Who will want me? Remembering the homeless

"My name is Adalade, at least that is what they call me now, although I remember another name when I was younger. The kind people here at the shelter where I was brought have trimmed the painful mats from my once beautiful and soft white coat and put something in my sore ears that have made them feel so much better.

"I recall a time when I very young and was thought wonderful – and I gave as much love as I could to the family I thought that would love me back forever. I'm not sure what went wrong...

"I tried so hard to do what they asked of me but suddenly I found myself on a busy street. I have never been out of my backyard so I don't know what the big monsters that whizzed by were but they terrified me. The people I loved and trusted so much put me out and I think they said someone would give me a good home just before they drove away. It was very, very scary.

"Some nice person pulled me out of the way of the monsters and now I'm in a place called a shelter. There are lots of other dogs, and even cats, near me and I can tell many are as confused as I am. What did we do wrong? I hear the nice people talk in soft voices and they sound worried...something about not having enough room. I'm not sure what that means but it makes me frightened again. What will happen to me?"

There are so many 'Adalades' crowding shelters...wonderful, loving animals who only want a chance to find a true forever home with people that value them as family. Unfortunately, desperate emails from California shelter volunteers currently flash across the Internet sending out lists of available shelter animals to everyone and anyone who may be able to prevent the death of the lives in their care. Often in vain.

As part of this rush to save lives, as a volunteer at the Fremont Animal Shelter, I know it's unending and too often, no matter how many the outreach efforts, animals... amazingly adoptable animals of all descriptions, pure and mixed breeds, die with strangers instead of with a family that would be grieving at their departure at the end of a long life.

In August, the International Society for Animal Rights (ISAR) held its 21st annual Homeless Animals Day. On this day people from around the world joined together to promote awareness of the plight of homeless companion animals and in observance of the overpopulation of animal companions and the role of spaying and neutering to end the suffering.

ISAR Program Specialist Colleen Gedrich recently commented, "ISAR launched and commemorated National Homeless Animals' Day in 1992 to enlighten society, governmental officials, and the media to the tragedy of pet overpopulation and how it can be reduced: mandatory spay/neuter"..."while nobody really knows the exact number of cats, dogs, kittens and puppies killed in shelters and on the streets each year, it is estimated that at least approximately 3-4 million healthy animals in shelters alone are destroyed annually. The overwhelming scourge of cat and dog overpopulation remains a crisis on a global scale."

There are a number of reasons why so many dogs and cats roam the streets or end up in shelters, but the bottom-line is unspayed or unneutered animals adding thousands to an already swollen overpopulation epidemic. Their offspring will have litters and then their offspring will have more; and the cycle continues.

The real problem lies with society - ignorance or disregard of the problem, lack of finances to spay or neuter, backyard and puppy/kitten mills breeders – and yes, some "professional" breeders – turning a profit from breeding.

Add to the mix poor judgment in getting an animal in the first place. Many people are new to having a companion animal and unaware that the responsibility and costs involved are similar to having a child. Because of this, animals often get little care and, like Adalade, are tossed into the backyard and forgotten or abandoned.

With difficult economic times, some are opting to relinquish their "pets" to a shelter, perhaps because they have no other choice but the impact on shelter population and euthanasia numbers grow with each incoming animal.

The solution - Remember Adalade and the others at risk; accept responsibility and spay or neuter your animal companion; don't contribute to the killing. If you can honestly commit to the lifelong care and expense of having an animal companion then adopt from a shelter or rescue – don't buy!

UPDATE: "Our" Adalade was just adopted but please remember all the "other" Adalades waiting in shelters. They are depending on you.

For information on Spay/Neuter Assistance, contact Ohlone Humane Society at 510-792-4587.

Tri-City Voice article by Nancy Lyon, President, Ohlone Humane Society

One person can make a huge impact

Have you ever thought about how one choice can have either a negative or positive effect? The choices we make in life, good or bad, shape us and our community. Milan Goyal is a person who made the right choice for himself and our community.

