Los Angeles Times: What Fire Victims Need to Know About Their Animals

Filed under: Pets 911 - October 26, 2007

By Francisco Vara-Orta

For animal owners displaced by the California wildfires, caring for pets in a shelter or new location, or trying to find a lost pet, brings a set of emotional and physical challenges.

“Pets are going to stress out just like their owners when a disaster strikes and alters their surroundings,” said Madeline Bernstein, president of L.A.’s Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

“Pets will become depressed if they get separated from their owners and are more prone to becoming sick.”

Some basic first steps:

If your pet was left behind or lost:

Visit or contact the local command center or disaster relief center to find out what agency is rescuing animals from your neighborhood. Normally, the county or city animal control agency will be responsible for retrieving stranded animals. Call (888) 738-7911 or visit www.pets911.com to find the phone numbers and locations of animal shelters or agencies nearby.

If you cannot find your pet with the help of a local animal rescue agency, check the Petfinder.com Foundation website at www.petfinder.com/disaster. The site updates statistics and contact information for animal shelters and rescued pets.

The foundation has also set up a 24-hour call center to link evacuees with volunteers willing to provide a temporary home for a displaced pet. You can search for a foster provider on the website or call (866) 654-4732.

“Pet owners need to remember to treat their animals just like humans who have gone through a traumatic experience,” Bernstein said. “Coddle them, give them their favorite toy or snacks, and monitor their health in case you need to take them to a veterinarian.”

Philadelphia Daily News: Don’t Be a Dim Bulb

Filed under: Earth 911 - October 26, 2007

By SHAWN DELL JOYCE

The best way to increase your home-energy efficiency is to have an energy audit done.

The first thing most auditors will tell you is to replace those energy-hogging incandescent lightbulbs with compact fluorescent lightbulbs.

Follow the auditor’s advice.

Incandescent bulbs use 90 percent of their electricity producing heat, not light. The only thing those bulbs are good for is incubating chicks and warming amphibians.

They are also poorly designed (no offense to Thomas Edison), because those darn filaments break too easily.

Manufacturers could make the bulbs last longer if they wanted to - and some have - but, frankly, incandescent lightbulbs are obsolete. You won’t even be able to buy an incandescent lightbulb in Australia in a couple of years. The Australians are swapping outmoded bulbs for fluorescents as part of a countrywide effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Keep in mind that Australia produces 1.1 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions while the U.S. produces 30 percent.

Fluorescent bulbs are the brightest idea since Edison’s electric candle. These are the squiggly, tubular bulbs that you probably pass up on the store shelf because they are more expensive than traditional incandescent bulbs. Those oddly shaped bulbs will last up to 10 times longer than their egg-shaped counterparts.

What’s most important is that fluorescents will save you up to $45 per bulb on your yearly electric bill, and prevent 450 pounds of greenhouse gases through energy efficiency.

You can replace virtually any regular bulb with the right fluorescent, as they are made in practically all shapes and sizes now.

Jot down the wattage of all your bulbs that stay on for more than three hours per day. Take that list to your local hardware store and buy corresponding wattages in compact fluorescent bulbs. Although the fluorescent bulb package might say “60 watts,” it’s really only about 13-15 watts, but will shine at least as brightly.

These bulbs daintily sip electricity, using 75 percent less than traditional incandescent bulbs. If all the households in America replaced even just one highly used incandescent light bulb with a fluorescent one, we would save 20 percent of our energy consumption, and be able to close down many of our coal-burning power plants, according to Lester Brown of the Earth Policies Institute.

Remember to separate those fluorescent bulbs from your regular garbage. They contain a small amount of mercury in the base (about 1/100th the amount in a typical thermometer). Fluorescent bulbs should never be thrown out with regular garbage or put in recycling. Instead, check www.earth911.org to find your disposal option by zip code, or call 877-EARTH911.

Some community solid-waste transfer stations also have collection days for compact fluorescent light bulbs - look up “recycling” in your local phonebook to find their phone number.

Some stores, like IKEA, also take back used bulbs. Additional information is available at www.lamprecycle.org.

For those of you who have already replaced your bulbs, schedule a home energy audit this month and take the auditor’s advice. In most cases, you will save more on your electric bill than the cost of the audit and the cost of suggested improvements. In some cases, the improvements may qualify you for a tax rebate or incentive.

