Petfinder Blog

See Gizmo the Soldier Dog and other pups at work here.

June 26 is Take Your Dog to Work Day, and Petfinder is proud to be the 2009 official adoption partner of the event, which is organized by Pet Sitters International.

To find out how you can participate, including tips for success and how to win over your boss to the idea, visit TakeYourDog.com.

We asked Petfinder visitors if they bring their pets to work. Here are just a few of the responses:

My husband works for the US Army. And while he is not supposed to bring him to work by Army standards, he brings our youngest dog to work with him, and my husband's boss brings his cats to work!

I work at Archdale Animal Clinic in Archdale, NC. We have a very laid-back boss. Pretty much everyone that I work with brings their dog to work with them daily. It's like the dogs have a job too. They all run loose in the back and get along, except for the occasional grumble over treats. The clients know them all by name and love seeing them. Personally I don't know what it would be like to not have Riley with me at work. I have never been in another vet clinic like ours, but for us it works.--Byrd

Since I work at an animal shelter, YES! We are allowed to bring our pets to work. For us, having our pets around really reminds us why we do what we do. Most of us have former shelter dogs, so it reinforces that happy endings do happen! It's a great morale boost when you're dealing with so much sadness. Even if it's a co-worker's dog, feeling that paw on your leg or that wet nose on your arm brings us back to why we started working there in the first place.--Melissa Tata, Program Administrator, Animal Protective Foundation, Scotia, NY

Want to learn more about Petfinder and all the ways we help our shelter and rescue group members get their pets adopted? Check out our 2008 Annual Report.

Some highlights:

• Petfinder accounts for 65% of U.S. and Canadian adoptions.
• For about a quarter of our 12,500+ shelter/rescue group members, Petfinder is responsible for 80-100% of ALL their adoptions.
• Petfinder sends adoptable-pet listings to over 275 popular Web sites such as AOL, Petco.com, Walmart.com, Oodle and MySpace, reaching millions of potential adopters every year.
• Petfinder Mobile takes adoptable pets on the road - via cell phones, BlackBerrys and iPhones.
• The Petfinder.com Foundation awarded more than $1,000,000 in cash and products to our members in disaster-relief grants and power-generator awards.
• Petfinder pets data will power the adoptable-pet search on the web site for the Ad Council's first-ever animal welfare-oriented campaign in partnership with the Humane Society of the United States and Maddie's Fund.

Download the PDF of the report here and let us know what you think!

 
How much do I loooove this TODAY Show segment featuring makeovers of adoptable dogs from New York City's Animal Care & Control? It features Martha Stewart walking a pit bull -- when did you ever think you'd see that?

It's also a great plug for pit bulls, senior pets and shelter dogs in general. And major props to TODAY's Jill Rappaport, who shows off her handsome (and so well-behaved) rescued pit, Petey. Read more about the segment here.

Just in time for summer vacation, we've named the top five pet-friendliest airlines of 2009 (bookmark our story and find more pet-travel tips here). Check out our list and then share your own experiences traveling with your pet in our comments section.

1. Continental - Safety First

Continental is proud of its PetSafe program, which has a 24-hour Live Animal Desk (1-800-575-3335) that tracks the pets from origin to destination. It's pricier than other programs, but it's climate-controlled, allows roomy carriers and has designated cargo staff. Travelers using PetSafe can even earn miles. The airline also allows small cats, dogs, pet rabbits and household birds to be carried in the cabin on most domestic flights for $125 each way.

Pets allowed in cabin: Small dogs, cats, rabbits and birds
Pets allowed as checked baggage: No
Pets allowed in cargo: Yes, all pets that are checked travel in climate-controlled cargo, not as checked baggage

2. JetBlue Airways - Full-Service Pet Love

JetBlue really embraced pet-toting travelers when it launched JetPaws last summer. For no additional cost, JetBlue provides a pet carrier bag tag, two TrueBlue points each way, a welcome e-mail and a free pet-travel guide. However, like other airlines, JetBlue has hiked its in-cabin pet charge: one-way fees range from $75 to $100.

Pets allowed in cabin: Small cats and dogs
Pets allowed as checked baggage: No
Pets allowed in cargo: No

Be sure to tune in to Animal Planet at 10 p.m. EST tonight for a special episode of Animal Cops: Philadelphia, called Puppy Mills: Exposed.

The episode details a raid conducted last year by the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on Limestone Kennels in Chester County, Pa., where almost 90 dogs were discovered living in deplorable conditions.

The show should go a long way toward raising awareness of exactly where that doggie in the pet store window came from -- and of the incredible work done by Humane Law Enforcement officers and shelter personnel who work so hard to protect these animal victims.

Finally! I've been saying for years that there should be some level of tax relief for those of us who dedicate our income to our pets!

That there is actual legislation being drafted is certainly a step towards a lively conversation on the subject. It also validates what we already know about the importance of pets as part of the family.

Actor-director Robert Davi writes in The Washington Times:

In 2008, the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association estimated that Americans spent more than $41 billion on their pets. Being allowed to use these expenses as deductions would positively affect the tax burden on a majority of American households. I am pleased to report that Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, Michigan Republican, is taking the lead on this, working closely with us to write legislation.

Today is Earth Day! You may be a die-hard eco-booster, a regular person doing their best (like me), or someone who is sick to death of hearing the "go green" message -- but the fact is, we as pet parents have a little bit more of an environmental impact than those without pets.

Luckily, Petfinder's sister sites have some great resources:

From PlanetGreen.com:

How to Go Green: Pets

6 Ways to Green Your Pet's Poop

Where to Get Green Pet Products

Make Clothes Out of Your Pet's Hair (apparently there are people who actually do this)

From HowStuffWorks.com:

8 Green Pet Care and Cleaning Tips

In previous weeks I've written about young recipients of Dosomething.org Animal Action Grants, including 17-year-old Amanda Smith, who is helping to save abandoned horses in Minnesota, and 10-year-old Maggie Maxwell, whose Project H.O.P.E. is raising awareness of homeless pets in Texas.

This week, meet 14-year-old Texan Hayden Whitt, who not only volunteers at his local shelter, but raises money for critical supplies and places adoption ads in local newspapers. (Read more about Hayden's project here.)

What is your project?
I organized a supply and money drive to benefit my local animal shelter. The drive yielded three truckloads of supplies, money to help care for medical attention for the shelter animals and money to help fund ads for pet adoptions.

How did your passion for animals start?
My family and I have volunteered at the animal shelter for over two years now.

