•SPAN Thrift Store is now open to the public and looking for donations of adult clothing, household items and tools if you’ve got items you no longer use.
SPAN Thrift Store regularly provides $10 spays and neuters for low income households with cats and dogs.Two upcoming clinics are: Tuesday, April 5th at the Albert H. Soliz Library – El Rio, 2820 Jourdan St., Oxnard, 93036, and a second one on Tuesday, April 12th at Shiells Park, in the parking lot, located at 649 C St., Fillmore, 93015.
Please call to schedule an appointment (805) 584-3823.

∙ The French Bulldog took Los Angeles’ top spot once again in the American Kennel Club’s (AKC®) 2021 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S.

While the French Bulldog and Bulldog remain a constant favorite in the City of Angels, the Golden Retriever and Poodle have gained favor this past year, each jumping up one spot to land at #4 and #5, respectively. The German Shepherd Dog fell two spots to #6.

“Los Angeles seems to be following the national trend of the Golden Retriever and Poodle gaining popularity,” said AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. “Both breeds make wonderful companions for a variety of people.”

Los Angeles’ top 5 breeds for 2021:

1. French Bulldog
2. Bulldog
3. Labrador Retriever
4. Golden Retriever
5. Poodle

The AKC also announced its nationwide rankings today at a virtual press conference at the AKC Museum of the Dog in NYC. No one can keep the Lab down! The ever-popular Labrador Retriever is the nation’s favorite dog for the 31st consecutive year.

While the loveable Lab remains a constant at the top of the charts, the Poodle has pawed its way back into the top five after 24 years, bumping the perennial favorite Bulldog out for the first time in almost a decade. The Bulldog has been a fixture among the top five most popular breeds since 2012.

Most Popular Breeds of 2021
1. Labrador Retriever
2. French Bulldog
3. Golden Retriever
4. German Shepherd Dog
5. Poodle

∙ Do’s and Don’ts for Communicating with Your Cat
From body language to training tips, here’s how to build better bonds with feline pals.
By Brittany Edelmann

Do: Ask for Consent When Petting
“Pet the cat a couple of times and then stop,” says Melissa Bain, a clinical professor of animal behavior service at University of California Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. “If the cat appears to want more attention, it should approach you.” If not? “Respect that and stop petting,” Bain says. This can lead to the cat wanting more attention because it realizes it “can signal to the owner to stop petting whenever,” she notes. Lilly also recommends “offering a hand” and seeing if the cat rubs against it.

Do: Try Diffusing Tension

If you want your cat to be with you in a certain room, you can try using a plug-in diffuser called “Feliway,” says Christine Fellacher, a veterinarian in Florida. Cats normally leave behind a chemical called a facial pheromone when they rub their face against something. These are seen as “happy messages” and a positive indicator of well-being. Feliway is a synthetic version of the feline facial pheromone. Fellacher recommends this diffuser for cats that are aggressive or stressed, as it can help reduce feline anxiety and have a calming effect. “Some cats will seek out that relaxation,” Fellacher says. “They’ll want to stay in that room because they know that they’re a little more chilled.”

∙ While more than 25% of U.S. households have a cat, cat owners are slacking when it comes to scheduling regular vet visits.

Cats are taken to the vet when their sick or in desperate need of care, but not for regular visits. Dr. Liz Stelow, Veterinary Behavior Specialist at the University of California, Davis said that there are several things that cat owners can do to help their visits to the vet run more smoothly.

“What typically happens to set off the vet visit on the wrong foot is that the owner brings the carrier in from the garage, and the cat panics,” Stelow said. “This is because the cat is not accustomed to being in the carrier, and the carrier is a frightening thing.”

There are plenty of informative videos to help cat owners to get their cats used to riding in carriers. Once that happens, cat rides can be seen as a positive.

“This doesn’t mean that clients have to load their cats up into carriers and take them for daily rides,” Stelow said. “But maybe occasionally they can have a few treats in their carrier and go for a quick ride in the car.”
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∙ Spending just 10 minutes with a therapy dog reduced pain, anxiety and depression in emergency department patients, according to a new study.

After visits from the animals, patients reported significant positive changes to how they were feeling.

Almost half of the patients (48%) who were visited by the therapy dogs and their teams saw a reduction in anxiety, while 43% reported a drop in their pain, 48% in anxiety, 46% in depression, and 41% reported improved wellbeing.

The findings of this study contribute important knowledge towards the potential value of emergency department therapy dogs to affect patients’ experience of pain, and related measures of anxiety, depression and well-being

Dr Colleen Dell, of the University of Saskatchewan, Canada – who led the study, said: “The findings of this study contribute important knowledge towards the potential value of emergency department therapy dogs to affect patients’ experience of pain, and related measures of anxiety, depression and well-being.

Dr James Stempien, provincial head emergency medicine, said: “The emergency room is a hectic place, and as an ER doctor myself, I know that anything we can do to improve the patient experience is welcomed.”

The research, published in PLoS One, suggests that although it is not known what is behind how interactions with therapy dogs, and more specifically therapy dog teams, affect human emotions like anxiety, the findings are relevant to the broader conversation on the bond between humans and animals.

St John Ambulance therapy dog teams were introduced for 10-minute visits to 97 patients at the Royal University Hospital (RUH) emergency department in Saskatoon, and their responses were compared to 101 patients who did not interact with the dogs.

∙ My name is Frederic Bisson and I need your help.

I’m a long distance truck driver based in Montreal, Canada. Last month, I was making deliveries in Ventura and I had to spend the weekend in the area before the next scheduled appointment.

I am traveling with my 2 cats: Lea and Stella. In my pre-pandemic life, I worked as a journalist and a radio host and I left everything behind to experience this new life on the road with my cats.

At 35, I received a diagnostic of autism (Asperger) and that’s when I knew that I had to change my life because working in the media was too much stress.

I’m sending this email because my little cat Stella ran away during my first night staying at Motel 6 in Ventura. She pushed the screened window open and never came back. Unfortunately, I had to leave because of my trucking work.

I’ve posted some pictures on a Facebook group and many volunteers from your area went searching, posted signs and installed cameras near the motel. It’s one of the volunteers that gave me the idea to send my story to your newspaper.

Being autistic, cats are really important in my life. I’ve been so sad and depressed since Stella ran away and I don’t know what more I can do to find her. What is she’s alive and was found by someone?

Here are a couple of pictures of her. If you have any questions, please call me back. I would fly back to California to be reunited with her. My boss is also trying to book some deliveries for me in California in the coming month.

Thank you!

Frederic Bisson
819-664-2643

∙ HSVC Cares is partnering with national nonprofit Petco Love to give pets their best shot for a healthy life by hosting free pet vaccine events during the month of March.

Petco Love established March as “National Pet Vaccination Month” to encourage pet parents to keep their pets up to date on vaccinations and will provide free pet vaccines to HSVC for family pets in need. As puppy and kitten season approaches, pet exposure to contagious and deadly diseases – parvovirus, distemper, and panleukopenia – increases but is preventable with a simple vaccine.

Free vaccine events will take place at the shelter, located at 402 Bryant St. in Ojai, on March 24th and March 31st. Walk-ins are welcome from 1 – 3 pm on March 24th and from 12 – 3 pm on March 31st. Free FVRCP (upper respiratory) vaccines for cats and free DHPP (distemper/parvo) vaccines for dogs will be offered in addition to $5 Rabies vaccines, $15 Bordetella vaccines, and $25 microchipping including registration.