“Buying efficiency is much cheaper than buying energy,” quips energy efficiency guru Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute. *

Shawn Dell Joyce is an award-winning sustainability expert and artist who lives in a green home in the Hudson River Valley region of New York.

KLTV 7, Tyler-Longview-Jacsonville, TX: Shelter Sees Success In New Mode Of Operation

Filed under: Pets 911 - October 23, 2007

10/23/07

Since the first of October, stray animals picked up in Smith County have been transported to Jacksonville’s Klein Animal Shelter.

Once at the shelter, the animals are cared for, and their photos are posted to Pets911.com to help reunite lost pets with their families.

And there has been some progress.

Since the program began, the shelter said it has seen the percentage of animals returned to their homes, double.

You can go to Pets911.com if you have a missing pet to see if your animal is at the shelter and other animals available for adoption in East Texas.

Layron Livingston, Reporting.

Be Green, Be Safe

Filed under: Earth 911 - October 19, 2007

More and more parents are buying environmentally friendly compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs), which use much less energy than standard bulbs and last uup to ten times longer.

But you may have heard that CFLs also contain small amounts of mercury (aobut 100 times less than an old mercury thermometer). That’s not enough to pose a health risk to you or your kids, but it’s still smart to take precautions.

If a bulb breaks open a window to let vapors escape and leave the room for 15 minutes. Wear disposable rubber gloves, and clean up the area with a wet paper towel or single-use wipe. Double-plastic bag everything for disposal, or when your CFLs burn out log on to earth911.org to find recycling options in your area or contact your municipal waste service to see whether it accepts bulbs during hazardous-waste-collection days. All IKEA stores offer free CFL recycling.

New York Times: Preparing to Deconstruct: A Primer

Filed under: Earth 911 - October 18, 2007

By Kristina Shevory

Re-Use Consulting in Bellingham, Wash., trains builders to deconstruct houses and may be able to offer referrals to contractors who do it; re-use@comcast.net or (360) 201-6977. Its Web site, reuseconsulting.com, also connects buyers and sellers of used materials, from skylights to structures including a 1914 steel bridge from the Snoqualmie River near North Bend, Wash., currently on offer from the King County Department of Transportation.

Habitat for Humanity runs deconstruction crews in 48 states, not including New York. For a fee (based on square footage), which varies from state to state, Habitat’s workers will take apart a house and haul away the debris to sell in its ReStores. The owner gets a receipt for a tax deduction. Locations of ReStores, including one in New Rochelle, N.Y., and several in New Jersey, are listed at Habitat’s Web site, habitat.org/env/restores.aspx.

The Building Materials Reuse Association, www.buildingreuse.org/directory/lists deconstruction contractors and reuse stores, which generally accept and sell items in good condition including appliances, wood flooring, doors, windows, plumbing and electrical fixtures, cabinets and sinks. The only not-for-profit reuse store within New York City limits is Build It Green! NYC at 3-17 26th Avenue, Astoria, (718) 777-0132 or bignyc.org.

Some construction materials, including metals, glass, drywall, concrete and asphalt shingles, can be recycled. While New York City does not have dedicated recycling plants for construction and demolition waste, the private transfer stations that accept the debris recycle around 35 percent of it, according to the city department of sanitation. Centers in many cities are listed at earth911.org. Information may also be available from local municipal waste departments. Items not generally recycled or reused include asbestos or wood with peeling lead-based paint.

WSFA: Wanted: Local Families Who are Living Green and Conserving Water

Filed under: Earth 911 - October 17, 2007

News Leader 9 wants know if there are any families in the community who are conserving water and living a green life style.

If you are, please email us. We would like to interview you and showcase how you have made conserving earth’s natural resources a daily ritual.

Just recently, we posted this story of the web:

The drought is getting worse in Georgia and Alabama. In fact, it’s taking a significant toll on lakes around Atlanta.

The water level at Lake Allatoona is at its lowest level in 20 years, and Lake Lanier is also way down.

The Department of Watershed Management calls it a drought of “historic magnitude” and residents are being urged to conserve.

News Leader 9 and WTVM.com recognizes the seriousness of conserving water. It’s our mission as the News Leader to inform the public on ways we can conserve our local resources.

