Tag Archives: #animals

Break the Silence of Domestic Violence and Animal Abuse

Posted on by — 7 Comments ↓

Good Morning,

October has arrived and with it the Month of Domestic Violence Awareness. This is a topic that is very close to my heart as I am a proud survivor.

 

I am one of the lucky ones that managed to get away with my little dog, hid at a friend and then moved to a new city where we were both helped.  If I had left her I know my ex would have carried on abusing her so the minute I could run, we ran.

Baby since has passed away, but she was my inspiration, my hero, my trooper and my lifeline through those dark days, and when she passed it was when I was finally in my own home so she knew I was safe, and could then open my doors to a new pup, and Layla arrived to live with me.  Layla and now Nili wears a tag that says : Shelter Survivor

Baby R.I.P. She died of IMHA at the age of 6 and missed daily as she was my hero

Today I am not going to talk about me, but “The Power and Control Wheel” of Animal Abuse and Domestic Violence. This gives us a better understanding as to what happens behind closed doors, and why so many victims stay in the relationships.

An abuser will want to control everything, and if he or she does not have that, we, the humans, kids or pets become the victims of his or her anger, although he/she  will never admit it.

So when people reach out and talk about wanting to leave a Domestic Violence relationship but cannot leave their pets, these are some of the reasons and I from experience would have rather carried on suffering the abuse to make sure Baby was safe, than left her in a house where she would suffer.

Pets do not understand abuse the way we do and they should not have to suffer at the hands of an abuser of any kind as they give us the unconditional love and loyalty that unfortunately humans do not do.

The Domestic Violence Hotline number is : 1 800 799 SAFE (7233)

Website : https://www.thehotline.org/

October is also the National Month of Adopt a Shelter Dog Month so reach out to a Shelter and give a dog a new home, I am blessed to have been the Mom to Baby, Layla and now Nili.

Nili’s daily routine – never a dull moment LOL

Be safe, have a wonderful week, with a woof of love from

Nili

 

 

 

January 2024 Pet Holidays and Observances

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Welcome 2024, let the pet holidays and observances begin as we all need to remember them so our pets do not feel left out.

Month

  • National Train your Dog Month
  • Unchain a Dog Month.
  • Walk Your Dog Month.
  • Adopt a Rescue Bird Month

 

Day

  • 2: National Pet Travel Safety Day.
  • 2: Happy Mew Year for Cats Day.
  • 5: National Bird Day
  • 10: Save the Eagles Day
  • 14: National Dress Up Your Pet Day.
  •  18: Winnie the Pooh Day
  • 19: National Conservation Dog Day.
  • 20: Penguin Awareness Day
  • 21: Squirrel Appreciation Day
  • 22: National Answer Your Cat’s Question Day.
  • 24: Change a Pet’s Life Day.
  • 24: Peanut Butter Day. 
  • 29: Seeing Eye Guide Dog Anniversary.
  • 29: Tuxedo Cat Appreciation Day.

May 2024 be a healthy happy safe peaceful New Year for Everyone

Woof with love from Layla

 

 

 

 

 

 

What happens to Pets on 4th of July weekend.

Posted on by — 12 Comments ↓

Good morning Everyone,

With the beginning of July comes 4th of July which might be a holiday for fun BUT for us pets is it a scary time also. So today we going to discuss this matter and would love input.

I have been reading different articles about many things that are connected with 4th of July and the one that stands out is the amount of animals that get lost, shelters are already overflowing and will be really 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 over flowing with wonderful warm fuzzy pets looking for new home because of the selfishness of their past owners.

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 the rest of their lives, like Layla.

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.

 

 

How I keep Layla safe – I take her in her stroller in the evening for a long walk and then we settle in for the night. I keep the Jazz music on the TV, she sleeps wherever she is comfortable,  I put a t-shirt on her which keeps her snuggly and helps her relax Since she has started Sundowners Syndrome she gets her Relax Supplement from Real Mushrooms which works wonders and normally asleep by 8 pm.  If she needs to go out late at night and she tells me, I will take her out, I do not force her. Her safety and wellbeing is my top priority.

https://shop.realmushrooms.com/?ref=488

One of the most important things we also need to remind everyone is :

 

Have a wonderful weekend, be safe, enjoy your two legged and four legged family and please remember to keep us safe.

With a Woof

Layla

 

Happy Mother’s Day

Posted on by — 12 Comments ↓

Happy Mother’s Day to everyone

The weekend has arrived plus a very special day for us Pet Moms. Mother’s Day is a day I celebrate with Layla every year as she is my furkid.

Being a Dog Mom like every mom is not easy. We watch our pup grow up, grow through the teenage years, and then age like us. It is an unconditional love that no one can take away from us, I could not see my life without Layla.

As a dog Mom I adjust my budget to her needs, pay the vets, the groomers, make sure she eats better than me at times but would not change it for anything in this world as she is my furkid. She is my responsibility like any mom with a kid.

As we face each day, I am blessed to have this funny munchkin in my life, she keeps me smiling, laughing, worrying, Layla is quite a little clown and yes with age she has slowed down but I as her Mom has also so we plod along enjoying each other’s company on a daily basis.

 

This week was Puppy Mill Action Week, a week we need to speak out for the voiceless, it is time to close all the Puppy Mills and give all the dogs there proper homes with Moms to look after them, love them and give them the care they deserve and need. I, as some of you know will not buy from a breeder but rescue only as there are so many dogs in shelters waiting for a Mom to fetch them, take them home and open their hearts and home to them. So as this Action week ends on Sunday, Mother’s Day, I am asking everyone to think of all these poor babies in shelters, stop supporting breeders and open your heart to a rescue, that is my Mother’s Day wish and prayer.

So, to all my follower, you are all amazing Moms, Happy Mother’s Day, make memories, enjoy every moment being a Dog Mom and have a wonderful day

Happy Mother’s Day

With love and lick from Layla and Me

 

 

 

Gotcha Day is over, but I did a Reiki and Animal Communicator Session

Posted on by — 18 Comments ↓

TGIF!!!! I need to relax LOL.

Layla and I went shopping last Saturday for her Gotcha Day on Tuesday, if she had her own way, she would have bought everything in the store LOL but I stuck to two bags of her favorite treats, minnows and shrimp and she cannot get enough of them in her snuffle toys.

My favorite pet store

I do not want the hat but want treats only

Mom did not buy this for me as she said it was too big for my tummy

On Wednesday the sun was shining so I took her to the park which she loved and just slept in the sun plus of course wandered around smelling all the pmail, she had to catch up on all the gossip which she has missed out on so she was one happy girl when we came home, and went to sleep, such a hard life.

 

In my last blog I had said there would be a surprise this week and this is the surprise, I have wanted for months to know if Layla is happy as she does not smile anymore, and have always been fascinated with people who do Reiki and communicate with animals so I have been following this woman on FB and when she contacted me to thank me for following her and sharing her posts she offered to do a session with Layla which I of course jumped on the idea.

Her name is Cherokee Billie Spiritual Advisor

YouTube : https://youtu.be/QTNmv5hrmd0

Website : https://cherokeebilliespiritualadvisor.com/

So last Sunday we did one on Zoom which unfortunately got cut off before it ended because of connections, but I got so many answers to my queries I was really pleased with the results as they have relaxed me. I am also understanding Layla more as she ages so our lives will be less stressful, anxious and we can age peacefully together.

When we started the session Layla was sitting on my lap in front of the camera and was very antsy, could not figure out where the voice was coming from so Billie suggested I put her on the floor, she went to drink water and then went to her normal sleeping place and totally calmed down.

I will share our video session on our blog next week as my laptop keeps freezing but cannot wait to share.

What I learned:

Since going blind Layla is afraid to go out, that is why she will only walk a little and then stares into space with her tail between her legs but is comfortable sitting in her stroller, so we are going to have to slow down on adventures in some ways so she is not afraid.

She cannot understand why her body is changing as she ages although she feels like a puppy inside and is very healthy TG.

Because of all the above she is not smiling anymore which has upset me as I miss her smiles, but I understand also and I am sure I would be the same if it happened to me.

She does love me very much.

Another thing I learned is that because of the above her anxiety has gone through the roof, so am checking into new calming solutions for her and keeping a t-shirt on all the time that does keep her calm. Billie also suggested music by Mozart or the Beatles to calm her so am going to do some research this weekend on YouTube to see what I can find although I have the Jazz on all the time I do not think it’s working for her.

So as a dog Mom to a senior dog I strongly suggest others do a session with Billie as it is an eye opener and will make everyone’s lives calmer and happier.

Everyone please have a safe happy weekend, make memories and enjoy your moments with your pets, they are precious and deserve the best.

 

Lots of love from

Layla

 

 

 

Valentines Day is here

Posted on by — 10 Comments ↓

Hello fur friends,

It is 4 days away from Valentines Day or as Mom calls it chocolate day, and she told me she is going to spoil herself with a chocolate. I think I should be spoiled and not her but hey she does deserve it sometimes.

Mom and I had a long chat this week about Valentines Day and how I do not need anything as I am a spoiled brat but how the animals in shelters need to be loved also so we decided to put a package together of goodies and we going to drop it off at one of the shelters.

