Rejuv-A-Wafers are one of Benson’s new fave healthy treats to have at home. Keep in mind Benson is a 12-yr-old Golden with a finicky appetite- even toward treats these days.

The natural pet supplements are healthy, and make him happy – he rolls over and roaches like a puppy after he gets them, which is usually after he goes potty.

Rejuv-A-Wafers help by purifying your pet’s body of dangerous toxins and chemicals, helping to improve overall appearance, health and well-being.

The benefits of Rejuv-A-Wafers come from a blend of an abundance of beta-carotene, chlorella,(a whole food green algae)  and eleuthero, a natural energy-boosting herb.

Rejuv-A-Wafers are used and recommended by America’s top breeders and veterinarians because the product is not loaded with artificial flavors and fillers.

Trust me – your dog(s) will love the delicious, wholesome flavor, and you will love your pet’s visible good health.

The treats are not that big, they’re a bit bigger than a dime in size but thicker, but cats can have them too because of this.

One of the neatest things that I recognized about the Rejuv-A-Wafers was the presentation. The packaging was beautiful and they also included human test products for me to use – from skin creams to herbal supplements. How cool is that?

The whole deal arrived in a beautiful green package – a natural color of course – and was quite interesting to leaf through once I opened it, learning about the benefits of Chlorella and how it’s useful to ME!

What is SunChlorella?

Discover the purity of Sun Chlorella, Nature’s Perfect “Superfood.” Our carefully cultivated pyrenoidosa strain is the superior alternative to other harsh, chemically processed and indigestible Chlorella products on the market. Sun Chlorella contains no artificial colors, flavors, or chemicals. Richly green and potent, Sun Chlorella is a whole food from a lineage of pure green algae that have existed naturally on earth for thousands of years. As Mother Earth’s own Superfood, the powerful combination of nutrients works naturally with your body to nurture your health from the inside out.

Important factors to consider for the protection of all family members

In response to the recent spike in pet food recalls, the ASPCA®’s (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) Animal Poison Control Center has some suggestions on how to best keep two-legged and four-legged family members safe:

1. Do your research. Salmonella is the contaminant that appears to be the cause of concern during this most recent round of pet food recalls.

The most important thing for pet owners to do if they suspect their dog’s food has been contaminated is to stop feeding their pet the recalled food immediately. If the pet shows signs of illness after eating a recalled pet food, a trip to the vet should be first on the list of to-dos, and then the food manufacturer should be notified.

*** Pet owners can identify the recalled foods by visiting the FDA’s website at www.fda.gov. ***

2. Know the signs. While healthy adult dogs are relatively resistant to illness from Salmonella bacteria, pets with health issues (such as young puppies, elderly and pregnant dogs that could have compromised immune systems) may be at greater risk for becoming ill. Dogs who are affected by Salmonella may exhibit symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, fever, lethargy, and drooling or panting—an indication of nausea. *In severe cases, the bacterium may spread throughout the body resulting in death.

3. Clean is key. Salmonella isn’t only dangerous to the pet eating the food, but could also affect the pet parent serving the food. Salmonella can be spread through direct contact with the affected product and animal feces, so exposure should be avoided. The best way to protect family members, including other animals in the home, is to thoroughly wash your hands (or paws) after any dealings with the product or feces. In addition, all bowls, utensils and surfaces that may have come in contact with contaminated food should be washed using hot soapy water and rinsed thoroughly or sanitized in the dishwasher.

For more information about the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center and potential pet toxins, visit www.aspca.org/apcc.

Please meet Jasmine the super-sweet, white Jack Russell, who is 15 years young, and lives with her Mom Joyce in Warsaw, VA.

Jasmine is this week’s winner of Honorable Mention in the Iams Senior Plus, Play Young, Stay Young Contest which is happening on Facebook right now!

“Jasmine, our 15 year old Jack Russell is always on the go! We recently moved to the country and it didn’t take Jasmine long to inspect her 10 acre property. Our little girl likes to run, bark, dig holes and race up the porch steps for a taste of cat food put out for the ferals. Jasmine loves rolling around in good smells in the grass and always looks for trash bags to get into! Sunning and chewing a good bone are also favorites, but acting her age is not! She just keeps playing young & staying young! “

Congrats to Jasmine!

