Are you harboring and feeding a fugitive?

By Laurie Denger | Thursday, January 8, 2009, 08:47 AM

If you haven’t gotten your dog license yet, Montgomery County is making it even easier by adding locations you can buy them. Every dog over the age of three months is required to have a license. Each year, between December 1 through January 31st, Montgomery County dog owners register their dogs with local authorities to ensure a safe trip home if their dog is lost, stolen or missing. State law requires every dog older than three months to have a license. For $16 per license, dog owners can also purchase 24-hour identification,and ensure that their puppy will return home safely and quickly. Buying a license also avoids a $150 fine if your dog gets caught without one. If you wait until after January 31, it will cost double. What are you waiting for? Dog licenses may be purchased at the County Auditor’s office, the Animal Resource Center and other authorized agents around Montgomery County.

Montgomery County pet owners now have several additional locations where they can purchase their 2009 Dog License.

Jan. 10, at 530 E. Stroop Road, Dayton 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Jan. 11 at 700 Spinning Road, Dayton, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Jan. 17, at 780 Northwoods Blvd., Vandalia 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Jan. 18, at 2115 E. Dorothy Lane, Kettering 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Jan. 24, at 855 Union Blvd., Englewood 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 530 E. Stroop Road, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Jan. 25, at 700 Spinning Road, Dayton, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 780 Northwoods Blvd., Vandalia, 11 a.m. to 40 p.m.

Jan. 31, at 155 Heincke Road, Miamisburg, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 4506 Brandt Pike, 11 a.m. to 40 p.m.

The licenses will also be sold at:

West Carrollton Government Center on Jan. 14 and Jan. 28, 5 to 7 p.m.

City of Riverside Government Center on Jan. 20, 5 to 7 p.m.

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Do the animals talk to you?

By Laurie Denger | Monday, December 29, 2008, 10:12 AM

A new survey by the Associated Press and www.petside.com shows that most pet owners not only think they understand their pet’s language — 62 percent think their pet understands what they say. But it seems dog owners (two thirds) think their dog understands them while only 50 percent of cat owners think that. It’s more likely the cat understands but just doesn’t want to do it. And even though the economy is tanking, 85 percent of pet owners are not cutting back when it comes to their pets. But it’s bad news for those who are cutting back. One in five won’t take a pet to the vet even for a serious problem and one in four are considering giving up the pet. What about you? Does your pet understand you when you talk — other than sit and stay? And how bad does the economy have to get before you would consider giving up your pet?

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Pet adopt-a-thon this weekend at Dayton Mall

By Barb :-) | Wednesday, December 10, 2008, 07:46 AM

The 2008 Iams Home 4 the Holidays adopt-a-thon will take place Saturday, December 13 inside the Dayton Mall in front of Sears. The event runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This is a great way to see pets available for adoption and speak to people who can help match you with the perfect pet and answer your pet adoption questions.

Iams sponsors Home 4 the Holidays in an effort to get 1 million pets adopted during the holiday season.

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You won’t catch any dogs shopping here

By Laurie Denger | Tuesday, December 9, 2008, 11:06 AM

On Wednesday, Dec. 10, The Humane Society of Greater Dayton opens the Meowza Cat Boutique at the Dayton Mall.

In addition to selling products — to help support cat adoptions — the cat-themed boutique will also have kittens and cats available for adoption.

“We are ecstatic about this new venture, and we know that we can find homes for hundreds of cats at the boutique,” says Brian Weltge, executive director of the Humane Society.

All the cats available for adoption will be spayed/neutered, vet checked and microchipped.

When people visit Meowza, they will be able to sit and spend time with their potential new family members in a setting that looks like a living room.

For more information about Meowza, call the Humane Society at 937/268-PETS or visit www.humanesocietydayton.org.

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what would you give up for your pup?

By Laurie Denger | Monday, December 8, 2008, 03:02 PM

The American Kennel Club conducted a survey of pet owners to see what, during these tough economic times, a pet owner would be willing to give up for a pet. Out of more than 1,000 people, the survey found that 96 percent would give up gourmet coffee if it meant taking money away from the dog’s needs. Ninety-seven percent would forego massages or spa treatments to pay a vet bill, and nearly 79% would cancel a teeth whitening appointment so Fido could have his annual teeth cleaning.  But people drew the line at the Internet. More than 70 percent said they wouldn’t give it up. One respondent would give up “pretty much anything. I need the gym and I need the Internet, everything else is fair game.” “In general people are more dedicated to their dogs than ever before. No doubt dogs bring comfort and stress relief to many people during this difficult time,” said AKC spokesperson, Lisa Peterson in a press release. “This is reminiscent of what we saw during hurricane Katrina. With people facing great hardship, many remained so loyal to their pets that they were willing to risk their lives. Our survey demonstrates that they are also willing to forgo some of life’s luxuries for the welfare of their pets.”  Still, about 69 percent of pet owners said they would get rid of gifts for friends or extended family before cutting out the family pet at Christmas. Nearly 9 percent would even scale back on gifts for their spouse before cutting back on presents for their dog. Other survey findings:  Holiday Gifts 81% of respondents purchase gifts for their pups during the holidays 69% spend up to $50; 24% spend $50-100; only 3% spend more than $150 59% expect to spend the same amount on gifts for their dog as they did last year Giving up Like for Like 67% would cancel their travel plans if they could not afford to pay to board their dog. 65% would regularly eat Ramen noodles before they would skimp on their dogs high quality food. 59% would perm or color their own hair in the kitchen sink in order to keep Fido’s appointments at the groomers.  Cutbacks Owners Are Willing to Make For Their Dog Eat more meals at home (97%) Cancel gym membership (72%) Cancel cable or satellite service (50%) Curb spending on new clothes (94%) Push back plans for home remodeling (89%) Forgo buying new car or buy a less expensive model (88%)

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Should you share holiday leftovers with your dog?

By Barb :-) | Tuesday, November 25, 2008, 09:49 AM

I admit that I do tend to give my two dogs some “people food” on Thanksgiving, but tend to lean towards a dab of mashed potatoes mixed with their regular food than chunks of turkey or fatty gravy. There are some foods, however that are harmful to your dog and no two dogs react the same way to new foods.

The high-fat content of several holiday foods can cause problems for your dog now and down the road. Turkey can also affect some dogs very negatively.

Pedigree offers the following advice about sharing holiday foods with your dogs.

• Never give your dog poultry bones — they can splinter easily and stick in the esophagus, where they are hard to reach.
• Keep him away from chocolate — it can be fatal to dogs. Bowls of candy, or pieces dropped by guests or children, may pose a real risk to your pets. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is. But any chocolate, in large enough amounts, can kill a dog. An ounce of chocolate can be toxic to a 30-pound dog, and many dogs can easily consume more than that.
• Don’t let your dog lie on the kitchen floor where food is often dropped. If he is not trained to stay out of the garbage, use a can with a lid, or keep it out of your pet’s reach. Dogs are capable of amazing feats when food is involved.
• Make sure your pet can’t access food left on counters or tables. After you’ve cleaned the kitchen, take the garbage out and dispose of it in a secure place where no pets can get into it.

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Soup kitchen for dogs in Berlin

By Barb :-) | Thursday, November 20, 2008, 08:00 AM

Berlin has just opened a soup kitchen for dogs. They provide pets of the homeless and unemployed with a free meal.

I thought this was very interesting and definitely a sign that more and more people are realizing pets are becoming more a part of the family.

What do you think about this? Going too far? Is it a good thing that more areas should adopt?

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