Pet Family Would Have Been "Lost" Without PetLynx

Here is an example of how the PetLynx AutoMatch system works 24/7 to help lost pets get HomeSafe fast:

I would like to thank PetLynx for the valuable service provided to me when I lost my Golden Retriever. I posted the details online with PetLynx and called the city pound and the humane society to file a lost report as soon as we discovered that our dog was lost.

My dog was found by a bylaw officer and City Animal Services must have notified PetLynx because the very next morning I received an email from your organization indicating that you had identified a possible match.
 

So, many thanks to all who have a hand in helping distraught owners and animals reunite. We would have been lost without you.

Sincerely,
Chris M.

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Lost your pet? Don't give up hope!

We adopted "Haley" from the Arizona Humane Society last November. She soon became our much-loved little princess. Although she has been kept as an indoor cat, she managed to sneak outside one day and was missing for almost two weeks.

I never gave up hope that I would find my beloved little cat. I went to the Dog Pound and the Humane Society to check for her every day. I also continued to walk through our neighborhood, calling her name every night -- sometimes until 1:00 in the morning. (My friends and family thought I was crazy but I didn't care!) I also left my arcade door open a crack, just in case she came back on her own. Guess what?! She did come back!

One morning I woke up to a familiar meow. It was Haley! My family and I were thrilled that she had returned on her own! Although it was not a factor in her recovery, we were certain we would eventually get Haley back because she has a pet identification microchip that was implanted by the Humane Society. Please ,if you every adopt a pet, make sure you get the chip put in or, if they don't offer it to you, ask for one. This chip provided us some peace of mind.

If you have lost your pet.... I hope that our story helps give you hope!

Thank you,

Cammie Lynn H.

Accolades from Pet Families

We've got mail!

We love to get the great news that PetLynx has played a role in helping lost pets get HomeSafe! Here are a few excerpts from emails we have received from grateful pet families:

"I am absolutely elated to tell you that Semico has been found! We received a call from Canadian Tire to inform us that he was in their parking lot. It is so nice to have him at home again. We appreciate the help provided to us by PetLynx. Thank you again!"
Sincerely, Debbie KB.

"Thank you very much for your help in finding Blaze. People who had seen our posters spotted him and called us. THANK YOU for your help."

Natalie W.

"I put a lost ad for Max on Kijiji and had a response that directed me to the Humane Society. Unfortunately, our local Humane Society does not place impounded animals on their website so, when I registered him with PetLynx, an identical match came up confirming he was at the shelter. The poor guy spent Christmas in a kennel at the shelter, but he was warm and safe and he gained more Christmas weight than I did! Thank you so very much for your service."

Bonnie H.

DNA My Dog Event

Trace Your Dog's Family Tree

Although all dogs are descended from common wolf ancestors, each breed has specific genetic markers that uniquely identify it. Now there’s an affordable test to reveal all of the breeds contained in a dog through that unique genetic makeup.

‘DNA My Dog’ have been offering pet owners a special kit that involves a one minute cheek swab. The swab is then sent away and in just over a week a full analysis is returned that includes your dog’s dominant breeds, personality traits and health concerns. The Canine Breed Test was developed and validated using U.S. dog populations and will show all popular breeds in Canadian and U.S. dogs. (95% of all breeds). The test has been popular in the U.S. for years and is catching on with curious Canadians.

‘DNA My Dog’ will be on hand at the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA's premier pet event -- the Wiggle Waggle Walk-a-thon -- on Sunday September 13th with registration beginning at 9am.

“We’re thrilled to be able to offer this service to everyone participating in the walk,” said Jacqueline Roth, VP at the HBSPCA. “All proceeds from pledges raised and a portion of the ‘DNA My Dog’ fees will go to support our protection and adoption departments as well as the educational programs offered by the Hamilton/ Burlington SPCA.

Local Service Providers: Hamilton Burlington SPCA

Finding My Molly - A kid's book about a lost cat!

What is the worst thing that could possibly happen when your cat steps outside for the very first time? As Peggy Krause tells us in Finding My Molly, lots of things can go wrong!

Written for children age 8-12, Finding My Molly is great for young readers who are making the transition between being read to and reading for themselves.

The story follows "Soupy," a tabby cat that ventures outside one day only to be chased by dogs, get lost in the forest, and find himself as the foster father for a stray raccoon. But none of these roadblocks can keep him from searching for "his Molly," the little girl who owns him, and is "the most beautimous human-kitten in the world."

The story is broken into short, easily tackled chapters, and Krause uses a perfect blend of familiar and new words to add a little challenge for slightly older readers. The book uses the animal stars to teach little safety lessons, but the cat perspective--the drama, turns of fortune, and heartfelt concerns of this special feline--is irresistible, and the message of conscientious involvement in immediate social issues is appropriate for the upcoming generation.

Finding My Molly is even on the National Humane Education Society's recommended reading list. All this mixed with a lighthearted story and a sweet, witty style, makes it a hit.

Safe and Found

Found a Dog?
Think Safety First!

If you see a stray dog in your neighborhood, your first concern should be for your own safety. If, for any reason, you suspect the animal may bite or it is acting aggressively, contact your local Humane Society or Animal Control Centre. They have the proper equipment and skill to get the dog safely under control without harm to man or beast.

If the pet is manageable, you may choose to put him (or her) in your fenced back yard or in a room in your home.

Safe and Found
Before you log onto the Internet or begin phoning in an effort to locate the dog’s owner, make sure it cannot escape from your home or yard. Put it in a bathroom or other small room where it can’t hurt itself or anything around it.

