Benefits Of Having A Pet

You probably know the joy of being greeted by your pet at the end of a tiring day. Their happy and calming presence can elevate your mood and lower your stress in a matter of seconds.

What you maybe weren’t aware of are other, very specific physical and psychological advantages that your pet provides.

Reduces stress:

It is well established that pets play a huge part in managing high levels of stress, like PTSD or other kinds of anxiety disorders. People that experience daily stress at work have reported a decrease of stress after introducing a pet into their life.

This is not limited to only household pets. Animals (mostly dogs) have also been trained and brought to hospitals and rehabilitation facilities. For all of those reasons, it is no wonder animals play a crucial role in therapy and therapeutic practices.

Helps with social interaction:

It is not easy for everyone to engage in social interaction, even (or maybe especially) when it comes to small talk. Your pet can be a perfect conversation starter!

Walking your dog around the neighbourhood increases your chances of establishing social communication. You might think this benefit refers exclusively to dog owners, but that is not the case.

Obviously, it is easiest for dog owners to form social connections on their daily walks but there are other ways to connect to other like-minded people.

For example, posting photos of your pets on social media is a simple and effective way to start up a discussion.

It is also known to improve the social skills of autistic children. Service dogs are trained to aid and, in this case, even calm the child down if necessary.

But other pets like cats and rabbits can also help them to communicate and bond with others more easily.

Acts as a best buddy for kids and older people:

A pet can have a positive impact on the emotional growth of children by helping improve their social skills. Caring for a pet also teaches children routine, responsibilities and focus.

The elderly meanwhile benefit from having companionship and physical activity.

Having a pet could be a powerful stimulus to go for daily walks and engage in other activities, helping them maintain their mental and physical health well into their golden age.

Keeps you active:

Being surrounded by nature, getting fresh air and sunlight are extremely important in achieving a healthy lifestyle. What better way to spend that time than with your pet.

Walking, running and playing will keep you and your pet entertained, relaxed and happy. While you struggled to motivate yourself to stay active before, no doubt your dog will provide you with the push you need now.

An outdoors routine full of activities will also do wonders for your mental health and emotional stability.

Maintains emotional balance:

In moments of self-doubt, depression or loneliness, pets can console and reassure you in their own way.

Sometimes, just the close, non-verbal presence of your dog, cat or any pet might be enough to improve your state of mind.

Always upgrading and working on yourself isn’t easy, but with some help, you can unlock the many benefits that come with emotional balance.

Being around your pet elevates your level of serotonin and dopamine, which will make you more equipped to deal with everyday challenges.

Helps relieve pain:

In certain situations, pets can be the best medicine. When it comes to chronic pains like migraines and arthritis the presence of a pet helps relieve the pain.

How does that actually work? The key is by reducing anxiety. The less anxious you are, the less pain you will feel. Focusing on the soothing presence of an animal can help calm your nerves.

Conclusion:

It becomes obvious just how closely interwoven all these benefits are. Also, it is a reminder of the enormous influence animals have on our health and lives in general, although it often goes unnoticed.

If you were on the fence about introducing a furry friend into your life, perhaps reading about these positive benefits will put any potential doubts to rest.

Dog Groomers Providing

THE ISPCA HAS advised dog groomers that they can provide emergency services for clients whose dogs need urgent grooming to prevent welfare problems.

The association said it has received a number of queries from dog groomers and their clients raising concerns about the welfare of dogs that urgently need to be groomed during the Covid-19 crisis.

“Animal welfare is an essential service and necessary animal welfare interventions can and should continue,” an ISPCA spokesperson said.

They said groomers should assess each dog on “a case-by-case basis by photos or video conferencing”.

“If the groomer considers that grooming is necessary, they should arrange for the client to attend their premises by appointment and implement protocols that maintain good hygiene and social distancing,” the spokesperson advised.

They added that personal protective equipment such as disposable gloves should be worn during the appointment. The ISPCA said it sought clarity on dog grooming services from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, which provided similar advice.

Therapy Dog Cares For Frontline Workers

With all the stress from the coronavirus outbreak, a therapy dog in Tennessee  is providing much-needed care to frontline workers.

Canines for Christ Chaplain Ron Leonard and Molly, his rescue dog who has been on 4,900 visits over the last seven years, are delivering cookies to police officers in Nashville on Tuesday. “Personally, during these challenging days of COVID-19, it has been a joy and privilege to make a difference to law enforcement, first responders, and health care workers,” Leonard told Fox News. The duo has been delivering free Buffalo Wild Wings and pizza since the shutdowns began. They recently went to Tristar Summit Medical Center in Hermitage with pizza and honored the doctors and nurses, FOX 17 reported. When Leonard shows up with Molly, he calls it the “ministry of presence” and uses a “vocabulary of silence” just being with those on the frontlines. A lot of healthcare workers and police officers like to pet the dog and get that stress off and letting them know they matter,” he said. Leonard is a retired Army National Guard and U.S. Navy cook who went into ministry when his military service ended. He and his wife, Marilyn, adopted Molly when she was just six weeks old after being left to die in freezing weather alongside her mom. When he discovered Canines for Christ, a ministry that now has 900 volunteers and over 1,000 dogs across the nation, he said, “little did we know she would become a hero to so many.”

Last year, the Murfreesboro Police Department thanked them for visiting the 9-1-1 dispatchers, whom Leonard calls “invisible heroes,” after the department lost one of their officers. Leonard also recently joined the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations as a volunteer chaplain and he and Molly have been asked to help comfort families of missing children with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

From cookies to hugs and just being there, Leonard and Molly have seen countless smiles, tears, and comfort.

“If you don’t think you can minister,” Leonard said, “then you’ve got to think outside the box.”

Veteran’s Service Dog

Right before the coronavirus lockdown was in place, Joe Tasby was admitted to Southern Hills Hospital in Las Vegas. He suffered from lung disease and from a heart arrhythmia. During his stay, his daughter came in every day to care for his guide dog, Cupid. Tasby is a blind veteran, so Cupid is extremely important to him.

But then the lockdown started. Visitors were no longer allowed, and Tasby had no idea how long he’d be in the hospital. With no one to care for Cupid, he began to panic. Luckily, a kind nurse stepped in to save the day. Barbara Borbeck, a nurse who was caring for Tasby, saw that he needed help. The veteran needed Cupid in the hospital with him and Cupid needed basic needs just like everyone else. So, Borbeck stepped in to care for the dog too. Whatever the yellow Lab needed, she was there to help. “She came in first thing every morning and took him for a walk all around the hospital as she did her rounds, made sure he got outside to get some fresh air and exercise. She made sure he had food and treats. Everything he needed, she took care of,” said Tasby.

Cupid grew attached to Borbeck almost right away. Every morning when she arrived, he would wait for her and greet her with a wagging tail. He could sense that she was an incredible person that deserved lots of love.

Borbeck’s kind actions weren’t just limited to the hospital though. When Cupid ran out of his special food, she went to go get more without even being asked. Many pet stores were running low on supplies, so she visited 9 different places before finding the right food. She even drove 40 minutes out of her way to pick it up before work. Tasby could not believe her dedication to him and his dog.

Tasby stayed at the hospital for about 3 weeks before he was able to go home. Throughout his entire stay, Borbeck was there to care for Cupid as if he were her own dog. Tasby had no idea how he could possibly thank her enough. “I left there thinking, ‘I have to find some kind of way to show this lady how much I appreciate what she has done for us through a difficult time,” said Tasby. “It’s fortunate when you meet somebody who is in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing. And that is Barbara.” Even though Borbeck helped Tasby and Cupid immensely, Cupid actually helped the hospital too. During the lockdown, therapy dogs can no longer come in for the patients and staff. So, the hard-working employees at the hospital loved petting Cupid to help relieve some of their stress. He was able to help a lot of the staff during these tough times. Borbeck is just one of the many heroes that should be recognized during the COVID-19 pandemic. She went above and beyond for her patient and his dog. She helped make his experience at the hospital more wonderful than he ever could have imagined. Thank you to Borbeck for all her hard work and dedication during these uncertain times.

Preparing Dogs For After The Pandemic

If dogs could talk I’m sure they would say they are loving having us home all the time. And we humans sure love to lean over your home office chair and give our fur baby a belly rub.

Many people have used this extra time at home to bring a new dog or puppy into the family, but what are ways you can get your pup used to you eventually leaving the house and heading to work?

