by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

On February 19, 2014 in NYC the first ever ‘Made in America‘ pet product expo was held, aptly titled ‘NYC Re-tails & Sales Expo‘ where vendors of American made pet products and retailers could meet.  Vendors came from all over the USA to showcase their products to retailers in the Northeast who came from NYC, Long Island, New Jersey, Boston and Connecticut.   I was lucky enough to get amazing feedback from the vendors and asked them all questions about why ‘Made in the USA’ was so important to them, and advice they could offer other pet product manufacturers or inventors.

I am excited to bring you their answers in a article series, ‘Made in USA Pets’  that is not only inspiring, but educational, helpful and shows that you can make, source and sell your American Made pet products here.

Sharon Herrman, Alpha Female of Zelda’s Song who makes beautiful items for humans and dogs alike had this to say:

The same questions were asked to the following vendors from the event.  Jane Bell of Pet Portables who makes very important pet first aid kits and pet travel safety kits had the following answers:

Travel Pet Safety Kit and Pet First Aid Kit by Pet Portables.

Rod Thomas from Fresh and Fluffy!

Lisa Flynn of Harness Lead.

Bill Converse, President of Critter Zone USA, the amazing air naturalizer, perfect for your pet store, home, and portable unit for your car had the following to say:

Shar Weinrauch of Critter Zone USA

Critter Zone Air Neutralizing portable unit. The CritterZone Air Naturalizer creates a natural, charged flow that fills the room or vehicle and continually cleans the air. The sun provides the outdoor air with the power and energy it needs to clean itself: a power and energy that indoor air lacks. CritterZone provides indoor air with the natural charge it needs to virtually eliminate odors, allergens, dust and bacteria.

‘NYC Re-tails & Sales Pet Expo’ featuring ‘Made in the USA Pet Products’ was hosted by Nancy Hassel, of Long Island Pet Professionals and Dana Humphrey of Whitegate PR, and was Sponsored by Pet Age Magazine and Made in the USA, Certified.  To see more pictures from the expo, click here.  We will be bringing you more articles featuring products and fantastic advice from pet companies Made in the USA!

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!)

Unchained NY

Guardians of Rescue

Break the Chain

Pet Safe Coalition

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

This past Tuesday, November 19, 2013 I had the pleasure of being invited to the day long ‘Better With Pets‘ summit – an invite only event hosted by Purina that had a line up of fantastic speakers in the pet industry.  Held at the Florence Guold Hall in New York City, it was a packed house of pet professionals,  pet bloggers, pet celebrities and a few furry four legged guests.  Not knowing what to expect on this first-ever summit, I was pleasantly surprised and loved every minute of it.  It was unlike any other pet event I have been too, and showcased the dedication, love, passion for pets each speaker (and each person in the audience) has.

Admittidly I was a few minutes late getting there, NYC traffic anyone? And how nice to be at an event like this in the city where I didn’t have to travel too far! And upon walking in was suprised to see so many people there.  It was great to see my NYC pet pro friends and bloggers from across the country that I see at other events.

The entire event was emceed by media legend John Hockenberry – who did just a fantastic job throughout the day.
The first speaker was Dr. Brian Hare (above) who spoke about our dog’s amazing cognitive abilities.

Throughout the day we heard from speakers like Beth Stern, Dr. Marty Becker, delighted by the musings, video and drawings of Simon Tofield (we laughed until tears were coming down our cheeks!).  Mike Rugnetta super fast talking presentation that was funny and informative too.

We also heard incredibile stories from Dr. Arleigh Reynolds who won the GCI Open North American Championship sled dog race in Fairbanks, Alaska.  He told us how to this day that the most economical way to travel in Alaska is by dog sled and that blueberries in Alaska have the most antioxidents in the world due to the long sun exposure in the summer months there.

The day long event was also filled with breaks throughout, lunch and a ‘Dad & Dogs: A co-evolution’ play performed by dancers.

If you missed the event, you are in luck as Purina will be putting the video’s on their website on December 3, 2013 and you can watch each speaker.

I really hope they do it again next year, as it was a great day of information, entertainment, networking and lovely to be a part of it.

For more pictures from the event click here!

