Today's Inside Scoop - For Your Pet: June 2008

Monday, June 30, 2008

Video: Scuba Cat

In Redding, california the first scuba cat

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Friday, June 27, 2008

Summer Travel with your Pet Cat!

It's summer time! That mean's its time for (even higher gas prices) and travel. But traveling with pets can be tricky, so it's important to be properly prepared. Here are some tips on traveling with your cat(s).

1) Plastic or wire pet carrier

DON'T get a cardboard carrier, these can be chewed through quickly so the plastic and wire carriers are worth the investment. Either way, you definitely need to place your cat in a carrier, because they're sly little devils and you don't want them slipping in and out behind the seats, or under the brake pedal.

2) Place the carrier on a seat next to you if you can. If you place the cat on the floor the noises of the car can be scary for your feline. Make sure the cat is secured in a car seat and can feel the air conditioning. You want to make traveling as stress free for your cat as possible, it is going to be stuck in a box for a while.

3) Food, water, litter, a pan, a scoop and disposable bags. Pets are like our children, we would bring the same things if we were traveling with an infant. ( litter excluded)

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Upcoming Movie: Hotel For Dogs

The Los Angeles Times was recently on the set of the upcoming family movie: Hotel for Dogs. Here's what they had to say about the movie:

Photographer David Strick spent literally a few dog-day afternoons capturing the canine action on the set of the family film “Hotel for Dogs,” which is slated to open Jan. 16. Emma Roberts and Jake T. Austin star in the comedy adventure about two orphans -- a teenage girl and her younger brother -- who learn that their new guardians won't allow them to bring their beloved dog, Friday, with them to their new home. But they find the perfect solution when they discover an abandoned hotel and transform it into a doggy Plaza Hotel for Friday and his four-legged buddies. The film, based on Lois Duncan's 1971 children's book, marks the feature debut of director Thor Freudenthal, who admits he is more of a cat person than a dog fanatic. "But I have to tell you I was very tempted during this shoot to take one of the [dogs] home with me. They are so well behaved and beautiful." Nearly 90 dogs appear in the movie, with seven pooches playing the leads. Before production began, Freudenthal spent two weeks with the trainers to select the perfect hounds for the film. "It was important for me in the hero group of dogs to have a variety of types," says Freudenthal, who picked a huge mastiff and a teeny Boston terrier to play best friends Lenny and George. And Friday is played by a Jack Russell terrier.

Would you see this movie?

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Get Your Dog Cloned!

Storyline: owner has pet, pet dies, someone close to owner tries to make them feel better by getting them another pet.

How many times have we seen this plot? MANY TIMES. And the comeback is always the same, " that's not my cat/dog/fish/frog/guinea pig, i want MY cat/dog/fish/guinea pig back!!!"

And until today, that request was impossible. A California company has announced it will give away a free dog cloning to the pet owner who best pleads his or her canine's case for immortality.

The New York Daily News reported that BioArts International of Mill Valley will accept submissions for the Golden Clone Giveaway. All you need is to send in a 500-word essay pleading your case of why your dog should become immortal. The winner gets a free dog clone.

This year's winner has already been selected, however, who's to say they won't give another one away next year? Although, is cloning right when there are so many animals still in shelters?

In case you have a 100,000 dollars in cash, you can also buy yourself your own dog clone.

Monday, June 23, 2008

Introducing the African Pygmy Hedgehog

First there was the chihuahua, then the toy poodle, what's the next biggest craze?

Well if Americans take their cure from the UK ( which seems likely since every hit American TV show was originally a UK hit) the next trendy pet is...... ( drum roll)

The African Pygmy Hedgehog!!!

Huh??

These cuties have become so popular in Britain that people are on waiting lists just to buy a little pygmy which can cost nearly $400.

"When they become used to you they will 'unball' and drop their spikes, allowing you to stroke them as you would any other pet. It's immensely rewarding," said Bonnie Martin, 36, a pygmy hedgehog breeder from Fairford, Gloucestershire, England.

One drawback?The mothers eat their own young which can make it difficult to breed. Blech!

Friday, June 20, 2008

Finally, a Zoo recognizes the evil powers of otters!

Minnesota Zoo, my hat is OFF to you!

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Toy Poodle Becomes Poster Dog for Puppy Mills

Judith Davidoff for The Capital Times in WI, wrote a great story about how a rescued toy poodle became the posterdog for puppy mill dogs. Here's the gist of it:

Shortly after losing her nearly 9-year-old standard poodle to cancer, Jana Kohl decided she wanted her next dog to be small and portable. Like many others, she turned to the Internet in search of a purebred toy poodle.

One especially cute puppy from a breeder in Texas caught her eye. Kohl called the breeder and mailed a deposit. A friend warned her of the horrors of puppy mills, but Kohl admits she only "half-listened."

"What I discovered was a house of horrors," says Kohl, who lives on the West Coast. "Barns and sheds filled with rows and rows of caged dogs who had never walked on grass, had never seen the sun, who were locked in cages their entire lives and used like breeding machines -- treated as if they were inanimate objects."

