Today might be the happiest day so far this month or year maybe…

I am featured and interviewed about ThoughtsFurPaws.com on the FRONT PAGE of BlogCatalog.com. I’m a Recognized Blogger with them and they sent out an email featuring ME and ThoughtsFurPaws to their Subscribers today!

WOO-HOOOO!!

Here’s a snap shot and some snippets — I’m forwarding the email to most of my regular readers and everyone in my Blogroll, but if you want it forwarded to you, just email me at thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com. The formatting is all screwy here on the blog because I could not figure out how to take a screen shot and turn it into a JPEG (still trying…).

Anyways — hooray ThoughtsFurPaws!!

About the Author Meet Jaime. With a love of golden retrievers and tabby cats (and pretty much anything else with fur), pet blogger Jaime injects her blog full of the passion and adoration she feels for our quadruped companions. Her blog, Thoughts Fur Paws, is a mix of posts about animal welfare issues, pet product reviews, and heartwarming stories about the magic that happens when a loving human and a loyal pet find each other. We included a few of Jaime’s recent posts in the newsletter, but head over to Thoughts Fur Paws to check out her full line up of pet-packed posts. From an early age… Jaime’s love of pets is not a recent phenomenon. Her mom, who Jaime identifies as the most influential person in her life and her best friend, began teaching her to care for pets at the age of four. The lessons she taught have become part of Jaime’s life-long passion to care for animals. The seed that was planted by her mother has blossomed and today Jaime uses her blog as a tool to educate the public about animal welfare issues. Most recently, Jaime has been shining a light on the horrid conditions dogs are forced to live in at puppy mills and dog auctions. Focusing mainly on legislation to ban these types of operations in Ohio, Jaime is rallying us all to come to the aid of the defenseless creatures who rely on us to keep them safe. And the Pettie goes to… Thoughts Fur Paws has been nominated for the Best Pet Blog award as part of Dogtime.com’s 2010 Petties. The competition looks stiff as there are a number of good blogs have been nominated along with Jaime’s. So, if you check out her blog and agree with our opinion that the site is Pettie-worthy, I’m sure Jaime would appreciate it if you swung by and gave her a vote. Jaime, all of us at BlogCatalog wish you good luck and hope you take home the Pettie!	Ohio Dog Auctions Many concerned citizens firmly believe the auctions serve not reputable breeders but large commercial facilities where dogs are bred to produce as many puppies as possible in conditions ranging from unsanitary to inhumane. The Coalition to Ban Ohio Dog Auctions is spearheading a new, citizen-backed ballot initiative – The Ohio Dog Auctions Act. August Photo Contest This is a KITTEN & PUPPY PHOTO CONTEST only, so please don’t send pictures of your babies unless they’re 6 months old or younger! The entry deadline is next Friday, August 20th at 7 p.m. EST. Clean + Green Clean+Green by SeaYu has founded Fragrance Free Day (#fragrancefreeday), a social media event which asks people to tell the world via their social networks that they’ll go “fragrance free” for one day.

It’s hard nowadays to find a pet food brand (whether for dog or cat) or a dog treat brand that actually lives up to expectation; that actually helps what it promotes; that honestly lives up to its PR company’s hype.

Henry Checking Out the Turkey Jerky...

Well, despite all that, I believe I found the perfect mix of food and treats for our family’s dogs through K9 Cuisine. K9 Cuisine offers only the healthiest and most well-prepared, honest-to-goodness pet nutrition products you will ever find ANYWHERE. You can find wellness brands of food, treats, food toppers and more. I was TOTALLY surprised and thus impressed when our dog and my sister’s dogs – who are all SO PICKY AND STUBBORN – took so well to these healthy grain-free food and treat options. It’s truly a fabulous website with only the best products.

I’m talkin’… revolutionary product that will change the way people treat their pets in terms of nutrition. Just as Americans are becoming healthier in terms of eating habits, thus so should our best friends – our pets.

Rotations Sample

First, we sampled the Rotations Complete 3-in-1 Complete Nutrition System. It’s adult dry food that has various flavors. The boxed set offers you three different meal types – Premium Chicken and Brown Rice, Wild Salmon with Peas and Carrots, and New Zealand Lamb and Potatoes.

