Watts Witit

May 6-12, 2012 is National Pet Week and the theme chosen by the Auxiliary to the American Veterinary Medical Association is “Healthy Pets Make Happy Homes.”

Each year the Auxiliary sponsors a poster contest around the year’s theme. This year’s winner, Stephanie Jensen, depicts a whimsical home filled with children and happy family pets. While the painting is charming and deserving of accolades, the scene made me think hard about pets and families.

Just the right number of pets makes a happy home

Ms. Jensen’s painting shows a home containing every imaginable pet, but when adding pets to your family, each addition requires careful consideration. For those of us who love pets, it is difficult to resist adding another foundling to our brood. But if we continually increase our home’s pet population, at some point, the number of pets we have will exceed the resources we have to care for them. By resources I am not talking just about financial resources, but space, time, and energy as well. My current feline foster family of seven makes me very happy every morning when I peek in and see all those little cats snoozing in their fur bed. Since the family will be adopted once the kittens are self-sufficient, I can handle caring for seven cats for several weeks, but I could not do this on a forever basis and still work full time!

Children and pets, happy together

In addition to showing many different pets, Ms. Jensen’s painting shows children and their pets. The benefits of pets for children were recently the topic of a New York Times blog by pediatrician Perri Klass.

As a pediatrician, she reports commonly asked questions about children and pets, because of the widely held belief that pets are good for children’s social and emotional health. She also says that, until now, there has been little good scientific research on the benefits of pets for children. Some recent studies suggest a variety of positive outcomes associated with children and pets:

• Young children living in a household with a dog may be less likely to become overweight.
• Animal assisted therapy has a positive influence on children’s development.
• Animal assisted therapy alleviates acute pain in children.

Pets can also pose health risks to young children, and parents should take steps to protect their children from pet-related illness, especially bites.

Keep your pet healthy and keep your home happy

The pets depicted in Ms. Jensen’s painting look very healthy. To keep your pet healthy and your home happy, provide your cat and dog with a good preventive healthcare program and visit their veterinarian annually.
How do you keep your family and pets happy and healthy? Share your stories in the comments below.

A survivalist accused of shooting his wife, daughter and the family pets to death before setting his home on fire is on the loose in the Pacific Northwest.

Firefighters responded to the blaze in North Bend, Wash., around 8:30 am on Sunday, according to the Seattle Times. They found the bodies of Lynnettee and Kaylene Keller in their beds.

Peter Keller, while still at-large, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder on Wednesday. He was also charged with arson for trying to cover up the killings, according to the newspaper.

VIENNA TOWNSHIP, MI — Firefighters were able to save two family pets from a house fire in Vienna Township on Monday evening as winds fed an electrical fire that consumed the entire home.

ticks often lurk. Walk in the center of trails, avoiding brushing up against foliage.

* While you may think that ticks live only in the woods, they can also be found in urban backyards. Reduce the chances of tick bites in your yard by keeping play areas, playground equipment and hammocks away from shrubs, bushes and other vegetation.

* The CDC recommends repelling ticks with DEET or permethrin. Use repellants that contain 20 percent or more DEET on exposed skin for protection that lasts up to several hours, and use products that contain permethrin on clothing.

Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents. Permethrin remains protective through several washings. Pre-treated clothing is also available at some outdoor stores.

* Prevent family pets from bringing ticks into the home. The CDC says there are two ways to get rid of ticks on dogs and cats — either by administering tick medicine or using a tick collar. Both are available at most veterinary offices.

Animal fur provides a perfect environment for ticks, Buckley said. We want to protect both our pets and the people around our pets.

The CDC recommends people bathe or shower within two hours after coming indoors from a tick-infested area. This helps to wash off and more easily locate ticks that might be crawling on the body. Its also important to do a full-body tick check. Also, examine gear and pets because ticks can climb on pets or clothes, then attach to a person later. The CDC says that tumbling clothing in a dryer on high heat for an hour will kill any remaining ticks that you dont find.

If you find a tick attached to your skin, use a plain set of fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skins surface as possible. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Do not jerk or twist the bug. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.

If you remove a tick and want to know what type it is, the Public Health Lab — located at 529 I St. in Eureka — offers free tick identification. No appointment is necessary. After removing a tick, place it in a sealed container or zip-close bag with a paper towel moistened with water. Its best to bring the whole tick into the lab.

If the tick is identified by lab staff as a western blacklegged tick, they can test the tick for Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, for a $37 fee, though the information they are able to provide is limited, Corrigan said.

We can only say that the tick has or doesnt have the organism Borrelia burgdorferi inside of it, Corrigan said. We cant say anything about transmission nor do any human Lyme disease testing. And just because a tick is positive for B. burgdorferi, it doesnt necessarily mean that the bacteria have infected the bitten person. Still, its always good to check.

For more information about Public Health tick testing, call 268-2179.

A puppy, two dogs, a cat and a budgie were killed in a house fire. The blaze broke out in the conservatory of a detached, 10-bedroom house in Heywood.

Six adults escaped unhurt but fire fighters later found the bodies of the family pets in the conservatory.

The dogs – a Labrador and two Springer Spaniels – the cat and the budgie were pronounced dead at the scene.

A third dog and two other cats escaped the blaze unhurt.

Fire fighters from Bury and Whitefield stations were called to Springhill House, Heap Brow, shortly before midnight last night.

A member of staff at a care home next-door raised the alarm.

The cause of the fire was under investigation today.

But watch commander Steve Wilcock said indications pointed to an electrical fault in either a washing machine or a freezer in a kitchen and utility room attached to the conservatory.

The dogs were kept overnight in the conservatory.

