August 2008 Archives

Got this email from a very reliable source. Five puppies were dumped dumped in their neighborhood. There seem to be two are black labs and three are blonde/yellow labs.

Here's the email:

They're FREE

Please help find these babies find homes. If you can't take one, *please forward to anyone who may be interested*. We found these FIVE lab pups in our neighborhood this morning. Apparently, someone dumped them. We think they are 6-8 weeks old. Attached are a few pictures. Really need to find a home we are leaving to go out of town on Saturday. Just let me know if anyone is interested.

Lauren......
714-943-0905 or lverity@oakley.com

They may be in Orange county, but Hey!! if you can help these dogs, then why not drive down there and check them out!!

More photos on next page

I was finally able to get some photos of the lost mother cat. Her name is Pee Wee although she does not have a collar. These aren't the greatest photos in the world but it gives you an idea of what she looks like. If you live or work anywhere near Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Northridge, or any other nearby areas and you see or find a cat that looks like her, Please let me know. You can reply to this post, email me here or call the number on the craigslist ad. CLICK HERE to read the ad.

Got yet another email about dogs that have been found and need homes. The two dogs in question are a poodle mix and a terrier mix. Check out their photos and read the story from the person that found them.

Aren't they cute?!

Jodi (I think) with the dogs.
Not sure where the dogs are but I know they are in the 626 area code. Regardless of where you live, if you're looking for a dog, here's another chance to adopt some really cute ones. Here is her email (some of it has been edited):

About 3 weeks ago my sister, Loretta, was at a Park and saw three little dogs running in a dump area looking for food. She said that bystanders had seen them there for a few days and were pretty sure that is where they lived knowing that they can find scraps of food there. Loretta told me that a couple said that they tried to get the dogs to come to them to no avail. So my sister Loretta parked her car near the dump, under a shady tree, opened all her car doors and waited them out 1 whole hour before they all sat around her car. One even jumped in the vehicle and was laying in there to rest.

They were so matted, dirty, and full of flees and ticks yet my sister found it in her heart to take them with her and call me to help. When she first arrived to my home she let them out of the car and we gave them food and water. All 3 seemed just so happy to have people around them and more then happy to just hang out with us. From this point we felt God sent us these 3 precious dogs and that it was our duty to help them. So, we first took them to the pound and let them keep them for 5 days in hopes that they would have a chance to be adopted. We were blessed. One of them had been adopted within that five days. As for the other two it was curtain call time, if you know what I mean so I adopted them out of the pound. The last 2 weeks have been an amazing transformation for these 2 loving dogs. From living in the park dump, matted/dirty and filled with flees and ticks they are now spayed, micro chipped, been given their shots and have even had a trip to the groomers with a nice hair cut and flee and tick dip bath and are in good spirits.

We believe that one is definitely a poodle mix of some sort and the other is terrier mix. The Poodle mix is a white male and the terrier mix is a girl. The doctor at the pound believes that they are both about 1 year of age and that the female terrier mix has had a litter of puppies in her short life already. Both are really sweet dogs. The are good around children and would be a great loving companion for someone who needs a pal 24/7 around the clock.

We need to give these two dogs a good life now. Both are very loving and kind. They love to be together and we would love to find a family willing to take them both in. But if not, we can find each of them a loving family. Their first year of life has not been so good so we ask that if anyone is interested in giving both or even just one of these dogs a home that you take into consideration the following:

You have the time for an animal (s)
That lots of love can be provided
We prefer to find homes that will allow them to be indoor family members and, if possible, have time for nice walks. We are willing to do test trials on a temporary basis if needed. We don't want anyone to feel obligated to keep them if it doesn't work out. We are more then happy to take them back and keep trying until we find the perfect homes. Besides, more then anything, we want you to be just as happy with your possible new doggie as we want them to be just as happy with their new possible owners.

If you or somebody you know might be interested or have any questions, please contact me, Joni, at 626-488-4238. This is my cell number. If I don't answer please leave your name, number and a good time to reach you and I will be happy to call you back as soon as I can. Thank you so much!
God Bless you all
Joni

Not the kitty I caught but this is what he/she looks like!
Yes I skipped a day of blogging because yesterday was extremely busy. I've got several things to write about including a dog that is looking for a home. But for now you'll just have to read more about my cat trapping experiences. I caught one kitty this morning that does not look like it's been fixed (i.e. the cat's ear was not tipped). So I moseyed on down to Devonshire Animal Hospital to drop said kitty off to get snipped! He/she will stay in my porch overnight and I'll release him/her in the morning.

