| | |
|
Last month, Pet Sitter's International (of which I am a member) held an essay contest. The prize was the opportunity to complete their $300.00 Accreditation course. I entered and was just notified this morning that I won! Not only will this course benefit me as a pet sitter, but it will also benefit my clients. Once completed, I will be the only PSI Accredited pet-sitter in the area, and I'm sure the knowledge I gain will help me to better serve my clients! Here is my winning essay: (The rules were simply why I wanted to take the course in 500 words or less)
Why I Want It
Have you ever spent time daydreaming about your ideal life, your ideal profession? Two years ago, I did just that. Having spent half my life in the “corporate sales” world, I found it to be lucrative, but not at all fulfilling. I found myself on edge all the time, arguing with family, just generally unhappy. So I started to analyze what was wrong, and asked myself when I felt the happiest. My answer was obvious . . . when I was at home with my three dogs. But I knew that I did not want, nor could I afford, to stop working.
A friend once gave me a pet-sitting brochure and after reading it, I thought, “maybe she’s right, maybe this is for me.” Most of my spare time is spent on the internet reading up on animal health, training, food quality . . . just about anything animal related. Thinking about my pets and what they mean to me, what they teach me every day, it opened my eyes to a world of animal care I never thought possible. Over the past 25 years, I have been the pet- care provider for family and friends. Also, I’m usually the first call my friends or family make when there’s a question about their pet. I don’t always have the answers, but when I do, it makes me feel great! So, I made the decision to move forward.
To prepare, I spent months on the internet, reading books, and checking out the local competition. I became Pet CPR and First-Aid certified. Through PSI, I received insurance and became bonded. PSI is also an invaluable resource for general information. I attend business classes at local colleges and libraries whenever possible. In addition to my own website, I’ve created a Facebook Fan page where I post pictures of pets and my clients are able to interact with me and each other. I enrolled with a small business advisor at my local college, who helped me put together my business plan among many other things. I’m in my sixteenth month of business, and I’m extremely proud of what I’ve accomplished. I’ve never felt so good about myself in my whole life. Recently, I had a customer introduce me to a friend by saying, “This is our pet-sitter, without her, we wouldn’t be able to have a puppy.” This, I have come to realize, is my destiny . . . being able to help all the people around me who open up their homes to animals. It is my responsibility to provide them with the best care possible.
Taking the PSI Accreditation course has been one of my business goals since reading about it on the PSI website. I don’t think you could find a recipient who would be more appreciative or who would gain more from the course than me, as all I’ve ever wanted to do is provide the utmost in professional pet care.
|
|
Spring is coming, are your pets protected?
Believe it or not, even with all this snow, spring IS just around the corner. Spring brings sunny days, warmer weather, and hatching larvae! Anyone who has a pet should be aware of the dangers of fleas and ticks. Fleas cause irritating bites and, in sensitive pets, can set off terrible allergy issues. My Roscoe is allergic, and even one flea can make him break out something awful. Of course ticks carry Lyme disease which can be fatal if left untreated. Another disease transported by bugs is Heartworm...this is carried by mosquitoes. Heartworm is potentially fatal, in that there are currently no approved treatments; however, it can be easily prevented with a once-a-month pill. Even strictly indoor pets are not immune. Fleas, ticks and mosquitoes can all gain entrance to your home, even carried in by people. In addition to the "big three" there are lots of other dangers outside lying in wait of your pet. Hookworms are dangerous and their larvae can be found in sandboxes...they can even be passed to humans. Roundworm eggs are tracked indoors from dirt on shoes. Additionally, 15% of commercial potting compost contains roundworm eggs! YUK! But even though all of these potential dangers lie in wait, it doesn't mean you should keep your pet cooped up inside. There are several preventative measures you can take, applying flea/tick repellent faithfully, (even during the winter months), vacuuming your home frequently, (paying special attention to pet-frequented areas), regular veterinarian check-ups for your pet, and keeping your pet groomed regularly all help to keep your pet safe and happy. Discuss options for preventative medications with your veterinarian. And think spring!
|
|
Big news! There has been a shocking development in the 'Most Popular Dog' ranking in the United States. For the first time in three decades, the German Shepherd as overtaken the second spot from the Yorkshire Terrier!
For the 19th consecutive year, the Labrador Retriever remains America's top dog. The rankings come direct from the AKC calculations of dogs registered in 2009. That said, we all know there are numerous unregistered dogs which would not be included.
Still, it's not hard to see why Labs, Shepherds and Yorkies are so popular. Each so different, yet possesing some of the same qualities. Loyalty, obedience, and companionship are all traits of a great dog.
Whether yours is a registered purebred or shelter rescue is unimportant. What matters is that it's YOURS!
|
|
Yay! I'm really excited to be participating for the 2nd year in a row in a local fund-raiser to celebrate National Professional Pet-Sitters Week, March 7-13. This year, our proceeds are going to the Lebanon County Humane Society.
This fund raising event was started 7 years ago by my two good friends and colleagues, JoEllen Meyer (JEM Pet-Sitting) and Marie Dunkle (Animal Hugs Pet Sitting). We are looking to top last year's total of $1200.00, which benefitted the Lebanon County Police K-9 unit.
As all three of us feel blessed to be able to work with animals and do what we love every day. We look at National Professional Pet Sitters Week as a time for us to give back to our community. Celebrating our customers, our businesses, and the love and care we are lucky enough to provide to all of our Lebanon County clients. If you are not a current client, but would like to donate, please contact me directly at kkreiser@kreiserspetcare.com. I will keep everyone posted on our progress!!
|
|
|
Kreiser's Kritter Sitters recently added two new puppies less than 5 months to our Happy Client group! As such, I've recently been asked a few training questions. Personally, I'm a huge fan of Caesar Milan, (the Dog Whisperer), and have actually practiced a couple of his techniques with my own babies. That said, I truly believe that each family should practice techniques THEY feel comfortable with. I'm not a professional dog trainer by any means, but being around dogs my entire life has taught me one thing for sure. Consistency is the key! Ideally, both parents should agree on all the boundaries together. For example, one parent may love love LOVE puppy kisses and the other may not. Personally, I'm in the love love love category!! But I do know some pet parents who don't necessarily care for it. Some other things to discuss would be: Will this puppy/dog ever be allowed to sleep in bed, will they ever be allowed to have table food, will they be allowed in the yard off leash, etc. You get the idea. That's really the starting point, because if, for example, mom's home and lets the puppy nap in the bed with her, dad may have a harder time putting the puppy in the crate when he wants to take a nap. It's hard for puppies to understand the difference between mom taking a nap and dad taking a nap, they just know they did it once, so why can't they do it now? The main thing is that both parents agree and are consistent with the rules. Here's what I've learned from my dogs. My babies have a bad habit of jumping on people when they come to visit. When I think about how this behavior began, I can trace it back to when they were puppies. And I know it's MY fault. When I would come in and they would come running and jumping full of kisses and love, well, I just couldn't resist. This is all well and good until the day you have a 100-pound dog barreling at you when you’re carrying your favorite cup of Starbucks Grande Mocha Latte----steaming hot! LOL! After watching an episode of the Dog Whisperer in which Caesar was focusing on this very same problem, I turned off the TV and said to my husband, "Let's practice what he just did." I'm totally serious, within about 10 minutes of practice, we had all three of our dogs not jumping or barking as we would ring the door bell. "This is great!” I said to my husband, "We can finally have a normal greeting for visitors!". I was so excited! Well, my husband and I both just got lazy. That's the plain and simple fact. Training a puppy (or older dog) can definitely be done in a relatively short period of time. The hard part is training the parents!!! Another hardship for new puppy or older dog owners are the visitors themselves. Of course family and friends want to see the new edition, and no one wants to discipline someone else's puppy. That's no fun! I see all kinds of families with different rules and training theories and I follow through with the rules and trigger words they give me, but on our first meeting, when the parents are there, I still don't feel comfortable scolding their puppy in front of them. And I've been doing this going on two years now! It's human nature. It's like a child. I can remember times when my son was little and we would visit someone and he would pick something up off the coffee table, I would scold him and whoever I was visiting would almost always say, "Oh that's alright, he can have that." I think it's just in our DNA; we don't want to offend our friends and family. But when family is over and the puppy is biting on Grandma's pant leg and she allows it to continue, what she's really doing (unintentionally) is undoing all the training the new pet parents have worked so hard on! It's very easy for me to understand where I've gone wrong with training my own dogs. It's not so easy to fix. Believe me, I really understand how hard it is to train, especially if your family has younger children or teenagers (who typically can't find time for their homework, let alone focusing on puppy training!) It's a lot of hard work. So as far as training goes, the only thing I know with 100% certainty is consistency works. I've seen it work with my own eyes! But the ONE time you let 6-month old little Fido have a scrap of bread...well you might as well kiss those 6 months of "no table food" training goodbye. The good news is, you can fix it---it'll just take TWELVE months! :o) I hope those of you with new puppies in your household are enjoying the time you have with your little ones. Every day is a new adventure full of lessons to be learned...for both of you!
