Men of the world: I hope you're sitting down: Someone's invented a dog collar that doubles as a beer bottle opener.

Gives new meaning to 'Here, boy," huh?

Bark4Beer claims to be the worlds first purveyor of such a contraption. They've trademarked it, in fact.

The $14.95 collars come with matching leashes. (They missed an opportunity here in that the matching leashes don't include a chip clip.)  

The classy folks behind this product write on their press release: "Essentially, we can turn your favorite four-legged friend into the ultimate party animal ensuring that there is no shortage of tail at your next party."

Nice.....

Posted by Jill Rosen at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Fun stuff, Pet accessories
        

On Cyber Monday and throughout the holiday season, shoppers can help needy pets by shopping online with more than 140 retailers including Macy’s, Sephora, iTunes and Amazon.

People can log on to these store's sites through http://www.bringpetshome.org/ and automatically a portion of the purchase is donated to shelters nationally or one right here in the Baltimore area.

One BringPetsHome shopper will be selected to have $5,000 donated to the shelter of their choice and the winner receive a $5,000 online shopping spree, courtesy of Intervet Schering Plough Animal Health.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff, Cats Cats Cats, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Events
        

Wolf-hybrid dogs will not be banned in one in a rural northwestern New Jersey town, the Associated Press reports.

Holland Township officials had proposed the ordinance in September, after five of Cliff Zager's 14 wolf dogs escaped. The animals have gotten out twice since then.

The Township Committee rejected the proposal late Tuesday night, just one day after the latest escape , the fifth such incident since 2005.

However, the panel will consider another measure that may limit the number of wolf dogs that may be kept to seven.

Wolf dogs are defined as dogs with a wolf ancestor in the past three generations.

No one has been injured by the animals, but police say the dogs killed two domestic turkeys the last time they got out.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

While you and your family indulge in the Thanksgiving feast, it might be tempting to share the meal with your pets. But you have to be careful. According to the folks at PETCO, there's a way to give the furry ones a little something, but in a safe way:

1. Creamy mashed potatoes and piping hot stuffing may sound great to you but your pet’s digestive system is designed to handle small amounts of consistently digestible, nutrient rich foods. If you want to give your pet a treat, try mixing a wet food in with their kibble.   

2. Consider that a medium-sized dog can thrive on 2 or 3 cups of food per day while you could easily put away 5 to 6 cups in a single Thanksgiving sitting. If you insist on feeding them a healthy treat such as boneless turkey or cooked rice, reduce the amount of kibble in the regular meal accordingly. 

3. Pets need a healthy mix of fat, protein, and healthy carbohydrates.  None of those nutrients need to come from pumpkin pie or green bean casserole. Even if you stick to a healthy diet for your pet you will need to ensure your family and guests are on board as well to ensure scraps aren’t “accidently” shared under the table. 

4. Pets cannot tell you they had too much turkey but they will let you know if they’re in pain.  A dog that has abdominal pain may glance towards their belly, bite or lick the area or refuse to leave their bed. 

If you’re considering cooking for your dog or cat, the following recipe provided by Halo might be a good way to use any leftover turkey.

Spot’s Stew

Yield: About 8 Cups

2 ½ cups of cooked turkey
¼ cup chopped fresh garlic
1 cup green peas
1 cup coarsely chopped carrots
½ cup coarsely chopped sweet potato
½ cup coarsely chopped zucchini
½ cup coarsely chopped yellow squash
½ cup coarsely chopped green beans
½ cup coarsely chopped celery
1 tablespoon kelp powder
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
11 to 16 cups spring water

For dogs only: Add 8 ounces whole barley and 6 ounces rolled oats, and adjust the water content to a total of 16 cups or enough to cover the ingredients

Instructions: Combine all of the ingredients except the turkey in a 10-quart stockpot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat as low as possible and simmer for 2 hours (the carrots should be quite soft at the end of the cooking time). Remove from the heat, let cool. Add cooked turkey. With an electric hand mixer, or using a food processor and working in batches, blend all the ingredients into a nice puree; the stew should be slightly thicker for dogs and soupier for cats. Using zip lock bags or plastic yogurt containers, make up meal-sized portions. Refrigerate what you’ll need for three days and freeze the rest. 

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff, Cats Cats Cats, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Health
        

The furry ones at Unleashed base camp wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving.

Leo is thankful for the heating vents that blow hot air onto his tummy....and his wingman, Pumpkin.

Pumpkin is thankful for the invention of treats....and his big bro Leo.

Teddy Bean is thankful to be out of the puppy mill and in a loving home. He's reserving thanks, however, for his most recent haircut.

The trio hopes everyone's feast is as tasty as the one they're enjoying (together miraculously) here....

PS: A satisfied Pumpkin at the end of a good meal:

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Events, Teddy Bean, formerly the Foster Dog
        

Here's a dog that would have been better off waiting for the Thanksgiving turkey. At least he's okay. Carumba!

Posted by Jill Rosen at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Pet videos
        

If you're more of a dog than a football person, the National Dog Show is what to turn on tomorrow afternoon when the turkey's cooking...

With John O'Hurley as host, the show starts at noon on NBC.

Who'll be watching? I'll have Teddy Bean avert his eyes if any poodles with foo-foo puffball haircuts come on....

Posted by Jill Rosen at 11:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs, Events
        

So this weekend Teddy Bean went to his first groomer's appointment. Since I'd brought him home fourth of July weekend, he'd gone from nearly bald to a wonderfully wooly huggable beast. My intention in getting him groomed was not to lose any of his amazing furriness, but just to get him a great shampoo, trim his nails, clean his ears and all all that -- maybe a little snip here and there to smooth things out.

Well. The groomer took one look at Bean and declared the wool that I'd fallen so in love with "matted." Matted??? What? I told her I'd cleaned him and brushed him and everything. But she was insistent: Mats. And she revved the razor. 

To make a long story short, Bean left about 75 percent of himself in a Wash the Wag garbage can.

I'll admit, I got teary. I really didn't want to see the fur go. I know it grows back. It's just that the shaved Teddy reminds me of the scared, fresh out of the puppy mill Teddy, the little guy that looked so scawny and pathetic and helpless. Through the months, he started looking more robust and learning to be a doggidy dog. I became not just his foster caretaker but someone who loved him. His thick, thick fur that I could run my hands through and cuddle against meant real progress I could grab onto.  

Anyway. I realize the progress is still there. It's just the fur that's gone. And it will be back, soon enough. 

And yes, I'll be brushing better this time Bean, I promise. Next time that fur ain't going anywhere.

This is my little Bean on the table at the groomer's before anything started. Note his extreme, proud, fleece-y coat. And then, here's the little dear afterward. He's back to his lamb cut, sporting a homemade scarf to add to his grief, but still my Bean.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Teddy Bean, formerly the Foster Dog
        

This little cat has something to say about global warming. Sort of. Kinda. Eh, not really at all but the little guy's cute....

Posted by Jill Rosen at 1:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Pet videos
        

BRIDGEVILLE, Pa. — Police say a western Pennsylvania man told them he kicked his girlfriend's puppy to death because he was upset that the pit bull wouldn't behave before the start of the Pittsburgh Steelers game.

Twenty-two-year-old William Woodson, of Bridgeville, remained jailed Monday on a charge of animal cruelty. The dog was a 13-week-old pit bull named Flip,

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazettes reports that a witness told police that Woodson was kicking the dog down the street shortly after 1 p.m. Sunday, which is when the football game began. Police say Woodson was supposed to be taking the pit bull for a walk, but the animal resisted. By the time police arrived, the puppy was dead.

Read more in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

NAME: Sam.

OWNER: Christine Lindquist.

HOW THEY MET: I adopted Sam from the Maryland SPCA in June 2001. He was nine months old. He looked into my eyes and then he put both paws into my hand. I was sold. He is such a sweet boy.

AGE: 9.

HOME: Glen Burnie.

BREED: Mutt, they said lab mix and I think he has terrier in him.

BEST TRICK: He can smile but he only does it when we come home from work.

