When Joy Behar isn't making us laugh, you might find her cuddled up with her Shitzu's. She says that the person who sold her the dogs said they were Shitzu, "but there's nothing Shitzu about them," she raves.

Joy lives in a tenement style setting. Family is apparently an important priority for the television host.
"My daughter and her husband share custody of two mutts (Gracie & Tallulah) and a cat that weighs as much as the dog," says Behar. "Benito (her cat) likes to wake me up out of a dead sleep at 5 in the morning."

Her pets roam the house as if it were their own. She says despite what dog trainers say about letting your dog sleep in bed, her dogs are always welcome. "You can always find an marriage counselor that says 'don't let your husband in bed.'"

Hear this special Animal Radio® broadcast on XM Satellite Radio ch. 158 (America's Talk) Saturday August 28th at noon EST and rebroadcast Sunday August 29th at 5pm EST.  Animal Radio® also broadcasts on 99 AM/FM radio affiliates, including KOST 103.5 Los Angeles. See more listening options at http://AnimalRadio.com

Since 2003, Animal Radio® is the "most-listened-to" animal programming in the U.S.; created to educate, reduce surrenders and to help animals live long, healthy and happier lives.

"Which makes sense given the utilitarian relationships people in rural areas are more likely to have with a range of different animals -- from farm to wild animals," David Blouin of Indiana University South Bend says in a statement. "People who think of their pets as their children often re-evaluate this thought when they have human children of their own."

Whether the pet was seen as a child, a companion or just another animal, albeit a useful one, affected the frequency of owner-pet interactions and veterinarian visits, Blouin says.

Veterinarians were visited at least yearly by 93 percent of dog owners and 77 percent of cat owners, and pet owners spent 2 or more hours daily were with their pet by 81 percent of dog owners and 67 percent of cat owners, the study finds.

The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association.

As with everything in life there is a right way and a wrong way to approach it. The veterinary waiting room is no different.

Sure, veterinary hospitals need to make their waiting areas hospitable, manageable and safe. And when they have little space to work, with the staff should offer alternatives for pet owners whose pets are anxious, aggressive or poorly contained. But that doesn't mean you get a pass when it comes to exercising some common sense and exhibiting basic courtesy at the vet's place.

PAW PRINT POST: 10 questions to ask your vet about pet meds

But it's true that one man's common sense and concept of courtesy is another's opportunity for genuine cluelessness. We don't all know what's expected of us. That's why I've put together this quick list of what NOT to do in your veterinarian's waiting room.

No. 1: Don't fail to contain your cats. Even if your cat is the sweetest thing on record, some other animals may not agree. The last thing we want is to see in our lobbies is an altercation in which one animal dies. Cat carriers are cheap and widely available. Use them.

No. 2: Don't give dogs free reign. The business end of the leash should be in your hands, not at your dog's head. If you can't keep him close and controlled then it's time to ask the receptionist if there's a better place for your pet to wait.

And here's an important corollary: Don't use retractable leashes! These tools have their place, but it's not in a veterinary hospital. If you must use one at the vet's, make sure you know how it works and keep your pet perma-locked on the shortest setting.

No. 3: Don't bring in animals you cannot personally control. Not unless you've made arrangements for direct assistance. It may seem convenient to bring all of your pets in at once for basic care but that's NOT what's safest.

No. 4: Don't do the puppy park meet-and-greet thing. The vet's is not the dog park. It's a strange environment in which pets don't always act the way you expect them to. Moreover, in a veterinary hospital the onus is on us to keep your dogs safe. Legally, we're liable if your dogs fight. Please keep all pets apart. After all, no matter how well you know your pet, can you honestly say you know someone else's?

No. 5: Don't pet other pets without asking first. Again, the vet's place is a strange and stressful environment. And yes, if you get bit it's on our dime––not to mention our conscience.

No. 6: Give the cellphone a rest. In a place as potentially anxiety provoking as the vet hospital, cellphones can be a hazard. Even if you don't feel the anxiety your pet certainly does. She deserves the comfort of your undivided attention for her safety and her stress level. And those around you don't want to hear your life's details, anyhow.

No. 7: Don't walk a dog into a packed waiting room. If the lobby is crammed wall-to-wall with pets, don't chance it. Ask someone to let the receptionist know you're waiting outside. Or use your cellphone for something really useful, for once.

No. 8: Don't fail to tell the receptionist ahead of time if your pet is severely anxious or aggressive. All hospitals appreciate the warning when you make your appointment. It gives us a chance to offer you back-door alternatives or other concessions to your pet's unique behavior issues.

No. 9: Don't bring small children unless you can't help it. A busy animal hospital is tough on small kids. They're not old enough to benefit enough from the educational experience relative to their risk of getting hurt.

No. 10: Don't be rude. Courtesy is king. Kill them with kindness. Etc. I shouldn't have to offer you so many versions of the same cliché, but the fact that they all exist is fine testament to their utility ... or perhaps to their futility. Hmmmm ...

American Airlines spokeswoman Mary Frances Fagan said Tuesday that necropsies on the puppies were inconclusive but found that heat "may have been a factor."

The puppies died soon after the flight from Tulsa, Okla., landed in Chicago on Aug. 3. Cargo handlers in Chicago noticed they were lethargic and took them to a veterinarian's office.

Fagan said the flight complied with company policy that prohibits shipping animals when outside ground temperatures exceed 85 degrees.

The National Weather Service recorded 86 degrees in Tulsa while the plane, which was delayed from taking off for an hour, was still on the ground at 8 a.m. But American relies on temperatures reported by The Weather Channel's website, and Fagan said those readings "at loading, pushback, take-off and arrival" were within the 85-degree limit.

Fagan also said the puppies that died might have had other health problems because 17 other dogs survived the same flight. The seven who died were among 14 puppies put on the plane by a shipper that the airline declined to identify.

American declined to release the necropsy reports on the dead puppies. The airline said it carries more than 100,000 dogs a year.

The puppy deaths outraged animal-rights groups. The Humane Society of the United States and the Animal Legal Defense Fund called on government officials to investigate whether the airline violated federal rules on shipping animals. In 1994, the U.S. Agriculture Department fined Delta Air Lines $140,000 after 32 puppies suffocated in the cargo hold of a jetliner that was delayed for two hours.

The U.S. Transportation Department said last month that 122 dogs have died while being shipped on planes since May 2005, when airlines were first required to disclose the deaths. Animal-rights groups say the numbers vastly understate the problem because airlines only report pets that are killed or lost — not animals shipped by breeders, as was the case on American.

Last week three U.S. senators asked the Transportation Department to require airlines to report all deaths of dogs and cats, including those shipped by breeders and handlers.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recommends that owners avoid shipping pets in the cargo hold. Most airlines, however, will only allow pets in the passenger cabin if they are small enough to fit in a carrier under a seat.

Now safety experts are warning that driving with your pet is a major distraction that could be deadly.

Twenty-one percent of those questioned for a new survey of dog owners who've driven with their pets say they've held their dogs on their laps, and 55 percent say they've pet their dogs while driving.

Seven percent have given food and water to their dogs while driving, and five percent say they've played with their dogs while behind the wheel.

Safety experts say most drivers don't realize that a dog moving around the car, or sitting on someone's lap, can injure or kill people in the car during a crash -- especially if an airbag deploys.

An 80-pound dog left unrestrained during a crash at 30 mph exerts 2,400 pounds of force in a vehicle, according to Motivation Design LLC, a company that manufactures pet travel products, including restraints, under the brand name Kurgo.

The company says it can be dangerous for the dog and anyone in its path.

The AAA organization and Kurgo were partners in the survey of 1,000 dog owners who have driven with their pets in the past year.

Illinois state troopers say dogs often become territorial and protective of their owners when police and emergency responders try to rescue people inside wrecked vehicles.

Rescuers sometimes have no other option than to shoot the animal in order to help the driver and passengers.

Best Friends Pet Resort, scheduled to open Aug. 27, will offer not just boarding, but also bedtime stories and a water park for dogs.

The luxury facility will accommodate way more than 101 Dalmatians. With more than 50,000 square feet of space, half of it outdoors, it has room for 270 dogs, 30 cats and assorted other animals, including birds, potbellied pigs and small mammals such as hamsters and guinea pigs. (Sorry, no turtles, snakes or lizards.)

Standard indoor boarding for dogs runs $37 nightly. For additional fees, you can get services such as doggy play group or bedtime stories for pooches accustomed to snuggling up with children while a parent reads aloud. (On the Best Friends reading list: The Poky Little Puppy.)

Upgrades for dogs include vacation villas with outdoor patios and flat-screen TVs for watching videos such as Homeward Bound ($59), or 226-square-foot luxury suites ($76) with private outdoor play yards and personal pet concierges.

Cats can choose between two- and four-story condos.

In addition to the water park, Best Friends offers play groups, outdoor runs, walking trails and areas for playing ball or Frisbee.

Pets can be left for the day without overnight boarding, and owners can drop by to visit or play on their way from hotels to the park.

"We know that people who bring their pets with them to Disney want to see their pets," said Deb Bennetts, spokeswoman for Best Friends, which operates more than 40 pet-boarding facilities around the U.S. "If they were simply going to board their pet, they would board their pet at home. They want to see and interact with their pet while at the resort, so we've made it easy for them to do that with all of this wonderful outdoor space."

The Best Friends resort will replace five existing kennels at Disney World and will be on Bonnet Creek Parkway within the Disney complex directly across from the Port Orleans resort.

The study involved survey questions about how much time people spent with their animals, what they did together, and how often the pets got medical care. The last question was a proxy for how well the animals were cared for.

"In all cases for dogs and cats, except for cats going to the vet, children adversely affected the animals," study researcher David Blouin, a cultural sociologist at Indiana University South Bend, told LiveScience. "People with children spent less time with their animals and took them to the vet less often."

That's not to say that parents neglected or mistreated their pets. It just turns out that the way we view our pets depends a lot on our social context, Blouin said.

Pet Nation
Pet ownership is incredibly common in America, with over 60 percent of households claiming at least one pet. The way people interact with their pets has also shifted over time, Blouin said, which made him wonder what other factors make a difference in how people see their relationships with a pet.

To investigate, he mailed surveys to 1,900 dog and cat owners in Indiana.

Almost 600 people, 307 dog owners and 271 cat owners, responded. The results showed that, for the most part, people really love their pets. Almost 93 percent of dog owners and 77 percent of cat owners took their animals to yearly veterinarian appointments. Fewer than 1 percent of dog owners and 4 percent of cat owners admitted to never taking their animals to the vet.

Pet owners also reported spending lots of time with their animals. Over 80 percent of dog owners and 67 percent of cat owners said they spent more than two hours a day interacting with their pet. All but a few percent of people spent at least some time with their pets each day.

Defining the relationship
To find out more about how people felt about their pets, Blouin arranged in-depth interviews with 35 dog owners. He found that people reported intense emotional attachments to their dogs; often, the dogs would sit on the owner's lap throughout the interview.

"It was moving at times to see how attached people were and how much they did get from their relationships," Blouin said.

Blouin's previous research has found three types of pet owners: Dominionists, who are fond of their pets but view them primarily as useful animals, not companions; Humanists, who see their pets as practically human; and Protectionists, who see animals as separate beings that humans have a responsibility to help and protect. The last group includes many people who take in foster pets or volunteer to care for abandoned animals.

He found that people who live in rural areas tend to hold more Dominionist attitudes, while those in cities are slightly more likely to hold a Humanist view. He also found that people with children reported that their attitudes changed with the birth of their child. Before the birth, he said, people reported feeling like their pet was their child. After having a kid, they were less likely to hold that attitude.

The findings could explain, in part, why people with kids spent less time with their pets, Blouin said.

"Part of it is time and money, perhaps just not having the resources," he said. "But also part of it is about definition."

Fortunately for fluffy companions everywhere, this less-sentimental view toward pets tends to shift back after the children grow up. Empty nesters often reported that relationships with their pets were stronger after the children left the house.

Walking the dog
Even if you view your pet more as a useful animal than a fuzzy child, it may be wise to not set your cat or dog aside when a new baby comes along. Pet ownership can be enormously beneficial, said Rebecca Johnson, a professor of nursing at the University of Missouri and director of the Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction. Studies have shown multiple benefits to interaction with companion animals, from lowered blood pressure to increased survival after heart attack.

Johnson and her team have studied the health effects of dog-walking on people over 60. They've found that people who walk with a dog from an animal shelter increased their walking speed by 28 percent, compared with no significant increase in people who walked with a human companion. Part of the reason for the difference may be in the dose of doggie enthusiasm, said Johnson, who was not involved in the current research.

"If treadmills provided the kind of reinforcement that dogs do, we wouldn't have the obesity epidemicthat we do," she said.

Even better, she said, the dogs that participated in the walking program were more likely to be adopted and less likely to be euthanized — just the kind of result to make a Protectionist smile.

The following dry pet food products are included:
Product Name Version "Best-By" Dates UPC Codes
Iams Veterinary Dry Formulas All dry sizes and varieties 01Jul10 – 01Dec11 All UPC Codes
Eukanuba Naturally Wild All dry sizes and varieties 01Jul10 – 01Dec11 All UPC Codes
Eukanuba Pure All dry sizes and varieties
01Jul10 – 01Dec11 All UPC Codes
Eukanuba Custom Care Sensitive Skin All dry sizes
01Jul10 – 01Dec11 All UPC Codes

The affected products are sold in veterinary clinics and specialty pet retailers throughout the United States and Canada.

No salmonella-related illnesses have been reported. However, in cooperation with FDA, P&G determined that some products made in a single facility have the potential for salmonella contamination. As a precautionary measure, P&G is recalling all products made at this facility.

People handling pet food can become infected with Salmonella. It's important to wash your hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product. Symptoms of Salmonella poisoning include: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever.

Infected pets may have fever, abdominal pain or decreased appetite. Infected pets may be carriers. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

For further information or a product replacement or refund call P&G toll-free at 877-340-8823 (Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST).

A new theory coming out of Pennsylvania State University suggests that the interaction between animals and humans played a key role in the evolution of humanity. Penn State anthropologist Pat Shipman has just published her paper "The Animal Connection And Human Evolution" in the latest edition of Current Anthropology.

Her research introduces the idea that the domestication of animals drove the development of tool-making and language, both of which have driven the success of mankind, according to Physorg.

"Establishing an intimate connection to other animals is unique and universal to our species," said Shipman. Shipman indicates that the animal connection had a major influence on human evolution, genetics, and behavior.

While Shipman acknowledges that there is an increasingly intimate and reciprocal set of interactions between animals and humans -- interactions that compel humans to adopt animals as pets -- she states that the it all began when humans began observing and exploiting animals.

After watching animals and observing their habits, more than 2 million years ago, humans switched from a vegetarian diet to a meat-based diet. Shipman said this happened because humans invented stone hunting tools that enabled them to compete with other predators, according to Thaindian News.

"We shortcut the evolutionary process," said Shipman. “We don’t have the equipment to be carnivores."

Animals were then domesticated as an extension of tool-making. Shipman described domesticated animals as living tools that also provided valuable renewable resources.

Domesticated animals were utilized for their muscular power beyond human strength, use as transport and for raw materials. Managing these living tools required some way to express and retain this information and out of that need, the development of languages were formed.

Shipman hypothesizes that this animal connection, "gave a selective advantage to humans who had better abilities to observe, draw conclusions, communicate, and to make a new sort of living tool."

Shipman is also in the process of developing a book on her findings called "The Animal Connection".

Police found four-year-old Navarro in a cage, his fur covered with oil, crushed red peppers and chilli peppers, in the boot of 51-year-old Gary Korkuc's car. The animal was discovered when traffic officers pulled Korkuc over for failing to stop at a stop sign in Buffalo, New York.

"The cat appeared to be marinating in it," a police spokesman said.

Korkuc then reportedly told officers he was punishing his cat for being ill tempered - and told them he planned to cook the cat.

Navarro was taken into care by the local branch of the SPCA which cleaned him up - and has already found the four-year-old a new home and a new name - Oliver. Korkuc was arrested with on one count of animal cruelty.

SPCA spokesman Gina Browning said staff at the shelter were shocked to see the creature covered in oils.

"He was covered in oil, he was covered in salt, a few different kinds of peppers, some hot peppers, so his eyes were watering...who knows what he was facing," she said.

Workers had to give the animal two baths to wash him off. The SPCA has banned Korkuc from owning an animal in future.

Now, a study shows that contaminated pet foods can sicken people, not just animals.

One pet-food-related outbreak, which stretched from January 2006 to November 2008, sickened at least 79 people, half of whom were age 2 or younger, according to a study in today's Pediatrics. Many more probably fell ill, given that many cases of foodborne illness are never reported.

Children don't have to put pet foods in their mouths to become ill, says study author Casey Barton Behravesh, a veterinarian at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In her study, sick children were no more likely to have played with or eaten pet food than other children.

Instead, people were at risk for salmonella simply because they fed their pets in the kitchen, Behravesh says. People who became ill may have spread the bacteria around the kitchen because they failed to wash their hands after pouring dog chow into a bowl or handing the cat a treat.

The Food and Drug Administration has announced more than a dozen recalls of pet foods and treats since 2006 because of salmonella contamination, according to the article. Procter & Gamble announced a recall of its Iams and Eukanuba brands last month because of the "potential" for salmonella contamination.

Salmonella can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramping, according to the FDA. Salmonella is most dangerous for babies, small children and anyone with a weak immune system, Behravesh says.

An estimated 1.4 million Americans become ill with salmonella each year, and 400 die, according to the study. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can act as carriers, spreading the illness to people, the FDA says.

To reduce the risk of spreading salmonella, Behravesh says, people should wash their hands thoroughly after handling pet food or treats. Pet owners also shouldn't feed animals in the kitchen. After beginning her investigation, Behravesh — who lives with a dog, a cat, a bird and a 4-year-old — says she moved her pet's feeding area out of the kitchen and into the sunroom.

Pet owners should avoid washing pet bowls in kitchen sinks or bathtubs, where the bacteria could spread to food or people. Parents also should not bathe infants in sinks, the study says.

Other potential sources of salmonella infection for children are petting zoos and riding in shopping carts next to raw meat or poultry.

Pediatrician Rachel Vreeman of the Indiana University School of Medicine approves of the CDC's recommendations. But she notes that pets also have health benefits for kids, who are less likely to develop allergies if they grow up with animals.

Fourteen puppies were being shipped on a 6:30 a.m. flight Tuesday from Tulsa, Okla., to Chicago that was delayed about an hour by storms, according to the Associated Press. The plane sat on the ground in temperatures that hit 86 degrees before 7 a.m.; however, an American Airlines spokeswoman told the AP that temperatures in the cargo hold are kept between 50 and 70 degrees.

Once the plane landed, baggage handlers at O'Hare International Airport thought the dogs appeared lethargic and they tried to cool down the puppies before all were sent to be checked by a veterinarian. Five died initially and two died later.

"We are in the midst of a very thorough and detailed investigation of everything related to this unfortunate incident, including every detail that occurred before, during, and after the flight," American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith said in an e-mail. "We are also awaiting results of autopsies on all of the deceased animals."

Criticism from the animal protection community and comments on the airline's Facebook page has been sharp.

Michael Markarian, chief executive of the Humane Society of the United States, described the incident as a "tragedy that could have been avoided" if the culprit turns out to be heat in the cargo hold. "This incident should spur everyone to be reminded of the potential hazards of transporting pets on commercial airlines, even when traveling with their own animals," Markarian said in a statement.

