Cat Lovers - You'll LOVE this short video

Cats are SMART and need to be well entertained inside when you're not at home. If you don't believe it - read this little story and watch the short video. (Yes, many of us in town now have DSL - we can watch videos easily and quickly, yeah!:-)

True Story:

Jennifer and Jim kept getting huge water bills. They knew beyond a doubt that the bills weren't representative of their actual usage and no matter how they tried to conserve, the high bills continued. Although they could see nothing wrong, they had everything checked for leaks or problems; first the water meter, then outdoor pipes, indoor pipes, underground pipes, faucets, toilets, washer, ice maker, etc, all to no avail.

One day Jim was sick and stayed home in bed, but kept hearing water running downstairs. He finally tore himself from his sick bed & went to investigate, and stumbled onto the cause of such high water bills. Apparently this was happening all day long when they were not at home. Knowing that few would believe him, he taped a segment of the 'problem' for posterity! Now watch the video!


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Horizon Organics, Whole Foods .... and Puppy Mills?

A recent story that ran in NEWSWEEK entitled A (Designer) Dog’s Life, highlighted the efforts of Bill Smith, of Main Line Animal Rescue. Smith has dedicated his life to fighting puppy mills. You can read the whole story here, but the gist of it is that John Stoltzfus, farmer and owner of B&R Puppies had a puppy mill yet was also a supplier of milk to Horizon. Horizon fired him when they learned about the puppy mill, Stoltzfus then dismantled his mill, and now Horizon has taken him back.

Horizon has a large presence in Whole Foods stores—which maintains a stringent stance on animal welfare. With all the publicity from Newsweek, Whole Foods has come out with a statement: vendors should not 'supply any products to our stores that have been sourced from farmers…who breed or raise dogs inhumanely'.

Encourage Whole Foods to enforce their standards and hold vendors responsible for the humane treatment of animals.

• Click here to read the original NEWSWEEK article, A Designer Dog’s Life.

• Click here to read the follow up NEWSWEEK article, Animal Instinct.

Source: BestFriends.org
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VOLUNTEERS WANTED FOR 2 APNM OUTREACH BOOTHS

“WILDFEST,” July 25, 10-4 p.m.Roosevelt Middle School, Tijeras

“DOG DAYS OF SUMMER” ADOPTATHONAug. 1, 9-1 p.m.Belen Public Library, Belen

WILDFEST is a community education day organized annually by Talking Talons Youth Leadership. At WILDFEST (www.wildfest2009.com), youth of all ages can learn about the environment, wildlife and personal health in an atmosphere of fun and discovery.

Last year over 1500 people attended WILDFEST where they had the opportunity to develop new interests and hobbies, find volunteer opportunities, see amazing wildlife up close, learn about reducing energy consumption, scale the climbing wall and much more. WILDFEST participants include animal rescuers, environmental educators, youth development groups, health service providers, musicians (including the popular folk group ‘Holy Water and Whiskey’), magicians, food vendors and more.

If you are interested in helping to staff this outreach table on July 25,10 a.m. to 4 p.m., please contact Arlene at 265-2322 ext. 21, or arlene@apnm.org.

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER ANIMAL ADOPTATHON will be held at the Belen Public Library on August 1, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Events will include:* Adoption Clinic by Valencia County Animal Control* Reading to Dogs — Tail Waggin’ Tutors* Learn about Poisonous Plants from Master Gardeners of Valencia County* Building Blueprints for Dog Houses* Learn about Dog Training and Fencing Alternatives* Movies: Feature Films and Short Subjects* Safety for Kids

If you are interested in helping to staff this outreach table, please contact Arlene at 265-2322 ext. 21, or arlene@apnm.org.

Make a difference !
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3 Cheers for New Mexico Attorney General Gary King and Other Law Enforcement Agencies

The New Mexico Gamefowl Association and a group of business owners asked the State Supreme Court to review the recent ban on cock fighting, stating it violated the constitution. State law makes participation in cockfights a crime. (We waited so long for this ban - now it's only Louisiana that's left in the nation to make a law banning it.)

