Brain scans may soon tell us what our dogs are thinking

See Hope's Story Below

What does your dog see when he gazes at you adoringly? A best friend? A pack leader? A can opener? While many of us draw countless inferences regarding what our dog may be thinking about us, no one has actually captured images of the canine thought process - until now.

Researchers at Emory University in Atlanta have developed a new methodology for scanning the brains of alert dogs. The Public Library of Science will soon publish their results, which will show how the brains of dogs reacted to hand signals given by their owners.

The technique uses harmless functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), the same tool that is unlocking the secrets of the human brain.

"It was amazing to see the first brain images of a fully awake, unrestrained dog," said Gregory Berns, a neuroeconomist and director of the Emory Center for Neuropolicy, and lead researcher of the dog project.

It is hoped this research will open new understanding into canine cognition and inter-species communication. The research is innovative in that it is exploring the dog-human relationship from the dog's perspective.

Two dogs are involved in the project. Callie is a 2-year-old Feist, which is a squirrel-hunting dog developed from crossbreeding various hunting breeds in the rural southern United States. Berns adopted Callie when she was 9 months old from an animal shelter.

McKenzie is a 3-year-old border collie, who was already well trained in agility competition by her owner, Melissa Cate.

Both dogs were trained to walk into an fMRI scanner and hold completely still while researchers measured their neural activity.

The researchers are attempting to decode the mental processes of dogs by recording which areas of their brains are activated by various stimuli. Ultimately, they hope to answer questions like: Do dogs have empathy? Do they know when their owners are happy or sad? How much language do they really understand?

The dogs were trained to respond to hand signals. One signal meant the dogs would receive a treat; another meant they would not. The caudate region of the brain, associated with rewards in humans, showed activation in both dogs when they saw the signal for a treat, but there was no such activity for the no-treat signal.

These findings support the Yavapai Humane Society's philosophy that dogs respond better to positive stimuli (rewards) than they do to negative (punishment).

"These results indicate dogs pay very close attention to human signals. And these signals may have a direct line to the dog's reward system," Berns says.

Dog lovers have always been aware that there is something special about our bond with dogs. No other animal loves us in quite the same way. Over thousands of years, a collective domestication has occurred in which humans formed an intense bond with dogs - and the admiration is almost always reciprocal. It is a love that only dogs and humans possess; begging the question - was the human capacity for love, sympathy, empathy, and compassion for nature and other species sparked by this unique bond?

Beginning Monday, June 4, the Yavapai Humane Society is launching a new brain-stimulating Enrichment Program. This program is designed to help improve the lives of the animals in our care. Effective June 4 YHS will open at 11 a.m., allowing us to dedicate a full hour (10-11 a.m.) each day to enrichment training and activities intended to help make our animals happier and more adoptable.

If you would like to help support YHS's many life-saving programs, please send a donation to 1625 Sundog Ranch Road, Prescott AZ 86301, or make a donation online at http://www.yavapaihumane.org/.

The dog in the picture above is Hope - a true pit bull ambassador.  Hope was recently rescued from Best Friend's LA who had sent her to a high kill shelter.  Hope represents everything that is good about the breed. She is an affectionate and loyal 9-month-old puppy wanting only to please. She is spayed, vaccinated and microchipped and ready to be adopted at the Yavapa Humane Society today.

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society. He can be reached at eboks@yavapaihumane.org or by calling 445-2666, ext. 21.

Yavapai Humane Society needs your help to sustain "No-Kill" status

In July 2010, the Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) embraced a principle called "no-kill."

More than a policy and statistical objective, no-kill is an ethic, and once applied the practical consequences immediately fell into place. In less than two years, YHS decreased killing by 88 percent and is maintaining a 95 percent live release rate. That means 95 percent of the animals rescued by YHS are ultimately placed into loving homes. This life affirming revolution has made our community the safest for pets in the entire Mountain Region, which includes Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah.

YHS defines no-kill as applying the same criteria for deciding a shelter animal's fate that a loving pet guardian or conscientious veterinarian would apply to an owned pet. That is, healthy and treatable animals are not killed simply because of a lack of room or resources to care for them.

The practice of killing animals has never been anyone's idea of a perfect solution - let alone anyone's idea of giving "shelter" to creatures in need. The willful elimination of healthy animals with good years left is enough to move the hardest heart. That is why YHS has made this commitment: No animal that comes through our doors will be killed out of convenience or a lack of space. For every one of them there is a kind and loving person or family - and it is our mission to bring them together.

Since swearing off euthanasia as a solution to pet overpopulation, YHS has received tremendous public support. This support made possible a $75,000 state of the art cattery, an $80,000 enrichment program which includes many facility and staff enhancements, a $45,000 X-ray machine, $20,000 in commercial laundry equipment, a $3,000 grooming station, $50,000 worth of solar energy equipment and many other amenities.

YHS is thankful to those who financially helped transform our agency into a modern, effective humane society through these purchases. But we also need help meeting the daily needs of our animals. These needs are more basic and more expensive; they include food, water, utilities, medicine and sufficient staff to care for the thousands of animals YHS rescues each year.

Many think local government helps pay for these services. In fact, the governments of Prescott, Prescott Valley and Yavapai County combined make up only 9 percent of the YHS budget. This means YHS depends on you to help us provide for the health, safety and welfare of homeless pets in our community.

How can you help? By becoming a monthly P.A.W.S. donor! When you join P.A.W.S. (Planned Automatic Withdrawal Service) an automatic monthly donation of your choice is sent to YHS without the hassle of writing and mailing in a check. Each month our secure system automatically processes your donation. You can sign up with Visa, MasterCard or Discover and choose the amount that feels comfortable to you. You can also change or cancel your participation at any time.

If everyone reading this article donated $1 a day - 30 bucks a month - YHS could confidently continue to save animals' lives, fight cruelty and rescue homeless animals in need. Participating in this program also entitles you to many YHS membership benefits.

Participation in P.A.W.S. is easy. Just go to www.YavapaiHumane.org/paws and choose a pre-set amount or designate your own monthly gift. Then check the box that says, "Repeat this donation every month" and enter how many months you want to repeat your gift. If you have any questions about P.A.W.S., give us call at 445-2666 ext. 21.

Together we can continue to make our community the safest for pets in all the Mountain Region!

Patches, Buttons, Popper and Topper are 3-month-old female kittens ready for adoption for just $40 each. Adoption includes spay surgery, vaccinations and a microchip. This foursome is featured on the YHS Kitty Cam, which you can view 24 hours a day at www.yavapaihumane.org/kittycam.

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society. He can be reached at eboks@yavapaihumane.org or by calling 445-2666, ext. 21.

Yavapai Humane Society puts cats to work - to save their lives

YHS puts feral cats to work!

The Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) is fond of letting the cat out of the bag. I'm referring of course to the feral cats that roam residential neighborhoods, lurking about office buildings and commercial garages scavenging for food.

Unlike cats that rub up against you hoping for a treat or a pat on the head, these felines are so unaccustomed to human contact that they dart away when people approach. Feral cats are wild and cannot be turned into house pets. When they end up in shelters they have little hope of coming out alive.

So last year YHS launched a Barn Cat program to help save their lives - by putting them to work.

In a perfect world, all cats would have a loving home. Unfortunately, unaltered cats permitted to roam freely either become feral or produce feral offspring. Rather than kill feral cats, YHS promotes reducing their population through a process called TNR (trap/neuter/return).

Through the Barn Cat program, spayed and neutered feral cats are released into areas where they can do what they do best: prevent an overpopulation of rodents. Their reputation as stealthy and successful exterminators is well known and many homeowners and businesses rely on cats as a "green" rat abatement program.

Benefits of the Barn Cat program include: 1) alleviating pressure on overcrowded shelters; 2) keeping rodents in check without pest control chemicals that are toxic to the environment and dangerous to pets, wildlife and children; and 3) reducing public health risks in our community.