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

While the summer winds down, kids go back to school, and the air changes – we look back this summer to some great ‘Summer Pets’ pictures submitted by their owners.  I personally love September and the gorgeous weather it usually offers.  It is a great month to get out there with your pets and enjoy the many events it has to offer.  So if you have had a busy summer, and your two-legged kids are back in their schedules – it’s time to spend quality time with your pets!  Thanks to everyone who submitted photo’s – see below and check our Facebook page to see more.  Happy September!

This is Lotus Flower, a rescued pitbull. She absolutely loves to swim, her nickname is the pitfish! This is of Lotus with her box turtle friend at the pond behind my house in Jamesport, NY. Photograph by Devon Shepherd.

"The boys are always ready for a swim...lol" Owned and photographed by Lourdes Lebron

This is Penny-Lane Russo & she just adores butterflies! Her mom, Rose Russo who took this lovely picture, planted this butterfly bush for her birthday, how sweet!

This was a senior terrier mix we met who scaled the 128 steps down to the beach on the North Fork to go swimming! Taken by LIPetPlace.com

the lovely Bocker Labradoodle! When Bocker is not out doing tons of Pet Therapy work or attending many different pet events with his mom Marie, he is hanging out and relaxing in Hampton Bays, NY! Photo taken by his mom Marie!

Titus couldn't wait to get off the Ferry and explore Ocean Beach, Fire Island, NY! So much fun with Titus & Hailey that day! Photo by LIPetPlace.com

This beautiful parrot was at a pet fair with the Long Island Parrot Society! Taken by LIPetPlace.com

This donkey who was lucky enough to be adopted - was with his donkey sibling and human mom at the Pony Swim on the North Fork! Photo by LIPetPlace.com

Many more Summer Pets PHOTOS here!

Enjoy! And thanks to their pet parents for giving them such fun filled lives!

My Max, at 12 years old he still loves a dip in the bay! Photo by LIPetPlace.com

By Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Our Sweet Seniors! As you read scroll through and see all the senior pets submitted by their owners here on LI for this article!

If you are a pet owner and have been lucky enough to have your pet live into their senior years, you know how special their senior years are. While some of our senior pets, can act like pups well into their senior years, the care and attention to their needs changes as they get older. With my own dog Max, he eats his dinner early in the day, like 3pm, think early bird special (and boy is he vocal about that 3pm feeding time)!  I still take Max for daily walks, but they are slower and shorter, and I must always be sure in the warmer months I have a good amount of water with me for him- more so than younger dogs need.  We may have to adjust our life styles a bit for our senior dogs, but remember when they were puppies chewing your shoes? BOL!! I love the puppy stage too, but there is just something about our senior pets that just warms the heart.

I asked Dr. Michel A. Selmer of Advanced Animal Care Center for some advice on caring for our seniors and he had these wonderful tips to follow: 1.) Take your dog to the Veterinarian for twice-yearly checkups; 2.) Become informed about conditions and diseases common to senior dogs, be on the lookout for symptoms and, should they arise, inform your Veterinarian promptly;  3.) Don’t overfeed – obesity causes many health problems and may shorten your dogs life; 4.) Consider, on your Veterinarians’ recommendation, the use of dietary supplements such as glucosamine/chondroitin/green lipped mussels for arthritis; 5.) Have your Veterinarian do a risk assessment to determine an “appropriate” vaccination protocol for your dog; 6.) Do your utmost to make sure your dogs environment (his bed, play area, etc.) are always spotlessly clean; and Give your dog lots of love and attention and do all you can to keep him interested, active, happy and comfortable.

Dakota is a 9-year old collie/Aussie mix.  She is deaf and blind from merle-to-merle breeding.  She was adopted from a rescue in upstate New York when she was three years old.  Dakota has her CGC, does nosework, and despite arhritis, still likes to climb on furniture, open baby gates with her nose, and patrol the backyard.   Mochaccino is a 9-year old shepherd/chow mix.  He was adopted from North Shore Animal League as a 10-week old puppy.  Mocha has his CGC, knows American Sign Language, is a therapy dog with Paws for Friendship, and does agility, flyball, and nosework. Both owned by Kimberly Mocker.

Our pets, when they age, often need additional care in their senior years.  Since our pets have been integral members of our family for years, we want to do what we can to make them comfortable and happy.  We are lucky in this day and age to have treatments, supplements and formulas to help us keep them happy and active. Some dogs that are suffering from aches and discomfort are often depressed, sullen and can be on edge (or cranky!!). They tend to sleep more, withdraw from the family or can even become aggressive. As they age, it’s increasingly important to support a dog’s joint mobility and flexibility.

