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Tag: dogs

  • ThunderShirts, dance parties and anxiety meds can help ease dogs’ July Fourth dread

    ThunderShirts, dance parties and anxiety meds can help ease dogs’ July Fourth dread

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    PHOENIX — On the Friday before the Fourth of July, more than a dozen dog owners waited in triple-digit temperatures in south Phoenix to get into a microchipping event inside a shelter.

    It didn’t hurt that Maricopa County was offering a discount. But, several were there because they knew having a microchip with their contact information implanted in their pups would increase the likelihood of their pet being returned if the worst happens on Independence Day.

    “Ava’s a scaredy-cat of any loud noises,” said Rori Chang, who was there with her golden retriever. “Her immediate reaction is to hide in corners and after that, she will literally paw at you wanting you to pet her the whole time.”

    Most of the U.S. may be looking forward to Tuesday for dazzling displays of fireworks or setting off firecrackers and poppers with their neighbors. Those with furry, four-legged family members — maybe not so much. They’re searching for solutions to the Fourth of July anxiety that fireworks bring.

    Their behavior can range from cowering in corners to running away from home. Trying to figure out what will soothe a dog can practically feel like an annual tradition in itself.

    Without fail, Dr. Kelley DeGroff, a veterinarian in Phoenix, gets requests for anxiety medication from some pet owners starting two weeks before July 4. This past week, there have been two to three requests daily.

    “I think it has to do with certain breeds. Obviously, hunting dogs are bred for that purpose and they don’t typically have any issues with it. But a lot of other dogs, it seems to trigger a fight-or-flight response in them,” DeGroff said.

    DeGroff prescribes either a gum gel that helps with noise phobia or anxiety pills. She is expecting numerous requests for meds as late as Monday. But dog owners shouldn’t be asking so close to the holiday. A week before is best.

    “That way, when they give you medication you can do a trial dose beforehand so that you know what to expect and you know it’s going to do what you want it to do,” DeGroff said.

    If you don’t have time to obtain veterinarian assistance, she suggests calming supplements or a ThunderShirt, a wrap that is supposed to feel like a gentle hug for the dog.

    Doggy day cares are also trying to offer more resources. The franchise owners of several Phoenix-area locations of Dogtopia, a nationwide company, have brought in two to three additional staff over the past couple years, according to marketing manager David Duran.

    On Tuesday, they will be extending pickup hours until 11 p.m. if pet parents want to enjoy festivities a little longer. Even though the playrooms are mostly soundproof, employees will be having “dance parties” and blasting music to help block out the sound of fireworks.

    One fireworks seller in Butte, Montana, has found a way to be part of the solution.

    Bille Jo Gonzales is now in her fourth year of selling CBD dog treats at Gonzo’s Fire of Mines fireworks in Butte, Montana. She saw the treats made by local baker Heidi Johnson on Facebook and reached out.

    “It helps my business because my business is actually creating the problem,” Gonzales said.

    It’s a win-win situation that she thinks more fireworks vendors should consider.

    “I’d say it’s increased our business and it’s great for advertising,” Gonzales said.

    Unfortunately, dogs inevitably go missing nationwide every July Fourth. That’s where shelters come in, picking up more strays than usual in the days following.

    Maricopa County’s two shelters are already currently over capacity with more than 800 dogs, so they will be hard-pressed to receive any more during the holiday. Not as many dogs were brought there on July Fourth during the coronavirus pandemic because fireworks shows were fewer, said Kim Powell, spokesperson for Maricopa County Animal Care and Control. But with most local fireworks productions back on, county shelters are expecting the number of dogs arriving to jump by 30%-60%.

    “This is something that the shelter world dreads all year long,” Powell said. “We started talking about planning ahead of this back in March.”

    Those conversations are what led to the county’s microchipping event. If you don’t have time to get your pet microchipped, then at least write your contact information on their collar, Powell advises. Also, even if your property is enclosed, keep your dog on a leash.

    “When they get spooked, they’re not thinking rationally so it’s best to just be with them, keep an eye on them,” Powell said.

    Seattle resident James Pelletier is taking his own initiative to ensure nothing happens to his 6-year-old Papillon Chihuahua mix, Lilly. Pelletier is taking an inside-the-box approach and turning his home’s basement apartment into a “soundproof bunker.”

    “I’m just going to hang some blankets over the door and then foam-insulate the small window and then put a little stereo in there and just play music that I probably can’t stand for however many hours and/or days,” Pelletier said, chuckling.

    For him, sanctioned fireworks shows aren’t as big of a problem as residents who incessantly set off illegal fireworks or firecrackers.

    “Hopefully, people will use common sense with this stuff,” Pelletier said.

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  • 22 Of The Funniest Tweets About Cats And Dogs This Week

    22 Of The Funniest Tweets About Cats And Dogs This Week

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    Woof — it’s been a long week.

    If you feel like you’ve been working like a dog, let us offer you the internet equivalent of a big pile of catnip: hilarious tweets about pets.

    Each week at HuffPost, we scour Twitter to find the funniest posts about our furballs being complete goofballs. They’re sure to make you howl.

    (And if you want more, no need to beg ― you can check out last week’s batch right here.)

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  • Colombian military searches for heroic dog who helped find children in the Amazon jungle

    Colombian military searches for heroic dog who helped find children in the Amazon jungle

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    BOGOTA, Colombia — With his powerful snout and his pointy ears, Wilson became a national hero in Colombia when he helped the military find four Indigenous children who survived a plane crash and were lost in the Amazon jungle for 40 days.

    Pawprints from the military-trained search dog led trackers to the children earlier this month. But the Belgian Shepherd went missing during the search and is now himself the target of a sophisticated rescue operation that started soon after the four young survivors where flown on a helicopter to Bogota.

    The Colombian military says it has left 70 soldiers in the dense swath of jungle around the crash site to look for its beloved search dog. And commanders have vowed not to leave the remote area until soldiers return home with the star pup.

    It’s been a month since Wilson got lost in the rainforest, and its hard to know if the two-year-old dog is still alive. But the sniffer dog’s rescue would lift the spirits of many Colombians, and add a heartwarming exclamation point to a survival story that already has captivated the world.

    “For us it was an honor that our canine helped to find those children” said Sgt. Luis Fernando Seña, the commander of the canine school where Wilson was trained for 14 months in Bogota.

    “It would be great news for the country, and for our children if he can be found,” Seña said.

    Wilson graduated from the canine academy in February, and was taken to the Tolemaida air force base, where he joined Colombia’s special forces. Wilson and four more sniffer dogs, were taken to the rainforest in May, to find the single engine Cessna plane that had crashed into the rainforest, carrying the four children and three adults who later were found dead.

    When the small plane was found, and the search party realized that the children could still be alive, Wilson’s handler gave him some clothes to sniff, to track down the kids.

    The sniffer dog got separated form the search party on May 18, after he sped off into the forest following a scent. Ten days later, the military found footprints of the children next to his pawprints. Those clues helped them to get closer to the area where the children were found on June 9, said Gen. Pedro Sanchez, who led the rescue effort.

    “The children spoke to us, and confirmed that the dog was with them for two or three days” Sanchez, told Colombia’s W radio.

    The children are still recovering in hospital and have not spoken to the press. But recently, 13 year-old Lesly Mucutuy, who is the oldest child in the group, drew a picture of the rainforest that included a black and coffee colored dog, which looks like Wilson.

    Last week, Colombia’s military said that it helipcoptered two female dogs in heat to the area around the crash site, in the hopes of luring Wilson towards the search party. Food has also been placed for the dog at several points around the crash site as well as clothes belonging to his handler, hoping that their scent can guide Wilson back to safety.

