Did you know there’s considerable research underway to answer the question “Do dogs really love us?” As to be expected with anything undertaken by humans, the answers are in total conflict with each other. The “no they don’t” side has a twofold argument. First, they...

Although I think that skiing is about as much fun as sitting on a cactus, there are many Bay Area residents who disagree. So if you’re one of those folks planning to call in sick to work later this week and drive up to Tahoe so that you can strap yourself onto a pair...

I know better than to jump into politics, especially at this time. My focus is the animals, crossing all parties and ideologies, and I am glad for that. So this is an apolitical all animal column on a very hot political topic: the proposed and much debated Border...

Last week we discussed how domestication has not much changed cats. Dogs, however, long ago signed a contract which allows us to remake them in whatever image people have in mind. In terms of genetics it’s hard to imagine another species quite so “Silly Putty” (think...

The story of the domestication of cats has many sentences which begin with “Probably…” and “Most but not all authorities…” and even the occasional “Your guess is as good as mine.” There are something like 74,000,000 cats sharing homes here in the U.S. alone and none...

My dog and cats sat me down last night to discuss their own New Year’s Resolutions. Due to that whole lack of thumbs thing, they asked me to write these down on their behalf. As you’ll see, they decided to make their resolutions conditional on my own, meaning they’re...

’Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house All the creatures were stirring, including the mouse And the dogs, the bunnies, the turtles and cats Awaiting the Big Guy (you know: white beard and a sack) They nibbled the cookies, set out with great care...

Last week’s column urged against giving parrots as holiday gifts, and that led to a long conversation with friend Marge. Based on that, I suspect I need to make my points again. First, parrots (even those bred in captivity) have a hard time transitioning from wild...

We all get plenty of emails selling us stuff, and this time of year there’s an obvious uptick in sales pitches tied to the holidays. Last week, weirdly, I received two about parrots and Christmas. The first advertised gifty paraphernalia emblazoned with sayings about...

Two cats allow me to share their home. Grateful for their generosity, in exchange I perform all sorts of menial tasks for them. Although not their favorite (nor mine), routine nail trimming is high on that list. These feline mani-pedi sessions occur every few weeks...

The trouble with clichés is, well, they’re clichés. By definition, they are trite and most often untrue. This is certainly relevant when it comes to animal clichés. Bats are not blind. Birds have voracious appetites, so saying someone “eats like a bird” is in fact the...

You’ve heard me say it before, and you’re going to hear me say it again (and again): spaying (technically an ovariohysterectomy performed on female dogs, cats and other pet animals) and neutering (surgical castration) is the best bet to reduce companion animal...

You’ve heard me say it before, and you’re going to hear me say it again (and again): spaying (technically an ovariohysterectomy performed on female dogs, cats and other pet animals) and neutering (surgical castration) is the best bet to reduce companion animal...

The one thing our animals don’t do very well, they don’t live long enough. Carolyn and I have been aware we’re likely not far from some very hard decisions about our aging and ill pack, but little Puccini was the one we thought would hang around. Comparatively young,...

Dear fellow humans: Thank you! A few days after the North Bay fires began destroying so much and threatening so many, Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA posted on our Facebook page a call for donations of food, bowls, collapsible kennels and other donations we knew...