How many have to die?

Costco and many other retailers don't seem to be getting the message despite the fact pet owners, veterinarians and pet nutritionists are shouting it from the roof tops. Pet jerky treats from China are bad. Just this morning CBC released yet another story about a dog death in Calgary that the attending veterinarian, Julie Schell from Bow Bottom Veterinary Hospital attributed to Vitalife Duck Tenders purchased at Costco. Both PetCo and PetSmart have made the smart decision (pun intended) to pull some China sourced treats from their shelves in recent weeks after a renewed interest in the topic.

2014 Jerky Stats (Source: Rodney Habib, Pet Nutrition Blogger)

• 1,000 deaths in dogs and more than 4,800 complaints about animal illness;

• Since last October the FDA has received about 1,800 new reports of illnesses and deaths; 

• Total : 5,600 dogs and 24 cats;

• Two toddlers and an adult who ingested became ill;

• One of the children was diagnosed with a salmonella infection. The other child developed G.I. illness and fever that mirrored the symptoms of dogs in the house that also ate the treats. The adult reported nausea and headache.

Effects of Jerky Consumption on Pets:

• About 60 percent of the cases involve symptoms of gastrointestinal trouble and liver disease;

• 30 percent involve kidney disease;

• 10 percent other problems, including neurological and skin conditions.

What should you do as a pet owner? 

Start by reading the labels of anything you buy your pet. If there is still a question, contact the manufacturer for Certificate of Origin to verify where their ingredients come from. 

Flying with your pet.

So much luggage! And a kennel!

Reading through the news this morning I came upon the sad story of a cat who escaped from it's kennel at an airport. It left me thinking about my own travel experience with Squish and how positive it was.

Squish generally travels with me every where I go in the car and when it came time for our cross Canada tour in April for the Urban Animal Regional Conferences I decided it was time to add air travel to our options. A great deal of planning and training started more than a month before the trip when I contacted Petland for recommendations on a proper kennel and spoke to the airline about their requirements. After finding the perfect kennel it was time to teach Squish that it was actually a good place to be with at first short and then longer naps in the kennel.

Chilling out in the kennel.

On the actual day of travel I was MUCH more nervous than Squish. To be sure she would be calm during the process we went for a long walk in the morning and arrived at the airport an extra hour early just so we could walk around outside to get used to the sights and sounds. As my vet had predicted, Squish breezed through check-in and the security process and suddenly I was leaving her with the staff and off to my gate. Again, I was more stressed than she ever was.

When you travel with your pet the airline typically comes to give you a 'boarding pass' for them after they have been loaded on the plane so I knew that she was safe up to that point. The flight I chose was a short hour-ish jump from Calgary to Vancouver specifically because it was a great introduction for both of us. When we landed in Vancouver I went down and gathered my luggage and just as I grabbed the last bag, out came Squish's kennel. She was calm and unconcerned with anything, my anxiety was certainly misplaced.

YVR has a great park system
running through the airport.

Our flight back to Calgary was a little more eventful given that her kennel ended up breaking but the airline was great about it and gave me full replacement cost for it with apologies and again, despite this, Squish couldn't have cared less. Obviously bad things can happen to anyone or anything when you travel but certainly in my experience if you are prepared and manage to calm yourself I would suggest you'll have a great experience and get to take your animal to some fun places along the way.

Checking in to the hotel.

Lisa Milton, Squish's Mom,
@summitLisa, lisa.miltonwork

Start your morning with a laugh.

Because every morning should start with a laugh.

Dogs at bath time.

Poop and Scoop Debacle

Even if you don't own a pet, pet poop effects you every day and especially in the early spring when all the snow melts. Municipalities and SPCA's typically spend many, many hours through out the year educating pet owners on proper poop etiquette. It appears though, that two couples from Ontario missed out on that education and now a judge has told them "they are acting like children." Maybe some further education is in order for this psychiatrist and oil executive.

Read the full story here.

How do I find a good dog walker?

Lisa Milton, Squish's Mom, @summitLisa, lisa.miltonwork

After reading about the 6 dogs in Langley it makes you wonder how you can ever find anyone to care for your pooch as well as you would. The simple answer is, Ask Questions!

