It's a week of being thankful, and in that vein I'm reaching back into something I used to do regularly and make a Sunday post highlighting something great from around the web. Today, two large scale projects meant to bring more shelter pets into their forever homes: Home for the Holidays Iams' Home for the Holidays program has just surpassed the 6 million mark for number of pets who have been adopted since the program's inception in 1999. Way to go! They're still working on ... Read more »
It’s National Get a Pal for your Pet Day!
When I was on the Hope Telethon last weekend talking about pet health holiday tips, the reporter asked me (without warning) if I was going to be bringing home another pet from Helen Woodward. And I answered honestly. If it wouldn't cause a major rift in the household, I would. I can manage 4 pets, and we're at 3. If I can't get a Boston, I'm thinking maybe I could just sneak in another cat for Apollo. He's social, he likes friends. He'd like a pal. My husband remains unconvinced, of ... Read more »
Then there was the time my husband almost sold me for some goats
It's Friday, and I'm in the mood for some Africa. How 'bout you? I don't know where my footage of me being the bush pilot in the Serengeti went, so I've decided I'm just posting Africa posts all out of order while I try and find it, and oh well. That was what happened after we left chimp camp, though. I talked the pilot into letting me fly shotgun over the FREAKIN SERENGETI which might be the only thing that could have topped a chimp brushing by my legs. It was spectacular. Anyway, the ... Read more »
Faces of the Flood
It hasn't been in the news nearly enough, but there is a major disaster happening in Thailand right now. 20 of Thailand's 77 provinces have been hit by floods since July, affecting 1/5 of the country's population. In a county whose resources are already stretched thin, imagine the impact of this sort of natural disaster on the street dog population. In Bangkok alone, there are an estimated 60-70,000 stray dogs, and they are suffering greatly. Local organizations such as Soi Dog and Wildlife ... Read more »
Take a bite: Home Cooking and a BalanceIt Giveaway!
Lots of people like to cook for their pets, but most people don't do it every single day. Of those who do, most do so because they have to, a pet with kidney disease who also has food allergies and diabetes, that sort of thing. Occasionally there is the person who just likes to do it, like the chef who makes seared sea bass for his two incredibly spoiled schnauzers every day. I admire that dedication, which is significant. More common are people like me, those who do it every once in a while ... Read more »
YOU get a new car, and YOU get a new car…
I miss Oprah's favorite things show. That was the best show ever, and also how I ended up with a pile of things I never knew I HAD TO HAVE until Oprah said I had to have them. That is how I wound up with a quilted pink Burberry jacket six years ago, and I don't even like pink. Anyway. Giving stuff away is fun. I spent all day yesterday sorting through the giveaways to pick winners, and to make my life easier I'm listing them all here: Biscuits by Lambchop giveaway: Susan ... Read more »
Behind the scenes at a blogathon
Normally when I do these blogathons, I park myself on the couch with a pile of chocolate and a liter of coffee and just go for it. But this year, this year I decided to be ambitious. I will do my blogathon on location, I thought. Let's make it NUTS. The week before, I drove out to the Lions, Tigers and Bears sanctuary to verify they had working wifi. It was slow, but not too slow. Good enough for the blogathon, I figured. My friend Star and I hatched plans. We'll camp out in the bear ... Read more »
I am not a zombie
Though I am perilously close to feeling like one. Yeegads. When I am not so sleep deprived and my fingers are no longer curved into arthritic claws from typing a month's worth of posts in one day, I will give you the behind the scenes look at a blogathon that, for all intents and purposes, really did end up feeling like a real life apocalypse. There were cops and power outages and insanity and late night evacuations and everything. But it all worked out in the end, and we raised $1240 for Lions, ... Read more »
Epilogue
The sun rises over a new landscape. Dusty, quiet, ravaged. Cleansed, if you will. Not much left by way or man nor beast. Under the cover of darkness, Amanda Brown slipped into her Hummer while Dr. V covered her escape and made a run for Los Angeles, where she found Dr. Patrick Mahaney under the Hollywood sign at dawn. They lived and shopped happily ever after. They never did find that blond vet or her cute little red dog, but it's said that she strode out into the maelstrom with her ... Read more »
Meet Your Meat Eaters: The Bears
I love these sweet black bears. Liberty, Blossom and Delilah rock. We fed them some zombie bits this morning. And Liberty likes zombie fingers. Mmmm! Ugh, that bit was a tad bit rotten. Cower before me, flesh eater! I'm a BEAR! Rawr! (And yet so cuddly) As you can see, the bears are currently living in fairly small enclosures while they are waiting for their big awesome 3 acre habitat to be completed. First priority is the dental work for Blossom and Delilah, who have a decade's ... Read more »
I’m feeling faint…pass me the Africa pics
I thought I would tempt you with some more Africa pictures. Wildlife is beautiful no matter where it lives. The wild carnivores are surprisingly lackadaisiacal. I have video of me 10 feet from him in a Land Cruiser a little panicked he might try to pounce. Did I tell you about the time the elephant almost took out the tour guide? No? Well I might... if I survive. I'm feeling a little peckish this morning. I had to cover Amanda Brown's escape and I think a zombie peacock pecked ... Read more »
Giveaway: Biscuits by Lambchop!
