Who's Got Your Pet's Back When The Raptures Comes?
Pastor Travis Davis, PetsAfterRapture.com

Pastor Travis Davis founded PetsAfterRapture.com. He considers himself the "middle-man" between your pets and the animal-loving non-believers who will be around after the rapture. For a small fee, his service will be dispatched to your home "post-rapture" to care for your pets.

According to Pastor Davis, the Bible doesn't say anything that God is going to take your pets. However, we really don't know. Pastor Davis says that he and his wife love their animals to death but they require attention. If, for example, the rapture happens at 1:00 in the morning, one of his dogs would be locked in a cage and the other dog would be stuck in a room. Who knows how long they would be stuck until someone came and saved them. If they don't get their medication and they don't get help, they could die alone. This led him to create something to help these animals in need, which is important to him and his wife.

Pastor Davis tells us the rapture is a time in which Jesus comes for the loyal people, but no one knows when the rapture is going to happen. A lot of people say it's at a time of tribulation and that about in seven years it's going to happen pre-tribulation. But before that, God's going to come and he's going to take all the people that believe in him, that have accepted him into his heart, the Father the Son the Holy Spirit, and they're going to be taken away in a quick instant. Everyone left, who doesn't believe in God, will still be here on the planet. It doesn't say anywhere where they're going to take his faithful dogs, so they will be left with the nonbelievers down here.

There are a lot of nonbelievers that love animals, according to Pastor Davis. So he is the middleman between them. Nonbelievers have come to his website, PetsAfterRapture.com, to sign up. So if you live in Los Angeles, California, and you believe, you are going to be paired with a non-believer in the area that is going to take care of your pets. No one knows the nonbeliever's name. You're not even going to know the person that's going to be working with your pet. Everything is kept confidential. But when that happens, Pastor Davis actually has an atheist on staff whose entire job, when the rapture happens, is to send out e-mails to the nonbelievers alerting them to come get your pets. If there's not a non-believer in the area, there's certainly a no-kill shelter in your area, which you will be paired up with so that the no-kill shelter will get the information and they will go out to get your animals.

It's pretty simple to sign up. It's a subscription-based service that costs $10 a month. This covers your pet, but it also covers his teams that are always trying to figure out if the nonbelievers are going to be there. They are always on a moment's standby. If you want to do multiple animals, you can do $15 a month, which will cover all your animals.

But what if you have a special needs animal that needs daily medication? How do you leave instructions on how to care for that pet? Pastor Davis explains that they have a form on their website where you can list special instructions on how to take care of your pet as well as any medications they take. The caretaker is going get that information. So when they pick up your pet, they have all the specific instructions and everything that they need. So far about 300 people have signed up. This includes both people who want to save their pet and non-believers that want to help.

The money that Pastor Davis has collected to date goes back to the community. They partner with a lot of nonprofit organizations. They want to make sure that the money that does come in helps animals. This includes animals that are left behind, are abused and/or even living in poverty.

Joey Villani explains that when he read the Book of Revelations, it's his understanding that the earth is supposed to be in such turmoil at that point. What is his guarantee that someone is actually going to be checking on his pets when there is so much turmoil going on in the world? What's his guarantee at this point, especially if it is something that he will be paying for?

Pastor Davis likes to say that there are three things that are guaranteed in life. There's death, there's taxes and then there's rapture (just a little Pastor joke!). He explains to Joey that there is no guarantee that they're going to help. This is why he doesn't pay these people, because he doesn't want someone to come and just make a couple of dollars here and there. There's a form they fill out and then Pastor Davis actually calls them. He talks to them because he wants to make sure that they are good minded people and that they are actually going to do the job.

According to Pastor Davis, when the rapture happens, the world is going to be in chaos initially. But the first three and a half years it'll kind of be all over the place. Then the Antichrist is going to come and then from there the world will start to get a little bit better, because the Antichrist is going to unite everyone. Then when the 7-year mark happens, it's not so good.

If you think about it, ultimately you can either have no one to go help your pets or you can have a type of insurance that there will be someone there to help them. It's not for everyone, but Pastor Davis wanted to make sure that he provided this service.

