A Howlin’ Good Time
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River Park off-leash news
March 26, 2007
UPCOMING STUFF
Scoopy Doo Day - City of
Calgary’s Annual Poop Pick-up
Sunday, April 22
9:00am - noon
For many years, volunteers (not
connected with City efforts) gathered
in Spring to pick up feces and
garbage in River Park to maintain
the area for all users. This year, River
Park is included in the city-wide
promotion of the event. Here’s a great
chance to highlight dog owners’
commitment to the care of the park.
River Park is the designated site
for media coverage this year.
Please plan to attend and
mark your calendars now!
Lend Your Expertise
So far, we’ve had people provide
Friends of River Park Society with
off-leash area reports, maps and
various information. Thank you!
Do you have a skill, contacts or
knowledge that can further FRPS’
cause? If so, please contact
Candice Lee at
leesmale@telusplanet.net
or 287-1029. Thanks for your
consideration.
Please feel free to share this
newsletter with friends. If at any
time you no longer wish to receive
communication, just let me know.
Candice Lee
287-1029 (home)
703-1671 (cell)
leesmale@telusplanet.net
FRIENDS OF RIVER PARK NEEDS YOUR HELP
River Park clean up duty
Everyone, give yourself a hand!
The park is looking fairly clean now
that the snow is gone and any dog dirt
is clearly visible. Let’s keep it this way!
Dog owners are constantly criticized
for negatively contributing to the health
hazards in River Park.
Do your part! Each time you’re in the
park, clean up your dog’s feces and
heck, if you see a pile close to you,
pick it up too.
The City’s annual Scoopy Doo Day is
Sunday, April 22. Friends of River
Park is seeking volunteers to create a
presence at this event.
I have created signs for us to wear
much like race numbers worn during
running events. Check out the sample
image below. Closer to the event, I’ll
send a larger version that can be
printed on your computer and attached
with pins to the back of your jacket or
t-shirt. It will be fabulous when a sea
of Friends of River Park volunteers in
uniform, dominates the event!
HELP KEEP THE PARK CLEAN!
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FRIENDS OF RIVER PARK
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We’ll have three people at the check-
in table on clean-up day. Make sure
you swing by, sign up and get
assigned to an area.
River Park is the host site for
media coverage this year. Let’s
show them that FRPS is committed to
preserve the park as a clean, safe, natural
environment for all users by promoting
self-regulation, good behaviour, respect,
awareness, education, responsibility and
enforcement. We will highlight the need
to maintain this space for dog walking
and if the opportunity presents itself,
illustrate that abundant recreational
opportunities for other groups, far
outweigh the access areas for dogs.
As we are the largest impact group at
River Park, it would be great if everyone
came out to support this initiative.
To get a sense of how many people
plan to come out on this day, please
contact me at 287-1029 or email
leesmale@telusplanet.net to confirm
your attendance.
— Candice
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Caring For Your Pet - Just For the Health of It
Killing Them with Kindness: a food toxicity report

Following is an exerpt from an According to the ASPCA, around 1989, a disturbing trend
article “Killing Them with began to emerge from the AnTox database used by its
Kindness” written by Barbara Animal Poison Control Center: Nearly all the dogs reported
Mikkelson, and sent to me by to have eaten grapes or raisins developed acute renal
Norene and Dorothy from the (kidney) failure. These cases were noted all across the
River Park distribution list. USA, with the amount eaten varying widely, from over a
pound of grapes to as little as a single serving of raisins.
The article warns pet owners about the toxicity of raisins when
fed to animals. I’ve edited the content for a quicker read. The database showed that dogs who ate the grapes and
raisins typically vomited within a few hours of ingestion.
Pet owners often give their animals a treat. Unfortunately, Most of the time, partially digested grapes and raisins
good intentions can have deadly consequences when pet could be seen in the vomit, fecal material, or both. At this
owners make the mistake of assuming all their favorite point, some dogs would stop eating (anorexia), and
snacks are also suitable for their animals. develop diarrhea. The dogs often became quiet and
lethargic, and showed signs of abdominal pain. These
clinical signs lasted for several days — sometimes even
weeks.
Home
Sweet When medical care was sought, blood chemistry panels
Dogs Need Homes Home showed consistent patterns. Hypercalcemia (elevated
blood calcium levels) was frequently present, as well as
elevated levels of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and
Shepherd Cross phosphorous (substances that reflect kidney function).
- 2 year old spayed female named Mia These chemistries began to increase anywhere from 24
- about 30 or 40lbs hours to several days after the dogs ate the fruit. As the
- well trained, very friendly, active and likes kids kidney damage developed, the dogsproduced little urine.
- shots last updated a year ago When they could no longer produce urine, death occurred.
In some cases, dogs who received timely veterinary care
Contact Cyril in Crossfield at 946- 5159. still had to be euthanized. Although it is not known what
component of the grapes or raisins causes renal failure in
Five Shi-tzu Puppies dogs, certain possibilities have been ruled out, including
various pesticides, some heavy metals such as zinc and
- three females and two males lead, and fungal contaminants. That dogs react in this
- born Feb 20/07; ready Apr 17/07 fashion to both commercially-produced grapes and those
- asking $400 each grown informally in their owners’ back yards indicates the
Puppies reside in Rimby. Breeder is flexible to arrange likely culprit has nothing to do with the growing or
a convenient meeting time and place in Calgary. If cultivation process but is instead basic to grapes
you’re interested in purchasing one of these puppies, themselves.
call Cynthia at (403) 843-4634 or email her at
grelan@telus.net. In other words, all grapes, fresh and/or dried as raisins are
potentially dangerous to dogs, regardless of whether they
came from the store or off the neighbor’s vine.

Don’t feed your dog grapes or raisins, and don’t leave

these foodstuffs out where he could help himself to them.

This is not to say you need live in fear that your pooch will
keel over dead if he swallows a grape or two. However, if
he downs a handful of grapes or even a smaller amount of
raisins, get him to your veterinarian right away. Aggressive
treatment with intravenous fluids and close monitoring are
his best chance for survival.

Grapes and raisins aren’t the only people foods known to

be dangerous to man’s best friend. Chocolate, cocoa,
onions and macadamia nuts can also be deadly to them.

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