FAVORITE ACTIVITY: Going for a ride, going to the dog park, and zooming around the house.

FAVORITE FOOD: Chicken tender dog treats and of course the occasional filet mignon.

To see more 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  jpeg, at unleashed@baltsun.com. Share your pets' stories with us!

FUNNIEST MOMENT: He loves snow and when we lived in Upstate N.Y., he sunk so deep in the snow that I had to go in up to my chest and pull him out. He came out all covered in snow and loved it.  He wanted to go back in again.

SCRAPPY-DOO: He has defended himself against two Great Danes in a dog park. He’s a little scrapper.

IF SAMMY HAD A MOTTO FOR LIFE, IT WOULD BE:  Who am I today?  (He has mutiple personalities.)

CREDIT FOR PHOTOGRAPH: Wonsaponatime studios.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Collared, Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

For those of us on Twitter -- and isn't that about everyone by now? -- you should check out this little service that allows someone to peruse pets  that are available for adoption in their area, and then, with one click, send the pet to Twitter.

It's called Twitter-a-Critter.

I just tried it, Tweeting the availability of a little sweetie named Woofie. He's the scruffball off to the left. He was found wandering the streets....

Go find something furry and Tweet them. It certainly can't hurt....

Posted by Jill Rosen at 10:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff, Cats Cats Cats, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Fun stuff
        

This is just adorable. Shayla, a Chihuahua, has decided to play ma to seven stray kittens. Oh, how I love the inter-species love stories...

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Pet videos
        

Nora the famous Piano Cat is scheduled to perform her first concert tomorrow -- and you can watch the purrformance on live streaming video. How cool is that?

Nora, the Philadelphia cat known for her musicality, who was named ASPCA's Cat of the Year this year, will play Saturday, Nov. 21, at the Westchester Cat Show in White Plains, New York. The gray kitty's first concert is a benefit, being called "Shelter Aid." Millions have already seen her taped performances on YouTube.

Nora will perform live via webcam from her piano at home in Philadelphia. She’ll be joined by her accompanist and owner Betsy Alexander.

Everyone will be holding their breath because Nora is a cat -- and being a cat, she just might not performa on command.

The concert is at 1 p.m. Go to www.ustream.tv live then to see the potential show. Replays will be available later.

Viewers who watch and enjoy are encouraged to go to www.westchester-feline.org to make a donation of any amount to support metro New York area shelters and animal welfare groups selected by the non-profit Westchester Feline Club and, supposedly, by Nora herself.

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

It's now possible, thanks to the wonders of technology (and people's obsession with kitties) to edit an image on your iPhone, dropping in pictures of cats and kittens.

And not just ordinary cats and kittens -- these are kitties that mew. Genius? Crazy? Whatever.

The CatPaint application works like this, according to the designer. You pull out your litter box to select a kitty. Drop the image where you want it. You can shake the iPhone if the kitty didn't land in the right spot. The cats come in all varieties and sizes -- and they're captured in everything from lap pose to leap.

Here the cat people at MacWorld test the app. The editors include a photo gallery of how they've kittied up pictures of various folks in the office. They've put cats on people's laps and into their hands. Stacked them by the dozens behind them. Created kitty vortexes right next to them.....Tons and tons and tons of kitties. Pretty funny.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff, Cats Cats Cats, Fun stuff
        

There are seriously, seriously, seriously sooooo many dog books out there, I'm starting to lose track. At least a couple times a week a new one or two arrives in the mail.

There are heartwarming memoirs of man and beast, manuals for keeping the hound healthy, those that explore ways to understand the canine.

It seems that ever since Marley & Me skyrocketed to the top of the bestseller list, leaving sequels, a movie and who-knows-how-much-money and wet tissues in its wake, dog lovers have gotten really busy typing.

So here's the question. I'm sitting here surrounded by new (and new-ish) titles including Speaking for Spot, The Wolf in the Parlor, Inside of a Dog, Marley & Me, To the Rescue, Power of the Dog, Bad to the Bone, Dogtown, Good Dogs Doing Good, Happy Dog, Fetching Dylan, Paws & Effect...the list goes on.

Which of these books are tops on your holiday wish list? And, more importantly, which dog books are front and center on your shelf, the ones you recommend to folks, the ones you'd read again if you had the time, the ones you found most meaningful....

Please share. A lot of us would love to know how to separate the dog lit wheat from the chaff.

And....yes....there will be booty sent out to some of those that comment.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (57)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Fun stuff
        

Officials in Oregon are reporting the nation's first instance of a cat dying of the H1N1 virus.

According to a disturbing report on OregonLive.com, earlier this month a 10-year old cat was brought to a clinic with shallow breathing and a very high temperature. The symptoms worsened and the cat died on Nov. 7.

This is the third documented case of swine flu in cats. The other two, in Iowa and Utah, recovered.

Read more here.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Health
        

Aw. Though bazillions of young ladies are head over heels for Twilight New Moon star Kellan Lutz, he tells Doggie Aficiando magazine that the real love of his life is Kola, his adopted dog. In this interview, he talks about driving home with the doggy for the holidays as the footage shows things like the star feeding Kola treats. Quite cute.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Celebrities and their pets
        

Many stars are known for their outrageous requests on set. I read once that someone demanded bowls of M&M's but with one of the colors removed. Anwyay. Pop star Mariah Carey wanted her appearance at a London shopping center opening to include 20 kittens -- all white ones.

According to this report, the mall management turned her down, saying no animals were allowed on the property. And, um, maybe it wasn't such a good idea anyway?

This white kitten will not be appearing with songstress/actress Mariah Carey. Photo courtesy of Daisyree Bakker's photostream on Flickr.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Celebrities and their pets
        

NAME: Stellaluna, or Stella – excellent for yelling from the porch when she’s out in the yard.

OWNER: The Hartney family.

HOW THEY MET: We’ve always had Labradors, and my mom decided, in 2001 that she was ready for a new puppy. My brother and I were in school at the University of South Carolina, and my parents were living in Virginia, and they sent me to look at some nearby pups that they would come pick up when we moved out of the dorms for the summer.

My parents had given me a list of attributes to look for in a healthy, smart puppy, and I went to meet baby Stella’s owner at a rest stop near Orangeburg, S.C. She was so tiny, a ball of black fur and gangly paws, but she ran right over to me and started licking my toes. She let me pick her up without issue and inspect those gangly paws, and I was hooked.

My parents took my word for it that she would be our dog, and she’s been our smartest and sweetest Lab yet. She rode home with us in a cardboard box.

AGE: 8.

HOME: Williamsburg, Va. (but has lived in Alexandria, Va.; Tampa, Fla.; and Baltimore).

BREED: Labrador retriever.

BEST TRICK: She can find any member of the family or any of her toys by name. If you say, “Where’s Dad? Go get Dad!” or “Get your rope!” she’ll run around until she’s found the person or the toy. Because she knows exactly who she’s hunting for, she'll bypass others along the way.

FAVORITE ACTIVITY: Following us around, waiting for scraps to drop in the kitchen. (Oops! Did that fall? Come here, Stella! … )

FAVORITE FOOD: Ice! She loves to chase cubes around the kitchen floor and will happily crunch them to bits.

FUNNIEST MOMENT: She loved to swim in our backyard pool in Florida but would go into high-alert mode if anyone went underwater. As soon as your head was under, she was in the water, swimming above you, trying to pull you up. My sister could hold her breath for a long time, and she’d swim across the pool and back, fully underwater, with Stella keeping time directly above her, doing the dog-paddle furiously. When Maureen would come up for air, Stella would pull her to the side by her ponytail. My brother, Mark, learned to exploit this by putting one of her toys on a float and letting her drag him around the pool.

ZEN PRACTITIONER OF PATIENCE: She is incredibly well-disciplined, which she proves when my dad starts “telling her a story.” He’ll pick up one of her toys, usually a pet monkey she loves, and hold it above her as she sits. He’ll tease her with it and make up a story, having the monkey tell her what a good dog she is, throwing out some of her favorite words (walk, bath, squirrel) and she’ll sit their calmly until she just can’t take it anymore and starts slowwwly opening her mouth to get the toy. You can almost hear the creak of her jaws as she reaches for it. But one stern look from the storyteller, and they’re clamped shut again.

