Lab experiment?

This Sunday in the Poughkeepsie Journal, my colleague and syndicated columnist Kathy Norton, who like to poke fun at people who pamper their pets, will admit she has finally found a pooch she would love to spoil.

I know it's Halloween, and it's not nice to really, really, really scare people, but it's true: Norton has fallen for a black lab.

Here's a teaser from her "Boomer Gal" column:

I don't have a cat or dog, but I know how easy it is to get carried away. A black lab named Buddy swept me off my feet just last week.

Before I knew it, his owners had moved a notch down on my Christmas shopping list so I could make room for their dog.

I found myself wondering: Is it too pushy to give a holiday gift to a pet you've just met?

And if it's OK, what would that sweet darling with the clammy nose like this year?

You can find Kathy's column online or on the front page of the Life section Sunday.

After Sunday, you can find it here.

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:
Shadow — Domestic shorthair
"When an animal is suddenly given up by their owners, its stability and sense of security is destroyed. It can take a bit of time to recover that courage. We spend many hours working with recently displaced pets, making their transition from home to shelter, and hopefully soon back into another home, relatively seamless. Shadow is just one of many that fit this category. This 2-year-old longhair has made the first step, you can help with the second. Shadow's ideal home is where she can be an only pet."


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.

Does your dog look presidential?

The winners of the "My Dog Looks Like Obama or McCain" Dog-Look-Alike Photo Contest have been announced.

The Obama Look-a-Like winner, Amore Francine, is a one-and-1/2 year old boxer from Mt. Clemens, Mich. The McCain Look-a-Like winner, Ginny Doll of Rochester Hills, Mich., is a 2-year old Maltese.

The winning photos, along with more information about each dog and the contest, are available here.

Kate was going to enter, but she but Christine Todd Whitman wasn't running.

Update on Sally's alleged abuser

The City of Poughkeepsie man who allegedly starved then tossed the dog now known as Sally into a clothing donation bin pleaded not guilty today in the City of Poughkeepsie court to one count of misdemeanor animal cruelty.

Through his attorney, Garry Lee Rhodes, 28, entered a not guilty plea for failure to provide proper sustenance and medical care to the dog.

Rhodes remains on electronic monitoring, and could be subject to a $10,000 fine if he violates house arrest.

For more on the story, click here.

Where's your retirement fund? In Kongs?

The Associated Press has an article about pet owners not cutting back on spending for their companion animals during increasingly tough economic times.

According to the American Pet Products Association, Americans will spend an estimated $43.4 billion this year on everything from treats to training for their pets — 26 percent higher than in 2004.

"Backing that up is a poll earlier this year in ShopSmart, a publication from Consumer Reports, which says female shoppers are more likely to buy cheaper brands of everything from medication to milk, but are digging in their heels when it comes to switching to less-expensive pet food and personal care items.

"Some parts of the pet food industry, particularly gourmet and organic pet food, will likely be even more insulated than the sellers of pet carriers, clothing and outdoor gear."

The food I can understand. Kate doesn't do well over the long term on any food that contains corn-based products so I've had to switch her permanently to a veterinarian-prescribed, and pricey, food.

And with the recent spate of pet-food recalls (see this one from yesterday), it makes even more sense that people are hesitant to switch pet diets.

But I was feeling extravagent a couple of weeks ago when I bought Kate a new bed from BJ's to replace one that was several years old — and looked it.

Sally's alleged abuser under electronic surveillance

HYDE PARK — The City of Poughkeepsie man accused of leaving his dog for dead in a clothing bin will be electronically monitored until his next court appearance.

District Attorney William Grady said Garry Lee Rhodes, 28, gave a false home address and was considered a flight risk.

"We asked the court to revoke his ROR (released on own recognizance) status and recommended $5,000 bail," Grady said.

Rhodes was appearing in the Town of Hyde Park Court Tuesday. He is charged with one count each of torturing/not feeding an animal, abandonment of a disabled animal and neglect of an impounded animal, all misdemeanors in violation of state Agriculture and Markets Law.

Justice David Steinberg imposed electronic monitoring, using an ankle bracelet, as a condition of release.

"He (Rhodes) was admonished by the judge that if he absconds, he will be immediately arrested and bail would be set at $5,000," Grady said.

