STUDY: 70% of Women View Their Pets…..

May 13, 2022 by Leave a Comment
puppy

This is one of my dogs after a surgery. She was always cold and her bladder leaked for about 2 weeks. My poor baby girl.

 

Did you know? 

STUDY: 70% of Millennial Women View Their Pets as Children

According to Rover.com, many women view themselves as “dog moms” rather than owners. A study conducted by Veterinarians.org found that 70% of millennial women who chose not to have kids view their pets as children and treat them as such.

I can tell you, as a mom of biological, foster, adopted, and step kids- I also consider myself a fur mom. I never say “I own my dogs” or that I am an owner. I absolutely refer to them as my fur babies or 4 legged kids. I adore my dogs, as many of you know, and we do foster care and rehab for dogs of all ages and sizes. We love going to dog events, my dogs that get cold have sweaters, my small one has a backpack and a stroller we use for long days out that she can’t handle, and we have all manner of treats, toys, dog lotions for sore paws and hot spots and whatnot.

They are absolutely up to date on shots, get their heartworm pills, flea and tick treatments, and anything else in between. I love them and want them to be happy and comfortable- just like I would for my kids.  Are they as loved or as important to me as my children? No, of course not. But they don’t give me any crapola, either! Ha.

So. What did the professionals find?

Key Findings:

  • 69% of respondents say that having a pet is easier than having a child.
  • 52% say it’s easier to find care for their pet if they need to leave their home for an extended period of time.
  • 53% made a home purchase/renting decision based on whether there was enough outdoor space for their pet.
  • 33% of Millennial home-buying decisions were chiefly driven by the buyer’s dog (outranking marriage and kids as incentives).
  • 48% say the costs of caring for a pet are lower compared to children.
  • 42% of respondents say pets are less stressful.
  • 39% say that having a pet instead is less time-consuming.

pet parent

Birth Rates in US Survey Highlights

  • 42% of Millennial women who don’t plan to have children say the COVID-19 pandemic influenced their decision.
  • 41% say they don’t want to raise a child in the world’s current conditions.
  • 42% don’t feel there are enough programs and resources available (such as affordable healthcare and childcare) to help parents raise a child.
  • 49% believe people with children are more stressed than people without children.
  • Among Millennial women who don’t want children, 70% of those with pets view their dog/cat as their child.
  • Among these pet owners, 69% say having a pet is easier than having a child.
  • 48% of those with pets also say the costs of caring for a pet are lower than those for caring for a child.

While many believed the COVID-19 pandemic would fuel a ‘baby boom’ as couples found themselves spending more time together under lockdown, the opposite turned out to be true. In fact, according to data published by the CDC, birth rates in the U.S. reached a record low in 2020, showing a 4% decline in the number of U.S. births from the year prior. This figure is not only double the average yearly decline since 2014, but represents the lowest number of births since 1979.

However, this downward trend in births was noticeable even before the pandemic. Women, especially Millennial women, have been increasingly delaying motherhood to pursue careers and continuing education. Others have married later in life, or have put motherhood aside temporarily in the face of economic uncertainty.

There are also Millennial women who have opted out of motherhood altogether. We surveyed 400 of these women to explore their views on motherhood, children, and how domestic pets like dogs and cats may be the new ‘stand-in’ for children for millions of Millennial women around the U.S.

This study also discusses other reasons Millennial Women have decided to opt-out of motherhood.  See the whole article here- there is a lot of food for thought. See it here- https://www.veterinarians.org/birth-rates-in-us/

Filed Under: animals, lifestyle Tagged With: , , ,

Japan Day Parade in New York City

May 13, 2022 by Leave a Comment

george takei japan day

The first ever Japan Parade in New York City will be held on Saturday, May 14, beginning at 1pm.  The purpose of the parade is to celebrate, express and bring awareness to the friendship between NYC and Japan with a thank you from the Japanese community. Actor, author, civil rights activist, and Influencer George Takei will be the Parade’s inaugural Grand Marshall.

The Japan Parade is affiliated with Japan Day, an annual event that has taken place in Central Park since 2007.
This year also marks the 150th anniversary of two important milestones for Japan-United States relations: the Japanese mission to the United States, led by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Iwakura Tomomi, as well as the United States’ introduction of baseball to Japan.
Beginning on Central Park West at West 81st Street and traveling south to West 68th Street, the Japan Parade will feature live performances by the cast of “Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon” The Super Live, Young People’s Chorus of New York City, Cobu, Soh Daiko, Japanese Folk Dance of NY, 10tecomai, Tate Haroryu, International Karate Organization Kyokushin-kaikan, and Anime NYC. More performers will be announced in the coming weeks.
George Takei will serve as the parade’s inaugural Grand Marshall, and Sandra Endo, news correspondent on KTVV Los Angeles, Fox 11 News and feature reporter for Good Day LA, will serve as Emcee of the parade.
The Consulate General of Japan in New York initiated this project. Ambassador Mikio Mori said, “Japan and the U.S. have come a long way in our relations, from early official exchanges to economic and diplomatic partnership backed by multi-layered people-to-people exchange in recent decades. The Japan Parade is a symbolic evolution of this relationship, and a landmark culmination of Japan and New York’s friendship. We hope many will join us for this historical moment.”
“I am honored and proud to be the Grand Marshall of the inaugural Japan Parade,” said George Takei. “To see the Japanese community in New York celebrated is a beautiful thing and it will be exciting to see Japan’s friendship with New York on full display.”
“We are very excited to be presenting the very first Japan Parade in New York City,” said Japan Parade Executive Producer Kumiko Yoshii. “The diversity of the Japanese community is part of what makes New York special and we are very proud to show off our culture in this family friendly event. Bring the kids and experience a bit of the far East, right in your backyard. ”
“It is an honor to be the Chairman of Japan Day, Inc. for the first-ever Japan Parade in New York City, “ said Japan Day Chairman of the Board of Directors, Atsushi Ueda. “We are making our best effort to create a memorable event to be continued on in the future to represent the Japanese Community. Participating groups will show Japan’s various attractions, such as culture, tradition, sports, music, cosplay, etc. for everyone’s enjoyment.”
The Japan Parade aims is to strengthen the solidarity of the Japanese-American community on these milestone anniversaries.

Initially, the parade was planned for 2020 to commemorate the 160th anniversary of the first Japanese delegates’ visit to the U.S. in 1860, as well as the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, but was sadly cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

MORE ABOUT JAPAN DAY
The mission of Japan Day is to showcase the Japanese community’s appreciation toward their home city, New York, build a bridge of cultural understanding between the people of Japan and the U.S., and facilitate stronger grass-roots connections within the community. This is a family-friendly annual event designed by the Japanese community of New York. It all started in 2007 to promote a deeper understanding of the Japanese culture and to say “Thank you, New York!” Throughout the years, this cultural event received official support from the Office of the Mayor. And with the help from the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and the Central Park Conservancy, we get to use the beautiful Central Park. Furthermore, the Consulate General of Japan in New York, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, The Nippon Club, and many other Japanese and American corporations have been supporting us since day one. The event continues with the Japan Day Festival featuring a wide range of Japanese traditional and family-friendly activities, free samplings of popular Japanese cuisine, and powerful stage performances throughout the day.
Filed Under: lifestyle Tagged With: , ,

Christmas plants that are toxic to pets

December 8, 2021 by Leave a Comment

poisonous plants to pets

It’s important to remember if your pets consume any of these toxic plants, contact your vet straight away.

10 most toxic winter plants for dogs and cats:

  1. Holly – If the berries or spiked-edge leaves from a holly plant are ingested, this can result in irritation of the mouth, drooling, gastrointestinal upset (such as vomiting), and diarrhoea. It may also cause excessive head-shaking if consumed in large quantities.
  2. Mistletoe – Though varied in types, the berries from mistletoe contain chemicals including polysaccharides, alkaloids, and lectins which are harmful to both dogs and cats. When ingested in small quantities, it can cause gastrointestinal irritation such as vomiting and abdominal pain. Consumed in large quantities, it may cause abnormal heart rate, low blood pressure and incoordination.
  3. Poinsettia plants – Widely known for their bright red and green festive foliage, the milky white sap from the coloured leaves contains a chemical which could cause not only nausea, vomiting, drooling and diarrhoea, but also irritation in the skin, mouth and oesophagus.
  4. Christmas trees – If the pine needles from Christmas trees are chewed, the oils released may cause irritations in the mouth as well as stomach upset. Due to the prickly nature of the needle, these could also be hazardous to the mouth, throat and stomach if ingested.
  5. Ivy (Hedera species) – Ivy can cause severe skin irritation if pets come into direct contact with this plant. If ingested, ivy can also cause stomach upsets.
  6. Amaryllis – The whole amaryllis plant contains toxic substances, but higher quantities are contained in the bulb, so be careful of pets who like to dig. If consumed, they may experience severe gastrointestinal upsets (such as vomiting and abdominal pain), loss of appetite, lethargy and tremors.
  7. Lilies – Dangerous for both cats and dogs, if any part of a lily is ingested (even in small quantities) this could cause severe gastrointestinal damage, which may lead to kidney failure for cats.
  8. Laurel – Laurel plants including bay laurels (which are often used in cooking) and cherry laurel, contain toxins located in all parts of the shrub which cause vomiting, abdominal pain, hypotension and in extreme cases, muscle weakness and even seizures.
  9. Snowdrops – These small white flowers contain toxins in their stems and leaves, with the highest concentration in the bulb. When ingested, they can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, incoordination as well as a drop in heart rate and blood pressure.
  10. Yew – All parts of this plant, (including the leaves and berries) are highly poisonous as they contain taxines. When ingested they can cause vomiting, weakness, breathing difficulties and in critical cases, life threatening change in heart rate and blood pressure.

