Dogs rescued from Katrina may be killed Source: KRQE News 13   ALBUQUERQUE -- Over 40 dogs rescued from the putrid waters left behind by Hurricane Katrina were brought to New Mexico. After escaping Hurricane winds and flood waters they may not survive their shelter. More than a dozen dogs remain at the Santa Fe Animal Shelter, having lived there since the beginning of October. The dogs were supposed to stay in New Mexico while their owners got their lives together. The shelter director says they've located addresses in New Orleans where some of the dogs belong, but in some cases, those houses don't exist anymore. Six dogs have been adopted, but there are still 16 that don't have homes. Like at any animal shelter, after a pet has spent some time there, and no one is interested in adopting them, the animal has to be put down. The shelter workers say they are heartbroken but the prospect, but have run out of options. The remaining 16 Katrina dogs will be euthanized soon, possibly this week. If you would like to adopt any pets from the Santa Fe Animal Shelter, including those 16 Katrina dogs, you can contact them by calling 983-4039.   Title: Camping with Dogs-Ten Commandments Author: Julee Meltzer Article: CAMPING WITH DOGS - THE TEN COMMANDMENTS In the U.S. alone, more than 30 million people each year take their pets with them while camping. Yet, when we first started RVing with our dogs, we were unable to find much written on the subject. Sure, there were the occasional articles in magazines that reminded us to use pet ID tags, bring plenty of water, and take their favorite toy. But in terms of providing genuine support or bottom-line information, there was nothing out there. Since it was something that we felt was badly needed, we decided to write this article. While there are numerous issues to consider while camping with dogs, these are some of the most important. 1. Make Sure that Your Dog Can't Get Lost It's one thing if your dog gets free in your neighborhood. It's another when you're at a rest stop, nine hundred miles from home. Either train your dog to come when called or make absolutely sure that they're on a leash at all times. 2. Get All of their Vaccinations Up to Date If your dog gets into an altercation with another animal (or a person), the central issue will become their rabies shots. If you stay at a campground that has a demanding pet policy, you'll need to verify your dog's vaccination records. If you cross into Canada, you'll have to confirm that your dogs have had their shots. You get the idea. 3. Make Your Dogs Easy to Identify If your dog does get lost (unfortunately, it happens all the time), the ability to easily identify them will become critical. For permanent identification purposes, consider tattoos or microchips. At a minimum, make sure they wear tags that show their name, your current phone number, and the date of their last rabies vaccination. 4. Clean Up After Your Dog The biggest complaint about dogs has nothing to do with their bark, their bite, or their behavior. If you pick up after your dog, you'll be helping dog owners everywhere. 5. Learn How to Provide First Aid to Your Dog If a medical crisis occurs while at home, you drive to your local veterinarian. But if you're heading down a dark highway in a strange town, it will seem like a bad dream. Although there are ways to get help while on the road, it always takes more time. In the meantime, your ability to provide competent first aid could save your dog's life. 6. Involve Your Dog in Everything You Do If you really want your dogs to have a good time, include them in your activities. Take them with you on long walks. Buy a cheap plastic wading pool and let them play in the water. Throw a ball. Cook them up a hamburger. If you do stuff like that, they'll do cartwheels the next time you decide to take them camping. 7. Call the Campgrounds Before You Go Even if a park claims they're pet-friendly, always call ahead to confirm their policy regarding your dogs. We've arrived at parks (with our two German Shepard dogs) after a long day on the road only to discover that "pet-friendly" meant dogs weighing under 20 pounds. 8. Plan Ahead for the Unexpected Have a plan (for your dogs) in case of a flat tire, a serious accident, or a fire in your RV. Start with a few extra leashes, a pet carrier, and an extra fire extinguisher. Then have a fire drill to identify potential problems. 9. Learn About Your Camping Environment The U.S. is a huge country with a vast assortment of dangerous wildlife, treacherous plants, unpredictable weather conditions, and demanding environmental challenges. If you don't know what you're doing, you might inadvertently be putting yourself and your dog in danger. 10. Recognize and Respect the Views of Others While some of us can't imagine traveling without dogs, others can't image traveling with them. If you keep your dog under control and clean up after them, you won't give others much to grumble about.  Happy Camping with Rover! About the author: About The Author: The authors of Camping & RVing with your pets are avid pet lovers and campers. They are full-time RVers, who RV in a Class A with 2 large dogs and 3 cats, at last count! Jack and Julee Meltzer have traveled over 100,000 miles with 5 cats and 2 dogs in a Class B and Class A RV. They have stayed in campgrounds, public lands, state and Federal Parks, and the occasional Walmart parking lot. Subscribe at http://www.petsrv.com   Title: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Breed Profile Author: Stephanie Bayliss Article: History The title of "King Charles Spaniel" was bestowed upon these dogs during the reign of King Charles II, who adored his spaniels and would not be parted from them. A law that was passed by King Charles II, still stands today that these little dogs can enter any public place, including the houses of parliament! These little dogs were used to warm the laps of nobility on carriage rides and in cold castles and buildings, so they really are the original "lap dog". Appearance Cavalier's are pretty little dogs, with long flowing coats with long flowing feathers on their legs and beautiful long ears (I'd recommend tying the ears back out of the way at dinner time!!) They have very long, flowing coats and come in a number of colours; Black and Tan, Ruby (Rich red whole colour), Blenheim (chestnut and white), Tricolour (Black and white evenly spaced with tan markings) Both dogs and bitches should stand between 30 - 33cm. Temperament These are very happy, friendly dogs; they walk around with their head and tail held high. They are not nervous dogs and will welcome friends and strangers alike. They like to be close to their people and will take every opportunity to sit on your lap or lie next to you in bed and fall asleep! They are patient and get along well with children and other dogs and animals; they make wonderful