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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Do you need a cat? Please help these babies!!!!


Rescuers Trying To Get Homes For 70 Cats

POSTED: 9:56 am EDT October 27, 2009
UPDATED: 6:07 pm EDT October 27, 2009


A rescue group is trying to spay, neuter and find homes for about 70 cats taken from a Mason home.





Evelyn Black said the cats were taken after the owner asked for help due to increasingly unhealthy conditions inside.

Images: 70 Cats Looking For Homes

Black said three small rescue groups were attempting to fund the operations and efforts to place the cats, including 30 kittens.

"They range in personality and temperament from being this affectionate, running around my ankles and wanting a lot of attention, to being really shy and fearful.

Some of the cats do have what Black described as minor health issues, but nothing that should scare anyone away.

"What we're dealing with is all very superficial … upper respiratory, like kitty colds, sneezing, sniffling. Nothing deep, no infections," said Black.

Black said the rescue groups are looking for foster homes and donations. Anyone wishing to help can visit this site for information.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Daycamp Halloween Party

This Friday at Best Friends Petcare we will be hosting a Halloween Party for our daycampers!

The party will be all day with costumes contests adn spooky treats for the dogs. SO bring your best dressed trick or treater to the party!

New friend looks out for best friends



New friend looks out for best friend
Anorexic teen can rest assured Bruizer's fine
By Cliff Radel • cradel@enquirer.com • October 25, 2009

SYCAMORE TWP. - Joyce Carstens wants to fit Dori Reinhart with a pair of angel's wings.
She believes Reinhart's kindness is helping to save the life of her hospitalized 18-year-old granddaughter, Ashley. Reinhart is taking care of the teen's rambunctious puppy, Bruizer the boxer.

"You just don't find many people these days who go out of their way to help a stranger," Carstens said as she wiped tears from her eyes.  "By taking care of Bruizer," she added, as the 4-month-old puppy sat at her feet, "she's giving Ashley hope to get better."  Reinhart insists she's no angel.

She just runs a dog hotel.Angel or innkeeper? You decide.  Reinhart manages Best Friends Pet Care in Sycamore Township. She lets Bruizer stay there for a bargain-basement rate. She also lets Carstens cry on her shoulder.  They exchange hugs. And, they share stories about anorexia.

Ashley has been hospitalized since Oct. 10 with the eating disorder. She's dealt with anorexia for five years.  Reinhart knows what she's going through. She struggled with the illness for decades.  "It started when I was running track in high school. I was a freshman or a sophomore, right when you start beefing up. And it didn't end," Reinhart said as she stooped to pick up Bruizer, "until I had my third child 13 years ago."  While she spoke, Bruizer panted. He had just finished racing around the hotel's exercise room with his playmate, a 1-year-old Labrador retriever named Bella.

Reinhart recalled how she kept from beefing up. She counted calories obsessively. She exercised fiendishly.  "I was very competitive in track," she noted. "I ended up with a full-tuition scholarship to Ohio University. Some of my high school records still stand in New Jersey."  She tried to run away from her eating problem while she ran track. "If I would eat a big meal," she said, "I'd exercise harder." And run farther.  Stress triggered her bouts of anorexia as the disease would come and go. "It would get better," she said, "then it would get worse."  And then, one day in 1996, it went away. Reinhart attributed that happy day to "my remarriage and the birth of my third child. All of a sudden, my life went: 'Ahhhhhhhhhhh,' "she said with a relaxed sigh.  "Then I said, 'I'll have another piece of pumpkin pie, please!'  "She laughed and slapped her far-from-ample hips. "I'm making up for lost time."

As Reinhart spoke, Carstens nodded. She recalled how Ashley was doing "great in school, all A's and B's. Then her grades slipped and it was all we could do to get her to finish high school."  She recalled how her granddaughter with the fashion-model figure and face felt she was ugly and fat. She didn't want to go to restaurants. She didn't want to eat. 

This time, it was Reinhart's turn to give a been-there, done-that nod.  "I was extremely shy as a teen-ager," said the affable pet hotel manager. "I didn't want anyone looking at me either."  At 18, Reinhart was getting ready to go to college. Her parents had moved to Cincinnati. She was finishing high school in Ramsey, N.J. 

