July 17/2019

Feature:

Keep Cool During the Dog Days

   “2 paws up for Tesla, which is introducing a feature that helps keep dogs safe.

   Ideal for use during balmy summer weather, Dog Mode lets owners leave their furry friends in the car while they run an errand.

   When on Dog Mode automatically regulates the car’s cabin temperature & shows a message on the infoainment screen assuring passersby that Fido won’t overheat…

   A dog’s normal body temperature is about 39C, & it can only withstand a body temperature of 41C for a few minutes…”

Melissa Hank

The Gazette, Montreal

March 11/2019

Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle

July 10/2019

Feature:

Charlotte Sweetens Seniors’ Days

     “There are 110 pounds of Charlotte, an Old English sheepdog, & mostly she uses them to let the world know she’s here.

     She is vocal & excitable, given to enthusiastic greetings to visitors to the family’s west-end home & to settling expansively into the space she creates for herself between owners Anita & Ron Gottesman in their king-sized bed.

     Charlotte…is a big dog with a big personality. She has 3,000 followers on Instagram as charlotte_oes.

     …on Monday, she was gentle & quiet as she entered a room at the Cote-St-Luc Aquatic & Community Centre for a visit with a group of vulnerable older adults in a drop-in program. Several broke out into broad smiles as she walked slowly around the circle in which a dozen or so people were seated…She moved calmly from person to person, greeting them softly & turning so they could pet her rear.

     ‘Charlotte likes to be patted on the bum,’ Anita told them…

     Monday was Charlotte’s second visit to the program, pffered by the Cummings Centre for seniors &, as with her first visit, she was accompanied by Anita & by Arielle Gottesman- Anita’s daughter & a social worker at Cummings.

     ‘When we take her to the group, she just knows what to do. IOt’s incredible,’ Arielle said. ‘With seniors, she knows that if she paws them she might scratch them so she turns her bum toward them- a submissive position.’

     …How old is Charlotte? 4. Is she bathed at home? No, she won’t permit it; a groomer bathes her. When does she eat? Breakfast & dinner. She eats dog food but loves what the family eats: Favorites are salmon & cheese.

     ‘Any time I walk her, people stop to talk to her & tell her stories,’ Arielle said. ‘And they light up & she lights up…it’s a way for people to open up- not in a formal setting- & I see what a positive impact something so simple can have’.

     …’Charlotte was so funny,’…’She was going up to people & sitting on their feet, saying ‘Hi, I am here’. They loved her.

     ‘We have a participant here who has a hard time connecting with people, but when it comes to Charlotte, he connects. He was very affectionate, petting her & saying what a beautiful dog she is.’

     Anita brought treats so those who could gave Charlotte commands like sit & stay, then rewarded her with the treats. Such an exercise is so empowering for people who so often aren’t heard, Arielle said.

     Charlotte’s visits also triggered memories as participants reminisced about good dogs & good times. Daniel Elkin remembered his dog Bianco. ‘She was a good dog.’

     …Cummings program manager Erica Botner, who oversees the drop-in program, said it tries to bring ‘moments of joy’ to participants; visits from pets can help do that’…”

Susan Schwartz

The Gazette, Montreal

Aug. 21/2019

Cute Critter Pic:

Weekly Chuckle:

Memorial:

Annabelle July 16/2001 RIP
It was a blessing to have had you in my life if only for a brief time. Love you little one.❤

July 3/2019

Feature:
Major Road In Burlington To Be Closed For Salamander Migration    

 “King Road will be closed for approximately 4 weeks…

This is done to allow for endangered Jefferson salamanders to safely travel during their breeding migration.

‘Together with Conservation Halton, the City of Burlington is very proud of its efforts to aid in the survival & recovery of this rare species,’ said Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward. ‘Since the first full road closure in 2012, there has been no road mortality of Jefferson salamanders observed by Conservation Halton staff during the road closure period.’