|
|
Tis the season! Believe it or not, the Holidays are upon us. I'm working hard on getting my last issue of Kritter Korner out to my clients by the end of the month. In the meantime, I thought I could put out a simple reminder to all pet owners of some of the items that could be dangerous to pets of all types.
Of course, there's the typical plants like pointsettias and mistletoe, both can be very toxic to your pets. Not only dogs and cats, but don't forget about your small, caged furries, too! If you have a potted pointsettia or other Holiday plant, be aware of where your placing it in relation to your pet's cage, so they can't get even a nibble.
It's also important to be aware of any Holiday greens you may be placing in your home. Balsam, Juniper, Cedar, Pine and Fir all have low levels of toxicity.
I'm certainly not trying to be "Bah-Humbug", after all, I enjoy having a real Christmas tree in my home every year. I just want to remind everyone of the potential dangers to your precious babies. Placing your Holiday greens or Christmas tree out of the reach of pets is one way to ensure their safety. If your like me, and get a big Christmas tree that sits on the floor, just be sure to keep your eyes on your pets while you're at home. And when you're away, make use of baby gates or pet crates to ensure your pets can't get access to your tree.
Another consideration is electrical cords, which may be more accessible during the Holiday Season. If you have puppies, kittens, free-roaming small furries, (ie. ferrets, rabbits, etc.), or any other pets prone to chewing, try to hide the electrical cords as best as possible. If your unable to completely place them out of the reach of your pet, you could purchase the clear flexible tube-like cord covers at almost any pet store.
One final note, loose tinsel, bows, ribbon, broken lights or glass ornaments and wrapping paper can all cause illness if ingested by your pet. Use caution when decorating, wrapping, and unwrapping gifts.
I wish all my happy clients, and everyone, a happy and SAFE Holiday Season! Remember, your pets rely on YOU for their safety, health and well-being!
|
|
|
For this blog, I thought I would speak a bit about parrots. As you can tell from visiting My Happy Clients page, I have a few of these lovely feathered creatures in my clientele! I’ve recently learned there are over 350 species of parrots! All have different requirements and characteristics. If you think you might be interested in owning a parrot – STOP – have you really thought about it? Parrots are some of the most beautiful creatures around, but most require a lifetime commitment. While a parrot’s life span in captivity is considerably less than his potential life-span, parrots often outlive their owners! You must be sure you’re ready, willing and able to make this type of commitment. Typically, the larger the bird, the longer their life-span. (Did you know that canaries, parakeets and lovebirds are all of the parrot species?) Bringing a parrot into your family is not only a time commitment, but can also be quite a strain on the budget. Often times these birds can run into the hundreds of dollars, just for the bird itself. And the equipment necessary to responsibly house and care for him can cost as much if not more! Additionally, (as with any pet), you need to budget for food and veterinary bills, too. Compared to, say, a dog or cat, parrots have much more complex psychological and physical care requirements. One common danger to parrots is non-stick cookware. When overheated, the non stick coating emits fumes that are very toxic to birds when inhaled. This coating is found on non stick cookware but also waffle irons, stovetop drip pans, bread machines, irons, ironing board covers, curling irons, space heaters, blow dryers, clothes dryers and more. You’ll need to do your homework to research items currently in your home before you invite your feathered friend. Other air contaminants which pose a risk to parrots are aerosol sprays, carbon monoxide and cigarette smoke.
