The Family Pet

"Walking into a pet store, I hear the same conversation over and over. "That puppy is so cute! Let's get it!" Yet once that animal grows up, they realize the full responsibility of taking care of that "cute puppy" and some toss their pets aside. Since when have animals become like pieces of furniture, throwing out what we think is old, and replacing it with something more fashionable? What more and more people are failing to comprehend is that when they commit to taking in an animal, they are making a commitment to take care of that life as long as it lives. Many people consider themselves "huge animal lovers," yet they buy their pets from pet stores. It is no secret to anyone that only puppy mills will sell to pet stores."



"On May 12th, 2008, Bernadette Peters hosted a launch party for her first book, "Broadway Barks". A long time advocate for pet adoption, Peters and fellow actress Mary Tyler Moore started the organization Broadway Barks! Each year they hold a star-studded dog and cat adopt-a-thon, benefiting New York City animal shelters and adoption agencies. The event is produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and sponsored by the ASPCA. The book, authored by Peters, with illustrations by Liz Murphy, is published by Blue Apple Books and is the star's first foray into the publishing world. She did it at the prompting of friends and agreed to not only write the book, loosely based on how she adopted her dog Kramer, but also penned an original song, again at the prompting of both friends and her publisher, which comes on a CD inside the book along with her charming reading of the story...sound effects and all! "