Rodents carry many diseases including plague, leptospirosis, hantavirus, murine typhus, rat bite fever, salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium, and eosinophilic meningitis.

"With so many rodents, why do cats go hungry?" Rodents are not dumb - they flee when cats make their presence known. These sleek legends of grace and beauty give off an odor through their paws as they prowl. Once rodents get a whiff of feline, they vacate the premises.

Less grisly and more effective than glue traps, cats go about their "work" naturally. They prowl, they eat, and they sit in the sun; although they prefer to spend much of their time hiding.

Feral cats participating in the Barn Cat program are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped and ear-tipped (under anesthesia while the cats are being altered, veterinarians notch an ear tip, the widely recognized sign that a feral cat is altered). All this for just $30 per cat; a minimum of two cats is recommended per location.

When these cats are "employed" they are transported in large wire cages and housed for about a month at their new location. This process is called recolonizing. It takes about 30 days for a feral cat to be comfortable enough to consider their new environs home. YHS will help you colonize your cats and teach you how to care for them.

Barn cats can be put in any safe area -- businesses, hotels, industrial parks, residences, and of course, barns. If you are interested in participating in this cost-effective, humane rat abatement program, call YHS to be added to the barn cat list. You will be contacted when your cats are ready for you.

If you don't have a rat problem but love cats and would like to help fund this non-lethal and humane feral cat program, please make a donation to YHS and specify "Barn Cat program".

For more information on feral cats, visit www.yavapaihumane.org/felix. For more information on the YHS Barn Cat program or to place an order for your very own feral cats call 445-2666.

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society. He can be reached at eboks@yavapaihumane.org or by calling 445-2666, ext. 21.

Your pet has a deadly enemy lurking in the tall grass

See Drummer Boy's story below

Its that time of year again when your pet has a deadly enemy lurking in the tall grass. This enemy, known as “foxtail”, comes in the form of several species of grassy weeds found throughout Arizona.  These weeds grow rapidly during the winter/spring rains, and then dry out in the summer months. As foxtail grasses mature, a seed forms at the top of the stalk. The seed resembles a fox's tail, hence the name.

When pet owners talk about "foxtails," they are speaking of the seed portion of the foxtail grass. Once foxtail grasses dry out, the seed detaches easily and sticks readily to clothing and fur. Foxtail seeds can enter a dog's body in a variety of ways and once in they act like an animated fishhook: the seed continues to move inward through the dog’s body, and because of tiny barbs, it cannot back out on its own.

It's most common for a foxtail to enter a dog's body through the skin, nose, ears, paws, genitals, and eyes. One veterinarian reported that a foxtail found in a dog's lung initially entered through the dog's paw. Foxtails are tenacious and deadly.

Foxtail seeds are relatively small, so detecting them after they enter a dog's body can be difficult. Veterinarians usually rely on telltale symptoms such as head-shaking, paw licking, swellings on the body, or sudden and continuous sneezing. Foxtails in the ears, nose, and eyes are serious and can ultimately be life-threatening if not treated promptly.

When a foxtail is inhaled and lodged in the nasal cavity, the dog will sneeze repeatedly and violently, sometimes even banging his nose on the floor with each sneeze in a futile attempt to dislodge the seed. It is often possible for a veterinarian to sedate the animal, locate the seed with an otoscope, and remove it using special forceps if the animal is brought in when symptoms first appear.

If a foxtail is lodged in the paw or under the coat, a lump will usually form that is painful to touch. Depending on how deep the foxtail has traveled it can usually be removed surgically.

When a foxtail gets into a dog's eye, the dog will usually paw at the eye and the eye will water. When you see a foxtail under the eyelid don't try to remove it yourself. There's a good chance you may not get it all. Keep your dog from pawing the eye and get him to a veterinarian immediately, preferably a veterinary opthomologist.

When your dog gets a foxtail in an ear, he will usually shake his head violently. When you suspect a foxtail, get your dog to a veterinarian immediately. The best way to handle foxtail problems is to prevent them or treat them early.

Whenever possible avoid foxtail infested areas – especially during the dry season. But after a romp through tall, mature grass follow these steps:

• Thoroughly brush and inspect your dog's coat. Run your hands over his coat looking for foxtails. Dogs with long hair are particularly susceptible to foxtails.

• Look into your dog's ears. If your dog has floppy ears, lift each ear and inspect.

• Examine your dog’s paws (in-between toes and paw pads), neck (under the collar), tail/anus, and under leg areas after walks in areas with foxtails. Remove any foxtails sitting on the fur.

• If you believe your dog has a foxtail seed lodged somewhere in its body, get him to a veterinarian immediately. The longer you wait, the deeper the foxtail will travel and the more damage it will do, and the more difficult it will be to treat.

Learn to recognize foxtails and avoid them! Foxtail danger in our parks can be greatly reduced by simply mowing the grass regularly, especially in the late spring. Mowing cuts off the foxtail grass before the deadly seed forms.

The dog pictured above is Drummer Boy who is helping YHS launch its Memorial Day Adoptathon. YHS is waiving all adoption fees for veterans and active-duty soldiers for the rest of May, and we are reducing adoption fees by 50 percent for anyone who mentions the name of a veteran they know. Come on down to YHS today and reconnoiter with Drummer Boy, a free-spirited shepherd mix who wants to wear your dog tag!

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society. He can be reached at eboks@yavapaihumane.org or by calling 445-2666, ext. 21.

Adopt your party animal at Cinco de Meow/Bow Wow



See Cameo's bio below

This week's column is a roundup of exciting information and announcements:

Cinco de Meow and Bow Wow: This Saturday is Cinco de Mayo and YHS is paying tribute by celebrating its own Cinco de Meow and Bow Wow Adoptathon. On Saturday and Sunday you can pick your own price for any cat or dog six months or older. The only exception is animals that more than one party is interested in; those animals are available through the YHS auction process.

YHS Annual Meeting: You are invited to learn more about how YHS is effectively promoting and protecting the health, safety and welfare of lost and homeless pets than ever before - and how you can help - at the YHS annual meeting at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 5, at the Yavapai Title Company located at 1235 East Gurley Street in Prescott. There will be lots of topics discussed and staff will be available to answer your questions about our many life-saving programs.

Thrift Shop Half Off Sale: From clothing and household items to jewelry and more, the YHS Thrift Shop is loaded with great deals for every bargain hound! Every first Saturday is a 50 percent off sale and this Saturday Sale is in sync with our Cinco de Meow and Bow Wow celebration. So come on down to our Thrift Shop located at 1046 Willow Creek Road between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. for the best thrifting deals in town.

Big Fix Expanded: The YHS Big Fix program already provides low-cost spay/neuter services to low-income pet owners who meet specific criteria. One of the donors who generously donated towards the X-ray machine (mentioned below) also gave an additional gift to be used to spay/neuter pets belonging to veterans and active military.

If you are a veteran wanting to have your pet altered, contact the YHS Spay/Neuter Clinic at 771-0547 to schedule an appointment. There is only a $25 co-pay for Big Fix participants.

The Kitty Cams are Live: Can anything be more fun than watching a room full of cats at play? Well now you can do that any time of day or night. Just go to the YHS website www.yavapaihumane.org/kittycam and you will be in for some of the best entertainment you can find anywhere in Prescott. All the cats you see are up for adoption.

X-ray Goal Achieved: In my Feb. 8 column, I expressed the Yavapai Humane Society's desire to celebrate our 40th anniversary this year by raising $40,000 to obtain a life-saving X-ray machine. Thanks to the generosity of a handful of individuals the funding needed to purchase this precious equipment has been raised. Having the capacity to take X-rays on-site will enhance YHS' ability to quickly diagnose and treat animals in serious need of medical treatment. Our special thanks to those who made this incredible gift a reality!

Schedule Change: Starting Monday, June 4, YHS will open for business at 11 a.m. This change enables YHS staff to devote an undistracted hour to enrichment activities with all the animals in our effort to help make them even more adoptable.

