by: Judy Hamontre, AVHS Volunteer  Pip, my 14 year old miniature schnauzer just whined. She also is looking at me with those pleading puppy-dog eyes.  She is saying, “Pet me, please.”  If someone were to come to the door, she would bark a greeting, but if the guest were to move to pet her, she would growl a warning, “Do not touch me.  I have arthritis, and you might hurt me.” This is “Pip Speak.”  Every dog has his own unique way of talking.  We humans just need to know how to......

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by: Judy Hamontre, AVHS Volunteer  My first miniature schnauzer, Riley, was unusual in that she seldom barked. My next mini-schnauzer, Destiny, barked but she also purred like a cat.  She had a different way of communicating than Riley, although they were the same breed. I eventually learned their “talk,” just as all loving dog owners learn the communication of their furry friends. Dogs have quite a “vocabulary.”  They bark, growl, snarl, whine, whimper, yelp, howl, sing and purr. Your dog may not make all these sounds, but he definitely has his vocalizations......

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by: Nikki Ritter, AVHS Transfer Coordinator  Across the country, summer is the peak season for animal shelters as the number of animals coming in grows. For dogs, one of the main reasons for the increase is simply because they are outside more. This leads to more dogs getting loose or wiggling away from their owners while on outings. Additionally, we see an increase in dogs escaping from pet sitters who are unfamiliar with them. For the rescue group, Friends of Roswell Animals (FORA) in Roswell, NM, this is no different. FORA is......

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By: Judy Lore, AVHS Volunteer Perhaps you’re taking a walk through your neighborhood or you are cleaning out under your porch and find a litter of newborn or very young kittens. What should you do now? Following are some suggestions from Alley Cat Allies, a nonprofit that deals with this on a daily basis and particularly in the summer months when so many kittens arrive. First, your local shelter Ark-Valley Humane Society has a link on their website that gives you advice about how to handle this situation. Go to www.ark-valley.org and......

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By: Judy Hamontre, AVHS Volunteer While having a leisurely glass of wine with my friends, Ming, one of their two Siamese cats, jumped up on the coffee table, sat down and began to stare at me.  He stared and stared and stared.  I looked back, hypnotized by the deep intensity of his gaze. Then Ming began to slowly blink.  I blinked back, thinking he was playing a game.  Little did I know that Ming was saying, “I trust you, friend.” Ming was communicating with me via body language. Cats can be quite......

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