July 2008 Archives
Saudi Arabia isn't known as the friendliest of places. They don't let women drive, they have a record of ghastly human-rights violations and they flog and amputate people for petty law breaking.
But now they're planning enforcing a law banning the sale of dogs and cats. It seems that they've discovered what owners of adorable pets in the west have always know: Animals are a great way to get a date.
But they don't want people getting too friendly over there. So you can't take them outside.
Violators found outside with their pets will have their beloved poodles and other furry companions confiscated by agents of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, the official name of the religious police, tasked with enforcing Saudi Arabia's strict Islamic code.
The commission's general manager, Othman al-Othman, said the ban was ordered because of what he called "the rising of phenomenon of men using cats and dogs to make passes at women and pester families" as well as "violating proper behavior in public squares and malls."
"If a man is caught with a pet, the pet will be immediately confiscated and the man will be forced to sign a document pledging not to repeat the act," al-Othman told the Al-Hayat newspaper. "If he does, he will be referred to authorities." The ban does not address women.
There are 1,263 chihuahuas named Princess living in Los Angeles County, making it the most common name-breed combination of all dogs.
What's particularly amusing to me about that is that while I was between dogs, my landlord parked his dog in my backyard for about a year. Yes, she was a chihuahua named Princess -- not exactly the kind of dog you want living in your house when you're a single, middle-aged man, if you know what I mean.
Here are some other fun things I learned on this really cool database the LA Times put togehter:
- There are 164 dogs named Rocket
- There are 56 bluetick coonhounds.
- There are 1,985 dogs living in my zip code (one of which is a bluetick coonhound named Rocket.
There are plenty of other fascinating things you can find on the database, which has really
clever categories like spaced-themed names (Rocket, Comet, Cosmo), dogs named after celebrities (there's an Alec Baldwin out there somewhere) and dogs named after food (Hello, Spaghetti!)
You can mix and match your searches. You can see how many of your favorite breed live in your neighborhood, stuff like that.
But I should warn you: It's addictive.
As we all know, politics is a dog-eat-dog world.
So who better than a 7-year-old yellow Labrador retriever for mayor?
At least according to a Daily Breeze story from Tuesday.
The
Associated Press reports that Willie Bean Roscoe P. Coltrane is running for mayor of Fairhope, Ala.
Some of his supporters say all the politicking, name-dropping and sign-maneuvering in the seven-man Fairhope mayoral race is wearing on them weeks ahead of the Aug. 26 election.
"I think he polishes up the field," said Vince Kilborn, 66, of Fairhope. "We need new blood."
Owner Tress Turner, shown in the photo, decided to enter Willie Bean in a satirical poke at politics.
The dog's campaign began when a mayoral candidate placed a campaign sign on the property that bordered Turner's Coffee Loft shop. When customers started griping, the shop declared itself to be politically netural in the race before deciding to run Willie Bean.
Willie Bean, like all candidates, will likely face some intense scrutiny. But the locals aren't worried.
"He doesn't have any skeletons in his closet," Kilborn said. "He's eaten them all."
AP Photo/Press-Register, John David Mercer
Here's a woof-worthy office supply for you -- especially if you run a pet-oriented business: bone-shaped paper clips.
You get 50 of them in a tin for $5.99. Cute. Very cute.
HT: Barkability.com
Charlie is a brown and white mixed breed dog who became separated from his owner when he got away from the LAX American Airlines terminal in Westchester.
He weighs 50 pounds, is about four years old and was last seen on Tuesday at the American Airlines Terminal. He is microchipped (#465E615944).
If you see him, call 1-888-HomeAgain (888-466-3242), which is Home Again's 24-hour recovery center.
You can also download the flier with photo to distribute.
Somebody lost a cat. I don't know how they lost it -- this particular cat weighs 44 pounds. That makes it two pounds shy of a world record for cat fatness.
The cat was found outside, without a collar, in Voorhees.
Officials at the Camden County Animal Shelter are calling her "Princess Chunk."
Shelter volunteer Deborah Wright tells The Courier-Post of Cherry Hill "Chunk" is built like a quarterback.
The largest tabby on record weighed 46 pounds, 15 ounces. That cat, who lived in Australia, died in the 1980s.