The national economic crisis is having a negative impact on pets, their families and the Petfinder member shelter and rescue groups who work so hard to save their lives. You can help! Please consider volunteering to temporarily foster a pet in need, donating your time or money to a local shelter or rescue group, and of course, adopting a pet in need.

A recent survey of our members about how the economic downturn is affecting them and their pets revealed that 84 percent of Petfinder.com animal shelters and rescue groups are receiving more pets in need due to the overall economic downturn, foreclosures and / or job losses. And sadly, 74 percent said that they have seen an increase in pets being given away or abandoned since this time last year due to these economic trials.

According to the survey:
 

• 47 percent of shelters and rescue groups said the No. 1 economy-related reason pets are being surrendered is because of general financial difficulty.
• 18 percent said the driving factor was people having to relocate
• 16 percent said the No. 1 reason was foreclosures

Petfinder.com also uncovered in the survey that 37 percent of shelters and rescue groups have seen a decrease in pet adoptions over the past year.

You can find over 270,000 adoptable pets on Petfinder. So if you aren't ready to adopt yourself, be a voice for the pets and spread the "Adopt a Homeless Pet" call to action loud and clear.

As many commenters to this blog have already noted, news emerged this weekend that Oprah Winfrey, after adopting a cocker spaniel puppy from PAWS Chicago, adopted a second dog, her puppy Sadie's littermate Ivan, who died of parvo.

As PeoplePets.com reports:

Ivan ... came down with a deadly virus called Parvo last Wednesday and died, said Dr. Jean Dobbs, the veterinarian who [is treating] Sadie since she was exposed.

"It was just a little bit too late. All the veterinary community got together to save his life," Dr. Dobbs told PEOPLE Pets. "The puppy didn't make it, but he's teaching others how important this is to get vaccinated at the right times."

Dr. Dobbs, who founded Hemopet, a non-profit animal blood bank [which also posts adoptable Greyhounds on Petfinder - ED], said that she thinks the shelter and vets did everything right, but that Ivan was exposed between two critical shots.

Maggie Maxwell, another Dosomething.org Animal Action Grant winner, amazes me. The 10-year-old Texas native helps organize Project H.O.P.E. (Helping Our Pets through Education).

Below is my interview with Maggie. Check in later for my interview with 14-year-old fundraising dynamo Hayden Whitt, and in the meantime, check out Maggie's Project H.O.P.E. page on dosomething.org.

How did your passion for animals start?
When my family got our first dog.

How did you come up with the idea for Project H.O.P.E.?
My Socrates [gifted] class all decided this
was a good idea for a [community service] project and we are all doing the best we can.

What are some obstacles that you have with your project and how do you plan to overcome them?
Money is an issue we need money to help with our project. We could help that with fundraisers. Some of the things that we wanted to change involve our city government and that makes it harder to get things changed. Talking to everyone we can will help change that.
 

Dosomething.org helps teens who want to make an impact in their community by offering information and resources to do so.

Recently, they offered Animal Action Grants of a whopping $500 to young people working to help animals! I was lucky enough to interview three of the winners: Amanda Smith, Hayden Whitt and Maggie Maxwell. They truly are inspirational! (Meet all the winners here.)

This is my interview with Amanda Smith is a 17-year-old from Rochester, Minnesota. I'll post my interviews with Hayden and Maggie in coming weeks.

What is your project?
My project is to help promote RIDE of Rochester. RIDE stands for Rescue/Recreation Involving Deserving Equine. It promotes the rescue and rehabilitation of horses in need, safe and responsible horse ownership and the advancement of animal-assisted therapeutic programming for humans.

RIDE's hard work is entirely volunteer-driven and donor-funded. RIDE's network of foster homes, care providers, therapists and other volunteers help humans and horses in a variety of situations with many levels of need.

A problem is commonly occurring throughout the Rochester area: Neglected or abandoned horses are being left to starve and die. When this happens, RIDE steps in to save these horses on the verge of death. An example is a pony named Grandma. Grandma was left to die and was in the nastiest body condition. RIDE was there to rescue her and rehabilitate her to increase her weight and to get her health back.

A major problem for RIDE is that the public is unaware of its existence! I started an Animal Welfare Club at my high school and we will get together to do the project. 

Oprah Winfrey has adopted a cocker spaniel puppy from Petfinder member PAWS Chicago, a rep for the shelter tells Us Weekly.

According to Usmagazine.com, Oprah "adopted an 8-week-old blonde-colored cocker spaniel on Sunday. ... The pup -- one of a litter of six -- was named Amanda by shelter staff, but [shelter rep Lisa] Nowak isn't sure if Winfrey renamed her."

This is, of course, great news for adoption advocates! Oprah vowed her next dog would come from a shelter during her episode last year that exposed the horrors of puppy mills (and featured Bill Smith of Petfinder member Main Line Animal Rescue).

Of course we're thrilled that she's made good on her promise -- but she'd become a bona fide pet adoption advocate even before this week:
 

• She donated to PAWS Chicago in honor of her late cocker spaniel, Sophie.
• She aired a show recently about Yorkies rescued from a puppy mill in Missouri.
• Her Web site features a photo gallery of her employees' rescued pets.

Okay, I'm a little late to blogging about this, but our own VP of shelter outreach, Kim Saunders, continued her media blitz promoting the Petfinder.com Adopted Dog Bible with an appearance on The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet (watch the video).

This was one of my favorite media spots because Kim was able to not only promote responsible pet adoption, but also to show
off some wonderful dogs whom the average adopter might not think to seek out:

• Rocky, a 10-year-old pit bull at NYC's Picasso Veterinary Fund
  
• Deke, a blind, senior shepherd mix, also at Picasso Veterinary Fund
• Higgins, a St. Bernard-mix puppy who was hit by a car and is being cared for and given veterinary cary by Companion Critters in Clark, NJ
• Valentina, a young beagle the Humane Society of NY (okay, she's the type of dog EVERYONE seems to be looking for -- but it's always good to let people know they CAN find a purebred dog at a shelter)
  

NPR recently aired a piece about how many horses are ending up in shelters these days because of the economy.

Some rescues have received more than 300. One horse they mentioned was abandoned, tied to a utility pole.

The commentator said that horses may be inexpensive to acquire these days, but, the piece warned, it takes a chunk of money to keep one in food and to pay for vet bills.

Still, there's a great need right now for people who have the means. The piece concluded that there are simply too many horses -- and that people shouldn't breed them when so many need homes. Sound familiar?