Milan approached me last year inquiring about a project he could do to help wildlife in our community. He was seeking a project he could coordinate with his scout troop #199. It was not difficult to come up with a rewarding project plan for Milan, one that I and others in our organization feel very passionate about. Our urban wildlife need habitats to live, thrive, and raise their young. As appropriate wildlife habitat in the Tri-City area disappears, our urban wildlife is running out of options for suitable shelter. One animal that once thrived in the Tri-Cities is the Barn Owl. Unfortunately, over the last 30 years, their habitats have dwindled due to community growth and expansion. Barn Owls depend on, you guessed it, barn structures to nest and raise their young.

Milan had his mission! Milan, with his troop #199 team, contacted people in the Tri-Cities who would benefit by having Barn Owl boxes installed on their property. Barn Owls would reduce or remove the need for rodent pesticides. A family of Barn Owls with six nestlings will consume fifty plus rodents per day... free and natural pesticide control.

The next step was to build and install eight custom Barn Owl boxes. Over the summer, Milan and his team built and installed Barn Owl boxes at Calaveras Nursery, Arriba Vista Ranch, Lake Elizabeth, Sycamore Grove Regional Park, and one at the Ohlone Humane Society Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. The Barn Owl box installed at the Ohlone Humane Society Wildlife Rehabilitation Center will be used to conduct "soft releases." We rehabilitate many orphaned Barn Owls at our facility each year and once they reach the juvenile stage, we can place them in our Barn Owl box which provides shelter as they learn to be on their own in the wild.

I want to recognize Milan and Troop #199 for their outstanding work. The effect of their efforts and completed project will aid hundreds of Barn Owls for generations to come.

If you would like to learn more about how you can make a difference in your community for urban wildlife, send me an email at ohswildlife@yahoo.com. We offer advice and humane solutions for dealing with wildlife if they become a challenge on your property. We also offer guidance on what to do if you find an injured, ill, or orphaned wild animal. Our wildlife center is open every day and we can be reached at (510) 797-9449.

The Ohlone Humane Society Wildlife Rehabilitation Center takes in over 700 orphaned and injured wild animals every year and rehabilitates them back to health. We are a non-profit organization that depends on donations and volunteers to continue our day-to-day operations and efforts. If you would like to make a donation to our organization, please contact us. Our wildlife center is always in need of wild bird seed, pigeon and dove seed, unscented laundry soap, bleach, paper towels, toilet paper, canned cat and dog food.

Call us at (510) 797-9449 if you want to bring any of these donated items to our wildlife center. Email us at ohswildlife@yahoo.com for information on how to become a volunteer. Web: www.ohlonehumanesociety.org

If you find an injured or orphaned wild animal, do not feed it. All wildlife has special diets. DO NOT SEND AN EMAIL to report an injured or orphaned wild animal, call (510) 797-9449. Before you bring it to the wildlife center place the animal in a box with a paper towel on the bottom. Put the box in a quiet, stress free area away from noise, pets, and children.

Angela M. Hartman, Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator and Wildlife Care Supervisor

Ohlone Humane Society Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

37175 Hickory St., Newark

(510) 797-9449

Web: http://www.ohlonehumanesociety.org/

Tri-City Voice article by Angela M. Hartman, Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator and Wildlife Care Supervisor, Ohlone Humane Society.

Cats make kittens make cats make kittens...

According to 2011 statistics from the Humane Society of the U.S., every eight seconds a dog or cat is killed in a shelter in the United States. This means that four million potentially adoptable animals die each year because there are not enough responsible adopters and homes available. Many of the innocents that will be destroyed are not just unfortunate abandoned and unsterilized strays left to endlessly reproduce but the off-spring of beloved companion animals of families who didn’t have them spayed or neutered; the excuses are many and the majority hard to defend. This year the much dreaded kitten season was late because of the unpredictable weather and hopes were high that it was an indication that the number of kittens born would be far fewer. Unfortunately, the weather cycle more or less righted itself, and with warmer temperatures, the heat cycles of female cats also normalized. The temperate conditions have resulted in the time worn problem of too many kittens coming into a world already overcrowded with cats. Needless to say, it is not a happy time. Cats give birth, flooding already strained animal shelters across the nation with countless litters. The number of cats that can be born during this period is staggering and they add to the already existing vast number of cats who will end up in animal shelters where an appalling number will die. This is the just tip of the iceberg because the statistics do not take into account those that don't make it into shelters. Too many cats fight for survival on the streets, more often than not, dying young from injuries, disease and starvation. "In every community in the nation, there is an over-abundance of unsterilized cats, both owned and un-owned, and a frenzy of mating takes place each year," states the Humane Society of the United States. Tremendous as the problem of cat overpopulation is, it can be greatly reduced if each of us takes just one small step, starting with not allowing our own animals to breed. Our unaltered animals that are allowed to roam free or occasionally spend unattended time outside will predictably have the opportunity to mate. Driven by their hormones, they will look for any chance to find mates, eventually resulting in hundreds and even thousands of cats with few opportunities of getting a decent home. It's not a happy time for shelter staff either. Many shelters are faced with limited space, time and resources. When adoptions are low and rescues limit the number they can reasonably re-home, they are forced to handle the onerous task of killing animals that could become wonderful and loving family members. During kitten season, adult shelter cats are overlooked by potential adopters. They are the first to be endangered by the influx of lively and charming youngsters. When the shelter population grows too large for the facility, the disease and stress levels rise with it. The ability of a limited staff to adequately care for the large number of animals can result in outbreaks of disease, suffering and death of otherwise adoptable animals The best way to help reduce the number of cats - and dogs- is by taking responsibility to make sure your "pet" does not contribute to the tragedy. Become a spay/neuter advocate and educate your friends and neighbors about the terrible problem. Recommended solutions: Spay or neuter your cats - Don't put this off!  Kittens as young as two months and weighing two pounds can be safely altered. Care for homeless or wild cats in your area Work with your local animal control or feral cat group to help limit your neighborhood's feral and stray cat population. Feral cat caretakers who Trap/Neuter/Release (TNR) are an important part of the solution. Become a foster parent Contact your local shelter or rescue group to learn more about becoming a foster parent for cats or kittens in need. Adopt Open your home to new cat or adopt a playmate for your existing cat. There are clinics and financial assistance programs in many areas to spay/neuter companion animals and feral cats: SPAY USA 1-800-SPAY Ohlone Humane Society  (510)792-4587 ForPaws S/N Clinic (510)573-4660 East Bay SPCA (510) 510-639-7387 Animal Birth Control Assistance (408) 244-8351 Tri-Valley SPCA  (925)479-9674 ****** Tri-City Voice article by Nancy Lyon, President, Ohlone Humane Society. Photo's courtesy of: www.dreamstime.com

When the Greatest Show on Earth…isn’t

In California a growing coalition of humane societies and SPCAs have come together in response to charges of animal abuse by the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. They are calling for a public boycott of upcoming performances because of the circus’ use of cruel bullhooks, prods, and shackles on animals that are used in what is billed as the ‘Greatest Show on Earth.’

Responding to concerns and documentation from animal protection agencies, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducted a year-long investigation of charges leveled at the circus. Over a dozen investigations of Feld Entertainment, Inc., the corporation that owns Ringling Bros. Circus, surfaced evidence supporting the allegations yet regulators did not immediately act on the findings of abuse. A former head of the animal care unit in the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said that with a limited budget, the agency was unable to prosecute many cases.

Pressured by reports from animal welfare agencies of continuing abuse of treatment of the circus animals, the USDA brought charges against Feld in March of 2012. While Feld never admitted that Ringling Brothers Circus was guilty of cruel methods to make animals in its care  perform, they settled out of court which resulted in an unheard of civil penalty of a fine of $270,000 for violating the federal Animal Welfare Act.  Ironically, as part of the settlement, the company admits no wrongdoing or violation of USDA policy.

The boycott, spearheaded by the Marin Humane Society currently includes Palo Alto Humane Society, Ohlone Humane Society, East Bay SPCA, Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA, Bakersfield SPCA, Humane Society Silicon Valley, Humane Society of Ventura County, Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA, Sacramento SPCA, San Francisco SPCA, Santa Cruz SPCA, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals -Los Angeles, Sonoma Humane Society, and the SPCA for Monterey County. The number of humane organizations signing on is growing still.

