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EWING Aware that people who have fallen on hard times dont always have enough food for their pets, Lisa Iszard co-founded The Pet Food Pantry, volunteering her time and resources to make sure that people dont lose their faithful companions during a particularly difficult time in their lives.

During stressful situations, what you want to come home to is a companion, said Iszard, who started the pantry with her husband, Jonathan. Some of these people dont have anyone else but their pets.

The Iszards own Tumbleweed Eddies, a natural pet treat company they opened in Ewing three years ago.

Local animal control officers have reported a 35 percent increase in pet abandonment in the past year alone, Iszard said.

Its unfortunate, she said. The economy is affecting people, and the pets as well.

The couple decided to help.

While they had always contributed a portion of their proceeds to local shelters, they launched their own pantry, contributing 10 percent of their company profits to the effort. A year later, the pantry has supplied pet owners with more than 1,900 pounds of food, supporting 59 dogs, 83 cats, five parrots and one duck, they said.

Iszard and her husband deliver the food in addition to soliciting donations and communicating with clients. The pantry is based in their home. Initially a small operation helping a few people, it has quickly expanded, they said.

Iszard said there are few organizations in New Jersey that offer pet food support. Their client base continues to grow, she said, and other individuals and businesses are stepping up to help. Some pet lovers and businesses have held pet food drives for the pantry, and the Minuteman Press on Scotch Road has become a dropoff location for donations.

In addition to food, the Izsards accept financial contributions to purchase food for less common household pets, like ducks and parrots as well as dogs and cats.

The pantry provides free pet food to local animal shelters, senior citizens, low-income individuals and others in the greater Mercer County area. It also provides counseling and links to resources that can assist pet owners with nutritional questions or spaying or neutering services.

The service is intended to provide only temporary support, Iszard said. Most clients request help only once. Iszard said it is often just a small boost that gets someone back on track.

She hopes more people in need will learn about the pantry, and those who can afford to help will provide support.

To learn more, visit www.thepetfoodpantry.org.

Contact David Karas at (609) 989-5731 or dkaras@njtimes.com.

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www.futurevetkidscamp.com.au/

Future Vet Kids Camp, is a first-of-its-kind program for aspiring young veterinarians ages six to 12. The camp explores veterinary medicine by teaching kids how to interact and care for various types of animals from domestic household pets to the creepy, crawly and feathery.

Program Highlights:
o Kids Ages 9-12 eave the program certified in pet first aid.
o Excursions where kids get the opportunity to speak to an expert animal handler and learn the important role animals play in our society.
o Campers learn the basic skills in working with animals, such as animal husbandry, handling and medical care.
o Kids get to work through their own veterinary case from diagnosis to treatment

Registration for the camp is now open!
Cost: $400.00 per child (excluding GST)

Mans best friend comes in all shapes and sizes, much like mankind itself. Dogs love us unconditionally and miss us desperately when we leave the house. They read our emotions, celebrate with us when were happy and comfort us when were sad. And in return, most of us treat our dogs as members of our family. They sleep in our beds, eat our food and curl up in our laps – even the big dogs. Isnt it time that you get your canine companion his own chair? After all, there are times when its just not comfortable to have a dog sitting in your lap. Here are six dog chairs that will have your best friend sitting pretty:

Dogirondack Chair: The classic Adirondack chair has been modified to accommodate dogs of different sizes. The Dogirondack Chair comes in small and large sizes and holds water and food bowls. Perfect for a quiet afternoon on the lake. $169-$199

Eden Dog Furnitures Amelia Chair: Formal elegance is the name of the game for the Amelia Chair. This petit upholstered chair will have your dog lording it over all the other household pets, and possibly some humans too. $399.97

Coleman Bone Lounger: While dogs were meant to work outside, not all of todays pampered pooches like to sit on the cold ground. With the Bone Medium/Large Lounger from Coleman, you can bring your fussy dog with you on your next camping trip without risking wet or cold paws. $43.99

DJ Pets Leopard Dog Chair: Your pooch will be purring like a feline, or the conquering hero, in the leopard print dog chair. This wood framed and upholstered chair will be right at home in the family room or basement rec room. $196.99

DJ Pets Pink and White Polka Dot Chair: This pink and white polka dot dog chair is a confection that may not be right for a more masculine dog, but Gigi or Trixie will certainly feel right at home. $251.99

Wood and Fire Upcycled Antique Dog Chair: Vintage style is all the rage right now, so your dog will be right on trend. This antique dog chair has been upcycled from an old and run down turned wood chair. By sawing off the legs, the height is perfect for even small dogs. They even added additional rails for more side support. $125.00

Ikea Hundstol: The perfect chair for your best friend. (The Hundstol was actually an April Fools Day joke by Ikea of Australia, but I think theyd have a market for it!)