We reached out to local dog trainer Tanya Allison, from COPE Service Dogs and owner of Mannered Mutts Dog Services, to find out how to keep the pups happy, while preparing them for your eventual departure from the home.

She says that your puppy has to learn to be alone, independent, and not be used to someone being present 24/7. “The crate will be your puppies new best friend! Typically I will only feed the puppies their meals in the crate (door open at the start) and after a few times you can start closing the door while they are eating.”

Allison suggests providing them with really exciting toys and high value treats when they are in the crate and nowhere else.

Try short periods in the crate at first, and then go into a different room and work up to leaving the house.

Try not to make a big deal of you leaving and coming home Allison says. “This can feed into their anxiety.”

A tricky part of getting a puppy right now is the lack of socializing with other dogs. Puppies learn skills from other well-socialized and well-mannered dogs, which is extremely important during those first few weeks.

Unfortunately, this can’t happen right now because of restrictions, however, we can make some extremely positive experiences with our puppies by walking them in our neighborhoods Allison notes. “When they see other dogs and puppies feed them yummy high-value treats. This creates an association in the dog’s brain that when other dogs are around really good things happen. “

What about dogs who were used to their owners being gone before? Will they be able to bounce right back to being left alone once their owners head back to work?

Allison says that depends on the dog and if you have been sticking to some sort of routine.

She suggests getting out of the house without them a few times a day, even if it is just a walk around the block. Do things in separate rooms of the house, practice having them in their crate if that is what they usually do when you are not home. “This will be helpful for when you go back to work without them.  And once again, don’t make a big deal about you leaving.”

Dogs are incredibly smart at making connections or associations in their environments Allison shares. They pick up on what we call pre-departure cues such as picking up your purse, keys, or putting on your shoes.

Make a list of these cues and do them throughout the day to create a new association. For example, try picking up your keys and then go and sit on the couch. “Picking up keys doesn’t always mean you’re leaving.”

If your dog or new puppy has severe separation anxiety, Allison suggests contacting a local trainer to come up with a game plan on how to help them.

In the end, Allison shares that it’s an amazing privilege to have all this extra time with our animals, and it will definitely increase the bonds we have with our puppies.

Strong Service dog

A service dog was forced to have its leg amputated after being shot in a Caroline County neighborhood. Richard Sibert and his family live in the Lake Land’Or subdivision and are in disbelief about what happened steps away from their front porch six days ago.

Sibert is a two-time cancer survivor. He was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at five-years-old and diagnosed with testicular cancer at age 12. He also suffered head trauma in his early 20s and adopted Minnie to help with his PTSD.

“I started having flashbacks and night sweats, really bad anxiety,” said Sibert. “I adopted Minnie and she was always there for me. It’s almost like she could speak to me, like she felt how I felt.”

Minnie has now been a healthy, happy member of the Sibert family for the past five years, but now she is getting used to her new reality, learning to walk with three legs after being shot on May 6.

Sibert said his three dogs somehow got out of their backyard and were sniffing around his neighbor’s home. William Hinton, a 74-year-old Vietnam War veteran, lives across the street from the Sibert family and was having work done on his house the day of the incident.

A worker was in Hinton’s driveway when the dogs came around. Sibert says the worker asked Hinton if he knew who the dogs belonged to. According to Sibert, Hinton responded with, “no I have no idea whose they are, never seen them before, but I’m going to get protection.”

Sibert told 8News that’s when Hinton opened fire, a bullet hitting Minnie in her front leg. She hobbled back across the street and collapsed on the front porch.

“Our whole front porch and the stairs were covered in her blood,” Sibert said. “Her leg was almost completely separated. The bone was hanging out and she was bleeding profusely.”

Sibert rushed Minnie to the Emergency Vet, where he was told she would need an emergency amputation, which would cost more than $4,500.

“I used our whole entire savings account to pay for it,” explained Sibert. “And I still didn’t have enough to cover the entire amount.”

Sibert is a truck driver and works six days a week for support his wife and five children. He wasn’t able to afford the entire amount on the spot, so he created a GoFundMe page. His generous neighbors, some who witnessed the aftermath, donated money for Minnie.

