Tag: cat

Children’s Books on Pet Loss

 

The loss of a beloved pet is a difficult experience for everyone. How do you explain this loss to a child? There are some well written children’s books that take on this task with honesty and empathy. There are books on just about any type of pet, so take some time to find a book that will fill your family’s needs. The following books are from the RedRover Reader’s Book List.

The Forever Dog by Bill Cochran explores the adventures of Mike and his dog Corky. For years they are the best of friends and Mike creates the Forever Plan believing that Corky will always be there for him. One day Mike comes home from school to find that Corky has died. With the help of his mother Mike learns that the Forever Plan must be altered. This book portrays the journey from happiness to loss and with great care, to acceptance.

 

 

Goodbye Mousie, by Robie H .Harris tells the story of a preschool boy and the death of his pet mouse. While he experiences a flood of emotions, his parents help him prepare a funeral. The boy’s preparations are tender and tissue worthy. The gentle illustrations help lead the way to eventual acceptance.

May 2, 2018 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 4 Comments Off on Children’s Books on Pet Loss

News About Bills & Laws Pertaining to Animals

Feeling like your voice needs to be heard about Animal Welfare matters? The most effective way to make change happen doesn’t have to involve marching around with your fist up or waving a sign. Our country’s legislative process makes it possible for citizens to change laws by working with their elected officials. A politely written, thoughtful letter written to your representatives in the Senate and Congress can change minds and make more effective laws get passed. This is especially true when your letter contributes some positive ideas about how to best deal with certain animal-related issues, and includes a list of signatures from other folks who feel like you do.

A website called GOVTRACK.COM makes it easy and convenient to search all the bills pertaining to animals (or any topic you want to search, for that matter) that have been submitted to the US Congress and Senate.

At this site, you can find out which legislator introduced the bill and what its current status is. You can even read the complete bill, word for word. We recommend that if you’re going to speak out about any bill or law, it’s very important that you read and understand the entire document and don’t just take the word of someone else as to what’s in there. This way, when you approach the legislator about the bill, they will judge you as a credible contributor to the process and take you seriously. Legislators are contacted by a lot of constituents every day, and they can tell pretty quickly who’s just a complainer and who’s seriously interested in getting good legislation passed. Do your homework if you want your ideas to be seriously considered.

Many bills are amendments to laws already in existence. So you may need to back up and read the existing law and compare it to the changes being proposed, in order to make sure you know what you’re agreeing or disagreeing with. Again, don’t take someone else’s word for what’s in a law or bill. Take the time to read it for yourself. Many well-meaning people have been hoodwinked by others with a particular agenda when it comes to communicating the content of existing or proposed legislation. The best animal advocates are the ones who truly understand what they’re advocating about.

If you find a bill that you think is a particularly valuable piece of legislation which needs to be passed into law, you can follow up with action:
1) Contact the author of that bill to congratulate them on their effort and to offer your assistance with networking among the public to gain support for that legislation. If you feel some part of the legislation should be re-worded to eliminate some ambiguity that could lead to misinterpretation or loopholes later on, let the legislator know and give them your suggested change. Legislators are only human beings; you may be a human being with a better command of the English language. Put that knowledge of yours to work in helping your representative craft the most solid legislation possible.
2) Contact your local media to make them aware of the bill and tell them why their viewers, readers and listeners would want to know about it. Media can spread the word about important issues like this a lot faster than an individual can, and the media knows that animal issues are of great concern to the public.
3) If you live in New York State, Animal Advocacy Day is YOUR opportunity to meet with your State representatives in person to give them your opinion on animal welfare issues. The 7th Annual New York State Animal Advocacy Day event is coming up soon: June 5, in the Well of the NY State Legislative Office building at the Empire State Plaza. From 9:30AM to 12PM, animal welfare and animal rights groups will be displaying information about their services and offering assistance to attendees about how to effectively discuss your concerns with your representative. Then at 11:30AM, attendees can personally visit their representatives’ offices to meet with their lawmakers and discuss Animal Advocacy issues. This is a wonderful way to have direct input into the laws that protect New York’s animals and it’s a lot more effective than marching around carrying a sign. After all, negotiating is a give and take process that requires that both sides be heard clearly to develop mutual understanding and acceptance. This kind of process can’t take place in an environment where people are shouting slogans and sound bites. Constructive conversations between informed citizens and legislators are the way the most effective laws get passed.

May 2, 2018 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 4 Comments Off on News About Bills & Laws Pertaining to Animals

We Make It Happen

Best Friends Forever, Tess & Tim Newbury

When you know you’re married to your best friend, that good vibe bubbles over to everything you do and everyone you touch.  It spreads an aura of peace and happiness that is contagious and puts animals and people completely at ease. And isn’t The Animal Support Project fortunate to have Tim and Tess Newbury, happily married for nearly 40 years, as our treasured volunteers! Tess, the sweet little blonde lady with the smile that lights up a room, the one who works our photo clinics each month and coaxes feral cats like Dr. Doolittle, is the perfect match for Tim, the soft-spoken veteran who uses his experience and skills to do everything from building dog houses and fences to upgrading the TASP storage facility, to teaching our younger volunteers how to properly handle power tools.

TASP deals with such an eclectic variety of situations in the course of helping animals and their owners through tough times, having a flexible couple like Tim and Tess on our crew is a gift from heaven.  Not only do they approach every project they’re asked to work with a smile and a can-do attitude, but they demonstrate to the rest of the community what TASP is all about: respect for all living creatures, whether two or four-legged.

A veteran of both the US NAVY and the US ARMY, Tim’s experiences managing logistics on submarines and working on helicopter crews make him uniquely qualified to be TASP’s Logistics Chief. Need a stretcher to carry an unconscious 120 pound Rottweiler from a disabled lady’s dining room floor for transport to the vet? Let Tim improvise the solution and you know it will be done humanely and safely. Need to erect a safe space to hold a dozen feral cats while they await vetting? Put Tim in charge and he’ll have every tool, every supply on hand to get the job done right the first time.

Tess just retired from her position working in Special Education, and what made her so successful in that job was her empathy and respect for humanity. She uses those same wonderful traits to bring the best out of people and pets in her work with TASP. Her friendly, joyful disposition draws others to her and helps them know things are going to be alright. And nothing calms a frightened pet better than Tess’s soft voice and gentle touch. She helps relax the pets and owners at our photo clinics so we can capture the perfect shot, and she is the glue that holds our volunteers together with a bond that can only come from the genuine love and friendship she feels for them.

The Newburys know the value of family. Pull into their driveway on any day and you’ll be greeted by a grandchild or two followed by Picklejack, the Pit Bull. Tim might be running that Sunday in a 5K with daughter, Nicole, or helping one of Nicole’s girls hone their archery skills for 4H. And Tess is probably out in the barn with another grandchild, gathering eggs and tossing hay to the goats.

This power-couple has been volunteering with TASP ever since they failed miserably at fostering dogs for our organization…..not once, but TWICE! But let me tell you, Gregory and Gretel, the two foster dogs who stole their hearts, could not have found a better home than the Newbury’s.  Life at their mini-farm is as sweet as it gets.

Tess & Tim Newbury have brought so much to TASP and to those we serve!  With so much treasure in their own private lives, it is an absolute honor to know they still have time to be so active with TASP. They do it because they believe in TASP’s mission: keeping families together.

April 28, 2018 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 4 Comments Off on We Make It Happen

Keepin’ It Together – Creating a Future for Marianne’s Cats

If you had met Marianne ten years ago when we first encountered her, you’d be meeting a well-educated woman in her 70’s who was using her GE retirement funds to support herself and a handful of stray cats. Together they  lived the good life at Marianne’s little acre of rural paradise not far from where I am writing this. She was an uncommonly strong-willed woman, well-read, with a dry wit and zero tolerance for people who treated animals or people unfairly. She was stubborn as a mule and could chew into someone like a badger if she thought they needed setting straight. Marianne had grown up a farm girl and appreciated the solitude and peace of country life, even as a widow, with her grown daughter living with her own family many miles away.

Back then, just like now, well-meaning people from town would drive their unwanted cat out to some rural location near a farm, assuming it was more humane to drop the cat there than to take it to the shelter. In their minds, the shelter would just kill their cat. But out here, under the sun and stars, the cat would live the idyllic Disney life, sustained by a lifetime supply of mice and milk from the cow barn. As someone who grew up in the country, I can testify those people assumed incorrectly. Life for a stray cat in the country is anything but idyllic. It’s constant struggle; competition for food, water, a safe place to sleep and raise young, and the constant pressure of random sickness, attack and injury. It’s one of the reasons why stray and feral cats have large litters: because nature knows many feral-born kittens will not make it to adulthood.

