Barkfeast Great Success!

Cochiti Lake's Desert Paws held their first annual Barkfast a few days ago - and it was a great success. People and pets were happily fed, connections made, awareness raised, demonstrations, and most of all a lot of fun.

Their next event is a fundraiser called, Celebrity Pet Calendar Contest -- all Cochiti Lake pet owners are invited to submit their pets best 'kodak moment' to be judged and possibly featured in the calendar. The deadline is Oct. 15th - so hurry and submit your photo!

Please submit your picture to DesertPawsNM@Live.com

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Disaster Tips: For Cats

Are you prepared to take care of your cat when a disaster strikes? If not, NOW is the time to stock up on the items that you will need so you will not be unprepared. Listed below is a handy shopping list for you to use. The next time you buy food or supplies for your cat, take this list with you. Don't put off doing what you should do now - it may just make the difference between being able to keep your cat alive when a disaster strikes.
Here are the supplies that you should have in a disaster kit for cats. Adjust the amounts, depending on the number of cats that you have.


FOOD
Have at least a (2) week supply at all times. Use the brand that your cat is used to eating. Buy pop top cans of food small enough to be used at one feeding since you may not have a way to properly refrigerate a partially used can of food - do not feed food that has been left out. Store dry food in an airtight, water proof container. Rotate food at least once every (3) months. Include in your supplies a feeding dish, a spoon to scoop and mix the food, and a hand crank can opener in case you do not have pop top cans.

WATER
Have at least a (2) week supply at all times. Store water in plastic containers and keep in a cool, dark place. Rotate water at least once every (2) months.

SANITATION
Have a small litter box and litter scoop in your supplies. Have a supply of cat litter to last at least (2) weeks. Have some plastic bags in your supplies for disposing of your cat's waste.

CLEANING SUPPLIES
Have a small container of dish soap for cleaning purposes. Have paper towels for drying dishes and for other cleanup.

COLLAR AND TAG
Have a proper fitting break away collar and tag on your cat at all times, and keep an extra collar in your supplies in case the permanent one gets lost. Have a spare temporary tag in your supplies that you can write on - if you are going to be living somewhere else temporarily, you should put that address and phone number on the tag. You may want to consider microchipping or tattooing your cat as a more permanent form of identification.

HARNESS AND LEASH
You should have a proper fitting harness and leash in your supplies so that if you have to keep your cat confined in a cage for an extended period of time, you have a secure way to take the cat out of the cage to get some exercise.

CONFINING YOUR CAT
Have a collapsible wire cage to transport your cat or to house him or her in following the disaster (if exterior walls fall down or windows are broken, you'll need to keep your cat safely confined). The cage should be large enough to accommodate food and water dishes and a litter box. If your cat plays with toys, include in your supplies some toys to keep your cat entertained.EvacSaks are convenient for transporting cats during an emergency because they are foldable and easy to store. You can order one from www.evacsak.net.

FIRST AID KIT AND FIRST AID BOOK
You should have in your supplies a basic first aid kit, along with a first aid book for cats. Here are some basic items to include in that kit:
conforming bandage (3"x5")
absorbent gauze pads (4"x4")
absorbent gauze pad (3"x 1 yard)
Q-tips (1 box)
antiseptic wipes
emollient cream
tweezers and scissors
instant cold pack
latex disposable gloves (several pairs)Order a complete pet first aid kit at the UAN Store.

MEDICATIONS
If your cat is on long term medication, always have on hand at least a (2) week supply, since your vet may not be able to open right away to fill a prescription. Check with your veterinarian to see if he/she has a disaster plan - if not find a veterinarian in your area who does have a plan so that you can get medical care for your cat should it get injured during the disaster. Keep your cat's medical records, including records of vaccinations with your disaster supplies.

PICTURES
You should have in your supplies some current pictures of your cat to use in case your cat gets lost during the disaster - be sure to include yourself in some of the pictures in case you have to show proof of guardianship.



Original source: United Animal Nations
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Test your Animal Disaster Preparedness IQ

Are you prepared to protect your pets from the possibly devastating effects of a natural disaster? Take this quiz to determine your Animal Disaster Preparedness IQ.

1) What should you do with your pets if you must evacuate your home because of a natural disaster?

• A) Leave them at home with a big bowl of food and the TV tuned to Animal Planet.
• B) Bring them to my neighbor's house.
• C) Ignore the evacuation order and stay home with my pets.
• D) Take them with me when I evacuate.

2) Which of the following items should be included in your pet's disaster kit?

• A) A one-week supply of food.
• B) A one-week supply of drinking water.
• C) Medications he or she is taking.
• D) A pet first-aid kit.
• E) All of the above.

3) What is the best way to ensure you and your pet(s) are reunited if you are separated during a disaster?

• A) Identify each pet with an ID tag.
• B) Identify each pet with a permanent microchip.
• C) Identify each pet with an ID tag and permanent microchip.

4) True or false: You should include copies of your pet's vaccination and medical records in your emergency kit.