It doesn't matter where you find someone, you wouldn't hire a person for a job with out a resume and references so don't hire a dog walker without the same. You also wouldn't hire them unless they were bonded and had insurance, it's important stuff we overlook because 'it's just dog walking'.

Next you need to do some home work. Call the references, make sure they are real people and ask them about their experiences. Wait you're not done! Call the Better Business Bureau and some animal organizations in your area and find out if this person has any reported concerns.

Once you've asked as many questions as you can ask, sit down and have a cup of coffee with your chosen dog walker. 

• Does your dog like this person?
• Do they love their job?
• What does a typical day look like?
• How many dogs and where do they walk?
• What would they do if your dog found a porcupine? 
• What do they do on the weekend? 
• How many animals do they own? 

Listen to their answers and ask more questions, then make a very educated decision about if they are right for you and your pooch. From there it's all dogs play!

1.1 Million Homeless Animals Adopted!!

The 2010 Iams Home 4 the Holidays Pet Adoption Drive was a resounding success! In 96 days more than 1.1 million animals were adopted to new forever homes and five million bowls of pet food were donated!

Believed to be one of the world's largest pet adoption campaigns, Iams Home 4 the Holidays resulted in 1,125,667 animal adoptions in 96 days. The campaign ran from between October 1,  2010 through January 4, 2011.

The campaign is supported by Iams and longtime partner, the Helen Woodward Animal Center, along with more than 3,500 animal organizations from around the world once again joined forces to help reduce pet homelessness.

Dog Rescues Human

In the spirit of love and compassion that is the foundation of the Christmas season, we share the following adoption story as a way to acknowledge and thank people across Canada who work tirelessly to rescue and re-home lost, abandoned and abused animals.

In the companion animal industry we always talk about humans adopting animals... but in many cases it is the animals who give unconditionally of their love and are our salvation. Enjoy this adoption story from an dog's point of view! 

Merry Christmas from PetLynx Corporation

I RESCUED A HUMAN TODAY. 
 

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid.

Three cheers for PetLynx!

Our goal at PetLynx is to provide pet families with the best possible chance for recovering lost pets by automating real-time searches of registered admissions at emergency hospitals, shelters, clinics, and pounds, and by providing important recovery tools the whole community can access with a simple web browser.

Whether it is PetLynx Automatch technology that helps bring a lost pet home or not ... we love a good HomeSafe story! Here are a few recent short and sweet accolades for PetLynx:

Thanks for the PetLynx Team, I found my cat Taddy. What a great use of the computer! He is so happy to be at home, his behavior has changed, he even sleeps with me and the dog now.

     Harry

Thanks to PetLynx I have found my pet. She was accidentally locked in my neighbor's garage.

     Sandra

Maggie has been found. Thank you, PetLynx, for this service.
     Cecil

I have Elli back ... thanks to the PetLynx website ... though it was a poster on a mailbox that ultimately resulted in her return. :) Please update my 'lost' pet to 'found!

    Thanks
    Gord

Do YOU have a HomeSafe story to share? Email us today!

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Petsecure Pet Insurance's 'FURther the Fight' Campaign

November is Pet Cancer Awareness Month

Petsecure pet insurance is joining the fight against pet cancer with their November Pet Cancer Awareness Month campaign, ‘FURther the Fight’, on Facebook and Twitter ... and PetLynx Corporation is pleased to be able to help them promote this campaign!

For every new fan to join their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter in the month of November, Petsecure pet insurance will donate $1 to the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) Pet Trust Fund, towards pet cancer research.

Green Guidelines for Dog Parks

It’s a hot topic for many an urban dog owners: Do dogs have the right to explore parks to their hearts’ content? To sniff, jump, dig, chase, swim and run amok the way nature intended?

Yes, leash-free time is important, but running wild in nature parks is not the answer, especially when they can disturb ecologically sensitive areas.

Being a responsible dog owner means more than ensuring your pet is spayed or neutered, has a license and is registered with PetLynx! It means taking responsibility for natural parks, too.

Learn more in this Dogs in Canada Magazine article and then share this information with friends, family and colleagues!

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Family Pets: Unseen Victims of the Gulf Oil Disaster

Think about how animals have been affected by the Gulf Oil Disaster and chances are good that the first images that come to your mind will be oil-soaked pelicans and turtles ... not the pleading eyes of forlorn dogs and cats languishing in animal shelters.

According to a recent news segment on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360, hundreds of family pets now face an uncertain future because their guardians are no longer able to care for them. Many who have become unemployed have little hope of things changing for them anytime soon. Sadly, they have been forced to choose between feeding their families and providing for their companion animals.

The Heat is on... So Play it Cool Wth Pets!

In addition to not leaving pets in the car at this time of year, pet guardians should use caution when exercising their pets under the sweltering summer sun. PetLynx Corporation supports the BC SPCA's efforts to warn pet guardians  that dogs have such an inherent desire to please us that some will actually run and play to the point of exhaustion! It is the guardian’s responsibility to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Dogs + Hot Air Balloons, Fireworks or Thunder = Cause for Concern, not Celebration!

"Duke, a 14-year-old mixed breed dog rescued from the Edmonton Humane Society, is a big part of our family," wrote Janet C. "He went missing after some hot air balloons scared him and he was gone for several hours."

Pierce Brosnon Supports California Spay/Neuter Program

Perhaps best known for his role as James Bond, Pierce Brosnan is also making a name for himself as an activist and artist. The many organizations Brosnan supports include various environmental, animal and child welfare, and women's health initiatives.

In one of his latest endeavors, Brosnan has put his signature on a new initiative designed to provide funding for low or no-cost spaying and neutering of dogs and cats in California.

CNN.com Living is Looking for Pampered Pet Photos

Each week CNN.com Living invites people to share images on one of three topics - design, fashion and pets. This week, it's all about pets that live pampered lives.

Do you know any pet owners who care for their furry ones like they're members of the family? Like the two lazy loafers pictured here, who live with one of our PetLynx team members?

CNN.com Living is looking for over-the-top ways people pamper their pets -- from matching person-pet outfits to elaborate birthday parties. Show them your fancy carriers, pet jewelry, intricate pet furniture and homemade pet meals or treats. They are looking for images beyond dressed-up pets  that celebrate the human-animal bond.

Do you have some photos you wold like to share?

Click here for more information.

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Accolades for PetLynx

I found my cat after three months looking for her -- thanks to PetLynx. I checked the website repeatedly and was thrilled to see her posting there. What an awesome web site!

     A Grateful Cat Owner

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, our cat Sammy is back home!
     Bonnie M.

Thank you for providing this service. A PetLynx AutoMatch was dispatched on our computer this morning and it indeed was a match. Thanks to PetLynx and the animal shelter here in Calgary, my dog is at home safe and sound where he belongs.

      Tony M.

Thank you for your help PetLynx! The cat I had found is now back with its owners. The owner is a teenage girl and the cat had been missing for two weeks. She is so happy to be reunited with her life long friend! PetLynx is a good web site.
     Evelyn K.

Thanks to PetLynx, I was able to find my dog in less than two days. You are AWESOME and I can't thank you enough!

     Christine M.

It has been a very good morning! My cat Buttons came home after being missing for four days. I was so worried about him because he is old and not very well. On Tuesday I opened the door to let the dog in and in walked Buttons, too... acting as if he was very angry with me! With a little pampering he was right back in my arms and happily purring away.

     Linda C.

I just wanted to let you know that I was successfully matched with my lost dog today. I go to the pound to pick her up tomorrow. Thank you for this service... my experience is proof that it works.

     D.

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Dog Survives 90-Metre Fall

According to a recent story on CBC Television, a Springer Spaniel learned the hard way that dog's can't fly! The happy-go-lucky dog, named Poppy, chased a seagull off a cliff and plunged 90-metres down into the sea.

The incident happened on February 14 at the Seven Sisters cliffs in East Sussex in southeastern England while the dog was out for a walk with her owner's sister and a friend

Rescuers said there was just enough water to cushion the dog's fall. Apart from being in shock and having a partially collapsed lung the dog was in good shape. Paul Legendre of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution search and rescue service said the pair sought help after they went to the edge of the cliff and saw Poppy swim to shore.

Volunteer lifeboat crew member Gavin Butcher was part of the crew that rescued the spaniel from the beach underneath the cliff. ''She was cold and nervous, but apart from that, was as good as gold," Butcher told the Telegraph.

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

An Tail-Wagging Welcome for a Returning Soldier

We're all thrilled when a lost pet comes Home Safe... but have you ever thought about how our animal companions feel when a human member of the family gets HomeSafe, too!

Take a look at this YouTube video of a dog that is super excited to see her soldier returning home from a tour of duty in Afghanistan! The bond between this man and his dog is undeniable!

10 Most Common Pet Poisons of 2009

Many common household goods that we take for granted as harmless can poison our pets.

In 2009, the American SPCA Animal Poison Control Center in Urbana, IL, handled more than 140,000 cases of pets exposed to toxic household substances, including insecticides, cleaning supplies and prescription medications.

To help you keep your pet safe in 2010, ASPCA has created a list of the 10 common poisons that most affected our furry friends last year. Here’s a sneak peek at their advice:

• Top dishonors—once again—go to human medications, which accounted for the most calls to the ASPCA’s 24-hour poison control hotline in 2009. Pets often snatch pill vials from counters and nightstands or gobble up meds accidentally dropped on the floor. Remember to keep all medications, including pain remedies, antidepressants and decongestants, in a cabinet far away from prying paws.

• Cats and dogs are often the unwitting victims of our efforts to battle flea infestations. The misapplication of spot-on flea and tick products can be especially problematic for our feline friends. Talk to your vet about choosing the right, species-specific flea treatment for your pet and never use products made for dogs on cats, and vice versa.

• Some of the most delicious people food—including citrus, avocado and raisins—can be poisonous to pets. Chocolate ingestion accounted for nearly half of all people food-related cases in 2009, so be sure to keep cocoa hidden from your resourceful cat or dog.

• Household plants may keep your house green and your air clean, but some can cause serious gastrointestinal problems for companion animals who nibble on them. Check out the ASPCA's toxic plant list before your next visit to the nursery.

As always, if you suspect your pet has ingested something toxic, please call your vet or the ASPCA’s 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435.

PetLynx Announces Collaborative Agreement with CKC's Dogs in Canada

08
January
2010


PetLynx Corporation is pleased to announce an agreement with Apex Publishing Limited, the publisher of “Dogs in Canada” Canada’s premier provider of content for dog owners and breeders.

Under the terms of this agreement PetLynx Corporation and Apex Publishing will collaborate to expand the circulation of this magazine to all dog owners in Canada through the PetLynx Subscriptions & Registry Services unit.

Pet families who register their dogs in the PetLynx system for recovery services, microchips, tattoos, licenses or other HomeSafe™ Canada initiatives will have the opportunity to subscribe to four special issues targeted toward this Responsible Dog Owners Group [RDOG] at a special discount that is related to their level of compliance.

In addition, the two parties will collaborate to provide responsible dog owner content through Apex's micro site and the PetLynx pet family portals. Pet families who normally manage their animal records using PetLynx portals will be able to manage their subscriptions in the same area.

“Adding the Dogs in Canada content and micro sites to the HomeSafe™ Canada initiative will not only increase the number of responsible dog owners across Canada, but provide valuable resources across the entire value chain that supports these pet families” said Larry R. Evans, President and CEO of PetLynx Corporation. “I am confident that we will eventually reach every dog owner who is interested in having ready access to Canada’s number one source of information about dogs.”

“We are very excited about the opportunity of using the PetLynx relationship with dog owners across Canada to expand our circulation base and improve the services we provide to dog owners through our micro site program,” said Ann McDonagh, Group Publisher, Apex Publishing Limited. “Apex Publishing Limited is a subsidiary of the Canadian Kennel Club, an organization that has serviced the needs of dog owners in Canada for more than 120 years.”

For more information please contact:

Ann McDonagh, Apex Publishing Limited amcdonagh@dogsincanada.com
(416) 798-9778 ext 3410

Larry Evans, PetLynx Corporation larry.evans@petlynxmail.com
(403) 921-5900