Pet Monologues

Holiday shopping. Here come the animal products!

Even the strongest canine swimmer needs to be safe and seen in open water.

K-9 Float coat

Made by Ruff Wear

Seen at Ruff Wear

A turkey is either one of two species of large birds in the genus Meleagris native to North America. Turkeys are classed in the order Galliformes. Formerly they were considered a distinct family, Meleagrididae, but more recently were reclassified as a subfamily (Meleagridinae) of the pheasants and their allies. The two species are the North American Wild Turkey (M. gallopavo) and the Central American Ocellated Turkey (M. ocellata).

Meleagridinae, species not sure, anyone know?

Turkeys have a distinctive fleshy carbuncle that hangs from the beak, called a snood. As with many galliform species, the female is smaller than the male, and much less colorful. With wingspans of 1.5–1.8 meters (almost 6 feet), the turkeys are by far the largest birds in the open forests in which they live, and are rarely mistaken for any other species. The usual lifespan for a turkey is 10 years.

When Europeans first encountered turkeys in the Americas, they incorrectly identified the birds as a type of guinea fowl (Numida meleagris), also known as a turkey-cock from its importation to Central Europe through Turkey, and the name of that country stuck as the name of the bird. The confusion is also reflected in the scientific name: meleagris is Greek for guinea-fowl. Read the rest of this entry »

Holiday shopping. Here come the animal products!

“vengo anch’io” translates into “I’m coming too” and is Alessi’s small contribution to ensuring that pets are not abandoned when their owners go on holiday. a block of 10 detachable sheets of impermeable paper can be detached one at a time and, origami-like, folded so that a food bowl for your beloved pet can easily be set up. each bowl can be reused several times. 5″ x 5″ x 2″

designed by naoko shintani

Seen at unica HOME

Holiday shopping. Here come the animal products!

Much like a canteen for campers, this simple design is a compact carrier for your pet’s food and water. Made of two halves, the Charlybox includes a two-liter canteen for fresh water, and two bowls for water and kibble.

Great gift for a pet owner. Or treat yourself if you are an outdoors type person.

Seen at Design Within Reach (DWR)

A sequay from art to…endangered. What are the products below made of?

Fish skin! The jacket from salmon and found at the Textile Museum of Canada. The shoes by Puma are from the wolf fish. The bikini by Mio Destino from talapia.

The pros: waterproof, odorless (they are not fish sandwiches but cured hide), interesting patterns. The cons: not elastic like spandex, more like canvas. Yes, they are still animal products. But it does start one thinking about all the other materials available other than animal products.

Inspiration: Fishalicious

by Lucia Blinn

A body on the beach as long as my arms are wide.
Large glassy eyes crossed and staring in disbelief.
A family of round white barnacles
fastened to his hard brown hide.
Yellow marks like graffiti.
Paws outstretched. Tail too.
Poised to crawl but not crawling.
The tough old tortoise was never
meant to be seen like this.
Nor was he meant to be scooped
by the sand patrol who hauled him away
on an otherwise beautiful day.

About the author: Lucia Blinn

TGIF.
Check out the Friday Ark roster for this weekend. And Carnival of the Cats which goes up every Sunday and this weekend hosted by Justin’s Random Thoughts.

Center for Biological Diversity. Support fossil creek wild and scenic designation!

Thanks to your support, Fossil Creek in central Arizona is one step closer to becoming a congressionally designated Wild and Scenic River! Read the rest of this entry »

HSUS reveals extensive puppy mills in Virginia.

An HSUS undercover investigation in Virginia revealed that puppy mills are out of control. 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 »