| How to Transport Cats by Plane Posted: 23 May 2017 05:00 PM PDT Air travel is not recommended for pets, unless it is absolutely necessary. In fact, air travel can be hazardous for animals with "pushed in" faces, such as bulldogs, pugs and Persian cats as they may have breathing issues when flying due to their limited airways and stress.[1] But if you are moving to a new country and need to take your cat with you, you may have no choice but to transport him on a plane. There are many horror stories associated with transporting cats on an airplane[2], but with the right preparation, your feline friend can arrive to his new home safe and sound. EditTransporting Your Cat in the Cabin - Talk to the airline about transporting your cat in the cabin. Contact the airline you are planning to fly with to check if you can transport your cat in the airport cabin in carrier under the seat in front of you. Avoid transporting your cat in the cargo or luggage hold if possible. [3]
- Most airlines will allow you to take your cat on the plane in the cabin area for a small fee. Try to call the airline well in advance of your flight, as there is a limited number of animals allowed in the cabin during a flight.
- Book your flight early. Some airlines restrict how many pets can travel in the cabin on a particular flight. Booking your flight early will ensure there is a spot for your cat. When choosing your seat, keep in mind you will not be able to sit in an exit row or against the bulkhead, as there must be a seat in front of you for the carrier.
- Request the precise dimensions under the airline seat. The airline should be able to provide you with the exact dimensions of the space under the airline seat. This will dictate the size of your transport carrier for your cat.[4]
- Check which types of carriers are allowed in the cabin. Most airlines will accept either hard-sided carriers or soft-sided carriers. Soft-sided travel carriers are easier to slide under the airline seat space. But only certain brands of soft-sided carriers are allowed by certain airlines. So check which types and brands are permitted in the cabin before you buy a carrier.
- A month before your trip, feed your cat in the carrier so he associates it with a positive activity. Play with your cat in the carrier and allow him to lounge or rest in the carrier. This will make it seem as welcoming as possible.
- Have your cat practice entering and exiting the carrier. This will help him get more comfortable with the carrier and ensure it becomes part of his routine. Practicing getting in and out of the carrier will be good preparation for the security checks, when your cat will need to get in and out of the carrier on command.
- Schedule a vet appointment close to the date of travel. You will need to ask your vet for vaccination records for your cat and a health certificate for travel. These documents are required by the airline to allow your cat to fly.[5]
- Your vet should give you a health certificate that confirms your cat is in good health and free of parasites. All your cat's vaccinations should also be up to date, including his Rabies vaccination.[6]
- Your vet may also suggest implanting a microchip into your cat that will make it easier to locate him if he goes missing during travel. It acts as your pet's ID for life. Microchipping your pet is a simple procedure, where your vet injects a microchip the size of a grain of rice (12mm) under the surface of your pet's skin, between his shoulder blades. It does not hurt your pet and no anesthetic is required.[7]
- Don't give your cat food on the day of travel. Traveling with a cat that has an empty stomach will limit the risk of nausea and vomiting. You can carry some of your cat's food with you, in case he gets incredibly hungry on the flight.
- Don't forget to also carry any medication your cat might be on in a clear plastic bag.
- Line the carrier with absorbent "potty pads". This will soak up any accidents by your cat during travel. Keep extra pads, a few zip lock bags, paper towels, and latex gloves for any necessary cleanup and containment of an accident.
- Put a luggage tag on your cat's carrier. This will help to identify him in case the carrier gets lost in transit or in the airport. Put your name, permanent address, telephone number, and final destination on the tag.
- Bring a cat harness for airport security. Your cat's travel carrier must go through the luggage x-ray screening device at the airport, but your cat cannot. So you will need to attach a harness to your cat with a leash to prevent him from escaping. You should then carry your cat in your arms through the human screening device.[8]
- Before you take your cat out of the carrier, prepare yourself and your belongings for screening. Remove your shoes, toiletries, and electronics and place them in bins to go through the x-ray machine.
- Remove your cat from the carrier, keeping him in the harness, and send the carrier through the machine.
- Carry the cat as you go through the human screening device. Then, find the carrier and safely place your cat inside before gathering your belongings.
