Chihuahua Cake
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
If you see someone sticking a knife into a chihuahua, it's probably one of Debbie Goard's cake sculptures.
Debbie Goard has a background in art, with nearly two decades of experience in cake design. Over the course of her career she has crafted a motley array of edible artworks. Check out her
Sushi Cupcakes, and her
dead rat cake.
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GlobalPetFinder Releases New GPS Collars
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Last January I reported in an short article entitled, "
GlobalPetFinder - GPS For Your Dog" about a dog collar containing GPS technology to help you locate a lost dog.
The company, GlobalPetFinder, has added a new product called "
Softguard".
Softguard is a water-resistant neoprene cover for the GlobalPetFinder GPS device. It provides your dog with more comfort when wearing the GlobalPetFinder GPS device. Available in jet black and dayglo green.
Thanks
GPS Review
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Adopt a Dog for Christmas
Monday, November 28, 2005
This time of year, many writers and animal activists are cautioning people against buying a puppy for Christmas. But the fact is that there are perhaps hundreds of thousands of dogs across this country who don't have permanent homes.
The argument they give is that people who buy puppies as Christmas gifts do so without thinking through on their purchase. That is, instead of urging people take more responsibility in buying a puppy, they elect to shut puppies out of Christmas.
But even in December, dogs continue to find themselves lost or abandoned. The fact is that dogs do indeed make great Christmas gifts. If you could go to the local animal shelter, and ask every dog there if it would like to be someone's Christmas gift, they'd all tell you that they would LOVE to be someone's Christmas gift.
The point is making sure your recipient is committed to owning one.
If you plan to buy someone a dog for Christmas, here are my tips:
- Don't make it a surprise gift - Talk to the recipient and find out if they're ready to commit as much as 15 years of their life to caring for a new family member. If your kids are asking for a puppy, consider yourself as the dog owner, not the kids.
- Let the recipient select the dog - Don't take a chance on picking out a dog you think he or she would like. Even if you know the breed of dog they want, you still can't determine which particular dog they feel something special with
- Take them to the local animal shelter - Instead of buying a puppy, adopt a homeless dog. Many shelters don't stop euthanizing dogs just because its December. I guarantee you if you take someone to see the dogs at a shelter, they won't leave without wanting to adopt one.
Instead of spreading a message that Christmas is the wrong time to bring a dog home, we should instead make it the best time. You can extend the Spirit of Giving by giving a home to a dog.
You just need to make sure that you and/or the recipient is committed to caring for one.
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Tover® Coats Needs Materials for Katrina Dogs
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Earlier this year, we
reported of a new dog coat called the
Trover® Dog Coat. Toni Cherrett, who makes and sells the coats, is now asking the public to help her make coats for dogs displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
The coat is called "Katrina Coat", and Toni is asking everyone to donate sleeping bags, duvets (not blankets) dark coloured duvet covers or sheets and webbing tape to make them. The first batch of coats will be donated to the Humane Society of Louisiana. Visit her
press release on how to donate materials.
The Trover® Dog Coat is unique in that it doesn't have underbelly straps or leg straps. Rather, it secures into place using thigh cuffs and a neck, thus preventing it from rotating around or slipping off.
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Painting 4 Paws Now Offering Collage Paintings
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Karen Derrico,
known for producing colorful paintings of rescued dogs, is now offering collage paintings on a commission basis.
Karen donates up to 25% of the proceeds to animal welfare charities.
To make the collage paintings, she works from several different photographs submitted by the client. She combines paint elements that relate to the subject(s) (i.e. a pet's favorite toys, sleeping place, etc.), along with words, colors and textures to create a truly unique and meaningful piece of artwork.
Pictured here is her first collage painting, created as a donation for the Muscular Dystrophy Association annual fundraiser. The boy in the painting is Mattie Stepanek, whose poetry books topped the New York Times Bestsellers list. To see a larger, more detailed version of the painting,
click here.
Contact Karen at her
website if you'd like to commission a painting from her. Your money will help out a great cause.
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It's Veterinarian Approved
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Everywhere you look, pet products all seem to be "veterinarian approved". Exactly, what must a product go through to get such a distinction?
My all time favorite has to be the
PupCups. It's just plain old water, no additives, no flavorings. You could drink it yourself. Yet, they make the claim that it's "veterinarian recommended". Like, what veterinarian wouldn't recommend water?
Another company that makes "all natural" dog treats has a veterinarian approval from actual veterinarian who
claims that, "Amazing Dog Treats is the only product that I am aware of that does not have any harmful ingredients or preservatives." Does this mean that all other products are harmful?