(There are currently more than 2,500 adoptable horses waiting for their forever homes on Petfinder.)

Update: Thanks to the commenter who pointed out this great post on the Best Friends Network's Stop BSL blog, which lists ways to speak out against this policy.

Original post: Breed-specific legislation has now extended its ugly reach to the military.

Good News for Pets writes about a new memo banning "aggressive or potentially aggressive" dogs, including pit bulls, rottweilers, Doberman pinschers, chows and wolf hybrids from military housing as of Feb. 1, 2009.

You can see copies of the memo on the Web sites for Fort Riley, Kansas, and Army Hawaii Family Housing, to name just two examples.

How sad that our government is rewarding our brave servicemen and women by taking their beloved family pets from them. As Good News for Pets points out:

According to the ruling, dogs of any type who currently live on base can be grandfathered in. However, [Lynette] Lynde [a pit owner whose husband is an Afghanistan vet] points out that families are frequently being asked to re-locate. When they do, they can no longer bring their banned dogs with them. Similarly, new enlistees must leave their dogs at home if they're indentified as a banned breed.

Making the ban even more upsetting: Not so long ago, pit bulls were considered the embodiment of the American military spirit for their bravery and loyalty.

Wow! California legislators have been looking at adding a tax of about 9% on veterinary services to fix their budgetary crisis. That would make veterinary care for pets even further out of reach for a lot of people. It's hard enough for them to scrape together money for vaccinations with the way the economy is.

The budget puts veterinary care for our pet companions in the same category as playing golf or getting a piece of furniture repaired, services to which they're also proposing a sales and use tax.

You can call the Governor's office at 916-445-2841 to protest it. When you call, select your language choice, then press 5, which will take you right to hot topics. Next press 1 to select the issue of extending the sales tax to veterinary services, and then press 2 to oppose this proposal.

For more information about the measure and how to take action to oppose it, visit the California Veterinary Medical Association's Web site.

I had the immense pleasure of meeting Dick Schnell, animal control officer at the Minot, N.D., police department, a few years ago when we did an Adoption Options workshop in Fargo.

He had trading cards for the school kids and described his job primarily as "taking dogs home after payday benders." A scuba diver, Dick supplements his income as an ACO by diving for golf balls in the water hazards at the local golf club. So I got a kick out of seeing him mentioned in this story:

Dog Uses Snow Bank to Climb On Roof
MINOT, N.D. - Minot police say they get lots of calls about animals but this one was different. A caller reported a dog on the roof of a house. Animal control officer Dick Schnell said the snow in the back yard of the dog's owner's home apparently was high enough for the dog to walk up onto the roof Tuesday.

The dog, which appeared to be a border collie mix, seemed perfectly content to be there.

"A neighbor from across the street called us and said, 'You're not going to believe this,' " Schnell said.

I'm not a huge fan of the Westminster Dog Show, but I couldn't help being pleased that 10-year-old Sussex spaniel Stump won Best in Show this year.

The Sussex spaniel is a pretty exotic breed -- there are only three adoptable Sussex spaniel mixes listed on Petfinder -- but there are thousands of dogs age 10 and older waiting for their forever homes in shelters and foster care right now.

Many people overlook senior dogs (and other senior pets) when they're looking to adopt because they worry their time with the pet will be too short and the inevitable goodbye too painful.

We're thrilled to announce that Victoria Stilwell, internationally renowned dog trainer and star of the Animal Planet hit It's Me or the Dog, has offered to help one lucky Petfinder pup get adopted.

We've invited Petfinder shelter and rescue group members to send us a description of one of their adoptable dogs who has a behavior issue that could benefit from Victoria's advice.

We'll select finalists, and visitors will be able to vote for their favorite on Petfinder.com from March 4-22. The dog with the most votes will be announced on Petfinder.com beginning March 25.

The winning dog will get a complimentary telephone consultation with Victoria -- and best of all, when the dog is adopted, his or her new family will also have the chance to speak with Victoria to assist with the pup's transition into the new home.

We will detail the advice and progress here on the Petfinder blog so that more people and pets will benefit from Victoria's positive, reward-based training advice. We're huge fans of Victoria, a longtime pet-rescue advocate, and are delighted that she's lending her expertise to one of our adoptable pets. May the best (worst?) dog win!

February is Adopt-a-Rescued-Rabbit Month, which gives me a great excuse to give some press to one of the many non-dog-or-cat species available for adoption on Petfinder.

In fact, we've got more than 6,300 adoptable rabbits waiting for their forever homes in shelters and rescue groups around the country.

I have some friends with pet rabbits, and they are adorable, affectionate, funny and full of personality. They're also NOT low-maintenance pets! As House Rabbit Society president Kathleen Wilsbach says:

The ideal "rabbit person," in addition to being calm, patient and eager to get to know a rabbit on his own terms, must be willing to rabbit-proof an appropriate exercise area in the home to prevent damage from chewing.

Already have a rabbit or are thinking of getting one? Check out this great blog, The Rabbit Advocate, by Mary Lempert, a rabbit behavior consultant to the Boston MSPCA. She gives warm, thoughtful and uncritical advice to readers with questions about everything from a bunny with runny eyes to a woman whose male newfoundland dwarf has an unnatural attraction to her bunny slippers. Mary's goal is to keep rabbits out of shelters by educating their caregivers -- something we here at Petfinder are all about.

UPDATE:
Hi all, those puppies (and kittens) sure were cute. I don't know which puppies came from which shelters, but a full list of the shelters who provided animals can be found here.

Just click the link to go to that group's Petfinder homepage, then click on "our pet list" or some such link.

Many of the puppies and kittens have probably been adopted (Puppy Bowl was filmed a few weeks ago), but PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP! There are THOUSANDS of adorable puppies and kittens waiting to be adopted on Petfinder, so please keep looking to find your own MVP (most valuable pet)!--Emily

ORIGINAL POST:
I am sooooo excited for Super Bowl Sunday this year -- not because I'm a football fan, but because Animal Planet is once again counter-programming with its famous Puppy Bowl ... and this year, ALL the puppy players (as well as the kittens in the halftime show) are adoptable pets from Petfinder shelters and rescue groups!

Puppy Bowl V kicks off on Feb. 1 at 3 p.m. EST. Visit AnimalPlanet.com's Puppy Bowl page, where you can:

• see the full list of shelters and rescue groups who provided the puppies and kittens;
  
• meet Pepper the Parrot, the ambassador for Petfinder member group Phoenix Landing, who will open the game by singing the National Anthem;
  
• check out adorable portraits of all the puppy players.

