Good For Dogs » dogs http://goodfordogs.org/blog Wed, 30 Jan 2013 13:08:38 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1 Getting to Zero selected as World AIDS Day theme http://goodfordogs.org/blog/2012/04/25/getting-to-zero-selected-as-world-aids-day-theme/ http://goodfordogs.org/blog/2012/04/25/getting-to-zero-selected-as-world-aids-day-theme/#comments Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:18:22 +0000 http://goodfordogs.org/blog/?p=2688 You’ld have to be a bit miffed if the name you chose for your shelter reform model got picked up by the U.N. for it’s anti AIDs campaign. That’s what’s happened to AWL Queensland and their Getting to Zero model. It’s hard to compete with a U.N. funded campaign but there are plenty of other good reasons to get behind the No Kill movement instead of trying to rebadge it.

No Kill is an Established Brand

Despite Nathan Winograd’s books not being sold in Australian bookstores and less than half of shelter leadership having read them, we’re living in a global village where information travels freely across borders. The following table shows Australians search for ‘No Kill’ twenty times more than they search for ‘getting to zero’.

No Kill is Simple To Explain and Understand

Just like ‘No Kill’, G2Z calls for a live release rate of above 90% for animals admitted to pounds and shelters. One place it falls down is in communicating exactly how to achieve that. The No Kill Equation spells it out plain and simple.

The mandatory No Kill programs and services include:

  1. TNR Program
  2. High-Volume, Low-Cost Spay/Neuter
  3. Rescue Groups
  4. Foster Care
  5. Comprehensive Adoption Programs
  6. Pet Retention
  7. Medical and Behavior Prevention & Rehabilitation
  8. Public Relations/Community Involvement
  9. Volunteers
  10. Proactive Redemptions
  11. A Compassionate Director

Getting to Zero or Starting from Scratch?

If you google for ‘No Kill’ you will find oodles of information including wikipedia, blogs, news reports, books and more. No Kill has been successfully achieved in many U.S. cities and has withstood attacks that include misinformation campaigns by the likes of PETA and the ASPCA.

The G2Z site suggests that No Kill shelters are not open admission. As the president of Victoria’s 3rd largest open admission animal shelter I can tell you this is not true. It goes on to state that “No Kill implies no animal should be killed” but that “Getting to Zero” somehow doesn’t. Huh? Either term could be read to mean “don’t kill pets”. Surely it would be easier to help educate people about what No Kill really means than start a new movement.

The No Kill movement is a Tribe. A global tribe with leaders who get written about in Forbes and spoken about in a TED talk by Seth Godin. We can do more by growing the No Kill movement than trying to start a new Tribe. To do so without good reason would mean lost opportunities and wasted resources.

I’d like to leave you with the talk that introduced me to No Kill in 2009 and led to me realising that we can and must do more for these animals.

]]> http://goodfordogs.org/blog/2012/04/25/getting-to-zero-selected-as-world-aids-day-theme/feed/ 0 Vic Puppy Farm Survey Flawed http://goodfordogs.org/blog/2012/04/22/vic-puppy-farm-survey-flawed/ http://goodfordogs.org/blog/2012/04/22/vic-puppy-farm-survey-flawed/#comments Sun, 22 Apr 2012 09:23:40 +0000 http://goodfordogs.org/blog/?p=2680 The Victorian Government promised to crack down on puppy farms. As part of a review of the Code of Practice for Breeders there is a public survey asking for opinions on what minimum standards for cats and dogs used for breeding should be.

Where is “None of the Above”?

While we applaud the public being invited to contribute, we’re forced to choose between values we may not agree with. Anyone who believes dogs in a puppy farm should get more than 30 minutes of human interaction per day is unable to indicate that. The results of the survey are going to be misleading when it only captures a narrow band of values.

Victorian Government is seeking public input on what minimum standards should be imposed on dog breeders. We believe the options provided will seriously the results of the survey.

It will not be obvious to all participants that they can continue without selection an answer. At a bare minimum each question should include ‘none of the above’ or “i don’t know” so users do not feel forced to indicate an option they don’t agree with.

What Should Be Done?

A new valid survey should be created that will capture data more accurately. The question above should at least have a “more than 30 min” option.

  • Existing data should be discarded for the current survey
  • Invitations should be sent out for people to participate in the new valid survey

 

 

 

 

 

]]> http://goodfordogs.org/blog/2012/04/22/vic-puppy-farm-survey-flawed/feed/ 0 dog toy box http://goodfordogs.org/blog/2011/05/17/dog-toy-box/ http://goodfordogs.org/blog/2011/05/17/dog-toy-box/#comments Tue, 17 May 2011 09:47:18 +0000 http://www.goodfordogs.org/blog/?p=2373 Modern life deprives dogs of a lot of the novelty and stimulation they demand. This can lead to boredom and behavioural issues.

Fortunately there are plenty of ways to stimulate and enrich your dogs environment. I’m guessing when you were a kid you had toys and always had your eye out for a new one.

If your dog keeps finding something new to play with, she might be telling you she feels the same way. Here are some totally awesome toys we’ve been road testing on our dogs at home.

 

Cuz Toys

How do you improve on a squeeky ball? Give it feet of course! These guys are made of natural rubber and the squeaker is remarkably durable. My girl’s a chewer and the feet last about 3 days. She’s not managed to destroy the squeaker in three weeks though. About $10 in stores.

KONG Wobbler

We’ve never been that excited about the regular KONG toy but the dogs find the Wobbler incredibly fun. They’re a solid unit, weighing in at just under 1 kilogram but they’re not indestructible and are probably best used under supervision. About $45 in stores.