IF STELLA HAD A MOTTO FOR LIFE, IT WOULD BE: Where are you going? I want to be near you all the time!

CREDIT FOR PHOTOGRAPH: Mary Hartney

To see more 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. Share your pets' stories with us!

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Collared, Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

This video is getting all kinds of traction on the web and on TV. A little black kitty gets extremely friendly with a Texas police officer who's trying to write a ticket. The cop actually keeps writing the citation as the cat crawls all the way up his body and then perches on his head. This copy of the video doesn't show the part I saw on TV last night that isn't quite as cute -- after putting up with the kitty for so long, the officer finally gives him a little kick and the cat runs away.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Pet videos
        

This is the guy that ran the puppy mill that Teddy Bean and more than 200 other dogs were rescued from last summer:

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A former eastern Pennsylvania dog breeder is scheduled to go on trial on animal cruelty charges after withdrawing his guilty plea.

Lehigh County Judge Robert L. Steinberg granted Derbe Eckhart's request to withdraw his plea Monday. Steinberg set Eckhart's bail at $25,000 and ordered him jailed. He also ordered Eckhart to quit working with animals.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Jay Jenkins says Eckhart faces trial in December on charges including cruelty to animals and operating a kennel without a license.

Authorities who raided Eckhart's Almost Heaven kennel in October 2008 say they found 189 dogs crowded in filthy conditions. They say they also discovered dozens of animal corpses in a freezer. The kennel was shut down in June.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs, Teddy Bean, formerly the Foster Dog
        

Town officials have ordered a man to get rid of his 300-pound pet pig, but the owner says he’d rather leave town than give up the animal.

Rob Falk of Southwest Ranches has a Yorkshire pig named Strawberry, and council members cited Falk’s landlord for a code violation in July.

Last week, officials gave Falk 30 days to remove Strawberry from the home, saying that the town allows only one Vietnamese pot bellied pig per household.

Officials are also worried that the pig will get bigger and grow large tusks.

Falk says the family will move because “the pig is like one of our children.”

Strawberry the pig and her owner Kai Falk, pictured at their home. All photos by Deanna Dent/South Florida Sun-Sentinel/MCT.

Read more from the Sun-Sentinel here.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff
        

Floating an idea here... a BIG idea....

Wondering who among the Unleashed faithful would be interested in creating a group calendar.... You guys would send in your very best pet pictures and I would combine them to create the Pets of Unleashed 2010 or something like that.

To make it work, we'd need at least 12 of you to send in pictures -- ideally more so that it would be competitive, offer a bit of a selection....

Then, of course, we'd need a certain number of folks to commit to buying a calendar. On Shutterfly, you can make orders of 25, 50, etc.... Depending on how many one orders, Shutterfly charges between $10 and $15 for calendars.

I think it could be fun and cute! But of course, a lot of you must find it equally fun and cute. Lemme know. We'd have to get going to get a calendar back in time for Jan. 2010! Also lemme know if you have any ideas to make the project cooler -- like a charity component or somesuch...

Posted by Jill Rosen at 1:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff, Cats Cats Cats, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Pet accessories
        

No matter which side of town you live on, which worthwhile cause you'd like to contribute to, on Saturday, it will be almost hard not to get your pet's picture taken with Santa.

Santa, who apparently gets around, will be at Federal Hill Park, posing with dogs, cats and who knows what other animals to benefit the Franky Fund at BARCS. The fund pays for vet care for the sickest and neediest animals that come to the shelter. Pictures cost $10 and Santa will be waiting at the park from 10 to noon. Santa will also be at Riverside Park on Dec. 12 for pet pictures, also 10 a.m. to noon. 

Meanwhile, across town in Canton, at the Canton Dog Park, during the exact same 10 to noon timeframe, Santa will also be posing with pets. Those pictures cost $15.

If you already have pictures of your dog or kitty with Santa and would like to share them, send 'em on in. I'll post only the cute ones. ;-)

Santa and dogs picture courtesy of Pacdog's Photostream on Flickr.

Here's a shot of Jill's pup Libby posing with Santa at Locust Point Dog Park! She looks as if Santa just promised her list would all materialize.....

Baby also enjoyed her lap time with Santa (er, Councilman Ed Reisinger:

Posted by Jill Rosen at 11:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff, Cats Cats Cats, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Events, Fun stuff
        

A limited edition dog carrier created by designer Marc Jacobs is one of six deluxe  accessories being offered at the 'L' Excellence du Savoir-Faire' exhibition at Sotheby's auction house in London. The chi-chi auction includes  Louis Vuitton limited-edition, special-order pieces by the likes of artist Damien Hirst, chef Ferran Adrià, photographer Annie Leibovitz, musician Gustavo Santaolalla, Jacobs and Patrick-Louis Vuitton.

The base price is listed in pounds -- 25,000 to 35,0000. I'm not sure how much that is in dollars but can only imagine it's one of those if-you-have-to-ask-you-can't-afford-it situations....

The auction takes place Tuesday (today), with proceeds going to the Red Cross to fight malnutrition in Niger.

Nice holiday present for Teddy Bean. Anyone? Anyone?

(Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Pet accessories
        

Ok. Call me a hypocrite. I posted practically two weeks of dressed up dogs as a lead-up to Halloween. But somehow, the idea of putting things on a bunny just seem kinda mean. No?

This rabbit dress-up contest was part of Rabbit Testa, held last weekend in Japan, of course. About 8,000 rabbit lovers visited the annual two-day event in Yokohama city in Kanagawa prefecture, suburban Tokyo.

Thoughts?

Photos by YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff
        

Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot, center, his wife Annie, left, and their Labrador retriever, Henry, compare notes with Robert Dull and his dogs Saturday at the 39th annual Waterfowl Festival in Easton, Md. Like many others, the Franchots came to town to enjoy festival artwork, exhibits, entertainment and cuisine. Franchot, however, seems rather dressed up for an afternoon with the dog..... (AP Photo/The Star Democrat, Chris Polk)

Posted by Jill Rosen at 1:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Celebrities and their pets, Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

Georg Ratzinger, brother of Pope Benedict XVI, carresses Saint Bernard dog Otto on November 16, in the Old Chapel in Regensburg, southern Germany, after he blessed the dog. Ratzinger said he was happy to bless the animal, so that one-year-old Otto would go on helping people and making them happy. Otto wears a small barrel around his neck bearing the inscription "Otto loves you." OLIVER LANG/AFP/Getty Images.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 12:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

Members of the SOB Motorcycle Club have stripped off their leather -- and everything else -- to help Pet Rescue of Maryland.

Ken Shapiro, who winkingly calls himself king of the club, sent me a preview of their 2010 Semites On Bikes calendar, which is now for sale. He's Mr. December, the guy posing not-so-shyly above with a guinea pig.

Shapiro says last year's nude calendar sold more than 800 copies before eventually selling out.

Pet Rescue of Maryland, a no kill organization and will use 100 percent of the proceeds to pay for vet bills.

Calendars are $20. You can order them on the group's website.

Though the men are nude in the calendar, he calls it "PG-13 rated" and "fine for your kitchen" since everyone is coyly covered up by a pet -- mostly dogs and cats, but also birds, a guinea pig and a goat.

Pet Rescue is taking orders for the SOB "Pet of the Month calender at: www.petrescueofmd.org

Posted by Jill Rosen at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff, Fun stuff
        

The hunter who saved Daisy, the beagle wrapped in duct tape, stuffed into a trash bag and left to die in the woods, was honored with a commendation from the Dog Federation of New York.

The group issued letters of commendation and thanks to Ed Dandaraw, Tom Peters and Kevin McCauliffe, the Saratoga-area deer hunters. Dandaraw was hunting on his property with friends when he came across the taped and bound beagle. She had been missing from for two weeks.
 
