Wellington Equestrian Gallery & Mall Grand Opening
On the 9th of January 2014, the Wellington Equestrian Gallery & Mall will have its Grand Opening. There is to be live music, drinks, and live painting, held from 5-8:30 at night. Come view fine art, antiques and collectables, jewelry, clothing and fun accessories. Please join us to kick-start yet another wonderful season at the Wellington Equestrian Gallery.
KATHY FOSTER AND WELLINGTON CARES DELIVERS GIFT CARDS TO NEEDY SENIORS FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Kathy Foster, Executive Director of Wellington Cares, Inc., and Wellington Cares are proud to announce they successfully delivered a total of 140, $25 gift cards to needy senior citizens for the holidays.
Foster and Wellington Cares’ volunteers reached out to local pastors and senior service organizations to identify needy seniors in Wellington, the western communities and throughout the Glades area.
The gift cards were purchased with donations made to Wellington Cares from our business partners and the community.
Wellington Cares is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides a means of empowering persons 65 years of age and older to be in control of their own lives by offering free short-term services, provided by volunteers, when a little extra help is needed to maintain their independence.
For more information about Wellington Cares and our services, visit www.wellingtoncaresorg.com.
Hounds and Heroes Announces Contest Among Three Branches of the Armed Services
West Palm Beach, FL – The Hounds and Heroes (H and H) organization trains retired racing greyhounds as service dogs and donates them to veterans in need. This is a portion of Awesome Greyhound Adoptions, Inc.
H and H is running a contest to see who can donate the most – Army, Navy or Marines. We have a dog nearly ready for placement that is going to an Army veteran. We have another greyhound that just went to his trainer yesterday to begin his training for a Marine veteran. And we have a Navy veteran who is waiting to get a dog next. More applications are coming in every day. Training of these dogs takes approximately four to six months with the trainer, greyhound and veteran working together during the last two months.
We have extended a challenge to those who support the veterans and their need for a service dog and want to see whose dog will be fully sponsored first with the donations to the Army, Navy or the Marines veteran and service dog.
Please note that we accept all donations through paypal or propay on the web site AwesomeGreyhoundAdoptions.org but will need a note in the memo section that the donation was made for which branch of service. Or we can accept checks directly to Awesome Greyhound Adoptions and mailed to AGA at 226 SE First Avenue – Boynton Beach, FL 33435 with a note in the memo section as to the branch of service.
whether complete sponsorship for a dog or a partial donation towards the sponsorship. Sponsor the greyhound throughout the entire process is $4000 – taking the dog clear through from initial selection at the compound throughout training and the turning over of the greyhound to the veteran owner four to six months intensive training of dog and training of the veteran and dog together.
Sponsor the greyhound itself as it goes through training – $1000 – spay or neuter, dental, titers, shots, microchip, collar, lead, tag collar, glucosamine and chondroitin, fish oil tablets, six months heartworm meds, service dog coat, food for the four to six months the dog is in training and anything else the dog needs during training.
Please visit our web site for more information about the program. – AwesomeGreyhoundAdoptions.org
The 2014 South Florida Fair will open with its Ride-A-Thon at 5 p.m., Jan. 16, and the complete Fair opens on Jan. 17. In the meantime, we invite you to come to the fairgrounds in the next week to capture a behind the scenes look at some of the elements currently being constructed to bring alive the “New York City: Be a part of it!” theme.
Green Sky Productions is currently completing replicas of some of the Big Apple’s more recognizable features, which include eight modules of Battery Park, a Broadway Theatre marquee, the subway system, a World Trade Center memorial, an information booth that will contain a daily ball drop containing raffle tickets for prizes, and a section of Times Square.
If you would like to take photos or video of these projects while they are being constructed, and/or interview the artist, Frank Navarrete, please contact me at 772-215-2333.
Set up and installation of the entire fair will begin Mon., Jan. 6.
Thank you and I wish you a safe, healthy and prosperous New Year!
