Texas Dogs & Cats Magazine- Houston's Pet Magazine » pets

Gulf Coast Cocker Spaniel Rescue's 1st birthday PaWty!

Admin — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:43:33 +0000

Can you believe it’s almost been a year already???!! We’re at 73 dogs saved and counting!!

Please come celebrate our birthday with us at Meadowlake Pet Resort on 6/25 from 2:30 – 7:30 (details in attached flyer)!!
We would LOVE to reunite with all who have adopted from us, as well as our other furry friends/rescues!! Of course, pets are welcome to attend, but you must bring proof of current vaccinations!!

Get your tickets today by clicking on the donate button on our home page: http://www.gulfcoastcockerspanielrescue.com/. In the merchant notes section, simply put “Birthday Party”!
Thanks, and we look forward to seeing you there!!

CAP Foster Fair This Sunday!

Admin — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 16:23:48 +0000

Citizens for Animal Protection (CAP) is holding a Foster Fair this Sunday! At the Foster Fair, CAP will be showcasing dogs and cats who are in foster homes and will be coming up to the shelter just for this weekend to try to find their “forever” homes! Following is more info from our friends at CAP!

“We invite you to join us for our first ever Foster Fair on Sunday March 27th from 1-5:30pm in the education center. Throughout the year CAP foster homes provide loving care for many animals who need a little TLC. Many of these lovely fostered pets do stay in foster care until they are adopted in the hopes that any available kennel space in saved for new pets surrendered to CAP. Now is the time for foster pets to shine! Some of the wonderful foster cats and dogs who are available for adoption will be making a special trip to the shelter to participate in the Foster Fair in the hopes they will find their forever homes. If you have a full house of animals already but would still like to help, please consider making a monetary donation to help cover foster animal veterinary medical expenses.”

To learn more, visit www.cap4pets.org!

We're hiring!

Admin — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 02:48:22 +0000

Love pets?

Get along well with people?

Ad sales experience?

THIS MAY BE THE JOB FOR YOU!!!

Texas Dogs & Cats seeks a fun going human to help get our name out in the greater Houston/ East Houston market. MUST be able to roll around on the floor with dogs, love tongue lashes (of the canine sorts) and a serious love for the feline sorts!

Email Shannan @ info@TexasCatsAndDogs.com TODAY!!!

August 2010 issue- Texas Dogs & Cats

Admin — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:42:21 +0000

Texas Dogs & Cats Magazine- August 2010

In this issue- Meet Garrett! A precious pup with a story to tell!

Meet Dr. Moore!

Visit with Tucker as he shares valuable information on ticks

Learn about Paws Memorial

Training tips from DogS Gone Good

Check out the Social Media Dogs as they Vamp it up!

Riki- What’s it all about?

Is adopting an older dog a bad thing?

As always-

Rachel gets to the bottom of pet nutrition

Looking for something new? Check out the Marketplace!

Rescue resources for all your adoption needs!

The Pup-Puperazzi hits the street and catches local pets doing what they do best!

Don’t Buy That Bird!

Admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:54:28 +0000

Don’t buy that bird… on Impulse!

I know! I really do know, how hard it is to resist that brightly colored parakeet or gentle cockatiel you just passed at the pet store. Look at it, so small and the cage is not big or expensive. You don’t have to walk them, they don’ t bark. Even a cat has a litter box you have to deal with. No noise and no mess. What an easy pet to own!

Stop right there. Almost everything I just wrote is incorrect! Well ,the no walking or barking , part is true but the rest…NOT.

A new parakeet or cockatiel can make a wonderful, entertaining and affectionate pet, but like all pets we take into out care, they should never be an impulse purchase. Here are a few of the realities of owning a small parrot.

1 – The only inexpensive part is the cost of the bird. These little creatures were meant to fly, search for food and live in a flock. Even the smallest bird needs plenty of room in its cage to spread it wings and flap. So small cage is not correct.

It also needs several toys to interact with, to keep its active little mind sane. These toys will not last long if they are loved (birds will love them by tearing them up) and need to be changed and added to often . A bird with nothing to do will not be a happy pet for long. So inexpensive is not correct.

2- Yes, you don’t walk birds but they Do Need a lot of attention. Birds are flock animals and need even more social interaction than people. Though a single bird can make the most affectionate and interactive pet, you have now become its flock. It will need you to give it time and attention through out the day. Your bird should spend a part of each day outside of the cage on a play stand or on your shoulder. A young hand feed bird will happily cuddle and come out to be with you from day one. You should be able to hold the bird you are considering.

