- Cool! Trending Topic: #woofwednesday @Pandafur @MidgetheMutt @EmmytheCat @LouPeb @SylvieDog @CosmoHavanese @AlaskaMoose #
- was doing #woofwednesday before #woofwednesday was cool. #
- Cocoa Mulch can Harm Dogs and Even Kill Them: http://tinyurl.com/dycc4l #woofwednesday #
- Thank Dog it’s #FollowFriday: @RadarDog @Fergusthedog @scutte @BuddyThePuggy @cuteanimalblog @SylvieDog @ThePetWiki @Pandafur #
Howard’s Weekly Tweets for 2009-05-10
May 10th, 2009
Cocoa Mulch can Harm Dogs and Even Kill Them
May 6th, 2009A lot of people start planting their gardens during Spring, and there’s a certain kind of mulch that can potentially harm their pets. Cocoa mulch is gaining popularity and can be very bad for dogs and other pets who try to eat it.
This mulch is made out of cocoa bean shells, which contain Theobromine. As mentioned in a previous post, Theobromine is very poisonous to dogs and cats. Some cocoa mulch companies have managed to get most of the Theobromine out of their mulch, but there are still others who don’t do that kind fo filtering.
The mulches are popular for their color and scent, unfortunately, that scent is also appealing to some pets. If a dog eats enough of the unfiltered cocoa mulch, it will get sick and can possibly die. Small amounts of Theobromine will cause vomiting and minor illness, but if your yard is covered in the stuff, there’s a good chance a large amount can be eaten by your pets.
There are plenty of other mulches to choose from, and if you really need to have the cocoa mulch, just make sure it’s one that has gotten rid of most of the Theobromine.
The unfiltered cocoa mulch is so bad for pets that some lawmakers are trying to get bills passed that require people to put up signs in their yards warning against the presense of the cocoa mulch. While owners should always try to be aware of what their dogs are eating, it’s not always possible to do so.
Signs would be helpful to owners who are walking their dogs, but realistically, this mulch seems to do more harm than good and should be avoided if at all possible.
Howard’s Weekly Tweets for 2009-05-03
May 3rd, 2009- Back from a much needed family vacation. Hope everyone’s been enjoying spring
# - In case you’re not already, make sure to follow me on Facebook! http://tinyurl.com/d7as9o #
- Scientists Make Cloned Beagles Glow Red, but Why and How? http://tinyurl.com/cp99y3 #
- I can’t believe I missed #woofwednesday last week, here’s the make-up: @ThePetWiki @troyjunior @MidgetheMutt @hamsterkitten @Sasha_Malamute #
Scientists Make Cloned Beagles Glow Red, but Why?
April 29th, 2009Scientists in South Korea say they have successfully cloned dogs that glow red under ultraviolet light. Not only do they glow red, but they also have a slightly red color on parts of their bodies with thin layers of skin.
Other than the light red tint, the beagles look normal to the naked eye. They seem to act like any other dogs, they just have genes that are a little different. There are a total of six glowing dogs, all named “Ruppy” referring to the combination of the words “ruby” and “puppy.”
While the red glow is an interesting effect for a dog to have, the scientists aren’t stopping there. The idea of the experiment is this will show that genes can be placed into living things to alter their genetics. The possibilities that stem from injectable genes are endless and have the potential to cure some very tough diseases.
The beagles were confirmed to be clones through DNA testing before the glow genes were introduced. Similar experiments have taken place in Europe, but until now, there has only been success with cats, rats and pigs.
The Korean scientists say the research is still under way and refuse to give all of the details of the experiments. It is unknown exactly where the glowing genes came from, but less than a year ago a glowing red fish was discovered that has a strangely similar tint of red when compared to the glowing dogs. There are also species of jellyfish that emit that color light to lure in their prey.
Howard’s Weekly Tweets for 2009-04-26
April 26th, 2009- Thanks for the woofs @MidgetheMutt and @K9Health! #
Howard’s Weekly Tweets for 2009-04-19
April 19th, 2009- How Many Cats is too Many? (the video says it all): http://tinyurl.com/cxeowj #
- Hmmm, my last woof was deleted, very strange… It was about massive amounts of kitties if you missed it: http://tinyurl.com/cxeowj #
- @blakeovard Thanks for the woofs! I forgot all about #tailwagtuesday. in reply to blakeovard #
- $1,000 fines for minor dog walking violations take effect, hopefully you don’t live in this town! http://tinyurl.com/cjrfeu #
- My word! Is it #woofwednesday already? @EcoPup @IHAH @BuddyThePuggy @cuteanimalblog @Fergusthedog @LouPeb @MidgetheMutt @baileythered #
- Special woofs to @MerlinWylt, hope you feel better and stop being attacked by off leash dogs
# - Automated, Coin Operated Dog Washes Gain Popularity: http://tinyurl.com/c58hlm #
- California Pushes for Pet Adoption Tax Write-Off: http://tinyurl.com/c2nort #
- TGI #FollowFriday @MidgetheMutt @MerlinWylt @OscarTheCat @morriscat @troyjunior @Pandafur @Shambo @TatianaTheDog #
California Pushes for Pet Adoption Tax Write-Off
April 16th, 2009Law makers in California are discussing a bill that would allow people who adopt pets to write off a portion of the expense. Assembly Bill 233 says pet adopters will be able to write off up to $100 in their taxes for expenses from adopting a pet.
