GATEWAYS

  Travel Safety Tips For some pet parents, a trip is no fun if the four-legged members of the family can’t come along. But traveling can be highly stressful, both for you and your pets. If you’re planning to take a trip with pets in tow, we have some tips to help ensure a safe and comfortable journey for everyone. Remember, no matter where you’re headed or how you plan to get there, make sure your pet is microchipped for identification and wears a collar and tag imprinted with your name, phone number and any relevant contact information. It’s a good idea for your pet’s collar to also include a temporary travel tag with your cell phone and destination phone number for the duration of your trip. Traveling by plane? Unless your furry friend is small enough to ride under your seat, it’s best to avoid air travel with your pets. If you must bring your pet along on the flight, here are a few suggestions to keep your pet safe while flying the friendly skies. Book a direct flight whenever p...

  Moving With Your Pet a new home may be one of the most stressful life events you’ll ever have to tackle. But in the chaos of cardboard boxes, packing tape and moving trucks, you might not realize how stressed your pets feel, too. Read on for ways to make the transition as safe and easy as possible for your furry friends. Choosing a New Neighborhood, House or Apartment Before you pick out your dream home, make sure your pet will love it just as much as you do. It’s a good idea to walk around the neighborhood to determine whether the area seems safe for your pets. Be on the lookout for neighborhood dogs that seem aggressive or are left unattended. When it comes to square footage needs, cats and dogs differ: For your feline friends, ensure your potential new space allows for plenty of room to build vertically—it’s easy to create a lot of vertical space with shelving, such as kitty blocks on top of furniture. Consider your dog’s needs on a case-by-case basis. Older dogs, puppies and ...

  Finding a Lost Pet It’s every pet parent’s nightmare: Your dog or cat has gotten loose and you don’t know where he or she is. Don’t panic—there are steps you can take to locate your pet. Swift action, coupled with major neighborhood networking, will increase the odds of having your furry friend back in your arms. The key is to get the word out to as many people in as many places as possible, so don’t be shy about enlisting the help of your friends and family in the search efforts. Remember, identification can be a lifesaver for a lost pet. It’s a good idea for all your animal companions—even indoor-only pets—to always wear a collar with an ID tag that includes your name, current phone number and any relevant contact information. If you’ve chosen to microchip your pet as a means of permanent identification, keep in mind that microchips are only as good as the information provided to the chip’s company. If you’ve moved or changed your phone number since registering your pet’s chip,...

  Springtime Safety Tips Spring has sprung, and with the change of season, our thoughts turn to Easter celebrations, spring cleaning and much-needed home improvement projects. Before you embark on seasonal chores or outdoor revelry, take inventory of potential springtime hazards for your furry friends. Easter Treats and Decorations Keep lilies and candy in check—chocolate goodies are toxic to cats and dogs, and all true lilies can be fatal if ingested by cats. And be mindful, kitties love to nibble on colorful plastic grass, which can lead to an obstructed digestive tract, severe vomiting and dehydration. Moreover, while live bunnies, chicks and other festive animals are adorable, resist the urge to buy them—these cute babies grow up fast and often require specialized care! Screen Yourself Many pet parents welcome the breezy days of spring by opening their windows. Unfortunately, they also unknowingly put their pets at risk—especially cats, who are apt to jump or fall through unscr...

  Valentine’s Day Safety Tips Each year our poison control experts see a rise in cases around February 14, many involving chocolate or lilies, a flower that’s potentially fatal to cats. Valentine’s Day can be as much fun for pets as it is for humans—as long as dangerous items are kept out of paws’ reach! Pet-Safe Bouquets When sending a floral arrangement to someone with a cat, specify that it contain no lilies—and when receiving an arrangement, sift through and remove all dangerous flora. If your pet is suffering from symptoms such as lethargy, vomiting or diarrhea, he may have ingested an offending flower or plant. Use our online toxic and nontoxic plant libraries as visual guides of what shouldn’t be in your bouquets. Forbidden Chocolate Seasoned pet lovers know that all types of chocolate are potentially life-threatening when ingested by pets. Methylxanthines are caffeine-like stimulants that affect gastrointestinal, neurologic and cardiac function—they can cause vomiting,...

