Post-Sandy Update

Hello, animal lovers,

Just a note to say we're all fine after Sandy and have moved house. I am at the same email address and phone number, just a different mailing address.

I have been thinking of and rooting for every person and animal affected by the storm. Here are some links to help:

http://tinyurl.com/b3m4lgw
http://tinyurl.com/avfwsbe 

Also, check with your local wildlife conservation organizations and remember that the Humane Society of the US also helps zoos.

Best wishes and take good care!

Losing A Pet From Heat Stroke: My Story

Today I have a painful personal story to tell, but I am sharing it in hopes that it will help save animals' lives.


Last July, a tragic accident ended the life of our dear cat Quan Yin.  She had her own room in our house because as a former feral, that was how she felt safe.  On a day of very high temperatures, we didn't want her to get too hot, even though the air conditioner unit was a room away.  We positioned fans drawing cool air into her room, provided a giant water bowl with added ice cubes, and I checked on her frequently to make sure she was comfortable.  If it grew too hot in her room, we planned to move her to the main air conditioned room, even though she might be stressed leaving her regular space.

All day I checked on her and everything seemed fine.  In the early evening, my partner called me as asked if I wanted to go out for dinner.  I said yes, but we couldn't stay out for very long, because we had to keep an eye on our animals.  We were out less than an hour.

Gretchen Featured In Article In HuffPo About Separation Anxiety In Dogs

Hello, animal lovers.  I hope you are having a most excellent almost-summer.  So, far my communications requesting mosquitos to stop biting me have had no effect, but since that's pretty much what they do to survive, I didn't expect results.  I guess one price to pay for getting on well with animals is that sometimes the ones that bite are especially attracted to you!

Back on topic, I wanted to let you to know that I have been featured in an article in The Huffington Post called

Separation Anxiety in Dogs: Can You Teach an Old Dog New Tricks?  I enjoyed talking with the author and her anxious dog, Rapunzel, and giving them some tips to help with the anxious barking and urination.  In my experience with anxious animals, it often takes not just communication, but consistency and practice with new training methods and supplements to encourage relaxation and openness.  I'm sending Reiki and best wishes to Rapunzel and her human "mom" for continued improvement.

I hope you enjoy the article, and feel free to comment, share it, or ask me questions about the topic. 

Happy National Pet Week!

Are are you celebrating?  You could do something fun with your pet, like some extra play time, or give him his favourite treat.  You could help your kids draw pictures of the family pet or talk to them about the importance of being kind to animals and pet health care.  You could use it as a reminder to make an appointment for your pet's next check-up, volunteer at a pet shelter, make a donation, sign an animal issue petition, or even just post a photo of or poem about your pet online!

The American Veterinary Medical Association has a site full of ideas, information and even games for you to check out.  But of course, the best things you can give your pet are affection, attention and letting her know you love her.  Take a little time out and give your animal friends love and appreciation.  They'll thank you in return.

Update: Wellness Adds Brands to Voluntary Pet Food Recall

In response to the pet food recall issued by Diamond Pet Food, Wellness has decided to voluntarily recall some of its brands made in the same plant. Please read the letter from Wellness after the jump for more information.

Warning: Pet Food Recall

Diamond Pet Foods has issued a recall for several pet food brands due to concerns about possible salmonella contamination. These are:

• Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul
• Country Value
• Diamond
• Diamond Naturals
• Premium Edge
• Professional
• 4Health
• Taste of the Wild

No deaths have been reported, and it is a voluntary recall.  It is mostly for dry dog foods, but they have expanded the recall a couple times, so better to be safe than sorry and check your pet food.  For more information or to check to see if the serial number on your pet food matches the recall list, go to http://www.diamondpet.com/information

Bees: Not Just For Honey

You might not think of insects when you think about animal communication, but as groups and individuals, they have purposes in our world and feelings, too.  (If you want to read about one conversation I had with a very urban fly, check out pages 69-70 in Dawn Baumann Brunke's Animal Voices, Animal Guides, a wonderful book about about animal communication and how to try it yourself.)

Bees, for example, play an extremely important part in our environment and lives.  Most people know that bees make honey and pollinate flowers, but they may not realize that pollination is what allows many fruits and vegetables to grow.  Without bees, the world's food supply would be in big trouble.

However, you may have heard over the last few years that many bees have been suffering from a syndrome called colony collapse disorder.  According to the Natural Resource Defense Council, researchers believe that  over a third of all bee colonies in the United States alone may have fallen to this disorder, wherein bees die off or disappear en masse.  In fact, the problem has possibly affected billions of bees worldwide.

Update: Missing Dog Found!

Great news! My sister in law posted the following update today:

 Bayley was found this morning in a concrete culvert at the entrance of the neighborhood that the people who adopted her lived in. She was found by a fantastic couple who are also animal lovers. They worked for 30 minutes to get her out and then took her to an animal emergency hospital. She had been attacked by an animal and had puncture wounds all over her body plus multiple insect bites. Bayley had been surviving on bugs. The doctor was amazed at how many bugs came out of her. We brought her home and even though she is in a lot of pain, she is her same old puppy self. She wanted to play with the other dogs right away. I thank God for all the prayers that were put up for Bayley. Out of this horrible ordeal, we have made friends with two amazing couples who we plan on keeping in touch with. Once again, thank you to everyone for spreading the word and for the prayers.

And thank you from me to everyone who read about Bayley and sent their prayers, good thoughts and energy. I know we all wish her a speedy recovery and happy healing from her trauma.

Dog Missing In Storm Hit Area In Texas

Hello, friends.  My lovely sister-in-law Sherry, a great animal lover and dog rescuer, has reported that a dog she rescued and got adopted out has now gone missing.  According to her post:

This is Bayley the feral puppy we rescued 2 months ago. She was adopted Sat. and they lost her yesterday in a rural part of Forney. She was lost off of FM740 between Cool River Dr. and Travis Ranch Blvd. She is microchipped and is wearing her tags on a bright pink collar. We will be circulating flyers today. Please keep us and Bayley in your prayers. The area is full of coyotes and snakes. If you have any animal contacts, please share.

The area Bayley was in was hit by large hail and, in some places, tornadoes right around when she went missing.  So please, if you or anyone you know lives or has contacts near Forney, TX (about 15-20 miles east of Dallas, see map,) please keep an eye out for Bayley.  If you have any information, please send me an email at info@animaltalker.com.  I will be checking for updates, and if you include your phone number I will give you a call.

Many thanks, and please think good thoughts for Bayley!

Need A Little Long-Haired Love?

These three kitties were orphaned when their human passed away recently.  If you or anyone in the NYC area (or willing to adopt long-distance) have room in your heart or homes for them, please contact Dr. Abramson at allanimalsy@yahoo.com or John at johnlawsonmclean@gmail.com.  Thanks!

Animal Communication Just Got A Little Cheaper!

Hi, Animal Lovers!

 I hope your spring -- or autumn, for those of you in the southern hemisphere -- is going well. I want you all to know that I am now available to conduct communications over Skype!  This means that you can call my Skype account from yours, and we can talk for free, which can save you some money on your telephone bill. This may be particularly helpful from those of you outside the United States.

 The other advantage of Skype is that I can record conversations as mp3s and provide them for you to download. I had stopped doing this, because I couldn't get the technology to work properly, but with updates in software, it's now possible to offer this service again.

My Skype name is gretchen.kunz.ac.  Please note: I do not have a direct telephone number to call on Skype at this time. If this service proves popular, I may subscribe to one, so let me know if you're interested.  Have any questions about how this works? Feel free to check out the Skype website. All the best to you and your animal friends!

Are Retractable Leashes Dangerous?

Courtesy of  Lulu Hoeller

With spring-like weather creeping across my region, I look forward to seeing more dogs out and about for longer walks.  Every time I see a happy dog and his or her person enjoying a walk together, I smile.   But as healthy and much fun walking your dog can be, there are always safety hazards, especially in highly populated areas.

One of these became more apparent to me when I received the following letter from a reader:

Dear Gretchen,

... I have two main concerns that I feel need to be known by other animal lovers and dog owners especially!

I work at an animal hospital as a veterinary assistant for many years now and I also dog walk on the side. Both concerns involve the very popular "Flexible Leashes" people use to walk their dogs with lately.

Who's Going To The 2012 Westminster KC Dog Show?

Frank Franklin II, AP

Are you going to the upcoming WKC dog show or any of the related events?  If so, welcome to New York City, and maybe you'll run into me!  Are you interested in having a communication session with your dog while you're in town?  Maybe you'd like to help him or her better understand all of the things going on, or hear his or her opinions on the show afterward?  Feel free to contact me at info@animaltalker.com or via telephone at 917-607-8630.

Best of luck to you and your canine friends, and have a wonderful time!

Can You Help These Cats?

Schnoodles a 14 y.o., female, DMH, dilute tortoiseshell

Hi, Animal Lovers,

I was recently forwarded this bulletin from a close friend, long-time client and dedicated animal rescuer.  The rescuers from Concerned People for Animals have had some cats come in that have been through a lot and need new homes.  If you know of anyone who may be interested, please contact Melissa at CPA via the information below.  Even though these cats are in Southern California, they can be moved cross-country for the right home.  Please feel free to forward and post this elsewhere. Thank you!

How You Can Help Feral & Outdoor Cats Stay Warm In Winter

People who do trap-neuter-return (TNR) work or just care for feral and stray cats know having a warm place to take shelter can greatly improve cats' chances of survival.  People who have cats who spend a lot of time outdoors may worry how to make sure they stay warm if they don't come inside at night.  A simple answer to these issues is to provide one or more insulated cat shelters.  Although you can buy kits, this is generally a do-it-yourself project, and can be daunting for people who aren't used to building things or can't spend much money.  They may have seen shelters made of wood and including electric heat. However, there are ways to make a cat shelter easily from simple materials, and you can spend less that $10.  Here's how:

Ready to Pawty?

Hey, animal lovers!  Come check out the BlogPaws Twitter BlogPawty today from 5:00 to 8:00 PM, ET.  I will be mixing with animal loving bloggers from all over.  There will be music and prizes.

My cat Maurice is all dressed up in his tuxedo and... oh, dear.  Mo?  Maurice?  I wonder if he's had a little too much to drink...

One too many Tuna Nip-tinis.