Black Dog Democrats

I'm building a new political coalition -- the Black Dog Democrats.

Our first policy initiative: universal health care for humans . . . and universal vet care for pets.

Animals are suffering and dying for lack of affordable vet care. A single well-pet trip to the vet can easily set you back $300, what with the poking, prodding, rabies shots, kennel cough meds, heartworm pills and that noxious stuff for ticks and fleas.

I recently attended the funeral of my old friend Elvis, a cockatiel who died prematurely at the tender age of 14, simply because he couldn't justify the $1,500 vet bill for cancer surgery (with a very iffy prognosis of success). Sadly, he passed away quietly at home and had to settle for a simple, do-it-yourself funeral at the foot of a NYC street tree . . . but the outrageous expense of burials is topic for a future post.

So the Black Dog Dems are organizing!

To date, we've galvanized many members in my immediate neighborhood alone (although it helps that I live in downtown Manhattan, were liberals are plentiful and all the dogs wear black).

Of course -- pets of every species, colors, stripes and spots are welcome to join us.

Stay tuned. I will keep you posted as our cause progresses!

If Dogs Had Wings . . .

. . . we wouldn't need our own airline. But we don't, and we do! Have our own airlines now.

Thanks to Pet Airways, no more fleabag flight accommodations for canines!

1st Dog Reports on 1st 100 Days

News hounds around the world have been howling for an update from the White House. Today, we got the news we've been begging for -- a report from 1st Dog Bo on his 1st 100 days in office.

Bo reports:

"As we head into the second hundred days of my administration, I feel more pride and pleasure than ever at the prospect of serving the American people and finding ways to make this nation, and this planet, a better place for our children and our children’s children. I am speaking metaphorically here, of course, as I am neutered."

Read it all in The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/17/opinion/17greenman.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Give Cats a Chance

Enough about dogs! It's the kitties' turn.

Here are some friends, Trina (black & white) and Kitten (orange). Very nice cats, as far as cats go. Achoo -- my feline brother -- used to visit them. Until he got to tough & rowdy. Now he stays home and picks fights with me.

Young Huskies

The newest cousins have arrived! Here are some pix of the litter.


And more news on the Husky cousin front: Belle Starr is thisclose to a championship award.



But we all know -- mutts are the greatest!!!!

Maine-ly Mutt

Me at the beach in Rockport, Maine.

Love those gulls!

Dogs Take the Blame . . . Again

"The dog ate my homework." "The dog tripped me." We make handy scapegoats for just about everything that goes wrong!

Here's the latest from the CDC and WaPo: Even when we're ASLEEP, we are responsible for tripping more than 85,000 Americans every year & sending them to the emergency room (well, cats account for some of those).

Read more about how dangerous we are: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/26/AR2009032601634.html

CDC Analysis Tracks Falls Related to Pets

By David Brown
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 27, 2009

Federal government researchers yesterday filled in a blank spot on the map of life's hazards -- the part occupied by Spot, Fifi, the chew toy and the water bowl.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that an average of 86,629 Americans visit the emergency room each year after a fall caused by pets or their paraphernalia.

That's the equivalent of 240 ER trips a day, and roughly 1 percent of the 8 million visits for falls of all sorts.

About one-third of the falls broke bones, about one-quarter caused bruises, one-fifth caused sprains and a little more than one-tenth caused cuts. About 62 percent of the dog-related falls and 86 percent of the tumbles involving cats occurred at home.

"We know that pets have many benefits," said Judy A. Stevens, an epidemiologist at the CDC's injury center. "We just want people to be aware that pets and pet items can be a fall hazard and can lead to injuries."

Dog-related falls account for 88 percent of the total, cat-related ones 12 percent. Children 14 and younger recorded the most injuries, but the highest rate of injury is in people 75 and older.

Women were more likely to be injured than men; they suffered 68 percent of the falls involving dogs and 72 percent involving cats.

Ragamuffin

This is Muffin, one of my many cousins on the feline side.

She may look tough . . . but she's really a creampuff!

Don't forget to post your photos.

The Best Man Was a Dog . . .

From Columbia J School, this report on the newest fad: muttrimony!

First it was Bark Mitzvahs, now we have wedding-service dogs.

Check out the excerpt from: http://jscms.jrn.columbia.edu/cns/2009-03-17/breger-petsinweddings

The latest wedding accessory: the family dog
By Sarah Breger

Andy MacDonald’s wedding day went off without a hitch. The celebration took place in his cousin’s house outside Seattle with a hundred guests in attendance. Toward the close of the ceremony, Inge solemnly walked down the aisle to present the two rings that would seal the couple in holy matrimony.


And she didn’t even stop to sniff her butt.


MacDonald’s collie-malamute mix had the honor of serving as ring bearer for the Seattle couple. “We just had to keep an eye on her so she wouldn’t eat the cake,” MacDonald says.