That's what I call this woman. I'd really love to meet her someday and I'd give anything to be able to do something like this.

Visit her website HERE!

Besides babies and small furry animals, you can now travel easily with your bird...yes your bird. I know someone that would love something like this (he's got at least 15 birds). Now...just like your dog or the occasional cat (yes some cats like to go places), you can take your bird to the park or the veterinarian with ease. Now I'm not so sure if taking your bird to the park is a good idea. He/she might get upset because they'll completely envy all the wild birds out there that get to fly free. I can just picture a bird inside of this thing wishing he were up in the trees. But if you think your bird would like something like this, you can buy it for $29.99 at Doctors Foster & Smith.

Source: The Pet Blog

Although I'm still distraught over losing the momma kitty (I'm not giving up hope), it's a consolation to know that something good did happen from it. It turns out that this gal was declawed and possibly dumped in the complex by her previous owners. While it's protocol to post ads to find the owner, my volunteer friend said that we shouldn't be too adamant about finding the owner. People have called me about losing their cat but it wasn't the right kitty. I have reservations about giving a declawed cat back to an owner that lets it roam. First of all, cats should NOT BE DECLAWED! (yeah that's my two cents). Here are some FACTS ON DECLAWING. A declawed cat should never be let outside because it does not have its front claws to defend itself against other animals. If you don't want your cat scratching the furniture it's easy to train them to use a scratching post. My Marcie has almost never scratched the furniture (except when she was a kitten) and she uses her scratching post religiously!! And if you can't stop them from scratching your high-end couch, you can always use Soft Paws or Soft Claws. Or here's an even better idea: just don't allow them to go into the room where that particular furniture is in.

Anyway...back to the kitty at hand. She is deemed highly adoptable and will be put up for adoption soon since she's got a clean bill of health and she's already spayed. Oh, and by the way...Sandra decided to name HER Simone after me, the person that rescued her.

But please don't forget about the missing kitty. I found out yesterday that her name is Pee Wee. As soon as I can get a photo I will post it here.

Maggie with volunteer Jen.

New Leash On Life just posted another update on Maggie the mange-ridden dog. CLICK HERE for the full update.

As you can tell, Maggie is doing very well! :)

Initially, Maggie showed a bit of aggression from her crate towards other dogs, but has actually proven to be very friendly. She was introduced to one of our staff's dogs and actually loved having a buddy to meet. She did so well, in fact, that she has just been moved into a foster home with 2 other dogs. She is thriving!

Can't wait to see photos of her with the foster!!

First of all....WE GOT THE LAST KITTEN!! But that's for another post!!

I'm really learning allot about trap and spay procedures. And you know what? It's kind of fun in a strange sort of way. I still haven't caught the momma kitty that got out but I was able to catch another cat that's been roaming around.

Remember this dude? Well this dude is not a dude...SHE is a DUDETTE! hahahah!! And just so you know, I'm referring to this post.

For some reason I knew I would catch this kitty because he..uh..SHE hung around very close to where I set one of the traps. Sure enough this morning I found her sitting in the trap. She was scared but was actually pretty calm. I called Sandra to help (I'm helpless in these situations in the moment) because I had to get to the Petsmart to clean the adoption cages and the go to work. What do I do with this kitty sitting in a trap? She had told me to call her if that happens. She met me at Petsmart to see the kitty. That's when we determined that he is a she. She's actually very docile and friendly and may have been spayed already. I'm not sure if she's someone's pet so I'm going to post signs around my apartment complex to see. Plus we'll see if she's microchipped. I really don't think she belongs to anyone because I've seen her roam around for months now. Today she's getting checked and if she's healthy and no one claims her she's going to be up for adoption.

While I'm still sad about the momma kitty, I'm happy to help this kitty!! But please pray that I catch the momma kitty. As you know, she is not spayed and is my ultimate goal.

Hmmmm...just after I posted an event regarding a so-called "NO KILL" LA, I read this article at our lovely sister pet blog about how the city has not done much to educate the masses about the new upcoming "law." And I know first-hand through my mom's neighbors...but as you know that's another story.