The organization writes: "Because of the difficult terrain, the men needed to use a four-wheeler to get the dog to safety. A former beagle owner himself, Dandaraw took the dog to his own veterinarian and was prepared to provide Daisy with a new home if her owners could not be located. Happily, the dog’s distraught family was quickly identified and Daisy is back with her family, responding well to treatment and gaining weight steadily." 

Posted by Jill Rosen at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

A new study suggest that pointing at things just doesn't work with puppies.

Discovery News reports that dogs less than 21 weeks old just don't human pointing gestures. So the mistake on the carpet you're jumpiing around sticking your finger angrily toward? Nothing. The brand new toy across the room? Nope.

The results of the study, conducted at the University of Florida on German Shepherds, Collies, Daschunds and pointers, are consistent with findings in other animals.

Picture of sweet sleepy puppy courtesy of Richard Stowey's photostream on Flickr.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs, Health
        

One thing is for sure: Baltimore loves Rescue Ink.

Something about the tattooed gang of animal rights crusaders has hit home with pet lovers in this city. First the barrage of tattoo pledges to convince the Long Island-based group to come to town. Then the actual tattoofest last month when they made it here, to this: Locals throwing a fundraising bash in their honor.

The benefit will be Saturday, Nov. 21 at Midtown Yacht Club. Things kick off at 9 p.m. There probably won't be any appearances by the guys, nor any tattooing being done on site -- it's just having a good time to support a good cause. And, hey, maybe a chance to show off some of those new paw print tattoos.

There will be drink specials and raffles. Admission is $10.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Celebrities and their pets, Events, Fun stuff
        

The New York Times has a funny -- and kinda odd -- story about how one neighborhood of Queens is being run over by French bulldogs, of all things.

The story points out that typically the Ditmars area of Astoria is more of a low-brow, pound-puppy type of place. But for unknown reasons, the neighborhood now counts 32 Frenchies as residents.

At least one guy thinks its a sign of the neighborhood's ascendancy. He tells the Times:

 “For decades, Astoria has been waiting in the wings to become the next Manhattan,” said George Halvatzis, a real estate agent whose Ditmars Boulevard office Donut passes during his daily constitutionals. “We have been getting trendy restaurants and trendy shops, but more than anything, the Frenchies, which are so Manhattanesque, may be the signal that this is finally starting to happen.”

French bulldog picture courtesy of virgirm's photostream on Flickr.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

Sun photographer extraordinaire Jed Kirschbaum captured this image of a huddle of kittens trying to stay warm at a farm in Sudlersville. A couple of them look as if they're glaring at Jed. Maybe he stepped on their food bowl while he was setting up the shot.....

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats
        

Because this is important to many Unleashed readers, I'm just going to go ahead and post the press release that just came from the office of Baltimore's State's Attorney about indictments in the case of Phoenix, the pit bull puppy doused with gasoline and set on fire earlier this year:

Baltimore, MD – November 13, 2009 – State’s Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy announced today that the Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted both Tremayne and Travers Johnson, 17, of S. Pulaski Street in a five count indictment charging animal abuse and cruelty.

    Court documents allege that on May 27, 2009 Tremayne and Travers Johnson were responsible for setting a pit bull dog on fire in the 1600 block of Presbury Street.  Police responding to a call in that block discovered a pit bull dog engulfed in flames.  The dog, affectionately named Phoenix, was put down due to injuries while being cared for at an animal shelter in Pennsylvania.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceeding.

Both Johnson brothers are being held at the Baltimore City Detention Center without bail.

An arraignment is scheduled for December 9, 2009 before the Honorable David W. Young, 227 Courthouse East.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 6:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

A dog found bound with duct tape, stuffed into a trash bag and left to die on the southeastern edge of the Adirondacks is recovering after being rescued by a hunter.

Ed Dandaraw says he was hunting on his Saratoga County property last weekend when he came across a garbage bag. Inside he found a beagle whose head, midsection and front paws were wrapped in duct tape.

Dandaraw took the dog to a veterinary clinic, where a microchip implanted under the dog's skin helped locate her owners.

The beagle, named Daisy, had been missing for two weeks before being found Sunday near where her owners live.

The Humane Society of the United States is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the

arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for binding Daisy.

Read more about Daisy's ordeal here.

Photo courtesy of Rosemary Royce, a friend of Daisy's owner.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 1:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

Back in the day, Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath was known for his dangerous arm. Now settled into a comfortable retirement in Florida, it's his dog that's dangerous.

Namath, 66, appeared before a hearing officer on Thursday in West Palm Beach to answer to charges that two of his dogs attacked people who came to his home in Tequesta, a quiet community about 90 miles north of Miami.

His 6-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, Leo, was declared "dangerous" during Thursday's hearing. The case against another of Namath's dog, a 6-year-old Weimeraner named Stella, was dropped because a witness didn't show, said Capt. Dave Walesky of Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control.

Read more here.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 10:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Celebrities and their pets, Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

A dog named Titan lived up to his name Thursday when he earned the title world's tallest dog, the Associated Press reported.

The 4-year-old white Great Dane from San Diego is blind, deaf, epileptic and undergoes acupuncture and chiropractic adjustments every three weeks, owner Diana Taylor said.

Over the last few months, there's been a number of contenders for the title. Boomer, a Newfoundland, for one. Gibson, the previous record holder, died earlier this year.

"Titan is magical," she added. "He's low-key, calm and has a wonderful demeanor about him. He gets along with all dogs, even the tiny ones."

Titan's official height, as measured by a veterinarian, is a hair over 3 1/2 feet tall from floor to shoulder. You could add eight inches if official measurements included the head, Guinness spokesman Stuart Claxton said.

Titan weighs 190 pounds and doesn't stand on his hind legs because it isn't good for him. If he did, Taylor figures he would stand 80 or 82 inches tall.

This image provided by Guinness World Records on Thursday Nov. 12, 2009 shows the Great Dane, Titan with his owner, Diana Taylor in San Diego. Guinness World Record announces Titan, owned by Diana Taylor of San Diego, as the "World's Tallest Dog" in celebration of Guinness World Records Day. Titan measures 42.25 inches tall. (AP Photo/Guinness World Records, Crissy Pascual)

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

NEW YORK — Oreo was called a miracle dog when she was thrown off the roof of a six-story Brooklyn building this summer and survived.

But nearly four months later, the 1-year-old brown-and-white pit bull mix growled and lunged at people gathered in a playroom to see her, then turned and lunged at a female handler who had pulled back furiously on the 62-pound dog's heavy leash.

After months of working to rehabilitate Oreo, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said it had determined she is too dangerous to be placed in a home or to live among other dogs.

The organization said it plans to euthanize her today.

The New York Times reports people have bombarded the ASPCA with phone calls and e-mail messages in an 11th-hour rally to save Oreo.

Read more from The Associated Press here.

Oreo, a 1-year-old terrier mix, is held by her handler, Nov. 12 at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in New York. Oreo was thrown from the roof of a six-story building June 18 and will be euthanized today following efforts by the ASPCA to rehabilitate her. (AP Photo/Stephen Chernin) 

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

I love, love, love Simon's Cat, the creation of artist Simon Tofield. Here's a little treat he recently posted on the website, Simonscat.com. Reminds me a few kitties I know.....

Posted by Jill Rosen at 2:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Celebrities and their pets, Pet videos
        

This border collie named Paige has some serious talent. In addition to the typical dog tricks like catching a frisbee and playing dead, she also does the laundry, puts groceries into the fridge and cleans up her own toys. Someone get Lauren's hound an agent!!

Posted by Jill Rosen at 10:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Pet videos
        

A bomb-sniffing dog that disappeared during a fierce battle in Afghanistan between Australian troops and militant fighters has been found and returned to its unit after more than a year.

And Sabi the black Labrador is getting a celebrity welcome home.

Sabi was with a joint Australian-Afghan army patrol ambushed in restive Uruzgan province in September 2008, triggering a gunfight that wounded nine troops and earned one Australian soldier the country's highest bravery medal.

