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An Associated Press-Petside.com poll shows 52 percent of pet owners plan to buy their animals a holiday gift — up from 43 percent last year.

What a wonderful and touching video and so true too. Take a minute and sit back and just watch and enjoy. This will bring a smile to your face and lighten your heart. (VIDEO)

By Paul Thigpen, Ph.D. Do Animals Go to Heaven? Responding to a common question from children Not long ago a TCA reader wrote us to ask a familiar question: What should we tell children when a pet dies and they ask whether animals have souls and go to heaven? She reported that she had upset some parents when she told their children (students in her class) that the answer to both questions was no.The answer to the first question -- do animals have souls? -- depends, of course, on how we define "soul." Ancient and medieval writers, both pagan and...

I can’t begin to imagine how hard it would be to leave my family for months at a time, especially if my destination were Iraq or Afghanistan. And I don’t know how I could deal with my wife being deployed overseas. These reunion videos—for me, at least—shed a tiny beam of light on how emotionally draining being a military family can be. They’ll also make you want a dog. To commemorate Veterans Day, here are some overjoyed dogs greeting returning soldiers.

Galeforce gusts blew this Maltese-shitz right off Brighton Pier in Victoria, Australia. Sue Drummond could only look on helplessly as her dog, ironically named Bi Bi, was swept into the angry waves. Luckily, Raden Soemawinata was nearby and took action. Raden stripped down and dove into the bay to save helpless dog. Raden was a humble hero about the situation saying, “It was pretty cold and windy, but it wasn’t such a hard decision to jump in, it wasn’t such a great feat.” He also added, “I’m a part-time model, so getting into my jocks isn’t so different to what...

On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors voted 9-2 to enact a ban on the declawing of cats. Supervisors Sean Elsbernd and Michela Alioto-Pier voted against the legislation. “It is well-documented and well-understood from a medical prospective that [declawing] is torture. It is a form of animal cruelty,” said Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, who introduced the legislation.

TAMPA - Unwanted nonnative pets ranging from shy hedgehogs to lumbering boa constrictors can be handed over with no questions asked this weekend at an amnesty event sponsored by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The program is offered only a few times a year in cities across the state. Saturday's event at Busch Gardens is co-sponsored by the city of Plant City.

Chimp dies, others mourn. Interesting picture and story.

The government cannot have my dog. Don't tell that to the authors of the new book, "Time to Eat the Dog?: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living." The authors calculate that dog owning is much worse than SUV driving for the planet. So when you see a car heading to the dog park with some very happy labs drooling out the window, you should think "climate criminals." Meanwhile, in less surprising news, cats (long known as the handmaidens of Satan) have roughly the ecological paw print of a Volkswagen Golf.

New book -- "Time to Eat the Dog" -- claims golden retrievers have the same carbon footprint as SUVs As provocative titles go, "Time to Eat the Dog: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living," is a doozy, guaranteed to ensure outrage and oodles of provocative blog post headlines. As summarized in The Telegraph, New Zealand-based authors Robert and Brenda Vale have calculated the carbon footprint of pet-ownership and arrived at some disturbing conclusions. A medium-sized dog has the same impact as a Toyota Land Cruiser driven 6,000 miles a year, while a cat is equivalent to a Volkswagen Golf.... [The...

Environmentalism: As polls show belief in global warming is dropping, a new study suggests that dogs and cats, like people, are a plague upon the earth. They say people should have edible pets. Here, kitty, kitty. A new Pew Research Center study conducted Sept. 30-Oct. 4 says the number of Americans who think there's solid evidence the average temperature on earth has been getting warmer over the past few decades has plummeted from 71% in April 2008 to 57% today. Over the same period, there's been a comparable decline in the proportion of Americans who say global temperatures are rising...

Residents in Stockholm are divided over reports that rabbits are being used to make biofuel. The bodies of thousands of rabbits are fuelling a heating plant in central Sweden, local newspapers say. The city of Stockholm has an annual cull of thousands of rabbits to protect the capital's parks and green spaces.

