Now that the economy is getting better, go buy some new towels and take your old ones to Town Lake Animal Shelter

"TLAC is in desperate need of towels-bath size!! We've set up a special barrel in front of the shelter for towels only. If you have any you can spare, please bring 'em on down." -- Kathryn Sharp TLAC Rescue Office, tlac.rescue@ci.austin.tx.us

Local finicky cat owners give feedback to Austin-based makers of a new kind of kitty litter mat

Build a better mousetrap? A better cat box litter mat?
Build it and they will come?
If you buy it will they use it? Cats are known to be finicky.
Their owners? Even more picky when it comes to maintaining the dreaded cat box.

According to this press release,42% of cat owners report high frustration with current litter mats. A local company touts its new product as the answer.

“We conducted both primary and secondary research to learn the best and the worst features of cat litter mats and how the mats impacted owners and their pets,” said Carol O’Brien, Cleanicity’s founder and CEO. “Based on our study, the number one concern of pet owners is whether or not the product would hurt their pets’ paws, followed closely by how effective the mat is at stopping litter from tracking through the house.”

Austin-based Cleanicity makes products for picky people. The Kitty Litter Grip Mat ($32.99)allegedly last up to six months.

See a demo here.

No Tags and Two Collars found in North Austin looks for owner on craigslist

Black and white dog found in North Austin on craigslist

Photos from yesterday's Wiener Dog Races in Buda

From Austin American-Statesman gallery

Vet recommendations for I35/William Cannon area request

Karen Poore of www.visionsbykaren.com looking for a good vet recommendation in I35/William Cannon area. She has a one year old Silken Windhound named Esther

Ten Ways to Go Green with Your Dogs

To help celebrate Earth Month, here are some eco-friendly tips from the ASPCA:

1: Spring Cleaning
Empty out the dark corners of your closets, basement and attic, but before throwing your dusty treasures away, call your local shelters and ask if they need old towels, bedding, leashes, litter boxes and pet toys. They may even be looking for unused printers and computer monitors.

2: Water Works
Give your pet filtered tap water instead of bottled to drink. If you must use bottled, be sure to recycle.

3: The Power of Poop
Scoop dog poop with biodegradable bags instead of plastic bags from the grocery store. If you’re a suburbanite (or an urbanite with a lawn), do some research on doggie septic systems—they help keep your lawn free of smelly surprises and break waste down into a liquid the ground can absorb. And kitty parents, go for eco-friendly cat litters, avoiding brands with mined minerals.

4: Green Grooming
Use earth-friendly pet shampoos and grooming products whenever possible.

5: Garden of Delights
If you have space, consider growing your own garden for your fruit- and veggie- loving reptiles and small mammals. Before using insecticides, research mulching and other gardening practices that can help reduce the amount of insecticides and herbicides you might need.

6: Spot On
Should your furry love leave a little dribble (or more) on the carpeting or floor, don’t reach for the bleach. Use vinegar instead. This environment-friendly liquid can act as an effective odor-remover and can kill mold and bacteria. Please keep in mind, though, that vinegar must be diluted correctly with water.

7: Cutting Back is Going Green
There are plenty of small ways to cut back on energy and materials.

* Instead of using a blow dryer to dry your freshly bathed pet, towel or air dry her.
* Walk your dog to the doggie park rather than driving there.
* Cut down on paper products—clean up with rags or recycled paper towels.

8: Put Your Foot Down
Don’t wear shoes in the house. They bring extra pesticides, fungicides and dirt inside—your pets are exposed enough when licking their paws after walking outside on treated surfaces. (Of course, you should wipe all paws before letting them back into the house!)

9: Green Goodies
Consider making your own healthy dog biscuits and storing them in reusable containers. If you purchase store-bought treats, buy them in cardboard packaging and be sure to recycle.

10: Bulk Up
Buy pet supplies in bulk or the largest available size. You’ll make fewer trips to the store and cut down on packaging to discard of.

Two Cats Talk Then Bathe

heartwarming!!!
Make Sure Volume Is ON!!

To find out what they are saying click here.

Not Sure the Dogs Are Really Into This: Canine As Canvas? New York Times Reports, You Decide

Once they finished shaving the cats, the glamour event of the dog grooming show began.

Homeless Austin Dog to be Trained to Star in Rags to Riches Tale, co-produced by HauteDog magazine and Zilker Park Productionsk Musical

(I-Newswire) April 20, 2010 - HauteDog: Wet Nose Culture Austin magazine is the driving force behind the newly announced project “Share.Care.Sandy.” HauteDog magazine is partnering with Zilker Theatre Productions (ZTP) to present a wonderful rag to riches story of a true-life experience of one homeless dog, named Sandy.

APA! Adoption Manager says Tucker Deserves a Permanent Home Where He is Not a Danger to Himself or Neighborhood Chickens

Amazing escape artist Tucker managed to find his way back to his former home not once but twice!!!

Reported in tomorrow's Oak Hill Gazette:

This dog made his way from 51st Street and Mueller back down to the Slaughter neighborhood... He crossed the river, crossed I-35, crossed Ben White, all the while dragging a leash and collar. It was truly an incredible journey.

Two Of My Favorite Things: Chic and Furry and Yet Another Excuse to Take Photos Of Me and My Dog

go get your camera and your dog

You Walked The Walk Now See The Movie: What That Mighty Texas Dog Walk Held in Austin Last Weekend Was all About

Through a Dog's Eyes premieres on KLRU tomorrow night at 7 p.m.

One day I realized it was morally wrong to treat dogs any way other than with patience, understanding and kindness. I have come to appreciate that dogs are capable of deep feeling and that they have individual personalities and intellectual capacities, extraordinary at times, that can be clear guides as to how best to live with them… beyond all other species it is dogs who have evolved to be our partners, protectors, and helpmates.

-Jennifer Arnold, Through A Dog’s Eyes

A real dog in the race for Texas Governor, reports Statesman writer John Kelso

Read all about here.

A Husky Smile

Saying Goodbye: Orange County California Family Writes Bucket List for Dog

Hudson, a 10-year-old chocolate lab, enjoying one of the items on his bucket list - riding in the car with his head out the window. That's not something the big dog was normally allowed to do.

Special showing at Alamo Drafthouse at the Ritz tonight at 7 p.m.

For more info on Mine

For more info on tonight's showing:

Court could challenge efficacy of the bloodhound "sniff test"

Now-retired Deputy Keith Pikett, with bloodhounds James Bond, left, and Clue, has taught his dogs to do 'scent lineups,' where they try to match crime scene evidence with the smell of a suspect.

photo by Deborah Cannon/2007 AMERICAN-STATESMAN

By Chuck Lindell
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

No physical evidence tied Richard Winfrey Sr. to a brutal 2004 murder in East Texas, and no witnesses placed him at the crime scene.

Even so, Winfrey is serving 75 years in prison largely because three bloodhounds, trained by their self-taught handler to sniff out criminals, indicated that they smelled his scent on gauze pads that had been rubbed on the victim's clothing three years earlier and preserved in Ziploc bags.

Defense lawyers claim Winfrey was the victim of an unreliable, unscientific process known as "scent lineups," where dogs sniff crime scene evidence and try to match it to smells obtained from suspects or from items they have touched.

Cardigan Welsh Corgi found in Austin TX listed on Fidofinder.com

www.fidofinder.com

What People Who Do Not Have Children Do This Time of Year in the Hill Country

Happy Easter

If They Could, You KNOW They Would

Another pet costume contest -- south Austin style