Magazine Honors Dog Shelter
Animal control can be a different story for each rural community and urban city. Due to large populations in cities, the work is much different from us in the countryside.
Looking at both is like comparing apples to oranges. Both rural and urban communities have similarities but many differences in the perceptions of animal control. Officers are faced with the same type of hypothetical situations but are exposed to different training, routines and environmental factors.
Fayette County, Ohio is nestled in the south central part of the state. It is a rural, close-knit county of 29,000 people and premium farmland that produces corn and soybeans.
The two-county dog wardens and a part-time employee work under the direction of Sheriff Vernon Stanforth. We are responsible for 407 square miles, respond to calls from dogs running at large, dog bites, and complaints of animals killed by coyotes or other wild animals.
Like Fayette County, many small and rural county shelters depend on dog license fees to operate their budgets. Unfortunately, with limited funding to buy state of the art equipment often found in larger county shelters, we have to improvise, but we get the job done. With the limited staff, we had to develop particular skill sets to deal with the various calls for service within the community.
Fortunately, working for a supportive sheriff in a small rural county allows us to know the community we serve. Our strong working community relationship has helped us have an animal-friendly community.
We have created partnerships with our residents to provide the needed emergency fostering care and adoption resources for a healthier and friendly animal community. Additionally, the cooperative partnerships we have with a local business has allowed us to keep an ongoing supply of dog supplies and food for the shelter.
We are also fortunate to have strong business partners in our county that have continuously supported our shelter and operation. By working together with our community, we have created a safe and friendly environment for unwanted and stray dogs hoping they will find their forever homes.
Service Animals On Planes
The days of pets flying with their owners in airplane cabins for free are coming to an end.
The Department of Transportation issued a final rule Dec. 2 covering animals on airlines. It decided that only dogs can fly as service animals, and companions that passengers use for emotional support don’t count.
The rule aims to settle years of tension between airlines and passengers who bring their pets on board for free by saying they need them for emotional help. Under a longstanding department policy, all the passengers needed was a note from a health professional.
Airlines argued that passengers abused the situation to bring a menagerie of animals on board including cats, turtles, pot-bellied pigs and, in one case, a peacock.
The agency said it was rewriting the rules partly because passengers carrying unusual animals on board “eroded the public trust in legitimate service animals.” It also cited the increasing frequency of people “fraudulently representing their pets as service animals,” and a rise in misbehavior by emotional-support animals, ranging from urinating on the carpet to biting other passengers.
The Department of Transportation proposed the new rule in January and received more than 15,000 comments. While 3,000 commenters favored dropping protections for support animals, 6,000 spoke in favor of them, including people suffering from depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, the department said.
The Paralyzed Veterans of America said the mere presence of a dog, cat or rabbit – even if untrained – can help some travelers, and pet fees of up to $175 one-way are a hardship on low-income people.
The new rule will force passengers with support animals to check them into the cargo hold – and pay a pet fee – or leave them at home. The agency estimated that airlines will gain up to $59.6 million a year in pet fees.
Delta Air Lines says it carried about 250,000 animals including service dogs in 2017 and about 600,000 last year.
Under the final rule, which will go into effect at the end of the month, a service animal is a dog trained to help a person with a physical or psychiatric disability. Advocates for veterans and others had pushed for inclusion of psychiatric service dogs. Airlines will be able to require owners to vouch for the dog’s health, behavior and training. Airlines can require people with a service dog to turn in paperwork up to 48 hours before a flight, but they can’t bar those travelers from checking in online like other passengers.
Airlines can require that service dogs to be leashed at all times, and they can bar dogs that show aggressive behavior. There have been incidents of support animals biting passengers and growling or barking at guide dogs for the blind.
Airlines for America, a trade group for the biggest U.S. carriers, said the new rule will protect passengers and airline employees while helping people travel with trained service dogs.
The Department of Transportation stood by an earlier decision to prohibit airlines from banning entire dog breeds as service animals. That is a setback for Delta Air Lines, which banned “pit bull-type dogs” in 2018, a move that was criticized by disability advocates.
Delta, however, is giving no indication of backing down. In a statement, a Delta spokeswoman said the airline is reviewing the new rule but, “At this time, there are no changes to Delta’s current service and support animal policies.”
Pets Together Program
To combat the sense of loneliness and sadness many are experiencing due to COVID-19, a national nonprofit is facilitating pet visits to bring people and pets together.
