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Jetpets' thoughts and best wishes are with all the families that have been affected by the Victorian bushfires.
To help with the devastating impact of the fires, Jetpets is running several initiatives to provide support, where possible, and to raise funds for other organisations to help with their work.
Jetpets delivered a van full of pet crates to Yea's 'refugee' camp on Wednesday 11 February. The crates were very well received as an essential place to house cats, dogs and lost pets.
Jetpets donated all money from crate hire services booked on Friday 13 February in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane to Wildlife Victoria. To find out more about the work of Wildlife Victoria or to make a contribution visit their website.
In recognition of the important role that pets play in many families' lives, Jetpets made a financial donation to Animal Aid. Animal Aid will be providing food, temporary accommodation and veterinary treatment to affected domestic animals and wildlife.
'Lead'
Stories
Cool new transit lounge is the cats’ whiskers
Jet
Pets' Dr Kate chills with a happy client in the cool new facilities
Jetpets’ new transit lounge was the place to be during Melbourne’s recent sweltering heat wave.
With temperatures regularly pushing well over the old 100 degrees Fahrenheit, Jetpets furry clients were chilling out in a relaxed 20 degrees ambient air temperature.
The $30,000 investment prior to Christmas resulted in many a wagging tail and happy cat.
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Sunshine Coast snake on a plane thanks to Jetpets
Jetpets has helped to return a scaly hitch-hiker to its home on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast after a trans-Australian adventure of several thousand kilometres.
This particular snake on a plane is a carpet python that stowed away under the bonnet of a car being transported to Adelaide from Diddillibah in Queensland.
The car had been stored for around six weeks before being put on the back of a carrier bound for South Australia.
Car owner Mr Knight from South Australia got something of a surprise when he picked up the car and found the python in its engine bay.
Mr Knight called the South Australian Department for Environment and Heritage, who arranged for the snake to be cared for at Cleland Wildlife Park near Adelaide until it could be flown back to Queensland.
Nick Rigby, director of wildlife for Queensland’s Environmental Protection Agency, said that after a long journey the intrepid python was headed back to where it belonged.
“I’d say this snake has been extremely lucky, as crawling into a car’s engine bay is not generally a recipe for a long and healthy life.
“We are very grateful to Jetpets for agreeing to give the 1.2m python a free ride home.
“The company was extremely quick to help us out and have been very flexible in arranging to get it to EPA rangers on the Sunshine Coast,” he said.
“I’d also like to thank the South Australian Department of Environment and Heritage for looking after the reptile. It has been fantastic the way so many people have pulled together to get it home safely,” Mr Rigby said.
The python was transported from Cleland Wildlife Park to Adelaide airport, and flown from there to Brisbane.
Jetpets arranged for it to be picked up and transported to an EPA ranger on the Sunshine Coast who released it back into the wild.
Adam Stammers from Jetpets said his team was a passionate group who loved animals of all shapes and sizes: “Being able to help out with the relocation of the python back to its natural habitat has been a rewarding process for everyone involved,” he said.
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Pet
Peregrinations
Newfy Osca takes a bow in Atlanta
At just six months old, Newfoundland puppy Osca is already winning prizes and hearts as he travels the show dog circuit in the United States.
Four days of hard work in Atlanta catches up with Osca in his hotel room.
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Osca came from breeder Ian Harland in Adelaide and made the journey with Jetpets to Sydney, San Francisco and then Atlanta – where he joined owner Susan Garret.
With three ribbons from his first three days of showing, Osca, also known by his kennel name Newfashion Takes A Bow, is making a big impression in the United States.
Jetpets’ travel consultant Laura Robinson was only too pleased to help with his move.
“While I, unfortunately, didn’t get to meet Osca, I was lucky enough to meet another of Ian’s Newfys that we sent to New Zealand,” Laura said.
“Newfys are one of my favourite breeds and I plan on owning one in the future – when I have enough room!
“Both Ian Harland in Adelaide and Susan Garret in Atlanta were a pleasure to deal with. Susan wished me a ‘Very Newfy Christmas’ and a ‘Happy Newf Year’ on many occasions.”
Next up for Osca is a trip to Greenville, South Carolina.
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Eleven months and eight lives later, Ebony and Bailey are reunited
After nearly a year, Duane and Ebony Maxwell were reunited with their long lost cat Bailey thanks to Jetpets and the amazing power of micro-chipping.
Bitten and paralysed by a snake, Bailey was handed in to RSPCA officers in South Australia, despite Duane and Ebony not having lived there for 11 months.
After three years on an Air Force post in South Australia from Victoria, Duane and Ebony were preparing to move back to Victoria when their cats Bailey and Timmy went missing when a door was left open.
“We called and called for as long as we could but we ended up having to leave the cat cages there and letting our next door neighbour and the new owners of our home know all of our details,” Ebony said.
“We followed up daily and got nothing so we assumed either someone had taken them in or something had happened to them, seeing it was in summer, the heat was bad and they were without food and water.
When Bailey was handed in to the RSPCA they were able to find Ebony’s details through Bailey’s microchip.
Once the RSPCA vet said Bailey was ready to recover from his snakebite at home, Ebony telephoned Kylie at Jetpets.
“I called Kylie on Monday afternoon to try and get him booked for a Tuesday flight. They advised that seeing there wasn’t really enough time, that it may not be possible.
“I advised Kylie of my situation and she did everything in her power to make sure Bailey was on a flight the very next day, even though there was limited notice.
“I was so impressed with the great customer service.
"I wish we found our other cat Timmy as well and I hope that someday he will also turn up, and that we can have our happy family back!”
