It's Official! We Love Pets More Than....

OURSELVES????
Yep you got it! With all of the current news out surrounding animals, and our love for them, it's just blatantly obvious that while we can stomach the images of war, starvation and death on the newscast every night, it's a heart wrenching affair to hear about the mistreatment of animals. In fact it's just gone TOO FAR!
Almost two thirds of homes in America own a pet. This year's estimated money spent in the pet industry is a whopping 41 billion dollars, up from a measly 38.5 billion last year! According to Bob Vetere, the president of the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, 42 percent of pets sleep in the same bed as their owners - up from 34 percent in 1998.
I'm pretty sure I can guess where Leona Helmsley's 12 million dollar pup Trouble slept......



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August's "The Scoop" is On It's Way! Don't Miss Out On The Best Issue Yet!!!

This month's issue of The Scoop is just being polished off and we're getting ready to blow you away with another awesome newsletter!
We've been busy bees this month, searching for the web's hottest stories in the World of Pets, and bring them to you in a way you'll enjoy!
In this issue, we cover such stories as:

• Planet-Pets.com TV Debut!
  
• Chinese-produced Olympic Statues made out of Panda dropping and how they believe they're going to make a profit!
• 5 ways you can stop your dog from barking!
• Helpful tips on how to identify the right charity for you!
• A new winner of the "You and Your Pet" contest! Submit your story about your pet and compete to win an awesome pet owner's prize!
• All the funny videos and cartoons we could find on the Net!

Come join us in the web's most dynamic and fun online pet community at www.planet-pets.com and keep your finger on the pulse by signing up free to The Scoop!

COMING SOON!!!! PLANET PETS TV!!!

Just when you thought that Planet-Pets.com couldn't get any better, here we are again giving you the best in pet entertainment!
Scheduled to launch in August 2007, PlanetPetsTV will debut as the web's first pet website produced "on location" show.
You'll see our hosts covering the latest pet issues with everyday pet owners like yourself, gathering opinions and sharing heart warming stories. It's truly an exciting event, and not one to miss!
Keep an eye here for the official launch announcement for PlanetPetsTV!!!!

Read more from Brandon James in Planet-Pets.com's free monthly pet newsletter, The Scoop or check out the website at www.planet-pets.com.

Update on Michael Vick story

Just this past Thursday, Michael Vick pleaded not guilty to the charges brought on him for this dogfighting scandal, and his trial date has been set for November.
He categorically denies being involved in the dog fighting ring that allegedly was taking place on his Virginia property, and is determined to clear his "good name." I for one can't see a way out for him, based on the information that has been released, and after reading around the web, neither do any of the legal pundits out there.
Of course, all the usual suspects have come out in support for him, such as his adoring, hormone driven fans and his teammates, but their support sounds more like media platitudes rather than heartfelt support - "He's our teammate..." or "Mike's like a brother to me..." etc etc etc.... If I was Mike, I be like... "Nice try guys..."
Anyhow, I hope that much like what happened with the media exposure of the pet food industry after the pet food recall, that the dark world of underground animal fighting as a betting sport gets exposed and cracked down on. It's an absolute horror to think of what some of these beautiful animals are subjected to, and I can only hope that they drag out a few more of these lowlife a*%holes and give them their "just desserts."

Read more from Brandon James in Planet-Pets.com's free monthly pet newsletter, The Scoop or check out the website at www.planet-pets.com.

Your Boxer Dog And Its Main Health Concerns

A good owner is always concerned about his or her dog’s health, regardless of breed, and it seems to be a constant struggle. However not only can visits to the vet be expensive, but also anyone who cares about their pooch will hate to see it in pain. However, the breed of the individual dog will ultimately determine the nature and content of those health concerns. Certain breeds seem to be more prone to certain diseases, ailments and niggles than others. The Boxer dog breed is one of the most affected breeds.

One of the main concerns for the Boxer dog owner is hip dysplasia. This particular ailment can cause lameness as a result of looseness in the rear hip joints. Often, the tissue around the hip can work its way loose over time, causing the ball to move more than it actually should in the socket. The unfortunate thing is there is nothing any owner can do to prevent it because it is part of their genetic nature.

