Category: Companion Animals

BOOKS | The Last Walk: Reflections on Our Pets at the End of Their Lives

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  November/December 2012:

The Last Walk: Reflections on Our Pets at the End of Their Lives by Jessica Pierce Univ. of Chicago Press (1427 E. 60th St.,  Chicago,  IL  60637), 2012.  263 pages,  hardcover.  $26.00.
Colorado bioethicist Jessica Pierce in The Last Walk alternates between detailing the last year in the life of her dog Odysseus,  Ody for short,  and examining the larger moral, philosophical,  and practical issues raised by the aging and death of pets–for society and culture,  for herself,  and for her family, especially her early-teen daughter Sage.  Read more

What becomes of turtles relinquished to Petco?

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  November/December 2012:

  

SAN DIEGO–Petco is recycling undersized turtles turned into stores by members of the public,  the 1,000-store pet supply chain acknowledged in response to recent PETA allegations,  and is doing business with a Louisiana turtle farm that sells turtles for human consumption to China,  but according to Petco,  the turtles sold to China are not the Petco turtles. Read more

Romancing the Dog: The Struggle To Make A Pound Dog Happy in Beverly Hills

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  October 2012: (Actually published on November 1,  2012.)

Romancing the Dog: The Struggle To Make A Pound Dog Happy in Beverly Hills by Marion Zola Planet Publishing (distributed by Amazon.com),  2012.  331 pages. $12.98 paperback.
Among the most ancient of Indian proverbs is that “Whenever a human is unhappy,  God sends a dog.” .
The first and most important point to understand about dog behavior,  at least from my perspective,  is that almost all dogs are instinctively and contagiously happy and anticipatory,  unless someone is actively trying to make the dog unhappy.  Even then,  most dogs will defy the effort.  Seldom have I met a dog,  no matter how dire and painful the dog’s circumstances,  who did not demonstrate hope that everything would be better soon,  seemingly crediting humans with the ability to work miracles.  I have even met street dogs,  variously suffering hideously from mange,  cancer,  and bones broken by automobiles,  with no evident reason to think well of any human,  who tried to comfort the people who euthanized them. Read more

I’m a good dog: Pit Bulls, America’s Most Beautiful (and most Misunderstood) Pet

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  October 2012: (Actually published on November 1,  2012.)

I’m a good dog Pit Bulls,  America’s Most Beautiful (and most Misunderstood) Pet by Ken Foster Viking Studio (c/o Penguin USA, 375 Hudson St.,  New York, NY 10014),  2012. 143 pages,  paperback.  $25.00.
. The major question in assessing I’m a good dog,  by Ken Foster,  is deciding whether Foster sincerely believes his many misrepresentations,  most of which occur by omission. Read more

Humane community stops Alabama vets from blocking low-cost s/n

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  October 2012: (Actually published on November 1,  2012.)

MONTGOMERY--The Alabama Veterinary Medical Examiners Board on October 10,  2012 unanimously rejected a rule proposed by the Alabama Veterinary Practice Owners Association which could have closed all four nonprofit dog and cat sterilization clinics in the state.

BOOKS: How to Treat Your Dogs & Cats with Over-the-Counter Drugs

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  September 2012:

How to Treat Your Dogs & Cats with Over-the-Counter Drugs and companion edition
by Robert L. Ridgway, DVM IUniverse:  http://bookstore.iuniverse.com
168 and 104 pages,  paperback.  $15.95 and $13.95.

Along with not judging books by the cover. one must sometimes be careful not to judge them by the title.  Orlando Animal Services’ veterinarian Robert L. Ridgway’s handbook How to Treat Your Dogs & Cats with Over-the-Counter Drugs and companion edition of additional advice are useful and practical.  But the mention of over-the-counter drugs in the titles may be misleading.  Ridgway’s books are not pharmacological guides written to help pet keepers avoid the use of prescription medication. Read more

New Pennsylvania dog law chief is Michael Pechert

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  September 2012:

Michael Pechert,  previously Pennsylvania executive deputy secretary for agriculture,  on July 31,  2012 succeeded Lynn Diehl as director of the Pennsylvania Dog Law Enforcement Office. Philadelphia Inquirer animal beat blogger Amy Worden described Diehl, a former bank manager, as “a Republican Party volunteer who had no prior experience in animal welfare or law enforcement.” Read more

EDITORIAL: Pit bulls & political recklessness

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  September 2012:

Editorial feature: Pit bulls & political recklessness

A well-funded and aggressively promoted ballot measure meant to repeal the 23-year-old Miami-Dade County pit bull ban went down to an upset landslide defeat on August 14, 2012, attracting just 37% support–the most lopsided failure of a ballot measure endorsed by major national humane organizations in at least a couple of decades. Read more

Dogs most often listed for sale or adoption

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE, July/August 2012:
Dogs most often listed for sale or adoption
2010 2011 2012 Avg. Ppltn.
________________________________________________
Large retrievers 8.7% 5.2% 8.2% 7.4% 5.2 m.
Pit bull class 4.1% 3.3% 4.6% 4.0% 2.8 m.
Small terriers 2.2% 2.1% 2.1% 2.1% 1.5 m.
Poodles 1.4% 2.0% 2.8% 2.1% 1.5 m.
Setter class 1.0% 2.3% 2.3% 1.9% 1.3 m.
German shepherds 1.7% 1.4% 2.3% 1.8% 1.3 m.
Spaniels 1.2% 2.0% 2.0% 1.7% 1.2 m.
Beagles 1.2% 1.2% 2.3% 1.6% 1.1 m.
Chihuahuas 2.4% 0.7% 0.4% 1.2% 0.8 m.

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