DECLAWING

Declawing is not like a manicure. It is a serious surgery. Your cat's claw is not a toenail. It is actually closely adhered to the bone. So closely adhered that to remove the claw, the last bone of your cat's claw has to be removed. Declawing is actually an amputation of the last joint of your cat's "toes". When you envision that, it becomes clear why declawing is not a humane act. It is a painful surgery with a painful recovery period. And remember that during the time of recuperation from the surgery your cat would still have to use its feet to walk, jump, and scratch in its litter box regardless of the pain it is experiencing. Wheelchairs and bedpans are not an option for a cat.

-Taken from an article by Dr. Christianne Schelling

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ELECTRIC FENCES

This is for information purposes only. Whether you already have an electronic fence or you are considering getting one, we think these are some things you should know. Most electronic fence salesmen say that they keep your dog safer than a traditional fence because your dog can't climb out. In my experience over the years, we have rescued many dogs out of the road who blew through their shocking fence or whose battery had run down, but no dogs who have climbed out of a chain link on their own. Electric fences were never intended to be used as a baby sitter for unattended dogs.

If you are considering electric fencing for your dog, be aware of some problems that can arise.

  • Anyone entering your property (whether known or uninvited intruders or trespassers) are not protected from your dog and the possibility of attack while the dog protects itself or your property (doing their instinctual job). A neighbor’s child can wander into the area unsupervised and result in devastating consequences.
     
  • Your pet is not protected. Stray dogs, wild animals, cats and humans (who may have less than honorable intentions) can walk right into your yard and gain access to your pet.
     
  • Initial training requires your pet to be shocked  to “get the idea”. This is unbelievably traumatic to some dogs. Some are so adversely affected that they will not go out into the yard after this exposure. This leads to house-training issues and many times rejection of the pet. Anyone’s dog could be the one to be traumatized by the shocking. Why take the chance on losing a wonderful pet and companion?
     
  • The shock(s) can be associated with others (human and animal) outside the fence and the dog becomes aggressive towards them because he believes they are causing the pain. Dogs that showed no aggression changed after “shock-fence” training.
     
  • The belief that the “warning beep” pre-shock isn’t harmful to the dog is wrong. The dog associates the beep with the shock and it becomes psychologically as painful to the dog as the shock. Many trainers have reported cases where the dogs were having negative reactions to “beeps” from coffee makers, computers, wrist watches, computers and home alarms. The pet was feeling “mind-shocks” from every angle.
     
  • Many feel that the one “shock” to their pet is worth being able to let them run free in the yard but many dogs become emotionally troubled and withdrawn from the real shock(s) and the perceived shocks associated with the “beeps” when too close to the boundary.
     
  • It is rare for an electric fence user to put the collar around their neck and shock themselves on the frequency they do their pets. Why? Because they fear the pain, but have no problem doing it to their pets they say they love.

We have had personal experience in two cases with electronic fences (besides the dogs we rescue out of the middle of the road). The first was a puppy who was adopted from us. She was happy, healthy, and enjoyed playing with the other dogs here. She was put on electronic fence, and left out unattended, when she was 5 months old. Suddenly every time she saw a dog or a friend near her yard and she went to greet them she was shocked. She started to associate the shocks with the dogs and people and became very aggressive, trying to attack any dog that broke the boundary and came into her yard. It ended up with the owner being bitten trying to break up a dog fight and the dog was euthanized. She was only a year and a half old. We only found out after it had happened and could only cry over the sweet puppy that had left our home with a new family that we thought was going to love and protect her.

The second dog was a 15 pound dog that wasn't adopted from us, but we were contacted by her owners saying they wanted to "get rid" of her. They had started her on electric fence and after the first couple of shocks she refused to go outside and went to the bathroom in the house. We brought her here and gradually got her used to the outside again where she did wonderfully and was adopted into a family that only leash walked her.

There can be different problems with any kind of containment but whatever type of fencing you use just remember, your dogs are happier and less likely to get into trouble when you are outside with them.