A Case of Irresponsible Reporting?

In yesterday’s Parade, J. Scott Orr writes about preventing fatal dog attacks. As far as I’m concerned, the piece seems to reflect a clear bias against pit-bulls, but maybe I’m just feeling the need to defend the underdog.

Image via The Daily Puppy

The key part of the story, however, reads as follows: “Animal-protection groups like The Humane Society of the U.S. say the problem lies with irresponsible owners, not their pets. ‘Pit bulls are the fad ‘dangerous dogs’ right now, but if they are banned, reckless people will simply find another breed,’ says Adam Goldfarb of The Humane Society, which supports consumer education and strict enforcement of leash laws. Besides, the group claims, there is little evidence that breed-specific legislation is effective. U.S. cities where pitbulls are outlawed have not seen dramatic decreases in attacks, nor are there fewer deadly dog bites in Great Britain, where pit bulls have been banned for almost 20 years.”

Where do you guys stand on this? Vote on whether you think it should be illegal to own a pit bull on Parade’s site here:

http://www.parade.com/news/intelligence-report/archive/090913-preventing-fatal-dog-attacks.html

My Dog Loves Central Park Country Fair

The 8th annual My Dog Loves Central Park Country Fair will be held at Central Park’s Rumsey Playfield on Saturday, October 17th, from 11am to 4 pm. I went to this last year, and it was equal parts fun, bizarre, and totally hilarious. The event is hosted by the Central Park Conservancy and Central Park Paws.

So, what actually happens at this country fair? You can compete in the “Best in Park” dog show, practice agility with your dog, have your dog microchipped, watch service dogs at work, listen to authors discuss their work, and more. I’m not going to lie, there is also a ton of free giveaway stuff from fair sponsors (think dog treats, food, etc.), which is pretty awesome.

I highly recommend going if you're around. For more information, go to http://www.centralparkpaws.net/event.php.

Hilary Swank Joins Pet Adoption Effort

I know, seems every day some celeb is lending their name to a cause, but this one is worth mentioning. Iams Home for the Holidays has announced that two-time Academy Award-winning actress Hilary Swank will serve as the drive’s ambassador for 2009.

According to the company’s release, “Swank will share her personal experience with adoption and rescue in an effort to help educate others about how they can make a positive impact on the lives of homeless pets. Along with founding partner Helen Woodward Animal Center and nearly 3,500 participating animal organizations from around the world, the program has set a goal to help 1.5 million pets find homes Oct. 1, 2009 through Jan. 4, 2010.”

Swank has two adopted dogs, Karoo and Rumi. She rescued Karoo from the side of a road while filming in South Africa a couple of years ago, and she adopted Rumi last year from a IH4TH shelter in Los Angeles.

If you want to learn more about how to find a finding participating shelters, volunteer or make a donation to support animal organizations and pets awaiting new homes, visit http://www.iams.com/iams/pet-adoption.jsp.

How Smart is Your Dog?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Riley is a genius. I’m fairly certain she can read clocks because she always knows when it’s time for dinner; she has a sixth sense about people who suck; and she even repositions her dog bed so that it’s placed directly in sunlight throughout the day. I’m sure you feel the same way about your own pet. But, like me, you’ve probably only been able to assume how brilliant your dog is. But now, one company has created the Pooch IQ Kit to measure your pooch’s intelligence level.

Credit: TheGiantVermin/Flickr

The kit comes with 15 “mentally-stimulating” exercises for your dog and a scoring key that’ll help you calculate his IQ. Priced at $49.99, it helps you test skills such as short-term memory, persistence, problem-solving skills, learning from experience, and more.

According to the company that makes the kit, “Almost everyone we know who's given their pup the Pooch IQ Test has been shocked by their dog's reaction to at least one (and usually more) of the exercises…You’ll be fascinated as you watch his or her thought process up close. After the test is done…you'll understand your dog and his or her behaviors on a much deeper level.”

Has anyone tried this? I know it’s been around for at least a little while. If anything, it would make a funny gift for a dog owner, no?

For more information or to buy a Pooch IQ Kit, click here. 

Heartworm Cases on the Rise

It used to be that heartworm infection was found mostly in the South, but nowadays, it’s present in all 50 states, according to USA Today. More than one million dogs in the United States are currently infected with heartworms, and veterinarians are increasingly finding the disease in areas like the Rocky Mountain States and the Pacific Northwest where it used to be uncommon.

Heartworm is mostly spread during the summer and early fall by mosquitos. According to the story, “When an infected mosquito bites a dog, it can deposit immature heartworms that grow under the skin for about two months. The worms then migrate through the bloodstream to the heart and arteries in the lungs. After lodging in the lungs' blood vessels, these worms grow to up to 1 foot long. Heartworms can live for years, damaging the lining of the blood vessels that carry blood to the lungs and eventually leading to heart disease.” Symptoms include coughing, tiring easily, labored breathing, and fainting, but they often aren’t exhibited until the disease has progressed. Veterinarians use a simple blood test to determine whether your dog has been infected. Treatment can be risky and expensive (about $1,000), so it makes sense to focus on prevention.

When I got Riley from Louisiana, she had heartworm and was treated. Nowadays, I’m obsessive about giving her a Heartgard (ivermectin) chewable pill each month to protect her from getting it again. I realize this may read like some sort of advertorial, but I’ve seen dogs with advanced heartworm, and it is a hideous disease. You really, really don’t want your dog to have it.

Has your dog ever had heartworm? Do you find it hard to remember to give your pet the pills each month?