by Kim Bellizzi, Volunteer Coordinator

More often than not, people enter an animal shelter looking for a specific kind or breed of dog. Only about 25% of shelter dogs are purebreds; the rest are “designer breeds,” my term for mixed breeds. They are also looking for a certain size and energy, which is fine. Unfortunately shelter dogs do not show their “true” personalities in their kennels. They may be depressed, need to be exercised or scared.

Tina and Orabella

A perfect example of this is Tina, a one year old, mixed breed that was surrendered because her previous owners were not at home most of the time and did not have the time to care for her. Her previous owner said she was shy with strangers and afraid of loud noises. Now she is surrounded by nothing but strangers in a strange place, with lots of loud noises. As I passed her kennel she immediately went to the back of it and cowered. If I stayed in front of it for any length of time I could here a low growl.

I asked one of our staff members who works with behavioral issues, what this was all about. She said it was a distance seeking behavior. Tina was attempting to put as much distance between her and the stranger. So I decided to take her home with me and see what she was like in a home setting.

As I entered my house she was greeted by my dogs, Odie a Goldendoodle and Henny a pit bull mix (adopted from the APF, of course). Tina couldn’t wait to get inside. Her tail immediately went up and they all greeted each other, the way dogs do. I let them out back to play, what a sight. All three were running around chasing the ball I was throwing and having a blast. Tina came up to me and gave me a sloppy dog kiss. This just made my day.

Inside Tina curled up on the couch between Odie and my fiancé, as though she were always a part of our family. Orabella, our cat, went up to Tina and sniffed a little then gave her a little swat just to show her who was boss. Tina gave her a big kiss, much to my surprise. At night she hopped up on the bed and slept between us.  In the morning we were greeted with sloppy dog kisses from Tina.

After this experience I wondered how many people had passed Tina up because of how she acted in kennel. A lot, I am sure. Tina also happens to be black and a pit bull mix, further reducing her chances of getting adopted. If only people could see her through my eyes. (See the sweet picture of her cuddled with my cat.)

The next time you go to adopt a shelter animal please ask to meet with the dog or cat out of their kennel or cage. Ask if they have been fostered so you can get a better feel for their true personality. If you do, you just may be one of those lucky people who finds a forever friend.

Learn more at www.animalprotective.org

by Sheila McGee, APF Board of Directors

A few weeks ago I took one of our APF dogs to an offsite adoption event. She was a shy and nervous girl. It took her a bit to trust me and she never relaxed in my truck. When we arrived at the event’s location she was reserved but very good in her interactions with people and most of the other dogs that came in and out. Over the two hours we were there, when she was not interacting with someone, she would intently watch the doors open. You could just read she was anticipating the arrival of someone she knew.

By the time we left, we were officially bonded and she lay down on the front seat of my truck. We had taken the same route from the event as we had taken to it, but this trip back to the APF was different. At one point she sat bolt upright with head and snout pointing skyward sniffing as though she was going to inhale all the air. After a moment or two she laid back down. I just knew what had happened but I wanted to confirm it.

When we arrived back at the APF, I checked with the staff and I was sadly correct. Part of the route we took was near the home she once shared with her human family, the area where she inhaled as much familiarity as she could. Over and over I have seen dogs, especially the older ones, look expectantly for their family to return, staring at each car as it pulls in. When an unfamiliar person exits the vehicle they will often bow their head. The visual doesn’t have to be explained. Those moments bring tears to my eyes for the understanding they cannot possess about the ending of their beloved pack. I realize circumstances often prompt animal surrender and it is heart wrenching for many pet parents. But please consider your options carefully if at all possible, for you will always be in their hearts and they will never forget.

This week HVCC announced a $100,000 grant from game show legend and animal advocate Bob Barker. The funding will be used to support the Animal Advocacy Certificate Program which will be offered starting in the fall. According to President Drew Matonak, HVCC is the only community college in the nation offering this type of programming in animal advocacy.

The only one in the nation.

As someone working in animal welfare, that is huge to me. Not only does our community have rare access to concrete coursework and education on this field, but also to the experts who teach it.

On numerous occasions I have reached out to these folks for guidance on cruelty and neglect related issues. They have helped me to interpret the law, understand the legal process and directed me to proper authorities. They have also pointed out when legally nothing can be done because of deficiencies in the law, lack of evidence or other circumstances.

Yet not everyone is as enthusiastic about this resource as I am. Recently the Rensselaer County Legislature abolished the Animal Cruelty Task Force. The reason given was fear of “mission creep,” by County Legislature Majority Leader Kenneth Herrington, that the group may take farmers to task over animal welfare issues.

