HK Animal Speak

Poodles Banned in Hong Kong

Janice Jensen-HK Animal Speak — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:18:16 +0000

Could you imagine if “Poodles Banned in HK” was the headline in tomorrows news?? Dog lovers would be up in arms! Other countries would think we’d gone mad! The truth is we see this headline for other breeds such as Pit-bulls, Rottweilers, Shepherds, Dobermans and more. So, why do people think it’s the breed? Could it possibly be be the owners? Sadly, small dog bites are often overlooked although the damage they cause may be serious.

My own experience was with a small Lhasa Apso cross that wasn’t feeling well. He was brought into clinic for an exam and I was the sympathetic nurse who got my face a bit too close to his. A trip to the hospital and a lot of glue to close the three gashes in my nose taught me a valuable lesson…but it was MY fault.

Now consider the story of a friend who while walking with her own small dog was charged by 9 poodles off leash. No matter what the breed, in the end they are all dogs and will act as such. These 9 cute poodles turned into a pack surrounding my friend and her dog and while trying to protect her own dog, one of the poodles attacked my friend. “It wasn’t really a charge, but it got out of control very quickly….within seconds of them surrounding us.” ”One of the 9 poodles attacked my dog and that’s when the pack got excited and then I was bitten as I pulled my dog away and tried to get out of the circle.”
While my friend worked to protect her own dog as well as deal with the bite, the owner looked on with no control over her dogs. After a few moments of yelling and foot shuffling, the dogs dispersed and my friend and the poodle owner were able to talk. The owner was not willing to share her information and said she had no ID with her as she had left it at home. Feeling shaken and not sure what to do, my friend took a photo of the woman, a photo of the bite but in the end the woman left with her poodles without taking responsibility.

Had these dogs been local mixed breeds, on the “dangerous dog” list or above 20kg, there would have been a manhunt to find these dogs to protect the public in the future. In the end, the damage was the same and no one will fear seeing poodles. For your own safety and in teaching others, may I offer the following suggestions when encountering multiple dogs of unknown behavior:

1. If you see two or more dogs together of any size, be aware that they may pack together making them stronger than an individual dog
2. If you are approached, try to stay clam as dogs smell adrenaline. If you’re very nervous it can make them more nervous as well
3. Don’t try to control someone else’s dog but get the owner to be involved in controlling them
4. If you are bitten, make sure to get the information from the owner, photo of the dog(s) and if the owner isn’t COMPLETELY helpful, immediately call the police
5. Make sure to have the wound checked by a Dr. as dog bites can become infected or worse

I am personally guilty of scaring more than a few people when my dogs have charged over to say hello. I have also learned what sets them off, who needs to stay on a leash and sadly who isn’t allowed to come on social walks at all. When you walk your dog(s) please be mindful of your their nature to make sure you are control no matter the situation they encounter. Accidents may happen but being prepared can make all the difference.

Muzzles come in ALL sizes!

Poodle bite moments after it happened

Poodle bite 3 days later

Can’t We All Just Get Along?

Janice Jensen-HK Animal Speak — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:49:50 +0000

I am often asked by people, “how do you have so many animals in your house, but they all get along?!?” Not only do they get along, we have a lovely home with wood furniture, glass knick-knacks and all the things you’d think would need to be gotten rid of in a situation like ours. On a daily basis we manage a household of 5 dogs, 4 cats, a parrot, 4 fish and a 3½-foot iguana. We also foster multitudes of kittens every year! Our secret…understanding behaviors BEFORE we introduced them into each other’s lives.

Whether it be dog, cat, reptile, bird, hamster, fish (you get the idea) we sort out FIRST how he/she will get on in the household and how the other animals will be able to live with the new addition. If you want to introduce a new animal into your family, here are a few tips to help ensure peace and tranquility:

Is it the same species and does your current species enjoy being with their own kind? (example: Some dogs just don’t like being with other dogs!)
If it is a different species than your current one(s) how will you make sure they can all exist under the same roof safely, especially if you aren’t at home?
Are there any behavior problems your current species has that you haven’t managed (example: Peeing and pooing in the house by the current animal can lead to the new animal copying the behavior)
Is this new addition good for you but not good for your new or exiting addition? (example: You miss having a kitten so you get another one but the existing cat hates the kitten and starts peeing on your bed in protest)
If there is ANY WAY you can introduce your perspective new family member to your existing one BEFORE you make it permanent, do so. (example: Your current dog and the one you want have the same personality…maybe not! Only meeting will allow you to know for sure)
If you leave Hong Kong can you afford to relocate at double the costs??