For those of you who fans of both football AND adoptable pets, check out these Super Bowl star namesakes who are available for adoption on Petfinder:

• Polamalu (named after Steelers' strong safety Troy Polamalu) at W. PA Humane Society in Pittsburgh;
• JJ (like Cardinals' running back JJ Arrington) at Wilson County Humane Society in Wilson, NC;
• Willie (as in Steelers' running back Willie Parker) at Elmsford (NY) Animal Shelter;
• Lap-loving Larry (think Cardinals' wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald) at Earth Angels in Bronx, NY;

And of course, while Bruce Springsteen will be singing at the Super Bowl halftime show, Toms River (NJ) Township Animal Facility has its own star in Boss the "very friendly" rottweiler mix!

Watch CBS Videos Online

Check out this amazing video from CBS News about an unusual friendship between a dog and an elephant. (Sniff!)

Officials in the California city of Lancaster have adopted an ordinance that requires, among other things, all pit bulls, rottweilers and pit and rottie mixes to be spayed or neutered (read the L.A. Times article here).

This is breed-specific legislation, to be sure, but is it perhaps not a bad idea?

Now, I know a lot of our readers are, like me, pit bull parents and defenders of these wonderful and misunderstood dogs. We are horrified by the idea that we could one day have our beloved pets seized from our homes, as has happened in American cities in the recent past.

But that's not what this law is about. It's about spaying and neutering these dogs who are euthanized by the thousand because shelters are overflowing with them and too few people are willing to adopt them. (This law is arguably also about racial profiling, but let's just stick to the animal welfare implications here.)

Petfinder's own Kim Saunders was on Sunday's episode of the TODAY show talking about things to consider before adopting a dog (for more great tips on that subject, check out our new book, the Adopted Dog Bible).

Also starring on the TODAY show segment were some adorable, adoptable dogs from Animal Care & Control of NYC (the min pin and rat terrier are handled by Brendon, Animal Control Officer extraordinaire and Puppy Love Pet Rescue of Roselle Park, NJ ... including Kim's own foster dog, Carly the pointer.

Check out this great clip from this morning's episode of the TODAY show, featuring our own VP of shelter outreach, Kim Saunders, and Petfinder member Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter in East Hanover, NJ.

I love that this clip contains some positive news about adoption -- some states are seeing an increase in adoptions, even as more pets are surrendered due to home foreclosures -- as well as an unexpected plug for senior pets at the end, when the puppy one anchor is holding starts squirming and crying as the older dog on another anchor's lap sits quietly!

Anyone who thinks you can't get an A-list dog from a shelter or rescue group hasn't been to the movies lately.

As Julia Szabo points out in her New York Post column, the star of the new movie Hotel for Dogs, a terrier named Cosmo, was surrendered by a family who couldn't handle his high energy, and his double, J.R., was "discovered" at a Northern California animal shelter.

The movie also features a pair of rescued pit bulls (one of them a three-legged tripod), and as it turns out, the film's producer insisted as much. Check out this great article on BestFriends.org, which reports:

Movie producer Ewan Leslie is a devout pit bull lover who works with Karma Rescue in Los Angeles. Says Leslie, "When we started working on the movie, I told Mark Forbes, our head trainer from Birds and Animals, Unlimited, that we had to have some pits in the movie."

The article also says the cast and crew found homes for seven dogs, six of them pit bulls (three of those pits were adopted by crew members, including Pearl, a blue pit who'd been abandoned in a parking lot and who can now be seen on the movie's poster. And as if that weren't enough, the movie's site, hotelfordogsmovie.com, even links to Petfinder!

Skunks can be actors, too. One of our Petfinder members, Skunk Haven, Inc., in North Ridgeville, OH, and its founder, Deborah Cipriani, will be featured in the new PBS Nature documentary, Is That Skunk?

One of Deborah's rescues, Monk, will portray the skunk on the beaches of Martha's Vineyard. Monk and his pal Violet can be seen going after bees in a hive. Several others will be digging through trees, walking in the woods and just ... being skunks.

The show premieres at 8 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 25 on PBS.

The Obama family is making the transition to First Family, and we all know what's next: getting that new First Dog.

We're so happy for daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, and so pleased that the Obamas are going about their search for a new pet in a responsible way: They plan to reach out to shelters and wait patiently for the right pooch to become available for adoption.

The family is concerned about all the right things: finding a pet that will match their lifestyle and choosing a dog appropriate for Malia's allergies (how great that the Obamas believe a kid with allergies can know the joy of having a pooch -- they must have a good pet-loving pediatrician!).

I just want to shout out a special thanks to the First Family for providing us with such a great example of responsible pet selection. If folks follow their lead, I believe far fewer pets will end up in shelters.

We've been reporting for months on the Obamas' efforts to find a dog. Apparently, the family has gotten closer to selecting a breed. Here's an excerpt from the President-elect's interview on This Week with George Stephanopoulos:

STEPHANOPOULOS: What kind of a dog are we getting and when are we getting it?

OBAMA: The -- they seem to have narrowed it down to a labradoodle or a Portuguese water hound.

STEPHANOPOULOS: A medium sized.

OBAMA: Medium sized dog, and so, we're now going to start looking at shelters to see when
one of those dogs might come up.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So, you're closing in on it?

OBAMA: We're closing in on it. This has been tougher than finding a commerce secretary.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the Obamas adopt. And while I know I'll get piled on by commenters who think the decision is none of my business, I still think the family would set a great example by making a shelter pet First Dog, and could save the lives of countless homeless pets as a result. (Besides, the President-elect has talked about it publicly and in detail, so I don't think it's an invasion of their privacy to have an opinion.)

UPDATE: Cast your vote ... for the breed you think the Obamas should adopt! Check out AnimalPlanet.com's Presidential Puppy poll.

Learn more about hypoallergenic dogs and living with pet allergies ... and urge the Obamas to adopt.

You may have seen ads on Petfinder for the movie All Roads Lead Home, which is available on DVD tomorrow, Jan. 13. This sweet, PG-rated film is about a 12-year-old girl named Belle (Vivien Cardone) who loves animals, and it will appeal to any kid who feels the same way.

But I'm excited about this movie for other reasons as well. Number one: One of the main characters, Belle's father Cody (Jason London), is an animal control officer in their Kansas town. He brings stray and neglected animals to the local open-access shelter, staffed by his friend Milo (Patton Oswalt).

Cody and Milo love animals but, as much as it saddens them, sometimes have to euthanize pets for illness, behavior or space. I've never seen such a sensitive portrayal of animal control officers, particularly in a kids' movie, where the neighborhood "dog catcher" is almost always the bad guy.

Reason number two: The film's distributor, Anchor Bay Entertainment, is putting its money where its mouth is to support pet adoption and animal shelters, first by advertising on Petfinder (thank you!!) and second by donating $3,000 to the Petfinder.com Foundation, money that will go directly to our rescue group members to help them save, care for and find homes for pets in need. Finally, Anchor Bay is also donating 200 free copies of the DVD to rescue-group staffers and volunteers attending our Adoption Options training workshops.

Vice president-elect Joe Biden made news (and caused a lot of controversy) when he bought a German shepherd puppy from a breeder recently.

But this weekend he said on This Week With George Stephanopoulous that he plans to get another dog -- and this one will come from a shelter.

Biden told Stephanopoulos that he was partial to German shepherds, but that he had always had two "big dogs" as companions for each other.

"I've had German shepherds since I was a kid, and I've actually trained them and shown them in the past," Biden said in the interview. "So I wanted a German shepherd, and we're going to get a pound dog, which my wife wants, that is hopefully a golden" retriever (Philly.com).

Of course, since Mrs. Biden wants a golden retriever, I happen to know of a great little Web site called Petfinder where she can search rescued pets by breed, location and more! There are currently 2,600 golden retrievers and golden mixes available for adoption on Petfinder.

The Bidens can also work with one of our 63 golden retriever breed rescues, such as Golden Retriever Rescue of Southern Maryland in Valley Lee, MD (if they want to look near their home in the capital), or Golden Retriever Adoption Placement and Education in Springfield, PA (if they want to stay closer to their home state of Delaware).

My suggestion? A female dog (since their shepherd puppy is a male) who is young enough to show the puppy the ropes when it comes to housetraining and "indoor behavior," but young enough to romp and play with him to his heart's content. Whatever dog the Bidens adopt, I wish them all the best with their growing family!

Congratulations to Jacci Moss, director of Friends of Felines Rescue Center and Earth Angels Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic in Defiance, OH. She was just named Animal Planet's Cat Hero of the Year!

According to the Toledo Blade, Moss opened Friends of Felines in 1999 with 11 cats. Today the no-cage facility houses up to 100 cats at a time. They come from Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana, many of them formerly abused or abandoned.

A lot of attention has been paid recently to the story of the hero dog in Chile who risked his life to pull an injured dog off of a busy highway. After the above video aired on TV last week and quickly became a YouTube phenomenon, Chilean officials said they got 15 calls from people offering to adopt the pup (the injured dog, sadly, died). But because the incident happened in March, police and highway workers have given up on finding the hero dog.

As is so often the case, people are rightly moved to want to help an animal whose news-making story tugs at the heartstrings, but there are many, many others who need our help just as badly who don't have the benefit of the media spotlight. And while the dog in the video displayed courage and selflessness, anyone who knows dogs knows that each one is a hero in his or her own way -- even if they just heroically lick our faces when we're feeling down.

If you're interested in helping street dogs in developing countries, you can support the Humane Society International's Street Animal Welfare campaign, which works to promote a humane philosophy of animal control in nations around the world. (Here's a story about its recent spay-neuter program in Patagonia, Chile.)

Another great organization if the International Fund for Animal Welfare, whose Community-Led Animal Welfare program provides veterinary services, including spaying and neutering, to pet owners in some of the world's poorest communities.

What's on my dog's holiday wish list? This awesome "Bully" tank from Muttropolis.com. It would look quite, ahem, fetching, on my pit bull, Champ (he's a boy, but he can wear pink because he's secure like that).

And Santa/Hannukah Harry can feel good knowing that the gift benefits a great cause: Through Dec. 31, Muttropolis is donating 2% of proceeds from sales made using a special coupon code to the Petfinder.com Foundation.

Get the Muttropolis coupon here and you'll also get 10% off your next order.

Another great thing about our friends at Muttropolis? They're committed to promoting pet adoption and often host adoption events at their stores in Tucson, AZ, and La Jolla, Newport Beach and Solana Beach, CA. (Here's a list of stores with links to their calendars of upcoming events.)

The Petfinder.com Foundation gives more than 90% of donated funds directly to shelters to help them prepare for disasters or feed, house and vaccinate the pets in their care. (Find out more about the Foundation's programs.)

Happy shopping!  

Sure, a list of most popular baby names is always a hit, but who can resist a list of the most popular dog and cat names -- or the quirkiest pet names?

For the second year in a row, Buddy is the No. 1 name among Petfinder's 145,242 adoptable dogs, with Max coming in again as No. 2.

Of the 140,269 cats on Petfinder, the No. 1 name is Lucy, just barely beating Molly,
which jumped from No. 10 to the No. 2 slot this year. See the full lists below.

As for unusual pet names, they certainly grab the attention of folks looking to adopt. In fact, they sometimes help get our furry friends into homes even faster. One Petfinder member, Forever Home Rescue New England in Walpole, MA, had trouble finding a home for a dog named Buck. After they changed his name to Joe the Plumber during election season, more people began viewing his picture and he was quickly adopted.

A "very sad-looking dog" named Woe Izmee and a family of cats dubbed Domino, Ditto, Etcetera, And-so-on and And-so-forth ranked highest in originality in our survey of more than 12,000 shelters and rescue groups in the Petfinder network. You can see the full list of the most unusual names and group names after the jump.

So what is the most unusual name you've ever given to one of your pets? Let us know in the comments.

Top 10 Most Popular Dog Names
1. Buddy (805)
2. Max (620)
3. Daisy (588)
4. Jack (520)
5. Lucy (496)
6. Molly (476)
7. Charlie (431)
8. Sadie (415)
9. Jake (407)
10. Lucky (405)
 
Top 10 Most Popular Cat Names
1. Lucy (354)
2. Molly (328)
3. Oreo (320)
4. Kittens (318)
5. Smokey (315)
6. Princess (312)
7. Shadow (310)
8. Tigger (310)
9. Angel (309)
10. Missy (301)
 

Convicted dogfighter Michael Vick today pled guilty to a state dogfighting charge in Virginia, the Associated Press reports.

According to the AP, the plea makes the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback eligible for early release from the Kansas prison where he is currently serving a 23-month sentence on federal dogfighting charges.

It could also put him on the fast track back to the NFL. (The AP reports, "Federal law prohibits prisoners from being released to a halfway house if there are unresolved charges pending against them.")

