IDA e-news: 2/08/06

ACTION ALERTS
1. IDA Exposes Negligence at Waveland Animal Shelter
2. New York Could Make Using Animals in Crimes a Felony
3. IDA Files Petition to USDA Against Zoos for AWA Violations
CAMPAIGN NEWS & UPDATES
1. IDA February Guardian of the Month - Karen Smith
2. IDA's Matt Rossell Speaks Out Against Bullhooks in Nebraska
3. USDA Defies American Horse Slaughter Bans


1. IDA Exposes Negligence at Waveland Animal Shelter
Project Hope Director Doll Stanley Investigates Volunteers' Allegations

After receiving nine letters from volunteers describing shelter employees as playing cards, smoking and leaving work early while animals lay seriously injured without veterinary care for days, IDA Project Hope Director Doll Stanley paid the Waveland Animal Shelter a surprise visit. These charges were confirmed when Doll discovered a dog with a head injury and another with a seriously damaged hip that had spent several days at the shelter without any veterinary attention.

Shelter Director Renee Lick provided no answer when Stanley asked her why these animals had not been to the vet. Stanley pointed out that the delay in treatment had put the animals' health in jeopardy, as any infections caused by the injuries would become more problematic the longer they went unchecked. Someone had called WLOX Channel 13 News, a local television station, and so a camera crew arrived. When Stanley asked to examine the dogs, Lick ordered the video camera turned off while she called her supervisors, wary of how she would be presented by the media. She had good reason for not wanting to have the animals' condition documented on videotape: part of Shelter Director Lick's job is to investigate animal cruelty cases in Waveland.

Originally, the shelter's office staff had told Stanley that they had 18 dogs, yet a quick count revealed that there were actually 36 canines inside. It turned out that the staff hadn't yet entered records for half the shelter's dogs, so if someone came in looking for their animal that day they might not be told that their companion was already at the shelter. This could decrease guardians' chances of reuniting with their lost dogs and cats.

Following Stanley's visit, Lick arranged for a veterinarian to treat the injured dogs. State laws give IDA the authority to shut down animal shelters in Mississippi for neglect and improper care of animals, but Stanley says there will be no need for that. The first step in resolving the Waveland Animal Shelter's problems would be the removal and replacement of those in charge who failed to fulfill their responsibilities to animals and guardians.

What You Can Do:

- Please write to Waveland's Mayor, Tommy Longo, and urge him to relieve Shelter Director Renee Lick and the shelter staff from duty and replace them with people who can be counted on to care for Waveland's animals, who have already suffered enough in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Mayor Tommy Longo
620 N. Central Avenue
Waveland, MS 39576

- While dogs and cats continue to suffer in the Gulf Region after Hurricane Katrina, horses are going hungry for lack of hay. The high cost of trucking donated hay and food from different states to Mississippi and Louisiana has created a serious shortage, and horses are feeling the pinch. When the rare load of hay does come in, there are so many hungry horses that there is not enough to feed them all, and guardians at the back of the line often go away empty handed. Right now, 20 loads of hay are sitting in four different states, even though volunteers are standing by to do hay and feed drives. Without money for transport, this donated food will go to waste and these horses will never get fed. Please help alleviate the tragic suffering of these poor horses now by contributing money to this urgent cause. To donate, send a check with a note reading "for Hurricane Relief Hay Drive" to In Defense of Animals, 131 Camino Alto, Mill Valley, CA 94941. To donate online using your credit card, click https://secure.ga0.org/02/varescue and scroll down, then enter "for Hurricane Relief Hay Drive" in the "in honor of" section. Thanks for your help in this time of need.


2. New York Could Make Using Animals in Crimes a Felony
Lawmakers Outraged that Drug Smugglers Hid Heroin Inside Puppies' Stomachs

I have uploaded this as a Messaging Alert at http://ga0.org/indefenseofanimals/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=4136176 and created Advocacy Alerts at http://ga0.org/campaign/ThankTedisco and http://ga0.org/campaign/TediscoBill.

