Bunny's Blog

My Valentine

2012-02-14T08:32:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a very scary day at my house. The day started out like normal - getting my 17 year old daughter out of bed and ready for school.

As always, she was running late. I had parked behind her in the driveway so I told her to take my car (an SUV) to save time. She left for school and I settled down to work, but less than five minutes later I received a phone call.

Shortly after leaving the house, she turned east and faced a glare so bright she couldn't see. A more experienced driver would have stopped, but she did not. There were two large utility trucks pulled over on the side of the road, and she hit the one that was parked in front of her.

Luckily, she was wearing her seat belt. She flew forward and hit her head on the steering wheel, but other than a bump on her forehead and a bruise to her ego, she is fine. I thank God she was driving my car because hers would have gone underneath the truck, and I have no doubt that she would have ended up in the hospital.

So my Valentine's Day present this year is not flowers or chocolate in a heart-shaped box. It's that my baby is home safe with me, and that's the best present I could ask for.

Wishing you a safe and happy Valentine's Day.

Pedigree Every Dog, Dog Show Supports Shelter Dogs

2012-02-12T10:14:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, February 11, The New York Times published an article stating that the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show had dropped long-time sponsor Pedigree, in part because of its ads focusing on adoption.

“We want people to think of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show as a celebration of the dogs in our lives,” said David Frei, the club’s director of communications and the host of the show for over two decades.

“Show me an ad with a dog with a smile; don’t try to shame me,” Mr. Frei told The Associated Press. The kennel club had expressed its concerns to Pedigree, he said, adding, “We told them that, and they ignored us.”

Melissa Martellotti, a brand communications manager for Mars Petcare US, which makes the Pedigree brand, said that Westminster had initiated the split and that dog show officials told the pet food company that its decision involved concerns about the ad campaign.

“They’ve shared with us, when we parted ways, that they felt that our advertising was focused too much on the cause of adoption and that wasn’t really a shared vision,” Ms. Martellotti said. The kennel club is “focused on the purebred mission,” she added.

Pedigree Foundation has traditionally kicked off its campaigns around the time of the Westminster Dog Show (which takes place this year on February 13 and 14). Over the years, Pedigree has raised over $7 million to help shelter dogs, and while it is no longer associated with the dog show, Pedigree remains committed to this cause.

From now until February 14 at 11pm ET, Pedigree is holding its own "Every Dog, Dog Show" on Facebook. For every person who uploads a photo of their four-legged friend or tells their dog's story on Pedigree's Facebook page, Pedigree will donate a bowl of food, up to 500,000 bowls.

Show your support of the Pedigree Every Dog, Dog Show because EVERY dog deserves a forever home.

Source: NYTimes.com and ChicagoNow.com
Image via www.facebook.com/Pedigree

Five Tips for a Pet-Safe Valentine's Day

2012-02-11T10:38:00.000-05:00

Via PRNewswire.com - It's fairly common knowledge that cats and dogs make the perfect valentines. They give unconditional love, are always up for cuddling, and don't care if you've put on a few pounds over the holidays. The only setback to having a four-legged valentine is that many of the more traditional Valentine's Day gifts can be harmful to them. PetMD.com has put together the following tips to help keep your dog or cat safe this Valentine's Day:

Melts in Your Mouth: Everyone knows that chocolate causes a rapid heart rate in dogs, among other problems. But not everyone is aware that baking chocolate is especially toxic. While an M&M or two may not do any harm, a dog or cat that snatches a large chunk of baking chocolate may end up in the ER. It is essential to keep all chocolates out of your pet's reach.
Skip the Candygram: Sugar-free candies and gums often contain large amounts of xylitol, a sweetener that is toxic to pets, especially dogs. If ingested, it may cause vomiting, loss of coordination, seizures, and in severe cases, liver failure in dogs.
Restart the Heart: If your dog or cat should ingest large amounts of chocolate, gum or candy, it may go into cardiac arrest. Be prepared by learning the proper methods of CPR for dogs and cats.
A Rose is Just a Rose: But then again, it may also be something that causes harm to your pet. The aroma of floral arrangements can be enticing, and it only takes a nibble to cause a severe allergic reaction in dogs and cats. Even small amounts could lead to an upset stomach or vomiting, particularly if the plant or flower is toxic. Be extremely cautious of lilies, as these lovely flowers are fatally poisonous to cats.
To Give or Not to Give: Are you planning to give a new puppy or kitten to a loved one for Valentine's Day? You may want to think again. Mull it over and do your homework - animals are not disposable, nor can they easily be repackaged, re-gifted or returned if the recipient is not pleased.

Wishing you and your furry friend a safe and happy Valentine's Day!

Image via MorgueFile.com

Take Care of Your Bunny’s Bite

2012-02-09T09:43:00.000-05:00

Don't forget, February is National Pet Dental Health Month. And while we might immediately think of our dogs and cats, it's important tokeep the dental health of our other pets in mind. For example, rabbits!

If you have a rabbit, you know that bunnies love to chew. Yourrabbit uses its teeth for a lot more than just eating – they aid in grooming,marking territory and expressing a variety of emotions. As a responsible rabbitowner, it's up to you to ensure your bunny’s teeth stay in good working order.

Your rabbit's teeth grow continuously throughout its life.The front teeth (incisors) can grow up to five inches per year. Should theseteeth fail to wear down properly, they can become crooked and/or overgrown.This condition, known as malocclusion, can lead to difficulty in chewing andswallowing. Malocclusion is most often treated with regular trimming of theteeth by a veterinarian. In some cases, extraction of the misaligned teeth maybe a viable alternative to trimming.

Abscesses of the cheek teeth are also sometimes seen inrabbits. They may be caused by impacted food or fractured teeth. Treatmentvaries depending on severity, and options include tooth extraction,antibiotics, surgical scraping of the abscess, and injections into the wall ofthe abscess. Other dental problems in rabbits include broken teeth, overgrowncheek teeth, and infection of the tooth root.

Diet can play a major role in the development of dentaldisease. Rabbits that are fed a strictly pelleted diet don't get enough chewingtime, and it's the very act of chewing that helps keep their teeth in goodcondition. Injury to the teeth or face can result in malocclusion, as can poornutrition and various other diseases in the body. Older bunnies may alsodevelop problems as a result of the aging process.

Although some signs of dental disease are hard for petowners to detect, the following are indicators that your rabbit may be sufferingfrom a dental problem:

Drooling and/or wet, matted fur around thechest, chin and mouth
Excessive production of tears
Tooth grinding
Changes in eating habits
Bad breath

While some dental disease inrabbits is strictly genetic, many problems may be avoided with a proper diet. Apellet-only diet can spell trouble, so it's crucial to ensure your rabbit iseating unlimited hay daily. You'll also need to provideyour pet with appropriate items for chewing, such as branches or twigs fromnon-toxic trees that have not been treated with any chemicals.

Check your rabbit'steeth on a regular basis and look for breaks, chips and any changes in color and shape. For athorough check-up of the entire mouth, take your bunny to the vet at least oncea year.

Source: PetDoc.com

Image via MorgueFile.com

Like Bud Light and Help Rescue Dogs

2012-02-07T09:38:00.000-05:00

Via MNN.com - Budweiser took the unusual opportunity during a Super Bowl ad for Bud Light beer to not only promote its brand but also to raise awareness for the plight of shelter dogs.

The beermaker created an amusing one-minute spot featuring a rescue dog named "Weego" who races off to get beers for anyone who says "Here, Weego." At the end of the montage of hijinks, Weego is seen pushing a cooler of beer that has the words "help rescue dogs" and a link to Bud Light's Facebook page.

Jump there and you'll find a campaign by Bud Light where the company will donate $1 (up to $250,000) to Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation for every new "Like" their Facebook page receives.

“Weego’s shelter and owner played a critical role in his story,” Bud Light’s Facebook page reads. “In celebration of his humble beginnings, Bud Light is joining forces with Weego to make a donation to help these animals in need and those that make animal rescue possible.”

7Up Employee Fired for Feeding Feral Cats

2012-02-05T17:22:00.000-05:00

Last week, the Sacramento Press reported that a long-time employee of the 7Up Bottling Company lost his job simply for feeding hungry cats.

Larry Ottoviani had been warned several times by his supervisor to not feed the cats, and his official notice of termination stated that he had violated his “last chance agreement not to feed the cats on company time and/or company property.”

Ottoviani does not deny feeding the cats, but he does deny doing so on company time or company property.

“The FDA states that we must ensure that the grounds around the food plant under the control of the operator shall be kept in a condition that will protect against the contamination of food," says company spokesman Jason Genther. "Over the years we have seen an increased presence of feral cats on our property.”

Ottoviani believes that if it weren’t for him there would be far more cats on and around company premises.

In 2008, two local animal advocates discovered Ottoviani feeding cats. When they saw how many cats there were, they immediately began working with him to institute a Trap/Neuter/Return program.

Volunteers from the Sacramento Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) helped sweep and clean up shards of broken glass in an unused area adjacent to the 7Up Bottling Company before launching an aggressive trapping program.

Between August 2008 and December 2009, 71 cats were trapped and taken to the SSPCA.The costs for altering the cats were paid by donations from the volunteers and from grant funds. Ottoviani took home some of the tame cats and kittens, later finding homes for them.

Ottoviani still believes he did the right thing. “I acted according to my conscience”, he said.

If you want to help Larry Ottoviani get his job back, you can join the hundreds of people who have posted their comments on 7Up’s Facebook page or sign the Reinstate Larry Ottoviani petition.

Image by Heather Ireland

10 Reasons Rescued Rabbits Rule

2012-02-03T09:52:00.000-05:00

Via Petfinder.com - February is Adopt-A-Rescued-Rabbit Month, and here are 10 reasons rescued rabbits make great pets:

1) Rabbits are the perfect pets for those who may not have time for daily walks. Like cats, rabbits can be litter trained very easily.

2) Many people who are allergic to dogs and cats are not allergic to rabbits.

3) Rabbits are uniquely talented comedians. Binkies, bunny flops and bunny 500s are just some of the quirky and amusing habits of the house bunny.

4) Rabbit schedules match up with people schedules. Rabbits are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk, which corresponds well with the times most of us are starting our day or getting home from work.

5) Rabbits help you get healthy. Having a pet who encourages you to stock your fridge with fresh fruits and vegetables is good for everybody - vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.

6) Rabbits make great pets for city dwellers. They stay in large cages or puppy pens during the day when you're gone and love to come out to romp around in bunny-proofed rooms when you're home.

7) Rabbits have long lifespans compared to other small animals. They can live 10-12 years if provided with a proper diet and care.

8) Rabbits are heroic. In the wild, rabbits communicate with each other about perceived dangers by thumping their back legs; astute house bunnies will provide you with a similar security system.

9) Rabbits are great listeners. They also make excellent snugglers with their extra-soft fur and loving nature. What more could you ask for from a friend?

10) Rabbits need homes too. Perhaps the best reason to adopt a bunny is that there are so many waiting for forever homes. In fact, after dogs and cats, rabbits are the third most abundant adoptable pet.

The bunnies pictured above are Snap, Crackle and Pop. They are available for adoption through the Animal Rescue League of Western PA. If you have room in your heart and your home for a new bunny friend, please contact your local animal shelter or visit Petfinder.com.

Watch Puppy Bowl VIII This Sunday

2012-02-01T13:00:00.000-05:00

Are you ready for the big game this weekend? No, I don't mean the Super Bowl - I mean Puppy Bowl!
Puppy Bowl is back for its 8th consecutive year with an all-star, all-adorable cast that's ready to mix it up on the grand gridiron of Animal Planet Stadium.

Did you know that all the animals featured on Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl are Petfinder alumni? That means all the puppy players, all the kittens in the kitten halftime show and even this year's new piggy pep squad and the bird who will be "tweeting" the action came from Petfinder shelters and rescue groups.

Puppy Bowl VIII airs this Sunday, February 5 from 3-5pm ET/PT. Don't miss it!

The Grey: A Misleading Portrayal of Wolves

2012-01-30T10:05:00.000-05:00

Critics are calling The Grey an entertaining tale of man vs. beast, but animal-rights activists think the movie is absurd. The film, which stars Liam Neeson, shows a group of roughneck oil riggers who fight off a vicious pack of wolves after a plane crash dumps them in the Alaskan wilderness.

“The notion that wolves attack humans is ridiculous,” says Wendy Keefover, carnivore-protection director for WildEarth Guardians, one of several groups that has called for a boycott of the film.“Most people don’t know anything about wolves. This movie will tap into their primal fears and create mass hysteria."

Only two fatal wolf attacks have been documented in the history of North America, yet The Grey depicts wolves as eviscerating man-eaters. Maggie Howell, managing director of America's Wolf Conservation Center, says, "Wolves don't hunt humans - they actually shy away from them."

In addition, animal rights groups are upset because cast members ate wolf meat while shooting in Alaska. Director Joe Carnahan ordered wolf carcasses flown in for the cast to eat so that the actors would "have a sense of the movie we were making." He bought the meat from a trapper, meaning that the wolves likely suffered horribly in traps before being killed.

Grey wolves have been brought back from the edge of extinction to a population of 5,500 in eight states in the Northern Rockies. Last year, the Interior Department caved to pressure from ranchers and hunters to allow regular wolf hunts.

Here's the truth about grey wolves: they are delisted and have a fragile hold on survival. They need our help and our understanding. Not our ignorance and exploitation.

Sources: The Daily Beast, Global Animal, The PETA Files
Image by Joel Sartore

I Was a Middle-Aged Blog Award Slacker

2012-01-28T00:00:00.000-05:00

Recently, some of my bloggerfriends have written about the various awards they have received – including myfriend Helen at Whiskered Paintings,who was kind enough to pass the Kreativ Blogger Award on to me. One of the conditions for receivingthis award is to write something about yourself and pass it on to otherdeserving bloggers.

Now I have a confession to make –I appreciate receiving the award, but I HATE writing about myself, which is whyI haven’t passed on any awards I’ve received in the past. But since it’s a brandnew year, I will attempt to change my errant ways by accepting the award and bestowing it to other worthy bloggers.

5 Things You May Not Know About Me:

Iwas born in Pennsylvania, but I spent my early childhood in the South. We movedback to PA when I was in elementary school, but sometimes in my dreams, I stillspeak with a Southern accent.
Ihave always known that I would be a crazy cat lady when I grew up. One of myfirst essays in elementary school was entitled “The Care and Feeding of theDomestic Housecat.”
Iwanted to be a doctor when I was in high school, but I only got as far asfreshman biology in college because I couldn't dissect a live frog.
Ispent the next nine years working at a bank, where I was surprised to learn Ihad a natural ability for accounting.
Iwent back to college in my late twenties and graduated when I was thirty. After graduating, I went to work for a publicaccounting firm and learned that, even though I may be good at accounting, I didn't necessarily enjoy doing it.

So now that we are done with thetalent portion of our awards program, let’s move on to the presentation of our newwinners. Here in no particular order are some blogs I really enjoy:

The Creative Cat- Written by Bernadette Kazmarski, this is a blog I read every single day. I metBernadette at the very first Blogpaws conference, and through her blog, I’vegotten to know the seven wonderful kitties who are her muse.

The Cynical Girl – What Ican say about Laurie Ruettimann that hasn’t already been said? Yes, it’s an HRblog, but it’s so much more than that. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll have awonderful time - and of course, you'll meet Laurie's cats too!

Okey’s Promise: Art for a Cause– This blog is written by Vicki Boatright (a.k.a. Artist Bztat). Vicki rescuedher little cat Okey from the streets of Canton, and possibly from a life ofabuse and neglect. She was inspired by Okey to do a public art project thataddresses the connection between animal abuse, child abuse and domestic violence,and her blog continues to address these issues.

Be the Change for Animals –Inspired by the Be the Change movement that began at the first BlogPawsconference, Kim Clune and Amy Burkert createdthis blog to focus on one animal-related cause each week. I loved this concept so much that I wrote a blogpost about almost every cause of the week! Eventually, Kim and Amy asked me (andsome other blogger buddies) to join the BtC4Animals team.

Your Daily Cute – Dorian Wagner searches the web to bring you thecutest pictures and videos every day. But it’s not just cute - Dorian has alsoused her blog as a platform to help find forever homes, raise funds and soundthe alarm to help homeless kitties when necessary.

So there you have it! If you havereceived this award, you are not obligated to pass it on. But if you choose todo so – write a brief post, tell us something about yourself we may not know,and then pass the award on to some blogs you really enjoy!

National Program to Save Lives of Most At-Risk Pets

2012-01-26T09:19:00.001-05:00

PetSmartCharities, the country’s largest funder of spay/neuter efforts, has announceda new $1 million spay/neuter grant program aimed at saving the lives of petsthat have the highest risk of being euthanized due to overcrowding in shelters.

The new grant program builds on PetSmart Charities’ effortsto improve spay/neuter rates, reduce shelter overcrowding and increase petadoption. Since 2007, PetSmart Charities has provided $26.3 million in grantsthat have subsidized almost one million spay/neuter surgeries in the UnitedStates.

“In 2012, the new grant program will help 65 non-profitspay/neuter clinics around the nation provide high-quality, affordablespay/neuter surgeries for more than 23,000 cats and pit bull terriers duringFebruary and August,” said Susanna Della Maddalena, executive directorof PetSmart Charities.

Four million adoptable pets are euthanized every year in theUnited States because they aren’t adopted – that’s half of the 8 million petsthat land in shelters each year.

“Approximately 34 percent of dogs and cats in U.S.households are not spayed or neutered - yet the procedure is one of the mosteffective ways to reduce pet overpopulation,” said Della Maddalena. “With our new national grant program and our ongoing efforts to make affordablespay/neuter available to the public, PetSmart Charities is addressing the rootcause of pet homelessness.”

