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7 Tips For Healthy Living

  • Move More
  • Cut Fat
  • Reduce Stress
  • Wear Your Seat Belt
  • Floss Your Teeth
  • Keep a Positive Mental Outlook
  • Drink Plenty of Water

7 Super foods for your health

  • Salmon
  • Yogurt
  • Nuts
  • Dark green leafy vegetables
  • Beans
  • Oats
  • Blueberries

SMART Goals

  1. Specific, significant
  2. Measurable, meaningful, motivational
  3. Achievable, action oriented
  4. Realistic, relevant, reasonable, rewarding
  5. Time-based, timely, tangible

 

Five things to learn from your pet (Real Simple Magazine)

Julie Klam (You had me at woof)
Nicolas Dodman (The Dog Who Loved Too Much)

  1. Celebrate everything
  2. Just being present is enough
  3. (Brain) size doesn’t matter
  4. Don’t try so hard
  5. You can get along with anybody

 

Volunteer Opportunities/Animals Tucson Area

Dogs

  1. Humane Society (Dog walkers/handlers)
  2. TOP DOG (Training assistant for service dogs)

Cats/Kittens

  1. WSKR (We Save Kitties at Risk)
  2. The Hermitage
  3. PAWSitively Cats

Horses

  1. TROT
  2. Horses with Wings

Assorted Animals

  1. Humane Society of Southern AZ
  2. Pima Animal Care Center
  3. TRAK Ranch
  4. Nature Abounds (wildlife)

 

Pet Stories

Animals provide us with so much. Here is a collection of short stories to warm your heart.

The Best Man is a Dog

The best man at Adam Sandler’s 2003 wedding was not a man at all, but an English bulldog named Meatball, dressed appropriately in a tux and yarmulke. Sandler, the comedian known for his goofball roles in films such as Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison, originally worked with Meatball’s dad, Mr. Beefy, in the 2000 filmLittle Nicky. Sandler doted on Meatball, going so far as to film a comedy short with the pooch titled A Day with the Meatball, about a typical day in the dog’s life. Meatball died of a heart attack at age four, but Sandler and his wife, Jackie, continue to enjoy the company of their other bulldog, Matzoball.

Upon returning home to recover, Lansford was paired with Gabe, a then two-year-old Golden Retriever therapy dog who graduated from the Wounded Canine Connection – a nonprofit that pairs wounded warriors with support dogs, who help their brave best friends improve their symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder.  This past weekend, Gabe had his paws full with an entirely new slew of responsibilities, serving as the best man in Lansford’s wedding to longtime girlfriend, Carol Balmes.

Faithful Beyond Time

There are plenty of stories of dogs who stood vigil for dead masters for years afterward. Among the most well-known loyal dogs were Hachiko, from Japan, and Greyfriars Bobby, from Scotland. Hachiko and Greyfriars Bobby have had numerous books and even films made about them. But the loyal dog who was most famous during his own lifetime is probably the least well-known. Fido was born in Italy sometime during World War II. He was found on the verge of death by a kiln worker who took him home and nursed him back to health. And for this, he’d have Fido’s unwavering loyalty for the rest of his life. Every day, Fido waited for his master at the same bus stop, refusing to move until he stepped off the bus—and this at a time when Italy was being bombed almost daily. But one day, Fido’s master didn’t return. He’d been killed in an air raid while at work. Fido, ever vigilant, still turned up to wait for him. Every day. For 14 years.

His tale spread across Italy until Fido became a constant source of media attention, both during the war and long after it ended. Surviving footage shows that huge crowds would turn up to watch him make his way to the bus stop every day, watch everyone get off, then walk away disappointed when the bus pulled off. He received honors and medals, but all he wanted was for his friend to come home. He never did. Don’t worry—it’s okay to cry.


In the 1870s, a sheep rancher in New Mexico died alone in his remote home. Two years later, his death was discovered by visitors. Yet his flock of sheep were doing just fine, and had actually increased in number! His dog had been tending the flocks in his absence. The rancher had trained his dog to drive the flocks to their pasture in the morning, guard them all day, and return them to their fold at night, and he’d continued these duties when the rancher disappeared, killing some sheep as necessary for food but faithfully tending the rest.

Heros

Long-time animal advocate Mathew McConaughey has proven that his heroism isn’t confined to the big-screen. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, he flew to Louisiana and played a part in rescuing 70 deserted pets over a week-long period, hamsters included. He supports a group called Growing Up With Pets that teaches parents how integral a pet can be to a child’s life.

Generally, a rabbit is not considered to be a courageous animal. However, this is another story of animals saving humans where a young man, named Simon was saved by a rabbit. While at home, in Cambridge shire, England, Simon fell into a diabetic coma on the couch. Although his wife, Victoria was around, she just thought that he had fallen asleep. Dory, their rabbit, sensed this and jumped on top of Simon. The rabbit started licking Simon’s mouth emphatically until his wife noticed that something was wrong. Victoria called the paramedics, who arrived in time to save Simon’s life. The rabbit was later awarded the honorary membership to the Rabbit Welfare Association.

The Science of How Animals Help

From Psychcentral website:

  • Studies indicate that merely watching fish lowers blood pressure and muscle tension in people about to undergo oral surgery.
  • People recovering from heart attacks recover more quickly and survive longer when there is a pet at home.
  • The healing power of touch is undisputed. Research indicates a 45-minute massage can decrease levels of the stress hormone cortisol and optimize your immune system by building white blood cells. Hugging floods our bodies with oxytocin, a hormone that reduces stress, and lowers blood pressure and heart rates. And, according to a University of Virginia study, holding hands can reduce the stress-related activity in the hypothalamus region of the brain, part of our emotional center. The touch can actually stop certain regions of the brain from responding to threat clues. It’s not surprising, then, that stroking a dog or cat can lower blood pressure and heart rate and boost levels of serotonin and dopamine
  • With pets come great responsibility, and responsibility — according to depression research — promotes mental health. Positive psychologists assert that we build our self-esteem by taking ownership of a task, by applying our skills to a job. When we succeed — i.e., the pet is still alive the next day — we reinforce to ourselves that we are capable of caring for another creature as well as ourselves. That’s why chores are so important in teaching adolescents self-mastery and independence.Taking care of a pet also brings structure to our day. Sleeping until noon is no longer a possibility unless you want to spend an hour cleaning up the next day. Staying out all night needs some preparation and forethought.

And Remember….

Houseflies don’t allow their short lifespans (14 days) to hinder their musical abilities. They always hum in the key of F.

 

Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together….

Author unknown…