Those animals do not deserve to be in shelters but in warm homes with lots of love but we humans are to blame for that so as Mom says those caring humans who are speaking out for them must make sure also that they are spoiled on Valentine’s Day with love.

We are asking all our fur friends to please go to a shelter and donate food, treats or toys so that the animals can feel special love also. What could be better than seeing the smile of a dog or cat being spoiled like we are, it is a blessing.

I have a question? Who wants to be my Valentine?

 

Happy Valentines Day everyone, make sure you spoil your Mom or Dad with lots of licks and being good,

With woofs and love from Layla

Why we speak out against Animal Abuse

Posted on by — 12 Comments ↓

TGIF! End of week and our weekly blog is here. This week we going to discuss the animal abuse in the world and say a thank you to Betty White for speaking out.

As you all are aware Betty White passed away a week ago, she was an amazing woman, her comedy was brilliant but her legacy for speaking out for animals is something the animal world has lost. The animals have lost an amazing advocate and we all need to speak out for those that don’t have a voice.

There are so many issues when it comes to animals, a circus or zoo which are prisons for those poor animals and have not chosen that kind of life. The circus animals are beaten and mistreated just to entertain humans which is so wrong, each time a circus closes and the animals are set free I celebrate as they should all be free roaming the land where they come from. Animals in zoos should have that same life of freedom, not sitting in cages or enclosures seeing the same thing every day – that is not a life, that is a prison. It is time that zoos close down also.

Breeders are just as bad, they breed animals especially in puppy mills or cat mills, where the dogs and cats do not have lives, they are baby making machines, living in deplorable conditions and when they cannot breed anymore they are dumped like garbage. Puppy or Cat mills should be closed down and made illegal. I here too rejoice everything a law passes forbidding the sale of pets in pet stores as the pets do not have deserve to be there but like every living being, should be free to live their lives as they do not have a say in their lives and therefore it is abuse.

Hybrid cats or dogs that are bred like Cockapoos, etc are all mutts and should not be labelled as a breed, they are mixed breeds.

That is why Spay and Neuter is so important to keep the over population under control, by doing that less animals would land up in shelters or become feral/homeless, but would have homes to live their lives. If everyone spayed or neutered there would be no euthanasia as the shelters would not have all these poor animals hoping for a rescue.

Betty White spoke about all the above, her voice was heard by so many animal advocates and that is why we are all mourning today her loss and the start of the Betty White Challenge is a brilliant idea to remember her as with all the rescues working day and night to save the animals from shelters they will be able to raise more funds to help them carry on their wonderful work.

Will you be donating to a rescue organization in memory of Betty White ? Layla and I will be doing it to one of our favorite rescues who saves the disabled, seniors and sick pets dumped in shelters and is a hospice so they live the rest of their lives in comfort with love.

Pets are family, the reason shelters are overflowing is because of the selfish inconsiderate humans who think that when they do not want to be responsible anymore they dump them in shelters. A pet should live his or her life in comfort as part of your family.

On this note we are praying that 2022 Shelters will be empty, pets will have loving homes and the abuse will stop.

Thank you Betty for all you did, you will be missed by many, hug your pet,

With a woof and love from Layla

 

 

 

September is National Disaster Preparedness Month

Posted on by — 16 Comments ↓

Good Morning, TGIF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

September has arrived and with it just chaotic weather everywhere, natural disasters that has made me think about how precious life is, how important it is for us to look after the environment for the future generations and at the moment it feels as if there is one disaster after another as if there is no time to breathe in between.

So with this lets all step back and look at what is happening in this country:

  1. Hurricane Ida, the devastation is horrific, the lives lost both humans and animals, what people are having to face today and slowly get back on their feet again. Rescue Organizations running around trying to save every animal from drowning, endless hours of work which I so admire, emptying the shelters to make space for all those poor displaced animals. If only people
  2. The fires burning all over California and the loss of animal life, vegetation and it hurts me so much to see this on TV.

And then I go back to saying September is National Disaster Preparedness Month and what else will happen this month? Are we really prepared in our house for one? What do we really need? It worries me as I wonder what if I am not home when an earthquake happens. Will Layla be ok? Do any of you think of this?

I always worry that the items in my disaster bag which is next to the door is not enough.  I recheck once a month but I then say will I have time to pick up and run when an earthquake hits, and the more I think about it I think to myself maybe I should try a trial run this week. It might sound crazy but would rather be safe than sorry.

So this is emergency bag :

Water / flashlight / batteries / radio / change of clothing / food for Layla and me / her supplements / poop bags / dog treats / blanket / toy for her / first aid kit / copies of documents / cash / usb drives of all my computer files / my beach canopy that I could use as a tent and other sentimental items of mine.  It sounds a lot but I still wonder if it is enough. I also have a collapsible pet carrier to put her in so she will be feel safe plus her backpack to carry her out of the house in so she does not walk on the sidewalks in case there is debris and could get hurt.

