After all this talk of bird flu, it appears the dog's have a little something to worry about too --- especially those of the smooshed nose variety.

Check out this interesting New York Times story that talks about why certain breeds are more at-risk to get sick and also about the new flu vaccine that was just approved last week:

There is a new flu virus going around. It initially looked quite lethal, and caused panic. Now it is clear that it has killed relatively few victims — and many of those have underlying conditions. It is particularly dangerous to be the possessor of a pushed-in nose — that is, to be a Pekingese, a pug or a Shih-Tzu.

It is the H3N8 dog flu. The virus, scientists believe, jumped from horses to dogs at least five years ago, but it has never infected a human. Last week, the United States Department of Agriculture announced that it had approved the first vaccine for it.

While fears of a flu pandemic among humans have shifted from the lethal H5N1 avian flu to the relatively mild H1N1 swine flu, the H3N8 canine flu has been a quiet undercurrent in the United States, rarely discussed except among veterinarians and dog owners in the few areas where it has struck hard: Florida, New York City’s northern suburbs, Philadelphia and Denver.

In line with the virologists’ adage that the only predictable thing about flu viruses is that they are unpredictable, the dog flu has baffled those following it.

“I don’t think we know what this virus is going to do yet,” said one of its discoverers, Dr. Cynda Crawford of the University of Florida veterinary school.

When Dr. Crawford began studying it in January 2004, it had come to her notice as a mysterious cough and pneumonia that killed a third of the greyhounds at a Florida dog track. By the next year, she had found it in seven states and had shown that it could be passed by dogs who just rubbed noses on the street or shared a water dish, and that humans could carry it on their clothes.

It has proved about as deadly as Dr. Crawford predicted. She estimates that by itself, it kills 5 percent of the dogs that catch it. Add the deaths at shelters that eliminate the virus by killing all their dogs and disinfecting their cages, and the total mortality rate is 8 percent.

But it has not spread nearly as vigorously as she expected. It has now been found in 30 states, but almost exclusively in settings where dogs live closely together: shelters, pet stores, kennels and dog schools.

Some veterinarians have found that the dogs that tend to die from it are the “brachycephalics” — dogs with short snub noses. Just as obesity has proved dangerous to human flu victims because of the weight on their chests, being bred to have a short, bent respiratory tract is dangerous for dogs.

A puppy Pug is held by an animal rights activist during a recent press conference. AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs, Health
        

People magazine has solved the mystery of whatever became of Michael Jackson's famous chimp, Bubbles. The magazine reports:

With all the discussion surrounding the shocking death of Michael Jackson, people have wondered whatever happened to his beloved chimpanzee Bubbles. It turns out, the chimp is alive and well and monkeying around in a Florida primate sanctuary, PEOPLE has learned.

The 26-year old chimp, who lived with Jackson in the late 1980s, has spent the past four years at the Center For Great Apes, home to forty-two chimpanzees and orangutans.
"He's a very sweet and nice chimp, he really is," says sanctuary director Patti Ragan. "I've seen him go to the drinking fountain, start to take a sip of water and then, when he hears one of the younger ones coming, he'll step back and let them have a sip."

File photo.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Celebrities and their pets
        

"Liberty Bell", a one-year-old Portuguese water dog, that is one of the over 200 dogs that were rescued from a kennel in Pennsylvania, licks a visitor as she is transferred in Gaithersburg on Thursday, June 25. Several of the dogs were brought to Gaithersburg and transferred to shelters in Alexandria, Va., Fairfax, Va., and Takoma Park. After being cleaned and treated, the dogs will be ready for adoption. AP Photos/Jacquelyn Martin.

Jamie Scotto, left, with the Washington Animal Rescue League, and Stephanie Shain, with the Humane Society of the United States, attend to two of the over 200 dogs that were rescued from a kennel in Pennsylvania. More than 50 of the dogs were brought to Gaithersburg. Eighteen of them were brought to Baltimore.  (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

In case yours hasn't arrived in the mail, here's what the official First Dog Bo Obama baseball card looks like -- front and back.

It includes all sorts of nifty details about the nation's puppy in chief. Did you know his favorite workout is going for a run? Did you know where his name comes from? Did you know his favorite foods? Do you know who he's been spotted canoodling with?

Here's how to get one.

To read more about the always adorable White House resident, click here.

Photo of card, from Official White House photos.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: First Dog Bo Obama
        

It's time once to get out the star-spangled bows -- the American Visionary Arts Museum's annual pet parade is Saturday.

Even better than a typical parade, the event includes a pet talent show. Every entrant can take the stage and perform. Or, you know, just take the stage and look cute.

Museum officials say "in past years, hermit crabs have re-enacted Revolutionary War battles; dogs have spontaneously 'got patriotic' with owners' legs; a rabbit (and eventual Visionary Pet Award Winner) has incited an outbreak of Peace and Understanding with her gaze; and, of course, we've seen endearing attempts to sit, speak, roll over, high-five, fetch, catch, eat corn off the cob, etc."

Wow. I'm so there. With camera.

As if parading and performing weren't enough, there will also be a round of Musical Chairs for pets and a chance to cool off in pools.

There will be trophies awarded for Best Costume, Most Patriotic, Owner & Pet Look-alikes, Least Likely to Succeed as a Pet, and the esteemed Most Visionary Pet Award. Dressing up pets is encouraged but all animals must be leashed or carried.

Parade starts at 10 a.m. Registration, which is free, opens at 9:30 a.m.

Sun file photo

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs, Events, Fun stuff
        

Pabst competes in the World's Ugliest Dog Contest at the Sonoma-Marin Fair on Friday in Petaluma, Calif. The toothy 4-year-old Boxer mix won top honors. AP Photo/Noah Berger.

Below, Lydon Oliver plays with two Chines Crested dogs before the start of the ugly dog festivities. Those dogs clearly didn't have the stuff that makes a winner. Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.

For more ugly dog action, click here.

Miles Egstad of Citrus Heights, Calif., stands with his dog Pabst, a boxer mix, after winning the 21st Annual World's Ugliest Dog Contest. Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 2:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs, Events, Fun stuff
        

Michael Jackson cuddles a koala bear on the way to his hotel room in Adelaide in 1996 during the Australian leg of the HIStory World Tour. Besides his three children and millions of fans, Michael Jackson has also left behind less likely progeny -- a dancing chimp, four giraffes and other exotic pets. AFP/Getty Images.

More on Michael Jackson's pets, click here.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 1:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Celebrities and their pets
        

I've got a little housecleaning to attend to...the winners of the last two Animal House Fridays.

On Friday, when we were talking about Take Your Dog to Work Day -- and imagining what it would be like if our pet actually came into the office -- Sue took the big prize. She said Honey, her golden retriever, would be something of a disaster in her Hamden yarn store, Lovely Yarns. Sue wins a copy of Pretty Pet-Friendly, a book that promises ways to keep ones home "stylish and spotless" despite the doggy or kitty. (Let us know if any of the tips work, Sue!)

And then, last week, when we were playing movie critic and evaluating Peter Hermann and Mike Catalini's work on Mashu vs. The Bad Medicine, Casey easily won the prize. Her review of the video would give the Sun's Michael Sragow a run for his critiquing money. She wins a book about another animal who's had quite a ride in the video world -- A Lion Called Christian.

Thanks for playing everyone. Looking forward to this week's installment. But also wondering if we should perhaps postpone it because of the holiday weekend. Hmm.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Animal house
        

The beyond-cute puppies that found themselves at a Baltimore shelter last week after being rescued from a puppy mill are well on their way to happier places, it looks like.

I visited the Maryland SPCA on Sunday and it looked as if every last one of the 18 rescues had been spoken for. From the poodle mixes to the Great Dane. All of them. 

I'm a little heartbroken. Don't tell Leo or Pumpkin, but I fell a little in love with a butterscotch-colored sweetie named Spot. I hope he, and all the rest of the puppies and dogs, have the wonderful lives they deserve from now on.

If you adopted one of them, let us know how they're doing!

All rescued pup shots taken upon their arrival at the Maryland SPCA by Sun photographer Tasha Treadwell.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

NAME OF PET: Baila

OWNER: Justin & Lauren. Playmate of Kiki.

HOW OWNER AND PET CAME TOGETHER: Maryland SPCA

AGE: 5

RESIDES IN: Baltimore, Maryland

BREED: American Shorthair

BEST TRICK: Fetching

FAVORITE ACTIVITY: Bird watching while daydreaming of bird hunting.

FUNNIEST MOMENT: Performing flips while playing with “Da Bird.”

CHATTY AND SASSY: Very talkative and likes butt smacks.

IF BAILA HAD A MOTTO FOR LIFE, IT WOULD BE: “Everyone should be respected as an individual, but I shall be idolized. ”

CREDIT FOR PHOTOGRAPH: Justin C.

To see other pets that have been Collared, click here.

Want your pet to be featured in Unleashed? Click here to download the Collared questionnaire. Fill it out and email it to us, along with a web-sized jpeg, at unleashed@baltsun.com.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Collared
        

A prominent under-bite, scrunched face and floppy ears are the hallmarks of a winner.

At least in the World's Ugliest Dog contest.

Pabst, a boxer-mix rescued from a shelter by Miles Egstad of Citrus Heights, Calif., won the annual contest on Friday at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Northern California, the Associated Press reports.

It was an upset victory for Pabst, who beat former champion Rascal, a pedigree Chinese Crested.

Race officials predicted some other breeds would finally give the Chinese Cresteds, which have an unfortunate ability to sweep the contest a run for the money this year.

Pabst's owner took home $1,600 in prize money, pet supplies and a modeling contract with House of Dog.

Miss Ellie, a blind 15-year-old Chinese Crested Hairless, won the pedigree category.

Miss Ellie celebrates her win in the World's Ugliest Dog Contest's pedigree class at the Sonoma-Marin Fair on Friday, in Petaluma, Calif. She is a blind 15-year-old Chinese Crested Hairless. AP Photo/Noah Berger.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 5:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

If you've seen all the movies, maybe you can search for a kitty?

With Pet Adoptions On Demand, Comcast introduces another interesting way to browse animals available for adoption from home. But this time on TV instead of online.

And the pets you see here, are residents of Baltimore area shelters that need homes. The company works with the Humane Society of Harford County and the SPCA of Anne Arundel County.

Though Comcast isn't sure how many animals have been adopted through TV, it's featured nearly 300 of them so far in the area.

Pet Adoptions On Demand is part of the company's community-focused “Get Local” programs. It launched here in 2007 and is running in 27 markets across the country. It's one of the Top 10 most viewed "on demand" offerings, company officials say.

Comcast Digital Cable subscribers can watch these video profiles for free any time with a click of their remote controls. Each profile shows off the animal, describing its name, tag number, history and temperament. There's a number to call for more information or to arrange a visit. 

Screen grabs of cat profiles currently available for viewing via Pet Adoptions On Demand.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Fun stuff
        

Hundreds of dog owners with their Labradors paraded this week in front of the Palace of Culture in the center of Warsaw, Poland. AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

A "sweetheart" of a dog now in a California shelter may be really, really far from home. His microchip says the knee-high, light tan Saluki came from Saudi Arabia.

The neutered male dog brought to a Carlsbad animal shelter last week has an implanted microchip that was sold to the U.S. Military Training Mission, headquartered in Riyadh, Lt. Dan DeSousa of San Diego County's Animal Services Department told The Associated Press.

The dog was found June 15 near Escondido, about 30 miles north of San Diego. DeSousa said he believes someone in the military owns the dog and likely brought him from overseas. But they haven't been able to track down the owner, even after speaking with veterinarians who work with the U.S. military in Saudi Arabia.

