Before the Obama family sits down to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner, they might want to tune into NBC's coverage of the National Dog Show, sponsored by the Philadelphia Kennel Club and now a holiday staple. Last year it was watched by 19.2 million viewers.
Of course, like many other dog enthusiasts, we think the President-elect should adopt a shelter or rescue puppy. But the National Dog Show is must-see TV, with some 150 breeds and varieties prancing around the show ring. They might see a breed they like.
The show took place last weekend, so viewers will be seeing a tape of the event, which took place at Reading, Pa. It starts at noon.
"When you're watching these dogs that all are the best of their breeds in the ring there, it is like watching these thoroughbreds walk down toward the starting gate,'' John O'Hurley, one of the TV hosts and better known as a semi-regular on the "Seinfeld" TV show, told the Associated Press.
We know Obama is a big college football fan, but maybe he can let daughters Malia and Sasha, whom he promised to get a dog, have control of the TV remote for a little while.
Surrounded by his family and friends, Michael Vick entered a guilty plea in Sussex, Va., to state dogfighting charges -- but don't expect him to serve any additional prison time.
In fact, as a result of the plea, Vick, the former quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons, received a three-year suspended sentence, which essentially resolves the remaining charges against him and will allow him to enter a halfway house when he's released from a Kansas prison next July.
Vick could have been sentenced for up to 10 years on the charge (another count of cruelty to animals was dropped), but Gerald Poindexter, attorney for the Surry County Commonwealth, said he felt no obligation to prosecute the case.
"I feel that what I did today is approved by more than a majority of Surry County, and that's the constituency that I'm concerned about," he told reporters. Afterward, he hugged Vick's mother Brenda Boddie and told her, "At least some of this is over."
Vick entered the courtroom in wrist and ankle shackles. His mother, brother and fiance sat in the front row of the gallery with other family and friends. To them, this was clearly a victory because it means no more jail time.
But unless Vick shows his sincere remorse, and speaks out against dogfighting, this thing will not be over. He should not be someone who refuses to admit his mistakes and acknowledge his errors.
He needs to be a vocal opponent of dogfighting, because if he isn't, dog lovers will never let him forget what he did.
Let me know what you think.
If you own a pet and live in California, the state's budget crisis is about to hit you in a strange way: When you visit your veterinarian next year, it's very likely you're going to be taxed.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to broaden the sales and use tax to include such so-called "luxury" items as amusement parks, sporting events, golf and ... vet services. Also lumped in with those services are appliance and furniture repair and vehicle repair.
Does any of this make sense? Didn't think so. I'm not sure where Schwarzenegger's logic comes from, but when my dogs get sick, I don't consider a trip to the vet to be a luxury. It's a necessity. And if you own more than one animal, as my wife and I do, a simple visit for a check-up or a heartworm test could become more costly than it already is.
At a time when many people are surrendering their pets to shelters because they can no longer afford to own them in today's economy, think how many more are likely to be given up - or how many will simply forego a trip to the vet.
"Our companion animals are family members, and taking care of their health is a responsibility, not a discretionary spending decision like golf or furniture repair," Judie Mancuso, president of Social Compassion in Legislation, said in a statement. If passed by the legislature, the tax would take effect Feb. 1, 2009.
The California Veterinary Medical Association has asked its 6,000 members to write to the governor to express opposition to the tax, which would be about 9 percent.
What can you do to voice your opposition? Call Gov. Schwarzenegger's office at 916-445-2841 and tell him that a tax on vet services doesn't fit his definition of a luxury tax. A dog or cat is not an appliance.
Do it now because this could become law soon. Then tell us what you think.
We are learning more about the extent of Michael Vick's involvement in a dogfighting ring that the former pro football quarterback bankrolled in Virginia. A report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture last week says Vick put his family dogs into the fighting ring and that pit bulls "caused major injuries" to the pets.
The report offered new details about Bad Newz Kennels, which was run by Vick pals Tony Taylor, Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips. Included in the 17-page report is this passage: "Vick, Peace and Phillips thought it was funny to watch the pit bull dogs belonging to Bad Newz Kennels injure or kill the other dogs."
The report also says that Vick, Peace and Phillips hung about three dogs that did not do well in a "rolling session," a test that gauges a dog's readiness to fight.
Vick, who is serving a 23-month sentence for his role in the dogfighting operation, is in protective custody in Hopewell, Va., until a hearing Tuesday to plead guilty to two state charges related to dogfighting. As a result of a plea agreement, Vick is expected to receive a three-year suspended sentence and a $2,500 fine.
I just wonder if his time behind bars is giving him pause for reflection.
There is no reason for anyone to ever buy a puppy from a pet store, not with so many dogs available through rescue groups, shelters and reputable breeders. But the fact that you can still walk into many stores and purchase one - usually for several thousand dollars - proves there's a market for pure bred puppies.
Here's the problem: When you see a puppy wagging its tail at you from inside a pet store cage, you can almost be certain that it has come from a puppy mill, where conditions are filthy, dogs are not socialized and mothers are bred over and over again.
This week, the Humane Society of the United States charged Petland, a national pet store chain, with selling dogs bred in substandard conditions at puppy mills. The allegations come after an eight-month investigation involving 21 Petland stores and dozens of breeders and brokers.
On its Web site, HSUS says that Petland supports "cruel puppy mills, even while telling unsuspecting customers that the dogs only come from good breeders." Its investigators saw puppies living in "filthy, barren cages reeking of urine, with inadequate care and socialization."
Petland disputes the charges, saying that HSUS is making sensationalistic claims to boost its fundraising efforts during the holiday season.
That's a dubious accusation, given the work the Humane Society has done over the years. But if you are considering purchasing a puppy as a gift, remember that there are plenty of dogs available from rescue organizations and shelters. You don't need to pay $1,000 or more for a dog from a pet store.
We have two rescue dogs in our house, both of them Dachshunds. They are two of the sweetest, most loving pets my wife and I have ever owned. And there are more like them - all you have to do is look.
DogTime's breed profiles all have rescue group listings in the "Jump to Highlights" box.