The idea is to rotate them so your pet doesn’t get bored with the same old food. They basically promote the “appropriate levels of proteins and fats to provide energy and maintain ideal weight.” Rotations dog food options are all balanced with fermentable fiber (as always, no corn, wheat, or soy) so your dog receives proper digestive support and gets a healthy overall body maintenance and performance.

ROTATIONS Pet Food is designed around the premise that a broader array of fresh natural ingredients provides pets with a more complete diet that can still be easily digestible and convenient for you. That’s why each box contains three distinctly different all-natural formulas in three separate re-sealable bags — to ensure that your pet will never be bored, undernourished or overexposed to one particular ingredient or flavor.

Benson LOVED the Chicken and Rice one and surprisingly ate the veggies in the other kinds too. We noticed after feeding him this diet for about 10 days that not only did he lose almost 2 pounds, but also he was FAR MORE active – acting and playing with the energy of a puppy again!

Rotations is by far the “cream of the crop.” Learn more about it on their site, which is chockfull of information on how to feed, what’s in the products, what the benefits are, and LOTS more.

K9 Cuisine also sent us the Wellness Pure Rewards Turkey Jerky. I don’t even know how to explain this… I’ll tell you that I let my sister’s Bassets try these samples out instead of Benson. I gave each Basset one and they each practically swallowed it whole. Ten minutes later (I was dog-sitting and in another room), one of them (had to be Henry – a 10-yr-old Basset trouble-maker who is shorter than the normal breed) actually jumped up and counter-surfed to pull

Turkey Jerky Wellness Treats and Free Wet Food Lid!

the treat bag down! The two of them then just went to town on the Turkey Jerky because they liked the flavor so much! So yeah – they ate a lot of them, but they had NO SYMPTOMS of stomach upset, diarrhea, etc , after eating a whole bag of treats in ten minutes… These treats get four (okay – paws up for SURE!! I have since bought many bags of these for them to bring when I come over to dog-sit…

Tons of Tasty Samples from K9 Cuisine

K9 Cuisine also let us sample the Go! Grain Free Chicken, Turkey and Duck wet formulas. These were also a HUGE hit with Benson. They didn’t upset his stomach and he “chowed” them right down (highly unusual for him as he is SO PICKY in his old age). The best part about this wet food is that it has human-grade ingredients, so your dog is tasting food similar to what your food tastes like.  (Not to mention it’s packed with vitamins, minerals and supplements like sunflower and wild salmon oils for Omegas, plus garden fresh vegetables, orchard fruits and lots of minerals!)

Next up from K9 Cuisine we tried the Real Food Toppers in Pure Beef

Even the Kittehs Checked Out the Samples!

Sirloin Flavor. After topping Benson’s food with these once, we realized we would use them as treats because he wouldn’t eat dinner without them that night!! He remembered that at breakfast he had a tasty topper! So we used them as treats for going potty in the proper area, sitting, lying down, etc.

Overall, I was seriously blown away by the products I got from K9 Cuisine. First because they are ALL grain-free, but in particular, the Rotations and the Wellness Treats are items that we have since re-ordered or purchased. I’ve also now moved my cat Sasha over to the Wellness brand wet food since she’s almost 10.

Benson's FAVORITE Thing EVER!

The quality of the products, the care and study that goes into creating them,  and the all-natural REAL ingredients used in ALL of these cat and dog foods, really are top-notch, and totally worth spending a few extra bucks for shipping. I would not tell you to go and buy something if it wasn’t any good – you know me better than that. But K9 Cuisine has it all: the BEST brands, the HEALTHIEST choices, the most REASONABLE prices, plus they always offer free samples, discounts and shipping deals and other promos. Plus, the company’s founder –Anthony Holloway – designed these recipes himself after realizing that he knew what he was eating from his plate, but his dog didn’t know what he was ingesting, and neither did Anthony; thus, K9 Cuisine was born. (I just think that’s a great story and a little tidbit for you all to read and learn how dedicated Anthony and his team are to making exquisite, quality pet food.)

Dog Food Toppers and Go! Grain Free Wet Food

I genuinely hope that some of you will go ahead and order at least one of the products discussed here, and measure the difference in your animal’s coat, eyes, attitude, and energy level (or even their weight). K9 Cuisine is BAR NONE the best option for cat and dog food that I’ve come across thus far.

