Scratchings-and-Sniffings

Trees and Rolling Hills

One doesn't like to think about ... the end. You know, when the grim reaper comes and delivers you to your fate. In this pic, Carmie, our dog, passed on... and left us bereft for two years. Wabby, the cat, is still with us but...at 19, who knows how much longer we will have her.

Our pets force us to think about the end, don't they? Despite the best in healthcare, our pets do not live long enough. Whatever pet you have, it's likely that he or she will pass on before you do. I know, some birds live forever, but...for those of us with warm-blooded animals (dogs, cats, ferrets, horses, etc), we will face their demise at some point in time. 

That is not to say one or more of us won't go first. It happens. And, there is a movement to give pets protection by creating trusts for them. I approve. I have not done this, but I approve it. I wonder why pet insurance companies don't partner with the legal firms offering pet trusts - and give folks a way to combine the two. Seems like that would be in the pet's best interest, yes?

Life Unchained, at last

Thank you to Andrea Arden of Animal Planet. I saw her post this video on Facebook and I had to share. To me, this proves the undeniable fact that animals not only think, they have feelings. Humans are pompous and overbearing to think we are the only species on the planet with intelligence.

Have tissues at hand. Know your tears will be the good kind.

 

Domestic Abuse bill protects pets, too!

I want this bill in CO! As I've written about before, pets can be injured in abuse cases involving wife or children, just as humans can. And, often, the pet is hurt to inflict psychological pain on the other humans - as if the physical pain they feel isn't enough!

 In Florida, State Senator Mike Fasano introduced an Animal Abuse Registry Bill to get animal abusers registered, which is about time, isn't it? Kudos to him. Well, he hasn't stopped there. He also just introduced another bill to hold  people accountable when they abuse the family pet in a domestic violence case. 

I Love My Dog So Much...

that, if I die before he does, I want him euthanized to save him the misery of living without me. 

Seriously? Did you read that right? Yes. I did not say it, I just wrote it. In The NY Times, The Ethicist received this question:

I am a veterinarian, and one of my clients is an elderly woman who loves her 8-year-old Pomeranian dearly but has no family or friends who might inherit it. She wants me to sign a legal document stating that I will euthanize it if she dies before the dog does. What should I do? NAME WITHHELD, BOSTON

Who is not appalled? The vet, in my opinion, should ask this person - "Do you not have guests in your home? Would one of them be able to help find your dog a new home? Do you suppose that you are the only human being that your dog may find it in his heart to love? Perhaps you might begin to look for a second home, now, before this happens?"

Don't Give Your Pet Away "Free"

from Mia Anelli of the LA Animal News Examiner

Mia shares reasons we should never advertise a pet as "free to good home." In the unhappy event that you cannot keep your pet, please be careful and thoughtful before 'giving' him or her away.

Sad as it is, the kindness of being able to offer a pet for 'free' is fraught with issues these days. Oh, to go back to the simple days of my youth when people offered puppies and kittens for free to good home everywhere! Maybe it was just as dangerous then, but we didn't know. Maybe it's better than we know now.

Truth is - as Mia notes - "There have been many people placing classifieds ads to warn people of the dangers that listing your pet as free could bring, But are people taking it seriously? Probably not, since the amount of dogs being listed as free on sites like Craigslist doesn't seem to be slowing down. It has a lot to do with people thinking that 'free' will give them a better chance of them getting rid of their pet quicker, without care as to what fate they might endure."

Here are some of her reasons and my thoughts - do hop over and read her entire post: 

Some folks answering the "Free to Good Home" ads really are loving, responsible pet owners. Many--perhaps even most--are not. There are steps YOU can take to help end abuse:  from saveofshepherds.org

• DON'T advertise Free pets; DO convince others not to. Some people even take the time to phone owners of pets advertising Free to Good Home and warn them of the dangers. (indeed - free to good home is no longer the simple kind act it's meant to be)

• DO spay/neuter to keep from creating possible Free to Good Home situations or condemning your pet to a short, miserable life in a puppy mill. (I am amazed at how many people still don't do this! Why?)

