HOW PETS SAVE THE WORLD
For years now, studies have pointed to the health benefits of having a pet. At the University of California, Davis, researchers found that Alzheimer’s patients who had a dog or cat in the home showed reduced stress and fewer anxious outbursts. The Wellness Institute at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago found that having a dog helps humans shed unwanted pounds. Pets have also been linked to reduced blood pressure and cortisol levels in their humans. Of course, you don’t need studies to tell you all this. You know how many benefits your pet gives you from the unconditional love they show you — just think about how excited they are to see you every time you walk through the door. For folks like Chaton Fife, pets are literally life-saving. Chaton has a neurological condition that causes her to faint unexpectedly. No one can predict when it will happen, except for Dobby. Dobby is Chaton’s two-year- old Chihuahua, and he can sense when Chaton is about to have a fainting spell before anyone else can. He alerts her husband, Rodney, by barking and getting his attention, then calmly waits with the couple while help arrives. “He’s such a small dog, but he has a huge personality, and he does a good job of making sure she’s safe,” Rodney says of Dobby. For Jennifer DeCosta, her dog, Fizzgig, has had a similar effect since coming into Jennifer’s life. Following 9/11, the New Yorker began having debilitating panic attacks. Routine activities like driving through the Lincoln Tunnel could trigger them, and Jennifer’s personal life and work life were affected. That is until Fizzgig came into the picture. The rescue dog has helped her find renewed confidence and eased her anxiety. “He just distracts me. He comforts me. I feel like I can do anything,” Jennifer said. Now, she hopes to pay forward the support Fizzgig has shown her by getting him trained as a therapy dog. She hopes he can help veterans with post- traumatic stress disorder. And Help Us Throug Difficult Tim s
What Makes a Pet a Hero? MY COOL DOG As a guest writer for this newsletter, I’ve had the chance to cover some truly heroic pets. From Conan, the Belgian Malinois who helped in the fight against the Islamic State group, to Tama, the stray cat who saved a railway station in Japan, I’ve shared some incredible stories of animals that gained fame through their selflessness. But have you heard of my cool dog? My dog’s name is Rusty, and he has not saved a single train station. He really isn’t one for cats either, but I’d like to think he’d make an exception for Tama. That being said, my dog does have some qualities that make him newsletter worthy. Despite his name, Rusty’s the fastest Frisbee catcher at the local dog park. Of course, he doesn’t usually want to give the disc back once he’s caught it — he takes pride in his work! But my dog, like any hero, has more talents than just physical prowess. He selflessly provides me with important reminders! Just as Lilou the therapy pig reminds travelers in the San Francisco International Airport to relax, Rusty reminds me to never leave the TV remote in an easy-to-reach location. I swear he chews them up like candy. And the brains on this dog are really something else. Sure, African giant pouched rats have been trained to sniff out land mines — saving dozens of lives — but ol’ Rust took just two weeks to become housebroken. I’m pretty sure that makes him some sort of genius. Plus he doesn’t drool nearly as much as my ex’s Newfoundland. Okay, so maybe none of that is on par with saving lives, fighting terrorism, or even just keeping a rural train station in business. Maybe Rusty is just a goofy mix with a big, lovable grin. But he’s my goofy mix, and one who loves getting me to grin along with him. That seems pretty heroic to me. Any pet can be a hero in the eyes of its owner. If you have a pet half as cool as Rusty, send our team an email and tell us about them!
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May these stories remind you of the healing and helping powers of our pets.
With that in mind, let’s keep them healthy and well! For the month of April, we’re giving you 20% off all preventive parasite treatment. Give us a call or stop by to pick it up!
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