Visit the site and you can get free samples by clicking on the tab on the top right!

Who wants to meet other pet-fanatics??

Snuggle Session Complete!

Who wants to learn how to get more traffic?

Who wants to get relevant pet information about pet nutrition & animal welfare??

Who wants to learn more about pets in the news & pet charity??

Who wants to learn how to make $$$ major moolah from advertising???

ME!!! I mean WE!!

ThoughtsFurPaws.com wants to know all of the above – which is why Mom is headed to BlogPaws West 2010.

It’s in Denver from Sept 9-11, and the conference is filled to the brim with fun, fur, friends, and… oh yeah, TONS of information on how to make your pet blog ROCK:)

Mom went to the very first-ever BlogPawsEast in Ohio & had a total blast!

She only decided to go to this one at the VERY last minute — when she found out ThoughtsFurPaws.com was a finalist in Dogtime.com’s Petties Awards…

** So we’re totally pumped about that nomination, but Mom thinks she has zero chance of winning considering who she’s up against…

Anyhow, according to the website, BlogPaws West is being held to:

“continue building our Be the Change focus on a national scale, to embrace the exciting momentum of BlogPaws East (thank you, thank you, thank you EVERYONE!), and to give our peeps in the West a chance to meet and connect, we’re offering: more learning, more networking, more blogging, Tweeting, laughing, raising funds for shelters/rescues, shouting, singing, partying, listening, hugging, crying, cooing, clapping, and learning at BlogPaws  2010 West. “

And guess what we just found out?? Our super-good buddies at IAMS/Eukanuba are sponsoring our trip! HOORAH! We can’t wait to see our friends from there!

We will for sure return that favor somehow – Mom is already thinking of ways in her mind – she has steam coming from her ears and that means she’s on a mission. (When Mom is on a mission we do not interrupt!!)

There’s going to be lots and lots of pets there and lots and lots of people and food, and treats and vendors, and sponsors and all-around FUN!!

We also can’t wait to see our best friends from Bissell, Inc, too — they are sponsoring BlogPaws for the second time this year and we’re looking forward to catching up with our fellow Bissell Pack of Pet Lovers members.

Anyhow, we think everykitty and everydoggy should go to BlogPawsWest. You can get more information on the BlogPaws Community of Pet Bloggers here.

Group Aims to Fly Homeless Pets out of Gulf 

Pilots N Paws to transport animals from Gulf Coast to more stable areas

Pilots N Paws, an online forum that connects animal rescue groups and volunteer pilots, moves thousands of homeless pets each year.

The weekend of September 18, pilots and other volunteers will participate in the Pilots N Paws Gulf Coast Rescue Flyway, trying to relocate hundreds of animals from the Gulf Coast disaster areas to shelters and fosters in other parts of the country.

“These animals need help now,” says Debi Boies, co-founder of Pilots N Paws. “Many had families who loved them and are victims of the oil spill. Their owners have lost their jobs, their homes and are barely surviving. They no longer have the means to care for their pets.”

According to the National Council on Pet Population, 9.6 million shelter animals are needlessly euthanized each year. After the oil spill, one shelter in Louisiana euthanized 900 in a single month! The aim of Pilots N Paws is to decrease this number by connecting shelters and rescue groups with pilots willing to transport animals to safe homes.

With the help of the Pilots N Paws website, rescuers and foster homes in high-kill areas are able to locate their counterparts in areas of the country where high-kill rates are not the rule. These no-kill shelters then make space for the animals being rescued. The sending and receiving pair team up with a volunteer pilot, who provides transportation.

To make this life-saving, heart-warming event a success, many more volunteers are needed. Opportunities include:

• Pilots – Register online to fly pets from shelters to their foster or forever homes.
• Short- and long-term foster homes – Take care of pets, ranging from overnight stays en route to extended periods, while adopters are found.
• General volunteers – Local shelters always need help walking dogs, cleaning cages and filing paperwork.

In addition to volunteer roles, there are other ways to help:

• Spread the word – Tell your local animal shelter about Pilots N Paws. If there’s a small airport nearby, ask the manager to let its pilots know about the event.
• Donate – Pilots N Paws, rescue groups and shelter donations are usually tax-deductible.
• Adopt – Consider taking one of the rescued pets into your own home.

