Happy New Year to all of Hero's Heroes!!!!
We want to take a moment to thank you so much for supporting Hero's P.e.t.s. (Planetary & Ecologically Trusted Supplies) We are an independently and locally owned business so your pawtronage means the world to us!

Upcoming Events/Seminars:

Tuesday, January 29th
Anesthesia Free Teeth Cleaning
Absolutely NO anesthesia is used to clean your pets teeth! All plaque and tartar is removed by thoroughly cleaning the inner and outer surface of the teeth. Cindy Lloyd will be assisted and supervised by Dr. Turie Norman ( www.healingtouchvet.com ) during the teeth cleaning. The cost is $135/dog (which includes the cost of anti-biotics if they are needed) and you must schedule ahead of time, taking appointments NOW... don't miss out . Call Hero's P.e.t.s. (303)972-1926 or reply to this email to schedule.

Saturday, February 2nd at 4pm-
Discover the psychic in you
Patricia Gibboni is offering a 4 hour class on communicating with your animals. You will be doing exercises within a group to develop a better understanding of the intuitive language you already speak. You will also be doing an energetic attunement that will release any blocks or fears that would otherwise hinder your communication with your animals. Cost is $150/person. Hero's P.e.t.s. will be offering a limited selection of beverages and snacks. You must schedule ahead of time, taking appointments NOW... don't miss out. Call Hero's P.e.t.s. (303)972-1926 or reply to this email to schedule.

Thursday, February 14th, VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!
Bring in the one who truly loves you, and you love him/her unconditionally, your pet, to Hero's P.e.t.s. on Valentines day for some free Cosmo's Valentines Cookies and some hot chocolate or tea for you. More details to come!!!

Saturday, February 16th
Animal Communicator Rhianna Grey- Have you ever wondered what your pet is thinking or feeling about something such as a new pet or child in the home, a medical condition, etc? Come in to see Rhianna Grey for a session between 20 and 60 minutes on Saturday, January 19th. Call Hero's P.e.t.s. (303)972-1926 or reply to this email to schedule.

Check up on www.herospets.com often, under EVENTS for additional Animal Communicator sessions, classes and events.

Man's Best Friend News:

First, I would like to make an unusual request -
If anyone is looking to purchase a car, one of my reps is selling her 2003 Honda Element so that she can fund a 4 month trip to Nicaragua to spay, neuter and treat stray dogs and cats for fleas, tick and sarcoptic mange. She will not get paid for this entire 4 months so she needs to sell the car to pay for her trip. It is an AWD, automatic '03 Honda Element, CD Player, new brakes, 95000 miles for $9,500. Also, anyone that has some left over flea/tick drops that they are not going to use, even if they are expired, she would love to collect them to take with her on her trip. The product is very expensive and not supplied to them to give to the animals... however, administration of these products also helps to slow the spread of mange. There are also 6 different species of ticks in Nicaragua and cases get very bad. She has even pulled 29 ticks out of a 1 square inch area of one dogs ear in Nicaragua before.

I had a request to write about Colorado Leash Laws. After some research I came up with a lot of links and a remaining level of confusion. Here are the basics of what I found with a following list of links that might be helpful:

-Colorado State does not have any state-wide leash laws.
-Individual counties within Colorado State may or may not have existing leash laws.
-Jefferson and Denver counties do have leash laws
-Arapahoe county seems to not have leash laws
-If you would like to let your dog off ANYWHERE then you should either check online ahead of time to verify the leash laws within the county that you will be in. Also, you should check to see if the area is authorized to have dogs at all. For example, some hiking trails don't allow dogs at all, leashed or not (such as Hanging Lake near Glenwood Springs).
-Many counties offer off-leash dog parks.
-If you are caught with your dog off leash in a county that does have leash laws you are likely to get fined $50.00, and $50.00 for each additional offense, with a possible $300.00 fine for multiple violations.
-It appears that many counties "Require that dogs and other pet animals be under control at all times and define "control", which may vary from time to time, place to place, and animal to animal". So I guess that if your dog is under perfect voice "control" it is still up to the officer to decide whether or not you deserve a ticket in that county, depending on which county you're in. (This is all very vague... I'm sorry)
-If you are going to walk your dog off leash and risk the ticket, at least make sure they are registered so you don't get fined for that as well.

Please remember that having your dog on a leash at all times CAN serve many purposes. For example, if your pet is charged by an aggressive domestic or wild animal or is presented with some other physical obstacle or accident a leash and harness could potentially allow you to remove or retrieve your pet from a harmful situation more quickly (or at all).

Also, if your pet is within visual distance of you, you are more likely to notice if your pet finds something tasty and dangerous/poisonous on the ground and eats it.
Even well trained pets can be distracted by sudden moving objects such as cats, rabbits, squirrels, etc. A fast moving object might cause your well trained dog to have a lapse in judgement and run out into oncoming traffic.

Dogs don't always notice certain dangers that are right in front of their nose... such as salt used to melt ice (which can burn their paws and later, when they lick their paws, ingesting it could potentially cause health problems), or thin ice, sharp objects like glass, etc. Keeping your dog on a leash allows you to make a last minute pull to stop your dog from stepping on something that is dangerous. (I had to do this once with my dog during a hike when we came upon a rattlesnake. If she hadn't been on the leash it would have bit her right on the nose... no kidding.)

Here are some links for you to reference if you are considering not using a leash for your dog:
"Does my state have a leash law" per state chart with pet control and licensing rules per state. http://www.animallaw.info/articles/ovusdogleashlaws.htm
Jefferson County Sherriff Leash Laws Booklet with contact information for Animal Shelters and more http://co.jefferson.co.us/jeffco/sheriff_uploads/leashlaw.pdf
Jefferson County Animal Control contact and licensing and rules http://co.jefferson.co.us/sheriff/sheriff_T62_R29.htm
Jefferson County pet violations and fines http://co.jefferson.co.us/openspace/openspace_T56_R123.htm
Jefferson County Open Space Rules and Regulations http://co.jefferson.co.us/jeffco/openspace_uploads/rules.pdf
Official Colorado Off Leash Dog Parks and Training Grounds http://co.jefferson.co.us/jeffco/openspace_uploads/off_leash_areas.pdf
Interesting article about Arapahoe County Leash and Vicious dog rules http://www.zwire.com/site/tab2.cfm?newsid=15764261&BRD=2713&PAG=461&dept_id=559184&rfi=6
Arapahoe County Animal Control with links http://www.co.arapahoe.co.us/Departments/PW/AnimalControl/index.asp

NOTE: Incorporate the cost of training into the overall cost of your pet, as training is a necessity... 70% of domestic pets end up in shelters due to insufficient training. Training is not just for your pet, it is for you... you must understand the messages you are sending your pet because they don't always perceive your actions the way you mean them. Also, not all trainers are equal. Petsmart and Petco training is more like socialization training. Some trainers style will clash with your beliefs or desires. INTERVIEW your trainer before committing or paying... find one that you feel comfortable with. I recommend Suzi Schaefers at www.caninepsychologycenter.com (303)972-7365 or Natalie Hawkins at www.friendsforlifeco.com (720)272-1668 .

Featured Links:
FEATURED DOG FOR ADOPTION:
Drake is a Bull Terrier possibly American Stafforshire Terrier mix, he is about 8 months old, fixed, vaccinated, chipped, etc. He desperately needs a home because CCCARL is low on foster homes and the current foster parent can no longer keep him because when he gets excited and playful with her children, he bites at their faces. He LOVES kids, but should no live with them. http://www.cccarl.org/RP_AdoptMe.asp?aid=1428
FEATURED CATS FOR ADOPTION:
I was trying to decide which cat is most in need on the http://www.eapl.com/animals_available_adoption.php?pet_type=cat website but there are several cats on this site that should be adopted as pairs, which makes an adoption extraordinarily difficult. There are also several cats that are 10+ years old that are available for adoption. Many people feel that this is too old and they will either a) not have the pet very long or b) will have to pay larger medical expenses for an older animal. Cats can live anywhere from 15 to 30 years or more, a 10 year old cat is really not that old. Also, any cat fed a proper diet is not going to need the veterinary attention that a cat on a low quality food will need. There are also several inexpensive herbal supplements that can be used as preventative "medications" for urinary tract and other health problems that domestic cats are prone to. Another reason to adopt an older animal is that people's lives change...70% of domestic pets end up in shelters. Adopting an older pet is a shorter term responsibility and could potentially prevent a pet from going back into a shelter when and if your life changes. Many pets are given up due to a move, divorce, new baby, illness, etc. Adopting an older animal allows you to give an animal in need a loving home, while still allowing you some freedom to change your life plans.

* Adoption Agencies:
-http://www.cccarl.org (Clear Creek County Animal Rescue League) This is a no-kill shelter with no paid employees. They spend about $20,000 a year on the animals. They are always in need of donations, you may donate at Hero's P.e.t.s. or you may get their information off their website and donate directly. All donations are tax deductible.

* Earth News:
- www.storyofstuff.com From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever. If everyone begins to understand how this works a little better, we will all begin to make a more concerted effort to make an impactual change that will REALLY benefit our future. http://www.storyofstuff.com
- http://www.ishmael.com (Daniel Quinn's enlightening site on Culture)

* Training:
- http://www.caninepsychologycenter.com - Suzi Schaefers, The Canine Psychologist, with 24 years of experience invites you to aggression, dominance, and stubborn dog obedience classes.
- http://www.friendsforlifeco.com - Natalie Hawkins, Holistic Pet Trainers, with 15 years of experience, also invites you to basic obedience and puppy kindergarten classes.

New Product News:
Silly Kitty: Cat toys made out of hemp and organic catnip. Hemp is the strongest natural material. It produces energy when grown and growing only 6% of the United States with Hemp would end America's dependance on fossil fuels (reference www.earthdog.com). It is also totally digestable. Organic catnip is more potent and obviously less toxic. Good for calming some cats, energizing others and is also good for digestion and flatulence if swallowed.

Sleepy Pod: Coming soon!!!! This small animal carrier is hard sided, with four vents (so mostly likely airline approved), with several bedding layers. A padded layer and a soft, removable bed layer that can be washed. As well as an optional heating pad layer that can be plugged into your wall or you can purchase an adaptor to plug it into your car. It also has a removable top that upzips up the middle so your pet can peek out or be taken out. With a handle on the top and a shoulder strap with a comfort pad for carrying.

And last but not least- A franchised competitor has just opened up near Hero's P.e.t.s. We know you are free to choose where you purchase your products, and we thank you for your patronage of our small, privately owned business. We want to assure that you continue to be happy with the quality, value and service you receive at Hero's.
Again, thanks for shopping with us.

Comments and suggestions for future articles are welcome!

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Hero's P.e.t.s.
(Planetary & Ecologically Trusted Supplies)
8086 W. Bowles Ave., Unit N
Littleton, CO 80123
303-972-1926
F: 303-972-6206
www.herospets.com
Contact: Chelsea