- Give your cat a sedative if your vet prescribed one. Most cats can travel well without any medication. But some cats can experience tremendous stress during air travel. Talk to your vet if you are concerned about your cat's anxiety levels when flying.[9]
- Your vet might prescribe Buprenorphine, Gabapentin, or Alprazolam for your cat. Be sure to give your cat a dose at home before the flight as a "dry run" to make sure your cat does not react negatively to the medication.
- Use a swaddle or pheromone wipes to lower your cat's anxiety. If you want to avoid medicating your cat, you can try a Thundershirt, which swaddles your cat, much like swaddling an infant, to reduce anxiety.[10]
- You can also use pheromone wipes or spray on the carrier before the flight to lower his anxiety levels.
- There are also pheromone calming collars available that you can buy to calm down your cat for the flight.
EditTransporting Your Cat in the Cargo Hold - Ask the airline for their companion animal incidents report. Though not ideal, some airlines may not allow animals in the cabin and if your cat is healthy, they can cope with air travel in the cargo hold. Most U.S. airlines are required to report all companion animal incidents that occur in the cargo hold.[11] Look at the performance record of the airline you are planning to fly with. If possible, choose an airline with a low number of companion animal incidents in the cargo hold.
- Animals flown in the cargo area of airplanes are killed, injured, or lost on commercial flights each year. Excessively hot or cold temperatures in the cargo area, as well as poor ventilation and rough handling are often to blame for these incidents.[12] However, many cargo holds are now pressurized and have a certain level of climate control. Talk to the airline about any safety features in the cargo hold that will make your cat's travel more comfortable.
- Try to get a direct flight. This will cut down on the amount of security checks you and your cat will have to go through. It will also lower the delay time of getting your pet off the plane, especially if your pet is traveling in the cargo hold.[13]
- Always travel on the same flight as your pet. You can confirm this by asking the airline if you can watch your pet being loaded into the cargo hold before getting on the flight.
- Look for early morning or late evening flights if you are traveling in the summer as this will be the cooler times of the day and make the cargo hold less hot and stuffy for your cat. Choose afternoon flights if you are traveling in the winter, as it will be less chilly in the cargo hold for your cat.
- Attach a collar on your cat with your information. Look for a collar that can't get caught in the carrier doors. Put your name, home address, telephone name, and final destination on the collar.[14]
- You should also put a travel label on the carrier with the same information in the event the carrier, and your cat, get lost during travel.
- Trim your cat's nails before the flight. This will protect your cat's nails from getting hooked in the carrier's doors, holes, and other crevices in the cargo area.[15]
- Schedule a vet appointment close to the date of travel. You will need to ask your vet for vaccination records for your cat and a health certificate for travel. These documents are required by the airline to allow your cat to fly.[16]
- Your vet should give you a health certificate that confirms your cat is in good health and free of parasites. All your cat's vaccinations should also be up to date, including his Rabies vaccination.[17]
- Your vet may also suggest implanting a microchip into your cat that will make it easier to locate him if he goes missing during travel. It acts as your pet's ID for life. Microchipping your pet is a simple procedure, where your vet injects a microchip the size of a grain of rice (12mm) under the surface of your pet's skin, between his shoulder blades. It does not hurt your pet and no anesthetic is required.[18]
- Do not feed your cat 4-6 hours before the trip. Traveling on an empty stomach will cut down on any nausea or vomiting. You can give your cat small amounts of water, or place ice cubes in the water dish in the carrier to keep your cat hydrated.[19]
- Carry a current photograph of your cat. If your cat is lost or misplaced during the flight or landing, the photograph will help airport security identify him.[20]
- Bring a cat harness for airport security. Your cat's travel carrier must go through the luggage x-ray screening device at the airport, but your cat cannot. So you will need to attach a harness to your cat with a leash to prevent him from escaping. You should then carry your cat in your arms through the human screening device.[21]
- Before you take your cat out of the carrier, prepare yourself and your belongings for screening. Remove your shoes, toiletries, and electronics and place them in bins to go through the x-ray machine.
- Remove your cat from the carrier, keeping him in the harness, and send the carrier through the machine.
- Carry the cat as you go through the human screening device. Then, find the carrier and safely place your cat inside before gathering your belongings.
