Thursday, August 25, 2005

Looking to adopt a pet?


Adopting a pet is a great way to add to your family! With pet over-population continuing to occur there are always many pets needing a home. If you are thinking of getting a pet I would suggest checking out your local shelters to see if there is anyone there who would be the perfect match for your family.

I recently came across a webiste servicing the US and Canada. It lists shelters and rescues searchable by city or postal code. I was surprised to see that there were a handfull listed for Hamilton and Burlington Ontario! If you are looking to adopt a pet you may want to check this site out. There are many deserving pets that are waiting for a great home!

http://www.petfinder.com


If you don't have the time or space for a pet, volunteering your time at a local shelter or adopting a pet financially for a year can be just as helpful and rewarding.

I also came across a website for a local aviary that runs with the help of many dedicated volunteers. This aviary is located in Hamilton and houses many different varieties of birds. It is open to the public on Sundays from 1-4pm. You can also "adopt" a bird on a yearly basis and the money you donate goes the upkeep and feeding of that particular bird for the year. What a great idea!

http://www.friendsoftheaviary.ca

Kristina Cooper , RVT Resume

Well I thought I would try this out and see if I could post my resume in case any of your were wondering about my animal care background.


Kristina Cooper, RVT



Objective: To obtain work in the animal care field utilizing my past education and experience.

Experience and Skills
2005-Present Animal Care & Licensing Attendant- City of Burlington
Perform RVT duties for both domestic and wild animals needing care in a shelter environment. Educate, enforce and inform residents about the local animal control by-laws. Maintain and organize dog licensing files working with 22 outlets across the City. Deal with the public assisting with matching and completing animal adoptions. Assist in training other staff on AMANDA software as well as utilizing Microsioft Outlook, Word, and Excel.
2005 - Present Freelance Writer
Specializing in articles covering veterinary and general care for a variety of species of domestic animals. Currently over 150 published articles both in print and online.


1998-2005 Registered Veterinary Technician- Ancaster Animal Hospital


Performed all duties required of a Registered Veterinary Technician in the areas of: nursing, radiography, anesthesia / surgery, dentistry, clinical chemistry, hematology, parasitology, urinalysis, cytology, husbandry and hospital management.

1983-2005 Kennel Manager- Cooper Kennels / Farms

Cleaning of cat and dog kennels, administered medications, bathing all sizes of dogs and cats, booked reservations, invoiced clients and managed kennel staff, set up and maintenance of poultry barn, monitoring and care of poultry.

1993-1997 Veterinary Assistant -The Cat Clinic

Assisted in surgery, sterilized surgical kits, developed radiographs with manual processing technique, cleaned cages, fed and bathed both hospitalized and boarding cats, gathered patient history and assisted with appointments.


Formal Education

1999-2002 Ridgetown College, University of Guelph


Graduated, with honors and within the top five of the class, with an
Associates Degree in Veterinary Technology.

Recipient of the Merial Proficiency in Canine and Feline Medicine award.

Courses included: Anesthesia / Surgery, Radiography, Dentistry, Clinical Chemistry, Biochemistry and Genetics, Hematology, Cytology, Microbiology, Urinalysis, Parasitology, Lab Animal Science, Anatomy and Physiology, Livestock Production and Management, Canine / Feline Management, Nutrition and Animal Nursing.


Continuing Education

2001-2013 Ongoing profession conferences/lectures attended including OAVT, NAVC, WVC and Animal Care Expo
 
 


Association Memberships

2002-2013 Member of the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians (O.A.V.T.)

2004 Associate Member of the Association of Zoo Veterinary Technicians (A.Z.V.T.)


References available on request.

Saturday, August 13, 2005

MUST Love Dogs




With the release of the new movie " Must Love Dogs", it got me to thinking about just how much of an impact pets have on our lives....even our relationships!


The National Hartz Survey on the human-animal bond

http://www.hartzadvancedcare.com/About%20Hartz/prSurvey.asp

found the following:


Women and special bond with pets

According to the survey, women pet owners show a particularly strong bond with their pets. Here’s what we found out.

  • Women (16 percent) are nearly three times more likely than men (6 percent) to say they would dump their boyfriend/girlfriend that their pet didn’t like
  • Nearly a third of women (31 percent) say they spend more time with their pet than their spouse/significant other vs. only 15 percent of men
  • 29 percent of women ages 18-34 say they notice celebrities pets in the news now more so than before


Human-like habits of pets

Whether getting under the covers or the dining room table, our pets are becoming more like us or maybe we becoming more like our pets? Among those who own dogs and/or cats:


  • About one in three (32 percent) say their pet watches TV; dog/cat owners in the Northeast are more likely to say their pet watches the tube (41 percent) than those in the West (30 percent), south (29 percent) and Midwest (29 percent)
  • Nearly a half (48 percent) say that their pet sleeps on the bed and hogs the covers and the pillow
  • 51 percent of dog owners and 40 percent of cat owners say their pet sits by the dinner table and begs for human food

In another study the Ontario Veterinary Medical Assosciation (OVMA)

http://www.ovma.org/pets/human_animalbond.shtml

stated this...


PETS: AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE FAMILY
More than 50% of Canadian households own pets of some kind. Dogs, cats, birds and other companion animals are living in more than five million homes. For their owners, these animals are more than pets-they are part of the family.

Each year, Canadian families spend about three billion dollars on their pets. This exceeds consumer spending on children's toys, footwear, eye care, and dental plans.

A recent survey of pet owners revealed that nearly 80% of respondents gave their pets holiday or birthday presents. More than 60% signed their pets' names on cards or letters. A slight majority (51%) gave their pets human names.

While virtually all pet owners talk to their pets, an astounding 94% spoke to their pets as though they were human. One-third of respondents spoke to their pets on the telephone or via the answering machine. More than 90% of pet owners believed their pets were aware of their moods and emotions.


WOMEN THINK PETS ARE THE CATS MEOW
Many women believe their pets are more sensitive than their spouse or children.
Recent surveys of pet owners revealed some interesting facts about how people relate to their pets:


  • Nearly 50 percent of women relied more on their pets for affection than their spouse or children.
  • More than 40 percent of women said their pets understand their emotions and moods better than other family members.
  • When asked if they were more likely to lose their temper with a family member or a pet, 67 percent of women said a family member.
  • Nearly 90 percent of senior citizens claimed that the presence of pets in their household had a positive impact on their health.
  • Pets reduced stress for 70 percent of the survey respondents

The results are in-pets are wonderful, loving companions. Pets are good listeners and they never talk back. In fact, when it comes to affection and friendship, pets often outshine people.

With pets being a huge part of our lives and our familes it's no wonder they dictate a lot of our relationship decisions.

For more info on the human-animal bond visit the Human Animal Bond Assosciation of Canada at:

http://www.habac.ca/about.htm