Our Place to Paws, the Web site (www.OurPlacetoPaws.com) has been online for nearly three years now. In that time we have posted articles about animals and animal welfare, run monthly photo and essay contests, posted fun animal columns and Kids' Corner art projects and tried our best to create a fun online community for animal lovers everywhere.
The addition of Facebook has helped us connect with new friends, both through the Facebook group and the newer Facebook page, which allows us to post photos and share comments with the fans who have also "Friended" us there.
As 2010 approaches, we have a tough decision ahead -- whether to keep Our Place to Paws online. The site makes no money -- it is run purely for the love of animals and has attracted no advertising (truthfully because I am not a marketing person and have put little effort into trying to get any advertising or into building the daily visitorship of the site after the initial six months or so, when finances ran out to keep the professional effort going). In addition, our visitorship has remained constant -- only about 40-45 visitors a day, and we're not sure how many of those are actually individual visitors.
Much of the decision about whether to keep Our Place to Paws online will depend on whether there are people out there who really enjoy the site and feel strongly about keeping it up. If you do feel strongly about keeping Our Place to Paws online, please send a note to OurPlacetoPaws (at) aol.com and let me know. If I get a strong response, it will certainly help us make the decision. If you have ideas for increasing participation and visitorship, those are always appreciated, too, but keep in mind we have zero budget.
Thanks for your interest in Our Place to Paws, and thank you for caring about the animals.
Best,
Faye Rapoport DesPres
Editor, Our Place to Paws
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
From the Chicago Tribune: Reduce Your Pet's Carbon Footprint
by
Morieka Johnson McClatchy-Tribune
Most pets spend their days focused on three main events -- food time, poop time and playtime. If only life could be so easy for their owners. Fortunately, there are easy options that will help reduce their mark on Mother Nature. Make just one of these changes, and your pet's paw print will be a bit smaller.
-- Get the good stuff: Invest in a high-quality pet food that lists a protein such as beef, lamb, chicken or fish as the first ingredient rather than a by-product or beef meal. This one change can make a major impact on your pet's health while reducing the amount of poop left to scoop. Read the rest here.
Morieka Johnson McClatchy-Tribune
Most pets spend their days focused on three main events -- food time, poop time and playtime. If only life could be so easy for their owners. Fortunately, there are easy options that will help reduce their mark on Mother Nature. Make just one of these changes, and your pet's paw print will be a bit smaller.
-- Get the good stuff: Invest in a high-quality pet food that lists a protein such as beef, lamb, chicken or fish as the first ingredient rather than a by-product or beef meal. This one change can make a major impact on your pet's health while reducing the amount of poop left to scoop. Read the rest here.
Monday, September 14, 2009
DOG LOVERS: IMPORTANT TO KNOW Sugar-free ingredient called a dog killer
By Patty McCormac
NORTH COUNTY — LuLu, a 2-year-old teacup Yorkshire terrier, ate sugarless gum that she pilfered from a purse that was left on a recliner in her Solana Beach home.
It almost killed her. What probably saved LuLu was owner Dorit Hanein seeing a gum wrapper on the stairs and remembering a poster listing toxic substances for dogs weeks earlier at a veterinarian's office.
“I don't know why I would make that connection, but it took about three seconds,” Hanein said.
With the little dog vomiting and shivering, Hanein raced her to the veterinarian, who successfully treated 4-pound LuLu for xylitol toxicosis. Read the rest of this important story here.
NORTH COUNTY — LuLu, a 2-year-old teacup Yorkshire terrier, ate sugarless gum that she pilfered from a purse that was left on a recliner in her Solana Beach home.
It almost killed her. What probably saved LuLu was owner Dorit Hanein seeing a gum wrapper on the stairs and remembering a poster listing toxic substances for dogs weeks earlier at a veterinarian's office.
“I don't know why I would make that connection, but it took about three seconds,” Hanein said.
With the little dog vomiting and shivering, Hanein raced her to the veterinarian, who successfully treated 4-pound LuLu for xylitol toxicosis. Read the rest of this important story here.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Hamilton
One of our cats, Hamilton, went in for an ultrasound and some needle aspirate biopsies yesterday. So far, so good...nothing showing lymphoma. Hamilton is 14 and has lost some weight recently, and now we're hopeful that it is just ongoing long-term kidney disease, something that can be managed with diet and subcue fluids. We're waiting for the results of a couple of more tests to be sure he doesn't have pancreatitis or something else that might be causing inflammation or other issues.
It's so tough watching them age and worrying that they won't be around forever.
It's so tough watching them age and worrying that they won't be around forever.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
From the Humane Society of the United States on Dog Fighting
I live in Chicago. Nearly every day for the past three years, I've spent time with young men on the streets who used to fight dogs. I've guided them -- and their dogs -- to a new and better life free from animal cruelty.
I help run the End Dogfighting program in Chicago for The Humane Society of the United States. And I want to tell you about a young man named Sean Moore (pictured). Sean fought dogs starting at age 12, and saw hundreds of dogs die in street fights. His dog Butch won the last fight of Sean's dogfighting career, but had to be put down because of his wounds. "That was it for me," he says.
Now an anti-dogfighting advocate in our End Dogfighting program, Sean scans the streets for young people with pit bulls. Some of the dogs have wounds, and most have never seen a vet. He invites these would-be dogfighters to free pit bull training classes, where we work to build skills at both ends of the leash -- working with the dogs and the young men.
Over the last year alone, our End Dogfighting programs in Chicago and Atlanta have reached hundreds of at-risk youth and dogs with constructive alternatives and a message of compassion. We want to reach thousands more by expanding this program to other communities. Will you help?
Just this week, we've gotten more than a hundred inquiries asking The HSUS for help in starting End Dogfighting programs in other communities. They'd heard about our program through the publicity surrounding Michael Vick. So many cities across America are desperate for The HSUS's innovative community-based outreach programs.
Success stories like Sean Moore's explain why. Sean recruits young men who come to class barely able to control their lunging, snarling animals. As the participants gain pride in a dog's performance on the agility course and experience positive competition, dogfighting becomes much less tempting -- and ultimately, at odds with their newly formed beliefs. The men begin to see their dogs as friends, not fighters. Some men even become community ambassadors like Sean and help pull others out of the quicksand that is urban dogfighting.
But this proven community-based program can't thrive and grow by itself. Will you donate $25, $50, even $100 today to help save even more dogs and young men from lives of violence? Click here.
This program is about change -- the kind of change that inspires. Both people and pups can make astonishing progress through The HSUS' End Dogfighting program. But we can't do it without your help. Please join me by making a special gift today. Together we can reduce dogfighting on the streets, person by person. And we can shield dogs from this horrible cruelty.
Sincerely,
Tio Hardiman
Top Dog
The HSUS' End Dogfighting Campaign
I help run the End Dogfighting program in Chicago for The Humane Society of the United States. And I want to tell you about a young man named Sean Moore (pictured). Sean fought dogs starting at age 12, and saw hundreds of dogs die in street fights. His dog Butch won the last fight of Sean's dogfighting career, but had to be put down because of his wounds. "That was it for me," he says.
Now an anti-dogfighting advocate in our End Dogfighting program, Sean scans the streets for young people with pit bulls. Some of the dogs have wounds, and most have never seen a vet. He invites these would-be dogfighters to free pit bull training classes, where we work to build skills at both ends of the leash -- working with the dogs and the young men.
Over the last year alone, our End Dogfighting programs in Chicago and Atlanta have reached hundreds of at-risk youth and dogs with constructive alternatives and a message of compassion. We want to reach thousands more by expanding this program to other communities. Will you help?
Just this week, we've gotten more than a hundred inquiries asking The HSUS for help in starting End Dogfighting programs in other communities. They'd heard about our program through the publicity surrounding Michael Vick. So many cities across America are desperate for The HSUS's innovative community-based outreach programs.
Success stories like Sean Moore's explain why. Sean recruits young men who come to class barely able to control their lunging, snarling animals. As the participants gain pride in a dog's performance on the agility course and experience positive competition, dogfighting becomes much less tempting -- and ultimately, at odds with their newly formed beliefs. The men begin to see their dogs as friends, not fighters. Some men even become community ambassadors like Sean and help pull others out of the quicksand that is urban dogfighting.
But this proven community-based program can't thrive and grow by itself. Will you donate $25, $50, even $100 today to help save even more dogs and young men from lives of violence? Click here.
This program is about change -- the kind of change that inspires. Both people and pups can make astonishing progress through The HSUS' End Dogfighting program. But we can't do it without your help. Please join me by making a special gift today. Together we can reduce dogfighting on the streets, person by person. And we can shield dogs from this horrible cruelty.
Sincerely,
Tio Hardiman
Top Dog
The HSUS' End Dogfighting Campaign
Thursday, August 20, 2009
From Alley Cat Allies
National Feral Cat Day (NFCD) is your opportunity to help protect and improve the lives of cats across the county—and it's just around the corner!
On October 16, celebrate NFCD by reaching out to others with the message that feral cats are healthy and happy outdoors and that Trap-Neuter-Return improves cats' lives.
National Feral Cat Day is the perfect opportunity to get involved by distributing educational materials or hosting local events like workshops, fundraisers, or special spay and neuter clinic days. At www.alleycat.org/NFCD, you can read about ideas for holding a local event of your own, download the 2009 poster to hang in your veterinarian's office and other high traffic areas in your community, and participate in our “I’m an Alley Cat Ally” Photo Pledge to tell the world that you care about the lives of feral and stray cats.
Keep an eye out for this year’s poster, arriving in mailboxes soon.
With your help, we can truly make a difference in cats’ lives. You can be their voice—on National Feral Cat Day, and all year round.
Sincerely,
Becky Robinson
President
On October 16, celebrate NFCD by reaching out to others with the message that feral cats are healthy and happy outdoors and that Trap-Neuter-Return improves cats' lives.
National Feral Cat Day is the perfect opportunity to get involved by distributing educational materials or hosting local events like workshops, fundraisers, or special spay and neuter clinic days. At www.alleycat.org/NFCD, you can read about ideas for holding a local event of your own, download the 2009 poster to hang in your veterinarian's office and other high traffic areas in your community, and participate in our “I’m an Alley Cat Ally” Photo Pledge to tell the world that you care about the lives of feral and stray cats.
Keep an eye out for this year’s poster, arriving in mailboxes soon.
With your help, we can truly make a difference in cats’ lives. You can be their voice—on National Feral Cat Day, and all year round.
Sincerely,
Becky Robinson
President
Sunday, August 16, 2009
New Photos in Our Facebook Group
There have been some great new photos posted in our Facebook group. Come on over, join the group, also "friend" the page, and join in on the fun! You can also enter our photo contest by emailing a photo to OurPlacetoPaws (at) aol.com.
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