What are some things you have learned that are harmful to pets that most people don't know? I'll start: 1) Fleas can cause anemia and can be fatal to very young and very old animals, and possibly other animals in general good health. Fleas not only suck blood but can cause a breakdown in red blood cells, which supply oxygen to the body. 2) A broken toenail can be very serious, requiring immediate veterinary attention to prevent infection and other complications. What may look like simple toenail breakage could be a break that exposes the bone.

The CBS "Early Show" ran a story about dogs and their intelligence, or lack thereof. In the story, they shared their list of the top 10 smartest and top 10 dumbest dog breeds. These were their picks.

A bill is being passed around capitol hill, $3,500 in tax cuts for pet owners. Is this a good idea? Yes No Undecided

Will Max be a tax break? Can Fido help with FICA? A bill making the rounds on Capitol Hill marries two feel-good propositions -- tax cuts and pet ownership -- to generate a novel idea: A tax break of up to $3,500 per person for pet care expenses.

In England, they’re porking over up to $1,100 each for 14-inch-tall oinkers

Representative Thaddeus McCotter, a fourth-term Republican from Livonia MI, has introduced the HAPPY Act—the Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years Act. It is HR 3501, and it was introduced on July 31. You could look it up. The HAPPY Act would allow taxpayers to deduct up to $3,500-a-year in pet care expenses, including vet care.

SARASOTA COUNTY - Like many dog owners, Ila Abis views her dogs as "her children." When her two German shepherds got sick after getting heartworm shots from a veterinarian, one so badly she had to euthanize it, she could not speak for a week. But her real shock came when she wanted to sue the vet and discovered Florida law values dogs in a much different way: not as a cherished family member, but as simple property, like a table or book. While some Florida laws give pets more legal standing -- such as allowing them to be primary beneficiaries...

Woof. Why not give people a tax break for pet care? The novel idea has made it onto the floor of the House, courtesy of Rep.Thaddeus McCotter.. The legislation has its roots in Hollywood -- specifically, with proverbial tough-guy actor and film director Robert Davi of "Die Hard" and "License to Kill" fame. Mr. Davi, a dog person with family ties to a large animal-rescue facility, has long cogitated on the greater benefits of pet ownership.

All dogs in Britain will be fitted with microchips which contain their owner’s details, under cross party plans designed to track family pets. Owners will be forced to install the microchip containing a barcode that can store their pet's name, breed, age and health along with their own address and phone number. The barcode's details would then be stored on a national database which local councils could access in a bid to easily identify an owner’s pet. The new scheme, supported by the Tories and Labour, is designed to curb the trade in stolen dogs, prevent the use of animals...

WEST COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - Workers with Pets, Inc. in West Columbia got quite a surprise Thursday when they arrived at work to find four cat carriers with 17 cats stuffed inside. There simply is no room at the inn, so to speak. The no-kill shelter has more mouths than it can feed right now. Pets, Inc. needs to immediately find homes for the cats that are healthy. Workers at Pets, Inc. are looking to prosecute the person who left the cats. That person could be charged for each individual cat. If you're interested in one of the cats or...

RAYMORE, Mo. -- A Raymore family is missing a loved one and says that Raymore police are to blame. Kelly Wesner and her family lost their cat, Tobey, who had been a member of the family for 18 years. Wesner said Tobey managed to sneak outside without anyone noticing. What happened next left Wesner dumbfounded. Raymore police were called after someone reported an aggressive cat had scratched a young girl. According to a police report, the cat was wild, sick, and had all four legs out with claws extended. The report also stated that the cat was very large. Wesner...