But there was no sign of Sabi after the battle, and months of searching failed to find any sign of the retriever — until now.

Defense officials said Thursday that a U.S. soldier recovered Sabi at an isolated patrol base elsewhere in Uruzgan.

In this photo taken Wednesday, Nov. 11, Australian explosive detection dog Sabi is photographed at Forward Operating Base Ripley in Tarin Kowt, Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan. Sabi that disappeared during a fierce battle in Afghanistan between Australian troops and militant fighters has been found and returned to its unit after more than a year. Sabi was with a joint Australian-Afghan army patrol ambushed in restive Uruzgan province in September 2008, but there was no sign of Sabi after the battle that followed - until now. (AP Photo/Andrew Mearse, Pool)

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

NAME: Chapin (as in Mary Chapin Carpenter).

OWNER: Jane Ballentine.

HOW THEY MET: We met in the reception area of the  Baltimore Zoo, (now Maryland Zoo) Mansion House. Chapin had been tossed out of a car in front of the Reptile House in Druid Hill Park and was rescued by zoo staff. She was being cuddled while waiting for a ride to the SPCA. I walked in, and saw this “little black dog with little brown ears” and fell in love. I begged my husband to let us adopt her, and 5 days later she came home with us. That was 17 years ago this month.

AGE: 17+.

HOME: Baltimore.

BREED: Long-haired dachshund/border collie mix, we think!

BEST TRICK: Before arthritis kicked in, Chapin would dance in circles on her hind feet for a treat.

To see more 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. Share your pets' stories with us!

FAVORITE ACTIVITY: Long ago – herding other dogs. Now, it’s napping.

FAVORITE FOOD: iceberg lettuce, the crunchier the better.

FUNNIEST MOMENT: When I picked her up at the SPCA, she would not stay in the passenger seat of my car. She kept crawling into my lap. I would pull over, put her back in her seat and drive on.  After the 3rd time, I just left her in my lap. To this day she prefers to ride in a lap while in car.

BROUGHT MOM AN EARLY PRESENT: She is the immediate cause for the early birth of my son. I was 8 ½ months pregnant.  Chapin snuck out of the house and got into a squabble with a neighborhood dog. I tripped and fell while trying to break up the fight. I broke it up and the only injury was to me – my placenta was abrupted and I had to be induced and deliver my son that day. Oh, I ended up with a C-section and a broken arm too. 

IF CHAPIN HAD A MOTTO FOR LIFE, IT WOULD BE: Don’t touch my food!

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Collared
        

In honor of Veterans Day, the Mental Floss blog posted a series of videos showing servicemen and women returning from Afghanistan and Iraq being greeted (extremely enthusiastically) by their dogs who missed them. Here's one. Find more here. Get your tissues ready....

Posted by Jill Rosen at 3:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Pet videos
        

Snowboarder dude and Dancing with the Stars contestant Louie Vito can add "dogowner" to his resume. He just adopted a young pit bull mix named Darla from the Animal Advocate Alliance. Vito renamed Darla Gucci, telling People "Gucci Vito just sounded right."

Hopefully Vito and the spotted Gucci will have more chemistry than the snowboarder showed with his partner on the dance show.

"We no longer have to wonder why our sweet little Darla keeps getting overlooked at adoption events as the perfect match for Darla fell in love with her and she is now living in her new home," the rescue said on its website, announcing Vito adopted the dog. 

"We miss Darla incredibly but are thrilled that she found the perfect home. Send us a postcard from the slopes Darla girl and have a great life!"

Photo of Gucci (once Darla) and Louie Vito courtesy of Animal Advocates Alliance.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 2:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Celebrities and their pets
        

The Maryland Park Service is considering changing its policies to make it easier for people to bring their pets to state parks.

A lot of people have apparently requested the change and now state officials are asking for even more public comment before they make a final decision. Changes include pets being allowed at Assateague at certain times and pets allowed in more parts of Gunpowder Falls. There's a lot more, too. To view the proposed policy, click here.

To make your voice heard, go to this website for more information. Public comment will be accepted until Nov. 30.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Fun stuff
        

Once at the Missouri shelter, dogs were tested by animal behaviorists, taken on walks, and allowed to chew on bowling balls stuffed with peanut butter.

The Human Society offered The Associated Press first access to the site Tuesday.

Read more here.

Linda Campbell plays with dogs at an emergency shelter that has been housing hundreds of pit bulls seized as part of the largest dogfighting raid in U.S. history Tuesday, Nov. 10, in St. Louis. Dozens of American pit bull terriers netted in the largest dogfighting raid in U.S. history are finding homes despite naysayers who predicted aggression or trauma would make them unsuitable as pets. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

Crime reporter Peter Hermann just got back to the office after a quick visit with Blade, the Baltimore police dog shot on Sunday by a fellow officer.

Peter shares this photo of the German Shepherd, who's recovering at Falls Road Animal Hospital. He says the dog is doing quite well and might be able to go back to work.

Here's more details from Peter.

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

Drumroll, please! After six submissions of absolutely beautiful orange kitties, we've named one the winner in the Dewey look-alike contest.

Kim, my editor, deliberated carefully over the contestants, considering both resemblence to Dewey, the cat made famous in the book, Dewey: The Small-town Library Cat Who Touched the World, and how each kitty's personality paralleled The Dew's.

The winner of the new Dewey children's book is: Sydney!! Marge's 11-year-old kitty not only looked like Dewey, but his story similarly tugged on a cat-lover's heart-strings. Someone cut off the tips of Syd's ears and a portion of her tail. Congrats to Marge and Syd.

However, because such an overwhelming flurry of support came in for Oscar, the fluffy one who passed away two years ago, his owner is getting a copy of Cats' A.B.C. -- which happens to be about three cats, one of which is named Oscar! Plus, the little guy is pictured sitting on a folded up copy of The Sun -- how could we resist that. Congrats Teri!

Now we wait for the Dewey movie starring Meryl Streep!!....

Posted by Jill Rosen at 11:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Fun stuff
        

The Sun has been covering this week an incident that involved a Baltimore City police dog getting shot by an officer while out on a case.

The dog, a German Shepherd named Blade, is recovering, but how exactly he got shot is something of a head scratcher. (See a new photo of the recovering Blade here.)

As Blade chased after a motorist who failed to stop at a speed checkpoint, he attacked an officer chasing from another direction. The dog didn't recognize the officer and the officer didn't know Blade, who wasn't wearing any police identification.

Why was Blade not wearing a police vest or something? Isn't that like an officer on duty without wearing a uniform? And why was the dog out of sight of his partner officer? 

What's the right protocol here? Any police officers out there who can enlighten us? It really seems like this was a shooting that easily could have been prevented.

In the photo, a K-9 for the Harford County Sheriff's office named Sabre works an obstacle course with his human partner, Capt. John Seilback. Sun photo Ken Lam.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

More than 100 dogs and puppies rescued from a Missouri puppy mill arrived in Beltsville yesterday. All of them will be looking for homes. The Virginia-based A Forever-Home Rescue paid for their airlift to our area.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

Reporter Brent Jones has an update of the police dog shot Sunday by an officer:

A police dog shot by a city officer during a foot pursuit of a motorist who authorities say drove through a speed checkpoint was expected to make a full recovery after undergoing surgery Monday, according to staff at the Baltimore animal hospital where the German shepherd was being treated.

The dog, named Blade, should be released this week from Falls Road Animal Hospital in Mount Washington, said Dr. Keisha Adkins, who performed the surgery. The dog faces four to six weeks of restricted movement but should be able to comfortably walk after that, according to Adkins.

The shooting happened about 6 p.m. Sunday after a speeding motorist failed to stop when ordered by officers manning the checkpoint in the 2600 block of Wegworth Lane near Hollins Ferry Road, police said. The man got out of the car moments later, and as he fled, officers at the checkpoint enlisted the aid of a K-9 unit, according to police.

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

San Francisco has become the first major city in the nation to outlaw the declawing of cats, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Some pet owners declaw their felines to protect themselves, or their furniture, from scratches. But pet advocates condemn the practice as animal cruelty.

