Category Archives: Pets

Grapevine Apartment Community Goes to the Dogs

A new concept apartment community has come to Grapevine courtesy of Fidus Pet Concierge Communities. Fidus is the sole creator of Grapevine’s own “pet-centric” apartment homes, located at Cross Creek at Grapevine Ranch. They kicked off the summer with an adoption event on June 18.

This “Adoption Party Summer Bash” featured seven highly regarded animal shelters, including North Texas Australian Shepherd Rescue, Habitat 4 Paws, Bull Luv Able Rescue, Rescue Row, The Colony Animal Services, Dallas Dog RRR, and Mid-Cities Rescue. The party included over 30 dogs available for adoption, all of who varied in age, breed, and size.

Read more from NewsBreak…

Enjoy the photo gallery below! For more information, visit FidusPet.com

Fidus Pet Concierge Communities Hosts Adoption Party Summer Bash at Cross Creek, Texas’ First Dog-Centric Apartment Community

WHEN: Saturday, June 18th | 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Cross Creek at Grapevine Ranch, 2701 Grapevine Mills Blvd N, Grapevine, TX 76051

WHO:  Participating rescues and shelters include: North Texas Australian Shepherd Rescue, Habitat 4 Paws, Bull Luv Able Rescue, Rescue Row, The Colony Animal Services, Dallas Dog RRR, and Mid-Cities Rescue; Jasmine Mayorga, Event Coordinator and Senior Marketing Executive for Fidus Pet Concierge Communities; and Alyssa Waldie, Property Manager for Cross Creek at Grapevine Ranch

WHAT:  Fidus Pet Concierge Communities, the creator of Dallas’ first and only pet-centric luxury apartment homes, will host its Adoption Party Summer Bash at Cross Creek at Grapevine Ranch, a garden-style apartment community designed to appeal to dog lovers. The seasonal soiree will feature seven of the city’s most highly regarded adoption shelters, including Dallas Dog: Rescue. Rehab. Reform, as well as 30 friendly dogs of varying ages, breeds, and sizes available for adoption.

Adjacent to the tree-lined Mill Run nature trail, Cross Creek at Grapevine Ranch is widely recognized as Texas’ most dog-friendly community. It accepts pups of all breeds and sizes — each of which is temperament tested — and is designed to meet the needs of dog parents through a combination of unique features in every apartment, exceptional dog-focused amenities, and an array of pet-related community services and events.

While mixing and mingling with a plethora of pups in need of a forever home, Saturday’s attendees will be able to learn more about Cross Creek at Grapevine Ranch by touring its robust selection of dog-centric amenities and apartments, if desired. Every apartment at Cross Creek comes with a doggy door that directly leads to either a private fenced yard or a private porch relief system, as well as a pet-focused tech package that helps address a pet parent’s concerns when away from the apartment. Starting in mid-2023, residents will also have access to an array of conveniences afforded by the opening of the Fidus Care Center, an on-site pet concierge offering services that include doggy daycare, boarding, grooming, walking, and in-unit feeding.

Saturday’s event will bring a variety of food trucks serving up some of the city’s tastiest treats to Cross Creek, along with several photo areas to ensure prime social media content. Admission and parking are both free of charge. 

Grand Prairie hosts Halloween fun this weekend

The Grand Prairie Police Department in conjunction with Grand Prairie Texas Talk will be holding its Trunk or Treat event this Friday, October 29 from 6-8pm at the GP Police Department.

If you or your organization plan to attend and need candy for your trunk or booth, please click on this link and fill out the form so we know how much candy to buy:  Trunk or Treat Sign Up Sheet.xlsx

Also, our friends at Prairie Paws are hosting a Howl-O-Ween Pawty at the same time if you want to hop on over there before/after our Trunk or Treat.

They will have a trick-or-treat trail, crafts, contests, cats, canines, and CANDY! Bring your whole family to the Prairie Paws Adoption Center for a FREE DOGgone good time! Costumes encouraged!

*Please only bring human family members!

**They will have vendors with items available for purchase.

For more information, contact Public Information Officer Chelsea Kretz at 469-354-4703 or email ckretz@gptx.org

The Man Who Ate Cheeseburgers…I Mean Dog Food… for a Month

By Stacey Doud

30 Days GraphicMitch Felderhoff, who is a fourth generation owner of Muenster Milling Company in Muenster, Texas, is known for his lightheartedness, practical jokes and making quality food for pooches. He is also known locally and nationally for eating nothing but his company’s dog food for 30 days to illustrate the quality of Muenster Milling Co. food. He was monitored by his family physician to make sure that he was staying healthy.

Muenster Milling Co.has been in existence since 1932, when Mitch’s great-grandfather, Joe Felderhoff, established a flour mill. The business was passed down to Mitch’s grandfather, Arthur, who, after he served his country in WWII, converted the site into a livestock feed mill.

The company also had a brief stint as a dairy feed plant because of a newly built cheese plant in Muenster that operated for close to 40 years. I wonder what kind of cheese they made? Hmmmm.

“We provided most of the dairy feed to all the dairies in the area that brought their milk into the cheese plant. Now, there’s a huge cheese plant in Amarillo as well as one in California, and the people who had owned the cheese plant here were part of the Co-Op, and so they shut this one down,” Mitch explained.

Mitch’s dad, Ronnie Felderhoff, decided to take the company in a new direction when it was his time to run the Mill, and, in 1989, Muenster Milling Co. started to produce pet food.They currently offer dog, chicken and horse feed.

Dog Obesity Slide

Mitch officially joined the company In 2007 to head the sales and marketing department, and his brother, Chad, joined in the summer of 2013, though both men had basically grown up helping out in the Mill. Now, the brothers are co-owners and work together to keep Muenster’s products meeting excellent standards, which Mitch, personally and gustatorily, found out.

So, what’s up with the month of dog food?

Mitch“We are a small company, and it’s hard to have a voice and to get the right message and information out there, and so we had to come up with an idea that other people would not be willing to do. The CEOs of Nestlé, Purina and Mars are not going to eat dog food for a month,” Mitch said.

“I came up with the idea while I was on vacation. I had been trying to think for several years about what we can do to get our message out there – to provide healthier diets to more dogs. I was on a trip with my wife and was staring at the ocean, and the thought popped into my head: ‘I bet no one has eaten dog food for a month.’”

When he started his quest, Mitch weighed around 230 pounds at 6’3”. He lost 30 of those pounds, according to the physician, but that’s not all.

His cholesterol went down 64 points, his triglycerides went down 209 points and his liver enzyme panel went down 34 points.

So, does Mitch recommend eating dog food for a while?

“No, don’t do it,” he said. “But it sure made me more aware of what I do eat and assured me that we are still making products that will keep dogs healthy and happy.”

Muenster Milling Co. dog food is available for purchase online with home delivery at https://muenstermilling.com/ or you can search for your closest retailer at https://muenstermilling.com/where-to-buy/They are looking to expand to cat foods very soon.

To watch Mitch’s 30 Days of Dog Food, complete with practical jokes and very honest critiques of his meals, watch the documentary at https://youtu.be/3Q_FPPslCWs

DFW animal shelters recommend pet owners create an emergency plan

Dog wearing a mask is seen on a street following an outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in ShanghaiThe shelters – Dallas Animal Services, Fort Worth Animal Care and Control, the Humane Society of North Texas, Irving Animal Services, SPCA of Texas and Tri-City Animal Services – recommend preparing a supply kit for your pet as a backup plan for pet care or boarding if you become hospitalized.

“Your family must have a plan in place to ensure your pets receive proper care if you were to fall ill with COVID-19 or unable to visit the store for an extended period of time,” said Ed Jamison, director of Dallas Animal Services. “The past few weeks have shown us just how quickly this situation can change and it’s important to prepare for any possibility.”

The shelters recommend staying up-to-date on COVID-19 facts from sources like the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization and the American Veterinary Medicine Association.

“If admitted to the hospital, the ideal plan is for your pet to stay at home and receive care from another family member,” said Dr. Tim Morton of Fort Worth Animal Care and Control. “However, it’s important to prepare for all possible scenarios, so we recommend requesting help from a friend or neighbor.”

In addition to considering emergency boarding, shelters recommend updating your pet’s microchip information and preparing an emergency supply kit for your pet, which should include:

  • Two weeks’ worth of food and medication.
  • Vaccination records and veterinarian’s contact information.
  • Collar with ID tags.
  • Daily pet care instructions.
  • A crate, leash, carrier and toys or treats.

For assistance obtaining pet food or medical care for pets, visit the SPCA of Texas’ Pet Resource Center.

For pet owners in need, pet food is available through Don’t Forget to Feed Me, 5825 E Rosedale St., and the Community Food Bank, 3000 Galvez Ave.

Proper care is important for all members of the family, even the four-legged ones.

Source: https://texaspolicenews.com/default.aspx?act=Newsletter.aspx&category=News+1-2&newsletterid=73018&menugroup=Home

How much is that doggie in the window? And where’s the window?

By Stacey Doud

AnimalSvcsSite2For folks that are hoping to adopt a dog or cat from the Grapevine Animal Shelter, a surprise may be in store for them instead of a family pet.

Right now, only rubble occupies the lot at 500 Shady Brook Drive. The shelter was relocated to Coppell at the end of November 2019 so that the existing building could be demolished. A new, larger facility will take its place. This new building will be almost three times larger than the original.

The project is being paid for by a 2017 bond election.

NewBuilding

Graphic Courtesy of the City of Grapevine

“We are very excited to provide a functional and beautiful building that will be meet best practices and provide health and safety for the animals, visitors, volunteers, and staff,” a representative of the shelter said.

“The thing that struck me about the building that used to be here was the size. I could see why they would want to increase the size of the new building and give it a lot more footage,” said Jim Goucher, Superintendent of Steele & Freeman, Inc. Construction Managers.

Animal Services Sign

“We have a Fall 2020 completion date, and the weather can play a big factor in that. Right now, we are tracking on target for that,” Goucher said. “We are getting beat on by the rainy weather, but we anticipate an on-time finish. Currently we are setting the foundation into place, along with the grade support beams, the plumbing and the slab. Once we get that done, it gives us something to go straight up with,” Goucher explained.

Goucher also said that several citizens have come to the site, either because they weren’t aware of the construction or had questions about where they can go to adopt a pet.

All adoptable Grapevine animals are still available at Coppell Animal Services, located at 821 S. Coppell Rd. Coppell, TX 75019. They are open Monday – Saturday from 9am – 5pm and Sunday from 1pm – 5pm. The phone number at the Coppell location is 972.304.3515.

Cats are available at the Southlake PetSmart store, located at 200 Village Center Drive. The phone number at PetSmart is 817.251.6848 and they are open Monday – Saturday from 9am until 9pm and Sunday from 10am until 7pm.

To reach Grapevine Animal Services, call 817.410.3370. They continue to provide field services, such as responding to animal concerns and loose/stray animals, deceased animal pickup, ordinance enforcement, and animal bite reporting.

To learn more about Grapevine Animal Services, visit https://www.grapevinetexas.gov/1251/Animal-Services\

Editor’s Corner – When unconditional love is suddenly gone: Coping with the loss of a beloved pet

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Izzy Boo

I’m sure I don’t have to point out that there have been many publicized deaths in the United States lately. From mass shootings to one-on-one occurrences, they all seem senseless to me. It may seem odd for a journalist to say this, but I honestly have not willingly watched one single news program on TV (sometimes I’m trapped in a doctor’s office with the news on, but I try to ignore it) for over 25 years. This “news fast” has helped with my mood over the years, and if something really big happens, I’ll hear about it from family or friends.

