By Day, Actress - By Night, Super Hero Animal Rescuer!
Elaine Hendrix, The Pet Matchmaker

Elaine Hendrix is an American actress, producer, singer, dancer, and activist. She is best known for her roles in the 1998 remake of The Parent Trap, Inspector Gadget 2, and the 2004 documentary What the Bleep Do We Know?

In addition to her 100+ acting credits, Elaine has a full-time second career rescuing, adopting, volunteering, lobbying, protesting, speaking, writing, building habitats and more, all on behalf of animals, everywhere.

As if she doesn't have enough to do, she has also started a pet matchmaking service. No, this is not a dating service for dogs, but is to actually match people up with the appropriate pets. Elaine wants people to find a pet that is suitable for them. She does this by finding out a little bit about the person and their lives. This is easy when Elaine is at an adoption event. She can walk around with the person and they can select a pet together. Elaine has been so successful at her matches, that she has only had one pet returned, and this was one where she didn't get to actually meet the person.

Most people adopt an animal on an emotional impulse. They see a pet and think they're cute! They might also see a pet at a rescue event and think that it needs help. Unfortunately, they don't always think about what type of home they have? What type of family do they have? What do their finances look like?

Elaine wants people to be really practical and really reasonable when it comes to getting animals. And if you've already found true pet love, The Pet Matchmaker can help you, too! From expert advice to fun activities and ideas on how to enrich your animal/human bond, The Pet Matchmaker is filled with useful information. They are the ultimate resource community dedicated to the well being of pets and their pet parents.

Elaine is from East Tennessee and currently lives in Los Angeles, CA with her rescue companions, canines: Tiloc, Rossmore and Ellie and felines: Kimbo and Goodie Cornbread. She also has a revolving door of fosters at any given time!

http://www.thepetmatchmaker.com

Medical Marijuana For Pets
Kim Baker, Animal Whisperer

Kim Baker is an Animal Whisperer and Expert in Holistic Health for Animals. She feels that it makes sense to offer medical marijuana to pets, because of how it helps humans medicinally.

Kim mentions a veterinarian in California, Dug Kramer, who gave marijuana to his dog that was terminally ill with cancer. Prior to the marijuana, his dog was incapable of getting up and moving around. After the marijuana, she was able to get up and move around, and was wagging her tail. She obviously felt better. Marijuana is a pain killer, so it improves the quality of life for terminally ill patients.

Dr. Kramer also gave it to ill cats who refused to eat, so that it would increase their appetite.

But how do you administer medical marijuana to pets? Dr. Kramer preferred using a glycerin tincture on his dog, because it allows you to be very precise with the dosage. If this is not available, then there are alternatives such as making it into a food source like butter or oil.

With marijuana being legalized both medicinally and recreationally, pets are getting into their owner's stashes more often. While the marijuana itself is not toxic to the pet, if they get into a food source containing marijuana, such as brownies, this could be a problem due to the chocolate. Also, the complications from the marijuana can be an issue. This can range from them becoming sedated, aspirating their vomit, or even having seizures and comas.

Dogs and cats have the same THC receptors as humans. Therefore, we assume that they would have the same reaction to marijuana as we do. However, there needs to be more research and case studies done to fully understand a tolerant dosage for animals and what their reactions will be.

Medical marijuana should be used as a last resort for our pets. There are so many known pain relievers and modalities that can help with painful and chronic conditions in our pets, that we shouldn't turn to marijuana first.

http://www.kbnaturalhorsemanship.com

3rd Annual Pet Pawparazzi Photo Contest
Steve Pinetti, Kimpton

It's time once again for the 3rd Annual Pet Pawparazzi Pet Photo Contest by Kimpton Hotels.

In 2011, Petey, a Boston Terrier from Seattle won, and in 2012, a Bull Terrier named Chloe from Davis, California took the title. Who knows, maybe your dog can win the title for 2013!

It's so easy to enter. Just visit KimptonPets.com and follow the contest link. You just upload your pet's photo and the public can vote on their favorites. The 20 entries with the most votes will win great prizes from their partners like Olive Green Dog, Polka Dog Bakery, Beran, Quaker, Chewy.com, and FIDO Friendly Magazine.

Animal Radio will then pick one Grand Prize winner from the 20 to win the Ultimate hosPETality Getaway, which includes a 3-night stay at a Kimpton Hotel, tickets for 2 on Jet Blue, a travel pet carrier from Quaker Pet Group, dinners, spa treatments, and more.

The contest isn't just limited to cats and dogs. In the past, there have been entries for bunnies, turtles, lizards, chickens, a calf and a chimpanzee.

So get your camera out and take a great shot that shows the personality of your pet. Perhaps your pet will wear the crown next and you could be packing your bags for a great stay at a Kimpton Hotel. Enter by July 31st.

http://www.kimptonpets.com

The Dogfather's Grooming Tip with Joey Villani

Hair Flair Color Rub
There is a new product out for coloring hair called Hair Flair. Hair Flair is a color rub that comes in a compact case like foundation, and even feels a little like make-up. However, it is a non-toxic hair coloring.

You just put a little on your fingers and then slide your fingers over you dog's coat. It will cover any color, even if your dog has a black coat. However, you just might need to use a little more for a dark coat.

