Banning pets stores from selling pets

San Francisco considers banning sale of pets except fish reported the San Francisco Chronicle last July. Other cities across the nation have banned pet stores from selling dogs because many of them come from puppy mills.  However, the proposed San Francisco ban would include all animals except fish.  It’s not that San Francisco doesn’t like pets or doesn’t want their citizens to have them.  Rather, it’s to protect the pets. Hamsters rank #1 as the most euthanized pet in the city.  Indeed, this is also the fate of a large percentage of small furry or feathered creatures, not to mention dogs and cats.  Fish are, well, another kettle of fish. They’re not usually taken to shelters, and statistics aren’t kept on how many are flushed down toilets. 

Unfortunately, some people put more thought into buying an I-Pod than into buying a pet.  According to The Friends of San Francisco Animal Care and Control, “(They) often tire of them and may consider them as disposable as an unwanted gift. They'll dump their small animals (at the shelter) or release them outside, where they often die.”  

I’m interested in all of your opinions on this issue, so please post a  comment and/or answer the poll above:

Therapy Dogs in Apartments

My friend, Lesley, sent me this touching story:  "One of my friends, Jeannie, has a wonderful black lab named Casey. I met Jeannie when I used to walk my two Westies in Central Park at the crack of dawn, no matter what the weather. Jeannie is a widow and Casey was her late husband’s therapy dog. Casey flunked out of seeing-eye dog school but did make it as a therapy dog. After Jeannie’s husband died, Casey was inconsolable and then Jeanne was told that she would have to get rid of Casey since the building she lived in only allowed service dogs for the living. Needless to say, she moved out of her Upper East Side digs and found a place on West 58th Street. Jeannie has since met a new man and the three of them are happily living together and even have access to a country place in Vermont!

The story doesn’t end there. When I was at my annual visit to Canyon Ranch in Tucson, AZ, last October, I was sitting in the elegant lobby waiting for a friend, when in walked a tall, handsome man, 60ish, with a black lab wearing a service dog coat. I asked the dog’s name and if I might pet him. The name was “Finney” and yes, by all means, pet him. I said “Well Finney, you remind me of my friend Casey who is a service dog in New York”. Finney’s owner turned to me and said “We know Casey and his owner Jeannie!”. Turned out that Finney and his owner live near Jeannie, and the dogs have worked together. Finney watches over his owner who tends to sleep walk and wander off, especially when they are in the home they own at Canyon Ranch. Small world!"

See my article below on the health benefits of pets. 

FAZELNUT aka DEALBREAKER

My husband Richard and I have been looking for a new apartment for months.  We finally found a wonderful apartment in a condo in our old neighborhood.  It had spectacular views, a balcony from which to better view the views, plus the building had a pool and gym.  The apartment itself was quite tiny, but given all the rest -- and the fact that it was cheaper than most other apartments I'd seen -- we jumped at it.  But then our broker, Chris, told us that the apartment owner did not allow animals in the apartment.  


We've heard this before, but the rule typically applied to dogs, not cats.  So we explained this was a very tame, clean cat.  The answer was still no.  I called the landlord's agent directly and said we would pay a hefty deposit to cover any potential damage.  And he said that the owners wouldn't take any amount of money!  That they HATED all animals -- dogs,cats, birds, fish, etc. etc!  


I literally started to shake at the thought of giving up Fazelnut. I told Richard and Chris I couldn't go through with the deal.  They were both upset but understanding, although Richard kept saying we really could find a nice home for Faze.  Not only was that out of the question, but I couldn't imagine having to deal with a landlord who hated all animals! What kind of person is that? So the deal was off, and we now call Fazelnut "Dealbreaker", among other things.  


The good news is we since found a larger apartment for a lower rent. The view isn't as spectacular, but there is a pool and gym...and basement storage!  But despite a no pet policy, our brokers for that apartment, Romina and Julie, convinced the landlord (obviously a nice, normal person) to accept our offer of a cat security deposit. And we don't have to worry about Fazelnut falling off a terrace! 


If you've had difficulties renting or buying an apartment because of your pet, please share your stories -- and your solutions. 

6 Health Benefits of Owning Pets by Joan Liebmann-Smith, Ph.D.

Pets are often at the top of many children's -- and some adults -- gift lists. You may find the image of an adorable puppy or kitty nestled under the tree or by the hearth pretty irresistible. But you might also be concerned that a new pet can wreak havoc with your home or even be hazardous to your health. Certainly a rambunctious puppy, kitty, or other pet can soil, scratch, chew, and nip. And although some animals do carry diseases, the risk of  zoonoses -- as these diseases are called -- is much greater from exotic pets than more common ones. In fact, the health benefits of having a traditional pet far outweigh the risks for most people, according to Healthy Pets Healthy People,  a division of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).    

 

The social and emotional benefits of pet ownership are many: companionship, affection, unconditional love, and entertainment, to name a few. Children raised with pets are more likely to be empathetic and social than kids without pets. And having a pet can help enhance a child's self-esteem. Recent research has also uncovered some surprising physical and psychological benefits of pet ownership for children and adults. And many of the positive effects are not just limited to dogs and cats, but rabbits, rodents, birds, fish, lizards and other pets as well. Here are six of these health benefits:

1. Pets can help prevent eczema and some allergies in children. Babies and toddlers who live with dogs -- but not cats -- have lower rates of childhood eczema than those raised without dogs. And young children who've had a cat or dog since their first year of life have fewer pet allergies than other kids their age.

2. People who own pets make fewer trips to the doctor than those who don't. As a result, pets help keep the cost of health care down for individuals as well as our nation.

3. Pet owners tend to have lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels than people who don't have pets.

4. Petting pets has been shown to reduce blood pressure and heart rates in adults. Even being in the same room with pets, including fish in tanks, can lower blood pressure and reduce stress in adults and children. Indeed, many dentists and other doctors keep aquariums in their waiting rooms. This not only helps relieve anxiety, but reduces the need for pain medication as well.

5. Regardless of age, people who have pets, especially dogs, get more exercise than non-pet owners. While this isn't surprising for dog owners, owners of other kinds of pets are also more likely to be physically active than people who don't have pets. Perhaps as a result of this increase in exercise, adults and kids with pets also tend to have lower rates of obesity.

6. Last but not least, dog and cat owners are significantly more likely to survive heart attacks than non-pet owners, regardless of the severity of the heart attack. 

Now that you're aware of the many health benefits pets can give you and your family, why not give something back in return? Since it is the season of giving, please consider giving a loving home to a pet from your local animal shelter or Humane Society. 
This article first appeared on the Huffington Post.

FAZELNUT, OUR RESCUE CAT

When our toy poodle, Tinkerbelle, was 17, our daughter, Rebecca, bought home a rescue cat.  Being allergic to cats, and protective of the aging, ailing Tinkerbelle, I protested.  My husband, Richard, was indifferent, if not amused.  As luck would have it, I wasn't  allergic to the cat, newly named Fazelnut (more about that later), and Tinkerbelle and Fazelnut ignored each other.  A few months later, Tinky died.  We were all distraught beyond belief, but Faze definitely helped ease the pain.  Were it not for that occasionally cuddly creature, I would have been severely depressed.   We've now had him for 3 years and he's very much part of the family -- or the ruler at times.

PETS IN THE CITY

Welcome to my new blog, Pets in the City.  It's for pet-loving people who live in a city (or not) and want tips on living indoors, in harmony, with their pets.