Vick was given a three-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to a single count of promoting dogfighting (a second count, involving animal cruelty, was dropped). He told the judge: "I want to apologize to the court, my family, and to all the kids who looked up to me as a role model."

There have been no reports that Vick made any apologies to the dogs he admitted to killing.

UPDATE: After news of Vick's plea broke, our friends at Animal Planet decided to re-air their hit special episode of Animal Witness which details this horrifying case and the brave people who brought Vick to justice (as well as the amazing volunteers who rehabbed the dogs rescued from his compound). The show will air Thursday, Nov. 26 at 9 p.m. EST. Find out more about the show -- and take the excellent Pit Bull Myths Quiz -- on AnimalPlanet.com.

I just read an interesting story in the Washington Post about a herd of 2,000 wild mustangs due to be euthanized by the Bureau of Land Management.

According to the article:

[Y]esterday, at a public hearing in Reno, Nev., to discuss the issue, a solution arrived on a white horse, so to speak.

Madeleine Pickens, wife of billionaire T. Boone Pickens, made known her intentions to adopt not just the doomed wild horses but most or all of the 30,000 horses and burros kept in federal holding pens. Lifelong animal lovers, the Pickenses just a few years ago led the fight to close the last horse slaughterhouse in the United States.

Until now, I'd only known of T. Boone Pickens as a super-rich advocate of energy independence. How nice to hear that he and his wife are not only animal lovers, but people who use their wealth to quite literally save animals' lives.

But a little Internet digging revealed that, in fact, any qualified person can adopt a wild horse or burro. Find out how after the jump.

Since I last reported on Obama wanting to adopt a shelter dog, but having concerns about daughter Malia's allergies, two things have happened: (1) The story has only gained ground, and (2) I realized that the buzz is that Malia wants a goldendoodle (not a labradoodle).

I'm thrilled that so many people have urged the Obamas to find their next pet on Petfinder, including Best Friends Animal Society, The Oregonian and author and blogger Carole Raphaelle Davis. And after the jump, I've included links to some of the adoptable goldendoodles listed on Petfinder.

I also learned some interesting information from Petfinder staffer Kim Saunders that could be useful to anyone with pet allergies:

There are plenty of hypoallergenic breeds, but there are actually no non-allergenic dogs (or cats). However, dogs with soft, constantly-growing hair -- like the Poodle or the Bichon Frise -- may be less irritating to some people. This might even be because they are bathed or groomed more frequently.

If your or a family member's allergies are uncomfortable but not life-threatening, you can take these steps to reduce the symptoms:

1. Wash pet bedding regularly and change your air filters frequently. You should also use a high-efficiency HEPA air cleaner in the home.
2. Create an "allergy free" zone in the home -- preferably the bedroom -- and strictly prohibit the pet's access to it.
3. Brush your pet four to five times a week to reduce pet dander.
4. Choose the right pet brush -- one great option is the FURminator.
5. Consider getting allergy shots to improve symptoms. Steroidal and antihistamine nose sprays and antihistamine pills can also work to make you feel better.

If you have any other tips for living with pet allergies, let me know!

This whole Obama-dog story is really taking off like crazy. The president-elect told reporters today, according to the Associated Press:

We have two criteria that have to be reconciled. One is that Malia is allergic so it has to be hypoallergenic. ...

But obviously, a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me. So whether we're going to be able to balance those two things, I think, is a pressing issue on the Obama household.

Well we want the president elect to know that it's easy to balance those two things: More than 25% of shelter pets are purebred -- and it's easy to find the breed you want on Petfinder!

To contact Obama and urge him to adopt, you can write to him at his Chicago office at:

John C. Kluczynski Federal Office Building
230 South Dearborn St.
Suite 3900 (39th floor)
Chicago, Illinois 60604

Or e-mail him through the online form at http://www.change.gov/page/s/yourvision.

And for fun, cast your vote on AnimalPlanet.com's new poll: Should the Obamas adopt from a shelter?

After the jump, links to more adoptable, hypoallergenic labradoodles on Petfinder. Tell us which one is your favorite!

As you've no doubt heard, Barack Obama said in his victory speech Tuesday that his daughters had "earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House."

The Obamas told Entertainment Tonight on Sept. 30 they planned to adopt a "rescue dog," and we hope they'll keep that promise. (Of course, readers of this blog were nominating dogs for the Obamas back in July!)

Tuesday's election brought other good news for animals as well.

• In California, voters passed Proposition 2, which ends cruel confinement of farm animals.
• In Massachusetts, voters passed the Greyhound Protection Act, banning commercial dog racing.
• And in  South Tucson, AZ, the Tucson Dog Protection Act passed, which will dramatically improve conditions for racing greyhounds.

All of these represent incredible advances in animal welfare. Now let's just hope the Obamas adopt a shelter dog -- that would really be the Change We Need in the lives of homeless pets everywhere!

Whatever your politics, I have no doubt you're excited to vote today. And if you live in California, Massachusetts or South Tucson, AZ, you have the chance to make a difference for animals.

In California, vote yes on Proposition 2 to end inhumane confinement of farm animals. Want to learn more? The New York Times has an interesting article about Prop 2, which includes arguments by its opponents; you can also check out the Web site Yes! on Prop 2.

(Even if you don't live in California, you can vote with your wallet to help farm animals by buying food that is Certified Humane Raised and Handled, a designation awarded by the non-profit Humane Farm Animal Care.)

And thanks to Mutts creator Patrick McDonnell, who notes in his November "Newshletter" that voters in two states have a chance to help racing greyhounds:

• Massachusetts voters can vote yes on Question 3 to pass the Greyhound Protection Act, which would phase out commercial dog racing by 2010. (Learn more at YesOn3.com.)
• Voters in South Tucson can vote yes on Prop 401 to pass the Tucson Dog Protection Act, which would not ban dog racing, but would improve the treatment of racing greyhounds and help protect the public from dog-borne diseases. (Learn more at TucsonCitizen.com.)

And of course, no matter where you live, you can always help by adopting one of the 2,200+ greyhounds on Petfinder!

The New York Times on Sunday pointed out what people in animal welfare have known for months: As the economy slips, even the most well-meaning owners are being forced to give up their pets.

The article contains some great comments from Petfinder's founder, Betsy Saul, and spotlights the incredible work done by the shelter where I volunteer, Animal Care and Control of New York City, and its Safety Net program.

Safety Net helps pet owners deal with the issues that are making them consider surrendering their pet: Behavior problems, allergies, the cost of veterinary care, landlord concerns and, increasingly, finding temporary foster care for pets whose owners are in crisis.

It's easy to feel anger toward owners who surrender their pets to shelters, and the instinct for many animal lovers (including this one) is to write off that person and focus on helping the pet.

In 2005 I visited Denver. It happened to be the week the Pit Bull ban's grandfather period ended. In other words, Pit Bulls were illegal to own and as of that week, any Pit Bull in the city was a target for seizure and euthanasia.

As I stood in the shelter that morning, slackjawed and humbled, rows upon rows of Pit Bulls looked back at me. We had the same expression on our faces: "This is all wrong. There has been a terrible mistake."

I thought, "These are owned animals; loving family members." I imagined them feeling, "I have a home; I love my family."

These Pit Bulls had been seized from their homes, without provocation on their part, as part of a city-wide cleansing. Other than being, ostensibly, Pit Bulls, most of the seized dogs had done nothing wrong other than living within the city limits of a town with a breed ban.

Breed bans are troublesome for many reasons.

• They detract from the very real issues of dangerous dogs and irresponsible owners.
• They are applied haphazardly, based on looks alone.
• They criminalize, for no good reason, an entire segment of the population -- those folks who have adopted Pit Bulls and, in many cases, Pit mixes.
• They lend an air of credibility to myths about Pit Bulls. (Pit Bull jaws CANNOT "lock"!)

And, on a more philosophical level, Pit Bull bans smack of dangerous thinking.

Great news for dogs in Miami-Dade County: Commissioners voted yesterday to make it "illegal to tie a dog to any standing object outside a home unless the dog's owner is present" (Miami Herald).

There was a heated debate before the resolution passed 11-1, with some arguing the law discriminates against families who can't afford to build fences.

"I resent the implication that says if you can't afford it, or can't have a dog without tethering it, you shouldn't have one at all," said Commissioner Barbara Jordan, the
only one to vote against the measure.

With the second presidential debate airing last night -- and Sarah Palin still being compared to a pit bull -- we were thinking: If John McCain and Barack Obama were dogs, what dogs would they be? So we scoured our dog breed directory to look for canines with characteristics that reminded us of the candidates. Check out our picks, then let us know what YOU think.

McCain: German Shepherd or Boxer?
German Shepherd: "[I]ntent on his mission, whatever that may be, and he is virtually unsurpassed in working versatility. He is utterly devoted and faithful ... excel[s] at jobs requiring courage, athleticism and intelligence ... an intelligent and fearless companion and guardian. During World War I, he was the obvious choice for a war sentry." (Learn more about German Shepherds here.)


Boxer: "Inquisitive, attentive, demonstrative, devoted and outgoing ... he can be stubborn, but he is sensitive and responsive to commands ... one of the first breeds to be employed as a police and military dog." (Learn more about Boxers here.)


Obama: Border Collie or Great Dane?
Border Collie: "[A] bundle of mental and physical energy awaiting its chance to be unleashed on the world. ... He needs a lot of physical and mental activity every day to satisfy his quest for work. He enjoys being with his family ... worked hard to gain the reputation of one of the smartest breeds of dogs." (Learn more about Border Collies here.)


Great Dane: "[G]entle, loving, easygoing and sensitive ... generally good with children ... powerful but sensitive ... makes a pleasant, well-mannered family companion. [Has an] imposing yet graceful appearance." (Learn more about Great Danes here.)

The New York Times had an interesting story this weekend about the latest trend in pet parenting: Men admitting they love their cats.

The story pointed out the popularity of Web sites such as Menandcats.com and the YouTube video An Engineer's Guide to Cats, as well as a study by the U.K. organization Cats Protection that showed that

single male cat owners were more likely than their female counterparts to have made, or consider making, a sacrifice for their cat -- including giving up a holiday or going into debt for their cat if necessary.

While I know plenty of women who've made financial and personal sacrifices for their cats, this article is heartening on many levels.

When it was announced that the movie Beverly Hill Chihuahua was hitting theaters Oct. 3, many in animal welfare worried that it would cause a rash of impulse purchases of the little dogs. But Best Friends Animal Society looked at the film as an opportunity to educate the public and spread the adoption message.

They created the above video (which you can also watch on their Web site) and a fantastic poster (after the jump).

Last week, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed 95 bills, "including a measure that would have prohibited dogs from riding on the laps of motorists," the L.A. Times reports.

The reason? "I am only signing bills that are the highest priority for California," the governator said.

Petfinder recommends keeping your dog in a crate or carrier while you're driving for your pet's safety. But be honest: Do you ever drive with your dog (or other pet!) in your lap? Do you think that doing so should be illegal?

Rabies isn't really something we think about here in the U.S. -- at least not when it comes to our pets, since rabies vaccination is so standard.

But according to the Alliance for Rabies Control, it's still a major problem worldwide, killing more than 55,000 people a year, mostly in Asia and Africa.

So the organization is holding its second annual World Rabies Day on Sept. 28. Vaccinating animals against rabies in developing countries will not only prevent human suffering, it may well improve the treatment of animals -- especially stray dogs -- in those countries by raising awareness of their health needs and the relationship between animals' well-being and humans'.

To learn more, visit the World Rabies Day Web site.

On Friday Mars Petcare US announced a voluntary recall of all dry pet food products produced at its plant in Everson, Pa., between Feb. 18 and July 29, citing potential salmonella contamination.

Brands affected include Pedigree, Country Acres, Retriever, Doggy Bag, Members Mark, Natural, Ol' Roy, Special Kitty, Paws & Claws, Wegman's, Pet Pride, PMI Nutrition and Red Flannel.

To see if a product you purchased has been recalled, look for "17" as the first two digits of the second line on the UPC. For Pedigree products, look for "PAE" on the bottom line.

To see whether a product you purchased is subject to recall, you can also check the UPC code against the chart on the Mars Web site.

Pet owners who have questions about the recall should call 1-877-568-4463.

Read more about the recall.

A week after Sarah Palin talked about pit bulls and lipstick, Barack Obama said John McCain was putting "lipstick on a pig" by claiming to be different from Bush.

Now I feel that I must point out two things here. First, NO animal should be forced to wear lipstick under any circumstances! And second, what's wrong with pigs? There are 236 pot bellied pigs available for adoption on Petfinder, including Poloneus, pictured above, at Red Rover Rescue in Kanab, UT.

He's apparently "a little shy, but takes food from your hand." And with that cute smile, he doesn't need any makeup!