American Friends of The Hebrew University Upcoming Season Events
The American Friends of The Hebrew University, Southeast Region will have the 2014 Palm Beach Scopus Award Gala on January 18 followed by the Annual Leadership Education Forum on January 19. Please see below for more details
January 18, 2014
American Friends of The Hebrew University, Southeast Region, will present the 2014 Palm Beach Scopus Award Gala at The Breakers on January 18 at 7:00 p.m. An elegant and entertaining evening, this Gala includes a cocktail reception, followed by dinner, an awards presentation to those who have shown extraordinary support to Hebrew University, followed by a professional performance. The event gets its name from Mount Scopus , the historical site of The Hebrew University in Jerusalem . Honorees are Ambassador Stuart A. Bernstein and Wilma Bernstein. Chairpersons are Roberta and Stanley Bogen, Suellen and Melvyn Estrin, Barbara and Richard Rothschild, Judy and Robert Snyder and Robbi and Bruce Toll. Tickets are $1000. Please contact Monica Loebl at 561-750-8585 for reservations and information.
January 19, 2014
American Friends of The Hebrew University will present its Annual Leadership Education Forum (ALEF) on Sunday, January 19, 2014, 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at The Four Seasons Resort in PalmBeach. The forum brings together Hebrew University experts and other leading individuals to discuss a spectrum of vital issues. Among these are Middle East Affairs and national security, medical breakthroughs important to human health, and progress in brain science. ALEF is hosted by American Friends of The Hebrew University (AFHU), a national, not-for-profit organization in support of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel’s foremost center of higher education and research. Tickets are $150 and include breakfast and lunch at the Four Seasons. More information may be obtained by calling Laura Gottlieb at 561.750.8585 or lgottlieb@afhu.org .
Kids won’t notice the vegetables in these yummy zucchini muffins. They can have fun helping you make them, too!
Into a large bowl mix:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. salt
Stir in:
2 cups grated zucchini
1 apple peeled, cored and grated
In another bowl, beat:
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola)
Stir into flour mixture until batter is just combined. Spoon into well greased muffin cups, filling to the top. (Note: If you are using muffin liners you may need to spray with cooking spray to prevent the muffins from sticking to the paper.)Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. See more healthy kids snacks.
It’s the second year of the Wellington Equestrian Gallery and Mall, and they have moved to a bigger storefront, offering even more of a variety of unique gifts and art. Founder Jack Van Dell explains that there was nothing like this for the equestrians who come to Wellington, a group of people who make a big difference in our economy and our footprint on the global map. While the Wellington Equestrian Festival gives space to vendors, a place for special equestrian gifts and works of art was needed in an indoor facility.
Founder of the Wellington Equestrian Gallery and Mall Jack Van Dell stands in front of a horse, to be painted by a few of the gallery’s artists.
The Wellington Equestrian Art Gallery and Mall brings an eclectic mix of beautiful things to the public – including Van Dell jewelry, beautiful Pingo handbags from Argentina, Susan Painter pottery, Wellington & Co. Antiques, equestrian-themed jewelry by Suzanne Werson, accessories with bling from Glitz & Glam and much, much more. At the front of the shop stands a life-size horse sculpture to be painted by four or five local artists.
Another fun, unexpected item to be found is the Aerobic Cruiser, a hybrid cycle that can be motorized or peddled and go up to 24 miles per hour. And other great gift items are beautiful dog collars and belts made in Kenya, and a portion of proceeds go back to the original artists in Kenya. It’s a place that defies categories or description with so much to see.
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The owner and founder of the gallery Jack Van Dell is perhaps one of the most interesting people you’ll meet Around Wellington, and this is really just a small project for him, compared with other projects in the works. He owns Van Dell Jewelry, and began with his first store 35 years ago when moving down to Wellington to play polo. Producing custom jewelry is an art form and a family business for the Van Dells. Locally they produce five or six custom jewelry pieces a day. They specialize in sterling silver and 14K / 18K gold fine jewelry. “We have the craftsman, designers, model makers, diamond setters and every type of skilled person needed, all in our shop,” says Van Dell. His Van Dell Jewelry shops are located in the Publix Shopping Center at Wellington Trace and Greenview Shores (same plaza as the Wellington Equestrian Gallery and Mall) and also in Royal Palm Beach on Southern Boulevard.