All I have to say is... Good luck L.A.!!

Here is the second installment of this post. I got a call back from a kitten rescue volunteer to borrow some of her traps. So my husband and I decided to drive on over to my mom's house. She said that the momma cat and the kittens were playing in the neighbor's front yard. So we went there. The neighbor's kids tried to help us. We were able to get the momma cat in one cage and two kittens. We're still trying to trap the last kitten (an orange tabby). We brought the cats to my apartment to leave them on the balcony until I can bring them to the other volunteer's house tomorrow.

Here's where it gets ugly. I have never trapped cats before and I didn't realize just how fragile cat traps are. They open very easily if you drop them. YUP! That's right. We put the momma cat's cage on the ledge of the balcony and it fell. That immediately caused it to open and the momma kitty bolted. I tried to catch her to no avail. I feel like I failed in this endeavor...I'm really heartsick over this. I just hope that she's in the complex somewhere. We set the trap up again, so hopefully she'll come in. I will try to trap her for the next few days. You can just imagine how angry I am over this.

But my mission for right now is to get the two kittens that we did catch over to the volunteer's house in the morning. Please pray that everything turns out alright. I'm very stressed right now.

A lovely colleague of mine send me this video! All I can say is....CAN I GET AN AWWWWWWW???!!!! This definitely belongs in the interspecies relationship category!!

It's so ironic that I posted this today! I just checked the pet blog only to find this funny cartoon. How on earth does that happen?

All types of labs!! Of course, the meth lab is out of the question!!

I love all kinds of dogs, but I've got a special place in my heart for labs of all kinds. Throughout the years, we've had golden retrievers (mostly through my sister...and of course we had Nike) and various other labs in our family. The next dog I get will most likely be a blond lab. But who really knows? Another dog might just capture my heart.

Anyway...until then I thought I'd profile some lovely labs that are in my family. I live vicariously through them to get my lab fix! hah!!

Here's Button (the female blond lab) and Zipper (the male chocolate lab). As you can tell in this picture, it is very hard to get them to stand still for a second. These two darlings are my sister's dogs and they live on a lovely house in Santa Clarita. The sis and her family were on vacation, which means we got to look after them (well mostly my mom since she lives closer). Button is about three years old and Zipper is about two. And yeah...there's a theme to the names. My nephew named Button because she was cute as a button as a puppy (but she's still cute now) and my sister named Zipper to compliment button. If you can't figure it out already, my sister has this insanely funny motto that everything must match...LOL!!

For some reason Button's face in this photo just cracks me up.

And now onto Alex and Baby. Alex (a female black lab) and Baby (a female chocolate lab) live in a lovely place with my cousin Volker and his wife Stephanie in Woodland Hills. Volker has had Alex for about 10 years now but she still acts like a puppy sometimes. At least she was very lively when I came. Baby is about two years old and is very sweet.

Heheh! I had a little bit better of a time getting these two to sit still. It's probably because Alex is a very mature 10 year old dog and she probably settles Baby down just a little bit.

So there you have it...more dogs in my family!

A few days ago I was informed of a cat with three kittens living next door to my mother. Apparently the momma was the eldest daughter's cat, but she decided to leave the kitty and the family did not spay her. So...yup! She had kittens and now my mother and I are on a vendetta to get these cats fixed and out of the situation they are in. Yesterday (Saturday Aug. 16, 2008) I talked to the father. I explained that there are ways to help these cats. He was very cooperative (thank god) and explained what happened. He wants to get rid of the cats. I told him that we will try and get them sometime this week. The problem I have right now is trying to figure where to get a trap and where to bring them.

Now, while I volunteer for Kitten Rescue, I've never ever trapped and fostered cats myself. Oh wait! I take that back. About ten years ago I fostered a kitten for one night, but I've never caught cats myself. My mother has but I haven't. So this is going to be a new experience for me.

Aside from calling and emailing people at kitten rescue I've been looking at other resources here!. My mother is willing to help and I'm really happy about that.

As soon as I can get some good photos I'll post them here!

Stay tuned...

