Welcome to the ASPCA Online Community!

[Elyse Orecchio]

Hi! Ready to Rock This Forum?
Thank you for visiting the ASPCA discussion forum. We are committed to allowing freedom of expression for our members, and that includes maintaining a safe space for people with opposing views to express themselves. We get posts from all over the country and even the globe, so needless to say, people come with different viewpoints on animal welfare. We see this diversity and variety as a real strength-- dialogue and debate are an integral part of the educational process, as well as an important tool in exploring different sides of complex issues.

ASPCA Code of Conduct
Okay, I know we said we want you to have the freedom to express yourselves. And we do. But a few rules never hurt, right?
• Be nice! No flaming. Many posters come here for information, not to be called names.
• Please respect the different backgrounds and education of posters—especially when it comes to diverse perspectives on animal treatment. The best thing you can do for animals is politely educate on how to protect them.
• No one needs to hear you correct them on proper grammar and spelling. Let’s talk animals, not the difference between affect and effect.
• Wanna talk about religion and race? Well, we don’t. We wanna talk about animals.
• Don’t gang up with other posters against one person. It’s not nice! Better to stick to animal talk.
• Did I mention you should…talk about animals? Cool! Now get to it and have fun!

Medical Questions:
Please, please, please do not submit questions about emergency medical problems here. If you think that your pet is sick, contact your veterinarian. Self-diagnosis or delay seeking proper veterinary care may worsen your pet's condition.

Questions for the ASPCA:
While the ASPCA staff does monitor the ASPCA Community, we can't always answer individual questions via the discussion boards. If you have a question for the ASPCA, please visit www.aspca.org or send me a message via my profile.

Reporting Discussion Board Abuse:
To report discussion board abuse, please visit: http://aspcacommunity.ning.com/main/index/report.

All right, now that you've gotten the boring rules part out of the way, start postin' some animal love! Can't wait to talk to you!

Best,
Elyse

[Nancy]

I have a 4 year old neutered male cat-Cagney-who is obssesd with plastic bags--he constantly seeks them out and chews on them--and of course vomits it up--thank goodness. I try to keep the plastic bags in drawers--but every now and then he gets ahold of one. What is it with him and the smell--or--taste of plastic bags?
Thanks,
Nancy

[Kinsey]

I just got a lady for are help her name is Linda scince i'm not used to everything can someone put this on for anouncements!!!!!!?????
Linda has a show dog named Jilly and when ever Jilly see's a dog she either snarls or hides so this lady really needs help!!!!!!!
-Kinsey

[Susan]

My westie , Phobie has started rolling in poop. Why is she doing this, and how do I stop it?

[Judy]

I need advice on my dog and her anxiety problem...she totally gets freaked out when a fly comes into the house and buzzes throughout the entire home. It is not all types of flies, just the really huge ones that I know as "horse flies". The big gigantic ones with furry bodies and green heads that sound like an electric razor. They absoblutely drive her insane. She shakes uncontrollably and is constistantly whipping her head around trying to see where it is flying. She tries to hide under open cabinets, behind the toilet (she is not a small dog either) under my feet, the closets or any tucked away place where the fly will not buzz past her....what can I do to calm her other than try and keep the flying bandits from coming inside.

[Jean]

I saw an episode of anxiety behavior in dogs one time on Animal Planet and they treated their dog with medication and behavior modification.....I believe there are books on behavior mod. at the library you can rent, but the best bet would be your vet.....good luck.

[Judy]

The harmony of opposites...trust and be trusted. Download this picture for the truth behind my comment.

[DIANE]

Daisy the poor dogDaisy needs a home Thursday, 3:57 AM

I saved a sweet dog from a shelter last week she had only a day or so left when I went there ,I was looking to get a puppy ,but I looked in her sad eyes and had to save her. They did not know much about her past and said she was a stray. I tooked her poor abused and skinny body home ,I have a Stafford terrier that a have got when she was just 3 weeks old and she is a great dog but she said Daisy can not stay . They got into a battle and poor Daisy lost her front tooth it had to be extracted the vet could not fix it. I have a few wounds myself from getting them apart. I love her and she is a great dog and loves people she gets along fine with my cats and my other dog ,is very well behaved. She has just had a hard life . I have called ever place in my area but cant find a place that can take her they are all full and taking her back to a shelter is not a option. I am geting her spay this week and she has all her vaccinations and is microchip. If anyone can help me please let me know. I know she will make someone a great pet and best friend she stole my heart the monent I saw her . Here is 2 photos of Daisy and the Lilly is the one with the cat she wont let poor Daisy stay and I dont know why because Daisy gets along with all my friends dogs and the dogs at the shelter . They look so much like one another and I love them both . If any one can help me please email me [e-mail] thank you

[Mayumi M Bally]

We have been having a lot of problems with our 9 pound poodle that we took in. At first Shiloh was the sweetest, loveable pet. We could do anything with him, pet him, cuddle him, bathe and brush him. After he was here for two months, he turned. We can't pet him, brush him, without him turning on us and biting us viciously. We suspect he was abused by his former owner. He is two years old. We had him neutered a week ago and shaved as he was so matted. Last week, I had to go get a tetanus shot because he bit the four fingers of my hand when I tried to pet him. He doesn't like to have his back or tail touched at all. My husband is ready to take him to the shelter, but I want to make sure I've tried everything to save this little guy. Please help us. What would make him turn like that after two months of being an angel? Thank you so much for any help, May

[pistons58]

Hi May,
I don't have any advice for you but maybe it is assuring that I have the same problem.....only with a cat. She was a stray - abandoned by a neighbor - she moved and before leaving-opened her door and let all her cats out. This one found her way to my house - Fri the 13th actually and she was solid black. Took her in and she was a lover. Literally slept wrapped around my head on my pillow. But every morning she sat at the door and cried - so I let her out - thinking she would find her way home and not knowing about the abandonment by a neighbor....every night when I got home from work she'd be on my porch. Well she'd play with the skunks outside at night - tag, hie-n-seek and I was not going to risk it. (Come to find out baby skunks don't have the white stripe - to them she was one of their own)
Too make a long story short - took her in, got her "fixed" but not before she delivered 2 adorable kittens (yes, we have them too)
But shortly after that she became the cat from hell. Comes to you, rubs on your leg, meows.......reach down and pet her and I end up missing a few fingers.
She still is like that but I am determined........I think it's me. She's fine with my son and my neighbors LOL just not the one who feeds her. But I am the one that took her to that horrible place and caused her so much pain (never said getting "fixed" would be a walk in the park) Maybe she is holding on to that memory - I don't know.
But don't give up on your poodle. My "Baby Girl" (aka Little Miss Pissy) also does not like her backside touched.....which is why I think this behavior stemmed from the surgery. Shiloh needs love and persistence but be careful with the biting.....I was bit in the face when I was 6 and it was not fun but it wasn't the dogs fault.....but I think because of that I prefer cats as pets than dogs - my neighbor has a pug that will rip you to shreds if you walk by her yard but when I go over there I get kissed to shreds.
Animals are a lot like people - they don't forget and they do have their favorites.
Shiloh should get thru this but that said, so be careful.
Thanks for hearing me out and keep us posted - OK?
Kathy

[annahagley]

Please go to the following website to sign a petition that will not allow an "artist" to tie up another dog to die!

http://www.petitiononline.com/ea6gk/petition.html Delete Comment

[Lin Goodman]

Hey,
There is, in Washington state, a woman's prison where, as in other prisons in other states, the best behaved inmates are given a rescued dog and/or pup to raise, socialize, love and learn how to train them to be service dogs. Inmates participating in this program have a higher level of self-esteem and, statistics show, are, "less likely to re-offend" because they have all sorts of options of working with animals, in one way or another.
The wait for a service dog is 1-5 years, leaning toward the longer.
To me, the PPP is the solution. It would decrease the overpopulation of animals, even a dent is better than nothing. The dogs will learn love and have a future with a whole new world-a better world, opening up for them. People like myself, who are in need of service dogs, would have less of a wait and the inmates would benefit, as well. Of course they are screened, observed with the dog and trained to professionally train these animals to be service animals.
The group behind this project is called: "Compassion for Animals", and like spring, we are just budding. I need to learn how to present a petition and then write one out. If one existed, would you sign it?
Also, I know everyone is scrunched for time, but if you can wiggle free and find the time and energy, I would most sincerely appreciate it if you would please pester your senators, congress people, the representatives and legislators, even the interns :), and pester them to compose a bill, put it up for a vote and pass it, making the program nation-wide, so everyone and everything can be utilized to the best of their abilities for the most positive outcome for all involved. If you think this is a good idea, please respond in this forum. Thank-you most sincerely. Take care. I wish you the best and am very interested in hearing your opinions around this program, which is working to the best for all involved, in the prisons where it's in use.
Yours In Kindness and Gratitude,
Lin

[Valhalla Rescue, The RESCUE TRAIN & Patti & the Pack]

Hopefully this is the right place for this, I am a new community member and I need some advice.

I am looking for people in Washington State, who may be willing to FOSTER a Doberman Pinscher to save her from the shelter. This is only temporary until I can get her adopted. She is abandoned, scared and without anybody to help her. At this point, she certainly won't do well in a shelter, she hasn't been socialized with other dogs or really other people. She's not mean, just scared. I have only 15 days to try and arrange something and then the real estate agent that found her will have no choice than to take her to the shelter.

If anybody out there has any ideas, please contact me.

You can see her at my petfinders page,
Valhalla Rescue

THANKS!
Patti
Valhalla Rescue