To get started, here are a few tips from earth911.org. We hope you find the links helpful.

Tips on conserving water in your kitchen and bathroom.

Here’s a list of appliances that drain water.

Tips on conserving water outdoors.

Earth 911 Encourages Baseball Fans to Properly Disposal of Plastic Bottles

Filed under: Earth 911 - October 12, 2007

Scottsdale, AZ – During last night’s Arizona Diamondbacks game where at least 10 fans were ejected for throwing beer and water bottles onto the field after a call against the home team, there were more issues at play than just sportsmanship and safety.

Hundreds of plastic containers were disposed of in an environmentally-unfriendly way, and Scottsdale-based Earth911.com wants to encourage sports enthusiasts everywhere to recycle these containers instead of use them as ammunition.

Over 38 million water bottles end up in landfills every year, and this plastic can be recycled into products like sleeping bag liners, backpacks and ski jackets.

Anyone can visit http://earth911.com and type in a Zip code to access over 400,000 recycling facilities and services nationwide at no charge. The site also provides daily actionable content on recycling, reduction and reuse.

“Bottle recycling is a major issue right now because of its environmental ramifications,” said Earth 911.com Spokesman Jonathan Smith. “Earth 911.com would like to see everyone acting in an environmentally-responsible way no matter what the situation, and hopes that sports fans will learn from this incident.”

About Earth 911.com
Earth 911.com delivers actionable local information on the environment that empowers people to act locally, live responsibly and contribute to sustainability.

By simply entering a location or zip-code at the www.Earth911.com environmental portal or 1-800-CLEANUP, users can access the leading comprehensive resource for community-specific “actionable” information about:

These resources are provided at no cost to the user or taxpayer. Earth 911.com centralizes information and resources into single user-friendly, neutral and non-governmental network. This Public and Private Sector Partnership combines the strength and action of America’s marketplace with local, current and high quality information to achieve economies of scale and scope and contribute significantly to sustainability through public service.

As Americans become increasingly engaged in environmental causes and responsible lifestyle, it is critical that local information empowering awareness, education, and action be made easily accessible and widely available. Earth 911.com delivers these resources and in doing so, establishes a proactive and unparalleled solution to today’s environmental challenges.

Earth 911.com Factoids

About Global Alerts
Earth 911.com is a division of the cause media company Global Alerts. Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, Global Alerts has been the leading Cause Media company since 1991.

Global Alerts creates and delivers a world-class Mass Notification System (MNS) platform and compelling websites and communities. Its highly popular Cause Media web portals include www.Amberalert.com, www.Earth911.com, www.Pets911.com and www.1800Cleanup.org. Patent-pending technology and award-winning content from Global Alerts enable everyone to “Know Now, Act Fast and Make a Difference.”

McCook Daily Gazette: Some things you can do about the animal problem

Filed under: Pets 911 - October 9, 2007

We’ve decried the amount of time law enforcement officers spend dealing with animal problems, but there’s something “civilian” residents can do as well.

If you have room in your home and heart for a companion animal, the McCook Humane Society has a deal for you.

The American Humane Association and McCook Humane Society are working to help find homes for homeless dogs during October’s Adopt-A-Dog Month.

“The McCook Humane Society has a lot of great dogs just waiting to find permanent, loving homes,” said Marilyn Cuellar of the McCook Humane Society. “When you adopt a dog from the Animal Shelter, you’re not only saving a life, you’re also getting a wonderful companion.

If a pet isn’t for you, or if your home already has a full complement of pets, there are still things you can do to help celebrate Adopt-A-Dog Month:

Visit the McCook Animal Shelter today to meet your new best friend. Call (308) 345-2372 or drive down to the shelter at 100 South St. from 2 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. And visit www.americanhumane.org, www.mccookhumanesociety.com, www.Petfinder.com or www.pets911.com for more information.

KPNX 12 - Call 12 For Action: Bulbs are first step to going “green”

Filed under: Earth 911 - October 8, 2007

Dave Cherry
Call 12 for Action
Oct. 8, 2007

Consider Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs

If you’re trying to get your electric bill down or reduce your carbon footprint, no doubt you’ve considered using compact fluorescent lights. Consumer Reports, with the assistance of an outside lab, just tested hundreds of compact fluorescent lights, or CFLs.