But Attorney General Gary King's office announced last week that the justices decided not to consider the appeal. (Yipee! Gary King has really been a staunch protecter of animal rights and getting NM's laws into shape for a civilized 21st century state. Go send him an email to thank him.)
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Alert: Lost Dog -- Horse Riders Needed for Search Party

Santa Fe, Hwy 14 area:


The back story: A dog named Gracie has been missing in the Lone Butte General Store (3815 State Highway 14. Santa Fe NM 87505) area for 2 weeks now. She is the beloved companion of Bill. Bill has done everything in his power to find Gracie in the past two weeks. His sense is that she is close, but on the wrong side of the highway and hunkering down somewhere since she might be injured.

The current situation: Bill had to leave the state today for 2 weeks pre-scheduled work. He is tormented that he has to give up the search for his girl while he is working out-of-state. Some friends are hoping to take up the search in Bill’s absence.

The PLEA: (HORSE RIDERS PLEASE SEE BELOW!) If you, your friends or relatives can donate an hour or two of time this weekend, I’d like to schedule some heavy duty search parties for the areas where Bill feels she might be. If you have any time to spare either Saturday late afternoon or Sunday, please call or email to coordinate efforts. If you have horses in the area (east of Hwy 14, directly south of the Lone Butte General Store area), or can trailer horses in, the area most searched will be a section of undeveloped land that would be perfect to cover on horse-back.

If you are available to ride the area, PLEASE email us at clipets@live.com and we will put you in touch with the woman coordinating this.

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On Losing a Beloved Pet by Christine Kane

“Relationships are forever. They are eternal. Not just permanent in this lifetime. Once you establish a relationship, it is an eternal relationship.” – Abraham-Hicks

Years ago I was at a workshop, sitting in a circle of women. One of them was grieving a death in her family, expressing anger and isolation. She said, “…and you know what? If one more of my idiot girlfriends acts like she knows what I’m going through and shares some dumb-ass story about when her stupid dog or cat died, I’m going to explode.”

Of course, that anger wasn’t the truth of who she is. Anyone who has experienced grief knows that she was probably just trying to mask her intense sadness. Anger pretends it can do that.
For some reason, though, I thought of that woman at 1am this past Tuesday.

Atticus, who had been my special pal for 13 years, finally passed away after a long hard final week of a five-month illness. Silently, I assured that woman – wherever she is now – that my heart was shattered enough to satisfy even her needs.

Even though Mr. Patticus weighed in at only 4 pounds at his passing, I felt the grief of a hundred tons of spirit. After all, the sadness of letting go has so little to do with these earthly issues — like weight and form, or human and pet. It’s a matter of the heart. And thank goodness, our hearts don’t know such limitations.

I’ve been so touched by the number of people who have stopped their busy lives to share their stories when they found out about my beloved kitty. I love how common we all are – even the most stoic or the most mental among us can share with stunning detail an instance when they lost a dog, or a cat, horse or bird.

When a treasured pet dies, you may find yourself going through a kind of mental gymnastics – most of which is just a feeble attempt at distracting you from what you’re desperately trying to avoid: the heavy and unbearable sadness of letting go of something so sweet, so precious, and so connected to you.

Most thoughts can be noticed, accepted, or released – yet when you are in the thick of your grief, sometimes it’s hard to remember to do any of those things. So, the following items are random. I’m posting them for someday. I’m posting them because you might need a friend-in-writing at some 1am of your own. Print this out and save it for that time.

These are pieces of my experience, and pieces of stories from other people. This is my attempt to remind you of the truth, so that you can get back to doing what you are meant to do when you lose a pet – which is to purely experience the release of this being you treasure. In that alone will you find healing.

Guilt
Guilt will sneak in at unexpected moments, telling you that you did it wrong, that you didn’t do enough, that you caused this to happen, or that it’s all your fault. Guilt is tricky. It seems like situations cause it to rise up out of nowhere. But really, guilt just hangs around, waiting in the wings – and it waits to find the perfect situation to make an entrance. In the highly charged situation of a sick pet who doesn’t have a voice, guilt is always available to fill the silent spaces. And it serves no purpose. You find your pet, you love your pet, and you do the best you can. That’s all you can do. That’s what you did.

