Friday, June 25, 2010

Politicians should do what’s right

My blogs are usually cool, calm and collected, conveying to those who read them what I hope to be helpful information about pets and issues that affect them.

But today’s blog is anything but calm. I am angry. I just learned that city officials of Brooksville, which is in Hernando County, are threatening to close down the county’s only dog park, the Rotary Centennial Dog Park, located in Spring Hill.

We’ve had this park listed on FloridaPets.net since it opened in January, 2009. You can read about it here. As you can see, yes, the county contributed financially, but that’s only part of the story. A lot of good, regular dog people made contributions toward the construction of this dog park and it took quite a while to make it all a reality. Now, rather than simply instituting a small fee-for-use of the dog park, which most park-goers would probably be happy to pay, these officials seem to think the answer to lack of financial resources is to block access to something those tax payers actually partially own.

The Hernando County Commissioners are also threatening to “leave dead animals on the road” by cutting operating funding for county animal control. Yes, you read right. Such action would also impact any kind of stray animal rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming efforts in jeopardy.

So, yes, I am upset. At typical political short-sightedness. At lack of caring for all of God’s creatures. At too much worry about getting re-elected and not enough doing the right thing unless there’s a camera around.

What can we do? I’m a big believer in speaking up for those who have no voice, including children, animals, or the very elderly. In this case, there are animals that need us; they need our voice. I hope you will join with me and write, email, fax, or call the Board of Hernando County Commissioners and tell them you are a voter with a pet and politely ask them to do the right thing, not just for themselves, but for those who elected them, and for all the animals those voters love and donate money to care for.

Why do this if you don’t live in Hernando County? Because counties follow the actions of other counties and if one does something, even a bone-headed something, others may follow and one of them could be the county where you are your family resides.

So, contact the Hernando officials and ask them to come up with a Plan B for the dog park. And ask them to not cut funding for a department that helps the most innocent among us. Hernando county contact info can be found here. And contact information for the rest of Florida’s counties can be found here.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Companion Therapy Laser brings hope

A few years ago, I injured my back teaching my youngest border collie to catch a Frisbee. (I know, I know, shouldn't she have been teaching ME?) Due to that injury, two herniated disks, nerve involvement, and lots of arthritis, pain has become a constant and unwelcomed addition to my life.

Therefore, I have been constantly on the look out for new non-invasive, non-drug treatments that will decrease my pain, not just the money in my pocketbook.

Recently, during my weekly online research, I came across an article about laser therapy for dogs. It's called Companion Therapy Laser. Although also used for human members of sports teams, it does not appear to be something that will help me - at least not at this time. Nonetheless, I wanted to share it with readers with pets who might benefit from the information.

Here's how it works: The veterinarian directs a concentrated beam of light that stimulates cell growth and promotes blood flow into the injured part of the dog's body. Experts with the Newark-based LiteCure company, where the laser is produced, say it treats muscle and joint soreness and can be used as part of a surgery recovery program. A treatment only takes one to five minutes and can cost about $20 for a one-time post-surgical procedure or up to around $240 for a full therapeutic regimen.

For more information about this treatment, visit Companion Therapy Laser.