15 California Chihuahuas Arrive in NYC

On Wednesday, Virgin Airlines flew 15 Chihuahuas to New York City from San Francisco Animal Care and Control in search of new homes. According to the ASPCA, " over the past year, California shelters have seen a dramatic increase in Chihuahua intakes—this toy breed now makes up more than 30% of the state’s shelter dog population. While demand for Chihuahuas has declined in much of the Golden State, their popularity in New York City is as high as ever."

I was so impressed with this entire initiative and all of the people involved. Take a look at the ASPCA's video below.

If you'd like to adopt one of these guys, the dogs will be available for viewing at the ASPCA Adoption Center on Wednesday, January 13, between Noon and 7:00 P.M. Says the ASPCA: "Adoption fees will range from $75 to $200, and include all medical and behavioral treatments, vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery and a microchip."

For additional information, please visit ASPCA.org or call the Operation Chihuahua” hotline at (212) 876-7700, ext. 3210.

AKC Adds 3 New Breeds

The American Kennel Club (AKC) has officially recognized three new breeds: the Bluetick Coonhound, Boykin Spaniel, and Redbone Coohound. This process, according to the AKC, can take up to three years.

A Bluetick Coonhound

According to USA Today, The Bluetick Coonhound "gets its name from a coat pattern, which is dark blue in color and covered in a ticking or mottled pattern. Working ability is very important to owners who prize the sturdy and athletic Bluetick for its skill in trailing and treeing raccoons and other small animals."

The Boykin Spaniel is the official State Dog of South Carolina, and it "is a medium-sized, all-around hunting dog with a cheerful, energetic personality...Originally used to hunt wild turkeys, Boykins now typically work with ducks and other waterfowl. With a rich, chocolate-brown coat and charm to spare, the breed thrives on human companionship and enjoys children and other dogs."

And the Redbone Coonhound? "Known for its flashy red coat, the dog is a versatile worker and possesses the ability to hunt and swim over a variety of terrain while still maintaining its speed and agility."

You can read more about the history of all three here.

Iams' Home 4 the Holidays Pet Adoption Drive

Iams started its Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption drive 10 years ago. Last year, they set a record with more than 1.2 million adoptions. This year, their goal is to find homes for 1.5 million animals. To find out more about adoptable pets, go to http://www.iams.com/iams/pet-adoption.html.

You can also vote for your favorite local shelter. Says Iams: "The participating shelter with the most votes at the end of the month will receive one month of free, dry pet food for dogs, cats or a combination of both. Each participating shelter is eligible to win once a year, but you may vote daily."

For more information, click here.

Pet Rescue Masks

You may have already heard of her by now, but an 11-year-old Virginia girl named Monica Plumb has made it her mission to raise money to buy pet rescue mask kits for every fire station. According to her site, http://www.petmask.com/index.html, Monica came up with the idea when she saw a news story where a pet mask was used to save a family's pet after a fire. Amazing, right? She was even named the ASPCA's 2009 Kid of the Year.

Says Monica: "Each pet oxygen mask kit costs $55 and includes three sizes: small, medium and large. One set can help revive dogs, cats, ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs, even birds. We are also purchasing padded emergency equipment cases for $15 to store the masks if the department does not already have something to store them in. That makes a complete kit $70 plus shipping, which I also pay for. There is no expense whatsoever to the department receiving the mask kits."

To donate to the cause, click here. 

CPR With Your Dog? New Pet Poll Results

Earlier this month, the Associated Press and Petside.com conducted a poll of pet owners, and it had some kind of interesting results. It found that many pet owners would consider giving their dog mouth-to-mouth, while many others don't have an animal first aid kit at home. (Luckily for me, I've never had to swap spit with my dog.) The most shocking? Only 30 percent of people have given their dogs table scraps. I mean, come on! I know it's not healthy, but a few people out there seriously had to have been lying.

Robin Loznak/AP

USA Today's Paw Print Post broke the results down as follows:

• 63 percent of dog owners would be at least somewhat likely to perform CPR on their pet.
• 54 percent don't have a fire evacuation plan.
• 41 percent have had at least one incident requiring an emergency trip to the vet.
• 30 percent of dog owners at least sometimes give their pets bones from table scraps.
• 20 percent have a pet first aid kit at home.
• 16 percent have pets who've had allergic reactions.
• 7 percent have pets that have eaten something poisonous.

To read more of the AP/Petside poll topline results, click here.

What do you guys think?