Pets Are Family Too

In this time of home foreclosures at an all-time high in the United States, not only are families losing their homes, but also pet family members are also suffering in the loss of homes. Recently, it was stated that 1 out of every 100 households were in a foreclosure stage. Foreclosure on a home mortgage is the process by which the lender repossess the home from the borrower who cannot repay their loan in full. Generally, foreclosure happens when a borrower may fall behind on monthly mortgage payments due to illness, job loss and other circumstances and a lender will initiate the foreclosure process on the borrower to recover the loan amount.

At these foreclosure rates, we may know of someone who is going through this weary process and their pet family members are also going through tense times. One of the worst casualties in the foreclosure process is when a homeowner loses their home in foreclosure and have to relocate when the lender gains possession and they abandon their pets. In some of the most inhumane and disgusting cases people are vacating their homes and leaving their pets to starve, either too embarrassed to admit they are in foreclosure, or figuring the animals will be found and taken care of. In these cases, the scenario has turned tragic for dogs, cats, birds, horses and other animals. Pet abandonment is a high occurrence when a family loses their home in foreclosure and may have to move into accommodations that do not accept pets. Many pets are left alone in the empty houses with little or no food for periods of time until someone in the neighborhood discover that they are there or a home inspection can reveal a pet on the brink of starvation and other health afflictions.

There is something we can do to help these pets before and after they have been abandoned. We must become as neighbors and reach out to help a struggling family facing the dreadful foreclosure process. Armed with information, we may be able to help them with placing their pets in a safer place, than left alone in vacant properties. Read the rest of this entry »

The American Kennel Club says that the Labrador Retriever is the most popular dog breed in the nation for 2007. Did they get it right? Is your pooch on the list?

The AKC unveiled their Top 10 most popular dog breeds in America which are based on its 2007 registration figures. According to the AKC, the Top Breeds Nationwide and their previous rankings are:

To celebrate the newest member of the Top 10 list, the Bulldog, long recognized as a popular sports team mascot, was fitted with a #10 jersey to mark the occasion. The bulldog has not appeared in the AKC’s Top 10 Breeds for 75 years. AKC spokesperson Lisa Peterson had this to say about the bulldog’s rise

“This is the first time the Bulldog has made it onto the top ten list since 1935, said This breed appeals to a very wide range of dog lovers so it’s no surprise that it is a favorite amongst AKC’s 157 breeds. The Bulldog is both docile and adaptive, and can thrive in small or large homes. It’s an excellent all-around family pet.”

If you want to see your favorite dog ranked in the AKC Top Breed List, then click here to check out how the other dog breeds fared. Read the rest of this entry »

Pet food maker involved in the tainted pet food recall, has settled a lawsuit for $3.1 million. Diamond Pet Foods based in Meta, Mo., has agreed to pay consumers that bought their contaminated dog food, which resulted in many pet deaths nationwide. If you purchased any of the recall Diamond Pet Food Products, you may have a claim in the lawsuit settlement, so read on.

Diamond Pet Foods is one of the largest pet food manufacturers in the United States. In the massive pet food recalls of April 2007, there were several Diamond Pet Foods brands affected such as Nutra Nuggets, and American Nutrition.

The contaminated pet food, contained aflatoxin, a fungus type mold , was produced at Diamond Pet Foods’ plant in South Carolina. Aflatoxin, is a naturally occurring chemical that comes from a fungus sometimes found on corn and in other crops, can cause severe liver damage. According to Jim Andrews, the attorney who represented a Knoxville, Tenn., family that sued Diamond Pet Foods stated,

the company will set up a fund to reimburse pet owners for the loss of their dog, veterinarian bills and the cost of any unreturned contaminated food.

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