32
magazine august/september 2012 volume 8, issue 5 TM loyalty of a newfoundland canine csi why vets distrust online pharmacies helping pets Past, Present & Future
| Date post: | 25-Mar-2016 |
| Category: |
Documents |
| Upload: | leah-england |
| View: | 216 times |
| Download: | 2 times |
magazineaugust/september 2012
volume 8, issue 5
TM
loyalty of anewfoundland
canine csi
why vets distrust online pharmacies
helping petsPast, Present & Future
contentsPublisher
Leah England
(843) 478-0266
Advertising
Brian Foster
(843) 732-0412
Communications
Gillian Nicol
Contributing Writers
Stratton Lawrence
Harlan Greene Susan Millar WilliamsStephen G. HoffisJeff GreavesSue Sternberg
Staff Photographer
Laura Olsen
www.lauraolsen.com
Accounting
Carrie Clark Financial Services
(843) 367-9969
Lowcountry Dog Magazine
PO Box 22
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29465
www.lowcountrydog.com
august/september 2012
fido’s friends 4Harlan Greene
training for shelter dogs 6
devotion to humane work 8
the loyalty of a newfoundland 10
helping pets: past, present & future 14
calendar of events 21
health and wellness 22
Why Vets Distrust Online Pharmacies
training 24
Canine CSI
personal essay: My Dogs 26
adoption 28
Lowcountry Lab Rescue
144
Lowcountry Dog’s mission is to be the leading local resource for dog owners regarding regional events, health and wellness information, trends, style and lifestyle choices. We also strive to be a mouthpiece to the public for various dog related non-profits and promote pet adoption and other responsible pet care practices.
Dog lovers can pick up the bimonthly magazine for free at most area veterinarians and pet stores throughout the lowcountry, as well as numerous restaurants, coffee bars and retailers. A full distribution list is posted to the magazine’s web site, lowcountrydog.com. Subscriptions are also available. Please call 843-478-0266 for more information.
The entire contents of this magazine are copyrighted by Lowcountry Dog Magazine with all rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue is expressly forbidden without permission of the publisher.
Lowcountry Dog Magazine does not endorse or guarantee any product, service, or vendor mentioned or pictured in this magazine in editorial or advertising space. Views expressed by authors or advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher.
6
Orion, a Pet Helpers alum, graces our cover in historical downtown
Charleston. Cover image, and 1st & 3rd Table of Contents photos by
Laura Olsen Imagery.
This magazine is printed on 100% recycled paper.
Continue the green process by recycling this copy.
Lowcountrydog 3
205 Scott Street(Old Villiage)
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464(843) 856-7384
www.doggieheavendaycare.com
Cage-less doggie daycare& boarding
THE ONLY COMPLETELY CAGELESS FACILITY IN THE AREA WITH A HOME-LIKE
ENVIRONMENT!YOU CAN RELAX!
Dogs are supervised 24/7 Open 7 days a week
Customized Grooming in a Stress-Free Setting
Because every dog deserves its day!
Mention LCDM for $10 OFF any service
not to be combined with other offers, one per household, NEW CUSTOMERS ONLY
Ask about our specialty services such as sugar scrubs, paw pad treatments & hot oil treatments!
Divine!Local Pick-up/Delivery Available
(843) 849-5444577 Belle Station Blvd. Mt. Pleasant
Food Lion Shopping Center on Long Point Rd
www.pleasantpawsdayspa.com
Lowcountry Focus
Photography
Pet Portraits Weddings
Commissions
www.lowcountryfocus.com
843.509.1535
1. What’s the best thing about owning a dog? Having a fellow creature who responds as honestly and
openly to me as I do to her.
2. What do you f ind the most frustrating about your dog, or struggle with as a dog owner ? I want her to be as free as possible, but we have to train her,
and sometimes restrain her, for her own good. She lives in a world ruled by people that she does
not totally understand.
3. All time favorite memory of your dog? Something that happens nearly every day -- when she's sleeping trustfully in my arms.
4. Favorite place to hang out with your dog in Charleston?White Point Garden is a great off the leash area. There’s usually a breeze and sunlight through the
trees for me – and lots of squirrels for Zoe. And each of us runs into friends there.
5. With what aspect of your dog’s personality do you most identify?Her total interest in the world (when she is not asleep.)
6. In your opinion, what’s the one item all dog owners must have?A traveling water bowl.
7. If your dog were some other sort of animal, what would she be?Maybe an eagle. Being so short, and a determined chaser of squirrels, she spends a lot of time looking up into trees. Being an eagle
would grant her wish of being able to soar. She could then get into our very high bed by herself, as well.
8. How does your dog inspire you? Or what has your dog taught you about life and work?Zoe lives in the moment; and there is something awe inspiring and humbling in how dogs accept fate and suffer stoically. Then
there is her total acceptance and lack of judgment regarding her humans, a love that conquers difference and transcends species. I
suppose I could write an ABC book – a letter for each quality that inspires or teaches me.
9. How do you KNOW you and your dog are best friends?She tells me. Without speaking. And I know. Without
thinking.
10. What’s your favorite thing about Lowcountry Dog Magazine?The pictures! If you can’t have your dog in your lap, you can at
least have a copy of the Magazine with you.
4 Lowcountrydog
F ido’s Friendsharlan greene
Occupation: Archivist and Author
Dogs in Household: One Named: Zoe
Lives: Downtown
photos by Laura Olsen Imagery
Author Harlan Green (R), his partner, Jonathan Ray,
and their adorable dog, Zoe.
Lowcountrydog 5
We have the lowest prices on our foods...Guaranteed!*
843.881.0800 Mt. Pleasant Towne Centre hairywinston.com* see store for details
HAIRY WINSTONPet Boutique & Grocery
F ido’s Friendsharlan greene
Occupation: Archivist and Author
Dogs in Household: One Named: Zoe
Lives: Downtown
photos by Laura Olsen Imagery
www.lauraolsen.com
Imagine a potential adopter walking into a shelter and visiting with a dog who can sit, show self-control, and calm himself even when excited. Imagine a potential adopter who sees a shelter dog as partially trained and is inspired to do more training with the dog since the dog knows more than their previous dog ever did.
Establishing training programs as part of an enrichment strategy in shelters is gaining momentum and benefitting dogs who are considered less appealing than others. These programs are intended to encourage, promote and provide quality of life for dogs in shelters.
When a shelter spends time training and working with its dogs, everyone benefits. The mental stimulation from the training helps prevent the dog from succumbing to the stressful and harmful effects of kenneling. They get relief from the frustration of life in the shelter through their success at learning new skills. It is not enough to simply house a dog and care for its physical needs. A dog’s quality of life is about his present mental state. A dog does not live for a future — he spends his time in the present. It’s what we love so much about a dog. Dogs keep us in the moment. They don’t spend a lot of time dwelling on the past, nor can they sit in a cage and fantasize about a future in a home.
It is therefore our responsibility to do more than just keep our shelter dogs alive. We assure that they are living humanely, each and every day while in our care. We must also make sure that their mental, behavioral and emotional well-being is better each day they are with us.
Why Train a Shelter Dog?Any kenneling over two weeks is considered long-term kenneling
and the negative effects of kennel life can start to override the positive attributes of the dogs. It is then a race against time to keep the dogs behaviorally, emotionally, and mentally healthy as time wears on and the stress, frustration and arousal levels in the kennels take their toll.
1. Improving First Impressions: With a little bit of training you can take that large portion of the shelter population that are stable tempered but untrained and a bit wild, and give them a vocabulary
and the ability to love learning and training so much they will actually offer obedience in the place of obnoxious behavior. These dogs then make a better first impression when taken out of the kennel for viewing.
When surveyed, adopters said they look for two qualities when selecting their next dog: ‘a smart dog’; and a dog ‘who listens.’ What these folks mean isn’t that they want a genius dog with excellent hearing, but rather a trainable dog who is also attentive. A training regimen helps shelter dogs appear smart and attentive!
2. Shelter dogs who have received some training are often viewed by the public as ‘special,’ instead of victims of abuse and neglect. Training can help scrub away some dirt and silt and reveal the pearl underneath.
3. Training shelter dogs encourages a potential owner to seek additional reward-based, positive-reinforcement-based techniques.
These types of programs hopefully influence shelter and kennel staff and volunteers, dog walkers, current and future pet owners, the general public, and even dog trainers to seek
modern, humane dog-training methods.Training alone cannot make an unstable dog into a stable dog. A
training regimen is not the answer for each and every dog. Training programs are targeted towards basically sweet-tempered, stable dogs who have just never been trained or worked with. These are not behavior modification programs.
