Feeding Dogs Raw Eggs – Fad or Truly Nutritious?

In recent years, this has definitely become a question that all dog owners ask. Since raw food diets for dogs have become more and more popular, more dog owners are looking to see what kind of raw foods they can give their dogs in order to keep them healthy from the inside out. However, raw feeding is definitely a decision that an owner must make. Even today veterinarians are split on whether or not giving a dog raw food, like a raw egg, is healthy or if in the end it can cause some sort of ailment that may ultimately hurt the dog.

If you decide that raw feeding may be a good option for your dog, it does take a lot of research and time in order to ensure that you are feeding your dog healthy food that won’t hurt his digestive tract. Of course a raw diet for dogs consists of raw meat, fruits, and vegetables, but owners can also feed their dog nuts, dairy products, and even raw eggs. Raw eggs are always on the chopping block so to speak, but many owners that do feed their dog raw eggs report that it does wonders. Since egg products are in most dog foods, owners don’t see why giving their dog a raw egg is a problem.

Owners who give their dog a raw egg once a week say that the egg is extremely helpful when it comes to shaping a dog’s coat and fur. Eggs are a great source of protein and the protein helps to protect the coat and keep it shiny. When you feed your dog a raw egg, even the shell is okay if the dog wants to eat it.

Many people worry about salmonella due to the fact that the egg is raw. But, dogs have great immune systems, and their bodies do not react the same way a human’s body does when introduced to salmonella. If you are extremely concerned, you can always cook the egg by frying it, blanching it, or boiling it.

Dog owners who feed their dog(s) raw eggs point out that it’s important that the dog is given no more than a half to one raw egg one to three times per week, depending on the size of the dog. Too many raw eggs can upset a dog’s stomach, as well as affect the dog’s white blood cell count. Too many raw eggs can also cause your dog other ailments as the yolk is extremely fatty and contains a lot of cholesterol. This can be a problem, so be sure not to feed more than one raw egg a week.

The only exception to this would be supplementing or replacing mother’s milk for pups or giving mom a nursing mom a little extra nourishment.  When our Chihuahua had her pups, we kept all the puppies for 10.5 weeks before letting two go to new homes, and we allowed the weaning process to go slowly.  The pups were Chiweenies (Chihuahua-Dachshund mixes) so were a bit  bigger than most Chihuahua pups.  Toward the end, we supplemented both mom and fur babies, and a few licks for dad with homemade puppy milk:

Homemade Puppy Milk

If you find yourself with orphaned puppies until you find a substitute mom, or if you need to supplement a nursing doggie, here is a homemade recipe.

1 cup evaporated Milk (preferably Goat or Sheep Milk… easier for digestion)

1 cup water

1 tablespoon honey or 1 tablespoon Karo syrup

1 egg yolk

Feed with syringe.

The period from birth and then including from weaning until approximately twenty weeks of age, is the main growing period of the puppy.

If you give canned food servings to your dog, you will need approximately three times more food. Until the puppies are eight months old, they should have all the dry food they want. When the puppies are about eight weeks old, they will eat the most quantity of food in relation with the weight of its body than in any other moment of its life. For some breeds, it can be up to 70 grams of substance per kilo of the puppy’s weight. From one and a half months to four or five months of age, the dog will eat three times a day: once in the morning, once in the afternoon and once at night, trying not to give the dog the night meal before going to sleep in order to make digestion easier.

Always check with your vet, but supplementing with the homemade puppy milk allowed the pups to wean at their own pace while giving mom a break.  It also gave additional nourishment to mom and the pups and because we had the doggie dad at home too and he wanted to be part of everything, which isn’t always the case, he got a few licks too.

Adding raw eggs or omega 3 oil, or both, into dry food to help get rid of dry skin flakes in fur is a good remedy.

Homeless California Chihuahuas Being Flown Out of State

LOS ANGELES — Chihuahuas have been flying out of California since other states learned about the glut of little dogs in the Golden State.

A group of 25 dogs has already arrived at the Humane Society for Greater Nashua in New Hampshire, thanks to “Grey’s Anatomy” actress Katherine Heigl, Kinder4Rescue in Studio City and American Airlines.

A group of 43 will leave for New Hampshire on Monday or Tuesday, said Kathy Davis, interim general manager of Los Angeles Animal Services, who took part in a news conference Friday to announce Project Flying Chihuahua.

