Archive for June, 2009

As we all know, shelters function on charities, donations by individuals and/or grants.  Also, because there is never enough space to keep all the abandoned pets, so many of these animals are euthanized. 

Did you know that 9.6 million animals are euthanized in the United States every year? According to the American Humane Association, this is the number of animals killed because of various reasons ranging from terminal illnesses to behavioral problems.

That is why it is so important for you and me, as animal lovers, to help these shelters find good homes for the abandoned pets in their care.  Spearheading this cause is Bring Pets Home , a non-profit animal charity that helps care for animals in shelters. Their mission is to support animals in shelters until they find permanent, loving homes.

Bring Pets Home partners with major retailers so that when you shop online at regular prices through their website, you’re helping animals, too.

Bring Pets Home donates 100% of the money raised to animal shelters. Your purchases help pets directly by paying for food, shelter, and medical treatment. Corporate donations from Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health cover 100% of Bring Pets Home operating costs.

Besides this yeoman service, you can access several excellent articles that educate you in pet care, wellness and safety.  Don’t miss the nicely made video that tells you about micro-chipping your dog. 

Bring Pets Home hosts a dynamic online community to help pet lovers connect and share information, opinions and ideas.  Upload photos and videos, join in discussions, or read the blogs.

You can also sign up for their email alerts for lost pets in your area. 

How they support Shelters

When you click through Bring Pets Home to shop at regular price with online retailers-like Amazon, WalMart, and iTunes-they donate a portion of your purchase to Bring Pets Home to distribute to animal shelters.

So what are you waiting for? Start shopping online at the Bring Pets Home website. Simply click on a store link for shopping at no additional cost and help support animal shelters across the country right away!

Bramble, a Border Collie living in Bridgewater, Somerset, UK turned 29 in 2007!  Fed on an exclusive vegetarian diet, the dog’s good health and vitality is a result of nutritious vegetarian food, a daily regimen of exercise, including daily walks and weekly swims)

What is Bramble fed?  She eats a daily meal of rice, lentils and vegetables grown organically.

There are so many dog lovers who rear their pets on exclusively vegetarian or vegan diets.  The dogs are healthy, energetic and happy.

There are several benefits of totally vegetarian diets:

• Weight is well controlled because vegetarian diets contain more of fiber and less of fat and proteins as compared to non-vegetarian diets
• Better arthritis management:  As obesity leads to this disorder, effective weight control can keep obesity and arthritis at bay
• Allergic reactions to certain types of meat eliminated
•  Better protection from mites, fleas, ticks and lice
• A shinier coat
• Good health for the eyes with daily supplements of vegetables rich in Vitamin A like carrot.

Here is a vegetarian treat you can prepare for your dog.  This has been chosen especially for dog lovers like you from my book 101 Delicious Recipes For Your Pet Dog .  The recipes are easy to prepare and most dogs are known to have relished these meals and treats.

 Apple treat

Ingredients: Wheat flour 3 cups; Plain flour 1 cup; Oatmeal 2 cups;
Two large apples; Water 1 cup; Honey ½ cup; Cinnamon 1 tsp.

Method
Peel, core, slice and mince apple.  Take care to see that no seeds remain. (Seeds, leaves and stems of the apple fruit should NEVER be fed to a dog.)  Mix honey, cinnamon, apple, and oatmeal.  Add in the flours gradually and knead to a stiff dough, using warm water.

Use a rounded spoon, and spoon in the dough onto the non-greasy baking sheet, keeping each piece 5 2.5 inches apart from one another.  Dab a little wheat flour to the flat bottom of a glass and gently flatten each piece to desired size on the sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Remove tray from oven and turn over the cookies.  Place tray in oven again and bake at 325 degrees for another 25 minutes. Cool and store in airtight tins.

(For more recipes, get hold of the book 101 Delicious Recipes For Your Pet Dog and enjoy cooking nutritious meals your dog will love!)