News Briefs for the Week of July 7, 2002
By Marcella Durand for Cat Facts
- Beloved Cat's Memory Lives On
When radio-show host and nationally syndicated pet columnist Steve Dale's beloved cat Ricky passed away, Dale determined that his death would not be in vain.
In memory of Ricky, a Devon Rex who died on June 3, Dale worked with the Winn Feline Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to feline health, to set up The Ricky Fund. The fund will accept donations specifically for studies related to feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the heart condition that claimed Ricky's life.
"It was three years ago that I took then-one-year-old Ricky to see the vet for a routine physical," remembers Dale. "It was on that visit that my vet heard a heart murmur, which later led to a diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy by a cardiac specialist. It means Ricky's heart in the lower portion of the heart is thicker than it should be. Because of the thickening, the heart can not relax well or fill up with blood as it should. If the disease is diagnosed early, as it was with Ricky, cats with this disease have a chance of at least a few years of prolonged life with medication."
Ricky, a feline celebrity who had been featured on "National Geographic Explorer" and "Pets: Part of the Family" on PBS, as well as other television shows, was trained to jump on Dale's shoulder and "ask" for his daily heart medicine, according to Dale. Ricky also played the piano. "Ricky was a very small cat, but the hole he left in our hearts is enormous," says Dale.
To donate to the Ricky Fund or to learn more about the Winn Feline Foundation, go to www.winnfelinehealth.org or contact them at 1805 Atlantic Ave., P.O. Box 1005, Manasquan, NJ 08736-0805, (732) 528-9797.
- Help for Stranded Pets in Arizona
All too often, when natural disaster strikes, pets get left behind in an evacuation. The current Rodeo-Chedinski wildfires in Arizona are no exception.
When the town of Show Low, Arizona, was evacuated in the face of advancing wildfires, rescue and veterinary personnel using state-of-the-art equipment and accompanied by firefighters and the National Forest Service were able to save 14 stranded cats and dogs. But sadly, the rescuers say they saw many other family pets who had been killed by the fires.
The American Humane Association (AHS), the Humane Society of the United States and United Animal Nation have joined forces to set up temporary animal shelters in Eagar, Payson and Phoenix, Arizona. However, "Especially now we need Valley pet owners to be responsible and ensure care for their pets," says Kim Noetzel, the vice president of marketing and community relations for AHS. Space at the shelters is tight and every inch of room is needed for the rescued animals.
AHS is urging pet owners who live in fire hazard areas to include their pet in any evacuation plans. For a free brochure on how to prepare yourself and your pet for disasters, call Anna Gonce at AHS at (800) 227-4645, ext. 453. Currently, AHS has enough pet supplies for the temporary shelters, but is in need of financial assistance. If you want to help, send a donation to: The AHS Wildfire Rescue Fund, 1521 W. Dobbins Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85041.
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