Wellness Pet Food has some very handy and (we assume from the positive reactions of the felines) tasty cat treats and foods in convenient pouches. One favorite is Healthy Indulgence Tuna Recipe, a grain free and natural serving for the cats in your life. They contain no meat by-products, no corn, wheat, soy, or artificial preservatives, colors or flavors.
Each packet weighs next-to-nothing so you can easily keep a few on hand when traveling with Kitty in case she or he decides it is time for a meal. As the company says, they have “ taste in mind but health at heart.”
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Brother, Can You Spare a Biscuit?
From Reuters, here is an idea to chew on:
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE49U6JZ20081103
Soup kitchen opens for dogs
Mon Nov 3, 2008 11:44am EST
BERLIN (Reuters) - A soup kitchen exclusively for dogs has opened its doors in Berlin providing pets of the homeless and unemployed with a free meal, the director of the establishment said on Friday.
Despite the looming financial crisis, director Claudia Hollm dismissed criticism that it may be more sensible to collect money for humans than for dogs.
"Nowadays people underestimate dogs. They are incredibly important for those who lack social contact with other humans," Hollm told Reuters.
"Making sure dogs don't go hungry is just as important as making sure that people don't starve," she added.
Hollm, and her company "Animal Board," gets sponsorship from companies, including animal food manufacturers.
One woman who uses the free service said she had two dogs, four cats, a rabbit and some guinea pigs.
"Without this animal bread line, I'd probably starve to death," the 20-year old told German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
The opening of the soup kitchen follows last month's launch of a new bus service in Berlin for dogs, which shuttles their furry friends to a luxury dog day-care center.
(Reporting by Josie Cox)
© Thomson Reuters 2008. All rights reserved. Users may download
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE49U6JZ20081103
Soup kitchen opens for dogs
Mon Nov 3, 2008 11:44am EST
BERLIN (Reuters) - A soup kitchen exclusively for dogs has opened its doors in Berlin providing pets of the homeless and unemployed with a free meal, the director of the establishment said on Friday.
Despite the looming financial crisis, director Claudia Hollm dismissed criticism that it may be more sensible to collect money for humans than for dogs.
"Nowadays people underestimate dogs. They are incredibly important for those who lack social contact with other humans," Hollm told Reuters.
"Making sure dogs don't go hungry is just as important as making sure that people don't starve," she added.
Hollm, and her company "Animal Board," gets sponsorship from companies, including animal food manufacturers.
One woman who uses the free service said she had two dogs, four cats, a rabbit and some guinea pigs.
"Without this animal bread line, I'd probably starve to death," the 20-year old told German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
The opening of the soup kitchen follows last month's launch of a new bus service in Berlin for dogs, which shuttles their furry friends to a luxury dog day-care center.
(Reporting by Josie Cox)
© Thomson Reuters 2008. All rights reserved. Users may download
Monday, December 8, 2008
No Bailouts for Pets
Here is a sobering article from Reuters about how the economic crisis and foreclosures are not ruining the lives of people; pets are also in jeopardy from homelessness. You can help by donating time, money or another resource to an animal shelter.
http://www.reuters.com/article/email/idUSTRE4A64FS20081107
It's a dog's life for pets in hard economic times
Fri Nov 7, 2008 9:34am EST
By Claudia Parsons
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Job losses and home foreclosures are forcing many American pet owners to make hard choices about their furry friends, and some are turning to animal shelters and charities to relieve them of the burden.
Margaret, a 58-year-old make-up artist who lost her job at a TV station in February and declined to use her last name because she does not want her landlord to know she is in financial difficulties, can no longer afford to buy food for her four large dogs and two cats, all rescued.
Sally, a three-legged 15-year-old mutt who has survived cancer, and Hershey, an elderly Dalmatian with urinary tract problems, both require expensive special food.
"I was finding I couldn't handle it all. It was costing me $350 to $400 a month just for their foods," Margaret said, sitting with a dog on her lap in the New York apartment where she grew up and where she nursed her mother for 10 years.
"I can't tell you how many people said 'You're being cruel to them, give them away.' But they're like family. I don't have family anymore, these guys are my family," she said.
