Tree-Mendous Facts. Dog Park Etiquette. Why Dogs Eat Grass? Unsafe Nuts For Dogs. 10 'People Foods'. Animal-tested Cosmetics. Reformulated Pet Foods. Kasel Recalls. Ohio Dogfighting Rescue. Flea Market Breeder. Wells Fargo.

 

For “Mammal Monday”:

Twelve Tree-Mendous Wildlife Facts for National Wildlife Week  from Wildlife Promise

“Today, 18th. March, 2013, we’ll join children across the country in a celebration of trees during National Wildlife Week. This year, we’re teaming up with kids and hope to plant 75,000 trees in honor of National Wildlife Week’s 75th anniversary. Read about the ways wildlife interact with trees and learn how to help below.”

From:  http://blog.nwf.org/2013/03/twelve-tree-mendous-wildlife-facts-for-national-wildlife-week/

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Dog Park Etiquette

“Once you and your dog get to the dog park, it’s tempting to just stand back and watch all the activity. But everybody will have a much more rewarding time if you observe some basic etiquette for visiting a dog park. Many of the suggestions below are more common sense than anything, but they should be heeded. These may not be official dog park rules, but following this etiquette will make the dog park / dog run a better place for all who visit.

Dog parks aren’t a right, they’re a privilege. – please don’t let bad behavior ruin things for everyone else.

• Never leave your dog unattended.
• Always clean up after your dog. Most parks have poopbags or scoopers, so use them. This is a primary reason that dog parks get complaints, so pay attention and pick up the poop.
• Make sure your dog is current on her shots and has a valid license.
• Don’t bring dogs younger than 4 months to a dog park. They won’t have had all the necessary inoculations that allow them to play safely with other animals.
• Don’t bring a female dog in season if not spayed.
• Spayed/neutered animals are recommended.
• Don’t bring more than two or maybe three dogs. It subjects parks to overuse, and if they’re not your dogs, you may not have full control over them. It’s hard enough for many people to watch one dog!
• Keep your dog on-leash until you get to the off-leash area. This is not just respectful to other park users, it’s much safer for your dog.
• Close all doors to the dog park or dog run after entering or exiting.
• If your dog becomes unruly or plays rough, leash him and leave immediately.
• If you must bring children to a dog park, supervise them closely.
• Don’t smoke or eat while at the dog park. Cigarette butts and food wrappers are tempting treats to dogs, but bad for them.
• Always observe all of the rules posted at your local dog park. Each town has its own set of regulations: please follow them.”    From: http://www.dogpark.com/dog-park-etiquette/

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Why Dogs Eat Grass?

“Dr. Karen Becker explains why dogs eat grass, and sheds some light on the motives behind this popular doggy behavior. Learn what you can do if your dog eats grass often.”

From: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2009/12/23/why-dogs-eat-grass.aspx

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Nuts That Are Unsafe for Dogs to Eat

“March is National Peanut Month! Can dogs eat peanut butter? One of the questions we’re asked most frequently, believe it or not, is if it is safe for dogs to eat peanut butter and peanuts. The answer is yes; generally speaking, it is safe for dogs to eat peanut butter, peanut products or peanuts themselves. However, just like humans, some dogs may experience an allergic reaction to peanuts. For those dogs, eating peanuts can be very dangerous, so proceed with caution!
Dog owners are often curious about other nuts, too, and whether it’s OK to let their pooches munch on them. As it turns out, the answer is usually no. We’ll give you the lowdown on a variety of nuts that may not be good choices for your dog’s snacking:

MACADAMIA NUTS

Of all the nuts on this list, macadamia nuts represent the greatest threat to dogs. If consumed in even small amounts, these nuts can cause severe neurological symptoms, including weakness, vomiting, walking "drunk," tremoring, lameness (especially in the rear legs) or even a complete (but temporary) inability to walk. It is unknown exactly what toxin macadamia nuts contain that causes this reaction in dogs.

ALMONDS

Some nuts are safer than others for your dogs to eat. If your dog gets into your almonds, there’s no need to panic; your dog should be OK. The almonds won’t kill him. That said, almonds can be difficult for dogs to digest, and therefore may cause gastrointestinal distress, i.e., an upset tummy. So, it’s not a good idea to intentionally feed almonds to your dog as a snack.

PISTACHIOS

Pistachios are generally safe for dogs, but be cautious about moldy nuts. These may contain aflatoxins, which can lead to a variety of health troubles for your dog, including liver failure. Always use caution, or just pick a better treat to give your pet.

WALNUTS

VPI Pet Insurance says that walnut poisoning is one of the most common claims for toxic ingestion. Their average cost to treat it is $315.74. Walnuts can cause upset tummies in dogs, or even bowel obstructions. And, as with other nuts, moldy walnuts are a particular hazard, possibly causing seizures or other neurological symptoms.

BLACK WALNUTS

Black walnuts contain a substance called juglone which, while toxic to some animals, is mostly non-toxic to dogs. Still, eating black walnuts is a bad idea for dogs, so don’t offer them as a snack. They can still cause severe digestive upset if eaten.

PECANS

As with other tree nuts, moldy pecans may become contaminated with low levels of aflatoxins. This can be dangerous for dogs. Symptoms of aflatoxin poisoning include loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, orange-colored urine and jaundice, liver failure, blood-tinged vomit and bloody or blackened stools.

CASHEWS

Cashews may be OK to feed dogs occasionally and in moderation, but if you’re erring on the side of caution, you might want to avoid these nuts altogether. Cashews are very high in fat, and it doesn’t take too many before your dog will have eaten too many. Too much fat from cashews can lead not only to weight gain, but may cause pancreatitis, a painful inflammation of the pancreas.

BRAZIL NUTS

Brazil nuts are among the fattiest of all nuts, and contain a particularly high amount of saturated fat compared to other nuts. Even eating a small of amount of these nuts can equal too much fat for your dog, which can cause gastrointestinal upset and/or other digestive difficulties. You may therefore want to avoid feeding Brazil nuts to your dog altogether.

HICKORY NUTS

Hickory nuts contain juglone. No, not an annoying Insane Clown Posse fan, but a potentially toxic chemical. But juglone or no juglone, hickory nuts can put a serious hurtin’ on your pooch’s tummy. Be particularly wary of moldy hickory nuts. They can contain tremorogenic mycotoxins which may cause seizures or other neurological symptoms if eaten.”  From: www.pawnation.com/2013/03/04/nuts-that-are-unsafe-for-dogs-to-eat/

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10 'People Foods' Dogs Can Eat Too

“One of the enduring clichés of dog ownership is the frequent begging for table scraps. When sitting down to their meals, many owners are met with the pleading stares of their dogs looking for snacks, either handed out or accidentally dropped. Fortunately, our canine companions are able to consume and digest a fairly wide variety of “people food” even though they’re technically carnivores. But indulgent dog lovers want to know: what are some of the better food choices one can make when it comes to sharing a bite with a hungry mutt? Here are 10 comestibles that are good for you and for man’s best friend:”    List at: http://www.pawnation.com/2012/06/03/10-people-foods-dogs-can-eat-too/#photo=1

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EU bans sale of all animal-tested cosmetics

 

The search for alternatives to animal testing goes on.

“ A complete ban on the sale of cosmetics developed through animal testing has taken effect in the EU.  The ban applies to all new cosmetics and their ingredients sold in the EU, regardless of where in the world testing on animals was carried out.

The 27 EU countries have had a ban on such tests in place since 2009. But the EU Commission is now asking the EU's trading partners to do the same.”    More at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21740745

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Reformulated Pet Foods Still Contain Grains

“The reformulated dry dog foods we checked do contain a named meat source as the first ingredient. Unfortunately, the next several ingredients on each list are grains, grains and more grains.

Cats’ bodies aren’t even designed to process grains.  The reformulated dry cat food fared no better, and one variety listed unacceptably non-specific “ocean fish” as the first ingredient. There are countless varieties of ocean fish, and unfortunately, most are heavily contaminated with toxic metals, industrial chemicals and pesticides.  The fish in pet food is heavily preserved during the manufacturing process using a chemical preservative called ethoxyquin, which is known to be a cancer-causing agent.”  Article at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/02/15/reformulated-pet-foods.aspx

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Kasel Recalls Dozens of Dog Treats Due to Salmonella Risk

“In an already disconcerting week for pet-treat recalls, Kasel Associated Industries has expanded the list of affected products to include Nutri-Vet's "K9" brand dog treats.