There are many things to consider before adding a new addition to your family. As we always say, an animal is for life and when you consider an average of 10-20 years for most cats or dogs, planning ahead has to be key. If you are unsure, consult with your local vet or a behaviorist you can discuss the pro’s and cons of adding a new member to your family.

Enjoy some of the sneak peeks into our family dynamics!

Dog and Cat Fur

Janice Jensen-HK Animal Speak — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 12:44:42 +0000

Although I would love for this blog to be about grooming your cats and dogs, sadly it’s not. For those of you who love your poodles, golden retrievers, tong gou’s, Persian cats, short haired cats and more…hold on to your seats this is gong to be rough.

As we enter the season when our weather cools down, the shops are stocking up on all types of fur trim products and fur coats, hats, boots and other clothing. Although toy products made of fur are around all year long, from September to February we see the biggest waste of life displayed proudly in windows around Hong Kong.

Many people who like the look of fur but think they would never wear it are often fooled. A large amount of fake or faux fur is really dog and cat fur! It is less expensive to slaughter millions of animals than it is to create a good synthetic fur. So how is it that manufacturers get away with calling real fur fake?? Below is some information you should be aware of.

Some people justify real fur by saying it’s raccoon or rabbit, but if there is no way to tell, would you want to risk supporting a farm that kills dogs and cats? Although I do not personally support wearing fur, it tends to make people feel worse if the fur they are wearing may have come from a dog or cat. The idea being the larger the animal the more fur can be used. Killing companion animals becomes acceptable to you the moment you choose to wear fur or buy any fur products.

I will not attach any fur skinning videos or photos to this blog but I hope if you question the reality of the fur trade you will look at the link I have included below.

http://www.hkanimalspeak.org/furtherealstory.htm

If you know anyone who wears fur or fur trim please forward this. Knowledge is power and can save a life…or millions!

Cat’s waiting to be skinned Dog’s transported to skinning facility

Fact: Fur trim on the clothing people buy for their dogs often comes from other dogs and cats that were skinned alive!!

Playground Politics

Janice Jensen-HK Animal Speak — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 10:30:33 +0000

One of my favorite pastimes is to watch dogs play. I have to laugh when I see a group of dogs get together because it reminds me of when I was a child playing in the schoolyard. Most everyone has seen or been a child in a play yard and can remembers the different personalities they experienced. For dogs it is important for them to socialize with each other to help maintain overall mental and physical health. It is always a good idea to ask the dog’s human companion if their dog is friendly before unleashing them into uncontrolled interaction. With unsupervised play you run the risk of dogs not getting along and not knowing how or why a fight started.

The following information will hopefully help you better understand the basics of what you see when dogs interact.

The Bully:

Child- Loves to pick on everyone else and has no real friends. Thinks he’s cool but really the only ones that play with him do it because their scared

Dog- tries to overpower the other dogs and even if he plays a little he often ends up fighting if the other dog gets too excited

The Peacemaker:

Child-Tries to make everyone ok after they argue

Dog-May try to lick the other dogs face especially after a tiff. Will put head and body lower than the other dogs and may belly crawl with tail wagging low. No aggression just trying to make up but will stay low and shy to protect themselves from any unwanted advances.

The Fun Kid:

Child -Loves everyone and gets along with just about everybody. Very fun and energetic.

Dog- Will try and play with every other dog no matter the size. Friendly and happy with playful advances of head and tail up and wagging. Even if one dog gets grumpy they usually keep positive and run to find someone else to play with.

The Loner:

Child – Doesn’t want to play with anyone and not happy to be there. May start a fight if someone approaches just to be left alone

Dog- generally won’t approach other dogs and fur on the back and neck may go up to warn others to stay away. May also hide if he can.

The LOUD One:

Child- The one you can always hear before reaching the playground. They are yelling to and at other kids and are generally just noisy.

Dog- Barks at all the other dogs. Doesn’t necessarily mean there is any anger or fear, it’s just the way the dog is choosing to communicate.

To further understand and illustrate your dog’s behavior, please look at the attached pictures sharing the body language of dogs.

Watching and learning about how your dog plays can allow them to safely interact with other dogs and then the fun begins!

1. Relaxed Approachable

This dog is relaxed and reasonably content. Such a dog is unconcerned and unthreatened by any activities going on in his immediate environment and is usually approachable.

