Dogs on The Huffington Post

The Most Adorable Animal Santa Costumes! (PHOTOS)

2009-12-24T09:07:13Z

During the holiday season, people everywhere seem tempted to dress their dogs in cats as Santa Claus. HuffPost Green thinks this can be one of the silliest and cutest trends, so we decided to assemble a smattering of Santa-pups and Santa-kitties. Check out this slideshow and vote for the pet who you'd most love to see crawling down your chimney on Dec. 24th!

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Pugs Who Ate Owner Get New Home: Police Say Dogs' Owner Committed Suicide

2009-12-21T19:27:36Z

OMAHA, Neb. — Two small dogs that police say fed on the body of their owner after he killed himself are headed to Indiana.

The Nebraska Humane Society says the two pugs, named Harry and Sally, will meet their new owners Tuesday.

Two-Legged Dog Faith Walks Upright, Gives Hope To Disabled Army Vets (VIDEO)

2009-12-17T15:38:01Z

By SUE MANNING, Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - For several years, Jude Stringfellow and her Lab-chow mix have toured the country with a simple message: Faith walks.

Born without front legs to a junkyard dog around Christmas 2002, Faith the puppy was rejected and abused by her mother. She was rescued by Reuben Stringfellow, now an Army E-4 specialist, who had been asked to bury other puppies in the litter.

"Can we fix her? Stringfellow, then 17, asked his mom. "No, but maybe we can help her," she said.

So Reuben turned Faith over to his mother, English professor Jude Stringfellow. At first the family had to carry Faith to keep her off her chest and chin. But with peanut butter and practice, Faith learned to walk on her two hind legs.

Today Faith is a brisk, upright walker. When she runs, every so often she adds a hop or skip to her step, but she stumbles less often than most humans. She takes vitamins and joint supplements, and vets have declared her very healthy, Stringfellow said.

Since her first step on March 22, 2003, Faith has done the talk show circuit, gone on tour with Ozzy Osbourne and been named an honorary Army sergeant. Jude Stringfellow has become a motivational speaker and written two books. Next year, the two are moving from Ardmore, Okla., to Chicago where they plan to write a third called "Faith Walks."

They get more than 200 letters and e-mails a day, run a Web site and make dozens of appearances every year, including stops at veterans' hospitals across the country to cheer injured soldiers.

That mission is special for Stringfellow, whose son left Iraq in September and is stationed at Fort Wainwright in Alaska. He is scheduled to get out of the Army and head home on Jan. 1.

For many, Faith brings a powerful message about overcoming adversity. "Faith has shown me that different is beautiful, that it is not the body you are in but the soul that you have," Jill Salomon of Montreal, Canada, wrote on Faith's Web site.

Stringfellow will never forget a woman from New York who happened to see Faith on a street corner. She was depressed and had lost both legs to diabetes.

"She was in her wheelchair and saw us. She was crying. She had seen Faith on television. She just held her and said she wished she had that kind of courage." Stringfellow said. "She told us: 'I was on my way to pick up the gun.' She handed the pawn ticket to a police officer and said she didn't need it anymore."

That sense of hope is especially important for Faith's visits to Army bases. Last weekend she headed to Washington state, where she met with as many as 5,000 soldiers at McChord Air Force Base and Fort Lewis. Some of the soldiers were headed to war, some were coming back.

"She just walks around barking and laughing and excited to see them all," Jude Stringfellow said. "There is a lot of crying, pointing and surprise. From those who have lost friends or limbs, there can be silence. Some will shake my hand and thank me, some will pat her on the head. There is a lot of quiet, heartfelt, really deep emotion."

Faith never fails to bring a smile to a soldier's face, said Patrick Mcghee, general manager at Fort Lewis.

"To see the children interact with Faith is simply priceless," he said.

But Faith's most emotional reunion -- with Reuben Stringfellow, who rescued her 7 years ago this Christmas -- will have to wait for January. He's already gotten Faith a birthday present: a peanut butter cookie with her name on it.

The Best Walking Partner: Man vs. Dog

2009-12-17T08:40:47Z

New research from the University of Missouri has found that people who walk dogs are more consistent about regular exercise and show more improvement in fitness than people who walk with a human companion.

Dr. Patricia Fitzgerald: K9 Connection: At-Risk Teens And Shelter Dogs Get A New 'Leash' On Life

2009-12-16T08:52:11Z

At-risk teens. Animals abandoned at shelters. Two marginalized groups in great need of love, security, and a chance at living a good life. With an alarmingly-high rate of teen suicide (the third leading cause of death among teens) and over three million unwanted dogs and cats euthanized each in year in shelters, it is easy to feel helpless towards these two populations who demonstrate an overwhelming need.

An innovative solution: put these two groups together and unleash the healing power of the human-animal bond. That's what Katherine Beattie and Pat Sinclair envisioned when they formed k9 connection, a non-profit organization that educates and inspires at-risk teens through bonding with and training homeless shelter dogs.

k9 connection, located in Santa Monica, California, is a remarkable organization whose mission is to teach at-risk teens how to train homeless shelter dogs in basic obedience skills in order to increase their chances of adoption. Through the training they provide to the dogs, the teens benefit by learning how to be more responsible and accountable, the importance of goal setting, and how positive reinforcement offers an alternative to force and violence.

At lot of the lessons the kids learn by training the dogs can be applied to the various challenges they may face in their daily lives. In turn, the shelter dogs develop skills that allow them to smoothly transition into permanent, loving homes.

During the course of the training the students learn how to train the dogs, and they also spend time learning life skills within workshops facilitated by various talented volunteers.

The day I visited the campus of the school where the k9 connection program was taking place was an experience I will never forget. I was observing the basic obedience training session where a professional dog trainer was helping the kids understand how to communicate with the dogs. Each teen was paired with a volunteer. At one point during the training, one of the volunteers had to leave early and I noticed a very frustrated teen trying to get his dog to sit and take treats without success. I was told that this particular teen had significant emotional challenges. I decided to fill in and try to help him out. I do have a background in basic training of shelter dogs, and I absolutely love working with kids and animals. Under the supervision of the k9 staff, I thought I'd give it a try.

When I got over to the teen (I'll call him Robbie), he sadly said to me, "I can't do this." Apparently Robbie was having difficulty understanding how to give the dog a treat. He was offering the dog a treat with a closed hand. The dog was gently trying to get the treat out of Robbie's hand and was confused as to what was happening. I showed Robbie how to open his hand and offer a treat. He was afraid to do it himself. I put my hand under his and positioned his hand to offer the treat. The dog gently took the treat off of Robbie's hand. The immediate pride and beaming face on Robbie was priceless. We did it again together a few times, and then Robbie tried it himself--successfully. With a grin from ear to ear he gave me a big hug and asked me to partner with him. I was honored. We proceeded to teach his dog a few tricks, and I witnessed Robbie's confidence soar. In a short period of time, I witnessed a youth who was labeled emotionally disturbed and afraid of a dog open up emotionally and connect with his companion.

After the outdoor obedience class, we proceeded into a room to have a workshop facilitated by a communications coach. The workshop involved goal setting and visioning. Robbie and I had a good time coming up with ideas of possibilities for his future. His main goals were to get along with his family and to help people. He wanted to be a doctor or a massage therapist so he could help people feel better.