Kohl left without a dog but with a new mission in life: "I remember standing there that day, saying to myself, 'You will never be the same.' Because I knew I had to do something about it."

A few months later Kohl adopted "Baby," a 9-year-old toy poodle that had been rescued from a puppy mill, and the two have been inseparable ever since. Together they travel the country drumming up support to outlaw the inhumane practices and conditions found at thousands of puppy mills around the country.

A chronicle of their travels -- with heart-melting photos of Baby and her conquests -- is contained in "A Rare Breed of Love: The True Story of Baby and the Mission She Inspired to Help Dogs Everywhere," a new book out from Simon and Schuster. Baby and Kohl will be in Madison on Monday, June 30, at Barnes & Noble as part of a 25-city tour to promote the book.

"We just don't have laws on the books to protect these dogs from inhumane abuse," says Kohl in a phone interview from her tour bus, which is wrapped with photos from the book and a plea to "Boycott pet stores and Internet breeders -- adopt insteadI think the public is increasingly outraged and is demanding that we treat the animals in our midst with humanity and compassion."

She was in college when she heard a speech by Rabbi Marvin Hier, who was in the process of founding what would become the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights organization headquartered in Los Angeles.

"I went up to him that night and said, 'I want to help you,' " recalls Kohl.

Looking back on the last several decades, Kohl says a common thread has run through her work.

Kohl dropped out of college and volunteered at the center for about six months before joining the staff. In the early 1980s she opened the organization's Chicago office.

"For whatever reason, I've always been concerned about how society sanctions cruelty," she says. "There's probably no more hideous example of that than the Holocaust."

Kohl eventually went back to school, earning a doctorate in psychology. Yet right after finishing her degree, she chose animal welfare work instead of a counseling practice.

She says she learned about inhumane factory farming practices by reading literature from the Humane Society. At the time, her standard poodle, Blue, was still alive.

"It was my relationship with that dog that really sensitized me to the sentient nature of animals," she says.

Kohl says that is a common trajectory for people with family pets.

"The dog was the ambassador who opened their eyes," she says.

The bigger question, says Kohl, is whether it is responsible for anyone at all to breed dogs when between 4 million and 5 million homeless pets are euthanized every year, according to Humane Society statistics.

"To me, it's irresponsible," says Kohl. "I say, 'Find another hobby.' "

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Take Your Pet to Work Day Holiday

This Friday is the 9^th annual Take Your Dog to Work Day

Petfinder.com (a great database for adopting pets) discovered that this policy decreases stress, improves peoples' moods, and brings smiles to almost every client that walks through the door.So ask your boss if your company recognized Take Your Dog to Work Day THIS FRIDAY, June, 20, 2008.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Rare Sea Dragon Is Pregnant

Pregnant male sea dragon swims at the Georgia Aquarium

I found this great story on AOL News.Enjoy!

ATLANTA (June 12) - A weedy sea dragon at the Georgia Aquarium has something to celebrate this Father's Day. One of the rare creatures is pregnant for only the third time ever at a U.S. aquarium, aquarium officials said. But don't look for the expectant mom -- dads carry the eggs in this family.

The aquarium's sea dragon has about 70 fertilized eggs -- which look like small red grapes -- attached to his tail. He is expected to give birth in early to mid-July, said Kerry Gladish, a biologist at the aquarium.

This pregnant papa is expected to give birth in July at the Georgia Aquarium. Sea dragons are one of three species where the male, not the female, carries the eggs.

Sea dragons, sea horses and pipe fish are the only species where the male carries the eggs, Gladish said. Sea dragon pregnancies are rare because researchers don't know what gets them in the mood to mate.

"We know there's something biologically or environmentally that triggers them to want to reproduce, but in the aquarium world, we're not sure what that is," Gladish said.

The aquarium recently changed the lighting and thinned out the plants in the sea dragons' tank to give them room to court each other.

The aquarium has seven of the 18-inch sea dragons, which resemble Dr. Seuss characters with long aardvark-like snouts, colorful sea horse bodies and multiple paddle-like fins.

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Friday, June 13, 2008

Fun Videos: Skateboarding Dog

This is Pete now famous skateboarding dog RIPPING the ramps at the SKATELAB in CALIFORNIA.These are just a few of the tricks that he can perform. He was trained with positive reinforcement, never abused in any ways, and he loves to do everything that you see on this video

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Wednesday, June 11, 2008

South Korea's Jindo Dog

What dog breed is this?

It is South Korea's JINDO! Never heard of it? There's a reason why.

The Jindo is in a very peculiar situation. In South Korea the Jindo is a certified national treature. There are even government facilities for breeding and caring for the Jindo. However, this breed is not recognized anywhere in the world except Korea.

Because they are a national treasure, pure bred Jindos must stay on the island of Jindo, where they are bred. So if dog breeders in Southern Korea try to export pure breeds, they get they risk breaking export control laws. If they try to smuggle them overseas without proper papers, they can't be recognized by international kennel clubs.

What a conundrum!

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Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Holistic Medicine for your Cat or Dog!

The San Francisco Chronicle recently published a great article on 10 holistic treatments for pets, and I thought all of you wouldn't mind trying some of these techniques yourself.

WARNING: Talk to your vet first, make sure your pet's health problems aren't the result of something more serious. These holistic medicines are meant for mild sicknesses like treating the common cold or car sickness.

1. Peppermint and catnip
Peppermint (Mentha piperita) and catnip (Nepeta cataria) both treat nausea and car sickness.

Peppermint: Can also regulate peristalsis, thus it can help with irritable bowel syndrome, and even some symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease. It is also good for pets with reflux, because it relaxes the esophageal sphincter.

Catnip: It not only gets your cat high, but it helps them digest food! ( just kidding, side note: 20% if cats do not a buzz of catnip.. sucks for them!)

2. Medical grade honey

Use an FDA-approved bandage containing medical grade honey for drug-resistant infections.

3. Glucosamine supplements
To treat arthritis.

4. Acupuncture
Can treat a number of things, from arthitis to stress, and some even use it to lose weight!

5. Diet

Many diseases that animals are genetically predisposed too can be fought agaisnt with the proper diet. It is best to consult your veterinarian and to research your pet to see what are the best diet for your furry friend.

6. Saw palmetto

If your dog has benign prostatic hyperplasia Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) has an immediate and dramatic effect on any and all symptoms, even including bleeding, associated with this condition.

7. Exercise
You know why this is good, no explanation needed.

8. Cranberry extract, d-mannose
If you pet is prone to bladder infections cranberry extract is the best way to prevent NEW infections. Cranberry extract can not treat an existing infection!!!

9. Slippery elm
Slippery elm (Ulmas fulva) is pretty much a wonder-substance for diarrhea, loose stool, nausea and other digestive upsets. This is actually a food rather than a medicinal substance, and there are no contraindications to its use.

Friday, June 6, 2008

Australia Breaking News: Are Big Cats a Big Problem?

Should the federal government in Australia ban hybrid cats??

Ban Ban Ban!!: These hybrid cats are twice as large as regular cats, thus increasing the range of animals they can hunt down. This can have a dramatic effect on wildlife, for example, the bird population may be in danger if the government doesn't step in soon and put some kind of regulation on these hybrid cats.

Don't Ban: More to love!!The Bigger the Better!

What are your thoughts?

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Thursday, June 5, 2008

Breaking News: The Case of the Goat

How would you feel if you lived next to a family that owned goats? A Fortville couple believes that they are being harassed because they own two goats. The first goat they bought for its milk, and the second to keep the first company.

Goat Haters Side:

The city prohibits farm animals such as: cows, bulls, pigs, horses, chickens, bees or rabbits. ( Note, that there is no specific mention of "goats.")

Goat Milk Drinkers Side: They're just like pets, or large dogs.

What do you think?

Do you think the Goat Drinkers are taking advantage of a loophole in the city ordinance laws? Or are the neighbors just jealous because they don't get fresh goat's milk everyday?

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Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Cats, Dogs, Birds or Fish?

The question every parent asks themselves when their child is begging for this, this, this or that. "What's the cheapest thing that will make them happy?" (It's ok, don't feel guilty!)

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has come to your rescue with an assessment on how much each pet costs at a basic ( but very acceptable) level of care.

So the list from MOST expensive to LEAST expensive is....

1) Dogs( especially larger breeds)

2) Rabbit: their food is actually very expensive and they have special needs like a hutch, toys to keep its teeth healthy, a litter box, bedding, plenty of hay AND pelleted feed.

Annual care for a rabbit estimated at $730

3) Cats

Annual care for a cat estimated at $670

4) Birds: A small bird ( not including spaying or neutering) ranged in the 200s

5) Fish: The best bet! Heck, go to a carnival and you can get one for a dollar if you can get that darn ring around that coke bottle! While equipment for aquarium and such can cost $200, thier food only costs $20 a year.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Videos: The Most Amazing Dog!

She was born with no front legs but is able to walk like a human...you have to see it to believe it!

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Monday, June 2, 2008

Non-Profit Event: Dogs Deserve Better

Who: Dogs Deserve Better: Sixth Annual Chain Off, National Main Event
Where: Dupage County Fairgrounds, 2015 W. Manchester Road, Wheaton
When: From 11:15 a.m. June 28 to 11:15 a.m. June 29, 2008

What is it?

Animal activists, dog lovers and concerned owners will chain themselves to doghouses in designated locations across the United States as a protest/performance art to raise awareness of the suffering of millions of dogs who live their lives chained.

This may seem normal, since who hasn't seen a "Beware of Dog" sign, and walked past a house with a dog chained to a pole, tree or house? But what many don't realize is that an estimated 6 million dogs will never know life without a chain and this results in aggression, anxiety and even insanity. This event aims to raise general awareness of all inhumane treatment of dogs.

For more information: www.dogsdeservebetter.org or www.unchainourworld.org.

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