Layla crossed the Rainbow Bridge on 4 May 2024 but her sister Nili will carry on her legacy speaking out against Animal Abuse, Domestic Violence, Breeders and how to keep your pet healthy, happy and living a good life.
Vet Experience
TGIF! Weekend has arrived and they are expecting a heat wave here in San Francisco so we are going to be indoors quite a bit as to not overheat. We have had a cold summer with drizzles and suddenly it has decided to warm up and Mom is happy but I am not, too hot for me grrrr. Thank goodness I have my cooling vest which helps a lot.
As you all know two weeks ago Nili was sick and we went to the vet clinic that Mom has been going to for over 15 years. She always loved them but this time she got fed up. I am going to break down the story here which upsets me as it was one of the best clinics to go to but since it has become private, owned by the vets that work there, has all the modern day equipment, open 24/7 so much has gone wrong also and we have decided to move to another place, smaller but friendlier.
These are the reasons / red flag that made me do it :
- When Nili was sick, I made an appointment with our regular vet who knows Mom but was not there so we saw a new vet. A young guy, and during the exam he had another vet there too so we are wondering if he was a student or not, I have no issues with that but feel vets should listen to the dog Mom not force things on her. While checking her he said she needed fluid shots, nausea shots plus dog diet food to help her lose weight. I was astonished that he was deciding all this without discussing with me. Nili had just finished a cup of water so she was not dehydrated, she had been eating so I knew she was not nauseas. Telling me to buy diet food is not an option as I do not believe in them plus in a nutshell he was telling me to have her get a flu shot. I was in shock over it all but kept quiet as I did not want stress at the clinic for the sake of Nili. He also mentioned probiotic dog food which although I hate kibbles decided to give her instead of medications plus so much more. He wanted me to buy the cans but I put my foot down and got the kibble which I must admit helped her. In a nutshell I came home with no answers to my questions but being sold as such things I did not need.
- The final straw with this clinic was on Monday I called them to make an appointment for her Leptospirosis vaccine, I told them on the phone that I wanted a vet tech to do it as it is a lot cheaper and they told me they would call with time and date. By 6 that evening I had not heard from them so I called them back, the customer service told me the following : There is no vet tech appointments, He then had the audacity to tell me that for an extra $55 I could have it done with a vet and as I have credit there to cover it there would be no problem. That is when I got really angry and told him he has no right to tell me what to do with my credit, so his reply was well he would give me other places to go. I told him about an article I had read about vets thinking more of money than pets and felt that is what is happening at his clinic, he was not happy that I said that, I also told him I blogged and would talk about it here today, and then put the phone down.
- On Wednesday they called me again, LOL, telling me that they had place for a vet tech at the price they had quoted me $98 but I told them thanks as I had made an appointment at another clinic. I know the reason she called me was the other clinic had called them for all Nili’s files so that they would have everything before I went today.
This morning, Nili and I went to get her shot, what a difference, what a great family vet clinic, everyone was smiling, welcoming and the vet was fantastic. Did not push anything on me, discussed chunky monkey’s weight, what to do and in a nutshell I have found the place to go now. Actually, all my friends rave about this clinic and they are so right. I always say a first impression says it all.
Waiting for the bus to go to the ver, Nili
Mom can we go home please, it is nice and cool here but I do not like vets, Nili
One of the many reasons I am sharing this with everyone is I want pet parents to know there are always other options, and it is sad that some clinics are so money motivated, causing many pet parents to avoid them plus dumping their pets as they cannot afford the vet expenses. I am not wealthy, on a fixed income, am blessed to have certain coverage for Nili but I still must watch what I am spending as to not go over my annual budget for vets where possible and if a clinic is checking my finances as such I am not interested in working with them. Their loss not mine and Nili and my gain having found a fantastic new one.
As always Nili keeps me amused so am going to share our video of the week, as she is such a clown.
Please be safe and have a wonderful weekend, with lots of memories,
Love Nili aka chunky monkey and Mom
August 2025 Pet Holidays and Observances
August has arrived; can you believe it!!! That means a new list of Pet Holidays and Observances – so here we go:
Nili and Monkey soaking up the August sun
Month
- Clear the Shelters
- Itchy Pet Awareness Month
- National Dog Month
- Rawgust.
- World Mutt-i-grees Rescue Month.
Week
- 3-9: International Assistance Dog Week.
- 3-9: Give a Dog a Bone Week.
Day
- 1: DOGust Universal Birthday for Shelter Dogs.
- 4: Assistance Dog Day.
- 5: Work Like a Dog Day.
- 8: International Cat Day.
- 8: National Cat Dayin Canada.
- 8: National Odie Day.
- 10: Snoopy’s Birthday
- 10: National Spoil Your Dog Day
- 15: National Check Your Chip Day
- 16 Saint Roch’s Day.
- 16. International Homeless Animals Day
- 17: National Black Cat Appreciation Day.
- 17: National Nonprofit Day.
- 22: National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day.
- 23: International Blind Dogs Day
- 26: National Dog Day.
- 28: Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day.
- 30: National Holistic Pet Day
There is lots to celebrate this month so we hope you will enjoy, be safe with a woof and love from Nili
A week in the life of Nili
Good Morning,
August is National Dog Month plus the 1st of August is Dogust, so we decided to share in photos a week with Nili so you can see how busy she is LOL.
This is how I watch Mom eat hoping will get a crumb, Nili
Playing with Monkey in the park
Squeaking my toy which is fun Nili
Sleeping like a baby at the end of the day
And last but not least my favorite video of the week BOL
Have a safe wonderful week with lots of fun,
Hugs and Woofs from Nili
What a week
Good morning, friends, we hope you have had a good week as mine has been a busy crazy one and phew thank goodness it is weekend time.
I have been very naughty eating the mud in the park which made me sick, Mom took the hood off my head as the dogs did not want to play with me when I wore it so I went crazy being hoodless and ate some mud, which is not good as it is full of fish fertilizer and it upset my tummy big time, yes I paid the price of being naughty and Mom did not sleep for at least 4 nights. She was giving me probiotics, bland food, no treats but nothing was working so on Thursday she took me to the vet for a check up as she felt she was losing. I was eating and drinking but nothing was staying in my tummy and as she said to the vet I suppose it is a good way for me to lose the weight that I have to lose BOL. The vet laughed with her and told her I had not lost anything.
Sitting on the windowsill at the vet clinic waiting for the vet, Nili
So after a thorough check up including tests which came back negative the vet sat down with Mom and suggested a vet kibble, now you all know how anti kibble Mom is but this time can you believe it she agreed and am munching on them plus she is giving them to me as treats but not getting more than the vet told Mom to feed me, she is on a strict regime with me. The vet and Mom think I am allergic to rice and chicken and that is why my tummy was not settling so we are taking each day as it comes but I must admit today for the first time in a week I am feeling a lot better.
Today, Friday was one year since I arrived home from my foster family, but we could not celebrate cos of my tummy issues and Mom explained to me that is the price I am paying for eating the mud, she has promised me a cookie when I am healthy.
My first photo on Nili in the house sitting on a pee pad chewing a treat
So this week has been a crazy week with my upset tummy and we have not done much, we are recharging our batteries this weekend as it is miserable outside and drizzling, next week we will take each day as it comes slowly cos Mom says she is getting old BOL.
My first time in the indoor crate and it is cozy, Nili
Have a wonderful weekend everyone, be safe and stay cool,
With hugs and love from Nili
15th July was National Pet Fire Safety Day
TGIF!!!!!!!
Good morning all my friends.
15th of July is an important day, to remind us to keep us pets safe is there a fire. It is so important with what is happening in the world today with climate change, extreme heat and droughts, floods we need to be prepared as our pets are our family and they depend on us.I am prepared for every disaster, so Nili is fortunate and safe.