Additionally, two more pet food companies issued limited recalls due to Salmonella traced back to parsley used in their products. Kaytee, a bird treat company, and The Honest Kitchen, a pet food manufacturer, are both urging consumers to safely dispose of the recalled items and contact the company for a refund. More information can be found here and here.” 

Very long list of recalled pet treats here: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm340552.htm

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Ohio Dogfighting Rescue Victory

“The Humane Society of the United States assisted the massive rescue of 500 animals, 200 of them dogs, from an Ohio's property in 2010. The man held responsible for the abuse has now been convicted of a felony, this is the first ever dogfighting conviction under Ohio's private criminal prosecution statute.”  Read the complete story at: http://www.humanesociety.org/news/pre...

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Flea Market Breeder's Cruelty Exposed

“Extreme cruelty was exposed at a MS puppy mill where the "breeder" would sell puppies at flea markets. When the HSUS and authorities arrived at the woman's property, they found dogs suffering everything from broken bones to mange.”

Don’t breed or buy while homeless pets die in shelters.  Opt to Adopt!

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On This Day:

Wells Fargo and Company established, Mar 18, 1852:

“Businessmen in New York establish Wells, Fargo and Company, destined to become the leading freight and banking company of the West.

The California economy boomed after the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in 1849, spurring a huge demand for shipping. Henry Wells and William Fargo joined with several other New York investors to create Wells, Fargo and Company to serve and profit from this demand. In July 1852, the company began transporting its first loads of freight between the East Coast and the isolated mining camps of California. From the beginning, Wells, Fargo and Company also engaged in banking, making good profits in the traffic of gold dust and providing loans that helped sustain the growth of the California economy.

The company usually used stagecoaches to move gold dust, critical business papers, and other express freight quickly. The stages could carry nine paying passengers, and if the interior seats were full, a few more hardy travelers could ride on top with the driver. The traveling conditions were far from luxurious, and passengers had to tolerate crowding, dust, cold, heat, and the occasional holdup or Indian attack. Nonetheless, the relatively fast pace of travel ensured a steady supply of customers.

Wells, Fargo and Company never hesitated to dispatch a rider on horseback to deliver or pick up an important message or package-provided the sender was willing to pay a premium price. The company operated several small "pony express" routes around California, and these were particularly valuable to the business community during winter, when snow often blocked stage and rail routes in the Sierra Nevada.

In 1866, the company merged with several other major express and stagecoach lines, including Ben Holladay's Overland Mail Company. For the next three years, the expanded Wells, Fargo and Company was the unquestionable leader in western transportation, providing speedy and reliable service at reasonable prices. With the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869, the company's dominant position was undermined, especially in the transcontinental mail and freight business.

After splitting from the freight business in 1905, the banking branch of the company merged with the Nevada National Bank and established new headquarters in San Francisco. During World War I, the U.S. government nationalized the company's shipping routes and combined them with the railroads into the American Railway Express, effectively putting an end to Wells, Fargo and Co. as a transportation and delivery business. The following April, the banking headquarters was destroyed in a major earthquake, but the vaults remained intact and the bank's business continued to grow. After two later mergers, the Wells Fargo Bank American Trust Company--shortened to the Wells Fargo Bank in 1962--became, and has remained, one of the biggest banking institutions in the United States.”

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Yesterday:

Another day of futility, and upheaval!   I called Home Depot to see what to do about the Heat/Air unit that I had bought last week, that is not cooling.  They said to return it to the store.  I found out that they have some of these units at our local store now, so I won’t have to drive so far.  But to remove that unit takes a lot of steps.

Everything is out of place and in the way again.   Ray and I had to move the bin of tall wooden trim, table saw, chop saw, two spare parts cabinets, and took the wall panel in the garage down again.  Inside the living room, we moved the corner cabinet, computer desk and chest of drawers again.  Then we removed the wires from the conduit, reconnected the plug on the cord, re-installed the 220v outlet, and plugged the unit in just to test it one more time.  It wouldn’t come on at all, not even on heat.  We checked it with a meter, and it showed that it was alright, but I called Jim the mechanic, anyway.  He wasn’t feeling well, and said that he would come check the wiring today.