Getting Kinda Crowded In Here -- The Semi-'Return' of New York Dog

Well, nobody said publishing was easy. A stalwart rag-tag band of friends and family members have kept New York Tails going for seven years now (trust me--we all kept our day jobs.) We love this city and believe in what we do, and have a base of some hard-core fans. That's pretty much what keeps us going.

But I must say, it's getting pretty crowded here. My sources tell me a certain unnamed publisher of a group of magazines that started out in the mid-west has been making regular pilgrimages to our fair city, burning lots of shoe leather and wearing down a lot of heels trying to make inroads with key members of the pet community here. Gotta give them credit for trying even though they didn't have the cash to publish two issues this summer (by their own admission, so I'm not saying anything that's not already out there.) We're involved in an ongoing legal situation with this group, so I can't really say much more than that. At least that's what my lawyer advises me.

Then, I went to make some deliveries at one of our local spots and what to my wondering eyes does appear, but a "New York City" edition of The Pet Gazette, a black-and-white publication that has met with pretty good success in Westchester and some parts of Long Island, and I think Connecticut.

Finally, I wake up today and get a head's up that New York Dog, the uber-glossy and glamorous magazine whose debut was met with much fanfare (and then abruptly folded about two years later because, in one of the magazine founders (John Ryan) own words, "advertisers weren't paying") is semi-resurrected in a new publication called The Blue Book, which is supposed to debut (where else?) among the many 'bluebloods' at the Westminster Kennel Club show this year. Some people I (personally) like very much will be involved with it. There are others -- not so much, and I'm sure the feeling is mutual.

While at New York Dog there was apparently some nasty parting of the ways between John Ryan and Gregg Oehler -- Gregg being considered the 'top dog', at least initially, of New York Dog.

I tried to find the original article where the publisher of New York Dog retold the whole sad 'tail' of New York Dog's demise (in fairness he moved over to PetStyle pretty quickly. Here it is, although it doesn't mention Oehler's involvement in the one-time media darling that was New York Dog.

http://www.itchmo.com/new-york-dog-magazine-stops-printing-2207

Anyway, we at New York Tails are still wagging, for now, and will try to do so in spite of the economy tanking and things getting a little crowded around here. There's something to be said about sheer stubbornness. That said, nothing in life is guaranteed, and no publication (especially in this economy) can say they're going to last forever.

But the plucky little volunteer crew here at New York Tails will try.

IMMEDIATE -- 'Special Kitty' Cat Food Recall

Mars Petcare US Issues Voluntary Recall of a Limited Number of Bags of SPECIAL KITTY® Gourmet Sold at Wal-Mart locations in Fifteen States due to Potential Salmonella Contamination

Contact:
Debra Fair
MARS PETCARE US
(973) 691-3536

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- FRANKLIN, Tenn. – October 27, 2008 – Mars Petcare US today announced a voluntary recall of a limited number of bags of SPECIAL KITTY® Gourmet Blend dry cat food sold at Wal-Mart locations in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, and West Virginia. The pet food is being voluntarily recalled following a positive test result indicating a potential contamination with Salmonella.

This product should not be sold or fed to pets. Pet owners should dispose of product in a safe manner (example, a securely covered trash receptacle) and return the empty bag to the store where purchased for a full refund.

Salmonella can cause serious infections in dogs and cats, and, if there is cross contamination caused by handling of the pet food, in people as well, especially children, the aged, and people with compromised immune systems. Healthy people potentially infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. On rare occasions, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Animals can be carriers with no visible symptoms and potentially infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

There have been no complaints or reports of illness resulting from consumption or handling of the recalled product.

Pet owners who have questions about the recall should call 1-877-568-4463 or visit www.petcare.mars.com.

Recalled Pet Food
Product: SPECIAL KITTY® Gourmet Blend Dry Cat Food
Best If Used By Date: AUG 11 09
Best If Used By Date Location: Back of bag
Production Lot Code: 50 XXXX X (Found on back of bag just after "Best If Used By" date. Consumers should look for "50" as the first two digits of the second line.)
UPC Code: UPC code numbers can be found directly underneath the bar code on the package. Please find recalled pet food UPC information below.

3.5 lb.


SPECIAL KITTY® Gourmet Blend


81131 17546

7 lb.


SPECIAL KITTY® Gourmet Blend


81131 17547

18 lb.


SPECIAL KITTY® Gourmet Blend


81131 17548

Affected Stores: Wal-Mart locations in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, and West Virginia.

In an effort to prevent the transmission of Salmonella from pets to family members and care givers, the FDA recommends that everyone follow appropriate pet food handling guidelines when feeding their pets. A list of safe pet food handling tips can be found at: www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/petfoodtips080307.html

Pet owners who have questions about the recall should call 1-877-568-4463 or visit www.petcare.mars.com.