    Meanwhile, Wilson’s name has become a popular hashtag on social media sites, with his fans posting messages that urge the military to continue the search. The dog’s story has led national news shows. A spiritual coach who claims she can speak with animals, recently posted a viral video on TikTok, where she urges her followers to thank Wilson for the job he did, and “send light” to the dog, so that he can find his way home —- if that is what his soul desires.

    At the canine academy in Bogota, Wilson’s comrades said that the dog is highly trained, and accustomed to overcoming physical obstacles. But ultimately it will have to rely on its instincts to survive.

    “He is very energetic, and always stood out because of his strength, his energy and his strong temperament” said Elvis Porras, a trainer who helped to raise Wilson, and worked with the dog until he graduated from the academy earlier this year.

    “He is a distant relative of wolves, so I hope his instinct to hunt will help him to survive.”

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  • Cruising to Nome: The first U.S. deep water port for the Arctic to host cruise ships, military

    Cruising to Nome: The first U.S. deep water port for the Arctic to host cruise ships, military

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    ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The cruise ship with about 1,000 passengers anchored off Nome, too big to squeeze into into the tundra city’s tiny port. Its well-heeled tourists had to shimmy into small boats for another ride to shore.

    It was 2016, and at the time, the cruise ship Serenity was the largest vessel ever to sail through the Northwest Passage.

    But as the Arctic sea ice relents under the pressures of global warming and opens shipping lanes across the top of the world, more tourists are venturing to Nome — a northwest Alaska destination known better for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and its 1898 gold rush than luxury travel.

    The problem remains: There’s no place to park the big boats. While smaller cruise ships are able to dock, officials say that of the dozen arriving this year, half will anchor offshore.

    That’s expected to change as a $600 million-plus expansion makes Nome, population 3,500, the nation’s first deep-water Arctic port. The expansion, expected to be operational by the end of the decade, will accommodate not just larger cruise ships of up to 4,000 passengers, but cargo ships to deliver additional goods for the 60 Alaska Native villages in the region, and military vessels to counter the presence of Russian and Chinese ships in the Arctic.

    It’s a prospect that excites business owners and officials in Nome, but concerns others who worry about the impact of additional tourists and vessel traffic on the environment and animals Alaska Natives depend on for subsistence.

    The expansion will “support our local economy and the local artists here, the Indigenous artists having access to the visitors and teaching and sharing our culture and our language and how we how we make our beautiful art,” said Alice Bioff, an Inupiaq resident of Nome.

    Bioff was a tour guide who greeted the Serenity’s passengers when they arrived in 2016. One of the guests admired her cloth kuspuk, a traditional Alaska Native garment similar to a smock, and wanted to know if it was water resistant.

    It wasn’t, but the interaction inspired Bioff to create her own line of waterproof jackets styled like kuspuks. She now sells to tourists and locals alike from her own Naataq Gear gift store, a retail spot in the post office building, where about 20 Alaska Native artists offer ivory carvings, beadwork or paintings through consignment.

    Studies show that cruise ship passengers typically spend about $100 per day in Nome, city manager Glenn Steckman said.

    With the expansion, he’s hoping guests on larger cruise ships will extend their stays to experience more of Nome and the tundra, to view wild musk ox, or to sip a drink at the 123-year-old Board of Trade Saloon.

    Climate change is making this all possible.

    Nome, founded after gold was discovered in 1898, has seen six of its 10 warmest winters on record just in this century. The Bering Strait shipping lanes have gotten only busier since 2009, going from 262 transits that year to 509 in 2022.

    “We’re going to be the first deep-draft Arctic port but probably not going to be the last,” Nome Mayor John Handeland said.

    The Bering Sea ice on average reaches Nome in late November or December, about two or three weeks later than it did 50 years ago, said Rick Thoman, a climate specialist at the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

    In 2019, mushers in the Iditarod, who normally drive their dog teams on the Bering Sea ice to the finish line in Nome, were forced onto the beach because of open water. The ice season will only get shorter, Thoman said.

    The existing port causeway was completed in the mid-1980s. The expansion will be completed in three phases and effectively double its size. The first part of the project is funded by $250 million in federal infrastructure money with another $175 million from the Alaska Legislature. Field work is expected to begin next year.

    Currently three ships can dock at once; the expanded dock will accommodate seven to 10.

    Workers will dredge a new basin 40 feet (12.2 meters) deep, allowing large cruises ships, cargo vessels, and every U.S. military ship except aircraft carriers to dock, Port Director Joy Baker said.

    U.S. Rep. Dan Sullivan, an Alaska Republican, said the expanded port will become the centerpiece of U.S. strategic infrastructure in the Arctic. The military is building up resources in Alaska, placing fighter jets at bases in Anchorage and Fairbanks, establishing a new Army airborne division in Alaska, training soldiers for future cold-weather conflicts and has missile defense capabilities.

    “The way you have a presence in the Arctic is to be able to have military assets and the infrastructure that supports those assets,” Sullivan said.

    The northern seas near Alaska are getting more crowded. A U.S. Coast Guard patrol board encountered seven Chinese and Russian naval vessels cooperating in an exercise last year about 86 miles (138 kilometers) north of Alaska’s Kiska Island.

    Coast guard vessels in 2021 also encountered Chinese ships 50 miles (80 km) off Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.

    NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg last yea r warned that Russia and China have pledged to cooperate in the Arctic, “a deepening strategic partnership that challenges our values and interests.”

    Still, the prospect of Nome welcoming more tourists and a greater military presence bothers some residents. Austin Ahmasuk, an Inupiaq native, said the port’s original construction displaced an area traditionally used for subsistence hunting or fishing, and the expansion won’t help.

    “The Port of Nome is development purely for the sake of development,” Ahmasuk said.

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  • Cruising to Nome: The first U.S. deep water port for the Arctic to host cruise ships, military

    Cruising to Nome: The first U.S. deep water port for the Arctic to host cruise ships, military

    [ad_1]

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The cruise ship with about 1,000 passengers anchored off Nome, too big to squeeze into into the tundra city’s tiny port. Its well-heeled tourists had to shimmy into small boats for another ride to shore.

    It was 2016, and at the time, the cruise ship Serenity was the largest vessel ever to sail through the Northwest Passage.

    But as the Arctic sea ice relents under the pressures of global warming and opens shipping lanes across the top of the world, more tourists are venturing to Nome — a northwest Alaska destination known better for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and its 1898 gold rush than luxury travel.

    The problem remains: There’s no place to park the big boats. While smaller cruise ships are able to dock, officials say that of the dozen arriving this year, half will anchor offshore.

    That’s expected to change as a $600 million-plus expansion makes Nome, population 3,500, the nation’s first deep-water Arctic port. The expansion, expected to be operational by the end of the decade, will accommodate not just larger cruise ships of up to 4,000 passengers, but cargo ships to deliver additional goods for the 60 Alaska Native villages in the region, and military vessels to counter the presence of Russian and Chinese ships in the Arctic.

    It’s a prospect that excites business owners and officials in Nome, but concerns others who worry about the impact of additional tourists and vessel traffic on the environment and animals Alaska Natives depend on for subsistence.

    The expansion will “support our local economy and the local artists here, the Indigenous artists having access to the visitors and teaching and sharing our culture and our language and how we how we make our beautiful art,” said Alice Bioff, an Inupiaq resident of Nome.