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Sept. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- State Senator Dean Florez (D-Shafter), in an email to one of his supporters, defended his bill, SB250, the latest mandatory spay and neuter measure working its way through the State legislature, which he sponsored. Unfortunately, according to Cathie Turner, Executive Director of the nonprofit organization Concerned Dog Owners of California (CDOC), his defense is riddled with misstatements and inaccuracies.

London, England (BANG) - Brad Pitt has spent $82,000 on a home for his children's gerbils. The "Fight Club" actor - who raises six kids, Maddox, eight, Pax, five, Zahara, four, Shiloh, three, and 13-month-old twins Knox and Vivienne, with partner Angelina Jolie - oversaw the construction and design of the project, which boasts tunnels, platforms, seesaws and mazes. A source told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "Brad pores over architectural journals like other people pore over newspapers. He had so much fun putting the run together with his kids Maddox, Zahara, Shiloh and Pax." "It's incredibly complex and cost a...

When the Rapture comes what's to become of your loving pets who are left behind? Eternal Earth-Bound Pets takes that burden off your mind. We are a group of dedicated animal lovers, and atheists. Each Eternal Earth-Bound Pet representative is a confirmed atheist, and as such will still be here on Earth after you've received your reward. Our network of animal activists are committed to step in when you step up to Jesus. Our service is plain and simple; our fee structure is reasonable. For $110.00 we will guarantee that should the Rapture occur within ten years of receipt...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2009 – Military working dogs have come a long way since the days of ancient Persia and Assyria, where they donned armor, spiked collars and warned of impending attack or charged on the enemy's cavalry. But they are as important as ever, and U.S. military leaders are making sure they are rewarded with a happy retirement. Air Force Staff Sgt. Christa Quam holds her puppy, which will enter the military working dog program in a year at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The dogs are enrolled in a 60- to 90-day training program, where they are trained...

Last Saturday, Max, a terrier-cross from Louisiana, celebrated his 26th birthday with a special party hosted by his owner, Janelle Derouen. Max, who is 182 in canine years, is believed to be the oldest dog in the world (pending confirmation by Guinness World Records, currently verifying his veterinary birth certificate).

If you were forced to choose between your apartment or your dog, which would you pick? For 21 year-old Kelsey Westbrook, the answer is clear. "An apartment, to me, is just a material thing," she tells Paw Nation. "But you can't get a dog's life back." In July, the University of Lousiville senior was serving tables at Joe's Crab Shack overlooking the Ohio River when she heard a boom so loud she thought a piece of shrapnel had blown off the highway. "Somebody just threw a dog off the bridge," a customer said, stunned. "We looked down," remembers Kelsey. "And...

RICHMOND, Va. (Aug. 26) – An executive for an anti-animal cruelty group says her 16-year-old blind and deaf dog died after she accidentally left him in her hot car for four hours. Robin Starr, the CEO of the Richmond Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, says she didn't realize "Louie" was in the car until noon. Starr's husband, Ed, told the Richmond Times-Dispatch he put the dog in her car as she got ready for work Aug. 19. She often took the dog to work with her. Robin Starr took the dog to two clinics, but he died...

RICHMOND, Va. — A dog belonging to the CEO of the Richmond, Va., Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals died after accidentally being left alone for four hours in her hot car. Robin Starr's husband Ed told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that he put the 16-year-old mutt named Louie, who was deaf and blind, into his wife's vehicle on Aug. 19 as she was getting ready for work. Starr often took the dog to the office with her. But on that day, she arrived at work without realizing Louie was in the car. Several hours later, at about noon,...

RICHMOND, Va. — A dog belonging to the CEO of the Richmond, Va., Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals died after accidentally being left alone for four hours in her hot car. Robin Starr's husband Ed told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that he put the 16-year-old mutt named Louie, who was deaf and blind, into his wife's vehicle on Aug. 19 as she was getting ready for work. Starr often took the dog to the office with her. But on that day, she arrived at work without realizing Louie was in the car. Several hours later, at about noon,...