Linda Merrill is a Networx – http://www.networx.com – writer. Get home garden ideas like this – http://www.networx.com/article/designer-picks-dog-chairs – on Networx.

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Newt Gingrichs campaign has taken a few hits in recent weeks, and the candidate is working to reclaim the lead in time for Iowa. Yesterday the Gingrich campaign announced a new venture that panders to the all-important demographic of household pets. Pets for Newt will be launched shortly in an effort to show off Gingrichs love for animals. This new venture naturally caught the attention of the Red Eye crew, who poked fun at the candidate for it.

Andy Levy played a montage that could double as a Tumblr page titled Newt Gingrich and his Animal Friends. And then, in an incredibly confusing segway, Levy brought up new statistics showing millions of voters are leaving the Republican and Democratic parties in droves out of frustration in the two-party system. Of course, in keeping with the theme, the analysis was paired with a video of a literal fat cat.

RELATED: How Does Rick Perry Relax? By Shooting Off Sniper Rifles. ‘It’s My Golf’

The Daily Callers Jamie Weinstein thought the pets initiative was a good way for Gingrich to show his aww side, but thought the campaigns other announcement, that Callista Gingrich will be releasing a video about music education in tandem with her husbands campaign, was just weird. Bear in mind that Mrs. Gingrich plays the French horn, so theres still a coolness factor to be reckoned with here.

Country music singer Larry Gatlin suggested that Pets with Newt is just a shameless way to pander to Canine-Americans, but on a more serious note he argued that in a time of high unemployment and massive uncertainty in the job market, an initiative to show a presidential candidates light side might not be the best move for a campaign to make. Remi Spencer agreed, adding that people tend not to judge who gets to be the next leader of the free world based on adorability.

Bill Schulz thought the very notion of a humanized candidate was counterintuitive, positing that he would be more likely to give his vote to a robotic candidate like Optimus Prime. (Though if the rumors are true and Mitt Romney turns out to be a robot, that would be a hard ticket to beat.)

RELATED: Report: Donald Trump Officially Switches Party From Republican To ‘Unaffiliated’

As for the millions more independents not labeling themselves as part of the two major parties, Weinstein ascribed some of the change to the concept of being independent sounding cooler and more intelligent to others. Schulz thought it a novel concept that people might actually vote for who they like instead of who party leaders want them to. The biggest consensus the panel reached was that the chances of a third-party candidate winning the White House any time soon are slim, especially this year.

Watch the video below, courtesy of Fox News:

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Seattle, WA (PRWEB) December 20, 2011

For many people, Christmas is a time to spend quality time with family, and that includes furry family members. But gatherings around the Christmas tree and delicious meals eaten around the table can also create some safety concerns for pets. Trupanion, North America’s fastest growing pet insurance provider, today released a list of the top ways pet owners can help keep their pets safe during the Christmas holiday.

Beware of Bones – Bones from turkeys, geese, game hens and other traditional main courses of Christmas dinner have dangerous effects when in the mouths of dogs and cats. Cooked bones especially can splinter and break, causing serious internal injury. Never intentionally give bones to dogs and cats, and make sure they don’t have access to them when stored or thrown away.

Restrict Other Table Scraps – It can be very tempting to share Christmas meals with pets as a way to include them in the festivities. But fatty table scraps are not only unhealthy for dogs and cats, they can cause vomiting, diarrhea, panting, and excessive thirst. They can also lead to bloat, a life-threatening condition of the stomach. Make sure all guests know not to feed pets table scraps and make sure there isn’t easy access to tables or counters.

Discard Wrappings – The accidental ingestion of ribbon used to wrap gifts can cause bunching in the intestines and may require emergency surgery. Remember to clean up any wrapping supplies once gifts are wrapped and again after they are opened.

Keep Garbage Cans Contained – The trash is full of table scraps, foil, twine, and other waste that can be dangerous for pets. Crafty dogs and cats may be able to nose open cupboard doors when owners are distracted, so make sure garbage cans are well-secured.

Monitor Candles – Candles are a popular element to holiday decorating, but flames can easily find wagging tails and curious noses. Keep a close eye on open flames and never leave them unattended. When decorating, consider flameless candles, as they pose no danger.

Keep Sweets to Yourself – Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, which are toxic to pets. Ingestion could lead to heart damage and central nervous system damage. Keep all sweets away from pets and remember to clean up candy wrappers.

Keep Alcohol Out of Reach – Even a small amount of alcohol is poisonous to pets. Make sure all bottles, cans, and glasses are kept out of pets’ reach and put away quickly after consumption.