A few days ago I was informed of a cat with three kittens living next door to my mother. Apparently the momma was the eldest daughter's cat, but she decided to leave the kitty and the family did not spay her. So...yup! She had kittens and now my mother and I are on a vendetta to get these cats fixed and out of the situation they are in. Yesterday (Saturday Aug. 16, 2008) I talked to the father. I explained that there are ways to help these cats. He was very cooperative (thank god) and explained what happened. He wants to get rid of the cats. I told him that we will try and get them sometime this week. The problem I have right now is trying to figure where to get a trap and where to bring them.

Now, while I volunteer for Kitten Rescue, I've never ever trapped and fostered cats myself. Oh wait! I take that back. About ten years ago I fostered a kitten for one night, but I've never caught cats myself. My mother has but I haven't. So this is going to be a new experience for me.

Aside from calling and emailing people at kitten rescue I've been looking at other resources here!. My mother is willing to help and I'm really happy about that.

As soon as I can get some good photos I'll post them here!

Stay tuned...

I've got a few things to write about but they can wait for later. For now you're just going to have to deal with another ABC video. This time we're on H. Naturally I'd pick a horse because it's one of my favorite animals. In fact, I've always dreamed of having a horse but finances and living conditions prevent me from doing that. So I live vicariously through others...including these two guys.

I'm sure most of you have seen this crazy video of Patches the Horse but I just couldn't help myself. It cracks me up every time. And if you haven't seen it, this video will have you rolling! The only thing that I don't approve of is the fact that they feed him a hamburger. Horses are vegetarians and should not be eating that. But you can laugh at all the other stuff!! Watch and enjoy Patches the horse as he takes a ride in a car, gets a bottle of beer and answers the phone!

I was referred to this website through another online community. It had something to do with Bono (not for this blog but as you know I'm a big fan!!) but I came across this as well:

more graph humor and song chart memes

check it out. Maybe you can find another pet-related graph on there. Not sure if this graph works for kittens though. But it sure works for Marcie!!! Though she's pretty good about scratching the post instead of the furniture. Hershey has no claws (she came to us that way) so she can't do any damage.

well it's more like this cat's body is pressed against the glass...hah!! Oh...and that headline comes from a U2 (my favorite band) song called "Zoo Station"...how apropos...eh?

The Best Week Ever posted pictures of 50 animals Squashed Against Glass in their blog. Spit can be disgusting to clean up (I can attest that with the endless amounts of saliva caked on our sliding door by the likes of Sasha, Nike, Prince and Silver) but hilarity always ensues when animals lick the glass to show affection. Well who knows if it's really affection...maybe it's just to get attention.

The cat and the fox!! hah!!

The original post was inspired by the many inspiring photos of Mr. Hambleypants, a Basset Hound from California!!

Remember this post? Newton, the cute tuxedo kitty has been adopted! BUT don't forget that there are now FOUR cats looking for a forever home! Check out the link for more info!

Have a great life in your new home Newton!!

Here's yet another beautiful animal that was abandoned by a family that lost their house to foreclosure. A friend of mine forwarded this information about Sapphire, a gorgeous German Shepherd in Pasadena.

Here's the email sent by the people who are currently fostering her:

Sapphire was abandoned for about 2 months; neighbors got together to make sure Sapphire had food and water and an occasional treat. Sapphire has all her booster shots, including rabies, and was spayed on 08/05/08. She is a sweet, quiet and gentle dog, with an all around great temperament. She's also well behaved and calm on car rides and good on a leash.

We know she's great with kids. She is NOT good with cats She's okay with other dogs, she wants to be the alpha female. We notice that she wants all the attention. She is starved for attention and affection. Home and yard check required.

If you're interested in this beautiful dog, please contact Arnold or Julie at (626) 791-2131 or email them anj4syrah@aol.com.

Seriously! How can anyone abandon a beautiful dog like this!!

I just got home and that means I just got the chance to check various websites. Our sister blog Southbay Pets just posted a breaking news story about yet another pet food recall by Pedigree. The link on the blog entry doesn't seem to be working for me (I think I've got a problem with firefox) so I found another link to a news article here! Those that shop at Albertsons in Southern California and Las Vegas are affected. Pedigree has conducted a voluntary recall of PEDIGREE® Complete Nutrition Small Crunchy Bites in the 20 pound bag due to a possible Salmonella contamination.

This article says that...

