Betty White

When one thinks of celebrities and animals, one can't help but think of Betty White. They go hand in hand. Or paw in hand. That's because Betty White is as passionate about animals as she is about acting, which is the other reason we know and love her. She says that show business is her hobby while her real work is the animals! When asked what type of animal she prefers, she states "anything with a leg on each corner."

Betty's first animal was even before she remembered. When she first came home from the hospital, her family had a Marmalade cat named Toby who would sit on the corner of her crib. Her mother would always say that if Toby hadn't approved of the new baby, she would have sent Betty right back to the hospital!

Betty is a current trustee and former president of the Morris Animal Foundation, (MAF), having been with them over 40 years. MAF is the world's largest nonprofit foundation 501(c)(3) dedicated to funding research studies to protect, treat and cure animals, including companion animals (dogs, cats, horses, and llamas/alpacas), as well as wildlife (mountain gorillas, elephants, rhinoceros, wolves, and many varieties of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish).

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Women - Let Dogs Sniff Out Your Date
Wendy Diamond, Animal Fair

If a man owns a mutt, he is typically happy-go-lucky and will make a good mate, says Wendy Diamond, author of "How To Understand Men Through Their Dogs."

The book came about when everyone in New York City was introducing Wendy to men with dogs, because of what she does for a living. One night she might go out with a Shih Tzu guy, another night she might be out with a mutt guy, etc. She began to see the similarity traits between the men who had the same breeds of dogs.

Wendy then did a study and interviewed 35 breeds of dogs and the men who loved them. What she found out was whether or not they were great marriage material; whether they were great with children; and what they wanted to be when the grew up, or were already grown up. She determined that these men with the same breed of dogs really were similar. The Chicago Sun Times did a study on her book and found it to be 98-percent accurate.

To determine what breed of dog your potential mate should have, you first need to determine what you want out of someone. For instance, if you are into wine, art or culture, you might be interested in a man who has a Poodle. If you are outdoorsy and love sports and want a man who also loves sports, is into children and would be the guy who would end up coaching little league that would be the guy who has a mutt. This guy would make a great father figure and he doesn't care about pedigree. He is also in touch with his feelings and would appreciate a person for who they were. What if the guy has a cat? This guy tends to be more of a homebody.

No matter what kind of a man you are looking for, you want a man that has a dog! This guy is not fearful of commitment. If a guy doesn't have a dog, you need to look at three different things. Is he fearful of commitment? Is he overworked? Does he not have the time for a dog? Because if he doesn't have time for a dog, chances are he won't have time for you!

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Coyotes Stalking our Neighborhoods - Dr. Debbie

I just saw a scraggly coyote in front of my house this morning - the second coyote sighting in my neighborhood this week. I feared what could have happened if my 15 pound terrier was outdoors alone. Wildlife is beautiful, but when my little terrier, Boss, is in harm's way - my doggie momma protective instincts kick in. While not a threat to be exaggerated, the coyote nonetheless poses a risk to our pet's safety.

Coyotes are increasingly becoming a concern in urban areas - some are displaced by the urban sprawl that consumes their potential habitat. But other coyotes become urbanized savvy to living, feeding and thriving within city environments. Coyotes are born opportunists and dine on what they find available. They eat small animals like rabbits and rodents, but also consume ample vegetable matter with up to 40-percent of their diet consisting of seeds, grasses, fruits and flowers.

The most serious coyote concern for pets is injury and predation. As a veterinarian, I can recall many a client whose pet was brought in injured by unknown wildlife or whose cat just one day reportedly just vanished. While many might believe their cat was stolen, in reality these cats most likely fell victim to coyote predation. Likewise, small to medium sized dogs can be injured or lost to the same fate as their feline counterparts.

Steps to Keep Your Pet Safe
Whether you have pets or not, it's important not to feed coyotes. Intentional feeding of coyotes makes them dependent on humans and less fearful which increases the chance of an unwanted, dangerous interaction with people or pets. Just leaving unsecured garbage is invitation enough for these opportunists. Secure all garbage in closing containers and avoid leaving bagged garbage at the curb overnight. Pick up uneaten pet food as soon as your pet has finished eating.

Pet owners should take precautions to keep their household pets protected as well. Keep cats indoors and maintain all pets on leash control when outdoors. Ensure your dogs and cats are up to date on their rabies vaccines. Even indoor cats that do not venture outdoors should be current on this vaccine for both pet and human safety.

Besides rabies, keep your pets current on other vaccinations, deworming and preventatives as recommended by your veterinarian. Coyotes are known to harbor carry skin mites, canine distemper virus, canine parvovirus, adenovirus and heartworm disease. So even if your dog never leaves your yard, there is potential for infectious disease crossover between wildlife and your pet.

