In honor of the quarterly Blog the Change drive to improve the lives of animals, I decided to focus today on the evils of Breed Specific Legislation (BSL), laws based on the notion that certain breeds should be banned or destroyed because they’re inherently — and incorrigibly — dangerous. These days, one of the most…
Some comic relief
I was sent an email with this sample of a new comic strip called “The Dogs of C-Kennel: Where the Bark is Funnier than the Bite” from Creators Syndicate, a website that showcases a variety of columnists and cartoonists and sells rights to them. I’m not sure if it’s “the next big thing to hit…
Not-So-Sweet Charity, 2
My condemnation of PETA in my last post created a bit of confusion that I’d like to clear up: I didn’t intend to give anyone the impression that animal welfare causes in general are not worth supporting because they’re all corrupt. And I don’t believe that such overall worthy organizations as the ASPCA should lose…
Not-So-Sweet Charity, 1: PETA
In tough economic times — heck, all the time when you think about it — trying to decide which charitable organizations deserve our donations is difficult. And the decision is further complicated when those charities are widely misunderstood. To clarify the nature of some key animal welfare groups, then: The Humane Society of the United…
An Open Letter to Nathan Winograd
Dear Nathan Winograd, I’ve been reading about the No-Kill Movement, which is working to transform shelters from the pet world equivalent of roach motels — dogs and cats go in but don’t come out — to places that actually save animals. It’s an extremely important cause and, as the Director of the No-Kill Advocacy Center…
Friday Focus: Filthy Lucre & the Vet Visit
Do either of these veterinary visit scenarios sound familiar? Scenario #1: During a routine annual checkup, you mostly discuss health issues with your vet. You ask, for example, whether he thinks dogs are generally over-vaccinated and whether your dog will really benefit from a booster shot at his age. You also mention that you’re not…
Slimming Down Your Dog: How Hard Is It, Really?
I took Frankie in to the vet for a wellness checkup last week. He’s doing fine — actually really well, the vet said, for a dog his age (about 12), even one who doesn’t have diabetes. Aside from the need for a professional teeth cleaning, the only suggestion the vet made was that Frankie slim…
Friday Focus: Single-dog Households
Not long ago, my friend Joan told me that her dachshund, Lucy, was depressed, so she got her a puppy to keep her company. Only if you consider annoyance better than depression — and spending more money on vet bills for the new dog than, say, a year of doggie day care might have cost…
Eight reasons to adopt a senior dog
I was so clueless about dogs when I first adopted Frankie that I didn’t realize he was pushing geriatric status — and that this was considered a bad thing. I’m very glad I didn’t know, and not only because I would have missed out on making the acquaintance of my Zen master, muse and constant…
Pet Shops, Shelters & Pedigree
First, the Pedigree portion of this post. I promise you, it will make you feel good because you’ll be donating food to shelter dogs with a few clicks, even if you don’t have a blog. If you do… well, I’ll get to that. Here are the details: •Each year, more than 4 million dogs end…