Monthly Archives: January 2011

Doggy quote of the month for February

“With the eye upraised his master’s look to scan,

The joy, the solace, and the aid of man;

The rich man’s guardian and the poor man’s friend,

The only creature faithful to the end.”

George Crabbe, poet, 1754-1832

Woman in court next month over dog death

Great news out today…SPCA Canterbury has laid a charge of reckless ill-treatment of an animal under New Zealand’s Animal Welfare Act against the woman responsible for leaving a Pomeranian to die in a hot car during the Christmas shopping season last month.

On 18 December, the dog was found dead in a parked car at the rooftop car park at The Palms Shopping Centre.  It was harnessed to its seat and muzzled on a day when temperatures reached 33.4 degrees C.

The court date has been set for 17 February.  Well done to the SPCA Canterbury for following through on this case.

Paw Justice

For those of you in New Zealand, Paw Justice is an animal welfare organisation fighting for the rights of our pets.  Their mission statement is:

“Listening and talking to pet owners about their problems and their pet’s concerns

And, until this day comes, Paw Justice will be seeking justice against those who hurt our animals.”

Paw Justice was successful in its attempt to gain signatures from around the country supporting tougher sentencing for offenders who abuse animals.  They are now fundraising to continue the pressure on our society to treat animals properly.  They operate a Facebook page and sell Paw Justice products on their website.  You can also make a donation on their website.

Best of all, the folk at Paw Justice now have the Patch Up Your Pet campaign.  For $10, you buy a Paw Justice tag for your pet.  This has a unique identification code and you register your contact details against this number.  If your pet is found with their Paw Justice tag, people can log onto the website to get your contact details and return your pet to you.  When you register your pet against the number, you can also upload their photo to the Paw Justice website.

The idea is to grow the number of people supporting the movement and to keep pressure on to ensure animal abuse is stopped.

Daisy is now patched!

Show your support for Paw Justice by following this link:

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand


Pet friendly holiday homes in New Zealand

Keeping with the theme of dog-friendly accommodation…  If you are in New Zealand then you should check out the  Pets Can Come Too website.

This website lists holiday homes where pets are allowed.  The search function on the site is easy to use.  You will need to read the fine print, however.  For example, some properties only accept cats and others may require that your dog is crated when indoors.

If you own a holiday home and accept pets, then please do your part to grow this community-of-interest in New Zealand by registering your property.  Heather at Pets Can Come Too says:

We offer all new advertisers six months free advertising after which it costs $95.00 p.a. however there is no obligation to continue advertising with us if you do not wish to do so.
Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand

The Benjamin Hotel, New York City

For those of you who have subscribed to my newsletter, you know that I have had an ongoing feature to highlight accommodation options that are dog-friendly.   Here’s my latest find:

The Benjamin Hotel in New York City caters to dogs of all sizes, whereas many dog-friendly hotels set size limits and only cater to the smaller breeds.  So all of you large dog people – this hotel is for you!

The Dream Dog TM package includes a bathrobe for your dog, spa treatments, gourmet food, and even a visit from a pet psychic if you choose.

When booking in to stay with your dog, you get to choose the type of bed they will sleep on.  For small dogs, there is a sofa bed with a removable cushion that doubles as a crate or travel mat.  For medium-sized dogs, there is an orthopedic bed “designed to provide the ultimate in comfort and support – the ideal blend for a perfect night’s sleep.”

And for dogs of any size (small to large),  there is the Luxury Bed which is an “ultra-plump, overstuffed round bed that completely surrounds Fido in down-like fiberfill. Deep and cushiony, with soft rhino suede and luxury gold braid, this bed will make your best friend feel safe and secure.”

The hotel also offers a dog walking service, clean up bags, a list of dog-friendly places to visit, and gourmet cakes and treats for special occasions.

It is great to see a hotel welcoming dogs of all sizes.

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand

New dog treats and ingredients

I’ve been working on some new dog treat recipes to make greater use of rice flour, a gluten-free base for dog treats.  Many dog owners are looking for treats that are wheat-free.

Rice flour can be used as a substitute for traditional wheat flours and is comparatively easy to source, so dog treat prices will remain competitive and reasonable (remember, all Balanced Dog treats are handmade!)

I’m using rice flour in a new treat that uses 100% New Zealand lamb.  Lamb is a warming meat, so it is good for older dogs.  Lamb is also highly digestible so it will be a useful treat for dogs needing a little more protein in their diet.  This treat has lots of herbs, too.

I’ll be adding more information on dog food ingredients to this blog as time goes on.  Stay tuned…

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand