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When it comes to animals, I have a lot of dreams. One of them is to witness the end of greyhound racing. Imagine a day when this blood sport no longer exists. Well, that moment is close at hand in Arizona.
 This is how greyhounds should be treated. (Photo courtesy of Grey2K USA) Senate Bill 1294, GREY2K USA’s bill to end dog racing in Arizona by December 31, 2010, has been filed by Arizona State Senators Paula Aboud and Jonathan Paton. HB 2637, a bill to immediately ban the use of anabolic steroids in racing greyhounds, has also been filed. Together, these two bills will make history and help thousands of greyhounds in the Grand Canyon state.
Passing Legislation
Your help is needed to pass these groundbreaking pieces of legislation. Christine A. Dorchak, Esq, and president of GREY2K USA, and Kari Nienstedt of the Humane Society of the United States will host organizational meetings in Tucson and Phoenix later this month. At these meetings you will receive information about greyhound racing in Arizona and meet some of the many people who will be working together to end this cruelty.
Okay, but I don’t live in Arizona! You can still help by alerting your friends and family who do. Ask them to attend the meetings. If you can attend, contact Christine at GREY2K USA to find out how you can help.
Tucson
The first meeting will be held on Friday, February 26, at 5:30 p.m. sharp and run till 7:30 p.m. at the State of Arizona Legislative Office, State of Arizona Complex,158 North Building, 400 West Congress Street, Tucson.
Phoenix
A second meeting will be held on Saturday, February 27, at 1:00 p.m. through 3:00 p.m. at Charity Charms Showroom, 4225 Camelback Road, Phoenix.
As long as dog racing continues in Arizona, greyhounds will suffer. More information about the history of dog racing in the state, and to see the latest injury records, visit GREY2K USA.
American Humane Association awarded the blockbuster movie Avatar its highest rating. “American Humane applauds Avatar director James Cameron and the production for earning our highest rating by ensuring the safety of the animals used in the filming,” says Karen Rosa, vice president of American Humane’s Film & TV Unit.
 See the camera on the horse? (Photo courtesy of American Humane.) “This film was created using motion capture technology, in which performers wear miniature computerized motion sensors near joints and facial areas to capture the movements and facial muscle nuances that occur with each gesture, motion, or expression,” says Rosa. “The live action was performed in a motion capture studio covered in dark fabric and carpet (called a ‘void’) and then recorded as computer animation data, which was then mapped onto a computerized 3-D model.”
How Animals were Filmed
In this technology, humans wear a bodysuit for the ‘capture,’ but animals need to be ‘captured’ differently because of their body shapes, fur and other characteristics. To prepare the animals for having their motion data recorded, trainers shaved small areas of fur or hair where the movements would be recorded, such as near joints and on the face. Velcro pads were attached to the shaved spots with a nontoxic, nonirritating silicone adhesive. White light-reflective balls were placed onto the Velcro to capture the motion data onto the computer.
The exception to this was horses’ tails, which were not shaved, but wrapped in a sensor-laden material. The adhesive and any additional markings were washed off each evening after filming ended.
Given Lots of Room for Exercise
Throughout the film, horses are seen outdoors standing or being ridden at a walk, canter, or gallop. We also see people mounting, dismounting, and falling off horses. These scenes were all filmed inside the capture studio. Horses were given ample room to start and stop running. For scenes in which horses appear to be near fire, trainers cued them to ‘dance’ or act skittish or afraid—the horses were not actually agitated nor were they ever near fire.
In general, American Humane encourages productions to use CGI to increase safety. American Humane’s Film and TV Unit is celebrating 70 years of protecting animals in filmed media.
Movies with Animals
When I was a child, I refused to see movies with animals in them. I would worry about how the animals were treated. I really appreciate how American Humane watches over animal actors.
What are your favorite movies with animals in them?
Valentine’s Day Tribute Finale
We come to the end of our Valentine’s Day Tribute. This time, readers share their stories on how they met their partners. You can still add your own romantic story in the comments section of this post. Happy Valentine’s Day!
From Dog Park to Family
Lisa McElroy writes: “I am a law professor and freelance writer in Philadelphia. My husband and I met at the dog park 15 years ago. Our dogs were attendants in our wedding almost two years later. Both of those two dogs have since died, but we have two more who are like kids to us (we also have two human daughters).” You can see photos of Lisa and her family.
Love on the Boardwalk
Mary Ann writes: “I met my husband when he was a lifeguard at a beach in Delaware. I drove this little ugly green Pinto station wagon and carried my Lab/mix, Heidi, with me everywhere. My friend, Lisa, and I were having a quick lunch at an outdoor café at the beach. Heidi was close by in the car. I kept a careful eye on her. That’s when I spotted John talking to my dog. So I went over to the car. John talked about how he loved animals. Of course, I spent a fortune eating at that place until I saw him again. He asked me out.”