If you are concerned that Pastor Davis truly has goodwill towards pets and good intention you can always call PetsAfterRapture.com. He would love to talk to anyone about the rapture and especially about God. He states that this is another thing to try to not only just to save pets, but also to bring people to their religion. So if you have questions or you have an issue, call him. If he doesn't answer, leave a message, as he would love to talk to you about Jesus, because that is his primary focus to spread the word of the gospel.

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Rescue Crowd-Funds Butt-hole For Kitten
Shawn Simons, Kitty Bungalow Charm School

Shawn Simons is the Headmistress of the Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats. They're an outstanding non-profit rescue in the Los Angeles area. Shawn just crowd-funded a $10,000 surgery for a 1-month-old kitten. That may not sound unusual until you hear the kitty was born with Imperforate Anus, or no butt-hole. Now, along with television sensation Tosh.0, she's trying to raise a million for 2,000 butt-holes.

The kitten's name is Cluck. At the Kitty Bungalow Charm School For Wayward Cats, Head Mistress Shawn Simons says they try and name their cats appropriately. This little kitten, which didn't have a butthole, was named after chickens who have a cloaca, which means they just have one opening where they do all their business. The rest of her litter was normal and were named other barnyard names.

Shawn explains that at her rescue, they run a medical intern training program. This program includes kids that are in college that are looking to go into veterinary or human medicine. Shawn tells us that one of their young interns did the check-in of Cluck when she first came in. Cluck was probably about five days old and was super tiny. A check-in includes getting their weight and temperature. After checking Cluck, the intern came to Shawn and said that she couldn't get Cluck's temperature because Cluck didn't have a butthole. Shawn thought that as a new intern, she was playing games with her. Shawn then checked Cluck herself, and sure enough, there was no butthole. This is called imperforate anus.

This means that Cluck eliminated both urine and feces through her vagina. Part of the reason Shawn thinks she was able to survive is that the kitten came in with her mommy. So at this point Cluck was just having pure mama's milk and they weren't dealing with any outside chemicals and things, which was pretty pure and easy for her to pass.

The issue needed to be fixed via very risky surgery, but it was Cluck's only chance to survive, because everybody needs to poop. Cluck went through the toughest surgery, but still required a second surgery. The Kitty Bungalow Charm School For Wayward Cats is not an organization that does a lot of really wild, super expensive and risky surgeries. That's not what they're about. But Cluck is so vibrant and actually the reason she had to have a second surgery, and this was fascinating to Shawn, was because she was so healthy. That's really where it became a problem. Her body was developing scar tissue where they did the surgery. The body heals by scarring over and so she scarred over her first butt hole, so they had to make her another one.

So how do you keep the second one from not scarring over? Shawn warns that she is going to get graphic. She said they originally kept her feces super soft and because of that it could just kind of leak out almost anywhere. So this next time around they are tamping down on that and having her create an actual poo that she will have to dilate to push out. That will help keep the scar tissue from scarring over. They are actually doing many more follow-ups with the surgeons to keep a much closer eye on it.

Dr. Debbie explains that with some of the kittens that have this issue there is a procedure, called bouguenais, where they basically insert a little balloon in and just kind of repeatedly stretch the areas to break down some of the scar tissue and to try to kind of loosen the sphincter so that things can pass through. Shawn states that Cluck recently had another checkup and they did put a catheter in and are able to keep that area of space open. So it is believed that she probably does have a balloon to help with the dilation.

Dr. Debbie says this this can occur in both cats and dogs, but she sees it more in kittens. It usually doesn't start to become apparent until kittens are becoming weaned. Dr. Debbie blames it on the mom, because mom does such a great job of cleaning and stimulating kittens, that when they're out of the picture, we are left helping the kittens with toileting and cleaning. That's when most of these kittens with this problem are discovered. She also states it tends to be a little more common in female cats.

Shawn tells us that this is the first time she's seen it after taking in almost 1,800 kittens over the years.

Comedian Tosh.0 is now trying to raise a million dollars for 2,000 buttholes. (Crowdsourcing for worthy causes is a common occurrence. Comedian Daniel Tosh recently highlighted one of the most worthy we've seen, and frankly, if you don't donate, you're a real butt-hole.) So far $11,330 has been raised. To help fund a butt hole, please visit Crowdrise.

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The Deadly Spill - Pet Antifreeze Toxicity - Dr. Debbie

Chilly winter weather means pet owner must be on the lookout for special health risks. An unfortunately common cold weather emergency is antifreeze poisoning. Just a small spill of this essential car fluid can be fatal for pets. So whether you have a dog, cat or are currently pet less but own a car - this toxicity is one you need to be aware of to keep animals safe.

Antifreeze Toxicity in Pets
Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol, a compound that is used in automobiles to cool engines, and is resistant to freezing temperatures. Ethylene glycol is highly toxic to household pets - just a small quantity causes illness and death. Additionally, antifreeze has a sweet taste that animals find appealing and are apt to drink. Pets that ingest antifreeze rapidly develop neurologic symptoms and kidney failure. Small amounts of antifreeze can prove fatal for pets. Just a teaspoon can prove toxic for a cat or small dog, while several tablespoons are toxic for a larger dog.

Ethylene glycol is also found in some lesser known places but still poses the same toxic risk. It is used in winterizing fluids for toilets in vacation homes and RV's. Ethylene glycol is also found in home solar units, break fluids and within portable basketball goalpost bases.

What Are The Symptoms of Antifreeze Toxicity?
Initial symptoms occur within 30 minutes to 12 hours after ingestion and include increased thirst, increased urination, depression, uncoordination and seizures. Some pet owners describe their pet acting "drunk."

Later symptoms occur 12-72 hours after ingestion and may include severe lethargy, difficulty breathing, mouth ulcers, vomiting and coma.

How is Antifreeze Poisoning Diagnosed and Treated?
Your veterinarian will perform blood work, urine tests and may perform a specific test for the presence of ethylene glycol.

Suspect cases, even if unproven, are aggressively treated with intravenous fluids. Intravenous antidotes are given to bind the toxin, and anti-seizure medication is administered if needed.

Once kidney failure has set in, the prognosis is unfortunately grim for survival.

How to Prevent Accidental Antifreeze Poisoning?
Pet owners should recognize what an antifreeze spill looks like. Look for puddles of this fluid in parking lots, driveways and streets and keep your pets far away. The color of antifreeze may be green, pink, yellow, red, blue or orange. Report antifreeze spills to neighbors and businesses. One time I made a fuss at a pet-friendly coffee bar when I noted an antifreeze puddle smack dab in the path of dogs. Speak up - the life you save could be your own pet.

Don't allow your pets to roam. Outdoor cats and dogs that are permitted to wander are at risk for encountering antifreeze spills. How can you prevent a toxicity when you can't monitor your pet's behavior or whereabouts?

Keep your car and garage safe. Immediately clean up any antifreeze spills and safely secure bottles of antifreeze away from pets and children. Keep up regular automotive maintenance to ensure no antifreeze leaks.

Switch to less toxic antifreeze. While no antifreeze is completely safe, look for antifreeze that contains propylene glycol in place of ethylene glycol. This compound is a safer choice, but still can pose a toxic risk if ingested in larger quantities. Some antifreeze products have a bittering agent included to deter animals and children from ingesting it. But according to the ASPCA, there isn't any published data proving that adding a bittering agent helps to prevent ingestion. Any antifreeze should be considered potentially toxic and handled with appropriate caution.

What to Do if Your Pet Ingests Antifreeze?
Time is of the essence - seek prompt treatment at your veterinarian or emergency hospital for the best chance of survival. Don't wait until serious symptoms arise, because once advanced kidney failure develops, the prognosis is poor.

For more information about pet toxicities visit the ASPCA Animal Poison Control website.

Featured veterinarian known as "Dr. Debbie" on national pet radio program, Animal Radio. Ebook author of "Yorkshire Terriers: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; "Pugs: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; "Mini Schnauzers: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; and "Shih Tzu: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend."

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Animal Radio News - Lori Brooks

Add Your Pets To Your Amazon Account
Amazon makes its biggest move toward owning a share of the pet care world by launching 'Pet Profiles,' which means you can now add your pets to your Amazon account. But it's for more than just having fun by officially putting your pet out there as a member of the family, there are some perks too. Here's how it works: After you sign up your first pet you get a 20-percent, one time discount on your next pet food order. There are also member-only discounts on pet-related items. When visiting the website, select "Pet Supplies" from the list of departments. Next, click on 'Pet Profile' in the horizontal menu. To sign up, you're asked your pet's name, age and breed (you can enter up to two breeds for some mixed breed animals). You can even post a picture of your pet if you'd like. There are also options for different types of reptiles, fish and birds and even horses.

Vice-President Loses Another Pet
For the third time in 14 months, the Vice President's family has lost a pet. Sadly, their 16-year-old cat Pickles has died.

Cannabis Pet Products Not FDA Approved
People anxious to relieve their pet's physical pain are more and more trying oils and powders that contain CBDs, a non-psychoactive component of marijuana. But, there's little data on whether these products work, or if they have harmful side effects. That's because the Federal Government has not approved any clinical trials of cannabis pet products. When the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (FDA) announced last year that even marijuana extracts with CBD and little or no THC (marijuana's intoxicating component) are an illegal Schedule 1 drug, the University of Pennsylvania halted its clinical trials. However, Colorado State University is pushing ahead. There are roughly two-dozen dogs enrolled in the school's arthritis study that are given either CBD oil or a placebo. Activity monitors are attached to the animals' collars to determine if they're more mobile when taking CBD. The government, through the Food and Drug Administration, has warned companies that sell marijuana related pet products that they're violating laws by offering "unapproved new animal drugs." The FDA has even threatened legal action. Right now the American Veterinary Medical Association is working on an official policy, but one of its committees wants the DEA to declassify marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug in order to facilitate research opportunities.

$100,00 Reward For World Record Missing Cats
Two world record-holding cats, and their two other world record-less feline siblings, who were all thought to have died in a house fire near Detroit last month have been spotted near their former home. There is now a $25,000 reward for finding any one of the cats or $100,000 if your tip leads to the capture of all four cats. Will and Lauren Powers are the pet parents of the cats. You can stay up to date on the case by following their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/wpowers). The cats are obviously like this family's children and they are kind of famous. One is a Guinness World Record with a tail of 17.5 inches long. Their other male youngster, only 2 years old, stands 20.1 inches tall, another world record. The cats had just appeared on the talk show Pickler and Ben before they went missing. Anyone who sees the cats is asked to take a photo, do not approach, then call or text the family. (FYI: call or text 313-475-9132 or 248-807-0095)

Trump Thinks Pets Are Low Class
For pet lovers, this published comment has them growling and hissing. It all started with an article about the Vice-President in 'The Atlantic.' An adviser tells 'The Atlantic' that President Trump reportedly thinks pets are "low class" and was "embarrassed" when Pence announced in January that he and his family would be moving into the Naval Observatory with their pets, which included at the time, two cats, a rabbit and a snake. The adviser said, "Trump ridiculed the menagerie to his secretary and that he was embarrassed by it - thinking it was low class." That was enough to put pet lovers on edge, but the article also said Trump thinks the Pence family is a bunch of yokels because of all those pets, offending animal lovers across the world. We can't even begin to go through the tens of thousands of tweeted responses from animal lovers, but Trump is a self described germophobe and the only president in more than a hundred years not to have any pets in the White House. We just hope the second family's pet rabbit, Bundo, did not hear about it. Bundo has more than 16,000 followers on Instagram!

Veterinarians See The Most Amazing Things
A veterinarian in Oklahoma operated on a dog that wasn't feeling well after eating its human sibling's pacifier. The vet could have made a ton of money had he charged for each pacifier he would later take out of the dog's belly, which ended up being a total of 21. Twenty-one binkies were pulled from the 4-year-old Shar Pei's belly. Imagine the family's surprise. The pre-op x-rays had shown there might have only been 7 to 9 of them.

Listen to the entire Podcast of this show (#942)