Is The Puppy You Are Going To Buy From A Unethical Or Reputable Puppy Breeder

Looking to Find a Puppy? Veterinarian Announces 'PupQuest,' A Website Designed to Empower Consumers to Distinguish Between Reputable and Unethical Puppy Breeders

Lorna Grande, a Massachusetts veterinarian, has taken her passion for pups and created an educational website aimed at informing future dog owners about reputable versus unethical puppy breeders.

 http://www.PupQuest.org addresses simple but often-overlooked steps to find a healthy pet from a reputable source.

 No law in the country prevents puppy-mill operators from selling sick and unsocialized dogs via the Internet to unsuspecting families. One veterinarian however, has launched a website to help dog lovers distinguish between reputable breeders and unethical ones.

Lorna Grande, DVM has unleashed PupQuest.org, an online resource that helps visitors identify reputable dog breeders and reveals those who engage in careless breeding. Not sure where that cute dog you saw online came from? PupQuest.org breaks down the difference.

"The worst place to purchase a puppy isn't a place at all. It's cyberspace," says Lorna Grande. "The Internet has created a new avenue for unsavory breeders to directly reach unsuspecting consumers. Hundreds of thousands of puppies are purchased sight-unseen online every year. This creates suffering and hardship for dogs and families."

For years, animal advocates have worked to dissuade people from dealing with pet shops and disreputable breeders.

PupQuest provides consumers with unapologetic information on popular puppy sources: the Internet, "breeders," pet shops, shelters, and rescues. Those looking to buy or adopt a puppy will find honest tips on what to look for in a puppy source.

Puppy farms and other disreputable "breeders" often maintain fancy websites designed to appear trustworthy and knowledgeable. PupQuest also warns of buying dogs from a pet shop.

"What's the best thing to look for in a pet shop? The EXIT," Grande advises. "What's the number one step when purchasing a puppy? Visit the location where the puppy was born and raised. NEVER buy a puppy sight unseen.” What about adoption? “Meeting the dog in person before committing to adopting is critical," warns Grande.

http://www.PupQuest.org addresses simple but often-overlooked steps to find a healthy pet from a reputable source. Even shelters and rescues can deceive, and signs of reputable and less-savory organizations are listed on the website for potential adopters. PupQuest also features resources to help veterinarians and shelter professionals educate clients on getting their next puppy.

Lorna Grande encourages anyone interesting in purchasing a puppy to visit http://www.PupQuest.org to learn about how to find a healthy pet from a reputable location.

For more information, visit the PupQuest website at http://www.PupQuest.org.

Here's A Video About Safe Handling Of Pet Food And Treats

Pet Food and Treats in Your Home

 

Pro-Pet LLC Recalls Dry Dog and Cat Foods

Pro-Pet LLC Recalls a Limited Number of Dry Dog and Cat Foods Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination

  Pro-Pet LLC, St. Marys, Ohio, has initiated a voluntary recall of a limited number of Dry Dog and Cat Foods for possible Salmonella contamination. A single field test indicated products manufactured during a two day period, on a single production line may have the potential for Salmonella contamination. Pro-Pet LLC is voluntarily recalling the potentially impacted products made during this timeframe. There have been no reports of illness related to this product to date.

Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

Product	Best By	Lot Code	UPC Number
40 lb Hubbard Life Happy Hound Dog Food	05 06 14	096 13 SM L2 2A	1219033878
40 lb Hubbard Life Happy Hound Dog Food	05 06 14	096 13 SM L2 1A	1219033878
18 lb Hubbard Life Cat Stars Cat Food	05 06 14	096 13 SM L2 1A	1219033873
40 lb Hubbard Life Maintenance Dog Food	05 06 14	096 13 SM L2 2A	1219033875
15 lb Joy Combo Cat Food	05 06 14	096 13 SM L2 1A	7065407721
40 lb Joy Combo Cat Food	05 06 14	096 13 SM L2 1A	7065407713
40 lb Joy Combo Cat Food	05 06 14	096 13 SM L2 2A	7065407713
20 lb QC Plus Adult Dog Food	05 07 14	097 13 SM L2 2A	2351780103
40 lb QC Plus Adult Dog Food	05 07 14	097 13 SM L2 2A	2351780104
40 lb QC Plus Adult Dog Food	05 07 14	097 13 SM L2 1A	2351780104

  These products were distributed through select retailers, distributors and on-line consumer purchases in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia

No other products/lot numbers are affected by this recall.