“We will celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary this year. Our love of animals brought us together and allowed us to open our hearts and home to helping less than perfect animals for the past 25 years. We run the Special Needs Animal Sanctuary. Not only did a dog bring me a husband, she brought me my best friend. Not many people can say they are more in love now than the day they met.”
Cat Allergies Didn’t Stop Love
Bill Rapp writes: “When my future wife, Jane, and I met, she had a cat named Seymour, and I had an allergy—without any name. When I would pick her up to go out, we would watch the hives appear on my neck and a big blister form on my upper lip. I would then talk an antihistamine and we would leave. I would be fine for the rest of the evening. As the relationship was becoming more serious, one evening I said, ‘If we’re to continue in this relationship—Seymour has to go.’ She replied, “No way!’ That was 35 years ago and two children, and the allergy vanished.”
Fond of Ferrets
Natalie Fontane writes: “I met my boyfriend, Dave, after he agreed to take some ferret food I no longer wanted from my craigslist ad. He had six ferrets at the time, and I had one. He offered to have me over for ferret play dates. A few months into our friendship, I began to have feelings for him. I saw the kindness he had for his ferrets and realized no man I ever dated had treated me as well as he treats his ferrets.”
“We began dating, moved in together a year later, then moved across the country with our ferrets and bought a house. Before moving in with him, I had only one ferret, Bartleby. Bartleby was very bonded to me, not so much to other people. But that didn’t stop Dave from showing his affection and looking out for his needs just as much as he did for his own ferrets. Bartleby had trouble with one of Dave’s ferrets named Rocket. Rocket was a bit of a bully. Ferrets have a social pecking order, and Rocket was not interested in another male in the house who might risk his alpha status, although Bartleby was never interested in showing anyone that he was important or tough. Like most ferrets, ours eventually got along swimmingly. We still have six ferrets though some of the ones alive when we met have passed away. And our lives still revolve around these ferrets and their needs.”
Sharing a Love of Dogs
Susan Pease Gadoua writes: “It was late October 2004, and I had just gotten my dog, Bijoux, who completely opened my heart. At that time, part of my job involved going to the Civic Center every week to collect data on local divorcing couples to assist me in my work.”
 Michael and Susan on their wedding day with Yogi and Bijoux. “On this particular Friday, I ran into a friend of mine and began telling her about my new dog. She knew where I was headed and told me about Michael who was also a dog lover.”
“As luck (or fate) would have it, Michael happened to be behind the counter that day and we began chatting about our dogs. He asked me if I’d like to meet him and his dog, Yogi, with Bijoux, of course. I accepted the invitation. Our first three dates were at dog parks and we all instantly hit it off. It was magic.”
“I knew we were an official pack when Yogi peed on my brand new couch on our fourth date! Eleven months later, we were married. That was five and a half years ago. We all adore each other but what also makes this story a bit unique and funny is my work in the area of divorce. Within a year of getting married, I started writing my first book called, Contemplating Divorce. Michael gets a kick out of telling everyone that he inspired the book, although nothing could be further from the truth! We are as much in love today as we were when we first met, and the dogs play a huge part in keeping us happy and closely bonded.”
Cat Lovers
Jackie Segers, a certified reflexologist, Reiki master, teacher, and author, met Jason at an animal reflexology course she was teaching in Seattle, WA. She is the author of Reflexology for Cats-and Other Natural Therapies for Your Feline Companion, which was published in 2007 in New Zealand, and was picked up by a publisher in Australia in 2008. A distributor of reflexology books in Australia bought some copies, and took them over to the Reflexology Association of America conference. “My Seattle host, who runs a reflexology school, saw the book at the conference and loved the idea of being able to use reflexology for animals, so she invited me over,” she writes. “So I went all the way from New Zealand to Seattle to teach the workshop where I met Jason.”
“He was a student and we bonded over a love of cats. I live in Auckland, New Zealand, so it has been a bit of a long distance relationship. However, we are very much in love. We e-mail, phone, or text on a daily basis. He visited New Zealand in December/January and will be back for 6 weeks at the end of February.”
”The workshop was held in August 2009, and we have pretty much been together from the end of the workshop. I had lunch with him on the first day of the workshop and my heart melted when he pulled out a photo of his cat, Rishka, who is now no longer with us. A man that carries a photo of his deceased cat in his wallet, wow, I thought that was fantastic. So really it was a love of cats and healing work which bought us together.”