family pets, and also make an excellent companion for the elderly. Grooming Cavaliers require a moderate amount of grooming because of their long coats. A quick brush after walkies may be needed, because their flowing coats tend to pick up debris along the way! Long flowing ears mean that care should be taken at feeding time or they get covered in dinner! Exercise Cavaliers certainly enjoy their walks, and require a moderate amount of exercise. They relish the opportunity to get out and meet other people and dogs. They will trot happily along beside you, head held high, taking in the sights and sounds! Health Problems Cavaliers are prone to heart murmurs, although generally lead a healthy, active life with this condition. They can also suffer from slipping knee joints ( subluxating patellas); the dogs weight should be kept under control to reduce the potential problems caused by this condition. If it does lead to the knee popping out of its joint, surgery will be required. Cavaliers also have the highest incidence of any breed of Mitral Valve Disease. A defect in the mitral valve (one of the 4 heart valves) causes backflow of blood into the left atrium, or mitral regurgitation. Less commonly, a narrowing of the valve can be identified. Because of the leaky valve, the heart is less efficient at pumping blood to the body. About the author: Stephanie has written many articles on dogs which can be found at the <a href="http://www.kennel-corner.co.uk" target="_blank">Kennel Corner</a> website. Title: Is Your Pet Part of the Family? If so Consider Pet Insurance Author: Mark Haakonsen Article: Many individuals worldwide have pets and most of the time these pets become mini members of the family accepting and giving love like everyone else. However, the difference between the human members of the family and the animal members is insurance. Of course, there are other differences as well, but when it comes down to saving a member of your family's life insurance really plays a key role and if your pet does not have it what will you do in an emergency situation? Too often pets get sick, hurt, develop illnesses, diseases, and the like and either suffer until they die or are put to sleep simply because owners cannot afford veterinarian's fees. However, this does not have to be the case. There is pet insurance available and for a very low monthly fee you can insure your pet and make sure that he stays part of your family as long as possible despite any illnesses or mishaps. Where to Find Pet Insurance Just like health insurance there are many types of pet insurance on the market today. You can get full coverage, partial coverage, and a wide variety of add on features. However, where do you begin to find pet insurance? There are many places, but your best bet will be online. The reason the Internet is the best place to find pet insurance is because there are many providers and you will be able to compare them quickly and easily and find the most affordable coverage for your pet. Once you begin searching you will find many pet insurance policies. Some only cover cats and dogs while others extend their coverage to horses, rabbits, and other animals. You will just have to do a little research if you are looking for a policy that covers another type of animal as they are not as common. However, finding a policy to cover your cat or dog will be relatively easy. You need to decide what kind of coverage you want and evaluate what is covered in each plan before you make a decision. There are some very basic plans and then there are extensive plans and just about everything in between. Evaluate your pet's health and your budget when making this decision. Pet insurance is significantly cheaper than human health insurance, yet still offers those life saving treatments that could mean the difference in your pet's life. So, start researching the different pet insurance policies available today and you will realize for less than a dollar a day you can have a pet insurance policy to protect your furred friends and keep them in your family longer, just where they belong. For more information visit us at www.pethandbook.com About the author: We hope you enjoyed this article. For more great articles on pets and pet care, please visit us at <a href="http://www.pethandbook.com">Pet Handbook</a>, we continue to bring you the latest in all things pets.       Title: Keeping Your Dog Healthy Author: Amanda Baker Article: Many people consider their dog their best friend, and why shouldn't they? Our dogs greet us at the door as though they haven't seen us in years, even if we've only been gone ten minutes. They put up with our moods - good, bad, and in-between - and they tolerate our bad habits. So, it's natural that you'd want to keep your dog around for as long as possible. So, how do you do that? First and probably most important of all, unless you're planning to breed your dog, you should look into spaying or neutering your pet. Every year, too many unwanted pets and accidental litters have to be put down. As a responsible pet owner, it is your duty to help control this practice on your end. The thing that causes your dog the most misery by far is the common flea. If your dog has fleas - you know it! He's miserable - biting and scratching, often to the point of whining in pain. Only a few fleas can flare up into a major allergic reaction. Fleas should be treated right away. There are so many excellent options available for flea treatment - sprays, collars, lotions, ointments, baths, powders - the choice is virtually limitless! Did you know that dogs are susceptible to about sixty different types of diseases? Twenty of those diseases are transmittable to humans. To help protect your dog (and yourself) against these diseases, make sure your dog is protected by vaccination. These vaccines also have to have boosters. However, discuss the concept of yearly boosters with your veterinarian. Many vets believe yearly boosters are unnecessary and they can actually cause disease. Routine grooming and daily exercise are a must for any dog. Keeping your dog's skin, coat, teeth, gums, and nails healthy make your dog look its very best, and does wonders for the dog's mental and physical health. Exercise, like a daily walk, will help keep your dog physically fit. You should include routine checks on your dog, such as examining his hair and skin for dandruff and his mouth and teeth for dental problems and bad breath. Your dog's behavior is also an important thing to check for. If your dog seems out of the ordinary, or you feel the slightest bit worried, your vet is the person to see. Only your vet will be able to give your dog a proper check-up, and calm your fears. You love your dog. Caring for him properly and ensuring his health is just another way showing him just how much. About the author: Amanda Baker writes for http://tobeinformed.com/pets