Well, if a veterinarian said it then it must be true right?
For starters, all animal drugs, medicated feeds, food additives, feed ingredients, and a minority of pet foods sold in the USA, whether prescribed or over-the-counter, are "veterinarian approved". This is because they have to be
reviewed and approved by the Food & Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine. The Center has a veterinarian that oversees this agency, and hence anything that passes muster, is "veterinarian approved".
Commercial pet food manufacturers have veterinarians on staff, who mostly take a consultative role, advising on nutritional balances and ingredients. These manufacturers can make the claim their products are veterinarian approved also, albeit the veterinarians are on the company dole.
One problem with trusting veterinarian approval, is that vets can disagree on things. The famous BARF diet (bones and raw food) was
developed by a veterinarian, claiming that feeding raw meaty bones promotes good health. But another veterinarian debunked this theory
claiming that it's the meat on the bones that promotes good health, and used nutritional data to prove that dogs derive little value from bones, if any at all.
In fact, it's not just food and drugs that get veterinary approval, but services too. There are
pet sitters who claim to be veterinarian approved, as well as
dog trainers. Here's a
taxidermist claiming to be veterinary approved.
So how much faith can we put into a stamp of "veterinary approval"?
The truth is that there are no laws and regulations on exactly what "veterinarian approved" means. Every veterinarian has his or her own opinions, and thus, if one veterinarian won't approve of your product, you can find another one who will.
In the case of PupCups, they actually have a veterinarian provide a
statement of recommendation, noting that "Water is essential to almost every function in a dog's body..." Does it make you feel better knowing that water is recommended by a veterinarian?
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Get the PawPlunger
Sunday, November 27, 2005
The
PawPlunger is the latest in pet cleaning products, designed to help you keep your dog's paws clean.
When "Mimi" is ready to come into the house, you "plunge" each foot into the PawPlunger, and the soft bristles and water cleans off all the dirt and mud. All you have to do is fill it with water, and it's ready to use.
In fact, it's the invention of Brianne Leary, an actress, war correspondent, writer, and now inventor. Pet owners might know her as the host of the Animal Planet series "Petsburgh".
PawPlunger is expected to reach store shelves next week, or can purchased online for $29.95 from its website.
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Advent Calendar for Pets
Saturday, November 26, 2005
The Associated Press
reports that a pet shop owner in Austria created an advent calendar for pets. They look just like a regular advent calendar, but behind each day, is a biscuit for pets, instead of chocolates for kids.
Heide Obermeier, who created the calendar, told Austrian television she has already sold 4,000 calendars.
About half of the calendars were snapped up by dog owners, 35 per cent were purchased by cat lovers and the rest were bought by people who keep rodents as pets, she said.
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San Diego Dog Beach
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Eyes shut Bulldog
Originally uploaded by Cynr.
"OB Dog Beach
Oct. 2005"
Lot's of great photos from the San Diego Dog Beach, 104 photos in all, in this Flickr set, including plenty of action shots.
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Discover Card has Dogs
Friday, November 25, 2005
Most people who have credit cards, probably have a Discover Card. Did you know that they offer credit cards with dogs on them?
They have 23 different kinds, each with a different dog breed:
Beagle
Bichon Frise
Boxer
Bull Dog
Chihuahua
Cocker Spaniel
Dachshund
Dalmatian
German Shepherd
Golden Retriever
Husky
Jack Russell
Labrador Retriever
Poodle
Pug
Rottweiler
Schnauzer
Sheltie
Shih Tzu
Weimaraner
Westy
Yorkie
Dog Treats (ok, so it's just 22 dog breeds!)
Click here to see them all
.
I may have to trade my Discover Card in for a Beagle Card.
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Store Sells Real Dog Poop
Friday, November 25, 2005
Yes Virginia, there really IS a store that sells real dog poop.
DogDoo.com sells bags containing real dog poop. Each piece of work comes heat sealed in a clear plastic bag, gift wrapped, and shipped out to a recipient of your choice, from an anonymous address.
There's even some grass mixed into the poop for effect.
Depending on the "nature" of your situation, you can select from small, medium, and large packages. Pictured here is Buster, and 110 pound Rhodesian Ridgeback who produces their large package. The company has two other dogs that produce the other sizes.
At least you gotta respect these guys for picking up after their dogs!
Prices range from $14.00 to $24.00.