Heigl’s foundation has paid the discounted airfare for all 68 dogs so far, she added.

The Chihuahua crisis in California developed as the dogs were featured in movies such as “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” and “Legally Blonde.” Backyard breeders sprung up, but the recession has forced some dog owners to abandon pets.

California shelters soon found that 30 percent or more of their dogs were Chihuahuas. But the eastern U.S. had a shortage of small dogs.

Pack of homeless Chihuahuas flying to Colorado

Nearly three dozen Chihuahuas are being airlifted today from California to Broomfield in hopes of finding homes before the new year through the Dumb Friends League.

Chihuahuas have been flying out of California since other states learned about the glut of little dogs in the Golden State.

The Chihuahua crisis in California developed as the dogs were featured in movies such as “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” and “Legally Blonde.” Backyard breeders sprung up, but the recession has forced some dog owners to abandon pets.

California shelters soon found that 30 percent or more of their dogs were Chihuahuas. But the eastern U.S. had a shortage of small dogs.

A long-haired Chihuahua named Dr. Papidies was the inspiration for the Denver rescue effort. Dr. Leslie Capin, who entered her dog into a national “cutest dog” competition, donated half of the winnings to the Dumb Friends League. Then, after learning about the Chihuahua situation in California, Capin offered to cover the cost of transportation for some of them to Denver.

“Thanks to the generosity of Dr. Capin and Pet Airways, we are able to fly in 30 to 35 Chihuahuas and give them a second chance at happiness,” said Robert Rohde, President and CEO of the Dumb Friends League. “We will work with other animal shelters in California and coordinate additional flights to help more Chihuahuas that are in need of homes.”

Interested adopters and donors are encouraged to visit the Dumb Friends League Web site at ddfl.org, or call (303) 751-5772 for more information.

Leslie Capin of CARA Mia Medical day spa entered her chihuahua named Dr. Papidies into “cute dog contest” in Sept. and on Thanksgiving found out he had beaten out 50,000 pooches from across the U.S. after people voted online. She ended up winning a $ 1 million, but instead of keeping the cash Capin is donating half of it to the Max Fund, a non kill animal shelter and the other half to the Denver Dumb Friends League, a pet adoption agency. (Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post)

If you have room in your heart and in your home for just one more pet, consider adopting a Chihuahua or Chihuahua mix from a local shelter, especially if you live in California or the Phoenix area.  And if Chihuahua’s are not your cup of tea, there are many other dogs and pets in general looking for good homes and loving parents.

Photos By:  Marion Algier – The UCLA Shutterbug

Angelina above is a Chiweenie – a Chihuahua-Dachshund Mix

California Shelters Overflowing with Chihuahuas

Reuters/Landov

The young woman was very specific: She wanted a Chihuahua, “just like Tinkerbell,” the petite pet of Paris Hilton. She waited weeks, coming back often to look at the dogs in this Southern California animal shelter. So, when “Teensy” a 1-year-old Chihuahua was recently surrendered by her owners, she signed the adoption papers and popped the pooch straight into her purse.

Unfortunately, she was back three weeks later. The dog had pooped in her bag, run into traffic and barked a lot. “Like so many people who got these little dogs because celebrities have them, she wasn’t prepared for the reality of taking care of her,” the shelter’s director tells PEOPLEPets.com.

California is in the midst of a Chihuahua explosion with animal shelters and rescue operations jammed with tiny little dogs like Teensy. In L.A. the situation was so dire, that Katherine Heigl helped get 25 of the pocket-sized pups airlifted to New Hampshire, where they were adopted immediately. A third of the canines in the San Francisco city shelters are Chihuahuas and in Oakland the population has reached a whopping 50 percent. Experts say those numbers are unprecedented.

The Chihuahua glut started about three years ago, according to Nancy Goodwin, director of the City of Laguna Beach Animal Shelter. “Breeds get popular and then when times get tough, we’ll see an influx of them given up. Years ago it was German shepherds,” she says. “Now it’s the little dogs.”

In the last few years a lot of younger people are coming into the shelters looking for the tiny pups. “They tell us they want to carry the dogs in their purses just like the celebrities,” says Goodwin. “And sometimes that’s not as much fun as it looks. They are a responsibility.”

Blame it on Paris. Blame it on Taco Bell. But the combination of movies (2001’s Legally Blonde, 2008’s Beverly Hills Chihuahua) and tabloid photos of celebrities toting their pint-size pets in huge purses has resulted in overpopulation, according to Steve Kragenbrink, of the Woods Humane Society in San Luis Obispo.

“Some of this is accidental breeding,” says Kragenbrink. “Some of it is people trying to make money by breeding, which makes for too many of one kind of animal.” The solution is to spay and neuter pets. “There’s no reason for a dog not to be fixed,” says Kragenbrink, who’s taken Chihuahuas from L.A. shelters to his location for adoption. “The alternative to spaying and neutering is euthanasia. That’s a cruel and unnecessary solution to overpopulation.”

If you’re interested in adding a pet to your family, consider adopting or fostering a Chihuahua. For more information click here.

Related:  Shelters Full of Chihuahuas

Posted:  Just One More Pet

What the Human Society Does

Izzy

Izzy weighed in at only 53 pounds when her owner was reported to a local humane society.

Izzy DID  Find a Loving Home

Today, Izzy is thriving in her loving new home, where her devoted owners hand-feed her yogurt to aid her digestion.

Izzy had been cruelly barricaded in a filthy garage. The floor was covered in trash and dark, runny feces – a sign of malnutrition. There were no windows or ventilation of any kind… and no food or water dishes.

Izzy was barely alive. As soon as Lisa (a humane officer and president of the local humane society) opened the garage door, the emaciated dog staggered out and collapsed. Her gums were white, her eyes were sunken, and her bony body was covered in fleas and ants.

Please support the Humane Society and the ASPCA and even more important be pro-active against all abuse and neglect, whether against animals, children the elderly or anyone.  It is not okay to look the other way if you see, suspect or are aware of abuse in any form.  We are all God’s Creatures and the concept of owning a living creature does not supersede the natural laws of helping and standing up for one another!!

Changes need to be lobbied for and enacted for much tougher laws and stricter enforcement against animal abuse and neglect.  If you are an animal lover, please make that crusade a part of your New Year’s goal~

Abuse is everywhere.  And if you aren’t part of the solution… you are part of the problem!!

Related:

And the Verdict is Guilty… YES!

Merry Christmas From Just One More Pet

Pet Skunks Under the Christmas Tree

Exotic pets need to be wrapped during Christmas

After all our holidays with pet skunks, I’m tempted to tuck my exotic pets into stockings on the hearth to keep them out of mischief.

The most precious Christmas gift for me would be a dearheart little pet skunk with a red bow, snuggled into a soft Christmas stocking, tucked beneath the tree.

May she be asleep, please.

Nothing is sweet as a descented skunk, smelling like a powder puff, curled into a Christmas stocking. In a perfect world from now on, all my sweet domestic skunks would be carefully hung from the hearth with their square haunches filling stockings. I would take pictures of worried, wrinkled faces. What desaced, that’s what my skunks do when they don’t like what’s happening to them.

Yes, indeed, after the last Christmases with pet skunks in the house, I’m tempted to leave all of them hanging out of temptation until the holiday passes. That would keep them from mischief, though I have proven quite naive.

Gifts? Grab ‘em, bro!

Two seasons hence, I realized skunks really dig Christmas presents. They maul them. Hands onto paper like a furious digging-for-crickets spree. When it happened to me, I really was clueless. Now you have a clue.

Jumping the gifts was Jeronimo’s idea. The years before, when Sequoia was an only skunk, he didn’t dig the gifts. Sequoia is a shy, unassuming little skunk. Well, maybe not so much.

I was blissfully unaware of their new motivation as I wrapped gifts in the living room, boxes piled prettily under the tree, those ready for ribbons and cards around me.

Natural shakable tree.

Sequoia and Jeronimo woke up at their first witching hour of eight o’clock. Skipped in to check out the forest scene. The Christmas tree stood in a wire-covered old washtub to deter short-legged creatures from midnight swims.

Sequoia and Jeronimo are acutely excited about the tree in the big house. Their waking moments are spent nosing around the long-needle evergreen. On the night of the gifts, their night prowl was rewarded with wrapping paper, tissue, ribbons, bows, boxes everywhere.

But, no, they didn’t throw themselves into the paper or loose ribbons like a cat. No.