RICHMOND, Va. — An executive for an anti-animal cruelty group says her 16-year-old blind and deaf dog died after she accidentally left him in her hot car for four hours.

By Brent Curtis Staff Writer - Published: August 11, 2009 A Rutland City police shooting of a dog on Post Road in Rutland Town has outraged the dog's owner and friends but was preliminarily deemed justified Monday by city police reviewing the incident. Officer Frank Post and his partner King Bricks, a German shepherd, were called to 153 Post Road after 1 a.m. on Friday to trail a man whom state police were pursuing in the area, city police said. But minutes after Bricks was deployed on the property's back yard, a fight broke out between Bricks and another German...

Tax Deductions for Pet-Care Expenses Proposed Pet-care expenses would be tax deductible under a new measure introduced by U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.). House Resolution 3501, commonly referred to as the Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years, or HAPPY Act, would amend the Internal Revenue Code to allow an individual to deduct up to $3,500 for qualified pet care expenses. Qualified pet care expenses is defined as amounts paid in connection with providing care (including veterinary care) for a qualified pet other than any expense in connection with the acquisition of the qualified pet.

CAMP ATTERBURY JOINT MANEUVER TRAINING CENTER, Ind., Aug. 20, 2009 – Many programs help military members’ families during a deployment, but what about their four-legged friends? Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet, a nonprofit volunteer group, arranges foster care for the pets of deploying servicemembers. U.S. Army photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Guardian Angels for Soldiers' Pet, a nonprofit organization made up of all volunteers, locates foster homes for the pets of servicemembers who are deployed, training or experiencing an emergency or financial hardship. Linda Spurlin-Dominik, the group’s chief executive officer, said the group was formed in January 2005...

A 32-year-old Hermitage woman faces charges of endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment after her 1 1/2-year-old Rottweiller named “Cruz” bit a Farrell boy July 15 at her apartment in the Orange Village apartment complex, police said. April Hughes of 400 Orange Drive, Apartment 2, was also cited with harboring a dangerous dog because this is the ninth time Cruz has bitten someone, police said Police allege Ms. Hughes left the boy alone with the dog in the apartment and he was attacked. The boy needed 60 stitches for a head wound, police said.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Michael Vick was reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday and could play in regular-season games as early as October. Vick can immediately participate in preseason practices, workouts and meetings and can play in the final two preseason games -- if he can find a team that will sign him. A number of teams have already said they would not. "Needless to say, your margin for error is extremely limited," Goodell said in a letter to Vick. "I urge you to take full advantage of the resources available to support Vick must show remorse and...

That man’s best friend thing works both ways, as a lucky Florida dog that was saved from the jaws of a hungry alligator by her owner can attest today. Mandy, a 45-pound Wheaten terrier, sat docilely by her master’s side Thursday as David Grounds, his right hand heavily bandaged, revealed to TODAY’s Meredith Vieira just how far a man will go to save his furry companion.

I don't need a calendar to know it's summer. I know it's summer time when newspapers and blogs worldwide start discussing, analyzing and criticizing Korea's history and ongoing medicinal consumption of boshintang (dog meat soup). A blogger for the LA Times newspaper posted a blog about the ongoing debate in South Korea over the consumption of dog meat. Members of a South Korean animal rights group called Coexistence for Animal Rights on Earth along with an American animal rights group called In Defense of Animals (IDA), sponsored a protest asking the South Korean government to make the killing of dogs...

COLDWATER - DeSoto County authorities are seeking information on the execution-style slaying of two family pets in Coldwater on July 7. DeSoto County Crimestoppers coordinator David Holland said the incident occurred on Callicott Drive in Coldwater during the daytime hours on July 7. Holland said a 10-year-old white German Shepherd was shot three times in the neck and once in the head. The dog was discovered floating in the family's pond when the homeowner returned home from work about 5 p.m. Another resident on Coldwater Drive reported that a Labrador and Chow mix was discovered underneath the back porch after...

