Pets

Air travel seems to get harder all the time. The latest threat to the traveling public comes in the form of four legs and fur. According to an editorial published this week in the Canadian Medical Assocation Journal, it's time for humans with pet allergies to take back the skies. So many people today are flying with small pets in the airline cabins that people with pet allergies are being put at risk, state the authors of the paper, who represent the journal and the University of Ottawa.

The first time Frank Moraff entered his chocolate Labrador retriever Cali in aquatic competition at 8 months old, she stopped short at the edge of the 40-foot dock and stared as the toy he'd flung, and that she so desperately wanted, went sailing into the air without her. After considerable urging, "she finally slid off the dock and did a belly flop," he recalled, shaking his head and smiling. But in her second attempt that same day, she redeemed herself and jumped 17 feet. "I was thrilled," said the longtime Columbia resident, who is a member of Chesapeake DockDogs, a canine dock jumping club formed in 2003 that has 60 families as members.

I have the best kind of pet — somebody else's. There's Lulu, Amber and Theo. Wonderful dogs that belong to my neighbors. And Sugar, Elmo and Roxy, dogs that belong to out-of-town relatives. My pets are wildly happy to see me when I arrive, but I leave without them. I live the carefree life of someone who enjoys the unconditional love of an animal, but without any of the vet bills or the dog hair. It is a kind of pet lend/lease program. I have permission to enter the locked homes of my neighbors for a collar and a leash so I can enjoy a springtime walk with their dogs.

Today is World Turtle Day, created by the animal-lovers at American Tortoise Rescue as a day to celebrate and protect turtles and their habitats. As someone who lives with one turtle (a box turtle named Yertle) and is about to inherit a red-slider this weekend, I feel compelled to weigh in on the idea of turtles as pets. Here's what I think: Turtles should not be pets. Yes, you may think, as I once did, that a little land turtle is a nice, low-maintenance friend for your child.

Maryland Del. James E. Malone Jr. was motoring down I-97 the other day when he came up behind a car doing about 40 in the fast lane. When he moved to pass the car on the slow side, he looked over and noticed the driver was a woman with four dogs in her lap. "I think one of them was driving," he says, still incredulous. "Four different dogs. I'm like good grief. You just look at them and shake your head. " But, hey, that sort of thing is still legal in Maryland. Lawmakers just foiled Malone's bill that would have made driving distracted by animals illegal, an offense punishable by a $500 fine.

Want to hear something really scary for Halloween? According to the Pet Poison Hotline, the average cost to treat a pet for chocolate ingestion exceeds $1,000. Aaaaaahhhh!! Scary, right? Halloween is the most dangerous holiday for pets, the hotline says. Their calls spike 12 percent this time of year. Chocolate is the biggest culprit, being one of the most poisonous candies a pet might eat But that's not the only thing to keep in mind. Here are a few other seasonal tips from the hotline:   Trick or Treat escapes : Tons of pets get loose when people open their doors to greet trick-or-treaters.

Does your household include companion animals? I'm on the hunt for pet owners in the Baltimore area who can talk about the cost of prescription medicines for their dog or cat. If you have time to chat today or tomorrow, please email me at liz.kay(at)baltsun.com with the best phone number to reach you. Thanks in advance!

Q: What do we do if our pets get sick or injured when our own vet is closed? A: Great question! Like kids, pets don't time illness and injury to regular business hours. We actually have three emergency vet clinics in and around Howard County. Keep this information handy -- it could save your pet's life: Emergency Animal Hospital 10270 Baltimore National Pike (Route 40 West) Ellicott City, MD 21042; 410-750-1177 www.ellicottcityemergencyvet.com Open weekends, holidays and nights 7 p.m.-7 a.m. Emergency Veterinary Clinic 32 Mellor Ave., Catonsville, MD 21228 410-788-7040; www.evccatonsville.com Open 24 hours, 7 days Anne Arundel Veterinary Emergency Clinic 808 Bestgate Road, Suite 111  Annapolis, MD 21401; 410-224-0331 www.aavec.com ; open 24 hours, 7 days 

In what lawyers believe was a first in Maryland, a judge recently ordered a divorcing Calvert County couple to split custody of their dog, a recognition, experts say, that pets stand apart from other property. Once rare, post-breakup disputes over who keeps the pet have grown more common in the past two decades. At the same time, some couples, many choosing not to have children, are lavishing attention on their pets and are willing to spend thousands of dollars in legal fees fighting for custody of Rover.

When she spotted Boomer, the eager yellow Labrador with the blue Pets on Wheels bandana around his neck in the lobby of the Heartlands retirement community center, 83-year-old resident Pat Conway couldn't resist. She held the 3-year-old dog's head in both hands, pulled her face close to his and began talking softly to him. "You're a good one," she said, rubbing behind Boomer's ears as he began looking to his owner, retired lawyer Chris Vissers, 64, for one of those tasty bacon-flavored treats Vissers had in his vest pocket.

