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by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com
It’s not very often when hunters, animal welfare and animal rights advocates get together to protest against a deer cull. That’s right protested together against the upcoming deer cull set to take place in February on the East End of Long Island. Nearly 200 people showed up on Saturday, January 18, 2014, at the protest which began at Hook Windmill in East Hampton, NY, organized by Long Island Orchestrating for Nature (LION). The protestors started at Hook Mill and then walked down Newtown Lane to Herrick park. Chanting and along the way, and while passing the high end shops on Newtown Lane, many store owners came out to clap and cheer everyone on – so you can see a lot of people are against the cull.
The deer cull will have federal sharp shooters with silencers and night vision to kill up to 3,000 deer across the South and North Forks in the dark of night. East Hampton, Southold and the Town of Brookhaven are signed up for this. Southampton has still yet to decided (at press time) and thank your Riverhead for not signing on to this and caving under peer pressure. The Long Island Farm Buearu who have secured a grant of $250,000 to have the deer killed have also asked the towns and villages to chip in $15,000 to $25,000 towards this slaughter.
Hunters are protesting because they want to be able to hunt the deer and donate and eat the deer meat, (yuck!) and to keep the population down. And I guesss their argument makes sense, as they have to pay for their licenses to hunt, yet the towns and villages will use your tax dollars to pay the sharp shooters? In speaking with a few residents along the way, they are really agains the cull. A good friend of mine, Todd, who has lived in East Hampton for well over 10 years, he said, “why don’t they just extend the hunting season? Instead they are using our tax dollars, it’s ridiculous.” They could also use birth control efforts like they do on Fire Island to keep the population down, I said.
I am personally not a fan of hunting of any sort and I love seeing deer wherever they are, and lived in Southampton for 6 years, and never had an issue with deer destroying anything where I lived. And isn’t it ironic – that today on my way out to East Hampton, I took the back roads, I didn’t see ONE deer, then on my way back, not only did I take different back roads, but I walked through a wildlife preserve near Sag Harbor, not ONE deer, and didn’t see any, anywhere the rest of the way back.
The towns are estimating that there are 30,000+ deer on both forks and throughout Riverhead. 30,000! Really, how did they count them? Don’t you know deer travel and move around – so how did they come to that number? Where is the proof of this?
People for the cull that live on the east end are claiming the deer are causing lyme disease, damage to their property or crops and car accidents. Yes, there are car accidents due to deer it is sad for both parties involved. And lyme disease is common – but you can get Lyme’s disease from a deer tick on any part of Long Island – as the ticks are also on mice and other smaller animals. Lyme disease is from the tick, not deer! Ever walk through Bydenburgh in Hauppauge with your dog? You are bound to find ticks, yet there are no deer at that park. Gardiner’s Park in Bay Shore, any where really – you can even get a tick on you from your own landscaped backyard. I know someone who got Lyme’s Disease that lives in NYC.
The thought of sharp shooters on the back of pick up trucks, walking around shooting deer at night is just un-nerving. Because that is a safe way to do it, can you hear my sarcasm? For the residents of the east end I would be worried about my personal safety, children’s safety and for my pets safety. What about tourists that are out visiting off season who don’t know bout the cull at night? Not to mention of course the beautiful deer that will pay the ultimate price. This cull, seems like an accident waiting to happen – and this is coming from a complete non-alarmist – but if you really think about how dumb this plan is. There has got to be a better way.
During the protest a local East Hampton resident and his two young daugthers stopped and he said explaining to his girls, “the hunters are hear protesting against the people who don’t want the deer to be killed.” I said, “Actually everyone is here together, hunters and animal welfare advocates, they all want to stop the cull.” He was surprised. We were discussing it along with a few other people and he too said, he doesn’t want it to happen, that he is worried for his and his family’s safety.
The deer are part of the wildlife on our Island, and I think it really sad that our elected officials think this is a good way to do things. We are way too much of a throw away society and this is just another example of it. (Maybe the elected officials can get a grant to clean up our island? Have you driven around anywhere lately – and noticed the TONS of garbage on the side of the road? But hey lets kill deer who are not contributing to the mess or pollution that humans do daily here.)
There are a few law suits fighting to stop this cull, both by hunters and by The East Hampton Group for Wildlife that want to stop this. If you want to get more invovled contact LION by clicking here and ask what you can do to help stop this cull.
