Gracie's Bark | Pet Friendly Resource

The Dog's Trust Fund

How much do you love your pet? Would you write your pet into your will? 

 

 

 

On January 7, 2011, “Governor Deval Patrick signed into law An Act Relative to Trusts for the Care of Animals to allow legally enforceable trusts to provide for the care of one or more animals if the trust’s creator becomes incapacitated in any way or dies.” (MSPCA-Angell Press Release). The law takes effect in 90 days in Massachusetts. 

MSPCA’s Director of Advocacy stated “When this law takes effect families with pets will be able to provide financial resources for the care of their animals in the event of incapacity or death, benefitting people as well as the pets. Additionally, the burden placed on municipal shelters and rescue organizations will now be eased as there is a viable, enforceable alternative plan for the care of animals.” Read More

My next concern would be to ask myself “Whom would I entrust with the care of Gracie and Luke?” Well, luckily I have Rob, but also some great friends and family members that I could count on to take very good care of my two monsters! 

The Pet Trust law prohibits the person you entrust from using any of the funds for other purposes. It also provides a legal avenue to enforce the deceases owner’s wishes if a person or organization believes that the money set aside for your pet’s care is being misused. 

There are some restrictions that many people should be aware of. This law permits judges to reduce the amount of a pet care trust if it substantially exceeds the amount required to care for the pet, making sure the animal’s care is not impacted in any way.

According to an MSPCA fact sheet, between 12 and 27 percent of pet owners include their pets in estate planning, and more than a third of Massachusetts households are home to a dog or cat. 
There have been instances where people believe certain pet trusts have been misused, but the idea of putting my mind at ease that Gracie and Luke will be cared for and not tossed into a shelter, in the event that something happens, gives me peace of mind. 

Animal shelter statistics are staggering. “Approximately 5 million to 7 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year, and approximately 3 million to 4 million are euthanized (60 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats). Shelter intakes are about evenly divided between those animals relinquished by owners and those picked up by animal control. These are national estimates; the percentage of euthanasia may vary from state to state.” (ASPCA)

Pet Trusts have now opened a door to continuing pet care for animals and keeping them out of shelters. We’d love to hear your thoughts on the new law and Pet Trusts in general.  Would you write your pet into your will? Write your comments below.

Melts in Your Mouth, Not in your Paws

With a Winter Storm Watch in effect it is important to think of how this weather affects our pets. Below are some dog winter safety tips to remember.

Keeping your dog inside whenever the temperatures hover around freezing. Just like humans, dogs can get frostbite, especially on their noses, ears, and tails. Even dogs with full winter coats can get cold when the temperature hovers below freezing for several days. It is best to bring your dog into the house during extremely cold weather, especially at night when temperatures tend to drop. Gracie is one lucky pup; she cuddles with us in bed every night and spends her days nice and warm inside our home.

Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice (especially during a snowstorm) because dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost.

Make sure your dog always wears an ID tag and consider Microchipping your pet. All pets should wear collar tags imprinted with their name and the phone number of their owner, but only a microchip provides permanent ID that cannot fall off, be removed, or become impossible to read. A pet microchip creates a forever bond between you and the pet you love. Both Gracie and our cat Luke are microchipped!

When your dog comes in from outside, wipe off her legs, paws, and belly. Otherwise, she could ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking herself dry. Also, the ground doesn't need to be covered with snow for you to pay extra attention to your dog's feet on a winter walk or hike. When it is cold and wet out always take a moment to dry and clean your dog's paws to help avoid tiny cuts and cracked footpads.

Rock salt can be very dangerous to pets. The rock salt that is used to melt ice on paved surfaces may also irritate footpads which is another reason to keep your dog's paws clean. The National Animal Poison Control recommends using sand or kitty litter instead of salt. We use sand on our driveway, sidewalk, and porch. I feel more comfortable knowing it is safe for both Gracie and Luke.

Active dogs, like Gracie, need a little more food & water in the winter. Working and outdoor dogs do have increased caloric and nutrition requirements as the temperature drops. Increased protein will give your dog (and her fur) the best winter conditioning.

These are just a few dog safety winter tips to help keep our pets happy and healthy. Does anyone else have any dog winter safety tips they would like to share?

Email us at [email protected]

Can my dog really be a source of heat and light?

As conscientious pet owners we all know that cleaning up after our dogs can be a dirty job. We love our dogs… so we take on that responsibility of keeping our yards, parks and sidewalks clean. 