Creature Comforts
Provide the dog with an old towel or blanket to lie on and a bowl of water to drink. But don’t feed it right away! Give the dog an hour or so to settle down first and then feed small quantities of dog food over a period of a few hours. A ravenous dog may overeat and then become sick. Or it may have dietary restrictions that you are not aware of and certain foods could be harmful. If you don’t have any pet food, offer a bowl of plain cooked rice—or nothing at all for the time being.

Never, EVER, feed milk to a stray dog (or cat) of any age. Milk can cause severe digestive upset and diarrhea, especially in puppies and geriatric pets.

Start your search to get the lost dog HomeSafe by registering it with Petlynx.

Calgary Shelters at Full Capacity

Vacationing owners and the recession result in kennels being filled to capacity

CALGARY, August 12, 2009 ~ A story published in today's Calgary Herald revealed that Calgary's two largest animal shelters are in crisis.

The City's shelter is getting close to capacity, with 70 cats and 44 dogs waiting to be claimed by their owners or be adopted into new homes.

Similarly, the Calgary Humane Society is overrun with 484 cats and 95 dogs.

"We always get a bit of a spike in our numbers in August," said Bill Bruce, The City's director of Animal & Bylaw Services. "But it's our return-to-owner statistics that really slump out on us because of [the fact that people are on] vacations. We have trouble reaching the owners to let them know their pet is here. At some point--after 10 to 14 days of trying to reach them and getting no response to our calls -- we have to act in the animal's best interests, which is not to keep it languishing in a shelter forever and it gets adopted."

"[Capacity] is usually high this time of year," said Calgary Humane Society spokeswoman Pamela Amos, noting it is kitten season so some owners are surrendering the mother cat and her entire litter. The shelter has also noticed an increasing number of owners turning over their pets due to the recession.

Local Service Providers: City of Calgary Animal & Bylaw Services, Calgary Humane Society

Play it Cool With Pets!

The heat is on, so the BC SPCA is urging pet guardians to play it cool.

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.

“A lot of dogs will run and play to the point of exhaustion, and it’s the guardian’s responsibility to make sure that doesn’t happen,” says Chortyk. “For example, if you play fetch with your dog, it’s a sure sign to stop when your dog isn’t retrieving the ball as fast as usual, when he refuses to drop the ball for the next throw, or when he tries to catch a break by lying down between throws.”

Chortyk also cautions against cycling with your dog, and if you run with your dog, try to run early in the morning or later in the evening when the sun is lower in the sky. Also, try to stay away from asphalt because it can burn your dog’s foot pads.

“Regardless of the activities you choose to do with your dog, always bring water and the number of a vet with you so that you’re prepared in case of an emergency.”

For signs of heat stroke and emergency first aid see the "Hot Dog!" blog post below.

Seifer's Big Adventure

Lost Dog FOUND
Thanks to PetLynx

Seifer, a 13-month old Golden Retriever cross gave his guardians quite a scare last week! The dog was enjoying a run in an off-leash park in Calgary when two dogs began chasing him. When one of the dogs bit Seifer on the leg, he bolted across a busy main road and into a nearby community.

"We called everyone we could [think of]," relayed his distraught guardian, "and a team of ten people searched the community for hours. We reluctantly headed home about 2 a.m., just before a hail storm hit."

Having no luck finding Siefer on foot, they logged onto the Internet, as well as checking with City of Calgary Animal Services, the Calgary Humane Society, and every vet clinic in the city. Another day passed, and they continued to check the animal shelters and "found" ads on Petlynx.

The second day after Seifer ran off, there was a listing from a family saying they had found Seifer and had taken him to a nearby pet hospital. His owners hurried down to retrieve their run-away retriever.

"The moment Seifer came around the corner we all burst out crying tears of joy," recalls his guardian. "[We were so relieved to see] it was him; safe, healthy, and so happy! You never realize how much you miss something until it's gone, and how much joy an animal can bring you. Seifer is truly one of a kind. We cannot express our gratitude enough to Petlynx or the family who took care of him and brought him to the hospital. Thank you!"

SPCA doesn't like "Hot Dogs!"

BC Heat Wave Could Prove Deadly for Pets!

The heat is on, so the BC SPCA is urging pet guardians to play it cool.

With scorching temperatures predicted throughout most of British Columbia this holiday weekend, the BC SPCA is offering tips on how to keep pets safe. The first and most obvious recommendation is not to leave your pet in the car.

According to an SPCA press release, the temperature inside a parked car at this time of year can rise alarmingly fast. Dogs can't withstand high temperatures for more than a few minutes before suffering irreparable brain damage or death!

If you see a dog languishing in a hot car, call the SPCA in your area or local police. Before the authorities arrive, the SPCA says, members of the public can help prevent a tragedy by attempting to find the animal’s guardian. If the car is in a mall or grocery store parking lot, for example, ask to have the owner paged over the building’s PA system. If a window on the vehicle is cracked open, try to increase the airflow inside by fanning the pet with a portable fan.

The BC SPCA also urges dog owners to use caution when exercising their pets under the sweltering summer sun. If you run with your dog, try to run early in the morning or later in the evening when the sun is lower in the sky.

You should also try to avoid walking your dog on asphalt because it can burn your dog’s foot pads.

Signs of heat stroke in pets:

• exaggerated panting (or the sudden stopping of panting);
• rapid or erratic pulse;
• salivation;
• weakness and muscle tremors;
• lack of co-ordination;
• convulsions or vomiting;
• collapse.

If your dog shows symptoms of heat stroke:
• Immediately move it to a cool, shady place.
• Wet the dog with cool water.
• Fan vigorously to promote evaporation (do not apply ice, which constricts blood flow.)
• Allow the dog to drink some cool water.
• Take the dog to a veterinarian.

For more information, click the heading above.