“It is well-documented and well-understood from a medical prospective that [declawing] is torture. It is a form of animal cruelty,” said Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, who introduced the legislation.

Other California cities are considering adopting similar bans. The Los Angeles City Council is expected to vote on whether to enact a ban by the end of the year.

West Hollywood banned declawing in 2003. Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Berkeley are considering similar ordinances. Declawing is illegal in 20 countries, including most of Europe, Brazil, Japan and Israel.

Read more here.

This little kitten has even more claws than usual with seven toes on each paw. (AP Photo/Coeur d'Alene Press, Jerome A. Pollos)

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Health
        

NAME: Nani.

OWNER: Lorinda.

HOW THEY MET: The story begins like this…  One day a friend of my children came home from school and called her mom at work all excited yelling, "Mommy, mommy we got puppies!!" Mom quickly replied, “You better take them back where you got them!!”  They yelled back, "No mommy, Nellie had puppies!"

Sure enough, the mom came home to find nine beautiful puppies. Here is where I come in. After hearing about these puppies I just had to see for myself. You see the mom is a German Shepherd and the dad is a daschund. A daschund!

The children brought all the puppies and put them on the sofa for me to see. I sat on one end of the sofa and they played happily at the other end. While sitting there talking to my friend, I felt this warmth crawl across my lap. I look down and there was this beautiful little black and brown puppy sitting in my lap. She looked at me and puts her head down and went to sleep. 

That is how Nani and I came to be. Nani picked me. So of course I had to take her home. Her name means beautiful in Hawaiian.

AGE: 3.

HOME: Baltimore County.

BREED: Mixed German Shepherd/Daschund.

BEST TRICK: Catching tossed things.

FAVORITE ACTIVITY: Flyball.

FAVORITE FOOD: Cheese and chicken.

FUNNIEST MOMENT: When I play with her squeaky toy she sings.

HEALTH GUARD DOG: When my blood sugar drops below 80 during the night, she wakes me up.

IF NANI HAD A MOTTO FOR LIFE, IT WOULD BE: Telling other dogs, “Don’t smell my butt please.” 

CREDIT FOR PHOTOGRAPH: Lorinda and Jim Geiser.

To see more 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. Share your pets' stories with us!

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Collared
        

Legions of cat lovers have fallen for Dewey, the famous Iowa library cat immortalized last year in Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World.

I noted on Unleashed a few months ago that the author who wrote about Dewey got more big contracts to write about him again -- at least one for a children's book. The kiddie book is out and I'm offering a copy to whoever has the kitty who most resembles the adorable, orange, furball that was the Dew.

Personally, I think with Pumpkin I'm a contender myself, but I'm not technically competing. (Seriously -- you have to click on the link. My little P is a Dewey RINGER!!)

Anyway, send me your pictures and whoever has the kitty with the closest resemblence gets the new Dewey book for kids: Dewey: There's a Cat in the Library!

1) ..Ooh, check it out -- already got the first Dewey look-alike contender. This beauty is Isaac:

Here's a bit more on Isaac, who's 9, from his owner JDK: Although not nearly as famous as Dewey, Isaac has had his moments in the spotlight thanks to my husband's photo skills. He has been on the front of a birthday card (which I discovered by accident at Eddie's on Charles Street) and in a couple of print ads. The birthday card was rather insulting to the poor boy because the card company made him into a "wide-body" to make the photo look funny. But he got over it when we gave him some treats.

Unlike Dewey, Isaac is not very outgoing. In fact, he is pretty much a "scairdy cat".  He can be ingratiating, though, when he wants something. And Isaac does like books and newspapers...he likes to LIE on them!

We inherited Isaac from our son when Isaac was two. No one ever told me that cats do not like to go in cars and Isaac travels in the car all the time, between our two houses. People always seem to be surprised at this and at the fact that he does not ride in a cat carrier. He somehow always knows when we are within a half-mile of either house because he puts his paws on the dashboard and peers out the window. I think this makes him a winner. 

2) Here's Oscar, another contender. Though he passed away two years ago, his owner, Teri sent him in cause of his obvious Dewey-esque charms. Plus, he's sitting on The Sun, which shows Oscar and The Dew both liked to hang around the printed word. ....

3. I think we've got another contender here in Fluffy:

4) Here's Sydney, another contestant. Her adoring mom Marge says: "Sydney is even striking a Dewey-esque pose in this picture. She's a lot like Dewey in that she brings people together, is very social and likes to curl up with a newspaper or good book — preferably the one I'm trying to read. Syd was a rescue cat. She was badly abused in her first few months — someone cut off the tips of her ears and about a third of her tail.  She's almost 11 and she's still sensitive about having her tail touched. She may not have nearly frozen to death in a book drop box, but her early days were not easy. She would love to honor Dewey's memory, to say nothing of being able to brag to her little brother Beijing that she won a beauty contest!"

5) Val nominates Eddie. She says: Eddie is sweet as can be, but an avowed scaredy-cat.  (Some friends doubt his existence, since they never see him.  He runs away as soon as someone steps on the front porch.) He is quite literate, as you can see from the photo. (He's also on the Sun! Points for Eddie!!) 

Eddie is a rescue - found in Pigtown when he was only two weeks old - alone and in the remains of a torn-down rowhouse.  He weighed only a pound when I got him at eight weeks of age.  He had a cold, a sore on his nose, and a bloated belly from worms.  Now, at the ripe old age of 10 ½ years, he is a happy, healthy bruiser at 15 pounds.  I love him (and his sisters, Cleo and Aurora). 

6) Darlene knows her Sydney (another Sydney!!), who like Dewey came from humble beginnings and LOVES his food, has Dewey-ness. She writes: One of my best friends trapped some feral kittens behind her husband’s business when the mother was killed on the road in June of 2008.  I was on business in Sydney, Australia at the time, and I was getting emails that she’d picked one of them out for me.  This sweet kitten was loving and sweet and I just had to adopt him.  I’d been home for a day when she brought him over, a tiny orange fluffball that we named Sydney since that was where we’d been when we learned about him.  Little did I know… that tiny boy has grown into 16 pound beast with the longest, fluffiest tail I’ve ever seen.

When I read the book Dewey, I realized that they looked so much alike!  Sydney is also the alpha cat in our house with a purr so loud you can hear him in the next room.  I swear the floors vibrate.  I loves to play, watch movies with my husband (they have whole conversations on movie reviews) and hates when we have company.  His “time out” spot is the first step in the basement, which is also his safe place where he hides when we have company.  He’s not too keen on other people unless they are going to feed him.  Don’t dare leave the kitchen without feeding him when he tells you – he will bite your ankles all the way out of the room! 

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (33)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Fun stuff
        

NAME: Petie.

OWNER: The Maryland SPCA.

HOW THEY MET: Surrendered to the Maryland SPCA by original owner.

AGE: 10 years.

HOME FOR NOW: The Maryland SPCA in Baltimore City, MD at 3300 Falls Road.

BREED: Boxer.

BEST TRICK: Sitting proudly to go out for a walk.

FAVORITE ACTIVITY: Sunbathing and strutting his stuff on walks.

FAVORITE FOOD: Peanut Butter filled Kongs.

COME GET THIS SPOTTED-EYE PUP: Petie is a very handsome and proud fella in need of a new home. He is neutered & UTD with vaccines.

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

CREDIT FOR PHOTOGRAPH: MDSPCA

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Collared
        

Love this picture. What a sign of the times.....A woman wearing a mask passes by a monument of Diana, goddess of the hunt and her dogs, which, of course, are also wearing protective masks. She's in the the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on November 3. Last week the Ukrainian health ministry raised the death toll from the flu and respiratory problems to 67. The sign reads "Life is more expensive than pride and image. Keep youself!" YURIY DYACHYSHYN/AFP/Getty Images.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 9:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Fun stuff
        

An Atlanta man who rescued one stray dog from traffic now has his hands full with 10 pooches.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Thursday that Gary DeNicola rescued the dog in late September with plans to take it to a shelter the next day. But it turns out the dog, he named Ruby for her reddish coat, was pregnant and gave birth to nine puppies that night. Now DeNicola is running an animal shelter of sorts himself and he's looking for good homes for little Ruby and her black and tan puppies.

