A Stray Dog’s Prayer

~ By Jo Anne Benware Fostering dogs has been a joy for my husband and me – and for our dog Kirby! We have three cats who refuse to play with Kirby, although they’re gracious enough to tolerate him. So Kirby gets his fun and socializing from the parade of dogs and puppies that come in and out of our lives. Many of these dogs are strays who were starving – let go by their families to fend for themselves. With no real reason to hope that humans would be kind to them again, but still forever hopeful that someone…perhaps a boy or girl who needs a best friend…will give them their forever home. As much as I would love to adopt each and every…

~ From Sissi Neace, former Rutherford County Humane Society President & Animal Behaviorist “My dog likes to ride in the back of my pick up truck. Is that safe?” Absolutely not. The back of a truck is one of the most dangerous places for your dog!I have personally seen a dog fly out of a truck bed after the truck hit a bump. The driver kept going and the poor dog landed in the road. The dog was lucky that there were no cars behind the truck. So, he limped away with a broken leg and jaw instead of being run over. On the same note, dogs like to put their heads out the car window. I do not recommend this, either, unless your dog…

~ by Rachel Seagrave First, look to see if the mom is nearby.  If you find a kitten out in the open—such as a flower bed, or lying on the pavement or grass, it usually means the mom has dropped it. If there is any chance of getting the kitten back to its mom, TRY. Next and most importantly, when you find an orphaned kitten DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FEED IT! Kittens cannot generate heat and so can become chilled quickly. Feeding a kitten in a chilled state will almost always end in disaster.  You first need to make sure the kitten is warm before you do anything else. You can do this by simply putting the kitten under your shirt and against your chest…

The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge is built  atop the historic, three-arch Historic Bridge #7 on North Carolina Highway 9 in Lake Lure, North Carolina. A unique and whimsical city park, the Flowering Bridge contains 30 gardens on and beside a reimagined bridge. One of the most popular features at the bridge is the Rainbow Bridge. Many visitors to the bridge come for the sole purpose of attaching their departed pet’s collar or tag to the Rainbow Bridge handrails. Often there are tears, but mostly it’s a calming place where pet owners can remember their beloved furry friends. You’ll find it at the entrance to the River’s Edge Dog Garden. The Rainbow Bridge is the brain child and creation of local artist Amy Wald. Amy built the…

Know how to treat and prevent this dangerous condition. ~ Robert Newman What is heatstroke? In simple terms, heatstroke occurs when a dog loses its natural ability to regulate its body temperature. Dogs don’t sweat all over their bodies the way humans do. Canine body temperature is primarily regulated through respiration (i.e., panting). If a dog’s respiratory tract cannot evacuate heat quickly enough, heatstroke can occur. To know whether or not your dog is suffering from heatstroke (as opposed to merely heat exposure), it’s important to know the signs of heatstroke. A dog’s normal resting temperature is about 100.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Once a dog’s temperature rises above 105 degrees, physiological changes start to take place, and the dog begins to experience the effects…