Whether you are taking a vacation, leaving for emergency out-of-town travel, or planning a business trip, pet parents are sometimes forced to leave their pets at home. Some people have pet sitters that they can call upon to feed and walk their dogs, take care of the cat’s needs, take in the mail and water the plants. Others prefer to leave their pets in the care of a full-service boarding kennel.

Pet sitters allow you to leave your furry companions in their own comfortable surroundings and receive once- or twice-daily visits, with walking, playing and feeding included in their services. Some will agree to stay in your home while you are gone, providing pet sitting and house sitting at the same time. If you think that your pet might not enjoy staying in an unfamiliar place with other animals nearby (such as a boarding kennel), finding a qualified and trustworthy pet sitter should be your first choice. There are many ways to find a good pet sitter, including asking friends, neighbors or your veterinarian for a referral. Another place to look is petsitters.org , the Web site for NAPPS (the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters). Their Web site provides a complete list of issues to consider when you choose a pet sitter, as well as a list of certified pet sitters in your area.

If you would like to utilize a boarding kennel, you will find that many offer luxurious accommodations with frequent, hands-on attention for your pets. A good local example is Best Friends Pet Care in White Plains, which offers various short- and long-term boarding plans for every pet and every budget. “At Best Friends, we know that pets are an important part of the family. When you cannot be with them, you want to make sure that they get the same kind of attention and love they get at home. All our offerings are structured to provide your pets with the level of service and quality of care you expect,” explained Best Friends spokesperson Deb Bennetts.

For dogs, they have spacious private suites complete with special raised beds, comfy bedding and daily maid service. You can also secure extra comforts for your pet, such as a television, daily playtimes, ice cream treats, bedtime stories and grooming services. You can make arrangements for special diets and home-prepared meals to be fed. If you are traveling with your laptop, you can log on and access live Web cams in all the play areas as well as in “kitty city,” where cats that are being boarded reside during their stay. Best Friends will also e-mail photos of your dog or cat taken at various times during the day so that you can see them while you are away.

Speaking of cats, the accommodations for your feline friends are no less luxurious. You can choose between roomy, glass-enclosed Vacation Villas (four levels) or Kitty Condos (two levels) complete with separate sleep and play areas and private “restroom facilities.”

Log onto the Best Friends’ Web site (bestfriendspetcare.com ) to read more about the boarding plans that they offer and to download prices for various accommodations and services. Just as with the hotel industry for humans, there is a “standard season” and an “off season” in pet boarding, and different pricing exists for both. Book early to ensure that your pet will have access to the accommodations and level of care you desire.

Choosing the proper pet sitter or boarding kennel will provide you with peace of mind and the knowledge that family pets are receiving focused attention and loving care while you are traveling. There are many options to choose from, and careful research is required to find the best option for your companion animals. Less stress for you and more fun for your pet will ensure an enjoyable time for all involved.

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Dog Festival Celebrates Responsible Ownership

White Plains dog lovers are invited to celebrate their bond at a local Dog Day Festival on Saturday, September 13, from 11:00 a.m. to 3 p.m., in observance of the American Kennel Club’s Responsible Dog Ownership Day, hosted by Best Friends Pet Care at 114 S. Kensico Ave. in White Plains.
Responsible Dog Ownership Day is designed to help dog owners enhance their relationships with their pets. There will be games and activities, including an agility course, a doggy wading pool and paw painting, as well as a “just for fun” dog show with prizes for fastest tail wagger, best kisser, best trick and fastest ice cream eater.
Expand your knowledge of your pet’s health and behavior at presentations by trainers, veterinarians, groomers and other pet care professionals. Other offerings include low-cost micro-chipping ($30, courtesy of Village Animal Hospital), Canine Good Citizen testing, first aid demonstrations, a petting zoo and activities for children, plus pet vendors, a raffle and giveaways.
Westchester SPCA, Adopt-a-Dog, Tiny Treasures, Posh Pets, Sandra’s Second Chance and Airedale Rescue will be onsite throughout the day with adoptable dogs looking for homes.