In the grand scheme of things, this isn’t really that much money, but it’s important for states to show some appreciation for those who are helping homeless pets. While the write-off can’t be more than it costs to adopt the pet, at least adopters will pay less for doing such a good thing for society.
Hopefully other states will start doing the same thing California is. The incentive for people to adopt pets rather than buy them from breeders or pet stores helps in a few ways. By promoting the adoption of pets, this will not only help homeless pets find a home, but it also helps fight against puppy mills. If more people are adopting, then that means there will be less unethical breeders making money by selling animals to pet shops. Puppy mills harm thousands of pets in this country, and any little bit that helps fight against the mills is welcome.
Hopefully the next step will be states promoting pet adoption through rebates that help pay for the care of the pets. States would find that, if they gave adopters more incentives like this, the cost states would save form caring for the pets themselves would outweigh the amount they give to people who adopt. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.
Automated, Coin Operated Dog Washes Gain Popularity
April 15th, 2009There is a new kind of facility popping up at car washes around the country. Now, when you go get your car washed, you may also have the option to clean your dog.
There are different kinds of washes for dogs, just like their are for your car. Some dog washes are self-serve where you drop in some coins and get a squirt-gun looking thing to spray off your dog, other washes are automated and involve you putting your dog inside of a machine.
At first, the automated dog washes can look a little intimidating, and they probably aren’t for skittish dogs. You put your dog inside of a compartment where the dog gets sprayed with a wash that lasts about four minutes, then a drying cycle takes place and lasts about 20 minutes. Some dogs seem to be calm during the events, but it’s hard to imagine that all dogs would be.
Washing your dog can be a messy experience, so it’s nice to have some other options out there for getting your pooch cleaned. Groomers can get expensive, and spending hours cleaning up your bathroom can be a hassle. Just make sure your dog is comfortable with the method, or your pet might start hating you for making it go through a traumatic experience.
Also, make sure your using the designated dog wash area of the car wash, using the regular car wash areas can cause harm to your dog. The dog wash areas keep the right temperature for your dog and use dog shampoo. Using a car wash section could cause skin problems for your dog, and possibly create other medical issues because of the cleaning chemicals made specifically for a car.
$1,000 Fines for Walking Dogs Off-Leash or Failing to Pick Up After Their Mess
April 14th, 2009People who walk their dogs off of a leash or forget to pick up after them in Baltimore will now receive $1,000 fines. While this will no doubt decrease the amount of violators in the city, it’s a very harsh punishment that some could argue is even a bit cruel to dog owners.
The increased fine equates dog walking violations to those of dog fighting and animal abuse. It’s tough to justify such an increase, especially in a time when people are pinching pennies during a rough economy.The new law wasn’t voted on by the people, and there was little to no press about the law before violators started getting fined.
To charge a fine like this to average people will hurt their finances and make it so they can’t afford basic necessities. The fine is a month or two of rent for a lot of people, so charging this much for such a minor offense is ridiculous.
It’s important to keep your dog on a leash when you take it for a walk. It keeps everyone (including your dog) safer, but it’s not a major crime. Picking up after your dog is also important, but the results of the minor infraction don’t have any real effect on society. While walking your dog without a leash can result in your dog biting someone and getting in a fight with another dog, what does not picking up after your pet do?
To charge $1,000 for not picking up after your pet doesn’t make any sense. This just looks like a city’s way to try and gain extra income, but they’re doing it wrong. To take away so much money from pet owners for minor offenses is a terrible way for a city to make money.
The law went into effect on April 1, and citizens who have a problem with it are told to notify their city council members. People who receive the gigantic fine can appeal it in the Environmental Court. 
How Many Cats is too Many?
April 13th, 2009How many cats do you think is too many? Most people have between one and three cats, which seems reasonable, but there are those people who go overboard. If you’re adopting more cats than you can possibly take care of, remedy the situation before law enforcement does.
Recently, a woman in New Jersey was found with nearly 100 cats running around her $1 million home. Law enforcement got a search warrant, and went in to check out the situation. They immediately took over 20 cats out of the house, and plan to take the remaining 70 or so in the near future.
Some of the cats had health problems, while others were thought to be offspring of feral cats that got in the house and bred with the pets that lived there.
This shows that you can’t have as many cats as you want, even if you live in a $1 million, 12 bedroom house. It’s simply too much for one person or one family to care for while still leading healthy lives themselves.
People like this seem to believe that by taking in any cat that needs a home, they are doing good in the world, but this isn’t the case. By taking in a cat when you don’t have the means to support it, you are effectively making that cat’s situation worse.
While the cat may have food and shelter, it has the share those things with dozens of other cats. Having so many cats under one roof can cause respiratory problem, fighting and an inability to clean up all of the spots where the cats will vomit, urinate and defecate.
If you know of cats that need a home, find a good shelter for them. Don’t take the responsibility on yourself to care for all of the cats, you’ll just make their lives, and yours, worse than they should be.
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