Some of you may remember my sister, The Crazy Dog Lady of Torrance. In fact, some of you ARE my sister -- she's one of our regular readers.
For some reason, she's into cold-weather dogs. She's had several samoyeds over the years and also owns a husky.
(My other sister likes poodles and I'm more into the houndy thing)
Anyway, her elderly dog Piper died about a year ago and she's been itching to get a puppy ever since.
This weekend, she finally took the plunge.
His name is Sherman. He's 3 1/2 months old and already weighs 35 pounds. He's going to be a big boy.
He looks like a lamb.
This is what my sister had to say:
While my other dogs (Cosmo and Jenny) get used to Sherman, he will be spending some time at a doggie day care. It's fun dropping him off in the morning watching all the other dogs welcoming each other like kids greeting each other at school each day.
I'll be introducing him to Rocket (the first-cutest dog in the South Bay) this weekend.
.
It was just a few weeks ago that I reminded people to keep emergency supplies handy in case of emergency like earthquakes.
Luckily, today's earthquake in Chino Hills caused little damage. But it's a good time to send out this reminder: Stay prepared.
The spcaLA sent out this warning. It's the same one they sent out warning about fire and heat dangers, but the message is still an important one
"Pets depend on us for their safety, food, water and more," says Madeline Bernstein, spcaLA President. "With the earthquake that just occurred, it is important to have a disaster plan in place to ensure all members of the family are accounted for properly and it only takes a little advance preparation."
The following are the most important things pet owner can do to prepare their pets for an emergency:
* Make sure there is a supply of canned/dry pet food and bottled water with other emergency provisions including pet prescription and medicine.
* If roads are blocked due to a natural disaster, professional help may not be possible immediately so familiarize yourself and other family members with pet CPR, resuscitation and general first aid procedures.
* Your quick action could save your pet's life Try not to display stress and anxiety when dealing with pets. Most animals are very aware of their owner's emotions and can read your stress. This can cause otherwise calm pets to display aggressive behavior.
* After a fire or disaster, check pet structures and favorite hiding places for hazardous debris.
* Ask your local fire department, animal shelter or veterinarian for a "Pet Alert" sign for doors and windows. If none are available, make your own by listing your pets on 3X5 card and display it prominently. This alerts emergency teams there may be pets that need assistance.
* Dogs and cats should wear I.D. tags with current address and/or phone number at all times. This will make it easier for you and your pet to be reunited if separated.
* Keep up-to-date on your pet's vaccinations. Pets may become disoriented and stray, or housed in shelters with other animals, thereby potentially becoming exposed to infectious diseases.
Visit spcaLA for more information.
(Originally posted by Donna Littlejohn on July 29, 2008 10:42 AM)
See Fred run.
See Fred swim. See Fred train for the Olympics.
(Originally posted by Donna Littlejohn on July 29, 2008 11:49 AM)Wow, quite an earthquake -- I just talked to Capt. Daniel Pantoja at the Harbor Animal Care Center in San Pedro who said people and animals there alike appear to be fine.
"It was pretty strong," he said. "The chair I was sitting in just started rolling. I thought we were going to have a barking nightmare, but everything was pretty quiet, business as usual."
Staff was going to do a walk-through to make sure there's no damage to the new shelter that just opened this summer.
Any animal issues/stories out there with the quake?
Well go figure.
It seems even the dogs are now doing yoga, er, make that doga (prounounced DOE-guh). Turns out it's quite the rage in New York City and London.
And now, even Rhode Island, according to an article in Sunday's Providence Journal.
Staff writer Byan Rourke writes:
Jack did the Downward Facing Dog. He did Cobra. But the pose the four-year-old mixed breed most preferred had no name. Call it Waiting for Belly Rub.
Yesterday, Jack did yoga; half a dozen dogs did. That's doga, short for dog yoga.
"I was a little skeptical," said Jennifer DeAngelis, a yoga instructor at the All That Matters studio in the village of Wakefield. "I didn't really think it would work. No one was more shocked than I was."
Perhaps the shock's just settling in with you.
Go ahead. Roll over. Play dead. Bark in disbelief if you like.