PetSmart Charities’ new grant program will support twospay/neuter campaigns:

“Beat the Heat” will be held in February 2012 tospay female cats before they go into heat, preventing unplanned litters thatcreate “kitten season” during spring months.
“Primp Your Pit” will be held in August 2012,giving clinics resources to spay or neuter pit bull terriers. This breed, in particular, ends up inshelters in large numbers due to the myths and negative perceptions that are associated with pit bulls.

Through these special campaigns, spay/neuter clinicsreceive: grant funds to help lower thecost of spay/neuter for the public; professionally-developed marketingmaterials to educate the public; and funding and support to advertise andpromote the campaigns in local communities.

To find high-quality, low-cost spay/neuter services locally,the public can go online to access a free searchabledatabase made possible through a partnership between PetSmart Charities andthe ASPCA.

Members of the public can also go online to make a donationto PetSmart Charities and stay up to date on the lives that are being savedthrough PetSmart Charities’ Facebookpage.

Pet Peace of Mind Helps Hospice Patients Keep Pets

2012-01-24T10:45:00.002-05:00

Pet Peace of Mind, a program of Banfield Charitable Trust, is designed to help nonprofit hospices keep patients and their pets together during the end-of-life journey. Support for the program also helps hospices find adoptive homes for pets, giving patients peace of mind that their pets will always have loving homes.

Banfield Charitable Trust is working to change the way hospices care for their patients and building a movement within the hospice community that recognizes the pet as an important member of the patient’s family.

For many in hospice care, changes in their physical condition lead to a decrease of previously enjoyed social opportunities and relationships. Their pets offer unconditional love, acceptance, comfort and companionship when it’s needed most – the time when friends and family aren’t seen as frequently or when words are too hard to say.

The Pet Peace of Mind program provides helping hands and financial assistance so that caring volunteers are able to help patients with pet care needs. With this loving support, patients are able to complete their end-of-life journey without worrying about their pet’s current or future needs.

Pet Peace of Mind is available in 23 states and growing. Click here to see a current list of nonprofit hospice partners.

States Seek to Establish Animal Abuser Registries

2012-01-22T07:49:00.000-05:00

Via ABC News - A movement that started in Suffolk County, New York, is quickly spreading across the country. Its goal: to require animal abusers to sign up for online registries, much like those required for sex offenders.

The Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of the Cruelty to Animals was the first in the country to set up an online registry in 2010, where convicted animal abusers must register a photo and current address for ten years as well pay a $50 per year fee.

Now, as many as five states, including Arizona, Maryland, Florida, New York, and Colorado, have legislation pending.

Senator Ronald Young of Maryland is working on drafting his version of the bill after he said he received reports of a puppy being shot by a bow and arrow and a small dog being thrown out of a window from 23 stories within his district.

“I’m a pet owner, and I’ve also met and talked with a lot of people and groups that support it,” Young said. “People with pets should know who is living near them for the protection of their own animals. We want to prevent future victims.”

“Dexter’s Law,” Florida Senator Mike Fasano’s proposed legislation, sets the same parameters as Suffolk County and Maryland’s bills, and Fasano said he has received an overwhelming positive response from his constituents.

Representatives of the Animal Legal Defense Fund, a non-profit organization that works to promote animal protection, said their baseline legislation has two goals.The first, to reduce the number of animal victims by raising awareness in communities, and, the second, to help communities save money by reducing rehabilitation costs.

“It’s a doable proposal and it will not only help animals and save money, but also prevent potential violence against human beings,” said Stephan Otto, attorney and director of legislative affairs for ALDF.

Otto said many animal abusers have a strong risk of becoming human abusers, and the registry allows more eyes in the community to watch them and prevent future violent crimes.

Read more: http://abcn.ws/yk7MHF
Written by Ashton Marra
Image via MorgueFile.com

Pilots N Paws Flies Homeless Animals to New Lives

2012-01-20T09:36:00.000-05:00

Via Petside.com - Mornings come all too early for Debi Boies. She’s up at the crack of dawn caring for her three Morgan horses, three dogs and a cat. It was her incredible love and concern for the welfare of animals that led her to embark upon her journey into the world of animal rescue in the form of Pilots N Paws, a non-profit organization that is currently soaring high.

Pilots N Paws was born out of Boies own experience with animal rescue; shortly after the death of her beloved Doberman named Carly in 2007, Debi learned about Brock, a Doberman being used as a bait dog in the fighting ring whom she desperately wanted save. But the long distance between them complicated the rescue. It was then her friend Jon Wehrenberg, a recreational pilot, offered to fly her down to Florida to bring him home.

“I was flabbergasted and in awe that anyone would make such a generous offer,” Boies said. “But I soon learned that recreational pilots are as passionate about flying as animal people are about rescuing pets. Since pilots are always looking for reasons to fly, introducing them to animal rescuers seemed like a perfect match.”

Pilots N Paws’ mission is saving the lives of animals that might otherwise be euthanized by transporting them from overcrowded shelters to participating foster and adoptive homes that are ready and eager to take them in. Their interactive website gives those involved a common place to share all vital information such as arranging and scheduling flights and any overnight care for rescued animals which may be needed.

Passion abounds at Pilots N Paws. All pilots involved in the program are nuts about flying; these are avid animal lovers who donate both their flying time and planes. And since a mandated number of hours must be flown to maintain their licenses; it is an incredible win-win situation for all concerned. Today there are 2,529 pilots registered on PNP, with a goal of 10,000 pilots participating in the future.

Read more here: http://bit.ly/xQTxJm
Written by Jo Singer

HSUS Releases 2011 Humane State Ranking

2012-01-19T08:54:00.000-05:00

Via HumaneSociety.org - The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the nation’s largest animal protection organization, has released its third annual “Humane State Ranking,” a comprehensive report rating all 50 states and Washington D.C. on a wide range of animal protection laws, including animal cruelty codes, equine protection standards, wildlife issues, animals in research and farm animal policy.

Earning the highest scores are California (first place), New Jersey and Oregon (tied for second place), and Illinois and Massachusetts (tied for fourth). Earning the lowest scores are South Dakota (last place), Idaho (50), North Dakota and South Carolina (tied for 48), Mississippi (47) and Alabama and Missouri (tied for 45).

“Our Humane State Ranking provides a big-picture look at how states are faring on animal-protection policies, and how they rank in the nation,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the HSUS. “There are some states that are adopting innovative and strong policies to protect animals, while others are lagging badly. Animal protection is a serious matter for tens of millions of Americans, and we hope state lawmakers fulfill their moral responsibility and help us crack down on abuses.”

The ranking was based on 66 different animal protection issues in 10 major animal protection categories including: animal fighting; animal cruelty; puppy mills; use of animals in research; equine protection; wildlife abuse; factory farming; fur and trapping; exotic animals; and companion animal laws. The HSUS ranking provides a different frame of reference than the recent report published by the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), which are focused on the broad range of provisions that are included in state and territorial anti-cruelty statutes. Together, both the HSUS and ALDF ratings provide important yet distinct measures of how states are dealing with a broad range of animal welfare problems in society.

To see the complete 2011 Humane State Rankings, click here.

Image via MorgueFile.com

Bloggers Against SOPA and PIPA

2012-01-18T00:00:00.000-05:00

For more information, visit TwoLittleCavaliers.com

Sanctuary Provides Haven for Former Lab Animals, Pets

2012-01-17T09:22:00.000-05:00

Via Bloomberg.com - The approach to the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary in Dilley, Texas, has an ominous look - lonely dirt road, padlocked gate, a sign warning “Not Open to the Public.”

Inside the fence, however, the place is full of life, with dozens of macaque monkeys roaming the grounds.

The 186-acre sanctuary is the last home for macaques, baboons and vervets, many saved from miserable existences in roadside zoos, as lab experiments or, perhaps worst, as pets.

“There’s something inherently wrong with these animals living their lives in little cages,” says the sanctuary director, Tim Ajax.

Most of the more than 500 nonhuman primates here have the run of a 56-acre area, while the rest stay in fairly spacious enclosures.

“We’re at capacity right now,” Ajax says, but he’s preparing for more newcomers.

Last August, Wild Animal Orphanage in San Antonio, 75 miles to the north, closed its doors “due to overpopulation, underfunding and inadequate housing for the animals,” according to its website. As a result, 112 macaques and one baboon will soon be moving to the Born Free facility.

The new macaques had hard lives before San Antonio. A rhesus female had been a pet in a tiny cage in a New York City basement, her tail amputated to accommodate diapers. A Javan male was a research subject in a New Jersey lab. A male stump-tail, another former lab inmate, is missing some fingers.

Read more: http://bloom.bg/yajbCi
Written by Mike Di Paola
Image by Mary Reininger/Wild Animal Orphanage

Ebay Still Sells Live Animals

2012-01-15T00:54:00.000-05:00

It has been almost exactly a year since Felissa Elfenbein ofTwo Little Cavaliers posted about Ebayselling live animals through their Classified Section. Ebay had previouslyresponded to complaints from animal lovers by disallowing the sale of liveanimals through auctions, but they continued to allow animals to be soldthrough classified ads.

Felissa’s concern was that Ebay was providing a backdoor forpuppy mills and other unscrupulous people to sell animals over the internet.Pet lovers purchasing an animal over the internet have no way of determiningthe health of the animal or the conditions under which it was raised. Manyfellow pet bloggers agreed, and a petitionwas started on Change.org asking Ebay to stop selling live animals in theirClassified Section.

Six months later, Stephanie Feldstein from Change.orgreleased an updateon the petition. At the time, dozens of pet bloggers had supported thecause and over 100,000 people signed the petition. And yet Ebay did nothing to change theirpolicy about selling live animals in Ebay Classified.

If you visit EbayClassified today, you will see lots and lots of listings of dogs, cats andother animals for sale. Ebay has blatantlydisregarded the wishes of over 125,000 people who have asked them to stopselling live animals. I have even been approached by one seller with a requestfor a text link on my blog (buy puppies) that would link to Ebay Classified –and I know other pet bloggers have been approached too.

Please do not let Ebay get away with ignoring this issue.Pet bloggers and animal lovers must continue to put pressure on Ebay byblogging, tweeting and posting on Facebook. Let Ebay know that we are NOT goingaway!

Image via Ebay Classified

Pet Overpopulation Challenge

2012-01-13T14:45:00.000-05:00

Found Animals Foundation has created the following infographic about the issue of pet overpopulation. My friend Gracey at The Tiniest Tiger's Conservation Club has written a post about these statistics - highlighting the good, the sad and the changeable. You can read the full post here.

Found Animals recommends the following strategies you can use to help decrease pet overpopulation:

Pet Adoption - encourage people to visit animal shelters and consider the adoption option.
Pet Care - share pet care tips with new pet parents so they can live a long, happy life together.
Pet Spay/Neuter - make sure your dog/cat is spayed or neutered, and consider making a donation to a low cost spay/neuter program.
Pet Identification - make sure your animal has a collar with a tag and/or is microchipped.

Loews Universal Orlando Reverses TNR Policy

2012-01-12T10:05:00.000-05:00

As I have mentioned previously, I support Trap-Neuter-Return programs. So when I heard that Loews Universal Orlando had reversed its policy regarding TNR, I was (to say the least) distressed.

Loews Portifino Bay Hotel, located at Universal Orlando Resort, had a model TNR program. They were a great example of how the program works, and they had even built "cat mansions" as feeding stations.

Then Loews decided to end the TNR program, and they hired a company to trap and remove the cats. One mother and four kittens have already been trapped at a sister property, Hard Rock Hotel. They were sent to a kill shelter and euthanized!

On their Facebook page, Loews Portifino Bay Hotel stated:

“Loews Hotels is a pet-friendly hotel brand and we support the humane treatment of animals. It is important to share the facts surrounding this issue. Feral cats at our Orlando hotels are being humanely trapped and taken to a local shelter. For liability reasons, we were advised not to maintain a cat colony in our hotel environment. All cats that were part of an established colony on property are being safely re-located. Our commitment to addressing this issue in a humane and responsible way will continue.”

I don't see sending cats to a kill shelter as being a humane and responsible way of addressing the issue. Remember these are cats that Loews had been caring for - they are friendly and trust humans! These cats are spayed/neutered and vaccinated - they pose no health risk to the guests or staff.

Loews General Manager David Bartek has stated that the decision was made by the property's landlord Universal Orlando Resort. I am asking you to contact Loews and Universal and tell them that sending these cats to certain death is not the way to address this issue. Let them know that you do not support their decision and consequently you will not support their businesses.

Please be polite and respectful in your communication. Contact information is listed below:

General Manager David Bartek: 407-503-9000, dbartek@loewshotels.com
Director of PR Jennifer Hodges: 407-503-9090, jhodges@loewshotels.com
Loews Universal Orlando Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/LoewsUniversalOrlando
Loews Hotels CEO Jonathan Tish: jtish@loewshotels.com
Loews Hotels Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/LoewsHotels
Loews Hotels Twitter account: http://twitter.com/Loews_Hotels
Universal Orlando Director of PR Vince Laruffa: vincelaruffa@universalorlando.com
Universal Orlando Resort Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/UniversalOrlandoResort

Image via Catster.com

Blog the Change Day

2012-01-11T08:17:00.001-05:00

This Sunday is Blog the Change Day! Sponsored by BtC4Animals.com, Blog the Change Day happens four times a year - every January, April, July and October 15. It's a day when pet bloggers come together to write about a cause that's near and dear to their hearts.

It's easy to participate - just write a blog post on January 15 and add it to the link list on BtC4Animals.com. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

What have you done to Be the Change for Animals?
Who do you know that acts tirelessly on behalf of animals?
What favorite cause has a special need right now?

You can show your support of Blog the Change Day by grabbing the badge on BtC4Animals.com and posting it to your blog or website. You can also help spread the word by posting the following on Facebook and Twitter:

JANUARY 15: BE, BLOG AND READ THE CHANGE FOR ANIMALS! Get the badge and spread the word! http://bit.ly/cGGOue

Then join us on the 15th to share the goodwill - read posts, leave comments, and share your favorites on Facebook and Twitter. It's a great way to encourage others to Be the Change for Animals!

2012 Pet Blogger Challenge

2012-01-10T07:51:00.002-05:00

As I mentioned in a previouspost, I participated in last year’s Pet Blogger Challenge and found it helpfulfor reviewing where I've been and where I want to go in the coming year. Sowhen Amy and Edie issued another challenge for 2012, I knew I wanted toparticipate!

This time two sets of questions were posed - one for newbloggers, and one for bloggers who participated last year. Here are my answersto this year’s questions:

1. Provide a link toyour post from last year’s Pet Blogger Challenge so we can refresh ourmemories.

http://bunnyjeancook.blogspot.com/2011/01/pet-blogger-challenge.html

2. What do youconsider the most important goals you set out in last year’s post?

My goals from last year were to continue writing aboutanimal-related causes, write more about rabbits, and monetize my blog.

3. Have you madeprogress toward those goals, or have your goals changed over the past year?

I have continued writing about animal-related causes. It isthe subject that interests me the most.

I have not written as much about rabbits. Although theyinterest me personally, I do not want my blog to be viewed as a rabbit blog. Iam interested in writing about all kinds of animals.

The most difficult goal to achieve has been monetizing myblog – mostly because I’m on the fence about it. As a result, I haven’tactively pursued sponsors or advertising.

4. Has your opinionof blogging on a schedule or as the spirit moves you changed? Which are youdoing now? Do you still worry about lost traffic, momentum, etc?

I continue to blog every other day, and it seems to workwell for me. I occasionally take a day off or post two days in a row. I set a goal of 15 posts per month to keepmyself on track. Sometimes I hit it and sometimes I don’t, but it gives me theability to gauge were I’m at. My annual goal was 180 posts, which I hit on December20.

This year, it was harder for me to stay on track because BJCpassed away in early June. I was temptedto take some time off, but I was afraid I would lose momentum so I continued towrite through the grieving process. I’m sure they were not my best posts, but Imanaged to work my way through it.

5. Are you generatingincome from your blog? Has this changed since last year?

As I mentioned above, I’ve wrestled with whether I want tomonetize my blog. Right now I am not actively pursuing sponsorships oradvertising.

If you are generatingincome, how (e.g. sponsor ads, affiliate relationships, spokespersonopportunities)?

I’ve had a few peopleapproach me, but I’m also particular about who I’m willing to work with. Oneperson wanted to purchase a text link for selling puppies on eBay Classified.That was a definite no!

If not currently, doyou hope to in the future — and how?

I’m not sure I want to monetize my blog. I’m more interestedin fundraising and increasing awareness of animal-related causes. Coming from anonprofit background, I would love to work with some of the major brands inrelation to the charitable work they do.

6. Have your likesand dislikes about blogging changed since last year?

My favorite thing is still the people l have met both onlineand in person. Pet bloggers are wonderful, caring people. I especially enjoyworking with other bloggers and being a part of the BtC4Animals team has reallyhelped me grow. I do occasionally getfrustrated, and sometimes that comes through in my posts. But in general, I have to say that I reallyenjoy blogging.

7. Overall, are youpleased with the progress you made in 2011?

Yes. My blog is nothing like it was when I first started,but it is continually growing, changing and evolving.

8. How do you seeyour blog changing/growing in 2012?

I can see myself moving more toward issues of animal welfareand animal rights. I’ve met some reallyinteresting people who are working to make a change both locally andnationally.

I would also like to get clear about whether I want tomonetize my blog or keep it as my own personal playground. Something tells me Ialready know the answer.

Dogs Can Read Our Intent To Communicate

2012-01-09T09:00:00.001-05:00

Via EureckAlert.org - Dogs pick up not only on the words we say but also on our intent to communicate with them, according to a report published online in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on January 5.

The findings might help to explain why so many people treat their furry friends like their children; dogs' receptivity to human communication is surprisingly similar to the receptivity of very young children, the researchers say.

"Increasing evidence supports the notion that humans and dogs share some social skills, with dogs' social-cognitive functioning resembling that of a 6-month to 2-year-old child in many respects," said József Topál of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. "The utilization of ostensive cues is one of these features: dogs, as well as human infants, are sensitive to cues that signal communicative intent."

Those cues include verbal addressing and eye contact, he explained. Whether or not dogs rely on similar pathways in the brain for processing those cues isn't yet clear.

Topál's team presented dogs with video recordings of a person turning toward one of two identical plastic pots while an eye tracker captured information on the dogs' reactions. In one condition, the person first looked straight at the dog, addressing it in a high-pitched voice with "Hi dog!" In the second condition, the person gave only a low-pitched "Hi dog" while avoiding eye contact.

The data show that the dogs were more likely to follow along and look at the pot when the person first expressed an intention to communicate.

"Our findings reveal that dogs are receptive to human communication in a manner that was previously attributed only to human infants," Topál said.

As is often the case in research, the results will undoubtedly confirm what many dog owners and trainers already know, the researchers say. Notably, however, it is the first study to use eye-tracking techniques to study dogs' social skills.

"By following the eye movements of dogs, we are able to get a firsthand look at how their minds are actually working," Topál said. "We think that the use of this new eye-tracking technology has many potential surprises in store."

Image via MorgueFile.com

Gracie the Rabbit Gets a Second Chance

2012-01-07T12:06:00.000-05:00

Via Peta.org - Gracie had been relegated to a tiny cage for weeks when a PETA staffer noticed her and asked her owner if she could give the rabbit a new home. Gracie's owner agreed. After all, she said, she didn't really want a rabbit companion - she'd bought Gracie to feed to her snake, but the rabbit had proved to be too big.

Gracie didn't let her harrowing start to life dampen her spirit, and she became a superstar, posing with actor Charlotte Ross in a PETA anti-fur ad. And in her new home, where she is wanted, Gracie enjoys romping through the vegetable garden and digging holes. She doesn't like it when her chicken companions try to eat her food, but the wily rabbit never hesitates to steal theirs.

While sweet Gracie got her happy ending, she would be saddened if she knew that rabbits just like her are confined to tiny cages every year in laboratories in the U.S. They have cosmetics and household cleaners dripped into their eyes. Their backs are shaved, and corrosive chemicals are painted onto their raw skin and left to burn away the tissue for weeks. Then they are killed.

Show rabbits a little grace. Buy cruelty-free products.

For more information on cruelty-free products, visit Peta.org.
Written by Michelle Sharrow
Image via Peta.org

Monsters Take Over Nipclub

2012-01-05T09:45:00.000-05:00

From time to time, you may notice a tweet about Nipclub and wonder what it's all about. My friend Lisa Illman at Kritters That Twitter wrote the following to help explain:

Dogs tending bar and serving appetizers, cats spinning the tunes, bunny rabbits hopping and twirling for joy. What on earth are these animals doing and why are they doing it on Twitter?

Co-Founder and Proprietor Georgia Manley (@Flacatlady) explains, “with so many animals and displaced pets in today’s economy, a group of us knew we had to think outside the litter box and really get creative. My Twitter friend @MaggieTKat and I were having a bad day and decided we wanted to virtually party together. But we also wanted our energy and tweeting skills to go towards a good cause. With all the furry friends we started making on Twitter, we thought it would be fun to host a Thursday afternoon Twitter party while trying to raise money for an animal charity.”

Since that day back on May 10, 2010, more volunteers have been recruited to help with Nipclub. Two stellar Nipclub managers, @Thenascarkitty and @Tinypearlcat, pounced on board to really grow this litter. Eventually a schedule with specific job openings was created that included Barktenders, DJs and even Security Officers.

On Thursday nights starting at 4pm EST, things start heating up with animals from all over the world coming together on Twitter to tweet party messages to each other, including a link to the Nipclub blog. Once on the blog, attendees are dazzled by the glamour and posh menu. A barktender eagerly greets each guest and offers a drink of their choice. Flashing lights, red carpet fashion, a disco ball for dancing, full service valet parking; Nipclub is the place to be for high rolling party animals.

If you are having a hard time imagining so many pets on Twitter, just show up on any given Thursday evening and join in the fun. Nipclub is a virtual animal group. Their main purpose is to raise money for the designated animal rescue of the night. Participation is very easy. Show up on Twitter and follow some of these animals and start tweeting with the hash tag #nipclub. You will be welcome with open paws.

So are you ready to become a party animal? If so, join us tonight starting at 4pm EST. This week's theme is TV/Movie Monsters. You can dress up or come as you are! We will be raising money for Duncan's Place, a sanctuary for homeless cats located in northern Colorado. For more information, visit nipclub.blogspot.com.

Stop Taking in Stray Animals

2012-01-03T20:09:00.001-05:00

I wanted to share this informative video about why people (myself included) take in stray animals. However, I think the logic may be faulty since I do NOT have a scraggly beard!

Adopt an Attitude of Gratitude

2012-01-01T00:37:00.000-05:00

I don’t make New Year’s resolutions for the same reason that I don’t play the lottery – the odds aren’t in my favor. Many people make New Year’s resolutions, yet most people don’t stick with them for more than six months.

I prefer to accept my life as it is rather than deal with the guilt of having made a resolution and given it up. And that’s why I love this post by Joanne McGonagle on her blog From Freezer to Field.

In her post, Joanne states that research indicates our subconscious is better at remembering unfinished tasks than completed ones. She goes on to say that our subconscious actually moves our accomplishments to the back burner while the remnants of our resolutions move to the forefront. The end result is increased stress and decreased self-esteem.

Joanne suggests that one way to keep our subconscious from sidetracking us is to reject resolutions, reduce material clutter and count our blessings. Research has shown that individuals with a sense of gratitude are less materialistic and more satisfied with their life.

I began this path about 12 years ago when I was going through a major life change and doing a lot of reading about happiness, simplicity and frugal living. What I’ve learned is that I am a much happier person when I focus on who I am, what I’ve done and what I have rather than the opposite.

I've learned that it does not take a lot to make me happy – food, clothing, shelter, friends, family, pets, a job I enjoy and my health. These are the basics I need to live a happy life.

Adopting this attitude is freeing - there is so much that clutters up our lives, and when we let it go, we can see that we really have everything we need right here.

So that is my New Year’s gift to you. Give up resolutions and accept what you have. And do read Joanne’s post – it may start you down a path of your own!

Pets in the Classroom Reaches Over 200,000 Students

2011-12-29T12:03:00.001-05:00

The Pet Care Trust is pleased to announce that the Pets inthe Classroom program received over 7,000 requests for grants in the program’sfirst two years. Established in 2009, Pets in the Classroom provides grants to pre-kindergartenthrough sixth grade teachers to purchase or adopt a classroom pet and requiredequipment or to support existing classroom pets.

In 2010, its first full year of operation, the programawarded 2,060 grants to teachers and more than tripled its number of requestsin the second year. With an averageclassroom size of 30 students, the program has brought a pet into the lives of210,000 students. The large increase of applicants in the second year is due inpart to the addition of the Petco and PetSmart coupon programs to the Pets inthe Classroom program.

The Pets in the Classroom website was re-launched on August2 to include the Petco and PetSmart coupon programs, in addition to thestandard redemption program for independent retailers. On the first day of there-launch, Pets in the Classroom received more than 50 applications. This pace continuedas nearly 100 requests came in each day in the first five weeks.

While the 7,000 grants are making a great impact, theorganization is still a long way from its goal of reaching 1 million childrenin 30,000 classrooms across North America. The Pet Care Trust is looking forcompanies or individuals that are willing to sponsor classrooms. A donation ofonly $100 will help reach 30 students with a program that is instrumental inteaching students responsible, long-term pet care at an early age.

For more information on the Pet Care Trust and the Pets inthe Classroom grant program, visit www.PetsintheClassroom.org.

Let’s Talk About (Cat) Sex

2011-12-27T14:04:00.001-05:00

Last week, I wrote a blog post called How I Became a Crazy Cat Lady. It was meant to be a light-hearted post about why I have so manypets, but one of the commenters took the opportunity to bash Trap-Neuter-Return(TNR) programs. At that point, I chose not to enter into the debate – but forthe sake of clarity let me just say that I DO support TNR programs.

The problem of stray and feral cats is a human problem.These cats are the offspring of domestic cats that people have allowed to roamfree without spaying or neutering them. And the problem will not stop untilpeople do something about it.

Some people advocate catching and killing feral cats, butthis method is both costly and ineffective. As cats are removed from an area, new cats movein to replace them, rendering the initial removal ineffective.

TNR programs begin with catching feral cats in humane traps.The cats are spayed/neutered, vaccinated and ear-tipped. Then they are returned to their original area,where they are kept in managed colonies. This procedure prevents the birth ofnew kittens and stabilizes the population.

Most animal welfare organizations, including the ASPCA andHumane Society of the United States, support TNR. Alley Cat Allies, anorganization dedicated to the protection and humane treatment of all cats, is aleading advocate of TNR programs.

I know that TNR is a hot button for some, with opponents arguingthat the procedure has negative impacts on wildlife. Recently, a former National Zoo employee wasconvicted of attempted animal cruelty for trying to poison feral cats near herhome.

While I am not prepared to discuss the fine points of theTNR argument here, I do understand that some people may have questions orconcerns regarding the program. I urge you to visit Alley Cat Allies' website to learn more about TNR and their other programs.

Image via AlleyCatAllies.org

2011 Goals Achieved (Sort of)

2011-12-23T09:58:00.000-05:00

For those of you who know me personally, it may not come asa surprise that my motto is “plan your work and work your plan.” I have always functioned best when I havegoals and timelines to work toward.

Last year, my friends Amy Burkert of GoPetFriendly.com andEdie Jarolim of WillMyDogHateMe.com helped me plan with the Pet BloggerChallenge. They posed a series ofquestions for each participant to answer, and I found it very helpful to workwith a group of people were all “in the same boat." Since I’d started my blog on December 31 ofthe previous year, the Pet Blogger Challenge was a great time for me to sitdown and reflect on where I’d been and where I wanted to go in the coming year.

Amy and Edie are issuing the Pet Blogger Challenge againthis year, and I hope you will join us. There will be two sets of questionsthis year – one for bloggers who participated last year and one for newbloggers. You can find the list of questions at either GoPetFriendly.com orWillMyDogHateMe.com. Write a blog poston January 10 and add your link to the Linky List – it’s that easy!

In the meantime, I will be taking a few days off to enjoythe holidays. I will be back next week to wrap up the year, so until then – Ihope you have Happy/Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, Yule orwhatever secular/religious holiday you choose to celebrate!

How I Became a Crazy Cat Lady

2011-12-22T09:37:00.000-05:00

If you saw yesterday’s post, you may have been surprised tolearn that I am owned by seven (that’s right SEVEN) cats. Well, so am I. Yousee no one sets out with the idea of acquiring an inordinate number of pets -it just kind of creeps up on you.

Up until a few years ago, the most cats I’d ever had at onetime was two. Two is a nice sane number, but what happened in my case - whatpushed me over the edge - was buying a house. No, the cats didn’t come with the house, but they did come with theneighborhood. I live in a neighborhood where people let their cats roam – andthey don’t spay or neuter them. So what happens? Kittens – lots and lots of kittens.

KC was the first cat to show up after I moved in. It was theend of October – just when it started to get cold. He was about six months oldand looking for a place to get in from the rain. My daughter looked at me withthat look that only daughters can give, and I said “Alright, if you can get himin.”

Then about four months later, as we are coming home onenight, we saw a pair of eyes shining under the pine tree in our backyard. Mydaughter walked over to find a small gray female huddled up against the cold.Again I got the look, and again I gave the answer. That was Zelda.

We entered a nice lull with two cats – KC and Zelda gotalong fairly well. But the followingwinter, I found a big Maine Coon mix sitting in my kitchen window. I knew this cat belonged to my neighbors twodoors down, but it was 16 degrees out – no sane person lets their cat out inweather like that. I opened the basementdoor and let him in. Meet Breckin.

Now Breckin has lived outside all his life, and he was notcontent to become an indoor cat. But this became a regular thing – every morninghe showed up for breakfast, stayed long enough to warm up and then went backout. Life went on, and I adjusted to having three cats.

The following spring I saw a little gray fluff ball gotumbling through my backyard. Cute as a button, but I was NOT going to bringhim inside. I watched him for about a week living beneath a bush in my backyard.Then along came a cold spring rain and in came Boyzie.

Last spring I found a gorgeous female kitten in mybackyard. She was sweet as could be, butI also knew she belonged to our neighbors two doors down (yes - THOSEneighbors). I watched as the summer wenton, and her belly got bigger and bigger. I started feeding her so she wouldstay near the house that way I wouldn’t have to go searching for her kittens. She finally delivered in July. I walked down to my neighbor’s house and toldher that her cat had kittens at my house. She said “thank you” and closed the door. In came Sugar and all fourkittens.

The kittens grew up happy and healthy. When they were around eight weeks old, I started to search for homes for them. But I wanted to know theywould be with someone who would keep them inside, not let them roam aroundoutside. And I wanted them to be with someone who would spay or neuter them sothey wouldn't continue this never-ending cycle. I found good homes for two ofthe kittens – a calico girl and a ginger boy. The other two boys (Albus andFluff) are still with me.

All my cats have been spayed or neutered. I consider it myown personal TNR program. I’ve gotten really good at the trap and neuter part,but not so good at the release part. And this has caused tension in myhousehold. My formerly cat-loving daughter now walks around muttering “too manycats.”

I agree – seven is too many. But I won’t do what I’ve seen other people do: throw them outside to fend for themselves and risk getting hit by a car orattacked by an animal. No, they will stay with me and I will find them goodhomes.

Hi, I’m Vicki and I’m a crazy cat lady.

Image via SimpsonsWikia.com

We Wish You a Meow-y Christmas

2011-12-21T12:33:00.001-05:00

And a Happy Mew Year!

From the Crazy Cook Cats: (a.k.a The Magnificent Seven)

Albus

Boyzie

Breckin

Fluff

Sugar

Zelda

Shelter and Rescue Groups Receive Help From Pedigree Foundation

2011-12-20T08:57:00.004-05:00

Via PRNewswire.com - PEDIGREE Foundation has announced the recipients of seven Innovation and 691 Operational Grants. Thanks to the generosity and donations from dog lovers across the country, the Foundation is proud to award a total of $750,000 to these selected local shelter and dog rescue groups. These one-time grants help fund creative programs and basic operating costs aimed at increasing dog adoptions and helping the more than four million homeless dogs find loving homes. In 2010 alone, PEDIGREE Foundation helped shelter and rescue groups give more than 80,000 dogs much needed comfort until they found their forever homes.

PEDIGREE Foundation Operational Grants were awarded to help alleviate the struggle shelters and rescues have to fund and provide the essential needs for dogs, including food, comfort, transportation and medical care. The 691 shelter and rescue groups will each receive $868 to help one dog at a time as they wait to find a loving home. Since 2008, PEDIGREE Foundation has distributed $4 million to thousands of organizations to help with their operational expenses.

For the second year, the Foundation is awarding $150,000 in Innovation Grants. These grants recognize shelters and rescues that are pioneering the industry with new ideas and efforts to help find dogs forever homes. Seven selected shelters will receive between $10,000 and $25,000 in grant money to fund their unique programs aimed at helping increase dog adoptions. Chosen out of almost 200 grant applications, these organizations truly demonstrate their ability to bring creative ideas to help improve adoption rates and the welfare of animals within their communities.

"We are grateful for the hard work shelters and rescues do every day," said Debra Fair, PEDIGREE Foundation president. "From community outreach to behavior programs, we're proud to award grants to aid in the adoption process that helps dogs find their forever homes."

For a complete list of 2011 Operation and Innovation Grant recipients, to make a donation or gather more information on PEDIGREE Foundation, visit www.PedigreeFoundation.org.

Image via PRNewswire.com

Expert Panel Says Most Research on Chimps Can End

2011-12-18T09:31:00.001-05:00

Via LATimes.com - Chimpanzees remain indispensable for biomedical and behavioral research that benefits humans, but only in a small number of circumstances and likely not for long, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine.

After nine months of deliberation, a panel of independent experts judged that most current experiments involving man's closest primate relative can safely be discontinued. But the experts stopped short of calling on the federal government to retire all of about 600 chimps in its care, cautioning that unseen threats to human health "may require the future use of the chimpanzee."

The director of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Francis Collins, said he accepted the panel's recommendations and promised to name a working group to figure out how to implement them.

In a news conference Thursday, Collins predicted that about half of the 37 NIH-sponsored studies that use chimpanzees would be phased out. The working group will consider how many chimpanzees the federal research agency should keep in captivity for possible use and how many can be retired to sanctuaries scattered across the country, he said.

The NIH asked the Institute of Medicine for advice on using chimps in biomedical experiments last December after the agency ordered a group of retired animals housed at a government holding facility in Alamagordo, N.M., moved to an active research site in Texas. The proposal drew howls of protest from animal rights activists, primatologists and a small group of lawmakers who have tried and failed repeatedly to pass legislation banning the use of chimps in biomedical research.

The United States and the African nation of Gabon are the only countries that still permit active experimentation using chimpanzees, a species that exhibits clear signs of love, complex social organization, self-awareness and distress.

Read more: http://lat.ms/tdj40l
Written by Melissa Healy
Image via MorgueFile.com

A Victory for Pennsylvania Animals

2011-12-16T19:32:00.000-05:00

Via PRNewswire - Through the efforts of Pennsylvania Senator Andy Dinniman and the passionate voices of animal advocates throughout the state, Daniel's Law advanced in the Pennsylvania Senate, unanimously passing the Senate Ag and Rural Affairs Committee on Wednesday, December 14.

The law will make it a crime for animals to be euthanized in a carbon dioxide gas chamber.Daniel's Law was named after Daniel the beagle, who survived an Alabama carbon monoxide gas chamber this fall. Since surviving the experience, Daniel has been adopted by New Jersey dog trainer Joseph Dwyer, and has embarked on a trail of animal advocacy that has taken him from the Statehouse to animal rights rallies to the Anderson Cooper television program.

"Today is an important victory for thousands of animals in Pennsylvania, yet there are more than 30 other states that still permit the gas chamber and other inhumane forms of animal euthanasia. These animals need someone to advocate for them," said Dwyer. A listing of states that have banned this form of animal euthanasia, as well as those who allow carbon dioxide gas chambers, is available at danielthebeagle.com.

Named after the Biblical figure who survived the lion's den, Daniel is on a state-by-state mission to outlaw inhumane forms of animal euthanasia and promote animal adoption.

"Daniel's story reflects that even the most perilous circumstances can ultimately lead to a positive outcome. We are tremendously grateful for the leadership efforts of Senator Dinniman in advancing Daniel's law through the Statehouse. He is an example of how our state's leaders protect not only the interest of our human citizens, but those that can't speak with a voice - our animal population," said Dwyer.

Image via: danielthebeagle.com

Shelter Dogs Fly Home for the Holidays

2011-12-14T19:21:00.000-05:00

On Thursday, December 15, approximately 100 dogs that wereslated to be euthanized will instead be flying to their new homes thanks to Wings of Rescue,a Los Angeles-area volunteer group.

Wings of Rescue is made up of volunteers who love bothflying and animals. These volunteers, led by pilot and founder Yehuda Neta,combined their passions to rescue dogs and transport them to new homes inprivate aircraft, giving them an opportunity for a lifetime of love they otherwisewould not have.

Wings of Rescue works with START (Shelter Transport Animal Rescue Team),whose specially-designed bus is made for canine passengers. START will betaking the dogs from shelters to Van Nuys Airport, where Wings of Rescue willboard them onto private planes that will deliver them to their new homes.Additional volunteers and support come from IL Care, a branch of the Israeli Leadership Council.

Thousands of dogs are euthanized every week in theoverpopulated Los Angeles shelter system. According to Steve Spiro from START,“START is dedicated to saving animals on death row and giving them a newbeginning by sending them to out of state rescue groups where they are wantedand will be loved.”

It’s innovative ideas like this that are making waves in therescue movement. If one area has a surplus of pets available for adoption, movethem to areas where they are more likely to be adopted. Kudos to Wings of Rescue, START, IL Care, andall the volunteers who make these life-saving flights possible.

This guest post comes fromSonia Singh, who writes the Big DogBlog at PawPosse.com.

Pets Take Over Twitter

2011-12-13T09:33:00.001-05:00

via MarketWatch - There’s a golden retriever in San Francisco who loves Giants baseball and runs on the beach. An overweight Siamese in Vermont who tried to sell a dog on eBay. And a tabby in Waltham, Mass., who fights with his adopted sister Pennycat.

No, it’s not some new wacky TV show about pets.

It’s the Twittersphere, where thousands of people are impersonating their pets, some who have been tweeting for a few years now. Some are now even making money at it, while tweeting about their favorite treats and naps on the couch while making fun of their owners.

Some cats, dogs and other pets who tweet also have their own blogs. It has become such the phenomenon that a few pet bloggers got together to form BlogPaws, now a community of more than 700 pet bloggers. BlogPaws helps fellow bloggers make money in social media and even hosts conferences. It recently formed a partnership with BlogHer to create a pets section of the popular women’s blogging network, where pet bloggers will get additional exposure and more opportunities to sell ads on their blogs.

One of the founders of BlogPaws is Caroline Golon, who was working in health-care public relations in 2009 when she started a Twitter account for her cat Romeo as a joke. When a co-worker mused that she was afraid Romeo the cat would get more followers than her on Twitter, Golon decided to take the challenge and offered to donate 5 cents for every follower her cat got on Twitter to the Humane Society. She quickly got thousands of followers, and now @RomeotheCat has more than 11,000 followers.

Golon has raised north of $60,000 in donations for animal rescue and she left her full-time job and started her own company.

“I am now helping companies with their social-media strategy and I write for some pet-related outfits,” said Golon, whose company is called High Paw Media.

Like the huge community of “mommy bloggers,” pet bloggers are starting to have influence among consumers in recommending products, spreading news about product recalls, helping animals get adopted or alerting the media to important stories via Twitter or Facebook, such as the tragic tale of Jack the Cat, the Norwegian forest cat who was lost by American Airlines when being transported to a plane’s cargo compartment.

“The companies that are successful are the ones who are engaging in an authentic way,” said Golon, “and that is just being a pet owner next to the other pet owners, as opposed to being a corporation.”

Read more: http://bit.ly/vn4RwG
Written by Therese Poletti
Image via Romeothecat

Kitty City Helps People See True Nature of Adoptable Cats

2011-12-11T09:46:00.001-05:00

This video was made by my friend Caren Gittleman when she visited Kitty City, a free-roam environment for adoptable cats located inside the Pet Supplies Plus store in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

Kitty City was created by the store's owner Addy Shattuck. Addy has seven cats of her own, and she has been helping adoptable cats find forever homes for the past twenty years.

Kitty City is located in the front of the store, and it is enclosed with glass from floor to ceiling - allowing the cats to sun bathe and watch birds - and most importantly allowing potential adopters to watch the cats in a natural environment.

Kitty City provides a safe and comfortable environment for adoptable cats. The door is locked so people cannot enter at random and to prevent one of the cats from slipping out. People seeking to adopt a cat can ask the staff to let them in so they can get to know their new best friend.

While the Bloomfield Hills store has been placing homeless cats for years, the number of cat adoptions has increased since Kitty City opened just a few months ago. I hope more pet store owners will consider
implementing this model!

The Bloomfield Hills Pet Supplies Plus is located at 2057 Telegraph Road. For information, call 248-333-7545 or go to www.petsuppliesplus.com.

December Pawpawty

2011-12-09T10:20:00.001-05:00

This weekend is the December Pawpawty. Join us on Twitter for 24 straight hours of festive fun to benefit the Santa Paws Drive!

Now in its third year, the Santa Paws Drive is the first "virtual toy drive" for pets. Donate either cash or gifts, and the Santa Paws elves will divide up the goodies and send them off to six shelters around the world. Our goal is $900 for each shelter ($5,400 total) plus oodles of toys and treats for the homeless pets!

The fun starts on Saturday, December 10 at 2p.m. EST and ends Sunday, December 11 at 2p.m. EST. You can stop by anytime during the pawty by using the hashtag #pawpawty. Join the fun with lots of good friends, holiday music, great prizes, crazy quizzes and contests. Of course, the theme is Christmas so we will be looking for all your great Christmas costumes!

All cash donations made during the pawty will be matched by Greenies, up to $1,000. It's the perfect time to donate, because your donation will be doubled. Even if you don't attend the event, your donation will be doubled if you donate during event hours!

So don't be an elf on a shelf - join the pawty and help the Santa Paws Drive bring Christmas joy to homeless pets this year!

Mars Petcare Partners with Rescue Bank to Feed Hungry Pets

2011-12-07T09:52:00.001-05:00

via BusinessWire.com - Mars Petcare, including Mars Petcare US, The Nutro Company and Royal Canin are proud to announce a national partnership with Rescue Bank to enable more efficient delivery of pet food donations to animal shelters and rescues in support of pet adoption and owner retention programs across the country.

Modeled after America’s food bank network, Rescue Bank provides a tailored donation distribution process that delivers pet food where it’s most needed. Their expertise in product tracking and logistics will provide a national network of community-based distribution facilities, reflecting Mars Petcare’s commitment to making A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS™.

“Rescue Bank is doing for pets what the food bank network has successfully done for people in this country for more than 40 years,” said Debra Fair, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Mars Petcare US. “This partnership is the perfect way to give much needed support to the shelter and rescue communities and change the lives of homeless pets everywhere.”

Rescue Bank provides a reliable means for distributing wholesome, nutritious pet food that is approaching its “best by” date, benefiting both the manufacturers and non-profit groups caring for pets in need. Without timely intervention, these products would likely be thrown away.

“Animal shelters and rescues that we supply with food now have more resources and time for wellness, spay-neuter and adoption services,” said Elizabeth Asher, Executive Director, Rescue Bank. “Mars Petcare is making this a reality.”

Mars Petcare US is a longtime supporter of dog and cat welfare with $6 million in total giving through monetary and product donations.

Rescue Bank is a nonprofit organization supported by public and private donations. To support this effort or become a recipient, please visit http://rescuebank.org.

Image via RescueBank.org

Keep Pets Safe Around Holiday Decorations

2011-12-06T09:15:00.001-05:00

Via TimesRecordNews - Holiday decorations seem to come out earlier each year. This lengthens the time our pets may be exposed to hazards and makes extra diligence even more important for pet owners.

Holiday decorations come in many forms and sizes. Whether it's twinkling lights, tinsel or something ordinary like a plant, dangers can lurk anywhere for our pets.

Plants that are abundant this time of year such as poinsettias, holly and mistletoe can be toxic to curious pets. Keep any plants up and out of reach of any four-legged creatures. Keep your emergency veterinary clinic number and the Poison Control Center hotline number handy just in case. Time is of the essence if your pet gets poisoned.

If you display a live tree, remember that pine needles can pose a danger to any pet that may attempt to eat and ingest one. Needles can puncture the intestines of your pet, so keep your tree watered and clean up fallen needles as soon as possible.

Cats may find indoor trees very entertaining. Make sure all ornaments are well secured on the tree and refrain from using tinsel. As any cat owner knows, cats enjoy things that sparkle and move. Tinsel fits this bill and makes it highly attractive. Glass or other easily breakable ornaments need to be placed up high to keep noses or batting paws away. Round ornaments may also look like a fun ball if you have a ball-crazy pooch.

Also be careful about letting your pet drink the tree water, especially if you have put any type of additive into the water. Check the labels carefully for their safety and toxicity levels.

Another factor to keep in mind is the danger posed by all the electrical cords either under the tree or leading to other holiday decorations. Tape down or cover electrical cords to keep your pet from chewing on them. An electrical shock or burn is not a welcome gift for your pet.

Written by Katrena Mitchell
Image via flickr.com

For more information on Pet Safety, visit the ASPCA website for Holiday Safety Tips

Beagle Freedom Project

2011-12-04T09:51:00.001-05:00

These beagles were rescued from a research laboratory. Prior to their rescue, they had known nothing except the confines of their metal cages. They had not known a soft human touch, a warm bed, companionship or love. They had never been outside or sniffed a tree or grass.

Finally, after years of being poked and prodded, these beagles are FREE! They were rescued on June 8, 2011, and all were placed in loving foster homes.

On November 23, the Beagle Freedom Project rescued another 40 beagles from a laboratory in Spain.
You can help these dogs by donating, fostering and adopting, as well as spreading the word on your blog, Facebook, Twitter and Google +.

If you are interested in learning more about the Beagle Freedom Project, visit www.beaglefreedomproject.org.

Santa's Reindeer Cleared for Christmas Flight

2011-12-02T09:37:00.001-05:00

Via PRNewswire.com - The president of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) returned this week from a health check-up at the North Pole, declaring Santa's reindeer to be healthy, free of disease, and ready for their Christmas Eve flight.

"I can assure you that all of them are in healthy condition and are all ready to go for Christmas Eve," said Dr. Rene Carlson, upon her return to the United States.

In addition to supervising all of the business affairs of the association, the AVMA president serves as the official veterinarian of the North Pole. In this role, Dr. Carlson is charged with providing the yearly health exam for Santa's reindeer.

The reindeers' annual exam includes ensuring a health check about a month prior to their Christmas Eve flight to make sure they're healthy and not showing any signs of disease, such as brucellosis, tuberculosis, or chronic wasting disease, that can be transmitted to other animals.

"It's important that they don't have any diseases they could give to other animals during their trip around the world," said Dr. Carlson. "They also need to be healthy, so they're less likely to catch any diseases themselves on that long flight."

Once she determined the reindeer were healthy, Dr. Carlson filled out the official "North Pole Certificate of Animal Export" that provides Santa with the documents he and his reindeer need to travel.

Dr. Carlson will make a follow-up trip to the North Pole prior to Christmas to make sure the reindeers' feet and legs are in good shape to take off and land on the rooftops and that they're still ready for the flight. She'll also perform a nose-check on Rudolph to make sure it's good to glow.

For kids who want to help the reindeer on their journey, Dr. Carlson recommended leaving a plate of graham cracker reindeer cookies, their favorite snack, for Santa to feed them between stops.

Image via PRNewswire.com

Six Million Pets Adopted Through Iams Home 4 the Holidays

2011-11-30T08:52:00.001-05:00

Via BusinessWire.com - Iams Home 4 the Holidays, one of the world’s largest pet adoption programs, is thrilled to announce that it has reached the significant milestone of placing its 6 millionth homeless pet in a forever home. The landmark adoption comes in the program’s 13th year as Iams again teams with founding partner Helen Woodward Animal Center, along with more than 3,500 animal organizations from across the globe to encourage pet adoption.

“We are incredibly proud of this achievement and are grateful to those families who have opened their hearts – and their homes – to an animal in need,” said Mike Arms, founder of the adoption drive and president of Helen Woodward Animal Center. “Having reached our 6 millionth adoption, we recognize that there is still plenty of work to be done in our fight against pet homelessness, which is why we’re inspired to continue our work and this yearly program.”

This year’s campaign goal is to find homes for 1.5 million pets and donate 5 million meals to animals at participating adoption and rescue centers (through the Bags 4 Bowls campaign). So far, for the 2012 campaign, more than 520,000 pets have been adopted, including 270,159 dogs and 241,640 cats.

Through January 3, consumers can get involved by:

Visiting the Iams Facebook page (www.facebook.com/iams) to search for adoptable pets.
Becoming a fan of the Iams Facebook page (www.facebook.com/iams) and creating a custom adoption announcement or holiday card to share with family and friends. For each card created and shared, Iams will donate a meal to pets in need.
Purchasing specially-marked packages of Iams dog or cat food during the duration of the campaign. For every specially-marked package sold, Iams will donate one bowl of food to a participating Iams Home 4 the Holidays animal organization.

“We are thrilled to celebrate our 6 millionth pet adoption,” said Michel Brousset, Iams Marketing Director. “While we’re working towards our goal of placing even more animals into loving homes this holiday season, we recognize that not everyone is in the position to adopt a pet and we encourage those animal lovers to lend a hand through our Bags 4 Bowls program. Together, we can help millions of animals in need.”

To learn more about how to get involved in Iams Home 4 the Holidays and the Bags 4 Bowls program, including details about pets available for adoption, fun ways to donate meals and quick access to informative content and tips, visit www.facebook.com/iams.

Pet Owners Use GPS Devices to Find Lost Pets

2011-11-28T09:59:00.001-05:00

Via The Seattle Times - Houdini the dog lived up to his name.

The lab-shepherd mix, known as a crafty escape artist, was placed in a foster home by Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. Despite his new owner's best efforts to keep him close, the dog pushed an air conditioner out of a window and made his getaway.

Fortunately the staff at Best Friends anticipated Houdini's wandering ways and had outfitted his collar with a GPS tracking device. The device worked as promised, and Best Friends adoption manager Kristi Littrell found the errant dog in an overgrown lot in Kanab.

About half of the pets that enter animal shelters each year are strays or lost animals, but the growing use of GPS technology may offer owners a new option for trying to track down roaming cats, missing dogs and other runaway pets.

Several GPS devices are now being marketed that attach to collars and can be monitored by handsets, cellphones or computers with relative ease. Kristi Littrell, adoption manager at Best Friends, said Houdini was "the same color as the weeds" in the lot where she found him.

"I would never have found him without the GPS device on his collar," she added. Best Friends is still hoping to find a home for Houdini, and plans to give the GPS device to the new owners to help make sure that if he ever does get out again, he'll be easily tracked down.

"It's great these devices are available to us now," Littrell said. "They will undoubtedly help in a lot of cases where pets would otherwise not be found and returned home."

Read more: http://bit.ly/vjwK9I

Written by Sue Manning
Image via Seattle Times

Lemur Thanksgiving at San Francisco Zoo

2011-11-26T09:53:00.001-05:00

Too cute to not share! The San Francisco Zoo provided a Thanksgiving feast for its 15 lemurs to give thanks for ongoing conservation efforts in the animals' native country of Madagascar.

Thanksgiving Safety Tips

2011-11-23T15:26:00.001-05:00

Via ASPCA.org - ‘Tis the season for friends, family and holiday feasts - but also for possible distress for our animal companions. Pets won’t be so thankful if they munch on undercooked turkey or a pet-unfriendly floral arrangement, or if they stumble upon an unattended alcoholic drink.Check out the following tips from ASPCA experts for a fulfilling Thanksgiving that your pets can enjoy, too.

Talkin’ Turkey: If you decide to feed your pet a little nibble of turkey, make sure it’s boneless and well-cooked. Don't offer her raw or undercooked turkey, which may contain salmonella bacteria.

Sage Advice: Sage can make your Thanksgiving stuffing taste delish, but it and many other herbs contain essential oils and resins that can cause gastrointestinal upset and central nervous system depression to pets if eaten in large quantities. Cats are especially sensitive to the effects of certain essential oils.

No Bread Dough: Don't spoil your pet’s holiday by giving him raw bread dough. According to ASPCA experts, when raw bread dough is ingested, an animal's body heat causes the dough to rise in his stomach. As it expands, the pet may experience vomiting, severe abdominal pain and bloating, which could become a life-threatening emergency, requiring surgery.

Don't Let Them Eat Cake: If you’re baking up Thanksgiving cakes, be sure your pets keep their noses out of the batter, especially if it includes raw eggs - they could contain salmonella bacteria that may lead to food poisoning.

Too Much of a Good Thing: A few small boneless pieces of cooked turkey, a taste of mashed potato or even a lick of pumpkin pie shouldn’t pose a problem. However, don't allow your pets to overindulge, as they could wind up with a case of stomach upset, diarrhea or even worse - an inflammatory condition of the pancreas known as pancreatitis. In fact, it’s best to keep pets on their regular diets during the holidays.

A Feast Fit for a Kong: While the humans are chowing down, give your cat and dog their own little feast. Offer them Nylabones or made-for-pet chew bones. Or stuff their usual dinner - perhaps with a few added tidbits of turkey, vegetables (try sweet potato or green beans) and dribbles of gravy - inside a Kong toy. They’ll be happily occupied for awhile, working hard to extract their dinner from the toy.

Wishing you and yours a safe and happy Thanksgiving weekend!

Real Pet Lovers Don't Buy Pet Store Pets

2011-11-22T15:33:00.001-05:00

I wanted to share yesterday's post from Steve Dale with you because I think it clearly explains why animal advocates are against the sale of puppies (and kittens) in pet stores.

In his post, Steve begins by saying:

I am a pet advocate - therefore I generally support pet stores. Of course, they're great places to purchase toys, treats, food - even winter garments and stylish holiday sweaters.

However, pet stores are not such a great place to purchase puppies or kittens... arguably the last place you want to get a puppy or kitten - unless you support puppy mills.

He then gives reasons why he believes that purchasing a pet from a pet store supports puppy mills:

I don't personally know of a responsible breeder who sells to pet stores. To be clear - not only am I not against breeders, I stand with the good ones. There's value in having a pedigree dog or cat, and a well bred pet if that's what you desire. There's most certainly also value in a shelter animal, and truly saving a life.

By definition responsible breeders are discerning about who they sell their animals to. Responsible breeders carefully socialize their animals, and do the best they can to prevent disease transmission. By selling puppies or kittens to pet stores "breeders" lose all control. That is hardly being responsible. Responsible breeders do not sell to pet stores any more than responsible pet owners should purchase from pet stores.

Most important: Pet stores sell to whoever has a credit card that works, not to the right family for that pet.

If you are thinking about adding a furry member to your family this holiday season, please consider visiting your local animal shelter. If you have your heart set on a pure breed dog or cat, contact a breed rescue group or a responsible breeder. But whatever you do - do not purchase your next best friend from a pet store.

Thanks to Steve Dale for addressing this important issue. You can read his full blog post here.

Help Spread the Word About Shelter Pets

2011-11-20T10:18:00.001-05:00

The Shelter Pet Project is a public service ad campaignfocused on spreading the word that pets in shelters are wonderful and lovable!

The Shelter Pet Project is the result of a collaborativeeffort between two leading animal welfare groups, the Humane Society of the United States and Maddie’s Fund, and the leading producer of public serviceadvertising (PSA) campaigns, the Ad Council.

Their mission is to eliminate the stereotype that there'ssomething wrong with shelter pets and to make shelters the first choice anddesired way for acquiring a companion animal, ultimately increasing the rate ofanimals adopted from shelters.

They do this by breaking down misconceptions surroundingshelter pets and communicating that “A person is the best thing to happen to ashelter pet. Be that person. Adopt.”

You can learn more about the Shelter Pet Project by visitingtheir website, liking their Facebook page or following them on Twitter.

Foster a Lonely Pet for the Holidays

2011-11-18T08:58:00.001-05:00

Everyone deserves a home for the holidays. That's why forthe third year in a row, Petfinder.com is launching its annual Foster a LonelyPet for the Holidays program along with hundreds of shelters and rescue groupswith a goal to empty out animal shelters from Christmas Eve through New Year'sDay.

"Many people do not realize just how importantfostering is among the animal welfare community," said Betsy Banks Saul,the co-founder of Petfinder.com. "Animal shelters across North Americahave to euthanize adoptable pets simply because they are overcrowded. However,by fostering, people can give pets a place to stay while they wait for theirforever home."

The goal of the program is to spread awareness aboutfostering and to find temporary homes for adoptable pets while giving shelterworkers and volunteers a much-needed break. A list of participating sheltersand rescue groups can be found at www.petfinder.com/fosteralonelypet. Staff andvolunteers at each organization will be available to answer questions about thefostering process and help select a pet who will be a good match for the fosterfamily's lifestyle.

Created in 2009, the Foster a Lonely Pet for the Holidaysprogram was inspired by Greg Kincaid's book and movie, "A Dog NamedChristmas," about a young man who sets out to convince his community toparticipate in a local animal shelter's inaugural "Adopt a Dog forChristmas Program."

Petfinder.com is the largest online, searchable database ofanimals that need permanent homes. With more than 360,000 adoptable pets fromover 13,600 animal shelters and rescue groups throughout the USA, Canada andMexico, Petfinder.com has facilitated more than 17 million adoptions since itwas launched in 1996.

Image via morguefile.com

Where Do Fluffy and Fido Come From?

2011-11-16T08:44:00.001-05:00

Via USAToday.com - Where do people get their pets? A new AP-Petside.com poll found that the most common way people acquire a pet is as a gift, followed by taking in a stray.

About four in 10 pet owners say at least one of their current pets was given to them by friends or family, while a third say they have a pet that showed up on their doorstep as a stray.

Shelters and breeders are next on the list as sources for pets. Thirty percent of those polled say they adopted through a shelter, 31 percent got a pet from a breeder and 14 percent bought an animal at a pet store.

Karen Hulsey, 63, adopted a cat from a Texas shelter. Greyson is about a year old now and "he's cuddly and clean," she says.

She calls her shelter experience very upbeat because the cat "has turned into a wonderful pet with a good attitude and I felt like I was doing something positive."

Another quarter obtained a pet in some other way, including 3 percent who say they went to an animal rescue group and 2 percent who purchased them using an online or print classified ad.

More than half of the pet owners polled say they've taken in a shelter animal at some point, and two-thirds of them say their experiences have been extremely positive.

Read more: http://usat.ly/sTqSa8
Image via MorgueFile.com

Calgary Offers Reprieve to Canmore Bunnies

2011-11-14T10:05:00.001-05:00

Via CalgarySun.com- A convoy of rabbits to stop rabbits from doing what rabbits do best.

That’s the multiple-snip strategy being touted as alast-minute rescue plan for some 2,000 feral rabbits currently sitting on deathrow in Canmore.

It’s simple: Round them up, convoy the bunnies down thehighway to Calgary for neutering, and then set the sterilized carrot-munchersfree at sanctuaries across Canada.

Some would call it a hare-brained scheme to save the doomedCanmore rabbits, but the plan is apparently very real — and the hero of thisstrange rescue strategy is the City of Calgary.

The Canmore cull was set to start Monday, but on the eve ofrabbit destruction, the group fighting to rescue the garden-devouring pests sayCalgary has stepped forward as a last-second savior.

“I’m going to be able to move a lot of rabbits — hopefullyall of them,” said Susan Vickery, spokeswoman for Save Canmore Bunnies, andfounder of a rabbit sanctuary in B.C.

“We’ve found someone who’s willing to help spay and neuterbetween 800 and 1,000 rabbits.

“So that’s the cure, and I believe that’s the entirepopulation.”

On top of $10,000 raised in recent days through donations,Vickery says the offer from Calgary’s Bylaw and Animal Services department isthe miracle these unwanted rabbits needed.

Vickery says the offer is for the rabbits to be neutered atCalgary’s Animal Services Centre Clinic, free of cost.

Calgary Bylaw and Animal Services director Bill Bruceconfirms that Calgary will lend a hand.

Petland USA Says It Will Continue Selling Pets

2011-11-12T10:02:00.001-05:00

In October, Mary Haight of Dancing Dog Blog called for Petland USA to stop selling puppies and kittens in their stores after Petland Canada announced that they would discontinue selling animals.

BtC4Animals.com called for pet bloggers to focus on this issue on Blog the Change Day, and over 45,000 people signed the petition on Change.org asking Petland to stop selling animals. Still Petland Inc. has refused to take action on this issue.

Here is Mary's latest call to action via Change.org:

Stocking more than 150 stores across the US with puppies of all breeds is a model responsible for causing pain, suffering and death. Breeding females are locked in cages until they can no longer breed and are then killed. Even if a change from the top in a franchise-structured company affects only corporate stores, the intent to do no harm is a clarion call that every company should want to take up, especially one that deals directly with living things.

Sadly, Petland is not interested.

After more than 45,000 people joined the campaign on Change.org calling on Petland USA to stop supporting puppy mills, I sent questions to the company’s headquarters, and the answers received do not recognize the pain and suffering factory farming of family pets inflicts.

Sometimes pictures can be more effective than words. Since they have the power to help stop this, remind Petland USA what breeder puppy mill dogs look like.

Mary then asked readers to download pictures from the Change.org website and post them to the Facebook walls of eight major Petland stores. However, Petland has blocked access to these walls, so now she is asking all concerned pet bloggers to post the pictures to their blogs and share them via Facebook and Twitter.

As Mary states in her post on Change.org -

"Petland Corporate boasts that it’s been 'a leader in the pet industry' for 45 years. So why not lead?"

Please join us in this social media campaign to show Petland that we are completely for and about the welfare of animals, and they should be too!

Help Create Jack the Cat's Law

2011-11-10T16:14:00.001-05:00

The story of Jack the Cat is known by animal lovers all around the world. Here is a summary of Jack’s saga via Petside.com:

Jack’s story began last August, as his owner Karen Pascoe was preparing to board a flight to California. Pascoe had dropped Jack and her other cat at the baggage area in two carriers for shipment on her flight.

According to a Department of Transportation Pet Incident Report, a clerk stacked Pascoe's two carriers one on top of each other. When the top carrier fell, Jack escaped.

On October 25, it was reported that Jack had miraculously been found 61 days after he went missing. According to the report, Jack fell through the ceiling of the customs area in Terminal 8 at JFK International Airport.

Jack was taken immediately to a veterinary hospital in Queens, run by Blue Pearl Veterinary Services, and then transferred the next day by pet ambulance to the Blue Pearl hospital in Manhattan for intensive veterinary treatment.

After being found, Jack was diagnosed with fatty liver disease, a disease that cripples the feline liver and devastates the rest of the feline body. Due to his severe malnutrition and dehydration, Jack's skin tore easily, putting him at great risk of infection and organ failure.

Jack was suffering and any more procedures would have prolonged that suffering. Sadly, the decision was made to have him euthanized.

Animal lover Kathleen Lietz has started a petition at Change.org to create "Jack the Cat's" Law, a law forcing airlines to put GPS (or similar technology) tracking devices on family pets traveling in cargo holds. In her petition, Lietz states the following:

Every year, family pets go missing from airline baggage areas and cargo holds, never to be located again. Jack the cat was lost in the NYC JFK airport in the American Airlines baggage center on Aug. 25, 2011. American Airlines mishandled his crate during the check-in process, which resulted in the breaking of the carrier. Jack was found 61 days later when he fell through a ceiling tile in the Customs office, in the same terminal in which he was lost. He was severely injured and malnourished. Sadly, Jack was euthanized due to the extensive nature of his injuries on Nov. 6th.

American Airlines was slow to respond and provide support in searching for the cat. In fact, it took the airline 60 hours before calling Ms. Pascoe back with an initial update on rescue efforts. It was only once the situation hit the media and went viral that they began to react in a responsible (but limited) manner. We must force the airlines to have a quick retrieval method in place.

Please sign and share this petition to change the way companion animals are handled by airlines and help prevent another needless tragedy.

I'll Be Seeing You

2011-11-08T10:15:00.000-05:00

I rarely post about my own pets, but I wanted to share this lastest video of the kittens with you because I think it's adorable and I hope you do too!

The two kittens in the last frame have moved on to their new homes with people I know very well - so yes, I will be seeing them!

Why TellingDad.com Is My New Favorite Blog

2011-11-06T09:58:00.000-05:00

I started my Sunday morning doing the usual - cruising around the web and checking Facebook, Twitter and Google +. I love the feature on Google + that allows you to pick your favorite topics. My favorite topics are dogs, cats, rabbits, pets and animals.

Under cats, I saw Cats 101 with the following blurb:

For those unfamiliar with cats, they're the only mammals on earth that are superior to humans in both intellect and regurgitation. While they stand only 10 inches tall, they still look down on us with great disdain, refusing to acknowledge our presence unless we're holding a can opener...

Bingo - off I went to visit TellingDad.com!

Now this is the first time I've been to this blog, so while I was there I decided to look around. In the sidebar, I saw an interesting button that read "F-bomb Free! What the F@&% Does This mean?" Hmmm...click!

And here Telling Dad tells us why he does not use the F-bomb in his blog:

I’m of the belief that you don’t need to litter posts with F-bombs and juvenile scat jokes to make a point or to make people laugh. There are many writers out there who use curse words with great precision and they actually do a solid job of boosting the quality of their post (see The Bloggess). But for the most part, and I say this knowing I’m just begging for F-laced comments, I see bloggers using vulgarity with reckless abandon and with no real respect for their message.

If I want to offend you, I won’t need curse words to do it, and I feel that using profanity just to close out a thought is akin to a short-cut. My grandfather used to say that people swear when they can’t think of anything intelligent to say. I tend to agree. Granted, this is the same man who told me that Scotch is God’s nectar, but I do echo his thoughts on cursing.

Yay Telling Dad - I couldn't have said it better myself! I cringe when I hear the word spoken. When I was growing up (yes - I am showing my age here), it just wasn't used so I tend to use words like "freaking" when I'm really upset. And no, you will never see me use the F-Bomb in a post.

I agree with Telling Dad when he says,

If I feel that a sentence or thought could REALLY use an F-bomb to drive home the message then you’ll see me drop such words as “freaking”, F&@%, or my favorite replacement, “Fuzzle”.

So I proudly proclaim that Bunny Blog's is F-Bomb Free! Thanks Telling Dad for saying (or not saying) what I've been thinking all along.

Image via TellingDad.com

People Saving Pets Introduces Volunteer Action Day

2011-11-04T10:46:00.000-04:00

Are you passionate about pets and searching for a way tohelp local animal welfare organizations? Well look no further - next Tuesday, November8 is Volunteer Action Day!

People Saving Pets introduces Volunteer Action Day to bringawareness about the volunteer needs of animal welfare organizations and toencourage the public to help pets by volunteering in their communities.

On November 8, People Saving Pets will encourage volunteersfrom all over the United States to visit their website to learn about and signup for volunteer opportunities at their local animal welfare organizations.

According to a recent PetSmart Charities survey, 97% ofanimal welfare organizations utilize volunteers. These volunteers help keepadministrative costs down, allowing the organizations to use their funds tocare for adoptable pets, which includes providing spay/neuter surgeries,vaccinations, food and more.

Specialized infographics developed for Volunteer Action Dayshow how volunteers help animal welfare organizations and help peopleunderstand what to expect when volunteering to help pets. Download theinfographics and learn more at PeopleSavingPets.org.

People Saving Pets, empowered by PetSmart Charities, is a socialmovement dedicated to saving the lives of adoptable pets and solving thehomeless pet problem by uniting pet lovers and inspiring local action.

There are many ways to get involved with the People SavingPets Movement. PetSmart Charities encourages animal-lovers to volunteer, opt toadopt a pet, donate, spay or neuter their pets, or simply spread the word aboutthe People Saving Pets movement.

Santa Paws Drive Helps Spread Christmas Joy

2011-11-02T09:38:00.000-04:00

The third annual Santa Paws Drive kicked off last night witha virtual party on Twitter!

The mission of the Santa Paws Drive is to bring holidaycheer to shelter animals around the world. Pets with homes are often showeredwith gifts and treats for Christmas, and the Santa Paws’ elves believe thatshelter animals deserve a little holiday love, too!

The Santa Paws Drive was founded by Dorian Wagner of Your DailyCute, Lynn Haigh of Pawpawty.com andSalina Gannon of Nip and Bones, LLC. Santa Paw’s elves also include DianeSilver of To Dog With Love and Kerri Schlack of The Kitten Crew.

Their ultimate hope is that all dogs and cats find foreverhomes, but if that doesn't happen, they want our furry friends to wake up onChristmas morning to toys and treats – as well as a little extra cash for theirshelters. So they created the Santa PawsDrive, and set out to make it as simple as possible for everyone to be able tomake a difference for shelter animals all around the world.

This year, six organizations have been selected asrecipients: Belleglen Sanctuary, BlindcatRescue and Sanctuary, Greenfields Greyhound Rescue, K9 Kastle, Sheba’s Haven Rescueand Black Dog Rescue.

The goal is to raise $900 per shelter ($5,400 total) andoodles of toys and treats for the dogs and cats. You can help by spreading theword – write a post about the Santa Paws Drive and add the widget to your blogor website.

The Santa Paws Drive runs through the entire month of Novemberand ends in mid-December. The last day for toy/treat donations is December 12,and the last day for cash donations is December 20.

There will be lots of online events so watch the Santa PawsDrive website for announcements, join in the fun and help spread the joy thisChristmas!

Image via SantaPawsDrive.com

Pet Industry Expects Steady Growth

2011-10-31T20:03:00.000-04:00

Pets come in all shapes and sizes, but the one constant is the bond between pets and their owners. In fact, 76% of dog or cat owners consider their 4-legged companions to be part of the family.

This closeness creates marketing and sales opportunities that go far beyond basics such as food to include apparel, toys, treats, vet care and grooming, just to name a few. According to Mintel, the pet industry is expected to maintain a steady pace of growth, increasing by 33% over the next five years.

“To maintain and continue such strong sales is an impressive feat in our tough economy and truly speaks to owners’ commitment to their pets and manufacturers’ ability to develop products that resonate with pet owners,” notes Fiona O’Donnell, senior analyst at Mintel. “We are noticing that innovations in the pet industry are mirroring innovations in human markets and since many owners consider pets as family members, this is not surprising.”

Functional foods that have a great taste and also provide health benefits have hit a chord with Americans in the past several years, so it only makes sense that owners would want the same fare for their pets. According to Mintel, pet food that offers a “functional” claim has increased by 130% from 2006 to 2010.

Innovations in the pet industry go beyond the food aisle into lifestyle products that reflect the owner’s personality and interests. Martha Stewart has developed an exclusive line of pet accessories for PetSmart that are said to be developed with “both the pets and owners in mind.”

