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Today's entry is a repeat topic from last week but one that seems timely with the upcoming holiday.

Saturday we celebrate Independence Day and that means fireworks. If you have a fearful dog like my greyhound Coral, you are probably not looking forward to the inevitable anxiety attack that will surely happen once the sky goes dark and the lights go up.

I am prepared to deal with the big public displays in the distance that start and end at a predictable time.  What is going to make it a little tough at my house are all the firecrackers that folks shoot off on the cul-de-sac where we live and throughout our neighborhood. There will sporadic booms, bangs and snaps all weekend long, which will make calming our nervous pooch a real challenge.

I do, however, realize that's the fun of the holiday and I certainly don't expect people that live two blocks away from me not to enjoy themselves because it makes my dog crazy. I studied astronomy in college and while I didn't retain much of it,  I do recall learning that the world does not revolve around me or my problems.

Our other big challenge is keeping all three dogs from table-surfing the snacks and sipping out of unattended glasses of margaritas, but that's an entry for another day.

Here's a link to petside.com, one of my favorite pet-related Web sites, with some good advice on how to handle the Fourth of July with a scaredy-dog like our Miss Coral.

Enjoy your holiday.

Starting this month, pets can fly the friendly skies on their very own airline dedicated exclusively to furry passengers.

Pet Airways launches on July 14 and offers service from five cities, including the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area.

The airline is the brainchild of Dan Wiesel and Alysa Binder, who found that transporting their Jack Russell terrier Zoe by air meant she had to ride in cargo, an option that is not appealing to many pet parents. 

Pets are checked in anywhere from two to 72 hours before their overnight flight. All pets are secured in a carrier in the main compartment of the plane and an attendant monitors the comfort of each "pawsenger." Pet parents can pick up their pets at the destination airport the next day.

Fares are not outrageous, but they aren't cheap, either. Introductory rates are as low as $149 each way, but If I wanted to fly Dexter, my biggest pooch, from Baltimore to Denver (we do have family there) it would cost $299 each way.

To fly Thai, a much smaller but much more demanding traveler, from Baltimore to Denver it would cost $199 each way. Of course, if I was really determined to take Thai out to see his cousins and the Rocky Mountains, he could just fly with me as carry-on. He's not so chubby he wouldn't fit under the seat.

(To my husband, who reads this blog: No, I am not planning to take the cat to Denver. Breathe.)

This seems like a pretty good idea if you need to transport your pet cross-country. What do you think? Could you see your pet racking up frequent flyer miles?

Pet communicators Suzanne and Chuck Fisher will be giving free 2-minute pet communication sessions to anyone bringing in a picture of a pet to the Star City Cat Fanciers' Cat Show at  this weekend.

The show is at the Holiday Inn near the airport, 3315 Ordway Drive, July 4 and 5.

The Star City Cat Fanciers is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and welfare of cats.

The Fishers were here at the SCCF's winter show as well. They have made appearances at pet expos and cat shows across the country.

In their press release, the couple said that many people joke that they are unsure that they want to hear what their pets have to say about them. My own lack of communication with my cat Thai (pictured here) is well-documented. He has one idea about how things should work around our house, and if I have another opinion, I guess I can just keep it to myself.

This is America, after all. I have the right to be foolish and wrong in the eyes of my cat.

The Fishers maintain that by opening the lines of communication, pet parents can solve behavioral problems like choosing inappropriate places for potty breaks, furniture destruction, and using people as scratching posts.

I'm not sure I would put my faith in a brief consultation to completely resolve such sticky issues, but hey, it's free and it certainly can't hurt to get a new perspective.

This picture was sent to me last night by blog reader John, who writes:

"These are our boys. Rotten to the core. The blonde shi tuzh is a rescue dog from Galax puppy mill. The other two are twins. Jack is the blonde one, Harley is the gray and white and Willie is the brindle color.  They are napping in my wifes’ office at home. "

So I guess ever day is Take Your Dog to Work Day for these three pups. They don't look rotten, John, but I will take your word for it. They all look pretty sweet, especially when they are asleep.

Click here to read Neil Harvey's story about the clean-up at Angels of Assisi. The no-kill shelter had a small fire on Wednesday night that temporarily displaced 250 animals.

All pets are safe and, besides a few scratches sustained while chasing loose cats, all volunteers and emergency workers were unharmed. Most of the animals were housed temporarily at the Regional Center for Animal Control before they returned to the shelter.

The shelter's staff said they could use cat litter, box tops that can be used as litter pans, towels and blankets while they continue to clean up and get re-organized. They hope to open the adoption center tomorrow and the clinic on Monday.

The shelter is located at 415 Campbell Avenue in downtown Roanoke. Click here to go the Web site.

Fourth of July rituals at the Nelson household include: Firing up the grill. Icing down the beer. Inviting over friends.  Comforting the dog. 

While we humans enjoy the sparkle and glitter of fireworks, many pets, including my greyhound Coral, just hate the loud, sustained booming sounds. She has no idea what that racket is, but she wants nothing to do with it and usually seeks refuge in our bedroom closet. Last year we gave her an herbal elixir called Rescue Remedy, and while it seemed to help, she is still no fan of July 4th mayhem.

Having seen enough fireworks in my life, I don't mind keeping my anxious pooch company, although I usually just watch TV on the chair in the bedroom while she hunkers down among the shoes. While Coral finds solace in her safe place, many pets go into an all-out panic during the explosive sky light show and can hurt themselves or others or escape into the darkness.

If your pet has a history of fireworks freak-outs, or this is the first Independence Day with your pet and you don't know what to expect, here are some tips from the Roanoke Valley SPCA to keep everyone safe during the holiday:

• Keep your animals inside the house in a secure room where they can not break through a window or dart out the door. If your animal is crate trained and you will not be home, keep your pet in his crate - he will be safer and happier in "his room".
• Play soothing music or turn the TV on to a "pet friendly" station. This will help mask the sounds from outside and keep your pet calm and happy while you are gone.
• Make sure your animal is wearing a collar with current ID tags. Microchips are also very important because collars can be taken off or lost.  Most important is that any type of identification have up to date names, addresses and phone numbers.

Read more »

The folks at Angels of Assisi were cleared to take the pets displaced by last night's fire back to the Campbell Avenue shelter this afternoon.

I went over to the Roanoke Valley SPCA on my lunch hour to help clean crates and feed the kitties. About half of the cats had already been taken back to Angels and the rest were pretty anxious to get there. One little black kitty was quite vocal in his displeasure at his temporary digs. He told me he was most unhappy and wanted to go back home.

Some of the volunteers had been working since midnight to caring for the cats and dogs. My husband drove by the shelter earlier today and said there were donations piled up at the door.

As soon as the animals are all back and settled in, I will post an update on what the shelter's needs from volunteers to donations.

Click here to read Neil Harvey's story about last night's fire at Angels of Assisi, the downtown animal shelter.

I spoke to Lisa O'Neill, volunteer coordinator for the shelter, this morning and she said all the animals were safely evacuated from the building and spent the night at the Roanoke Valley SPCA. They will remain there until this afternoon, when O'Neill said she hoped they would be cleared to return to Angels' building in the 400 block of Campbell Avenue in downtown Roanoke.

O'Neill said that if they do not get clearance to return to the building today, the animals would be taken to Harmony Farms, another part of the Angels organization in Botetourt County.

She said she would let me know if the organization needs temporary foster homes for cats or dogs.

O'Neill also said that the food the shelter had in the building was not damaged, but they could use donations of blankets and towels. Monetary donations can be made online by clicking here. 

I will post an update later today when I learn more.

A co-worker of mine and a co-worker of my husband each adopted a new puppy in recent weeks, and you know how much I love to share baby pictures.

This is Seamus and he belongs to Anne and Brady.  Anne sought suggestions on her Facebook page for this handsome boy's name. Since he's a boxer, I suggested Ali, Foreman, Rocky or Balboa.  In honor of Merle Haggard's recent visit to our city, I also suggested Merle, and keeping with the old-school country music theme, I also tossed Hank, Waylon or Willie into the mix. 

Someone else came up with the brilliant moniker: Princess Sparkle Pants.

None of these suggestions were taken and, being a good Irish girl, I certainly approve of the final choice. I think Seamus is a perfect name for the little guy.

But I am so naming my next dog Waylon Balboa Sparkle Pants.

Meet Ellie. She's found a home with Chelsea and Ryan. As if just being a puppy isn't outrageously cute already, Ellie is a Lakeland terrier, which is apparently a breed of dog that can pass itself off as a Boyd's Bear.

That's Ellie on the right with the bow in her hair, by the way.

If you have any clever suggestions for LOL-type captions for either or both of these photos, post a comment.

And if you have any new additions to your family, e-mail the photos to pets@roanoke.com.

I got a message over the weekend from a volunteer at Angels of Assisi in downtown Roanoke saying they would be most grateful for donations of Purina Kitten Chow. Seems they have more than 60 hungry little kittens and not enough Kitten Chow to go around.

If you can drop off a donation, I am sure the kittens would appreciate it. The shelter is located at 415 Campbell Avenue, near the police station and the downtown YMCA, and is open every day from 2 to 6 p.m.