Happy Halloween!

Keep your pup safe this Halloween with safety tips from the ASPCA:

1. Chocolate in all forms can be dangerous for dogs and cats, and tin foil and cellophane candy wrappers can be hazardous if swallowed. If you suspect your pet has ingested a potentially dangerous substance, please call your veterinarian or nearest Animal Poison Control Center.

2. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively nontoxic, yet they can produce gastrointestinal upset should pets ingest them. Intestinal blockage could even occur if large pieces are ingested.

3. Keep wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations out of reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet could experience damage to his mouth from shards of glass or plastic, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

4. A carved pumpkin certainly is festive, but do exercise extreme caution if you choose to add a candle. Pets can easily knock a lit pumpkin over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned or singed by candle flames.

5. If you dress up your pet, make sure the costume isn't annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict the animal's movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe or bark. Keep a look out for small, dangling, or easily chewed-off pieces on the costume that your pet could choke on.

6. When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, take care that your cat or dog doesn't dart outside.

For other great Halloween pet safety tips, please visit The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals.

Tennis Ball Diaries

Check out Vixen in her first performance ever on film!

Before becoming a blogger, I dabbled in a little bit of film making. Thus, Tennis Ball Diaries was born as a final project for college.

I will admit this film is silly and hopefully a little funny. So I thought I would share it with everyone. Hope you enjoy!

TENNIS BALL DIARIES

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2nd Annual Surf Dog Surf-A-Thon

Trying to find some fun filled activities for you and your pet this summer? Why not hit the beach for the 2nd Annual Surf Dog Surf-A-Thon?

The Surf Dog Surf-A-Thon is a great event for surfers and animal lovers alike. The event will be held at North Beach in Del Mar California on September 9, 2007 from 8:30am-1:00pm. Help sponsor a surfer and the funds raised will be used to support all the programs at Helen Woodward Animal Center.

Event Details:

Surf Dog Surf-A-Thon is a non competitive event that raises funds for orphaned animals at the Helen Woodward Animal Center.

Here is how it works, surfers pledge to catch a set number of waves (in a one hour time frame) then solicit friends and neighbors for financial support of their efforts.

In addition, they will also be hosting fun animal-friendly contests including a surf competition for our four-legged surfing buddies and a Beach bum bikini babe canine costume contest!

Swamis surf association will also hold a contest for longest ride and best trick. Vendors from the surf and pet industries will host booths sampling great products for attendees. Local radio and television stations will be involved in the promotion of this event, with expected attendance in the thousands.



And just in case your pup is in the mood to hit the waves, check out the Dog Surfing Clinics being held on Saturday August 4th & 11th from 11am to 1pm. For only $10 you and your pup can hang ten and enjoy the day.

For more information on the Dog Surfing Clinic, send an email to Juliew@animalcenter.org.

For more details on the Dog Surf-A-Thon, check out Surf Dog Surf A Thon

You Gotta Have Faith!

I ran across this news report about the remarkable Faith awhile back and we at Polka Dot Pup have thought fondly of it ever since. That's why when I ran across it again, I had to post it in the everything dog blog.

The story is inspriational, heart warming and a little bit silly (I mean who has ever seen a dog run around on two legs!)

I take pride in the family that adopted this pet and created a wonderful home for her. I wish we could do the same for all of the homeless pets in shelters or on the streets around the world.