‘We are happy to play a small role in protecting the salamanders while raising awareness about their endangered status,’ she said. 

The Jefferson salamander is found in select areas in southern Ontario forests, mostly along the Niagara Escarpment. They usually spend most of their lives underground, &, as the weather warms, they emerge to migrate & breed in temporary ponds formed by run-off.

Adult salamanders migrate to their breeding ponds during wet, rainy nights, & are attracted to ponds in which they hatched, sometimes going out of their way just to reach it.

‘The annual closure of King Road by the City of Burlington reinforces Conservation Halton's promise to form partnerships, which enable us to better protect our natural environment, in this case an endangered species,’ CAO of Conservation Halton Hassaan Basit said. ‘Our ecologists use monitoring data to recommend the timing & duration of the road closure to maximize its impact on the species while keeping disruption, due to the closure, down to the minimum.’

‘Our monitoring has shown a measureable positive impact on the Jefferson salamander population due to these once-a-year road closures. I would like to thank the city & community. Their efforts are helping in the recovery of this species,’ he said.

The species is protected at both provincial & national levels, & was added to Ontario's endangered species list in 2011. They are usually grey or brown on the back, with lighter under-parts, & can be up to 12 to 20 cm long, with a life span of 30 years…”

Damian Ali

www.inhalton.com

March 11/2019

Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle

June 26/2019

Feature:
Habs franchise becomes foster family to Mira puppy
     “The Canadiens are getting a new puppy.

   The club announced…that it is teaming with the Mira Foundation to become the foster family to a Saint-Pierre Labernese puppy for 1 year. The Canadiens will be responsible for socializing the puppy under Mira’s guidelines to become a future guide dog or service dog. Since its creation in 1981, Mira has provided more than 3,000 people with guide & service dogs to help with their disabilities.

     For the next year, the Canadiens’ puppy will undergo basic obedience training, as well as social & environmental stimulation. The puppy will be allowed in the team offices & will also be at the Bell Centre during games. The puppy will live with a Canadiens front-office employee for the next year. After that, the puppy will be returned to Mira for evaluation to decide which program will be a best fit…

     The Canadiens are following the lead of the St. Louis Blues, who this season partnered with Duo- a non-profit organization that specializes in training service- to adopt a yellow Labrador retriever puppy for the season. Once that dog has completed his 18-month training & qualifies for certification, Duo will find his best fit as a service dog…

     ‘Everyone in the organization is happy & excited to participate in this initiative,’ Genevieve Paquette, vice-president of community engagement for the Canadiens, said in a news release. ‘This is an extraordinary opportunity said Nicolas St.-Pierre, general manager of the Mira Foundation: ‘We consider it a privilege to count on the support of the Montreal Canadiens organization & are thrilled to witness the great enthusiasm generated by this team project.’”

Stu Cowan
The Gazette, Montreal
Nov. 22/2018

Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle

June 19/2019

Feature:
5 Weird Things Cats Love

“…Cats may be mysterious creatures, but there’s usually a reason behind their behaviors or an explanation for their interests…

Drinking From Your Water Cup or the Faucet Instead of Their Fountain

…Your cat may not realize that your glass of water is your glass of water. He just may find it convenient that there is a vessel that contains water when he is thirsty, so he drinks from it.

Another perspective may be that your cat watches you drink, & she wants to drink what you are drinking. If it is good enough for you, it is good enough for her.

Some cats may prefer to drink from the faucet when you are busy washing dishes or brushing your teeth due to their fascination by water that suddenly appears.

Or, your cat may just have a taste preference for running water compared to water that has been sitting in a cat bowl all day, which leads to bacteria formation. Plus, food particles may fall in & change the taste of the water.

This is the reason why your cat’s water bowl should be changed several times a day & washed with soap & water at least daily.

Pushing Things Off Tables & Watching Them Break

…every time your cat pushes an item until it drops, it reacts in a different manner. It may just be fun for him to watch the items bounce around in different directions each time they fall or watch them shatter to multiple pieces.

