"Charlie: A Love Story" is a touching story of life, love, and loss

Charlie & Barbara Lampert

“Charlie: A Love Story”, by Barbara Lampert, is the story of love, illness, and loss between the author and her beloved Golden Retriever, Charlie. Barbara is an avid gardener and was journaling the progress of her huge garden and landscaped yard, but as Charlie began getting sick with a myriad of illnesses, the journal became as much about his struggles as it did about gardening.


For anyone who has ever lost a pet or struggled with a pet’s lengthy illness, Charlie’s story is a tough one. Having dealt with a pet with an extended illness myself, I sympathized with the emotions Barbara was going through in an all-too-real way. The constant ups and downs, worrying if you’re making the right decisions, hoping for more time with your beloved pet but realizing nothing lasts forever…the feelings are raw, deep, and unforgettable.

“Charlie: A Love Story” is a perfect portrait of the emotional depth of love we can feel for our pets, and a testament to the lengths we will go to ensure our pets can stay with us just a few, precious moments longer. It proves how those of us who love animals can have multiple pets and love them all equally, but still have a particularly special bond form with one pet that sets them apart from the others. It is also a testament to the strong, positive spirit that animals can possess even when their pain and sickness becomes too much for their humans to emotionally bear.

If there is one criticism of “Charlie: A Love Story”, it is that perhaps the journal entries heavy on gardening talk may not be universally interesting to all readers. There is much discussion of different sorts of plants, and readers unfamiliar with them (or with no interest in gardening) may find themselves skimming through the descriptions. Those interested in Charlie's story alone (and not the garden journal backstory) may find their interest wandering during these passages.  However, even for those without interest in horticulture, the sheer joy and relaxation her yardwork brings to the author is palpable. I found myself picturing Barbara’s garden, and wishing I could sit on the soft grass with a loving Golden Retriever by my side. I understood the tranquility and bliss that Barbara must have felt.

A word of warning: you WILL need tissues when you read this book. I found myself raising the book up to eye level so that my husband wouldn’t catch my eyes welling up with tears every few chapters. It was hard not to re-live the emotions I felt during my own pet’s extended illness, and I expect it would be hard for anyone who has lost a pet not to do the same. At the same time, it reminded me of the special bond I felt with my own pet and allowed me to experience that special love again.

"Stand-Up for Cats" September 15 at High Noon Saloon: Interview with comedian and organizer Stephanie Sherlund

Photo left: Stephanie Sherlund

Comedy and cats--two of Mad About Pets favorite things, together at last! Madison's Cat Care Clinic is celebrating their 25th anniversary with a comedy extravaganza, all to benefit the friendly felines of Dane County Humane Society. "Stand-Up for Cats" is an all-ages comedy show going on Saturday, September 15, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. at the High Noon Saloon in Madison and featuring some of the area's best comedians. Event organizer and Madison's best female comedian Stephanie Sherlund was kind enough to give Mad About Pets an exclusive interview about this great event:

(Mad About Pets) How did the idea of Stand-Up for Cats come about?

(Stephanie Sherlund) Cat Care Clinic is celebrating our 25th year of providing expert care for cats and the people that love them. With our anniversary, we wanted to do some outreach to the community. We have been helping other organizations with providing professional dental treatments to adoptable cats at Dane County Humane Society and also helping Friends of Ferals to adopt out kitties. I  have been involved in the Madison Stand-Up Comedy scene for a couple years and thought it the perfect opportunity to put on a show the whole family can enjoy while raising funds to help all the kitties at Dane County Humane Society.

What kind of comedy can people expect to see at this event?

The event is for kids of all ages. While most comedy events tend to steer toward an adult audience, this event is going to be light-hearted, goofy and clean. We have also for our anniversary been working events at the DCHS such as Catapalooza and Kids Extravaganza!

Can you tell us a little about the performers at Stand-Up for Cats?

