Pet Monologues

To be posted VERY LOW on the refrigerator door - nose height.

Dear Dogs and Cats,

The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food.

The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack.
Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn’t help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep.

It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest possible extent . I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years - canine or feline attendance is not required. Read the rest of this entry »

Oldest of cats

Life-span is determined by several factors: good genetics, good general care, good health care, good diet and a relatively safe environment. Cats reach maturity quickly, but as they grow older, their rate of ageing
slows down.

In the wild, cats fall victim to accidents, illnesses, food shortages and predators and may live 6-8 years. The average life-span of a neutered domestic cat (barring accidents) is considered to be 14 years old although there are signs that this may be increasing. More and more cats are reaching their late teens or early twenties.

It’s commonly believed that indoor cats are longer-lived than indoor-outdoor cats. This does not always hold true since many indoor cats, while they are protected from traffic and other animals, may have their lives shortened through obesity (sometimes leading to diabetes or heart disease), lack of exercise and stress. Though cats generally slow down with age, not all elderly cats lose their vigour. Some remain active hunters until their late teens or beyond. On 21 December 1975, a 19 year old tabby female owned by Mrs F Arnot of St Neots, Huntingdonshire, killed a stoat (a small mink-like British carnivore able to kill rabbits) in a fierce fight. Queenie, a one-eyed tabby from Chelmsford, England, was still stalking pigeons (unsuccessfully) at the age of 19. Read the rest of this entry »

A baby moose was in distress in a creek. A man got him out of the creek and tried to find the mother and send him on his way, but eventually the moose stumbled back into the creek and was rescued again. The baby moose followed the man home.

The man has only a small cabin so he took the moose to another neighbour, who took these photos. They took the moose the next day to a woman who looks after wild animals and she put it in a pen with a
rescued fawn.

Though summer is upon us and there are many good summer tips to keep your pet out of harms way, here is year-round advice that can save a life.

An emergency situations calls for staying calm and making quick decisions. What should you do? Knowledge is power, so take the steps right now to learn how to handle an emergency. In addition to the first aid kit you have for home, camping, have a fully stocked pet first-aid kit (see below) know where the nearest 24-hour emergency pet clinic is. It could mean the difference between life and death. And act cautiously—animals in severe pain or fear may bite.

CAR ACCIDENTS
A pet that has been hit by a car needs to see a vet immediately. Internal bleeding is common, and outward signs of distress may not show for several hours. Also, puncture wounds that close rapidly can cause life-threatening infections later on. Enlist someone’s help in moving the animal by sliding a heavy towel beneath it. To avoid being bitten, tie a strip of cloth over your dog’s nose, or cover your cat’s face with a coat.

BLEEDING
Using direct pressure, apply a clean, dry cloth to the wound. If blood soaks through the first layer of fabric, add more so you don’t disrupt any clots that may be forming. Use a tourniquet only as a last resort, and make it just tight enough to significantly reduce the flow of blood. Loosen it every five minutes, and don’t keep it on for longer than 20 minutes. Transport your pet to the vet as soon as possible. Read the rest of this entry »

New year’s resolution? Get your butt in shape. Animal inspired—of course.

Dog scooter. Produced in Bend, Oregon

Healthy body. Healthy mind. Fitness for man or beast. PM sees a lot of these Kanga boots lately and I need something that takes the strain off of these old bones. Check them out at kangoojumps.com

A Bend, Oregon manufacturer—possibly extreme terrain cyclists capital of the world—sent us info about their new product—for big, hearty animals only! Watching joggers run their companions on hot days or pulling the master who is on rollerblades raises a red flag. Play close attention to your animal, they would run themselves to death for you. dogpoweredscooter.com Read the rest of this entry »

My grandmother is ill and cannot care for her aging Yorkshire terrier.

Editor’s note: This is a letter to Cary Tennis, advice columnist, Salon Magazine

Dear Cary,

I am stressed and wrestling with an ethical dilemma: Would it be right to put down the 11-year-old dog of my grandmother, who has middle-onset Alzheimer’s disease?

It’s the eve of Thanksgiving and my grandparents are both here, with this dog, a tiny, whiny Yorkshire terrier who has learned to beg constantly. It’s not her fault; my grandmother forgets that she has just fed her, hears her whine (oh the sound of that whine!) and gives her another largish helping of steak or chicken or cookies, or whatever anyone happens to be eating at the time. As a result, the dog is overweight, out of shape (she will not walk more than five feet before stopping and dragging her feet), largely incontinent (I just wiped up hot dog pee 10 minutes ago), and the most annoying creature on the planet. I mean, I don’t have kids yet (I’m 24), but if this were my kid I would send it straight to boarding school.

