A few weeks ago a dog named Lennox was put to death in Belfast, Ireland for one reason only: He happened to be classified as a dangerous breed of dog. He'd never bitten nor harmed anyone in his seven years. He was the loving and beloved pet of the Barnes family. Lennox, who was not even a pit bull terrier but rather a bull dog mix, was singled out strictly based on his breed profile which ended up being his death sentence.  Two years ago Lennox was taken from the Barnes family home in Belfast by dog wardens after city council officials identified him as a "pit bull-type" dog, which is illegal…

There is more to summer than cookouts and fireworks. Did you know June, July, September and August are the four most popular months (in that order) for weddings? And more and more, folks are opting to include favorite pets in their special day. Not a problem, say animal trainers and wedding planners, as long as you plan ahead and keep your pet's needs and safety in mind along with the comfort of your guests. Determine what role your pet will play in the ceremony. Will it be to carry the rings, pull a cart with the flower girl in it (obviously a large dog or a pony needed for this one), greet …

While movies, TV shows and books about sexy vampires may be all the rage these days, did you know that real bats, the little flying mammals most people are afraid of, are facing a serious threat in Northern Virginia and across the U.S.? And that, my dear neighbors, poses a huge potential problem to everything from our agricultural industry, to our ecosystem, to your backyard. The good news is Northern Virginia has Leslie Sturges and Bat World NOVA, established in 2001 to promote the conservation and protection of the region's bats and to introduce the wonderful world of bats to the area's …

So what does it take to meet a nice guy in this town? Seriously. I seem to have no problem meeting fantastic guys through my job who live 3,000 miles away, or awesome dudes who are 20 years south of moi, but serious local options? Limited, to say the least. If it was just me facing this dilemma I'd say OK, I'm most likely the problem. But no; all of my attractive, smart, successful single girlfriends seem to have the same conundrum. Trying to meet and date a great guy in the D.C. Metro area is for the birds. Or, more aptly, the dogs. My friends and I have all tried the Meetup groups, the bar …

"Mugly" is not the prettiest name for a pooch, but it does seem to suit the 8-year-old Chinese Crested who was just crowned the "World's Ugliest Dog." My guess is Mugly's owner doesn't think he's ugly at all. In fact, I've always thought Chinese Crested's were adorable, despite their nearly hairless, naked, bug-eyed and wrinkly appearance. Apparently they top the list on the ugly chart, as last year's winner, Yoda, is a Chinese crested and Chihuahua mix. What classifies as ugly to one person can be considered cute by another. Mugly is a rescue dog from the United Kingdom, and is a past winner…

Each year more than 42,000 cases of salmonella (Salmonellosis) are reported in the U.S., but the actual number is estimated to be 29 times greater when considering mild cases not diagnosed or reported. Do you know what it is, how it can affect your pet/family, and how to avoid it? Here are some facts you need to know: Salmonellosis is a bacterial disease caused by the bacterium Salmonella. Salmonella contamination can be a danger to both pets and people. Salmonellosis can be transmitted from animals to humans. Symptoms of Salmonella include vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Salmonellosis…

No one likes the scorching hot, hazy and humid days of summer, including our pets. While I sit inside my air conditioned house writing this article, the thermostat outside is topping out at 95 degrees. Welcome to summer in the D.C. metro region!  I know we all get tired of hearing the same message repeated over and over this time of year, and as responsible pet parents, we would never endanger our pets. Yet, there are still folks out there who don't listen, ignore the warnings or don't care about the risks to their cat or dog. So every year we see news story after news story about dogs left …

Do you have any idea what a mulberry is? I didn't either until my dogs' poop turned black! Sorry about that, but that is exactly how this little saga began. I was baffled about the color, trying to figure out just what the heck the dogs had gotten into. I didn't see anything unusual around the pantry or trash that had been trifled with. The next day I noticed Flip and Tiki rooting around in their fenced yard and apparently eating something (which I imagined to be very nasty, disgusting and likely dead) so I ran out to impose a cease-and-desist order. What I discovered were little black …

Who knows more about being bitten by dogs than U.S. Postal carriers? They walk the streets practically every day, and last year nearly 5,600 of them reported being bitten by dogs. Unfortunately, that number pales in comparison to the staggering number of 2 million children that were bitten last year. That's why the USPS has declared the week leading up to Memorial Day as National Dog Bite Prevention Week. With the warm summer weather, and the end of school just on the horizon, the frequency of dog bite reports is on the rise. While Virginia does not appear on the list of Top 25 Dog Bite …

Yep, everyone looks forward to Memorial Day weekend, including me. It kicks off all the summer fun, pays homage to our service men and women, offers up countless cookouts and parties, and brings tens of thousands of visitors to the D.C. area to celebrate. Including "Rolling Thunder." Rolling Thunder is not a troublesome weather system. It is not "Hell's Angels." It is a nonprofit organization with nearly 900,000 motorcycle riders who participate in the annual Memorial Day weekend rides nationwide to bring awareness to and action on behalf of the 10,000 reported POWs/MIAs of the Vietnam War. …

