by: Richard Delgado



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In this issue:



1) "Let Me Recap Thanksgiving Pet Safety Tips"



2) "Moving With Your Pet, Part 2"



3) "Tell Us What You Think!"



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1) "Let Me Recap Thanksgiving Pet Safety Tips"



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Yes, Thanksgiving is upon us again. It marks the start of the big holiday

season, and it is a day for us to give thanks for all that we have, and

all that we have accomplished. When giving thanks for our husband, wife,

kids, parents, etc., don't forget to give thanks to our pets. They bring

us such joy and happiness, and we would feel a little empty without them.

I want to recap last year's Thanksgiving pet safety tips for you, so you

can keep your beloved pets safe so they can keep bringing you happiness.



Start---



Thanksgiving is upon us, and holiday festivities will be in full swing

for the rest of the year, and then some. For Thanksgiving, I want to

give you some more tips to keep your pets safe. This is part 2 of a

3-part series on Holiday pet safety.



Just like part 1 of our pet safety tips from Halloween, if you are

having a gathering at your home, be aware of where your pets are when

you are opening and closing the door to let your guests in. People tend

to linger in the doorway and exchange greetings, which leaves the door

open for a long while. Does your dog or cat bolt out the door? Will they

come when called? Keep the door open for as little time as possible, and

if your pets tend to run out, confine them to a room to prevent this from

happening. This also will prevent your guests from being jumped on by an

excited pet.



How do your pets react to large numbers of people, and to possible

strangers? You do not want your guests feeling uneasy, or threatened by

an aggressive pet. And, you do not want your pets to be all over your

guests when they are just trying to enjoy their time with you. If your

pets will be aggressive, or very overly friendly, or if this will cause fear

and stress for your pets, then confine them in a nice quiet part of the

house where they can be comfortable and stress free.



We are going to eat a very large, high fat meal at Thanksgiving, guaranteed.

Although our bodies can handle it (to some degree), our pet's intestinal

tract is not equipped to handle such a high fat diet. And, our pet's diets

are much less varied than ours. They eat the same meal every day. Giving

them table scraps of high fat content will cause upset stomachs, and

possibly diarrhea or vomiting. Do your pets a favor and just do not feed

them any table scraps, no matter how much they plead. You will thank me

for this. Besides, feeding your pets table scraps will create begging,

which is a hard habit to break.



Another reason not to feed your pets table scraps is that many of the things

we eat are toxic to your pets. Onions and garlic will cause anemia in pets.

Anemia is the reduced ability of the red blood cells to carry oxygen.

Chocolate is toxic to your pets and can cause heart problems, even leading

to death. Rasins and grapes are toxic to pets. These are linked to kidney

failure.



The cooking string from your turkey or roast can cause major problems if

your pet swallows it. Instead of the string passing through, the stomach or

intestine actually 'climbs up' the string, essentially turning itself inside

out. If your pet does swallow string, and you see it hanging out of your pet's

mouth, do not pull it out! This can cause the same thing I just mentioned.

Take your pet to the emergency vet immediately.



Speaking of turkey and roast, do not feed your pet the bones left over

from the turkey carcass, roast, or ham. When cooked, bones become brittle

and can splinter. These splinters can cause major internal problems in your

pets. They can also cause an obstruction. Just don't do it.



When the day is over, make sure to keep all garbage out of reach of your

pets. If your pet gets into the garbage, they may get hold of any of the

things I have just talked about.



If your pet will be out and about during the festivities, feed them before

you and your guests sit down to eat. Doing this will help curb your pet's

tendency to beg. You may want to keep them separated during the meal if

they tend to beg. You may also want to give them something to keep them

busy while you are enjoying your meal. Give them their favorite toy, or give

them a Kong filled with their favorite treat to keep them occupied.



All in all, you want to stick with the routine for your pets. The same food

at the same time will fill them up, and they will be happy. Be safe, you

are responsible for your pets.



So remember to think about keeping your pets safe and comfortable during

this Thanksgiving holiday. Think about how your pets may react to certain

situations, and plan accordingly to keep them out of harms way.





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2) "Moving With Your Pet, Part 2"



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I addressed moving with your pet(s) in my previous

newsletter, so now I'd like to add to that and discuss

moving to another state or even another country.



A RECAP

First, a few reminders from my previous article:

* Animals can sense your moods and emotions. The

pending move may stress you out, but try to keep a

positive attitude.

* Make sure your pet's identification collar/tags are

up-to-date with your new information. If your pet has

an embedded ID chip, make sure to update the

information with the company that holds your pet's

information as soon as you can.

* Be sure to get your pet's records so you can give

them to your new vet.

* When you begin your move, keep your pets' safety in

mind. If you need to move in and out with the door

open, keep your pets in a carrier or crate.

* Again, once you're in your new home, keep an eye on

your pets so they don't slip out an open door. They

might try to go back to their old home, even if that

old home is thousands of miles away!



MOVING TO A NEW CITY/STATE

Now, if your moving plans are taking you out of the

state, check with the Sate Department of Agriculture

for any laws/regulations about pet transport for your

new home state. Also check with your new home city for

restrictions such as leash laws, and any limits on the

number and types of pets you can own. For example, the

city of Fremont has specific regulations about

obtaining a license for cats and dogs. (See

http://www.ci.fremont.ca.us/Permits/OtherPermits/PetLicense.htm

for details.) You should find out as much as you

can via the internet and/or by calling the city

clerk's office.



One thing you will most likely need for any

destination is a rabies certification and a recent

health certificate from your vet that is no more than

10 days old.



