Ducks part of the day at Pet Stuff Resale

This week found me driving to nearby Hempstead, Texas to pick up 2 dog houses from a
client. On the way out of the neighborhood I had to stop for several ducks; I scrambled for the camera but couldn't find it while they were stopped in the middle
of the street! They were in no hurry and equally unconcerned about a cat lying within
2 feet of the truck as I waited.

Every day is Earth Day at Pet Stuff Resale

One of the reasons I started PSR back in 1997 was to keep so much plastic and metal out of landfills. When cracked plastic crates came in, I would throw away the cracked part and save the good part to reuse when possible. When I moved out into
the country it became possible to burn the plastic. I prefer burning to heavy plastic taking up so much space in a landfill and have lost count of the cubic feet saved in 4 years.

It is common to get in metal crates that are no longer usable; at times it is possible to recycle parts as well as doors from plastic crates. Adding to the reduce, reuse, recycle theme, a man drives by and takes away whatever is on a trailer near my driveway, so he benefits and I don't use up gas.

Part of the green movement is to save money and Pet Stuff Resale is definitely in line with that!

It is still the only business of its kind anywhere in the United States that I can find and of course all items are disinfected.

Update on Buster

That handsome red dachshund in the previous post about extended leads was up for adoption thru CAP. Due to being a little aggressive in his cage he couldn't be upfront on display, which makes it harder to find him a home.
Several of us were spreading the word about him and a nice couple came and adopted him last week. He left the shelter wagging his tail!

Extended leads for dogs-both great and terrible

My first experience with extended leads years ago at a fun run was bad. Someone let a small child hold a greyhound using one. When the child dropped the end the dog bolted near a street which was a disaster. The dog was already in a strange place and with greyhound speed got into even more unfamiliar territory very fast. Every time the plastic base hit the pavement the noise scared the dog even more.
By some miracle she was caught safely, but I swore off extended leads right then.

I don't recommend them in crowded places such as dog parks and busy neighborhoods. One is too far away to protect their dog if a loose dog or aggressive dog on a leash tangles with it or a child approaches it inappropriately. For this reason they are also banned from most dog walks/runs.

My friend and dachsie expert Greta pointed a major advantage; with an extended lead, the leash part (usually) stays above the dog so doesn't get caught around the legs repeatedly, ruining the entire outing! Her precious baby Raleigh the dachshund noted that it facilitates hunting/sniffling
which dachsies are required to do by DNA.

I have been won over about extended leads with SOME small dogs. My chihuahua and poodle expert Rebecca reports that dogs have broken their necks while running after something and I never recommend them with chihuahuas. Thanks to her for correcting me on that-it is an excellent point. I am still not much of a fan with
larger dogs, the control just isn't there if needed.
I do not use them for my personal dogs

Buster in the picture is a 4 year old male looking for a home. He is very sweet when not in a cage
and quite the tail wagger. He is available thru Citizens for Animal Protection in Houston.
cap4pets.org

Denim jacket perfect spring doggie wear

Moe's future is certainly brighter than his past. His owner never put him on heartworm prevention
and instead of neutering him, swatted him when he marked in the house. As a result he is very head shy and was quite hostile when approached at Citizens for Animal Protection after he was left there.
To quote an employee "He wants to bite my face".

In 24 hours he had calmed down and in 48 hours he was neutered, so now he is up for adoption
to an all adult quiet home. He weighs about 11 lbs and is listed as a Basenji/chi mix, about 4 years old.

His tail normally curls and he has become affectionate.

Happily Moe tested negative for heartworms and of course was immediately put on prevention.

He is content to wear outfits and doesn't feel too manly for this shade of blue denim. It could also
fit a slightly larger dog and how do I put this delicately? It would be better for a female dog. It stays shut with velcro and washes easily. The little tabs in the back are real, not just faux ones. The jacket is 5.00 at Pet Stuff Resale

Parrots need to travel safely in vehicles also

One of my stock comments on crating in general is that none of us leave home thinking we'll get in a car wreck. If your vehicle gets rear ended or sideswiped, your pet becomes a flying missile.

There are harnesses, straps, cages,you name it, for keeping dogs and cats safe
while traveling, but I can't find much for birds. This cage is too small for anything but transport. It is not ideal as it is metal and could crush a bird, but it does seal belt nicely to keep the bird immobile.

I like the acrylic carriers, but they are very expensive and rarely come into the
secondary market.

Remember little critters need to ride safely also.

Cricket the bionic chihuahua needs a home

This precious baby came into a Houston shelter with an old leg fracture and it looked as if amputation was going to be his only

option. At only 4 lbs, his front leg near his ankle was so shattered that there wasn't enough viable bone to

repair, so a bone graft from his shoulder was required. Dr Jeff Chalkley of Westbury Animal Hospital who has helped me many times, put in a tremendous

effort to repair the radius and ulna. The repair was so extensive there wasn't even time to neuter Cricket, but it has been done now! Dr Chalkley put in a metal plate but warned me that it might not work. It was very hard to go thru the weeks of rehab not knowing if we would still have to amputate at the end. A dog carries 60% of its weight on the front legs, so life is much harder than if a rear leg is amputated.

Yea for Dr Chalkley and Cricket-it worked and Cricket plays with other chihuahuas as if nothing

ever happened.

He is ready for an all adult home that is prepared to have surgery in the future if the plate shifts

or needs to be replaced for any reason.

Marvin Zindler had his angels, I have Houston vets like Dr Chalkley. Thank you, Dr Jeff!