Play it Safe - Enroll in Arden Moore's Pet First Aid, CPR, Safety and Wellness Classes

If your dog cut his paw on a hike, would you know how to stop the bleeding? If your cat started choking, would you know what to do? In pet emergency  situations, every minute counts. Moore, founder of Four Legged Life.com, is a Pet Tech-certified instructor and an IAABC-certified animal behavior consultant. Choose classes being offered from 1:30-5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1, or on  Sunday, Oct. 2. Light refreshments will be served. Graduates earn certificates in pet first aid, CPR and safety - a plus for those in the pet care field.

This is a hands-on class - not lecture. Attendees will learn how to care for their injured, ill dogs and cats. Get the opportunity to download an amazing, comprehensive Pet Savers app for under $5 that works on all smart phones - iPhones and Androids.

Class fee is $70 ($45 for second person in same household) and includes all course materials. Each class is limited to 16 students to ensure everyone  receives hands-on training. Please, no family pets are permitted.

To sign up, contact Arden@fourleggedlife.com or 760-433-3480. To register online, visit www.fourleggedlife.com/classes-2 and click on the PayPal button for the Pet 1st Aid, CPR and Safety course in the Seattle Classes section. Advanced registration is required. For more information, contact Arden at Arden@fourleggedlife.com.

This hands-on training course will teach you a variety of skills that canbe used to stabilize a pet during an emergency. You will learn Pet CPR, rescue breathing, first aid, restraining and muzzling, choking management, fractures/bleeding protocols, care for heatstroke, frostbite, poisoning, seizures, shock and more. Each student will have their own demo dog andfirst aid supplies to use during class. Upon completion, you will receive:

PetSaver handbook
Wallet Emergency Card
Pet First Aid Certificate

Your "homework" assignment prior to attending these classes: Please email Arden (arden@fourleggedlife.com) an attached jpg. photo of your pet(s) by Sept. 29. Identify each pet .

Copied over from Loretta's blog at http://www.sludogpark.org/node/25

The Cascade Neighborhood Council meeting last month was an eye-opener, to say the least. Some pro dog park people came out (thank you!!) but the vast majority of attendees spoke of concerns about an off-leash park. Specifically, they voiced their unhappiness with the irresponsible dog owners that they saw using Cascade Park. These owners were allowing their dogs to run through the pea patch, spoiling the edibility of the food grown there; not picking up after their dogs; and letting the dogs run through the playground (causing health risks for children using the playground). There also were concerns about dogs who were off-leash and not responding to voice controls. Attendees reported incidents where they feared for their safety due to dogs who they viewed as out of control.

IMHO, the vast majority of dog owners are responsible. There always will be the bad actors. Problem is, these bad actors are hurting us, the responsible dog owners. This message was clearly communicated to me when I met last week with a few of the people who were concerned about establishment of a dog park. I spoke about the importance of stewardship for any successful park, including dog parks. As the conversation progressed, however, it became clear that dog park stewardship must begin now.

We need to establish credibility. How do we do that? For one thing, we can continue to be vigilant about picking up poop, keeping dogs out of the playground, leashing dogs that have not earned the right to be off leash, and being aware that there are people who are afraid of or don't particularly like dogs. The bad actors tarnish the reputation of the majority, who are considerate dog owners.

If we want to be successful in our quest for a dog park, we must start now. I know it's not the "Seattle way," but we cannot be afraid to speak up if someone is setting a bad example. If they let a poop drop and walk away, call them on it and hand them a bag. If their dog is running through the playground, let them know that this is unhealthy for the children who play there. Consider yourself "on duty" as a SLU Park steward when you are letting your dog run at Cascade Park, or Denny Park, or SLU Park, or anywhere else where (technically) off-leash dogs are not allowed. Now is the time to establish our credentials for canine stewardship.
 

 NEWS RELEASE

Catch up on the latest news from COLA in the summer issue of The Watchdog! Just click below to download the PDF file.

 Do You Want to See the Shape of Things to Come?

The spring issue of The Watchdog is now available to download! Simply click on the image below to get all the latest updates from COLA and our amazing OLAs!

DOWNLOAD THE SPRING 2011 WATCHDOG

Click here to read the March newsletter from Save Washington Pets

The winter issue of The Watchdog is now available to download! Simply click on the image below to get all the latest updates about our amazing OLAs!

DOWNLOAD THE WATCHDOG - WINTER 2010 

On October 2, volunteers gathered at the Woodland Off-Leash Area for a work party. Work parties are held at Woodland on the first Saturday of even months from 11 am to 1 pm.

Including droppers-by, 18 people participated in the October work party, and the weather cooperated for us as well. One volunteer was doing community service, and another is a master's student in environmental horticulture at the University of Washington who praised the Woodland OLA for the forward thinking in how this urban space is used.

The record shows that the Woodland OLA has come a long way in the past few years. Today, our maintenance program is stronger and our level of volunteerism is up. We have a cleaner grounds, fewer holes (thank you, everyone for filling in and stopping diggers!), and a more prompt response when something needs fixing. With the massive Parks budget cuts announced for the next year, which calls among other things for 10 furlough (unpaid required vacation) days, the Woodland OLA will depend more than ever on the daily and bi-monthly efforts of volunteers. » READ MORE »

Event: COLA Annual meeting for the public and COLA members
Date and Time: Wednesday, September 22 – 7-9pm
Location: Parks and Rec building, conference room, 100 Dexter Avenue N. Seattle, WA 98109

We’ll be reviewing what we’ve accomplished together over the past year, as well as discussing the future plans for our off leash areas, both existing and new.

All are welcome to join in on the conversation, so please feel free to invite any friends, co-workers, or neighbors that might be interested in supporting our local off leash areas and finding out more about COLA. We want the community to be able to have an opportunity to voice their feedback and suggestions, as well as let everyone know what COLA does and how we do it.