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Otto Step Helps Dog Owners Save Their Backs
Friday, November 25, 2005
A husband and wife team in Albany, Oregon have introduced a product to help older dogs get into the back of an SUV.
The "
Otto Step" fits into a standard trailer hitch, and provides a step allowing special needs dogs to get in and out of an SUV without hurting their legs and backs, thus saving dog owners themselves from having to lift heavy dogs.
$59.95 from Otto Step
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The Dog Ate My Teeth
Friday, November 25, 2005
Hawkes Bay Today
reports that local police brought 46-year old Kim George McKain into court yesterday charged with breaking the town's liquor ban.
Judge Richard Watson noted the man slurring, and asked him why he was having trouble talking.
McKain said that he was having problems with his dentures because his dog, a Jack Russell, had snatched them right out of his mouth, and chewed them up.
"You've got to watch those jack russells," the judge said. "They're about as bad as a Jack Daniels."
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Dog Clings to the Front of a Car for 60 Miles
Friday, November 25, 2005
The BBC is
reporting that authorities at Earlswood Veterinary Hospital in east Belfast are seeking the owner of a dog that clung to the front grill of a car for 60 miles.
The driver thought he had struck something on the dual carriageway outside Coleraine after hearing a thud, but when he saw nothing on the road, he continued unaware of his "passenger".
It was only when he got out at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast that he heard a barking sound coming from the front bonnet.
Somehow, the dog managed to hold on to the front of the car, for 60 miles.
Despite the circumstances, the dog is pretty well, with no serious injuries, despite an angry demeanor. Because of his grumpiness, they named him "Father Jack" in honor of the cantankerous priest from the television sitcom Father Ted.
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Nestle Chocapic
Friday, November 25, 2005
No,
Nestle Chocapic is not dog food, it's people food, a breakfast cereal for kids.
Chocapic is sold all over the world, except for North America. It's a chocolate-based cereal, with a chocolate taste. And when you pour milk on it, the milk gets a chocolatey taste too.
You probably know where I'm going with this. Nestle decided to use a dog as the central character to pitch this product. The
French version of the product has a website showing a kid and his dog both sitting at the table, eating this stuff.
Don't you think this sets up a
problem of kids tossing M&Ms and other chocolate candies at their dogs? I think Nestle could have done better to use another character.
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Father Wants Tough Pit Bull Laws
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Last Monday, I blogged that County Board Members in McHenry County, Illinois were holding a special public hearing on what to do in response to recent
pit bull attacks.
Today, the Chicago Tribune
published the sentiments of one man who spoke up at the hearing. His son was mauled by a pit bull earlier this month, and still remains in intensive care.
On Monday, he asked the county's new Dangerous and Vicious Dog Task Force to prohibit pit bulls from living within 1,500 yards of a school or park. He said pit bulls should be muzzled in public. He wants pit bulls not owned by a breeder to be neutered. And he said they should undergo yearly obedience training and be destroyed if they fail.
"That would identify any aggressive dog," Foley said in the interview. "And it would ensure that the owners of these dogs could control them.
"I've heard so many times that it's not about the breed, it's about the owner taking responsibility. Well, I'm outlining a number of ways for owners to take responsibility."
Foley also called for laws requiring pit bull owners to carry $4 million in liability insurance.
These are the words of an angry man, and you'd be angry too if it happened to your son. This happened because government won't spend money to enforce animal and pet laws. Lawmakers seem to be more interested in gay rights, helping illegal aliens, and kicking God out of our schools. Where are they on going after the irresponsible pit bull owners? Where are they on going after gangs?
This is why I urge pit bull owners to do the ground work themselves. They must organize into community watch groups, and become vigilant against irresponsible pit bull owners. If they can identify the bad owners, collect photographic evidence, and be willing to testify, the police can do the easy part.
As it stands now, the police are not willing to spend time investigating the few bad apples that give pit bull owners a bad name.
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Frankenstein and Olive
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
best ever
Originally uploaded by uhoh_over.
"most favorite doggy pic ever."
There are 20 fun photos to look at of two dogs named Frankenstein and Olive. Some pretty good shots of them having fun with a water hose.
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Sam Calendars Available
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Lulu.com, a print-on-demand publisher, is making available a
2006 Calendar of Sam, the world's ugliest dog.
Sam made news recently because of his death. As a tribute to his friendly personality with the looks from Hell, Lulu is offering us 12 months of Sam in all his ugly glory.
$18.00 from Lulu.com.
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Viatek Glow Leash
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
The
Viatek Glow Leash combines an illuminated dog leash with a flashlight. The leash will glow steadily, or flash on and off. The flashlight is a dual beam 10,000 hour strobe light.