But doga does exist.
So what about cats? "Coga"? DeAngelis doesn't hold out much hope there.
"Cats are something all their own," DeAngelis says. "They don't like to follow rules. I'm not saying it's impossible. But I'm saying it would be a challenge."
Indeed.
Providence Journal photo by Bob Thayer.
HT: Critter news blog.
It seems even the dogs are now doing yoga, er, make that doga (prounounced DOE-guh). Turns out it's quite the rage in New York City and London.
And now, even Rhode Island, according to an article in Sunday's Providence Journal.
Staff writer Byan Rourke writes:
Jack did the Downward Facing Dog. He did Cobra. But the pose the four-year-old mixed breed most preferred had no name. Call it Waiting for Belly Rub.
Yesterday, Jack did yoga; half a dozen dogs did. That's doga, short for dog yoga.
"I was a little skeptical," said Jennifer DeAngelis, a yoga instructor at the All That Matters studio in the village of Wakefield. "I didn't really think it would work. No one was more shocked than I was."
Perhaps the shock's just settling in with you.
Go ahead. Roll over. Play dead. Bark in disbelief if you like.
But doga does exist.
And how about cats? "Coga"?
"Cats are something all their own," DeAngelis says. "They don't like to follow rules. I'm not saying it's impossible. But I'm saying it would be a challenge."
Indeed.
Providence Journal photo by Bob Thayer.
HT: Critter news blog.
You may remember Josh's post earlier this month about the dognapping of Kimbo -- and the happy ending when he was found and returned to his San Pedro home.
I saw Kimbo last week at the dog park. The happy, romping 116-pound, 2-year-old Rottweiller appears to have survived his ordeal in good shape. He's no doubt very happy to be back home again.
But not all stolen dog stories end so well. And dog theft these days is not all that unusual, according to
an article at PetPlace.com: .
Dog theft is a crime that is hard to measure in statistics. Some have put the number of total pet thefts at 2 million a year. ... However, it is often hard to discern whether a pet was stolen or simply wandered off and got lost.
Linda Fields, a journalist who founded FindFido.com, a nonprofit pet locater service, estimates that about 10 percent of the 1,460 dogs listed on her site were stolen.
According to National Pet Recovery, a private pet recovery company, about 41 percent of the cases reported to them involved a stolen dog. About 47 percent of lost dogs were those allowed to run loose.
See the jump for the reasons dogs are stolen -- and tips on what you can do to keep your pet safe.
Our thanks again to PetPlace for the heads-up and useful resources.
My Daily Breeze colleague Sandy Gerety passed on a horrific story to me today.
Sandy's former neighbor Lisa was at a Long Beach laundromat Friday night with her dog, Sugie Bear, a white furball of a Bichon Frise who is Lisa's constant companion. (That's Sugie Bear in the camera phone shot at right, in happier days playing with Sandy's T-shirted dog, Desi).
Sugie Bear was standing in the laundromat's open door -- she'd been taken off her retractable leash for the moment -- like she has hundreds of times before as Lisa was collecting her laundry at around 8:30 p.m. A man pulled up to the curb and opened his car door, presumably to get his laundry out.
Like many of these incidents, time probably clicked into agonizing slow motion for those involved at that point -- the man's pit bull dog charged out of the car's open door and viciously attacked the 2-year-old smaller dog. Both owners tried to frantically separate the animals, eventually succeeding. But not before the near fatal damage was done.
Major surgery and literally hundreds of stitches were required at the animal ER in Bellflower (VCA Lakewood Animal Hospital). Sugie is now home recuperating. But she's far from out of the woods. Aside from still being on large amounts of pain medications, Sugie is on heavy doses of antibiotics which doctors hope will prevent infection. The next couple days are crucial.
"She is the sweetest dog," Sandy said. "They literally had to sew the bottom half of her body back together. She is now fighting for her life."
On top of it all, Lisa lost a chunk of her thumb in the fray.
But that's probably nothing compared to the mental anguish of watching her dog go through something like that. Sandy was told there was blood everywhere in the landromat and in the back seat of the car as Lisa's friend drove the traumatized dog owner -- holding her screaming pet in her lap -- to the nearest after-hours pet hospital.
On the plus side, the owner of the other dog did provide a credit card on which to charge the surgery.
Probably all kinds of "coulda - shoulda" hindsight lessons can be learned here. But this is the main one in my mind: Dogs should never be allowed to simply "jump out" of a parked car uncontrolled. My dogs ride in the back of my vehicle, but after I open the back door, they know they must WAIT until I have a firm grip on both leashes AND give them the "OK" command before they are allowed to exit.
In the meantime, be sure to send up some prayers this week for little Sugie Bear, the doctors who are treating her, and her owner. We'll keep you posted on the outcome.
Celebrity Chef Rachael Ray is the latest star to launch her own pet food line (Nutrish) based on recipes she's come up with for her pit bull, Isaboo. The new enterprise is charity-driven, with all proceeds from sales going to Rachel's Rescue, which she founded to help animals.
"It seemed like a lot of extra time to donate to something that could potentially raise millions of dollars for championing these little creatures that can't speak for themselves," Ray said.
A line of food for cats also is being planned.
But not everyone is giving the new food a five-paw rating. Dog Food Project, a web site devoted to analyzing commercial pet foods, finds Ray's recipes lacking.
You be the judge.
Remember Knut, that adorable little polar bear cub that captured the world's attention last year when it was abandoned by its mother and raised by humans at a German zoo?
Little Knute ain't so cute no more. In fact, he's turned into something of a monster.
Being raised by humans has turned the adorable cub into what one person calls a "suffering psychopath."
As Knut grew larger, he grew considerably less cute and more unpredictable. The harmful effects of so much human contact began to surface and Doerflein was removed as sole keeper. The daily shows ended.
By this spring, at 15 months, Knut was a psychological mess, so addicted to human attention and adulation that he whimpered or howled in anger when no one was nearby. Whenever he picked up Doeflein's scent, he cried plaintively.
Peter Wallerstein is familiar to beach communities as the guy who rescues lost, abandoned or trapped sea mammals. I imagine that over the years, his Marine Animal Rescue has saved thousands of seals and sea lions.
But Peter has apparently been spreading his wings lately. In his most recent e-mail to us, he recounts how he saved a couple of birds from South Bay streets -- a breat blue heron in Marina del Rey and a pelican in Lawndale.
Here are their pictures. For non-bird experts like me who can't tell a canary from a crow, the heron is the top pic.
A new dog park opened today in New York City, the Tompkins Square Dog Run (that's Rascal, king of the hill, shown on the Dogster site article about the new park). And from the sounds of it, this could mark something of a breakthrough in the long debate over the best ground cover for the off-leash facilities. From The Villager:
After six years of planning, followed by nine months of construction, the dog run has dog advocates across the country licking their chops in anticipation. Specifically, the run features a state-of-the-art surface. Using several layers of rock, landscaping fabric and a new top surface called Plymouth Brown Screenings, the surface will allow dog urine and rainwater to drain directly through the run, meaning it won't emit unpleasant odors. In addition, organizers may eventually add zeolite, a lava mineral that deodorizes urine by breaking down the ammonia in it.
"It's going to be the standard for all New York City dog parks," boasted dog advocate Garrett Rosso.
I don't know how he does it, but this man can apparently make puppies fall asleep at will.
Woo-hoo, let's hear it for Colorado Springs!
The city of 372,437 has been named the 2008 DogTown USA by Dog Fancy Magazine.
"Some cities clearly roll out the red carpet for dogs and their owners," Dog Fancy editor Susan Chaney said. "Each year, it's gratifying to read about so many organizations and individuals who work toward making thier cities welcoming to dogs."
Each year the magazine calls for readers to send in nominations for what they think is America's most dog-friendly cities.
The contest criteria: plenty of dog-friendly open spaces and dog parks, events celebrating dogs and thier owners, high vet-to-dog ratios, abundant pet supply and other services, and municipal laws that support and protect pets.
Turns out there are three dog parks in Colorado Springs, in addition to three off-leash hiking areas (and few states offer more gorgeous landscapes for hikes with your dog).
From the Colorado springs web page: "The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department does realize that dogs enjoy having areas where they can run and 'burn off some steam,' so we offer several off-leash areas."
Runners-up included two Southern California cities, Huntington Beach and Long Beach. The magazine hits the stands on June 29.
This post isn't about an animal I work with. Charlie is a Labrador Retriever who belongs to the mother of someone I USED to work with.
Sure, it's a stretch, but now you have an idea of how desperate I'm becoming for things to post about.
Renee (my former colleague), first showed me a picture of Charlie when he was a cute little puppy. He looked like that dog in the toilet paper commercial. Really, what's cuter than a Lab puppy?
Well, look at him now! He's gigantic.
Here's what Renee has to say about him:
You can see his "certificate of achievement" in the background for graduating from doggy obedience school. He's a good dog. He weighs 130 pounds (about 40 pounds more than my mother), but he doesn't give her any trouble.
He's really a nebbishy dog - doesn't like to go outside or touch grass (my mom claims he's allergic. Have you ever heard of a dog allergic to grass??)
Work began this week to install the mister system at the new Harbor Animal Care Center at 957 N. Gaffey St. in San Pedro.
The system is expected to be complete and working by the end of this week.
In the photo at right taken by Daily Breeze photographer Brad Graverson, a dog named Max watches Ray Vanegas work on Tuesday.
A Daily Breeze story today focuses on the new efforts to recruit volunteers at the shelter.
Last week, we posted an item about a dog that was removed from its San Pedro home.
Well, we have some good news: Kimbo is home.
Here's the e-mail I got from its owner:
After a lot of agony and an ordeal that ended with Kimbo being
dognapped and transported to Porterville, he's back home, a couple of
pounds lighter, but in pretty good shape.
Andrea didn't want to get into too many details because of an ongoing investigation. But she wanted to send her thanks to everybody who helped her find Kimbo.
I want to say that the network of concerned pet people in our community is
truly awesome. Kimbo was recognized by someone from the flyer and that led
to his successful retrieval on Sunday.
Thank you for helping spread the word and being willing to help.
I'd like to thank everybody too. I don't know if the person who recognized Kimbo reads this blog, but some concerned citizen out there brought a lot of joy to a family by helping get their dog back. Thanks.
As we reported Sunday, an elderly woman suffered serious injuries when the home in the 2900 block of Dalmead was destroyed by fire.
But this e-mail was forwarded from a block captain, asking people to not only help the family, but also the family pet, which was also seriously injured.
This is the e-mail:
Thankfully, the family survived the horrific fire, but their home was destroyed and they LOST EVERYTHING!. The family dog, Gemini, barely survived. The fire department carried Gemini out of the home and neighbors came together to resuscitate the dog. The fire department then stepped in and gave Gemini oxygen. A neighbor volunteered to take the dog to the vet. Gemini was taken to Animal Emergency, 3511 PCH, 310-325-3000. The medical care for Gemini will be expensive, but necessary. The family loves this dog.
Gemini's lungs were filled with smoke, he was wet and dirty and had a gash on his nose. The vet, Dr. Brown, said the next 48 hours are crucial. He is not eating, but is doing well considering what he's been through. He had high levels of carbon (I'm sorry, I forget the long word the Vet used) in his blood and received 6 hours of oxygen treatments. He has already had one x-ray and will need another in 48 hours to determine if there is permanent damage to his lungs. The low end of Gemini's medical expenses will be $1,976.69. The bill can get up to $2,474.66.
If you would like to contribute to Gemini's medical fund, you may go directly to Animal Emergency at 3511 PCH. Please tell them that you are there to give a donation to Gemini Cummings. Or, you may leave a check at the home of Susan Burns 25215 Weston Rd. Please make checks out to Animal Emergency. If you donate, please let us know so that we can properly thank you.
The family is well, from what I understand. Everyone is alive. Mrs. Cumming's sister is stable but is 85 years-old. Doctors are concerned about her lungs and the threat of pneomena. Keep the family in your prayers.
