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Dear Mr. President: How about another call -- this one to Michael Vick's dogs?

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 13:34:00 -0600

There are two camps when it comes to Michael Vick: those who love him, and those who hate him. It's no secret which camp I'm in. And to hear that our President gave the thumbs up on his "rehabilitation" gets my hackles in full rise.

President Obama was calling to congratulate the Eagles on their stadium, but that isn't the part of the call that hit the news. Not in the least. No, what got the media buzzing was that Obama thanked them for signing a sociopath to the football team and seeing past what he did.

Really? How's that working out, Hector? Jonny, Mel -- any thoughts?

The folks at Best Friends, a sanctuary that is rehabbing and, when necessary, providing lifelong care to many of Vick's dogs (that's their "Vicktory Dog" Lucas in the photo), had some things to say on the topic. Best Friends is usually known for the kinder, gentler animal welfare perspective, but they took a slightly different approach to this particular issue. From their blog post:

Why do we do all this for these dogs? Well, Mr. President, thats a big question but Ill try to keep it short. First of all, we dont believe that killing the Vick dogs, which many people and even some animal organizations wanted to do, would have been right. We know that they are individuals with the potential to have rewarding lives. They were like child soldiers kidnapped by warlords and forced to fight; no one thinks child soldiers should be killed just because they are damaged. Same thing applies here. Also, the Vicktory dogs are victims of a crime. As long as they are struggling to regain even a semblance of the life that should have been theirs from birth, then that crime continues to affect lives, dog and human, and is not yet a thing of the past, regardless of Michael Vicks jail time or talent.

Heather Houlahan at the Raised by Wolves blog sent an open letter to Obama. I swear I wanted to send her chocolates for this.

As for "comebacks," these are noteworthy -- not necessarily morally, but of interest -- when the "setback" that provides the stage is extrinsic, or at least not a direct and easily avoidable result of the staggering moral perversity of the one who has "suffered" the setback.
[....]

From what has Vick "come back?" Merely the cushioned, mitigated, kid-gloved semi-consequences of his own freely-chosen, focused and sustained moral depravity. From a token prison sentence for a few of his crimes, and unconscionable legal and media gloss over the worst of them.

Also, just saying, court-ordered community service is not a mitzvah. It's part of the goddamn sentence. Completing it is not optional, so you don't get extra credit points. It is not intended to "clean up your image" on the way to lucrative endorsement contracts.

It isn't just us dog folks chiming in; non-pibble right wing politcal pundit Tucker Carlson has his thoughts, too -- video under the jump.

And just to be as bipartisan as possible, you can also visit the website of the Huffington Post and take a poll about whether President Obama should make a second call -- this one to Vick's dogs. I voted yes; how about you?

Continue reading "Dear Mr. President: How about another call -- this one to Michael Vick's dogs?"

If Michael Vick didn't win, would you still expect us to forgive him?

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 13:30:00 -0600

Last month, LA Times sports writer Bill Plaschke explained very clearly why he and many others -- including me -- are not ready to forgive Michael Vick.

In his article, he told the story of Mel, one of the victims of Vick's Bad Newz Kennels (shown in the photo hiding in a corner behind the dog she lives with):

Every time the 4-year-old dog meets a stranger, he goes into convulsions. He staggers back into a wall for protection. He lowers his face and tries to hide. New faces are not new friends, but old terrors.

While Michael Vick was officially outracing his past Monday night, one of the dogs he abused cannot.

"Some people wonder, are we ever going to let Michael Vick get beyond all this?" said Richard Hunter, who owns Mel. "I tell them, let's let Mel decide that. When he stops shaking, maybe then we can talk."

