Pet Monologues

Somewhere between astronaut, basketball player and “American Idol” winner, veterinarian is the job of choice for kids today. The thought of working with furry, four-legged friends and cuddly cats is just too good to pass up, and veterinary work may be the only animal career people think of.

But you don’t have to be a vet to work with animals.

Art: Dorling Kindersley

In reality, there are a variety of other ways to combine a love of animals with a paying job. Do you enjoy teaching and working with people as well as pets? If so, you might want to be an animal trainer. Do you have an interest in rescuing or offering a helping hand to neglected animals? You might want to work in an animal shelter, wildlife refuge or zoo. Or maybe you’d like to make animals comfortable and neat by starting your own grooming business. Read the rest of this entry »

May 3, 2007. Today, President Bush signed into law a bill that will help law enforcement rid the United States of dogfighting, cockfighting, and other forms of animal fighting.

Dogfighting and cockfighting crimes are rampant in the United States, with individuals arrested every week in scores of locations under state laws. The vast underground networks generate pervasive animal cruelty, drug trafficking, illegal gambling, public corruption and even violence and murder. The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act, which passed Congress with large bi-partisan support, will give law enforcement a stronger tool to crack down on this illegal activity. Here is what happened:

On April 11, 2007, the Senate unanimously passed the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act! Thank you to everyone who contacted their senators and encouraged them to support this vital legislation.

On March 26, 2007, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act by a landslide vote of 368-39! Thanks to all who called and wrote to their representatives to encourage support of this important legislation—click here to see how your representative voted!

About the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2007:

HR 137/S 261—Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2007
Sponsor(s): Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-CA); Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
ASPCA Position: Support
Action Needed: None

Similar bills introduced in 2006 were never voted on, so they died when Congress recessed for the year.

One of three dogs removed from a house owned by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is shown Tuesday, May 22, 2007, in Surry County, Va. (AP Photo/Daily Press, Joe Fudge, File)

SURRY, Va. (AP) – The centerpiece of this sleepy southeastern Virginia town challenges the definition of ‘’stoplight” – the lone signal blinks red on two sides, yellow on the others. ”It’s a caution light,” Surry County court clerk Gail Clayton explains. These days, it’s a spot featuring plenty of action.

Not far away, next to a gas station on the corner, the unmarked office of Surry County Commonwealth’s Attorney Gerald G. Poindexter stands in need of a coat of paint.

It also needs a bigger parking lot to accommodate media from all over following the highest-profile case of Poindexter’s 12-year career.

On April 25, a search of a house owned by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick – and inhabited by Vick’s cousin, Davon Boddie – uncovered drug paraphernalia and 66 dogs in the backyard. A search warrant affidavit said some of the dogs were in individual kennels and about 30 were tethered with ”heavy logging-type chains” buried in the ground. Read the rest of this entry »

Summer care tips for you and your pets. Summer is a time for both you and your pet to enjoy the sunshine and outdoors, but along with the fun, the season also offers up situations that can endanger your pet. By taking precautions, you can decrease the chance that disaster will happen. The HSUS offers these tips for pet owners to keep their furry friends safe this summer: Read the rest of this entry »

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 »

Federal act: Big penalties for animal fighting. Update, April 11, 2007: Great news! Last night, the Senate unanimously passed the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act! Now all that is left is for President Bush to sign the bill into law. Read the rest of this entry »

What’s the Big Deal?
Ah, the pitter patter of four-legged feet as they whip through your living room at overclocked speeds or uproot your prize gladiolas with manic fervor. But Snookiepuss and Mrs. Fluffypants are practically family, right?

So why should they settle for anything less than top drawer when their health and wellbeing are at stake? Throw the planet a bone while you’re at it; we’ve got the goods on how to reduce your pets’ carbon paw prints—without making your wallet roll over and play dead. Read the rest of this entry »

Another pet food recall. COLUMBIA, S.C. - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports that at least 76 dogs nationwide are believed to have died as a result of eating contaminated Diamond Pet Foods. [RK] Read the rest of this entry »