Pet Services

If you are a pet owner, you may or not know the devastating process of saying goodbye to a beloved pet. It is a stressful process for all involved. The family, the vet, and especially the animal. And while it may be an awful experience, it should be done in the most peaceful and private manner.

Sherrill native and veterinarian Dr. Abby Regner is now offering a unique service to pet parents during one of the most difficult times of pet ownership.

She has opened Parting Paws to offer in-home, personalized euthanasia service for families saying goodbye to their beloved pets. She will come to the home, as prearranged, and help families say goodbye in the place and privacy of their choosing. Cremation services are also available if desired.

“There was no rush, no noise, no pressure, no hospital.  It was in this moment that I knew every pet-parent deserves this parting.  My wish is to make one of the most difficult moments in life just a little bit more comfortable for you and your pet.

“My promise is to allow everyone a chance to be in their own space, with their own privacy, to part with their beloved pet in their own way.  I will do my very best to make this process as stress-free as possible.”

Regner, founder of ‘Parting Paws’ grew up in the local town of Verona. She attended vet school at the University of Cornell and has been practicing for eight years. When her dog became ill and it was time to say goodbye, she was nervous.

“I was honestly afraid,” Regner said. “The thought of bringing my dog to the animal hospital, then saying goodbye to him, was not the feeling I wanted in that moment. It’s already a hard enough decision.

“Then I have to put him in the car and bring him to the hospital. It is cold. So then I made the decision to do it at home. I’ll do this at home for him. We went out in the backyard and my family was there. And afterwards, I was thinking, wow that was so much better than it could have been.

“And then I thought there was no way I’m the only pet owner that doesn’t want to bring their pet to the hospital one last time. So then I got the ball rolling to make this available for every pet owner.”

When it is time to put your pet down, it is more beneficial to have the process done in the place of the owner’s choice. Relieving as much stress as possible is what is best for not only the family, but the animal as well.

And with Parting Paws, every pet owner will have that sense of comfort. While it is never easy to say goodbye, Parting Paws will do its best to make that moment a little easier to bare.

Parting Paws was created in January of this year. In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, Regner is still offering her service, but will be taking each case into consideration based on the severity of the animal’s condition.

Regner added that she will not be entering the home or responding to homes where anyone is sick with any symptoms, quarantine, or has been exposed to anyone with the coronavirus.

“Emergency veterinary services are an essential business so I will do my very best, but I am taking many measures to protect myself,” Regner said.

Rescue Dog Becomes Service Dog

A local organization called “Medical Mutts” rescues animals with potential and trains them to become service dogs for people with medical conditions like diabetes.

That includes Sly, the German Shepherd.

Sly was rescued after being left in the cold, starving, and frostbit with another dog who passed away in those conditions.

Jennifer Cattet, the executive director of Medical Mutts, found Sly at Indianapolis Animal Care and Control and tested him.

“He was still very resilient. And super loving and playful and still loves people even after what humans did to him,” Clint Adams, a service dog trainer, said.

“Despite all of that, he’s just a really really good, sweet boy, really friendly, loves to learn, great in training, and we are so happy today that we are finally going to be able to place him as a service dog,” Cattet said of Sly.

Sly has become a service dog with a young woman named Paige, who suffers from a medical condition. She drove from Maine to Indiana this week to work with Medical Mutts before taking him home.

Therapy Dogs Featured In Magazine

The Albany Police Department received a special honor for its therapy dog program. It will be featured in a police chief magazine.

The article on the revolutionary program was submitted by the police department in February. They just received word it will be featured in the April edition of the International Association of Chiefs of Police Magazine.

The magazine will be sent to police chiefs around the world. The article details how Maxie and Finn are now integral parts of the police department.

“The dogs are still serving as a way for us to build some bridges as well,” Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins said. “When people in the community right now with all the stress and anxiety they are having, they see these dogs out and about — even though we still have to practice social distancing — they still want to come up and safely, you know, pet the dog.”

The program was launched last year, and both Maxie and Finn became certified therapy dogs in August 2019.

Artist Draws Portraits Of Dog

British artist Becky Flack draws unusual portraits of his Chihuahua named Tita. The dog appears to them in different ways – the pilot, a nurse, adventuress, royals, writes Metro.

Titus appeared at Becky four years ago from a couple who bred this breed. At the time she was two years and 9 months and she has already brought two litters of puppies.

This cute animal was the dog for emotional support, which helps the artist to cope with depression and anxiety, from which Flack suffered for over 25 years.

As says the owner, Titus is always happy to see her. When the artist was petting his dog, it feels safer. Chihuahua made her a target, because now next to Becky is a living creature, she should care and who is responsible.

Emotional Support Dog Lily

Our dog, Lily, is definitely an emotional-support animal, even if she doesn’t have a diploma. Fortunately, I also have an emotional-support husband. My kids, not so much. But isn’t that why you have a dog? (And a husband?)

Like all people who have adopted a dog in its later years, you almost wish it could talk for five minutes and answer some of your most pressing questions about its behavior. But then when you think about it more, you realize it’s probably best you don’t know how this dog came to be abandoned at the pound with a mouthful of rotten teeth and an abiding fear of male persons.

Lily was 7 when she came to us as a “one week” emergency foster dog who had been rescued from the pound by a local agency. It took her exactly three days to work her way into our hearts, even though we had agreed that we would never (ever ever) have another dog after our devastation at losing our English bulldog Winston. I think the foster agency saw us for the mushballs that we were. They have great instincts that way.

Some $1,500 worth of dental work later, we bought Lily a basket of toys suitable for a 15-pound dog with three remaining teeth. But we couldn’t get her interested in any of the them. It’s like she didn’t know what they were and what she was supposed to do with them. She always just sniffed them and walked away.

Finally, I found her some small round rubber squeaky balls that did pique her interest, but not as toys. She would gather them up protectively in a group close to her chest, her paws around them, and lick them affectionately as if they were her pups. She hadn’t been spayed when we got her, and we began to wonder if this adorable bichon-poodle mix had been a breeder.

From time to time visitors to the house, not realizing that these squeaky balls were offspring and not playthings, would pick one up and throw it for her. Lily would be enraged, chasing after it but immediately returning it to the rest of her litter and glowering at the guest.

“You just threw her child,” we’d explain to them. “She’s very sensitive about it.” They were always hugely apologetic.

But over time, we would notice that Lily would place one of her squeaky “pups,” as we called them, right in the middle of a doorway, where we would invariably step on it. Seriously, it scared the bejesus out of us every time. She’d then come racing over and claim it.

But the next thing we knew, another one would be in another doorway ready to be squashed. She’d obviously had some very ambivalent experiences with mothering. I can remember a few like that myself.

But after we’d had her for two years, it was almost as if she’d lost any maternal memories whatsoever. This was a relief for us, as no one wants to step on anyone else’s kid. Never mind that our aging hearts just weren’t up to sudden stoppages.

She began dropping a pup in front of us and seemingly wanting us to throw it for her so she could retrieve it and bring it back. It was like some other dog on the bike path had clued her in on how it was supposed to be done. The game was called “fetch” and was built into the code of dogs.

Now, I have read that dogs don’t see color, but I can attest that this is not so. Lily has a full set of six squeaky pups in different colors, but her favorite child is definitely the green one. In fact, one could almost call doggie social services for the lack of attention the five other pups get these days. They’re strewn around the house, ignored. At this point, Lily refuses to come to bed at night until Green Squeaky Pup has been located and is prominently placed on her blanket on our bed.

If it is not immediately locatable, she runs around the house looking on top of — or under — sofas and beds in a frantic search to find it. Fortunately, I have one of those grabber gizmos so I can fish it out from otherwise inaccessible places, because Lily is willing to whine — and be on the alert — for hours if Green Squeaky Pup is marooned where she can’t reach it.

Attachment is attachment.

We’ve accepted that even though Lily is our emotional-support animal, we are second to Green Squeaky Pup in her feelings. Fortunately, Muttropolis keeps them in stock, as the balls eventually lose their squeak and need to be replaced by Son of Green Squeaky Pup.

Would that my children’s favorite blankets and stuffed animals had been so replaceable.

Dogs Go Through Teenage Phase

Service Dogs Dolly And Aura

Dogs. As far as I am concerned they are all heroes.  But the American Humane Hero Dog Awards “is an annual, nationwide competition that searches out and recognizes America’s Hero Dogs – often ordinary dogs who do extraordinary things, whether it’s saving lives on the battlefield, lending sight or hearing to a human companion, or simply providing the tail-wagging welcome a pet owner relishes at the end of a hard day.”

