Puppy mill operators subject dogs to horrendous conditions before tidying them up to sell them to pet stores or showcase them on the internet. You’ve probably seen plenty of those graphic, disgusting images; I’m never going to show them here. The avoidance of suffering porn — as I think of it — is also the…
Pet Charities Lose: Where There’s a Will But No Way
Photo by David Rentas/NY Post The late hotel heiress Leona Helmsley may have been known as the “Queen of Mean,” but she had many fans in the animal welfare community, including such influential pet charities as the ASPCA, The Humane Society of the United States, and Maddie’s Fund. Sadly, the combined clout of those groups…
Hamsters, the ASPCA & the Elusiveness of Memory
We all have stories about our past that become part of our repertoire, the set pieces we haul out when there’s an awkward silence at a party, say, or when we want to put others at ease by being self-deprecating, amusing, relatable… One of my favorites has always been the tale of my childhood hamsters,…
Pet charities: Some year-end musings
Writing a book about dogs, starting a dog blog, becoming involved in an online dog community… It’s been a year of continuing education and revelation, including the realization of just how useful an online community can be. The flip side: As a result of connecting with other pet advocates, I learned some things I (almost)…
Dogs shouldn’t suffer for Leona’s sins
Leona Helmsley is a public relations nightmare. Notoriously high-handed, she was dubbed the “Queen of Mean” by employees at the hotel empire her husband, Harry, built. She famously remarked, “Only the little people pay taxes” — before she went to jail for tax evasion. In her will, she left bupkis to two of her grandchildren.…
Cleanliness: Next to Dog-liness?
Frankie is lucky. I’m not overly obsessed with housecleaning. Many people think that my home must be spotless, what with it doubling as my office and all, but when I want to avoid writing, clutter and dust never seem to demand my attention (my refrigerator, on the hand, practically grabs me by the throat). However,…
World’s oldest dog fashionista
Anyone could have predicted that a dog named Chanel was destined to be a clothes horse…uh, hound. But there was no way to know that the little Long Island dachshund would live for 21 years and nab a place in Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest dog. Clad in spiffy red Doggles to shield…
Well, if the ASPCA says it’s okay…
April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month, and the ASPCA has asked everybody to “get out your pet’s favorite orange outfit, grab your camera and send us your best shot” for the Go Orange photo contest. They even provide pet-dressing guidelines: Make sure the costume doesn’t limit your pet’s movement, hearing, vision or ability…