By Nancy E. Hassel

On Sunday, June 30, 2013 Bide-a-wee in Westhampton Beach hosted an adoption event along with a car show by NY AutoFest. So aside from the adorable dogs there for adoption, pet vendors and entertainment, there were cool cars and many car enthusiats too.  With about 30 dogs available for adoption at the shelter, and this is a beautiful facility, spotless as a matter of fact.  The dogs there are well socialized, happy and they have many different breeds to choose from.  Bide-a-wee also has many beautiful cats too and many programs availble for pet owners, check out their website here, and see many pictures below and even MORE on our Facebook page!

Love the color on this car!

Look at this face! So cute, and available for adoption at Bide-a-wee.

This cutie pie, was just that a wiggling, waggling bundle of joy! Go visit her and maybe you may just fall in love!

This handsome fella Riley, was there was with his mom. Riley is a Bide-a-wee alum.

Tricked out Jeep!

See MORE Photo’s by clicking here! (LOTS OF CAR PICS & DOGGIES TOO!)

by Susan Chamberlain of 14KaratParrot

Traveling or Moving, with pet birds?

Planning to travel with your bird? Whether it’s a vacation or relocation, the trip can be a positive experience for both of you. My first long-distance move with a carload of parrots was a revelation. In spite of my insecurities (Would the birds eat? Would they be traumatized?), my flock traveled extremely well. I had even believed the Amazons would be stressed to the point of silence during the trip. At the first bridge plaza they proved me wrong and gave the toll collector an earful. Four moves and 15 years later, the “green gang” is still thriving.

Okay, you’ve got the travel cage or carrier, cover, portable T-stand and first aid kit. Now it’s time to think about food and water. Tailor my “Top Ten” list to you specific needs:

#1. Resist the urge to share “fast food”, or even restaurant food with your birds! Sure, that burger you got at the drive-through is delicious, but it may be contaminated with enough e-coli to make your bird desperately ill. Tasty tacos, embellished with cheese and salsa may be loaded with enough sodium to cause salt toxicity. You’re miles from a familiar veterinarian. What now? Tempt your pet with tasty avian snacks at meal stops instead.

#2. Bring along a supply of bottled water for your bird to drink. Water supplies along your route may be ‘safe’ to drink, but may upset the system of a possibly stressed bird. You’ll rarely know in advance if the water along your route is well water or reservoir supplied. If you plan to use commercially bottled water, get your bird accustomed to it before your departure date. Alternatively, you can boil, then bottle your regular drinking water in clean jugs or smaller water bottles for use along the way. Once at your destination, you can gradually introduce your bird to the local water. I’ve done this by mixing increasing quantities of local water with water brought from home.

Portable water filters are available at variety and home improvement stores. Consider taking one of these along if you’ll be on an extended trip.

Did you know? You can kill bacteria by boiling water, but a filter is required to remove heavy metals and
other paniculate matter.

#3. Substitute juicy produce for water while in motion. Most birds drink little, if any water while actually in transit, or the water provided may be spilled. Spillage can be reduced somewhat by using a drinking water bottle, mounted to the travel cage or carrier, but do be aware that birds or the motion of a vehicle can cause these to drain as well. To provide necessary hydration, install a dish of juicy fruit and vegetables inside the travel home. This is especially important when your bird is traveling separately, perhaps in the cargo hold of an airplane.

When traveling by car, offer your pet water from a cup or dish at rest stops…inside your securely closed vehicle, of course! My budgies weren’t inclined to drink or eat produce on our trip, so I misted them with water from a spray bottle several times throughout the day. They preened the moisture from their feathers and licked it from the cage bars. A large, wet lettuce leaf, clipped to the cage bars got their attention on the second day of our journey.

#4. Pack a sufficient supply of seed and pellets in non-breakable containers. Those with screw-on tops are best, as they will not pop off if the container is dropped. Place containers where they will not be subjected to direct sunlight streaming through car windows.

#5. Store perishable food, fruit and vegetables in containers inside a cooler. I seal ice cubes inside resealable plastic bags so the food doesn’t end up under water at day’s end. (I don’t use re-freezable ‘blue ice’ on long trips because after it melts, it’s just excess baggage.) Replenish the ice at the hotel when you stop for the night.

#6. Allow plenty of time for your trip. Check into your motel early in the evening so your bird will have time to settle down, eat and spend a little tune out of its cage. Some birds, like my Senegal parrots, will refuse to eat a morsel of food while inside a car, so it’s important to schedule overnight stops on long trips.

#7. Feed fresh food sparingly before departure. Go easy on the eggs and table food, as a bird with a tendency toward motion sickness may vomit the contents of the full crop. When traveling, I like to awaken early, prepare my birds’ breakfast and allow them tune to eat while I shower and re-pack the car.

You may further reduce the risk of carsickness by covering carriers or cages with a white or light colored cloth while in transit. Birds will be able to perceive daylight, but will not be subjected to the sights of the road. Take your pet on several short drives prior to departing on a long trip so you can observe its reaction. Consult your avian veterinarian for specific advice regarding motion sickness.

#8. One dish filled with seed/pellets and another stocked with fruit and vegetables is all most birds require while on the road. My Amazons followed their regular eating patterns on the road: breakfast at the motel in the morning, then toward dusk, I’d hear the crunching of seed and pellets from the back seat of the car.

