If dogs were our teachers..

If dogs were our teachers, we would learn things like:

• When loved ones come home, always run to greet them with love in your heart and on your face.
• Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy ride.
• Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
• Take naps.
• Stretch before rising.
• Run, romp, and play daily.
• Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
• Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
• On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
• On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
• When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
• Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
• Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.
• Be loyal and honest. Never pretend to be something you're not.
• If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
• When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by. All will be well.

How much richer would our lives be if we learned these doggie lessons? It goes to show animals are often much, MUCH wiser than we are! THANKS, Dogs, for being awesome role models of appreciation, love and simplicity!

Take extra care of your flat-faced dog in the heat

We heard today of a bulldog out on his daily walk yesterday, who keeled over from heat stroke and was unable to be resuscitated. The owner is understandably beside herself with grief and guilt, never having suspected that the dog was at a higher risk of heat-related complications because of his sweet, flat face. Our condolences to her, and an urgent call out to any of you with flat-faced pets to be especially vigilant about your pet’s comfort and wellbeing when the temperatures soar.

Flat faced, or brachycephalic, dogs and cats are more susceptible to the heat and humidity because their unique anatomy is inefficient in general and their airways are also more likely to become inflamed and swollen in stressful conditions, further restricting airflow and making it even harder to breathe. According to this article on the subject, “the flat face design [also] encourages saliva to evaporate from the tongue more quickly than it otherwise would. This impedes the cooling effect the tongue has on the blood circulating through the tongue. This in turn makes the body cooling process far less efficient than in other breeds.”

Dogs really rely on being able to pant, to regulate their body temperatures and if you have a breed that is more likely to suffer in the heat because of their flat face, please be extra observant of their behavior and breathing.

Some common sense summer precautions include:

• Know any potential issues your pet’s breed might have – now you know your flat-faced pets are less tolerant of heat and humidity, you can take extra steps to keep them safe and comfortable when the mercury rises.
• If you have air conditioning, leave Fido inside when it’s seriously hot (with the A/C on, of course!)
• Don’t take your dog for a walk in the middle of the day – instead, take them out in the the cool morning or in the evening. And don’t walk them on the hot pavement (you try it, barefoot with the only part of your body that can sweat, on hot asphalt or concrete!) – make sure they have some grass or shady areas to walk on.
• Always provide plenty of cool fresh water and, if your dog stays outside, make sure they have someplace shady throughout the day so they can escape the sun.
• NEVER, NEVER, NEVER leave your dog in a car on a warm or hot day! Temperatures inside a car can easily rise to 120 degrees Fahrenheit under the summer sun. Even if the outside temperature is only 70 degrees, the inside of a car can cause heat stress and even heatstroke.
• If you take your dog with you, don’t leave them sitting outside in the sun or without water while you’re browsing around in the air conditioned comfort of the shops or library. You’d be better off leaving them at home where they can go seek out some shade, or grab a drink from their bowl.

What to do if your dog is overheating? Some danger signs are:

• Unusually sluggish or unresponsive
• Pale or dark red gums, may be very dry
• Erratic breathing
• Glazed eyes
• Vomiting
• In the final stages the dog will suffer convulsions and unconsciousness

If you observe any of these symptoms it is imperative that you take action immediately!

• Get your dog into the shade and apply cold water or hose gently with a continuous stream of cool water.
• Submerge in a tub of cool water if possible.
• If possible apply ice packs or cold towels.
• If your dog is conscious allow him to drink small amounts of water or lick ice cubes. Do not force him to drink.
• Get veterinary attention immediately. You may save his life!

Great references for more information:

• Article by The Bulldog Club of Greater San Diego: Heat is a (Bull)dog’s #1 enemy!
• Brachycephalic Dogs (Flat Faced Dogs) And Summer Safety Tips
• Article on heat exhaustion in pets

Please pass this information on to friends and family with pets, particularly if they have a flat-faced breed – you might just save their life! Stay cool… :-)

Find out what local laws and ordinances apply to your pets

Being a responsible pet owner also means being a law-abiding citizen. Texas has many local and State ordinances pertaining to pet ownership, and it pays to know which ones apply to you. Violation of pet ordinances can result in fines or worse – being required to surrender your pet to a shelter, and you cannot claim ignorance as a legal defense.

To help you stay on the right side of the law, Rebecca has written a handy reference guide that makes it easy to know where to find out the laws in your area – read it and know your legal obligations!

Different ways of contributing to animal shelters and rescue groups

The latest Examiner.com article by Companions For Life President Rebecca Poling gives peoples various options for donating to animal shelters and rescue groups without necessarily having to write a check.

In these tight times, cash donations are down as people tighten their belts – but that doesn’t mean you have to give up on giving altogether! Volunteer time and in-kind donations are just as valuable as cash, and both businesses and individuals can donate services such as printing, copying, cleaning, grooming, vet care and more. Remembering your local charity in your Will is another way of giving, and of course anyone who is lucky enough to work for a company that matches donations should absolutely take advantage of that “free money”!

As Rebecca points out, “No matter how you donate, the important thing is that you contribute what you can.” We’re all in this together!!

• Read the full article here.
• Other Examiner articles by Rebecca.

Top Dog Speaker Series – July 22: How to Use Social Media to Build Buzz and Further your Message

~ Top Dog Speaker Series ~

FREE for all local rescuers and shelter staff!

