Peterborough Humane Society Partners With Pet Tech Startup DocuPet To Make Pet Licensing & Recovery Easier

The Peterborough Humane Society has announced that pet licensing has become easier due to a partnership with DocuPet, the country’s leading provider of pet tag, lost pet recovery, and pet licensing services.

“Pet licences are really important for the provision of animal welfare and public safety here in Peterborough,” says Shawn Morey, Executive Director at Peterborough Humane Society. “Properly identified animals are five times more likely to be returned home safely, reducing the number of stray animals that enter our shelter and keeping families together.” 

HOW IT WORKS

-> DocuPet allows pet owners to register and renew pet licences online.

-> When licensing, pet owners can choose a standard city tag or, for an additional fee, they can select from any of more than 25 designer tag options. They can also choose to add their pet’s name and their phone number to each tag.

-> Each DocuPet tag has a unique code that is linked to their HomeSafe™ Lost Pet Service. Similar to the Amber Alert service, HomeSafe™ allows pet owners to send Lost Pet Reports that are received by local pet owners and animal welfare organizations who can help find and return the pet.

-> Anyone who finds a lost pet can also use the code on the tag to reunite the pet with the pet owner. DocuPet provides a 24/7 free hotline to aid in the return of animals.

Sample courtesy Peterborough Humane Society

“We call them pet tags that help all pets,” says Grant Goodwin, DocuPet’s CEO. “Our tags help pets get home quickly at no cost, but the purchase of them also helps fund animal welfare initiatives so pets in crisis can also find safe and happy homes.”

Peterborough pet owners can license their dog or cat online at peterborough.docupet.com, or by calling 1-855-249-1370 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday to Friday. They may also visit to purchase a license in person.

For more info on fees for pet licenses, click here.

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Watch: Lakefield's Owen The Griff Nearing 100,000 Fans On Instagram

On the latest episode of the StudioPTBO podcast, hosts Cody May and Neil Morton chat with Lisa Besseling, “momager” of Owen The Griff, the Lakefield, Ontario-based Brussels Griffon celebrity dog who has amassed nearly 100,000 fans on Instagram.

Lisa talks about her non-marketing approach to Owen the Griff—also that resident shop dog at her popular Stony Lake Furniture shop—on social media is winning, and the positive impact Owen is having on so many pet lovers locally and around the world.

Cody May & Neil Morton interviewing Owen the Griff and his “momager” Lisa

Lisa also chats about Owen’s influence in the Peterborough Humane Society “Our Pet Project” campaign and how Topanga from Boy Meets World picked her up at the airport in LA.

Watch the episode below…

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Peterborough Humane Society Has 8 Adorable Potcake Puppies To Adopt

The Peterborough Humane Society has eight healthy, happy and busy potcake puppies that are now available for adoption.

These adorable pups from the Bahamas have been in the care of the Peterborough Humane Society for the past six weeks and are now ready to go to their forever homes. Puppies are not often available, so this is a wonderful opportunity for the community and the team at the PHS to enjoy the wonder of cute, wiggly puppies.

There has been much interest in these puppies—Embrace, Destra, Happy, Welcome, Beta, Alpha, Delta and Friend. The cost to adopt a puppy is $500. They have received their Rabies vaccine, are spayed or neutered, and have been microchipped. 

The puppies are a variety of mixed breeds but will all grow to become medium sized dogs. 

An application must be presented to the team at the shelter (385 Lansdowne Street East) in person between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Thursday, January 31st.  (Note: No applications over the phone or email will be accepted.)

All applications will be reviewed by their Operations Manager to ensure that they find these beautiful pups their new forever home!

The Peterborough Humane Society advocates for the welfare of animals by improving their lives, alleviating suffering, rescuing, providing shelter, healing, facilitating adoption and reducing pet overpopulation.

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Fall In Love With A Peterborough Piglet Named Bullet Having An Impact On So Many

Most people choose dogs or cats as pets, or perhaps a hamster, ferret, fish or bird. Sarah Heydon grew up that traditional route as well with cats and dogs, but when she got a pet pig named Bullet about a year and a half ago, it changed her life.

She completely fell in love with Bullet—they actually even share a birthday, May 24th—as have all those that meet this outgoing, adorable piglet at events and on walking trails. Indeed, he’s becoming a bit of a celebrity—and even has his own Instagram page.

But before we continue with the now about the impact this mini-pig has had on her and others, let’s back up to the beginning, to the Once Upon A Time.

Sarah’s journey with Bullet began when she saw a post that someone had put into the Peterborough Buy and Sell Facebook group. The woman was trying to sell a litter of pigs, and specified "For pets only, not food."

This was when Sarah realized that perhaps having a pig in her home was in the realm of possibility. The only connection to pigs Sarah had up until this point in her life was limited to the fact that she had made a deliberate choice not to eat pig meat as a child, something she’s carried into adulthood now as a vegetarian.

Sarah with Bullet

“I began to research if owning a pig was a feasible option for me,” Sarah tells PTBOCanada. “I started reading online resources and made connections to knowledgeable breeders for several weeks before I decided to commit. When I checked Kijiji, I found there were plenty of pigs in the area being re-homed. I drove to Oshawa to meet Jackson (soon to be renamed Bullet), whose family had put him up for adoption. This tiny 12-week-old piglet immediately stole my heart, and the rest as they say, is history.”

Sarah brought the piglet home to her place in Peterborough that she shares with her partner Shane Curry, potty training him in her backyard in a matter of a day or so, and training him on the leash quickly as well.

She changed his name to Bullet, as she is an Armed Guard and shoots at a firearms club in Cobourg. Bullet spends some time in the backyard, but is a bit of a diva compared to the younger pigs Sarah has now, preferring to be warm and cuddled up inside. Just like many humans, he is not a big fan of the rain or the cold.

He’s also had a bit of a rough stretch lately, as he lost his best buddy Pearl the Pig (also adopted), who Sarah had to put down unexpectedly this summer due to a twisted intestine that she couldn’t recover from—even after surgery.

Best buddies: Pearl and Bullet

Bullet and Pearl loved to go with Sarah and Shane to the Harold Town Conservation Area trails and explore. Bullet got depressed when Pearl passed away, and at this point turns up his nose a bit to the seven month old pigs—Piper (the “P” a nod to the deceased Pearl) and Ivy—that Sarah has now.

”Pigs tend to do better with a friend, as they are social animals,” Sarah explains. “Pearl and Bullet were the ultimate pig duo, and Bullet was largely responsible for training her, as she followed him everywhere! Their bond has yet to be duplicated. Losing her was so devastating to Bullet and me. In the days after having to put her down, I realized how deeply these animals have affected my life. Pigs are wonderful.”

Shane with Bullet

Bullet gets recognized a lot by other pet owners and hikers on the Harold Town trails, many of which know him by name. “I did not want to miss out on my favourite past time of hiking just because I have a pig rather than a dog,” Sarah tells PTBOCanada. “Harold Town is his 'happy place’.” Indeed, pigs—like dogs—love going for walks.

People regard Bullet in amazement when they spot him on the trails. He is a wonder to watch as he sprints through the forest—pigs can run a 7 minute mile—stopping to eat grass, rolling in mud, all the while never leaving Sarah’s sight. ”Bullet will explore off the trails in the trees while we walk, but he’ll come when he is called if he falls behind,” she says.

On the trails, dogs are typically more interested in Bullet than he is them. “Pigs don’t typically ‘play’ in the sense that dogs do,” Sarah explains. “They do a bit as piglets, but so far I have seen them all grow out of it for the most part. They do have random bursts of energy though, as they will sprint, run around like crazy, spin in circles, etc. Pigs will also bark like a dog when they are happy.”

Sarah and Shane with Bullet

Sarah gets asked a lot of questions about Bullet—”You have a pig? Why?”—and loves educating people on how these pot belly pigs actually make great pets.

“I believe pigs are one of the most misunderstood of domesticated animals,” Sarah says. “Since pigs are mainly associated with food, there is little or no education on what these beautiful animals are truly like. I will tell you first hand, they are so much more than breakfast! With hundreds of vocalizations to translate, an intellect compared to that of a three-year-old, and a tendency to explore with their mouths, they are more comparable to a toddler rather than a dog.”

Some people Sarah meets on the trails and events and beyond have told her that meeting Bullet has made them second guess what they eat, or stop eating pig products completely. “I can't help but declare Bullet as Peterborough's official ambassador for pig education, and I am merely the Liaison,” Sarah says.

The adorable Bullet

Sarah gets asked a laundry list of questions by curious observers—including us—about having a pig as a pet. Some of the oft-repeated facts she gives:

-> Pigs can live up to 20 years
-> Mini pigs will grow to between 50 to 300 pounds, at an interval speed until approximately five years of age.
-> Sarah feeds him human food (of course, not bacon) rather than pellets, such as grain, veggies, fruit, seeds, nuts and Cheerios.
-> There is no such as “micro pigs” that stay small. “Micro pigs do not exist—it is a marketing scheme developed by breeders to sell their litters at higher price,” Sarah says.
-> They do “bark” when happy

Speaking of happy, now on to that celebrity factor that Bullet is developing. His friendly, outgoing nature—not to mention his cuteness quotient—means that his cool factor goes beyond Instagram.

He has met so many fantastic people, and become so socialized, that Sarah has started carting him around to many local events. This includes several with the Peterborough Humane Society, Peterborough Vegfest and the Keene Pumpkin Festival, to name a few. People love getting their pictures taken with Bullet, who brings joy to adults and children alike.

Chill time at home involves Bullet, Piper and Ivy sleeping on the couch while Sarah and Shane are at work. “They get gated into the living room since Bullet is known to help himself to snacks in the fridge,” Sarah says, adding that the pigs (like other animals) like to be right up in bed with the couple—Shane hates this, Sarah not so much.

Sarah’s affection for and perspective on pigs has changed her life. So much so that the couple have begun looking for a home in which they can have the space to rescue and foster other pigs—a passion project inspired by Bullet and a tribute to Pearl.

“Shane and I will look for a home with upwards of three acres,” she says. She knows full well that fostering and rescuing pigs is a bit of a battle financially, but Sarah is dreaming big and one can’t doubt that she will find a way to make it work. Pigs are her passion.

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Rosie & Me: Meet An Adorable Peterborough Newfoundland Pup Who Is Also A Terror

After the death of his 12-year-old Newfoundland “Cookie” in April 2017, Chris "J-Boy" Williams thought he'd wait a few years until he retired before he stepped back into Newf ownership. Chris was fooling himself. Six weeks later, he was on the road from Peterborough, Ontario to Ft. Wayne, Indiana to pick up Rosie.

"Newfoundlands are the best family breed of dog in the world—I’ve always had one and I can’t imagine my life without one," Chris tells PTBOCanada. "They’re not a dog for everyone with the constant shedding, drooling and daily brushing but in return they’re true gentle giants and amazing with anyone who walks through the front door."

Rosie and J-Boy Williams

They may be gentle giants, but they can also be headstrong and mischievous.

"Newfs require training from a young age, which Rosie has had," Chris tells PTBOCanada. "She’s currently 11 months old, weighing in at about 110 lbs., and she’ll probably fill out to about 135–140 lbs. The problem is Rosie tends to forget what she has learned in puppy school and Rosie does what Rosie wants."

Rosie is on her hind legs a lot

Standing at about 5’ 6” on her hind legs, Rosie has access to anything she can get—"think 'baby proofing' a house but add counter tops, tables and now even higher locations," Chris tells PTBOCanada. "Due to her size, I often forget she’s still a puppy and anything she gets at is entirely my fault for not putting it out of reach."

Rosie surfing the internet

Chris started a list over the past few months of things that Rosie has claimed...

-> 2 brand new crib mattresses (still in the box)
-> 2 pairs of prescription eye glasses
-> 1 pair of sunglasses
-> 5 remotes
-> 1 Blundstone boot
-> 4 toques
-> 2 pairs of gloves
-> 1 family portrait
-> 3 USB sticks
-> 7 boxes of spaghetti
-> 2 Apple mice
-> 1 Amazon Firestick
-> 1 Shop Vac
-> 1 pair of his favourite hockey gloves
-> 1 hockey stick
-> 1 XL dog crate (bent the metal door at 3 months old, hence no crate training)
-> countless cups of coffee, rolls of paper towels, magazines, newspapers, mail and so much more!

Rose getting into trouble with innocent Ellie, their 11-month-old poodle, looking on—Ellie gets into no trouble.

Here's some of the damage Rosie has caused...

My VPN token that generates the characters that allow me to login to the office from anywhere. I took this photo in the office for obvious reasons. Damn you Rosie! #monster pic.twitter.com/gV2Rtf14uZ

— Chris J-Boy Williams (@Jayboy_Williams) February 6, 2018

Two days and now 2 destroyed @cogeco remotes. At least the channel is stuck on @TeamCanada #CanvsSUI men's puck. #monster #TeamCanada pic.twitter.com/o2Ed8MbZi2

— Chris J-Boy Williams (@Jayboy_Williams) February 15, 2018

"She’ll eventually grow out of it, hopefully sooner rather than later and despite the long list of destruction, I love her dearly," Chris tells PTBOCanada.

When asked if he'd ever get another Newf puppy, Chris just smirks.

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