“I don’t expect pet innovation to slow down anytime soon,” adds O’Donnell. “Despite the difficult economy, 50% of pet owners make unplanned toy and treat purchases for their pets and another 16% say they have cut back on extra household expenses in order to afford pet-related care…showing the true commitment of pet-parents.”

Image via Ambro/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Recent Reunions Boost Interest in Microchips

2011-10-29T00:23:00.000-04:00

via Reuters.com - In the weeks since the highly publicized return of long lost Willow the microchipped cat to her Colorado owners from New York City, microchipping of pets has jumped 185 percent, according to industry statistics.

News this week of the return of Petey the microchipped dog to his Tennessee home from Michigan is likely to spike those figures again.

Across the United States, 26 percent of dogs had implanted microchips in 2010 compared to 17 percent in 2009, according to an annual survey of pet owners by American Pet Products Association. Some 12 percent of cats had microchips in 2010.

Then there are bursts such as the 185 percent jump in microchip sales in the weeks after Willow's discovery, reported by Banfield Pet Hospital, a nationwide animal hospital group headquartered in Oregon.

"Clyde and Monty are our family -- we don't have children," said Charlie Dammand, explaining why she chose to implant microchips in her Exotic Shorthair Persian kitten Clyde and Golden Retriever Monty.

"I want every assurance that if they got out, I'd get them back," said Dammand, 44, an airline customer service worker from Kent, Washington.

Most shelters and humane societies implant microchips in animals before allowing them to be adopted, experts say.

While most pet owners get their animals from friends or family, 21 percent of dog and cat owners adopted them from shelters or humane societies, according to the APPA survey.

A microchip is an electronic chip about the size of a grain of rice, implanted under the skin between an animal's shoulder blades with a hypodermic needle.

It contains an identification number that can be registered in a data base with owner contact information. A hand-held scanner waved like a magic wand over a lost animal detects the chip's electronic frequency and the reunion process begins.

Read more: http://reut.rs/u3v6jN
Written by Barbara Goldberg
Image via Reuters.com

Animal Advocates Rally for Canmore Bunnies

2011-10-27T10:27:00.001-04:00

Canmore, Alberta - "Come on people, save the bunnies!" a woman wearing a headband with felt rabbit ears shouted toward passersby.

She was one of the several Save Canmore Bunnies supporters armed with signs, literature, and rabbit ears atop their heads who took to the streets last weekend to raise awareness for their cause.

Spokesperson Kyndra Biggy said the rally was used as an opportunity to remind Canmore residents that the town's feral rabbit population could be facing a potential cull, but there are non-lethal alternatives available for solving the rabbit problem.

In the mid 1980's, someone in Canmore released about a dozen domestic rabbits that have survived and thrived. Officials in the mountain community estimated earlier this year that there are 2,000 rabbits roaming the town, up from 1,000 four years ago.

The town set aside $50,000 last year to hire experts to cull the feral animals as concerns mounted that they were attracting more predators into Canmore.

In September, the Humane Society of Canada warned the town that it might face a legal fight. Michael O'Sullivan, chairman and CEO of the society, said the town should find an alternative to a cull, which he predicted would not solve the problem anyway.

A Vancouver Island rabbit advocate responsible for saving hundreds of bunnies on the University of Victoria campus has also set her sights on Alberta. Last year, Susan Vickery moved most of the feral bunnies that were overrunning the campus to her shelter near Coombs, B.C.

"A couple of months ago, the mayor and council were going to rubber stamp culling the rabbits," Vickery said.

But after presentations by Vickery and Biggy, Mayor Ron Casey and council will now also consider non-lethal solutions.

The town is currently looking at several proposals to deal with the feral rabbit population, including both lethal and non-lethal solutions, said Mayor Casey, who hopes to have a solid option in place by early November.

Casey said he doesn't believe his town is divided on the matter. Most of the emails he has received complaining about ridding Canmore of its bunny problem are actually from places far from his community.

Town administration will present the most feasible proposals to council at the first meeting in November, with the best one expected to be put into action over the winter.

Image via www.gocanmore.com

Second Annual National Pet Food Drive Starts Sunday

2011-10-25T10:23:00.001-04:00

Petco and the Petco Foundation are calling all animal lovers to take part in the second annual National Pet Food Drive to help pet parents in need provide a healthy and plentiful holiday season for four-legged family members. The National Pet Food Drive will kick off Sunday, October 30 and last through Sunday, November 13.

During the two-week drive, consumers can pick up extra food or litter during their shopping trip, or bring unopened cans or bags from home, and drop it into specially marked pet food collection bins located in each of the more than 1,100 Petco and Unleashed by Petco stores nationwide. Throughout the drive, Hill's Science Diet will match, pound for pound, every bag of dog and cat food donated, up to 100,000 pounds.

"We believe no one should have to give up their pet companions due to financial distress, and our associates and customers agree," said Paul Jolly, the Executive Director of the Petco Foundation and a Petco vice president. "Last year's drive provided more than 90 tons – that's almost 200,000 pounds – of pet food for families in need; an incredible gift leading into the holiday season and such an easy way for people to help keep pets well-nourished and with the families who love them in tough economic times. We hope to double that this year, so we're asking the communities we serve to give a little extra and help us raise awareness for this important year-round program."

"The food bank program means so much to me," said Khadejaia Alexander, a low-income pet parent who receives pet food and support from PAWS Los Angeles, a Petco Foundation Food Bank Partner. "I need to take care of myself, so it's less stress on me knowing that my dogs can eat and I can provide a nice home for them. People see a lot of human needs, but forget about animals and the help their owners may need. The food bank has been so helpful to me, it's really a blessing."

Read more: http://prn.to/uJQ9b3

Image via PRNewswire.com

Jack’s Pets Stops Selling Puppies

2011-10-23T12:42:00.000-04:00

Last week, the ASPCA commended Jack’s Pets for its decisionto no longer sell puppies in any of its stores and to expand its work withlocal animal shelters and rescue groups to offer in-store pet adoptions. Jack’s Pets owns and operates 27 regionalstores located throughout Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.

“We have over one million customers coming through our doorsevery year,” said Scott Brenner, president of Jack’s Pets. “We recognize thatwe can have a very positive impact on our local pet community by working withvarious adoption agencies surrounding our stores. We have worked with and supportedmany animal shelters and rescue groups in the past, and starting next year, wewill expand our partnerships even further. We appreciate the ASPCA’s support.”

Last month, the ASPCA unveiled its national No Pet StorePuppies campaign in Columbus, Ohio. The campaign raises awareness about theconnection between pet store puppies and puppy mills and aims to reduce thedemand for puppy mill puppies by urging consumers not to buy anyitems - including food, supplies or toys - if the store or website sells puppies.

“The ASPCA is thrilled to see a pet store chain like Jack’sPets transition to a no puppy sales model,” said ASPCA President and CEO EdSayres. “We look forward to partnering with Jack’s Pets to connect them withlocal shelters and rescues to offer pet adoptions in their stores. We hope thatJack’s decision will convince other pet stores to stop selling puppies andinstead support local animal adoption programs, which would improve the livesof countless dogs.”

To learn more about the ASPCA’s No Pet Store Puppiescampaign, visit www.NoPetStorePuppies.com.

Image via ASPCA

Tragedy in Ohio

2011-10-21T10:26:00.000-04:00

Via IFAW.org - By now, most of us have heard the news out of Zanesville, Ohio, where the owner of an animal preserve set free dozens of exotic animals - including cheetahs, wolves, bears, lions, and tigers - before taking his own life. In the wake of this tragedy, there is certain to be outrage, concern and questions - with the most important question being; why should anyone, let alone a convicted felon with a history of animal abuse, be allowed to keep wild animals in captivity?

Instead of attempting to place blame, we must all agree that more stringent legislation is needed to ensure the safety of the public and the animals. Ohio is one of nearly a dozen states that currently has no regulation to prevent the private ownership of dangerous exotic wildlife. In Ohio, individuals can purchase tigers, cheetahs, chimps, and countless other species from private breeders and auctions. These animals often end up spending their life in backyard cages, where they suffer in deplorable conditions and struggle to survive.

Certain pieces of legislation discourage this type of private ownership. The Captive Wildlife Safety Act, a law which makes it illegal to ship large, dangerous cats (tigers, lions, leopards, etc.) across state lines, was signed into effect on September 17, 2007. In Ohio, an executive order issued last year by then Gov.Ted Strickland prohibited people convicted of animal cruelty from owning exotic pets, and banned private citizens from acquiring certain dangerous wild animals. However, this emergency order expired in April and has yet to be renewed.

Many questions still remain to be answered. However there is one thing we already know for sure: these wild animals should never be privately owned as pets. When they are, the animals (and their owners) always suffer, and the results are often tragic.

Read more http://bit.ly/qnb1RG
Written by Azzedine Downes

Tell Govenor John Kasich to ban the sale, ownership and harboring of dangerous exotic animals by signing this petition on Change.org.

Wabbit Wednesday - Clara

2011-10-19T11:11:00.000-04:00

Meet Clara, Rabbit of the Week at Western PA Humane Society. She is a two year old brown and white Rhinelander rabbit.

Clara was found by another rescue organization who took her to WPHS so she could have the best chance possible of finding her forever home.

She is a very sweet and gentle lady who enjoys quality time with her family, being petted, and hopping around finding adventure. This little girl would do well in just about any home!

Things to remember prior to adopting a rabbit:

Rabbits should be kept indoors only. Predators can break into an outdoor cage, and even if they do not catch the rabbit, it can still die from shock.
Rabbits need a cage large enough to stand up, lay down and move around, as well as an indoor bunny-proofed area to explore. Rabbits need at least 3-4 hours of exercise daily.
Rabbits can be litter trained. You will need at least two litter boxes (one for inside the cage and one for the exercise area). AVOID cedar or pine shavings because they are hazardous to a rabbit's health.
A rabbit's diet consists of unlimited fresh water, timothy hay, dark leafy greens, and one quarter cup of high quality pellets for every 5 pounds of body weight.
Rabbits are ground loving creatures so not all rabbits tolerate being held. Get down on the floor and let your rabbit come to you.
Rabbits should have an annual checkup and may require teeth trims. A veterinarian specializing in exotic pet care is needed.
Rabbits have an 8-12 year life span, and like all pets, are not disposable. Be prepared to make a 10 year commitment when adopting a rabbit.

If you have room in your heart and your home for this pretty lady, contact Western PA Humane Society or visit Petfinder.com to find an adoptable rabbit near you.

Photographer Focuses on Pets with Disabilities

2011-10-17T17:45:00.000-04:00

via PetaPixel.com - Photographer Carli Davidson - now Internet-famous for her portraits of dogs shaking off water - has a heartwarming project entitled Pets with Disabilities in which she uses portraits to tell the stories of happy dogs that have various handicaps.

"Duncan has a spinal disorder that many corgis are prone to. Even though he can’t use his hind legs he is still extremely active. He throws toys across the room for himself to fetch, and his favorite treat is whipped cream."

"Diego, the blind Chihuahua and Buddy Nixon. Diego uses Buddy as a seeing eye dog by following the tapping of his nails as he walks around new environments."

"Ramen Noodle lost both of his arms in separate accidents before he was two years old. Only three weeks after losing the second arm he was up and running on his hind legs. He also has a front wheelchair to get around outdoors, but prefers to walk on his own."

Carli Davidson is both an internationally recognized award winning photographer and an experienced animal trainer and caretaker. She is able to capture the innate personalities of her subjects using her professional understanding of animal behavior. Carli is a freelance photographer for the Oregon Zoo, and works regularly with domestic animals both commercially and personally for her fine art projects.

For more information on Carli Davidson, visit her website at www.carlidavidsonphotography.com.

Images by Carli Davidson

Blog the Change Day

2011-10-15T13:36:00.000-04:00

Today is Blog the Change Day - the day when pet lovers and pet bloggers come together to write about a cause that is near and dear to their hearts.

Earlier this week, Mary Haight of Dancing Dog Blog wrote that Petland Inc. has decided to stop selling puppies and kittens in their stores across Canada. This is great news, but the phase-out does not include their U.S. stores.

Working with Change.org, Mary created a petition asking Petland USA to also stop selling pets - and she has called upon her fellow bloggers to help spread the word.

Here's what you can do to help:

sign and share the petition on Change.org
write to Petland USA on Facebook and Twitter
write a blog post and link it to the the blog hop!

It takes just a few minutes to sign and share the petition. Another 15 minutes to write a short post on your blog. Together we can help save hundreds of thousands of lives. Let’s do it – now!

Study Shows Puppy Mills Leave Lasting Emotional Scars

2011-10-13T18:51:00.000-04:00

Via USAToday - The psychological damage suffered by dogs living in puppy mills is profound and exists long after they've been rescued, a new study shows.

"This study gives us strong evidence that the dogs kept in these large-scale breeding facilities don't just suffer while they're confined there, but carry the emotional scars out with them for years, even when they're placed in loving homes," says Frank McMillan of Best Friends Animal Society, who conducted the research with James Serpell and Deborah Duffy of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Applied Animal Behavior Science.

Anecdotal evidence has long suggested that lacking normal human contact and living with the pain and discomfort that are systemic in puppy mills leave these dogs with post-trauma-like behaviors. This is the first large study comparing mill survivors to dogs raised in homes.

The study compared owner-reported psychological and behavioral characteristics of 1,169 former breeding dogs recovered from puppy mills with those of 332 pet dogs without the mill history.The dogs from puppy mills showed significantly elevated levels of fears and phobias, compulsive and repetitive behaviors, and heightened sensitivity to being touched.

"The most prominent difference was in the level of fear," says McMillan. "Compared to normal pet dogs, the chance of scoring in the highest ranges for fear was six to eight times higher in the recovered puppy-mill dogs."

Read more: http://usat.ly/r98tJR
Written by Sharon L. Peters
Photo via Best Friends Animal Society

Join us this Saturday, October 15 for Blog the Change Day. We are asking Petland USA to stop selling animals in their stores and fire puppy mills!

Tell Petland USA to Stop Selling Animals

2011-10-11T11:26:00.000-04:00

Petland Inc. has long been under fire for selling puppy milldogs. In 2008, the HumaneSociety of the United States revealed the results of an eight monthinvestigation, which indicated that many Petland stores across the country weresupporting cruel puppy mills, even while telling unsuspecting customers thatthe dogs came from good breeders.

In March 2009, HSUS filed a classaction suit against Petland for selling unhealthy puppy mill dogs in atleast 20 states. A follow-upinvestigation in June 2009 revealed that more than 95% of Petland storescontinued selling puppy mill dogs with over 15,000 puppies traced to massivecommercial puppy brokers.

In May 2010, AnimalPlanet aired the documentary AnimalPlanet Investigates: Petland, which clearly showed the grim connectionbetween puppy mills and pet stores.

Thousands of people have supported the HSUS Stop Puppy Millscampaign by signingthe petition and peacefully protesting outside of Petland stores. AlthoughPetland Inc. has been slow to respond, there has been some movement made byindividual store owners.

In November 2010, the EastLiberty Petland store located in Pittsburgh, PA announced that they wouldno longer sell puppies from commercial breeders. Instead, they would offerpuppies, cats and kittens from two local animal shelters. The owners made thedecision after two years of having local animal advocates hold frequentdemonstrations outside their store and upon hearing that a Petland store inTexas had success selling shelter animals.

Recently, Petland Inc. announced that it would begin phasing out sellingpuppies and kittens in its 50-some stores across Canada. In place of selling pets, the stores plan towork with and help animal rescue groups by having adoption events at theirlocations and even taking in rescued pets at the stores to adopt out. However, Petland stores in the U.S. are not participatingin the phase out.

As a concerned animal lover and member of the Be the Change for Animals Team, Iam asking you to participate in Blog theChange Day this Saturday, October 15. We will rally around this cause -asking Petland USA to stop selling animals in their stores and fire puppymills! I hope you will join us.

Image via morgefile.com

Take a Chance on Me

2011-10-09T10:18:00.000-04:00

Thanks to my friend Edie Jarolim at Will My Dog Hate Me for starting my day off with this great video. Enjoy!

Black Dog Syndrome

2011-10-05T00:54:00.000-04:00

Via USA Today - Shelter workers call it the "Black Dog Syndrome": Black dogs and cats are often the last to be adopted and the first to be euthanized.

There are no statistics, but there's plenty of anecdotal evidence and many possible explanations, ranging from superstitions like the notion that black cats are bad luck, to a simple logistical problem: Black animals are hard to photograph well, and are therefore hard to advertise. To combat the problem, shelters have come up with a variety of creative measures, from reducing adoption fees to improving the quality of the photos.

"Overwhelmingly, we hear from the shelter and rescue groups that black dogs, especially the big black dogs, and black cats take longer to get adopted," said Kim Saunders, vice president of shelter outreach for Petfinder.com, the country's largest online pet adoption database.

Some have called Black Dog Syndrome a hoax, but Inge Fricke, director of sheltering and pet care issues for the Humane Society of the United States in Washington, D.C., insists "it is not a hoax. There is definitely anecdotal evidence. There haven't been any definitive studies to absolutely prove that the phenomenon exists but it is something commonly accepted by shelter workers as truth."

Some in the adoption business think there may simply be more black dogs and cats than animals of other colors. Others think the animals may be wrongly perceived as menacing.

Mike Arms, president of the Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., blames part of it on typecasting. "If you think of any movie with a mean, devil dog, it's always a black dog, and if you see a witch in a movie, they always have a black cat."

Read more: http://usat.ly/qUF8k4

Image via morguefile.com

Barkworld Recap Day 2

2011-10-03T12:24:00.000-04:00

One thing I’ve learned in my many years ofattending conferences is that I need to pace myself or I will run out of gasbefore the conference ends. Unfortunately, this time I didn’t do so well.

Since I went out Friday night for the reception at Uptown Pupsand then had dinner with some blogger buddies, I slept in the following morning.

Okay – maybe it wasn’t planned that way. Maybe I woke up, looked at the clockand fell back asleep. But I thought the extra hour of sleep would help get me through the day.