    Bioff was a tour guide who greeted the Serenity’s passengers when they arrived in 2016. One of the guests admired her cloth kuspuk, a traditional Alaska Native garment similar to a smock, and wanted to know if it was water resistant.

    It wasn’t, but the interaction inspired Bioff to create her own line of waterproof jackets styled like kuspuks. She now sells to tourists and locals alike from her own Naataq Gear gift store, a retail spot in the post office building, where about 20 Alaska Native artists offer ivory carvings, beadwork or paintings through consignment.

    Studies show that cruise ship passengers typically spend about $100 per day in Nome, city manager Glenn Steckman said.

    With the expansion, he’s hoping guests on larger cruise ships will extend their stays to experience more of Nome and the tundra, to view wild musk ox, or to sip a drink at the 123-year-old Board of Trade Saloon.

    Climate change is making this all possible.

    Nome, founded after gold was discovered in 1898, has seen six of its 10 warmest winters on record just in this century. The Bering Strait shipping lanes have gotten only busier since 2009, going from 262 transits that year to 509 in 2022.

    “We’re going to be the first deep-draft Arctic port but probably not going to be the last,” Nome Mayor John Handeland said.

    The Bering Sea ice on average reaches Nome in late November or December, about two or three weeks later than it did 50 years ago, said Rick Thoman, a climate specialist at the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

    In 2019, mushers in the Iditarod, who normally drive their dog teams on the Bering Sea ice to the finish line in Nome, were forced onto the beach because of open water. The ice season will only get shorter, Thoman said.

    The existing port causeway was completed in the mid-1980s. The expansion will be completed in three phases and effectively double its size. The first part of the project is funded by $250 million in federal infrastructure money with another $175 million from the Alaska Legislature. Field work is expected to begin next year.

    Currently three ships can dock at once; the expanded dock will accommodate seven to 10.

    Workers will dredge a new basin 40 feet (12.2 meters) deep, allowing large cruises ships, cargo vessels, and every U.S. military ship except aircraft carriers to dock, Port Director Joy Baker said.

    U.S. Rep. Dan Sullivan, an Alaska Republican, said the expanded port will become the centerpiece of U.S. strategic infrastructure in the Arctic. The military is building up resources in Alaska, placing fighter jets at bases in Anchorage and Fairbanks, establishing a new Army airborne division in Alaska, training soldiers for future cold-weather conflicts and has missile defense capabilities.

    “The way you have a presence in the Arctic is to be able to have military assets and the infrastructure that supports those assets,” Sullivan said.

    The northern seas near Alaska are getting more crowded. A U.S. Coast Guard patrol board encountered seven Chinese and Russian naval vessels cooperating in an exercise last year about 86 miles (138 kilometers) north of Alaska’s Kiska Island.

    Coast guard vessels in 2021 also encountered Chinese ships 50 miles (80 km) off Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.

    NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg last yea r warned that Russia and China have pledged to cooperate in the Arctic, “a deepening strategic partnership that challenges our values and interests.”

    Still, the prospect of Nome welcoming more tourists and a greater military presence bothers some residents. Austin Ahmasuk, an Inupiaq native, said the port’s original construction displaced an area traditionally used for subsistence hunting or fishing, and the expansion won’t help.

    “The Port of Nome is development purely for the sake of development,” Ahmasuk said.

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  • Cruising to Nome: The first U.S. deep water port for the Arctic to host cruise ships, military

    Cruising to Nome: The first U.S. deep water port for the Arctic to host cruise ships, military

    [ad_1]

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The cruise ship with about 1,000 passengers anchored off Nome, too big to squeeze into into the tundra city’s tiny port. Its well-heeled tourists had to shimmy into small boats for another ride to shore.

    It was 2016, and at the time, the cruise ship Serenity was the largest vessel ever to sail through the Northwest Passage.

    But as the Arctic sea ice relents under the pressures of global warming and opens shipping lanes across the top of the world, more tourists are venturing to Nome — a northwest Alaska destination known better for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and its 1898 gold rush than luxury travel.

    The problem remains: There’s no place to park the big boats. While smaller cruise ships are able to dock, officials say that of the dozen arriving this year, half will anchor offshore.

    That’s expected to change as a $600 million-plus expansion makes Nome, population 3,500, the nation’s first deep-water Arctic port. The expansion, expected to be operational by the end of the decade, will accommodate not just larger cruise ships of up to 4,000 passengers, but cargo ships to deliver additional goods for the 60 Alaska Native villages in the region, and military vessels to counter the presence of Russian and Chinese ships in the Arctic.

    It’s a prospect that excites business owners and officials in Nome, but concerns others who worry about the impact of additional tourists and vessel traffic on the environment and animals Alaska Natives depend on for subsistence.

    The expansion will “support our local economy and the local artists here, the Indigenous artists having access to the visitors and teaching and sharing our culture and our language and how we how we make our beautiful art,” said Alice Bioff, an Inupiaq resident of Nome.

    Bioff was a tour guide who greeted the Serenity’s passengers when they arrived in 2016. One of the guests admired her cloth kuspuk, a traditional Alaska Native garment similar to a smock, and wanted to know if it was water resistant.

    It wasn’t, but the interaction inspired Bioff to create her own line of waterproof jackets styled like kuspuks. She now sells to tourists and locals alike from her own Naataq Gear gift store, a retail spot in the post office building, where about 20 Alaska Native artists offer ivory carvings, beadwork or paintings through consignment.

    Studies show that cruise ship passengers typically spend about $100 per day in Nome, city manager Glenn Steckman said.

    With the expansion, he’s hoping guests on larger cruise ships will extend their stays to experience more of Nome and the tundra, to view wild musk ox, or to sip a drink at the 123-year-old Board of Trade Saloon.

    Climate change is making this all possible.

    Nome, founded after gold was discovered in 1898, has seen six of its 10 warmest winters on record just in this century. The Bering Strait shipping lanes have gotten only busier since 2009, going from 262 transits that year to 509 in 2022.

    “We’re going to be the first deep-draft Arctic port but probably not going to be the last,” Nome Mayor John Handeland said.

    The Bering Sea ice on average reaches Nome in late November or December, about two or three weeks later than it did 50 years ago, said Rick Thoman, a climate specialist at the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

    In 2019, mushers in the Iditarod, who normally drive their dog teams on the Bering Sea ice to the finish line in Nome, were forced onto the beach because of open water. The ice season will only get shorter, Thoman said.

    The existing port causeway was completed in the mid-1980s. The expansion will be completed in three phases and effectively double its size. The first part of the project is funded by $250 million in federal infrastructure money with another $175 million from the Alaska Legislature. Field work is expected to begin next year.

    Currently three ships can dock at once; the expanded dock will accommodate seven to 10.

    Workers will dredge a new basin 40 feet (12.2 meters) deep, allowing large cruises ships, cargo vessels, and every U.S. military ship except aircraft carriers to dock, Port Director Joy Baker said.

    U.S. Rep. Dan Sullivan, an Alaska Republican, said the expanded port will become the centerpiece of U.S. strategic infrastructure in the Arctic. The military is building up resources in Alaska, placing fighter jets at bases in Anchorage and Fairbanks, establishing a new Army airborne division in Alaska, training soldiers for future cold-weather conflicts and has missile defense capabilities.

    “The way you have a presence in the Arctic is to be able to have military assets and the infrastructure that supports those assets,” Sullivan said.

    The northern seas near Alaska are getting more crowded. A U.S. Coast Guard patrol board encountered seven Chinese and Russian naval vessels cooperating in an exercise last year about 86 miles (138 kilometers) north of Alaska’s Kiska Island.