After all of the teens and volunteers were finished mapping out their goals and visions, it was time to share. Robbie asked me if I could read aloud to the group since he didn't feel comfortable doing so. As I read to the group Robbie's list of goals, all of which had to do with helping others, there wasn't a dry eye in the room.

A few weeks later, I showed up at the graduation and saw Robbie. He successfully completed the program and taught his dog all of the obedience skills. I went up to him after the event, not really knowing if he'd remember me. He gave me a big hug and said "Hey, where've you been?" He then proceeded to introduce me to his family members as the lady that helped him to not be afraid of the dog. To say that I was deeply touched is an understatement. Robbie had graduated from the k9 connection program and had developed a special bond with the dog he had trained.

I've long known the k9 connection was a remarkable organization. They have helped many kids and dogs for years. But there's nothing like personal experience. I felt very blessed to have that opportunity to work with Robbie that day. I witnessed someone go from feeling emotionally closed down to connecting with a dog to opening up with possibilities for the future.

At the conclusion of each training session is a graduation ceremony for the students. If you ever need a heart-opening cry for seeing what is good in the world, go to a k9 connection graduation. When you hear the speeches of the kids and how working with the dogs has affected their lives, you better have your own box of tissues--or a mop.

Several students shared how they often skipped school in the past, but working with the dogs gave them a reason to come to school because they didn't want to let the dog down. Others shared how helping the dogs increased their sense of leadership, responsibility, and patience. Many were from broken homes and the close bond they felt with their dog was very special. Some offered how they lacked confidence and self-esteem, and knowing that they helped to save a dog's life meant the world to them.

WATCH: Teens share how k9 connection has impacted their lives:

So now these students have had these life-changing heart-opening experiences with their canine companions. Their canine companions are now being adopted into loving homes. What is next? This is a crucial time for these kids to not feel abandoned and to have continuing opportunities to develop the life skills they have learned.

What is also remarkable about k9 connection is that they make a long-term commitment to their participants. After the obedience training program, the graduates are supported by k9 staff and volunteers ongoing assistance in to fulfill their visions and goals. Some of the teens decide to become Peer Leaders and they help the new students entering the program.

k9 connection has been able to have a profound effect on the lives of both teens and dogs. Teens who have graduated from the program have demonstrated improvement in behavior, self-esteem, skills of goal setting and impulse control, and the sense of accountability and community. Students barely making it through high school are now succeeding in college. And every shelter dog in the program has been saved from euthanization and placed into a loving home.

To find out more information about k9 connection, to donate, or to volunteer, visit their website: k9connection.org

You can follow k9 connection on Twitter: www.twitter.com/k9connect

Wendy Diamond: Fun Down South in Charleston

2009-12-14T15:25:38Z

If you ever wondered where the first American museum was built, one of the places where the U.S. Constitution was ratified or even where The Notebook was filmed, Charleston, South Carolina has got you covered! This is also the place if you're looking for a quick trip out of New York and for some southern hospitality and fun for both you and your pooch! With plenty of pet-friendly hotels, beaches and restaurants, Charleston is a furtastic place for all dogs - and their humans too!

First off, you and your canine companion will need a place to stay. No one wants to be stuck in the dog house! The Best Western Downtown allows up to two dogs to stay with you for a fee of 25 dollars a night. But what dog would want to stay inside, when the hotel is located just minutes from Charleston's famous Historic District, which is a great place to walk your dog and learn something new? If you want to relax in the lap of luxury, sniff around the four-star Charleston Place Hotel, which allows pet guests for a 75 dollar fee. If this still doesn't get your tail racing, head over to the La Quinta Inn & Suites, which allows dogs to stay - for free! No bones about it!

As Lucky and I began our trip, our tummies were growling, so we decided to visit Poogan's Porch in downtown Charleston! This famous restaurant, which has been visited by Jim Carrey and Paul Newman, is named after its founder - a dog named Poogan! Poogan used to wander around Charleston from porch to porch looking for food. Eventually, this restaurant was opened and good ol' Poogan stood by and supervised. When the popular pooch passed away of old age, the restaurant was named after him. After finishing Poogan's Award-Winning Bread Pudding, Lucky took some time to stand proudly on the porch in honor of the legendary Poogan!

We loved the Charleston Stroll, thanks to our pawsome guide, Mary! Lucky made a new friend - a Tabby cat named Milo, who leads the tour and showed us all of the historic landmarks that Charleston has to offer, like Fort Sumter and Rainbow Row. Mary and Milo showed us the house in which the opera Porgy and Bess was born. South Carolina's official opera was originally a novel written by DuBose Heyward called Porgy. George Gershwin eventually read it and the two collaborated to bring the story to the stage. We also learned about South Carolina legend Pat Conroy, the author of such novels as The Great Santini and The Prince of Tides.

Lucky and I then ventured to the Angel Oak tree, one of the nation's largest and oldest trees! At an estimated 1500 years old (10,500 in dog years!), Lucky couldn't bear the thought of missing out on seeing a historic landmark. After a lot of pictures, oohs and aahs, Lucky decided to "leave her mark," her way of saying "Lucky was here"! We then headed over to Bubba Gump Shrimp, made famous by the classic film Forrest Gump! Even though Lucky couldn't go in, she did get to sit outside. All of this great food and fun made us realize that Charleston is just like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're going to get!

Lucky and I then decided to take a carriage tour, courtesy of Palmetto Carriage Tours, where we were led by two friendly mules named Hit and Run, which seemed to fit their big personalities! Personally, we wanted Laverne and Shirley, but they were on a break - hopefully not drinking beer like their TV counterparts! While they work like dogs, these mules have the life. They are well fed, rested and get one week off a month and one day off a week. Some say the mules get a spa treatment and a relaxing game of golf, but most likely, they get to rest and have a check up by the vet. If only Lucky and I were that fortunate! They are also monitored by veterinarians and are not allowed to work if the temperature is too high. During the tour, visitors will get to see 25 to 30 blocks of historic downtown Charleston, including historic churches, mansions and gardens.

After taking in two exciting tours, I stopped by the Charleston Grill, one of the top rated restaurants in all of Charleston. Unfortunately, Lucky wasn't allowed in, but she would have felt like a "cool cat" with the great jazz band that played! The Charleston Grill may be one of the top restaurants in the city, but it should also be called "Best Doggie Bag in America," with the prime rib leftovers and carrots I brought back for Lucky, who probably cared more about the food than being in the actual restaurant!

Ever since we returned home, Lucky could not stop barking about how much fun she had in Charleston! If you - and your pooch - want to chow down on some great southern food, learn about the rich history of our country and hear some howling good music, bring those tails down south to Charleston, South Carolina! You won't be growling in disappointment! Animal Fair magazine has voted and chose Charleston, South Carolina as the most historical city for a dog walk! For more information, visit animalfair.com.

Ruth Fowler: The Chihuahua Problem - America in Crisis?

2009-12-14T12:13:00Z

California has tired of toy dogs! Besieged by cutesy images depicting Chihuahuas as timid, trembling creatures with a penchant for pink designer wardrobes and vacuous owners - think Paris Hilton, Beverly Hills Chihuahua and the annoying girl from Legally Blonde - Chihuahuas became the pet of choice on the West Coast. What could be better than a toy dog you can stuff in a bag, dress up like Barbie, accessorize with your outfit and has poop the size of a peanut?