But that isn't the end of this story. Howard Stern, yes the man infamous for farts and strippers, alerted me to an editorial by a rock star. Howard isn't a pibble support by a long shot, but he is an advocate against animal abuse and takes this to heart. In the editorial, Nils Lofgren wrote:

I am a giant sports fan. However, the cynic in me thinks maybe if Vick were a third-string lineman, the NFL would have set an example and banned him for life. Maybe many of the other significant charges Vick was facing wouldn't have gone away if he didn't have the prestige of being an NFL quarterback who can afford high-priced lawyers to wrangle pleas and deals.

For the NFL to be that forgiving of evil, vicious behavior is a terribly inappropriate act of forgiveness and has brought a sick, sad, dirty feeling to many of us fans who have loved the game for so long.

He signed it with this tag line:

Musician and huge sports fan, hurt and demoralized

This is how Vick left many NFL fans. Until last year I was a huge Chicago Bears fan, and while I still would love to watch them play, the fact that Vick is an NFL superstar again left a bad taste for me.

I miss when Sundays didn't make me cringe.

Farewell to Lucy

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 11:11:00 -0600

Cleo looked out over the pond at the Urban Ecology Center and didnt like it at all. She huffed at it when we arrived and continued to huff when ever she was near it. She was cold, and shocked to show up somewhere with so many dogs. Usually Cleo doesnt attend events with a lot of dogs. They bother her. She doesnt always trust them. Well over 100 people and many dogs were there. Everyone was here to say goodbye to Lucy, a dog we never met.

Lucy started as a family dog. Given away through a few Craigslist ads as a free to good home dog, Lucy ended up in some very bad hands. She ended her life as a bait dog.

No one at the event met Lucy in her prime. The animal control officer who pulled her body from the pond was there. I believe she was also the person who held her at the end of her life. I wonder if her original owner was moved to come say farewell.

Dog fighting is very real. It did not end when Michael Vick went to jail. Not all dog fighters even go to jail. Cleos owner was let go because he surrendered the dogs. He faced no charges. The dogs were safe, what did it matter? However, this person is now free to start over.

Jill Brown, the head of a Milwaukee based group called Battle Against Dog Fighting (BAD) has worked to try to educate people that dog fighting is real. I have worked along side her at several events. People are still shocked to learn that dog fighting is common. Dog fighting does in fact happen everywhere. It is not limited to places like the inner city or major metropolitan places. It is not limited by race or gender.

Lucy was tossed away as trash in the pond, still alive, to drown. When we arrived a week after her drowning a thin layer of ice covered the pond. She had wounds and scars covering her body and she was still alive when she was pulled from the water. Upon arrival at the animal control facility, Lucy began uncontrollable seizures. The decision was made to euthanize. Her body was so heavily battered, she was in the water at freezing temperatures for Dog knows how long, and she was beaten.

Lucy had a name, but the countless other victims do not. In my times out with the folks from BAD people are afraid to step forward. They worry about retribution if someone learns they reported it. Fear from retribution is a hard thing to have, but imagine learning these are things your child is seeing when playing at a friends house. This is going on in backyards all over the country. Not just the country like Newport News or the city like Chicago or Milwaukee.

For Lucy, the fight is over. She is at peace now and no longer in pain. For thousands of other dogs, the fight is still happening. For people like Jill and myself, we will hold up our end of the bargain and continue to fight as well. We have no choice. Dogs like Lucy are now part of us.

Below are a few news reports and after that photos. I want to warn you some of the things in the news reports are graphic. The final photo in the group is Lucy, it is also very hard to look at.
Continue reading "Farewell to Lucy"

Guest Chat: Amy Shojai on dogs and cats in their senior years

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 20:07:00 -0600

Amy Shojai is an equal opportunity lover: If it's a pet, she is in love. And her favorites? The golden oldies.

That's right, Amy Shojai loves the senior dogs and cats. That's why she's joining us on Saturday, Nov. 27, in The Auditorium at 9 PM Eastern Time/6 PM Pacific Time for a streaming audio chat all about caring for, adopting and just generally loving older pets.

