Tidings of Comfort and Joy

On this new year's eve we bring you the story of the Lutheran Comfort Dogs who have been invited back to the town of Newtown, Connecticut when the children return to school after the New Year.

Think of them embarking on the lengthy journey early tomorrow morning and send them a prayer for a safe trip and a successful visit.

Dolan Graduates

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This is a heartwarming story about Dolan, the 500th dog to graduate from the TSA's bomb sniffing dog training program. Dolan, like all the TSA dogs, is named for a person who lost their life on 9/11.

Those Baby Blues

Meet Paul Newman, the white basset hound who was rescued by Mid-Atlantic Basset Rescue. When found, he was chained to a post and nearly starving. Just look at the big boy now and check out those baby blues!

Tug of War

Why all the laughter--which is universal across languages? Watch and see who is at the end of the rope helping these Norwegian firefighters pull down a tree.

Love Me Like My dog

Unconditional love, set to music. Photos are from fans of Radio Wyoming.

Merry and Yummy

From our house to yours--although our dogs are not quite this dextrous--we wish you a yummy holiday and hope that dogs without homes find theirs very soon in the new year.

Joy to the World

I couldn't have said it any better myself.

Holiday Party Dos and Don'ts

Are you a "messy cat" or a "classy kitty' when it comes to holiday party etiquette? We have to admit, both have their charms.....

Jolly Goats

For your holiday pleasure and a few giggles, enjoy these dancing goats.

Boo Does Christmas

Were you waiting for the plethora of cute holiday videos featuring dogs? Well, here's one that should give you your "Boo" fix!

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Pup

Twinkle, twinkle little pup! This is Charley who ate a string of Christmas lights and lived to tell the tale. Thanks to quick thinking by his owner (who noticed remnants of lights in Charley's backyard "gifts"), the plucky pooch was saved from a potentially deadly case of the munchies. Surgeons also removed a shoelace!

As the Brits like to say, "Brilliant." Literally.

Bo Inspects White House Decorations

And why can I not imagine this happening at my house??!! What a well behaved angel that Bo is!

Annie and Sandy

This might be the feel good story of the year--the search for a shelter dog who became a broadway star. In this case, the dog was named Sunny and he became Sandy, the dog in Annie.

Annie is currently being revived on Broadway and wait until you see the heartwarming story of how a dog becomes a star. Perhaps a Christmas trip to the Big Apple to see it may be in the offing?

Comfort Dogs in Newtown, CT

Watch the power of animal therapy at work with these comfort dogs from Chicago brought to the people of Newtown, Conn. In these dark days, Goldens do bring light.

Bailey, the Unknown Reindeer

The weather outside may be frightful but this dog never got that memo!

The Perils of Factory of Farming

A Pig's Tail is a short animated film made by The Humane Society about factory farming. It's short, to the point and worth your while.

Santa Swims With Sardines

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Some of these images are astounding as Santa takes the plunge into an aquarium filled with sardines in South Korea. Looks like everyone got along swimmingly!

PhDogs Teach Chemistry!

Smartest golden retrievers I ever saw.

Ballet de Chat

'Tis the season and this cat does a pretty good "paw de deux" to the Nutcracker!

Penguin Holiday Cheer

I know I seem to be on a penguin roll but since the elves are otherwise occupied, this Japanese aquarium has enlisted its penguins to spread Christmas cheer. Watch until the end to see how they turn on the holiday lights each night!

16 Year Love Cycle

Meet one of the world's most monogamous pairs, of penguins that is. Researchers have discovered that these two have stayed together for 16 years despite spending long periods of time (and distance) apart. Click here to see their story.

No word on the secret to their success but could those periods apart have anything to do with it?

Weather Puppy

Looking for a new APP to liven up your i-phone and benefit a good cause?

Look no farther than Weather Puppy, the free i-phone app that gives you the weather forecast complete with puppy of your choice dressed appropriately.

And best of all, several animal rescues are the beneficiaires of all this cuteness.

Here's what APP co-creator, Suraj Hemnani has to say about the project:

"It really started as an experiment but as we saw how happy it made people and got the non-profits involved it evolved from an experiment to a full-blown project," Hemnani says.

"We're helping the non-profits with free promotion and have structured a way of letting them fund-raise via the app by selling their own themes within it (sort of how they typically sell annual calendars). It's also a way for them to engage and involve a younger demographic of dog lovers," he adds.

