According to BBC News, "Yawning is known to be contagious in humans but now scientists have shown that pet dogs can catch a yawn, too."

Researchers say the copying activity suggests that canines are capable of empathizing with people.

I could have told them that—and they could have witnessed it—when I first brought Meadow into my home more than seven years ago.  read more »

Out Of The Mouths Of Babes
By Kelli Ohrtman

It is both beautiful and sad that kids are often so much more aware than we are. This weekend, my aunt and two young cousins (ages seven and eleven) came to visit. My aunt asked what exactly my job is. So often when I tell people that my job is a puppy mill campaign specialist, they ask “what’s a puppy mill?”

It kills me to hear that because my entire job is devoted to educating people about where pet store puppies come from. When I come across someone who isn’t aware of “my” issue, I feel that I’ve fallen short. Or rather, all of us in animal welfare have fallen short—right there in front of me is someone whom we haven’t reached.  read more »

Algae Alert by Laura French
The dangers of blue-green algae to humans and pets are serious enough for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to devote a Web page to it. More accurately called “cyanobacteria,” the algae create toxins that damage the liver and may be cancer-causing.

Mild symptoms include muscle pain, rashes, vomiting and diarrhea. Extreme exposure can cause convulsions, paralysis and respiratory failure. In 2007, at least four dogs died in Minnesota from drinking water that contained blue-green algae, according to the MPCA.  read more »

There's a new pet food deli in the Twin Cities that is touted as a health food store for pets. Woody’s Pet Food Deli, owned by Enrique and Michelle Palma, is now open and located at 3008 West 50th Street in Minneapolis.

From its in-store kitchen, Woody’s makes a variety of "fresh, homemade, wholesome pet food, both cooked and raw." In addition, they sell an array of pet supplements and natural treats.

The store is named after Woody, a nine-year-old German shepherd mix the Palmas adopted who was malnourished, had inflammatory bowel disease and was losing hair on his head and legs. Soon thereafter, they added Fred to the family—an 11-year-old beagle who was 46 lbs (more than twice the amount he should weigh,) had pollen allergies, a heart murmur, severe chronic ear infections, arthritis, multiple cysts, anal sac problems, hot spots and excessive shedding.  read more »

Hemingway’s Cats
By Laura French

My favorite photo of Ernest Hemingway was taken at the end of what I imagine to have been a fabulous dinner party. The great man, seated at the head of the table, is absorbed in conversation with the person on his left. He is not in the least concerned with the cat that is picking its way through the plates and wine glasses.

Dave Gonzales, Events Director for the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum in Key West, Florida, has his own favorite photo. Hemingway is flanked by his two sons. Each of the three Hemingway males is petting a cat.

The photographic evidence is conclusive: Ernest Hemingway, that most macho and masculine of all writers, was a cat lover. Use that fact to counter any claims that cats are for girls and only dogs are a real man’s best friends.  read more »

Good Grief. Do I really have to blog about this? Considering the fact that a fourth person has now contacted me about Beijing taking dog meat off the menu during the Olympics…I guess I am expected to comment.

Do I think eating dog is repulsive? Good Lord yes. But I grew up in America with a dog (and cat) on my pillow for half my life. Eating a canine or feline dish would be akin to taking a bite of my deceased Aunt Nancy. My pets are family. Period.  read more »

More animals are lost during the 4th of July celebrations than at any other time of the year. Loud noises from fireworks frighten animals due to their heightened senses of hearing, and they will do anything to escape the noise.

In talking with a local vet, I learned that when the loud booms from  read more »

My cat is dumb. Dumb isn't exactly right. The more appropriate description is, "My cat is so desperate for food, he does dumb things."

Darby is on a diet. What's worse is that he is on a prescription diet because he can't eat cat food. Any commercial cat food makes him have explosive diarrhea. We have tried every food on the market. It doesn't matter what the protein source is — if it's commercial cat food, he can't digest it. So, we've found a prescription diet that he can digest and we have slowly been adding various nutrients. It is a very delicate balance.

Back to the dumb part. Darby will risk his life to get food. Any kind of food. It doesn't matter if the food is in a boiling pot on the stove or in the back of the freezer. If it smells edible, he's on it, in it and all over it.  read more »

Sometimes love alone cannot heal the deepest of wounds. Jeannine Moga, today's guest blogger, has shared her life with many animals, some of whom came into her life with the tell-tale signs of suffering from trauma. Many of us who have rescued animals can relate to Jeannine's experiences and sentiment that sometimes love is not enough to help the animals who cross our paths.

When Love Is Not Enough
By Jeannine Moga

There was a time when I thought that love and effort could right any wrong, could heal any hurt, could mend that which was broken. That was before I welcomed a severely traumatized animal into my home. I learned the hard way that love is not enough.  read more »

I grew up in Cedar Rapids. A life-long friend called to say my old house is under water.

The video footage showing the submerged street sign for "C Street" …I lived on D Street. It's all rather disconcerting. I haven't lived in that house for more than 20 years, but I remember every corner of it and sometimes find myself back there in dreams.  read more »