I am thrilled to announce that Sunbear Squad has received over 70 requests for the Neighborhood Watch Kit. Everyday I post articles on animal cruelty, starting a watch in your community is a great first step you can take to make a difference. It’s not to late to join in the pack, you can still get a kit.

Watch Tip for Week of Feb. 22:

Watch out for “outside” pets during cold winter months-they need more food to maintain weight. Can you see the hipbones? Call the authorities!

Be A Good Samaritan For Animals

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This week the tip from our friends at Sunbear Squad is especially timely, it’s the time of year folks start heading south for vacation.

WATCH TIP for Week of Jan. 18:

Listen and watch for dogs and cats accidentally trapped in sheds, garages, and even homes, when families leave for warmer climates.

Be A Good Samaritan For Animals

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Another great cold weather tip from our friends at Sunbear Squad.

Week of Jan. 11:

Watch for short-haired dogs living outside without insulated dog houses-they could freeze to death on cold nights.

Be A Good Samaritan To Animals

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Giving a puppy as a Christmas gift can be wonderful, if the recipient wanted or was expecting one. However, many people receive a dog as a gift and after the novelty has worn off the animal is neglected or given up.

This is a great tip from our friends at Sunbear Squad, please be on the lookout.

Week of Jan. 4:

Watch and listen for Christmas kittens and puppies that are kept outdoors in bad weather, under porches or tied to trees. Call the authorities.

Be A Good Samaritan For Animals

If you have your own blog and would like to be a defender of animals stop by the Sunbear Squad page,  you can help by posting  the tip of the week on your site.

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A big thanks to our friends at Sunbear Squad for all the great tips they have given us throughout the year. Looking to all the helpful tips to come in 2009.

Week of Dec. 28:
Watch and listen for stray dogs and cats that could go missing while traveling with their families, or be frightened by holiday fireworks. Call the authorities.

Be A Good Samaritan For Animals

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Here’s another great cold weather safety tip from our friends at Sunbear Squad.

Week of Dec. 14:
Watch and listen for chained and kenneled dogs during subzero weather—without adequate shelter and extra food, they may freeze to death. Call the authorities.

Be A Good Samaritan To Animals

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On Saturday  I posted about the dog frozen to the sidewalk, this tip couldn’t have come at a better time.  Thanks, as always, to our friends at Sunbear Squad.

Week of Dec. 7:
Watch for empty or frozen water dishes, outside dogs on chains and in kennels often get inadequate care during the winter months. Call the authorities!

Be A Good Samaritan For Animals

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Fire. It’s destructive and lethal when it comes into our lives uninvited, especially when it hits in our homes. Firefighters do their best to save both humans and pets, knowing that most victims succumb to smoke inhalation.

Here’s an interesting fact from a Newsday article acknowledging the Canine Fence Company of Wilton, CT for donating 75 pet oxygen masks for use by local fire departments:

Most of the more than 40,000 pet deaths in U.S. fires in 2006 resulted from the absence of a reliable way for emergency responders to supply pets with oxygen, Cuthbertson said.

I would have thought human oxygen masks would work, but that’s not the case.

Masks designed for humans have been used, but since they don’t fit well around a pet’s snout the animal isn’t “getting the full saturation of oxygen,” said James Logan, the town’s chief fire marshal.

Kudos to the Canine Fence Company for doing their part.

So what can you do to prepare for a fire emergency, outside of ensuring you have working fire alarms throughout your home? DogDayAfterNews is here to help with some great tips on pet fire safety.

-  Keep your pet’s current license and vaccination tags on his or her collar to help with identification in case you become separated. The best way to ensure easy identification is to have your pet micro-chipped.

-  Do not keep burning candles or flammable materials at a level where pets can knock them over.

-  Pay close attention any time you are burning candles. Dogs do not blister when they burn and take a long time to heal, so it is very important for you to be aware of where they are when you have candles lit.

-  Keep electrical cords out of your pet’s reach to prevent chewing, which could shock your pet or cause a fire .

-  Prepare an emergency kit with important financial and personal information. Include your pet’s medical records and food.

-  Have a plan for a friend, family member, or boarding kennel to take care of your pet on short notice in case of an emergency.

-  Use a Pet Alert rescue sticker to help make firefighters aware of your pets.

- Make sure your pet doesn’t play with matches.

OK, that last one was added by me : )

Be good and stay safe!

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