#9. Use a mess-containment device to reduce cage fall-out and spillage in your car and in hotels. I use the Mess Catcher™ from Pet Butler (call 800-452-9340 for local retailer or visit www.petbutler.com). a lightweight, clear tray type container for my Amazon’s travel cages, and the wrap-around Birdcage Barrier from Birdbrains™ (888-779-4999 for info) for the smaller birds’ cages. Both are available in a variety of sizes and come in handy at home and away.

#10. Remove hanging toys, treats, swings and other accessories from cages and carriers while traveling. Install dishes securely. Allow your bird to spend time in and on its travel home well before your departure date. Offer a favorite treat or two so your pet will associate the temporary home with something pleasant. My Amazons are still so attached to their travel cages that they insist on spending some time in them every day!

Bon voyage!

TRAVEL SUPPLIES

Bird Food

Supply of bird’s regular food, seed, pellets and treats.

Fresh food, packed in containers inside cooler.

Supplies

Box or carrier for bird food and supplies

Cooler

Re-closeable plastic bags for ice cubes

Sharp knife for cutting fruit & veggies Plastic spoons Small cutting board Vegetable washing solution Anti-microbial soap Unbreakable food containers Bottled water

Electrolyte replacement beverage for birds that suffer from stress while traveling (Pedialyte™ or similar product; consult your avian vet for specific advice)

Portable water filter

Extra dishes for stands or travel cages

Mess containment device for cage or portable stand

Paper towels

Immersion heater or ‘hot pot’ to heat water or baby food.

Thermometer, if you’re feeding baby birds

Small trash bags

Hand-held vacuum

By Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Firemen, hot cars and cool dogs all for a great cause!

Calling all hot rod enthusiasts and dog lovers!  There is a really cool event coming up on August 28th in Merrick, a car show and swap meet – but this has a twist, it’s gone to the dogs!  The first annual “Cruisin’ for Canines,” hosted by Vinyl Concepts, a local family owned and operated sign business, will bring together two of mans, (and woman’s) favorite things, cool cars and their four-legged best friends. The best part is all the proceeds from Cruisin’ for Companions will be donated to Forgotten Friends of Long Island Animal Rescue to continue their mission to save pets on Long Island and The North Merrick Fire Department to maintain their volunteer efforts for the community.

Vinyl Concepts decided to create this unique furtastic event for their love of animals. Owners, Joann & Jesse Ferrara adopted both their dogs and they can’t imagine their lives without them.  Joann Ferrara said, “This show will bring people together and continue to save lives of precious animals who have been overlooked and deserve a second chance.”

“Cruisin’ for Companions” will take place on Saturday, August 28th from 9am to 5pm with a rain date of Saturday, September 4th.  The event will be located at Four Towns Training Center (Fireman’s Field) on Merrick Road in Merrick. (Off of exit M9E on the Meadowbrook Pkwy.) This family event will have something for everyone. A mobile pet adoption from Forgotten Friends of Long Island Animal Rescue, judging and trophies for the car participants, doggie contests, all kinds of vendors, professional photography for cars & pets and raffles much more!

Admission for adults is $6.00.  Children are FREE and Pets are FREE.  For Pre-registered car participants the admission fee is $25.00. For same day car participants the admission fee is $30.00.

Long Islander’s love their cars, and their dogs – don’t miss this pawsome event, to benefit two amazing organizations. So come down with your dog for a great cause! Please make sure you’re responsible for pet, by curbing your dog and making sure that they are vaccinated and play good with others.  If you don’t have a four-legged friend, there will be plenty of pets that need a good home available for adoption.  So, open your mind, heart and home to the animals in need.  And heck, there might be some hot firemen there to go along with the hot cars!

For more details on how to register your car for the event or to become a vendor call Joann (516) 804-9461 or go to:  http://www.vinylconceptscorp.com/Vinyl_Concepts/News.html

By Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Baby it’s HOT in here!

Summertime, summertime, sum-sum-summertime! Summertiiimmmme! Okay so it may not quite be summer yet, but on beautiful warm spring days that hint that summer is coming, our minds turn to the beach, boating, bbq’s and more. One thing many people tend to forget or not even think of is pet safety and heat. It’s seems like common sense to many responsible pet owners, but there are often people who for some reason disregard pet safety in the heat of the summer or maybe they are new pet owners and just don’t know better.

One major concern is pets left in cars. It amazes me year after year, that I still see people on a warm day leaving the windows open a crack and leaving their very furry dogs in the car – while they go into a store. According to a study done by San Francisco University, and another study listed on www.MyDogIsCool.com shows how quickly temps rise during a heat wave. (One of the thermometers used in a study was an actual oven thermometer – that should tell you something). Not to mention if it is humid outside, it doesn’t help matters.

Why not try it yourself, without the dog or any pet for that matter of course. Next time it is a beautiful 75 -80 degrees, go sit in your parked car crack the windows a bit and sit in there for 10 -15 minutes. Don’t cheat and drink water or put the AC on. Now imagine yourself in a fur coat without the ability to sweat. Are you hot yet?

Pet owners should also know if you are caught doing this or someone reports your car with a pet in it to the police, the police have the right to break into to your car with whatever means necessary, call animal control and have your pet seized. You may be issued a summons, arrested for animal cruelty, or more. So the next time you are running up to the supermarket on a hot day, please, please, please leave your pets at home in the AC!

See our next article in a series on other safety issues and tips to keep your pet safe, healthy and happy during the summer months.