"In our hearts and minds, we know this dog belongs to someone in the military. For all they've done for us, it is only fair we try to get the dog reunited," DeSousa said. DeSousa said he doesn't know the dog's name but he wears a tag that reads "Pet Rejuvenizer."

Plenty of people have said they would take him but authorities hope the real owner will come forward. "There's a lot of unanswered questions, and dogs can't talk, so we're kind of restricted as to what information we can get out of him," DeSousa said, chuckling. "We're trying to put the word out. He is a sweetheart of a dog."

A pure bred Saluki, estimated to be 5 to 6 years old, stands in an enclosure at the San Diego County Animal Shelter, where his owner is being sought by personnel Tuesday, June 23,  in San Diego. Animal Services traced the dog's microchip and learned it had been sold to the U.S. Military Training Mission headquartered in Riyadh, according to Lt. Dan DeSousa of San Diego County's Animal Services department. AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

Here's just two more of the ridiculously sweet puppies rescued this week from a puppy mill near Allentown. Eighteen of the pups are now at the Maryland SPCA, being nursed back to health and prepared for adoptions. More pictures to come. These by Sun photographer Tasha Treadwell.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 6:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

This piece in Discovery News take an interesting look back at Michael Jackson's relationship with animals. At times odd, at times the target for criticism, the star's affection for exotic animals was legendary:

Animals played an important role in Michael Jackson's life, abruptly cut short yesterday.

One of Jackson's earliest hits, and a personal favorite song of his, was "Ben," a loving tribute to a pet rat. Jackson was just 14 years old when he recorded the song, becoming the youngest ever performer at the time to top the U.S. charts while still being a member of a group, The Jacksons. "Ben" was written for a 1972 film of the same name.

A young boy befriends Ben the rat in the movie, which was echoed in Jackson's own life since he owned a rat as well. Pet rats were just some of the animals that Jackson cared for, and was associated with, throughout his much too short time on Earth.

Like many young boys, Jackson owned a mini menagerie of dogs and reptiles. But, just as his superstar life spun out of "normalcy," so too did his collection of animals as time went on. His November 1986 line of stuffed toys called "Michael's Pets" paid tribute to just a handful of these animal companions— frogs, rabbits, snakes, ostriches, giraffes, llamas and, of course, Bubbles the chimp.

Jackson rescued Bubbles from a Texas cancer research clinic in 1985 when the chimpanzee was three years old. For several years, the two were inseparable. Bubbles slept in a crib at the corner of Jackson's bedroom, where he alone was allowed to use the singer's private bathroom. Bubbles Moonwalking Bubbles was present during the recording sessions for the Bad album. Bubbles learned how to dance and Moonwalk, and was Jackson's escort for many important award ceremonies and events.

When Jackson's son Prince Michael II was born, Bubbles supposedly became aggressive toward the new young presence in the singer's residences. The chimpanzee was moved to an animal sanctuary. He is now believed to be living a quiet life at a ranch in Sylmar, California.

Michael Jackson also famously loved spiders, with Katharine Hepburn and other celebrity friends at the time expressing awe, and often dismay, at his elaborate spider enclosures. His tarantulas made headlines during a few of the singer's seemingly endless series of legal trials. In 2002, for example, the singer limped into a courtroom on crutches, explaining that he was suffering from a spider bite. "I love tarantulas, but not the little kind," the shoeless Jackson explained.

Jackson's own enormous ranch, Neverland, housed not only rare spiders, but also a video game arcade, amusement park rides and a train. But the real eye-catcher was the private zoo, which once held an elephant, a lion and other exotic animals.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals filed a complaint in January 2006, claiming the animals were being mistreated. This was attributed by others to Jackson's money, legal and paparazzi problems, which forced him to abandon the ranch. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, however, inspected the animals at the zoo and found no evidence of abuse or neglect.

Jackson rarely visited Neverland Ranch again, instead living between Bahrain, Europe and Las Vegas. More recently, he'd been living in a rented home in Holmby Hills near Los Angeles. The connection between Michael Jackson and animals, as well as related controversies, swirled until the very hour of the singer's death.

Animal activists were planning to stage a boycott of Jackson's 50 planned, sold-out concerts, since sources leaked that the singer planned to make his entrance with exotic animals. An unnamed source was quoted by the London Telegraph as saying, "He hopes to make it the most spectacular gig ever. For the jungle section, he wants to ride out on an African elephant with panthers led on gold chains. Parrots and other birds will fly behind him. If it goes to plan it will look incredible."

Craig Redmond, director of the Captive Animals Protection Society, issued a response that included, "Exploiting animals in this way really is a thing of the past and not something that someone like Michael Jackson should be doing. It would be like a circus act – a practice opposed by most people in the UK – and we are appealing to him and his management not to spoil the show by using animals."

AP file photo of Jackson and Bubbles.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 2:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)
Categories: Celebrities and their pets
        

Alright. So we know Take Your Dog To Work Day is more or less a bust in the Baltimore area.

Thanks to allergies, unwilling bosses, the uh, reality of having mutts running around a work environment, this more or less isn't happening.

However! That doesn't mean we can't imagine how it would have been had we brought our dogs, kitties, birds, goldfish, ferrets -- whatever, into the office to hang with Mr. Burns all day. For this Animal House Friday, and the usual prize enticements that come with it, let's talk about how we think our animals would do, had we brought them into the office.

I'm pretty sure my kitties would be something of a disaster. Pumpkin would start jumping on desks, in garbage cans and eating everyone's half-finished sandwiches and desk candy. Leo would probably be trying to balance himself atop the one-inch cubicle boundary markers -- right before he started shredding all the paper in the tri-state area. (And the Sun, as you might guess, has a LOT of paper...)

Photo of keyboard kitty courtesy of Christhomson's photostream on Flickr.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Animal house
        

More than half of American pet owners surveyed recently say their pets are essentially members of their family -- no different than any other member of the household.

The poll, conducted by Petside.com and The Associated Press, found singles of both genders, but especially single women (66 percent), were more likely to say that their pet is a full member of the family. Another 36 percent said their pet is part of the family but not a full member.

Forty-three percent of pet owners think their dog or cat has a sense of style. One in five people dress them fashionably. Dogs are more likely to be dressed up, with almost a quarter of dog owners saying they've purchased an outfit for their pet, compared with 12 percent of cat owners. (This is no suprise to any cat owner who tried to put anything on the kitty....)

The doggies and kitties are apparently eating well, too, as 43 percent of respondents admitted to feeding their pets people food at least sometimes, with more dog owners doing so (48 percent) than cat owners (40 percent).

Dog owners seem to treat their pets more like members of the family, in that they're more likely to have taken their pet to a family vacation than cat owners (50 percent vs. 39 percent). They are also more likely to have included their pet in a holiday card (37 percent vs. 33 percent) or family portrait (38 percent vs. 32 percent). Canines are also more likely to be taken to work as opposed to felines (21 percent vs. 14 percent).

Still, more cat owners (36 percent) allow their furry friends to sleep in the same bed with them, as opposed to dog owners (29 percent), with married people more likely to relegate their pets to its own bed than singles. And, birthday celebrations cut across the playing field, with 29 percent of dog owners marking the occasion in comparison to 26 percent of cat owners.

Singles were more likely to say a pet was a full member of the family than married people — 66 percent of single women versus 46 percent of married women, for example. And men were less likely to call their pet a full member of the household.

For some single women, pets become surrogate children, said Kristen Nelson, a veterinarian in Scottsdale, Ariz. She said men are also attached to pets — but are less likely to admit it because it’s not seen as masculine.

Debbie Jablonski, 50, of Wilmington, N.C., talks about her cats like a mom talks about her children.

Milkshake, who sleeps at the foot of her bed, sticks his cold nose on her eyelid and touches his paw to her face at 4:30 a.m. to wake her up and feed him. The other cat, Licorice, sleeps on the couch and has a habit of sitting on her newspaper when she is trying to read it.

“If you try to budge her, she will not move,” said Jablonski, laughing. “You will have to practically pick her up and move her.”

At top, Snag L. Tooth catching a cat nap at his home in Portland, Oregon. Almost 40 percent of cat owners let their cats sleep in the bed with them. AP Photo/Veterinary Pet Insurance. Below, Lola, a 16 month-old yellow lab that belongs to Copley Square Hotel's general manager, John Maibach. AP Photo/Copley Square Hotel.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Fun stuff
        

Allen Gorden and his dog Charanna pause to look at a memorial on the star of actress Farrah Fawcett Thursday, June 25, on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles. Fawcett, the "Charlie's Angels" star whose feathered blond hair and dazzling smile made her one of the biggest sex symbols of the 1970s, died Thursday after battling cancer. She was 62. AP Photo/Nick Ut

Posted by Jill Rosen at 5:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

As if they’d never seen a bed before, two fluffy puppies rolled about together on one Thursday afternoon a Baltimore shelter.

And they hadn’t. They also didn’t know about having enough to eat, baths or playing with toys.

The Maryland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals stepped in Wednesday night to save 18 of more than 200 pups rescued this week from a Pennsylvania puppy mill. The shelter is working to prepare the dogs, many of them boutique breeds, for adoption as soon as possible.

The dogs of all sizes, colors and breeds relaxed Thursday, most likely for the first time, in comfortable pens, with fresh water and food. Though they’d never seen them before, two young poodle mixes quickly took to toys, chomping with gusto on squeaky ones and and licking others filled with peanut butter.

One tiny black poodle danced on two legs around his new cage, twirling for onlookers and wagging his tail nonstop.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and The Humane Society of the United States raided the Almost Heaven kennels near Allentown on Tuesday, finding dogs in what they called “horrific” conditions, housed in wire crates and suffering from various infections.

The dogs now in Baltimore range from just a few months to about four years old. There are cream-colored Labradoodles, Poodle mixes with sweetly spotted coats and even a handsome Great Dane.
Most of the dogs are fairly healthy, shelther officials said, though a number of them are thin and showing signs of stress.

The shelter plans to bathe the dogs Friday and then spay and neuter them and give them full health examinations. The healthier ones could be ready for adoption in a few days.

Nichol Miller takes one of the puppies that was rescued from an Allentown, Pa., puppy mill for a walk outside of the SPCA in Hampden. Pictured below, the Great Dane, is about 40 pounds underweight. Many of the puppies that came from the mill were acclimating quickly to the rescue facility since arriving last Wednesday night. The MDSPCA has 18 of the over 200 puppies just rescued from an Allentown, PA puppy mill. The SPCA in Hampden is rehabilitating the puppies and preparing them for adoption. Tasha Treadwell/Sun Photographer.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 4:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

On Friday, June 26, the Maryland SPCA is celebrating National Take Your Dog To Work Day with a “Wine and Wag” Happy Hour from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the SPCA. 

Participants can relax after work with other pet-friendly people and enjoy light refreshments including hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine. Activities include musical chairs with your dog, a treasure hunt for great doggie prizes, paw painting, off-leash play in the fun runs, bobbing for hot dogs and tours of the SPCA adoption center.

Tickets are $10 per person in advance and $15 at the SPCA gate. Dogs are admitted free, however only one dog per person is permitted and all dogs must be leashed. Tickets can be purchased online. All proceeds benefit the Maryland SPCA.

This is the first of three summer “Wine and Wag” Happy Hours at the Maryland SPCA.  Future events will be held on July 24 and August 14.  For more information regarding the “Wine and Wag” events, please contact Tami Gosheff at 410-235-8826, ext. 138, tgosheff@mdspca.org or visit Maryland SPCA.

Photo of lip-smackingly sweet puppy courtesy of Blackangel's photostream on Flickr.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 1:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs, Events, Fun stuff
        

I'm starting to wonder if Take Your Dog to Work Day is just a figment of someone's imagination...