Margaret turned to Safety Net, which provides foster care for pets and other help for pet owners who need some time to get back on their feet after losing a home or a job. Safety Net is now giving her pet food.
"We try to keep pets and people together," said Richard Gentles, spokesman for Animal Care and Control of New York City which runs Safety Net. "In January of 2008 we had about 115 calls and then in September of 2008 we had over 200 calls. That's directly indicative of the hard times," he said, speaking over the constant barking of dogs at the city's Manhattan shelter.
FORECLOSURES
About 71 million homes in the United States, more than 60 percent of households, have pets, and their owners spent an estimated $41 billion on their animals in 2007, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.
As Americans cut spending and companies lay off workers in the face of the biggest financial crisis in decades, the looming recession is having an impact on pet-owners, charities, animals and the businesses that cater to them.
Lee Ann Jaffee, who runs a rescue service for Italian greyhounds, is trying to find a home for three dogs whose owners are losing their Philadelphia home to foreclosure.
"Our breed can be very expensive," Jaffee said. "They're prone to broken legs, if they break a leg, for instance, it's like $3,000 to get it fixed."
Holly Derito, who runs New York's Waggy Tail Rescue, says she normally has around a dozen dogs in foster homes awaiting adoption at any one time. Now that is up to around 20.
"I've been doing Waggy Tail for 5-1/2 years and I've never seen this magnitude of dogs in shelter," Derito said. "A lot of times the dogs are getting sick and people will say they're strays. People are ashamed, so they'll say they're strays."
AIMING TO BE NO-KILL CITY
New York City has launched a campaign to end euthanasia in city shelters. In 2002, 30,699 animals were put down. Animal Care and Control has an $8.5 million city contract to handle around 43,000 stray or abandoned animals a year.
Steve Gruber, director of communications for Mayor's Alliance for New York City's Animals which represents around 100 shelters and rescue groups, said the euthanasia rate had fallen from to 43 percent last year from 74 percent in 2002.
Gruber said the weak economy has both increased the number of pets being handed in for adoption, and made people think twice about taking on the financial responsibility of a pet.
"New York is attempting to become a no-kill city, not have to kill any animals. It's making it even more challenging," Gruber said.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals advises potential adopters that the costs in the first year of owning a pet can be from around $1,300 to $1,800 for a dog, depending on the size, and around $1,000 for a cat.
Wendy Diamond, editorial director of Animal Fair magazine, said the economic downturn forced her to cut ticket prices at a Halloween fundraiser for animal charities which raised just $25,000 this year compared to $50,000 last year.
She said small businesses catering to pet owners such as grooming salons and pet accessory stores would suffer too.
"Accessories are the first to go," Diamond said. "Unlike children and teens, dogs don't care about fashions and trends so they're fine with last year's leash or collar."
"Grooming salons will absolutely suffer," she said, adding that big retailers carry many more products than in the past for people to do their own pet-care. "You can groom your dog at home for $5, whereas at a salon in New York you pay $100."
Perhaps the only bright spot noted by several pet shelter workers was that more volunteers are coming in.
"One of my really great volunteers just got laid off so she's like 'What else am I going to do?'" said Derito.
(Editing by Sandra Maler)© Thomson Reuters 2008. All rights reserved. Users may download and print extracts of content from this website for their own personal and non-commercial use only. Republication or redistribution of Thomson Reuters content, including by framing or
http://www.reuters.com/article/email/idUSTRE4A64FS20081107
It's a dog's life for pets in hard economic times
Fri Nov 7, 2008 9:34am EST
By Claudia Parsons
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Job losses and home foreclosures are forcing many American pet owners to make hard choices about their furry friends, and some are turning to animal shelters and charities to relieve them of the burden.
Margaret, a 58-year-old make-up artist who lost her job at a TV station in February and declined to use her last name because she does not want her landlord to know she is in financial difficulties, can no longer afford to buy food for her four large dogs and two cats, all rescued.
Sally, a three-legged 15-year-old mutt who has survived cancer, and Hershey, an elderly Dalmatian with urinary tract problems, both require expensive special food.
