Last month I attended a seminar on the human-equine bond held at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. The attraction for me was two speakers from the United Kingdom. Because a sub-theme of the meeting was equine rescue, I knew it was possible that their view of the relationship, while equally intense, could be more comprehensive than is sometimes the case in this country. I was not disappointed. Derek Knottenbelt, OBE, BVMS,DVMS, DipECEIM, MRCVS, is an equine specialist with enough initials after to his name to give anyone the vapors. I mention this because in spite
Read more →The nice thing about being an independent scholar is that I’m not bound by the culture and limits of a particular discipline. Because of this I’m free to think about a lot of subjects that would be unthinkable to others. Add that I’m blessed with friends and colleagues with whom I can freely share and further explore such thoughts and sometimes the results can be shocking and even blasphemous. This is what happened when I read a news item about the release of a remake of the film Free Willy, a warm, fuzzy story about a cute little kid’s efforts
Read more →For reasons known only to them, a flock of young turkeys has decided to troop through my front yard to reach the woods above the house instead of gaining access to the woods from one of the many places further away. It could be because that the snow in that area melted sooner than the rest of the slope and the dead leaves offered more camouflage. It’s also possible there’s more food in this area. Judging from the way my dogs carry on as they watch the birds make the trek, they apparently think the turkeys have chosen this
Read more →In spite of my vow to limit my exposure to what now passes as news reporting for my mental health, it’s impossible to escape the rescue culture that is deeply entrenched in our society. The devastating earthquake in Haiti has yet again brought this to the forefront, both in its best and worst forms. Even so, come March 1st when this commentary will be published, it’s possible that our interest in the subject will have waned. By then stories of animal-rescuing efforts may grab the attention of what little media remains on the scene. Or perhaps some new human
Read more →Novelist Marcel Proust said that “…every reader is, while he is reading, the reader of his own self.” The same can be said of writers who, whether they want to or not, often tell the reader much more about themselves than the subject about which they write. Such was my experience reading The Wolf in the Parlor by Jon Franklin (Henry Holt and Company, New York, 2009). Because this book has no introduction, I relied on the jacket copy and cover letter I received with my review copy for insight regarding the author’s goal. That combined with the names of
Read more →If the title makes you think that I’ve succumbed to the hyperbole that permeates all things companion animal from (gross!) canine butt-covers to adopted pets as holiday gifts, fear not. The title represents the distillation of numerous good resolutions into one that will be easy to remember even when feeling the most frazzled. Can you guess what it is? I’ll give you two hints: This resolution is thousands of years old and probably predates human language. It possesses the power to reduce even the worst pet-related situations to manageable ones. Give up? The ultimate eons old resolution is do
Read more →It’s that time of year again when thoughts about holiday gifts creep into our minds more and more often. Only this year as last, finding the funds for even token gifts is out of the question for many people. But not to worry. There are several great gifts we can give our pets this holiday season that don’t cost a cent. Not only that, these gifts will lead their recipients to bestow different, but equally enjoyable gifts upon us. Let’s begin with our gifts to our pets. Over the years I’ve noticed that my animals—both cats and dogs—engage in
Read more →I’d written a review of another mass media bond-book and had fully intended to post it this month when I received a copy of Inside Animal Hoarding: The Case of Barbara Erickson and Her 552 Dogs by Arnold Arluke and Celeste Killeen (Purdue University Press, 2009).For me, the subject matter was so pertinent and well-presented it seemed to me that every self-proclaimed animal-lover, everyone involved in shelter or rescue work in any capacity, every veterinarian, vet tech, behaviorist, and trainer, and indeed anyone engaged in animal-related activities of any kind should read this book. But why? What makes this
Read more →Last month I gave a presentation on the role of the human-animal bond as it impacts animal health and behavior at Purdue which was celebrating the 50th anniversary of its School of Veterinary Medicine. This month I want to share a slightly edited version of that speech because it so sums up my thoughts regarding the history of this interaction and its potential. Inconvenient Truths, Fantastic Opportunities: A far-reaching view of the bond as it affects animal health and behavior. Myrna Milani, BS, DVM Many years ago I gave a presentation at a large veterinary conference on feline behavior
Read more →
Blind-Sided: The Dilemma of Contemporary Service Dogs
Have you ever noticed that when we humans think about combining two different components we automatically assume that the result will be the best of each? There are multiple examples of this concept in the animal-related world, with the natural or artificial breeding of animals from two different breeds or species being the most familiar. We cross a Siamese and a Persian or a dog and wolf and assume any offspring will possess only the best qualities from each of their parents. But this month I’d like to discuss a different kind of hybrid: working dogs who also are expected to
Read more →