Sequoia and Jeronimo pounced the wrapped presents. For once, sharing. Gleeful comrades. They dug those presents – literally dug with determination and long skunk claws, enhanced by brotherly snarling and squealing.

While I was shoving wrapped presents on the hearth where the skunks should have been, the brothers dove onto the next gifts. Fortunately, they started butt-shoving each other out of the way. Fortunately, Jeronimo’s best defense is sitting on Sequoia’s head, making his furious older brother squeal like a steaming teapot. They could try this in football, no?

I should have known better

Each night since the tree moved into the big house, I heard Sequoia squealing his fury when his baby brother was butt-shoving and sitting on him. Every morning I found that the skunks, seemingly assisted by cats, managed to remove a dried flower, pinecone, or the end of a low bough. Once they had their prize, they would dig it to dust in the rug.

Did I think cats?

Two nights before Christmas when relatives were expected, I hung a few tiny popcorn balls by leather strips from higher branches. Next morn, plastic wrap was on the floor. Not one popcorn ball on the tree. Perhaps a skunk was the culprit, no? But they had to have assistance to get that off a high branch.

The popcorn balls were so desirable Jeronimo roused several times next day to skip to the tree. He would toddle around and around. Nothing found, he would skip back to his den behind my bedroom dresser.

That evening he skipped into the living room at witching hour, Sequoia dancing along and trying to push Jeronimo out of the way. No avail. They nosed around the tree, more intent than ever. But I am not that stupid. No popcorn balls were hung.

Exasperated and scowling, Jeronimo, who is an extremely long skunk, stood on his short hind legs beneath the tree. He balanced with his tail. Wrapped his front legs and hands around a branch, shaking the tree furiously. Square little Sequoia sat square on his haunches, expectant.

Shaking the tree must have been how they felled the popcorn balls. That night they got nothing. So they shoved off to the dog food bowl.

Regurgitation

One morning I awoke to find an alarming smatter of regurgitation resembling shiny red shards of glass.

I search for my skunks. Who else?

Throughout the house I found five more piles that looked like one of the skunks had regurgitated vital organs. I yelled for someone, phone to tell the vet we have an emergency.

Then I found chewed plastic wrap. Realized the pooh-butts discovered candy canes. My daughter left her bookbag on the floor and the culprits dug through canvas.

Much better for them

Sequoia opening seeds gift

Treats on Christmas morning are sugarless. Peanuts, cashews, hulled sunflower seeds in festive paper. The only chance they have to dig gifts now are their own.

The tree is now a compromise. A ‘nature tree’ decorated with pinecones, dried flowers, feathers. Bird decorations, skunk slippers, plush skunk toys running through the branches.

Yes, a Christmas tree of compromise made to be mauled and gleefully shaken. Everything is wire-tied on, non-edible, and skunk-proof.

My favorite winter evening is when we are all cuddled under blankets on the sofa, tiny white Christmas lights glowing throughout the room, daughters telling stories of their day. Sequoia snuggles against my shoulder, hibernating where he likes best. Jeronimo is reclined on his back in the crook of someone’s arm, stubby legs poking up as he intently studies the tree with his sly grin.

The Christmas tree is safe momentarily. Gifts are stacked on the hearth, entertainment center, lamp tables, hutch, blanket chest, dining table…. ah, yes, just where they belong when skunks are in the house.

Skunk Medicine: There’s a Skunk in the House! and Other Tail-Raising Stories

‘Striped Christmas’ original short story title in skunk memoir book.

Skunk excerpts at ESSA Books in novel A Breath Floats By …..enjoy!

SKUNK TIP FOR THE DAY?  Read the story LOL because there are stacks!

Source: Essa Books

Posted:  Just One More Pet

Pet owners cut back on gifts… but not for their cuddly dogs and cats

Santa poses with Chihuahua last weekend at Petco Kips Bay.

While frugal holiday shoppers are trimming humans from their lists this year, pet lovers are still finding room in their budgets to splurge on their four-legged friends.

“Whether they’ve been naughty or nice, they’re the only ones I’m shopping for this year,” said underemployed freelance designer Lynne Rothschild, of her mutt, Cassidy, and spoiled tabbies, Ludwig and Harry. “Everyone else is getting a card.”

A recent poll by The Associated Press and Petside.com found 52% of pet owners plan to buy their animals a holiday gift, up from 43% last year. That’s despite the finding, in a separate survey by The AP and GfK Roper, that 93% of Americans plan to spend less overall or about the same as last year during the holidays.

Local boutiques and pet shops say sales are steady from last year, with people spending more on gourmet treats and chew toys than on higher-priced items.

“Anything personalized is always a big winner,” said Betty Wong, who runs Buttercup’s Pawtisserie, in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and sells her line of all-natural homemade treats online at buttercupspaw.com. Decorative holiday treats such as snowflake biscuits, dreidel cookies and personalized ‘Pupcakes’ are among the hottest sellers, she said.

Meanwhile, donations are down at animal shelters and rescue groups, creating a bleak outlook for many needy animals.

If you can’t adopt or donate, consider giving a gift that gives back to the animals.

Rational Animal, a nonprofit that creates campaigns for rescue groups and animal organizations, will donate proceeds from its fabulous “In Perfect Harmony: Music Legends and their Animals” calendar to a variety of local groups. The 2010 calendar, which features vintage photos of music icons such as Billie Holiday, Michael Jackson, Sting, John Lennon, Frank Zappa and Patti Smith with their animals sells for $19.95 at www.rational-animal.org.

Donating an item on a shelter or rescue group’s “Wish List” is another way to give back. Shelters, such as NYC Animal Care & Control (nycacc.org), are in desperate need of items ranging from food, toys and towels to cameras and other equipment that makes finding homes for needy animals a little bit easier.

Or, instead of buying a puppy as a gift, purchase a gift certificate toward a future adoption at your local shelter or rescue group.

Santa’s also been making his way around town. Last weekend, dozens of pups took a turn on Santa’s lap at Petco Kips Bay, where a portion of the proceeds went to the local cat rescue group City Critters.

Tomorrow, it’s cats only at the Santa Clawz Holiday Cat Agility and Fashion Show, featuring agility, book signings, cat fashions and cat adoptions. Feisty felines that promise not to scratch or tear off Santa’s beard are invited to crawl up his leg for a photo. The event, hosted by New York Tails magazine and Ada Nieves, runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Animal Haven SoHo, 251 Centre St.

On Monday, grab a toy and head for Toys for Dogs holiday drive to benefit the Humane Society of New York, hosted by Animal Fair, at Cipriani Wall Street, from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Source: Daily News – BY AMY SACKS

Posted:  Just One More Pet

Doggie DNA Testing

“He wa’n’t no common dog, he wa’n’t no mongrel; he was a composite. A composite dog is a dog that is made up of all the valuable qualities that’s in the dog breed — kind of a syndicate; and a mongrel is made up of all riffraff that’s left over.”  …Mark Twain

(Many of yesterday’s Mutts are today’s Hybrid or Designer Dogs…)

Doggie DNA Testing

Unknown Mixed Breeds

Through the marvels of DNA testing, some of the greatest mysteries of Mutt-dom are being revealed.

Dogs of vague or unrecognizable ancestry — whether fluffy white mongrels with Chihuahua ears and beagle-like voices or massive hounds that resemble nothing previously seen in nature — are being exposed for what they really are, genetically speaking.

DNA testing can disclose what breeds dominate their family trees. And thousands of people are happy to pay, about $60 to $170 depending on the method and company chosen, to end the what-do-you-suppose-he-is speculation of mixed-breed dog owners everywhere.

The first test was unveiled less than a year ago. Now, consumer interest is growing so fast that more companies are jumping into the doggie-identification business, websites are being enhanced, and additional breeds are being added to testing databases.

“Pure curiosity, getting the answer” is the reason most owners seek out the testing, says Neale Fretwell, head geneticist for Mars Veterinary, maker of the Wisdom Panel MX Mixed Breed Analysis. The analysis can determine which of 134 breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club composes a dog’s genetic makeup.

And some of the answers are real stunners, not only for the owners but also for the veterinarians who have made their best guesses, Fretwell says.

The procedure requires an appointment with a veterinarian to draw a blood sample, and when analysis is completed in two or three weeks, a follow-up visit to discuss the findings. The pricing is set by individual veterinarians, $135 to $170.

Another reason owners go the testing route is to uncover possible explanations for behaviors that might be inherited, such as herding people and other pets or rooting around in chipmunk or mole holes.

