Easter Enews 2014
Transcript of Easter Enews 2014
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Australian Animal Protection Society
Leah an 8y.o staghound & Daisy 18month old Beagle X are a dynamic duo
that are seeking a place to call home together. These gorgeous girls are a
vibrant happy team that keep each other in check. As you can see both are
well mannered and tolerant. Daisy has a fail-safe party trick where she will sit
at your feet, hoping for a treat!
Daisy
Leah
Easter enews 2014
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AAPS is glad to report that all the animals featured in the Christmas eNews edition have since been adopted. This could not happen without community
support or the tireless efforts of our shelter volunteers. The shelter currently has a number of positions available, so if you`re interested and have passion
for animal welfare refer to our website for further details www.aaps.org.au
Training Tips
Training videos
One of the greatest benefits for both pets and family members is putting time on to training your pet. It is
amazing how a little time and effort can make everyone’s life a bit easier as your pet can understand what
you expect from them and in turn provide some predictability to the owner. Basic commands such as “sit”
“stay” “drop” “ok”and “come” cover most scenarios. You can use words that have a similar meaning
however they need to be basic, short one syllable words to help your pet learn. Remember to your pet it’s
like learning a new language and as you would when learning a foreign language, simple basic terms enable
you to learn more effectively.
Here is a link Purina have published for good videos on training exercises for your dog to “Sit”, “Drop”,
“Come” and “Stay”.
Casual Animal Attendant required
Casual Relieving Animal Welfare Coordinator/ Office/ Administration Officer
Experienced Vet Nurse (Casual)
See other ways you can assist the shelter by checking the following link
“How you can help”
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The AAPS vet clinic was established to not only provide care to shelter animals but to also provide affordable vet care to the community. Refer to the link for
vaccination and other related healthcare costs. Whilst looking after your pet health needs you are also helping shelter animals as all the proceeds from
Veterinary surgery help with the running of the shelter.
For further information Phone ( 0 3 ) 9 7 0 1 5 7 8 5 to make an appointment or refer to the vet clinic link below..
Vet Clinic Information
Feline health – Kitty Cautions
You may be surprised! We're alerting you to a few kitty dangers you
might not have thought about.
These are just a few of the hazards we find people forget about or are
not aware of.
Human medicines - medicines such as panadol and antidepressants
pose a serious threat to your cat, so keep them in a place he can’t get in
to. Common houseplants can be hazardous to your cat's health: lillies,
poinsettia and tulips are the main culprits
Some chemicals taste especially good to cats - keep these and all
chemicals locked away: antifreeze, bleach, detergents, fertilizers,
herbicides, insect spray (eg. ant rid) and rodent bait
Dog flea and tick medication - A cat that shares a house with a dog that has had supermarket pyrethrum flea treatment is at risk. These can KILL your cat. Ask us for the safest flea prevention for ALL of your pets
Household products - chicken bones, dental floss, yarn, string, lights and tinsel can lead to intestinal blockages
If you think your cat might have ingested something toxic - phone us immediately for advice
Wildlife help
Many will be driving long distances this holiday season and it is not uncommon to come across injured wildlife along the way.
What should you do?
Keep a cardboard box and towel in the boot of your car in case you find an injured animal
If you see an animal beside the road pull over only when it is safe to do so and put your hazard lights on
Approach the animal carefully and cover it with a towel or blanket to calm it and contain it
Stress is the major killer of injured animals so keep handling and disturbance to a minimum
Keep it in a dark, quiet and warm place and do not try and feed the animal, however you can offer water
Contact a local vet or local wildlife hotline in the appropriate state and they will direct you on what to do next. Remember to leave out a bowl of water for our wildlife in the hot weather AND keep cats and dogs inside and under control wherever possible.
AAPS VET CLINIC
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MEMOIRS OF A VOLUNTEER DOG
WALKER
It’s been over two years now since I first started walking the
doggies at the Keysborough Shelter. Every Thursday, around 8 am,
rain, hail or shine you will find me there (unless I’m sick or on hols).
