Animal owners 'still pleased to buy dog supplies'

Despite the continuing hard economic conditions, Animal owners are still ostensibly content to buy special dog supplies and treats for their beloved pets. People are continuing to buy special dog supplies and other treats for their animals in order to keep their pets happy, recent research shows. A study by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) found that despite economic concerns, people are ongoing to spend more on their pets.

Speaking to Reuters, APPA president Bob Vetere said: Although the economy has been a major issue for many industries, the pet industry continues to see extraordinary growth." Time Newsfeed suggests there may be one key reason why people are still happy to spend on their pets, despite other monetary worries. It notes that pets animals can help to decrease stress and bring happiness to their owners, so regardless of hard external factors, people may be "more likely to care for their source of relief".

Family violence/animal unkindness link to be studied

The SPCA, which has been given a $100,000 funding for the year-long study, will work with Victoria University and Womens' Refuge on it. The society's national chief executive, Robyn Kippenberger, says it will speak with at-risk adults and children to see if pets have also been debilitated in violent households.

She says it will urge the Government for money to shift people away from an aggressive person, and make sure Animals leave too. United States research shows that pets are 15 times more likely to be hurt or killed where there is domestic violence, and that people who hurt animals are also likely to hurt people. Ms Kippenberger says both family aggression and Pets animal abuse often go under the radar because people are too scared to report it.

Pet expo and sale listed in Niles

 Pet owners and pet lovers will have a chance to learn about crop and services for their pets. Doris Straka of Cleveland, animal communicator, will be on hand, and there will be animals for sale or adoption. A pet fashion show will be at 1 p.m. Sunday. Pet owners can symbol up for a vacation giveaway, and there will be raffles, door prizes and food.

Maintain children, pets safe from poisons

National Poison Prevention Week is March 20-26, and it’s the ideal time to make sure that everyone in the family — including dogs and cats — is safe from poisonous substances that prowl around our homes.

Here are some tips:

Chocolate, coffee, alcohol, grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts, onions, onion powder, yeast dough and other foods that are harmless to humans can be lethal to Pets animals. Make sure children and guests know not to give these to animals.

Xylitol, a sweetener often used in toothpaste, gum and mints, is extremely poisonous to animals, as are many common medications and vitamins, so hoard these products out of Pets’ reach and where they can’t be knocked down.

Myriad hazards lurk outdoors, including antifreeze, fertilizers, poisonous plants, mushrooms (which can pop up overnight) and cocoa mulch. Protect your animals from these and other dangers by custody them indoors and always supervising them closely when they are outside.

South Dakota reports fall in animal rabies cases in 2010

The Department of Health's Lon Kightlinger says South Dakota had 32 rabid Pets animal cases in 2010, down from 53 the previous year. Nine of those cases were domestic animals. Kightlinger says it's important for people to keep their pets vaccinated because rabies is always a possibility. He says the skunk population is the main tank of the disease.

Seven animal rabies cases have been reported so distant in 2011. Infected wild animals can pass rabies to pets or livestock, which can in turn expose humans. Officials say wild animals that appear tame can be rabid, so it's important that people don't attempt to catch or handle wildlife.

One more motive to spay or neuter your pets

A starving, frightened young hoary tabby cat was found alone in the snow. Someone rescued her and gave her to me. She was in horrible shape, skinny, bleeding and with low body temperature. Thanks to Dr. Spence Mobile Vet Clinic, who attempted to make her better, but in the end, she had to be euthanized. It was the kindest thing to do. This is only one story out of thousands of animals that are deserted each year. There is a way to help.
Have your pets spayed or neutered to help remove many unwanted pets. There are many services in the area that provide low cost spay and neuter, such as the Spay/Neuter Clinic in Auburn. Such a small thing that you can do to prevent the needless suffering of blameless animals.
Please also support your local shelter, the California Spay/Neuter License Plate and donate to local animal groups. Cats and dogs are domesticated Pets animals and cannot be dumped into the outdoors to live on their own.
They need human intervention to thrive. Kitten season is approaching, please have your cats spayed or neutered and don't let the death of this small tabby kitten go ignored.

Animal regulation a failure

The intent of the animal control bylaw concerning cats, as I recall, was to control the perceived growth of the population of cats in Saskatoon. It has turned out to be an ineffective set of regulations that only swelled the number of abandoned animals. The bylaw encourages people to abandon their unlicensed pets when faced with the high fines and pound fees. Running a red light will cost you about as much in fines ( $250) as for having an unlicensed pet. The result is that the Saskatoon SPCA and other Animal rescue programs are overloaded with untaken animals.

A more reasonable solution to the cat population problem would be a subsidized spay and neuter program, and a public education program to encourage responsible pet ownership. Yes, there's an income tested spay and neuter program offered by the SPCA, but information about it is scant. A more effective program would not be as showy as the River Landing project, but some changes need to be made if the city is serious about Animal welfare. The licensing fees that are currently being collected are simply a tax on pet ownership and an added managerial burden on our civic employees.

Justin Bieber Auctions Slash Hair for Animals

If you are/know a tween girl, you may have heard that teen pop feeling Justin Bieber cut his signature swooping locks. But did you know the hair he cut off will benefit animals? Bieber auctioned off his former hair, kept in a clear glass box autographed by the singer, and the proceeds will benefit The Gentle Barn, a nonprofit Animal refuge home to more than 100 farm animals rescued from abuse and neglect.

You might think some tufts of hair wouldn't score big bread, but not when that hair comes from the Bieb's golden head! The winning bid, 100% of which goes the The Gentle Barn, was more than $40,000! No word on who the lucky (and generous) winner is. In the past, Bieber used his fame to help animals in a Peta2 ad encouraging people to adopt pets from shelters. It seems Bieber is a friend to both shelter pets and ranch animals -- will his advocacy work turn you into a "Belieber"?

Memorial garden for pets to be shaped at RSPCA centre in Landing Lane

A NEW memorial garden for pets is being shaped at the RSPCA’s animal home in York – and a group of teachers got digging to help prepare the site. The charity’s York and District branch said animal owners will be able to pay a fee to plant a rose bush and install a plaque in the garden to remember their pet. Branch manager Angela Hunter said the garden, which is being created near the entrance to the home in Landing Lane, would help to raise funds for the contributions, although the fee had not yet been decided.

She said there would be room for two to three dozen scrubs to be planted in the garden, which is set to open in late spring. She said many animal owners were very upset when their pet died, and would appreciate the opportunity to remember them in their own memorial garden while also helping to raise vital funds for the charity’s York branch. She said the bushes could commemorate any kind of pet, but stressed that no Pets animals would be buried in the garden. Eleven teachers and other members of staff from Manor CE School were given spades to turn over the ground yesterday during a day used up at the home, before later helping with the animals.

Sleeping with pets carries risks owners’ eager to take

A new study finds that people who sleep with their pets may be at risk for parasites and diseases - even pestilence. "A surprising 56 per cent of dog owners sleep with their dog next to them," says the University of California (Davis) report. The sleepover percentage is higher for cat owners -62 per cent. The study includes observations about people and animals kissing and defeat each other, and the authors take a dim view of that for young children and the immunocompromised.

People have become seriously ill from vermin picked up by their pets, but the study concludes that it is uncommon with healthy pets. Not all people want their pets slumbering under -or on top of -the covers with them. But for others, there's no better way to get through the dark night, to soothe their anxieties and heartaches, than to cuddle with their canines and felines. This is really a matter for you and you’re Pets Animals to decide in the solitude of your bedroom.

North Clwyd Animal Salvage to microchip pets in Flint

NORTH Clwyd Animal Rescue (NCAR) needs owners to get their Pets microchipped at an event in Flint. The Trelogan-based charity will be outside Jollyes Pet Superstore on Flintshire Retail Park on Saturday (January 29) and will charge £10 for pets to be microchipped.

The organisation will also be appealing for volunteers to help the contributions in a number of ways over the coming year. Animal lovers are needed to walk the dogs, groom the Pets animals and care for cats, kittens and rabbits. Other opportunities include helping at NCAR fundraising events, holding your own event or lottery and helping in the charity’s shops.

Letting pets sleep in your bed makes you sick

Scientists in California claimed that letting pets into the bed increases the chances of constricting the more than 100 diseases which are known to be transmitted from domestic pets to humans. Serious diseases which can be caught from animals include chagas disease, which can cause life-threatening heart and digestive system disorders, and cat-scratch disease, which can also come from being licked by infected felines, and can cause lethal damage to the liver, kidney or spleen. Recently a nine-year-old boy in Arizona caught the plague because he slept with his flea-infested cat, according to the report published in the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention journal "Emerging communicable Diseases."

Bruno Chomel, a professor at the University of California School of veterinary medicine, and who co-authored the study, said: "In many countries, pets have become substitutes for childbearing and child care, sometimes leading to extreme pet care."There are private places in the household, and I think our pets should not go beyond next to the bed. Having an overfed animal in your bed is fine, not a real one." "We wanted to raise the attention of people, as sleeping with a pet is becoming quite common, and there are risks associated with it, even if it is not very frequent," he added. In a recent study up to 62 per cent of  Dog owners said their pets slept either on or in their beds.

Animals suffer upset

Having survived the floods many will face the challenge of trade with their traumatised pets, according to experts from the Australian Veterinary Association. Veterinarians are expecting to deal with large numbers of traumatised pets over the coming weeks and months.

“The human disaster has been huge, but many survivors of the floods who are relying on their pets for emotional support may not realise that the animals have also been emotionally scarred by events,” said pets animal behavior specialist, Dr Kersti Seksel. “Dogs and cats that survive disasters can suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder in the same way as humans. “Pets that temporarily lost their owners and/or homes during the flooding may be suffering from division anxiety-related problems.”

Health tips for winter pets

Watch the temp. It is easy to think that their hair coats will keep them warm in the winter, but in reality, pets get cold outside just as easily as we do. So if your pet is sensitive to cold, keep them inside. The Sacramento SPCA recommends that short-haired dogs, cats and puppies be kept indoors when the temperature dips below 40 degrees Fahrenheit; all other pets should come in when temps fall below 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Slap the hood. Cats and other critters seek shelter from winter winds wherever they can, sometimes snuggling up to your car's engine to soak up a little warmth. Make it a practice to slap the hood of your car before starting it to give them a chance to wake up and escape.

Keep 'em leashed. Animals can easily lose their smell in winter months, especially when snow covers the ground. So keep your dog on a strap when you're in an unfamiliar area. And make sure his ID tags are up to date as more pets are lost during the winter than during any other season.

Change your antifreeze. Cats and dogs are concerned to the sweet smell and taste of antifreeze, and will often sample it if they find a puddle on the sidewalk or garage floor. But regular antifreeze, or ethylene glycol, is highly toxic to pets. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using a brand made from propylene glycol in its place.

Wipe em down. Ice-melting chemicals can annoy and burn the pads of your pet's feet and can cause serious illness if swallowed (or licked.) Be sure wipe down her belly, legs, and paws to remove these chemicals if she's spent anytime outdoors.

Break the ice. Sure you may have filled up your pets animals water bowl in the morning, but did it turn in to a block of ice by lunch? Check your pet's water bowl frequently and break the ice if needed to make sure he has access to clean, fresh water.

The Year’s Dog Names in Review

The late, great rocker is Petfinder.com’s most well-liked celebrity pet name. The site’s top dog name overall? Buddy. “Every year I look forward to this ranking,” says Betsy Banks Saul, cofounder of the online adoption database. “Buddy and Max will probably always be popular, it’s always a blast to see just how original people get when naming their pets,” she says.