Wednesday 100 dogs were loaded up in a truck headed to a shelter in Madison, N.J. The Louisiana SPCA, the Humane Society of the United States and American Humane Association have teamed up for this big transport. The animals are from various shelters around the area including St. Bernard Parish and Plaquemines Animal Welfare Society.

Monday, Pamela Anderson tried to help out also. Anderson, the honorary chairman of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, was in New Orleans to help relocate about 50 dogs from Louisiana to Virginia.

"People can't afford to feed their families, so the family member that gets left behind and has to go is the pet," Anderson said. She ended up adopting two of the dogs.

Once the dogs are in Virginia, PETA will work with the Virginia Beach SPCA to find homes for them. "There are so many more pets than homes, but we think that by bringing attention to it, people are going to be inspired to help and adopt some," Anderson said.

The 100 dogs headed to New Jersey will be available for adoption through the following organizations: St. Hubert's in Madison and North Branch, Noah's Ark in Ledgewood, Mount Pleasant Animal Shelter in East Hanover, Monmouth County SPCA in Eatontown, Animal Alliance in Lambertville, Somerset Regional Animal Shelter in Bridgewater, Humane Society of Atlantic County in Atlantic City, and the Franklin Twp. Animal Shelter.

The dogs are being transported from the following organizations: West Bank Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter, East Bank Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter, Terrebone Parish Animal Shelter, Animal Rescue New Orleans, Plaquemines Animal Welfare Society, Saint John Animal Shelter, Saint Charles Animal Shelter, Louisiana SPCA, Zeus's Place, and Saint Bernard Animal Shelter. They are expected to arrive in New Jersey Friday at noon.

Many have been given up by loving families who can no longer afford them.

Meera Nandlal with the Houston SPCA was on hand to welcome 26 animals that arrived from Louisiana today.

"All of the shelters in that area are overflowing with animals from people who have had to relinquish them because of the gulf oil spill. They just can't take care of them anymore."

Dorothy Brumfield with the Louisiana SPCA was happy to arrive in the bayou city.

They took several breaks during the 5-hour journey.

"They actually have the room and the capability to find them new homes. Our shelter is doing the same, making more room for more animals, we're just trying to get them in a place where they can find a new start."

Eventually 90 Cajun canines will get a fresh beginning in the Bayou City.

It's just the latest challenge for the Houston SPCA which has been inundated with animals.

Nandlal says they can handle it.

"It's been back to back this week with just over 1,000 last week and then we had the 100 horses and the 46 dogs and 26 dogs here. But I know there are a lot of people out there who are able to help these animals and who are able to adopt."

The SPCA has a 40,000 square foot facility. It makes use of satellite farms and foster families.

But they are donor funded and could use the public's help.

The SPCA has an open door policy. They will not turn away any animal in need.

All 26 dogs are now on line and ready for adoption.

As someone who shares my home with animals, house fires easily rank among my top five worst nightmares. And with good reason - just yesterday, a home in Oregon burnt to the ground with five animals inside. It's estimated that half a million pets are affected by house fires every year. As many as 1,000 fires annually are started by companion animals.

The number one way that your cat or dog becomes a firebug is by turning on the stove. The AKC tells the story of Chris and Kay Wardlow whose dog wanted to check out a cake that had been left on the stovetop and her paws hit the knob, turning on the gas burner. Some of my friends have laughed at the plastic childproof bubbles over the knobs on my stove, but after the day my dog walker came into my house to find it reeking of gas from the burners (most likely turned on by my cat, Wild Bill), I've rested a lot easier knowing that the appliance will stay off until someone with opposable thumbs is ready to cook. You can also remove the knobs on your stove to prevent accidental ignition.

The next big danger - and perhaps the most obvious - is an open flame. That goes for fireplaces and candles. Never leave your pet unattended around open flames and make sure any flames are fully extinguished before leaving the house. Fireplaces should be covered by a grate or screen and candles should be where you can keep an eye on them at all times. You may also want to consider flameless candles for mood lighting. The flickering bulb may not be as romantic, but it's a lot safer.

Now for the less obvious. You know that sadistic hobby some kids have of using a magnifying glass to torch ants? Glass water bowls left outside on wooden decks can have the same effect. Sunlight filters through the glass, heats the water, and sets the wood beneath on fire. If you keep a bowl outside for your pets, stick with stainless steel or ceramic.

There are a few things you can do to keep your pets safe from fire when you're not home. Prevent potential disasters by keeping curious pets away from fire hazards. Kitchens are a tempting place to keep young puppies since the floors are easily cleaned, but that also means the puppy is closing to appliances that could start fires.

The Wardlows had an ADT-monitored smoke detector, so when their dog turned on the stove, the fire department was alerted in time to save the house and the pup. Systems that are connected to emergency responders add a layer of protection that's not provided by battery-operated smoke detectors. (However, it's a good idea to make sure that, at the very least, you have smoke detectors of some kind and test them monthly to make sure they're working properly.)

Also, make it easy for firefighters to rescue your pets. Keep their collars on and keep them in areas that are easy to access. You can order a free window cling from ADT to alert firefighters that there are pets inside, and how many to look for. You can also get free Pet Fire Safety Window Clings today at volunteer firehouses nationwide, thanks to the National Volunteer Fire Council.

The 8- or 9-year-old patas monkey, named Eujo, escaped from his cage shortly before 10 a.m., running roughshod through his owner's Arcadia home. Hamilton County Sheriff's Deputy Vicky Dunbar said a juvenile in the home suffered a slight cut and a bump on the head, while the dog was bitten and its ear torn by the 3-foot-tall, 30-pound simian. The family "was held hostage" by the monkey until the owner, Bobbi Phelan, was able to coax him back into his cage minutes before Animal Control officer Tom Rogers arrived. Phelan didn't know how Eujo escaped from the enclosure.

Phelan has had Eujo as a pet for at least six years, but has kept him in a cage for the last four because of his increasingly vicious nature. The 911 caller told officers that once the monkey hit puberty, he became "a wild animal," Dunbar said.

The Sheriff's Department will seek to have Eujo deemed a vicious animal by the Hamilton County courts, Dunbar said, but wouldn't be able to take the monkey unless it attacked someone again.

Barbara Abell's 2-year-old Westie, Darci, lunged at a buzzing chainsaw recently, getting a little too close and tearing two holes in its upper lip. The accident required surgery, and Abell submitted a $339 claim to Veterinary Pet Insurance, which paid $148.

It was one of more than 80,000 claims received in June by VPI, an arm of Nationwide Insurance.

Competition for the dubious honor is intensifying as the number of consumers buying pet insurance is on a long-term upswing. More than 2,000 U.S. companies offer VPI as an employee benefit.

In Illinois, VPI has 20,825 policyholders, up 179 percent from 2004. In Chicago, VPI has 5,363 policyholders, a 215 percent rise. Nationally, VPI insures nearly 500,000 pets so the percentage of pets covered is still relatively small.

A recent survey by The Associated Press and Petside.com, an online source for pet owners, found that more than 40 percent of pet owners are worried they won't be able to afford health care for a sick dog or cat.

Just like coverage for people, there are several types of pet insurance policies. Earlier this month, for example, PurinaCare Insurance Services Inc. added an Accident Only Policy priced at $9 a month for cats and $12.50 a month for dogs.

Also last month, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners shared tips for picking the best insurance to protect your pet. The NAIC's consumer alert can be found at insureuonline.org.

VPI employees pick the month's most unusual claims. May's winner was Charlie, a Ramona, Calif., desert tortoise with a scalp condition.

Last year, Americans spent $12 billion to pay their vet bills, according to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. That's twice what pet owners spent just 10 years ago.

For many people, investing in an ailing pet's life "improves the quality of a human life immeasurably more than, say, buying a luxury car," Dr. Patty Khuly, a vet at Miami's Sunset Animal Clinic, told the AP.

These days, vets are using increasingly sophisticated medical techniques on the 77 million dogs, 90 million cats, and all the other pets that live in the U.S. The treatments are neck in neck with what humans can expect if they fall ill. The reason for all the high-tech pet care? The changing role of the pet in our society," Khuly told the AP.

The Animal Medical Center in Manhattan is home to a half-million-dollar, cutting-edge 3-D imaging scanner that was a present from a client whose pet was saved there. The AMC, which is a not-for-profit research and teaching facility, has 81 vets. No fewer than 27 have certification in fields like endoscopy, neurology, oncology, radiology and cardiology.

The center treats pets like Alpha, a Bernese mountain dog with terrible back pain, who gets electrical neuromuscular stimulation via a light laser. He also exercises on an underwater treadmill and lies beneath a heat pack to help his lumbo-sacral disease.

Painful arthritis in a pet now can be healed with a $4,000 stem cell transplant not approved for humans, according to the AMC. And a surgical procedure to repair dogs' torn knee ligaments at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine is proving to be so successful it is now used to treat NFL players, according to the AP. Also pioneered at this school is an image-guided radiation technique that targets pet tumors and leaves surrounding tissue unharmed. Called TomoTherapy, it's also used on people - several hundred machines are used globally on human cancers.

The AMC sees 40,000 patients a year and not all are cats and dogs. They've also treated lambs, iguanas and even a ring-tailed lemur- a primate that hails from Madagascar.

Who's paying for all this care? Some people have pet insurance, some have interest-free credit cards for vet bills, and hospitals offer payment plans. And for those who can't afford treatment for pets with illnesses that could prove fatal, the AMC raises funds.

A program called Guaranteed On Board by the Sherpa Pet Group provides pet owners with the vital information they need, including which pet carriers are compliant with airline regulations and which airlines require a recent pet health certificate before traveling - preventing any last-minute surprises at boarding time.

Argus, a 16-month-old exotic shorthair cat, got to travel in-cabin with his owner, Jooy eon Kim, during their flight last December from New York to Athens.

"I had so much anxiety since I had never traveled with Argus on a plane before and had no idea what the airline rules were. The [guaranteed] program reassured me that I would not be denied bringing Argus on the airplane. It was like I had insurance in case something went wrong," said Kim, a 38-year-old New Yorker who learned about the program after going to Petco to buy a pet carrier. "I went to the Sherpa Web site, answered a few questions, printed out the document and brought it with me to the airport. It was very easy to do and I recommend it."

Many airlines, including American, United and Delta, have teamed with the Sherpa Pet Group in hope of easing the stress involved with lugging along a pet. If a passenger does get turned away at the airport and misses a flight because of their pet carrier, the Sherpa Pet Group guarantees to refund the cost of the individual's ticket and their pet's airline travel fee.

"For years, we've been getting a lot of customer service e-mails asking: 'Is my carrier the right size? Are you sure it will fit? Do you guarantee I will get on the plane with my pet? What happens if I cannot get on the flight?'" said Tim Ford, CEO of the Sherpa Pet Group, explaining that consumers would frequently tell him airline Web sites would say one thing about the dimensions of their carrier and the Sherpa site would say another.

"There was a lot of uncertainty. We could not guarantee the program because it depended on the airline attendant who was supervising that day," Ford added. "This program guarantees the airlines will educate their staff about these requirements."

Unlike the hard-sided pet carriers that many of the airlines are familiar with, the Sherpa carriers are soft-sided and have a special patented design that allows the carriers to be pushed down and conform to underseat dimensions, according to Ford. Pets eligible for the program must weigh a maximum of 22 pounds, although some airlines' requirements vary in weight.

American Airlines, which transports more than 100,000 pets per year - half in the cabin and half in pet carriers as checked baggage - was the first airline to team with the Sherpa Group to implement the program.

Earlier this month, Jim Bancroft of Manhattan flew to Rochester with his 11-month-old miniature schnauzer, Winston. Bancroft learned about the program while surfing the Internet. Although he didn't sign his dog up, he feels there is a need to have a procedure like this in place.

"Airlines are notoriously unaware of their own pet policy. I spoke to an airline person on the telephone and the person insisted they did not take in-cabin pets. I told them this was the third time I had traveled with my pet on the same exact flight." said Bancroft, "The GOB program sums it up for you."

For more information about the Guaranteed on Board program, go online and visit www.sherpapet.com.

"Here comes the wire up the artery!" said Dr. Chick Weisse, who infused the dog's cancerous liver with chemotherapy via a catheter at the century-old Animal Medical Center in Manhattan in an effort to "buy him some time."

Brute was home in days, the cancer at bay a while longer — perhaps eight months. The cost: $2,000.

Around the nation, veterinarians are practicing ever more advanced medicine on the nation's 77 million dogs, 90 million cats and a myriad other animals — treatments that vie with the best of human medicine. The driving force is "the changing role of the pet in our society," said Dr. Patty Khuly, a veterinarian at Miami's Sunset Animal Clinic.

The bottom line for many people, she said, is that investing in a pet's life "improves the quality of a human life immeasurably more than, say, buying a luxury car."

In a radiation suite at The Animal Medical Center, a black cat named Muka was undergoing a CT scan for a lung problem. A medical team hovered over the tranquilized animal, injecting contrast dye and poring over digital readouts to diagnose the problem: chronic pleural fibrosis.

The new, half-million-dollar Toshiba Aquilion — one of the latest, fastest 3-D imaging scanners — was a gift from an owner whose pet was saved at The AMC, a not-for-profit research and teaching facility. The AMC offers 24-hour emergency care using once-unthinkable procedures like heart surgeries, MRIs and ultrasounds. It has a staff of 81 vets, including 27 certified in fields such as radiology, endoscopy, neurology, cardiology and oncology.

They train 18 interns and 24 residents, including two from Italy and one from Croatia this year.

Khuly, who has an MBA and a veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania, says more people have come to believe that investing in their pets' health enriches their own lives. And that, she says, has prompted young vets to enter specialty medicine.

The result is the kind of cutting-edge care The AMC gives to a mammoth Bernese mountain dog named Alpha for his lumbo-sacral disease, marked by excruciating back pain. He receives electrical neuromuscular stimulation via a light laser, is exercised on an underwater treadmill and lies under a heat pack.

Alpha comes in twice a week with his owner, Dr. Paul Greengard, winner of a 2000 Nobel Prize for research on the human nervous system.

Though many Americans don't get the kind of care their pets do, there are often no limits to what they'll do to save the animals — spending $12 billion last year paying veterinary bills, according to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. That's about double what owners spent a decade earlier.

"In terms of priorities, some might find it unusual that we might spend thousands for animals and yet millions of Americans are uninsured," said David Magnus, director of Stanford University's Center for Biomedical Ethics. "Realistically, the amounts spent are vastly less for animals. It's a lot and it is increasing, but it's a drop in the bucket compared to the amount spent on health care for humans."

He added that with medical breakthroughs, veterinarians are now having discussions about quality-of-life issues involving pets. "There's a whole discussion about whether you want an animal's miseries prolonged at the end of life," he said.

"It's apples and oranges," Dr. Dianne Dunning, associate professor and director of the Animal Welfare, Ethics and Public Policy program at North Carolina State University, said of comparisons to the amount spent to relieve human suffering. "It's an individual's judgment call to spend what they feel is appropriate. If we stopped spending on our pets, would that decrease human suffering in the world? I don't think so."

In some cases, advanced medicine perfected on pets leads to procedures then applied to humans.

The AMC says animals' painful arthritic joints are now being healed with stem cell transplants not yet approved for humans. The cost: $4,000.

At the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, a new surgical technique to repair torn knee ligaments in dogs was so successful that it's now being used on NFL players, said Dr. William Gengler, director of Wisconsin's Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.

Wisconsin also pioneered treating cancers in animals with TomoTherapy — image-guided radiation that targets only the tumor, sparing surrounding tissue. That's achieved by pinpointing the diseased tissue with a 360-degree CT scanner, then opening radiation windows precisely at the needed location, Gengler said.

TomoTherapy is now state-of-the-art treatment for people, with several hundred such machines being used worldwide on human cancers.

Among the recent pet beneficiaries was Scout, a Wheaten terrier that belongs to a family in Mequon, Wis.

Kathy Hrkac and her husband had bought the dog for their two daughters, "and he was a family member, full of life and love," she said — until suddenly, about two years ago, blood started dripping from the 5-year-old terrier's nose and he had a hard time breathing.

The diagnosis: a quickly spreading nose cancer that left him with about one month to live.

"It was heart-wrenching," Hrkac said in a telephone interview from her home.

Scout underwent TomoTherapy about a year and a half ago and it spared his mouth and eyes, which likely would have been damaged by conventional radiation, Gengler said.

The Wisconsin veterinary school at first shared a TomoTherapy machine with the university's medical school. Private donations have funded a $3 million unit opening in January — the first in a U.S. veterinary facility, Gengler said.

He said a treatment like that for the Wisconsin terrier would now cost at least $6,000. But at this veterinary hospital supported by academic grant money, the Hrkac family paid $3,000.

In New York, The Animal Medical Center sees about 40,000 patients each year, from dogs and cats to lambs, iguanas and a ring-tailed lemur, a primate native to Madagascar.

Some end up in the ICU, with a soundtrack of beeping monitors surrounding stainless steel cages crisscrossed with tubes and wires. Plexiglas cubicles are for creatures needing emergency oxygen.

Khuly said such sophisticated medicine is within reach thanks to pet insurance, payment plans offered by hospitals like AMC and interest-free credit cards for veterinary bills.

AMC also raises funds for owners whose animals might otherwise die because they can't afford pricey treatments.

The most advanced pet medicine involves "high-tech procedures with highly qualified people performing them — and it's expensive," said Jennifer Fearing, chief economist for the nonprofit Humane Society of the United States in Washington, the world's largest animal advocacy organization.

She said she doesn't feel pioneering veterinarians are overcharging for reaching to the edge of medical science.

Until such treatments become mainstream, with supporting insurance, says Fearing, owners can opt for effective, more affordable care that still saves lives.

As Kristi Linauer, a Waco, Tex., interior decorator, put it: "Pets have become family members. We love them like children, so people are naturally drawn to anything that gives our pets a special place in our homes."

For some animal lovers, that means not just buying aesthetically pleasing pet supplies, but creating their own animal-friendly design solutions to complement their human-centric décor.

Amy Britton, an interior designer who owns Artisan Kitchens in Osterville, Mass., on Cape Cod, said that more of her clients are asking her to include amenities for their pets as part of their renovations. One example is a kitchen island with alcoves for food and water dishes, drawers for leashes and treats, and roll-out storage bins to hold bulk kibble.

"People are trying to do a better job at planning everything out and accommodating the whole family, pets included," Ms. Britton said.

Keeping pets happy helps prevent unwanted behaviors, said Kate Benjamin, who runs the blog Moderncat in Phoenix and recently created a line of cat products, like artfully shaped scratching posts. "Integrating pet-friendly design into your home makes for a more serene environment for both you and your pet," Ms. Benjamin said.

For Kim Johnson, who runs the home-design blog Desire to Inspire in Ottawa, Canada, that meant installing a small door in the hatch leading to her basement during a kitchen renovation, so her cats could get to the basement-level litter box as needed.

"I hate it when designers say you shouldn't decorate for your pets," Ms. Johnson said. "If I didn't, my cats would be miserable."

Table for Three

Mrs. Linauer, the decorator in Waco, Tex., shares her 834-square-foot condo with her husband, Matthew, 36; a dog, Boo; and two cats, Powder and Peeve. When Boo began eating out of the cats' bowls on the floor, Mrs. Linauer, 37, tried putting them on the kitchen counter.

"I know some people don't have a problem with that," she said. "But I just envisioned their little paws digging through the litter, then getting up on my kitchen counter, and that was disgusting."

Then she had an inspiration: a few months earlier, a neighbor had given her an old secretary desk. Mrs. Linauer realized, after seeing a feeding station online, that she could turn the desk into something similar for her pets.