I only go for a couple of hours each Thursday, but to my way of
thinking if everyone gave just a small amount of their time
REGULARLY it would be fabulous. You don’t need to spend hours
and hours, just be reliable and go the same time/day each week. It
makes it so much easier for the co-ordinator. Walking only a
couple of hours also means it can be done EVERY WEEK at the same
time and you don’t get ‘burnt out’. That’s me anyway.
I used to worry why the dogs were there, how could anyone give
their dog/s away, why are they thin, how come they are so healthy
looking etc. etc. they must have been loved once. Now I don’t
think about it as much, all I know is that they are well fed, very well looked after, loved by all staff and volunteers, safe and secure and, believe it or not,
happy and waiting for their new homes. AND THEY ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEIR WALKIES. You only have to see it in their faces when volunteers arrive.
Pick me! Pick me! What about me! I’m next they say. They bark and yell at each other as if they are jealous that another dog is getting a walk and
not them. But they ALL eventually have a walk – sometimes two and three times in a day which is just wonderful.
I have been slobbered on, licked on, jumped on, scratched on (even ‘humped on’) and recently even piddled on!!! But I wouldn’t have it any other way,
because as the dogs love their walkies, so do I love giving them a walk. Unconditional pleasure in each other’s company and quiet chats and the
occasional cuddle as we meander down the road outside the Shelter.
Rhona Van Der Kaay
Rhona and Cocasse
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The toxic components in chocolate are theobromine and caffeine, and the level of toxicity is based on the type and quantity of chocolate consumed.
Different types of chocolate have different amounts of theobromine and caffeine; dark chocolate contains the highest concentrations and white "chocolate" contains the least. Early clinical signs are vomiting, diarrhoea and trembling.
For more info refer to this website
Toxic Foods List
In the event you dog has consumed a toxic substance seek veterinary advice immediately
Chocolate is toxic for
dogs
Other items that are toxic for your dog include
Onions garlic grapes raisins Avocado mouldy food
xylitol Artificial sweetener macadamia hops nuts
TIPS FROM THE AAPS FOR EASTER AND PETS
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Hi I’m Cooper and this is my story. I was born in 2009 and my beagle mum and dad were successful show dogs
at the time. I was in a pen inside with my mum when a young couple came to see me. Also in my pen was my
twin brother.
It was apparent to me that this young couple had done their research, knew about puppy farms and also my
breed “Beagle” hence why they came and saw my mum and where I was brought in to this life. It was a big
change for me leaving my k9 family to go to my new home, but I went to school to learn some manners. This
was easy because every time I did the” right thing” I got a rewarded with one of my greatest loves FOOD. I had
to work for it, but really appreciated the effort mum and dad put into training me as it really helped settle in to my
new home.
At just 4months of age I had a large health scare, when during my usual afternoon kip lying on the couch I
suffered a seizure. Dad looked very worried about me and took me to the vet where I was to under-go tests the
following day. A few hours later I suffered another seizure and my parents rushed me to the hospital where I was
placed on observation overnight. Luckily after my third seizure that night they seemed to have stopped.
Around a month later I suffered another seizure whilst in was in the car coming home from my great aunty`s
place and dad who was away at the time asked mum to take me straight back to the hospital. I was lucky in
some ways as my dad being a shift worker kept in touch throughout the night with my vets and whilst it was
traumatic I felt I was in good hands. I had a lot of tests done and thankfully no serious or unfixable issues were
detected and at just 4 months of age I was diagnosed with epilepsy. I was a bit worried as I know this was very
expensive and hadn’t been in my new home for long. I just hoped that this wouldn’t affect my relationship with
my new family.
I was lucky in that dad didn’t even think twice before spending money on me but always did before spending it
on himself! I was one very lucky beagle pup. I heard my nana say to my dad how we were destined for each
other for a reason and that this was maybe why as like me I was well aware that the care I needed may not have
been so forth coming by other people. My dad was very proactive in getting me as much of a normal life as
possible as drugs needed to control my seizures tended to be quite aggressive on my little growing body and
organs. He decided to put me on a less aggressive drug, which was a good call as I still to this day have not had
a seizure since and can gladly say I’m now off all medication for over 2 years now.
