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Is our drinking water causing diabetes? I just read a disturbing article about arsenic in drinking water possibly contributing to diabetes. The link is that people with a higher concentration of arsenic in their bodies have a much higher incidence of diabetes. The research confirms tests previously done with animals. Can this help explain the epidemic in diabetes in humans and our pets? http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/diabetes/2008/08/19/is-your-drinking-water-giving-you-diabetes.html Author : Amy Dogs and Paper Shredders While I was reading the article linked in my previous blog entry about the dangerous toy, I read a comment about a different type of injury that I had never considered before - a dog's tongue being caught in a paper shredder. There appear to be several articles on the internet about this injury. Based on what I've just read, make sure you keep paper shredders out of the reach of your pets and keep them unplugged while you're not using them. Author : Roxy Daniels Highly Dangerous Chew Toy for Dogs http://thechaistory.blogspot.com/2008/08/chai-story.html The above link leads to a story about a dog being very seriously injured by a chew toy that Four Paws Inc, produces. The toy is the pimple ball with bell. (Item #20227-001, UPC Code 0 4566320227 9). As well as giving detailed information about the injury and the aftermath, the author has provided an email address to Four Paws Inc to demand a recall of this toy. After reading all of the comments on the link, apparently quite a few people have emailed Four Paws Inc., and at least some of them have received a response from the company. I've copied the standard email response from the company below. This has made me inspect all of my dog toys for similar design flaws. Thank you for your recent note expressing concern over the Four Paws® Pimple Ball with Bell. We were equally alarmed to learn that a dog may have injured himself while playing with this toy. Dogs have been enjoying the Pimple Ball with Bell for more than a decade with over 500,000 units sold. In all the years this product has been on the market, this is the first injury of this nature that we are aware of. Unfortunately, accidents sometimes happen. That’s why we recommend that dogs always be supervised when they are playing with any toy. We take great care in developing safe products for pets and their owners. At this point we have identified the problem and are not shipping any more Pimple Balls. We have contacted customers that carry this product and have asked them to immediately return their inventory. Thank you for your concern and feedback. Please know that we are in direct communication with the pet owner whose dog was injured. At Four Paws, happy pets and satisfied pet owners are our number one priority. Rest assured we will continue to work hard to deliver on our priority. Sincerely, Allen Simon President, CEO Four Paws Products Author : Roxy Daniels Dogs-Only Beach If you think dog parks are cool, the dogs on Cyprus have their own beach! After complaints that dogs had no place to swim and cool off in the hot weather, officials designated part of the beach for dog walking and swimming in the ocean. Now locals and travelers to the popular vacation spot have someplace to take their pets. Legend has it that shepherds used to take their flocks to the same area to cool off. See the whole story at: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4668869a4560.html Author : Amy Simba Simba, my cat, has been studying Ogden Blue, my parakeet, for the past three months. I was thinking that they had developed a bond, and we were one big happy family. I told my mother about my theory, and she assured me that, indeed, the cat was very interested in the bird. Last night I heard a loud sound coming from the room where I keep the bird in his cage, propped high on a metal cabinet, out of reach of the cat. As far as I know this is the first time the cat had moved from contemplation of the forbidden object to an actual attempt to reach his prey. I promptly removed the cat from the room, shut the door and smacked him with the fly swatter. He smacked me back. I returned to the living room where I was watching the Democratic National Convention on television. Simba leaped across the room and settled on the arm chair where he wagged his tail and roared loudly, a kitty roar. Now I wonder if I can trust the cat to be in the same room with the bird without incident. Author : Orville Springs grandma's maltese Author : Crystal Welcome Home (a poem about Life) The first time I saw Homer He was small and black and sleepy As a pug his little sad face always looked a little weepy He was just a pup and full of pep and always into trouble He would play and run and follow Kyle as if he were his double The next time I saw Homer he was growing like a kid He’d play hide and seek with Kyle – and even yelp when Kyle was hid’ He delighted in just being held – and then snoring when asleep Think he learned to snore from me (grandpa), at that I’m hard to beat The last time I saw Homer, Kyle had gone to see his dad I could tell that Homer missed him, cause like me, it made him sad Homer knew something was missing, he wore sadness like a glove Homer knew (like all the rest of us), he was lookin’ for some love… Without Kyle we just have Homer to remind us now and then Of the fun that we all had with Kyle, and how Homer is like a teen And how teens are just like grown ups, who are just like all the rest Who without some love, respect, and hope can never be our best And that hope may not come from our friends, or even family But from God our heavenly father, and His grace so full and free In an act of love so undeserved He gave His Son, you see…. And like Homer, who just wants my love, God always welcomes me… by GBigger Author : George casey's favorite pet Author : Crystal Biobigotry - bad vs. good animals I just read a great article in the New York Times about how we think of some animals as good and some as bad. For example, would you rather see a hawk or a pigeon? What about a pig or a horse? The author calls this phenomenon of ranking animals by our preferences "biogigotry." A couple of years ago I was complaining to my friend, Charlie, about the crows that were hogging my bird feeders and waking me up in the morning with their loud squawk. Charlie's face got a far-away look as he got almost poetic about crows. "Aren't they just the most amazing creatures? They are nurturing parents, really devoted to their families, and they mate for life. And they are so mysterious - there's a definite air of magic about crows. Just sit and watch them next time..." I initially thought he was crazy, but Charlie has always given me good advice, so I thought about it. I even did some research about them - and now I'm as enamored of crows as Charlie is. Every time I see one I look for the magic in my life. I have a similar story about raccoons. Those night-roaming creatures have devastated my vegetable garden countless times. I'll go out late in the summer to pick some fresh veggies and my heart sinks as I discover plants that are trampled, torn down, and dug up. I have tried several methods to rid myself of them, but they keep coming back. So - I looked up some information on raccoons, and (gurdgingly) found out that there's a lot to admire about them. They are very resourceful, finding food and shelter in all the places that used to be their habitat but are now ours. They can live just as well in a storm sewer as in your chimney (I know this one from personal experience). They are happy digging in your garden or raiding your garbage. They are also great parents, moving their young one by one from one living area to another. So next time you look with disdain at a certain creature, take a moment to find out what they're really like and why you have a gut reaction to them. You might just change your mind... After all, you don't want to be a biobigot, do you? Author : Amy Biased against black cats? Superstition leads people to avoid adopting black-haired animals... Last week I wrote about the biases that people have against certain animals. A New York Times article called it "biobigotry." While it's one thing to prefer a horse to a wart hog, it's another to leave animals in shelters simply because their fur is black. Shelters all over the country are reporting that people adopt animals with lighter fur over those with black fur. Old superstitions are apparently the cause - deep-seated fears that we'll bring bad luck if we live with a black cat. But cats aren't the only ones being left behind. Even though Black Labradors are a very popular breed, more people are choosing the Chocolate or Yellow Labs these days. It seems to me like choosing a car for its color. Wouldn't you want to choose a companion based on personality, temperament and behavior? Author : Amy The Milt and Keetna Adventure It started out as a simple road trip to Texas to attend our nephew's wedding. My husband Tom and I weren't sure we could take our dog, Keetna. But a phone call to the hotel assured us that we could take her along. So the trip grew. Instead of a week, we would take three weeks, get a real break and see some of the country. We'd start from Colorado, go to Texas, across Oklahoma to Missouri, into Iowa, and wind up at Mt. Rushmore. And all this would be accomplished in our 25-year-old cargo van. The van's name was Milt, because it had previously been employed by Milt's Air Conditioning service in Florida. Tom and I had already traveled much of the U.S. in that van, living out of it for nearly a year (but that's another story....) We were attached to Milt and considered the van our second home. From Keetna's point of view, the trip held a lot of adventure. She started out on the floor of the van when we were driving, but she couldn't see out from there and it drove her crazy. So even though she weighed over 60 pounds, she'd wind up in the passenger's lap, looking out the window. Keetna got to see a lot of scenery that way. Her other adventures included these highlights: Hiking the Palo Duro Canyon Running in all kinds of new places Meeting people from all over the country Camping along the route of Lewis and Clark Swimming in various rivers, ditches, lakes, and even a Holiday Inn swimming pool (that's another story, too!) Getting her picture taken with four U.S. Presidents (carved in stone, but still) All along the way, she made friends and spread her special kind of joy. Thanks for the memories of a grand trip, Keetna! Author : Amy Rescue dog gets chef-prepared meals In an attempt to help a shelter dog with a severe skin condition, a restaurant in Simi Valley, California is preparing special meals for the dog. "Miss Pixie Du-Par," as she's been named, gets a chef-prepared meal of boiled liver, and is recovering well. Now the shelter is looking for a good home for Miss Pixie. Read the whole story here... Author : Amy Memorial Day and "War Dogs" Alongside our brave military personnel, highly trained "war dogs" also bravely serve our country. Take a moment to learn about their history at United States War Dogs Association: Canines with Courage. Author : Amy Please HELP me find a home for Jack the min-pin... Everyone please help me find Jack a home? His description is on the forum page and we really really need to find him a home. We dont want to take him back to a shelter... he is a great DOG!!! Author : Sara Good News! Law prohibits animal fighting and puppy mills The U.S. Senate overrode President Bush’s veto of the Farm Bill, introducing key new protections for animals. The bill bans importing puppies from foreign puppy mills for commercial sale in the U.S. The law protects young, unweaned, and unvaccinated pups from long-distance transport. They can be exposed to extreme temperatures and often die in cargo holds. This ban will keep foreign breeders from adding to the severe overpopulation of pets in the U.S. The Farm bill also prohibits most forms of animal fighting as a federal felony. It’s also a federal crime to possess or train animals for fighting. The maximum prison time for a single violation of any section of the law goes from three years to five years. This new law is a step closer to eradicating dogfighting and cockfighting as "sports." The fines for violating the Animal Welfare Act were quadrupled from $2,500 to $10,000. Such penalties will more effectively curb abuses at puppy mills, laboratories, circuses, and other facilities that use animals. Author : Amy