Training that transfers is crucial for shelter dogs. When training shelter dogs, you want and need the dog to perform for a complete stranger, probably someone whom you’ll never personally meet. When training a shelter dog, you don’t want the dog to bond closer to YOU during training, or what will happen when you show him to a prospective adopter is that he will likely look adoringly at YOU, not them, and they won’t want him.
So how do you get a shelter dog to walk up to a perfect stranger and convince them he’s well behaved?
Working with the ASPCA® Partner Community project and Sue Sternberg’s Train to Adopt™ program, Charleston Animal Society has developed and implemented a training program for shelter dogs.
Foster homes are needed to augment the limited kennel space at the shelter and provide the needed time and environment for training. However, foster volunteers can also play a crucial role in training dogs by coming to the shelter and implementing a structured regimen for dogs.
Another way to save more lives!For more information on this program, contact Jeff Greaves at
[email protected] or contact Joe Elmore at 843.329.1540.
6 Lowcountrydog
• Visit www.SaveMoreLives.org• Call CAS 843.747.4849 Pet Helpers 843.795.1110• Foster• Volunteer • Donate• Spread the Word on Facebook• Blog about Fostering & Adoption
Training Shelter Dogs for Adoption
By Jeff Greaves and Sue Sternberg
Lowcountrydog 7
• TwoMountPleasantLocations• MassageTherapy• ManyTechniquesincluding
NoTwistingorCracking
• NutritionalAnalysisandCounseling
• LowLevelColdLaserTherapy• InsuranceAccepted
Must present coupon. Cannot be combined. Expires 9/15/12 IC
Main Office3373 S. Morgans Pointe Rd. #307 Mt. Pleasant
Eco Fitness Gym627A Johnnie Dodds Blvd. Mt. Pleasant
ARTHRITIS | ACCIDENTS | SPORTS INJURIES | FIBROMYALGIA
AccurateChiropractic
AccurateChiropractic
ACCURATECHIROPRACTIC
843.971.8814www.mtpleasantchiro.com
Must present coupon. Cannot be combined. Expires 9/15/12 IC
843.971.8814 843.971.8814
Drs. Gina &Michael Courson
OPENSATURDAYS
First Visit $40onlyLose up to
HCG weight loss program only $37540 pounds in 40days
We accept competitor’s coupons and Groupons!
SOUTH CAROLINA’S MOST ADVANCED, EXPERIENCED & TRUSTED!Your veterinarian’s trusted partner since 1999!
24 HOUR EMERGENCY CARE IN 2 LOCATIONS!
VeterinarySpecialtyCare.com
985 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. Mt. Pleasant Medicine: 843-216-7554Surgery: 843-216-7554Emergency: 843-216-7554
3163 West Montague Ave., North CharlestonMedicine: 843-793-2161
Emergency: 843-744-3372
• BoardCertifiedInternalMedicine,Oncology,Neurology,Surgery&Cardiology• Over100yearscombined,trustedexperienceintheLowcountry• Onlineemergencypre-registrationonourwebsite• Mostadvanced&safestMRIinSouthCarolina• TakeavirtualtourofournewhospitalonourwebsiteWhen your pet is sick or hurt, we know exactly how you feel. We’ve been there, through the worry, anxiety and concern. We offer the most advanced medical care possible along with the tender, compassionate & attentive care your pet deserves.
• Visit www.SaveMoreLives.org• Call CAS 843.747.4849 Pet Helpers 843.795.1110• Foster• Volunteer • Donate• Spread the Word on Facebook• Blog about Fostering & Adoption
Lucia’s carries the top holistic dog and cat foods, fun toys, stylish
collars, great beds, herbs, homeopathics, supplements & more.
Don’t miss the self-serve dog wash! 25% off dog washes every Sunday 12-5
Publix Shopping Center Daniel Island
843.377.8740www.luciaspremiumpet.com
8 Lowcountrydog
Devotion to Humane Workby Harlan Greene
Look into the trusting eyes of an animal, and you’ll feel it in an
instant -- the special bond that can exist across species. Locally,
perhaps no one felt this love and sacred obligation more than the
now forgotten Henry F. Lewith.
Over the years, there were attempts to write his biography
and raise a monument to him. But he remains in obscurity.
Born here July 29, 1876, Lewith became a journey man printer
for the News and Courier, but that was not his life work. An avid
supporter of animal rights and human obligations, Lewith was
a member of the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals and he attended all annual conferences. In 1913, at the
national convention, he suggested the creation of a Be Kind
to Animals Week. By 1915, it was a national movement, with a
week in April chosen each year; SC Governor Manning made a
statewide proclamation honoring it in 1918. The phrase became
known throughout the English speaking world and was translated
widely. Celebrated into the 1970s, the program had three aims: to
educate school children on humane issues, encourage ministers
to give sermons on the topic on “Humane Sunday,” and increase
public awareness of the plight of animals. Charleston led the way
with publishing annual newspaper supplements; and the trend
was taken up around the country. Lewith himself would buy
thousands of these issues and send them out to the world. “It was
his feeling that voiceless animals have all too few spokesmen and
that he could do no better than devote his means, his talent, and
his life in creating sentiment in their behalf,” noted a friend who
knew him. No stray ever passed his door on New Street without
being fed and nurtured; he personally saved countless animals
from death. He was shy and retiring and never married, sharing
his life instead with his constant companion, a collie he rescued
and whom he named Beauty. They were seen together in their
walks around Charleston for years. While tending to creatures
with greater needs than his own, he neglected himself. Lewith
died on 11 August 1926, soon after his 50th birthday. With him
gone, the collie Beauty refused nourishment and died of grief.
“He devoted his life to humane work” reads his simple tombstone
in KK Beth Elohim’s Huguenin Avenue cemetery.
Harlan Greene is a native of Charleston and the author of fiction and nonfiction
books and articles on Charleston and the lowcountry. He lives with his partner
Jonathan Ray and their beloved wire haired dachshund ,Zoe, in downtown Charleston.
Our gratitude is extended to Special Collections, Addlestone Library, College of Charleston for
sharing the headstone photo with us. This article was first published in Charleston Magazine.
Author Harlan Green and his beloved dog, Zoe.
Lowcountrydog 9
Pet Boarding & Doggie Daycare
111 Acres Drive • Ladson, SC 29456(843) 553-3710 (843) 553-3713 fax
[email protected] preppy pet sc
Mon-Fri: 7-12 and 2-7 Closed 12-2 Sat: 8-1 and Sun:1-4
It’s the playtime that makes all the differenceSix indoor play areas. Two outdoor runs with real grass.
Abbie
Rule no. 1DON’T FALL FOR THIS FACE.
Private Training Day Training Behavior Modification Group ClassesCindy Carter, CPDT-KA
843-906-9997
mindfulmanners.net
Sponsoredby Ruby
Help Keep Charleston
Beautiful& Be Famous
Sponsor a waste bag dispenser at your favorite local park
featuring a photo of your pet!
For more information contactKeep Charleston Beautiful
www.keepcharlestonbeautiful.org
(843)579-7501
Ask aboutbusiness
sponsorships!Upheaval in CharlestonEarthquake and Murder on the Eve of Jim CrowSusan Millar Williams and Stephen G. Hoffius$22.95 paperback
“It’s not simply a meditation on the earthquake and recovery nor is it just the story of the murder of former News and Courier editor Frank Dawson. Rather, it’s a synthesis of these two events that, taken together, shed light on a city in a great state of flux.”—Charleston Post and Courier
On March 12, 1889, a young Newfoundland dog named Bruno
lost his beloved master to Charleston’s crime of the century.
Just the year before, Bruno had come to live with the Dawson
family in their grand house on Bull Street. The children, Ethel
and Warrington, named him after a famous St. Bernard whose
stuffed head they had seen while travelling with their mother
in Berne, Switzerland. But it was Frank Dawson, editor of the
Charleston News and Courier, who captured the dog’s heart. Every
night the pup waited at the gate, pressing his body against the
ironwork until he recognized Dawson’s step.
