From the Cat Cafe to Bowling for Paws
Does your dog have what it takes to be a therapy dog? Find out at lectures and seminars Friday through Sunday presented by CARMAA — Coalition to Adopt, Rehome and Match Abandoned Animals.
Suzanne Clothier, a dog trainer and author known internationally, will be speaking and doing training demonstrations at Animal Friends in Ohio Township.
The Friday lecture is 6:30 to 9 p.m. for $40. The seminars are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday for $175 or both days for $325.
There are 10 available “working spots” each day, for an additional $50. People in those spots bring their own dogs to work with Ms. Clothier. To register for any of the sessions go to carmaa-petadoption.com.
Pet prayer blankets
Sunday is the date of the next Pet Prayer
Blankets social, and if you come early and pay in advance you can paint you own pet.
The painting is noon to 2:30 p.m. at American Legion Trafford, 216 Trafford Ave., and then until 4 p.m. they’ll be making no-sew fleece blankets for sick pets. As part of the group’s monthly social, members teach others how to make the blankets. All you need to do is cut the edges of fleece into strips and then tie knots around the edges.
To sign up for the painting go to petprayerblankets.com, though it might be too late to get into this event.
Cat Cafe session
Foster families are a key cog in the rescue and shelter world, but how does that work? How do you integrate foster cats into your own family, with your own pets?
An experienced foster person will explain that at an informative session at a very interesting venue: The Colony Cafe in the Strip District, which is a “bistro and cat cafe,” according to the Facebook Page.
On Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. an experienced foster person from Steel City Adventure Cats will be on hand to explain how fostering works at various local rescues. There will be a 30-minute discussion and Q&A session.
People who pay $15 for tickets will then get to spend an hour with the adoptable cats in the upstairs loft. Food and drinks can be purchased from the kitchen and bar. It’s at 1125 Penn Ave.
Go to the Colony Cafe Facebook page to get tickets.
Paint your pet
Paint your pet’s portrait on wine glasses, beer steins or coffee mugs at a March 21 (7-9 p.m.) event that benefits the
Friends of Jupiter Pet Walk and Western Pennsylvania Search and Rescue & Development Center.
March 14 is the deadline for ordering tickets, which are $45 for one pet and $50 for two pets. The ticket cost also covers appetizers, desserts and drinks. Small baskets will be raffled and there also will be a 50-50 raffle.
March 14 is also the deadline to email a photo of your pet. You can do that here, where you can also buy tickets: friendsofjupiter.wixsite.com.
Tickets can be ordered by mail. Make checks out to Northcentral Maltese Rescue and mail to PO Box 14006, Pittsburgh 15239.
The sixth annual Friends of Jupiter Pet Walk is April 26 in Boyce Park. The event started out as a fundraiser to rescue Maltese dogs, but has expanded to help other breeds and mixed breeds at multiple organizations. Bowling for Paws
People will bowl on March 15 to help the homeless animals with Paws Across Pittsburgh. The event is 3 to 5 p.m. at Nesbits Lanes, 3501 Leechburg Road, Plum.
Go to pawsacrosspittsburgh.com/ events to buy a $20 ticket that covers two hours of bowling, shoe rental, pizza and pop. There will also be auction baskets and a 50-50 raffle. Pet First Aid
Would you know what to do if your pet ate your prescription medication? People who sign up for the Pet First Aid Certification class will learn what to do about that and other animal emergencies.
The five-hour class is sponsored by Chartiers Custom Pet Cremation on April 4 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Bridgeville Public Library. Advance registration is required.
The class is especially good for people who work with pets, including pet sitters. Lessons learned include CPR on cat and dog mannequins.
Topics covered include assessing pets’ vital signs, assembling a pet first aid kit, snout to tail wellness assessment and emergency preparedness for your pets.
People will learn how to deal with bleeding, choking, heat stroke, hypothermia, fractures and limb injuries, poisoning, bloat, bites and stings.
The class is taught by Karen Sable of Pet Emergency Training LLC.
At the end of the class participants get a certificate of training. The class is free, but to reserve a space you must provide a $20 deposit that will be returned to you when you arrive at the class or if you give 48 hours notice that you cannot attend. Call 412-220-7800 to register. Best in Rescue Show
Two nights of what producers call “furry, fierce competition” ended with the crowning of Sugar as Best in Rescue on the “2020 American Rescue Dog Show,” televised on Hallmark Channel.
Sugar, a German shepherd mix, won in her category of Belly Rubs.
Sugar and her three 1-week-old puppies were sent to a shelter in Riverside, Calif. The whole canine family was taken into The Furgotten rescue. The pups were quickly adopted when they came of age, but it took a while longer for Sugar to find what rescuers call her “furever home.”
Sugar’s big win pumped $35,000 in prize money into The Furgotten coffers.
Go to hallmarkchannel.com/americanrescue-dog-show to see all the category winners and to view reruns of the show that aired Feb. 18.
The Pedigree Foundation provided $100,000 in prize money.
The other competition categories are Couch Potato, Ears, Senior, Snoring, Special Needs, “Talking,” Underbite, Wiggling and Wrinkles.
Each dog won $5,000 for the rescue or shelter that saved them.