    Coast guard vessels in 2021 also encountered Chinese ships 50 miles (80 km) off Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.

    NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg last yea r warned that Russia and China have pledged to cooperate in the Arctic, “a deepening strategic partnership that challenges our values and interests.”

    Still, the prospect of Nome welcoming more tourists and a greater military presence bothers some residents. Austin Ahmasuk, an Inupiaq native, said the port’s original construction displaced an area traditionally used for subsistence hunting or fishing, and the expansion won’t help.

    “The Port of Nome is development purely for the sake of development,” Ahmasuk said.

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  • Cruising to Nome: The first U.S. deep water port for the Arctic to host cruise ships, military

    Cruising to Nome: The first U.S. deep water port for the Arctic to host cruise ships, military

    [ad_1]

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The cruise ship with about 1,000 passengers anchored off Nome, too big to squeeze into into the tundra city’s tiny port. Its well-heeled tourists had to shimmy into small boats for another ride to shore.

    It was 2016, and at the time, the cruise ship Serenity was the largest vessel ever to sail through the Northwest Passage.

    But as the Arctic sea ice relents under the pressures of global warming and opens shipping lanes across the top of the world, more tourists are venturing to Nome — a northwest Alaska destination known better for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and its 1898 gold rush than luxury travel.

    The problem remains: There’s no place to park the big boats. While smaller cruise ships are able to dock, officials say that of the dozen arriving this year, half will anchor offshore.

    That’s expected to change as a $600 million-plus expansion makes Nome, population 3,500, the nation’s first deep-water Arctic port. The expansion, expected to be operational by the end of the decade, will accommodate not just larger cruise ships of up to 4,000 passengers, but cargo ships to deliver additional goods for the 60 Alaska Native villages in the region, and military vessels to counter the presence of Russian and Chinese ships in the Arctic.

    It’s a prospect that excites business owners and officials in Nome, but concerns others who worry about the impact of additional tourists and vessel traffic on the environment and animals Alaska Natives depend on for subsistence.

    The expansion will “support our local economy and the local artists here, the Indigenous artists having access to the visitors and teaching and sharing our culture and our language and how we how we make our beautiful art,” said Alice Bioff, an Inupiaq resident of Nome.

    Bioff was a tour guide who greeted the Serenity’s passengers when they arrived in 2016. One of the guests admired her cloth kuspuk, a traditional Alaska Native garment similar to a smock, and wanted to know if it was water resistant.

    It wasn’t, but the interaction inspired Bioff to create her own line of waterproof jackets styled like kuspuks. She now sells to tourists and locals alike from her own Naataq Gear gift store, a retail spot in the post office building, where about 20 Alaska Native artists offer ivory carvings, beadwork or paintings through consignment.

    Studies show that cruise ship passengers typically spend about $100 per day in Nome, city manager Glenn Steckman said.

    With the expansion, he’s hoping guests on larger cruise ships will extend their stays to experience more of Nome and the tundra, to view wild musk ox, or to sip a drink at the 123-year-old Board of Trade Saloon.

    Climate change is making this all possible.

    Nome, founded after gold was discovered in 1898, has seen six of its 10 warmest winters on record just in this century. The Bering Strait shipping lanes have gotten only busier since 2009, going from 262 transits that year to 509 in 2022.

    “We’re going to be the first deep-draft Arctic port but probably not going to be the last,” Nome Mayor John Handeland said.

    The Bering Sea ice on average reaches Nome in late November or December, about two or three weeks later than it did 50 years ago, said Rick Thoman, a climate specialist at the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

    In 2019, mushers in the Iditarod, who normally drive their dog teams on the Bering Sea ice to the finish line in Nome, were forced onto the beach because of open water. The ice season will only get shorter, Thoman said.

    The existing port causeway was completed in the mid-1980s. The expansion will be completed in three phases and effectively double its size. The first part of the project is funded by $250 million in federal infrastructure money with another $175 million from the Alaska Legislature. Field work is expected to begin next year.

    Currently three ships can dock at once; the expanded dock will accommodate seven to 10.

    Workers will dredge a new basin 40 feet (12.2 meters) deep, allowing large cruises ships, cargo vessels, and every U.S. military ship except aircraft carriers to dock, Port Director Joy Baker said.

    U.S. Rep. Dan Sullivan, an Alaska Republican, said the expanded port will become the centerpiece of U.S. strategic infrastructure in the Arctic. The military is building up resources in Alaska, placing fighter jets at bases in Anchorage and Fairbanks, establishing a new Army airborne division in Alaska, training soldiers for future cold-weather conflicts and has missile defense capabilities.

    “The way you have a presence in the Arctic is to be able to have military assets and the infrastructure that supports those assets,” Sullivan said.

    The northern seas near Alaska are getting more crowded. A U.S. Coast Guard patrol board encountered seven Chinese and Russian naval vessels cooperating in an exercise last year about 86 miles (138 kilometers) north of Alaska’s Kiska Island.

    Coast guard vessels in 2021 also encountered Chinese ships 50 miles (80 km) off Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.

    NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg last yea r warned that Russia and China have pledged to cooperate in the Arctic, “a deepening strategic partnership that challenges our values and interests.”

    Still, the prospect of Nome welcoming more tourists and a greater military presence bothers some residents. Austin Ahmasuk, an Inupiaq native, said the port’s original construction displaced an area traditionally used for subsistence hunting or fishing, and the expansion won’t help.

    “The Port of Nome is development purely for the sake of development,” Ahmasuk said.

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  • Austin Pets Alive! | Heat Safety Tips for Pets

    Austin Pets Alive! | Heat Safety Tips for Pets

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    Jun 12, 2023

    The summer heat has arrived. Let’s make sure we keep our pets safe!

    With most summer days reaching at least 90 degrees in Austin, Texas, Austin Pets Alive! is alerting pet owners to exercise caution on these hot days. Temperatures like these can be very dangerous for pets, especially dogs, leading to dehydration and in some cases, death.

    As we moved into these summer months, be sure to follow these helpful pointers:

    • Check the pavement before going on a walk. Place your hand on it for 10 full seconds. If it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for them. Know the signs – lagging is the number one sign that your dog is too hot.
    • Water, water, water! Make sure your pet has access to plenty of fresh water to drink. And if your pet likes to swim, offering a safe swimming option is an excellent way to keep cool
    • Keep an eye on your pet’s tongue and eyes. Red eyes and a tongue hanging very far out of a dog’s mouth is an indication that they are overheating.
    • Limit afternoon outdoor activity.Take short walks in shaded area or consider early morning or evening strolls.
    • NEVER leave your pet in the car unattended, not een for a short period of time. Did you know that on a 95-degree day, your car’s interior can reach 100+ degrees within 10 minutes?

    There are other summer heat tips that are less commonly heard about but are just as important such as supervising your pet in the pool. To avoid a dangerous situation, consider fencing off or covering your pool for when you aren’t home. Another tip to keep in mind is that when grooming your pet, avoid cutting their hair too short. Their fur helps combat sunburns and regulate body temperature. For these upcoming summer months, pet sunscreen is a great investment – we bet you didn’t know it was a thing!

    Don’t have a pool for your water-loving dog? While Austin has plenty of bodies of water to explore, some may not be appropriate for your dog due to the toxic blue-green algae that has cropped up over the last few years. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the latest information here!

    Dogs most susceptible to heatstroke are overweight dogs, dogs with long fur, short nose dogs, senior dogs, and those who have lung or breathing issues. It’s important to remember that dogs only sweat through their mouth, feet, and ears, which is why they suffer from heat exhaustion faster than humans.  So, even though you may be tolerating the heat, your dog may be suffering.

