***IMPORTANT*** HEALTH ALERT - Pet Products Recalls by FDA

If you have a cat or dog PLEASE read this...Click HERE!  Share this on ALL your social Networks!

About Julia K. Cole

What can you expect from someone who considers Putting Reality Back Into Spirituality a personal calling? Straight forward answers that lead to life-changing experiences on a soul level!

Known as The Empress of the Known & Unknown Universes™ and The Diva of Duct Tape, Julia has made it her personal mission to put Reality back into Spirituality™. Julia sets out to assist people in expanding their conscious awareness through her rather unique and personal take on the human experience. 

In the style of Erma Bombeck, Julia utilizes her own brand of humor and down to earth demeanor to get her messages across in an all so delightful way. 

As a writer, Julia is a virtual powerhouse of creativity.  Among Julia's literary accomplishments is  the  Children of the Luminaries  trilogy;  Book One: The Coming Storm can be purchased by clicking Here.   

Book Two  of the trilogy is due out in the Fall of 2015 and Book Three will be available in 2016.  The long anticipated ZEN of Duct Tape:  An Empress Is Born will be out in 2016.  As well as the Teddy Mitchell Chronicles.

Julia has also contributed to several other publications including Brad Steiger's  Real Zombies, The Living Dead, and Creatures of the Apocalypse  Click HERE for the review; and Marie D. Jones' Destiny vs. Choice  Click HERE    

PLEASE NOTE:  All artwork, unless otherwise specified, are the property of the individual artists themselves. The author of these blogs claims no ownership of the original artwork, but only of the sig tags created using said artwork. Each sig tag shown on these blogs include the appropriate copyright information of the Artists and the unique licensure for use.

Reproduction and copying of said work without proper authority is strictly prohibited


Unless otherwise specified, ALL articles on this Blogger are the property of Julia K. Cole.  The ZEN of Duct Tape™, it's name, teachings, modalities, and all excerpts; the nicknames The Empress of the Known & Unknown Universes™ and The Diva of Duct Tape™,  The Duct Tape Diva™; Putting Reality Back Into Spirituality™, Reality back into Spirituality™ are the property and trade marks of Julia K. Cole and are protected under Copy Right Laws both here in the USA and Around The World.  

The KIBBLE PLUS PROGRAM

Want to do more to help feed and care fore homeless pets?

Introducing the KIBBLE PLUS Program! 


For just $5.00 per month, membership includes:

• DOUBLING your daily kibble donation from 10 to 20 pieces each time you play the trivia - for both dogs and cats

PLUS each month Free Kibble will...

• Add an additional 1,000 pieces of kibble to your donations
• Vaccinate one shelter dog or one cat - your choice
• Send a free gift offer from our partner, The Animal Rescue Site

Click HERE to join the Kibble PLUS program

10 Halloween Safety Tips for Pets

Halloween can be a festive and fun time for children and families. But for pets? Let's face it, it can be a downright nightmare. Forgo the stress and dangers this year by following these 10 easy tips.

1. Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets.

All forms of chocolate -- especially baking or dark chocolate -- can be dangerous, even lethal, for dogs and cats. Symptoms of chocolate poisoning may include vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, and seizures. Halloween candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can also be poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts of xylitol can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar and subsequent loss of coordination and seizures. And while xylitol toxicity in cats has yet to be established, it's better to be safe than sorry.

2. Don't leave pets out in the yard on Halloween.

Surprisingly, vicious pranksters have been known to tease, injure, steal, and even kill pets on Halloween night. Inexcusable? Yes! But preventable nonetheless.

3. Keep pets confined and away from the door.

Not only will your door be constantly opening and closing on Halloween, but strangers will be dressed in unusual costumes and yelling loudly for their candy. This, of course, is scary for our furry friends. Dogs are especially territorial and may become anxious and growl at innocent trick-or-treaters. Putting your dog or cat in a secure room away from the front door will also prevent them from darting outside into the night … a night when no one wants to be searching for a lost loved one.

4. Keep your outdoor cats inside several days before and several days after Halloween.

Black cats are especially at risk from pranks or other cruelty-related incidents. In fact, many shelters do not adopt out black cats during the month of October as a safety precaution.

5. Keep Halloween plants such as pumpkins and corn out of reach.

Although they are relatively nontoxic, such plants can induce gastrointestinal upset should your pets ingest them in large quantities. Intestinal blockage can even occur if large pieces are swallowed. And speaking of pumpkins …

6. Don't keep lit pumpkins around pets.

Should they get too close, they run the risk of burning themselves or knocking it over and causing a fire.