*** Do you have a cat or dog who refuses to act his age? If you do, enter him/her in the Iams contest!! It’s awesome and you can win premium pet food! ***

IAMS started the contest recently, and it goes ‘til June 3^rd; it’s on their Facebook page.

“Play Young, Stay Young” goes as follows:

1. Each week, until June 3, the Iams team will pick one cat and one dog winner (11 years or older – “super senior pets”) based on a photo and a 100-word essay submission from pet parents.

2. It’s super easy to enter! They’re seeking pets that essentially refuse to act their age – pets that are older but still act younger. (For example, our Benny [Golden Retriever] is over 12 but still roaches around on his back like a puppy after he gets his dinner every night!)

3. Each winning animal will receive a year’s supply of Iams Senior Plus dog food! That is a lot of dog food!

So are you wondering how you can enter the awesome IAMS contest?

It’s easy-go here to the IAMS Facebook page!

Have you all heard of DOGTV, the new television programming that is taking the nation by storm? As its name suggests, DogTV is a television channel scientifically developed for canine viewers.

DOGTV is cable’s first television network for dogs that is created exclusively for canines, and the humans who love them.

DOGTV’s 24/7 programing helps stimulate, entertain, relax and habituate dogs with shows that expose them to various movements, sounds, objects, experiences and behavior patterns, all from a dog’s point of view.

The network is built around a core team of highly acclaimed pet experts including Victoria Stillwell.

Recently featured in major publications including “TIME Magazine,” “The New York Times,” and “The Huffington Post”; and featured on national news and talk shows such as “NBC Nightly News,” “Ellen,” “Late Show with David Letterman,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “Chelsea Lately,” DogTV is quickly becoming a household name in the US and abroad.

Well the new TV phenomenon has a blog end, too! It’s re-launching soon and it’s called the Alpha Dog Blog. Stay tuned for more on that end!

In the meantime, check out DogTV for a discount that’s special only for you, as ThoughtsFurPaws readers! You’ll find some awesome stories and videos akin to not even major network television – it’s THAT cool!

Currently, DogTV is only offered on TV in the San Diego test market. However, it’s available as a streaming online channel that can be accessed by any pet lover in the world starting now!

And guess what?

I’m offering you a special promotion code that allows you to receive 50% off the online streaming price for the first two months! Hooray!

 Simply type in: FB2M50%01 and you’ll get the 50% discount.

Let me know what you think about DogTV in the comments section!

How To use DOGTV?

Did you know that an estimated 1 million dogs are named primary beneficiary in their owner’s wills?

Or that cat owners will spend nearly $5,000 on treats over the course of their cat’s lifetime?

Did you know that food costs are the biggest expense for most pets?

Me neither.

I learned it in this awesome infographic from the Silicon Valley Humane Society and Mint!

“It takes a lot more than love, treats, and toys to give your pet a happy life,” says Beth Ward, Chief Operating Officer at Humane Society Silicon Valley. “If you really love your pets or you’re thinking of adopting one, then you need to be aware of the hard costs involved.” (This quote is from the MintLife article.)

This infographic is about the lifetime costs of owning a pet.

Personally, I think it should be hung in every single rescue organization in the US. It’s effective in conveying that owning a pet isn’t just a companionship thing – it’s a financial thing, too.

According to MintLife, she continues, “Many cats and dogs can live for 20 years or more. Keeping them alive, happy, and healthy for the duration of their life requires a sustained commitment. It takes good financial planning.”

From the Best Friends Animal Society website and Facebook page:

Last year, the Back in Black adoption event was introduced to showcase black dogs and cats and give them the best chance at being adopted. And over 900 pets found homes!

This year, we’re back with Back in Black 2.

Our goal is to find good homes for 1,000 or more pets in black this May.

Right now, thousands of wonderful animals are waiting to be adopted at shelters and rescue groups nationwide. And every day, 9,000 pets are killed in shelters because they don’t have a home.

Best Friends and our No More Homeless Pets® Network Partners are committed to saving them. Join us!

Click here to find adoptable black pets near you.

Erasing myths about black dogs and cats

Even though they make wonderful pets with great personalities, black dogs and cats are often overlooked for adoption, but why? After all, the color of a pet’s fur has no relationship to their ability to provide unconditional love, companionship and devotion. Here are a couple of theories:

• Bad photos hinder “love at first sight.” Black dogs and cats are harder to photograph because their eyes are close to the color of their fur and their facial expressions and personalities don’t always shine through in pictures. That’s a real disadvantage since many adopters “meet” their new best friends online.
• Superstitions! There are negative stereotypes about black cats and dogs that simply aren’t true. Just ask anyone who loves their beautiful black pet! They’ll tell you about all the wonderful qualities their pets possess and that they wouldn’t trade them for anything.