After Columbian drug dealers tried to smuggle illegal narcotics into the U.S. by surgically cutting open 10 Labrador puppies' stomachs and sewing them back up with bags of heroin inside, New York State Republican Minority Leader James Tedisco announced plans to introduce a new bill next week to increase penalties for such "depraved and sadistic" acts. Assemblyman Tedisco stated, "These sick individuals deserve to be severely punished on top of the drug charges they are already facing."

The legislation would strengthen a 1998 law authored by Tedisco that was the first to make aggravated cruelty to animals a crime, introducing legislation to make animal cruelty a felony after a Schenectady teenager doused an 18-month tabby cat named Buster with Kerosene, incinerating him to death. Before "Buster's Law," cruelty to animals was considered a misdemeanor at most. Tedisco wants to bolster the law because he is concerned that the drug dealers' defense lawyers could argue that they never intended any serious physical harm to the puppies by cutting them open and hiding drugs inside their stomachs. Hopefully any judges who try the case will realize that, given their indifference to the puppies' health and safety, it seems likely that the drug dealers would have simply killed the puppies to retrieve their contraband, had they not been caught and arrested.

New York Governor George Pataki also favors stronger punishment of those who use animals to transport illegal drugs, and lawmakers in both houses are eager to review Tedisco's bill. If it passes, anyone who uses animals in the commission of crime would face felony charges and up to two years behind bars.

What You Can Do:

- Click http://ga0.org/campaign/ThankTedisco to thank Assemblyman Tedisco for introducing a bill to make the use of animals in a crime a felony offense. Or contact him by mail, phone or e-mail:

Assemblyman James Tedisco
LOB 521
Albany, NY 12248
Tel: (518) 455-5811
E-mail: tediscj [at] assembly.state.ny.us

- Urge your State Legislators to introduce similar legislation to prevent animals from being used to help commit crimes. You can get the mailing address and phone number for your elected officials by clicking http://ga0.org/indefenseofanimals/home.html and entering your zip code.

- New York State residents: click http://ga0.org/campaign/TediscoBill to send your legislators an automatic e-mail urging them to support and co-sponsor Tedisco's bill. You can also get the mailing address and phone number for your elected officials by clicking http://ga0.org/indefenseofanimals/home.html and entering your zip code.


3. IDA Files Legal Petition Charging Zoos With AWA Violations
Urges USDA to Confiscate Elephants Suffering from Severe Captivity-Induced Ailments

IDA has filed a legal petition with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) charging U.S. zoos with violating the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) by holding elephants in tiny, unnatural enclosures that cause painful arthritis and chronic foot infections. The petition seeks to compel the USDA to enforce an AWA provision requiring zoos and circuses to provide conditions consistent with elephants' health and well-being and to confiscate elephants who are suffering from extreme cases of zoo-induced ailments.

African elephants have home ranges of 120 square miles and walk 5-12 miles a day or more, and Asian elephants have home ranges of up to 200 square miles and daily movements ranging from 5-14 miles. However, American Zoo and Aquarium Association standards require only 1,800 square feet of outdoor space per elephant, about the size of six parking spaces. This is the equivalent of less than half an acre, and there are 640 acres in a single square mile.

"Elephants in zoos are suffering painfully from arthritis and foot disease, a direct result of inadequate space that restricts movement and forces elephants to stand for years on concrete and other unyielding flooring, often in their own waste," says IDA founder and President Elliot Katz, DVM. "These conditions are killing elephants decades before their natural time. This petition seeks USDA action to force zoos to comply with the Animal Welfare Act, either by providing environments - hundreds of acres - that meet elephants' needs or by transferring them to sanctuaries with the space and natural habitat necessary for elephants to thrive."

