Lottery dreams: How to open a non-profit for dogs

Congratulations! You've won the Powerball jackpot! You're a millionaire!

If you're like some of the many dog lovers I've met, you dream of opening a shelter, rescue, sanctuary or some other non-profit for pets. You thrill at the idea of opening all the cages at the pound and piling them into your car and taking them to a new home.


I'm sure you're also aware that it's not as easy as that.

 But if you have the cash to make your dream come true, we have the information to help you get started.

How to move a dog and cat into a new home: Lessons learned

Here's the house! We're in! (well almost. A little bit left to do in the apartment)

For the last few weeks I've been moving into this house because no matter what I do I never seem to be ready for a "moving day."

Of course, that means the pets always know something is up ahead of time.

Spring is selling season, so that people can move in summer (why anyone would want to move in summer in Florida, I don't know). This is what the realtors tell me.

So if you are planning a move, here's some things to consider:

Before you move

• Start slow if you can. Pack ahead of time, a couple boxes a day. A lot of stuff at once can stress your pets out.
• If your pet needs to travel in a crate or carrier and doesn't normally travel, you might want to get them acclimated to the crate. Put something soft inside that they like.  Maybe some food. Let them sniff and get comfortable. This one I didn't do with Galadriel. It's always a mistake not to do that.
• Give them lots of attention during this time. Let them feel like nothing bad is going to happen to them. Also, try to stick to their routine as much as possible.
• And... if you get the place ahead of time, bring them over if you can. Let them sniff around. I let Lulu sniff around the house and even the pool.

Intrigued but not interested in going for a swim.

During the move

Assuming you have a proper moving day:

• Put your pet in a safe place with things they like. Lulu and Galadriel went in my bathroom and they had some of their favorite toys and things. 
• Don't let them out unless you are ready to go. You don't want them to accidentally get out.
• Bring them with you. Try not to leave them in an empty space alone overnight, even if they have everything they need. You've taken away their things and changed their home, and you are not there. 
• Once you're in the new place, have a safe spot for them to stay while you are moving things in.

 After the move

Lulu enjoys her Fozzie Bear in the living room, as Galadriel looks on.

 Getting acclimated to new surroundings is not the only thing pets need to do in a new home. It can also mean a change in routine.

• New places to poop. Lulu's backyard isn't quite ready to let her loose (in fact I discovered a gap in the fencing the first day we were in the house. So did Lulu. She almost went on an adventure).
  
  Now, if you can get your dog to just walk outside and use the bathroom, you are a lucky person. Lulu doesn't do that. Lulu has to sniff everything. I have never been able to get her to just poop and go.  So it requires patience, and taking a little time. But it may also involve accidents.
• Let them explore -- under supervision. Lulu and Galadriel are loving their new space. They are exploring the pool area, the garage, all the rooms. But I don't let them explore all day long. Lulu and Galadriel have their own places in the house, places I don't mind getting messed up. I've got a big fence that keeps Lulu from certain parts of the house when I'm not there. I'd rather she poop on tile than carpet.
• Let them get comfortable. They are in a strange place, just like you. They are learning new things. Give them the attention you usually give them, and they will flourish.

Galadriel sunbathes in the pool area.

For more tips, check out this article from ASPCA, or this one from AARP.

Go Orange for animals! Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month

Lulu is going orange!

April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals month, sponsored by ASPCA.

Here at Life With Beagle, we are committed to making the quality of life better for people and for pets. In a moment we'll tell you how you can help us with this endeavour this month.

Do you know how to prevent animal abuse?

ASPCA points out these 10 ways to prevent animal abuse where you live:

1. Know who to call to report animal cruelty. Every state and every town are different. In some areas, you may have to rely on the police department to investigate animal cruelty; in others, you may have to contact local animal control or another municipal agency. If you aren't sure where to report cruelty, please visit our Report Animal Cruelty section.
    
2. Get to know and look out for the animals in your neighborhood. By being aware, you're more likely to notice, for example, that the dog next door who was once hefty has lost weight rapidly—a possible indicator of abuse.
    
3. Make the call. Without phone calls from concerned citizens who report cruelty in their neighborhoods, we wouldn't know about most instances of animal abuse. It all comes from the public, it all starts with YOU—that's why it's so important to keep your eyes and ears open.
    
4. Provide as much as information as possible when reporting animal cruelty. The details that you provide can go a long way toward assisting an investigating officer. It helps to write down the type of cruelty you witnessed, who was involved, the date of the incident and where it took place.
    
5. Contact your local law enforcement department and let them know that investigating animal cruelty should be a priority. Animal cruelty is a CRIME—and the police MUST investigate these crimes.
    
6. Fight for the passage of strong anti-cruelty laws on federal, state and local levels by joining the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade. With stronger laws come tougher penalties. As an ASPCA Advocacy Brigade member, you'll receive emails asking you to write letters encouraging your legislators to pass these laws—and you can send them directly from our website.
    
7. Set a good example for others. If you have pets, be sure to always show them the love and good care they deserve. But it's more than just food, water, and adequate shelter. If you think your animal is sick, bring him to the veterinarian. Be responsible and have your animals spayed or neutered. And give your pets lots of hugs!
    
8. Talk to your kids about how to treat animals with kindness and respect. We regularly see children in homes where animal abuse has been reported. If a parent isn't treating the family's pets right, we tell the kids that their dog or cat would really appreciate fresh water every day or some daily playtime. If the animal has been left outside without shelter, we'll say, 'You have a nice house, and if you get cold, you can put a coat on. But your dog can't do that.' Children understand that animals are living creatures who have the ability to feel pain, joy and sadness.
    
