DogTails

It’s that time of year again. Colorful Christmas lights twinkle from lampposts and adorn trees and houses, Christmas tree lots have sprung up overnight like mushrooms, and our homes are filled with the aromas of cinnamon and pine boughs. It’s a busy time, filled with decorating, baking, and shopping for just the right gift for those we love. It’s a time of joy and sharing.

The holidays are an excellent time to remember abandoned and neglected animals and the organizations that are devoted to helping them. Here are some of DogWatch’s suggestions on how to share with the countless dogs around us who are in need of a helping hand. Read post »

If the experts are to be believed, this winter looks to be a doozy for those of us along the I-95 belt and in the Great Lakes and Midwest regions. Meteorologists are now predicting more snow and lower temps than usual — great news for hardware stores and plowing companies, but not so great for the rest of us, including our four-legged friends.
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For people and animals alike, laws are put into place for a reason: they help keep order, help keep us safe, help keep things regulated. Many of them are completely understandable and seem like common sense: for example, having your dog vaccinated for rabies and registered with your city, or keeping him on a leash in public, or picking up after him when he does his “business.” Some laws, however, seem a little strange (at least as they are written.) Here are a few we found:
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We’ve all heard about the obesity epidemic in the United States. Movies like “Supersize Me” and “Fast Food Nation,” TV shows like “The Biggest Loser,” “Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition,” and “My 600-lb Life,” as well as First Lady Michelle Obama’s anti-childhood-obesity campaign, have done a pretty good job of driving the point home. What you may not know is that canine and feline obesity is just as real, and just as big a problem. According to a 2011 survey conducted by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, an estimated 53% of adult dogs and 55% of cats are classified as overweight or obese, and the majority of pet owners are either unaware or in denial of the very real danger this poses to their beloved companions. In this blog, we’re going to help you understand what pet obesity is, how to recognize it, the health risks it creates, and what to do about it.

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