Amy's appearance is part of her "blog tour" celebrating the second edition of her books Complete Care for Your Aging Dog and Complete Care for Your Aging Cat in both paperback and kindle editions.

Amy started her career as a vet tech, and is a certified animal behavior consultant as well as an award winning author of 23 books on pet ownership. In her chat with us, she hopes to take some of the nervousness of dealing with issues with our aging pets and demystify them. If you can't attend, but have questions for Amy, please feel free to post them here in the comments or email them to me at phfaust@pethobbyist.com.

We hope to see you at chat!

Colonists considered dogs part of the family

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 09:39:00 -0500

Pet graveyards and crematoriums are common-place these days, but a new discovery of graves in Virgina shows American colonists felt dogs were part of the family as well.

From UPI.com:

When two "small, rectangular shafts" dating to the late 1600s to mid-1700s were discovered July 13, archaeologists initially thought they contained the remains of children, Joe Jones, director of William & Mary's Center for Archaeological Research, told The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot Friday.

But the bone fragments, most of which were smaller than a fingernail, turned out to be from small to medium-sized dogs, Jones said, calling the discovery "unprecedented."

The photo above is from Hartsdale Pet Cemetary, which is believed to be the oldest in the country.

Petco offering shelter, supplies to pets affected by San Bruno fire

nospam@example.com (PetHobbyist) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:33:23 -0500

An explosion and fire in San Bruno, Calif., a town just south of San Francisco, has caused hundreds of people to be evacuated and left more than 5000 without power. There has been one death reported so far, and there may be many more.

Petco in Tanforan, a shopping mall in San Bruno, is offering to shelter any pets displaced by the fire tonight. They will be open all night at 1150 El Camino Real in San Bruno and can be reached at 650-589-3757.

Today is National Dog Day!

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:17:00 -0500

What better way to pay tribute to our best friends than create a day for them? National Dog Day was created not only to pay tribute to the dogs we love in our lives, but also the dogs who are awaiting homes in shelters and rescues nationwide.

Founded in 2004 by pet lifestyle expert and author Colleen Paige, National Dog Day was created to honor dogs more than we currently do, to give them "a day", to show deep appreciation for our long connection to each other - for their endearing patience, unquestioning loyalty, for their work, their capacity for love and their ability to impact our lives everyday in the most miraculous ways. National Dog Day wishes to encourage dog ownership of all breeds, mixed and pure - and embraces the opportunity for all dogs to live a happy, safe and abuse-free life.

I'll make a point to spend extra time with each of my trio. Each one will get extra loving and snuggles. My dogs fill my day with complete and unconditional love, and I try to capture those feelings from them. They teach me to live in the moment, because that's all you have some times. They also teach me that a good snuggle can cure the world's woes.

"A dog is the only thing on earth that will love you more than you love yourself." ~ Josh Billings

Komodo lizard death may have been due to West Nile Virus

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:12:00 -0500

West Nile Virus may have taken the life of Krakatoa, a nine-year-old Komodo dragon in St. Augustine, Florida.

Krakatoa was one of the coolest animals I ever had the honor to meet. A gorgeous blue and green monster of a lizard, Krakatoa was as docile as my cat.

From the St. Augustine Record:

"We're leaning toward it being something like encephalitis or West Nile Virus," Brueggen said Sunday.

Brueggen said the death is a shock to staff at the 117-year-old alligator farm.

"He's a young dragon," Brueggen said, still struggling with referring to Krakatoa in the past tense. "Something went wrong. It wasn't old age."

He will be sorely missed by many, including several folks here at Kingsnake.com. Our condolences go to the staff at St. Augustine who grew so close to this guy.

Several photos from our visit with Krakatoa last year can be seen after the bump. Kingsnake.com will still be making our annual trek to St. Augustine Alligator Farm this year and I will be sharing that trip here on our blog with you.

