Spiritual Straight Talk

Caring is an extension of the love you hold inside.

Is it possible to care to much? It feels good to help others, but that can also be a source of stress and overwhelm. This is what I recently experienced as a Red Cross Shelter Volunteer. I volunteered as a Shelter worker at the McKinney Fire in Northern California. This was a two-week commitment with 12 hour day work shifts, and one day off. California wildfires are a yearly event due to years of drought. Every summer, July through November, wildfires break out in our beautiful forests, disrupting wildlife, people, homes and businesses.

I volunteer with Red Cross because their mission is a part of my life’s mission – to help others relieve suffering through compassionate care in times of need. Listen in and hear what I experienced deploying to the shelter for the McKinney Fire.

Ahhh, summer time! Summer is time for heading outdoors to explore, play, walk and have adventures. With the summer fun, however, comes the summer heat. Depending on where you live, summers can get very hot.

We tend to take precautions for ourselves in summer heat using sunscreen, wearing sunglasses, drinking more water to stay hydrated, finding shade to cool off. Just as we are weather wise for our own wellbeing, we need to take extra precautions to protect our four legged friends. One of the most common injuries that dogs get during the summer is a burned paw. Your dog’s paws have footpads, as do cats, that can usually handle whatever they walk upon. However, a lot of human-made surfaces can burn a dog or outdoor cat’s paws, including pavement, concrete, asphalt, metal and sidewalks.

Listen in and hear the signs of heat stress and heat stroke, and better understand how quickly man-made surfaces, including vehicles, heat up.

Every year in the United States we celebrate our country’s Independence Day. While this is a fun celebration for many, for others it is filled with fear, stress and anxiety.

I care deeply about animals and people. The stress of fireworks on pets, domesticated animals, people and wild animals is unnecessary and harmful. When an animal is subjected to constant stressful events such as fireworks explosions, the animal can develop some psychological or behavioral long-term effects. This is what happened for our dog Odie, who now suffers from generalized anxiety.

The only way to end the chaos of fireworks is for all neighborhood fireworks and illegal fireworks to stop. In the meantime, here are some tips from the American Kennel Club to help you support your pet during this stressful event:

* Make sure your pet always has a safe, comfortable and quiet place to hide, either in a closet, under a piece of furniture or in their crate.* Make sure your pet has a current ID tag or is microchipped.* Keep toys and long-lasting treats in your pet’s safe area to make the area more fun and to provide distractions from loud noises and flashes.* Make time to exercise during daylight hours; then keep them all safely indoors before the fireworks begin.* Avoid outdoor potty breaks during fireworks or put them on a leash and make it quick.* At dusk, close your windows and blinds and turn on music or your television to muffle the loud noises created by social gatherings and the booming thunder of fireworks. We also use a large air filter on high speed to create white noise.* Put your pets in the car and drive somewhere remote where there are no fireworks.* Thundershirt has been shown to help some cats and dogs. Its cradles the pet’s body like swaddling to provide comfort. That has not helped our pets.* There are many herbal calming supplements on the market, but I have found most do not work well for this higher stress level event.* Contact your vet to discuss further options to decrease firework-related trauma in pets.

We have made the choice to give up fireworks at home for our pet’s sanity and our neighbors wellbeing. I invite you to consider extinguishing personal fireworks from your holiday plans. There are many fun ways to celebrate this July 4!

May you have a safe, sane, peaceful July 4 wherever you are! Thanks for listening in today and remember love makes all things possible.

March is Pet Toxin Prevention Month, so let’s talk about pets and toxins!

As an animal lover you want to keep your pet safe and healthy. Some pets are very adventurous and curious, getting into things that can cause them trouble. Household toxins are a common source of pet poisoning. Potential toxins lurk everywhere in the home, in the bathroom, the kitchen, the laundry room, the garage, the backyard.

Listen in a learn about the ASPCA’s top ten toxins that are in our home.

Contact the following poison control hotlines:

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888) 426-4435

24/7 Pet Poison Control Center (855) 764-7661

Free Download of Poisonous Plant Information:

DOGS: https://www.dog-health-guide.org/support-files/poisonous-plants-dogs.pdf

CATS: https://www.cat-world.com/plants-toxic-to-cats.pdf

Animals are God’s creation. I have always marveled at a pet’s ability to love unconditionally. A person can treat an animal horribly and still love. They give their love freely in so many different ways. Their love is comforting, caring, expressive, exciting, and beautiful. Animals know how to forgive. Your pet loves you no matter what! All of those qualities come from our Holy Spirit who is love.

Spirit partners with pets to help us be better people. Listen in to learn more!

Have you read Tales from the Heart? Then enter the Prize Giveaway! Learn more here:

https://www.facebook.com/talesfromtheheart.suzannethibault

As an animal lover, you understand the love a pet provides. The love you share runs deep and is a sanctuary for you. Whenever anything goes wrong, your pet is always there with you, never judging you, just quietly supporting you.Many times pets are acting as our Soul guides. In other words, the support a pet provides actually is deeper than we might realize. My dog Abby is a great example of this. I share our story in Tales from the Heart that illustrates how she guides me in life.To continue the celebration of Tales from the Heart and ALL pet relationships, we are extending the Prize Giveaway! To enter, read Tales from the Heart and leave an honest review on Amazon. Then email [email protected] your review and you are entered into the drawing. Deadline to enter is March 31, 2022.

Want to check out the amazing prizes? Visit the Tales from the Heart Facebook Community.

Tales from the Heart, Pet Relationship Love Stories is now available on Amazon for only 99 cents on Kindle and free to read with Kindle Unlimited.

Pets help us open our hearts to new possibilities in life. When you broaden your perspective, you can see the magical, therapeutic relationship you share with animals. That’s what the stories in Tales from the Heart provides.

In Tales from the Heart you will discover heartwarming pet relationship love stories that illustrate the deep connection between human beings and animals. Enjoy stories of animals who have shown courage, unconditional acceptance, and determination. Stories of animals who help us experience and have greater appreciation of our natural world. Memories shared of beloved pets who opened hearts and changed lives. It is your pet’s unconditional love that provides a sanctuary and shining light to your soul.

Listen in and learn more about this heartwarming, inspiring book!

To learn more about the Prize Giveaway, visit the Tales from the Heart Facebook Community.

Introducing Joy Howard and Karen Takayama, Guest Chapter Authors in Tales from the Heart. This is part of the special series of interviews in celebration of Tales from the Heart.

Joy and her dog Andy share the deepest relationship I have ever witnessed. Their love with each other knows no bounds! Karen and her cat Yogz share a similarly heaven sent relationship. Both realize their pets are supporting their lives and opening their hearts.

This special series of interviews in leading up to the launch of Tales from the Heart: Pet Relationship Love Stories coming to Amazon January 27!

Come join us in the Tales from the Heart Facebook Community. We will be giving away fabulous prizes!

Welcome back to the special series of interviews with Tales from the Heart Guest Chapter Authors! These interviews are in celebration of my upcoming book, Tales from the Heart. This book features 11 Guest Chapter Authors who share their personal pet relationship stories.

Meet Tales from the Heart Guest Chapter Author Suzanne Ellison. Learn a bit about her amazing pet relationship with Grunt, her former pet pig. Suzanne is a big animal advocate who learns from animals and appreciates their love.

This special series of interviews in leading up to the launch of Tales from the Heart: Pet Relationship Love Stories coming to Amazon January 27!