Turns out there’s a lot of dog doo in San Francisco. Almost as much dog poop is collected as baby diapers from homes there. So, in line with the city’s efforts to recycle as much as possible, the company that collects San Francisco’s waste (Norcal Waste Systems) is looking to recycle dog poop too. Poop picked up in biodegradable bags and disposed of at Duboce Park will be the first to be recycled. It will then be mixed with food waste and put into an anaerobic digester. Bacteria will break down the waste and in turn emit methane which will be used for fuel. They hope to collect dog doo and cat poo from households eventually. (from The Economist.)
Hoop Harness for Blind Dogs
The Hoop Harness is clever idea for helping blind dogs navigate without running into things. It works similar to the way a vision-impaired person’s walking stick lets them know there’s something in front of them. The page provides good instructions on how to make one for your dog–including materials and tools needed, and how to size one for your dog.
Cat-Killing Raccoons
An eye-opening news article on the threat raccoons can pose towards outdoor cats. Sadly it’s not the first time–here’s an article from June about raccoons in California.
Raccoons killed many of the box turtles in my parents’ backyard and left one turtle missing a leg. And I know of two cases where raccoons attacked and/or killed cats–in one instance drowning them off the the side of a house boat.
If you have trouble with raccoons, we found marshmallows to be the best bait for trapping them instead of trapping neighborhood cats. Many baits (tuna, bacon, meat fat) suggested by pest control specialists are just as likely to lure cats.
The Daily Kitten
Need to get rid of the Mean Reds or the Monday Morning Blues? The concentrated cuteness of The Daily Kitten is sure to help with its daily photos of, you guessed it, kittens.
Textism’s Dogs
Dean Allen of Textism posts wonderful daily images of his Weimaraners. From the beautiful to the amusing. And the comments are a hoot.
