Sir Eats-a-Lot

Every dog owner can probably tell stories of things their pets have eaten that were never meant to pass through the digestive system. However, our hopes are that once dogs get through their "puppy" stage, the habit of eating any accessible item will fade away. Unfortunately, that's not the case for some dogs. Yesterday at camp, Patrice, Robyn, and I shared stories of the strange and unusual things our dogs have found appetizing. Sinatra, Patrice's dog, has an appetite for all things in the pantry -- like protein bars, spaghetti, oil, and flour. He eats the boxes and wrappers, too. Someone must have told him there are starving kids in China...
My dog, on the other hand, likes to eat non-food items that she finds around the house. This past week alone, I have had to call Poison Control twice because of things Lola was able to sneak into her mouth before it was too late. I caught her grabbing a pill I had set on the desk to take before I went to bed, and today she woke me up with Orange Flower perfume breath. Apparently she got a hold of a sample perfume bottle I didn't even know I had. Luckily, both times the friendly folks at Poison Control said she hadn't ingested anything dangerous.

When you find your dog eating something potentially hazardous, it can be a nerve-wrecking situation. Your dog probably doesn't time his snack-fests with your vet's office hours, so you may not know who to call. The ASPCA has a poison-control phone line, but they ask for a $60 fee before they will do a consultation. You can try calling an emergency vet, but sometimes they won't give you information over the phone. What I've found to work best is calling the Pittsburgh Poison Center's emergency hotline. They are knowledgeable, fast to respond, and free. If you need to contact them, their 24-hour phone number is 1-800-222-1222. Hopefully you will not need to use their number, but it doesn't hurt to keep it in a handy place, just in case.

Sometimes Good Looks Aren't Everything

In fact, in the annual "World's Ugliest Dog" contest, it's exactly the opposite. It pays to be ugly. Check out photos of this year's winner, Pabst, a rescued boxer mix. I personally don't think he's that bad-looking, but I guess ugliness is in the eye of the beholder.

Q&A with a Humane Society Intern

Emily Spivak is a 21-year-old Penn State graduate with a degree in political science and a minor in civic and community engagement. This summer, she is serving as a Capitol Hill intern for The Humane Society of the United States in the Legislative Affairs Department. I had the chance to speak with Emily regarding her internship and some of the issues that Camp Bow Wow friends and animal-lovers alike might be interested in.

Q: What is your job like on a daily basis?

A: I am always doing a variety of research projects for my supervisor, Heather Carpenter. The interns also make calls to constituents whose state or federal senators will be voting or could be co-sponsoring a bill that we have an interest in. I have many types of projects -- anything from banning the export of horses to Canada and Mexico for slaughter to working to change the type of chemicals used in the euthanasia process in shelters.

Q: What are some of the most important issues to The Humane Society at the moment?

A: One issue at the moment has to do with fur coats. As of now, companies are not required to label what type of fur a product is made from if it sells for under a certain dollar amount. Believe it or not, cheaper furs can be made out of dog or cat fur, so that is something the Humane Society is looking to change.

Also, Michael Vick will be joining our anti-dogfighting campaign, and there is some controversy about that.

Q: Are you working on any special projects?

A: Yes, I am currently collecting information about each state's permit distribution for exotic species. Each state has the authority to distribute permits and has its own discretion as to what animals are considered "exotic," how individuals can get permits, and how many permits are given out.

Q: What will the Humane Society do with this information?

A: Well, they have an exotic animals department that is one of the smallest in the organization, so I am gathering this information for them. It's important to know the state-by-state legislation because there is a lot of illegal activity in the world of exotics.

Q: Are there any issues specific to Pennsylvania that you know of?

A: Puppy mills in Lancaster County are horrible. They are far from wiped out because there is a profit to be made. And pigeon shoots also take place in Pennsylvania and are horrendous. If you haven't heard of a pigeon shoot, what takes place is that pigeons are illegally trapped in New York and brought to PA, where the birds are then shot out of launchers and individuals pay to shoot at them. The pigeons that are not shot in the sport are killed in very inhumane ways.

Q: So, what can individuals do to voice their opinions and help shape animal-related legislation?

A: The number-one thing anyone can do is call their state representative. A coworker and I recently worked on a bill involving puppy mills that had to go through the appropriations commitee, and it was not expected to pass. We made a lot of calls to constituents, asking them to contact their legislators, and we later found out that the bill made it through. It is wonderful to see that we can make a difference.

I'll hopefully be touching base with Emily again this summer to find out more about The Humane Society's Taking Action for Animals event in Arlington, VA, from July 24-27.

To find out what issues are currently being debated in your area, go to The Humane Society's legislation webpage. If you see something that tugs on your heartstrings, click here (if you live in PA) to contact your state legislators. You can also find contact information for your state Senators and House rep here.

March to the Beat of Camp Bow Wow's Drum!

On July 4th, Brentwood Borough will be hosting its annual parade, and Camp Bow Wow wants you to join us in the celebration. Our mascot, Scout, will be leading the pack along with Camp employees and friends. You and your dog(s) are both welcome, and we will have water and an air-conditioned truck available for any dogs who may need a break.

If you would like to participate, please call or e-mail us at Camp. If you can't march with us but would like to enjoy the parade as a spectator, the festivities will begin at 10:00 a.m. We hope to see you there!

Rover Alert

Losing a pet is one of the hardest things a pet owner can go through. It's a very helpless feeling, knowing your dog is wandering the streets somewhere but not being able to find him. While things like microchips make it easier to reconnect with your lost pets, it doesn't make the time they are gone any less difficult. In addition to contacting your area's Animal Control, calling local shelters, and posting flyers, we want to let you know that if your dog (or cat, for that matter) ever runs away, we will do whatever we can to help you find him. If you send your dog's photo, date he was lost, location he was lost in, and your contact information to our camp e-mail (pa19@campbowwowusa.com), we would be happy to send out a "Rover Alert" on our Facebook page and blog. Hopefully this will extend the network of people who are aware of your dog and will be willing to keep their eyes out for him.

Though we hope that you never have to go through the experience of having a pet run away, if the situation does occur, make sure to keep Camp Bow Wow in the loop so that we can help reunite you with your friend.

A Serious Post for a Change

An incident at Camp in the past week led us to believe that it would be a good idea to refresh everyone's memories (or introduce you for the first time) to the issue of bloat. Bloat, though often unheard of amongst dog owners, is the second leading killer of our canine companions. It is a gastrointestinal medical emergency that involves either the swelling of the stomach from gas or the stomach twisting on its axis. If you've read the book or seen the movie "Marley & Me," bloat is actually what caused Marley to pass away. When bloat occurs, immediate medical attention is necessary, as it progresses in hours or even minutes.

The symptoms of bloat include:
-excessive salivation
-extreme restlessness/pacing
-unproductive attempts to vomit/defecate
-evidence of abdominal pain
-rapid breathing/panting
-collapse

Risk factors for bloat are:
-using a raised food bowl
-speed-eating (for dogs who weigh from 49 to 100 pounds)
-age (risk increases as dogs get older)
-chest depth/width ratio (dogs with a barrel-like chest, like boxers, are at a higher risk)
-having a first-degree relative that has had bloat (mother, father, sibling, or child)

If you've ever wondered why we keep dogs in their cabins for an hour and a half after they eat here at camp, now you know. Please inform us if your dogs have eaten within an hour of being dropped off at camp so that we can let them rest in a cabin before playing, and if you have any questions about bloat, do not hesitate to ask. Our counselors know the signs that bloat is occurring and do their very best to pay close attention to the behavior of all the dogs in our care. Thanks to their quick thinking, the incident this past week had a happy ending.

Camper of the Month

Bailey is our Camper of the Month for June. He is a most handsome Bernese Mountain Dog who just turned one year old on June 1st. He is definitely a favorite with all of the counselors. Who could resist that teddy bear face and loving personality?

Bailey comes to day camp about once a week and boards regularly as well. We also enjoy seeing him and his parents out at many dog-related events around town. Bailey keeps a busy social calendar! We would love to have more Bernies at camp, so if you have one or know someone that does, bring them in to play with Bailey. He is a friend to all the dogs at camp. Congratulations, Bailey!

Disappointing Results to Electronics Recycling Program

Many of you may have donated your old and no-longer-needed electronics to the recycling drives sponsored by the Western PA Humane Society and the Washington Area Humane Society that took place over the last month or two. While supporters came out in droves to help the Humane Societies raise funds, it was the recycling company, Earth ECycle, that dropped the ball. Check out the recent stories in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette describing the sad-but-true story.

New Doubts Raised Over Electronics Recycling

Humane Groups Think They've Been Duped

EPA Says it is Looking Into Electronics Recycling Company