The Seattle Mariners will once again welcome dogs to T-Mobile Park for a Bark at the Park event.

This year you can bring your pooch to the park on for games against the Texas Rangers on August 11 and the Boston Red Sox on September 14.

The Mariners are currently only 1 game behind the Oakland A’s for a wild card spot (shocking, I know), so this could be a great year to see them play!

And after the game you can take your (leashed) dog on the field for a walk around the bases!!!!

Owners must check-in at the Bark at the Park check-in station outside of the ballpark prior to entry into the ballpark.

A special Bark at the Park entry gate will be located at the west end of the Left Field Gate near The Glove statue.

Once inside the gates of the ballpark, hosts and signage will guide to the designated Bark at the Park seating sections and adjacent concourse.

All dogs must remain in the designated Bark at the Park area of the ballpark throughout the game.

As in past years, there will be comfort stations where your dog can poop/pee. There will also be water stations for your dog.

Veterinarians will also be available if needed.

Do not line-up to run the bases until the game is over. All dogs be on a leash at all times.

Tickets are $25 for a dog and its human. Tickets for additional humans are $10.

Click here to purchase tickets.

The Mariners also listed several guidelines that owners must follow to ensure an enjoyable, safe event for dog and their owners:

• We reserve the right to refuse entry to any dog.
• No walk-up ticket sales will be available on the day of the event.
• One dog per adult (18 years of age or older). Dogs must be at least 6 months old.
• Bark at the Park tickets cannot be transferred or re-sold in any manner.
• A veterinarian will be on hand in case of emergency, injury or illness (subject to availability). 
• It is the dog owner’s sole responsibility to care for and be in control of their pet while at the ballpark.

Requirements for Purchase & Ballpark Entry:

If you have any questions or concerns, contact Elizabeth McCloskey at 206-346-4519.

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The post Take Your Dog to See the Seattle Mariners in August and September appeared first on Seattle DogSpot.

I know, I know.

Why am I posting a list of dog friendly hotels in Seattle during the middle of the COVID19 pandemic when hardly anyone is traveling?

Well, eventually, at some point soon hopefully, people will start traveling with their dogs again and will want to know where they can find dog friendly hotels.

You can find several national websites listing dog friendly hotels in Seattle; however, Seattle DogSpot’s list is unique because:

1. It is produced locally. I looked up and entered every hotel myself!
2. It has over 160 listings. Most websites only have a few dozen.
3. I will update it annually. Many listings on national websites are outdated.
4. You can quickly find pet policies for each hotel. Many hotels bury their dog policies in hard-to-find areas of their websites.

Click here to see Seattle DogSpot’s listings of dog friendly hotels in the Seattle area.

10 Tips for Making Reservations at Dog Friendly Hotels

Dog friendly policies for hotels vary widely. Even hotels in the same chain can have different policies.

Here are 10 tips on what to do/watch for when you research dog friendly hotels for your trip:

1. Make advanced reservations. Most dog friendly hotels have a limited number of dog friendly rooms. If you show up without a reservation that includes your dog you may not get one. And some hotels require you to make advanced reservations if you’re bringing a dog.

2. Ask about fees or restrictions for dogs when you make a reservation, especially if you don’t see any. Several hotels on the list say they are dog friendly but don’t list their specific policies.

After a long day of travel you don’t want to find out that you can’t get a room because your dog is too big or that you’ll have to pay astronomical fees. You should ask their specific policies when you make your reservation.

4. Check for weight restrictions. Most dog friendly hotels don’t ban particular breeds, but they often have weight restrictions (sometimes as low as 25#) that do restrict what breed of dog you can bring.

5. Few hotels have no fees or restrictions for dogs. You will most likely have to pay some sort of fee/deposit. Most hotels will also have size limits or other restrictions for dogs.

6. Deposits are refundable, fees are not. Most hotels charge pet fees and/or require deposits, but only deposits are refundable.

7. Check if you can leave your dog alone in the room. Some hotels specifically say you can’t leave your dog alone in your room, so whenever you leave your hotel, your dog goes with you.

8. Only bring well-behaved dogs. Just because a hotel is dog friendly doesn’t mean it tolerates dogs behaving badly. You could be asked you to leave if dog barks excessively or bothers other guests.

9. Keep your dog on a leash. Most dog friendly hotels require you to leash your dog in all public areas.

10. Dog friendly doesn’t mean dogs can go anywhere. Dogs are usually allowed only in your room or public areas. You can’t bring them to hotel restaurants, bars, gyms, etc.

If you know of dog friendly hotels not on the list, please send an email to info@seattledogspot.com.

Happy travels!

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Puppy, Kitten from Recent Transports Died

Desiderata Rescue is illegally sending sick puppies and kittens from Texas and Oklahoma to Washington.

At least one puppy and one kitten from each of its last 2 transports to Washington died.

In May, a puppy developed Parvovirus immediately after its adoption. Another puppy on that transport died from parvo.

And last month, a couple had to put down a kitten adopted from Desiderata Rescue due to complications from Fading Kitten Syndrome.

Furthermore, some of the kittens Desiderata Rescue sends here are less than 6 weeks old. Kittens should be at least 8-weeks-old before they can be adopted.

As I recently wrote, Desiderata Rescue operated illegally in Washington for years before founder Miriam Kelly moved to Oklahoma last year.

Ms. Kelly founded Desiderata Rescue in Texas. Any rescue that sends animals to Washington must be registered in the state even though it may be registered in another state.

Ms. Kelly never bothered to register the group in Washington and didn’t follow Washington’s disclosure rules for charitable organizations.

Now she runs the rescue out of Oklahoma, but she hasn’t registered in Washington and continues to send dogs and cats here illegally.

Furthermore, the IRS revoked Desiderata’s 501(c)(3) charity status about a year ago because Ms. Kelly didn’t send the agency annual reports for 3 consecutive years.

Yet until recently, Desiderata Rescue’s website continued to fraudulently claim that it was a charity and contributions to it were tax deductible.

Puppy with Parvovirus

In April Ms. Kelly sent several puppies with other dogs and cats on a transport from Oklahoma to Washington. Twelve of the puppies were Great Pyrenees mixes.

A family in Western Washington adopted one of these puppies whose name was Leo. They met the transport on April 17th to pick him up.

When they got Leo the person driving the van told them that “one of the puppies from another litter had died from parvo. My puppy started getting sick yesterday afternoon. I rushed him to the vet this AM and he had a strong positive for parvo.”

If you’ve never heard of parvo or Canine Parvovirus, it’s a highly contagious viral illness “characterized by vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss and lack of appetite (anorexia).”

If not treated in its early stages, parvo can be fatal, especially in puppies.

The incubation periods for parvo is about 6-10 days after exposure, so Leo contracted the virus before Ms. Kelly put him on the transport.

Vaccinated Puppies Can Still Get Parvovirus

Puppies should get their initial parvo vaccine when they are 6-8 weeks old. They get the second vaccine at 10-12 weeks. They should get the last vaccine at 14-16 weeks.

Ms. Kelly claimed all the puppies were “current on shots.” Technically that could be true since they were the age for getting their first vaccination.

However, most experts say puppies should not be around unvaccinated dogs until they have had ALL their parvo vaccinations:

AKC: “You should not allow puppies to come into contact with unvaccinated dogs until they have received all of their parvo vaccines.”

VetStreet.com: “Don’t expose your puppy to other dogs or public places until he’s had vaccinations. Most puppies don’t get them until they are 15 to 16 weeks of age.”

AMVA: “Until a puppy has received its complete series of vaccinations, pet owners should use caution when bringing their pet to places where young puppies congregate.”

PetMD.com: “High-risk breeds may require a longer initial vaccination period of up to 22 weeks. During this time, your puppy should only socialize in private areas with fully vaccinated dogs.”

Ms. Kelly keeps dogs at her home or with fosters before putting them on the transport. The dogs are from Oklahoma and/or Texas.

I don’t know if she keeps Desiderata’s puppies away from unvaccinated dogs or not, but she apparently doesn’t do it uniformly because, as the van driver said, one of the puppies had already died from parvo.

She also squeezes as many crates in a van as possible. Puppies not fully vaccinated could easily be exposed to parvo during the drive from Texas to Oklahoma or Oklahoma to Washington.

This video was taken by the couple who adopted the 2 sick kittens from Desiderata Rescue. You can see the crates are stacked 3-high.

This was the van’s third drop-off of the day so the van had more animals when it left Oklahoma.

Families Suffer Financially, Emotionally

Parvo doesn’t just affect puppies. Families that adopt an infected puppy endure emotional trauma of watching their new puppy suffer and possibly die.

They also have to spend thousands of dollars in vet bills. Leo’s family spent about $2500 for his treatment. He survived, fortunately.

At least one other puppy wasn’t so lucky, and the chance that other infected dogs rode on that transport are pretty high.

Kittens Too Young for Adoption

I normally don’t write about cats, but the death of a kitten Desiderata Rescue put on its transport last month is another example how casually and irresponsibly the rescue transports its animals.

In April a woman in Kitsap County adopted two kittens from Desiderata Rescue. Ms. Kelly said they were six weeks old. When the woman picked up the kittens in Tacoma on Friday, June 12, she immediately noticed something wrong.

Here’s what she wrote on a community Facebook page: “It was apparent they were not six weeks old and were very small. One had diarrhea with blood.

Ms. Kelly shipped them in a van floor to ceiling with cages of dogs, puppies, and kittens frantically barking and meowing and had been on the road for three days.”

