PetNews

Installment II "Not worth the ammo"

Semper Fido

One scruffy puppy in Baghdad. One hardened Marine who couldn't leave him behind.

Lt. Col. Jay Kopelman With Melinda Roth, from From Baghdad, With Love From Reader's Digest December 2006

"Not Worth the Ammo"

Born in Pittsburgh and a graduate of the University of Miami, I'd been a Marine since 1992, when I transferred from the Navy. Now, in my second deployment to Iraq, I was looking at a starving five-week-old outlaw. Members of the First Battalion, Third Marines -- called the Lava Dogs for the jagged pumice they'd trained on back in Hawaii -- said they'd found the pup at the compound when they stormed it about a week ago. He was still with them because they didn't know what else to do with him. Their choices were to put the little guy out on the street, execute him or ignore him as he slowly died in the corner. The excuses they gave me were as follows: "Not me, man, no way." "Not worth the ammo." "I ain't some kind of sicko, man."

Courtesy Lt. Col. Jay Kopelman
Marine and pup, 2004, "Lava was like everyone's kid," says Kopelman.

In other words: Warriors, yes. Puppy killers, no.

They named him Lava. The newest grunt was treated for fleas with kerosene, dewormed with chewing tobacco, and pumped full of MREs. Officially called Meals Ready to Eat but unofficially called Meals Rejected by Everyone, MREs were tri-laminate pouches containing exactly 1,200 calories of food. Lava quickly learned how to tear open pouches that were designed to have a shelf life of three years and to withstand parachute drops of 1,250 feet or more.

The best part was how these Marines, these elite, well-oiled machines of war who in theory could kill another human being in a hundred unique ways, became mere mortals in the presence of a tiny mammal. I was shocked to hear a weird, misty tone in my fellow soldiers' voices, a weird, misty look in their eyes, and weird, misty words that ended with ee. "You're a brave little toughee. Are you our brave little toughee? You're a brave little toughee, yesssirree."

The Marines bragged about how he attacked their boots, slept in their helmets and gnawed on all the wires from journalists' satellite phones up on the roof. "Did anyone feed Lava this morning?" someone yelled out, as "I did" came back from every guy in the room.

He was always chasing something, chewing something, spinning head-on into something. He stalked shadows, dust balls and balled-up pieces of paper. He could drag a flak jacket all the way across the floor. But you couldn't yell at him. Even though you were an elite, well-oiled machine of war, you'd be considered a freak if you yelled at a puppy. So he was completely pampered and kept warm.

By the time I came around, he already knew the two most important rules of boot camp: You don't chew on bullets and you only pee outside. Lava gave the Marines something to be responsible for above and beyond protecting their country, and getting their brains blown out -- or worse -- in the process. He gave them a routine. And somehow, I became part of it.

Every morning we fed Lava and then piled out of the house to various posts across the city. Some Marines patrolled the streets; some cleared buildings looking for weapons; some got killed. Me, I supervised three wide-eyed Iraqi soldiers who, in their new, U.S.-issued, chocolate-chip cammies, waved their rifles around as if clearing away spider webs. They were untrained, out of shape and terrified, these members of the Iraqi Armed Forces, coaxed by the United States to help root out insurgents.

At night we all gathered back at the compound, where we covered the windows with blankets and sandbags, cleaned our weapons, and made sure Lava had dinner. After that, we would bed down and review the day's events.

"We found a weapons cache ..."

"Yeah, well, we got caught in the alley ..."

"Yeah, well, we had to transport wounded and then we got hit ..."

As we talked, Lava would paw through our blankets. Then he would sit between my crossed legs and stare out at everyone.

Next Installment: Scary uncertain fate...

Marine Saves Dog. Installment 1 of 5

Semper Fido

One scruffy puppy in Baghdad. One hardened Marine who couldn't leave him behind.