2. Alert- Checking Things Out

If the dog has detected something of interest, or something unknown, these signals communicate that he is now alert and paying attention while he is assessing the situation to determine if there is any threat or if any action should be taken.

3. Dominant Aggressive

This is a very dominant and confident animal. Here he is not only expressing his social dominance, but is also threatening that he will act aggressively if he is challenged.

4. Fearful and Aggressive

This dog is frightened but is not submissive and may attack if pressed. A dog will generally give these signals when he is directly facing the individual who is threatening him.

5. Stressed and Distressed

This dog is under either social or environmental stress. These signals, however, are a general “broadcast” of his state of mind and are not being specifically addressed to any other individual.

6. Fearful and Worried

This dog is somewhat fearful and is offering signs of submission. These signals are designed to pacify the individual who is of higher social status or whom the dog sees as potentially threatening, in order to avoid any further challenges and prevent conflict.

7. Extreme Fear- Total Submission

This dog is indicating total surrender and submission. He is trying to say that he accepts his lower status by groveling before a higher ranking or threatening individual in the hopes of avoiding a physical confrontation.

8. Playfulness

Here we have the basic invitation to play. It may be accompanied by excited barking or playful attacks and retreats. This set of signals may be used as a sort of “punctuation mark” to indicate that any previous rough behaviour was not meant as a threat or challenge.

http://www.moderndogmagazine.com/articles/how-read-your-dogs-body-language/415

Can you tell in the video below which dog is in control of the play? Which one is dominant?

Caring for Your Pet’s Teeth Can Help Them Live Longer

Janice Jensen-HK Animal Speak — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 11:04:57 +0000

Many people take their daily routine for granted as they shower, brush their hair and teeth and decide what to eat for breakfast. Thankfully our pet’s routine doesn’t have to be so involved. We don’t have to bathe and brush their fur every day and meals of their favorite kibble makes most dogs quite happy. But what about dental care? Depending on your dogs lifestyle more or less dental care can be extremely important to overall health and long life. Although we don’t often think about it or even know, one of the reasons humans live longer than they used to because of better dental care and general oral hygiene. Mouths grow bacteria and can start to become infected. When we visit the dentist we see this with red or swollen gums and happily they are cleaned and we start fresh with maybe a filling or two. If we didn’t have this type of dental care and ignored our teeth and gums we would swallow the harmful bacteria that could affect our stomach, intestines, heart and other major organs. Our pets are at risk to this sort of outcome if we don’t take an active roll in making sure their teeth and gums stay healthy. If you haven’t checked lately, here are some helpful tips:

1. Smell your dogs breath. Does it smell foul? That may be the smell of infection in the teeth and gums.
2. Look at your dogs gums. Are they the same color pink or are are they a deeper red around the teeth? If they appear darker red at the gum line an infection is brewing.
3. Does your dog chew on fresh bones (NEVER cooked bones) or toys on his back teeth? If not, it is more possible that the back teeth need some help.
4. When was the last time you dog had a dental check? A quick check at the vet is the best way to understand your dogs oral hygiene. If their are any problems, your vet can clean and care for the problem teeth and give you good advice for maintaining their dental health.

All animals who have teeth should have them checked by a vet once a year. Just a short trip every 365 days can save your pet from suffering and cut your overall vet bills by preventing a much larger potential problem.

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-02-01/health/pet.teeth.care_1_teeth-periodontal-disease-animal-dentistry?_s=PM:HEALTH

http://www.healthypet.com/PetCare/PetCareArticle.aspx?art_key=53d99aad-e759-473e-8977-f8f75eefb754

Parrot Planning

Janice Jensen-HK Animal Speak — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 10:18:44 +0000

Parrots can be wonderful companions and have extraordinary abilities that other pets do not. Although we talk to our dogs, cats, rabbits and more, many parrots talk back and in our own language. They can be playful, intelligent, charming…and some can live up to 70 years or more! That’s right, by the time you get a parrot, you may be old enough that your parrot will outlive you by many years. So what to do? If you already have a parrot or are considering having one in the future you must prepare for a time when he/she may lose his family. Parrots can bond with their human counterparts even more strongly than other companion animals and have many more years with them. To lose a family can be devastating to a bird and the health and life of your parrot can be dramatically affected. Here are just a few ideas about how to plan for your bird’s future without you:

1. Legally will your bird to another family member such as a child who grew up in the household
2. Ask a close family member who your bird is familiar with
3. If you don’t know anyone you trust to leave your parrot to, speak to your local vet regarding clients who currently have birds or are parrot savvy
4. Contact parrot rescue organizations who deal with adoptive people

The best thing is to plan for your birds re-homing to be with someone they know to give them a sense of security. The person or family must be aware of the challenges of having a parrot so that the transition goes smoothly for everyone. Parrot intelligence makes everything they experience much more difficult and important manage.

