Pet of the Week
These are two kitties that were saved, brought to a cat shelter, and adopted out to fine homes!
It's easy to get your pet into the Pet of the Week feature - here is what you need to do!
When a Cat Says “Let Me In”
Well, suffice to say, a cat wanting in is a whole different story than a dog wanting in. It doesn’t matter if the cat is outdoors and wants inside, or if it is an indoor cat that just wants access to a different room that is closed off to him. If the cat is one place, he wants to be in the other. And what will he do to achieve that goal? Take a look; I just know cat owners will be laughing with a knowing look – we’ve all been there!
Dogs and Cats Blog Too!
You can still have a blog if you have four feet! After all, dogs and cats have things to say too and they are just as interesting as all the nonsense us humans blog about – maybe more interesting! My boys, the Pembroke Welsh Corgis pictured above don’t have a blog but they are still puppies and have the attention span of a gnat (on a good day). Until they have their own blogs, they can pitch in here as a guest at their leisure.
One of the most popular blogs by pets, is authored by Max. Max is a golden retriever living in North Carolina. He has a good readership too, judging from the amount of comments posted on the blog.
So why do pets have blogs? Psychologist Larina Kase of Philadelphia says it is, “21st-century dog walking.” It creates social bonds between pet owners; who better to socially network with than a person who is devoted to their pet as you are? Interestingly, dogs blog a lot more than cats. 34,000 dogs visit “Dogbook,” (like our “Facebook”) daily but cats are clocking in at approximately 20,000 fewer logins each day.
Larina Kase also believes that pet blogging gives pet owners a way to connect with what their dogs or cats might be feeling and experiencing. “Pets are part of the family, yet we can’t communicate with them about many things, so pet owners may blog about their pets as a way to better understand how their pets think and feel,” she says.
My personal favorites for pet networking sites are Catster and Dogster. They are just plain fun sites and very informative as well. The interaction between the pet owners is great. I enjoy looking at the various photos and stories about the dogs and cats. You can meet three of my kitties there; one does have a diary but hasn’t made an entry for awhile. (Hey, her life is busy!!)
Personally were my pets to set up blogs, I believe it would be my cats. As I said the corgis aren’t focused enough yet. That will come in time. But my cats? They have much wisdom to share I am sure. Perhaps they could get together for a joint blog and appoint the polydactyl to the keyboard; with his opposable thumb, I would think he would be a natural!
Dog Blogs
March 7th Recall of Cat Vitamins
The Hartz Mountain Corporation is voluntarily recalling a second specific lot of Hartz Vitamin Care for Cats due to concerns that bottles within the lot may have been potentially contaminated with Salmonella. Hartz is fully cooperating with the US Food and Drug Administration in this voluntary recall. Hartz recalled a specific lot code of Hartz Vitamin Care for Cats last November due to similar concerns. Both lot codes were manufactured for Hartz by UFAC (USA) Inc. in 2007, and were removed from distribution last November. However, bottles from the second lot had been shipped to customers prior to their having been removed from distribution.(FDA)
The Hartz Mountain Corporation Recalls Vitamin Care for Cats Because of Possible Health Risk
The Last Great Race on Earth: The Iditarod
The Iditarod is a race of over 1150 miles, from Anchorage in south central Alaska, to Nome on the western Bering Sea coast. Teams of 12 to 16 dogs and their musher cover miles of the most extreme terrain known to man.
Versus.com
If you have never watched or followed The Iditarod, be warned. You just might get hooked. There is something about this race that just can’t be duplicated in any other sport. Maybe it is the Alaska wilderness. Maybe it is the way the waiting crowds cheer just as much for the last musher as they do the first. Maybe it is the unbridled enthusiasm of each team of dogs. Whatever it is, once you watch the videos of this race, you will want to watch every year.
I can’t even imagine what it must be like to be all alone on the isolated landscape of an Alaska only other dogs and mushers have ever seen. To see that sky at night and to feel the rushing frozen air against your face as you push yourself further than you ever thought you could, must be the most exhilarating experience anyone could ever have.
To finish? A sense of accomplishment like no other. To win? What must it be like to win The Iditarod?
For two years in a row, Lance Mackey could tell us what it would be like. The first win, some thought was fluke but this year, Mackey proved that he and his team had the skill and fortitude to take this last great race, from start to finish, and be first in doing so.
NOME, ALASKA – (March 13, 2007)
Last year Lance Mackey proved the impossible is possible again. The Fairbanks Alaska musher is now in a league of his own. At 2:46 am Mackey (Bib #6) arrived on Front Street after a battle against Mother Nature and a huge field of ultra competitive athletes to claim the crown of Iditarod Champion for the second year in a row. He arrived in Nome with 11 dogs on his team taking 9 days, eleven hours, forty six minutes, forty eight seconds.
Mackey now has the distinction of being the only musher on the face of the planet to win back to back one thousand mile races (The Yukon Quest and The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race) two years in a row. Mackey set the pace in the 2008 Iditarod after taking his 24 hours in Takotna. From that point forward he kept his team together and in front of four time Iditarod Champion Jeff King.
Thousands of fans lined Front Street in Nome to get a glimpse of the 37 year old musher make Iditarod history in a big way for the second year in a row. Mackey was greeted by his family and friends. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin stayed up late and called to congratulate Mackey. He returned the favor and congratulated the Governor on her soon to be “addition to the Palin Family.”
Presenting Sponsor Wells Fargo Representative Loren Prosser presented Mackey a check for $69,000. In addition, Mackey received the keys to a brand new Dodge Ram Pick Up Truck from Presenting Sponsor Anchorage Chrysler Dodge.
Iditarod Press Release
The race may be over, but your ability to check out the highlights isn’t. Versus.com, a sports network on the Internet will begin broadcasting tomorrow, Sunday March 16th, at 7pm EDT. The videos are free so check it out. These are one hour broadcasts and begin with the start of the March 1st start of the race.
The Iditarod Official Web Site
Versus.com Iditarod Race Coverage
Join! The Iditarod Insider – I have been a member for awhile now. This gives you full access to the Iditarod site, up to date information, and all the inside information. Join now and have access for the 2009 race!
Finding a Vet
If you have just relocated to a new town or have acquired a new pet, you need to find a vet. In a perfect world. you would have found one and have already met him or her before you need their services. But the world is rarely perfect and usually an emergency is what makes a person find a vet.
How do you find a vet you can work with, respect, trust, and afford? The best way is word of mouth advertising; nothing beats the recommendation of a friend. But a little more information can be nice.
Vet Locator is the site for you. You can locate a vet easily and in advance of needing one. You can also use this site to find one quickly when you don’t have the time to research and talk to different vets. If you have a pet emergency, you need that animal clinic now.
For people needing particular services, Vet Locator can also help you find vets specializing in holistic animal care and who will come see your pet at your home. That is great for parrot owners or people who are unable to leave the house easily.
I ran a test of the site, entering my town’s zip code and found my very own vet’s office! It really is a wonderful site and resource. Check it out and by the way, if your animal clinic isn’t listed, let them know about this site. You can only help other pet owners!
