Strange Similarities

'Take this dog back, it clashes with our curtains'

The woman, who has not been named, visited Harvey the Jack Russell in a rescue centre several times before taking him home.

But later the same day, she called to say that there was a problem with the ginger and white dog because he didn’t go with her curtains. Two days later, she returned Harvey to the Jasmil Kennels and Cattery in Lower Halstow, near Sittingbourne, Kent.

Kennel boss Barry Shuttleworth said he was ‘horrified’ when the woman, in her late 40s, gave such a trivial reason for handing back the three-year-old pet.

His wife Corrina, 38, added that there had been a spate of dogs being returned for ‘ridiculous reasons’, such as a Labrador who ‘wouldn’t bark’ and another pet who was judged ‘not cuddly enough’.

She said: ‘In Harvey’s case the woman was in the kennels looking for a dog when Harvey was brought in as a stray.

‘She fell in love with him straight away and visited him for seven days before being allowed to take him home.

‘The day she took him home, she called us up and said there was a problem with Harvey as his colouring clashed with her lounge curtains. We told her to put him in another room, but two days later she brought him back and said she had spent a lot of money on her curtains and that she didn’t want Harvey any more.’

Mr Shuttleworth, 42, added: ‘Some people just don’t think about why they want a dog, and they need to so that so many dogs don’t end up unwanted.

Source:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1351521/Woman-returns-rescue-dog-clashed-curtains.html#ixzz1CYIlSYbY

My comment:

I think it’s sickening, to say the least. Such people shouldn’t be allowed to keep pets, in the 1^st place. What the hell is she talking about? She spent so much money on curtains & the dog doesn’t go with it. It’s like hurting a living being is no big deal. It’s the god-damn curtain, which is more important than life. Some people would remain a huge joke till the end of time. I just hope Harvey finds a loving home. He certainly deserves better parents.

Don't Let Antifreeze Harm Your Pet

Antifreeze is one of the leading household substances responsible for the accidental deaths of both children and pets. Even just a small dose of this sweet-tasting substance can kill a living creature. We can't stop using antifreeze altogether, but we can take steps to make this product's taste less appealing to our unknowing loved ones.

H.B. 96 is a proposed Ohio bill that would require antifreeze makers to make its taste bitter and less appetizing to unsuspecting creatures. Sign the petition asking Ohio governor Ted Strickland to endorse H.B. 96, thereby making our homes safer for our children and animals.

http://www.therainforestsite.com/clickToGive/campaign.faces;jsessionid=A9D0725502DE45554888B42D461F064B.ctg-b?siteId=4&campaign=AntifreezePoisoning

Cat Show

Cozmo is a blue Tabby Persian


So beautiful!


Zoe is a domestic short hair & you could see he is poses with a computer.

Richard Katris is a cat photographer & he uses a toy to get the attention of his subjects.


Can't see the black kitty...the owner kept him busy while they were waiting.


This baby got a prize for her virtually hairless texture.

Judge David Mare is examining a Birman & the name of the cat is not mentioned, but this one is simply adorable. I'd so love to have a Birman.


Wyndchymes Tess is a 17 month old Japanese Bobtail & she was awarded the Best of the Best prize.


Huey - this one got ribbons for Best in Colour of his breed.

What a smart cat! Agility tests are not that easy.



Raven is a Persian cat & he seems quite curious in this pic. He's looking at something.
Winter is taking some rest & what a beauty this kitty is!

Tips To Protect Your Pet Birds From Kitchen Hazards

Bird guardians need to be aware that the kitchen is the most dangerous room in the house for these special pets. Birds are highly sensitive to a variety of fumes, including aerosol sprays, smoke and cooking gas. Even heated cookware—all kinds, coated and non-stick—can emit toxins that are harmless and undetectable to us, but can kill a pet bird within minutes.

“Birds are more sensitive to respiratory irritants than other animals because of differences in their respiratory systems,” explains Dr. Camille DeClementi of the ASPCA. “The use of non-stick pans around birds is particularly dangerous, because when these pans are exposed to excessive heat they release toxic fumes. To keep birds safe, pet parents should always remove them from the kitchen while cooking and should be very careful to avoid overheating non-stick pans.”

Here are a few useful tips:

1 Always keep your pet bird out of the kitchen while cooking.

Many veterinarians urge pet owners to keep their birds in a room other than the kitchen.

2. Never pre-heat your cookware on high heat.

The fact is,any type of cookware pre-heated with cooking oils, fats, margarine or butter can harm your bird.

3. Never leave your bird and heated cookware unattended.

Sadly, fatalities can result when birds and cooking pots or pans are left together in the kitchen unattended—even for just a few minutes. Cooking fumes from any type of overheated cookware―not just non-stick―can damage a bird’s lungs with alarming speed. And if your bird is out of his cage, he might come too close to the hot burner.

4. Always turn the exhaust fan on or open a window before cooking.

It is important to make sure that your kitchen is properly ventilated. In addition to cooking fumes, birds are highly sensitive to a variety of other fumes, such as aerosol sprays, non-stick sprays, spray starch, perfumes, smoke, self-cleaning ovens and cooking gas.

5. Store toxic items out of your bird’s reach.

These include all cleaners, pesticides, mothballs and both prescription and over-the-counter medications. Some cleaning agents may cause mild stomach upset, but others can cause severe burns to a bird’s tongue, mouth and crop.

6. Keep your bird away from food and beverage items that could be dangerous. These items include:

- avocados - onions

- garlic

- chocolate in any form

- coffee (grounds, beans, chocolate-covered espresso beans)

- tea

- yeast dough

- salt

- tomato leaves and stems (green parts)

- potato leaves and stems (green parts)

- rhubarb leaves

- cigarettes and other tobacco products

- moldy or spoiled foods

- alcoholic beverages

7. Keep your bird away from kitchen appliances.

If a bird is allowed to fly free or accidentally escapes, the following kitchen appliances can prove hazardous:

- ceiling fans

- hot burners on stovetops

- open ovens

- toasters

- coffee pots

- tea kettles

- boiling water

- hot cooking oil

8. Keep your bird away from potentially toxic kitchen plants

Some of these include:

- aloe (Aloe vera)

- avocados

- Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata)

- cyclamen species

- dieffenbachia species

- English ivy (Hedera helix)

- ficus species

- kalanchoe species

- madagascar dragon tree (Dracaena marginata)

- philodendron species

- pothos or devil's ivy (Epipremnum aureus)

- schefflera species

- snake plant (Sansevieria trifiscata)

- tomato leaves and stems (green parts)

- potato leaves and stems (green parts)

- rhubarb leaves

Source: ASPCA

Pet lovers hope to get new law on wills

Pet lovers in Massachusetts are optimistic the governor will sign into law this week that will allow them to designate in a will who should care for a pet after the owner’s death.

“It’s become clear this is something that’s important to people,” said Kara Holmquist, director of advocacy for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The bill, introduced in January 2009, makes a pet owner’s decision, about who will care for their pet, an enforceable mandate. Currently, if money is left to a specified caretaker and they do not use it for the pet, there is no legal recourse.

Leaving money and instructions behind for pet care is not just a sentimental gesture by animal lovers who consider pets family, said Holmquist.

It also relieves the financial burden on towns that are often left to foot the bill for food and shelter when pets are abandoned. Donna Turley, a Boston-based attorney who helped draft the legislation, said the Massachusetts bill also allows people who are no longer able to care for pets but still living to set up trusts. The bill also permits court intervention if the amount of money left for pet care is excessive, said Turley.