TailsInc.com

As many pet-owners know, proper pet-care can be an expensive pursuit. For example, I recently took my cat to the vet to treat a urinary tract infection and managed to rack-up a bill to the tune of almost $200.

Currently, pet care costs are non-tax deductible— but under the Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act, individuals could deduct up to $3500 a year for “qualified pet care expenses.”

“HAPPY,” or more specifically, “H.R. 3501,” was introduced by Michigan Representative Thaddeus McCotter, and would cover expenses related to pet care as well as veterinary care, but not the cost of adopting or buying an animal, given that your pet is a “legally owned, domesticated, live animal,” according to The Examiner.

Utilizing the tax code properly not only encourages responsible pet ownership by making it more affordable for pet owners to provide adequate veterinary and other necessary pet care, but also reduces the abandonment and unessesary euthanization of pets by people struggling financially as a result of the economic recession.

You can let your representatives know that you appreciate their efforts to support responsible pet ownership by asking them to consider H.R. 3501 favorably.

This bill is currently being considered by the House Ways and Means Committee.

Through the Patriot Service Dogs program based in Jacksonville and Belleview, FL, six puppies ranging from 8 to 12 months old are given the opportunity to learn, train and help veterans in need. The founders—Julie Drexel, CEO and secretary, along with Susan Bolton, president and volunteer director of training—established the Patriot Service Dog organization in July of 2009.

“Patriot Service Dogs are dedicated to those who served by making a difference four paws at a time,” Bolton says. “We felt there was a need for service dogs for our veterans.”

The organization pairs a dog with a veteran from any war or branch of the military. The service dog will provide care and help with daily life activities from retrieving dropped items, opening and closing doors, turning lights on and off, and helping those with mobility impairment.

The dogs will also provide psychological support by being the veteran’s companion. Bolton says the dog may even provide help to a veteran who is suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Some of the puppies enrolled in the program are donated, while others are taken from shelters. The first puppy trained was a small Golden Retriever named Lady Liberty. An advocate of the organization donated her with a couple other puppies from a litter.

“Liberty did very well in her tests,” Bolton says. “We put the whole litter through a simple puppy test to see how well they adapt to sudden noises, sudden movements, and how they handle being restrained for a few seconds.”

Bolton says the breeds of dog chosen to be service dogs are Labradors and Golden Retrievers. They have a medium energy level that will allow them to stay calm and be ready to work and help when needed.

According to Bolton the organization has recently received two new puppies to begin training as service dogs. One puppy is an 8-week-old Golden Retriever named Patten and the other is a 12-week-old Chocolate English Lab named Rider. Rider is being sponsored by a group of veterans from the American Legions Riders, Post 137.

The Patriot Service Dogs are looking for puppy raisers and puppy sponsors. A puppy raiser will take care of the puppy while providing training, obedience, and a foster home. The puppy raiser will receive a puppy raiser package, which includes two stainless steel bowls, a six-inch leash, a toothbrush, a groom brush, and a crate.

A puppy sponsor is someone who provides funds for a specific dog for the cost of training and living. The levels of sponsorship include a beginner sponsorship is $2500, an intermediate is $5000 and a full is $10,000.

If interested in being a puppy raiser or a puppy sponsor visit PatriotServiceDogs.org. –Nicole Soszynski

Executive Producer Jack Guberman created the program “All Paws Pet Talk Radio” to honor his late sister Judy Trojano who dedicated her life to rescuing and saving the homeless animals of Massachusetts. Guberman says the show follows the same path.

“Our mission is to save the lives of the homeless animals and to help the pet rescue groups,” he says.

The radio show–which started in Florida but airs throughout the South, Illinois, California, and Massachusetts–offers advice from a variety of hosts and guests about pet health and medical topics. Guests also discuss events and entertainment, pet fashion, animal behavior, and pet products.

Celebrities take part in the fun, too, joining the show to talk about daily life with their pets as well as inform listeners what they are doing for the animals. Recently, actress Linda Blair (The Exorcist) spoke on the show about her sanctuary, the Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation, which helps and rescues animals in the Los Angeles area.

Guardians who want to take action in their local community should also tune in. “We try to inform them on what is going on out there,” he says. “We want to educate them on how the animals are suffering. We are trying to save as many lives as possible.”

The show has been on-air for more than a year and is still going strong. Based on its success, Guberman is looking to expand to television and the Internet. He says he hopes to create a reality television show about animals and their guardians, and says the show would be a comedy.

For more information visit AllPawsPetTalk.com. –Nicole Soszynski

Radio Listings:

WLBE   790 AM   East+West Central Florida. Polk, Marion, Volusia, Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Flagler, Citrus, Sumter, Hernando, Pasco, Brevard Counties
WTAN 1340 AM  West Coast of Florida, Cedar Key South to Venice
WDCF 1350 AM  Central Florida
WZHR 1400 AM  Central + North Florida
KLRG   880 AM   All of  Arkansas, parts of Tennessee, Missouri, Louisiana, Oklahoma
WARL  1320 AM  Rhode Island, Massachusetts
KCAA 1050 AM   Southern California
KTAE  1330 AM   Central Texas
WJJG  1530 AM    Illinois

Without a doubt, Florida residents have felt the decrease in tourism this summer, as oil from the BP spill continues to wash up on beaches. But the economy isn’t the only thing hurting. The spill has most directly affected the birds and marine animals that live in the Gulf waters.

Hoping to reduce the devastation, Pinellas Park Pet Supplies “Plus” began collecting donations for Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary, the largest wild bird hospital in the United States.

“We’re a store full of animal lovers, so the most important thing to us is the safety and welling being of the animals,” says Darren McArdle, store manager.

By becoming a donation drop-off site, Pinellas Park Pet Supplies “Plus” makes things convenient for customers who want to help but were unsure of who to donate to or what was needed. As a “thank you” gift, each donor receives a coupon for $1 off her purchase.

The requested items are inexpensive and easy to find, but can help save wildlife affected by the oil spill. The retail price of a 10.3 oz bottle of Dawn original blue dishwashing detergent is just $2.29, but it is a literal lifesaver. Back during the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska, rescue workers realized its effectiveness for cleaning oil-drenched seabirds. Other requested items include panty hose, new brushes and toothbrushes, t-shirts, towels, sheets, and other linens. Since they began collecting in mid-May, Pinellas Park Pet Supplies “Plus” has filled 25 large boxes with supplies.

Along with collecting supplies, the store’s grooming center collects animal hair for Make Mine Bluegreen, a local organization dedicated to keeping the oceans healthy. Both human and animal hair can be made into “booms,” mats that naturally soak up oil. So far Pinellas Park Pet Supplies “Plus” has collected 26 lbs of hair.

The Pinellas Park Pet Supplies “Plus” store is located at 7331 Park Boulevard North in Pinellas Park, Florida. For more information, contact the store at (727) 541-1199 or visit PetSuppliesPlusFL.com. –Valerie Lute

The SPCA of Central Florida’s 19th Annual FurBall took place in early May at SeaWorld Orlando. With a “Vegas, Baby!” theme, this year’s event was rich with raffles, silent and live auctions, food, and drink.

Hundreds of items comprised the Silent Auction—everything from personal services and vacation get-aways, to original art and fabulous pet products. After the Silent Auction, the SPCA showed a very heartwarming video of a mother dog that lost her life giving birth to nine puppies. The staff and volunteers of the SPCA nursed those puppies through their most difficult time and successfully adopted them to caring families. At the end of the video, many of the dogs and their adoptive families emerged on stage to a round of applause and standing ovation.

Then came the Live Auction. Everyone joined in the fun as the “high-rollers” bid big bucks on items such as a Clear Channel billboard in Orlando for six months to display a pet photo, and the opportunity to have a pet’s picture on the cover of the 2011 SPCA of Central Florida Calendar. Attendees showed an enormous amount of financial support for the cause.

SeaWorld then opened the Seaport Theatre for a private viewing of Pets Ahoy, a spectacular show involving dogs, cats, birds, rats, skunk, and potbellied pig. From the cats walking on high wires above the audience’s heads to the dogs performing an array of comedic skits, the pets and trainers of Pet’s Ahoy delivered a remarkable show. Most of the furry and feathered celebrities were rescued from animal shelters before becoming famous at SeaWorld.