They are really excited about adoptions at the Nevada Humane Society.

According to Paul Ciampanelli a blogger for Pawnation.com, ”last week the Nevada Humane Society rocketed to YouTube fame with their pet-themed take on the JK Wedding video, with their ‘Adoption Entrance Dance.’ So excited are the NHS’s employees when a new pet finds a home, they can’t contain their happy feet.”

Purr’n Pooch Foundation for Animals hosts the Jersey Shore’s first “fur” ball for people and their pups–supports the work of New Jersey’s neediest animal rescue groups.

Long Branch (August 30, 2010) – Join the Purr’n Pooch Foundation for Animals this fall at the Blue Moon Bark Ball, the Jersey Shore’s first black-tie optional gala for people AND their pooches! Hosted by Ocean Place Resort in Long Branch, NJ, the “Fur Ball” fundraiser will take place on Saturday, October 9th, from 6-10pm, with proceeds supporting New Jersey’s neediest animal rescue organizations. Enjoy signature “Blue Muttini” cocktails and open bar, surf and turf dinner, dancing with music by East Coast favorite, the Eddie Bruce Band, auctions of unique and luxurious prizes for you and your pet and a King and Queen of the Ball Awards.

Tickets are $200 per person and canine companions are free. Table reservations, journal advertisements, and sponsorships are available. Visit http://www.purrnpoochfoundation.org to purchase tickets online as reservations are limited. Journal advertisements are due by September 17. Contact Event Co-Chair Jean Hager at 732-693-3080 for more information. “The Blue Moon Bark Ball is sure to be a stellar event! Dogs will feast on specially prepared cuisine and dance the two-step with their family and four-legged friends, while raising important funds to help less fortunate animals in desperate need of sanctuary, protection, care, and love,” Jean Hager, Co-Chair, Blue Moon Bark Ball & Treasurer, Purr’n Pooch Foundation for Animals.

The very “pupular” Eddie Bruce Band features concert quality vocalists and masterful musicians who drive guests to the dance floor. Lead performer Bruce will also showcase his newest cd, “Bruce on Bennett”, a loving vocal tribute to Tony Bennett featuring a jazz influenced singer and piano, bass, drums and guitar. Event Honorary Chairs are Dick and Mary Palazzo of Monmouth Beach and the Bark of the Ball and Honoree is Grace, a German Shepherd recently rescued and rehabilitated by Dick Palazzo and foster owner Chris O’Rourke of Red Bank.

Dick Palazzo, a widely regarded trainer and behaviorist, asked a New Jersey shelter to give a German Shepherd deemed aggressive and marked for death “thirty days of grace” to stay alive so he may restore her trust and confidence in people. He worked hand-in-paw with the rescue, who he later named Grace. This story of hope inspired daughters Koren and Betsy to establish the Purr’n Pooch Foundation for Animals on the special occasion of the 40th Anniversary of Purr’n Pooch, their father’s luxury boarding and daycare business. To this day, Grace has been wonderful and although happy endings for needy animals are far too uncommon, her story has given the Foundation the same thing Dick gave Grace – hope. “Blue Moon, you saw me standing alone. Without a dream in my heart, without a love of my own.” Rogers & Hart, 1934, “The lyrics from this nostalgic love song depict the first meeting of our father and a two-year old German Shepherd marked for death at an animal shelter. The emaciated, yet still beautiful dog had been branded as “aggressive”, but when our father looked into her soft brown eyes, he knew that she was simply misunderstood. This is one of the many stories that have inspired us to found the Purr’n Pooch Foundation for Animals,” said Koren Spaddavechia and Betsy Palazzo, Trustees, Purr’n Pooch Foundation for Animals.

The Purr’n Pooch Foundation for Animals is dedicated to providing financial support and educational resources to non-profit, no-kill animal rescue groups and organizations. The Purr’n Pooch Foundation supports all species of animals, including but not limited to companion pets, farming animals and wildlife. The Board of Trustees include: President Betsy Palazzo, Vice President Koren Spadavecchia, Treasurer Jean Hager, Secretary Maryann Small and Trustee Shannon Gance. The Purr’n Pooch Foundation for Animals is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Visit http://www.purrnpoochfoundation.org for more information or to make a donation to support the worthy efforts of New Jersey based non-profit, no-kill animal rescue groups and organizations.

Looking for a dog-friendly motel?

Hey y’all . . . here’s a link you might find useful.  It’s for dog-friendly motels across the U.S.  I have been made aware of its existence through an agility newsgroup that I belong to.

Here is a copy of the email I received the other day:

U.S. House Votes to Prohibit Sale and Distribution of Crush Videos

On Wednesday, July 21, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 416-3 to pass H.R. 5566, the Prevention of Interstate Commerce in Animal Crush Videos Act of 2010. The nearly unanimous affirmative vote, as well as the fact that 262 representatives attached their names to the bill as cosponsors, makes this a decisive victory for animals—especially considering that the bill was introduced only one month ago.

Representative Elton Gallegly (R-CA) introduced H.R. 5566 in response to the Supreme Court’s April ruling that the original Crush Act, a 1999 federal law banning the creation, sale and possession of materials depicting genuine acts of animal cruelty, is unconstitutional and overbroad in its scope. The Crush Act had succeeded in curbing commercial trade of “crush” fetish videos, which generally depict a woman’s feet as they crush to death small animals such as rodents and kittens. Now, in the absence of any enforceable federal law, this horrific underground industry is on the ascent.