That being said, our dog’s waste CAN really be a source of heat and light. The first-ever Park Spark project was installed in Cambridge, Massachusetts., on Tudor Street, between Sidney Street and Brookline Street, a few blocks from MIT, on Massachusetts Avenue. This invention transforms dog waste into energy. That energy converted becomes methane, which can be piped into a gas-burning lamppost. 

Here’s out it works:

First the dog owner drops a bag of dog waste into the Park Spark. Then the dog owner turns the manual hand-crank to stir the mixture inside and create the methane gas. 

This invention is amazing and extremely beneficial to the environment. Gracie is on board with trying to get one down in the SouthCoast area. We have contacted the Park Spark Project to see how we can get involved! 

www.parksparkproject.com

Check Out The American Red Cross Pet First Aid Class on Saturday, August 28, 2010 in Dennis, MA

Gracie is dedicated to helping pet owners and their dogs find fun places to go and fun things to do throughout Southeastern Massachusetts and beyond.

Check out this week's upcoming Pet First Aid Class in Dennis, MA! 

 

American Red Cross Pet First Aid Class

Saturday, August 28, 2010

11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Admission: $50

Location: Dennis Police Department, Route 130, Dennis, MA

This is a American Red Cross Pet First Aid Class taught by Sharron Mack, a Certified Red Cross Instructor. The class will include lecture, dvd presentation, hands on training, and lots of fun. All students receive an ARC Pet First Aid Book, DVD, and Certification. For more information, please call 508-962-7125 or email [email protected].  For more information on Pet First Aid, please visit the American Red Cross.

If you are interested in posting a dog friendly event, please email Gracie at [email protected] with complete details of the event(s). Pictures and videos are welcome, space permitting.

Asking Your Veterinarian Questions & Seeking a Second Opinion

Recently I was approached by a relative of mine who was having some health issues with her dog Molly who had gone to the Veterinarian for a small infection on an area of her skin. The infection was treated and Molly needed some minor stitches because that area had to be drained. A short time later her stitches were removed and in the same visit she received her immunizations. That night Molly began panting, pacing and shaking for quite a few hours. Along with these symptoms, she was whimpering and would yelp if someone touched her. She was also unable to go up and down the stairs. 

Molly was brought back to the Veterinarian and seemed to appear fine. The Veterinarian suggested that dementia might have settled in. Molly is what we would consider an "senior" puppy. She is a Shih Tzu that was adopted and her exact age is unknown. Molly's owners did not think it was coincidental that her dementia settled in the same night she received her immunizations. 

Finally after going back and forth to the Veterinarian, they determined that her c4 & c5 vertebrae were displaced and that was what had been causing her pain and bizarre behavior. Molly was placed on pain and anxiety medication and was finally able to sleep through the night. 

 

She is now receiving laser treatment and seems to be doing better. Molly may need to go for acupuncture if the laser treatment does not help. Hopefully, at least she is now on the road to recovery. 

I wanted to pass this story on because we should always be aware of what our Veterinarians are prescribing for our pets. And, if we are not happy with their diagnosis, then we should seek a second opinion, even if it is just a matter of involving another veterinarian from the same practice. 

I have found an informational 10-question checklist to ask your veterinarian when prescribing medication. I thought it might be helpful for everyone to read.  10 Questions to Ask Your Vet

And don’t forget to always look up any medication on the Internet that is prescribed for your pet. We now have unlimited access to all sorts of pet-related information at our fingertips on-line. 

Doggie Heimlich Maneuver

Last week we blogged about performing CPR on a dog. I have been doing some research on the doggie Heimlich Maneuver. When learning how to perform Dog CPR or the Heimlich Maneuver it is important to us to be able to link you over to a video. We want to make sure everyone understands the procedure completely for the safety of all our pets.

I've found a great video that shows how to perform the doggie Heimlich Maneuver.

Melanie Monteiro's video is great. She also has a great safety website and dog safety book which can be found at: TheSafeDogHandbook.com. Her channel on youtube has a lot of great safety tips too! http://www.youtube.com/user/MelanieLMonteiro. 

Thanks Melanie for letting Gracie's Bark share your video! 

Dog CPR

We've been doing some research on how to perform CPR on a dog. I am CPR certified for humans and keep up my certification regularly. I want to be prepared if something happens to Gracie or another dog we may come in contact with. I found a great video from PetsAmerica.org from Austin, Texas. 

Please visit Pets Amercia.org to learn more about caring for animals before, during and after an emergency.