Complete Nutrition Small Crunchy Bites is a multi-component dry pet food. Last week, a component that should have been on hold due to positive testing results was inadvertently shipped to our Tracy, California facility and used in the production of 100 bags of PEDIGREE(R) Complete Nutrition Small Crunchy Bites with best buy dates of 07/2009.

Here is a rundown of the affected food:

Product: PEDIGREE® Complete Nutrition Small Crunchy Bites
Size: 20-pound bags
UPC Code: 23100 14719
Lot Code: 830BFCAT02
Best Buy Date: 07/2009
Best Buy Date Location: Back of bag
Affected Stores: Albertsons locations in Southern California and Las Vegas.

For your reference, here's a some safe pet food handling tips from the Food and Drug Administration.

If you have any questions, please call (877) 568-4463 or visit www.petcare.mars.com.

According to this article, It all depends on a trash fee hike, which could stave off some of the layoffs.

Here's an excerpt from the article:

All city departments were ordered to submit possible cuts as a result of the budget crisis. The Department of Animal Services suggested either delaying the public opening of the new Mission shelter or reducing public hours at all the shelters. The city told the agency to do both and cut positions.

According to the article, the fate of the workers may ultimately be tied to trash bin fees. Councilman Richard Alarcon discovered that the City had not collected all fees from residents with extra are extra-large trash bins. The amount is estimated to be about $8.5 million. Hopefully residents will pay the extra fee so that these desperately needed jobs can be saved. The animals need it!

Here's the funny photo of the moment taken from The Pet Blog! You too can get a box of dehydrated cat, add water, and VOILA! You've got a cat! But don't do what the consumer did in this picture. They forgot to open the box before adding water causing the cat to expand out of the box!! LOL!!!

I'm sure most of you pet lovers already know about this but I just couldn't help myself. If you're bored by watching endless coverage (plus commercial after commercial) of the 2008 Beijing Olympics then here's a cute alternative. As you know, Animal Planet already does its annual Puppy Bowl in response to the Super Bowl. So it's a natural that they would put on their own version of the 2008 Olympics!

Since my absolute favorite Olympic sport is gymnastics, I'll share the gymnastics competition! Unfortunately they won't let me embed the video so you'll just have to click on the link.
PUPPY GYMNASTICS!

Oh and don't forget to watch the Opening ceremony performed by KITTENS!!

According to New Leash on Life, Maggie the mange-ridden dog has made a considerable improvement. Check her progress here!

Here's an excerpt from this week's update:

She continues to have one of the sweetest personalities we've ever seen. We're covered in Maggie kisses every time we see her. A number of kind people have made donations and come up to see her, and she delights in meeting new people.

Maggie's recovery will still be a long one with months or possibly years of medication required. Although we have raised some funds, more is needed! This year has been especially hard on New Leash On Life, but our hearts go out to dogs like Maggie, and we want to continue our life saving efforts.

There are some ways that you can help. One is by donating whatever you can here! In the drop down menu for Occasion/Reason, just choose "Maggie Fund." But even if you don't choose that, the money will go to a great cause.
Stay tuned for updates here!

I belong to a few online pet communities and someone posted information about their online business that sells unique dog tags made from bottle caps. So go check out BazStore here. And just so you know, a portion of the proceeds for each sale goes to the Humane Society of the United States.

All tags are made using heavy resin, recycled or new bottle caps, paint and strong metal loops. The backs of every tag have two layers of sealant to secure your contact information for typical pet durability.

Some of the tags come ready made, while others can be semi or totally custom made...like this one, which comes complete with your pet's very own picture. Click here for information on how to order this one. By the way...these dog tags aren't just for dogs. Your feline friend can wear them too. My Hershey may not wear one but Marcie just might.

Here's a photo of the owner's dog Bazza wearing one. And yes the store is named after him.

The store also sells a variety of colorful bandanas like this one! Product prices range from $4 to $15 (for the custom picture dog tag). And don't forget...a portion of all sales goes to the Humane Society of the United States (yeah I have to put that in twice).

Here's yet another entry in the now-I've-seen-it-all category. I was looking at The Pet Blog yesterday (can you tell it's one of my favorite blogs?) and came across something about the Cat Butt Museum! Now I know it's not in the Valley but you can at least go to the website and check out the exhibit of paintings, drawings and pictures of kitty posteriors.

