Boston may not allow dog-rental company

A Boston city council committee is apparently considering a ban on dog-rental operations like FlexPetz. The company wanted to open shop in Boston sometime this year.

Here's the story from the Boston Globe.

Here's how I feel about what one man in the Globe article calls a "four-footed escort service."

Fireworks, heat can affects pets

Unless your calendar is broken you probably are aware that Friday is the Fourth of July.

And that means fireworks.

As much fun as they are for us to watch, for pets, fireworks are not so much fun.

Here's a link to a post from last year that I wrote about keeping your pets safe during the holiday celebrations.

Some highlights: Keep the pets at home, don't leave them unattended in a backyard and don't let them stay in the car.

Where the hell IS Matt?

This has nothing to do with pets — except maybe for the monkeys (shout out to Poughkeepsie Journal's Helpermonkey). And there are a couple of dogs running around.

But I ran across it and it struck my fancy.

I can't explain it, but the video is moving and touching and made me tear up.

It gives me hope.

Here is it.

Cat takes on another adversary

Keeping the kitty video theme, here's the toothbrush cat dueling with an umbrella!

Bumbershoots away!

Ready for adoption

Here is the Dutchess County SPCA Pet of the Week — Ready for adoption. What are you waiting for?

This week's featured pet:
Peter Pan — Domestic mediumhair
"It's understandable not wanting to grow up, the pressures of an adult life can be overwhelming. But being homeless is no joy either, so help us spread a little Fairy dust and change Never-Never Land into an Ever-Ever home. If there ever was a cat that deserved a chance to have a family, it's Pan the Man. This mediumhair brown and white male promises to wipe his paws before climbing through the windows!"

The Dutchess County SPCA is located at 636 Violet Avenue, Hyde Park, NY 12538. The shelter is open Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Wednesdays. Call 845-452-SPCA (7722). Browse our adoptable animals today!

Shelter pets rule.

Gimme one of them

George Carlin, who died Sunday, loved dogs.

Watch this.

So long, Al Sleet, you hippy dippy weather man.

With the hippy dippy weather, man.

Cracked me up every time.

Deep in the heart

A Texas couple is tackling the issue of older pets who end up for adoption because their equally older owners have passed on or are no longer able to take care of them.

T.J. de Boer and Susan Cronin have started Tails End Inc., an organization that rescues older pets and educates baby boomer animal lovers about why they should include their older pets in wills or trusts.

Here's the complete story from the Midland (Texas) Reporter-Telegram.

If owners specify their animals should be given to Tails End in the event they no longer can care for them, staffers will pick up the pet immediately, take it to a veterinarian for any necessary care or vaccinations and then keep it in their own home until it can be adopted.

Staff also go to animal shelters weekly looking for older pets to rescue in hopes of catching the many aging animals that weren't provided for by their previous owners.

Good luck to them.

After every meal

Here's a face off between two titans: a kitten and an electric toothbrush.

Good luck.

Shock and awwwwwww! poor Kate

Saturday night there were fireworks somewhere in the neighborhood.

I don't begrudge a little pre-Independence Day whoopdeedo, but does it have to be noisy? Does it have to bother Kate?

Yes, along with thunderstorms, Kate is afraid of the sounds of fireworks.

I found it out the hard way the first summer I had her. We were living in Manhattan and I took her out for a her final walk of the day just as the N.Y. Philharmonic concert in Central Park came to the end of the 1812 Overture — complete with fireworks.

I am not kidding when I say that Kate tried to climb over cars and under cars trying to escape from the hell being unleashed around her. It's a good thing she wasn't unleashed or that would have been the last I would have seen of her. She might still be running.

Here are some tips about fireworks and your pets from the American Humane Association.

Catnip thief on the loose in Poughkeepsie

My colleague Poughkeepsie Journal photographer Kathy McLaughlin has a pot of catnip in her yard. She said she kept wondering why the leaves were getting smaller and not growing.

With her inside cat Rigz watching intently from the window, Kathy took this picture of the intruder and thief.