Continue reading "Komodo lizard death may have been due to West Nile Virus"

Merrick salmonella recall expanded

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 23:22:00 -0500

Merrick Pet Care is again expanding their initial recall on Texas Hold 'Ems and Beef Fillet Squares. From their website:

Merrick Pet Care, Inc. of Amarillo, Texas is recalling all lots of its 10 oz Beef Filet Squares for dogs and Texas Holdems pet treats because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products. People handling the treats can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly
washed their hands after having contact with the chews or any surfaces exposed to these products. Consumers should dispose of these products in a safe manner by securing them in a covered trash receptacle.

[....]

Consumers who have purchased 10 ounce packages of Beef Filet Squares for Dogs & Texas Holdems are urged to return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-664-7387 M-F 8:00 5:00 CDT.

For the full recall announcement from Merrick, click here. For information on all previous Merrick recalls, click here.

Iams prescription dry cat food for kidney disease recalled

nospam@example.com (PetHobbyist) — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 15:13:01 -0500

Procter & Gamble announced today that it's recalling its feline prescription dry food for cats with kidney disease due to the "potential" that it's contaminated with salmonella. From the release:

The Procter & Gamble Company is voluntarily recalling two specific lots of its prescription renal dry cat food as a precautionary measure, as it has the potential to be contaminated with salmonella.

The following products are included:

Iams Veterinary Formulas Feline Renal 5.5 lbs with lot code 01384174B4 and UPC code 0 19014 21405 1

Iams Veterinary Formulas Feline Renal 5.5 lbs with lot code 01384174B2 and UPC code 0 19014 21405 1

This product is available by prescription through veterinary clinics throughout the U.S.

No illnesses have been reported. A FDA analysis identified a positive result on the lot codes listed above. Lot codes can be found in the lower right corner on the back of the bag.

Consumers who have purchased dry cat food with these codes should discard it. People handling dry pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product. Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, pets may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

For further information or a product refund call P&G toll-free at 877-894-4458 (Monday Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST).

The full release is here.

A tribute: To Cali, who started it all

nospam@example.com (Lu Wyland) — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 14:54:52 -0500

I follow in the footsteps of my dogs more often than I would have guessed. They create such wonderful paths! I started following as a child, wandering deep into the woods behind our house, or running through fields and pastures on adventures with a devoted companion. I never dreamed it would continue when I grew up.

Cali, my first dog as an adult, joined our family a little more than 11 years ago. Because of her charm and obvious intelligence, she started the parade of Havanese that have come through my home. She and her sister, Mira, led me to rescue. What a rich life it is with the love of dogs!

Cali died two years ago today, after extensive blood loss due to an adrenal tumor. Her death was sudden and unexpected.

Cali sang and warbled, danced on her back legs, looked at stars and fireworks with me from our backyard that first summer and explored the garden. If people return as animals, Cali failed AA in a past life and tried to explore the bottom of a wine or margarita glass earning herself quite a reputation with my friends.

She was a chaser of butterflies, birds and dragonflies, making peanut sized leaps into the air after them and never looking discouraged or embarrassed that she didn't catch them. I think part of the dream was the chase.

Cali was a little dog who always looked up, maybe because of her size (she was one tiny dog) or maybe because she dreamed best that way. I'm so grateful to the role she played in my life. While she wasn't a part of my life a long time, maybe it was long enough after all.

Continue reading "A tribute: To Cali, who started it all"

USDA grants full license to canine flu vaccine

nospam@example.com (PetHobbyist) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:10:00 -0500

From Veterinary Practice News:

The United States Department of Agriculture has granted a full license to Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Healths Nobivac Canine Flu H3N8. This is the first vaccine against canine influenza virus (CIV), according to the company, which announced the approval June 9, 2010.

The full license means that the USDA confirms the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. Nobivac Canine Flu has been shown to significantly decrease the signs, severity and spread of CIV infection. The vaccine has also been shown to reduce the incidence and severity of lung lesions, the company reported, adding that field experience data shows that the vaccine is well-tolerated.

Full story here.

Honoring Animals in War

nospam@example.com (Cheryl Cooper) — Sun, 30 May 2010 11:37:00 -0500

On this Memorial Day, all of us at PetHobbyist.com want to honor the men and women who have given their lives in service to our country.

We'd also like to honor those animals who fought alongside their human partners. This British monument was designed with that thought in mind:

On the lower level, two heavily laden bronze mules struggle through an arena, enclosed by the dominant wall symbolising the war experience. The mules approach a flight of steps that leads through the wall. Beyond the wall, on the upper level, a bronze horse and dog stand facing north into the gardens, bearing witness to the loss of their comrades and representing hope for the future.

You can read more about the "Animals in War" memorial here.

Pit bull babysitter? You Betcha!

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Sun, 02 May 2010 14:05:00 -0500

Caesar, my 6 year old American Pit Bull Terrier, did something today that would make most people cringe in terror. He baby sat for a 4-year-old boy.

This wasn't any 4 year old, but a good friend's son who has been diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS).

The boys had a wonderful time together, playing trains and eating chicken nuggets and french fries. They played ball together a little, and I saw Apollo have a conversation with Caesar. I only wish I would have video taped that moment.

Joking with Apollo's mom before leaving, I commented, "You should tell everyone you have a pit bull for a babysitter and watch their heads roll." Her response couldn't have been any more true.

"It doesn't matter what breed of dog it is, if the temperament is good, that is all that matters."

Preach on Momma!

Yappy Hour Gallery Night - A night for Pibbles

nospam@example.com (Cindy Steinle) — Sat, 01 May 2010 21:21:00 -0500

The Dynamic Duo strikes again. Skipping out on my reptile chat for the night, I headed down to the Yappy Hour Gallery Night to benefit Friends of Madacc at Central Bark. I have close association with Friends of Madacc, my Cleo is one of the mascot dogs for Battle Against Dogfighting. As an ex-fight house dog, she is an important part to education and has participated in two demonstrations at Milwaukee area dog fighters trials. My hot date for the night is my favorite vet tech from my kids clinic, Colleen. Cleo's date for the night is the ever affable, sweet and not so bright man, T-Bone a brindle Great Dane that Colleen rescued. I have missed many a Yappy Hour over the years, but we had a blast this time around. With the folks from BAD working so hard to support their programs, Cleo just informed me she just HAD to go! So we picked her up a party dress and she put on her bling collar and met up with our friends.

If you have never attended a party like this, it is a dog lovers dream. For the low price of $5.00, we gained entry (after signing a waiver stating our dogs were of good temperment and health) to the two room doggie day care. There was free beer, wine, soda and noms. With the added gallery night and benefit, there was a raffle going on for great items as well as art for sale. Milwaukee artist Mike Pintar was doing a painting for the raffle on site of Faith, a MADACC resident that got her forever home and is now the mascot for their low cost alter program to increase an animals chances of leaving the animal control facility. BAD volunteers were also present and in full force running the event as part of the Friends of Madacc program. There was also open play time in their dog yards for altered pets to rumble rock and roll and burn off much needed energy.

Cleo and I checked out the leashes and collars on sale from pawject mke., bought a handful of raffle tickets (we didn't win a thing!), made some new friends, and I bought her a Vick chew toy. She was happy as a clam to kiss and hug who ever would allow it. For the record, the event was heavily attended by the pibbles and amazingly (or not depending who you are speaking with), there was not a single event worth noting. Cleo, who is usually insanely energetic was so exhausted she crashed all the way home and crashed hard in her blanket burrito when we got home. Short of keeping me up all night with her snoring, we had a wonderful night!

Now that I told you all about the groups involved, enjoy some great photos from the evening. Below the jump is a selection of the best ones, but go here to see the full gallery.
Continue reading "Yappy Hour Gallery Night - A night for Pibbles"