Dawson may have saved Bruno’s life when the family’s other
dog, an elderly pointer named Nellie, became rabid. In the
days before widespread vaccination, rabies was one of the great
threats to dogs and humans. Without warning, a devoted dog
became an agent of death. One day nine-year-old Warrington was
standing on the back piazza when the normally gentle and placid
Nellie suddenly took a flying leap at his face. Warrington ducked
and Nellie fell sprawling a few feet away. Dawson grabbed the
snarling dog by the scruff of her neck. Bruno the Newfoundland,
who was just a puppy, though a very large puppy indeed, romped
up from the other end of the lawn. “Catch the dog and hold
him!” Dawson cried to his son. “Keep him away from me! KEEP
HIM AWAY!” Warrington lunged at Bruno and wrapped his arms
around his neck. Thirteen-year-old Ethel grabbed Bruno’s hind
legs, and together they held him back.
Frank Dawson dragged Nellie to the basement and locked her
in. Following the custom of the time, he offered her water to test
whether she was afflicted with rabies, also known as hydrophobia
because it compromises the ability to swallow and causes infected
animals to panic at the sight of liquids. The dog refused to drink.
“ Y o u
c o u l d n ’ t
h a m m e r
water down
her throat,”
D a w s o n
told his
h o r r i f i e d
chi ldren.
L i k e
Atticus Finch in To
Kill a Mockingbird, he instantly understood what had to be
done with a mad dog, and he did it without flinching. He went
up to his bedroom, got his revolver, and killed Nellie with one
shot to the head, saving his children and the adoring Bruno from
what was then an incurable and excruciating disease.
In late August 1886, Bruno was just a gleam in his daddy’s eye
when Charleston was struck by the strongest quake ever to strike
the East Coast of North America. Frank Dawson worked tirelessly
in the months after the disaster, publicizing the condition and
needs of the city, dominating the meetings of the Executive Relief
Committee, and rallying the citizens of Charleston to recover and
rebuild. He became the man of hour, a national hero.
Ethel, Warrington, and their mother, Sarah, were traveling
in Europe when the disaster struck. The three came home to
Charleston in 1887, bringing with them a young Swiss woman
named Hélène Burdayron. The voluptuous Hélène had been hired
to care for the children. She would soon prove to be the Dawson
family’s undoing.
Dr. Thomas B. McDow lived just around the corner from the
From Family Dog to Field Champ
10 Lowcountrydog
The Loyalty of a Newfoundland
by Susan Millar Williams and Stephen G. Hoffius
Sarah M. Dawson
Francis Warrington Dawson
Lowcountrydog 11
thelearningcanine
Dogs of all ages need higher education.Get a Pet Degree with TLC!
Private Training and Group Classes in 7 locations across the Tri-County Area. 15% Discount for Rescue and SPCA Alumni.
www.thelearningcanine.com
(843) 607-1227
COASTAL CAROLINA Veterinary Specialists (843) 566-0023
3163 W. Montague Ave. N. Charlestonwww.ccvsllc.com Mon-Fri 8:00am-6:00pm
Is your dog suffering from arthritis? Or recovering from injury or surgery? Do you have an older or overweight dog that is having trouble getting around?
We have the Answer… Canine Rehabilitation
Luxury Daycare & BoardingLocated on Johns Island
1989 River RdJohns Island
Looking for Downtown Veterinary Care?
Conveniently located just off East Bay Street.
OLDE TOWNEVETERINARY CLINIC
843-723-144317 Pinckney St.www.oldetownevet.com
Cynthia P. Smith, DVMKelli Klein, DVM • Laurie Wallace, DVM
Our personalized services includeSmall Animal Medicine • Dentistry
Surgery • Geriatric Care • Boarding
Ask about our College of Charleston discounts & convenient drop off service
Sarah M. Dawson
Dawsons with his wife and young daughter, practicing medicine
in a ground-floor office on Rutledge Avenue and living on the
second floor. While big fuzzy Bruno hung around the gate waiting
for Dawson, McDow lurked nearby, stalking Hélène. Dawson
eventually caught wind of the doctor’s obsession, and on March
12, 1889, he went to McDow’s office and ordered him to back off.
The doctor pulled out a gun and shot Dawson dead. Then, terrified
at the thought of having killed the hero of the earthquake, he
tore up the floorboards of a closet and tried to hide the body.
Sarah Dawson spent an agonized afternoon wondering why
her husband had not come home for dinner. Bruno paced the floor
with her, whimpering. Meanwhile, Dr. McDow confessed to the
killing and was led off to jail, where he would await trial on a
charge of murder.
In the days to come, Sarah and her children were distraught,
but they understood that Frank was not coming back. Bruno was
baffled. The dog took up his post at the gate every evening to
watch for his master’s return. When Dawson failed to appear, the
dog began to howl. The servants locked Bruno in the stable, but he
continued to howl. After several sleepless nights, the neighbors
threatened to poison him.
Finally Sarah took the dog upstairs to Dawson’s room, where
he wriggled under the bed and emerged with an old pair of
slippers. He laid them at Sarah’s feet and crouched, looking up at
her expectantly. Sarah broke into tears. After that, Bruno seemed
to understand that his master was gone. He stopped howling, but
he also stopped eating. A veterinarian was called in, and the cook
prepared special foods, but nothing could tempt Bruno to give up
what the family called a “hunger strike.” Eventually, he collapsed
and died.
Many in Charleston mourned for Frank Dawson, a towering
figure in the post-Civil War city. But the Dawson family, Sarah and
her children Ethel and Warrington, were shattered by another
death as well. Members of the family wrote later that they felt
they had lost Bruno to a clear case of “animal suicide.”
Read the full story of
Bruno, and also of the great
Charleston earthquake
and the untimely death of
Francis Warrington Dawson
in Upheaval in Charleston:
Earthquake and Murder
on the Eve of Jim Crow
(University of Georgia Press,
2011), by Susan Millar
Williams and Stephen G.
Hoffius.
Warrington Dawson
Ethel Dawson
Lowcountrydog 13
mount pleasant | west ashley
Come Paint your Best Friend!
Painting it Forward.Wine and Design proudly supports
Pet Helpers. We raised $2,000 in July’s Paint Your Pet Class!
NEXTPaint Your Pet
August 18th Both Studios
14 Lowcountrydog
helping petsPast, Present & Future
Carol Linville, the founder of Pet Helpers. Below, Carol and her early volunteers. (R) The new
adoption center and spay & neuter clinic.
text by Stratton Lawrence photography by Laura Olsen Imagerywith additional historical snapshots by Keegan Spera
Lowcountrydog 15
To understand the core of what makes Pet Helpers special among shelters, glance for a moment at the colorful ‘Enrichment’ program schedule taped to the wall in their kennel. On Mondays, the dogs living at Pet Helpers enjoy classical music over the house speakers. After their kennels are cleaned, their bedding is replaced with almond-scented linens. For activities, they’ll search for a treat in a ‘paper bag hunt,’ before spending the afternoon with a fresh rawhide.
Tuesdays are an entirely different affair. The music becomes bird songs, the day’s scent is black cherry, and activities include unraveling frozen green peas from a paper towel roll. Of course, there are also daily walks with volunteers, time to play in the outdoor kennel, and enough rope toys and Kong treats to keep a dog occupied for hours. If the dogs could make their own decisions regarding the matter, they might opt
never to leave. But that would leave another homeless dog without a safe haven. Situated along Folly Road about five miles from Folly Beach, Pet Helpers is Charleston’s only no-kill animal shelter. When an animal arrives,
they enter a loving environment where each staff member is committed to their rehabilitation, training, and placement in a good home. Most importantly, they will never be euthanized.
The Cat LadyIn 1976, Carol and Bob Linville were contentedly selling cars along Folly Road. After meeting in Florida and moving to Charleston in 1974,
the couple opened the Linville Car Center in the lot where Sweetwater Café now sits. “We saved every dollar we had to open the business,” says Linville, recalling their first year of marriage in a West Ashley apartment with
no furniture but two floor pillows and a foot locker. “Those were really the rolling quarter days.”The couple spent much of their free time at Folly Beach, where a substantial population of feral cats roamed the island. Always an animal
lover, Linville found her role in the community through a weekly column in the James Island Journal newspaper, helping to find homes for the strays.
For her ‘Pet of the Week’ column, coordinated with the John Ancrum SPCA (now the Charleston Animal Society), Linville and a small group of volunteers took a weekly picture of a pet at the shelter, developed it at the local camera shop and personally dropped it off at the publisher’s house.
