Tag: Service Cats

What’s The Big Deal…

Published on by Service Cats U.S.26 Comments

Why Can’t I call a Therapy Animal or Companion Animal a Service Animal?

Three words, three diffewent meanings. And yet so many peeps still use these terms interchangeably. But they’re not. Interchangeable me means. They mean 3 diffewent things and descwibe 3 diffewent types of animals wiff diffewent twainin’ levels and skills. It sumtimes hurts our feelings to be called therapy or companion kitties but we know peeps awe usually sayin’ it cuz they don’t know da diffewence. Mommy on da udder hand gets weally uptight ‘bout it. She sez there’s a big diffewence and it shows diswespect to those who have worked so hawd to twain to be Service animals. And dat peeps takin’ advantage of da old ADA rule by passin’ off therapy and companion animals and even pets as Service animals is what caused da ADA to change da definitions and exclude sum species, like us kitties. Altho’ we do still enjoy sum benefits, weez not as purrtected unnew da law as we once was. Isn’t dat wight mommmy?

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Yes dear that’s right.

 

Mommy wuld you give everypawdy da definitions of a Service, Therapy and Companion Animal?

I would be happy to Dezi. Why don’t we start with Service Animals. According to the ADA website, on March 15, 2011 ONLY dogs are recognized as Service Animals under titles 2 and 3 of the ADA (Americans with Disablity Act). The rules used to read: A Service Animal is an animal(dog)that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with disabilities. After 2011 it replaces the word animal with dog. The ADA recognizes that Service animals are not PETS, but working animals. However they now only recognize dogs as such animals. The work the animal (dog) is trained to perform must be directly related to the persons disability. Animals (dogs) whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support DO NOT qualify as Service Animals under the ADA. It goes further to say: This definition does NOT affect or limit the broader definition of “Assistance Animal” under the Fair Housing Act or the broader definition of “Service Animal” under the Air Carrier Access Act. Some State and local laws have broader definitions regarding Service Animals. You should check with your local government and ordinances if you have questions with regards to accessibility or other protections and rights afforded you under the laws of your state.

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Dat’s why we be called Service Animals isn’t it mommy? Cuz weez been TRAINED to purrfurm duties diwectly welated to yous disability?

 

Yes it is sweety. And before 2011 Lexi and those who came before her were certified. You were tested, certified and recognized as a highly trained Service Animal as well, but the ADA dusn’t recognize you as one. We are still protected under the law and benefit from certain rules and regulations, but there are some benefits we can no longer receive. You and sis Lexi can no longer apply to be sponsored as Service animals. There are companies that sponsor Service animals for one thing. And a Sponsorship means they provide the animal with food, supplies, toys and pay all medical expenses for them. Since people with disabilities are usually on a fixed income, sponsorship is a great benefit and help.

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It’s gweat to be a Service animal mommy. Meez purroud me can help you even ifin da ADA dusn’t wecognize me.

 

I know baby and I really do appreciate you and your sister. Y’all are a great help to me. And I love you both very much.

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Oh mommy we luv you too. Me finks we might shuld cover da udder workin’ animals in anudder posty mommy? Me finks this might be a lot to digest and me dusn’t want anypawdy to be confused ‘bout da diffewences. What do yous fink mommy?

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I think you’re absolutely right Dezi. I think we shuld let everypawdy absorb this. It is a lot of information but we do hope to clear things up for people by the end of this series. Why don’t you list a few of the “jobs” you and Lexi perform for me so that our friends will know what kinds of things are considered “trained behaviors that qualify y’all as Service Animals”.

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Oh me wuld luv to mommy. Lexi and me have been trained to drive mommys wheelchair, dial 911 fur help, give her massages, and our biggy is dat we alert mommy afur she passes out so she can get sumwhere safe and not dwop all da way to da floor and get hurt. We do hope dat yous all enjoy our series on Working animals and will keep coming back to read da whole series. Weez will cover Therapy and Companion Animals and tell sum trainin’ stowries of our own as pawrt of this series.

 

 

And ifin yous haven’t alweady entered, we have 2 pawsum give aways goin’ on wight now.

You can enter to win yous choice of PetSafe’s Pagoda fountain here.

And you can enter to win yous choice of a case of Weruva TruLuxe canned food here.

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These pawsum give aways awe pawrt of our series on hydwation and weez very gwateful to da sponsors fur allowin’ us to offer you all a chance to twy their purroducts fur yous selff. And stay tuned, we have more pawsum give aways comin’ up this mumff. And just to clear up one thing, ifin yous alweady follow meez bloggy by email, then yous not have to do it again.

 

Till da next time……………….Be Blest!!!

 

Luv and Hugs and Kitty Kisses

 

Dezi and Lexi

 

References: ADA

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We Have A Plan

Published on by Service Cats U.S.36 Comments

OMC weez sure had da stowrms yesfurday didn’t we mommy?

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Yes we did dear. Oklahoma is really getting’ hit. One of the VET offices in the town we go to for you and sissy flooded and had to evacuate all the animals that were there over the weekend.