Pop culture consumers desperate for a doggy like Paris flocked to wrestle a pup from the shelves of their local designer store, but apparently started to return the goods after forgetting to read the small print, included here for your delectation.

Dog people are boring people. They talk about feces, watch The Dog Whisperer on Netflix, discuss organic brands of holistic pet food, refuse nights out on the grounds they can't find a petsitter, are often covered in suspicious excretions, look constantly exhausted and are unable to maintain a coherent conversation until puppy hits six months and can sleep through the night. Are you willing to join the cult?

A child might be a better investment.

A Chihuahua may look like a toy, but it's not a toy. This will become apparent when your adorable three-month old puppy sinks its fangs into your finger when you attempt to dissuade it from devouring your Louboutins.

Chihuahuas may fit into a bag, but Mother Nature gave them legs. This suggests your Chihuahua, like most dogs, probably needs exercise in the form of a walk. At least twice a day. You may have to leave the heels at home.

Dog clothes for Chihuahuas are really goddamn expensive. Unless you shop at Target. And who wants to dress their pup in Target? This is LA goddammit!

Even if you have the 1k needed for vaccinations, micro-chipping and to spay or neuter your pup, your vet bills will be increased by the fact your Chihuahua will quickly develop the desire to fight with other dogs - particularly those which weigh about 300 pounds and are bred to hunt Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The novelty of owning a small, cute dog quickly wears off after yet another elderly lady approaches you, snatches up your dog from the sidewalk, proceeds to deliver a sickening monologue in high-pitched baby talk, and tells you that you're bringing up your dog wrong. You're already twenty minutes late for work, but you're not getting away until she's told you all about Pooky, her own Chihuahua who died last year aged 20, no other dog could ever replace her, Pooky was so special, she just knew exactly how you were feeling, and she did this thing where she looked at you with her adorable face ...

Even if their shit is microscopic, guaranteed there will be an anxious, snarling mother hovering next to you with little Johnny in a stroller when puppy goes potty. Should you not pick up the poop, said anxious mother will hunt you down.

Chihuahuas - indeed, dogs in general - look really stupid dressed in pink and / or diamante.

Chihuahuas are breakable. A pitbull you can happily hurl at the wall (I do not suggest this), but sneeze next to a baby Chihuahua and it may snap in two. A small, fragile, yet vicious Chihuahua - and kids? Uh-oh. Either or both is going to need medical attention after a short amount of time in the same room.

SBD's. Small But Deadly. Chihuahuas have really stinky farts.

Chihuahuas are enamored of the poonanie. It's disturbing to find your pooch excitedly licking your face after chowing down on your panties for half an hour.

I own a four month old Chihuahua I rescued on Venice Boardwalk two and a half-months ago. Because of this little 3 pound f****r, I have to leave my (no pets) apartment, I have nothing to talk about apart from potty-training, and my credit cards are maxed out on vet bills.

I love every minute of it.

But even as someone who grew up with dogs and worked as a dogsitter for years, I wasn't prepared for the amount of work one tiny little creature demands.

Which is why, when California is having a Chihuahua crisis in its dog shelters, presumably caused by the lack of foresight of owners purchasing these creatures, I find it vastly irresponsible to suggest the solution to the problem is to encourage more people to adopt these unwanted creatures without giving them an adequate sense of the work involved, and instead appealing to the same kind of pop culture, consumer drivel which caused the problem in the first place.

Look into those soulful little eyes. Can you stand the idea that this sweet little creature probably won't live into the new year?

Great idea. We fooled one lot of people into thinking their pup was going to be easy, cheap, compliant and fun, lets do it to the next lot. And keep deferring the problem, without really addressing it with adequate education.

Isn't that the American way?

Unitasking: Walk WITH Your Dog When You Walk With Your Dog

2009-12-13T11:20:28Z

For many of us, walking with our dogs is a struggle of excess: too much stopping when we want to go, going when we want to stop, jumping on people, too much pulling, etc.

Christmas Gift Idea: 10 Denver Area Pets You Could Adopt (VOTE, PHOTOS)

2009-12-11T14:26:07Z

Still looking for that perfect family Christmas present? Denver area animal shelters have lots of dogs and cats up for adoption this season.

In honor of the holidays we though we'd put together a sampling of some the cutest dogs and cats currently available at the Denver Municipal Animal Shelter.

Please keep in mind that some of these animals may have already been adopted, but if you like what you see contact the shelter and give them the ID number in the title of the slide to see if they're still looking for a loving home.

All photos courtesy of the Denver Municipal Animal Shelter.

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Wendy Diamond: Spend 2010 With These Animal-Loving Stars

2009-12-10T16:35:14Z

Has your furry friend been naughty or nice this year?

Everyone's favorite indestructible super-cheerleader, Hayden Panettiere is a mommy to two rescued pooches, a Chocolate Lab named Penny Lane and a Terrier mix named Madison. The star of NBC's Heroes helps various animal charities such as Save the Whales and the Whaleman Foundation, which seeks to end the hunting and killing of whales everywhere. Another talented, blonde beauty who is involved in various animal charities is former American Idol winner, Carrie Underwood. With Ace, her Rat Terrier and the "love of her life" by her side, this songbird works with the Humane Society to fight animal cruelty and find homes for orphaned pets.

When you're the star of one of TV's most popular show, you can pretty much hang out with any A-Lister you want. But for Entourage's Adrian Grenier, there's no celebrity who he would rather be cruising down Hollywood boulevard with other than Honeybee, the dog he rescued from New York's Kent Animal Shelter.

One of Tinseltown's greatest comebacks was bittersweet for actor Mickey Rourke. After losing his beloved rescued Chihuahua, Loki after 126 dog years, Rourke wore a pendant with the little dog's picture in it at the 2009 Oscars. He also helps out the Humane Society of New York, hoping animal lovers everywhere can adopt there own Loki.

She won an Oscar for a movie called Monster, but Charlize Theron has shown she's anything but. This South African beauty is not only one of her generation's most respected actresses, but she's also a working mom - to her four rescued dogs! Theron rescued Denver, Tucker, Orson and Delilah and uses her compassion to support animal and wildlife organizations like PETA and Dogs Deserve Better.

These animal loving superstars are just a few of the celebrities who appear in a new calendar sponsored by Pup-Peroni® and the ASPCA that promotes local animal shelters. So put on your best leash and get ready to face the pup-arazzi! This holiday season, be a real-life "idol" or "hero" and volunteer at a local animal shelter or charity or adopt a lovable little pet of your own! You can get this new calendar featuring your favorite celebrity dog lovers in the latest issue of Animal Fair magazine, on newsstands now! For more information, visit animalfair.com.

NOTE: Do not give pets as gifts! This isn't Scrooge speaking, but it is important that the receiver is ready to play, love and care for the pet 24 hours a day! Unlike an ugly pair of wool socks, pets aren't gifts you can just toss aside or return. If you do know someone who's ready to become a new "mommy or daddy," make sure you adopt as there is every breed, size, color, shape and personality available!

Wendy Diamond: The Gifts that Keep on Giving

2009-12-10T15:45:52Z

Have you ever thought about what color llama you would get someone for Christmas? Everyone, except maybe Scrooge agrees that the holidays are all about giving and helping others in need. A recent Animalfair.com readership study found that 84% of pet parents will give their furry pals gifts this holiday season, with 61% of those giving said they are giving the gift of puppy love - more love, hugs, kisses, and play time!. In return, our pets give us the most important gift that we can't buy: puppy love! Here are a few different ways you can give gifts that make a difference!