The first session I attended was “Who’s That Doggyin the Window?” presented by Jaime Williams of Beaker and Flask Creative. Jaimediscussed the importance of an overall brand experience, understanding whatyour brand represents, and how to maintain a consistence brand personality. She also presented examples of good and not-so-good online brands.

The next session was “Social Petworking Part 2: SpeedPitching”. This session gave attendees the opportunity to meet withsponsors and pitch their blog or other social media project. We each met withseven different sponsors using the speed dating format – spending six minuteswith each sponsor before moving to the next table.

At the end of the Social Petworking session, I wasexhausted. I am an introvert by nature. Introverts are people whose energytends to expand through reflection and dwindle during interaction, as opposedto extroverts who gain energy by interacting with others. So after the speeddating session, I retreated to the quiet space of my room to write a blog postand regain my energy.

The last session that I attended was “Foursquare 411”presented by Chad Elkins of Engauge. Chad discussed how the attendees can usefoursquare and other location-based services to help promote their brand.

The day ended with closing remarks and raffle prizes. There wasn't a flash mob like the previous day, but it was still a great ending to a greatconference.

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Barkworld Expo. Ilearned a lot about social media and met lots of great pet lovers, and I hopeto attend the conference again next year!

Image via Preston Phelps

BarkWorld Recap Day 1

2011-10-01T16:14:00.002-04:00

BarkWorld Expo is a social “petworking” conference covering allfacets of social media, pet lifestyle & business education for pet lovers. The2011 event was held from September 29 to October 1 in Atlanta, GA.

I arrived in Atlanta on Thursday afternoon in time for thewelcome reception. The pet friendly event was held at the Hotel Indigo, and Imet lots of “old” friends from last year’s event and also many new friends.

Friday morning began with a keynote presentation by TedRheingold, Founder of Dogster, Inc. Ted talked about the development ofDogster.com and how the company eventually grew to include Catster.com,Snuzzy.com, The Vet Blog and more.

The first session I attended was “Poop There It Is!” In this session, Stephanie Miles of WebMD andMelissa Halliburton of BringFido.com discussed the types of information thatpet owners are looking for online.

Next was a panel discussion featuring pet brands andpet bloggers. Diane Silver of To Dog With Love, Rachel Phelps of Preston Speaks, Seth Anderson of Greenies, and Bev VanZant of Iams discussed how petbloggers can pitch their blog to companies for product reviews and sponsorship.

After the panel discussion, Victoria Stilwell, star of AnimalPlanet’s It’s Me or the Dog, gave a keynote presentation. She discussed her ownpassion for positive dog training and also gave tips on how animal lovers canleverage social media tools to promote their brands and causes they believe in.

By this time, I was missing my cats so I went to “How toKeep Your Kitty Cat Audience Purring for More”. This session was presented by Lisa Illman ofKritters That Twitter, who discussed topics for engaging your community, usingvideos in your blog, and developing your reputation in the cat bloggingcommunity. Although there were no live kitties in the room, I did manage to peta few flat cats!

The final session I attended that day was “Creating PawsomeContent for Online” presented by Jelena Woehr of Yahoo! Contributor Network.Jelena walked the group through how to create online content that engages thereader using the Yahoo! Style Guide. It was a great presentation, but I willadmit my favorite part was holding my pal Niqqi while her mom was in the frontof the room with Jelena.

The day ended with closing remarks and raffle giveaways.Unfortunately, I made the mistake of going up to my room and missed theopportunity to see my very first flash mob! I guess that’s what I get forworking in my room instead of staying until the very end.

In the evening, we visited Uptown Pups, a new pet boutique in Atlantic Station. It’s a great little shop with lots of products fordogs and dog lovers, and I was happy because I got to meet lots of new canine friends!

Photo of Niqqi and Bev VanZant (image via Niqqi)

Need for Pet Food Pantries Increases

2011-09-28T10:20:00.000-04:00

Via USA Today - Sometimes, a few bags of free dog or cat food and a little time is all it takes to make giving up one's pets unnecessary.

That was the thinking behind the pet food banks that sprang up like oases in the desert when the economy went sour a few years back. The folks who started those operations were rewarded with tales of people, who - laid off from their jobs, down to their last few dollars and on the brink of leaving their pets at a shelter - received some free kibble and days later found work and could pay the rent and keep their pets.

That's how things are supposed to turn out. Not every hard-times story ends that way, of course.

And, there's another, significant chapter of the pet food bank chronicle that hasn't played out exactly as hoped. The happy-ending dream these pet food pantry originators shared was that in a year or two the economy would right itself, the matter of millions of pets surrendered or abandoned for financial reasons would be mostly a dim, awful memory, and food banks would no longer be necessary.

In fact, the situation has worsened. The number of animals landing at shelters and rescues has escalated, and, of course, so have euthanasia rates, as welfare groups struggle to take in and feed the crush of animals. So more and more pet pantries are springing up (or are attempting to spring up); a growing number of shelters are working to find ways to temporarily give free food to pet owners who are in dire financial straits and are moments away from turning in their pets; and food pantries for humans are sometimes stocking pet food as well.

All that still isn't enough. Most pet pantry founders are working harder and longer, and in ways they hadn't anticipated.

One of them is Ann King. She launched the non-profit Save Our Pets Food Bank in Atlanta in 2008, horrified by stories of down-on-their-luck owners making excruciating decisions about their animals.

"Many people out there imagine the pet crisis has passed," she says. "It most certainly has not. It was dire before, and it has gotten worse."

Read more: http://usat.ly/puxik8
Written by Sharon L. Peters
Image via morguefile

At-home Euthanasia Growing in Popularity

2011-09-26T10:25:00.000-04:00

Via Washington Post - Jim Schenning knew he was going to lose it, and he didn’t want to lose it in public.

So when the dreaded day came to end the suffering of his beloved Emma, an arthritis-stricken, 15-year-old Jack Russell terrier, Schenning didn’t go to his veterinarian’s office. Instead, he ended up cross-legged on the floor of his spare bedroom, crying quietly as Emma looked up from his lap.

After a few minutes, he nodded to Julie Rabinowitz, a veterinarian he had never met before she arrived at his house a half-hour earlier. She leaned forward with a syringe. A little dog’s fatal dose of pentobarbital.

“There was no whimper. Her eyes just slowly closed,” Schenning recalled. “Dr. Julie waited two or three minutes and checked her heartbeat. She said in a quiet voice, ‘Jim, she’s gone. I’m going to let myself out now.’ ”

The gentle death scene that recently unfolded at Schenning’s house near Catonsville, Md., was part of a growing at-home pet euthanasia movement that is beginning to relocate one of pet ownership’s most painful rituals, the final, one-way trip to the vet’s office.

Like a growing number of vets in the region, Rabinowitz, who is based in Baltimore, decided a few years ago to build her practice on end-of-life house calls for those who want more for their pets’ last moments than a frightened scrabble on a cold steel exam table.

“Going to the vet was always stressful,” Schenning said. “I didn’t want her last day on this Earth to be, ‘Oh, no, we’re going into that white building.’ ”

Read more: http://wapo.st/qO6FyO
Written by Steven Hendrix
Image via MorgueFile

September Pawpawty

2011-09-24T10:57:00.000-04:00

This weekend is the September pawpawty on Twitter, and this month's theme is Paws Around The World: An Adventure Through Disney's Epcot World Showcase.

The Twitter anipals will be dressing in costumes from various countries and enjoying fabulous food and drinks from all over the world.

As always, we will be raising money to help an animal-related charity. This month's charity is Holly Hedge Animal Sanctuary located near Bristol in the UK.

They provide care and protection for animals deemed to be in need due to illness, injury, maltreatment, neglect or abandonment.

The Sanctuary is filled with little faces pleading 'Please choose me' from the very young to the very elderly - some are traumatized at losing their home and owners, others are just unwanted or abandoned and left to fend for themselves.

The pawty starts at 2pm EDT and runs a full 24 hours. So find your favorite costume and join us on Twitter for food, fun, games, prizes and more!

What Cats Really Think

2011-09-22T09:24:00.000-04:00

Ever wonderwhat your cat is thinking?

TEMPTATIONS Treats for Cats and animal communicatorSonya Fitzpatrick have announced the results from the world’s first-everattempted cat survey, uncovering the truth about what cats really think!

“Everyone wants to know what their cat isreally thinking, and that’s why I teamed up with TEMPTATIONS for this program,”said Ms. Fitzpatrick. “People are starting to understand that pets do have alanguage and are always trying to communicate with us, just like in anyinterpersonal relationship. This survey gave me the opportunity to connect withmany cats at one time to get a better understanding of how they think and givepet owners the real scoop.”

So what arecats’ biggest pet peeves? Their favorite pastime? When do they like to betreated? After working with 250 cats for the survey, Sonya Fitzpatrick cameaway with the answers – straight from the cat’s mouth.

To compilethe survey, pet owners were asked to submit photos of their cats to theTEMPTATIONS Facebook page. From the entries, 250 winning photos were selectedfor readings with Sonya Fitzpatrick. Ms. Fitzpatrick then asked the cats bylooking at their photo and using telepathic communication the following fourquestions cat owners have always wanted answered:

What is your favorite thing todo?

Cats are prettylazy, right? These cats said no way,with 52 percent responding that staying on the move and roaming around thehouse is their favorite thing to do. And don’t bother leaving the TV on forthem, only 1.6 percent watch TV as a favorite pastime.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

You probablyguessed that dogs reigned supreme on the list, but guess again. Close to 50percent of cats surveyed actually said getting wet was their biggest annoyance.And even though your cat may prefer to stay on the move throughout the day,don’t even think about waking them up when they’re napping - 29 percentsurveyed chose being woken up from a nap as their biggest frustration.

How often do you like being treated?

Catssurveyed said they enjoyed getting treats as part of their daily routine, butonly 1.6 percent of cats wanted those treats right after a meal or just beforebed. When asked at what time they would like a treat, Fitzpatrick discoveredalmost half (45 percent) answered “right about now would be nice,” followed by“always” at 28 percent.

What is your favorite thing to dowith your human?

Whilenapping may not be their favorite activity of the day, more than half (52percent) said their favorite way to spend time with their human is to snuggleup and catch some zzzzz together.

So there youhave it – now go give your cat atreat!

Better Photos Save Dogs Lives

2011-09-20T08:59:00.000-04:00

Via Jezebel - Teresa Berg of Dallas, Texas is a professional pet photographer who specializes in glamour shots for shelter dogs. She believes that thousands of dogs are euthanized every year simply because the photos posted on adoption sites show them in a cage, looking like they're thinking about biting your three-year-old. Several years ago, she started volunteering to retake dogs' photos for a dachshund rescue group, and now she encourages other professional photographers to donate their services and teaches shelter employees to take more appealing pet photos.

Written by Margaret Hartmann

The Dark Side of Triberr

2011-09-18T15:33:00.000-04:00

For those of you who don't know, Triberr is an online community of bloggers who share each other's posts automatically through their tweet streams.

You are invited to join a tribe by the tribe leader - someone who knows you well enough that they're comfortable sharing your posts without reading each and every one before tweeting them. And you can choose to join or not join the tribe based whether you are comfortable tweeting their posts.

Now comes the tricky part... the tribe leader determines who else joins the tribe. You may or may not know them, and you may or may not agree with their point of view.

Don't get me wrong - I love my tribe, and I knew most of the members before joining. But something happened this weekend that caused me to rethink whether I want posts flying through my tweet stream that I haven't read. That something was the feud between a group I will call the Dog Bloggers and the Blogpaws Team.

Mel Freer, one of my tribe members, posted about her disappointment that a certain web designer was invited to speak at the recent Blogpaws conference. That post went through my tweet stream before I had a chance to read it, but I felt the post was not disrespectful - just an honest sharing of her feelings and perhaps an opportunity to open a dialogue with the Blogpaws Team about the vetting process for potential speakers.

Blogpaws fired back with a scathing response to Mel's post questioning her journalistic integrity, and the opening shot of the feud had been fired!

The Dog Bloggers gathered around Mel defending her honor and firing back at Blogpaws for poor decision making and being downright mean. Blogpaws fired back by attacking the Dog Bloggers for their comments on Mel's blog, as well as on their own. Now remember, all of this is flying through my tweet stream without being seen by me first!

Finally a voice of reason appeared on Saturday. Everyone began to calm down, and Blogpaws issued an apology, which Mel accepted. Still some of the Dog Bloggers refuse to accept the apology and continue to write blistering posts about the Blogpaws Team. Again, these posts are appearing in my tweet stream!

For the sake of clarity, let me say that I do NOT have a grudge against either the Dog Bloggers or the Blogpaws Team. I think there was clearly a misunderstanding between the author of the original blog post (Mel) and the individual who responded on behalf of Blogpaws (Tom). An apology has been extended and accepted. Let it go people.

Adopt A Less Adoptable Pet Week

2011-09-16T01:47:00.000-04:00

Via ZooToo.com - Although every pet deserves a loving forever home, some animals are overlooked at shelters and rescue organizations for various reasons. Perhaps they have special needs, perhaps they're senior pets, or perhaps they belong to a breed that has an unfairly bad reputation.

Fortunately, to provide these pets with more opportunities to find homes, our friends at Petfinder.com have helped to launch Adopt-A-Less-Adoptable-Pet Week, taking place this year from September 17-25.

Even if you're not ready to adopt another pet, you can help to spread the word about this crucial event. Petfinder.com has put together these valuable resources to pass along information about adoptable pets from coast to coast.

Pet lovers who are on Facebook can RSVP at the Less-Adoptable-Pet Appreciation event page, and invite your friends online to join in, too!

If you have a friend or acquaintance who is thinking about adoption, Petfinder has also compiled a special photo gallery of shelter-nominated pets who have been passed over for whatever reason.

The Petfinder main event page also has other resources, including blogger badges and special forms to search and contact rescue groups near you about less adoptable pets that may be in their shelters.

Written by ZooToo Pet News Staff
Image via Petfinder.com

6 Packs/9 Lives Calendar Helps Homeless Cats

2011-09-14T10:29:00.000-04:00

Via PR Newswire - Not one but 15 cool cats grace the pages of an innovative 12-month calendar featuring a bevy of cat-loving men posing for a cause.

The quirky 2012 calendar, aptly dubbed 6 Packs/9 Lives, is the brainchild of Found Animals Foundation, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit dedicated to decreasing animal shelter euthanasia.

The light-hearted calendar is aimed at breaking the cat-owner stereotype, as well as driving home a more profound message about the plight of cats in animal shelters across the nation.

The calendar is one of the foundation's inventive cat campaigns designed to encourage animal lovers to help save a life by adopting a cat from their local animal shelter. Each year, 6-8 million animals enter U.S. shelters and 3-4 million are euthanized – 75 percent of those are cats.

"The calendar is an attention-grabbing tool to help homeless cats and our way of showing the public that cat owners consist of all types of people," said Aimee Gilbreath, Executive Director of Found Animals. "We know that cats make great pets for any life stage or style and we are confident this calendar will bring awareness to the cause of cat adoption in a fun way."

The calendar is available to purchase on Amazon.com and Calendars.com for $13.99 plus shipping and handling, as well as in select stores nationwide. A generous portion of all sales will go towards Found Animals' ongoing cat initiatives, including spay and neuter, microchipping and licensing, adoption events and promotions.

Found Animals will also be donating thousands of copies to local shelters, rescue groups and other cat-oriented organizations, which in turn will be sold as a fundraising tool for those respective organizations.

Image via PRNewswire.com

USFWS Uses Tax Dollars to Declare War on Cats

2011-09-12T21:16:00.000-04:00

via Change.org - Is U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service poised to start taking out cats by the thousands? Such a project would be inhumane, not to mention a waste of precious taxpayer dollars in a time of deficit reduction. But believe it or not, this covert war on cats is already being waged and USFWS will be recruiting with a presentation scheduled for a Hawaii conference this fall.

In early November, USFWS personnel are going on a junket to beautiful Hawaii to teach conventioneers how to stop Trap Neuter Return programs in their towns. The program for the Wildlife Society's annual conference states that USFWS folks will give a presentation that includes role-playing that can be used to defeat TNR programs across the nation.

And what is the USFWS method of choice to control community cats? Killing. That’s pretty unconscionable in this humane age, especially considering that catch-and-kill doesn’t work. If it did, we wouldn't have any community cats left by now.

Best Friends Animal Society is asking the USFWS to declare a truce in their war on cats and embrace trap, neuter and return programs to reduce the community cat population. Please sign the Best Friends petition today.

Read more: http://chn.ge/nD8VxN
Written by Ledy VanKavage

Book Focuses on Surviving 9/11 Search Dogs

2011-09-10T11:24:00.000-04:00

Via MailOnline - During the chaos of the 9/11 attacks, where almost 3,000 people died, nearly 100 loyal search and rescue dogs and their brave owners scoured Ground Zero for survivors.

Now, ten years on, just 12 of these heroic canines survive, and they have been commemorated in a touching series of portraits entitled 'Retrieved'.

Travelling across nine states in the U.S. from Texas to Maryland, Dutch photographer Charlotte Dumas, 34, captured the remaining dogs in their twilight years in their homes where they still live with their handlers, a full decade on from 9/11.

Contacting the NYPD, the New York Fire Department and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Charlotte discovered that out of the nearly 100 dogs among the first responders deployed by FEMA, there were in fact only 15 still alive last year.

"The dogs are now old and they will soon pass away. Even during the time it has taken since my first work on the 'Retrieved' portraits to now, three of the final 15 have died," said Charlotte.

"These portraits are about how time passes, and how these dogs and their portraits are offering us a way to deal with the things that happened as well as relying on them for comfort."

Read more: http://bit.ly/oRBGVV
Written by Anna Edwards
Image by Charlotte Dumas at The Ice Plant

Adventures in Kittening

2011-09-08T10:35:00.000-04:00

Those of you have read Bunny’s Blog for a while know that Ihave a houseful of cats (four indoor and one indoor/outdoor to be exact).

