Opinion

Yes, you read that right. Under consideration tonight by San Francisco's Commission of Animal Control and Welfare is an ordinance that would make it illegal to sell pets within city limits! This stems from a growing number of animals of all kinds abandoned or in shelters facing euthanization. While I most definitely agree with cutting down on puppy mill dogs, for example, this law would ban the sale of any "companion animal" — including dogs, cats, hamsters, mice, rats, chinchillas, guinea pigs, birds, snakes, and lizards — other than rabbits or ferrets (which are already illegal) and fish.
Believed to be the country's first such ban, on the one hand I think of the poor conditions of some animals in pet stores, and on the other I'm imagining a "black market" for small mammals.

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Should Selling Pets Be Illegal: Yay or No Way?

Yay. I agree with this proposed ban.

No way. I'll share why I disagree in the comments below.

Ugh, let's take a minute to talk number two. I've just moved, and it's been a struggle to get my pooch to go potty on concrete. He strongly prefers dirt or a patch of grass as his preferred toilet and keeps sniffing around for a familiar smell as I try to hustle him along so I can go to work. I know all about marking and picky pee places, but does anyone else have a pup out there that is finicky for just the poo?

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Are Your Pets Potty Break Particular?

Yes! I just want him to go, go, go right here and now.

No! I'm relieved my pet will relieve himself anywhere.

I definitely don't hide my pup's love of peanut butter but personally stock two separate jars at home, one for the furry fella and one for the people. That being said, I still don't let him lick the sticky stuff straight from the tub, even his own stash.

While it's definitely hilarious (for humans) to watch dogs try to eat PB with all the lip-smacking and licking involved, a less-than-hysterical recent case in South Florida caught my eye. Three cops in Ft. Lauderdale let a pooch eat some peanut butter from a jar . . . then put the jar back where other, unsuspecting employees could later take it. While I'm sure we can all agree that's a rotten thing to do, the real question here is how rotten, as the officers in question may face criminal charges for this act.

Source: Flickr User audreyjm529

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What's Your Take: Is Sharing Peanut Butter With a Pet a Crime?

Ewww! That's a horrible thing to do and a crime.

Ewww! That's a horrible thing to do but NOT a crime.

So what! That's not that big of a deal and certainly not a crime.

While some dogs have favorite colors themselves, I've been known to lean towards a collar for North in a color combo that I personally love. We've never taken it so far as sporting identical patterns, and I'm not sure how I feel about the prospect although this matchy matchy Mulberry set is pretty sweet in theory. Would you share your passion for a particular brand or pattern with a furry friend as well?

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Matching Looks For You and a Pet: Cute or Crazy?

Cute

Crazy

This story begins with a pooch (not shown here) who was tossed out the window from six stories up by an insane person her owner. She was rescued by the ASPCA's Animal Cops, treated for her broken bones and other injuries by shelter's hospital, and named Oreo.

About five months later, she began acting aggressively toward people and other dogs in the NYC shelter and was set to be put down. However, another organization, Pets Alive, wanted to see if they could help her; their request was denied and the pooch was put down on Nov. 13 of last year. Based on this decision, Sen. Thomas Duane and Assembly Member Micah Kellner introduced "Oreo's Law," a statewide bill to prevent shelters from killing dogs and cats if a qualified 501(c)3 animal rescue group is willing to take them.

While I certainly don't want to see any animal suffer (or die), this does raise some questions for me — namely, what happens if the rescue then cannot "fix" or home the animal? Do you have an opinion about this legislation? Share your reasoning in the comments below.

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What's Your Take: Oreo's Law?

Yay. I agree with Oreo's Law.

Nay. I disagree with Oreo's Law.

Hmm. I appreciate the sentiment but I'm not yet convinced.

Enough about the actual labels; do dog owners stick to canines in adult life with former kitty lovers still snuggling up to the big cats? My first pet was a pup named Joey and, lo and behold, I've got the rascally pooch North now.

According to Hal Herzog, professor of psychology at Western Carolina University and author of the upcoming Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It Is So Hard to Think Straight About Animals:

People tend to gravitate toward the animals they were raised with. Cat owners tend to be raised in cat families, and dog owners tend to be raised in dog families. In fact, one study found the animal you like is the one your grandparents lived with.

Do the pets you own now correspond with those you had as a child? And if you know the pets your grandparents had, share that in the comments below!

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Do You Have the Same Type of Pet That You Had as a Child?

Yes, I have the same type of pet I had as a child.

No, I have a different type of pet than I had as a child.

Even though Empress Tang and Princess Peony were not your favorite new additions of 2009, they were very special guests on today's Martha Stewart Show. Now what made this episode even more memorable is that Martha invited audience members to bring in their cats, totaling over 50 felines in the audience, most on kitty-specific leashes!

Since I wasn't there, I can't guarantee there was no fur flying at any point, but the kitties surely looked so patient every time the audience was panned. Would your cats enjoy a trip like this or are they solely homebodies?

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Could Your Cats Attend a TV Show Taping?

Yes, my cat loves adventures.

Maybe, depends on her mood that day.

No way, my cat can't even stand the carrier.