Top Ten Pet Safety Tips for the Fourth of July

Via MarketWatch.com - While the Fourth of July is traditionally celebrated with barbecues and fireworks, it can be one of the most dangerous days of the year for pets. To keep all pets safe this Fourth of July, petMD.com has pulled together a list of the top 10 safety tips for pet owners.

Leave Your Pet at Home: Keeping your pets at home and inside your house is one of the safest things you can do for them. Fireworks and other loud noises can terrify your pets and cause them to run away.

Provide a Safe Spot Away from Loud Noises: If your pet is crate-trained or normally relaxes in a confined area, having them in such an area during fireworks displays can help reduce anxiety since they identify the location as a place of comfort. However, if your pet is not used to crates or small areas, confining them to one can further induce panic and is not recommended.

Favorite Video Friday: Barron & Bristol's Big Day

I wanted to share this terrific video from Dog House Adoptions. Amy and Rod Burkert of GoPetFriendly.com sponsored the spays and neuters of the DHA dogs for June 2012. Amy spent a day performing hands-on transport duty. 

AHA Red Star Team Mobilizes to Help Victims of Colorado Wildfires

Image via
American Human Association

Via PR Newswire - As tens of thousands of residents flee the worst wildfires in Colorado history, American Humane Association has mobilized its famed Red Star rescue team and is rushing to help the animal victims of the disaster.

Through the generous support of Mars Petcare US, makers of Pedigree Food for Dogs and Whiskas Food for Cats, Red Star is reaching out with critical help and on-the-ground rescue and support services. Their 82-foot-long "Rescue Rig" is fully equipped with a mobile operating theater, emergency rescue equipment, and accommodations for 12 volunteers.

As part of a coordinated response to the fires, Red Star was invited by the State of Colorado to deploy as an approved first-responder to assist pets in need and to help provide emergency rescue operations, sheltering and much-needed care to these innocent animal victims. The Red Star Rescue Rig left its home base in Denver yesterday morning headed to Colorado Springs, where it was expected to arrive later that day to begin setting up an additional emergency shelter at the Cheyenne Mountain High School. A convoy of support vehicles including a 4-wheel-drive pickup and horse trailer followed the Rescue Rig to begin the rescues.

Pedigree Write a Post, Help a Dog Campaign

Speaking of the great folks I saw at BlogPaws 2012, I ran into my friends Diane Silver and Cosmo Havanese, and for the third year in a row, they are participating in the Pedigree Write a Post, Help a Dog Campaign!

Did you know that more than 4 million dogs become homeless each year? At Pedigree Brand, they believe that EVERY dog deserves a loving home, which is why they’re committed to the cause of adoption. For every blog post written about Pedigree Brand’s commitment to promote pet adoption through June 30, Pedigree will donate a 17-pound bag of dog food to shelter dogs via Rescue Bank, a national pet distribution program.

Here’s how you can participate:

1. Write a blog post mentioning Pedigree's commitment to adoption and finding loving homes for shelter pets.
2.  Link up your post to the blog hop. You'll find the link at the bottom of Diane’s post or you can go directly to the Blog Hop link.
3. Enter Diane’s Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win a special Dogs Rule prize pack complete with an athletic bag, cap, mouse pad, travel tumbler, and a long sleeve unisex t-shirt in size large – plus some additional goodies for your pup! 

Bissell Totally Floored by My Pet Contest

While I was at BlogPaws, I had the opportunity to meet the nice folks from Bissell, who love pets! In fact, The Bissell Pet Foundation was founded in 2011 to assist animal welfare organizations and their efforts to reduce the number of animals in shelters and rescues through pet adoption, spay neuter programs, micro-chipping and foster care.

Did you know that 38% of non-pet owners would adopt a pet if it were easier to clean up after them? That's why Bissell offers a full line of pet products to tackle even the toughest messes. If you purchase pet products on Bissell.com, they will donate a portion of the proceeds to Bissell Foundation, and they will double the donation in the month of June!

From now until July 5, you can also share a story about your pet for a chance to win a new Total Floors Pet vacuum and a $500 donation to the shelter of your choice.

BlogPaws 2012 – Day 3

Photo by Rebecca Jeffs

Saturday morning began with a keynote presentation by Lena West, founder of Influence Expansion. Lena stated that everyone has “money stuff” that holds us back, and she also stated that rather than focus on money, we should focus on expanding our influence. Lena then shared her insights for improving our social media results using her influence expansion system.

The first session I attended that day was Monetization 201 presented by Laurie Ruettimann of The Cynical Girl. I have been tweeting with Laurie for over three years and I was excited to finally meet her, so I sat in the front row like a total fan girl! Laurie is one of the top career advice bloggers in the country, and her presentation on how to become a professional blogger was interesting, inspiring and funny.

BlogPaws 2012 - Day 2

Photo by Rebecca Jeffs

As I mentioned in my last post, Friday began with a keynote presentation by Betsy Saul, co-founder of Petfinder.com.  Betsy’s presentation on the history of the animal welfare movement and current issues facing animal advocates was both informative and inspirational.

The first session I attended that day was Monetization 101 presented by Rebecca Braglio of ThePhillyDog.com. Rebecca talked about various issues such as: establishing your business as a legal entity, identifying various avenues for advertising income, developing a media kit, packages and pricing.

The next session I attended was WordPress 101 presented by Ryan Hughes of Oodle Tech. Ryan about talked some of the WordPress basics such as deciding whether to use a template or custom-designed theme, how to manage content, and using WordPress plug-ins.

BlogPaws 2012 - Day 1

Photo by Bztat

I arrived at Salt Lake City on Thursday afternoon and rode to the hotel in a shuttle completely filled with pet bloggers. I walked into the lobby and was greeted by lots of other blogger buddies and found my roommate @BoSoxAmy. We checked into our room and took a little time to get settled.

Amy and I later met up with @Bztat, @Kat_and_dogs, and @Average_Jane, and then we took a walk to find a pet-friendly restaurant. After a bit of wandering in the 90+ degree heat, we found a great local place called the Green Pig Pub.

Our waitress was extremely helpful and friendly, and when she found out we were pet bloggers, she told us all about her new kitten. Later her mother (the owner) stopped by and told us about her Golden Retriever, who comes to work with her everyday. We made sure to tweet the other conference attendees to let them know that the Green Pig Pub was a great place to relax and enjoy a few brews.

BlogPaws or Bust!

I am now in the last 24 hours before I leave for Salt Lake City, so it’s time to start packing. Since this is my fourth BlogPaws conference, there are a few things I’ve learned from experience that I should pack, including:

My smartphone and charger – Believe it or not, I actually went to a conference without my phone charger, and my phone died within 24 hours. It’s tough being out of town without a cell phone, and I ended up trekking quite some distance to get to the nearest Verizon store (think blisters).

My camera and charger – My phone is fine for snapshots to upload to Facebook, but for anything else I prefer to use my camera. My camera is small and doesn’t take up a lot of space so it easily fits in my purse or computer bag.

Take Your Cat to Work Day

Via Petside.com - Pet Sitters International (PSI) created Take Your Dog to Work Day fourteen years ago. This year Take Your Dog to Work Day will be celebrated on Friday, June 22.

PSI hasn’t forgotten to include our remarkable felines from participating in the fun. In fact, this whole week, starting June 18 through June 22 is observed as Take Your Pet to Work Week.

For cat people, Take Your Pet to Work Day not only gives folks an opportunity to play with and show off their cats at their workplace, it also serves to remind us about the amazing role our cats play in the lives of their guardians. This day is also set aside to promote and encourage folks to adopt a needy, homeless kitty from a shelter or local rescue groups.

Summer Safety Tips for You and Your Pet

Summer starts this Wednesday, June 20 – so now is a good time to review some tips about pet care in hot weather. Banfield Pet Hospital provides the following advice on how to keep your pets safe during the warm summer months.

Who’s Your Cat Daddy?

Happy Father’s Day to all you paternal figures of two and four-legged children. Today I would like to focus on America’s favorite Cat Daddy – Jackson Galaxy, the well-known cat behaviorist on the Animal Planet series “My Cat from Hell”.

His career began when he was working in an animal shelter where he became known as a “cat listener”. After a unique experience calming a room full of screaming cats during a violent storm, Jackson's fascination and empathy toward cats blossomed. A musician, songwriter and actor, Jackson began accessing his creativity to help him rehabilitate stray and surrendered cats.

In 2002, Jackson went into private practice in Boulder, Colorado, founding Little Big Cat, Inc. with Dr. Jean Hofve. Together they gave mind-body consultations to cat guardians, focusing on the connection between physical and behavioral feline health. Jackson also joined Dr. Hofve in the popular Spirit Essences flower essence remedy line, and today he is the owner and president of Spirit Essences.