    To help keep pet safety top of mind at a popular Austin-outdoor fave location, we’ve posted signage around the trail looping Lady Bird Lake.  Be on the lookout for those tips and warnings!

    Austin Pets Alive! wants to keep all pet lovers informed and our furry friends safe from the Texas summer heat! Follow our friendly tips and refer back when needed for a fun, safe summer!

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  • Anna Marie Tendler: “My Mental Health Hinged Wholly on My Dog”

    Anna Marie Tendler: “My Mental Health Hinged Wholly on My Dog”

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    In her essay, Tendler shared many of Petunia’s quirks, like her tendency to obsessively guard items that she considered hers and an animal communicator’s message, after communing with the dog, that “Petunia thinks she is a star and a queen, so I’m not sure she is going to respond to anything about her being left out simply because she’s a dog.” After her hospitalization, Tendler became one of those guarded objects, greedily and jealously protected by the Frenchie that she describes as “a lemon, but she was my lemon.”

    Tendler also detailed the dog’s 200-plus page vet records and many “medical calamities” before describing making the painful decision to put her to sleep. 

    Among them: “Five entries on pneumonia, chronic ear infections, not one, but two nose surgeries due to her face being literally concave, even a run-in with a snapping turtle who leapt into the air to snap her cheek. Until that day, I had no idea turtles leapt. She had degenerative disc disease in her spine. She had a heart murmur. She had permanent scarring on her lungs. She was allergic to almost everything. Her vet bills were exorbitant.”

    But through it all, Tendler describes a companionship that, though now ended, was steadfast. 

    “She was my constant through marriage, four moves, graduate school, a career change (or two), a mental health crisis, a divorce, and finally a reinvention,” Tendler wrote. “Now, she sat in my lap as Dr. Emily and Kate facilitated her peaceful passing.”

    But also, Tendler warns, lest your heart be too warmed by her essay and you consider tracking down a Petunia of your own, “Let this be a disclaimer to any person who is lured to Frenchies by their expressive faces and silly personalities: if you are considering getting one, don’t. They are a breed that persists only through human medical intervention, and ethically, that is not a type of dog that should exist.”

    If you need emotional support or are in crisis, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.

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  • US Postal Service releases national dog bite rankings | CNN

    US Postal Service releases national dog bite rankings | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    California and Texas ranked highest on the United States Postal Service’s annual list of states with the most dog bites against its employees, the USPS announced.

    The report calls attention to the aggressive dog behavior mail carriers often face as the USPS kicks off National Dog Bite Awareness Week.

    In 2022, California had the highest number of dog bites with 675. Texas and New York were not far behind with 404 and 321 bites, respectively, the Postal Service reported.

    “When our mail carriers are bitten, it is usually a ‘good dog’ that had not previously behaved in a menacing way,” USPS Occupational Safety and Health Senior Director Linda DeCarlo said in a news release.

    Houston, Los Angeles and Dallas ranked highest among US cities with the most dog attacks against USPS workers last year, according to the USPS.

    More than 5,300 USPS employees were attacked by dogs during mail deliveries last year, according to the Postal Service.

    The annual public service awareness campaign, accompanied by the hashtag #dogbiteawareness, runs through next week.

    “When letter carriers deliver mail in our communities, dogs that are not secured or leashed can become a nemesis and unpredictable and attack,” Leeann Theriault, USPS employee safety and health awareness manager, said in the release.

    The USPS trains its mail carriers not to startle dogs, to avoid petting or feeding them and to place something between themselves and the animal – like their mail satchel – if a dog does attack, the postal said in a news release.

    Since most people know the general time their mail arrives each day, the USPS advised keeping dogs secure before Postal Service employees stop by.

    Other advice for dog owners, according to the USPS: Place pets on a leash, keep them in the house or behind a fence and make sure they’re away from the door.

    The Postal Service also advises parents to not allow children to take mail directly from mail carriers, as the dog may view it as a threat to the child’s safety.

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  • Defying taboos, Shiite cleric in Iran takes in street dogs and nurses them back to health

    Defying taboos, Shiite cleric in Iran takes in street dogs and nurses them back to health

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    QOM, Iran (AP) — It’s rare these days for a turbaned cleric in Iran to attract a large following of adoring young fans on Instagram, but Sayed Mahdi Tabatabaei has done it by rescuing street dogs in defiance of a local taboo.

    Tabatabaei posts regularly — to his more than 80,000 followers — heartbreaking stories of abused and neglected dogs that he has treated in his shelter. His young fans ask for updates on the rescues and send well wishes in the hundreds of comments he receives on almost every post.

    In some parts of the Muslim world, dogs are considered unclean, driven away with shouting, sticks and stones, and sometimes even shot by city workers in failed attempts to control the feral population.

    Iran’s ruling theocracy views keeping dogs as pets as a sign of Western decadence, and hard-liners have been pushing for laws that would prohibit walking them in public.

    But that hasn’t stopped Tabatabaei from opening a shelter in the city of Qom — home to several major religious schools and shrines — where he takes in street dogs and strays and nurses them back to health. He has become an unlikely advocate for animal rights in a society deeply divided over the role of religion in public life.

    Islam prohibits animal cruelty and promotes feeding those in need. Across the Middle East, people put out food and water for stray cats, often seen safely wandering in and out of public buildings. But in Iran and other countries, dogs are shunned by many and local authorities periodically shoot and poison them.

    Iran’s clerical establishment, which has ruled the country since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, proclaimed dogs to be “unclean” and advocates against keeping them as pets. Many younger Iranians ignore such calls, as they do other religious edicts.

    Tabatabaei, an animal lover who wears the Shiite black turban signifying he is a descendant of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, seeks to bridge the divide.

    “It’s pretty interesting and kind of weird for them to witness a religious figure doing this stuff,” he said. “My videos seem to leave a good impression on people too. They say they feel a wave of kindness, peace, and friendship coming through those videos.”

    It’s gotten him into trouble with fellow clerics. When pictures surfaced of him tending to dogs while wearing his clerical robes, a religious court ordered him to be defrocked in 2021. The ruling was later suspended, but he remains cautious. These days Tabatabaei wears ordinary clothes while tending to the dogs and cleaning their kennels at Bamak Paradise, the shelter he established two years ago.

    “We take in dogs with disabilities that cannot survive in the wild and have a hard time finding adoptive homes,” he said. “Many of them are dogs I’ve personally nursed back to health. They stay here until they fully recover and regain their strength.”

    He relies on donations from animal lovers in Iran and abroad. He says the funds available for such pursuits have dried up in recent years as the United States has ramped up economic sanctions over Iran’s disputed nuclear program. The country’s banking system is almost completely cut off from the outside world, making it extremely difficult to transfer funds.

    Within Iran, the economy has cratered, with the local currency plunging to a record low over the past year. With many Iranians struggling to get by, there is little left over for the cleric’s furry friends.

    “I appeal to Western governments, particularly the U.S. government and others capable of influencing the lifting of sanctions, to consider making exceptions for organizations like ours that engage in humanitarian and peaceful endeavors,” he said.

    “By allowing us to establish bank accounts and verifying our identities, we would be able to receive assistance from individuals and charities outside of Iran without them breaching the sanctions and risking legal complications,” he added.

    He also hopes for change within Iran — specifically, a lifting of the ban on dog-walking in parks.

    “Pet owners must take their dogs and other pets out for walks,” he said. “Sadly, we still don’t have laws to protect animal rights, and there are no regulations in place to prevent animal cruelty.”