The Boxer dog is 67^th on the list of breeds that suffer the most with hip dysplasia, and over 10% are actually diagnosed with a severe form of it at some stage during their lives. The Boxer dog may also fail to show any symptoms of having this ailment, even while suffering from it. However, dogs can be screened for it from two months old and every Boxer dog should have had a scan by the time they hit two years old. Every dog is simply X-rayed under sedation and then graded according to the results.

Regardless of how your Boxer dog is graded, he or she may not feel the effects of hip dysplasia until they reach eight or nine years old. In some cases it can lead to lameness and arthritis, but a few dogs never show any signs of it. It is an ailment to be aware of, but not one to be overly worried about. The best thing you can do as a Boxer owner is to learn all you can about this particular ailment, and be prepared to best deal with it should it develop in your dog.

This food safety/recall issue is now officially a three-ring circus...

I almost have to thank Menu Foods, Inc. for colossal mistake they made in using the melamine-tainted gluten back in early 2007. Now that may sound bad, but ever since that happened, a much needed light has been shone down on an area of security that I don't believe many Americans considered - our food. More importantly, our imported foods.

Over the past week, I've read a continuing string of stories that continues to blow my mind. Yet, it's so obvious. Unfortunately, we've come to a point in our nation's history where we want things cheaper, faster, and above all else... NOW! Capitalizing on our market mentality is our precious friend, the communist country of China. A country that for all it's power over controlling and dictating it's citizens, just can't seem to quite figure out how to exercise that same authority over it's manufacturers that are shipping to the US. In all reality, while they state their concerns, I'm taking a real guess that they probably couldn't care less.

First I read about how our fondness for cheap, quick product solutions has gotten us into trouble on products from everything like toothpaste to pain medicines. Bogus products stating they have the "active" ingredient in them, that have no such ingredient at all. One example was chondroitin, and how millions of dollars worth of faulty products are bought every year that are a complete scam.

Second, I read another article about how just this past month, a Chinese manufacturer of dumplings was recently reprimanded for "repackaging" TWO YEAR OLD FILLING into new dumplings. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!! I guess I shouldn't be surprised about this. I mean if China can't even get Communism right, why should I believe they'd get a free market capitalist society down either?

And now.. for my third and final trick....

I'm just going to quote the news article I read this in because it says it all....

"China's regulatory standards chief pledged Wednesday to update and boost enforcement of food safety rules as the country faces intense international pressure for exporting unsafe products, from tainted pet food to popular children's toys manufactured with lead paint."

I'm sorry but can anyone really take that seriously?

Let's just take a second to think about this....

This afternoon, I read a VERY interesting story on Foxnews.com, regarding the percentage of imported food goods that is inspected upon entry to North America. Can you guess what it is? 30%?... nope. 20%?... not even close. 10%? 5%?... not even. 1.3%!!
Let's use a loose comparison to illustrate that.
Out of 100 fish from China, 1 fish and maybe a tail is inspected. Out of 100 eggs, just one plus a yoke is looked over and tested. OR even more absurd would be to think that if you went to a restaurant and only looked at your entree once out of a hundred times, eating whatever it was in front of you, regardless of what it was.
Does that seem ok? Are you kidding me?
With the contaminated wheat gluten coming from China, and increasing demand for imports from China grow, I start to wonder how vulnerable are we?
I like to keep this forum focused on our fuzzy friends, but what more do we owe to our pets than a happy, healthy owner? I think that's the best gift you could give anyone.
I've definitely moved more towards eating greater amounts of organic, locally grown foods in recent years, and I can honestly say that I feel better for it. Whether it's placebo, or just a greater confidence in the quality of the food I'm eating, I'm not sure. Either way, it doesn't really matter to me. I like it. It's not hard to recognize the tell-tale signs that America is growing more and more aware of the growing concerns with our mass produced food systems. Every time you walk past another health food store, Whole Foods, Erewohn, or organic section in your grocery store, you can rest assured that the tides are changing. And it'll never completely go organic, just like Honda will never stop making the Civic model, even though the Accord is clearly a better product. But I digress...

Visit Planet-Pets.com's message forum to discuss this topic further...
http://p075.ezboard.com/bplanetpetspetadvicecommunity

Related Websites:
Food and Drug Administration: http://www.fda.gov/
Agriculture Department: http://www.usda.gov/

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