Birds do not bark. However, birds are not quiet (actually some parrots learn to mimic your dogs bark). They use their voices to call to each other from great distances and they can be loud. They chatter to each other through out the day. The placement of the cage needs to be where the action is, not only because your bird enjoys your company but also because if it gets lonely, it will call for you ,and that can get noisy. Like all of us, your bird will want to be heard. So the noisier the house the louder the bird. But please remember this is a social animal and isolation in an unused room is a cruel solution. Ask your bird store for recommendation on how to quiet your vocal pet. They will be happy to help.

3 – There is no litter box to change. Well, that is not exactly true either. The cage and the surrounding area can become as messy as a litter box. The cage is manageable if the paper is changed daily. The whole area needs to be cleaned at least weekly. Expect to vacuum the area near the cage. Your bird is not concerned where it poops, so watch that the food and water dish stay clean and that they are not located directly under a perch.

Speaking of food and water…this needs to be changed daily. Even if they appear clean and full. A seed dish looks full but could only contain can empty but the hulls and water can grow bacteria quickly. Also, don’t feed your new baby only seed! A seed only diet is unhealthy and will shorten the life of your pet. Birds can and often do live much longer than dogs or even cats. Your parakeet that you just bought your kindergartener could be there till she goes to college and the cockatiel could easily be waiting for her after she graduates and moves back home. Ask your bird store what fruit and vegetables, table food , seed and nut mix you should start your bird on.

That all being said…this is an easy pet to love. They are very entertaining to watch as they sample a new food or figure out a new toy. They can learn to whistle tunes and even to talk. If you purchase a very young bird or a handfed bird it will be an affectionate pets from the start, and enjoy head scratches and cuddles. These birds can become a part of their human family and add fun and affection to everyone in the house.

So remember as you pass the cage of little parakeets in the big pet store don’t make an impulse purchase. Stop and think is the pet for you? Is this the best bird store in my area to buy a healthy pet and get the expert advice you will need? Are you ready to give the time and attention to a pet even after the newness has worn off? Can you spend the money for quality food, toys, a large cage and a bird Vet when needed? Now that you have some of the important facts….

BUY THAT BIRD!!!

Lynne Singerman is the happy owner of a 10-year-old Love Bird named J.D. Who flies to her and cuddles – a 5 year of Blue Crowned Conure named Pickles who dances and give her compliments – and 2 year old Alexandrine named Emmy Lou who says “ Whatya doing, you?” and cuddles during Nightline every night. Lynne purchased her pets from Adventures in Birds and has been recommending the bird specialty store to her friends for years. Recently that relationship has grown and she is now the Ambassador of Birds.

Adventures in Birds -7414 Westview Dr. Houston, TX, 77055 –713-681-5299 www.adventuresinbirds.com – Become a Fan on Facebook of Adventures in Birds

Info 101: Wild box turtles are not pets

Admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 19:38:50 +0000

You found the most beautiful box turtle (a) in a culvert, (b) crossing the road, (c) in your backyard and you want to “rescue” her. Do so by putting her where she wants to go. Please don’t try to keep her as a pet.

A wild turtle put into captivity will likely die within a week or so no matter how well you treat her. It is illegal to collect box turtles without a permit and there are legal limits on how many and which turtles you are permitted to keep in Texas.

Holding up traffic to save a crossing turtle is the right thing. Before you pick him up note which direction he was headed. Then carry him to the side of the road to which he was journeying, and leave him there. If you are unable to lift him, use a stick to nudge him into moving faster. Turtle travel the same path repeatedly to breed, lay eggs, feed and more year after year particularly in late spring and summer.

To read this rest of this story, please visit Houston Pet Examiner, Marguerite Matthews here.

CALLING ALL PET LOVERS!

Admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:27:38 +0000

HELP THE HOUSTON HUMANE SOCIETY RECEIVE $50,000 DONATION FROM PURINA AND KROGER

Purina, Kroger and TV’s “Bachelorette” Trista Sutter Invite Residents of HOUSTON AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS to Celebrate the Unique Bond between People and Their Pets

Purina and Kroger have teamed up to launch the third-annual “Tales for the Pet Lover’s Heart” campaign, celebrating the unique bond between people and their pets and donating $150,000 to animal welfare organizations nationwide. Together with animal lover Trista Sutter, from ABC’s “The Bachelorette,” they’re inviting Houston-area residents to recognize the outstanding efforts of animal welfare organizations across the country, including the Houston Humane Society, which is among 18 featured organizations nationwide (and the ONLY one in Texas) set to receive a portion of the donation.