One supplement that Max has tried and did really nicely on is all-natural DGP that has been specifically formulated by master herbalists and scientists in Australia to help support a dog’s joint mobility and flexibility.

“DGP helps ease aches and discomfort caused by daily exercise and activity. Not a prescription medication – it is an herbal formulation that you can give to your dog with confidence. It is 100% natural, safe, effective and affordable, with a unique blend of high quality ingredients, to help maintain your dog’s mobility as he ages,” stated Denise Mingione of DGP by American Biosciences.

Koty is the Siberian Husky and she is 12 yrs old. Her bday was May 31st. She howls every morning to wake me up! Excellent alarm!  Dublin is the Westie, he is 9 yrs old. He is a forever puppy though and wants to play ALL the time!  Owned and photographed by Lisa Thomas

This is my chihuahua CHICO. He is going to be 12 years young this  December. (on 12/12 ! ). Everyone thinks he is still a pup when they see him. Even though he is getting older, and his health is failing, I still think of him as my baby. He is such a good boy who brightens my  world everyday! He is slowing down a bit now, so we don’t go to as many parties as we used to, but I do take him to work with me sometimes, where he tends to nap on my desk… when he isnt doing his tricks and enjoying the attention from my co-workers! Here is Chico looking very professional before taking his nap! Puppies are always fun, but senior dogs touch your heart in a totally different way. I love my Chico and I am amazed at the bond we have. I am so blessed to have him in my life all these years!  Stella.

As we love and care for our senior pets, as we can see by the many pictures and words about our senior babies from dog owners around Long Island, I encourage anyone reading this to seriously open their hearts to adopting an older dog.  So many older pets get overlooked at animal shelters – it is truly sad.  Older pets make just as loving pets as the younger ones do, and they are so grateful for their new homes. We have fantastic veterinary care option these days too, that helping our dogs live happy and healthy into their senior years is not just possible but you can see here from the photo’s living proof!!  For some more great veterinary tips for our seniors scroll down and see more!

Lily, my nine-year old manipulative Pekinese has arranged to live the good life. She is cute, smart and adored by very member of her family. Even her younger “brother,” a three-year old goldendoodle who is five times her weight, lets her be the boss. Lily’s vet says she’s in very good health but can’t understand why she doesn’t exhibit any signs of pain. You see, Lily has arthritis in all four legs. The vet joked, “You’d think she never had to use her legs!” Well, guess what—she usually doesn’t. Since she puppyhood whenever Lily wants to go somewhere she barks and looks at you with those sad eyes. In accordance with her plan, this behavior usually results in her being picked up and carried wherever she wants to go. She uses her sad eyes to serve her purpose—to melt your heart and bend you to her will. Lily’s clearly smarter than her “dumb blond” looks might suggest. At this rate, by staying off her feet, her vet says she’ll probably live pain free to the age of 20. I couldn’t be happier! Owned and photographed by Dee McMeekan.

Chloe-aka-Chloe Fab! Not at all a “typical” Beagle, but rather an uncanny mirror of her human mom. She relishes moments of quiet & reflection, is wary of new people & requires trust to be earned. She is assertive & confident in her comfort zone. She has proven to be an exceptional teacher to the young & inexperienced foster pups who visit on their journey to their forever homes. 13 years young & forever my baby girl. In her company I’m filled with gratitude for the unconditional love & acceptance she so generously offers. Owned and photographed by Chrissy Connors.

Thank you to Dr. Selmer for providing more information about caring for our senior pets:

• Avoid “senior” diets that have reduced levels of protein. Studies have shown that the protein requirement for older dogs does not decrease with age, and that protein levels do not contribute to the development or progression of renal failure. It is important to feed older dogs diets that contain optimum levels of highly digestible protein to help maintain good muscle mass.

• Talk to your veterinarian about increasing your senior dogs GLA intake. Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is an omega-6 fatty acid that plays a role in the maintenance of healthy skin and coat. Although it is normally produced in a dog’s liver, GLA levels may be diminished in older dogs.

• Senior diets for dogs should contain probiotics to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria.

