Will You Strut Your Mutt for Animal Welfare?

The nationwide fundraising dog-walk by Best Friends Animal Society needs you and your dog.

Best Friends Animal Society’s Strut Your Mutt is a nationwide event in which people take nice, leisurely strolls with their dogs to raise money for animal welfare groups. Last year, it took in $1.3 million, benefiting 180 groups. This year, it's aiming for $2 million, with different walks taking place in 11 cities in the next few months.  

This is a fun way to raise money for dogs. Register to walk, choose which group you want to benefit in your city, set up your fundraising page on the site, and hit up your friends and co-workers for donations (which is made easy through the website). On the big day, you get to take a nice walk with a bunch of other people walking dogs, and there are few things more enjoyable than that.  

We can't call out all the individual teams nationwide, but because Dogster is based in San Francisco, we can give some love to the home team. Our strut takes place on Treasure Island on Sept. 21, and the local animal welfare groups who are participating -- and who you can donate to! -- are are fine bunch: Milo Foundation, NorCal GSP Rescue, Oakdale Shelter Pet Alliance, Reunion Rescue,  and San Francisco Animal Care & Control.

But, alas, in perusing the donations pages of all the above groups (which you can get to by those links), we noticed something sad. As of press time, many of them had a healthy donations -- with NorCal GSP Rescue leading the pack at nearly $6,000 -- but one poor soul had not a single donation: San Francisco Animal Care & Control.

We feel you, San Francisco Animal Care & Control. 

So, readers -- and we're especially looking at you, local readers -- are we going let this fine organization strut around Treasure Island without a single dollar behind it? Are we going to let this San Franciscan dog, led by Capt. Susan Butler, raise zero dollars at a nationwide fundraising effort?

We think not. Let's help San Francisco Animal Care & Control get some money on the boards before strut-day. Here's part of Susan Butler's statement on the site to help you ease open your wallet: 

I am participating in Strut Your Mutt to raise money that will go directly back into my community to be used to fund adoption programs and spay/neuter services, ultimately impacting the number of pets entering and leaving the shelters.

What else do you need to know? Donate. And then get out there and Strut Your Mutt.

Photos via Strut Your Mutt's Facebook page

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Animal Planet's "Glory Hounds" Follows Military Dogs in Afghanistan

The special on war dogs and their handlers premieres on Feb. 21. Set your DVRs!

Did you know that when Seal Team 6 killed Osama Bin Laden, a military dog was part of the raid, working with his handler? Did you know that the military has more than 600 working military dogs in Afghanistan, protecting soldiers and civilians, sniffing out bombs and tracking insurgents? 

In Afghanistan, military dogs have proved crucial, the best defense against improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which are hidden randomly in the sand. As such, the dogs are also prime targets for the Taliban. They take on the most dangerous roles and develop intense bonds with their handlers. 

Now, thanks to Animal Planet's Glory Hounds, a two-hour special that premieres at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 21, we get to see them in the field. The filmmakers gained unprecedented access, embedding three camera crews among military-dog teams in the most dangerous parts of Afghanistan. 

Getting there was no easy task. It took a year to get permission to film in a war zone, requiring discussions with four branches of the military. Then cameras crews went through specialized training to prepare them for their time in the field, which lasted six weeks. 

Glory Hounds follows four dogs and their handlers:

Lance Corporal Kent Ferrell and his German Shepherd, Zora, who sniffs out IEDs. Corporal Drew Nyman and his Belgian Malinois, Emily, who track insurgents deep in enemy territory. Staff Sergeant Len Anderson and his Belgian Malinois, Azza, who go on bomb-detecting runs while Staff Sgt. Anderson trains for his new role as the kennel master. On one run during filming, they come under fire -- and the cameraman drops his camera to help save Staff Sgt. Anderson’s life.Lance Corporal Durward Shaw and his German Shepherd, Falko, an attack dog and an explosive-device tracker who works on Afghanistan’s notorious Highway One, one of the deadliest roads in the country.In each case, filmmakers explore the intense bond between dog and handler, who put their lives into each other's hands on a daily basis. It's not all pretty. As the press release for the show notes, "In Glory Hounds, as in war, some dogs and handlers come home, some return forever changed, and some don’t come home at all."

Animal Planet's Glory Hounds premieres at 8 p.m. on Feb. 21. Be sure to set your DVRs. 