Halfway through the story about his life, Zeus rolled over to have his belly rubbed. He than sat patiently with his tongue lolling out of his mouth. The 8-year-old, 100-pound yellow English/American Labrador knew what was coming at the end of "My Dog Eats Peas" ... and it wasn't peas. It was a big dog bone. "We give him big dog bones because he is so big," said Tonya Neumeister, Zeus' owner and author of the children's book, "My Dog Eats Peas. " And while Zeus does like peas, as the story explains, peas are not exactly the best food for dogs.

Your article "Some pet owners fight poor treatment by vets" (April 7) is an important reminder that we can never be too careful when entrusting our beloved animal companions to others - even those who are supposed to heal them. Just as parents would never neglect to check a babysitter's references, guardians of animal companions should contact their local Better Business Bureau and state veterinary board to check for complaints before choosing a veterinarian. Always insist upon your right to stay with your animal at all times - if the vet refuses to allow you in the "back room," don't hesitate to take your animal and leave.

It's not uncommon for owners to take their pet to the vet if their animal has been showing signs of sluggish behavior, injury or simply when it is time for scheduled vaccinations. But one thing no pet owner anticipates when they drop off their pet is for the animal's condition to go from bad to worse because of negligence by the vet. Animals have rights too. The Maryland Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners oversees all state veterinarians to ensure they meet specific requirements while attending to the health of your pet. The board investigates complaints against vets and issues fines and suspensions for violations including inadequate care, failure to conduct proper tests or keeping poor records.

When William Gunn sought medical care for his pit bull-Labrador retriever mix Smokey on a Sunday morning, one of her front paws was bleeding uncontrollably. The family's regular veterinarian was closed that day, and he didn't know where else to go, so he paged through the phone book and wound up at the Catonsville practice of Badr Oweis. Gunn, a city wastewater supervisor who lives in Poppleton, told the vet that he had been walking Smokey when she cut the paw, probably on glass.

Q: My older large-breed dog is having trouble climbing and descending stairs. He has good days and bad days. What's causing this? A: Any time there's a major change in a dog's willingness to do a previously routine activity like going up or down steps, we'd want to check for physical changes. Your dog could be in some pain, or may feel insecure on stairs. Many older dogs develop arthritis. And some breeds (like Labs and golden retrievers) are particularly susceptible to other joint conditions, such as hip dysplasia.

Q: What do we do if our pets get sick or injured when our own vet is closed? A: Great question! Like kids, pets don't time illness and injury to regular business hours. We actually have three emergency vet clinics in and around Howard County. Keep this information handy -- it could save your pet's life: Emergency Animal Hospital 10270 Baltimore National Pike (Route 40 West) Ellicott City, MD 21042; 410-750-1177 www.ellicottcityemergencyvet.com Open weekends, holidays and nights 7 p.m.-7 a.m. Emergency Veterinary Clinic 32 Mellor Ave., Catonsville, MD 21228 410-788-7040; www.evccatonsville.com Open 24 hours, 7 days Anne Arundel Veterinary Emergency Clinic 808 Bestgate Road, Suite 111  Annapolis, MD 21401; 410-224-0331 www.aavec.com ; open 24 hours, 7 days 

Scrolling through shelter animals online can be a grim affair. Out of focus, nervous and shadowed dogs. Dimly lit cats that often look scared and awkward. Worse yet, often there's no picture at all — just a place holder and the sad phrase, "Photo not available." But not at the Baltimore Humane Society. There, nearly every cat, dog, bunny and gerbil is captured in sunny light, looking happy, healthy and beckoning, thanks to the work of one volunteer who happens to be a professional photographer.

In the last meeting of its term, the Baltimore County Council unanimously approved a bill declaring Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs to be pets. That exempts them from county zoning laws which otherwise would require one acre of land per swine.More than that. Dogs and cats must be licensed but pigs roam around tax-free. "It would probably have cost $37,000 to set up the machinery. And for what -- half a dozen pigs," explained Council Administrator Thomas Toporovich.Hog while you may. Once the numbers increase, the tax man cometh.

You think you're all set for Passover -- but maybe you forgot about your pet? You do not have to remove your cat or dog's food and dish bowl as you begin prepping for Passover this week if you switch to Evanger's kosher dog and cat food . Established in 1935, Evanger's Dog and Cat Food Company is endorsed by the Chicago Rabbinical Council and offers highly-inspected kosher certified products. By not mixing meat with dairy products and offering chometz-free (grain free) food, Evanger's allows your dog or cat to eat with the family during Passover.

A jury in Frederick County has awarded a family $620,000 after sheriff's deputies shot a pet dog in January 2010. The officers had been trying to serve a civil warrant on the dog owner's son, who no longer lived at the house. Deputy Timothy Brooks and his boss, Sheriff Chuck Jenkins, decried the verdict in a story published in the Frederick Post, saying their full story was not heard. Jenkins said the deputies "were doing their job. " But the attorney for the family, Cary J. Hansel, said that "from now on, police officers are on notice that they should think twice before using deadly force against a family pet. " The deputies said the dog, Brandi, a chocolate Labrador retriever, lunged at them as they entered the home.