It’s every pet parents worst nightmare. And, according to reliable sources, it’s a crime that’s on the rise.

According to the American Kennel Club, the number of pet kids reported stolen is rising. In fact, the selling of abducted companion animals has become so common that a new phrase has been coined: pet-kidnapping.

Whether you realize it or not, there is a black market for pets. Dogs in particular are assessed in these underground circles according to their “street value”, the going price if sold illicitly. Puppies, purebreds and dogs with unusual markings fetch the highest prices. Some thieves rob puppies from pet stores and animal shelters. Others swipe dogs left unattended outside stores or in cars. A spokesperson for the AKC said that they now receive pet-kidnapping reports nearly every day, ranging from nighttime home break-ins to broad-daylight attacks in public parks.

The abducted dogs and cats are then sold at roadside stands, flea markets or online through community-based classified forums. Recently a story was published about a Washington family being reunited with their stolen Great Dane, all because they noticed a “for sale” posting for their prized pup on a popular online classified forum for $150. More...

Founded by a brother and sister duo, Rainbow Rescues of Chicopee, MA, provides a safe haven for dogs, cats and rabbits. Since 2008, they and their team of devoted volunteers have operated in the attempt to make the world a better place, one adoption at a time.

Upon receipt of a new rescue, their animals are almost immediately placed in a foster home. In fact, both Maria and her brother Shawn foster dogs in their own homes, while overseeing and coordinating a network of volunteer foster pet parents. None of their rescues spend time in cages or kennels, which helps to soothe the rattled nerves of relocation.

Maria O’Brien spearheads the group’s efforts to identify the perfect long-term placement for every animal. Last year, they successfully adopted out 40 companion animals to their forever homes. This rescue also takes its place in the community seriously, working to educate the public about animal welfare and other related issues.

Each animal taken in by their agency receives a complete health evaluation and an emotional/temperament assessment, along with necessary vaccinations. Additionally, all rescues are spayed or neutered. Their policy is to accept all animals except for large livestock; when such cases arise, they provide referral services to agencies or fosters who specialize in livestock surrenders. More...

For many American homeowners, the economic recession has dealt a harsh, sustained set of blows. Unemployment rates remain perilously high, and foreclosures continue apace. While most states have experienced their share of miseries, Michigan in particular has borne the brunt of bad times. Fortunately, an organization exists whose sole purpose is to assist those who desperately need a helping hand.

Founded in late 2004, Community Sharing is a non-profit outreach agency that serves food and provides support to hundreds of families and their companion animals. While they do not rescue pets directly, they save them every day. Community Sharing provides food, veterinary care and pet supplies, allowing families in financial straights to keep their companion animals at home, where they belong, keeping families together.

But that’s not all. This compassionate group’s greater mission is the provision of food, clothing, educational and emergency financial assistance to those in need while respecting their dignity and fostering their future independence. The vast majority of their aid recipients include the recently unemployed and the working poor. Overseen by a board of twelve members and operated by a group of over 100 volunteers, Community Sharing provides support to over 300 families and more than 1,000 individuals every month. Doing their level best to keep up with the prolonged needs of their fellow citizens, Community Sharing has pursued their mission of caring with unrelenting resolve.

When speaking about their work, Community Sharing shared the following quote from Henry David Thoreau: “It often happens that a man is more humanely related to a cat or dog than to any human being.” They know too well that when a pet parent is separated from a companion animal, especially due to financial hardship, spirits can be broken. For people without any other family besides a cat or a dog, losing this last emotional connection can be devastating. As their volunteers have witnessed firsthand, hard times become infinitely more difficult to bear without hope, without a positive relationship to help keep you going. More...

No one likes a bad hair day … and that includes your dog. Just like with humans, the skin is the largest organ of a dog’s body. Every day, their skin and coats are exposed to UV rays, pollution, infectious agents, drying heat or wind. Because it can contribute to a dog’s overall health, grooming should be an essential part of companion animal care. However, despite your best intentions, it’s not unusual for grooming habits to hit a glitch. Or two. Or three! While bathing a dog, I think all of us have experienced getting wetter than your dog, being interrupted by phone calls, or, worst of all, a sudsy canine tearing off, leaving a wet, sudsy trail behind him. As a veterinarian with a good deal of grooming experience, I can tell you that planning ahead can reduce unwanted problems and stress, so here are a handful of my best tips.

BEFORE THE GROOMING SESSION

Unfortunately, bathing can be stressful for some dogs, as some just tolerate it better than others. For those pups who are particularly skiddish, consider brewing some chamomile tea to calm your dog. Thirty minutes before you bathe, give your dog a cooled cup of chamomile tea with honey, followed by a dog treat that’s rich in carbohydrates, like our Antioxidant Health Bars. The carbohydrates will help deliver the calming tea straight to your dog’s brain. Better yet, you can both sit down with some tea and play soothing music, to set a calming tone for your upcoming grooming session. You can also give your dog tea during the grooming session. As we’ve already mentioned, just make sure the tea has cooled off (no hotter than room temperature). More...

The French veterinarian Ferand Mery famously said, “God made the cat in order that man might have the pleasure of caressing a tiger”. While the domestic cat cannot claim the venerable tiger as an ancestor, it is true that our cuddly feline companions are believed to have descended from felis sylvestris lybica, the African wildcat. Also known as “the desert cat”, this feline is a desert-dwelling species that inhabits harsh environments notable for their lack of food and even less water. To survive, the African wildcat can shed nearly all of her reserves of fat and protein, up to 40% of her weight! But even this highly adapted animal is much less tolerant to dehydration. And yet, it continues to thrive in desert climates without easy access to water.

Water is the single most vital component necessary to sustain the normal functioning of all living cells. Water has many functions: it eliminates waste, lubricates tissues, regulates body temperature, cushions joints and internal organs, aids in digestion, and much more.

In the wild, cats tend to eat small game characterized as high-protein and high-moisture content, such as rabbits, birds and rodents (even some juicy insects). Prey animals like these contain about 70% water, providing most of the moisture that wild cats need. Unsurprisingly, wild cats have failed to evolve a strong "thirst reflex" like that of dogs and humans. A thirst reflex involves complex interactions between the kidney and the brain. When we are dehydrated, the kidney releases chemicals that communicate with the brain, which in turn makes us consciously aware that we are thirsty and need to drink. More...

Have you ever wondered whether or not your companion animal has psychic abilities? While some might scoff at the idea, many are convinced that this is certainly the case.

Over the years, I’ve heard so many stories of animals exhibiting behaviors that seem as though they might fall within this realm of experience. For example, did you know that during the massive tsunami in December of 2004, scores of elephants in Sri Lanka, Sumatra and Thailand moved to higher ground before the destructive waves struck land? There were even reports of buffalo grazing by the beach in Thailand who lifted their heads in unison, stared out to sea and then stampeded up into the hills. Most, if not all of the villagers who followed the lead of these animals were saved. How did these elephants and buffalos know what was coming? Did they pick up on slight tremors that seismologists themselves were not able to detect? If so, why was it only the animals in low-lying coastal areas who exhibited strange behavior and not the rest of the animals in Southeast Asia?

There are many other documented incidences of animals sensing earthquakes all over the world. No one really knows how they sense an earthquake, although theories abound, from sensing vibrations, noticing changes in the Earth’s electromagnetic field or smelling released subterranean gases. Some of these theories could also explain why dogs ‘freak out’ before avalanches, but what about human-made catastrophes? During World War II, families in Britain and Germany relied on their pets’ behavior to warn them of impending air raids while the enemy planes were still hundreds of miles away! Just how did these pets know what was looming in their immediate futures? More...

Last month, we launched a new series about ‘holistic’ health care for companion animals. Remember, holistic care entails viewing the body as a whole as well as how every discrete part works in relation to all the other parts. In keeping with a holistic mindset, this month I want to address fleas. Flea season is, or will very soon be, upon us again and the treatment of fleas illustrates how important the holistic approach is.

If you’ve experienced problems with fleas, or if your dog or cat is itchy, ask the following questions …

Do you live in a warm, humid environment? Or, has it been unusually warm for the past three weeks?

Under warm, humid conditions, a flea can complete its life cycle in only three weeks. Fleas have four life stages: egg, larvae, pupae and adult. Fleas take up residence in carpets and bedding, and when stimulated by vibrations, carbon dioxide or heat, adults hatch and seek out a host in your dog or cat. Upon transferral to your companion animal’s skin and coat, a flea can live for a year or more.

Have you just moved into a new home? Did animals live there before you?

If so, beware! There may be large numbers of flea eggs and larvae lurking in the carpet just waiting to hatch. More...