This cartoon cat’s self-titled debut landed the laps of cat lovers everywhere this past spring, and here he is again – just in time for Christmas. This time out, Milton makes merry in a sparsely narrated picture book. Ardalan’s real-life cat lends his likeness to the stylishly simple back and white drawings that have him […]
Winterizing Your Pets
You are bundling up for a walk through a winter wonderland. You put on your hat, gloves, scarf and make sure your tootsies are wrapped in the best footwear money can buy. Then you grab a leash and take your dog outside with you. Looking down, you realize your puppy is naked as the day […]
Biting The Hand That Fames You
Butch Casablanca’s column Remember that mutt named Millie who “dictated” Barbara Bush’s memoirs? Yeah, you know that prissy Springer Spaniel (fine, so she’s got lineage) who wouldn’t know decent four-legged dish if it smacked her in the Oval Office? What a joke! Doesn’t any true purveyor know you have to get a feline to do […]
My weekend at summer camp
First off, let me say that I’m not a bad dog, just misunderstood. “Yappy,” they call me. “Neurotic,” they say. “Disobedient,” they snicker. Well, how would you like it? One day, you’re romping through the bluegrass of Kentucky and three days later you’re in Philadelphia, a big city with barely a blade of grass in […]
“Angel Pawprints”
Reflections on Loving and Losing a Canine Companion—An Anthology of Pet Memorials edited by Laurel E. Hunt (Hyperion) Animal memorials are nothing new. The Egyptians mummified their dogs, while the Victorians held funeral services for them. Today, there are even virtual pet cemeteries for those who chose to celebrate their loss online. When Laurel Hunt, […]
Animal Archive-Leo the Lion
“The 1927 recording of the roar of Leo the Lion, which would become the trademark of all Metro Goldwyn Meyer movies.” Hollywood’s premier animal trainer Volney Phifer never thought that he would become inseparable with the cub he found in Port Sudan, Africa. Leo, the MGM lion, that led an amazing life was the straggliest […]