  Long Island Dogfighting Case Results in Three Guilty Pleas In October 2017, the ASPCA assisted the New York State Attorney General’s Organized Task Force and the Suffolk County Police Department in the rescue of 36 dogs used in a dogfighting ring that was actively engaged in the breeding and training of pit bulls for profit. The investigation—known to law enforcement as “Operation Bloodline,”—began in March 2017, and ended with the successful removal of the suffering animals and subsequent felony arrests of three perpetrators.  This week, the remaining two perpetrators pleaded guilty and will be sentenced for their crimes in June 2018—the next steps of justice for the three dozen dogs rescued during this operation. Richard Davis and Taikeem Wheeler of Wyandanch, New York pleaded guilty to the Class E felony of Prohibition of Animal Fighting, in violation of the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law. Davis and Wheeler also each pleaded guilty to an unclassified...

17 Plants Poisonous to Pets   Do you know the household plants most likely to endanger pets? The   ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center   explains what they are and what they can do. Share this potentially lifesaving information with patients, adopters, and the general public. Lilies  Members of the  Lilium spp.  family are considered to be highly toxic to cats. Even ingestions of very small amounts of the plant can cause severe kidney damage. Marijuana  Ingestion of  Cannabis sativa  by companion animals can result in depression of the central nervous system and coordination problems, as well as vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, increased heart rate and even seizures and coma. Sago Palm  All parts of  Cycas Revoluta  are poisonous, but the seeds or "nuts" contain the largest amount of toxin. The ingestion of just one or two seeds can result in very serious effects, which include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, seizures, an...

  End of Life Care Coping with the impending loss of a pet is one of the most difficult experiences a pet parent will face. Whether your furry friend is approaching his golden years or has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, it’s important to calmly guide the end-of-life experience and minimize any discomfort or distress. As your pet’s health declines, you may elect to care for your pet at home—with the supervision of a veterinarian—or you may decide to end his suffering with euthanasia. Read on to find out how to help make your pet’s final days peaceful and dignified. Is Your Pet In Pain? When cats and dogs are suffering, they may not show outward signs that we normally associate with pain like whimpering or crying. Sometimes an animal will continue to eat or drink in spite of pain or disorientation. Some physiological and behavioral signs that your pet might be experiencing pain include excessive panting or gasping for breath, reclusiveness, reluctance to move and food pickin...

  10 Expert Tips to Keep Your Pet Safe This Winter Pull out those winter coats and bundle up—winter is here! For many of our furry friends living in the cooler parts of the country, it’s the best time of year with lots of frolicking in the snow with no hot summer sun in sight. Though they, and many of us pet parents, may be excited to get out in the winter weather, there are a few things to keep in mind to keep your pets safe, happy and healthy through the winter months. Check out our top 10 cold weather safety tips below! 1. If it is too cold outside for you, it’s probably too cold for your pet. Pets can freeze, become disoriented, lost, injured or even killed from being left outdoors in the cold. Keep your pets inside where they can stay cozy and safe in the winter. Also, don’t leave pets in the car alone as it can act like a refrigerator and hold in the cold air, which can result in your pet freezing and could lead to serious health concerns, including death. 2. After each walk,...

  Planning for Equines and Exotics It is very important to plan now for the future care of equines and exotics (i.e. primates, avians, large reptiles, big cats, etc.) Not only do these animals live longer than other companion animals, but they are more expensive to care for and require special living environments. For example, most equine owners are unable to drop off their horse with a friend or family member in the event of an emergency and may know only a few people who are willing and able to step in if a long-term care arrangement is needed. Please carefully consider the guidelines below when planning for the future care of an equine or exotic. Planning for the Future Care of Equines Know Your Horse: Since horses are social animals, it is important to consider the personality of your individual horse and what kind of care he/she is accustomed to. Some horses are more delicate than others and need additional, specialized attention. Furthermore, a show horse or a racehorse may r...