Valentine’s Day Tribute, Part 7
By Wing Girl Kim, author of Alpha Dog, guest blogger
I met Jason McKay through Plenty Of Fish, an online dating site. I had checked out a dozen dating sites already, and decided this site would be the last one I would join. It was!
I was toward the end of researching my book, AlphaDog, Get The Bitch You Want: A Man’s Guide to Dating, by a Woman. Two of the six sections of the book are devoted to understanding personality types, and I wanted to see if Dr. Alex Avila’s Love Types system of personality matching could be utilized through online profiles. After studying Avila’s system and MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator), I realized that finding a single man with the personality type romantically compatible to my own would be difficult, especially online. His type, ENTJ (Extroverted Intuitive Thinking Judging), is a natural leader, the first of men to get married among his peers, the most innately responsible, and usually in positions of leadership at work. At the age of 37, the likelihood I would meet a single ENTJ man was slim.
After going through dozens of profiles, I found him. Unfortunately, he was separated, but not legally—and was a smoker. I didn’t think I would get romantic with him, but I had to meet him to see if his personality would match mine. It did.
Knowing that his type was most likely highly intelligent and enjoys dealing with intellectual conflict, I wrote him a message, criticizing him on the headline of his profile. He responded immediately. After 12 e-mails back and forth, we met. In spite of his marital and smoking status, I liked him and we got romantic. Three months later, he and Jojo, a pug-chihuahua moved in with Penny, a miniature pincher, and me.
 - Now their dogs get along too.
At the end of this month, we will have been together for a year. He filed for divorce and also quit smoking on his own, without any prodding on my part.
The dogs were competitive for several months, but recently have been sharing toys, eating out of the same food bowl, and lying down near each other. Penny is 3.5 years old, and Jojo is 14. We have to make concessions for each and demonstrate fairness between them to minimize jealousy. When I take Penny out for an extra walk since she’s a miniature pincher, I give Jojo a treat before leaving. When we let Jojo on our bed, Penny has to go in her kennel, but I give her extra kisses.
Valentine’s Day Tribute Part 6
On a recent trip to the local dog park, Mary didn’t expect to meet Dan. They started up a conversation around their dogs, and soon began making plans to meet again. “What I loved about meeting Dan here,” says Mary, “was that it’s a relaxed atmosphere. Our dogs got along and the conversation flowed.” The couple is planning to move in together.
Kelly Acree, co-founder of Unleashed Indoor Dog Parks, an indoor dog park based in Dallas, TX, sees a lot of romantic encounters. “A lot of folks start conversations that they normally would not,” she explains. “When another dog comes up to your dog, you immediately strike up a conversation. The dog park is a natural icebreaker. I’ve seen many friendships and romances form here.”
 Kelly Lucas with pal of Unleashed Dog Park. Unleashed Indoor Dog Parks host Valentine’s Day parties and other singles’ get-togethers. About 25,000 square feet is set aside for the dogs and their owners. The dogs are separated by size, temperament, and play style. The rest of the indoor climate controlled building houses a large pet supply store, a grooming area, restaurants, and offices.
 Unleashed Dog Park The staff is always on hand to make sure everyone gets along. The park is open seven days a week. “It’s a great place to exercise and to meet other dog-friendly people,” says Kelly.
Letting One’s Guard Down
“Pets in a relationship are very similar to having a child,” says Sidney Williams, co-founder/marketing director of The Science of Dating, a dating information, advice, and guidance site. “Having a pet must be stated very early in the relationship. If you are using an online dating site, mention that in your profile. This can quickly weed out compatibility issues. At the dog park, however, everyone you meet can tell that you care about your dog.”
The Key to a Successful Long Term Relationship
According to Mitch Frankenberg, owner of The Paw House Inns and Resorts, two intimate inns in Vermont that cater to dog owners and their dogs, “in our 9-plus years of experience here,” says Mitch, “we recognize that the key to a successful long term relationship has two critical components. The two humans should pay attention to the way in which the other treats his/her pet and accept that that will likely not change, and the two humans should also pay attention to the way in which your human friend treats you in relation to the way he/she treats his/her pet because this too will likely not change.”
If you have a story about meeting at the dog park or other romantic tale about you, your partner, and your pets, please share.
 
Valentine’s Day Tribute Part 5
You wanted to meet another cat person, and it’s great that your new partner loves your cat and you are quite fond of his. Now that the relationship is getting serious, you need to introduce the cats to each other. Following are 10 tips on merging cat families:
1. Cats are territorial: Ask your partner to bring his cat over to your house in a cat carrier, and place the cat in a separate room. You can bring your cat’s favorite toy or a blanket from home so he feels somewhat comfortable. Your partner can stay in the room with the cat if the cat gets antsy. Place the empty carrier in a room with your cat, and don’t make a fuss. Just proceed with your normal routine.