Pit bulls have gotten a lot of press lately, thanks to Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's quip last week at the Republican National Convention: "What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick."

Now, I know there are bigger issues at stake here, but as a pit bull advocate, I can't help wondering: Does her comment just reinforce the tired old stereotypes of pits (aggressive, scary), or could it maybe help these misunderstood dogs' image?

After all, Palin obviously wanted to highlight her own positive qualities -- so you could argue that she's saying pits are tough but also loyal, loving and dedicated to their families. Maybe that's a stretch, but hey, Palin is doing well in the polls.

Our friends over at The Food Bowl blog posted this great video of a dog drinking water in slow motion. The clip is from the Discovery Channel show Time Warp.

If you thought you understood how a dog's tongue works to get water into his or her mouth ... you'll be surprised! (Also worth noting: The dog in this video is adorable!)

A California woman has paid $50,000 to clone her pet pit bull, receiving five puppies Tuesday who are genetically identical to her late dog Booger.

I hear a lot of crazy stuff at this job, and not much really gets the steam coming out of my ears, but this story has me all kinds of angry.

Each week I walk dogs at my local animal control center. The dogs are overwhelmingly pit bulls, and the majority of them are euthanized for lack of homes, even though most are sweet, loving dogs.

If you watched Live with Regis and Kelly or read USA Today yesterday, you probably saw the story about the 44 lb. cat rescued by the Camden County Animal Shelter in New Jersey.

The cat, 2 lbs. shy of the world record, was dubbed Princess Chunk until it was learned he was a male named Powder, abandoned by his owner when she lost her home to foreclosure.

Shelter director Jennifer Anderch tells the New York Post, "The phones have been ringing off the hook. We've gotten about 800 phone calls already from people inquiring about [him]."

Cute story, and Powder will most likely go to a great home. But that's not all there is to it.

You hear about hero dogs, and even hero cats. But here's a new one: A hero bunny! According to Britain's Times Online:

A pet rabbit has been credited with saving an Australian couple from a fire that started in their house while they slept. The rabbit woke its owners, Michelle Finn and her partner Gerry Keogh, by scratching on their bedroom door when smoke poured through the house in the Macleod area of Melbourne.

That's Michelle, above, holding her rabbit amid the ruins of her home. Read the rest of this amazing story, then check out the 6,000+ adoptable rabbits on Petfinder for a bunny of your own.

This new ad from Verizon promoting the LG Dare phone is sparking controversy online. What do you think?

The New York Post has the story of Rocco, a beagle who was reunited with his family after escaping from his Queens backyard five years ago -- and ending up in Georgia!

The heroes of the story? Randy Durrence, supervisor at Petfinder member Liberty County Animal Control in Hinesville, Ga., who contacted the Villacis family after scanning Rocco's microchip, and Jorge Villacis, who flew 850 miles to Georgia to pick up the dog that his daughter Natalie, 11 (pictured at right with Rocco), had never given up on.

If only every family would go to such lengths to retrieve their lost pets! This story is also a great reminder to keep your pet's microchip up to date. Your vet can scan your pet's chip and you can update your contact info online.

The cover story of the New York Times magazine on Sunday was this fascinating article about pets and antidepressants.

The main question: Is it a good thing that we're treating our pets' aggression, obsessive-compulsive behavior and separation anxiety with medication, when in the past those behaviors often led to euthanasia or surrender to shelters?

Or are we using a "magic pill" solution when we should be taking the time to train our pets, not to mention providing them with more natural lifestyles than sitting home alone doing nothing all day?

I don't have an answer. (Full disclosure: My cat has a prescription for Prozac to help with compulsive grooming, but I've never given it to her, since she's not, to put it mildly, easy to medicate.)

What do you think? Have you ever given your pet a psychoative drug, and how did it work out?

Bay Area pit bull group BAD RAP pointed out this great article and audio slideshow in the Washington Post about the Michael Vick dogs in their new homes. It's a great antidote to the recent news about the sad death of female Vick dog 7.

Happy 4th of July! This Independence Day, you can do a good deed by telling someone you know that their ideas about pit bulls are all wrong -- and that these loving, loyal, happy dogs were once considered symbols of all-American values.

(You can find more information on this Web site, which also has a great gallery of vintage pit bull photos and prints, including the World War I-era poster at right, and in our breed directory.) 

This holiday weekend comes on the heels of some sad news about one pit bull: A female pit named 7, one of the dogs seized from Michael Vick's property, died recently after being hit by a car (read the press release from All or Nothing Pit Bull Rescue in Atlanta, which had been caring for 7).

But dogs' lives are not defined by their final moments, and I'm glad to know that 7 got to experience love and happiness for some portion of her life.

The New York Times today ran an article about a topic we've been hearing more and more about lately, both in the news and from our shelter members: the impact of economic hardship on pets.

(The photo at right, from the article, shows a couple from Georgia who lost their home and can't afford to keep two of their three dogs.)

The Times quotes our founder, Betsy:

"Obviously, it's a crisis for local shelters; I worry about what it means for our society," said Betsy Saul, a founder of Petfinder.com, a Web site that showcases animals for adoption at 11,000 sites in the United States.

Ms. Saul recently polled her member organizations to gauge the problem and found that half of her respondents had seen pets turned in because of home foreclosures in the last six months.

Read the rest of the article here.

I don't even know what to say about this story, in which an Arkansas mayor last week released local shelter dogs to fend for themselves in a forest. (Helena Daily World)

According to a report on Sunday, volunteers spent the day searching for the 10 abandoned dogs, without any luck. The saddest part of this story may be the fact that there was an alternative: "Volunteers with the Humane Society of the Delta say they offered to take the dogs from the animal shelter and foster them, but the dogs were set loose by the time they arrived." (ArkansasMatters.com)

Today, the Marines made public the punishment to be meted out to two Marines in Iraq who had become YouTube stars for casually and cruelly hurling a weeks-old puppy over a cliff while joking and filming their "prank."

The idiot who did the throwing was taken out of Iraq and will be dismissed from the Marines. The cineast who filmed the 17-second atrocity will face some sort of secret Marine wrist-slapping. Whoop-de-doo. The thrower is probably overjoyed at escaping the war zone early. Killing young animals might now become the ticket to coming home faster -- and never having to be redeployed.

According to a new study by British researchers, animals have "individual differences."

I'm sure it's hard for anyone who works with animals -- or, for that matter, has ever lived with one -- to believe that this is news, but what I found interesting was that the study was done on horses, which are still being slaughtered for food in North America.