When a dog has a healthy coat, the hair shafts are tightly closed. This is not a bad thing, but it means that they won't absorb the color as well. For a healthy coat, take a little hydrogen peroxide and put it on a sponge, then wipe the areas of your dog you would like to color. Let it dry for about 30 seconds and then apply the color. For the color, follow the directions for the amount of time you need to leave it on the coat. With some color directions, you may need to rinse it off. These directions may be for human use, but you will apply it just the same. The hydrogen peroxide will open up the hair shafts. When the hair shafts open, they will accept the color a little easier.

The Hair Flair Color Rubs come in many different vibrant colors. They are not permanent, but they usually stay on until you wash them off. To make it stay on even longer, a trick is to spray it with hair spray to coat it.

You can have fun with the many vibrant colors and go crazy with your dog!

JOEY'S TIP is brought to you by John Paul Pet, pet care with a salon pedigree. Tested on humans first!

Animal Radio® News with Stacey Cohen

Lab-Grown Beef Anyone?
Lab-grown beef may be getting its first taste test in the coming weeks. According to the New York Times, the Cultured Beef Project run by Dutch Scientist Dr. Mark Post has managed to engineer a hamburger from cattle stem cells. Post grew more than 20,000 thin strips of tissue from cells taken from the neck muscles of cattle and assembled them into a patty. In the coming weeks, Post plans to consume the cultured burger during an event in London, marking the first time a lab-grown piece of beef has been eaten. However, Post admits that he has stolen a few tastes of the meat as he was creating the beef, and says it "tastes reasonably good." Post says he will season the burger with only salt and pepper.

Bird Flavored Ice Cream
The Torimi Cafe in Kobe, Japan, is famous for its birds. Visitors will see 36 in the shop. Recently, the cafe offered three specialty ice cream flavors that ostensibly paid homage to its feathered friends: Java Sparrow, Parakeet and Cockatiel. Yes, pet bird flavored ice cream. Actual birds are not among the "all natural ingredients," but if you're interested, the sparrow flavor is like "the feeling of pressing the breast" inside your mouth; the parakeet resembles "eating some vanilla ice cream in one hand" followed by "taking a whiff of a parakeet in your other hand;" and the cockatiel tastes like "when you're sleeping with your mouth open and your cockatiel runs over your face and gets its leg in your mouth."

Firefighters Care For Dog During Gas Leak
A Camp Springs man is singing the praises of Prince George's County firefighters for the way they treated his dog during a neighborhood gas leak. James Hunt says he was really touched to find a note explaining how they cared for Duffy. Hunt says he cannot believe how much Captain Donny Fletcher took the time to make sure the golden retriever was okay and wants people to know there are some great public servants in Prince George's County. The note, written on a piece of cardboard, also explained that Duffy had, quote, "torn up some stuff up prior to our arrival."

Alligator Succeeds Where Police Failed
Pinellas County, Florida deputies got some unusual back up when a fleeing suspect was snagged by an alligator. Deputies tried to pull over Bryan Zuniga after the 20-year-old was seen swerving in his car. Zuniga allegedly jumped out of the passenger side of his car and kicked a hole in a fence to make his escape, but it ended up being a short-lived escape. The suspect showed up at a local hospital a few hours later with puncture wounds to his face and arm after he was attacked by an alligator near a water treatment plant. He was taken from the hospital to the Pinellas County Jail.

Delisting Grey Wolves
Despite the concerns of some Washington ranchers, a group of scientists and conservationists is trying to stop a proposal to almost completely remove gray wolves from the Endangered Species List in the Western U.S. The Los Angeles Times reported the proposal on April 26th. The farmers are concerned about their livestock, but Donald Barry at Defenders of Wildlife says our state has arranged good coexistence between gray wolves and livestock. But many ranchers are still concerned. Barry says a recent delisting of gray wolves in Montana and part of Eastern Washington has already let farmers kill most of the wolves in those areas.

Little Looove Story
A Florida man got a little canine assistance with his marriage proposal. According to the Sun Sentinel, Chad Moreau arranged to have his fiancee-to-be, Tiffany Galpern, pick up his Boston terrier Molly from the groomer in Plantation, Florida. When Galpern showed up, the pooch was sporting a pink shirt that read, "Will you marry my Daddy?" At that point, Moreau appeared, dropped to one knee and popped the question with his own additional clause. He asked if Tiffany would marry him and be "Molly's mom forever." Galpern answered "yes" to both, and later said the proposal was "definitely unique and definitely unexpected."

Shelter Pets Named Official State Pet
Governor John Hickenlooper is signing two pet-friendly bills into law. Senate Bill 201 names shelter pets as the official state pet. The second measure, Senate Bill 226, the "Dog Protection Act," will require local cops and sheriff's departments to provide canine behavioral training for officers so they can better determine when a dog presents a threat. The new law is the first of its kind in the nation, and it comes after several incidents where police officers shot dogs when responding to calls. Hickenlooper brought along his shelter dog "Sky" to the bill signings, which took place yesterday at the Denver Animal Shelter.

NEWS UPDATE brought to you by Drs. Foster & Smith, affordable pet supplies. Low prices every day, so you save on every order.

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