These wild canids are masters at adapting to their changing world, and it's unrealistic they are going away on their own. As humans we are the ones that need to change to make urban areas less appealing, removing easy feeding sites, and by raising awareness to the potential crossover between wildlife and pets.

Featured veterinarian known as "Dr. Debbie" on national pet radio program, Animal Radio. Ebook author of "Yorkshire Terriers: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; "Pugs: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; "Mini Schnauzers: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; and "Shih Tzu: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend." Dr. Debbie's books.

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The Dogfather's (BirdFather!) Grooming Tip with Joey Villani

Bathing Your Bird
When most people acquire birds, they think all they need to do is give it seed, vegetables and fruit. However, there is a lot more to them.

You have to cut their nails and take care of their wings. You also have to bathe your bird! Unless there is no roof over your house and rain can get in, you are going to have to help your bird out with his bath.

If your bird likes water, take your bird right into the shower. Put them under the water and really saturate them. If you just pour water over them, it will just roll off without penetrating their skin.

This will stimulate the bird to start pruning himself when he dries. This will remove the old feathers. They will also preen themselves and take the casings off exposed new feathers. This will make the bird look more beautiful and will encourage more and healthier growth.

If your bird doesn't like to go in the shower, use a spray bottle. Distilled water works best, because tap water can sometimes dry them out and make them itchy.

There is also a bird wash that you can purchase, which includes a spray with conditioners.

You should bathe your bird one to two times a week. Just make sure that the temperature in the house is at least 70 degrees or higher to keep them warm.

Most birds like bathing, as it occupies them and keeps them from going stir crazy from sitting in a cage all day!

Animal Radio® News with Stacey Cohen

A Dog's Mouth Is Not Cleaner Than A Human's!
A pet's saliva can miraculously cure human cuts and scrapes. These are common beliefs held by pet owners according to a new study commissioned by The Greenies® Brandmakers of the pet specialty dental chews and treats. However, dogs' mouths are certainly not cleaner than a human's. Dogs often carry a variety of germs and bacteria in their mouths that stem from buildup of plaque and tartar that can potentially make humans sick through contact with saliva. A healthy mouth is essential to the overall wellbeing of pets, but misguided information about pet oral health can affect more than just our pets' mouths. For proper pet oral health, veterinarians advise daily brushing or giving Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) approved dental treats and at least annual oral exams by a veterinarian with professional cleanings as recommended.

Double-Trouble
A New York City woman paid $50,000 to have her dead dog cloned. She actually got a major discount on the procedure, which was supposed to cost $100,000, after agreeing to appear on a TLC special about pet cloning. Danielle Tarantola tells "ABC News" she hired a South Korean company to genetically copy her late pet pooch "Trouble." She says the clonesters used Trouble's DNA to create a puppy she has named "Double Trouble." Tarantola says the puppy is such a close genetic copy; even its personality is the same.

No Dog Left Behind
A dog that saved one battered woman's life may go on to save many more, by changing the role beloved family pets play in the lives of domestic abuse victims. Last year, the heroic Great Dane had thrown himself over the body of a woman who had been nearly beaten to death by her boyfriend who repeatedly struck her with both sides of a hammer. The dog leapt into the bloody scene and absorbed most of the blows the man threw at them, before he threw the dog and the woman out a second-story window. The desperate woman called the Rose Brooks Center in Kansas City, Missouri, where arrangements were made for the woman only - the dog, sadly, couldn't stay. But the woman, who has chosen to identify herself, refused to abandon "her Angel," Susan Miller, the center's chief executive said. "She was not going to leave her pet alone with him," Miller said. "He saved her life." The dog had suffered serious injuries including a broken and hip, ribs and other broken bones and with the woman clinging to her trusted companion, the shelter made an exception. 40% of the women will not leave their pets, so they live in their cars or they stay. They risk their own life or the life of their children. Realizing how much a difference it makes in the lives of abuse-escapees, the shelter is in the process of adding seven kennels and expanding the shelter to accommodate another 25 beds. "They provide so much comfort and to have to leave that pet behind is so heartbreaking," Miller said. "It has become abundantly clear that the incredible therapeutic benefits that pets can have on a family greatly outweigh the cost and inconvenience of housing them." Miller said seven out of every ten women in the United States say they are unable to escape abusive relationships in part because the abuser threatens to harm the family pet. Two out of five women say they don't leave because they worry about what will happen to their dog.

Want To Adopt A Hamster?
A Massachusetts man has a lot more room in his home after parting ways with his large animal collection. A Lawrence resident gave all of his 94 hamsters to the MSPCA last week. The man had been housing the hamsters for the past five years, but eventually realized that he was running out of room. The man was described as emotional when getting rid of his pets, but he ultimately decided that he needed to get rid of them all. The hamsters, which were well cared for, will be sent to different shelters across Massachusetts for adoption.

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