Happy Furry Friday!

What a furbulous day on this furry Friday! TGIF! Bernadette and The One Life Radio had a crazy full week, but we wouldn’t change it for anything! We love what we do! Everyone at OLR loves animals, so furry Friday is our favorite! Today, we have Maura Davies, Marc Peralta, and Alison Sawyer Current. 

Maura Davies

Maura Davies is the Vice President for Marketing & Communications at the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) of Texas. As a longtime friend of One Life Radio, Maura is with us almost every Friday!

Pet’s Paw Pads

Pet paw pads are the little beans that are on the bottom of your pet’s paws! Paw pads are hairless pigmented skin that is an overlay of fat and tissue. They can be rough or smooth depending on your “ruff” boy or girl, or your more calm companion. Animal paw pads can be compared to shoes with insoles. They provide traction, cushion, and help them walk more comfortably!Just like human feet, animal paw pads can get cuts, scratches, or even infections! Look out for packs, cuts, bleeding or swelling. Look for excessive licking on your animals feet. Bernadette suggests soaking your animals paw pads in epsom salt as a cheaper and holistic alternative! Just be able to always ask your veterinarian first before treating your pet holistically.Really be cautious of how hot the surface your dog is walking on. If the concrete or pavement is too hot for your bare feet, it’s too hot for theirs! Go for walks early in the day or later in the evening, but still feel the pavement. Look in to some dogs shoes to protect your furry friends feet! Check out this funny video of dogs trying to walk with shoes on for your daily laugh!

Marc Peralta

Marc Peralta is the Senior Director of National Mission Advancement for Best Friends Animal Society. Best Friends is a leading national animal welfare organization dedicated to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters. In addition to running lifesaving programs in partnership with nearly 3,000 animal welfare groups, Best Friends has regional centers across the country and operate the nation's largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals. Prior to joining Best Friends, Marc served as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, as well as interim CEO for the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Financial Aid For Pet Care

Marc says Happy Friday. Unfortunately the unemployment rate has skyrocketed. Best Friends wants to help pet owners and shelters as much as they can. From food pantries to rehoming, Best Friends is doing everything they can do to keep pets and families together. To apply for services and aide for their furry family member, reach out to your local animal shelter first. Even if the shelter itself can not Gove anything, they know who to connect you with. In times like this, do not be afraid to reach out to a friend or family member, or even nextdoor or facebook. Marc and Bern know how hard rehoming can be, but be proactive. Use your own circle first but don’t be afraid to reach out.Best Friends works with animal surrenders. Best Friends strives to be a community resource and an educator. People lose their homes and jobs, and rehoming your animal does not mean that you are a poor animal owner. The most responsible thing to do is to take the best action for your animal’s well being. Sometimes that means rehoming, and that’s not always bad.If you or someone you know is struggling financially with animal care, call 3-11 or 2-11 for community resources. Marc says every community is different. If you have even the smallest bit of extra money, please consider buying a bag of cat or dog food and delivering it to your local shelter.

More Financial Aid Tips From Marc Peralta

Financial aid can make a world of difference for pet owners who have fallen on hard times but love their animals. Marc Peralta and Best Friends Animal Society understands this.

Credit Based

There are a few credit based options for financial aid for your furry loved ones. Number one is Care Credit. Click here or call 866-893-7864. Care Credit is a credit card that can be used for Veterinary Services at participating vet clinics, including Community Pet Care Clinic. For services over $200 there is a 6-month same as cash option available for no interest financing if the minimum monthly payment is made. Your second credit based option is Scratch Pay. Click here or call or text PAY to 855-727-2395. Scratch Pay is a service that can approve a loan for veterinary care in a matter of minutes. 0% APR is available with no deferred interest.

Individual Grants

There are also Individual Grants! Personal or individual Grants are monetary awards distributed by private foundations and the federal government to individuals.

The Mosby Foundation

specializes in paying medical expenses for sick, abused and neglected dogs and others whose owners have limited means for providing adequate medical attention for their pets. Their priority is funding life-saving emergencies. They require that all dogs they help are spayed/neutered prior to receiving any financial assistance. To apply, email info@themosbyfoundation.org. The Mosby Foundation does not cover diagnostics, general care or dental cleaning, and will not provide assistance for treatment that has already been administered.

The Pet Fund

provides financial assistance to owners of domestic animals in need of veterinary assistance. They are not able to fund emergencies. Applicants are required to contact The Pet Fund by phone before applying. Coverage is available by application for “Non-basic, Non-Urgent” medical needs such as cancer treatment, heart disease, chronic conditions, endocrine diseases, eye diseases, etc. Call 916-443-6007.

Frankie’s Friends

is a charitable pet foundation dedicated to finding cures and saving pets with cancer and other life-threatening conditions. Before applying, you must have a clear diagnosis, specific treatment plan in place, and an estimate of the cost of care from a veterinarian. The pet parent is also responsible for the cost of the initial exam/assessment by a licensed veterinary professional, as well as any diagnostics to determine the pet’s prognosis and course of treatment. These associated upfront costs would not be covered by any potential Frankie’s Friends funding. The pet must have a “good prognosis” as determined by a veterinary professional to be eligible for assistance. Frankie’s Friends would also like for you to seek help through the media to get further exposure for the charity. 