After this life was all good, I had the run of the house, slept wherever I wanted to and went to the off leash park
and ran for hours with other k9 friends. I believe the human term is known as “spoilt”. Then I heard that we were getting a new addition to our family in the form of a little person mid-2011. While I
was excited I did wonder how this would affect my relationship with my family and if I would still be the centre of attention. I was hearing things like stay outside more and sleeping outside, less time
for him etc. My dad was reading this material produced by organisations trying to prepare pets for when human babies are born. Then I heard something comforting and possibly the funniest, least
expected thing I ever heard from my dad “If it was me, I’d be pissed if for no reason at all I got shafted like that!” He said why don’t we include Coops and not exclude him which was the general
genre in all this material. I went on holidays to the beagle Taj Mahal when my human brother was born and when I came home had some new boundaries which were fair, but most importantly I was
included in my family and very much a part of our new era. My new human brother was also the reason I could come off my medication as I now had the luxury of stay at home mum to keep an eye
on me 24/7. The same thing happened just 15months later where I then had two new human brothers but I wasn’t concerned this time.
I’m now 4yrs old and as mentioned before free of my seizures and loving spending time playing with my two human brothers. The moral of my story is treat others as you would expect to be treated,
invest time in to training me and we will both reap benefits from it and also little humans and pets can have a great value adding relationship for all of us given a chance to do so.
Cooper`s Story
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With the influx of animals to the shelter AAPS has many animals needing loving
homes and are now available for adoption. The animals listed have been in our
care for an extended period of time and would dearly love their own place to
call home.
AAPS is located at 1 0 H o m e l e i g h R o a d , K e y s b o r o u g h , 3 1 7 3 ,
V i c t o r i a , A u s t r a l i a - p h ( 0 3 ) 9 7 9 8 - 8 4 1 5 o r ( 0 3 ) 9 7 9 8 - 8 0 4 4
Photos taken by David Oakley of R I V I D – Fine Art Portraits website
www.rivid.com
For more information of animals available for adtion refer the the weblinks
below
1. Dog adoption
2. Cat adoption
3. Other animal adoption including Rabbits & guinea pigs
Roo was surrendered to us because her elderly owner could no longer care for her.
She is such a joy, so affectionate & playful. She has her quiet times when she just likes to
chill out & watch the world go by. She loves her walks & she’s pretty good on lead. She is
housetrained & best suited to a moderately active adult family or a family with teens. If
you would like to have Roo as a part of your life contact the shelter for further details.
TALK TO THE ANIMALS “ADOPTION SECTION”
ROO
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SAGE
Mishka is playful, energetic, alert & affectionate. She will do so
well in a calm, assertive environment where she will be provided with
training, exercise & a steady routine.
Rosie was surrendered to us because her
owners were moving. She is a quiet, yet friendly &
loving girl with the sweetest of natures. She has
always lived indoors & according to her former
owners, she is good with dogs.
NB. Rosie has been with us a very long time. She
celebrated her 12th birthday on April 1st, and
would love to be adopted before she reaches 12
years and 1 month! She is just so beautiful and no
trouble at all
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Daisy & Duke
Duke & Daisy
are a quiet, patient
brother & sister duo.
They have been waiting
very patiently for their
forever home in a nice
peaceful environment.
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Cocasse was
surrendered to us
because his owners
could no longer keep
him & it’s not often
that we would be
thrilled with an animal
being surrendered
but in this case, it
was definitely in
Cocasse’s best
interests. He had
been terribly
neglected by his
former owners. He
had fly bite that
became so infected
that our vets decided
it would be best for a
partial amputation of
his ear tips. His coat
was dull & unkempt &
he didn’t show much
interest in getting to
know people. He is
now a much
improved, very
handsome boy who
loves to play ball &
he is just so smart &
loyal with those he
knows. He loves his
walks & he would suit
an active adult family
or a family with older
teens.
Cocasse/Coco
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Bethany is a bit shy at first, but is a
very lovely rabbit who loves a nose
rub and an ear pat when she gets to
know you. She's beautiful with other
rabbits and will love a desexed male
rabbit to snuggle with for the rest of
her days.
Carrie is around 2 years old, and a
desexed female dwarf x. She is a very
sweet rabbit, and will be a great friend
for a desexed male rabbit of her
choosing.
Miffy is just over 2 years old and is a
desexed female dwarf lop. She will need a
desexed male dwarf lop as a friend. She's a
beautiful girl who will need to lose weight
slowly as she's too fat at the moment.
Gorgeous Rissy is a desexed
female dwarf x. She is
approximately 3 years old but
may be younger. She is
looking for a home with one of
the bunnies she came in with,
or a desexed male rabbit.
SPECIAL BUNNY ADOPTION SECTION
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Sasha & Buddha
were surrendered to us
because their owner could no
longer keep them. They are
great dogs, both friendly &
lovable. Sasha is the
contemplator & Buddha is the
more initially outgoing &
affectionate. They have both
had some basic training & they
are housetrained. They would
suit a moderately active adult
family or a family with teens.
They are available for
separate adoptions as well.
DYNAMIC DUOS LOOKING FOR HOMES
Snoopy & Indi were
surrendered to us because their
owner fell on hard times
financially. They are a gorgeous
duo, both very friendly, intelligent
& affectionate. We would love to
find them a home where they can
live together but we would
definitely consider separating them
for the right family. Snoopy
qualifies for our Golden Oldies
Program. He’s mature in years but
he’s still pretty sprightly! They are
available for separate
adoptions as well.
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Blue came to us aged 12 years because his owners were moving. Everyone at
the shelter instantly fell in love with this gentle, beautiful boy, who was very
stressed & depressed, being given up so suddenly by the family he loved.
It’s difficult for any animal being given up by their beloved owners but it’s the
Golden Oldies who seem to suffer the most. Blue wasn’t coping alone in his
pen so we took him into our office area & he fitted in so perfectly, always
respectful of the other animals & constantly wanting cuddles & lapsits from the
office girls.
We posted his details on our website & Facebook, hoping desperately that
someone special would come along & adopt him & we didn’t have to wait long
because two beautiful angels, Jacqui & Clara came along & took him home,
where he was lavished with all the love & creature comforts a dog could ever
want.
Jacqui & Clara have kept in regular contact via Facebook since adopting Blue
in 2011 & we were always thrilled to get the updates because they were just a
reminder that there are wonderful people out there for our animals. We
recently found out that Blue passed away on 2nd
March, 2014 & we’re all very
saddened by the news but not half as much as his mums must be & we send
out our love, thanks & condolences to you, Jacqui & Clara.
Bless you beautiful Blue & love always from your shelter familyxxxxxx
A Tribute to Blue RIP
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Above all else our goal is to not just find a home for animals in our care, we need to find the right home for them. Animals are living things and to take on
the responsibility should be an educated decision supported by all persons involved that are thinking of pet ownership. Listed below are links to documents
created by the RSPCA to assist potential new owners with information regarding purchasing a cat or dog as health care, training and microchipping are just
some of the initial steps to responsible pet ownership. The AAPS’s animal welfare coordinators are there to ensure and assist in this.
RSPCA Smart-Puppy-Buyers-Guide
RSPCA Pet Kitten or Cat Buyers Guide
If you’re thinking about adopting a pet or have a passion for animal welfare, here is a link to a feel good utube video the SPCA (America) created. This was
very well done and I think shares the same message that sectors of animal welfare all over the world have in common. Unfortunately rescue pets tend to be
tainted as “something is wrong with them” and this is just not the case, as you can see nearly all animals listed for adoption are there because previous
owners can’t care for them any more for one reason or another and hence are in our care through no fault of their own.
“Take a chance”
A feel good utube video which is the message we are all trying to get out there.
Watch "Take a Chance" Video here
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