Want to read more about military working dogs? Check these out:

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Welcome Earth Animal to the Raise A Green Dog Partner Program!

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Welcome Earth Animal to the Raise A Green Dog Partner Program!

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Ever See a Grown Man Cry? Tell Him He Has to Give Up a Beloved Dog to an Accused Animal Hoarder

A woman accused of hoarding hundreds of animals in deplorable conditions is demanding to get one of her favorite dogs back.

A Kentucky woman charged with 200 counts of animal cruelty for hoarding hundreds of animals in deplorable conditions is jockeying to get back a couple of her favorite dogs and horses.

But at least one of those dogs won't be given up without a huge fight by her foster family.

Here's a photo of the mobile home where Terri Smith is accused of having kept hundreds of animals, both inside and outside. Apparently some of them were in as bad a condition as the mobile home.

This is the mobile home of Teri Smith, who was accused of keeping more than 200 animals in deplorable conditions both inside and outside.

Luckily most of the animals found good foster homes when they were taken away a few months ago. And the beautiful spaniel in the photo below went to a fantastic home. Steve and Jodie Judy and their family fell in love with her, named her Moto (after their favorite sport of motocross), and took her everywhere with them.

"I love her as much as I love my own kids," Steve Judy said in a report on WDRB-TV.

Moto's foster family deeply loves her. They'll do whatever it takes to keep her from going back to a woman charged with more than 200 counts of animal cruelty. (Image: WDRB-TV)

When the family heard that Smith, who pleaded guilty to one charge (you read right -- one out of more than 200), wanted a couple of dogs and horses back, they prayed Moto would not be one of them. But they got the dreaded phone call while shopping, and Jodie burst out crying in the store.

Steve Judy, as you can see in this photo, has a hard time talking about this without breaking down himself.

Steve Judy says Moto is like one of his own kids.

"She cannot go back to that lifestyle," he says. And he tells his dog while petting her with clear adoration. "It's okay, I promise, Daddy ain't going to let you go nowhere."

Smith is scheduled to be sentenced in court today for her one count of cruelty. The Judys will be right there to fight any official requests from Smith. If all goes well, they could adopt Moto once the case is settled. If things go badly ... let's not go there just yet. It's too sad to think about.

Check out this video, which was shot while Steve and Jodie and their three sons and two dogs were in the RV they travel in for motocross competitions. And if you happen to live near Henry County, Kentucky, and feel like heading to a courthouse today, the family could probably use a little moral support.

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Free one year digital subscription to Animal Wellness Magazine!

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VCA Animal Hospitals offer free boarding – Texas Wildfires

Wildfires continue to ravage drought stricken Texas in one of the most devastating outbreaks in Texas history. Over 1000 homes have been burned to the ground leaving families and their animals homeless. VCA Animal Hospitals have graciously offered to help by boarding pets effected by the wildfire’s destruction. Below is a listing of participating vet hospitals for those of you who reside or have family members living in Texas who affected by the raging wildfires. Thank you VCA!!!!! You are Texas sized angels!

If you are advised to evacuate please do so. Don’t leave your animals behind if you can at all help it, they most likely can not survive on their own. For the rest of us, this is a good reminder to have a disaster readiness plan for our families and pets in the event of an emergency. Do you know what you would do?

VCA ANIMAL HOSPITALS OFFER FREE BOARDING FOR PETS
AFFECTED BY TEXAS WILDFIRES

To help those affected by the fires in Texas, VCA Animal Hospitals today announced that VCA facilities located in the areas surrounding both Austin and Houston are offering free boarding assistance for companion animals whose families have lost homes or have been evacuated. “For residents affected by these devastating wildfires, VCA is continuing to assist them by providing free pet boarding so they focus on the safety and welfare of their families and homes,” said Art Antin, Chief Operating Officer of VCA Animal Hospitals. “During this difficult time, families can keep their pets safe and comfortable with VCA’s free boarding offer.”