Events: The YHS Walk for the Animals was wildly successful, surpassing our wildest expectations, and raising over $29,000. Thank you to everyone who participated!

We are preparing for the 40th Anniversary Reigning Cats and Dogs Gala. This event is scheduled the evening of Saturday, Sept. 8, at the Prescott Resort. Please save the date. Contact us (445-2666 ext. 12) if you have something you would like to donate (art, jewelry, unused timeshares, etc) for the Silent Auction or if your business would like to help sponsor the event.

The cat pictured above is Cameo.  Cameo is a loveable train wreck in need of some TLC. He is a neutered 2-3 year old cat rescued from the side of the road after being hit by a car. He has recovered from a fractured jaw and a “blown pupil.”  His unkempt appearance is due to his inability to groom himself because of the fractured jaw.  Otherwise, he has healed well and adjusted to the loss of vision in his left eye. He is also FIV positive. Cameo is very friendly and wants nothing more than to be home safe and sound with you!

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society. He can be reached at eboks@yavapaihumane.org or by calling 445-2666, ext. 21.

Public invited to learn more about YHS at annual meeting

The YHS Walk for the Animals
event drew about 500 attendees Saturday.

The Yavapai Humane Society's (YHS) first Walk for the Animals was a huge success. More than 500 people attended and over 360 of them brought their canine companions. More than $25,000 was raised to help fund life-saving programs, far surpassing our $20,000 goal. I want to thank everyone who participated in this wonderful event designed to help save the lives of our community's homeless pets.

The Walk for the Animals kicked off the Yavapai Humane Society's 40th anniversary. Anniversaries are times to reflect on the past and plan for the future. That is exactly what we intend to do at our 2012 annual meeting. The YHS annual meeting is scheduled for Saturday, May 5, in Prescott. Everyone is invited. Come learn more about your Yavapai Humane Society.

YHS history

When it comes to looking back, the Daily Courier archives is a treasure trove. The need for a humane society was first documented in 1935 when it was reported our community was "facing unfavorable publicity of the worst kind."

A national officer from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was visiting the Smoki public museum. Somebody drove by and in her presence tossed a litter of neonate kittens on the road. The callous incident so incensed the officer that she threaten to "blast Prescott as the most inhumane city she ever visited" in their national publication. There is no record she ever followed through on that threat.

Nonetheless, that episode may have served as a catalyst for "gathering momentum to form some sort of humane society" according to the Courier, which demanded an organization be formed to "to put a stop to numerous acts of cruelty to animals in Prescott."

Despite the gathering momentum, it wasn't until March 20, 1972, that the Yavapai Humane Society submitted its articles of incorporation; and not until Aug. 1, 1977, that the shelter doors finally opened. The grand opening, officiated by Mayor Larry Caldwell, was on Sept. 2, 1977.

From the "most inhumane city" in the United States to possibly the most progressive and innovative community in the state of Arizona, if not the entire Southwest, it has been quite a journey.

YHS completed 2011 with a 90 percent live release rate and maintained a 96 percent live release rate for the first three months of 2012. With the help of our board, employees, volunteers, sponsors and partners, YHS has virtually eliminated euthanasia as a means of pet overpopulation control in our community. In fact, according to national shelter statistics, western Yavapai County is now considered the safest community for pets in all Arizona, and possibly in the entire Mountain Region, which includes Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah.

From a community where "scores of persons took unwanted kittens and pups out on the highway to toss them out to die of injuries or to starve to death" (according to a 1935 Courier article) to a society where every animal is valued, and where the same criteria that a loving pet guardian or conscientious veterinarian applies to an owned pet is applied to homeless pets, is a remarkable transformation. A transformation we should all be proud of! Thank you all for making this happen.

Attend our annual meeting to learn how YHS is better positioned today to effectively promote and protect the health, safety and welfare of lost and homeless pets than ever before; and how you can help. The YHS annual meeting is 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 5, at the Yavapai Title Company, 1235 East Gurley St., Prescott.

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society. He can be reached at eboks@yavapaihumane.org or by calling 445-2666, ext. 21.

The beauty and bliss of fostering



See Cinderella's bio below

 How often do you get to say, "I saved a life today?" When you volunteer with the Yavapai Humane Society (or your local shelter) that assertion can be a daily affirmation. That is especially true when you volunteer as a foster caregiver. Every animal fostered back to health or to an adoptable status is a life saved. Our ability to care for all the animals we rescue depends on reliable foster volunteers willing and able to help. The more foster volunteers we have, the more lives we save.

Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) foster volunteers are caring people who do everything from bottle-feeding orphaned babies around the clock to socializing little ones to ensure they are able to interact with both humans and animals. Our foster volunteers provide care, safety and love.

YHS provides the training as well as start-up supplies. Help from our staff is only a phone call away, and YHS will gives foster parents a 24-hour emergency number to call in case questions or problems arise.

Foster care volunteers provide temporary care for kittens, puppies, dogs and cats. Some animals may only need a home for several days or weeks, while others may need several months of care. By offering your home to an animal in need, you save a life.

Fostering is more flexible than other volunteer jobs that require you to show up for a specific shift for a committed length of time. The YHS foster program is fun and rewarding once you've learned how to take care of your temporary companion animals.

YHS's foster program is designed to help any animal in need of foster care, including:

• Orphaned neonate kittens and puppies
• Underage, self-feeding kittens and puppies (4-8 weeks old)
• Mother cat or dog with nursing kittens or puppies
• Animals recovering from injury or illness (may need medication)
• Shy or fearful animals that need socialization
• Healthy senior animals that need a break from the shelter environment
• Hospice animals that need loving homes near the end of their lives.

The animals YHS rescues deserve the best possible chance at finding a loving, permanent home. A foster parent has one of the most important jobs at YHS. They allow the animals to receive the care and attention they deserve as they wait for adoption. Foster parents not only save the lives of the animals in their care, they save the lives of other animals in the shelter waiting to find a loving home. If those aren't enough reasons to become a foster parent, consider these:

• Foster animals are temporary companions offering their love freely.
• You'll help socialize an animal so they become more adoptable as better companions.
• You can put that spare bedroom to good use.
• You'll delight at the smiles on the faces of the family that adopts your foster animal and possibly make new friends in the bargain.
• Fostering helps you explore many different breeds of dogs and cats to help you decide which traits you'd like in your next companion animal.
• If, for some reason, you can't keep a full-time companion animal, fostering for short time periods is an ideal solution.
• You'll know that you're making a huge difference in the lives of your fosters; and you'll be helping other animals, too.

If you have the time and some space in your home for a needy animal, call 445-2666, ext. 18, or email ehester@yavapaihumane.org. Fostering is a labor of love that will create memories that last long after your foster animals have been placed into permanent, loving homes.

The cat in the picture above is named Cinderella, she is a cross-eyed beauty. She is a 10-year-old Himalayan mix with extraordinary markings. She is a very friendly lap cat looking for just the right lap - yours!

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society. He can be reached at eboks@yavapaihumane.org or by calling 445-2666, ext. 21.

Does your dog suffer from ADHD?

See Wally's bio below

Do you sometimes wonder if your dog suffers from ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactive disorder)? Although this term is often bandied about, hyperactivity is actually very rare in canines.
According to Clinician's Brief, a publication of the North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC), "hyperactivity" is defined as "over-activity, attention deficits, impulsivity, high testing physiologic parameters with a paradoxical calming response to amphetamines."

In layman's terms, dogs suffering from hyperactivity don't seem to ever get used to the normal sights, sounds, and smells of their environment. They overreact (hyper-act) to ordinary stimuli and are unable to rest, no matter how quiet the surroundings or comfy the bed.

Veterinarians generally agree that the symptoms most often described by owners concerned that their dog suffers from hyperactivity are actually the normal result of breed characteristics, conditioned behavior, lack of appropriate physical and mental stimulation, or a combination of these factors.