"I was finding I couldn't handle it all. It was costing me $350 to $400 a month just for their foods," Margaret said, sitting with a dog on her lap in the New York apartment where she grew up and where she nursed her mother for 10 years.
"I can't tell you how many people said 'You're being cruel to them, give them away.' But they're like family. I don't have family anymore, these guys are my family," she said.
Margaret turned to Safety Net, which provides foster care for pets and other help for pet owners who need some time to get back on their feet after losing a home or a job. Safety Net is now giving her pet food.
"We try to keep pets and people together," said Richard Gentles, spokesman for Animal Care and Control of New York City which runs Safety Net. "In January of 2008 we had about 115 calls and then in September of 2008 we had over 200 calls. That's directly indicative of the hard times," he said, speaking over the constant barking of dogs at the city's Manhattan shelter.
FORECLOSURES
About 71 million homes in the United States, more than 60 percent of households, have pets, and their owners spent an estimated $41 billion on their animals in 2007, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.
As Americans cut spending and companies lay off workers in the face of the biggest financial crisis in decades, the looming recession is having an impact on pet-owners, charities, animals and the businesses that cater to them.
Lee Ann Jaffee, who runs a rescue service for Italian greyhounds, is trying to find a home for three dogs whose owners are losing their Philadelphia home to foreclosure.
"Our breed can be very expensive," Jaffee said. "They're prone to broken legs, if they break a leg, for instance, it's like $3,000 to get it fixed."
Holly Derito, who runs New York's Waggy Tail Rescue, says she normally has around a dozen dogs in foster homes awaiting adoption at any one time. Now that is up to around 20.
"I've been doing Waggy Tail for 5-1/2 years and I've never seen this magnitude of dogs in shelter," Derito said. "A lot of times the dogs are getting sick and people will say they're strays. People are ashamed, so they'll say they're strays."
AIMING TO BE NO-KILL CITY
New York City has launched a campaign to end euthanasia in city shelters. In 2002, 30,699 animals were put down. Animal Care and Control has an $8.5 million city contract to handle around 43,000 stray or abandoned animals a year.
Steve Gruber, director of communications for Mayor's Alliance for New York City's Animals which represents around 100 shelters and rescue groups, said the euthanasia rate had fallen from to 43 percent last year from 74 percent in 2002.
Gruber said the weak economy has both increased the number of pets being handed in for adoption, and made people think twice about taking on the financial responsibility of a pet.
"New York is attempting to become a no-kill city, not have to kill any animals. It's making it even more challenging," Gruber said.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals advises potential adopters that the costs in the first year of owning a pet can be from around $1,300 to $1,800 for a dog, depending on the size, and around $1,000 for a cat.
Wendy Diamond, editorial director of Animal Fair magazine, said the economic downturn forced her to cut ticket prices at a Halloween fundraiser for animal charities which raised just $25,000 this year compared to $50,000 last year.
She said small businesses catering to pet owners such as grooming salons and pet accessory stores would suffer too.
"Accessories are the first to go," Diamond said. "Unlike children and teens, dogs don't care about fashions and trends so they're fine with last year's leash or collar."
"Grooming salons will absolutely suffer," she said, adding that big retailers carry many more products than in the past for people to do their own pet-care. "You can groom your dog at home for $5, whereas at a salon in New York you pay $100."
Perhaps the only bright spot noted by several pet shelter workers was that more volunteers are coming in.
"One of my really great volunteers just got laid off so she's like 'What else am I going to do?'" said Derito.
(Editing by Sandra Maler)© Thomson Reuters 2008. All rights reserved. Users may download and print extracts of content from this website for their own personal and non-commercial use only. Republication or redistribution of Thomson Reuters content, including by framing or
Monday, November 17, 2008
The Scent of a Dog (or Cat)
We love our pets. We don’t love the odor -- in spite of timely baths and grooming --that sometimes lingers in a room long after the dog or cat has left the premises.
A few products have started appearing on the market that should help not just layer the air with a more pleasing fragrance, but might actually help dissipate the malodorous scents that don’t leave the area when your pet does. Glade is one company offering pet odor patrol products. Febreze is another.