She removed the hatched door, the bottom drawers and a shelf inside, then cut out three holes large enough to nest stainless steel dishes in - one on the top shelf for her cats and two at the bottom, for her dog and for a shared water bowl. To top it off, she made a foam-and-down cushion with a zippered cover.

The project took two weekends and $80. Friends have asked her to build another, but for now, Boo, Powder and Peeve are dining and snoozing on a one-of-a-kind.

A San Francisco Menagerie

"When I tell people how many animals live in my tiny space, they always think they're going to walk in and be overpowered," said Kasie Maxwell, 39, who shares her 660-square-foot Bernal Heights home in San Francisco with her partner, Ron Love, 40, and a dog, a cat, three doves, three turtles and one goldfish.

A home with such a menagerie might be expected to look like a scaled-down Petco, but Ms. Maxwell, who owns an online holistic pet supply store, and Mr. Love, who works in finance, have managed to maintain their style.

"I hate how pet stuff looks," Ms. Maxwell said. So instead of buying a pricey aquarium for their 40-something Reeves turtle, Martha Mayhem, she bought a 150-gallon galvanized-steel livestock tank. The makeshift pond serves as a home for the turtle and a room divider that separates the couple's bedroom from the living room.

To make tank cleanups easy, Ms. Maxwell kept decoration to a minimum, with basic rocks, an ultraviolet lamp and simple plants.

The other two turtles - a pair of three-toed box turtles - live in a redwood pen the couple built in the backyard. A cedar aviary Ms. Maxwell designed is on the other side of the yard, with a thermostat-controlled ceramic heating element to keep the doves warm (one of them suffered injuries under the care of a previous owner and gets cold easily).

Inside, the couple's 12-year-old Great Dane, Ben, rests his achy 160-pound frame on a custom-made bed.

"It's always been a big deal finding bedding that's got enough structure for a Great Dane's weight and joints," Ms. Maxwell said. "A lot of people will buy twin beds or a baby mattress."

She and Mr. Love tried a few foam beds, but found that they compressed under the weight of Ben and his sister, Minna (who died recently). So Ms. Maxwell sought help from her friend, Susan Schroder, who owns Cushion Works, a custom maker of cushions and pillows in San Francisco.

The corner dog bed she helped make has lasted three years and is a stylish solution for their small space. Made of high-density foam, it has a pet pad insert that acts as a pillow top and a zippered flax linen cover that can be removed and laundered.

A Temple for a Hound

Keiji Hirose, an architect in Kobe, Japan, has a firm called Fauna+Design specializing in residential design that takes into account the needs of animals. Recently, he completed a renovation that included accommodations for a basset hound.

With limited space in an 808-square-foot condo, the client, Toru Hirose (no relation), wanted dog supplies in one place, hidden from view but accessible to his hound, Marco. Also, the apartment is on the 15th floor, so he wanted an alternative to taking the dog for a walk.

Mr. Hirose's solution was a wall-to-wall cabinet in the dining room that hides a dog crate on the left and a stainless steel tray with urine pads on the right. The open space in the middle is an entrance and a place for food and water bowls. Cabinets above hold dog food, treats, bedding and training pads.

"How you plan a house influences a dog's behavior and spirit," Mr. Hirose said.

Thinking Outside the Litter Box

When Sue Golmanavich, 63, a teaching assistant, and her husband, Joe, 64, a semi-retired information technology specialist, began a bathroom renovation at their home in Osterville, Mass., they asked Ms. Britton of Artisan Kitchens to include a litter box for their cat, Aslan, in the design.

The three came up with a plan to conceal the box in a cubbyhole in the wall, and the rest of the bathroom was planned around it.

The small space was lined with galvanized sheet metal to make cleanups easier, and the joints were soldered to ensure that accidents did not soak into the home's wood frame. When it was time to build out the bathroom's ventilation system, Ms. Britton expanded it to include an exhaust vent in Aslan's lavatory.

The addition was planned early on, so the cost was negligible, Ms. Britton said, adding less than $200 to the renovation. "As with anything with design," she said, "pre-planning is critical."

Upward Mobility

"When I had cats growing up, they were always able to go outside," said Bill Hilgendorf, 30, who lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Maria Cristina Rueda, also 30. "We felt a little guilty having our cats confined to a relatively small apartment space."

A late-night cat food commercial inspired the couple, who are furniture and graphic designers, to build a bright yellow staircase that runs along one wall, over a doorway and above the stove, where it meets the kitchen cabinets. The piece - made from a four-by-eight-foot panel of fiberboard, cut into seven-inch-wide strips with remnants of industrial carpeting on top - took a weekend to build.

"We wanted to make something that was a design element, but didn't take over the space," Mr. Hilgendorf said. "We painted it yellow, because we wanted it to be an architectural element. But it's also very narrow, so it doesn't encroach on the room too much."

They weren't sure if their cats, Miles and Attila, would actually use it, he said, but it didn't take long for them to turn the addition into their own personal jungle gym. "At night they do this loop," he said. "They run up and then jump down onto the refrigerator and chase each other around."

Best known as "Hotlips Houlihan" on the long-running M*A*S*H sitcom, Swit has spent much of the last decade helping animals live better lives.

Swit has three cats and a Yorkie named Munchkin. Her Turkish Angora cat has diabetes and is off at the vet. Swit says her absence is really apparent.

"I can't imagine life without little things running around the house. It's amazing how you integrate with their spirits and souls," say Swit.

Loretta Swit is also joined by the President of the Humane Society of The United States (HSUS), Wayne Pacelle.

The conversation quickly centered around the Gulf oil spill. "Energy production comes with it's costs. We'll be dealing with this for years. I'm sick about it all the time," says Pacelle.

Hear this special Animal Radio® broadcast on XM Satellite Radio ch. 158 (America's Talk) Saturday July 24th at noon EST and rebroadcast Sunday July 25th at 5pm EST. Animal Radio® also broadcasts on 99 AM/FM radio affiliates, including KOST 103.5 Los Angeles. See more listening options at AnimalRadio.com

Animal Radio® is the "most-listened-to" animal programming in the U.S.; created to educate, reduce surrenders and to help animals live long, healthy and happier lives.

Bankers Laura Garner and Robert Hardon left their beloved five-year-old French Bulldog Percy in the care of a dog sitting agency in Queens called Doggie Love for one night in July 2009. Now they are suing the dog sitters for $1 million saying that Percy got overheated in the back of the Doggie Love van and was then dumped at their apartment and left to die alone.

Garner and Hardon were just gone overnight and returned home to find their pet dead. He had died laying in front of an air conditioner in the apartment.

The lawsuit states that because of the nature of the flat-faced breed of dog, Percy already had trouble breathing and regulating his body temperature. The worker drove the dog to the couple’s Upper West Side apartment in the back of an enclosed van, causing him to get overheated. He was then dropped off inside the empty apartment even though he was obviously in distress.

According to the lawsuit, the building’s doorman and a federal judge who lives next door noticed the dog’s condition and asked if they could get him some water.

A veterinarian examined Percy’s body and found that his body temperature was ‘notably high’ and that he had suffered seizures.

In their lawsuit, the couple stated that ‘The emptiness that has been left by Percy’s death and the anguish we suffered has not and will never be filled or go away.’

Nilo Mathias, the owner of Doggie Love, told the couple that ’sometimes, dogs just die’, according to papers filed in Queens Supreme Court. In an official statement, the company said:

Although the death of this dog is tragic, without an necropsy, the ultimate cause of death cannot be determined. We are confident that once Doggie Love has the opportunity to defend itself in court, it will be fully vindicated.

Here is a picture of Percy, the French Bulldog who died in the care of the dog-sitters sued for $1M.

There are so many new rules and regulations coming out of the federal government that its hard to keep up with them. There’s restrictions on buying soft drinks in San Francisco, new ’sin taxes’ for eating, drinking or smoking the wrong things (marijuana is okay, cigarettes are not okay) and so many more in those thousands of pages of legislation that no one really knows whats there. We seem to just be finding out as the new laws are implemented. One that is making news today is that airports install pet bathrooms or, as they are called, relief areas.

Washington area bathrooms are doing their part and have the new doggie relief areas in the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has installed these doggie poopie areas at the Reagan National and Dulles airports.

Of course, for people who travel with their pets, as I do sometimes, it is convenient. Taking them outside, through the mazes and security of airports is a real problem sometimes.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports has opened several new ‘pet relief areas’ at both Reagan National and Dulles for both service animals and family pets. The new areas include fake grass (astro-turf) and fake fire hydrants, because as we all know, dogs are so particular about their personal hygiene (that’s sarcasm).

Actually, only five of the dog bathrooms have the fake fire hydrants on artificial grass and they located at Dulles Airport. Two are located inside the terminal and three are located outside. The inside locations feature a unique ventilation and flushing system.

Reagan National Airport has all of their dog bathrooms outside on natural grass. These outside potty areas comply with the recently implemented federal regulations for airports. Honestly, I’m not sure how these outside areas differ from the outside areas that many airports have for dogs needing to do their business while traveling. I’m sure there are pages and pages of regulations for it though.

You can find out where the pet areas are located in the airports by going to the airport websites and clicking on the ‘airport services’ tab. Here’s a picture of one.

So next time you are traveling and paying all the extra fees for luggage, food, drinks, parking, etc., just remember that the airlines and airports have to make a profit in spite of having airport pet bathrooms added under the new Federal regulations. The costs, as always, will be passed down to the consumer. Thanks Uncle Sam!

The late King of Pop recruited leading throat specialists to see if they could implant vocal chords into Bubbles.

But the plan hatched in the mid-80s had to be abandoned when the experts warned the procedure could harm the chimp.

La Toya told UK newspaper News of the World: “Michael always wanted to know how to make Bubbles speak and talk.

“He wanted to give him vocal chords and asked doctors, ‘Can I give him an operation so that I can know what his thoughts are?’”

Jackson had to move Bubbles out of the family home in Encino, California, in 1988 after he got too big.

The chimp moved to a California monkey sanctuary but still paid regular visits to Jackson’s famous Neverland ranch.

Now aged 26, he has been living in an ape sanctuary in Florida in recent years.

La Toya broke down in tears when she visited Bubbles for a TV special in May.

Troopers said the truck driver was OK. The monkey had to be coaxed down from its perch.

The meat plant sent another truck to pick up the carcasses. State and county highway crews were sent to help clean up the mess.

No charges have been filed. The crash is still being investigated.

Last week, we wrote about the Maltese that died in a van when its owner went swimming. Max is an exception to that sad story, according to television station WFMZ.

Donna Gardner of Allentown, Pa., was running errands recently. She says she doesn't know what made her forget Max was with her but when she went home, she left him in the car. She didn't know it until an hour later when she heard the car horn. Max was thumping it. At first she didn't see anything in the car, and went back to cleaning.

Then the horn honked again, and she looked outside and saw Max sitting in the driver's seat. She took him out of the car, cooled him down with wet rags, gave him water and called the vet. Max, an 11-year-old chocolate Labrador, is fine. His family is lucky.

If you have an active dog who doesn't want to slow down in the summer, check out this story about vests and collars you can buy for your pet to help keep them cool.

The food for both cats and kittens may be contaminated with Salmonella according to the FDA.

The product containing ground bone is the Natural Chicken Formula – 2.5 pound size produced on June 10, 2010.

Feline’s Pride is made on an as-ordered basis and is shipped to consumers in uncoded plastic containers. The recall affects only orders that were placed and shipped June 10th through June 17, 2010.

So far, the FDA reports it has received no reports of illness due to the Salmonella contamination but cautions pet owners to thoroughly wash all surfaces and their hands after handling raw food.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

When asked why he has never had dogs as part of the family, Asner replies, "In my peripatetic life it's much easier to live with cats. They don't commit Harry Caray in my absence."

"My cat 'Weezy' sleeps on top of my head, " says Asner, "sometimes I can't breath." His other cat is Archie.

Ed Asner is set to co-star opposite Tom Arnold in a new sitcom on CMT called Regular Joe. The show was remodeled from an ABC show of the same name. Ed says he feels good about the pilot.

Hear this special Animal Radio® broadcast on XM Satellite Radio ch. 158 (America's Talk) Saturday July 17th at noon EST and rebroadcast Sunday July 18th at 5pm EST. Animal Radio® also broadcasts on 99 AM/FM radio affiliates, including KOST 103.5 Los Angeles. See more listening options at AnimalRadio.com

Animal Radio® is the "most-listened-to" animal programming in the U.S.; created to educate, reduce surrenders and to help animals live long, healthy and happier lives.

As a result, pet jobs for animal care and service workers are expected to outpace jobs in other sectors and grow by 21 percent from 2008 to 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For those who love animals and want to cash in on caring for the cute and cuddly, here are some in-demand, pet jobs. Most don't require formal job training and allow you to set your own hours and work schedule.

These pet jobs also offer low-cost points of entry. The one downside for all: Work-related injuries and illness for animal care workers is higher than the national average, reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics. To find out if pet jobs fit into your future, read on.

Professional pet sitters care for pets in the pets' own homes, giving them water, food, and attention once or twice daily for about an hour at a time while their owners are away. Some sitters even provide overnight stays.

Income potential: Pet sitters usually charge hourly per-visit fees. Holidays and summer months are the busiest seasons, with early morning and late evening hours typical for these pet jobs, says Ali O'Connor, a pet sitter and owner of Inko's Exemplary Pet Care Services in Naples, Fla. O'Connor charges $35 per hour and more for pets who have special needs and sits for five to 25 pets per week. After barely breaking even her first two years, O'Connor made $32,000 last year working "full throttle."

Startup costs: Because you are entering someone's home and are responsible for the pet 24/7 while owners are away, O'Connor strongly recommends pet-sitting insurance and bonding. Others costs include a reliable car, gas, pet treats and toys.

Check out: The National Association of Professional Pet Sitters in Mt. Laurel, N.J., offers a certification program that includes pet handling, business skills and first aid for these pet jobs.

Dog walkers typically work -- and walk -- six to eight hours per day, with one or more dogs. Some also offer obedience training. All walkers pick up poop en route.

Income potential: Dog walkers earn $30,000 to six-figure annual incomes in these pet jobs, with averages around $40,000 to $60,000, estimates Veronica Boutelle, founder of DogTec.org, which offers several resources in running dog-related businesses. Dog walkers charge an average hourly fee from $15 to $25, depending on whether the dog is walked in a pack or alone.

Startup costs: Startup costs for these pet jobs are extremely low, says Boutelle. It includes "a vehicle, if needed, some marketing, some education," she says. Aside from a business license, some park districts and city governments are beginning to require local permits for dog walkers, Boutelle says. DogTec's four-day Dog Walking Academy and certification program costs $550 and is offered in locations nationwide.

Check out: DogWalker.com, an online directory of dog walkers around the country, offers educational resources for those starting out.

Groomers get Fido and Fifi looking dapper (yes, there are cat groomers, too) through combing, bathing, nail-cutting and shearing.

Income potential: Pay is $75,000 to $100,000 per year, estimates Debra Kusch of Kusch's Canine Cleaners in Aloha, Ore. Kusch charges on the low end, from $25 to $30 per hour and grooms eight to 10 dogs per day, five days a week. To see if you want to become a self-employed groomer, Kusch suggests working for someone else first in pet jobs such as bathers or combers.

Startup costs: Groomers operate out of their own home, a shop or a mobile grooming van. Costs for basic grooming supplies and home modifications, such as pet tubs and crate dryers, are minimal, Kusch says. Starting your own shop costs $50,000 to $150,000 in major cities, according to online resource PetGroomer.com. Wag'n Tails Mobile Pet Grooming Conversions Inc., in Granger, Ind., offers basic trailers starting at $32,180 and its Pet Stylist Elite van for $83,192.

Check out: The National Dog Groomers Association of America Inc. in Clark, Pa., offers educational programs.

It may not sound pleasant, but it's worth holding your nose to be a professional pooper scooper, picking up pooch potty in the backyard.

Income potential: There are an estimated 800 professional scoopers nationwide, according to Tim Stone, founder of the Association of Professional Animal Waste Specialists in Santa Clarita, Calif., many who earn up to $100,000 per year in these pet jobs.

Most charge about $45 per month for a once-weekly cleanup. Stone, who has operated Scoop Masters in Santa Clarita for 22 years, spends less than five minutes at each clean-up site and works about 25 hours a week.

Startup costs: A reliable vehicle, a pooper scooper tool for $10 to $45 and some plastic baggies are all you'll need, says Stone.

Check out: The Association of Professional Animal Waste Specialists offers business resources, including an annual industry conference.

Don't view pet massage as a luxury business, say Ali O'Connor, a certified massage therapist and owner of Inko's Exemplary Pet Services in Naples, Fla., says pet massage isn't a luxury service. She works on referral from veterinarians.

A pet masseuse helps animals manage chronic pain and aging, and recovery from injury or surgery. "It's actually more of a maintenance and rehabilitative thing for animals," she says.

Income potential: Full-time pet masseuses may net $15,000 to $60,000 per year in these pet jobs, estimates Megan Ayrault, a licensed massage therapist and founder of AllAboutAnimalMassage.com.

Hourly fees are comparable to what is charged human clients in the same geographic area, says Ayrault. That amounts to $25 to $150 per hour.

O'Connor provides massage therapy for two to five pets per week and charges $45 to $75, depending on how often the pet needs massage and the complexity of the massage.

Startup costs: You'll need formal training for these pet jobs; several states regulate the industry through their departments of health. Ayrault estimates educational costs at $900 to $7,000. You'll also need insurance.

Check out: The International Association of Animal Massage and Bodywork in Toledo, Ohio, maintains a list of state regulations and a list of member schools.

Some 60 to 70 concerned animal advocates, pet owners, and pet store proprietors gathered to discuss a possible recommendation by the commission to stop selling all pets in the city except fish.

"We've never had a meeting of this size and concern before," said Commissioner Phillip Gerrie.

Although the original idea of the bill, which would have to pass the Board of Supervisors to go into effect, was to cut down on kitten and puppy mills, it has already morphed into other concerns.

Gerrie expressed concerns about how many "smalls," little pets like hamsters and gerbils, are euthanized each year because pet owners don't realize that the cute little critters can be a noisy, destructive handful. Gerrie seemed to be coming very close to what some critics have charged - that the real goal is to discourage locals from owning pets.

"When," he asked, "do we stop the exploiting, the buying and selling of animals?"

But most of the early speakers were more focused on caged tropical birds. Mira Tweti, the believe-it-or-not-named author of "Of Parrots and People," had a PowerPoint presentation about captive parrots and the tribulations they must endure. And a representative from In Defense of Animals called for a ban on breeding, selling and keeping birds - unless the person is rescuing the bird from an abusive home.

And while it was admittedly wrenching testimony, the average pet owner probably wanted to know if he or she would be able to buy a puppy at a local pet store. As commission Chairwoman Stephanie Stephens said, no one wants to see an animal mistreated, but what about the responsible pet owner who keeps an animal in good condition and forms a mutual bond of trust and affection?

Nope, testified the bird advocate, they shouldn't have a pet either.

In a town where it is often said that dogs outnumber children, that's going to be a tough sell.

- C.W. Nevius

Funding for Muni: The federal government awarded nearly $7 million to San Francisco on Thursday to relocate a bus facility near the Phelan Loop to help improve transportation efficiency and pedestrian safety in the area near San Francisco City College.

In selecting San Francisco from 281 applications for funding, the federal government said construction of the new facility would pave the way for new retail stores and housing, as well as landscaped green space, near public transportation.

The federal government said the relocation of a bus turnaround and a holding area in place since the 1930s will be key to improving the Municipal Transportation Agency, which is expected to see ridership grow by more than 40 percent by 2030. Muni currently has about 700,000 weekday boardings.

The money was part of a larger $293 million program that seeks to improve coordination among investments in commercial and housing developments and public transportation.

The government also agreed to fund projects in Orange County, San Joaquin County and Union City.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, said the program would benefit San Francisco.

"It will increase public transportation options, while reducing congestion and our dependence on foreign oil," she said.

"The funding for the Phelan Loop Bus Facility will spur job creation for San Franciscans while generating new affordable housing, retail and green, open spaces."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/07/08/BAKI1EBLPK.DTL#ixzz0tDDd6Las

The ShelterCare gift program was first launched in 2002. The program was designed to meet the unique needs of newly adopted dogs and cats and for animal welfare organizations to incorporate as a value added service in the adoption process. The gift program provides up to 45 days of insurance, covering the seven most common illnesses suffered by pets adopted from shelters as well as the four most common accidents that occur to dogs and cats when introduced into a new home environment. Since the launch of the ShelterCare program, over 2,806,774 million adopted dogs and cats have been covered under the program.

Positioned as a gift offered by animal welfare organizations to new pet parents, the program is also designed to help reduce the return rate of adopted animals coming back into shelters. The ShelterCare gift program is exclusive to animal welfare organizations using Pethealth's PetPoint animal management system, the most widely used management software application in North America.

"Having the ShelterCare Gift of Pet Insurance as part of our adoption package at the Erie County SPCA has not only protected tens of thousands of animals leaving our shelter, but has professionalized our programs, encouraged adoptions, and enhanced our reputation as a first-class place to acquire a pet," said Barbara Carr, Executive Director of Erie County, SPCA.

In 2009, coverage under the program was expanded, allowing adopters to increase coverage from 30 to 45 days and also for those living in rental accommodation to take additional coverage for damage that their newly adopted pet causes to the rental unit.

The success of the gift of insurance program is attributed to the fact that the program enables shelters to redirect their limited financial resources elsewhere rather than having to use them to cover unexpected veterinary fees post-adoption or provide 30-day health guarantees.

"We are extremely proud of the support we provide to animal shelters and adopters. Providing the gift of insurance to animals adopted from one of our partner shelters has proven to be a vital and valuable piece of the adoption package. By covering illnesses and accidents that are most typically seen post-adoption, the ShelterCare Gift of Insurance helps to reduce the number of adopted pets returned for health reasons and the amount of time spent having to handle post-adoption health-related incidences," says Mark Warren, President and CEO of Pethealth Inc.

ShelterCare pet insurance is but one of several brands offered in the United States and Canada by Pethealth, which is now the second largest provider of pet health insurance in North America. Since the Company was founded in 1998 and claims totalling over $125,000,000 million have been paid out to pet owners.

Garvey says he's the opening act for “Tillman the Skateboarding Dog” at his new job as spokesperson for Natural Balance Pet Food.

When Natural Balance asked if Garvey would skateboard alongside the dog, he replied "absolutely NOT … unless you strap me on and put cement around my ankles."

Garvey will be hosting "Dog Days" at several baseball games across the country. He said there's nothing more American than pets at a baseball game. And despite 500 or so dogs inside an arena, it all goes smoothly. "Ironically the dogs are very quiet during the game until the fans start cheering."

Hear this All-American Animal Radio® broadcast on XM Satellite Radio ch. 158 (America’s Talk) Saturday July 3rd at noon EST and rebroadcast Sunday July 4th at 5pm EST. Animal Radio® also broadcasts on 99 AM/FM radio affiliates, including KOST 103.5 Los Angeles. See more listening options at AnimalRadio.com

Animal Radio® is the "most-listened-to" animal programming in the U.S.; created to educate, reduce surrenders and to help animals live long, healthy and happier lives.

Since topping the charts, musician Bo Bice has been keeping active with tour dates and a new album to benefit flood victims.

Bo travels with his two dogs wherever he goes. He has an English bulldog named "Sally" and a Bagel (Beagle/Basset Hound) named "Gracie."

Bo refers to his dogs as his children. "I take my children on the road. You can't say the word 'bus' without Sally heading to the door. She loves traveling."

Bo says the best person won Idol, "coming in second to Carrie Underwood isn't bad."

Hear this special Animal Radio® broadcast on XM Satellite Radio ch. 158 (America's Talk) Saturday July 10th at noon EST and rebroadcast Sunday July 11th at 5pm EST. Animal Radio® also broadcasts on 99 AM/FM radio affiliates, including KOST 103.5 Los Angeles. See more listening options at AnimalRadio.com

Gail Posner died in March, leaving behind an estate worth tens of millions of dollars to Conchita, her Chihuahua and two other dogs, Posner intended the pooches get $3 million.

Probate expert, Frank Adams said, “Florida has a statute that specifically authorizes trust for the care of pets. It's one of a minority of states that has that.”

Brett Car, Posner's only living child is fuming because he got a measly $1 million. Carr is fighting his lawyer on his mom’s staff.

“The people that were there to take care of her, instead of taking care of her, took advantage of her,” said Bruce Katzen, the plaintiff’s attorney.

Carr's lawyer says Posner was coerced while battling cancer, her maids, a personal trainer and body guards inherited $27 million.

Some of Posner’s former employees still live with those pampered pooches in the mansion.

Adams said, “The pet trust is really, I don't think his ultimate goal. I'm sure he has much bigger goals than that.”

Carr is suing the bank and others who manage the Chihuahua trust. If his case goes to trial it would be a closely watched case because the law that allows pet trusts, has never been tested in court.

According to the EEOC, San Diego-based PETCO hired Nancy Buchner - who has over 30 years' pet grooming experience - as a pet stylist in 2001. Profoundly deaf since birth, Buchner communicates most effectively in sign language. Upon hire, PETCO's management assured Buchner that other employees would assist in scheduling her appointments via telephone as a reasonable accommodation.

However, the EEOC asserted that a PETCO manager eventually refused to schedule customers for her, despite requests for Buchner specifically. In fact, PETCO employees inaccurately informed customers that Buchner no longer worked for the company as a means to funnel them to non-disabled pet groomers, according to the EEOC. PETCO proceeded to unfairly penalize her during annual performance reviews for ineffective communication skills due to her inability to speak. Buchner eventually resigned in 2006.

The EEOC filed suit against PETCO in April 2009 in U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. PETCO Animal Supplies Stores, Inc., Case No. 09-CV-00747 WYD-CBS), asserting that PETCO failed to reasonably accommodate Buchner and subjected her to disparate treatment due to her disability, in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The investigation and litigation of the case was a joint venture between the EEOC's Denver Field Office, under the purview of the Phoenix District Office, and the Los Angeles District Office, which negotiated the final three-year consent decree settling the suit.

Aside from the monetary relief, the decree requires PETCO to implement an internal policy, procedures and staff training to safeguard against disability discrimination. PETCO must also submit annual reports to the EEOC to track future complaints of disability bias and requests for disability-related accommodations.

"We commend PETCO for implementing a companywide policy to prevent and address disability discrimination in the workplace," said Anna Y. Park, regional attorney for the EEOC's Los Angeles District Office. "We encourage other employers to follow suit and be mindful of the ADA in light of its recent amendment." Olophius E. Perry, district director of the EEOC's Los Angeles District Office, said, "With the 20th anniversary of the ADA on the horizon, it is important to remember that employees with disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodations to ensure they have equal employment opportunities. Most often, as was the case here, the cost of accommodations is minimal." The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws against employment discrimination. Further information is available at www.eeoc.gov.

The 20-year-old actress introduced the world to her odd companion during an interview with talk show host David Letterman, showing off pictures of her cuddling her furry friend.

Stewart admits having a wolf-mix breed as a pet is an unusual choice as the animals are often thought of as dangerous and "scary," but she's convinced life wouldn't be the same without her beloved pooch.

She says, "This is my pet; this is Jack. He's our oldest male. I know he looks kind of scary, he's a wolf. He's really sweet, he, like, falls at my feet.

"They told us he was a wolf. I don't know what kind of wolf he is. They are wolf-dogs; they are hybrids. It's my mom's deal. Maybe it was a bit of empty nest syndrome, she wanted more children - because they really are hard to take care of. She likes them. Wolf hybrids are legal."

And Stewart admits she gets upset when she hears of wolves being culled in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, adding: "And you know what, it's such an awful thing... it's awful!"

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/dailydish/detail?entry_id=66851#ixzz0sMq38GqK

Charlie soon became a much-loved pet companion for Aviva, 19, and her sister. At the end of the year, the girls decided to move into a new place, taking Charlie with them. The move was hectic because Aviva was scheduled to leave the next day to teach and help build schools for three weeks in Africa.

But as soon as Aviva had left, her sister discovered that Charlie -was gone. The inquisitive young feline had somehow gotten outside and, unfamiliar with her new surroundings, became lost.

Aviva's mom, Dr. Margo Mountjoy - a specialist in sports medicine based in Guelph, Ontario and a member of the International Olympic Committee Medical Commission - searched frantically for Charlie for weeks, unwilling to tell her daughter that her beloved pet was missing.

But the day before Aviva was to return, Dr. Mountjoy received a call from the 24PetWatch Lost Pet Recovery team -- Charlie had been found and taken to a veterinary clinic in Hamilton, Ontario. The staff there had scanned him, discovered the 24PetWatch microchip that he had been given at the shelter, and called the recovery team.

Charlie was returned home, safe and sound, the day before Aviva came back from Africa.

"24PetWatch saved Charlie's life - we couldn't be more grateful," says Dr. Mountjoy. "You rarely hear stories of lost cats being reunited with their owners; I can't stress enough how important it is to microchip your cat," she added.

That holds true even for indoor cats, says Susan Arts, Vice President of Marketing at Pethealth Inc., owners of the 24PetWatch Lost Pet Recovery Program. "Charlie was an indoor cat, but he still managed to get out and get lost." But too many owners also forget about putting tags on their cat's collars," says Arts. "Microchip, visible tag and an accurate pet registration database - those are the three components needed in order to ensure pets are reunited successfully with their owners."

"The shelters are beyond full,'' according to the ARNO website.

They're requesting people to sponsor families' pets through their Pet Retention Program for $25 a month so families can keep their pets. "We provide whatever the pet needs, i.e. food, medical care (maintenance and extraordinary), transportation to and from the vet, dog houses, and even a carrier to make sure they have provisions to evacuate with the pet. The caseworker assigned to the family stays assigned to that family to assure that care is consistent and to know of social services they might need for the human members of the family.''

No illnesses have been reported to date. The recall notification is being issued out of an abundance of caution based on an isolated instance in which a product sample with a "Best By" date of June 17, 2011, had a positive result for Salmonella in a random sample test conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans.

Recalled products were only distributed in pet specialty stores in the states of Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

The only product affected by the recall is the Sweet Potato & Chicken Dry Dog Food with the "Best By" date of June 17, 2011, product information as follows:

Product - Bag Size - UPC Code Bale UPC Code - Best By Dates
Sweet Potato & Chicken Dry Dog Formula - 5 lb - 7-23633-9000-4 - 7-23633-99003-5 - June 17, 2011
Sweet Potato & Chicken Dry Dog Formula - 28 lb - 7-23633-99002-8 -June 17, 2011

Consumers who have purchased Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Chicken Dry Dog formula with the "Best By" date of June 17, 2011, are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Animal Radio® received this letter from Joey Herrick, the president of Natural Balance Pet Foods:

June 18, 2010

Yours Truly,
Joey Herrick
President
Natural Balance Pet Foods, Inc.

Hear Animal News Headlines on Animal Radio®

As of last week, the International Bird Research Center reported 783 dead birds, 353 dead sea turtles and expects the number to continue to climb.

The Deepwater Horizon explosion may have also killed a sperm whale. NOAA spotted the mammal floating 77 miles south of the spill site.

To put these numbers in perspective after 1989’s Exxon Valdez ran aground off Prince William Sound 250-thousand birds were killed as were 2800 otters. But experts say the gulf spill is more ominous as it spreads.

Current BP numbers indicate the spill is still spewing oil the rate of the Exxon Valdez every 2 and a half days.

Hear Animal News Headlines on Animal Radio®
Event: BP employed marine biologist Jay Holcomb on Animal Radio® July 3rd

Canine flu or H3N8, is highly contagious and outbreaks have been reported in 33 states since firsts being identified at a Florida greyhound track in 2004.

The vaccine, Nobivac, has been used limited use over the past year while safety tests were conducted.

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, the global leader in veterinary biologicals and developer of the novel vaccine.

Cynda Crawford, D.V.M., Ph.D., says "Like influenza vaccines used in other species, the canine influenza vaccine does not prevent infection; however, it significantly reduces clinical disease and the risk for pneumonia, and vaccinated dogs shed much less virus so they are less contagious to other dogs. Vaccine-induced protection decreases the likelihood of an influenza outbreak in a population if most of the dogs are vaccinated."

Nobivac is made from inactivated virus, is intended as an aid in the control of disease associated with canine influenza virus infection and is administered by subcutaneous injection in two doses, two to four weeks apart.

Hear Animal News Headlines on Animal Radio®

The kitchen is where we set up her crate when she was 7 weeks old. We gave her fleece bedding, water and food bowls and put down a quilted puppy pad, which she quickly got the hang of using for both No. 1 and No. 2.

For her paper-training was as easy as for a cat. Shredding the pad later became a part of youthful canine rebellion.

For many pet owners animal waste is a not-so-secret dirty daily mission.

It's estimated the nearly 78 million dogs in the United States generate 10 million tons of poop every year -- about 252 pounds per dog -- and more than half of dog owners don't bother to clean up behind their animals.

More than 100 million U.S. households have pets ranging from dogs and cats to fish and reptiles.

Even though most municipalities have long had "pooper-scooper" laws on the books mandating dog walkers remove "pet nuisances" -- some people just don't do it. Maybe they're lazy or ignorant, or maybe they think picking up poop is too nasty -- maybe it's a combination of many reasons -- but they must realize leaving a pet's waste on the street is simply unhealthy.

Pet waste contains bacteria, viruses, hookworm, roundworm and in 1991 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency placed dog poop in the same pollution category as oil and toxic chemicals, The Waterbury, Conn., Republican-American said.

Commonsense on poop should prevail, right? Wrong.

Last month, a 60-year-old great-grandmother in northern England was fined $75 for picking up the wrong dog's doo. The woman told the BBC Sunderland Council animal wardens said she failed to clean up behind her Labrador retriever and picked up another dog's droppings instead.

The case was dropped when the woman explained she had picked up both piles of waste and put them in the same bag.

In Virginia, a 69-year-old man sued PetSmart for $1 million claiming he suffered back injuries when he slipped in dog poop inside a store, fell and lost four false teeth.

PetSmart, which allows leashed animals to accompany owners in its stores, denied any negligence, The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot said. Pet accident cleanup stations with plastic bags, orange-yellow warning pylons and disinfectant spray are scattered throughout the stores. From what I've seen, most customers clean up behind their animals.

Dog droppings left on a street in Taunton, Conn., triggered a fight between a dog walker and a resident on Whittenton Street. The Taunton Daily Gazette said Eric DaVila didn't have a baggie for the poop but assured the resident he would return and pick up the mess. He didn't and the next day he found dog poop smeared on his car windshield, door handles and keyholes. Angry words later led to a punch in the face. DaVila allegedly stabbed his attacker five times. The victim was treated for minor flesh wounds and DaVila was charged with felony assault and battery.

It's a touchy issue.

One of my neighbors followed a repeat poop offender to his home and left several days of poop from the man's dog in a bag on the doorstep. He rang the bell and left. The offender hasn't been seen in our alley for more than a year.

That's mild compared to the 68-year-old man in Silkeborg, Denmark, who allegedly rubbed dog droppings into the hair of a woman who failed to pick up behind her pet.

A witness told the Copenhagen Post the man "grabbed the woman by the hair, held on tight to her and rubbed the dog poop all over her head."

The New York Daily News says U.S. pop star Ke$sha gives bags of poop wrapped as Christmas presents to people she feels have done her wrong.

The more civilized townspeople in Cheltenham, England, tried to shame dog owners into cleaning up after their animals by drawing red circles around the poop. It if stays on the sidewalk, dog wardens add a yellow circle and then a white circle.

While the circles make it easier to avoid stepping in dog stuff, some residents say the wardens should just pick up the poop themselves.

"Have they not thought about the health risks of leaving this mess out in the open?" a Cheltenham resident asked in the Daily Mail. "And I dread to think what the smell will be like in the summer as it gets even hotter with all the poop lying around."

City officials in New York are contemplating hiking fines for non-scoopers from $50 to $250, after a spike in dog poop violations citywide. Manhattan's West Side led in complaints.

"It's their self-absorbed, all-about-me attitude," a professional dog walker on Central Park West told the New York Post. "They're like, I'm too busy going to my Pilates class. I don't have time to keep the neighborhood clean."

But perhaps the most high-tech approach to stopping offenders was proposed at Scarlett Place condos in Baltimore's Inner Harbor.

A condo resident proposed charging dog owners and guests with dogs $50 to pay for DNA tests to find the animal responsible for leaving poop on the ritzy premises. Dog owners would be charged $10 a month to have the building's janitorial staff collect the poop and any resident found not cleaning up behind an offending animal would be fined $500.

Cooler heads prevailed and the idea was tabled at a condo board meeting.

Villaraigosa tweeted that he is "confident Ms. Barnette will do an outstanding job serving the people and animals of our City." A City Hall source confirmed to The Times on Wednesday that Barnette -- who has helmed the privately funded Seattle Humane Society since 2006 and previously headed Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation -- would be tapped for the general manager job.

The Seattle Humane Society boasts impressive adoption statistics, although it handles far fewer animals than the L.A. Department of Animal Services does. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports:

Under [Barnette's] leadership, in 2009 the Seattle Humane Society had the best year in its 113-year history with the placement of 6,091 animals and a Live Save Rate of 91.4 percent. Much of this success was due to a robust Foster Care Program that allowed more than 4,300 animals to benefit from home care while they waited for homes of their own.

The L.A. Department of Animal Services last year saw more than 54,000 dogs and cats come through its doors; more than half the cats, many of them feral, and nearly a quarter of the dogs were euthanized. (Those euthanasia rates include both animals that were put down for lack of space and those that had severe health or behavior problems that rendered them unadoptable.)

Thursday's announcement, which Villaraigosa made at the city's North Central animal shelter, isn't the final word in Barnette's hiring process. The Los Angeles City Council must confirm her appointment, but it is widely expected to do so.

"I am really looking forward to getting to know the community and working with them to make this a safe city for animals and the people who love them," Barnette told the Daily News of the general manager job. "I'm going to start right away, meeting with stakeholders -- people who have pets, our staff, our volunteers, council members, people in special interest groups -- so that we can find a common ground to help animals."

The embattled Boks, whose resignation last April left the organization without an official leader, had angered a number of L.A. Animal Services staffers and members of the city's animal-welfare community since his arrival in L.A. in 2006. He wrote on his now-defunct blog on the organization's website that his goal was to "develop and implement programs designed to make Los Angeles the first major metropolitan 'No-Kill' city in the United States."

Some animal-services staffers took issue with the policies he implemented to achieve his no-kill goal in the city's shelters, however; dozens of them even voiced their complaints against Boks in a public meeting held about six months before his resignation. Some shelter staff argued that Boks' policies had effectively turned the city's shelters into warehouses for homeless dogs and cats, endangering both the animals and the animal-services workers who cared for them.

Since Boks' resignation, the organization has been headed by interim General Manager Kathy Davis, whose term expires this month. Sources told The Times that a panel of experts had interviewed a number of candidates for the job, and four or five finalists met with Villaraigosa before he made his decision.