Almost NO companies -- including the Sun...Boo! -- are allowing it. Yes, I can see why it's a bad idea. People have allergies. People need to actually get work done in the office. Dogs can be a bit, um, rowdy. All that.

But what I'm wondering is how can there even be an official day declared -- an Official Capitalized Day -- if essentially no one in the country is allowed to do it???

That said, if anyone IS doing it -- and I know there are a few of you -- will you promise to take pictures and send them in so the rest of us can be jealous? Would love to document the doggies in the office thing....filing documents, barking into the phone, attending some meetings.....

AP photo of one of the few dogs that's apparently allowed in a work place. Sigh.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 10:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs, Events, Fun stuff
        

A small-town mayor whose two black Labradors were killed by Prince George's County authorities during a raid at his home last summer complained this week of a "paramilitary culture" within the sheriff's department as he announced a lawsuit.

The Associated Press reports Berwyn Heights Mayor Cheye Calvo planned to file a lawsuit in Prince George's County Circuit Court against the state of Maryland and officials at the county sheriff's office and police department. Calvo is seeking unspecified damages and a court order forcing the county to revise how authorities execute warrants, treat animals and detain individuals.

"We had hoped that the sheriff's office and county police department could exercise internal leadership to acknowledge wrongdoing and make these changes on their own," Calvo said in a statement. "But their comments and actions over the last year made clear that they lack the will and credibility to do so."

Last summer, police raided Calvo's home after drug smugglers sent a package containing 32 pounds of marijuana to his residence. Police later cleared Calvo and his family of any wrongdoing.

Police have said they believe the drug delivery was part of a scheme in which packages were sent to the homes of unsuspecting recipients. The packages would then be picked up by someone else shortly after delivery.

The lawsuit claims that authorities' failure to knock or announce their entry, the "cold-blooded" killing of the dogs and the "degrading detention" of Calvo and his mother-in-law, were the "direct and proximate result of a rogue, paramilitary culture" within the sheriff's department.

The defendants acted "intentionally, with an evil and rancorous and improper motive, with ill will and actual malice," the lawsuit states.

Such practices are not unique to Calvo's case, the lawsuit states, and in fact are standard policies and procedures of the county law enforcement agencies. Calvo said SWAT teams are frequently used in the county.

Sgt. Mario Ellis, a spokesman for the sheriff's office, said he had not seen the lawsuit and could not comment on it. Ellis pointed to an internal review announced last week that said deputies acted appropriately during the incident. The review also found that deputies acted in a "professional and acceptable manner," and that the search warrant was executed lawfully.

In this undated file photo provided by Cheye Calvo, he and his wife, Trinity Tomsic, walk their labradors, Chase, left, and Payton, who were shot and killed by authorities during a raid of the couple's Berwyn Heights home on Tuesday July 29, 2008. Calvo said Monday, that he is suing Prince George's County authorities at the county sheriff's office and police department over the raid last summer at his home during which they killed his two dogs. AP Photo/Cheye Calvo.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

A New Hampshire postal worker is getting his own special delivery.

George Knapp and his wife, Dani-Jean Stuart, of Weare, N.H., have adopted the two-pound, 8-week-old kitten that was dropped in a public mailbox in Boston.

The MSPCA Animal Care and Adoption Center says Stuart directed a television news segment about the kitten, which the organization dubbed "Postina." The couple has renamed their new pet P.D., for "postage due."

A U.S. Postal Service letter carrier found the kitty earlier this month amid dozens of envelopes and packages. She likely was stuffed through the mailbox's small opening and dropped several feet onto the mail below.

Animal abandonment in Massachusetts is punishable by up to a $2,500 fine and 5 years in prison.
 

New Hampshire postal worker George Knapp shows off an 8-week-old kitten that he adopted Monday at the MSPCA in Boston. The two-pound kitten, who Knapp is naming PD for Postage Due, was abandoned in a public mailbox in Boston earlier this month. AP Photo/Eric J. Shelton.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats
        

Does anyone's dog have an iPhone?

If so, you'll want to let them know that there's a new free application that will point dogs and their people to the dog parks closest to them at any given moment.

The technology comes from pet company Eukanuba. It's called Off Leash and available for download here.

The company says iPhone users simply tap into the "Locate Me" feature and within seconds the five nearest dog parks will populate the screen, complete with a map and driving directions. Of course in Baltimore, the nearest five will be spread pretty much into other cities....

In addition to finding dog parks for your pooch via the application, the company says people can access Eukanuba TV 24-hours a day and see doggish programming including "Planet Puppy," "Champions and Heroes."

OFF LEASH fans are also encouraged to share their favorite dog parks so that they are added to the evolving park database. Eukanuba will refresh the database with new dog parks every two-to-three weeks.

Eukanuba Unleashes New Free iPhone Application Providing Dog Owners With Instant Access to Dog Parks and Other Four-Legged Fun. (PRNewsFoto/Eukanuba)

Posted by Jill Rosen at 1:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs, Fun stuff, Pet accessories
        

There's agile, and then there's these dogs....

Recently in Linthicum Heights, Gregory Tucker of Brooklyn, N.Y., tossed his cap for Cyrus to chase after he and the 2 and a half-year-old Belgian malinois made it through the Protection Sports Association Baltimore trial.

The duo earned a PDC, a Protection Dog Certificate,and can advance to higher levels in the sport.

At left, Cyrus, holds onto the arm of Rob Kelly a certified decoy with the Protection Sports Association.

The event took place at John L. Lippold Park at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church.

Baltimore Sun photos by KIM HAIRSTON

Zander, a Belgian Malinois, owned by Michelle Van Winkle of Denville, N.J., competes in the assault of handler and test of courage scenario of the Protection Sports Association Baltimore trial. Van Winkle and Zander earned a PDC or Protection Dog Certificate.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 12:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

    
The pretty ones get all the glory.

Except for on Friday -- when the not-so-pretty ones gather for the World's Ugliest Dog Contest in Californial.

This year experts predict the Chinese Cresteds. a sort of unfortunate breed that seems to have a tight hold on this contest, may get a run for their bedraggled money. A boxer, shepherd, Shar Pei, Chinese Pug, and some mutts are all vying for the title.

Of the 15 contestants, only four participated the previous year. The only returning champion is Rascal, a 7-pound purebred Chinese Crested from Sunnyvale who won the World's Ugliest bragging rights in 2002.

Since winning his title, Rascal has gone on to become a movie star, appearing in a number of horror movies. Naturally and completely hairless except for his Mohawk and a little hair on his tail and feet, he sports dog warts and freckles and no teeth, which gives his face a crooked look. He has appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The View.

Contestants this year must provide veterinarian releases documenting the health of their dogs. As Judge and Fair Board Member Brian Sobel says, "We are looking for dogs who are naturally ugly."

Besides the infamy that comes with the title, the winning dog trots away with $1,000 and, believe it or not, a modeling contract.

Animal Planet will return for the third year to film the show for a Dogs 101 segment.


Poor little Gus took last year's title for World's Ugliest Dog. Getty Images.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 12:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs, Events, Fun stuff
        

Mealtime with Leo has become an exercise in my creativity -- to say nothing of my patience.

The kitty is playing dry food games.

I always give Leo, and his brother by another mother, Pumpkin, a helping on a plate of dry and wet food. Pumpkin wolfs the whole thing down like a just-released POW. Leo daintily eats the wet foot, and then turns to the dry. Or, as recent history shows, not.

He used to eat it happily. Now it's a giant production.

I've found that he won't eat it on a plate on the floor like the rest of his food. But he'll eat it right up if I put a little pile of it on top of the recycling bin. In particular, he likes it if I arrange the pieces in a line so he can eat them one by one up the queue. 

The kitty is playing games with me. Who has time in the morning for all this?

Ideas? Sympathy? Need to mock me? Bring it all on...

Photo of bad Leo by Jill

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats
        

Baltimore area shelters have been racing to save 500 cats and kittens in June -- and the month is almost up.

From June 1 through 21 the shelters found homes for 344 cats and kittens. That puts the groups on target to reach goal -- but only if people keep adopting kitties....and there are plenty left.

The Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS), the Maryland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), and Baltimore Humane Society launched the Baltimore 500 Race to Save Lives with a goal of getting 500 cats and kittens adopted. All three shelters have waived adoption fees for cats and kittens for the entire month of June. 

Six local veterinary clinics are offering free exams for cats and kittens adopted at participating shelters 

Cats and kittens adopted from BARCS are spayed or neutered, vaccinated for rabies and bordatella, de-wormed, Felv tested, and provided with a flea preventative, a general examination, a food sample, and a month of free health insurance.

“It is so wonderful to see the people of the Baltimore area opening their hearts and homes to cats and kittens during this campaign,” Jennifer Mead-Brause, Executive Director of BARCS, said in a statement.  “We still have plenty of wonderful cats and kittens who need new homes.  This is the best time to consider adoption.  And if you already have a cat and kitten, this is the very best time to adopt a playmate for him or her.”  

Photograph of bewitching black and white kitten, AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats
        

If it's true that one only gets 15 minutes in the spotlight, American Eskimo Dogs are certainly getting their time now.

The American Eskimo Dog, a fluffy, fluffy white dog, is everywhere. They're in the news, thanks to a recent, massive puppy mill raid in the west. And they're on the big screen in a hit summer movie. 

One of the breed has been stealing scenes in The Proposal. People magazine reports that audience have been falling for Kevin, the fluffball of an American Eskimo dog that appears alongside Sandra Bullock, Betty White and Ryan Reynolds.

In real life, People reports, Kevin was portrayed by four different pooches: Flurry, Sitka, Nanu and Winter.

Meanwhile, nearly 400 American Eskimo dogs and puppies were rescued from a Washington state puppy mill. Though the dogs were living in deplorable conditions, some of them are already finding homes in Washington and Oregon.

Here's some good news from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer about a couple that adopted two of the minature dogs.

Barbara Arenal of HEART (Humane Evacuation Animal Rescue Team) carries a pair of American Eskimo dogs from a trailer transport to kennels at the Spokane Humane Society in Spokane, Wa. They were among the 371 rescued from the Sun Valley Kennel in Kennewick, Wa. last month. AP Photo/The Spokesman-Review, Dan Pelle.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 4:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

Is this kitty boxing? It sure looking like it? Has anyone's kitty or doggy ever imitated anything on the TV like this?

Posted by Jill Rosen at 2:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Pet videos
        

The reward to find the perpetrators in the case of the cats tortured in Baltimore has doubled to $2,000.

A second cat was found last week in Northwest Baltimore, burned, beaten and tied to a school fence.

The Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter said that this is the second cat found like this in the area in two weeks. The cat was discovered in the 3700 block of Lewiston Avenue, near Arlington Elementary School.

Fireworks were set up under its head. At least one leg was broken and it had been set on fire and severely burned. Just like the cat found two weeks ago, a blue cord was tied around its neck.

The reward is for information, arrest and conviction. Police are investigating the case.

The extra $1,000 raising the initial reward comes from the Maryland SPCA. BARCS put up the initial money.

"It's horrible," says Debra Rahl, BARCS programs director. "This was someone's pet....

"We hope that they will find the person or persons guilty of this crime."

BARCS officials hope anyone who knows anything will report the information to Animal Control at 410-396-4698.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 1:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats
        

So much for Rover and Fido.

Almost half of American pet owners gave an animal a human-like name, such as Jack or Sophie, according to an Associated Press-Petside.com poll of more than 1,000 pet owners released Tuesday.

