tdierikx

In another article about the case, there was the following statement... “The settlement, which was mutually entered into by all parties involved and approved by the court on July 15, does not require that Envigo pay any fines or penalties to governmental agencies,” the press release said. “In addition, it is expressly stated that the settlement is not an admission of liability or wrongdoing by Envigo with regard to its past operation of the Cumberland Facility.” So, technically, they have gotten off pretty much scott free, and someone else is now tasked with removing and rehoming all of the dogs for them... not exactly a big "win" for the authorities... Smart move @Powerlegs... I looked it up, and it doesn't sound even remotely ethical in any way, shape, or form... *sob* T.

When I was doing my vet nursing course, we had one assignment on Grief. It was mainly focused on dealing with the client's grief... and nothing dealing with vets and nurses dealing with the same issue. I struggled with that assignment, and when I handed it in, I also handed in a separate paper detailing possible ways to include dealing with staff grief and mental health. I had my teacher in tears with that - and I suspect that her switch to teaching might have been due to her own struggles with the mental health side of being a practising vet. In many cases, vet clinic staff are treating an animal for days, week, months, years... we get attached to those animals... and when their time comes, we feel the loss too. Compound that by possibly seeing more than one long term patient for their final visit in one day, and it can hit us pretty hard also. Staff play an immense role in keeping each other's heads above water during the harder days... you can never underestimate the power of a good team that care about each other. Another issue is when an animal is obviously at end of life, yet the owner wants the vet to do everything to try and prolong life... when we have those pets in our care it gets very hard. We had one little dog that we had to sedate quite heavily for it's issues, and it would vocalise when the sedation was starting to wear off... and the only way we could stop the vocalising was to just pick it up and cuddle it until we could safely dose it with the sedatives again. All the vet nurses were very distressed about the issue, as it was so heartwrenching for us to be having to comfort this poor little dog that just really needed to go to God... and the vet had more than one conversation with the owner about doing the right thing, but the owner was clearly not ready to deal with that option. All I can say is please just treat your vet clinic staff well... they do their very best for you and your pets... they deserve a bit of compassion themselves. T.

Why was your dog on a liver supplement? Is he on any other medications? Was ALT the only abnormal finding in his blood test? Other causes of elevated ALT can be intestinal inflammation and heart disease... and even dental disease can cause ALT to go up. In rarer cases it can be caused by muscle injury. I'd definitely get the liver ultrasound done in order to see if there is in fact any liver disease happening. Bile tests would usually be advised if other enzymes were also outside the normal range, indicating possible pancreas or gallbladder issues, rather than specific liver issues. These organs can also be looked at during any ultrasound done on the liver - if only to rule out any obvious abnormalities there. T.

This! Yes! We all know that the best marketing for any "product" is word of mouth... and there is a LOT of that happening for the crossbred market due to the sheer numbers of them out there nowadays. I'm with BDJ in that I know exactly what I want when I am ready to take on a new furry best mate. Breed, sex, and which breeder I would like to get it from... happy to wait until they have what I want when I am ready for it - not until Harper passes though, as she hates other dogs and it wouldn't be fair to pup or her to force that issue. I'm not wanting to show, so am happy for limited register if that's what the breeder wants. I am also perfectly happy if pup has less than perfect conformation, but I am sure the breeder I have in mind breeds solidly sound dogs regardless. Pup will be desexed at an age appropriate to it's healthy growth, regardless whether I have to pay a higher council registration for it to be that way. As my preference is for a male, no chance I'm gonna have an oops litter happening on my watch either - he will not be exposed to undesexed females until he has had his ability to breed curtailed, if ever. I have decided on a male for my next pup, as I've had many years of bitches, and have no desire to have many more... *grin*... males of the breed I like are usually a lot less narky... more doofus and lovable boofs in my experience. I've only ever personally come across one male of this breed that wasn't a cuddlebum, but to be fair he was old and had cancer... T.

Ummm... can we have names of your 2 dogs please? Oh... and we definitely need photos... you can't talk about GR puppies without photos here... it's a rule... *grin* T.

I think the older dog is most likely teaching the pup what her boundaries are. Pups will scream loudly and act like the sky is falling, but in most cases there are no injuries, and pup learns that certain behaviours will get a negative response, so they adjust their behaviours to suit. By grabbing pup and coddling her, then separating the older dog, you might not actually be helping puppy learn those boundaries. Maybe next time, just check that puppy isn't injured, and let her calm down by herself. I'd be making sure that older dog has a space that she can go to get away from puppy if she wants to be by herself, and just supervise them when they are together. If puppy starts being a bit over-excited and likely to annoy the older dog, YOU tell puppy to back off... I use the command "leave it" if I want the action to stop, or "gentle" if things are getting a bit excitable, but still mostly respectful... both dogs can learn both commands, so YOU are the one in control. Don't be fooled by the pup's screaming when she has been soundly disciplined by the older dog... this is normal, and how the pup learns what is acceptable or not to the older dog. By picking her up and cuddling her until she stops, you are reaffirming to the older dog that puppy is more important than her at this time, and could lead to the older dog actually resenting puppy. Above all, make sure that the older dog is still getting lots of your attention too... it's so easy to get sidetracked by the cute new puppy, and forget that the older dog needs your attention too. She has had you all to herself for 6 years, and she needs confirmation that you still love her just as much now there is a new dog to share you with. T.