Then, of course, catnip being what it is, the thief was too catnipped to escape.


Embiggen the pictures for a closer look.

Photos by Kathy McLaughlin/Poughkeepsie Journal.

New pet food concern

A Petco food distribution center in Illinois was raided by U.S. Marshals and pet food was seized when it was found that the food was allegedly infested with birds and rodents.

US Recall News reports the storage facility violated the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act by allegedly had been storing pet food under "unsanitary conditions." The conditions were found during an April FDA inspection of the Petco distribution center.

My friend and former Poughkeepsie Journal colleague Dan Shapley wrote in TheDailyGreen.com that pet food in 16 states may be unfit to consume or even handle because of unsanitary conditions at the distribution center. He lists the states in his column. New York is not one of them.

The FDA cautions consumers about handling the products that came from the Petco distribution center. They should thoroughly wash their hands with hot water and soap, and any surfaces that may have come in contact with the packages should be washed also. Even the cans and glass containers should be washed.

And veterinarians should be contacted if a pet becomes ill after eating these food products.

Run, jump, splash

Does your dog like to jump into the water?

Show Fido’s prowess Saturday at the Dock Diving Fun Jump! at Ledgewood Kennel in the Town of North East.

A practice wave begins at 9 a.m., followed by competition waves at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Registration is one hour before the start of the wave. The fee is $10. Finals will begin after the third wave.

All leashed dogs are welcome, and there will be prizes and raffles.

For information, e-mail Hudsonvalleydockdogs@gmail.com.

Ready for adoption — video edition

Here is the Dutchess County SPCA Pet of the Week — Ready for adoption. What are you waiting for?

This week's featured pet:
Dopey — Boxer
"We don't know where the other six are, but we got Dopey and we are proud of it! This purebred male Boxer could almost pass for Happy with his crazy attitude. Grumpy and Bashful won't cut it, as he is very outgoing and bubbly. His short coat will help clear out Sneezy, and his high energy will only make you Sleepy!"


The Dutchess County SPCA is located at 636 Violet Avenue, Hyde Park, NY 12538. The shelter is open Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Wednesdays. Call 845-452-SPCA (7722). Browse our adoptable animals today!

Shelter pets rule.

Housing crisis continues to affect pets

There continue to be stories about how the housing market is affecting pets.

Homeowners who lose their houses through foreclosures are abandoning their animals — either taking them to a shelter or, sadly, leaving them to fend for themselves.

Here's an article in the Mercury News about how things are in San Jose, Calif. There's been a 12 percent jump in the number of stray dogs admitted to the San Jose Animal Care Center over the last six months, officials said.

And there are more investigations into animals left in vacant homes.

Here are some blog entries I've done in the past about the sub-prime mortgage crisis.

Because of the shaky housing market, the Petco Foundation is starting a new fund to provide short-term funding for animal welfare groups to assist pet owners who have lost their homes or are experiencing temporary financial hurdles.

Called "We Are Family, Too," it funds pet food banks, product donations, referral lists of pet-friendly housing, short-term foster pet care, spay and neuter services and veterinary services.

"Through this fund we are giving voice to the thousands of pets that have lost their families – abandoned or surrendered because their owners lost their home or could no longer afford to feed and take care of them," said Paul Jolly, Petco Foundation vice president and executive director. "Animal welfare groups across the country are working to alleviate this growing crisis, and the Petco Foundation is proud to support their efforts to keep families and pets together."

Next time maybe Jake will look the other way

A 12-year-old North Bend, Neb., child can thank his Labrador retriever for actually doing what his name suggests.

Jake, a 4-year-old Lab, jumped into the swollen Platt River Friday when Tony Bailey found himself in unusual currents.

Here is the story from KETV-7 in Omaha, Neb.

The child grabbed the dog's neck and the dog swam back to shore.

Then, according to the report, the mother insults the dog who saved her child's life.

"It's something that I wouldn't have expected him (Jake) to do — to have the brains to do, I guess," said Tony's mother, Diane.

Diane Bailey said Jake isn't usually the smartest dog.

