While the Philadelphia Eagles have decided it's OK for Michael Vick to play professional football, they apparently don't think it's OK for fans to express their opposition to his participation in dogfighting.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Kori Martin said she was stopped by security personnel as she entered Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia last Sunday because she was wearing a T-shirt with the words "Losers fight pitbulls" on the front and Vick's name and No. 7 crossed out. On the back, her shirt said, "You don't deserve a second chance."
Martin said she was told the shirt was offensive to the players and was prevented from entering until she agreed to turn it inside out. She said she was told that the policy came from the team's top management.
A team official, however, told the Inquirer that there was no such policy banning anti-Vick clothing. Martin said she was angered by the incident.
"Not only has (owner) Jeffrey Lurie and the Eagles organization supported a dog murderer by signing this convict," she said, "but now they want to take away my freedom of speech just because I don't agree with them?"
Good point.
Meanwhile, Vick spoke at a church in Washington D.C. this week that was sparsely attended by teenagers, who are supposedly his intended audience. As in previous speeches, Vick talked about himself but not about the dogs he has acknowledged killing.
"Anything can happen when you're fighting dogs at 2 or 3 in the morning," he told the assembled group. "I'm blessed to be before you and still have my life. It's like standing on the corner and dealing drugs. It's a criminal life."
Nothing, however, about the dogs that lost their lives.
It's worth noting that, although there were six D.C. police officers in attendance, no incidents occurred. Vick parked his Mercedes Benz behind the church and was escorted inside by the cops.
As he spoke, a banner saying "End dogfighting" hung behind him. I wonder what stadium security would have done if Kori Martin wore a T-shirt with those words on it.
Here's a Vick update that may surprise you: Vick's agent, Joel Segal, announced that his client has signed an endorsement deal with Nike, which dropped Vick in August 2007 after he admitted guilt in a dogfighting ring that sent him to prison. Now they're back together.
But I'm not on board. From now on, I boycott Nike products.
Pet Product Review - The Company of Animals - Dog Puzzels
did you know that more than 75% of pet parents purchase holiday gifts for their pets? Well now, the UK's leading specialist in dog behavior and training products, the company of animals has made available in the US an innovative pet puzzle collection. the concept is that dogs have a natural instinct in need mental as well as physical exercise. These games can help their dogs achieved that natural potential. Their games: Dog Tornado or Dog Brick, not only key your dog mentally fit, but they're great fun for the whole family.
I was sent a sample of their game Dog Brick. This plastic puzzle is a stimulating, creative takeoff on the old shell game. To work the brick treats are hidden in the recesses located under a series of interlocking sliding blocks. Since the blocks cannot be removed, the dog is required to locate the treats by sliding them to retrieve the reward. This helps enhance both mental and physical decks verity. The dogs level of difficulty for the brick can be varied, depending upon the dog's experience and his enthusiasm for the game.
I have three dogs test this game. First was my puppy Charlie. He was four months old. Quite simply, he was too young for the game and too easily distracted. The next was Corona a 2-year-old pit bull. her enthusiasm for the game was a bit too aggressive. Thus making the game not too pleasurable for me. the final game player was Murphy, a 10-year-old min pin. She got it. It took her about 20 minutes to realize what the game was all about, however. It was a short time after that 20 minutes, when her enthusiasm for the game waned. So, I suggest if you're interested in purchasing this game, do try to predetermine your dog's enthusiasm.
The games are available on their website http://www.companyofanimals.co.uk/interactive-dog-games.php for 20 UK pound sterling. I have trouble with this. I find the game quite expensive and if they are truly trying to capture the attention of the American market they need to have a better website and in US dollars.
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Today's blog post is not necessarily a product review, but rather a call to attention factors a pet owner should know about when choosing toys for their pets. The idea came to me because last night I was watching reality TV show. Jon and Kate +8 and I was appalled not only by the way they treated their dog. But how they let their dog chew on just about everything. This includes toys that were ingested by the puppy and subsequently required in basic surgery. But there is so much more to know about pet toys than just what they can swallow; you have to learn about the unseen toxicity. Here is an excellent article from the New York Post, and Julia Szabo:
Updated: Mon., Sep. 28, 2009, 9:28 AM 
Toys & toxicity
By JULIA SZABO
Last Updated: 9:28 AM, September 28, 2009
Posted: 1:24 AM, September 27, 2009
SPOILING a dog or cat with fun toys is one of the joys of pet parenthood. But according to information released by Healthy Stuff, a nonprofit environmental research organization, many pet products are literally spoiling pets to death, shortening animals' lives by exposing them to killer levels of toxic substances.
