pet connection

The test vehicle I was supposed to get this week didn’t get delivered to the media pool, so they took away the FJ Cruiser and left me with my own vehicle to drive for a few days. I haven’t driven my own van in so long that I couldn’t remember where the controls for the windshield wipers were.

The break-in period was swift, though, and I now remember everything about my van, including the two reasons I want to replace it, one frivolous, the other legitimate. As is the norm with me, I use the legitimate reason to rationalize what really is motivating my desire for the perfect new dogmobile.

The legitimate: These days, I often find myself in places where the need for all-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive is for more than the coolness factor. I do field training with my retrievers, and the whole idea for getting a different vehicle started with the problems my van was having on the rutted roads and soggy fields of various training areas.

The frivolous: Vans are boring, and I want something that’s fun to drive.

The truth is, I have had no complaints about my aging Plymouth Voyager. It fits all the dogs, all the gear and had taken me almost everythere (including to Florida and back) for the better part of 10 years. Its limitations with off-road conditions are not the fault of the vehicle, and other vans do indeed have the drive trains and ground clearance to handle the demands of my training hobby. All the vans ride pleasantly, and are equipped with more features (including those for safety) than was the case when I bought my van.

But I want something good-looking and responsive. I don’t want something that screams “soccer mom.” I want … a sports car, with room for dogs.

Of course, I’ll be compromising.

So far, the vans don’t thrill me. The big SUVs, although comfortable and roomy, handle like ocean liners (and of course, there’s the matter of fuel economy!). What I keep coming back to are the “cute utes” and the midsize SUVs, although I remain open to a fair dogmobile evaluation of every vehicle that comes my way. After all, everyone isn’t going through the midlife crisis I am, and for those people, a sensible, roomy and well-equipped minivan is probably still going to be the best choice as a dogmobile.

In the meantime, I keep looking, driving and writing. Next up: I think it’s a Land Rover.

In trendy Venice Beach, Calif., masked gangs roam the canals, attacking dogs. The residents want the authorities to kill the marauders; the authorites say it’s better just to get along with them, and that rabies isn’t much of a problem.

Wait … rabies?

Did you guess? The masked marauders are raccoons.

Keep forgetting to mention the wonderful program initiated by Banfield, the Pet Hospital, to help seniors with pets. Banfield hooked up with the Meals on Wheels Association of America to provide food for the pets of house-bound seniors. The program will run through the end of the year (and maybe thereafter?) Here’s more information on how you can help.

Do you know the anti-cruelty laws in your state? What can you do if faced with a situation where an animal needs help? The American SPCA wants to help, with handy laminated wallet cards printed with an overview of anti-cruelty laws in each of 16 states, with more to come. The cost is $10 for 50 cards; order here. You can get a free look at the cards and what’s on them here.

I’m heading out the door to speak to the dog and cat writers associations at their annual joint convention here in the San Francisco Bay Area, held in conjunction with the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) International Cat Show — the Westminster of cat shows.

My topic will be “The Internet,” and I plan on discussing, among other things, blogging. Here’s a little photo of Gina and me at last year’s conference, although she wasn’t able to join me this year.

If you’re a member, I hope I saw you there! If not, or if you didn’t make it, I’ll have a report when I get back.