Bain's been found!

Just checked my e-mail and Second Avenue Animal Hospital reports that Bain has been found! Yay! Our prayers worked.

Doggy yoga at a time like this?

Only in L.A...

Check out this Bloomberg story on L.A. residents who are still spending dough on massages, yoga classes, and - get this - prosthetic testicles for their pets, despite the recession.

I mean, hey, if you got the cheese, I guess you can spend it however you want.

But the piece brings up the significant point that while these pet owners are spending boatloads of money on their pets, the number of homeless animals in shelters nationwide is on the rise.

I feel if you have $100 to spend to get your cat's nails clipped, then why not make a donation to a local shelter?

That could go a long way...

Lost boxer in Columbus area

So on Monday, I picked CeCe up from boarding at Second Avenue Animal Hospital and noticed flyers for a lost dog named Bain (pictured above.)

Today a colleague forwarded me an e-mail about Bain and his story. Apparently he escaped from Second Ave...

So please keep an eye out! Especially those in the Bibb City area. Here's what the e-mail said:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: Angie LeFranc, 706.888.2661

Plea for Community to Find Dog

Animal Hospital Loses Family Dog, $500 reward announced

COLUMBUS, GA, 2-22-09)—Like many families the Krieg’s took their beloved dog, Bain to an animal hospital for boarding while they were out of town. Upon their return they found out that Bain was lost at 1:30am on Sunday, February 22^nd from the 2^nd Avenue Animal Hospital.

The Animal Hospital did not properly secure the dog, who pushed through an unlocked door and set off the burglar alarm notifying the owner and police. When authorities arrived at the scene the owner opened the hospital door letting the adult, male boxer loose in the streets of Columbus.

For 12 hours the staff at the Animal Hospital looked for the dog before calling the owners. Search parties remained out all day Monday talking to neighbors and putting up flyers. The 2^nd Avenue Animal Hospital is offering a $500 reward for the return of the Boxer, Bain.

If you have any idea of his whereabouts, please contact Angie LeFranc at 706.888.2661.

Additional photos and information on the boxer, Bain can be found on Craigslist at http://columbusga.craigslist.org/pet/1045986607.html

Portuguese water dog for the Obamas

It's a Portuguese water dog for the Obamas!

At least, that's the breed Michelle Obama told People magazine they plan to bring home in April, after Malia and Sasha's spring break.

Check out the story here.

I can't wait until they name the new addition. Whatever, Michelle...I totally dig the name Frank. :)

Winston: Milk-Bone's new spokesdog

Winston, a 2-year-old Great Dane from Wisconsin, has won the Make a Milk-Bone Moment contest, scoring $100,000 for his family and the chance to grace a number of Milk-Bone boxes.

That's him pictured above, with one of his owners Melisa Ruppert.

Isn't he adorable?! I love how he has his paws crossed in the pic.

Check out some video here.

Flying with pets = expensive!

Hey everyone!

Sorry it's been awhile. I took a few days off so I could fly to North Carolina to visit my significant other.

When I checked in on AirTran, I was pretty irritated to discover that they now charge for EVERY BAG you check in - even if you have just one. I knew a bunch of airlines were implementing this kind of charge, but I had forgotten and it caught me off-guard.

It was $15 per bag...so $30 for me, roundtrip. I know it's not a lot, but I mean, what ever happened to the days when you could check in two bags for free, and it didn't matter if they were over 50 lbs. each? I guess those days are long gone.

That's not the only fee that has gone up at the airport.

Apparently the cost to fly with your pets has as well.

Check out this article from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Consider this: I bought my AirTran flight to Raleigh/Durham airport for $49 each way. If I had brought CeCe with me, it would have been an additional $69 each way for her. It would have cost MORE for HER to fly than for ME! And she's the one who would be stuck in the cargo area!

Is it just me or do these pet fees make no sense at all?

Get a $20 vet voucher

In light of these tough economic times, Bayer HealthCare is offering $20 vouchers for veterinary visits.

Sounds too good to be true?

Check it out here.

The downside is that it's pretty difficult to actually obtain one. The promotion runs until Feb. 28 and up to 1,000 vouchers are distributed between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. each day. I tried this afternoon and it said they had reached their voucher limit for the hour (more than 80 per hour.)

But, I'm going to keep trying.

If you score one, let me know. You'll have until May 31 to redeem the voucher, if you get it.

Good luck!

R.I.P. Bagel Cabanban

R.I.P. Bagel Cabanban - Jan. 8, 1999 - Feb. 12, 2009

On Friday, I spent part of the evening crying on the phone with one of my aunties in California. They had to put down their family dog, Bagel, on Thursday because of gallbladder stones and a broken hind leg.

I first met Bagel in the summer of 2005 while visiting my cousins in Los Angeles. She was a beagle mix that my two little cousins, Finina and Regina, picked out from a local shelter. They said she was so well-trained when they brought the 6-year-old dog home: she knew not to mess on the carpet, settled onto blankets they laid out for her and loved to be petted. Her previous owner must have taken good care of her, they said.

My auntie said before Bagel passed, she'd wonder why pet owners would get so upset when their cat or dog died. But then she experienced it and found out why.

She told me she was not giving or throwing away any of Bagel's things. She wondered why the shelter never told her Bagel had medical problems. She said she was trying to be strong and not cry in front of her two girls, one who wakes up in the middle of the night crying for Bagel.

I've never experienced a pet death, but I told my aunt at least Bagel lived a good four happy years with them. Who would have known what would have happened if they never adopted her out of the shelter?

Bagel's passing reminds me of this quote about people coming into our lives. I think it can apply to pets coming into our lives as well:

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same."

Chimp on a rampage

This is crazy...

Police shoot chimp after rampage wounds U.S. woman

Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:37am EST

NEW YORK, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Police shot and killed a 200-pound (90-kg) chimpanzee that had once starred in television commercials after the ape nearly killed its owner's friend and attacked a police cruiser.

Read the rest of the story here.

Did the chimp's owner seriously teach him how to drink wine and brush his teeth?! Really, though.

Butt out

A new survey shows that smokers who don't want to quit smoking may have second thoughts if they're told it could harm their pets.

Check out the NY Times story here.

Yes, second-hand smoke affects pets too, the article says.

(That's kind of obvious. If it harms people, I would assume it would harm pets too.)

Anyway, I don't smoke. And I think CeCe appreciates that I don't. :)

Why do we love cats and dogs?

Why do we love cats and dogs?

A PBS documentary is exploring the reasons.

I missed the premiere of "Why We Love Cats and Dogs", but Georgia Public Broadcasting (Channel 28) is showing it again this week:

Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 12 a.m.

Saturday, Feb. 21 at 4 p.m.

Here's the introduction from PBS' Web site:

"Some people are cat people, some are dog people. But regardless of which camp they fall into, most people are simply crazy about their pets. The connections people form with their cats and dogs are often the longest, strongest relationships in their lives. They are our soul mates, our best friends, sometimes even our surrogate children. What makes these creatures such key members of our families?

Perhaps it’s because our furry friends have long provided us with comfort, camaraderie, and unconditional love. Cats and dogs are our unending source of kisses, cuddles, slobber, claws, and laughs. Watch as NATURE shares the stories of pet owners and their beloved animals. From a very special dog named Jerry, to a cat that saved a man’s life, Why We Love Cats and Dogs presents a portrait of some of the most powerful and remarkable connections we experience as humans—the unbreakable bonds with our pets."

Oh, and if you think your pet is the cutest pet ever (what pet owner DOESN'T think that?), you can enter PBS' photo contest. Contest deadline is March 2. Click on the link here.

President's Day Adopt-a-thon

Thinking about bringing home a new furry friend?

PAWS Humane is having a President's Day Adopt-a-thon this weekend.

Adoption fees range from $75 to $200+.

The new center is located at 4900 Milgen Rd. Today, they're open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. And on Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Call 706-563-DOGS or visit www.pawshumane.org for more info.