The petition asks the USDA to inspect several zoos where elephants are currently suffering from arthritis and foot disease, including National Zoo in Washington, D.C.; Lee Richardson Zoo in Garden City, Kan.; Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Ariz.; Los Angeles Zoo; and Cameron Park Zoo and Abilene Zoo (both in Texas). IDA included the zoos in the legal petition based on official veterinary records obtained under state open records laws, and will add more zoos as their medical records are evaluated.

Though it was filed only days ago, IDA's petition has already received coverage in the media. In reporting on IDA's effort to get the USDA to enforce the AWA, Detroit Public Radio also cited our use of the Detroit Zoo as an example of a zoo that acknowledged their inability to properly care for elephants. In 2004, Detroit Zoo Director Ron Kagan announced that he would retire the Zoo's two remaining elephants, who suffered from severe arthritis and foot problems, to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. The Detroit Zoo is one of eight U.S. zoos that have sent their elephants to sanctuaries because of animal welfare concerns. Several of these zoos have closed or are considering closing their elephant exhibits for good. Click http://www.wdetfm.org/article.php?id=950&cat=9 to listen to the Detroit Public Radio interview with IDA's Suzanne Roy.

For more information about elephants in zoos, visit IDA's website http://www.savezooelephants.com.


CAMPAIGN NEWS & UPDATES

1. IDA February Guardian of the Month - Karen Smith
Dedicated Animal Defender Helps Bloomington, Indiana Become a Guardian City

KATYA: will the Responsible Animal Guardian Month flyer be posted online? We need the URL (see below).

The animals of Bloomington, Indiana have a true friend in Karen Smith, IDA's February Guardian of the Month. IDA is proud to honor Ms. Smith's compassionate commitment to animals, which has made her community the latest Guardian City, an official first in the State of Indiana.

"I've been a member of IDA for several years, and I've always thought of animals as sentient beings who deserve our respect and care," Smith explained. "The Guardian campaign fits in very well with my own personal feelings." Smith was inspired to act when she read about IDA's goal of getting at least one Guardian City in every state. She contacted IDA's office and asked for a Guardian pack, and then gave serious thought to her plan of action. "I thought that an individual probably would not be in as strong a position as an animal-welfare group to make such a recommendation," she said. So she contacted an umbrella group in Bloomington that works with a variety of organizations dealing with different aspects of animal care and welfare.

The timing was fortuitous. Bloomington was in the process of updating its animal code, so Guardian language was added to the draft. Even so, Smith doesn't see her work as being finished yet. She's planning to send letters reminding people and groups in the community involved in animal care about the change in the city's code and encouraging them to make Guardian language part of their everyday vocabulary.

In addition to continuing to work on IDA's Guardian Campaign, Smith is the loving guardian of a gerbil named Josh, and volunteers frequently at a wildlife rehabilitation center. She enjoys working directly with the injured and orphaned animals (including fawns, birds, raptors, coyotes and foxes) by helping with intake, feeding and cleaning, administering medication and just about anything else that needs to be done. We are grateful to Smith for making Bloomington the nation's 14th Guardian City, in addition to the State of Rhode Island and Marin County, California.

What You Can Do:

IDA has declared February to be Responsible Animal Guardian Month, and encourages everyone to celebrate the rewarding cross-species relationships that enrich our lives and help us live more compassionately. Here are some ideas for some ways to take action:

- Help your community become the next Guardian City. Visit http://www.guardiancampaign.com to learn more about IDA's Guardian Campaign and how you can get involved.

- If your family member, friend, neighbor or colleague is an outstanding animal guardian, nominate them for IDA's Guardian of the Month. To nominate someone, please write to guardiannomination [at] idausa.org telling us about their efforts to help animals.

- Click URL to download IDA's Responsible Animal Guardian Month flyer and post it at your workplace or in coffee shops, health food stores and anyplace with a bulletin board.

- Request Guardian Campaign brochures from IDA and send them out with a letter or note to those in the media who still use the term "owner." E-mail Anne [at] idausa.org to request yours today.


