Help Bring Back the Canine Socialization Program in Calistoga
- by: Lisa Gift
- recipient: The City of Calistoga, Calistoga, CA
Calistoga Residents and Napa Valley Friends! Please help us bring back the Canine Socialization Program at the Calistoga Pet Clinic. The city closed down the program stating "Animal Behavior and Socialization does not fall under Veterinary Medicine".
Just as human mental health is covered by health insurance and is considered part of the medical field; animal mental health is considered Veterinary Medicine.
Socialized dogs are typically happier, friendlier, more predictable and able to handle stress better. Under-socialized pups often grow to become fearful, shy, anxious, and sometimes even fearfully-aggressive adult dogs because they lack the skills to cope with new situations.
A dog raised with only human interaction would not receive proper socialization. Think about how a human would turn out if they were raised by a pack of dogs, with no human socialization during the fundamental years of adolescence. I think we can all agree that it would be a bad situation.
This was such an amazing program, and the only one of its kind in the area, a community that is already so isolated and lacking so many basic services. This program was truly invaluable asset to the town of Calistoga and should be allowed to operate.
PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THE LETTER BELOW AND EMAIL IT TO MEMBERS OF THE CALISTOGA CITY COUNCIL.
Dear Calistoga City Council,
I am writing this letter to request that the Canine Socialization Program be allowed to continue at the Calistoga Pet Clinic.
Socialized dogs are typically happier, friendlier, more predictable and able to handle stress better. Under-socialized pups often grow to become fearful, shy, anxious, and sometimes even fearfully-aggressive adult dogs because they lack the skills to cope with new situations. Dogs can be exuberant or shy, friendly or hostile, fearful or bold, aggressive or passive, or some combination of the above. These differences in personality may to some extent be determined by breed, or individual genetics, but for the most part it is based on how and to what extent each particular dog has been socialized.
At Calistoga Pet Clinic dogs were allowed to learn important social behaviors in a controlled professional setting. Dogs by nature are social creatures, and the staff at Calistoga Pet Clinic understands the importance and benefits of canine socialization.
A dog raised with only human interaction would not receive proper socialization. Think about the effect on a person if they were raised by a pack of dogs, with no human socialization during the fundamental years of adolescence. The result would be serious mental and social disorders that would require the assistance of a medical professional.
By definition, Veterinary Medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals.
By definition, the medical term for disorder is a disruption of normal physical or mental functions.
Just as human mental health is covered by health insurance and is considered part of the medical field; a canine’s mental health is considered Veterinary Medicine.
This program was the only one of its kind in the area, a community that is already so isolated and lacking so many basic services. This program provided the opportunity for busy pet owners, who work during the day, to allow their dogs to experience important canine social behavior. The community as a whole is hurting without it!
The Canine Socialization offered at Calistoga Pet Clinic was truly an invaluable asset not just for the canine population, but the town of Calistoga. This service needs to be allowed to continue, under the previous terms, at the Calistoga Pet Clinic.
Sincerely,
Calistoga Resident
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