Lt. Col. Jay Kopelman With Melinda Roth, from From Baghdad, With Love From Reader's Digest December 2006

Lava

I remember being exhausted. The tiredness weighed more heavily on me than my 60-pound rucksack. As I walked through the door of our command post in northwest Fallujah after four days of dodging sniper fire and sleeping on the ground, all I could think about was sleep.

That's when I first saw Lava.

A sudden flash of something rolled toward me out of nowhere, shooting so much adrenaline into my wiring that I jumped back and slammed into a wall. A ball of fur skidded across the floor, halted at my boots, and whirled in circles around me with the torque of a windup toy. Though I could see it was only a puppy, I reached for my rifle and yelled.

It was November 2004. In the days before our march into Fallujah, U.S. warplanes had pounded the Iraqi city with cannon fire, rockets and bombs. The bombardment was so spectacular that I -- and the 10,000 other Marines waiting on the outskirts -- doubted anyone would live through it. But plenty managed. Now, sniper fire came from nowhere, like screams from ghosts.

At the sound of my voice, the puppy looked up at me, raised his tail and started growling this baby-dog version of "I am about to kick your butt." Then he let loose with tiny war cries -- roo-roo-roo-rooo -- as he bounced up and down on stiff legs.

"Hey," I said, bending down. "Hey. Calm down."

There was fear in his eyes despite the bravado. As I held my hand out toward him, he stopped barking. He sniffed around a little, which surprised me until I noticed how filthy my hands were after almost a week of not washing. He was smelling dirt and death on my skin.

I leaned forward, but he tore off down the hall. "Hey, come back."

The puppy looked back at me, ears high, pink tongue hanging out sideways from his mouth. I realized he wanted me to chase him. He was giving me the "I was never afraid of you" routine. So I scooped up the little guy. He squirmed and lapped at my face, which was blackened from explosive residue, soot from bombed-out buildings, and dust from hitting the ground.

"Where'd you come from?" I said.

The puppy acted like he had just jumped out from under the Christmas tree, but meanwhile I called my cool to attention. It's not allowed, Kopelman. Marines letting down their guard and getting friendly with the locals -- pretty girls, little kids, cute furry mammals -- it wasn't allowed. But he kept squirming and wiggling, and I liked the way he felt in my hands. I liked not caring about getting home or staying alive, and not feeling warped as a human being because I was fighting in a war.

Next Installment: " Not worth the ammo"

The dog who crashed the party

Pet peeves: The dog who crashed the party

Where people tote their precious pooches, trouble follows

Duane Hoffmann / MSNBC

At a recent New York City art gallery exhibition, Harry Johnston brought an uninvited guest: Sally, his boisterous golden retriever. While the gallery owner was introducing the artist, the canine party crasher climbed on the buffet table and gobbled up the seafood canapes and sandwiches, leaving behind only the vegetables crudites for the rest of the guests.

Johnston, who drags his tail-wagging "soul mate" to dinner parties, client meetings and even formal events, oblivious to the grumbles and complaints, was unfazed when the angry owner banned Sally permanently from the gallery.

“There are plenty of other art galleries in the city," he remarked to a friend.

With more owners dragging their four-legged babies everywhere they go, into movie theaters, crowded planes and stores otherwise off-limits to animals, it seems like we've gone barking-mad over our pets.

If cell phone addicts yakking nonstop in restaurants wasn't bad enough, in cities like Chicago pet lovers have succeeded in passing ordinances that would allow dogs to accompany their owners in outdoor areas of restaurants, despite the objections of diners who might want to enjoy a fur-free meal. In Florida, a new law lets every city in the state opt to allow doggie dining.

In New York restaurateurs reportedly are growling about an increasing number of diners who claim their dogs are needed to provide emotional support, taking advantage of laws meant to assist the disabled. Meanwhile, landlords of apartments buildings with no-pet policies are coping with court decisions backing owners who demand the right to keep their animals for emotional reasons.

