Lucky Dog Newsletter - February 2020
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- Corona Virus Updates
- Puppy Love In TheTime Of Corona Virus
- Worried about your dog? Here's why you need to know
- Our Featured Lucky Dogs...
- Happy Tails Tales
- Romer
- Izzy (formerly known as Esme)
- What do you get when you adopt from Lucky Dog
- Upcoming Fundraisers
- Be a Hero!
- Volunteer in the Spotlight - Faye Mosher
- 10 Health Benefits of Adopting a Dog
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A new year, a new decade, and much to celebrate! Last year, 121 Lucky Dog pups were adopted into loving homes! And we're off to a great start this year, many more dogs have found furever homes thanks to people like you! We're extremely grateful to our supporters and volunteers; you are the key to helping our Lucky Dogs! We hope you enjoy the latest edition of our newsletter....
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Puppy Love In The Time Of Corona Virus
Forget toilet paper, canned goods, and 20 lb bags of pasta, it's time to stock up on the real necessities of life to get through this uncertain time of isolation! Bring a little joy into your life and fill your days with love and affection by adopting or fostering a Lucky Dog and help fill the void left by your dwindling social calendar. Just because we’re social distancing doesn’t mean we have to do it alone.
How many times in our lives have we all said, “I’d love to do that, if only I had the time”. Well now you do. As we all prepare to spend a significant amount of time at home in the coming weeks, and beyond, the promise of companionship to get us through all this is critical to our long-term health.
The health clubs and fitness centers may be closed but we can still stay fit with early morning dog walks. Canine companionship is linked to lower blood pressure, reduced cholesterol, and a host of other benefits, so dogs not only fill your heart, they actually make it stronger, and you can share your interactions with your dog by posting photos on social media to provide a break from the onslaught of darker news. For lots more good reasons to seek out canine companionship refer to the article below.
“I’m not getting sick of my husband yet, but it’s nice to have a little doggy. Just someone to hang out with,” - Alice Dangerfield
“There’s no question that animals provide incredible comfort and companionship, especially during times of crisis — and they certainly appreciate the attention — so we encourage people to continue to adopt or temporarily foster animals in need in these difficult times.” - Matt Bershadker, president and chief executive of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Please contact us on-line to pre-book a home-fostering appointment.
E-Mail: LuckyDogChapala@yahoo.com
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PLANNING FOR PETS IF YOU CAN'T BE
THERE FOR THEM
Companion animals may end up all alone with no one to care for them due to their owner’s unexpected illness, accident, hospitalization, or death when no arrangements have been made for their care.
By planning for the unexpected, you can ensure that your furry family member has food, water, shelter, proper care and love if you are no longer able to provide for them. Proper planning can help guarantee your best friend is well cared for in the event that something unexpected happens to you. Here is some information to get you started.
Prepare for the unexpected
Because pets need care daily and will need immediate attention should you become incapacitated, making informal arrangements for temporary care is important.
As we have all witnessed over the past several weeks the changes spreading across the world are significant. The specific impact these changes will have on our community is unknown, but we know that we can expect significant disruption to our daily lives, and we know that plans that we may have made in more normal times may no longer be valid. Animal shelters may be quickly overwhelmed if the impact of the Corona Virus at Lakeside is significant and people find themselves unable to care for their pets. The number of volunteers available to move about the lakeside area and care for the animals may also be impacted. While Lucky Dog has taken steps to protect the dogs and our volunteers, abrupt changes are likely to occur, and we all need to take steps NOW to minimize the potential disruption and ensure the safety of our furry companions.
Identify two responsible individuals who know, and are comfortable with your pet, and agree to serve as temporary emergency caregiver.
Provide these individuals with keys to your home, your veterinarian’s contact information, your pet’s medical information and any medications, feeding and basic care instruction and information pertaining to your arrangements for permanent care.
Make sure your neighbors, friends, and relatives know how many pets you have and the names and contact numbers of the individuals who have agreed to be emergency caregivers. Emergency caregivers should also know how to contact each other.
Carry a card in your wallet with the information about the number and type of pets you have as well as the contact information for your emergency caregivers.
Post “In Case of Emergency” signs on your doors or windows with the number and type of animals inside. These signs will alert emergency responders during a fire or other home emergency. Stickers are not recommended because they are hard to remove and often left behind by past residents, so firefighters may assume that the sticker is outdated or, worse, risk their lives trying to find a pet no longer in the house.