To date, beneficiaries include Detroit Dog Rescue, the Austin Humane Society, the Humane Society of Broward County and several others.

Get your forecast with a dose of cuteness!

Safety Tips for Choking Dogs

These are some great safety tips for dogs who are choking. I especially love the lab in the background who keeps dropping the tennis ball. That's Sam's best trick!

Early Warning System

If you live in the part of the country where they often test the sirens that warn of impending tornadoes, then this noise, perfected by Zeus the dog, is very familiar to you.

If you don't, now you know what a tornado siren sounds like!

Dogs Driving Cars!

This is quite possibly the BEST video and concept I have ever seen. Teach shelter dogs to drive (you read that correctly) to demonstrate their intelligence. Leave it to the Kiwis.

All About Cat and Dogs

Buster is one clever cat who manages to let all the pups in the house!

Tickle Me Penguin

In case you ever wondered, this is the happy dance and the happy noise that a penguin makes when he is tickled!! Adorable!

Cat Friend Versus Dog Friend

See if you can figure our which is the cat friend and which is the dog friend by their actions.

Hint: if you watch, there is a cheat "key" but it is pretty obvious and pretty hilarious.

Vick Dog Reunion

Getting the Shot! from BADRAP.org on Vimeo.

Ever wonder how hard it is to take a photo of seven dogs and their owners? Well you can watch photographer Mark Rogers wrangle them all in a historic photograph of a reunion of seven former Michael Vick dogs, all of whom have found loving homes.

The power of second chances in action.....

If you want to find out what the dogs are doing, go here.

On the Lam

Here's something you don't see every day; a run away pony and zebra on Staten Island!!! Apparently their owner left the gate open after he fed them and they took off for a romp!

The pair were rounded up safely and returned to their owner but the police are now investigating whether he had a permit to keep them. From the looks of the fugitives, he is doing a pretty good job of it.....

Lentenor to Stand at Calumet

News from True Nicks that Lentenor, Barbaro's full brother will be standing at Calumet Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. The farm, which is under new ownership, has long been associated with some of racing's biggest stars. One such star, Americain, winner of the Melbourne Cup, will be joining Lentenor there in 2013, along with sprinter Aikenite.

Here is the True Nicks write up about Lenny:

Calumet is doubling down on Dynaformer in 2013, as it will also introduce that horse's son Lentenor (TrueNicks), a stakes-winning brother to the ill-starred Kentucky Derby (gr. I) hero Barbaro. Seemingly more of a miler type than his classic-winning brother, Lentenor won four times on the turf, gaining a black-type win in the 8 1/2-furlong Kitten's Joy Stakes, and setting a new course standard for 8 1/2 furlongs at Calder. Although his winning efforts were confined to the sward, Lentenor did perform with distinction on his dirt and stakes debut, where, despite a bump in the stretch, he was a good fourth to eventual Kentucky Derby runner-up Ice Box, Pleasant Prince, and Rule (TrueNicks) in the Florida Derby (gr. I).

Lentenor is not only a brother to Barbaro, but also to two other stakes performers in Nicanor and Margano, and half brother to stakes winner Holy Ground. His dam, La Ville Rouge, is a multiple graded stakes-placed daughter of Carson City and La Reine Rouge, who took the Toddler Stakes over 5 1/2 furlongs at 2.

Rumor has it that his asking fee will be in the $7500 range.

Can't wait to see what mares will be bred to Lentenor. How wonderful that the Barbaro dynasty continues through his family line.

Pricey Pet Accessories

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Ok most of these are over the top but the $900 pet spa is pretty intriguing....

Brotherly Love

Too cute not to share. The big brother Bernese takes the little brother for a walk, without a owner on the end of the leash.

Four Letter Words

Oh those four letter words!! Jackson seems to know the difference between two that populate his world. Wonder how he reacts to "food?"

Like Ducks To Water

Watch these ducks take to the water, well like ducks should. These ducks who were rescued from a hoarder had never been in the water before this swim.

Puppy V. Lemon

The combination of an adorable puppy and a sour lemon makes for some great video.

Can You Speak Korean?

Although I don't speak Korean, apparently this elephant does. Koshik, a zoo elephant in south Korea, can say "hello," "sit down," "good," "no," and "lie down" by placing his trunk inside his mouth. You can hear the results in the video above, although researchers speculate that the elephant likely does not know what the words mean. But then again, who knows?