Please keep in mind thousands of parrots are displaced every year, most due to owners who are unable or unwilling to care for them anymore. I’m not trying to discourage anyone from bringing one of these lovely creatures home, rather I’m trying to ENcourage responsible parrot ownership. Having a parrot as a member of your family is entertaining, enriching and rewarding. When caring for my parrot clients, I love talking to them! I love singing to them, trying to teach them my name, and I love their reaction when I read to them! It’s so adorable how they all come to the cage door and stand there, as though they are hanging on every word I say. I also love being able to hold and pet the ones who enjoy that type of interaction. They never fail to amuse and astound me!
|
|
I am so proud!!! One of my "Happy Clients, Twoie, has now qualified to be a Therapy Dog through K-Pets! He is a 12-year old Golden Retriever/Chow mix and is very very sweet. He did have some minor difficulties, but through the dedication of his owner and his hard work, he has passed! I couldn't be more excited for the both of them! I only hope Roscoe and I can achieve the same. Congratulations Jackie and Twoie!! There is a wonderful article in the K-Pets newsletter about this success story. You can read about here: http://www.kpets.org/a_newsltr.html
then click the link to the PDF file for the 09-Aug newsletter, he is on page four!!
Great job!!!!!
|
|
It's been almost TWO months since my last blog! A good sign that I am getting busy with summertime traveling pet parents. My next edition of Kritter Korner will be mailed out in the next two weeks. In it, I've provided some tips for traveling with your pet over the summer months. More and more pet parents are opting to take their pampered pets with them on vacation. While it can be fun, it does require a little bit of additional planning. If you're going to be driving to your vacation destination, you'll need to consider any extended stops for eating, visiting friends/family, etc. If you're planning these stops during the day, will you have a cool place for your pet? With all of the pet education available, we should all know by now pets are not safe in the car during the hot weather. Temperatures inside a vehicle can rise as much as 20 degrees in less than an hour, even with the windows open! So, if you're planning a 2-3 hour stop at high noon....well, DON'T! Better safe than sorry, right? Change your traveling plans to start out late afternoon, so if you must make an extended stop it's at least in the evening hours and much cooler. Also be sure to keep plently of cool water inside your vehicle so your pet can have easy access to it. If it's the first time traveling with a dog, cat, or bird, you may want to try short "practice runs" before you embark on a long trip. Drive with your pet for a half hour to an hour and see how they do. Are they stressed? Do they sit calmly or run around the inside of the vehicle for the entire hour? All things to consider. You'll want to be prepared to make the necessary "potty breaks" you're pet will need. Also, where are you going to be staying? There are plenty of pet-friendly hotels, but call ahead to find out about any extra fees that apply. Are there hotel staff members on hand trained specifically for pet care? If you're going to be out sight-seeing, will the staff members make periodic pet visits? Do they have a pet-designated exercise area? Be sure to research local pet clinics, finding one that offers 24-hour emergency care. With animals, same as people, you just never know when an emergency medical situation will arise and you don't want to waste valuable minutes thumbing through the hotel phone book, making calls, and getting directions. Remember to also take a copy of your pet's health records. You'll want to pack an adequate amount of food and take your own water from home. (Sometimes being introduced to 'new' water with different chemicals can take a toll on your pets tummy!) Plan for any 'accidents' both in the car and in your hotel room by carrying pet-friendly cleaning supplies. Discuss your trip with your vet, they may provide some motion sickness remedies or offer further advice on how to keep your pet's stress to a minimum. Most importantly, don't let your pet off leash! No matter how well they behave at home, the bottom line is they are in a new and strange environment. They may feel the need to 'escape' or explore, and there's no quicker way to ruin a family vacation than by having to spend it looking for a lost pet. Be sure you have your pet's ID tags on at all times, as well. This may all sound like a lot of additional work, but it's really just common sense. Use the Boy Scout motto and 'Be Prepared'. In the end, you'll feel better knowing you've made the necessary adjustments for your pet to enjoy their vacation with you! Have a safe and happy summer!
|
|
Whew-it took me over a week to recover from the birthday paw-ty for Roscoe's first birthday! He is now 96.4 lbs...a growing boy. As you can imagine, having eight dogs in the house at one time is a bit chaotic; however, it was so much fun! I didn't get as many pictures as I would have liked, but Roscoe, Hank, Remi, Keisha, Buddy, Georgie, Toby, and Barney had a blast. We had pupcakes, kritter kubes and a "bobbing for hot dogs" contest. Everyone got a birthday bandana. Check out the pictures I did get, and if you're interested in any puppy-friendly recipes, please feel free to email me!
