DEAR DR. FOX: Thanks so much for the wonderful piece about wolf conservation that you penned recently. My wife and I never miss your “Sunday school,” as we call your column! We learn so much.

Folks like you, your family, authors Barry Lopez and David Mech and a host more are heroes to people like us. You belong to a small group of warriors that think outside the box, trying to make certain that our animal friends, who have been here eons before us humans, have a future. -- B.S. and M.S., Jacksonville, Oregon

DEAR B.S AND M.S.: I much appreciate your words of support, and you gave me a smile alluding to my column being your “Sunday school.” That reminded me of an agribusiness reporter who asked me: From what higher authority did I get my moral position with regard to animals having rights? My response was simply “the authority of the heart” -- of compassion and empathy, which mean giving all sentient beings equal and fair consideration. Without an open heart, we cannot have an open mind.

Barry Lopez was indeed a kindred spirit, and I just learned he passed away in December at age 75. But I do not put myself in the same league as David Mech, who is of the old school of wildlife management, opposing the push to have wolves protected under the federal Endangered Species Act. (For details, see my article “Crying Wolf Too Much” on drfoxonehealth.com.) The gray wolf should stay protected under the Endangered Species Act and not be delisted, as is in process right now.

Our redemption, recovery of our humanity and ultimate well-being will hinge in large part on our renunciation of a culture and economy of harm. Such liberating redemption is at the core of all the world’s religions, and secular humanism, when shorn of politics and human-centeredness.

DEAR DR. FOX: I adopted a mixed breed from a shelter. She is 1 1/2 years old, and I have taken her for walks with me from Day 1, when she was 3 months old. She loves people, and used to run up to anyone who passed us.

A few months ago, I took her for a walk and noticed she seemed frightened. There were a few noises around us -- someone working on a roof, a car starting, etc. -- but nothing terribly unusual or loud. I live in a quiet suburb. Ever since that day, she is excited to get her leash on, but as soon as I get about 1/4 mile from home, she starts to panic, pulling me like her life depends on it until we get home.

I have tried going in different directions, going to a park, bringing treats with me, but nothing works. I took my walks without her for weeks, then tried again. She is so excited when we walk out, and then the tail goes down, she hears every unfamiliar noise, and panics.

Any suggestions you can give me would be appreciated. I miss my walking pal. Other than this problem, she loves to play -- she can’t get enough of chasing tennis balls in the yard, and she loves people when they come to our house.

She was at the vet in May. She got a rabies vaccine that day, and she’s also on Interceptor and Advantix. It’s hard to pinpoint when the “phobia” started, but it was definitely spring/summer because I was walking every day. -- E.B., via email

DEAR E.B.: I would suspect that the anti-flea treatment may be responsible for your dog’s change in behavior. Advantix contains imidacloprid, which is toxic to the nervous system. It can cause seizures in some dogs, and other psychological problems, such as anxiety, in others.

So I would stop using this product, then take your dog on very short walks in different locations several times a day. I recommend putting two or three drops of essential oil of lavender on a bandanna around your dog’s neck before setting out, as this natural product has a documented calming effect on dogs.

If the phobic behavior does not subside, discuss an anxiety-relieving medication with your veterinarian. Keep me posted.

ZOO GORILLAS GET COVID-19 INFECTION

Gorillas are the latest animals to contract SARS-CoV-2 outside of lab studies. A press release from the San Diego Zoo suggests that the virus likely passed to the gorillas from a staff member with an asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. After two members of the gorilla troop at the zoo started coughing, testing of fecal samples confirmed the presence of the virus.

”Aside from some congestion and coughing, the gorillas are doing well,” Lisa Peterson, the executive director of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, said. “The troop remains quarantined together, and are eating and drinking. We are hopeful for a full recovery.” This cross-species infection puts wildlife safari operators on notice, as well as zoos and laboratories around the world where asymptomatic people could pass on the disease to primates and other susceptible species.

FERRETS GIVEN EXPERIMENTAL VACCINE

About 120 black-footed ferrets at the National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center in Colorado were inoculated last spring and summer with an experimental SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Black-footed ferrets are among North America’s most endangered mammals, and are in the same family as mink, which have proven to be highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2. An effective vaccine for ferrets would indirectly protect people, too, scientists say. (Full story: Kaiser Health News, khn.org, Dec. 23)

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: Why haven’t puppy mills been closed down after all these years of documented abuses? My neighbor has taken in two poor dogs who’d been kept in small cages for years to produce puppies. They are slowly coming around and enjoying life, but don’t know how to play, and one is still very scared outside her new home. -- R.G., Minneapolis, Minnesota

DEAR R.G.: I asked my old friend and colleague Bob Baker, executive director of the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation (www.maal.org), to answer your important question.

Baker writes:

“Inhumane conditions have been exposed at commercial dog breeding facilities, aka puppy mills, as far back as the 1960s. Congress finally took action in 1970 and amended the federal Animal Welfare Act to specifically address concerns about puppy mills. Congress mandated that commercial dog breeders be licensed, regulated and inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“Since this federal involvement in addressing puppy mills, more than 20 states have also enacted some form of legislation to regulate them, and three states and over 350 local municipalities have outright banned the sale of dogs in pet stores.