At 18, Joyce Carstens' granddaughter Ashley was taking a year off from school. Carstens thought "she had the anorexia under control." Ashley had a place of her own. And, her puppy, Bruizer.  "He was so good for her," said the grandma known as "Nana" to Ashley.  "We hide things," Reinhart noted. "We wear baggy clothes. We don't eat."  Ashley tried to hide her problems.  "But you can't hide things forever from a grandma," Carstens said. Ashley soon went into the hospital.
Carstens visits or talks with her granddaughter daily. Every conversation includes this question: "Nana, are you taking care of Bruizer?"  When Ashley first went into the hospital, her family did not know what to do with the puppy.
No family member has the time or the space to care for 26 pounds of purebred energy. Someone suggested giving the dog away. Carstens balked. She sought advice from the staff at Bruizer's veterinarian. Staffers recommended she talk to Reinhart.

"Joyce understands the bond Bruizer has with Ashley," Reinhart said. "She knows that a dog takes the focus off of yourself and puts it on something that needs to be taken care of while giving back unconditional love."  Feeling ignored, Bruizer retreated to a corner of the room. A puppy-sized puddle of urine appeared on the floor.  Reinhart shook her head, laughed and went to get a mop. As she swabbed the deck, she gently reminded Bruizer that such behavior is reserved for outside.  Reinhart was reminded that she did not have to take Bruizer as a guest. She could have said there was no room at the inn.  "But, after what I've been through," she said, "I felt compelled to help."  Her offer to help remains open-ended. Still, weeks could turn into months. Reinhart shrugged her shoulders. Carstens' eyes welled with tears.  "Bruizer gives us our daily puppy fix," Reinhart said. "That's more than enough."
C
arstens wants to take Bruizer to visit Ashley in the hospital. Her doctors say she's not up for a mug-to-face visit just yet.
When the puppy gets visiting rights, Reinhart just might go along. "I'd like to tell Ashley that there's light at the end of the tunnel," she said.  "But if her family just wants me to take care of Bruizer, that's fine, too. He'll be here until his mommy gets out of the hospital."
Dogs and cats are more than pets – they’re family.



And just like any other member of the family, pets deserve to be cared for and protected. That’s why the American Red Cross has developed Dog and Cat First Aid, everything owners need to know to keep their pets healthy and safe.

Your Pet is Part of Your Family
Just like with people, accidents and emergencies can happen to animals – so being prepared could make a lifesaving difference. You can learn the skills needed to assist your family dog or cat in an emergency.

Topics covered include:
Symptoms and care for common ailments and injuries
Managing breathing and cardiac emergencies
Creating a pet first aid kit
How to prepare for disasters
Tips on maintaining your pet’s health and well-being

Each class participant receives a copy of either the dog or the cat first aid manual and a DVD. For more information about Dog and Cat First Aid training contact the Cincinnati Area Chapter of the American Red Cross at 513-792-4000 or 800-241-8296.

Giant Alien Snakes Invade U.S.!


by Rebecca Quimby (Subscribe to Rebecca Quimby's posts)

Oct 23rd 2009 11:00AM
Categories: Exotics, Reptiles

National Park Service

Giant Alien Snakes: It's not the title of a creepy new horror movie. According to a study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), nine species of giant snakes alien to North America could become established in the wild and wreak havoc on the ecosystem. National Geographic reports that these snakes can grow longer than 20 feet and weigh over 200 pounds. The slithering giants would be capable of surviving in the wild, and since they breed quickly and lack native predators, they could quickly cause trouble in U.S. ecosystems.



Some of these snakes have already infiltrated Florida, and the Burmese python could potentially spread to the entire lower third of the U.S. While some of the snakes in question have been known to kill people, the real risk is to ecosystems, which have no defense against the alien invaders.

So where did these snakes come from? Most of them were once pets that escaped or that people released into the wild. "If you want to be good to Mother Nature, do not under any circumstances let [your snake] go," study co-author and USGS zoologist Gordon Rodda told National Geographic. "You'd be better off euthanizing it than releasing it."

The real message here seems to be: Don't adopt a pet you can't care for. And if you must get rid of your pet, deal with it in a responsible way!

Friday, October 23, 2009

Does your dog crave bones?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AWjzCRC174

Dogs that look like their owners?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=642qxehEcGg

Best Friends Halloween Special!

