Pet Monologues

Man gets 6 months for killing wife’s kitten.

A BITTER husband who killed his wife’s kitten by putting it in a tumble drier is starting a six-month jail sentence. Read the rest of this entry »

The poop on where to hide your old pills.

WASHINGTON — Got some leftover drugs — the kind that someone else might want to use, such as painkillers or stimulants? Wrap them up in used kitty litter or other pet droppings, the U.S. government advises. Read the rest of this entry »

These photos were purloined from a very good friend Animals as Friends The commentary on this post alone at Animals as Friends is worth the visit.

Are these images real or photoshop?

I am not in today so I can’t read emails or do much on PM. Caw to art! #1 still a work-in-progress. BH is going to pick me up about 8pm so we can eat dinner. She has two bottles of wine in the trunk of her car. I hope we only drink one as it is late and a school night = weekday.

We bought a new book titled—BYOB—and she is relieved we have many places to choose from. You see, I like to go to the same proven places and not even order, the food is just served up. We are sort of on a roll to look for fine eateries that do not charge a corkage fee and we wind up throwing the savings in the tip. We are highly principled diners…

This blog has tainted by thinking. I am thinking about writing up something about BYOP = restaurants that are pet-friendly and getting feedback on what folks think of oysters, wine, and toy poodles, all in the same place.

Just a little research points to a very controversial topic. I’ll close with a surprising tidbit, to me, Chicago ranks #1 in dog-friendly cities. to be continued…

HSUS celebrates National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week.

Shelters nationwide recognized November 4-10, 2007 Read the rest of this entry »

This post celebrates World Animal Day and Bless the Animals. Follow the links to learn more about PM’s initiative which started on October 4.

A new category: critter labels.
A leading market-research company, ACNielsen, has decided to define a wine category by its label design. A “critter label” is any label that features an animal, from a hippo to a frog to a penguin. They say 438 viable table-wine brands have been introduced in the past three years, and 18 percent— nearly one in five— feature an animal on the label. “Combined with existing critter labels,” the firm said in a summation of its research on this matter, “sales of critter-branded wine have reached more than $600 million.”

Finishing touches on billboard

Yellow Tail has recently launched one of its largest ad campaigns in the brand’s history, created by Cramer-Krasselt (New York). Featuring a tag line that reads “Tails, you win,” the ads include a variety of three-dimensional billboards and interactive print advertisements, including massive replicas of the famous 1930s Kit-Cat Clocks, glowing fireflies and temporary tattoos. The campaign also includes TV ads and event sponsorships and runs through December 2007.

Creative background: the distributor
WILLIAM J. DEUTSCH was apprehensive when he first agreed to import an unknown Australian wine called Yellow Tail into the United States in 2001. Its handsome black-and-yellow label featured what looked like a kangaroo, and he felt that animals had no place on wine labels. But he liked the wine. “So,” he said recently, “I agreed to take 25,000 cases.”

His son Peter disagreed about the animal. “That label is fabulous,” he told his dad. Read the rest of this entry »

Your dog is your very best friend. Every single time you walk through the door your dog is so happy to see you that he wags his tail and practically smiles at you. How can you show your pet how much they mean to you? Well, one way is to take care of that smile for your pet. Did you know that your dog’s diet can influence their oral health?

Humans need to brush and floss their teeth regularly to keep their teeth, tongue, and gums in good condition. Research has recently shown a link between good oral health in humans and a lower risk of heart disease. If good oral health can have such a profound affect on people, then it only makes sense to consider the impact it can have on man’s best friend.

It is important to brush your dog’s teeth frequently to keep plaque and tartar from becoming an issue. Even wiping his gums with a clean, damp cloth can be beneficial.

Your dog’s diet also plays a role in your pet’s oral health. Do you typically feed your dog canned or dry dog food? What kind of treats and toys do you provide for your pet? All of these things can affect the likelihood of trouble with your pet’s teeth. Read the rest of this entry »

My friend Lisa came over just before my Friday “Kool Stools” event to do a quaisi-quality control once-over. If you remember, these are the new stools I am creating, they are really “kool.” She found very few “fixes” but I was totally taken back when she noticed dog hairs in the finished products. Had already done tags to include the disclaimer “streaks, globs and other imperfectioins are intentional.” So, while we got most of the Roxy hairs out, I decided to revise my tags to say, “streaks, globs, dog hairs and other . . .”

Roxy Hart as Director, Quality Assurance

Then took it another step and “issued” the attached press (see below) release. Had this with a photo of Roxy with her new title on the table with other collateral. The event was fine . . . learned a lot but don’ t think this audience is my best target—more work to do. People took info and might order later. Read the rest of this entry »

While reading one of my fave magazines I stumble upon an article that pet lovers would enjoy. This article was taken out of Wired Magazine and titled “A Canine Hotel May Sound Luxe, but There’s No Place Like Home”

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Room Z5 is empty except for a faux-suede floor pillow, a 14-inch flatscreen TV, an IP network camera, and a 9-pound miniature pinscher sitting motionless by the steel door. After a few minutes, the pooch gets up, walks across the room, and settles on the pillow, almost covering the white letters that spell out w-a-g. Kitschy dance music wafts in from the hallway. A dog yelps in the background.

Illustration by Jessica Hische

Wag is a new pet hotel in San Francisco that promises the ultimate in canine luxury. It has an atmospheric-filtration system that recycles the facility’s air 10 times per hour. Temperature-controlled rooms remain at a comfortable 69 degrees Fahrenheit. The suites ($85 a night) even have “Wag Cams,” accessible from an Internet browser, so that curious or concerned owners can check on their furry companions.

Tonight I’ve booked my dog, Ruby, into Wag. I scheduled her for an in-room belly massage ($12), a moonlit walk on the antibacterial Astroturf rooftop ($15), and room service (one pig’s ear and a bowl of water). This should be a great night—I’ll have the evening off from my dog-parenting duties, and Ruby will make new friends and be pampered by Wag’s experienced staff. Read the rest of this entry »

Can a “doomsday” pet site save dogs?

A dog is killed approximately every 9 seconds. Read the rest of this entry »