I also say that I can live off bread and water but her food is extremely important.

So when all these disasters hit us, and however much we are prepared we all lose material items which for me is as I say, something that can be replaced, but the lives of the animals and birds cannot so it is so important to do as much as possible to protect them.

On this note I am asking everyone to be safe, prayers going out to those that were hit by the hurricane and most of all a big thank you  to all those that step up and help those that need the help, you are all angels.

Most important our pets are family and should not be left behind to fend for themselves as you are serving them a death sentence.

Have a great safe week,

WIth a woof and love from Layla

 

 

 

 

 

It is hot !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted on by — 16 Comments ↓

Friday has arrived and we are going through a heatwave here, it is hot. I have read that there are heatwaves everywhere and it is so important to keep your dogs inside in the cool house.

I for the life of me cannot understand people that leave their dogs outside with no shade or even worse leave them in hot cars. If I saw a dog in a hot car I would automatically smash the window to save it. I do not care if the a/c is on, it is hot as hell in there.  Those that do it should be jailed or if Karma would work put the humans in the cars for a bit to see what it is like. I actually read an article where a judge ordered a woman to sit in her hot car and boil for a bit after leaving her dog in the car. Love that idea, do you?

I took Layla on an errand today and this is how we went.

https://youtu.be/BQieLDipx1E

We had a wonderful weekend last week and as San Francisco is finally open it is great to get outdoors without a mask and breathe the air. I am still using my mask on public transport and shops but that feeling of freedom is in the air.

Last Saturday I went with a friend and Layla of course to Pride Movie in Oracle Park, it is the park where the Giants play. The Dykes on bikes were there, some drag queens and an amazing movie. It was so great to be outdoors watching a movie. The seating was done very cleverly so there was social distancing and very safe plus those that were vaccinated sat separately from those that are not.

I learned something that night about taking a senior with you and that is Layla was happy in her back pack which expands but the relaxing supplement I gave her did not help much plus she got cold so in the future I will put a t-shirt on her which keeps her calm and give her some CBD oil instead. I put my jacket on her to keep her calm and warm which helped a bit.

We got home really late that night which I am not used to so on Sunday we just slept, walked and ate, what a hard life LOL.

 

I am not sure what our plans are this weekend but will check out to see what Pride events there are and maybe take her to one.

 

Stay cool everyone and have a wonderful weekend

With a woof and love from Layla

 

 

 

 

 

Pet Theft Awareness Day

Posted on by — 16 Comments ↓

Good Morning Everypawdy and TGIF !

Another week in February is over and it has brought us a very important day and that is Valentines Day.

It is a day that we spread love all over the world, spoil ourselves or our partners or pets with love and special gifts, so what are you going to spoil your pet with ?

My Valentine

February 14th is also Pet Theft Awareness Day which is meant to call attention to the importance of pet identification methods. It is a day to show how much the presence of an animal can enrich a family and also the responsibility that goes with it. It encourages those with pets to take steps to ensure the animal’s security and their own peace of mind.

In 1988 it was started by the Last Chance for Animals organisation, Pet Theft Awareness Day is aimed at educating animal owners to keep their pets safe from thieves. With almost 2 million pets being stolen annually in America the threat is real. That is why it is so important to have pets microchipped,  wear a tag with all your information as it will be easier to find your pet if G-d forbid it is stolen.

Below is a list of tips on how to keep your pet safe.

Tips on what to do if your pet is stolen.

Other important tips 

  • Keep your dog indoors when you’re not home. Outdoor dogs should be kept safely behind a locked gate. It only takes a couple of seconds for a thief to steal your pet from your yard.
  • Walk your dog on a leash.
  • Keep cats indoors. Indoor cats live safer, longer, healthier lives.
  • Make sure  your pets has a collar with an I.D. tags, and licenses. Microchips are also very important also.
  • Report suspicious neighborhood activities and/or missing companion animals to the police and animal control. 
  • Keep recent photos of your pets.
  • Spay and neuter your companion animals. Fixed animals are less likely to stray.
  • Please do NOT tie your dog up outside of restaurants, coffee shops or stores, and never leave any animal unattended in a car.
  • Please do NOT use “free to good home” ads to rehome your pet, they can fall into the wrong hands, if you cannot care for your pet anymore contact rescue organizations in your area.

PREVENT PET THEFT BEFORE IT HAPPENS!  Report any suspicious activity, or animal cruelty and neglect to your local police department and animal control office.

On this note we would like to wish all our friends Happy Valentines Day, we hope you have a wonderful day filled with love BUT also please keep us pets safe,

With a woof and love from Layla