A clinically diagnosed hyperactive dog is usually 3 years or older; has increased heart and respiratory rates, poor body condition scores, reactivity, and agitation. They are emotionally aroused by routine stimuli and often stay aroused long after the stimulus is removed.

There is a big difference between abnormal canine behavior and undesirable, normal behavior. The British Small Animal Veterinary Association's Manual of Canine and Feline Behavioral Medicine explains that "It is important to determine whether the dog's need for activity, social interaction, mental stimulation and environmental enrichment are being met on a daily basis. In some cases the environment is not providing for the pet's needs and the hyperactivity is an attempt to fulfill those needs."

For instance, if your dog's "hyperactivity" is reduced after playing for an hour you can reasonably assume that this type of interaction is needed on a regular basis. If your dog were truly hyperactive, you would see no difference in his behavior following such interaction.

To diagnose hyperactivity in a dog other causes for the unwanted behavior have to be ruled out, such as conditioning; phobias and anxiety disorders; territorialism; hyperthyroidism, allergies or other medical conditions; and cognitive decline.

Since only a very small percentage of dogs are ever clinically diagnosed as hyperactive, it is best to start by asking these questions:

• Does my dog get plenty of exercise?

• Do I provide mental stimulation, such as puzzles, treat-release toys, hikes and other outdoor activities that appeal to a dog's natural instincts?

• Do I focus on desired behaviors rather than behaviors I don't like? Dogs respond to positive reinforcement of good behaviors, not punishment of bad behaviors.

• Has my dog completed an obedience or agility class or an activity that helps him focus?

• Do I feed my dog a balanced, species-appropriate diet that avoids food intolerances or allergies common in dogs fed low-quality commercial pet food? Food sensitivity can contribute to restless, hyperactive behavior, not to mention poor health.

• Have I discussed supplements such as L-theanine, GABA and valerian root with my veterinarian?

If you can identify a possible cause for your dog's undesirable behavior, that cause should be addressed first. If your dog is hyperactive after ruling out these other causes and you know he is getting the physical activity and mental stimulation he needs, then it's time to make an appointment with your veterinarian to investigate potential underlying physical or emotional causes for the unwanted behavior.

In the meantime, the best way to work the hyperactivity out of your dog is to sign him up for the Walk for the Animals April 21 at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Visit http://www.yavapaihumane.org/ or call 928-445-2666 for more information. He will thank you for it!

The puppy in the picture is Wally, an eight-week-old male Australian shepherd who already knows how to use a doggy door and is house broken. This is a high-activity, intelligent breed who will need a lot of quality time with his new owner. Wally will be available for adoption by auction 10:30 a.m. Saturday at YHS (1625 Sundog Ranch Road in Prescott AZ).

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society. He can be reached at eboks@yavapaihumane.org or by calling 445-2666, ext. 21.

Yavapai Humane Society launches hospice program

Nelson needs a Hospice Home

The word "hospice" comes from the Latin "hospes" meaning, "to host a guest or stranger." The concept can be traced back to the year 1099, when Crusaders founded a "hospice" in Jerusalem for Christian pilgrims and Muslims alike. A Papal bull (charter) issued in 1113 christened the founding Crusaders the Knights Hospitaller and charged them to defend the hospice and care for ailing pilgrims visiting the Holy Land.

Over time, "hospice" came to refer to places of hospitality for the sick, wounded, dying, and travelers and pilgrims.

The modern concept of hospice, which includes palliative care, was pioneered in the 1950s. Palliate comes from the Latin "palliare," meaning "to cloak," as in cloaking pain without curing the underlying medical condition.

Dame Cicely Saunders, a British physician, is credited with developing the modern hospice model. Saunders was inspired by David Tasma, a patient hospitalized with an inoperable cancer. They met in 1948 and envisioned a place better suited to prepare for death than a busy hospital ward.

When Tasma died, he bequeathed £500 to Saunders. In 1967, she used the funds to open St. Christopher's Hospice and launch the modern hospice movement. Although the concept met with some resistance, it has since expanded rapidly around the world.

What, you might ask, has any of this to do with the Yavapai Humane Society (YHS)?

YHS is at the vanguard of a movement whose trajectory has largely paralleled the modern hospice movement. I'm referring to the no-kill movement.

The human "hospice movement" and the animal "no-kill movement" were born in the late 1960s and early 1970s respectively and share a deep respect for the sanctity and dignity of life. It seems only natural, albeit in retrospect, that the two movements would at some point meet.

Renowned English journalist Malcolm Muggeridge, perhaps without intending to, helped put these life-affirming movements into context when he said, "life, however low it flickers or fiercely burns, is still a divine flame which no man dare presume to put out; either life is always and in all circumstances sacred, or intrinsically of no account; it is inconceivable that it should be in some cases the one, and in some the other."

The Yavapai Humane Society embodies the ethic that all life is sacred and believes homeless pets ought not to be killed simply because of a lack of space, resources or out of convenience. This ethic leads to taking responsibility, rather than excusing problems and hiding consequences. Since implementing the no-kill ethic in July 2010, YHS has achieved an 80 percent decline in killing and a 96 percent Live Release Rate in 2012. That means 96 percent of the animals rescued by YHS are placed into loving homes; compared to a national shelter average of just 50 percent.

The animals who don't fare so well are those who come to us suffering from a disease, injury, or congenital or hereditary condition that is likely to adversely affect their health in the future. Animal shelters almost universally support euthanasia for these animals. It is for them that YHS is launching its own hospice program.

If you love animals and can find it in your heart to open your home to provide short-term hospice care to these worthy animals, please enroll in this life-affirming program. YHS will provide and support you with all the medical care the animal will need, including euthanasia when the time comes. All you need to provide is food (which we can help with), water, shelter and love. If interested, call 445-2666, ext. 21, for more information.

Nelson, the cat in the picture, is in need of a Hospice home. He is a 7-year-old neutered Persian diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease. He is on antibiotics, prednisone, an intestinal prescription diet and intestinal medication. His condition is manageable; however, his prognosis is poor. His condition progresses at varying rates and in time will not respond to medical management. He is comfortable and happy for now and needs a hospice home where he can be given medication, brought into YHS for checks-ups and monitored until his condition is no longer manageable. Call 445-2666, ext. 21, for more information.

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society. He can be reached at eboks@yavapaihumane.org or by calling 445-2666, ext. 21.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus nothing to fear

This week the Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) staff asked me to feature Portia, a staff favorite. Portia is a 4-year-old domestic short hair with a spice for life; described as cool, calm, confident, playful and a joy to be around. She is mellow enough to get along with a cat-savvy dog and respectful children.

Portia has had many suitors in her two months with YHS, but potential adopters quickly lost interest when they learned she has feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV).

FIV has been responsible for the unnecessary killing of far too many cats in way too many animal shelters for too many years; and that is not right, because FIV cats often live long, healthy lives with few to no symptoms.

FIV is an endemic disease found in domestic cats worldwide. It is a lentivirus, which means it progresses slowly, gradually affecting a cat's immune system. Cats are typically infected through a bite inflicted by a stray male cat - earning it the moniker "the fighting cat" disease.

The best-known lentivirus in humans is HIV - but there are major differences between FIV and HIV. HIV cannot infect cats and FIV cannot infect humans. In over 6,000 years of human/cat cohabitation, there has never been any evidence of an FIV cat infecting a human.

The fear concerning FIV cats is unfounded. I am the proud owner of an FIV cat, named Oliver, who lives happily with my FIV-free cat, Beau Bentley (for the past four years). I am distressed by the unwarranted apprehension I find among so many cat lovers regarding FIV.

As long as FIV cats are not exposed to diseases their immune system can't handle, they can live relatively normal lives. Kept indoors, as we recommend for all cats, health risks are significantly reduced. FIV is not easily passed between cats; it cannot be spread casually - in litter boxes, water and food bowls, or through snuggling and playing. It requires a serious bite to transmit the disease from cat to cat.