Salman Haqqi, pet insurance expert from money.co.uk comments:

“Pets are often curious creatures and can be found chewing anything around the house, especially at a young age. While decorative plants can add a bit of a life to your interior during winter, it’s important to remember that these could present problems if consumed by your furry family members.

“Taking the necessary steps, such as placing plants out of reach or adding barriers will help to ensure that pets do not ingest or come into contact with them. If your four-legged friend does consume a toxic house plant, it’s important to seek expert help and advice from your vet as soon as possible.”

Please see the following sources for more info on the guidance above: PDSA, The Kennel Club, PETMD and Pet Poison Helpline.

Filed Under: holidays, lifestyle Tagged With:

Upcycling Food Waste Can Make a Difference—And These 12 Organizations Prove It #FoodTank

September 24, 2020 by 2 Comments

To begin this newsletter, I want to make sure that everyone reading this in the United States has information about how to register to vote and how to request a mail-in ballot. No matter your political affiliation, voting is not just a right, but a responsibility. For more information, you can visit vote.gov and vote.org. For resources on voting by mail, visit the U.S. Vote Foundation or the Election Management Resources from the U.S. Election Assistance Committee.

The upcoming U.S. election is critical because the urgency of the issues we face is greater than ever before. More than two dozen scientists agree that “climate disruption is now locked in.” The wildfires on the West Coast, stronger slow-moving hurricanes along the Gulf, and record heatwaves are a harbinger of what’s to come.

Our food production and consumption practices need to change in response. In the U.S. alone, emissions from food waste are equivalent to 37 million cars’ worth of greenhouse gases, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Instead of continuing this cycle of production and destruction, we have to think about wasting less and using our food resources more efficiently to help keep our planet healthy.

This is the idea behind upcycling food—taking quality ingredients that would otherwise be wasted and turning them into nutritious and ecologically friendly snacks, beverages, and meals. The food wasted in a year contains enough calories to feed every undernourished person on Earth, according to the WWF. Upcycling is a realistic way to help bridge that gap, which is why the recently formed Upcycled Food Association has brought together over 90 upcycling brands to advocate for standards and policies that can help reduce food waste.

In honor of International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste next Tuesday, Sept. 29, Food Tank is spotlighting 12 companies and nonprofits giving a second life to wasted food through upcycling: Aqua Botanical, Australia; KROMKOMMER, The Netherlands; Matriark Foods, United States; NETZRO, United States; Pure Plus+, United States; RISE + WIN Brewing Co., Japan; Rubies in the Rubble, United Kingdom; Sweet Benin, West Africa; Toast Ale, United Kingdom; Treasure8, United States; Upcycled Grain Project, New Zealand; and Wize Monkey, Canada.

Learn more about each of these organizations—and where you can find their products—by CLICKING HERE.
Over the past week, I’ve been watching with horror as farmworkers on the U.S. West Coast face a seemingly impossible choice: go to work during a global pandemic with wildfires raging perilously close, or stay home safe without pay. The wildfires are just one more threat to workers’ well-being—and like this particularly devastating Atlantic hurricane season and the Australian bush fires late last year and into 2020, they are made worse by climate change.

I am sharing this article via FoodTank.com, and it was written by Danielle Nierenberg.

