pet connection

Since Gina and Dr. Becker have fallen into a black hole called “The Big Bus Tour” gearing up for the April 15 release of “Your Dog: The Owner’s Manual” (now available for pre-order on Amazon.com, hint hint) and their accompanying 30-city book tour, I’m stepping in to demonstrate my mad leadership skillz and declare this “Pet Connection open discussion time”!

I was about to declare it “Scottish Deerhound Connection,” but I was afraid of pushing Gina right over the edge.

I’ll start things off by asking: Did you listen to my interview of Nathan Winograd last night? Anyone not on the Chat Month schedule you’d like to hear me interview? I have my eye on two guests I think you’ll love, but the timing is a bit tricky, so we’ll see if either of them happen before I “name names.”

That’s what I got, what about you? What are you and the critters doing this weekend? What are you blogging about on your own blogs?

And most importantly, how do we prevent Gina from bringing her Crocs on the Big Bus Tour?

Photo: Dr. Becker and Gina asked Dr. Tony Johnson to submit suggestions for decorating the bus. What do you think of this one? It’s my favorite so far!

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It’s that time of year again! No, not spring — that’s not here for weeks yet. I mean PetHobbyist.com’s annual “Chat Month”!

I’ve been producing this event for ten years now, but it’s actually in its thirteenth year. Last year, we started using streaming Internet radio instead of text-based chat, although we run a real-time chat room so listeners can talk with each other, make comments, and ask the guest questions.

We’re kicking it off tonight with an interview with Nathan Winograd, one of the most controversial and inspiring figures in the no-kill movement. I’ll be interviewing him about the raging-hot issue of laws that give rescue groups the right to take dogs and cats slated for death from shelters. Laws like California’s 13-year-old Hayden Law, the recently passed Delaware shelter standards law, and the current battle over proposed shelter access laws in New York State, including Oreo’s Law — a topic I know many of you here have strong opinions on.

If you want to ask questions on that topic, be sure to drop by the chat, or post them here. And yes, they do have to be on that topic — I know there are lots of other issues you might want to question our guest on, but this is the one we’re looking at now.

The interview is this evening, Friday, March 4, at 9:30 PM Eastern. Click here for more details.

On Saturday at 5 PM Eastern, my PetHobbyist.com colleague and PetConnection reader Cindy Steinle will be interviewing Jennie Erin Smith about her new book, “Stolen World: A Tale of Reptiles, Smugglers and Skullduggery.”

Then on Sunday at 8 PM Eastern, we’ll be welcoming Andrew “Roo” Yori and Marthina McClay to talk about their dogs Hector and Leo, two of best-known of all the former Vick dogs. Cindy will be joining them, talking about her own fight-bust rescue dog, Cleo — less famous, but no less awesome!

Chat Month runs every weekend this month, and we’ll be welcoming some of our Pet Connection team, including Dr. Tony Johnson on the topic, “Sewing tiny sequinned evening gowns for tarantulas,” and Dr. Robin Downing on “How to give your pets the really good drugs.”

Okay, I made those topics up. But they really will be guesting with us!

We even have a possible very exciting special guest who our own Gina Spadafori would be interviewing — wish I could say more, but you’ll be the first to know, I promise!

You can find out how to listen and participate, and keep up to date on when chats are scheduled and when new guests are added to the line-up, right here.

You can also follow PetHobbyist.com and kingsnake.com on Facebook, or follow me on my new Facebook page — I’ll post each event and each update to the schedule there, too!

“See” you this weekend!

Photo: Hector!

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The Los Angeles Times‘ Rene Lynch has an intriguing review of a new book about a successful rescue. “Oogy,” written by attorney Larry Levin, is one of those tales that restores your faith in the power  of healing, love and the effort required to look beyond outward appearances.

When you’re done with that, check out Amy Worden’s post in Philly Dawg about Stanley. Again, a reason to hope for people’s capacity to make a difference.

When we first met Stanley last year he was a mangy guy with serious eye problems locked in a high kill Los Angeles shelter. Thanks to two small rescue groups and a gripping video, things are looking far brighter for Stanley this Christmas.

For all the homeless animals with no family to call their own this holiday season and for anyone who does not believe one person can’t make a difference, let Stanley’s story be a symbol of hope.

Doing wrong in order to do right? KC Dog Blog thoughtfully spotlights the dilemma of embedding a spy inside a dogfighting ring in order to bring the ring down. In this instance, it’s the case of Terry Mills.

A couple of months ago, a story was launched in several alternative newspapers around the country about Mills. In 2008, Mills worked for the FBI on their domestic-terrorism task force. As a part of the job, Mills spent 18 months under-cover in order to break up what became the largest dog-fighting bust in the history of the United States — getting a couple of dozen people arrested, and saving more than 500 dogs from their dog fighting operations.

As a part of the undercover operation, Mills and his team became a part of the dog fighting culture…and as a part of that, began training, and fighting, their own dogs.

At the time, and even now, I wrestle with the ethics of their decision. While breaking up the dog fighting operation is certainly commendable, it’s extremely hard for me to stomach the idea of the “good guys” training dogs to fight and forcing them to endure such torture. It just seems as if there had to be a better way without purposefully putting more dogs in the ring.

