Pet sitters who participate in the yearly Wishbones for Pets campaign are helping pets in their lcoal community. They work with local businesses to set up donation stations where pet lovers can donate supplies that will be given to a pet charity chosen by the pet sitter. People donate just about anything pets need: food, blankets, toys, leashes, other pet supplies, and even cash donations.

Local pet sitters LaVaida Olsen of Happy Paws, Lisa Hurdiss of Lisa’s Lucky Dogs, and Keri Goodwin of Walk N Wags are striving to help rescues and the animals they serve by taking part in the national Wishbone for Pets campaign to benefit New Leash on Life, Villalobos Rescue Center, and The Brittany Foundation.

Designed for pet sitters to collect and distribute funds and goods for pet shelters and agencies in their area, Wishbones for Pets encourages the Santa Clarita Valley community to participate via collection barrels placed in businesses and through private donations through Nov. 30.

“It’s really in the spirit of Thanksgiving, kind of like a Toys for Tots for homeless animals,” Olsen said. “We need to bring more awareness that there are a lot of shelters in need, especially in these tough economic times.”

[...]

So far response to the Wish Bone campaign has been enthusiastic, with many pet-related businesses immediately agreeing to place barrels in their office, including Saugus Animal Hospital, Pet Supply Santa Clarita, Precious Pets Grooming Salon, Happy Pets Veterinary Pet Center, and Valencia Dog House Grooming & Spaw.

“Within three hours of talking to Santa Clarita Animal Hospital about participating, they already received donations. We hadn’t even got their barrel to them yet,” Hurdiss said.

If Goodwin had a singular wish, it would be for the community to adopt, rather than shop for a pet this holiday season and forever after.

Read more about the Wishbones for Pets drive in Santa Clarita, CA.

The Wishbones for Pets drive runs until Thanksgiving. To find out if there’s a Wishbones for Pets drive going on in your area, visit Wishbones for Pets website.

If you’re a pet sitter and want to get involved next year, let us know! Without a doubt there are pets in your area that need your help. Wishbones for Pets is a great way to help pets in your area and get a little PR for your pet sitting business at the same time.

Technorati Tags: Wishbones for pets, pets, pet sitters, pet sitter charity

Have you scheduled your pet sitter for the holidays yet? If not, time is running out! With Thanksgiving only 2 weeks away, as far as pet sitters are concerned, the holidays have pretty much arrived. Many of them are completely booked by now, so if you’re still looking it’s time to step up your search. It’s still possible to find someone to care for your pets, but it may take quite a few phone calls to find a reliable person to care for your pets. Here are a few tips to help you find a pet care professional to keep your pets safe at home:

• Check with established pet sitters. Chances are many of them are already booked up, but they may have extra help for the holidays. Keep in mind that a number of established pet sitting businesses will not take new clients for the holidays.
• If a pet sitter you call is booked ask if they know of any pet sitters who are still scheduling clients for the holidays. Don’t be shy about asking! Many of the pet sitters in your area know each other and are happy to refer business to each other.
• Consider hiring a newer pet sitter. For many pet sitters who are just starting out, the first holiday season isn’t all that busy, so they’re eager to sign on new clients. Although they may be new to the pet sitting business, it’s quite possible they have extensive experience caring for cats, dogs, and other animals.
• Use our pet sitter directory to search for a pet sitter. You can check with a pet sitter network if there’s one in your area. (There are a number of pet sitter networks around the country, which serve as a way for pet sitters to refer business to each other, learn more about the business, and help each other succeed.)
• Ask other pet owners, your veterinarian, dog trainer, groomer, or other pet professional if they know a reliable pet sitter they can recommend. Word of mouth goes a long way and many pet care professionals get much of their business this way.

Once you find a good pet sitter, be sure to contact them early next year to arrange for holiday pet care. That way you’ll be more likely to have your first choice pet sitter taking care of your pets and home while you’re celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the many other holidays this time of the year.

Technorati Tags: pet sitter, pet sitting, holiday pet sitting

When I saw the trailers for Up I wanted to see it but since I’m not real big on watching movies in the theater, I waited for it to be out on DVD. I’m almost wishing I would have seen it in the theater though. It’s a very sweet story that tugged at my heart, made me laugh, and even made me wish I could tie thousands of balloons to my house and fly away! And, of course, there are the animals, all of which are an integral part of the story. There are plenty of talking dogs, including the main canine, Dug. He’s a little dopey but an extremely lovable character. Then there’s Kevin, a mythical 13-foot tall bird, who is sought after by an obsessed explorer.

Up follows the uplifting tale of 78-year-old balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, who finally fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America. But he discovers all too late that his biggest nightmare has stowed away on the trip: an overly optimistic 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer named Russell. Their journey to a lost world, where they encounter some strange, exotic and surprising characters, is filled with hilarity, emotion and wildly imaginative adventure.

