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Culture

World’s First Pet Evacuation App

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67% of households are home to pets— cats, dogs, and fishes (American Pet Products Association). 

[According to a report, 67% of Canadians feel they live in low to moderate risk areas for natural disasters. In actuality for example, British Columbia is at risk for an earthquake up to magnitude 9.0. In comparison in 2011 it was a mag 9.0 in Japan that created the devastating tsunami.]

Why do we ignore the greatest threats to our pets well being, vulnerability to wildfires, floods, tornadoes, and other disasters?

Enter PHaR (Pet Help & Rescue app): the world’s first pet evacuation app.

Using a tight neighbors network, when disasters strike, activate the app, for a dedicated channel to arrange the rescue of your beloved animal companion.

Dave Crawford, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Animal Help Now, helped write the country’s first state legislative bill to double fines for traffic infractions in wildlife crossing zones; spearheaded RMAD’s nationwide boycott of Nalgene water bottles; stopped a multinational organization from building a Plexiglas zoo at Rocky Mountain National Park; and produced the country’s first video exposing conditions inside intensive egg facilities.

Crawford says, “PHaR was produced following the Marshall fire (Boulder County, CO; December 30, 2021), which took the lives of an estimated 1,000 dogs, cats and other pets.

Studies show – as did David’s personal experience in the Marshall Fire – that when disasters strike and you’re not home, your neighbors are your best bet to have your pets evacuated. PHaR is the only app of its kind. Not only in the United States, but in the entire world.”

A view of the destruction post tornado Moore, Oklahoma.

With this animal-focused tech nonprofit app, record and then, when needed, provide to your trusted contacts all the info they need to evacuate your beloved pets, including where their go-bag is, where their meds are, where they hide when scared, and how to get into your home. 

For more info, visit www.AHNow.org www.PHaR.org @animalhelpnow @animalhelpnowapp (IG) @pethelpandrescue

More about the non profit 

Animal Help Now, a nonprofit which operates its namesake wildlife emergency app, created PHaR. The 30-month effort started a week after the Marshall fire and culminated in the nationwide release on July 5, 2024.

Animal Help Now is a volunteer-based nonprofit with a budget under $200,000 USD/ $276,000 CAD. Creating PHaR was possible only because of public support and the dedication, perseverance and hard work of the organization’s mission-driven volunteers.

More about David:

David Crawford is co-founder and executive director of Animal Help Now. Dave has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and Mass Communication. He has been working on animal issues since 1989. He is co-founder and former long-time executive director of Rocky Mountain Animal Defense (RMAD). In that role, Dave led one of the most respected and effective regional animal advocacy organizations in the country; he produced the country’s first video exposing conditions inside intensive egg facilities; and he led the successful effort to stop a multinational organization from building a Plexiglas zoo at the Estes Park entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. RMAD also convened the first national conference on prairie dogs – the 2001 Prairie Dog Summit – and was central to the founding of the Prairie Dog Coalition. For the Silo, Kat Fleischman.

Culture

Pros And Cons Of Condo Living

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If you are considering taking your first steps onto the property ladder, you basically have a choice between purchasing a condo or purchasing a house. Which is right for you depends on your circumstances and wants/needs.

Condo living pros and cons

Royalty Free Photo

A condo encompasses more elements of apartment living which can have both its benefits and drawbacks, and it is important to weigh these up before you make a final decision and take on what is a huge financial undertaking. Why not check out the Mirvish + Gehry condo complex to see an example of what’s on offer and then come back here to find out more about the pros and cons?

#1: No Mowing the Lawn

One of the biggest pros of living in a condo is that there is very little to look after aside from the general cleanliness of your home, and even then, there’s not a whole lot of that in comparison to a house. Less square footage means less cleaning and no garden means you don’t have a lawn to mow, a garden to tend to or a roof to repair when things start to go wrong. This leaves you with more time to do things which you truly enjoy.

