In the next Your Whole Pet, I'll take a look at how to get a pet from ethical sources. In the meantime, when checking out a breeder, be sure that you can meet the puppy's mother and see where the puppies are being housed. And if the only test you have to pass to get the puppy is whether your check clears or your credit card charge goes through, that's a pretty good sign the breeder doesn't have the puppy's best interests at heart -- or yours.

The following companies donated services, tests, medications, food and products to help the Oklahoma puppy-mill dogs: MWI Veterinary Supply, Fort Dodge, Purina, Bayer, Merial, IDEXX Laboratories, Antech Diagnostics and DVM Pharmaceuticals.

Christie Keith is a contributing editor for Universal Press Syndicate's Pet Connection and past director of the Pet Care Forum on America Online.

YOUR WHOLE PET

In the next Your Whole Pet, I'll take a look at how to get a pet from ethical sources. In the meantime, when checking out a breeder, be sure that you can meet the puppy's mother and see where the puppies are being housed. And if the only test you have to pass to get the puppy is whether your check clears or your credit card charge goes through, that's a pretty good sign the breeder doesn't have the puppy's best interests at heart -- or yours.

The following companies donated services, tests, medications, food and products to help the Oklahoma puppy-mill dogs: MWI Veterinary Supply, Fort Dodge, Purina, Bayer, Merial, IDEXX Laboratories, Antech Diagnostics and DVM Pharmaceuticals.

Christie Keith is a contributing editor for Universal Press Syndicate's Pet Connection and past director of the Pet Care Forum on America Online.

Pet obesity raising concern

LOGAN - Over recent months, adult and childhood obesity has been a major concern for many people across the nation, and now there is another form of health problem, and it includes our favorite four-legged friends.

Obesity in pets is a growing concern for pet-owners across the country, who sometimes don't even realize their cat or dog is growing larger every day. In fact, a recent study conducted by Pfizer Animal Health said that many owners don't realize their pets are overweight or at risk of health problems. According to the study, 47 percent of American dogs are overweight or obese, yet only 17 percent of dog owners would classify their dogs as being such.

As the No. 1 nutritional disorder in dogs, an estimated 25 to 44 percent of dogs in the United States are overweight or obese.

E-Cards Have Gone to the Dogs; Cats Fight Back!

Trend spotting is easy. Sales figures go up sharply when something new catches on, whether it's rap music, hybrid cars, or the newest i-phone. Remember when most homes didn't even have a computer? It's no surprise that since busy people everywhere are choosing to communicate at the speed of light in every way, e-cards have forged their way into our culture. But dog-loving e-cards? And what about the cat lovers? They need to send greetings, too!

www.SloppyKissCards.com debuted in June of 2006 and the site has already caught on in a big way. For just $9.95 USD, members can send customized greetings with any of more than 50 different breeds of dogs featured on the card. The combinations are unlimited.

Sloppy Kiss Cards is the brainchild of Nicole Stocker, a former Microsoft employee.

Rusty's long trip home

SIX months on the road and he's finally made it home. Rusty, the four-year-old bull terrier-cross, was given up for dead after disappearing from his Canberra home half a year ago.

"Well one thing is for sure, he didn't walk," Rusty's owner Shane Gowen, 21, said yesterday as he celebrated the return of his "best friend" after paying $400 for the dog to be flown to Canberra from Adelaide on Friday night.