Marianne understood this and kept her little colony in tip-top order. When a new cat would show up in her yard, she would use her own trap to capture it, then drive it to Hoof n’ Paw Vet Service at the Valley Falls-Cambridge line, to have it altered, vaccinated and doctored for any illness it may have had. It was a reasonably well thought out plan and, after the initial veterinary investment, it afforded Marianne a resident varmint patrol around her little mobile home for just the cost of cat food and fresh water. It also offered her the pleasure of free entertainment, watching for hours as the cats lived their lives outside her picture window. Eventually, each cat would be friendlied enough to be awarded a name and  an afternoon or evening indoors on Marianne’s couch. Cats came and went as they pleased there and the protocol suited everyone concerned.

As time went on, GE’s stock began under-performing. And in ensuing years, the value mostly declined, leaving Marianne’s retirement income thinner and thinner. But the arrival of new wandering feline strangers from the farm down the road continued, and seemed to even increase. The cats apparently didn’t scrutinize the Wall Street Journal sufficient to recognize their food and medical bills were straining Marianne’s wallet.  Nonetheless, Marianne made sure they ate regularly, while she pinched her pennies. This was right about the time she met up with The Animal Support Project.

We’d gotten a call from Hoof n’ Paw, asking us to call on this nice lady who was having trouble keeping up with fixing the cats invading her property. They informed us about her past efforts and were concerned that more cats than ever seemed to be arriving at her little oasis. They wondered if there was something we could do to help and there was. We teamed up with Marianne on several occasions to trap numbers of cats at once and have all of them vaccinated, altered and tested. Then we’d adopt them out  for her to keep her burden down to a reasonable number.

2016 was a hard year for Marianne. By that time, she was in her 80’s. She’d suffered a stroke and after that, had spent just enough time living with her saint of a daughter to get back on her feet. A proud person of Marianne’s age has trouble being dependent on their child. It is not a role they can adapt to readily. So after recovering enough to be deemed safe on her own, Marianne returned to her little paradise in the country where she didn’t have to live on other people’s schedules or hear the unfamiliar sounds of suburban life. She returned to reading from her own library, shopping for herself and enjoying the 24-7 entertainment of her beloved cats outside and inside her home. A niece who lived nearby took over for TASP, looking in on Marianne and doing trap-neuter-return on her property to maintain population control for the cats, and Marianne’s brother, who lived just down the road, did the “manly stuff” around the property to keep her home running safely.

In late summer of 2017, Marianne’s daughter called to ask for our help again. Marianne had broken her hip. She was now almost completely deaf, quite small and frail, but nonetheless, she was raising hell with the doctors at the hospital, wanting to go home as soon as possible to be in her own element with her cats. Her brother was by this time also quite up in age and physically not able to support Marianne around her place the way he had in the past.  We committed to Marianne’s daughter to round up the cats indoors and out and begin the process of finding them new homes where they could be safe. Luckily for all concerned, TASP has Tess and Tim Newbury on our volunteer team. Thanks to them, we were able to capture all 13 of Marianne’s cats, including three kittens born to a newcomer female who had not yet been fixed.

With the generosity of Marianne’s daughter, we were able to buy flea collars for all the cats as well as having all updated on vaccines and tested for disease. We returned a handful of them to Marianne’s mobile home so they could live indoors with Marianne when she came home from her hip rehabilitation, and the rest were kept happy in a large temporary cattery we erected in her garage with materials we stock for such things. Tess and Tim continued to visit the cattery each day to maintain things there and they would look in on Marianne, walk her trash barrel to the road on pickup day, and make sure all was well. Seeing Marianne, we all knew they would not have to do this for long. Meantime, in the background, Debbie D’Angelo, our volunteer whom we share with Noah’s Kingdom, Kitten Angels and other capital district cat rescues, was lining up plans for the cats to be transferred out to these wonderful local rescues.

Marianne passed away peacefully in her beloved home one morning from what first responders deemed a massive heart attack.  They said there was no sign of suffering or panic at the scene; death was swift and merciful. Her last moments were no doubt shared with her little family of cats, and now she was asleep forever, no longer worried about the things we on this earth concern ourselves with. She died as she had wished to: not in a nursing home, not in a hospital bed, not away from what was so loved and so familiar to her. I choose to believe this was her reward for a life righteously lived. And I think she died at peace with her situation, knowing TASP and her family would not abandon her cats.

