Friday, February 26, 2010
Hi Folks. Just a quick reminder of our trip to the Animal Grooming Centre in NCF stores in Sligo tomorrow afternoon.We are leaving at 2pm and will be back at 3.50pm.
For further information from the NCF website please click here.
A short documentary on dog pounds in Ireland.
Watch the video from Limerick Animal Welfare Sanctuary. Limerick Animal Welfare is an voluntary orginization that recues and cares for unwanted and abused animals and then finds loving homes for them. A very powerful video showing us what people can do do abused and neglected animals.
The course focuses on the basic skills needed by individuals in order to assist Doctors of Veterinary Medicine in the overall health care, handling and restraint, and disease diagnosis and prevention of large and small animals.
Jenny is X-rayed
Jenny the Giraffe won't keep still as the team get ready to x-ray her hooves on Animal A&E.
We are planning to visit Eagles Flying in Ballymote this year. Here is some information about the centre:
Situated amid the beautiful landscape of North-West Ireland is Eagles Flying, the largest Centre for Birds of Prey and Owls in the country.
Watch our shows! GET UP CLOSE TO THE MASTERS OF THE SKY!!!
Experience some of the biggest birds of prey in the world flying right over your head or landing next to you. Watch different species of eagles hunting on prey-dummies in their natural environment. Be astonished about the arrowlike flight of the falcons and the amazing intelligence of the vultures.
During the Flying Demonstrations scientists share with you the biology of the raptors and their important role in nature and questions will gladly be answered.
Educating you about these birds also means safeguarding these endangered species for future generations as you will learn how to do your part in protecting our Nature.
The IRISH RAPTOR RESEARCH CENTRE is a scientifically managed sanctuary for Birds of Prey and Owls.
Situated on 27 hectares, the sanctuary is home to about 350 birds and animals out of 75 species.
Established in 1999 the centre was originally set up for research purposes only, but as a consequence of increasing interest and local awareness, it was decided to open parts of the centre to visitors.
In the summer of 2003 EAGLES FLYING introduced its birds to the first eager visitors and numbers continue to increase every year.
The Eagles Flying Show is both fun and educational for the whole family! The scientists on hand present information on each of the birds and raptors in general and if you ever had a question about a bird of prey - well, here you go - just ask!
As the sanctuary became better known, people from all over started bringing in injured birds and other helpless wildlife. We try to heal all these patients and if possible return them to their natural home. This hospital and rehabilitation sector is now the most time consuming and labour intensive department at the centre.
They cooperate with international Zoos breeding endangered species for reintroduction-programmes. In 2007 the Irish Raptor Research Centre / Eagles Flying received the accreditation as EU-Zoo.
Situated on 27 hectares, the sanctuary is home to about 350 birds and animals out of 75 species.
Established in 1999 the centre was originally set up for research purposes only, but as a consequence of increasing interest and local awareness, it was decided to open parts of the centre to visitors.
In the summer of 2003 EAGLES FLYING introduced its birds to the first eager visitors and numbers continue to increase every year.
The Eagles Flying Show is both fun and educational for the whole family! The scientists on hand present information on each of the birds and raptors in general and if you ever had a question about a bird of prey - well, here you go - just ask!
As the sanctuary became better known, people from all over started bringing in injured birds and other helpless wildlife. We try to heal all these patients and if possible return them to their natural home. This hospital and rehabilitation sector is now the most time consuming and labour intensive department at the centre.
They cooperate with international Zoos breeding endangered species for reintroduction-programmes. In 2007 the Irish Raptor Research Centre / Eagles Flying received the accreditation as EU-Zoo.
For more information please consult the Eagles Flying Website.
by Seán Kirwan from Denobi.com Having a website is becoming a must these days. However, it is hard to know exactly what you need and where to start. Denobi have taken the time to outline what is happening out there and what you need to make the most of your Web presence. Today more than 80% of Irish Dog Groomers are not on the web, 10% of the Dog Groomers that are online are difficult to find, leaving the remaining 10% of Dog Grooming websites (a very select few), taking a very large chunk of the dog grooming business online. Each month an average 6,000 searches are performed by people looking to find dog groomers in Ireland. That’s a lot of business. So… Where do you begin With so much happening online, it can be difficult to know what to do. Statement’s like “You’ve gotta be on Facebook! Twitter is just incredible. How often do you blog, what’s your blog….” leave even the most technical scratching their heads. Here’s a quick breakdown of what steps you should take for your business in order of priority… Step 1 - A small website Having a website is the first step. It is similar to the foundation of you house, if it’s done right it will last, done wrong and your left with a big bill and nothing to show for it. Here’s what your website should have and do: • It needs to tell people about what services you provide and if any of those services are unique to you. • It needs to look professional. Be sure that it’s presents well; a poor website can damage you business. • Make it easy for someone to contact you, eg. if you don’t have time to check your email, ask people to call you. Step 2- Promote your website on Google Google is the number 1 tool in the world for searching and finding information. It has become global success because it so easy to use, it’s even become a verb! It makes billions because it charges businesses for advertising and it’s now the world’s biggest advertising company. You can promote yourself on Google in 3 ways. Here’s a quick breakdown of each: 1. Local Business Results in Google In the last 12 months in Ireland Google has slowly started to show more and more local businesses in its results. Google Local Business Results has made it possible for small operators to get a piece of the online action without having to pay for advertising. It is a free service. You can get you business a large amount of attention very quickly without spending a penny with Google. It is recommended that you have a professional company to setup the account for you (from €50 to €200 depending on the company). 2. Google Adwords – Paid Advertising Online Google makes money by auctioning off advertising space on it search results. The more advertisers there are, the most expensive it is to advertise. Google charges you every time someone clicks on your advert and visits your website (Pay Per Click). The adverts appear at the top and right hand side of the results. The service is extremely popular because it’s very cheap and it’s easy to see how many customers you’re getting. It is recommended that you have a professional company setup the Adwords account for you (from €250 to €500). 3 Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)– Getting to page 1 for free! SEO refers to the process of getting a website to page 1 on Google without using Pay per Click Advertising. For those websites that are listed Google uses an incredibly complex calculation when it decides which search position to allocate. It can be very difficult and expensive to get to the top of to the top of these results for general terms like “Dog Groomer”. However other more specific search terms like “Dog Groomer Newbridge” are much more obtainable and can be achieved by smart web design. Be extremely wary of companies promising you first page results in Google for less that €500. Any good SEO company will look to research the most effective term using Google Adwords. Only when they are satisfied with performance of a particular search term should they look to optimise for it. 4 Blogging, Twittering and Facebook If you have completed all of the above successfully, then it might be time to look at some of the other opportunities out there. Blogging Blogging is basically the process of writing and sharing a journal online (Web Log). The activity of updating a blog is “blogging” and someone who keeps a blog is a “blogger.” If you do want to start writing a blog, I recommend you write it onsubject you are knowledgeable about and that is of interest to your customers or at least people in your industry. Avoid the “this is my first blog” please check back soon for more blog entry. Twitter Twitter is the hot application on the web at the moment. Twittering allows users to write entries less than 140 characters and share them with others. Twitter is useful for big brands and global awareness. It has yet to have any significant impact on local businesses in Ireland. My advice is to spend your time elsewhere until it becomes more relevant. Facebook Facebook is a big online community used by a lot of teenagers and adults. Facebook differs because people who use Facebook tend use it every day, unlike twitter message can be kept private making it more attractive to users. It can be used as a great way of keeping customers up to date with new services and also has a great advertising engine if you want to target people with specific interests. If you would like to learn more contact Sean or anyone on the Denobi team at info@denobi.com or on 016283800. You can also view our website at http://www.denobi.com
Grooming on the Web
1. Bring your dog for it`s morning constitutional . 2. Inform the groomer of any medication`s needed, or any on going health problems e.g. diabetes , epilepsy, heart problems etc. 3. Ring in advance if your bitch has gone into heat .(If entire male dogs are also booked in your appointment may have to be re - scheduled) 4. Always bring your dog in on a lead 5. Always bring your pooper scoopers, if your don`t have one when collecting please ask . Litter wardens are on patrol. 6. Wash your dog the night before a grooming session . 7. Wash your dog the morning of it`s grooming session and bring it in wet or allow them to have a swim on the way. 8. Feed your dog the morning of it`s grooming appointment, especially if due in during the morning, unless medically necessary. 9. Forget to warn the groomer if he/she has a temper. 10. Forget to ring in if your going to be late , the dog is unwell , you are not sure of your appointment time or date, or if you cannot make your appointment (other people are waiting for appointments)
10 Steps to Become the Perfect Dog Owner
Please Do…
Please Don’t…
The recent cold snap has affected us all, including the animals. Here is some information about animal care in the cold from the ispca website:
In Cold Weather
It's Cold Out There!
Lots of animals struggle when it gets cold, but there are things you can do to ease the chill for them. Most dogs have their own coats to keep them warm when outside, however there are circumstances where dog clothing can help. Some breeds – such as Yorkshire terriers and Dobermanns – have little fur on their bodies. Elderly or sick animals can also benefit from the extra protection dog coats provide. Don't forget outdoor pets - they need plenty of bedding and you should prepare to move their enclosures into a shed or garage for extra shelter. Horses and ponies should also always have access to shelter and will need fresh water, a rug and extra food.
Pond pointers
If you have a pond, check it every day to make sure it hasn't frozen. Place a saucepan of hot water on the surface to gently melt the ice, or use one of the products available from garden centres to maintain an air hole so any animals living in it can breathe. Never smash the ice as this could shock or even kill the fish.
Bird bites
Food can be scarce for garden birds in winter and they will really appreciate your help. Leave out grated cheese, pastry, stale cake, moist breadcrumbs, seeds, sultanas, biscuits, cooked rice and bacon rind. They will also need plenty of fresh water for bathing and drinking – keep it fresh and ice-free. To reduce the risk of disease, bird tables, feeders and bird baths should be cleaned weekly. Hedgehogs will be seeking suitable areas to hibernate between November and March – so keep aside a safe area in your garden with heaps of leaves, brambles and long grass. If you are having a bonfire please check it thoroughly before lighting to ensure no animals are sheltering inside.
For additional information visit Dublin SPCA.
