Toxic food, dangerous decorations, and problematic parties: How to keep your pet safe from dangerous holiday hazards
I enjoy holiday food and festivities! As much as I know Hazel loves her advent calendar and opening her stocking on Christmas morning, I'm well aware that including her in some holiday traditions has me barking up the wrong Christmas tree. The holidays can be loud and scary for a pet. It can be sensory overload, and at times they can feel threatened. Your pet is a valued member of the family, and ensuring they are safe and comfortable during this festive season is important. The holidays pose many risks for your pet- health risks as well as a risk of heightened anxiety. Christmas dangers are everywhere, so it's important to keep your pet safe. I've put together a comprehensive list of holiday hazards and tips about how to keep your pet safe during the Christmas season.
Under your wing: How you can help wild birds survive the winter
Season's Tweetings! Birds fly into your life providing majestic beauty and songs to brighten your day. During the winter months, birds need extra help finding food, shelter, and help when they are hurt. The Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre (OVWBCC) works tirelessly through the winter- and the rest of the year- to take birds under their wing. The OVWBCC team knows that one small act of kindness can help save a bird's life. Patty McLaughlin, Education and Public Engagement Coordinator at OVWBCC, and her team are working hard to raise awareness about the help birds need throughout the winter and I was fortunate enough to get expert tips about how to support the wild bird community this holiday season. I had many questions for Patty. How can you help wild birds survive the harsh winter weather? What do birds need in the winter to help them find food, shelter, and medical care? What can I do at home?
Two for Tuesday: I'm asking you to do these two things on Giving Tuesday to support local wildlife
Giving won't be easy for some people this year. Many Ontario citizens have suffered financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic. Non-profits, charities, and organizations that support nature and wildlife have also been greatly impacted by the pandemic. Today is Giving Tuesday, a day when people make donations to support charities that mean a lot to them. I want to go two for Tuesday. I present to you two ways you can support nature and wildlife right here in Ontario that I've donated to for Giving Tuesday. I'm asking my readers who are considering which initiative to support today to consider one (or both) of these Ontario campaigns that need your help.
Book review: Ruth Ware's books keep climbing up the bestseller list, One By One
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Ruth Ware has done it again! She keeps crafting creative mysteries and plots that propel the reader forward, and One By One is no exception. This is the ultimate Fall Reading List book. Set on a snowy mountain in France, the story is as chilling as the white powder that swallows the characters whole.
Guest blog: What it's really like to be a professional dog walker
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Guest blog by Louise St-Pierre. So excited to welcome her to the Paws For Reaction extended family!
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I have learned a lot from my experiences with dogs. I currently own two beautiful dogs and have been a dog owner for 25 years. I truly love dogs and being outside all day, in all types of weather. After working in the fitness and service industry for 20 years I wanted a change; a job that would incorporate the many things I love. Fast forward to now. I have been a professional dog walker for 11 years. I never imagined that I could make a living doing something I loved so much. What I love most about being a dog walker is that I work for myself and my clients. I'm my own boss, which is amazing.
Christmas mourning: How to cope with your first holiday season after losing a pet
I'm forcing myself to be festive this year. I've had times in my life when I skipped Christmas altogether. "I'm not Christmasing this year," I'd say when people asked me standard holiday questions like "Do you have your tree up yet?" This year I'm forcing myself to be festive for the sake of my mental health. One small reason is the COVID-19 pandemic has sucked so much happiness out of 2020 that I'm trying to infuse some of the obligatory Christmas joy into what's left of the year. The biggest reason for my forced festivities is Keira. More specifically the loss of Keira I suffered earlier this year.
National Senior Pet Month: Everything you need to know about senior pets and pet insurance
I love the grey fur that appears around a senior dog's eyes as they age, the mark that they've experienced life. The mark that they've given a lifetime of love. To leave our mark on them we need to prepare to support them during their golden years. I'm going to talk about one of my favourite topics- pet insurance. When we think about pet insurance we often think of puppies and kittens, but senior pets are eligible for insurance coverage too.
Since November is National Senior Pet Month, I connected with Karolyne Trottier, Regional Manager at Pets Plus Us pet insurance for a Q&A about pet insurance for senior pets. Can a senior pet get pet insurance? What about their pre-existing conditions? I asked Karolyne everything I could think of about senior pets and pet insurance, and these are her answers!
Paws to Support Local: How you can give back to local businesses and animals in need at the same time
Are you able to lend a helping paw to a pet in need? Or give a local small business a bone? Ontario SPCA Renfrew County Animal Centre, located in Pembroke, Ontario, has found a way to give back to animals in need and local businesses this holiday season. Paws to Support Local is the purrr-fect way to get in the spirit of giving.
Deck the DIY gift ideas: Homemade mason jar lid Christmas tree ornaments
Christmas isn't just a time for giving; it's also a time for crafting! I love mixing the two and making my family homemade Christmas gifts every year. Sometimes I make my own cards, sometimes I bake- I've even made my own candles using teacups found at yard sales and thrift stores. But my favourite Christmas craft is mason jar lid tree ornaments.
Book review: A Southern supernatural thriller about a seedy swamp and all its creatures
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Andy Davidson's The Boatman's Daughter paints a dark and bloody tale of the painful lives of outsiders. While Davidson's book was wildly creative, it failed to draw me in. I kept reading, hoping it would be a slow burn, however it never caught fire for me. I did enjoy the Russian folklore in the book and the mysticism, but being a huge fan of witches, I was hoping for a more interesting witch. I will give the author this: the prose is beautiful at times and I LOVE the cover!