John and his Australian terrier
Sparky - a survivor of lymphoma, now in his seventh year of
remission. Sparky has not had a vaccination since the year
2000.
What I've
learnedfrom
writing this book is that there are two types of pet owners.
Those in the first group ("A") are pretty much aware
of the dangers and risks associated with vaccinating dogs and
cats. They've heard the issues, and guide themselves
accordingly when making those crucial decisions about which
vaccines to give and which not, and how often (if ever) to
repeat (boost) the shots. They know what titer tests are;
they're aware of adjuvants and preservatives.
Members of
the other group ("B") simply don't have a clue. They
assume that all vaccinations are fine and are blithely
unconcerned. They get those "Annual Booster Time"
cards from their vets and hurry in for all those repeat shots.
Group "A" people
are typically frustrated that the message isn't getting
through to Group "B." They fervently want to spread
the word to all dog and cat owners. They're like bystanders
trying to warn a passing train that the upcoming bridge is
down, desperately waving flags at the oblivious engineer. I
can't tell you how many (Group "A") breeders and
veterinarians have said "thank you" to me just for
writing this little book. Many, many, are providing copies to
their new puppy and kitten buyers.
Unfortunately,
I find that there are many more owners in Group "B"
than Group "A."
If Stop the Shots! helps
get the message out, resulting in fewer vaccine-related
diseases and deaths, I will feel well gratified. You can learn
more about the book and the pet vaccination issue at the
book's Web site: http://www.StopTheShots.com . Breeders and
veterinarians can find options there on buying copies in
quantity for their clients.
As
a follow-up to that book, Clifton and his wife and writing partner Josée
Clerens founded an e-zine to update
readers on new discoveries and techniques for curing cancer in dogs. This publication, Fighting
Back: Canine Cancer Monthly is now in its second year
online.
Mr.
Clifton (and sometimes Sparky) have made guest appearances on hundreds of
television and radio programs across the country warning pet
caretakers about the dangers to their pets' health and advising them
on how to protect dogs and cats from cancer and other diseases.
He
has also had a long and varied career as a theatrical composer
and lyricist, musical arranger, graphic artist, writer and educator.
John,
a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, lives with his wife Josée
and their dog Sparky in New York City.
John and his Australian terrier
Sparky - a survivor of lymphoma, now in his seventh year of
remission. Sparky has not had a vaccination since the year
2000.