The one thing that I could never prepare for was the death of my 15 year-old dog, Izzy Boo.

I swear – sometimes it’s easier to lose a person than a pet. Dogs (and cats, when they feel like it) give you unconditional love and are always excited to see you when you come home. Sure, they may need to be walked every few hours or wake you up in the middle of the night to be fed, but, in the grand scheme of things, having a pet delivers many benefits the human owner.

There’s even a branch of therapy called “pet therapy” in which trained professionals bring well-trained dogs, cats, pot-bellied pigs and other sweet creatures to visit people in the hospital or even in hospice. Petting a dog or cat has been scientifically shown to lower blood pressure, slow down heart rates that are too high, lower respiration rates and generally help the person feel calmer. And if you’ve ever owned a pet that you were well bonded with, you know that they know if you don’t feel well and generally follow you around because they have an instinct to help.

Izzy Boo was a Japanese Chin, which is not a well-known breed in the U.S. I remember picking him up from the Japanese Chin Rescue Society. The lady that had been fostering him started crying when I took him, and over the years, I found out why.

Izzy Boo had “never met a stranger.” He loved people, other dogs, cats and even my pet turtles. I don’t think he had a mean bone in his body. Sometimes I wish he had been a jerk because maybe his passing wouldn’t hurt so bad.

Izzy Boo came to us when he was about three years old. He was a smarty pants, and learned all kinds of tricks, like “high five,” sit, shake and he’d also run in circles on command (“Chin Spins”).

He was with me through my daughter growing up and moving out, my own divorce and moving away and he spent his last few years as a companion to my mother, who moved with me.

One Friday, we took him to the vet for what we thought was allergies. It turned out that he was dealing with massive heart failure, and so we had to make the difficult decision to send him to Sweet Dog Heaven. I couldn’t stay in the room, but my mom did.

When a person passes away, it can be sad, tragic or even expected, but it is never easy. Funerals are for the living, as we like to think that our person has gone to a better place. But when a pet dies, even though we take them in knowing that we’ll probably outlive them, it can make the world seem silent and empty.

I hope you’re chasing squirrels in Dog Heaven, Izzy Boo, and that you know that you were loved.

If you have recently lost a pet and are having trouble coping, click HERE for some tips and compassion.

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Grapevine Animal Shelter offers low-cost vaccinations

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When: Saturday, September 8 & Saturday, November 3 from 10am – 12pm

Where: Grapevine Animal Shelter and Adoption Center: 500 Shady Brook Dr.

Details

Dogs:
  • Rabies: $5 
  • DHPP: $10 
  • Bordetella: $10 
  • Heartworm Test: $20 
  • Heartworm Preventative: $25-$35 
  • Canine Influenza: $15 
  • Lepto $10
  • Lyme: $15

Cats:

  • Rabies: $5
  • FVRCP: $10 
  • FelV: $10 
  • FelV/FIV Test: $20

Other Services:

  • General Dewormer Strongid-T $5.00 
  • Tick/Flea Prevention $12.00 
  • Tapeworm Dewormer Droncit $10.00 
  • Home Again Microchip $30.00 

No appointment necessary! Services provided by Texas Coalition for Animal Protection:
www.texasforthem.org.

For more information, call (817) 410-3370 or visit animalservices.grapevinetexas.gov.

 

Hot Dog! Grapevine Animal Shelter gives tips for keeping your pet cool this summer

There is only ONE REASON you should ever leave a dog in a hot car, and Alan from Grapevine Animal Shelter and Adoption Center is about to show you why. In addition to the dangers of hot cars, please keep in mind that streets, sidewalks, and patios can also damage your pets’ paws, so please be mindful of the heat. If you aren’t comfortable walking barefoot, neither will your best friend. Stay cool, Grapevine!

Fireworks safety for pets

Here are some tips from Grapevine PD to keep your pet safe and healthy tonight.

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