WEDNESDAY July 22, 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

REI, 4515 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, Tx 75244

-Featured Program –

How to Use Social Media to Build Buzz and Further your Message

Presented by

Shama Hyder

Founder, Click to Client, LLC, Web TV Show Host, and Social Media Marketing Expert

Ever wondered how to REALLY use Facebook and the like effectively?How EXACTLY did President Obama mobilize volunteers across the US using the power of the web?

Did you know that you can do the same? Come learn how to leverage social networking sites to further your cause and establish your expertise.

**NEW: This class has been approved for 1.5 CEU credits for ACOs by Texas Department of State Health Services, Zoonosis Control Branch**

Please join us!  RSVP to info@companionsforlife.org.

Class size is limited.  Please no pets except certified service dogs.

Refreshments and door prizes courtesy of Companions For Life.

Free or low-cost spay/neuter options in North Texas

We all know that when finances are tight, people put off important-but-not-urgent-things, like servicing the car, getting that dental checkup – or having the family pet spayed or neutered. We do this even though we know it’s false economy – that the cost of fixing an overheated radiator, or getting a filling, or dealing with an unwanted litter is always more than what it would have cost to prevent the situation in the first place. But money’s tight, so we gamble that the unthinkable won’t happen.

Well we can do things to mitigate risk, like checking our oil before we take the car out, or being extra diligent about flossing, but it’s a lot harder to stop a couple of unfixed animals from getting it on while your back is turned (believe me, this weekend we couldn’t even get to a couple of horses fast enough who decided to get frisky right in front of our eyes! A MINUTE was all it took for Crystal to get into Bandit’s paddock and we ended up with a vet bill and Plan B for ponies).

To make it easier for pet owners in North Texas to be responsible in spite of tough times, our President Rebecca Poling wrote an article for the Examiner outlining where people can find free or low-cost spay/neuter programs in the area.

Many of the organizations she references also offer low-cost vaccinations, micro chipping and wellness services although you may need to call ahead and inquire about any additional charges such as in-heat or pregnancy termination charges or pain medications.

Please note that Texas State law requires all animals to be vaccinated for rabies. A rabies vaccination will be given to any animal not already vaccinated. The rabies vaccination may cost up to $20 over and above the cost of any spay/neuter or wellness services. 

For more info: Already spayed or neutered your pet but need help with the cost of vaccinations?  Animal Allies of Texas is holding a low-cost vaccination clinic July 25th.  Or check out this article on low-cost clinics open year-round.   Visit these links to find out what vaccinations are recommended for your cat, or for your dog.

So now there’s no excuse - you can be a responsible pet owner even if your wallet is a little lean, and by preventing unwanted litters, you’re saving lives!

Responsible Pet Owners Alliance - not quite what it seems to be

You’d think a group called Responsible Pet Owners Alliance would be about responsible pet ownership, right? Not so much, according to this statement below, from the Texas Humane Legislation Network and HSUS. Please be aware of the RPOA’s real agenda!

Responsible Pet Owners Alliance (RPOA) is a front group for commercial dog and cat breeding facilities and consistently fights any legislation or proposed city ordinances that would implement spay/neuter programs or regulate large-scale commercial breeding operations in any way.  

RPOA argues that any restrictions on commercial breeding could actually result in a shortage of dogs and cats.  Who are they kidding?  More than 700,000 companion animals were destroyed in animal control facilities and humane societies in Texas last year alone simply because there were no homes for them.  Meanwhile, commercial breeders continue to flood the pet market with thousands more puppies and kittens, exacerbating the pet overpopulation problem even more.  With no measures taken, there is little chance that we can even reduce the euthanasia numbers in our Texas shelters, let alone move toward no-kill city-run facilities for decades to come. 

RPOA is part of the problem, not part of the solution.  They are fighting to keep the floodgates of pet overpopulation open while animal welfare agencies and animal control officers try in vain to control the rising tides.

RPOA members frequently malign legitimate animal protection organizations such as the Texas Humane Legislation Network (THLN), The Humane Society of the United States (The HSUS) and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), alleging them to be “animal rights extremists,” and peddling an assortment of urban myths in an attempt to destroy the reputations of those who are effectively exposing RPOA for what they are. Please know that RPOA's baseless allegations and fear-mongering tactics are motivated by the financial greed of the puppy mill and pet trade industry.

In truth, Texas Humane Legislation Network (THLN), the HSUS and the ASPCA are mainstream organizations whose efforts to protect animals from cruelty are supported by law enforcement officials and criminal prosecutors throughout the state. 

Another frequent RPOA talking point alleges that The HSUS wants to “end pet ownership” and “cause the extinction of animals.”  Puppy millers, cockfighters, dogfighters, canned hunters and other animal abusers use this same false accusation repeatedly as an attempt to deflect attention from their own actions.  The HSUS's long history of promoting humane care for our animal companions -- as well as celebrating the joy that they bring to our lives -- stands on its own merits.

That every companion animal should live a long and happy life in a good home is the true objective of the Texas Humane Legislation Network, The HSUS and the ASPCA.

Humane education resources for summer school or camp

Are you teaching at summer school or camp? If so, why not take the opportunity to help teach children compassion and keep them interested in animals? Companions for Life is committed to humane education as key to solving the enormous pet overpopulation problem our country is facing by elevating the status of companion animals from disposable pets to essential members of our society.

We run a variety of humane education programs and also have resources and lesson plans designed specifically for teachers at on our Teachers Only page.

The ASPCA Humane Educators have also prepared some fun activities, tips and resources too, which you can access on their site.

Compassionate kids will grow into respectful and compassionate adults, so inspire a kid today!