“I did that every week for 15 years,” recalls Linville. “It was an insidious start to my life in animal welfare, like I got pregnant with something.”Within a year or two of beginning the column, Linville had become known as ‘The Cat Lady.’ That moniker wasn’t due to her feeding the
neighborhood strays, but for her willingness to take animals in need into her home. Despite the tight times early on, the Linvilles cordoned off a section of their office for stray and unwanted cats that neighbors would drop
by, building a network of volunteers who helped foster the animals and find them permanent homes. The couple paid for the costs of housing and feeding the animals on their own dime, only beginning to solicit donations specifically for medical expenses in 1979.
The original Pet Helpers shelter facility. Photo provided by Keegan Spera.
Carol being interviewed on the grounds of the old shelter. Photo provided by Keegan Spera.
At the old shelter, all kennels were outside. Staff did their best to keep
pets warm during the winter months while they awaited adoption. Photo
provided by Keegan Spera.
This article was graciously purchased as an auction item at the 2011 Fur Ball, and donated back to Pet Helpers by an anonymous patron.
16 Lowcountrydog
As Linville’s reputation grew, so did her i n vo l ve m e n t . Her first efforts to enact policy c h a n g e s began with her encouraging the founding of a low-cost spay-a n d - n e u t e r
program at the SPCA, whereas before, people had to pay full-price and then apply for a rebate.
“They were sending home a kitten and ten were coming back,” she laments, adding that the phrase ‘just one litter’ from a pet owner still irritates her to no end.
In 1983, the Linvilles registered Pet Helpers as an official 501c3 non-profit and built a dedicated facility for the stray animals, housing as many as 17 cats and kittens at once, in addition to the handful of dogs that came and went through their doors. They closed up the car lot and switched their attention over to real estate on Folly Beach. All the while, their philanthropic hobby had become an all-consuming job.
“The cats were setting off the burglar alarm three times a week at two in the morning,” she recalls. “The police would call and we’d have to get up from Folly Beach and drive down there to the office.”
Eventually, the Linvilles added a second phone line to their house, freeing up an extra line for the constant calls about animals in need. Carol also began the once-controversial practice of trapping Folly Beach’s feral cats to neuter and spay them, then releasing them back where they were found. It’s now a legal and encouraged practice for controlling wild cat populations in the most humane manner possible.
“Folly was overrun with cats and dogs in the ‘80s,” says Linville. “They would tie them to a 4x4 post outside the police department until somebody could take them.”
In 1988, the day after Bob was first elected to Folly Beach City Council (he later served as the city’s mayor), Carol began her official growth from a caretaker into an activist. Catching a breath after a long campaign and a trying election day, she received a call about a traveling zoo set up in the South Windermere Shopping Center parking lot, complete with ponies, a rhinoceros, and two African elephants.
Arriving on the scene, it only took moments for Linville to recognize the horrific treatment the animals were receiving and the poor conditions in which they lived.
“I knew nothing about exotic animals, but I got on the phone and called three people who I knew would come and start a protest with me,” Linville remembers.
With makeshift signs in hand, the Linvilles found themselves confronting angry men who shoved a shopping cart into Bob’s stomach and were quick to display the knives strapped underneath their pant legs. When the police arrived, Linville refused to leave the
protest, striking a deal that they’d remain on hand until 7 pm. Linville stood her ground until the zoo packed up to leave, before heading home to reach the S.C. Attorney General on the phone.
Four weeks later, the zoo owner was charged in Maryland with federal animal cruelty violations. Linville flew up to testify in district court and helped to secure sanctuary care for each of the 40 animals.
“That experience propelled me forward to keep challenging the status quo,” says Linville, prompting her to push for the creation of an animal welfare ordinance in Charleston County. “Thirty years ago, we were living in the 1800s in the way we handled animals in this community. Ninety percent of shelter animals were euthanized, and there were no animal welfare laws in place. I started researching ordinances, put one in front of County Council, called the media, and said I’m not going away until we get something in place. Six months later, we had an animal welfare ordinance.”
Ground-breaking at the new facility.
Volunteer Alexis Kaul helping out at the front desk.
R-L: Carol Linville, Erica Marcus, Lauren Lipsey and Kevin Ryan working the Mega Match-A-Thon at PetCo.
Vet staff Lauren Penoyer and Drenan Josey prep a patient.
Lowcountrydog 17
Dog’s Best FriendFollowing her success at the county level
(and establishing a similar ordinance and humane kennel on Folly Beach), Linville took her passionate campaign to Columbia, working over six years to make animal cruelty a felony at the state level. Locally, she took on any issue that arose, from ceasing the use of shelter animals in Berkeley County for medical research to closing down the Lowcountry’s last shopping center and mall pet stores (At today’s corporate pet stores like PetSmart, the dogs and cats available for adoption are rotated through from shelters like Pet Helpers).
In 1992, Pet Helpers moved out of the Linvilles’ office and established its own shelter space across the street from the current building at 1447 Folly Road. Because the shelter refused to euthanize, even for dogs and cats that arrived weak and sickly, their kennels remained perpetually full.
Linville began to turn her attention toward altering public perception about ‘backyard breeders’ and puppy mills, even taking on neighbors on James Island who bred Siamese cats in cramped, poor conditions. She winces when relating the ongoing case of a breeder with 100 young hunting dogs kept in a dark, hot garage in Orangeburg County.
“In my opinion, backyard breeders are exploiting animals for money. It’s an underground cash railroad and there’s really no accountability for these animals; they’re inbred and over-bred,” laments Linville. “A lot of the animals at Pet Helpers come back to these breeders. The pit bull puppies are bred constantly, and there’s no regulation, no control and no oversight. You can breed all you want. It just makes us crazy.”
One of Pet Helpers’ biggest challenges today lies in continuing to reverse the public belief that shelter dogs are inherently damaged. It’s true that in the past, animals in shelters were often sick or had something wrong with them, and adopting them required a person with that extra ounce of compassion.
These days, reality is almost 180 degrees away from that false perception. About 25 percent of the dogs that pass through Pet Helpers are pure bred, yet shelters remain behind word-of-mouth from friends and family and individual breeders in the order of places people think about when they’re looking to adopt a new pet.
That’s despite the fact that unlike many pets from the classifieds, Pet Helpers’ animals are vaccinated against disease, free of heartworms, treated for parasites, and spayed or neutered. They’ve also been socialized with both other humans and dogs, allowing for a clear and accurate behavior report before being available for adoption.
“A lot of people say, ‘Oh, I can’t adopt at a shelter. I don’t know the dogs’ history,’” explains Pet Helpers’ Manager of Public Relations
and Outreach Lauren Lipsey. “These guys often live with us for a long time, so we’re able to tell you how they interact with other dogs and with humans and what their training is like.”
Dogs and cats that arrive overweight or sick are rehabilitated, and any health problems that may persist are fully explained and on-the-table before a decision to adopt is made.
“By the time a dog is adopted, their behaviors and any health issues have been dealt with,” says Linville. “People are slowly beginning to see that the best animals are found in shelters, not the worst.”
A Bright Future AheadFrom its humble beginnings in a mobile office building to the
current $5 million facility, Pet Helpers has grown beyond even what Linville could imagine. Carol and Bob have personally donated hundreds of thousands of dollars and unthinkable amounts of hours into the shelter, without ever accepting a cent of monetary compensation in return (Carol draws a small annual salary in order to build social security credits that she donates, in full, back to the shelter).
With their example as the lead, board members themselves have donated nearly one million dollars toward the new facility’s completion, which still needs $2.1 million to pay off its debt. Because Pet Helpers doesn’t euthanize (and is thus unable to accept every animal that it receives calls about), they’ve been ineligible for public funding. When Linville thinks about the estimated 35,000 animals whose lives have been saved by Pet Helpers’ work, however, she doesn’t question the decision to sacrifice even more of her own time and money.
To this day, she still drives Bob’s truck to the Lowcountry Food Bank a few times each month to pick up their extra pet food and cat litter, as much as 2000 pounds in a load. Pet Helpers distributes that food for free to any pet owner in the community in need, whether
Volunteer Alexis Kaul helping out at the front desk.
R-L: Carol Linville, Erica Marcus, Lauren Lipsey and Kevin Ryan working the Mega Match-A-Thon at PetCo.
Vet staff Lauren Penoyer and Drenan Josey prep a patient.
Carol passionately speaking about the Pet Helpers mission at a past Fur Ball gala.
The indoor kennels at the new facility.
18 Lowcountrydog
they adopted from the shelter or not.
“It’s a community food bank that’s open for anyone who shows up and
claims they’re in need,” says Pet Helpers’ Lipsey.
“There’s no verification. We’d rather assist a loving owner in need than have them feel forced to drop their pets off with us.”
