So well into the week with the foster pup, who I've decided to call Teddy (short for Teddy Bean) ("bean" as in little black bean), he's not only enjoying his time out of the carrier, he's taken it upon himself to complain if he's in the carrier too long. Funny, coming from a puppy mill dog who, as I understand it, spent his entire life up to now in a wire cage that's certainly less pleasant that the blanket-lined pet carrier he's upset about. But, eh, I guess he's learning about creature comforts. That's good!

(In case you're just tuning in now, I'm taking care of a foster dog, a sweet, scared poodle that was rescued last week from a Pennsylvania puppy mill. Catch the first installment here. And other chapters here and here.)

Anyway, so Tuesday, after leaving him in the carrier all day when I went to work, as the shelter told me to do, and then putting him back in the carrier when I was ready for bed, at about 2:30 a.m. I was woken up by a howling, a mournful coyote noise that could only be coming from Teddy. Uh-oh. I went downstairs and let him out of the carrier, thinking he might be having a bathroom situation.

Continue reading "Update on Thing 3, the foster...he imitates coyote" »

Posted by Jill Rosen at 2:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs, Thing 3, the Foster Dog
        

With a dog suddenly in my life, one from a puppy mill whose job is breeding dogs to make $$$, I was curious to find out how much dogs go for. From reputable breeders. From various rescue organizations.

I know that shelters like BARCS and the MDSPCA have standard fees that apply to all dogs -- no matter what type. You'll pay the same about the adopt a scruffy mutt as you would a Labradoodle, should a Labradoodle happen to be at the shelter.

Anyway, I was kind of disturbed to see that some non-profit groups -- I won't name names -- ask for "minimum donations" to adopt dogs. And the "minimum donations" clearly depends on the type of dog. In other words, you'll pay more for a Labradoodle puppy than for an older Shih Tsu. It just seemed somehow wrong. Though these are rescue groups, and seemingly a good place to adopt a dog, by doing this aren't they perpetuating the idea that certain dogs are worth more -- and thereby giving places like puppy mills reasons to endure? Or maybe I'm off-base. Maybe they just want to get money for their cause where they know they can....

Curious about what you guys think. Please weigh in.....

**NOTE ADDED A BIT LATER AFTER PEOPLE STARTED COMMENTING: Hey, just want to be clear. It's not only paying more for a puppy than a senior dog. It's paying more for a Shih Tsu than a Pit bull. Or paying more for a Labradoodle than a Shih Tsu -- even if they're all the same age. -- Jill.

Photo of Labradoodle pup in an Amazon shipping box courtesy of Estoril's photostream on Flickr.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff, Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

Richard Gere stars in a Hollywood remake of Japan's long-cherished story of Hachiko, a faithful dog that died at a train station waiting for its master. But "Hachi: A Dog's Story" is more about the dog than about Gere, the 59-year-old actor told The Associated Press Wednesday.

"On this movie, I was definitely second-class," he told reporters at a Tokyo hotel.

The story of Hachiko is a legend among Japanese, a pet-loving nation that honors self-sacrificing loyalty.

Hachiko, the story goes, always used to wait at Shibuya train station for its master, a professor at the University of Tokyo.

Even after the professor died, the dog waited every day at the station for a decade, until it died in 1935.

People were so moved they built a statue of Hachiko at the station, which remains a popular rendezvous spot for Japanese today.

The story of Hachiko was made into a 1987 Japanese movie. Gere's version transports that story to a station in Rhode Island.

The movie premiered in the U.S. at the Seattle International Film Festival in June, and opens in Japan in August.

Gere said the Japanese breed of dogs called Akita used in the movie are close to wild dogs and very difficult to train. In the beginning, Gere was instructed not to even look at the three dogs that played Hachi.

"They only do something because they want to. You can't really buy them with food," said Gere.

Continue reading "Richard Gere: Dog is his co-star " »

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Celebrities and their pets, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Events
        

With Bo Obama at home back in the U.S.A., President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle are mixing it up with a cat during a visit to the presidential residence outside Moscow in Gorki on July 6. It's unclear if the kitty has a name. Great tail on that cat though! Russia's Dmitry Medvedev and Obama were meeting to discuss Afghanistan and cutting their nuclear arsenals. MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV/AFP/Getty Images.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, First Dog Bo Obama
        

A couple that live in a closet-sized Beirut apartment has happily decorated it with 13 snakes -- that they allow to roam free.

According to this little story, Pierre Rizk and his wife Sapna have the pythons, including one named after former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in a less-than 500 square foot apartment.

"I really admire her for her leadership," Rizk told a reporter. "She has so much intelligence, responsibility, and energy -- just like the energy of snakes."

Is that a compliment?

At top, Lebanese snake hobbyist Pierre Rizk poses with one of his pet snakes. In the other picture, below, the snake hobbiest and his wife, Sapa (which means "Snake" in English) watch television with two of their Indian Python snakes in their flat in Dekwaneh, which is east of Beirut on July 6. Rizk and his wife have no children but are happily living with 13 pet snakes. JOSEPH BARRAK/AFP/Getty Images.

Continue reading "More snakes than people in Beirut apartment" »

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff
        

The man authorities allege is responsible for the gross neglect and abuse discovered when officials raided his eastern Pennsylvania puppy mill a week ago has been fined more than $150,000 and is facing over 230 charges for allegedly violating the state's dog laws.

Eighteen of Derbe Eckhart's dogs from the Almost Heaven Kennel were sent to shelters in Baltimore, which Unleashed wrote about. My foster dog, Teddy, is another victim of the Emmaus mill.

According to the Associated Press, Eckhart has 15 days to appeal the $152,900 fine from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

Continue reading "Pa. man faces 230 charges in puppy mill abuse" »

Posted by Jill Rosen at 4:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

In the wake of a spate of highly publicized cases of gruesome animal cruelty, Baltimore has created a task force to curb such crimes.

Mayor Sheila Dixon announced on Tuesday the creation of the Anti-Animal Abuse Task Force, a group including representatives from city offices, the police, the states attorney’s office, animal welfare organizations and city residents.

Over the course of a year, the task force will assess the effectiveness of Baltimore’s cruelty laws and brainstorm ways to raise awareness of animal abuse. They’ll also consider ways city agencies and animal advocates can better coordinate their efforts.

The task force will issue recommendations to the mayor.

“The protection and safety of animals in this city is an important concern,” Dixon said. “It’s imperative we treat this issue with the upmost importance.”

The first meeting will be at 6 p.m. July 15 at City Hall — though it won’t be open to the public. Task force chairwoman Caroline Griffin, an attorney who’s on the board of Baltimore’s Humane Society, said the public will, however, be welcome at some future meetings.

Meanwhile, Dixon is asking anyone who sees suspected animal abuse to call 311.

Continue reading "Task force to try to prevent another Phoenix" »

Posted by Jill Rosen at 12:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff, Cats Cats Cats, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Events, Health
        

From left: Stars Keana Texeira, Cassie Scerbo and Ashley Rickards arrives with their dogs for the grand opening of Artist Knox Luxury Grooming Pet Salon on June 27 in Hollywood. Something about this screams "accessory."

Continue reading "Ah, the small dogs of Hollywood..." »

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Celebrities and their pets
        

A chihuahua named Maggie, that's the itty bitty one on the right, and an Irish wolfhound named Merlin, the mega-dog to the left, took part in a dog show in the northern German city of Hamburg on June 28. It looks as if Merlin might consider Maggie a dog treat. Merlin's nose is the size of Maggie's whole head. ROLAND MAGUNIA/AFP/Getty Images.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

Even though they're using it as an advertisement for a service, this is a really touching story of a long lost kitty -- and I mean REALLY long lost -- being reunited with his person.

When her cat, Dopey disappeared six years ago, Donna Lane-Mills gave up hope her beloved family cat would ever be found. But thanks to AKC Companion Animal Recovery, the kitty's back.

Because of a microchip, he was found at a shelter 20 miles from Lane-Mills' home in Sacramento, Calif.

Dopey had somehow found his way to another town 40 miles away and was adopted by an elderly woman. When she recently passed away, the cat was brought to the local shelter, where personnel there decided to scan the now 9-year-old cat, because due to his age, he would most likely be euthanized.

“When I checked my voicemail at work I received the most unexpected message,” Lane-Mills said, in a release prepared by the Kennel Club. “They let me know that Dopey had been turned in to a shelter. I had to listen to the message twice. I thought there is no way, Dopey’s been missing for six years.”

Continue reading "Owner reunited with lost kitty -- after 6 years" »

Posted by Jill Rosen at 6:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats
        

In the wake of Phoenix, a puppy doused with gasoline and set on fire, and two cats tortured to death, Baltimore City seems prepared to take a step to fight animal cruelty.

Mayor Sheila Dixon, together with the ASPCA, have a press conference scheduled for tomorrow morning to talk about the formation of a anti-animal cruelty task force.

I plan to attend and will have more details for you here and on The Baltimore Sun's news pages. 

Anyone have any ideas what this task force should try to take on and who should serve on it?