She told me that the smaller kitten “was covered in diarrhea on her backside and tail. She started pooping bloody diarrhea that night.”

The vet who examined this kitten said she only weighed 3/4 of a pound and estimated she was four-weeks-old. The other kitten she adopted weighed a pound.

Over the next few days her condition deteriorated and she developed a number of health problems. The adopter decided to put her down on June 16 after the vet told her the kitten wouldn’t recover.

The vet said the cause of death was Fading Kitten Syndrome, which is “a set of symptoms….. associated with a failure to thrive in neonatal kittens. Fading kitten syndrome is not a single disease. It can have many underlying causes, many of which lead to rapidly declining health, or even death.”

Several things can cause Fading Kitten Syndrome, including “environmental factors, congenital defects, parasites, bacterial or viral infections, and even human error in hand-raising kittens,” says Ellen Carozza, a licensed veterinary technician and a fading kitten expert from NOVA Cat Clinic in Arlington, Virginia.

Ms. Kelly does hand-raise some of her kittens but I have no idea how she raised this kitten. And since the kitten traveled in a van filled to the brim with dogs and cats for a couple of days, a number of factors could have caused Fading Kitten Syndrome.

Desiderata Rescue Misled Adopter About Kittens’ Ages

One possible contributing factor to the kittens’ health problems is that they were too young for adoption. Ms. Kelly claimed they were six-weeks-old, but vet that examined them said they were much younger, possibly as young as 4-weeks-old.

According to VetMD.com, a 6-week-old kitten should weigh 1.4 – 1.7 pounds. The euthanized kitten only weighed 3/4 of a pound and the other one weighed a pound.

Their weights bolster the vet’s opinion they were less than 6-weeks-old.

The kitten that survived also developed diarrhea and still needs medical treatment. So far, the family that adopted these kittens spent over $2000 on veterinary bills.

Rescues Cannot Transport Puppies and Kittens Less Than 8 Weeks Old

Even if the kittens were actually six-weeks-old, they still would have been too young for adoption. Virtually every reputable source I found said kittens shouldn’t be adopted until they are at least eight weeks old.

Furthermore, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal Welfare Regulations, Section 2.130, “No dog or cat shall be delivered by any person to any carrier or intermediate handler for transportation, in commerce, or shall be transported in commerce by any person, except to a registered research facility, unless such dog or cat is at least eight (8) weeks of age and has been weaned.“

Ms. Kelly claimed the kittens she sent in June were six weeks old. This violated the USDA’s rule regarding the minimum age for transporting dogs and cats.

Some people claim it is unavoidable that some animal rescues lose dogs or cats due to factors beyond their control. Based on my experience I don’t think that’s true.

I’ve known rescues that never lose any of their animals due to extensive protocols they put in place to ensure their animals are healthy.

Of course, having an animal die doesn’t automatically mean a rescue did something wrong. Sometimes a situation is truly beyond their control.

My concern is with rescues that don’t have best standard procedures and practices in place don’t give their animals the best opportunity thrive at the rescue and in their new homes.

Desiderata Rescue is Operating Illegally and Irresponsibly

In my opinion, Desiderata Rescue doesn’t take the measures required to be ensure the health all its animals.

And because Ms. Kelley hasn’t provide financial data to the IRS no one know how much money she makes or where it goes.

I’ve written before that most people run animal rescues responsibly and transparently. Ms. Kelly isn’t one of them.

Remember that just because a rescue is on Adopt-a-Pet and Petfinder doesn’t mean it operates responsibility. You should still do your research on any rescue before you adopt from it.

In my opinion, getting animals from her is about the same as buying them from someone selling them out of the back of their truck on the side of the road.

If you’re ready to adopt a dog or cat, you will plenty of legal, reputable animal rescues in Washington.

Why adopt from a careless rescue that is operating illegally?

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The post Desiderata Rescue Sent Sick Puppies and Kittens to Washington appeared first on Seattle DogSpot.

(This is an updated version of a previous post).

nicklinwayvet.com.au.

You’ve probably heard this a gazillion times already, but it can’t hurt to say it once more – more pets end up in shelters during and after the 4th of July than any other time of year because fireworks scare the bejeezus out of them.

Frightened dogs tend to bolt and run for long distances until they get far away from whatever scared them.

And if the fireworks keep going off, the dog will keep running.

Some people think their dog will be OK if they leave it in a fenced yard, but a panicked dog can jump over a moderately high fence. 

And if you leave your dog alone in your house while you celebrate the 4th? You might find out just how much damage a freaked out dog can cause.

Even if you stay home and cookout in the backyard, your presence won’t prevent your dog from bolting once the fireworks start.

10 Tips for Dogs and Fireworks

1. Exercise Your Dog Before the Fireworks Start!

dogblog.finchester.org

Make time in your schedule to give your an extra long workout before the fireworks begin. Tired dogs are calmer and easier to keep quiet.