For information, call 997-0600 or visit bestfriendspetcare.com .

 

 

 

 

White Plains Times readers might remember our feature from last year about the establishment of WesCART (Westchester County Animal Response Team). Our article (“Disaster Planning and Your Pets,” Feb. 16, 2007 issue, page 10) also detailed the October 2006 passage of the federal Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act (PETS).

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, legislation was passed by Congress that requires the inclusion of companion and service animals in state and local disaster planning. The PETS Act was introduced in both the House of Representatives and the Senate and was approved by unanimous voice vote by both groups. The bill outlined provisions to help with disaster planning, including requiring that local and state emergency preparedness authorities include plans for pets and service animals in disaster plans to qualify for grants from FEMA; granting FEMA the authority to assist states and local communities in developing disaster plans to accommodate people with pets and service animals; authorizing federal funds to help create pet-friendly emergency shelter facilities; and allowing FEMA to provide assistance for individuals with pets and service animals, and the animals themselves following a major disaster.

Several area veterinarians, veterinary technicians, emergency responders, animal handlers and concerned citizens formed the original WesCART with the goal of aiding Westchester County residents and their animal companions in times of disaster. With monthly meetings and frequent training sessions, the members of this volunteer team began to establish viable methods and practices that would allow for an appropriate response to serious situations that might occur in the county and that would include all Westchester municipalities.

Exciting changes have taken place for WesCART, which recently became part of the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services volunteer program. John. P. DiBlasi, Deputy Commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services, discussed in a recent interview the direction WesCART is taking and its important place in the community.

“The county is in the process of defining its vision for WesCART,” DiBlasi said. “Their function will be part of an organized, county-wide effort to assist people and their pets when disasters, both small- and large-scale, take place. These situations include fires, floods, hurricanes and other severe weather, haz-mat conditions, or any circumstance where people and their pets are displaced.

“For WesCART volunteers,” DiBlasi continued, “99.9 percent of their time will be spent preparing a safe and appropriate response to these situations. Our hope is that we will never have to shelter or evacuate one person or animal, but in the event that we do, WesCART will be ready and able to help us meet these challenges. We need people who love animals to commit to getting involved. They are becoming a critical part of the county’s emergency services mission.”

The county is in the process of identifying appropriate sheltering locations and executing agreements with public facilities and private entities for this function, as well as developing and formalizing the protocols needed to ensure safe, legal practices for handling the various situations that might occur. The goal is to have these procedures in place by this fall. Ongoing training sessions and other opportunities will also be offered to guarantee that each WesCART member is equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to respond appropriately when called upon in an emergency. The team is structured in such a way that recognizes everyone’s ability to contribute, from professionally trained veterinarians to members that can contribute administratively.

“The time to become a part of this important team is now, when we are still in the development stages,” DiBlasi said. “Anyone who wants to give back to their community and the county by helping their neighbors and their pets when disasters strike should give WesCART a try.”  

WesCART meetings are held one evening per month at the county facility at 4 Dana Rd. in Valhalla. Information, details and a volunteer application can be obtained by contacting Lisa Hale of the Department of Emergency Services at  lmh2@westchestergov.com .

 

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Summer Safety Tips for Pets 

Judging from news reports, here’s information that bears repeating: In these hot summer months, our animal companions can suffer the same problems humans do, such as overheating, dehydration and even sunburn. By taking simple but critical precautions, you can keep pets safe, happy and healthy in hot weather.

Never leave your animal alone in a vehicle. Overheating can be fatal. Even with the doors open, a parked automobile can become a furnace in no time. Parking in the shade offers little protection, as the sun shifts during the day.

Exercise your dog in the cool of the early morning or evening—never when it's extremely hot or humid. Take care not to let your dog stand on hot asphalt, as his sensitive paw pads can easily burn.