The humane coalition states: “The use of animals as circus performers is an outdated—and inhumane—concept. Behind the scenes trainers often use whips, bullhooks, electric prods and other painful tools and methods to force animals to perform tricks. When not performing, animals are kept in small, cramped cages for days at a time with little monitoring. Exotic animals that have special husbandry needs are often kept in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Elephants that travel with circuses spend hours in transit and in chains. Circuses train animals through such coercive means as beating, whipping, prodding and shocking. Elephants are subject to abusive handling methods from devices known as bullhooks that can puncture and tear sensitive skin.”

Performing animals such as elephants and other wild animals, by their very nature, do not willingly perform stunts. While some positive training methods are used and some efforts are made on their behalf, the abnormal circus feats are too often produced through fear of the mistreatment that refusal of performing brings. The animals lead lives that offer little toward even a minimum quality of life so important to their individual species, their living conditions often running afoul of AWA regulations.

Animals such as elephants are first and foremost wild animals that can and have cracked under the strain of intense captivity and mistreatment. There have been highly publicized incidents when spectators and circus workers have been seriously injured and killed regardless of training. Incidents of this kind bring to light not only the suffering endured by performing wild animals but that they can and have become dangerous when they reached a breaking point.

The humane coalition asks that the public not attend performances that support the misuse and abuse of wild and exotic animals. They are asking people to not attend circuses with performing animals that send the wrong message, especially to children, since wild animals are living beings and are not meant to be exploited for entertainment purposes.

Ringling Brothers has performances scheduled in Anaheim, Bakersfield, Oakland, San Diego, San Jose and Stockton throughout July, August and September. Because of the company’s routine abuse of animals, it is requested that the public not support this cruelty by not attending any of the performances.

Instead consider the many exciting and amazing circuses that do not use and/or abuse animals, such as Cirque du Soleil, the San Francisco-based New Pickle Circus, the Moscow State Circus and many more, all with entertaining performances that rival and surpass those using animals.

For an extensive list of Animal-Free/No-Animal circuses check the Born Free USA website – bornfreeusa.org.


*****

Tri-City Voice article by Nancy Lyon, President, Ohlone Humane Society.

Photo's courtesy of: www.dreamstime.com

Jungle George - unfair fare: Raccoon on a Stick, anyone?

The Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton closed July 8. I attended opening day on June 20, and had a grand old time (accent on the "old"). And that's part of the fair's appeal: you pretty much know what to expect from one year to the next: farmed animals, 4-H clubs, horse racing, fruit and vegetable displays, handcrafts, painting and photography, etc. And, of course, unhealthful foods of unimaginable variety, most of them deep-fried. In addition, the fair hosts music concerts and the slightly seedy attractions of the midway and its neon-lit rides with screaming kids (and adults, too), especially magical at night.

But for me, the best news was the fact that, unlike last year, exotic foods vendor "Jungle George" (based in Livermore) was not present to purvey his repugnant (and cruel) wares: "Raccoon on a Stick," "Beaver on a Stick," "Python on a Stick," bear, yak, fried crickets and scorpions, "Chocolate-covered Cockroaches," and my personal favorite, "Grilled Cheese Maggot Sandwiches." Chez Panisse's Alice Waters would have had a heart attack. Reportedly, "Jungle George" used to feature African lion meat, until PETA got on his case.

It's hard to believe that local public health authorities would approve these items for human consumption. Raccoons are notorious carriers of rabies, distemper and roundworms. Bon appetit.

But from an animal welfare point of view, I was more disturbed by the fact that wildlife was being turned into novelty items for a bunch of would-be macho types to impress their girlfriends. I called the FDA (who approved this fare) to find out the source of the raccoon and beaver meat, hoping against hope that it came from road kill. No such luck. "Nope, it's from out-of-state fur farms," I was told.

Fur farms are illegal in California, and for good reason. They are horrendously cruel, not unlike battery cages for egg-laying hens. The raccoons and beavers are confined in tiny wire cages their entire short lives, generally at the mercy of the elements, and driven either neurotic or insane by their living conditions, until their untimely demise, either by gassing, electrocution, or having their necks broken. And for what? A completely unnecessary luxury item: fur coats.

So if fur farms are illegal in California, it seems highly inappropriate that we should then be offering the by-products at our state and county fairs, no? Plus the risks to public health. (NOTE: "Jungle George" was also a vendor at last year's California State Fair in Sacramento. He is not being invited back to this year's fair for various reasons. The State Fair opened July 12 and runs through July 29)

Here's hoping that "Jungle George" will NOT be allowed to sell or give away any such products at future Alameda County Fairs or anywhere else in the state or country. The public is urged to contact the Alameda County Fairgrounds to express their concerns (see contact info below).

Animal Nursery Update - But the best news to report from the Pleasanton fair was their commendable Animal Nursery, in stark contrast to the brutal display at our State Fair in Sacramento. When I saw the exhibit on opening day, it featured a single pregnant sow in a spacious 10' x 20' pen, in deep sawdust. There was a slotted partition which fit across one corner of the pen, allowing the piglets to come and go at will, attracted by a heat lamp, and safe from being lain on by the sow... a truly humane display. I complimented the young woman in charge of the area, a former 4-H member, upon the humaneness of the exhibit. She told me that the sow was due to give birth the very next day.

Traditional Farrowing Crates - Photo: Farm Sanctuary

When I described the farrowing crates at the State Fair, she told me she believed the crates to be inhumane. Indeed, someone had suggested that the Alameda County Fair exhibit have farrowing crates on display, too. She refused, out of concern for the animals' welfare. It should also be noted that the Pleasanton fair featured a display with a cow and young calf, again in a pen in deep sawdust. Kudos for that! At the State Fair, cows and their newborn calves are separated at birth, stressing all concerned. We can/must do better by these animals.

The State Fair folks should follow Alameda County's lead. In the nursery exhibit in Sacramento, pregnant sows are imprisoned in metal-barred "farrowing" crates, barely able to move, for three straight weeks, and forced to give birth on a metal grid. Do this to a dog and go to jail. What's the difference, pray?

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP - Please contact the Alameda County and California State Fairs to express your concerns about these humane issues. Thank Mr. Pickering for Alameda County's humane Animal Nursery display. Ask that the "farrowing" crates be banned, and that exotic food vendors such as "Jungle George" not be allowed to sell such unsavory products at our State and County fairs in the future.

Write/call: Norbert Bartosik, CEO & General Manager, CalEXPO, 2600 Exposition Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95815; tel. 916/263-3010; email - calexpoboard@calexpo.com. As noted, the State Fair runs July 12-29. There'll be a "Mexican Extravaganza" on the 29th featuring six bull rides, yet another concern.

Rick Pickering, CEO, Alameda County Fairgrounds, 4501 Pleasanton Avenue, Pleasanton, CA 94566; tel. 925/426-7600; email - april@alamedacountyfair.com

Thanks for caring.

*****

Tri-City Voice article by Eric Mills, OHS Community Relations Director, Ohlone Humane Society

California Humane Societies Call for Boycott of Ringling Bros. Circus

From Sacramento to Los Angeles agencies across the state urge the public to seek entertainment venues that don’t use animal performers

(NOVATO, CALIF., July 18, 2012) — The Marin Humane Society, Bakersfield SPCA, East Bay SPCA, Humane Society Silicon Valley, Humane Society of Ventura County, Ohlone Humane Society, Palo Alto Humane Society, Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA, Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA, Sacramento SPCA, San Francisco SPCA, Santa Cruz SPCA, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA), Sonoma Humane Society, and SPCA for Monterey County today publicly called for a boycott of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, citing the company’s routine abuse of animals. Ringling Bros. is scheduled to perform in Anaheim, Bakersfield, Oakland, San Diego, San Jose and Stockton throughout July, August and September.

California Humane Societies agree: The use of animals as circus performers is an outdated—and inhumane—concept. Behind the scenes trainers often use whips, bullhooks, electric prods and other painful tools and methods to force animals to perform tricks. When not performing, animals are kept in small, cramped cages for days at a time with little monitoring. Exotic animals that have special husbandry needs are often kept in violation. Elephants that travel with circuses spend hours in transit and in chains. Circuses train animals through such coercive means as beating, whipping, prodding and shocking. Elephants are subject to abusive handling methods from devices known as bullhooks that can puncture and tear sensitive skin.