Making any living thing into a commodity is fraught with difficulty; doing it on a large scale just raises the risks of mistreatment. Join the protest if that's your thing, but please procure your animals through shelters (we're always bringing you plenty of suggestions) or reputable breeders, not pet stores or puppy mills. And maybe think twice about where your pet supply store is getting its pets, not just its dog food supply.

Authorities discovered 25 dogs and 17 cats on May 27 in the trailer belonging to Jose Rubio, 61, and Ana Ramos, 56. Rubio was arrested Tuesday morning for two counts of failure to care for animals and one count of mistreatment of confined animals, according to Senior Deputy City Attorney Donald Larkin. Rubio is also suspected of four municipal code violations: exceeding the maximum number of dogs and cats a resident is allowed to possess, and having more than one unaltered dog or cat.

Rubio's arrest came at a pretrial hearing for Ramos, who was arrested the day of the discovery after she allegedly pushed fecal matter onto an officer who attempted to enter the trailer after seeing the animals. Police came across the trailer while investigating a suspected hit-and-run, Larkin said. Ramos is being prosecuted for the same misdemeanors and municipal code violations Rubio was arrested for, as well as two counts of resisting or delaying or obstructing an officer.

Rubio was not arrested until Tuesday because authorities were still investigating the case, Larkin said.

"The reason Ms. Ramos was arrested at the scene was that she was interfering with the animal control officer and she fought the police officers that were trying to get her out of the way of the animal control officer," Larkin said. "Mr. Rubio was much more cooperative and was not interfering in any way. He was actually very helpful in helping the animal control officers identify each of the animals."

Ramos faces a maximum penalty of $6,000 and one year in jail. Rubio, who was cited and released Tuesday, faces up to $4,000 in fines and six months in jail, but Larkin said it is unlikely either of them will be sentenced to jail time.

Larkin said it is not unusual for hoarders to become very attached to their animals, but unable to care for them all due to the quantity. "The animals were mistreated, some of them seriously, but I don't think it was out of malice, necessarily," Larkin said of the pets belonging to Ramos and Rubio.

The animals, many of which suffered from dehydration and other health conditions related to poor hygiene, have been taken to a licensed kennel in Merced, Larkin said, with Ramos and Rubio paying for them to be housed. The couple has expressed their intention to move closer to the kennel, Larkin said.

Ramos appeared in Santa Clara County Superior Court on Tuesday, but her pretrial hearing was continued to July 30 so that her attorney could review the case, Larkin said. Rubio is scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 3, but Larkin said it is possible that date may change if the cases are charged together.

An employee of DoodyCalls Pet Waste Removal in St. Louis says he recently found $58 packed in dog poop, then returned the cash to the pooch's owner.

But Steve Wilson says he sanitized the bills first.

Wilson says he wasn't sure what to do when he first noticed money sticking out from the doggie doo. But after pulling out the cash and cleaning it, he placed it in a plastic zip-locked bag and gave it back to the customer.

The Association of Professional Animal Waste Specialists says Wilson is the first person in his profession to find and report money in dog poop.

An NJ.com member who claims to be Kayser, has been participating in the story's comment discussion, voicing support for the law, and also sharing her very personal feelings about her dog's death. imissmyBetsy says:

Just a Dog

From time to time, people tell me, "lighten up, it's just a dog," or, "that's a lot of money for just a dog." They don't understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for "just a dog."

Some of my proudest moments have come about with "just a dog." Many hours have passed and my only company was "just a dog," but I did not once feel slighted.

Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by "just a dog," and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of "just a dog" gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it's "just a dog," then you will probably understand phrases like "just a friend," "just a sunrise," or "just a promise." "Just a dog" brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy. "Just a dog" brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person.

Because of "just a dog" I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future. So for me and folks like me, it's not "just a dog" but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment.

"Just a dog" brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday they can understand that it's not "just a dog" but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being "just a human."

So the next time you hear the phrase "just a dog." just smile, because they "just don't understand."

Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande, R-Monmouth, Mercer, said the current mandate is outdated and uncontrolled, and that it is confusing to have a law that is mostly ignored.

“I believe one of the things you’re supposed to do is make sure the laws you have on the books make sense for the times and can be enforced,” the sponsor of A-2931 said.

Casagrande cited a recent story in The Press of Atlantic City about few governments following the law since it includes no penalties for municipalities that do not comply.

According to the Department of Health and Senior Services, only 81 local governments of the state’s 566 completed such a census in 2009, and 91 did so in 2008.

The department said that only nine have done so in the Press of Atlantic City coverage area.

“It’s one layer of government everyone in New Jersey could live without,” Casagrande said.

The measure has yet to receive a committee assignment.

But the spill has taken a toll on wildlife at area creeks and ponds, coating about 300 birds with oil and possibly threatening an endangered fish.

The leak began Friday night when an underground Chevron Corp. pipeline in the mountains near the University of Utah broke. The breach sent oil into a creek that flows through neighborhoods, into a popular Salt Lake City park, and ultimately into the Jordan River, which flows into the Great Salt Lake.

The 10-inch pipeline was shut off Saturday morning, when workers at a nearby Veterans Administration building smelled oil and called the Salt Lake City fire department, which notified Chevron. The pipe carries crude oil from western Colorado to a refinery near the Salt Lake City International Airport.

Jason Olsen, spokesman for the Salt Lake City Joint Information Center, said Sunday emergency workers believe they have contained the spill to the Jordan River.

But the spill still took its toll on birds at Red Butte Creek and at a large pond at Liberty Park, where visitors often feed birds from the shore and on rented paddle boats. About 300 birds were coated in oil and cleaned at Utah's Hogle Zoo. Fewer than 10 have died, said Salt Lake City spokeswoman Lisa Harrison-Smith.

Most of the birds were Canada geese, although some ducks were also covered.

Harrison-Smith said the oil also flowed through several other riparian areas, which could threaten a rare Utah fish called a June sucker. It's been listed as an endangered species since 1986.

Most of Liberty Park reopened Sunday. The pond remained closed, and Olsen urged those who live near affected waterways to stay away from them.

"Wherever the oil is, the smell is still fairly strong," Olsen said.

The Salt Lake City Police Department told residents whose yards were polluted by the spill not to clean them up, but to file a claim with Chevron first. Chevron has said it is taking full responsibility for the spill and will pay for its cleanup.

Harrison-Smith said Chevron had investigators at the scene of the leak Sunday and that the Environmental Protection Agency had brought in a U.S. Coast Guard water recovery expert to assist with cleanup efforts.

She said city officials were hoping to receive a report on the spill from Chevron sometime Sunday evening.

U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, said he spoke by telephone Sunday with Becky Roberts, president of the company's Chevron Pipe Line Co. unit.

Matheson said Roberts told him that until Chevron crews dig up the broken section of pipe, the company can't be sure what caused the leak.

Matheson is urging full disclosure on the leak's cause, and said his office will follow up to make sure Chevron follows EPA regulations.

"I would say they are responding very aggressively to it. I think they know there is a heightened concern among people in this country about oil spills," Matheson said. "I think they understand it's in their best interest to do everything they can to fix this as soon as possible."

———

Millions of Americans are increasingly buying health insurance for their furry friends. With shifting rules, tricky fine print and premiums creeping up, it pays to be finicky.

About 71.4 million American homes, about 62 percent, have a pet, according to the most recent survey by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association. Last year, those pet owners spent $12.04 million in veterinary care and will spend an estimated $12.79 million this year.

Enter a thriving pet insurance industry. About a dozen companies offer coverage for pets in the United States. It’s a trend that’s already taken hold in Europe.

In the United Kingdom, about 20 percent of all pets are covered by health insurance. In the U.S. and Canada, statistics vary but generally hover around 3 percent and growing.

Companies sold roughly $248 million in pet insurance in 2007, according to Packaged Facts, a marketing analysis firm that looks at consumer industries. Their report, which will be updated later this year, said it expects the North American market to “turn in an increasingly strong showing,” with average annual increases from 25 percent to 35 percent, and sales potentially hitting $1.1 billion by 2012.

For consumers, though, the differences in policy cost and coverage can be confusing. Policies vary wildly, anywhere from $9.50 a month for an accident-only policy on a dog to $75 a month for a Cadillac-style plan.

When comparison shopping on insurance company Web sites, the rules aren’t always spelled out, so buyers should call to ask about exclusions and limits on payouts. For instance, a $35,000 coverage plan might be limited to only $10,000 on some ailments.

Just last week, California’s lawmakers pushed forward a bill requiring transparency in pet insurance coverage. The bill, which passed the State Assembly and is moving through the Senate, requires insurance company Web sites to clearly state benefit schedules, coverage limits and exclusions.

“Doing research for each individual animal and company is key,” said Dr. Janet Tobiassen Crosby, who writes a blog about veterinary issues. “Each case is very individual.”

Some policies exempt certain breeds or older dogs, or limit coverage for pre-existing or hereditary conditions, which many purebred animals have. Many also have maximum payouts per incident that skew the math. For instance, if there’s a $3,500 per incident maximum and your pooch faces a $4,000 hip replacement or a $10,000 cancer treatment, the out-of-pocket expenses in addition to the premiums might not be worth it.

Even for routine checkups, insurance doesn’t always add up. Consumer gurus like Atlanta’s Clark Howard recommend putting what you might pay for insurance premiums in a high-yield savings account to be used for pet health costs. Still, for those owners who would go to any length financially to save their pets, insurance might be the best bet.

“So much in veterinary medicine is ‘here’s what we’d like to do, and here’s what we can afford to 

do,’ ” said Dr. Duffy Jones, who owns Peachtree Hills Animal Hospital in Buckhead.

For many, a good savings account will do, he said. But for younger families and pet owners who aren’t typically savers, an insurance policy can mean the difference between losing their beloved animal and a few days recovery in a pet hospital.

“Where we have seen it be the most beneficial is with people with large breeds, like labs,” Jones said. “Typically, those dogs get into major problems in the first few years. They eat something they shouldn’t or go and run into traffic.”

One of his clients without insurance recently had to shell out roughly $4,400 for two surgeries just months apart because a 1-year-old Labrador ate socks on two separate occasions, an emergency that required Jones to take out sections of the dog’s intestine.

But Jones warns that some companies have coverage rules that sneak up and bite.

One client bought insurance for a young dog that needed shoulder work that was covered under the plan. About seven years later, the same dog had knee problems that needed surgery and the company denied the claim saying the policy’s orthopedic limit had been met for that dog.

“Knowing the company you’re using and what’s covered is important,” Jones said. “We had another company that said if you have an accident or issue this year, they consider it a pre-existing issue the next.”

Several companies have entered the U.S. market in the past five years: Embrace Pet Insurance, Fetch, Inc.; EnsuraPet; Trupanion; Pets Best; PetFirst and PetPartners.

At the same time, longtime companies have begun to push hard for more market share. Veterinary Pet Insurance, which has 60 percent of pet insurance written in the United States and Canada, is working with 1,600 companies to offer it as a voluntary employee benefit.

And many pet insurance companies are stepping up their market savvy by teaming up with established consumer brands – SecuriCan with Purina, Hartville with the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), PetPartners with the American Kennel Club, and PetFirst with Kroger.

At The Veterinary Clinic in Marietta, employees in June began receiving pet insurance benefits from Trupanion, said Jayne Hawkins, one of the clinic’s three owners.

Pet health insurance is basically liability insurance and is regulated by each state’s insurance department as property and casualty insurance, similar to coverage for cars and homes. Human medical insurance is subject to federal regulations. For consumers, that means making sure you ask if a company’s insurance products are “admitted,” which means they are guaranteed and approved by the state.

Pet insurance isn’t meant to cover everything, Hawkins cautions. Owners should know beforehand that they’ll need a chunk of change to spend on pet care.

“When someone is going to get a pet, they should have about $1,800 in disposable income a year, by the time you do food and veterinary business” such as vaccines and heartworm preventative medicine, she said.

“If you can spend that in a year on a pet, then you are going to have a well-cared-for pet. If you don’t have that additional, then you’re going to be skimping along.”

--------------------

Other options

If pet insurance isn’t for you, here are some other options:

* Check to see if your veterinarian offers wellness packages, which give discounts on vaccines, spaying and neutering, and other services.
* Look into discount programs such as Pet Assure, which gives 25 percent savings on services with participating veterinarians and up to 50 percent off supplies with certain vendors.
* Help-a-pet is nonprofit that gives financial assistance to owners who can’t afford pet medical care. It helps physically and mentally challenged people, seniors and children of the working poor.
* Labrador Life Line Inc. helps owners or rescuers of Labrador retrievers who can’t afford their care.

Source: Veterinary Dr. Janet Tobiassen Crosby; About.com.

--------------------

Calculate with care

If you are shopping for pet health insurance:

* Don’t just compare monthly or annual costs. Look at deductibles, co-pays and caps. Some plans limit payouts by incident, annually or by the animal’s lifetime.
* Read the fine print for exclusions such as pre-existing conditions, hereditary conditions and age.
* Ask about discounts for insuring multiple pets or whether your employer offers pet insurance as a voluntary benefit.
*

These sites provide price quotes, along with user reviews and some plan information

* www.petinsurance.net
* www.petinsurancereview.com
* www.dogtime.com

Products affected are all varieties of Iams ProActive Health canned food for cats and kittens in 3 and 5.5 ounce cans with expirations dates of Sept. 2011 to June 2012 printed on the bottom.

The company initiated the voluntary recall after tests found insufficient levels of Thiamine or B1.  The vitamin is essential to support the health of the central nervous system.

The Facts:

-Proctor and Gamble Company has voluntarily recalled some lots of cat food due to inadequate levels of the B vitamin, thiamine.

-The only foods affected are certain lots of the Iams Pro Active Health canned Cat and Kitten foods- all flavor varieties in the 3 oz and 5.5 oz cans. The lots have the date on the bottom of the can ranging from 09/2011 to 06/2012.

-The recall does not affect any other Iams products.

-Cats are at low risk for any health risk if they are fed other cat foods along with the recalled food.

-However, cats only fed exclusively the recalled food could develop signs of a thiamine deficiency

-Signs of a thiamine deficiency include:

           Loss of appetite

           Weakness

           Tremors

           Seizures

           Downward curving of the neck

Consumers should discard any food with these date codes and can contact the Proctor & Gamble Company for a refund at 877-340-8826.

Hear Animal Radio® News Headlines

While Bob Barker is retired from show business, he's working harder than ever to help animals get out of bad situations.

"His money is where his mouth is," says Animal Radio® News Director Bobbie Hill. Barker has donated millions to save whales, seals, elephants and lion cubs.

Barker gets emotional when talking about the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. "Remember those hostages they held in Iran during the Jimmy Carter years?" Asks Barker. "I think the Gulf oil spill could turn out to be Obama's hostage problem."

When asked if he embraces Twitter or Facebook, Barker replies "I'm delighted to say I'm computer illiterate and hope to die that way." He says the person on Twitter pretending to be him isn't him.

Hear this special Animal Radio® broadcast on XM Satellite Radio ch. 158 (America’s Talk) Saturday June 19th at noon EST and rebroadcast Sunday the 20th at 5pm EST. Animal Radio® also broadcasts on 99 AM/FM radio affiliates, including KOST 103.5 Los Angeles. See more listening options at AnimalRadio.com

And it’s not just tigers that are rapidly appearing. Chow Chows are frequently dyed to look like Pandas, a look much more effective on the fluffy, round dogs than the tiger pattern. In China, it’s common for wealthy pet owners to take their dog in not only for grooming, but also a complex dye job reflecting the latest fad.

Aside from pet owners, some zoos are cashing in on the trend by taking in stray dogs, dyeing them to look like exotic animals, and putting them on display to the public. While it is unclear whether the dogs enjoy their new look, they are clearly a hit among the locals who visit the enclosures to enjoy the unusual sight and take photos.

The couple got engaged over the New Year and will marry later this year, and the Get Him To The Greek star, 34, said that their pet kitten is teaching them how to be responsible parents.

Brand told UK magazine Radio Times: 'That's why we've got a kitten. It's perfect training for having kids. Since being with Katy, I've got this masculine urge to protect.”

He added: 'Whenever there's an earthquake, I jump out of bed, feeling like I have to fight it. 'Ere, stay away from my missus!''

The pet food has been donated by Mars Petcare U.S. and the Humane Choice Co., which makes food for the Humane Society, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported. It is being distributed in both St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes.

"The Humane Society of the United States was saddened to hear that animals inland from the shoreline are also suffering from this disaster," said Julia Breaux, the society's Louisiana director.

A large section of the Gulf of Mexico has been declared off limits to fishing since oil began flowing into the water from a BP well April 20.

In St. Bernard, the pet food will be given away twice a week while the supply lasts, the local government said in a news release Wednesday. Recipients must show proof they live in the parish and that they work in the fishing industry.

Most pet owners say that cost is a factor when deciding whether to seek medical care for a sick dog or cat. And about 40 percent worry they won’t be able to afford care when it’s needed, according to a new survey from the Associated Press and the Web site Petside.com.

Most pet owners (62 percent) said they would likely pay for pet health care even if the cost reached $500, but that means more than a third of pet owners said that might be too much to spend on an animal.

What if the bill for veterinary care reached $1,000? Fewer than half of pet owners said they were very likely to spend that much at the vet. Only a third said it was very likely they would pay a $2,000 vet bill.

Once the cost of saving a sick pet reached $5,000, most pet owners said they would stop treatment. Only 22 percent said they were very likely to pick up $5,000 in veterinary costs to treat a sick dog or cat.

The poll, conducted in April, involved phone interviews with 1,112 pet owners around the country.

Cat owners were more likely to quit on a pet sooner than dog owners. Among those unwilling to spend $500 on veterinary care, 26 percent owned dogs and 54 percent had cats. But once costs exceeded $500, there was no difference between dog and cat owners and their willingness to seek medical care for an animal.

Notably, income level didn’t seem to influence feelings about how much to spend on veterinary care. Pet owners who earned less than $50,000 answered about the same as those earning more money.

While not a universal belief, many Christians traditionally have embraced a biblical stance on animals as a source of companionship, food and labor, but not much else.

"We know from the Bible that God created animals, he cares about them intimately and he wants us to care about them," said Ben DeVries, 30, of Kenosha, Wis., who started a blog, "Not One Sparrow," to encourage his conservative Christian brethren to become more like shepherds than hunters.

During a time when people increasingly treat pets as family members, animal advocates are gaining ground in religious circles. DeVries is among a growing number of people of faith who have joined the appeal for help in promoting causes such as relocating homeless pets, preventing animal cruelty and investigating factory farming practices.

The Humane Society of the United States has started a faith outreach program that, within the past two years, has distributed 7,500 DVDs at church and college campuses on "Eating Mercifully." The DVD and booklets draw on Scripture to remind Christians of their duty to be good stewards of all God's creatures.

But defining what it means to treat animals with compassion ranges wildly across faiths and within denominations. For some, it means trying to end animal abuse, volunteering at an animal shelter, having their pet blessed or pushing for vegetarian diets.

Others seek to fulfill spiritual needs that go beyond a simple desire to treat animals with dignity and kindness. Some religious leaders welcome pets to worship services, memorialize them at death and discuss them as spiritual beings without distinction from humanity - the most controversial ideology and one that is not accepted by mainstream religious faiths.

Emerson Theological Institute, a "new thought" college based in Oakland, Calif., has started to ordain animal chaplains who tend to humans and their kindred pets. In Phoenix, a new, animal-centric church service for people and their (well-behaved) pets recently began.