Filed Under: charity/notforprofit, evergreen, food, lifestyle Tagged With: , , , ,

Our New Additions To The Family #DontShopAdopt #RescueMe

May 18, 2020 by Leave a Comment

So, as any followers on Instagram my have noticed, we have added to the family. We recently added two adorable pups to the pack. We went for one, but ended up with two. You know how that goes. We just couldn’t stop thinking about that adorable little face, so we had to go back.

Welcome home, Shayna and Kofi!

rescue puppy

And tiny Shayna, my first “little dog” ever (foster or personal pet).

 

rescue chiweenie

We are so excited to have new bundles of love around here. They have made the pandemic more adventurous, that’s for sure!

I post a lot of photos on Twitter and Instagram, so if you aren’t following and like to see puppy photos, link up 🙂

Happy Monday, all.

Filed Under: animals, lifestyle Tagged With: , ,

“Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz” at Paper Mill Playhouse

October 7, 2019 by Leave a Comment

papermill playhouse

We just saw the new play,”Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz”, at Paper Mill Playhouse. Continuing until October 27, this world premiere focuses on the early life of Francis Gumm, who became Judy Garland. Best known for her breakout performance as Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz”, her life and family are brought to life in a musical.

Honestly, I thought it was a bit….well, lets say “light hearted” in it’s presentation. Her mother, well documented as a nightmare stage parent, was portrayed as a little rough but doting. Her father, whom she adored, was also a bit much. His homosexuality was really hammered on, with long, dramatic songs, and quite a few scenes that a fellow theater-goer described as “over the top and self indulgent”- to which I agree. Over indulgent and almost mocking, so light hearted (and even joking) was made of her theater experiences with her mother and different people in the business, such as directors, owner, and other cast members. She had such a rough go in reality, and to present it in this way really seemed to belittle her life and to mock her life and experiences. It seemed very unfair to her, in my opinion. Abuse should not be downplayed as bumbling or nonsensical, her body shaming and resulting dysmorphia and eating disorders barely touched upon and again, very light, drug abuse (which killed her) pushed upon her and encouraged by those that should have been there for her, never mentioned.

NJ theater

The songs were odd and disjointed, nothing really played all the way through or presented in any sort of logical way, with the exception of “All Ma’s Children”, which was both fun and lively, as well as made sense in it’s placement (and was the entire song in one go). In my opinion, it was the best part of the show. Some songs, such as “You Made Me Love You” were done over and over, in bits and pieces, some of which were weird- such as between Judy and her father. Love songs between parent and child, not great.  The music was all over the place and jumbled, we really would have loved some consistency. As well, some more upbeat numbers to fill the 3 hour show.

It just felt like…too much. With her life, her wild, brutal, and interesting life- this was what they came up with, presented? Perhaps they were trying to appeal to the crowd that cult loves “Wizard of OZ”, and indeed there were so many rainbow dresses and purses and ruby glitter shoes in the crowd that night, they did so indeed. But it felt disingenuous to me. It made light of Judy Garland’s life and her suffering, which she sadly had so much of. Light topics likely go over better, but theater goers are overall a deep group, thinkers, and I think they would have gone for a real look at Francis, the woman who became Dorothy (and so much more).

In addition, the play was 3 hours long. It was a long, long play, and we were bored and thankful when it was over. That’s not something you want to aspire to.  So many long staring off into space, slow walking off to the side of the stage, gazing into the abyss while walking at a snails pace to who knows what or why, oh so lengthy dramatic pauses- it just felt overdone. And so, so long.

The cast, however, was extremely talented- the children especially wowed us. As well, all the music used in the show was actually sung by Judy Garland in her life, which was very cool. Some of it was unknown to me, so it was neat seeing some new things brought to life.

More about the show;

Before she burst onto the big screen as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, Judy Garland was a young vaudeville trouper named Frances Gumm. In this highly anticipated new musical chronicling Garland’s early career from vaudeville baby to MGM teen star in the making, the road to Oz is paved with adversity. At its heart a story of love between a father and daughter, featuring such legendary songs as “Over the Rainbow,” “You Made Me Love You,” and “Everybody Sing,” Chasing Rainbows is a poignant coming-of-age tale about “the little girl with the big voice,” who went on to become one of the world’s most beloved entertainment icons. The show has already earned praise from Liza Minnelli, who said, “My mother said that her biography is in her music, and now a talented creative team is using that music to tell the story of her early years and her extraordinary rise to fame.”
Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz begins performances Thursday, September 26, 2019, and will continue through Sunday, October 27, 2019, at Paper Mill Playhouse (22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, NJ).