Runs on 2 AA batteries.
$29.95 from Pro Travel Gear
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Dogster Announces Top 150 Finalists
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Dogster.com announced that it has produced the top 150 dog and cat finalists for its World's Coolest Dog & Cat Show.
Check out the
top 150 dogs.
All of the photos are great. You won't be disappointed.
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Pit Bull Owners Must Become Vigilant
Monday, November 21, 2005
Tonight, county board members in McHenry County, Illinois, a rural area north-west of Chicago, are
discussing what to do in response to pit bull attacks last month.
It's a classic story. Some people get attacked by pit bulls, and it spurs lawmakers into discussing what to do about it.
I don't advocate breed bans, but I do advocate personal responsibility. If owners of dangerous dogs don't take responsibility in training, as well as restraining their dogs, they will lose the right to own their dogs. Cities like Denver, and Provinces like Ontario, have already demonstrated this.
I keep hearing pit bull owners crying, "don't punish the breed, punish the deed". But they don't offer any viable solutions. They just point their finger at the irresponsible owners, meanwhile, more people get attacked. If pit bull owners don't do something on their own, government will lose patience and do something about it.
Pit bull owners need to stop chanting their little catch-phrase, organize themselves, and go after the bad apples that are giving them all a bad name. As it stands now, we cannot rely on law enforcement to solve this issue for us. Hence, pit bull owners must become vigilant, or else watch their rights disappear.
Perhaps they should create a "Minuteman Project" to root out bad pit bull owners.
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Perfect Fit Dog Food
Sunday, November 20, 2005
One of the brands of dog food produced by Masterfoods is called "
Perfect Fit", a brand found only in Japan.
The reason why it's called "Perfect Fit" is because its formulated for a specific breed of dog, and even broken down further into specific age groups.
Pictured here is the variety for Miniature Dachshunds, aged 7 years and up. There's a separate product for Miniature Dachshunds below 7 years.
Perfect Fit is available for six small dog breeds in all, Miniature Dachshund, Shih Tzu, Chihuahua, Welsh Corgi Pembroke, Toy poodle and Papillon. Each breed has two varieties, the basic variety and the elderly variety.
Perfect Fit is targeted to owners of show dogs, and is designed to promote the features and qualities specific to each breed.
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Some Data on Pet Cancer
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) released some data regarding cancer in pets, based on actual claims received.
In 2004 alone, more than 17,000 cancer-related claims were received by the insurer, representing the third highest type of reported health problems.
VPI claims data from the past four years revealed that the most common cancers in dogs were lymphosarcoma (a cancer affecting the lymph node system), skin tumors and osteogenic sarcoma (bone cancer). The data also suggests that cats similarly suffer from lympohsarcoma and skin tumors, but showed higher rates for partial mastectomies (breast cancer) and small intestinal cancer.
Overall, the 2004 cancer-related claims submitted to VPI represented 176 different canine breeds and 30 feline breeds. These claims include all age groups, from kittens and puppies to geriatric pets.
As of November 16, visitors to VPI's Web site are able to purchase limited-edition
Pet Cancer Awareness collars for their dog(s). All profits will go directly to the Animal Cancer Foundation, an organization that develops and supports research that advances the prevention and treatment of cancer for people and pets.
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Yorkie Stream
Saturday, November 19, 2005
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Emergency Pet Clinic Directory for your Cell Phone
Saturday, November 19, 2005
PetDex is like an online yellow pages directory of pet related businesses. They recently announced the release of a mobile version called, "
Mobile PetDex", designed for cell phones and handheld computers.
However, the mobile version contains only listings of emergency pet clinics. So, when you're out some place, and Daisy comes up gimp, you can whip yer cell phone and find the nearest emergency pet clinic.
Best of all, it's free!
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Penalties on Man-Dog Sex to Soften in Massachusetts
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Poochmaster
wrote about an attempt in Massachusetts to soften the laws on bestiality. As something so pervertedly backwards, I had to research this for myself.
Senate Bill 938 does exactly that.
Here's the
existing law on bestiality...
Section 34. Whoever commits the abominable and detestable crime against nature, either with mankind or with a beast, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than twenty years.
Here's what they want to change it to...
Section 34. Whoever commits a sexual act on an animal shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 20 years or in a house of correction for not more than 2 1/2 years, or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
There are effectively two changes:
1. To remove the phrase, "abominable and detestable crime against nature, either with mankind or with a beast". Notice that "mankind" was in this phrase. This removes the adjectives from the law, and makes it non-judgemental.