9. Support your local shelter or animal rescue organization. It's a great way to make a difference. Some of our ASPCA volunteers foster animals who have been abused in their former homes, giving these dogs and cats the chance they deserve to have a good life. You can find a list of shelters and rescue groups in your area in our National Shelter Directory.
    
10. Start a Neighborhood Watch Program. Get to know the animals in your neighborhood and invite your friends and neighbors to do the same. Together you can keep an eye out for any suspicious behaviors—abuse and neglect of companion animals, the mistreatment of local wildlife, dogs left in hot cars and other signs of abuse.

 

In our continuing commitment to supporting the human-animal bond, we are once again raising money for the Paws for Peace Walk.

Harbor House of Central Florida has a state of the art, on-property kennel for the pets of domestic violence victims, all paid for with private donations.

Up to 48 percent of domestic violence victims delay leaving a dangerous situation because they don't want to leave their pets.

 The Paws for Peace Walk is April 26 at 8 a.m. at Blue Jacket Park in Orlando.

This year, I have formed a team! If you go to the secure Paws for Peace website, you can join my team and walk with me. It's a short walk, not even a 5K. And your dog can come too! And there will be a raffle, vendors and other activities too for afterwards!

So if you are in Central Florida, please consider joining my team! Or if you can't make it, please consider donating to me. I have a low fundraising goal. 

Just head to my personal page -- Team Beagle! The site takes you to Harbor House's page. It's powered by Kintera and is a secure server.

Meanwhile -- if you can't donate or join our team, you can still Help Team Beagle! Harbor House is hosting a Paws Photo Contest! Lulu is entered in the contest. If you are on Facebook, please head to this link and vote for her daily!

Up to 85 percent of domestic abuse victims say their partner threatened, hurt or killed a pet. - See more at: http://www.lifewithbeagle.com/2013/12/harbor-house-paws-for-peace-kennel-1.html#sthash.zBv4VzVO.dpuf

Up to 85 percent of domestic abuse victims say their partner threatened, hurt or killed a pet. - See more at: http://www.lifewithbeagle.com/2013/12/harbor-house-paws-for-peace-kennel-1.html#sthash.zBv4VzVO.dpu

Happy Halloween! Giveaway winners and safety tips

Happy Halloween everyone!

First, the winners of the Go Dog Zombiez giveaway:

• Doris Humber
• Stefani Joi Heller
• Lori Anderson-Watkins

Congratulations! I'll be emailing you guys soon!

Now, as you guys know, I had Lulu dressed up this weekend in Halloween pictures:

But tonight Lulu will only be wearing her Thundershirt.

Lulu barks every time strange people come to the door, and that will especially be true on Halloween.

So here are some tips to keep your pet safe this spooky holiday, courtesy of ASPCA! Click the infographic to make it bigger.

Florida's Animal Rights ranking -- How we can make it better

Florida has lots of dog-friendly beaches, parks, restaurants and even spas. But we could be more pet-friendly when it comes to our laws.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund released its annual state rankings earlier this month. Florida is in the top tier at number 19, at the bottom of the top tier. Not bad -- but it could be better.

And it wouldn't take much to do either.

The state with the best animal protection laws is Illinois, the worst is Kentucky.
Click on the map to see how your state ranked.

Here are the 15 categories used to determine the rankings:

1. General prohibitions 
2. Penalties 
3. Exemptions 
4. Mental health evaluations & counseling 
5. Protective orders 
6. Cost mitigation & recovery
7. Seizure/impoundment 
8. Forfeiture and post‐conviction possession 
9. Non‐animal agency reporting of suspected animal cruelty 
10. Veterinarian reporting of suspected animal cruelty 
11. Law enforcement policies 
12. Sexual assault 
13. Fighting 
14. Offender registration 
15. “Ag gag” legislation

What Florida does right

 Lora Dunn, one of the analysts at Animal Legal Defense Fund, says Florida has a lot of things going for it.

"Florida does have a felony provision for cruelty, for neglect and for animal fighting," Dunn said.  "And Florida also has mandatory mental health evaluations for convicted abusers."

Florida also has provisions that allow a vet to report an animal who is abused or neglected, and Florida does not have what is called an "Ag Gag" rule, which bans whistleblowers from reporting animal abuses at farms.

Sexual assault of animals is also a crime in Florida. But it's only a misdemeanor. ALDF says it would be better as a felony.

Where Florida Can Improve

Dunn offers some easy changes Florida can make.

"We could make it mandatory in Florida that victims cannot return to their abusers after their convictions," Dunn said. "Currently, even when someone is convicted of abusing their dog, they can regain possession of their pet after completing their sentence. We would like a mandatory provision."

ALDF would also like to make it mandatory that vets report possible abuse or neglect.

"Florida could also improve by making future ownership of animals being banned to convicted abusers," Dunn said. "That ban could be discretionary in terms of its length."

ALDF would also like Florida to make it so that abusers have to pay back shelters who take care of their pets while they are in their care. ALDF also wants Florida to increase the penalties for orders.

Another issue that ALDF would like to see changed is regarding court orders. They want animals to be included when domestic abuse victims go to get court orders. 

What You Can Do

The Florida Legislative session starts in March. Florida's lawmakers only pass new laws during the 90 day session. So far, there are no animal rights laws.

My Florida House.com is the place to find out who your Florida House lawmaker is. Florida Senate.com  is where you can find your Florida Senator.

ASPCA has a whole section on how to lobby your lawmakers. Check out their advocacy center to find out what you can do. 

And if you don't live in Florida, you can find out your own state's ranking and how to make it better. Just go to ALDF and read the report.