These dogs work as military dogs or in in law enforcement, as service, guide/hearing dogs or therapy dogs, and shelter dogs. The winners in each of the seven CATegories (see what I did there hehehe) will be honored at the American Humane Hero Dog Awards this October on the Hallmark Channel.

The voting will in this round is underway and will be going until July 16. You can vote in each of the seven categories will go on to the next round.

As for our Maine dogs…first up is Dolly Pawton as a service dog. According to her profile she is a cardiac alter dog and lets her owner know if there is a dangerous change.  Dolly also has just added to the over quality of life in many different ways for her human.  Dolly is from Naples.

Next up… Aura is a hearing service dog. According to her profile her human lost their hearing in a rocket attack in Afghanistan.  Aura has helped her human in way beyond with ‘simply’ being her ears, she adds to her owner’s life in every way.  Aura is a Brunswick dog.

All the dogs are wonderful and you know what…they are all winner already in my book.

Hero Dog Award

Dolly, a service dog from Naples, acts as a cardiac alert for her owner Amy Sherwood.

Dolly, a service dog from Naples, has made the semi-finals for Hallmark Channel’s Hero Dog Award.

Dolly works as a cardiac alert for her owner Amy Sherwood, who is restricted to a wheelchair because of multiple illnesses. The black lab alerts Amy if her blood pressure drops too low or her heart rate rises to an unsafe level.

Dolly is trained to press a certain button that calls 911 if Sherwood were to pass out at home. If they are out in public, she knows how to go alert someone for help. Dolly has had to use her skills multiple times.

While this is Dolly’s most important job, the 4-year-old black lab has other talents. She opens doors, pulls packages into the house, helps to do the laundry, pulls Amy’s wheelchair, will pay for items in stores, and even works as crowd control in case people are getting to close and make her owner uncomfortable.

According to Amy, “Dolly is my friend, my partner, and my medical equipment with a loving beating heart. She has changed my life completely. I don’t know what I would do without her.”

Sherwood says she was quite insecure and afraid to be “a functioning part of society.” Dolly inspired her to write two children’s books, Pawsibly the Best Medicine and Emotional Support is Ruff.

Amy trained Dolly herself by taking her to casinos and arcades to teach her how to press buttons and took her out in many public places to acclimate her to crowds and distractions. But it’s not all work and no play for Dolly, the black lab spends her time off the leash dock diving. She has competed twice in the DockDogs World Championships. While dock diving is a favorite pastime, Dolly loves any activity involving water.

Finding Pets Homes

How Sparky Rescued His Owner

Mike Baron stumbled upon Sparky, a 6-month-old border collie, at a yard sale. Only problem was, he wasn’t in the market for a dog. But, he quickly fell in love with the sweet and energetic pooch — and seven years later, Baron couldn’t imagine his life without his furry best friend.

“He’s the best dog. I love having him around and we do everything together,” he says.

While many dogs don’t have a business card, Sparky does. Baron originally got the card for kids that enjoy playing with Sparky, so they could keep a picture of him. He loves playing ball and he’ll roll it down a hill to any passerby in hopes they’ll throw it back. His favorite spot to do that is Artivity on the Green. He’s even claimed a hill there, according to Baron.

“Sparky will run right to that hill every time we go to this park,” he says.

Some of Sparky’s other favorite places in Winston-Salem include Mast General Store and Tate’s Craft Cocktails.

“The staff and customers at Mast General Store love Sparky. He’s such a friendly dog, and always well behaved,” Baron says. “At Tate’s, he loves sitting up on the bench and greeting customers.”

Sparky has also always been by Baron’s side during his cancer treatments and checkups. Since he’s a service dog, he even accompanies Baron to the Forsyth Cancer Center. He sits at the edge of the bench and provides a little bit of cheer to all the patients on their way in and out.

“Sparky has been such a blessing and boost to me through all the hard times,” he says.

While at home, Sparky has some unique favorite pastimes. His first is watching “Heartland” with Baron. For those not familiar with the Canadian drama, it’s filmed on a horse ranch.