Enjoying sunshine, Nili
I have an emergency bag which I check and update every six months, her information is up to date, and we are organized for anything and hopefully your parents are also. But unfortunately, we must remind everyone as people forget or do not believe in climate change, so this is our reminder.
Please be safe everyone, I am now going off to the park to play
With a woof and love from Nili
One Year today
TGIF!! We are celebrating today Nili’s Gotcha Day, it is one year since I rescued her from LA Animal Care and Control. How time has gone so quickly and I am sure Layla is smiling over the Rainbow Bridge or giggling as she watches Nili get up to mischief.
I remember the day I saw her online on Facebook, her name there was Gladys and all I could picture was me standing in a dog park calling Gladys, I am sure half the park would have laughed at me but as per my tradition I gave her a Hebrew Name : Nili – which means forever Israel. I love the name because it is short and easy to pronounce.
The face I saw in the cage and knew she was mine
I have been reading Nili’s intake papers from Animal Control as I was curious to know more about her and this is what I found, her intake was on 6 July 2024, and she was a stray/OTC. What I have learned about OTC for stray pets is that it was brought to the Shelter by a person who found her and I would love to thank that person for saving her from the streets. She was not microchipped so they could not find her family but is microchipped now so she is safe. She was a perfect weight when they took her in, had no wounds but a scab on her head which has since gone. They also wrote that she was born in 2021 so she is 4 years old today.
I think Nili is a Fireworks runner because of the date of her intake but am not sure, the most important is that she will never be alone on the streets again.
One of my favorite photos of her taken by Jonathan of her looking at Animal Control from the car saying bye bye I am on my way home
Nili went from LA to Palm Springs where she stayed with some friends of mine till we could find a lift to bring her to SF, where she is now a San Francisco dog living the life of a princess.
Guarding the oven waiting for her salmon treats
Since her arrival she has grown so much, her confidence is amazing, she is fearless in many ways playing with big and small dogs in the park, very food motivated which is one of my biggest problems as she eats anything and everything off the streets but is learning slowly not to do it. She got up to mischief the other day in the park, some guy left a pizza in an open backpack on the ground and guess who found it and stole a piece, LOL, she came running to me with it in her mouth and hid under the bench to gobble it up, I laughed but went over to the guy and suggested he close his backpack and put it on the bench so no other dog would get some.
https://youtube.com/shorts/fN1fGTBdl7w?si=Je7MrM-KIbmD2MR2
She loves howling when sirens go off, she has a partner in crime with this and we just laugh, see the video below.
https://youtube.com/shorts/-0-TboXgbek?si=Vpef9sie99HpQi7v
So, to my darling devil Nili, Mom loves you, I count my blessings daily that you are part of my life and keeping me on my toes all the time with your antics but if you are happy I am happy and life is too short to make a big deal over things.
I love when she sleeps on her back under her blanket, the Diva
Happy Gotcha Day !!!!!!
Lots of love Mom and Angel Layla
July 2025 Pet Holidays and Observances
Good Morning, July has arrived, a long weekend ahead of us, please keep your fur kids safe and with collars on just in case. Happy July Everyone
This is my park toy cos summer has arrived and I can now play more, Nili
Month
- National Lost Pet Prevention Month™.
- Wild about Wildlife Month
- Dog House repair Month
Week-Long Holidays
- 3rd Week in July: National Feed a Rescue Pet Week:Launched in 2017, this holiday by GreaterGood.org and The Animal Rescue Site aims to feed shelter pets.
One-Day
- July 1: ID Your Pet Day.
- July 4:Independence Day. I call this scary day for our pets and wild animals because of the fireworks which I hate
- July 7: National Koi Day
- July 10: National Kitten Day.This day celebrates the joy of kittens.
- July 11: All-American Pet Photo Day.