What made it possible for TASP to help in this situation? Well, having the support of Marianne’s family was a key contributor to the success. This was an expensive endeavor. TASP has limited funds to work with in comparison to the number of requests we receive. So having the financial help of Marianne’s daughter was essential to get so many cats cared for properly. TASP stocks  donated kennels, fencing material and cat supplies so we can erect a cattery like this when needed.

TASP was honored to have known Marianne and her daughter, who, by the way, has her mother’s strong will and dry wit and was a real treasure in making this project work. We feel blessed that we can network with such kind and considerate rescue groups in our community who will help us with big projects like this. And we are proud to have volunteers who are committed enough to our mission to go out of their way for months to ensure that Marianne’s beloved cats weren’t left to scatter on their own.  I believe everyone involved in this project feels we did what Marianne would have wanted and we share in the hope that we can also someday leave this world with the dignity afforded to this good woman.

April 28, 2018 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 4 Comments Off on Keepin’ It Together – Creating a Future for Marianne’s Cats

In Their Words…..

Just a taste of the many expressions of gratitude TASP receives from our community…….

 

“I just wanted to express my gratitude for the help with Kobi’s surgery. He’s doing very well. I

appreciate and thank you so much.”  – Celeste

 

“Love how well everything came together! Great plan executed  by great people!” – KC

 

“Thank you for the payment on Lazy’s wheelchair.” – Krys

 

“………we have eight out of  the reported 10 cats safe and secure in the holding pen  that

could not be possible without TASP….thank you so very  much….” – Tracy

 

“Thank you once again for your generous offer to contribute towards Moonbeam’s veterinary care and for the incredible work that T.A.S.P. does in helping so many animals and their human companions.” – Debra

 

“Thank you so much for your ……… assistance towards Marley’s surgical bill.  Her owner, Helen and our staff are grateful for your help. Marley is doing well. Thank you…. ” – Brenda

April 27, 2018 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 4 Comments Off on In Their Words…..

Join the Fun! TASP Events Now till 2018

Tag Sales, Photo Clinics, Adoption Clinics and MORE! There are SO many TASP events going on throughout the year! All are for raising the funds needed to continue our mission of helping companion animals stay safe and healthy. Want to help? Visit/volunteer/donate/shop! Bring your friends and family and have a blast while you help local animals! CLICK HERE for a fast connection to the TASP Events Page.

 

September 23, 2017 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 3 Comments Off on Join the Fun! TASP Events Now till 2018

Local Low Cost Pet Care

Low-cost Clinics

In each newsletter we will list various shelters and organizations that provide low-cost veterinary services, such as vaccines, microchipping, and spay/neuter to individuals who may need financial assistance affording vet care for their companion animal(s).

Animal Protective Foundation (APF) – Located at 53 Maple Avenue in Scotia, the APF provides lower-cost spay/neuter clinics.  Appointments must be made in advance by calling 374-3944, ext. 121 or 125 (please leave a message) or email: afpclinic@animalprotective.org.  For more details go to: www.animalprotective.org

Battenkill Veterinary – Rabies Vaccination Clinics held Monday through Friday from 2-3PM on a walk-in basis. For more details: http://battenkillveterinary.com/

Mohawk Hudson Humane Society – Lower-fee spay and neuter for individuals with limited income. Appointments must be made in advance by calling the Menands shelter at 434-8128 or the Saratoga shelter at 886-9645. For more details go to: www.mohawkhumane.org/spayneuter.html

Low Cost Spay-Neuter Services in the Utica Area: http://lite987.com/low-cost-spay-and-neuter-programs-in-the-utica-area/

Capital Region PETCO Stores – Low cost vaccinations through VETCO, with convenient hours. Click here to check availability at Capital District stores.

Pet Supplies Plus – VIP PetCare Community Veterinary Clinic offering: low cost vaccines, heartworm testing and prevention, and other preventative veterinary services including canine Rabies vaccines and micro-chipping. No appointment necessary, first-come, first-served. For more information, visit www.VipPetCare.com or contact the store. Click here to check availability at Capital District stores.

Tractor Supply Company (TSC) – Offers monthly preventative vet care visits at many of their locations in the Capital District, Washington County, and Bennington County, Vermont.  The clinics are operated by VIP Petcare Mobile Clinics with a licensed vet on staff. No appointment is needed and there is only a charge for the vaccinations. Contact your local TSC for dates and times. Click here to reach the Tractor Supply website.