|
|
| I'm so very excited for this weekend! Saturday, May 16th is the Humane Society's Pooch Picnic at Lion's Lake in Lebanon. It will be held from 11:00am-3:00pm; rain or shine. Let's all keep our paws crossed for good weather! Their planning a "Kissing Booth", an "Ask the Trainer" booth, there will be a groomer there to clip nails, there will be games for you & your pet. And I will be making dog biscuits which will be included in their lunches! I'm really looking forward to seeing some of my clients there! And you! And what better cause than the local shelter. Did you know that April & May see an influx of pets received as Christmas presents? It's very sad. But YOU can help! Bring your pooch to the picnic-have a few hours of fun with your baby, and help the Humane Society at the same time! I really hope to see everyone there!
|
|
Hi everyone! Today I would like to discuss a recent horrifc story I have heard about that took place in Texas. Marcus Luttrell is a Navy Seal who, while on a mission with four others, became the lone survivor of said mission. He came back to the States and wrote a book about his ordeal called, appropriately, Lone Survivor. He does not have a wife or children, but has his mother living with him so he can care for her. As one would expect, he was suffering a great deal from depression, post-traumatic stress, surivor's guilt, etc....His friends/family gave him a Yellow Lab puppy to help with his recovery. He named his puppy DASY, each letter in her name representing each of the men who was killed on their mission. Sadly, in the wee hours of the morning just a few weeks ago, Marcus heard a gunshot. After checking on his mother, he grabbed his gun and went outside-Navy Seal training kicked in. He came upon four 'punks' who had just killed his Dasy with a 357 Magnum. He confronted them, they taunted him, laughed, and threatened to kill him before escaping in their car. Marcus, the NAVY SEAL, jumped in his car and chased them through 4 counties, all while on the phone with 911. Marcus advised the dispatcher that if police didn't get there before him, he was afraid of what he would do. He did get to these creeps and had them at gunpoint, (from what I've read), and showed enormous restraint by allowing police to take over.
I wanted to share this story if for no other reason than to get people to fight for stiffer penalties for animal cruelty. The maximum jail time these punks could get is two years-and Marcus will be dealing with his grief for the rest of his life. Please, check out the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvhMB2YoT6g
If you are an animal lover, military person, or just a compassionate human being, you WILL be moved. And I would love to hear your thoughts, comments. Please share this story and use it as motivation to contact your local government and DEMAND stiffer penalties for animal cruelty.
|
|
Hi everyone! I wasn't planning on posting antoher blog until sometime next week, but I'm just so excited I have to share! As you may or may not know, I am friends with two area pet-sitters, JoEllen Meyer of JEM pet-sitting and Ann Marie Dunkle of Animal Hugs pet-sitting. Both of whom have been very kind and helpful to me since I first started my business, and they have become close friends of mine. I was honored to be asked to participate with them this year in their annual charity event clebrating Professional Pet-Sitters week. You can read more about it in my past blog titled "Helping our Community!" We are all members of Pet Sitters International, a wonderful organization aimed at helping pet sitters around the globe. PSI was so impressed with our combined efforts, they put us in their newsletter. You can read our story here: http://www.petsit.com/content331899.html
It's so great to be recognized as a group who helps each other, and our community! I hope to do more things like this in the future!
|
|
As much as I hate repeating a previous blog, I really believe so strongly in this subject I don't mind re-hashing. My new 'dog food bible' has become http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/. This is such a great website; its content is supplied by a small team of volunteers who have a passion for dog nutrition. Like most dog-owners, I never gave a real thought to what I was feeding my dogs, other than what "looked" nutritious to me. Beneful was my food of choice for the past three years. Then, when I began my own pet-care business, I started looking into various aspects of pet health, including dog food. I feel that if people are putting faith in me to care for their pets, I should at least be knowledgeable about any general questions that may arise. What I found was astounding to me. Beneful received a ONE star rating! I couldn't believe it! The commercials, the packaging, my dogs seemingly so "into" it, how can this be? After reading the details of the review I realized that my dogs’ constant hunger for this food was simply their constant hunger. Their nutritional needs were not being met, making it appear to me that they just loved their food when they really just were trying to satisfy their basic needs. After more digging and more research, I really became disappointed and quite incensed by the fact that almost every brand of dog food you find in grocery stores and pet stores has little or no nutritional value. Pet owners spend millions of dollars every year on things like clothing, pet pictures, etc. but we are really kept in the dark when it comes to pet food. I think people rely on advertising, packaging and availability in a way we don't in any other aspect of our purchases. Even with some of the "better" brands, like Pedigree and Iams...the ratings are really shocking to me. And when I tried to find a local store that carried the truly nutritious dog foods, it was like hunting for a needle in a haystack. Luckily, I had a friend refer me to a local feed supply store. I had never thought to look in such a place, but I was relieved to see 5 or 6 different brands of quality, nutritious, 4-and-5 star dog foods. Unfortunately these little local stores often don't have the funds for mass marketing, and the larger chains that carry the same quality foods, (like TSC and Agway), don't focus on dog food because it's such a minute section of their market. As a pet owner and pet-care provider, I spread the word to other pet owners every chance I get. Think you're feeding your dog the very best food? Take the challenge and look it up on Dog Food Analysis. They have a simple index on the home page, and the review doesn't just tell you if it's bad or good, it breaks down the ingredient list and tells you why it got the rating it got. I hope some of you will take a few minutes to at least check out this website, it's really eye opening. Until next blog, love your pets!
