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7196 Columbia River Road Pasco, WA 99301 Phone: 509/544-9682 Fax: 509/544-8851 Email: newzealmom@aol.com |
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FALL AND WINTER 2005 I think I missed one or two months of this year – I mean, where did August and September go? And October? Here it is November and before I finish this Newsletter it will be Christmas. I must get a move on. Louis is off in Kansas for his annual trip to see his brothers and college buddies. He usually takes one of his English Pointers to help with the bird hunting, which really is the object of the trip. This year, at five in the morning, there we were standing in line at the airport, with Belle, the dog chosen to accompany Louis and at that moment making a great deal of noise barking and whining and telling everyone that this was not her idea of a good time. There was a long pause while the Delta clerk, like a judge on the bench, studied her computer and punched keys and studied it some more. She frowned. I told Belle to keep her bark lower. Then came the verdict. The weather in Salt Lake City was too cold to allow a dog to travel on a Delta plane. There was no way around it. Belle couldn’t go. Louis went on his own and Belle returned home with me. The strange thing is, that when that clerk announced that the dog couldn’t travel, Belle became quiet. She was asleep by the time we drove into the garage at home. Louis is missing his hunting buddy, but we congratulate Delta’s animal friendly policies! That includes Belle! WE WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT A “LOT OF STUFF”
And that’s why we have a Sagemoor Kennel’s Newsletter! Do you read this Newsletter? Do you read any of our Newsletters? Our web site www.sagemoor.com has this one and the last two available. We hope you do read these Newsletters because we include a great deal of information that we think important for our clients to know. For instance in the last Newsletter – No, 19 – we have some answers to questions we are frequently asked by first time boarding owners. We explain our stance on choke chains and leashes and our policy about medications and how a pet qualifies for the Home Style Program. In this issue – No. 20 – you will see our Holiday Hours, some information about Separation Anxiety, how one of our staff spent time as a volunteer at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah, how to help our pets deal with the stress our holiday season brings not only to us, but also to them, and much more. “Dogs believe they are human, Cats believe they are God”
COLETTE, Recollections, 1986 HOLIDAY HOURS WE ARE CLOSED ALL DAY THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS DAY, NEW YEAR’S DAY AND JULY FOURTH MEMORIAL DAY AND LABOR DAY FALL ON MONDAYS AND WE ARE CLOSED ALL DAY BUT OPEN IN THE EVENINGS FROM 5 – 7 P.M., JUST LIKE SUNDAYS AND THEREFORE WE CHARGE FOR THE WHOLE DAY. OUR REGULAR KENNEL HOURS Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Check out time is 1 p.m. Pets picked up after 1 p.m. will be charged for the next night. Saturday 9 a.m. – 12 noon Sunday OPEN EVENINGS ONLY – Pick up 5 – 7 p.m. and Drop off 6 – 7 p.m. We charge for full day on Sundays and holiday Mondays If you are having your pet picked up by another family member or a friend, please make sure they know our hours, how to find us, and that they have a CHECK OR CASH for payment WE DO NOT TAKE CREDIT OR DEBIT CARDS. For SECURITY REASONS please let us know in advance who will be picking up your pet, their phone number and please tell them that we will ask for some picture ID. Groomer’s Message – VERY IMPORTANT – Cecilia says that if you want a grooming appointment for the Holiday Season please call AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. She is getting BOOKED UP.
HELPING HANDS. Hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, earthquakes, mud slides, floods and fires – you name it and whenever and wherever disaster strikes, not only are the human part of the family affected, but also the animal part. Perhaps we haven’t always been aware of the animals caught up in these life shattering events until we saw the pictures and read the stories of Hurricane Katrina. How can anyone imagine the pain of someone who has had to leave that family pet behind, alone, in the face of rising water with no hope of rescue? The pictures touch out hearts – here a dog swims frantically, there two dogs stand, barking helplessly. Little is heard of the pet care facilities destroyed by the hurricanes. Many people and many organizations came to the rescue. Food, shelter, care were given to pets that were rescued, their families located or new families found. It isn’t over yet. Many facilities need rebuilding and homes are still needed for homeless pets. There will, however, be more hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and fires and more families and their pets in need of assistance. The American Boarding Kennels Association (of which Sagemoor Kennels is a member) has established the ABKA EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND to “provide a way for its members and concerned individuals to make contributions to support pets, pet care providers, and pet rescue organizations during time of emergency or disaster such as Hurricane Katrina.” Donations may be made online at www.abka.com or by calling ABLA toll free at 877-570-7788 ext 10. “Animals …do not suffer less because they have no words.”
