PetSugar

Rescued From the "Arizona 800," Sophie Gets a Forever Home!

PetSugar — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:45:04 -0700

You may recall the sad story of 800 dogs living in a Tuscon triple-wide mobile home? Well, I've got a (much more) uplifting follow-up for you. Yay. Many of these dogs have already been adopted in Arizona and across the country, including at our local Marin Humane Society! When I got an email from a reader about her touching experience, I knew I had to share the happy update with you. This cutie pie has been renamed Sophie by her new mommy – even though the pup's still adjusting, look how cozy she looks in her new home! Read the touching story and see more pictures of this lil pooch when you read more.

Yesterday I went down to the Marin Humane Society and adopted a little 7-pound Yorkie who I named Sophie. She was one of 100 dogs brought to the humane society here after being rescued from the breeder/hoarders in Arizona a few weeks ago. She's terrified of humans but gets on well with my other little dog, Buddy. Right now I'm giving her some calm space to get her bearings and I'm sure with some love and time she will come out of her shell.

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The Scoop: Nearly 800 Dogs Too Many

PetSugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:00:43 -0700

Holy moly, I couldn't believe my ears when I first heard about the story of a Tucson-area couple living with about 800 dogs in a triple-wide mobile home. I'm having trouble even visualizing 800 dogs period, let alone in such a small space. Thankfully, the authorities were tipped off and have stepped in to remove and check the health and well-being of the pups, some of which were found pregnant or missing paws. I'm hoping they can find new homes soon as several rescue organizations are taking some of the dogs, including our nearby Marin Humane Society. Reports say the elderly couple was clearly overwhelmed in trying to care for the pets, which included many small dogs like Chihuahuas, Chinese Crested, and Lhasa Apso, in addition to 82 caged parrots. While I'm very saddened by this case, I'm shocked that no one said or did anything about it sooner – animal welfare officials were first alerted by a woman who bought a Chihuahua there and reported these conditions. I can't imagine she was the first to make a visit to this home. What would you do if confronted with this?

Source

Out and About: Arizona Animal Fair

PetSugar — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:00:05 -0800

Celebrate animals this weekend at the Seventh Annual Arizona Animal Fair! One of the largest events of its kind in the Southwest, the fest takes place in Tucson's Reid Park this Saturday from 10-4 p.m. Entry is free and all proceeds from the entertainment, food, and other activities go back to the animal-rescue community. Make your furry friend a star with Puppy Pawcasso or Glamour Paws Pet Photography, or get a holistic opinion with pet blessings and pet-psychic readings. There will also be a super adoption area with hundreds of available animals and rescue groups for everything from burros to birds, reptiles to rats. Even if you're not in the market for a new pet (and Fido and Fluffy have other plans), among the demonstrations going on will be canine freestyle, rescue dogs, and the Miniature Horse Association's "Petite Elite," showing off their powerful pulling skills for their little sizes.

Click here to share your own tips with PetSugar's Out and About travel group - and stay tuned as our week of Arizona continues!

Out and About: Arizona's Hermitage Cat Shelter

PetSugar — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 16:20:41 -0800

Founded by a Russian Orthodox nun in 1965, The Hermitage Cat Shelter started out with about 50 cats as lifetime residents. When Sister Seraphim entered a nursing home in 1989, a board of directors took over the management and began adopting out the cats. The shelter is now both an adoption center and a sanctuary for special-needs cats, including those who are FIV and FeLV positive and cats with other chronic health and behavioral problems such as partial paralysis, neurological problems, blindness, deafness, missing limbs, and diabetes. This shelter is the state's first no-kill, no-cage sanctuary that helps even those felines that are not considered adoptable by other organizations. It's comprised of 4,000 square feet indoors and an additional 4,000 square feet of fenced-in, covered, outdoor play space for those fresh-air kitties.

Click here to share your own tips with PetSugar's Out and About travel group - and stay tuned as our week of Arizona continues!

Source

Get Your Pets Geared Up: Cardinals vs. Steelers

PetSugar — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:20:18 -0800

Are you ready for some football?! I'm kicking off some kickin' Super Bowl coverage with items to get your pets geared up for the game. Although the sport's not my fave, North's no stranger to his fave football-shaped Orbee-Tuff. Whether you're supporting the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Arizona Cardinals come Sunday, there are plenty of collars, bowls, toys and even tags to let your furry friend get in on the action year-round.

