The Today Show makes a love connection

On March 5, 2010, The Today Show featured Steven Holcomb, a U.S. Olympic bobsledder and gold medalist in the just-concluded 2010 Winter Olympiad in Vancouver. Also on that program was a recently rescued foster dog, Bailey, who was featured on the show's weekly feature on adoptable animals at Animal Care & Control of New York City.

Bailey was one of 40,000 animals that AC&C takes in every year.

It was love at first sight. Steven inquired about the adoption process, committed to the adoption, and on March 25, Bailey arrived in Steven's home city of Denver along with a representative of the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, a coalition of more than 160 animal welfare and rescue groups operating in the Big Apple.

Hooray for Steve and Bailey!

For your dogs, ban the bone

It sure is tempting, isn't it? You've got a big honkin' bone from soup you've made, or from a roast or a ham, maybe. Your dog is begging. What's the harm?

Potentially plenty, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A timely reminder from FDA points out 11 serious problems that bones can cause—and we're not just talking those small chicken and turkey bones we all know about. They are:

1. Broken teeth.  (Veterinary dentistry—very expensive)
2. Mouth or tongue injuries.  (Very bloody and messy.)
3. Bone could get stuck around the dog’s lower jaw.  (May look funny, but it’s not.  Time to see your vet.)
4. Bone could get stuck in your dog’s esophagus (food tube).  (Time to see your vet.)
5. Bone could get stuck in your dog’s windpipe if he accidentally inhales a small enough piece.  (This is an emergency! Very dangerous.)
6. Bone can get stuck in the stomach.  (It went in just fine, but is too big to pass out of the stomach into the intestines.  Time for surgery.)
7. Bone can get stuck in the intestines and cause a major blockage.  (Time for surgery.)
8. Constipation due to bone shards.  (Your dog can’t pass the bone shards because they’re very sharp and are scraping the inside of your dog’s intestines, causing him severe pain.  Time to see your vet.) 
9. Severe bleeding from the rectum.  (Known in veterinary speak as Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis—or HGE.  Very messy and dangerous.)
10. Peritonitis.  (A nasty, difficult-to-treat bacterial infection of the abdomen caused when bone shards poke holes in your dog’s stomach or intestines.  This can kill your dog.) 
11. Death.

Dogs love to chew, of course, but there are plenty of options that don't present the risk that a bone does. If you're not sure, talk with your veterinarian.

Oh how true!

With all the snow we've had here in North Carolina, this is particularly appropriate for us dog pals:

see more Funny Graphs

Hats off to Prozac!

Not the medication, although I'm sure many depression sufferers would share that sentiment. No, this Prozac is a poodle mix who has saved human lives twice, and is now a finalist in the Humane Society of the United States' Dogs of Valor award. As the Raleigh News & Observer reports:

Prozac is credited with saving lives on two occasions. During the summer of 2009, he was staying with a friend in the neighborhood while the Bermans were out of town. During the night, he began to bark incessantly, waking the neighbor and her granddaughter.

"He wouldn't stop for an hour," Barbara Berman said, laughing. "They were ready to kill him.

Instead, Prozie, as he is called, kept them from getting killed. Although it took them awhile to catch on, he alerted them to a fire in the attic. The house was destroyed, but everyone got out in time.

During his other bit of life-saving heroics, Prozie was taking a nap with an aunt of Fred's when he awoke and started barking, alerting others to the woman's breathing problems. Family members woke up Aunt Dorothy, 94, and gave her medicine.

Go Prozie go! You can vote for Prozie (or any of the other very worthy pups) here. Voting closes next Friday, March 12, 2010 at 5 p.m. EST. The winner will be decided by a score determined by Internet votes and a celebrity panel of judges.

Bella: Another happy tail!

Everyone who cares about animals loves to read about adopted animals who've added that special something to the families they've bonded with. Certainly, Bella (aka Peppermint) is no exception.

As Bella's human companions are only too happy to report:

I wanted to send you guys a few photos of Bella (aka Peppermint).... She is growing big and such a joy to have.

She is so sweet and our Boxer Rudd absoutely loves her!  They have become
BFF's! :)

BFFs, indeed. That's why we do what we do at the North Carolina Pet Adoption League. Don't miss out! Take a look at who is available to join your family! If you see someone who looks like the right fit for you and your family (human and otherwise), just fill out an application and we'll be in touch!