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Spotted: Clouded Leopard Cubs, Up Close and Personal

PetSugar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 04:15:46 -0700

Spring has sprung, and I can't resist passing along all the cute baby animals I've seen this season. Recently spotted (ha!) were two endangered Clouded Leopards born at the National Zoo. The cubs are being bottle fed to protect their small size from big mama yet, even at one-half pound and not even a week old, the lil ones have quite the loud voices so watch below and see!

Hungry for more? Check out the pictures below!

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Photos: National Zoo

The Scoop: Hayden Wants to Save the Whales Again!

PetSugar — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 12:00:34 -0800

Hayden Panettiere got fired up about whales in a rally at Washington, DC's Dupont Circle over the weekend. Coming a few months after the Heroes actress failed a dolphin rescue mission, Hayden has joined forces with Save the Whales Again! to continue to protest the slaughtering of whales in Japan and elsewhere. This campaign is part of the Animal Welfare Institute (founder of the original Save the Whales movement) and the Whaleman Foundation, an oceanic research, conservation, and production organization dedicated to preserving and protecting dolphins, whales, and their ocean habitat.

In addition to handing out fliers and speaking at length about the subject, she is calling for a boycott of goods from Japan, Iceland, and Norway and is scheduled to visit the embassies of those countries plus attend a news conference with the US House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources this week. When asked about her participation in these efforts, Hayden said:

I get that rush and feeling of really making a difference rather than just lending my face to something. I'd rather people pay attention to me doing this than shopping at Fred Segal. We're saving magnificent animals. I don't think anyone objects to that. I don't trust people who don't love animals.

Agreed. At just 18-years-old, her maturity on these issues is impressive and I hope she continues to speak up for what she believes in and that her fame can inspire others to get on board with the preservation movement as well. Good work, Hayden, on your real-life heroism!

Check out a gallery of the rally when you read more.

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Globetrotters: Sugar & Champagne Affair in D.C.

PetSugar — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 08:00:58 -0800

Getting the sniff of approval from whiffs by the visiting pooches, this year's Sugar & Champagne Affair definitely got four paws up! For the sixth year running, pastry chefs from some of Washington, D.C.'s finest restaurants and bakeries whipped and dipped desserts for metro area pets and their people. Produced in conjunction with the Washington Humane Society, proceeds from this benefit go towards the metro area animal welfare workers and the canines (and felines) they rescue. This year's gala was hosted by Todd and Ellen Gray of Equinox and featured delights from Bistro Bis and IndeBleu . . . to name a few! See another cute photo from the event when you read more.

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Do Tell: What's the Pet-Friendliest City?

PetSugar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:00:14 -0700

NYC jumps straight to my mind as the pet-friendliest city with the sheer number of boutiques, high-end services, and dog runs, but, after that, what's next? Now a couple months back I rounded up a list of cat-friendly places, but Rent.com recently released a list of the Top 10 Pet-Friendly Cities, and I've gotta say I was surprised not to see a few of my faves on it. At first I was bristling about San Francisco's low placement, but then I remembered how hard it was for me to find a pet-friendly place here . . . and I'm inclined to agree that it's far from number one considering rental industry data.

Check out their list and share your favorite cities for animal lovers and pet owners when you read more.

New York, NY
Chicago, IL
Boston, MA
Houston, TX
San Francisco, CA
Austin, TX
Washington, DC/ Alexandria, VA
Portland, OR
Charleston, SC
Ann Arbor, MI

Interview With the Referee of Puppy Bowl V (Part I)

PetSugar — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:38:08 -0800

Ummm, of course, I jumped at the chance to interview the referee of Puppy Bowl because I can barely imagine a cooler job! Lucky for us, Ref. Andrew had tons to say about what he describes as "puppies pretending to play football in a miniature football stadium with 'Puppy Penalties,' 'Fido First Downs,' and 'Terrier Tackles' – it's the cutest two hours of television you could ever ask for."I agree and will absolutely tune into Animal Planet on Feb.1 at 3 p.m. to the action on the gridiron. Find out what it's like behind the scenes and start the first of my two-part interview below.

PetSugar: How did you get this job?
Ref: I'd say that it's very similar to American Idol where they fill arenas with potential hopefuls that want to be the ref . . . but, in reality, I was already working for Animal Planet. I like to think I was born into the position. Some people are teachers, some people are firemen, and I referee adorable little puppies pretending to play football – it was meant to be.

PetSugar: What's your practice like in the off-season?
Ref: It's a strict regimen. I mostly eat carbohydrates and sugars to stay fueled and I train in dog parks with big dogs so that I'm ready for the little ones. I've got a really strict exercise regimen as well – gotta be in tip-top shape for the puppies.

Learn more about the "athletes" themselves and read more.