Get your tickets at https://papermill.org 

Filed Under: entertainment, lifestyle, theater Tagged With: , , ,

Waxing Nostalgic

September 26, 2019 by Leave a Comment

mazda protege

Another goodbye.
You’ve all seen my many posts about this car by now, she’s been a staple on this blog and for me for the longest time.
She brought all my kids home. To this house. All the dogs, too.
Drove more road trips then I can count, many featured here on this site and beyond. A whole lot of friends have spent time in that little car. She has acted as a barricade, been to Standing Rock, driven the entire east coast.
Drove me home from my wedding in 2005, and then from my divorce in 2019.
2 car accidents, a million camping trips, a thousand beach days and carpools and carseats and sick days and work days.  Two massive vomit incidents that required professionals. So much sand and wet kid and sunblock streaking and dog fur, but no worries here.
Bringing my beautiful Chaac to the vet to be put down after cancer treatment failed, and to be buried afterward.
I have only 2 friends I’ve had longer than this car.
Then recently, I was hit so hard by an errant driver, neither of us has been right again, but she can’t be fixed.
My first “new” car, the only new car I’ve ever had.
So many memories in this car.
Waxing nostalgic.

Filed Under: lifestyle Tagged With:

Be Prepared – it starts with a go bag

September 14, 2018 by 1 Comment

Saying: “It won’t happen to us” is a poor disaster response plan. And thinking: “It can’t happen here” is categorically wrong. There are all sorts of “its” out there, and they can and do happen, here, there, everywhere. And when it happens, there might be only minutes in which to get out the door and go. Emergencies don’t wait for us to get ready.

That’s the bad news.

The good news is that you can minimize the impact that “it” has when it happens. How? By getting getting the supplies you need at the ready.

A Few of the “Its” We face

  • More than 9,100 wildfires scorched California in 2017 alone. 2018’s record large burn, the 300,000-plus-acre Mendocino Complex Fire, displaced tens of thousands of people.
  • Following the 9/11 attacks, tens of thousands of people were displaced, with hundreds of thousands exposed to hazards like fire, dust, and particulates. According to The American Preparedness Project, 83% of us worry about another attack happening.
  • Hurricanes have displaced millions of Americans so far in the 21st Century; after Katrina, more than one million residents were initially forced from their homes. Hurricane Sandy temporarily displaced more than 775,000 people across 24 states.
  • California has not experienced a magnitude 7.0 earthquake along the San Andreas Fault System in more than 100 years. Seismologists calculate a 93% probability of the so-called Big One striking before the year 2045.
  • Tornado warning systems offer an average lead-time of 13 minutes, but residents often have much less notice. And as most tornadoes move across the ground at 30 miles per hour (some have traveled at 70 MPH), there is no time to waste after the warning.
  • When the Oroville Dam threatened failure in early 2017, 180,000 faced immediate evacuation orders, some coming with less than five minutes of warning.

And this is a partial list at best; the dangers facing your follower base likely include some of these dangers as well as numerous other catastrophes.

 

You Can’t Prepare After the Fact

With events like earthquakes, terror attacks, or infrastructure failures, there is no warning at all; there is only the response that follows. If a household has not taken the time to prepare before such disasters, there is no time left to mitigate the challenges of the response. If you take it from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s own statement: “You may need to survive on your own after an emergency. You could get help in hours or it might take days. This means having your own food, water and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least 72 hours.”

That’s right, the agency tasked with emergency management says we will likely have to fend for ourselves following a disaster. Now there’s a talking point to note as you spread awareness.

Get a Good Go Bag

VLES Designs founders Karina and Stuart Warshaw didn’t create these bags or serve as firefighters and EMTs for the money. Nor did they become American Red Cross CPR instructors or Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members for the cash.

Neither was direct involvement in Hurricane Irene or direct impact by Superstorm Sandy financially driven. The training and experiences of the staff at VLES Designs coalesced to inspire development of our brand: we saw a need that wasn’t met, so we went out to meet it.

They started the company because they care deeply about sharing the products and spreading the awareness that can help keep people safe during the worst scenarios they will ever face. That’s why we not only offer a fully stocked emergency kit, but why we include literature like a quick checklist and a comprehensive Readiness Playbook that features a tear-off emergency plan and readiness test. Our passion for promoting safety through preparation also explains why we list the supplies included in the GO-bag on our site and offer downloads of the Readiness Playbook for free. Check out the link, and be as ready as you can be.

https://vlesdesigns.com/

Filed Under: lifestyle Tagged With: