Doggie discrimination

An urban legend from long ago states that if a black cat crosses your path, you're in for some bad luck. And according to this Web site, black cats in Egypt were believed to be "demons in disguise."

Having a black cat myself I know this is silly. (Although now that I think about it, Pause is a little monster at times ...)

Interestingly though, many people unconsciously carry this superstition to black dogs and as a result, according to this article on MSNBC, black puppies are often the last ones adopted.

Many animal shelters and rescue clinics have dubbed this doggie discrimination as ""black dog syndrome" and Kim Intino, the director of animal sheltering issues for the Human Society told MSNBC:

I think that every person that has worked in a shelter can attest that in shelters animals with black coats can be somewhat harder to adopt out — or to even get noticed.

The black-cat urban legend is not the only cause of this.

Some say that black dogs older because often even puppies have white or grey hair. However others argue that black dogs are just not as noticeable in animal shelters.

Regardless the cause, this is a pretty random trend. I did a quick Google search to see if any other news site or bloggers had mentioned this before but I didn't find anything. However, I bet in a few days there will be a "save the black-coat puppies" fund.

I feel like I'm doing my part to help these little pooches out by spreading the word on the problem. (Plus I get to include this adorable puppy picture in my post.)

The image above is by Kevin Tostado(cc) and republished here under a Creative Commons license. Some rights reserved.

Want to be famous? Start a blog.

These days, blogging is becoming an increasingly successful business and bloggers themselves are getting more and more recognition. (Check out this post I came across on Journerdism about the potential need for a blogger union).

The wonderful thing about blogs is anyone can have one. (Some people argue that this is the horrible thing about blogs but that's neither here nor there).

Regardless, how do you go from being a 21-year-old college student obsessed with pets -- and the occasional new media -- to being a blogging celebrity, a la Perez Hilton? (Pictured right).

According to this New York Times story, there are several steps one must take including keeping a regular posting rhythm and creating a brand name. All these suggestions were compiled from successful bloggers.

The article is a fun and interesting read especially for those bloggers who want to make a name for themselves.

Maybe one day Pause will be the new blog.

The image above is by Toby Forage (cc) and republished here under a Creative Commons license. Some rights reserved.

Is this my future?

Another brief post:

In between covering call girls and the weather, NBC's Today show did a feature about animal hoarding and what causes crazy cat ladies.

Here's the video:


And the story.

On Today's home page a poll asked "how many pets is too many." The majority of people voted that three or more is over-the-top however 19 percent of people said the more pets the better.

No one knows what exactly causes animal hoarding but it is a psychological issue.

And it all starts with one dog ... or cat ...

Fun things to do online during Spring Break

Rate cute animal photos.

Thanks to a Facebook post, I was notified of the Daily Paws Web site.

In between watching the election coverage, I spent a good half hour ooo-ing and ahh - ing over the puppies, kittens, wild animals, barnyard animals and other pets (including hamsters, porcupine-like animals, iguanas and mice).

Here is one of today's top dogs (Mickey):

And a top cat (Angel):

And because I feel bad, a bottom dog (Sexy Daisy) and a bottom cat (Domino):

The site also includes pet tips and pet contests as well as an adoption link.

Of course I'm working on submitting a photo of Pause but for tonight it's back to politics.

FYI: I'm back.

I was swamped beyond belief these past two weeks but now I'm back. A new post (probably about Pause) will be coming very soon.

I know all three of my fans are excited.

Tech-savvy pets looking for love

People aren't the only ones searching for that "special someone" online -- dogs and cats are in on the trend as well.

It looks like there are several Internet dating Web sites for not only pet lovers but also for pets.

(For the record, I stumbled upon these while doing research for a paper).

The slogan for Date my Pet,"Date me. Date my pet," basically says it all.