Whether you're transporting your pet via car or plane,

it's best not to sedate them. It's better to get them

used to being in a crate and going for short trips

well in advance of your move to ease anxiety. Feed

them only a light meal about 6 hours before their

journey on a plane. Don't give them water too close to

flight time. Some water about 3 hours before their

flight should suffice.



For a car trip, feed your pet a few hours before you

head out. If it's a long trip, schedule periodic stops

for bathroom breaks. Be sure you have a supply of

food, water, towels, and any medication. You might

also want to include a first aid kit (for yourself as

well your pet!). If your trip has you staying at a

motel, check beforehand for motels that allow pets and

what their rules are.



ALOHA!

If you're moving pets to Hawai'i, be sure you check

(and double check) what you will need to do. One

information source is the State of Hawai'i website.

See www.hawaii.gov/hdoa/ai/aqs/info for animal

quarantine information.



In the past, Hawai'i used to keep pets quarantined for

months. But today, with proper planning and by

obtaining all the necessary paperwork, you can get

your pets in and out of the quarantine station within

a few hours. There are specific and strict

requirements for this including obtaining rabies

certificates, blood tests, and a health certificate.

Here are some FAQs about the 5-day or less quarantine

program: www.hawaii.gov/hdoa/ai/aqs/faq5



Next, find out what you will need to do for your

airplane trip. Check your airline's website and also

call them to ensure you have all the requirements

covered. Note that no airline will transport pets in

the passenger cabin when traveling from the Mainland

to Hawai'i. Small animals can be checked in as

baggage, but larger animals will have to go as cargo.

The airlines will have specific requirements for the

type and size of crate you will have to use for each

animal.



A friend of mine recently got firsthand experience

transporting two cats and a dog from California to

Hawai'i on Hawaiian Airlines and reports that things

went pretty smoothly. She did have a problem earlier

when, after several phone calls, the airline reps

neglected to tell her that there was an embargo on

transporting animals during the summer months because

of the heat. She had to change the pets' transport

date from June to late October.



She made reservations for each pet when she bought the

ticket for herself because the airline allowed only a

limited number of animals on each flight. Hours before

the flight's departure, she took her dog for check-in

at the airport's cargo area. Then, she went to the

regular counter for the airline and checked in her

suitcases and the two cats. For each animal, she had

all the proper paperwork on hand and ready to show.



A few details:

* My friend's flight left San Francisco at 8:30 a.m.,

but she had to have her dog at the cargo area no later

than 5:30 A.M.

* After she checked the cats in, she had to accompany

them down to where they would wait to be loaded onto

the plane. The workers there asked her to take the

cats out of their crates so they could check the

crates themselves.

* The bottom of the crates were lined with soft pads

for comfort. My friend put "LIVE ANIMALS" stickers on

the crates and also printed up a photo ID to affix to

the back of the crate. Each ID had a photo, the pet's

name, sex, breed, ID Chip #, her cell phone number,

and the pet's destination address.



Once she arrived in Honolulu Airport in 'Oahu, where

the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility is

located, she walked from the airport terminal to the

station. The walk took just a few minutes. She did

have to ask directions because although there was a

sign for the station, it didn't indicate exactly which

way to go.



Once at the station, she had to hit a buzzer to be let

in. She presented her paperwork and waited for her

animals to be brought out. My friend had a bit of a

problem here. There was some miscommunication and she

had to wait longer than necessary for her pets. Just

be sure to be friendly, but persistent, when checking

on the status of your pets. My friend was told by one

worker that the pets were not even there yet and that

it would take at least 45 minutes to process them.

About 15 minutes later, another worker told her they

had been there all along and ready to go.



Be sure to have transportation ready to take your

pets. The station won't release them if you don't have

a vehicle or luggage cart. My friend called a taxi

that was large enough to carry all animals. (The

taxi's business card was posted at the station.) The

kind driver took her to a local dog park so her dog

could finally get a potty break and some fresh air and

water. The cats were a little scared, so they just

wanted to stay in their crates.



Since my friend's final destination was the Big

Island, their odyssey wasn't quite over yet. After the

dog's potty break, they drove to the cargo area at the

airport to drop off the dog, then returned to the

terminal and checked the cats in as luggage again at

the airline counter. She gave herself plenty of time

(about 7 hours) during the layover in 'Oahu to

accomplish all of this. That turned out to be

much-needed extra time because her flight into 'Oahu

was delayed for 1 and 1/2 hours, and it took quite

some time to wait for and pick up the animals at the

quarantine station, give the dog a potty break,

present papers to both the cargo area and check-in

counter, and go through airport security again.



Once she arrived at Kona International Airport, the

pets were released to her along with her luggage. It

was a very long day, but it was all worth it when she

was able to introduce her pets to her new home in

paradise.



A NEW COUNTRY

If you're moving to another country, check with that

country's consulate for any regulations or fees. For

example, if you go to

http://www.sf.us.emb-japan.go.jp/archives/PR_e/pr_04_1109.htm

you can see an overview of the quarantine regulations

for Japan. Like moves to other cities or states, you

will most likely need rabies and health certificates.

There may also be quarantine laws you'll have to look

into. The best thing you can do is plan well in

advance for the move, especially if you have to deal

with quarantine issues.



As for your plane trip, check with the airline you'll

be taking since rules and restrictions may vary from

one to another.



I know this is a lot of information, but the more

homework and preparation you do before your actual

move, the better everything will be for your and your

pet(s)!







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3) "Tell Us What You Think!"



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We'd love to hear what you think of this issue! This is

just one issue, with much more important information

coming in future months.



Please send your comments, questions, and ideas for

upcoming issues to us at:



rdelgado@thewoofpack.com



Your feedback matters to us!





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Copyright 2006 by The Woof Pack.

All rights reserved.



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