- Notify the captain and at least one flight attendant that you have a pet in the cargo hold. Do this as you board the plane. The captain may take special precautions when flying, like avoiding turbulent areas while in the air.
- Give your cat a sedative if it is prescribed by your veterinarian. Your vet should give you medication for your cat that is specifically for air travel, such as Buprenorphine, Gabapentin, or Alprazolam.[22]
- Be sure to give your cat a dose at home before the flight as a "dry run" to make sure your cat does not react negatively to the medication.
- Open the carrier as soon as you get off the plane and examine your cat. If anything seems wrong with your cat, take him to a vet immediately. Get the results of the vet exam in writing, including the date and time, in the event you complain to the airline about the treatment of your cat in the cargo hold.[23]
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations
Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
|
| How to Protect Your Written Ideas and Stories Posted: 23 May 2017 09:00 AM PDT Maybe you've just written the best story or come up with a winning story idea, but you're worried that someone will steal it from under you. It's understandable to be possessive of your written stories and ideas, especially if you are just starting out as a writer and want to protect your work. While the likelihood of someone stealing your work word for word may be small, you can take certain steps to understand your rights, copyright your work, and ensure it is protected. EditUnderstanding Your Rights to Your Stories and Ideas - Keep in mind you cannot copyright an idea. According to Section 102(b) of the Copyright Act, "In no case does copyright protection for an original work of authorship extend to any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle or discovery, regardless of the form in which it is described, explained, illustrated or embodied in such work."[1] This means that according to the law, you cannot copyright an idea or concept. You can attempt to sue someone for "idea misappropriation" if you believe they have stolen your idea or concept, but this can be difficult to prove in court.[2]
- It can also be useful to remember that although you cannot protect your ideas, there is also a very slim chance that someone else will execute your idea the same exact way as you or as good as you and then sell it. This is why you should not be shy about sharing ideas with trusted friends, writing partners, and collaborators. Protecting your ideas, besides being impossible to do legally speaking, is also not as important as protecting your written stories.[3]
- Be aware of what you can protect in terms of your written work. As soon as your written work is put down on paper, it is copyrighted from that moment forward. Your written work does not need to be published in order to be protected and you do not need to place a copyright symbol on your written work for it to be protected. However, you may want to consider copyrighting your work with official bodies, such as the Writers Guild of America and the U.S. Copyright Office, to ensure it is protected in the event of a legal dispute.[4]
- Copyrighting your work allows you to protect your execution or expression of your idea. This could be in the form of a short story, a novel draft, a script, or a film treatment. So while you cannot protect your ideas, you can protect your written stories through copyright.[5]
- If you end up in court over your copyright, you will need to prove that you possessed your execution of the idea before someone else and that there are enough similarities between your execution and someone else's execution to suggest your execution has been stolen. Registering your work for a legal copyright is one way to prove this. You should also collect evidence to show that you conceived the execution of your idea first.[6]
- Note the small likelihood of someone stealing unpublished work. In order for someone to steal your unpublished writing and profit from it, they must somehow get a copy of your work, develop and package it for the market, and sell it to an editor or publisher. It must then be read and purchased by readers. At this point, the person who stole the work may not be able to stay below the radar and could be found out. There is a only small likelihood that someone would go through all this trouble to steal your unpublished work, no matter how good it might be.[7]
- It's important to remember how rare it is for unpublished work to get stolen and repackaged. Most writers view stealing other people's writers as a lot of work and the consequences of getting caught may outweigh the trouble of doing it.
- Protecting published writing may be more of a concern, though again, it is unlikely that someone will try to steal your writing word for word. You can use copyright and hard evidence to challenge someone in the event they try to steal your published work.
EditCopyrighting Your Work - Gather written evidence of your work. One of the ways you can protect your work is by creating a paper trail that proves your work is yours in one place. This could be a copy of the novel summary or outline, a script treatment, and all of the existing drafts of your written work.[8]
- You can gather all of this written evidence together in a computer folder or print them out and create a physical folder of evidence. Add to the folder as you continue to write and develop your ideas on paper. This folder will act as evidence of your rights to your work in the event of a dispute.
