Shelley Morrison, Will & Grace Shelley
is an animal lover and involved with many animal charities. But
what you might not guess is that Shelley Morrison has had a remarkable
and fascinating forty-plus year career in show business, from
co-starring in feature films with the likes of Hollywood legends
Gregory Peck, William Holden and Anthony Quinn, to co-starring
on one of television's most acclaimed situation comedies. Or
that this talented woman of Hispanic descent, born and raised
in The Bronx in New York City, whose first language was Spanish
and whose parents were Spanish Jews, has embraced the spiritual
tradition of the Lakota Sioux. But Shelley Morrison is better
known as Rosario, the feisty maid on NBC's hit comedy series "Will
and Grace."
Morrison has also become tirelessly involved
in charities close to her heart. The first, A.N.G.E.L.S Day (Animals
Needing Generous Endowments of Love & Support), is an organization
dedicated to help senior citizens take care of their pets in times
of crisis such as during hospitalization. "One woman broke
her foot and was unable to walk her dog," Morrison explains,
"and we had a volunteer come every day for a year to be sure
that the dog was taken care of." L.A. Shanti is another
organization that Morrison has dedicated time and resources to;
it was the first organization in Los Angeles founded to help those
with HIV and AIDS, offering support, prevention advice and volunteer
training for the last two decades. Morrison, who has survived
two bouts with cancer, has also raised money for the American
Cancer Society and this year led the "Sea of Pink" Survivors'
Ceremony to kick off the Ninth Annual Susan G. Komen "Race
for the Cure" in Los Angeles.
Shelley is one of the special hosts of
the Farm Sanctuary's Anniversary Gala, which will be a glamorous
evening of entertainment and education, bringing together celebrity
supporters, key legislators and animal advocates in honor of farm
animals and those leading the movement to protect them from abuse.
http://www.shelleymorrison.com
Combat Therapy Dog Capt. Phillip Rittermeyer & Dean Hearing a noise in the hallway,
the long-nosed creature gets out of his bed on the floor and trots
to the door as he searches the cool February air for a clue.
Once he confirms the presence of friendly
forces, Dean cocks his long face around to see if his companion
wants to go visit the Soldiers in the hallway as much as he does.
With all four limbs on the ground, Dean will certainly need the
chaplain's help to open the door.
Dean is a three-year-old black-Labrador
mix and serves as a therapy dog. He deployed to Camp Taji with
the Soldiers of the 64th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade
Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division
Baghdad.
Capt. Phillip Rittermeyer, a Kansas City,
Mo., native, who serves as the battalion chaplain for the 64th
BSB, adopted him from a shelter one month prior to the unit's
deployment.
Rittermeyer,
who works with and cares for the dog, brought Dean with him to
Iraq on orders to provide comfort and boost the morale of the
Mountaineer Soldiers during their day-to-day activities as they
operate in the northern outreaches of Baghdad province.
"I worked with a dog previously in
civilian ministry," Rittermeyer said. "They help comfort
people as well as lower stress and blood pressure."
Capt. Christi Moreno, a San Antonio native,
who serves as the brigade mental health officer with 3rd BCT,
also sees the benefit animals such as Dean provide to Soldiers
in an environment with increased stress.
"Animals are very therapeutic,"
she said. "They show unconditional love and they're not judgmental."
When Rittermeyer must attend a meeting
or preside over church services, other Mountaineer Soldiers, such
as Sgt. Tasha Jackson, a Colorado Springs, Colo., native, who
serves as a supply sergeant with Headquarters and Headquarters
Company, 64th BSB, spend time taking care of and getting to know
Dean. Caring for 'man's best friend' is nothing new to this dog
lover.
"Dean reminds me of my very first
dog, Raider, who I had from the time I was in second grade until
a few years after high school," said Jackson.
The loving canine helps her overcome some
of the difficult times during her deployment.
"If I'm having a down day and the
chaplain brings Dean over for me to watch," she said, "it
usually helps to cheer me up."
Between teaching the playful four-legged
creature how to dance and trying not to let the dog walk her when
he needs to be taken out, Dean provides her with comfort, which
reminds her of home, she added.
Dean stays connected with the Soldiers
by communicating his own needs or wants as well.
"If I'm working, he'll put his head on my lap so I'll pay
attention to him," she said.
"(Animals) bring the best out of
people," said Moreno. "People tend to have an inherent
connection with them."