Even the littlest protesters where there.
by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com
In light of the recent tragic death of a dog at a local Long Island pet sitting and doggie daycare center in Oyster Bay, here is important information for pet owners on how to choose a pet sitter or doggie day care facility.
There are many trusted pet care professionals to help you with your pet sitting and doggie day care needs. A few things you should do as a dog owner prior to dropping your pet off in someone else’s care are:
- Visit the facility or pet sitter’s home if you are boarding your pet there.
- Ask to see all areas in which your dog may be in, backyard, doggie run area, and where your pet will be kept during its stay.
- The pet sitter should have you fill out paper work, with all your contact info, veterinarian and emergency contact info, any food allergies, medical issues your pet may have, or special needs or instructions for your pet. This is something that should be done by all pet sitters or dog walkers who are taking your pet into their care whether it is for a walk or overnight stay at their facility/home.
- You should have a meet and greet with your pet at the doggie day care and definitely with any pet sitter you are going to hire. It just helps to see how your dog and the sitter do when meeting.
- Ask how many dogs are at the facility at one time and how many pet care givers are present supervising the pets in their care – and what their qualifications are to be doing so.
- How do they screen the dogs coming into their facility? How do you know what dogs are there when your dog is there?
- Ask where is the closest veterinarian facility to them.
“We do a one night trial first prior with new dog clients that stay at our in-home boarding facility prior to them staying for a longer term stay – it’s mandatory. We do this so we can get to know the dog and so that you’re dog is comfortable at our facility. I have to be able to trust all the dogs in my care,” said Robyn Elman President of In Home Pet Services, Inc. “Sometimes dogs can get territorial after staying a few times with us and they need to be reevaluated if they can stay with us again.”
Elman went on to say, “We also only keep similar size dogs here we never have dogs of different sizes together and only a few dogs at a time stay. Our staff is also fully trained in Pet CPR & First aid and so are all of our franchisee locations. We do the utmost to ensure your pet is safe, well cared for and has fun while staying with us.”
Many pet sitters are able to text you pictures and video of your pets while they are in their care, and send you updates as well. It’s a great way to feel at ease while you are away or just at work to see your pet is being well cared for.
While the death of a pet is rare occurrence at a doggie day, you are better off with as much information about the facility you are bringing your pet too. Ask questions, get a tour of the facility and when you leave you should feel comfortable about bringing your pet there, the same goes for the pet sitter or dog walker you are hire.
The adorable pup below is a stock photo from LIPetPlace and is not the dog who died.
by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com, Updated January 22, 2016
With the subfreezing temperatures hitting us tonight and tomorrow – and during the winter months, most pet owners know to bring their pets inside. Here is a list of places to call if you see a pet that is left outdoors and has no proper shelter (but who are we kidding – even with proper shelter it is way to cold for a pet to be left outdoors!)
Photo Credit: Unchained NY (taken on Long Island January 2014)
Nassau County:
Contact the Nassau County SPCA at Abuse Hotline Phone: 516-THE-SPCA (843-7722) or if you are not sure if it is abuse i.e. maybe the owner is not well either call their adminstration office at (516) 812-7771.
Animal Shelters that you can contact if the pet is in your town:
Cove Animal Rescue
40 Shore Rd
Glen Cove, NY 11542
(516) 676-5913
CoveAnimalRescue@gmail.com
Hempstead Town Animal Shelter
3320 Beltagh Ave
Wantagh
(516) 785-5220
Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter
75 Marino Avenue (West of Port Washington Boulevard)
Port Washington, New York 11050
(516) 869-6311
Town of Oyster Bay Animal Shelter
150 Miller Place
Syosset, NY 11791
(516) 677-5784
Suffolk County Animal Shelters:
Babylon Animal Shelter
51 Lamar Street
West Babylon, NY
(631) 643-9270
Brookhaven Animal Shelter
300 Horseblock Road
Brookhaven, NY 11719
(631) 286-4940
Huntington Animal Shelter
106 Deposit Rd
East Northport, NY 11731
(631) 754-8722
After-Hours Emergency Only
Phone: (631) 351-3234
Islip Animal Shelter
210 South Denver Avenue
Bay Shore, NY 11706
(631) 224-5660
Riverhead Animal Shelter
532A Youngs Avenue
Calverton, NY 11933
(631) 369-6189
Smithtown Animal Shelter
410 E Main Street
Smithtown, NY 11787
(631) 360-7575
Southampton Animal Shelter
102 Old Riverhead Rd WEST
Hampton Bays, NY 11946
(631) 728-7387
Southold Animal Shelter
165 Peconic Lane
Peconic, NY 11958
(631) 765-1811
Suffolk County SPCA (631) 382-7722.