Annette Frey from Biscuits by Lambchop has been there for me from the very beginning, always the first to offer generous giveaways of her awesome Biscuits by Lambchop each and every time I have a harebrained scheme like, say, this blogathon. She is a great friend and she also happens to make a great product for sensitive dogs- which by the way are quite delicious- so check them out! Biscuits by Lambchop is giving away a set of 4oz. Choppers & Starlets dog biscuits! Leave a comment and ... Read more »
Brody versus Zombies
Can dogs become zombies? According to World War Z, no: Like all animals, dogs who bite zombies do not turn into zombie-dogs, but instead contract a fast-moving fatal infection and will rapidly die. Thus it is important to train dogs being used against zombies never to bite them. Instead, they're trained to circle around and pounce on the zombie's back, pushing with their forelegs between the shoulder blades, to knock the zombie down. But according to Resident Evil, they ... Read more »
Giveaway: Iams Cat Pack Number 2!
It's time for another Iams Cat Pack Giveaway! Don't forget: cats are your friends. Take care of them and they will take care of you. To refresh your memory, this is what the Iams Cat Care Pack will contain: a bag of Iams cat food cat toys a brain protection device (ie a hat) Info about the Iams Home for the Holidays project, because the only thing better than one cat is two! a comfy cat bed Want to help more? For every badge that gets posted to Facebook this week, Iams ... Read more »
Meet your Meat Eaters: The Lions
The Lions of Lions, Tigers and Bears are hungry. Hungry for zombie flesh. Luckily for us we managed to take a few out overnight and we'll be feeding them when it's light out and safe to go back outside. Yesterday, we primed them with a little chicken and catnip. In a pumpkin, because it's festive. Lions, Tigers and Bears goes through chicken shipments by the hundreds of pounds. With 13 cats and 3 bears, that's a lot of mouths to feed. But hoo boy, look how happy it makes ... Read more »
Guest Post: The Cat’s Guide to Surviving a Zombie Apocalypse
By Romeo the Cat There seems to be some confusion as to whether or not zombies will attack pets or other animals. When I assigned my staff this research project, it appeared at first that pets are not typically the targets of zombie attacks. I’ve come to learn that this isn’t entirely true. Some zombies attack pets and some do not. According to The U.S. Zombie Tactical Squad, here are the different types of zombies and whether or not they are interested in eating ... Read more »
Stick Figure Theater: For Marcie
The last I saw poor, sweet Marcie, she was at the Hope Telethon fighting off the zombie hordes. *wipes away tears* I hope she's OK. When I solicited ideas for Stick Figure Theater she was the first to respond: "Your revenge on Mike Arms for making you read that letter at BlogPaws." Here you go, Marcie- this one's for you: ... Read more »
Guest Post: Dr Patrick Mahaney Promotes Pet Cancer Awareness Month on petMD
For this hour, another fantastic post from the multi-talented Patrick Mahaney, who in addition to his work on his own site and Teddy Hilton is also now blogging at petMD! Thank you for sharing this great post, Patrick! This article appeared on petMD as part of Dr Mahaney’s The Daily Vet series. The photo is of Quinn, one of my patients who valiantly fought his cancer battle but has since passed on (see Memorial for Quinn the Border Collie Mix). Cancer. The Big C. The Crab. Regardless of ... Read more »