Pet lovers can visit www.TalesForThePetLoversHeart.com to vote for the Houston Humane Society as the campaign’s “Top Tale” and recipient of $50,000 of the total donation. Sutter will help determine the ultimate “Top Tale” this fall. The Houston Humane Society and all participating animal welfare organizations will each receive $3,000 of the total donation from Purina and Kroger.

One of the most powerful relationships people have is with their pets. Together with Kroger, Purina wants to recognize endearing pet tales…the kind that happen every day at the Houston Humane Society. You can vote once per day, per email account.

Finding a lost cat

Admin — Sat, 01 May 2010 00:43:01 +0000

This was sent to me by Jan Perino, the Founder of Copperfield Lost And Found Pets. Hopefully the pointers for missing pets the past couple days will help reunite your with your lost pet should one ever go missing!

It is extremely rare for a cat to go more than 1-1/2 to 3 streets in any one direction from where it goes missing. Within the first few days, a lost cat is usually just over the fence or a few yards down from your home. If your cat was scared by loud sounds i.e. construction or by dogs barking and running, then your cat might have ventured a few more streets away. Networking with your neighbors to be on the lookout for your cat, as well as getting their permission to check their yards, is important.

I highly recommend the following resources: www.lostapet.org – Missing Pet Partnership and www.catsinthebag.org . Many of your questions will be answered about lost cat behavior and how to construct an effective flyer that gets excellent results.

First, do a thorough check of your home to make sure that your cat is not hiding in your home. Cats can hide in garages, entryways and crawl spaces, attics, behind cabinets and appliances, closets, etc.

Cats are most visible between the hours of 8:00 p.m. – 1:30 a.m. Remember to take your flashlight and binoculars. Cats are also on the move between 6:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Vary the times of day and the directions when you take your walks and do your searches. Make sure to check fencing, shrubs, trees, decks, garages, cars when doing your search. If your cat is familiar with the scent of your family dog, then take the dog for a walk; always ending the walk with your home’s location. Rain actually heightens the scent.

The average time for a cat that goes missing and then returns on its own is 3 – 10 days. It is not at al unusual for a cat to go missing 2-1/2 months before being reunited with its owner. The burden of work is still with the owner. You may have to set a humane trap in order to catch your cat, as outlined in the Missing Pet Partnership link above.

It is extremely important to keep checking the animal control that has jurisdiction for your area to see if your cat has been brought in or picked up. You must plan on visiting and checking animal control and the area shelters. Visiting is important, because volunteers are too busy to break from the phone and check an animal; or a volunteer may be new or on a new schedule. Animal controls hold stray animals for 72 hours. Saturday is considered a 24 hour period of the total 72 hours. For the City Of Houston, it is BARC that is your animal control. Your link to search is www.petharbor.com . When calling them or visiting them, BARC should be able to tell you the Key Map No./Zip Code from which an animal was brought in or picked up. Always make sure that your animal control and the area shelters have three (3) copies of your lost flyer/lost cat report — one copy for the receptionist; one copy for the veterinarian’s area; one copy for the holding/intake area.

Also visit, check, and leave your lost cat flyer/lost cat report with Citizens For Animal Protection (CAP), the Houston SPCA, and the Houston Humane Society. These shelters are NOT “no kill”.

Make sure to ALWAYS offer a Reward, No Questions Asked in all of your flyers and in your website notices. Cats are not visible like dogs; you want to reward all efforts made on behalf of trying to find your cat.

Post your cat on www.craigslist.org (only the Lost And Found category — the Pets category has a lot of scamming), www.petfinder.com, the Houston SPCA.org lost and found pets web page, and www.tabbytracker.com .

Please be sure to leave your lost cat flyer/lost cat report with your area vets. You can post a lost cat notice at your PetsMart and Petco.

If your cat has an owner registered microchip, then the vets, shelters, and animal control will scan for the microchip and allow for a quick reunite.

HAPI Block PaWty this Saturday!!

Admin — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 13:30:20 +0000

Stop by and see the amazing dogs and cats available for adoption.

We will have dogs from various rescue groups and fosters!

All these pets are awaiting a home and can not do that without you.

We will also have free hotdogs, popcorn, bottled water and music! We promise you’ll have a great time!!

Find out more at www.Hapi4Pets.org

Dog Adoption Corner Featuring Penny

Admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:06:51 +0000

Penny (9321563) is a beautiful one year-old black and white Pit Bull Terrier mix. She was found wandering around the streets and is now looking for a forever home.

To learn more about Penny click here.