Before we knew FIV existed, shelters routinely placed FIV cats into loving homes where they often lived long, normal lives. The discovery of FIV in 1986 brought with it an undeserved stigma that has since made placing these wonderful animals more difficult.

Dr. Susan Cotter, professor of hematology and oncology at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, is helping counteract these misinformed fears. "I would not advise getting rid of a cat that tests positive for FIV," she says. "If the cat is young and healthy, it could be years before anything changes."

The important thing is to keep your FIV cat healthy, which is good advice for all cats. In fact, the same advice we offer FIV cat adopters is equally appropriate for all cats. That is, all cats should be kept as healthy as possible; kept indoors and free from stress, fed a high-quality diet, and medical problems should be treated as soon as they arise.

If you already own a cat, ask your veterinarian (or the YHS Wellness Clinic) about early detection to help maintain his health and to help prevent the spread of this infection to other cats.

Although many FIV cats live long, happy lives, some may need periodic medical care or ongoing medical management. That is why adopting a special-needs animal is such a noble and selfless act. If you can find room in your heart and home for Portia, or a cat like her, visit the Yavapai Humane Society and take advantage of our drastically reduced adoption fees in celebration of our 40th anniversary.

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society. He can be reached at eboks@yavapaihumane.org or by calling 445-2666, ext. 21.

Botox removes wrinkles... and animal testing!

I've never met a person willing to admit a tolerance for animal cruelty. However, animal cruelty is quietly accepted by most of us as an inescapable cost of human existence. Case in point: The government requires every new compound that you might be exposed to - whether it's the latest wonder drug, lipstick shade, pesticide or food dye - to be tested to make sure it isn't toxic. This testing usually results in a torturous life and death for many lab animals.

When it comes to corporate budget sheets, saving animals can seem a minor concern. One exception to that mindset is Allergan Inc. of Irvine, Calif., the manufacturer of Botox. Allergan announced last June that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved its new method to test Botox's potency. Instead of testing every batch on live animals, Allergan can now run a test on cells in a lab dish.

It took Allergan scientists 10 years to perfect this test. If approved in all the countries where Botox is sold, Allergan predicts 95 percent of its animal testing could be eliminated within three years.

U.S. agencies have already approved alternative tests for experiments on animals' eyes and skin. Scientists are now focusing on humane testing of toxins. These tests could make animal toxicity experiments obsolete in 10 to 20 years, according to the FDA.

In addition to being humane, alternative tests promise better results more quickly and cheaply than classic tests on animals.

Most scientists who experiment on animals prefer not to do so, according to a 2006 survey by the journal Nature. The survey found 78 percent of biologists want to eliminate animal experiments - but only 80 percent of those thought it would ever be possible.

According to the Department of Agriculture, laboratories in the U.S. experiment on nearly 1 million mammals each year. However, that number excludes animals not protected by the U.S. Animal Welfare Act. According to the journal Alternatives to Laboratory Animals, an animal advocacy science publication, the number of research animals is closer to 17 million, including rodents, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish.

The Johns Hopkins Center estimates that alternatives to animal toxicity tests could save between 10 and 25 percent of these animals. The remaining animals are used in biomedical research labs.

Animal toxicity tests are classic scientific experiments - despite the fact they don't yield the best results. They often fail to accurately predict a toxin's effect on people. For instance: chocolate is bad for dogs but okay for people. Toxicity tests don't even reveal how a toxin sickens an animal, only if it kills the animal.

That's the principle behind the "Lethal Dose, 50 percent" test, invented in 1927. It determines how much toxin will kill half the animals exposed to it. Until recently, that was the test Allergan used.

Allergan scientists decided to think outside that box. This enabled them to apply their understanding of animal and human anatomy towards an unlikely bioterrorism agent called botulinum toxin. This agent, designed to cause paralysis, was found to not only eliminate unwanted frown lines but treat 21 other conditions, including migraines and muscle spasms.

Thanks to Allergan's compassionate leadership, the need to kill millions of lab animals in order to approve household products may soon be a thing of the past.

Join the Yavapai Humane Society in celebrating a more humane future for all animals, especially those in our own community. Register today to participate in the Walk for the Animals scheduled for Saturday morning, April 21, at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott. You can learn more and sign up at http://www.yavapaihumane.org/, or by calling 445-2666, ext. 20.

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society. He can be reached at eboks@yavapaihumane.org or by calling 445-2666, ext. 21.

Thwarting the attack of the pre-alarm cat

I've always been a dog person, so you can imagine my surprise when I learned that cats have idiosyncrasies no self-respecting dog would ever engage in. For instance, why do cats insist on waking you up before the alarm goes off?

Contrary to popular belief, cats are not nocturnal. "Nocturnal" refers to animals that are awake at night and sleep during the day. However, cats sleep at night, as we do - just not as long. Cats are "crepuscular," which means they are most active at dawn and dusk. This is because their ancestors' natural prey was most active at these times. Although cats have good night vision, they can't see without light, so they do sleep at night.

Two dynamics conspire to create the relentless "pre-alarm" cat.

The first is nature. Your cat's internal clock responds to the first light of day and tells her to get up. In the lands of the midnight sun, cats adjusted their biological clock and are not affected by the dawn. However, during the long, dark, sunless Antarctic winters, it's not uncommon for cats to sleep until noon.

The second is training - and this is where we cat owners come in. When your cat wakes in the morning, she quickly becomes bored because there's nothing to do. If you so much as look at her, you've rewarded her with your attention and "trained" her to behave this way every day. If you make the mistake of assuming your cat is pacing and scratching the furniture because she's hungry, and you get up and feed her, then you just made your own bed - and you can forget about sleeping in it.

At this point, pretending to be asleep, yelling or rolling over isn't likely to work. You actually train your cat to pester you in the morning by occasionally giving her attention. An occasional reward is just as powerful a re-enforcer as a continuous reward. For instance, you don't have to hit the jackpot every time you play the slot machines. An occasional win is enough to bring you back - and so it is with kitty. In fact, some forms of resistance may so amuse a bored cat that they'll cause her to see you as a big squeaky toy.

Fortunately, cats can be reprogrammed. When the caterwauling is because your cat really is hungry, place dry food in her dish before going to bed. This gives her something to snack on during the night and in the morning. When it's not hunger, try placing a small fan on the floor. If you like the bedroom door closed with the cat outside, make sure the fan blows air under the door. This will discourage her from sitting outside yelling at you.

Another reprogramming technique is to keep a spray bottle filled with water nearby. When kitty begins to meow at dawn, spray her. Most cats will run off and spend the next hour grooming.

If your cat meows and scratches at the door, try taping bubble wrap to the bottom of the door. Most cats don't like the feel or noise it makes. Laying a piece on the floor in front of the door could keep your cat at bay until after the alarm sounds.

Come by Betty's Cattery at the Yavapai Humane Society to adopt a pal for your cat. Two or three cats are better than one because they'll entertain each while you're sleeping in. In celebration of YHS's 40th anniversary, you can adopt any kitten for $40 (thanks to an anonymous donor) or you can pick your price for any cat that chooses you.

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society.  He can be reached at eboks@yavapaihumane.org or by calling 445-2666, ext. 21.

You are invited to the first annual Yavapai Humane Society Walk for the Animals

Prescott hosts many marvelous events each year; many are steeped in history and tradition. Imagine what it would have been like to have participated in the first rodeo, the first Christmas lighting, the first 4th of July parade. Cicero tells us that "history is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it illumines reality, vitalizes memory, provides guidance in daily life and brings us tidings of antiquity." 

The Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) is inviting you to participate in history in the making. You, your friends, neighbors, kids, co-workers, and anyone else who loves a howlin' good time are invited to participate in our first-ever Walk for the Animals on the morning of Saturday, April 21, at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

There will be two courses, a 5k and a 1k, to accommodate all ages, leg heights and energy levels. You can run, walk or jog at your own pace. The walk is not timed so you can even enjoy a leisurely stroll.