A real service dog such as a guide dog is highly trained to do specific tasks for the blind or disabled. Undoubtedly, an animal who provides emotional security can help an anxious person cope with troubling situations which would be difficult to negotiate alone.

"However, that's not to be confused with ‘yuppie’ emotional support in which the underlying motivation, conscious or otherwise, is entitlement and repressed arrogance," says New York psychologist Dr. Joel Gavriele-Gold, author of "When Pets Come Between Partners."

Pack mentality
Along with the built-in sense of entitlement, it comes down to a "control issue," he says. "There’s a built-in sense of entitlement in bringing either kids or dogs to functions when their names don’t appear on the invitation."

For some of these people, it's just out of control.

A New York man recently sued for the right to bring his rat terrier on a nude beach, claiming the animal is a "service dog."

Blue Roses, left, and Hal nearly caused a disaster during their owner's company party. According to animal communicator Dr. Monica Diedrich, of Anaheim, Calif., many of her doggy clients have confided that they would love to go everywhere with their owners.

“That’s their pack mentality,” explains Diedrich. “But some people have no boundaries and don’t understand that bringing your precious pet uninvited is a violation of someone else’s comfort zone.”

It's one thing if it's a miniature pup tucked inside a designer bag, but big breeds can wreck havoc if not kept on a short leash.

“We sneak our Pomeranian Zulu in to movies,” confides Deann Zampelli, a Los Angeles doggy bag designer. “He knows when to hold it in and not pee. He even makes it through long films. Wherever we go, people just think he’s cute.”

However, it wasn't so cute when a large dog crashed a posh English tea party at a Bel Air, Calif., estate with his invited owner, a well-respected lawyer. While the invited guests made small talk, the canine attacked the lavish spread, polishing off the cucumber sandwiches and cheesecake before lapping up milk from the milk jugs.

"Bringing the dog was plain bad manners and then to  let it run amok," sniffed the disdainful hostess, who asked that her name not be used for fear of dog-lover backlash.

Patti Neff of Seattle stopped bringing her dogs, Hal and Blue Roses to other people's homes after a disaster at the house of one of her company's executives during the annual company picnic. The large mutts terrorized the cat of one of her company's executives and muddied the newly renovated countertop in their kitchen while searching for snacks.

"We've never seen the couple again socially," she sighs.

A Home for Harry

Dracut teen volunteer's mission is to find ...A Home for HarryBy HEIDI SMITH, Sun StaffArticle Last Updated:11/14/2006 06:15:16 PM EST
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Kristen Sadkowski, 16, of Dracut, shares a moment with a tree-walking coonhound that she and folks at Wignall Animal Hospital have taken to calling Harry the Hound. Kristen has made it her mission to find a home for Harry, or he could be euthanized next week. In back is Keri Demers of Pets In Need. SUN/DAVID H. BROW

DRACUT -- Sixteen-year-old Kristen Sadkowski is on a desperate mission to save a dog's life.

The clock is ticking for Harry, a playful 1-year-old tree-walking coonhound who was found wandering the streets of Dracut in June.

"It just breaks my heart, the thought that we might have to put him down," said Sadkowski, a volunteer for the Dracut-based animal rescue, Pets In Need.

During the past several months, Harry has been shuffled between the Dracut Dog Pound and various foster homes.

The Dracut Dog Pound can only keep stray animals for 10 days before passing them on to either Keri Demers, founder of Pets In Need, one of her foster pet families or the Lowell Humane Society.

Because rescuers have been unable to place Harry in a home, all of the temporary resources have been exhausted.

"If we don't find him a permanent family or foster home by Nov. 21, he will be euthanized," Demers said.

For now, Harry is making himself at home with Sadkowski and her family, but it is only a temporary solution.

The Sadkowskis already have two dogs of their own, and "Harry doesn't get along with them."