He said: It was an extremely well-developed fire. The family managed to get out but we sent in firefighters were breathing equipment because all the pets were missing.

The damage was very severe. One of the firemen heard whimpering but unfortunately all the animals died at the scene. The family are obviously animal lovers and it is tragic.

Fire crews remained at the scene of the blaze throughout the night.

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(ANIMAL WELFARE) The mistaken shooting of a Texas mans beloved pet dog has ignited an investigation into how police treat pets. The dog, Cisco, died after the police officer invaded the wrong house when responding to a 911 call. After gathering 100,000 likes on Facebook, Michael Paxton, the guardian of Cisco, received a formal apology from the department. However, Ciscos death has sparked nationwide interest in why police often kill pets. The numbers are staggering. This year alone, 100 separate reports of pets shot by cops documented in news articles resulted in the question of if they were justified. What should be done to educate police officers about dogs and their inherent instinct to protect their family guardians? Read on for details on why police officers seem trigger-happy when it comes to family pets. — Global Animal

Upper class Victorians had a great affection for pets, from fashionable lap dogs to canaries, and even the occasional monkey. But Travis Louie envisions some far more fanciful companions for his proper gents and ladies, who keep squids and giant spiders as beloved family pets.

You may recall Louies Victorian aliens, and here he returns to that juxtaposition of period fashion with monstrous though not unappealing creatures. Louie says that he was inspired to create this series after reading a book about tarantula care, and realized that fashionably dressed folks would attend spider shows, much as dog owners would a dog show, walking their tarantulas on leash. Hes also cooked up a backstory to go with each pet. The family yeti above is something of an heirloom:

For as long as anyone can remember, there has always been a Yeti in the Wallace family. Victoria Wallace spent most of her adult life concentrating her efforts on Yeti awareness. Over the last few centuries, it has become the Wallace familys primary philanthropic endeavor. No one knows for certain how long these docile hairy beasts can live. The current family Yeti is believed to be over 300 years old. It has become a tradition for each generation to have their portrait painted with the Yeti.

[The Art of Travis Louie via Laughing Squid]

ALBANY, NY (AP) – Stealing the family dog or cat in New York could soon send a pet thief to prison.

A bill that would make stealing any cat or dog a felony has strong sponsors in the Legislature. It aims to create the toughest law against pet theft in the nation.

State Sen. Carl Marcellino and Assemblywoman Deborah Glick say the measure will elevate the crime to grand larceny from a misdemeanor and eliminate the difficult question of placing a value on a pet.

Conviction could draw four years in prison.

Michigan State University law Professor David Favre said Wednesday that if its passed, the law would likely be the toughest in the nation. The specialist in animal protection laws said there is a recent trend to raising the legal status of pets.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

By Sen. Tim Solobay

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Pennsylvania’s state parks are trying out a new practice of allowing pets in previously restricted areas, including cabins, cottages and yurts. The program is in response to many requests from Pennsylvanians to allow them to bring their pets camping.

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Seven state parks will now allow dogs in designated cabins and camping cottages. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has also continued to expand campsite availability to pet owners.

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For more information on the program or to find out which State Parks will be offering the program, click here.

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Wamp;J to Host Youth Environmental Camp

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Washington amp; Jefferson College is hosting the Chevron Environmental Youth Service Science Camp from June 18 to June 22.  

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The camp is free and open to Washington, Fayette, or Greene county students in grades five through seven.

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Participants in the camp will engage in environmental service learning opportunities, and leadership development training. The camp is designed to teach participants about the environment and ways they can make this world a cleaner, greener, healthier place to live.

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This fun, hands-on experience will be staffed by Wamp;J students and managed by the Wamp;J Office of Volunteer Programs. The camp is limited to 50 participants and students will be registered on a first-come-first-served basis. Registration is open through May 31.

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Participants will receive a free T-shirt and a certificate of completion. In addition they will receive lunch and a snack each day. 

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For more information, visit the Summer Science Camp website.

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Wounded Warrior Softball Team to Visit Washington

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Washington’s Lew Hayes Pony Field will host a softball match-up between the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team and SCI Greene’s softball team Saturday.

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The 15-members the Wounded Warrior team are veterans or active duty soldiers who have been injured while serving their country. For more than a year, the team has been traveling across the US playing local teams to raise awareness of the sacrifices made by soldiers.

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Washington is giving the team a warm welcome, complete with a proclamation by Mayor Brenda Davis and a motorcycle escort to the field. Military veterans attending the game will include former Steelers running back Rocky Bleier and state Auditor General Jack Wagner. Pennsylvania Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel will throw out the first pitch.

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The game is scheduled for 1:30 pm on Saturday.

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Upcoming events…

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Document Shredding – The Borough of Canonsburg and I are teaming up with DocSolutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of Community Action Southwest, to provide free document shredding in the borough parking lot, 68 East Pike Street, Canonsburg, on Friday. For more information, click here.              

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Business-to-Business Expo – The Tri-County Oil and Gas Expo Committee is hosting a Business to Business Expo from 10 am to 3 pm May 19 at Washington County Fairgrounds. The group is also hosting a Marcellus Mingle from 5 pm to 9 pm on Friday May 18.  

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The events are great opportunities to see how the growing energy industry could benefit your business or get your business in front of energy executives.

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Registration is easier than ever and just a click away.  For more information, click here.

The Galway Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has issued a warning on the dangers of leaving children unattended with pets.

It follows a dog attack on a 3-year-old Abbey ODonohue in County Clare at the weekend.

She was at a 21st birthday party on Saturday when the familys Siberian Huskey attacked the child.

Speaking on Galway Talks, Margaret OSullivan from the GSPCA says young children should never be left unattended with any animal