7. Keep wires and electric light cords out of reach.

If chewed, your pet could cut himself or herself on shards of glass or plastic, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

8. Don't dress your pet in a costume unless you know they'll love it.

If you do decide that Fido or Kitty needs a costume, make sure it isn't annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict movement, hearing, or the ability to breathe or bark and meow.

9. Try on pet costumes before the big night.

If they seem distressed, allergic, or show abnormal behavior, consider letting them go in their “birthday suit”. Festive bandanas usually work for party poopers, too.

10. IDs, please!

If your dog or cat should escape and become lost, having the proper identification will increase the chances that they will be returned. Just make sure the information is up-to-date, even if your pet does have one of those fancy-schmancy embedded microchips.

Source: PetMD

CLICK To Feed Hungry Shelter Animals

Right or wrong, you win! Click on an answer, and every day you do, we'll provide 10 pieces of kibble to Animal Shelters to help feed their hungry cats and dogs.

Click HERE  

or copy and paste this URL: http://www.freekibble.com/



And while you're there don't forget to CLICK to provide litter to shelter cats!

Click HERE  (copy and paste URL http://www.freekatlitter.com/)  to get the cat scratching... and every day you do, we'll provide much needed litter to animal shelters. 

Click to scratch every day - the more you do, the more high quality litter we can donate - they need it!

Top Ten Fourth of July Pet Safety Tips

Both the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and PAW have listed ways you can prevent your holiday celebration from turning into a tragedy. Here are 10 tips on how to keep your pet from panicking this Fourth of July weekend.

10. Keep your Pet Indoors at All Times!

It may seem obvious, but even if your pet is used to being outside, the resulting panic caused by fireworks or other loud noises may make them break their restraint or jump a fence in a terrified attempt to find safety.

9. Don’t Put Insect Repellant on Your Pet that isn’t Specifically for Pet Use

The same tip applies to applying “people” sunscreen on your pet. What isn’t toxic to humans can be toxic to animals. The ASPCA lists the poisonous effects of sunscreen on your pet as, “…drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy.” DEET, a common insecticide, may cause neurological issues.

8. Alcoholic Drinks Poison Pets

If your pet drinks alcohol, they can become dangerously intoxicated, go into a coma, or in severe cases, die from respiratory failure. Yes, even beer is toxic; fermented hops and ethanol are poisonous to dogs and cats.

7. Going to a Fireworks Display? Leave Your Pet at Home

The safest place for your pet is at home, not in a crowded, unfamiliar and noisy place. The combination of too many people and loud fireworks will make your beloved pet freak out and desperately seek shelter. Locking them in the car is also not an option; your pet may suffer brain damage and heat stroke.

6. Have Your Pet Properly Identified

If your pet manages to break loose and become lost, without proper identification it will be that much harder to get them back. Consider fitting your pet with microchip identification, ID tags with their name and your phone number, or both. It is also a good idea to have a recent picture of your pets in case you have to put up signs.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

TAP That Thang!

Extreme Cold Weather Regions...

PLEASE REMEMBER 

TO TAP THE HOOD OF YOUR VEHICLES BEFORE GETTING IN!

Cats often take shelter under the hoods of cars where it's warm.  So PLEASE...Remember to Tap the hood of your vehicle before getting in.  Or at the very least make enough noise where it will scare the cat out. 

DO NOT BLOW YOUR HORNS!

Blowing your horns can cause damage to the cat's hearing and/or cause it to harm itself while trying to hurry out.  

Remember To  Leave Food and Water.  And to check on the water supply.  In these freezing temps the water will freeze up rather quickly.  So check often throughout the day.

Use Straw to line shelters or to put where strays and ferals take shelter like under your house or porch.  

Learn more about what you can to do by visiting The Humane Society's website.  

Just click HERE

Help Our Heroes Afford And Care For Shelter Pets.

Veterans at all stages of their military careers struggle with emotional and physical issues, including those that challenge their ability to fully integrate into civilian life. Some return from deployment with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or other psychological trauma. Others are long separated from service but struggle with depression, substance abuse, or outright loneliness. For these and many other circumstances, a companion pet is often the right prescription to help heal mind, body, and soul. Pets for Patriots helps these veterans find and afford a "last-chance" pet: adult and special needs animals, and large breed dogs - those most overlooked for adoption, who face the greatest risk of euthanasia and yet make wonderful and grateful companions.

