Your dog wants to be healthy, don't you? And really, how can you say no to your best friend?

Having an animal in your life is more than a nice treat! It's a great opportunity to get moving. Whether you have a cat, a dog, or a small furry friend, both of you need to eat right and exercise. Keeping yourself happy and healthy is made fun and easy by learning about the benefits of owning a pet, and about how to keep both your #Ready Feet and their #ReadyPaws moving!

Healthy Pets      Healthy People      2018 Walk & Wag

 

Pet Health with the Long Island Health Collaborative

 

At the Long Island Health Collaborative, we love a good walk, and we love a good dog! Which is why we're sharing our favorite ways to get our #ReadyFeet and our #ReadyPaws moving.

   Do you want to bring your dog with you, but don't know where he'll be allowed? We've listed Some of the Best Dog-Friendly Destinations on Long Island, including parks where pups are welcome, restaurants where rover can join, and ferries that will permit fido!    Have you heard of pet therapy? It makes sense, our best furry friends help us feel better when we're down.  Learn about the wonderful ways you never realized your pet can take care of you as much as you're taking care of them.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

     
   While you're making healthy choices into healthy habits, make sure your pets are staying healthy too! Read some of the articles below to learn about healthy pets and how to keep them that way.  

 


 

Learn from the Experts - Pet Health Studies

 
  Over the past decade, there have been tons of studies that examine the benefits of pet-ownership on a person's health - both physical and mental. Below are a few of these studies, about the life-long benefits of walking with your dog.  

 

 I Walk My Dog Because It Makes Me Happy: A Qualitative Study to Understand Why Dogs Motivate Walking and Improved Health

According to new research, owners are motivated to go dog walking because it makes them feel happy, not because of other health and social benefits. -ScienceDaily

 Westgarth, C.; Christley, R.M.; Marvin, G.; Perkins, E. I Walk My Dog Because It Makes Me Happy: A Qualitative Study to Understand Why Dogs Motivate Walking and Improved Health. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14, 936.
 Understanding how dogs encourage and motivate walking: cross-sectional findings  "This study examines the . . .  factors that contribute towards owners reporting having a strong sense of encouragement and motivation to walk provided by their dogs, which we call ‘the Lassie effect’.  Westgarth, C., et al. “Understanding How Dogs Encourage and Motivate Walking: Cross-Sectional Findings from RESIDE.” BMC Public Health, vol. 16, no. 1, 29 Sept. 2016, doi:10.1186/s12889-016-3660-2.
Pets' Impact on Your Patients' Health: Leveraging Benefits and Mitigating Risk Asking about pets is a simple and feasible approach to assess patients' environmental history and social capital.  Timely and/or Controversial Information for Family PhysiciansJ Am Board Fam Med July 1, 2015 28:435-437
The Buffer Effect of Therapy Dog Exposure on Stress Reactivity in Undergraduate Students This study examined whether interaction with a therapy dog could reduce the strength of the physiological stress response when exposed to a subsequent stressor. Fiocco, A.J.; Hunse, A.M. The Buffer Effect of Therapy Dog Exposure on Stress Reactivity in Undergraduate Students. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14, 707.
The power of support from companion animals for people living with mental health problems: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of the evidence The aim of this study was to explore the extent, nature and quality of the evidence implicating the role and utility of pet ownership for people living with a mental health condition.  

BMC Psychiatry, 2018, Volume 18, Number 1, Page 1, Helen Louise Brooks, Kelly Rushton, Karina Lovell, 

 

Even More Pet Health Resources 

If you're looking for new and exciting places to play, going on vacation or a business trip but don't want to leave your best friend at home, or are just browsing for ideas to spend more time with your pet, there are resources for that, too! 

 

LIDog.org- Long Island Dog Owners Group (LI-DOG) is a non-profit organization that works to create
dog parks and increase access to public parkland and beaches for Long Island dog owners and their dogs.
This site has maps of Long Island's dog-friendly parks & walking trails, upcoming events, and news that
LI dog owners should know.