They will also sleep more deeply, and consequently, will be less likely to be disturbed by the noise outside.

Of course, if it’s really hot outside, take precautions to ensure your dog doesn’t get overheated.

2. Stay Home.

I understand that not everyone can stay at home on the 4th, but your dog’s fear of fireworks can be exacerbated if you aren’t there to provide reassurance that they are safe.

This is especially important if you have a a new dog in the house because you won’t know how it reacts to fireworks.

3. Keep Calm.

Your dog reacts to your nonverbal cues. If you jump or tense up when you hear fireworks because you are anticipating your dog’s fear, you may make its fear worse.

4. Drown Out the Sound.

Dogvacay.com

Turn up the stereo or television. and keep your windows closed during the fireworks.

Something that can provide background noise, like a fan or air conditioner can help as well.

5. Respect Your Dog’s Fear.

Allow your dog to hide if it feels more comfortable in its crate or under a bed. Don’t pull it out or try to force it closer to the fireworks in an attempt to get him used to the sounds.

Just let it stay where it’s comfortable and provide reassurance that it’s safe.

6. Provide a Distraction.

Break out your dog’s favorite treats, play a game, or give it some extra cuddle time. You can occupy it for awhile by filling a KONG with peanut butter or another yummy treat and freezing it.

7. Try the Thundershirt.

I’ve never tried a Thundershirt on my dogs, but some people swear by them. The pressure it provides has a calming effect on the nervous system.

8. Just Say YES to Drugs.

If know that your dog will panic when the fireworks start, ask your vet if he/she can prescribe medication like Sileo, an FDA-approved gel for the treatment of canine noise aversion.

theoatmeal.com.

Some people recommend giving your dog half a Benadryl to keep it calm but I wouldn’t try that unless you check with your vet first.

From my own experience I’ve found that cannabis made specifically for dogs is the best product for keeping my dogs calm and relaxed. Most independent pet stores in the Seattle area have it, or you can order it online.

9. Be Prepared.

Make sure your dog is wearing ID tags with its name, your name, and your phone number. Get your dog microchipped if it doesn’t have one. Buy your dog a license – if it runs off and is picked up by animal control, they will call to let you know they have your dog. And you won’t have to pay a big fine to get your dog back. You can also get a digital ID tag from Wenatchee-based PetHub.

10. Remove Visual Stimulation.

Keep your curtains closed or blinds. Removing visual stimulation can help calm dogs.

I hope you find these tips helpful.

Have a great holiday, and be sure to keep your dogs safe and calm!

ChicagoNow.com.

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The post Dogs and Fireworks – 10 Tips to Keep Your Dog Safe and Calm on July 4th appeared first on Seattle DogSpot.

People who run dog rescues are a rare breed.

Starting a rescue to save dogs from euthanization and find them homes requires that they:

• forfeit time with their family
• spend thousands of dollars to keep their rescue running if donations drop off
• must be on call 24/7
• view firsthand the cruelty and negligence some people inflict their dogs
• drive long distances to save a dog facing euthanization in a shelter

Saving abused, sick, unwanted dogs and finding them homes does offset some of these sacrifices.

But make no mistake, running a dog rescue is tough work, and it can wear down even the most ardent dog rescuer both emotionally and financially.

On top of the challenges they face, dog rescuers must comply with federal, state, and local regulations.

Most of these laws concern what rescuers must do if they want their rescue classified as a 501c3 charity.

Desiderata Rescue founder Miriam Kelly blatantly ignores these laws and appears to run the rescue with no government oversight.

IRS Disclosure Requirements for Charities

Organizations granted 501c3 status are exempt from paying federal income tax as well as state income, property, and/or sales taxes. Donors can also make tax deductible contributions to these charities.

In return for these benefits, charities must file annual tax returns with the IRS. Some must also file state returns.

In addition, they must make their last 3 tax returns and formation documents available to anyone who requests them.

Miriam Kelly, however, doesn’t think these rules apply to her or Desiderata Rescue.

Ms. Kelly started Desiderata Rescue around 2016. The rescue’s stated goal is to pull dogs and cats from overcrowded, high kill animal shelters in Texas and find them homes in Washington.

Based on several documents I found online, Ms. Kelly fraudulently portrays Desiderata Rescue as a tax exempt, 501c3 charity and currently operates the rescue in violation of both federal and state statutes.

501c3 Charity Designation Revoked

On May 15, 2019, the IRS revoked Desiderata Rescue’s charity designation.

This meant Desiderata Rescue could no longer bill itself as a 501c3 charity or claim donations were tax deductible.

The IRS took this action because Desiderata Rescue failed to send tax returns to the agency for 3 years.

Missing 1 year could have been an oversight.

Missing 2 years might have been sloppy bookkeeping.

Missing 3 years indicates to me that the rescue doesn’t want the IRS or the public to see its financial records. Or maybe it has no financial records.