Kylie’s favourite photo was taken when Ebony and Bailey were reunited: “As soon as Bailey got onto Ebony’s lap he put the claws in and head down and didn’t want to let go of her!”
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Training a pooch to sleep on its own bed
& How to avoid a cat's sixth sense
Dr Kate answers two readers' questions.
Hi Dr Kate
How can I train my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to sleep on her own bed rather than on our bed at night time?
She has a raised-off-the-floor canvas-type bed with a cushion and a bit of sheep skin rug on the top! It is in the lounge-room – there's no room in our bedroom for a dog’s bed on the floor too.
Thanks!
From Lynne
Glenorchy, Tasmania. |
Hi Lynne,
There are many different theories behind dog training but one thing is for certain: letting your dog sleep on your bed is a bad move! Some of the reasons that your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel may wish to sleep on your bed include comfort, your scent, company, warmth but most of all this is where the ‘top dog’ or ‘alpha’ dog sleeps. Once a dog has been allowed to sleep on its owner’s bed it can be difficult to teach them that this is no longer allowed.
Consistency is the key to training your pet. Until you are happy that she understands where she is and isn’t allowed to sleep I would recommend keeping your door closed, especially when you are not home to keep an eye on her.
Some tips to help the transition:
• Place your scent on her bed either by rubbing your hands over the rug and bed or adding an old item of clothing to the bedding.
• Encourage her to sit on her bed, place some toys there, praise her when she does go onto her bed, give her some treats on her bed or a pig’s ear to chew on.
• Discourage her from being on your bed. Teach her a command to ‘get down’ or ‘off’ the bed and make sure she is told this anytime she does jump up there. Some people have had success by squirting their dog with water when it jumps on the bed, or placing foil on top of the bed under the top layer of linen. The noise produced when they land on the foil acts as a deterrent.
A very popular and successful method would be to train your dog to sleep in a large wire crate with their bedding inside it. The theory being that dogs like to sleep in dens and the crate becomes their own little home.
Good luck, it may take weeks to re-train your dog but it will be worth it for a good night’s sleep!!!!
Dr Kate.
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Dear Dr Kate
How do cats know when it is time to go the groomer, vet, airport, etc.? My cat April knows it is time to go to the groomer, even though my husband and I do not say a word and try to catch her off guard.
I always educate my clients on the best way to prepare their cat for the trip to the airport so they do not run and hide right before, something I do not need to do for the dog clients!
Thank you in advance.
Bridget Monrad, RN, President
Pet Travel Specialist
Happy Tails Travel, Inc |
Dear Bridget,
You are absolutely right – cats always seem to know when something unusual is about to happen and manage to disappear at the worst time possible eg the morning of their vet appointment. Some people do think that cats have ESP and in the middle age it was widely thought that cats held some kind of supernatural abilities.
The most likely answer is that cats are very intuitive animals with a good memory. Their well developed senses mean that they are able to see, smell, feel and hear things that we can’t detect. They will pick up on tiny changes in their owner’s voice, actions, behaviour or routines.
I would advise your clients to place the cat carrier in the living space at least a week before they need to use it. Ideally, the owners should try and behave as normally as possible leading up to the event. Unfortunately, when people are moving house or going on holidays there are lots of obvious clues given to their pet that something strange is about to happen. It helps if they can get their cat used to travelling in its carrier and in the car as a kitten. A feline pheromone spray can be sprayed in the cat’s carrier prior to use to have a calming effect on the cat.
My best advice would be to stay calm and keep the cat indoors from at least the night before their travel date.
Hopefully these tips will help!
Dr Kate |
You
could be next editions 'tail' and win a mystery prize
For having their questions answered in this edition of The Scratching Post both Lynne and Bridget have won a $50 voucher for Ozpetshop Online Pet Shop
To be in the running for a prize next month, submit your question for Dr Kate to info@jetpets.com.au
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Staff
Profile
Name:
Jim Dacey
Position:
Brisbane Co-ordinator
Your
role at Jetpets (a day in the life of:)
Make sure drivers have their runs mapped out for each day and liaise with office staff for last minute jobs. Try to do 10 hours worth of work in eight hours.
You
are the go to person for:
Any last minute jobs as many of the consultants would testify. You know who you are!!!!
Most
memorable moment at Jetpets:
At present, meeting the staff down at Melbourne and putting a face to their voice.
What
pets (if any) do you have at home, what are their names and do they
have any quirky behaviours?
Only have a dog now called Mandy. She is just a bitsa but I think these days you would call her a Maltetzu (ha ha). When I come home she always lies on her back for a pat (go figure).
What
is your favourite Jetpets Destination?
Domestically, Brisbane of course. God's country and where the hammock sways. Internationally I would say Rome. I've not sent an animal there but have been there myself.
If
you came back as an animal or pet, what sort would you be, who would
you want to belong to and why?
You would have to say a cat. Just lies around and only wants attention when it is ready and everyone just has to accept that. You try doing that when you are a human, you would be called a snob, or my daughter.
Who
is your favourite famous pet or animal and why?
Rin Tin Tin. Many of the younger people would not remember him but geez he could do anything. Fought off four Indians in one episode and they had guns. Don’t see a dog doing that these days.
If you were a team mascot, what type of animal would you want to dress as and why?
Any animal where I did not have to wear a tight leotard…..lol.
To take over the world, which cat would you get to help with your plans, Dr Evil’s (Austin Powers’ movies) or Dr Claw’s (Inspector Gadget) and why?
Probably Dr Evil’s cat …..for no other reason than I like those types.
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