March 31, 2008Nod in motionThis spectacular shot was sent in by Hope Shultz of Roanoke. Hope shares her home a few retired racing greyhounds.  Hope writes: "Nod, the baby of the bunch, will be 3 years old in a couple of weeks. He is quite the ball player too! Love this photo, the joy and anticipation in Nod's expression says it all!" March 28, 2008Good story about a bad dogIt's great to have a dog in your home. Except when it isn't. Journalist John Grogan's misadventures with a crazy Labrador retriever turned into the best-selling book "Marley and Me." Almost anyone who has a pooch in their heart and home has at least one "bad dog" story. And we here at The Happy Wag want to hear yours. 
Post a comment with your best "good dog gone bad" story, and you could win one of two books: "The Dog Behavior Answer Book" by Arden Moore, a noted pet behavior expert, or "Before Your Dog Can Eat Your Homework, First You Have to Do It" by actor and author John O'Hurley. Deadline to post your comment is April 13. March 27, 2008Wild horses
The center is located at 487 Maury River Road in Lexington. The horses should arrive Friday morning and will be available for public viewing from 1 to 5 p.m. The adoption process will begin on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and continue on Sunday from 8 a.m. to noon. Virginia horse trainer John Hockaday will be on hand to give gentling demonstrations. Karen Roberts of the Bureau of Land Management said the adoption fees vary depending on the age of the horse or burro. The minimum fee for a horse three-years-old or younger is $125. The minimum fee to adopt an older horse or burro is $25. Roberts said there is an application process for adoptive families and the applications will be screened on site. Bring a trailer with you and, assuming you are approved, you can take the animal home with you. March 26, 2008Puppies in need of a little love
I got an e-mail this morning from the RVSPCA. They have a plethora of puppies that need fostering. They are looking for folks who can take these babies in and care for them until they are old enough to be adopted. Foster care is so important to puppies. It helps them learn basic social skills that make it much more likely they will be adopted and adjust quickly to their new homes. And every puppy in foster care opens up kennel space at the shelter for an adoptable adult dog at Animal Control who is in desperate need of a home.
 If you or anyone you know can take in an orphan for a few weeks, please contact Ann Marie Sweeney at 344-4840, ext. 208.
March 25, 2008Rabies clinic next SaturdayA Community Rabies Clinic is scheduled for Saturday, April 5, at the Roanoke Civic Center. The clinic will provide rabies shots for $5 for dogs and cats and $10 for ferrets. All pooches must be on a leash and kitties and ferrets must be in carriers. Pregnant animals will not be vaccinated, but nursing moms can be. All pets have to be at least three months old to get the shot. If this is your pet's first vaccine, the inoculation is valid for one year. If your pet has had a shot before, bring your vaccine certificate with you. The Roanoke City and County Treasurer's Offices will also have staffers available to issue your dog and cat tags after the pets are vaccinated. Cash is the only form of payment accepted for the vaccines. Cash or checks will be accepted to pay the license fees. For more information, call the Health Department at 857-7800, ext. 124. Putting on the Dog dinnerIt always feels good to lend financial support to a worthy organization. It may feel even better when accompanied by gourmet food and wine. 
St. Francis of Assisi Service Dog Foundation’s 4th annual “Putting on the Dog” dinner brings seven renowned chefs from this region, including Tony Pope of the self-titled local bistro, Todd Baxter of the Martha Washington Inn, Chad Scott of 202 Market, and Brett McKee, of Oak Steakhouse in Charleston, S.C., to the Roanoke Country Club on Thursday, April 17. Each chef will contribute one part of the seven-course meal. Wines from South Africa were donated by Jim Loux. Entertainment will be provided by Deborah Liles and Jeff Todd. All proceeds support the training of service dogs. St. Francis is a non-profit, Roanoke-based service dog organization, the only one in Virginia and one of only 36 organizations accredited by Assistance Dogs International, a coalition of non-profit organizations that train and place service dogs with disabled adults and children. March 24, 2008Meet Gizmo and Paris HiltonThese are two of the photos that arrived in the pets@roanoke.com mailbox last week. I had to reach out to pet mom Carlissa to confirm that the leather-clad pug's name is Gizmo and the sweet little Shih Tzu's name is Paris Hilton. Carlissa responded: "Yeah !!!!! You love my babies..............Yes, Gizmo is the chubby fawn pug and Paris Hilton is the fluffy white Shih Tzu a.k.a.(Angel/Devil/Clown/Rabbit/Soccer Player and so on). Will they make it to the big time? I promised them that they would be famous someday something like American Idol for dogs." 
Well, I can't promise worldwide adulation on the scale of American Idol, but I can promise blog readers will love these cute pics. Thanks, Carlissa. Dogs in actionWhat a great weekend for sports. Besides all those basketball games, which left me with a wadded-up, tear-stained bracket thanks to Purdue, UConn and Duke, there were also athletes in action at Hollins University. 
Until Sunday, I had only seen dog agility events on Animal Planet. A real event, like the one hosted by the Star City Canine Training Club this weekend, are truly amazing and, like most sports, so much better in person. I apologize now to any contestants I may have distracted with flash photography (I hit a button quite by mistake.) And even without the cooperation of the sun or any visible talent as a photographer, I managed to snap a few nice shots. To see more, click here.
 March 23, 2008Digital images of egg-hunting dogsI am not a very good photographer, but most of the images created with my Canon EOS are beautiful. I give full credit to my subjects. I take lots of pictures of dogs, and dogs just look great, live and in a .jpg file. 
Big dog, small dogs, amazingly tiny dogs in chic, tailored clothing: I photograph them all. 
Saturday, my family made tracks for Six Wags Dog Park in Salem to participate in the Great Egg Beg. Our happy hounds and hundreds of other pooches hunted for Easter eggs, posed with a dude in a bunny costume, put on a talent show and otherwise had a splendid time. I wandered around the park snapping photos while my daughter and husband tried to help our dogs find treasure-bearing plastic eggs. Alas, the eggs were not running away, so my sighthounds saw no value in expending any effort to find them. If there is nothing to chase, there is nothing to gain as far as greyhounds are concerned. They did not, however, mistake the above-mentioned dude in the rabbit outfit for the ever-elusive mechanical rabbit of their racing days. I was relieved, to say the least. The event, a fundraiser for the RVSPCA and sponsored and hosted by Six Wags and K92, was a very well-run affair and I hope it turns into a spring tradition. To see more photos from the Egg Beg, click here. March 22, 2008Dock dogsI am still pining away for summer. I am dreaming of shorts and flip-flops and sunny days and fun on large bodies of water. And fun with dogs near large bodies of water. March 21, 2008Spay Day photo winnersAlas, my picture of my two smiling hounds did not win the Spay Day photo contest sponsored by the U.S. Humane Society. But here's a link to the slideshow of all the winning snapshots, and they are beautiful. Enjoy! Doggie doings this weekendTomorrow is a busy day for dogs in Roanoke, with one event for fans of canine athletes and one for pooches and their families. Early risers can enjoy the excitement at the North American Dog Agility Council Trials. The event, sponsored by the Star City Canine Training Club, starts at 8 a.m. at Hollins University. The competition starts on Saturday and ends on Sunday. 
The Great Egg Beg is from noon to 2 p.m. at Six Wags Dog Park in Salem. Admission is only $5 for the whole family. The event is a fundraiser for the RVSPCA. There will be an Easter egg hunt for the pooches, with doggie treats hidden in every egg, photos with the Easter Bunny, and a canine talent show. The event will be hosted by K92's Danny Meyers. Ambitious dog-lovers like me will try to attend both events. I hope to have some good photos from both to post on the blog this weekend, and I will add all of them to the Happy Wag Flickr group page. And thanks to blog reader Scott, who posted more beautiful pictures of his dog Sandy on the Happy Wag page. It's a public site, and all blog readers and dog lovers (same thing, I know) are invited to join and post. March 20, 2008Agility trials this weekend
Star City Canine Training Club will host agility trials this weekend beginning at 8 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday at Hollins University. The event is scheduled until 3 p.m. or when all runs are finished on both days. Spectators are welcome, but club secretary Jayne Secor said fans need to stay at least 10 feet away from the rings at all times, and they should bring their own chairs as well as snacks and drinks since there are no food vendors. Secor also said you should not bring your dog with you, since it may cause a distraction for the athletes. March 18, 2008A man with a missionSomedays we are all just tired of the crap. It seems to just pile up and pile up with no end in sight. Who can you turn to for help? 
Call The Scoop Group. Matt Williams, a Southwest Roanoke County resident, started The Scoop Group, a company that specializes in dog waste removal. He said his motto is "making the valley a better place, on scoop at a time." For a price, Williams will remove all the mess your dogs can make on your lawn. Fees depend on how many pooches you have leaving presents in your yard and how often you want your yard tidied up. The collected poo is double bagged and put it in designated dumpsters or take it directly to the transfer station. According to a press release, Williams recently moved back to Roanoke after serving in Air Force. He was looking for a new line of work and thinks he may have found it in waste removal. The Scoop Group can be reached at 819-8839 or through its Web site, www.TheScoopGroup.net. March 17, 2008Keep those doggies rollin'Not much in life feels better than sleeping in my own warm bed early on a Sunday morning. It takes a lot to lift me from deep, serene, weekend slumber. But helping save a life will do it every time. For the second time this year, my husband and I rose before dawn on Sunday, gulped a cup of strong coffee and headed out to take part in a logistical miracle. We were one leg in a rescue relay, taking the baton of homeless dogs are on their way to a better life with new families. 
On this particular weekend, we shuttled Ava, a small but mighty bulldog mix, and Sasha, a sweet and skinny yellow lab, from their overnight accommodations in Roanoke to Marilyn, the next driver in the relay, in a Cracker Barrel parking lot in Staunton. Marilyn would get them to their next exchange in Harrisonburg. Their journey began Friday morning in Memphis, Tenn. By the end of Sunday and after 28 legs in the relay, they will be with new adoptive families coordinated by Patriot Lab & All Breed Rescue, a foster-home based group in New Hampshire. Pretty BettyBlog reader Mary wrote, "My sister Patty, of Roanoke, has the cutest 3 yr old pug. Her name is Betty and she just loves her little pink bed!" 
March 16, 2008St. Paddy's, part twoOkay, had to post a few more photos, especially of the breed rescue groups that marched in the St. Patrick's Day parade on Saturday. Please keep these dogs in mind if you are thinking about adopting a new pup into your family. The dogs at Star City Greyhound Adoptions and Dalmatian Rescue of Southwestern Virginia are looking for loving homes. 
St. Paddy's Day pooches
Here's a few pics from the St. Patrick's Day parade in downtown Roanoke on Saturday. The parade was a big success with plenty of pooches in the crowd and watching on the sidelines. To see more photos from the parade, go to the Happy Wag Flickr page. Post a comment if you see your pup in or at the parade. 
March 15, 2008Oh, summertime!I am like a kid at this time of year, counting down the days until summer. I have grown weary of winter, as mild as it has been here, and cannot wait for warm days spent near water. If you, like me, feel nostalgic for summer fun, enjoy this video. March 14, 2008Bernese (Blue Ridge) Mountain dogs
The Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Central Virginia is inviting Berners, Bernerfolk and anyone who appreciates these big, beautiful, hairy pooches to a Dog Walk in Peaks View Park near Lynchburg on Saturday, March 29. The event starts at 11 a.m. and will end about 2 p.m. Participants are asked to bring a dish for a potluck lunch and there will be a short club meeting after lunch. Non-members are invited. For more details, visit the club's Web site. (Park address for your GPS or Mapquest search: 199 Ivy Lane, Lynchburg, VA 24502-4677) New address for photosI love opening my e-mail box at work and seeing a new photo from blog reader. However, I hate opening my e-mail box and seeing a message from my system administrator that tells me my e-mail account is over the size limit. Frankly, my e-mail account is starting to develop image issues from constantly being told it's too big. So, if you would like to send me a photo of you pet, and I sure hope you will, please send them to pets@roanoke.com. With no annoying work-related messages to get in the way, there should be plenty of room for pet photos. And check out the Happy Wag Flickr account, where I will post photos of the week and some snapshots of my critters, too. Springtime holiday events
The St. Patrick's Day Parade in downtown Roanoke will feature several breed rescue groups, including my beloved greyhounds, so if you are looking for something fun to do on Saturday, come on down. The parade time has been moved up to 11:30 due to the weather. The Easter Bunny will pose for pictures with pets Valley View mall on Sunday from 6 to 7 p.m. I ponder the irony of a photograph of a bunny with my hounds, who were born and bred to chase a mechanical rabbit as fast as they can. Will they see the giant hare and have track flashbacks? I will let you know.
March 13, 2008The Great Egg Beg
Bring your favorite pup to Six Wags Dog Park in Salem on March 22 from noon to 2 p.m. for the Great Egg Beg, an Easter egg hunt for dogs. Hundreds of eggs will be scattered across the park and will contain doggie treats or prizes. You can have your dog's picture taken with the Easter Bunny and your pooch can participate in a doggie talent show hosted by K92 Mornin' Thang host Danny Myers. Admission is $5 per family with proceeds benefiting the RVSPCA. Dogs seek fun, park seeks fundsNewVaConnects, Roanoke's community action group of young professionals, has launched a Web site to help raise funds for the city's first fenced, off-leash public dog park. The group would like to raise $30,000 to add a fence to the part of Fishburn Park that the city designated as an off-leash area more than a year ago. The problem, as anyone who has been to the park with a dog can tell you, is the busy street that runs parallel to the park. It is dangerous for even well-trained dogs to be off-leash there. What can you do to help? Glad you asked: Donate the entire $30,000 to build the fence and you will indeed be the Top Dog. You will get your chosen identity (either your name or your company's name) on a permanent sign at the park's entrance, good things written about you on the Web site, and be a hero to many pooches in the Valley. Give $10,000 to the cause and you rate Four Paws way up. Again, you will get signage and Web site recognition for your generosity toward canines and their families. Come up with $5,000 at the Three Paws level and you are a founding sponsor. Your name or logo will be on the Rules and Regulations sign, and multiple shout-outs on the Web site. Again, you will be loved by many. Make a grand donation of $1,000 and you are a Two Paws donor. Enjoy an engraved message, name or corporate logo on a bench, a picnic table, a tree or a water fountain. Enjoy praise on the Web site. One Paw donors of $300 or more can reserve a commemorative brick engraved with a personal message on the park's walking path. One Paw donors will also get accolades on the park's Web site. And if you are low on funds but high on the idea of a great park, be a Big Lick donor of $5 or more and get props from pups all over the city, and on the Web site, too. So, make a paw-sitive impact on your community and check out the Web site at http://www.roanokedogpark.com/ Love at first sight with HollyYou will notice my lack of restraint in posting a "photo of the week." I should post just one a week and space them out, but I just can't help myself. So, here's round two of this week's edition of Photo of the Week, sent in by loyal blog reader and devoted pet parent Deborah. 
March 12, 2008Color me pink, pay a fineA hair salon owner in Boulder, Colo. was issued a citation for dyeing her miniature poodle bright pink in an effort she said to raise money and awareness of breast cancer.  According to a story in The Denver Post, Joy Douglas used organic beet juice to dye the curly coat of her dog, CiCi. She said she did it with only good intentions. "Customers come in and ask why the dog is pink," Douglas is quoted in the Post. "So we tell them about breast-cancer awareness, about the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, and then we ask for a donation." The Humane Society of Boulder Valley isn't buying that as a good enough reason to dye the little poodle, and cited Douglas for violation of a city ordinance that prohibits dyeing an animal. The impetus for the law was to prevent bunnies and chicks from turning up in pastel colors for Easter. March 11, 2008Herbal remedies for petsBridget Quatmann of Roanoke Animal Hospital will speak about holistic, integrated veterinary medicine and the use of herbs at Virginia Western Community College on Saturday, March 29, at 10 a.m. in the Natural Science Center. The speech is part of "Scarborough Faire: In Celebration of Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme," a day-long event sponsored by The Herb Society of Southwestern Virginia. Admission is free, but there will be a plant sale that will benefit VWCC horticulture students. (Editors' note: I am so sorry if that song is now stuck in your head for the rest of the day.) According to the press release, Quatmann "is a certified veterinary acupuncturist and herbalist who practices integrative veterinary medicine by applying acupuncture, Chinese herbs and diet therapy for a wide array of conditions." I would attend, but I am out of town that weekend. If you get to go, post a comment and let us know what you think. Rabies on the riseLast year Virginia had the highest number of reported cases of rabies in the past 25 years, according to a press release issued yesterday from the Virginia Department of Health. There were 730 cases of rabies in animals last year. While most of those cases were raccoons and skunks, that figure includes 36 cats and 5 dogs, mostly strays that were not vaccinated. March 10, 2008Sandy on a snowy dayBlog reader Scott shared these lovely photos of his pooch in winter: "Here are a couple shots of my 11-year-old Chow-Retriever mix, Sandy. I took these Back in, what? January? -- whenever we got that snow. Taken at the equestrian course at Green Hill Park in Roanoke County." 