• DO write letters to the editors of your local newspapers warning of the dangers of Free to Good Home. (many places recognize the value most of us put on our pets and will welcome your letter)

• DO charge at least $25 to discourage resale of pets to labs. (Mia says, Some sources suggest charging no less than $100 for pure-bred dogs.) (I say, at least $25 - maybe more; make sure the people you interview recognize the needs of the pet - collars, leashes, beds, food, vet visits... it's not cheap to own a pet! Shelters ask these questions, so should you! In this pic, our Chester has given the 'bed' to Emily - or, may she stole it, I can't remember! We now have three beds, one for each dog.)

• DO take the time to interview every prospective owner. Ask for vet and personnel references, and check them, then visit the new home where your pet might be living! (home visits should be a requirement for sure! Fenced yards and a commitment to the animal's happiness as well as its health, seems important to me)

I hope you'll share these points and the rest of Mia's post with your readers, too. It's one way to keep pets safe. 

Pet Parents Share Their New Year’s Resolutions

by Yvonne DiVita, Hop Over and Like Us on Facebook!

Most of my pet parent friends are adding 'extra' thought to their New Year's Resolutions. Are you? Some pet parents (the ones at my house, for sure!) are including how they care for their pets in their list of things they want to improve in 2012. 

To that end, our friends at Halo, Purely for Pets recently checked in with more than 1,000 pet parents for the Pet Parents’ New Year’s Resolution Survey. 

Here's what I discovered (content shared via Romeo the Cat's Mom, Caroline):

Treats and more treats!

The Collins household got a big surprise last weekend. UPS dropped off a package - which isn't that surprising, given the time of year. But, it came from our friends at Greenies - which was a surprise!

Greenis is a BlogPaws' sponsor, as many of you know. They are pretty generous! And, their products are good for your pets. 

Our box was chock full of great stuff! Check out the photo below. We especially love the Greenies dental treats. They last longer and all the dogs, even Chester, loves them. We give each dog one before we leave, whenever we go out (which is a lot more, these days).

Even the cat is eating the treats they sent for her! OMG! She hasn't eaten treats in years.

Thank you, Greenies! We know you care about the health of our pets as much as we do!

 

Halo & Free Kibble.com Visit San Francisco

Another great program that I can't help but share. It's that time of the year, of course. We're all focused on helping shelters and pets. We do it all year long, sure, but somehow, during these winter holidays, we get really inspired... like this:

From our BFF Caroline Golon - I'd write a whole post of my own, but this press release says it all better than I could. Imagine all this kibble being delivered in San Francisco today and in Portland and Seattle tomorrow. There are opportunities to interview folks on-site. If you go, please let us know and come share your experience. (pics are from the Cinncinati drop off... look at those smiling faces!)

"This holiday season homeless pets across the nation will have bellies full of nutritious, all natural food, thanks to Halo, Purely for Pets and Freekibble.com . The two organizations are embarking on their first ever Freekibble.com "Koast to Koast Kibble Drop" where shelters and rescues up and down the East and West coasts will receive 400,000 meals of all natural Halo Spot's Stew for the holidays.

The Mighty Bulldog

I love bulldogs. I melt when I see them in commercials on TV. They have the most lovable faces in the universe, in my opinion. Their gait when they trot down the street seems so easy-going and full of grace, it makes me laugh. 

Unfortunately, the Bulldog breed is in trouble. People have bred this amazing dog almost to an unrecognizable state, according to a recent article in the New York Times: Can the bulldog be saved?. Dr. Patty Khuly (VetStreet)wrote a really fantastic post on the topic just last week, inspiring me to share.

The thing is - who made the decision to turn this beautiful creature into such a mess? We'll get to what that means in a minute. For now, consider the so gorgeous English Bulldog: 

Doggie Diet - Chester is not alone!

Our Chester is fond of eating... things he shouldn't. Can you relate? Does your dog eat - rugs? Chairs? Pillows? Slippers? We're not sure WHY he does this, but it may be separation anxiety or stress. He seems to do it when we're away or in the middle of the night. There is often food in his dish, so it's not hunger pains.

Sadly, we used to accuse our Emily of the messes we would come home to (not that Emily DOESN'T do her fair share of chewing and destroying - she does! She just doesn't seem to eat the offending articles). Pillows torn open and stuffing scattered all over the floor. Newspapers torn to shreds. It wasn't until we caught Chester in the act that we stopped and scratched our heads and looked at each other and said, "Has it been Chester all along?"

Mind you, he paused in his quest to demolish a favorite pillow and gave us the, "Want some? I'll share," look. <sigh>