“Volunteers are the key to our success,” says Boies. “Without the pilots and rescue groups, our program wouldn’t exist. The more volunteers we have the better chance of saving helpless animals.”

Pilots N Paws is a 501(c)(3) organization, so pilots’ expenses relating to transport flights are tax-deductible. Pilots N Paws is an excellent example of the critical role general aviation plays in our everyday lives. For more information, or to help out with the Pilots N Paws Gulf Coast Rescue Flyway, visit www.pilotsnpaws.org. To learn more about other ways general aviation pilots help every day, visit GA Serves America.  Petmate and Subaru are proud sponsors of Pilots N Paws and the Pilots N Paws Gulf Coast Rescue Flyway. 

Whether you live in Ohio or not, if you consider yourself an animal welfare advocate then you probably know about Ohio animal welfare groups’ undying support to get a ban passed on dog auctions, cruel activities that give more money to puppy millers and “over-breeders,” and that, in turn, worsen the major homeless/rescue pet overpopulation problem. In addition, it’s suspected that some of these dogs bought at auction end up as test animals in laboratories across the country…

Dogs in tiny cages in "Auction Row"

Since 2004, Ohio Dog Auctions have grown into anything but “run of the mill.” Breeders who participate in these auctions are raising HUGE numbers of dogs/puppies with profit as their primary motive of existence. Many of the animals are unhealthy, abused, not screened for genetic disease, lack good temperament and show NO resemblance to the real breed.

Run by one of the most well-known animal advocates in the state – Mary O’Conner Shaver – the event is being held to get additional signatures on The Coalition to Ban Ohio Dog Auctions, an:

Ohio has no laws preventing dog auctions. (And is WAY behind in other animal welfare legislation as well including penalties for animal cruelty and FINALLY passing a puppy mill bill.)

Many concerned citizens firmly believe the auctions serve not reputable breeders but large commercial facilities where dogs are bred to produce as many puppies as possible in conditions ranging from unsanitary to inhumane.

The Coalition to Ban Ohio Dog Auctions is spearheading a new, citizen-backed ballot initiative – The Ohio Dog Auctions Act.

The auctions usually sell smaller breeds, but every now and then will have one or two larger dogs as well. (Click here for a video on Ohio dog auctions.)

The measure (similar in language to Pennsylvania’s Statute 459-603

Stop Dog Auctions & Puppy Mills in Ohio

Voters across the state are communicating with their fellow citizens and starting to gather a goal of a minimum of 120,700 signatures by December 1, 2010 to put the proposed law before the Legislature in January 2011.

Volunteer petitioners are needed to make this initiative a reality in Ohio —we have until December 1, 2010!  We need everyone’s participation to make this vital effort a success! GET READY TO SERVE AS A STRONG VOICE FOR THESE POOR VOICELESS PUPS AND STUD DOGS at a peaceful rally and signature-gathering event…

** SO PLEASE COME to the event for Ohioans this Saturday, August 21st from 10 am to 2 pm at the Holmes County Fairgrounds **

The more signatures we can gather, the better!

Remember that many farmers and dog fanciers, hobby and show-breeders will also be attending — and they SUPPORT the Act.

OUR MAIN FOCUS IS TO THE OHIO DOG AUCTIONS ACT AND relationships there to puppy mills, and pet homelessness. If you’d like to download signs to bring, you can find them on www.BanOhioDogAuctions.com. (Per the Holmes County Sheriff, remember we must be 6 feet off the roadside.)

Peaceful Child "Rallier" at Previous BODA Event

Also, over 100 Harley riders from across Ohio are scheduled to join us in support of our efforts to raise awareness of the dog auctions problem and the Act. Their route includes a visit past the Fairgrounds and the Livestock Auction Barn where the real auction takes place.

If you would like to volunteer, please contact Julie from Operation Warm and Cozy, at 330-364-7190.

You can also support the coalition by clicking on this sentence to sign the petition at Care2′s Petition Site.

There’s a list of related media coverage/releases further down the page here.

For more information about the event visit http://www.ColumbusTopDogs.com.

This Friday, August 13^th will be unlucky for chemical fragrances! Here’s some pet information about pet health that I bet you never knew…(unless you’re a DVM!)

SeaYu Spreads Awareness of Pet Health Issues too

Clean+Green by SeaYu has founded Fragrance Free Day (#fragrancefreeday), a social media event which asks people to tell the world via their social networks that they’ll go “fragrance free” for one day.

Now here’s the pet health and pet information part I referenced:

** Animals have faster metabolisms & smaller lungs than humans, so not only are they processing harmful chemicals used in the home more quickly, they are also breathing them in at a faster rate. Because animals are closer to the ground, they are more often in direct contact with these harmful substances making Fragrance Free Day of special importance for pet owners everywhere.

Fragrance Free Day gives concerned consumers, pet owners, pet lovers and animal advocates a chance to spread awareness of the dangers associated

Clean & Green Presents Fragrance Free Friday

with fragrance/chemicals in personal care and household cleaning products — two things we need to be seriously aware of as pet lovers and pet owners.

This awareness campaign comes at a time when, according to a recent report by ABC News,

“Congress and the cosmetics industry are both calling for tighter regulation of the chemicals used in cosmetics and other personal care productsdue to concerns over possible carcinogens and other toxic ingredients.”

As part of the event, the company will:

- Host a live Q&A on Twitter, featuring SeaYu’s CEO Quincy Yu, organic chemist Dr. Stephen Ziman and veterinarian holistic pet health expert Dr. Carol Osborne, DVM.

-Anyone with questions on the safety of products they’re using for personal care can Tweet them with the hashtag #fragrancefreeday on Friday, August 13 from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM EST and have their question answered by one of the experts through SeaYu’s Twitter account.

- There is also a press release you can read for more information and details here.

- And you can check out the event page on Facebook.

Here’s the blog post the company wrote about this novel and inventive idea:

Panel of Experts Available for Questions on Fragrance Free Day – August 13th

And here’s the snippet from the post that totally intrigued me:

“What started the idea of Fragrance Free Day?  Several studies have been published and we are spreading the word.  The report by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and Environmental Working Group, “Not So Sexy, the Health Risks of Secret Chemicals in Fragrances,” found 14 secret chemicals not listed on the labels that are associated with hormone disruption and allergic reactions, and many substances that have not been assessed for safety in personal care products. The study also notes that numerous other products used daily, such as shampoos, lotions, bath products, cleaning sprays, air fresheners and laundry & dish-washing detergents also contain strongly scented, volatile ingredients that are hidden behind the word “fragrance.”

WHOAAAAA….

———————————————————————————————

Clean & Green, obviously an animal charity supporter, says right on it’s site:

We’re committed to making sure that all of our products are non-toxic, non-carcinogenic and recyclable.

Dedicated to Pet Health & Safety in ALL Arenas

So it only makes sense that this eco-friendly pet product producer be behind a concept uncovering the TRUTH about certain chemicals, but uses 21st century technology – social media – to get the word out! Kudos to them AND SeaYu!

Now… let’s all do something for out pets’ health. Your cat or dog’s health could honestly be effected by chemicals in not only household cleaning products, but also something most of us never knew — fragrances and perfumes/colognes. (This is a new concept for me – I had no idea my perfumes sprays – which I use religiously – could harm my cat’s and dog’s health.)

** So definitely get ready for some more pet health information that just might surprise you and/or teach you something you did not know about pet health! **

DON’T FORGET TO SPREAD THE WORD ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 13th. TELL YOUR CO-SOCIAL NETWORKERS THAT IT’S FRAGRANCE-FREE FRIDAY! Let’s get Pets in the news – FRONT-PAGE!

First–check out the national press release that went out about the unparalleled Petties Awards here.

“Voting Now Open for DogTime’s Pet Blog Awards”

“‘The Petties’ will crown the best of the best in the pet blogger community — Winners to be announced at BlogPaws 2010 West in Denver, September 9-11, 2010”

The DogTime Media community has more than 460 pet bloggers and over 500 publishers, allowing it to reach 29.5 million pet enthusiasts a month(1), making it number one in pets.

DogTime’s Pet Blog Awards opened for nominations on July 13th and received over 900 submissions. The top four nominees have been selected in four categories: Best Cat Blog, Best Dog Blog, Best Pet Blog & Best Cause-Related Blog.

SSooooooooo – who do you vote for? WELL DUH!!