 

 

BringFido.com - A dog travel directory that provides unbiased reviews, detailed pet policy information,
and online reservations at more than 25,000 pet-friendly hotels.

 

 

 

Rover.com - Connecting pet parents with dog people who’ll treat their pets like family, Rover is also
 an award-winning technology business committed to making pet care safe, easy, and affordable so that
everyone can experience the unconditional love of a dog.

 

 

Keep Yourself Moving, with the LIHC

You and your pet both deserve to be healthy. Which is why the Long Island Health Collaborative is dedicated to improving the health of Long Islanders, by making healthy habits an easy choice!

The Are You Ready, Feet?™ portal helps provide the incentive and opportunity to walk. Using this free online portal, you and your pet can be rewarded for your physical activity, by logging your steps walked, minutes moved, or miles traveled. Each time you record an activity, it's an entry into a quarterly drawing for health & wellness prizes! 

 

 

Sign up for the Are You Ready, Feet?™ portal today and log your first steps! Start your journey across Long Island, and walk towards better health for you and your loved ones, two-legged or four!  

 

 

 

On days when your dog is busy with his own business, where else can you go to get a walk in? We have resources for that, too!

Find a place to walk with our list of parks and walking facilities across Long Island -there's always a place to go!

Get Moving with These Top Hiking Spots on Long Island!

Add more steps to your day, with 9 Ways You Didn't Think of to Walk More 

  

 

Walk & Wag 2018 

This year, the Long Island Health Collaborative will be participating in North Shore Animal League America's 2nd Annual Walk & Wag. Walk to support North Shore Animal League America’s No Kill Mission while improving your health AND your pet’s health!

WHEN:     Saturday, September 29, 2018
WHERE:   North Hempstead Beach Park
175 West Shore Road, Port Washington, NY

9:00 a.m.  Registration/Check-In
10:00 a.m.  Walk Begins

 

 

Grab your leash and tighten your laces for North Shore Animal League America’s 2nd annual Walk & Wag. This year, you can join Long Island Health Collabradors’ Team on September 29 at North Hempstead Beach Park, or join virtually to participate at any time from any place. This National Walk allows the entire animal-loving community to come together in support of the no-kill mission to help save the lives of homeless dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens all while promoting a healthy lifestyle for you and your pet.

Here’s how to register for the walk:

  • Visit www.animalleague.org/walkandwag
  • On the right-hand side of the page, under "Register - Walk & Wag" choose how you would like to join our team - as an in-person walker, or a virtual walker.
  • On the drop down menu, click on “Join a Team” and search for Collabradors
  • Fill out your information
  • A link to your customizable personal fundraising page will be emailed to you
  • Have fun getting fit!

 

About North Shore Animal League America

The world’s largest no-kill, non-profit, animal rescue, and adoption organization based in Port Washington has saved the lives of over 1 million dogs, cats, puppies and kittens at risk of euthanasia since 1944. Through many innovative programs, they reach across the country to rescue animals from overcrowded shelters, unwanted litters, puppy mills, natural disasters and other emergencies and find them responsible, loving homes. As a leader in the no-kill movement, they are dedicated to promoting shelter pet adoptions; encouraging spay/neuter programs; reducing animal cruelty; ending euthanasia; and advancing the highest standards in animal welfare.

 

We encourage you to walk & wag with us and our pups on Saturday, September 29th, at North Hempstead Beach Park.

Can't join us for the walk?

By signing up for the virtual walk, you can still join the Collabradors by walking with your friends, family, colleagues, or your furry best friend on a trail, in a
park, or around your office building! Walkers receive a Walk & Wag T-Shirt and Pet Bandanna, and also qualify for exciting Walk & Wag fundraising contests and prizes!

 

  • Participate from any location, in any community, nationwide 
  • Qualify for exciting fundraising contests and prizes until the day of the walk, September 29th
  • Raise important life-saving funds for dogs, cats, puppies and kittens!