2. Give judges more discretion on how to punish convicts.
If you consider that liberals have been relying more heavily on judges to enforce law, then you can understand their rationale here.
But the message that's really being sent is that bestiality is something people should not judge across the board. But rather, let a judge decide if an act of bestiality was "not that bad", or "was very bad".
If you regularly take your dog to a groomer, and one day discover that an employee has been copulating with it, the new law can let that person go, almost scott free. The absolute most minimum punishment is a fine of $1.00. It all depends on the attitude of the judge. Take a look at it, and tell me if that's not true.
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San Francisco Passes Mandatory Pit Bull Sterilization
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Associated Press
reports the City of San Francisco passed new laws that require the spaying and neutering of pit bulls.
This all comes five months after a 12-year old boy was mauled by his family's pit bulls. The law seeks to punish all responsible pit bull owners for the mistakes of a few.
Of course sterilization has no effect in making a dog docile. The rationale, rather, is to reduce the number of dangerous dogs in society, and sterilization is a "humane" alternative to death. The goal is to make it harder for people to acquire pit bulls, by making them a rare commodity. Hence, the net effect is a pit bull ban.
It makes sense, considering San Francisco has managed to attract notoriety as the most dog friendly city in the country. Mayor Gavin Newsome had to actually get
special legislation passed at the State level just so that he could enact a breed ban without actually enacting a breed ban. All in the name of protecting his city's precious status.
Why sure! Any city that's going to cut off my gonads, whether I like it or not, sounds pretty friendly to me!
Fine, if San Francisco wants to ban pit bulls let them. They've enacted so many other stupid laws, that we may as well take advantage of this new guinea pig for draconian measures. The country needs an example to remind itself why we fight for freedom and liberty, and we may as well make an example out of them.
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Perfect Pets
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
This
sleeping puppy looks so peaceful that you'd just want to admire it, and not wake it.
But it's fake. The mechanical replica has fur that feels soft and real, and when you it stroke it, it's body starts breathing for 5 minutes.
There's a kitten version too. Probably would make a great office gift.
Requires 2 AA batteries.
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Original Breeds of Dogs
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
"the original breeds of dogs". Now there's a phrase to ponder about.
I came across that one on
another blog.
The blogger wrote this particular article with a bias in favor of the PETS Act. It's also worthwhile to note that the blogger doesn't live in the USA, but in India.
It was the last paragraph that took me...
The mechanical production of animals is a serious issue, doesn't matter what the purpose is. Just like cloning, it is playing with nature and the original breeds of dogs and cats which get degraded after prolonged unbridled breeding.
Just what are the original breeds of dogs?
The long and short of it, there is only one original breed that I can think of, the wolf. But the truth is that we don't have any evidence on how or where dogs originated. Our assumption is the wolf.
Studies show that ancient Egyptians had greyhounds. Another
study showed that most of the dogs found in North America can be traced back to East Asian dogs dating as far back as 14,000 years ago.
But as far as we know, all dogs were the creation of Man. That is, we bred them using a process called "selective breeding", and selected certain offspring that carried favorable traits. It's assumed these traits had something to do with functional needs, like hunting and herding. As time moved on, dogs were bred for sporting purposes. Then, dog shows upped the ante, and tested the skills of many breeders.
For this reason, there is no such thing as the "original breeds of dogs". Either we don't know what they are, or they all came from the wolf.
Today, most dogs exist as companion animals. They're not necessarily needed for hunting, herding, or gaming. Some of the reasons why dogs end up in shelters, is because their owners have difficulty adapting them as companion animals. I can tell you that my beagle requires a lot of responsibility, because if allowed to walk out of the front door unleashed, she'll never come back.
That's perhaps one reason why we need breeders to develop innovative new breeds designed to adapt to our current needs. We live in smaller spaces, denser communities, travel a lot, leave home during the day, etc. We need new breeds designed to adapt to this. Moreover, people want dogs that don't shed hair, that are non-allergenic, and are easily house-trained. This is the purpose of breeders, to give us the dogs that we want.
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Pet Animal Welfare Statute of 2005 (PAWS Act)
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
I've seen references to the PAWS Act on other websites and blogs, and decided to do some research on this.
In short, the bill (
S1139 and
HR2669) seeks to regulate small-volume, home-based animal breeders, what are often referred to as "hobby breeders". These are folks who breed and sell puppies on a small scale, often as a side business. They mostly cater to clientele who seek dogs of specific breeds, mixes, traits and/or bloodlines.
