By Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com & Long Island Pet Professionals

Savvy pet consumers are looking more at labels when they shop for pet products and to many it is important that the pet prodcut they are buying is made here in America.   Select pet retailers are starting to put Made in the USA sections in their stores, and even some small pet retail stores go as far as having 70 to 80% of their products being made in the USA.  But unfortunately that is not the norm for all pet retailers.  “I can’t tell you how many times I pick up a cute pet item for my dog and when I read the label and it’s not made here, I put it down,” said, Linda Williams a consumer who owns 3 dogs and has no kids. “It is very important to me that I can support our local economy by purchasing products for our dogs that are made here – while they seem to somewhat more available – it’s not always the case.”

With that in mind, Long Island Pet Professionals, (LIPP) and Whitegate PR put together the first ever exlusive event for Made in the USA pet products at their upcoming ‘NYC Re-Tails & Sales Expo’ on Wednesday, February 19, 2014 from 11am – 5pm at Honda of Manhattan (627 11th Ave, at 47th Street, New York, NY 10036).  This one day pawtriotic event will have vendors at the event featuring their ‘Made in America,’ (locally made and sourced), pet products on display and for sale.  NYC and tri-state area retailers will be in attendance, for this exclusive event, to meet and learn about Made in the USA pet products and bring those products into their store for their costumers.  The event is for retailers, not the general public, to learn about the products, connect with the manufacturers and utimately form a lasting relationship to continue to support locally made and sourced pet products.

“As more and more pet retailers look for that ‘Made in America’ seal, we are very happy to be bringing this first ever boutique pet expo, showcasing American crafted and sourced pet products!” stated Nancy E. Hassel, founder and President of Long Island Pet Professionals. “This is something that hasn’t been done before and I am delighted to partner with pet industry expert Dana Humphrey of Whitegate PR to bring this event to NYC and have pet retailers and pet product makers meet face to face!”

“The amount of money people spend on their pets is expected to pass $60 billion,” Craig Rexford, vice president and publisher of Pet Age magazine, said. “The industry continues to grow, creating new business opportunities for both manufacturers and retailers. This event is a great opportunity for manufacturers with unique products to connect directly with retailers.”

Each retailer will have a scheduled appointment with each pet vendor on site. At this exclusive event transportation will be provided within NYC to invited retailers. Pet celebrities and influencers will be in attendance and VIP tickets will be given to retailers for a surprise event following the expo!  This is the perfect opportunity for pet retailers to meet the makers of fabulous American-made pet products.

“We are thrilled to have Pet Age Magazine as our Media Sponsor and Made in the USA, Certified sponsoring this event.  The buzz about the event has been tremendous and we are already talking about hosting the event yearly,” said Dana Humphrey, Owner of WhitegatePR.

Brought to you by Long Island Pet Professionals and Whitegate PR. NYC retailers and members of the media, to request an exclusive invite call Nancy Hassel at (631) 446-1105 or Dana Humphrey at (619) 414-9307. To become a vendor at this B2B pet expo – email Nancy@longislandpetprofessionals.com or Dana@whitegatepr.com to find out how. Limited vendor space left! Sponsorship opportunities available. (At press time of 1/31/14 there is only 1 vendor space left for this exclusive event!)

To learn more about the event, see the vendors who will be there or to register as a retailer or press to attend click here: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/nyc-re-tails-sales-expo-tickets-9438333309

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!)

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.