 A name that continues to go up the site’s ranks for both dogs and cats is Bella, the name of a character from the "Twilight" series of books and films. Bella jumped from No. 6 to the No. 4 spot for dogs, and from No. 4 to No. 3 for cats. Saul says unusual and pop culture names for adoptable pets aren’t just fun, they’re practical. “We often hear that adoptable pets get more attention on both Petfinder.con and in the shelter when they have interesting names,” she says. “Therefore, for many reasons, we encourage as much originality as possible.”
                                      2010 Top 10 Most Popular Dog Names
                                                    1. Buddy (1019)
                                                    2. Max (822)
                                                    3. Daisy (755)
                                                    4. Bella (716)
                                                    5. Lucy (705)
                                                    6. Jack (673)
                                                    7. Molly (639)
                                                    8. Charlie (616)
                                                    9. Sadie (594)
                                                    10. Rocky (564)

Security device up your animals this New Year

As the fireworks and celebrations are underway, Animals around South Australia will be terrified by the loud noises and lights. With some animal hearing around 10 times more sensitive than human, that loud bang from a firework that makes you jump, can send your pets into unmanageable panic. It's not just dogs either, as the RSPCA prepares for a 30 percent increase in housing of dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, horses and all kinds of domesticated animals.

With many revellers heading out to enjoy the celebrations, RSPCA SA chief inspector Simon Richards said it is value treating your animals like they are young children. If possible, organize a friend that is not caption out to baby sit your pet animals. If you do return home and find your animal is missing, Simon recommends calling councils, local vets, the RSPCA and Animal Welfare League. If travelling on the roads whilst fireworks displays are happening, or heading home after the events, also ensure you are aware that Animal charities may be fleeing or in a panicked state, and may flit out in front of vehicles

Man may look charges in fire that killed pets

An eastern Pennsylvania man could face Animal unkindness and contempt charges after his home burned down, killing two dozen of his pets. Sixty-year-old Joseph Mayer was barred from owning animals after he pleaded guilty to animal cruelty in 2009. Fire officials say his home was smashed Monday in a blaze caused by cardboard, paper and clothing left near a space heater.

Fifteen birds, three cats, three dogs, two rabbits and a chinchilla died in the fire. Three cats, two dogs and one rabbit survived and were being treated at a veterinary core. The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals expects Mayer to face animal cruelty charges. Defense attorney Scott Wilhelm said Mayer may not have violated the terms of his responsible plea by owning pets.

RSPCA 'at breaking point' with discarded pets

The RSPCA's Weston Creek branch has been swamped this year, with over 700 animals taken in. The Society's Michael Linke says the facility is near breaking point. "Most of society is celebrating Christmas, and celebrating winding down, when in fact here at RSPCA we're zigzag up," he said."We're here every day over the Christmas/New Year period. Staff are not going to get a break."

Mr Linke says people who plan poorly for the holidays are more likely to abandon their pets because they have not organised a place for them to stay. "There’s a sample facility available in Canberra there's boarding facilities, there are people who will come to your home and sit your pets for you while you away," he said. "So we're begging the community to really look at the commercial options available to you before you make your travel plans."

Pets silent need home

Some of the five cats and four dogs detained in a Kalispell parking lot are being adopted by the public. The animals were exposed after clawing their way out of a trailer located in the Shopko parking lot. The family who claimed some of the pets did not return to adopt one dog that was left and all of the five cats.

The dog was adopted by a family on Friday and two cats establish homes on Tuesday, leaving three cats to be adopted. Officials with the Flathead County Animal Shelter say they are currently near full capacity when it comes to housing cats, but are still accepting them. Adoptions this time of year are grave to keep animals out of the cold.

Expect for the best works for ties, not pets

While the idea of waking up to a puppy or kitten on Christmas morning is an tempting one, the city’s Animal and Bylaw Services suggests waiting until after the holidays to become a pet owner. Director Bill Bruce said a better option to buying pets as Christmas presents is giving a gift certificate. “The whole issue comes up every Christmas about gifting of pets,” said Bruce. “Pets are a wonderful addition to everybody’s life but a pet is a very close thing.

”He said it’s better when people are able to come in and pick animals that they bond with.“We all hear the stories about gifting someone a jersey that they hate. It’s worse when you’re dealing with an actual living being.”The gift certificates can be purchased year-round and don’t finish. That approach allows the recipient to have a pet when the time is right for them, Bruce said. He added that if Animal and regulation Services doesn’t have the right animal for the gift-certificate holder, it can work something out with the Humane Society.