Those same principles of compassion apply to the shelters’ myriad of other programs, from discount spay and neuter surgeries to at-cost heartworm preventative and flea treatment. Pet Helpers maintains a network of low-cost veterinarians and even offers individual financial assistance in extreme cases.
Among Pet Helpers’ most recent projects is a fencing program, providing one fence each month for dog owners around the Lowcountry who are deemed to be loving caretakers but are forced by circumstance to keep their pet chained or tethered in the yard.
In addition, the shelter began hosting summer camps last year, expanding into three week-long sessions in 2012, each of which filled to capacity. Campers don’t just learn about the warm and fuzzy part of
dog ownership; rather, they’re also taught about issues that affect Pet Helpers, from puppy mills to animal cruelty legislation. But what’s most fun for the campers is helping to run the daily enrichment programs that the dogs enjoy.
“It’s a real life experience for kids; not just a dog-and-pony show,” says Linville. “It’s both the pretty part of pet ownership and the reality of everything. It has to strike home.”
On Monday nights, Pet Helpers offers low-cost dog training classes, part of their effort to encourage owners to stick with pets that may have had trouble adapting to life in a new home.
In the coming year, Linville hopes that a capital campaign will not only help to pay off the building but expand into a corner currently used for storage, opening up more kennel space and increasing the shelters’ capacity from its current max of 80-100 cats and 40-60 dogs. Pet Helpers
also hopes to hire a permanent education staff member, growing programs like the summer camp and dog training seminars. The Fur Ball fundraiser, held this year on November 2nd, serves as the non-profit’s most important event of the year, bringing in over $150,000 last year. In many ways, its success dictates what Pet Helpers is able to accomplish in a given year.
Although Linville is far from stepping down from her role in the day-to-day operations of Pet Helpers (including her job as president of the board), she looks to staff members like Lipsey as the organization’s future.
“I was 31 when this all started,” says Linville. “I look at Lauren’s energy and her passion and I see myself.”
Hang out at Pet Helpers for just a few minutes and you’ll begin to hear both heartbreaking and inspiring stories of pets that have come through the shelters’ doors. There’s Chugs, who was recently rescued (by car) from the streets of Baltimore, Maryland after his
Pet Helpers Veterinarian Janet McKimstudies an x-ray.
Bubbles gets some love from campers.
The kind and caring vet staff at Pet Helpers greet a patient.
Lowcountrydog 19
microchip showed he’d been at Pet Helpers years before. One recent veteran, Gilligan, made headlines after Pet Helpers employee Jason Moore rescued him from an island in the Folly River.
At a large-scale public shelter, these sort of dramatic, personal stories might not be possible. When an animal’s situation is so dire, at many shelters, the only option is to euthanize.
Stroll through the kennel at Pet Helpers and it’s impossible not to fall in love with dogs like Huck, an amiable coonhound with droopy ears and yearning eyes.
It’s the passion and determination of both Pet Helpers’ staff and its volunteers for these animals that keeps the wheels turning, placing over 1000 cats and dogs with new owners each year. That’s not to mention the thousands of animals that have arrived ill and left healthy, ready to start a new life in a loving home.
“Hopefully some day we won’t have to worry about too many animals. We’ll have people standing out here for a lottery drawing to see who gets to adopt a dog or cat,” says Linville. “That’s my ultimate dream.”
Bark Your Calendars forthe 8th Annual
Pet Helpers Fur Ball!The Roaring ‘20sNovember 2ndMarriott Hotel on Lockwood, Crystal Ballroom$150, all inclusive
Live entertainment; Silent and live auctions
(including the chance to bid on a Lowcountry Dog cover story about the topic of your choosing)
Click to www.pethelpers.org for more information and to purchasetickets online.
20 Lowcountrydog
hap
py
ho
un
ds
spec
ial
edit
ion
: re
ader
s sh
are
old
fam
ily
pho
tos
Upload photos of your happy hound at www.lowcountrydog.com/share/photo All breeds and mixed breeds accepted.
Bob & Henrietta Thoesen, their dog Pal, and Pete the bunny.
Colorado, 1933. Submitted by Melissa Limehouse.
Wilma Suessman and her dog Teddy (on the bench). Connecticut, 1926. Submitted by Marisa Hedlund.
This is my dad Peter Jaegerr, age 7 in 1949. The family had several "Skippys" but this was the first. Submitted by Veronica O'Sullivan.
Inset: Lee A. Buck and his spaniel. 1925. Submitted by Matt Kinney.John Hunter, 5 years old and unknown dog. 1933. Submitted by Stephanie Hunter.
This is a photo of my dad when he was 3, along with his dog. Submitted by Carolyn Hoover.
Caroline Watkins with her dog Princess in March 1953. Submitted by Ashley Whitacre.
upcoming eventsevery saturday in the spring and summer. cas adoptable dogs at the marion square farmer’s market.
every saturday pet helpers adoptions at petco, west ashley.www.pethelpers.org for more info.
every saturday cas adopt-a-thon at petsmart mt pleasant. www.
charlestonanimalsociety.org for more
info.
august 11th 11:00am-2:00pm frwspca adoptathon at all is well. Adoption counselors from the
Francis Willis SPCA on hand to help
visitors find a new pet. All is Well 440 Old
Trolly Rd. Click to www.summervillespca.
org for more info.
august 15th 5:00pm-7:00pm carolina coonhound yappy hour. Mt Pleasant Dog and Duck, Long Point Rd.
www.carolinacoonhoundrescue.com for
more info.
august 18th 12:00pm frwspca adoptathon. Pet Lovers Warehouse.
Come on out and adopt a furever friend!
Foster Pets & Shelter Pets are welcome. 620
Bacons Bridge Road, Summerville. Click to
www.summervillespca.org for more info.
august 18th 10:00am-2:00pm carolina coonhound petfinder adoptathon. Tractor Supply in
Ravenel off Hwy 17. $5 dog wash as
well as adoptable hounds on site. www.
carolinacoonhoundrescue.com for more
info.
august 18th 6:30pm paint your pet benefit. An opportunity to paint your
beloved furry friend under the instruction
of experts, for a good cause! $65, includes
painted canvas from the class, wine, and
appetizers. wineanddesignus.com for
more info.
august 21st 7:00pm lowcountry dog agility tryouts. Low Country
Dog Agility (LCDA) club will provide a free
agility try-out and activity preference
testing to assist you in selecting the right
sport and/or class for you and your furry
friend. Check www.lowcountrydogagilty.
com for more information.
august 23rd 4:00pm james island dog park yappy hour. Dog lovers,
reward yourself and your pooch after a
long day at the office! Bring your favorite
furry friend to enjoy live music and
beverages. Yappy Hour is free with your
park admission - $1 per person, or free for
Gold Pass Members. Outside alcohol and
coolers are prohibited. Rawberry Jam will
be providing the music. Click to www.
ccprc.com/index.aspx?nid=1181 for more
info.
august 25th 12:00pm-3:00pm frwspca adoptathon. Summerville
PetSmart. Bring home a furever family
member! Click to www.summervillespca.
org for more info.
september 8th 12:00pm-6:00pm carolina coonhound pig pickin and silent auction. James Island County Park at the
Wappoo shelter. $20 tickets must be
purchased in advance. Email kelly@
carolinacoonhoundrescue or purchase
online at carolinacoonhoundrescue.com/
events.
september 9th 12:00pm-4:00pm the animal hospital of north charleston open house. Come
meet our new veterinarian Dr. Roth who
is joining us from Ohio. Onsite training
advice, wine and cheese for the adults and
Teddy Bear surgery for the kids. Check out
our website www.theanimalhospital.net
or call (843)552-8278 with any questions.
8389 Dorchester Rd, North Charleston, SC.
september 9th 12:00pm 4th annual dog day afternoon at whirlin waters. Large dogs can romp
around in the 27,000-sq. ft. Big Kahuna
wave pool, while smaller pooches can
make a splash in the refreshing Otter Bay
kiddie pool. Food and beverages will be
available for purchase at park concession
stands. Advance admission is $10 per dog
($8 per Charleston County dog) and owners
are free with their pets. Proof of your dog’s
current vaccinations is required for entry
to the event. For more information, call
(843) 795-4FUN (4386) or visit www.ccprc.
com.
september 15th 11am-4:00pm the 4th annual lowcountry paws and claws pet expo. With over
5,000 pet lovers and their furry sidekicks
in attendance last year, this event is
not one to be missed. There will be fun
and educational demonstrations and
presentations, adorable adoptable pets
from local rescues, and numerous local
businesses looking to cater to you and
your pet's needs. For more information,
contact Joyce Neville at (843) 937-5447 or
[email protected]. Admission
is $2, 12 and under are free! A portion of
the proceeds goes directly to participating
rescue groups and shelters. Event is held
at the Exchange Park in Ladson, inside
and outside the Exhibit Hall building.
facebook.com/LowcountryPawsCharleston
september 20th 4:00pm james island county park yappy hour. Dog lovers, reward yourself and your
pooch after a long day at the office! Bring
your favorite furry friend to enjoy live
music and beverages. Yappy Hour is free
with your park admission - $1 per person,
or free for Gold Pass Members. Outside
alcohol and coolers are prohibited. Taco
Donkey will be providing the music. Click
to www.ccprc.com/index.aspx?nid=1181
for more info.
Questions? Comments?Call 843-478-0266. Want to submit event information?Visit www.lowcountrydog.com and click on Add an Event. We will do our best to include your event as space allows. Our online calendar lists all events in full.
“Why won’t you write me a
prescription to 1800-PetMeds?”
This is the question most likely to make
any veterinarian cringe and run for cover.
People automatically think that the vet
clinic is simply trying to make money.
Although I will not deny that this is a
legitimate factor, it only constitutes a small
fraction of the answer. There are so MANY
reasons NOT to get your pets’ medications
through a 3rd party and unauthorized
pharmacy (PetMed Express, 1800-Petmeds,
Walmart, etc) and I am happy to explain.
The MOST important thing pet
owners need to be very aware of is that
having a record that you purchased
an FDA controlled medication from
your veterinarian (or an authorized
distributor) provides a warranty for
it's effectiveness. The meds bought and
distributed by independents, even VIPPS
certified websites (Verified Internet
Pharmacy Practice Site), are not warranted
for effectiveness by the companies that
develop them. These supply chains are
not monitored for storage/transportation
conditions which can alter effectiveness.
During transportation to the
pharmacies, the product may
have frozen/thawed, been
exposed to severe heat, any of
which can alter effectiveness.
Legally, only a licensed
veterinarian can obtain
the original product for his
or her own patients. Many
of the drugs sold through
3rd party pharmacies have
been resold or stolen. I've
even had a client show me
drug medication packaging
with French writing.
Let's say that a horse
veterinarian buys 1000
doses of Dog Revolution
and puts it in the barn for a
few weeks before it ships to
1800 Petmeds. Does it still
work? Who knows? Let's say
that a kennel tech in New
Zealand needs some extra
cash and steals 500 doses of
Interceptor and sells it to an
independent. It looks like
the same thing you would
obtain at your veterinary
clinic. The box is in English. It is made by
Novartis (the manufacturer). But do you
think the overseas divisions of Novartis
are subject to the US FDA (Food and Drug
Administration) standards? Remember
the Chinese pet food recalls? The previous
chief of China’s FDA was beheaded in
2007 for accepting bribes to pass faulty
medications! The realm of the internet/
phone pharmacy is the Wild West of
Pharmaceuticals. Some of these drugs are
packaged neatly in identical boxes on cute
professional bona fide appearing web pages
backed by large marketing budgets. In order
to help spread awareness of this issue, the
FDA circulated a brochure with warnings
about online pharmacies (March 2010).
Regarding generic drugs, some seem as
effective as the name brands, especially
some antibiotics. But many generics are
not equal to the original, even when
the same active ingredient is listed.
The "inactive" ingredients can alter
effectiveness plus duration, and may
not even be detailed on the packaging.
Your veterinarian is the best professional
with the most knowledge about current
products' pros and cons for your pet’s
specific needs. Every prescription pad has
a little box at the bottom that allows the
Doctor to permit “product selection” or
if it must be filled “exactly as written.”
Legally, this is the doctor’s choice, not
1800-PetMeds (no matter what they try
to say). I have personally experienced
problems with my own medications
ordered through CanadaMedicineShoppe.
com when they switched my brand, and I
will be happy to share the story in person.
These companies have a long history
of breaking state pharmacy board laws
in order to make money from dog and
cat owners. When they first started, the
pharmacies hired foreign veterinarians
to unethically write prescriptions for pets
they had never examined so they could say,
“See, we have a prescription.” I heard of
one scenario where an Internet pharmacy
used a legitimate local veterinarian's
signature from one prescription over and
over for the same pet because the owner
continued to pay for the medication. The
animal developed a problem related to the
misuse of the drug, and the veterinarian
had to face her state medical board and
explain that her signature was used
without her permission! Eventually,
pharmacy boards in Florida, Alabama,
Missouri, New Mexico, Pennsylvania,
Ohio, and Louisiana all brought
charges against the PetmedExpress
(now 1800-Petmeds), but the monster
corporation could easily afford the fines
that were levied. A few hundred thousand
dollars is a small price to pay when you’re
worth 9 Million (dvm360 11/1/2002).
Oh, and their “money back guarantee”
is only for the price of the drug, not the
treatment necessary to treat your pet
when a problem arises. Purchasing from
your vet warranties that the drug company
will help pay for the cost of treatment if
there are side effects of the medication.
Some vets will write the client's
requested prescription and charge a
fee. The Animal Hospital will write
appropriate prescriptions for free, but we
try to educate people regarding the risks,
and make sure to obtain a waiver. You
can also take advantage of the free doses
available directly through the hospital
22 Lowcountrydog
by Danielle Cain, DVM
Continued on page 29
Why VetsDistrustOnline Pharmacies
Lowcountrydog 23
Cageless Doggie Daycare Located within Pet Vet Animal Hospital
(843)884-7387
www.petvetsc.com facebook.com/zendogdaycare
Dog WranglersKari OrgaShelley Kirby
VeterinariansDr. Brian King
Dr. Gordon Luke Dr. Lara Allison
What’s Your Dog Doing
Today?
In-Home Pet SittingDog Walking
(843) 817–DOGS (3647)www.seesamsit.com
Ask about our new Web Cam Service that allows you to watch your pet through your computer or smartphone while you are away!
Saturday, Sept. 1511 a.m.-4 p.m.Exchange Park in Ladson
Mark your calendar with big paw print and make sure you and your pooch don’t miss Pet Expo!
presented by
sponsored by
For more information go to:
postandcourier.com/petexpo
On a Thursday in May, I loaded my
SUV with a crate, chair, dog treats and
toys, and headed to Atlanta for a CCSI
workshop, based on the work and training
style of well known British dog trainer,
John Rogerson. It is a series of problems
to be solved by using your dog’s natural
instincts, training and the handler’s
ability to work as a unit with other dog/
handler teams. The problem --- MURDER!
CCSI is like a living game of Clue, played
with dogs. There were crime scenes, clues,
misdirection, penalties, bonus rewards,
thievery, sneaky competitors. In a word,
FUN!
Of course, I had no idea what to
expect. All I knew was that my good
friend, Meredith Minkin, of Atlanta
based Canine PhD, (one of the presenters)
said I would have a great time, learn lots
of interesting things and be "training"
out of the box. I would work with one of
Meredith's dogs.
The workshop was open to anyone
and the only restriction was that dogs
had to be able to function around other
dogs. That did not mean that dogs had
to be perfect. In fact, there were several
reactive dogs participating, a bonus, since
reactive dogs are often barred from group
activities.
The workshop was held at a horse farm
where dogs could work off leash for some
portions of the game. We were divided
into teams that would be together for the
entire time. The dogs would be helping
us solve the crimes by finding
hidden clues. Finding the clues
w o u l d
r e q u i r e
t r a c k i n g
a n d
d e t e c t i o n
work, along with basic skills.
Most of these dogs had no
experience doing tracking or
detection work. Could we teach
these skills in one weekend, or
we would learn to rely on the
dogs' natural instincts? To make
things more interesting, we
learned that failure to complete
some exercises could result
in losing a dog. Of course, we
could buy them back, provided
we had enough gold coins to do
so. We could win coins as a group or as
individuals, some were even hidden about
the property.
We started the first day by playing
some great games to proof existing skills.
Someone would hold a dog while the
handler dashed away and hid in the barn.
Then the dog was called and had to “track”
the handler. We do this type of exercise in
training classes all the time, but we rarely
do it in a horse lot full of smells, manure
and 15 other dog/handler teams.