I emailed Miriam Kelly to find out whether or not the IRS still considers Desiderata Rescue a 501c3 charity. Here’s our email exchange:

Seattle DogSpot: “Could you please tell me if Desiderata Rescue is still registered as a 501c3 charity? Both the IRS and the WA Attorney General websites show that the group’s tax exempt status has been revoked so I wanted to check with you to see if that information is accurate. And if it is accurate, is the rescue registered under another name?”

Miriam Kelly: “Out of fodder for your lousy blog, huh? Do not harass me again.”

Seattle DogSpot: “This isn’t harassment. Just trying to determine if you’re operating legally in Washington. If you can’t/won’t provide anything showing the rescue is properly registered I’ll just go with the information I have.”

Miriam Kelly: “I have repeatedly asked you to not email me so yes this is harassment. I don’t care what information you want. You are a blogger who thinks you have some sort of authority. But you are just a slimy weasel. If you wanted to be a real journalist, you would expose (redacted) for the fraud she is but you are too busy sucking her dick. Now, do NOT email me again. Ever.” 

Needless to say, she never answered my question.

Desiderate Rescue Falsely Claims Donations are Tax Deductible

Even though the IRS revoked her rescue’s designation as a 501c3 charity almost a year ago, Miriam Kelly continues to claim Desiderata Rescue is a charity and contributions to it are tax deductible.

Desiderata Rescue’s Donation Requests Violate Washington Regulations

Although Ms. Kelly conducts most of Desiderata Rescue’s work from her home in Tacoma, the rescue is and always has been registered in Texas.

The Washington Secretary of State’s office told me that charities posting fundraisers in Washington must register with the Secretary of State’s Charity program and must meet the disclosures that the law requires.

Desiderata Rescue isn’t registered to operate in Washington and doesn’t follow fundraising disclosure rules.

Here are the disclosure requirements you must when fundraising for a 501c3 charity:

• The name of the person making the request
• The charitable organization and the city of its principal place of business
• The published number and web site of the Secretary of State’s office, if requested, for the donor to obtain additional financial or other information on file with the secretary at 1-800-332-4483 www.sos.wa.gov/charities 

The Offices of both the Washington Secretary of State and the Attorney General told me they have sent notices to Ms. Kelly about her illegal fundraising on behalf of Desiderata Rescue.

To the best of my knowledge, no one responded to the notices.

Still Ignoring Fundraising Regulations

Because she never sent tax returns to the IRS, we have no idea how much money Ms. Kelly raised for the rescue or where the money went.

Ms. Kelly also continues to flout federal and state laws by operating the rescue and posting fundraisers despite the fact that:

• The IRS revoked Desiderata Rescue’s charity status
• Desiderata Rescue is based in Texas and isn’t a registered charity in Washington
• The rescue’s business license has expired in Texas and Washington

Recently she brought a bunch puppies to Washington and sold them for $600 apiece.

Shut Down Rescues That Break Laws

I understand how tough it is to run an animal rescue. I also understand that filing documents and financial information can be a huge pain in the ass that takes time away from saving dogs.

Still, the vast majority of animal rescues have no problem following laws regardless of how difficult it is. And the public should be able to see financial information of public, tax exempt organizations that get tax deductible donations.

Rescuing dogs doesn’t give you a free pass to run your organization with no oversight.

Washington should shut down animal rescues that ignore the law and hold the people running them accountable.

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Last month the rescue Greyhound Pets of America Greater Northwest invited me to SeaTac to meet eight greyhounds rescued from Ireland by Flying Irish Greyhounds.

When I started Seattle DogSpot I knew nothing about greyhounds. I had never met one and didn’t know anyone that had one for a pet.

Since them I’ve learned that greyhounds are gentle, fun-loving dogs that make fantastic pets. And contrary to what most people think, these athletic dogs are actually couch potatoes that don’t need tons of daily exercise.

Many of them sleep up to 20 hours a day.

A Little Greyhound History

I learned even more from Lori Bigler, the volunteer with Greyhound Pets of America Greater Northwest who invited me to meet the dogs.

She told me that greyhounds were originally bred for hunting. As long as 5000 ago, Kings and Pharaohs hunted with packs of them to chase down various types of animals.

Here are some other things I learned about greyhounds while researching their history:

The only breed of dog mentioned by name in the Bible is the greyhound. (Proverbs 30:29-31, King James Version): “There be three things which do well, yea, Which are comely in going; A lion, which is strongest among beasts and Turneth not away from any; A greyhound; A he-goat also.”

The greyhound is the first dog breed mentioned in English literature. The monk in Geoffrey Chaucer’s 14th century The Canterbury Tales reportedly spent great sums on his greyhounds: “Greyhounds he hadde as swifte as fowel in flight; Of prikyng and of huntyng for the hare Was al his lust, for no cost wolde he spare.”