This task force was comprised of experts in the area of animal welfare law and investigation, notably attorney Valerie Lang, founder of HVCC’s Animal Advocacy Program, and retired New York State BCI Investigator, Sue McDonough. They are not the frothing animal rights activists feared by the legislature and DA’s office. Their involvement often resulted in people being educated, rather than arrested. A member of the farming community also represented the Task Force.

But absence of the Task Force doesn’t mean absence of advocacy. The HVCC program is already growing a community of educated advocates  who will continue to push for what is just and right for the animals. Momentum is gaining and you can be a part of the movement.

And as Bob would remind us, “Spay and Neuter Your Pets!”

Attend Animal Advocacy Day, June 1
Sponsored by Assemblyman Jim Tedisco and Senator Greg Ball
For more info call (518) 455-5772. Open to all concerned citizens.

Learn About HVCC’s Animal Advocacy Program

Join Us for The “Tails By Twilight” 80th Anniversary Gala on May 7

by Marguerite Pearson, Director of Communications

I like Cesar Millan. That said, I mostly became familiar with him because his show wins out over “What Not to Wear” when my husband and I are haggling over the remote on Friday night.

Me with Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer

For those of you who don’t know who he is (and I learned that these people actually do exist when I sent my photo with him to friends who were like “Who’s the little Mexican guy?”) he is the Dog Whisperer. He has a show on National Geographic Channel and his tagline is “I train people and rehabilitate dogs.”

I saw him at the Palace on Sunday night where he put on not only an informative, but very entertaining show. Here are a few of the things I learned …

• “The only species that follows an insecure leader is human.” Wow. That not only puts things into perspective for animals but we as humans. Animals are driven by instinct and in the animal world it makes no sense for them to do what a weak leader wants. In fact – there would never be a weak leader. That’s why pet owners who do not establish themselves as “pack leaders” can’t manage their dogs.

• For dogs, 60% of the brain is controlled by the nose. That’s why we don’t need to hold out our hand for them sniff us when we approach. They can smell us just fine. When working with a dog, we can best tap into their senses in this order: scent, sight, then sound.

• Here’s a shocker. We as pet owners tend to fulfill our needs first, then our pets’ needs. We try to intellectualize training, which doesn’t work. Our first instinct is to give affection – which isn’t all bad – but for example, a fearful animal is not necessarily looking for affection, but security. Again, the weak leader thing. This also explains why we shower our pets with things that make us feel good – pretty beds, cute toys, maybe even clothes, but often miss the mark on what they really need.

• During the Q and A portion, one person asked how to safely exercise her dog which had undergone surgery for torn cruciates. This dog still had lots of energy. Cesar told her that using mental energy is as essential, if not more so, than physical energy. He suggested not throwing balls and toys, but hiding them and letting the dog search them out. Simple.

And here is where Cesar most impressed me. He talked about his late pit bull Daddy, who failed physically as he grew old. Yet he knew that Daddy still had a lot of life in him and he honored that by doing things to keep him mentally engaged, rather than assuming he was too old and tired to care. He used the phrase ”honoring our pets” frequently.

He spoke of honesty, integrity and loyalty in dealing with our dogs. Throughout his talk, he stressed our need to be attuned to them and give them the consistency and leadership that they crave and thrive on.

Granted Cesar is far more intuitive and understanding of canine behavior than most of us will ever be. But he offers very do-able and realistic ways for us to be more in synch with our dogs’ needs. He affirms that if we really care about our canine companions, we should invest time and effort into learning more about what makes them tick. All dogs – and their owners – can benefit from training.

And I’ve got to love Cesar for being an advocate for shelter pets and pit bulls. His beautiful pit bull Junior just hung out with him on stage, fulfilling the role of breed ambassador and loveable shelter dog.

Does your dog need training? Learn about APF’s Pet Academy.

by Marguerite Pearson, Director of Communications

I have attended church pretty regularly since I was a child, yet my understanding of the Bible leaves much to be desired. Very much. Some day I hope to study it, but today I find myself confused and often quite distracted by the readings, especially when they involve animals.

In this week’s reading from Genesis, God called upon Abram to bring him a heifer, a goat, a ram a turtledove and a young pigeon and split each in half as a sacrifice. Now I know there is much ancient ceremony, belief, tradition, meaning – call it what you will – surrounding the practice of animal sacrifice. But whenever a lamb goes down, I get bummed out. I realize that life was hard in Biblical times and given the alternative of sacrificing your child, it probably seemed like a pretty good option. But I just can’t get my head around it.

Inevitably, I start thinking about my own pets and sometimes gets a little crazy. I think, “What if I had to sacrifice one of mine? Who would it be?” Then it becomes, “What if I had to give up one or all of my pets?”

It’s almost unthinkable. Yet I work for an agency that was founded and exists - to large degree - to serve those who, for whatever reason, give up their pets.

I’m not passing judgment on those who must bring us their animals, as they often do so for very legitimate reasons. On the contrary, I would much rather have someone who could no longer care for a pet relinquish that animal to us rather than keep them and fail to provide proper care for them. But I do have a problem with those don’t enter the relationship with their companion animal with a lifetime vow.

The following comes from Unlocking the Animal Mind: How Your Pet’s Feelings Hold the Key to His Health and Happiness, Dr. Franklin D. McMillan, D.V.M., published in 2008.

A Vow to Make to Your Pet on the Day of Adoption
I will be your loyal companion from this day forward. Even more important, I will be your protector. You have my solemn promise that I will, to the absolute utmost that my strength and resources permit, protect you against all the hurts that life can hold, whether they be physical or emotional. You can depend on me for this. I will never let you down.

Should my passing come first, you need not worry, because I will have made all the provisions for your care, safekeeping, and happiness.

Fear not, because when death ends our physical togetherness, our emotional bond will never end. You will be a part of my heart forever. I promise.

I love this vow and wish that every pet owner would read it and take it to heart before acquiring or adopting a pet.

by Marguerite Pearson, Director of Communications

Have you ever listened to Fly-92’s Dysfunctional E-mail segment? Morning hosts Brian Cody and Chrissy Cavotta field a moral dilemma from listeners and they open it up for discussion and feedback from other listeners. There’s a lot of relationship stuff, but last week’s focused on a different type of relationship – that with a newly adopted pet.

In a nutshell, the caller had recently adopted a dog from the “pound” as she called it. Her boyfriend, who also has a dog, then asked her to move in with him. The dogs were not getting along, so to make along story short, the caller asked if one should give up their dog or if they should not move in together.

What?!

There are soooooooo many things wrong with this scenario. Where to begin? First, what was the caller thinking? She’s in a relationship with someone who has a dog and it seems she didn’t include him in her decision to adopt a dog in any way. That’s the first problem.

Next, I have to place some of the responsibility on the adoption agency here … or the “pound.” Did they ask the right questions? When we are adopting out dogs at the APF, we always ask about other pets that the new pet will be living with or encounter on a regular basis. Maybe they did ask this, and maybe she didn’t tell them that her boyfriend had a dog. But had she been adopting from the APF and had she been honest about it, we would have insisted that the boyfriend’s dog come to meet with new dog first. MUCH would have been learned from that first encounter.

But here’s where the sparks flew between Brian and Chrissy, as they often do. Chrissy is one of those dedicated pet owners that we wish we could clone. When she adopted her dogs, she made a lifetime commitment to them. End of story. She argued that there was no going back once that commitment was made. And as much as I love and respect her for her stance, I had to agree more with Brian – the pragmatist.

Call me jaded, but I have seen far too many long-term bonds broken between people and their animals, some with legitimate reason and many for convenience. The vibe that I got from this caller was that she entered the relationship (with the dog) without much thought or commitment and it would probably be better for the dog to end it sooner than later.

We see the sadness and confusion that the animals experience after knowing the comforts of a real home – sometimes for many years – when they are dropped off at the shelter. It’s heartbreaking. We give them lots of love and reassurance to help them through the difficult transition. But it would be far better to never have to put them through that in the first place.

So my call on this one? I don’t have high hopes for the relationship – neither the one between the caller and the dog nor the one between the caller and her boyfriend.

I also want to thank FLY-92 and all of the Albany Broadcasting stations for featuring an APF pet on air every week. We love you, ABC!

What’s In Your Pet’s Food?
Free educational program this Thursday at 6:00 pm at the APF!

by Marguerite Pearson, Director of Communications

As I was wandering the toothpaste aisle the other day searching for my “usual,” I was overwhelmed by the numbers of brands, flavors, colors, stripes and other attributes of this single product, as well as the range of prices. Honestly I don’t know which is best, and every now and then I do fall for “whiter, brighter, fresher” claims. But usually I fall back to my usual.

Then there’s the pet food aisle.

For many years I had tunnel vision. I bought “the usual” every time, still not really sure what was best for my pets. It wasn’t until a visit to Benson’s Pet Center a while back when Frank Kramer the owner gave me crash course in pet food that my eyes were opened. Boy did I feel like a mom who fed her kids nothing but junk food.

Have you ever actually read the labels or explored the recommended nutritional values for a cat or dog? Do you know what a healthy fat or protein content is? Do you know the difference between animal meat, animal meat meal, animal by-product meal and animal meat by-products? (Some of these include feet, bones, beaks and viscera!)

Nutrition is important and those whose pets have had medical issues that were resolved by switching to a better quality food will tell you that a good diet can make a world of difference in your pet’s quality of life. So here’s your chance to learn more.

Join us at the APF on Thursday, March 10 from 6:00-7:30 pm for a free program entitled “What’s in Your Pet’s Food? Our presenter will be Moira Boland, General Manager at Benson’s Pet Center. It’s her job to know about the products they carry — and that is a very long list! This is your chance to pick her brain on brands, ingredients, allergens and the best nutritional value for your money. Bring your food labels with you. This session is free, and there’s no need to register – just show up at the APF, 53 Maple Avenue in Scotia.

Now for Feel Good Friday!

Oma was adopted thanks to her CBS-6 appearance.

This is Oma. (Oma means grandma in German.) It’s almost incomprehensible this fragile little lady with cataracts was found wandering the cold streets all alone. We estimated her age to be about 10 years old. Following this week’s 6 On Pets appearance with Liz Bishop, she was adopted. We wish all the best to Oma and her new, loving parents.

Visit our website: www.animalprotective.org

by Marguerite Pearson

Marsha chillin' on her bed. She is available for adoption.

Marsha is a 2-year-old rottweiler/pit bull mix who came to us as a stray. We noticed her walking with a limp and when our vet examined her, she found that Marsha’s left hip had a decreased range of motion and – here’s a new word for your vocabulary – crepitus. Crepitus is the grating sound of two ends of a bone rubbing together. The sound alone makes me shudder, but imagine what that must feel like.

So here’s the skinny on hip displasia, a problem found commonly in large breed dogs:

The hip joint forms the attachment of the hind leg to the body and is a ball and socket joint. The ball portion is the head of the femur (the larger upper bone of the hind leg) while the socket (or acetabulum) is located on the pelvis. In a normal joint the ball rotates freely within the socket. The bones are shaped to perfectly match each other and held together by a strong ligament. The joint capsule, which is a very strong band of connective tissue, encircles the two bones adding further stability. The area where the bones actually touch each other is called the articular surface. It is perfectly smooth and cushioned with a layer of spongy cartilage. The joint contains a thick fluid that lubricates the articular surfaces. In a dog with normal hips, all of these factors work together to allow the joint to function smoothly and with stability.

Hip dysplasia is associated with abnormal joint structure and a weakness of the muscles and tissues that would normally support the joint. As joint laxity develops, the surfaces of the two bones lose contact with each other. This separation of the two bones within the joint is called a subluxation, and causes a drastic change in the size and shape of the articular surfaces.

Most dysplastic dogs are born with normal hips but due to their genetic make-up, and possibly other factors, the soft tissues that surround the joint develop abnormally. It is this subluxation and the remodeling of the hip that leads to the symptoms we associate with this disease. Left untreated, it can be a very painful condition.

When Marsha first arrived, she was a little cranky. No doubt, she didn’t feel good. But fortunately our vet was able to treat her condition with a surgery called femoral head ostectomy. What’s that, you ask?

The ball portion of the hip joint (the head of the femur) is removed and the bone smoothed so that no bone to bone contact occurs between the pelvis, which contains the now empty socket and the remaining portion of the femur. The joint is not stabilized, it is destroyed. While that sounds bad, in almost all dogs under about 50 pounds, this surgery will provide comfort and better mobility. A “false joint” forms, consisting of fibrous scar tissue around the bone end. This forms in the muscles over the hip, which are strong enough to provide some stability.

Since her surgery a few weeks ago, Marsha’s sweet personality has emerged. She is a love bug! Whether in her kennel or spending time in our office, she is content to play with her toys or hang out on her bed. She loves wandering from person to person just to check in and solicit a scratch or belly rub, or give a kiss.

However there is one thing remaining to be fixed and that is her name. I’m not sure how she came by Marsha, but if you ask me, it’s a little odd.

Learn more about Marsha

Join us for a free educational program on pet nutriton on March 10.