CFLs have improved dramatically in the last 5 to 10 years. First of all, they’ve come down in price. And the color that they give is much better. They turn on faster, and they don’t hum or flicker or buzz anymore. All the CFLs performed well in the tests. And results show the intensity and color of these lights are now pretty close to what you’ll get from a standard incandescent bulb.

As for price, long gone are the days when some CFLs could cost as much as $20. Now they go for somewhere around $2 to $3. Consumer Reports says shop by price, and always get CFLs that are Energy Star-qualified. Worth noting, CFLs should be used in fixtures that stay on for at least 15 minutes at a time, or else you’ll shorten the life of the bulb and reduce the energy saving benefits.

As for savings, Consumer Reports says for every CFL you use, you can cut your electric bill by about $5 a year.

Consumer Reports says be aware that compact fluorescent lights contain mercury, so they have to be disposed of properly. You can find the closest location at: epa.gov/recycling or earth911.org.

Switching to fluorescent lights is the first of Consumer Reports’ 10 tips for saving energy. You can find nine more free at ConsumerReports.org/Save on Energy.

Spot Magazine: . . . et tu, Youtube?

Filed under: Pets 911 - October 8, 2007

Yep, Youtube’s jumped on the pet-friendly bandwagon as well. Which for those seeking resources is good news — the more the merrier!

National Web site Pets 911 is Harnessing YouTube craze to find homes for lost and abandoned pets.

Local shelters across the country are invited to take advantage of the latest Internet trend by posting video of pets available for adoption on Pets911.com. Pets911 has updated its site to allow any shelter or rescue that has a pet available for adoption to include video of that pet using YouTube technology.

“This new option of advertising available pets will be an indispensable resource for animal shelters and for individuals in search of a pet to adopt,” says Dr. Rodrigo Silva, executive director Maricopa County Animal Care and Control, in Phoenix, AZ. “If a picture is worth a thousand words, video is worth a million when it comes to showing the true character of a dog or cat up for adoption.”

Pets 911 is a national organization designed to provide local pet-related resources and info to its users. Individuals and animal rescues, shelters, and agencies around the country feed regular updates into the Pets 911 database. These updates allow the site to include current listings of pets available for adoption, contact information for veterinarians, and lost and found pet information. Pets 911 is easily accessible through both a toll-free phone number (888.PETS.911) and on the Web (pets911.com).

“There are so many needy pets out there,” says Tracyann Mains, program director for Pets 911. “We are excited to be taking advantage of this new model for communicating with the public about pets who are lost or looking for a home.”

Shelters and rescues hoping to find homes for their animals can build a pet profile on the Pets 911 Web site that includes the option for video upload free of charge. The profile can be easily found by potential adopters or pet owners searching for their lost animal according to US zip code. YouTube allows people to easily —and without cost— upload and share video clips across the Internet. There is no formal agreement between YouTube and Pets 911.

Miami Herald: On Recycling Batteries: What Happened to Service?

Filed under: Earth 911 - October 5, 2007

Q: Action Line: A long time ago, we had monthly recycling of old batteries. The service doesn’t seem to exist anymore. I know it’s important that batteries be disposed of properly and not placed with the regular garbage or trash. What’s the best way to do that?

Virginia Kevorkian,

Pembroke Pines
A: Batteries contain a variety of toxic heavy metals, such as mercury and lead, so they should be disposed of carefully. According to www.earth911.org, Americans throw out 180,000 tons of batteries every year. Environmental organizations, such as the Sierra Club, would prefer manufacturers took responsibility for recycling their products instead of putting the burden on consumers. One solution is to get together with like-minded neighbors, co-workers and friends to purchase a ”Big Green Box,” fill it with any type of household battery and/or small appliance (cell phones, PDAs, MP3 players, for instance) and ship it back to Toxco, a California company that recycles batteries and electronics; a prepaid box costs $57.86 and holds up to 43 pounds of batteries. That price includes all shipping, handling and recycling costs. Learn more at www.biggreenbox.com, 714-278-9211.

In Broward, batteries can be taken to household hazardous waste collection sites. On Fridays and Saturdays, you can take them to the northern site at 2780 N. Powerline Rd. in Pompano Beach or the southern site at 5601 W. Hallandale Beach Blvd. in West Park. The central collection site in Davie (5490 Reese Rd.) is only open on Saturdays. For more information, visit www.broward.org/waste or call the recycling hotline, 954-765-4999.