In Case You Don’t Live in NY’s Capital District, you can find low cost spay-neuter clinics at this cool ASPCA site: Click Here to check it out.

 

 

September 22, 2017 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 3, Newsletter 4, Newsletter 5, Pet Safety and Resources Comments Off on Local Low Cost Pet Care

Resources to Remember – Helpful Links For You to Bookmark

Resources to Remember

September 19, 2017 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 5 Comments Off on Resources to Remember – Helpful Links For You to Bookmark

Testimonials – In Their Words

I want to say thank you so much for all your help that you have been doing for my cat Lucy it means a lot to me. Thanks again….. Jean

Thank you for all you did for Raymond’s “Pups.”  …..Pat

I don’t know what we would have done without your compassion and support. Your organization is truly a Godsend and I would be proud to say I am affiliated with it…….Although Smoaky most definitely had a better “vacation” than I did, I am recovering well……I’m sure my peace of mind and not having to worry about Smoaky contributed greatly to my recovery. At a (very rare) loss for words for thanks, I’ll just say a million and one thanks for all your help!…….Sincerely, Pam

Thank you for talking to me last night. I appreciate your advice and look forward to having you over …..Alice

I was just filling my cats’ food bowl and I was just thinking how wonderful you were to help me both times and I just want to let you know that I really appreciate it, especially the litter cuz I really would be in a pickle right now if it wasn’t for you…because I literally have no income. So I just want to thank you again, I really, really, really appreciate it. I’m hoping if I do get my Social Security maybe I can help someone else and pass it forward. Just had to say it again, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you so much!……..Tina

 

 

September 19, 2017 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 3, Testimonials Comments Off on Testimonials – In Their Words

Vet Sci 101 – How to Advocate for Your Pet After Surgery

In the January-February 2017 issue of Veterinary Team Brief magazine, Teresa Ann Raffel-Kleist, CVT, VTS, provided her top 5 tips for a Veterinary Team to communicate to pet owners, to use in monitoring their animal at home after surgery. We’re turning the pronouns around and sharing these simple tips with you in order to spread the word and bring awareness about how we can best collect data and communicate with the Veterinary Staff during our pet’s period of vulnerability.
  1. Understand the medications you’ll be giving your pet. Make sure you know how much and when to give, and understand how it is to be administered. Don’t be afraid to ask your Vet or Vet Tech to demonstrate how best to apply meds like ointments or drops. Also be sure to ask how to recognize side effects. If your pet also has a chronic health condition for which they are already taking a medication, it doesn’t hurt to ask your Vet Team if you should expect any potential drug interactions.
  2. Understand your pet’s surgical site. In other words, discuss any incision with your Vet Team; how many and what kind of stitches? Will they need to be pulled in 7-10 days or will they dissolve on their own? Should the incision be kept dry or should damp compress be applied in case of swelling, discharge or discomfort? What kind of discharge is normal and what kind is not? Will an e-collar be needed to keep the pet from chewing or licking the incision? Take photos of the incision every day or so in case you need to show them to the Vet.
  3. Ask your Vet Team how they want you to care for the bandage. How often should it be changed? What if it slips out of position? How to readjust it without damaging the tissue below? Smell the bandage each day…..What kinds of smells should we expect from the bandage as time goes on and what do they mean? If it’s a limb that’s bandaged, learn how to check your pet’s foot for warmth, color and swelling.
  4. Discuss exercise restrictions. For instance, stomach incisions take about 2 weeks to heal internally, so a pet with such an incision should not be allowed to jump for at least 2 weeks. If walking will be permitted, ask for specific instructions about leash length and recommended duration for walks. Are there any exercises we can engage our pets in that will aid with the pet’s rehabilitation? Ask for a demonstration if you aren’t absolutely clear on any exercises recommended.
  5. Discuss dietary restrictions with your Vet or Vet Tech. Controlling weight gain during the idle healing period will make it easier for your pet to rise from recumbancy while they’re convalescing. Issues with urinary blockages, kidney or liver dysfunction may require special or prescription food.
Understanding our pets’ post-surgical requirements will streamline the recovery process and offers our pet the best possible outcome. It also gives us the opportunity to advocate most effectively with our Veterinary Team on behalf of our pet. Vets and Vet Techs are more than happy to explain any of these care tips with their clients. They know a pet owner who is well informed is a valuable extension of their team .

 

September 19, 2017 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 3, Pet Safety and Resources Comments Off on Vet Sci 101 – How to Advocate for Your Pet After Surgery