Recently in Pets and holidays Category
Here it is, that time of year again. Already.
The first of several pets-with-santa photo sessions takes place this Saturday (Nov. 21) to benefit the Peter Zippi Fund for Animals.
It all happens at the VCA Coast Animal Hospital, 1560 Pacific Coast Highway, in Hermosa Beach. Hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Bring your pets to pose for a professional photo session with Santa. Photos can be loaded onto CDs or used to make unique, one-of-a-kind holiday greeting cards.
The $15 donation supports the Peter Zippi Fund's work with homeless animals.
I don't know who will be playing Santa. But good luck to you, sir.
(Photo from Dogster )
Congratulations to South Bay pet owners for surviving another Fourth of July.
Things were fairly quiet in my neighborhood, but I mean that in relative terms. While it did sound like a war zone, it was less of a war zone than last year.
The cat just ignored all the pops and whistles. And the dog spent the night in camp (that's what I tell him the kennel is). The kennel I take him to (Kennel Club and Resort in Torrance) is in a fairly industrial area, so it was pretty low key. It's air conditioned and the dogs can bark at each other all night with impunity.
Best of all, it's safe and secure. If Rocket were at home, I'd be worrying all night that he'd escape or start howling or something.
It was money well spent.
"While Tom Cruise may well object to the psychotropic juicing of family pets, I contend that, like Brooke Shields, there was no choice.
"I realized this a year ago on the Fourth of July when Jack chewed his way through a pair of French doors. We were gone for an hour but a nearby artillery-barrage-like fireworks display started early and Jack went like Mel Gibson in 'Patriot.'"
To read Daily Breeze columnist John Bogert's entire July 7, 2005, piece about surviving the Fourth with his dog, Jack, see the jump. (Jack, by the way, is a German shorthaired pointer and looks nothing like the dogs pictured here. I tried to get a picture of the real Jack, but the only one John had was on his cell phone, apparently non-transferrable to this blog.)
I just got this e-mail from Katie Casey from Formula, a pr agency in El Segundo. She offers some very smart and common sense tips for helping your pets get through the stressfull Fourth of July holiday from the World Wide Pet Industry Association.
I copy and paste her letter because she makes the point as clearly as I could...
While the nation celebrates this holiday with fireworks and other festivities, the Fourth of July can cause extreme stress on your pets.
The loud noises from fireworks, bright flashes of light and smells of sulfur can create an environment that is unfamiliar and hostile to pets. The World Wide Pet Industry Association (WWPIA), the oldest non-profit association dedicated to promoting responsible pet care, offers a list of expert tips on how to reduce your pet's anxiety this Fourth of July.
- Bring all pets inside - Pets are animals; they can become easily spooked by loud noises and bright lights. Even a well-behaved and extensively trained pet will try to escape if they feel they are in danger.
- Create a "Safe Room" - Choose a room in your home that is secluded from outside noises. Be sure that the room is well ventilated and cool, as anxious pets will pant heavily. Close the blinds and play music, which will help block outside noises. Be sure to keep food and water in the room.
- Offer comfort items - Surrounding your pet with their favorite toys, blankets or treats will help to provide some distraction.
- Keep your doors closed - Constant foot traffic in and out of the room where your pets are staying increases the chances that they will escape. Only have one person who is in charge or periodically checking on the pets.
- Properly ID your pets - As a responsible pet owner, your pets should have ID tags and be micro-chipped. This will help recover your pet should they escape.
- Accidents happen - Don't punish your pet if an accident occurs in the home during this time. The stress and fear produced from loud noises can often cause house trained pets to urinate in the home. Instead, plan ahead. Cover the floor with newspaper and remove any expensive rugs that could be damaged.
For more information and news regarding pet safety, please visit PetSource.org.
It's almost the Fourth of July. Really. It's next week already.
So be honest, isn't your dog just panting to express his inner patriot? Why not indulge him a bit. Here's a "Boat Dog Bed With Anchor Toy". How cute is that?
And only $269.00 from www.muttropolis.com.
Sadly, the sailor hat's not included.
How is your pooch going to celebrate the 4th?
About the Bloggers
Daily Breeze reporter Donna Littlejohn has shared her homes with a succession of wonderful, funny, and occasionally difficult canines -- Muffin, Fritz, Ellie, Mercy, Pilgrim and now Cowboy, an Australian shepherd-border collie, and Tess, a border collie. From strong-willed terriers to weirdly obsessed Australian shepherds, they've invaded her world with boundless energy, wet noses, muddy paws and soggy tennis balls. But they've really brought so much more than that -- like laughter and joy, some unexpected life lessons, and more than a few tears along the way.
E-mail Donna at donna.littlejohn@dailybreeze.com.
Josh Grossberg grew up with the usual array of animals: goldfish, dogs, hamsters, parakeets and turtles. He now owns the loudest dog in the South Bay(Video: Rocket the Dog) and is the least popular person on his block. He spends his free time in dog parks, pet shops and always has an extra plastic bag in his pocket just in case. He also has a cat.
E-mail Josh at josh.grossberg@dailybreeze.com.