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Don’t forget: Weekend events include pups, too!

November 6th, 2009, 7:11 pm by Samantha Gowen, Pet Tales editor

There are a couple events worth remembering and attending this weekend. Be sure to get those leashes and walking shoes ready!

In Newport Beach:

Paws and claws will hit Balboa Pier for a good cause Saturday (Nov. 7) for the second annual Sheltering Fur, Feathers and Flippers event.

More than 100 furred, feathered, flippered and even finned creatures will be at Peninsula Park — adjacent to Newport’s “second” pier — as part of an adoption and education fete hosted by Paws of the Planet, a nonprofit group.

Click here to read more about the event.

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In Lake Forest:

Friends of Lake Forest Animals is hosting a pet eflyer-pet-extravaganzaxtravaganza from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Pittsford Park in Lake Forest.

The event will feature pets that need new homes, contests, vendors and entertainment. Your well-behaved pooches are welcome to participate, on a 6-foot leash, of course!

Note: Donate a used cell phone and receive a free raffle ticket to win a basket packed with treats. Free goodie bags also will be given to the first 200 people.

Read more about the event by clicking here.

Click here for the Google map to Pittsford Park.

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Help a dog in need while you shop

If you’re shopping this weekend, stop by your neighborhood Petco.

Petco has launched its annual National Adoption Weekend with a pledge to get 1,000 area homeless pets adopted by the New Year.

The adoption event takes place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (Nov. 7-8) at local Petco stores.

You can read more about the adoption campaign here.

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No time this weekend, how about Tuesday?

If your weekend is already booked up, there’s an event Tuesday that’s kid friendly and features a fabulous dog, Nubs.

Maj. Brian Dennis and his dog, Nubs, will be in town Nov. 10 at City Hall in Mission Viejo to share their story, “Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle.”

Read more about the book-signing event here.

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Posted in: Animal shelters • Animals • Community • Contests • Dogs • Events • Pets • dog demonstrations • fundraiser • | Post a Comment »

Therapy work is wonderful but not for everyone

November 6th, 2009, 5:49 pm by Samantha Gowen, Pet Tales editor

dell-sigMy recent columns about Baxter the therapy dog and the wonderful work he did have prompted several queries from people interested in visiting with their dogs. I love that the legacy of Baxter, and all the dogs helping make the world a little brighter, lives on.

Dogs aren’t the only animals that do therapy work. As an evaluator for the Delta Society, I’ve evaluated dogs, cats, birds, miniature horses, rabbits, guinea pigs and chickens. (Yes, chickens. And they’re a big hit at the facility they visit, where many of the residents grew up on farms.)

I chose to work with Delta Society because, unlike other therapy groups, it requires its Pet Partner teams to be re-evaluated every two years. Constant re-evaluation, it is hoped, keeps owners re-evaluating themselves and their pets to ensure that they are still willing and able to do therapy work.

On the surface, this work may seem like simply a nice, warm, fuzzy thing to do. Take your dog, who likes everyone who visits your home, to a hospital and bring some cheer to people awaiting surgery, or chemotherapy, or worse. Go home and feel good because you’ve done a good thing.

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Posted in: Dogs • Maryanne Dell • Pets • Therapy dogs • | Post a Comment »

K-9 officer sniffs out meth in San Clemente

November 6th, 2009, 4:32 pm by Samantha Gowen, Pet Tales editor

k9-border-patrol-dog

A K-9 police officer with the Border Patrol earned his kibble today when he alerted officers to drugs concealed in a pickup truck stopped in San Clemente.

Here are the details, provided by the Border Patrol:

drugs-in-truckAt around 11:15 a.m., agents on patrol stopped a Dodge Durango truck near the Avenida Magdalena exit in San Clemente.

The agents interviewed the driver, a 27-year-old male Mexican citizen in possession of a permanent resident alien identification card, living in San Ysdiro. The agents requested to search the vehicle and were granted permission.

A Border Patrol K-9 team conducted a cursory inspection of the vehicle, at which point the K-9 officer alerted on the vehicle. A physical search revealed 12 bundles of crystal methamphetamine inside a black duffel bag behind the driver’s seat.

The driver was arrested for suspicion of drug smuggling.

The crystal methamphetamine weighed nearly 15.4 pounds with an estimated street value of $356,000. The suspected smuggler and the narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration. The vehicle was seized by the U.S. Border Patrol.

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Posted in: Dogs • Pets • k-9 officer • • • • | Post a Comment »

Poll: Would you support a ban on cat declawing?

November 6th, 2009, 3:58 pm by Samantha Gowen, Pet Tales editor

The controversial practice of declawing a cat, or amputating its toe tips, is one step closer to an outright ban in Los Angeles.

The city council on Friday gave its approval to an ordinance that would prohibit the declawing of cats. The proposal requires one more vote from the council before it goes to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for his signature.

There are no plans to ban the practice in Orange County although city councils have weighed the option with no action, to date.

Los Angeles councilman Paul Koretz, who proposed the ordinance along with Councilman Bill Rosendahl, called declawing a form of mutilation.

“We need to ban declawing, which is one of the most cruel practices,” he said. “The obvious truth is that declawing does nothing good for cats. It is not clipping nails. It is actually amputation, sometimes leaving cats crippled and in pain for the rest of the lives.”

The ordinance states that “no person, licensed medical professional or otherwise, shall perform or cause to be performed an onychectomy (declawing) or flexor tendonectomy procedure for any means on a cat or any other animal within the city, except when necessary for a therapeutic purpose.”

Violations would be considered misdemeanors.

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Would you support a ban on cat declawing in Orange County?
View Results

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Posted in: Cats • Government • Pet health • Pets • declawing • • • | Post a Comment »

Notice anything different here at Pet Tales?

November 6th, 2009, 1:19 pm by Samantha Gowen, Pet Tales editor

brennan-1490650In case you hadn’t noticed, Pet Tales got a new look today.

Thanks to my buddy and co-worker Roxanne, who flipped this blog over to its shiny new interface. We’re digging the monochromatic colors, the wider aspect for our stories, and even the new topper. I could have lived without my face up there, but you know, it’s all about me, the crazy pets lady.

If all goes well, The Register’s online appearance gets a makeover, officially, Monday. There’s a beta site for everyone to preview, so get over there and take a peek.

The Pets page at ocregister.com also will get a new look. We’ve got a lot of stories, photos and videos to share, so make sure you find us Monday under the Life section.

Be sure to tell me what you think!

And while you’re at it, join Pet Tales’ daily newsletter, and find us at Facebook: www.facebook.com/pettales.

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Posted in: Pet chatter • Pets • Samantha Gowen • • | 2 Comments »

Veterinary association updates FAQs on swine flu

November 6th, 2009, 12:37 pm by Samantha Gowen, Pet Tales editor

Since the news broke of a housecat in Iowa testing positive for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, pet owners and veterinarians alike have been scrambling to learn more: Can my pet get sick? What would the symptoms of H1N1 in cats be? How is it identified? How is it treated?

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has been in contact with experts and agencies across the country to learn more about this case and share this information with the public and veterinarians.

Cat owners, don’t forget to take our potty talk poll!

The results of these efforts are now available on the AVMA’s Web site, where those wanting to learn more can access continuously updated “Frequently Asked Questions” on the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, how the virus might affect pets, and what veterinarians should know when talking with clients and treating patients.

Bookmark their FAQ site and find out more about swine flu in pets.

And while you’re at it, join Pet Tales’ daily newsletter.

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Posted in: Animals • Cats • Dogs • Pet health • Pets • swine flu • vet • • | Post a Comment »

FDA: Avoid Pet Carousel’s pig ears, hooves

November 6th, 2009, 12:24 pm by Samantha Gowen, Pet Tales editor

pet-carousel-250pxHere’s a followup to the story yesterday about a beef hoof recall. The FDA has now added Pet Carousel’s pig ears to the list …

Due to concerns of potential salmonella contamination, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers against using pig ears and beef hooves pet treats manufactured by Pet Carousel Inc. of Sanger.

Pet Carousel manufactures the products under several brand names. The affected pig ear products were packaged under the brand names Doggie Delight and Pet Carousel. The affected beef hooves were packaged under the brand names Choo Hooves, Dentley’s, Doggie Delight and Pet Carousel.

Consumers can report complaints about FDA-regulated pet food and pet treat products by calling the consumer complaint coordinator in their area. Click here to locate the nearest consumer complaint coordinator. For information, call 1-888-INFO-FDA

The products were distributed nationwide in both bulk and retail packaging for sale in pet food and retail chain stores. All sizes and all lots of the products are included in the FDA’s warning, issued on Nov. 5.

Petsmart voluntarily recalled its Dentley’s beef hooves on Nov. 4. The recalled products include Dentley’s Bulk Cattle Hoof and Dentley’s 10-Pack Beef Hooves. Read the full-story here.

The FDA’s warning comes after the agency conducted a routine testing of Pet Carousel’s pigs ears in September. The test results detected a positive reading for salmonella, thus prompting an investigation, according to the FDA. The FDA reported finding salmonella present in the company’s pig ears, beef hooves and manufacturing environment.

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Posted in: Dogs • Government • Pet health • Pets • recall • • • • • • • | Post a Comment »

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