Now I'm sure you've all seen those Cat Butt refrigerator magnets and stickers (in fact I've got a set of my own, given to me by a friend...LOL!!), but some other things that I came across really got me howling with laughter.

Need a new pencil sharpener? Get yourself a black or white cat pencil sharpener. Now I'm not even going to discuss this. The picture speaks for itself. This product must be extremely popular since it is currently unavailable at the museum's online store and amazon.com. Oh wait! I just found it here!. Get it there for $14.99. But if you want to get it on amazon.com or the museum website you're just going to have to wait. Not sure if the person that invented this likes cats or not.

And OMG it comes with a kitty litter box that collects the shavings and the kitty meows when you...ahem...use the sharpener for it's intended purpose. Check out this demo!

Now I hope PETA doesn't come after me. I myself am kind of weirded out by this product too even though it's a crazy novelty item. So please...DON'T DO THIS TO YOUR REAL CAT!! Just had to specify that.

Now if you're not into crazy pencil sharpeners but like anything to do with cats and their posteriors, here's a unique towel holder. Now wouldn't that look cute right next to your bathroom sink? It's available pretty much anywhere for $19.99.

Sorry...I just had to say that. My husband likes to pun allot and it seems to be rubbing off on me. And now that you're thoroughly confused, let me explain myself. I got an email about a product called FURminator. Now if you've seen the Ahnuld (heheh!) movies you'd understand the pun.

My cat Marcie could really use something like this. I've got all kinds of shedding tools but, so far, the best comb that works for me is a plain and simple flea comb (mainly because Marcie loves it when I use the flea comb). But it can't hurt to try something like this. She's a a shedding machine and I can't imagine how something so small (well...12 pounds) can produce so much hair that I could probably upholster a small pillow with it.

Above is an example of how much hair can be eliminated from your pet's body with the FURminator.

I really could have used this when Sasha was alive. When we shaved him that one time (yeah me and my cousin had a lovely time with a home-grooming kit), we could have upholstered an entire couch! Not sure it was such a good idea to shave him because, according to the email that I got, shaving a pets' fur during warmer months can actually cause more harm than good.

Animals have an internal cooling system and their fur protects them from the sun. By shaving them, you expose your pet to harmful UV rays from the sun during the day and
leave them chillier than normal at night.

According to the website, the FURminator is designed reduce shedding better than any brush, comb or rake.

The company also claims that it

• Works great on all shedding, long and short-haired dogs and cats
• Brings out the pet's natural oils, promoting healthier skin and a shiny topcoat
• Reduces the amount of airborne elements that cause allergic reactions in many people
• Helps to eliminate hairballs in cats

Products vary in size depending on the type and size of your pet. It even has new equine tool for horses and other large animals. Aside from the brushing tools, the company sells all kinds of accessories such as shampoo and supplements.

It's the worst case of demodectic mange they have ever seen, according to the New Leash On Life dog rescue organization. Maggie, a six-month-old Lab/Staffordshire terrier mix was found abandoned, dehydrated and hungry near the Hansen Dam area. The group of lifeguards that found her dropped her off at the nearby East Valley Shelter where they deemed her too sick for the costly veterinary care that the shelter would have to provide. She was scheduled to be euthanized when a shelter worker decided to give Maggie a chance by calling local rescue organizations. NLOL came to the rescue.

Above right: an NLOL caretaker tends to Maggie. The right photo shows just how severe the mange is.

Check out Maggie's full story here! And check out this video!

Here's current news on Maggie according to the website:

• 90% of Maggie's mites are dead, which is good news
• It could take 6 months before we see a real improvement in her coat and up to 1-2 years for it to completely fill in. And actually chances are that some hair will not come back in certain areas. She could also be left with some permanent scarring.
• Maggie is currently on antibiotics for infection, Ivemectin for the mange, and will need weekly baths and possibly skin scrapings.
• We plan to find her booties for her feet so her toenails don't re-open her wounds if she tries to scratch them.

To make a donation towards Maggie's treatment go here! So far, approximately $1,500 has been raised towards Maggie's treatment and more funds are needed to keep her long-term treatment going.

And check out Maggie's story at The Signal.

If this isn't proof that kids need pets then I don't know what is! Source: Petplace.com videos.

Found in a random google image search. The message is loud and clear on this Ohio license plate.