Emergency Vets open 24 Hours are:
Atlantic Coast Veterinary Specialists
3250 Veterans Highway
Bohemia, NY 11716
(631) 285-7780
Animal Emergency Service
6230 Jericho Tpke
Commack, NY 11725
(631) 462-6044
New York Veterinary Specialty Center
2233 Broadhollow Rd.
Farmingdale, NY 11735
(631) 249-2899
Animal Emergency Service P.C.
280 Middle Country Road
Selden, NY 11784
(631) 698-2225
Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island
75 Sunrise Highway
West Islip, NY 11795
(631) 587 – 0800
Long Island Veterinary Specialists
163 S. Service Rd
Plainview, NY
(516) 501-1700
Nassau Animal Emergency Group
740 Old Country Rd.
Westbury, NY
(516) 333-6262
The Center for Specialized Veterinary Care
609-5 Cantiague Rock Rd.
Westbury, NY 11590
(516) 420-0000
Riverhead Emergency Vet – Pet – ER
67 Commerce Drive
Riverhead, NY 11901
(631) 369-4513
West Hills Animal Hospital and Emergency Center
800 West Jericho Turnpike
Huntington, NY
(631) 351-6116
Please do not leave your pets out long to go potty and do not take them for long walks. Check their paw pads when you bring them back inside for any cuts or scrapes. If you have booties, and a warm coat for your dog please be sure to put them on before they go outdoors.
If you have an indoor/outdoor cat – keep the cat inside until the temperatures go above freezing.
Wonderful organizations that you can call for help if the SPCA’s or animal shetlers can’t help are as follows: (please note this list may be updated!)
Pets should enjoy the snow, supervised of course, and never left out in it. Bulldogs Izzy & Igor romp and have fun and go right back inside their warm house.
By Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com
On Thursday, December 19, 2013 Long Island Pet Professionals hosted their 4th Annual Holiday Pawty and Pet Food Drive to benefit Long Island Cares. Baxter’s Pet Food Pantry which is operated by Long Island Cares has pet food pantries in three locations in Suffolk County. The guests attending the holiday party were asked to bring a pet food donation and were very generous in that the total amount collected for the event was 530 pounds of pet food!
“Baxter’s Pet Pantry operated by Long Island Cares, Inc. – The Harry Chapin Food Bank, which was developed in partnership with
the Animal Relief Fund Inc. (ARF), makes free pet food supplied by ARF and many pet food corporations available to pet-owning families in need in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, New York.
Initiated as a result of 2009 media coverage of families putting their pets up for adoption as a result of not being able to afford pet food, veterinary care and other services, the Pet Pantry also offers toys, pet clothes and other pet supplies. Free pet food is available to pet owners through many of our local member agency food pantries,” from the Long Island Cares website, read more about their program here.
In addition to the pet food donation, the fun filled evening was also sponsored in part by Pet Supplies Plus who also supplied the beautiful, earth friendly tote bags in which were filled with swag from the following contributors!
Nordic Naturals uses the same quality standards and the same oils to manufacture both their human and pet products. The result is Norwegian omega-3 fish oils of industry-leading purity and freshness for your dogs and cats. See more about their quality pet and human products here.
Reviver Pets is a daily, reusable freshening swipe for you and your pet that empowers you to instantly eliminate unwanted smells that cling to clothes, fur, paws and hair. It’s an effective, convenient way to bring fresh confidence with you and your pet wherever and whenever you need it. Check out Reviver Pets today — you and your pet deserve to live the fresh life. 100% non-toxic and pet safe (according the company), and made in the USA!
Another great item in the goody bags were these adorable poop pick up bags, perfectly themed for the holidays by Think Dog by Delca Corporation! They also make other pet products like dog treats, dog toys and other great pet supplies. You have to check out their website here.
Heather Marianna sent us these beautiful glass bottle samples of her luxurious Lucky Luciano’s Dog Shampoo. An all natural pet shampoo with no chemicals and will have your pup smelling and feeling wonderful. Check out her website here.
Thanks to Bettie Hamilton and Margaret Tumino-Mills Halo, Purely for Pets and Maryflorence Brennan of Canine Company for putting items in the goody bags at the pawty too! And to Conspicuous Dog Lover for the adorable stickers. You can see more pictures of the event here.