Pets Together was created during the COVID-19 pandemic through the Animal Farm Foundation after safety protocols and restrictions limited opportunities to volunteer in the communities they serve.
Edmond resident Pam Harris rescued her 7-year-old sheltie Molly when she was 4 from the Humane Society of southeast Texas.
This year, they have spent some of their extra time at home making virtual visits through the Pets Together program to assisted living centers, hospitals and treatment facilities.
Prior to the pandemic, Harris and Molly volunteered at hospitals around the metro, including Integris and OU Health, but the pandemic brought those visits to a halt. Through Pets Together’s virtual visits, they are visiting with people from around the country.
Harris said she first heard about Pets Together from an email sent through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, another nationwide group.
“I always felt it was important to give back, and volunteering with Pets Together gives me a chance to do that,” Harris said. “It gives me something fun to do when my husband and I are staying home, so that’s why we do it.”
On a typical call, Harris said there are five or six teams on every call.
She said volunteers have all kinds of pets, including dogs, cats, goats, chickens and horses.
“Even if a facility is visiting with us every week, they never know who to expect on a call,” Harris said.
Harris said some facilities will set up individual visits where staff go from room to room with a tablet, while others put the call on a large screen for a group visit.
One of the entertaining things about the calls, Harris said, is the tricks many dogs perform.
“I have been on calls with dogs who dance, ring bells, there’s even one that plays the piano,” Harris said. “It’s just pretty fun. A lot of the volunteers have more than one animal, so they may have dogs and cats, and it can be funny to watch the interaction.”
Harris said a spare bedroom is set up in their house for the Zoom calls, which Molly knows it’s time to sit down on the couch in the room after she hears the magic phrase.
“I say, ‘Molly, let’s go Zoom Zoom,’ and she will run in here and jump on the couch ready to go,” Harris said. “She knows she gets doggie treats after every visit. Otherwise, she is a total couch potato, but she does know she’s getting ready to Zoom.”
The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and encouraging regarding the difference the visits make in the lives of residents and staff at facilities, Harris said.
“Many have been unable to have visits from family members for months,” Harris said. “What we hear from the facility coordinators is that the residents always want to know when they get to see the dogs on TV again.”
Harris said the program was created during a crucial time when many feel socially isolated during long durations at home due to their own health concerns or fear of infecting others.
“This can be especially problematic for older adults, especially during a pandemic like this,” Harris said. “There has been research that shows that isolation can result in a 29% increased risk of mortality, which is comparable to 15 cigarettes a day.”
Harris referenced a Mayo Clinic study that showed pet therapy can reduce anxiety and increase oxytocin in those that engage in the sessions.
She said Pets Together provides a morale boost to all parties involved from the patients to the caregivers and volunteers.
“I think, for me, it’s just that it’s our small way of sharing love and bringing hope to the world with virtual visits,” Harris said. “People are surprised as to how much joy it brings. It’s effectively a virtual puppy playdate and who doesn’t love puppies.”
The program is growing to the extent that there are more volunteers than facilities reaching out to schedule visits, Harris said.
“There is such a need for facilities to bring that program in, and now they can do it for free,” Harris said. “All they need is a tablet and they are good to go. ”Animals don’t have to be certified as therapy animals to participate,” Harris said. “We would love to have pigs, cows, sheep and donkeys. Whatever type of animals people have, they are welcome to join us.”
Canberra Dog Show
Exhibition Park in Canberra hosted a family reunion of sorts this weekend.
After three months of planning, the show dog community came together for Canberra’s first official show since February.
“People have been absolutely elated to be back together again but we’ve had to observe the COVID restrictions,” she said.
Jorden Morris of Wagga Wagga said it was nice to have a break from showing in the early months of the pandemic but she was keen to be back both to spend time with her dog and to see friends again.
“I love my dogs. I’ve shown since I was five, I’m now 31. I’ve been in it for a long time,” she said.
“Obviously there’s the social part of it as well, coming to see everybody we know and getting together with friends but it’s definitely about the dogs and having fun with them just so they enjoy it and as long as they enjoy it I enjoy it.”
Her English Springer Spaniel puppy won best baby puppy in group. But the three-month-old canine has also proven to be a big hit as a therapy dog.
“I’m also a youth worker, so working with kids they just love him and Oska loves the kids.
“They’re not just dogs, they’re your pets, they’re family, they’re everything, so it’s been good to have a dog throughout COVID.”
Dogs ACT vice president Judith Woolley also enjoyed having dogs as companions during the pandemic, but was concerned that many people bought puppies this year and would dump them when they returned to work.
“Unfortunately some of the unscrupulous people, and there are a few in this environment, will make more money because they’re putting the prices up and they’re breeding a lot…. they don’t do the health testing we probably do,” she said.
Ms Woolley said she had been receiving some inquiries from people wanting Doberman puppies for Christmas presents and even for dog fighting.
Her message was that a dog was for life, not for Christmas.
“One thing that we promote here at Dogs ACT is that we don’t have a dog just to keep it in the backyard.
“You’ve got to play with it, you’ve got to train it, have fun with it.”
As for Dobermans, she said they would guard their owners when necessary but were generally lounge-loving family pets.
“We call them Velcro dogs because they stick to you like glue.”
Dogs ACT president Kirsty Neiberding was pleased with the performance of her English Cocker Spaniel, Storm, who was just four points off from gaining an Australian championship title.
But she was equally pleased to meet up with friends, even if they needed to remain socially distanced.
“You make some really really good life-long friends in the show world and I’ve definitely got heaps of those now. Some of them are like family.”
Meet Boone The Therapy Dog
He’s a little beagle on a big mission.
Meet Boone, a 3-year-old dog that was maimed and is now turning tragedy into triumph.
Boone’s hind legs were intentionally cut off by his former owner when he was 6 weeks old.
Tanya and Charlie Diable of Butler Township adopted Boone from Texas. They had a custom two-wheeled wheelchair built for him so he could have mobility.
Tanya says Boone’s mission is to spread “love and kindness.” So she has published a new children’s book about Boone’s life, which launched last week on Amazon.
“Bow Tie Boone” ($12.95) was written by Tanya Diable and is illustrated by New Jersey-based artist Morgan Spicer.
“I wrote this book for Boone,” Diable said. “He has overcome so much and is just an amazing dog. I love that he shows people resilience, love. And no matter what life throws at you, there’s a way to overcome.”
“Bow Tie Boone,” the first in a series, chronicles the true story of Boone’s adoption, obtaining his wheelchair and earning his therapy dog certification.
“This is all new for us, but from what I understand the book is selling well,” Diable said.
All proceeds from book sales will benefit Joey’s P.A.W. (Prosthestics and Wheels), a nonprofit founded in 2017 by the Diables.
Joey’s P.A.W. raises money to buy wheelchairs and prosthetics for injured rescue dogs and shelter dogs in need in the hopes it will make it easier for them to be adopted.
Custom-made animal prosthetics and wheelchairs range from $300-$1,200, depending on each dog’s needs.
To date, it has awarded more than 700 prosthetics and wheelchairs to handicapped dogs in the Pittsburgh region and as far away as the Philippines, Australia, Saudi Arabia and Honduras.
The bow tie reference in the title was inspired by Boone’s signature look.
Boone has 330 custom bow ties in his wardrobe, and he’s rarely seen without one.
“I’m so excited to share Boone’s adoption story and him becoming a therapy dog,” said Diable, who has adopted six other special-needs dogs in addition to Boone.
Boone completed a three-month therapy dog course at The Dog Stop Training in Pittsburgh’s Strip District last year.
During pre-covid times, Boone regularly volunteered at various Pittsburgh locales, including Pittsburgh International Airport, The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh and Lemieux Family Center, and various schools, including Leechburg Area High School and Mars Elementary.
Boone is a bit of a social media pup sensation, with more than 10,000 followers on Instagram.
He traveled to New York City in 2018, appearing in a dog-related segment for the Rachael Ray television show.
“He loves his books, bow ties and bones,” Diable said. “My favorite part of the book is when Boone passes his therapy dog test.”
Boone is the subject of a yearlong project at Gannon University in Erie that the Diables hope will provide him with two rear leg prosthetics, eliminating the need for a wheelchair.
“We happily agreed to help them out,” Diable said. “Boone visited Gannon in October and had a cast made of his legs, a bunch of measurements and tests done that will help them create the prosthetics.”
Four senior mechanical engineering students — Emily Schweitzer, Samantha Moretti, Julia Baumgarner and Noah Cardella — are collaborating on the graded, yearlong project.
Schweitzer met Boone at a charity event and pitched the project idea of designing two prosthetic legs from various plastics and resins.
Scott Steinbrink, an associate professor of mechanical engineering, serves as a faculty mentor for the project in the course Senior Design Lab in Mechanical Engineering.