Anti "Puppy Mill" Law Passed in Pennsylvania

(Many consider this 'historic' because they feel it is potentially precedent-setting and gives a framework for other states to follow suit. Pennsylvania is considered one of the 'worst' states for puppy mill activity, however, and gets into all kinds of tangled debates, including some with the Amish lifestyle.)

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The Humane Society of the United States Applauds Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and State Lawmakers for Passing Historic Dog Protection Law

Governor Made Changing State’s Image as Puppy Mill Haven a Legislative Priority

LANGHORNE, Pa. – The Humane Society of the United States, the nation’s largest animal protection organization with nearly 600,000 supporters in Pennsylvania alone, applauds Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell for his crucial support of legislation to improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of dogs in the state’s commercial kennels.

"Pennsylvania's new law is one of the best in the country to crack down on abusive puppy mills where dogs are treated like nothing more than a cash crop," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS. “Thanks to the strong leadership of Governor Rendell and state lawmakers, and the hard work of Pennsylvania's dog lovers, it's the dawn of a new day for man's best friend in the Commonwealth."

Rendell commemorated the bill’s passage with a ceremonial signing today at the Center for Animal Referral and Emergency Services in Bucks County.

Sponsored by Rep. James Casorio, D-Westmoreland County, H.B. 2525 passed with overwhelming support from both chambers of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, receiving final approval by the House on Oct. 8. Rendell had made cracking down on puppy mills a priority issue this year, and signed the bill into law the night of its passage to ensure that the ban on commercial kennel owners killing their own dogs would take effect immediately.

Raids of puppy mills during the last few months of the legislative session--including one in late September that was reputedly the largest in state history−had shown the critical need for stronger regulation of less-than-reputable kennels. Pennsylvania has been tarnished with the reputation of being one of the worst puppy mill states in the nation.

Despite the wide margins of approval--49-1 in the Senate and 183-7 in the House-- the bill faced many challenges, and amendments not supported by The HSUS and other animal welfare groups were added along the way. However, the overall bill will have a tremendous positive impact on the lives of tens of thousands of dogs in Pennsylvania.

Among other provisions, H.B. 2525 will double the minimum floor space for primary enclosures. For dogs older than 12 weeks, the law prohibits the use of wire flooring and eliminates the stacking of more than two dog cages. It also requires that dogs have access to an exercise area twice the size of their primary enclosure, and requires veterinary visits at least twice a year.

Eat A Roach, Get In Free?

Okay, just a quickie for ya. I'm updating the New York Tails 'Calendar of Events' and one of the items I was sent was from a famous oddity museum here in Times Square which says, on Halloween Day, if you each a roach you'll get in free.

Yes, a live roach.

Eww.

Okay, I admit -- I whack and spray and stomp roaches in my kitchen and anywhere else the little buggers scurry out of in my house (thankfully this doesn't happen too often.) But intrigued, I wrote the sender and asked if these were just good ol' New York roaches they rustled up or otherwise. I was told they were bred by a bug breeder specially for an occasion such as this. Eh, I don't know. For some reason this doesn't sit right with me, and I'm no vegetarian. Do you know what I mean?

Anyway, there was no roach gobbling at the Halloween contests I was judging last weekend and this past weekend -- what a blast! I put some pictures up on my Facebook -- enjoy.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=8140&l=48408&id=1056199888

Scarlett, the brave momma cat who rescued her kittens from a buring building over a decade ago, dies

Adopted by a Brooklyn resident, Scarlett Enjoyed a Life of Love, Pampering and Fame

Following Her Ordeal Scarlett, the cat, whose story of bravery, uncompromising love and triumph over all odds, has passed on. The heroine calico, who in 1996 made headlines around the world for pulling her five kittens to safety from a raging fire, lost her battle with multiple illnesses this week after living with her adoptive family in Brooklyn, New York for over 12 years. Back in 1996, Scarlett was tending to her kittens in an abandoned Brooklyn garage when a fire broke out. Having extinguished the blaze, firefighters sighted the mother cat, slowly carrying her four-week old kittens from the building. Badly scorched, her ears radically burned, she lined up her babies. With her eyes blistered from the inferno, she was seen touching each with her nose, to reassure herself that her litter of five had made it to safety. She then collapsed unconscious.

Firefighter David Giannelli transported the little feline family to North Shore Animal League America where the mother, who was named Scarlett, and her kittens, were treated. The weakest of the kittens died of a virus one month after the blaze. However, after three months of treatment and recovery, Scarlett and her surviving babies were ready for adoption.

In the flurry of worldwide media attention to the heroic feline mother and her family, the Animal League received more than 7,000 inquiries about adopting Scarlett and her brood. Ultimately, the kittens were adopted in pairs and Scarlett herself was adopted out to Karen Wellen, whose story of losing her own cat, shortly after an accident in which she herself was injured, struck a chord at the Animal League. Wellen said her experience made her a more compassionate individual, and, if ever she was to adopt another cat, she wanted to devote herself to one with special needs.