Unfortunately, though, this dog is the center of my grandmother’s small and dimming world, along with my grandfather, who is in fine mental condition but has some cardiac problems — I think she likes to feel that the dog needs her and isn’t judging her for mental lapses (not that the rest of the family is, I think we’re doing a good job of stimulating and caring for her). My mom asked her once whether she would be more upset if she (her daughter) died or if the dog died, and she indicated that the death of the dog would make her more upset. Read the rest of this entry »

Ellen DeGeneres’ former dog Iggy, a 5-month-old Affenpinscher mix is returning to the spotlight, shooting a new Public Service Announcement for pet adoption awareness—and appears to be very happy.

Iggy on Entertainment Tonight; John Spellman/Retna Ltd.

The dog first made headlines in October after DeGeneres, with the best of intentions, gave the adopted dog away to her hairdresser. Because the move was against the Mutts and Moms pet adoption agency’s policy, the dog was taken back.

Keith A. Fink, an attorney for Mutts and Moms, says Iggy is now “doing famously very well and in a loving home,”

Fink would not reveal the dog’s whereabouts “for the safety of the adoptive family,” but stressed that Iggy has been placed “with a family that is a loving and takes great care of him.”

Added Fink, “Iggy likes to play with overstuffed animals and has a special preference for a stuffed turtle.”

Editor’s note: more background? Noted, this does not seem to be a happy ending for many people. PM is glad for pet adoption awareness however.

Source: US Magazine

Ellen Degenres brought “rescue” and “shelter” to the media. A good thing because when people talk, issues are better understood. It’s been a week. Let’s review.

Public reaction
The public response was swift, polarized, and far reaching. There were few surprise reactions with the exception of Craig’s List pet forum. PM was somewhat surprised by how the pet forum responded. Because this pet forum is an experienced, emotional, pro-adoption group, we expected the forum to attack the shelter for taking dogs away from a home, from children. On the contrary, CL sentiment was that Ellen should have read the contract, called the shelter, and not take this public on her show. The shelter got death threats.

The skinny
The inevitable inaccuracies are identified. We learn that her new dog was at a dog trainer for most of the days under Ellen’s care. That the shelter, Mom’s & Mutts, didn’t go to the media first. That the dog was finally, and confidentially, placed. That taking this to the airwaves is not going Ellen’s way a week later. That the shelter has not budged telling Ellen “If Ellen wants to place dogs and decide what’s a good home, then she should start her own rescue group. But I’m the one doing this and I know what I’m doing.” We learn that Ellen has given away a pooch(es) before.

Rearview mirror
It could be concluded that this was a fight between a star and an animal rescue group. Both sides trying to do what they thought was best for the dog. That there are two sides to whether the animal should be returned to the shelter: The American Humane Association “recommends” a more open adoption process that does not require the animal be returned to the shelter. Mom’s & Mutts, among other shelters, are standing fast: return the dog to the shelter. Most everyone stresses that the shelter or adoption agency should be kept in the loop and made aware of the pet’s whereabouts. Read the rest of this entry »

Scientific Name: Botia macracanthus
Other Scientific Name(s): Cobitis macracanthus, Botia macrocanthus
Common Name: Clown Loach

Clown loaches are very popular aquarium fish; however they are not always easy to keep successfully since they easily succumb to ick and are sensitive to poor water conditions. This article is intended to help new clown loach owners provide a good home for their loaches. Clown loaches are found in Indonesia (Sumatra and Borneo), and almost all clown loaches in aquariums are wild caught and distributed around the world before being sold. This can put considerable stress on the fish, and a vital step in getting a healthy clown loach school in your aquarium is choosing healthy fish. But how to make sure that you get healthy fish?

Image from Dorling Kindersley

- Check the general conditions in the fish store. Are there dead fish in the aquariums? Is the water clean? If some tanks are mistreated there is a good chance that there might be unfavourable conditions in others too. Only buy fish from stores that take good care of their aquariums.

- How do the clown loaches look? Clown loaches can give you an indication of their condition based on their coloration. A healthy clown loach shows clear distinct colours, while a stressed one loses its colours and becomes whiter. Only buy loaches that show their correct colours.

- Are the clown loaches well fed? Those that haven’t been fed correctly are hard to nurse back to health, and it is more than likely you will end up with a dead fish if you buy one. Look at their bodies and see if they look well fed, and ask the shopkeepers how often and what the loaches are fed.

- Are the clown loaches active? Healthy clown loaches are very active and full of energy. A healthy clown loach should be hard to catch. 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 »