- If you are using a computer folder, you should archive it and use password protection on it. This will ensure the folder is protected from any computer glitches or issues.
- Send the evidence to a trusted friend or colleague. Though you will have your own copy of the archive, it can also be useful to send the evidence via email or mail to a trusted friend of colleague. This way, in the event of a lawsuit, this person can come forward as a credible witness and provide their own copy of the evidence.[9]
- This person could be your editor, your writing partner, your publisher, or a close friend or family member. Chose someone you can trust, preferably someone who is good at saving and preserving important documentation.
- Archive all your emails and documents relating to the written work. Save all your emails and any related documentation where you discuss the written work with others or send copies of the written work to others. This will ensure you have access to all documents relating to the written work and have a record of who had access to the written work.[10]
- You should also keep a detailed account of any meetings or in person discussions you had with individuals about the written work. This will ensure you have a record you can refer to later in the event of a dispute around ownership of the written work.
- Register your work with the Writer's Guild of America. This option is useful if you have a final draft of a script that you want to protect. Registering your script with the WGA will allow you to create a public record of your claim to authorship.[11]
- You can register with the Writers Guild of America, West , based in Los Angeles, and/or the WGAeast, based in New York. To register your script, you will need to mail in a package that contains the title page of the material and your name, one unbound copy of the material and a check for the registration fee. You can also complete the registration process online on the WGA website.
- The WGA charges $10 for members of the guild, and $20 for non-members at WGAwest, $22 for non-members at the WGAeast.
- Apply for a copyright from the United States Copyright Office. Another option is to register your written work with the U.S. Copyright Office. Registering your work through the U.S. Copyright Office can come in handy in the event you have a legal dispute over ownership of your written work.[12]
- You can find more information about copyrighting your work through the Copyright Office website or through the mail. The fee for registering your work with the U.S. Copyright Office is $30.[13]
EditProtecting Your Work in Other Ways - Place a copyright symbol on your written work. If you are worried about your work getting stolen and want to have an extra layer of copyright, you can place a copyright notice on the upper right corner of your document. It should appear as: Copyright © 20XX by (your name).[14]
- Keep in mind some editors and publishers consider placing a copyright notice on your written work amateurish and a rookie move. Most editors and publishers are aware of the rules around protection of your work, as your work is protected the moment is put down on paper. So they may view the copyright notice as unnecessary.
- Submit your work to reputable editors and publishers. Perhaps one of the most effective ways to ensure your work is protected is to always submit work to reputable editors and publishers. Avoid editors who want you to sign away the rights to your work right away or publishers who do not produce quality materials (for example, self-publishers and publishers of low end e-Books).[15]
- Reputable editors and publishers will also not likely try to steal your ideas from you and resell it or repackage it. Most big publishers and editors do not want to get involved in a stolen work dispute, as it will end up being bad press and a legal hassle for them.
- Consult an intellectual property attorney if you suspect your work has been stolen. If you are concerned that your written stories have been stolen or repackaged by another writer, you should consult an intellectual property attorney. The attorney can advise you on what you can do to protect your ownership of the work and prove your ownership in court.[16]
- If you are negotiating any legal agreements with a publisher or a literary agent in terms of the rights to your writing, you should also consider hiring a lawyer. This will ensure you and your work are protected and you receive the best deal for your work.
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations
Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
|
| How to Dye Leather Posted: 23 May 2017 01:00 AM PDT Whether you are creating a new leather item or restoring an old one, leather dying instructions can quickly take you to your finished product. Knowing how to dye leather will allow you to easily change the color of a leather item. Keep in mind that every piece of leather is different and may accept the color a little differently. EditUsing Commercially Bought Leather Dye - Choose your leather dye. Most commercially prepared leather dyes come with leather preparer, the dye itself, and a finish (such as leather sheen). Consider the following when choosing a dye:
- Alcohol-based dyes stiffen the leather, while water-based dyes leave it soft and supple. Many water-based dyes are actually coatings, which can completely change the color of the piece.
- The color of the dye is not representative of the final color. Test on a small sample first. If you are touching up an already dyed piece, use a color-matching service to get an exact match.
- Dyes can be spray-on, paint-on, or sponge-on. Choose the type that works best for you in terms of ease of use.
- Tape off any area that you do not want dyed. Cover any buckles or metal pieces that you do not want dyed with masking tape. The tape may damage the leather finish, but you'll be removing that anyway to make the surface available for dyeing.
- Move to a well-ventilated area. Most leather preparers and leather dyes release fumes that are unhealthy to breathe. Work in a space with good ventilation. If dyeing your leather outdoors, keep it out of direct sunlight and extreme heat.
- Most dyes give best results at air temperatures of 60ºF (15ºC) or above.[1]
- Protect your hands and floor from stains. Leather dye can stain skin for a week and other surfaces permanently. Wear two pairs of latex or nitrile gloves. Lay down plastic drop cloth to catch spills.
- Apply the leather preparer. Rub the leather preparer or de-glazer on with a clean cloth. This removes the leather finish so the dye can penetrate evenly into the material.
- Wet the leather. Use a spray bottle filled with water to dampen the surface of the leather. Do not over-saturate the leather, but make sure you have an even covering. This helps the leather absorb the dye evenly, resulting in a smooth finish.
- Some leather dyes do not require this step. Check the label.
- Apply your first coat. Start by painting the edges with a paintbrush. For the rest of the job, apply the dye in a thin coat using a sponge, wool dauber, paintbrush, or sprayer. Check the dye label to see which tool the manufacturer recommends, or weigh the following pros and cons:
- Sponges can apply a special affect or texture to the leather. Apply in a circular motion for an even look.
- Wool daubers are easy to use when applying liquid dye to small areas. They may not work well with gel dyes.[2]
- Paintbrushes are good for edges and small areas, but it is hard to hide the brush strokes over large areas. Apply the first layer left to right, the second up and down, and the next layer in circular motions to ensure even coating.
- Sprayers makes it easy to blend colors for repairs or multi-color dye jobs. An airbrush or touch-up spray gun provides the most control.[3] Check the dye instructions to see if it is suitable for spraying.
- Apply additional coats of leather dye. Let the first coat dry a little, then apply another one. Repeat with additional coats of leather dye until it reaches the desired color, usually after three to six coats.[4] Applying several thin coats makes it easier to achieve a uniform color.
- Allow the leather to dry completely, manipulating it periodically to keep it supple. Allow the leather to dry for at least 24 hours. Pick it up and flex it occasionally (wearing gloves) to prevent it becoming rigid. The leather may feel sticky at first, but this should disappear after buffing or applying leather sheen.
- Buff the leather with a clean cloth or apply leather sheen. Buffing with a cloth removes any dye residue and polishes the surface of the leather. You may use leather sheen to leave a shiny finish on the leather.
EditUsing Vinegar and Rust - Use vinegar and rust to dye leather black. This old-fashioned recipe, called vinegaroon or vinegar black, is a cheap and easy way to permanently dye your leather dark black. The color will not rub off onto fingers or clothes, and you can save the leftover dye for later use.[5]
- This method works best on vegetable-tanned leather (or antique pit-tanned leather). If the leather is already dyed, it was probably chrome-tanned and sealed, and vinegaroon will not give good results.
- Choose a source of rust. You can use uncoated iron nails, iron shavings, or any other material that will rust (and ideally has already started to rust). Steel wool is one of the fastest options, since you can tear it into small fragments, but it has an oil coating to prevent rust. Get rid of this first by dunking the steel wool in acetone, squeezing it out, then letting it dry completely.[6]
- Acetone can irritate skin, but occasional contact shouldn't cause lasting harm.[7] Wearing latex gloves is recommended.[8]
- Warm the vinegar. Heat about a half gallon (two liters) of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar until it is hot, but not too hot to touch.[9] Pour it back into the container it was sold in, or into any convenient container.
- Drop the metal into the vinegar. Over time, the rust (iron oxide) will react with the vinegar (acetic acid). This form a substance called ferric acetate, which reacts with tannins to dye the leather.[10]
- The amount of iron to add depends on the concentration of the vinegar. The easiest approach is to start with a large quantity (thirty nails, as a ballpark estimate), then keep adding metal until it stops dissolving.[11]
- Keep in a warm, ventilated container for at least a week. Punch a hole in the lid to let off gases, or the container could explode. Close the lid and put the container in a warm location for at least a week or two. The "vinegarroon" is ready when the iron is dissolved and there is no strong vinegar smell.[12]
- If it still smells strongly of vinegar, add more iron. If there's already iron in there, heat over the stove to speed up the reaction.