I hand selected each comedian performing at the event; we are all great friends and mesh really well as comedians and friends. I chose comedians I believe would work well for a family-friendly audience and of course my fellow feline lovers! Alan Talaga is a local talk-show host who holds The Dan Potacke Show monthly at The Frequency and is also a co-writer for Off the Square comic strip featured in The Isthmus. He jumped at the chance to be involved with anything cat-related. Ryan Casey originates from Richmond, Virginia but has been gracing the Madison comedy scene for the past couple of years and we’re glad to have him—he came in third at Madison’s Funniest Comic 2012! Adam Waldron is not only the artist who came up with our wonderful flier idea-- he is also a long-standing Midwest comedian with a child-like spirit that kids and adults alike can relate to. Aaron Quinn is a Madison Comedy native, though he hasn’t been on stage for a couple years; he is making his triumphant and much anticipated return to help us “Stand Up for Cats”. Nate Bjork, the event headliner, is not only a great comedian, but the proud father of two wonderful kitties—his humor is goofy and fun for the whole audience!

Besides comedy, are there other activities at the fundraiser?

We will be doing the stand-up event, of course, and between comedians we will be giving away our raffle prizes. Tickets for our raffle tickets will be $4 a piece or 3 for $10, 6 for $20. We have various prizes to be given away and the guests will get to decide what they opt in to win. Our prizes have been donated by local businesses and vary from hotel stays to Ale Asylum beer/t-shirt, Food Fight gift certificates, Avid Microchips for your kitty, Milio's gift certificates, gift baskets with many cat related prizes and many more great donations! Cat Care Clinic will be giving away TWO Adult Wellness Packages which include an exam, bloodwork, urinalysis and 6-month supply of Revolution parasite preventative! We will also donate a behavioral consultation with the founder of the Cat Care Clinic, world renowned feline behavior specialist, Dr. Ilona Rodan!

In addition to our great prizes given between comics you can also get a drink at the bar at our venue, High Noon Saloon, which so graciously donated the space for our event and we will have some desserts out for our guests!

How will the proceeds from Stand-Up for Cats be used?

Unlike a generic donation to the Dane County Humane Society, all of our proceeds go to benefit DCHS’s Feline Friends division. We have been fortunate to have every aspect of our event donated either by local businesses or Cat Care Clinic itself, meaning every single raffle ticket price will go to the kitties at the shelter. Feline Friends donations go to pay for all the food, litter, bedding, medical supplies, vaccinations, microchips, toys, etc.

Check out the Stand-Up for Cats event on Facebook for more information! Hope to see you there :)

Respect Animal Rights

Animals, like humans, have rights. While the debate still rages on whether a pet is a person's property or a companion with feelings, many countries and states have enacted laws designed to protect animal rights. The effort to establish laws that will protect animals from abuse and ensure their proper treatment is ongoing and gaining ground.

In the United States, the landmark law is the Animal Welfare Act of 1966 (AWA) that regulates the treatment of animals. It is enforced by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its agency the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The law covers all warm-blooded animals used in laboratory tests, experiments, exhibits as well as those used or sold as pets.

The AWA sets the standards for the humane handling of animals, their feeding, shelter and housing, protection, sanitation, and adequate veterinary care throughout the life of an animal. The law also addresses the psychological needs of an animal and requires, for instance, that dogs should be exercised. In 1990, the Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act was amended to include more specific provisions for the protection of pets. Among other rules, the law requires an animal dealer to hold on to an animal for a minimum of 5 days before selling it, so its original owner can recover the animal. The dealer must also give the recipient a certified record of the animal's history including transfers and modifications. Violations can reach up to $5,000 for every dog or cat sold. Repeated violations can cause the dealer to lose its license.

In 2007, the Animal Fighting Prohibition Reinforcement Act made animal fighting a felony with up to 3 years' imprisonment for violators. Even trading in objects for animal fighting, such as gaffs, is considered a felony under the law. In 2008, more laws were enacted prohibiting the sale of dogs below 6 months of age and ensuring that they are healthy and properly vaccinated. Penalties for violations were also raised to $10,000 per day for every animal, and 5 years' imprisonment.

Other nations have their own laws designed to protect animal rights. For example, India has the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act; Japan the Welfare and Management of Animals Act; Taiwan the Taiwanese Animal Protection Act; the UK Animal Welfare Act 2006. In the USA, many cities and states have enacted their own laws over and above the AWA provisions.