Posted by Jill Rosen at 6:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Events
        

My colleagues over at the Sun's green blog, B'More Green, just posted something dog owners will no doubt find troubling. Advocates for the Chesapeake Bay say our pets, specifically dogs, are bigtime polluters.

Tim Wheeler writes:

When looking for culprits to blame for the Chesapeake Bay's foul shape, it's tempting to point fingers at smelly sewage treatment plants, or at farmers whose flocks or herds of animals produce highly visible, not to mention odoriferous, mounds of manure.

But before pointing fingers, maybe we should look a little closer to home. Household pets, particularly the legions of dogs taken for walks every day, collectively are a significant source of water pollution, experts say, and even a threat to human health.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation issued a report today highlighting the ways in which pollution and bacteria put humans at risk when they swim in the bay or its tributaries, when they eat locally caught fish or when they drink water from wells.  I wrote a story about it for The Baltimore Sun.

... According to a state study, pet waste is the leading source of bacteria found in a stretch of the Severn River where a few years earlier a Crownsville man acquired a life-threatening bacterial infection after swimming with a mild scrape on his leg. 

Read more, here.

Photo of dog walking on the beach courtesy of Mikebaird's photostream on Flickr.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 1:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

There's over-reacting. And then there's calling 911 when your pet hamster gets loose.

Of course, that's exactly what a woman in Yorkshire, England, did when her rodent made the grand escape recently, a fellow pets blogger at the Los Angeles Times points out.

"It's my hamster. It's got out of its cage. It's gone into the bathroom and it's gone down into the floorboards," the woman can be heard telling an emergency-line operator in the recently released recording of her frantic 999 call. A short time later, she asks the operator, "Is there any chance anyone could come and help me get it out?"

South Yorkshire police released the recording to draw attention to what they say is a big problem: non-emergency calls placed to the emergency line. 

Continue reading "My hamster's loose! Call 911!" »

Posted by Jill Rosen at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff
        

Believe it or not, the foster pup I told you I brought home late last week has made it a grand total of four days with me.

Though the kitties were essentially sequestered upstairs at first, on Sunday we had the big reveal. Pumpkin wasn't so much interested in the dog -- except when he saw it came with extra bowls of food. He greeted the food bowl with open arms (and open mouth). As for Leo, let's just say it wasn't exactly love at first sight.

Not that the doggie didn't try! Though I hadn't seen his ragged little tail wag once over the two days, as soon as he saw the kitties, the tail, that looks like a mussed tassel at the end of a piece of bulky yarn, was wagging like mad. He really wanted to be friends with Leo and The Pumpkin. The kitties had other plans.

Leo spent all day following the dog like Javert tracked Jean Valjean in Les Miserables -- stalking his every move. Though the pup did nothing wrong, Leo hissed now and again for good measure. Pumpkin just stretched on the floor and enjoyed the show.

Continue reading "Update on Thing 3, the foster...possible name?" »

Posted by Jill Rosen at 10:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs, Thing 3, the Foster Dog
        

African Serval kittens are put on sale at the Summer Millionaire Fair in Moscow on June 27. The price of a kitten is $15,000 -- and that's U.S. currency. OXANA ONIPKO/AFP/Getty Images.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats
        

NAME: Titus

OWNER: Suzanne and Justin

HOW THEY MET: Justin had been wanting a dog for sometime so Suzanne stopped by a local shelter and adopted Titus as a 30th birthday present for Justin.

AGE: 10 months

HOME: Cockeysville.

BREED: German Shepherd / English Bulldog

BEST TRICK: Opening doors, "go to bed," "paw" and "other paw."

FAVORITE ACTIVITY: Eating, playing fetch, and corralling our parents' two Pugs and a Puggle.

FAVORITE FOOD: Currently Beggin' Strips and his peanut butter filled Kong.

Continue reading "Collared today: Titus" »

Posted by Jill Rosen at 6:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Collared
        

From guest poster Mary Corey:

If there's one thing that will bring a former pets blogger back into the fold, it's the American Visionary Art Museum's pet parade. The July 4th event had hoot written all over it. Jill gave you the scoop on the day and took plenty of pictures. But I couldn't resist sharing some of my favorites.

The real treat is that Felicia Savage, whose adorable Lexicon has been featured on the blog, has sent in her best shots. You last saw her photos during the Maryland SPCA's March for the Animals. (Thanks, Felicia! Please keep 'em coming.)

Now it's your turn. We saw many cameras in the crowd. If you have pictures from this year's pet parade, please send them here.

