Whitney Teal

Saving Cinnamon: An Author's Journey to Bring a Puppy Home

by Whitney Teal (Subscribe to Whitney Teal's posts): Jan 11th 2010 @ 1:00PM Filed Under: Dogs

Cinnamon in Afghanistan. St. Martin's Press

Cinnamon, a puppy raised near an American military base in Afghanistan, came into author Christine Sullivan's life in an unusual fashion. "My brother [Mark Feffer] actually met her when he was deployed in 2006," she told Paw Nation. "She was alone on a base from a very young age, probably 3 or 4 months old. She was quite a surprise to him, being on a military base where you wouldn't expect to see a little puppy running loose."

The homeless canine is the subject of a new memoir by Sullivan, "Saving Cinnamon: The Amazing True Story of a Missing Military Puppy and the Desperate Mission to Bring Her Home". The book documents Sullivan's family's struggle to bring the tawny dog home when Feffer's service in the Middle East ended.

During Feffer's tenure in Afghanistan, Cinnamon became part of the family for him and other American troops stationed at his base. Cinnamon and the soldiers provided each other with "love and encouragement," and no one wanted to see her left behind when they were all rotated out to go home or to other bases. The group decided that Feffer would adopt her and send her to the U.S., aided by a dog handler who was to ensure that she got to Chicago safely.

"We had folks to meet [the handler] in Chicago," says Sullivan, "but he got off the plane and mumbled something about losing Cinnamon along the way."

Susan Daffron, Host of 'Take Me Home'

by Whitney Teal (Subscribe to Whitney Teal's posts): Oct 26th 2009 @ 11:00AM Filed Under:

susandaffron.com

Susan Daffron, host of online radio show "Take Me Home," is an animal rescue expert. She recently turned her years of experience adopting troubled pets and working with animals into a professional organization: the National Association of Pet Rescue Professionals. We spoke to her about her show and the rescue business.

How did you come to start the National Association of Pet Rescue Professionals?
In this economy, a lot of groups are struggling with a lot more animals coming in. There are people getting rid of animals because of foreclosure, and not being able to afford to feed them. The animals end up being the victim. At the same time, donations are down, so [groups] have to be a lot more creative with fundraising. We try to provide the tools to help these rescues run more effectively.

A lot of people want to do something, so they start a rescue, but they're not really business people. I thought it could be really good to have a place for the small rescue groups to get together. We are putting a voice to the shared experiences, because it doesn't matter if you're rescuing beetles, or you're rescuing Samoyeds, or you're rescuing border collies, you're dealing with a lot of the same issues and frustrations on a day-to-day basis.

Cat Rescued from SUV's Engine

by Whitney Teal (Subscribe to Whitney Teal's posts): Oct 21st 2009 @ 7:00AM Filed Under: Cats, Pets News

NYPD

The days of the fire department rescuing cats are over, but the police department seem to be picking up where they left off.

Members of the New York Police Department were dispatched to a driver in the Bronx, who told them that a cat had gotten lodged in the engine of his SUV yesterday afternoon, reports myFOXNY.com.

The cops took a look and there was, indeed, a small animal inside of the 2005 Nissan Murano. The motorist told the police that he didn't realize something was wrong until after he'd driven around within his neighborhood for about 2 miles.

The Emergency Service Unit, an elite tactical unit of the NYPD that works with various types of rescues, were able to free the cat before it was taken to the Animal Care and Control, where it was reported as being in good condition.

Photo: NYPD

Cat Lady Loses 9 of 80 Cats

by Whitney Teal (Subscribe to Whitney Teal's posts): Oct 15th 2009 @ 5:00PM Filed Under: Cats

Photo: WGMK-TV

At least nine cats died this week after a Daytona Beach woman's house caught on fire. But even crazier -- 71 seem to have lived.

Rhonda Spivey's home was the victim of a freak fire that sparked after ants built a colony near an electrical outlet on her living room wall. When the fire department came to her rescue, they found dozens of other animals living there.

"They had cats that were outside cats and inside cats," Lt. Fred Godowa of the Volusia County Fire Department told Paw Nation. "I've seen cases where people had quite a few cats, but not that many; that was quite unusual." Spivey had about 80 cats.