300 dogs would need a decent team of staff to care for to the minimum welfare standards. If done properly, it is not unfeasible... technically... One would be concerned about dead rats in kennels if they had been poisoned by rat baits... the possibility of a dog ingesting a poisoned one would be a major health risk. asal makes a point regarding the fact that commercial breeding may be needed to service demand for pets if AJP proposed legislation is passed. The AR nutters don't seem to understand that the vast majority of pets found in pounds and shelters are NOT typically those bred by registered purebred breeders or even commercial breeders... overwhelmingly they are the unregistered and unchipped products of the backyard breeding "industry". Current AND proposed legislation does little to address that particular issue, even when advised of that fact by those tasked with policing that legislation. Another case of politicians needing to be seen "doing something" to address an issue, but failing to understand exactly what the issue is. T.

I think the sentiment is about projecting humanising qualities on our pets. T.

I don't know about the rotties needing a "strong owner"... I've had around 10 of them myself over the years (5 of them at the one time together), and I never had to establish that I was "boss". Mutual respect and love goes a long way methinks... and all of mine would happily stand between me and any perceived danger quietly observing but not reacting unless there was imminent threat (only ever happened once, and the dog stood her ground and saw off the threat without violence). T.

When I fostered wild born dingo orphans, it was abundantly clear that they are NOT like domestic dogs in any way, shape, or form. If fed a standard "complete and balanced" dog food, they developed squirty bums really quickly, and just didn't thrive like they should... the best option was a diet high in lean raw meats. Turkey necks, kangaroo of just about any cut, etc, worked best for fit, healthy, and active growing pups I found... Behaviourally, they were very different too... VERY smart (and cunning), very dextrous, and very inquisitive. They liked to "taste" everything new much more than domestic dogs too, including fingers and toes... lol! Somewhat more aloof and independent than domestic dogs also... they will do your bidding when and if it suits them only... *grin* With the crossbred dingo/dog pups, it was a lottery as to whether they inherited more traits from one side or the other... T.

We seriously need a Love button! Such gorgeous little dogs in an equally gorgeous setting... well done @Loving my Oldies! T.

The trick is the be as confident as possible when delivering the injection... it will get easier over time, honest! T.

When I worked in a boarding kennel, we had a few cats and dogs who came in on insulin. All of them had these lovely injectable gadgets that you just put against the skin and pressed the top button, and the needle shot out, administered the required dose, then retracted automatically... none of the cats or dogs reacted badly to them at all, and the needles were very fine, so very little pain when given. I can remember the first time I had to try to work out how to give two 6 week old calves their vaccinations on my own. At that age, they are a bit bigger than a great dane, and somewhat heavier to boot. I managed to get them from the paddock to where we used to load the animals up a ramp to the trucks for jobs, blocked off the ramp, put their milk bottles on the other side of the ramp where they could see them, then used the stealth approach to jab them while they were distracted trying to get to the bottles... *grin*... they were much more in tune with what was happening 4 weeks later when they needed their booster shots, and were a lot bigger too... errr! As for sticking your finger with the needle... happens to all of us at some point... I'm sure I'm immune to calicivirus and all the goat, sheep, and cow diseases now... hahaha! I remember one new 6 month old lamb we were given who decided to jump at the worst possible moment when I was giving him his vaccination, and the needle hit a nerve near his shoulder... poor boy had a marked limp for the next 3 weeks and couldn't go out on visits. He was given long acting pain relief and moved to sick bay with a friend for the duration of his limp so no-one would make a mistake and take him on visits until his limp was gone. He so loved going on visits and would bleat his little heart out when the trucks and vans left to go out... poor baby... T.

You are very kind in your summation @~Anne~... now I'm blushing... lol! I know I have a heck of a lot to learn about the political processes and how most effectively to enact change for the better... and/or head off bad legislation as it arises. I seriously have a head for radio, but if the time and party were right, I'd happily stick up my hand to do whatever is needed... including running for a seat at whichever level would put my party in a position to achieve our goals... *dog help me* T.

Humans communicate mostly with vocalisations... ie. talking... Animals learn that this is how we communicate, and they choose to respond (or not) to it... most react favourably and try to communicate back in their own ways... if we are "listening". I am one of those people who will happily chat away to pretty much any animal, and I am definitely "listening" to their responses. I get back SO much from animals of all types, so I'm not about to stop because some other human might think I'm silly or strange... more fool them I say... T.

So far it looks like they are only looking at the Victorian State election that is coming up soonish. I kinda got a bit put off by the fact that when I sent a message to one of the party founders to ask a question very early in the formation of this party, I am still waiting for any response whatsoever - 4 weeks later. I have also tried to post a couple of topic starters which have been quashed by the admins without any reason or response. I'm not about to join a party that doesn't seem to want my input or discourse, even if it's free to join at this stage of things. Right now, I'm not as enthusiastic about this party as I was at the outset... the more time passes, the less is becoming apparent as to their actual agenda, ability to follow through, and who the heck is running things. I've joined Animal Care Australia, a seasoned lobby group that definitely more aligns with my stance. They don't run for public office, just stay abreast of upcoming animal related legislation and make sure to make sensible submissions on said legislation, including attendance at all inquiries and committee hearings regarding animal legislation. Much more effective methinks... T.

I refer to Harper as Horse Puppy... because she is a Great Dane cross and is a tall girl... hehe! She'll be 10 in September... so definitely not a puppy any more, but she still hasn't worked that out, as she still runs around like a total idiot at random intervals... I sometimes feel like referring to my friend's monkeys as "the kids"... they are so very similar to a bunch of children, and are primates like us... That said, when I was working with all the goat kids, lambs, and calves, I was often referred to as their mum... which I never got upset about. To all intents and purposes that was actually my job. I was raising them from a few days old, teaching them their socialisation skills, etc... T.

Between that small snippet of a larger q&a session of the parliamentary hearing yesterday, and Emma Hurst referring to the breeders making submissions as "puppy farmers" on her FB feed today... is it any wonder that our animal laws are in such a state? Committee members selectively taking tiny snippets of agreeance by like-minded animal rights activist groups and claiming that those snippets are the most relevant of the entire 8 hour session of submissions, questions, and answers by a very diverse range of stakeholders prove their case is just bullsh!t... grrr! Even the RSPCA said that more legislation (especially a carbon copy of the Victorian model) was NOT going to fix the actual problem mooted to be sorted by the proposed amendment, so what is the actual bloody point? T.

I talk to every animal I meet... it just seems like a natural thing to do... Some people used to poke fun at me for talking to the animals at the farm I worked at... and then whinged that the animals all seemed to respond to me better than nearly everyone else. Ummm... I also fed them... lol! Funnily enough, talking to the animals at the zoo I was working at worked a treat for forming bonds with them too... even the ones I wasn't in charge of feeding. The camels, meerkats, emus, cassowary, lions, deer, llamas, etc were very responsive to being talked to... I get lots of positive reactions and cuddles from them all. Even the cranky intact male goat who would beat up on all the keepers loved being chatted to... he never beat up on me, just would follow me around like a lost puppy looking for more cuddles and chats... and the odd treat never hurt there either... hehe! The tigers that used to live at Symbio zoo even recognised my voice, and would come over to the fence and chuff at me when they heard me there... that was so cool!! Talking (vocalising) is we humans' main communication tool... animals DO respond well to being talked to... we just need to learn their methods of communication to "hear" their responses is all. T.

Doesn't look like the proposed new legislation is addressing those sorts of issues... going by how often it was brought up in all the submissions today. Even RSPCA and AWL brought it up as seriously needing some way of monitoring/policing in order to get best outcomes for the animals used for that purpose. The issue of the worst offenders being completely under the radar and hard to find/trace was a key point too. Nearly ALL submissions referred to more legislation - especially that which is virtually a carbon copy of Victoria's legislation - having the effect of crippling those who are easily identified as breeders (read members of the various breeding bodies), and doing little to actually stop the larger scale commercial breeders... *sigh* All submissions also raised the point that the worst offenders aren't actually registered breeders - commercial or otherwise - but the smaller unregistered backyard operations pumping out pups (and/or kittens) for profit... which STILL won't be stopped by the proposed legislation. T.

Harper was socialised as a pup, with other pups, older dogs, foster pups, foxes, dingo pups, people, public and social settings, etc... but she still decided once she got to a certain age, that she doesn't like going for walks, meeting new people, etc. Her preferred state of being is ensconced on the lounge or my bed. She has a large back yard with 24/7 access, that she only wants to go out in to toilet. She isn't interested in toys - never was, even as a little pup with her siblings. I don't treat her as a surrogate human child by any stretch of the imagination... but she is well loved and cared for in such a way that suits her particular needs. Dogs are dogs... each individual is also different... and we should just be mindful of that, yes? T.

Well... that was interesting... saw a familiar name, that I now have a face for... *grin*... well done to that person by the way... I have taken quite a few notes... 3 pages of them... I have joined one of the groups that are involved in submissions and consultation for all of the animal legislation processes also. Looking forward to hopefully being able to assist in any way I can there. T.

Link to direct livestream right now... https://livestream.com/nswparl/events/4797371 T.

For anyone who is interested, the Select Committee on Puppy Farming in NSW has the first hearing of stakeholder submissions today... https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/listofcommittees/Pages/committee-details.aspx?pk=276#tab-hearingsandtranscripts You can watch it live by clicking on the Live Committees link at the top middle of the page... it starts at 9:30am... T.

Are you able to upload a photo of your girl? Also, what is her name? T.