ANNA SEWELL, Black Beauty, 1877 This October one of our staff, MARY ELLEN COULSON, spent ten days at a very special place. She went as a volunteer worker to the BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SANCTUARY in Kanab, Utah. For more information about this wonderful place go to their web site www.bestfriends.org. Best Friends Animal Sanctuary cares for about 1,500 abused, abandoned or neglected dogs, cats, horses and mules, bunnies and birds and many other animals. Homes are found for many of these pets and those that cannot be placed are given a home at the Sanctuary. Every year some 20,000 people visit the sanctuary, and about 3,000 visitors also volunteer their time and their care. MARY ELLEN worked with the TLC Cat Club where there were cats in need of intense medical treatment. The Sanctuary has provided care for many of the animal victims of Hurricane Katrina. MARY ELLEN found the experience truly rewarding. I asked her what lesson might we learn from the Sanctuary and she said “Time, more time with the pets. They need all the time we can give them.” I agree that when we care for our boarders we need to remember that, while they many of them may not be abused or neglected, they are still in a strange place and the time we spend with them helps relieve the stress of the boarding experience. MANY THANKS, MARY ELLEN, FOR GIVING YOUR TIME AND CARING TO THE SANCTUARY. KEEPING YOUR PETS SAFE AND HEALTHY DURING THE WINTER MONTHS It’s not only the Winter months that can introduce some special hazards for our pets, but it’s the Holidays that fall during that time too. Pets like to go out in the snow and that means we should check their feet for the hard balls of frozen snow that get stuck between their toes and can cause sores. At the Kennels we find that most of the dogs love to play in the snow, even paddle in puddles, but we then spend time checking those toes and drying wet, muddy feet when they come inside. That extra attention is much appreciated! Remember the warnings about ANTIFREEZE? It’s a POISON for both cats and dogs. The are attracted to its sweet taste. For your pet’s safety, dispose of anitifreeze properly. Drain antifreeze into a container that can be closed and take it to your service station for disposal. Thoroughly clean any spills. If you see your pet drink even a tiny amount, don’t wait, take your pet to your veterinarian at once. Our family decorates the house at Holiday time – ‘over decorates’ is Louis’s comment, but he’s the one who buys the Christmas tree - ‘for the children’ he says as he strings the lights and hangs some of those ornaments. And then there are the poinsettias, holly, mistletoe and amaryllis, and don’t forget the chocolates and cookies with nuts in them. THAT’S A LIST OF POTENTIAL HAZARDS FOR YOUR PETS. The decorations make great toys for the curious dog or cat to bat around on the floor. They may get chewed up and, along with the candy wrappers, cause intestinal obstructions. Chocolate is toxic, nuts can cause choking, and those pretty plants all are poisonous. So keep the home environment safe for your pets – and you’ll be guaranteed a happy holiday season! “The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog.”
George Graham Vest Here is a useful piece of information for all you CAT LOVERS – and that includes me. Roger Tabor writes in Cat Behavior, a Complete Guide to Understanding How Your Cat Works, that BLINKING HELPS RELAX A CAT. Try it. It sends the signal “I love you” to your favorite kitty. SEPARATION ANXIETY
We see a great deal of Separation Anxiety at the Kennels, both in pets and owners who are having a hard time separating from each other. As owners we may find ourselves wanting to wait till the last moment for that goodbye hug or pat. “She’s never been away from me before.” Is that the pet or the owner speaking? We say something about it being just like leaving your child at kindergarten that first day. “No it’s worse – Jules can’t tell me what it’s like.” I wish I understood that upturned nose, those wide eyes, mouth a little open as though words are about to come, that little grunt, or whine. But it’s time to go. “Call and find out how Jules is doing.” We’re told and we will. So why did I take all that time tell the kennel person all about how I found Jules at the Pound and how we just looked at each other and knew we were meant for each other? Why am I sitting in the car now, shaking, and wondering if I am doing the right thing to leave Jules while I go off of a trip? But he does have my old sweater to lie on. It’s the same for the dog, or the cat, but for some it’s more difficult being separated. Pets that have been abandoned or neglected have an especially difficult time adjusting the first time they are left at the kennels. Our kennel staff are aware of the signs, the pet that doesn’t eat, won’t come out of the kennel, growls and snaps, may have diarrhea. We spend more time talking to them, sitting in the run with them rather than trying to put a leash on to take them outside. If we learn that the pet is anxious and nervous when the owner makes a reservation, we encourage a Trial Board. Trial boards are scheduled for mid week and may last several hours. The owner is encouraged to leave so that they too can become used to the feelings of loss when that beloved pet is not with them. The delight seen in the pet when the owner returns is truly rewarding to us. WE TRY TO KEEP CLOSE TO THE HOME ROUTINES
Knowing that pets are creatures of habit and, like many of us, any change is stressful. So we feed and clean and exercise as close to the home schedule as possible. We appreciate any information owners give us about what goes on at home for their pet, especially for those who may suffer from separation anxiety. There are some limits to what we can do. “He gets a four mile run twice a day at home.” That’s not something we can do, but we can do a twice a day exercise period. We have to use a choke chain and leash whenever a pet is out of their kennel and run. No, they may not come back if we call or whistle, once they have shaken their collar off! We are often asked for a communal playtime where several dogs can run and play on the exercise yard together. We do this with the ‘tinies’ in the Front Room Homestyle program, but if any get into a fight, it’s easy to pick the offenders up and hold them. CHECK WITH YOUR VET ABOUT THESE ONES
“Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.” Rudyard Kipling TO THOSE WAITING AT THE RAINBOW BRIDGE, A SPECIAL THANKS Holidays are a time for remembering those companions in our lives who have done so much for us and made so little demand PRISCELLA, PAVLOV, TEDDY, REBA, MOCHA, SHIVA, CODY, and CODY, SAMANTHA and SAMANTHA, JACQUES, SARA GRACE, AND OTHERS WHOSE NAMES WE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN GIVEN, we say thank you for all the love and loyalty you gave both to your families and to us at the Kennels. ALL OF US AT SAGEMOOR KENNELS WISH YOU ALL, OWNERS AND GUESTS, A VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON LOUIS AND JENEPHER, KATHY, CECILIA, ANGELA, KAREN H. AND KAREN W. MARY, MARY ELLEN, MICHAEL AND NATALIE SAGEMOOR KENNELS FOR PEACE OF MIND BOARDING AND QUALITY GROOMING 7196 COLUMBIA RIVER ROAD – PASCO, WA 99301 (509) 544-9682, FAX (509) 544-8851, www.sagemoor.com |
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