- July 15: National Pet Fire Safety Day
- July 15: Feline Leukemia Day.
- July 16: World Snake Day
- July 21: National Craft for Your local Shelter Day. You do not have to be artistic to make something for the shelter animal.
- July 21: No Pet Store Puppies Day – I do not shop at pet stores that sell any live animal unless they are from shelters.
- July 26:National Dog Photography Day. This is celebrated in the UK
- July 31: National Mutt Day, a very important day as I only rescue mutts.
Happy July Friends with love and woofs from Nili
Why pets get lost on 4th of July
I have been reading different articles about many things that relate to 4th of July and the one that stands out is the amount of animals that get lost, shelters are already overflowing and will be full after this weekend.
It is so sad that before the weekend even starts, people are dumping pets at Shelters with a million and one reason why they cannot keep them but the bottom line is it is the 4th of July weekend, and they are going away. These people do not even think of the damage they are doing, some lucky pets will be fortunate to get out of there alive, others won’t. I cannot understand why and how people can do that, they are inconsiderate, not compassionate and should not be allowed to have pets again. This weekend is one of the hardest for Rescue Organizations as they will be overflowing with wonderful warm fuzzy pets looking for new home because of the selfishness of their past owners.
My memory of Layla after been decorated by someone in the park, I love it
Having a pet is in my eyes having a kid, and many people would not dump their kids at a shelter just because the holiday is more tempting, actually I wonder how they are with their kids? If they act this way. Yes, I will judge them as people that have no respect for other species, and only themselves are people I do not want in my life or surroundings.
So let us pray that those unfortunate pets find new happy homes to live out for the rest of their lives, like Layla and Nili.
I also hate fireworks, they are a waste of money that can be used for so much more, rescue organizations are desperate for money and so are many other charities. I also hate them because of the fear they cause to all pets plus the wild animals outside, why should they be traumatized.
How to keep us safe on 4th of July :
Be prepared in the event that your pet does escape – make sure your pet is wearing a collar with an updated tag, microchip is updated and BEST of all just keep your pet inside in a safe place where it cannot escape. You should also walk your dog earlier before the fireworks start so that they have done their business and you do not have to worry again during the night.
How I keep Layla or Nili safe – I give her Relax Supplement from Real Mushrooms which works wonders and normally asleep by 8 pm. If she does need to go out again during the night she tells me by moaning in my ear.
You can find the Relaxing Mushrooms on this website :
https://shop.realmushrooms.com/?ref=488
There is a coupon code for a 10% discount : LaylasWoof
We also need to remind everyone is :
Be safe everyone, have a wonderful long weekend
Love and woofs
Nili
A week in the life of Nili
Woof hello my friends,
Friday has arrived. Mom says it is Friday the 13th so she is lying low BOL as she is superstitious and does not want to take chances but has promised me park time phew or I will drive her crazy BOL.
The past week has been cold, windy and really gloomy, the sun poking it face in here and there but not enough for long park time so I told Mom we should share with yu my fun times in the park so you can see how much fun I have with my friends while our parents freeze and yell at us not to eat the mud, it is so much fun seeing them freeze and yell while we play.
Waiting for my friends to arrive, Nili
Some of the videos where you can see she is fearless when it comes to size of dogs LOL.
https://youtube.com/shorts/bgUoAlKqHbc?si=x2wTUhU6ik7X3lbZ
https://youtube.com/shorts/2_-cNfZufhc?si=ea42nKKNG7XVaOl3
https://youtube.com/shorts/vyj2fp9mQZU?si=UJYSdasJI1r5da16
My diet is going well, and I have lost weight, thanks to the good food from Mom and the exercise I am getting so my summer figure is ready for my bikini BOL and Mom says I am slim and sexy now so all the male dogs will want to play with me. Thank you to Yumwoof for the good healthy food, which has helped a lot plus the Real Mushrooms mobility chews for keeping my joints in shape. With 4th Of July around the corner it is worth stocking up on their Relaxing Chews also which help me stay cal when I get scared, helped my Angel Sister Layla also, so they are a must have for emergencies in your house. (They are for cats and dogs)
YumWoof : You have 5% off if you enter the coupon code YUMNILI – https://yumwoof.com/?ref=nbmzrsze
Real Mushrooms: You have a 10% off if you enter the coupon code LaylasWoof – https://shop.realmushrooms.com/?ref=488
Sleeping after dinner and the park
Don’t forget if you use the coupons Mom gets paid a small amount which will help her buy me more treats as that is my pocket money.
