St Louis Pet Expo
The St. Louis Pet Expo is a woofing, chirping, and meowing good time for the whole family! Four-legged friends can receive "spa treatments" from local groomers, sample delicious treats, and try on the latest in furry fashions; their humans will enjoy interacting with top trainers and learning pet-care tips from animal welfare organizations.

Rounding out the list of activities is an agility demonstration, pet talent and costume shows, and an exciting pet/owner look-alike contest!

The highlight of the event is definitely the adoptable animals showcased by area non-profit rescue groups-- who knows, you may just come home with a new family member!

ASPCA Applauds Jack's Pets for No Longer Selling Puppies
Supporters across the nation have taken a stand against puppy mills, and pet stores are taking notice. Recently, Jack’s Pets, one of the largest pet store chains in the Midwest, has decided to no longer sell puppies in any of its stores. Instead, Jack’s will work with the ASPCA to expand its work with local animal shelters and rescue groups to offer in-store pet adoptions.

“The ASPCA is thrilled to see a pet store chain like Jack’s transition to a no puppy sales model,” says ASPCA President and CEO Ed Sayres. “We hope that this decision will convince other pet stores to stop selling puppies and support local animal adoption programs, which would improve the lives of countless dogs.”

Over the last six months, Jack’s Pets has changed its name, expanded its pet food selections to more than 30 brands, and tested a successful new store format that does not include the sale of puppies.

“We have over one million customers coming through our doors every year,” says Scott Brenner, president of Jack’s Pets. “We recognize that we can have a very positive impact on our local pet community by working with various adoption agencies surrounding our stores.” He adds, “We want to continue to provide our customers with lovable companions while helping to save dogs’ lives, and we hope other stores will follow suit.”

In July 2011, the ASPCA unveiled a national campaign to raise awareness about the connection between pet store puppies and puppy mills. Our goal is to reduce the demand for puppy mill puppies by urging consumers not to buy any items—including food, supplies or toys—if the store or website sells puppies.

Halloween Safety Tips
for
Pet Owners
Halloween can be a frightening time for family dogs. Each Halloween, veterinarians nationwide see pet injuries that could have been avoided. Here are some ways we can protect pets:

Walk your dog before trick-or-treaters start their visits. Keep a firm grip on the leash; many dogs are frightened by people in costumes.

Find a secure place in your home to keep your dogs, especially if you're giving out candy to trick-or-treaters. Many dogs get loose when the door opens, and the presence of little (and big) costumed people often scares animals, increasing the chance dogs will run away or get hit by cars.

Make sure your dog is wearing an up-to-date I.D. tag.

Place a dog gate in front of your front door to block access in case someone accidentally lets your pet out of the place where he's confined. Many dogs will run after trick-or-treaters.

If your dog has any aggressive tendencies, fear of loud noises, or a habit of excessive barking, place him in a quiet room as far away from your front door as possible at least a half-hour before trick-or-treaters arrive.

Consider crating your pet, which can make him feel more secure and reduce chances of accidental escapes. Provide chew toys, a favorite blanket, a piece of clothing with your scent on it, or whatever comforts the animal. Play soft music or a recording of soothing sounds.

If you want to have your dog near the door to greet visitors, keep him on leash. Pets can become very stressed by holiday activities and unwelcome interruptions in routine. A nervous dog might feel threatened and growl, lunge or bite.

Keep dogs indoors. It's a bad idea to leave dogs out in the yard; in addition to the parade of holiday celebrants frightening and agitating them, there have been reports of taunting, poisonings and pet thefts. Plus they're likely to bark and howl at the constant flow of treat or treaters.

Keep dogs out of the candy bowl. Dispose of candy wrappers before your pets get to them, since the wrappers can cause choking or intestinal obstruction. Make sure the dogs can't get into the trash. Note: Chocolate contains theobromine, which can cause nerve damage and even death in dogs. The darker the chocolate, the more concentrated it is -- and the smaller the lethal dose.

Explain to everyone in your home (including kids) how dangerous treats are to pets. Take young children's candy supply and put it somewhere out of reach of pets. Caution children about leaving candy wrappers on the floor.

Make sure pets can't reach candles, jack-o-lanterns, decorations or ornaments.

Halloween costumes can annoy animals and pose safety and health hazards...so think twice before dressing up the dog. Make sure the dog can breathe, see and hear, and that the costume is flame retardant. Remove any small or dangling accessories that could be chewed and swallowed. Avoid rubber bands, which can cut off the animal's circulation or, if accidentally left on, can burrow and cut into the animal's skin.

If the animal is very high-strung, consult your vet about tranquilizing for the night.

When walking dogs during or after Halloween, watch carefully for what they might pick up and choke on. Bits of candy and wrappers abound on sidewalks and streets after holidays.