Pictured above is Icy, a Pomeranian mix in a polo festooned with flower appliques. Photo by Mary Corey

Continue reading "More pets on parade at AVAM" »

Posted by Mary Corey at 7:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

While Baltimore's pet community was certainly showed a venerable turnout on July Fourth, particular at the American Visionary Arts Museum's annual parade, (See pictures of that here, and here and also here), First Puppy Bo Obama had a little parade of his own. He kind of paraded about the White House lawn on July 4th. He celebrated Indepence Day here on the north side of the White House. AP Photo/Alex Brandon.

For more Bo Obama, click here.

And if you have pictures of your own pets on parade, either from this Fourth of July or some other parade, submit them here to show off to all the online world.

Continue reading "Bo Obama sets off cuteness fireworks " »

Posted by Jill Rosen at 12:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: First Dog Bo Obama
        

Above, Marine Staff Sgt. Steven Irvin playfully scowls at an 11-week-old female English bulldog during a media event in Castroville, Texas, to introduce the puppy as the latest to hold the position of U.S. Marine Corps Recruit. After an extensive search process, the puppy was chosen and will be sent off to boot camp in San Diego for training.

After, the puppy will be assigned a name and a rank and uniform much like its human counterparts. AP Photos/San Antonio Express-News, Kin Man Hui.

At left, the puppy rests in the hands of Marine Pfc. Brian Zuniga.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

I'm not sure why it took nearly five months for the Clinton folks to release this news, but it's sweet, so here it is, compliments of The Associated Press:

Socks, a one-time stray cat who roamed the lawns of the Arkansas governor’s mansion in Little Rock, has returned home for his final rest.

Officials spread some of the cat’s ashes in the mansion’s west flower garden during a private ceremony in March.

Attending the ceremony were Linda Dixon of the Clinton Presidential Library and the Arkansas first lady, Ginger Beebe, who read a poem she wrote in honor of the cat. A small plaque off a porch outside the mansion’s kitchen now honors Socks.

Continue reading "Clintons' Socks finally home" »

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Celebrities and their pets
        

Here's the final round of pictures from the American Visionary Arts Museum's annual Fourth of July pet parade and talent show. What a fun event. So many really cute dogs and puppies. One African tortoise. One kitten. One beta fish named Blueberry. Plenty of pets came costumed -- a lot of them in red, white and blue. Others wore what nature gave them. Good stuff.

To see more pictures, click here.  And click here, too!

Continue reading "Patriotic pets parade for Fourth, Part III" »

Posted by Jill Rosen at 11:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff, Cats Cats Cats, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Events
        

The discovery of 10 lynx kittens this spring marks the first newborns documented in Colorado since 2006, heartening biologists overseeing restoration of the mountain feline.

According to The Associated Press, the tuft-eared cats with big, padded feet were native to Colorado, but wiped out by the early 1970s by logging, trapping, poisoning and development. They are listed as threatened on the endangered species list.

Biologists found no kittens the past two years, possibly partly because of a drop in the number of snowshoe hares, the cats' main food source.

This year, seven male and three female kittens were found in five dens.

More than 200 lynx from Alaska and Canada have been released in Colorado since 1999. Biologists don't know how many lynx are currently in the state.

This photograph taken in May at an undisclosed location shows a lynx kitten, which is one of 10 born this spring in Colorado, according to researchers. AP Photo/Colorado Division of Wildlife.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 10:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats
        

NAME: Constance

OWNER:  The Feline Rescue Association, Inc. (FRA)

HOW THEY MET: FRA pulled Constance and her four kittens from a local shelter where they were under threat of euthanasia. All the kittens were adopted quickly but Constance is still waiting for her forever home.

AGE: 2 to 3 years old.

HOME: Pikesville.

BREED: Domestic short hair blue.

BEST TRICK: Comes when called.

Continue reading "Ready to be Collared: Constance" »

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Collared
        

It's day two with Thing 3. He's actually been with me for about a day and a half now. And though it's not much, I think there's been a smattering of progress.

(For those of you who missed the first installment, I'm fostering a dog for a bit. He's a rescue with some special needs but also a little cuteness.)

First, he's not only coming out of the carrier now and again, he's spending most of his time out. And he's learned about pillows! They're soft! He likes to snuggle on top of one that I put on the floor. It's quickly become one of his favorite nooks.

After not eating anything yesterday, he ate some wet food this morning and after the kitties finish dinner, I expect that he'll eat some more. He hasn't touched the dry food the shelter sent home with him. I haven't seen him drink from the water bowl, either.

And though I've been a little sad that he hasn't shown so much as a snippet of interest in treats -- he's utterly ignored three different types -- just a few minutes ago I had a small victory. Found out our little guy loves cheese!! He might be a dog after all.

My little cheese hound atop his favorite pillow. His only pillow, really. Photo by Jill.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 6:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs, Thing 3, the Foster Dog