Prepare Holiday Visitors – One of the best things about the holidays is a house full of loved ones, but all the added noise and energy can be stressful to family pets. Make sure to monitor the household pets to see how they react to all the commotion and take appropriate measures to keep them calm and safe.

Lock up Cleaning Supplies – Many people clean house when expecting company for the holidays and most of these supplies are very dangerous to pets. Make sure they are all securely locked and out of the way of curious noses.

Choose Flowers Carefully- If ingested, many flowers are harmful to pets. Lilies are particularly toxic to cats and tulips can cause stomach irritation, vomiting, and diarrhea. Display all flowers high on tables and countertops not easily accessible to cats and dogs.

If pets are exposed to any of the dangers listed above, they should see their veterinarian immediately. Holidays are most enjoyable when all members of the family – furry included – are happy and healthy. Being observant and taking a few added precautions will ensure a fun holiday for all.

For more holiday-related pet information, check out the infographic Pets and the Holidays developed by Trupanion.

About Trupanion(TM)

Trupanion(TM) pet insurance offers cat insurance and dog insurance in the United States and Canada. Trupanion(TM) is self-underwritten by the American Pet Insurance Company, allowing Trupanion(TM) to offer a simple, customizable pet insurance policy with no payout limits and 90% coverage of veterinary bills. Enrolled pets receive lifetime coverage for diagnostic tests, surgeries, and medications if they get sick or are injured, with no incident, annual or lifetime limit. Trupanion’s mission is to deliver fast, simple and user-friendly financial support to pet owners. For more information about Trupanion(TM), call 800-569-7913 or visit Trupanion pet insurance.

About the North American Pet Health Insurance Association

Trupanion(TM) is a founding member of the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA). Founded in 2007, the North American Pet Health Insurance Association is committed to educating and promoting the values and benefits of quality pet health insurance to North American pet owners, the general public, and the veterinary community. As an association, we are committed to high standards and transparency in all of our actions and products. To learn more, visit the North American Pet Health Insurance Association website at http://www.naphia.org.

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Redditch, Worcestershire — (SBWIRE) — 12/15/2011 — Worm infestations are common in household pets and can cause pets to feel ill and become distressed. Some worms (roundworms) can also be passed onto humans, this is when they are accidently eaten, usually through people licking their fingers after playing with their cat or using plates that cats have just licked. There are three types of worm that can infect cats. These are roundworms, tapeworms and hookworms.

Roundworms live off the contents of the cat’s gut, effectively eating the cat’s food. They are also able to move around the gut freely and can grow up to 100m in length. Symptoms that may appear in cats which are infected with roundworm include: weight loss, diarrhoea, vomiting, a dull coat and lethargy. Most infected cats within the UK become infected with either Toxocara Cati (cat roundworm) or Toxocara leonina. Tapeworms, like roundworms, live inside the cat’s gut. However, instead of being able to move freely around the gut, they attach themselves to the intestinal wall. Tapeworms can grow to 500mm in length and look like long flat ribbons. The most common form of tapeworm that infects UK cats is Taeniaeformis (mouse tapeworm). Hookworms live off the cat’s blood and are a growing threat as many foxes are now infected with hookworm. The symptoms that cats infected with hookworms may display include: diarrhoea, anaemia, weight loss and a lack of energy.

Cats can catch worms in several different ways. Although, the main ways in which cats can become infested with worms is through fleas, hunting and contaminated soil. In addition to this, cats can become infected with worms through their mother’s milk.

There are a variety of cat wormers on the market to help eliminate worm infestations. Worm treatments come in a variety of forms, including tablet, liquid and spot on treatments. Liquid and spot on treatments are useful for cats that dislike taking tablets. The spot on wormers, such as Droncit Spot On Tubes For Cats, are especially useful in these cases, as they just need to be applied to the back of the cat’s neck and the active ingredient is then absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream. UK-based online veterinary pharmacy, has a range of different wormers available from brands such as Bob Martin, Droncit, Panacur and Johnsons.

Cat wormers are really important to make sure that your cat does not contract a serious worm infestation and become ill and distressed. It is important to make sure that they are suitably treated, in order to prevent reinfection.

Contact
Emilie Cook
Vetpharmacy
18 Oxleasow Road
Redditch
Worcestershire
B98 ORE
Email: admin@vetpharmacy.co.uk
Tel: 0800 0241 329

NATURAL enemies, this cat and dog sort out their differences in a most human
manner ? by trading blows like boxers.

The furry household pets are filmed exchanging jabs.

Pinned in a corner the feline is first to field a volley of hooks.

An Alsatian uses his paw to pepper the cowering cat with punch after punch
until he finally strikes back.

The pooch then finds himself on the end of a series of blows to his nose.

The evenly-matched pair then swap more punches ? but both fail to
land that final knockout.

Suppose thats what you call a fur fight.

IMAGINE the panic and terror experienced by the monkeys, bears, lions and leopards that ran loose in Ohio earlier this week as they were chased and then killed by the police. Imagine the heartbreak of the police officers who were obliged to destroy the rambling menagerie. Officers are not trained to stalk big game and bring them in alive with tranquilizer darts.

Related News

• Police Kill Dozens of Animals Freed on Ohio Reserve
  (October 20, 2011)

Why was there no law regulating the animal collection of Terry Thompson, who freed his animals and then apparently killed himself?

I’ve spent the last few years prowling America in search of people who share their lives with great apes, big cats and long snakes. Mr. Thompson is not unique.

Monkeys seem particularly ubiquitous; a cursory online search can connect you with a purveyor. Exotic animal auctions are crowded with buyers, and the Captive Wild Animal Protection Coalition — which opposes the practice — estimates the number of exotic fanciers in the millions.

Owners who bond with their pets as cubs or kittens, bottle-feed and cuddle them, often convince themselves that their relationship is special and their full-grown bear or cat will never turn on them. Yet it’s not just about cuteness and beauty; controlling an animal that arouses fear in other people can be appealing. That’s why those with egos that need feeding, from Kublai Khan to William Randolph Hearst to Mexican drug traffickers, are connected by the desire to stock their personal zoos.

Most apes, cats, bears and other animals change when they reach adolescence. They become stronger, more aggressive and less predictable. But is their potential to cause trouble enough reason to regulate or prohibit keeping them as household pets? If we allow ourselves to keep dogs (which can be out of control and vicious), why not other animals like chimpanzees, even if they also might exhibit violent behavior?

Champions of exotic pet ownership insist that their rights to enjoy the animals outweigh the risks. “This was not an animal getting out because of a failed cage,” Zuzana Kukol, an exotic-animal owner, told me when I checked in with her after the Ohio massacre. “The cage was fine. This was a deliberate act of terror.”

I visited her and her partner, Scott Shoemaker, on their Nevada desert spread, far removed from their neighbors and home to Bam-Bam, their 500-plus pound lion, and an assortment of other cats. The two lobby against laws restricting animal ownership. Their isolated compound seems a rare example: well fenced, with animals rescued or bred in captivity, apparently healthy. It’s hard to imagine a better alternative for Bam-Bam and their other animals.

Yet this week’s events in Ohio and other tragic cases prove that exotic animals present challenges. Nationwide, the laws on keeping wildlife as pets are a confusing patchwork. Enforcement of those that exist is haphazard, and penalties for violations are rarely severe.

“Exotic” is a fluid term for pets, but we ought to be able to agree on a list of animals that historically do not cohabitate with humans and pose such a threat that they must be caged. Then it’s an easy step to come up with federal laws to protect the animals and their neighbors. It’s past time to regulate the wild beasts: us.

Peter Laufer, a professor of journalism at the University of Oregon, is the author of the trilogy “The Dangerous World of Butterflies,” “Forbidden Creatures” and “No Animals Were Harmed.”

Children gather to pet a dog being blessed by The Rev. Scott Fisher, center, during Sunday service, Oct. 2, 2011, at St. Matthews Episcopal Church. Household pets and stuffed animals were blessed during the service, which celebrated St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of birds, animals and the environment. At left is The Rev. Deacon Bella Jean Savino. John Wagner/News-Miner

More wild foxes and raccoons with distemper symptoms are being reported this year in several Bay Area parks and wildlife centers, signaling a threat to household pets that arent vaccinated against the highly contagious and deadly virus.

Humans dont get distemper, but pets are at risk. Distemper is spread primarily through the air, but also through direct contact with infected animals or their bodily fluids.

There are ebbs and flows with distemper. When populations are high, the potential for spreading is higher, said Susan Heckley, wildlife rehabilitation director at the Lindsay Wildlife Museum in Walnut Creek. Many wild animals get it. Thats a very good reason to vaccinate your pets.

The Lindsay museum reported six gray foxes this summer with distemper symptoms, a slightly higher number than usual, Heckley said. For each sick animal brought to a shelter or hospital, there likely are several more in the wild with the disease, she added.

Chabot Regional Park in Castro Valley also had six likely distemper cases, compared with the one or two cases in a typical year.

Chabot visitors reported seeing a gray fox having a seizure near a busy parking lot. The animal died shortly after being taken to a wildlife hospital.

The Sulphur Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Hayward has had three raccoons and four foxes with distemper symptoms this year, more than average but not as many as in peak years, said Rose Britton, the