What do thousands of happy people, hundreds of excited dogs, music and one pink ferret have in common? They all came together at the 12th annual Pet Fiesta on Saturday at Reston Town Center. The weather cooperated with a hot, sunny day, and although there were a few threats of a thunderstorm, none materialized. The Tails on Trails Dog Walk brought 150+ walkers and dogs out in the morning. And throughout the day, the 40 rescue organizations were kept busy answering questions about adoptable dogs and trying to make happy matches between potential adopters and eager foster dogs. It is not too …

This Saturday, May 5, is guaranteed to be a fiesta like no other! The calendar's cooperation in bringing together two very special and important occasions means fun for all, including your furry friends. First, the 12th annual Pet Fiesta will take place at the Reston Town Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The event kicks off with the Tails on Trails Dog Walk at 10 a.m. This leisurely 1-mile walk for people and their pets around the town center, neighborhoods and wooded walking trails raises funds to help support GoodDogz.org's two major annual adoption events: the Pet Fiesta and Home 4 …

The Washington Nationals got a real tail-wagging reception from the crowd on Saturday. Not only did they harpoon the Miami Marlins in extra innings with a 3-2 win, but it was Opening Day for a new season of the highly popular Nationals Pups in the Park event. Pups in the Park brings together baseball and man's best friend, for a good time and a good cause. The pet owners get to purchase a discounted game ticket ($22 in the Outfield Reserved section 140-143), and an $8 canine ticket, with proceeds benefitting the Washington Humane Society. Talk about a win-win situation, especially when the …

One hundred years ago yesterday, the "unsinkable" ship sank during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, en route to New York. The 100th anniversary of the Titanic has brought to light many interesting, strange and little known details about that tragedy. One of them being, that there were at least 12 confirmed dogs on board at the time, and only three survived. It is well known there were not enough lifeboats onboard that fateful journey, so some people have questioned why dogs were allowed on lifeboats when some people were not. According to leading authority on the Titanic and …

If you've ever had to deal with a first aid emergency for a family member or friend, you know how nerve-racking and tense the situation can be. Our pets are just as much at risk, and knowing what to do when a first aid emergency strikes can make the difference between life and death. Years ago, when Flip was just a young pup, I took the American Red Cross Pet First Aid class and bought the paperback handbook. I'll admit the class and book terrified me! It described in detail all the terrible mishaps that could possibly befall my beloved pet: from lacerations, to choking, electrocution, bee …

Spring has sprung early in our region thanks to an unusually mild winter. That's great for the flowers, bees and birds, and lawns, but not so much for those of us with seasonal allergies. The signs of the times are all around us. Co-workers, friends and family with runny noses, and you may be sneezing your head-off. But did you ever wonder if and how allergens affect our pets? Well, it turns out potentially quite a bit. With the warm, sunny days and longer daylight hours comes grass and pollen. Just in time to replace the leaf mold and ragweed! It also means more time outdoors for cats and …

Similar to the old saying, "No good deed goes unpunished," so it seems true that "No fun vacation ends with fun." The "no worries" and "no problem" laid-back attitude on the beach and at the tiki bar quickly faded at the Miami airport, as my friend and I did the crazy runaround through passport control, customs, then re-check our luggage, then back to our departure gate which was exactly one gate away from our arrival gate. Luckily, we had a two-hour layover as it took just about that long to go through the motions. At that point, I really just wanted to get home to see my two precious angels…

How much do we love our pets? Apparently they've earned nearly $50.96 billion worth of our love, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA). That's what Americans spent on the pet industry in 2011. The estimate for 2012 is $52.87 billion, not bad for a sluggish economy, eh? That's a whole lotta love! Whew, now I don't feel so fiscally irresponsible, what a relief.  So, what did we spend all that money on in the name of love? The APPA breakdown looks like this:                                                  Food: $19.85 billion  Supplies/OTC Medicine: $11.77 billion Vet Care…

Typically this time of year we're fed up with being trapped inside because of the cold and dreary weather, tired of shoveling snow, and so done with winter. That leads to indoor fun like NCAA basketball, St. Paddy's Day drink-a-thons, and well, good ol' fashioned adult activities.  Luckily, this winter has been one of the mildest on record, and "cabin fever" has not been a problem. In fact, just the opposite. Folks seem to be suffering more from hay fever with all the budding, blooming and pollinating going on than anything else. With temps repeatedly reaching into the 70s, even the cherry …

We've all been there before: you leave the house for awhile, your precious pups are sitting there smiling sweetly and waving goodbye, life is good. You come home, and "Surprise!" All hell has broken loose, and you're staring at a couple of guilty pooches along with the putrifying contents of your garbage can artfully decorating your kitchen. Or, in my case, an entire bag of whole wheat flour gleefully dumped on the floor and sprinkled like magic fairy dust throughout my entire house.  Oddly enough, the culprit acted as if nothing was amiss, while the innocent one hung his head in shame for …