Rhodes is scheduled to appear Wednesday morning in City of Poughkeepsie Court to be arraigned on one count of failure to provide sustenance, a misdemeanor under state Agriculture and Markets Law.

Joyce Garrity, executive director of the Dutchess County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said she was pleased with the results of the court appearance today.

"We will soon be seeing justice for Sally," she said.

The terrier mix is currently living at the Hyde Park shelter.

"We are being careful about finding a home for her," Garrity said.

She said anyone interested in adopting her should contact her directly at the shelter.

Contact information can be found on the DCSPCA's Web site.

Halloween comics from 'Mutts'

Patrick McDonnell is doing a week of spooky comics in his daily strip "Mutts."

Here's a link to the Washington Post Web site. Be sure and see the Monday's and all the rest throughout the week.

RECALL: Special Kitty dry food

UPI.com is reporting that Special Kitty-brand gourmet blend dry cat food sold by Wal-Mart stores, including those in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, has been recalled due to potential salmonella contamination.

Here's UPI.com's article.

The food was sold in 3.5 pound, 7 pound and 18 pound bags, with a use-by date of Aug. 11, 2009.

Manufacturer Mars Petcare US Inc. can be contacted with questions at 877-568-4463 or their Web site.

So ... what's in the box?

Scary video clip here.

Gotcha!

Costume contests?

In response to a comment asking if there were any Halloween costume contests for pets this year, petco.com is having an online contest which you can find here.

Does anyone else know of anything that's going on this week?

Let us know.

It's that time of year again for ghosts and goblins

Halloween is this Friday. Boo! (Did I scare ya?)

Thankfully, the people across the street disconnected that spooky sound machine that plays scary noises every time you walk by, even if you are on the opposite sidewalk. Last year that got really old, really fast, especially late at night for Kate's last piddle of the day.

We should all remember that somethings in the Halloween festivities don't necessarily mix with your pets.

Costumes for one.

According to the people at petstress.com (I'm assuming they try to alleviate or prevent it, not that you can order stress from them for your pet), costumes should be chosen with a few things in mind.

Make sure it's comfortable for the pet and that it doesn't constrict or bind them in any way. Also be sure to choose or make a costume that the little critter can't chew on and swallow parts.

Remember that chocolate is bad for pets, as is the artificial sweetener xylitol. Keep all Halloween candy out of reach of interested wet noses.

Decorations should be kept out of harm's way — or Fido's or Fluffy's for that matter. Burning candles = bad. Electrical cords, too.

And if your pets get too excited when the doorbell rings, why not put them in a quiet area of the house until all the Trick-or-Treaters have been treated. This is even a better idea if your pet likes to dash through an open door.

Here is a link to the complete list of suggestions.

Happy Halloween! Boo! (Did I scare you that time?)

Never looked more natural

Since I believe strongly in allowing dogs to be dogs — it's all about dignity, people — I made a commitment that if I ask Kate to do something stooopid then I should suffer the consequences as well.

Yesterday, I posted a picture of Kate wearing devil's horns. Turnabout, and all that.

I made this vow last year after I took this picture of Kate.

Here was my commitment in action.

Lil devil

Kate's ready for Halloween.

She's not too happy about it, though.

Somehow the horns managed to stay put long enough to take this picture.

Shelter dogs rule

Since this is "Adopt A Shelter Dog" month, here are some pictures of pooches in shelters from around the United States.

Click here for the photo gallery and a link to a story.

I got Kate from the SPCA on the upper East Side of Manhattan and she's worked out fine.

Took two visits until I found her, so don't give up.

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:
Brandy — Collie mix
"Looking for something to try and ease the pain of a bad day? Try a little Brandy. Our version is alcohol-free and the only guilt you will have is when you stop petting her. This female collie mix would be great for seniors or a person living alone who is looking for some stimulating conversation."

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.

What's in a name?

The Chicago Tribune has a list of the most unusual pet names, as found by Veterinary Pet Insurance company.

Here's the whole article.

Some highlights:

For dogs, the most unusual names were RushLimbark and Sirius Lee Handsome. One of the funniest, at least to me, is Peanut Wigglebutt, the name of a dachshund who wags her tail so much she falls over.

For cats, the most unusual names were Edward Scissorpaws and Sir Lix-a-lot, though Toot Uncommon was my favorite.