Taking Matters Into My Own Paws

What happens when the cat is hungry and the jar of food is available? Watch and learn. This is one smart cat.

Justin, the Painting Horse

Amazing paintings and the self-portrait at the end is worth watching the whole clip.

Goats at Play

These day old goats master the teeter-totter in pretty quick fashion! Adorable.

Bootcamp for Bulldogs

Tillman, the honorary bulldog becomes a marine in Texas. Check out the boot camp for bulldogs that started the adventure!

Collie Heaven!

It was Dog Show Weekend in Philly and I was in collie heaven!! Collies come in both rough (hairy) and smooth (less hairy) coats and these are some great examples of each.

You can watch the National Dog Show on NBC on Thanksgiving Day from 12-2 and see who wins.

Have You Ever Seen an Elephant Fly?

Pigs may not fly but, as of, August 2, elephants did.

That's the day when three 10,000 pound elephants took to the skies en route from the Toronto Zoo to the Performing Animal Welfare Society elephant sanctuary in San Andreas, California. There is a lot more involved with getting those elephants on the plane than just loading their trunks.

Keepers had to teach the animals to acclimate to their crates around which they simulated noise, bumps and motion. "We rattle the crates and make all kinds of sounds so they are used to noise," Pat Derby, co-founder of the performing Animal Welfare Society, said, because "there are no test flights."

Animal activist, Bob Barker, is footing the bill for the pachyderms, which is expected to be between $750,000 and $1 million. And while a truck trip would have accomplished the same task, Barker felt that he did not want to confine the elephants to their crates for the over 40 hours it would have taken to transport the animals by vehicle.

"They appear to be sweet, lovely, tractable elephants and I'm just excited to get them integrated into our group so they can have a wonderful social life. Our three girls have missed being in a larger group," Derby said.

Elephants can live to be 60 or 70 in the wild but in captivity their life span is about 50 years. Iringa, is 42, Toka, 41 and Thika, 31. They should be very content in their retirement on the 2300 acres of the sanctuary.

Yes, I Do

Can you say "yes" in dog language? Just nod.

Good Samaritans

These good samaritans are still scouring neighborhoods hit by Sandy and finding displaced cats and dogs. The impact of this storm is not going away anytime soon.

Meet Lyra

Meet Lyra, the border collie mix who introduced dog frisbee to Slovenia. A great story!

Lucky Dog

Another amazing story about a dog who survived after being hit by a car and traveling in the car's grille for 11 miles. Miraculously the dog had only a broken tooth and a concussion.

That's one lucky pup!

National Dog Show

November 17 and 18th are big dog show days in Philadelphia! The National Dog Show--the one you see on television on Thanksgiving Day--takes place on Sat. Nov. 17 and while we can't reveal the winner, we can tell you that the Dogues de Bordeaux, above, are therapy dogs that are the therapy ambassadors to the show; the Jack Russell look a like is actually a Russell Terrier, a leggier version of the Jack Russell and a new breed represented at the show; and the large fox hound looking dog is actually a Treeing Walker Coonhound, also a new breed represented at the show.

The National Dog Show sponsored by Purina and held in conjunction with the Philadelphia Kennel Club expects 1550 dogs representing 176 breeds. It is one of five remaining benched shows, which means a bonanza for the casual viewer who is able to wander the aisles and interact with the dogs and owners/breeders.

We'll be behind the scenes but you can watch it all on television Thanksgiving Day on NBC.

Cats and Dogs Episode of Antiques Roadshow

Watch Coming Monday, November 12, at 8/7C, Cats & Dogs on PBS. See more from Antiques Roadshow.

Do you collect or have you inherited animal related artifacts? Be sure to watch the Cats and Dogs episode of Antiques Roadshow tonight, Monday Nov. 12 at 8:00 PM on PBS to see if yours is as valuable as the ones on the show!

Puppy Training Camp

These are great socialization tips for those of you with new puppies. Those of you with older dogs, don't worry, it's never too late for an old dog to learn new tricks!

Lucky Cat

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This kitty might have used up one of its lives but it is still one lucky cat!

Baby Elephant Raised By Human Mother

This is Moses, an orphaned baby elephant being raised by Jenny Webb, in northern Malawi, after the babe was found wandering alone in the Vwazi Wildlife Reserve. It is believed that Moses' mother was shot by poachers.

Webb, who is the founder of the Jumbo Foundation, an orphanage for large animals, has taken on the task of raising the elephant because Malawi's national parks did not have the funds to do so.

