NFL player pleads guilty to neglect

New York Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce pled guilty to neglecting his Pit Bulls in a Monroe Township court on March 27 and agreed to pay a $1,300 fine. When authorities discovered the pooches a week before the Giants played in the Super Bowl, they found one of them underweight and suffering from a respiratory infection. The dogs had also not been given rabies shots. As part of his plea agreement, Pierce gave the dogs away.  

Greyhounds celebrated at annual picnic

Celebrate Greyhound pooches of all ages, colors, and sizes at the Greyhound Friends of New Jersey (GFNJ)’s annual picnic, which will take place at Duke Island Park in Bridgewater on May 18 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Both longtime guardians and those curious about adopting a Greyhound are encouraged to attend the picnic and share in the activities, which will include a meet and greet for preapproved applicants.

    In addition to providing a place for people and Greyhounds to enjoy each other’s company, one of the goals of the picnic is to raise money for the organization to obtain a shelter of its own. Currently, GFNJ pays an outside kennel to house pooches who are in transition. “GFNJ has wanted to buy a kennel for quite some time. We have located a property and are under negotiations to buy an existing kennel that would need renovations and some expansion to accommodate the Greyhounds,” explains GRNJ president, Linda Lyman. “The process of acquiring the existing kennel and obtaining site plans and zoning board permissions is a long process but a worthwhile endeavor.”

    GFNJ is the state’s oldest organization dedicated to the rescue of retired racing Greyhounds. In the past 20 years, GRNJ has rescued and placed more than 3,300 Greyhounds.

For more information, visit GreyhoundFriendsNJ.org.

Walk raises money for two important causes

Help two important organizations at the same time at the third annual Pink Ribbon Walk, sponsored by the OctoberWoman Foundation for breast cancer research and Park Ridge Animal Hospital. The walk was started three years ago in memory of Maryanne S. Kern, a veterinarian at Park Ridge Animal Hospital who lost her battle with breast cancer in March 2005. The three-mile walk, which pooches are invited to join in with their guardians, will be held on May 18 and will raise money for the Hackensack University Medical Center and the MASK Foundation, which Kern’s husband founded in her memory. Beth Deutsch, Park Ridge Animal Hospital manager, says they are expecting at least 350 walkers, about 100 dogs, and are hoping to raise at least $60,000. The raffle prize will be a pink Vespa autographed by Sopranos star James Gandolfini. A reception will follow the walk, which will include amicrochip clinic and training demonstrations.

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

Spotlight on: Emma Jackson, author of A Home for Dixie

Almost all kids have asked their parents for a dog at one point or another. Upper Saddle River high-school student Emma Jackson was no different. She pleaded and begged until her parents finally relented. In between high-school courses, track practice, and of course caring for Dixie, her adopted pooch, Jackson found time to write a children’s book, A Home for Dixie. The book follows the story of Dixie, an abandoned puppy who finds a new home with the Jacksons and ultimately a new best friend in Emma. “I think it’s really important to get the message out about how many dogs really do need homes,” Jackson says. She chatted with Tails about her love of animals, the ups and downs of taking care of a dog, and what it was like writing a book.

How did you finally convince your parents to let you adopt dog? 
I’ve been asking for so long. I had a fish and a hamster, and I have a guinea pig now. Once I was in high school, [my parents] thought I finally had the [sense of] responsibility. My dad was [also] home more often, and we decided it was just the right time.

How did you know that Dixie was the dog you wanted to adopt when you went to the shelter?
We had talked to [shelter staff about Dixie] before we went to the shelter, and she sounded like a really sweet dog. And she really needed a good home. When we got [to the shelter], I got down on the floor, and she jumped right into my lap!

Where did you get the idea to write a book?
After I went to Aunt Mary’s Doghouse and adopted Dixie, I was really happy and kept telling all my friends about her, and they all loved her. My mom and I were always taking pictures of her because she’s so pretty and smart … and before we knew it, we had so many pictures and so many stories about her that we had enough to write a book. We talked about sharing my story with other kids. I’m donating all my royalties to Aunt Mary’s Doghouse, so I’m getting to help out in a lot of ways.

Did you ever think about buying a dog, or did you always know you wanted to adopt one?
We thought about buying one at the beginning and went to a couple pet stores, but then we were doing research. My dad, especially, said, “We have to have a plan for the dog.” We found out that four million dogs are abandoned every year in shelters, and we decided it would be much better to give a dog a home [who] really needed one instead of getting one from the pet store.

What would you say to other people who want to adopt but aren’t sure?
The best part of having a dog is all the love and affection. Having a dog is really a lot of work. No dog is perfect. Mine isn’t––she chewed a couple pairs of my favorite flip-flops. You really have to be patient, but it’s definitely worth it if you have the time and you have the work ethic to have a dog. 

For more information, visit AHomeForDixie.com.