His other big project is creating a Horse Park, a place for a quarter horse show, at the fields at Stribling Road and 441. It’s a proposed 148 million dollar project that is projected to bring over a million dollars in revenue to Wellington every year and to create between 400 – 600 full-time and part-time jobs. Different from the other English horse–based shows and projects in town, the Horse Park would be a “horse show ground dedicated to the American quarter horse.” The plan includes covered show rings, a teaching facility, two hotels, 65,000 feet of retail space, and a 5,000 seat event center for all varieties of events like concerts, rodeos and conferences.
Needless to say, Van Dell is always busy. “God didn’t put you on the face of this Earth to retire,” he says. He feels lucky that in his family, “Work to us is fulfilling” and they love what they do.
Van Dell is happy about the changes in the Wellington Equestrian Gallery and Mall this year – a handful of world-renowned artists and more of a variety in the gift items to be found. The gifts appeal to everyone, not just equestrians. He explains that there is nothing else like this gallery in South Florida “or possibly in all of Florida.”
As the equestrian season gets underway, there will be artists working on their paintings on the sidewalk, right outside of the gallery. This will add a nice touch to the whole plaza, and residents will get the chance to see the artists in action.
Van Dell is always on the look out for more vendors for the Wellington Equestrian Gallery and Mall. He can be contacted at the Van Dell Jewelry store (561) 753-7937. And if the gallery becomes full, the artist can always be put on the list for next year’s gallery.
Jack Van Dell is constantly thinking of ways to improve upon our Wellington community with both the gallery and the Horse Park project. He’s particular about non-profit organizations, as some of them have been known to only provide 10% of the funds (for example) to the actual good cause. However, a few of his favorite local non-profits that he believes in include: Vinceremos, Hospice of Palm Beach County, the Boys and Girls Club of Wellington and the ASPCA.
He has two sons, one who works as a paralegal in the Boston area and one son who is currently working with him on the Horse Park project here in Wellington.
As for the Wellington Equestrian Gallery and Mall, it’s a place you need to see and it’s a place that adds culture to Wellington. “There’s something for everyone!” says Van Dell.
If you are a regular reader of this column, you are aware of my disgust and anger at the selling of “puppy mill” dogs, especially at pet shops. You’ve seen the guys, twirling signs at the curb, advertising “PUPPIES” at a nearby store, because people are charmed by baby dogs, and pay way too much for often defective animals.
“But we can’t find little dogs at the local shelters,” I hear, all the time. The photo that appears below is of “Mickey,” an amazing little dog whose time was up at a nearby kill shelter. I was informed by a rescue group that he needed to be “pulled” immediately, or he would be euthanized.
Mickey“Mickey” from all appearances, had been severely abused, cowering when a hand approached to pet, cringing at even the softest corrective language, eating at night when no one could see. He lived with me for a few days, while I medicated him for kennel cough and sneezing. We took long walks, and he walked at a loose leash “heel” position worthy of an obedience champ, looking up often to see if he was still pleasing me.
Mickey is now on his way to a new home in Sarasota. And behind the scenes, good people are still “pulling” doomed animals from shelters, praying that someone will take the time to go online and find an animal rescue site near them.
I’ve been researching Puppy Mill information for this month’s column, but the sheer volume of information and statistics available is staggering. So, I went back to “Dogster,” an online e-magazine, for an article that gets it right, in just a few paragraphs. I urge all readers and dog lovers to get involved in halting the ghastly practice of procreation for bucks.
This article includes information quoted from the article on “Puppy Mills and Backyard Breeders”, found at Dogster.com (http://www.dogster.com/dog-breeds/puppy-mills-and-backyard-breeders), and adds my Commentary to that article.
Bold type inserted into the text below are my comments.
From the “Dogster” Article:
“Part of being a responsible dog owner is being a responsible dog buyer or adopter. If you decide to purchase a pooch, it should be from a reputable breeder – not a backyard breeder or puppy mill. Reputable breeders produce a few, stable and healthy dogs. Puppy mills breed too many dogs with little concern for their health or the conditions they live in.
The History of Puppy Mills
How did puppy mills get started? They’re fairly recent – after WW II, crops were failing and farmers needed to supplement their income. Some started raising and selling puppies, even though they had little knowledge of correct dog care. Puppies were raised as cheaply as possible, often without attention or care. There are now thousands of puppy mills in the U.S.
Who Runs Puppy Mills?
The federal government considers the dogs livestock so anyone can start a mill. But perhaps the best-known group is the Amish in Pennsylvania. Amish puppy mills have been in the news again and again. The Amish defend their practice, claiming dogs are no different than other livestock and that the conditions are not deplorable like some say.
NOTE: Prior to moving to Florida, I lived among the Amish in rural New York State. They are prolific breeders of sub standard dogs of every breed. Because they do not have personal phones or internet connections, they ask neighbors, sometimes for a bit of remuneration, to answer calls from newspaper ads. Sometimes, they pay for land line phones to be connected in a neighbor’s barn, in the neighbor’s name. They have phone cards. I once asked an Amish seller why his Jack Russell Terriers seemed much too “long” for breed standards. The answer? “Long dogs have more puppies.” Really!
Regulation Of Puppy Mills
People breeding large quantities of dogs and selling them are required to have a license by the USDA. The Animal Welfare Act also requires they be regulated. Unfortunately, the regulations are for minimum standards, more for survival than humaneness. Puppy millers aren’t incentivized to follow them. And, of course, there are many puppy mills without licenses. Many people are trying to change this. The Animal Legal Defense Fund is one agency working for reform.
Definition Of A Puppy Mill
Puppy mills are high-volume commercial breeders that sell dogs for profit without providing public access to the breeding site, and breed female dogs every time they come into heat. Conditions usually do not meet our society’s idea of taking care of pets.
Issues Related To Puppies From Mills
Health: Puppy mills are often dirty and unsanitary. You often see dogs in cages with their own filth, left out in the heat and cold, mal-nourished and with skin problems.
Behavioral: Puppies are not hand-held from birth like most reputable breeders’ are. This means they have little or no human interaction until they’re sold. This can lead to aggression, anxiety, fear, indifference and a whole host of behavioral problems. Also, living in a small cage crates a poorly adjusted dog.
Inside A Puppy Mill
Newsweek did an even-handed review of puppy mills in 2007. Please GOOGLE the results.
The HSUS also did a hidden-camera investigation of puppy mills.
Cages: Dogs are usually caged their entire breeding life.
Breeding: Dogs are often bred every six months, with never a break. After their fertility ends, they are often sold or, sometimes, killed.
Noise: The noise can be deafening with so many dogs in small spaces.
Poor Care: Dogs with long hair are often matted. Injuries go unnoticed and/or untreated.
The Elements: Dogs and puppies are often left out in ice storms and 90 degree weather. Some even don’t have roofs over their heads. They are often fed and watered every other day, sometimes less.
Getting to a New Home: Puppies are often packed into crates in cargo trucks for transport to a broker or pet store. Often, some die in transport.
Puppy Mill Statistics
Around 3,500 of the 11,500 pet stores in the U.S. sell cats and dogs, according to the Pet Industry Advisory Council.
Puppy mills produce about 400,000 litters a year. Dogs are often sold online and to pet shops. They are usually below par in breed standard, and the physical defects are easily spotted by those familiar with the breed. If they’re offered with “papers,“ AKC registrations are often fraudulent.
Approximately 500,000 puppies are sold at pet stores each year. (HSUS)
If your dog came from a pet store, it was bred at a puppy mill. Your pet is not responsible for its beginnings. But if folks stopped paying for these animals, the market would dry up.
