before and after any contact with them.”

18,000 pounds of dog food donated to shelter & food bank

Service Dogs Inc. had scheduled its annual fundraiser The Mighty Texas Dog Walk to support the training of service dogs for March 28.

It had to postpone it, picking a new date of Oct. 31.

Purina already had shipped 18,000 pounds of dog food to the Austin American-Statesman, where the dog walk was supposed to take place. The dog food was designated to be given out to the walkers.

″ They told us to keep it and that they’ll bring more when we have the dog walk in October,” says Service Dogs Inc. Founder and President Sheri Soltes.

On Wednesday, Service Dogs Inc. loaded up the dog food and donated it to the Austin Pet Food Bank and the Austin Humane Society.

“They’ll make sure it goes to feed pet dogs and shelter dogs in need,” Soltes says.

The Austin Pet Food Bank collects food at Taurus Academy and Petco locations and the distributes dog food to local nonprofit organizations that serve humans, like Meals on Wheels Central Texas and LifeWorks, who might have pets.