These photos are recent; Moses is now 7 1/2 months old. He sleeps in Webb's house, snuggled with her on an air mattress on the floor. She wakes every two hours to feed him infant formula that is boosted with coconut milk and other vitamins.

And yes, she takes him for walks with her two dogs, and was careful to protect his delicate skin from the sun (hence the blanket in the photo.)

It is a remarkable story of love and devotion. You can find more photos here.

In the Aftermath of Sandy

These are heartwarming videos about the rescue efforts of the ASPCA during Hurricane Sandy. The reunions of owners and pets are heartwarming.

Mayor of Rabbit Hash

I've written about the mayor of Rabbit Hash, KY before but here she is in person, courtesy of our good friends at BarkPark.net, who paid her a visit. And yes, Rabbit Hash is the only town in the US with a dog for a mayor.

Squirrel Predicts Romney

It's election day so please be sure to cast your vote. As for predictions, well Gnocchi the squirrel calls it for Romney.

The rest of us will just have to wait and see.

Early Holiday Suggestions

Thinking about holiday gifts for your pup? Victoria Stillwell has some great ideas.

And for the people on your list, what about The Culinary Canine?!

Brotherly Love

One golden retriever, lost for two weeks, leads his owner to find his brother. All are safe and reunited but here's my question: who ties their dogs together with a double leash and leaves them in the yard?

Firefighters Save Pup

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Does your local firehouse have pet oxygen masks? Thanks heavens this Texas one did.

New York Aquariums Soaked

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Two aquariums (one in New York and one in New Jersey) are swamped because of Superstorm Sandy. Mitik, the baby walrus who recently arrived at the Coney Island aquarium, got hands-on tender loving care during the storm from dedicated handlers. The aquariums are being pumped out with help from generators but if efforts to get the tanks up and running are not successful and speedy, the animals in both aquariums will be relocated. The aquariums did not lose any animals in the violent storm, said Steve Feldman, spokesman for the Maryland-based Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
“They’re definitely going to have to get some of their permanent systems back up and running,” Feldman said. “Their basin is built to allow the ocean to pass through it, and that’s exactly what happened, but it left behind a significant amount of sand and affected their systems.”

Pet Costumes Are Big Business

Can you say laughing all the way to the bank?

Tiger Power

We know it's Hurricane Sandy but we also know that the orange and black Giants won the World Series in 4 straight games. So in their honor, here are two adorable tiger cubs meeting for the first time at the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Washington where they are being hand reared in an effort to save these tigers from in extinction.

Now you can go back to bailing out your basement.

Giant Pumpkin Regatta

I know it is not technically an animal, but there is something so appealing to me about giant pumpkins in general and these in a regatta, well it just tickles me.

Hope it tickles you too.

Bedside Manners

Such devotion. This husky, Zander, broke out of his yard and walked 2 miles to visit his owner in the hospital. Quite a feat considering he had to cross 2 busy highways.

Once you save a dog's life, they never, ever forget it.

See more, here.

Dumped Puppies

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Inhumane and unbelievable that someone would just abandon these dogs by the side of the road...The new laws against puppy mills (backyard breeders) are having some unanticipated consequences across the country.

Clearly the owner/breeder of these dogs was afraid of the consequences of being caught and dumped the evidence. Amazing.

Thank heavens for our Humane Associations. I hope these guys find new homes.

Is Yawning Contagious?

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Conduct your own experiment. Does your dog yawn when you do?

Kennel No. 5

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Have you seen Brad Pitt in the new Chanel No. 5 ad? It features a scruffy Pitt rambling almost incoherently. We think the spoof for Kennel No. 5 is far more appealing.

Look What's New at the Philadelphia Zoo

Yeah Philadelphia!!! Check out our new zoo system of trails that permit animals in the nation's first zoo to travel from exhibit to exhibit.

Animal Kingdom In Breeders' Cup Turf

Animal Kingdom has been working his way back to the track and will return in high style on November 3 when he runs in the $2 million Breeder's Cup Mile. Here is his workout October 10 at Fairhill.

He has since been relocated to Keeneland to give him a work in a more "serious" setting and then he will be off for Santa Anita.

I think he looks fabulous.

Tumbling Bulldog

A tumbling bulldog? Believe it when you see it!

This adorable bulldog loves the backyard trampoline and has even perfected a somersault!

