Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts

Friday, September 18, 2009

October 4: St. Francis of Assisi Feast Day - Nambe Pueblo

Mark your calendars - October 4th is the St. Francis of Assisi Feast Day at the Nambe Pueblo. Located north of Santa Fe, Nambe will hold its annual St. Francis of Assisi Feast Day on the saint's traditional day of celebration, October 4. The day honors St. Francis' love of all creatures and is a traditional community festival including food and dancing. Nambe Pueblo, 505-455-2036.

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Saturday, September 12, 2009

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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Tuesday, September 8, 2009

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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Saturday, August 22, 2009

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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Friday, June 5, 2009

We're Out There!




A wonderful milestone to mention - the Cochiti Lake Pet & Wildlife Community blog has now reached international status! Kattadora from England was so inspired by Sunny Thornton's article on cat declawing, that she commented via the blog about the post. I encourage you to sign her petition in banning declawing


(http://www.petitionthem.com/default.asp?sect=detail&pet=4312) here in the US and read her comments on our

(http://clipets.blogspot.com/2009/05/to-claw-or-not-to-claw-that-is-question.html#comments).
blog and hers.






We are getting lot's of exposure outside of Cochiti -- people are reading in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Chimayo, Las Cruces, Taos, etc -- and that's just the people who have voiced an opinion :-) Things are moving along nicely - thanks to the people who get involved. So a big 'THANK YOU' to everyone who's is actively involved (and would like to get involved)!



The latest word is that Qwest DSL internet access for Cochiti Lake will be available mid-July 2009 so local online readership will have a jump and everyone who wasn't able to access will soon be able to enjoy!

In community spirit - write a small article :-) Your neighbors will get to know you better in a wonderful pet-related way!


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Friday, March 6, 2009

The Rhythm of Hoof Beats - ChristiAne Wolski


Horses nourish the soul of humans. A quote often attributed to Winston Churchill allures to this: “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.” Riders of any discipline know this. Especially trail riding is often credited with mind refreshing and relaxing qualities. Add to that the experience of the sights, sounds, and smells of an unfamiliar or exotic landscape and you have the perfect setting for an (Click, "Read More")
invaluable experience that can transcend all aspects of life.

Lynn Webb counts herself lucky that she had plenty of such riding experiences. Her pleasant personality, a background as a barn manager for a private dressage barn, and her degree in graphic arts led her to work in the horseback riding vacation industry for over 10 years. Her profession came with the perk of going on ‘test’ rides in locations such as Costa Rica, Mexico, Ireland, England, Scotland, Italy, France, Spain and Greece! First hand she felt the exhilaration of galloping across a beach in Costa Rica and the peace of mind a truly trustworthy equine partner offers you in the breathtaking but foreign countryside of Scotland.

Beyond the opportunity of going on equestrian trips what Webb loved most about her job was the personal contact with horsepeople. Through email and phone conversations she learned not just about customer’s riding preferences and vacation styles but also about their families, including the family members with four hooves. Many customers kept up a friendly acquaintance with Webb after returning from their vacation. As Webb says, “once you start talking about horses you are family.”

Like her clients, Webb is a horse person in private life as well. Nearly fifteen years ago her Thoroughbred/Quarter horse gelding Cherokee River developed equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). This was when little was known about this neurological disease and its treatment. She purchased Fulton, a rather grumpy Thoroughbred/Oldenburg gelding a year after she had to put River down due to his severe symptoms. Fulton didn’t like either dressage or trail riding, which were the activities Webb and River enjoyed together. He only seemed to like jumping, which Webb however doesn’t count to her fortitudes. Webb invested in training herself and her equine partner and they formed a long lasting partnership. Now, at 30 years old Fulton is still going steady. He and Webb jump up to 2ft obstacles on trails and do hunter paces together.

Webb’s private and professional life always has been determined by the rhythm of hoof beats. And she loves it that way. A couple of years ago Webb cut back her work schedule to just assist with the content and design of the promotional material of the company she worked for. But she realized how much she missed the personal contact with clients and the horseback riding trips. It wasn’t long when she was approached by some of the facilities she had visited on her trips with the request to represent them. Webb jumped on the opportunity and established her own equestrian travel agency Hoofbeats International, Inc.

Webb proudly represents nine different equestrian facilities in as many countries. She is able to offer over two dozen different riding trips through Hoofbeats International, Inc. Whether it is a once in a lifetime dream trip or an annual group vacation, Webb is happy that she can offer to make people’s dreams come true. She thinks “that everyone who loves horses should experience the excitement and fun of taking a riding vacation!”



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