Brush your teeth!

So I recently received an e-mail from Second Avenue Animal Hospital informing me that February is Pet Dental Awareness Month.

Yikes.

(That's the first thought that came to mind.)

Why?

Because I am guilty of not brushing CeCe's teeth.

I actually have a pet toothbrush, which I bought when CeCe was just a puppy. She's not very fond of it.

I guess now could be a good time to start brushing regularly, right?

Check out this eHow article for pet owners who need a little assistance: How to Clean Your Dog's Teeth.

And if you need some more help, why not visit your vet? Here's a link for 50% off a dental exam at Second Ave. Vet. (Pets can win a prize for best smile, too.)

Valentine's Day gifts

I know the economy totally stinks right now, and I've been reading all these articles about how Americans aren't spending as much for Valentine's Day this year.

But of course, there are always those who will sacrifice luxuries for themselves before they will for their pets. So here's a question: do you plan on purchasing any V-day gifts for your four-legged friend this year?

I was browsing PeoplePets.com and found these photos of potential V-day presents for your pet.

A dog bed for $125?

Hmmm.

I think CeCe would be equally happy if I just gave her a smooch and a good rub-down.

Congrats to Stump!

A Sussex spaniel named Stump stole the show...the Westminster dog show, that is.

My co-worker cheered when he found out Stump, who won Best in Show, is 10 years old. (He's a fan of older pets.)

To be honest, I can't even tell he's 10. He doesn't look a day over 6 (or 32 in dog years.)

Want more fun facts about Stump?

Check out this article.

Also, here's a link to the dog show Web site.

Economy affects Westminster

So have y'all been keeping up with the Westminster dog show?

Clearly, these are different economic times, and they've affected this high-profile dog show as well.

Check out this Associated Press story to see how.

There's also a link for a slideshow on the page. Call me biased, but I really like this picture of Walter, a Boston terrier!

Miracle dog

A golden retriever and his owner were reunited after the dog survived six months in the Montana wilderness. The cold, cold Montana wilderness, at that.

Check out the story here.

Unbelievable, huh?

Food animal vets

From a Ledger-Enquirer news post today:

Members of the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association will meet with Georgia legislators today in Atlanta. The main issues to be discussed are continued funding for the only veterinary medical school in Georgia and a proposal to forgive some student loans in order to boost the number of food animal veterinarians.

Check out more here.

Autistic children and dogs

Check out this story that ran in the Lexington Herald-Leader about a week ago. It really touched me.

It's about a little autistic boy named Michael. His parents have brought in a black lab named Mercury who's being trained to help their son - to protect him and serve as a companion.

It looks like Michael and Mercury are still learning to work with each other. It'd be interesting to read an update on this in a year or two...

Picking pet food

Is expensive food better for your pet?

Not necessarily, some veterinarians say.

Consumer Reports has published a Q&A with animal experts about choosing the right pet food.

I always wondered if I should be feeding CeCe dry dog food that perhaps costs a little more. She eats Dog Chow and she's just fine. I'm glad vets agree that if she's happy and healthy with what she eats now, I shouldn't worry.

Check out the Q&A here.

The article will also appear in the magazine's March 2009 issue.

Rommel!

Joe should be sending me more photos, but here's another pic of Rommel:

Awwwww!

Foster families for pets!

Isn't this the cutest picture?

Our videographer Joe Paull took it for my story on foster families for pets. The big dog is a Tibetan mastiff mix named Rommel. The little one is a rat terrier mix named Phineas. This was taken at the Decker family home in Columbus. Through PAWS Humane, the family takes in and fosters itty-bitty puppies (Phineas is the foster...awwww!)

My story on foster pets ran in today's paper. You can check it out online here.

Also, Joe took some video of my interviews with the Deckers as well as Diane Fuller, a cat foster. Check it out at www.ledger-enquirer.com (the videos section.)

I'm going to ask Joe to send me more pictures he took during my interview at the Deckers', so stay tuned! I'll post them soon.