What are you waiting for? Change the future—and the world—for homeless pets in black today. 

There are 129 No More Homeless Pets® Network partners with adoptable black cats and dogs participating across 37 states.  Click on a state below to find local groups. Click on the group to visit their website for more event details.

Alabama | Arizona | Alaska | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming | US Virgin Islands

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA) has announced the creation of a Legal Advocacy department to increase legal protections for animals across the country. The department will provide “second chair” legal support through the coordination of legal and other expert services vital to the effective handling of animal cruelty prosecutions, as well as conduct selective, affirmative civil litigation in cases with the potential to effect substantial change in animal protection laws nationwide. The team will also provide legislative analysis and bill drafting expertise to the ASPCA’s Government Relations department.

The Legal Advocacy department will be led by Stacy Wolf, who adds this position to her current role as vice president and chief counsel of the ASPCA’s Humane Law Enforcement department.

Wolf, who was a career public defense attorney before joining the organization’s Legislative Affairs department in 1998, was responsible for spearheading the passage of New York’s felony animal cruelty law, dog shelter law, exotic pets ban, veterinary reporting law, and dangerous dog law.

Ms. Wolf also served as legislative chair of the New York State Bar Association’s Special Committee on Animals and the Law.

“The formation of the Legal Advocacy department is an essential step toward fulfilling the ASPCA’s mission of providing effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States,” said Matt Bershadker, senior vice president of the ASPCA’s Anti-Cruelty Group. “Stacy has a wealth of animal law experience and possesses the necessary tools to implement significant legal change for the benefit of animals.”

Wolf has already appointed two people to the department: Jennifer Chin, who will serve as Legal Advocacy counsel; and Sandy Christiansen, who will serve as director of case development.

“I am thrilled to have Jennifer and Sandy join the ASPCA in this capacity,” said Wolf. “Their exceptional backgrounds are unique, yet complimentary, and both will play a vital role in helping to shape stronger animal welfare laws through the judicial system.”

Chin will provide second chair legal assistance to prosecutors handling animal cruelty cases across the country; assist in affirmative civil litigation cases brought by the department on behalf of the ASPCA; and provide legislative analysis for the ASPCA’s Government Relations department. Chin comes to the ASPCA from the United States Attorney’s Office in Newark, N.J., where she served as Assistant United States Attorney since 2008 specializing in criminal appellate work. She worked on complex civil litigation at two private law firms prior to her time at the U.S. Attorney’s office.

Christiansen will focus on affirmative outreach to identify and develop potential litigation opportunities; working with prosecutors and investigators on Legal Advocacy cases; and conducting legal research and legislative analysis. Prior to joining the ASPCA, Christiansen was the president and CEO of the Spartanburg Humane Society in Spartanburg, S.C. since 2005. In this role, he was responsible for supervising a staff of 41 employees and helping to grow such programs as humane education, anti-cruelty initiatives, behavior and training, and animal transport. During his 19 years working for the welfare of animals, Christiansen has also gained extensive experience in conducting cruelty and animal fighting investigations.

The Legal Advocacy department is part of the ASPCA’s Anti-Cruelty Group, which is also comprised of Humane Law Enforcement, Field Investigations and Response, Anti-Cruelty Behavior, Strategy and Campaigns, Forensic Sciences, and Anti-Cruelty Projects.

About the ASPCA®

Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first humane organization established in the Americas and serves as the nation’s leading voice for animal welfare. One million supporters strong, the ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA is a national leader in the areas of anti-cruelty, community outreach and animal health services. The ASPCA, which is headquartered in New York City, offers a wide range of programs, including a mobile clinic outreach initiative, its own humane law enforcement team, and a groundbreaking veterinary forensics team and mobile animal CSI unit. For more information, please visit www.aspca.org.

To become a fan of the ASPCA on Facebook, go to http://www.facebook.com/aspca. To follow the ASPCA on Twitter, go to http://www.twitter.com/aspca.

What if saving a pet’s life was as easy as visiting your Facebook profile or posting something to it…?

A new, unique, online Facebook application – Share a Pic, Save a Pet allows you to help save the lives of the nearly 8 million homeless pets in the U.S. today to drive public awareness and increase adoptions through social media!

Thousands of healthy, loving pets are in need of adoption right now, and you can help!

How?

Donate your Facebook page to a four-legged friend finding a forever home with Share a Pic, Save a Pet.

It’s quite fun to play around, test it out, and share these guys on your profile – you never know who may be looking or who may be wanting to adopt.

Created by non-profit PetSmart Charities and powered by Adopt-A-Pet.com, the first-of-its-kind Facebook application transforms individual profiles to alert your friends, family and followers about adoptable pets in your own community that need lifelong, loving homes, giving Facebook users an exclusive way to ‘donate’ their profile to showcase homeless pets in the community.

How to Use Share a Pic, Save a Pet

1. Go to http://apps.facebook.com/shareapic-saveapet/

2. Input your ZIP code.

3. Select up to 10 adoptable dogs or cats to showcase on your profile by breed, color, size and gender.

4. Adopt-a-Pet.com’s nationwide shelter database enables the application to populate your Facebook profile with photos of local pets available for adoption and links to local animal-welfare organizations where the pets available for adoption. These pictures are shared directly to your Friends’ news feeds and on your Facebook timeline!

We tried it on our personal Facebook page and its fun and functional both – your friends will catch on in no time and undoubtedly be doing the same.

Just imagine the lives we could save if everyone puts up ten pets every day for one month?!?

So check out Adopt-A-Pet.com’s Share a Pic, Save a Pet now – and get to sharing!

About 62 % of U.S. households own a pet, which equals to 72.9 million pet-owning homes with about 377.4 million pets.

While most pets have to take trips to the vet at some point in their lives, some particular breeds are more prone to ailments and diseases than others and need more expensive or frequent medical treatments.

PetInsuranceComparison’s new infographic “The Top Ten Most Expensive Pets” reveals which pets are high maintenance and rack up the highest vet bills in the course of a year.

(Petinsurancecomparison.net is a service which provides information about pet insurance and pet insurance-related topics.)

Recently, an article was published called, “10 Colleges with Successful Pet Therapy Programs.”

I think it dovetails well with you guys- my audience – and thought you might want to check it out. It was written by the staff at Best Colleges Online and is pretty darn good. I think a lot of people want to get involved in helping animals or helping animals help people, but don’t know how.

This is a good road map to start with.

Pet therapy programs sound like such a great idea, and they certainly are. In nursing homes, hospitals, and yes, even schools, people can find love, comfort, and relaxation with the help of a furry friend. With the help of a trained therapy dog, it’s possible to find increased happiness, lowered blood pressure, and an improvement in overall well-being. Students in college find that pet therapy programs are especially helpful when it comes to busting the stress of finals, and several schools have begun to bring in dogs during these times on an occasional, and sometimes even permanent, basis. If only for a day, these dogs turn into the stars of the college, attracting hundreds of students at a time to give them love and attention, while giving them a bright spot amid the drudgery of finals week. Here, we’ll take a look at 10 of the very best pet therapy programs available in schools today, and learn what makes them work so well for the students and animals that benefit from them.

1. Yale Law

Students at Yale Law Library can check out books, newspapers, and a sweet little border terrier mix, Monty. A certified library therapy dog, Monty is available for 30-minute sessions of puppy stress relief. “General Montgomery” is even listed in the law library catalog, including a humorous description. Professors like Rajita Sinha appreciate the effort, pointing out that “it’s really great that the Yale Law School is recognizing the need for addressing stress in the students, because students … need to learn ways of handling it and need help at different points in the semester.” Interest has been high, and the free visits with Monty are popular among students. Sebastian Swett, a law student at Yale, checked out Monty to escape the daily grind at Yale and shared his insight about the experience: “I went with a couple of friends, and we could just enjoy sitting around with a dog, not thinking about classes or jobs or any of the other crazy aspects of law school. Dogs, at least the dogs I’ve known, love people regardless of who they are, and there is something comforting about that.”

1. UConn

At the University of Connecticut Homer Babbidge Library, the school shares a variety of animal activities to help students relax. Students in the library can visit with therapy dogs to de-stress and deal with anxiety. The program was called “Paws to Relax” and available during the super-stressful finals week on campus. The program has reportedly been expanded to include cats as well, for the ultimate in lazy relaxation. In addition to finals week, UConn brings in therapy pets after particularly stressful situations, including suicides and deadly automobile accidents.