This is a list of donations that the family needs, put together by Valerie and Patrick Carnaham, who live two doors down from the Cummings. Both children have special needs. Josh is Autisic and Laurie has Down Sydrome. If you can help with any of the items listed below, please leave them on the Carnaham's door step with your name and address. They live at 2822 Dalemead THANK YOU!!!RICK, YOKO, LAURIE AND JOSH CUMMINGS
CLOTHING AND SHOE SIZE
YOKO - TENNIS SHOES 7.5 TO 8 WOMENS
PANTS - 12 WOMENS
TOPS - LARGE
RICK - SHOES 11 WIDE/FLIP FLOPS
T SHIRTS - XXL
LAURIE - SHIRTS 16
YOUNG MISS MEDIUM TO LARGE PANTS OR SHORTS
TENNIS SHOES - 4 WIDE /FLIP FLOPS (SLIP ON ONLY)
TOYS - DISNEY MOVIES VHS OR DVD/BARBIES/ETCH A SKETCH
JOSH - PANTS AND UNDERWARE - BOYS 32
TENNIS SHOES - 6-7 /FLIP FLOPS (SLIP ON ONLY)
MEDIUM SHIRTS
NOTE: JOSH IS AN EXTREMELY BRIGHT AUTISTIC YOUNG BOY AND LIKES TO SPEND TIME ON THE INTERNET, THE MOTHER (YOKO) IS ASKING IF ANYONE HAS A LAPTOP W/WIRELESS CAPABILITY FOR TEMPORARY USE.
Support the Dodgers and homeless and abused animals at the spcaLA Night Aug. 1 at Dodger Stadium.
Discount tickets are available online through the SPCA for the Dodgers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks game that starts at 7:40 p.m. You can also call 323-730-5300, Ext. 232..
The first 50,000 people at the game will receive a Dodgers cooler bag.
Right Pavilion tickets include all you can eat Dodger Dogs, nachos, peanuts, popcorn, Coke products and water.
Don't miss reporter Sonja Sharp's "Walking in Solidarity" piece in today's Daily Breeze about Wakoda, a 10-year-old dog who has helped kids with cerebral palsy.
Wakoda and his owner, Noralu Longtin, are part of the Torrance Memorial Medical Center's Pet Visitation Program.
There's also a video linked to the story.
Kudos to volunteer Theresa Sardisco and Capt. Daniel Pantoja & staffers Martha Lopez, Mercedes Grey -- and I know I've left out a bunch of others.
And kudos to the nearly 30 people who turned out Saturday afternoon for an informal "meet and greet" session designed to launch a new volunteer effort to assist San Pedro's new city animal shelter. Many of those attending have never volunteered at the shelter before.
The eventual goal is to start up a nonprofit group patterned after the successful "Friends of the Library" groups that operate in so many communities, including throughout the city of Los Angeles. That will make it easier to raise funds in the community that can go specifically to the San Pedro facility.
Volunteers willing to devote 8 hours a month can indicate preferences for the work they want to do -- bathing dogs, walking dogs, answering telephone calls in the office, helping
with mobile adoptions, working with cats or other animals, assisting customers. Training is available. All you have to do is download an application from the city's volunteer information page. Applicants must be 16 or older.
At its heart, volunteerism is all about working on behalf of others without motivation for gain. Commitment, enthusiasm, humility and being a team player are all vital qualities.
Some years ago I volunteered at a Christian soup kitchen in downtown Los Angeles. While being assigned by those in charge to hand out the meals was considered the "best" job, most of us volunteers wound up washing or drying dishes in the back kitchen the entire time. But that was OK. The idea was to do even the smallest chore with cheerfulness, as a service to God and others.
As a first step you might want to visit the shelter (open Tuesday through Sunday) at 957 N. Gaffey St. You can also call the shelter at 1-888-452-7381, Ext. 143 or Theresa, who got the ball rolling on the new volunteer program, at 310-386-7932.
Oh, and by the way -- if you want to jump right in, volunteers are needed to help staff the shelter table at the Taste in San Pedro Aug. 2 & 3.
The animals will thank you!
We've been spared most of the withering heat here in the South Bay that has plagued much of the rest of Southern California this summer.. We've been lucky to have a marine layer keeping us cool, but other parts of town have reached 112 degrees a few weeks ago.
And with two months to go until autumn, you can be sure there will be plenty of hot days ahead.