Other owners want to know whether their dogs have a high proportion of a breed predisposed to a particular ailment or frailty, although experts caution that it’s impossible to know which traits, including propensity for disease or medical problems, a mongrel might inherit from any particular breed.

No one offering such tests suggests a mongrel assumes some sort of elevated status upon learning a purebred bloodhound or dachshund entered his ancestry generations ago.

Indeed, the companies celebrate the characteristics of mixed breeds, and some experts applaud “hybrid vigor,” the belief that mixing unrelated breeds can create a stronger, healthier dog than purebreds, which can pass on genetic conditions found in specific breeds.

Many clients are “very surprised” upon receiving word of what breeds populate their dog’s background, Fretwell says.

Meg Retinger, chief administrative officer of BioPet Vet Lab in Knoxville, Tenn., says: “Some people say, ‘That’s just exactly what I thought.’ “Others” have such preconceived notions about what their pet is they just won’t accept the results.”

In January, the lab began marketing its $59.95 DNA Breed Identification kit, which tests for 61 AKC breeds using cheek cells scraped by the owner.

But the signature appearance characteristics of a particular breed don’t always materialize, even when there’s a high proportion of that breed in a dog, Fretwell says.

A mongrel with a German shepherd parent or grandparent, for example, might not have the black and tan coloring, the saddle pattern on its back or even the long muzzle. Some could not show any shepherd characteristics.

Size, color and a host of physical features such as ear and muzzle shape and tail type are influenced by genetics, and when several breeds meld in one dog, it’s tough for even experts to eyeball a mutt and accurately assess what lies within.

Connie Steele of Colorado Springs learned that. This year she adopted a black-and-white dog that shelter personnel thought was mostly border collie and about 1½ years old. She soon discovered from her veterinarian that Ellie was still a puppy, probably less border collie than believed and almost certain to grow a lot more.

Steele had Ellie tested because, she jokes, she wanted “a bit of warning if I’m going to need to plan ahead for a larger house to accommodate a 2-year-old pony-sized dog.”

Upon receiving Ellie’s results, Steele did not begin house-shopping, though she was surprised by the breeds found in her background. Steele believes the information she now has about Ellie and also Kayla, another recently adopted shelter dog, offers clues about how to approach their training.

Most DNA tests show three or four different breeds in the mixed breeds’ ancestries, and many show five or six, experts say. Several more probably are in the mix, but the amounts have been so dissipated over the generations, they are merely weak traces, unlikely to influence a dog’s appearance or behavior.

And, yes, a few dogs comprise so many disparate breeds, the experts and their tests just can’t solve the puzzle.

“Even the best test can’t answer every question of biology,” says Dennis Fantin, chief of operations for MetaMorphix, a company in Beltsville, Md., that has done testing for the AKC for years. The company now offers a $119.95 mixed-breed cheek-swab kit. The Canine Heritage XL Breed Test can detect 108 breeds.

Sometimes, any pure DNA has become “so diluted” by encounters with mixed breeds over the generations that no answers emerge, Fantin says.

Their owners are told the mystery must remain.

From USA Today

Chiweenies          &              Chorkies

Designer Breeds

“My name is Oprah Winfrey. I have a talk show. I’m single. I have eight dogs — five golden retrievers, two black labs, and a mongrel. I have four years of college.”  …Oprah Winfrey, when asked to describe herself during jury selection

Join Us At ‘Just One More… Pet’… in the Fight Against Unnecessary Pet Euthanization By Finding Loving Homes for Unwanted and Abandoned Pets

Foreclosure Crisis Leads to More Homeless Pets to the Rescue!

Foreclosure Crisis Leads to More Homeless Pets
The Foundation and Your Generosity Make a Difference!

Even though the ongoing housing crisis shows small signs of recovery, another crisis is growing to epidemic proportions. Countless dogs and cats have been, and are continuing to be abandoned by families driven out of their homes due to foreclosures. These devastating situations result in dire circumstances for pets, who are either left trapped inside a foreclosed home with little or no food and no one to provide medical attention, or are turned out onto the streets to fend for themselves.

