South County Animal Shelter Coalition

(RUFF) Rescuing Unwanted Furry Friends'

2013 ANNUAL THANKSGIVING DAY FEAST 

    Held at Tivoli Terrace in Laguna Beach.
       Thanksgiving Day, Thursday,
Nov. 28, 2013  

Sociable pets are welcome!
          Featuring turkey dinner plus all of the
          trimmings and live entertainment.
          * vegetarian dinners are available. 

          For reservations and information, please call (949) 494-9650

This is always great food and great company including entertainment!  Hope to see you there!!


THANKSGIVING DINNER BUT NO BONES ABOUT IT FOR PETS!!!

Los Angeles Animal Services reminds pet owners that although Thanksgiving is a time for sharing, but it's unhealthy to share holiday meal leftovers with companion animals. “Veterinarians experience an increased number of office calls due to digestive problems after the holidays because humans invite their animals to celebrate with high fat meals (ham, gravy, turkey skin), chocolates, bones, etc.,” warned Casandria Smith, L.A. Animal Services chief veterinarian. “Turkey bones are hollow and can easily break and splinter into sharp pieces, causing blockage and perforation of the intestinal tract. A pet who has a turkey bone lodged in the digestive system may not exhibit any symptoms for one or two days. However, when they do occur, symptoms include loss of appetite, depression, vomiting or diarrhea,” Dr. Smith added.

 

Dr. Lila Miller of the ASPCA adds: “Know your pet’s temperament. If lots of people are coming over and your pet is not used to parties and lots of noise or is food aggressive, consider placing, them in a quiet part of the house until the guests leave. Conversely, if your pet is a party animal and loves to mix and mingle, be sure to ask your guests not to slip them table scraps or treats without permission.”

 

Companion animals who are given leftover turkey to eat can also suffer from salmonella food poisoning. Salmonella is an organism that lives in the turkey’s intestinal tract. Meat that sits out at room temperature for too long can cause salmonella organisms to multiply and cause contamination. Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include gastrointestinal upset, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, a high temperature, loss of appetite and listlessness.

 

Consult a veterinarian immediately should a companion animal exhibit any symptoms for salmonella poisoning or turkey bone ingestion.  It is also important for animal caregivers who will be out of town for the holidays to make arrangements for the care of their companion animals by providing food, water, appropriate care and a secure environment. “In providing for our companion animals, it is equally important to make sure they wear proper identification. Licensing our dogs greatly increases the chances of reuniting a lost pet with its owner,” reminds L.A. Animal Services General Manager Dan Knapp. **Thank you to Tom Epperson, who rescues Samoyeds and writes "The Recycled Sam" for the turkey advice. 

The PET RESCUE CENTER
is having a
HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE
on Sunday, December 1, 2013
Noon to 4 pm at
25800 Jeronimo Rd., Ste. 100
Mission Viejo, CA. 92691
For more information about this event please visit:
www.mypetsdr.com or
www.thepetrescuecenter.org

http://thepetrescuecenter.org/  in Mission Viejo has their wish list Posted on their web site at http://thepetrescuecenter.org/give/wish-list.html
Be sure to take a look at their Wish List if you have any pet equipment you want to donate. 

Dog Tales from History

 

BATTLESHIP USS IOWA SEA TAILS
 

 Long Beach, Calif. November 29, 1945: USS Iowa's "Dog
Mascot Goes A.W.O.L. Again"

Search parties looked all over the Long Beach environs for the small brown and white canine named "Victory" or "Vicky/Vickie" for short, with no initial luck. The Times reported that Vicky had been with the Iowa since its commissioning, had substituted for President Roosevelt's dog Fala when the the commander-in-chief went to the Tehran conference aboard the ship in 1943, and "was the first American dog in Japan" after the Japanese surrender. Vicky, who was said to have a "number of decorations on his white collar," had gone "absent without leave" before (in San Francisco & on an island in the Carolines), but had always returned before the Iowa left port. The Iowa crew's calls for help from Long Beach and Los Angeles residents apparently worked. A report a couple of weeks later states that Vicky was aboard the ship in Long Beach Harbor playing with Times newspaper carriers who were visiting. It was also noted that Vicky's "201,778-mile voyage aboard the Iowa has earned him the reputation of the most-traveled dog in the Navy."  Want to know more about Vicky and the Iowa? Go to www.pacificbattleship.com and click on Ship’s History and see a photo of Vicky.
**Thank you again to Tom Epperson, who rescues Samoyeds, writes "The Recycled Sam" and is on the Board of Directors restoring the USS IOWA for this story!!