And being that this is Southern California, there's always the threat of earthquakes.
Animals are at risk during these times and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles strongly recommends pet owners prepare for emergencies by following a few simple guidelines.
"Pets depend on us for their safety, food, water and more," said President Madeline Bernstein. "... It is imperative to have a disaster plan in place to ensure all members of the family are accounted for properly and it only takes a little advance preparation."
SpcaLA suggests the following:
- Make sure there's a supply of food on hand, along with emergency provisions such as medicines and prescriptions.
- Learn pet CPR. Rescue crews may be busy elsewhere or unable to reach you.
- Keep calm around pets. They can respond to stress, which can cause animals to display aggressive behavior.
- Check pet structures and hiding places for hazardous debris.
- Post "Pet Alert" signs on doors and windows. If you can't find one at your local fire department or animal shelter, make your own.
- Make sure animals wear ID tags at all times.
- Keep pet vaccinations up to date.
- Alert local shelters immediately if your pet is missing.
For more information, call the spcaLA at 888-spcaLA-1 or visit www.spcaLA.com
It's the weekend and I'll bet at least some of you are washing your dog (that's my dog, Cowboy, at right -- he hates baths).
Well here's a deal: A car wash business in Iowa (I love Iowa) has added a cat and dog wash for a one-stop "wash everything" package.
For $8, you get 10 minutes at the pet washing station -- pre-soak to shampoo to a gentle rinse and dry. KCCI, a Des Moines television station, tells you all about Lynn's Laser Car Wash.
HT: Mutts at the Baltimore Sun, one of our favorite blogs.
Woa, little did I realize ..... Chalk this one up to inflation.
Kimberley Foley, general manager of i Love Dogs, tells me that our earlier post about the world's most expensive dog collar got the price all wrong.
Oh sure, it used to be $1.2 million. But that was then. Now, Kimberley tells me that the price
of their one-of-a-kind 52-carat diamond collar with more than 1,600 hand-set diamonds stands at $3.2 million.
The rising cost of diamonds and platinum, don't you know.
While the Torrance-based company can't reveal any names, Kimberley says there have, indeed, been some inquiries from prospective buyers -- "high-end, VIP people."
I'm guessing the price might be a bit stiff for most of our readers.
But not to worry. There are other bejeweled dog collars offered on the ilovedogs site (see models Gigi and Mushu above). Like the exquisite Amour de la Mer with only 500 diamonds and a sapphire, although the exact price isn't listed.
Sanam, who is among the elite group of readers who follow this blog, told me she thinks her
dog, Indi (that's Indi left/below, doing some yoga moves), would look good in the Amour Amour.
I don't know.
I see Indi in something a little less delicate, maybe something a bit more "coach," like ilovedogs' Jeune Cheri shown below:
If you're interested in purchasing one of these collars, you should call www.ilovedogs.com at 888-456.8966.
Indi's ready for her collar fitting now, please.
Here are some good tips on issues to consider about adopting a dog. -- and .dogtime offers advice and even a quiz.
Karen Shirk of Xenia, Ohio, is profiled in a CNN story that tells about how her 4 Paws for Ability nonprofit group, founded in 1998, is helping children with autism.
The dogs help kids with a variety of issues, from mobility problems to seizures, but from the start Shirk wanted to find ways to assist children with autism.
Her program has placed 319 autism assistance dogs to children since 1998. The dogs are trained to intervene when a child is frustrated, reducing tantrums commonly known as "meltdowns."
But perhaps their most important role is to just be a friend. "For our children with autism, their dog might be the only friend they have," Shirk said. .
I'm reposting this entry from yesterday because I'm hoping that someone will see it and help find Kimbo.
I also just heard from Kimbo's owner, who informs me that her dog was stolen from her backyard. You can read her entire letter in the comment section.
***
Just got an e-mail from a friend who let me know about a missing dog in San Pedro. I'm not sure of the details, but I wanted to post this as soon as I can.
Kimbo the rotweiler went missing from his home near 10th and Pacific.
If anybody has any information, please call Andrea Kowalski at 310-433-3349 or Mike Rivero at 310-720-3407. There is a reward.