Fortunately, when a group of real estate professionals in Scotsdale, Arizona, were faced with these heartbreaking situations, time-after time, they decided to do something about it. Together, they formed their own rescue group, aptly named Lost Our Home Pet Foundation. And, thanks to their continuing efforts, many companion animals abandoned in Scotsdale and the Phoenix metropolitan area now have a new lease on life. The LOHPF’s stated mission is to rescue, foster, heal, adopt-out and advocate on behalf of dogs or cats, who are the victims of foreclosures or evictions. This organization has developed four distinct ways to help pet parents in need. – The Furry Friends Food Bank assists families struggling to afford the basic necessities to care for their pets. They provide food, litter and other more costly items required to help maintain their pets’ health. By providing this assistance early on, pet parents are less likely to abandon their pets. – The Furry Friends Foster Program provides temporary homes for pets until their pet parents can locate a long-term residence. – They operate an adoption program, placing abandoned pets in loving, forever homes. – And, finally, their Pet Rescue Assistance program is truly remarkable. They have established a telephone line and email address, where people can contact them if they know of a pet in immediate danger. It brings me abundant happiness to announce that the Dr. Jane’s HealthyPetNet Foundation has granted this worthy non-profit organization a financial award. The funds will help them to continue their much-needed work alleviating the suffering of Arizona’s abandoned pets. The Lost Our Home Pet Foundation is a shining example of what pet people can do to address the needs of our companion animals in desperate need. We applaud their valiant work and we wish them continued success in their efforts to help people and their pets. The Dr. Jane’s HealthyPetNet Foundation provides funding to deserving independent rescues that help alleviate the suffering of abandoned and abused companion animals. In 2009, we awarded financial aid to 13 different rescues. All of the selected organizations are superb examples of rescue groups, providing loving support to the wounded souls who have endured the unfortunate hardships of neglect and abuse. We’re absolutely committed to giving much needed help to these small rescues, as they achieve so much with so few resources. Lastly, I’d like to personally thank you for your support of our foundation. Thanks to your continued patronage (a percentage of every Trilogy/HealthyPetNet sale goes to fund our work) and your donations, The Dr. Jane’s HealthyPetNet Foundation is becoming a true force for good, by aiding small rescues across America. Best wishes for lovely holiday season, Dr. Jane Bicks

Source: Monday, 14 December 2009 20:48 by Dr. Jane – The Dr Jane’s HealthyPetNet Foundation

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Dogs are better pets than cats, by a Whisker, study finds

The New Scientist is resorting to science to try to find the truth about cats and dogs.

Using a wealth of recent research to measure pets in 11 categories, the magazine has come to the reluctant conclusion that dogs are better pets than cats, by a whisker.

The four-legged tug of war was tied going into the last category: utility. A British Journal of Health Psychology study that heralded dog walking as good exercise and a good excuse for social contact put dogs over the top.

Here’s a breakdown of the categories and the rationale:

1. Brains. Cats are smarter, with 300 million neurons compared with a pooch’s 160 million.

2. Shared history. Dogs were domesticated from 16,000 to 50,000 years ago, according to two studies, long before the discovery 9,500 years ago of a kitten buried with a human on Cyprus.

3. Bonding. An Eotvos University study in Budapest found dogs became distressed away from their owners. Scientist Adam Miklosi said he thought cats might react similarly, but he couldn’t persuade them to take the test.

4. Popularity. There are 204 million cats in the top 10 cat-owning countries (the top 3 are the United States, China and Russia), but only 173 million dogs (top 3 are the U.S., Brazil and China).

5. Understanding. Dogs over cats, for their larger vocabulary and their instinct to get humans to help them find hidden food. Cats, says Miklosi, will try to figure it out themselves.

6. Problem solving. Hard to determine, the magazine admits, because dogs have been tested frequently. Cats, not so much. But a Seeing Eye dog’s ability to take over and solve problems when his master can’t, gives this point to dogs.

7. Vocalization. Cats, mostly because of the finding this year that they have a specially pitched purr when they want food.

8. Tractability. Dogs, because they play by the rules.

9. Supersenses. While cats can sniff things out just as well as dogs, cats can see clearly in lower light and hear in a far wider range.

10. Eco-friendliness. As anyone who has to lug bags of dog food home will agree, cats have far less of a ecological footprint. Even a chihuahua has twice the footprint of a cat, the magazine contends.

Just One More Pet feels that choosing dogs, over cats, over birds, over reptiles, over fish, over amphibians, over pocket pets, over rodents, etc etc is completely subjective.  Pets and which ones are the best really depend on the their human’s perspective.