Those of you who have been participating in our Fantasy Pet Photo Clinics at Benson’s in Pittsfield already know Erin O’Brien as the ever-smiling, ever-joking ever-competent photog and computer operator who turns even the most incorrigible pet model into an absolute work of art. One Sunday each month, Erin meets us at Benson’s ready to set up and shoot our fund-raising photos that draw folks from all over Berkshire County.
From our first meeting, Erin understood immediately what it was TASP was trying to accomplish with our mission to keep pets out of the local shelters through pet crisis intervention and mitigation. And by the time we handed her Zippy’s very first Fantasy photo, we were signing Erin up to be a TASP volunteer. Since then, TASP is stronger and so much better off for having Erin on our team.
But don’t take our word for it, take it from Erin: “
“I stumbled across a TASP photo clinic at the Pittsfield Benson’s a few years ago and was so impressed with how patient Steve was with my dogs and how friendly the gang working the clinic was, that I volunteered to help out at future events.
Before you know it I had learned a ton about PhotoShop, how to photograph wiggly dogs, and how to set up and tear down the photo clinic equipment. But more importantly, I had met some of the best people I’ve ever encountered in the TASP family of volunteers. You are all so dedicated, talented, and hardworking. I’m impressed at every event with how much everyone does for animals in their spare time and not-so-spare time…….And of course, I’ve gotten to know some of the cutest, nuttiest, and sweetest animals and their loving pet parents. The regulars at our events are the best for how supportive they are of TASP and it is obvious how much they love their fur babies.”
Not only is Erin a one-woman photo clinic, able to expertly handle every aspect of our process including setup, animal-handler, photographer, computer operator and admin; she is also an accomplished graphic artist with an absolutely joyful personalty that engages volunteers, pet owners and critters alike! Erin has been a volunteer with the outstanding Berkshire Humane Society for years and is a valuable resource to TASP and local residents who may need help navigating the animal welfare world on her side of the mountain.
A devoted pet mom and animal lover, Erin gives her whole self to her dogs: Gentleman Bud and Zippy the Wonderpup. And it’s clear they want nothing more than to be with their Mama, even when she’s not dressed up like one of them. Both dogs are so well trained by Erin they are even welcome at her workplace at Habitat for Humanity. Friends always look forward to seeing the latest facebook post from her about her dogs’ accomplishments and antics.
TASP’s appreciation for Erin just keeps on growing. Now that the COVID nightmare is under control in the Northeast, she’ll be managing our Fantasy Photo Events at local weddings, parties and other shindigs around her area. Stay tuned to our website and facebook page for more news about this expansion of our supporters’ favorite fund raiser that will earn more revenue for local pets in need.
Meantime, keep an eye out for Erin and her incredible smile in the Lenox-Pittsfield area. She’s the person every pet and every human wishes to be around……. and once you meet her, it’s a sure thing you’ll agree.
It’s easy to get a TASP Fantasy Photo emailed directly to your inbox and/or a print mailed to your home. Just send us an email at taspinfo@yahoo.com that includes the following:
Choose your background(s). CLICK HERE TO SEE THE BACKGROUNDS.
Attach your own photo of your subject(s) taken against a plain background. If you have multiple subjects and want them to appear in the same photo, just send us a photo of each subject separately and we’ll combine them digitally. Already been to a TASP photo clinic in the past? We can look up previous photos of your subject(s) from our archives and use them to create this month’s photo.
Let us know how you’d like to receive your photo:
Emailed .jpg photo @ $10 donation
Mailed hard copy print @ $10 donation (Be sure to supply your mailing address).
Or get both for $15 donation!
Lucite® frame for mailed photos optional @ additional $5 (covers cost of frame and mailing)
*Please be sure your email includes a phone number where you can be reached in case we need to contact you.
TASP volunteers will create your special photo and email you an invoice when it’s ready. Payment can be made through Paypal, or you can just mail TASP a check. Finished photos will be sent out within 24 hours of payment received.
With so many challenges brought about by COVID-19 and local losses from rioting, more companion animals than ever need TASP’s help to stay safe and healthy. Bringing our friends and supporters this popular activity ONLINE at this time is our way of continuing to finance our mission, while hopefully creating some much-needed smiles. As always, all proceeds are spent on supporting our community’s most vulnerable companion animals. Thanks for caring!
Well, since our last issue talked about poop, for this issue, we thought we’d supplement that knowledge by exploring the topic of (ugh!) worms and other parasites. Yep, those gross little things that seem to grow for no apparent reason inside and outside of our pets can cause all sorts of complications. If you didn’t care about your pets, chances are you wouldn’t be reading this newsletter, so we want to make sure you have a full kit of information on pet parasites. It will help you better understand where they come from, what trouble they can cause if left untreated, and what the most common treatments are these days.
First of all, nasties like worms, giardia and fleas do NOT grow for no apparent reason. They grow because they were transferred to a host and that new host has a favorable environment in which to set up camp. Didn’t know your pet was so hospitable, did you? And depending on the type of parasite, the transmission and preferred environment can vary; so can the life cycle. There are lots of good articles out there that are written to explain this in detail. We’ll list links to some of our favorites here.
Please bear in mind some of these authors work for companies that sell parasite treatments. TASP isn’t endorsing any particular one and we aren’t suggesting that you necessarily deworm on a monthly basis as some of these articles recommend. Discuss the type and frequency of treatment with your vet; based on your pet’s age, condition and lifestyle, the vet will know how often and what kind of treatment should be administered.
Here goes……
The gold standard for reliable information about just about any condition in animals, including all forms of parasites is the VIN:
VCA Hospitals published two very straightforward articles about potential transmission of disease (some from parasites) between pets and their families:
VCA Hospitals – Zoonotics in Cats
VCA Hospitals – Zoonotics in Dogs
Perhaps the most comprehensive of all websites dedicated purely to parasites in our pets is (imaginatively called) Pets & Parasites:
Little City Dogs sells reasonably priced dewormers, flea prevention and heartworm prevention. They also have some really cute blogs about some of the different kinds of worms:
Little City Dogs’ Blog on Heartworm
Little City Dogs’ Blog on Roundworm & Tapeworm
Little City Dogs’ Blog on Tapeworm
Parasites may not be a pretty topic but arming ourselves with good information about them can make a real difference in the quality of life we and our pets can share. So let’s all become parasite warriors for our pets so they and we can live together in harmony .