VCA Animal Hospitals located in and around Austin and Houston can provide safety and security for affected family pets on a space available basis as long as firestorms persist. The following VCA hospitals are participating in the free boarding program:

VCA Ben White Animal HospitalVCA Northwest Hills Animal HospitalVCA Tanglewood Animal Hospital2110 Slaughter Lane, Suite 120VCA Tomball Veterinary HospitalVCA Woodlands Animal HospitalVCA Spring Animal HospitalVCA Ashford Animal Hospital

Boarding assistance for pets is based on space availability at participating hospitals and owners can call their local VCA in advance to ensure that the facility has space available to accept additional pets. Contact information for the participating VCA Animal Hospitals near the wildfires can be obtained at www.vcahospitals.com.

About VCA Animal Hospitals

VCA Animal Hospitals operates more than 530 animal hospitals in 41 states across the nation in the VCA network. The hospitals are staffed by more than 2,000 fully qualified, dedicated and compassionate veterinarians and more than 200 board-certified specialists. VCA Animal Hospitals provide a full range of general medical and surgical services as well as specialized treatments. For more information on VCA Animal Hospitals, visit www.VCAHospitals.com, or find VCA on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/VCAAnimalHospitals or on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/VCAPetHealth.

Here is the link to the the Texas Forest Service for more information on fires in your area. There are a few names and numbers of ranches that have available boarding for horses floating around on facebook as well. If you know of anyone that can help, please feel free to post the information in the comments section.

Photograph by L.M. Otero, AP

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Regime change at Memphis Animal Shelter

August 11, 2011

Embattled Memphis Animal Shelter administrator Matthew Pepper threw in the towel on August 9. The story broke this evening on WMC-TV; h/t to Ryan Clinton:

Pepper sent his letter of resignation to Director Janet Hooks on August 9.

Pepper was named to the position in February of 2010.  In the year since he took the job, the shelter has been plagued with problems, including employees charged with animal cruelty.

Blogger Shirley Thistlewaite at Yes Biscuit!, who has been covering problems at MAS relentlessly for more than a year now, had this to say:

He leaves in his wake a city pound in turmoil, with one ACO facing criminal charges on multiple counts of animal cruelty, daily webcam images which appear to show needless killing and abuse, and locks on the doors to the stray area where hundreds of dogs languish without hope.

I hope, with all my heart, that the annual slaughter of thousands of healthy, friendly Memphis pets ends here.

[....]

This is your moment Memphis.  You have a choice.  Please, stop the abuse.  Stop the killing.

From your keyboard to Dog’s ears, Shirley.

Photo: Just one of thousands of heartbreaking images from the MAS webcam, as published on Yes Biscuit!

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Animal control saying ‘yes’ to tax dollars, ‘go away’ to taxpayers

It struck me as odd that so many animal control agencies in different parts of the country were responding in the same way to public calls for reform: by shooting the messenger.

There’s an epidemic spreading through the nation’s animal control shelters, and it’s not something a vaccination can prevent. It’s an epidemic of secrecy.

Consider this: Animal control is a government function, paid for with your tax dollars. It’s work done on behalf of the public; shouldn’t the public have some way to ensure it’s being done appropriately?

But in communities all over the country, including here in California, calls for animal control reform have been met with the sound of a door slamming in the public’s face.

[....]

The Central California SPCA, a private organization that holds the animal control contract for the city of Fresno, recently closed its board meetings to the public, sparking a wave of protests, including a July 19 demonstration organized by FixFresno.org, an advocacy group aimed at ending the killing of healthy and treatable pets in the city’s shelters.

It’s not surprising that citizens want to reform how Fresno’s homeless animals are treated; the CCSPCA kills around 80 percent of the pets it takes in, one of the worst kill rates in California and far above the national average of 50 percent.

Recently, animal rescuers in the community have also been alleging mismanagement, abuse and neglect at the shelter.

Until last month, the CCSPCA’s board meetings were open to the public, but on June 16, the president of FixFresno.org, Melissa McDonald, received a letter from the shelter’s attorney, Jeffrey M. Reid, advising her that the meetings were now closed and members of FixFresno.org would no longer be allowed to attend.

Attendance by FixFresno.org members had been permitted previously, he said, after the group asserted that the board meetings were subject to the Brown Act, California’s open meetings law. However, Reid told them this interpretation of the law was incorrect.

He pointed to what is essentially a loophole in the law, which calls for open meetings of private organizations contracted to do government work only in cases where the organization was created specifically to do that work, or if a member of the government sits on the organization’s board. Neither of those provisions applies to the CCSPCA.

Members of FixFresno.org showed up at the next board meeting anyway, only to be met at the door by Reid.