Guest Post: How to Wean Puppies to a Raw Food Diet

Many dog owners are concerned about the quality of commercial dog food and interested in the health benefits of a raw diet. This guest post by Maggie Rhines discusses the process of weaning puppies directly onto a raw food diet.

Starting dogs early on a raw dog food diet will allow them to gain the most benefit from this type of diet. That will make sure they get all the nutrients they need in a form that their bodies are fully equipped to handle. That is why I strongly advocate weaning your puppies to a raw food diet as soon as this becomes possible.

Favorite Video Friday: BlogPaws 2011

I wanted to share this video created by my pal PepiSmartDog - it's a review of all the fun we had at BlogPaws 2011.

The Greenies Awards Celebrate Exuberant Pet Moments

Via MarketWatch.com - The GREENIES Brand team is excited to announce the inaugural year of The GREENIES Awards, an online video contest where participants compete for a chance to win a lifetime supply of GREENIES chews or treats for their pets. From June 13-29 on Facebook, anyone over the age of 21 can submit an original video of the creative things their pet will do for a GREENIES treat.

The contest is simple: upload a video of a pet asking for a GREENIES treat. Cats and dogs are both eligible to be chosen as the winner of Best Vocal Performance for a GREENIES treat, Best Trick for a GREENIES treat or Best Smile for a GREENIES treat. The lifetime supply of treats is available to the winner in each category.

PetSmart Charities Celebrates 5 Millionth Pet Adoption

PetSmart Charities announced that it has reached a milestone by helping to save 5 million pets from their in-store adoption centers with the adoption of Dodge, a 5-year-old Siberian husky. The 5 millionth pet was selected from all pets adopted from a PetSmart Charities adoption group during the weekend of June 1, 2012.

Dodge was turned in to the Save-a-Dog, Save-a-Cat Animal Rescue of Lake Worth, Fla., by his former family that had a young child with medical issues and could no longer care for him. Hoping to find him a perfect match, Dodge was taken to a PetSmart Charities adoption event in Boynton Beach, Fla.

George Little, a retired U.S. Marine and “Husky aficionado,” saw Dodge and immediately fell in love. George, his fiancé, Tracy, and their children, Gregory and Kennedy, welcomed Dodge to their family with open arms.

Enter the FreshPet My Pet Deserves FRESH Sweepstakes

Freshpet Select is a line of freshly prepared meals for dogs and cats. Each recipe includes only select ingredients, like high protein meats and eggs, vitamin-rich vegetables, and wholesome grains. Freshpet Select offers a variety of recipes that your dog and cat will love.

Enter the My Pet Deserves FRESH Sweepstakes for your chance to win a 3-month supply of Freshpet for your pooch or kitty. Tell them why your four-legged pal deserves FRESH to gain extra entries to the sweepstakes. Fifty (50) lucky winners will also receive a FREE Freshpet product.

Visit the Freshpet Facebook page to enter. The sweepstakes ends on June 18 at 10:00 AM (Eastern). See Official Rules for details.

Top 5 Dog Breeds for Dating

It’s no secret that taking your dog for a walk is a great way to meet new people, make a connection, and potentially land a hot date. A recent poll conducted by Kloof.com suggests that certain breeds might help you get a "leg up" on the competition – while others might hinder your chances.

The rankings are based on a survey that's representative of 1,000 pet owners and non-owners. The average age of respondents was 18-33, and included gay and straight respondents.

So without further ado, here's the list of Klooff's Top 5 Dog Breeds for Dating.

Eight Ways to Honor Your Pet on World Pet Memorial Day

Depending on where you go on the internet, World Pet Memorial Day occurs on June 10 or June 12, 2012.

World Pet Memorial Day provides the perfect opportunity to remember beloved pets that have passed away. The loss of a pet can be a devastating experience in any pet owner's life, and the emptiness one feels in their heart and home can become overwhelming.

In honor of World Pet Memorial Day, petMD.com has compiled a list of the top eight ways for pet owners to honor their pet's memory and help them cope with their loss.

Dogs Show Empathy When People Cry

File it under things you already knew – British researchers have found that dogs respond to a person who is crying regardless of whether it is their owner or an unfamiliar person.

Dr. Deborah Custance and Jennifer Mayer, both of the Department of Psychology at the University of London, developed a procedure to examine whether domestic dogs could identify and respond to emotional states in humans.

Eighteen pet dogs – a range of ages and breeds – were exposed to four separate 20-second experimental conditions in which either the dog's owner or an unfamiliar person pretended to cry, hummed in an odd manner, or carried out a casual conversation.