"Harry's really a wonderful dog, and I would love more than anything to take him myself if my mom would let me,"

 

Keri Demers, left, of Dracut-based Pets In Need, and volunteer Kristen Sadkowski, a Dracut High School junior, play with Harry, a dog that they are trying to find a home for before he is put to sleep next week. SUN/DAVID H. BROW

"We've called or e-mailed everyone we know, and we are just running out of time," said Demers. "Everyone is full or cannot accommodate his needs."

Since Harry requires a lot of attention and doesn't always play well with other dogs, the search for a permanent home has been a challenge.

"He nips a bit because he wasn't taught any manners, so he would do better in a home with kids over 16," said Demers.

At 31, Demers' life revolved around the well-being of animals, whether it is her own three cats and dog or the hundreds of animals she has helped to place into homes over the last nine years.

She works full time as a receptionist at a local animal hospital and came up with the idea of starting her own business to help alleviate the problem with overpopulation of stray animals at the Humane Society and avoid situations like the one Harry is in. Pets In Need finds homes for about 80 animals a year.

"The animal rescue creates another avenue for animals to be adopted before going to the Humane Society," said Demers, who runs Pets In Need by phone and e-mail. "It helps to relieve some of the burden from the shelters and gives the animals a better chance of finding a loving home."

Overpopulation at shelters can lead to euthanization of animals, something that Pets In Need has not had to consider until this point.

"When shelters have no other solution and no place for the animals to go, they end up putting them down a lot of times," said Demers. "They can only hold on to animals for a certain amount of time."

Harry would be the first animal euthanized by the Pets In Need.

"If I put Harry into another shelter facility, he may have a chance to live slightly longer, but it's unlikely that they'll be able to place him anyway," said Demers. "It sounds terrible to say, but I'd rather see Harry go with people he knows and loves than strangers."

Demers and Sadkowski are keeping their fingers crossed for Harry to have a happy Thanksgiving.

"With a little work, we believe Harry would make a great family pet," Sadkowski said. Please just give him a chance."

To adopt a dog from Pets In Need, there is a minimal fee ranging from $165 to $200, depending on the breed of dog and any extensive care; the cost includes vaccines, heartworm test and a spay or neuter. The fee for cats or kittens is $125.

"We never have enough foster homes to facilitate all of the animals," said Demers. "Anyone interested can call or e-mail me."

For more information on volunteering or to adopt a pet, visit the Pets in Need Web site at http://petsinneed.978.org, call Keri Demers at (978) 337-0773 or e-mail petsinneed@animal-adoptions.org.

Heidi Smith's e-mail is hsmith@lowellsun.com.

China Amends Pet Policy

China amends one child policy to include pets

BEIJING (AP) - One family, one dog. That's the new rule in Beijing. Chinese authorities say their new dog-owning policy is aimed at curbing rabies and dangerous dogs in urban areas. The Beijing government is calling on canine lovers to "create a harmonious society and be a civilized dog raiser." The one-dog policy follows China long-standing one-family, one-child rule for most urban couples.

Jamie Friar

Copyright 2006 Associated Press

Holiday Food Warnings for Your Pets

Holiday season food your pets should avoid
By Francis A. Kallfelz
Special to the Journal

