Pet Monologues

After sadly losing our Squack, a lovebird, my husband and I did not think of any other pets. Then one day in the Boca News there was a picture of the most beautiful little dog I’ve ever seen. I told my husband that guy is ours. Well, that guy was from a pet mill and Miami Rescue had picked him and several of his friends and relatives away from those awful people. Unfortunately, that picture was very deceiving. 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 »

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?

Animal lovers flock to Dallas. DALLAS, Tex. – The world’s largest educational conference and tradeshow for animal sheltering professionals, hosted by The Humane Society of the United States, brings more than 1,400 animal sheltering professionals from across the U.S. and many foreign countries to the Hyatt Regency Dallas at Reunion Arena. For more information.

U.S. Coast Guard. HOUSTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Coast Guard plucked a man and his pet bird from a 75-foot (23-meter) tree on Tuesday evening after he became stranded while trying to coax the creature out of the branches. [RK] Read the rest of this entry »

So It’s Time To Buy A Dog!

After listening to your kids beg for a puppy for years, you’re finally ready to give in and buy a dog. Before you take this big step though, stop to consider a few facts that should influence your decision. After all, you are about to enter into a 10+ year commitment, and you want to make sure you’re prepared!….Don’t You?

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First, consider your impulse to begin with a puppy. Puppies are undeniably adorable and appealing, but they need lots of exercise, training, and supervision. Depending on your work schedule and the ages of your children, do you really have time to handle a rambunctious pup?
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