Provide plenty of shade and cool, clean water for animals kept outdoors. During the hottest part of the day, bring your cat or dog inside to rest in a cool place.

Some animals will need extra special care in hot weather, especially those who are elderly, overweight or have heart or lung disease. Certain breeds of dogs, including pugs, bulldogs, Lhasa apsos and shih tzus, need extra attention on hot days. If your pet shows signs of heat stroke or exhaustion, take him to your veterinarian immediately.

For more tips, visit aspca.org .

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer officially begins on June 21, and with that comes our summer reading list for animal lovers. If you are looking for entertainment on lazy days at the park, pool or beach, here are recommendations for some of the most delightful volumes available. Thanks to Susan Church, merchandising manager at Barnes & Noble at City Center, for guiding us through some of the best and most popular animal books available.

The Cat Who Went to Paris
By Peter Gethers
Author Peter Gethers tells the touching, often hilarious story of his transformation from chronic cat-hater to confirmed cat worshipper, most notably his own cat Norton, a charming and intelligent Scottish Fold. Gether’s colorful descriptions of his life and travels with Norton, from the streets of Manhattan to Fire Island, and trips from Los Angeles to Paris will delight the reader from start to finish.

Planet Dog: A Doglopedia
By Sandra Choron and Harry Choron
Planet Dog, the first-ever “doglopedia,” features everything critical to dog lovers: tips, trivia, facts and fun. It includes more than 300 diverse lists about raising, loving, and living with canines, and combines practical advice with humorous facts and anecdotes.

Planet Cat:
A CAT-alog
By Sandra Choron, Harry Choron and Arden Moore
Here is a lively, entertaining volume of more than 400 lists on all things cat. From the origins of the species to care, training, breeds and behavior to famous cats in history, art and literature, it even includes a list of celebrity cat people. This engaging book will charm cat lovers everywhere.

Pawprints of Katrina: Pets Saved and Lessons Learned
By Cathy Scott
This inspiring book describes nearly 200 heroic rescues, emotional reunions, and stories of noble efforts of strangers joined by a disaster to save animals at the Best Friends Animal Society triage center after Hurricane Katrina. The absorbing stories and photos bring the experience of pet victims to life, from the moment of rescue and care by volunteers to the day they are reunited with their families or placed in new homes.

Good Dog. Stay.
By Anna Quindlen
Pulitzer-Prize winning columnist and novelist Anna Quindlen has written a poignant story about her family’s beloved Labrador retriever, Beau. The inside book jacket says it best: “With her trademark wisdom and humor, Quindlen reflects on how her life has unfolded in tandem with Beau’s, and on the lessons she’s learned by watching him: to roll with the punches, to take things as they come, to measure herself not in terms of the past or the future but of the present, to raise her nose in the air from time to time and, at least metaphorically, holler, I smell bacon!”

Eco-Dog:
Healthy Living for Your Pet
By Corbett Marshall
and Jim Deskevich
If the family is eating organic foods, recycling and steering clear of chemicals, why shouldn't it be the same for Fido? Eco-Dog is a comprehensive guide to nontoxic and planet-friendly dog care. It delivers information on the potential dangers of conventional pet food, grooming products, and accessories and then offers shopping tips and 25 home projects for all-natural alternatives.   

 

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New York Metro Reptile Expo
Coming to County Center

Thousands of reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates on display and for sale at the NY Metro Reptile Expo, at the County Center on July 13. Books, supplies, cages and more will be available. Save up to 50 percent over retail store prices at the event.

Hours: Sunday, July 13th,
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Cost: Adults $9.00 each, children seven to 12 years of age $4.00 each, children under seven free. Parking $4.00. Note: All children under age 12 must be accompanied by an admission-paying adult.
Location: County Center, 198 Central Ave., White Plains
For additional information:
845-526-4845; reptileexpo.com