Keep in touch with me and I'll post any updates.
Barack Obama has promised his children that if and when he becomes president, one of the first things he's going to do is get a dog.
I don't know if this is just a ploy to snag the all-important pet-owning vote, or if his offer is sincere.
Whatever his reasons, good for Barack. I have a theory that if everybody on the planet owned a Labrador Retriever, all wars, murder and misery will immediately come to an end.
The AKC immediately piped in with advice on what kind of purebread animal will fit his active lifestyle.
But the animal rescue group Best Friends has it's own suggestion: Why not adopt a purebread? Along with the usual assortment of mutts, there are plenty of fancy-pants dogs available.
And they did what all good Americans do when they want to get a point across: They started a petition.
Go ahead and sign if if you want. I'm fairly certain this won't commit you to anything come the November elections.
This morning at the dog park, I whistled for Rocket and he actually came running over to me, wagging his tail. It was a really sweet moment and one that indicates a deepening bond between us.
The timing of it was perfect. It was four years ago today that I had to say goodbye to my last dog, Buck.
Here's a picture of him. I'm also incuding a little something I wrote about him after he died. I e-mailed it to a few friends, but I enjoyed writing it and all the memories it helped bring up.
He was the laziest dog who ever lived, and he never chased a ball in his life.
He'd growl if I woke him up too early and curl up in the warm spot as soon as I got out of bed.
He'd bark at people he knew and ignore complete strangers. He'd cry when I'd to the bathroom unless I left the door open.
He never came to the front door when I came home. Instead, I'd have to go prowling around the house looking for him. He'd usually be sleeping on my
bed with his head on the pillow.
He liked to chase squirrels, but never caught one.
He rarely ate bones. Instead, he liked to carry them around in his mouth after dinner. It looked like he was smoking a cigar.
He once ate a pound of hamburger meat in 43 seconds. I timed him.
He was a hunting dog who would run and hide if i smacked a piece of bubble gum.
Once, when he was inside the house and wanted to be outside, he broke through a plate glass window. Another time, when he was in my car and wanted to be outside, he chewed through the convertible top.
He knocked down a friend's Christmas tree, and after much apologizing and careful reassembling, he knocked it down again an hour later.
One time I accidentally stepped on his tail. About 10 minutes later, he snuck up behind me and bit my butt. That's when I knew he had a sense of humor.
He'd been hit by a car and once jumped out of a car that was moving. He never did that again.
He wasn't the most affectionate dog. In all the time I knew him, he licked me maybe eight times. But when he did, I knew it really meant something.
He got lost once and turned up a day later six miles away. When I found him, tired and hungry, he crawled into my lap and cried. For days after, he'd look at me from across the room and start to cry again.
He walked without a leash and sometimes, he'd hop over a fence, poop in someone's backyards, and then jump back over the fence again. It made me laugh to imagine what those people thought when they'd find it back there.
The times I had to leave him for more than a day, he'd sleep at the front door and wait for me
He could climb fences and trees, He enjoyed sitting on a branch like a bird and just wait for people to walk by and gawk at him.
A couple of times, he got too high and was afraid to come down, so I had to climb up after him and coax him down.
When he was young, he was shot in the chest as he tried to protect a group of autistic children from a group of thugs. I figured that after that, he deserved a lifetime of pampering, which is what I tried to provide.
His biggest joy in life, other than sleeping, eating and walking, was hanging out. At birthdays, I taught him to sing Happy Birthday with everybody else when the candles were being lit. He always sang the "too you" part with a big "roo roo."
He hated baths, but loved to splash around in mud holes. At least twice a year, he would roll around in yucky stuff -- god knows what it was -- he found in in the park. While dragging him into the bath after he did it once, I asked him if it was worth it. "Yes," he said. "Yes it was."
He was a handsome boy with silky red hair who once appeared in a syndicated comic strip.
I was young when I got him. The first day I had him, he followed me around the house and I remember thinking that there was no way I could deal with having a dog for the next ten years.
But 10 years came and went and then another seven. We grew middle aged together and then I watched as the red hair on his face started to turn gray. He was once the fastest dog in the park, but as the end came, he had trouble making it to the corner and back. He was n