Animals 4 God

Animals 4 God has started the Reading Program again! It is the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at New Song UMC. Children come and read to our dogs. This improves their reading and they love and are loved by our dogs.

Zoey passed her evaluation and was able to attend the Reading Program on March 8th. To say Zoey was extremely happy is an understatement! We had 22 children there! We had four dogs there, too. Next month I will try to get some pics of the others.

This is just a little early, but here is February's article!

Happy Valentine’s Day from Animals 4 God! We hope you have had a good start to your new year and the rest of the year will be even better!

This month, I would like to share a few safety tips for those of us who have dogs. The first tip is about “Toxins.” Most of us dog parents know that chocolate is poison for our dogs, but did you know onions are, too? “Unfortunately, there are many things your dog may eat or touch that are poisonous. There are tons of toxic food, plants, chemicals and other substances that can endanger your dog. Learn which ones are most likely to poison your dog” (Stregowski, Jenna), and take care to not expose them to your fur-baby.

Water Safety: “Not all dogs can (or will) swim” (Stregowski, Jenna). There are some breeds that know how to swim instinctively, such as Goldens and Labradors. “Some dogs can’t swim and need to be taught. Don’t assume your dog knows how to swim, no matter the breed” (Stregowski, Jenna). There are also some dogs that hate or are afraid of water, and will not even attempt to try. So, if your dog won’t go into the water, don’t push it, he is just not interested.

Summer and Winter Weather: Most of us in the Valley are aware of how dangerous the heat can be for our dogs. We should know not to leave our dog alone in the car for any amount of time, or outside for extended amounts of time. Dogs do get sunburn, heat stroke, and dehydrated. These, at the least will make your dog uncomfortable, but they can also be fatal.

Winter in the Valley is not a huge concern, as our temperatures do not usually drop below freezing, but colder temps can still be dangerous for our dogs. Be certain to keep an eye on your pupper no matter the weather – just to keep them safe.

CAN YOU HELP?...
We are passionate about bringing the healing effect of dogs’ unconditional love into the lives of people in the community, especially those who are home-bound or in a medical facility. Becoming a therapy dog team involves a bit of work beforehand, but the effort is well worth it. If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a Dog/Handler team for therapy work, please contact us at: [email protected].

Interested in becoming a part of our ministry? You don’t have to own a pet or even be a member of New Song to join. You just need to have a desire to serve God by planning and participating in activities which involve enriching the lives of others by sharing our pets. We also strive to do God’s will as He challenges us to care for all the animals of the Earth by hosting educational activities with guest speakers and organizing collection events to donate to area shelters. We meet at the church on the fourth Saturday of the month at 9:00 a.m.

Stregowski, Jenna, (2019, June 26), 10 Safety Tips for Dog Owners, Retrieved January 9, 2022 from

10 Ways to Keep Your Dog Safe All loving dog owners want to keep their dogs safe so learn about various hazards in your dog's world and find out how to keep your dog out of harm's way.

As usual, I am behind. This is December's Newsletter article:

Animals 4 God is pleased to share the number of animals that were blessed at the Annual Pet Blessing on November 14th. We had three (3) dogs, one (1) kitten, one (1) Guinea pig, and one (1) rabbit. We also had 15 adults.

We hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful and would also like to wish you a very Merry Christmas!

As I am sure you are aware of how expensive it is to take your pet to the vet, so this month I want to see if I can explain the reasons for this. For the most part, “veterinarians are not in it for the money. If all they cared about was money, they would have gone into another field, like human medicine or dentistry. It is extremely difficult to get into vet school” (Stregowski, Jenna). Therefore, you can “trust that your vet became a vet because she really wanted to work with animals” (Stregowski, Jenna).

Considering that a vet goes to school for the same amount of time as a med student, and the cost of that schooling is similar. “However, the average salary for veterinarians is less than half of what medical doctors make” (Stregowski, Jenna).

We must also consider their expenses. They must hire well-trained and skilled staff, as well as have equipment, supplies, and facility costs. Also, it is a business and they need to show a profit to keep their business thriving.

There are ways to save money on vet care, though. You can look for a non-profit or low cost vet. You should also talk with your vet in advance to see if she offers any discounts. “Most vets will do anything possible to work within your budget” (Stregowski, Jenna).

You might also consider purchasing a pet insurance policy. There are several policies available on the Internet, so you might start looking there.

The main thing is to do your research to find a good vet you can trust. When all is said and done, “you must simply to what is best for your dog” (Stregowski, Jenna).

CAN YOU HELP?...
We are passionate about bringing the healing effect of dogs’ unconditional love into the lives of people in the community, especially those who are home-bound or in a medical facility. Becoming a therapy dog team involves a bit of work beforehand, but the effort is well worth it. If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a Dog/Handler team for therapy work, please contact us at: [email protected].

Interested in becoming a part of our ministry? You don’t have to own a pet or even be a member of New Song to join. You just need to have a desire to serve God by planning and participating in activities which involve enriching the lives of others by sharing our pets. We also strive to do God’s will as He challenges us to care for all the animals of the Earth by hosting educational activities with guest speakers and organizing collection events to donate to area shelters. We meet at the church on the fourth Saturday of the month at 9:00 a.m.

Stregowski, Jenna, (2021, January 13) Understanding the Costs of Veterinarian Care, Retrieved October 9.2021 from

Why Is My Vet So Expensive? Why are veterinarians so expensive? Is veterinary care that pricey, or are people underestimating its value? Learn the truth about vet bills.

This is November's Newsletter article.
Animals 4 God would like to invite all of you with a pet of any kind, to come to the Annual Pet Blessing on November 14th at 12:15 p.m. Your pets should be leashed, crated or caged to ensure everyone’s safety.

As almost everyone knows, the bond between dogs and humans is awesome! We show our love for our furry family members by giving belly rubs, ear scratches, head pats, and so on. Most of our pets love being petted, and some, like our Zoey, insist on it. However, have you ever wondered why your dog loves being petted so much?

Well, it would seem dogs are more than happy to communicate with us on our own terms, accepting things that they might not accept from peers of their own species, such as hugs and sustained direct eye contact” (Mueller, Laura).

Also, dogs have formed “a chemical bond with us. When we pet, snuggle, or otherwise interact with them, both of us experience a surge in oxytocin, also known as the love hormone” (Mueller, Laura).

But it is not 100% science-based, either. Most dogs simply like to be petted.

There are some dogs that do not like to be petted. This may be because of their personality or they “may be recovering from some sort of trauma and may feel stressed or defensive when a human touches them. It could also be the case that your dog is simply relaxing and isn’t in the mood for pets at a specific moment” (Mueller, Laura).

There are plenty of ways to bond with your dog, so don’t take it personally if he/she doesn’t want to be petted at times.

According to Laura Mueller, there are signs your dog may not want to be petted, and these include:
• Moving or leaning their body away from you
• Tucking their tail
• Pinning their ears back
• Continually yawning or licking their lips
• Growling or snapping at you

If you want to pet a dog that isn’t yours, always get permission from the dog’s caregiver first and approach the dog from the side. Allow the dog to sniff your hand, with the palm facing down, and the top of the head should be avoided.

CAN YOU HELP?...
We are passionate about bringing the healing effect of dogs’ unconditional love into the lives of people in the community, especially those who are home-bound or in a medical facility. Becoming a therapy dog team involves a bit of work beforehand, but the effort is well worth it. If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a Dog/Handler team for therapy work, please contact us at: [email protected].

Interested in becoming a part of our ministry? You don’t have to own a pet or even be a member of New Song to join. You just need to have a desire to serve God by planning and participating in activities which involve enriching the lives of others by sharing our pets. We also strive to do God’s will as He challenges us to care for all the animals of the Earth by hosting educational activities with guest speakers and organizing collection events to donate to area shelters. We meet at the church on the fourth Saturday of the month at 9:00 a.m.

Mueller, Laura, (2021, August 27) Why Dogs Like Being Pet, Retrieved September 14, 2021 from

Why Dogs Like Being Pet—Plus How to Safely Pet an Unfamiliar Dog Why do some dogs like being pet and others don't? Here's what to know about petting dogs, plus some quick tips on how to pet a dog that isn't yours.