Happy Holidays and be sure to check out the pet products above!
Pet professionals Beth Goldin of At Your Service LI, Maryflorence Brennan of Canine Company and Kim Loper of Life is Grruff celebrating at the Holiday Pawty!
by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com
A common misconception among pet owners is that having your pets microchipped, that once the dog or cat is chipped, then your pet is protected. If your pet ever gets lost, the microchip will help bring your beloved pet back to you. Yes, the microchip has brought countless pets back to their owners – we have all read the amazing stories of pets being reunited after long journeys all because of the microchip. Did you know how many pets are microchipped – but their pet parents fail to register them?
I know you might be sitting there reading this, saying, “What? I thought the rescue I adopted Buddy from registered him?” Or, “I thought when I got him from the animal shelter they registered him with my info before I left with him.” Nope. Wait let me say that louder NOPE!
Many pets go missing especially during the holidays – and while the pet may be microchipped, more often than not, if they are found by a good samaratin and brought to an animal shelter or veterianarian office to be scanned for a microchip – and the chip is not registered. So the shelter then has no idea who the pet belongs to and most shelters after a 7-day hold on the pet, the pet is then put up for adoption.
“Puppies that people purchase at a pet stores – or adopt from a private rescue group, may be microchipped already – but you need to register your new pet with your information, immediately,” said Joanne Daly, Shelter Supervisor of the Town of Islip Animal Shelter and Adopt-a-Pet Center. “You are usually given paper work from a rescue group, animal shelter or pet store with what company the pet’s microchip is registed with, new pet owners need to call that company and have the microchip put under their name. We chip our pets here, and put the information in the adoption packet and on the number of the chip on the medical records to so that when the pet owner brings their newly adopted pet to the vet, the vet also has the microchip info.”
So what to do? You need to register your pet with a microchip company. Putting in your information, means putting in your most up to date info. Most people keep the same cell phone number, so having that in there would be my first choice. And also your home number and alternate number just in case they can reach you at the first number.
When I asked how common is it for a dog to be brought to the animal shelter with a microchip that is not registered, Ms. Daly answered, ” It happens quite often.”
Now most vet offices and animal shelters have a universal scanner to detect all types of microchips, which makes it much easier for your pet to be identified. Joanne said, “We have even picked up dogs that are microchipped overseas with our universal scanner. We always scan any animal brought in twice at our shelter to insure it was not missed if the pet is chipped.”
Here are some companies you can look into on microchipping your pet.
www.avidid.com – microchipping company
www.24petwatch.com – 24PetWatch’s Lost Pet Recovery is there to not only identify your pet, but to reunite you as soon as they’re found. Thanks to 24PetWatch’s microchip, you can be reunited safely and quickly.
Joanne Daly also said, “Cats too should be micropped, even if they are an indoor cat, accidents happen and indoor cats do get outside.”
If your pet is not microchipped, most animal shelters can microchip your pet, as well as rescue groups and even your vet’s office may provide the service. A lot of private rescue groups also offer low cost microchipping on a regular basis.
If you’re pet is lost, and he does not have a collar with ID tags or a microchip, the first thing you should do is contact your local town municipal shelter and let them know, and if you can bring them a picture with all your appropriate contact info. I would also contact the privately owned animal shelters too – to let them know your pet is missing, send them a picture, age if the the pet is on meds, etc.
Social media has exploded over recent years with ‘Lost and Found pages on Facebook’. Look in your local area, town, city, state to see if there is one set up for you. Post the picture of your pet, where and when he was lost, if the pet is in need of meds, friendly, nervous around strangers, etc. This will be very helpful in finding your pet.
On Long Island – https://www.facebook.com/Lostandfound.petslongisland
In Queens – https://www.facebook.com/QueensLostandFoundPets
In Staten Island https://www.facebook.com/lostand.statenisland?fref=ts
Another website that is very helpful is Pet Amber Alert, they offer many services to help you recover your pet if gone missing, even putting out a phone call to thousands in your surrounding neighborhood letting your community know a pet is missing.
You can also easliy search Facebook for pages near where you live for similar pages. Craigslist is another popular site to post your missing pet in the pets section where you live. And the good old fashioned way of posting fliers around your neighborhood with photo, and contact number for someone to call you if they have your pet.
Bottom line? If your pet is microchipped, stop what you are doing and make sure your pet is registered with you!
Thanks to Laura Jeane and Gus who inspired this article!
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