Big Paws Only Dog Forums

This past weekend, it became evident that Oreo was nearing the end. The past few weeks were trying on him. His mobility became very compromised, his hair continued to fall out in clumps and he started losing control of his bodily functions. On Monday night, it was with great sadness that I had my good friend put to sleep. Now, I dread coming home to an empty house after work and getting up in the morning without him next to me. He was there every day with me for almost 9 years. The longest and best roommate I've ever had.

I know in my heart it was the best thing for him. But I don't know if my life will ever be the same.

Jason

I just wanted to post this in case someone didn't see this news article. Menu Foods is recalling all of their pet foods sold under a variety of names. The first link is the article. The second link is for the Menu Food recall list.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070317/ap_on_bi_ge/pet_food_recall_10

http://www.menufoods.com/recall/product_dog.html

Hope everyone's pups and cats are safe.

Jason

I'm not sure if this topic has been discussed recently or not, but it is something I wrestle with every time I leave town. My wife and I are planning a trip abroad and unfortunately we have to leave Oreo at home. In the past, I have preferred to have friends stay at my house and watch him and the house together. Well, the closer the vacation gets, the less likely it seems that will happen. I have also in the past taken Oreo to a friend's house for a week or so to hang out with her pups. She now has a 9 month old skin kid and I'd rather not impose on her this time.

So it now looks like I have two options 1) board him, or 2) hire a professional sitter to visit 3 times a day to feed, exercise, and love him. As far as boarding is concerned, I've had a bad experience before. As for a pro sitter, I am afraid 3 times a day will not satisfy Oreo's emotional need for human interaction.

So I must ask all you BPO'ers for opinions and comments. What do you all do when travel forces you to leave your pets at home? Do you think they prefer familar surroundings over more supervision/interaction? Wh do you trust to take care of your family member? And, if anyone in the Atlanta area has a specific person or boarding facility that they can share opinions on, I would love to hear from you. If you don't want to publicly state it, you can email me directly.

Thanks,
Jason

I was in Pennsylvania this past weekend and heard about a law they are trying to pass that requires owners to restrain or leash dogs riding in cars. I'm not really sure exactly how they worded the bill, but thought someone in PA could fill us in with the details. Are there any other states that require dogs to be strapped in while in transit?

jason