For more unusual names, visit VPI's Web site.

Nothin' cuter than a baby panda

Let's face it. Chinese pandas are the best.

Here's a baby trying to play with a ball.

Feel good story of the week

Fourteen months after taking off to chase a cat, a microchipped dog has been reunited with his owner.

The story, from the Mercury News in San Jose, Calif., can been seen here.

Owner Cheryl Chaudhary's dog Sai took off after a cat in Watsonville and looked back.

The Jack Russell had stayed in the area, but Chaudhary had moved away.

Because of the microchip, Chaudhary said she never gave up hope. And that's the only reason she got Sai back, said [Santa Cruz County Animal Services Tricia] Geisreiter. Sai had a collar but no tags when he was found. The device costs $15 including a registration fee and is easily injected under the skin with a syringe.

Speaks well for microchipping, but also about the importance of having tags on the collar.

While living in Shekomeko, I was walking to the mailbox and found a woman putting a missing dog flier in it. The dog had gotten out of the fenced in yard by accident and was lost.

I asked her if the dog had tags on it, and she said no. "He never gets out," the woman said.

Guess he did.

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:
Grey — Domestic shorthair
"This low maintenance girl sure is easy to please! A good seat next to the food dish and a leg to rub against is all it takes to keep her happy. Declawed 9-year-old grey shorthair, slightly larger in size, would sure love to bum around in a home of her own."


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.

Homeowners still being forced to give up pets

A story out of Wisconsin tells of more and more animals being surrendered to shelters because their owners are losing their homes.

The whole article from the Baraboo News Republic can be read here.

The Sauk County Humane Society has 60 more cats this year than at the same time last year. They are up to over 100 right now.

As a result of the high number of surrenders, the Sauk County Humane Society is now offering adult cats for $10 to adopters. All cats have their required vaccinations, and a litter box, scooper and bag of food is included with an adoption.

Humane Societies in other locations also have resorted to such unconventional promotions in an effort to get cats new homes. In Boise, Idaho, for example, about 200 cats were recently offered with their adoption fees waived in order to relieve the shelter from an influx of cats because of hard economic times.

I've been writing about this for a while now. When is it going to get better?

Can't we all get along? Pre-election version

Maybe McCain and Obama could take a lesson from this cat and dog.

Here's the video.

Midday funny

Here's a cute comic from Speed Bump by David Coverly.

If you are read this on any day other than Monday, choose Oct. 13, 2008, from the pull-down date selector.

New law for Pa. puppy mills

Looks like Pennsylvania will join Virginia, Louisiana and Arizona in cracking down on puppy mills.

A recently enacted law ups the standards on commercial kennels, including twice-yearly veterinary exams (at minimum), larger cages and exercise requirements.

Virginia and Louisiana limit the number of dogs that can be housed in kennels, and Arizona law enforcement officials can now fine against anyone caught selling animals along public roads or in public parks in urban counties.

From the article, which you can read in its entirety here:

The new law in Pennsylvania targets about 650 large-scale commercial breeders, or roughly one-quarter of the state's 2,600 licensed kennels, that sell any dogs to dealers and pet shops or traffic in at least 60 dogs per year. Violators would be subject to both criminal and civil penalties.

The law also gives dog wardens the authority to act on alleged violations, a power previously given only to police and humane officers. Also, only veterinarians will be allowed to euthanize dogs in commercial breeding kennels.

The law took on new urgency in August, when 80 dogs in two eastern Pennsylvania kennels were shot 80 dogs by their owners after being ordered to let veterinarians examine some of them.

How not to get a good night's sleep

And it involves a cat.

Here's the video.

Enjoy.

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:
Canela — Terrier/boxer mix
"Fawn colored body. Black muzzle. Looks like this female terrier mix stuck her nose in someplace it shouldn't have been. The right place to stick her nose in would be around the playground as this young girl has plenty of energy and loves to walk, sit, fetch, play. Watch the video and see Canela play fetch on the new zip line at the shelter!"


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.

Sally's alleged abuser released on own recognizance

HYDE PARK — According to reporter Christine Pizzuti, a City of Poughkeepsie man accused of leaving his dog for dead in a clothing donation bin last month was released on his own recognizance after he pleaded not guilty on all charges at his arraignment in Hyde Park court tonight.

