Tuesday, March 4, 2014

AKC Dog Show Event- March 6-9, 2014

Mark your calendars for AKC Multi-Group Dog Show Event!
Mar 6, 2014 to Mar 9, 2014
TBA to TBA
Admission:
Join the Nashville Kennel Club and the Tullahoma Kennel Club of Tennessee for an American Kennel Club dog show! Entrants must be registered by February 26th. Please visit the AKC website for more information regarding the registration of particular breeds on each day.
For more information, please call (405) 427-8181 or email mail@onofrio.com. 
Williamson Co. Ag. Park
4215 Long Lane
Franklin, TN, US
(405) 427-8181
mail@onofrio.com  
http://www.akc.org/events/search/index.cfm
For more info and events, visit Pet Friendly North America!

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Pet Events- March 2014!

There are so many cool events for you and your pets to head to and meet others who love their pets just like you this upcoming March. It might be cold outside, but that shouldn’t keep you from having fun. From dog shows, to adoption events, to fundraisers, March is busy and the fur is flying!
Check out the events listed and if you’re not near any of these, check with your local humane society and newspaper for local pet events.
With so many pet events across the country, this list can’t be quite comprehensive – at least not without your help. Is your pet event, or one in your area, missing from our list? Please help us update this list to keep it current by leaving the information in a comment below!

Pet Events in the USA – March 2014

Mardi-Paws Daycare Party

When: March 4, 2014
Where: Morris Animal Inn 120 Sand Spring Road Morristown, NJ
Admission: $59
More informationMorris Animal Inn Website or call 973-539-0377
Hotels in NJ
It’s time to party! Get your dog ready for this fun party at the Morris Animal Inn. Participate in the parade, pose for photos with your best furry friend, and spend the day meeting other fellow dog lovers. It’s going to be a blast!

PawsAbilities

When: March 8-9, 2014 9am to 4pm
Where: Expo Center 2300 North Cameron St Harrisburg, PA
Admission: $8 for adults, prices vary
More informationPawsAbilities Website
Hotels in PA
This family event has activities for dog lovers and their dog to participate in such as the Dog Olympics, agility tryouts, a costume contest, cutest dog contest, and vendors, and more.
Also, this year Luis Carlos Montalván, author of the New YorkTimes Best Seller “Until Tuesday,” and his dog Tuesday will be here! So come on by and spend the day playing and meeting and greeting other fellow pet lovers.

Breakin’ The Law – Flyball Tournament

When: March 8-9, 2014 9am to 4pm
Where: Desert Mountain Park 22201 S. Hawkes Rd Queen Creek, AZ
Admission: Free
More informationK9 Outlaws
K9 Outlaws is a flyball team made up from dog owners and their awesome dogs. Flyball is a relay game where dogs jump hurdles and step on a spring loaded box that shoots out a tennis ball. The dog catches the tennis ball and then runs back over the 4 hurdles. If you’ve never seen this, come check it out.

12th Annual Dog Jog and 5K Run

Like to run? Does your dog like to run? Then come on out and sign up for the 5K dog jog and run. The money raised goes to help the SPCA and the day will be full of fun, contests, great food, and tons of dogs. All money helps the homeless pets and it’s a fun way to spend a day.

8th Annual Dog Lovers Walk

When: March 22, 2014 8:30am to 11am
Where: Messiah Lutheran Church 1 Westbridge Rd Savannah GA
Admission: pledge based, check site for details
More informationHumane Society Website 
Hotels in GA
Sign up and create a team to help the humane society raise money to continue caring for the homeless pets who are in their care. The walk is a successful way to bring the community together. It’s a short 1.5 mile walk along the Deer Creek section of The Landings. It’s a great way to start your day!

Clovers and Canines

When: March 22, 2014 12pm to 4pm
Where: Camp Bow Wow 1755 Grassland Parkway Alpharetta, GA
Admission: Free
More informationCamp Bow Wow 
Hotels in GA

If you are thinking of adding a new buddy to your house, then come down to the adopt-a-thon at Camp Bow Wow. It’s the 5th annual fundraiser and adoption festival for them. There will be several local rescue groups with loving pets who need forever homes. Come on down and find your new bff!

Check out our site at http://www.petfriendlynorthamerica.com/!!!

Bird with traumatic past finds safety

Bird with traumatic past finds safety...



Special-needs cockatoo finds the perfect home.

By Christelle L. Del Prete

Sometimes it takes a while to find the perfect home. But when the stars align – when the fit is just right – it’s magic. That magic happened for Windy, an older Moluccan cockatoo. After years of neglect, he came to the Sanctuary, where he met a person who wanted a bird just like him – special needs and all.

Gradual recovery from a dark past

Windy the cockatooParrot Garden is a bustling, active place, with cockatoos with pristine white feathers, parrots with vibrant red and blue plumage. There are bursts of singing, chattering, and dancing to music. But instead of joining the melee, Windy spent most of his time sitting quietly, hanging back from the action.

The missing feathers on Windy’s body and the wound on his neck – treated and healing but still visible – told the story of a traumatic past. Windy lived in a windowless shed for decades before coming to the Sanctuary. The stress and lack of socialization and mental stimulation caused the poor bird to start picking his feathers out and biting his own skin. Since he arrived at the Sanctuary, his care and comfort were everyone’s main concern – probably for the first time in his life.

Windy was given medicinal therapy to calm his nerves, and he found solace in the outdoor aviary, where he could enjoy the mild weather and socialize with other cockatoos. These birds helped him relax and gain confidence with people. Eventually, he began to muster the nerve to greet his caregivers as they approached. He was beginning to blossom, but with his feather-plucked body, would he ever find a home of his own? That’s where special people like Yvette Cressy come in. When she came to visit the Sanctuary, she happened to be looking for a bird just like Windy.

In the eye of the beholder

When Yvette saw Windy, she thought he was the most beautiful bird she’d ever seen, and immediately wanted to meet him. She had experience with birds and knew that, despite continued care and socialization, his problems could persist. But she had a trusted avian vet, and had other birds at home he could befriend. Instead of shying away from Windy’s special needs, Yvette had hoped to find a bird like him — one who really needed her and might have a harder time finding a home.

Windy is now familyWhen Windy met Yvette, he was shy at first, but quickly decided he liked her. Stepping up onto her arm, he leaned his head into her neck and snuggled. That was it. Yvette fell in love and decided to bring him home.

Adopting Windy required big changes in the Cressey household. The family rearranged their entire first floor, swapping rooms, moving furniture, and placing Windy’s cage in a spot where he feels completely safe and relaxed. Yvette situated her loveseat right next to his cage, so Windy can climb out onto her arm for snuggle time. He can also climb up on his playpen or onto his jungle gym to play with soft toys, many of which she makes herself, that hang on it.

Since he arrived at his new home in December, Windy’s feathers have started to fill in a bit. Every day, when Yvette gets home from work, she goes right to Windy to give him a snuggle; he climbs up on the cage and starts bobbing his head, Stevie Wonder style. When she puts on music with a good beat, Windy bends his little knees, bouncing up and down. “I can tell he’s happy,” Yvette says. “I know I’m really happy.”

Meet the other birds at Best Friends.