Some of the more unusual names: Hollywood and Chichi Mittens, both cats; Vegas the Labrador Retriever; Jibber Jack the dog; the Beagle named Talulublue, and Louis XIV, the Yorkie.

(See previous post on craziest pet names of 2009...)

In all, 49 percent of respondents, including 51 percent of dog owners and 50 percent of cat owners, had given at least one of their pets a human-like name.

The most popular? Max got more mentions than other names in the AP Poll, but not enough to give it any broad claim of popularity (less than 2 percent of all mentions). One database of pet names, maintained by Veterinary Pet Insurance, also finds that Max pops up more frequently than any other name.

There has been a move away from classic dog names such as Spot and Lassie, according to VPI spokesman Curtis Steinhoff. There were 13 Fidos in VPI's database in 2008, placing the name at No. 2,866. Rover was No. 2,534, behind names like Grendel, Ginger Snap and Munchie.

Steinhoff said the trend reflects a stronger bond between people and their pets.

Pet owners who give their pets human names are more likely to see them as full members of the family, said Wayne Eldridge, veterinarian and author of "The Best Pet Name Book Ever!"

But he cautions against reading too much into pet names. Many people choose names based on the animal's appearance, he said. One of the most unusual names in the VPI database was Snag L. Tooth for a cat with a "snaggle tooth" that protrudes.

And some people don't know why they chose a certain name for their pet.

Like Beth Hart, 63, of Houston, who started naming her dogs Sassoon for the hair salon Vidal Sassoon. Her current Shih Tzu is Sassoon the Third. Her husband named their Lhaso Apso, "Dawg," their second dog with that name.

Daniel Rivera, 23, of Lansing, Mich. said his 4-year-old daughter named their pit bull lab mix Little Fella. He said he guesses the name fits since the dog has very short legs.

For some it's all about being creative. Susan Jacobs, 45, of Long Beach, Calif., named her black poodle Kingston for her best vacation ever.

"It was beautiful, the people, the music, the warm weather," she said of her trip to Jamaica a decade ago. "Now whenever I say his name, I think of that time of in my life."

Kingston, a 4-year-old poodle mix belonging to Susan Jacobs, a cosmetics consultant and freelance journalist, makes himself comfortable on a velvet sofa at Jacobs' home in Long Beach, Calif. AP Photo/Reed Saxon.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 10:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Fun stuff
        

Remember the loudest bark constest?

Well, the BBC went back for an interview with the winner and his proud owner.

Daz, Peter Lucken's four-year-old German Shepherd, recorded a bark of a whopping 108 decibels -- an achievement that earned the title, certified by the Guinness World of Records, as the loudest dog in the world.

"It's a powerful bark but I didn't think it was that powerful until now," Lucken tells the BBC. "He doesn't do it excessively."

Good thing!

But the BBC went for a "more objective view" --  from one Denise Parker who lives next door.

"Daz doesn't bark very often but when he does it certainly is loud," Parker confirmed. "I hear him sometimes when I'm watching television, but he only barks when he hears someone and he's trying to warn them away." 

Lucken clearly has a sense of humor -- though with a dog that loud, I guess you have to.

"We're going to buy the postwoman a present to say thank-you," he told the BBC. "Without having someone for her to bark at, I don't think he would have got the record. It helped to keep his vocal cords in trim."

Posted by Jill Rosen at 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

Shh. Don't tell your doggies and kitties, but what's being billed as a "pet resort" opens tomorrow (June 23) on the Eastern Shore.

With doggy day camp, a spa, limo service, flat-screen TVs, and a pet bistro, they might not want to come home.

Maryland Shore Pet Resort is located just off Route 50 in Vienna, Md., on more than 440 acres of property. It's owned by Eastern Shore residents Theresa and Frank Durham. Frank Durham is a dog trainer and breeder who runs the retriever training business Walker Branch Retrievers.  

The resort can accommodate 160 dogs and 30 cats. It offers grooming, training, overnight stays, doggy day camp and fitness classes.

The resort offers "luxury suites," where family pets can get together and watch movies on flat-screen TVs while snuggling in lambswool blankets that are laundered daily. For extra pampering, people can upgrade their dogs or cats to "premium" beds, choose specially prepared meals at the Best-Friend Bistro.

Then, there's afternoon “Yappy-hour” and “Meowy-hour” where all of the guests nibble on “happy-tizer” treats made on-site at the “Pure Bred Bakery." They can exercise it all off swimming in the heated pool or hiking along a wooded trail.

If the furry ones are a little tuckered out from all that, perhaps a bit sore, there's the spa, with full body rub-downs, aqua therapy in a warm whirlpool with pulsating

jets, and, of course blueberry facials and paw cream applications.

At night, the pet can get a tuck-in, with a healthy treat and a bedtime story.

Photos courtesy of the Maryland Shore Pet Resort. The resort's on-site kitty, pictured, was adopted from the Dorchester Humane Society.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Events, Fun stuff, Travel
        

Friday is Take Your Dog to Work Day. As far as Unleashed is concerned, this is like a national holiday.

We want to know EVERYTHING about EVERYONE who's participating in this. Who's taking their dogs to work? Which offices are allowing dogs? Is anyone protesting the prospect of having dogs around the watercooler?

President Obama, everyone knows, taken strides toward ending the long-accepted separation between animals and offices. As you can see in the picture, First Puppy Bo has run of the White House and has even been spotted in meeting rooms. Animals at work -- can the message be any clearer??

It's up in the air if the Sun is going to play along with this. Some are worried about allergies, dogs relieving themselves indelicately, barking.... But other newsroom staff, would love to bring in their doggies. Dizzy, Baxter, Cody, are just a few staff dogs who'd like in.

Anyway, if you are planning to take your dog to work, you simply must document it in photos and send them to Unleashed. I'd love to post all kinds of pictures from folks, so make sure your cameras are fired up and ready to go. In the meantime, everyone who's going to participate on Friday, write in and let me know who you are and who you plan to bring!

Official White House photo of Bo romping through the hallowed halls of government with the President.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 3:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs, Events
        

Americans love their pets even though the household critters can transmit as many as 30 different infectious diseases, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, the Los Angeles Times reports.

MRSA infections between dogs and cats and their owners are increasing, according to a review of pet-related human health problems published today in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. MRSA is an infection that has become more troublesome in recent years. It spreads easily through skin wounds and can be difficult to treat. Household pets are now considered a reservoir for MRSA, and skin infections in dogs and cats can be spread to humans through bites, said the author of the study, Dr. Richard Oehler of the University of South Florida College of Medicine.

Severe infections (MRSA as well as other germs) from cat and dog bites occur in about 20 percent of all bite injuries. These infections are thought to be caused by the bacteria carried by the pet as well as germs on human skin. Dog and cat bites cause about 1 percent of all emergency room visits each year. Bites to the hands, forearms, neck, and head have the most potential for serious infection.

"Pet owners are often unaware of the potential for transmission of life-threatening pathogens from their canine and feline companions," Oehler said. "Bite injuries are a major cause of injury in the USA and Europe each year, particularly in children."

Photo of big, sloppy doggie lick courtesy of Mikebaird's photostream on Flickr.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs, Health
        

According to the Washington Post, when the president takes his kids out for a treat -- he makes sure to include ALL the kids.

President Obama was spotted taking his daughters Saturday to an ice cream shop in Alexandria, Va, called The Dairy Godmother. He bought himself and the girls frozen custard. But he made sure to take home a package of frozen "puppy pops" for First Dog Bo.

The Post reports: "President Obama and his girls motorcaded over to Alexandria from the White House this afternoon. Malia had a waffle cone of vanilla custard and Sasha had her vanilla custard in a cup. The president enjoyed a cup of vanilla custard with hot fudge and toasted almonds, a pool reporter was told by the shopkeeper. The three were in the shop for about 15 minutes, where they sat at a table to enjoy their snacks.

"As they left, the trio received applause from the staff and customers inside and a small crowd outside. Carrying a bag of frozen "puppy pops" for the First Dog, Bo, Obama waved to the crowd before stepping into his SUV for the short jaunt back to the White House."

Official White House photo of First Puppy Bo Obama.

For more on everyone's favorite Portuguese Water Dog, click here.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 2:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: First Dog Bo Obama
        

According to a story in the San Diego Union-Tribune, Greg Louganis these days is more about dogs than dives.

The paper writes: "He spends his mornings these days in a spin class on a stationary bike, followed twice a week by 90 minutes of yoga. He takes daily naps. His afternoons are devoted to his true passion, training dogs in obedience and agility. He has two Jack Russell terriers, a border collie and a Hungarian pumi.

"He has flowing gray hair. He is tan. He wears a necklace with a diamond-studded peace sign.
He is at the San Diego County Fair today for the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge, the western region qualifier for the national championships in October in St. Louis. He and Dobby, a 12-pound Jack Russell, are entered in the small-dog agility competition – a timed run through an obstacle course with jumps, slalom poles and tunnels. Louganis runs alongside Dobby, providing guidance and instruction.

"One of their fellow competitors at the fair is Elizabeth Evans of McKinney, Texas. She has been competing for 13 years, but today is the first time she has faced the man who won gold in the springboard and platform events at the 1984 Summer Olympics, then did it again in 1988."
 

Former diving star and Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis competes with his dog Dobby in the small dog agility event during Purina Incredible Dog Challenge in Del Mar, Calif. on Saturday, June 13, 2009. AP Photo/Purina, Gus Ruelas.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Celebrities and their pets
        

In this image provided by Purina, Dozer of San Diego competes in the Surf Dog Competition of the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge at Dog Beach in San Diego, Calif. on Friday, June 12, 2009. Dozer took third place. AP Photo/Purina, Gus Ruelas.

In this image provided by Purina, Doug Hokstad and his dog Dozer of San Diego compete in the Surf Dog Competition of the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge at Dog Beach in San Diego, Calif. on Friday, June 12, 2009. Doug and Dozer took third place in the small dog category. AP Photo/Purina, Gus Ruelas.

In this image provided by Purina, Maximus of San Diego competes during Surf Dog Competition of the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge at Dog Beach in San Diego, Calif. on Friday, June 12, 2009. AP Photo/Purina, Gus Ruelas.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

Father's Day is upon us. It's a little late in the game for those who haven't yet done anything for Dad.

Especially if that negligent someone has no money -- but a lot of fur.

One company has stepped up with a solution -- FREE downloadable Father's Day cards from pets!

Petside.com, which offered the same service earlier this year for mothers, has four cards available -- from the funny to the sentimental.

The one from the sweet doggie to the left says inside:

Thanks for loving me even when I chew your shoes.
Happy Father's Day!

The one from the basketball kitty says:

Happy Father's Day to the Most Purrrfect Dad Ever! 

Very cute. Now go print one out. And don't tell Dad!

Posted by Jill Rosen at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Fun stuff
        

And Thursday, ConsumerAffairs.com had more to say on the matter.  McCormick wrote that a group called the Pet Food Products Safety Alliance had hired a Washington, D.C., diagnostic lab to test a sample of the recalled food.  "A receipt provided with the food we tested showed this bag was purchased a day after the recall was announced," according to the alliance.  "It is our understanding the store had not been informed there was a problem with the food."

The test results showed a zinc level of 2,100 parts per million, the safety alliance said.  From ConsumerAffairs.com:
"The concentration of zinc identified in this report of 2100 ppm is very high," said Dr. Stephen Hansen, a veterinary toxicologist and senior vice-president of Animal Health for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). "That zinc level jumps off the page. It is awfully high and does concern us. It’s certainly gotten our attention."

Do those high levels of zinc pose health problems for cats?