Using an X-ray fluorescence analyzer, researchers at Michigan's Ecology Center examined more than 400 pet products for hazardous chemicals, including lead, cadmium, mercury, bromine, chlorine (PVC) and arsenic. These have been linked to reproductive and endocrine problems, developmental and learning disabilities, liver toxicity and cancer.
One-quarter of pet products tested - and all tennis balls made just for pets - were found to have detectable levels of lead, including 7 percent with levels higher than 300 parts per million, the current Consumer Product Safety Commission standard for lead in children's products. There are currently no government standards for hazardous chemicals in pet products.
For example, Coleman dog beds and cat toys by Kitty Hoots contain brominated flame retardants, which a 2007 EPA study linked to hyperthyroidism in cats.
In a bi-pawtisan effort, Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg and Republican Rep. Bobby Rush are expected to introduce a new bill to reform the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act, phasing out most hazardous substances in "worst first" order of priority, and requiring manufacturers to take responsibility for their products' safety. To make your voice heard, go to HealthyStuff.org and click on "Take Action: Support Federal Regulatory Reform."
In the meantime, protect pets and other family members by carefully checking the HealthyStuff.org pet list, where products are ranked by concern level. A Classic Kong, for instance, is safely nontoxic, while the Air Kong Squeaker Football contains lead and arsenic. Nylabone Puppy Teething Keys have arsenic, but the Nylabone Double Action Chew is harmless.
Buying from pet product manufacturers that use recycled, organic and fair-trade materials is a safe bet; three good resources are WestPawDesign.com, SimplyFido.com and PurrfectPlay.com.
"The more we test, the more we find that the presence of toxic chemicals is widespread in everyday consumer products," concludes The Ecology Center's Jeff Gearhart. "It should not be the responsibility of public health advocates to test these products. Product manufacturers and legislators must take the lead and replace dangerous substances with safe alternatives."
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Socializing your dog is probably the most important thing you can do as a pet owner. Taking him on walks to meet people and other dogs prevents the kind of situation that a Pomeranian named Gizmo is now facing in Aspen, Colo.
A judge has threatened to order Gizmo to be euthanized if the 13-year-old dog bites anyone else. The dog was kept in an animal shelter for 10 days after biting a woman in August - clearly not the first time he's bitten someone.
"As a judge, the hardest decision I ever have to make is to take someone's pet away or euthanize it," Judge Brooke Peterson told Gizmo's owner, Melinda Goldrich, last week. "But you and I have been dealing with your dog since 2006 ... and your excuses have worn out my patience."
Peterson told Goldrich that it's curtains for Gizmo (not the dog pictured above) if he's seen in Aspen again. A friend in a nearby town has offered to care for the dog.
I blame the owner, first for not socializing her pet as a puppy, second for not making sure it could not bite anyone else after it became obvious the dog was vicious. It's every pet owner's responsibility.
Yes, even small dogs can be vicious.
pet product reviews - Soccer Dog Jerseys from Little Fanaticos
Do you love soccer? Are you a true fan, always supporting your national soccer team? then I found just the product for you. Little fanaticos, a Connecticut based pet fashion company has launched a new website and new line of soccer apparel made just for dogs. You must check out their new website: www.soccerdogjerseys.com
Little fanaticos sent me a sample of the USA team soccer jersey. It was a size medium, and perfectly fit my friend Murphy. The min-pin. Not only is this jersey just cute and adorable, but the construction is extremely well made. The jerseys are made of the same high quality fabric and stitched with reinforcement in the most important areas. Exactly like a team jersey from your favorite soccer team. Because the jerseys are made with breathable polyester your dog can wear it year round. This is most important, turning the FIFA WORLD Cup. But don't just take my word, little fanaticos guarantees every product with 100% satisfaction
team jerseys are available for USA, Germany, Brazil, England, France, Italy, and more. Best of all, you can support your team and your pup can to for less than $15.
order your jersey here and make sure to get it in time for holloween: http://www.soccerdogjerseys.com/joomla/index.php/component/virtuemart/?page=shop.browse&category_id=1&Treeid=1&vmcchk=1
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