The Febreze line offers a few ways to eliminate pet odors gracefully. Air Effects Pet Odor Eliminator did so well in the marketplace that the brand has launched companion forms of the Febreze Pet Odor Eliminator. Use one or several for layers of fragrance that will purge offending smell from the premises:
Plug-In Febreze—the oil this works continuously to help keep the air in a room from screaming, “A very lovable but wet-cornflake smelling dog was just here.”
Candle: Light this to diffuse a warm scent that can light the area with a glowing fragrance.
Febreze Air Effects Pet Odor Eliminator: A nice light but hard-working scent to recharge the atmosphere with an aggreeable secent.
Febreze Fabric Refresher spray: The one that started it all. The Pet Odor Eliminator fragrance can help freshen fabrics on sofas, curtains, pillows and your pet’s bed (just remove the pet and any toys and chews before you spray).
All of these work very nicely, indeed.
A few products have started appearing on the market that should help not just layer the air with a more pleasing fragrance, but might actually help dissipate the malodorous scents that don’t leave the area when your pet does. Glade is one company offering pet odor patrol products. Febreze is another.
The Febreze line offers a few ways to eliminate pet odors gracefully. Air Effects Pet Odor Eliminator did so well in the marketplace that the brand has launched companion forms of the Febreze Pet Odor Eliminator. Use one or several for layers of fragrance that will purge offending smell from the premises:
Plug-In Febreze—the oil this works continuously to help keep the air in a room from screaming, “A very lovable but wet-cornflake smelling dog was just here.”
Candle: Light this to diffuse a warm scent that can light the area with a glowing fragrance.
Febreze Air Effects Pet Odor Eliminator: A nice light but hard-working scent to recharge the atmosphere with an aggreeable secent.
Febreze Fabric Refresher spray: The one that started it all. The Pet Odor Eliminator fragrance can help freshen fabrics on sofas, curtains, pillows and your pet’s bed (just remove the pet and any toys and chews before you spray).
All of these work very nicely, indeed.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Pet food: what you don't know can be harmful
A Poll commissioned by the Wellness® brand of natural pet food found that not enough pet owners know or understand the ingredients on pet food labels.
“Of 1,305 U.S. adult dog and/or cat owners, two-thirds say they feed their dog(s)/cat(s) as if they are members of the family. But their actions don’t always support the claim. 56 percent say they always read the label on their own packaged foods (e.g. pasta, pre-packaged or frozen meals), but only 20 percent of dog owners and 19 percent of cat owners say they always read the labels on their pets’ food. Just 38 percent say they understand all the ingredients listed on their dog/cat food labels. “
The survey was conducted in August by Harris Interactive® and commissioned by the Wellness® brand of natural food and treats for pets.
And then there is this:
http://www.9news.com/news/world/article.aspx?storyid=102207
BEIJING (AP) - A Chinese veterinarian says some 1,500 dogs have died after eating feed tainted with melamine. That's the same industrial chemical that's contaminated dairy products and sickened tens of thousands of babies across China.
The veterinarian says all the dogs died on farms in one village. The animals are a breed known as raccoon dogs. They're raised for their fur, which is used to make trim on coats and other clothing.
The veterinarian says he examined about a dozen dogs and determined that they died of kidney failure. He says melamine was found in the feed and about 25 percent of the stones found in the dogs' kidneys were made of melamine.
In the milk scandal, the chemical was said to have been added to the watered-down milk to make it appear higher in protein. It can cause kidney stones and eventually kidney failure in humans too.
Monday's news about the dogs is raising questions about the extent of the chemical's presence in China's food chain.
(Copyright Associated Press, All Rights Reserved.)
Add to that the odious fact that these dogs were being raised for their fur on these farms and it all makes up a very sad triumvirate.
“Of 1,305 U.S. adult dog and/or cat owners, two-thirds say they feed their dog(s)/cat(s) as if they are members of the family. But their actions don’t always support the claim. 56 percent say they always read the label on their own packaged foods (e.g. pasta, pre-packaged or frozen meals), but only 20 percent of dog owners and 19 percent of cat owners say they always read the labels on their pets’ food. Just 38 percent say they understand all the ingredients listed on their dog/cat food labels. “
The survey was conducted in August by Harris Interactive® and commissioned by the Wellness® brand of natural food and treats for pets.
