Professional pet sitters offer care for Sandoval County pets

In the past, pet owners had very few choices concerning care for their animals when they were away. Four Sandoval County professional pet sitters now give pet owners an ideal solution—in-home care for your pet while you’re away. Familiar sights, sounds, smells, diet, and exercise, along with the personal attention of a professional pet caregiver are the perfect answers.

Janice Glowski, Animal People LLC; Annie Gross, A Pet Au Paw; Sylvia Henrard, We Know Pet Care; and Sherry Suhosky, Jack Rapid Runners, LLC are all professional pet sitters and offer Sandoval County pet owners convenience and peace of mind by allowing them to leave their pets in the comfort of home while they travel or work long hours.

Pet owners are seeing professional pet sitters as a valuable and practical solution to caring for their pets when they are unable to do so themselves. They find that using the services of pet sitters is an excellent alternative to boarding their pets or having friends or family care for them in their absence. When pet owners travel, they are comforted by the fact that their pets are safe and happy in their own home. Similarly, when their job requires them to work long hours, placing their pets in a professional pet sitter’s hands gives them peace of mind knowing their pet is not left alone for an extended period of time. Pet owners who have never used a pet sitter are often sold on the service after just one try.

Using a professional pet sitter reaps big benefits for pets and their owners, including the following:

• The pet stays in its normal surroundings, with sights, sounds, and smells that are familiar to it.
• The pet does not need to be transported to a kennel or other unfamiliar place.
• The pet is able to follow its same routine such as feeding times, daily walk, etc.
• The pet and owner are able to develop an ongoing relationship with their caregiver.
• Individualized care and routines may be established for the pet.
• Household services may be performed such as daily home security checks, bringing in the mail, newspaper, alternating lights and drapes, and watering plants.
• The pet owner feels a sense of security, knowing his or her pet and home are being looked after.

Professional pet sitters take pride in the personalized, ongoing service and care they provide for their human and animal clients. Because pet sitting is a personalized service, most pet sitters are able to work with the client to develop specialized routines for the pet. In this way, pet sitters serve as the pet owner’s partner in the care and well being of their pets.

Another Silver City fox tests positive for rabies; catwalk fox bites woman

—NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF GAME AND FISH
The Department of Game and Fish and the Department of Health are urging pet and livestock owners in southwestern New Mexico to vaccinate their animals against rabies after two more encounters with aggressive foxes in early March.

In one incident, a woman was walking her dog in Silver City when a sick-looking fox approached the dog and hissed at it. The fox was collected by a Game Department officer and tested positive for rabies Tuesday. The dog had been vaccinated for rabies. The fox was the second rabid fox confirmed in Silver City in the past month. There have been four foxes and one dog that have tested positive for rabies in Grant County so far this year. Eight foxes and one bobcat tested positive in Catron County in 2007.

In a second incident, a nineteen-year-old woman was attacked and bitten by a fox near the Catwalk National Scenic Trail near Glenwood. The fox ran away and could not be found. The woman said the fox had to be kicked off her pant leg after it jumped up and bit her. She received post-exposure rabies treatment as a precaution.

“These recent incidents and positive rabies tests show just how important it is for everyone to keep their animals up-to-date on rabies vaccinations,” said Kerry Mower, wildlife health specialist with the Department of Game and Fish. “It is very easy for domestic animals to come in contact with rabid wild animals and potentially transmit the disease to humans.”

Department of Health officials said fox rabies has been a problem for several decades in Arizona and now has spread into western New Mexico. Rabies is a deadly viral disease that affects all mammals and can be prevented but not cured.

“People need to avoid all wild animals as several species carry rabies,” said Dr. Paul Ettestad, state public health veterinarian at the Department of Health. “If you are bitten by a wild animal, seek medical attention immediately.”

The Department of Game and Fish collects protected animals that are sick or dead and has them tested for rabies if the animals have been exposed to humans or are considered a potential health risk to humans. This year, Department officers have received several reports of dead foxes in the Silver City-Glenwood area.

If you see a sick or dead wild animal, or a wild animal acting abnormally, report it to the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish at (575) 532-2100 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays, or anytime at (505) 827-9376.

For more information about rabies, call the Department of Health at (505) 827-0006 or visit: health.state.nm.us/epi/rabies.html.

Lalo’s pet prints

Mail or email your favorite pet photos, along with a caption and photo credit, for possible posting in the Signpost.
Mail to: Signpost, P. O. Box 889, Placitas, NM 87043. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope, if you would like them returned.
Or email digital or scanned prints to: email@sandovalsignpost.com.
Be sure to take your digital photos at a setting high enough for print.
If scanning pre-printed photos, scan at 300 dpi.

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“Fozzie” was found by Gary Miles as a puppy wandering Hwy. 165. I immediately fell in love with him. I had lost my German Shepard after 12 years and wasn't sure I was ready for another dog. I knew nothing of the Airedale breed. Now I know You can't get one unless your prepared to have a dog smarter than you. Mine rings the doorbell to come in. They are fun!
—MICHELLE BRIAND

“Savoy”

“Slater”

Savoy—Nov 21, 1997 - Feb 22, 2008

Savoy was 10 years old when he died suddenly in California and is survived by his brother Slater.

He loved Placitas, napping with his brother and spending afternoons in the sun.

Some of his favorite treats were fresh, organic rose petals, gourmet baby lettuce and whole wheat bread. He worked from home as our most dilligent alarm clock.

—PHOTOS BY BARBARA ZIMMERMAN