Halloween Safety Tip for dogs and cats

It's almost the spookiest night of the year! Here are some common sense precautions this Halloween to keep you and your pet saying "trick or treat!" all the way to November 1.

1. No tricks, no treats: That bowl of candy is for trick-or-treaters, not for Scruffy and Fluffy. Chocolate in all forms—especially dark or baking chocolate—can be very dangerous for dogs and cats. Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can also cause problems. If you do suspect your pet has ingested something toxic, please call your veterinarian immediately.

2. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively nontoxic, but they can produce stomach upset in pets who nibble on them.

3. Wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations should be kept out of reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet might suffer cuts or burns, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

4. A carved pumpkin certainly is festive, but do exercise caution if you choose to add a candle. Pets can easily knock a lit pumpkin over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned or singed by candle flames.

5. Dress-up can be a big mess-up for some pets. Please don't put your dog or cat in a costume UNLESS you know he or she loves it (yup, a few pets are real hams!). For pets who prefer their “birthday suits,” wearing a Halloween theme tag on their collar or harness is a better idea.

source: ASPCA, ID4Pet

Laboring Dogs: Celebrating Dogs Who Work Like Dogs

My best friend, Fran, sent me the article today. I found it really interesting and I would like to share with everyone.


In honor of Labor Day 2012, we would like to honor the all the amazing, hard-workin,' working dogs who have been keeping pooch productivity at maximum levels!

1) Bed Bug Super Sniffers - These super sniffers inspect hotels, college dorms and office buildings, suburban and luxury homes and apartments for bedbugs. These uber-sniffers and their canine cohorts are graduates of a bonafide Bed Bug Scent Training Academy and can inspect a room for pests in minutes, whereas lesser mammals like human beings need hours to conduct a visual inspection.

2) Special Ops War Dogs: These specially trained furry soldiers are trained to attack anyone carrying a weapon and have become apivotal part of special operations as they crawl unnoticed into tunnels or 6a00d8341bf67c53ef014e883ff212970d-400wi rooms to hunt for enemy combatants. The cameras on their heads beam live TV pictures back to the troops, providing them with critical information and warning of ambushes. The military has trained these amazing dogs, just like the Seals, to be dropped via helicopter into hostile territory from 25,000 feet in the air.

3) Border Patrol Beagle Brigade- Did you know that none other than the diminutive Beagle is responsible for keeping our borders secure? While known to be slightly stubborn and prone to howling, Beagles are actually some of the most valued members of the Department of Homeland Security Detector Dogs division, where these adorable hounds patrol the nation's airports to keep our food sources safe by sniffing out meat, fruit and vegetables banned in the U.S.

4) Search & Rescue Dogs and The National Search Dog Foundation - National Disaster Search Dog Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that aids in disaster response in America by recruiting rescued dogs and partnering them with firefighters and other first responders to find people buried alive in the wreckage of disasters. This wonderful program is provided at no cost to fire departments and ensures lifetime care for every dog in the program: once rescued, these dogs never need to be rescued again.

5) Therapy Dogs - Pet therapy dogs bring the unconditional love and tactile benefits of animals to people in facilities such as abused children's shelters, hospitals, psychiatric facilities, and senior centers. Animals often bring out the best in people and can calm hyperactive children or stimulate movement and interaction in those with physical disabilities. Check out Mackenzie, a registered pet therapy dog who spends his time in a hospital in New York City cheering up kids!

Source : animal planet