‘Sister Wives’ Fans Agree Dogs Like Mosby Are Lifesavers During COVID-19 Epidemic

Sister Wives fans know that Meri Brown dotes on Mosby and the other dog that lives with Mariah. She shares photos of Mosby as often as she gets to see the little pooch. Actually, she’d love a dog for herself but resisted the temptation. Now, her fans agree that dogs like Mosby are lifesavers during the crazy time of the COVID-19 epidemic.

Sister Wives – Meri resisted the temptation to get her own dog

TV Shows Ace reported that in February, Meri met up with some puppies. She adores dogs and shared about how she resisted the temptation to get one. That came even though her BNB, Lizzie’s Heritage Inn reminded her that they’re dog-friendly. Fans know that Meri’s particularly in love with little Mosby. Mariah and Audrey keep Mosby with their other dog, Koda. But, when Meri gets the opportunity, she spends a lot of time with them.

Recall that in a previous season, fans saw Meri clinging to little Mosby as Audrey and Mariah prepared to return to Chicago. But right now, Meri seems to have access to Mosby. The Sister Wives star shares a few photos of the little fellow during the coronavirus self-distancing and quarantine. The little pup and Meri seem equally devoted to each other. Mosby really seems to cheer up her life right now. And, many fans agree their own pooches make life bearable at this difficult time.

Two photos of Mosby – fans love the little dog

In the past three days, Meri shared two photos of Mosby. In the first one, Mosby looked laid back, tuckered out and relaxed. He lay sprawled on his back on the chair with Meri. Fans loved the photo, which she described as Mosby being “tired” out. On Tuesday, she shared another photo of Mosby looking utterly blissed-out. She captioned that one with, “Puppy life… Can it get any better??” Well, many fans agree that pups really bring special meaning to their lives right now.

One Sister Wives fan remarked that “it’s no small thing to be loved by a dog.” Another fan wrote, “I learn a lot from my dogs … simplicity of life, being in the moment, unconditional love. So no, it doesn’t get any better. ?❤️.” But, one follower noted something more. Their comment read, “Puppy loves’ a lifesaver right now…” And, yes, love and unconditional affection seem to help a lot of fans get through the coronavirus stress.

It’s actually a fact that dogs help people with stress right now. Those who have a special love for a dog like Mosby definitely get the benefits. VOA Lifestyle noted, “Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)…provide companionship; and reduce people’s stress and anxiety.” Meanwhile, “Evan MacLean … a biological anthropologist at the University of Arizona” weighed in as well. According to him, dogs bring some “welcome emotional support during the current worldwide health crisis.”

Do you agree that Meri Brown from Sister Wives looks happy and relaxed in the company of Mosby? Do you own a dog and does that help you through the epidemic? Sound off your thoughts in the comments below.

When I’m Stressed or Anxious, My Guinea Pig, Dewey, Helps Me

I’m a happily married mom of two boys. On any given day, I am called to be a chauffeur, cook, referee, accountant, or nurse for my family. And for the most part, I juggle it all well. But sometimes my anxiety and depression get the better of me, and for that I turn to Dewey. Who’s he? Dewey is my cream-colored, brown-spotted, pink-nosed guinea pig. Yes, I consider my guinea pig an emotional support rodent.

I grew up in a pet-loving family. Throughout the years, there was always a dog I could cuddle, a parakeet I could chirp to, or a goldfish I could tap at. It should also be known that I was a very anxious child, and that I quickly found solace in these pets. One of my earliest pet-related memories is sitting in the backyard with my dog,  Baxter, whispering into her ear all the worries I had about school and friends. I was about 11. Even then, I realized how much this furry companion meant to me.

She didn’t judge. She didn’t talk back. She just listened and gave me unconditional love all in exchange for a few pets. She died when I was in high school, and it hit me hard. So hard that I tried to never get as attached to another pet like that ever again. But sometimes those furry little faces get you, and just when you need them the most, they show up.

All dogs are emotional support animals right now

The world may feel like it’s falling apart outside, but my dogs remain blissfully ignorant. They, are currently living their absolute best life and could not be happier with this whole quarantine business. Let’s be honest, the dogs are the real winners of this whole debacle.

I have no wise words or keen insight about life to offer right now. Today’s blog is purely and Aspen and Willow appreciation post, really an appreciation of all dogs right now. My two loveable goofballs are keeping me sane, loved, and entertained. I’m sure I’m not the only one.

I’ve seen more pictures of my friends dogs, and cats for that matter, pop up on social media in the last week than I have in the last year. (friends, please keep those pics coming!)

They’re our new coworkers. Our constant companions, best friends, and a never-ending source of humor in otherwise very stressful times. Aspen and Willow aren’t quite sure why we are home all the time now, but they are certainly taking advantage of the extra pets, playtime, attention, and treats that they are getting because of it.

Aside from the pure joy that they bring me just by being themselves, they also help in a much different way. By taking care of them, I’m reminded to take better care of myself. Their wet noses and endless energy keep me from sleeping too late each morning. I’m reminded to eat something every time I feed them (remembering to eat is something I’m notoriously bad at, especially when stressed). Every time I let them out to play, I’m reminded that maybe I could use some sunshine and fresh air too. I swear I can take care of myself, but having them around helps.

I know it’s tough to have to stay home all day, every day, for the foreseeable future. But it’s going to be absolutely necessary in order for us to get a handle on the current pandemic. I just hope that everyone has a pet, or pets, as great as mine to help them get through it all.

Don’t have a pet to keep you company in quarantine? Now might be the perfect time to foster. McKamey Animal Center would love to hook you up!

Therapy dogs may help lower emergency clinicians’ stress

New research published in Academic Emergency Medicine indicates that for physicians and nurses working evening shifts in the emergency department, interacting with a therapy dog for several minutes may help lower stress.

In the 122-participant study, emergency providers randomized to a five-minute interaction with a therapy dog and handler had a significant reduction in self-reported anxiety using a visual analogue scale compared with patients randomized to coloring mandalas for five minutes with colored pencils. Also, at the end of the shift, emergency providers had lower salivary cortisol (a stress hormone) with either coloring or therapy dog interactions compared with controls.

“Many healthcare workers and laypersons believe that dog-assisted support can improve emotional well-being in the healthcare setting, but little hard data exist to scientifically evaluate this belief, especially in emergency care,” said lead author Jeffrey A. Kline, MD, of the Indiana University School of Medicine. “We provide novel data to suggest that emergency care providers enjoyed seeing a dog on shift, and received a small benefit in stress reduction after the interaction. We still do not know the extent to which the benefit was from the dog, the handler, or the combination of the two.”

Australian traveller, 29, begs strangers for $10,000 to bring her Papillon puppy named Boston home

A young Australian woman has asked for strangers to give her $10,000 AUD to bring her dog home from New York – saying she needs him for ’emotional support’.

Georgie Boyd, 29, had to abandon her rescue puppy named Boston in New York when the US government locked her out of the country while she was visiting London because she didn’t have a current visa.

The wedding planner has launched a crowdfunding campaign to bring the Papillon-mix back to Adelaide where she is living. Ms Boyd is using GoFundMe in the hopes of raising $10,000 to bring reunite her with her pet.

She adopted Boston from a puppy shelter in New York in August, where she faced the difficult task of tempering his nerves after a ‘traumatic upbringing’.

‘He was abused and neglected as a puppy, he is afraid of skateboards and bikes which gives him a huge amount of anxiety living in NY,’ Ms Boyd said.

The fundraising total is based off covering the cost of returning the pooch to Australia and putting it through the country’s strict quarantine and biosecurity checks.

Ms Boyd said she needs the money to pay for Boston’s transport and his vet bills, special certificates, injections and bloodwork.

Strict biosecurity measures mean the two won’t be reunited until October at the earliest, as pets are required to get specific injections 180 days before entering the country.

Ms Boyd told Yahoo the coronavirus outbreak meant she was unable to return to her New York apartment when she left the country to renew her visa in London.

‘I was locked in London with a small suitcase – I thought I was going to be there for ten days so I literally had a pair of jeans, a jumper, a t-shirt and some activewear,’ she said.

I had no option but to come back to my parents in Adelaide.’

Her savings were drained paying for the unsuccessful visa renewal process and the cost of returning to Australia.

She also lost the security deposit and around $2,000 worth of furniture.

But she managed to organise for some friends to look after the dog while she worked out the logistics of bringing him to Australia.

Ms Boyd said it’s devastating being separated from her beloved pooch without a reunion in sight.

‘Boston is everything to me, an emotional support puppy, he would come everywhere with me and get anxious if I was not in eyesight,’ she said.

I dread to think of those who have pets for more serious issues who have now been separated from them.’

Ms Boyd is looking for a job in Australia to help cover the costs of bringing Boston home, but with the wedding industry grounded by COVID-19 opportunities are limited.

‘I had a wedding here in May in that decided to elope. Now I’m on the hunt for a creative role here, which given the situation is proving difficult,’ she said.

 

Coronavirus: Service dog in training comforts staff at Denver hospital

A doctor raising a service dog in training has enlightened the mood at the hospital where she works by bringing the pup to work amid fear from the coronavirus.

Dr. Susan Ryan is raising Wynn, a 1-year-old Labrador retriever, for Canine Companions for Independence, KDVR reported. The organization provides the dogs at no cost to those in need.

Ryan, an emergency physician, started taking Wynn to Rose Medical Center as part of her training to socialize and teach basic obedience.

“She’s a calm presence; she grounds us. Everybody goes and seeks her out when they need just an extra bit of a minute to pet her, snuggle or kiss her,” Ryan told KDVR.

Wynn went to the hospital regularly with Ryan before the outbreak, but her appearances are more appreciated lately.

The bond between a dog and human can “break down the walls of isolation, which is really important in this time when people are physically distancing,” Ryan told KDVR. “They don’t have to be socially or emotionally distant.”

There are more than 1,400 coronavirus confirmed cases in Colorado and 24 deaths, Colorado Public Radio reported.

Could dogs face extreme separation anxiety after lockdown is lifted

Spending every waking minute of the day with a human is every dog’s dream. But when coronavirus lockdown ends, canines will have to adjust back to ‘normal life’ without constant companionship – which could lead to problems. Queen Elizabeth II’s corgi trainer has spoken out about how dogs may experience ‘extreme separation anxiety’ after lockdown ends, due to the fact they’ve become overly-dependent on humans. Speaking to The Times, Dr Roger Mugford – an animal psychologist used by the royal family – explained: ‘With such an overload of quality time with their families, dogs are building up a huge reservoir of over-dependency which could see them suffer when mums and dads suddenly return to work and the children go back to school.’

He says that pets could show this distress in a number of ways – from chewing furniture, barking, going to the toilet inside or, in more severe cases, ‘self-harm’. Dr Mugford advises that the best way to prepare for lockdown is to get them used to short intervals apart – this could be just 30 minutes to start with. He also suggests placing a webcam in your house to see how your dog responds when left alone. But pets are not the only ones enjoying company. With anxiety on the rise, due to the global pandemic, many of us humans are turning to our four-legged friends for emotional support and comfort. Pet adoption has also risen, as a result of coronavirus. Dr Mugford says it’s important to get these pets ready for life after lockdown, as many will have a ‘huge shock’ once restrictions are lifted.  He urges that periods of separation – starting small and working up to longer spurts – are the best way to help prepare them.

Rachel Casey, director of canine behaviour and research at Dogs Trust agrees that lockdown could trigger anxiety problems for dogs. She urges people to try and get their animals ready for ‘normal life’. She said: ‘Now is the time to act to avoid future problems – and it’s easy to do. ‘Just make sure that you factor in time apart from your dog each day to help them be able to cope when alone – this could be separated from you by a door or child gate for an hour or two whilst you’re working or home schooling the kids. ‘By organising your dog’s day, with time apart, play times, exercise, other activity sessions (like giving them a food filled toy) and quiet times, you can make sure that your dog maintains their ability to cope with the different aspects of “normal” life when we get back to it.’

 

 

“A Dog’s True Story”

https://youtu.be/EI258qbh4Fc

 

In May 2017, the largest coastal landslide in California’s history buried the scenic Pacific Coast Highway under more than 1 million tons of dirt and rock. A new documentary short film produced by Dana Richardson and Sarah Zentz, California Landslide: A Dog’s True Story is the captivating account of the two filmmakers and their beloved dog as they face this catastrophic natural disaster and forge an unbreakable bond. The 18-minute documentary is told through the eyes of Dana and Sarah’s dog, Anika, who encourages humans to love and protect the planet we call home.

The filmmaking pair have been directing and producing independent documentary films as Dana & Sarah Films since 2008. Their powerful documentaries Back to Eden (2011) and Goshen (2015) have received critical acclaim and prestigious film awards throughout the world.

The Bark spoke to the filmmakers about their latest film and the role Anika played in its making. As part of our Earth Day 2020 celebration, we are proud to bring you the exclusive premiere of California Landslide: A Dog’s True Story.

A: We decided to tell our story through the eyes and voice of our dog Anika because her playful personality lightens the mood and brings levity. Anika’s heartwarming point of view offers an approachable perspective on the impacts of the climate crisis. Plus, she is super-lovable! Additionally, we wanted to honor her for saving our lives.

Q: What role did Anika play in your lives before, during and after the epic coastal landslide?

A: Anika helped us cope with the stress and uncertainty we faced during these times by always being by our side. Vizslas are notorious for being attached to their humans. They even have the nickname “Velcro Vizsla,” because they tend to stick to you. Anika, though not a registered emotional support animal, offered us emotional support during the most difficult times.

Her breed is also known for its high energy. Typically, Anika gets at least an hour of off-leash running every day. After the disaster, there were days when we didn’t want to go outside, but Anika never let that happen. She motivated us to be active. Taking her on long hikes through the redwood forest was the daily routine that provided us with exercise and socialization, which without question helped us recover from the traumatic experience.

Q: Could you tell if Anika experienced these events differently than the two of you did, either before or during the landslide?

A: Anika definitely was behaving as if she was aware that we were in danger before we realized the extent of the catastrophe. When the landslide activity started, we heard boulders crashing our home during the night. Anika was standing up, alert. We thought it was just a small rockslide and nothing to worry about.

When we tried to walk down the mountain to survey the damage from the storm, Anika completely stopped in her tracks and did not allow us to go farther. We thought it was strange, but we trusted her instincts. Little did we know that we were walking right into an active rockslide zone.

Later, we encountered the rockslide on our driveway that trapped us on the mountain. We couldn’t help but wonder if, had we not listened to Anika and turned around, the rockslide could have potentially hurt us.

Q: You mention in the film that people who experience trauma heal sooner and more completely when they have a dog to assist. Tell us more about that.

A: Research shows that disaster victims suffer from tremendous PTSD and depression, as many are displaced from their homes and separated from familiar surroundings.

In a 2019 study titled The Effect of Pets on Human Behavior and Stress in Disaster, scientists conducted research on the survivors of a massive earthquake in Japan in 2011. They found that PTSD scores were higher in pet owners compared to non-pet owners immediately after the earthquake, but lower in pet-owners compared to non-pet owners 4.4 years following the disaster.

The immediate increase of stress was attributed to the challenges faced by pet owners in protecting their animals during evacuation and in difficulties finding pet-friendly shelters. However, the long-term recovery improvements from PTSD after a disaster were attributed to their animals’ emotional and psychological support, as well as to the increase of pro-social behaviors. Especially with dogs, since dog walking was linked to preventing loneliness and enhancing social interactions that helped victims recover from PTSD

We found this to be very accurate to our experience with our dog during the aftermath of a massive natural disaster. She helped us recover from the trauma through her companionship and an increase in our outdoor activity.

Q: The rebuilding of the coastal highway required a herculean effort. Do you think such reclamation projects are essentially futile in the face of the changing natural forces?

A: The rebuilding of the coastal highway was a huge undertaking, one that cost $54 million and took more than a year to reopen the highway. The coast of California continues to have landslide activity that challenges engineers to come up with solutions to the ongoing earth movement. Making efforts to protect and restore the environment is urgently needed to provide long-term solutions to the impacts of climate change.

Q: What are your plans for the film? Will Anika take part in the promotional and educational outreach?

A: We have completely transformed our original film-distribution plans due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We decided to host the world premiere of the film for free on the Dana & Sarah Films Youtube channel. During the premiere, we will be chatting LIVE with audience members through a chat forum next to the YouTube player. You can join in the premiere screening and chat on April 22 @ 12 noon EDT (9 a.m. PDT).

We are grateful to wonderful publications such as The Bark, who are helping us spread the message of the film!

Unfortunately, all film festivals have been postponed or moved online during this time. Regardless, we have submitted it to a small selection of film festivals nationally and internationally. We plan to participate in film screenings with Anika in attendance when the quarantine is lifted and it is safe to travel. For upcoming screenings, visit Dana & Sarah Films.

If you would like to support the filmmakers’ audience and outreach efforts, make a tax-deductible donation through the International Documentary Association.

Guidance for Emotional Support Animals

Requests for assistance animal accommodations have skyrocketed in recent years. People with disabilities who need animals to assist them with major life activities may ask housing providers to make accommodations that will allow them to reside with their animals (even in a pet-free building) and to not pay any pet fees. Assistance animals, also called emotional support animals, are not limited to service animals, which are defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Service animals are specifically trained dogs (or miniature horses) that do work or perform specific tasks for people with disabilities. Under the Fair Housing Act, the primary federal law that prohibits disability discrimination in housing, the definition of assistance animals includes other animals that perform work or provide emotional support for people with disabilities. There is no official certification or training requirement for assistance animals, and no limit on breed or type or animal.

Confusion and abuse related to emotional support animal requests have caused significant problems and concerns for property owners and managers. There are online services that provide emotional support animal certificates for a fee without a diagnosis or medical review. These online forms generate a realistic-looking doctor’s letter, which is often signed by a licensed medical professional who has neither met nor even spoken to the applicant. Housing providers struggle to discern legitimate requests for assistance animals while also meeting the needs of other tenants in the building who may have chosen to live in a no-pet property because of issues such as allergies, safety and noise.

For years, NAR has urged the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to clarify the law on assistance animal requests. HUD issued long-awaited guidance this January, which will hopefully cut down on abuse of this provision. The guidance recommends best practices for assessing an accommodation request, as well as guidelines on what information housing providers may request regarding the need for the accommodation, without violating the Fair Housing Act’s prohibition against disability discrimination.

While the guidance confirms that breed or even number of animals cannot be limited by the Fair Housing Act, property owners/managers may request specific information related to the need for each animal. Further, when a tenant requests an accommodation for an unusual animal (beyond the type generally considered a household pet), the requester has additional burdens to demonstrate the need for the specific type of animal. Among these are the specific disability-related therapeutic need that this type of animal can provide.

While breeds of animals cannot be prohibited, behavior by that specific animal may be considered. If an assistance animal has demonstrated a direct threat to the health and safety of others or to the property, the animal can be denied. Further, any damage caused by an animal is the responsibility of the tenant and can be charged to them or taken from their security deposit.

Included in HUD’s recent guidance is an outline of the specific types of documentation that housing providers may request of a person seeking an accommodation for an assistance animal. These include whether the healthcare professional providing information on the person’s disability-related need for the animal has a professional relationship with the patient, the date of their last consultation, whether the patient’s impairment substantially limits at least one major life activity, and why the patient needs the specific animal. It is important to note that a housing provider may not ask a tenant or applicant to provide documentation affirming the disability-related need for an assistance animal if the disability or disability-related need is readily apparent or already known to the provider (for example, a person with a vision impairment or physical disability). Housing providers may only inquire about the disability-related need of the animal, and may not make any inquiries about the nature or severity of a person’s disability, itself.

The new guidance is effective immediately and replaces HUD’s 2013 guidance on this subject. However, the guidance cautions that providers “should not reassess requests for reasonable accommodations that were granted prior to the issuance of this guidance.”

We need effective national standards for service animals

The problem of fraudulent service animals will continue despite the U.S. Department of Transportation’s recent attempts to remedy the issue. The time for public comment on proposed amendments to the Air Carrier Access Act service animal rule has ended with no promise that the amendments will remedy the situation.

The proposed amendment would do a number of extremely helpful things. To start, it would align the ACAA’s definition of a service animal with that of the Department of Justice’s Americans with Disabilities Act. Airlines would no longer treat emotional support animals as service animals, but as pets (which is still a highly contentious issue). And airlines would limit service animals to dogs, instead of the previous range of odd animals.

These are overdue changes to the law. However, the ACAA is also proposing to require passengers to complete a form attesting to their service dogs’ behavior, training, waste relief ability and vaccination record. Although these proposed changes appear to be helpful, they will not do enough to change a broken system. And they may simply add a burden for individuals with disabilities who want to fly.

The problem with the current ADA regulations and the proposed DOT’s regulations is that there is no national system regulating vets and verifies and licenses service dogs. This is equivalent to Americans printing out their own handicap parking permits without going through the DMV.

The ADA allows people to train their own service dogs, and there are no national standards or regulations defining requirements for service dog training or behavior. Service dogs are not even required to pass a simple “canine good citizen” or “public access test” to prove they can behave safely in public. This puts the public, ill-trained service animals and well-trained service animals at risk.

But standards exist for service dogs. For example, Assistance Dog Internationals has stringent requirements their service dogs must pass. The United States could adopt the requirements.

Many people are not aware that well-trained, legitimate service dogs often require extensive training (learning as many as 40 commands), medical assessments and behavioral assessments. They may cost upward of $40,000-$60,000.

The U.S. should create recognizable IDs for service dogs. Rather than having the Department of Transportation decree dogs are the only valid service animals, it should work with the ADA to establish a national licensing system.

Service animal fraud and abuse is rampant, and harms individuals with disabilities (and their trained service animals) — those who need these animals the most. Airlines reported 2,433 complaints in 2016 related to service animals, 2,473 complaints in 2017 and 3,065 in 2018. There are numerous fraudulent service dog programs, which extort individuals with disabilities by providing fake service dogs. Unethical clinicians are falsifying disability documents through online services. Fake service animals continue to harm the reputation of legitimate service animals.

As a clinical psychologist who works with individuals with mental health issues, many of whom ask for service dogs or have them, I believe strongly that legitimate service dogs are necessary. But we need to do better. The U.S. needs a centralized process that approves service dogs and provides credentials. Sadly, the Department of Transportation’s proposed amendments won’t get us there.