Best Friends
Going to a Halloween Party? Why rush home to walk the dog- let him stay with us! Take advantage of our Halloween Activity Package! Give us a call at 513-489-6300 to make a reservation!

Book now for your holiday plans!



While it seems as though the kids just returned to school, Fall Break is almost upon us!

Best Friends Pet Care in Cincinnati  is currently accepting reservations for Fall Break at our spacious indoor-outdoor, climate-controlled facility. Come and take a tour of our facility to see all the ways we can pamper your pets while you are out of town....from cozy lambskin woolies and premium orthopedic cots, to ice cream breaks, bedtime stories, playgroup and cuddletimes! Don't forget your best friend when you make your travel plans!

Tours available anytime during business hours:
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday courtesy hours 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
(513)489-6300

We look forward to serving you and your pets for Fall Break this year!

Have you even seen this?


Thursday, October 22, 2009

Moving Manatees from the Cincinnati Zoo.

Orphaned Manatees at the Cincinnati Zoo getting ready for their big move to Florida. Check out this short video of the manatees and their move.


Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Monday, October 19, 2009

Happy Halloween from Best Friends!

Best Friends wishes you a Happy Halloween!! Click the image below to view the Jack-o-lantern masterpiece that our Houston location created! Pretty awesome right?!?

Best Friends

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Billionaire Offers $75 Million to End Pet Overpopulation

Billionaire Offers $75 Million to End Pet Overpopulation



by Kirsten Taylor (Subscribe to Kirsten Taylor's posts)

Oct 5th 2009 3:00PM



Categories: Dogs, Cats, Pet Health



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Six to eight million dogs and cats end up in U.S. shelters every year. Photo: Jennifer Leigh/Flickr



Every year, six to eight million unwanted cats and dogs enter shelters in the U.S., and three to four million are euthanized according to the animal welfare organization Found Animals.



Now American billionaire Gary Michelson -- a surgeon who has invented hundreds of patented medical devices and procedures -- has decided to tackle the problem with $75 million of his own cash!



Through the organization he created, Found Animals, Michelson is offering $50 million in research grants to scientists with promising approaches for inexpensive, one-dose, surgery-free methods of sterilizing cats and dogs. The first team to succeed in creating a sterilant that works in both dogs and cats, male and female, will walk away with $25 million in prize money, Shirley Johnston, director of scientific research for Found Animals, tells Paw Nation.



Why the need for non-surgical sterilization? Spaying and neutering is important, but the procedures alone can't solve the huge animal overpopulation problem. Surgical sterilization is expensive and it requires access to anesthesia and proper veterinary facilities. That's not practical in many rural areas of the U.S., let alone in the developing world.



"China may have 150 million dogs, and very few are sterilized. India has 30 million street dogs," Andrew Rowan, chief scientific officer of the Human Society of the United States [HSUS], tells Paw Nation. "In places like India and Africa, there's an active rabies problem; in India, for example, there are 20,000 [human] deaths to rabies every year."



In addition to human health impacts and the tax burden of keeping stray animals in check, animals themselves suffer from overpopulation. Rowan estimates that as many as one to two million of the cats and dogs euthanized in the U.S. each year are healthy and adoptable. And around the world, millions of nuisance strays are shot or poisoned, Science magazine reports.



Johnston is optimistic that science is advanced enough to deliver a solution. Her organization has received grant applications from researchers with all sorts of approaches up their sleeves, from switching off the genes that control reproduction, to vaccine-like shots that would cause the reproductive system to shut down. "We really want people to think outside the box," she tells Paw Nation. That said, "we're really committed to a safe product. We're not going to give a prize for something that's going to hurt dogs or cats."



HSUS's Rowan thinks the big money offered by Found Animals might be just what's needed to make a dent in the pet overpopulation problem.



"I hate to be crass, but there's nothing like the availability of large sums of money to concentrate the scientific mind," he tells Paw Nation. "There's no question in my mind that people will come up with interesting new ideas. I don't know what they might be, but I know something will pop out of the woodwork."



With the lives of millions of dogs and cats hanging in the balance, we sure hope he's right.