There are more than 6,000 licensed commercial kennels in the U.S. (and untold numbers of unlicensed).
In the U.S., there are more than 1,000 research facilities, more than 2,800 exhibitors, and 4,500 dealers that are supposed to be inspected each year.
Puppy Mill Facts
Puppy millers will usually not let buyers see their kennels.
Puppy millers are not willing to discuss possible health or behavior issues of their pups.
Puppy millers almost always have puppies for sale. If you visit a breeder’s website with price tags next to the puppy photos or a “buy it now” button, you are most likely on a miller’s webpage.
There is documentation of overbreeding, inbreeding, minimal or no veterinary care, poor quality of food and shelter, lack of human socialization, overcrowded cages and the killing of unwanted animals in puppy mills.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
There are things you can do to help stop puppy mills. First, don’t buy a puppy from a pet shop. If you answer an online or newspaper ad, make certain you’re dealing with a reputable breeder. The AKC site has a list of breeders by Breed Club and offers information on finding a reputable breeder. You can also check out www.stoppuppymills.org and www.hsus.org, which have information such as how to lobby for better laws.”
Comments on this original article below are not mine, but from Other Dog Owners:
A Word on Small Family Breeders
“Contrary to some here there are those small family breeders who breed one or two litters a year because they want to offer a loving pet or companion. They are not disreputable but may be limited in how they advertise. With the internet often cheaper than many newspapers for placing ads the internet has become the source of the family-run breeder’s advertisements.
The thing that needs to be done is ask for pictures and study them carefully.”
MY opinion: you must visit the family breeder’s facility. No excuses. Reputable ones encourage this. Ask to see the parents. “Look at the puppy: does he look clean and healthy? Are his eyes bright and shiny? If you can answer yes then you are likely dealing with a family breeder who cares for the dogs as if they were fully part of the family. Family breeders are often a good choice for a puppy because they spend the time and energy to socialize the puppy and play with it getting it used to being handled. I would never again buy a dog from a large breeder as I have found the dogs to be anti-social and very skittish.” A small breeder does not indicate the quality of puppies.
~Angi A., owner of a Mini Dachshund
Give Dog Rescues a Chance
“I made the mistake years ago buying a dog at a store before the puppy mill thing came to my attention. I would never buy there again. My dog, who I had to put down, had so many health problems. I spent well over $10,000 for her treatments. I believe it’s because of poor breeding practices. She had a bad spine. Undoubtedly she was the best dog I ever ever had and I’m glad I was able to care for her and give her the life she deserved. There are so many unwanted animals out there that it seems ridiculous to even think of buying from breeders. I’m sure a lot of them love their animals but it does come down to the dollar. To make money. Why not rescue? Seems like better solution to all this. Just my opinion.”
~Lance N., owner of a Redbone Coonhound
My Puppy Mill Story
“Here’s my experience from over 35 years ago: My husband got a puppy from a pet shop for my birthday. We took it to the vet since it was running into things. The pup was apparently born with cataract issues. We returned it to the pet shop and was given another puppy, which died in two weeks from Pneumonia. This was Petland Pet Shop in Florida.
I always tell friends about this so they do not make the mistake we did. Please pass this along to others. These places should not be allowed to sell them. They should be banned, as well as those puppy or kitten mills.”
~Christa , owner of animal shelter cats
“In a perfect world, every dog would have a home, and every home would have a dog.”
***
Over a lifetime, Barbara Phillippi has had mostly “normal” dogs – a few German Shepherds and a bunch of wonderful “mutts,” each with its own wonderful, quirky, qualities. For many years, she taught 4-H dog obedience courses, under the authorization of Cornell University’s Cooperative Extension Services. That terrific program teaches the basics of dog behavior, of every breed, to young dog owners. Today she lives in Wellington with three Jack Russell Terriers – Woody, Gracie, and Buck. “These guys showed me a learning curve that I never knew existed!”
