Bradenton Dog

Mary Lou Davidson

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It Passed! Manatee County is now officially a No-Kill County

In an unanimous vote today, the Manatee County City Commissioners voted to make Manatee County a No-Kill County and has adopted Animal Services proposal to enact the plan.

The first county in Florida to be a true “No-Kill” county, Manatee County will need our help.  On October 19th at the Manatee Central Library at 5:30 pm, you can join the strategy session.  All manner of help is needed from cleaning cages and walking dogs, to researching additional rescue groups who can “pull dogs” from death row, and more.  Details will be discussed at the meeting, so join us and celebrate a win for animals in Manatee County!!

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Manatee’s Journey to No-kill

 by Jean Peelen

 Here is the October update on the great dream that we in Manatee County have begun.  This past summer, the all-volunteer Manatee County Animal Services Advisory Board approved a resolution to go to the Manatee County Commission.  The resolution declared that Manatee County would become no-kill beginning October 2011. That resolution and Animal Services’ no-kill plan will come before the County Commission this month.

What is a no-kill community?  It is a community that has pledged to stop routinely killing healthy dogs and cats who come into the county animal control shelter.  In Manatee County, we routinely killed around 55% of all dogs and cats that come in to Animal Services.  Why?  We didn’t know what else to do with them.  Is Manatee County worse than any other county?  No indeed.  Our statistics are typical of local government-run facilities all over Florida and indeed, all around the country.

 So what has changed?  First and foremost an animal lover, Commissioner Carol Whitmore, became the liaison from the County Commission to Animal Services.  Combine this fact with the fact Animal Services is under the purview of the Director of Public Safety, Bill Hutchison—another animal lover.  And finally, in May the Chief and Assistant Chief of Animal Services Kris Weiskopf and Joel Richmond went, along with three animal advocates, to Houston Texas.  There we all spent a full day in class with Nathan Winograd, the author of “Redemption” and the founder of the no-kill paradigm.

 In Houston we learned that communities can indeed become no-kill, we learned the no-kill equation, and we realized that a number of communities had already been successful at becoming no-kill.  I think Houston was the turn-around point.  The commitment to no-kill had begun.

 And now it’s rolling.  

 In September 2011, 219 dogs and 215 cats were impounded in this county.   By the end of the month, 80 dogs and 116 cats were killed.  In total, 45% of the animals that came in were killed.  Note that I am purposely using the word “killed” instead of “euthanized.”  We used to say that our stray dogs and cats were euthanized.  The dictionary definition of euthanasia is “the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, a person or animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition.”  We have been killing healthy dogs and cats.

 The goal is that by December 2012 ninety% of the animals that come in will be released alive either back to their owners, to rescue groups, or by direct adoptions.  It is a huge, ambitious goal.  It will take the efforts not just of Animal Services but also of the rescue groups, trainers, photographers, many volunteers, and, indeed, the entire community. 
 Join with the community to make this happen.

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Breed Profile: Pugs

by Lauren R. Tharp

Rumored to have first appeared before 400 B.C., the Pug is one of the world’s oldest dog breeds.  Originating in Asia, the Pug shares a similar bloodline to that of the Pekingese.

People pleasers by nature, the Pug reigns as the 12th most popular dog breed in the United States (according to AKC registration records) and was officially recognized by the AKC in 1885.

Physical Traits

Size & Weight: Small.  Pugs are in the Toy group and generally weigh 14-18 pounds.

Coat & Color: Black, silver fawn, or amber fawn.  Their coats have a short, coarse, outer coat with a very fine undercoat.

Other: Next to the Chihuahua, Pugs are one of the favorite dogs of celebrities (including Jessica Alba, Hugh Laurie, Gerard Butler, and Maria Bamford).  Pugs have also shown up in many movies, television shows, and books!

Life Expectancy: 12-14 years

Temperament

Small, sturdy, and eager to please: the Pug is a perfect choice for a first-time dog owner.  Pug’s are very even-tempered and adapt quickly to almost any and every situation they’re thrust into.  They are charming, loving, and all around wonderful companions.

Wags:

  • Extremely low maintenance: Minimal grooming, minimal exercise, minimal training!
  • Good with children and other animals.  Pugs are extremely calm and generally good-natured.
  • Perfect for urban living!

Challenges:

  • Prone toward obesity.
  • Pugs commonly develop breathing problems.  Even Pugs who do not develop serious conditions are known to snuffle and snore.
  • Excessive shedding.

If you are thinking of adding a Pug to your family, please visit Pug Rescue of Florida or Compassionate Pub Rescue of South Florida for more information about adoptable dogs.

Pug owners tend to be passionate enthusiasts of the breed.  In Sarasota, a special PUG PARADE is hosted each year by Sarasota Magazine.  The location and date has not been announced yet but keep an eye on the BradentonDog.com calendar.

Special thanks to Dog Mountain for this featured image of the Pug by Stephen Huneck.