It’s not enough that long ago your friend verbally promised to take in your animal or even that you’ve decided to leave money to your friend for that purpose. Perhaps this is a good time to renew that commitment. Sometimes life situations change and one person may no longer be able to provide care due to changes of their own.
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“Better than gold. Better than diamonds. Better than pearls. Better than any material thing....is the Love of a Dog and the Joy it brings....”
“Hi! My name is Cuchi, and I do need to tell you that I have some special needs. When I was a puppy, I never had a nutritious diet and that has caused me to have skin issues. Mostly I scratch a lot. Lucky Dog has found a good regimen that has helped me to stop lots of the issues. I have a special diet with foods that help my dermatitis. I also take some medications to help with the problem. The special food and medications do cost some money, but they are not terribly expensive, especially when you realize the love I have to give to you.
I’m a beautiful, sweet dog....just ask any of the volunteers. I have a wonderful, short haired white coat with big tan spots. I am a mixed breed and I have been spayed. My birthdate is April, 17th of 2017. I weigh around 14 kilos, so I am a nice medium sized gal. I was tied to a tree and abandoned in La Reserva. A nice person saw me and took me to Lucky Dog. I am happy that Lucky Dog could take me in, and they have been good to me making sure I get all my vaccinations and teaching Important stuff like house training. All the volunteers like me and I like them. I know you’re wondering about my name...”Cuchi” means “cute”. I am a very cute dog!
Remember...
Sunshine doesn’t come from the skies,
It comes from the love that’s in a dogs eyes.
I have Love in my Eyes just for you. Please come out to Lucky Dog and make me your fur-ever friend. You’ll never regret it!”
Love, Cuchi
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“Yes, Okay, already. I’m a dog. I really am. I’m not a lion or a bear or whatever you were about to guess. I’m just super fluffy, and as you can see from my pictures, I have a great smile. I’m still a bit hesitant around strangers because I have an old back injury, but the Lucky Dog volunteers love to play with me, and they are making me so happy! I am now taking medication for my back issues, so I am not in pain any longer. Doesn't every dog deserve some TLC, and especially me since I’ve had some rough times. I’m Crissy, and you can verify my real, true, loyal, loving doggie heart and soul by visiting me at Lucky Dog.
Like I said, my name is Crissy, and my coat is made up of beautiful long, rust colored fluffy hair. I am a mixed breed female, and my birthday is January 16th of 2015. I am always smiling because I am very thankful to be alive and here at Lucky Dog. I was abandoned and found on the careterra. I am a medium sized gal and I weigh around 17 kilos. Lucky Dog is making sure that I have all my vaccinations and I will be spayed too.
As I said, I have an old injury to my vertebrae in my back. I do have to take medication for this issue. There is no surgery for my condition, but the medicine has really helped me, and I now live pain free. But, if you are an older person, you can understand. The medicine is not real expensive, approximately 630 pesos a month, but I will require it for the rest of my life.
If you’ve been hankering for a sweet, beautiful, smart, super fluffy gal, why not come to visit me at Lucky Dog. I’m available for adoption and I would love to be your soulmate. We could play and you could teach me things. Everyone knows how smart fluffy dogs are, so you can easily train me.
I’ll be waiting for your visit!”
Love, Crissy
Read more about Crissy on our website or come on out to meet her in person!
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Happy Tails Tale - Romer
By Jane White
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In our last newsletter we introduced you to Romer, a beautiful boy who collapsed in front of Lucky Dog, sick and severely malnourished. He was nursed back to health and it was time for Romer to have a family of his own. Lucky Dog volunteer, Barbara Colbert, worked with the Bone Voyage organization to secure Romer a place on a flight to Washington and into the arms of his new mom, Jane White. Here's Jane's story (you might want to have a tissue handy).....
Romer is my first dog, and I'm overwhelmed with how much I love and appreciate him. I grew up on a farm in Utah, and my parents had allergies which kept us from having any indoor pets. I've been looking forward to adopting a dog my whole life. I had some hesitation about pre-adopting and worried that I was too much of a dog novice to not know a dog before I adopted, but I melted when I saw Romer's picture. We've been a family of two for a month now, and I feel grateful every day that he came into my life.
H is adoption listing said he's "sweet and loving," which I can now see was an understatement. Even on the first night he came home with me, he was playful, easygoing, and affectionate. He will sit next to me while I work from home, and invite me to play with him by bringing me one of his toys. At night, he keeps as close to me as possible and even wants to share my pillow!