Marguerite Pearson, Director of Communications

Enter our Spay Day Facebook Photo Caption Contest below

Spay Day is a campaign of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and Humane Society International to promote the life-saving benefits of spay/neuter. According to HSUS nearly four million cats and dogs are put down in U.S. shelters each year. That means one homeless pet is euthanized every about every eight seconds.

Think about that … every eight seconds a homeless animal is put to death.

The APF has long recognized spay/neuter as the only way to end the vicious cycle of births and deaths. In 1996 – amid much doubt and criticism from the outside – the APF became the first humane organization in the region to conduct spay/neuter surgeries within the shelter and ensure that all pets would be altered prior to adoption. Since then, tens of thousands of pets have been safely altered and an inestimable number of births have been prevented.

High-quality spay/neuter and veterinary care has long been a hallmark of the APF and today nearly every day is “spay day” at the shelter. Three days a week are devoted to our community spay/neuter program, which delivered nearly 3,000 low-cost surgeries last year for cats. Surgery for shelter pets occurs once or twice a week, bringing our annual surgery total to nearly 4,000. No other organization in the region is doing as much to prevent pet overpopulation.

So why are there still so many unwanted pets?

Although 4,000 surgeries is no small feat, it’s not enough to address the need. Our goal is to increase the volume significantly, so that we can have a real impact on unwanted animals entering our shelter, and eventually in the Capital Region.

This is the APF’s 80th anniversary and this is the year we are taking on that mission. We are currently working on plans for a dedicated spay/neuter clinic, which will provide the space needed for this expansion and allow us to help dogs as well.

More information on this project will be forthcoming. If you are in need of spay/neuter assistance, please visit our website for information on our program and others in the region.

Enter our Spay Day Facebook Photo Caption Contest and you could win a pet gift basket!

by Sheila McGee, APF Board of Directors

It’s February and my favorite holiday, Valentine’s Day, marks this cold and dreary month. I don’t know why it is my favorite holiday. I just love the concept and I’m a fan of heart-shaped anything. My first Chow-Chow was named Kokomo’s Valentine Dream, in part to honor the holiday.

February also marks another yearly ritual, watching the “AKC Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show,” appropriately over the Valentine holiday. Over years of watching I have learned volumes about dog breeds. I love their “standard” coats, strides and demeanors.

Tens and even hundreds of thousands of dollars go into showing dogs. It is not a cheap hobby and the dividends are measured more in reputation then in dollars. Having a dog AKC registered; however, is not as significant or prestigious as you might think.

Here’s how it works: you obtain a puppy that has its parents’ lineage documented by the American Kennel Club, you pay a fee to register that puppy, and there you have an officially recognized AKC dog and a piece of paper to prove it. The registration is only a benefit if you are going to breed the dog, as the distinction of  “AKC registered” can garner more money for the seller. That is the down point.

Although the AKC promotes responsible dog ownership, it cannot oversee breeders and really goes on faith that those who have registered their dogs are responsible and that the new addition has been similarly bred responsibly. The fact is that anyone — from backyard breeders to puppy mills — can register their dogs without recompense. All they need is to complete a form and pay a fee.

I know this from personal experience as I have a poorly bred Sheltie with AKC papers. I also have a Chow-Chow with AKC papers who was bred conscientiously and lovingly by one of the three top cream Chow-Chow breeders in the country. Yet when these dogs were registered, there was no distinction made between them.

The AKC has wonderful programs and insight on dog breeds. It also recognizes dogs that have made a remarkable impact on people. But it can’t, or maybe I should say won’t, render greedy dog breeders powerless in their efforts to exploit. After all, those fees generate a great deal of revenue.

I love dog shows and will continue to watch. I encourage anyone thinking about a certain breed to research that breed and use the AKC as a resource. But when you start searching for a breeder, don’t be influenced by “AKC Registered.” Unfortunately, it’s not worth the paper it is written on. In fact, when the APF receives dogs “with papers,” the papers are discarded.

It’s so important to do your homework on the breeder. HSUS offer this great guide for those seeing a reputable one. http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/puppy_mills/tips/finding_good_dog_breeder.html

But if you really have your heart set on a specific breed, don’t overlook shelters and breed rescues. There you are likely to find straight-forward and honest information from people who care deeply about finding the right placement for their dogs.

Great breeders are out there, and so are great dogs whose unfortunate beginnings were more about turning a profit. I know that as well. I also have a rescued Chow-Chow who not only came from a backyard breeder, but an abusive one at that, and yet she is wonderful. Whether Heinz 57 or purebred, their love won’t only be expressed on the February 14, but every day of their life with you.