Senator Rick Santorum (R) of Pennsylvania introduced S1139 as a way to fight puppy mills. But in a press release, he
admitted that the PAWS Act does not establish any new animal care standards...
PAWS does not require or justify creating any new animal care standards, like our previous legislation did. It focuses only on bringing under regulation high volume commercial dealers currently evading regulation and on strengthening the Secretary of Agriculture’s ability to identify and bring into compliance high volume dealers who are not in compliance with existing law or, as a last resort, shut them down.
In effect, the PAWS Act tries to address puppy mills by affecting all small volume breeders, whether they are puppy mills or not. It's another example of "
lazy legislation", that makes everyone suffer for the acts of a few bad apples.
I tried to read the texts of the above bills but found it very difficult to understand. It consists of insertions, deletions, rewordings and recodifications, to the point where you can't understand what its intent is without first having an intimate knowledge of the Animal Welfare Act, and its history.
Therefore, I rely upon analyses from two sources, "
Whence Comes the Reversal of Course", by Jeff Helsdon, Esq., Director of the DPCA Legislative Committee (opposing to PAWS), and, "
Questions and Answers About PAWS", by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) (favoring PAWS).
I'll start by telling you that I'm against this legislation.
The HSUS tells us that the PAWS Act is necessary because it feels that the breeding of dogs has exploded thanks to the Internet:
The growing popularity of the Internet has created an unintentional loophole in the current law, allowing these commercial breeders to classify themselves "retail pet stores" and evade all federal oversight.
But I counter that statement by saying that there's no cause for federal oversight unless some kind of negative outcome has occurred with hobby breeders. HSUS will argue that the negative outcome are the puppy mills. But I say that hobby breeders are not puppy mills. They're breeders who cater to clients with very specific demands and are known to pay up to $2,000 for the most outstanding of traits. Puppy mills were not the creation of the Internet. They existed long before, thriving in newspapers and pet shops. It's a gross injustice to associate hobby breeders with puppy mills.
If the PAWS Act gets signed into law, two things will happen. First, many hobby breeders who sell more than the minimum levels defined in the PAWS Act will go out of business because it will force them to obtain a USDA license, and they will not want to make modifications to their home just to get that license. Second, those puppy mills that Senator Santorum is speaking about will move their operations into the Caribbean or in Mexico, where they will be totally free from US oversight.
Moreover, the PAWS Act appears to affect rescue organizations as well. Most proponents claim, however, that it does not. But Jeff Helsdon, an attorney who has analyzed the PAWS Act,
states that it actually will..
Any rescue person or organization, therefore, must shut down after the 25th rescue in a given year - or not receive compensation for their costs associated with rescuing the dog or cat from the local shelter, having it micro-chipped and spayed or neutered, advancing veterinary costs and so forth.
The solution to fighting puppy mills lies at the state and local levels. The federal government is incapable of fighting this because it can't define what a puppy mill is. Congress had made attempts to define this before, but failed to pass anything because it couldn't come to an agreement. Too many states had too much interest at stake.
The PAWS Act will actually create more puppy mills. This is because it's a solution that puts a mask over a problem. We're supposed to rest easier thinking that we finally have a law that will crack down on puppy mills, when the fact is that this law has no teeth. The problem of puppy mills will flourish under this law because we'll relax thinking the USDA is going to do something about it.
I say that it has no teeth because it doesn't explain how the USDA is supposed to monitor the tens of thousands of small volume breeders. In fact, it doesn't even provide the USDA with additional funds to monitor breeders, license them, or hire agents. How is the USDA supposed to enforce this new level of regulation, if it doesn't have the means to carry it out?
At best, the PAWS Act is just a law designed to scare legitimate breeders out of business, in hopes that a few of those breeders might have had some kind of substandard living conditions. But do you think that those puppy mills, the ones who make the big bucks, are going to be scared out of business by a piece of toothless legislation?
If you think so, then boy do I have a great piece of vacation property to sell you!
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Rabbit Flavored Dog Food
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Purina Darling, a dog food brand that Nestle sells in Hungary, has a new
rabbit variety. It's said to contain a minimum of four percent rabbit meat.
Just goes to show how paradigms differ in this world. Could you imagine the Hell that would be raised if a rabbit variety hit store shelves here?