Romer is very hard not to dote on—I can't say "no" to his charming face and soulful eyes. I quickly learned his favorites: rotisserie chicken, squeaky toys, tug-of-war, and beef cheek rolls. When I open a package, he watches me closely and taps his feet on the ground with excitement because he thinks it could be a toy or treat I ordered for him. I've gotten in the habit of opening my own packages in the hallway, then stepping inside with his goodies so he doesn't feel disappointed.
He's everything I could ever want and more in a companion. At the dog park, he's sweet and sociable with the neighborhood dogs. In my house, he's polite, quiet, and cuddly. On jogs around the lake, he's light on his feet and focused. He's even confident walking onto the ferry in a crowd of people to go for hikes on the islands outside Seattle. I'll never know how I got so lucky to be his dog mom, and I'm hugely grateful to Lucky Dog for rescuing him.
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Happy Tails Tale - Izzy
(formerly known as Esme)
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By Jennifer Johnson
We adopted Izzy from Lucky Dog last July. (Her name at Lucky Dog was Esme) We saw her picture on the Lucky Dog web site and decided she was the one! She has the sweetest disposition. She loves everyone, every dog, and even our rescue cat. The cat, Sweet Pea, isn't so thrilled about the new addition, but she is getting used to being licked with Izzy's rather long tongue.
Izzy settled in quite quickly. She got her bathroom routine down right away and we were able to get her to stop jumping on people in quick order. Every day she goes for a walk on the Ajijic malecon for a couple of miles. And on Sunday's she goes up the mountain off leash. We were a little nervous at first letting her off leash but she never goes too far and just loves running and jumping.
We brought her to the beach in Bucerias for 2 weeks this January. She was in heaven! Chasing the birdies on the beach and swimming in the ocean. And visiting all of the restaurants on the sand getting pets and bits of food. She was exhausted every day. Every time we went out for dinner we would take her with us and she was perfect. Never once did we have to remove her because of bad behavior.
Our rule was that she wasn't allowed on the couch and no climbing into bed. Well, guess where she is now. She just got out of the sack and is now sitting on the couch. So much for the rules. She makes us laugh and loves to be with us.
We are so happy with Izzy and very grateful to all of the volunteers for working with her, ensuring that there was a smooth transition. Thank you Lucky Dog!
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Upcoming Fundraisers
Due to the corona virus our March Open House has been postponed to a yet to be undetermined date. More information to come
However, the need remains great. We typically depend on our open houses, garage sales and other fundraisers to provide financial support for Lucky Dog. Please give today!
See our Donate page on our website or contact us via email at Luckydogchapala@yahoo.com.
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As you can imagine, ensuring our dogs have a balanced diet, water, medical care and a safe, loving environment takes mucho dinero!
Become a recurring donor today and be a Lucky Dog Hero! No dollar amount is too small! Or sponsor one of our Lucky Dogs for only $25 USD per month!
See our Donate page or contact us via email at luckydogchapala@yahoo.com.
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Volunteer in the Spotlight
Faye Mosher
My husband and I returned to Lakeside 2 yrs ago after returning to Canada for 13 yrs. So great to be home!! In the late 90's we only had a "Humane Society" for our homeless dogs and cats. That's where I started and when I returned what a surprise to find so many shelters, spay/neuter groups and now the groups flying our dogs NOB! It warms my heart.
I visited Lucky Dog not long after I arrived back and decided this is where I belong! So I started volunteering....daily duties and walking the dogs. I loved the way they ran the shelter.....so organized and such devoted volunteers! We have what I call our "t-shirt department" and it needed some work. I have retail management in my past life so I was asked to take it on and see if I could generate more sales. It's been fun setting up our t-shirt table in different venues and getting to meet so many interesting people living at Lakeside and so many huge animal lovers. I'm also involved in organizing and working fundraisers for Lucky Dog along with the many incredible volunteers we have working for our shelter. I can't imagine myself working for any other organization that doesn't involve the dogs!
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10 Health Benefits of Adopting or Fostering A Dog
Article From the Huffington Post
1. Improve heart health
Dogs don’t just fill your heart; they actually make it stronger. Studies show that having a canine companion is linked to lower blood pressure, reduced cholesterol, and decreased triglyceride levels, which contribute to better overall cardiovascular health and fewer heart attacks. What’s more, dog owners who do have heart attacks have better survival rates following the events.
2. Keep you fit and active
Health experts recommend that adults get about 2 hours and 30 minutes worth of moderate exercise per week. Dog owners are way more likely to hit that goal. “People love to be outside to walk their dog, and be with their dog,” says Kay Joubert, Director Companion Animal Services at PAWS, a Washington-based animal advocacy organization. “It helps them be more active.”
In turn, that activity helps us remain mobile into our 70s and 80s. Earlier this year, a study in the journal Gerontologist found that older adults who walked dogs experienced “lower body mass index, fewer activities of daily living limitations, fewer doctor visits, and more frequent moderate and vigorous exercise.”
As a bonus…
3. Help you lose weight
Want to drop a few pounds? Grab Fido and get hoofing. Research has repeatedly found that daily dog walks help you lose weight, since they force you to into moderate physical activity for 10, 20, and even 30 minutes at a time. In fact, in 2010, one small study discovered public housing residents who walked “loaner” dogs five times a week lost an average of 14.4 pounds over the course of a year. The same benefits can be had by fostering a dog for a period of time. The best part: Participants considered it a responsibility to the dog, rather than exercise. (”They need us to walk them.”)
4. Improve your social life
As we age, it becomes harder to meet people. Not so for dog owners. Researchers have found that about 40 percent make friends more easily, possibly because the vast majority—4 in 5, according to one British study—speak with other dog owners during walks. And although physical social distancing (at least 6 feet) is critical for aging adults during this pandemic, sharing your stories and your photos in social media is a great way to stay connected and to meet new people online. “Dog owners in particular tend to be a little more extroverted, or outgoing” says Joubert. “When you start to engage them about their companion animal, people tend to open up and really blossom. They want to share stories about their favorite friends.up
5. Reduce stress
There’s a reason therapy dogs are so effective: Spending just a few minutes with a pet can lower anxiety and blood pressure, and increase levels of serotonin and dopamine, two neurochemicals that play big roles in calm and wellbeing. People performing stressful tasks do better when there’s a dog around, too, and studies show dogs ease tension both at the office and between married couples.
6. Add meaning and purpose
As we grow older—especially after we retire—it can be difficult to find structure and meaning day in and day out. Dogs take care of that. “They force people to continue to do things,” says Kristi Littrell, Adoption Manager at Best Friends Animal Society in Utah. “So, even if you’re not feeling well emotionally or physically, the dog doesn’t care. I mean, they care, but they still want you to feed them and take them for a walk.”
Dogs help prevent loneliness and isolation, as well, which is key in staving off cognitive decline and disease. “It helps us to not just focus on our needs,” says Joubert. “It gives us a reason to really get up in the morning. ‘I need to get up and take care of my friend here.’
7. Stave off depression
It’s widely believed that dog owners are less prone to depression than the dog-less, largely because they seem to help in so many other areas of health and wellbeing. The truth is somewhat more complicated. Though there’s evidence that certain dog owners—including isolated elderly women and HIV-positive men—suffer less from depression than those without pets, there’s also proof that dogs don’t do much for other demographics.
That said, therapy dogs—animals that do not stay in your home—have been shown to be effective in easing depression for a variety of people, old and young, sick and healthy.
8. Prevent grandkids’ allergies
Back in the olden days (the ‘90s), experts believed having a dog in your home contributed to children’s allergies. Fortunately, recent research shows just the opposite is true: Dogs and cats actually lower a child’s chance of becoming allergic to pets—up to 33 percent, according to a 2004 study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. As a side bonus, young ‘uns might even develop stronger immune systems. We’re certainly not suggesting interactions with your grandkids at the moment, but it’s something to think about when the current health crisis is past.
9. Reduce doctor visits
If you’re over 65 and own a pet, odds are you seek medical help about 30 percent less often than people who don’t have a pet. To wit: A study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology established that animal-owning seniors on Medicare “reported fewer doctor contacts over the 1-year period than respondents who did not own pets.” And while cats, birds, and other animals were helpful, “Owners of dogs, in particular, were buffered from the impact of stressful life events on physician utilization.”
10. Battle disease and injury
It’s believed that owning a dog can help detect, treat, and manage a variety of illnesses and debilitations. A few examples:
Some dogs have been trained to sniff out skin, kidney, bladder, and prostate cancer, among others.
Service dogs are known to benefit people with everything from traumatic brain injury to autism to rheumatoid arthritis, increasing mobility and promoting independence.
Alzheimer’s patients are soothed by dogs, whose companionship also seems to mitigate emotional flare-ups and aggression.
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