With 2008 having drawn to a close, many radio shows, magazines, and newspapers are taking a look back at the top stories of 2008.  Obviously events like hurricanes, the election, the economy, and bankrupt car moguls arriving in Washington to plead for funds in a private jet topped the list. In keeping with this spirit, it only seemed appropriate to take a retroactive look at the top pet stories of 2008. Here are five of the most widely read pet stories of 2008:

PETCO PET FOOD RECALL
In 2007, pet owners reeled from the knowledge that thousands of pounds of pet food were possibly contaminated with melamine.  Just over a year later, in June 2008, Petco has had to shut down one of its distribution centers as a result of “unsanitary” conditions. The FDA reported that “During an FDA inspection of a PETCO distribution center in April, widespread and active rodent and bird infestation was found. The FDA inspected the facility again in May and found continuing and widespread infestation.” What is most frightening about this is that this problem was originally noted in April and apparently no action was taken at that time.

A ROARINGLY GOOD REUNION
In 1969, two gentleman (John Rendall and Ace Berg) purchased a lion cub from Harrods.  The lion was taken from its cramped and solitary cage and given a home in their London flat.  John and Ace were given permission to exercise their pet (named Christian) in a local churchyard.  Unfortunately, Christian quickly grew too big for both the flat and the churchyard.  Wanting the absolute best for their pet, John and Ace sent Christian to Africa to live in a wildlife sanctuary.  Christian rapidly became the head of his own pride.  A year later, John and Ace went to Africa to visit their beloved pet.  This video of their reunion has been viewed by thousands of people all over the world.

PUPPY MILLS
In July of 2008, the Humane Society of the United States raided a puppy mill in Tennessee and rescued, in addition to over 680 dogs, 25 horses and donkeys, 20 cats, 4 parrots, and 15 chickens. This video, day 3 of the rescue, shows the dogs after they have been transported to a temporary shelter and are receiving food, water, and medical care.

Shows like Oprah took up the cause, helping to raise awareness of the filthy, cramped, and miserable conditions of puppy mills, alerting people to the fact that pet stores and internet “breeders” (do not confuse these people with legitimate breeders who advertise via the internet) frequently provide animals from these horrible places.  For more information on what you can do to stop puppy mills, please visit http://www.stoppuppymills.org. 

MICHAEL VICK
Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick’s operation of a dog fighting ring drew outrage after it thrust the violent practice into the national media spotlight, writes Teri Webster, a reporter for Examiner.com. 47 pit bulls seized from Vick’s property were taken to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary of Kanab, Utah, and other rehabilitative shelters across the country.
The lengthy rehabilitation and re-socialization of some of the pit bulls was documented in the television series Dogtown, on the National Geographic Channel. One of the “prize fighters,” Lucas, became one of the most affectionate and lovable dogs, despite a deeply scarred muzzle from his violent past. But a court ruled he could never leave the sanctuary because of his background. Vick, a former Atlanta Falcons quarterback, is serving a 23-month sentence at maximum-security prison in Leavenworth, Kansas. The NFL suspended him indefinitely without pay. Vick must also pay nearly $1 million to support the facilities caring for his former pit bulls.

POOR ECONOMY IMPACTS PETS
Shelters nationwide have been experiencing a tremendous upsurge in the number of pets being surrended by their owners. Shelters from California to New Jersey are reporting that more and more people are surrending dogs and cats as well as horses, rabbits, guinea pigs and even chickens. The number one reason cited by people being forced to surrender their pets is economic hardship. Shelters, which are literally overflowing with pets, are practically begging owners to try to place their pets with friends and family members. The problem facing the owners is that their friends and family members are frequently in similar situations. So please, if you are considering adding a pet to your family, start by looking at your local rescue organization.

I know a lot of people believe in spring cleaning, I’ve always been more of a new year cleaner. Year after year I resolve that this year I am going to get organized. So the first few days of each new year finds me scouring closets, drawers, and cupboards that haven’t been organized since last year at this time.  Without fail I unearth a variety of items that I have been meaning to take to my local donation center. 

As I pile old towels, pillow cases with holes, and a variety of other odds and ends in the center of my living room, my husband watches from the sidelines (usually to make sure that I’m not secretly donating the shirt which is, apparently, the only shirt he owns that is appropriate to wear when watching Sunday afternoon Football).  This time he also pointed out that most donation centers prefer towels and blankets that do not come equipped with their own ventilation holes.  I explained that these items were not going to our local donation center.  Instead, I was taking them to our local animal shelter.