Some Jewish rabbis celebrate a dog's coming of age with a "bark mitzvah."

"I think it's ridiculous," said Rabbi Byron Sherwin, distinguished service professor with the Spertus Institute in Chicago. "Judaism makes a very clear distinction between animals and human beings. Human beings are not really a kind of animal like any other kind of animal."

He joins Christian leaders who fear that these practices blur a line that sets humans and animals apart.

But Kris Lecakes Haley of Phoenix, an ordained animal chaplain, doesn't think there is a line to blur.

"I think they are all expressions of the divine," she said. "We all have a divine spark within us. Because of that, there is an irrefutable connectedness of all life."

Several Chicago-area churches also adhere to this message, which has drawn new members to their flock, local leaders said.

The approach is becoming more popular, said Gretchen Chlebowski of Unity Church of Oak Park, which offers annual pet blessings in October and memorials for pets who have "transitioned," or died.

"People have such close relationships with their animals," she said. "I think they enjoy finding a spiritual community that acknowledges that."

E. David Cook, a Wheaton College professor who has participated in animal rights discussions at Oxford University, said he believes that the green movement has raised Christian awareness about the environment and animal welfare.

Still, "evangelicals care deeply for the way animals are treated but that doesn't mean we worship animals or put them in front of human beings," Cook said. "If it's a choice between saving Granny and saving my poodle in the fire, Granny wins every time."

Catholic tradition has historically taken a warm view of animals, with pet blessings offered at many churches every October to honor St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology.

Humans still remain top dog, but are not allowed to abuse or exploit animals.

"When we see these horrific things like the mass-produced pork or chickens, where the animal can't be free-ranging, that really does become abusive," said Sister Dawn Nothwehr, a nun and ethics professor at the Catholic Theological Union.

"We have to stop and ask a question - is that a legitimate way to deal with animals?"

Harvard University addresses some of those questions in a course on religion and animals, in which it refers to the intersection between man and beast as an emerging academic field.

Paul Waldau, who teaches the course, said that he believes more churches are paying closer attention to animals, especially as they concern relationships with humans.

"You find even some of the big church assemblies have started to condemn the problems with factory farming," said Waldau, whose nonprofit Animals and Religion Institute is based in Sherborn, Mass.

"Those are hard not only on the pigs and the chickens but they are hard on the workers and communities."

DeVries, a native of Zion who studied theology at Trinity International University in Bannockburn, said he is careful to check his Bible for direction. Yet he believes that many Christians, at least in his own evangelical faith, have historically glossed over verses regarding animals and allowed - even perpetuated - their abuse and neglect.

He created his blog, "Not One Sparrow," as an outgrowth of his master's thesis at Trinity, and has since expanded it to social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to draw attention to the plight of abused or neglected animals. He does not consider himself an animal welfare advocate so much as a "Christian voice for animals" inspired by the New Testament verse, Matthew 10:29, that reads:

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father."

"We are made in God's image and are supposed to model his care," said DeVries, a vegetarian who said he does not push his dietary choice on others.

He hopes to be reunited with his pets in heaven but stops short of taking a firm position because he cannot find any scriptural support for his desire.

"The rest I leave in God's hands," he said.

Inside the back room of the Plaquemines Parish Animal Welfare Society (P.A.W.S.) shelter, you can hear a whimpering from Dexter. The puppy is one of more than 40 dogs caged inside the facility. While none have a drop of oil on them, they are still very much suffering because of it.

Their rescue shelter is packed, every cage filled. And the waiting list for people trying to drop off their pets here is now 20 percent longer than normal

The reason, according to shelter director Jacob Stroman, has everything to with the growing mess in the Gulf.

Out-of-work fisherman, Stroman said, are finding it harder to care for their families and their pets and are now reluctantly choosing to give up their animals to safe havens like his.

"We want to help as much as we can," said Stroman. "And brace our self for the future because it's probably only going to get worse."

Just a few miles to the south rests Myrtle Grove Marina. The once busy fishing hub is now a staging area for BP. Fencing lines the compound, and boom waits to be deployed. The fisherman paid to do it say BP won't them talk to reporters.

But Charles Ballay said he knows their fear and frustration. He's the co-owner of the marina and the parish's district attorney.

"They are worried about when their next paycheck is going to come," said Ballay. "I'm sure animals might be something I guess they feel they might have to depart with, because they have to make choices, some tough choices."

Such choices are now putting more pressure on out-of-work fisherman and already packed animal shelters.

"As soon as one animal is adopted out, you take in another," said Stroman.

The need for new pet owners is real and growing as struggling fisherman reluctantly sit on a waiting list to give up what is theirs. Once man's best friend, is now seen as a financial burden.

If you would like adopt an animal from the Plaquemines Animal Welfare Society or to find out how to donate food or supplies to the shelter, please contact:
Plaquemines Animal Welfare Society (P.A.W.S.)
9596 Hwy 23
Belle Chasse, Louisiana
Hours: 1 P.M.to 5 P.M.
(504) 392-1601
www.paws4life.org

In an effort to keep animals with their original owners, both Plaquemines and St. Bernard Parishes will soon be giving away free supplies of pet food.

Plaquemines Parish
Pointe Celeste Therapeutic Riding Center
21178 Highway 23
Port Sulphur, Louisiana 70083
Saturday, June 12
10 a.m. - 2 p.m
Coordinated by the Humane Society of the United States

St. Bernard Parish
115 West Agriculture Road
Beginning June 15, each Tuesday and Thursday
8 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Chalmette, Louisiana
Coordinated by the Humane Society of the United States

The free pet food giveaways will only last until supplies run out.

The two bills introduced by Representatives. Gary Peters - democrat from Michigan and Republican Elton Gallegly of California will confine the illegal act to making or selling crush videos, according to the L.A. Times.

While all 50 states currently have laws against animal cruelty prosecutors say it's nearly impossible to eliminate the crush videos because they have no location, dates or faces associated with the acts.

The new laws provide a way to prosecute by banning the sale.

Hear M*A*S*H's Loretta Swit on Animal Radio® discussing "Crush Videos"

The Rogers family's 4 month old white Persian kitten Kimba accidently got thrown in the washing machine after falling asleep in the laundry basket.

She survived a high level spin cycle from the front loading machine and tumbled out soaking wet and dizzy!

Kimba was rushed to the vet where she was treated for hypothermia and irritated eyes from the detergent.

Mr. Rogers said, "It is just amazing that she survived but we reckon she’s used all of her nine lives."

According to a recent Petside.com/Associated Press poll, 45% of pet owners carry pics of their pets not only in their wallets but on cellphones, laptops, iPads and Pods.

The survey revealed dog owners are more likely than cat owners to carry pictures and more than half of respondents under the age of 50 say they carry pet pictures.

Bolivia has the world's most comprehensive ban on circus animals and with the help of Animal Defenders International, freed four lion cubs. The law in Bolivia bans all animal displays in circuses.

The mother of the cubs was not healthy enough and had to be euthanized but thanks to Bob Barker who has funded their flight to freedom and retirement, the cubs will live at a habitat of the Performing Animal Welfare Society.

Hear Bob Barker on Animal Radio®

As of the last state rabies report April 27, 34 animals had tested positive for rabies in Colorado this year, including 30 skunks.

In all of 2009, the state reported 37 rabid skunks.

Officials with the Colorado Department of Agriculture and the state Veterinary Medical Association are slated to discuss the issue during a news conference this morning.

More than a dozen Coloradans so far this year have undergone "painful and expensive" shots after being exposed to rabid animals, officials said.

Vaccinations for pets and livestock to curb the spread are recommended, according to a bulletin from the Greenwood Village-based Tri-County Health Department.

As of a month ago, there also had been one domestic cat from Prowers County, a muskrat in Morgan County, a fox in El Paso County and a horse in Arapahoe County with rabies.

The state had 103 rabies cases in 20 Colorado counties last year, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Rabies, spread by the saliva of infected animals, is a viral infection that attacks the brain and central nervous system. The illness is fatal to animals and can be fatal to humans if untreated, health officials state.

The appearance of rabies in the skunk population east of Denver is a new phenomenon, said Dr. Richard Vogt, executive director of the Tri-County Health Department, which covers Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties.

"That means we have to change how we think about wild animals," Vogt said. "Feeding them is not a wise idea. Getting close to wild animals is not a wise idea, either."

Vogt said authorities expect the rabies problem will migrate into the Denver area over the summer. Once rabies takes hold in wildlife, the disease becomes extremely difficult to eradicate, he said.

Cases that Vogt handled in wild raccoons as an epidemiologist in Vermont 20 years ago still affect that state to this day, he said.

In Colorado, the upsurge in rabies is prompting the Westernaires show arena in Golden, which has 185 horses, to take precautions.

Some of the Westernaires' horses will get the rabies vaccines this week, said Glen Keller, director of the Westernaires.

Keller said he also plans to keep a close eye on the situation, with the expectation that more vaccines will be administered in the summer.

He said he also is urging those who bring horses to ride at the arena to take precautions and to vaccinate their horses.

"It's been increasing, and we want to be careful," Keller said of the disease.

Tanisha Hall's stepfather also suffered injuries to his arm as he grappled with the dog.

Police had been called to Hanemill Court, Northampton, at 1915 BST on Sunday.

The breed is not banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act, police added.

A spokesman for Northamptonshire Police said the dog "was contained at the scene" and had been put down by a vet.

Tanisha's grandfather, John Hall, said she was having surgery on her face and was expected to be in hospital for several days.

He said Tanisha had bent down to kiss the dog when the attack happened.

Dr. Jeff Mullen with the Seven Hills Veterinary Clinic says his office usually sees or two cases each season but they've handled five cases this month and have had to order additional antivenin. KUSA-TV reports that experts say rattlesnakes have bitten dozens of pets in the Denver area this month.

The Great Plains Dog Park in Aurora closed this month after rattlesnakes bit two dogs. The city of Aurora says officials are evaluating how to make the park safer and it's unclear how long the closure will last.

Pet stores will have to post information outside each dog and cat's cage that allows consumers to conduct further research. And buyers might think twice if they learn the animal comes from an out-of-state breeder or large facility, where animals may be housed in small wire cages with minimal exercise, said Jordan Matyas, Illinois director for the Humane Society of the United States.

If signed by Gov. Pat Quinn, the law would take effect Jan. 1.

The legislation comes on the heels of a scathing report released last week that takes U.S. animal welfare inspectors to task for failing to stop dog breeders who have repeatedly violated laws that protect animals from abuse.

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The inspector general for the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that the agency responsible for investigating so-called "puppy mills" underreported violations, failed to enforce the federal Animal Welfare Act and even lowered penalties for some repeat offenders.

"It's just heartbreaking," U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said, describing his disgust with photos of animal abuse contained in the 69-page report.

More than half of 4,250 dog breeding facilities that were reinspected after violating the law were still ignoring minimum care standards, according to the inspector general's audit, conducted over three years.

Inspectors relied on educating repeat offenders, without an "appropriate level of enforcement" that weakened its effectiveness, the report states.

Other large-scale breeders have circumvented the law by selling animals over the Internet, a loophole that Durbin vowed to close with legislation that will require any breeder who sells more than 50 dogs a year to be licensed and subject to inspections.

The audit focused on the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's Animal Care Unit, a division of the USDA.

Durbin said USDA officials agreed with the report's findings and agreed to work on training its inspectors and shifting resources to improve enforcement, Durbin said. "There was no push back, no denial," he said.

He said he has contacted the Humane Society, veterinarians and breeders about suggested improvements in the process.

"The breeders were not prepared to join us at this point," Durbin said. "I hope this APHIS report will convince them there are some terribly bad actors out there who are abusive of these animals."

In Illinois, the legislation requires pet shops to post information on or near the cages of dogs and cats that includes: the name and address of each animal's breeder; a record of all veterinary conditions and treatments; and any known information regarding congenital or hereditary defects of the animals' parents. The Senate passed the measure last week; it had been approved earlier in the House.

"This is not the final answer," Matyas said, adding that pet buyers should ask questions about how the animal was raised.

Jennifer Cantoral, of Plainfield, is among those who support any new crackdown on puppy mills.

She said an employee told her that the miniature poodle she purchased last September for $1,200 from a Naperville Petland store came from a local breeder. Later, she discovered that the dog, Ralphy, came from a USDA-licensed facility in Loogootee, Ind.

The veterinarian who contracts with Petland deemed the dog healthy during an exam within the first week, according to Petland. But Cantoral said the dog was diagnosed 45 days later with kennel cough, which turned into pneumonia.

"My dog is still sick," said Cantoral, who was told the animal possibly has an immune disorder. "Something definitely needs to be done."

Pets like to get into a routine. They set their biological clock for when it is time to eat as well as go out and play. When this routine is interrupted, pet health such as agitation and confusion may be exhibited. A break in routine can create issues, especially with cats. Cats are sleepers and nap many hours a day. It is said by many vets that you should let sleeping cats sleep and allow them to come to you when they want their cuddle time.

Another way dogs, cats, and pets in general can become stressed is due to the environment. A stressful environment can be caused by many factors such as a move and change in household or possibly construction work that creates loud noises. The best way to combat issues such as these is to create the least most stressful environment by creating a comfortable and quiet room to relax.

Animals get used to their routine and normally do not like to experience changes in these routines. It is best to try and keep everything that is theirs in the same place as it always has been. For instance, you must clean your cat’s litter box often; however, you should not move it from where it normally sits. This can cause accidents due to simple confusion. The same should be kept in mind with both dog and cat food bowls. The animals get used to where it should be and do not like it to be moved.

"Declawing and devocalization are permanent, complex surgeries that can have unintended consequences for property managers, physical complications for animals, and emotional and financial consequences for pet owners," said the bill's author, Assemblyman Pedro Nava (D-Santa Barbara), in a statement.

This measure imposes a civil fine of up to $2,500 for each instance of declawing or devocalization resulting from a landlord-tenant agreement. It also calls for a maximum $1,000 civil penalty fine for each violation that does not result in a declawing or devocalization. The California Apartment Association, which represents more than 50,000 rental property owners, managers and industry professionals, supports the bill's approach and instead recommends that property owners rely on pet deposits and hold residents responsible for the actions of their pets.

Having originally considered introducing a bill that would ban the practice of declawing in the state, Nava met with groups interested in the issue — including the Santa Monica-based Paw Project, the California Veterinary Medical Association, other animal protection groups and a representative from the West Hollywood City Council — and decided on this narrower measure. However, several cities within California have already passed their own ordinances banning declawing of cats within their borders, including Santa Monica, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Burbank, San Francisco and Berkeley.

"It was pretty clear that a statewide ban was going to engender a great deal of opposition and would jeopardize any progress in getting people to understand why I didn’t favor the practice.” Nava said.

Declawing is an elective surgical procedure that calls for the removal of the claw, and is actually compared to the removal of human fingertips at the first knuckle. Many veterinarians will counsel pet owners first in the alternatives to surgery, while other veterinarians simply won't do the surgery except in cases of medical necessity.

Devocalization of dogs, also known as debarking, bark softening (a phrase coined by many advocates of this procedure), ventriculocordectomy and vocal cordectomy, is the elective surgical procedure where tissue is removed from the animal’s vocal cords in order to permanently reduce the volume of their vocalizations.

Both procedures are oulawed in the U.K. and most parts of the European Union.

Paul Koretz, Los Angeles City Councilmember and animal advocate, is now requesting the city's official support of the Nava's bill. "Devocalizing animals, which is normally done for the convenience of owners to silence animals who are engaging in normal vocalization, is inhumane and unnecessary," he wrote in the bill's resolution (pdf).

This new bill has caused a much heated debate between some pet owners and animal lovers. The latter sees this as another win for the animals since Logan's Law H.B. 344, which bans the devocalization of dogs and cats, was passed recently in the state of Massachusetts, despite efforts by Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association and breeders to defeat it. However some pet owners think this is going to further limit people's efforts to find available housing for their pets, and cause yet more animals to be surrendered to already overstretched local shelters.

Many breeders of certain "vocal" dog breeds take the action of having their litters devocalized before they have even found homes, as routine a procedure as they would give them a rabies injection. Some new owners of these dogs are not even aware that this has happened, or that this surgery exists, until they enquire about their dog's "strange bark" and are horrified to find out the truth.

It's possible that many owners who undertake these procedures on their pets would do so regardless of a tenant agreement forcing them to — but if this new bill helps highlight these barbaric acts on our furry friends, then I am glad for the added exposure this has brought.

A.B. 2743 now moves to the Senate for consideration.

In 2006, Albuquerque, N.M banned the retail sale of dogs and cats. More recently, South Lake Tahoe and West Hollywood, have also banned pet sales. Other cities in Florida, Missouri, New Mexico and Richmond in Canada are considering similar bans. We hope this becomes a trend in the Middle East, where animal awareness is much lower (see our past post on the abuse of circus animals in Lebanon).

The results so far, have been nothing short of amazing. In Albuquerque, since the ban started, animal adoptions have increased 23 percent and euthanasia at city shelters has decreased by 35 percent.

Several major pet store chains, including PetSmart, have already decide not to sell animals in their shops, instead offering dogs and cats for adoption in partnership with local shelters.
The Problem

There are two main issues with the sale of pets in stores. First is the decrease in adoption of pets in shelters, leading to more pets being put down by euthanasia, and more pets living in horrible conditions. The second is the increase in mass breeding of pets in puppy mills. Many of these puppy mills illegally keep animals in shockingly poor conditions, condemning the breeding animals to a life in a small wire cage until their fertility wanes, and they are either killed or abandoned.

Banning adorable puppies in pet stores, also decreases the chances of impulse buying, which all too often ends with more abandoned animals being thrown out once they grow out of the “cute puppy phase” or once their irresponsible owners grow tired of their responsibility. Those animals then usually find their way to an animal shelter (or worse). Many die or are put down.

“The pet stores don’t screen their prospective owners, and they can go buy a pet the same day,” said Helen Savkovic, a front desk employee at the Richmond Animal Protection Society. “We’re not in favour of impulse purchases of animals.”

So if you’re considering adding a dog or a cat to your home, don’t make the decision lightly, and make sure to visit your local animal shelter, or one of many adoption happenings in your area.

Maddie's Fund, the largest organization in the country dedicated to making all shelters no-kill, will pay at least 38 shelters $500 per animal adopted on June 12 and 13. The shelters are in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

Maddie's Fund President Richard Avanzino said that in addition to helping pets find homes, the $500 per animal will act as a kind of stimulus package for shelters.

Animals shelters charge adopters far less than $500 to adopt a pet, so they will be making money from the event.

Avanzino said Alameda and Contra Costa counties could lead the nation in ending euthanasia for healthy dogs and cats.

House Bill 55 passed on Thursday and now heads to the state senate. The bill would increase the penalty for repeat instances of animal cruelty from a second degree misdemeanor to first degree misdemeanor.

It also requires a psychological evaluation for any child that commits cruelty to a companion animal, and it requires probation for anyone who commits cruelty to a companion animal more than once.

Companion animals are defined as any animal kept inside a home, or any dog or cat. Livestock or wild animals would not be included, so while the vote may have been impacted by the alleged cruelty caught on video at the Conklin Dairy Farms this week, the bill would not apply to such an act.

"If somebody's convicted once and then convicted again we've got greater penalties to work with," said Jodi Lytle Buckman, executive director of the Capital Area Humane Society which supported the bill. "And then counseling is required. We've found that people who might be cruel to an animal could also have other mental illnesses, and we think it's really important that offenders receive help. And so counseling is a crucial component now."