WhenI bought my house just over three years ago, I had one rabbit and NO cats. Butcats have a way of finding people who will feed them, love them and takethem in. I must have cat person writtenall over my face, because I’ve had a cat show up approximately every six monthssince I moved in. But Sugar, the newest cat, came with some additional baggage – she was pregnant!

I watched through the summer as Sugar’s belly grew. I fedher and got her comfortable with coming in the house. Finally when I figuredshe was close to delivering, I kept her in the house and set up a box for her.

ButSugar followed me around the house wanting to be wherever I was, and eventuallyshe had the kittens on the hardwood floor in the dining room. I brought out thebox and put everyone safely inside.

Sugar had four kittens in all – a ginger boy, two whitemales with pale orange ears and tails, and one little calico female. For thefirst few weeks they stayed in the box in the dining room. I could keep an eyeon them, and Sugar could come and go as she pleased.

KC, the oldest male cat wanted nothing to do with them and walkedby with disdain. Breckin, the indoor/outdoor cat, decided to stay outdoors. My female cat Zelda expressed only mild interest. But Boyzie, the youngest male, decided hewas the daddy and spent almost as much time with them as Sugar!

He would climb into the box and bathe them, bring presentsfor them, and even play with them. Boyzie loves Sugar, and I think hefigured that if she loved these little squirmy things, then he should too.

When the kittens got older and began to climb out of the box,I moved them into a spare bedroom. I put a baby gate on the door so Sugar (andBoyzie) could go in and out.

I love to watch them tumble around, wrestling with oneanother, climbing to the top of Bunny’s cage and pushing each other off. The boysparticularly like that game, but Callie (the female) is more interested in climbing the gateso she can come out and interact with the adults.

The kittens will be six weeks old this Sunday, and they havebeen a joy to watch as they grow up. They are now eating solid food, using thelitter box, and nursing less and less. In a few more weeks, I will look forpermanent homes with other people who will feed them, love them and take them in. And I’ll miss them – a lot.

Why We're So Drawn to Animals

2011-09-06T09:32:00.000-04:00

Via Care2.com - Who can pass the window of a pet store without pausing to look at the puppies or parakeets? Researchers at Caltech have found that our brains have individual cells that fire specifically when we see an animal but not a person, place or object.

Christof Koch and other researchers discovered the cells while studying the brains of 41 neurosurgical patients who were about to have surgery for severe epilepsy, as reported in Nature Neuroscience.

Electrodes were placed deep in the patients’ brains to find the source of their seizures. Researchers took note about how various parts of the brain responded to seeing certain images. They found that only the amygdala had cells that responded when seeing images of animals.

Behavioral studies have found that people respond with more attention when seeing an animal or person than something stationary, like a building. After all, chairs, bridges and books just stay as they are, while animals can go from friendly to hostile and vice versa in a matter of moments.

Our brains have simply evolved to take notice of animals first: Perhaps this is why so many of us feel ourselves inexorably drawn to animals, from those pups in the window to pictures and even stories about animals.

Read more: http://bit.ly/o6TYd8
Written by Kristen C. at Care2.com
Photo by _tar0_ at Flickr

Baskets for Bunnies Helps Bunnies in Need

2011-09-04T11:59:00.002-04:00

Baskets for Bunnies, Inc. is a new nonprofit organization whose goal is to provide rabbit rescues with supplies so they can take in more abandoned bunnies.

Every year after Easter, bunnies purchased on impulse are dropped off at shelters or turned loose into the wild.

As rabbits become older, their needs increase and uninformed owners become too overwhelmed to care for them. Then rescue groups are burdened with providing care, as well as finding foster and permanent homes for them.

Baskets for Bunnies collects donations of food, supplies or money to aid these already overwhelmed rescues.

Less than a year ago, founder Gretta Parker adopted her rabbit Flopsy from a local shelter and created a Facebook page for him as a way to tell the public about the alarming number of rabbits that are bought and then abandoned each year.

On his page, she met several rescue groups that always go above and beyond their means to help abandoned rabbits. They inspired her to start her own nonprofit.

The long-term goal of Baskets for Bunnies is to bring awareness to the plight of so many rescue groups and bunnies.

If you are interested in learning more about Baskets for Bunnies and the rescues they support, please visit them at www.basketsforbunnies.org or find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/basketsforbunnies

Image via: Baskets for Bunnies at PRWeb

Write a Post, Help a Dog

2011-09-02T09:46:00.001-04:00

Pedigree is resurrecting its successful Write a Post, Help a Dog program. Once again Pedigree will donate 20 pounds of food for each blogger's post.

In 2010, 391 bloggers wrote about the program and with each post, Pedigree donated 20 pounds of its Healthy Longevity dog food to shelter animals. In all, 7,820 pounds of food was donated to two shelters renowned for their care of senior dogs.

Here's all you need to include in your post:

The Write a Post, Help a Dog program is aimed at raising awareness and food for the more than four million dogs that wind up in shelters and breed rescues each year.

For each blog post mentioning the Pedigree Foundation from now until midnight ET on September 3, Pedigree will donate 20 pounds of its new dry Pedigree recipe food for dogs to a shelter.

The Pedigree Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, is committed to helping dogs by providing grants to shelters and rescues and encouraging dog adoption.

The Pedigree Foundation depends on charitable contributions from individuals to carry out its mission to help dogs find loving homes.

In addition to writing a blog post, here's how you can help:

Donate online at http://pedigreefoundation.org/donate.aspx.

Apply for a shelter grant from the Pedigree Foundation by completing a form at www.pedigreefoundation.org.

Purchase Dogs Rule Gear at dogsrulegear.com. Proceeds go to the Pedigree Foundation to help loving dogs find a home. SPECIAL OFFER: Get 10 percent off Dogs Rule Gear by using the promo code BlogPaws10 from August 22 - September 30.

Feel free to copy and use anything from this post. Then, link up to the Blog Hop hosted by the Pedigree BlogPaws bloggers to help spread the word about Write a Post, Help a Dog.

That’s all it takes to participate, so get blogging!

Wabbit Wednesday - Carmel and Cadbury

2011-08-31T09:15:00.000-04:00

This week's featured bunny is a bonded pair. Meet Carmel and Cadbury available for adoption from Animal Friends in Pittsburgh, PA. These bunnies are so sweet, you'll get a sugar rush just looking at them!

Carmel is an affectionate Rhinelander rabbit who is fairly relaxed, but still has her moments of jubilation. Even though she is gentle and submissive, her playful and curious side occasionally shines through. She's 3 years old and has lived with just one owner until that person took a new job requiring lots of travel. Now, she's looking to find a kind, human companion.

Cadbury is Carmel's best friend and playmate for the past 3 years. He's a New Zealand White rabbit. His regal all-white coat gives him a touch of confidence without being snobby. And when you're stressed, just rub your hand over his smooth silky fur, and your worries will hop away.

Both bunnies are charming, healthy and are friendly with children. They've spent their first three years together, and they must be adopted out to the same qualified owner.

If you have room in your heart and your home for this handsome couple, please contact Animal Friends or visit Petfinder.com to find an adoptable rabbit near you!

Blogpaws 2011

2011-08-29T00:11:00.003-04:00

I arrived at Blogpaws in Tysons Corner, VA on late Thursday afternoon. Mike Arms, CEO of Helen Woodward Animal Center, had offered an ACES Workshop earlier that day, but I arrived too late to attend.

However, I did arrive in time to attend the Welcome Reception and see many people who I had met at the previous two conferences.

Friday morning’s keynote speakers were from Rescue Ink. They are an animal rescue group that brings an "in your face" approach to the fight against animal abuse and neglect. These are some big scary-looking guys, but the work they do to help animals is amazing!

The first session I attended that morning was Leveraging Niche Blogging. Toni Eberhardt from PetSmart, Dayna Hilton of Firehouse Dog Publishing, and Jill Lane of Travelin’ Jack’s Dog Blog discussed how niche bloggers can achieve success by focusing on a specific topic.

The second session I attended was Create a Compelling Brand. Holly Buchanan of Buchanan Marketing presented information about what makes a brand unique and how bloggers can uncover ways to leverage community, advertisers and sponsors.

By that afternoon, I was getting a little tired so I took some “me time”, but I came back later to watch The Petties on Dogtime.com. I was so excited that Be the Change for Animals won Best Cause Related Blog, as were fellow team members Kim Clune and Maggie Marton!

The next day began with a keynote address by Heidi Ganahl, Top Dog at Camp Bow Wow. Heidi gave a great talk, and I was excited to hear that they were doing a special project with one of our local Pittsburgh shelters – Western PA Humane Society.

The first session I planned to attend that day was Pet Blogging: Your Next Career Move to be presented by Laurie Ruettimann. Laurie is one of my favorite bloggers, and I was really looking forward to hearing her speak. Unfortunately, she was not able to make it to the conference because of Hurricane Irene. I hope I will get to meet her next year!

For the second session that day, I attended Grow Your Audience with Guest Blogging presented by Jane Harrell of Petfinder.com and Laura Bennett of Embrace Pet Insurance. The session explored how to pitch yourself as a guest blogger, the benefits of guest blogging to grow your own readership, and things you need to know about content ownership.

Lunch included an inspiring presentation by BZTAT (artist Vicki Boatright) and dancer Miah Thornton. BZTAT made a video about her public art project Okey’s Promise, and Miah danced to the music. It was a wonderful performance, and it ended with BZTAT announcing a Kickstarter fundraising project for the next installment of Okey’s Promise.

The last session of the day was Be the Change: How You Can Help Pets in Need. This session has become a “tradition” at BlogPaws, and it was to be presented by Dorian Wagner of Your Daily Cute, Jane Harrell of Petfinder.com, Jessica Vogelsang (Dr. V.) of Pawcurious, and Blogpaws co-founder, Caroline Golon.

Unfortunately, both Jane and Caroline had to leave early because of the hurricane, but Dorian and Dr. V. were troopers and led a “group tweet” to help find a forever home for a puppy named Devika. They also discussed ways that people can help pets in need and distributed “The Little Book of Big Change” to give people more ideas.

The closing keynote was presented by Francois Gossieaux, Founder of Human 1.0 and co-author of The Hyper-Social Organization. Blogpaws co-founders Tom Collins and Yvonne DiVita also presented checks totaling over $12,500 to five different shelters and rescue groups. But probably the most unique thing about this year’s conference is that we spent the evening celebrating at the closing reception while Hurricane Irene blew through the Washington D.C. area!

Next year, Blogpaws 2012 will be in Salt Lake City, Utah. I could do without another natural disaster, but I look forward to seeing all my blogging buddies again and learning even more!

National Dog Day

2011-08-26T00:00:00.001-04:00

Via NationalDogDay.com - National Dog Day, sponsored by the Animal Miracle Foundation & Network, is celebrated each year on August 26.

It’s a day that helps the public recognize the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year, and it acknowledges family dogs and other dogs that work selflessly to save lives, keep us safe and bring us comfort.

Founded in 2004 by pet lifestyle expert and author Colleen Paige, National Dog Day was created to honor dogs, give them their own day, and show a deep appreciation for our long connection with each other.

National Dog Day encourages dog ownership of all breeds - mixed and pure - and embraces the opportunity for all dogs to live a happy, safe and abuse-free life.

National Dog Day is against any kind of breed ban. Dogs should not have to lose their lives because of the atrocities they have been forced to endure at the hands of man.

And while people have the right to purchase a pure breed dog, National Dog Day strongly discourages buying from pet stores, backyard breeders, the internet, newspaper ads and puppy mills.

Millions of dogs are killed each year because they are unwanted. They are wonderful and viable sentient beings that deserve compassion and respect. Please consider adopting on National Dog Day!

For more information on National Dog Day, please visit their website at http://www.nationaldogday.com/.

Image via FreePhotoBank.org

Wabbit Wednesday - Fuzzy Wuzzy

2011-08-24T10:08:00.000-04:00

This week's featured rabbit is Fuzzy Wuzzy - a 14 week old white male Lionhead available for adoption from the Western PA Humane Society.

Fuzzy Wuzzy is THE most adorable bunny...ever! Unfortunately, his previous owner won him in a fair game and had no idea how to care for him properly.

When he was surrendered, Fuzzy was underweight, never had hay (an essential part of his diet), was given cat litter and cedar bedding (both hazardous to his health) and wasn't fed proper greens .

He has come a long way since arriving at the shelter just over a week ago. He is super affectionate and is quickly getting up to a healthy weight.

Because Fuzzy Wuzzy is so young, he is not able to be neutered until 6 months old. His adopter would need to take him home on a codicil contract with a deposit that will be refunded at the time of neuter.

If you have room in your heart and your home for this handsome little guy, contact Western PA Humane Society or visit Petfinder.com to find an adoptable rabbit near you!

Take Your Cat to the Vet Week

2011-08-22T16:39:00.000-04:00

via Petfinder.com - August 22-28 is Take Your Cat to the Vet Week, and throughout the week Petfinder.com will be reminding you to schedule a vet visit for your cat. (The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends cats go to the vet twice a year for checkups.)

Why is there a need for Take Your Cat to the Vet Week? Even though pet cats outnumber dogs in the U.S. by 15 million, CATalyst Council and the American Humane Association estimate that cats go to the vet only half as often as dogs.

In fact, Feline Pine, which founded the event, surveyed cat parents in 2009 and found that fewer than half took their cats to the vet unless the cat was sick.

But cats need preventive care just as much as dogs, and regular vet checkups can help you catch health issues before they become major illnesses that are painful for your cat and more difficult (and expensive) to treat.

Continue reading at http://bit.ly/pcud5a

Written by Jane Harrell
Image via Carlos Porto/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

PETA Plans Porn Site

2011-08-21T12:14:00.000-04:00

Via Huffington Post: PETA knows how to raise eyebrows. The animal rights group's memorable campaigns have entailed everything from celebrities posing nude for its anti-fur campaign to scantily clad women having an erotic moment with their vegetables to support veganism.

Now, PETA has pulled out all of the stops with a XXX porn site for its next clever marketing endeavor, reports The Register.

"We live in a 24 hour news cycle world and we learn the racy things we do are sometimes the most effective way that we can reach particular individuals," said PETA spokeswoman Lindsay Rajt.

Instead of focusing on anti-fur, the porn site will raise awareness of veganism, said Rajt. "We really want to grab people's attention, get them talking and to question the status quo and ultimately take action, because the best way we can help the greatest number of animals is simply by not eating them."

Read more at http://huff.to/og6Y4H

Written by Tara Kelly
Photo via PETA

Bunny's Blog

My Valentine

Pedigree Every Dog, Dog Show Supports Shelter Dogs

Five Tips for a Pet-Safe Valentine's Day

Take Care of Your Bunny’s Bite

Like Bud Light and Help Rescue Dogs

7Up Employee Fired for Feeding Feral Cats

10 Reasons Rescued Rabbits Rule

Watch Puppy Bowl VIII This Sunday

The Grey: A Misleading Portrayal of Wolves

I Was a Middle-Aged Blog Award Slacker

National Program to Save Lives of Most At-Risk Pets

Pet Peace of Mind Helps Hospice Patients Keep Pets

States Seek to Establish Animal Abuser Registries

Pilots N Paws Flies Homeless Animals to New Lives

HSUS Releases 2011 Humane State Ranking

Bloggers Against SOPA and PIPA

Sanctuary Provides Haven for Former Lab Animals, Pets

Ebay Still Sells Live Animals

Pet Overpopulation Challenge

Loews Universal Orlando Reverses TNR Policy

Blog the Change Day

2012 Pet Blogger Challenge

Dogs Can Read Our Intent To Communicate

Gracie the Rabbit Gets a Second Chance

Monsters Take Over Nipclub

Stop Taking in Stray Animals

Adopt an Attitude of Gratitude

Top Posts of 2011

Pets in the Classroom Reaches Over 200,000 Students

Let’s Talk About (Cat) Sex

2011 Goals Achieved (Sort of)

How I Became a Crazy Cat Lady

We Wish You a Meow-y Christmas

Shelter and Rescue Groups Receive Help From Pedigree Foundation

Expert Panel Says Most Research on Chimps Can End

A Victory for Pennsylvania Animals

Shelter Dogs Fly Home for the Holidays

Pets Take Over Twitter

Kitty City Helps People See True Nature of Adoptable Cats

December Pawpawty

Mars Petcare Partners with Rescue Bank to Feed Hungry Pets

Keep Pets Safe Around Holiday Decorations

Beagle Freedom Project

Santa's Reindeer Cleared for Christmas Flight

Six Million Pets Adopted Through Iams Home 4 the Holidays

Pet Owners Use GPS Devices to Find Lost Pets

Lemur Thanksgiving at San Francisco Zoo

Thanksgiving Safety Tips

Real Pet Lovers Don't Buy Pet Store Pets

Help Spread the Word About Shelter Pets

Foster a Lonely Pet for the Holidays

Where Do Fluffy and Fido Come From?

Calgary Offers Reprieve to Canmore Bunnies

Petland USA Says It Will Continue Selling Pets

Help Create Jack the Cat's Law

I'll Be Seeing You

Why TellingDad.com Is My New Favorite Blog

People Saving Pets Introduces Volunteer Action Day

Santa Paws Drive Helps Spread Christmas Joy

Pet Industry Expects Steady Growth

Recent Reunions Boost Interest in Microchips

Animal Advocates Rally for Canmore Bunnies

Second Annual National Pet Food Drive Starts Sunday

Jack’s Pets Stops Selling Puppies

Tragedy in Ohio

Wabbit Wednesday - Clara

Photographer Focuses on Pets with Disabilities

Blog the Change Day

Study Shows Puppy Mills Leave Lasting Emotional Scars

Tell Petland USA to Stop Selling Animals

Take a Chance on Me

Black Dog Syndrome

Barkworld Recap Day 2

BarkWorld Recap Day 1

Need for Pet Food Pantries Increases

At-home Euthanasia Growing in Popularity

September Pawpawty

What Cats Really Think

Better Photos Save Dogs Lives