I subscribe to a free online e-mail tips service called Ideal Bite that provides simple ways to be more environmentally friendly.  The last tip I received alerted me to the fact that many animal shelters welcome items like old blankets, pillow cases, and towels which are perfect for cushioning cage floors.  They wrote that if If 10,000 people take three used jackets to an animal shelter, we’ll keep the weight of 258 adult male Great Danes in materials out of landfills.

Petlane wishes you and your family wealth, health, and happiness in 2009!

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“The good news,” I told my parents over the phone, “was that it was dead.” ”The bad news,” I went on before they had a chance to ask, “was that even dead, it still smelled like a skunk.”  The upshot of this conversation meant that I had brought my parents’ three year old Coton, Shana, back from her walk smelling of eau deskunk.  My dog, Jade, had escaped this fate because Jade favors eating dead things over rolling in them (fortunately Jade does not seem to have developeda taste for dead skunk). Jade in fact is one of the only dogs I have ever met who does not roll in ever cow pie and patch of coyote urine (I walk a lot in a nearby national park) he encounters. 

Shana on the other hand is completely ecstatic when she encounters a large, preferably fresh, wet and slimy, cow pie.  She also likes coyote urine.  And if nothing else can be found, she will settle for a particularly foul smelling puddle - which is usually only about 1/3 water.  I’ll leave it to your imagine as to what the rest of the puddle is composed of - just keep in mind that I walk in an area frequented by horses, cows, and a variety of wild animals.  In theory, Shana knows the command “leave it” - which means “walk away from the dead, smelly, pile of whatever and come racing over to me for praise and a delicious treat.” Astonishingly however, Shana, who will respond instantly to “leave it” when it comes to toys, bones, or a new pair of shoes, becomes completely deaf when the command “leave it” implies that she must stop rolling in the newest smelly discovery.

My friend’s dog is equally partial to yellow slime puddles.  One more than one occasion I seriously contemplated tying Galeet to the roof of the car and driving her home that way rather than allowing her to sit in my back seat.  Dog product inventors take heed - those of us who walk in the great outdoors are in dire need of a small, portable, dog washing system!

So why do dogs like to roll so much in foul smelling things?  The truth is that no one knows for certain.  However, Petplace.com has some pretty convincing theories!

One theory is that dogs are attempting to mask their own scent. This would be a holdover from their origins as wolves. Masking their scent may help wolves sneak up on prey without alerting them by way of smell.  To me, this theory does make sense on one level.  However, wouldn’t rolling in a dead animal make the dog more attractive to predators?

A second theory is that rolling in feces or a dead animal’s remains is a way for a dog to communicate that he’s found something interesting. The dog (or wolf) then transports that smell back to his family (his pack) in order to advertise his discovery.  To be honest, I don’t think much of this theory - unless the communication was meant to be “hey, I found something delicious to eat.”  It seems to me that if this theory was correct, dogs would also roll on toys, favorite treats, and their food.

A third theory is set forth in the book The Truth About Dogs, by Stephen Budiansky. It is possible, Budiansky writes, that we’ve gotten it backwards. The dog may not be trying to absorb the scent; instead he may be trying to impart his own scent onto the object of his interest, for the same reason that a dog may urinate on a tree. The purpose may be no more than to leave a calling card – to overmark a another scent.  This theory is one I had never considered before.  I suppose this might tie into the second theory and the dog is trying to leave his scent as a way of claiming a kill as his own.  This doesn’t explain however why a dog would roll around in coyote urine - it seems that overmarking that scent would only alert predators that he is around!

Do you have a theory about why dogs roll in stinky stuff?  Share it with me and I’ll publish it on my blog!

For many of us, a carriage ride seems to be the epitome of romance. Carriage rides abound in just about every city in America, brides are frequently driven to their wedding in a horse and carriage, and even in winter cities like Lake Tahoe, NV offer horse drawn sleigh rides.  In New York, the holidays bring a surge of tourists to Central Park clamoring for carriage rides.  The vast majority of the carriage drivers are good people who take excellent care of their horses.  Indeed, in New York City cruelty to horses is a crime and carriage drivers, according to the ASPCA, must adhere to the following rules:

I am completely for “dashing through the snow in a one horse open sleigh,” and as long as you are confident that your driver is putting his horse first, you can be comfortable “laughing all the way.”  If you suspect a carriage horse in New York is being abused, you can contact a number of New York authorities including the New York City Department of Health, the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, and the New York City Police Department.

