Ani-mail Post @ Animal Designs Dec. 2005
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1. What's New
2. Pet Journals
3. Featured Item
4 .Avoid Conflicts With "Wild Neighbors" This Winter
5. Drawing & Fun Stuff
6. Comments
7. Recommend Us

We Wish You and Your Furry Friends A Happy Holiday Season
and the Best NewYear Ever.

1) WHAT'S NEW
Undecided what to get for the pet and animal lover in your life. Why
not give them what they really want with a Gift Certificate from
Animal Designs. Purchase any gift certificate during the month of
December and we'll include a free gift from us. To order:
http://www.animaldesigns.com/giftcertificates.htm

2) PET JOURNALS

Recently, my husband Roger was taking Maggie, our Cairn Terrier, for
their daily constitutional on the "tow path". Behind the houses on
the street where we live, next to the alley, is an old canal which
runs about the entire length of the street, approximately one mile.
On the opposite side of the canal is a path, referred to the "tow
path". It is a popular walking/bike riding area for residents, has
trees on either side of the path and gives the feeling of walking in
the woods. Roger usually walks the entire path and near the end of
the path, makes a right turn up a small grade which brings him back
to the alley. Well, when he went to go right, Maggie didn't want to
go. She sat down and wouldn't move. And believe me, when Maggie
doesn't want
to do something, she's very determined and it's hard to change her
mind! Anyway, Roger tried to drag her to the right and she just
wouldn't budge. He said she seemed to want to keep going straight on
the path. So he gave in to her whim and they continued to walk on
the path. Suddenly she stopped and went into a hunting dog-like
point stance. Roger wondered what had her spooked! He happened to
glance to the left of the path, and laying in the bushes, was a
little Dachshund that looked completely exhausted. Its eyes were
almost pasted shut. He walked over and the poor dog got up and ran a
short distance, obviously very scared. Roger tried to calm the dog
and talk to it. Meanwhile, another gentleman came along who had a
cell phone.
He called our town office to see if they had received any calls about
a missing dog. He learned that indeed the town had received a call.
Soon, the elderly couple who had reported their lost pet were on
their way to see if it was there dog. Fortunately, it was! The
owners live in a small town about 3 miles north and the dog had been
missing for four days! They were devastated because their pet had
never before strayed from the yard. They explained that the dog was
14 years old and blind! Roger said the lady just cried and was so
happy that he had found the dog and kept thanking him. Roger
said, "Don't thank me. It was Maggie who was the heroine! If she
hadn't wanted to keep going on the path, who knows when and if the
dog would have ever been found." The lady then picked up Maggie and
hugged and kissed her. Of course, Maggie was her in glory! She just
loves people and all animals and just seems to bask in attention.
When Roger told me what happened, it brought tears to my eyes. But
after all, I've always known Maggie is an exceptional dog. We're so
grateful that through her perseverance, she brought happiness for
this couple who had given up hope of ever seeing their beloved pet
again. It was a happy ending.
www.petwarmers.com
We all have stories that we like to tell our friends about our pets,
so send us your favorite "tail", and we will select one each month
to feature in our newsl

3) FEATURED ITEM
Our stylish, warm and versatile polar fleece neck warmers that are
just the thing for colder weather. They are made of soft and cozy
fleece measuring 8" X 22" and come in a variety of animal prints.
Stop by and select your favorite at:
http://www.animaldesigns.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv

4) AVOID CONFLICTS WITH "WILD NEIGHBORS" THIS WINTER
by Dr. John Hadidian, Dir. of Urban Wildlife for the HSUS As the
temperatures turn colder, homeowners-and many wild animals-are
preparing to
weather the long winter months. By taking a little extra care in
winterizing
your home, you'll not only save money on your heating and cooling
bills, but
you'll also keep your wild neighbors from becoming seasonal house
guests.
Here are ten tips for preventing wild animals from moving in.
1. Inspect! Inventory holes or cracks larger than one inch around
could
allow animals to enter.
2. Check for loose siding or holes at the roof line. Hire someone if
you are
unsure about inspecting it yourself.
3. Inside, use a bright light to inspect areas you don't use often:
attic,
basement, crawl ways, and closets. Then shut off the lights and look
for
places where you can see daylight.
4. Look behind appliances and anywhere pipes enter the building for
potential entry points.
5. To make sure no animals are inside before you seal entries, plug
holes
loosely with insulation, paper or cloth, and wait a few days.
6. If the plug has been disturbed, contact a wildlife rehabilitator
or visit
The HSUS Urban Wildlife Program pages for humane methods to encourage
animals to leave.
7. If there's no sign of wildlife, caulk small holes, staple hardware
cloth
over larger ones, or make a permanent repair. Fill holes around pipes
with
copper wire mesh and use expanding foam on cracks and along leaky
windows
and doors.
8. Inspect your chimney to ensure it's not home to birds or other
animals-then install a cap.
9.Secure trash containers with bungee cords, ropes or weights. Cover
or
secure compost piles.
10. Trim branches away from your house to limit access for climbing
wildlife, and clean up any debris around your home's foundation.
Adapted from the Animal Radio Network http://AnimalRadio.com.

5) DRAWING & FUN STUFF
Congratulations to Jerry P. winner of the pawprint travel bag.
December's drawing is a paw print polar fleece scarf. After
entering your name, check out the rest of the fun page at
http://www.animaldesigns.com/trivia.htm Thanks to Sarah L. for
this month's pet photo of Rudy, her attentive terrier. We want to
honor your pet next month, so send us a copy of their photo either by
email or snail mail. November's question was: Do you have a health
insurance for your pets? Unfortunately, most of the responses
thought it was too expensive. The results were No, too expensive
(94%), My vet won't accept it (4%) and Other (2%).

6) COMMENTS-QUESTIONS-SUGGESTIONS
A recent comment from a valued customer Marianne S. " I love the
new dog tote! Wanted to use it when we moved, but it like most of my
clothes got packed and I'm
really looking to use it now in our new neighborhood and let everyone
know I
got it from your website!


7) RECOMMEND US
As always, we appreciate your comments, questions and suggestions and
we've provided this link for sharing this newsletter with your
friends. Recommend Us Thank you for taking the time to tell your
friends and family about Animal Designs. It is the ultimate
compliment and we greatly appreciate it.


All the Best,
Jeanie