Season To Adopt

"Paloma is a runner. She loves to run. She doesn’t run anywhere in particular, mind you, she just enjoys the experience. Sometimes she gets to run in wide open spaces, like at the park, sometimes she runs alongside her mom’s bike, and sometimes she just runs back and forth through the house. To her, it doesn’t much matter, just as long as she gets to run. The way her life started out, however, it was possible that she might never have gotten the chance.Paloma is a one-year-old half English setter/half English pointer mix. Her name, which is Spanish for “dove,” was bestowed upon her because as a very young puppy, she was entirely white. The result of an accidental breeding between two show dogs, Paloma and her six sisters were unexpected and unwanted by the owners of both parent dogs. Fortunately, all seven dogs made their way to a pointer rescue shelter, and have since all found happy homes."



"So, it's May, and there are all kinds of babies being born. Chicks are hatching, baby turtles are coming up for air, kittens are plenteful, and of course, dogs are having puppies. Spring has sprung, and so have the baby animals.

This is the time of year where pet sales sky rocket. After all, the weather is nice, and people think of how much fun it would be to adopt or purchase a new furry family member. If this is you, that's ok, just try and be responsible about your decision. The shelters are full of animals that were bought in the spring and returned in the winter because things didn't work out. To prevent this, here are a few pointers:"

Cats

"Cats are sweet and cuddly! It’s easy to get swept up in the emotion and buy a cat without thinking. But that’s not how it should be.

Whether or not to adopt a cat is by no means an easy decision. It carries with it huge responsibility. You will have to take care of a cat until its death, which could be in 15 to 20 years. In addition, you should be ready to spend a large amount of your time feeding the cat, grooming it, and playing with it on a daily basis.

Keep the following points in mind before deciding to adopt a cat:"



"It can happen to the best of us. You see a cute, tiger-striped kitten with white paws and green eyes, just begging for attention. Or maybe it's a gorgeous Labrador mix whose tails seems to be wagging just for you. You take one look, and the next thing you know, you're walking down the pet food aisle at the supermarket.

If you're like most of us, falling in love with a pet is easy. And no wonder! Sharing your home with a four-legged friend can be one of life's greatest joys. Dogs, cats, and other pets give us unconditional loyalty and acceptance, provide constant companionship, and even help relieve stress after a hard day's work."

Specialized Wheelchairs For Dogs

"With some dogs, it's always a toss-up as to who is "master" of whom, and whether the dog is man's best friend or vice versa.

Our blue Doberman, Buddha, was on of those incredibly self-possessed beings who always took the attitude that eventually she would get her humans fully trained. She was a working dog, a companion and guard dog while Eddie, my husband, was a field service engineer, and covered a territory that included southern New England and New York. Buddha had her favorite pit stops and nudged him at mealtimes when they'd pass the golden arches."

Jared Padalecki: Anti-Fur

I love Supernatural on the CW so I was happy to find Jared Padalecki involved with animals. What a nice guy.


"You fell in love with him as “Dean,” the first boy to steal Rory Gilmore’s heart (among other things, ahem). Now you find yourself even more in love with him as “Sam,” the superhot Supernatural hero who drifts from town to town fighting demons and ghosts and all sorts of evil creatures wherever he goes. And just when you thought you couldn’t possibly love Jared Padalecki more, he goes and does something so wonderful, like starring in peta2’s newest “If You Wouldn’t Wear Your Dog …” anti-fur ad, that it pushes you straight over the edge to full-blown obsession."



"What has happened over the past couple of decades that has landed the mighty polar bear on the "threatened" list under the Endangered Species Act? Scientists believe that at least two-thirds of the world's polar bears will be gone within 40 years. The U.S. Geological Survey has confirmed that the biggest concern for the bears’ future is the shrinking Arctic sea ice, which is quickly reducing the size of the bear’s habitat. Heightened controversy over the status of the polar bear is tied to the fact that this is the first time a species has been considered for listing specifically because its habitat is threatened by global warming."

Disposable Pets

"Unfortunately, we live in a throw-away society and included with the plastic bottles and other trash are unwanted pets.

Across our country, 10-12 million pets are euthanized annually -- that's 27,473 pets every 24 hours.

In all, 70,000 kittens and puppies are born in the U.S. every day. One out of every four healthy and bright-eyed kittens is destroyed daily. In all, 25 percent of all pets in shelters are purebred.

Spaying and neutering makes your pet healthier, gives it a long life and makes it happier. Early age altering has been done in the U.S. for over 25 years. Pets can be safely spayed and neutered at an early age. You may try to justify your pet having litters because you are sure you can find loving homes for the kittens or puppies."

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! "

Petimony

"An increasing number of couples who split up are fighting over the family pet. Pets are being treated more and more like family members and when couples divorce or separate, the pets become a part of the legal settlements. Many attorneys are drafting “petimony” contracts for couples with pets creating a new focus on animal law issues."



"My first contact with pet rescue centers was when our cat Tom died, and we decided that the next in line for cat-in-chief should be from a shelter, not a pet store. Pet rescue shelters have got increasingly popular in recent years - there is nothing like the feeling of giving a deserving pet a nice new home! Rescue Centers take in animals for later adoption to loving homes. Obviously, local centers have limited room and resources for pets that need rehoming, and far too many wonderful animals get put down as a result."