A second cash-only remote free vaccine event will take place on March 26th from 12 – 4 pm at Westpark Community Center at 450 Harrison Ave in Ventura. Free FVRCP (upper respiratory) vaccines for cats and free DHPP (distemper/parvo) vaccines for dogs will be offered in addition to $5 Rabies vaccines at both of these events.

For more information about HSVC Cares’ vaccine event, visit hsvc.org, or contact the shelter via email at [email protected] or by phone at 805-646-6505. Learn more about Petco Love’s national vaccine effort and lifesaving impact at petcolove.org or freepetvaccines.org.

∙ Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) and six other members of Congress are speaking out for thousands of beagles suffering at a massive facility operated by Envigo in Cumberland, Virginia, that breeds dogs for experimentation. The legislators have sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) urging the agency to fulfil its legal obligations and confiscate the dogs at Envigo or suspend the facility’s license over its critical, direct, and repeat violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Reps. Charlie Crist (D-Fla.), Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev., Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Elaine G. Luria (D-Va.), and Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.) also signed the letter.

Although the USDA cited Envigo—an Indiana-based $545 million company that sells dogs for experimentation all over the world—for 39 violations just between July and October 2021, it has failed to take meaningful action to protect the thousands of beagles who remain imprisoned at the facility.

“This lack of timely follow-through is not what Congress intended when it entrusted APHIS with investigating these violations of federal law,” wrote the representatives. “Please provide my office with … a complete explanation as to when APHIS will take these and other actions to render urgently needed aid to the roughly 5,000 dogs held at Envigo.”

Of the 39 violations Envigo was cited for between July and October 2021, 19 were direct or critical (having serious or severe adverse effects on the health and well-being of the animal) and 11 were repeat failures. Violations include these:

Only 17 staff members were employed to supply direct care to 5,000 dogs and puppies.

More than 300 puppies’ deaths were attributed to “unknown causes.”

One dead puppy was found eviscerated, and records showed that her kennelmates had “chewed on” her corpse.

Numerous dogs were denied care for “severe dental disease,” eye ailments, crusted and oozing sores on their paws, multiple skin lesions with “thickened” and “inflamed” tissue, and other wounds and conditions.

Three dogs had been killed in fights, and 71 others had been injured by dogs in adjacent kennels. Twenty-four dogs and puppies were missing, and nine dogs who had been injured when “body parts” were pulled through a kennel wall by other dogs and bitten, causing “physical harm and unnecessary pain,” were put down.

Thirteen mother dogs were denied food for 42 hours while nursing 78 puppies.

There were “old, dried, and moldy feces” in dog enclosures; up to six inches of feces piled in a gutter; one kennel with “at least nine or ten piles of feces”; and an “overpowering fecal odor” and a “strong sewage odor” in the facility.

For more information about PETA’s investigative newsgathering and reporting, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

∙ Cats have a hard time competing with dogs because you know dogs are happy to see you from far away because you can hear them bark and see them wag their tails. When cats meow you need to be very close to them to hear so think of meowing as barking. When cats purr you need to be almost petting them to hear so think of purring as wagging their tails so they become just like dogs. And for some folks and illnesses cats are even better therapy animals. So, let’s hear it for cats

Do’s and Don’ts for Communicating with Your Cat

From body language to training tips, here’s how to build better bonds with feline pals.

by Brittany Edelmann

The do’s and don’ts provided here may help strengthen your bond with your cat, increasing the chances that they will be less stressed generally, and more inclined to relax and play, or just hang out with you. And that’s good for both of you, because physical interaction with a cat can be beneficial for your overall health. One 2019 study by scientists at Washington State University showed a decrease in cortisol, a stress hormone, within just 10 minutes of interacting with cats (or dogs) compared to those who just observed interactions from afar. So give these tips a try.

Do: Turn up the Heat

“Cats … in general, like houses warmer than most Americans keep them,” Lilly says. A 2016 research study indicates that the ideal room temperature for felines is 86 to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit — much warmer than most humans prefer. Cranking up the thermostat, especially in winter, may be cost-prohibitive in many regions. But placing a heating pad next to you — one that is safe for claws and not too hot — creates a localized hot zone that can make cats “feel cozy and warm” and “is a great way to try and get your cat to hang out with you,” adds Lilly, who has three pads for her kitty: in the office, the bedroom and the living room.

Every cat is different. Understanding what they like and don’t like, keeping stress to a minimum and making them as comfortable as possible is key to a better relationship. What’s most important? “Respecting their boundaries and interacting in a way that they want to interact, versus the way you may want to interact, can be beneficial for your relationship,” Castro says.

SPAN Thrift Store is open to the public and looking for donations of adult clothing, household items and tools if you’ve got items you no longer use. 

SPAN Thrift Store regularly provides $10 spays and neuters for low-income households with cats and dogs.

Three upcoming clinics in March are: Tuesday, March 1st at the Albert H. Soliz Library – El Rio, 2820 Jourdan St., Oxnard, 93036, a second one on Tuesday, March 8th at Shiells Park, in the parking lot, located at 649 C St., Fillmore, 93015, and a third one on Tuesday, March 15th

at SPAN Thrift Store parking lot, 110 N. Olive St. (behind Vons on Main),  

Please call to schedule an appointment (805) 584-3823.

∙ Happy 2022! We hope your year is off to as fantastic a start as ours has been here at SDF.

We were delighted to welcome teams back to our National Training Center for in-person visits this fiscal year. So far, we’ve had 71 working dog teams train with us on our rubble piles, in Search City, and at our new, improved agility yard—complete with specialized equipment built by an Eagle Scout candidate!

In December, we paired five search dogs with their first responder partners from California, Utah, and Virginia, and another eight search teams are currently progressing through our newly enhanced Handler Training Program.

Of course, we could not pair search teams without the amazing canines in our program, and our incredible SDF recruiters, dedicated shelter and rescue partners, and eagle-eyed volunteers have already recruited 18 dogs and counting into our forever family this year.

One of these recruits, Rebar, is a great example of why we love our SDF community: we couldn’t do it without you! Rebar began life as a service dog trainee with Retrieving Freedom, a nonprofit that places service dogs with disabled veterans and children with autism, and due to his tennis ball obsession, he soon found his way to SDF. Thanks to our friends at Angel Flight Central and Angel Flight West, Rebar traveled to our campus via volunteer pilots and landed on all four paws, ready to rock the rubble.

Through these partnerships and your support, Rebar is now well on his way to becoming a full-fledged search dog in the months to come. Thank you for helping this rambunctious boy become Part of the Search!

National Disaster Search Dog Foundation

6800 Wheeler Canyon Road

Santa Paula (But it seems like Ventura)

∙ “It’s hard to say how dogs experience time,” Chyrle Bonk, a veterinary consultant at PetKeen.

If you’re a dog owner, you may have heard a myth tossed around that canines lack a sense of time. According to this myth, there is little cognitive difference for them between, say, two minutes and two hours.

Yui Shapard, a small-animal veterinarian and educational director of the Association of Asian Veterinary Medical Professionals, states that one minute of pain can feel like “forever” for a dog.