This is the same kind of difficult position that Donnie Brasco faced while embedded with the Mafia. The answers aren’t always so easy. Bravo to KC Dog Blog for talking about the issue.

Best blog post this week: Stop me if you’ve heard this before….the best piece of writing in the pet blogosphere comes from Shirley at YesBiscuit. There’s a lot of meat to it, and it deserves a LOT of discussion. It’s a case that appears to have been preventable, and at the same time the real facts at hand are not entirely clear. Shirley’s lede sets the table.

44 dogs “rescued” by HSUS from a home in AL early this month.

So you can see how it gets thorny. I’d love to get your thoughts on it.

RIP Splash: The late Senator Ted Kennedy was a devoted owner of Portuguese Water Dogs Cappy, Splash and Sunny. They went everywhere with him, from the deck of his yacht Mya on Nantucket Sound to his Capitol Hill office.  Bo Obama, himself a Portie, was a gift from the Senator to the President. Last week, Senator Kennedy’s widow Vicki announced the passing of Splash at the age of thirteen. We extend our condolences to the Kennedy family.

Pet travel tips: Are you traveling with your pets during the holidays this winter? Our friend Arden Moore, a.k.a. The Pet Safety Lady, offers timely tips.

Happy Petmas: Pawcurious give us the 12 Days of Petmas.

Year in review: From the genius factory of icanhascheezburger: 2010, The year in Lolcats.

Note: This is the last news roundup of 2010. Have a safe, happy and healthy New Year. My next newswrap is  Monday, Jan. 3.

I always like to hear from readers, especially if you have tips, and links for interesting stories. Give me a shout in the comments, or better yet, send me an e-mail.

Photo credit: Oogy cover, Grand Central Publishing.

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Before seeing this ad online, I had never heard of Harvey Nichols (a British luxury goods retailer). Now I’m sorry I ever did.

While it was probably meant to be light-hearted and perhaps even funny, the reality is not so much. Styleite has a great rant on the topic, and nails the best argument against Christmas puppies obtained without enough thought and planning beforehand:

Pop quiz! What is the busiest month of the year for animal shelters? Take your time, there’s no pressure! OK, actually, there is: time’s up. The answer is March. Why? Because all the adorable widdle puppies purchased as gifts over the holidays are no longer adorable widdle puppies in March. By March, they are small dogs that are still learning how to behave and as such are probably peeing in the corner and chewing your new Jimmy Choos. And all of a sudden they’re not so cute anymore. Instead, they’re annoying and they require work and responsibility and far too much effort to actually keep. And off to the shelter they go. Bye bye puppy!

Thanks to Carol for the tip.

Retail warning for collars: A short Associated Press story in the San Francisco Examiner mentions that due to the carcinogenic effects of propoxur, California retail stores who sell flea and tick collars with the nasty stuff will include warning labels. I have a better idea: How about not selling cancer producing products?

Encouraging new vets: Purdue University’s School of Veterinary Medicine (home of our very own Dr. Tony Johnson) has hit on a clever idea to build a new bumper crop of veterinarians in the next generation. They’ve produced a book for third graders called “How I Became a Scientist.” It’s part of the larger program, “Fat Dogs and Coughing Horses,” aimed at spotlighting the issues of obesity and asthma in animal populations. You can download a free copy of the activity book here.

Testifying: Last week’s profile of the UPaws success in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula wasn’t the only mention of what’s been happening in Marquette.  Our friend Shirley at YesBiscuit has a superb and creative angle.  She solicited stories from the people who were part of the success. My favorite of the three letters was written by longtime volunteer and current UPaws treasurer Joan Mulder.

When I look back at how bad it was to where we are now I can’t believe all we’ve done. AND we’ve done this as an open admission shelter. All animals are welcome at our shelter and we’ve never turned one away – from mice, dogs, cats to snakes, chickens and horses. We’ve done this with a very old and small shelter, not much of a budget and a small handful or committed board members, volunteers and staff. I’m very proud of what we’ve ALL accomplished. This could never have happened without the support of our board, staff, volunteers and the community.

Whenever we hit a hard time we’ve always kept this first and foremost,
“It’s all about the animals” nothing else matters.

That’s just the tail end of her account. You really need to read the rest. Very powerful stuff. Thanks for sharing the stories with all of us, Shirley.

Cruelty through neglect: If the previous post isn’t the best writing of recent blog posts, this one is. Our BFF Dr. Patty Khuly tackles a deadly serious topic in her Fully Vetted blog –  animals who are severely neglected by their owners.

Editorial on SickVick: Jane Velez-Mitchell of CNN’s Headline News posted an editorial opinion on Michael Vick’s stated desire to get a dog:

Sorry, Michael Vick, there are limits to redemption. Redemption isn’t giving a bank robber a job as a teller. It isn’t letting a convicted child molester run a day care center. And it isn’t handing someone convicted of driving under the influence the keys to a car and a bottle of rum. Redemption is certainly not giving a man who participated in gruesome cruelty against animals the chance to bring home a four-legged companion.