"The problem in this case is that we believe no one actually knows (or at least has published) the effects of 2100 ppm dietary zinc long-term in cats," Dr. Hansen said. "Typically, cats are more tolerant of high zinc than other species, including dogs and humans.

"But it’s certainly possible that those levels of zinc would likely cause health problems in cats that could involve significant intestinal upset and liver and kidney damage."

Nutro responded to the concerns raised by the sky-high levels of zinc in an email today.

"The lot of recalled product analyzed by pfpsa.org, as well as some of the other recalled product lots is higher than the maximum zinc levels as outlined by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)," Nutro manager Monica Barrett wrote.

Barrett insisted that Nutro is "working diligently and on a case-by-case basis with consumers that have contacted us" and that the company's top priority is the health and safety of the animals that consume its products.

That statement doesn't necessarily jibe with the experience of a cat owner identified as Stacy M., who told ConsumerAffairs.com that she called Nutro after hearing of the recall, when her veterinarian had been unable to pinpoint the cause of her cat's odd symptoms.  "And I did not get a response from them for a couple of weeks," Stacy M. said.

But, according to the Nutro website's FAQs section, you shouldn't believe everything you read.  "Many blogs and Internet sites can be a repository for misinformation and hearsay regarding many topics," the website notes.

Photo of Nutro cat food/Getty images.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 10:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Health
        

While the rest of the economy goes to the dogs, pet-centered businesses are still riding high, according to new research.

The Los Angeles Times reports the pet industry is expected to generate $51.6 billion this year -- 1.3 percent more than in 2008, according to Los Angeles-based research firm IBISWorld. Even the number of cats and dogs as pets is expected to increase this year, by 2.4 percent to 169 million.

The veterinary services sector is branching into a wider range of services, offering chiropractics, ophthalmology, dentistry and dermatology, among others. Researchers anticipate that the segment will grow at an average annual rate of 4.3 percent over the next five years and pull in $22.3 billion this year alone in revenue.

Pet food producers also will grow steadily, making $15.2 billion this year as they experiment with natural and organic products. Demand for premium pet foods, with more owners asking for breed-specific brands and diet ideas, is helping to bolster the section.

Revenue from food, supplies and medicine will help pet stores earn $11.45 billion, with a minor contribution from sales of live animals as controversy builds over puppy mills and an increasing number of homeless animals ending up in shelters.

Pet grooming and boarding businesses will attract $2.69 billion in business in 2009, IBISWorld said.

Photo of cuddling dog and cat courtesy of Mickeymox's photostream on Flickr.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Pet accessories
        

NAME:  Pandora, kitty sibling of Pierre.

OWNER: Patrick and Angelic S.

HOW THEY MET:  Pandora’s owners were evicted from their townhome in downtown D.C. and she found her way into Patrick’s basement and had kittens. Angelic and Patrick were getting ready to go on their first vacation together but Angelic knew she could not leave the mama cat there with her babies and no care. 

She scooped them up and put them in the back of her SUV and drove them across town to her co-worker and friend, Diane, in Reisterstown. She knew Diane did rescue work and would care for this family. Diane raised Mama, who she named Pandora, and her kittens and the kittens were adopted almost immediately when they were of age. 

Pandora hung out for a while, Diane had her spayed, and when Angelic and Patrick decided to move in with each other, Diane had the “perfect” housewarming gift for them. Enter Pandora and all her “stuff”; she made herself right at home and life wouldn’t be the same without her!

HOME: Baltimore Highlands

BREED:  Domestic short hair

FAVORITE ACTIVITY:  Playing with anything purple, and “chirping” while chasing after the toy!

FAVORITE FOOD:  Pro-plan chicken entrée (the ONLY thing she’ll eat besides kibble!)

FUNNIEST MOMENT:  She has her quirky ways that make us laugh all the time! 

IF PANDORA HAD A MOTTO FOR LIFE, IT WOULD BE: “The life of a queen…eat when I want, sleep where I want, and do what I want.  Somehow, my humans just know this to be true and deal with it!”

To see other pets that have been featured in Collared, click here.

Want your pet to be featured in Unleashed? Click here to download the Collared questionnaire. Fill it out and email it to us, along with a web-sized jpeg, at unleashed@baltsun.com.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Collared
        

A mob of nearly 100 people gathered this week at the Hillsborough County Animal Services building for a chance to adopt one of 23 rescued Yorkshire Terrier puppies, the Associated Press reports.

The doors opened just before 9 a.m. Thursday and all the dogs were gone by 10:15 a.m. Some people had actually spent the night in front of the building to make sure they got a dog.

Authorities had confiscated 62 Yorkies, ranging in age from 8 weeks to 6 years, during a raid of two locations in Tampa and Seffner last week.

Yorkies can normally cost as much as $1,000 each, but the cost of adopting any dog at the shelter is less than $100.

Another group of Yorkies is expected to be put up for adoption Friday at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.

Photo of Yorkie, not one of the adoptable ones at the shelter, courtesy of Paul J. Everett's photostream on Flicker.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

And now it's a baseball card....

Our sweet little First Puppy, shown here in his new and official White House portrait, now has his own baseball cards.

USA Today reports, The cards include all kinds of details, such as where the First Dog was born and what are his favorite foods.

Katie McCormick Lelyveld, the first lady's press secretary told USA Today that copies of Bo's baseball cards can be obtained by simply sending him a request. Address all correspondence to:

Bo Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

The official portrait of the Obama family dog, "Bo", a Portuguese water dog, on the South Lawn of the White House. White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy.

For more on Bo, click here.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 10:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: First Dog Bo Obama
        

Maryland also prohibits any person from possessing, owning, selling, transporting, or training a dog with the intent to use the dog in a dogfight, and further prohibits any person from knowingly allowing premises under his or her control to be used to conduct a dogfight. Any of these violations are classified as a felony in this State, and carry a potential penalty of up to three years in jail, and a $5,000 fine.

Additionally, I am deeply disturbed and saddened by the recent burning of a pit bull in Baltimore City. The Baltimore City Police Department is working hard to investigate this violent and cruel act and bring the individuals responsible to justice. While it is unclear at the moment whether this case is related to dogfighting and whether these individuals can be prosecuted under Maryland's dogfighting law, I have asked the Attorney General’s Office to look into the sufficiency of Maryland's animal cruelty laws to determine if these laws need to be updated to prevent this kind of heinous crime from happening again in Maryland.

Martin O'Malley

Governor

Photo of the First Family with Lady, a Golden Retriever courtesy of the Governor's Office.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

Invoking the memory of a pit bull set ablaze in Baltimore, Gov. Martin O'Malley has asked the state's attorney general to review Maryland's animal cruelty laws to determine if they are sufficient to deter such "heinous" crimes.

The legal review comes as the Baltimore City Health Department is seeking help in finding whoever tortured a cat found bound with a chain and rope to a utility pole and severely burned by firecrackers on Wednesday. Animal Control officers found the dead animal in the 3700 block of Lewiston Ave. near Arlington Elementary School.

"We must communicate to our young people that cruelty to animals is not acceptable behavior," Olivia D. Farrow, interim commissioner of the Health Department, said in a statement. She asked that witnesses to any dog fighting or animal abuse call 311, the city service line.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

It's Animal House Friday again...and we're gonna try something different. I am head over heels in love with the video of Peter Hermann's kitty, Mashu, doing battle against the evil medicine hidden in her tuna.

I'd like people to watch the video, and then comment on it in their best movie reviewer voice, critiquing the kitty's performance, Peter's filming skills, the editing, score and videography.

Of course, if anyone has any ideas to help poor Peter get that kitty to take the medicine without an ordeal, that would be great, too.

As usual, one of the commenters will win a fabulous Unleashed prize.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Animal house
        

The St. Louis airport has just opened something of a pet lounge for traveling animals.

Hey BWI -- are you listening?

Lambert-St. Louis International Airport has opened two outdoor rest areas where traveling animals can spend a few minutes off the leash and play, according to an Associated Press story in the Kansas City Star.

Lambert officials say the miniature dog parks have 400 square feet of gated space with benches, fire hydrants, and plastic mitts for pet owners to clean up after their animals.

That right there is about more dog parks than the city of Baltimore can boast.

Lambert spokesman Jeff Lea said Tuesday, according to the story, that several airports have created areas for pets and service animals to exercise, play and relieve themselves between flights.

The area at the Main Terminal has synthetic turf and is located outside exit MT-6. The East Terminal location has natural grass and is outside baggage claim at exit ET-15.

No word on any scratching posts for kitties....

Picture of kitty lounging on a club chair courtesy of Marmot's photostream on Flickr.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Travel
        

Recording artist Dierks Bentley and his dog, Jake, arrive at the CMT Music Awards in Nashville, Tenn., on Tuesday. Jake was apparently Bentley's date. Cute date! AP Photo/Evan Agostini.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 6:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Celebrities and their pets
        

Chantal Boyer holds her dog, Samantha. Together the pair won the first-place ribbon for the Owner-Pet Look-Alike contest in this year's Arthritis Walk. Maybe it's me, but I don't so much see the resemblance. Maybe it's that they both look nice in green? The Arthritis Foundation Southern Maryland Branch held its 16th Annual Walk in May at Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis. PRNewsFoto/Travel Advantage Network.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 2:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

BARCS officials said this evening that there is now a $1,000 reward to find the perpetrators in the case of the cats tortured in Baltimore.

A second cat was found yesterday in Northwest Baltimore, burned, beaten and tied to a school fence.

The Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, Inc., reports that this is the second cat found like this in the area in two weeks. The cat was discovered in the 3700 block of Lewiston Avenue, near Arlington Elementary School.

Fireworks were set up under its head. At least one leg was broken and it had been set on fire and severely burned. Just like the cat found two weeks ago, a blue cord was tied around its neck.

The reward is for information, arrest and conviction. Police are investigating the case.

"It's horrible," says Debra Rahl, BARCS programs director. "This was someone's pet....

"We hope that they will find the person or persons guilty of this crime."

BARCS officials hope anyone who knows anything will report the information to Animal Control at 410-396-4698.

The city's health department is also seeking information.

“We must communicate to our young people that cruelty to animals is not acceptable behavior,”
said Health Department Interim Commissioner Olivia D. Farrow. “We implore witnesses to any
acts of dog fighting or animal abuse to come forward, call 311 – the city service line – and
provide information to investigators."

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats
        

Two kittens sit with their mother on the roof of Benton Christian Church Friday evening, June 5 in Benton, Pa. The threesome fled into the eves of the church soon after photo was taken. One kitten was also seen earlier on the week on the roof. AP Photo/Press-Enterprise, M.J. McDonald.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 4:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats
        

Can you imagine the government limiting you to just one dog -- even if you already had more than one?

That's what's happening in yet another China city, where a one-dog limit will kick in next month.

Beginning July 1, The Associated Press reports, each household can raise only one pooch. The regulation won't be grandfathered in, so families with two or more dogs will apparently have to decide which one gets to stay.

Mrs. Chen can't imagine abandoning one of her two best friends: her scruffy terrier mutt and a white fluffy Pekingese mix with buggy eyes.

"It's a cruel regulation. These dogs are like family. How can you keep one and get rid of the others?" said Chen, who declined to give her full name because she feared the police would track her down and seize the dogs.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 2:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

Crime reporter Peter Hermann needs help from Unleashed readers. He's got a stubborn kitty who needs medicine, but won't take it. Here's his story. Please console him and post advice: 

I own a cat that won't eat tuna.

My two overweight cats, Mashu and Sienna, hate being picked up, and most of the time, even touched. To get them to the vet this past weekend, I had to hire a cat sitter to come help. It's a two-person job that involves trapping them in a room and flushing them out from under a bed.