With Thanksgiving approaching it's important to know which foods your pet should avoid. It can be tempting to feed your pet scraps but make sure to always avoid giving these deadly human treats. Chocolate Chocolate contains a methylxanthine compound called theobromine, which is in the same chemical family as caffeine. The main sites of xanthine action are in the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, kidneys, and muscle. Theobromine is a smooth muscle relaxant e.g. dilating blood vessels such as coronary arteries.   It also stimulates the heart and is a diuretic, increasing urine production. Toxicity signs in dogs include vomiting, diarrhea, panting, restlessness, increased urination and muscle tremors. This can progress to seizures, coma and death. The theobromine content in most chocolate candy products is relatively low; in most cases a medium sized dog would have to consume 1.5 lbs of milk chocolate to ingest a potentially toxic dose. Cats are less likely to eat chocolate than dogs, since they do not have a craving for “sweets.” Onion Feeding large amounts of onions to dogs or cats can be toxic, resulting in an anemia (reduction in the number of red blood cells) due to oxidative damage and hemolysis (rupture of the membranes of the red cells). Signs of hemolytic anemia produced by onion toxicity include diarrhea, vomiting, depression, fever and dark-colored urine. Cats appear to be more susceptible to the toxic effects of onions than dogs. Fatty foods At holiday time, it is not unusual for owners to feed their pets meat scraps, meat sauces etc. that are high in fat content. This is dangerous as it can lead to a disease called “acute pancreatitis,” a disorder that can be fatal. Alcohol It should go without saying that it is basically cruelty to animals to give your pet alcoholic beverages. Not only is alcohol a concentrated source of calories, contributing to overweight and obesity, it is also a toxin causing the same neurologic effects as occur in people. Alcohol intoxication causes the same abnormalities in people and pets, up to and including death if sufficient amounts are consumed. Francis A. Kallfelz, DVM, Ph.D., is the DACVN James Law Professor of Veterinary Nutrition Department of Clinical Sciences at Cornell University. Related news from the Web Latest headlines by topic: • Holidays  • Life  • Food  • Thanksgiving  • Nutrition  • Chocolate  Powered by Originally published November 8, 2006

Detroit women find refuge for soldiers' dogs

Published: November 08. 2006 3:00AM

Detroit

Detroit women find refuge for soldiers' dogs

November 8, 2006

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BY SHARON GITTLEMAN

FREE PRESS SPECIAL WRITER

A Mutts and Mutts Rescue sign at Pet Supplies Plus in Canton advertises upcoming fund-raising events.

Pets need your help

• To volunteer to foster a pet or to make a donation toward building the sanctuary, call 248-705-8311, 9 a.m.-9 p.m., and leave a message.

When soldiers head off to foreign shores, sometimes they leave more than possessions behind.

Their pets may have nowhere to live if their owners' friends and neighbors can't take them in.

Detroit residents Donna Law, 48, and Vikki Sebok, 46, want to remedy that.

By next spring, the two women hope to open DV Sanctuary, a place where pets of military personnel can stay while their owners are serving in the military.

To kick off the effort to raise the down payment for their dream, Law and Sebok will hold a silent auction fund-raiser, with autographed sports memorabilia, pet-care items, house-cleaning services and more up for bid.

The event will run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Nov. 18 and 25 at Pet Supplies Plus, 43665 Ford Road, Canton. Auction winners will be announced Nov. 25. Donations for the sanctuary will be accepted at the store through the end of the year.

Law, who heads the Wayne County-based Mutts & Mutts Rescue, decided to create the sanctuary after she was contacted in May by a sergeant serving the Army in Iraq. He couldn't find a home for Sam, his 2-year-old Labrador mix, and ChestMutt, his 9-month-old terrier-blend puppy.

"Since 9/11, I've received about a dozen phone calls from military families asking if I would foster their pets while they were deployed to war," said Law.

Law said she searches for foster homes and suggests other groups if a spot isn't available with Mutts and Mutts Rescue.

Soldiers are asked to pay for their animal's food when they stay with Mutts and Mutts foster families, she said. "They have peace of mind their pets are being well cared for so they can stay focused on their duties."

Law's sister Lynda Knights, 45, is caring for Sam and ChestMutt.

"I'm very patriotic. I would do almost anything to help a service person -- someone helping our country and keeping it safe," said Knights of Redford Township.

The soldier's two dogs looked forlorn when they arrived, Knights said.

When the sergeant comes back, "that will be a great day. It will be a wonderful day," she said. "Then the animals will forget about us."

Pets owned by service personnel could be put up for adoption in a shelter if they have no one to care for them, said Sebok.

"It's awful. These guys are putting their lives on the line to protect our country, and they're losing their best friends in the process," said Sebok, of Michigan Coonhound Rescue. "We decided to try to find a way to help until the men and women come back to their dogs and cats."

Sebok would like to open DV Sanctuary on at least 30 acres of land between Lansing and Howell, offering plenty of room for dogs to run and play.

"I could not imagine doing what they do to begin with -- to volunteer, putting your life on the line and to come home and not have your pets anymore," Sebok said. "I couldn't imagine my life without my pets."

Other dogs would enjoy a home away from home at Law and Sebok's refuge, including those owned by people forced into a temporary stay at a nursing home or hospital.

"No pet should be forgotten, no matter what crisis your life is in," Law said.

Hurricane & Emergency Protection for Pets, Post Katrina

Hurricane Pet Shelters

After the 2005 hurricane season, hundreds of pets were left stranded on the Gulf Coast. Just last month, Congress took action to protect animals from future natural disasters. The Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act was passed to ensure that state and local governments provide for pets in their emergency plans. Locally, emergency planners have been providing for pets for quite some time, but admit there is more that can be done to help our furry friends. Of course, these updates could present a challenge. Carl Laundrie, spokesman for Flagler County said, "You could understand a group of several hundred people and their pets could damage a gym floor, we have to work with the school board if it's required that every shelter has pets, we'll have to work something out with the schoolboard" If counties do not provide for pets, they could stand to lose FEMA funding.

USCG Rescues Pets & Owners in Flood

Family and pets rescued from Wash. Coast home

07:37 PM PST on Monday, November 6, 2006

Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) -- The Coast Guard says it used a helicopter Monday afternoon to rescue a couple and their pets when water from the Bogachiel River flooded their home near La Push (on the Washington coast).

kgw.com Graphic

The helicopter initially picked up Warner and Bette Knoepp and one their dogs about 1:30 p.m. and took them to the Coast Guard Station Quillayute River.

  RAW VIDEO of rescue

One guardsman stayed behind with another dog and two cats, and the helicopter then returned to rescue them.

No injuries were reported.

Pets & Child Obesity

Are Dogs The Answer To Childhood Obesity?

Having a pet could be the key to fighting family flab and getting kids off the couch and into the park, according to new research by a pet food manufacturer. With a recent international study claiming that British children are amongst the laziest in the world, the findings offer crucial information in Britain’s high profile fight against flab. The new research claims that over four in ten families have found that their kids play more actively now they have a pet. Over a quarter of those questioned reported that their children’s interest in sedentary activities such as TV watching and playing computer games had decreased since their pet’s arrival. It is widely accepted that dog ownership leads to greater levels of exercise, however, the research shows that increased levels of active play and a decrease in sedentary activity are apparent amongst children who own dogs. In addition, pet ownership could be the key to improving family stress levels. Over a quarter of pet owners questioned admitted that they have been less stressed since having a pet in their lives. 80% of parents believe that their pet has made their children very or extremely happy. Nearly half of all respondents think that their pet has made their child feel loved, more friendly towards others and relaxed. Whilst nearly three quarters of respondents felt that their children were more caring as a result of having a pet. Mums as well as kids feel that they benefit from pet ownership with over a half admitting that their pet plays a crucial role in offering them emotional support and companionship. Specialist in Human Animal Companion Bond research, Dr June McNicholas is not surprised by the results: “This survey shows that pets may help combat some of the “modern” problems of childhood, such as obesity and lack of exercise. Pets really do help motivate children to get away from the TV or the computer and take an active role in exercising and caring for their pet. The more involved children become in learning about their pet’s needs for a healthy diet and exercise, the more they can learn about keeping themselves healthy.” Justine Hare, spokesperson for the pet food company that carried out the survey, comments; “It is clear from this research into pet-owning families that the benefits of having a pet permeate throughout the family and are tremendously positive, dynamic and more far-reaching that perhaps one would first think.”