I had no prior relationship with Radley,
the terrific Border Collie mix, that I was
working. Radley’s human, Meredith, was
present as an instructor. Dare I hope that
Radley would choose to find me and ignore
Meredith? Hope springs eternal! My big
plan was to get Radley VERY excited to
find me by creating a super high energy
and fun departure. Radley completely
ignored her mom and found me in the
barn. We were off to a good start!
The dogs and handlers had a quick
lesson in tracking and detection. Humans
learned how to handle leashes and stay
out of the dogs way. Then dogs were
introduced to gunshot residue and cadaver
odor. The real issue was learning to read
the dogs when they are on the scent!
Dogs don’t need to “learn” how to find
something with their noses; they come
equipped knowing how.
On the second day, we got our first look
at the crime scene. Then we started a
series of timed exercises where the dogs
found the clues. The clues were hidden,
along with treats, in a bunch of eggs, no
problem since dogs use their noses to find
food all of the time. But we were in a horse
lot where there were lots of other, maybe
more interesting, smells. There’s always a
twist: each handler would be blindfolded.
We had to rely on team members to
guide us into the search area, keep us
from falling over tree roots, and help us
pick up the eggs once the dogs had found
them. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Well, let
me tell you, eggs roll when dogs push them
with their noses. This may have been one
of the funniest things I’ve ever seen: a
bunch of adults, blindfolded, trying to
follow leashes to the ground and pick up
rolling eggs!
Each group had its own “track” in the
horse lot with clues combined with food.
One dog worked at a time, and as soon as
the first dog found a clue, the next dog
started at that point. The only promise,
no clues would be hidden in manure, but
a few dogs really thought manure was the
best thing going. A gold coin marked the
end of your track.
Our next task was to find the gunpowder
residue and the cadaver odor. The scent
was on q-tips, suspended in tubes. Each
dog could have as many chances as time
allowed. Our job: don’t get in the way of
your dog and observe all dogs so that we
could make a decision about the correct
location of the scents. The penalty for
not completing the exercise correctly was
losing a dog unless you could afford to buy
him back with your gold coins.
We then had games that required
thinking out of the box. For instance:
Each dog has to go into a box or circle and
retrieve odd objects. How do you make
this happen as rapidly as possible? How
about having a dog take a bunch of socks
into a circle, without the handler, bring
them back out, pass them to the next
team, then take a picture with socks on all
of the dogs?
We were introduced to 2 skills new
for most of the dogs: a running wait and
retrieving a piece of paper. Then we
practiced another old skill, walking on a
loose leash. By this time, you knew that
something was going to happen that made
24 Lowcountrydog
Canine
photo by Flickr User: Tambako the Jaguar, Creative Commons
Continued on page 27
CSIby Cindy
Carter
Natural ingredients are only as good as
their balance.Did you know some natural pet foods aren’t bal-anced the way they should be? Too much of an ingredient or too little - even natural ingredients - can be bad for a cat or dog.
Science Diet® Ideal Balance™ is a first among pet foods – natural ingredients in perfect balance.
Ask your veterinarian if Ideal Balance™ is a good choice for your cat or dog.
How does your naturalfood compare to
Science Diet® Ideal Balance™? Find out at www.HillsPet.com/IdealBalance
Free Bag Rebate at: www.hillspet.com
Fresh chicken–1st ingredient No corn
Paws in ParadiseNow Open!
• Cageless Doggie Daycare• Sleep-Overs • Day Spa
1113 Bowman Road, Suite 101 Mt. Pleasant, SC843-388-5978
Hours: 7am-7pm Daily • www.pawsinparadisesc.com
Come see what our four-legged friends are wagging their tails about!
Mention this Ad for $5.00 off any service any time!
One coupon per customer. No expiration date.
photography school
Want to take BETTER photographs of your dog? Interested in helping your local shelter adopt out more pets?
Attend a LCDM Photography Workshop.
One-on one instruction with the very pro LCDM trusts with our photo shoots,
BEGINNING IN SEPTEMBER.
For early registration: http://bit.ly/LJBeix
My Dogs Lord, shalt save both man and beast: how excellent is thy mercy,
0 God! XXXVI Psalm, Verse 7.
I am staying in the house with a dog called "Ted." As soon as he
saw me he gave strong evidence of confidence and affection; I also
felt as though I had met an old friend, he awoke memories. When
I had just reached my thirtieth birthday, I was stunned by a
terrible shock and sorrow. When the storm had cleared away and
I found myself in the deadly calm and stillness which followed,
the past was a mist, my memory was gone, and I groped about
in the past searching for the life which had been so dear to me.
Ever since, some sight or sound or scent may wake that sleeping
memory and for a time a picture emerges from chaos, and I revel
in an episode of my life of long ago which I live over with delight
and wonderful vividness. Such a picture came now at the touch
of Ted's wooly coat.
I saw our house on the sea beach - long and low and entirely
surrounded by wide piazzas. There, on the floor, in a passion of
tears is a little girl, sobbing her heart out for some childish woe,
when from the far end of the piazza with soft tread comes a big
brownish-yellow dog, long hair falling over his eyes; bending over
the little girl he licks her hand and her arms and then her face,
and as she clasps her arms around his neck, down he flops beside
her as close as he can get and the sobs cease, the tears dry up and
the little girl is asleep.
This was Rollo the first dog friend I remember, our guardian,
playmate, friend and consoler.
I must have been about four, when Rollo began to show signs
of illness. It was summer and very hot. When I would go and lie
down beside him and pat him, instead of snuggling up to me as
usual, he would get up quietly and move away. Sometimes I would
not take the hint, but follow him and try it again. With the same
courtly politeness he would rise and find another spot, but never
a growl or snarl.
At last my mother said: "My child, let Rollo be! Don't you see he
is not feeling well? Respect his desire to be alone."
This went on for a few days. We would follow Rollo about with
a pan of milk, or soup, or a tempting bone, putting them down
under his nose, but he neither ate nor drank, he would turn
his head away, and with ever increasing effort drag himself up
and go to the other end of the piazza, until one day when we
were playing on the joggling board at the west end of the house,
we saw Rollo walk down the path to the back beach, cross the
driveway and go out into the marsh which lay between the Island
and the mainland, and through which wound two bold creeks. We
called, we whistled to him: "Rollo, come back." "Here Rollo, here!"
"Darling Rollo, come, oh come back."
Back one called in their own way, pleading, entreating, but
on, steadily on, he went 'till we could see only his yellow curly
back wriggling through the marsh like a huge caterpillar; then
only his lovely curly yellow head; and then the marsh closed over
him, and he was gone. We ran to Mamma crying bitterly, "Oh send
Nelson after Rollo, please send quick, we can show him where
Rollo went!"
But Mamma very near tears herself; answered, “No my child,
Rollo has heard a voice calling him, louder then yours, the voice
of the desert, the voice of the land of his forefathers, the voice
of the wilderness, 'Come out alone to meet your Creator, let no
human eye or voice recall you - alone, unseen, give back your
life.'"
Of course we did not understand, but the solemn words made
a deep impression. For days we watched the waving green marsh
hoping Rollo might come back, but the days went into weeks and
the weeks into months and he became only a loved memory, to be
thought of when anything made you cry.
Written by Elizabeth W. Allston Pringle under the pen name of Patience
Pennington. Text is courtesy of the Vincent P. Lannie collection, 1733-1974, Special
Collections, College of Charleston Addlestone Library, Charleston, SC. Photo is a stock
image.
To read the full work visit: www.lowcountrydigital.library.cofc.edu and use the
search term Elizabeth Allston Pringle Writings.
26 Lowcountrydog
Continued from page 24
My Dogsby Elizabeth Allston Pringle
written in 1914
Looking for a new best friend?
Pet Helpers Adoption Events Every Weekend at
from 12pm - 4pm975 Savannah Highway, Charleston (843) 852-4563 wwww.petco.com
To find out more about Pet Helpers and the animals available for adoption go to www.pethelpers.org
these things critical.
On Day 3, we discovered why the out
of sight recalls were so important. Each
handler was handcuffed to a horse trailer
and had to depend on her dog to bring
her the keys and stay while the lock was
opened, one handed. Oh boy, here I am,
again, with a dog that I don’t know well.
Will Radley come to me, and stay long
enough for me to get the key off of her
collar, while Meredith is 10 feet away?
Yes and yes!!! Radley rocks!!! She got a
standing ovation from everyone there.
We played some relay races while
walking dogs on loose leashes and carrying
paper cups filled with water. We had
contests to see which dogs had learned to
retrieve a piece of paper (there were some
very creative ways this was accomplished).