Man’s best friend has turned into the best man as an increasing number of couples are using dogs in their wedding ceremonies. This new breed of wedding guest has created a niche industry that caters to Fido’s appearance on his owner’s big

BEWARE: Cat Poacher in Maine

If you are a cat living in Biddeford, Maine -- take notice!

It seems that a certain Mr. John Gold claims to have been trapping cats he finds on his lawn, then dispatching his victims to the shelter. As a former shelter inmate, I shudder to think what fate awaits them there . . .

We learn of Mr. Gold's hideous actions by a letter he posted to The New York Times Ethicist column (tomorrow's edition).

Amazingly -- Mr. Gold felt he had to turn to third-party arbitration to determine if his practice is right or wrong!

As a dog, I might be unusual in that I enjoy the company of cats (except when they play too rough). But even I know how atrocious this is.

Mr. Gold is outraged that cats may be using his lawn as a litterbox -- but he apparently hasn't bothered to find out if they are providing free, neighborly services, like rodent control.

Mr. Gold, please understand that cats (and canines) don't grasp the human concept of property ownership. We can't read deeds, we don't know what block and lot numbers mean, or mortgages or tax rolls. And cats, especially, are in the dark about the purpose of fences.

Perhaps Mr. Gold would be more successful if he employed the tools that animals do understand: When I want other dogs to know the boundaries of my territory -- I simply go around and pee on everything in my kingdom.

Mr. Gold -- just go out and pee on your property. Problem solved!

Siberia South

Great news! A bunch more pups are about to join my pack!

This is one of my highfalutin Siberian husky cousins, sitting on Sally's lap and eying her dinner plate. These day's, she's eating for two, three, four, five . . . who knows.

This cuz is no mutt: she's (let's see if I can remember all this) Ch. Mileka's Silver Bullet.

The little cousins are due this month. If you're interested in things like pedigrees, these dogs are bone-i-fide!

Who Let the Dog Out?

I hear that football QB Michael Vick – every dog’s worst nightmare – will be leaving Levenworth soon and heading for his estate. http://www.boston.com/sports/football/articles/2009/02/27/report_vick_heading_home/

It seems the halfway house, where he was supposed to go after serving a term in the big house, is full up. No room at the inn. So he gets a free pass, straight to home plate (sorry about the mixed metaphor – guess I’m just a mixed mutt).

So Vick, a mass murderer of dogs, gets to go home, to serve the rest of his time in luxury.

Now when I was in the pen (vagrancy charges), they wouldn’t let me out until I got “fixed.” Never mind that nothing was broken. . . That was the choice: under the knife or life behind bars.

I propose equal treatment for Vick. If he wants out – give him a hatchet job!

What say, pups? Are you with me on this?

As we all know, Vick would come back with lots less aggression. And dogs will sleep easier at night!

Like Stealing Bones from a Dog

Dogs around the world rejoiced when hotel queen Leona Helmsley left billions of bucks to better the welfare of our species.

But now -- her human family has gotten a judge to invalidate this stipulation in her will. It's right here in The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/26/nyregion/26helmsley.html?_r=2&hp.

I, for one, am outraged! Dogs are starving in China. Going hungry in Hungary. Freezing in Finland. And in the United States -- dying by the thousands in so-called "shelters" that can't afford to feed or care for strays and abandoned animals.

We cannot allow this travesty to happen. Dogs unite! Raise your voices and howl for Helmsley!

I propose we united as Hounds for Helmsley, bring back our bequest and demand that this support go to the dogs!

Equal Opportunity Dog Shows

Did you watch the Westminster Dog Show this year?

Seeing those pampered pooches with x-treme furdos strutting their stuff prompted me to start this blog.

You see, I'm a mutt. I might have street creds, but I don't have the "papers" that would allow me past the velvet rope at dog shows like Westminster.

It's not that I have anything against pedigrees -- some of my best friends are full-bloods and designer "oodle" dogs and "uggles." Heck, one of my purebred, champion-stock, eight-named cousins even showed at Westminster one year. (Huskies from Florida, but that's another post).

Anyway, watching Westminister got me thinking about equal opportunity for dogs.

Now that Obama's in the White House, humans are celebrating our "post-racial" nation. We are now officially color-blind!!! Well, isn't it time Americans became breed-blind as well?

My goal is to foster open and honest discussion of this subject -- and of all issues important to canines. Are we mutts? Or mutt-Americans? Can we achieve equity with our pedigreed bretheren? Do we want equality, with all the negatives it entails -- silly furcuts, endless trots around a ring, pokes and prods by "experts" who pass judgment on our bones and teeth and temperment?

Should the doors to the American Kennel Club be open to all, or just to the select few?

I'd like to hear your thoughts, whether you're a Heinz or a Havanese, a mutt or a Maltese, a canine or a cat . . . my blog is open to you!