It went quickly this time, only to discover at the vet that Mashu had a cut on her paw that was slightly infected. That meant giving her a dose of medicine twice a day and soaking her paw in a solution three times a day.

I knew right away that was not going to happen.

I managed to soak per paw once when I got her home -- before I took her out of the carrying case. I missed with the medicine and then for two days couldn't catch her and hold her long enough to administer any. I called the vet, got a reprieve from paw soaking and picked up some tablets that I only had to give once a day.

First I tried inserting the pill in a "pocket treat." Mashu simply batted it around for a while but refused to eat it. Then I crushed the pill in some wet food. Mashu removed the ugly clump from her dish, rolled it into a ball and shoved it under the fridge. Then she and her sister refused to eat anything out of the contaminated dish and complained loudly.

Finally, I walked across the street to a corner store and bought a can of tuna. No cat turns tuna down. Right? Right?

I crushed a pill into a teaspoon of tuna, put it on a new dish and put it on the floor. Mashu sniffed, but then walked away. She swung back around but pawed at her little rug as if she was in a litter box, her way of saying absolutely not!

An hour later and very hungry, she took three or four bits of tuna. I wasn't sure if she got any medicine. This morning, I put the dish down again and she ate all of it. I left the house with both cats mad (even though they each had a full dish of food) but happy that Mashu at least got one pill inside her.

Now I'm off to buy more tablets. Thank goodness it's one a day.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 1:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats
        

A cloned puppy bites a reporter's microphone as the five pups cloned from Trakr, a German Shepherd search-and-rescue dog used to locate 9/11 survivors at Ground Zero, meet the press on June 17 in Los Angeles. The puppies are the first German Shepherds ever cloned, according BioArts International whose South Korean scientists created them. The two- to six-month-old puppies are being awarded to former police officer James Symington for winning the Golden Clone Giveaway essay contest with his piece about why Trakr would be the perfect dog to clone. The company charges pet owners an average of $144,000 to clone their dogs. Photo by David McNew/Getty Images.

For more on cloned pups, click here.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

A second cat was found yesterday in Northwest Baltimore, burned, beated and tied to a school fence.

The Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, Inc., reports that this is the second cat found like this in the area in two weeks. The cat was found in the 3700 block of Lewiston Avenue, near Arlington Elementary School.

Fireworks were found under its head. At least one leg was broken and it had been set on fire and severely burned. Just like the cat found two weeks ago, a blue cord was tied around its neck.

BARCS officials hope anyone who knows anything will report the information to Animal Control at 410-396-4698.

"It's horrible," says Debra Rahl, BARCS programs director. "This was someone's pet."

The city's health department is also seeking information.

“We must communicate to our young people that cruelty to animals is not acceptable behavior,”
said Health Department Interim Commissioner Olivia D. Farrow. “We implore witnesses to any
acts of dog fighting or animal abuse to come forward, call 311 – the city service line – and
provide information to investigators.”

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (23)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats
        

The New York Times reports the Environmental Protection Agency is intensifying its scrutiny of liquid flea and tick treatments for dogs and cats, warning pet owners that the treatments may have possibly fatal side effects.

The treatments are applied topically, usually between the animal’s shoulder blades. There have been no recalls of the products, and the agency said in May that there is no reason to avoid them, the Times reported.

The E.P.A. is investigating a large number of anecdotal reports involving both cats and dogs who received spot-on treatments and suffered problems like skin irritations, hair loss and tremors, according to agency spokesman Dale Kemery.

The agency now is evaluating all available data on the pesticides, including reports of adverse reactions, the clarity of the directions and label warnings, and the pre-market safety data submitted in support of the products, the paper reports.

In the meantime, Mr. Kemery told the Times that pet owners should read the directions on any veterinary medicine they use. “Don’t use dog products on cats and vice versa,” he added. “If you detect negative reactions, the vet is the first stop.”

Photo of fluffy dog and kitten courtesy of Flora's photostream on Flickr.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Health
        

The group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals wants the flyswatter in chief to try taking a more humane attitude the next time he's bedeviled by a fly in the White House.

PETA is sending President Barack Obama a Katcha Bug Humane Bug Catcher, a device that allows users to trap a house fly and then release it outside.

"We support compassion even for the most curious, smallest and least sympathetic animals," PETA spokesman Bruce Friedrich said Wednesday. "We believe that people, where they can be compassionate, should be, for all animals."

Wow, I hope they don't find about what little Leo can do to a fly!

During an interview for CNBC at the White House on Tuesday, a fly intruded on Obama's conversation with correspondent John Harwood.

"Get out of here," the president told the pesky insect. When it didn't, he waited for the fly to settle, put his hand up and then smacked it dead.

"Now, where were we?" Obama asked Harwood. Then he added: "That was pretty impressive, wasn't it? I got the sucker."

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Celebrities and their pets
        

 

When Fluffy isn't good enough, where do you go? When Max doesn't cut it. When Spot is out of the question.

Well, how about Doogie Schnauzer? Or Blue Man Chew? No?

Yes, some pet owners say. Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. set out for the second year in a row to find the 10 most unusual dog and cat names in the United States. The company picked 50 "unusual" cat names and 50 equally unusual dog names from the its database of more than 470,000 insured pets. Employees culled the list by voting for the 10, let's say most creative, in each category.

The results:

                           Dogs                    Cats
                  1. Doogie Schnauzer MD     1. Snag L. Tooth
                  2. Sargent Sausage         2. Clawed Monet
                  3. I Am Sparticus          3. Velvet Elvis
                  4. Lunchbox                4. Eartha Kitty
                  5. Angus Sir Loin          5. Blue Man Chew
                  6. Bam-Bam Noodle Butt     6. Catzilla
                  7. Mouse Meat              7. Thurston Picklesworth III
                  8. Fluffernutter           8. Yardsale
                  9. Kanye East              9. Dishwasher
                 10. Inspector Foo Foo      10. Polly Prissypants

For the full lists of 50 unusual dog and cat names, pictures of pets who made the Top 10, and stories on the origin of each unusual name...or, in other words, to waste some serious time at work, click here.

Photo of silly dog in a kitty blanket courtesy of Desmorider's photostream on Flickr.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Fun stuff
        

NAME: Echo

OWNER: Lauren and Matt

HOW THEY MET: Lauren and Matt had been married for just a few months when they decided to expand their family. Through Petfinder.com, they discovered many dogs waiting for new homes at the Prince George's County shelter.

Although they live in Baltimore, they made the trek down there and met Echo (then named Ace) on their first visit. His friendly nature quickly won them over.

While they had not intended to adopt an older dog, his incredible energy changed their minds, and they loved him immediately. Within the week, he was theirs! They’ve been very pleased with their new addition. Echo has the energy of a dog half his age and is such a joy to be with.

AGE: 7- 8 years

HOME: Baltimore

BREED: Eskiehuahua (American Eskimo/Chihuahua)

BEST TRICK: Opening the fridge door by himself!

FAVORITE ACTIVITY: Hiking in the park with his people. Echo’s always looking back to show how he’s happy that they’re all together before running to jump up on them. He’s a canine missile!

FAVORITE FOOD: Tie between scavenged chicken bones and wet tissues.

FUNNIEST MOMENT: Every time he stands on his hind legs to beg for a treat, he looks like a meerkat.

A QUICK STUDY: While Echo had not previously been trained, he has been quickly learning skills, thanks to You Silly Dog. It’s impressive to see how quickly he picks up on these skills, and it goes to show that a dog of any age can learn. While he’s not the biggest fan of other dogs, he loves people. 

IF ECHO HAD A MOTTO FOR LIFE, IT WOULD BE: Let’s go play outside!

Photo of Echo courtesy of Lauren Silberman.

To see other pets that have been featured in Collared, click here.

Want your pet to be featured in Unleashed? Click here to download the Collared questionnaire. Fill it out and email it to us, along with a web-sized jpeg, at unleashed@baltsun.com.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Collared
        

As Baltimore City Council debates the pros and cons of instituting a 25-cent surcharge on grocery store plastic bags, I'm wondering what the pet world thinks.

As every dog and cat owner knows too well, the plastic bag is key in poop disposal.

Yes, the bags are bad for the environment, but if you take away Safeway and Superfresh bags, what do you use for scooping purposes? And, yes, there are those biodegradable bags one can buy -- but doesn't it seem just a little bit wrong to spend money on something just for the poo? (Then again, I suppose that's exactly what we do when we buy toilet paper....)

Under the proposal, stores would be responsible for collecting a 25-cent surcharge on each bag a customer needs to carry purchased items.

Exemptions to the fee include bags less than 18 inches high and used for fresh meat, vegetables, fruit, dairy products, pastries, cooked foods and ice.

Thoughts? Ideas? Opinions?

AP file photo.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 3:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

LOL kitties aren't just irresistible, they're good citizens…trying to help homeless cats and kittens get adopted.

Petfinder.com is celebrating Adopt-A-Shelter-Cat Month in June with Icanhascheezburger.com in the hopes of finding more forever homes for cats. For the next two weeks, all Petfinder.com visitors will be able to caption any of the kittehs using the infamous, not-so-grammatical, "LOL speak." 

Here's how you and your readers can help:

·  Visit any adoptable cat page on Petfinder.com.

·  Click on the Cheezburger icon below the photo.

·  Caption the photo in your best LOLCats style.

·  Share the link with your kitteh-loving friends.

The most popular captioned pictures will be featured daily on the Icanhascheezburger.com homepage.

Currently there are more than 130,000 homeless cats looking for homes on Petfinder.com.

For an update on Baltimore's race to find homes for 500 kitties, click here.

PS: It's just a coincidence, but the kitty pictured here could be the fraternal twin of the kitty from a few posts ago -- look!

Posted by Jill Rosen at 2:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats
        

Scientists say they have cloned a German shepherd that helped with search-and-rescue after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The Associated Press reports the five puppy clones were delivered to owner James Symington, a retired Canadian police officer, and his wife, who now live in Los Angeles.

Before the dog Trakr died in April at age 16, the couple entered a contest that promised to clone a pet dog for free.

The contest was sponsored by the California company BioArts International. BioArts partnered with a South Korean company led by disgraced scientist Hwang Woo-suk, whose team performed the cloning.

Symington said he drove to New York with Trakr after the World Trade Center collapsed. Trakr helped find one of the last victims of the attack in the rubble. Symington won an essay contest that paid for the cloning by describing the dog's heroism.

"Once in a lifetime, a dog comes along that not only captures the hearts of all he touches but also plays a private role in history," the retired officer, James Symington, wrote in his contest submission.

Symington met Trakr's clones — Trustt, Solace, Valor, Prodigy and Deja vu — for the first time this week.

According to the LA Times, BioArts said in a statement that it partnered with South Korean cloning specialist Hwang Woo-Suk to clone the German shepherd. Woo-Suk is a controversial cloning pioneer who has been accused of faking human cloning evidence.

In a statement released by BioArts, Symington said meeting the new dogs was an emotional experience: "They're identical -- down to the smallest detail. Few dogs are born with exceptional abilities -- Trakr was one of those dogs. And if these puppies have the same attributes as Trakr, I plan on putting them into search and rescue so they can help people the way Trakr did."

The American Society for the Cruelty of Animals is concerned about the cloning, saying, "Our current knowledge of animal cloning indicates that there are important welfare concerns at issue. Reports on the health and condition of mammalian animals produced by cloning have indicated a variety of anatomical and physiological problems."

At top, Five puppies cloned from Trakr, a German Shepherd search-and-rescue dog used to locate Ground Zero survivors after the September 11 attacks. Photo by David McNew/Getty Images. Below, James Symington of Los Angeles holds the pups. To his right is Lou Hawthorne, CEO of BioArts International of Mill Valley, California, whose company sponsored the Golden Clone Giveaway contest that Symington won. Photo by Ben Glass.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 1:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

First lady Michelle Obama gets casual for a walk on the South Lawn of the White House with First Puppy Bo on June 14. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: First Dog Bo Obama
        

Apparently someone in Boston tried to mail a sweet little kitten. Except the forgot postage. And the fact that it's rather cruel to drop a kitty in a mailbox.

The Boston Globe reports: She was locked in the dark with nowhere to go. Amid letters, bills, and packages sat a small, frightened two-pound kitten, abandoned inside a streetcorner mailbox in Hyde Park.

"That's horrible. That's inhumane. I just can't believe it," said José González, 37, who lives in the house adjacent to the mailbox. He speculated that whoever left the cat may have put it in the mailbox because it is checked a few times each day.

On Saturday, a letter carrier discovered the kitten, who was malnourished and shaking, but healthy overall, inside the mailbox at the intersection of Arlington and Davison streets, said Brian Adams, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The 8-week-old kitten was named Postina. by the MSPCA's assistant manager,

"She thought it was appropriate, being that she was somewhat mailed," Adams said.

Because the postman had to complete his route, a woman who witnessed the discovery brought the cat to the MSPCA.

"She came to us through a fortunate set of events, through the good acts of several people," said Adams, who said the pair involved in Postina's rescue wanted to remain anonymous.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats
        

Guideposts.com recently ran a helpful article with some solid tips on traveling over the summer with your pets.

Here are a few of the things they recommend when taking your pet on a road trip:

1. Pack a goody bag.
You'll need to bring a leash, plastic bags for curbside cleanup, a familiar toy, a container of water and a bowl. Any old plastic container will do. It's also a good idea to put together a basic first aid kit. And see that your pet is wearing a collar with up-to-date ID tags.

2. Exercise before you leave.
Make sure your dog has enough time outside or your cat has an opportunity to use the litter box before you leave. Take your dog for a nice long walk or play vigorously so she'll rest on the trip. Feeding just before you leave only increases the odds of needing more pit stops along the way!

3. Designate a travel place in the car.
Make sure your pet is not crawling all over and distracting the driver. Some pets do well in a crate or pet carrier. Wire barriers can confine a dog to the rear of a vehicle. Other pets enjoy being closer to the action.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Travel
        

A British pup had a narrow flush with disaster after his 4-year-old master decided to give him a bath in the toilet, the Associated Press reports.

Daniel Blair was quoted as telling Britain's Daily Mirror tabloid that he tried to clean the muddy 1-week-old cocker spaniel because he was muddy, and he flushed him down the drain.

His mother Alison was quoted as saying she thought the dog was dead, but a drainage firm was able to locate the beleaguered animal in a pipe 20 yards away from the house using specialist camera gear.

Pictures of the wet, frightened-looking puppy trapped in a pipe were posted to the firm Dyno-Rod's Web site and broadcast on British television Monday .

The company says the dog is now fine.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

Some celebrities really like their pets. And then there's Michael Vartan.

The actor, who has the dog's name, Millie, tattoo'd on his arm, tells People that he can't resist the pup's kisses and that she can't resist broiled chicken.

Millie, a 5-year-old chocolate lab, seems like a very sweet dog. Vartan tells People that Millie is "labradorable." He calls her his "drinking partner," "co-pilot," and "therapist" but not, um, his lover. "I wouldn't go that far," he says. "Though she does give wonderful kisses."

Thanks for clarifying.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Celebrities and their pets
        

New research has the audacity to suggest that cats are not as clever as people think they are. Kitties tested performed even worse than -- gasp -- dogs.

In reaction, cats everywhere stopped swallowing their own fur to protest.

Leo wants a recount!

The Guardian reports: Psychology lecturer Britta Osthaus says cats do not understand cause-and-effect connections between objects. She tested the thought processes of 15 of them by attaching fish and biscuit treats to one end of a piece of string, placing them under a plastic screen to make them unreachable and then seeing if the cats could work out that pulling on the other end of the string would pull the treat closer.

They were tested in three ways, using a single baited string, two parallel strings where only one was baited, and two crossed strings where only one was baited.

The single string test proved no problem, but unlike dogs (which Osthaus has previously tested) no cat consistently chose correctly between two parallel strings. With two crossed strings, one cat always made the wrong choice and others succeeded no more than might be expected by chance.

Osthaus, of Canterbury Christ Church University, Kent, said: "This finding is somehow surprising as cats regularly use their paws and claws to pull things towards them during play and hunting. They performed even worse than dogs, which can at least solve the parallel string task."

The study helped show the limits of feline intelligence, said Osthaus, who conducted the research while a teaching fellow at Exeter University. "If we know their limits we won't expect too much of them, which in turn is important for their welfare. I am not trying to say cats are stupid, just they are different. We are so anthropomorphic we can't see the world through their eyes."

Smart kitty photo courtesy of Indigo Goat's photostream on Flickr.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 3:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats
        

A team of yippiest yappiest pooches in Europe have set a record for the loudest bark every recorded.

Woof!

According to the BBC, a pack of 33 doggies in London gathered at a park broke the record on Monday.

The dogs barked at a volume of 115 decibels, beating the previous record of 111, which had been set by 224 dogs, the news organization reported.

Interestingly enough, it was the Yankee who was loudest of all.

An American Shepherd named Daz earned the title of loudest individual barker with a yap of 108 decibels.

Photo of barking dog courtesy of Sylvar's photostream on Flickr.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

Ah, more pet news via Twitter. Celebrities can't resist Tweeting about their little furry ones. Kellie Pickler, of American Idol fame, is the latest.

Pickler recently posted this picture of a creamy little pup, implying, according to People, that her boyfriend, Nashville songwriter Kyle Jacobs, gave it to her. The sweetie is an 8-week old Labrador named Nala. According to People, Picker practically has a barn full of animals, including a python named Boots, a Chihuahua named Moo Moo and a tabby cat named Pickles.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Celebrities and their pets
        

Do you think you have the best roommate? Who, you know, just happens to have fur, feathers or such?

Apartments.com is searching for what it calls "acts of roommate greatness" with its first-ever “Roommate of the Year Contest.”

The contest offers one lucky roommate a year of free rent, up to $12,000, and an additional $10,000 in cash.

Renters are encouraged to submit short video entries at this site.

According to the website, more than 60 percent of renters surveyed said they currently live with a roommate and an additional 47 percent not currently living with a roommate plan to move in with one when their lease expires this year.

Unclear how many of those had fur.

Renters can enter videos of two minutes or less. Entries must be received by noon on June 30.

Once finalists are selected, America, along with the panel of judges, will vote for their favorite. Five winners (one in each category) will be selected. From the five winners, one grand prize winner will be named and will receive the $22,000 grand prize. The four runner-up winners will each receive $500.

Photo of puppies at the threshold courtesy of Webb Zahn's Photostream on Flickr.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Fun stuff
        

We've seen pictures of this April day before, but not this shot. The White House just released this one today. Here President Barack Obama and his daughters Malia and Sasha play with their new dog Bo on the South Lawn of the White House, April 14, 2009. Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson.

To get even more of a Bo Obama fix, click here.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: First Dog Bo Obama
        

Maybe Bo Obama can change this.

According to a story in the Charleston Post and Courier finds that black dogs seem to linger longer at animal shelters, even as their brown, tan and, I guess, otherwise spotted peers find homes.

That's definitely "the shelter worker's perception," throughout the country, Jacque Schultz, the senior director of community outreach for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals told the paper. "If you see a row of 20 black dogs, they fade from your memory."

"There's very little in the way of research" on whether black dogs are euthanized at higher rates, she added.

Black cats, sadly, have it just as bad.

Emily Laurie, public relations coordinator for Pet Helpers on James Island told the paper "about half" of the cats up for adoption at her shelter are black. "Some of the nicest animals here have black coats," she said.

To get the black animals noticed, one shelter in Charleston is having "Black Dog Sunday," where black canines can be adopted at a discount. Shelters also try to keep the coats of black animals glossy and put bright, colorful collars on them.

Photo of sweet black shelter dog courtesy of Liza31337's photostream on Flickr.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 3:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

Michael Phelps is apparently a children's book author.

And more importantly, his bulldog Herman is part of it! (At first I thought Herman had actually done some drawings himself. That would have been so much cooler! Alas, he's merely featured in the book...JR.)

What a cute doggie!

Yes, according to the Associated Press, the 14-time Olympic gold medalist has a new book in stores titled How to Train with a T. Rex and Win 8 Gold Medals. It features illustrations by Ward Jenkins of Phelps, his bulldog Herman and his coach Bob Bowman.

In the book Phelps describes his training regimen in terms relatable to kids. For example, during six years of training, he swam 12,480 miles. He points out that's the same as swimming "from my hometown of Baltimore to the North Pole and back, and doing it all over again!"

"It's a fun way for kids to learn and for me to get a lot of different messages out there," Phelps said Sunday at a swim meet in Santa Clara. "Having Bob and Herman in the book is cool."

In the book, Phelps recalls the 100-meter butterfly race from the Beijing Olympics, when he won by one-hundredth of a second to preserve his successful bid for a record eight gold medals.

The book is published by Simon & Schuster.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 10:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Celebrities and their pets
        

Still looking for a Father's Day gift? If he's an animal lover, this could work.

The Humane Society of the United States offers a number of items for sale that he might like. Plus, they'd be promoting a good cause at the same time.

If he likes movies AND dogs, it would be hard to top The Dogfather T-shirt. Kinda funny. 

There's more fun stuff including paw print boxer shorts, push pins shaped like little dog bones, and sterling cuff links imprinted with a paw.

Any other gifts for dads who are friends of the four-legged kind? Let me know. Some folks might appreciate some last-minute guidance.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Fun stuff
        

NAME: Lola

OWNER: Emily Reese

HOW THEY MET: I got her as a graduation present for myself when I finished college

AGE: 7 years on May 14

HOME: Baltimore

BREED: Half-English, half-French bulldog.

BEST TRICK: Playing goalie in a doorway with a tennis ball – she’s very quick -- and will roll the caught ball back to you.

FAVORITE ACTIVITIES: Taking walks, minding pedestrian traffic through my apartment’s windows and balcony, playing in water, chasing pigeons, snoozing.

FAVORITE FOOD: Frozen green beans, watermelon.

FUNNIEST MOMENT: When on a walk, if she senses a mud puddle, she zooms -- head first -- into it. I can say, “Get the water,” and she runs back and forth, head first, plowing through the mud puddle, getting filthy, like a young pup. This tends to gather a crowd and Lola totally hams it up to entertain. She loves it so much, so I don’t mind her getting muddy. She’s also a big fan of rolling down hills, another crowd pleaser.

OVER-ACHIEVING CHEWER: Lola is a very aggressive chewer. As a puppy, she chewed a couch down to its metal frame, chewed through a pair of glasses, numerous pairs of shoes, dog beds, comforters and pillows. She’s broken teeth because of her chewing, which required extraction. The worst was about 4 years ago; she chewed through and ate the top half of a Kong, causing a bowel obstruction, resulting in emergency surgery.

IF LOLA HAD A MOTTO FOR LIFE, IT WOULD BE: Life is more fun when properly rested.

Photo of Lola courtesy of Emily Reese

To see other pets that have been featured in Collared, click here.

Want your pet to be featured in Unleashed? Click here to download the Collared questionnaire. Fill it out and email it to us, along with a web-sized jpeg, at unleashed@baltsun.com.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Collared
        

NAME: Robin (think beautiful news woman on How I Met Your Mother)

 
OWNER: Position Open, Currently Accepting Applications! (Don't forget, all cats and kittens at BARCS are free to adopt for Baltimore 500 during the month of June. Come get Robin!)