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Breed Profile: Jack Russell Terrier

By Lauren R. Tharp

The original “purse dog!”  Long before Paris Hilton was stuffing Chihuahuas into her handbag, Jack Russell Terriers were being toted around in “terrier bags” while their owners traveled around on horseback.  Originally bred in England, the Jack Russell evolved to its current form in Australia.  This faithful outdoorsy breed was first recognized by the AKC in the early 19th century and is currently the 72nd most popular breed according to AKC registration records.

Stephen Huneck Gallery

Physical Traits

Size & Weight: Small to medium.  They’re generally 10-12 inches “tall” and weigh 14-20 pounds.

Coat & Color: Tri-color, white with black, or tan.  Their coats can be smooth, wire, or a mix of both (smooth heads with wire bodies)

Other: Famous Jack Russells include the title character on Wishbone, Milo in The Mask with Jim Carrey, and Eddie on the television show Frasier.

Life Expectancy: 15 years or more

Temperament:

Highly intelligent, these dogs can often be described as “tricky.”  They’re definitely not to be trusted with small animals (their hunting instincts run very deep and very strong) and they’re prone to pull off Houdini-worthy escapes!  They have a penchant for digging and love to explore.  These dogs are very intense.  Fortunately, they’re as intense with their wonderful qualities as they are with their troublesome ones.  With the right owner, Jack Russells can be loyal, affectionate, playful family pets.

Wags:

  • Minimal grooming required.  This breed is super low-maintenance.  The occasional bath and they’re good to go!
  • Eager to learn.  The perfect candidate for learning and performing tricks
  • They’re friendly, loving, and have a long life-expectancy.

Challenges:

  • Highly unsuitable for first-time owners.  Jack Russell Terriers require extensive obedience training.  And even trained Jacks can be wily!
  • Very vocal.  Even though Jack Russells hardly ever bark “for no reason,” they find “reasons” to bark much too often.  They’re alert to the extreme and they’ll let you know it!
  • Without consistent training, exercise, and companionship, they can become destructive or even aggressive!

If you’re looking for a Jack Russell to join your family, visit the Florida Jack Russell Rescue.

Special thanks to Dog Mountain for use of this featured image of the Jack Russell Terrier.

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Breed Profile: Golden Retriever

By Lauren R. Tharp

The second most popular dog in the United States (according to AKC registration records), the Golden Retriever originated as a hunting dog, roaming the Scottish Highlands, in the late 1800s. Now known for being excellent guide dogs and search and rescue dogs, the Golden Retriever was officially recognized as a breed by the AKC in 1925 and has been a favorite among dog-owners everywhere ever since.

Stephen Huneck Gallery

Physical Traits

Size & Weight: Medium to large. Females are smaller, generally around 20-22 inches tall and 55-65 pounds. Males are much larger, measuring 23-25 inches tall and weighing 65-80 pounds.

Coat & Color: Dense, water-resistant, outer coat with a softer undercoat. Their coats also have some feathering at the neck, back, thighs, and underside of the tail. The color is, true to their name: Golden.

Other: Digby on Pushing Daisies, Shadow in Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey, Dug in Up, and Buddy from the Air Bud movies were all Golden Retrievers. President Gerald Ford, the 38th President of the United States, also had a Golden Retriever, Liberty, as his Presidential dog while in office.

Life Expectancy: 10-12 years

Temperament

The ultimate people dog! Friendly, happy, and reliable, Golden Retrievers are a wonderful dog choice for people of all ages and living situations. They’re energetic, requiring daily exercise, but they aren’t overly demanding. Eager to please, these dogs will go to great lengths to make sure you’re happy with them.

Wags

  • Easy to train!
  • A great family pet. Works well with people of all ages.
  • Exceptionally friendly. Great with strangers and other animals.

Challenges

  • They shed a lot. If you’re fussy about your household cleaning, this might not be the breed for you
  • Not the best watch dogs. They’re just too friendly!
  • Can become destructive if left alone for long periods of time.

If you are interested in adopting a Golden Retriever, please visit Golden Retriever Rescue, based in South Florida, they will help you to match family your with the right dog.

Special thanks to Stephen Hunack’s Dog Mountain gallery for use of this Golden Retriever featured image.

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Get involved! Manatee County Animals need help

When:   Monday September 19, 4pm – 6pm

Where:  1112 Manatee Avenue West Bradenton, (Manatee County Building) Fourth Floor
For the many of you who have not heard of the group, this is a group of animal rescues, shelters and lovers who get together to help one another. We go around the table to see if any group is having issues and can get help from another group and the county gives a update on Animal Services and the issues we are currently working on.   The mission of this meeting is to share information so that all of us involved with animal rescue are on the same page,  may speak  with one voice.
As many of you are aware, there are many issues to discuss. A lot has happened over the last few months.    We are getting ready to begin the approval process of the “no kill” plan, anti-tethering ordinance, spay/neuter with Humane Society of Bradenton, report from Animal Services Advisory Board and many other issues. Please feel free to come, listen and get involved!