“He said that having us there was too ‘intimidating’ for the board to function,” McDonald told me. “It is sad that they chose to hide what is going on instead of addressing the problems.”

I called CCSPCA spokesperson Beth Caffrey, and asked what prompted the organization to contact an attorney on this matter in the first place.

“We want our board meetings to be productive,” she told me. “We couldn’t be productive because of the disruptive behavior of people who were there.”

In the rest of the article, I update the situation in Memphis and New York City, and have a great wrap-up commentary from FixAustin.org’s Ryan Clinton. It’s all here.

Photo: Courtesy of Celeste Pryor.

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Animal control agencies slamming door on public scrutiny

What the heck is wrong with all these animal control agencies, acting like doing the people’s work on the people’s dime means they don’t have to answer to the people?

First, of course, we have the Memphis city attorney going after blogger Shirley Thistlewaite, who has been covering abuses at the Memphis city pound for more than a year now. He cited, amazingly, a South Carolina state law — Memphis being, of course, in Tennessee — and issued a threat that looks an awful lot like a SLAPP to an awful lot of people, including Thistelwaite herself, who has asked the Tennessee attorney general to investigate whether her civil rights were violated.

Then in California, we have the Central California SPCA shutting the doors to its board meetings, using a tiny loophole in California’s open meetings law, the Brown Act. They hold the Fresno animal control contract, but won’t let the people of Fresno into their board meetings anymore — because they don’t have to. They even got an attorney to write a lawyer letter to a local shelter reform group, FixFresno.org, letting them know they’d no longer be allowed to attend the meetings. And that same lawyer met them at the door at the CCSPCA’s most recent meeting, barring them from coming in.

On the other coast, New York City’s Department of Health, which runs the city pounds, scheduled its board meeting in a room that holds fewer than 50 people, despite on-going, high-profile allegations of mismanagement, including animal neglect and cruelty, at their facilities. They had to turn away at least 100 people.

The Village Voice — whose reporter was among those who couldn’t get in — wrote:

In an email today, NYCAC&C responded to activists’ furor over yesterday’s meeting: “Our board meetings have been held in the same location for years and, as always, members of the public were permitted entrance to watch the board meeting. The public was also given a percentage of time for public comment. The public was allowed in on a first-come, first-serve basis and the room was filled to capacity.”

What does New York’s open meetings law have to say about that? As of April 14 of  last year (bolded text is mine):

Effective immediately, §103 of the Open Meetings Law requires that public bodies make reasonable efforts to hold meetings in rooms that can “adequately accommodate” members of the public who wish to attend.  The intent of the amendment, as expressed in the accompanying legislative memorandum, is for public bodies to hold meetings in rooms that can reasonably accommodate the number of people that can reasonably be expected to attend.  For example, if a typical board meeting attracts 20 attendees, and meetings are held in a meeting room which accommodates approximately 30 people, there is adequate room for all to attend, listen and observe.  But in the event that there is a contentious issue on the agenda and there are indications of substantial public interest, numerous letters to the editor, phone calls or emails regarding the topic, or perhaps a petition asking officials to take action, the new provision would require the public body to consider the number of people who might attend the meeting and take appropriate action to hold the meeting at a location that would accommodate those interested in attending, such as a school facility, a fire hall or other site.

Is this front page story in the New York Post “contentious” enough to trigger that provision? How about this in the New York Daily News? Or this… or this… or this?

I have calls in to officials involved with each of these incidents, for a story I’m writing. From where I sit now, it sure does seem like it’s getting awfully hot in those animal control kitchens. The answer to that isn’t to shut the place up tighter; it’s to open up the doors and windows and let the fresh air and sunshine in.

Oh… and still think we don’t need a law?

Photo: Max, an 8-month-old dog scheduled to die today at New York City Animal Care and Control.

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Do animal abusers have a right to privacy?

Undercover photographic evidence has been used countless times to expose things like public corruption and police brutality. However, did you know that secret video proof of animal abuse can land you in jail? In Iowa, Florida and Minnesota, legislation is working its way through state houses to outlaw what has always been a common tool for animal advocates. From the New York Times:

A bill before the Iowa legislature would make it a crime to produce, distribute or possess photos and video taken without permission at an agricultural facility. It would also criminalize lying on an application to work at an agriculture facility “with an intent to commit an act not authorized by the owner.”

