To the rescue: cats and dogs : My newly adopted dog, Mikey

To the rescue: cats and dogs

Carol Hawn-Miller and Cindy Liggett are local animal advocates who work to save the lives of homeless cats and dogs. In 2001 they founded Kitty and K-9 Connection, a non-profit rescue/foster/adoption program. In this blog, they will discuss the issues around the numerous homeless cats and dogs in Anchorage, and the process of placement, including animal and human behaviors that lead to success or failure. They are pictured here with Gladys on Carol's knee, Cherri in the middle, and Ambrosia the cat on Cindy's lap.

Contributors

Cindy Liggett

Because she's a "cat person," Cindy concentrates on cat rescues, fosters and adoptions. She faces daily attitudes towards cats as "throw-away pets" and deals with issues regarding "unwanted" cats due to over-population. She has advocated on their behalf for over 20 years and enjoys sharing her knowledge and insights so cats can enjoy their nine lives in the manner they truly deserveas an important member of the family.

Carol Hawn-Miller

Carol loves being the "dog mom" to all kinds and varieties -- small to large; mutts or purebreds. At home she deals with an ever transitional pack as she rescues, fosters and adopts dogs that would not otherwise have a "new leash on life." She has been doing pet rescue for more than 14 years. While loaded with a lap full of dogs, covered in dog hair or accepting K-9 kisses, Carol advocates for permanent, lifetime homes and responsible ownership so rescue will no longer be a necessity.

Sue Wirth

Sue is the other cat mom who takes in fosters and gets them ready for adoption. She has been doing cat rescue since 1998. To help control reproduction of unwanted pets, Sue advocates with a local veterinarian to spay/neuter cats as young as 8 weeks old before they go to their forever homes. She would like to see an end to full Animal Shelters, euthanasia and a home for every pet.

Emily Brand

Emily joins us as a guest blogger from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) to raise awareness about issues affecting companion animals in Anchorage and the surrounding area. She shares the ASPCA�s mission to prevent animal cruelty and provide positive outcomes for at-risk animals across the country. Emily hopes to encourage people to be a voice for animals by doing something to help people understand the importance of treating animals with the love and respect they deserve.

Multimedia

VIDEO

First Aid for pets

Robin Newby of the American Red Cross of Alaska teaches pet first aid. In this video of a recent class, she describes the focus and some of the techniques. Find schedules of ongoing classes at "The Red Cross"

Resources

ALASKA LOCAL

Alaska Dog News

My newly adopted dog, Mikey

Posted by Emily Brand

Posted: October 2, 2009 - 5:28 am

Meet Mikey: 3-year-old; Yorkie mix; found as a stray; recently neutered.

When I first met Mikey, he rolled on his back and underneath the clumps of matted hair I caught his big, brown eyes gazing back at me. Mikey was a victim of severe neglect and found roaming the streets with no food, collar, or microchip. Even though he was completely emaciated, he was gentle, sweet, and extremely loving. My heart melted and I decided to adopt him.

Fast forward two weeks—Mikey came out of his shell and turned into quite a feisty pooch. He bounced up and down, zipped around the apartment, barked like a madman, and relieved himself wherever he pleased.

I asked myself, “What did I get myself into?”

Like many pet parents, I needed some guidance in training my newly adopted dog. There are many training tools to help pet parents with dog training, but the ASPCA Virtual Pet Behaviorist is a great online resource that anyone can use at no charge to get pet-behavior advice.

Dr. Pam Reid, Vice President of the ASPCA Animal Behavior Center, said the Virtual Pet Behaviorist offers possible solutions to a wide range of pet behavior issues such as house training, excessive barking, and chewing.

My main issues with Mikey were house training and hyperactivity. I went to the Virtual Pet Behaviorist site and typed in keywords “house training” and “hyper” and got a list of possible solutions.

I followed some of the tips from the site and had great results. If you have questions or need pet-behavior advice, visit the ASPCA Virtual Pet Behaviorist at
ASPCA Behavior
Emily Brand