It was only 30 years ago that rabbit was something we ate when my dad was in the mood. My mom would go to the butcher shop and buy rabbit. We'd have barbecued rabbit, broiled rabbit, and rabbit stew even. I remember my neighbors in San Diego had a rabbit pen with maybe 20 or so rabbits, and every other weekend they'd pull one out and make rabbit tacos. Not kidding you! This was a Mexican family, and back in Mexico rabbit is a cheap and plentiful food source.
Try that now, and they'll put you on Animal Precinct.
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SnoreStop for Pets
Saturday, November 12, 2005
SnoreStop, the company known for all those spray-based snore remedies, has come out with a
version for pets.
KCBS Channel 2 has some
online video of this.
Snorestop For Pets comes in either a tablet, or spray form. It's effectively a homeopathic remedy, all natural, and no side effects.
Sells for $9.99 at PETCO.
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Newton Detoxifier for Pets
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Is Muffy feeling a little too under the weather?
Maybe the problem is too many "toxins" in her poochie system. Newton's has an answer for you,
Newton Detoxifier for Pets.
The label says it stimulates liver and kidney function to remove toxins and improve metabolism. Among its ingredients are: Bryonia, Chelidonium, Berberis vulg., Nux vom. 10x. Taraxacum, Solidago, Juniperus, Carduus marianus, Carduus benedictus, Cynara scolymus 3x. Alcohol 15%.
Alcohol 15%??
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Doggie Murphy Bed
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Dog owners in cramped living spaces might appreciate the new
Pet Murphy Bed.
Great for recreational vehicles and campers, the travelling dog no longer has to be concerned about making its own bed. Just jump out, and lift it shut!
Ok, maybe a little help from the owner might help!
Comes in three colors, mahogany, black, and natural.
$199.95 from Midnight Pass
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Another Pit Bull Ban Passes in Canada
Monday, November 07, 2005
This time it's in The Pas, Manitoba.
Sam over at Pooch Master
blogs about this one.
The Mayor of The Pas says that no one has ever been attacked by a pit bull, but what the heck? Why not ban 'em anyways!
This is classic...
Mayor Gary Hopper says no one has been bitten or attacked by a pit bull in the town, but adds that some people have been barked at or threatened by their look.
What, are folks in The Pas that wussed out?
I've been looked at by some pretty threatening looking teachers in my grade school days. Maybe that's what happened to me! Maybe I was scarred for life when Mrs. Anderson rushed over to me, twisted my arm, and looked at me really mean for telling a joke. Hey, let's put a ban on all teachers named "Mrs. Anderson"!
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Microchip Wars
Saturday, November 05, 2005
Last January I
posted an article about the "microchip wars". I also posted some other articles
here. I'd like to bring the subject back up to get more opinions.
In summary, there are two microchip "standards". The "ISO chip" calls for a microchip that transmits data at a frequency of 134.2Khz. This frequency is endorsed by the International Standards Organization, and is the chip most often used in other countries.
Here in the United States, the majority of microchips transmit data at a frequency of 125khz. All shelters, rescues, and veterinary offices in the USA are equipped to read chips at this frequency. Two companies, Avid and Digital Angel, manufacture these chips.
Avid has been blamed for not making readers that will read the ISO chip. However, Avid actually does make them, in fact they make "multi-frequency" readers that detect either frequency, but they don't distribute them in the USA. Avid is also accused of trying to prevent competition by encoding the data using a proprietary encryption method. This makes it impractical for other companies to sell multi-frequency readers in the USA.
Because of all this, the ISO chips have not gained a foothold in the here.
Moreover, Avid has also been blamed for seeding the marketplace, by distributing their specialized readers to animal shelters, rescues, and veterinary clinics for free.
The "brew ha ha" started when Banfield began selling ISO chips. Banfield is the chain of veterinary clinics found in PetSmart stores all across the USA. Pet owners who bought the ISO chips from Banfield complained that when their animals got loose and ended up shelters, the microchips were not detected. Some of these owners failed to check the nearby shelters in a timely manner, resulting in the deaths of their pets. This all came about because shelters were either not equipped with ISO readers, or simply did not want to scan each animal twice.
In effect, Banfield was selling chips that did not work in the USA. They knew many shelters were not equipped with ISO readers. Banfield eventually notified their customers that these chips may not work, though long after the fact, and after many pets were needlessly killed.
So, the questions are:
1. Is there a problem?
2. Is Avid at fault for trying to corner the USA market?
3. Is Banfield at fault?
Here are my answers:
1. There is no problem in the United States. Make sure you buy a 125khz chip, and you're good to go. If you choose to buy an ISO chip, then you're putting your dog at risk. You know what the situation is. Do what's best for your dog.