March 8, 2008Can't we all just get along?Relationships need time to grow and evolve. See how one cat and one puppy worked out their differences and embraced their diversity. Watch the videos in order to appreciate the journey. March 7, 2008Final justice for cat burglarA Richmond man got a suspended sentence and a fine this week for stealing a kitten from the Richmond SPCA last August. 
He later returned the cat to shelter employees. Robin Robertson Starr, the chief executive officer of the Richmond SPCA, has been lobbying for stiffer penalties for people who filch felines. Currently, it is a misdemeanor to steal a kitty in the Commonwealth; a bill that would make such a crime a felony died in committee in this year's General Assembly. Starr said she will lobby again for the increased penalty in 2009 when she introduces "Ernie's Bill," named in honor of the kitten crime victim. The story in the Times-Dispatch indicated this was not Marshall's first brush with the law, saying his record includes larceny and breaking and entering convictions. Marshall was sentenced to a 12-month suspended jail term, ordered to pay a $250 fine and perform 100 hours of community service. Ernie has since been adopted, renamed Louie, and by all accounts is being spoiled rotten by a 14-year-old girl. What do you think? Was justice served for little Ernie? Should kit-nappers face felony charges? (iStock photo...not the real Ernie/Louie) March 6, 2008Road trips, anyone?
In my preliminary research for this story, I have discovered that Charlottesville is a doggy destination point and that Virginia and North Carolina state parks are pooch-friendly as well. The only trips we have made with our two hounds are to and from the vet, the dog park, and PetsMart. Dexter loves to ride in the car, Coral not so much. She slobbers all over the backseat and cannot wait to get out when we finally stop. Still, I am dying to get my pups on the road and maybe go somewhere sandy and sunny. 
And if you have pictures of your pup on vacation, send them to nona.nelson@roanoke.com with information about the location. March 5, 2008Frankly my dear
Meet Rhett, named after the Southern gentleman in the book and the movie, and looking very dapper in his winter sweater. Rhett is the pride and joy of reader Ashley Nicole, who writes, "He is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi who is 4 months old. He is a complete mess, but an adorable one. As I type he is fighting a Starbucks paper bag. Rhett - 1; Bag - 0" Good job, Rhett. You show that bag who is boss! New hours at the RVSPCA
Beginning March 21, 2008, the Roanoke Valley Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will be open on Friday evenings until 7:00 p.m. According to the press release from the RVSPCA, the change is in response to prospective pet parent requests for evening hours at the beginning of the weekend. Makes sense that people may want to bring a new pet home on a Friday evening so they can spend the whole weekend cuddling and spoiling the little sweetie. Take a cyber stroll through the Animal Gallery in the RVSPCA Web site. The dogs and cats are temperment tested before they are put up for adoption, so reading the profiles can help you determine if a critter is a good match for your family. Information on the adoption process, including regulations and fees, is also on the Web site, and if you don't see your perfect-fit canine or kitty the first time you browse, you can sign up to be notified whenever new cuties are ready to find family. March 4, 2008Tougher dog fighting lawsFrom the General Assembly notebook: Senate wants tougher animal fighting penalties The Virginia Senate voted unanimously Monday to approve legislation to stiffen penalties for animal fighting. House Bill 656 would make fighting animals other than dogs a Class 1 misdemeanor, while making each of the following a Class 6 felony: possession of materials to enhance an animal's fighting ability; attending an exhibition of animal fighting; or permitting a minor to become involved in animal fighting. Dogfighting is already a Class 6 felony. The legislation, sponsored by House Majority Leader Del. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, was largely inspired by the case of Michael Vick, the former Virginia Tech and NFL quarterback who pleaded guilty and is serving 23 months in federal prison for his role in a Surry County dogfighting ring. The bill now goes to Gov. Tim Kaine for his signature. -- Mason Adams Healing hands needed
Read Ruth Tisdale's story in today's Roanoke Times about the neglected horses that are now being cared for by Roanoke Valley Horse Rescue. There is a link on the RVHR Web site to donate money to the care and feeding of these mistreated animals. The group is also looking for volunteers to help with the horses, including providing them the love and attention that they clearly did not get on the Middleburg farm where they were rescued. And if you have room in your life and in your budget for a horse, the adoption fee is $300. How do you like your Ribeye?
I know I should probably save this one for next week, but this pup is so handsome I have to share it now. Readers Maria and David Lemons sent this" ... picture of our sweet boy "Ribeye." He is a 5 year old Jack Russell who is so spoiled that he really doesn't even know he's a dog!!" He is really cute, and you gotta love that name! |