Link only - San Francisco to Consider Cat De-Clawing Ban

The fur is really starting to fly, now that the first pet-only airline in the U.S. is taking to the skies. Pet Airways, which will fly from airports in five American cities starting next week -- with plans to expand into Canada next year -- is focused entirely on pet "pawsengers." In fact, human passengers aren't even allowed on the planes, said CTV's travel expert Loren Christie. "It's actually an airline only for pets," Christie told CTV's Canada AM. "It's not just pet friendly, you actually can't fly on this airline unless you're an animal. The only humans allowed on...

Yes, the pet world just gets stranger and stranger. No longer is it enough to put a bandana on your bulldog for Halloween – no he must dress link a lion complete with shaggy mane. Labs must don reindeer antlers come Christmas. And now, Chihuahuas and other alien canines apparently will sport alien antennae and other ET garb. Roswell, New Mexico, home to an annual UFO Festival has added a canine constme show to the mix. Dogs from all over come to compete while showing off their extra-terrestrial fashion sense. Meatball, [pictured] a 13-week-old Chihuahua who won second place came...

The Pomeranian, who Osbourne, the former lead singer with British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, called Little Bit, was attacked on Tuesday. It is believed the 60-year-old 'Prince of Darkness' and his wife Sharon were watching the Michael Jackson memorial on television when the attack happened and did not hear the dog's yelps. The couple's daughter, Kelly Osbourne, said in a Twitter message that her father - who has a history of animal abuse including biting the heads off live bats and doves - "is devastated – she was his other woman."

While out saying goodbye in the pouring rain and lightning to friends in my driveway, I noticed that traffic in the nearby road was backed up.This is very unusual, as busy as the road is for Southern New Hampshire. There was a very pretty female dog limping up the street,fortunately a very nice lady in a yellow SUV stopped and grabbed her by the collar.Thank God the animal had ID tags from the town (Secretely I was hoping I may have to keep her).The Animal control officer came right away and assured us that they can find her home from...

SB 250 the Pet Responsibility Act has passed the California Assembly Committee on Business and Professions today. The vote was six for, three against. The next step for the bill is the Assembly Appropriations Committee. SB 250 requires that dogs be spayed or neutered unless their owner/guardian obtains an unaltered dog license when they license their animal. SB 250 also requires that roaming cats be spayed and neutered by their owner/guardian.

t’s a doggone shame, but it happens during thunderstorms, when trucks backfire and when kids set off firecrackers. And Dawn Randazzo anticipates that her dog, Coocoo, will go cuckoo during Saturday’s fireworks extravaganza. The 6-year-old Shih Tzu is one of the city’s many mutts that are sensitive to loud noises. “He’s a real scaredy-cat dog and always has been,” says Randazzo, 26, a receptionist at a Staten Island veterinarian’s office. “But it’s gotten worse as he’s gotten older.” Signs that he’s freaked out by noises are easy to read. The pint-sized pup runs to a corner to hide, then shakes,...

A distraught caller trying to save the life of a 2-year-old Florida girl strangled by a pet python screams "The baby's dead!" in chilling 911 tapes released in the toddler's death.Shaiunna Hare died early Wednesday morning after being attacked in her crib by the snake, which escaped from its aquarium, police said. "The baby's dead!" a sobbing caller from the house screamed to a 911 dispatcher. "Our stupid snake got out in the middle of the night and strangled the baby." Authorities did not identify the caller and removed the person's name from the recording. "She got out of the...

(snip) An Associated Press-Petside.com poll released Tuesday found that half of all American pet owners consider their pets as much a part of the family as any other person in the household; another 36 percent said their pet is part of the family but not a full member. And that means pets often get the human touch: Most pet owners cop to feeding animals human food, nearly half give the animals human names and nearly a third let them sleep in a human bed. While just 19 percent had bought an outfit for a pet, 43 percent felt their pet...