Spearheading the effort to improve laws regarding animal rights is an organization called In Defense of Animals (IDA). Founded by Dr. Elliot Katz, a veterinarian, the organization aims to “end animal exploitation, cruelty and abuse.” The IDA seeks to raise the “status (of animals) beyond mere property, commodities or things” through “advocating for the rights, welfare, and habitats of animals.” Through the years, the organization has been successful in many projects to improve the welfare of animals.

Fighting for rights, whether of human or non-human creatures, can be a long and difficult task. Animal lovers everywhere, however, are confident that the battle for animal rights will eventually be won.

Author: This article was provided by MindaHome where people planning a trip away can easily to find animal lovers to live in and take care of their pets and homes. 'House sitting' makes it possible for pets to stay in the familiar surroundings of their own homes when their owners need to be away, while pet owners can relax and enjoy their trip comfortable in the knowledge their pets are happy and their homes are secure. To find out more please visit http://mindahome.com

Lacey's Barkery review: tasty homemade treats for pampered pooches!

Face it…you love to spoil your dog, and are constantly looking for new ways to spoil him even more. It’s okay, you’re among friends here at Mad About Pets! Treats are one way many of us show our dogs love; as they say, the fastest way to a dog’s heart is through his stomach (or is that the fastest way to a man’s heart? Hmm…)

Lacey's Barkery gluten-free crisps

Homemade doggy treats are a great way to show your dog that you care, and also to ensure you’re giving your pup a tasty snack without all the icky fillers and preservatives found in many commercial dog treats. Ideally, we’d all love to make treats for our dog in our own kitchen. Unfortunately, most of us have enough trouble finding the time to cook ourselves a homemade meal, let alone our pooch!

Lacey’s Barkery can help you with this predicament. Lacey’ Barkery is an online store featuring premium homemade treats for your dog, using only organic and human-grade ingredients. Baked right here in the United States, Lacey’s treats are free of the scary foreign ingredients in many commercially available treats that have been known to cause outbreaks of sickness. Lacey’s offers baked treats, gluten free crisps, and even cakes (hey, you get a birthday cake…why shouldn’t your dog?!)

Lacey’s Barkery was kind enough to offer Mad About Pets a sample of their most popular baked treat flavor, Peanut Butter and Bacon. We wanted to put Lacey’s to the ultimate test, so we recruited a particularly selective test subject. Meet Amos, the 8-year-old rescue poodle. Amos’ person reports that he does not eat treats; in fact, he has no idea what to do with them. When offered a dog bone at the bank drive-up window, poor Amos just stares at it. Growing up in a puppy mill, Amos never learned the simple pleasure of a dog treat. Even if he wanted to eat a treat, the amount of teeth he’s missing makes it quite difficult. Yes, Amos is a tough test subject indeed!

Lacey's Barkery baked treats

Amos’ person was understandably skeptical about how Amos would react to this “experiment.” Due to his missing teeth, she broke the Peanut Butter and Bacon treat in half and offered our test subject only a small portion. Amos gave it a skeptical sniff, turned tail and walked away. Drat! The experiment was not off to a very good start. Amos’ person left the bit of treat on the floor, in the event that Amos might change his mind. She went about her business, realizing a few minutes later that Amos was nowhere to be seen. She found Amos merrily munching the bit of treat, and cautiously offered him another bit. He ate it! Much to Amos’ person’s amazement, Amos was eating and enjoying a dog treat—something she thought she’d never see.

Amos the test dog gives Lacey’s Barkery two enthusiastic paws up! Besides the glowing review from the pickiest poodle in Madison, Mad About Pets loves that Lacey’s donates part of the purchase price to animal charities like AKC Canine Health Foundation and Romania Animal Rescue when you use the appropriate promo code (found at the bottom of this page.) If you’re looking for tasty homemade treats you can feel good about giving your dog, check out Lacey’s Barkery and the full line of great products they have available to spoil your dog rotten!

Dog Names – The Ultimate (Star) Guide

Dog names graphic produced by Matt Beswick for Pet365. Click here to view the full post.

Why does my cat throw up so much?

Photo credit: blog.craftzine.com

For cat owners, cleaning puke off the carpet is just par for the course. Although some cats rarely vomit, some cats are what many vets refer to as “pukers”. These are the sorts of cats that vomit weekly (or even daily), despite being healthy. To understand why cats puke, it’s first important to understand what exactly puke is. When it comes to cats, not all puke is created equal! The three most common types of feline upchuck are: hairballs, regurgitation and vomit.

Let’s start with hairballs. Hairballs are just that…balls (or tubes) of hair that accumulate in the stomach. We all know that cats are fastidiously clean creatures, and of course clean themselves using their tongues. The tongue of a cat is barbed, meaning it has little hooks on it similar to the hooked portion of Velcro. These barbs catch and pull out the dead hair and debris in the coat while the cat is cleaning, and the cat ends up swallowing it. 

Normally the swallowed hair passes through the body and ends up in the feces, but sometimes the hair accumulation becomes a little too much. The only other place for the hair to go is back from where it came, so the cat ends up vomiting a tube-like blob of hair. Most cats deal with hairballs from time to time, but if it becomes a frequent occurrence the veterinarian should be consulted. Though rare, some cats have been known to get an internal blockage if too much hair accumulates inside. To help avoid hairballs, brush your cat regularly. There are also products available to help lubricate the digestive system and allow hairballs to pass in the feces.

Another common type of cat puke is actually regurgitation. This is when your cat vomits up food shortly after eating, and the food hasn’t even had a chance to begin digesting. The cat will not wretch prior to regurgitation; it will simply expel a glob of food from its mouth. Regurgitation happens when food blocks the esophagus, either because the animal has eaten too quickly or the swallowing has somehow been interrupted.

 Many cats on dry food diets will experience regurgitation from time to time. One simple way to prevent it is to raise your cat’s food dish so it must sit on its haunches when eating. By raising the food dish, the cat will either sit on its rump or stand up while eating. A food dish sitting directly on the floor means the cat will usually crouch down to eat. When the cat eats in this position, the cat’s esophagus must function without the helpful assistance of gravity! As a result, the food will often accumulate in the esophagus without going all the way down to the stomach, and the cat regurgitate. Frequent regurgitation can lead to aspiration of food particles into the lungs and potentially pneumonia.

A cat food ball is an easy way to prevent regurgitation.
Photo credit: northernilcatclinic.com

Some cats are also known to wolf down their food like its going out of style! This can lead to regurgitation as well. Simple measures can be taken to slow down the cat’s eating such as using a food ball, feeding the cat in small quantities several times throughout the day, or simply spreading the cat’s food out on a cookie sheet so it must eat the kibble piece by piece. If a cat continues to regurgitate despite raising the food dish or taking measures to slow down eating, a vet should be consulted to check for complications with the swallowing mechanism (peristalsis.)

The final most common variety of cat vomit is, well…vomit. This is where the cat wretches and expels stomach contents including bile and partially digested food. Vomit can be an indication of many things including sickness, food allergies, parasites, poisoning, and even eating indigestible things like plastic bags or rubber bands.

Cats will vomit from time to time; just like humans, they can become ill and go through short bouts of vomiting or diarrhea. This is generally not a cause for concern, unless there is blood in the vomit or you know the cat has gotten into something it shouldn’t (houseplants, chemicals, balls of yarn, etc.) If you suspect poisoning or ingestion of inedibles, or notice blood in the vomit, contact a veterinarian immediately. A vet should also be consulted if the cat vomits incessantly, appears lethargic/weak, or continues to vomit for a period longer than 8 hours.

Frequent vomiting can also be a sign of serious illnesses such as kidney and liver disease, diabetes, or an obstruction in the intestines. When it doubt, it’s always best to check with your veterinarian. 

Sign up for DoggyLoot and save 75% on treats and toys for your dog!

Today I came across a company I think is fabulous! It's called DoggyLoot, and it's a daily email service (similar to Groupon, Woot, or Living Social)...except it's for dog supplies only.

You can save up to 75% on things like treats, toys, chews, and more. The best part is, the shipping is always free!

When you sign up, DoggyLoot will ask you for the size of your dog so that your deals can be customized to fit your specific pet(s). Your dog will be in heaven with all the great discounted items you can purchase!

Check out DoggyLoot and start finding amazing deals for your doggy today!