• Antioxidants such as vitamin E and beta-carotene help eliminate free radical particles that can damage body tissues and cause signs of aging. Senior diets for dogs should contain higher levels of these antioxidant compounds. Antioxidants can also increase the effectiveness of the immune system in senior dogs.

• Exercise is critical to keeping your dog healthy, both physically and mentally. Your dog may not be able to go on long hikes with you but shorter, less strenuous walks will keep him feeling good. (Max RUFFS his exercise on his doggie walks!!)

Parker pictured here Sleeping. Parker is a 9-year old rough collie rescued from an animal hoarder’s house on Long Island in June 2010.  He is deaf and blind (born without eyes) from merle-to-merle breeding.  Parker has his CGC (taken using only touch signals), is a therapy dog with Paws for Friendship, and does nosework.  Parker also has his own Facebook page (Parker’s Fan Club) and organization called Parker’s House, which is devoted to the rescue, education, and training of deaf and blind dogs. Owned by Kimberly Mockler.

Angel is my white fluffy Bichon Frise who will be celebrating her 13th birthday in 2 weeks (8/24). She joined my family when she was a just a tiny little puppy that fit in my pocket. My little 10 pount Angel has given brought so much very much love and happiness into my life. She “worked” as a pet therapist at Sagamore Children’s Hospital for many years, entertaining and bringing joy to so many children by playing ball (pushing the ball to each and every child, making sure every child had a chance to play with her), dancing on her two back legs and walking around the room following the children, and doing many “tricks” for them so the children could relax and laugh and feel free enough to “open up” to their therapist and to Angel. She loves agility and when I say “let’s do agility”, her tail wags so fast one worries it will fall off. This summer she earned her CPE CT-ATCH and her AKC MXP and MJP in agility. Her love for agility comes through loud and clear when she is permitted to go through the obstacles. She loves to demonstrate the sport of agility so others can see the sport in action. When she looks at us with her puppy eyes, the world becomes hers, and she knows it. Angel will always be a very special little white fluff girl who has earned a large place in my heart and in the heart of my family.
Owned by Sylvia Cardines.

Thank you to everyone who submitted your senior pet photos and loving words about them!

If you didn’t get a chance to submit your pet, please email info@LIPetPlace.com and they may just end up on our Facebook page too!

See below for a few more pictures and my dog Max!!!

“There has never been a better product then DGP!! Nittany, my 18 yr. old Chow/cocker mix started w/arthritis in her elbows then hip dysplasia in her right hip. She’s been on Rimadyl for sometime, took her to vets last week and they put her on Tramadol. What a nightmare. She got soooo sick, I took her off that, put her on carafate to calm her tummy, off food for a day or so, then started w/bland diet, when she was eating again, started DGP.  After 5 days, could hardly see her limping at all. In fact, she wanted to chase after a duck. This is a miracle w/DGP and God’s help. She’s now been on DGP 7 full days now, today 8th day, WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!! She’s back to doing some morning walks, not the 5 miles yet, but, each day gets better. Like she’s a whole different girl!!! Recommend this product with everything in me.“  Damaris R.

Charlotte has turned out to be the canine love of my life. She’s my little doggie daughter and I love her more every day.  Miss Charlotte Rose continues to surprise me every day – she learned “paw” when she was 10.  My girl gets sweeter eveyday and I love seeing a maternal side of her now that we have the new doxie rescue in the family.  Owned by Linday & Trevor Williams, photographed by Nancy Hassel.

What can I say about Max? BOL too much! He is my 12 year old senior boy, celebrating his 12th birthday on July 1, 2013, who still acts like a pup most of the time. I adopted him from Out of the Pits 12 years ago this coming October! Max loves life and is always so happy in the mornings, he loves the beach and the water, loves EATING!, loves to go for walks with his bud Dobby, and while he is a scardy cat in some respects - he has taught so many non-pit bull lovers to become huge fans of the breed just from knowing him! Max is my little white shadow, following me where ever I go, but he is getting sick of pictures being taken of him - haha. The funny thing is when he was younger some people were scared of him, (seriously? he is so cute!), but now that he is more white due to his hair turning white around his face - so many people comment, did you see that cute dog, or awww how cute he is. So many smiles when they see him coming along in his slower old doggie walk. 🙂 Good boy Max you change the perception of a pit bull one person at a time! Owned and photographed by me, Nancy Hassel!