With the right planning you can give you feathered friend a lifetime of love. Remember though, planning for any companions in your family is suggested…you just never know.

Watch Stanley enjoy sliding down the railing. This is one of his favorite games!

The Perfect Dog?

Janice Jensen-HK Animal Speak — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 10:55:09 +0000

Too often we see a surge of a particular type of breed because they have been shown in a movie or have been highlighted in the news. The reality is dog breeds and personalities can be quite different and just getting a dog based on looks is a recipe for disaster. Even if you are trying to do the right thing and getting a dog whom you think will be good for allergies, what happens when the dog’s personality doesn’t fit you or your lifestyle??

Before getting ANY type of dog that is breed specific, you should educate yourself as to what you can expect. Here are just a few of the questions you should ask and have answered:

* How will the breed do in your size home or apartment?
* What kind of health issues is the breed know for?
* How much grooming will the dog need?
* Is the breed typically easy to train?
* How does the breed get along with other dogs and children?

A quick search on the internet of “dog breeds” will bring up thousands of pages that can answer most of your questions. Of course, living beings who have their own mind, emotions and genetics may not have read the same things you did and there is always the possibility you will end up with the exception. No matter what, if you make the commitment there are always people who can help you work through issues you may encounter.

Lastly, breeders aren’t the only place to find breed specific dogs. Sadly, many people don’t put any more thought into buying a dog than they do a t-shirt. From Husky’s to Golden Retrievers, Labradoodles, Mastiff’s, Poodles and so much more these dogs can usually be found in any number of shelters across Hong Kong.

My own dog Rocky is a beautiful Golden Retriever who had been in 4 homes in the first year and a half of his life. Purchased then adopted for his beauty, no one could handle his needy personality. For a dog who was desperate for attention, how devastating it must have been for him to be passed through so many homes! Today he gets all the attention he needs by being a Therapy Dog in Hong Kong.

Take a few minutes to educate yourself BEFORE you get a dog. If you already have a dog, you may want to look up the breed or the breed he/she is mixed with and see how many things are similar to your own dog!
Right situation, right dog, right family right for everyone!

Click this link for Animal Planet’s Dogs 101!

Animal Abuse-What will you do?

Janice Jensen-HK Animal Speak — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 13:25:35 +0000

Most of my blogs come from personal experience and this one is no different. Today I received a call from a friend who was breathless and near tears. She had just witnessed a woman repeatedly slapping her toy poodle in the face then clamping down hard around the dogs muzzle to drive her point home. My friend was quite a distance away and actually heard the “SLAP” sound as this woman made contact with her dog’s face. As many people as were standing around, no one else tried to help the dog except my friend.

We will call my friend Miss Rose. Miss Rose approached the woman and her dog and in English asked her why she was hitting the dog. The woman responded that she didn’t understand English and tried to ignore Miss Rose. Miss Rose then repeated her line of questioning in Cantonese and that got the woman’s attention to which she denied hurting the dog. After a few minutes of arguing Miss Rose threatened to have the woman prosecuted for animal abuse and reached for her phone. Suddenly the woman with her dog took on a very different tone as she realized the possibility of getting in trouble for her behavior. Other people in the area also started to listen and although we don’t know the fate of this particular dog, we do know that more people were made aware that WE ARE WATCHING!

The moral of this story is if you see an animal being mistreated, ignoring it will never stop the problem. Here are some ideas if you see an animal abuse situation:

1. If you have a camera, IPhone or other recording device try to get proof
2. Do NOT put yourself in a dangerous situation, but if you are in a public place with other witnesses you can try reasoning with the person
3. Have emergency phone numbers on hand for AFCD and SPCA
SPCA 2711 1000 (24-Hour Hotline) Animal Rescue & Cruelty Case Investigation
AFCD 1823 (24-hours a day) to lodge complaints

Many people are under the impression that there are more cruelty cases in HK than ever before (which may actually be a bit of good news)! The good news is the cruelty probably hasn’t increased but the number of people demanding justice for these animals is better than ever. This means more calls to AFCD and SPCA alerting the public and the press. Too often people turn the other way, but as more people stand up for their beliefs regarding animal welfare the less these abusers will be able to hide.