#2: A True Sense of Community

When you are living in a condo building, there’s a true sense of community between you and your fellow residents, especially when there are communal areas such as lounges and game rooms. This is much better than living in a street where people keep themselves to themselves and don’t get involved with each other. You will make more friends and develop relationships.

Community meet up in condo elevator
Image- liherald.com

#3: It Can Be Quite Noisy

The obvious downside to living in a condo vs. a detached house is the noise factor. When you live in a condo, you are adjoined to other people’s homes and sometimes there can be problems arising due to noise. Although modern condo buildings have good sound insulation, it’s not perfect and this is an important consideration if you are somebody who doesn’t like the slightest bit of noise from other people.

#4: You Can’t Choose Your Neighbours

Although you can’t pick your neighbours with a house, it’s easier to avoid them. When you live in the same block as neighbours whom you don’t like, avoiding them can be difficult as you are forced to share certain parts of the building with them. Although there can be a great sense of community, this can work in the other direction and be more of an inconvenience than anything else.

When it comes to deciding between buying a condo and a house, the decision can be very hard to make. It requires a lot of careful thought before you dive into it – you’ll probably be living in your condo for several years and it’s important to make the right choice. There are many other pros and cons associated with living in a condo vs living in a house, so before you commit to anything, carry on doing your research. For the Silo, Dimitry Karloff. 

Culture

What Single People Need to Do Before Buying A Home

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The usual route to home ownership tends to start with meeting a special someone. When you’re a couple and you want to begin a life together, it makes more sense to get a new home for yourself. You may plan to get a roomier home for the two of you, and especially if kids are part of your plan in the foreseeable future.

What if you’re single? That doesn’t mean that you can’t get a house in Montreal, or a condo in NDG (Notre-Dame-de-Grâce) or anywhere else in Canada. Here are some tips that can help if you’re single and determined to buy your own home:

  1. Get your finances in order. This is the first and most important rule, as money will always be an issue for you especially since you don’t have a partner to share the expenses. It can be problematic to get a mortgage when you’re single since you’re less likely to repay a loan than two people together who both work for a living. So, pay off your credit card debts, raise your credit score, finish paying for your car, and have enough money to put down 20% of the house price as down payment.
  2. Have lots of money in the bank. What if you lose your job right after moving into your own home? You’ll need money for all your expenses while you search for a new job. You need some money in your bank account that’s equal to three to six times your monthly wages. Keep in mind that as a homeowner you have to pay for your home’s upkeep along with home insurance and property taxes. 
  3. Make sure to account for all your possible expenses. First-time owners are often unpleasantly surprised when they encounter expenses that they don’t normally deal with when they were apartment tenants. Home ownership can be very costly, especially when you have to remodel your home. It’s also difficult to estimate what you’d have to spend, especially when you have a backyard to maintain.
  4. See if a condo makes more sense for you. In general, a condo unit makes a lot more sense than an actual house if you’re still single. A condo will probably be located closer to where you work. It’ll also be located right in the middle of the city you’re in, so entertainment establishments are conveniently nearer. A condo building can have amenities that you’ll appreciate when they’re nearby, such as a gym or a salon. It also provides you with more social opportunities to meet new people so that you’re no longer single (if that’s what you want, of course).
  5. Be conscious about security. Security is another reason why condos work best for singles as they usually have guards in the lobby to keep out strangers. If you’re living in your own house, you may want to put in a strong lock on your doors and perhaps on your gate. You should make friends with your neighbours, who can call the police when they see strangers in your home when you’re not there. A security camera tied into your smartphone can help as well, though a dog can also be useful.
  6. Look for houses with a friend. Couples have the advantage of having someone to discuss their home options so that they’re more certain of their choices. If you’re looking for possible homes to buy, make sure you call a friend to come along. They can help you think logically so your emotions don’t get the best of you.

Of course, one “side effect” of having your own home when you’re single is that you generally become more attractive to potential partners. Just make sure you buy the right home when you can actually afford it, so you can actually enjoy your new status as a homeowner. For the Silo, Dimitry Karloff.