As their deployment continues, Dean will
continue his morale support operations with the Mountaineer Soldiers,
often bringing smiles and an eager hand to pet his black and white
fur wherever he goes. by Pfc. April Campbell
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
CAMP TAJI, Iraq
Bird Whisperer Rids Town of
Birds Britt Savage The birds in Decatur, Illinois
were driving the residents batty. Thirty thousand odd starlings
invaded the city each year, taking over the city park, dive-bombing
pedestrians and bullying other birds. After all of the conventional
solutions failed, the town called in James Soules, an 83-year-old
man sometimes referred to as the birdman or crow whisperer.
Soules said he could make the birds leave,
but commanded complete secrecy, warning officials not to spy on
him. In desperation, he was hired, and just like that - the birds
all flew away. The residents of Decatur don't know how he persuaded
the birds to leave, they're just glad he did it!
NEWS UPDATE: Exotic Pet Amnesty, Florida With tearful goodbyes, more
than 100 South Floridians surrendered their exotic animals at
a Zoo Event designed to give owners an alternative to simply turning
them loose.
Of the 150 pets handed over, all but six
found new homes. It all took place during the Exotic Pet Amnesty
Day in Florida. Among the more bizarre submissions was a rhino
iguana a spotted African Serval Cat and a coatmundi, which is
a raccoon-looking animal found in South Africa.
Regulations on owning exotic pets have
tightened in the past year, and tighter restrictions usually mean
more animals are released into the wild, which can be difficult
for domesticated exotic animals and harm others too. Burmese
pythons eat the already rare wood rat, parakeets cause power failures
because they nest in transformers, and iguanas consume landscape
vegetation.
Miami resident, Ray Padilla, came in with
7 snakes consisting of Burmese Pythons and Colombian Boas, each
in a pillowcase. He said he started collecting them when he was
5, and simply has no more room.
Of course the process wasn't easy for
some of the older guardians. Debbie Cooperman cried as she left
behind her iguana. She adopted him after some drunken neighbors
in her apartment complex threw it off the balcony.
Pet Taxi Service Pat Cutting After
40 years and five million miles as a charter bus driver, Pat Cutting
knows her way around the roadways. She also knows animals.
So at 71, this feisty, self-described
'old gal,' has brought her expertise of both transportation and
animals together in a new business - a pet taxi service. "I
love it," said Cutting. "After putting up with people
for more than 40 years I really enjoy the dogs, cats and horses
now."
Cutting's pet taxi service started about
two months as an extension of her already successful 'pet sitting'
business. She was at Kathryn McKenzie DVM's office with one of
her dogs when she overheard a conversation about one of the vet's
clients not being able to get his animal in for an appointment.
"I asked them if that happened often and they said, 'yes.'
So I asked them what they thought about a pet taxi service and
they thought it was a good idea," said Cutting.
And so, a business was born and is already
up and running through referrals starting with those from Dr.
McKenzie's office and Bark Avenue Grooming. Cutting will pick
up folks' dogs, cats and birds - she doesn't do reptiles - and
take them to their selected vet or groomer, a real convenience
for animal owners who can't break away from work during the day
to run the errand themselves or who have some other reason that
interferes with them keeping an appointment for their pet. "I
love to drive and I love animals. I'll take them to their vet
or groomers or even to the park for exercise. I could go a lot
of different ways with this," said the former bus driver
and still active dog trainer.
For more information about Cuttings pet
taxi or pet sitting services in Oroville, California call 530-589-2362.
Things to Consider Both Before and After Adoption Tracyann Mains, Pets 911 You have been thinking now of adding
a new family member. But before you go out and find that new
animal, there are some things you should consider:
Things to Consider Before Adoption:
1) Do you have time for a pet?
2) Do you have a busy lifestyle?
3) Do you spend a lot of time at home or are you frequently away?
4) Have you considered the other pets in your home?
5) Do you want a calm, low-keyed pet or an active one?
6) Are you permitted to and do you have room for a new pet?
7) Can you afford a pet?
8) Do you or does anyone in your family suffer from allergies?
9) Do you have patience?
Things to Consider After Adoption
1) Limit the space your new pet has access to. Often when introduced
to a new space, animals can get easily overwhelmed
2) Limit the amount of people visiting the animal or your home.
The pet should not be overwhelmed by meeting every person you
know.
3) Always supervise your pets to make sure they are getting along.
Just like humans, pets need to get use to each other and learn
the different in's and out's of their new house.
4) Do exercise activities daily! Though this is not an action
you only do at the beginning of your relationship with your new
pet, it is a great time to start a routine that will last for
life. http://www.pets911.com
High Tech Pet Products Geoff Mott, PetGadgets.com If you're tired of the same old
boring pet products and are looking for more innovative high tech
products, you've come to the right place. PetGadgets.com has
high tech pet gifts for the discriminating pet lover. At PetGadgets.com
you'll find unique pets products that make life more enjoyable
for you and your pet.
PetGadgets.com is also launching many
new products come October. You can look for the Quick Finder,
which allows you to find the nail quick when trimming a pet's
nails; the Cat Genie, an innovative cat litter that works like
a real toilet; a climate controlled pet carrier; a sonic squeaky
toy that only your dog can hear; and a GoDogGo, a tennis ball
launcher with a range of about 10-15 feet. http://www.PetGadgets.com
Living Chained to a Doghouse - Reality TV Style Tammy Grimes, Dogs Deserve Better It is day one of the Big Chain
Off. Tammy Grimes, the founder of Dogs Deserve Better, has formed
the first-ever game where humans will live as chained dogs.
14 people will live chained to doghouses
for a period of up to two weeks in order to win the prize of a
NEW Chevy Aveo. It is being held at Leidy Park in Mundys Corner,
Pennsylvania approximately 1 hour east of Pittsburgh.
They will record their feelings once a
day in a journal, helping to light a path for the dogs to travel
toward freedom. They may cry, knowing the pain and suffering chained
dogs endure, day in, day out-often for life. One of them will
walk away with a new car...but more importantly, none of them
will walk away unchanged. The knowledge they now bear may make
it virtually impossible to look at a chained dog without a burning
desire to make a difference in that dog's life." http://www.DogsDeserveBetter.org
Calm Your Rambunctious Dog Amy Ammen, Hip Ideas for Hyper Dogs Hyper dogs are often
overly energetic, wickedly smart, and incredibly stubborn. How
do you turn your furry flurry of activity into a sane, mild-mannered
companion? Amy Ammen gives you fun, hip techniques especially
for hyper dogs and harried pet parents who want quick results.
You'll discover how to:
Help your dog burn excess energy quickly
and safely
Use communication and training skills
to gain control
Use obedience games, attention builders,
and outdoor adventures to train and bond with your dog
Create the perfect canine chill-out
sanctuary
Handle problems like separation anxiety
and special circumstances like vet visits
With a canine personality profile to help
you better understand your pet and real-life stories of dogs who
may make your rambunctious renegade seem saintly, this book will
help you channel your dog's energy and turn her into a cool, calm,
and collected companion.
Amy Ammen, the director of Amiable Dog
Training, is nationally known for her expertise in training unusual
dog breeds and solving difficult problems. She has earned twenty-eight
obedience titles, including three Obedience Trial Champions. She
conducts training seminars all over the United States and has
written six previous books, including Training in No Time (Howell
Book House)
Lucky the Kitten Animal Radio Angel Jeannnnette Mabee, Lucky's Guardian
Linda Smith, Riverside Animal Hospital Lucky had been hit by a car and
was limping and bleeding from the mouth when Jeannette found him.
She called animal control, which came out and said that the
kitten had bit its lip, so it was not internal bleeding and thought
that nothing was broken. Animal Control told Jeannette that
if they took the kitten that night it would have to be put to
sleep. Jeannette didn't have the heart to just leave it. She
took it home, but a couple days later it was still limping.
She took it to a vet and he did x rays and found that it had a
broken femur and needed (fho) surgery. He also tested for leukemia
and aids at that time and it came back that the kitten had no
diseases. The vet said it had an excellent chance of coming out
of this surgery without a problem (also the kitten was only 4
months old so it would be easier to recover he said). Jeannette
really couldn't afford the surgery, but also couldn't have this
kitten put to sleep when it was otherwise healthy.
Jeannette received donations (from Ruff,
Voices for Animals, Actors & Others & Animal Garden Society)
but still there was a remaining balance. The surgery also includes
neutering.
Jeannette wasn't looking to get a kitten, but he kind of found
her and she has fallen in love with him. He is a very affectionate
kitten. Jeannette was trying to find a name for him when friend
told her- wow this kitten is really lucky! - And the name sounded
perfect.
Cat First Aid Deborah C. Mandell, VMD The American Red Cross is dedicated
to helping every member of a family be safer and better protected,
including the family cat. To make this possible, the Red Cross
has released a new book dedicated solely to the health and well
being of cats. Cat First Aid is a unique health and emergency
preparedness guide packaged with a full-length instructional DVD
to make caring for your cat even easier.
Everyone should prepare their home for
accidents and disasters by stocking first aid and emergency kits.
With the Cat First Aid book and DVD you can follow step-by-step
instructions on how to build pet first aid and emergency preparedness
kits design specifically to meet your cat's needs.
Cat First Aid
has over 100 pages of instructions and guidance on everything
from how to check your cat's temperature to how you can make a
safety plan for your pet in case of a disaster. The manual gives
step-by-step instructions for nearly 70 health topics.
To make it even easier to learn how to
care for your cat, as a bonus, Cat First Aid comes with a full
instructional DVD, which demonstrates how to perform many of the
first aid steps described in the book. As with the recently released
Dog First Aid guide, the Cat First Aid DVD walks
you through clear demonstrations on how to respond to medical
emergencies such as choking and cardiac arrest.
Cat First Aid
also makes a great accompaniment to Pet First Aid courses offered
at Red Cross chapters throughout the country.
To purchase a coy of the Cat First
Aid or the Dog First Aid visit the Red Cross online
store at www.redcross.org/store
or your local Red Cross chapter.
Feline Heartworms...A Hidden and Deadly Threat! Dr. Jim Humphries, Veterinary News Network Most cat owners don't
worry about heartworm disease and fewer still use any sort of
heartworm preventative. But, as veterinary scientists continue
to discover, feline heartworm disease has become a severe threat
to our cat companions.
Fred Thomas is religious about giving
heartworm preventative to his three dogs. On the first of every
month, Fred breaks open a new package of medication and every
dog gets their monthly treat. Looking over at his cat, Fred
grabs the kitty treats and tosses a few to the feline member of
the pack. What Fred doesn't realize is that he is leaving his
cat unprotected from a deadly killer.
Like Fred, most cat owners are unaware
of this often fatal disease. Heartworm disease was found in cats
as early as the beginning of the 20th century, but few cat owners
or veterinarians were concerned about it. Recent studies have
shown that 26% of cats from the Gulf Coast have signs of heartworm
infection at some point in their lives and 10% have actual adult
worms. These prevalence rates are significantly higher than rates
for Feline Leukemia or for the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus.
Yet, according to the American Heartworm Society, only about
5% of cat owners use any sort of heartworm preventative for their
cats! Like dogs, cats acquire the parasite from mosquitoes but
this is when any similarity ends!
Heartworms continually evolve to exist
in their canine hosts, but cats are abnormal hosts and these heartworms
will live stunted and shortened lives. You might think that
this is a good thing, but due to our cat's strong immune systems,
heartworms actually can cause more serious and severe disease
than they do in dogs. It is not unusual for a dog to live for
years with 20, 30, or even 50 worms in their heart. But a cat
with a single heartworm can die suddenly, often with no apparent
clinical signs whatsoever. In addition, your "inside only"
kitty is just as susceptible as the outdoor tomcat.
Upon infecting a cat, the heartworm larva
will travel to the blood vessels of the heart and lungs, where
it will grow to be about two inches long. At this time, cats
may exhibit respiratory symptoms that are often misdiagnosed as
bronchitis or asthma. Veterinary scientists studying heartworm
disease in cats have given this stage of the disease a name:
Heartworm Associated Respiratory Disease, or HARD.
As the heartworms mature, signs of their
presence will often diminish. In fact, evidence suggests that
the live heartworms can actually suppress the cat's immune function
and the cat appears to tolerate the infection. However, when
the mature worms start dying, massive inflammation can occur,
leading to acute lung injury and even sudden death. Your cat
can literally die within an hour!
So, what signs should you look for to
keep your cat safe? Cats with heartworms may exhibit difficulty
breathing, coughing, vomiting, weight loss, sudden collapse, or
even sudden death. Because this disease can cause such a terrible
outcome in a short period of time, your veterinarian should immediately
examine any cat exhibiting these signs. Tests are available to
screen for heartworm disease, but again, unlike dogs, testing
cats is a complex, often confusing, endeavor. To make matters
even worse, there is no effective or approved way of treating
adult heartworms in cats. So prevention is really the key!
And on that front there is good news!
Heartworm preventatives are available for cats and are as easy
to give as the medications designed for dogs. These preventatives
are available in both oral and topical formulations and your veterinary
staff can help you choose the right one for your pet. Your veterinarian
can also help you make sense of heartworm testing options for
your cat. Although the Heartworm Society does not mandate testing
cats prior to using a preventative, it is recommended as a baseline
for future reference.
Preventing heartworm disease in cats is
only one step to helping our feline friends live long and healthy
lives. Twice yearly physical exams, blood tests and appropriate
vaccinations can all do their part to insure your cat's health.
To learn more about how heartworms can affect your cat, visit
www.heartwormsociety.org
or see a video at www.MyVNN.com.
Shelley
is an animal lover and involved with many animal charities. But
what you might not guess is that Shelley Morrison has had a remarkable
and fascinating forty-plus year career in show business, from
co-starring in feature films with the likes of Hollywood legends
Gregory Peck, William Holden and Anthony Quinn, to co-starring
on one of television's most acclaimed situation comedies. Or
that this talented woman of Hispanic descent, born and raised
in The Bronx in New York City, whose first language was Spanish
and whose parents were Spanish Jews, has embraced the spiritual
tradition of the Lakota Sioux. But Shelley Morrison is better
known as Rosario, the feisty maid on NBC's hit comedy series "Will
and Grace."
Hearing a noise in the hallway,
the long-nosed creature gets out of his bed on the floor and trots
to the door as he searches the cool February air for a clue.
Rittermeyer,
who works with and cares for the dog, brought Dean with him to
Iraq on orders to provide comfort and boost the morale of the
Mountaineer Soldiers during their day-to-day activities as they
operate in the northern outreaches of Baghdad province.
The birds in Decatur, Illinois
were driving the residents batty. Thirty thousand odd starlings
invaded the city each year, taking over the city park, dive-bombing
pedestrians and bullying other birds. After all of the conventional
solutions failed, the town called in James Soules, an 83-year-old
man sometimes referred to as the birdman or crow whisperer. 
With tearful goodbyes, more
than 100 South Floridians surrendered their exotic animals at
a Zoo Event designed to give owners an alternative to simply turning
them loose.
NEWS
UPDATE Brought To You By 
After
40 years and five million miles as a charter bus driver, Pat Cutting
knows her way around the roadways. She also knows animals. 
You have been thinking now of adding
a new family member. But before you go out and find that new
animal, there are some things you should consider:
If you're tired of the same old
boring pet products and are looking for more innovative high tech
products, you've come to the right place. PetGadgets.com has
high tech pet gifts for the discriminating pet lover. At PetGadgets.com
you'll find unique pets products that make life more enjoyable
for you and your pet. 
It is day one of the Big Chain
Off. Tammy Grimes, the founder of Dogs Deserve Better, has formed
the first-ever game where humans will live as chained dogs. 
Hyper dogs are often
overly energetic, wickedly smart, and incredibly stubborn. How
do you turn your furry flurry of activity into a sane, mild-mannered
companion? Amy Ammen gives you fun, hip techniques especially
for hyper dogs and harried pet parents who want quick results.
You'll discover how to:
Lucky had been hit by a car and
was limping and bleeding from the mouth when Jeannette found him.
She called animal control, which came out and said that the
kitten had bit its lip, so it was not internal bleeding and thought
that nothing was broken. Animal Control told Jeannette that
if they took the kitten that night it would have to be put to
sleep. Jeannette didn't have the heart to just leave it. She
took it home, but a couple days later it was still limping.
She took it to a vet and he did x rays and found that it had a
broken femur and needed (fho) surgery. He also tested for leukemia
and aids at that time and it came back that the kitten had no
diseases. The vet said it had an excellent chance of coming out
of this surgery without a problem (also the kitten was only 4
months old so it would be easier to recover he said). Jeannette
really couldn't afford the surgery, but also couldn't have this
kitten put to sleep when it was otherwise healthy. 
The American Red Cross is dedicated
to helping every member of a family be safer and better protected,
including the family cat. To make this possible, the Red Cross
has released a new book dedicated solely to the health and well
being of cats. Cat First Aid is a unique health and emergency
preparedness guide packaged with a full-length instructional DVD
to make caring for your cat even easier.
Most cat owners don't
worry about heartworm disease and fewer still use any sort of
heartworm preventative. But, as veterinary scientists continue
to discover, feline heartworm disease has become a severe threat
to our cat companions. 
