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All animals are a treasure. We must treat them as we would rare jewels.

—M. Scott Kosins

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TALKING TO ANIMALS Monthly Newsletter

"By loving and understanding animals, perhaps we humans shall come to understand each other."
Dr. Louis J. Camuti

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November 2005

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Published monthly for subscribers to Talking To Animals Newsletter
By Charlene Boyd
http://www.talk-to-animals.com

YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO FORWARD THIS NEWSLETTER TO FRIENDS

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In this edition:

1. Welcome!
2. Inspirational quotations about animals
3. Featured Article: "Little Dog Lost"
4. A story from my files - Pets Say The Darndest Things!
5. Safety Tips - 10 things you can do RIGHT NOW to keep your pet safe during the holidays.
6. Pet Resources - Books, Websites and Products I Recommend
7. Last Newsletter's Contest Winner
8. The Tail End

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1. WELCOME

Welcome to the November edition of "Talking To Animals". This month we will be focusing on the subject of Pet Safety, something near and dear to my heart. I cannot tell you the number of times I am called in on an emergency basis to help find a beloved pet that went missing because some basic point of safety was overlooked. Usually the owner will say "I know I should have done ___, but I never thought it would happen..." Please don't let something like this happen to you or your pet. I've included my list of 10 Safety Tips for the Holidays.

The story "Little Dog Lost" is my own personal story, and it has a powerful ending which affected me profoundly for the rest of my life. I hope you enjoy reading it.

A story from my files is new. I was reminded some of the clever and amusing communications pets can come up with during a consultation with a client last week and decided to take one of those stories to share with you in this issue.

Charlene

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2. INSPIRATIONAL QUOTATIONS ABOUT ANIMALS

"The average dog is a nicer person than the average person."
~ Andrew A. Rooney

"A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song."
~ Chinese Proverb

"Dogs come when they're called; cats take a message and get back to you later."
~ Mary Bly

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3. FEATURED ARTICLE: "LITTLE DOG LOST"

by Charlene Boyd

I wanted to share with you my own personal story regarding a lost pet. Fortunately this story had a happy ending, but not all lost pets stories have a have such endings....

Some years ago, we lived in a small beach town in Orange County, California. There were many families with young children and there were lots of pets. Back then there was no leash law and it was not uncommon to see dogs running loose; although we kept our dog at home in a yard. It was an unspoken agreement that everyone would keep an eye out for the dogs and children who were outside playing. Things were peaceful and idyllic, a happy time for all.

Our family had a small mixed breed terrier named Punkin. We got Punkin as an 8 week-old puppy from the local animal shelter. We had young children and she was a perfect dog for us as she was easy going in temperament and loved everyone who came to visit or play at our home.

Being a young mother with two young children, I always had a lot to do and I was not always aware of where Punkin was all of the time (as I should have been). She was always there so we never thought about keeping a collar and tag on her.

One in the late afternoon in mid November, I noticed the house was unusually quiet and still. I looked around and realized Punkin was not there! I realized I had not seen her since early morning when my children left for school. I rushed out to the front yard and what I saw made my heart turned over. The front gate was wide open and Punkin was nowhere in sight.

I frantically patrolled the neighborhood, calling her name, asking people if they had seen her. Everyone knew who Punkin was and where she lived, but the neighbors just shook their heads, saying no, they had not seen her but they call us if they did. Next I went to our small post office, the local center for any and all news in our close-knit community. No one had reported a found dog that day.

It was a very quiet and sad night for our family. Dinner that night was untouched. We sat at the table, our ears straining to hear a bark at the door or the phone ring with news about Punkin being found. We went to bed with heavy hearts. Punkin was still missing. Early the next morning after the children were on the bus, I began again, on foot, looking for Punkin. As I walked I remembered there was a lady in our town who was known as the "dog lady" because of her love for dogs. I did not know her personally, but for some inexplicable reason I knew I had to tell her about Punkin being lost. I tracked her down and told her my sad story. She said that she would be on the lookout for Punkin as she went about her day doing errands. As I returned home, I halfway expected Punkin to be back in her yard waiting to greet me, but she was not there.

But..later that afternoon I received a call from the post office. The person calling told me excitedly that Punkin had been found! She was safe and waiting for me at the post office. We rushed right down and had a tearful, joyful reunion with our lost family member, filled with licks and happiness all around.

Then I learned more about the details of her recovery. The “dog lover” I had talked to the day before had found Punkin. After I left her, the woman decided to make a new dessert recipe that called for an ingredient she did not have. She knew that our little local store would not carry it so she got in her car and drove 3 miles to the upscale, gourmet food store that she felt would have the ingredient. As she got out of her car, she saw a little bewildered dog running loose in the parking lot. As she approached the dog, she bent over and asked, "Are you Punkin?" She said the little dog started barking and jumping madly around, barely able to contain her joy at being recognized and found.

That evening was a very happy time of love and gratitude for the return of our dog. We had ice cream, (Punkin's favorite food), and went to bed happy and secure in knowing our family was together and safe.

This incident is something I will never forget. In thinking about it over the years, I feel certain that Divine intervention and the angels were with us, helping us find Punkin and keeping her safe from harm until she was found.

The odds of finding a pet 3 miles from home with no identification are very small. Punkin had to cross many streets and cross a major highway to get to that particular store. She'd been found so far away from home that the chances of us being reunited without 'help from above' were very slim. Several things about this stand out:

From that day on, Punkin as well as our cats ALWAYS wore a collar and current identification. I hear so many sad stories about lost pets that are never recovered. If you truly love your pet, always have a collar and up-to-date identification on them. It doesn't help your pet to have the collar hanging up in the laundry room or in the car. I even bathe our dogs with their nylon collars on! Microchipping is an excellent backup for positive identification. It is nominal in cost and can be done by your vet in a matter of minutes.

