Educational Resources

S.M.A.R.T. Guide for Animal Care

In our "S.M.A.R.T. Guide for Animal Care" we provide practical and useful information & tips to the public related to the awareness and animal care.

In our brochure you can learn about important topics, such as:

Behaviors that Make a Difference (poop control, stop poisonings, spaying/neutering, community stray care etc.)
Respect for animals, delicate psychology of animals, quality of life for indoor cats
Health and therapeutic benefits of animals and many more!

Click here to download the brochure

Other educational resources

Benefits of animals for elderly people

Humans benefit greatly from the companionship of a pet. An animal in the life of a senior can help them to overcome feelings of loneliness, offer sense of security, give them new meaning and improve their overall well-being tremendously. Therefore it is important for seniors to have a pet in their living environment.

Animals are not only great company for elderly people but there are studies showing proven benefits of animal therapy for patients that have Alzheimer or dementia. Some animals can even remind their companion to take their medicine!

Benefits of Support Animals for Cancer Patients

Animals such as dogs, cats, and other mammals (ferrets, miniature horses, monkeys, parrots, pigs) have been proven to be very beneficial to cancer patients while they are undergoing treatment. Support animals include “emotional support animals” and “service animals” and they can have physical, mental and emotional benefits for cancer patients.

The most common emotional support animals (ESAs) are dogs or cats. The main goal of emotional support animals is to comfort patients and help them feel inspired to continue with cancer treatment. Their benefits include creating an emotional connection during a difficult time, distracting a patient when they are in pain, eliminating feelings of isolation, relieving symptoms of depression, decreasing the need for pain medications etc.

Service animals are certified dogs (only) that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a physical or mental disability. Their benefits to cancer patients include help with getting around, performing daily tasks, keeping up with their treatment regimen as well as helping with small tasks (such as pressing buttons, pulling wheelchairs, retrieving dropped items).

Click here to learn more about benefits of support animals for cancer patients.

Benefits that animals have for War Veterans with PTSD (Post Trauma Stress Disorder)

For years, animals have been used with great benefit in the treatment of the elderly people, children with autistic and other disorders and diseases or the terminally ill patients. Now Animal Assisted Therapy is benefiting war veterans sufferers of the so called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). While the majority of cases involve pairing PTSD patients with dogs, the treatment has also seen positive results when patients interact with other animals like horses, cats, birds and dolphins.

Ways in which animals can help PTSD war veterans:

* Demanding care - for the PTSD patient troubled by recurring thoughts of a traumatizing experience, it is helpful to have an animal which requires the focus to be shifted away from self and toward them and their needs.

* Overcoming emotional numbness - animals draw out even the most isolated personality, and having to praise the animals helps traumatized veterans overcome emotional numbness.

* Animals are accepting creatures - for the PTSD patient, pets are the ever-affectionate friend determined to give and receive comfort and attention without judgement.

* Physical health benefits - physical benefits include lower cholesterol, blood pressure and triglyceride levels.

* Psychological benefits - animals ease the impacts of PTSD, such as depression and anxiety.

Click here to read more about benefits that our amazing animals have for war veterans suffering of PTSD.

Pick Up the Poop

When we (dog owners) take our pets for a walk down the street it is our responsibility to help keep streets free from dog poop. Not only is this an act of respect for other people, their pets, one’s neighbourhood and community, but it is also a preventative measure for possible disease and health risks that affect us all. Also, dog owners who do not pick up after their pets can be fined.

Here are some S.M.A.R.T. tips to help curb the problem:

Carry some plastic bags with you at all times (for your dog’s poop).
Speak out to others that you may see not picking up their dog’s poop and ask them to please help keep the area clean.
Ask your local mayor to install “dog poop bag stations” at the local park and public areas. These stations provide convenient access to the bags and a waste disposal.

Understand the health implications of bacteria from exposed dog poop. Dog waste is an environmental pollutant. In 1991, it was labelled a non-point source pollutant, placing it in the same category as herbicides and insecticides; oil, grease and toxic chemicals; and acid drainage from abandoned mines.

Spaying/Neutering

As a pet owner, one of the most important health decisions you’ll make is to spay or neuter your cat or dog.

Spaying – removing the ovaries and uterus of a female pet – is a simple veterinary procedure that requires minimal hospitalization and offers lifelong health benefits.

Neutering – removing the testicles of your male dog or cat – will vastly improve your pet’s behaviour and keep him close to home.

Main benefits and reasons for spaying/neutering your pet:

Your female pet will live a longer, healthier life
Neutering provides major health benefits for your male
Your spayed female won’t go into heat/come into season
Your male dog won’t want to roam away from home/your male cat won’t spray around the house
Your neutered male will be much better behaved
Spaying/neutering is highly cost-effective, good for the community and helps to reduce the number of stray animals on the streets.

What to do (and not do) in case you find a newborn kitten

During high kitten season in the spring and summer, it’s not unusual to discover a nest of unattended kittens or a single kitten seemingly abandoned by the mother.

First of all, wait and watch since their mother can be off searching for food, or is in the process of moving kittens to a different location. Try to determine if the mother is coming back for them, or if they are truly orphaned. If mom returns and the area is relatively safe, leave the kittens alone with mom until they are weaned. If you discover that mom has been hit by a car, or if for any reason it appears that she is not coming back, then you should remove the kittens. This is crucial to the kittens’ survival. But you must be prepared to see this project through to weaning if you decide to intervene!

First Steps

prepare for bottle-feeding and proper care before you take the kittens off the street
if you take kittens in, wrap the carrier or container you will use for transportation in a towel for warmth (make sure you leave air holes uncovered so the kittens won’t suffocate)
check to see if the kittens are warm - this is more important than feeding. Never feed a cold kitten! If the kittens are cold, you will need to warm them up slowly. Check the pads of his feet and/or if ears feel cool or cold. Put your finger in the kitten’s mouth. If it feels cold, then the kitten’s temperature is too low. This is life-threatening and must be dealt with immediately.
warm up the kitten slowly over 20 minutes by wrapping him in a towel or baby blanket, holding him close to your body, and continually rubbing him with your warm hands
try to determine the age of the kittens (by visiting a vet or searching in the internet)

Feeding & Elimination

neonatal kittens (under four weeks of age) cannot eat solid food (not canned, not dry) and cannot urinate or defecate on their own, so you must bottle-feed them around-the-clock and stimulate their genitals after every feeding so they can eliminate
example: kittens less than one week old need to be fed and stimulated every three hours. That means you will be caring for them eight times a day. As the kittens age, the number of feeding per day goes down (you can start weaning at four weeks of age)
skipping feeding or overfeeding can cause diarrhea, which results in dehydration. This might be fatal for small kittens. Diarrhea requires a visit to the veterinarian.
Powdered kitten milk replacement formula is better for kittens than the canned liquid formula as it prevents diarrhea. It can be purchased at pet food stores, veterinarians’ offices, or online
you have stimulate their genitals after every feeding to help them eliminate