While the laws are meant to keep animal activists from revealing some farming practices (like shocking treatment of dairy cattle exposed in recent years), the proposals will also help keep puppy-mills behind the curtain of secrecy. They  could even protect poorly run shelters from being exposed (cough cough, Memphis, cough cough), argues the website care2.com:

The legislation proposed in Minnesota attempts to crack down on activists who have exposed repeated animal welfare violations. Among its provisions, the bill targets anyone who documents an “image or sound” of animal suffering in a sweeping list of “animal facilities,” including factory farms, animal experimentation labs, and puppy mills.

According to Will Potter, author of “Green Is the New Red: An Insider’s Account of a Social Movement Under Siege,” Minnesota’s House File No. 1369 goes even further.

The bill, introduced by six Republicans, also includes a number of other provisions that have popped up in “eco-terrorism” bills and “animal enterprise terrorism” laws over the years. Similar legislation has also been introduced in Florida and Iowa to target undercover investigators.

The Minnesota bill includes a number of dangerous parts. Among the most important:

1. “Animal facility interference.” This provision targets those who, without the owner’s consent, “produce a record which reproduces an image or sound occurring at the animal facility.” Even worse, it targets those who “possess or distribute a record which produces an image or sound occurring at the animal facility.”

Translated: Taking pictures and videos is illegal, but so is uploading them to YouTube for public consumption. Anyone else have a problem with this?

Community supported agriculture for pets! I have friends from Maine to California who participate in community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs. Perhaps you do it in your area. But here’s a new wrinkle: CSA for dog food. Kim Thornton sent me this link from the Village Voice, about Jake Dickson of Dickson’s Farmstand Meats in New York.

The new “dog-food program,” Dickson explains, “allows us to close the loop completely so we’re nearing zero waste.” The parts that he doesn’t have much use for, such as the 80 pounds of beef liver he receives each week, make ideal canine sustenance. But rather than just package and sell them as is, Dickson partnered with Stacy Alldredge, a dog trainer and canine nutritionist who, Dickson says, “is a big advocate of cooking real food for pets.”

Great idea. Use naturally-grown agricultural products that would otherwise go to waste, give dogs fresh, nutritious meals, and support local farms. Everybody wins. To see how this concept works already, check out the SFRaw co-operative, to which Christie and Gina both proudly belong.  It’s a little different in operation, but the local, sustainable and humane ethic is the same.

“I’m not asking you. You’re not nice.” Dogs beg people for food. Not exactly a news flash, is it? Here’s the kicker: it seems dogs know who to ask, by paying close attention to how people interact with each other. This article from The New Scientist article on the finding is frankly scaring me. (thanks, Patti S.)

Luxury in Boston for all: The Boston Globe spotlights the trend we’re developing here in the Boston area for creating –  and supporting –  ultra-luxurious vacation spots for pets. As a Red Sox fan, I found this next snippet irresistible.

At Fenway Bark, the best room in the house, the 72-square-foot Owner’s Box, costs $150 per night. True, that’s almost as much as the $155 average daily rate for human hotels in the Greater Boston area, according to the Massachusetts Lodging Association, but it does come with unlimited dog-owner Skype sessions, bottled water upon request, and custom-made beds with 6-inch orthopedic foam.

The Skype was a perk that Tara Philbin of South Boston could not resist. Before heading off to her bachelorette party in New Orleans Saturday, Philbin downloaded the Skype app so she could chat with her boxers Declan and Kiera.

I particularly like Fenway Bark‘s website. Check it out, unless you’re a Yankees fan, in which case you should just move on to the next paragraph.

Highlights from around the Pet Connection Blogosphere. Recent posts I particularly like from our distinguished blogroll:

A shout out to Ingrid: Our own Ingrid King‘s personal blog The Conscious Cat has a post I particularly like. This one is about World’s Best Cat Litter and how they’re supporting shelter causes in Texas.

Woo Woo! Photo essay posts from Three Woofs and a Woo always make me smile.

Happy Tax Day: Love this cartoon from SmartDogs.

Finally, speshal nom from icanhascheezburger.

see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!

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: Memphis Animal Shelter video snapshot courtesy of YesBiscuit.wordpress.com.