“In a similar sense, when their humans leave them at home even for 30 minutes or three hours, to the dog it doesn’t matter the length of time,” she says. And “because dogs do not have a clear concept of time the way we humans do, they are always ‘living in the moment.’”

This common belief leads veterinarians to strongly advocate for quality of life, including, for example, pain relief for dogs during surgical procedures, she explains.

But not all veterinarians and animal behavior scientists agree that dogs have no sense of time. In fact, Katherine Pankratz, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist, believes the idea is actually somewhat of a misconception. “They do have a grasp of time intervals and the differences between a short duration and a long duration.”

Some dog owners would probably agree. After all, it’s not uncommon for dogs to wake up and wait by the door or window not long before their human comes home.

Scientific research also lends support to dogs understanding the difference between varying chunks of time.

A 2011 study found dogs “are affected by the duration of time at home alone,” even if the researchers could not confirm if the dogs were aware of the length of time they were left alone.

But it gets trickier when we compare the general sense of time in a dog’s mind to our precisely calculated human clocks. As Pankratz notes, we can’t really ask them if they understand time as we comprehend it.

∙ Do’s and Don’ts for Communicating with Your Cat

By Brittany Edelmann

Ever wonder why your cat isn’t being very friendly, or doesn’t hang out with you often? While it’s true that some cats are extremely affectionate and won’t leave you alone, many just don’t seem to be fans of people and take that famous feline aloofness to the extreme.

The reality: While you may want your kitty to sit with you or do something you want them to do, cats are complex creatures that vary in personality and behavior. “Just like there are humans who aren’t into hugging and then there are humans who everybody they like they want to hug, there are some cats at both ends of that spectrum and everything between,” says M. Leanne Lilly, veterinarian and clinical assistant professor at Ohio State University.

And unlike dogs, who were purposefully domesticated by humans tens of thousands of years ago, cats were not trained or bred to be domesticated, says Gabrielle Castro, a fourth-year veterinarian student at Ohio State University. But with a little insight into feline behavior, you may be able to train your cat (a little), or at least communicate your wishes to them more effectively.

The do’s and don’ts provided here may help strengthen your bond with your cat, increasing the chances that they will be less stressed generally, and more inclined to relax and play, or just hang out with you. And that’s good for both of you, because physical interaction with a cat can be beneficial for your overall health. One 2019 study by scientists at Washington State University showed a decrease in cortisol, a stress hormone, within just 10 minutes of interacting with cats (or dogs) compared to those who just observed interactions from afar. So give these tips a try.

Do: Blink Slowly

“How quickly you blink can affect your cat,” Lilly says. Who knew? Slowly opening and closing your eyes can make cats feel more comfortable and help you form a better connection with them. A 2020 study published in Scientific Reports defined slow blinks as “a series of half-blinks followed by either a prolonged eye narrow or an eye closure.” The researchers determined that cats are more likely to approach the experimenter who does this. It’s like a smile.

Do: Use Clicker Training

Training clickers, available in any pet store, can help to get shy cats to come to you and play, says Fiia Jokela, veterinarian and resident in the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. As part of the training, Jokela recommends using a long stick with a toy at the end. Each time your pet moves closer and his or her nose touches the end of the stick, make a clicking sound with the clicker and reward them with a treat or food that “the cat likes better than just the regular meal.” To learn more about this technique, check out YouTube videos such as Best Friends Animal Society’s “Clicker Training with Cats.”

∙ SPAN Thrift Store is open to the public and looking for donations of adult clothing, household items and tools if you’ve got items you no longer use. 

SPAN Thrift Store regularly provides $10 spays and neuters for low income households with cats and dogs.

Two upcoming clinics are: Tuesday, February 15th in the SPAN Thrift Store parking lot 110 N. Olive St. (behind Vons on Main), and a second clinic in the SPARC parking lot, located at 705 E. Santa Barbara St., Santa Paula, 93060, on Tuesday, February 22nd. 

Please call to schedule an appointment (805) 584-3823.

∙Families with a child on the autism spectrum might consider becoming cat people instead of dog people. Research fellow Gretchen Carlisle of the Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction at the MU College of Veterinary Medicine conducted a longitudinal study placing shelter cats with Columbia families whose children are on the autism spectrum.

She found that autistic children significantly improve in social skills and behavior after adopting a cat. “After the adoption of their cat, parents rated their children as having an improvement in empathy and fewer problem behaviors,” Carlisle said. “Parents also rated their children as having less separation anxiety.”

Autistic children often respond in a very sensitive way to sound or movement, and a barking dog, for instance, could quickly create sensory overload, Carlisle said. The softness and silence of cats is something children on the autism spectrum appreciate more than people usually know.

“Dogs can be very in your face and loud, whereas cats move quieter and softer, which may be easier for children with sensory issues,” she said. “We selected cats over dogs in this study specifically for that characteristic — their ability to move very quietly and calmly — and because so little research has been done on cats with children with autism.”

Families brought their children to the shelter and together decided which cat was the best fit for their family. “We wanted the families — and especially the children — to have a say over which cat they would take home with them,” Carlisle said.

The new cat owners were supplied with a starter kit, including food, litter, a cat carrier, toys and a climbing tree with a cubby hole. The families in the treatment group were also supplied with basic cat behavior information and access to a veterinary specialist, as well as the study staff at any time.

The research team not only monitored the children’s behavior through a social skills survey and their stress levels through an anxiety survey, but the cat’s stress levels as well.

The cats seemed to thoroughly enjoy their new home as well, Carlisle said. An easy way to spot sign of stress in cats is assessing weight loss due to lack of eating. In the study, the cats actually were so content that they gained weight.

Carlisle explained that previous research found that younger cats interacted more with children with autism, concluding that looking for a younger cat with a calm and social temperament is where to start the search for a new furry friend who may lend a helping paw to an autistic child.

The study was co-authored by Rebecca A. Johnson, Ze Wang, Jessica Bibbo, Nancy Cheak-Zamora, and Leslie A. Lyons.

∙Dogs can differentiate between familiar and unfamiliar human languages
by Harry Baker

They are the first non-human animals to be able to tell the difference between human languages.

If you were to move to a new country with a different language and bring along the family dog, your pet would likely have a hard time understanding commands from the locals, according to a new study looking at how dogs’ brains react to different languages.

MRI scans revealed that dogs’ brains can distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar languages, making them the first-known, and so far only, non-human animals to be able to tell the difference between human languages.

The new study was conceived by lead author Laura Cuaya, a neurobiologist at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary.

∙Preventing Doggie Dementia
by Penny & Ed Cherubino

One of the great gifts you can give your dog in the next year is taking steps, no matter what their age, to prevent dementia and improve their quality of life. In dogs, dementia is called canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD). Many of the same lifestyle habits known to help brain health in humans also apply to our dogs.

Researcher Sarah Yarborough at the University of Washington recently published her findings on common factors reported in dogs with CCD. Her study found, “… odds of CCD was 6.47 times higher in dogs who were not active compared to those who were very active.” In addition, she noted, “When controlling for age, breed type, activity level, and other comorbidities, dogs with a history of neurological, eye, or ear disorders had higher odds of CCD…”

These findings translate to the same steps that we can take ourselves to promote healthier aging. You protect your dog from CCD by increasing exercise, and by doing it together, you protect yourself. It’s a win-win situation. Always consult both your doctors before starting any big change in exercise routines.