“What makes this project unique is Boone’s specific disability,” Steinbrink said. “Current prosthetics that have been explored for Boone have defects that make them undesirable. His amputations were more severe than most. He has little residual limb.”
The students are looking at extremes of amputation and trying to design a secure attachment without causing Boone skin damage.
“This project and these students are seeking to better emulate a ‘normal’ experience for a disadvantaged dog,” Steinbrink said.
The team performed a paw strike force analysis on Boone and measured his dimensions and gait.
“We are trying to mimic real legs to him as closely as possible,” Schweitzer said. “Boone was so sweet and cooperative. Our professor said this is unique, and all eyes are on us with this project.”
“It would be awesome if he could get back legs and be able to use them,” Diable said.
The project is funded by the engineering department.
Boone will return to Gannon in early spring to try on the prosthetics.
“Boone did amazing. He didn’t give them any troublek,” Diable said. “He’s so used to the process of putting on his wheelchair, it’s like second nature to him.”
Dogs Quarantining
The coronavirus crisis has brought about many unwelcome changes to households around the world—but it has also allowed or inspired some to make lifestyle choices that were impractical or otherwise out of reach before. One such choice has been adding a pet – and specifically, a dog – to the family. With travel restricted and working and schooling largely happening at home, families across the country have decided that if there was ever a time to get a pup, this is it.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), “There’s no doubt that the public’s desire to support their local shelters by fostering vulnerable animals has been demonstrated through an enormous and unprecedented response. In the first few weeks of stay-at-home orders, the ASPCA saw a nearly 70 percent increase in animals going into foster homes through our New York City and Los Angeles foster programs, compared to the same period in 2019. We also saw nearly 1,600 people complete the ASPCA’s online foster application during the first two months of the pandemic, representing an increase of approximately 400 percent (emphasis added) when compared to 2019.”
While these statistics specifically refer to temporarily fostering shelter animals – not to outright adoption or acquisition of a pet through a breeder or pet store – many articles and news items over the last many months have noted that increased time at home, plus the desire for distraction, companionship, and excuses to get outside has made pets appealing to many households during COVID, especially those who might have considered adding a four-legged family member before, but couldn’t make it work on account of jobs and other out-of-the-house commitments. And for families that already included furry members prior to COVID, the time with them that staying at home has afforded has been a silver lining in an otherwise dark and massive cloud. But those who reside in multifamily buildings, or any type of community that does not have its own private, securely fenced outdoor space have an important question to answer: If I or someone in my household is exposed to COVID, or if one of us tests positive for or becomes sick with it and has to strictly quarantine, who is going to walk the dog three or more times a day?
After months of lockdown in the spring and a seemingly unending outlook of staying at home as much as possible for the remainder of the pandemic, most households have figured out how to meet their basic needs with the online tools available to us. Groceries? They’ll be delivered by 8pm on Tuesday. Entertainment? Netflix and Chill it is. Exercise? The YouTube queue is full of cardio classes. But walking the dog requires an actual human to physically take the dog to a place outside the home where it can “do its business”—something that modern technology has yet to solve. And in many co-ops, condos, and HOAs, to accomplish this, one must traverse – and touch – areas and surfaces that are common to other residents and the public, thus violating the purpose of quarantining. Even though buildings and communities throughout the country are increasingly pet friendly—owing both to the demonstrated increase in property value associated with such policies, and to case law clarifying housing providers’ responsibilities to make reasonable accommodations for residents who require assistance animals for both physical and emotional support under (FHA) Rules —few have yet considered how they will handle a situation in which a resident with a dog is quarantining for COVID and thus cannot take their dog out for walks. Property managers and board members we contacted for this article indicate that their buildings or communities have not put any policies or recommendations in place for these scenarios.
Unfortunately, the likelihood of a multifamily housing resident needing to quarantine is becoming greater as cold weather descends, the holidays approach, and the current surge in coronavirus cases across the nation shows no sign of ebbing. Aside from testing positive or having someone in their household or a close contact test positive or exhibit symptoms, quarantining or self-isolating for at least 14 days could also be mandated by state-dependent travel policies or future lockdown orders that continue to change as numbers rise. Given the upward trend in ownership or fostering of pets during this time, the chances are higher that a quarantining resident will have a dog, so it might be time for boards and managers to at least think about the best way to address the issue.
Comfort Dogs In Court
In a case that is likely to have wider repercussions, Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court has agreed to consider whether a prosecution witness in a murder trial should have been allowed to have her “comfort dog” sitting by her side in the courtroom as she testified.