    Many Iranians, especially young people, have expressed frustration with clerical rule over the years, in waves of protests and in smaller acts of defiance. During nationwide protests last fall, following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in custody of the country’s morality police, Iranians posted videos online showing young men sneaking up behind clerics and batting their turbans off their heads.

    But despite the recent tensions, Tabatabaei remains a beloved figure for many.

    Zahra Hojabri recently found a puppy dying on the side of the road. The gentle cleric was the first person she thought of to help the tiny canine. “I think he is an angel, more than a human. I can’t put it into words,” she said.

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  • Austin Pets Alive! | APA! Gives Behavior Dogs a Second Lease on Life:…

    Austin Pets Alive! | APA! Gives Behavior Dogs a Second Lease on Life:…

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    Jun 01, 2023

    Large breed, adult dogs have a lot of love to give the right human, but they are often the last to be adopted, placing them at risk for euthanasia. The Dog Behavior Program at Austin Pets Alive!, however, may be their lifeline. The program has successfully supported thousands of large adult dogs in need of grace by providing the precious pets with tools to cope with past traumas as well as the gift of time to heal and learn.

    Hudson is one of them. He entered our care in 2021, coming to us from Dogs Playing for Life. Our team has worked diligently with Hudson to create a path to adoption by learning his personality, how he interacts with other animals as well as humans. Our experienced staff has created a customized “Hudson Plan” that provides the tools that he needs to successfully, safely and happily navigate a full life. This plan, as does Hudson, relies on someone willing to advocate for him and confidently guide him through situations that make him nervous. Given an inch, he’ll go a mile, but ultimately, he’s a rules boy and really appreciates when everyone is following them – always!

    Hearty and fit, Hudson looks like he’s up for adventure, however this pupper is more of a homebody. Simply seeing strangers is triggering for Hudson so going out into public is not a safe-zone for him. We suggest any walks take place in the early morning hours or later evening hours — just anytime foot traffic is lightest! And walks must always take place on leash. Even having “strangers” in his home can be hard for him so our behavior team has identified a safe routine for his future family to host guests and eventually introduce him to new people.

    Sure, he’s got a lot of “don’ts” to follow. On the other hand, Hudson is really into couch snuggles with his very own trusted human, a warm bed and his own yard where he can get exercise and play a great game of fetch. He keeps a tight circle of friends and when you’re in, you’re in! In fact, he has his own dedicated team of people, staff and volunteers, who have pledged to support Hudson and his future family for life. Hudson needs a win. He’s done the hard work to find ways to trust the humans he loves and now deeply needs to find a home that will offer him structure, time and care.

    Once Hudson finds the human(s) and home that will offer him the structure and care he needs, the adopter can guarantee that Hudson comes with a cheerleading section. Not only does APA! offer behavioral support for life, Hudson’s (human) pack of friends — staff and volunteers that have wiggled their way into his heart through trust and consistency, are pledging to be just a phone call away to support their “Huddy” and his family.

    Saving the lives of dogs and cats has always been APA!’s goal. The Dog Behavior Program is one of the programs that has contributed to keeping Austin’s save rate well above 90%. Through focusing on treating the whole dog — mind, body and spirit, paired with seeking out homes appropriate for some of our more challenging dogs and offering tools and support for life, this program has successfully placed hundreds of dogs into loving homes and continues to innovate to give all pets their deserved chance at life.

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  • Austin Pets Alive! | How APA! Gives Behavior Dogs a Second Lease on…

    Austin Pets Alive! | How APA! Gives Behavior Dogs a Second Lease on…

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    Jun 01, 2023

    Large breed, adult dogs have a lot of love to give the right human, but they are often the last to be adopted, placing them at risk for euthanasia. The Dog Behavior Program at Austin Pets Alive!, however, may be their lifeline. The program has successfully supported thousands of large adult dogs in need of grace by providing the precious pets with tools to cope with past traumas as well as the gift of time to heal and learn.

    Hudson is one of them. He entered our care in 2021, coming to us from Dogs Playing for Life. Our team has worked diligently with Hudson to create a path to adoption by learning his personality, how he interacts with other animals as well as humans. Our experienced staff has created a customized “Hudson Plan” that provides the tools that he needs to successfully, safely and happily navigate a full life. This plan, as does Hudson, relies on someone willing to advocate for him and confidently guide him through situations that make him nervous. Given an inch, he’ll go a mile, but ultimately, he’s a rules boy and really appreciates when everyone is following them – always!

    Hearty and fit, Hudson looks like he’s up for adventure, however this pupper is more of a homebody. Simply seeing strangers is triggering for Hudson so going out into public is not a safe-zone for him. We suggest any walks take place in the early morning hours or later evening hours — just anytime foot traffic is lightest! And walks must always take place on leash. Even having “strangers” in his home can be hard for him so our behavior team has identified a safe routine for his future family to host guests and eventually introduce him to new people.

    Sure, he’s got a lot of “don’ts” to follow. On the other hand, Hudson is really into couch snuggles with his very own trusted human, a warm bed and his own yard where he can get exercise and play a great game of fetch. He keeps a tight circle of friends and when you’re in, you’re in! In fact, he has his own dedicated team of people, staff and volunteers, who have pledged to support Hudson and his future family for life. Hudson needs a win. He’s done the hard work to find ways to trust the humans he loves and now deeply needs to find a home that will offer him structure, time and care.

    Once Hudson finds the human(s) and home that will offer him the structure and care he needs, the adopter can guarantee that Hudson comes with a cheerleading section. Not only does APA! offer behavioral support for life, Hudson’s (human) pack of friends — staff and volunteers that have wiggled their way into his heart through trust and consistency, are pledging to be just a phone call away to support their “Huddy” and his family.

    Saving the lives of dogs and cats has always been APA!’s goal. The Dog Behavior Program is one of the programs that has contributed to keeping Austin’s save rate well above 90%. Through focusing on treating the whole dog — mind, body and spirit, paired with seeking out homes appropriate for some of our more challenging dogs and offering tools and support for life, this program has successfully placed hundreds of dogs into loving homes and continues to innovate to give all pets their deserved chance at life.

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  • Unbelievable facts

    Unbelievable facts

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  • Austin Pets Alive! | Capturing Memories and Saving Lives

    Austin Pets Alive! | Capturing Memories and Saving Lives

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    May 20, 2023

    It’s said a picture is worth a thousand words. But a photo also has the ability to freeze time and capture a priceless memory to hold forever. This May, APA! is partnering with the nationally acclaimed Jennifer Lindberg Studio to provide a beautiful photo of your pet that will also help support the long stay dogs of APA!.

    All participants will receive a complimentary photo session by a talented portrait artist and a gift certificate to apply toward their portrait purchase, a total value of $850. Each participant will have one of their portraits published in a special coffee table book dedicated to the long stay dogs of APA!. A non-refundable reservation fee of $100 goes to APA! when the session is booked. More information and how to book your session can be found here.

    This year’s goal is to raise $15,000 all in the name of the long stay dogs of APA!. Long-time volunteer, Jess Borda, reflects that these “incredibly special dogs need a little extra care — extra patience time or training to get ready for adoption” which is why their stay at the shelter may be 60+ days. “The fact that Jennifer is helping to showcase these special creatures means the world.”

    Supporting nonprofits like this is rooted in Lindberg’s personal philosophy. She began her career with the goal of making a difference in the world by using her talents to help those in need. Lindberg says the organizations their fundraisers benefit are selected based on referrals from the clients who have used her services. “I learned about all of these nonprofits through our clients. We invite our clients to share their favorite nonprofits… (the ones) that positively impact their lives.”

