Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Israel invites the public to the “Furry Wednesdays” – a series of meetings in the field of animal welfare, comprising of five enriching lectures on the topics of education and training, nutrition, behavior, communications, grooming and hygiene. The series is intended for cat and dog owners, for those considering adopting a new four-legged friend and for those who wish to extend their knowledge and connection with animals.
The lectures will take place in the SPCA facility at 159 Herzl Street, Tel Aviv, on Wednesdays at 19:00, starting in February. At the conclusion of the lectures, time will be devoted to questions and answers. Entrance is free and guests are invited to make donations or bring pet food for those animals in the shelter. For further details, please contact: *4553.
February 3 – How I Wanted a Dog. Na’ama Rolnik, authorized dog trainer and SPCA adoption advisor, will give a lecture on the integration of a new dog in the home, with emphasis on house-training puppies. Rolnik will offer practical, important tools for successful adoptionand dog training. She will demonstrate how to create a correct hierarchal structure which allows the dog to understand its place, including the dog’s needs pyramid, the dog’s thinking and learning mechanisms, how to impart house-training habits with a structured timetable and how to correctly expose it to the outside world.
February 10 -What a Cat! Yael Tsafrir, cat behavior advisor who offers support in solving aberrant behavioral conduct in domestic cats, will present the unique traits of the cat and consequent behavior, the necessary conditions for raising a cat at home, problematic behavior and methods to prevent or cope with it. The lecture, accompanied by video clips, includes interesting, entertaining anecdotes and relates to common issues such as: aggression, defecating outside the litter box, disturbing yowling, furniture scratching and more.
February 17 – Food for Thought. Sivan Zilber, clinical nutritionist for household pets, will explain how to improve dogs’ and cats’ quality of life and health through correct nutrition suited to their needs. In her lecture, Sivan will relate to nutrition and its importance, essential foodgroups and nutritional needs, types of food and the differences between them (dry, fresh, frozen, preserved) reading and understanding food labels, poisonous foods, the effects of healthy eating and nutrition and recommended nutritional supplements for physical reinforcement.
February 24 – The Secret World of Dogs and Cats. Dr. Noa Harell (DVM), Behavioral Veterinarian and owner of clinic in Ramat Gan, will reveal the rich language of dogs and cats based upon chemical substances, which most of us are unaware of. The lecture will include explanations on the characteristics of the chemical language, how “shorts” occur in the chemical language, how pet owners who are used to communicating with their pets through words, facial expression, body language and physical touch, can gain assistance through the components of this language to correct mistakes and to handle various problems.
March 2 – What a Lovely Dog. Iris Paz, award winning and medal holder Dog Groomer and owner of hairdressing salon in Holon, will lecture on home grooming for dogs and cats during the winter and summer, for pedigree and mongrel dogs with short, medium-length and long hair. Iris will give important tips regarding haircuts, combing, washing, drying and clothing which are important to the dog’s hygiene and health, and will review the latest world trends in the field of dog grooming.
The “Furry Wednesdays” lecture series will take place in February, marked in the US as Responsible Pet Owners Month, with the aim of raising awareness of the responsibility and obligations involved in raising pets and providing all their physical and emotional needs. Amongst the important messages distributed in the series: Spaying and castration, providing appropriate nutrition, regular medical treatment, humane attitudes, attention and love, strict observance of hygiene and grooming, joint activities and safety within and outside the home environment.