So what about the running wait? We
had practiced it, heard lots of whispers
and giggles. I was not worried. Radley
had been letter perfect each time we had
practiced. Bring it on!
Suddenly, we noticed the crew heading
into the barn with a large bucket and silly
grins. Each team was invited to come to
the barn to demonstrate the running wait.
The penalty if your dog didn’t stop on the
line-- a bucket of water was dumped out of
the hay loft. More people got wet than not.
But Radley was perfect, I just knew it. It
was finally our turn. Someone held Radley,
I called her, gave the wait cue, she stopped,
then took off after something behind me
in the barn. Splat!, a bucket of water on
my head. It was a welcome relief from the
heat!
There were lots of other games that
weekend, but I just wanted to recount
some of the more memorable. Who solved
the murder? Not my team. We discovered
that we were much better thinking out of
the box, training wise, than we were as
detectives. Did anyone care that we didn’t
solve the murder? No!
CCSI will be coming to Charleston
sometime in the fall, so keep your
eyes and ears open, and check www.
MindfulManners.net for your chance to
play with your dog!
Lowcountrydog 27
Continued from page 24
28 Lowcountrydog
Farrah is a 4 year old black fe-male. She is good with other dogs and LOVES children. She is crate trained, knows some obedi-ence and is spayed. Very sweet and loving according to her foster mom.
Miss Mason was surrendered for being ‘too old’. She is a sweet, affectionate little girl weigh-ing in at about 55 pounds. She loves children, other dogs and cats! She will fit right into your home! Mason is house broken & crate trained. Mason is looking to spend her golden years being ap-preciated for the super girl she is
Spencer is 4 yo male- owner sur-render to the shelter. Spencer is very sweet and eager to please. Knows basic commands and does well with other dogs. Spencer is a great people dog! Was in a loving home that fell on hard times! Now he needs his next family to give this story a happy ending!
Meet Cooper, a 5 year old choco-late male. Very sweet and laid back, just wants to be loved on!
Lowcountry Lab RescueLowcountry Lab Rescue (LLR) is a 501© 3 animal
welfare organization that rescues and rehomes
stray and unwanted Labrador Retrievers from life-
threatening situations. LLR promotes responsible
Labrador ownership through breed education and spay
and neuter advocacy to prevent abandonment and
homelessness of Labrador Retrievers.
LLR takes in Labradors from animal shelters, that are
going to be euthanized because that are determined to
be "unadoptable." This could mean that the dog needs
more medical care than the shelter can afford or that
the dog needs obedience lessons or simply that the
dog is black in color. Black dogs are the last dogs to be
adopted in animal shelters.
Most of the Labs that we get into foster care are
wonderful Labs that need love, structure, and
attention. But some of them have manners and just got
lost. We get lots of obedience trained, house trained,
well-behaved Labs.
To learn more about LLR, our adoptable dogs, our foster
program, or volunteer opportunities please visit
www.lowcountrylabrescue.org
adoption
Buster is a 10 year old gentle-man. He walks well on a leash and is completely housebroken. He doesn’t require a crate; he will just lay on the dog bed and wait for you to come home! He loves affection and is very gentle. Bust-er will make a great companion for someone looking for a calm, laid back dog.
Lady is an approximately 8 year old female. Good with everything. She is a gentle soul just looking for some company.
Continued from page 22
Lowcountrydog 29
when a multi pack is purchased. The best
alternative is for veterinary clinics to
partner with an accredited pharmacy that
works with the manufacturers and delivers
an intact warranty. We use VetSource and
they match most of their prices (especially
flea/tick and heartworm prevention) to
1800-PetMeds every quarter. They also
offer convenient monthly automatic
delivery with free shipping for single
doses! I’m excited about that because I hope
it makes it easier for busy pet owners to
protect their pets each month from deadly,
preventable diseases like Heartworms.
Full disclosure: does your veterinarian
receive a percentage of the sale through
a partnered accredited pharmacy? Yes –
they do! But it is not very much, maybe
5-10%. Think about the “Buy Local”
movements you hear about these days.
Veterinary hospitals are small local
businesses and we do need to make a
profit in order to pay our overhead and
survive. But the other internal benefit is
that VetSource outsources some of YOUR
prescription filling needs without us
letting go of control of the prescription.
We can make sure that the patient is on
the right medication, see they receive
the correct amount, and catch gaps in
their protection (which is impossible
with a 3rd party site). Outsourcing some
prescriptions to the internet through a
partnered site allows the hospital to keep
other fees lower because we can spend
more time being doctors and less time
managing multitudes of faxes every day.
It saddens me more than I can explain
when I hear any veterinarian being
accused of “only in it for money.” 99.9%
of the veterinarians joined this profession
based on a sincere calling to help animals.
I hope that our clients would rather trust
us than spend their valued time combing
the Internet for sales of drugs that
MIGHT save a few dollars, if anything.
Besides, isn’t the peace of mind that
your furry friend is receiving an FDA
approved, US made, warranted, carefully
handled drug worth an extra $5-10?
Danielle Cain is the lead veterinarian at
The Animal Hospital of North Charleston.
Jill Lundgrin, trainer843-607-7193 www.CoastalCanineAcademy.com
Helpful Tips at www.facebook.com/coastalcanineacademy
Does Your Dog Need Help With• Basic manners? • Biting or Nipping?
• Crate training? • Housetraining?• Jumping on people? • Loose leash walking?
• Therapy dog training?
Then contact Jill Lundgrin!In-home or class instruction
Positive reinforcement • Clicker training specialist
photo by EuroMagic
sniff us out online
training articleshealth & wellness advice
new eulogy sectionfeatures on cool local dogs
adoptable dogs
NEW CONTENT EVERY DAY.
lowcountrydog.com
Continued from page 22
Daniel Island Animal Hospital
Lynne M. Flood, DVM Bridget E. Luke, DVM Allison Chappell, DVM
Katherine Rainwater, DVM
Wellness Care • Emergencies • Personalized Service Dogs, Cats, and Small Mammals • Dog/Cat Grooming
Daniel Island Animal Hospital 291 Seven Farms Drive Ste 103
Daniel Island, SC 29492
(843) 881.7228 • www.danielislandvet.com
30 Lowcountrydog
Dr. Danielle Cain, DVMOPEN Weekends!
8389 Dorchester Road • Charleston, SC 29418 843.552.8278 • theanimalhospital.net
Dorchester Rd.
Ashley
Phosp
hate R
d. Images Read by Internists, Radiologists &Cardiologists with Clinical Recommendations
Excellent Local References & Testimonials
15 years of Ultrasound Experience Sonographer-Owned and Operated
843-588-2181 main (512) 294-6045 cell
Ultrasound SOLUTIONSOF CHARLESTON
Mobile Veterinary ULTRASOUND
Pleasant Pet Services, LLCPersonalized care with hugs,
love and belly rubs!Dog Walking Pet Sitting Pet Taxi
Overnights in your HomeCall Chris Maltese 843-412-1485Serving Mt. Pleasant,
Daniel Island & Hanahan
www.pleasantpetservices.com
“The best doggone place for yo�pooch to play and stay!”
“The best doggone place for yo�pooch to play and stay!”
1032A LeGrand Blvd • Daniel Island off Clements Ferry 843-884-5434 • www.PlayInTheDogHouse.com
BarkAvenue
pet resort
* 8x7 Suites and 6x8 Runs (largest in CHS)
* Lowest Daycamp Prices in CHS* All-Breed Groomer
Bark Avenue is THE place to be
843.471.2275 (BARK)2471 Clements Ferry Road
Happy Hour! 50¢ Off All Domestic Beer and Cocktails
Yappy Hour.Perfect for you & yourpooch! The 2nd Wed.of Every Month!
A Local Favorite!Voted Best Waterfront Bar 2004 - 2010 andBest Mt. Pleasant Bar 2007 - 2010
Nightly Features!Crab Legs, Local Shrimp, Oyster Roasts & More!
2 Red,s Are Better Than 1!
Live MusicThroughout
the Week!
Mt. PleasantLocated On
Historic Shem CreekEst. 2 0 0 4
SeabrookBohicket MarinaOpening Spring
2 0 1 0
Diverse menu featuring fresh, local seafood and plenty of delicious land lover options.
Come for the View. Stay for the Food!
Mt. Pleasant • On Historic Shem Creek • 98 Church St. • 843.388.0003 ◆ w w w. r e ds i c e h ouse . comSeabrook • Bohicket Marina • 1882 Andell Bluff Blvd. • 843.518.5515 ◆ As Local As You Can Get.