If you notice these symptoms of chocolate poisoning, go to your vet or an emergency vet right away because your pet's life may be in danger:

•Excessive drooling
•Excessive urination
Pupil dilation
Rapid heartbeat
Vomiting and diarrhea
Hyperactivity
Muscle tremors and seizures

Irvine bans retail pet sales, rodeos, some circuses
October 12, 2011 11:36am
Animal activists, including one man dressed in a head-to-toe dog costume, cheered Tuesday night when Irvine City Council members banned the retail sale of cats and dogs.
The ordinance, which passed by a 4-1 vote with Councilman Jeffrey Lalloway dissenting, also bans rodeos and circuses featuring exotic animals, the Daily Pilot reported.
"It's just a win for animals all around," said Irvine resident Wendy Fears, a member of a small local group that helped organize support for the ban. "I'm just real proud of Irvine for standing up against animal abuse."
While Lalloway expressed disgust for those capable of animal cruelty, he worried that the proposed ordinance may move pet sales to the Internet and "import a pet problem rather than stop it."
"Today, tonight, we are here to deal with a problem that simply does not exist," Lalloway said. "We do not have any mass-breeding facilities here in Irvine. We have one pet store, Russo's, which will not be selling dogs and cats after next year."
In August, the Irvine Co., which owns the Irvine Spectrum where Russo's Pet Experience operates, announced that it would not renew the store's lease when it expires in October 2012.
The city also does not host circuses featuring wild animals or hold rodeos, Lalloway said.
While existing animal welfare laws should be enforced, new legislation in the city should "focus on putting people back to work, not on a problem that does not exist," he said.
More than 50 public speakers presented arguments to the council citing inhumane conditions found in so-called puppy mills and buyers' lack of knowledge about them and the associated health risks.
"The reason that we need to make these laws is that the public is duped," Fears said. "Every pet store will tell you that they get their dogs from responsible breeders, but the truth is that responsible breeders would never sell to a pet store."
However, Fears, who volunteers with multiple animal rights groups, said activists would now start looking toward other cities to adopt similar ordinances.
"This is just the first step in a process," Fears said. "People are starting to be become aware of how horrible a puppy mill is."
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Southern California heat wave raises wildfire threat, officials warn
— Sarah Peters, Times Community News
Photo: Russo's Spectrum Pets in Irvine on Aug. 17. Irvine City Council members banned the retail sale of cats and dogs Tuesday. Credit: Don Leach / Times Community



70 US Malls Ban Pet Sales


Dear Fellow Animal-Welfare Advocates,
This is really big news! Macerich, a US shopping center developer with 70 malls across the US (including Southern Hills in Sioux City, Lindale in Cedar Rapids and Southridge in Des Moines) is banning the sale of pets in their malls. Here is a link to the story: Breaking News.
Here is a link to the Macerich website. If you have time please send them a Thank You! Send a brief note to their Executive Vice President of Real Estate, Randy Brant, at randy.brant@macerich.com. Please also show your support by frequenting these malls when possible.
This is very important and will no doubt have a domino effect on other malls. Those malls that currently allow pet sales need to hear from us; the public. We must tell them in words and with our shopping dollars that we will not support them as long as they allow the sale of pets.
If you know of a store that sells puppies, please print this news article and deliver it to them along with a respectful request to ban pet sales.
This is one of the best ways to fix the puppy mill problem....eliminate the outlet! Very good news!!
Mary LaHay, President
Iowa Voters for Companion Animals


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Rescued from Iowa mill.

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WE HAVE TWO SEPARATE ORGANIZATIONS NOW!
DONATE TO OUR
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70 U.S. Malls Ban Pet Sales

Dear Fellow Animal-Welfare Advocates,
This is really big news! Macerich, a US shopping center developer with 70 malls across the US (including Southern Hills in Sioux City, Lindale in Cedar Rapids and Southridge in Des Moines) is banning the sale of pets in their malls. Here is a link to the story: Breaking News.

Here is a link to the Macerich website. If you have time please send them a Thank You! Send a brief note to their Executive Vice President of Real Estate, Randy Brant, at randy.brant@macerich.com. Please also show your support by frequenting these malls when possible.

This is very important and will no doubt have a domino effect on other malls. Those malls that currently allow pet sales need to hear from us; the public. We must tell them in words and with our shopping dollars that we will not support them as long as they allow the sale of pets.

If you know of a store that sells puppies, please print this news article and deliver it to them along with a respectful request to ban pet sales.

This is one of the best ways to fix the puppy mill problem....eliminate the outlet! Very good news!!

Mary LaHay, President
Iowa Voters for Companion Animals