Every night, after we've gone to bed, my cat Watson likes to carry his small stuffed "green guy" toy around and make crying-mew sounds. We hear him mewing on the first level for a while until he eventually comes upstairs with the green guy and presents it to us by dropping it on the bed. He is so proud of himself.  read more »

Well...it's about time! To some of you, it is not news that dogs sold through pet stores more than likely come from puppy mills.

To others, this is shocking. And some may be asking, "What's a puppy mill?"(The picture to your left are the conditions of a puppy mill where dogs live 24 hours a day, seven days a week until they die or are killed by the breeder.)

Regardless of your knowledge--pet lovers should be "celebrating" that a national pet store has been exposed for selling pets that have been raised in horrid conditions.  read more »

The St. Paul Parks and Recreation Commission is accepting applications for residents interested in serving on the Off-Leash Dog Area (OLDA) committee.

The purpose of the OLDA committee:
1) Advise the Parks and Recreation Commission and Division of Parks and Recreation on off-leash dog area issues;  read more »

Search engine Dogpile.com has launched Search & Rescue, a philanthropy program that donates money to the ASPCA each time a user searches the Internet using Dogpile.com.  

Dogpile.com is a search engine that pools results from all major search engines.

You also have the option of giving more money—-without spending a penny of your own—-by using a downloadable Search & Rescue toolbar.  read more »

I came across this article and thought PC readers would find it interesting. Despite the current economy, it appears that doting animal owners aren't cutting back on their holiday spending for their pets.

In the article, it explains: "Experts say many pet owners are as dedicated to their animals as parents are to children." (Duh.) And that means were're willing to sacrifice on ourselves before trimming back on our four-leggeds.

I would certainly say that's true. I no longer purchase a pastry and coffee every morning--but I am willing to buy a Yoghund pack for Dakota and Meadow to snack on.  read more »

Ever wonder why the police use mounted patrols? What, exactly, can an officer do while on a horse? Come to find out...a lot.

Be sure to read this great article and get an insider's perspective about the Minneapolis Police Department’s Mounted Patrol.  read more »

Political Pets
By LaDonna Seely

As Harry S. Truman once said, “If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.”

Pets and Presidents seem to go hand-in-hand throughout our country’s history. Cats and dogs, horses and parrots, cows, goats, raccoons, badgers, sheep and even an alligator owned by John Quincy Adams, have resided at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

The current four-legged master of the White House is Barney, the Bushes’ Scottish terrier. Barney Cam provides glimpses into the lives of India “Willie” the cat, and Miss Beazley, another Scottish terrier and the newest recruit.

Previous White House pets
Who can forget Chelsea Clinton’s cat, Socks, or Bill Clinton’s chocolate Labrador, Buddy? In fact, they even co-authored a book called, “Dear Socks, Dear Buddy,” containing letters written to them from children all over the world.  read more »

This weekend I spent some time with my friend Vicki and her kids Jameela, Raya and Tarik—ages 11, 8 and 5. I was entertained by their antics and awed by their energy levels.

I heard about their Halloween costumes, favorite activities and witnessed their gymnastic abilities in a sea of simultaneous conversations and a whirlwind of cartwheels.

When the chitchat steered toward animals, I recognized a kindred spirit in Jameela. A natural born animal lover.

She shared stories with me about her cat and how she will lie in bed in cramped and uncomfortable positions so she won't disturb the cat sleeping next to her. Jameela's heart aches when she sees a homeless animal and she cries if she can't rescue it. She loves to touch, talk to and be with animals.

I completely understand. As I listened, memories of my own childhood danced among Jameela's stories.  read more »