Oh mommy, me sure hopes they was all okay.

 

I’z doo too Dezi. Dat wood beez pawfool bein’ sick and locked in a kayj and seein’ da water getting’ klozer and klozer and not bein’ aybull too git away. We arr soz blezt.

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Yes, Lexi we are. And yes Dezi, they are all okay.

Mommy meez noticed weez have quite a few new readers to meez bloggy lately.

 

Yes Dezi we have. I’m glad you noticed.

 

Oh me did and me wants to fank and welcome you all to Deziz World, da blog ‘bout a couple twained Service cats and their disabled hooman mommy. But me was finkin’ dat maybe we should tell sum more stories ‘bout our twainin’ and da diffewence in a Service animal, Therapy animal and Companion animal. You know it can weally be confusin’ fur peeps dat don’t weally know, or don’t have a need fur one themselves. And sumtimes udder peeps in social media mistakenly make misleadin’ statements.

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Yes Dezi, you’re absolutely right. I think that’s a wonderful idea. You know mommy has a lot of things to do before this month is over, so what do you think about running a series next month?

 

Me finks dat’s a pawsum idea mommy. Me knows yous have a busy week this week twyin’ to get our lease wenewal stuffs togedder and takin’ sissy back to da VET so next mumff wuld be pawtastic. Sissy, what do yous fink?

 

I’z fink datz a grayt plan Dezi. Arr youz gunna let me tell a few stowreez?

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Of course me will sissy. Youz a gweat stowry teller. And me finks weez oughtta dictate to mommy and let hers type it in hooman speak so dat everypawdy can unnerstand and there’ll be no misunnewstandin’ what we be sayin’. Do yous fink dat be a good idea mommy?

 

I do sweetheart. So we’ll just plan a nice series of posts all about he different types of helpful animals and tell a few of y’all’s training stories.

 

Fanks mommy. So everypawdy mawrk yous calendars and be sure to check in wiff us everyday cuz yous not wanna miss this pawsum series. Weally yous not wanna miss a posty. Weez luv all our furiends visitin’ and leavin’ us comments. And we hope yous all checked out our pawsum give away. You can still enter by clickin’ here and leavin’ a comment tellin’ us dat yous wuld like to win. And while yous be there, go ahead and hit dat “follow me” button on meez sidebar so yous not miss a posty.

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Till da next time……………….Be Blest!!!

 

Dezi = Blue

Lexi = Green

Mommy = Black

 

Luv and Hugs and Kitty Kisses 

 

Dezi and Lexi

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Blest Sunday: Father’s Day

Published on by Service Cats U.S.28 Comments

Happy Father’s day to you all. As most of you know weez not have a daddy, so mommy plays our daddy too. But don’t worry, weez have sum pawsum uncles. Hope yous day is da bestest uncle Pete, Uncle Terry, uncle, Edward, uncle Garth, and uncle, Mitch, Da innewnet has given us a gweat extended furmily, and we awe so blest to have so many wunnewful peeps in our lives. So all yous mommys dat have to be da daddy too, today be fur you too.

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Now, don’t furget to check out our give away and comment on da post fur chance to win. You can enter here. Weez takin’ da day off so mommy can work on our lease wenewal stuffs and celebwate a bit.

 

 

Till da next time…………………Be Blest!!!

 

 

Luv and Hugs and Kitty Kisses

 

Dezi and Lexi

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Whose A SmartCat? Give Away

Published on by Service Cats U.S.56 Comments

Oh sissy awen’t you ‘cited today?

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Shur Dezi, I had a grayt brekky and treetz arr shur yoo beez on da ajenda. Whatz not too beez sided ‘bout.

 

No sissy, me means ‘bout da Give Away weez havin’. Oh, datz what youz beez tawkin’ ‘bout.

 

Yep, I’z sided ‘bout dat too. I’z rellee happee dat peepz arr awlwayz wunderin’ ‘bout what beez beztezt fur us kitteez. It meenz weez git too try nu fingz dat weez mite not git too try udderwize. Soz who’z gunna tell ebberpawdy ‘bout it?

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Me of course. Me might need a little help, but wait till me asks, okay?. (Lexi nods and starts a bath) Well kitty peeps awe always lookin’ fur da best food and carriers and tweats and toys and…well you get da picture, wight?. Seems da biggest debate among hoomans is our pawdee boxes and what to put in ‘em. Shuld it be clumpin’ or not, and just what shuld it smell like? Wild flowers or spwing bweeze, or sum udder furesh scent. And shuld it be pelleted or sandy, scoopable or not. Da choices awe weally endless. Well come weal close and lissen up, cuz meez gunna tell ya’ what yous kitties have been talkin’ ‘bout and wishin’ fur. Da bestest litter in da whole wide world be da one yous kitty weally likes and will use. After all da pawdee box be fur him/her to do their business, not you. And all those purretty scents you luv…We DON’T!!! We have noses dat can pick up a scent fwum miles away and come on, do yous wanna sit on da hooman pawdee box sneezin’ da whole time?

 

Youz tell ‘em Dezi.

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Fanks sissy. Weally da bestest litter is unscented in a texture dat isn’t too wuff on our paws and dat we can do our business in and get on wiff our busy lives of nappin’. So dat bein’ sed, seems there’s a new litter in town and all da peeps be askkin’ ‘bout it. Just what is it? How duz it work? Duz it work? Duz it have dust? Duz it twack? What is it you ask? Well it’s Pioneer Pet’s new litter called SmartCat All Natural Clumping Litter. It’s made of…wait fur it…GRASS. Yep you read dat wight, me sed grass. And it claims to out clump clay every time. It’s chemical free, clay free and fragrance free, 99% dust free, biodegwadable and wenewable and light weight. Well those fings there oughtta make yous peeps happy. But, duz it work and awe those claims twu or just more hogwash?.

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Da folks at Pioneer Pet was gwacious enuff to send us a 20 pound bag to twy out. Mommy was a little worried cuz bein’ made of gwass and all she kinda fawt it was gunna be gween of sumfin’. And as much as we like to eat our cat gwass, she wunnewed ifin we might twy to eat da litter. (not weally but me kuldn’t wesist) Never fear mommy dear, weez smawter than that. MOL When monmmy picked up da bag she sed she wuldn’t weally call it light weight, but it kuld be considered such as 20 pounds felt more like 10. And since mommy has difficulty wiff heavy fings then weally it is lighter weight than most. So when she opened da bag, she was purrleasantly surpwised to see a golden litter dat looked a lot like what we were alweady usin’. She was happy to not be overwhelmed by purrfumes, and so were we. Now fur da furst test. Mommy began to pour da litter fwum da bag into da box…NO dust. They get a check mawk there too. Now she just sat back and waited fur us to twy it out to evaluate da west of their claims.

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Of course, she didn’t have to wait too long. You know us kitties, a clean box be callin’ our name. MOL And well you all know me. Me began to holler to make mommy aware dat she needed to clean up. So mommy got da scooper and scoop she did. OMC What a clump. it was hawd as a cement rock. So mommy bwoke it up a bit ad flushed it down da hooman pawdee box. No purrawlems there eever. We had to wait a few hours to check it’’s clumpin’ abilities wiff sis Lexi, but it clumped just as well fur her. Mommy sez she weally liked how well it clumped cuz nuffin wet bwoke off and fell back into da clean litter. Mommy also sez there was absolutely no smell. Altho’ da weal smell test comes in later wiff da…well yous know. And Pioneer Pet’s SmartCat gets 8 paws and 2 fumms up there too. We was all so impurressed dat it be all weez took to BlogPaws. And even one of our visitors liked it well enuff to give it a twy. Our weebly wobbly furiend Sophie had to avail hers selff of da facilities while visitin’, and so weez gunna say anudder 4 paws up there.

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Old litter on da left, SmartCat on da wight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a lot of you know we be purretty big kitties so there’s only one fing we found purroblematic. Me duz seem to “sink” a bit cuz it be so lightweight. Sissy has lost a lot of weight and mommy didn’t notice it happenin’ wiff her, so ifin yous kitty be 15 pounds or less, you shuld be fine. Fur me a little mixin’ and all’s good again. As wiff most of da natural clumpin’ litters Pioneer Pet wecommends keeping 3” – 4” of SmartCat in da box fur optimum purrfurmance. And a 20 pound bag filled da extwa lawge pawdee box and we had a little more than a 1/3 of a bag left. Me wuld like to tell ya’ a bit ‘bout Pioneer Pet. It was founded by Betsy Lipscomb, a cat behaviorist. She also stawrted Catsinternational.org, a non-purrofit organization whose mission is to help peeps better unnewstand their feline companions. The mission of Pioneer Pets is to make purroducts to impurrove da quality of life fur hoomans and us kitties.

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Now fur da big news. Pioneer Pet has agweed to give one lucky U.S. reader a 20 pound bag of SmartCat litter. Just leave a comment on this blog posty by Tuesday June 23, 2015 tellin’ us yous wanna enter to win. And you can say more too ya’ know. Weez’ll be usin’ da randomizer to choose a winner fwum all da entwies. And ifin yous just can’t wait, you can order yous own bag wiff a flat rate shippin’ now by pawin’ here. And check out their Facebook page too. So to wecap, It duz out clump clay, it weally weally is 99% dust furee. it contains odors wiffout smelly purrfumes, it’s all natural grass, so it’s good fur da planet too. All paws and fumms up here fur Pioneer Pet’s SmartCat cat litter. Sissy you wanna add anyfin?

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Nope Dezi youz sed it all. But weez do wanna wish a…

 

Happy Father’s day to all da dads out there and all da mommys who be purrlayin’ daddys too. (like our mommy)

Disclaimer: Weez didn’t weceive any gween papers fur this weview. We did weceive a bag of litter fur furee. Our opinions awe our own and not fur sale. Pioneer Pet is not wesponsible fur da content of this posty.

 

 

Till da next time…………………. Be blest!!!

 

Luv and Hugs and Kitty Kisses

 

Dezi and Lexi

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