Vets Television Show

This is a teaser for a new television show modeled after The Doctors, in which a panel of experts, in this case, veterinarians, answer questions and explore topics of interest to pet owners.

I think it has potential. What do you think?

Chaos and Pups

Our friends at explore.org posted this montage of the birth of 8 beautiful great dane puppies by service dog, Chaos. These pups will be raised as service dogs for people with Parkinsons. The Service Dog Project is responsible for these amazing animals.

Poached Pup Returned

Who would steal a nursing pup? Someone who apparently thought twice about it and returned Mango to the Kent Island, MD shelter where he was reunited with his family. Looks like they have some pretty cute pups up for adoption there, if you're in the market.

Twiglet at 46!

This is Twiglet, believed to be Britain's oldest Shetland pony, at 46 years young! Twiglet lives on the beautiful grounds of Forde Abbey in Somerset, England. Originally the pony was confined to the grounds of his stable area but recently he was given grazing rights to the entire property.

Before the switch, Twiglet's health was declining and he dropped a lot of weight. Since his freedom, he has regained the weight and has become a tourist attraction in his own right!

You can see a slide show of the adorable pony here.

Clearly his wandering ways agree with him and we hope he continues to enjoy good health.

Uggie's New Book

Uggie shares all!

Paynter Continues to Defy the Odds

For those who have been concerned about Paynter, the winner of the Haskell who underwent surgery at New Bolton Center on October 3, it has been nothing short of a miraculous recovery! The plan is for him to leave New Bolton today or tomorrow for Fair Hill Equine Therapy Center to rehab for a few weeks and then ship to Kentucky where he will be based at WinStar Farm in Lexington.

This horse has overcome such odds: first colitis, then laminitis and then surgery to remove an infected abscess on his colon. It seems he has an amazing strong heart coupled with the drive to live and heal.

Paynter's owners, the Zayat family, have been incredibly forthcoming with fans, keeping them abreast through twitter, every step of the way.

"He's an absolute miracle, he has defied all odds," Ahmed Zayat said. "It has been unbelievable peaks and valleys with him. He has won all his battles; he's so resilient, this is a horse I'd like to model my life on, the motto that one can never give up.

"Now I understand when they talk about Thoroughbreds having the heart, courage, and determination to never, ever give up or lose—he defines that," Zayat said. "I'm so genuinely happy he continues to recovery. This has been going on for us for a long time, monitoring the situation on almost an hourly basis."

The first objective is to get the colt well and then perhaps let him return to the track.

"It is my wish and desire from God that he would be healthy enough to go back and race," the owner continued. "I'm so happy he's alive and well, the vets and specialists see absolutely no reason why he shouldn't be back doing what he loves. But I want to let the horse tell me he wants to go back to the track.

"Right now our first objective is to get him back to a familiar surrounding. We're putting him on a special diet to help him gain back weight, and our goal is to make him happy and comfortable, continue to monitor him, and be very attentive to his needs. He'll tell us when he's ready to go back in training. I'm not going to push him; we'll take it day by day."

What a remarkable story so far!!!

Teddy Bear For President

Teddy Bear, the porcupine is officially running for president. And if you think his opinions sound a bit like gibberish, well, I'd say he fits right in!

Listen carefully. I do think he says he's going to "Cut" the Federal budget and redistribute corn. But the rest of his opinions, well they're up to you!

Cats vs. Dogs

For all you kitty fans out there....although we beg to differ.

Hakuna Matata When You are Eye to Eye with a Cheetah

Talk about hakuna matata--that's what the safari guide told her group when a cheetah jumped on the top of their vehicle and it was up close and personal for 45 minutes!

What an amazing adventure!

Clever Cat

Who let the dogs in? Watch this cat closely!

Mother and Dog Reunion

Another amazing story about a reunion with a pet missing for three years. A microchip made all the difference.

Dog Assists Owner with Alzheimers

This is an amazing story about a dog named Sam who has helped his owner, Rick Phelps, more in three weeks than his doctors have helped him in two years. Rick, you see, has early onset Alzheimers and Sam has made it possible for him to function, at home, with his family.

"This dog has changed everything," he said. "It's a psychological thing, I know it is. He hasn't cured me of this disease, but it just works."

Sam has helped Rick overcome his fear of literally leaving his house. The two go to Walmart, on vacation and to speaking engagements around the country, where Phelps has become an advocate for canine companions and dementia awareness.

It's a remarkable and heartwarming story and you can read the rest here.