Interesting that this appeared in CNN’s International edition but not the US site.

Be Prepared: The Boy Scout motto is “Be prepared,” and to that end the always funny site The Oatmeal dispenses valuable advice. Eight ways to prepare your pets for war. Tip of the cap to Susan Fox for this story and the previous one).

I always like to hear from readers, especially if you have tips, and links for interesting stories.  Give me a shout in the comments, or better yet, send me an e-mail.

Photo credit: screenshot, Harvey Nichols UK

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Reading is as essential as breathing to me.  I usually have at least two or three different books going, and at least one of them will have something to do with cats.  I’ll read anything from books about cat health to stories about cats who changed their owner’s life to murder mysteries featuring cats.

Here are ten of my favorites from this year, in no particular order:

• Grey Matters by Clea Simon is a cat-themed murder mystery and the second in a series featuring Harvard grad student Dulcie Schwartz and the ghost of Mr. Grey, her beloved deceased cat, who offers his wise and comforting, but often veiled and cryptic advice.  While the premise of a ghost cat may sound like a bit of a stretch for many readers, Simon makes this work by combining it with immensely likeable and multi-dimensional characters, exceptional plotting, and a fascinating academic setting.  I’m a huge fan of all of Simon’s books, and she just keeps getting better.
• Your Cat – Simple New Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life by Elizabeth M. Hodgkins, D.V.M., Esq.  is a comprehensive guide to feline health and nutrition.  From kitten through adult life to the senior years, Dr. Hodgkins explores the full spectrum of cat care, and offers a closer look at the common chronic diseases that afflict so many cats.  Hodgkins believes that the underlying cause for many of these diseases, as well as the key to managing or even curing them, is nutrition.  I loved this book because it approaches feline nutrition from a perspective that makes sense to me.
• The Confessions of a Catnip Junkie by Alan Goldstein is one of the most unique cat books I’ve ever come across.  As much as I love cat books, I never expected to find one I actually couldn’t put down until this one.   Written from the perspective of an orange long-haired cat named DooDoo, this is the account of how a sudden impulse sends the self-confessed catnip addict into the wilds of San Francisco and beyond, and his subsequent six thousand mile, year-long journey across America, trying to find his way home again.  Along the way he encounters a subway cat named Rass who becomes his new best friend, helps a homeless drunk find his way home, a minor league baseball player and a small town TV reporter find the big time, and a widowed pilot find peace.
• Complete Care for Your Aging Cat by Amy Shojai.  I have a soft spot for senior cats, and I was thrilled when I came across the newly released and updated edition of this book.  This comprehensive guide on caring for senior cats is a must have for any cat owner’s cat care library, and the “golden moments” stories from real life cat owners caring for senior cats are heart touching.
• The Cat, the Professor and the Poison by Leann Sweeney is the second mystery in the author’s Cats in Trouble series featuring amateur sleuth and quilt maker Jillian Hart and her three cats, Merlot, Chablis and Syrah.  I loved that this book was not just a highly entertaining and fun mystery, but is also interspersed with plenty of fascinating facts about cats.
• Houdini by T.J. Banks is the story of Siamese kitten who goes from the despair of being abandoned to the joy of finding happiness when he meets a young girl who smuggles him home on a plane.  I was touched by the author’s deep connection with the feline soul that comes through in every word.  It melted my heart over and over again.
• Dear Sparkle – Cat to Cat Advice from the World’s Foremost Feline Columnist edited by Janiss Garza is a beautifully designed and unique cat care book that provides solid information from a cat’s point of view on the various problems Sparkle is asked to address by fellow cats.  Presented in a humorous fashion, it gives the reader insight into how cats think and provides a fresh new look at some of the same old problems.
• Cleo:  The Cat Who Mended a Family by Helen Brown is a sweeping memoir of heartbreak, changes, new beginnings, and ultimately, happiness.   When Brown is faced with the unthinkable – the loss of a child – this small black cat becomes the thread that holds Brown’s family together through devastating grief, illness, moves across continents, and other challenges.   This one goes on my list of best cat books ever, right along with such classics as A Snowflake in My Hands and The Cat Who Came for Christmas.
• The Complete Guide to Holistic Cat Care:  An Illustrated Handbook by Celeste Yarnall and Jean Hofve, DVM is a beautifully designed guide for cat owners interested in natural remedies such as herbs, homeopathy and flower essences, hand-on healing modalities including chiropractic, acupuncture and Reiki, as well as some more esoteric therapies such as Applied Kinesiology, crystal, color and sound healing, and magnetic therapy.  The photographs in this book are stunning.
• The Blessings of the Animals by Katrina Kittle is not strictly a cat book, but since it features a very cool, cranky, but ultimately loving three-legged one whose life was saved by the protagonist, and since I loved this book so much, I’m including it in this list.  Blessings is a beautifully written and plotted relationship drama featuring a veterinarian who finds solace and healing from her animals as she deals with some of life’s challenges.

What are some of your favorite cat books of the year?

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