Operating nationwide, Pets for Patriots helps veterans combat the primary obstacle to pet ownership - cost of care - by providing access to ongoing discounted veterinary care, financial contributions towards the cost of pet food and essentials, and discounts for various pet products and services. Through Pets for Patriots' Veterans Pet Food Bank Program, veterans receive the help they need to be a hero once more by saving the life of a dog or cat in need. Your donation saves two lives: a shelter animal out of time and hope, and a veteran who regains a sense of purpose in life.

Click HERE to make your live-saving donation.

Kentucky Humane Society seeks donations for dogs rescued from Pulaski Co.

PULASKI CO., Ky. (WHAS11) -- The Kentucky Humane Society says some of the dogs rescued this week from a puppy mill in Pulaski County could go up for adoption as early as next week.

Forty-three dogs were rescued from that puppy mill on Tuesday. The dogs are being checked out by vets at the Humane Society in Louisville.

If you can't give an animal a home there are still ways you can help.

The Humane Society says right now, it needs cleaning supplies, blankets and bedding and soft dog treats.

Donations can be taken to the main office on Steedly Drive or to any of the Humane Society's Adoption sites at local Feeders Supply stores.

For more information, or to make a monetary donation,  please contact 
The Kentucky Humane Society



"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,Nothing is going to get better. It's not." ~ The Lorax (by Dr. Suess)

Severely Neglected Dog Needs Your Help!

TOVAH

Tovah was found abandoned, cold and nearly starved to death. She was emaciated and suffering from a severe upper respiratory infection and intestinal conditions. She hardly had the energy to stand.

Tovah is now safe at North Shore Animal League America where she is receiving veterinary care and warm, loving attention.

We are counting on you to help us continue to provide Tovah, and many animals like her, with the care they need to recover and live long and happy lives.


CLICK HERE TO HELP!

Pet Winter Safety: Prepping Your Pet for Winter Weather

When the weather outside is frightful, these winter pet tips can keep your precious pets snug, safe, and warm.

Keeping Warm: Fur Isn't Flawless

We may admire our pets' plush coats, but as beautiful as fur is, it's not a perfect insulator, especially when it's very cold.

In winter, pets can suffer from the weather extremes "for the same reason that mountain climbers can get hypothermia no matter what type of protective clothing they are wearing," says Oregon veterinarian Marla J. McGeorge, DVM. "Mammalian systems for heat retention and regulation can be overwhelmed by excessive cold."

And, if an animal's coat gets wet, the fur loses much of its insulating ability, McGeorge tells WebMD. For cats and dogs with short fur, the protection is even more minimal, "sort of like wearing a T-shirt when it's below freezing." 

Click HERE to Read Entire Article

5 Ways to Keep Pets Safe on Halloween

Halloween can be a fun event for families and their pets. However, if safety precautions aren’t taken, it can also be a hazardous time for our four-legged companions.

According to Dr. Justine Lee, a critical care specialist and associate director of Veterinary Services at Pet Poison Helpline, calls increase by 12 percent during the week of Halloween, making it the call center’s busiest time of year.

Here are some practical yet potentially life-saving tips that can help protect your pets on Halloween.

1. Dangerous Pet Costumes

Your safest choice in a pet Halloween costume would be a loosely tied bandana; however, if you choose to dress up your pet, outfit your dog or cat with a simple approach. Pets can become tangled in elaborate, tight-fitting costumes with strings, ties, belts and sashes. Difficulty in mobility can lead to bodily injury, including strangulation.

Never leave a pet unattended while wearing a costume. Small (or large) parts of a costume can become chewed and ingested and can in turn potentially lead to foreign body ingestion which can be life threatening to your pet.

2. Halloween Decorations and Fire Hazards

If you like to decorate your home in the Halloween spirit, take into consideration what you're putting on display and where the decorations will be placed. Easy-to-reach decorations — or candles — can be eaten or knocked over, potentially leading to choking, foreign body ingestion, electrical shock and even burns and a household fire.

Err on the side of caution while decorating and choose pet-safe products.

3. Noise Affects Pets

Dogs and cats can become skittish and anxiety ridden on Halloween due to the incessant ringing of the doorbell, constant squeals and chatter just outside the door, and small fireworks set off in the street.

In addition, the barrage of strangers dressed in unfamiliar and scary costumes can alarm some pets, increasing their anxiety. Take extra precaution on Halloween: gauge your pet's typical reaction while greeting visitors and decide if putting up a baby gate or leaving your dog or cat in a back room of the house would keep them calmer throughout the evening.

4. Candy and Chocolate Are Toxic

Candy and chocolate are never good for dogs or cats and on Halloween there is an increased chance that Fluffy and Fido may consume treats meant for tricksters.

