“People with problem pets must make their own peace - Deseret News” plus 3 more

People with problem pets must make their own peace - Deseret News
Cats and Dogs Are Household Hazards - FOX News
Experts cheer new state law to protect pets from ... - 9News
Tasty, Artistic, & Natural Gourmet Treats For Dogs ... - Inventorspot

People with problem pets must make their own peace - Deseret News

Posted: 18 Apr 2010 11:28 AM PDT

Angie Best-Boss has tried changing litter boxes, types of litter, brands of litter. But something has gone terribly wrong with Tiger.

"I loathe my cat," said the freelance writer in New Palestine, Ind. "Actually, loathe might be too weak of a word. I hate it. The stupid, stupid cat pees. On clothes. Only on clean clothes. And beds. Regardless of what spray I buy, what medicine she takes, she just really, really likes to pee."

Dogs chewing through table legs. Cats diving for the family dinner. Biting cockatiels. At a time when many people are scrimping on themselves to indulge their animals, the love is lost for owners of infuriating pets.

Still, many can't bring themselves to dump their wayward animals in shelters. Instead, they pay sky-high vet bills for intervention that doesn't work. They endure in-your-face barking rants in the middle of the night or are startled awake by the routine hacking of hairballs.

Some wish out loud their pets would just run away.

When Cherie Miller's 16-year-old cat, Kitty, goes out, he wants in. When he's in, he wants out. He whines relentlessly and refuses to eat unless a human stirs the kibble around in his self-feeder. The family calls it "whooshing."

"When it scratches on the bedroom door at 3:21 a.m. to have its food whooshed, it's enticing to imagine creative ways to ditch this cat. I'm a pet lover, but come on," said Miller, who lives in suburban Atlanta and was inspired to start a blog about pesky pets called pet-peeves.org.

So how does a human make peace with a problem pet? Venting helps, said an expert, though the griping may be more emotionally complicated for the humans involved.

"We all know couples who look like they like to fight. They let fights happen because, it seems, they're getting something out of it. Some people have that relationship with their pets," said psychologist Stephanie LaFarge, who specializes in the human-animal bond as senior director of counseling services at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

"Some people like to think they love their animals so much they're willing to be victimized by them," she said. "It's proof of how much they love that animal and proof of what a good animal person they are and what a good person they are. It's part of their identity."

There's no national clearinghouse for where and how people acquire their pets, but about 63 percent of all U.S. households have at least one, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Ten to 20 percent of cats and dogs come from shelters and rescue organizations, sometimes arriving in well-meaning homes with heavy emotional baggage.

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Cats and Dogs Are Household Hazards - FOX News

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 09:58 AM PDT

Dogs and cats are a lurking household danger, according to a new report showing the pets cause all kinds of injuries related to falls. The pet trips — estimated at more than 80,000 a year — occurred while people were chasing after them, stepping over them, breaking up a Fido fight, and other scenarios.

Dogs are the biggest hazard. Those injured noted various circumstances for their injuries, including: "tripped while crossing the street with their dog," "fainted while training her dog," and "walking dog and fell up steps," among other circumstances.

The researchers don't suggest you send your four-legged resident packing.

"Certainly pets are wonderful and have many benefits, so we're not saying anything about not having pets," said study researcher Judy Stevens, a senior epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

Dogs More Dangerous

The results come from a nationally representative sample of emergency department visits to about 60 hospitals from Jan. 1, 2001 to Dec. 31, 2006, finding some 7,456 records were linked to pet-related falls. [Graphic shows breakdown of injuries and circumstances by pet.]

From this, the researchers calculated the national estimate would reach 86,629 for fall injuries associated with cats and dogs in the United States in 2006. Though an alarming number, it's just 1 percent of the 8 million fall injuries treated in emergency departments, Stevens said.

Even though cats are known to follow at your heels, or right beneath your feet, dogs were involved in nearly 7.5 times as many injuries as cats.

That's "mainly because dogs are bigger and stronger, and we do see children and women are most likely to be involved in a fall with a dog," Stevens said, adding that women and children are on average smaller and weaker and so more likely to get pushed or pulled.

In fact, gals were more than twice as likely as men to have pet-related fall injuries. And children and the middle-age group were the most likely to end up in the ER after an accident with the fur balls.

Dogs vs. Cats

More than a quarter of dog-related injuries happened while people were walking the pet, with the most frequent circumstances falling or tripping over one's dog (31 percent of cases) and being pushed or pulled by the four-legged friends.

As cats are mostly homebodies, it's no surprise most falls involving the bossy felines (nearly 86 percent) occurred in or around the house. Nearly 12 percent of these injuries happened while people were chasing cats.

In 2006, about 43 million U.S. households owned dogs and 37.5 million households had cats. Nearly 64 percent of households with pets had more than one pet, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

With so many furry residents, falls are bound to happen. But Stevens offers tips for reducing the risk:

— Just being aware that pets can be a fall hazard is a step in the right direction.

— For dogs, obedience training is important and can minimize behaviors such as pushing and pulling.

— Be aware of pet-related hazards, such as toys and food bowls, which can also cause falls.

The findings are detailed in the current issue of the Journal of Safety Research.

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Experts cheer new state law to protect pets from ... - 9News

Posted: 18 Apr 2010 10:05 PM PDT

ADAMS COUNTY- Her two pups are faithful, playful, and loving. For Angela McMahan they are also family. She was not willing to leave them, even to save her own life.

"I was told by many people, 'Just leave them. Get out,' but that wasn't an option," McMahan said.

Years ago, she was in a physically abusive relationship.

"I was left for dead. I woke up face down in a pool of my own blood and was left there by my abuser," McMahan said.

It took her years to finally leave the relationship, in part, because she worried about what would happen to her dogs.

"Going to a shelter, I called them for resources, but because I had pets, I just didn't see that was an option for me," McMahan said.

Today, she is the president of the only domestic violence shelter in the metro area that permits pets. When she founded Arising Hope International, which has two homes in Adams County, she personally knew about the need for emergency help for all family members who are not safe, including pets.

"They were abused right along with me," McMahan said.

That is one of the reasons McMahan is pleased about a new Colorado law to help people facing a similar situation. Earlier this week, Governor Bill Ritter signed a bill into law that allows judges to order suspected domestic abusers to stay away from family pets. The measure also includes livestock.

A psychologist at the University of Denver says pets often get caught up in domestic abuse situations in a number of ways.

"Sometimes it's a kind of generalized aggression in the home. Sometimes it's very calculated to frighten and intimidate or to coerce their partner to do something they don't want to do," Dr. Frank Ascione said.

Ascione is the author of several publications on animal abuse in domestic violence situations and leads the University of Denver's Institute for Human-Animal Connection. His studies on women in domestic violence shelters found that more than 50 percent of those with pets had also had their animals abused.

"It just raises the importance of protecting these animals in the context of domestic violence. Not only for the animals benefit, but also for the women and children who may be in those homes," Ascione said.

McMahan agrees and says her own experience is an example of that. She is now helping dozens of women, children and pets get to safety together each year.

"We can only take in so many at a time, and there's still hundreds and hundreds of individuals going to shelters everyday. That pets that are being surrendered and families that are being separated or broken up," McMahan said.

Arising Hope International is working with the American Humane Association on a new campaign to get more emergency shelters opened to pets. There are a few other domestic violence shelters in the state that do. Anyone who needs information to help them escape domestic abuse can start by contacting the Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence. For that information visit www.ccadv.org.

For more information about Arising Hope International, visit www.arisinghope.org.

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Tasty, Artistic, & Natural Gourmet Treats For Dogs ... - Inventorspot

Posted: 18 Apr 2010 07:07 PM PDT

There's a fantastic line of yummy goodies for your pets - I've even tasted the dog cookies - created by a gourmet chef, Mitch Ross. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Ross flipped his catering business into an international gourmet all-natural treat business for dogs, cats, horses and birds. These treats are artistically creative and very reasonably priced.

In 1989, Ross experimented with a recipe for his first dog treat and, after his own dog went nuts over it, Ross knocked on pet store doors in Pompano Beach, Florida asking the stores to carry a few for their customers. The rest is history!

Here are a few of Ross's current products. Even if you don't taste them yourselves you will appreciate the love and artistry that Ross gives to each product.

Bark Bars® Treats For Dogs

Ross's company, American Health Kennels , Inc., now 20 years later, is still making that first dog treat, Bark Bars®, but now they're available in a dozen 'lip smackin' flavors, many shapes and sizes, and some really smart looking packages, from candy bar packs to Bark Bar holiday packs. There are even mini Bark Bars with smiley faces for little barkers.

Jumbo Bark Bars

Nicknacks & Paddywacks Natural Beef Chews For Dogs

It's great to find 100 percent lean beef in a dog chew. That means no salt, flavoring, preservatives, or dye -- and NO splintering! Nicknacks, Paddywacks, and Ribs too!

Bake-Your-Own Brownies And Cookie Treats For Dogs

Dogs love the smell of freshly baked out of the oven treats, but unfortunately our own brownies are not recommended, especially as chocolate is poisonous to dogs. So, American Health Kennels makes some Bake Your Own natural mixes for dog Brownies (carob) and Carob Chip Cookies.

Kitty Kisses Treats For Cats

Now, I have a strange cat, who will eat any food you put in front of her except treats intended for cats. But she loves her Kitty Kisses. Why? She thinks it's people food.

Don't mistake the Kitty Kissers for breath fresheners, because they are NOT made with mint! Instead, they're made with real freeze-dried shrimp, chicken liver, beef liver, anchovies, and wonder-cat squid; no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

Mustang Munchies Natural Treats For Horses

No sugar cubes for your equine beauty. The Mustang Munchies will be just what the vet approved for equine health and sweet tooths. Made with whole wheat and barley flours, apples, carrots, rolled oats, vegetable oil and sweet sweet molasses. And, of course, the gourmet chef adds plenty of presentation in the carrot and apple shaped Mustang Munchies.

Mr. Beak's All Natural Treats For Hook-Billed Birds

You better get your beaks on Mr. Beak's treats before your bird does or you'll never taste them. Of course they're made of all natural fruits, nuts, and seeds that will become your hookbilled bird's favorite's knosh. Here's one set of ingredients: peas, bananas, peanuts, corn, sunflower seeds, carrots, papaya, raisins, and chili peppers! (I did not know that birds ate chili peppers.)

Holiday and Gift Packaging For Pet Treats

I Another aspect of this company I love is that every occasion and holiday is an opportunity to give a treat to your favorite pet and American Health Kennels loves to package. Often a holiday is also an opportunity to try out a new recipe too, so look for these delightful packages around Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Fouth of July, Christmas, Hanukah, and other special days. The treats make great, inexpensive, and healthy food gifts for all the dogs, cats, horses, and birds in your life.