Pet Monologues

During the early 1940s Charles and Ray Eames developed a successful technique for molding plywood into three-dimensional shapes, which led to the creation of a variety of furnishings and sculptures. Our apologies, you won’t find Eames donkeys however. That said, if anyone finds appropriate donkeys, or other animals for that matter, please give us a shout!

via: designapplause marvin gaye sings american national anthem observed via: designobserver overheard: time to recycle campaign signs

September 21 — Mark the following Puruvian holiday on your calendar.

by john kass
Americans are busy hissing and scratching each other’s eyes out over presidential politics. But there is one thing we can agree on—sending a few thousand U.S. troops into Peru to occupy the nation and stop Peruvians from eating all their cats.

This villainous cat-munching takes place in the fall, when otherwise gentle and kindly Peruvians gather in the village of La Quebrada, just south of Lima, to gorge on felines. They eat fried cat and stewed cat and poached cat. Also, cats prepared with various savory local spices, such as Grilled Cat with Huacatay, the pungent and tasty Peruvian black mint.

Americans have proved we’ll accept almost anything if packaged and marketed properly. We’ve recently accepted socialism just to make Wall Street happy before an election. But if there’s one thing we won’t abide, it’s a nation of cat-eaters.

The terrible Peruvian cat-eating spree has a name: La Festival Gastronomico del Gato. Or for those of you who don’t speak Spanish—the Gastronomic Festival of the Cat. Read the rest of this entry »

Tired of the same old political crap? There is a way to relieve. And it’s
100% biodegradable.

via dogs 4 democrats

Chicago’s top dogs — rank based on AKC registration figures

Labrador Retriever
German Shepherd Dog
Yorkshire Terrier
Boxer
Golden Retriever
Rottweiler
Doberman Pinscher
Bulldog
Pug
Vizsla

Local Statistical Snapshot

* Although the Bulldog made news by landing in the 10th spot nationally, it fell from 6th to 8th place this year in Chicago.
* Debuting on the Chicago Top 10 list this year is the Vizsla, a Hungarian hunting dog and member of the sporting group. This unique breed moved from 16th to 10th this year. The Viszla ranks 42nd nationally but is consistently more popular in the Windy City.
* While the Rottweiler has declined in national popularity—falling from 2nd to 15th place since 1997—it rose from 10th to 6th place in Chicago
this year.
* The Doberman also appears in Chicago’s Top 10 despite its 21st place ranking nationwide. Read the rest of this entry »

We have often heard, and probably experienced, that a human bite can be more infectious than an animal’s bite. Well, what about your pet hamster as a deadly-germ machine? What’s a parent to do?

chicago tribune

The American Academy of Pediatrics, just published that pets pose serious health threats to young children.

Here’s the lineup of no-no pets:
• Reptiles. Small turtles were banished from pet stores decades ago because they harbor salmonella, which causes intestinal problems that can be deadly in children. But other reptiles, including iguanas, lizards, and snakes, also carry salmonella that doesn’t sicken them but could land your kid in the hospital.

• Hamsters. These small, furry rodents are not just cute. They’re carriers of salmonella and have sparked outbreaks of lymphocytic choriomeningitis, a virus that causes brain inflammation and can lead to permanent nerve damage.

• Hedgehogs. These adorable nocturnal critters are increasingly popular in the United States, despite the fact that they can spread salmonella, yersinia pseudotuberculosis (which causes appendicitis-like abdominal pain), and rabies. Hedgehogs’ prickly spines also make it more likely that they will transmit fungal skin infection.

• Monkeys and other primates. Macaques spread herpes B virus, which can cause fatal meningitis in humans, and primates spread a host of other nasty germs, including tuberculosis. A more likely risk is injury, since even “tame” primates have seriously injured trained handlers. Read the rest of this entry »

This post celebrates World Animal Day and Bless the Animals—all the posts. Follow the links to learn more about PM’s initiative which started on October 4 07. We will be looking for marketing efforts that feature animals.

‘I now pronounce you dog and dog’ - pets marry on World Animal Day in England, 2007. What will 2008 bring?

A canary, a goldfish, a guinea pig, a handful of cats and more than two dozen dogs received blessings from a Catholic priest in church to mark World Animal Day.

