ANIMAL RESCUE CORPS AND WILSON COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL RESCUE MORE THAN 100 DOGS FROM A HOARDING SITUATION

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Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) assisted Wilson County Animal Control today in the rescue of more than 100 dogs who were living in deplorable conditions on a property about an hour east of Nashville in Lebanon.
This situation, which started with eight unsterilized dogs two decades ago, devolved into a case of hoarding – the largest ever addressed in Wilson County. When responders arrived at the property, they found approximately 110 medium to large dogs, including various mixes of breeds such as Shepherds, Chows, Terriers, Labradors, and Rottweilers, living in feces-laden ramshackle pens with no doors. The dogs only had dilapidated wooden boxes and rusted-through metal bins to use as housing.
“The temperatures in Tennessee have been brutal lately and these dogs have had no shaded relief from the sun or any clean water, the conditions are extremely crowded and unsanitary, and therefore unsafe.” said ARC Tennessee State Liaison Peg Petrelli. “One dog so far has been found dead and the evidence suggests many have not survived this harsh environment.”
Many of the dogs rescued have been affected by medical conditions such as mange, broken legs, bone disorders, conjunctivitis, and blindness resulting from their living conditions and the absence of daily care and medical attention. Many are also un-socialized to humans and very shy because of their lack of individualized attention. All of the animals were surrendered to Wilson County Animal Control.
“We owe our deepest gratitude to the ARC team; without their expertise, assistance and resources this large scale rescue would not have been possibly.” said Wilson County Animal Control Director Mary Burger. “We are grateful Animal Rescue Corps is finally giving these dogs the care they deserve.”..."  More

The Legal Effects of Hoarding

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by John Terrell

Hoarding is a mental issue that involves an unhealthy collection of items. Sometimes the collection is just an overabundance of stuff that overtakes the home, while other times the hoard contains items that are harmful to those living in the home, both humans and animals.he legal effects of hoarding are one aspect people don't consider until they are faced with the unpleasant consequences. Problems often start when a landlord or neighbor complains about the hoard and initiates an investigation. At this point, city officials and other organizations get involved, as needed.The Consequences on the Family and Children
Hoarding can be taken to the extreme, to the point where the home is inhabitable due to mold, feces, structural damage, or fire hazards. For this reason, Child Protective Services may be called. Children are sometimes removed from the home until the home is suitable for living in. In addition, Adult Protective Services may also be notified and adult members living in the hoard may be forced to move until conditions improve.The Consequences on the Home
Renters who develop a hoarding problem face possible eviction. Landlords have the right to protect their property from the damage hoarding incurs. Furthermore, if the home is in bad enough shape or extents into the yard, city fines may apply. The worst case scenario is that the home is demolished, leaving the hoarder without a place to live.The Consequences of Hoarding Animals
Animal hoarders believe they have an abundance of animals because of their fondness of them. They claim to love the animals. What it really stems from, however, is mental illness. Mistreating animals, including malnourishment, forcing them to live in confined spaces, keeping them in uncleanly conditions or worse is punishable by law.The legal ramifications for animal hoarding may include steep fines up to $1000, felony arrest for animal cruelty or neglect, psychological evaluation and treatment, community service and a ban from owning animals in the future. The punishment correlates between how many animals were harmed and if the hoarder is a repeat offender. Initial jail time, for example, may be a six month sentence, but if the problem continues they may get up to four years in jail.Hoarders often don't realize the legal effects their hoarding can initiate. They are in denial that they have a problem and think that their collection isn't hurting anyone. It's only when authorities do get involved that they are forced to make changes..."  Link

'Cat lady' parasite linked to suicide attempts

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By Stephanie Pappas



Women infected with the cat parasite Toxoplasma gondii are more likely to attempt suicide than non-infected women, new research finds. The reason for this connection, however, remains mysterious. T. gondii is a protozoa that prefers to infect cats, but can make its home in any warm-blooded animal. Humans can pick up the parasite from contact with cat feces, or by eating undercooked meat or unwashed vegetables. Once ingested, T. gondii can make a home for itself inside the brain and muscle tissues, protected inside cysts that are resistant to attacks by the host's immune system. Some studies have linked infection by this parasite with a variety of mental health and brain problems, including schizophrenia, neurosis and brain cancer. But scientists aren't clear on whether the parasite contributes to these problems or is a mere side effect. Someone with schizophrenia, for example, might struggle to keep up good hygiene, meaning the mental disorder could increase the risk for infection. [Top 10 Diabolical & Disgusting Parasites] The new study linking suicide and T. gondii has the same limitation. Researchers can't say for sure whether the parasite somehow drives people to suicide. But in women with infections, they found, the risk of an attempt is 1.5 times greater than in women without..."  More

Can't we all just get along?

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I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving Holiday and stuffed themselves! I traveled to NC and was the center of attention at the holiday family gathering. Everyone loved me and said what a great dog I was ... Heck Yeah! :)

I was exhausted after all the travel, and when I got home I was ready to just hang with my buddy Pickles. Here we are on a lazy, dreary Sunday morning. awwwwwww now why can't we all just get along like this... side by side and squishy faced!?

I hope you all are geared up for the holiday season. Please be safe if you are traveling, and enjoy your friends and family! I know I will!!