The Scoop: Guinness Names New Top Dog (For Height)!

PetSugar — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:40:18 -0800

Not even four months into his tall term, the splotchy Titan (who replaced the late Gibson) has been topped! Meet Giant George, the new world record holder for Tallest Living Dog and Tallest Living Dog Ever. Standing at 43 inches from paw to shoulder, he has a ~~whopping~~ wee .75 inches over Titan (who was already a half-inch above Gibson)!
This big pooch lives in Tucson, Arizona with owner David Nasser and was measured by an official Guinness World Records adjudicator (for all you doubters). Added into George's impressive height are equally impressive measurements of 7'3" from tip of nose to end of tail and a scale toppling of 245 pounds. The dog makes his big media debut on The Oprah Winfrey Show on Feb. 22 - hopefully her tiny puppies are out of his big paws' way!

Source: Guinness World Records

The Scoop: The Most Common Breed in California Shelters Is Now . . .

PetSugar — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:10:11 -0800

Even though many people (wrongly) assume that all shelter dogs are big, that's just not the case everywhere, and there are more smaller dogs than ever in California. Recently replacing the breed most likely to appear at pounds - pit bulls - are the oft-teacup-sized Chihuahuas.

There are so many lil pups at shelters in the Bay Area that staffers have to take matters into their own hands and find other locations to hold the pooches. One Oakland shelter plans to charter a plane to airlift tiny pups to other states where they'll be more likely find homes (like that T'giving mission) and volunteers there have already driven over 100 Chihuahuas to shelters in Oregon, Washington, and Arizona.

Why all the extra effort? Well, bitty dogs are still in demand for many regions, and it's better to place as many pound puppies in happy houses, no matter the state. Are you surprised to see this breed pass pitties on the commonly found list?

Source: Flickr User Bree Bailey

Sophie and Buddy

PetSugar — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:48:38 -0700

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Pet Food Recall: Solid Gold Pop-Top Cans

PetSugar — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 07:30:22 -0800

If your pup dines on Solid Gold brand dog food, then sit up and take note! The company has voluntarily recalled one formula from their line of canned pet food because of several complaints regarding mold found in a batch of 13.2 oz cans. Affected formulas are:

13.2 oz Turkey and Ocean Fish Canned Dog Food
Purple label with a POP –TOP (Pull top) only
Date on bottom of can 01/02/2010
(Turkey and Ocean Fish cans without a Pop-Top are not affected.)

This limited production was never distributed in the following states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, or Washington so, if you live there, you may have never seen this item anyway. If you have any of these affected formulas with the dates noted as above, please return or discard the item! If you suspect your pup has eaten a contaminated food, or you see something suspicious, refresh your memory about how to report this to the FDA here.

Furry Demonstration: What Is Prop 2?

PetSugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 03:00:26 -0700

The fourth of November isn't just the day that we elect a new President, but it's also a day when we get to voice our opinions on a batch of new bills, propositions, and laws in our respective states. For those of us in California, there is one in particular that had a group of pooches and their owners barking. . . err, talking to folks on the streets recently. As a fan of all animals, this particular law hits close to home and made me want to get more information. Thankfully, there were a number of people on the street willing to talk me through it.

It's called Prop 2, and its goal is to help fight cruelty and inhumane treatment to farm animals. How?

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To find out the details of Prop 2, read more.

Talking to the people on the street, I got the lowdown on what Prop 2 would mean for farmers and their animals.
Prop 2:

Prevents cruelty by making sure farm animals aren't shoved into tiny cages that don't allow them enough room to turn around, lie down, and extend their limbs while being raised as livestock.
Improves food safety. By preventing animals from being confined to such close quarters, it helps reduce the number of diseases and germs that spread between them that can eventually make their way into our food.
Protects the air and water surrounding farms by regulating untreated waste that gets released into our ground water, waterways, and soil.
Gives farmers sufficient time – until 2015 – to shift from their confinement methods to more humane practices.
Other states like Florida, Arizona, Colorado, and Oregon have already passed similar laws!

It goes without saying that you should definitely research the bills that you'll be voting on in your state on your own, so that you can draw your own conclusions. Do you have similar bills in your state? What issues are you most concerned about this voting season?