Purina Cat Chow Invites Cat Owners to Submit Relationship Stories

Via The Sacramento Bee - Every cat owner has a story and now you have a place to share the once-in-a-lifetime events and everyday moments that make your relationship unique. Purina Cat Chow has announced the launch of the "Purina Cat Chow Real Stories Project Contest," a nationwide search to find, showcase and celebrate cat stories that highlight the special relationship between cat people and their cats.

Purina Cat Chow is asking you to share your story for an opportunity to be one of five grand prize winners who receive a $5,000 cash prize. From now until July 31, you can participate in the Purina Cat Chow Real Stories Project Contest by submitting your cat relationship story at www.yourcatstory.com.

Five grand prize winners will each receive a $5,000 cash prize, a one year supply of Purina Cat Chow brand cat food for one cat, and have their cat relationship story told through a Purina Cat Chow brand online video. The winners' videos will be shared online with the Purina Cat Chow Community on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

Ways You Can Volunteer With Your Pet

Image via www.deltasociety.org

Our pets bring us joy and enrich our lives - but they can also bring joy and enrich the lives of others. Sidney Stevens at Mother Nature Network lists the following ways you can volunteer with your pet:

Donate Blood - Every day hundreds of animals need blood transfusions, but there are very few national animal blood banks. If you are interested in making a donation, contact your veterinarian, local veterinary school, emergency animal hospital or visit the Association for Veterinary Hematology and Transfusion Medicine.

Animal-Assisted Therapy - According to Pet Partners (formerly the Delta Society), one million people are touched each year by the comfort and healing of a therapy animal visit. If your pet is friendly, well-behaved and patient, you and your pet may have the “right stuff” to become a registered therapy animal team.  

Group Releases Results of National Feral Cat Survey

Via The Sacramento Bee - Since 1990 the mass killing of feral cats has become unpopular as nonlethal methods of control have shown a better, more effective way to control feral cat colonies.

Alley Cat Rescue (ACR) recently conducted a national survey of feral cats groups and according to ACR's President and Founder, Louise Holton: "This survey proves that Trap Neuter Return (TNR) works and that many groups and individuals volunteer their own time and their own money to control and stabilize the nation's feral cat population."

Purina Celebrates Small Animal Awareness Month

Via MarketWatch.com - To honor the small animals that make a big impact in the life of a family, Purina Mills is celebrating the first Small Animals Awareness Month throughout June.

Small animal owners are invited to honor their special family members by sharing their favorite stories and photos via Purina Small Animals on Facebook. This month will present an opportunity for small animal lovers everywhere to let Purina know what makes their animal so special, discuss with other pet owners and get care and management tips from Purina experts.

As a special thank you from June 4 through June 30, consumers will also receive a $2 off coupon for any Purina Small Animals Garden Recipe food.

Feral Cat Traps Removed From Santa Ana Schools

Via The Orange County Register - Traps to catch feral cats have been removed from two Santa Ana school campuses, where public health officials have been trying to stop the spread of typhus, a city official said Friday.

The traps provided by Orange County Vector Control were removed Wednesday afternoon, just a day after they were set at El Sol Science and Arts Academy and Willard Intermediate School, city spokesman Jose Gonzalez said.

Santa Ana city officials decided to pull the traps because there wasn't a clear-cut plan as to how the cats were going to be handled, Gonzalez said.

The plan to corral feral cats living on the campuses was an effort to reduce the flea population and stave off the spread of typhus after a Santa Ana resident who lives nearby contracted the flea-borne disease in April. An adult living in Orange was diagnosed in January. Both have recovered.

Staten Island District Attorney Hires Therapy Dog

Image via gothamist.com

Crime victims on Staten Island can take comfort in a new employee at the district attorney's office. District Attorney Daniel Donovan says Bronksey is a 2-year-old Labrador-golden retriever mix trained as a full-time victim's advocate or "facility dog."

"As a prosecutor, I feel obligated to do everything I can to make it easier for victims of crime, who must constantly relive what was likely the most physically, psychologically and emotionally traumatizing experience of their lives as they go through the criminal justice process," said Donovan. "There is something magical about the presence or touch of a loving dog that helps victims forget their pain and fear, if just for a moment, and be able to concentrate on moving forward and healing."

Bronskey will be available to sit by crime victims during their interviews with prosecutors. Eventually, prosecutors hope Bronksey can go into the witness box out of view of the jury.