Our wonderful friends at FidoFriendly, who run one of the greatest and most informative (and funny) dog sites on the ‘net are also in the running for the Petties, but as The Best Dog Blog. So please vote for our dear friends.

Whenyou go there to vote for ThoughtsFurPaws as Best Pet Blog, be sure to vote for FidoFriendly as Best Dog Blog!

(Remember you can vote until August 20th.)

I assure you – after you compare blogs - you’ll realize how relevant, timely and AWESOME Fido Friendly’s site/blog/magazine are!

Fido Friendly describes it like this: “Similar to the Oscars, Dogtime’s Petties honor the top bloggers in a variety of pet-oriented categories.”

 Between now and August 20th, would you PLEASE be so kind as to keep the love going and vote for ThoughtsFurPaws and Fido Friendly as Best Pet Blog and Best Dog Blog, respectively???

*** All you need do is visit this link: Click here to vote for ThoughtsFurPaws and FIDO Friendly! THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!! ***

Final nominees were selected based on the number of times they were nominated by their fellow bloggers and followers. Winners will be chosen from these nominees by the number of votes they receive from pet enthusiasts by August 20th. To vote, go to http://dogtime.com/petties.

“The Petties it truly an awards program for bloggers, by bloggers,” said DogTime Media CEO, Trevor Wright. “The pet community has some very passionate, entertaining, and influential personalities, and this is the opportunity for the best of the best to be recognized by their followers.”

Eukanuba Custom Care Sensitive Skin

Earlier this summer, you may remember that P&G Pet Care (Proctor & Gamble, which owns IAMS/Eukanuba) announced a voluntary recall of TWO lots of IAMS Veterinary Formulas-Feline Renal.

The company announced a couple days ago that it is now expanding the pet food recall to include all IAMS Veterinary Formula Diets (dry), Eukanuba Naturally Wild, Eukanuba Pure, and Eukanuba Sensitive Skin due to possible health risk. (Images of the affected products are posted on the right).
 
Any other IAMS or Eukanuba cat/dog diets, biscuits, treats or supplements are NOT included in this pet food recall & are safe & healthy for your pet.

The Procter Gamble Company (P&G) (NYSE:PG) is volunt

Eukanuba Naturally Wild

arily expanding its recall to include veterinary and some specialized dry pet food as a precautionary measure because it has the potential to be contaminated with salmonella.  No salmonella-related illnesses have been reported. 
 
The following dry pet food products are included:

1. Iams Veterinary Dry Formulas-all sizes and varieties. “Best Buy dates” on package are 01July10 – 01Dec11: includes ALL UPC CODES

2. Eukanuba Naturally Wild-all sizes and varieties. “Best Buy dates” on package are 01July10 – 01Dec11: includes ALL UPC CODES

3. Eukanuba Pure-all sizes and varieties. “Best Buy dates” on package are 01July10 – 01Dec11: includes ALL UPC CODES

4. Eukanuba Custom Care Sensitive Skin – All dry sizes: “Best Buy dates” on package are 01July10 – 01Dec11: includes ALL UPC CODES

Eukanuba Pure

From the press release:

“ The affected products are sold in veterinary clinics and specialty pet retailers throughout the United States and Canada.  No canned food, biscuits/treats or supplements are affected by this announcement.  A full listing of UPC codes can be found at www.iams.com. 
        
         These products are made in a single, specialized facility.  In cooperation with FDA, P&G determined that some products made at this facility have the potential for salmonella contamination.  As a precautionary measure, P&G is recalling all products made at this facility.
        
         Consumers who have purchased the specific dry pet foods listed should

IAMS Veterinary Formula Canine

 discard them.  People handling dry pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product.  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.

IAMS Veterinary Formula Feline

        Pets with Salmonella infections may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain.  If left untreated, pets may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting.  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.
 
For further information or a product replacement or refund call P&G toll-free at 877-340-8823 (Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST).”

MORE JULY PHOTO CONTEST PICTURES!

So far, I’ve only gotten about  votes in – so you guys need to really start pushing your friends, other bloggers, and family, co-workers, etc to the blog to vote for your pet. Honestly, this is one of thee MOST GENEROUS prize offerings I’ve EVER offered in the two years the blog has been around, so you don’t want to miss out on the chance to score a prize. (All packages are worth AT LEAST $60, some include pet store gift cards and boutique pet products…)

See the first of the entries here.