Shakespeare mentioned greyhounds in several of his plays, including Henry V: “I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, Straining upon the start. The game’s afoot.”

Irish Greyhounds Have Tough Lives

The Irish began racing greyhounds in 1927. People also used greyhounds for coursing to see which was the most agile.

According to Ms. Bigler, the Irish view greyhounds as working dogs, not pets.

The dogs live in the Irish countryside, outdoors or in sheds, huddling together for warmth.

They only leave the farm to go to the track on race day, then they come back to the farm. Some live in muzzles 24/7.

Thousands of Irish Greyhounds Killed Annually

As in other countries, greyhounds that can no longer race or breed are killed in Ireland.

According to a confidential business analysis report prepared for the Irish Greyhound Board in 2017 by consultants Preferred Results Ltd., “up to 6,000 greyhounds are being killed each year because they are not fast enough.”

Furthermore the report noted, “the Irish greyhound industry is breeding 1,000% more puppies than it needs, leading to a cull of thousands of racing dogs every year.”

Fortunately, groups dedicated to reduce the slaughter of greyhounds have emerged in Ireland. One of these groups, Flying Irish Greyhounds, coordinated the journey of the eight greyhounds that arrived at SeaTac last month.

From SeaTac to New Homes

After their twelve hour journey to a new country, the dogs were a bit dazed and wary as they emerged from their crates, but after some bathroom breaks and a bit of sniffing, they all perked up and a few did some happy jumps.

Flying Irish Greyhounds had already found homes for all the dogs, so as soon as the dogs took care of business and stretched their legs, the groups took them to meet their new humans.

Four of them – Atta, Gunner, Vicki, and Connie – went with Greyhound Pets of America Greater Northwest in Washington.

The rest – Dutch, Fly, Beau, and Keen – went to Portland-based
Greyhound Pet Adoption Northwest.

Generally, Greyhound Pets of America waits a few weeks before their greyhounds can be adopted, but in this case, Flying Irish Greyhounds had already found homes with people that had extensive experience with the breed.

Washington Greyhound Adoption Groups Rock

I must say, in my experience of writing about dog adoption groups, greyhound groups have some of the most organized, hard working, and effective volunteers I’ve seen.

They have adoption events virtually every weekend and they prepare extensively for each group of dogs that arrive in Washington.

And they’re fiercely dedicated to saving these athletic dogs and finding them the best homes possible.

If you’re interested in adopting a greyhound, contact Greyhound Pets of America Greater Northwest, Greyhound Pets, Inc., or Royal Hounds.

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The post Eight Irish Greyhounds Find New Homes in the Pacific Northwest appeared first on Seattle DogSpot.

If you are hosting a Thanksgiving fiesta or planning to take your dog to someone else’s home for holiday fun, your dog will be around lots of new types of food it would love to try, and you can be sure it will carefully comb the crowd for easy marks to give it a taste.  

Unfortunately, many holiday foods are toxic to dogs and can either kill them or cause serious health problems.

Xylitol can be deadly to dogs.

Please take a look at this list and be sure to keep your dog away from these foods. More importantly, be sure to tell your guests, especially kids, not to feed anything to your dog.  

Another thing you can do is empty garbage cans after you’ve made the meal and after clean up to keep potentially dangerous food away from dumpster diving dogs.

Here’s a list of foods to keep away from your dog:

1. Onions or other alliums like garlic, leeks, shallots & scallions. Though small, well-cooked portions of this plant group can be okay when pets are accustomed to them, larger quantities can lead to toxic anemia — especially in dogs. Also, be careful with turkey stuffing. Many stuffing recipes include onions.
2. Xylitol. Most people don’t cook with this sugar substitute, but diabetics often do. Anything with xylitol in it is toxic and absolutely deadly to dogs. Do not keep it in your house (or if you must, keep it safe and secure away from your animal). Sugar-free cupcakes, gums, and mints may also contain this product, so be careful all year round.
3. Walnuts and Macadamia nuts. Within twelve hours of eating these nuts dogs can start to develop symptoms such as an inability to stand, ataxia (walking wobbly), depression, vomiting, muscle tremors, hyperthermia (elevated body temperature), weakness, and an elevated heart rate.
   

   Be sure to tell your guests not to sneak any food to your dog. Image from Dogspired.

4. Turkey Bones. Turkey bones (and chicken bones) are hollow and will splinter when your dog chews them. The sharp points of splintered bones can cause internal perforations in a dogs throat, stomach, or intestines that can lead to life threatening health problems. The bones can also get lodged in your dog’s throat and cause choking.
5. Chocolate. Chocolate contains theobromine, a substance that can be toxic to pets. Dark, semi-sweet or Baker’s chocolate can be lethal to pets if ingested. Milk chocolate is less dangerous but should still be avoided.
6. Tomatoes, Potatoes and Rhubarb. Parts of these contain oxalates, which can be toxic to dogs.
7. Raisins and Grapes. These can cause kidney failure, even in small amounts.
8. Pits from plums, peaches, cherries or other fruit. Pits  contain cyanide, which is poisonous to dogs as well as humans. They can also create intestinal blockage.
9. Nutmeg. Can cause seizures and central nervous system damage.
10. Avocados. The fruit, pit and plant are all toxic. They can cause difficulty breathing and fluid accumulation in the chest, abdomen and heart.

If you suspect that your dog may have ingested one of these foods or another harmful substance, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.

Have a safe and happy holiday!

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With ghosts, goblins, and zombies out in full force for Halloween a week next week, it is easy to be so caught up in candy buying and costume making that you forget about getting your dog ready for the trick or treaters that will be knocking at your door.

Image from the odysseyonline.com.

Don’t make that mistake.

Halloween poses a myriad of potential dangers to dogs, some of which can be lethal, but with a little preparation you can ensure your dog will be safe.

Halloween Safety Tips for Dogs

1. Keep the candy bowl out of reach

Chocolate (especially dark chocolate), candy, raisins, grapes, nuts (especially macadamia nuts), and anything that contains the article sweetener xylitol can sicken or kill dogs. Most of us keep a bowl full of these treats near the dog to hand out to trick-or-treaters. You dog could easily snatch some candy when you’re distracted, so be sure to keep it in a place your dog can’t reach.

2. Educate your Kids about keeping candy from dogs

Most kids don’t realize that candy and other treats they collect on Halloween are dangerous to dogs. Talk to your kids about the importance of keeping them away from dogs, make sure they don’t leave any treats laying around the house, and tell them to store any uneaten candy in a place the family dog can’t reach.

3. Keep you dog confined and away from the front door

You can’t always predict how your dog will react to dozens of kids dressed in scary costumes knocking on your front door and screaming “trick-or-treat!”. To ensure your dog won’t freak out and bolt outside or attack the monsters at the door you should put it in a secure room away from the front door.

Some people have had luck with Rescue Remedy a natural stress reliever.

For our dogs, CBD oil, (a derivitive of marijuana that doesn’t get dogs high) is the best product we’ve used for reducing stress.

Over the last couple of years the number of CBD oil brands on the market has exploded, and you may have difficulty figuring out which one to buy.

This post from YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner.com is the best I’ve seen for tips on how to navigate this quickly growing market and figuring out the best CBD oil for your dog.

As always, consult with your vet before giving your dog any over-the-counter medications to your dog.

Image from Freehd-images.com.

4. Leave your dog home when you trick-or-treat

As I said in #3, you don’t know how your dog is going to react to stranger’s in costumes, especially if one of the little ghouls sneaks up behind your dog to scare it. On top of that, most of you attention will be on your own kids. Your dog will be much safer if you leave it at home.

5. Make Sure Your Dog’s ID is Up-to-Date

If your dog has a microchip, make sure your contact information is current, and if your dog has an ID tag and/or license tag on its collar, be sure the he/she is wearing it so if it does bolt outside it will be easier for people to return it to you.

6. Keep electrical wires and chords out of reach

If you’re one of the people who loves to put out Halloween lights and decorations, be sure your dog can’t chew the electrical wires/chords. An electrical shock can kill or severely injure your dog.

7. Try costumes on your dog the night before Halloween

If you plan on dressing your dog in a costume put it on the night before to see if it fits and how your dog will react to it. This is particularly relevant if your dog hasn’t worn a costume before. If your dog is in a costume that is too tight or restricts breathing, or if it just doesn’t like being dressed up, it could get stressed and exhibit unexpected behavior like aggression or biting. 

Have a happy, safe Halloween!

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(Originally posted in 2015)

In 2015, movie star The Rock” (Dwayne Johnson), announced that one of his new French Bulldog puppies died after eating a poisonous mushroom.

The announcement prompted a Bellingham couple to issue their annual warning about preventing dogs from eating poisonous mushrooms.

Milo and Maggie died in 2012 after eating poisonous mushrooms in their backyard. Photo from Bill and Renee Bliss on KING 5’s website.

Their Dogs Died After Eating Poisonous Mushrooms

In 2012, Renee and Bill Bliss lost both their pugs, Milo, age 8, and Maggie, age 10, after the dogs ate poisonous mushrooms in their backyard.

Yesterday Renee Bliss told KING 5 News that in memory of Milo and Maggie, she “tries to get the word out about the danger of mushrooms.”

“It is extremely important to continue to talk about this,” she said to KING 5. “If we don’t have consistent communication about it, it is easy to become complacent until the next tragedy. With social media, we have no excuse about getting the word out.”

Renee issues the reminder about poisonous mushrooms about this time every year because fall is one of the prime times for mushrooms to grow (the other is spring) due to combination of wet soil and decaying leaves/plants.