1. As the holidays approach, don't have a cow . . . give a cow! Heifer International, a charity that is focused on caring for the earth and ending hunger and poverty, has many farm animals available as gifts. For a donation, an animal is given to families in need all over the world. For example, you can make a donation and a goat or cow will be given to a family to supply milk. Thanks to your generosity, lucky families can "moo-ve" up in life! Visit heifer.org for more details.

2. Every year, animal lovers adopt dogs and cats, but have you ever thought about adopting a gorilla? Now, before your head explodes, be aware that you can adopt a gorilla without giving up your guest room to him. Through the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, you can give a donation and an endangered gorilla will be cared for in your name. For more information on how you can have your very own Donkey Kong, visit www.gorillafund.org.

3. This holiday season, give the gift of protection for the little guys! Now, we're not telling you to become a bodyguard or join the Secret Service, but you can help out endangered animals that can't defend themselves. Leonardo DiCaprio has the International Fund for Animal Welfare on his Christmas list. IFAW gives you the opportunity to protect some sweet seals or cuddly cubs in exchange for cute gifts like a calendar or stuffed animal . To find out how you can help, go to www.ifaw.org.

4. Now, making a difference and saving a pet's life is as easy and fun as a shopping spree! Bring Pets Home (bringpetshome.org) is working with a whopping 140 retail stores, including Walmart, Zales and Macy's, to help the millions of shelter pets find loving homes for the holidays. All you have to do is purchase those perfect red shoes or that new blender you wanted and portions of the purchases are automatically donated to shelters all over the nation!

5. Anyone who has a kid, or has been a kid for that matter, knows how much young people want to get their paws on video games. This "howliday," get that special gamer in your family the new "Petz" video game for the Nintendo DS. This new game from Ubisoft teaches children how to be responsible pet parents as they raise their very own digital dog or cat. Ubisoft is teaming up with the ASPCA to use this opportunity to raise awareness and educate young people on caring for a pet.

For more information, visit animalfair.com.

Dogs Playing In Snow: Winter's Cutest Canines (VOTE)

2009-12-02T13:21:50Z

We'll be totally honest on this one: we love seeing dogs play in snow. Something about a dog's playful nature comes especially alive in winter.

Even though we may only have an inch or two on the ground, this gives us the perfect excuse. Show us your dog pics in our "Dog Days Of Winter" project.

Just hit the participate button below.

To get things started, here are some of our favorites. Happy playing!

Asia's Dog Meat Trade: A Look Inside A Seedy World

2009-12-01T10:47:57Z

By Patrick Winn, GlobalPost

TA RAE, Thailand -- Behind this dirt-floor stall, beyond the tables splayed with ropes of jerky, a butcher prepares the day's catch.

The animal is rigored stiff on the cutting board, its four legs pointed skyward like an upended footstool. In view of passing traffic, the butcher goes to work, sinking his cleaver into its side and paring off belly meat in neat flanks.

Soon, his work is arranged inside a glass display case packed with ice. Condensation beads on the ribs, thighs, hearts and livers - as well as one skinny tail, boiled bald but for a few stubborn hairs.

"Delicious!" calls out a vendor in upcountry Thai dialect. Her cryptic menu, tacked to a post, uses only the non-specific Thai word for "meat." But she is happy to reveal her butchery's secret.

"It's all dog meat," she says. "From those dogs that just roam around."

Within Thailand, this no-stoplight town known as Ta Rae evokes free-range dog meat the way Memphis conjures thoughts of hickory-smoked ribs.

The village does not showcase its signature industry, which relies on bribery and crime. Nor does it openly embrace dog eating, regarded by mainstream Thai society as hickish and uncivilized. The local dog meat vendors operate on a dusty side street, outside the town's sanctioned outdoor market.

But the village's discretion is for naught: Ta Rae is regionally known as a nerve center in Southeast Asia's stray dog meat trade. Here, Northeast Thailand's seemingly infinite supply of wild dogs are corralled, graded, crammed into wire cages and prepped for export. The destination: Vietnam, where demand for grilled dog sells for triple the price of pork.

"This town of Ta Rae, if we had no business of dog meat, we could not survive," says Rev. Somkiat Pholchangwang, who runs the town's largest Catholic cathedral.

Settled in the 1880s by Christians fleeing persecution, and later by Vietnamese refugees, Ta Rae villagers are almost entirely Catholic -- a rare faith in deeply Buddhist Thailand. Somkiat is priest to many dog-trafficking parishioners. He claims that most are loath to eat dog.

"It's like eating your friend," he says. "But we tolerate those who do eat it. And we tolerate it for export."

For decades, enterprising Thais have grown wealthy gathering society's canine pests by the tens of thousands and selling them to Vietnamese distributors for about $10 per head. Intelligence gathered from police, traffickers and local politicians suggests that at least 30,000 strays are now smuggled through illegal river borders each month.

Demand appears to be rising, a trend that one study from Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University attributes to a more vibrant Vietnamese economy. Hanoi's leftover Thai dogs were once re-sold in China, according to researcher Thanyathip Sipana, but now Vietnamese consumption leaves little for the Chinese.

In a region where many turn to the rice paddies for work, dog collecting is a tempting alternative.

Just outside town, chain-link fencing and barbed wire encircle a dog gathering way station. Metal cages litter the grassy lawn. Dozens of dogs pace inside a chicken-wire kennel. A hulking black dog named Pepsi - a prisoner-turned-pet - keeps watch by the gate.

"It's a lucrative business," says Wit, the boss of a dog collecting crew. Though he would not offer his real name - he said speaking to journalists would bring harsh retribution from his higher-ups -- the 33-year-old agreed to a few photos of his dog pen and a breakdown of the trade's day-to-day mechanics.

In Wit's corner of Northeast Thailand, jade-green rice fields reach out to touch the horizon in each direction. A glut of wild strays roam this countryside, slinking through its villages and cities, feeding off field rats and loitering around farms.

Wit and his crew are dispatched to find those dogs, subdue them and truck them to an illegal Thai-Lao border crossing on the Mekong River.

"The money is good, but it's a constant pain," says Wit, face flushed pink from a mid-day drinking session. As he spoke, a dirty-blonde poodle mix -- yet another of his canine pets -- toddled out from the kitchen and flopped down on the doormat.

"We have to pay police to leave us alone. We sometimes shut down our operation if there's too much scrutiny," Wit says. "Neighbors sometimes complain about the smell."

Each day, the dog collectors troll the region in pick-up trucks fitted with iron cages. They leave home base with small bills and plastic buckets -- a gratuity for farmers who agree to turn over the strays who populate their fields.

Villagers know the trade as "Maa Grabong," a pairing of the Thai words for "dog" and "canister." Poor villagers will often exchange dogs for plastic basins, which are useful for household chores.

When collectors cruise through, broadcasting their services through a cheap megaphone, farmers see an opportunity to dispense with nuisance dogs: the kid biters and chicken eaters. A deal is struck and the mutts are tossed into cages by the scruff. Less cooperative dogs are yoked with a lasso fixed to a bamboo pole.

"This is a business from way back when," says Nan Nantagalik, a 61-year-old grandmother and Ta Rae villager. "Country people need a way to get rid of dogs that chase their kids."

The plumpest, healthiest strays are fast-tracked to Vietnam, where an especially desirable dog is said to fetch $60 in a Greater Hanoi meat market. But only low-grade dog meat remains in Thailand, where it's often mashed to a pulp and dried into scarlet-colored ropes of jerky. The stuff is displayed everywhere at the Ta Rae butchery: on tables, in basins and strung from the roof like chewy wind chimes.

The dog wrangling, the town's disrepute, the smuggling by moonlight -- Wit says none of it gives him pause.

"I've never stopped to ask if this is wrong," says Wit, his silver necklace reflecting the amber sun. "It's a way of life, passed down from the older generations. This is what my family has taught me."

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Read more: Thailand, Dog Meat, Dogs, Dog Meat Trade, World News

Olivia Rosewood: How to Teach Your Children About Death, Part 2

2009-11-17T10:46:42Z

It seems that life and death are inextricably intertwined, and the two do indeed have a great deal to do with each other. Death emphasizes the preciousness of life, and the sanctity of these few moments carefully, albeit predictably, bookended by a birth and a death, in the same way that the black marks of these letters make the white around them more bright. Death provides the greatest contrast for living.

One Sunday, we found ourselves at the Self Realization Fellowship, a non-religious meditation center. One of the yogic monks there offered to give our dog, Dimitry, a short service to help our children have closure and understand his passing. After reading a beautiful passage form the Bhagavad Gita, the kind monk read a quote from a story floating around the internet. I can't find the real author of this, so if any of you know, please post it in the comments section. It's called, "Love like a dog":

"If a dog was your teacher you would learn things like:
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
Enjoy every moment of every day."

Our friend, the yogic monk, had designed this service to be simple enough for our small children to understand. And yet I found his words profound. He went on to quote a 6 year-old named Shane, who realized why dogs live such short lives. He explains, "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good Life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right? Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."

It seemed the theme of death would be very present in those few days. When we next wandered out of our front door we discovered a squirrel who had been flattened by a car. And then our neighbors house caught on fire, and we watched the fireman carry her to the ambulance in a stretcher (she did recover). And while this closeness to death raises questions about what happens next, about where that life force that once animated the lifeless body of the squirrel has flown away to, it has raised even more questions about what's happening now. Knowing that it will end, what's important? Knowing that it will end, how fully are we living?

The theme of death this autumn, the season of dying, has brought home the realization that we are alive for now. We are left with a deepened impulse to live, love, and savor the sanctity of these fleeting moments.

Read more: Children, Love, Hope, Dogs, Grief, Life, Death, Living News

Sophie Pollitt-Cohen: What I Learned Running The New York City Marathon

2009-11-11T15:50:45Z

What I learned Running The New York City Marathon: Things To Avoid

Dogs that might bite you. It's hard to run if your leg is gushing blood all over the place and hurting you. Also, the blood makes the ground slippery, and other runners will get mad at you, no matter how hard you try to explain that really, it's that jerk dog's fault.
UNLESS: You think that you could outrun the dog and that this chase scenario would actually make you run faster. In that case, seek out medium-fast to pretty-fast seeming dogs.

Your ex. It's not unlikely that you dated someone who might is also be in the marathon, maybe because he was the original reason you signed up, because you were going to run it TOGETHER and meet a personal goal TOGETHER, just like you were going to live TOGETHER.
UNLESS: You look damn good. If you are able to run a marathon, you probably have a ripped body. If not, I'm not really sure how that happened, because you should be burning like 1500 calories on your training runs. What are you eating, lard sandwiches topped with pig fat? The marathon is one of the few times when it is acceptable to wear basically no clothing, besides Halloween, which was yesterday, and hopefully you also saw your ex at the Halloween party at his house that he didn't really invite you to but surprise! you showed up. Use this opportunity to show him what he's missing (again).

Getting hungry: Come on. It's the marathon. Eat a good breakfast.
UNLESS: You meant it metaphorically, like hungry for a win. That's cool. But not if you mean hungry to punch your ex-boyfriend in his dumb face, because last year you caught him making out with some girl in the back of Brother Jimmy's Bar and Grill when he was supposed to be playing Fifa with his friends, which honestly is not that much better.
UNLESS: You can use your rage to your advantage, and you sprint to the finish.

Getting thirsty: So have a drink. What am I, a biologist?
Unless: By thirsty you meant fasty. Why didn't you just say that?

Getting tired: Seriously?
UNLESS: You meant it metaphorically. Like you're tired of being so slow. But maybe instead of making all these roundabout metaphors, you should just focus on running really fast. Just remember to pace yourself, because 26 miles is super far, and it would be really unfun if he won this stupid marathon that you didn't even want to do anyway but you kind of had to after all that training and bragging to your friends about how you and your 8% body fat boyfriend were going to run the marathon together and then have the prettiest, richest, fastest-running babies.
UNLESS: You run smack into that trollop from Brother Jimmy's who is now official with your ex-boyfriend.
TRIPLE UNLESS: Maybe you can introduce yourself, and you'll become friends.
LET'S BE REAL: That would never happen.

Falling down: That's embarrassing! It's hard to run when you are lying on the ground. That's like basic Marathon 101 stuff, am I right?
UNLESS: There's really no unless here. Falling down is never a good idea in any form, including falling for someone. Love is a lie. You know that.

Any and all short cuts: sometimes people might try to "help you out" during the race by telling you about some great shortcut. There are no shortcuts in marathons. The whole point of a marathon is its length, so that doesn't even make sense. Maybe that person trying to help you should just go take that stupid shortcut with his stupid new girlfriend. You've got a race to win.
UNLESS: You weren't going to win anyway. In which case, maybe you should have stayed at home and watched the race on TV. And you know what would be the ultimate fun? If your TV was in your bedroom, and you could watch the race in bed with that dog, because in the off season you guys are friends, and some bagels and your ex boyfriend, who is now back to being your boyfriend, and maybe we could all forget about the little Brother Jimmy's/new girlfriend incident.
LETS BE REAL: That would never happen.

Note: These are actually things I learned while lying in bed thinking about how I was too hungover to run in the marathon.

Sophia Yin: Holiday Hazards for Your Pet

2009-11-11T10:42:41Z

The Holiday Season is always filled with unexpected expenses. Like monsoons in Manila, you never know exactly when and how one's going to hit. Will it be more gift-giving than planned or higher heating costs than last year? Well, if you're an out-of-luck pet owner, it could be a surprise veterinary bill, because believe it or not, the season to be jolly also doubles as the season for Spot to visit the vet -- on emergency.

If you think about it for a second the reasoning is clear. The house, usually just a ho-hum array of couches, chairs and tables, suddenly becomes an indoor pet playground. New plants decorate the mantle, aromatic candles dot the tables, mystery boxes overflow with flashy, fluttering ribbons, and a medley of taboo foods awaits at every turn.

Which temptation will catch your pet's fancy first? If you turn your attention away at just the right moment, you may find out the hard way. Suddenly Kitty's scaling the pine scented jungle gym in a quest for the angel at the top, or Fido, the intact male is enjoying his new Douglas Fir port-a-potty.

Unless kitty topples the tree and gets a concussion or Fido short-circuits the Christmas lights, these infringements are just a minor nuisance. But if Kitty or Fido have a propensity for chewing, things can turn ugly fast. Tinsel in the tummy or ornaments in the esophagus, both can put a halt to all food flow through the intestinal tract. Some small foreign objects can snake their way through without plugging things up, but don't count on it. At minimum the trip through the GI tract will leave a trail of inflammation leading to a few days under the weather. But on the dark side, an obstruction often spells surgery. Even an innocent string or ribbon can back things up, often in the worst way. It's apt to drag through slowly gathering loops of intestines tighter and tighter like the drawstrings on a sac of potatoes. Enough pulling and the intestines finally cry uncle. They give way with a rip or tear and their contents leak out contaminating the abdomen with bacteria and debris. At this stage, even the most heroic efforts can lead to an unhappy ending.

If you have one of those wiser, smarter pets who know better than to eat inanimate objects, you're still not in the clear. Tasty plants can also pose a problem. Toxins from holly and mistletoe berries can turn petite pets cross-eyed, causing a medley of intestinal or neurologic signs, and Poinsettia sap can irritate both the eyes and the stomach on contact.

Sometimes foods meant to be eaten can cause serious gastrointestinal grief too. That wonderful turkey feast is fine for humans, but toss the bones rather than feeding them to Fido. With or without meat, dogs swallow the bones whole or crush them into bits that can form a concretion leading either to a case of constipation or to yet another possible cause of obstruction. As an added complication, both raw and cooked bones can fracture into sharp fragments that can scrape the intestines as they're passing. Or worse yet, they can puncture all the way through.

Even the holiday meal without bones can be dangerous. Like the indigestion you get after an overfill of fine foods, Rover may also suffer a case of upset stomach from his sudden holiday diet change. While the upset may start out mild, a twelve-hour wait and the situation could take a bad turn. And if the pancreas, which makes digestive enzymes and insulin, comes into play expect a protracted hospital stay with no guarantee of recovery.

So how do you know when to suspect a serious problem? If Kitty the cat is suddenly lackluster, or Hank the chowhound suddenly refuses a regular meal, it's time to scour the house for telltale signs. If Fido's hacking up evidence of his holiday loot or pooping pancakes instead of his regular firm feces, it's a neon sign -- take him to the vet! And of course, if you see signs of a suspicious ingestion -- a box of chocolates ripped to shreds, a garbage can knocked over with its contents gone, a string protruding from Rover's rear -- don't take matters into your own hands. Call your veterinarian pronto.

Your veterinarian will evaluate King or Kitty with a physical exam and follow up with diagnostic tests if needed. She may use radiographs or ultrasound to look for foreign objects or evidence of intestinal inflammation or blood work to look for pancreatic involvement as well as other complications. Then treatment could be as simple as a special diet and fluids to prevent dehydration, or it could become extremely involved.

In any case, a visit to the vet hospital before the symptoms get really bad and better yet, before you even see signs of illness could save days of hospitalization and could easily mean the difference between life and death.

Now that you know how hazardous the Holiday Season can be for your pets, here are some precautions you can take:

1) Keep all human foods out of reach and empty garbage cans filled with taboo items.

2) Inform your guests that there's no slipping scraps to Fido. He'll get his treats later.

3) If you're bent on sharing your meal with Fido, limit the scraps to less than 10% of his regular daily meal and avoid high fat, spicy foods. Also avoid chocolate and onions. They're toxic in dogs and cats.

4) If your pet has a propensity for chewing on chords, toys, presents or plants, keep him out of tempting rooms when unsupervised. Alternatively you can set up a scatmat barrier around the off-limits area. Then if Fido or Kitty step on the mat they'll get a static surprise that's sure to keep them away next time.

5) Be sure King and Kitty get their regular amount of attention and exercise so they won't have to look for alternate forms of attention.

Copyright 2000 Sophia Yin, DVM. This article originally appeared in Dr. Yin's San Francisco Chronicle Pet Tales pet column in 2000. This and many other articles by Dr. Yin are available at www.AskDrYin.com.

Sheila Lirio Marcelo: Pet Abandonment Up, Adoption Down

2009-11-09T17:01:27Z

The current recession has touched so many different parts of our lives over the past 18 months. We've measured unemployment, counted the dollars of multiple bailout packages, and watched the housing market fall. But one aspect that's been overlooked is how the recession has affected household pets.

Pets are being abandoned in rising numbers as incomes fall. Earlier in the year, the ASPCA in Boston reported a 45 percent increase of pet owners surrendering their animals from either economic concerns or home-loss. There have been other reports across the country from shelters overflowing with abandoned pets, too. But it's not just that people are abandoning animals in higher numbers--animal shelters haven't been able to place dogs and cats into new homes as easily this year. My brother Ronic adopted a new dog a few months ago, but unfortunately, that puts him in the minority.

"We are definitely seeing animals being here longer than the old average length of stay," said Sheila Ryan, Director of Development and Marketing of the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NHSPCA). "People don't seem to be as willing to adopt now as they have been in the past. It seems like people can't take on one more thing to pay for."

The NHSPCA just ran its annual Adopt-A-Thon. Last year, they were able to find homes for 80 animals. But this year the number dropped to 52 despite having more media coverage and attendees for their event.

As any fellow animal lover will tell you, pets are an absolute joy. The unconditional love and companionship they provide can be life-changing. My own family has two dogs (Blake, a Cairn Terrier, and Sydney, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel). The two little guys are like furry family members! They have also been great teaching tools for Adam, our youngest son, who has learned responsibility while walking, feeding, caring for, and cleaning up after our puppies.

But with the good comes the bad. For all the joy pets bring into our lives, they can be very expensive. Caring for a dog costs $1,000-2,000 each year, and cat owners pay anywhere from $800-1,000 annually--all without adding any unforeseen medical expenses. Blake and Sydney are such important parts of our lives; it's hard to imagine the pain of having to give up a pet. In light of all this, I want to share ways to save money and keep your four-legged family members.

Save on Pet Care
Use a pet sitter? Share their services with a pet-loving neighbor to split the cost and save money. Or forgo the dog walker a couple days each week and arrange your lunch break so you can go home for a quick "hello" and a walk.

Cutting Costs at the Vet
Pets need regular doctor visits, shots, and checkups, but you can save money while making sure your animals have the medical attention they need. Ask your veterinarian if you can work out a payment plan to spread out the costs. Also, regular checkups help you save money in the long run. They're not only good for your pet, but they also prevent small health issues from building into big ones with high price tags.

Cut Out the Frills
Pet accessories, fancy leashes, and expensive toys can add up quickly. If you're feeling a budget squeeze, make sure your animals have what they need, then cut out the extras. Replace a new plaything with a little extra one-on-one attention and they'll never know the difference. Oh, and you can even try making your own dog food!

A "Petcation"
If you find it's too expensive to keep your pet at home, why not find a friend or relative to temporarily care for them? Instead of giving them up to a shelter or stranger, someone you trust will look after your baby. This arrangement doesn't have to be permanent--think of it as a vacation for your pet. It can also be a chance for another family to experience the joy of pet ownership. Maybe they'll even adopt a companion pet, too!

Like many other non-profit organizations, animal shelters are losing funds as sponsorship, grant, and donor money dries up. They also need in-kind donations like pet food, kitty litter, or even hay for horses to make it through the winter. These problems will only grow as pet adoptions slow and more animals are abandoned.

"Spread the word that adoptable animals are waiting for people," said Ryan. "These aren't throwaway animals--they're adorable, loveable, potential pets."

Check with your local chapter of the ASPCA to see what you can to do to help (or if you're interested in adding a four-legged family member!).

If You Put A Dog On The Cover, It'll Sell (PHOTOS, POLL)

2009-11-06T17:26:07Z

If you put a dog on the cover, it'll sell. Must Love Dogs, Marley and Me, The Dog Whisperer, the list is inexhaustible and it's something that every venerable publisher knows.

And so even though "cute" doesn't necessarily play well on HuffPost Books, we challenge even the most cynical of our readers to resist this one: National Geographic's Dogtown: Tales of Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Redemption. All of the dogs in this book have been rescued. So go ahead. Try to pass this one by.

And if you have a picture of your own rescued dog, send it in using the Participate button below!

Olivia Rosewood: How To Teach Your Children About Death

2009-11-04T13:00:35Z

Our family dog passed away unexpectedly this week. He was a Siberian Husky named Dimitry Soloviev, and he was love incarnate. My husband's and my grief was great, but far greater was the grief of our children. It suddenly occurred to me that we did not have any children's books dealing with death. Special needs? Of course. All of the holidays? Yes, yes, and then some. But death? Not a single one. After many long conversations regarding death and our family beliefs about the journey of the soul after death, a sweet book with lovable characters would have been so helpful. I wrote a book about Dimitry, called Dimitry and the Moon, but it deals with love, and the great joy of giving love. It doesn't approach saying goodbye or dying.

At our local Barnes and Nobles, I combed the aisles of the children's section looking for just the right book about death. Beyond not being able to find the perfect book about death, I couldn't find a single one regarding this topic. There were a few autumn books, embracing the changing of the season, but even they didn't approach the essence of this season, which is a beautiful kind of death, "Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile." (William Cullen Bryant).

After spending time in India where they parade their dead bodies through the streets on fire in complete acceptance of this holy, wholly natural, and emotional aspect of being alive, it goes without saying that in the United States we have a somewhat less open tolerance for this chapter of being. One might even say that we're still in the closet about the subject. Why are we so tight lipped about this natural process? It is the birth at the beginning and the death at the end that give us this precious in between called living. And it is the beginning and the end that make the living precious, fleeting, and without a moment to waste. The beginning and the end guide us toward love, force us to choose better over worse, because it's temporary. As my friend Steve Ross likes to say, "Life is an apartment, and the lease is running out." An awareness of the end brightens the now, and enlightens the how.

Suffice to say, the only place I could find children's books about death was on the internet, where we keep all shadowy and questionable merchandise in the U.S. I found a beautiful book by one of my favorite authors, Margaret Wise Brown, who penned Goodnight Moon, among many other lovely, melodic stories, called The Dead Bird. In it, a group of children find a bird who has just died. They give the little bird a burial and bring it flowers. Among other gifts, this book gave my children the feeling that they were not the only ones dealing with death. The more we talked about it, the more we looked at the subject of death, the easier it became to heal and say our farewells.

Reedu Taha: Bronx Dogfight Trial Begins

2009-11-04T10:06:44Z

One year, five months and more than a half dozen hearings later, four out of eight men involved in a dogfighting ring in Bronx, New York, will be tried before a court of law. The trial will commence in Room 210 of the Bronx Criminal Courthouse on Monday, November 16, 2009.

Last June, police arrested eight men from the Bronx and New Jersey, including suspected ringleader Alexander Estephane, who lives in the building where the bust took place.

The other defendants in the case who will stand trial along with Estephane are Lauritz Acoy, Juan Toledo, and Alterik Mason. Two other suspects, Rashaan Johnson and Israel Cuevas have been repeated no-shows to all the hearings and will subsequently be tried separately, while suspects Eric A. Boyce and Darnell Walker were dismissed due to a lack of evidence.

Estephane, Toldeo and Acoy have received felony charges for dogfighting while Mason has a misdemeanor charge as a spectator. All four defendants have no chance at a plea deal. If proven guilty in a court of law, they will subsequently be charged with the maximum crimes.

However, when it comes to dogfighting penalties, New York State ranks 48 out of 50, and is therefore considered one of the most lax on its dogfighting laws.

- Dogfighting: Felony, maximum of 4 years and a $25,000 fine

- Spectator at a dogfight: Misdemeanor with a maximum of 1 year and a $1,000 fine

- Possession of dogs for fighting: Maximum of 1 year and a $15,000 fine

"Being that New York State's dogfighting laws are among the worst in the country, unfortunately, I think these heinous crimes will only continue," said Jennifer Panton, President of New York City-based United Action for Animals.

In response to the Bronx dogfighting bust, United Action for Animals formed an Anti-Animal Fighting Campaign and has been key in bringing the Bronx dogfighting bust to the attention of New Yorker's.

"I think in New York City there's this common misconception that dogfighting only takes place in rural areas, but it doesn't," said Panton. "It happens right here in our backyards and basements, too."

Panton has organized and lead two peaceful protests outside the Bronx Criminal Courthouse and can also be credited with presenting Judge Steven Barrett and Assistant District Attorney Jacob Kaplan with a petition that has nearly 1,800 signatures requesting that the defendants receive the maximum punishment allowed by law.

The upcoming trial on November 16th is an important date for New York City and for dogs. The trial is open to the public, so please come out and join United Action for Animals in support of the voiceless victims.

Dogs Dress Up For Charity At Howl'oween Parade

2009-10-29T17:27:13Z

Is your pooch all dressed up with nowhere to go this Halloween? Good news, now your furry friend can join more than 600 dogs dressed up as bumblebees, ballerinas and pirates at the Haute Dog Howl'Oween Parade for Charity.

The Long Beach, Calif. bash is the self-proclaimed largest Halloween pet event in the world, and will feature vendor booths, bobbing for Howl'oweenies, a dog treat stacking contest, a Bulldog Kissing Booth, costume contests, and a pet adoption fair.

Of course we wouldn't tell you about the parade without providing a video of some precious pups. Here's a clip of a previous year's cuteness:

The $15 to $25 parade entry fees for costumed canines go straight to the Community Action Team, of which Haute Dogs is a part. Last year, Haute Dogs raised about $13,000 for the nonprofit, which does year-round community-building activities that benefit animals, children and the environment.

Rabbi David Wolpe: Eating Animals : Jonathan Safran Foer's New Book Asks Why Don't We Eat Pets?

2009-10-29T07:24:03Z

Once in my life I worked on a political campaign and once in my life met someone who called himself a "goop scooper." My candidate and I were touring a chicken processing factory. As chicken carcasses acrobatically clung to the rotating belt that dropped them in a vat, the man who removed their insides told me he was the "goop scooper."

The vividness of the picture has not faded. Not since the high school assignment of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle had I been forced to confront the prelude to the cellophane wrap. Shortly after visiting the factory I wrote a humor column about it for my college newspaper. After all, if you want to dash a feeling, nothing works better than a joke. "Wit" as Nietzsche observed, "closes the coffin on an emotion."

But can one investigate the whole question of eating other animals unflinchingly, movingly but with wit? Can it be made interesting, readable, compelling -- powerful without self-righteousness? In other words is there a book to be written that might change the way we eat that vegetarians and devoted carnivores alike would want to read?

Here it is. Jonathan Safran Foer's Eating Animals is a triple marvel: the research is serious and far reaching, the writing clear, clever, accessible and in a few instances graphically ingenious, and the cause is genuinely important.

Foer does not indict all animal-eating on simplistic grounds. This is not, paradoxically, a bleeding heart book, except in the most sanguinary sense. It is a tough-minded look at what the gradual triumph of factory farming has done to the quality of the food we eat. Quality here is a ramified term, including its effect on the natural world and the animals who endure unspeakable conditions, ailments and anguish so that we can have more and more fish, poultry, pork and beef.

Some of the facts that Foer quotes we are vaguely familiar with:

"In the United States, about 3 million pounds of antibiotics are given to humans each year, but a whopping 17.8 million pounds are fed to livestock -- at least that's what the industry claims." Foer goes on to point out that the Union of Concerned Scientists concluded the industry underreports by 40%.

Americans eat 150 times as many chickens as we did only eighty years ago -- each year fifty billion birds live and die in conditions that impose great suffering during their lives.

There is no essential difference between the animals we eat -- birds, cows, pigs -- and those we would not eat -- horses, perhaps, and dogs. No difference, that is, except that we form bonds with the latter and don't allow ourselves to form bonds with the former. But would you condemn your dog to a life of agony and then kill it for dinner? "In a sense it's what we are doing already. Rendering -- the conversion of animal protein unfit for human consumption into food for livestock and pets -- allows processing plants to transform useless dead dogs into productive members of the food chain. In America, millions of dogs and cats euthanized in animal shelters every year become the food for our food. (About twice as many dogs and cats become food as are adopted.)"

On some level we know all this. But we may not realize the devastation wreaked by factory farming. Apart from the hormones, the antibiotics, and the selective breeding that creates animals that produce more meat but live in constant pain, there is the cost to us as well. Here is the best case scenario of what most animals we eat have to endure on their trip to dinner: "Or try this thought experiment: Would you castrate animals without pain relief? Would you brand them? Would you slit their throats open? ...Let's describe the reality: that piece of meat came from an animal who, at best -- and it's precious few who get away with only this -- was burned, mutilated, and killed for the sake of a few minutes of human pleasure."

We do not know the deceptiveness of terms like "free range." The term suggests chickens roving free like the Von Trapp family, warbling atop the alps until they are painlessly gathered into the Valhalla of Whole Foods. Actually, free range chickens can still be "...debeaked, drugged, force moulted, and cruelly slaughtered once 'spent.' I could keep a flock of hens under my sink and call them free range."

The cost in human suffering may have escaped us. "The UN special envoy on food called it a 'crime against humanity' to funnel 100 million tons of grain and corn to ethanol when almost a billion people are starving. So what kind of crime is animal agriculture, which uses 756 million tons of grain and corn per year, much more than enough to adequately feed the 1.4 billion human who are living in dire poverty?"

Remember that 99% of all land animals used for food are factory farmed. We have created a colossal churning machine to spit out pork chops and chicken nuggets.

There is much more of interest, and some striking and even beautiful images along the way. But ultimately the message of the book is summed up in Foer's simple observation: "It's always possible to wake someone from sleep, but no amount of noise will wake someone who is pretending to be asleep." I hope he is wrong. I hope this book falls with an explosive charge on the somnolent consciences of meat-eating Americans. We know something of the agony, waste, disease and unhealthiness behind the gleaming counters. Perhaps Eating Animals will persuade us to stop pretending to be asleep.

Deborah Calla: The Difference Between My Dog And Me

2009-10-28T11:48:10Z

When I leave my house my dog sits outside my office door and waits for
me. He sees me go out the front door but he goes outside in the backyard,
where my office is, and sits by my locked door. He does that because
during the day that’s where I always am, and in his mind he can’t understand
where else I could be. I’m always there so I must be there.

I think people do the same thing when we lose someone. Death is such a
confusing experience. One minute a person is part of our lives and then
in the next they are gone -- leaving a huge hole in our lives. How to make sense
of it? Not in a religious or spiritual way but in a visceral, physical
way? Not possible. So we go to the places where the person we lost used to
exist and look for traces of them. We sit outside their doors and hope
somehow they are inside.

All of us who have lost partners wonder how we’re going to live without our
loved ones. How do we sit at a table to eat -- where they used to sit
across from us -- and stare at an empty chair? How do we get pleasure out
of watching the plants grow when that had been a project we had together? No simple answer except that somehow we do or somehow we must because
just like in my dog’s case no matter how long we wait, our “person” won’t
mysteriously materialize. They now occupy a different realm in our lives and it
is a hard transition for us left behind because we know that each step we
take forward becomes one step away from our “person”. New relationships, new jobs, new places are
things without our history with our “person”.

But life is a gift even with all its trials; just ask anyone fighting for
theirs now.

I know my psyche holds less despair than it did fourteen months ago.
The love and the longing have not diminished, only the desperation. And as my
life continues to exist I keep looking for ways to appreciate more each day and
not give way to things that are not that important.

I would say that from being married to Chris, my “person”, I have learned to
love and respect myself. And from his loss I have learned to live in the moment -- to understand the real meaning of compassion.

So there are many differences between my dog and me, but the major one is
that my dog will always be outside my door waiting for me while I instead of waiting
outside Chris’ door I’m hoping to honor him with a life well lived.

Can Dogs Teach Kids To Read?

2009-10-22T17:03:37Z

Know a child who needs a little help with learning how to read? CNN reports that man's best friend could be a great teacher for kids too.

It sounds implausible. After all, dogs can't read. How could they possibly help someone learn a skill that they themselves can't grasp? But it's a growing trend, and it seems to be working... The philosophy is simple. Children who are just learning to read often feel judged or intimidated by classmates and adults. But reading to a dog isn't so scary. It won't judge, it won't get impatient, it won't laugh or correct if the child makes a mistake. In a nutshell, dogs are simply excellent listeners. And for shy kids or slow readers, that can make all the difference.

CNN iReport caught up with a book-loving pup and owner at the West Virginia Book Festival.

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Okay, so the dogs aren't actually teaching kids. In fact, the program works because the child feels like he or she is teaching their furry friend something new, which makes them more assertive and confident as they sound out their way to literacy.

Kathy Klotz is executive director of Intermountain Therapy Animals, which runs a nationwide program called R.E.A.D.--Reading Education Assistance Dogs. Klotz says a lot of people are skeptical of the program when they first hear about it, but anyone who's spent time with a dog will understand.

"It sounds a little kooky when people first hear the idea," she admits. "But if they know dogs at all, and the way people relate to dogs, it quickly starts to make sense. But you don't quite ever grasp how really lovely it is until you see it happen and you see the kids light up and you see how excited they are. You see all these changes in them that they just weren't able to make."

You can learn more about promoting literacy with pooches at R.E.A.D. or, for $25 dollars, you can pay for one student's materials for a whole semester at Sit. Stay. Read.

Impact wonders what else dogs can inspire us to do. Do you have a story about a pet that's helped you learn something new?

Photos From The 5th Annual Times Square Dog Day Masquerade

2009-10-20T13:40:42Z

Despite the wintry chill, it really was a dog day afternoon on Sunday when the 5th Annual Times Square Dog Day Masquerade was held in, well, Times Square.

Aside from general furry fun, the canine costume contest helped raise awareness for Animal Haven's Adopt-a-Pet program.

Check out photos of the pooches below, and choose your favorite!