The matter of staging and caging
December 31st, 2006
Love your pets but be practical, they can kill a deal if buyers are afraid or allergic. Here are some do’s and don’ts
BY AIMEE FITZPATRICK MARTIN
Special to Newsday
December 29, 2006
Many homeowners consider their pets to be more than just animals - they are beloved members of the family. When it comes to renting or selling a house, however, homeowners often don’t realize their furry, feathered or scaly friends may leave some potential buyers feeling they’re barking up the wrong tree.
Louisiana Makes Strides in Pet Evacuation Planning
December 30th, 2006
An official of the Louisiana State University School of veterinary medicine said the state has made strides in planning for animal evacuations in natural disasters.
Congress Passes Katrina-Inspired Pet Evacuation Bill
December 30th, 2006
Both the House and Senate passed the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act of 2006 in late September.
The Katrina-inspired legislation, which had not yet been signed by President Bush at deadline, essentially requires that disaster relief and emergency management agencies consider pets and service animals in disaster relief planning.
The legislation also authorizes, but does not require, funding for animal emergency preparedness purposes, including “the procurement, construction, leasing or renovating of emergency shelter facilities and materials that will accommodate people with pets and service animals.
PETS EVACUATION ACT ( November 2006)
December 30th, 2006
A federal law that will require local and state disaster to include provisions for household pets and service animals in the event of a major disaster or emergency in late September was sent to President George Bush for signature. The President was expected to sign the bill.
The U.S. Senate unanimously approved a substitute to House Resolution 3858, the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act, just before adjourning for the August recess. Senate Bill 2548 is more comprehensive than the House measure, including federal financial aid to states to create emergency shelters for people with their animals and other assistance.
Japanese Pet Owners Turn to Acupuncture
December 25th, 2006
By HIROKO TABUCHI
Associated Press Write
December 22, 2006, 3:08 PM EST
TOKYO — Andy has sprouted white whiskers, suffers from lower back pain and no longer bounds up the stairs like he used to. Still, the 11-year-old Siberian husky isn’t lying idle: every week he meets his personal trainer for a run on an underwater treadmill, does laps in a doggy pool to strengthen his hind legs and unwinds with a hot spa and massage session.
The boom in pet ownership in Japan has led to a new phenomenon: legions of elderly animals that doting masters pamper with fortified food and vitamins, aromatherapy and even acupuncture.
Dog dancing allows canines and their owners to shine
December 17th, 2006
By CAROLYN MOREAU
The Hartford Courant
December 14, 2006
MANCHESTER, Conn. — Laurie Sullivan is wearing a skintight bodysuit made from crushed velvet fabric that she bought in New York City and shipped to Kansas to be stitched.
Matching fingerless gloves cover her thin arms from wrists to shoulders, which are bare. With one hand, she fidgets with a pair of gray wolf ears attached to a headband. Her long brown hair is pulled back in a ponytail. As she waits her turn to compete in an annual dog dancing competition, she’s worrying that the ears might be a problem.
Bowie, her 2-year-old golden retriever, has never seen Sullivan, of Stamford, wearing wolf ears. Yet, in a few moments, he’s supposed to perform a choreographed routine with Sullivan to “Hungry Like the Wolf” by Duran Duran.
Nail-trimming without trauma
December 3rd, 2006
By Denise Flaim
Dogs don’t dig pedicures.
To be sure, there are exceptions: Somewhere out there are composed canines who eagerly offer their paws and don’t react as if the term “guillotine clipper” is to be taken literally. I’ve just never met any of them.
A puppy who squirms and squeals with every snip of the clipper may seem cutely forlorn, but unless he gets comfortable with the idea of having his feet handled, by the time he matures it could well take a village to clip his nails: One person to wield the clipper, one to restrain him, and one to hover and offer useless advice. Dogs that live on concrete - hardly a recommendation, by the way - might sufficiently grind their nails down on their own; most others require weekly grooming sessions, which also should include ear cleaning and coat and tooth brushing.