1. Occidental College

Occidental College shares a variety of free stress relievers with students during finals week, including Zumba classes and massage. But perhaps the most fun and calming stress-busting activity available to Oxy students is a visit from Therapy Dogs International. During finals week, the organization brought in 20 dogs trained in stress relief for two hours, a short but fun escape from the drudge of finals work and stress. Photos from the scene full of smiles and laughter make it obvious that the students (and dogs) really enjoyed the experience.

1. Fordham University

The pet therapy program at Fordham University has proven to be wildly popular. During one visit, 25 students were expected to attend, but 200 showed up, and all were happy to wait patiently for their turn to cuddle with one of the six dogs visiting that day. Fordham freshman Christina Sliwak enjoyed the therapy day, and it came just at the right time for her: “My midterms just ended, but I’m just really stressed out about school and work 24/7. So this is very relaxing.”

1. Rochester Institute of Technology

The Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf offers “Ruff Relief” for students, a quick visit from therapy dogs specially trained to help kids relax. Right before finals started, they were a welcome distraction from school stress, and students commented that it reminded them of home. The dogs enjoyed it as well: NTID director of financial planning and budgeting Michael Servé says that his own therapy dogs “really enjoy going to colleges and meeting the students.” Servé shared that the faculty and staff enjoyed the relaxation as well. After a successful initial visit, the institute has plans to make pet therapy a regular thing, bringing them in during Friday Pulse Happy Hours.

1. Tufts

In between cram sessions, Tufts students can sneak out to have some fun with dogs brought in to residential halls. During their first visit, more than 100 people came in just to see six or eight dogs, enjoying the opportunity to pet them and even take pictures while hanging out with friends. Resident director Michael Bliss says it works because “there’s just something about the inherent happiness of dogs. I think students can tap into that and feel that energy.” Tufts has had several visits from therapy dogs in the past few years, usually around stressful times like midterms and finals. The events are fun stress-busters and great entertainment as students tested their response to commands like “high five” and “sleep.” Freshman Jonathan Paradise’s sentiment best expresses the moment for students: “This event absolutely made my day.”

1. UC Riverside

At UC Riverside, dog therapy comes in the Therapy Fluffies group, specially trained dogs who can hand out licks and wagging tails to stressed-out students. The dogs are offered as part of UCR’s finals stress-relief program. Just in 2010, almost 1,000 students enjoyed a visit with a therapy dog during finals week, and a drop in stress right along with it. Of course, the dogs have a great time too, soaking up loads of attention from students who are starved for puppy love. UCR mental health educator Stacey Grady says, “For the sake of your mental health, come and pet a puppy!”

1. Caldwell College

Now in its second year, the Caldwell College Counseling Center offers a pet therapy program for students during the week of finals. With dogs from Therapy Dogs International and Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs, students at Caldwell are able to visit with dogs on campus, one of them even dressed as Santa. Lots of smiles, laughs, and hugs went on as nearly 20 dogs visited the campus this year. Students enjoyed the opportunity to connect with the dogs, as so many of them had to leave dogs at home when they went off to college. The dog visit was a welcome break for sophomore Sarah Sledgeski: “I’m so busy with finals, but to be able to do this means the world to me. I’m very grateful.”

1. Oberlin College

Oberlin College students can take advantage of “Puppy Therapy,” an event started to cut down on the cloud of stress on campus during finals time. Junior Corey Spiro, a peer health advocate with the Center for Leadership in Health Promotion, coordinated the event. He says it’s a great program because “therapy dogs have been scientifically proven to lower blood pressure, decrease anxiety, and help alleviate depression, ADHD, and a host of other health issues.” Paws to Pet staff brought their dogs to campus, allowing students to relax while doting and “loving on” dogs. The response was great, with more than 500 people RSVPing for the event to enjoy their time with the four-legged therapists on campus.

10. Mercy College

Each day at Mercy College, students have the opportunity to spend time with a therapy dog, a black Labrador retriever named Tuesday. She works in the office with the school’s director of counseling and comes to the office daily. She’s available for walks, playtime, and visits, and all students have to do is stop by the office. Additionally, Tuesday is available for counseling sessions and comfort during difficult discussions, making her an amazing resource for Mercy College to have on hand all the time