    We’re grateful that APA! has impacted so many human lives and equally grateful that businesses like Jennifer Lindberg Studio created special opportunities to support APA!, making a positive impact on the lives of pets while they await their adoptive homes.

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  • Government says dogs can dine al fresco but not everyone is on board

    Government says dogs can dine al fresco but not everyone is on board

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    Just in time for the summer dining season, the U.S. government has given its blessing to restaurants that want to allow pet dogs in their outdoor spaces.

    But even though nearly half of states already allow canine dining outdoors, the issue is far from settled, with many diners and restaurants pushing back against the increasing presence of pooches.

    “I’d like to be able to enjoy my meal without having to worry about fleas, pet hair, barking and entitled dogs and their owners,” said Tracy Chiu Parisi, a food blogger in New York, who was once startled by a dog that stuck its head in her lap while she was reading a menu.

    Restaurants have been required to allow service dogs for decades. But it wasn’t until the mid-2000’s that a handful of states — including Florida and Illinois — began passing laws allowing dogs in outdoor dining spaces, according to the Animal Legal and Historical Center at Michigan State University. Twenty-three states now have such laws or regulations.

    But the legal landscape is confusing. Michigan law doesn’t allow dogs in outdoor dining spaces, for example, but lets restaurants apply for a variance from their county health department.

    So in 2020, the Conference for Food Protection — a group of food industry and health experts that advises the government — asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to issue guidance for states. It cited a 2012 risk assessment in Australia and New Zealand that found that the health risk to human diners from dogs was very low.

    The FDA’s updated food code, issued late last year, says restaurants can have dogs in outdoor areas if they get approval from a local regulator. Restaurants should have signs saying dogs are welcome and should develop plans to handle dogs and their waste. They should ensure dogs remain properly restrained and provide separate food bowls so dogs don’t use plates or utensils meant for humans.

    The new guidance comes as U.S. pet ownership is rising. Nearly 87 million U.S. households now have a pet, up from 85 million in 2019, according to the American Pet Products Association.

    And experts say more people are looking for dining options that will accommodate their dogs. Yelp searches for businesses using the “dogs allowed” filter jumped 58% between the year ending May 1, 2021, and the year ending May 1, 2023. A total of 47,415 businesses now describe themselves as “dog friendly” on Yelp, the company says.

    “Younger pet owners, Millennials and Generation Z, have incredibly strong bonds with their pets and they are willing to act upon that,” said Steven Feldman, president of the Human Animal Bond Research Institute. “They are more likely to frequent — and express a preference for — pet-friendly businesses.”

    Monty Hobbs, the managing director of a digital marketing agency in Washington, can often be found at local restaurant patios with Mattox, his 5-year-old terrier and miniature schnauzer mix. Some waiters even bring Mattox bits of bacon.

    Hobbs stresses that he doesn’t take Mattox everywhere. “He’s my dog. He’s not my child,” he said.

    But Mattox is well-behaved, he said, so it’s nice to know they can drop in at a neighborhood bar if they’re out taking a walk.

    At Zazie, a San Francisco bistro, diners get $10 off a bottle of wine on Mondays if they bring their dogs, who get treats donated by the pet store across the street.

    “It’s great for business. People really enjoy bringing their dog out with them,” said Megan Cornelius, Zazie’s co-owner.

    But other restaurants are saying no to Fido.

    The Salty Dog Café in Hilton Head, South Carolina, allowed dogs on its patio when it first opened in 1987. But two years later, it banned them. Too many dogs were barking through meals, fighting, lying in walkways and stealing hot dogs from kids’ plates, says Tim Stearns, the Salty Dog’s chief operating officer.

    If diners object, the Salty Dog points them to a separate dog-friendly deck where they can eat takeout food from the restaurant. But most diners seem to appreciate the policy.

    “We are all dog lovers at Salty Dog, but we remain a restaurant for humans,” Stearns said.

    The Blond Giraffe Key Lime Pie Factory in Key West, Florida, banned dogs because it didn’t want to be held responsible if a dog ate iguana droppings — which can make them violently ill — or tripped a child or an elderly diner. In at least one case, an unleashed dog at the restaurant killed a neighborhood cat.

    Julie Denzin, who has worked as a restaurant server in Milwaukee for more than a decade, has watched dogs drool, fight, growl and relieve themselves on restaurant patios. Dogs have bitten her and knocked her over, causing her to spill scalding hot coffee. She has also encountered diners who are allergic to dogs or afraid of them.

    Denzin doesn’t think dogs should be banned, but says restaurants should consider designating dog-friendly areas or specific hours when dogs are allowed.

    “It’s not a matter of liking or disliking dogs,” she said. “The point is, regardless of what the owner might say — no matter how perfect and obedient they insist their dog is — there’s no way to ensure the safety and comfort of other guests.”

    Maddie Speirs, a dog trainer with Pawsitive Futures Dog Training in St. Petersburg, Florida, said many people hire her with the goal of training their dogs to eat out at restaurants. Not every dog is cut out for that, she said; they need to be comfortable with noise and unsolicited interactions and able to be able to sit near food for long periods.

    She urges owners to think about who benefits from restaurant visits: them or their dogs.

    “If you think it’s for your dog, what exactly are they getting out of it?” she said. “It’s not as fun of a social interaction for dogs as it is for us.”

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  • Government says dogs can dine al fresco but not everyone is on board

    Government says dogs can dine al fresco but not everyone is on board

    [ad_1]

    Just in time for the summer dining season, the U.S. government has given its blessing to restaurants that want to allow pet dogs in their outdoor spaces.

    But even though nearly half of states already allow canine dining outdoors, the issue is far from settled, with many diners and restaurants pushing back against the increasing presence of pooches.

    “I’d like to be able to enjoy my meal without having to worry about fleas, pet hair, barking and entitled dogs and their owners,” said Tracy Chiu Parisi, a food blogger in New York, who was once startled by a dog that stuck its head in her lap while she was reading a menu.

    Restaurants have been required to allow service dogs for decades. But it wasn’t until the mid-2000’s that a handful of states — including Florida and Illinois — began passing laws allowing dogs in outdoor dining spaces, according to the Animal Legal and Historical Center at Michigan State University. Twenty-three states now have such laws or regulations.

    But the legal landscape is confusing. Michigan law doesn’t allow dogs in outdoor dining spaces, for example, but lets restaurants apply for a variance from their county health department.

    So in 2020, the Conference for Food Protection — a group of food industry and health experts that advises the government — asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to issue guidance for states. It cited a 2012 risk assessment in Australia and New Zealand that found that the health risk to human diners from dogs was very low.

    The FDA’s updated food code, issued late last year, says restaurants can have dogs in outdoor areas if they get approval from a local regulator. Restaurants should have signs saying dogs are welcome and should develop plans to handle dogs and their waste. They should ensure dogs remain properly restrained and provide separate food bowls so dogs don’t use plates or utensils meant for humans.

    The new guidance comes as U.S. pet ownership is rising. Nearly 87 million U.S. households now have a pet, up from 85 million in 2019, according to the American Pet Products Association.

    And experts say more people are looking for dining options that will accommodate their dogs. Yelp searches for businesses using the “dogs allowed” filter jumped 58% between the year ending May 1, 2021, and the year ending May 1, 2023. A total of 47,415 businesses now describe themselves as “dog friendly” on Yelp, the company says.

    “Younger pet owners, Millennials and Generation Z, have incredibly strong bonds with their pets and they are willing to act upon that,” said Steven Feldman, president of the Human Animal Bond Research Institute. “They are more likely to frequent — and express a preference for — pet-friendly businesses.”

    Monty Hobbs, the managing director of a digital marketing agency in Washington, can often be found at local restaurant patios with Mattox, his 5-year-old terrier and miniature schnauzer mix. Some waiters even bring Mattox bits of bacon.

    Hobbs stresses that he doesn’t take Mattox everywhere. “He’s my dog. He’s not my child,” he said.

    But Mattox is well-behaved, he said, so it’s nice to know they can drop in at a neighborhood bar if they’re out taking a walk.

    At Zazie, a San Francisco bistro, diners get $10 off a bottle of wine on Mondays if they bring their dogs, who get treats donated by the pet store across the street.

    “It’s great for business. People really enjoy bringing their dog out with them,” said Megan Cornelius, Zazie’s co-owner.

    But other restaurants are saying no to Fido.

    The Salty Dog Café in Hilton Head, South Carolina, allowed dogs on its patio when it first opened in 1987. But two years later, it banned them. Too many dogs were barking through meals, fighting, lying in walkways and stealing hot dogs from kids’ plates, says Tim Stearns, the Salty Dog’s chief operating officer.

    If diners object, the Salty Dog points them to a separate dog-friendly deck where they can eat takeout food from the restaurant. But most diners seem to appreciate the policy.

    “We are all dog lovers at Salty Dog, but we remain a restaurant for humans,” Stearns said.

    The Blond Giraffe Key Lime Pie Factory in Key West, Florida, banned dogs because it didn’t want to be held responsible if a dog ate iguana droppings — which can make them violently ill — or tripped a child or an elderly diner. In at least one case, an unleashed dog at the restaurant killed a neighborhood cat.

    Julie Denzin, who has worked as a restaurant server in Milwaukee for more than a decade, has watched dogs drool, fight, growl and relieve themselves on restaurant patios. Dogs have bitten her and knocked her over, causing her to spill scalding hot coffee. She has also encountered diners who are allergic to dogs or afraid of them.

    Denzin doesn’t think dogs should be banned, but says restaurants should consider designating dog-friendly areas or specific hours when dogs are allowed.

    “It’s not a matter of liking or disliking dogs,” she said. “The point is, regardless of what the owner might say — no matter how perfect and obedient they insist their dog is — there’s no way to ensure the safety and comfort of other guests.”

    Maddie Speirs, a dog trainer with Pawsitive Futures Dog Training in St. Petersburg, Florida, said many people hire her with the goal of training their dogs to eat out at restaurants. Not every dog is cut out for that, she said; they need to be comfortable with noise and unsolicited interactions and able to be able to sit near food for long periods.

    She urges owners to think about who benefits from restaurant visits: them or their dogs.

    “If you think it’s for your dog, what exactly are they getting out of it?” she said. “It’s not as fun of a social interaction for dogs as it is for us.”

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  • World’s oldest dog, according to Guinness, celebrates 31st birthday

    World’s oldest dog, according to Guinness, celebrates 31st birthday

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    The world’s oldest dog recently celebrated his 31st birthday, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

    Bobi, a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, a breed of Portuguese dog, celebrated during a party Saturday at his home in the rural Portuguese village of Conqueiros, where has lived his entire life.

    More than 100 people attended the “very traditional” Portuguese party, owner Leonel Costa said.

    Local meats and fish were served to up to 100 guests, with extra for Bobi, who only eats human food. A dance troupe also performed with Bobi participating in one of their routines.

    Costa has owned several old-aged dogs in the past, including Bobi’s mother, Gira, who lived to the age of 18. However, Costa said he never imagined any of his dogs would reach their 30s.

    “We see situations like this as a normal result of the life that they have, but Bobi is one of a kind,” Costa said.

    One of the biggest contributing factors to Bobi’s longevity is the “calm, peaceful environment” in which he lives, according to Costa.

    Throughout his life, Bobi has freely roamed the forests surrounding the Costa house. He has never been chained or leashed.

    The “very sociable” dog was never lonely because he grew up surrounded by many other animals, Costa said.

    Now in his senior years, Bobi finds it difficult to walk, so he prefers to hang out at home in the yard. His eyesight has gotten worse, meaning he often bumps into things when he walks. Just like old-aged humans, Bobi sleeps a lot. He immediately lies down in bed after eating, although on cold days he chooses to nap by the fire, his owner said.

    Bobi’s birth date has been confirmed by Serviço Medico-Veterinário do Município de Leiria (Veterinary Medical Service of the Municipality of Leiria), which registered Bobi in 1992.

    His age also has been verified by SIAC, a pet database authorized by the Portuguese government and managed by the SNMV (Sindicato Nacional dos Médicos Veterinários; National Union of Veterinarians).

    Costa, now 38, was just 8 years old when Bobi was born. For him, Bobi is a living reminder of the past, he said.

    “Bobi is special because looking at him is like remembering the people who were part of our family and unfortunately are no longer here, like my father, my brother, or my grandparents who have already left this world,” Costa said. “Bobi represents those generations.”

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  • ChomChom Pet Hair Remover Review: A Must-Have For Dog Owners

    ChomChom Pet Hair Remover Review: A Must-Have For Dog Owners

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    No fabric surface is safe from the wrath of the ChomChom. Both my roommate and I use the device on our sheets, duvets, and pillows a few times a week to pick up loose fur. It gives our spaces an easy refresh without needing to wash our bedding multiple times per week. The couch also receives regular rubdowns with the ChomChom, and it’s the only reason the budget-friendly seating still looks so high-end. 

    The ChomChom is also a phenomenal addition for keeping clothing fur-free. We use it on our wool winter coats, dark denim, and black tops to remove any random pet hair. Similar to bedding, it needs to be held taut to prevent the brush from getting caught up on loose fabric. However, it’s far more efficient than any lint roller I’ve previously used, even if it does require some unique maneuvering.

    My only complaints about the device are that it’s mostly made from plastic and it’s rather loud. But it’s worth noting the plastic is BPA-free, and the manual device is still quieter than a vacuum, even if my dog ran out of the room the first time that I tried to use it. (Now she sits patiently on the other side of the couch until my work is done, only to immediately undo it.) Plus, the durable design shows no wear or tear even after hundreds of uses over a nearly 3-year span—so I expect it to last.

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    Braelyn Wood

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  • Pekingese Gasps For Breath As Westminster Dog Show Goes Into Double Overtime

    Pekingese Gasps For Breath As Westminster Dog Show Goes Into Double Overtime

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    NEW YORK—As she regrouped with her handler to rethink their strategy, the Pekingese Rum Dum, 2, was seen panting excessively and trying to catch her breath as the finals of the Westminster Dog Show entered double overtime Tuesday. “Tonight, we leave nothing on the floor—nothing—do you understand me, Rummie?” handler David Fitzgerald shouted as he squirted liquid from a Gatorade bottle into the dog’s mouth, her trainer rubbed a cramp out of her rear-right leg, and what may be the most grueling Best in Show in Westminster Kennel Club history dragged on, still locked in a seven-way tie. “We didn’t come here to lose to a goddamn terrier, did we? No, we came here to win, so that’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to get back out there, take it one lap at a time, and this time prance like you fucking mean it. No excuses!” At press time, Rum Dum had reportedly been eliminated for unsportsmanlike conduct after taking a shit on the show floor.

    Teacher Who Learns More From Her Students Than She Teaches Them Fired

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