What if you take your dog to another country? Avid distributes multi-frequency readers in other countries. So it's not like you're totally SOL. However, if you're in a position of having to rely on a microchip, then maybe you need more practice before buying a real dog.
2. I can't say that Avid is at fault for trying to corner a market. All companies seek to corner the market, that's what companies do. Banfield would love to be in Avid's position. It's Banfield's problem for not being savvy enough to compete. They could have just as well distributed free ISO chip readers to all the shelters.
3. I won't go so far to say that Banfield is at fault. They were certainly within their rights to sell ISO chips, though it wasn't smart. If anything, Banfield was at fault for not warning their customers about these chips. Moreover, Banfield could have sold 125khz chips if they wanted to. Considering their reach, I'm sure Avid or Digital Angel would love to do business with them.
If Banfield's concern was for the animals, why didn't they sell the 125khz chips in the first place? We didn't have a microchip problem until they started selling ISO chips.
Love to hear your comments.
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Zinngo Tennis Ball Collar
Friday, November 04, 2005
Don't you hate it when you take your dog to the dog park, and discover you forgot to bring the tennis ball?
Now, you can get one attached to your dog's neck!
Zinngo is a dog collar that comes with a special tennis ball holder. This way Mr. Snuggles is always ready to play some fetch with you.
$10.00 from the Zinngo website.
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KongTime Auto-Kong Dispenser
Friday, November 04, 2005
If your dog stays home alone while you're away at work, then consider getting the
KongTime
.
It's a Kong dispenser, that releases four treat-filled Kongs throughout the day. You can set it to release them over an 8-hour period, or over a 4-hour period. This way Molly doesn't have to sit around watching the same ol' doggy DVDs all day.
Watch the
streaming video online.
KongTime is available from
PETCO.
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New Vegetarian Dog Kibble Hits USA
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
A vegetarian dog food sold in England as "Happidog" is now available in the United States under the name "V-dog".
Because meat is bad for dogs!
As it's name implies, V-dog contains no meat-based ingredients. The makers say that this is actually better for a dog, enhancing its immune system, aiding in cases of sensitive digestion, skin problems, though without providing any explanation of how it does this.
The ingredients of V-dog, however, doesn't seem to be all that much different than your typical Nutro Max dry kibble. Both V-dog and Nutro Max are based on wheat, corn, and rice meal, and seem to contain the same vitamins, and many of the same jibberish that only a chemist could recognize. While Nutro Max cites meat ingredients, V-dog cites veggie ingredients.
Honestly, I don't see how V-dog is any better or worse than meat kibble. It's still wheat-based like the other stuff. Just because it doesn't have any meat ingredients doesn't make it better. What matters is the nutritional content.
And as far as nutritional content goes, it sounds like it's pretty good stuff. I'm just not sold on the "vegetarian is better" concept. If anything, it's a good sales tactic.
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Why Dog Guardianship is More Dangerous than Dog Ownership
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
The City of San Francisco, back in 2002, agreed to
change its laws by removing the word "pet owner" and replacing it with "guardian".
Seems innocent enough at first glance. But it has a more sinister side, one that few people understand.
The Dog Federation of Wisconsin has published some
very revealing text on this matter. In short, using the word "guardian" instead of "owner" allows animal rights activists to have your dog taken away.
To sum it up, guardians have much fewer rights than owners, in a legal sense. As a guardian, you are under public scrutiny, and anyone can petition a court to remove you as guardian, based on any criteria they see fit. It's up to a court, as well as your defense, to show otherwise. If you don't show up to court, you naturally lose the case, and the dog.
Under an ownership, on the other hand, both dogs and their owners are protected from this legal lunacy. It's clearly bad for a dog to be passed around between several guardians and shelters, hence ownership ensures dogs have a permanent home, protected from animal rights fanatics.
Don't let your dog become public property! Be aware of what issues your City Council is addressing, and speak up.
Via
Pooch Master
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Fruit Loops for Dogs
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Well, it's not exactly fruit-flavored, but then again, neither are real Fruit Loops anyways!
Mars, Inc. recently launched a new brand of dog food under its Frolic brand, called "
Mini Frolic". The Frolic brand is sold in Germany.
Mars, Inc., which makes the Pedigree brand here in the USA, describes the new dog chow as, "a juicy meal of vegetables, meat, fish, and wheat". It's effectively dry kibble, presented in vitamin enriched multicolored rings. Not quite a "juicy meal" is it?
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