In the parts of Miami-Dade served by the county’s Department of Solid Waste Management, household batteries, including AA, AAA, C, D, 9-volt, button and rechargeable batteries can be put out with the curbside recycling collection on the first recycling day of each month. The department says they must be in a clear ”zip-top” plastic bag, which should be closed and placed on top of your newspapers. Loose batteries or batteries that are too big to fit the bag WON’T be collected.

If you live in a municipality not served by the county, contact your city hall.

If you live in an apartment complex or condo, you must take them to the nearest household chemical waste drop-off site. Call 311 for locations or check www.miamidade.gov/dswm.

Alexandria Echo Press: Save Money and Energy With the Twist of Energy-Efficient Bulbs

Filed under: Earth 911 - October 5, 2007

Saving money and energy this year can be as simple as installing an Energy Star qualified compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL).

From October 1 through November 30, 2007, Alexandria Light and Power (ALP) and Runestone Electric Association (REA) are encouraging Minnesota residents to “Change the World” one light, one step at a time by replacing their standard light bulbs with Energy Star qualified CFLs.

By changing to energy efficient CFLs, a household can save more than $60 a year in energy costs, reducing utility bills as well as saving energy and preserving the environment.

Alexandria Light and Power and Runestone Electric Association are helping their residential electric customers make the simple switch to energy efficient lighting by offering a $2 instant cash-back rebate on Energy Star qualified CFL purchases of 12 bulbs or less.

With the instant rewards, the bulbs will sell for as little as 99 cents at participating Ace Hardware Stores (Alexandria, Morris, Glenwood and Long Prairie) and Menards. The program is being held in conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) national “Energy Star Change a Light, Change the World” campaign.

“Most people don’t realize that the energy they use in their homes can be responsible for twice the air pollution as their car,” said Wendy Reed of the Energy Star program [at the U.S. EPA]. “Switching to energy-efficient light bulbs and fixtures is a simple way to do your part to reduce the pollution that causes global warming. If we all simply changed the five lights we use most to Energy Star qualified ones, together we’d prevent the greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from nearly 10 million cars.”

Not only do Energy Star qualified CFLs use up to 75 percent less energy than typical incandescent light bulbs, CFLs also offer superior performance by lasting up to 10 times longer than their old-fashioned counterparts. Today’s CFLs provide bright, warm light and require replacement far less often, saving consumers and businesses both time and money.

Lighting products that earn the Energy Star offer extra safety and convenience features as well. CFLs generate approximately 75 percent less heat than standard incandescent lighting, which means they are cooler to the touch while helping reduce household cooling costs at the same time. With the wide variety of CFL shapes, sizes and styles available, energy-efficient lighting can be used throughout the home all year round.

Most people want to do their part to help the environment, but they simply don’t know where to start. Choosing Energy Star qualified lighting for the home is a simple action everyone can take to save time, energy and money, and help preserve our environment for future generations.

CFL bulbs contain a small amount of mercury, which is harmful to the environment. Minnesota State prohibits placing CFL lamps in the garbage. For options on recycling, go to: www.minnesota.earth911.org or www.pca.state.mn.us. There is no charge for Alexandria Light and Power and Runestone Electric Association members to properly dispose of used fluorescent bulbs at the Pope Douglas Solid Waste Management Recycling Center at 2115 South Jefferson Street in Alexandria. Hours are Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m. The phone number is (320) 763-9340.

To contact Alexandria Light and Power, call (320) 763-6501 (www.alputilities.com). To contact Runestone Electric Association, call (320) 762-1121 or 1-800-473-1722 (www.runstoneelectric.com).

Wellington Town-Crier: Pets 911 Helps Horses Find Homes Through The Internet

Filed under: Pets 911 - October 5, 2007

Horse owners looking for a new mount or companion can now search the Internet for adoptable equines through a national horse adoption database launched by the Humane Society of the United States and Pets911.com.

The database, available through humanesociety.org and Pets911.com, is a clearinghouse of available horses offered by a wide spectrum of rescue organizations.