Sibert also worked with the Old Dominion Humane Society, who helped him get the price lowered and in contact with Ferry Farm Animal Clinic in Fredericksburg, where the operation was performed.

Sibert said prior to the incident, he would often see Hinton walking around the neighborhood with his gun and cane. He says the two would exchange friendly hello’s, but nothing more.

“That’s insane to fire your weapon in a residential area,” exclaimed Sibert. “You have no idea if there’s kids on the other side of the woods or it could have ricocheted and hit that house. We don’t feel comfortable with him owning firearms.”

Sibert told 8News when the shooting happened neighbors ran out of there house after hearing gunshots. A neighbor told Sibert, Hinton yelled, “It’s a pitbull and it’s trying to attack me.”

Sibert said his dog has been around his five children and children in the neighborhood for years and doesn’t even bark. He said Minnie is a therapy dog and is not ever aggressive or malicious. He also added that Minnie is not a pitbull.

Samantha McLaurin sent a statement to 8News reading in part, “I have interacted with Minnie countless times, and she has been nothing but sweet and calm.When I went outside I immediately lost composure when I realized what had happened and yelled at him ‘what is wrong with you??’ In my opinion, I don’t think she attempted to attack him.” It is devastating that someone would make such a horrible choice to intentionally injure Minnie, when Minnie doesn’t have a mean ounce in her little body. Even away from her family, surrounded by strangers, new dogs, and pushed beyond her regular daily limits – I have the pleasure of telling the world that this dog is an angel. It is situations like this that hopefully the newly passed Tommie’s Law will protect dogs like Minnie and up hold justice for her and her family that had to witness this tragic situation.”

Canine Companions

Visitors to the lobby of Sonoma Jet Center were greeted by an unusual sight Tuesday morning: two dozen Labrador retrievers, Golden retrievers and crosses of the two breeds. Squirming, frolicking, yapping — and in a few cases, zonked out for an early nap — the pups gave new meaning to the expression “precious cargo.”

Tuesday’s puppy airlift was organized by Santa Rosa-based Canine Companions for Independence, a national nonprofit that places assistance dogs with children, adults and veterans with disabilities.

In ordinary times, the pups would be flown to Canine Companion’s far-flung network of trainers, and training centers, on commercial airlines. With the coronavirus severely curtailing flights, said Paige Mazzoni, the nonprofit’s CEO, the supply chain of puppies had been “disrupted.”

To rescue came Josh Hochberg, Jeff Stewart and Martyn Lewis, pilots who live in the area and agreed to fly the puppies on their own private aircraft. Thus was the tarmac at the Sonoma Jet Center transformed, for a half hour or so, into what looked like a Hallmark commercial.

The dogs were then placed in crates — two per container, so they didn’t get lonely — on the planes. Hochberg, owner of the jet center, adjacent to the Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport, would be dropping dogs in Portland and Seattle in his sleek Cessna 340.

In his King Air B200 turboprop, Stewart was delivering puppies to Boise, Idaho, Spokane, Washington, then Great Falls, Montana. While he’d be cruising at 28,000 feet, the cabin would be pressurized to 6,000 feet — “like going to Tahoe,” he said.

With snow forecast in Great Falls Tuesday and inclement weather expected throughout the Northwest, Stewart said he needed to make sure the crates were secure. “It’ll be bumpy on the takeoffs and landings,” he said.

Stewart, who has over 30 years of experience, is also president of Blue Star Gas, a propane distribution company in Santa Rosa. Like all the pilots working with Canine Companions, he’s donating his time and paying for the plane fuel to get the pups to their trainers.

“Having an opportunity like this,” he said, “to make sure that people who need these animals are able to have them, when they need them — it feels wonderful.”

Visitors to the lobby of Sonoma Jet Center were greeted by an unusual sight Tuesday morning: two dozen Labrador retrievers, Golden retrievers and crosses of the two breeds. Squirming, frolicking, yapping — and in a few cases, zonked out for an early nap — the pups gave new meaning to the expression “precious cargo.”

Tuesday’s puppy airlift was organized by Santa Rosa-based Canine Companions for Independence, a national nonprofit that places assistance dogs with children, adults and veterans with disabilities.

In ordinary times, the pups would be flown to Canine Companion’s far-flung network of trainers, and training centers, on commercial airlines. With the coronavirus severely curtailing flights, said Paige Mazzoni, the nonprofit’s CEO, the supply chain of puppies had been “disrupted.”

To rescue came Josh Hochberg, Jeff Stewart and Martyn Lewis, pilots who live in the area and agreed to fly the puppies on their own private aircraft. Thus was the tarmac at the Sonoma Jet Center transformed, for a half hour or so, into what looked like a Hallmark commercial.

The dogs were then placed in crates — two per container, so they didn’t get lonely — on the planes. Hochberg, owner of the jet center, adjacent to the Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport, would be dropping dogs in Portland and Seattle in his sleek Cessna 340.

In his King Air B200 turboprop, Stewart was delivering puppies to Boise, Idaho, Spokane, Washington, then Great Falls, Montana. While he’d be cruising at 28,000 feet, the cabin would be pressurized to 6,000 feet — “like going to Tahoe,” he said.

With snow forecast in Great Falls Tuesday and inclement weather expected throughout the Northwest, Stewart said he needed to make sure the crates were secure. “It’ll be bumpy on the takeoffs and landings,” he said.

Stewart, who has over 30 years of experience, is also president of Blue Star Gas, a propane distribution company in Santa Rosa. Like all the pilots working with Canine Companions, he’s donating his time and paying for the plane fuel to get the pups to their trainers.

“Having an opportunity like this,” he said, “to make sure that people who need these animals are able to have them, when they need them — it feels wonderful.”

New Therapy Dog ‘Mango’

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office welcomed a new team member on Tuesday.

“Mango” joined the Behavioral Health Intervention Team as an Animal Assisted Therapy Dog.

Mango is a Labrador mix and is approximately 18-months-old.

He is the partner of Detective Ortiz. The pair will assist residents experiencing mental health issues, with Mango providing a calm and soothing presence on calls for service.

The sheriff’s office said he was rescued from the streets of Brevard County and was chosen as a candidate for their inmate training program.

In the program, inmates work with dogs to train basic obedience skills so the dogs can pass the AKC Canine Good Citizen test.

Det. Ortiz joined Mango for his final week of training in Brevard before returning to Pasco to train with the sheriff’s office’s K9 unit.

An Animal Companion

An emotional support animal can be nothing short of a lifesaver for many people struggling with mental health problems. Much like a guide dog, emotional support animals will help you through stressful and anxiety-inducing situations you would otherwise find very difficult to handle on your own. On top of this, they provide companionship through tough times and are always there to hand out support without feeling judged, the best bit about an animal is that they will always love you for who you are, whether you’re going through a really hard time or you’re on top of the world.

When it comes to emotional support animals we aren’t talking about any normal pet, neither are we talking about service or therapy animals. ESA’s have certain legal rights that are specific to their role, but to be able to have legal allowances they need to be registered as an emotional support animal, only then can you enjoy the true benefits of having one. The number of people suffering from mental illness of any kind is rising rapidly which is why any help and support we can get the better, having an emotional support animal could benefit you in huge ways if you are suffering from depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, any phobias, and panic attacks. It’s been found that having a companion has given huge relief when other methods haven’t worked. To qualify you will need to determine what disability you have that requires you to have an ESA, this is done by your therapist or a medical healthcare professional and they will decide if having an ESA will help you.  There is a difference between an emotional support animal and a service dog, mainly it’s the legal allowances so it’s best to understand that if you’re going to have one. The main difference being an ESA will provide only emotional support for its owner, whereas a service animal will carry out tasks for them and make life physically as well as mentally easier. There’s a difference in legal allowances between the two as well, whilst a service dog will be able to go pretty much wherever it’s owner goes, an ESA will have limited rights. Any animal can be an emotional support animal, but you have to be realistic when using public transport or flying, people aren’t going to be too happy sitting next to a tarantula on a plane for 5 hours. It’s best to have an ESA that’s widely socially accepted. If you’re thinking of getting an ESA then do some research first to find out what’s best for you, if you choose something like a dog then take time to look into all the breeds and see which suits you best. If you’re struggling with anything and feel like an ESA will help improve your life then don’t wait any longer, take the first step.

Virtual Therapy Dogs

Ricochet has been surfing with wounded warriors and helping people with PTSD for years. Now, her human is finding opportunities for people to see her virtually.