Real Rescue dogs for a musical


'101 Dalmatians Musical' Stars Real Rescue Dogs On Stage
by Helena Sung (Subscribe to Helena Sung's posts)
Oct 13th 2009 3:00PM

Categories: Dogs, Pets in the News, Adoption, Training

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Jada and Bella pose in front of their "Puppy Palace" tour bus. Photo: The 101 Dalmatians Musical
Unless you're Cruella de Vil, you are guaranteed to love the new "101 Dalmatians" musical -- especially since all of the animal actors are shelter rescues.

"The script for the musical is based on the original 1956 book by Dodie Smith in which the story is told from the dogs' perspectives," the show's producer, Lee Marshall, tells Paw Nation. "Nothing in the musical is related to any of the motion pictures," he says, referring to the 1961 animated Walt Disney movie and the 1996 live-action film starring Glenn Close.

To illustrate the world as the dogs see it, all the human actors will be on 15-inch stilts surrounded by an extra-tall set scaled to show a dog's eye view of the world. The lead dog roles of Pongo and Missus Perdita -- whose Dalmatian puppies are stolen by the evil Cruella de Vil -- will be played by human actors dressed in fashionably spotted suits, and child actors will play the puppies.

But Marshall sprinkles each performance with real Dalmatians. Fifteen fortunate pups bound on the stage at the end of Act 1 and during the show's finale, performing choreographed movements set to music written by Dennis DeYoung, founding member of the legendary band Styx.


Animal trainer Joel Slaven with the rescued Dalmatian stars. Photo: The 101 Dalmatians Musical
At first, Joel Slaven, the show's animal trainer, was hesitant to get involved with the musical. "When the '101 Dalmatians' movie came out, everybody ran out and bought a Dalmatian without giving it a whole lot of thought, resulting in thousands of the dogs [that ended up] in shelters," Slaven tells Paw Nation.

Then he learned that the producers and Purina Dog Chow, the show's sponsor, were adamant about using only rescued Dalmatians in the musical, as well as including a frankly-worded Playbill insert that informs audience members about Dalmatians as pets. The note says that a Dalmatian is an "active, curious and loving friend who sheds a lot and requires mind-stimulating activities ... who do not like to be left alone, do not adapt well to being outside dogs, are light skinned and burn easily in the sun, are genetically predisposed to have problems processing purines, can be deaf, and live an average of 10-12 years, requiring a lifetime commitment."

"I realized it was an opportunity to turn this thing around, and instead of promoting people going out and buying Dalmatians for pets, we could actually educate the public on what they need to do if they're going to get any dog for a pet," says Slaven.

Beginning in January, Slaven and his team of trainers searched the country for Dalmatians at shelters and rescue groups. "We literally went coast to coast looking for dogs who were confident, secure, social, and not shy or timid," Slaven says. They found 15 such Dalmatians, and gave them names such as Rascal, Rosie, Tibbs, Hanna, Jada and Bella. Some had heartworm or needed dental work, while others were either emaciated or obese.

"We brought them all down to the farm in Florida [where Slaven maintains an expansive training facility] and spent the first month building bonds with the dogs, playing with them, and getting them in good physical condition," Slaven explains. When the dogs were at their perfect weight and their coats and eyes shining, Slaven and his trainers began working with the Dalmatians using treats and other positive reinforcement.

As "The 101 Dalmatians Musical" tours the country, the 15 Dalmatians will travel in style in a luxurious purple bus customized just for the dogs. "Purina bought a big, rock star bus and tricked it out," says Slaven. "We call it the 'Puppy Palace.'" The back of the bus is outfitted with large compartments where the dogs will sleep at night. The floors of the bus are made of soft rubber for traction so the dogs don't slip and hurt themselves. Up front are bunks for the trainers with individual mini-TV screens. "I looked in there the other day," says Slaven, laughing, "and the dogs were in bed watching TV with the trainers." During the day, a team of five trainers will set up 10-by-10-foot playpens lined with fresh pine shavings for the Dalmatians to play in.

"There's no doubt they're having fun," Slaven says of the Dalmatians. "They have a great life now. They'll do the show for a year, and if the musical continues, we'll see which dogs are still enjoying it and which will be placed for adoption."

The The 101 Dalmatians Musical opens October 13th in Minneapolis before setting off on a nationwide tour.