The halls are decked with holly, snow is falling in most of the country, presents are being bought and wrapped, trees are decorated, lights are up, and candles are being lit and parties are being held.  The holidays are meant to be a time of joy and merriment - and nothing can ruin that joy or merriment faster than a trip to the emergency vet because the dog devoured the box of candy meant for Aunt Sue, or the cat cut its paw playing chase with a fallen ornament.  Here are five simple tips for keeping your pets safe and your holiday joyful:

1) Keep the Christmas tree behind closed doors.  Dogs and cats (especially cats) are pretty convinced that you put up a Christmas tree solely for their benefit.  Cats especially are prone to both climbing Christmas trees, and to playing with the ornaments.  The best solution is to keep the tree behind closed doors when you are not at home.  If that is not an option, put a product like Sticky Paws around the base to discourage unwelcome furry visitors.

2) Do not leave live flames unattended. One quick swipe of a dog’s tail can knock over unattended burning candles.  Dancing flames are also attractive to cats and birds.  Avoid singed fur and feathers by keeping on eye on open flames at all times.

3) Avoid using scented candles and air fresheners.  Scented candles, air fresheners, even perfumes and potpourri can be toxic to birds.  To be on the safe side, choose air fresheners that are specifically marketed as safe for pets, and ask your guests to avoid wearing scents.

4) Don’t deck the halls.  According the ASPCA, mistletoe can cause gastrointestinal upset and cardiovascular problems when ingested by pets. Holly can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, and many varieties of lilies can cause kidney failure in cats.

5) Be on the lookout for escapees.  If you have guests coming to stay or are planning to host a holiday party, request that everyone look around for animals before entering or exiting the house.  Cats are natural escape artists and can easily slip out unnoticed.  Dogs too are more than happy to race out a door that is being held open to welcome guests.  You may want to keep your pets in a closed room when a party is starting or ending to ensure that no one slips out unnoticed.

Happy holidays from Tara and the Petlane Team!

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Loki loved to go hiking and camping. By the time she was 6, she had been up and down the West Coast and seen everything from deserts to mountains. During the day, she alternated between roaming the trails and riding around on top of her dad’s Kelty pack. At night, she shared a tent, and frequently a sleeping bag, with her parents. No one in is quite sure how they started taking Loki hiking and camping. After all, it’s not exactly usual to bring your Siamese cat with you when you go hiking in Death Valley or the high country in Oregon.

Although Loki’s parents may have been a little ahead of their time, today it is completely common for people to bring their companion animals on trips of all types.  So if you are planning to hit the road with Fido and Fluffy, here are some tips to make the trip significantly more enjoyable for both you and your furry or feathered friends.

First and foremost, make sure that the place(s) you are planning to stay accepts animals. Petswelcome.com is a great resource for identifying pet friendly hotels across the country.  In addition to providing a vast listing of pet friendly lodgings, this website is a great source for locating everything from pet friendly beaches to emergency veterinarians.

Second, put identification tags on all your animals - even those remaining at home. If you know the information, put a temporary tag on your dog or cat (the ones you get at the airport to put on your luggage work great) with the phone number and address of the home or hotel where you will be staying your trip.

Third, ensure that you have plenty of food and water for your pet. The Pet King Travel Bowl and Jr. Pet King Travel Bowl are compact, lightweight, and feature leak-proof lids. If you are just gone for the day, fill the bowls in advance and bring them with you. They are perfect for picnics and hotel room feedings.

Fourth, put a copy of Pet First Aid in your car or suitcase. This book is approved for use by the American Red Cross and covers just about any situation - from snake bites and bee stings to treating seizures.

Finally, if you are planning to travel by car, make sure that your animal is safely restrained. And never leave your companion animal in a car unattended. According to a study conducted by Stanford University, even if the outside temperature is a comfortable 72 degrees, the temperature inside your car can skyrocket to over 115 degrees within an hour. Every year, numerous pets die in cars because their owners left them in a hot car for “only a few minutes.”

Yesterday a friend of mine came to me and said “I’m planning to be away for the holidays and contemplating kenneling my dog.  I’m worried though because my dog is not very social and absolutely hates being separated from us.  It seems like a better choice would be to hire someone to stay with the dog while I’m gone.  However, I did not have a good experience the last time I hired someone.  What should I do?”

Wow - good question!  It was pretty clear to me that in this case hiring a qualified and competent pet sitter was the best solution.  The question still remained however, how does one find a competent and trustworthy pet sitter?  Pet Sitters International  and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters are two nationally known organizations that provide you with the contact information of professional pet sitters in your area.

Once you have the names of a few local pet sitters, the best thing to do is to conduct an interview.  Pet Sitters International has put together a great interview for you to use that includes questions about the pet sitter’s experience, whether the pet sitter is licensed and bonded, what plans the pet sitter has in case of an emergency, what type of services the pet sitter offers (for example would the pet sitter be willing to walk your dog and take him to the dog park).  If you like what you hear, your next step should be to invite the potential pet sitter over to your house to meet your pet, and to contact any references the pet sitter has provided.

Watching a pet sitter interact with your pet will tell you a lot about whether this is a person you want to hire.  A friend of mine, for example, who is a pet sitter, told me that the first thing she does when she walks into a potential client’s home is to get down on the floor and spend some time getting to know the animals.

Taking the time to find the right person to care for your pet when you are away will ensure that both you and your pet have a great vacation.

My favorite pair of shoes. My parent’s couch - down to the wood frame. A piece of the rug. A piece of the WALL. My cell phone. That list comprises just a few of the items my parent’s puppy Taj ate within two days of coming into our house.  That was over 10 years ago.  Three years ago, wiser and more experienced, my parents brought home their puppy Shana.  Prior to bringing Shana home, they “puppy-proofed” the house, bought a crate, read books and articles on teething puppies, stocked up on toys, and consulted a good friend of ours who is also a trainer.  I assume that it was because of all these precautions that it took Shana three days instead of two to literally sink her teeth into everything she encountered. 

Puppies are cute, loving, funny, animals who require about 20 times more work than you think.  I love my dog Jade and cannot imagine my life without him - but for the first 6 weeks he lived with me, not a day went by when I did not think I had made a mistake.  Between cleaning up puppy accidents, removing the remains of the latest shredded toy, and getting up at 5am because Jade was up and wanted to play, I was too frustrated and too exhausted to really enjoy the new addition to my home.  Since I got Jade, I have spoken to literally hundreds of people with new puppies.  We all agree that puppies are significantly more work than we ever imagined. 

Rescue organizations like the HSUS strongly recommend waiting until after the holidays to get a pet.  The HSUS writes that instead of buying a puppy or kitten as a gift, consider waiting to adopt a pet after the holidays. You could even build some excitement for a post-holiday adoption. You could give a loved one a “gift certificate” from a local shelter, or a snapshot of a shelter pet, or even a stuffed animal representing a shelter pet—all which can be used as “passports” to adopt an animal later. You could also wrap up some useful pet supplies—a dog bowl, a cat collar, a scratching post, or an exercise wheel for a hamster or gerbil (animals that are popular during the holidays)—and give those as “passports” as well.

Another great alternative is to “adopt” a pet from a local zoo or wildlife rescue organization.  Many zoos, like the San Francisco Zoo, and organizations like the World Wildlife Foundation offer animal adoption programs that start at as little as $25 - a lot less than even that first visit to a veterinarian. 

So please, no puppy under the tree this holiday season.

It was Thanksgiving Day. Heidi, the Labrador, was thrilled with the smells in the air and all of the people around her. Mom was testing the turkey, and when she saw Heidi’s doleful eyes, she relented and gave her a little of the skin. Grandma Millie gave Heidi one of the cookies; Uncle Bill gave Heidi a little of his eggnog in her bowl. When they all sat down to give thanks, no one was more thankful than Heidi who was under the table taking food from big and little hands alike.

Three hours later Michael ran to his mother and said that Heidi was sick. Mom would normally have rushed Heidi to the veterinary hospital—but she had a full house of guests. She decided to wait until the next day.

The next morning, Heidi was repeatedly dry-heaving; she had a high fever, and her eyes begged her for help. While the mother rushed her to the vet’s, Heidi had an accident of foul-smelling bloody diarrhea in the car.

What’s your diagnosis of Heidi’s problem?

Thanksgiving evening she had a bout of acute gastritis, a rapidly-forming inflammation of the lining of the stomach. Giving her no more food that evening, an adult dose of Pepto Bismol, and a long walk (something about a long walk soothes gastritis in people and dogs, and colic in livestock) could have stopped the problem there—but it had progressed to Pancreatitis, a potentially deadly inflammation of the pancreas.   It’s extremely painful; any existing bacteria start multiplying at an alarming rate, releasing toxins into the body—and unless stopped by drugs and fluids from a veterinarian, the dog will probably die.

Heidi spent the next two days hooked up to IV fluids and antibiotics and getting only ice cubes to lick for supper followed by a bland diet for the next week.  Fortunately, Heidi survived but such stories all too often do not have happy endings. 

This Thanksgiving Holiday is a golden opportunity to feed your companion animals foods especially prepared to meet their body’s needs.  Petlane’s Pure Woof Gold and Pure Purr Gold have been formulated to provide a healthy and balanced diet and the wide variety of that Petlane offers are the perfect, healthy way to tell your companion animal, “I love you.”

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