October Newsletter article:

Animals 4 God has some sad news thanks to the COVID numbers going up again. Our Reading Program is back on hold. We plan to begin again just as soon as the numbers will allow us to do so safely.

However, we do have some wonderful news! Zoey passed her first set of training classes! And after having been gone for nine (9) weeks, Scott is home from the hospital. One of my biggest worries was that Zoey, who loves to jump, would jump on Scott and knock him down, and we would be back in the ER. I am amazed and thrilled to say that Zoey was an absolute angel when Scott came home. This was a true test of her training, and thank God, it paid off!

This month, Animal 4 God is going to focus a little bit on foods that are not safe for your pets to eat. Some of these, I am sure you are aware of, but a couple were surprises to me.

The first is grapes and raisins. These “are toxic to both cats and dogs and can lead to acute kidney failure and even death (Kucera, Tabitha). It seems that the dried versions may cause more severe symptoms if eaten.

The second is Caffeine – Coffee, Tea, and Sodas. “Research suggests caffeine is lethal at 70 mg per 1 pound of body weight” (Kucera, Tabitha). This means that four (4) teaspoons of instant coffee, which contains 60 mg. of caffeine, can be fatal for a five (5) pound dog.

Number three (3) is Chocolate and Cocoa. “Chocolate is toxic because it contains a chemical called theobromine, as well as caffeine. Theobromine is is the predominant toxin in chocolate and is very similar to caffeine” (Kucera, Tabitha). And one (1) very important thing to remember is that the “darker the chocolate, the larger amount of theobromine…it contains” (Kucera, Tabitha).

A fourth thing that is toxic to our dogs is Xylitol. This is common sugar substitute, and can be fatal even in small amounts. It is often found in toothpaste, vitamin supplements, sugar-free chewing gum, “a small handful of peanut butter brands and other ‘low sugar’ or sugar-free products” (Kucera, Tabitha). It can cause liver damage to dogs, and people and cats do not experience this problem.

This next one surprised me, but it is onions and garlic. This also includes chives, leeks, and other plants of the Allium species. This includes fresh, powdered, or dried forms, and are toxic to both cats and dgos.

More toxic than onions if raw garlic, whether powder or fresh.

“Cats and Japanese breeds of dogs (Akita, Shiba Inu) are even more sensitive to the effects of these plants.

Foods that are SAFE for our pets are “apples, peas, green beans, carrots, sweet potatoes, zucchini, summer squash, Easy Chese, peanut butter (without xylitol), white rice, plain boiled chicken, and cucumbers” (Kucera, Tabitha). Our Zoey loves chicken and cheese, but turns her nose up at peanut butter, apples and carrots.

So, if you think your pet may have consumed any of the “toxic” foods, call the Pet Poison Helpline and your vet immediately. “These toxicities can be treated, but it’s important to seek medical attention as early as possible” (Kucera, Tabitha).

CAN YOU HELP?...
We are passionate about bringing the healing effect of dogs’ unconditional love into the lives of people in the community, especially those who are home-bound or in a medical facility. Becoming a therapy dog team involves a bit of work beforehand, but the effort is well worth it. If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a Dog/Handler team for therapy work, please contact us at: [email protected].

Interested in becoming a part of our ministry? You don’t have to own a pet or even be a member of New Song to join. You just need to have a desire to serve God by planning and participating in activities which involve enriching the lives of others by sharing our pets. We also strive to do God’s will as He challenges us to care for all the animals of the Earth by hosting educational activities with guest speakers and organizing collection events to donate to area shelters. We meet at the church on the fourth Saturday of the month at 9:00 a.m.

Kucera RFT, CCBC, KPA-CT, Tabitha (2020, May 27) 5 Common Foods in Your Pantry that are not Safe for Your Pets, Retrieved July 16, 2021 from

5 Foods That Are Toxic to Pets (and Some Healthy Alternatives) One potato chip is not going to hurt your pet, but there are other foods that can. Learn which to avoid and some safe foods that can be used as treats.