Any non-profit rescue agency with horses available for adoption is eligible to participate, and there is no charge to list or search for horses. More than 100 horses are currently posted on the site, and that number is expected to grow rapidly as more rescue agencies avail themselves of this new outlet.

Horse rescue groups interested in posting horses on the Horse Adoption Network should e-mail equineprotection@hsus.org.

“Pets 911 is always happy to team up with the Humane Society of the United States because of its commitment to the well-being of animals,” Pets 911 Program Manager Tracyann Mains said. “We are excited for the opportunity to promote horses as an important form of animal companionship in addition to household pets like cats and dogs.”

Humane Society of the United States Director of Equine Protection Keith Dane agreed. “This new service is in keeping with our philosophy that an adopted horse is an excellent choice for many horse enthusiasts and that rescues should be one of the first places they look for a new prospect,” Dane said. “Many people only think of dogs and cats when they think of pet adoption. With this marketing search tool, more people can now consider adoption when deciding to bring a new horse into their lives. Rescued horses can have successful careers as competitors in the show ring, as recreational riding horses, and of course, as companion animals.”

This initiative is one of a number of new projects underway as part of the Humane Society program “Horses: Companions for Life,” aimed at educating the public about responsible horse ownership and reducing the number of homeless horses in the U.S. Other Humane Society projects include:

“The Horse Rescue, Sanctuary and Retirement Survey and Database:” The Humane Society is conducting a survey of horse rescue, sanctuary and retirement organizations across the U.S. to identify the total number of organizations and their geographic distribution. A national horse rescue database will be compiled from the survey results.

“The ‘Companions for Life’ Barn Poster and Informational Brochure Series:” Recently, the Humane Society of the United States released the first in a series of barn posters aimed at providing basic horse care and handling tips to horse owners. The first poster provides information on the basic physical, emotional and social needs of horses.

“The Equine Care Guide:” Scheduled for publication in 2008, the book is aimed at both first-time and seasoned horse owners and will cover a wide range of topics including choosing the right horse; feeding, housing, veterinary and hoof care; riding, training and competition and end-of-life decisions and options.

“Animal Care Expo:” The 2008 HSUS Animal Care Expo will feature a number of educational seminars on horse care, rescue and welfare topics, designed to help prepare members of the nation’s animal care and control community for some of the equine issues they may face in their professional careers.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization. For more information, visit www.humanesociety.org.

WTVM: Your Pet and the Holidays

Filed under: Pets 911 - October 2, 2007

By Julie Pasquinelli, Communications Director, Pets911.com

The holiday season brings visitors and party invitations, family gatherings and house decorations. It usually means fun, laughter and gifts of all kinds. While we enjoy this time of year, our pets may not. Especially if your pet is new to your household, take a look at these tips to help keep your pets safe.

Create A Safe Place For Your Pets
Starting with Trick-or-treaters, then carolers, and ending with fireworks at a New Year’s Bash, our homes get busy with unfamiliar noises and guests coming and going. Add in your own preparing for parties and buying presents, and that makes it easy for your dog or cat to slip out the door without anybody immediately noticing.

Constant doorbell ringing, noisy guests, and party noises can stress out even calm pets. Give them a place where they can get away from it all. Make sure it is a comfortable familiar place, away from the activities. Give your pet his favorite toy or chewie, or just let him nap.

Maintain Regular Routines
Pets are creatures of habit. As our schedules and environments change during the holidays, pets may become confused and stressed out. Minimizing stress for your animal means being aware of his daily routine and expectations. By keeping your regular schedule, even if play time and walks are shorter, you help reduce stress in your pet and also prevent them from gaining holiday weight. It also gives you time to re-connect so that he knows even if things are a little crazy right now, you are still family.

Feeding
It’s tempting to share the Halloween loot and lavish holiday dinners with your pets but the rich and fatty foods can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea, or even worse, a life threatening inflammation of the pancreas. Chocolate candy or baking ingredients, even in small amounts, can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Larger amounts can cause abnormal heart rhythms, nervous system malfunctions, and even death. Feeding people food to your pets can also contribute to weight gain. If you feel you must treat your pet, make sure to have a supply of his favorite treats so he can have something special, too.

Ask Your Guests To Help
If the party is at your house, remind your guests not to leave their plates or glasses where your pet can reach them. Alcoholic beverages are especially dangerous: an ounce of alcoholic beverage can put a small dog into a coma. If a guest sees your animal eating what he shouldn’t, allow them to tell your pet “no” and get you right away.

Decorate Safely
Witches and ghosts add a fun atmosphere to any house at Halloween, giving way to pictures of turkeys at Thanksgiving, and Santa and reindeer for Christmas and other holidays. Whether using paper cut outs or life size statues, these unfamiliar items pique your pets’ interest which means…it goes in the mouth! All decorations should be safely out of pets’ each. If your pet is too ingenious where no decoration is safe, consider decorating the outside of your house instead. It may sound like a good idea to trim your tree with edible decorations like popcorn, but this is actually dangerous to pets! These kinds of decorations can cause upset stomachs, or more damage if they ingest the string.

Plants to be aware of are poinsettia which can cause drooling, oral pain, and vomiting; and mistletoe which causes vomiting, labored breathing, shock, and death from cardiovascular collapse. If your pet eats the needles from a real or fake tree, they can get intestinal blockage.

Christmas trees are tempting to pets. Secure large trees to the wall to prevent tipping, or consider a smaller tree that can fit on a table top. Fasten all your tree decorations securely, with the more fragile ones towards the top. Avoid tinsel which is attractive to cats, but can cause intestinal blockage if ingested. Make sure that cords are covered or tucked out of reach; more cords mean more to chew on, and this can lead to electrocution. Display candles on high shelves so your pet does not get singed or burned.

Dressing Up
You may think the devil (or angel) costume is particularly fitting for your pet at Halloween, but unless you know your pet loves it, refrain from dressing him up. This includes dressing him like Santa or a Reindeer later on. Costumes can restrict movement or get caught and harm your pet. A festive collar and/or leash is safer and easier to use, and you can use them year after year without your pet outgrowing them.

Cleaning Up
Left over Halloween candy should be put up in a cupboard or refrigerator. Secure your garbage in bins with tight lids, especially if you have thrown away any food. Tin foil with food remnants looks like a treat to dogs; they can chew up holiday throwaways which can result in intestinal perforation and/or obstruction.

Presents
Return paper and other gift wrapping materials to their storage places after gift wrapping is finished. Put away children’s toys after they are opened. Ingested toys can cause choking and intestinal blockage, and must usually be removed through surgery. Gifts that come in the mail are always a nice surprise, but if any of them contain food, your pet will know before you open it. Dogs have been known to tear into packages when they smell food.

Traveling
If you want to take your pet with you when visiting friends and relatives during the holidays, be sure to contact them in advance to find out if your pet is welcome. The safest way to transport pets is to have them ride in a crate in the car. Give them their favorite toys or treats to occupy the time. Stop for breaks every hour or two to stretch their legs and potty. When you do get out of the car, keep him on a leash, even if you don’t normally do so. It is easy to get lost in an unfamiliar area if he runs off. Make sure all vaccines and health issues are up-to-date. Bring an extra day or two worth of any medicine in case you are delayed. Keep a collar and tag on your pet. Write your phone number on the collar with a permanent marker, in case the tag falls off. It’s a good idea to include your number and the number of where you will be staying. Microchips are great because you don’t have to worry about them being lost.

If you are not taking your pet with you, you need to decide if you want to put him in a kennel or hire a sitter. This site can help your decision: www.canismajor.com/dog/choseken.html .

As Gifts
Christmas and the first night of Hanukkah are not appropriate times for introducing an animal to his or her new home. The pet will be thrown into a hectic situation; there is usually too much activity for an animal to feel comfortable in his new home. With all the excitement of the holidays, people tend to forget that there is a ten to twenty year commitment involved in caring for a companion animal. Before obtaining a pet, the entire family should be consulted. All adults living in the household should meet and spend time with the new pet before adopting a companion dog or cat. Some solutions are to “virtually” adopt a pet as the gift (sponsor the pet), then go get a real one later. Or, buy a gift certificate to the shelter and give a leash and collar, bowls, toys, and other necessities as the gift to open. Then when life returns back to normal, go as a family to pick your new member.

KLTV: New Start For Tyler Animal Control

Filed under: Pets 911 - October 1, 2007

It was a new start for Tyler Animal Control today. Last week the City of Tyler ended their 44 year relationship with the Humane Society of Smith County, and Monday began their new contract with the Klein Animal Shelter in Jacksonville.

It was a busy morning for Shawn Markmann and the Tyler Animal Control Officers.

“We come by every morning at seven and check all the traps pickup, put them all on one truck and make a run down to Klein,” said Tyler Animal Control Interim Field Supervisor Shawn Markmann. “This is our first run out to the Klein Animal Shelter.”

On that first run: Four stray dogs, a possum, and four kittens.

“We bring them back here. We’ve got a nice setup. Pull up 10 feet within the back and unload anything we have got,” said Shawn. “We have a form we fill out describing the animal, describing any injury to the animal. Where we found them, special conditions, do we think there is an owner, did they get hit by a car, was there any noticeable injuries to the animals. ”

Two shepherd mixes came in off the truck. Their information is documented and they are photographed. Angela Wallace or another employee at Klein will then put their information online so anyone can go to http://www.pets911.com/index.php and see them.

“We are just trying the specific identification information as well as their photos so they can identify those online and actually post those. So anyone that is missing animals can go ahead and start looking for those online,” said Angela.

From now on, animals picked up in Tyler will be at Klein. Shawn says any animals picked up before now will stay at the Humane Society of Smith County. With day one under their belt, Shawn says they will face changes ahead in stride.

Now the city has agreed to compensate the budget for the extra fuel costs and wear and tear on the trucks. But they are not sure exactly how much the cost will be.

Islandpacket.com: Swimming Advisory Lifted for Harbor Island Beach

Filed under: Earth 911 - October 1, 2007

The swimming advisory issued for sections of Harbor Island beach, 200 feet above and below the beach access at Pelican Point off of South Harbor Drive, has been lifted, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control announced today.

Test results from samples were within acceptable limits. DHEC inspectors sample ocean water twice a month from May through October.

For more information about beach water quality, see http://www.earth911.org, or call DHEC’s Region 8 Environmental Quality Control office at (843) 846-1030.

Newsweek: How to Cut Your Carbon Paw Print

Filed under: Pets 911 - October 1, 2007

By Joan Raymond
Newsweek

Oct. 8, 2007 issue - Derrick Mains, 34, of Mesa, Ariz., considers himself a green kind of guy. He recycles, doesn’t litter and eats organic. But Mains, an environmental consultant, still feels eco-guilty. That’s why he buys his two rescue dogs, Copa and Lola, all-natural, organic food. And instead of plastic bags that wind up in landfills, he’s using a biodegradable box to scoop up their waste. Next on the agenda? Leashes made from earth-friendly hemp. “My dogs and I are trying to save the planet,” Mains says.

Since neither Copa nor Lola can vote for the Green Party, it’s up to humans like Mains to make “the right choices that can help pets be more in tune with the environment,” says Anthony Zolezzi, coauthor of “How Dog Food Saved the Earth.” And more consumers are making those choices. According to market-research firm Packaged Facts, U.S. retail sales of natural pet products are expected to reach $1.3 billion this year, up from $558 million in 2003. By 2012, the market should top $2.5 billion.

There is no shortage of marketers willing to help consumers part with some of their green pet bucks. The first step is to make sure you don’t make Fluffy too green. “Remember an animal is an animal,” says Trey Granger of pets911.com, a national database that reunites missing pets with their owners. Choose natural and organic food products that meet nutritional requirements. (For more info, go to onlynaturalpet.com or treehugger.com.)

Beyond food, shelter adoption and neutering, how green Fluffy gets is up to your wallet. The choices are endless.

Instead of plastic bags for waste, try biodegradable waste containers like the Skooperbox ($11.99 for a pack of 30; skooperbox.com) or PoopBags’ litter-box liners ($18.40 for 20; poopbags .com). Use environmentally friendly cat litter, which avoids clay-based litters that are produced through strip mining (learn more at worldwise.com). To find dog and cat toys made out of earth-friendly products like recycled plastic bottles or hemp, log on to ecoanimal.com. Your dog can even make a fashion statement with a 100 percent organic cotton kimono ($22.90 at sckoon.com). With all that newfound social consciousness, your pet deserves a spa treatment. Look no farther than Cain & Able (cainandablecollection.com), a line of all-natural dog shampoos and sprays that, in truly Orwellian fashion, were first tested on humans.