|
|
Hi everyone! Just wanted to drop a quick update on some Kreiser's Kritter Sitters news. First, I will be out of town from May 1st-May 3rd, and unavailable for sits on those three days.
Second, I am proud to announce that Kritter Korner, our new quarterly newsletter, is in the works! I'm working hard to get it out to everyone by the first week in April. I'm hoping to make it fun, entertaining, and a source for tips, tricks, and other general pet-related news. I've always found pet owners to be a great resource for each other, and my goal is to make Kritter Korner a forum to share ideas, new product updates, etc that my happy pet-parent clients have shared with me.
Third, as you may have already noticed, I can now be found on Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace! Although I haven't had much time to make my sites "pretty", I'm hoping to bump into some of you "out there". Please follow or friend me!
I guess that's about all the news I have to share for now. Please take a look through my happy clients photos, they're just the cutest!
|
|
Lebanon Daily News - Friday – March 13th, 2009
The Lebanon police are adding a new officer — one of the four-legged variety.
His name is Friday — as in Sgt. Joe Friday from the old “Dragnet” television series — and he is a German shepherd who arrived in town two weeks ago. Soon, he will undergo training with his two-legged partner, Patrolman Brett Fisher, an experienced canine handler.
During the city’s holiday parade in November, Fisher’s former canine partner, Drome, suddenly became ill with a gastrointestinal problem. Despite being rushed to a veterinarian, the dog could not be saved.
The loss was heartbreaking to Fisher. The pair had been partners for six years and had a long record of making drug busts and other arrests.
“Initially to me it was devastating,” he said. “Drome was with me for a long time — every day in that car breathing over my shoulder. It is difficult to lose your canine partner. Along with that, though, you look at the good times that you had and the things that you accomplished. And that inspires you to get another dog.”
The loss of Drome was a blow to the entire department, which also has canine Axel, handled by Patrolman Larry Minnick, police Chief Dan Wright said, adding that having a second canine is a valuable resource.
“We very much wanted to replace Drome,” Wright said. “Having two canines is great in a police department. We use them often. And we have two great handlers. ... Having two dogs will be beneficial to us and to neighboring police departments. We get many requests for assistance from our canines for building searches or drugs searches and things of that nature.”
This will actually be Fisher’s third canine partner. His first, Kaiser, is retired and lives with Fisher and his family as a pet. Friday also goes home every night with Fisher, who said his children have quickly fallen in love with the new pooch.
Friday was purchased a couple of weeks ago with the help of a master trainer from Castle’s K9, who traveled to Slovakia to purchase him, Fisher said.
Castle’s is a renowned dog-training service in Mechanicsburg, where Drome was also trained. Next month, Fisher and Friday will undergo an intensive, four-week training session there so the dog can be certified as a police canine. Until then, Fisher said, he will take him along on his shift so Friday can get accustomed to the job.
“He is already making the rounds,” he said. “He comes to work with me to get into the routine of things. On occasion I do get him out of the car if there is an opportunity, but he doesn’t interact with the public or do any police work.”
Drug-sniffing dogs do not come cheap. Friday’s purchase and training will cost more than $12,000, and it was not in the budget, Mayor Trish Ward said.
About 10 percent of that expense was covered yesterday when professional pet sitters Ann Marie Dunkle, Kim Kreiser and JoEllen Meyer presented Fisher, Ward and Wright with a check for $1,225 they had collected from their customers. Friday happily watched the check presentation, his tongue lolling out of his mouth and his tail wagging.