Have a safe wonderful weekend, take lots of photos for memories,
With a woof and Love from
Nili
Keeping your young dog healthy (my recipes)
TGIF ! Friday has arrived, it is hot outside and today we going to discuss what I am doing to keep Nili healthy from a young age so as she grows older she stays healthy and hopefully slim as well as I am still struggling with her weight.
I might be chunky but my bandanna fits me, Happy Pride Everyone, Nili
As most of you know I do not believe in kibbles but with the rising prices of produce I unfortunately am feeding her once a day a 1/3 of a cup of kibble but the rest of the day she gets home cooked food and treats, plus of course supplements.
So, I decided to share her what she is eating, my food/treat recipes to help you find solutions and to avoid mass produced food and treats where possible. It is working out to be cheaper this way and I am blessed she is a small dog, so it is easier, plus I cook in bulk and freeze in portions.
I am an affiliate for some of these products so if you decide to try them we would appreciate you using our coupons which would help pay my bills.
Dog Food – Ground Beef or Ground Turkey
1 lb of the meat (whichever you decide, and ground chicken can be used also
1 cup of Oat flour
2 Eggs
1 cup of YumWoof Dogfood Perfect Dog Food Mix (this has all the nutrients needed to balance the food)
I mix all together, heat the oven to 350 Degrees, lay it flat on parchment paper on a cookie baking pan, bake it till ready. Switch off oven and let it cool down, I then cut and put in ziplock bags and store part in the fridge and part in the freezer.
You can find the YumWoof Perfect Dog Food Holistic Mix on this link below and have 5% off with the coupon YUMNILI.
https://yumwoof.com/?ref=nbmzrsze
Salmon Treats
These are soft treats as I use them to stuff her Yomp Ball or Kong and she loves them plus it keeps her busy.
- 71/2 ounce can of salmon
- Egg
½ cup of the YumWoof Perfect Dog Food Mix
1 cup of Oat flour to bind altogether
I mix all together, heat the oven to 350 Degrees, lay it flat on parchment paper on a cookie baking pan, bake it till ready. Switch off oven and let it cool down, I then cut and put in ziplock bags and store part in the fridge and part in the freezer.
You can find the YumWoof Perfect Dog Food Holistic Mix on this link below and have a 5% off with the coupon YUMNILI.
https://yumwoof.com/?ref=nbmzrsze
Supplements
Nili might be young but I firmly believe that the younger we start with supplements the healthier she will be when older, so this is what I give her:
Nili gets the Real Mushrooms Daily Dawg, Mobility, Relax, and Immune Supplements. They are all healthy, no chemicals phew so I have no worries plus she gobbles the chews down with no problem and all Organic
You can find them all on this Link : https://shop.realmushrooms.com/?ref=488
You have 10% off with the coupon LaylasWoof
And finally I must not forget to mention the Yomp Ball, which I love as it cleans her teeth while trying to get the treats out, it keeps her busy, which is good for the brain and she cleans it out each time. It is also hardy and does not break that easy and Nili being a hard chewer this has been a game changer.
You can find it on this link, Yomp Products
You have 15% off with coupon LaylasWoof
I got punished with a bath yesterday, I hate water, Nili
I am always open to any other suggestions if you have, sharing is caring and that is how we all learn, have a wonderful weekend and be safe and cool,
With a woof and love from Nili