The bill also extends domestic violence protection orders to include companion animals. An amendment to the bill would remove pit bulls from the list of vicious dogs in Ohio. Individuals dogs that demonstrate dangerous behavior could still be labeled as vicious.

The condo board at Scarlett Place is considering DNA samples from dog owners - "Poo Prints" - in order to find the owners that don't clean up after their pooches.

BioPet Vet Lab in Tennessee provides the PooPrint service for a $50 fee which the condo will get from the dog owners as well as a $10 monthly maintenance fee. And if a tenant doesn't scoop his pooches poop - they'll get slapped with a $500 fine.

She's also redecorating her apartment which includes a pond in the living room.

Swift says she has a birdcage in the room now that is big enough for people but she wants to do more. Like adding stingrays to the pond. Yes stingrays, tropical marine life related to sharks.

Swift explained to People magazine, "I want to get stingrays ...I don't want people to think I'm crazy, but wouldn't that be cool?"

Travolta, the star of Saturday Night Fever and Pulp Fiction, is a keen pilot and often flies to Bangor in his own plane on the way to his home on Islesboro, an island off the Maine coast.

It was not clear whether he was piloting the plane when the dogs were killed.

Last year, Travolta's 16-year-old son, Jett, died from a seizure disorder while the family were on holiday in the Bahamas.

Two people are due to stand trial in September accused of trying to blackmail the actor over the details of his son's death.

Animal Planet aired a show in which they investigated the source of animals of Petland. If it’s a huge pet chain and it’s selling a big number of pets every day, they must also “acquire” them from somewhere. So Animal Planet got into action to go to the dog breeders who sell their dogs to Petland. According to the show the dog breeders were keeping the dogs in extremely bad conditions. They were not taking care of any health issues and there was no sign of hygiene in the whole environment. The dogs were being kept in cages where even the floor was made of cage-wire that causes pain and discomfort. A lot of dogs were kept in a very small place where the constant noise of barking could cause problems for some dogs. The water for the dogs was not at all clean. Due to these conditions almost all the dogs that Petland buys are already sick.
Some people think that the whole environment was just some other video and was not part of the investigation and not necessarily link to Petland, well if that was the case then Animal Planet should make another documentary on “whoever” keeps their dogs like this.

Animal Airways' Pet Travel experts, together with veterinarians and customer support professionals, developed a unique service that promises to ease pet travel matters for the millions of families with pets who travel internationally. The new branch will increase the company's operation based in England and in Canada. The company offers travel solutions for all animals, from every country to every country worldwide!

Dr. Eytan Kreiner, Head Veterinarian of Animal Airways, said: "Working with pet owners and concerned for the safety of pets, we recognized a strong need for pet travel and relocation solutions that will allow families to travel together with their pets - simply and safely."

The company's vision is a world where pets travel as family with the same ease and comfort as their owners. Focusing specifically on relocation of family-owned domestic animals, such as cats, dogs and ferrets, Animal Airways plans to advance its vision both by assisting its customers with all their pet travel needs, and by voicing the pets's interests, animals rights and wellbeing when flying internationally.

About Animal Airways

Established by a veterinarian with a vision of pet-friendly family travel, Animal Airways provides a full travel package for pet aviation including: flight management, regulations and forms, pre-flight veterinarian treatment and consult, shuttle service to & from terminals, cargo management, etc. The company's uniqueness lies within the ability to handle all pet flight matters under one roof, providing pet owners a compete solution that is safe, comfortable, cost-worthy and most importantly - animal friendly.

Animal Airways handles all Pre flight arrangements including: international regulations for animal transportation, following every country's rules and standards, consult, coordinating and locating the best flight kennels, and according to the international standards, fitting the aircraft's limitation and fitting the pet's size and personal needs. We coordinate your track each step of the way making sure you and your pets enjoy your journey - thanks to our unique services that include:

- Veterinarian consult: we can offer you the best animal treatment and
consult that's flight related, suitable for all types of animal and for
each country worldwide.

- Vehicle transportation to terminals and back: families travelling with
pets all over the globe appear to face the same problem every time they
head towards the terminal or when returning after a long flight - they
don't have convenient vehicle transportation for their pets. Animal
Airways supplies the safe, budget friendly, convenient and most
important - animal friendly solution.

- Pet escort: a new service that operates with animal professional
escorts who fly along with your pets to-and-from every destination
worldwide. The new service was founded after recognizing pet owners'
stress and anxiety when sending their pets oversees alone (without
family members).

- Flight booking: using our connections with all airline companies,
ground handling and cargo operators, we guarantee the easiest track,
the best schedule, best budget-solution and the most pet-friendly
option for you and your pets when booking flight tickets.

- Cargo service: our knowledge and connections within the world of
aviation allows us to help you locate the best cargo solution that's
economically fair, reasonable and safe for your pet.

Dr. Eytan Kreiner: "New rules and regulations are enforced in every country, especially in Europe and North America that make it hard and sometimes even impossible to handle pet relocation without professional help and guidance. Animal Airways manages to help people cope with their pets transport from every location to every location around the globe and people are starting to get used to the easy, friendly, smart, creative and fare solutions we offer."

Kreiner explained the strategy behind the opening of the new Eastern European headquarters in Russia: "After thorough research, we have come to the conclusion that there is a strong demand for animal aviation professional service in Eastern Europe. Eastern Europe is in general very tolerant toward animals (and even animal-friendly), which makes it a perfect place to live with pets and to bring pets along when arriving on a vacation or even on a business trip. In Eastern Europe, we have learned in our research, lives an animal loving population, and until now, they had no solution whatsoever for professional animal flight management.

We strongly believe this process will take Animal Airways one step further in becoming the world's leading corporate managing animal aviation transportation and therefore allow us to help the Eastern European population, one that is animal loving, to travel easily and safely worldwide. We offer a solution that is of great necessity in a global world where people travel constantly and with their loved ones (their pets).

Animal Airways is seeking new affiliates within the fields of relocation- companies, ground-handling, travel-agencies, commercial airlines and Veterinarian-related businesses in Eastern Europe, and is open to new global opportunities following recent expansion.

Animal Airways is advancing Eastern Europe activity with plans to found three more branches within a year in the following destinations: Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Saint Petersburg.

For more information - contact us in Russia +7-495-234-4076 / UK +44-203- 051-4087

According to OSPCA CEO, Kate MacDonald, “for three weeks every effort was made to contain the outbreak of this very virulent strain of fungus”. She went on to explain how the building was cleaned and sterilized and the animals went through anti-fungal dips, all to no avail.

Rosyln Ryan, spokeswoman for the OSPCA, said the strain is “particularly aggressive” and has jumped species to include not just cats and dogs, but also rabbits.

According to Ms. MacDonald, the infection had also spread to 6 people in contact with the animals.

Veterinarians assured the CEO that euthanasia was the only way to contain the outbreak according to a CBCnews report. MacDonald went on to say that "This is the only way to contain what could easily become a broadspread public health issue."

Not everyone agrees with the OSPCA’s decision though. Toronto Humane Society’s President Bob Hambley called the euthanasia “unprecedented”. He also said the OSPCA planned to euthanize 350 animals, but due to strong protests, the practice was stopped.

Mr. Hambley wants the following questions answered:

• Which veterinarians inspected the animals and recommended the mass euthanasia?
• Which outside experts did they consult with prior to deciding to euthanize these animals?
• What is the name of this new virulent strain or ringworm and where was the testing done that identified it as a new virulent strain?

He is also calling on the accountability of OSPCA officials.

On Friday, Rob Godfrey, Chair of the Board of Directors for the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Ontario SPCA), announced that an independent investigator will examine the ringworm outbreak at the Ontario SPCA's York Region Shelter will be appointed by Friday May 28, 2010.

Ringworm is a fungus that infects the hair, skin and nails and can spread from pet to pet and pet to human.

Ringworm in pets can cause flaky bald patches that sometimes look red in the center. In mild cases, there may be localized areas of redness or simply dandruff, while more severe infections can spread over a cat’s entire body.

Ringworm is treatable in pets. A veterinarian may prescribe a shampoo or ointment that contains a special medication to kill the fungus. In some cases, oral medications are necessary. In order to ensure that you’ve eradicated this resistant and hardy fungus, treatment may have to be given for several months or more and fungal cultures rechecked periodically.

Believing your pet has an attentive ear isn't just a female thing. According to a survey of pet owners by the Associated Press and Petside.com, 24 percent of husbands think their pets are better listeners than their wives. In fact, 8 percent of pet owners claim they first turn to their pets when they have an important personal problem to talk through.

When it comes to talking to your pet, the type of animal matters: 25 percent of dog owners rate their pets better listeners than their spouses, whereas only 14 percent of cat owners feel the same way.

This probably means that if your spouse were a mute who completely depended on you for food, he or she would probably be a pretty fantastic listener, too.

While some owners think it's okay to give bones from roasts or hams, the FDA said giving bones from people meals can lead to serious health problems.

Dr. Carmela Stamper, veterinarian at the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine said, "Bones are unsafe no matter what their size. Giving your dog a bone may make your pet a candidate for a trip to your veterinarian’s office later, possible emergency surgery or even death."

Josiah Allen and his girlfriend Erin Docking rescued Paco over their spring break in Puerto Vallarta, intended to bring him home to Ontario.

Their luggage was delayed a day, once their arrived once they arrived in Mexico. What happened on the way back...even worse.

The couple says Delta informed them that Paco had "escaped". Docking says the only got that much info after several tries.

"The fact that it's a live living creature and they still aren't trying very hard, still kinda blows my mind," she tells WSB's Jennifer Griffies. She doesn't believe the dog could have escaped from its crate.

All this happened May 3rd. There's still no sign of Paco.

After first offering the couple $200 to reimburse shipping costs, Delta now says it will reimburse any expenses related to the dog.

Docking is unsatisfied: "$200 isn't gonna pay for a flight....He trusted us, and we trusted Delta."

In a statement to WSB, Delta offers "sincere apologies" and claiming it made an "exhaustive search" for Paco.

"We have spent a lot of time listening to our customers and determining what would make their travel experience even better," said Ian Arthur, vice president of marketing and branding. "We received a lot of feedback on our pet policy and determined that pets would be a welcome addition to the Frontier travel experience."

In addition to allowing small pets in the cabin, Frontier also accommodates larger pets as checked baggage. Pets weighing more than 20 pounds, who do not fit the pets-in-cabin requirements, may be checked for a $150 fee.

For more information on traveling with a pet as carry-on or checked baggage, please visit FrontierAirlines.com.

Just recently, Natura was struggling from a recall of pet food possibly contaminated with Salmonella.

When it comes to strategy, Proctor & Gamble (PG) focuses on leading global brands and markets that are under-served. The opportunities must also be enormous. For example, P&G has a 20% share of the global house care market ($200 billion), 5% share of consumer health care ($240 billion) and 13% of beauty and grooming ($300 billion).

P&G's pet division is still fairly small, accounting for only $747 million of the $19.2 billion in revenues reported in the latest quarter. Moreover, the business has been lagging recently, leaving some puzzled about this week's acquisition. Yet, the sector does look promising. This is especially the case with premium brands, and Natura certainly has a strong offering. Its main lines include Innova, Evo, California Natural, Healthwise, Mother Nature and Karma.

Natura currently has a small footprint in the pet market, mostly selling through specialty stores and veterinarians. P&G should be able to effectively distribute Natura's poducts through its extensive system.

One ad mentions a dog that had its eyes gouged out in a cruelty case. It says the animal is in desperate need of a new home.

Officials said the dog was born without eyes, and whoever posted the information had calls and e-mails pouring into Orange County Animal Services.

"It does have a happy ending, because the dog was ultimately placed with a rescue," said Kat Kennedy, of Orange County Animal Services. "However, it's not. We're not trying to misinform people, and it's important when people want the correct information about the animals at our shelter that they contact us."

Pet Rescue by Judy has been rescuing animals for 20 years.

"You don't make up a lie, because they're not going to believe you when it's a real serious issue and the animal really needs help," Judy Sarullo said.

Sarullo said that while the intentions are good, lying never is.

The GNC and PetSmart partnership recognizes that pet parents want balanced nutrition for their pets, just as they do for themselves. Like people, pets have unique dietary needs depending on their stage in life, and vitamins and supplements can support growth for young pets and provide enhanced nutrition for aging ones.

"These specially-formulated supplements will give our pet parents another unique offering to help them keep their pets healthy and happy and another reason to shop our stores," said Matt McAdam, Vice President of Merchandising. "Working with GNC, the leader in dietary supplements, gives us the opportunity to offer pets and pet parents a superior nutritional product."

GNC Executive Vice President Tom Dowd says the impetus to create the supplements came from customers who repeatedly requested quality products for their pets. "The new pet vitamins represent a true consumer-driven innovation -- we saw the need first-hand in our own stores," explains Dowd. "With PetSmart's expertise in pet care and excellent retail capabilities, we knew they were the ideal partner to join us in this venture."

Both companies view the partnership as a strategic, long-term opportunity that sets them apart in the industry. "The vitamins are a one-of-a-kind product backed by two well-established, trusted brands that emphasize to pet parents why PetSmart is their total pet care resource," said McAdam.

Police arrested Richard Pyke and his son Bradley Pyke Wednesday. The two run the RD Pyke Funeral Home.

A dog owner dropped off the family pet to be cremeated on Monday.

State police were already investigating the Pykes and removed all animals from the business on Tuesday. They knew something was wrong when the dog owner notified them Wednesday about a call from the funeral home to come pick up the dog's ashes.

Both men now face theft charges.

Richard Pyke was already accused of insurance fraud and theft in Clark and Floyd counties. Investigators say that's where he sold pre-burial insurance policies and cashed them before the person had actually passed away

Well, for those of you with furry, four-legged flatmates, it can be as easy as sweeping the floors and collecting all that errant fur and hair.

So how exactly can hoarding pet fur help with cleaning up one of the worst environmental disasters in recent memory? Enter Matter of Trust, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that's been accepting donations of non-filthy pet fur and human hair since 1998 to craft oil-absorbing hairmats -- described as "flat square dreadlocks" -- and hair-stuffed containment booms made from recycled pantyhose.

These hairy contraptions are effective at soaking-up oil and they don't require any new resources ... just stuff you'd normally trash (or compost) unless you're into, umm, stockpiling fur.

I must say, sending along fur to Matter of Trust via Excess Access is an eco-ideal spring cleaning mission for folks with critters around the house.

In addition to pet owners, groomers and salon owners can get involved too by sending in bulk shipments of hair/fur. In fact, as of Tuesday, 400,000 pounds of hair was en route to the Gulf Coast.

Mother Nature Network: How to treat cats with allergies.

Alabama hairdresser Phil McCrory came up with the hairy idea while watching news reports on the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, according to the Matter of Trust website.
Video: Hair being used in oil cleanup

As a hair professional, he knows how hair is attracted to oil-- and why humans need to shampoo their hair regularly. The oil clings to the hair but is not absorbed by it. That makes hair a good, natural cleaning aide.

Matter of Trust says they've opened more than a dozen warehouses in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida where the hair is shipped. Hundreds of volunteers stuff the hair and fur into nylons which are then tied together to form tubes or booms. The booms are used to surround, contain and aid cleanup of the oil spill.

What is needed, how to send it:

• Clean hair from human heads -- can be straight, curly, dyed, permed, straightened

• Every type of fur, horse hair, wool waste and feather is fine

• Make certain there is no garbage -- metal or paper -- in with the hair/fur

• Washed nylon stocking (even with runs)

• Place in separate plastic garbage bag, put inside of separate boxes labeled debris-free hair/fur or nylons

• Check with Matter of Trust website to find out where to ship the boxes.

A fervent vegetarian, Loretta Swit explains "Crush Videos" as movies of a woman's foot in a high-spiked heel crushing a small live animal. "These videos are usually sexual in nature and some pervert will buy them to get his gillie out of," says Swit, "It's horrendous the imagination that would conjure up such an evil thing."

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a law that would have made it a federal crime to market these types of videos saying it infringes on first amendment rights.

Loretta Swit also shares stories of all the rescued animals that live with her. "My animals live a loooong time," says Swit, "they get doddering. They're on their little wheelchairs…because love is the greatest healer."

Swit is very active in the animal welfare movement. She says "It's all about education. If someone comes up to me for an autograph and they're wearing a fur-coat, before I sign, I will educate. Because sometimes, they simply don't know 80 animals died for that coat."

Hear this special Animal Radio® broadcast on XM Satellite Radio ch. 158 (America's Talk) Saturday May 8th at noon EST and rebroadcast Sunday the 9th at 5pm EST. Animal Radio® also broadcasts on 99 AM/FM radio affiliates, including KOST 103.5 Los Angeles. See more listening options at AnimalRadio.com

Animal Radio® is the "most-listened-to" animal programming in the U.S.; created to educate, reduce surrenders and to help animals live long, healthy and happier lives.

Audio

This week Escambia County Commissioners amended the county's animal control ordinance to prohibit unsupervised pet tethering.

George Felt, chairman of the Animal Services Advisory Committee, said the amendment is not anti-tethering, but anti-cruelty to animals. Pet owners only may tether their animals if they are in visible range.

Felt said the animal control ordinance operates on a complaint-based system.

If someone sees an unsupervised, tethered pet, they can report it anonymously to animal control.

"Animal control doesn't have the manpower to go looking for trouble," he said. "It will always be a complaint-based system."

Laura Catterton, 54, a Cantonment resident who volunteers with the Junior Humane Society and Escambia County Animal Services, helped draft the amendment.

"This is the most important thing that I have experienced in a very long time," she said. "I dedicated the last five years of my life to monitoring these chained dogs."

Catterton was surprised the amendment, which has been in the works since November, passed so quickly.

"We were expecting it to take years and years, and we didn't think it would get passed," she said.

Emil Sorensen, 21, flipped the bird at photographers as he was hauled off to Rikers Island after being arraigned Wednesday in the shocking break-in at Eden II School for Children with Autism on Staten Island.

Sorensen, 21, and at least one accomplice bagged $3,000 in electronics in the March heist, which police unraveled with help from a confidential informant, according to court papers.

But the school's executive director, Joanne Gerenser, said Sorensen broke children's hearts by stealing Star, the class hamster, while he was still in his cage.

Star's whereabouts are unknown.

The thieves even filched six rubber duckies and Skippy the sock puppet - causing children to weep and lose sleep.

Gerenser said her students are still trying to make sense of the cold-hearted crime.

"Just two days ago, I walked into a classroom and one of my kids said, 'Joanne, do you remember the break-in?' " Gerenser said, hoping the arrest will give the students closure.

"To them, things are black and white," she said. "The fact that somebody did this and nobody was ever identified left it sort of in limbo for them."

"It had snowed and there were no tracks or any indication. The only thing I remember is the dogs barked at around 3:30 in the morning," Lowry said.

He called the police. Then, after days of nothing, he got the call he was waiting for.

"I got a phone call last Thursday at about 10 p.m., and it was a girl who said she knew where the tortoise was. That a fellow she knew had received the tortoise, he didn't know it was stolen when he got it," Lowry said.

Slideshow: View Images Of 115-Pound Tortoise

The case is still under investigation, and the motivation is unclear, since financially the tortoise isn't particularly valuable, according to Lowry. But he said this story isn't over until someone's been caught and charged.

"It's not a good signal to say 'Oh the tortoise is back so that's the end of the story' cause it's not the end of the story. Everyone has been curious about what happened, why would someone steal a tortoise," he said.

But as for Baby Lindberg, he seems to be doing fine.

The 35 year old former dog-groomer was sentenced to 6 months house arrest and a loss of her business.

The judge ordered Ross to keep her grooming business shut for more than two years but allowed her to keep three cats, a dog and three snakes.