- Once almost all of the acetic acid is gone, any remaining iron will rust normally, turning the liquid reddish. At this point you can leave the lid off for a couple days to help the last dregs of the acetic acid evaporate.
- Filter out the liquid. Run the vinegaroon through paper towels or coffee filters repeatedly until the liquid is free from solids.[13]
- Soak your leather in black tea. Brew an extra-strong black tea, then let the water cool. Soak the leather in it to add extra tannin. This will improve the effects of the vinegaroon, and help prevent cracking.[14]
- Professional leather workers sometimes use tannic acid or logwood extract instead.
- Soak the leather in vinegaroon for thirty minutes. The liquid will penetrate into the leather and add a deep, permanent dye. Don't be alarmed if the color looks grey or bluish. It should deepen to black during the process, and become darker after oiling.
- It's a good idea to test a similar piece of scrap metal first, or one corner of the object. If it cracks after a couple days, dilute the vinegaroon in water and try again.[15]
- Neutralize the leather using a baking soda solution. Mix 3 tbs. (45 mL) baking soda in one quart (1L) of water. Saturate the leather with the solution and then rinse with clean water. This neutralizes the acid in the vinegar solution to keep your leather from disintegrating later on.
- Condition the leather using oil. While the leather is still damp, rub your favorite leather oil over the surface. You may need two coats of the oil to fully condition the leather. Choose the oil that works best for your leather product by testing on a small portion of the leather.
EditUsing Mink Oil - Use mink oil when you only want to darken the leather. Mink oil is a natural substance that lubricates and soaks into leather to condition it. Mink oil also has waterproofing abilities and protects from salt, mildew, mold and other elements.
- Warning: Mink oil is controversial, since it can leave an oily layer that repels other products (making further polishing or enhancement difficult).[16] Worse, "mink oil" products are not standardized, and may contain silicone or other ingredients that can damage your leather.[17] Research product reviews before using it on high quality leather.
- Clean the leather. Before dyeing, ensure the leather is free of dust, dirt, or other extraneous material. Use a brush or lightly damp cloth to remove any dirt or dust from the surface.
- Place leather in the sun. Gently warm up your leather in the sun. Heating the leather helps the mink oil "pull" the dye into the leather, making it permanent and indelible.
- You should never place your leather in the oven to warm it; it is very easy to ruin the leather.
- Warm up mink oil. Place the bottle of mink oil into a container filled with hot water to gently heat up the oil. This will ensure an even coating of mink oil on your leather by helping to pull the oil into the leather.[18]
- Apply mink oil. Use clean, smooth strokes from a oil-soaked cloth to spread the mink oil across the length of the leather. Give the leather an even coating to ensure an even finish. You may need to make multiple applications to get to the desired darkness.
- Let dry for 30 to 60 minutes. Occasionally move the leather back and forth so that the leather does not stiffen. This also helps to work the oil into the leather.
- Buff or polish the leather with a cloth or shoe polish brush. For a pleasing, shiny finish give your cooled leather a buffing with a clean brush or cloth. Buff the leather by rubbing the cloth in circles.
- Handle your finished leather cautiously. Be careful when handling or wearing the leather after finishing the process, as it's possible for fresh oil to rub off onto clothes, skin, or anything else it comes into contact with in the first few weeks after dying.
- You may want to keep your dyed leather in a safe place in your closet until the dye fully sets to prevent accidental stains.
- If you are unhappy with the shade of your finished leather, repeat this entire process as needed for deeper color saturation.
- If you need to condition your leather then you should do this after dyeing the leather or else the dye will not show an even finish.
- Always test your dye method on a small, unseen portion of the leather to avoid ruining the leather.
EditThings You'll Need - leather dye kit, vinegar and rusty metal, mink oil or tea bags (depending on method)
- 2 clean cloths
- sponge or wool dauber
- spray bottle
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations
Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
|
No comments:
Post a Comment