“Animal welfare organizations have made great strides in closing down some of the most egregious puppy mills over the years, and have significantly increased the standards of care for the breeding dogs who are confined in puppy mills. In several states, such as Missouri, the standards of care have been improved dramatically. In Missouri, 1,200 puppy mills voluntarily shut down rather than comply with the new standards of care enacted with the passage of the Canine Cruelty Prevention Act in 2011.

“In addition, there have been countless media exposes on the cruelties of puppy mills, and numerous consumer warnings on the risks of purchasing a puppy from a pet store.

“Regrettably, puppy mills continue to flourish. Without a doubt, the vehicle and the stimulus for the continuing sale of these puppies is the internet. E-commerce has become the principal marketplace for the sale of puppies from large commercial dog breeders. It has allowed breeders to avoid the stigma of marketing dogs through pet stores, which have been so widely criticized. In addition, for many years, internet sales of puppies have been ignored by USDA and currently are only given minimal oversight and thus are allowed to operate with impunity.

“E-commerce also allows puppy mills to camouflage the substandard housing and the wretched living conditions of the breeding stock. Most of the websites display cute puppies in idyllic settings, often showing dogs running free in spacious yards and fields. The adorable puppies pictured in such beautiful, serene backgrounds prove too much for a prospective puppy purchaser. Oftentimes, the purchasers are fully aware of the risks of buying a puppy over the internet, and have been cautioned to visit the breeder to ensure that their new puppy only comes from a reputable source. The almost universal response from such consumers is, ‘The puppy pictured on the website was just too cute to resist.’

“What is the answer? Undoubtedly, we need to continue to aggressively lobby for stronger laws and we need to advocate for much stricter enforcement of our current laws, especially by the USDA. And we need to incessantly remind consumers that they are not ‘rescuing’ a puppy when they purchase from an online seller, but rather, they are sentencing the mother and father of that puppy to a lifetime of misery in a puppy mill!”

Dr. Fox here: I would add that appeals to the American Kennel Club to become involved in inspections and accreditations have not been responded to, beyond the AKC saying that it is not a regulatory organization -- even though it registers and provides “papers” for puppy mill breeders’ pups.

Puppies are often imported from abroad, sometimes illegally, an issue that calls for constant vigilance -- especially since diseases and parasites new to the U.S. dog population could be carried by these dogs. (For details, see cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-united-states/operation-dog-catcher.html.)

People considering bringing a dog or puppy into their homes should either adopt from shelters or visit the breeder to see the parents and how well they are cared for.

EXPANDED PET FOOD RECALL

The FDA has widened a recall of Sportmix products that contain corn and were made at the Midwestern Pet Foods’ Oklahoma plant. Seventy dogs have reportedly died after eating Sportmix products contaminated with aflatoxin, and at least 80 more have been sickened. Anyone whose dog or cat has eaten one of the recalled products should contact a veterinarian, even if the pet does not appear to be ill. (Full story: CNN.com, Jan. 12)

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR READERS: Please read this announcement from the American Association of Feline Practitioners regarding the group’s policy on elective declawing procedures:

The AAFP “is proud to announce a policy update ending elective declawing procedures (onychectomy) for felines in all designated Cat Friendly Practices. ... The AAFP and the International Society of Feline Medicine established the Cat Friendly Practice program as a global initiative elevating care for cats. A CFP designation is a recognized symbol of excellence showing a practice’s commitment in treating feline patients gently and with respect.”

The group says this new policy went into effect for existing CFPs Jan. 1, and “will be standard in all new practices that wish to earn the designation moving forward.”

More details from the press release: “Feline declawing is an elective and ethically controversial procedure that is not medically necessary in most instances. Many regions throughout the world, including portions of North America, have banned declawing procedures unless there is a necessary medical reason. Many cat caregivers may not realize scratching is a normal and essential feline behavior that relieves stress and allows cats to fully stretch their bodies. With proper education provided by CFPs, cat caregivers will have a better understanding of the procedure and potential risks associated with it.”

The AAFP has also developed a Claw Friendly Educational Toolkit (catvets.com/claw-friendly-toolkit), and the group’s Cat Friendly Homes website contains educational resources on the topic for cat caregivers (catfriendly.com/scratching).

DEAR DR. FOX: I put a shelter in my yard for a stray cat, who seemed to be quite old. Eventually he would come to be fed when I called him. It took him about three years to put one paw on my knee, and soon after that, he would jump onto my lap to be petted. Why did it take so long, since he already trusted me enough to come and eat when called? -- V.R., Halcyon, California

DEAR V.R.: Not all cats are cuddle-pusses, and some people who adopt young cats and kittens are disappointed when they grow up to not like being picked up and cuddled. Some such cats will come and sit close by, or on one’s lap, only when they want to. This is the “independence” of cats, which some take as rejection or aloofness.

But in my opinion, it is all genetics of individual temperament coupled with the conditioning of early-in-life experiences. Some cats by nature are innately shy, introverted and cautious, while others are outgoing extroverts. There are also “ambiverts” like our rescued cat, Fanny -- who, even after three years living in our home, will only accept being petted when in her bed. She avoids physical contact with me at any other time, yet falls down in front of me when she wants to play, chasing feathers on a string.

Perhaps male cats are generally more extroverted than female cats. While it took me six months before I could even touch one feral tomcat, he became a total cuddle-puss and one of the most playful, gentle and empathetic animals I have ever known.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)