2. IDA's Matt Rossell Speaks Out Against Bullhooks in Nebraska
Testifies Before Judicial Committee Hearing In Support of Bill to Ban Cruel "Training" Tool

I have created an Advocacy Alerts for Nebraska residents at http://ga0.org/campaign/LB1000, but this should go on the elephant website - Not Helpelephants.com, but the IDA circus campaign page http://www.idausa.org/campaigns/circuses/circus.html.

IDA's Matt Rossell recently visited his home state of Nebraska to testify at a Judicial Committee Hearing in favor of LB 1000, a bill that would make Nebraska the first state to ban the use of the bullhook and other abusive tools used to control elephants. Handlers in zoos and circuses commonly use bullhooks and other objects to punish and control elephants as part of their "training" for captivity. The bullhook's handle is made of wood, metal, plastic or fiberglass, and has a sharp steel hook and a point at the top like a fireplace poker. By hooking sensitive parts of an elephant's body with varying degrees of force, a handler can compel the massive animal to move in any desired direction (that is, away from the discomfort or pain).

Rossell shared his experiences working undercover on Walker Brother's Circus, stating, "I will never forget the day when Liz [a circus elephant] was viciously beaten with the bullhook after the show... The whacking sound of the bullhook hitting her body echoed across the fairgrounds, as did her screams in response to the beating."

The bill was introduced by Senator Marian Price and co-sponsored by Senator Ernie Chambers, who sat on the committee. Chambers championed the elephants' case and drilled Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus spokespersons with tough questions. In the end, when asked why they needed to use a bullhook instead of, say, a wooden cane to "guide" the elephants, Ringling staff response was, "they don't last as long." That was after Ringling had admitted to paying the Ruth Mueller Robak lobbying firm $40,000 to oppose this bill! The savvy senator exposed the hyperbole and even had Ringling employees admitting their circus might not really be the "greatest show on earth" as their prepared testimony had claimed.

Students attending Prairie Hills Learning Center, a private school near Lincoln, stunned senators with their testimony in favor of the bill and grabbed headlines in Nebraska's two main newspapers the next day. "We are not the only sentient beings on the Earth," said Alexander Dugas, an articulate 12 year-old student. Elephants are beautiful, highly intelligent creatures that are "poked, prodded, and pushed until they do what we what we want them to do, where we want them to do it. We should not treat animals this way and we should pass this bill." Dugas further asserted that he and his classmates collected signatures from more than 500 "everyday people" who support the compassionate measure.

Rossell was honored with an invitation to the school to lead a discussion about his undercover work for animals and share a vegan meal with these enlightened students.

What You Can Do:

- Contact your legislators on the local and state level and ask them to introduce legislation to ban the use of bullhooks. Pompano Beach, Florida, recently banned bullhooks by categorizing them as devices "likely to cause physical injury, torment or pain and suffering to animals." You can get contact information for your elected officials by clicking http://ga0.org/indefenseofanimals/home.html and entering your zip code.

- Nebraska residents: click http://ga0.org/campaign/LB1000 to send your Senators an automatic e-mail message urging them to support and co-sponsor LB 1000, the bill to ban cruel bullhooks. You can also get the mailing address and phone number for your elected officials by clicking http://ga0.org/indefenseofanimals/home.html and entering your zip code. Also sign a petition (http://www.petitiononline.com/LB1000/petition.html) to the Nebraska State Legislature urging them to ban the bullhook.


3. USDA Defies American Horse Slaughter Ban
Urge Your Elected Officials to Fight Illegal Self-Inspections

In our e-newsletter a few weeks ago, we reported that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was trying to do an end run around a recent law banning horse slaughter for one year in America by allowing horse slaughterhouses to pay for inspections of their own facilities. On Tuesday, the USDA announced that horse slaughter would continue despite the new law, which was passed overwhelmingly by both houses and signed by President Bush and has the support of the vast majority of American voters.

Lawmakers are understandably outraged that the USDA would try to change the law when its mandate is clearly only to enact and enforce it. "This action is a direct defiance of congressional intent," says Representative John Sweeny (R-N.Y.), one of the ban's strongest advocates. "Commerce and greed have ruled the day."

Self-inspections of horse slaughterhouses are in direct violation of the Federal Meat Inspection Act, which requires the USDA to conduct inspections, not the companies themselves. The fee-for-service system the USDA has forced through by emergency rulemaking will put horse welfare in more danger than ever before, as the horse slaughter industry itself will now be able to decide what constitutes "humane treatment" on the killing floor.

All three of the slaughterhouses operating in the U.S. are European owned, and Americans don't even eat horsemeat. Yet more than 90,000 horses were killed last year for meat, which is shipped overseas to be eaten in countries like Belgium, France and Japan. These horses are heartlessly shipped to slaughter and brutally butchered for people who feel no sympathy for the sufferings of these innocent animals. The American people and their leaders made it crystal clear that horse slaughterhouses are no longer welcome in our country. The USDA's underhanded self-inspections go into effect on March 10th, so it is crucial that animal advocates speak up now more loudly than ever to demand justice.

What You Can Do:

- Click http://ga0.org/campaign/BanHorseSlaughter to send Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns an automatic e-mail demanding that he respect the will of the American people and our leaders by immediately restoring the ban on horse slaughter in the U.S. Also call and write a letter to Johanns to let him know we mean business.

Secretary Mike Johanns
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250
Tel: (202) 720-3631
E-mail: Mike.Johanns [at] usda.gov

- Call your Senators and member of Congress today and urge them to tell Johanns that self-inspection of horse slaughterhouses is completely unacceptable. You can get the mailing address and phone number for your elected officials by clicking http://ga0.org/indefenseofanimals/home.html and entering your zip code.

Our elected representatives are probably just as angry as we are with the USDA for snubbing their noses at this landmark law, which many people worked very hard to pass. We must let our legislators know that we are behind them, and that they should take forceful action to restore the Ensign/Byrd Amendment's true intention: to end the slaughter of horses in America. A short phone call will make a big difference. All you have to do is say something like "I am outraged at the USDA's decision to defy the ban on horse slaughter in America for one year by allowing horse slaughterhouses to pay to have their own facilities inspected. Please tell Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns that this system violates the Federal Meat Inspection Act, which requires the USDA to conduct inspections, not the companies themselves. Also please support a permanent ban on horse slaughter in the U.S." Be sure to give the operator your name, address and phone number so that your voice will be counted.


Meatout

On or around March 20th, animal, consumer and environment protection activists in a thousand communities in all 50 states and two dozen countries will celebrate the 22nd annual Great American Meatout, an annual event held to promote a wholesome, nonviolent plant-based diet. Started by FARM (Farm Animal Reform Movement) in 1985 and co-sponsored by IDA, Meatout is the world's largest annual grassroots diet education campaign. This year's theme is Alternative Fast Foods, and activists will be holding feed-ins at fast food restaurants in their local communities. By offering their neighbors samples of wholesome veggie burgers, soy dogs and "chicken" nuggets, advocates will let people taste how delicious compassionate and convenient meat-free foods can be.

People will also set up information tables and exhibits, hold lectures and cooking demonstrations, host public dinners, and organize Meatout Walks to raise awareness while promoting cardio health. At all events, visitors will be asked to "kick the meat habit on March 20th (first day of Spring) and explore a wholesome nonviolent plant-based diet." This year, plan your own Meatout event with your friends. If you provide a few hours of your time and a lot of heart, FARM will give you exhibit and handout items and help with planning and promotion. Each registered Meatout participant will receive a free Meatout T-shirt. Visit FARM's Action Center (http://www.meatout.org/action) for ideas on how you can represent your community in this popular worldwide campaign.


Simple Strategies for Really Good Food
by Jan Allegretti
[Adapted from The Complete Holistic Dog Book: Home Health Care for Our Canine Companions by Jan Allegretti and Katy Sommers, D.V.M. Copyright 2003 by Jan Allegretti and Katy Sommers.]
You've made the commitment to feed your animal family members the way you feed everyone else: fresh and wholesome, prepared with your loving touch. Maybe you began by serving up an extra portion of your own meals, and that's an excellent way to start. But you wonder if your friends are really getting all the nutrition they need - and if you'll really have the time and energy to sustain the program for the long haul.

It's great to take a careful, conscientious look at your feeding plan, but rest assured it doesn't have to be complicated or cumbersome. With a few simple guidelines for ingredients, and some good strategies for making preparation fast and easy, you'll be feeling like a pro before you know it.

So what exactly should you put in your dog's or cat's dinner bowl? Start with the following list, and adjust it according to individual needs. Be sure to vary the ingredients from day to day and week to week so that your companion will have many different foods from which to draw the nutrients he needs.
Protein: There are many excellent alternatives to meat, including tofu, tempeh, lentils, beans, and even peanut butter. (Because of its high oil content, peanut butter can cause weight gain or soft stool in some animals. Offer a small amount at first, and monitor your friend's response.)
Carbohydrates: Choose from potatoes, winter squash, or a variety of grains, including rice, millet, quinoa, rolled oats, whole grain bread, or pasta. For animals with a tendency to have very soft stool, try white rice and refined grains. For others, choose whole grains, including brown rice and whole wheat pasta, whenever possible for their greater nutritional value.
Vegetables and fruits: The options are as varied as your imagination and your animals' taste preferences. Different colors offer different phytonutrients, so think about feeding a rainbow of colors - dark greens, reds and purples, yellows and oranges, and even blues. Feed them raw whenever possible for optimum nutritional value. (Some of the nutrients in cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, are more readily absorbed when lightly steamed, while other nutrients are diminished in the cooking process. For optimum benefit, vary your routine when feeding these vegetables - steam them one day, feed them raw the next.)
Calcium supplement: Animals on a vegetarian diet that includes ample dark leafy greens probably won't need a calcium supplement. Those who eat a meat-based diet will need added calcium to balance the high phosphorus levels in meat. Calcium carbonate, available at most health food stores, is a good choice. PLEASE NOTE - The correct amount of calcium, and the correct ratio of calcium and phosphorus, can be critical for youngsters and puppies who will grow into large dogs, and for dogs and cats who are pregnant or nursing; suffering from kidney disease, cancer, parathyroid disease, or some urinary stones; or taking long-term medication. Please check with your veterinarian about supplementation for these animals.
Fats: A tasty drizzle of oil on top of the meal will add essential fatty acids that support many body systems and mental function. Flax oil or ground flax seeds, or canola, olive, or hemp seed oil are good alternatives to fish oil. As with other ingredients, vary your source from time to time.
Vitamin-mineral supplement: Animals who eat a well-varied diet of organically grown foods may not require a vitamin-mineral supplement, but it's good insurance for everyone. A human-grade formula made from whole foods is a good choice. Be sure to adjust dosage in proportion to body weight. PLEASE NOTE - Cats on a vegetarian diet must have supplementation designed specifically for them. Harbingers of a New Age is one of several companies that makes supplements for vegetarian cats and dogs.
Nutrition boosters: You can add interest for yourself and your animal family, and even more varied benefits, by rotating a different whole foods "booster" into the diet every few days. Try spirulina (or blue-green algae), wheat germ, probiotics, lecithin, nutritional yeast, or garlic.

Finally, here are a few tricks to help you maximize the nutritional benefits of your homemade diet, and minimize the time and energy you spend creating it.
- Perhaps the single most important ingredient in any dietary plan is variety. There is no single list of ingredients that will supply all the nutrients your animal friend needs. When her meals are made from different foods day to day, week to week, her body will have a broad range of sources from which to draw the nutrients she needs.
- Dried beans and other legumes are cheap and nutritious sources of protein. They take a little more time to prepare than their canned counterparts, but for most of that time they're sitting in the pot while you go on about your day, so you may find it well worthwhile. To minimize "gassiness," soak beans in water for at least eight hours or overnight, rinse thoroughly, and add a small potato to the pot while they cook. (Discard the potato after cooking.) If you don't have time for a long soak, bring beans and water to a boil, remove from heat, and soak for one hour. Rinse thoroughly, add fresh water, and proceed with cooking.
- Tofu, lentils, and split peas are quick and easy protein sources. Tofu is ready-to-eat, lentils cook in forty minutes or less, split peas in about an hour - with no presoaking. All three are favorites with most four-legged taste-testers.
- Overcook beans and grains a bit, to help make them easier to digest.
- Raw rolled oats and rolled barley can be fed raw, so they're excellent sources of vitamins, enzymes, and amino acids that might otherwise be diminished by the heat of cooking.
- Carrots, broccoli stalks, apples, and melons are just a few of the fruits and vegetables that can become tasty snacks. Not only do they provide phytonutrients, but they help exercise teeth and gums and satisfy the need to chew. (Your dog will love discovering that his crisp, juicy apple tastes better than any other ball he's ever played with. Your cat will feel the same about her melon balls.)
- When you first switch to a fresh food diet, you may see pieces of whole foods appear in the stool. After a few weeks, your friend's system will accommodate the change and you should see less undigested food passing through. If that is not the case, try cooking those items a little longer, or puree them in a food processor or blender.
- If your dog or cat is a little fussy, try a tasty topping to spark her interest. Popular choices include tomato sauce; nutritional yeast flakes; broth; and vegetable, olive, or flax seed oil.

If all of this sounds like a lot to remember, please don't get bogged down in the "how-to." Your own good sense about healthy food choices, along with your ability to monitor your animal family members closely for information about what they need, are your best tools for making the most of your dietary plan. Let the above guidelines help you eliminate hassles and inform your choices - but remember to keep it fun and creative. You'll find that preparing meals for your companion is a subtle but meaningful enhancement to your relationship. There's a big difference between opening a can or a bag of food while your mind is busy with the affairs of the day, and thoughtfully choosing ingredients that meet your loved one's changing needs and please his palate. It's just one more opportunity to connect, and to honor the relationship you treasure. Believe me, the way you'll feel when you see how much he loves what you made for him tonight will make you glad you took the trouble. When you see him blossom with vibrant good health, and continue to thrive long into his senior years, you'll know it was one of the best things you could have done for him. And you know how appreciative he can be.

A word about my last column, "Death With Dignity":
Many thanks to those of you who wrote to share your thoughts and your questions. I consider it a privilege to connect with you about that part of our lives that means so much to us, our relationship to animals at home and in the world. For those of you who would like additional information about hospice, including suggestions for enlisting the support of your veterinarian, I suggest you visit the website of The Nikki Hospice Foundation for Pets at http://www.pethospice.org.

I look forward to hearing more from you about hospice, nutrition, or whatever is on your mind. Until then - many blessings, from me and my animal family - to you and yours.


The Cat Therapist

Twice a month, Carole Wilbourn, the Cat Therapist, answers questions and offers advice on how guardians can enrich their relationships with their fine feline companions. Click http://www.idausa.org/cat_therapist/index.html to read the latest edition of Cats on the Couch.

Men: the deadline to enter Carole's "Men and their Cats" contest has been extended through January, so there's still time to enter. Also visit Carole's Cat Store at http://thecattherapist.com/cat_store.htm to purchase a copy of her classic book, "Cat Talk: What Your Cat is Trying to Tell You."

Contact Carole at TheCatTherapist [at] idausa.org with your questions about cats.