AND Don't forget to book your holiday pet care needs with Buckhead Pet Pals - the sooner you book the better! :)

Ciao for now!
Rocky

I'm a lucky boy

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Hey Everybody -

  I'm a lucky dog you know.  During the school year and I'm at home during the day without any human company, I have my best buddy Mr. Pickles to hang out and play with.  And we really do play together.  My girls think its really funny to watch us playing, I just know its a ton of fun.  And in the summer time my brother and sister are home to hang with me, which makes me that happiest.

And on the occasion, I tell mom in the morning that I'm coming to the office with her.  That's where I get to see Catherine, Tiffany and play with Mr. Bill and my huge dog bone.  I mean, it really doesn't get any better than that.

Here's a pic of me and Mr. Pickles together.  Somedays when I come back from my midday walk with Laurie, Mr. P is hanging out on my bed waiting for me.  He might pretend like he doesn't enjoy me licking his head, but I know he loves it.

Hope all of you have as many great adventures during your days as I do!  And if you need a midday walk during the day like me, tell your humans to call Buckhead Pet Pals - they can help!

Peace out -
Rocky

The Center for Puppetry Arts - "Adventures of Little Noodle" Performance

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Adventures of Little Noodle Puppet Show

Did you know that the Center for Puppetry Arts was the first puppetry center in the United States?  Kermit the Frog and Jim Henson, the Kings of puppetry, cut the ribbon when the center opened its' doors in 1978!  It is a place where imaginations are encouraged, creativity abounds, and learning is fun.

 This month they will be educating children about making healthy choices and loving who they are with a performance of "Adventures of Little Noodle".  They have teamed up with community health partners such as C.H.O.I.C.E.S, Health Stat, and the Dekalb County Board of Health to help children learn about their body's health and prevent childhood obesity.

Center for Puppetry Arts is working to prevent childhood obesity.

This performance, like every Family Series performance, gives children an opportunity to participate in a puppet making workshop designed to evoke their imaginations with a hands on, curriculum-based activity made just for little hands.
If you are looking for a fun activity for a young person in your life, why not take them on an educational adventure of self confidence, healthy habits, creative thinking, and time with you, all while supporting a NonProfit!
For more information and ticket sales, click the links below:
Adventures of Little NoodleCenter for Puppetry Arts 

Center for Puppetry Arts teaches Healthy Habits.

*All photos courtesy of the Center for Puppetry Arts.

Your NonProfiteer,
Niki 

Review of Center for Puppetry Arts & Adventures of Little Noodle

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This past weekend, I grabbed my best 5 year old buddy and headed out to Adventures of Little Noodle at the Center for Puppetry Arts. (Read more about the show here.)  Here is what I found:

The Center for Puppetry Arts is more than just a puppet theater.  It is an exhibit hall for some of your favorite characters.  We saw Big Bird, Kermit, Ernie, the cast of Fraggle Rock, Animal, and the Muppets Chef just to name a few.  Although flash photography is prohibited, the lighting was acceptable enough to capture a few pictures of my compadre with some of our favorite characters.


Puppet shows have come a long way since I was a kid.  Back in my day a puppet show consisted of a theatrical looking box where the puppeteers hid, minimal scene changes and plenty of visible strings and sticks.  Now I’m not saying there is anything wrong with that...it certainly helps a child develop their mind by using their imagination...it’s just that Adventures of Little Noodle was in a totally different realm of performance art.  They were able to take this puppet show into the 21st century with the following techniques:

*Screen Projection - A somewhat thin screen, which the puppeteers referred to as a Skim, was stretched across the front of the stage and was used to project the images for each scene.  As Little Noodle made her way around the grocery store encountering new people and things, the skim allowed the scene to change accordingly through the use of  colorful illustrations.

*Ultra Violet Paint - Each puppet had been painted with vivid and glowing UV paint.
     
*Ultra Violet Black light - Once the UV black lighting was turned on, the UV painted puppets would glow behind the Skim.  This allowed the puppets to be visible and not the puppeteers who were all decked out in black.

Photo Courtesy of The Center for Puppetry Arts

The Center for Puppetry Arts knows how to engage and educate children.  In order to make sure we were seated front and center, we arrived to the theater room 30 minutes before the performance was scheduled to begin. (FYI, it was a good decision.)  As we waited, I noticed that parents were trying to occupy their children to keep them seated and ready for the performance.  To tell you the truth, it made me start preparing myself for the fact that those same restless children would be fidgeting and making noise through the entire performance.  Well, I was wrong!  From the minute the puppeteers came out to introduce the show until the minute we were dismissed, the children were engaged and attentive.  There were motions that the children were able to do along with Little Noodle (such as help lift, run or walk in slow motion).  The characters were cute, funny and entertaining.  The puppeteers were certainly able to bring the characters to life with their live voices.  Not to mention, after the show was over, the children were offered an opportunity to create their very own Noodle puppet to take home with them.  I was amazed at how such a wide variety of ages could be entertained at one time.  In fact, the adults were as entertained as the children.


When we got in the car and my young friend recounted the story, including intricate details about healthy eating habits, loving who you are and exercising 60 minutes a day, I knew that not only was Little Noodle an entertaining way to spend an afternoon, but was also an educational way to spend our afternoon.

So, make a kid’s day by taking them to Little Noodle before it ends on April 1st.  Not only will you be showing them you love them, but you will be furthering the art of puppetry and education through puppetry arts.