2. Let your cat sniff and explore the empty cat carrier. Keep a watchful eye on your cat. Your cat may hiss, attack the carrier, ignore it completely and then come back and check it out. You should try to be as relaxed as possible.
3. Spend at least 40 minutes to an hour with your cat before checking on the other cat: Both cats need time to explore their surroundings and the new items brought into the situation.
4. When your cat starts to relax and looks like he is ready for a nap, go into the other room with a tiny bit of food for your partner’s cat: Cats are excellent at picking up nervousness. So try to sit quietly and talk softly to him. He will come to you when he is ready. Having some food or a treat will help. Just be relaxed about it. When he does come to you, gently pet him, and stay for 30-40 minutes.
5. Before you pet your cat, wash your hands: Try to get the scent off of your hands. Visit your partner’s cat a few times during the day.
6. Stick to a normal routine: Make dinner. Visit with your partner, and relax. Don’t introduce the cats until the hissing from both sides of the door stop. You will have to repeat steps 1-6 a number of times.
7. Spend quality time with your cat, and your partner should spend quality time with his cat: Let each cat know how much you love them.
8. Once the hissing and growling stop by the carrier and by the door, place two baby gates—one on top of each other—at the entrance of the door. This way the cats can see each other and sniff each other thanks to the six foot securely installed barrier.
9. While your cat is distracted, take down the barrier: Your partner’s cat will step out of the room, and the two cats will find each other. Stay close by, but interfere. It’s quite likely that your cat (since this is his home) will stalk your partner’s cat. Don’t leave them alone.
10. If a fight occurs, don’t pick up either cat: Instead, bang a pot with a spoon or throw cold water on them.
Be patient. Depending on the ages of the cats, this can take a few weeks or several months. Kittens are easier; older cats are more territorial. Keep a close watch on both of the cats. Feed them in separate rooms, and dote on each one. Separate the litter boxes too. Make sure the litter box in the newcomer’s room is moved far from the food area.
In good time, the hostilities will decline. The cats may even become close buddies.
More Valentine’s Day stories tomorrow.
Valentine’s Day Tribute Part 4
You met the person of your dreams. You both have dogs. Or he has a cat and you have a dog. You love his pets and he loves yours. The relationship is getting serious. So how do you get the pets to get along? Here are 10 tips on how to help new dog friends get along from Eric Goebelbecker of Dog Spelled Forward:
1. In serious situations call in an expert: “For dogs, there are a few things you can try but first and foremost,” says Eric, “if there’s been a fight and blood has been drawn get a professional involved. Bites that break the skin mean someone was very upset. Similarly, if you are really afraid of a serious fight, talk to a local trainer.”
2. Meet on neutral territory: “This way neither dog will feel more vulnerable or more in charge,” says Eric. “Do a lot of parallel walking on leash with lots of treats, but don’t let them greet on leash. This is just a matter of getting accustomed to the other dog being around without being a threat or an annoyance.”
3. Try an off leash meeting: After a few walks where both dogs seem to be relaxed, try an off leash meeting. “Look for comfortable tails, loose body posture, where they are not constantly eyeing the other dog,” says Eric. “Dogs like to sniff and circle each other. If they cannot comfortably do that, a greeting can become very tense. Also some dogs are more aggressive on leash because they feel restrained.”
4. Before you remove the leash: Make sure your meeting place is securely fenced in and free of other dogs, dog toys, and food. Dogs can start fights over toys and food. “Walk the dogs on leash around the area to give them a chance to feel comfortable,” Eric explains. “Then let them off leash. It’s okay if they don’t immediately run up to each other. The goal here is to get them comfortable in each other’s presence, not immediately to be best buds.”
5. Call your dog to come to you: ”Call your dog to you periodically, and give him a yummy treat,” says Eric. “Definitely call if things start to look tense. The idea here is for the dogs to spend more time together with nothing bad happening.”
6: Keep these meetings short: An hour is sufficient time for the first few meetings. “Quit these sessions while things are still fun and happy,” says Eric. “Don’t wait too long and risk a squabble. After a few successful sessions, you can try someone’s home or apartment. Before entering the home, do some parallel walking together; bring the dogs in separately, and introduce them off leash in the house.”
7. Bringing cats and dogs together: This is a more complicated relationship because dogs and cats communicate differently and frequently there are predatory issues. Eric suggests if the dog is intent on getting the cat, to keep them in separate rooms, and always make sure the cat has a way to get to higher ground.
8. Teach your dog to pay attention to you: If you can get the dog and cat together without an immediate fight, then teach the dog not to obsess over the cat. On his site, Dog Spelled Forward, Eric posts suggestions on how to get your dog to pay attention to you. When your dog pays attention to you, he is not constantly thinking about the cat or other dog in the room.
9. Best friends: The thing to keep in mind is that the pets don’t need to be best friends. Some dogs (and cats) just don’t play with each other and don’t want to share a sofa or chair. There are a lot of factors that go into their development that are out of our control and it’s possible that they just don’t want to be best friends.
10: Give peace a chance: “Your primary goal should be peace,” he explains. “It’s possible that over time they will become more interested in each other and even start to play with each other, but this can take weeks or months. It’s also very normal for dogs to have loud and vicious sounding squabbles and then very quickly go back to peace and quiet.”
Tomorrow’s post covers getting cats to get along.
 
Valentine’s Day Tribute Part 3
If you are reading this, you obviously are a pet lover. Pets are part of the family, which means that how they react to you could have an impact on if you get to the second date. So what can you do to nail that first meeting?
“Prepare, prepare, prepare,” says Allie Phillips, J.D., director of Public Policy for the American Humane Association, and an expert in the human-animal bond. “By asking questions before meeting the pets, you show that you care about the animal and thereby, care for the person.” Following are 5 tips on getting to know the pets.
1. Ask where the pet likes to be scratched. Some pets love getting their ears or bellies pet. Other pets don’t.
2. What is their favorite treat? Bring a small bag of treats with you. Yes, it’s a form of bribery, but it can work. Ask your date if it’s okay to bring a treat for his or her pet.
3. What kind of toys do they prefer? Like humans, every animal is different. Some prefer toys that squeak and some prefer stuffed animals. So, in addition to a bottle of wine for your date, bring a new toy with a bow on it because it is never too early to start earning brownie points.
4. Some animals are wary of strangers and find eye contact too dominant. Try to put the animal at ease by looking down and away from them while speaking softly and offering your hand, palm down. That way, the animal has a choice and is more likely to come up to check you out. With cats, I open and close my eyes a few times—pretty much like they do. It’s a form of friendship. My cat likes communicating this way.
5. Some animals won’t go near strangers until they have had time to watch them for some length of time. Give them their space, ignore their presence, and let them come to you. Your date may think that you are a master at animal behavior and like you all the more.
Pet News and Views’ Valentine’s Day tribute continues. If you have a tip, please share it in the comments section.
Horse Teaches Boyfriends a Lesson
Boys will be boys. I know. I live in a house with all males. Even the cat’s a boy. It’s fun. But boys can be brash at times. My husband tells the story about his horse Elmer, who protected the girls in his family.
Steven, my husband, was the youngest of four. His two older sisters would often get visits from boys who wanted to date them. When they came by the house, they would often show off—until Elmer came into the picture.
The boys would brag that they were good riders. They didn’t know Elmer—who could be temperamental. My husband’s two older sisters would warn these boys to be careful around Elmer. The boys would mount Elmer and proceed to gallop away.
Elmer countered by running full speed ahead, and then stopping short right in front of a pond where the boys would be deposited. Often the boys left mad. My husband’s sisters always said that Elmer was a good judge of character.
This is my tribute to Valentine’s Day week. If you have a fun story that you want to post, please add it in the comments section.
It was 20 years ago, that I answered an ad in the personal section of a local New York City newspaper. I opened the letter stating that the person I’m with must be animal-friendly, and must be kind to my two cats.
The great thing about meeting a potential partner in the personals is that you can be brutally honest about your wants and needs. If I were at a party and met someone, I would not have been as direct—at least not in the beginning.
I also listed other traits and desires—must be able to make me laugh, must want a small family, likes to travel, and above all must respect my opinions. You don’t have to agree with them—except the one that covers being kind to animals.
I was lucky. Steven not only made me laugh (he still does today.), he respects many different points of views, and of course, he likes animals. He bonded with my two cats, and in July we will approach our 19th wedding anniversary.
He doesn’t mind when I take in a stray; one night when we came home from a wedding, there was a stray on our doorstep with a badly broken leg. We opened the door, and this smelly cat hobbled in. The next day, we found the cat’s owner who said he would put him down. Steven objected, and several visits to the vet, Earl came home to live with us. He is still with us. He usually sits on my desk while I write.
In honor of Valentine’s Day, I am running romantic stories everyday this week. Feel free to leave your own romantic story here or on the other up coming posts.
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