So the primary walker of Bo Obama is reportedly Michelle Obama. But even she is sometimes too busy.

So, Darlene Superville explains in a charming Associated Press story tonight, the walking job falls to a little-known, 57-year-old man named Dale Haney.

He’s walked presidential dogs for decades now all the way back to 1972, which was, wow, in the last century back when Joe Biden first entered the Senate and Obama was barely in the sixth grade.

You think you’ve got a lot of leaves to pick up, besides whatever your dog deposits during his walks. As the White House’s chief groundskeeper, Haney’s got 18.5 acres to take care of.

He’s been amazed over the years about how interested the public is in presidential pets, often showing more interest in them than the officeholder.

Haney likes Bo just fine. But he still carries a soft spot in his heart for George and Laura Bush’s dog Spot. Spot was actually born to the White House, way back in 1989 as the daughter of Millie of the first President Bush.

- LA Times

A week ago, Shannon Iverson jolted awake before dawn. Her roommate, who was house-sitting for their neighbor, came running into their home on Southeast 76th Avenue, screaming, “Fire,” and dialing 9-1-1.

Iverson grabbed a fire extinguisher and ran across the yard. Her efforts were futile; flames already shot out of the windows next door. But Iverson desperately wanted to get inside — some of her neighbor’s animals were still in there. The two Rottweilers had dashed out the back door, but two cats and a Chihuahua hadn’t been seen.

After the sirens, the flashing lights and the water hoses left, Iverson went into the house. The two cats lay on a blanket.

“It looked like they were sleeping,” Iverson said the next day. The cats had suffocated.

Diego, the Chihuahua, was never found but most certainly perished inside the house, too.

On that same day, Nov. 3, at least two other cats died in a townhouse fire on East 21st Street in Vancouver.

When firefighters arrived at that fire, they found a woman with burns sitting at the entrance to her driveway, said Jim Flaherty, a spokesman and firefighter for the Vancouver Fire Department. Before the woman was rushed to the hospital, she told firefighters she had nine cats in her home.

The firefighters couldn’t enter the building right away, but when they did, they found one dead cat and one that was still alive — barely.

They wrapped the injured cat in a burn blanket, brought it outside and put a pet-sized oxygen mask on its face. But with its fur burnt off, claws singed and face burnt, the cat had to be euthanized a short while later.

The two fires are a tragic reminder for pet owners to prepare themselves and their pets for fiery disasters.

Firefighters’ advice

When you awake to fire in your house, there’s only one thing to do: “Get out,” Flaherty said. “And once out, never go back.”

He knows this advice is hard to swallow for animal lovers — he always considered his cats and dogs part of his family. But you can still help your animals when the fire trucks arrive.

“Pinpoint where you believe (your pets) are going to be,” Flaherty said. “If we have heavy smoke downstairs and you tell us your Labrador is hiding in the upstairs bedroom, we’ll split somebody off, if at all possible, to get the dog.”

The main thing is to stay calm, Flaherty said. This will allow you to communicate your pets’ location to the firefighters. It will also enable you to make a quick decision as you get out.

If there’s heavy smoke and you know your pet is hiding in a certain room, don’t go looking for it and risk succumbing to smoke inhalation. But if you can easily reach the door of that room on your way out, close it to prevent more smoke from getting into the room.

One pet rescue stands out in Flaherty’s memory: A couple of years ago, he arrived at a fire in his car before the fire trucks did. Approaching the house, he saw two dogs standing on the back of a couch inside the living room window. He forced the front door open and grabbed the dogs. The incident proved to him that animals will go to their favorite place when stressed.

“Those dogs sat on the back of that couch every day and looked out the window,” Flaherty said.

Tips for cat people

“Cats don’t usually come when you call,” said Kathy Covey of the Cat Adoption Team in Sherwood. “So the big thing with cats is, you need to know where they hide when they’re stressed and scared.”

If you’re not aware of where that might be for your cat, watch her the next time you start the vacuum cleaner. Or when people she doesn’t know come to visit. Or when you test your smoke alarm. Wherever your cat disappears to right then is probably where she’ll be in a fire.

Again, your first objective in a house fire is to get yourself to safety. But if you do have time to get your cat, be prepared.

“You need the confidence to grab (the cat),” Covey says. “You need to learn to scruff.”

That means latching onto the right place on the back of your cat’s neck so you can carry it without getting bitten. Once you’ve grabbed the cat, pillowcases make great emergency carriers, Covey said.

Cats also may run out of the house during an emergency. You can prepare for that by having ID tags on your cat’s collar, micro-chipping it and making sure your neighbors are familiar with the cat and know its name.

Getting dogs to cooperate

It’s important that your neighbors know your dog’s name, too. If the dog is loose in the neighborhood, it will react much better to someone who knows its name.

More importantly, if you’re unconscious in your home, the dog may, in an effort to protect you, keep emergency crews from entering. But if firefighters get your dog’s name from neighbors, that helps soften the interaction, said Tanya Roberts, animal behavior specialist at the Oregon Humane Society.

Unlike cats, dogs should come when called. In case of fire, good training is a lifesaver, literally. Your dog will pick up on the stress in your voice and may be reluctant to come to you as you exit the building, choosing to hide instead.

Obedience training is crucial to successful dog ownership anyway, but in situations like this it becomes vital. “The key is to train the recall really well,” Roberts said. “Practice what to do in emergency situations.”

This could be having an extra word that emphasizes the urgency of the situation. “Now!” is a popular choice to add to the familiar “come here” in pressing moments. But you need to train the basics first.

“Start simple,” Roberts said. “Take one word (to call your dog with), stay consistent and reward your dog no matter how long it takes.”

It’s important that the dog learns that coming to you means coming to a positive experience. “Don’t let your dog associate (coming when called) with going to the vet or leaving the dog park,” Roberts said.

Once those steps are routine, train under distracting circumstances. You will be glad you did, should you ever need to persuade your dog to follow you through smoke, noise and flashing lights.

Simple prevention

There is one really simple first step toward safeguarding yourself and your pets: Make sure your smoke alarm works.

“What gets people out also allows animals to get out,” said Lt. Allen Oswalt, spokesman for Portland Fire & Rescue.

This advice may seem so basic as to be superfluous. But it’s still not always followed. The house on Southeast 76th Street had no working smoke alarm, Oswalt said.

– Jacques Von Lunen from Oregan Live

Our cardiovascular health, in particular, seems to get a boost from interacting with furry friends. One NIH-funded study found that of 421 adults who had suffered heart attacks, those who owned dogs were significantly more likely to be alive a year later than those who didn’t own dogs. Other studies have found that dog owners get more exercise from walking their dogs. They also may make more social connections because being with a dog invites more friendly conversation. Then there is the stress-relieving factor of pet ownership: Some studies show that pet owners have lower heart rates and blood pressure than people who don’t keep animals.

Article from the Chicago Tribune.

Neutered pets live a longer, healthier life.

Your female animal won’t go into heat.
Spay pets are freed from the constant need to roam and seek out mates. They will not spray or mark their territory to attract males. They are calmer because they are more focused on being a loving member of their caregiver family.

Your male animal will be better behaved and won’t roam away from home.
Unneutered dogs mark their territory with urine (inside the house and out), mount your family and guests, and are more likely to develop behavior problems including; roaming, risking injury in traffic or getting into fights with other males. Neutered cats are less likely to spray strong urine or get into fights that cause abscesses or serious contagious diseases.

Spaying and neutering your pet will NOT make them fat or lazy.
Your pet will remain fit and trim as long as you continue to provide exercise and monitor food intake.

Spaying or neutering your pet is a good investment.
It will cost you more to care for one litter of puppies or kittens created by your family pet. Even a responsible breeder rarely breaks even or makes money by selling dogs or cats.

You can show your children the real miracle of birth, and save a life at the same time
In our multi-media age, you can easily find many great birth education TV documentaries, videos or CDs to bring home. Consider having your children participate in the “miracle of saving a life” by providing foster care for kittens or puppies from an animal shelter.

Source: My Seattle Pets

Maurices clothing store teamed up with the Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter for Rescues and Runways on Sunday afternoon.

The campaign is a national effort by Maurices, to help local animal shelters raise money and to help animals find homes.

The fashion show featured models, who walked the runway with cats or dogs from the shelter. In total, about 10 dogs and 20 cats were available for adoption and within one hour, more than half of the dogs had been adopted to a loving home.

Event organizers say they couldn’t have asked for a better show. “I had no idea it was going to be this big. We put out 40 chairs for people to come and watch, and we had standing room after we added another 25. The shelter volunteers are crazy busy, they adopted out a ton of animals already and people are ready to go to the shelter this week and look at the ones they don’t have here,” Rescues and Runways event organizer Amber Newton said.

The show also featured a silent auction with donated items from businesses in Rimrock mall. All of the proceeds from Sunday’s event will go to the Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter.

This article was from KTVQ

Paying your everyday bills is hard enough, so what happens when your pet needs emergency care?

A new idea just might keep your pet, and your wallet, from suffering.

Historically, veterinary medicine always has been a bargain for pet owners. Unfortunately, when a serious illness strikes or the pet is injured, pet owners often are shocked by the estimates and invoices they receive.

Furthermore, when the estimate exceeds the amount in their checking account, some owners feel trapped between a decision to fix the pet and hurt their savings, or lose their pet forever.

Sadly, this scenario is all too common in veterinary medicine. Many pets with fixable problems or curable diseases have suffered euthanasia because of owners’ financial reasons.

Pet insurance can help, but since there are no third-party payment systems in veterinary medicine, the pet owner still must pay the invoice upfront and wait for reimbursement.

Likewise, personal financing options are available. Unfortunately, the very people who need the most help often aren’t able to qualify for credit.

Thankfully, Pet Health Savings Plans may provide some hope for pet owners as a new option in covering pet health care costs.

Pet Health Savings Plans allow an owner to make an automatic deposit into an FDIC insured account set up specifically for them and their pet. Since the

deposit is automatic, most owners never truly miss the money. The account also is interest-bearing, so pet owners can see sustained growth in their pet’s nest egg.

One of the major controversies with pet insurance is that if your pet never needs it, owners feel as if they have paid the premiums for nothing. With the new pet health savings plans, the money stays with you, so that you can use it for any purpose.

Conversely, pet health savings plans do take time to build, and a sudden pet emergency still could leave you without funds. Many pet insurance policies will provide reimbursements even after payment of just a single premium.

Unlike personal financing options, pet health savings plans aren’t going to require a substantial credit check. If you have a checking or savings account, you probably will be eligible for one of these plans as well.

But, perhaps the biggest advantage pet owners and veterinarians have seen with pet health savings accounts is the fact that the money stays with the owner.

If the pet never needs emergency care, special surgery, or long-term health care, the money can be used for the next pet or for whatever the owner would like.

Beyond finding out how to pay for an emergency situation with your pet, veterinarians remind owners that one key to reducing pet health care costs is to practice good preventive care, and some common sense.

Don’t skimp on heartworm preventive or vaccines in an effort to save money. Likewise, trying to cut costs by using less expensive foods, vaccine clinics, or over-the-counter imitation products also can lead to unintended consequences or a pet health emergency.

We know that we can’t prevent every accident our pets might have, but preparing for future situations makes a lot of sense.

Wellness plans, preventive care and pet insurance can help defray and minimize unexpected veterinary expenses, but a pet health savings plan will pay dividends in the long run.

Article from Mercury News.