Blame
Blame is guilt going in the opposite direction. You’ll want to blame the vet, or the driver of the car, or your boyfriend for taking you out that night when your dog ran off, which wouldn’t have happened had you been there. Blame serves one purpose: to distract you. It’s not that you aren’t allowed to have moments of blame and anger – but remember that no matter how much of it you experience, eventually the sadness will be what’s waiting for you at the end of that long line of stuff. And you’ll have nowhere else to turn but in its direction. Blame might postpone the sadness – but not forever.

Second-Guessing
A friend of mine told me that one of the worst things about putting her cat to sleep was the second-guessing that happened afterward. Second-guessing is just guilt on Halloween. It puts on a mask called “Rational Thoughts” that offer you all the reasons why you did the exact opposite of what you should’ve done.

Atticus died as I held him on my kitchen floor. During this last hour, I was overtaken by fear. The second-guessing began. Had I made the wrong choices? Should I have had him put to sleep? I didn’t do any of this right, did I?

I was able to catch myself and remind myself that all I needed to do was be fully present to this moment, and we would both get through it. That’s all you need to do, too. Your presence is more powerful and more healing than your untrue thoughts.

Knowing
When you’re contemplating putting your pet to sleep, and you ask people how you’ll know whether or not to do it, and when it’s time, they will all tell you one thing, “Oh. You’ll know. You’ll just know.”

The truth is that you might know. And that’s great. But you also might not. I kept waiting to hear a “knowing.” But it never came. My homeopathic vet told me that it might never come, and that you just have to do the best you can do.

Life
It’s imperative that you experience life during this time. When Atticus was dying, Spring was in a “Hey it’s been raining for six straight days!” cheerleader-like exuberance, so I made myself go out into the woods with my dog.

I witnessed Pink Ladyslipper in bloom. I smelled the wet ground. I watched some Pileated Woodpeckers going to town on a fallen tree. I met a month-old puppy and reveled in his puppy breath.

It was as if the earth was shouting at me, “It’s all life!” I didn’t believe it. But it helped me remember that it was all there for me to return to when I’m ready.

Give yourself time for life and remember that, as Eckhart Tolle reminds us, the opposite of death is birth. Not life. Life doesn’t die.

Time
No matter if your dog was only three when she got hit by a car, or if your cat lives to be 29, you’ll want more time. You’ll bargain for it. You’ll pray for just one more year. You’ll swear that you’ll be grateful 365 days straight.

Atticus had a lifetime of me bargaining for more time. Homeopathy pulled him from the jaws of death on several occasions. I was (and am) grateful for all of it. But it didn’t make it easy to let go when the time came. I still held tight. I even made a few feeble bargaining attempts. But eventually, I had to surrender and focus on gratitude for the years he lived.

Of course, surrender doesn’t make the sadness go away. It’s just that you no longer are clinging quite so tightly. The truth about time is that it is only ever now. And all those nows that you had with your beloved animal were perfect. But this now is different from those nows.

Protection
My mom had two dogs when she was little, and both of them died unexpectedly. One day her dad announced that he refused to allow any more pets in their home because he couldn’t stand to go through any more broken hearts. He managed to hold fast to his rule, and my mom never had another pet in her life. I never said this to my mom, but I find it interesting that her dad died of a massive heart attack at a young age.

You might want to swear off animals forever. You might tell yourself that you can’t possibly go through this ever again. While it may take some time to allow another pet into your life, the idea that you can protect your heart from pain by sealing it off from love is ludicrous. As one of my Platinum Coaching clients wrote on her coaching form last week: “I’ve spent so many years, pretty much all of my life, working so hard to avoid feeling pain that I never let myself see beauty either.”

As long as we’re on this planet, we might as well experience it, revel in it, take it all in, live big, cry hard, laugh a lot, and love every being that will have us. What’s to protect yourself from?
It’s an honor to love something so much that your heart breaks when it moves to another plane. It’s an honor to be loved back, too. There’s joy to be found – even in your sadness.

Judgment
Some people will find you ridiculous. You will cancel engagements and get rolled eyes. Your family might whisper about you. “It’s just a cat.” “Why all the fuss over a dog?”
Don’t waste your energy being mad. Whether it’s the joy of a pet, or having your own business, or getting fired, or losing a parent – if someone hasn’t experienced it, then they just don’t understand. They will someday. In the meantime, be willing to be judged. You’ve got more important places to put your attention.

Surrender
Lastly, let’s talk about the moments of sheer peace, surrender, and enlightenment. You will have these, too. You will have minutes, maybe hours or even days where you feel a deep surrender to the process of life. You will marvel at your clarity, at how you are able to release with love this being that you cherish with all your heart. You’ll wonder if Pema Chodron will be phoning soon to ask you how you do it.

Love these moments. They are truth. But don’t berate yourself if you burst into tears the very next hour, and beg your pet not to leave, and bargain with God to make sure you never hurt again in your life. It’s a part of the roundabout cycle of loss.

The peace will descend again too. It’s who you truly are. And it will return. And it will last longer each time. And your heart will slowly take it in and heal itself into the full joy of being once again.

Source: Christine Kane's Blog (with permission) May 22, 2009

Did you like this article? Let us know! Visit Christine Kane's Blog here:

http://christinekane.com/blog/on-losing-a-beloved-pet/

I read her articles weekly - they're great, real and inspirational.

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Foxtails Can Be Hazardous to Your Pet's Health

Foxtail seeds have microscopic barbules along their surface. If they get caught in an animal's coat, they are passively propelled forward. If not noticed and removed, foxtails can enter a pet's skin and enter it. The most common places are between the toes, the ear canal, and nose. It causes extreme discomfort. Often an infection ensues. It can cause the ear drum to rupture, get pulled into the pharynx, stomach, small intestine, trachea, situate behind the eyelid, and even into the brain. The foxtail plant is a pest that affects pets, livestock, and wildlife.

Eliminate the foxtail plants from your yard. Check your pets daily - look for moist seeping wounds between the toes, under the ear flaps, excessive sneezing (often but not always with blood), or acute eye squinting and redness. Veterinarian advice should be sought as soon as possible in any of these cases.

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Post Delay

It's come to our attention that some of the articles are taking longer to post. We're in the process of fixing that - thank you for your patience!
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Lost: Alert! Missing Cat in Cochiti Lake - please look

Urgent matter for Lee Anne - please look in your garage and sheds for her long-haired gray cat NEELIX. He didn't come home July 2nd which is not characteristic for him. There's a good chance he's stuck somewhere so please look!

If you have ANY information at all you can email us here (clipets@live.com) or call her directly. No questions asked! They just want Neelix home.

Thank you for your community effort!
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Snopes confirms - Sago Palm a Serious Danger to Pets

"Sago Palm" or "Cycad"Poisoning Alert-

It has come to our attention that many home improvement stores are selling a houseplant that can cause serious poisoning in pets and children. The plant is called the “Sago Palm” or “Cycad”. It is also referred to as “The Oldest Known Plant”.

It is used in outdoor landscaping in Southern States, but can only survive as a houseplant in the North. All of this plant, including the seeds and root ball are toxic.

• Signs of illness first appear about 12 hours after ingestion and include gastrointestinal sign such as vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy.
• The toxins in the plant lead to severe liver failure with progressive weakness, jaundice, bruising and bleeding and other signs of liver failure that lead to death.
• It is estimated that 75-80% of animals ingesting this plant will die in spite of aggressive medical treatment.

If you have one of these plants in your home you will want to be sure to keep it away from pets and children, preferably by disposing of it safely in a covered trash can or “rehome” it with someone who does not have pets or young children in the household.

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Source: http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/sagopalm.asp
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