Once in Wellen's care, Scarlett continued to be a media darling, capturing the attention of regional, national and international outlets as far away as Japan, and including the most powerful voices of CNN and Oprah Winfrey. She was the subject of numerous books and articles and appeared in the first aired segment of Animal Planet. She was even honored by Great Britain's Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Living in Wellen's Brooklyn home, Scarlett was a cherished family member, given run of the house and abundant love. "She was the most precious and loving cat, and in our household, it was all about Scarlett," said Wellen.

Scarlett, who required ongoing care as a result of her injuries, and who was diagnosed with a heart murmur during her recovery at the Animal League Veterinary Medical Center, became a Sponsor Pet, and the symbol of all the real and wonderful pets in the Animal League's care. She was the guest of honor at the Animal League's Christmas Tree Lighting and was a surprise for a little boy whose birthday wish was to meet her. The Animal League created an animal heroism award in her name and recently unveiled The Scarlett Room, an online site showcasing the animals in the organization's Sponsor Program. This month, National Geographic Kids' Magazine, circulated around the globe, honored Scarlett as one of its Ten Cool Cats.

Judge OKs $24M for cats, dogs sickened by pet food

By GEOFF MULVIHILL, Associated Press WriterTue Oct 14, 5:11 PM ET

A federal judge Tuesday approved a $24 million settlement for owners of dogs and cats who were sickened or died after eating pet food contaminated with an industrial chemical.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Noel Hillman clears the way for U.S. pet owners with claims to start receiving checks next year. A Canadian judge has scheduled a hearing for Nov. 3 to determine whether the settlement can also apply in that nation.

Under the deal, pet owners have until Nov. 24 to file claims.

The settlement is to compensate owners for many expenses, including: the cost of the food, medical and burial expenses for their animals, the value of the animals or the cost of replacement pets, checkups for animals who ate the food but did not get sick, replacing carpets ruined by sick pets, and time the owners took off work to seek treatment for their animals.

Sherrie R. Savett, a lead lawyer for plaintiffs in the case, has said she believes that more than 1,500 animals in the U.S. died after eating the food last year.

Lawyers said that so far, more than 10,000 people have filed claims. Of the claims analyzed so far, the average is nearly $1,500. But the lawyers say that average could drop when an administrator reviews the expenses to make sure they are reasonable.

If money is left over after all pet owners have been paid, it would go to animal-welfare charities. If the fund does not cover all the claims, pet owners would receive something less than 100 percent of their economic losses.

A few dozen pet owners formally objected to the settlement — some of them because they believe it should also compensate them for pain and suffering due to the loss of their pets. Some wrote letters to the judge describing their animals, who died after eating contaminated food, as best friends who should not be regarded as mere possessions.

But lawyers in the case say the law is not on the side of their deeply felt sentiments, and a hearing on the settlement Tuesday focused on more routine legal matters.

The case began in March 2007, when dogs and cats began mysteriously getting sick. It turned out that the common thread was pet food produced under nearly 200 labels — much of it by Streetsville, Ontario-based Menu Foods Income Fund.

Most of the food turned out to contain Chinese-made wheat gluten laced with melamine, an industrial chemical. Since then, the nitrogen-rich chemical used to make plastics and fertilizers have been found in a variety of food products in China. Authorities there have issued guidelines limiting acceptable levels of the chemical in food.

Hundreds of pet owners sued over the contamination. Just over a year after the pets began getting sick, lawyers for pet food manufacturers, stores that sold it, and pet owners had worked out the settlement, which would be in addition to about $8 million already paid by the companies to pet owners.

At Tuesday's hearing, the judge also considered the issue of payment for the lawyers in the case. Fifty-five firms did work for plaintiffs. Savett told the judge that the lead firms alone had put in work worth more than $5 million.

Savett, who has spent more than two decades working on class-action lawsuits, said pet owners would do well under the settlement — even without damages for their suffering.

If the case had been allowed to go to trial, she said, the defendants might have tried to make each plaintiff prove that a pet had eaten the contaminated food and that it was not some other cause that killed or sickened the animal.

"There is a risk that people would not have gotten anything at all," she said.

___

On the Net:

http://www.petfoodsettlement.com

The Great Debate -- Some Will Win, Some Will Lose

There could be only one; this the contenders knew well. You could see them lining the walls, making last-minute preparations, straightening their suits, practicing their walk.

They knew there would have only one shot.

The weight of the task they were entrusted hung heavily on the shoulders of the voters, including yours truly. We took notes and compared our hurriedly-scribbled thoughts. We debated. We disagreed. We compromised.

Finally, with an anxious look from the moderator, we made our decision.

I'd like to take this opportunity to say to all of the Pugs and Chihuahuas who so excitedly stood before us, pride brimming from the eyes and beaming from the smiles of their parents -- thank you for the honor of telling us your stories and sharing the your Halloween costumes with us this weekend at Animal Haven. The decisions on who would be the winner in each category were more difficult than you can imagine.

But with parents like you, all of those little ones already won the greatest gift a little dog could ever have. A home.