 

Paw Tracks Tire Biter

The Tire Biter is a made from natural rubber and nylon floss. If your dog goes through chew toys too quickly then this may be the answer. After almost two weeks of daily chewing our test model is only half destroyed. At around $30 for the large ones they’re not cheap but given how much fun the dogs get out of them I think they’re worth it.

The 'Tire Biter" is for dogs who love to chew.

 

Nylabone

Another winning toy for powerful chewers is this Nylabone chew. While possibly a little dildoesque in appearance, it’s been long lasting and has kept our dogs interested for several weeks.

]]> http://goodfordogs.org/blog/2011/05/17/dog-toy-box/feed/ 0 Busta the Golden Retriever http://goodfordogs.org/blog/2011/03/28/buster-the-golden-retriever/ http://goodfordogs.org/blog/2011/03/28/buster-the-golden-retriever/#comments Sun, 27 Mar 2011 15:27:03 +0000 http://www.goodfordogs.org/blog/?p=2307 Dear Mayor and Councillors,

I am writing to you about Buster the Golden Retriever who was impounded by Council officers on Friday. He has received national media attention and many Australians are aghast to hear Canterbury Council plan to kill him today.
Initial media reports sensationailsed the story without providing background on what may have led Buster to bite several people that morning.

 

Later reports indicated that there had been a ‘shouting match’ in the house and that the dog may have responded to a fight/argument. It was also revealed that the dog and his owner had been mugged at knife point the previous week.
  • Joe Musumeci, the 62 year old neighbour who was bitten when trying to assist does not want Buster destroyed.
  • 565 people are calling for A Fair Go For Buster on Facebook.
  • Buster appeared stressed but not dangerous when being led from the house by Council Officers
  • Qualified Dog Behaviourists have offered to assess Buster and work with him if needed
Buster appears to have suffered injury to the right side of his face. We still do not know the full story of what led to him biting those people.
It’s not possible to fairly assess the temperament of an injured dog who has just been impounded.

 

I ask that you call for a stay of execution until the best outcome for Buster can be determined. If indeed the owners have surrendered the dog then please consider the offers from professional organisations to assess him and find him a new home if appropriate.

 

Kind Regards,

Mike Bailey

PO Box 2016

Fitzroy VIC 3065

mike@goodfordogs.org

www.goodfordogs.org

They replied!

]]> http://goodfordogs.org/blog/2011/03/28/buster-the-golden-retriever/feed/ 5 Lost Dogs Home is Bad News For Pets http://goodfordogs.org/blog/2011/03/18/lost-dogs-home/ http://goodfordogs.org/blog/2011/03/18/lost-dogs-home/#comments Thu, 17 Mar 2011 15:07:53 +0000 http://www.goodfordogs.org/blog/?p=2275 The Lost Dogs’ Home provides pound services to 17 Victorian Councils. Their 2010 Annual Report shows they killed 13,594 cats and dogs and made a $2.7 mil profit for the year.
Lost Dogs Home - Outcomes for Animals 2009-2010

The Lost Dogs Home killed 13,594 cats and dogs in 2009-2010

 

The Lost Dogs Home killed 6 out of 10 unclaimed dogs in 2009-2010

The Lost Dogs Home killed 6 out of 10 unclaimed dogs in 2009-2010

Of the impounded animals not reclaimed by owners, The Lost Dogs Home
  • killed 6 out of 10 unclaimed dogs
  • killed 9 out of 10 unclaimed cats
The Lost Dogs Home killed 9 out of 10 unclaimed cats in 2009-2010

The Lost Dogs Home killed 9 out of 10 unclaimed cats in 2009-2010

Other Shelters are Achieving Better Results for Unclaimed Pets

Meanwhile other shelters have achieved dramatic reductions in kill rates for cats and dogs. AWL Queensland has been very successful increasing adoptions over the past five years.

AWL Queenland Shows What’s Possible

AWL Qld is dramatically reducing kill rates

Why Does The Lost Dogs Home Continue To Kill In The Face Of Alternatives?

 

 

 

 

Download a PDF of this page here

]]> http://goodfordogs.org/blog/2011/03/18/lost-dogs-home/feed/ 2 How To Really “Sell” A Dog http://goodfordogs.org/blog/2011/02/21/how-to-really-sell-a-dog/ http://goodfordogs.org/blog/2011/02/21/how-to-really-sell-a-dog/#comments Mon, 21 Feb 2011 03:30:45 +0000 http://www.goodfordogs.org/blog/?p=2252 Animal adoption websites and dating sites have a lot in common.  A great photo will get attention but what you write in the profile description can have a big impact on inquiries. Imagine if people described themselves like this on Internet dating sites…

Hi. My name is Boris. I was dumped because my ex wife didn’t want me anymore. I’m desperate to find a new girlfriend. I’ve been badly treated in the past but I’m sure with love and patience you will earn my trust.

It doesn’t say anything about how great life with Boris will be does it? What makes him special? How is he different to the next guy?

Foster care gives us much greater insight into the behaviour and personality of the dogs we’re trying to rehome. We can use this knowledge to better inform potential adopters and help make better matches. Lisa Ryan recently posted some examples of positive points you can mention in dog profile listings.

  • in good health
  • good with dogs (both sexes, big and small)
  • good with cats
  • good with children
  • lead trained
  • toilet trained
  • sleeps through the night
  • can entertain himself for periods of time with stimulating toys
  • easy to care for coat (minimal grooming)
  • good car buddy
  • quiet
  • handsome
  • smart
  • enjoys learning/training
  • swimming
  • social (lovely to take out visiting) etc
  • anything unique about him
  • handsome
  • smart
  • enjoys learning/training
  • swimming
  • social (lovely to take out visiting) etc

Pet Rescue has published some more detailed advice on how to write a great pet profile.

Can you think of any more? Leave a comment!

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