I’ve just about worn out Google (well, maybe not quite) searching for links to the “CBS Sunday Morning” videos my wife and I watched last Sunday about animals and “motherhood.” I cannot recall the exact name of the segment and I deleted it from our DVR, so I was unable to find it.

The segment involved videos of animals and motherhood, in keeping with the Mothers’ Day theme. They really were quite remarkable videos of female animals who “adopted” and even nursed orphaned babies of an entirely different species.

The opening segment was a charmer about a female black Lab dog who’s the resident “mommy” at an animal shelter. She got the job when she heard some orphaned kittens mewing, went over and picked them up, and put them safely into her own box, began raising them, and even nursed them. She’s now a permanent fixture at the animal shelter, helping to care for orphaned young critters.

The most amazing of the Sunday morning animal videos was footage shot by a National Geographic Magazine photographer. I’ve forgotten where the footage was shot. It involved a female tiger who killed a female orangutan for food — then discovered a frightened, tiny baby orangutan huddled nearby. The tiger picked the orangutan up and took it home, where she proceeded to protect it and even nurse it. They actually had video footage of the tiger letting the orangutan nurse.

Motherhood is a wonderful, amazing treasure everywhere it’s found, isn’t it?

Technorati Tags: animal mothers, amazing animal stories, for pets and pet lovers

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My wife and I are “practicing vegetarians” — she’s got it right, but I’m still practicing and give in to friend chicken or sausages from time to time.

Our faithful old cat, Tigra, is NOT a vegetarian, but she’s learned to live with the lack of mealtime tidbits from us. Sure, we’ve let a bit of lettuce or carrot drop under the table from time to time, but Tigra really isn’t interested. She clearly treats vegetables with disdain, wondering why we put such things into our mouths.

When our son comes over, however, she snuggles up to him like they’re best buddies. He brings salmon, tuna, and chicken. And, when he’s eating his lunch or supper at our house, she makes sure to watch him intently for those occasional dropped bits of salmon. Okay, she stares at him intently until he finally wavers, places a napkin or bit of newspaper on the floor, and puts a bite or two of fresh salmon down for her.

Last night, however, he had something different with him — turkey pepperoni. I don’t know much about meat anymore, and I couldn’t begin to tell you what’s in turkey pepperoni or how it’s made. But our son assured us it was very “mild,” and not spicy enough to be a problem. So Tigra devoured one or two small bites of turkey pepperoni.

Half an hour after Son left, we had to break out the paper towels and spray cleaner. Tigra spit up the turkey pepperoni. Then she settled into a different nook or cranny in the living room — and spit up some more of the turkey pepperoni.

After three times, her stomach settled down. She had some water later on, slept soundly all night, and is her usually frisky self today.

New rule in our household: No more turkey pepperoni for the cat.

Technorati Tags: cat diets, turkey, salmon, turkey pepperoni, for pets and pet lovers

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If you’ve looked closely — actually, even if you haven’t looked all that closely! — you’ll see various pet supplies and products displayed around this website. But have you ever thought about shopping by clicking on the products and links here?

How often do you buy pet products and pet supplies online? Do you prefer to shop locally in the “brick and mortar” world where you live?

I suspect, if you’re like me, you buy most of your pet supplies and pet products in the community where you live, rather than online. It stands to reason that most items you purchase for your cat, dog, fish, bird, whatever, are mostly “low ticket” items. Paying for shipping on small purchases of any sort can eliminate any online savings.

But if you’re like most people in America and even worldwide, you buy or have bought SOMETHING online. I would be interested in knowing what sort of pet related purchases you may have made online, or you would be looking for online. This helps me understand more about what I’m doing, and it allows me to offer you products and services that you would like to see.

To clarify: I do rely on income from this and other blogs and websites as the “daily bread” my wife and I live on. That means I hope you will consider making purchases from time to time if you see something that interests you — and I would appreciate the chance to make products and services available which WILL interest you!

Technorati Tags: pet products and pet supplies, online shopping, for pets and pet lovers

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Who’s in the market for a good pair of boots? How about some really nice, durable work boots? Or perhaps some hiking boots?

If you’re looking for a good pair of boots, go look around “Work Boots USA,” a site that specializes in work boots, but offers a nice variety of boots for work, casual, and outdoor “play” such as hiking and camping with your favorite pet.

Don’t just take my word for it. Go to Work Boots USA and take a look around for yourself. They’ve got some nice boots in stock of all sorts at some good prices.

Technorati Tags: Work Boots USA, boots, useful website, for pets and pet lovers

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I am not a horse person. My brothers both are. My younger brother rides horses occasionally for recreation; my older brother owns a horse farm in Maryland and his wife teaches dressage (a form of horse competition/dancing of some sort which I don’t understand).

My dad and aunt rode horses routinely for transportation and as farm kids doing work around the farm when they were growing up in southeast Colorado. My paternal grandfather worked occasionally as a bona fide horse trainer at the Centennial Race Track in Denver when I was a kid.

But I, personally, know very little about horses and probably even less about horse racing. Professional horse racing has always troubled me a bit, perhaps bordering on organized animal abuse. Certainly the high level competition races like today’s Kentucky Derby holds the risk of animal abuses to gain “peak performance” or whatever from the horses. And today’s Derby ended on a tragic note: The second place finisher, a filly named Eight Belles, shattered both front ankles just after she finished and was immediately euthanised while she lay on the track.

I saw the finish of that race, and I was thinking as she finished in second place that she had put out a terrific effort and could almost have won.

I don’t know of anything animal lovers can say about such a thing. I’m sure Eight Belles’ owners and trainers did her no ill and sought to give her a good, healthy, long life. By the nature of this “sport,” horse racing breeds, trains, and uses horses to RUN — so the best possible treatment may by nature hold elements of inhumane treatment.

I wouldn’t presume to know any answers to the tragedy. I just wanted to “vent” a bit here in tribute to a beautiful animal who died suddenly, painfully, and far, far to young.

Technorati Tags: horse racing, Eight Belles, Kentucky Derby horse death, for pets and pet lovers

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