Pretty soon, our lovely state of California will jump on the bandwagon with 23 other states by creating it's own specialized license plate that helps fund spay and neuter programs. For more detailed information, visit our sister blog Southbay Pets. Information on state law AB 1634, other sample plates, and the California Healthy Pets Act is all right there.

"We're hoping to have a contest and to open it up to the entire state," Judie Mancuso of .the AB 1634 campaign. "The plates would include a message and a picture. If 7,500 are pre-sold at the Department of Motor Vehicles, the plates will begin to be issued 9 months later, she said. So that means they could be available about a year from now."

Stay tuned for updated info. Can't wait to see the finished product! Like Donna Littlejohn said in her blog entry...GET THOSE CREATIVE IDEAS GOING!

This morning I just perused the net for...you guessed it!...pet-related news. I found this interesting article on human behavior when it comes to two polar-opposite types of animal cruelty.

Click here for the article..

Compare this...

Dogs rescued by Santa Cruz County Animal Services from a home north of Boulder Creek, California rest in the safety of the Animal Services kennels in Scotts Valley, California on Monday July 28, 2008. Shmuel Thaler/Santa Cruz Sentinel ( Shmuel Thaler )

To this...

Deborah Wright of Sicklerville, N.J., holds the cat dubbed "Princess Chunky" which she picked up at the pound last weekend. The 44-lb. cat is really a male name Powder who was abandoned by his owner after she lost her home in foreclosure. (McClatchy-Tribune photo by John Costello / July 31, 2008)

The article also has a point in that so many healthy animals that come from fairly happy beginnings often get passed up because so many people want that pet that has a history. So yeah...go down to your local shelter and adopt whatever animal you fall in love with...regardless of it's history!!

Track and Field competitor Allyson Felix and her Yorkie named Chloe!!
The Olympics are just around the corner (this Friday, Aug. 8 to be exact) and what better way to spotlight the Olympics than through the athletes and their pets. Petside.com has spotlighted several Olympic hopefuls and their pets. I searched around for a local Olympian and, lo and behold!, I came across the profile for Allyson Felix and her dog Chloe (a Yorkshire Terrier), of Los Angeles. She's not a Valley girl but that doesn't matter...heheh!! Sadly there's not much more information on her and her dog but the picture is cute. Some of the profiles have in-depth questions and answers. Check out more Olympic pet profiles here!. Some of them are fairly interesting.

There's also a section that compares dog sports to Olympic Sports!

These two photos compare dog agility to horse jumping. The similarities are uncanny!!

Source: The Pet Blog

Awhile back a friend of mine emailed information for No Paws Left Behind, a non-profit organization that solely focuses on the welfare of the silent victims of foreclosure, our pets. Out of all the foreclosure websites I've come across, this one seems to be the most comprehensive. If you can't find an interim place for your pet, click the link to find a foster shelter. There are all kinds within a 60 mile radius of the San Fernando Valley. Just punch in your zipcode.

Shelters and rescue organizations can also seek financial assistance by filling out this form.

Also, if you'd like to help foster pets without being there you can donate money to your favorite animal foster organization through the Project Foster From Afar Program.

Click here for all the contact information you'll ever need.

Now you really have NO EXCUSE when it comes making sure your pets are taken care of in the event that you foreclose on your house.

Since I've got so much to do today and I really have no idea what to write about at the moment, I thought I'd inundate you with yet another crazy ABC video. We are on the Gs now and that means you get a funny GOAT!!

This goat has got balls and sounds like Jerry Lewis!

Thirteen years ago on Oct. 1, 1995 I got two of the best cats in the world, Cleo and Marcie. I figured they were about eight weeks (give or take a few) when I got them so I deemed their birthday to be Aug. 1. Cleo passed away in 2005 but she will always have a special place in my heart. Happy birthday Cleo! Hope you're celebrating big time at the rainbow bridge! Marcie may have some slight diabetic issues but she's still spry as ever and still acts like a kitten on occasion. Here she is in one of her favorite positions basking in the sun!

I was going to try and superimpose a party hat in the photo but I don't have that capability on my computer at home. So...you get a funny video of a cat playing Happy Birthday on violin! Enjoy!

Here's another follow-up to this story. Watch this video! It will make even those with really tough exteriors cry!