“He loves watching each episode from start to finish,” Baron says. “Any time an animal shows on the TV, he runs over to his basket of stuffed animals, picks out the right one, picks it up in his mouth, and paces back and forth with it.”

The second activity is chasing a laser light up and down the hill outside their house. While most people think this is something only cats love, Sparky proves otherwise.

“I’ll stand at the bottom of the hill when it gets dark out and he’ll all out run after the laser light,” Baron says. “I only allow him to play about 10 minutes or he’ll overheat himself.”

If Sparky could talk, Baron thinks he’d ask people to throw him the ball. Otherwise, he seems like he’s pretty happy. So who saved who?

“I’m so blessed to have Sparky in my life,” Baron says. “He’s not only just a great dog, but a great friend.”

Service Dogs During Pandemic

Three Grand Rapids nonprofit organizations are collaborating to train assistance dogs during the coronavirus pandemic.

Paws With A Cause, YWCA of West Central Michigan and Community Food Club have teamed up to provide necessary training for assistance dogs who cater to people with disabilities. The arrangement has allowed for the dog training during the current stay-at-home order in Michigan.

Due to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-at-home order, PAWS trainers have not been able to train assistance dogs in public places since March 13.

In order to restart the dogs’ training, the YWCA is sharing space in its Sheldon building, at 25 Sheldon Blvd. SE, where dogs learn practical skills to assist Paws With A Cause clients.

“We are pleased to partner with Paws With A Cause, who shares our commitment to accessibility for all,” YWCA CEO Charisse Mitchell said in the press release. “Service animals can be a wonderful resource for individuals with disabilities, including clients we work with at the YWCA.” PAWS assistance dogs help those with mental and physical disabilities complete daily tasks and increase their independence.

AWS trainers use facilities at YWCA to teach assistance dogs to open doors and pick up dropped items, as well as navigate stairs, elevators and ramps.

Access to diverse training environments has been key to the assistance dogs’ training, said Barb Kozminski, senior staff trainer.

“Having different environments to work in is really important,” said Kozminski, trainer of 29 years. “This allows (the assistance dogs) to be exposed to different distractions, too.” As YWCA staff work in the area, the dogs can practice their skills with other people nearby to simulate a likely scenario for their clients.

Each PAWS trainer typically works with five to seven dogs daily. The dogs may be at different stages in their training, Kozminski said.

There are approximately 50 assistance dogs currently being trained. Some have already been matched to clients and are well on their way to their future home.

Meghan Sweers, a PAWS staff trainer for the past year, finds the diverse learning environments especially helpful for dogs in training.

“Getting the dogs out helps the trainers decide which career path to put them on and get more information about how they can serve clients,” Sweers said.

Community Food Club,  a nonprofit member-based grocery store, exposes the assistance dogs to a grocery story setting. The nonprofit also provides an opportunity for PAWS trainers to teach the dogs to avoid food temptations. “We really believe in the mission at PAWS,” said AJ Fossel, executive director of Community Food Club. “It’s brought a lot of joy for my team during a tough time. We love the work they are doing and hope more of our members can benefit from their services in the future.”

The assistance dogs will only access parts of the YWCA and Community Food Club buildings currently closed to the public. COVID-19 safety guidelines, such as wearing masks and social distancing, are in place.

Services currently offered by the local nonprofits will not be negatively affected during this collaboration, officials said.

Pups Enjoy Lounging

If you’re a regular at any local brewery, you might have noticed that dogs and breweries seem to go hand in hand — sort of like hops and yeast.

And downtown Winston-Salem’s Fiddlin’ Fish Brewing Company is no exception.

“Dogs and Fiddlin’ Fish Brewing Company are a perfect match because of the laid back taproom environment we have cultivated,” says David Ashe, one of the owners. “We want customers to feel as comfortable in our taproom as they do in their own living room, so why not bring your best friend along with you?”

Blonde lookalikes Harper and Banks are certainly at home in the taproom. They love to go to the brewery with their dad, co-owner Stuart Barnhart, who says he could never go without them in tow.

“They are part of our brewery family,” he says.

Harper, a labradoodle, and Banks, a goldendoodle, are as recognizable there as any of the human staff. Harper’s job is to look for any food that may have fallen to the floor. At 105 pounds, she’s also known as “Big Momma” and has the personality to match her size. She loves to play and retrieve things.

“When she isn’t looking for food or chasing something, you can find her sleeping,” Barnhart says.

Her favorite napping spot is under his desk.

Banks, on the other hand, is more laid back. He prefers to nap outside in the sun, while waiting for passersby to pet him.

“He is more of a sweetheart and very affectionate,” Barnhart says. “To sum it up, Harper likes food and Banks likes pets.”

When he’s not at Fiddlin’ Fish, Banks has a side gig as a certified therapy dog. He visits local hospitals with his dog mom and brewery co-owner, Lindsay Barnhart.

While the two pups are not biologically related, it’s hard to tell them apart. The Barnharts got Harper in college 10 years ago and then added Banks to the family two years later to be her companion. They’ve been inseparable since, Stuart Barnhart says.

“They are always together, both at home and at the brewery,” he says. “They hate being apart.”

Other breweries in the city that welcome dogs include Joymongers Barrel Hall, Wise Man Brewing, Hoots Beer Co., and Incendiary Brewing Company.

Top Dog

Missy, a 4-year-old Shetland Sheepdog,is owned, trained and shown exclusively by Wallingford resident, Linda Houle, who has groomed, trained and showed Shelties for 45 years. Missy is her 10th. Her dogs have traeled around the US. and Canada, provided pet therapy at nursing homes, won many photo contests, and have been featured in a TV commercial and newspapers and magazines. One was filmed in a pet therapy video. And her dogs have earned AKC and CKC titles. Missy began her training “on day one” with Houle, and is the fourth Shetland in the U.S. to earn the RACH title, and the RACH 2 title six months later. The titles indicate the dog has achieved a minimum of 300 championship points from the Advanced B, Excellent B and Master classes, with a minimum of 150 points from the Master class; and 20 triple qualifying scores obtained from the Advanced B, Excellent B and Master classes. Missy has earned the most prestigious achievements of being the number one Top Dog in the U.S., the number one Top Shetland Sheepdog in the U.S., and the number one Top Herding Dog in the U.S.

Abandoned Dog Gets Trained

The Hokkien Therapy Dog describes the story of an abandoned dog, Button, who was adopted and subsequently trained as a therapy pet who understands fluent Hokkien. Button spent her days visiting Hokkien hospice patients and bringing joy to them, before passing away in 2018.

The author, Fiona Foo, founded Hope Dog Rescue in July 2011, and had a terrible fear of dogs while growing up. Her first dog, Popsicle, helped her overcome that fear, and she now spends her time saving stray and abandoned dogs, fostering them and working to find forever homes for them.

Button’s journey with Hokkien started soon after she joined the family in 2016.

In her first few months at home, Button had no language. She behaved as if she were deaf. It was apparent that no one had ever talked to her.

When we spoke to her, she stared blankly at us and seemed to have no inkling of what was expected of her. Her saving grace was that she wagged her tail every time we called her. It was akin to me smiling at work whenever my boss called me, regardless of whether I knew what to do!

I tried speaking to her in English and Mandarin, to check if she perhaps understood. Still, she stared dumbly at me. That was when I decided I would speak Hokkien to her.

I thought that since she didn’t understand any language, we might as well start with a brand new one! Although I did not grow up speaking Hokkien, I was pretty familiar with it.

My mom is Hokkien, though we spoke English at home. My grandma used to speak to me in the dialect while I was growing up. I was also surrounded by it—at hawker centres, coffee shops etc.

Hokkien is rather widely used, so it became the chosen language for Button.

After a few weeks, I also saw how calm and laid back she was, and thought maybe there was a chance that she could be an animal-assisted therapy dog.

I had long been fascinated with service dogs and having an animal-assisted therapy dog would be a dream come true. I could nurture her, if she was willing to grow.

And so that’s when I made a concerted effort to speak to Button entirely in Hokkien. I thought that because most senior folks spoke or understood Hokkien, Button would get along with them if she were to work in an old folks’ home or a hospice.

Youngsters these days seem to have lost their cultural roots and can’t speak a dialect even if their lives depended on it, so I thought it would be cool if my dog’s Hokkien was better than yours.

And so my mom and I spoke to her in full Hokkien during and outside of her basic obedience classes, and she picked it up with ease.

Within months, her Hokkien was impressive and my friends were coming over “to learn Hokkien from a dog”.

When we went out, more often than not, people would come up to us, coo at Button’s eyelashes and attempt to tell her to “sit”.

When I said that she only understood Hokkien, they stared at me as though I were pulling their leg.

They’d continue to say “sit” and Button continued to just stare at them. Finally they would give up and ask me, “How do you say ‘sit’ in Hokkien?”

As soon as I answer, “Zay”, Button sat promptly, looking cute and pleased with herself.

Sometimes I encouraged the unbelieving strangers to go ahead and give a command in Hokkien. Then they too would ask her to zay or lai. When they said zay, Button immediately sat and their reaction was either amazement or amusement.

Button politely remained seated till I asked her to kee lai (get up). I would also tell them to say hwa chiu (hold hands), the Hokkien version of another common command for dog owners, “paw”, and when she offered her paw, they were shocked! It was a good ice-breaker.

When I was in school eons ago, I spent my days daydreaming and staring out the window until one fine day, a piece of chalk flew at me from the front, jolting me back to reality.

During my time, it was perfectly fine for the teachers to throw things at children. If a teacher did that now, she’d have a lot to answer for!

During Button’s basic obedience class, she was exactly like how I used to be in school and it made me wonder if she knew I was lazy at heart.

Her class was conducted at Bishan Park and she spent every lesson either staring at other dogs strolling with their owners, or watching kids scoot past us. Sometimes she just stared blankly at a faraway grass patch.

Basically she looked at everything except where she was supposed to and she did everything that she wasn’t supposed to.

Tell her to kiah (walk) and she would zay. Tell her to tway and she also zay. We were getting worried that she was not going to pass the test at the end and fail the class miserably.

The trainer was very understanding. She understood that some dogs weren’t comfortable in public or just shy by nature, so she told us to film Button doing all her basic commands at our void deck and show her the videos later to prove that Button could do it.

So every night we trained, we filmed, we laughed and we pleaded with Button to cooperate. Button made us look like fools. Fortunately, being the kind, compassionate dog that she was, after twenty attempts, she would give us face and do it correctly once.

Having a dog that understood Hokkien was an amazing achievement in my life.

I know of elderly dog owners who speak Hokkien or Cantonese to their dogs and their dogs could comprehend what they say. But I felt Button was one level up; she could understand fluent Hokkien in full sentences and I could converse with her, exactly as if I were talking to my mom.

Like I would say, “Jip pang keng koon”, and she would go straight into the room to sleep, or “Button, jip tian twee”, and she would enter the lift.

There were days when my friends visited and heard me grumbling in Hokkien in the kitchen and they thought I was talking to my mom. Upon entering the kitchen, they never failed to be amused to see Button just sitting placidly and listening to my nagging.

Button was my pride and joy; not only did she understand fluent Hokkien but she was also a rescued dog, proving to everyone that you do not need to buy a dog to have it well trained.

She wasn’t young either, driving home the point that it is possible to teach a not-so-young dog new tricks.

But most of all, she was Singapore’s first Hokkien gao (dog) to be certified in Hokkien in basic obedience and the first to be assessed in Hokkien for her temperament to be an animal-assisted therapy dog.

Companionship During Pandemic

Pets have the unwavering ability to show loyalty and unconditional love to their people; a paw resting on your arm, a nuzzle against your neck, and the deep, soulful gaze they offer. Anyone with a pet, any type of pet, can probably tell you endless stories about how their animal cheers them up and makes them feel less alone in the world. And these days, that’s saying a lot.

In this era of self-quarantine, our pets have become invaluable companions, especially to people living alone.

Philip Tedeschi, a social worker and executive director at the Institute for Human-Animal Connection at the University of Denver, considers the human-animal bond “some of the most reliable relationships we have, and in this time while we’re required to be distant from one another, (pets are) playing a particularly relevant role in helping us manage isolation and loneliness.”

It’s not surprising that animals offer this comfort. Therapy pets and emotional support pets have been part of our culture for years now. They help us navigate through mental health issues, grief and depression. Researchers have proven that people with pets laugh more, usually in response to the animal’s antics. Stress relievers? Yes, pets earn that title as well. One study of cardiovascular reactivity to stress showed that people with pets had significantly lower resting baseline heart rates and blood pressure.

Even watching our pets sleep is good for us. Seeing another living being that’s able to relax enables us to relax a bit, too. It literally changes our physiology and our emotions. Another bonus is that petting our animals helps fulfill the basic human need for touch. When we’re stressed or saddened, hugging our pets can soothe us instantly.

In the early days of the pandemic, many news stories suggested that people who found themselves at home fulltime should contact their local animal shelter and offer to foster an animal. In no time Dakin’s phones were ringing, our social media sites had lots of messages, and emails were pouring in. So many great people offered to help. We were very grateful for our community’s commitment to the animals, and their desire to experience the joy of pet companionship while remaining at home, but at that time we had more foster caregivers than animals.

COVID-19 hasn’t stopped people from adopting, either. Since March 16 we have only been able to accept pets through emergency surrenders (examples being people who are sick, homeless, or financially challenged and can’t care for their pet). As we continue to focus on emergency surrenders, our animal population is lower than normal, but more than 275 animals have found new homes to brighten during this time period.

For people who have been facing economic hardships and are struggling to feed their pets, Dakin’s Pet Food Aid Program has been there to keep families together while that human-animal bond grows increasingly importantduring these days of isolation. From mid-April to mid-May, we shared over 30,000 pounds of pet food with human health service organizations, other animal shelters, Animal Control Officers, and the general public. Prior to that, at the start of the pandemic, we were averaging 1,000-2,000 pounds of food being picked up daily by people who needed help feeding their pets. Thanks to all of you who show your love of animals by supporting this community program.

Dakin doesn’t exist just to take in surrendered pets, welcome Dixie Dogs (and cats) from southern shelters, or save at-risk kittens. We exist so that people can experience and keep that amazing human-animal bond. Helping animals and people is a value deeply rooted in our mission and is the reason why many of Dakin’s programs and services exist. We envision a world where services that support the human-animal bond are accessible to all, and companion animals are no longer vulnerable.Lee Chambers is media and public relations manager of the Dakin Humane Society. Dakin delivers effective, innovative services to animals in need and the people who care about them.

Fury Hero

Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear nothing but fur!

Humans aren’t the only ones who make up the London Police Services. Police service dogs help in a big way as a part of the London Police Service’s Canine Unit.

Just ask Kylo, who was recently featured on the London Police K9’s Twitter page.

Sure, Kylo can’t speak, but if he could he would tell you that he tracked down and found a person in distress with self-inflicted wounds early Friday morning.

Although officers provided life saving measures before transporting the individual to hospital for life saving treatment, it was Kylo who located the person.

According to the LPS, their police dogs, mainly from Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic, begin their training between 15 and 18 months of age.

Training involves 16 weeks of tracking, open/building/evidence search, protecting handlers, agility, and of course, obedience.

Some police dogs are trained specifically for finding firearms, drugs, and or/explosives.

Good boy, Kylo!

Raising Money For Service Dog

Carly Neis has cerebral palsy. She also has a service dog named Oakley, who allows her to live and work on her own.

“Without Oakley and this extra set of paws, I don’t think I’d be nearly as independent,” she said.

Oakley helps Neis by picking thing up or getting dressed.

“She helps me with tasks like taking off socks and pants and helping with pulling laundry out of the laundry machine as well as pressing automatic doors and just anything my body and muscles don’t let me do.”

But after years of service, Oakley is starting to show her age.

“I’m just seeing her slow down and start to tell me that she’s ready to start relaxing.”

“I put lots and lots of miles on this girl and it’s just about giving her the best working life.”

Neis needs a new service dog, but the price tag for a trained service dog is $30,000.

“You can either go private and fundraise yourself for a dog or you can be on a wait list for you know, years and years and years for a dog.”

“They don’t come cheap, and they shouldn’t, because the amount of hours and the amount of effort that are put into raising these dogs is unbelievable.”

She has been fundraising to meet the goal, but the pandemic has acted as a roadblock to her efforts.

“COVID has kind of taken all of my summer fundraisers that I had planned and that I had figured out for in person and turned them upside down just like it has anything else in the last couple of months,” she said.