Excuse me, Mrs. Bailey, who jumped into the water first?

Kate & the elements

Here is the mid-Hudson Valley, we've had a couple of real thunderstorm doozies over the last few days. There was even a tornado warning last night in Dutchess County.

This video shows you a little of my world when the skies open up.



And believe it or not, Kate's a lot better than she used to be.

Reality show goes to the dogs

Get ready to hear that annoying "Who Let the Dogs Out" song, when the Tiffany network CBS premiers its latest reality series Greatest American Dog July 10.

Granted Kate did not enter, which should give the contestants paws, er, pause.

CBS announced the contestants who will vie for the $250,000 grand prize:

• Beth Joy, an acting manager from New York City, and Bella Starlet, a 10-year-old Chihuahua, Labrador Retriever, Shih-Tzu, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever and Pomeranian mix

• Bill, a building maintenance employee from Flint, TX, and Star, a 7-year-old Brittany

• Brandy, a fashion designer from Orange County, CA, and Beacon, a 1-year-old Miniature Schnauzer

• David, a doctor from New York City, and Elvis, a 2-year-old Parson Russell Terrier

• Elan, an aspiring dog salon owner from Portland, OR, and Kenji, a 1-year-old Giant Schnauzer

• J.D., a dog entertainer from Bend, OR, and Galaxy, a 9-year-old English Pointer Border Collie and Labrador mix

• Laura, a film producer from Los Angeles, CA, and Preston, a 5-year-old Pomeranian

• Laurie, a doggy day care owner from Stafford, VA, and Andrew, a 5-year-old Maltese

• Michael, an aspiring comic from Los Angeles, CA, and Ezzie, a 2-year-old Boston Terrier

• Ron, a construction manager from Oxnard, CA, and Tillman, a 3-year-old English Bull Dog

• Teresa, a dog sitter from Fairfax, VA, and Leroy, a 5-year-old Border Collie

• Travis, a bartender from Los Angeles, CA, and Presley, a 1-year-old Boxer

The dogs and their owners will live together in a house and will compete in a series of challenges designed to measure each owners' ability to train their dogs. Each week one team will be eliminated.

I just hope there aren't quickfire cooking challenges like on Top Chef. Kate is all thumbs in the kitchen.

Is this on your to-do list?

Believers in the Rapture — the time when Christians alive on the earth are simultaneously transported to Heaven — now have something else to worry about.

What happens to your pet? Who will take care of Fido or Fluffy? Who will feed the fish?

There is now a Web site that can help you out.

Post Rapture Pets has information on who you should choose to care for your companion animal in your eternal absence (atheists are probably the best bet) and even offers feeding and watering suggestions (an automatic feeder with a battery backup is preferred).

It even rates the other religions for post-rapture reliability.

Good luck.

Ready for adoption

Here is the Dutchess County SPCA Pet of the Week — Ready for adoption. What are you waiting for?

This week's featured pet:
Simon — Tiger
"Everyone knows cats love to play games, and this stunning male shorthair is no exception. His favorite? Simon Says, of course, as in 'Simon says, It's feeding time,' 'Simon says, It's nap time. While life in the free-range cat room is easy for this brown tiger, we say it's time for Simon to get a home!"

The Dutchess County SPCA is located at 636 Violet Avenue, Hyde Park, NY 12538. The shelter is open Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Wednesdays. Call 845-452-SPCA (7722). Browse our adoptable animals today!

Shelter pets rule.

Marines face disciplinary charges over puppy tossing

From CNN.com, the full story.

Background here, here and here.

Watch what you eat

Dog + toad = hilarity!

Watch this video.

Unbelievable

From the Pocono (Pa.) Record:

A dog was left unattended in an SUV in the parking lot of a mall Saturday while its owners were watching a movie in an air-conditioned theater.

Here's the whole story.

I say take the dog away from them and lock them inside the car for two hours.

How stupid are people?

And this is Kate from last summer during a heat wave. She is panting even though she is inside an air-conditioned room.

That's one lucky dog

Chase, a 130-pound Rottweiler, took a ride on a tornado Saturday and lived to bark about it.

