Living in Florida and having our unique weather patterns, we were lucky to have SPCA Bay Area D.A.R.T (Disaster Animal Response Team) and their emergency response vehicle came out to talk to the public about disaster awareness and planning.

Visitors were treated to pet training demonstrations by author, behaviorist, and TV host, Wendy Kelly. Daniel Meehan showed us how his service dog, Noelle, helps him pick up objects and get up after a fall.

Along with all the hardwork and serious business was lots of fun. It was hard to tell the pets from the kids thanks to the kitten makeup applied at our face painting booth. Everyone enjoyed a good meal as staff members, Nikki and Lacy, cooked over a hot grill. The Kona Ice truck stopped by to refresh the visitors. Guests played corn hole toss and answer trivia questions for prizes.

In the end, this event was to raise money for Barnes Buddies’ charity to help local pets with veterinarian costs. Raffle winners were excited to win preventions and other pet care needs while feeling good about helping out. The bidding for our silent auction prizes was fierce but fun! Almost all the items went to good homes.

We would like to thank all the participants for helping to make this event successful: Pinellas Park Officer Beardsley, Officer Perry and his dog, Pulo, Officer and her horse; members of Bay Area D.A.R.T.; Wendy, Brandy, and Laurie from Pet Peeves Animal Training; Jason from Merial and his wife; Dr. Green from Elanco; Pzifer Animal Health; Sogeval Pet Supplies; and Kona Ice.

Contact the rescues in your area. For Pinellas County, this is a list of our shelters.

• SPCA - 727-586-3591, (closed Mondays)
• Humane Society – 727-797-7722
• Pinellas County Animal Services – 727-582-2604

Contact the emergency clinics in your area. Often pets are brought to these clinics because they are open late at night and on weekends. If an owner isn’t found then the pets are transferred to one of the local shelters. Pinellas county emergency clinics:

• Animal Emergency Clinic of St Pete – 727-323-1311 (open week days after 6p and weekends 24hrs)
• Tampa Bay Vet Specialists – 727-535-3500 (open 24 hrs)

Do not just call the rescues/shelters but visit them and visually check for your pet. Often these facilities are over worked and understaffed so a pet may be overlooked but if you go there you have a better chance of identifying your pet.

Notify all vet clinics in your surrounding area. Concerned neighbors will often bring strays to the clinic in their area. The clinic will scan for a microchip and house them until an owner is found.

Ask around. It doesn’t hurt to go door-to-door in your community to ask if anyone has seen your pet. Sometimes a neighbor will be caring for your pet as they are looking for the owner.

A picture is worth a thousand words. Your fliers will get more of a response if you use pictures in any “LOST” posters. Put these posters up in your neighborhood, at local vets, shelters, and even businesses in your area.

Before your pet goes missing, take this steps to help ensure you get your pet back just in case he/she does get lost:

Microchip and register your pets. Make sure the registration is correct because many organizations do not include the registration when you have your pet microchipped. Also, it needs to be updated if you move or change phone numbers.

• Home Again – 888-466-3242
• Avid – 800-336-2843
• 24PetWatch - 1-866-597-2424 x 331
• ResQ - 1-877-PETLINK (1-877-738-5465)

Make sure your county license is up-to-date. Legally, ALL pets should have a Rabies vaccines and license. The info from the tag number can help link your pet to your contact info. You can get your county license at Pinellas Animal Hospital or Pinellas County Animal Services.

Join a company that does the advertising for you.

• Home Again
• Petlink

On Saturday, April 14, Pinellas Animal Hospital will open it’s doors to the public with their Barnes’ Buddies Pet Health Fair. This event is designed to create healthier pets by bringing more information to the community. Along with the important educational aspect, we will be raising money to support our local charity, Barnes’ Buddies. Barnes’ Buddies is a not-for-profit charity founded by our vets and staff to assist pets’ and their families at our hospital in times of emergencies. For information on Barnes’ Buddies, please click the link here.

Staff and representative will present educational booths on flea, tick, and intestinal parasite preventions; dental health; nutrition; vaccinations; and dermatology. After spending time learning more about your pet’s health, everyone is invited to try their luck and knowledge in the pet health games with a chance to win fun prizes.

Our event will be entertaining as well as educational. There will be demonstrations from the Pinellas Park Mounted Police Department and K-9 Units. Free food and drinks, including a Kona shaved ice machine, will be provided.

Special guest, Wendy Kelly of Pet Peeves Training, will be at the event and signing her book, “Buji And Me: 7 Lessons From the Dog That Rescued Me”. Wendy has had a varied life as a psychological therapist, applied animal behaviorist, author, and animal show host. In this book, she shares the dynamic, life-changing force that occurs when we allow our pets to become our teachers.

A silent auction with proceeds going to Barnes’ Buddies will be held at the event. Prizes have been provided from area businesses and include:

• Tampa Bay Lightning autographed puck and hat
• Florida Aquarium tickets
• Tampa Bay Rays tickets
• Massage Studio gift certificate
• Golf Package
• Tijuana Flats food package

In order to better assist pets at our hospital, PAH has formed a new not-for-profit charity, Barnes’ Buddies. The charity was named in memory of our long time house pet, Barnes. Barnes came to live at our clinic after being shuffled from home-to-home for issues with storm anxieties. He changed the lives of so many of the hospital staff with his happily wagging tail and energetic personality. Barnes sadly succumbed to cancer on November 5, 2008. In an effort to keep the spirit of Barnes alive, we would like to make it possible to help other pets and their families during their time of need.

If you would like to help our charity, please click Barnes’s picture which will take you directly to the donation page. There you will select an amount, state, and clinic. Please join with us to help pets with emergency needs.

Barnes Buddy’s will be managed through The Veterinarian Care Foundation.

The Veterinary Care Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable foundation created for the specific purpose of helping veterinary practices fund the discounted and no charge care they generously provide.

The Veterinary Care Foundation strives to bring together a wide range of veterinary medicine practitioners under the umbrella of one charitable entity whose purpose is to assist its Member Practices to raise funds for their charitable efforts.

Veterinary medicine has changed considerably in the past 10 years. The current economic climate has placed even more pressure on a veterinarian’s ability to help clients who might be experiencing financial hardship. The Veterinary Care Foundation was established to help cover the costs of Good Samaritan Care as well provide financial assistance to caring pet owners who need help paying for the care of their family pet.

Providing low-or-no-cost care for the beloved pet of a senior person on a fixed income, routine medical support for local police/fire working dogs, or providing temporary housing for pets in family violence situations are just a few of the ways veterinarians frequently support the community.

100% of all funds donated to the Veterinary Care Foundation go directly to improving the quality of life of pets and their people; all Foundation operating expenses are met by membership dues paid by veterinarians.

It is estimated that 80 percent of people brush their teeth every day, but far fewer pet owners do the same for their pets. Pet Dental Health Month, celebrated every February, teaches pet owners proper dental hygiene is equally as important for their pets.

“Most people have no idea that dental health is so important to their pets, and that’s why Pet Dental Health Month is such a great idea,” explains Dr. Larry Corry, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). “In fact, veterinarians report that periodontal disease is the most commonly diagnosed problem in dogs and cats. This can lead to painful infections of the mouth, and in severe cases these infections can spread and become life-threatening conditions. During Pet Dental Health Month, the AVMA is encouraging all dog and cat owners to regularly brush their pet’s teeth and regularly see their veterinarian for checkups.”

The AVMA, a sponsor of Pet Dental Health Month, offers an informative video giving step-by-step instructions on how to brush your pet’s teeth. The Pet Dental Month Web site,www.petdental.com, includes tips from a veterinary expert on pet dental health, Dr. Brook Niemiec.

“Periodontal disease, an infection of the gums, is incredibly common in pets, and it can be quite serious,” explains Dr. Niemiec, a board certified veterinary dental specialist. “It’s estimated that by the age of two, 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats have some form of periodontal disease. Periodontal infections have been linked to diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and other life threatening disorders. The best way to prevent periodontal disease is by regularly brushing your pet’s teeth and by regularly visiting your veterinarian.”

For more information, please visit www.avma.org.