Gary Lee Rhodes, 28, was charged with one count each of torturing/not feeding an animal, abandonment of a disabled animal and neglect of an impounded animal, misdemeanors in violation of state Agriculture and Markets Law.

Assistant District Attorney Heather Ryan said Rhodes had been convicted of two DWIs — one in 2003, the other in 2005.

She said Rhodes had two prior failures to appear in court, and there were bench warrants issued both times.

Public defender Thomas Angell said said Rhodes will have to find new defense, since someone in his office has opted to adopt the dog, posing a conflict of interest.

Ryan asked for bail at $1,000, but the judge let Rhodes go on his own recognizance, to reappear Oct. 28 at 9:30 a.m.

Journal covers animals related events Sunday

The Poughkeepsie Journal went to the dogs — and cats and at least one rabbit — today. Well, at least the front page of the Mid-Hudson section did.

And as one of my colleagues noted, neither of the stories was mine.

The first story is by Christine Pizzuti and is about an Ulster County Sheriff's Office K-9 who is retiring after nine years of service.

Here's a picture of the retiree with Undersheriff Frank Faluotico.


The second story is by Rasheed Oluwa and is about the blessing of the animals at Hyde Park United Methodist Church. This is the third year the church has held the ceremony to commemorate the death of St. Francis of Assisi.

There is a nice photo gallery by Karl Rabe, too. Be sure and check them out.

See what happens when I take a weekend off?

(Photo by Christine Pizzuti/Poughkeepsie Journal)

Old dogs, the best dogs

There was a touching story in yesterday's Washington Post. It was an excerpt called "Something about Harry" from a book entitled "Old Dogs" by Post staff writer Gene Weingarten.

Click here to read the excerpt. Be sure and look at the photo gallery, too.

The story tells the tale of Weingarten's 13-year-old dog and his last days, and why old dogs are the best dogs.

"Old dogs can be cloudy-eyed and grouchy, gray of muzzle, graceless of gait, odd of habit, hard of hearing, pimply, wheezy, lazy and lumpy. But to anyone who has ever known an old dog, these flaws are of little consequence. Old dogs are vulnerable. They show exorbitant gratitude and limitless trust. They are without artifice. They are funny in new and unexpected ways. But, above all, they seem at peace."

I think of Kate when I read things like this. She's 13. She doesn't play like she used to.

And still there are times when I see the puppy in her eyes. When she wants a little attention. When she knows I need lick on the hand.

I know the days we have in front of us are considerably less than the days we have had.

That gives me pause.

And then I look at Kate — sleeping, shedding — and though when the time comes I will miss her, I wouldn't trade the now for anything.

Fall out from season change

With the change of seasons in full swing, Kate has begun shedding like nobody's business.

There is considerably more hair on the floors, and yesterday, Kate was standing in the hallway with her back to a window through which sunlight was streaming.

She shook. It was a sight to behold: hair cascading to the floor from, seemingly, every possible direction.

So, armed with my trusty FURminator, I set to work.

This picture was taken about a week ago, after a 3 minute brushing.


And this picture was taken yesterday, after a 2 minute brushing. (Embiggen for a better look.)


For fun, once again, here's a video I did on the FURminator.

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:
Kitty — Domestic shorthair
"Currently our longest term feline, this mostly black female shorthair may be cursed with the normal gene. With no distinctive markings or coloring, Ms. Kitty seems to blend right in. But don't let that distract you — her personality is unique and continues to grow. In fact, she's been known to be down right affectionate when the mood strikes her!"

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.

Brand-new bed for Kate

I recently got Kate a new bed for the living room. The old one we'd had for a couple of years, and it was time for a change.

The new one is an orthopedic bed. The tag said it was good for older dogs and dogs with arthritis. Yes, Kate is older, but she doesn't have arthritis, but it looked firm and comfortable. So I bought it.

It also has a head rest.


I said, head rest, Kate.


That's better.

Celebrity birthday

Groucho Marx was born on this day in 1890.

He uttered one of my favorite dog-related sayings: "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it is too dark to read."

Alleged dog abuser to be arraigned Tuesday

Garry Lee Rhodes, 28, of the City of Poughkeepsie will be arraigned in the Town of Hyde Park Court next Tuesday for allegedly abandoning his dog in a clothing donation bin.

Here's my article from today's Poughkeepsie Journal.