Ringling’s use of bullhooks, prods, and shackles are in violation of Federal Law. Shockingly, laws and regulations offer circus animals minimal protection, and they are rarely enforced. In March 2012 Ringling Brothers settled a USDA action that resulted in a fine of $270,000 for mishandling animals. This is the largest civil imposed penalty ever issued to a circus by USDA.

Circuses with performing animals send the wrong message especially to children, since wild animals are living beings and are not meant to be exploited for entertainment purposes. Animals do not naturally ride bicycles, walk on their hind legs, balance on balls, or jump through flaming hoops.

There are many wonderful circuses that do not use and/or abuse animals, such as Cirque du Soleil, and they are just as exciting and entertaining, if not more so, than those that do. The public is strongly urged to seek entertainment venues that don’t use animal performers.

###

Contact Information

Marin Humane Society

Carrie Harrington

Director of Communications

415.506.6256

charrington@marinhumanesociety.org

Bakersfield SPCA

Julie Johnson

Executive Director

661.323.8353

jjohnson@bakersfieldspca.org

East Bay SPCA

Laura Fulda

Director of Marketing and Development

510.563.4611

lfulda@eastbayspca.org

Humane Society Silicon Valley

Mark Saraceni

Vice President, Marketing

408.262.2133, X130

mark.saraceni@hssv.org

Humane Society of Ventura County

Jolene Hoffman

Shelter Director

805.646.6650

shelterdirector@humanesocietyvc.org

Ohlone Humane Society

Nancy Lyon

President

510.792.4587

nancylyon@aol.com

Palo Alto Humane Society

Carole Hyde

Director

650.424.1901

carole.hyde@paloaltohumane.org

Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA

Steve McNall

Executive Director

626.792.7151

steve@phsspca.org

Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA

Scott Delucchi

Senior Vice President, Community Relations

650.685.8510

delucchi@peninsulahumanesociety.org

Sacramento SPCA

Lesley Kirrene

Director of Public Relations and Marketing

916.504.2828

lkirrene@sspca.org

San Francisco SPCA

Cynthia Kopec

Vice President of Marketing and Communications

415.522.3506

ckopec@sfspca.org

Santa Cruz SPCA

Lisa Carter

Executive Director

831.566.8600

director@santacruzspca.org

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA)

Ana Bustilloz

Director of Communications and Marketing

323.730.5300 x252

abustilloz@spcala.com

Sonoma Humane Society

Kiska Icard

Executive Director

707.542.0882 x201

kIcard@sonomahumane.org

SPCA for Monterey County

Beth Brookhouser

Director of Community Outreach

831.264.5469

bbrookhouser@spcamc.org

******

Photo courtesy of: www.dreamstime.com

The hills are alive…

This year’s unpredictable and prolonged “off-again, on-again" weather had the hills and fields gloriously blooming with what must been every plant in the area.  And beautiful though it was, the tall green grasses and other plants have dried out and become a danger to the unwary hiker and in particular their four-legged trail buddies.

The lure to tramp through the open spaces will invite a lot of dog folks, and exploring the natural wonders we are so fortunate to have in our area can be a great experience to share with your dog. Unfortunately, while out there enjoying nature myself, I’ve seen dogs unthinkingly allowed by their guardians to behave in ways that put them at serious risk.

So before you hit the trail, it’s important that you look at those golden hills and fields with an educated and wary eye.  Much of the grasses covering the area are comprised of dangerous foxtails, with ticks lurking in bushes and tall grass, and that inviting cool stream often abounds with Giardia, a harmful parasite that can infect your dog and possibly you not to mention messy digestive tract results and pricey vet bills to correct the problem.

Trail Basics 101 –

Foxtails - Many people are unfamiliar with hazards to their dog from these opportunistic seeds. But if you’ve ever hiked during the dry season months, you’ve probably pulled a few of these nasty critters from your socks They are the wheat-like seeds of the drying or dried grasses that detach from the plant and stick to a person's clothes or an animal's coat. They can easily become lodged in between a dog’s toes, in his ears, and in his eyes. Since the seeds or awns are barbed like a fish hook, they can be very difficult to remove. Once embedded, they can travel through their body causing severe pain, infection and abscesses, even puncturing an eye or ear drum. ..and, again, expensive vets costs to remove them before they cause greater damage.

Depending on the location of the sharp pointed awns, symptoms can include persistent sneezing or coughing, headshaking, or compulsive licking and biting at a paw or around the groin or tail area or whining and crying with no obvious or acute injury. In addition to causing pain and localized infections, foxtail seeds can migrate and lodge in the spine, in the lungs and in other internal organs. They enter through the nose, ears, paws, eyes, and urethra or just through the skin and travel through the body. The seeds are small, making locating them difficult and the procedure expensive. Depending on where a foxtail seed has traveled to inside a dog, it can even be life threatening, requiring prompt surgical removal.

Stream water hazards - Giardia can infect a dog that drinks from a stream where feces from cattle or wild animals have come to drink. A dog becomes infected by eating or drinking the cyst form of the parasite. In the small intestine, the cyst opens and releases an active form that attaches itself to the intestinal wall and reproduces by dividing. After an unknown number of divisions, at some stage, this form develops a wall around itself (cysts) and is passed in the feces. The Giardia in the feces can contaminate the environment and water and infect other animals and people.

Often Giardia infections show no symptoms but when it does the usual sign is diarrhea. The diarrhea may be acute, intermittent, or chronic. Usually the infected animals will not lose their appetite, but they may lose weight. The feces are often abnormal, being pale, having a bad odor, and appearing greasy. In the intestine, Giardia prevents proper absorption of nutrients, damages the delicate intestinal lining, and interferes with digestion; it can be very resistant to treatment.  Basically, not a fun thing for your dog or you.

Blood sucking critters -Ticks must be one of Nature’s bad jokes. They are disease carrying parasites that hide out in grass and attach themselves to the unsuspecting passerby. Crawling up to bare skin or digging for it, if on a dog, the tick will bury its head under the skin layer and proceed to drink all the blood it can get.

We live in tick-country so during the summer season a body check after a walk is essential. Rub your hands all over your dog's body, and your fingers through his fur, applying pressure, enough that you can feel any abnormalities in the skin. If you feel a small lump, pull the fur apart to investigate it further. An embedded tick will look like a small black or brown pimple, sometimes flattish, depending on location, and sometimes legs are visible. Check with your veterinarian beforehand on the method of proper removal.  It’s good to check yourself out too; ticks carry Lyme disease, a serious health threat that can infect dogs and humans alike.

Weather dangers - Consider the temperature before you set out. A warm morning means that it will be a trek back in the hotter part of the day.  Never walk or hike with your dog mid-day when the weather is warm, keep to early morning for any kind of exercise.  Carry enough fresh water, rest frequently, and make sure there is shade along the way for a rest stop.

Remember that snub-nosed dogs like Pugs have difficulty breathing in warm weather, and older, over-weight, or heavy coated dogs are more subject to heat exhaustion. Don’t set out on a long hike if your dog isn’t physically able to handle the distance – work up to longer walks. Out of loyalty, dogs will over-extend themselves to keep up with their human so it’s up to you to give careful consideration to their well-being. Don’t be so taken with the scenery that you forget that half your journey is the trip back and it’s going to be hotter.

People don’t often give much thought to the fact that our four-legged companions can also get sun-burned. White and lightly colored animals can suffer sunburn from too much exposure to the sun and long-term sun exposure can lead to skin damage and in some cases skin cancers. There are sun blocks that are suitable for animals but check the labels carefully to be sure.

Many of our parks have cattle/wildlife grazing. For the safety of your dog and out of respect for the cattle and wildlife – leash your dog when you encounter them. You are a visitor in their home.

Safe hiking tips summary:

• Make sure your dog has a complete health check at the beginning of the year.
• Where possible avoid walking through tall dry grasses.
• Check thoroughly for ticks and foxtails immediately after your hike.
• Carry enough fresh water for you and your dog. Avoid streams.
• Prevent heat stroke by leaving and returning early
• Don’t ask your dog to overextend himself.
• Leash your dog when encountering cattle or wildlife.

Happy Hiking!

******

Tri-City Voice article (Archives) by Nancy Lyon, President, Ohlone Humane Society.

Photo's courtesy of: www.picdrome.com