Ross' defense attorneys argued that since children get pierced ears at young ages "it would be wrong to hold cat owners to a higher standard."

But Shirley Newman insisted her 6-pound pet never posed a threat to the worker. “He could have taken his meter stick and shooed her,” Newman told CNN. “Had he caused a laceration I would have said self-defense. But he shattered her jaw and broke her face.”

The incident happened on April 16 in Rancho Santa Margarita, a community in Orange County.

According to Newman, her four-year-old dog, Calisto, snuck out of a gate that surrounded the family’s garage. “I went to open the gate and my six pound poodle got out and I saw the gas meter man walking toward our house, “ she said. “I waved and said ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’ll come get her.’”

Newman said her husband, who went to retrieve the pet, was told by the meter reader “something’s wrong with your dog.” She said the worker, who is employed by the Southern California Gas Company, told her husband the dog was “convulsing.”

Newman said the injuries to her dog were horrific. “I saw her and she was bleeding so badly,” she said. “I immediately took her down to the vet and saw a doctor.”

Calisto was rushed to the Santa Animal Care Center where Dr. Amy Parker first thought the dog was hit by a car. “”I was working on her as a severe trauma case,” said Parker. “She was seizing, she was not able to breathe, the blood was bleeding into her lungs, she was having difficult time getting oxygen,” Parker said.

Parker described the pet’s injuries as significant and said all of her facial bones were cracked and fractured. “We were all very shocked that what we were looking at was induced by a person.”

After consulting with Newman, the decision was made to have the animal euthanized. She said the loss has been extremely painful. “She is our family pet, we love her to pieces,” Newman said. “My son is 15, he cried himself to sleep for four nights.”

Newman said Calisto was prone to bark but would never act aggressively to people. “She barked but if you went down and pet her or got near her she went backwards,” she said. “She never bit anyone.”

According to Newman, the worker, who has not been identified, initially told her he had accidentally struck her pet, an assertion she doubted. “She was a yappy dog and I think he got mad and he whacked her,” she said.

An animal control officer from OC Animal Care, and two officers from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department determined the meter reader was justified in hitting the toy poodle. “They determined that the dog was off its property and acting aggressively towards the gas company person and he took a single defensive action to prevent the dog from biting him and unfortunately resulting in the dog passing away,” said Ryan Drabek, Interim Director for OC Animal Care. “Just an unfortunate incident but according to our officers we didn’t believe there were any criminal actions that took place.”

Denise King, spokeswoman for the Southern California Gas Company, told CNN the utility regretted the incident. “It was a very sad and unfortunate accident and we’re looking at it very closely,” she said. “I can’t speak to the specifics because we have an internal investigation going on.”

King said the meter reader has not been disciplined. “From what I heard he is very upset and feels very badly about what occurred,” she said. “Our sympathies go out to the pet owners.”

She also said the company offered to pay the pet owner for the veterinary bills and to cover the expenses if the family decides to adopt a pet in the future.

For Shirley Newman, the official responses only add to her suffering. "I never thought it would ever happen and someone would be so brutal to a tiny dog,” she said.

In the last year, the pup has been featured as a Beanie Baby, on his own baseball card and re-created in marzipan.

He also made a few faux pas in his first year like barking at Santa and biting people's feet.

Along with Bo's arrival came a bit of controversy from animal rights activists who complained about neutering the first pooch. Bo was neutered.

Buddy the German Shepherd proved to be a real-life Lassie as he led police straight to his family home which was on fire.

The frantic pet dog can be seen on police dashcam footage looking back repeatedly to make sure the car was still following as he took them round narrow, unlit bends to the inferno.

Owner Ben Heinrichs, 23, insists the amazing rescue started when his dog raced off after he told him: 'Buddy, we need to get help.'

Alaska State Trooper Terrence Shanigan was struggling to find the fire after his navigation system froze - and says he acted on a hunch and followed the dog after seeing its sense of urgency.

Now Buddy is being awarded with a silver-plated dog bowl by troopers.

Mr Heinrichs' work shop was destroyed and a nearby wood shed was badly burned in the fire.

However, the Heinrichs family home escaped the flames, with only the trim around the kitchen window damaged by the fire.

'Buddy's valiant actions saved Trooper Shanigan valuable time in responding to the fire,' said Alaska State Troopers' director Col. Audie Holloway.

'Buddy's pluckiness is a bright spot among an otherwise tragic event for the Heinrichs family.'

There's so much I don't understand.

Like why, throughout the frigid winter months, most female TV anchors and "hosts" sported weirdly counter-seasonal sleeveless frocks on air day after day — despite the fact that they most assuredly do not have Michelle Obama arms.

Like why my new Sketchers "Shape-ups" came with a how-to-use-these-shoes DVD.

Like why it takes buckets of fertilizer and boundless TLC to grow decent grass in my yard, while the grass that springs up where it's not wanted is inevitably robust and emerald green.

But these and other things I don't understand merely perplex me. They don't really trouble me.

Something that I don't fully understand, and which does trouble me, is the Supreme Court ruling last week that invalidated the federal Depiction of Animal Cruelty Act, which prohibited videos, photographs and other acts of cruelty to animals for commercial gain. (Think dog-fighting videos. Now think videos showing even worse forms of animal torture. Lovely productions that warm the hearts of the sadists of the world.)

The law had been enacted in 1999 so animals would not be brutalized by drooling, leering sickos who know there are others like them who can't necessarily get to the dogfight or kitten-torture party tonight, but will pay good money so they can experience the unparalleled joy that comes from watching a dog getting its ear ripped off or a cat's haunches being shredded into gaping flaps, or hearing the howls of anguish.

The Supreme Court's position, with Justice Samuel Alito dissenting and referring to the law as "valuable," was essentially that its scope was too broad and therefore "invalid under the First Amendment."

I understand and accept respect for the First Amendment, of course. I don't exactly get how keeping guys from filming and profiting from the maiming, brutalizing or killing of an animal is a threat to the freedoms we seek to preserve, but no one's ever confused me with a robed sage, so I must accept there are layers of concern and potential implications beyond my ken.

Still, I also learned a truth in graduate school (at an age when I probably should have already realized this but had not): Each of us has constructed our own big, fat information-intake filter. We don't really hear (or we hear, then usually disregard) facts or data that don't fit with our own way of thinking, but we grab zealously onto anything that confirms what we already believe. It helps us sort and prioritize the flood of information that besieges us every hour.

So, that said, let's think about those psycho freaks who produce and sell animal-torture videos for like-minded psycho freaks. You think they're sitting around the coffee shops this week dissecting the finer points of the estimable judges' ruling, discussing the possible ramifications of the court's definition of "overbroad"? Of course not. They're grinning and scratching and slapping each other on the back, proud that they've been found in the right. Yessiree. The way they're going to see last week's action is that they've been validated — or, in their vernacular, "all them tight-butt yuppies been showed, ain't they!"

Within an hour of the release of the court's decision last week, humane groups were rallying forces.

ASPCA cruelty expert Randall Lockwood, who provided testimony on the matter, said he was "disappointed" but certain "the animal protection community (would) work with Congress to redraft legislation."

George C. Casey, interim president of the American Humane Association, had largely the same message. "We call on Congress to act quickly to remedy this unacceptable situation."

And by week's end, Rep. Elton Gallegly of California had introduced a bill to make the language of the law more specific and resolve the concerns raised by the Supreme Court.

Speed really is important, even as other vital matters are being discussed in Congress.

We've come quite a distance in recognizing and punishing animal cruelty. But there remain, of course, many people who revel in blood and gore and misery. And the rejection of the law that hung like a sword above them and may have stalled at least some of their activity will be seized as a ticket to more cruelty and better profits for as long as they can get by with it.

The man, Robert Holloway, says he badly injured his back, requiring surgery, and lost four false teeth in the incident. (His attorney, Michael Goodove, acknowledged in an interview with the Virginian-Pilot that Holloway had an existing back problem at the time of the accident but says that his client's condition worsened as a result of the slip.)

The suit alleges that PetSmart staff "negligently allowed animals to enter the premises and deposit feces in such a manner as to create a dangerous and hazardous condition," according to documents acquired by the Virginian-Pilot. Goodove says Holloway didn't see the feces because they blended in with the color of the store's floor.

The Virginian-Pilot reports that the suit was initially filed in Norfolk Circuit Court, but PetSmart succeeded in getting it moved to U.S. District Court, where a similar suit against the company was dismissed in 2008.

In court documents, PetSmart denied the allegation of negligence, according to the Associated Press.

At 67, Powers still spends several months a year at her animal reserve in Kenya. She chairs the William Holden Wildlife Foundation, an organization she created after her late husbands death.

Besides her devotion to animal protection and conservation, Powers is also working on her memoirs; to be published in October by Simon & Schuster. She's also busy acting. She'll be in "Meet My Mom," a Hallmark original TV movie May 8th.

Stefanie Powers tells listeners that she has a 36 year old Yellow-Naped Amazon Parrot that she thought was the longest relationship she's ever had with a male, until she discovered it was a female. 

"Animals, I find, are very east to love and be friends with," Powers stresses. "I don't need to go onto Facebook and pretend to have friends I've never even met."

Hear this special Animal Radio® broadcast on XM Satellite Radio ch. 158 (America's Talk) Saturday April 24th at noon EST and rebroadcast Sunday the 25th at 5pm EST.  Animal Radio® also broadcasts on 99 AM/FM radio affiliates, including KOST 103.5 Los Angeles. See more listening options at AnimalRadio.com

Animal Radio® is the "most-listened-to" animal programming in the U.S.; created to educate, reduce surrenders and to help animals live long, healthy and happier lives.

Sponsored by Sen. Linda Newell, D-Littleton, and Rep. Jerry Frangas, D- Denver, Senate Bill 80 allows a victim's pets to be protected under a restraining order.

Newell told a story about an abuse victim who left her dog at home when seeking shelter from an abusive partner. The partner sent her an audio recording of him abusing the dog, which caused her to leave the shelter.

"She was never heard from again," Newell said.

Had this bill been law at the time, that victim could have dispatched police to arrest her partner for abusing her dog, according to Dr. Frank Ascione, a professor at the University of Denver and an expert in human-animal relationships.

"In more than 50 percent of homes where there is domestic violence and there are animals, the abuser also threatens or harms the animals," Ascione said.

"We are pleased that animals will now be included under protection orders which are issued in Colorado," said Frangas.

"By legally protecting animals, we decrease the use of a common manipulative tactic used by domestic violence abusers in the coercion of his/her partner. For so many of us, pets are part of our families, and clarifying the law to protect them makes sense and is the right thing to do."

It used to be when a pet got gravely ill or suffered a fracture in an accident, a pet owner had a difficult decision: Pay thousands of dollars in medical costs or put the animal down.

But in the past few years, pet insurance has blossomed. Pet insurance has been offered for about two dozen years, but last year it experienced double-digit growth, and that trend has carried over into this year.

"I've noticed that many more people now have pet insurance," said Amy Kidd, a veterinarian at Pocopson Veterinary Station. "Something like this is perfect for an animal that gets hit by a car and suffers a fractured leg. That cost could easily be $6,000."

John Pote, a veterinarian at the Willowdale Veterinary Centre, said about 15 of his clients have pet insurance, and said the economy may have something to do with a drastic rise in people obtaining the insurance.

"I think it's a good idea, especially if you have a young dog," Pote said. "The people who have it have told me they are quite happy with it."

Laura Bennett, a pet insurance expert and co-founder of Embrace Pet Insurance, expects the trend to continue into 2010 as customers become more aware of pet insurance.

She the pet insurance industry could expect growth of 20 percent this year alone.

"People tend to want pet insurance after something has happened," Bennett said, "but by then it's too late. I'd say 40 percent of policy holders make a claim in any given year."

That because pet insurance also covers wellness - things like vaccinations, annual exams and heartworm prevention.

The monthly premium for a two-year old Labrador Retriever in the Kennett area that is in good health with coverage for routine care including flea control, heartworm prevention, vaccinations, skin, ear and eye infections and vomiting and diarrhea problems would be $32.77 per month, according to VPI pet insurance, the nation's largest pet insurer. Add other things like poisoning, hit by a car, back problems, cancer, dental care, urinalysis and spaying or neutering, and the premium tops out at $45.83 per month. Plans typically carry a $100 deductible. As will all insurance policies, the higher the deductible, the lower the premium.

"It's happening way more," Kidd said. "A lot of my (clients) have it. Costs for vet care can go through the roof, and if you are faced with a decision, (pet insurance) makes it a lot easier."

But Dr. Harry Sachs, a veterinarian with Crestview Animal Clinic in Lincoln University, said pet insurance isn't for everyone.

"I think that for certain breeds of animals, especially large dogs, it's a very good deal," Sachs said. "When big dogs have health problems, the costs are proportional to their size."

Sachs said he encourages some of his clients to put aside money every month - money they otherwise would spend on pet insurance - and earmark it for pet expenses. Depending on the policy and the pet, he said, pet insurance isn't always the best option.

"Pet insurance can help prevent what I call economic euthanasia," Sachs said. "Some clients don't have the funds for treatment and face a very tough decision."

Most pets face increased health care costs when they reach 8 to 10 years old, Sachs said. "By this time, they are bringing them in twice a heart to be weighed and checked," he said.

Sachs also said most pets don't need to be vaccinated every year.

Chris Allen, a veterinarian and attorney, said pet owners need to be informed of the potential benefits of pet health insurance as part of the overall strategy for the long-term, or lifespan care of each pet. "While it may appear to be a poor investment in some cases, insurance is a vital and indispensible risk-management tool, without which modern business - and health care—would grind to a screeching halt," he said.

Because dental health is covered under many pet insurance plans, Bennett said she expects the lifespan of pets to increase. Oral health, she said, is often neglected until it has a serious negative impact on a pet's overall health. Adding an insurance or wellness option to cover dental care is a wise choice, Bennett said.

Bennett said in the last five years, there have been many new options added to pet insurance policies. And because more people are obtaining pet insurance, premiums have dropped. Last year, an estimated $25 billion was spent on veterinary related care in the U.S. More than 60 percent of U.S. households have at least one dog, cat, bird or other companion animal.

Unlike President Obama's health care plan that will cover all pre-existing conditions in 2014, most pet insurance policies specifically exclude all pre-existing conditions. Bennett's advice: Obtain a plan as soon as the pet is obtained to avoid that problem. Most companies will insure pets as early as six weeks.

"Most of my clients have a plan that covers everything," Kidd said.

Bennett said that pet owners can choose their own veterinarians no matter what company they purchase their pet insurance from.

Pet insurance usually works as a reimbursement plan. Since veterinary care is much cheaper than human health care, people can usually find the cash to pay upfront and then claim from your insurance company afterward.

Kent Lively, attorney for Sheila Savage, the owner of Rush Kennel in Pleasant Garden, said his client wants to recover at least eight house pets, which they believe aren't part of the investigation.

"We hope to be in court sometime this week," Lively said. "There are certainly some of the dogs that it doesn't seem to me should be involved in the controversy."

Savage and Robert Landreth, a caretaker at the kennel, were charged Friday with 12 counts of animal cruelty.

The charges come after an investigation of dozens of complaints from customers saying they bought puppies from Rush Kennel that became ill or developed serious behavioral problems.

Many of the dogs had to be euthanized or died from their health problems.

The dogs seized last week — many are sick and malnourished — are housed at the Guilford County Animal Shelter and are undergoing treatment. Veterinary costs have reached nearly $2,800, and are being covered by donations.

Shelter director Marsha Williams said Monday the dogs are doing well, and she doesn't think any of them will need to be euthanized.

But because the animals are considered evidence in a criminal investigation, they cannot be adopted at this time.

Williams said they have adoption potential, depending on how the case is resolved in court.

"Some will need some special families ... willing to handle medical issues long-term," Williams said.

"There are some with behavioral issues ... housebreaking issues. Some are shy and timid with people, and you will need to be patient and socialize them."

The shelter is keeping a list of rescue groups that are willing to assist in the care of the seized dogs, should that become a viable option approved by the court.

"We would be more than happy to place them with a rescue. But they are in the chain of custody," Williams said.

"It's a strain on us right now, and we are trying to think outside the box."

The shelter is seeking people to adopt its other animals to free up space and resources for the seized dogs, in addition to accepting donations of money, food and other pet supplies.

Williams said this isn't the first time the shelter has housed dogs from Rush Kennel.

On Friday, she told the News & Record that in the past eight or nine years, the shelter has taken in 40 to 50 sick dogs surrendered by Savage, and many were transported by animal control.

"Animal control was bringing them (the dogs) to us for her," Williams said. "We assumed they didn't have any problems with her at that time."

But officials with the county health department, which oversees animal control, said that if they had known of reports of animal cruelty at the kennel, they would have taken action.

"We would have investigated any cruelty going on at that site, but there has to be some communication back and forth (with the shelter) because we don't examine the animals," said Ken Carter, assistant health director.

Carter said officers only received three calls about the kennel in 2008-09.

"I think we can do what our rules and regulations allow us to do, and our staff is doing what they are supposed to be doing."

Lively, who said he had no knowledge of Savage surrendering animals in the past, said his client looks forward to sorting out the case in court.

"We contend whatever injuries took place to the dogs were accidental," the attorney said.

"I believe when everything comes to light, her credentials will be seen as being substantial and any unfortunate mishaps with these animals can't be laid at her doorstop."

Solano County Deputy District Attorney Melissa Marshall said Christopher Ellis was sentenced to four years probation and 270 days in jail for felony animal cruelty. He was also prohibited from engaging in the sale of live pets.

Ellis' wife Leanna Rachelle Kamp was credited for jail time served for misdemeanor animal cruelty, given three years probation and banned from selling dogs.

The couple was also ordered to close their YorkieAngel.com Web sites and pay nearly $70,000 to their customer victims and animal shelters that took over care of the animals in their California Pets & Supply shop.

Ellis and Kamp were arrested last December.

Hypocritical Animal Rights Group’s 2008 Disclosures Bring Pet Death Toll to 21,339

WASHINGTON DC – Today the nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) published documents online showing that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) killed 95 percent of the adoptable pets in its care during 2008. Despite years of public outrage over its euthanasia program, the animal rights group kills an average of 5.8 pets every day at its Norfolk, VA headquarters.

According to public records from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, PETA killed 2,124 pets last year and placed only seven in adoptive homes. Since 1998, a total of 21,339 dogs and cats have died at the hands of PETA workers.

Despite having a $32 million budget, PETA does not operate an adoption shelter. PETA employees make no discernible effort to find homes for the thousands of pets they kill every year. Last year, the Center for Consumer Freedom petitioned Virginia’s State Veterinarian to reclassify PETA as a slaughterhouse.

CCF Research Director David Martosko said: “PETA hasn’t slowed down its hypocritical killing machine one bit, but it keeps browbeating the rest of society with a phony ‘animal rights’ message. what about the rights of the thousands of dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens that die in PETA’s headquarters building?”

Martosko added: “Since killing pets is A-OK with PETA, why should anyone listen to their demands about eating meat, using lab rats for medical research, or taking children to the circus?”

CCF obtained PETA’s “Animal Record” filings since 1998 from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Members of the public can see these documents at PetaKillsAnimals.com.

(Skeptical? Click here to see the documents.)

In addition to exposing PETA’s hypocritical record of killing defenseless animals, the Center for Consumer Freedom has publicized the animal rights group’s ties to violent activists, and shed light on its aggressive message-marketing to children.

The Center for Consumer Freedom is a nonprofit coalition supported by restaurants, food companies, and consumers, working together to promote personal responsibility and protect consumer choices.