Local gardening icon Ciscoe Morris told KING 5 that “the only way to rid your garden of (mushrooms) is to pick them, but they’ll come back the following year.”

This poisonous mushoom – Amanita Muscaria – is common throughout North America and Europe. Photo from vetstreet.com.

Symptoms of Mushroom Poisoning in Dogs

According to PetMD the most common symptoms associated with mushroom poisoning are:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Weakness
• Lethargy
• Yellowing of the skin (jaundice)
• Uncoordinated movements
• Excessive drooling (ptyalism)
• Seizures
• Coma

More Information on Mushrooms Poisonous to Dogs

VetStreet put together a list of five common mushrooms that can poison your pet.

If you suspect your dog has eaten poisonous mushrooms, take it to a veterinarian immediately. According to the Pet Poison Helpline, all mushroom ingestion “should be considered toxic unless accurate, rapid mushroom identification can occur.” Be sure to take a sample of the mushroom it ate to show the vet.

To learn more about mushrooms that are poisonous to dogs, please contact the Poison Pet Helpline or ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control.

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Marijuana poisoning in dogs can be fatal. Photo from buymarijuanaseeds.com

Seattle Hempfest is NOT Dog Friendly

If you plan to attend Seattle Hempfest this weekend, please leave your dog at home because DOGS AREN’T ALLOWED.

Seattle Hempfest is the largest annual cannabis policy reform event on the planet.

Every year, organizers turn away people who assumed that the event allows dogs.

It doesn’t.

The only dog allowed at Seattle Hempfest are service dogs (real service dogs, not the ones with fake credentials).

Remember that therapy dogs, comfort dogs and emotional support dogs are NOT service dogs.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a service dog as “any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.”

Don’t Leave Your Dog in Your Car!

Image from WaldenHumane.org

Many attendees end up leaving their dogs in their cars after learning they can’t bring them into Hempfest. 

In 2009, the Seattle Times reported that a dog died after its owners left it in their car for more than 2 hours after they were told they couldn’t bring it to Hempfest.

That same year, police broke into 4 cars to rescue 3 dogs, a cat, and a kitten during Hempfest.

In 2015, the Seattle Animal Shelter confiscated a dog a Hempfest attendee left in his car.

I know you’ve heard this a gazillion times but I’m going to remind you for the gazillion and first time that, in hot weather, cars can heat up quickly and your dog can die of heatstroke relatively quickly.

On an 85 degree day, the temperature in your car can reach almost 120 degrees within about 30 minutes. That’s more than hot enough for a dog to die from heatstroke.

“It’s not worth the risk,” said former Seattle Animal Shelter Director Don Jordon before Hempfest in 2015. “Cars in direct sunlight can reach fatal temperatures within just a few minutes, and on hot days even dogs left in the shade with the windows cracked are at risk of brain damage or death.”

That same year the Legislature passed a law making it a Class C felony to leave an animal unattended in a vehicle or enclosed space if the animal “could be harmed or killed by exposure to excessive heat or cold, lack of ventilation or lack of water.”

Four Reasons Why Dogs Shouldn’t Be at Hempfest

Normally I’d prefer that outdoor festivals are dog friendly. However, here are some reasons why I agree that Seattle Hempfest should ban dogs. 

Huge Crowds

The event is always packed. Not just crowded. Packed. 500,000+ people packed. 

Throwing dozens of dogs into the mix could create dangerous confrontations, especially if owners are too stoned to keep an eye on their dogs.

Contact Highs 

Lots of people will be smoking lots of pot and producing lots of smoke, and it doesn’t take much of it to get your dog high.

Dogs can show symptoms of marijuana toxicity within a few minutes of inhaling smoke or a couple hours after ingesting marijuana.

Vets are seeing more dogs that have eaten marijuana-infused edibles. Photo from brianandjillshow.com.

Possible symptoms include impaired coordination, excessive urination, and incontinence.

Other symptoms include drooling, vomiting, lethargy, depression, dilated pupils, and light/sound sensitivity.

In severe cases they have seizures or go into a coma.

Stray Edibles

One of the largest growth areas in pot consumption is edibles. 

Companies infuse brownies, cookies, candy, cake, chocolate, beef jerky, peanut butter and lots of other foods with cannabis oil; and they’re more potent than pot you smoke.

Some of these edibles will end up on the ground where dogs can quickly scarf them up without you noticing.

Stupid People

Stoned people often lose track of time and forget when they left their dog in their car. They may also sneak a bite of an edible to your dog to see it get high. 

If you do bring a service animal to Hempfest, keep it away from pot smoke and edibles. It should also have access to plenty of water. 

Since pet water stations won’t be available and the lines for bottled water will be long, you should bring your own water for your service dog. 

To report a dog in a hot car, contact the Seattle Animal Shelter at (206) 386-7387 (PETS).

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