As Miss Rose did, We Can Make A Difference!!!

Multiple Pets Multiple Problems?

Janice Jensen-HK Animal Speak — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 12:30:24 +0000

What do you do when you have multiple higher thinking animals in one house (higher than say a fish)? Although you may experience a general calm there are those times when you look around the chaos and ask, “when did it all go so wrong?” Why are some days better than others? How can your perfect brood of animals work together well one day and test your last nerve the next? I don’t have the perfect answer but after years of these experiences one thing seems clear…everyone needs a bit of Mommy time!

Each day I try and rotate who gets to have me exclusively if only for 15 minutes but it is always one on one interaction. Similarly to children, the animals tend to get jealous and will act out in various ways when feeling a bit neglected. This individually planned time can make a huge difference not only in your relationship with your animal but in the clan that must live together when you are not around.

With my cats, I will round them up so they can act like cats without getting the dogs excited. This includes playtime with toys or a few fun treats.

Dogs can be taken for a walk or a ride in the car.

Birds may enjoy some time in the bathroom for some steam and singing or just a few minutes of talking to them with no distractions.

Even the iguana gets some time alone (although he doesn’t seem to mind either way). He will get some scratching on itchy bits of skin without the dogs poking their noses in to see what the fuss is about.

Remember your animals have individual personalities but they all love you. Remind them just as individually how much you love them in return!

Big City, Big Problems

Janice Jensen-HK Animal Speak — Sun, 29 May 2011 12:01:09 +0000

Lately people have been passing around a rumor that cruelty in cats is on an extreme rise. There are certainly animal cruelty cases that need to be investigated but when Hong Kong’s resources are used to combat a non-existent problem it’s the animals who truly need our help that will suffer.
We know the dangers a big city can pose to human children, traffic, busy construction areas, open windows in a high rise and much more. Logically we tend to protect our four legged furry children from these dangers but what about the animals that don’t have homes and families to protect them? Sadly and sometimes tragically animals around Hong Kong get into trouble that is devastating for the animal and the people that find them. The reason I bring up this subject is often when people find these animals in varying states of distress and injury, the origin of the animals injuries is often unknown and people can jump to conclusions. Although there are terrible people who exists that intentionally harm animals, often animals are injured in Hong Kong by sheer accident. I would like to share a few of these recurring themes so as to educate people of what to consider when finding an injured animal.

Winter can be especially cruel to cats. As cats and kittens look to find warmth many are attracted to car engines. When the vehicle is started the cats in a panic get caught in the engine and can suffer injuries including, cuts, breaks, burns, decapitated limbs and death. Because the cat may not be able to alert the driver it ends up falling from the engine and being tossed in the road or off to the roadside. When people find cats in these conditions, the horrible images that come to mind usually include cruel and unusual torture. There are so many animal welfare issues in Hong Kong that need to be investigated and prosecuted, but this type of issue is not one of them.

Cats love to perform great feats of balancing and like to try it on tree limbs, building ledges, tops of fences and more. As good as they are, some cats do slip and depending on how and where they fall injuries include impact fractures, impaling, electrocution and other horrors. As animals do, they can often walk away in these varying states but as they succumb to their injuries and are found by helpful people our creative minds try to work out,”who did this to this poor cat?!?”

Dogs will try and be where food is and although fearful, many dogs are domesticated enough they will want to be near people. One of these places is construction sites where workers often share their meals and enjoy the companionship of the visiting dogs. Although these sites can bring some dogs comfort, construction sites hold a multitude of dangers that dogs find themselves in from poisonous and corrosive fluids, sharp objects, dangerous machinery. The dogs may be injured at the construction site, but if the dog leaves the area it’s injuries can mimic a serious case of abuse if the origin of the injury is not know.

There are other issues that occur in big cities that affect our homeless animals, but I’ve written about seem to be some of the biggest problems. If you find an animal in need of medical attention, please work to help the animal as it’s health is the most important issue. Laying blame and accusations where none can be proven can take away from the focus that is needed where another animal’s welfare is truly an issue. See just a few causes below that we can do something to prevent given the right kind of time and attention!

Illegal Breeding, Puppy Mills

Fur, The Real Story

Shark Finning

Bear Bile Farming