This is the sixth year the women have raised money for a pet-related charity.
“We do something each year in honor of National Pet Sitters Week (March 1-7),” Meyer said. “The timing this year, with Drome passing, we were looking for who we were going to help, and I happened to drop in to speak to (former) Chief (William) Harvey, who told us he was pretty sure they were going to get another dog.”
Others are coming forward to donate, including members of the Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce, Ward said, but more contributions would be appreciated.
To contribute, call Wright at 272-6611 or Ward at 273-6711.
JohnLatimer@LDNews.com
Pet sitter Ann Marie Dunkle presents a $1,225 check to Lebanon Mayor Trish Ward yesterday to go toward the city s new K-9 officer, Friday. With them (from left) are police Chief Dan Wright, pet sitters Kim Kreiser and JoEllen Meyer, and city K-9 officer Brett Fisher. (Earl Brightbill / Lebanon Daily News)
|
|
Lebanon Daily News, Wednesday, February 18, 2008
Locals set for Pet Sitters Week
Local professional pet sitters are teaming up for a cause. Professional Pet Sitters Week is March 1-7. For the sixth year, Animal Hugs Pet Sitting owner Marie Dunkle and JEM Pet Sitting owner JoEllen Meyer have joined forces to collect donations from their clients for local animal charities. Kim Kreiser of Kreiser's Kritter Sitters also joined the team, with the hope of topping last year's total of $1,100.00. In past years, Dunkle and Meyer have raised more than $5,000 to benefit such charities as Friends of All Animals, KPETS, PAWS, and the Humane Society of Lebanon County. All three pet sitters are offering one free 3o-minute dog walk or pet sit for donations of $50 or more. All donations collected will benefit the Lebanon Police K-9 Unit. The police suffered a great loss in December when K-9 officer Drone died suddenly. There now is one other K-9 officer on the force, Axel. For more information, call Animal Hugs Pet Sitting, 216 W. Jackson Ave., Myerstown at 866-7533; JEM Pet Sitting, 1803 Quarry Rd Swatara Township, at 865-6422; or Kreiser's Kritter Sitters, Myerstown, at 628-1397.
|
|
Due to the Salmonella outbreak in items containing peanut butter paste, there is a growing list of pet food products being recalled. For your convenience, I am including the link to the FDA's web page which lists the affected pet food. Keep in mind this goes back to products manufactured since 2007! Hopefully, none of your pets are affected!
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm#PetFood
|
|
We did it! Roscoe Beauregard Kreiser received his CGC yesterday! I'm so proud of him! Things were shaky during our warm-up time, he was a little excited, but he calmed down and focused like a pro! And we coudln't have done it without the guidance and suggestions from our wonderful trainer, Julie, at Club Fido! She's the best!! So, for the next 4 months or so, Roscoe and I will continue building on our foundation and then begin preparations for therapy dog status! What a wonderful year 2009 will be!
|
|
As a pet-parent and pet-sitter, this question seems unanswerable! I have been doing a lot of research lately into dry dog foods and their ingredients. I have been disappointed with the selections carried locally. However, ordering dog food online is always an option. While expense can be a big issue, (especially in today's economy), I understand my responsibility to my pet-babies. What's more, I WANT to provide them with the healthiest diet possible! I am still researching, but have found an invaluable tool, www.dogfoodanalysis.com This site provides unbiased reviews on just about every kind of dog food out there. Additionally, you can read ingredient labels and they actually break down the ingredient list and tell you what's important to your dog's diet and what may be harmful. For instance, I learned that a recent (2006) study at Purdue University has identified "a fat in the top four ingredients of a dry food as a factor that increases the risk of bloat in large breed dogs." Further I have learned that, for example, "Chicken" listed within the top four ingredients is misleading. When it is stated "Chicken" that is before it is processed, thus containing a substantial amount of water. After it is processed, naturally, it weighs less, thus making it a smaller portion of the ingredients. When searching ingredients, look for the word "meal" after the chicken, turkey, lamb, etc. This means it has already been processed so if it is listed in the first four ingredients, it truly does make up a larger portion of the food. I found this website to be really very helpful! I hope all the dog owners out there will too! I am adding the link to my "favorite links" section as well. Hope everyone is enjoying a happy and healthy Holiday Season!
|
|
|
|