Here's the basic premise:

DateMyPet.com is the leading online dating website created exclusively for pet lovers. Whether you are looking for a life partner, a buddy for your pet or just someone to hang out with, here you'll be able to find exactly who you are looking for - pet lovers like yourself. It's fun, interactive, safe and anonymous - until you decide to take it further.

And take it further is what many people do according to the site's testimonies.

For example, Charlene wrote:

I have not had much success meeting anyone of quality online before. I had heard of your service online and decided to give it a try. I love all animals and thought it was a great idea to meet other animal lovers.

The site, which was founded by Robert Yau and his dog, Hershey and launched September 2004, is very user-friendly site. On the homepage you can do a quick search to see what the Web site has to offer before you even register. Basic membership is free. When you sign up, you include what pets you have and your options include dog, cat, reptile, fish, horse, bird, small animal and other. You then have your own profile page where you can upload a picture and include details about you and your animal, and what the two of you are looking for.

The site also features the latest "Pet News," and currently there's this story from the AP about candidates and their pets. (Also according to the news feed, My Catspace and MyDogspace recently launched).

There is also a link for "Pet advice" and "Dating tips."

Other sites with similar ideas are Pet Dating Online and Pets Passions.

The philosophy of Date my Pet -- which is probably similar for the other sites -- is that if potential suitors are both pet lovers, the dating process will go a bit more smoothly.

And even though it's a bit unconventional, it could even lead to some puppy love.

Tech-savvy pets: Part deux

This is an extension of an earlier post about pets marking their territory on social-networking sites. It seems as though I underestimated the tech-savviness of some cats and dogs -- and the bizarreness of their owners.

As I have come to discover, apparently for some of our four-legged friends having an online profile -- featuring interests and favorite treats -- is not enough.

These uber-cool cats -- and dogs -- need more room to meow and bark so they have taken the next step.

They have started their own blogs.

Prince Muddy Paws, for example, is a male cat living in Alabama who enjoys playing tag and running up and down the hall. His recent posts on his blog, Bloggingcat.com , include pictures of himself and friends. Also, in one of his posts Muddy Paws mocks humans for showering.

Muddy Paws wrote:

I keep showing them how to lick themselves clean, but they only lick their fingers after eating messy food. Oh well, I shall never give up trying to train them.

For dogs, there's an actual template for their blogs on My-Dog-Blog.com. This sample blog provides the details.

Nena the Scottie has a My-Dog-Blog account. Her page features recent pictures of herself, some poems, and a list of famous people who owned or own Scottish Terriers.

(For the record -- Pause, my cat, does not have a blog. He just uses the computer to nap).

When I stumbled upon these pet blogs, it made me feel a tad better about myself.

This may be my second post about my cat but at least I'm not posting as my cat.

Tech-savvy pets

Technology is changing the world -- and not just for humans.

My cat Pause is a proud member of the social-networking giant Facebook. He has 19 friends, 17 tagged photos and gets "stroked" more often than I get "poked." (Profile picture right).

I realize it's pretty ridiculous that I have created a profile -- complete with interests -- for my cat. But I am not alone. Far from it actually.

Catbook (the actual name of the application developed for Facebook) has 14,742 active daily users. Its counterpart, Dogbook, has 37,160 active daily users.

Here is a story ABC News did back in August 2007 about the subject:



It doesn't end there as Facebook is not the only site that allows people to create profiles for their four-legged loved ones.

Dogster, featured in this New York Times article in December 2007, is a website that takes dog profiles one step further. Owners can post questions and answers in forums as their dog. For example, in the Puppy Place forum the dog, Leo, "barked" the following response to how he got his name:

"My astrological sign is Leo, just like my mommy - and I reminded her of a bear...or even a lion. So it fit. There was a scary moment where I was almost named Snowflake - but my aunt saved me from that. :)"

Of course Dogster led to Catster, and I'm sure one day it will lead to Fishster and Snakester. (FYI - Facebook already has a Horsebook).

Will these applications and websites do anything to advance society? Probably not.

But at least cats and dogs can finally be "friends."