In addition to the movie, the DVD the following bonus features:

• Commentary by director Pete Docter and co-director Bob Peterson.
• Dug’s Special Mission – An all new original short film that follows the misadventures of Dug as he attempts to complete his “special mission.”
• The Many Endings of Muntz – Many ideas were hatched about how to dispose of the film’s arch villain, Muntz.
• Partly Cloudy –The hilarious short film that preceded screenings of Up.
• Adventure is Out There – This action-packed documentary tells the story of the filmmakers’ own trek to the tepuis mountains of South America to research the design and story of the film.

These bonus features are on the Blu-ray version:
• Cine-Explore – A visual montage of concept art, clips and documentary coverage that illustrates the directors’ commentary.
• Geriatric Hero – A character study of Carl.
• Canine Companions – For anyone who ever wondered where CG puppies come from, an introduction to the design, behavior and language of dogs.
• Russell: Wilderness Explorer – A character study of Russell, Carl’s young companion.
• Our Giant Flightless Friend, Kevin – Find out how avian research and development at Pixar helped bring a mythical, 13-foot tall iridescent bird to life.
• Homemakers of Pixar – Carl and Ellie’s house is an important “character” in the film. Fans follow the development of the house from story to art to its ultimate realization in the computer.
• Balloons and Flight – Carl’s house and Muntz’s dirigible presented the filmmakers with two different problems—how could they make a physical impossibility possible? And, in the case of the dirigible, how would they unearth a fallen giant and let it soar?
• Composing for Characters – See how the Up filmmakers collaborated with composer Michael Giacchino to create the memorable score and compelling musical themes.
• Married Life – The original story concept that became the powerful “Married Life” scene, showing Carl and Ellie’s love story.
• Global Guardian Badge Game – Players try to locate countries, states and capitals around the globe in a multi-layered BD-Exclusive geography game enhanced by BD-Live.

Up (4 Disc Combo Pack with Digital Copy and DVD) [Blu-ray] is available on DVD and Blu-ray starting today.

I was provided with a review copy of Up.

Technorati Tags: Pixar, Up

Last week PetSmart recalled Dentley’s Beef Hooves due to salmonella. Now they’ve expanded the recall to include more Pet Carousel products.

DENTLEY’S BULK CATTLE HOOF
SKU 1611247
UPC 73725703323

DENTLEY’S CHOOBLES 10-PACK BEEF HOOVES
SKU 5019015
UPC 73725736055

CHOO-HOOVES STUFFED WITH CHEESE-BACON
SKU 1611993
UPC 3465190058

CHOO-HOOVES STUFFED WITH PEANUT BUTTER
SKU 1611994
UPC 3465190056

FLOSSY CHEWS CHOO-HOOVE ROPER TWO-HOOVES
SKU 1813131
UPC 3465117005

FLOSSY CHEWS ROPER BONE BUDDY
SKU 1815505
UPC 3465190002

FLOSSY CHEWS BEEF BONES WITH ROPE TOY
SKU 5080721
UPC 3465117055

FLOSSY CHEWS WHITE BONE ROPE
SKU 5147942
UPC 3465117065

KNUCLE STEAKS 2-PACK
SKU 5084141
UPC 3465190046

CHOO-HOOVES DOG CHEWS 3-PACK
SKU 1611410
UPC 3465184103

3-PACK SMOKED HOOVES
SKU 5042279
UPC 3465114003
UPC 34651140037

5-LB COW HOOVES
SKU 5042275
UPC 34651150609
UPC 3465115060

5-LB. SMOKIES – HOOVES
SKU 5042277
UPC 34651140556
UPC 3465114055

60-PIECES SMOKED HOOVES
SKU 5042278
UPC 3465112122

Customers who purchased the recalled products should discontinue use immediately and return the product to any PetSmart store for a complete refund or exchange. Customers who have concerns about their health or their pet’s health should consult a medical professional. For additional information about the recall, customers can visit www.petsmartfacts.com, www.petsmart.com, www.fda.gov or contact PetSmart Customer Service at 1-888-839-9638.

Also, you may recall on November 5 the FDA issued a warning regarding Pet Carousel treats.

[tags]pet food recall, PetSmart, Pet Carousel

After reading my post on the Dentley Beef Hooves recall by PetSmart, Christie Keith from Pet Connection found an alert from the FDA. Essentially it says for pet owners to be wary of buying any treats from Pet Carousel, the makers of Dentley’s Beef Hooves. The salmonella issue may not be isolated to the beef hooves.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is issuing this health alert to warn consumers not to use Pig Ears and Beef Hooves pet treats manufactured by Pet Carousel because the products may be contaminated with Salmonella. The products were distributed nationwide in both bulk and retail packaging for sale in pet food and retail chain stores. Pet Carousel is based in Sanger, Calif.

The products were manufactured under conditions that facilitate cross-contamination within batches or lots. Although no illnesses associated with these products have been reported, the FDA is advising consumers in possession of these products to not handle or feed them to their pets.

The affected pig ear products were packaged under the brand names Doggie Delight and Pet Carousel. The affected beef hooves were packaged under the brand names Choo Hooves, Dentley’s, Doggie Delight, and Pet Carousel. All sizes and all lots of these products made by Pet Carousel are included in this alert.

During September 2009, the FDA conducted routine testing of pig ears made by Pet Carousel. The test results detected a positive reading for Salmonella. This prompted an FDA inspection of Pet Carousel’s manufacturing facilities. During the inspection, the agency collected additional pet treat samples. Further analysis found Salmonella present in beef hooves, pig ears and in the manufacturing environment.

Read the full FDA alert here.

Technorati Tags: Dentley’s Beef Hooves, pet food recall

From PetSmart…

We’ve recently issued a voluntary recall on two products sold in our stores. We’ve issued this recall after learning of salmonella contamination from the manufacturer, Pet Carousel, Inc. Below is information on the affected products. While the products weren’t distributed to all of our stores, we’ve taken it off the shelves in all stores as an extra precaution.

Dentley’s Bulk Cattle Hoof
UPC# 73725703323
SKU# 1611247
Use By Date 10/14/2012

Dentley’s 10 Pack Beef Hooves
UPC# 73725736055
SKU# 5019015
Use By Date 10/14/2012

All U.S. stores were immediately instructed to remove these products from shelves; the products are not distributed to Canadian stores. In addition, we’ve enacted a stop-sale procedure on all registers that prohibits any of the affected products from being sold accidently.

See more from PetSmart about the Dentley Beef Hooves recall.

Technorati Tags: Dentley’s Beef Hoof, pet food recall, PetSmart

Things like this make a pet sitter’s job worthwhile!

Technorati Tags: pet sitter, pet sitting, cats

I was sent a review copy of the DVD of Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs + The Scrat Pack and really enjoyed it! I fell in love with the characters in the first Ice Age movie, and hoped this one would be as good. It is! All the characters are as cute and lovable as ever, but Scrat is my favorite. How can anyone not love a Scrat? He’s so obsessed over getting nuts that he just cracks me up!

The story is definitely going to keep the kids interested, and is way entertaining for adults as well. And the extras will keep the kids busy for quite some time on a cold or snowy day.

Here’s a little bit about the movie:

The third film in the outrageously popular Ice Age franchise, the sub-zero heroes return another wild and fun adventure.  Scrat is still trying to nab the ever-elusive nut (while maybe finding true love); Manny and Ellie await the birth of their mini-mammoth; Diego the saber-toothed tiger wonders if he’s growing too “soft” hanging with his pals and Sid the sloth gets into trouble when he creates his own makeshift family by hijacking some dinosaur eggs.  On a mission to rescue the hapless Sid, the gang ventures into a mysterious underground world, where they have some close encounters with dinosaurs, battle flora and fauna, run amuck, and meet a relentless, one-eyed dino-hunting weasel named Buck.  The coolest animated comedy of the year, Ice Age:  Dawn Of The Dinosaurs features hilarious performances from Ice Age veterans Ray Romano (“Everybody Loves Raymond”), John Leguizamo (The Happening), Denis Leary (“Rescue Me”), Queen Latifah (The Secret Life of Bees), Seann William Scott (Planet 51) and Josh Peck (“Drake & Josh”), along with newcomers Bill Hader (Forgetting Sarah Marshall), Kristen Wiig (“Saturday Night Live”), Jane Lynch (“Glee”) and Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead).

I got the DVD version, and in addition to the movie here’s what you’ll get:

•    Two Scrat Shorts (I loved these!!)
-    Gone Nutty – Scrat’s Missing Adventure
-    No Time For Nuts
•    The Sabre-Toothed Squirrel: Natures Nutty Buddy
•    Scrat: From Head To Toe – learn how to draw Scrat tutorial (I just wish I could draw that easily!)
•    Scrat: “Breaking Story”
•    Scrat: “News Report”
•    Fox Movie Channel Presents: Making A Scene
•    Buck…Easel to Weasel  (Buck is a crazy little guy that’ll make you laugh!)
•    Falling for Scratte
•    Unearthing the Lost World
•    Walk The Dinosaur Music Video
•    Activities
-     Scrat Pinball
-     Eggshell
-     Bubble Trouble

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs + The Scrat Pack is available on DVD and Blu-ray.

Technorati Tags: Dawn of the Ice Age, Skrat