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Nation’s first animal trauma center opens

Tracking veterinary school advances gives us clues to what the future of veterinary medicine might be. Big news, then, out of the University of Minnesota. UMN’s Veterinary Medical Center is opening the country’s first animal trauma center. From a university press release:

According to board-certified veterinary criticalist Dr. Kelly Hall, the hope is that the University of Minnesota’s new trauma center model will be adopted by other large veterinary medical centers and teaching hospitals across the country, creating a network that will work collaboratively to continually develop methods to improve trauma patient care.

“By working collaboratively with leaders in the veterinary trauma field throughout the country, advancements in trauma care will be shared between centers rapidly, assuring the most severely injured patients have access to the most advanced therapies,” Hall said.

Like human trauma centers, the Animal Trauma Center will also provide leadership in education and research. The Animal Trauma Center designation reflects a depth of resources as opposed to just an ability to deliver medical care.

Let’s see more of these to come in other parts of the country!

Prop B to be reversed: We kept close track of Missouri’s Proposition B in November. Though it passed with 52 percent of the popular vote, the state Senate is now watering it down in a big way. Business Week reports the legislature is concerned Prop B will destroy the state’s dog breeding (read: puppy mill) industry.

Missouri has about 1,400 licensed commercial dog breeders, according to the Missouri Department of Agriculture. They amount to a $1 billion industry that employs thousands of people and spends millions of dollars annually on dog food, veterinarian services and utilities, said Sen. Mike Parsons, R-Bolivar, who is sponsoring the legislation reversing parts of the voter-approved initiative.

[...]
The Senate bill would strike a provision in the voter-approved initiative that limits businesses to owning 50 breeding dogs. It also would roll back various requirements on the dogs’ living conditions. For example, it would replace a mandate that water bowls remain free of debris, feces or algae with a general requirement for water to be provided in a safe container. Parsons had argued that, under the ballot initiative, breeders could be jailed if dog dropped a piece of food in its water bowl.

Specific language mandating that dogs have sufficient space to lie down or turn around in their cages? That’s being struck down. Plus more. Maybe the “Show Me” state could show some concern over the dogs forced to live their lives in these places?

Iditarod update: The 2011 Iditarod Sled Dog Race is underway in Alaska. Defending champion Lance Mackey’s team is seriously depleted, and two other teams have already withdrawn. Thanks to AP and the Anchorage Daily News for the updates.

Caution on Easter rabbits: Easter is April 24. For those considering buying a rabbit as an Easter gift, please don’t, unless you’ve thought it through very carefully. The House Rabbit Society gives you a few points to keep in mind.

Rabbits are not “low-maintenance” pets, and are a poor choice as a pet for children.They have a lifespan of 10 years and require as much work as a dog or cat.Your home must be bunny-proofed, or Thumper will chew cords and furniture.Rabbits must be neutered or spayed or they will mark your house with feces and urine.They should live indoors, as members of the family.

Perhaps it might be better to consider the Make Mine Chocolate campaign. That’s right, I’m urging you to support your local chocolatier. You could send me some, too. Dark, please.

Work out with your dog! A fun iVillage slide show to remind you about the importance of getting enough exercise for your pooch – and yourself. Stay tuned for a post later today from me on the topic, too….

Caring for Cara: Do you read Covered in Cat Hair? Robin’s tale of the enduring struggle of monitoring her cat Cara’s ongoing health issue is exhausting, scary, and at the same time, it leaves me with lots of hope.

Al fresco in Poe’s back yard: Now here’s some legislation I can get behind. The state of Maryland is considering a bill to allow dogs to accompany diners in outdoor venues. Ever had fresh Chesapeake stone crab on a warm summer night in Baltimore? It’s worth trying, trust me. (thanks, NBCWashington)

Irony – Ur doin’ it right. Finally, a Thursday chuckle. Enjoy.

see more Lolcats and funny pictures,

Note: The news wrap is taking a short hiatus. You’ll be hearing from me plenty over the next week, but most of it will be from Global Pet Expo 2011 in sunny Orlando. I’ll be joined by a Pet Connection posse: Ericka, Gina and Dr. Becker. Plus, a cameo appearance by our own Dr. Tony. Hmmm, Dr. Becker, Dr. Johnson and yours truly in the same place? This could be fun (or dangerous, take your pick).

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: UMN ATC screenshot courtesy KARE11.com. MMC logo, makeminechocolate.org.

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