People Are NOT Dumping Pandemic Puppies; Tick Talk

Emily Klehm is CEO of the South Suburban Humane Society HERE on Steve Dale’s Pet World WGN Radio show helps dispel a myth all over national media:

People are giving up their pandemic puppies because they’re bored with their pets, or they’re going back to work.

Klehm says this just isn’t true in Chicago or as far as she knows anywhere in the U.S.

She explains what is true, and why shelters are now increasingly crowded again with dogs and cats, and this greatly has to do with what is sadly an annual kitten season, and house-related (ending of eviction moratorium could make matters worse) and economic-related issues. Klehm notes how animal shelters may be an economic predictor.

There’s exciting news: South Suburban will soon have a new shelter – and you can help!

Talking Ticks

Few love talking ticks and the diseases they carry as registered veterinary technician Beckie Mossor, who you can hear on WGN Radio. She says tick disease is preventable because we can prevent bites from happening in the first place. Mossor agrees that we can actually do a better job at protecting our pets compared to protecting ourselves. We dispel several myths regarding ticks and tick products.  Mossor wonders, since tick disease is lifelong disease and preventable; why don’t we do a better job of protecting when we can? And, actually, for Lyme disease in dogs, there’s even a vaccine, and even tasty preventatives. You can also tick check your dog and manage the environment.

Mossor is also a fan of the Human Animal Bond Association.

Don’t Do It

When going to a dog trainer, it’s important – even if your dog has a behavior issue, to avoid punishment-based techniques. I discuss what types of dog trainers I hope people never go, but somehow they do get business, even one dog trainer, who for example, bonks dogs.