by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

UPDATE – see bottom of this post!

Last Friday I went with my friend and fellow LIPP member Ellen Ganci of SnapDog Designs for a walk with our dogs at Belmont Lake State park, and before we even got out of our cars there was a loose, American Eskimo dog speeding across the empty parking lot towards us.  I called the dog over to see if it would come to me, with no apparent owner nearby or person with the dog – but the dog barked and frantically bolted back to the direction where it came from.  We got our dogs out from our cars (Max & Dobby!), and walked away from the direction of where the dog was, equipped with an extra leash just in case she did come over to us.  I kept looking back and the dog was coming in and out of the wooded trail from where she originally came out of and was circling back in that direction.  I said to Ellen, “I hope there isn’t a dead body back there or that it’s owner collapsed in the woods or something.”  As the dog’s behavior was odd – almost Lassie like in the way she kept popping out from the same spot and going back in.  So I called the Town of Babylon Animal Shelter and spoke with their super nice volunteer coordinator Sheryl.  I told her the situation and she said she would send over and Animal Control officer.  Sheryl took my name and number so they could call me back if they couldn’t spot her in the trails.

We proceeded on our walk and before we even finished the first lap around the park, I saw the animal control van going through the parking lot, then wooded trails looking for her.  Ellen said, “That was fast – upstate I wouldn’t even know who to call about a lost dog in the woods – or if anyone would even come to help given the size of the town and personnel to handle it.”  I said, “The town animal control officers down here are usually very good, respond quickly.  I actually some of the Animal Shelter #’s programed into my cell phone – in a just in case emergency.”

When we got over to the parking lot I waved down the van and the Animal Control officer said, she is very skittish and wouldn’t come near me, bolted when she saw me get close.”  I agreed.  He then said, “I will come back with a trap to see if I can get her.” Ellen left, the office left and I took Max for another lap – and didn’t see the dog anywhere. After I left I thought I hope they find her, with Southern State parkway being so close, I was worried she would run out into traffic.

About 45 minutes later in my office, my cell phone rang and it was Sheryl, “Hi, is this Nancy?” Yes I said.  “Nancy we got the dog!”  I think I said, “Holy s**t that was fast, amazing! Thank you for letting me know!” Or something along those lines – so happy they were able to get her – this news made my day.  Sheryl proceeded to tell me that they set a trap by where she was, and she must have been really hungry because she went right in.  Then she told me, she was lactating – and must have recently had puppies.  My heart stopped.  I said, “Maybe that is why she was circling back so much – maybe her puppies are in the woods.  Can you send the AC back to check?”

They went back and a few people along with Sheryl and scoured the woods and didn’t find any puppies. We went back the next day too, and didn’t see anything.  I did go to the shelter to visit the beautiful American Eskimo – and she was very skinny, so she was either loose for a while or had owners and they dumped her there – maybe after her pups were old enough.  I don’t know.

So a simple thing you can do is program all the Town municipal Animal Shelter phone numbers into your cell phone so if this ever happens when you are out and about or on a walk you can call them very quickly.   It’s also helpful if you have a few extra leashes in your car, some extra treats too.  But be very careful approaching a stray or loose dog as they could get scared and run away, bite you or go after your own dog.  It’s best to leave it to the experts – and program the numbers into your phone!  And for your own dogs, be sure you have their dog tags up to date with you cell phone # on it, microchipped and a current picture of your dog just in case he gets loose.

For more information on the American Eskimo call the Town of Babylon Animal Shelter at (631) 643-9270 and her case # ID  13-150.

Here is a list of the town animal shelters & phone #’s now start adding those numbers to your contact lists!

Long Island Town Municipal Shelters:

Town of Babylon Animal Shelter
51 Lamar Street
West Babylon – 11702
631-643-9270

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.comn

The 137th Westminster Kennel Club dog show is the super bowl of dog shows, while I have been to Westminster many times before, this is the first time I have been at the evening Best in Show.  Talk about the air being electric with excitement throughout the crowd, the handlers and even the dogs were jumping around the ring.  As dog owner, I love all breeds of dogs, my first dog was a mixed breed dog, a cock-a-poo from an oops litter…from a neighbor, then owning a Doberman as an adult and a Pit Bull (Max!).  But seeing so many different breeds in one place at one time is any dog lovers dream whether you covet a lovely mixed breed or have a purebred, doesn’t matter to me – love ’em all.  And the funny thing is, it never gets old – Westminster is the place to be if you want to see hundreds of different breeds. And as sporting events go, the crowd was doing the ‘wave’ during the commercial break before the best in show!

If you have never been to Westminster, live in the tri-state area and love dogs – this is a must do event.  It is well worth the trip.  You can talk to the owners-breeders-handlers of the dogs entered, and if you are someone who is looking to adopt a purebred dog, this is a great place to learn about the breed and find out if the breed you were thinking is for you.  Then of course, contact your local animal shelter as many, many purebreds are there waiting for you.

This year Las Vegas took odds on the Doberman winning the Best in Show…of course I am typing this as I sit in the press area on the floor and I am really pulling for Fifi the Doberman to win…but if an American Staffordshire Terrier wins the Terrier group then I will be really happy if the AmStaff wins. (neither won… 🙁 )

People come from all over the world, as well as right here on Long Island and the tri-state area to compete, to be spectators and to cover the event.  This year the show was at the Piers during the day, and at Madison Square Garden at night.  I was originally not planning on going to the piers, but after downloading the Westminster app to my phone, (which was an awesome tool by the way!), I saw that there were shuttle buses, and wow did they run smoothly.  Kudos to the organizers!