Registration couldn't be simpler. Visit http://www.yavapaihumane.org/ and click on Walk for the Animals. You can register online as a Walker, Youth Walker (11-17), or, for the folks who love animals but not exercise, a Lazy Dog. Registration is only $15 ($12 for Youth Walkers) before April 1. Children 10 and under are free. Registrants receive a free T-shirt and a "doggie bag" full of goodies. If you register after April 1, you pay $20, and if you register on the day of the event, we can't guarantee a T-shirt or "doggie bag." So why wait?

Every walker gets a personal fundraising page that they can personalize with photos, videos, and text and then email to their contacts. Many of our walkers have been shocked at how positive the response has been from their friends and family all over the country.

Charity walks are always more fun with a group so we're encouraging people to create or join a Dog Pack with friends, family, or co-workers. Prescott Animal Hospital created a pack and is challenging the other local veterinary hospitals in a Vet Challenge to see who can raise the most cash for YHS and have bragging rights for 2012. Whisker's Barkery agreed to donate an additional $10 to every walker who joins their team up to $1,000! The YHS volunteers are getting in the act too with their team, the Pawsitively Purrfect YHS Volunteers. We can't wait to see if any of the teams dress in a theme on the day of the walk!

Dogs are welcome to walk with their owners. Dogs must be currently licensed, vaccinated, and on a leash no more than 6 feet in length in keeping with Prescott's leash law. Walk officials reserve the right to refuse entry to any dog whose behavior could be dangerous to others. Please use good judgment regarding the temperament of your pet so the event will be safe and enjoyable for everyone.

All proceeds from the event will go to helping the animals at the Yavapai Humane Society. YHS is the largest animal shelter in Northern Arizona, rescuing more than 4,000 lost, homeless, abused and neglected pets every year. YHS provides many life-saving services and programs, which have resulted in YHS ranking as the safest animal shelter in Arizona by the nation's leading animal shelter watchdog. YHS' "live release rate" is the highest in Arizona and among the highest in the nation: 96 percent.

Sign up today at http://www.yavapaihumane.org/ or to find more information on this soon-to-become historic and fun community event.

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society. He can be reached at eboks@yavapaihumane.org or by calling 445-2666, ext. 21.

Dogs with hypothyroidism are very treatable and adoptable



Buddy



The Auburn University School of Pharmacy estimates 3 to 8 percent of the American human population have hypothyroidism, and the incidence increases with age. I was surprised by this number because when I conducted a poll among friends and acquaintances the percentage seemed higher. Everybody I asked seemed to be on thyroid medication. So I'm hoping the following story will be embraced by an empathetic audience.

Buddy is a 5-year-old male Chesapeake Bay retriever rescued by a Good Samaritan who came upon the original owner who was about to shoot and kill his dog. The Good Samaritan talked the trigger-happy owner into surrendering Buddy to him. He kept Buddy three months before realizing he couldn't provide Buddy the home he deserved.

So he brought Buddy to the Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) on Dec. 3. From day one, Buddy has been a model resident. He comes out of his kennel without coaxing; is leash trained, allows all handling; is social but independent; has no food issues; has a high tail and approaches other dogs with confidence; is good with kids and cats; and is obedience trained.

Buddy is the most popular dog at YHS. Everybody who meets him wants to adopt him - until they learn he has hypothyroidism.

YHS diagnosed Buddy's hypothyroidism after noticing his lethargy and poor coat. Hypothyroidism is a common disease in dogs and occurs when the thyroid gland produces insufficient hormones to regulate the metabolism. This causes a variety of symptoms including weight gain or obesity, hair loss and skin problems. Most hypothyroid dogs respond readily to treatment.

Buddy has been on treatment (a pill placed in his food morning and night) for five weeks, and his desire to play and be more active is palpable. His coat has improved, too. Many dogs suffer from a low thyroid hormone level for years without treatment. If your dog has recurrent skin problems or unexplained weight gain, she may be suffering from hypothyroidism and you should talk with your veterinarian.

Although the onset of clinical signs is variable, hypothyroidism most commonly develops in middle-aged dogs between the ages of 4 to 10 years. The disorder usually affects mid to large size breeds, and is rare in toy and miniature breeds. Breeds that appear predisposed to the condition include the Golden Retriever, Doberman Pinscher, Irish Setter, Miniature Schnauzer, Dachshund, Cocker Spaniel and Airedale Terrier. German Shepherds and mixed breeds appear to be at a reduced risk of contracting the disease.

Hypothyroidism in dogs is easy to treat with an inexpensive daily dose of a synthetic thyroid hormone called thyroxine (levothyroxine). The dose and frequency varies depending on the severity of the disease and the response of the dog to the drug. A dog is usually placed on a standard dose for his weight and blood samples are drawn periodically to check his response and the dose is adjusted accordingly. Once therapy is started, the dog will need to be on treatment for the rest of his life. Usually after the treatment is started, the majority of the symptoms resolve.

Buddy's improvement is obvious and he is ready to be adopted into an understanding and loving home. If you are interested in Buddy, come by the Yavapai Humane Society at 1625 Sundog Ranch Road in Prescott, off the Prescott Parkway, to get acquainted. Buddy is a senior dog so adoption fees are waived for citizens 59 years of age.

In celebration of YHS's 40th anniversary the adoption fee in February and March is $40 for most dogs and you can pick your price for most cats.

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society. He can be reached at eboks@yavapaihumane.org or by calling 445-2666, ext. 21.

Pet etiquette an important part of being a good guardian

Pets are part of the family. We love them and want them with us as much as possible. We take them to the park, on vacation and with us as we run our daily errands. We in Prescott, Arizona are fortunate to live in such a pet-friendly community, with so many pet-friendly hotels, apartments, restaurants and businesses. Nowhere is Prescott's love of pets more evident than on our courthouse square, where pets and people mingle from dawn to dusk.

With so much human/animal interaction in our community, it's important we all practice pet etiquette. Etiquette, simply stated, is having good manners and behaving in a way that makes others feel comfortable. Pet etiquette is making sure others feel comfortable around our pets - and it's easy to do as we follow these basic rules:

License your dog. If you love your pet, license your pet. Licensing your dog is not just good pet etiquette, it's the law. Whatever community you live in, you are required to license your dog. The reason is simple, your dog's license could be his ticket home should he ever become lost. If you really love your pet, you will microchip him, too.

Obey the Leash Law. If you are a dog lover, you no doubt have encountered the retractable leash. These "leashes" allow dogs to wander 20 feet or more from their owner. I have seen people and dogs seriously injured because of these contraptions. People trip over the extended lines, and dogs get into fights with other dogs while the owner is preoccupied or unable to stop it. Not only are these devices dangerous, they are illegal on public property in most communities. Most city ordinances state something to the effect that, "It shall be unlawful for a dog to be at large ... A dog is not deemed at large provided said dog is restrained by a leash ... not more than 6 feet." The purpose of a leash is to control of your dog, something you cannot do with a retractable leash.

Don't leave pets in vehicles. It takes only minutes for a pet left in a vehicle on a warm day to succumb to heatstroke and suffocation. On a 78-degree day, the temperature in a car parked in the shade can exceed 90 degrees - and hit a scorching 160 degrees if parked in the sun.

In just 15 minutes, your pet's body temperature can climb from normal to deadly levels that will damage the nervous and cardiovascular systems, often leaving the animal comatose, dehydrated and at risk of permanent impairment or death.

Intentionally leaving an animal unattended or confined in a motor vehicle when physical injury or death is likely to result is a violation of Arizona State Statute 13-2910.7. The law permits authorities to use reasonable force to rescue your pet.

Don't transport pets in the back of pickup trucks. Sadly, there is no law against this practice, but there ought to be. Transporting a dog untethered or uncrated in the open bed of a pickup truck endangers both the dog and other motorists. All it takes to jettison a dog into traffic is one abrupt stop, quick turn or bump in the road, resulting in broken bones, bruising, road rash and quite possibly death.

Clean up after your pet. Need I say more?

If we can help monitor and educate each other regarding these common violations of pet etiquette, we can create a safer environment for our pets and each other.

If you would like to join the fun and become part of Prescott's pet-loving community, consider becoming a member of the Yavapai Humane Society.  You can also sign up for the Walk for the Animals at this website.  I hope to see you there!

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society. He can be reached at eboks@yavapaihumane.org or by calling 445-2666, ext. 21.

12 Ways to Help Homeless Animals in our communtiy

As the Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) celebrates its 40th anniversary many ask how they can help support our mission to protect the health, safety and welfare of our community's homeless pets. YHS appreciates the kindness and generosity of our community to help fund our life-saving programs and services. Here are some of the ways you can help:

1. Walk for the Animals: Gather your friends, neighbors, kids, pooches, and anybody who loves a howlin' good time and join the YHS first annual Walk for the Animals at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on Saturday, April 21. You can register online as an individual or start a team to raise even more funds to help the over 4,000 homeless pets YHS rescues every year. Go to www.yavapaihumane.org to join this fun event.

2. Become a YHS member. You can do this online or by sending a check to the Yavapai Humane Society, P.O. Box 12, Prescott, AZ, 86301. There are six levels of membership ($35, $65, $100, $250, $500, $1,000). Each level comes with special benefits described on our website - or call for more information (445-2666, ext.12).

3. Join P.A.W.S. (Planned Account Withdrawal System): Set an amount and give automatically each month and be a life-saver all year long.

4. Corporate sponsorship: Businesses of all sizes have sponsored YHS to help raise their profile in the community. Call YHS to learn how to sponsor YHS and have a presence at the Walk for the Animals and our Reigning Cats & Dogs Gala, and more!

5. Honorary and memorial gifts: You can honor someone special, or a special occasion such as Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays, and weddings. A memorial gift is a beautiful and compassionate tribute to a person or pet who has passed on.

6. Planned giving: This takes many forms and could provide additional income and/or reduce the amount of taxes you pay. Learn how to create a humane legacy to help YHS by contacting YHS Board director and financial adviser Dan Petz at 443-8712 for a free financial evaluation.

7. Pet guardianship: Many worry what will become of their pet should they die first. The YHS Pet Guardianship program ensures your pet(s) have a home if something happens to you.

8. Donate a vehicle: Donating a running or non-running car, truck or other vehicle is tax-deductible and a great way to help homeless animals.

9. Third-party fundraising: Many organizations and businesses hold a pet supply drive, create a memorial fundraising page, or give a percentage of their business's sales. There are many fun ways to raise money for YHS through third-party fundraising. Consider helping YHS raise funds for an X-ray machine!

10. Donate items to and shop at the YHS Thrift Shop: The shop is always in need of quality new or gently used items to sell. The proceeds go directly to helping the animals we shelter. What a great reason to clean out your garage, closet, or just downsize!

11. Volunteering brings new energy and expertise to our organization and helps people better understand how YHS makes a difference in the lives of animals and people in Yavapai County.

12. Reigning Cats & Dogs: Save the date for the 40th Anniversary gala event on Sept. 8 at the Prescott Resort. Consider making a donation to the silent auction; art, timeshares, services and products help raise life-saving funds for the animals. Call 445-2666 ext 12 for event information.

Please visit our exciting new website at http://www.yavapaihumane.org/ for answers to any questions you may have about helping YHS. Please contact us directly with your ideas. Your help is both needed and appreciated!

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society. He can be reached at eboks@yavapaihumane.org or by calling 445-2666, ext. 21.

Tax court victory helps animal rescue volunteers deduct expenses

The Wall Street Journal reported last year on a U.S. Tax Court ruling that will affect millions of dollars in annual tax deductions by animal-rescue volunteers. The ruling brings some much-needed clarity to deducting unreimbursed expenses incurred by volunteers helping Internal Revenue Service-recognized charities like the Yavapai Humane Society (YHS).

The case involved Jan Van Dusen, who appeared before a U.S. Tax Court judge and a team of IRS lawyers more than a year ago regarding a tax deduction for taking care of 70 stray cats.

In June 2011, the Tax Court ruled Van Dusen could take $12,068 in charitable deductions for expenses incurred while taking care of the cats for an IRS-approved charity, Fix Our Ferals. The deductions were for cat food, veterinarian bills, kitty litter, a portion of her utility bills and other items such as paper towels and garbage bags.

The decision, in Van Dusen v. Commissioner, paves the way for volunteers to deduct unreimbursed expenses that further a rescue group's mission, such as fostering homeless animals.

It also clarifies rules for deducting unreimbursed charitable expenses of $250 or more, especially if they involve use of a home. It affects donors to charities and religious groups, but not political organizations.

Prior to this ruling, tax advisors often warned clients taking such deductions to be prepared for an IRS challenge. This ruling informs the taxpayer just how to successfully prepare for that challenge - with records of pertinent expenses and a letter from the charity acknowledging the gift.

Van Dusen, 59, is a former family law attorney living in Oakland, Calif. She lives alone in a 1,500-square-foot home in a modest neighborhood with seven cats of her own. As a volunteer for Fix Our Ferals, whose mission is to trap, neuter and care for stray cats, Van Dusen provided foster care for about 70 feral cats.

Van Dusen tried to take the deductions on her 2004 tax return, but the IRS considered them nondeductible personal expenses. In 2009, the case wound up in court. Van Dusen knew little about tax law before the trial, but represented herself because she couldn't afford a lawyer.

She said her pretrial encounters with IRS agents were "intimidating," and she felt that in court the IRS lawyers "tried to portray me as a crazy cat lady." However, Judge Richard Morrison demonstrated considerable patience: "He had to go through all (my) receipts from Costco and ask questions like, 'What were these paper towels used for?'"

In his 42-page decision, Judge Morrison agreed with many of her arguments. He allowed her to deduct most of some bills and half of others for care of the feral cats, ruling they were unreimbursed expenses incurred while helping a charitable group in its mission. He curtailed the total deduction somewhat because she didn't have a valid letter from Fix Our Ferals acknowledging her volunteer work for expenses of $250 or more.

There are an estimated 11 million volunteers nationwide who do volunteer work with local shelters and rescue groups, and many of these volunteers spend up to $2,000 of their own money a year to help animals in need, with some spending up to $15,000 a year.

This is the first time the court has addressed these types of expenses, and this ruling sets an important precedent for the many foster-care-giving volunteers in our community. Check with your tax advisor on the impact this ruling may have on your volunteer efforts.

If you are interested in YHS's Foster Care program or becoming a foster care giver, visit http://www.yavapaihumane.org/ or contact YHS's foster placement coordinator at ehester@yavapaihumane.org or 445-2666, ext. 16.

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society. He can be reached at eboks@yavapaihumane.org or by calling 445-2666, ext. 21.

Scientists discover what pet lovers already know

From time to time, articles appear in the media reporting scientific findings that only confirm what anyone who has ever owned a pet knows instinctively. For instance, the New York Post recently reported that scientists now believe animals seek out pleasure for the sake of pleasure. For those of us who love animals, it is difficult to believe this is even a topic for debate.

How often do we observe our dogs flopping on their backs and displaying that unmistakable, non-verbal and slightly pathetic yearning for a belly rub - which has no benefit other than feeling really, really good.

The dispute over animals having feelings arose in earnest in 1823 when English philosopher, Jeremy Bentham, reacted to the overwhelming animal cruelty of his generation. His distress first appeared in the journal "Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation" (1823) as a footnote. Today, this is considered the most quoted footnote of all time: "The question is not, 'Can they reason?' nor, 'Can they talk?' but rather, 'Can they suffer?'" As strange as it may seem to us today, this was a disturbingly reflective question at the time.

Nonetheless, Bentham's question was not taken seriously by the scientific community for another half-century - not until 1872, when Charles Darwin first theorized that animals do indeed have feelings.

Sadly, those early awakenings were subsequently rejected by scientists following Ivan Pavlov's famous 1901 experiment, which proved that dogs are easily behaviorally conditioned. Pavlov's findings convinced scientists they could dismiss the idea that animals have feelings until the 1970s, when respected American scientist Donald Griffin began publishing a series of books and articles that convincingly argued against the notion that humans alone are capable of thought and emotion.

Since then, we have learned that elephants have their own funeral rites: holding weeklong wakes, shrouding the carcass with branches and dirt, returning to visit years later. Wolves feed and care for injured or vulnerable members of their own pack. In his famous 2000 essay "Consider the Lobster," the late David Foster Wallace explored the ethics of boiling alive an animal that was classified as a sea insect, but which has pain receptors "which make it sensitive to potentially damaging extremes of temperature."

Today, science and technology are routinely providing a more sophisticated and humane understanding of animals - conceding that crustaceans can suffer, elephants mourn and dogs can feel happy.

However, understanding animals as sentient beings seems to be news only to modern-day scientists. In the early 13th century, Saint Francis of Assisi taught that animals are our brothers and sisters. "Not to hurt our humble brethren (the animals) is our first duty to them, but to stop there is not enough. We have a higher mission: to be of service to them whenever they require it."

In the 15th century, Leonardo De Vinci opined, "The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men."

"Everything begins in mysticism and ends in politics," according to French poet Charles Peguy. Proof of this can be found in our laws against animal cruelty. The words of saints and mystics regarding the sacredness of animal life has resonated with greater and greater numbers of people in each succeeding generation until our generation finally enacted laws declaring individuals who inflict suffering on animals to be felons in 46 states. This would have been unheard of in any previous generation.

What will be the next generation's relationship to animals? Perhaps the future can be seen through a glass darkly in this prophetic observation made by Martin Luther King, Jr., "One day the absurdity of the almost universal human belief in the slavery of other animals will be palpable. We shall then have discovered our souls and become worthier of sharing this planet with them." This is the vision of the Yavapai Humane Society. Join us.

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society. He can be reached at eboks@yavapaihumane.org or by calling 445-2666, ext. 21.

Include your pets in your future planning

Emily Dickinson once said, "Life is so startling it leaves little time for anything else." That was certainly true for Amy Wesselhoft, who packed a whole lot of living into her all too short life.

Amy earned a B.S. in biology from Chaminade University in Honolulu, Hawaii, and was in nurse's training at Yavapai College and employed as a certified nurse's assistant at Good Samaritan at the time of her death. Although fighting a serious illness, her death was still unexpected. A quiet, gentle and loving soul, Amy deeply touched the people around her. Predeceased by her husband, best friend and soulmate, David, Amy is survived by three of her greatest loves: her Labrador retrievers Dinkens, Eme and Katy.

Another poet exclaimed, "Death may end a life, but it does not end a relationship." Amy acquired her three dogs as puppies 11, 9 and 7 years ago, respectively, and it is clear that they miss her. Fortunately, the Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) found loving homes for each of them before they despaired from their loss.

Amy's story is a life lesson for all of us. When planning for the future, make sure your family is financially taken care of - and remember that your pets are part of the family.

When you review your living trust or will, consider including a gift to the Yavapai Humane Society. Called a charitable bequest, this type of gift offers these main benefits:

• Simplicity: Just a few sentences in your will or trust are all that is needed. Share this sample bequest language with your estate planning attorney: "I, (name), of (city, state ZIP), give, devise and bequeath to the Yavapai Humane Society (written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property) for its unrestricted use and purpose."

• Flexibility: Because you are not actually making a gift until after your lifetime, you can change your mind at any time.

• Versatility: You can structure the bequest to leave a specific item or amount of money, make the gift contingent on certain events, or leave a percentage of your estate to YHS.

• Tax Relief: If your estate is subject to estate tax, your gift is entitled to an estate tax charitable deduction for the gift's full value.

To make a charitable bequest, you need a current will or revocable living trust. Your gift can be made as a percentage of your estate, or you can make a specific bequest by giving a certain amount of cash, securities or property to the Yavapai Humane Society after your lifetime.

Contact Daniel Petz at 443-8712 or Daniel.Petzsr@gmail.com regarding any questions about naming the Yavapai Humane Society in your will or living trust. We're happy to help, without obligation.

Always see your estate-planning attorney about making or updating your will or living trust documents. If you would like to discuss the good your future gift could accomplish at the Yavapai Humane Society contact me at 445-2666, ext. 21, or by email at eboks@yavapaihumane.org.

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society. He can be reached at eboks@yavapaihumane.org or by calling 445-2666, ext. 21.

Yavapai Humane Society hopes to celebrate 40th anniversary with life-saving X-ray machine

The Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and we hope to further establish our "no-kill" ethic in 2012. Many still ask what no-kill means, while others ask if it is even possible.

No-kill is defined by YHS as the process of applying the same criteria for deciding an animal's fate that a loving pet owner or conscientious veterinarian would apply. That is, healthy and treatable animals are not killed simply because we lack the resources to care for them.

The no-kill ethic was embraced by the YHS Board of Directors and management team in July 2010. Since then we have achieved a 77 percent decrease in shelter killing and an ever-increasing live release rate.

The live release rate (LLR) refers to the number of animals who get out of a shelter alive. It includes adoptions, transfers to other rescue organizations and lost pets returned to their owners. YHS maintained a 90 percent LLR in 2011, and we've kicked off our 40th anniversary with a remarkable 97 percent LLR for dogs and a 100 percent LLR for cats!

If no-kill were an Olympic moment we would no doubt all be rejoicing for having "arrived." But sustaining no-kill is more analogous to a marathon - and we have only just begun.

YHS is the largest animal rescue organization in northern Arizona. We are becoming increasingly known for our many life-saving programs, which have made western Yavapai County the safest region for pets in all of Arizona.

So effective are our life-saving programs that today the animals most at risk of euthanasia or delayed care are those with medical issues we are challenged to diagnose because we lack X-ray equipment. Local veterinarians graciously provide X-ray services to YHS when we can afford it, but this dependency requires YHS staff or volunteers to spend precious time transporting critical care animals to and from the veterinarian. Many times an animal doesn't have the time it takes to transport it back and forth, and sometimes YHS just doesn't have the funds to pay for these life-saving X-rays - not to mention follow-up X-rays during rehabilitation.

Imagine losing your beloved pet, and learning later that s/he was hit by a car and taken to YHS. Historically, this news would have gone from bad to worse because YHS euthanized suffering animals when we were unable to determine the full extent of the injuries. If YHS had an X-ray machine, the likelihood of an injured pet's survival would increase exponentially.

To ensure every critically injured or severely ill animal that YHS rescues has a fighting chance at quality life requires X-ray equipment on-site. This vital tool will allow YHS to treat these critical needs animals efficiently and humanely - and it will save more lives.

The cost for this equipment is about $40,000. This is YHS' 40th anniversary. If 40 individuals could find it in their hearts to give $1,000, YHS could secure this equipment this year. What a birthday present for our 40th anniversary!

If you are able to help in this life-saving effort, please mail your donation to the Yavapai Humane Society at 1625 Sundog Ranch Road, Prescott, AZ 86301; or call in your donation at 445-2666, ext. 21. If you prefer, check out our brand new website at www.yavapaihumane.org and click Donations/X-ray.

If you can't afford $1,000, any gift toward this essential need will be greatly appreciated! Any monies above the $40,000 will go to YHS' STAR (Special Treatment And Recovery) program which provides critical medical care to sick and injured animals.

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society. He can be reached at eboks@yavapaihumane.org or by calling 445-2666, ext. 21.