Pet Monologues

Petmonologues was solicited by an author to purchase his new book. He is against commercial dog food. PM also recently listened to a radio talk show about how home-cooked pet food needs to be carefully created because ingredients, or lack of ingredients, affect your pet. For example, animals in the wild eat the whole carcass, i.e., bones, organs, etc., a source of vitamins that may not be in home-cooked food.

PM and all animal-caring individuals applaud that pet foods are squarely in the public eye, and more importantly, on our minds. What is best practice?

When feeding your pet, take into account their needs, their age, their activities, whether it is commercial or home-cooked. We like dry food because it cleans teeth and gums. We portion out wet foods for variety. We don’t feed leftovers for many reasons. If you wish to know those reasons, just ask us. Also, check out PM’s recipe section! Read the rest of this entry »

The Humane Society brings up an issue that has national exposure. If you feel strongly about this issue this is the very best time to participate in any way you can…

In the past week, millions of Americans were introduced to the barbaric reality of dogfighting in America. On July 26, NFL quarterback Michael Vick appeared in court and pled not guilty to dogfighting-related charges.

But our mission is not only to see Michael Vick brought to justice. His case is a symptom of a larger problem: Dogfighting is a surging underground enterprise involving an estimated 250,000 dogs. The Humane Society of the United States wants to wipe out this industry and save these dogs from the violent fate that awaits them in the dogfighting pit. But to do so, we desperately need your continued support. Read the rest of this entry »

When death comes calling, so does cat. PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island (AP) — Oscar the cat seems to have an uncanny knack for predicting when nursing home patients are going to die, by curling up next to them during their final hours. Oscar the cat doesn’t like to be put out in the hall when a patient is dying. Read the rest of this entry »

911 rescue dog dies. NEW YORK (AP) — A black Labrador retriever who searched for survivors in smoking debris after September 11 and flooded rubble after Hurricane Katrina has died after battling cancer. Read the rest of this entry »

Abstract

Relationships inevitably develop between humans and animals, regardless of the function or use of the animal partners. The need to recognize the existence of these human-animal bonds, as well as acknowledge the use of the animals, is widespread. Religious memorial services for animals in certain areas of the world provide an historical basis for such acknowledgment activities. The diversity of sacred and secular approaches to memorializing or acknowledging animals is illustrated by representative examples of such events. The need to establish such events, particularly in academic and research settings, is emphasized. The pros and cons of developing and establishing acknowledgment activities in addition to the benefits of implementing such events are discussed. Read the rest of this entry »

Can cats talk? Many cat owners would like to think so and some even claim that their cats speak a number of recognisable words. A Brazilian cat takes claims one step further by apparently being able to sing a number of well known songs while the Fortean Times carried a report of a cat which speaks several words in Turkish and suggested, with tongue firmly in cheek, that the reason many owners cannot understand their cats is because the cats are speaking Turkish. But before cat-owners rush out for phrase books, are these cats really speaking or are their owners just talking turkey?
Photo: Kevin Steele

For humans, the terms ’speech’ and ‘talk’ are not restricted to vocalization, but encompass human body language (which most of us read without realising it), gestural languages (sign language) and tactile languages (of deaf-blind individuals) which are equally expressive among those fluent in their use. Further, human language comprises both verbal and non-verbal components (including the written extension of body language through gestural substitutes such as the , symbols within Internet communication). Read the rest of this entry »

Photo of myself in the same wheelbarrow with a now full-grown Sparky.

Sparky was a gift to me from my father on my 8th birthday: July 29, 1955. This was a year after our last dog, Kim, was killed by a car.

Sparky was six weeks old, born on June 17. I think I remember that because Pop’s birthday was July 17 and Mom and Pop’s aniversary was August 17. I think Pop chose Sparky because he had the same coloring as Kim: white with a black head and highlights of brown around he eyes. He also had a black spot on his back. Neutering male dogs was hardly ever done in those days, so naturally I spent a lot of time chasing after Sparky, just like I did chasing after Kim. Unlike Kim, however, Sparky would come eventually, but only when Mom called him. Although I loved Sparky like a brother, he was more of a mama’s dog. That’s probably also because Mom was better at feeding him. Read the rest of this entry »

How to tell if your pet has eaten poisoned pet-food. Every pet owner in the country is concerned about whether their four-legged family member is at risk due to the recent pet food and treat recalls.

To date, kidney failure has been the cause of death in pets that have eaten the poison food.

Do you know what symptoms to look for? Read the rest of this entry »

How to deal with controversy? Maybe talking about it will bring positive results. I just read in the morning Chicago Tribune how a three-year old pit bull had to be put down by the owner for killing a neighbor’s dog, an 11-year old lab. It reminded me of a jogger killed by ferel pits in Chicago two years ago. In my very brief research this dog has many support groups such as Pit Bull Rescue Central and there is factual evidence that this dog as a breed has a more positive temperment than a lab as cited in American Temperament Testing Society which comes as quite a shock to most of us.

I have met this dog up close on occasion via friends who own one or more. If you like large, powerful-looking dogs, you have got to like a pit bull. The owner’s will say that a pit bull with issues though raises a red flag. You might say the same thing about many people who can cause considerable damage to life or limb if you know what I mean.

But something is not right here. If you have a pit bull and wish to take it to the Humane Society, they will probably put the dog down, no questions asked. If you are lucky I guess, they will tell you so up front. And maybe we agree that most news reported today is of a tragic nature. If there is a dog in the story, this dog always seems to be in the vicinity of these stories. Stories about attacks, mauling, break-in by police, neighbor complaints, fighting, and death.

Is the pit bull to blame? Is the pit bull a loaded gun? A drunken driver? Can the pit bull live peaceably in our society?

I woke up at 6:30 this morning to take my ex-roommate’s cat to the vet. I guess he’s my cat now. His name is Max and he’s a very skinny orange tabby cat. He came complete with a fifteen second memory span and he has only one facial expression, which is blank. I often wonder if he was somebody’s genetic cloning experiment. That or if he is suffering from fetal alcohol syndrome. He’s just a living cat with barely a hint of character.

I’m trying to give him a personality but it’s difficult. I wonder if my techniques are working. The first technique is to hold him tightly against my chest and speak nonsense to him, kiss his face really hard, and then let him jump out of my arms to freedom. This does not seem to have any effect on him. He just looks mildly bewildered. The second technique is to spank his rump playfully. Again, there’s not much response. Not even the cliché look of superiority most normal cats constantly wear. But I haven’t picked Max up in days and have hardly petted him. I’ve even locked him out of my room. I’m disgusted by him right now. To get my mind off him I think about today’s homework. My teacher wants me to write about something I know a lot about. I glance at a picture of Evan, framed and sitting on my nightstand, where I can see it every night before I go to sleep. I think about Evan’s life and its tragic ending. I wonder if I should write about him. Read the rest of this entry »