Paws 4 a Cure

is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance throughout the United States to those who cannot afford veterinary care for their beloved furry family members. P4AC helps dogs and cats with all illnesses and injuries. Paws 4 A Cure does not discriminate against breed, age, or diagnosis. Paws 4 A Cure is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that offers one-time grants of up to $500 to those who cannot afford veterinary care for their beloved furry family members. Paws 4 A Cure helps dogs and cats with all illnesses and injuries. Paws 4 A Cure would also like you to seek help through the media to get further exposure for the charity. Please be advised that Paws 4 A Cure cannot assist with charges incurred prior to approval of their online application and receipt by the veterinarian of the Acceptance Letter.

Red Rover Urgent Care

grant program is designed to respond to veterinary emergencies and urgent care situations when an animal will not receive care due to a small gap in funding. They do not issue grants for office visits, diagnostic testing (such as X-rays, MRI or bloodwork), ongoing illnesses or routine care. Once an application has been submitted, you can expect to receive a response by email or phone within one to two business days. Please be sure to check your email for confirmation that your application was submitted, as well as for a response to your application. Red Rover would also like for you to seek help through the media to get further exposure for the charity. Call 916-429-2457.

Pets Of The Homeless

is another great option. They believe in the healing power of companion pets and the human- animal bond. They work to relieve the anguish to those who cannot provide for their pets by providing food and health care.For cancer specific financial aid, there are a few amazing options. The Magic Bullet Fund (MBF) is a great one. MBF provides financial assistance for canine cancer treatment. Most families contribute some portion of the treatment fees and MBF contributes only the amount that the family cannot pay. Once a dog is accepted into assistance, MBF needs time to raise funding. If your dog's treatment is scheduled in the next few days and it cannot be delayed, they will not be able to raise funds in time. Visit their Web site to apply for assistance.There are a few breed specific financial aid options. Speaking for Spot website under their resources tab has an extensive list of other financial resources. The Speaking for Spot Web site includes a list of breed specific and regional organizations. For corgi aid, check out this website. CorgiAid, Inc was founded in 2000 to help corgis (either breed) and substantially corgi mixes with medical needs. They are chartered to help dogs that are in rescue; our primary goal is to help those who foster dogs temporarily until a permanent home can be found. People (such as myself) who own their pets forever are not eligible for medical grants unless the dog has very recently been pulled from a shelter or rescue and has pre-existing conditions. You are also in luck if you have a Labrador retriever! Labrador Life Line is committed to offering financial assistance to owners and rescuers of Labrador Retrievers in need. We can assist eligible Labs with urgent and short term medical treatment.

Alison Sawyer Current

Alison Sawyer Current is the founder of Isla Animals Rescue on Isla Mujeres, Mexico. Since the year 2000 she has organized spay & neuter campaigns, recruited volunteers, promoted government involvement, and pushed for vaccinations, education and wellness care. In 2015, the government recognized the value of Alison’s work and offered her a space to continue her rescue efforts. Since then, Isla Animals has grown and expanded its efforts to the mainland with the help of volunteers and donations.Alison is a recipient of The Doris Day Animal Kindred Spirit Award, and in 2007 she was invited to Mexico City for the first Forum on Small Animal Overpopulation in Mexico. To date, Alison has spayed or neutered more than 20,000 animals and promoted adoptions in Mexico, the United States and Canada. You can read more about her and Isla Animals in her book “The Dog Lady of Mexico” here.

How Isla Animals Rescue is Helping Dogs and Cats in Mexico

Alison Sawyer Current is here! There is nothing Alison loves more than to talk about dogs. Alison moved to Mexico to retire and continue her love for pottery. After seeing the shambles that the dogs were living in, she could not sit idly by. It all began with a pregnant mama cat. This poor, starving, toothless, pregnant cat came for Alison. With TNR, Alison was able to make a difference. Mexico has some of the highest numbers of homeless animals in North America. Even Bernadette hasn’t traveled to Mexico because of the numbers of dogs in need.Last November, Alison and her team spayed over 1,000 animals in six days on the mainland! You can not have a healthy community while having mangy, skin and bones dogs running around the street. Animal populations control used to be handled in much more macabre ways, but now it is slowly changing towards TNR and adoption happy endings!Isla Animals Rescue on Isla Mujeres, Mexico allows transcontinental adoption! There are huge challenges in transporting animals from country to country for adoption. There are many animals that do not take animals internationally. Air Canada, Alaskan Airlines, Delta,and American Airlines are all very nice about letting animals cross borders via the sky. Read Alison’s book for some of the most heartwarming and kind animal rescue stories.

Thank You!

A big thank you to our guests, Maura Davies, Marc Peralta, and Alison Sawyer Current! We admire all the hard work they do to help animals across the planet. To donate to The Isla Animals, click here! They are doing amazing, life changing work. Also click here to become a member The Golden Circle, a membership opportunity for special people! Everything helps. Learn more about Isla Animals on their website. Even 20 dollars a month makes an incredible difference.Thank you to all of our One Life Radio listeners. We truly appreciate each and every one of you, so If you’d like to hear more from One Life Radio, please subscribe to our podcast.If you have any hot ideas or burning questions, email us at info@oneliferadio.com. Bernadette loves hearing from listeners.And, last but never least, thank you to our sponsors. We couldn’t do the show without you; Crazy Water, Sunwarrior, Enviromedica, Flunada, VEGWORLD Magazine, Castor & Pollux, Paleo Magazine, the Well Being Journal and the ISSN. Visit our sponsor page for some great offers just for One Life Radio listeners!