• Chocolate and xylitol, a sweetener found in many candies, can be extremely toxic to pets.
• Lollipops and their sticks can be choking hazards and cause a painful obstruction or foreign body ingestion that may require surgery to remove.
• Candies wrapped in plastic and other types of wrapping can also lead to chocking or cause an obstruction and upset stomach.

Easy solutions to prevent accidental toxicity or ingestion:

• Keep pet-safe treats on hand to satisfy your curious pet.
• Make sure all candies are out of your pet's reach.
• Consider leaving your pet in another part of the house where exposure to hazards is impossible

5. Lost Pets

Halloween isn't an ideal time to let your dog or cat wander outside unattended. While there aren't any documented reports or statistics to indicate that pet abduction increases on Halloween, be mindful that a prankster or a mean-spirited individual could be inspired to mess with your pet.

Take caution and keep pets indoors with you, or escort them outside on a leash if you plan on including your pet in neighborhood festivities. Sudden noises and strange-looking costumes can also spook your pet, causing them to run away, therefore, it’s always a good idea to adorn your pet with a collar and identification tags in case you become separated.

If you haven’t already opted to have your pet microchipped, now is a great time. Should your pet become lost, an ID tag and/or a microchip can help quickly reunite you with your dog or cat.

Emergency Care is Available

Don’t wait to have your pet treated in the case of an emergency. Locate a 24-hour veterinary clinic if your family veterinarian is not available.

If you suspect your pet has consumed a toxic substance during Halloween and you can’t see your veterinarian, contact the Pet Poison Helpline, a 24-hour service* that assists pet owners, veterinarians and veterinary technicians who are treating potentially poisoned pets.

SOURCE:  Veterinary Pet Insurance

MORE SAFETY TIPS FOR PET OWNERS

http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/halloween-safety.html

http://www.petmd.com/dog/seasonal/evr_multi_halloween_safety_tips#.UnJXH3CkrYE

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/10-tips-to-protect-your-dog-on-halloween-night/page1.aspx

Vaccinate 250 Dogs Against Rabies By CLICKING

Your Daily Clicks DO matter!  Today you can help stop rabies in 250dogs just by going to the Animal Rescue Site and Clicking on the purple CLICK HERE button!

Vaccinate 250 Dogs 

Against Rabies

Stopping rabies in dogs is the key to preventing the disease in people. Locally, encourage pet owners to have their animals vaccinated. Internationally, support organizations like Global Alliance for Rabies Control in their efforts to beat rabies — and prevent thousands of deaths. Although rabies is 99.9% fatal for children in the developing world, it is 100% preventable if street dogs and domestic pets are vaccinated.


Read more at The Animal Rescue Site  Click HERE

Help Dogs Recover From Their Ordeal In The Fighting Ring

In what is believed to be the second-largest dog fighting raid in U.S. history, the United States Attorney's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation seized 367 dogs in Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®, The International Fund for Animal Welfare, and The Humane Society of the United States assisted in the raid by official request.

The dogs were rescued and transported to temporary emergency shelters in undisclosed locations, where these three groups have joined other trusted responders to provide food and shelter, veterinary care, and behavioral enrichment. Once the investigation is complete, the responders hope these dogs can be rehabilitated and eventually placed into loving forever homes.

Dog fighting is a felony for good reason: these innocent dogs are the victims of unfathomable cruelty, forced to fight for their very lives. The rescued dogs range in age from just several days to around twelve years old.

You can help. Your donation helps provide food, shelter, safe transportation, and care for the dogs rescued in this operation as they recover from lives of cruelty and abuse.

Click HERE To Make Your Donation Today!

100% of your donation will go to the program described above as a grant through GreaterGood.org. GreaterGood stores do not receive any profit from donations through this Gift That Gives More™; we bring it to you in the spirit of the greater good. We even pay the credit card transaction fee, so every cent of your donation goes to charity.

Message From Wayne Pacelle, President & CEO The Humane Society of the United States

I have a huge victory to share with you! After years of pressure from The HSUS, and hundreds of thousands of emails and support from advocates like you, online puppy mills will finally be subject to federal inspections and oversight. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced plans today to ensure that large-scale breeding facilities that sell puppies over the Internet, by phone, or by mail are licensed and inspected regularly for basic humane care standards. This rule will also apply to large commercial breeders of other warm-blooded pets, such as kittens and small mammals

Read Wayne's Blog By Clicking HERE

Or By Copying & Pasting the URL Below:

http://hsus.typepad.com/wayne/2013/09/usda-announces-puppy-mill-rule.html