Getting Into Boxes & Jumping Out of Them

Why are some cats obsessed with boxes? They are creatures of comfort, & sometimes being in a box with side support is comfortable. Other times, being in a box makes some cats feel safe & secure, like they are protected from all sides…

Stalking Inanimate Electrical Cords

…A reason may be that he might have learned that playing with the cord was a good way of getting my attention. Playing with the cord may also be fun because it moves in different & unexpected ways, which piques his interest…

Having Their Butt Scratched

Have you ever had a cat walk up to you, turn around, & present their tail end? The area just above the tail that we would call the ‘butt’ is an area that a cat cannot use its paws to scratch, & sometimes using your tongue to scratch does not do the trick.

Some cats have learned to back up against a dangling hand if they want a good scratch. Cats might indicate their enjoyment by purring, twitching their tails, raising their butts, & sometimes arching up against your hand or foot…”

Dr. Wailani Sung

Petmd.com

Jan. 14/2019

Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle

June 12/2019

Feature:

Real Polar Bear Makes Appearance at Polar Bear Dip

“The annual Newfoundland iceberg festival welcomed a special visitor…After people

donned costumes for the polar bear dip…in the community or Raleigh, a real polar bear

came ashore that evening in nearby St. Lunaire- Gritquet on Newfoundland’s Great

Nothern Peninsula. Thresa Burden, who lives in town, said that the healthy- looking bear

Wandered curiously near some sheds along the shoreline. ‘It was creating quite the

attraction, I must say,’ said Burden, a tourism & development officer with the town of St.

Anthony. Burden said the young bear was then seen swimming towards an opening to the

Atlantic Ocean & has not been spotted again. ‘Polar bears arrive here every year,’ said

Burden. ‘But to see a bear in June is not common.’”

The Canadian Press

In The Montreal Gazette

June 12/2018

Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle

June 5/2019

Feature:

A Little Help For Turtles Crossing Our Roadways

   “June is a dangerous month for turtles.

   It’s then that the females hit the road- figuratively & literally. They leave the relative safety of their wetlands habitats, including rivers, lakes, & ponds, to search out a spot to lay their eggs. You might see them on sand or gravel road shoulders- & that’s a behavior that puts them at risk for being struck by passing vehicles, said Caroline Gagne, a biologist with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC).

   Quebec has 8 native species of turtle: The Blanding turtle, map turtle, musk turtle, painted turtle, snapping turtle, spiny softshell turtle, & wood turtle. To help reduce their mortality rate on the roads, the NCC developed a website for reporting turtle sightings, carapace.ca.

   In 2017, the project’s first year, 500 people reported 856 turtles belonging to 5 native species as well as a couple of exotic species…Nearly half were in the Monteregie & Outaouais regions, said Gagne, the Carapace project’s co-ordinator, with the Laurentians & Eastern Townships next in line…

   The website asks anyone who spots turtles to photograph them & note their location on a short form.

   …A platform such as carapace.ca encourages citizen science; it makes it possible, she explained, to cover a large territory without specialists or material.

   The site also describes how to help a turtle spotted on a road by guiding it to safety: it’s important not to change the direction in which the turtle is facing, Gagne explained. If the turtle is big or seems aggressive-…then it’s best to urge the turtle into a pail or onto a car mat that is then dragged across the road she said…

   Turtles take a long time to reproduce, with some species mating only after 25 years. The number of eggs laid varies from one species to another, from a handful to a couple dozen…

   The NCC, a not-for-profit private land conservation organization, works to protect

natural areas & the species they sustain. Since 1962, the NCC & its partners have helped

protect more than 1.1 million hectares (2.8 million acres) across Canada, including

45,000 hectares (111,197 acres) in Quebec.”

Susan Schwartz

The Montreal Gazette

June 2/2018

Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle