Doug and Cory Bond

My sister and her family recently lost their horse who was a big part of their world for more than 20 years. Very sad and it was thought that Kokanee was going to get better.  We pet owners cringe at the thought of losing one. Doug and Cory Bond deal with this regularly because the original pet owners did not have the integrity or means to stand by their pet.

These two retired police officers in Saanich British Columbia Canada take in abandoned, often ill older dogs to give them comfort and care during their remaining days. The vet bills are considerable, the sad days always near and the sense that they are making a difference always there.

As an aside one has to wonder how many of these dogs were abandoned because of inflated drug prices charged by unscrupulous veterinarians...refer CBC "Marketplace" episode.

Back to Doug and Cory - What can one say about people like this?
Read more at http://www.timescolonist.com/life/Couple+puts+hearts+souls+into+helping+sick+dogs/4080239/story.html

www.patbayreflective.com sends kudos to Doug and Cory...

Folks under 44 - The number one cause of death

I was reading a website today. The site is very much in tune with what we at Pat Bay Reflective are trying to do > Prevent Accidents. The site is www.preventable.ca and is full of great information. These folks take a proactive view of accidents prevention. Even though preventable accidents are the number one killer for people up to the age of 44 in the Canadian province of British Columbia the good news is that this is something that people can actually do something about. By practicing common sense and being fully cognizant of the 'what if' factor we can reduce these deaths and injuries.
The 'what if' factor is what operational managers refer to as contingency planning. > What if that technician cannot solve the problem? What are the options?
In terms of accident prevention I adopt this "what if"operating principal to reflect the need to plan to work, play and rest safely. What if a car cannot see me at this corner? What if the wood stove chimney leaks? What if I lose my dog at night? What if I drink and drive? What if I am not properly trained on a motorcycle or scooter? Dealing with these questions and resolving the issues will keep you and yours safe. Think "What if?"

Be Safe, Be Seen in 2011
www.patbayreflective.com

The Police and Helping our Elderly

The following is a great story about help; help provided by two policeman to an elderly gentleman in need. If the police authorities encouraged cops more in this area and the media publicized these good deeds to a greater extent we would be in a better place. Tragic stories of "bad shoots" such as the deaf man in Seattle and police corruption are important but let's remember that the average cop has integrity,courage and a sense of social responsibility clearly illustrated in this report from Victoria BC's Time-Colonist (who deserve kudos) ---

Police help 95-year-old loner, his pension cheques uncashed

 

 

By Lindsay Kines, Times Colonist December 18, 2010 

 

 

A pair of Victoria police officers played Good Samaritans to a 95-year-old man who was discovered living alone in an apartment without heat or lighting, despite having thousands of dollars in uncashed pension cheques.
Constables Jan Malinosky and Rebecca Pollock responded to a 911 call from a “confused elderly male” in the Hillside Shopping Centre area on Thursday afternoon. The officers found the man in good condition, but with no heat or lighting in his apartment.
The officers — Pollock is just three weeks out of training, while Malinosky has about 10 years on the job — checked with B.C. Hydro, and discovered the man was behind on his payments.
Yet a quick look around his apartment revealed that he had a number of uncashed pension cheques “in the area of thousands of dollars,” said Staff Sgt. Kerry Panton, who supervises the officers’ shift,
A Watch.
The officers got the man to write out a cheque to B.C. Hydro, deposited his pension money in the bank for him, paid his bill and arranged for a victims services worker to sit with him until an emergency crew restored the power.
The following night, the officers went back to check on the man, and took him some groceries.
“He was cosy,” Panton said.
Meanwhile, police alerted agencies to make sure someone checks on the man and determines if it is safe for him to be living alone, and to ensure he receives proper care.
Panton praised his officers’ compassionate and “outstanding” work on the file.
“It’s what we often do — the side that people don’t see,” he said.
Police hope to find the man’s family. But if they are unsuccessful, he will not be forgotten over the holiday, Panton said. “If he’s alone on Christmas night,
A Watch is working again, so we’ll make sure he’s got Christmas dinner.”

© Copyright (c) The Victoria Times Colonist

Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/Police+help+year+loner+pension+cheques+uncashed/3999658/story.html#ixzz18aCjF8fg

Budd Stewart
Pat Bay International Inc.
www.patbayreflective.com

Now hold on...

The rain was coming down in fifty gallon drums a few days ago. I saw a lady walking her dog accompanied somewhat reluctantly by who could only have been very good friend. The walker was out of breath, stumbling and bedraggled, the friend was shivering, her shoulders well rounded as the rain came down.

The closest house was at least two hundred yards distant, the traffic was steady and the spray off the tires added to the misery. The walker struggled to hold on to her dog and her sanity I expect. They surely realized that the ditch was becoming a small river as the rain came down.

There are moments that freeze in our memory and this will be one of mine. The two bedraggled walkers in the rain with the Labrador furiously wagging his tail nose to the ground oblivious to all except the fading scent as the rain came down.

Obesity in Pets - Out of Control

When Pat Bay was recognized for having one of the Top Ten Pet Fitness Products for 2010 for our 3M reflective leash and collar covers I had no idea what or who the APOP (Association for Pet Obesity Prevention) was. The competition was run internal to the APOP so the product providers had no idea their products were being reviewed and considered.

The APOP has an important message to pass on. If you want your pet to live as long as possible then keep them fit. It appears that we are not doing a very good job as the following figures from the 2009 APOP study will attest:

• An Estimated 51.5% of Dogs and Cats in the United States are Overweight or Obese
  • An Estimated 89 million US Dogs and Cats are Overweight or Obese

• An Estimated 15% of US Dogs and Cats are Obese
  • An Estimated 26 million US Pets are Obese

• An Estimated 45% of US Dogs are Overweight or Obese (BCS 4-5)
• An Estimated 8.6% of US Dogs are Obese (BCS 5)
  • 35 million US Dogs are estimated to be Overweight or Obese
  • 6.7 million US Dogs are estimated to be Obese

• An Estimated 58% of US Cats are Overweight or Obese (BCS 4-5)
• An Estimated 21.4% of US Cats are Obese (BCS 5)
  • 54 million US Cats are estimated to be Overweight or Obese
  • 20 million US Cats are estimated to be Obese

  2009 US Pet Population (Source:  American Pet Products Manufacturers Association)
  Dogs	77.5 million
  Cats	93.6 million
  Total Dogs and Cats	171 million

• Approximately 62% of US households own at least one pet = 71.4 million homes

Did you realize a 12 pound Yorkie is the same as an average female weighing 218 pounds and a 14 pound cat is equivalent to a 237 pound man? Did you consider that a 90 pound female Labrador retriever is equal to a 186 pound 5’ 4” female or 217 pound 5’ 9” male or a fluffy feline that weighs 15 pounds is equal to a 218 pound 5’ 4” female or 254 pound 5’ 9” male? Source -APOP


So when you consider giving your dog or cat that extra cupcake or whatever it is think again. That is of course if you want to keep your pet around. They get many of the same diseases we get if we are obese or overweight. Have a look at the APOP website. Some interesting tools and information.

Have to run and take some food out of Jindo's dish!

Be Safe

The one absolutely unselfish...

friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog....When all friends desert, he remains." - George Graham Vest in a speech to the US Senate in 1884.

16 Pedestrians Hit in 48 hours

An article on November 18th in the Toronto Star written by Daniela Germano which reported that 16 pedestrians were hit and injured by vehicles within 48 hours and this was during a week long campaign to improve pedestrian safety during which over 13,000 tickets were issued to negligent drivers. Combine shorter days with the dark clothing people wear with negligent drivers....the result should not be surprising. Keeping people safe is a shared responsibility between the driver, the pedestrian and the police. Visibility by wearing something white or reflective gear www.patbayreflective.com makes a big difference.

A female driver who police said struck a 10-year-old pedestrian and drove away was flagged down by a witness and convinced to turn back.
The young girl is the 16th pedestrian to be struck by a car in Toronto in the last 48 hours.
Just after 8 a.m. Thursday police were called to the scene at Coronation Dr. and Galloway Rd. in the city’s east end.
The driver of the van had initially left the scene, but was present during the police investigation, said Const. Isabelle Cotton.
Police said they have not laid charges yet because are still investigating whether the driver fled the scene deliberately.
The girl was taken to hospital and sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
On Wednesday morning, another 50-year-old pedestrian was struck by a truck in the High Park area and later succumbed to her injuries.
The darker skies during commuting times and the windy wet weather that hit Toronto this week contributed to the increase in pedestrian-related accidents in the last 48 hours, said Sgt. Tim Burrows of Traffic Services.
 The majority of the calls were of minor incidents that involved children or people over 60.
“Traffic Services are always called to monitor those calls, even if they aren’t serious,” said Burrows. “In those cases, injuries could turn out to be more serious than they seem.”
He added the increase this time of year is also due to darker clothing people usually wear and “pedestrians often keep their head down to fare the elements.”
On Sunday, police concluded their week-long campaign for pedestrian safety. During that time, more than 13,000 tickets were issued to negligent drivers.
More than 1,000 were issued to jaywalking pedestrians.
The same amount were also issued to drivers who ran red lights and made improper turns at traffic lights, among many other traffic offences.