Anyhow, here are some more entries for the July Pet Photo Contest, again, in order they were received. You still have until June 22nd to get entries in to me, and remember, only THREE ENTRIES PER PERSON please. (Email entries to thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com.)

Ziavier

Bronco Says "Throw the Ball...I'm Ready!"

Cheeto

Cheeto II

Cheeto III

Gianni

Gianni II

Goliath

Goliath II

Gucci

Gucci II

Gucci III

Izzy

Izzy II

Karma

Karma II

Murphy Cuddled Up:)

Precious Murphy Bathing...

Rocky the Pug

Rocky as a Puppy!

Rocky Sportin' Shades!

Little Roy & Gertrude the Chicken

Sweet-faced Rudi the Rescue Baby

Sweet Simba Strechin' Out

Simba's Sweet Face Close-Up

Tutti Frutti the Rescue Cutie:)

Tutti Frutti II

Unknown Kitty from Susan Lawson

Unknown Pup from Samantha Stark

So that’s it for today! ** Don’t forget to send all your contacts here to comment and leave their votes for their favorites! REMEMBER: this contest is being judged SOLELY on reader comment votes and emails with votes sent to us!

Good Luck!

Tomorrow I’ll be showing you an array of “Fun Friday Fotos!”

So it’s NOT just dogs that our herioc soldiers are taking in, taking care of, and then taking home to the U.S. – its KITTEHS TOO!

Yeah, I’m a little late to the game in getting this posted, but I’ve worked at least 30 out of the last 70 hours so what can I say??

Thanks to Unique Scoop for this WONDERFUL HEART-WRENCHING article. Go there after you read to see ALL the pictures of the kitties when they get home to Michigan finally…!

“In Afghanistan, in the midst of war, many animals are lost and separated from their family. Many are found later by troops from the US, UK and Canada. Soldiers rescue these animals and get help from rescue groups that help them send these animals out of the country and to a forever loving home that they deserve.

Three US marine soldiers, Brian Chambers, Chris Berry and Aaron Shaw, started a mission to help bring home the kittens they have befriended while serving in Afghanistan . With generous donations from cat lovers and help from Noward Dogs animal rescue, Kiki and Keykey, two lovely ginger kitties, have successfully made it home in the US. Unfortunately 2 other cats, Simba and Ra-Ko, lost the battle against their illnesses a few weeks ago.

Kiki and his sister Bones were found by Brian Chambers, a US marine.

“At only 3 weeks old, their mother had disappeared and they were left alone to live rough and fend for themselves like the other cats in this area. We looked after them both and they lived in a box in the office, after a week they were allowed to roam around during the day and sleep with us in the hooch at night.”

Unfortunately Bones vanished a week after along with Kiki, but Kiki eventually returned.

Kiki was injured badly on Monday 8th of March. Brian found him in horrible condition. “He was too frightened to approach me, I ran to find some wipes to clean him and I then realised how bad this wounds really were…”

A vet came the next day and put Kiki on a course of antibiotics. Today Kiki has fully recovered.

“Kiki is a very playful adventurous cat, he loves to explore and is very curious, he enjoys sitting on my shoulder, chewing on my hand and running up my legs. He hasn’t been put off by what has happened to him.”

Keykey was found by another US marine named Chris Berry.

“I found Keykey tangled up in c-wire one day in the beginning of the deployment, I took him in and fixed his wounds. He was also extremely malnourished so I constantly kept an eye on him and fed him until he got back to good health and he has been by my side ever since.”

Both Keykey and Kiki have arrived in the US. Kiki is currently living with Brian’s parents in Houston, Texas until he leaves the Marines and moves home. Keykey is living with Chris’ parents in Detroit, Michigan and enjoying his new family.

For soldiers who are on duty overseas, often time the only chance they get to cuddle is when they meet these stray animals. These soldiers are lonely and longing for love from their family and friends. The kitties are abandoned, lost and have nowhere to call home. When they find each other, they become best friends.”

***This article was taken from the original post on “Unique Scoop,” so thanks to them for story and photos! Visit their site for TONS MORE ADORABLE photos of these kitties!