Customers should immediately discontinue use of any impacted product and contact Pro-Pet at 1-888-765-4190 for disposition.

For more information on the recall, customers can contact the customer service line for Pro-Pet at 1-888-765-4190. Customer service representatives will be available Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm CT.

Synovial-Flex TRP Soft Chews Recall

Over at Pet360 they have listed a recall from Sogeval on their product named Synovial-Flex TRP soft chews being lot #  52070-1 which was inadvertently labeled.
 

   

 If you have purchased Synovial Flex Soft Chews involved in the recall, please contact Sogeval at 1-800-877-0177.

20 lb. bags of Red Flannel® Cat Formula Cat Food Recall

PMI Nutrition, LLC Recalls Red Flannel® Cat Food Due to PossibleSalmonella Contamination

  PMI Nutrition, LLC (PMI), Arden Hills, Minn., has initiated a voluntary recall of its 20 lb. bags of Red Flannel® Cat Formula cat food for possible Salmonella contamination. There have been no reports of illness related to this product to date. This recall is being issued out of an abundance of caution after routine testing by the FDA Detroit District Office identified possible Salmonella contamination.  
 

Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

Red Flannel® Cat Food was manufactured by a third-party manufacturer for PMI. The product was sold through dealers to customers distributed in the following states: Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

The lot number is printed on the lower back side of the bag in a white box on the right-hand side. The lot number will be preceded by a time stamp that will be unique to each bag. (Example 14:32) The lot number and best-by date impacted by this recall are as follows:

Best by 05 06 14 096 13 SM L2 1A (lot number)

The UPC code for the recalled product is: 7 42869 00058 5.

No other products/lot numbers are affected by this recall.

Customers should immediately discontinue use of and return impacted product to their dealer for a full refund or replacement. We continue to work with impacted dealers and distributors to trace the bags.

For more information on the recall, customers can contact the customer service line for PMI products at 1-800-332-4738. Customer service representatives will be available Sunday, Jan. 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. CST and Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST.

National Dream Dog Park Winner For 2013 Is

 PRESCOTT, ARIZONA, DOG OWNER WINS NATIONAL DREAM DOG PARK CONTEST

Beneful® Brand Dog Food Will Award $500,000 Renovation to Area Dog Park

 It’s a tail-wagging good day for the dog-loving community of Prescott, Ariz.  Local resident Linda Nichols and her four-legged best buddy Callie have been named Grand Prize Winner of the 2013 Beneful® Dream Dog Park Contest.  In addition to winning $10,000 cash and a one-year supply of Beneful brand dry dog food, Nichols’ ideas in her winning entry http://puri.na/LindaCal will help serve as inspiration for a $500,000 renovation of a dog park in the Prescott area.

More than one thousand dog owners from across the country entered the 2013 Beneful Dream Dog Park Contest that posed the question:  If you had $500,000 to create a Dream Dog Park where you and your best buddy can play together, what would you do?”  Nichols dreamt big with a commemorative fire fighter-themed entry that featured a variety of creative elements including:  a red fire truck playground area for dogs to get exercise; a bright hydrant water feature for dogs to cool off after playing in the hot Arizona sun; and a bronze Dalmatian statue to greet two-and four-legged visitors at the front gate.  Designer and dog lover Nate Berkus will help design the fourth $500,000 renovation that will be unveiled in the summer of 2014.

“Beneful is dedicated to celebrating the special relationships people share with their four-legged best buddies and one way we do this is through our annual Dream Dog Park Contest,” said Brent Gleckler, Beneful brand director. “We are always inspired by the passion and creativity of the dog owners who enter the contest and it is a privilege to leave a lasting gift in our contest winners’ local communities through our half-million-dollar Dream Dog Park renovations.”

The Beneful brand has unveiled three $500,000 Dream Dog Park renovations to date: the first was in Johns Creek, Ga.; the second in Alabaster, Ala.; and the third in Lancaster, Pa.  Construction on the fourth Dream Dog Park will begin in spring 2014.

The Beneful Dream Dog Park Contest

To enter the contest, dog owners were asked to submit a photo showing how life is better when they are together with their dog and a short essay that described their ideas for a Beneful Dream Dog Park. Entries were reviewed by a judging panel and fourteen finalists were selected based on the contest judging criteria in the official rules. The finalists were then asked to submit a two minute or less video that showed their daily adventure with their dog in their current dog park and explained their ideas to make it even better if they had the chance to inspire a Dream Dog Park renovation.

 The video entries were posted on BenefulDreamDogPark.com for public viewing and voting and judged by the Beneful Dream Team that includes: designer and dog lover Nate Berkus; licensed contractor and television host Jason Cameron; pet expert Arden Moore; and a Beneful brand representative.  Berkus will use his expertise to help design the fourth $500,000 Beneful Dream Dog Park renovation that Cameron will manage and Moore will oversee from the dog’s point of view. The Beneful Dream Team judging counted for 70 percent of the final score and public voting counted for the remaining 30 percent to determine the Grand Prize Winner.

All entries in both rounds of the contest were judged based on the following criteria: creativity and originality of the ideas for their “Dream Dog Park” (40%); how well their ideas made play with their best buddy more fun in the dog park (40%); and the feasibility of bringing the ideas to life (20%).

Beneful will award the $500,000 renovation as an in-kind donation to an existing public or non-profit dog park in the Prescott area.  The park will be selected by the dog food brand and the newly renovated Dream Dog Park is expected to be unveiled in summer 2014. 

For more information on the Dream Dog Park Contest and to view Nichols’ winning entry, visit BenefulDreamDogPark.com.  To stay up to date on Beneful news, visit Facebook.com/Beneful or follow @Beneful on Twitter, using the hashtag #DreamDogPark. 

About Beneful Brand Dog Food

Manufactured by Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, Beneful brand dog food offers a full line of wet and dry formulas that offer a perfect balance of taste and nutrition. Introduced in 2001, Beneful is one of the most successful dog food brands in the Company's history. The North American headquarters for the Nestlé Purina PetCare Company is located at Checkerboard Square in St. Louis, Missouri, where Ralston Purina Company was founded more than a century ago. Nestlé Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. One of the leading global players in the pet food industry, Nestlé Purina PetCare is part of the Swiss-based Nestlé S.A.- the world's largest food company.

Surfer Dog Ricochet Shows Retired Staff Sergeant Randall Dexter Theres More To Life Worth Living For

 SOLDIER CREDITS SURF DOG RICOCHET WITH SAVING HIS LIFE AS HE FIGHTS PTSD & TOGETHER THEY CREATE “BATTLE BUDDY INITIATIVE” TO HELP OTHERS

Click here to watch the video: http://youtu.be/linB76q5QxA

Surf Dog Ricochet, the SURFice Dog is usually seen providing a lifeline in the water as she surfs with people with disabilities. But recently, she’s been credited with saving the life of retired Staff Sergeant Randall Dexter who suffers from combat related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

“I definitely feel that Ricochet saved my life. Before I met her I was very isolated, and became depressed and suicidal. But, when I met Ricochet, I finally had a new sense of hope.” Randy said.  

Randy and Ricochet met through Paws'itive Team's six week Canine Inspired Community Re-integration (CICR) program. The program helps service members reduce their PTSD symptoms through canine therapy. The certified dogs accompany the service members to places that evoke anxiety such as Walmart or Home Depot. The program also gives them insight into what it would be like to have a service dog of their own.

