Welcome to Star Tribune Pet Central
Star Tribune Pet Central is the premier local resource for information about living with and caring for pets. Its sole purpose is to celebrate the bond between people and their pets by bringing together the finest writers and experts to educate and entertain animal lovers throughout the Twin Cities.
In every Saturday's classified section, continually online, and through fun and educational events, animal lovers will find both regional and national topics important to them.
The website provides an unmatched opportunity to locate experts, ask questions in the forum, connect with local animal lovers, share pictures of your pets and learn about upcoming events in the community.
Star Tribune Pet Central's events range from educational seminars in which experts discuss important topics in an intimate setting to Doggie Palooza, a day-long extravaganza held each fall, dedicated to those faithful canine companions.
Star Tribune Pet Central — created for animal lovers, by animal lovers. Learn. Share. Connect.
Pet Central
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Every Saturday's Classified Section
On the front page of the classifieds section in every Saturday's paper you'll find engaging articles about living with and caring for pets. Written by vets, trainers, behavorists and experts, the articles and information found in Pet Central educate and entertain animal lovers throughout the Twin Cities.
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Newsletter
Sign up for our newsletter to have the very best pet information delivered to your e-mail.
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Articles
A library of previously written articles covering topics that range from training puppies, to properly feeding cats and keeping birds as pets. Searchable by keyword and topic.
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Events Calendar
This user-submitted calendar lists upcoming events of interest to animal lovers, including educational clinics, fun events, adoption days, meet-ups, fundraisers and other exciting happenings in and around the Twin Cities. This is a community calendar and open to the public, so list your upcoming events here.
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Forums
This is the place for you to have an open dialogue and ask questions, share opinions, connect with and learn from local animal lovers. Topics include everything from specific behavioral or health questions to sharing your experiences at the dog park.
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Blog
Cheri Moon, Editor-at-Large for Pet Central, brings her own opinions and stories to "The Dish." She'll share her pet stories and keep you up-to-date on the latest going-ons in Pet Central. In addition, Cheri invites guest bloggers to contribute their stories and knowledge on important pet issues that matter to you.
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Pets in Focus
This user-submitted photo gallery is the place to upload favorite pet pictures and share with others. This is a great place to showcase your pet for others to enjoy.
Advertise
Star Tribune Pet Central is a trusted resource for readers and advertisers alike. A weekly newspaper section, website, newsletter, fun events and educational clinics provide many opportunities to customize a marketing plan and optimize your advertising dollar. To learn more about our advertising opportunities, please contact:
(PDF) 2008 Pet Central Advertising
Jenny Kriha
jkriha@startribune.com
651-331-0655
Louise Stowell
lstowell@startribune.com
612-673-4038
Editorial Board
Pet Central articles are written by local vets, behaviorists, trainers and experts. Our editorial advisory board and regular contributors are committed to helping put valuable information in the hands of caring pet owners.
Cheri Moon
Cheri Moon is the Editor at Large and Lead Dog for Star Tribune Pet Central. Cheri founded Twin Cities Dog Magazine (TC Dog) and independently published it throughout its five years of operation. She and the Star Tribune have partnered to create Pet Central.
Drawing from her many years of volunteering for various animal rescue organizations, a lifetime of sharing her world with animals, and background in a number of communications professions, Cheri envelops a unique skill base and passion to fulfill her personal mission of helping animals by educating people.
Says Cheri, "I’m the kid who brought home dead wild birds to properly bury and homeless animals in hopes of convincing my parents we really do need another pet.” Although she stopped providing burial services for birds many years ago, Cheri admits, "I guess that kid is still inside me today."
Cheri lives in Northfield, Minn. with her extremely supportive and loving husband Brian; her two dogs Dakota and Meadow (who are constantly reminding her that she is loved and to laugh out loud); and two cats, Darby and Watson (who every Sunday drape themselves across the paper, making it impossible to read).
Wendy van Kerkhove
Wendy van Kerkhove is a dog trainer specializing in "snarky" dogs. She founded Fresh Air Training in 1999 in order to offer "Bark, Snark & Growl" classes for dogs that are reactive to other dogs. Since then, her business has expanded into training classes, private instruction and small dog play groups.
Wendy's training philosophy involves using only positive reinforcement techniques to modify and improve behaviors. Her passion for working with reactive dogs stems from the fact that if she were a dog, she knows that she would be a Jack Russell Terrier and she'd be a biter! Educating her human clients and convincing them that their dogs are not really stubborn, stupid, lazy or (you fill in the blank!) is the best part of her job.
Wendy lives with her partner, Tina, and a pack of special needs animals which were brought home allegedly to foster, but wound up staying permanently. They have Bert, a 40-year-old conure (parrot); Hedwig, a seven year old cockatoo (parrot); Minerva, the blind cat; Quidditch, the cat with three legs; Kermit, the "bugger boy" cat (he has chronic upper respiratory problems); Little Guy, the cat with neurological problems; Allie, the 16-year-old cockapoo; and Geo and Bunny, the only two "normal" animals (they're dogs) in the house.
Jeannine Moga, MA, MSW, LICSW
www.cvm.umn.edu/vmc/aboutme/clientsupport.html
Jeannine serves as the founding director of Social Work Services at the University of Minnesota's Veterinary Medical Center, where she provides crisis intervention, end-of-life planning and grief support to clients of the Small Animal and Large Animal hospitals and facilitates the Companion Animal Love, Loss and Memories group. Jeannine is excited to contribute to Star Tribune's Pet Central, where she will focus on exploring the changing nature of the human-animal bond and advocating for mutually respectful and beneficial relationships between animals, their people and the communities in which they live.
Jeannine is a licensed clinical social worker with professional experience in individual and family counseling, animal-assisted therapy, trauma treatment and community corrections. Although Jeannine has a number of professional and personal interests, much of her spare time is devoted to caring for (and cleaning up after) her multiple beloved critters. Jeannine currently receives wise elder counsel from her German Sheperd/Greyhound mix, Maggie; comic relief from her Vizsla/Plotthound mix Tucker (aka "The Wily Bastard"); and reality checks from her acrobatic Arab/Quarter Horse filly, Georgia. Jeannine has a habit of taking in wayward animals and is a sucker for batting eyelashes.
Dr. Chris Pachel
Dr. Chris Pachel is a native of Minnesota and grew up in a large family in the small town of Baudette on the Canadian border of M. He graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota with his bachelor's degree in 1997. He continued his education at the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine and received his DVM degree in 2002.
While working as a small animal veterinarian, Dr. Pachel found the field of behavior medicine fascinating and highly rewarding on personal and professional levels. Since that time he has received advanced training in this area and in 2005 created Twin Cities Veterinary Behavior Referral Service, LLC.
Dr. Pachel works with his clients in their homes and practices behavior medicine in a way that helps people understand the medical and behavioral reasons why their pet behaves the way it does. His approach emphasizes the importance of the human animal bond and the important role that companion animals play in their lives of their families. He also teaches through community lectures and at veterinary clinics to help people understand and appreciate the behavior patterns and needs of the animals that live with them.
He currently shares his home with two dogs (a 14-year-old mixed breed named Petey, a 5-year-old Great Dane named Phoebe) and two cats (a 14-year-old tabby named Earl, an 8-year-old Ragdoll named Cedric). He enjoys singing, playing the piano and growing orchids in his spare time.
Dr. Cathy Sinning
Dr. Cathy Sinning and her husband Dr. Jim Sinning are the owners of Lake Harriet Veterinary, a new environmentally friendly clinic in Southwest Minneapolis that provides traditional and holistic medical care for dogs and cats. Their hospital offers herbal medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy, canine rehabilitation, a progressive approach to vaccines, advocacy for homemade and raw diets, and a personalized approach to pet health.
Dr. Sinning received her veterinary degree from Iowa State University and is a certified veterinary acupuncturist. Her four legged companions include a dog, Hazel, and two cats, Olive and Oro.