Tips For Flying With Your Pet:

• Don’t fly during extreme temperatures (even if the airline allows it).
• Never assume your dog has actually been put safely on the plane without verifying it yourself (you visually see the dog go onto the plane), or through someone in authority. This is especially important if you have a stopover or have connecting flights and have to switch planes. Ask an employee (a stewardess or someone at the gate) to check for you before you take off. Keep trying until you get the confirmation you need.
• Give your dog a good walk before boarding.
• Try to get a direct flight. If that is not possible, avoid any long layovers.
• Make sure your dog has all current shots/vaccinations, and bring a health certificate or other proof with you.

These tips were provided by Petville.

Size matters. On the road a small pet can be more fun, with less effort. I place my cat Sweetie in front of my seat on a plane in a special soft carrier bag, twice a year. Most airlines allow several pets in a cabin for each flight, but they must remain in their bags, and you’ll need to reserve and pay a fee of at least $50, one-way. Check rules, too.

Many lodgings only allow pets less than 20 pounds. So if you travel lots and have a Yorkie or Maltese, you’re in luck. If Hamlet, the Great Dane, is already a member of your family, to be is probably not to be – unless you’re staying on the road. (You could go the RV or camping route with a big dog–but hey, this is your vacation. Is that what you really want to do?)

One Fido is enough. Many lodgings won’t allow more than one pet, and can you blame them? And having to deal with eight-legs and two black noses can be a bit much even for seasoned travelers.

Know your puppy’s personality. Retrievers are gentle but rambunctious; chihuhuas are tiny but trembly. If your dog tends to act out, run away, shiver or bark a lot, think twice before booking a ticket. You expect a “time-out” from a terrier who’s wired to run and yap.

Learn transport info. I once lost my poodle, Apricot, when Delta airlines said he had never been placed in cargpo on a flight from Miami to New York. Seems they overlooked him de-planing, and Apricot flew on to Hawaii! He was returned a day later, dazed, and seemed to have had enough of tropical paradises, thank you very much.

To avoid my predicament, check the pet travel guidelines posted online by the Air Transport Association, www.airtransport.org.

As for cars, use the same sorts of caution as you would with a child–lots of breaks, no leaving the pet in a closed car, water available. You know. Buses, trains and cruise ships don’t encourage pets, although the Queen Mary 2 has luxury kennels.

Choose pet-friendly accommodations. Some of the world’s ritziest lodgings cater to travelers with pets. Pet-friendly chains include Four Seasons, Starwood, Hilton, Loews, Sheraton, Marriott, Holiday Inn and Ramada. Many other hotels and B&Bs and inns will also welcome Fido, knowing how many of us bring pets along. Even if you find accommodations on a pet-friendly list, be sure to double check. And be prepared to stay on a pet floor or in a pet-designated room.

Nowadays many places go all out to provide VIP doggy delights. Many offer bowls, treats and walking areas., and some go all out. The St. Regis hotel in LA offers Fido a customized mahogany bed with down pillows, and special poolside lounges. Las Ventanas al Paraiso in Los Cabos Mexico offer special patios and doggy massages, a dog cabana and full-time chef for custom meals. Go know.

Dine with doggy. At cafes and restaurants with open-air dining areas, Fido may be a welcome guest, under the table. So if you want to dine with your pet, sit al fresco and enjoy. (Think Lincoln Road, where there seem to be as many dogs as humans.) Room service and picnicking are other options. Overseas, dining rules are sometimes more lax. Do bring your dog’s favorite food and bowl, and consider bottled water, wherever you eat. Doggie tummies can get turista too. And on that note, prepare for pooper-scooping at all times, and think ahead for doggy relief areas.

Prepare for pitfalls. Dogs can be great travel companions, who don’t hog the sheets and insist on pay-per view, but they sometimes slobber, sniff, chew, and pass gas at the wrong place and time. (Then again, so do two-legged companions.) You do have to walk them, get someone to do it, or cross your fingers with newspaper spread on the floor. You may have to pay a lodging deposit for damages — and you may lose it. Your entertainment, or lack thereof, may be subject to Fido’s needs.

These tips were fro ETurboNews.