The Atlanta Humane Society said many shelters are facing overcrowding and aren't accepting any more animals. DeNicola has been raising the 5-week-old litter with the help of neighbors.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

If you're free tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon, maybe you could take a hour or two to help feral cats.

Community Cats Maryland is having a shelter building workshop where they'll teach people how to build winter shelters for feral cats. You can help the group build shelters, or build one to take home for feral kitties in your own neighborhood.

Here's what the group says about the event: 

We'll supply the power tools and expertise, we just need volunteers to supply the manpower!

These cat shelters are made out of plastic storage tubs, which can be purchased at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. The 18-gallon Rubbermaid Roughneck bins like these work well.

So how do these bins become cat shelters? We cut a door in them, weight them for stability, line them with insulation, and fill them with straw. The 18-gallon storage tubs can house 1-2 adult cats (depending on their size and how well they get along); larger tubs can be used as well.

If you want to build a shelter of your own, please bring your own tubs, or you can make a monetary donation and take one of the tubs we'll make home with you.

No special skills required; we'll put everything together assembly-line style!

In addition to tubs, we'll also need:

* Reflectix foil insulation

* Sheets of styrofoam or egg cartons for insulation

* Rolls of duct and aluminum tape

* Bricks or paving stones (about 8" x 16" or so) to weight and stabilize the shelters

* Bales of straw

Meet Saturday at 2 p.m.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 3:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Events
        

Earlier this week Unleashed told you about the first documented case of H1N1, the Swine Flu, in a cat.

The cat, which has recovered, is believed to have caught the virus from someone in the household who was sick with H1N1.

The New York Times offers some more details -- and some of them, I'll admit, I like cause they're cute -- about the infected kitty.

Though the cat's owner are keeping a low profile, the doctor who treated the kitty offered some details. For instance, the famous anonymous cat is a 16-pound orange tabby who's 13-years old. And here is the best part, the cat is described at "large framed but not chubby."

LOL. Anyone who's ever had a 16-pound cat (I have a certain sizeable Pumpkin) always says it's large framed but not fat. Too funny.

Anyway, the Times says the cat is almost back to normal -- and already sitting on the window sill again, scouting out squirrels. Good kitty.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 12:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Health
        

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is issuing this health alert to warn consumers not to use Pig Ears and Beef Hooves pet treats manufactured by Pet Carousel because the products may be contaminated with Salmonella. The products were distributed nationwide in both bulk and retail packaging for sale in pet food and retail chain stores. Pet Carousel is based in Sanger, Calif.

The products were manufactured under conditions that facilitate cross-contamination within batches or lots. Although no illnesses associated with these products have been reported, the FDA is advising consumers in possession of these products to not handle or feed them to their pets.

The affected pig ear products were packaged under the brand names Doggie Delight and Pet Carousel.

Read more here.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Health
        

The Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter has begun its annual poinsettia sale to raise money for its spay and neuter program.

If you order 12 or more plants, BARCS will deliver them to your home or office.

The poinsettias come in both red and white. There's a $15 medium size (a 7-inch pot, standing 17 inches tall with 10-15 flowers) or the $30 Jumbo (10-inch pot, standing 26 inches tall with more than 20 flowers). Orders must be pre-paid by Friday, November 20th.

People can pick up their plants at BARCS on Wednesday, December 2nd from 9 a.m to 7 p.m. For those who order 12 or more, delivery is Dec. 2, too.

Order online here by clicking here and scrolling down to the sale info.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 11:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff, Events
        

Not sure exactly how this is newsworthy or even surprising but folks, it seems, are upset, angered and disgusted by a new book called "Time to Eat the Dog."

The book, written by two ecologically-inclined New Zealanders, floats the idea that having a dog leaves a greater carbon footprint than having an SUV.

Apparently the authors aren't suggesting people slap Fido on the grill, but rather that pet-owners think twice about the impact of keeping domestic animals. Still, they clearly are reaping the benefits of the inflammatory title....

Author Jonathan Safran Foer chewed over the idea of why we aren't actually eating dogs in a recent Wall Street Journal piece. "Few people sufficiently appreciate the colossal task of feeding a world of billions of omnivores who demand meat with their potatoes," he writes. "The inefficient use of dogs—conveniently already in areas of high human population (take note, local-food advocates)—should make any good ecologist blush."

Here's a story about the backlash in the New York Times.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 10:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff
        

Full disclosure: This is not a new photo. It was taken in 2006, but just pointed out to me by an animal-loving colleague. And it's such a great image, I thought it deserved a bit more play. What a fierce, fierce orange kitty! A little tiger, clearly. And he doesn't even have claws! I hope that even though a few years have past, Jack the cat has as much -- if not more -- spirit. Here's what the National Geographic said at the time.

Jack, a 15-pound orange-and-white cat, cat sits under a treed black bear in a backyard in West Milford, N.J.. When the bear climbed down, the cat chased it up another nearby tree. Neighbor Suzanne Giovanetti thought Jack was simply looking up at the bear, but soon realized the much larger animal was afraid of the hissing cat. The cat's owners called it away and the bear ran off. (AP Photo/Suzanne Giovanetti)

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats
        

Here's a novel idea: A shoe that your dog can chew for a good cause....

My Good Dog's Chewy Shoe dog toy, a red, white and blue rubber creation for dogs to gnaw on, has raised more than $38,000 since it was introduced earlier this year. That's all money that goes to  “Dog Tags: Service dogs for those who’ve served us,” a program to train and provide service dogs to injured U.S. veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Two dollars from every Chewy Shoe purchase are donated to the Dog Tags program. Service dogs in the program are trained by inmates in New York City-area correctional institutions as part of the Puppies Behind Bars initiative.

“The proceeds from sales of the Chewy Shoe are helping us continue the important work of supporting our veterans,” Gloria Gilbert Stoga, founder and president of Puppies Behind Bars, said in a release. 

The trained golden and Labrador retrievers can open and close doors and assist with grocery shopping and retrieving food from the refrigerator. For veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, the dogs are trained to remind them to take medications and to help them cope with anxiety.

The Chewy Shoe, made from the same molds used to make the soles of military boots, features all natural, non-toxic rubber and has a sturdy mountaineering rope lanyard for tugging and throwing. It costs $16.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs, Pet accessories
        

Of all the pictures of Bo Obama that Unleashed has been faithfully documenting since the First Puppy's debut last spring, the ones that show him interacting with his family are the best. (Like these.)

You have to love this one, of the president giving Bo a scratch on his oh-so-furry belly. Bo's tongue is out. Clearly he's in doggie heaven. 

Even better -- the rub-down is happening on the edge of the Oval Office, where important matters of state and belly rubs happen.

BONUS BO: MOST EXCELLENT BO RELATED BUSINESS AFTER THE JUMP!

This frisky party-hearty fellah is Bo's brother, Cappy. Cappy, at the White House for Bo's first birthday party last month, clearly hasn't had the manners lesson from the White House social team. He's jumping right onto the treat table to snag a cookie. 

Posted by Jill Rosen at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: First Dog Bo Obama
        

This bulldog mom in Illinois has her paws full -- and then some. See Daisy Mae's 21 pups in this video. (The puppies come at the end after some other news...) Dog owner Shari Ballard tells Fox News, "We wanted to breed her and have a litter of puppies. But I didn't expect to have this many!" The puppies are six weeks old now and up for adoption.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (19)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

Recently I wrote here about a website called FreeKibble that donates food to animal shelters every time someone visits the site and plays a game. It's the creation of a 13-year-old girl named Mimi and she tells me that as of this week, through the site she's donated more than 1.7 million meals to homeless dogs and cats.

Today, however, Nov. 5, FreeKibble will donate five times the amount of food each for every site visit. Halo Pets is sponsoring the event. There's no limit on the kibble, so if a bazillion people visit the site today, that's how much food will go to shelters aross the country.

So everyone should visit the site today AND tell all their friends to do it. It's a fun and easy way to help some animals.

Click here to get to FreeKibble and help!

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

A cat in Iowa has tested positive for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, state officials confirmed this morning, marking the first time a cat has been diagnosed with this strain of influenza.

The cat, which has recovered, is believed to have caught the virus from someone in the household who was sick with H1N1. There are no indications that the cat passed the virus on to any other animals or people. The cat is a 13-year-old male.

Prior to this diagnosis, the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus had been found in humans, pigs, birds and ferrets.

The American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Feline Practitioners are reminding pet owners that some viruses can pass between people and animals, so this was not altogether unexpected. Pet owners should monitor their pets’ health very closely, no matter what type of animal, and visit a veterinarian if there are any signs of illness.

The AVMA is actively tracking all instances of H1N1 in animals and posting updates on its Web site.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 2:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Health
        

On a crisp, dry autumn day (not that we've had too many of those dry ones around here lately), isn't having a dog the best? A great reason to take the long way around the park. And the dogs all seem to have little extra spring in their step when it's not so hot. (A guy at the park watched Teddy dancing around in the cool air and said he was a bon vivant. I think maybe he meant Teddy had a great joie d'vivre. Either way, good stuff.

Bailey, a resident at Graves Farm and Garden in Roswell, New Mexico, awaits the arrival of a tour group from Military Heights Elementary School. (AP Photo/Roswell Daily Record, Mark Wilson)

Posted by Jill Rosen at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

The 17-year-old twins accused of setting fire to a pit bull puppy known as Phoenix will be tried as adults, a judge decided Tuesday.

Judge David Ross ruled that Tremayne and Travers Johnson will face felony animal cruelty charges in Baltimore Circuit Court, allegations that could send the boys to jail for three years, The Sun's Brent Jones reports. Attorneys for the twins argued that they were not properly cared for in the juvenile system after they were placed on probation for a handgun violation in October 2008.

The lawyer for Tremayne Johnson added that his client suffers from depression and had not had any problems before he had brain surgery for a tumor four years ago. But a representative of juvenile services said the teen failed to cooperate with some of the department's programs.

Phoenix, a pit bull puppy, was doused with gasoline and set on fire in Southwest Baltimore last May. She was euthanized because of her injuries a few days later. The case sparked citywide and even national indignation about animal cruelty.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

A huge, huge new indoor dog park in Texas is apparently not apparently feeling the pinch of the economy.

Unleashed Indoor Dog Park, which opened in March, is going gangbusters, pulling in about $200,000 a month, its owners tell CNN.

The air-conditioned space is 50,000 square feet of play space -- all special dog turf -- also has a pet store, a grooming center, a snack bar for humans and a place for pet parents to watch their dogs play.

"I've lived in places that aren't that nice," Dallas resident Kim Putnam, whose terrier-poodle mix, Paco, visits every week, told CNN.

The couple that opened the facility hopes to bring them to other towns.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff, Dogs, dogs, dogs
        

We haven't had fresh Bo in a few weeks. Perhaps he'd been lying low for a while following the No. 2 on Air Force One dustup....

It's nice to see the First Puppy thriving.....tennis ball in mouth.

Dale Haney, superintendent of the White House grounds, can often be seen with Bo. He's amazed by the public's fascination with White House pets. "Sometimes I think they're more interested in the pets than the president," he told the Associated Press.

Bo Obama plays outside the White House on Oct. 26. In the smaller photo, Bo holds his own leash as he walks on the South Lawn. (AP Photos/Alex Brandon)

Posted by Jill Rosen at 12:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Dogs, dogs, dogs, First Dog Bo Obama
        

The world's fastest man adopted the animal kingdom's fastest sprinter Monday, as Usain Bolt welcomed a new baby cheetah named "Lightning Bolt" into his life, the Associated Press reports.

The Jamaican sprinter's sponsorship of the three-month-old male cheetah is part of an effort to boost Kenyan conservation efforts of its famous wildlife, whose survival is threatened by trophy hunting, climate change and human encroachment.

The world record-holder in the 100 and 200 meters paid $13,700 to formally adopt the cub. He will also pay $3,000 a year to care for Lighting Bolt, who will be raised at an animal orphanage in Nairobi.

The money will go to the Kenya Wildlife Service, and some will be used to protect Kenya's endangered species, KWS director Julius Kipngetich said.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 11:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Celebrities and their pets
        

The other day I was walking Teddy Bean and revealed The Bean's latest hobby to someone at the park.

"I can't believe I'm actually going to say this cause it's so disgusting," I began, "But I have cats and...."

Before I could finish the sentence, she did: "And he eats the cat poo?"

Sigh. Yes. I think Teddy Bean has developed a taste for the litter box.

While watching TV this weekend, I heard a rustling in the box. Leo was to my right, Pumpkin dozing to the left. I lifted the dome and there was The Bean, kicking gravel with abandon.

This explains the little bits of cat you-know-what that I found near Teddy's play area. And it might explain why Leo smacks him so much.

I actually don't think Bean is eating the poo. I just think he likes to root around and hunt for it and then savor his smelly little prize.

If this is such a common dog thing, why does no one talk about it -- other than its sheer gross-osity? And more importantly: What do people do about it????

Photo of litter box without a dog inside courtesy of Andrew Currie's photostream on Flickr.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 8:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Health, Teddy Bean, formerly the Foster Dog
        

More than 40,000 family pets die every year in house fires, according to Protection One, Inc., a national home security company with offices in Baltimore.

The company has launched a public service project focused on saving the lives of pets. They are providing FREE pet safety decals that alert firefighters that a pets are living in a home. People stick the decals onto a front door or window where they can be easily noticed in case of an emergency.

Pet owners can get a decal online here.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 7:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff, Cats Cats Cats, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Health
        

Yeah, I know Hello Kitty isn't exactly a cat, per se. But as a tyke, I was incredibly smitten by this big-headed white kitten -- and her best friend, Mimi. I didn't have any real pets, but I collected Hello Kitty change purses, stickers and little notebooks.

Hello Kitty all but vanished as I grew out of cartoon kitty stuff, but recently it all came back with a vengeance. Disturbingly, the iconic Kitty has been embraced by the likes of Paris Hilton, Target and, as the above picture shows, Swarovski crystal.

Sorry, Kitty. It didn't use to be like that.

Anyway, the Los Angeles Times take a look back at the history of Hello Kitty and her modern resurgence.

In the story I read that the Kitty, now 35, has a boyfriend. A boy kitten named Daniel. Wow. 

A "Super Hello Kitty Jewel Doll", studded with diamonds, sapphires and a citrine for its yellow nose, is displayed at the "Girlish Culture Hello Kitty" exhibition in Tokyo. Luxury cyrstal maker Swarovski, Japanese toy firm Sanrio and Japanese jewelery maker I.K. unveiled the 15 million yen ($150,000) Hello Kitty to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Hello Kitty character. YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images

Posted by Jill Rosen at 12:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Cats Cats Cats, Fun stuff
        

Four-legged screen stars are vying for the Fido Film Awards, billed as the canine equivalent of the Oscars.

Nominees announced Friday include the animated dog stars of "Bolt" and "Up," the titular mutt in "Marley and Me" and — in a rare non-canine choice — the dapper, George Clooney-voiced "Fantastic Mr. Fox," the Associated Press reported.

They are competing for prizes in categories including historical hound, rom-com rover and comedy canine.

The Fidos call themselves the world's first international awards for canine screen stars. Winners will be announced Nov. 22.

Last year, actor and host Fred Willard, right, Gabe, winner of the Top Dog award, center, and Gabe's owner, left, posed backstage during the First Annual Worldwide Fido Awards in Santa Monica, Calif. The awards are billed as the canine equivalent of the Oscars. AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File.

Posted by Jill Rosen at 11:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Assorted pet stuff, Dogs, dogs, dogs, Fun stuff