Spivey told ClickOrlando.com that she never intended to amass so many animals, but that people constantly gave her cats to pet-sit and then abandoned the animals.

"We physically pulled out 36 cats," Godowa continued. Of that number, nine did not live, while the 40-plus other cats either remained outside of Spivey's home or ran away.

While the Spiveys will lose about $50,000 in damage because of the fire, there is one bright spot.

"There are [animal] codes, and the Code Enforcement was going to fine her," Godowa told us. "But she already had a fire and the loss of her home. The last thing she needed was a $3,800 fine, so the city waved it."

Of the 36 rescued cats, eleven went to a nearby Humane Society while another seven were taken to an animal rescue.

Founder and President of Puppies Behind Bars

by Whitney Teal (Subscribe to Whitney Teal's posts): Sep 30th 2009 @ 11:00AM Filed Under: Dogs, Pet Training, I Work With Animals!

Photo: Puppies Behind Bars

What animal lover hasn't daydreamed about ditching their desk job and applying for a job at the zoo? Or at a doggy daycare? Or tracking gorillas in Africa? We sure have, but since most of us may never actually get to work with the animals we love, we thought we'd introduce you to a few people who do.

Name: Gloria Gilbert Stoga
Age: 55
Job: Founder and President, Puppies Behind Bars

What is Puppies Behind Bars?
It's a non-profit organization that trains prison inmates to raise service dogs for the disabled and explosive detection canines for law enforcement.

How do you go about that?
We bring puppies into prison when they're eight weeks of age, then we go in one day a week to teach the inmate how to care for the dogs and train them in commands.

How did this program start?
A vet in Florida, Dr. Thomas Lane, came up with the first guide dog prison program in 1990. I read about it and thought it was a terrific idea. So in 1997, after researching what he did, I came up with my own variation of the idea. It took seven months to get the program going, and Mrs. Libby Pataki, who was the governor's wife, helped me get approval in Albany, New York.

Why did you feel there was a need for the program, beyond what Dr. Thomas was doing?
At that time, it was difficult to find families who would raise guide dogs. Asking a family to raise a puppy for about 19 months and then give it up is a lot to ask. When there were more stay-at-home spouses it was easier, but with most two-income couples, it's hard to raise a dog that's not your pet. I just thought that it made sense to give prison inmates an opportunity to contribute to society, even when they were incarcerated.

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Miniature Dogs

Miniature Poodle
Miniature Poodles, like all Poodles, are excellent swimmers who originated as a water retrievers. All Poodles, Standard, Miniature and Toy are actually one breed, just different sizes. Miniature Poodles, who can be white, black, apricot or gray, are usually 15 inches or under, according to the American Kennel Club.

David McKelvey/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dgmckelvey/3748491903/

Miniature Dogs

Miniature Dachshund
The Miniature Daschund, only 11 pounds or under, is not a separate classification of the Daschund -- it's just a smaller version of the Standard. The miniature dog, with its long bodies and strong sense of smell, are both hunters and lapdogs, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs

Miniature Schnauzer
The Miniature Schnauzer is of German descent and was originally bred to be a small farm dog. The most popular of the three Schnauzer breeds, the Miniature Schnauzer is a attentive, lively and a favorite among celebrities like Mary Tyler Moore and Bill Cosby. The strongly built miniature dog is between 12 to 14 inches, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs

Miniature Bull Terrier
Just like the playful Bull Terrier, the Miniature Bull Terrier, who originated in England, has a similar personality. Don't let its size fool you – the Miniature Bull Terrier is strong, energetic and audacious. Miniature Bull Terriers are between 10 to 15 inches and can be solid white or colored, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs

Miniature American Eskimo Dog
The American Eskimo Dog is one of three separate categories of the American Eskimo Dog. Between 12 to 15 inches, the bright white dog is loving, protecting and sociable. Now a great companion dog, the miniature dog was once a circus dog, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs

Miniature Pinscher
Also known as the "Min Pin," the Miniature Pinscher is a German Breed whose ancestry includes the Daschund, Italian Greyhound and the shorthaired German Pinscher. The quick, curious dog is the perfect apartment dog. Despite its small size, the compact pooch makes a wonderful watchdog. The spirited miniature dog, about 10 inches to 12 1/2 inches, can be red, black, or chocolate with tan, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs