Tails in the News

By Heather Hill

Whisker Walk bringing together local rescue groups and shelters

They may be breeds apart, but you’ll find Bassets, Greyhounds, Poodles, St. Bernards, and even hedgehogs coming together in an effort to raise money and awareness for New England–based shelters and rescue groups at a June event.

The inaugural Whisker Walk will take place on Sunday, June 8, at the Lancaster Fairgrounds. Heralded as the first of its kind in the area, the event will bring together multiple nonprofit animal-rescue groups along with pet-related vendors for an all-animal day of fun for pet lovers. In addition to exhibits, demonstrations, educational programs, product giveaways, and entertainment, the day will feature a leisurely one-mile fundraising walk.

Rescue organizations know all too well the hard work that goes into securing permits, insurance riders, vendors, tents, and contracts for a fundraising event. Participants in the Whisker Walk, however, have none of that to worry about––it’s all provided, with more than 50 acres of dog-friendly fields and trails. Participating rescues are responsible for a $100 flat fee to help cover costs; there is no entrance fee for visitors, and the money each rescue raises through walk sponsorship, raffles, and sales is theirs to keep.
“There are so many rescues and shelters in New England—many of which are small––that don’t have the time or resources to hold an event for themselves,” says Leigh Grady, the event’s organizer and executive director of Sterling Animal Shelter. “It’s a great opportunity to bring them all together, allow them to fundraise for themselves, and educate the public that these rescues exist, with wonderful pets available for adoption.”
Response to date has been wonderful, notes Grady, with more than 60 rescues, shelters, and vendors committed. Sponsors and donors have been more than willing to donate prizes for the auction and raffles, with everything from doggie daycare to golf outings, ski passes and hotel stays, amusement-park passes, and, of course, pet treats, apparel, and toys.

For more information, visit WhiskerWalk.org.

Update on Foxboro Dog Park: It’s open!

As of press time last month, Foxboro residents were still awaiting a judge’s decision regarding the operation of the Foxboro Dog Park. On March 14, Judge Keith Long lifted the prior injunction, ruling that the park can remain open temporarily, provided that organizers abide by specific stipulations. Most notably, the park may open its gates to guests only when an appointed monitor is present. Monitors must ensure that visitors sign in via the guest book, check dog licenses and individuals’ IDs, and enforce park rules. Any issues such as scuffles between dogs must also be noted.

“Response has been amazing,” says Heather Harding, one of the parks co-founders. “We have over 30 volunteer monitors signed up and a local trainer who has offered his services to help educate monitors on dog behavior, so we’re really going above and beyond. In the end it was all worth it.”

Situated on conservation land, the park was shut down in February after neighbors complained. It is as yet unknown whether they will pursue further legal action.

DNA testing can help trace pedigree

It used to be that guardians of mixed-breed dogs were satisfied with their pet’s moniker as being simply a “mutt.” But with designer mixes now all the rage, many doggie families are more curious when it comes to finding out their canine’s pedigree.

Thanks to a new test, a simple blood draw at your veterinarian’s office can hold the answer to the lineage of any number of BassaLabraDoos, DaschaYorkieDors, or HuskaDoodlePeis.

For approximately $200, the Mars Veterinary Wisdom Panel analyzes each mixed-breed dog’s unique DNA to discern his lineage. The test takes into account more than 130 AKC-recognized breeds and provides guardians with a report of detected breeds along with their appearance and behavioral characteristics. Results are generally available within two to four weeks.
In addition to replacing best guesses with scientific evidence, such tests may help veterinarians with patient care, enabling them, for example, to prescribe appropriate care plans based on breed history and predispositions to disease.

The recently launched test is available at numerous vet offices in Massachusetts. A quick survey of participating practices found it to be overwhelmingly popular for the sheer satisfaction of inquiring minds and defining a dog’s family tree.

For more information, visit WisdomPanel.com.

Massachusetts not so flexible when it comes to FlexPetz

Renting dogs may work in California and New York, but plans to test out this concept into the Commonwealth are proving to be no walk in the park.
FlexPetz, the company that rents out dogs and bills itself as a “unique alternative to full-time pet ownership,” had high hopes for a Boston branch. But with 12 state lawmakers along with advocacy groups and individuals petitioning against the concept, the company may be barking up the wrong tree.

Citing the rented dogs’ lack of consistency, routine, and permanent strong bonds, critics of FlexPetz and other rental companies believe such businesses send the wrong message––that animals can be an item of temporary commitment––potentially leading to even higher rates of abandonment and relinquishment.

FlexPetz President and CEO Marlena Cervantes disagrees. Her company’s website states that, when not with a FlexPetz member, dogs live with a primary caregiver and their pack of FlexPetz dogs and are never kenneled. Targeting busy professionals, for whom pet guardianship may not be a viable option, FlexPetz reports that there have been numerous permanent adoptions as a result of its services.

Members are required to pay a $250 initiation fee plus a $280 membership fee, which includes four “Daily Doggie Time” rentals. Additional time with the dogs is $45 per day. Members are screened and required to complete a training session. The free Convenience Package includes a dog bed, food and water bowls, and a leash; dogs are given food when they stay the night. Shuttle service to deliver and pick up dogs is available for an additional charge.

Operating in conjunction with established doggie daycare facilities, FlexPetz has its sights set on a spring opening in Boston. However, An Act Prohibiting the Renting of Pets, which was filed on Feb. 21, could soon decide its fate. The bill is not intended to prohibit service-animal businesses or organizations, pet adoption and foster-care services, or select working animals.

May marks Pet Cancer Awareness Month

Cancer is now the leading cause of death among cats and dogs, and many experts are urging pet guardians to educate themselves on this disease. In order to raise awareness of cancer in pets, Connecticut-based pet-food company Blue Buffalo has sponsored Pet Cancer Awareness Month in May since 2003.

In addition to creating awareness, the company has a mission to provide information to pet guardians and to raise money for the Blue Buffalo Foundation for Cancer Research, which was established in 2003 and provides funding to universities and clinics for cancer research in pets. So far, the company has raised more than $100,000 to support research efforts at Ohio State University, the University of Tennessee, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cornell University, Colorado State University, and North Carolina State University.

Many veterinarians believe that the recent increase in cancer among pets is due to the increase in environmental toxins. Other potential causes of cancer include chemicalized foods (foods that contain additives and preservatives), over-vaccination (which can weaken pets’ immune systems), and genetics (certain breeds are more prone to cancer due to improper breeding practices).

The Veterinary Cancer Society (VCS) recommends that guardians routinely look for the following early warning signs of cancer in their pets:

• abnormal, persistent swelling
• sores that do not heal
• loss of weight
• loss of appetite
• bleeding or discharge from any body opening
• offensive odor
• difficulty eating or swallowing
• hesitation to exercise or loss of stamina
• persistent lameness or stiffness
• difficulty breathing, urinating, or defecating.

The VCS urges guardians who detect any of these symptoms in their pets to visit a veterinarian for further evaluation. For more information on Pet Cancer Awareness Month, visit PetCancerAwareness.org, where you can make a donation or purchase a “Protect Our Pets” wristband. In-store specialists from Blue Buffalo will be in pet stores nationwide all month distributing flyers and selling wristbands. Additionally, one dollar from every bag of Blue Buffalo pet food sold in May will support the Blue Buffalo Foundation for Cancer Research.  —Jaime A. Hubbell