Randy served two tours in Iraq as a U.S. Army combat medic. On April 5, 2005 his squad was hit with a very large improvised explosive device (IED) and he suffered a traumatic brain injury. The carnage from the blast was just the beginning of the horrors he experienced during the twenty-seven months he served.

In April of 2009, Randy was formally diagnosed with PTSD, and began his long journey into treatment. He has been active in many different therapies, individual counseling and physical activities. But, he had a hard time functioning in day-to-day activities and looked at most things as potential threats. He couldn't find anything to stop the substance abuse, rage outbursts, horrific nightmares, panic attacks, and all around feeling that he had no hope. His soul was shattered and suicidal thoughts were frequent. Twenty-two veterans a day die by suicide -- that's one almost every 65 minutes. Post-deployment suicides cause more deaths than combat!

When Randy first met Ricochet he was lost and broken, but they bonded instantly. She gave him what he was looking for, and he felt fully alive for the first time in years. She was sensing subtle changes in his body, detecting, alerting and re-directing his pain, anxiety, panic attacks and other symptoms, even before he knew they were happening. Through Ricochet, he found the strength he was lacking for so long. He no longer needed medication, drugs or alcohol. His suicidal thoughts subsided.

Randy finally had the security of a battle buddy again. In the military, a battle buddy is your battlefield partner. Battle buddies are always ready to assist one another. Wherever they go, whatever they do… they watch each other’s backs. Ricochet was his second set of eyes when they went to places like Walmart. Without any training, she would stop him from going down aisles that had a lot of people or perceived threats because she intuitively knew it would cause him more anxiety. Randy is also able to position her in front of, or behind him to create a physical barrier between himself and other people. In addition, when he faces one direction, she is next to him, facing the other direction so she can see anything that may be happening behind his back.

“I didn’t train Ricochet to do this”, says Judy Fridono, Ricochet’s guardian. Four years ago when Fridono released her from the role of service dog due to her propensity for chasing birds, it never dawned on her that Ricochet could be a service dog to an able bodied person who has PTSD. But, she’s proving to be quite capable. Just as she had the natural ambition to jump on a surfboard with disabled surfer, Patrick Ivison, she is again making her own choices and is now extending a lifeline to service members and veterans.

Of course Fridono thought of giving her to Randy as a service dog. But, after much thought, both Randy and Fridono realized Ricochet is meant to help many people in her own unique way. Plus, she’s going to be six years old next month, which is too old to place as a service dog. So, instead Ricochet raised $10,000 to fund a service dog for Randy which he should be receiving in several months. Until then, Ricochet will continue assisting Randy.

After the six week CICR program was over, Ricochet and Randy took things to another level and created the PTSD Battle Buddy Initiative http://www.surfdogricochet.com/ptsd-battle-buddies.html. Randy is very courageous in his battle and wants to share his PTSD experiences, and Ricochet has the platform to raise more awareness. Although sharing his hardships for the whole world to see will be difficult for him, he is committed to helping others fighting the PTSD battle.

The goals of the PTSD Battle Buddy Initiative are to raise awareness of its symptoms, remove the stigma associated with it, provide support to veterans and their families and most importantly reduce the suicide rate. Ricochet and Randy are also committed to helping veterans wade through the cumbersome process of getting a service dog, as well as determining the type dog that would best suit them; pet, therapy, emotional support, service or volunteering at an animal shelter or other dog related entity to experience the healing power of dogs before making a long term commitment as highlighted in this blog post http://www.surfdogricochet.com/1/post/2013/08/so-you-want-a-ptsd-service-dog.html

Our service men and woman fought for us, now it’s our turn to fight for them. They may be home from the war, but they’re still fighting a battle. Please help us raise awareness by sharing our story, videos and links. Thank you for your support.

http://www.surfdogricochet.com
https://www.facebook.com/SurfDogRicochet
http://www.pawsteams.org