Editor’s note: Shela has several changes in her life making it difficult to continue the column. First, an apology to readers for the oxymoron-ish statement in last month’s column: “If you don’t have access to a computer, email me …” So, let’s try that again. If you need any of the disaster preparedness lists about…
Editor’s note: This column was submitted after the Mountain Fire began but before evacuation orders were implemented. If we weren’t paying attention before, we are now. You’re ready to evacuate your family in case of a disaster on our mountain; you’ve got supplies to get through a week or two if we are isolated here….
With temperatures climbing, it’s time to leave your dogs at home when you run into the post office or the market “for just a couple of minutes.” Every summer, news programs carry at least one sad story of a dog dying from heatstroke while locked in a car. The thought of what these poor animals…
Heartworm is a parasitic roundworm that is transmitted to certain animals (dogs, cats, ferrets and coyotes, for example) only through the bite of an infected mosquito. An uninfected mosquito can bite an already-infected animal and then spread it to other animals it subsequently bites. It takes seven months from the bite for the heartworm to…
The first rattlesnakes of the season already have been spotted on the Hill. There are eight species of rattlers found in Southern California. A combination of preventive measures and cautious behavior can help keep your pets safe from their deadly venom. Rattlesnake aversion training can save your dog’s life if reputible, trained professionals do it…
Anyone reading this column knows the pain associated with having to make the decision to spare a sick or older animal further suffering. And, yet, as responsible pet parents, it comes with the territory. If ever there was a time to speak for your dog or cat, this is it. They depend on us to…
According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, at least half of this country’s dog and cat populations are overweight. The reason is pretty much the same as for their owners: taking in more calories than the body can use. And the consequences are the same, too: increased risk for serious health problems, decreased quality…
The issue of spaying or neutering your pet is one of the most widely discussed animal welfare topics of our time. Most people agree it’s for the best. Yet, it’s estimated that 70,000 dogs and cats are born in this country each day. Even if you don’t do the math, it’s obvious there aren’t enough…
I’ve lived in Idyllwild for 13 years and only occasionally seen a lone deer on my morning hikes. Infrequently, we might see one bounding across Highway 243 on the way out of town. But, in the last few months, there has been an increase in sightings, not only in our Saunders Meadow neighborhood, but also…
In last month’s column, Janice Fast brought us through the beginning of our community’s animal rescue history up to the late 1980s. Some of us fondly like to imagine that the next chapter started when a flame-haired, leather-clad woman roared into town on her Harley-Davidson, her saddlebacks stuffed with cats and dogs. But, according to…