We know that loss of sensory input increases the danger of dementia in humans. That’s why seniors need to have their hearing tested and use hearing aids as recommended. Scientists are working on hearing aids for dogs, and corrective eye surgery for dogs is now standard. However, we as guardians can make sure we are aware of and provide the necessary care to prevent ear and eye infections from causing deafness and blindness.

Some humans do crossword puzzles to engage their brains. You can provide your dog with brain stimulation by engaging her in play and training or retraining sessions. Old dogs can and should learn new tricks and training is a lifelong responsibility for dog families.

Prevention is a lifelong program to prevent brain degeneration. However, there are still things you can do if your older dog is showing symptoms of CCD. Don’t just blame old age if your dog is losing housetraining and soiling your home. Report this to your veterinary team because it may be a dementia symptom or something else that can be corrected.

Changes in a dog’s sleep/wake cycles are another reportable symptom, as is disorientation. You might also see increased separation anxiety, phobias, excessive vocalization, and changes in a dog’s interaction with people and other animals.

As your dog ages, note changes in these areas and ask your veterinarian to help you choose the best interventions for your particular animal. Keeping a log of what you notice is a great way to monitor how long changes have been happening and whether they are worsening or getting better.

∙ From CARL:

2021 started out just as tough as 2020 ended. With the pandemic continuing into its second year, our rescue saw a continued large increase in owner surrenders and more dogs looking for their second chance at a happy life waiting in high kill shelters. We have seen such tremendous support for the dogs in our rescue thanks to our rescue village. With over 100 finding their forever homes this year, we have a few stories that have touched our hearts, that we wanted to share with you all.

April 2021: Sasha was found as a stray and ended up at the Devore Animal Shelter in San Bernardino County. She was immediately put on the euthanasia list and hidden in their quarantine section due to her behavior. She was labeled as aggressive and her future looked grim. Thankfully we were able to save her and she gained a second chance. Once she arrived we saw a very young girl who was looking for structure and training. We knew it was going to take a special person to be the one to adopt her.

Fast forward to November 2021, and Sasha is now in her forever home. Her new owner loves her just as much as we all did. She likes to spend her time drinking from the water hose and lounging at the picnic table.

What started out as a pandemic foster, turned into a forever home for CARL long term resident Mamba. It was never understood why Mamba was never adopted during her 12 years at CARL. She is a very happy gal with good spirits and a loveable smile. Maybe she had fallen victim to “Black Dog Syndrome” , maybe it was because she wasn’t the right fit for those who were interested, or maybe she was closer to her person than anyone realized.

In early 2017, Chrissy began volunteering with CARL and soon enough she became Mamba’s friend. Over the years they created a special bond and once the pandemic hit, Chrissy chose Mamba to be her work from home buddy after spending years in a kennel environment. After a year of being roommates, Chrissy knew she had to make it official. Mamba now spends her day lounging around the house, watching neighbors from the window, and seeing her other 4-legged friends around her home.

How you can help today:
Dog rescue never stops and everyday a new surprise arises. We have been fortunate to continue to save the lives of countless dogs who are looking for their forever homes. Below are a few ways to help benefit the dogs at CARL:

Donate directly to CARL through Network for Good or Paypal
Donate items from our Amazon Wishlist
Use the WoofTrax app when you go for a walk
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram
Canine Adoption and Rescue League
PO Box 5022
Ventura, CA 93005

∙ SPAN Thrift Store is open to the public and looking for donations of adult clothing, household items and tools if you’ve got items you no longer use.
SPAN Thrift Store regularly provides $10 spays and neuters for low income households with cats and dogs.
Three upcoming clinics are: Tuesday, February 8th at Shiells Park, in the parking lot, located at 649 C St., Fillmore, 93015, a second clinic on Tuesday, February 15th in the SPAN Thrift Store parking lot 110 N. Olive St. (behind Vons on Main), and a third clinic in the SPARC parking lot, located at 705 E. Santa Barbara St., Santa Paula, 93060, on Tuesday, February 22nd.
Please call to schedule an appointment (805) 584-3823.

∙ Dear Friends,

Ventura County Animal Services participated in the #BettyWhiteChallenge, a nationwide fundraising event kickstarted on Twitter and shared by well-known celebrities. The trending movement, inspired by Betty White’s long history of animal activism, called upon the community to donate $5.00 to their local animal shelters on Monday, January 17, 2022, what would have been her 100th birthday.

VCAS set a modest fundraising goal of $10,000 and quickly launched our participation in the challenge.  We are absolutely thrilled to announce that we exceeded our original fundraising goal by leaps and bounds, collecting an extraordinary $51,510! We received nationwide coverage on NBC4 and held a concurrent pet adoption event which resulted in 24 animals finding loving, forever homes. We were both surprised and honored by the massive outpour of support from our Ventura County community and we wish to thank all who participated in the Betty White Challenge!
Please consider being a part of this movement and donating today at www.vcas.us/donate.
Ventura County Animal Services

∙ An athletic Hungarian farm dog and a tiny pet of bygone Russian aristocrats are the latest breeds in the American Kennel Club’s purebred lineup.

The club announced that it’s recognizing the Russian toy and the mudi. That means they’re eligible to compete for best in show at many U.S. dog shows, including the AKC’s big annual championship and the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club show.

The mudi (whose American fans pronounce its name like “moody,” although the vowel sound in Hungarian is closer to the “u” in “pudding”) descended from long lines of Hungarian sheepdogs before a museum director took an interest in the breed and gave it a name around 1930. Fans say the medium-size, shaggy dogs are vigorous, versatile and hardworking, able to herd sheep, hunt boars, snag rats and compete in canine sports such as agility and dock diving.

The Russian toy developed from small English terriers that gained the fancy of Russian elites by the early 1700s. The diminutive dogs — supposed to weigh no more than 6.5 pounds (2.7 kg) — have a leggy silhouette, perky expression and lively demeanor, breeders say.
These additions bring the number of AKC-recognized breeds to 199.

∙ SPAN Thrift Store is now open to the public and looking for donations of adult clothing, household items and tools if you’ve got items you no longer use.
SPAN Thrift Store is providing low cost spays and neuters for low income households with cats and dogs.
Two upcoming clinics are:
First one will be at on Tuesday, January 18th at Shiells Park, in the parking lot, located at 649 C St., Fillmore, 93015. The next one will be cats only, at the Albert H. Soliz Library – El Rio, 2820 Jourdan St., Oxnard, 93036, on Tuesday, February 1st.
Please call to schedule an appointment (805) 584-3823.

∙ “If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”
Will Rogers

∙ A family was put in a difficult situation as they needed to move from their home and had to give up one of their two dogs. They were able to keep their Chihuahua but had to give up their Rottweiler named Creed. The owners of Creed found a nice family to care for him who lived in a farmhouse so he had plenty of land to run around. They said to the new owners if anything came up where they could not care for Creed then to let them know and they would find him another home.
About a year later a property manager went by to check on the farmhouse and found the occupants had moved out and left Creed behind and inside a chain link kennel next to the house. He fed Creed for a couple of days hoping the occupants would return to pick up their dog but no one came for him. The property manager called Canine Adoption and Rescue League (CARL) as he has in the past when he finds abandoned dogs and so an employee picked up Creed and brought him to their kennel. Creed was checked out by a vet and then placed up for adoption. Creed was cared for by the employees at CARL and exercised by the volunteers for about four months
While some volunteers of CARL were at an off-site adoption event, they were approached by a lady who asked if we had a dog named Creed and we said yes. The lady said, “I think that is our dog”. It turns out they drove by where the new owners used to live and noticed the house was vacant. They discovered a video of Creed that a volunteer at CARL had made and placed on social media.
The original owner made an appointment with CARL to go see Creed the very next day and brought along Creed’s little Chihuahua brother. Once they walked up to his kennel, there was no doubt that this was their Creed! Tails were wagging and lots of tears flowed of the happy reunion. Creed’s original owner is now in a situation where they can keep him and so they brought home their dog from the kennel the same day. All of this is possible due to CARL picking up Creed and caring for him until his original owners could be found. It truly is a Christmas Miracle! For more information on Canine Adoption and Rescue League, their website is carldogs.org.
∙ What can your pet eat?
While you generally should not give pets human food, there are some treats that are safe apples, carrots, green beans and bananas. It is usually better to get treats that are made for them.
No matter how cute those puppy-dog eyes are, do not give your pets these items:
Sweets, especially chocolate.
Grapes
Raisins
Onions
Garlic
Chives
Nuts
Turkey meat, skin or bones
Anything with artificial sweeteners, especially ones using Xylitol
Yeast dough
Cats have been known to eat plants, some of which are toxic to them. Avoid plants like poinsettias and Christmas cactuses if your pet likes to munch on plants.
Keep pets safe, whether you travel or host. If you are traveling with your pet, make sure to use this checklist:
Collar
Identification tags
Usual food and medicine
Contact information for an emergency clinic
A safe space prepared for pets while guests visit
A pet carrier for travel

During holidays, pets will likely have their routines thrown off. Try to take them on walks, play with them before guests arrive and let them have a secure, safe place away from the party.

∙ By Susanne Ruststaff
Bentley seemed to be in a haze. Normally this 12-pound Chihuahua-terrier mix would never refuse hot, fresh French fries from a drive-through fast food joint. But on a recent warm afternoon, he turned his head away at his owner’s offer.
“He wouldn’t take them, so I knew something was wrong. He was just out of it,” said Dana Long, a resident of Tiburon. Long eventually took his dog to the veterinarian, who informed him that his typically sprightly and voracious Bentley was stoned. He had likely picked up a chocolate edible on the fields of a nearby middle school, where Long’s daughter was playing softball.

While excess cannabis consumption by canines is not new, cases are growing as more and more states legalize the drug, and its use becomes more widespread, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The group’s poison hotline suggests that as more and more states have legalized recreational marijuana, reports of marijuana toxicity in dogs have also grown.

Between 2017 and 2020, national call volume for cannabis ingestion rose from 1,436 to 3,923 cases, said Tina Wismer, a veterinarian and senior director of the New York-based ASPCA Poison Control Center.

Those numbers are likely just a fraction of the true incidence of marijuana poisonings — reporting to the control center is voluntary — but the trend is clear. In California, where recreational marijuana was legalized in November 2016, call numbers grew by 276% between 2016 and 2020. In Colorado, those numbers have risen eleven-fold since legalization in 2012.

It might sound funny that so many pooches are getting into the hooch. But for dogs who accidentally ingest potent edibles intended for a human several times their weight, the narcotic effect can be serious. In addition, if dogs are chewing on drugs found outdoors, it is possible those drugs are laced with chemicals other than THC, the active ingredient in pot, said several veterinarians.

∙ Lebanon, N.H. (AP) A German shepherd named Tinsley, first thought to be a lost dog, successfully led New Hampshire state police to the site of its owner’s rollover crash.

Both the vehicle’s occupants were seriously hurt, but thanks to Tinsley’s dogged efforts they quickly received medical assistance once officers discovered the truck, which went off the road near a Vermont interstate junction, WMUR-TV reported Tuesday.

“The dog was trying to show them something,” said Lt. Daniel Baldassarre of the New Hampshire State Police. “He kept trying to get away from them but didn’t run away totally.

“It was kind of, ‘Follow me. Follow me.’ And they did that and you know, to their surprise to see the guardrail damaged and to look down to where the dog is looking at, it’s just, they were almost in disbelief,” he said.

A New Hampshire state trooper and police from the nearby city of Lebanon responded to the crash site late Monday, just across the state line in Vermont.

There were no further details on the condition of those injured in the single-vehicle crash.

∙ SPAN Thrift Store is open to the public and looking for donations of adult clothing, household items and tools if you’ve got items you no longer use. SPAN Thrift Store regularly provides $10 spays and neuters for low income households with cats and dogs.

Three upcoming clinics in January are: Tuesday, January 4th at the Albert H. Soliz Library – El Rio, 2820 Jourdan St., Oxnard, 93036, a second one on Tuesday, January 11th at SPAN Thrift Store parking lot 110 N. Olive St. (behind Vons on Main), and a third one on Tuesday, January 18th at Shiells Park, in the parking lot, located at 649 C St., Fillmore, 93015.

Please call to schedule an appointment (805) 584-3823.

∙ A border collie, named River, who suffered spinal injuries and was paralyzed in his hind legs after collapsing unexpectedly in October can stand and is beginning to walk again, following neurosurgery six weeks ago by UC Davis veterinarians. River came in to UC Davis after suddenly being unable to stand and walk on his own, said UC Davis veterinary neurology resident Amanda Xue.

UC Davis team did an MRI and found he had “essentially a slipped disc,” Xue said. UC Davis veterinarians drilled a hole in River’s back and extracted the material that was compressing his spine. “He’s exceeded my expectations,” Xue said. He’s walking on his own and wagging his tail.”

River’s owner, Linda Drafton, took the dog in for a recheck exam at UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital’s small animal clinic. The past two months has been a whirlwind. She drove three and a half hours from the Redding area to UC Davis to get River help on Halloween; now her dog is mostly back to normal.

∙ By the time Carolyn Chow learned that her father had Alzheimer’s, he would only have five years before succumbing to the disorder in 2017 at the age of 86.

It was devastating to see her father deteriorate so quickly. “He was highly educated, brilliant and highly sociable, and Alzheimer’s took that all away,” said Chow, a staffing consultant for the Division of Human Resources at Cornell.

Chow is now supporting research into Alzheimer’s by bringing her dog Nora, a 7-year-old Chihuahua mix, to the Cornell Veterinary Biobank to contribute to the Dog Aging Project. The nationwide study is an essential part of a $5.1 million research project recently launched at Cornell, the University of Washington and the University of Arizona to investigate the potential links between Alzheimer’s disease and a similar condition in dogs called canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD).

The four-year-project, funded by the National Institute on Aging, is the first large-scale research study to compare CCD and Alzheimer’s disease to determine whether they are triggered by the same genetic and environmental factors.

Researchers in the study will analyze biological samples of hundreds of dogs to identify biomarkers for CCD and bank those samples for future research. Discovering the specific factors that cause CCD will help advance our understanding of Alzheimer’s – a rapidly growing disease in the United States. Currently, an estimated 6.2 million Americans 65 and older live with Alzheimer’s, and by 2050, that number is expected to reach nearly 13 million, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Alzheimer’s and CCD share many similarities: Both are incurable and both are difficult to diagnose until behavioral changes emerge. Dogs with CCD, for example, do not recognize familiar people and may stare blankly into space and wander aimlessly.

In the first phase of the Alzheimer’s study, researchers will identify 200 dogs that have CCD, based on a questionnaire the owners complete when enrolling their dogs in the Dog Aging Project. As the canines reach the end of their natural lives, researchers will then examine 100 of the dogs that died to identify the neuropathological markers of CCD.

Identifying the biomarkers of CCD could then be applied to research on Alzheimer’s to determine whether the same cellular changes are associated with the disease in humans.

Castelhano said the collection at the biobank will be made available for future research on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia, as new tools are developed to deepen our understanding of these conditions.

Dogs are also a better animal model to study Alzheimer’s than mice, which have traditionally been used but do not develop a similar type of dementia naturally, Kaeberlein said. “Companion dogs living with their owners live in the human environment,” he added, “and that’s something we really just can’t recapitulate in the laboratory.”

Sherrie Negrea is a freelance writer for the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine

∙ (CNN)While you’re rummaging through cabinets and crevices trying to find your cat’s new favorite hiding spot, cats may be keeping mental tabs on you, too. A new study out of Japan found that a stationary cat can track its owner’s location using audio cues specifically, the owner’s voice.

Saho Takagi, first author of the study and a doctoral student at Kyoto University, said she has always been interested in cats’ hearing abilities. She’s a cat person all around, but said her favorite part is their ears. Cats have sensitive ears that can move in different directions.

“I saw a cat with only one of its ears tilted back, listening to the sound behind it, and felt that cats must be thinking about many things from the sound,” Takagi said in an email to CNN. “This time, I investigated whether they map their owner’s position spatially from sounds.”

The study, which took place in a home setting and at a cat café, observed how cats would react to their owners’ voices without visual cues by using speakers that played a recording of owners saying their cats’ names. The researchers placed the speakers apart from each other, out of the cats’ sight, to see how the cats would respond to the sounds, especially if the owner’s voice appeared to teleport from one location to another. Another group of people, who were not animal behavior experts, rated the cats’ level of surprise from a scale of 0 to 4, based on behaviors like ear and head movements.

Cats in the study were surprised when their owners appeared to “transport” from one location to another, the study concluded. Results from this study demonstrate evidence of socio-spatial cognition in cats, meaning they can mentally picture where others are through cues like sound.

“It is generally believed that cats are not as interested in their owners as dogs are, but it turns out that they were mentally representing the invisible presence of their owners,” Takagi said.

The study said this ability to create mental images based on sound and other stimuli indicates complex thinking. The ability is particularly important for animals that need to hunt prey under poor visibility. Cats understand their names and are probably just choosing to ignore you, a study suggests

“This is an ability that is the basis of creativity and imagination,” Takagi said. “Cats are thought to have a more profound mind than is thought.”

Ingrid Johnson, certified cat behavior consultant with Fundamentally Feline, said cats can get attached to their humans — especially when they’re older. She said some senior cats wake up distressed when they can’t see or hear their owners.

“This is a great example of elevating our expectation of the cat a little bit and realizing that they do have the capability of having that bond in that relationship where they actually will take comfort in their people,” Johnson said.

Studies have found cats can also distinguish between their owners’ and a strangers’ voices, and they can recognize emotional sounds. Our feline friends might be more perceptive — and hear more — than we give them credit for.

∙Mixed-breed dogs “are significantly less likely” to have insurance claims for cancer than purebred dogs, according to an analysis done by Nationwide, a company that sells veterinary health insurance for dogs, cats, birds and exotic pets.

Some breeds are more cancer-prone than others, according to Nationwide insurance claims filed for 1.5 million dogs over a six-year period. Mixed-breed dogs were 48% less likely to have submitted claims for cancer than the average purebred dog, according to the news release.

When looking at the 100 most popular breeds of dogs, English cocker spaniels had a cancer prevalence 246% higher than other dogs. The shiba inu is 62% less likely to have a cancer claim.
Limiting the analysis to the 10 most popular breeds of Nationwide-insured pets, boxers were 161% more likely to file cancer claims, while the Chihuahua was 47% less likely.

“Nationwide members submitted claims for more that $49 million in 2020 for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer,” said Dr. Jules Benson, chief veterinary officer of Nationwide.
“Early detection, better treatment options and the knowledge needed to make critical care decisions can make a difference,” the news release reports.

“The signs of cancer in pets can be vague” and can be the same symptoms caused by other diseases, Dr. Benson said. “But having more information about cancer prevalence rates and what types of cancer are likely to occur can be key to an early diagnosis, and that can mean access to more treatment options and better outcomes.”

Some early warning signs could be weight loss, drastic changes in appetite or thirst, or changes in energy levels, he said.

By Linda Wilson Fuoco Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

∙ Making sure animals find a home is a year-round mission for Lake Humane Society, whether the process takes place during the holiday season or not.

While the agency doesn’t necessarily see a marked increase in adoptions during Hanukkah, Thanksgiving and Christmas, officials implore people to realize there’s more to it than simply buying a fuzzy friend, poking holes in a gift-wrapped box, securing a lid and handing the moving present to eager tykes.

In fact, with all the spirited festivities of the holidays, giving a pet as a gift, is, simply put, not recommended on a commercial scale, as all members of a family should be “on board” with adopting a new household member due to the many responsibilities of ownership.

Lori Caszatt, LHS’s interim executive director, noted new owners should think about the amount of time they have to dedicate to a new pet, in addition to the ancillary expenses of food, veterinary visits and possible medications it may need before adopting.
She said. “We never want someone to feel they have to surrender their pet because they have fallen on hard times and cannot afford to feed them. And we don’t ever want to see a pet returned because someone felt a pet would make a good holiday gift and then realized they don’t have the time or desire to care for it.

“It’s not fair to the pet so we always make sure that adoption is a family decision,” Caszatt added. “Our pets deserve a second chance and a family to love and care for them for the rest of their lives. By adopting a shelter pet, you are saving a life.”

By Chad Felton The News-Herald

∙ The United States government has eased up on a rule that had banned the importation of dogs from 113 countries because of concerns over fraudulent rabies vaccination certificates. The change comes less than six weeks after the ruling, which pet owners had complained was overly restrictive, went into full effect.

As of Oct. 14, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had blocked the import of dogs, both foreign and those re-entering the country after traveling abroad, from 113 countries where the risk of rabies transmission for dogs was considered high. The ban was spurred, said the federal agency, by an increase in falsified health documents from international pet importers over the past 18 months.

Now, travelers flying with dogs who received their inoculations from a U.S.-licensed veterinarian may return to the U.S. from the previously banned countries, providing the animal is healthy, microchipped and at least six months old, and its owner can provide a valid U.S.-issued rabies vaccination certificate.

In 2020 alone, as pet adoptions surged across the United States, the C.D.C. said it intervened in more than 450 cases where dogs were being imported with false or incomplete rabies vaccination certificates. In June 2021, one rabid dog was imported from Azerbaijan, prompting a public health response involving agencies in nine states. For the C.D.C., that one incident was enough.

The dog’s importation “highlights the timeliness of C.D.C.’s temporary suspension and the risk associated with rescue dogs imported from countries at high-risk for dog rabies,” said Emily Pieracci, a veterinary medical officer with the C.D.C., in an email. “Dog rabies has been eliminated from the United States since 2007 and dog importations from countries at high risk for rabies represents a significant public health risk.”

Dog owners heading out of the country with their animals should make sure their paperwork is up to date, and check their arrival and departure cities: The C.D.C. will not accept expired rabies vaccination certificates, and effective Dec. 1, all dogs that have transited through a country deemed high-risk for rabies by the C.D.C. must re-enter the United States at one of 18 approved ports of entry, including Chicago O’Hare, John F. Kennedy International and San Francisco International Airports. The C.D.C. had also initially planned to reduce those 18 approved ports to only three in early 2022, but has now rolled back those plans.

The C.D.C.’s change of policy does not offer relief to people, including aid workers and U.S. service members, who want to bring dogs to the United States for the first time. Many of them are struggling to reunite with animals they adopted during tours of duty abroad, and they have complained that the rule was too restrictive. Animals adopted abroad, without U.S. vaccination papers, are still unable to enter the U.S. without special permission.
By Debra Kamin

∙Deciphering your dog’s barks.
Do you ever wonder why your pup barks when other dogs pass by your house, when you’re on a walk and he sees another dog, when another dog barks at him, or whenever he meets another dog at the dog park?

Dr. Ireifej says that the characteristics of the bark can clue you into the reason behind it. “However, because this is subjective and therefore prone to misinterpretation and error, it is important to combine this interpretation with the dog’s body language and the context by which the barking is occurring.” Look to your dog’s facial expressions and body language:

Ears pinned back, piloerection (hair on end), barred teeth = aggression, anxiety, stress
Bowing, pawing, nudging, tail wagging = playful, jovial, welcoming
The context in which your dog barks at another dog also matters.

Owner present or dog in his house or yard = territorial, welcoming, alerting
Approaching another dog or a pack of dogs = aggression, anxiety, or submission
Dogs running, playing = asking to play

By Jennifer Nelson

Isn’t my dog just being territorial when she barks at other dogs at home?
If your dog simply barks at every dog she sees, is she just being territorial? Not necessarily. Dr. Ireifej says, you still must use the same interpretation criteria—the type of bark and the context of the situation. “Most people view barking at other dogs as they pass by the house as a negative action or a sign of bad behavior because we find it disruptive, startling, or uneasy. But this off-the-cuff interpretation may not be accurate if the entire situation is not taken into account,” he says.

What if my dog only barks at select dogs?
If your dog only barks at one or two neighbor dogs, does that mean he doesn’t like them? It depends. When dogs bark at other dogs it’s usually because of either a historic reason or a current reason, explains Dr. Ireifej. Your pup’s history plays a role—if he had a pleasant or negative interaction in the past, or even something about that dog in the moment can cause him to bark.

Your dog barks at another dog because of things like the other dog’s body language, its facial features, its scent, its pack status, its level of excitement, as well as your dog’s previous memories, traumas, or interactions.

Maybe your dog had a bad experience with a small white dog and now barks at all small white dogs, or maybe your dog senses the other dog’s level of excitement or protection of its owner and is responding in kind.

Therefore, deciphering why your dog barks at other dogs can be tricky. Watch his body language, read the cues of the situation, then try to figure out his motives. If you’re concerned about your dog’s barking, especially if it’s aggressive or reactionary, talk to your veterinarian about it, and seek out a certified veterinary behaviorist or trainer.

As always, consult your vet about your dog’s behavior.

∙SPAN Thrift Store is open to the public and looking for donations of adult clothing, household items and tools if you’ve got items you no longer use.
SPAN Thrift Store regularly provides $10 spays and neuters for low income households with cats and dogs.
Three upcoming clinics are: Tuesday, December 7th at Shiells Park, in the parking lot, located at 649 C St., Fillmore, 93015, a second clinic on Tuesday, December 14th at SPAN Thrift Store parking lot 110 N. Olive St. (behind Vons on Main), and a third clinic at the Albert H. Soliz Library – El Rio, 2820 Jourdan St., Oxnard, 93036 on Tuesday, December 21st.
Please call to schedule an appointment (805) 584-3823.

∙Fourteen Search Dog Foundation (SDF) search teams achieve FEMA certification.
Before deploying, a canine disaster search team must first achieve state or federal certification. During the test, each handler and dog team searches two separate rubble or debris piles, being allowed 20 minutes to complete each, showing teamwork, strategy, and, most importantly, trust in each other. After initial certification, each team must re-certify every three years to ensure they are up-to-date and ready to respond when needed.

Despite the disruption in testing scheduling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 14 SDF-trained search teams and many others across the nation achieved certification in the last six months.

Now, these teams can deploy with their task forces when needed in the aftermath of a disaster. None of this would be possible without you, and folks like you, who help these dogs not only go from rescued shelter dogs to rescuers but who also support partnered search teams in their training, ensuring they are ready when called upon to help others.

∙ Mark your calendar! The 10th annual Purrs & Paws Holiday Boutique and Marketplace is scheduled to return on Saturday, Dec. 4, for a day filled with holiday spirit, shopping and fun!
This event, organized by the Humane Society of Ventura County’s Animal Ambassadors, will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Chaparral Auditorium and adjacent lawn at 414 E. Ojai Ave. in Ojai. Admission and parking are free.

Among the more than 30 vendors, you will find fun, festive and unique crafts, artistic creations and vintage items. This is a perfect opportunity to find one-of-a-kind holiday gifts including fashion accessories, jewelry, gift baskets, fabric creations, pottery, baby items, bath and body products, plants and an array of unique holiday décor.

All proceeds from this charity event will benefit the Humane Society of Ventura County.
If you are interested in being a vendor, please email [email protected].

The Humane Society of Ventura County is a nonprofit, compassionate care shelter dedicated to the protection and adoption of animals in need throughout Ventura County. For more information, visit www.hsvc.org.

∙ The fossil of a jawbone could prove that domesticated dogs lived in Central America as far back as 12,000 years ago, according to a study by Latin American scientists. The dogs, and their masters, potentially lived alongside giant animals, researchers say. A 1978 dig in Nacaome, northeast Costa Rica, found bone remains from the Late Pleistocene period.

Excavations began in the 1990s and produced the remains of a giant horse and a piece of jaw from what was originally thought to be a coyote skull. “We thought it was very strange to have a coyote in the Pleistocene, that is to say 12,000 years ago,” Costa Rican researcher Guillermo Vargas told AFP.

“When we started looking at the bone fragments, we started to see characteristics that could have been from a dog. So, we kept looking, we scanned it… and it showed that it was a dog living with humans 12,000 years ago in Costa Rica.”

The coyote is a relative of the domestic dog, although with a different jaw and more pointed teeth. “The dog eats the leftovers from human food. Its teeth are not so determinant in its survival,” said Vargas.

Costa Rican researcher Guillermo Vargas says the fossil sample could be the oldest evidence of a dog in the Americas “It hunts large prey with its human companions. This sample reflects that difference.”

Humans are believed to have emigrated to the Americas across the Bering Strait from Siberia to Alaska during the last great ice age.

“The first domesticated dogs entered the continent about 15,000 years ago, a product of Asians migrating across the Bering Strait,” said Raul Valadez, a biologist and zooarcheologist from the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
The presence of humans during the Pleistocene has been attested in Mexico, Chile and Patagonia, but never in Central America, until now.

Originally published on Live Science.

∙ It’s flu season, but not just for people. As the warm weather dies down, the largest recorded outbreak of canine influenza is sweeping through Los Angeles County.

At the Santa Barbara Humane Society, its staff recently decided to vaccinate all the dogs at the Santa Barbara and Santa Maria locations.

The virus is similar to the common flu; causing coughing, sneezing and a lack of appetite.
Santa Barbara County Animal Services director of shelter medicine Ginger White has been keeping a close eye on the rapid transmission of this virus.

Veterinarians are advising all animal owners to be on the lookout for this highly contagious virus. “The only way to get a diagnosis is by seeing the veterinarian and having pretty specific swab testing done,” White said. “The test needs to be sent out to a laboratory, which can take a couple of days to get results.”

In order to slow down transmission, Marrie recommends that dogs that get sick spend a month in quarantine.

∙ SPAN Thrift Store is now open to the public and looking for donations of adult clothing, household items and tools if you’ve got items you no longer use.

SPAN Thrift Store regularly provides $10 spays and neuters for low income households with cats and dogs. Two upcoming clinics are: Tuesday, November 23rd at the Albert H. Soliz Library – El Rio, 2820 Jourdan St., Oxnard, 93036, and a second one on Tuesday, December 7th at Shiells Park, in the parking lot, located at 649 C St., Fillmore, 93015. Please call to schedule an appointment (805) 584-3823.

∙ Of all the cute things dogs do, cocking their head to one side while they look at you may be the most endearing. Yet surprisingly little research has looked into why they do it. Now, a new study of “gifted” canines—those capable of quickly memorizing multiple toy names—shows they often tilt their heads before correctly retrieving a specific toy. That suggests the behavior might be a sign of concentration and recall in our canine pals, the team suggests.

The researchers stumbled upon their find by chance while conducting a study of “gifted word learner” dogs. Most dogs can’t memorize the names of even two toys, but these talented pups, all border collies, could recall and retrieve at least 10 toys they had been taught the names of. One overachiever named Whisky correctly retrieved 54 out of 59 toys he had learned to identify.

Over the course of several months, the researchers tested the dogs’ abilities to learn and recall labels for toys, comparing their skills with those of 33 “typical” dogs. Owners placed toys in another room and asked for them by name. Only the seven gifted dogs were able to rapidly learn and remember names. But these dogs shared something else in common: the head tilt.

The pattern was too consistent to be pure coincidence, says Andrea Sommese, an animal behavior researcher at Eötvös Loránd University who led the study. “So, we decided to dig into it.”

A quick internet search turned up plenty of speculative results positing that dogs tilt their heads to hear better, to listen for specific words or tones, or to see past their snouts. Sommese found one poster hypothesizing that shelter dogs do it more often because they know on some level that humans find it irresistible.

The scientific literature was much more sparse. A search for previous studies on head tilting yielded surprisingly few results. There were some veterinary papers about the practice as a symptom of certain health problems, Sommese says, but nothing about the quizzical behavior familiar to dog owners. That led researchers back to their own data to look for clues.

The scientists found that when asked to retrieve a toy gifted dogs cocked their heads 43% of them time over dozens of trials, compared with just 2% of the time in typical dogs, they report this week in Animal Cognition. (Although gifted dogs tilted their heads much more often, they were just as likely to retrieve the correct toy regardless of whether they made the motion.) The animals even had a favored side, just like humans favor their left or right hand. This was consistent over months of recordings, regardless of where the owner was standing in relation to the dog. “If a dog was a left tilter, it would stay a left tilter,” Sommese says.

All of the border collies in the study were familiar with the words being spoken, he notes, but only the gifted dogs who had correctly attached a meaning to each word consistently exhibited the tilting behavior. That means head tilting isn’t just a sign of familiarity with particular sounds, Sommese argues. If it were, all 40 dogs would be equally likely to do it. The team thinks it could be linked to mental processing—a sign of high attentiveness or concentration in the gifted dogs. The dogs might be cross-referencing the command with their visual memories of the toys, for instance.

Monique Udell, a human-animal interaction researcher at Oregon State University, Corvallis, has never seen head tilting featured in a study like this before. She cautions that these observations are preliminary, but says she thinks they could provide an exciting new direction for research on canine cognition. “The next step is asking more questions to get at what the head tilt really means,” Udell says. “Can we use head tilting to predict word-learning aptitude, or attention, or memory?”

Sommese hopes to follow up on this study by figuring out what sorts of sounds might be similarly meaningful to the nongifted dogs, to elicit the same behavior. Until then, dog owners will have to be content knowing that when a pooch tilts its head, it’s probably just trying its best to understand what you’re doing.

∙Through grocery store tabloids and TV commercials inundating us with new fad diets it seems that we, as humans, are constantly focusing on our weight. But what about when it comes to where our feline friends fall on the scales?

Dr. Ashley Navarrette, a clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, offers insight on how to manage your cat’s weight.

“When evaluating body condition on a cat, veterinarians look and feel to determine the fat coverage on a patient and assign them a number on a scale –generally 1-9 –,” Navarrette said. “An ideal body condition ranges from a BCS 4-6 with a score of 5 being ideal. We start to get concerned when cats are a BCS 7 and above, which is where we start to label a patient as overweight and progressing toward obese (8 and 9).”

“Thankfully, most people can weigh their cats at home using the trick of weighing themselves first, weighing themselves and the cat, and then doing some simple math,” she said. “I recommend owners routinely check their cat’s weight at least once a month to catch any upward or downward trends early.”

Because patients typically only see their veterinarian one to two times a year, Navarrette says “it is heavily (no pun intended) the responsibility of the owner to keep their pet at an appropriate weight.”

Some owners may believe that a couple of extra pounds isn’t a big deal; however, Navarrette warns that that “fat and happy” does not exist. “While your pet may seem content being overweight, their body systems are being affect by the excess fat tissue and even so much as a pound overweight can make a big difference to a cat,” she said. “Cats that are overweight and obese tend to be less social and less active. We also tend to see decreased grooming because they simply cannot reach due to their size.”

In some cases, your veterinarian may also suggest transitioning your cat to an over-the-counter or a prescription weight-loss diet; these foods are traditionally higher in protein and fiber than other cat foods.

However, transitioning from one food to another can be a more difficult task than it sounds.

“Cats like what they like and hate what they hate” Navarrette said. “Often cats become accustomed to a particular diet, and you may have to trial various diets before your cat accepts one.”

Finally, when managing your cat’s weight, integrating exercise into their everyday life through indoor cat trees, interactive toys or cat perches can stimulate their metabolism.

“As with any weight loss journey, whether that be feline or other pets, this is a marathon and not a sprint. Weight loss will take time; patience and consistency are key to this process,” Navarrette said. “Check-ups may need to be as frequent as every six to eight weeks to monitor progress and make necessary modifications.”