PetSugar: How many players are there?
Ref: All together there are 38 dogs. This year they're all shelter puppies and they've actually all been adopted by the time you see the show on air. That's really the message behind Puppy Bowl and why we're so excited about it: Puppies need to be adopted as well as adults – big dogs, medium-sized dogs, there is a dog out there for everyone.

PetSugar: Do you spend time with the pups beforehand?
Ref: I get to meet all the athletes before the game and I give them a little pep talk. I tell them I want a clean game in advance: 'Listen, I'm glad you're here but we need a clean game and I need some order on the field.' And I think they appreciate that.

PetSugar: Where do they come from?
Ref:The show's filmed in Silver Spring, MD, (which is right outside Washington, DC) and we use regional shelters like the SPCA of Anne Arundel County, Furry Friends Network – there are so many animals out there that need to be adopted in local shelters, and Petfinder's always a big help in getting us dogs. These are all adopted, which is awesome, but go on Petfinder.com and see all the different ways you can adopt and see puppies and dogs available at shelters near you.

PetSugar: I'm excited for Puppy Bowl V – what was your most memorable moment from last year?
Ref: I don't remember the exact name of the dog, it might have been Abigail, a Jack Russell. So, of course, I have to throw my flag for penalties. What happened was I threw my flag and I looked down to retrieve my flag and it's gone – Abigail's running around the field with my flag. So here I am chasing after her, in front of the cameras, and I want to show who's in charge here. It was tough but I got my flag back but not without some excitement before then.

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Hayden Wants to Save the Whales Again . . . and You Can Help!

PetSugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 12:40:50 -0700

Nearly one year after Hayden Panettiere joined animal activists in the rescue mission to stop a dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan, the actress has a new tactic to save the whales - she's joining forces with SocialVibe to petition this annual event. Watch the video below to learn how you can get involved:

Hayden also spoke about her efforts (and continued commitment) at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Sunday in partnership with Save the Whales Again!, a conservation campaign of the Whaleman Foundation.

Check out pictures of her speech and rally when you read more.

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Do Tell: Do You Know If Your Pet Is Left or Right Pawed?

PetSugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:45:05 -0700

I'm serious! According to tests at the Institute for the Study of Animal Problems in Washington, DC, dogs and cats were shown to favor one paw over the other, just like many of us have a dominant hand, too! It's news to me so I went back to watch North when he was opening presents and playing with toys – I think he's totally left-handed . . . errrr pawed. Do your pets favor one foot over the other? Take a look at your furry friends, and share the findings in your comments below!

Five Fun Zoo Cams to Keep You Occupied!

PetSugar — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 08:00:54 -0700

I looooove webcams, and I've got some time to kill before the Fourth of July fun gets started. If you're also sitting around waiting for the food to be grilled, now's a great time to check out some live zoo action. To be fair, I've included a variety of creatures as well as three cams with baby animals . . . ummm, adoro. Go ahead, blow kisses at your screen, I'm not telling.

Lions! My current zoo cam of choice, I love to check in to see what the baby lions are up to. Nevermind that I can't understand a single word on the site except for "live" (as this zoo is all the way in Norway), my glimpses of mama lion canoodling and caring for her four cubs are too precious to pass up.
Giant Pandas! Classic cam with lots of action, check out the Giant Pandas live from the San Diego Zoo. There are seven pandas there which makes spotting at least one fairly likely. And don't forget the other cams of the Apes, Polar Bears, and Elephants afterwards.

See three more webcam suggestions when you read more.

Ferrets! I already mentioned the ferret cam because of the adorable lil one, Georgia, now visible . . . she's an endangered Black-footed Ferret. This is just one of the many great action capturers at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.
Beluga Whales! I couldn't forget our underwater pals. Because I'm a sucker for baby animals, I love watching Qila the Beluga and her new calf born June 10. They're both super cute (and swim a lot) so see these two (and their Sea Otters) for some splashy laughs.
Penguins! I adore penguins and the Penguins' Rock webcam has some of the most active birdies I've seen. Check out Macaroni and Gentoo penguins live from Chattanooga's Tennessee Aquarium – if you're lucky, you'll see them take a dip, too!

Rent-a-Pet

PetSugar — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 09:00:26 -0700

While certainly not the most economical way to “own” a dog, FLEXPETZ provides a novel option for a pet lover trying to determine if a full-time pet can fairly fit into her lifestyle. As its name implies, FLEXPETZ is a flexible pet ownership program providing rescue dogs with a carefree, loving environment and providing people with busy schedules or restrictive pet ownership rules the opportunity to spend QT with canine pals. Catering to high-end clients, this service rings in at a price of $299.90 for registration with a monthly membership fee of $49.95, plus $24.95 to $39.95 per daylong excursion. The program is currently offered in Los Angeles and San Diego and will expand to Manhattan, San Francisco, and London by the end of this year, and to Washington, DC and Boston by Spring 2008. While surely a creative alternative, you may be better off borrowing a friend’s dog for the day-both will appreciate it, and you may even make a buck doing so!
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