As of today, there are only 19 shopping days left until Santa, Rudolph and the gang take off from the North Pole.
Is your list of pet-related gifts completed yet? If not, relax; we’ve compiled a list of suggestions from across the media spectrum. We even checked it twice.
First, we’ve got a selection of gadgets from the Mashable gang. A few of them are ho hum, or been there, done that, but I have a personal favorite — bacon flavored bubbles.
Also from Mashable is the Cat Attack scratching post that makes kitteh feel like Catzilla. (Pictured; thanks to Susan F. for the tip)
The Orange County Register has suggestions of their own. You can check them out, but here are a few holiday factoids from a recent Pet Supplies Plus survey:
56 percent of pet owners will spend more on their pets than their in-laws.58% of pets will unwrap their own gifts49% of people will sing holiday songs to their pets63% of people will make special holiday treats for their pets19% of pets will have New Year’s resolutions made for them by their owners.
I just want to say that if I had the temerity to make a New Year’s resolution on Cami’s behalf, it would be broken by first thing New Year’s morning. She doesn’t like people putting words in her mouth…just breakfast, dinner, and the occasional snack.
Bird counting time: It’s December, so that means it’s once again time for the annual Christmas Bird Count. PetHobbyist links to the Audubon Society‘s story.
From December 14 through January 5 tens of thousands of volunteers throughout the Americas take part in an adventure that has become a family tradition among generations. Families and students, birders and scientists, armed with binoculars, bird guides and checklists go out on an annual mission – often before dawn. For over one hundred years, the desire to both make a difference and to experience the beauty of nature has driven dedicated people to leave the comfort of a warm house during the Holiday season.
If you want to get involved, click here.
Dr. Merck involved in new controversy: It was just a week ago that I noted an NPR profile of Dr. Melinda Merck, the animal CSI expert who works with the ASPCA. Dr. Merck is now at the center of a whole other kind of story, this one much less complimentary, and also much stranger. Read this odd tale from the Sun-Sentinel.
Censorship in the Old Dominion. I once lived in Arlington, Virginia, so this one caught my attention. There’s a dog park in the Shirlington neighborhood, and overlooking it is a 1,000 square foot wall-sized mural. That mural is the subject of a federal lawsuit. Why? Because there’s some question as to whether it’s art (permissible) or advertising (not so much at that size). Details at Business Week.
Those wacky, zany jokesters from PETA are at it again: PETA is a godsend for news hounds like me. I love them for exactly the same reason that late night comedians love Sarah Palin: you can never have enough great material at your disposal. This time, it’s about the Pope, animals, and condoms. I thought USA Today‘s Faith and Reason column was deliciously restrained in their reporting. Thanks, PETA. As long as you’re still in business, I’ll never run out of reasons to mock you.
Find Marisol! Marisol is a very cute, mixed breed 3 year-old dog from Medford, Mass. She’s been missing for more than a month after a terrible moment at the Middlesex Fells Reservation. The Boston Globe reports that the search for Marisol is noteworthy because it has taken so many forms, thanks to the creativity of her owners, Andrew and Anindita. They met while working together at MIT’s Media Lab, so I retain hope that if Marisol can be found, they will find her.
Generosity from Paul Allen: The co-founder of Microsoft, Paul Allen, dropped out of Washington State University. Nevertheless, he has given the university’s current $1 billion campaign a boost. Allen donated $26 million — the largest single gift in the school’s history — to expand WSU’s School for Global Animal Health (SGAH). As a result, it has been renamed the Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health. Thanks to the News-Tribune for the story.
Chicken wedding: I cannot end today’s column without giving due mention to a particular post from the Painting Puppies blog. Alert reader Cathy B. thought I might be interested in the post’s video about a momentous chicken wedding. Ok, not me so much as someone else on our staff who has a backyard collection of featherheads….
I always like to hear from readers, especially if you have tips, and links for interesting stories. Give me a shout in the comments, or better yet, send me an e-mail.
Photo credit: Cat attack scratching post, mashable.com. Mural, ij.org. Marisol, boston.com.
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