Once portrayed as people who “cared too much” and “in over their heads”, animal hoarders are now recognized as suffering from a diagnosable mental illness linked to obsessive compulsive disorder. My first experience (back in the 1970s) was with a man who sat perfectly...

On the topic of doggy bad breath (and routine dental care) a few weeks ago, I mentioned one cause may be what some dogs choose as “snacks”: to put it less delicately, the sad fact that some dogs who live with cats may be fond of “cleaning” those litterboxes. As nice...

I’m guessing you forgot to send me the Hallmark but this is officially the start of Be Kind To Animals Week. Yes, I know, it seems like everything gets its own special time on the calendar:  Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day is January 29, April 4 is International Carrot...

This might be unexpected coming from me, but today’s column is meant to encourage you to considering leaving alone some animals who might seem to be in distress. I’m talking about young native wild animals, from baby squirrels to songbirds and others. This is the time...

Last week we talked about high touch pets as opposed to high tech gizmos, but this week we see how the two have recently been brought together in one, shall we say, unexpected fashion. Now that scientists have mapped the genetic code of dogs we’ve seen a few...

Sure, we live in the very Center of the Tech Universe but, self-driving cars and artificial intelligence aside, this weekend I had to return my new desk lamp after receiving a scary recall notice from the manufacturer. Really, how am I supposed to trust my life to...

Not sure how I missed this when it first hit the news but as reported back a few weeks ago the Parkland Police Department (a community outside Tacoma Washington) responded to calls of a heavily armed man standing next to his car in the middle of the street. It is,...

Just one of many colorful sayings involving animals, “hair of the dog” is the prescription to cure a hangover by drinking just a bit of what caused it. (From my undergrad days, I know that’s terrible advice.) The fuller version of the expression is “hair of the dog...

Why are we called Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA instead of just Peninsula Humane Society or Peninsula SPCA…? Because that’s the name picked by the folks who founded us in the 1950s. There are 8-10,000 organizations in the U.S. with one, the other, or both SPCA...

Tomorrow is the First Day of Spring. Technically, Spring falls just after the Vernal Equinox, when day and night are each 12 hours long as the Sun’s center crosses the equator on its way north. In myth, this coincides with the ability to balance an egg upright...

Considering who is likely reading my column it’s safe to assume none of us here think black cats are unlucky or evil -- but how did they get that rap? Researchers of such things point to ancient Greek lore: Zeus’ wife Hera magicked a servant named Galinthias into a...

F for Feline, of course. Similar names of three feline diseases (FIV, FIP, Felv) is confusing, so let’s clear that up. Feline Leukemia Virus (Felv) primarily spreads by saliva: sharing bowls, grooming, cat fights, and pregnant moms can infect kittens. Healthy adults...

Last week’s column about pets’ stinky breath led to several conversations. Bottom line, pet owners (me among them) are often shocked at the cost for a dental cleaning. But while I don’t get paid by the veterinary lobby I do know that there are real reasons for the...

I have a friend who jokes that his dog’s breath can kill spiders climbing walls across the room, and having spent time with them both I’m not sure it’s an exaggeration. Stinky breath can of course mean something stinky was eaten (dogs who like to “clean” litterboxes...

Have you ever noticed that the anger which follows stupid comments like “dogs don’t really love people” is matched by the incredulity which follows stupid comments like “cats really do love people”..? Last week we considered research which confirms what we already...