Fresh Start Services

01/01/2026

!!!!!

31/12/2025

BOOMS AND BANGS
THOSE DREADED FIREWORKS!

I’ll be spending New Year’s Eve at home, in my pajamas, cuddled up with my dogs, as I always do.

Personally, I detest fireworks. Not only are they terrifying for so many different animals, but are also dreaded by many people, who have to watch, often helplessly as their dog suffers the trauma of the deafening, relentless bangs, all because of fleeting human entertainment.

Shelters become overrun with lost dogs, dogs are knocked over by cars or go missing in their attempt to escape, they jump through glass windows, over high walls, have heart attacks, seizures or worse.

As there’s very little we can do to prevent other people from doing what they do, the best solution is to do all we can to minimize the impact this has on our dogs.

All dogs are different and there’s never a guarantee that any of these methods will work, but we owe it to our dogs to try and make it better.

For more detailed information, here are some useful links –

Dr Karolina Westlund - ILLIS Animal Behaviour
https://illis.se/en/eliminating-firework-and-thunder-phobia-in-dogs/

Dogs Trust – various resources to help dogs cope with fireworks
https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/search?q=fireworks .tab=0&gsc.q=fireworks&gsc.page=1

Noise of fireworks for desensitization training –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7FANXaanG4

Calming dog music – Pet Calming Maestro, Lisa Spector (Lisa’s music helps me relax and fall asleep quicker too!)
https://lisaspector.com/dog-gone-calm

Thundershirt / anxiety wraps information -
https://www.dutch.com/blogs/dogs/thunder-shirts-for-dogs?srsltid=AfmBOoquuaLUOrdLldnBrAsDT5wDByrW4Ax8XpTx3u0RZ8izhwJEWc8w

Wishing you and dogs everywhere a calm, peaceful, uneventful beginning to 2026.

28/12/2025

💜 In the unfortunate event that your beloved dog goes missing, we're sharing below the "blueprint" guidelines from . Don't delay in jumping into action ~ time is crucial in finding your dog.

💜 Sending out a HUGE thank you to the volunteers at MDM who work tirelessly to track, trap/rescue and return missing dogs to their families. 🙏🏼🐾🐾🐶

✳️ What To Do First ✳️

* Immediately contact your local Animal Control Officer and Police Department to report your dog as missing. If your dog went missing from a location near a town or city border, be sure to contact officials in nearby towns as well. As time passes, if your dog has not been found, expand your contacts to towns/cities in a 25 mile radius. Please remember that your local Animal Control Officer is a resource and ally who will be of great assistance in bringing your lost dog home.
* Place a familiar scent article (dog bed, worn t-shirt, etc.) at the location where your dog went missing. Leave a bowl of strong-smelling food at the location as well. We suggest wet dog food as it has a stronger scent then dry. If your dog is crate trained, leaving his/her open crate and bedding is advised.
* Alert neighbors and friends via telephone, social media and in person. Search Facebook for missing pet pages in your area.
* Place a post on www.nextdoor.com, as it tends to reach a different audience than Facebook (be sure to upload a clear/current photo). Include your cell phone number to make contact as easy as possible.
* Notify your dog’s microchip company so that they may tag your dog’s chip as “missing”. Also confirm that registration information is accurate and up to date.
* Hang flyers at and around the location where your dog went missing. Flyers should be simple, with few words, using very large font so that they are visible from a passing vehicle. Simple flyers should contain only a title, a large photo and a large phone number.They should be printed in black & white on neon colored paper, placed in page protectors with the opening at the bottom. They must be angled toward passing vehicles.
* Bring a flyer in PERSON to all local shelters, humane societies & veterinary practices. Ask to see all “found’ dogs that are on the premises. The shelter’s interpretation of breed/breeds may be very different than your own.

‼️ IMPORTANT - Continue to check back in person with each location periodically. On occasion, information on found dogs held at the shelters slips through the cracks.

Fill out a Missing Dogs Massachusetts "Lost Dog Form."
➡️ https://wix.123formbuilder.com/form-1100460/lost-dog-form

23/12/2025

Yes! Appropriate corrections are crucial dog communications.

22/12/2025

Love this!

16/12/2025

An excellent example of working dogs really getting to work!

15/12/2025

10/12/2025

10/12/2025

09/12/2025

Tuesday Tips 📝

Cold Weather Reminder 🐈 ⚠️ ❄️

During colder temperatures, stray cats may crawl up under your car hood or wheel wells for warmth.

We are already hearing cases of cats in car engines so we wanted to remind you to do the following:

🐾 Keep your cats indoors 🏡

🐾 Bang on your car hood before getting in and starting the engine….listen👂🏻

🐾 Honk your horn….listen 👂🏻

🐾 Look for signs like paw prints and check under the car and wheel wells. 👀

Doing these steps only take a minute or two and it can save a cats life! 💛

08/12/2025

Hi everyone, happy Monday! The schedule is FULL for this weekend (Friday and Saturday) 😱 and I have no more availability. Make sure to let me know when you need visits with your pets as early as possible - schedule spots are first come, first served. Stay warm! 🥶