A 501(c)(3) Non-Profit
A 501(c)(3) Non-Profit
Our amazing team of volunteers are committed to helping animals. Think you would be a good fit in our nonprofit organization? Contact us.
Our Executive Director, Daniel R. Parrack, Sr., had a dream of helping companion animals. Seeing a need in this area he started
The Ernie Foundation.
Reaching out to help companion animals who are in need. We want to help with vet bills, adoption fees, providing food, the occasional rescue, and helping companion animals live their best life.
Please meet Jeffrey. He is owned by Traci Abraham of Wakeman, Ohio. Traci says, "Jeffrey is a Miniature Donkey who loves hot weather, treats, and scratches. Jeffrey’s gotcha day was a hot day in August of 2012. He was needed as a pasture mate for our Shetland Pony, Zeke, after the passing of our beloved Quarter Horse, Dudley. We knew Jeffrey was special the minute he entered our barn, and he took to loving all of us immediately. He and his big brother, Zeke, bonded immediately. He loves his spa days of baths, grooming, and stands nicely for the farrier and veterinarian showing off his outstanding manners. His warm personality touches every person who comes in contact with him as he meets every person with an open heart. He reminds us of what life is really all about—unconditional acceptance, unconditional love, sharing, caring, and just being present and available for another soul whenever needed.
Exposure to winter’s dry, cold air and chilly rain, sleet and snow can cause chapped paws and itchy, flaking skin, but these aren’t the only discomforts pets can suffer. Winter walks can become downright dangerous if chemicals from ice-melting agents are licked off of bare paws. To help prevent cold weather dangers from affecting your pet’s health, please heed the following advice from our experts:
- ASPCA.org
We can't exist without your support. Please help us help all companion animals. 100% of donations go to supporting our mission.
Donations are tax-deductible.
Thank you for your help.
My horse is acting depressed and not responding to me as he usually does. I'm considering contacting a pet psychiatrist. What do you think? Is pet psychiatry legit or is it another scam to take money from people wanting to help their pets?
E. Smithers, Avon Lake, Ohio
This is a great question. I found an answer that might help:
What is Pet Psychiatry?
Pet psychiatry is a growing field in which professionals are tasked with dealing with pets showing troublesome behaviors which have become so extreme that they are now impacting upon their and/or their owners happiness and welfare. Examples of such behaviors include aggression towards humans or other animals, compulsive behaviors, inappropriate elimination/soiling, hyperactivity or symptoms of fears and phobias.
Pet psychiatry is the study, diagnosis and treatment of pets with mental health issues. The field considers animal biology alongside environmental and social factors which may lead to troublesome behaviors. It looks to understand the mental health issues underpinning difficult behaviors and, ultimately, provide guidance to help owners to address these, with the ultimate aim of ridding the pet of their troubling behaviors.
Pet psychiatry looks towards medical as well as behavior interventions to achieve this. It is quite widely accepted that domestic pets can suffer from mental health issues that are very similar in nature to that of humans. Dogs have been shown to display similar rates of depression to humans. In addition, domestic animals have been known to display characteristics of anxiety and compulsive disorders. In such cases, a pet psychiatrist can prescribe medication to help alleviate these disorders. If medication is used, it will be accompanied by behavioral teaching and modification with the ultimate aim to be to wean the pet off the medication as the environmental triggers are dealt with.
What Does a Pet Psychiatrist Do?
Pet psychiatrists are professionals dealing with pets displaying troubling behaviors which are now impacting upon its welfare. Pet psychiatrists will usually get involved after a pet has been thoroughly assessed by a veterinarian to ensure there is no medical reason for such behaviors (i.e. pain can often lead pets to ‘act out’ or develop strange behaviors). The role of pet psychiatry is to try to establish the underlying problem in the pet and what triggers it before working with the pet and its owner to dampen the effect these triggers can have. Work will almost always involve behavioral training and adaption techniques and, occasionally, involve the use of prescription medication.
The work of a pet psychiatrist will involve extremely close working with owners. In first time visits, it’s not uncommon for them to spend around 10 minutes with the animal and 50 minutes with the owner, trying to ascertain patterns and work out underlying causes. As well as this providing insight into the behavior of the animal, this allows the pet psychiatrist to assess the role the owner is having in the situation – it has, for example, been suggested that dogs will often mirror and project the feelings of their owners.
A pet psychiatrist will often employ team working techniques to achieve the best outcome – as well as the pet owner, this may also include the pet’s veterinarian and possible an animal trainer if it is felt appropriate.
The pet psychiatrist will be looking to diagnose any underlying mental health issues in the pet (it is not uncommon for pets to suffer disorders such as depression). If it is felt appropriate, medication may be used to help treat the mental health issues, in a very similar way it is used in humans. Medication may be used to offer immediate relief of symptoms for the pet but the psychiatrist will then work carefully to make environmental adaptations or to reduce the stress felt by the pet in the presence of their triggers. The ultimate goal will always be to remove the pet from the medication regime once the triggers in the environment are determined to have been sufficiently modified or dealt with.
Thank you to psychologyschools.com for this information. Please let us know if this helps!
Have a meowvelous day!
Ernie
DJ Sheetz
2001-2017
Hanky Benny Berkheimer
2012 - 2020
Tramp
1999-2013