Remember, a pet with a collar and current information is a safer pet! I feel that you owe your pets that much to insure their safety and welfare.

I like stories with happy endings, don't you?

Charlene

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4. A STORY FROM MY FILES - PETS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS!

This is a shameless take-off on Art Linkletter's "Kids Say The Darndest Things!" long running television show from the past. In this sometimes feature of our newsletter you will find stories from my files where what the Pet had to say to its owner surprised us all, and made all the difference in the world.

This month's story is about Dana and Shayna, two long time clients of mine who share an unusually close and loving relationship. A few years back Dana suffered a horrifying near death car accident and her agonizing recovery was taking many months. As Dana puts it "The only reason I decided not to die was because of Shayna and my 2 cats Larry & Moishe. Who would take care of them?"

As Dana could not bear to leave Shayna, Shayna had her own idea of who was taking care of whom from that point forward. However, that story is for another time. THIS story is from Dana, recounting a time when she called me in to help bridge the communication barrier with Shayna on some difficulty she was having trouble understanding. In Dana's own words then is how the story unfolds:

"The first time I contacted Charlene was when I was having some concerns with my dog Shayna Maidel. She seemed out of sorts and I didn't know what to do. My veterinarian suggested I contact Charlene for her to communicate with Shayna. I called Charlene the minute I got home and she explained to me what she did, how she did it and the information she needed from me. I have 2 cats as well as Shayna Maidel so I figured I would have her contact all three at once so I put together a list of questions and emailed them to her along with their photos. Shayna said the Darndest thing!

Charlene usually starts her communication by asking your pet if it is "okay" to speak with them. Shayna let her know that she was open to it and wanted Charlene to know that she was "Smart! Smart! Smart!" Okay then...Shayna Maidel (is Yiddish for Pretty Girl) had quite a bit to say and one of the requests she made of Charlene was that she wanted to let me know that she liked it when I would put bandannas on her and she wanted me to dress her up more frequently to make her look pretty. That seemed to come out of nowhere. So I ordered some bandannas and collar covers for her. Every time I change her collar scarf she starts to jump up and down and squeak until I finally get it on her and then she prances around. She is very proud of herself. When I put on a costume or some outfit she will sit and pose for the camera! She loves it and I love making her happy."

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5. SAFETY TIPS - 10 THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW TO KEEP YOUR PET SAFE DURING THE HOLIDAYS

The holidays are upon us and while I hope you are all planning wonderful and exciting occasions this year, it is also good to remember that the holidays pose a big challenge for keeping our pets safe. Doors opening and shutting, rich foods, loud noises, guests coming and going, trips to grandmas and leaving your pet behind can all be causes for concern when it comes to keeping our pets safe. Here are 10 things you can do right now to ensure a safer, happier holiday season for both you and your pets:

1. Always make sure your dog or cat is wearing a collar with ID and make sure the information is up to date (I know this one is not a surprise, but I will keep saying it over and over because the number one reason pets go unclaimed and put down at shelters is they were not wearing a collar)
2. Get a pet identification tag with your pet's name and your home AND cell phone numbers. As you can transfer your cell phone number to any phone company now, many people keep the same cell number. If your pet does go missing, you can be contacted on your cell (this happened with a friend's daughter recently. A neighbor who was watching her dog accidentally let it out. She received a cell call in Hawaii where she was vacationing and was able to have her pet brought back home safely).
3. Secure your animals for Halloween. Black cats should be put away a night or two before Halloween so pranksters are not tempted to harm your cat or tease it. In many areas in the US, door-to-door trick-or- treating is normal. This means strangers and strange noises along with your door opening and closing. This can be upsetting to your pet so it is a good idea to make sure your pet is secure and comfortable before all the excitement begins. That brings up the next point I wish to make…
4. Put all goodies out of the reach of your pets. Sweets (especially chocolate) are not good for your pet and can sometimes be fatal, especially to dogs. And even if you have been careful to put things away, make sure if you have children, that they do not leave candy out for the animals to get. For the rest of the holidays, heavy foods such as stuffing, fatty meat, gravy and other fatty or very rich foods can cause digestive problems in some animals and should be avoided.
5. Buy a reflective collar or pet collar light and use it when your pet goes out at night. It gets dark earlier in the winter making it harder to see you and your pet if you are out at night. It also is easier to find them should they wander off.
6. Make sure your pet's papers are in order with contact numbers at home and at your destination. This is especially handy if you plan to travel. Have all health certificates in proper order for easy access.
7. Inspect your property to insure doors and gates close properly and fencing is in good repair. If you have a dog that is a jumper, make sure there is nothing left against fences that could be used as a springboard for your pet.
8. Add emergency numbers for your pet to your list of other emergency numbers such as the Poison Control Hotline and your local emergency pet hospital.
9. Take a picture of your pet. A current photo will be invaluable in the event that your pet is lost. It's a good idea to include in the photo something that you can use to identify as yours in the event you need to show proof you are the owner and remember micro-chipping is an excellent form of ID of positive identification and is relatively inexpensive to do.
10. Establish an Emergency Contact document. Name a family member or neighbor who will take care of your pet in the event of an emergency. Leave a list of general care instructions along with their contact information in a safe place.

Articles By Charlene
•The Magical Connection With Our Pets
•Pets and Unconditional Love
•Words Can Wound or Heal
•Giving Thanks to Our Pets
•Breathe Deep = Peace & Tranquility