And then there is this:
http://www.9news.com/news/world/article.aspx?storyid=102207
BEIJING (AP) - A Chinese veterinarian says some 1,500 dogs have died after eating feed tainted with melamine. That's the same industrial chemical that's contaminated dairy products and sickened tens of thousands of babies across China.
The veterinarian says all the dogs died on farms in one village. The animals are a breed known as raccoon dogs. They're raised for their fur, which is used to make trim on coats and other clothing.
The veterinarian says he examined about a dozen dogs and determined that they died of kidney failure. He says melamine was found in the feed and about 25 percent of the stones found in the dogs' kidneys were made of melamine.
In the milk scandal, the chemical was said to have been added to the watered-down milk to make it appear higher in protein. It can cause kidney stones and eventually kidney failure in humans too.
Monday's news about the dogs is raising questions about the extent of the chemical's presence in China's food chain.
(Copyright Associated Press, All Rights Reserved.)
Add to that the odious fact that these dogs were being raised for their fur on these farms and it all makes up a very sad triumvirate.
Vets for Vets
Take a look at this story from Cnn.com
"Story Highlights
Facility in Texas gives advanced medical treatment for combat-wounded dogs
Hospital director: "We act as the Walter Reed of the veterinary world"
Demand for military working dogs has jumped dramatically since 9/11 attacks
Hospital has operating rooms, digital radiography, CT scanning equipment"
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/10/21/war.dogs.hospital.ap/index.html
"Story Highlights
Facility in Texas gives advanced medical treatment for combat-wounded dogs
Hospital director: "We act as the Walter Reed of the veterinary world"
Demand for military working dogs has jumped dramatically since 9/11 attacks
Hospital has operating rooms, digital radiography, CT scanning equipment"
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/10/21/war.dogs.hospital.ap/index.html
Give a Little When You Buy
This from the North Shore Animal League:
Dear Friends, North Shore Animal League America knows that there is no better gift than the gift of love.When you do your holiday shopping through any of our featured online stores, a percentage of your purchase will benefit the Animal League!And for that special someone who simply has everything, a Gift Donation or Gift Sponsorship to the Animal League is the perfect choice!
http://nsalamerica.org/feature/2008/holiday-store/
Remember, when you shop through the Animal League you HELP SAVE LIVES.Happy Holiday Shopping From the Animal League!
There are other animal resue organizations that may have such online shops and we will keep you posted.
Dear Friends, North Shore Animal League America knows that there is no better gift than the gift of love.When you do your holiday shopping through any of our featured online stores, a percentage of your purchase will benefit the Animal League!And for that special someone who simply has everything, a Gift Donation or Gift Sponsorship to the Animal League is the perfect choice!
http://nsalamerica.org/feature/2008/holiday-store/
Remember, when you shop through the Animal League you HELP SAVE LIVES.Happy Holiday Shopping From the Animal League!
There are other animal resue organizations that may have such online shops and we will keep you posted.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Pet Treats from China, Clandestinely
Why is it that these online pet food companies still do not understand the importance of posting the country of origin for consumable pet products?
Yet another batch of dog treats just received were made in China—information that was not visible on the company’s site. What is it going to take? If everyone who orders anything for their pets online—where the buyer has the disadvantage of not being able to pick up the prospective purchase and see where it is made—contacted these otherwise very reputable and responsible companies about this—maybe then they would get it.
Let them know. Please
Yet another batch of dog treats just received were made in China—information that was not visible on the company’s site. What is it going to take? If everyone who orders anything for their pets online—where the buyer has the disadvantage of not being able to pick up the prospective purchase and see where it is made—contacted these otherwise very reputable and responsible companies about this—maybe then they would get it.
Let them know. Please
Monday, September 22, 2008
Unsolicited paranoia?
It arrived in the mail. Unrequested; unsolicited.
A 7 x 10 envelope screaming THE DOG FOOD BLACKLIST… If you are feeding any of these to your dog—Stop Now and Reconsider! (SEE OTHER SIDE)
Okay. So we turn the envelope over to read:
Warning: Feeding THESE dog foods to your dog could be hazardous to his health!
The canine equivalent of Twinkies (Product named Inside)
The toxic dog chew (Product named inside)
The “real beef” food that’s a real turkey (Product named inside)
The “top dog” of misleading advertising (Product named inside)
INSIDE: Get a FREE COPY of the Special Report many dog food manufacturers hope you’ll never see!
Ordinarily, we are quickly turned-off by so many exclamations and dire bold-face warnings and toss the fear-invoking missive into the trash. But, since it was about dogs, we thought, why not take a look. More to come.
A 7 x 10 envelope screaming THE DOG FOOD BLACKLIST… If you are feeding any of these to your dog—Stop Now and Reconsider! (SEE OTHER SIDE)
Okay. So we turn the envelope over to read:
Warning: Feeding THESE dog foods to your dog could be hazardous to his health!
The canine equivalent of Twinkies (Product named Inside)
The toxic dog chew (Product named inside)
The “real beef” food that’s a real turkey (Product named inside)
The “top dog” of misleading advertising (Product named inside)
INSIDE: Get a FREE COPY of the Special Report many dog food manufacturers hope you’ll never see!
Ordinarily, we are quickly turned-off by so many exclamations and dire bold-face warnings and toss the fear-invoking missive into the trash. But, since it was about dogs, we thought, why not take a look. More to come.
Ordering Pet Products Online
It is one thing to buy pet food and treats in the store where you can actually read all of the ingredients and see where the product is made. But what about shopping online for pet supplies? This is very convenient and you can see varieties not available in a lot of stores. There are a several very reliable sites— www.petfooddirect.com , www.petsmart.com , www.petco.com , to name just a few.
But you mostly are not able to see the country of origin for food or toys—especially worrisome for consumables. For instance, there was a pet chew with the brand name Dingo—you’d think it would be from Australia, perhaps? When it arrived, the package stated the chew came from China. Back it went, maybe not to China, but to the company from whence it came. If the information on the country of origin of this product had been there on the website, the order never would have been placed.
This was mentioned to the company and the reply was something like they didn’t have enough space to put where every product was made. Not much of an excuse, especially considering these bones, chews and treats are going to be given to peoples’ beloved pets, who can’t complain if something they just ate is making them sick. The chances that any of these products could be harmful are probably slim. These are big companies and they know what they re doing for the most part. But putting up a few more lines of text indicating the origin of a product—especially anything to be eaten—seems easy enough. And if they don’t know where these items come from, then shame on them.
But you mostly are not able to see the country of origin for food or toys—especially worrisome for consumables. For instance, there was a pet chew with the brand name Dingo—you’d think it would be from Australia, perhaps? When it arrived, the package stated the chew came from China. Back it went, maybe not to China, but to the company from whence it came. If the information on the country of origin of this product had been there on the website, the order never would have been placed.
This was mentioned to the company and the reply was something like they didn’t have enough space to put where every product was made. Not much of an excuse, especially considering these bones, chews and treats are going to be given to peoples’ beloved pets, who can’t complain if something they just ate is making them sick. The chances that any of these products could be harmful are probably slim. These are big companies and they know what they re doing for the most part. But putting up a few more lines of text indicating the origin of a product—especially anything to be eaten—seems easy enough. And if they don’t know where these items come from, then shame on them.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Pet Products Pitfalls
You are standing in the pet aisle of the supermarket holding two boxes of dog biscuits trying to figure if there is any difference between the store brand and the name brand--except the price, of course. There is definitely a difference in the price. Before you know it, you’ve spent 15 minutes hypnotized by the lounge music trying to make a decision. Will your dog really notice if you pay $2.00 less for the America’s Choice brand of biscuits? Does it matter nutritionally?
We’ll explore this and other issues—such as the negatives and benefits of shopping online for pet products, which pet product sites are better for which pets and what products, and the dilemma of pet insurance.
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