Hi guys!  I wanted to let you know about some exciting goings-on here at Pet Project.

Podcast

My first podcast debuts this month on iTunes.  I’ll post a link to let you know where to go and how to subscribe.  My friend & producer, Steve Ewing, had the idea and has been encouraging & educating me about audio recording.  I can actually listen to myself now without hiding my face, though we decided Steve has to do the intros because I feel like I’m pretending to be a radio dj when I do them—cue overly-enthusiastic announcer voice.

The first podcasts give you a chance to get to know me some.  You may have noticed it took me forever to get something posted “About” me on the blog.  It’s hard to sum yourself up in a few words.  I’ll be talking about my life with pets in the first podcasts—that was easy to talk about!  In the future, I’ll be interviewing people and talking about news, tips, and issues.  Exciting!  I never thought I’d be doing any of this.

Logo

Pet Project is getting a logo.  I’m pretty excited about this, because it will give the site a visual identity and now when people ask me if I have a business card, I can say, “Why yes I do!”  And if I make any more Top 10 lists, they can use my logo.  When I made the Top 10 DIY Sites list for Discovery’s Planet Green site, I didn’t even spot it because I didn’t have a logo for them to use.

Redesign

The site is getting a redesign.  It will look a bit different—different colors & a different banner—and it’ll be much easier to find archived posts.  Yea!  I want you to be able to access the archive easily and it’s gotten too big to do that the way it is now.

Giveaways

And I’m finally getting around to the giveaways!  No really!  That fall down a flight of stairs in December really put a hitch in my plans.  Keep your eyes out for information on how to enter.  There are actually a few giveaways, so I can say a big “Thank you!” for your support.  Y’all rock!

The FDA has announced the recall of Merrick Pet Care’s, Inc. Jr. Texas Taffy pet treat (ITEM # 27077, UPC # 02280827077, All Lots up to and including 10364) due to possible Salmonella contamination.  The Merrick Pet Care site says to return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund. Contact Merrick at 1-800-664-7387 M-F 8:00am – 5:00pm CST with any questions.

What you need to know about Salmonella

Salmonella can cause serious illness in cats and dogs and cross-contamination to humans is possible resulting in serious illness.

• Here is good information on the symptoms & treatment of salmonellosis in dogs & cats.
• The FDA has information on safe pet food handling to prevent food born illnesses like salmonella.
• The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention has a very informative page on salmonellosis in humans.

PetProject is close to 1000 fans on Facebook and that coincides with our 4.5 year anniversary.  I’ve planned some giveaways to celebrate and to say thank you for your support.  Y’all rock!  Details will follow soon.

But, that’s not to say you can’t bring attention to the value of dogs in the workplace or focus on the TYDTWD mission of spotlighting the benefits of adopting your dog from an animal rescue organization. In fact, participating workplaces are asked to partner with animal shelters to help increase adoptions of shelter dogs.

Some tips on a successful Take Your Dog To Work Day:

• bring a familiar blanket or bed
• take your dog for a walk before taking her to work
• keep you dog confined to your workspace
• make sure your workspace is pooch-proofed
• identify an appropriate potty place outside & bring poop bags
• bring a puzzle toy like a Twist ‘n Treat or Tricky Treat Ball
• make sure your dog is clean and flea free
• provide water
• avoid any situations where resource guarding may occur
• don’t leave your dog unattended
• keep your dog leashed when outside and in common areas
• be considerate of co-workers
• have a back-up plan if your dog isn’t happy and needs to go home early

One of our favorites is the Morris Animal Foundation. They fund research on curing companion animal diseases, including the Canine Cancer Campaign.

You might consider:

1. pet food banks in your community (check for them at animal rescue groups, human food banks, meal-on-wheels)
2. local private shelters
3. municipal or county shelters–special funds for new buildings, spay/neuter clinics, etc.
4. pet clinics for people in need
5. off-leash dog parks (you’d be surprised how much at off-leash parks is provided by donations—fencing, water, trashcans)

We hope 2010 is a wonderful year for you and yours!

In honor of reaching the 100 fans milestone on our Facebook page, I want to invite you all to post pics of your pets and a few sentences about them in the Fans’ Pets Album.

Bernese Mountain Dog

Wow, I admire this Bernese Mountain Dog’s focus.  Some drunk creep in Bavaria got what he deserved—his nose was bitten off by the the dog he shot. The gunman called police because he was bleeding profusely. The dog had the bullet removed and survived.  Police couldn’t find the jerk’s nose and think the dog ate it.

Desmond comes home from a walk.

Babe comes home from a walk.

Click here to view the embedded video.