 
AGE: 1 year.

 
HOME: Originally from Lafayette Avenue, currently staying at Meow Manor at BARCS.

 
BREED: Domestic Shorthair tan and black tabby with green-gold eyes.

 
BEST TRICK: Able to gaze deep into your heart with her beautiful eyes; oh, and she can stand on her “tip toes” to reach any treat you might have.

FAVORITE ACTIVITY: Purring in your lap.

 
FAVORITE FOOD: “Anything, as long as you are nearby while I eat.”

 
FUNNIEST MOMENT: Totally ignoring all attempts by shelter volunteers to get a “face shot” then just as they stopped jumping around and making faces, looked right at the camera as if to say, "Oh, you wanted a FACE SHOT?"

To see last week's Ready to be Collared, click here.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Collared
        

Martha Stewart had some sad news this weekend: her beautiful cat named Mozart had died.

The domestic diva released the news on her Twitter account.

"Mozart the cat just died- he was nineteen and did indeed have a beautiful life. we just buried him next to pawpaw-he was a lynx himalayan," she Tweeted on June 11.

The next day she posted a tribute to the kitty on her blog. 

She wrote: "He was bred in Connecticut and I waited patiently a long time for him. As a kitten, Mozart was especially adorable. As he matured, his adult personality was that of an elusive, mysterious, and most wonderful feline. When friends and guests would come to visit, a favorite game was to try and spot or catch a glimpse of Mozart. I will certainly miss him and so will my other cats and dogs."

She posted eight photos of the kitty on her blog, including the one at right that shows little Mozart as a very, very fluffy kitten. He was quite the photogenic little beast.

Our condolences to Martha. Particularly as she just lost a dog a few months ago.

Picture of Mozart courtesy of The Martha Blog.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Celebrities and their pets
        

"It's shocking to think that someone who lives right here and is our neighbor could do something like this," said Thomas Shad, whose small black cat, Miss Kitty, was among those killed.

Shad, whose house is near Weinman's, said he had suspected a local resident might be behind the killings, which were first reported in May. Police said they investigated more than 30 cat deaths — some of them likely caused by dogs — and received hundreds of tips from concerned citizens.

"This is so important to our community," Miami-Dade Police Department Maj. Julie Miller said of the arrest. "So many lives have been affected — children, adults, citizens who didn't even have animals affected."

Miller said the investigation is still open and additional arrests might be forthcoming, but she declined to name other suspects. Police said they have been watching the house where Weinman stays with his mother, and neighbors said he was taken to the police station for an interview on his prom night a few weeks ago. Weinman was still wearing a tuxedo when officers whisked him away that night, they said, and he missed the dance.

Police said Weinman was twice arrested as a juvenile, though they said they could not provide details about his previous run-ins with the law.

Four of the confirmed cat killings were reported on the street where Weinman lived in a beige-colored house with a bright red door. For the Shads, his arrest brought a sense of relief to their quiet suburban neighborhood that they haven't felt since Miss Kitty's body was found in the grassy yard of an abandoned house.

"I felt that I could rest. I was at peace with what was happening," said Mary Lou Shad, who said she cried while she watched the televised press conference on Sunday. "Hopefully he gets what he deserves."

One of Alicia Glatzer's cats hides in bushes near her south Miami home this week. AP Photo.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 5:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats
        

PORTLAND, Maine - A bicyclist from Annapolis and his Labrador retriever are nearing the end of an 832-mile journey intended to promote awareness of the East Coast Greenway, the Associated Press reports.

Dan McCrady has pedaled about 60 miles a day while Sadie runs about 10 miles and rides in a bicycle trailer the rest of the time. They are scheduled to complete their journey Saturday in Portland.

Unleashed has been following the pair on and off since their journey began. Sadie has also kept track of things on her blog.

"We are now in OOB," Sadie the dog blogged on Friday. "I played in the ocean for a while, then Dan gave me a bath for my entrance tomorrow. Bob and Dan spent some time without me at the boardwalk. I didn't mind, now I'm a nap ahead of Dan - not easy to do. We leave late morning tomorrow for Portland. I think we are all very excited!" 

We hope Dan and Sadie will fill us in with even more once they get back!

They followed the route of the Greenway, which links communities from Maine to Florida and is billed as the nation's longest urban, multi-use trail for non-motorized users.

In Maine, McCrady and Sadie will follow the Eastern Trail, the South Portland Greenbelt and the Eastern Prom trail, all of which are sections of the Greenway.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 3:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

                                                                  Here's a fun something to think about from the Chicago Sun-Times next time your dog gives you The Look:

The cocker spaniel has just been caught red-pawed going through the trash -- and soundly chewed out.

The guilty, sheepish look says it all. Or does it?

Alexandra Horowitz, an assistant professor from Barnard College in New York, set out to find out.

She concluded that owners see the "guilty look" when they think their dog has done something wrong, regardless of whether the pooch is guilty or not. And the humans even help cause "the look."

Horowitz examined the question using 14 dogs and their owners. In a series of videotaped tests, she had each owner order the dog to stay away from a treat and then leave the room. Alone with the dogs, Horowitz gave some the treat, but not others. When the owners returned, some were told their pups disobeyed, and others were told the opposite -- regardless of what the dog had actually done.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

Baltimore area shelters recently launched an ambitious effort to find homes for 500 kitties.

They're off to a good start, but need even more help.

As part of Baltimore 500, an attempt to find families for 500 cats, BARCS,  Maryland SPCA and Baltimore Humane Society are all waiving adoption fees for the month of June. Plus, six local vet clinics are offering free exams to cats adopted from these shelters.

According to Aileen Gabbey. executive director of the SPCA, from June 1 through June 10, the organizations found homes for 178 cats and kittens. She says they just on pace to reach their goal.

"We know we need to keep encouraging people," she told Unleashed. "Actually, last weekend, we put a volunteer at the base of our driveway at the SPCA dressed in racing gear, holding a sign, and dancing to encourage people to visit! It was like the ‘Lady Liberty’ dressed up on York Road at tax time. We’re doing it again this weekend from 12-2."

An adorable kitty relaxes in the morning sun on a terrace near Kiel, northern Germany, on June 1. AP Photo/Heribert Proepper.

In case you need a little more incentive to adopt that cat or kitten, check out the Baltimore 500 video. Too cute!

Baltimore 500 from Baltimore Humane Society on Vimeo.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats
        

Dogfriendly.com has released its list of the country's most doglicious spots. That's the best places in the country to visit with your dog. No Baltimore. Sigh. Maybe they heard about the $1,000 leash law fine dustup.

Here's the cities that got top honors:

 1. San Francisco - Luxurious hotels. Plenty of pet-friendly patio dining. Many off-leash beaches and areas. Ride the cable car, walk the Golden Gate.
2. Austin - Dine in outdoor cafes. Visit the Zilker Botanical Gardens. See the Congress Street Bats. Many off-leash parks.
3. Boston - Tour Boston harbor by boat. Walk the Freedom Trail and explore many National Historical Sites. Your leashed dog is welcome on the subway.
4. Northern Virginia - Enjoy a yappy hour or dine in dog-friendly Alexandria. Take the Canine Cruise. Visit outdoor monuments and nearby Washington.
5. Portland, OR - Enjoy off-leash areas and the famous Rose Gardens. Visit the Saturday Outdoor Market. Have a drink at the Lucky Lab.

6. Charleston, S.C. - Take a ghost tour or walking tour. See the grounds of the Magnolia and Boone Hall Plantations. Visit the beach.
7. Chicago - Visit Navy Pier. Ride the Canine Cruise. See Buckingham Fountain, take a walk in Oak Park. Many dog-friendly patio restaurants.
8. San Diego - Visit fabulous dog beaches. Shop at dog-friendly Otay Ranch with its dog park. Dine outdoors and hike many parks.
9. New York - Stay in a fine hotel. Take a walking tour of lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge. Shop at Time Warner Center. See the Balto Statue and Central Park.
10. Ann Arbor - Visit Nichols Arboretum, rent a dog-friendly canoe. Visit nearby gardens and farms. Visit many local parks.

Honorable Mentions: Dallas, Madison/Wisconsin Dells, Minneapolis, Salt Lake, Seattle

Anyone ever take the Canine Cruise in Alexandria? What's that about?

Photo courtesy of Chenines on Flickr.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 2:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

Police spokeswoman Rebeca Perez said the manner of death indicates a person killed the animals, and that the deaths could be linked. So far, there's no indication the killer or killers plan to attack people.

Whoever's responsible "hasn't given any indication that this is some sort of a threat where this person's going to commit these crimes against a human being," Perez said.

The Shads' canary-colored home sits in a calm suburban neighborhood of small one-story houses, neat lawns and caring neighbors. There is a school nearby and a park with swings and playground equipment. An ice cream truck rumbles through, its tune echoing down the streets.

But the apparent tranquility belies residents' anger and fear.

"Be aware that there is a psychopathic coward, killing cats," reads one poster taped to a neighborhood street sign.

The sign is not far from the home of 68-year-old Barbara Wiesinger, whose cat, Cami, was found in a neighbor's yard this month. Wiesinger said she saw the calico's fur poking up in a patch of grass. She immediately knew her pet was dead.

"This is not an accident. This is somebody sick," she said.

Allison Smith, who watched her 4-year-old son and her 6-year-old nephew play barefoot in the local park on a muggy afternoon this week, said she recently called the police to her Palmetto Bay home after she found bowls in her front yard. She worried someone might be trying to lure out her two cats, Marvin and Molly, but the bowls simply belonged to a neighbor. Still, she is keeping the cats inside.

"They were inside-outside," Smith said. "But not anymore."

Louis B. Schlesinger, a professor of forensic psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, said residents should be cautious, even if initial signs don't indicate humans are in danger. He said the man believed to the "Boston Strangler" also shot cats with arrows.

"This should be taken as seriously as could possibly be," he said.

Local authorities are urging pet owners to keep their animals indoors. A tip line has also been established, and local organizations have contributed thousands in reward money for information would helps lead to the arrest of the culprit.

A month ago, 42-year-old Alicia Glatzer's husband found their cat, Sarah, outside their Palmetto Bay home. The cat had been skinned and half of her face was missing. The family initially thought that the cat had been hit by a car, but a week later learned of the other killings.

These days, Glatzer looks at people's hands and arms for scratch marks. She hopes for a stronger police presence in their neighborhood after what happened to Sarah, a pretty white cat with a black and tan tail that adopted the family about three years ago.

"I'm afraid that we are going to be prey," Glatzer said. "Our cats have fallen to prey. Who's to say that we are not next?"

At top, a resident of the Palmetto Bay area of Miami holds a photo of her cats, Cami, front. Cami was killed during a series of cat killings in south Miami. Lower, one of Alicia Glatzer's cats hides in bushes near her south Miami home this week. AP Photos/J Pat Carter.

For more on the case, click here.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats
        

Seems one dog had a run in a different type of grass...

According to the Associated Press, a dog that ran off from its owner in Seattle's Seward Park found and ate some marijuana and got high. Owner Jen Nestor Waddell told KING-TV the 11-year-old black Lab mix named Jack was "just stoned" May 12 after they returned home from the park. The dog's eyes glossed over and he had trouble walking.

The vet said Jack had swallowed a large amount of dried, harvested marijuana. After some medication to induce vomiting and a night of rest Jack was back to normal.

Waddell told police about the drugs and joked they could borrow Jack to find them if they paid the $1,500 vet bill.

No word on whether or not Jack had the kibble munchies...