H.R. 5566 amends the Crush Act to prohibit distributing, selling or offering to distribute or sell any depictions of animals being crushed, drowned, suffocated, impaled, or burned where such actions are illegal. Rep. Gallegly reportedly worked with law and constitutional scholars when drafting the bill to ensure that its language is narrowly tailored to be able to withstand strict First Amendment challenges.

Legislation of this kind must pass both chambers of Congress to become U.S. law—and so far, a companion bill to H.R. 5566 has not been introduced in the Senate. Congress will soon enjoy a month-long recess; upon its return in September, the ASPCA will encourage the Senate to take up the Crush Videos Act of 2010. The current federal legislative session (the 111th United States Congress) ends on January 3, 2011, so it is vital that the Senate act with the same speed and resolve demonstrated by the members of the House of Representatives.

We will alert ASPCA Advocacy Brigade subscribers when a Senate version of this bill is introduced, so please join the Brigade today and don’t miss any breaking news about the progress of this and other animal-related legislation.

Become a Fan, Help a Dog | PEDIGREE� Adoption Drive”.

We hear the cries all the time, “We need more government regulation.  More laws!  More oversight!”, when in fact what we should be crying is, “Enforce the EXISTING laws!”

Really people, do we need any more laws on the books?  Take the enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).  According to a recent posting on the ASPCA site,  “Earlier this week, the Office of the Inspector General released a report detailing the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) lax and ineffective enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) against licensed large-scale dog breeders and brokers known as puppy mills.   As part of the investigation, auditors visited 81 facilities and reviewed records documenting 28,443 violations over a two-year period.  http://www.aspca.org/news/national/05-28-10.html#1

These puppy mill puppies were all living in the same cage

Despite regular inspections, inhumane conditions continued.  It was found at an Oklahoma mill, that even though 5 dogs were found dead and other dogs were becoming cannibals due to suffering from starvation, no action was taken by investigators.  Twenty-two other dogs died as a result of their non-action.

The ASPCA continues their nationwide investigations.  They also support the enactment of a citizens-sponsored legislation, Missouri Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act (http://www.aspca.org/blog/landmark-mo-puppy-mill.html).  The legislation has its merits as it calls for substantially improving the lives of dogs by requiring large-scale breeding operations to provide sufficient food and clean water, necessary veterinary care, adequate housing, space and exercise.  The Animal Welfare Act does not really address those issues.  It deals more with licensing of large scale dealer (breeders), pet stores, exhibitors and the like it does not require smaller breeders (those that don’t earn a substantial income from the breeding of animals) to be licensed.  It also does not deal with the conditions under which these animals should live (though it does state that they should be treated humanely, but that is an open door for interpretation).  The Missouri Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act addresses that problem.

Had the original law been written correctly and with deeper foresight and thought, the Missouri Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act would not been needed.  Would it have been so hard to include in the AWA exactly “what” is considered humane conditions (or what inhumane conditions are?)  All that would be needed is enforcement of the existing law.  Why is it that our legislators cannot do it right the first time?  Are they so caught up in their legalese that they can’t see the forest for the trees?

I have been in love with “Peanuts” ever since Charles Schultz published Happiness is a Warm Puppy.  Snoopy and Lucy had such a great love/hate relationship.  In my opinion she was a secret dog-lover and Snoopy knew that.  Schultz was great in showing how comedic a dog can be when trying to get a non-dog person to become a convert.  In this clip, Snoopy diffuses the situation as only a dog can . . .

My dogs are micro-chipped and yours should be too.

Micro-chip photo by Don Farrall/Getty Images

Millions of dogs are lost each year and sadly, few are reunited with their owners.  Sure Fido wears a collar with his tags, but what will you do if he not only gets lost, but also loses that collar and tags?

A micro-chip is no larger than a grain of rice.  It is implanted between your dog’s shoulder blades with a needle and syringe.  This process is no different than your dog getting a vaccination.  A hand-held device is used to detect the chip.   And it is this activated chip than can mean the difference between life and death for your dog.

Micro-chips are designed to last the life of your dog and don’t need to be replaced.  On occasion, they have migrated from the shoulder blade area to another part of the body (and this is why when the dog is scanned, he should have his entire body scanned).  However, not all scanners/chips are universal and therefore, some scanners might not be able to identify your dog.

It is wise to note too that some animal shelters still do not have access to scanners either.  That being said, you’re best bet for recovery of your lost dog is twofold; make sure your dog is wearing his collar at all times and micro-chip him.

Denise Shephard, a resident of Michigan, found out the value of micro-chipping her dog, Frankie, a 3 1/2 year old Boston Bull Terrier.  Frankie ran away from their home near Battle Creek, Michigan in January, 2010.  She thought she had lost Frankie forever.  But, four months later, she received a phone call from the Wheeling Animal Hospital and Pet Resort that Frankie had been found (197 miles away from his home!).

The Boston Bull Terrier had been found in the parking lot of an apartment complex and he did not have a collar around his neck.  The Wheeling resident who found Frankie was told by Wheeling Police to take him to a local animal hospital where the village has an agreement with the hospital to take in lost or abandoned pets.  Lucky for Frankie and his owner, he was micro-chipped.  The serial number of that chip helped locate his family.

Let Frankie and his travels be a lesson to you.  Practice two-fold identification of your dog; have him wear not only a collar and current tags, but also get him micro-chipped.  If he ends up in a shelter, your chances are more than doubled he’ll be returned home and not face what could be a sad ending.