A state Superior Court panel previously ruled that was permissible.
However, on appeal to the state’s highest court, convicted killer Sheron Purnell is contending the dog’s mere presence prejudiced the jury against him.
In agreeing to hear Purnell’s appeal, the Supreme Court justices opted to ponder whether the Superior Court and the Chester County judge who permitted the dog to sit by the witness during her testimony made bad calls.
The therapy dog issue was one of several matters Purnell appealed and was the only one the Supreme Court agreed to take on.
Police Gets Service Dog
More than 10 years after losing his leg in the line of duty, police dispatcher Don Schultz is getting the service dog he needs thanks to a Utah-based nonprofit.
In 2019, Schultz paid a Tampa area business nearly $10,000 to train and provide him with a service dog with the hope of regaining his independence. But Schultz says the trainer broke the contract leaving him with an untrained puppy.
“I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know where to turn I didn’t have any more money,” he said.
Schultz turned to ABC Action News for help. Our calls and emails to nonprofits led to Labs for Liberty, a Utah charity that trains and donates service dogs to veterans.
Labs for Liberty contacted Canine Champions for Veterans, a nonprofit that gifts service dogs to first responders.
After hearing of Schultz’s plight, Canine Champions donated a yellow lab puppy named Ryder. The nonprofit spent the last year training Ryder to assist Schultz with everyday tasks such as picking up items and opening doors.
In November, Ryder was ready to fly to Tampa and permanently move in with his new partner.
“I think it is going to help me so much,” Schultz said, as he waited for Ryder’s flight to land.
Canine Champions trainer Joe Tomsich accompanied Ryder on the trip and spent two days instructing Don on how to work with his new partner.
“It is a thrill to be the guy who gets to work right alongside people who’ve made sacrifices,” Tomsich said.
Seconds after Ryder and Schultz met, the pup began sniffing his new companion then licking him on the cheek.
“It is an amazing feeling. Words don’t express how I feel now,” Schultz said.
Before leaving the airport, Ryder fell into step with Schultz’s wheelchair quickly taking his position as a permanent member of the family.
“A Godsend, it was awesome,” Schultz said. “Made dreams come true that’s for sure.”
Warrior Canine Connection
A Warrior Canine Connection dog has been honored with the AKC’s 2020 Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence in the service dog category.
Beavercreek Ohio residents Ryan Garrison and Luke, a six-year-old Labrador Retriever and mobility service dog, were paired up by WCC in 2016.
Garrison, who enlisted in the Air Force after the 9/11 attacks, was severely injured while deployed in Iraq in 2006. His injuries included fractured and torn discs in his back, which have resulted in numerous surgeries, chronic pain and anxiety.
Luke not only helps Garrison with his mobility and everyday tasks but since being paired with him, Garrison has been able to better control his anxiety and PTSD.
“I feel beyond blessed to be able to share what Luke, and other WCC service dogs, can do,” said Garrison. “My hope is to encourage other veterans to take a step forward to seek help.”
The official announcement was made earlier this month on an AKC.tv special, which featured a daily episode on each of the five ACE award categories.
“Ryan and Luke have had a special bond since day one,” said WCC Founder and Executive Director Rick Yount. “Luke started healing humans as soon as he was named after 1st Sgt Luke Mercardante, a proud Marine killed in action in Kandahar Province Afghanistan.”
Yount said the service dog brought comfort to the Mercardante family, the many veterans who helped train him in WCC’s Mission Based Trauma Recovery program, and especially to Garrison and his entire family.
In January of this year, Ryan, Luke and his son were involved in a rollover vehicle crash, which triggered flashbacks of his incident in Iraq. Luke gently nudged and pawed at Ryan to pull him out of his anxiety attack. Once they were pulled to safety, Luke calmly walked over to him and took the comfort command position that he was taught at WCC. Even during such a traumatic incident, Luke followed his training and put comforting his owner ahead of anything else.
That experience inspired Garrison to form, Valor Therapeutics, a nonprofit he and his wife are launching to serve active duty veterans and first responders in Dayton and the surrounding area. They plan to provide creative arts therapies, such as music and art therapy, to individuals who’ve seen and experienced traumatic life events.
Little Boy Needs Alert Dog
A few months ago, we brought you the story of a Springfield boy who suffered a life-threatening seizure.
His parents are now raising thousands of dollars to get him a sidekick that could be lifesaving, but they’re still a bit short on funds.