This show unlike some of the even smaller local outdoor shows, you can walk through the benching area, see the dogs getting groomed, and get up very close to watch them compete for their best of breed during the day time.  It’s quite an experience.

This cutie in the benching area holding his favorite toy and posing for the camera!

The excitement of best in show really builds when the lights go down and the dogs come out one by one with the spot light on them.  Tonight when the Old English Sheepdog came out the thunderous cheer in the Garden was deafening.  Talk about dog lovers in the crowd!  The Affenpinscher also got an the crowd going nuts…and just like that the Old English Sheepdog got Reserve Best in Show, the first time this was awarded at Westminster, and Banana Joe the Affenpinscher won Best in Show. It just so happened that his owner, a young women was standing behind me in the press area, and when he won, she was greeted by hugs and cheers from friends and family and was shedding happy tears.  Years of work go into a BIS dog and years of competition, it was a sweet moment to see up close. Congratulations to Banana Joe and to every single dog who competed in the 2 day event.

Banana Joe the Affenpinscher takes Best in Show!

Duck Tolling Retriever

Click HERE to see tons of additional Photos!

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

The 2nd annual DoggyBowl was held yesterday at the Petco in Glen Cove, hosted by the Smushed Face Meetup group run by Heather Lehrman of In Home Pet Services of Nassau’s Gold Coast.  What is a smushed face you ask? Adorable French Bulldogs, Pugs, Boston Terriers, Bulldogs and a few other breeds that have, well a smushed face!  While their owners tailgated, the pups – dressed in their favorite team football jersey’s – ran around and tackled each other while trying not to fumble the ball!  The event was also a fundraiser for the Glen Cove Animal Lovers League, where owners made donations for pictures taken on site for the rescue group.

Frenchies vs. Boston Terriers!

Pierre sniffs out Bear

Lilly in her Giants dress!

Robyn Elman, Founder & President of In Home Pet Services, and Heather Lehrman of IHPS of Nasssau’s Gold Coast with Herbie.

More tackles!

BOL!! Very close up of this Pug who would not stop moving! A bit blurry!

Pek mix cutie!

Chicken may not be a smushed face but he was having a blast!

And Gracie at her first meetup!

By Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

What is better to do on a freezing cold Saturday? Bring your dog to the park so they can romp in the snow of course!  The park wasn’t that crowded but here are a few adorable dogs that were lucky to be taking for a walk in the snow.

Look at this big Berner! Dante, what a sweetie!

Didn’t get this big fella’s name, he is smiling for the camera no less.

Lester the Doxie was keeping warm in his dog coat, style circa 1980s!  Too cute!

Love those eyes! Just stand out so much more in the snow, don’t ya think?

This girl was just a pup at a year old! Pretty redhead. 🙂

Do you know where this is?

This girl was so sweet, a mix breed of beauty! Another redhead…hmmm a theme going on today?

This sweet Shiba was 14 and didn’t want to look at the camera – but is sister to the above dog, and another redhead!

Ok, so not a dog, but pretty…

Olivia!

Olivia, the sweet 13 year old CCI dog!

Look how pretty!

And of course, my Max!

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

While many of us who treat our dogs like kings, (or queens) may never understand why any dog owner would treat their dog this way.  For some it is the way they were raised, their culture (where dogs are considered outside animals), or just lack of education on dog care – and for many it is a lack of money to properly care for their pets – but many of the owners say they do actually love their dogs.  I know what you are thinking, but many rescue groups that work in these communities report that educating the dog owners, and helping them is what helps people see the light and bring their dogs inside, get them spayed and neutered and want to learn more about dog care.  And many are willing to do this because they have been shown a better way by kind dedicated people who want to help.  These unbelievably amazing rescue groups who instead of going and telling the people in the communities everything they are doing wrong, they go in to help the dogs, educate the owners and families and even the communities in which they reside.  Often the animal rescue groups often end up helping the the humans in the families too, just an incredible bunch of volunteers.

I have said for years, that education is the key to anything in life, and if it goes to help the dogs in these photo’s and their owners – I applaud the groups like, Almost Home’s Training Wheels Program and Break the Chain.

So if you are sitting there reading this and want to know how you can help Almost Home needs hay and you can contact them by clicking here and the sooner the better with Hay for our temperatures are going to stay very cold for the next 5 days.  The difference in a donation of hay and/or a dog house, can mean the difference in a dog living through this extreme cold. Both groups are always in need of donations throughout the year, please contact them to help! See end of this article for locations to drop off donations for Break the Chain.

Photo Credit: Almost Home Training Wheels Program

This picture was just taken recently in a community on Long Island, not somewhere in the south or in the middle of the country, but right in our own backyard.  As a dog owner, who’s dog has four different dog beds, one upstairs, downstairs and two in my office – I can’t imagine the thought of tying my dog up, and leaving him out side with just a dog house to survive the frigid temperatures we are having.  It was 9 degrees when I woke up at 7am today and when my dog went out, he was out for a quick minute and was shivering when he came back in.  However what you may not realize is that the dog picture here is allowed to legally be kept outside like this.  Why? According to the NYS Agriculture and Markets Article 26, the dog owner has to provide proper shelter to keep the dog from inclement weather with proper insulation, (like the igloo dog house picture here), hay or straw to help keep him warm, fresh food and water to be keep outside.  So by law, the owner of dogs like this, are abiding the NYS law.

NYS Agriculture & Markets Law: