Tag Archives: guide dogs

Dealing with a Visually Impaired Pet

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We recently had a guest at the cats only boarding facility who was missing an eye. In all other respects, he seemed to be a perfectly normal, healthy cat. But it got me thinking. How does an owner work with a visually impaired pet? In the case of this cat, I was very careful not to startle him. I made sure I approached from the side that could see whenever possible — I didn’t want to frighten or upset him or cause any stress. With a pet who has no vision at all, an owner would have to think about … Continue reading →

The Pets of 9/11

The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 impacted every facet of life imaginable. From people on the planes and those in the buildings that were hit to the rescue workers and all the friends and family members that were ultimately and irreversibly affected. Not to mention the nation as a whole. As did most Americans, I sat glued to my television most of that first day and more than usual in the days that followed. I was rooting with everyone else that anyone trapped in the rubble at Ground Zero would be found alive, and of course there was a … Continue reading →

Sleuths and Guide Dogs: The Many “Eyes” of Joani Ascher, Part II

Author and Seeing Eye puppy raiser, Joani Ascher In Part I, I introduced you to mystery writer and Seeing Eye puppy raiser, Joani Ascher. In this section we hear more from Ms. Ascher about her personal pets and those who have, and someday might, grace her fiction. CM: You had mentioned that there’s a black Lab in your series and that you wrote the first book before you started raising puppies. You also mentioned you put the dog in to make the character different from you. Can you explain that? Was there a point in time dogs weren’t a part … Continue reading →

Sleuths and Guide Dogs: The Many “Eyes” of Joani Ascher, Part I

Author and Seeing Eye puppy raiser, Joani Ascher “Eyes” seem to be a theme when it comes to Joani Ascher, author of the Wally Morris Mystery series from Avalon Books. For one, she spends many a day crafting intrigue for her character, Wally (who, don’t let the name fool you, is a woman), to become entangled with. Wally’s not a private eye exactly, but she’s definitely a crime-solving sleuth of sorts. For another, Ms. Ascher raises Seeing Eye puppies. I asked her if she’d have time to spare from her writing and puppy duties to answer a few questions. To … Continue reading →