Ask Buddy Intro
January 1, 2007
Buddy the Dog
My name is Buddy Rizzo. That's what they call me at the doggie doctor's office, or when my mom is hollering at me to drop the chicken bones at the park. "Buddy Rizzo drop that bone, right now!" I am a Golden Retriever. I am a tall dog. I am big, but gentle and smart. I will share some of my doggie issues and some stories about my animal friends every month right here. My mom is helping me write this column so she will tell you what's on my mind. We want to share with you some things that are happening to dogs and cats around the world.
We will address some of the concerns that my fellow doggies have. Some of the topics we will share are legal issues for animals, pet insurance, finding a pet-sitter, pet safety, traveling with pets, celebrity pets, pet food recipes, and weight loss for pets. We will also cover some very serious and scary things going on around the world, like the dog fur trade in
I will interview some of my animal pals. If you have some animal issues, email me and perhaps we can interview you and your pet. We will link to other pet sites to help you find the best answer to you pets needs. Write to me at my email address:
mailto:askbuddy@hawaii.rr.com?subject=Feedback From Around Town Hawaii
Did you know over 45% of people in
I live in a townhouse in
Mom never misses a day taking me on my walks, plus I get in-between peepee breaks during the day with my sitter. I am a lucky dog because I am not left alone for too long and without a bathroom break. I have the same bathroom urges as you humans so please be more considerate of my needs. Sometimes I cannot hold it in as long as a whole day.
I am a lucky dog. My mom brushes me every morning before we go to the beach; she wakes me up after she puts on her shoes. I pretend to be asleep so she will come over and rub my back. I stretch my legs and she scratches me. My mom smells good in the morning. It is a mom smell. People smell different than dogs. It makes me feel safe and loved to snuggle on my mom's neck. She kisses me on the nose and I make a little grunt noise. I can't purr like a cat, but I can grrrrunt.
My mom trims my toe nails and files them smooth with a nail file. She is careful not to cut the QUICK in my nail. If the quick is cut I can bleed and be in pain. Mom cleans my ears every day with a Kleenex, because I swim in the ocean and my ears get wet. We have to be careful I don't get a smelly ear infection. I keep my mom pretty busy. I love when she brushes my teeth with chicken flavor toothpaste that she gets at the Vet's office. She brushes them a few times a week. She let's me lick the toothbrush.
I never chew up my toys. I like to carry them in my mouth and wag my tail, dancing around the house. Mom calls me "Mr. Wiggles". I get so excited and happy that my tail bangs the wall. I am happy every day. My toy box is full of all sorts of toys. I have stuffed animals, toys that squeak, a Frisbee that I still can't catch, and lot's of tennis balls. I can catch a tennis ball high in the air. I never get enough tennis balls and can put two of them in my mouth.
Maybe you are one of the lucky dogs who have a yard to play in. I used to have a yard in our other house. I especially loved my doggie door. I could go in and out as many times as I wanted. I would eat apples off the tree in the yard and chase away birds. I was in charge of protecting the yard and the house. I barked when a stranger came to our front gate. It got cold in the winter in
When the weather is warm my mom never shaves my hair, she trims the hair around my toes and ears. When I get warm she cools me in a tub of water or gently sprays my belly with the garden hose. We dogs stay cooler if you wet us on our belly and feet, not the whole dog. If a dog is wet and in the sun, we can become a walking sauna and get hotter. We dogs sweat only on our feet pads. Don't forget the sunscreen on my nose!
I am left alone too long I would probably scratch and make body sores if. I need lots of attention. I cannot be left alone in a backyard too long, or chained to a tree. I will bark and tear up the yard if you neglect me. I once made a mess of my face, scratching it even though it did not itch, when my mom went on vacation and left me with the sitter. She put some smelly stuff called Sulfodene. It is a yellow liquid. You can get it at the grocery store, pet store, or drug store. When mom came home I stopped that scratch, scratch. My mom kissed me on top of my head and told me "Good Boy". I love hearing those words almost as much as I like to hear, "let's go bye-bye" or "who wants peanut butter". Mom lets me lick the empty plastic peanut butter jar. Some folks say dogs have 2 taste buds….I agree. One taste bud says I like the food and the other taste bud says I do not like the food.
I wish there were more places that mom could take me to run and play. The dog parks are kind of far from where we live. We are in
There are several dog parks in
www.hawaiianhumane.org/programs/dogparks/links.html
www.ecoanimal.com/dogfun/hawaii.html
I would probably scratch and make body sores if I am left alone too long. I need lots of attention. I cannot be left alone in a backyard too long, or chained to a tree. I will bark and tear up the yard if you neglect me. I once made a mess of my face, scratching it even though it did not itch, when my mom went on vacation and left me with the sitter. She put some smelly stuff called Sulfodene. It is a yellow liquid. You can get it at the grocery store, pet store, or drug store. When mom came home I stopped that scratch, scratch. My mom kissed me on top of my head and told me "Good Boy". I love hearing those words almost as much as I like to hear, "let's go bye-bye" or "who wants peanut butter". Mom lets me lick the empty plastic peanut butter jar. Some folks say dogs have 2 taste buds….I agree. One taste bud says I like the food and the other taste bud says I do not like the food.
I am not supposed to eat chocolate. I heard mom talk to the VET and he said a few ounces of chocolate per pound of what a dog weighs could be toxic. She keeps the chocolate on the top shelf in our house. We once had a rescue dog stay at our house and Digger ate 2 big bags of M & M chocolate candy. My mom left us alone; Digger jumped on the kitchen counter and ripped those bags of candy. When mom came home she looked scared and worried. Mom gave us some water mixed with a little hydrogen peroxide. She gave me the stuff to drink first. Me and Digger threw up in the yard. I had no M & M's in my stomach. Digger was the bad dog that day. I told Digger not to eat those 2 big bags, but Digger was a garbage dog. He would eat wrappers, rocks, pieces of metal, anything. After he lived with us a while he stuck to eating just dog food and dog treats.
My mom said to tell you that if your dog eats too much chocolate there are some things the dog might do like vomiting, diarrhea, muscle spasms, seizures, increased thirst, really excitable, or difficulty keeping balance. This is serious, so please keep the chocolate away from Fido. Call the VET if you think your animal is in trouble from eating chocolate.
I wanted to share some photos of my doggie friends. If you would like to share a favorite photo with me, you can email it to me. I will answer all your email requests as best as I can. I included some of my favorite web links here.
This is the rescue place that my mom used to help care for doggies in our house. They are good people. Not all dogs are as luck as me.
Thinking of getting a dog or buying a dog as a present? Check out these dog questionnaires. This is a great dog resource web site. There are many websites listed to answer all your doggie questions. You can find some woofderful dog gifts too.
www.wonderpuppy.net/choose.htm
Thanks for reading my column. Next month I will cover some more doggie issues. I will also talk about other kinds of animals. I have so many things I want to share with you but I have to go chase the ball at the park. Before I go I want to share something with you. Did you hear that Oprah Winfrey has a new home in
Commentsglovebama — Monday, February 11, 2008
Buddy, It is so nice to read all about you and
Sheltering Pets For Battered Women
February 1, 2008
Buddy the Dog
Another time my dad kicked one of our dogs like a football across the room. I was terrorized to the point of being unable to speak. The dog disappeared shortly thereafter. My dad said it had to be put to sleep because it was ill. On another occasion dad tossed our cat over the balcony of the second floor because he told the cat not to go up on the balcony. The cat survived but I still have visions of that terrified animal.
The last straw was when he picked up a Samoyan Husky and threw the dog into the back yard and hurt the poor animal. I was an adult then and visiting my dad. I screamed at my dad that I was reporting him for animal abuse. I told him he was an abuser and did not deserve to own an animal. I did call the authorities and the dog was removed. I never really spoke to my dad much after that.
I have my own pet now and I could never harm Buddy in any way. What makes people so awful that they take out their anger on innocent animals?
Later in life my dad owned a cat that he truly loved and it too had a tragic ending. A final irony happened to my dad’s cat when it died as it got trapped under the garage door as it was being closed. The cat was stuck for three days and no one heard it crying. How ironic it is that he could finally become attached to a cat and lose it in such a manner. He was saddened by the loss of his cat. My dad passed away about a year after his cat.
Anyone who commits acts of violence against women, children, elders, or pets needs to be incarcerated, have counseling or get immediate help.
There are many cases where a victim chooses to remain with a batterer rather than abandon a beloved pet. The reason is because most Domestic Violence Shelters do not allow those fleeing a violent situation to bring their pets with them.
“Terrorizing” is threats directed towards loved ones or objects. Batterers use terrorizing threats in many cases to gain control over the battered woman.
In the Battered Partner Shelter Survey done in
The questions asked by the BPSS included the following questions:
- Do you now have a pet animal or animals? If yes, what kind.
- Have you had a pet animal or animals in the past 12 months? What kinds.
- Has your partner ever hurt or killed one of your pets? If yes, describe.
- Has your partner ever threatened to hurt or kill one of your pets? Describe.
- Have you ever hurt or killed one of your pets? Describe.
- Have any of your children ever hurt or killed one of your pets? Describe.
- Did concern over your pet’s welfare keep you from coming to this shelter sooner?
This website has the complete document to start your own “Pet Safe Haven for Dogs and Cats” and includes more information about this survey and other surveys and research done in this field.
http://www.vachss.com/guest_dispatches/ascione_safe_havens.pdf
Results of the Survey:
- 74 % women owned pets in the last 12 months prior to entering the shelter.
- 68 % owned more than one pet.
- 71 % reported that their male partner had threatened to hurt, kill, and/or had actually hurt or killed one or more of their pets. Threats to do horrible things to their pets were used to terrorize the women.
- 57 % reported that one of their pets had been harmed or killed, neglected or refused Veterinary care by the male partner. These acts of violence included shaking, slapping, throwing, or shooting of the dog or cat.
- 7 % of women reported harming their own pets by accident. One dog was run over with the truck as he chased the women racing out of the driveway. Another cat was stepped on by accident in the scuffle of the violence.
- 32 % of the women had children who hurt or killed their pets. In 71 % of these cases involving children, the male batterer had threatened to harm the pet in front of the children.
- 18 % of women with pets did not come to the shelter sooner out of concern for their pets.
The rate of partner cruelty to animals is a clear cause for concern in our society.
Some batterers have held their victims pets as hostage or threatened to kidnap their pets. Some women have abandoned their pets in shelters instead of leaving them as prey for batters
Domestic Violence Shelters need to be prepared to accommodate the victim of spousal abuse who own pets. They should ask questions about whether the animals have also been abused. And lastly provide safe boarding places or temporary foster homes to shelter these pets.
There should be confidentiality clauses to protest the pets that are being boarded from having the abuser claim the pet. The abuser uses the pet as a way to further intimidate and coerce his partner.
How To Create Safe Haven’s For Pets:
Thanks to Frank R. Ascione Ph.D. at the department of Psychology at
This document he put together is 307 pages and filled with information, stories, forms, documentation and all the outlines and guidelines needed to start a program in your own community. He allows you to download all this for free. A lot of thought went into preparing such an important piece of work.
There was a disabled woman who was turned away from the battered womans shelter with her guide dog. She went home to her batterer and he continued to hurt her and the dog. Not a pretty picture.
A few shelters have set up programs for pets to be cared for at animal welfare facilities, foster homes, Vet clinics, and private kennels.
When women call police during a crisis the police should routinely ask if they have pets, and are they concerned for their pets safety. This would give the officers some insight as to whether the victim is afraid to leave the batterer and put the animal in harms way.
There are other issues concerning who actually owns the pet. Also other issues on how to counsel these battered women and children about pet loss and separation.
A note about what researchers have noted about women who leave their batterers. Leaving a batterer is a process, not usually a one time decision. Many women leave and return to their batterer with their pet’s welfare in mind. Some women love their pets enough to put their own selves in harms way.
Shelters with these Safe Haven For Pet’s programs in place have provided some women the ability to be able to leave their batterers and continue employment without worrying about their pets, get their own home or apartment, and put their lives back together and still keep their beloved pets.
The stress of being in a battered women’s shelter is uncomfortable enough without having to worry about your pet’s safety and welfare. Even though the shelter is a safe place, just being displaced from your home and belongings creates anxiety and fears beyond the issues already faced with the batterer. The displaced pet has feelings too.
There are other reasons we need more Safe Havens For Pets all over this country. When there are natural disasters, hurricanes, large fires where loss of homes and property were destroyed displaced pets need shelter. The folks that go to shelters also need a place for their pets. Some families in temporary crisis need a safe place to temporarily keep their pets.
The Pet Safe Have model by Frank Ascione is well thought out and a great resource for local agencies to start up their own programs. His guide has everything you need to start a program in your area. Please tell others you know who are animal advocates to read this column and look at the Pet Safe Have Model mentioned here.
A special thanks to Dr. Ascione. Frank.Ascione@usu.edu
Dr. Ascione received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from
Ascione,F. R. (2005). Children and Animals:Exploring the Roots of Kindness and Cruelty.
Forthcoming in 2008 .... Ascione, F. R. (Ed.), International handbook of animal abuse and cruelty: Theory, research, and application.
PUBLISHED 1998
Lockwood, R. & Ascione, F.R.
Cruelty to animals and interpersonal violence:
1 800 247-6553
Published 1999,
Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, and Animal Abuse: Linking the Circles of Compassion for Prevention and Intervention.
Frank R. Ascione and Phil Arkow (Eds.)
FOUNDATION]
Published January, 2000 Ascione, F.R. Safe Havens for
Pets:Guidelines for Programs Sheltering Pets for Women
who are Battered.
All hard copies of this book have been distributed.
Thanks to Andrew Vachss, a PDF version can be accessed by going to the following site: http://www.vachss.com/guest_dispatches/safe_havens.html
Next month I will report on the Safe Havens For Pets programs already in place around the country. Thanks for reading my column. Pass it along to someone; leave me a comment and a rating. Thanks to Buddy the Dog for helping his mom write this months column. He gave me the idea for this column since he was once one of these dogs in distress.
rustywarren — Saturday, February 2, 2008
What a wonderful column and so eye -opening . It never dawned on me but now that you have brought it to the attention of your readers , it may be looked on as a very important project for people to get involved with in there own communities . I hope you get those people in ' power" to have an interest in doing something about it in our Battered shelters here in
paradise — Saturday, February 2, 2008
very good article
xoceandove — Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Another great story thanks, it is well done.
DMac53 — Tuesday, February 12, 2008
I know what you mean,I was abused myself and my dog was treated that why too... Now am living my life free of abuse and now I have 2 cats and a dog, I love them a lot..Thanks for sharing this story people out there need to know all about being abused....