• A) True
• B) False

Answers:
1) D: The safest place for your pets during a disaster is with you. Search in advance for out-of-area pet-friendly hotels or boarding facilities, or make a housing exchange agreement with an out-of-area friend or relative. Never leave your pet behind if disaster strikes.
2) E: All of the items listed are important and should be part of your disaster kit. Create one kit for each pet in your household, and store it in an easy-to-grab container. Get more detailed disaster tips at www.uan.org/disastertips
3) C: A tag is important, but it can fall off or become hard to read. A microchip is back-up insurance in case that happens. Be sure to keep your microchip registration up to date, and include at least one emergency number of a friend or relative who resides out of your immediate area.
4) A: These records will come in handy if you have to board your pet at a kennel or other temporary shelter, or if your pet has a medical emergency.
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Desert Paws hosts Breakfast

September 13, 2009 from 8am-11am, Cochiti Lake's Desert Paws will host their first annual "Barkfast" - a meet & greet for Cochiti Lake pet owners.

Many great events are planned -
Rescue Canines demonstrate their skills - Kathy Sylvia
Wildlife and Pet Portrait artists - Annette Schreiner
Discounted micro-chipping for dogs and cats with Barbara Merickel DVM
Dog Training Classes with Carol Tharnish
Veterinary Technicians representing Smith Animal Hospital & Santa Fe Emergency Clinic
Local non-profit Pathways of Healing, Inc


A great breakfast, raffle, lot's of info and demonstrations - it will be a wonderful event and a fun launch for Desert Paws.


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Owner Died - Sweet Dog Needs Home

I am posting on behalf of a friend. Their son passed away recently and they are having to find a home for his 6/7 year old female blue heeler cross. SHe is very sweet I met her today in our lobby at work and she was sitting very happily next to the dad. If you know of anyone who can offer this sweet dog a home please email me. ThanksCarol

You can email this blog and we will put you in touch with Carol: CLIPETS@Live.com
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Help the Humane Society w/o Stretching Your Wallet

The Humane Society of the United States has teamed up with Microsoft to be a part of i'm™, a new initiative from Windows Live Messenger and now, Windows Live Hotmail!

How It Works
Each time you send a message using Windows Live Messenger or Windows Live Hotmail, Microsoft shares a portion of the program's advertising revenue with some of the world's most effective organizations dedicated to social causes, including The Humane Society of the United States. All you have to do is sign up! http://www.hsus.org/shop/microsoft_im_initiative.html

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Animals Abused by China's Fur Industry Need Your Help

I'm going to post exactly what was emailed to me. It's from PETA. You may like what PETA does or disagree with them, but read this. Read it and think about it. Use this info to really think about the items you purchase and what industry and country and value system you support when you make a purchase. Just think about it.

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With the fall fashion season just around the corner, we need to do everything we can to make sure designers, retailers, and consumers know the horrific extent of the animal suffering that takes place on fur farms in China and around the world.

Every year, millions of individual animals, including more than 2 million cats and hundreds of thousands of dogs, are killed for their fur in China. Some are strays, and countless others are companions who once shared homes with people who loved and cared for them before the animals were rounded up—often with metal tongs around their necks—and tossed, screaming, into a crate.

China is one of the world's largest fur suppliers, and more than 95 percent of the country's finished garments are exported—with many ending up in North America. And as we now know, Chinese companies have been known to deliberately mislabel cat and dog fur as "Asian jackal," "rabbit," or "raccoon" to fool consumers. Every fur-trimmed collar or other fur item from China, regardless of the kind of animal slaughtered to manufacture it, is the product of cruelty on a truly massive scale.

The suffering on Chinese fur farms involves all sorts of animals, all of whom are deeply frightened. Powerful video footage taken during a PETA Asia-Pacific undercover investigation documents the misery of rabbits condemned to a short, miserable life and painful death at the hands of grubby fur-farm operators. The investigator saw rabbits who were crammed into filthy cages covered with urine and feces, where they could only wait, petrified, as workers made their way along the tiers of cages.

The rabbits were yanked out of their cages by their ears or legs. The workers aimed at their heads with handheld electrical devices—often multiple times—as the animals kicked and screamed. The rabbits were then hung upside down and were crudely decapitated. The farm that the investigator visited has 11,000 cages and will be responsible for the slaughter of more than 600,000 animals this year alone in the quest to satisfy the demand for their skins.

Through difficult investigations similar to this one and through decades of relentless campaigning, PETA has saved many thousands of rabbits, dogs, cats, and other animals by convincing consumers and corporations to reject all fur. We've successfully persuaded some of the world's leading designers and retailers—including Ann Taylor, Calvin Klein, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Tommy Hilfiger—to adopt permanent no-fur policies, and we've made fur so synonymous with suffering that furs are no longer considered "luxury goods," and fur prices have seen record lows. While we've accomplished much, the wholesale slaughter of so many animals for their fur in China is an urgent matter. To help these animals, we must educate consumers, corporations, and even governments about the pain that goes into every piece of fur trim and every fur cat toy produced in China. That is only part of the work, but it is a vital part.

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