Here's the story from the Chicago Sun-Times.

Helene Bulliner, 10, said she also spotted Chase outside when she took shelter in her grandmother's basement. "I see, like, a really big gust of wind, and like in the middle, I see Chase's legs," about four feet off the ground, she said.

"We got cows."

Sad news about Patches the cat

According to the Associated Press, Patches did not survive surgery to repair a spinal cord injury.

The Ogden Standard-Examiner has an article about the tragic end to an otherwise uplifting story.

The kids want to continue to raise money for people unable financially to medically care for their animals.

The family is donating the money to a local animal hospital, yet to be named, to assist those who lack the funds for treatment of their pets. Aspen wants to arrange things so the hospital calls her for approval of each candidate.

Here is the original story about her owners who wanted to help her.

Hot weather is upon us

Looks like the next few days are going to be toasty here in the mid-Hudson Valley. With temps in the low- to mid-90s, it's going to feel like it's close to 100 degrees.

In hot weather, you need to be mindful of your pet.

I can't say it enough: If your dog can't go every single place you go, leave it at home.

How would you like it if you were told to sit in an unair-conditioned car with the window slightly open for who knows how long? Try it.

Here are a few tips from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. You can reach their Web page by clicking here.

• Always carry a gallon thermos filled with cold, fresh water when traveling with your pet.

• Street smarts: When the temperature is very high, don’t let your dog standing on hot asphalt. His or her body can heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn. Keep walks during these times to a minimum.

• A day at the beach is a no-no, unless you can guarantee a shaded spot and plenty of fresh water for your companion. Salty dogs should be rinsed off after a dip in the ocean.

• Provide fresh water and plenty of shade for animals kept outdoors; a properly constructed doghouse serves best. Bring your dog or cat inside during the heat of the day to rest in a cool part of the house.

• Be especially sensitive to older and overweight animals in hot weather. Brachycephalic or snub-nosed dogs such as bulldogs, pugs, Boston terriers, Lhasa apsos and shih tzus, as well as those with heart or lung diseases, should be kept cool in air-conditioned rooms as much as possible.

• Good grooming can stave off summer skin problems, especially for dogs with heavy coats. Shaving the hair to a one-inch length—never down to the skin, please, which robs Rover of protection from the sun—helps prevent overheating. Cats should be brushed often.

• Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result in drooling, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The misuse of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead to neurological problems.

Happy hour for you and your pet

On Tuesday, the PetSmart stores are having a Summer Happy Hour from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at all their U.S. stores.

Actually that's two hours.

It will feature:

• Contests for Best Smile/Personality and Best Bikini/Summer Apparel.
• The grand prize winner of the Best Bikini/Summer Apparel contest will also receive a one-month supply of Purina® dog and cat food. First, second and third place winners of both contests will receive a $5 PetSmart gift card.
• Goodie bags including coupons for free samples of select Beneful® dog food and Fancy Feast® cat food items, and additional items such as key chains, pet food can lids, tab openers, CDs or toys.
• Free digital photo and cardboard frame.
  

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that I think the contests are for your pets, not you.

To locate a store near you, click here.

Locally, there are stores in Kingston and Newburgh.

Good kids

Aspen Granath, 10, and her brother, Skylar, 8, opened a lemonade stand in Ogden, Utah.

But they aren't just looking for loot to spend on video games.

They are raising money to help pay for a $500 operation for their cat, Patches, who has a spinal cord injury.

Here is the Associated Press story.

After the article was first published in the Ogden Standard-Examiner offers came in from New York, North Carolina, California, Texas and Arizona.

Ready for adoption — video edition

Here is the Dutchess County SPCA Pet of the Week — Ready for adoption. What are you waiting for?

This week's featured pet:
Taro — Husky
"A great home is definitely in the cards for this young male Husky. With striking blue eyes and a pleasing personality, Taro won't stick around for long, so come visit him and all of our other animals waiting for great new homes."

The Dutchess County SPCA is located at 636 Violet Avenue, Hyde Park, NY 12538. The shelter is open Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Wednesdays. Call 845-452-SPCA (7722). Browse our adoptable animals today!

Shelter pets rule.

Eco Dog article in today's paper

Here's a link to the story I did on the book Eco Dog that is in the Life section of the Poughkeepsie Journal today.

Go, lil doggies

Chihuahua races in April from Dallas.

Enjoy.

It's all about me

Be sure and check out tomorrow's Life section in the Poughkeepsie Journal.

I've done an article about a book dealing with greening your dog, called Eco Dog: Healthy Living for Your Pet.

It was written by Catskill residents Corbett Marshall and Jim Deskevich.

I made one of the treat recipes for Kate and my editor Maria Burnham's Roland. They liked them.

Thanks for all the give-away entries

We gave away two Furminators on the Morning Mix, 97.7 FM. And we gave away eight of the grooming tools through this blog over the last four weeks.

Too bad the give-away is now over.

Boy, you all really love give-aways. And it's good to know I'm not alone in fighting the fur.

Thanks to the Furminator people for supplying the grooming tools.

Here's a cute cat to take us to commercial.

Now I can't get that tune out of my head.

Longer lives mean more costs

An article in the Washington Post takes a look at the rising cost of taking care of pets, kept healthy and, as a result, living longer.

From the article:

Health-care expenses are rising, not only for humans but also for their pets. According to the 2007-08 National Pet Owners Survey, 63 percent of U.S. households — 71.1 million homes — include a pet. Many of the pet owners are baby boomers no longer burdened with the cost of raising children and are willing to use whatever disposable income they have to increase the quality of life of their furry — or scaly — companions. "As we become a more pet-friendly environment, people want to take care of their pets more," said Jerrold Boone, a veterinarian at Adams Morgan Animal Hospital.

The story says that the potential costs of buying or adopting a pet should be considered beforehand, especially with purebred dogs, which tend to have more health problems than mixed breeds.

Final Furminator give-away recipients

Congratulations to Valerie Esposito of Pawling, N.Y., and Joyce Bell of Milwaukee, Wisc.

They are the recipients of the final Furminator give away.

Bell has two cats — Kia, a ragdoll, and Tessa, a calico — who will be using the purple cat tool. Bell is hoping to retire the lint roller and be able to wear black again.

Esposito has two dogs and a cat, but the cat is not an issue, she said in her e-mail entry. She wanted a large yellow grooming tool for her 4-year-old golden retriever named Vegas and a year-old Bernese Mountain dog named Autumn.

She writes:

I love long haired dogs, and boy, did I hit the jackpot with them. By this point in the season I am starting to swim in dog hair. A ride in the car provides gobs of hair floating around getting sucked up noses and down windpipes. A dinner at my house consists of a variety of gold, black, brown and white "condiments" on all food. And of course, no outfit is complete without tufts of hair in strategic places.

Settlement in contaminated pet food trauma

The Associated Press is reporting there is an initial approval of a settlement that would compensate pet owners for costs related to deaths or illnesses of their dogs and cats.

The complete story is here.

According to the AP, pet owners in the U.S. and Canada are going to be notified of the settlement by June 16 and have until early December to submit claims. A final hearing on the $24 million settlement is scheduled for Oct. 14.

It's not all good news, though. The settlement doesn't pay pet owners for pain and suffering from injuries to their pets.

Last year, some of the products made by Menu Foods Income Fund were found to contain wheat gluten imported from China that was contaminated with melamine, a plastics chemical.

A lawyer for plaintiffs said more than 1,500 animals in the U.S. died after eating the food last year.

Check our the previous blog entries, here, here and here.

From the article:

The settlement allows pet owners to apply for expenses associated with deaths and illnesses, including the costs of veterinarians, time missed from work to care for sick animals, replacement pets, burial expenses and even property damaged because animals got sick.

Pet owners can request up to $900 for undocumented claims in case they didn't save all their receipts.

Owners can also be reimbursed if they had their dogs screened for contaminated food — even if they turned out to be healthy.