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March/April 2008 Newsletter  Welcoming
in Spring! It is that time of year when we welcome back that time of renewal and rebirth. This is my favorite time of year. The birds are singing, the warm air is slowly moving back into the northern part of the country and every thing just smells better. This is a perfect time of year to take a look at what you and your pet can do to lose those "extra" pounds you both may have put on over the winter. Now we all know that walking briskly even just 20 minutes every other day helps us to lose weight and feel better and yet there are 100 excuses why we don't do it. Well here is another way to look at that time with your animal companion. This is a perfect time for you to begin to reconnect not only to nature but also to the animals you live with. Take your pet for a walk in the park or hike a nearby trail. If you have a cat, bunny or other pet that really doesn't go outside find the sunny place in your home to just sit and "be" with them. Here is the kicker, when you are doing this you are totally focused on "being" present with your animal. That means you are not petting your animal and thinking about dinner, cleaning the house, work, the kids etc. Make it a point to have that special quiet time with your animal and you will see a difference in how you begin to relate to not only them but also to others around you. Now if you do have a pet that does not leave the house you can still go for that walk only focus on communicating with the pet that is home. You would be surprised at the messages you may receive.
Got Hairballs?  You know that terrible hacking sound and the lovely gooey presents that are left after a hacking episode. Occasional hairballs are not a problem. It is the cat that hacks away a few times a month that there may be an issue. Longer haired cats consume more hair than the shorter ones and have a tendency to have more issues with furballs. One thing to know about those "special" hairball diets is that they may have added fiber to them but they often times have left out other essential ingredients in the food, including meat. Cats, like dogs, are carnivores and a diet high in fiber may actually do more harm than good. Let's look at what would be a natural way of dealing with the issue of hairballs and how to possibly prevent them. The first obvious one is grooming. The more you brush your cat the less they will be ingesting. Diet is also important as a healthy cat will not shed as much as a cat on a poor diet. If your cat does not like the raw diet then at least get them on a diet of food that has no grain in it. Homeopathically there are flower essences that can assist in keeping your cat healthy. Canned pumpkin is a great natural fiber food, not the one with spices, plain. Failing at Fostering 101!  Ok it only took me four fosters but I finally failed fostering 101. So now I would like to introduce you to the newest member of my family. Her name is Takla. Both her and her brother were owner turn-ins to Lhasa Apso Rescue here in Maryland. The picture does not do her justice because she is stunning. I have had her for a few months and all the time I had Takla I really wanted to keep her but I also knew I had an agreement with my two girls, both Aussie's, that I could foster as long as none of them stayed. Takla had a couple applications in on her and one family in particular were very interested in her. I asked for a sign if I was to keep her or if she was to move onto another home. As much as I loved her I was wiling to let her go. About a week before she was to be sent to her new home the folks who wanted her withdrew their application on her. There was my sign!!!! Needless to say within hours I was on the phone letting Christine the coordinator for the area that Takla was going to be staying with me. Of course I had to have approval from the girls first and they were ok with adding a little sister to the family. So I guess the old saying is true, "If you love something set it free and if it comes back to you it was meant to be". Oh yea, her brother has also gone to a great new home. |
 Hey it is never too early to think about the summer vacation plans. There is one recommendation I can give that is not only truly amazing but one that the whole family can enjoy. Best Friends Animal Society in Utah is a 3,000 acre animal sanctuary that has everything from dogs, cats and rabbits to donkeys, horses and birds. It is the nations largest and best run sanctuary. It is a great way to be able to go on a vacation that actually gives back to animals. You can volunteer for a day, a week or two weeks. It is your choice. Some individuals and families make it a yearly trek to this magical and wondrous place. There are workshops that are offered throughout the year. Please check out their website at www.bestfriends.org for more info. A yearly membership is as low as $25 for the year and you receive a wonderful magazine too! If you do go send me a post card from there, you may not want to come back after your visit there! Comings and Goings So much has happened this year and we are only into the third month of the year! This is the year of abundance. Since December of last year many of my clients animals have transitioned. But as this happens I see more and more people beginning to "wake up" to the world around them and begin to "see" things in a whole new way. People are becoming more involved in animal rescue, shelters, helping to pass legislation for our animals and so much more. What are your goals to help animals this year? 2008 promises to bring even more positive changes for us, the human race, and also the animals we share the planet with. If you have not had a chance please check out Discovery's Planet Earth series. It will allow you and your children to see animals as they truly are in the wild. It is a spectacular series that lets us explore the beauty of our planet without leaving home. Did you know that there are 5,000 year old trees that are on the planet today? It took over 5 years to make film and every second is just breathtaking! Website Updates  Within the next couple weeks I hope to have new updates on my website about upcoming events. Please check back to see some new and exciting classes. Don't forget I also do house parties where I will come and do readings for you and your guests on your pets. The ones who are still here or the ones who have transitioned. It is also fun if it is your dog, cat or horses birthday party. As always you can email me with any stories or other articles you would like to know about with the world of animals. Please visit www.spiritpaws.com Happy Trails! |