Meet Jack, a blind labrador who recently won the title of Judge's Favorite in a British water sports competition. Jack suffers from progressive retinal atrophy, a common genetic disease, that robbed him of his sight when he was six. He is now ten.

According to his loving owner, Margaret Simpson, who adopted Jack when he had already lost his sight, nothing seems to get in Jack's way.

"When we got him, he was losing his sight and we taught him how to stop, look left and right, and when we were out walking, wherever there was water, he could sense it," Simpson, a native of Coventry, England, told the Daily Mail. "Then he started going into ponds and canals using only his smell, putting his head underwater and bringing back big rocks."

Monkey See Monkey Do

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Talk about Monkey See, Monkey Do. Now Monkey needs help to quit.

Amazing Putt

Bear with me here--there is an animal connection but it is brief.

First, watch Michael Phelps sink a 50 yard putt. Then watch it again because it is amazing.

Then learn the Olympic great was playing golf at the Dunhill Links Championship pro-am yesterday in Scotland.

And here's the animal part: Phelps was playing with Paul Casey, whose ball got scooped up by a stray dog on another hole.

There is a new patient at New Bolton Center these days. Paynter, the winner of the Haskell was shipped there earlier this week with reoccurring fevers ever since his Haskell win at the end of August. He had been hospitalized in upstate New York where he was diagnosed with both colitis and laminitis, and managed to overcome both.

Despite this recovery, the horse still experienced fevers and the Zayats, devoted owners of Paynter, decided to ship him to New Bolton Center for examination by specialists. On Wednesday of this week, Paynter underwent abdominal surgery and doctors removed an 15 inch external growth from his intestines, clearly the source of his fevers.

According to Bloodhorse, Zayat said the growth was "full of pus and bacteria--really nasty stuff."

"Thank God nothing went wrong," Zayat remarked. "Things went exactly as Dr. Southwood expected; she said it was easy for her to remove the growth, and there were no problems with his breathing or the anesthesia during the surgery or coming out of it."

As of today, all reports are good and Paynter is up and around, eating and hopefully on his way to a full recovery.

What an amazing horse!

Leo the Seizure Dog

Another remarkable story about the power of pets to help heal and give comfort.

Wait For Me!!!!

Why did the baby elephant cross the road? To catch up with his parents!

Sweet Dreams

Sometimes an alpaca's gotta do, what an alpaca's gotta do--take a nap!

Two Legged Pup Finds a Home

I once had a pup who was a "swimmer." Her legs went the wrong way when she tried to walk and she just plopped on her belly. I taught her to walk, patterning her on burlap so she could grip and she went on to live a long and happy life walking perfectly, albeit a little crooked.

I'm not sure this pup will ever be able to walk but perhaps with a cart for his front legs he will be able to get around. It doesn't seem to matter to the angel who adopted him.

Splish Splash Walrus Style

The adorable orphaned male walrus calf from Barrow, Alaska has settled in nicely to his new quarters at the Alaska SeaLife Center. No word on a name but he does seem to be very happy!

Truce, Rabbit Style

For those who have faithfully followed all my rabbit escapades, I offer this wonderful photo, with the thought, "If only..."

Horse Meat on Menu in New York

There is a cafe in Long Island City, Queens (New York) the M. Wells Dinette at MoMA PS I, that according to The Persian Horse's Blog, is selling horse meat.

From the blog:

Aidan O’Neal, a manager of the restuarant, said he and chef Hugue Dufour discussed importing Canadian horsemeat and think New Yorkers are ready to try a new taste.

“New York is a great city for that,” he said.

“I think New York diners are very open to eating other things.”

According to the blog, it is legal to offer horse meat in New York restaurants.

As you might expect, the blog also offers ways to protest and to get the links to click through you have to visit the blog.

I hope you do.

Chesty Gets a Promotion

Perhaps you heard how the Marine Corps' mascot, Chesty, got into a bit of an altercation with a golden retriever belonging to a superior officer, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta. Despite the altercation, Chesty still earned his stripes!

Dunder, age 2

I love this time-lapse series of Dunder the German Shepherd as he grows from age 1 to age 2. He may not change much in size and stature but he does demonstrate that even at 2, dogs are still big puppies!

Music Maestro!

Too funny! We've seen dogs tickle the ivories and some sing along while others play, but this little guy is the complete package! A howling good time!

Who Rules This Roost?

Who's making all that noise? The barking watch-bird that's who!

Wallace

Wallace, a Pit Bull is the subject of this video as well as a new book by Jim Gorant, author of The Lost Dogs, about Michael Vick's rescued pit bulls. Wallace was rescued as a pup by Roo and Clara Yori, who also adopted one of Vick's former dogs, named Hector.

“This dog had a number of things going against him — from prejudice against his breed to an unstable background — and he goes from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs," Gorant says. "It's a classic narrative journey from rags to riches."

A friend introduced Roo, Wallace's owner to the sport of canine disc, and it turns out that Wallace makes a pretty amazing disc champion. Pretty unusual for a pit bull--which is the point.

The new book is called Wallace and it proves for its author, a Sports Illustrated editor, that once you start writing about the canine world, it is hard not to fall in love with the stories that come your way!

Real Life Homeward Bound

KPTV - FOX 12

An unbelievable story with a very happy ending. A family dog, missing for 3 years, turns up 800 miles away from where she went missing. All is well and the dogs seems very happy to be reunited with her family. As for where she was? We'll never know.

Vandals Hurt Chicago Police Horses

A terribly sad situation in Chicago where the police horse stables were vandalized earlier in the week and the horses let loose to roam in the arena. One horse was sprayed with a fire extinguisher in the face.

I know Mayor Emmanuel has his hands full with discontent teachers, but these horses need security and the perpetrator needs to be caught and punished.

Tetherball for Dogs

How do you make bull dogs mobile? Apparently, give them a good game of tetherball!

The Big Box

Can't you just see the wheels turning in this cat 's head? How can I get into that box and then how will I get out? Watch and learn!

Black Swan Feeds Fish

Whatever it may be--swan getting its bill tickled or stretching its neck--it sure looks like it is feeding the fish and the fish are eating it up!

Elephant Art

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Talk about painting for numbers--these elephant drawn creations are fetching $2000 each! Created by an elephant in a Prague Zoo, proceeds from these abstract works are going to the Pinnawalla Orphanage, an elephant sanctuary in Sri Lanka.

Talk About Bodyguards!

Meet her bodyguards and you'll see why no one messes with Pancake the kitten!

World's Tallest Horse

And while we are on the topic, meet Jake, the World's Tallest Horse. He stands 6"10" tall, though truthfully, all the draft horses in this video look just as huge!

World's Tallest Dog

Meet Zeus, the World's Tallest Dog at 44" and 155 lbs. It's a good thing he is a gentle giant because he would otherwise be quite a handful to walk!

Surfing Safari

Our friends at BarkPark.net recently attended the Surf Dog Surf-A-Thon in Del Mar and these are some shots of the fun!
Looks like a good time was had by all!

9/11 Tribute a Day Late

Something went awry with the lineup at Blogger.com yesterday and this is the video you were supposed to see. Sorry for the glitch.

Warning--get out the tissues.

Mother and Child Reunion

Amazing footage from the HSUS of a mother raccoon coming back for her babies after two days of being separated. A homeowner called Animal Control (which contacted HSUS) when a raccoon was found with two babies in their basement. A day later, HSUS found two more babies and set up a reunion box for the mom to come and claim them.

Amazingly she did. Now if only mother rabbits would do the same thing, I would not have to try and foster wild rabbits, which is rarely successful.

Mother and Dog Reunion

Another amazing story of a reunion with a pet missing for three years. A microchip made all the difference.

Queen's Corgi Dies

Remember this great scene from this summer's Opening Ceremony at the Olympics? Well one of the Corgis in the video, Monty, who originally belonged to the Queen Mother, has passed away. No word on his age--we can imagine he was well up there if he belonged to the Queen Mother--but he certainly has left quite a legacy!

RIP Monty. So glad you got to steal the show from James Bond!

One Good Pet Deserves Another

Direct from the source(s). Got a pet? Get another!

Dolphins in the Wild

The Blue from Mark Peters on Vimeo.

This is totally cool. A fisherman put a camera underwater behind his boat to literally watch the fish bite. Instead he "caught" a school of dolphins on film. This is amazingly wonderful!

Make Way for Ducklings

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Hold your breath as you watch this mama duck navigate the Toronto freeway with her brood in tow. The wind from the cars actually blows the pack apart as they cross. Very heroic, but truly, what was she thinking?

Horse Visits Terminally Ill Friend in Hospital

This is a bittersweet image of a dying man being granted one of his last wishes--to see his friend, Ben, a horse he worked with.

Thomas Thorpe of Chesterfield, England, passed away from a brain tumor at the end of June at Clay Cross Hospital in England.

Before he died, the staff arranged for Ben to pay him a visit.

I am sure lots of hoops had to be jumped through in order to make this happen, but it was so worth it to everyone who knew Thorpe.

"He loved those horses so much. He was always out wanting to spend time with them. He loved being on the market, with Ben and the other horse Sam," said Donna Clark, the wife of Mr. Thorpe's nephew, and the owner of both horses.

"We are going to miss him terribly, but we are just relieved that he is no longer suffering," she said.

Maru the Cat and UniQlo

My kids introduced me to UniQlo, a fabulous retail store that truly does have clothes for all at very good prices. Rumor has it that a branch may be opening up in Philadelphia; the nearest one is in New York.

In the meantime, they are opening a new store in San Francisco and Maru the cat (you may recognize him from the Fresh Step commercials) is helping them launch.

HSUS Poaching Decoys

The other night while I was watching television in the family room, an entire family of deer walked down our cul-de-sac and into our neighbor's driveway, visible through the fence from our family room. In spite of the deer ticks I know they harbor, they were adorable and grazed very contentedly in my neighbor's back yard. By the way, the neighbors were out of town.

I couldn't help but think about that cute deer family--mom and two babies--when I came across the HSUS video about their efforts to catch poachers in the act. Good for them.

Run Rabbit Run

I just love this rabbit! Now if only the ones who insist on nesting in the middle of my backyard could learn up to herd my dogs, things would work out better for them!

Ice Cream Man!!!

I hear in England they have an ice cream truck just for dogs! On the other hand, human vanilla works just fine!

Henri, le Chat

I am not usually a cat fan but when the Walker Art Center hosts an Internet Cat Film Festival and declares this the best Cat Video on the Internet, who am I to disagree?

It really has it all: humor, pathos, and a certain irony (ennui, perhaps?) that is so very French, and so very catlike. Quatre paws up!

Animals Make Their Marks for Conservation

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Animals in Australia make their marks to raise awareness for an elephant conservation project in Thailand. A great way to put their stamps on the project!

Lab Swims with Dolphins

A must-see video.

This is Kira, a black lab who has been dubbed a dolphin spotter. She is swimming off the coast of Mozambique in Africa with lots of her best friends, dolphins.

True bliss.

Great Dog Tricks!

Hire that dog. I need him to clean up after mine!

Bunny Brunch

And this is why I could NEVER plant watermelons! (or anything else for that matter)

Mutt Romney Blues

What can I say? The story will never die and the beat truly goes on and on and on...

National Dog Day

Today is National Dog Day but every day seems to bear that title on You Tube where there are over 2 million dog videos. Who is the mot popular? Mishka, above, a Husky with a penchant for copying human speech has amassed over 300 million video views.

Impressive.

Fostering a Baby Walrus

I have an incredible soft spot for seals and walruses and this one, who is being fostered by the Alaska SeaLife Center, has stolen my heart. Walruses. apparently, are incredibly social animals and spend about two years with their mothers. Watch and see how Alaska SeaLife staff members are stepping in to fill that role.

America's Got Talent

Did you catch this act on America's Got Talent? Pretty funny.

Newest Therapist at Magee Rehab Has a Tail

The newest member of the physical therapy team at Magee Rehab Hospital in Philadelphia is Ford, a golden retriever who helps patients with therapy.

Clean Up, Doggie Style

I saw this on television last night and actually laughed out loud. My three have been known to reek the havoc seen above, but have yet to cover their tracks!

Cornelia Guest

Did you catch the wonderful profile of Cornelia Guest, who graces the pages of The Culinary Canine, in Sunday's New York Times? The writer visits Cornelia in her family home, Templeton, which is where we did the photo shoot for the book.

Cornelia is about as genuine as they come and is the real deal when it comes to loving animals. The story mentions some new additions to her menagerie: a giant tortoise and the wonderful dog in the photograph which must be the Newfoundland mentioned in the piece. Madonna, the donkey, sounds like she is still well-fed!

The portrait of her father, in the above photo, which must now hang in her Manhattan office, was hanging at the bottom of the stairs when we visited. It is quite imposing. By the way, one of her most beloved dogs is named Winston after her father.

Now about that yard sale she promises...I just might have to make the trip!