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.