Halloween Not Good for Black Cats

The New Zealand Veterinary Association is warning trick-or-treaters to spare a thought for their pets this Saturday night.

Halloween is a bad time of year for black cats, with their long-standing connections with witches, hubble-bubble and evil.

Veterinarian Pieter Verhoek warned petowners to keep black cats away from children who might play pranks.

Reports of deliberate cruelty to black cats rise especially in the weeks around Halloween in Britain, the RSPCA animal charity said on Wednesday.

Verhoek said dogs should be restrained and protected from getting over-excited by a series of visitors to the front door which could result in someone getting bitten by accident.

Treats and trick-or-treating should also exclude pets, Verhoek advised.

"Lollies and chocolate are not good for cats and dogs, and in some instances can be toxic. Especially with chocolate, which can result in animals getting seriously sick or even dying. We do suggest that such treats are kept out of the reach of our pets.

"If the kids want to dress your dog or cat in a costume - please be sensible - ensure that the animals are comfortable and not restrained by unaccustomed clothing," he said.

Spotting Signs of Animal Abuse

I came across this article and was intrigued. Often times you don't think of the fact that animals can and are being abused in some instances. Although the abuse is hard to spot, this article The Pet Place Website outlines the spectrum of abuse in animals.

Although the non-pet loves may wonder why it is such a big deal (are there really non pet lovers?), there is reason to be concerned....Animal abuse is often a stepping stone to violence toward people. Studies show that those who were cruel toward animals as children are drastically more likely to commit violent crimes toward people.

Not only does animal abuse sound an alarm regarding a child's violent tendencies, an abused pet should also be a red flag for child and domestic abuse. In a home where pets are mistreated, there are often people who are being physically and emotionally harmed.

Therefore, not only should their be concern about the pets being abused, but also about the people living in the house with the pets.

My Least Favorite "Holiday"

Am I the only one who hates April Fools Day? I don't mind the annoying jokes or the playful pranks, but what I hate the most are the fake articles and posts around the internet. One in particular started a heated exchange at work, until we realized it was most likely a joke.

The article talked about genetically altering a kitten, so that it remains a kitten forever. And since so many people love kittens, why not keep them that way forever? Although it appears to be a fake article, it does make you wonder...does science have the tools to create something like that?

I remember when the "glow" fish was being genetically altered, and what a huge debate it became. And although I still don't agree with it, the debates have been downplayed as of late, with more and more stores offering these genetically altered danio tetra fish for sale.

So, do we somehow start to become immune after a while? And does that make these controversial altering ok?

Don't Buy Live Fish at Wal-Mart

This is such a pet peeve (pardon the pun) of mine, but why does Wal-Mart sell live fish? Everytime I go to any Wal-Mart with tropical fish, they look sick, many having ich (white spot disease) or even worse - dead floating in the tank.

But still, they always have rows of tanks full of dying fish. And they keep buying more from distributors since the tanks are always full of semi-alive fish covered with ich or fungus.

So, please, don't buy your fish from Wal-Mart. It's not just because of my little soap-box, but adding unhealthy fish to your community tank can effectively wipe-out all the other fish in you have. Before adding any fish to your tank, inspect it closely for torn fins, fungus, and white spots. Make sure the fish is alert, active, and swimming around while not at the surface gasping for air.

Most likely, you won't find any fish like this at Wal-Mart. And even adding one unhealthy fish to your aquarium can introduce diseases that can destroy your community.

Pet Friendly Laws

2007 saw some pet-friendly state laws passed. Here are just some of the highlights.

Arizona passed a law requiring that engine fluid must include a bittering agent to keep pets and children from drinking it by accident.

Indiana signed a bill that makes killing an animal in order to threaten, intimidate, coerce or terrorize a household family member a class D felony, punishable by up to 3 years in prison and a fine.

Iowa passed a law prohibiting 'internet hunting.' Apparently, hunters were setting up web cameras to spot their targets from a distant location. One click on the computer and they could shoot their target.

Many states also enacted legislation that would require disaster plans for evacuating, transporting and sheltering service animals and household pets.

On the federal level, the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act was signed into law. This provides felony penalties for interstate and foreign animal fighting. Since dog kennels rely on transporting their fighting dogs across state lines, the new law should make it more difficult to participate in the dog fighting trade.

Family dog viciously attacked

Terrible, senseless act in Connecticut.

by News Channel 8's Annie RourkePosted Dec. 18, 20079:55 PM
Milford (WTNH) _ A disturbing case of animal cruelty has a Milford pet owner mystified and his small dog recovering from a vicious attack that took place just steps from his home.
The attack happened early Sunday morning around 1 a.m. when Jack Vernon let his dog Sparky outside before going to bed. That's when he says two teenagers, a boy and girl, tried to kill his dog.
"I just sat down, about two minutes later, I hear hee hee hee, laughing and giggling, I said, what the heck are kids doing out this time of night? I go out there and they ran down the street," Vernon explained.
When Vernon went outside he made the disturbing discovery - his 11-year old Pekinese-Pomeranian mix had been slashed with a knife.
"He was gashed all the way from the back, all the way down the front and then the top, they must've stuck him with the knife and then they cut him over the ear and all the way down almost to the jugular vein," Vernon said.
One cut is 14 inches long and the wounds criss-cross over his back and around his ear. After undergoing surgery to literally stitch him back together he now has three drainage tubes inside and is on a whole host of medicine. Still, Sparky's lucky to be alive.
"The vet says, another half-inch and he would've died, he would've bled to death in a matter of minutes," Vernon said.
Vernon says he can't imagine why someone would attack a small, defenseless animal. He is offering a $300 reward to help find who did this to his dog.
If you have any information, you're asked to call the Milford police department.