In a ceremony that was sometimes touching and often comical, Rev. Pierre Valkering led his congregation in songs and prayers - frequently interrupted by meowing and yapping from the pews - before the blessing took place.

The event event featured a weddings zone for pets to tie the knot.

“Animals go through life with us, and that can be a great comfort,” he said. A dog barked loudly in seeming approval, to the delight of many children in attendance. “Sometimes they make us laugh, and that’s a blessing too.”

PM Editorial note: no mention of a prenup in this congregation that day.

havakuk levison / Reuters 2002

Altering genetics brings killer karma into play

by John Kass, Chicago Tribune

Before I explain how the Chicken Kama Sutra got me fired from my dad’s butcher shop when I was a 6th grader—I foolishly posed the cold fryers in X-rated combos on the butcher blocks—you need to know how this memory was hatched:

With a horrifying news photo of a live, smooth-skinned rooster without feathers, part of a genetic experiment to develop chickens that will stay cool in their hot coops. Now, I can’t grill a chicken without retching.

“For Dinner: Genetically Altered ‘Superchicken’ ” said the headline of the wire story.

“We hope to provide a rigorous, risk-based regulatory path for [genetic] developers to follow, to help the public health and the health of animals,” said a pin-head bureaucrat from the Food and Drug Administration, thinking he could save the world from a “12 Monkeys” scenario if a superchicken escapes from the lab, along with the spider-goats and the salmon-pigs. Read the rest of this entry »

Think you’re seeing double?

The household pet, named Yoda, was born with an extra set of ears.

Valerie and Yoda

Valerie and Ted Rock took him in two years ago after visiting a bar near their home in Chicago, where he was being passed round by curious drinkers. He was one of a large litter and the owners were looking for a home for him.

The couple immediately fell for the freaky feline and asked the owner if they could adopt him. He agreed and the couple named the cat Yoda, after the pointy-eared Jedi knight in Star Wars.

Valerie, 65, said: ‘We were at a pub on the south side of Chicago with a group of friends when we noticed a small cage sitting on the bar and people passing around a kitten.

‘He had been part of a large litter and the owners were looking to find a home for him.

‘Ted and I had just lost a cat that was our pet for over 20 years, and we were sure we were done with cats.

‘We decided to name him Yoda. I understand the Star Wars character was based on George Lucas’ cat.’ Read the rest of this entry »

Came across this very disturbing story visiting the NPR site and then went to the photographer’s site for photos, which are even more disturbing. This is a story about a gorilla named Senkwekwe who was murdered,
executed actually.

Here is a portion of NPR writeup…Last July, Brent Stirton took a photograph that shocked the world when it was published in Newsweek — a picture of a dead 500-pound male gorilla named Senkwekwe, one of six endangered mountain gorillas who had been murdered, execution-style, in the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In the photo, Senkwekwe is strapped on his back, on a litter made of saplings. More than a dozen African men are carrying him — gently, respectfully — out of the jungle that was supposed to be his sanctuary.

When Stirton took that photo, one pressing question was still unanswered: Who would do such a thing, and why?

Stirton recently got a chance to investigate the answer. He was the first photojournalist allowed back into the part of Virunga where the mountain gorillas live — a section now controlled by a militia. Read the rest of this entry »

After spending a week in Bend Oregon, fishing, fishing, and more fishing, here comes a fish story…

Ready for the latest in spa pampering? Prepare to dunk your tootsies in a tank of water and let tiny carp nibble away.

Fish pedicures are creating something of a splash in the D.C. area, where a northern Virginia spa has been offering them for the past four months. John Ho, who runs the Yvonne Hair and Nails salon with his wife, Yvonne Le, said 5,000 people have taken the plunge so far.

“This is a good treatment for everyone who likes to have nice feet,” Ho said.

He said he wanted to come up with something unique while finding a replacement for pedicures that use razors to scrape off dead skin. The razors have fallen out of favor with state regulators because of concerns about whether they’re sanitary.

Ho was skeptical at first about the fish, which are called garra rufa but typically known as doctor fish. They were first used in Turkey and have become popular in some Asian countries.

But Ho doubted they would thrive in the warm water needed for a comfortable footbath. And he didn’t know if customers would like the idea.

“I know people were a little intimidated at first,” Ho said. “But I just said, ‘Let’s give it a shot.’ ” Read the rest of this entry »