Giacomo-Guard Cat

This is a picture taken by our customer Robin Flinn-Roberts.
It shows Giacomo, our guard cat, waiting to pounce upon unsuspecting types.
You should be afraid, be very afraid...

Some very sad news

It is with tremendous sadness that we announce
the passing of our dear dog Mary.
Mary was so very much a part of our lives and
the lives of many of our customers.
She was with us at the store all day, every day and
had her own little fan club.
We are grateful to her for allowing us to share
many fine, fun years with her.

We will miss her deeply.

New stuff at the store

includes things like:

Snoozer Bike Baskets


Kurgo Booster Seats





So Bright Biscuits on sale at $2.99 a bag!



and new patterns of Chilly Dog and Up Country collars.

We also now have Pet Cabaret T Shirts for sale for your wearing pleasure.

They're only $12.99.

Would it kill you to visit? Or at least call? No guilt here...really...just a call...

Panda recovers...

Poor little Panda, sick in the hospital.

She is starting to feel better now, beginning to eat a bit and play with her toys.


We're lucky we had such good care from the folks at the MSPCA. Thanks!

Question of the day...

"Do you sell African Dwarf frogs?"

"No."

"O.K...Thanks."



What is an African Dwarf frog and why would you want one as a pet?

Panda's back

Hi everyone,

Panda is out of the hospital and back home. She is weak, but getting better. She was diagnosed with Hemorrhagic GastroEnteritis (HGE), a VERY dangerous condition that the vets at MSPCA Angell fortunately picked up on right away. Time is of the essence in treating this condition so we were extremely lucky that they were on top on things.

We'll be talking about this condition in the near future since it is rather mysterious and can be fatal.

In the meantime, we'd like to thank the folks at the MSPCA for all their care and fine work. Panda was seen and well treated by Dr. Marie Chartier, Dr. Faith Buckley, and Dr. Vicky Yang. Many, many thanks to you all.

Additional thanks to all the vet techs in critical care that kept such a loving eye on our little pup.

One sick pup

Hi all,

Our little girl Panda, is very sick right now and is in Critical Care at Angell Memorial Hospital.
Please think good thoughts for her recovery.

Thanks,
Lisa, Lisa, Mary, and Giacomo

We're lonely...

Hi all!

We're open for a few hours today, July 4th.

Come by and say "Hi" to Mary, Panda, and Giacomo.

We have some "special" deals going on, because we're all so "special".

Did anyone notice that the sun is out? That's special too.

July 4th weekend looms

We want to let you know that we will

BE OPEN ON SATURDAY, JULY 4th and SUNDAY, JULY 5th.

Our hours on Saturday, July 4th will be 10 AM - 3 PM.

Our hours on Sunday, July 5th will be 12 PM - 4 PM.

We are having a Bully for You Sale on that weekend only.
There will be 15% off on all things bully stick on Saturday and Sunday, July 4th and 5th.

Why should only people get to have fun on holiday weekends?

This is exhausting...

This is Millie.
She is tired from being a puppy.

A Heads Up on a Good Thing...

Hi kids,

Just want to give you a heads up on a really good thing being in done in Roslindale for soldiers, veterans, and their families.

On June 15th, from 4 - 7 PM, at 16 Cohasset Street in Roslindale, acupuncturist, Karen Kirchoff and Reiki Master, Kim Ecevido will host the Veterans Acupuncture and Reiki Benfit Project.

Karen and Kim are doing this in recognition of some of the challenges faced by soldiers, Vets, and their loved ones. Acupuncture and Reiki can help relieve symptoms of pain, stress, insomnia, and PTSD.

The cost is on a sliding scale basis from $25-$45.00. Additional donations welcomed.

Please let anyone you think might benefit from a session know about this event. More information can be had by dialing 617-522-3990 or 617-469-8288.

Karen and Kim are really good people doing a really good thing so let's let people know about this. Thanks!

Save the Boston Park Rangers' Horses

Save the Boston Park Rangers' Horses

It has been publicly stated that the horses used by the Park Rangers of the Boston Park Department will be eliminated due to budget cuts. We respectfully oppose this action. The horses greatly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Park Rangers. The elimination of the Boston Park Department horses will adversely decrease public safety in the parks of the City of Boston.

* Eliminating the horses will dramatically reduce the ability of the Park Rangers to patrol the large park system especially the wooded areas where vehicles cannot go.

* Eliminating the horses will dramatically reduce the ability of the Park Rangers to patrol the large park system when there is a heavy snowfall.

* The horses are extremely vital for crowd safety control at parades and demonstrations.

* Rangers mounted on horses are six feet higher and can see over larger areas in urban crowds looking for lost children or in forests looking for lost hikers.

* Rangers mounted on horses can hear cries for help and assistance over large distances better then in patrol vehicles with engine noise and lower height.

* Rangers mounted on horses are an important friendly visible face of public safety assurance and assistance for both residents and tourists in the City of Boston.

* Horse mounted units cannot be easily reinstated because it takes years to train horses plus develop the trust between the individual ranger and individual horse.

We petition Mayor Thomas Menino, Boston City Council and Boston Parks Department Commissioner Antonia Pollak to keep the horses used by the Park Rangers to efficiently and effectively ensure the parks are safe for all the citizens of Boston and visitors from around the world.

Friends of Jamaica Pond

Sign on-line petition at:

http://www.petitiononline.com/BPHorses/petition.html

Very nice indeed

Big Shrimpy Beds, sold at The Pet Cabaret are great beds. They're tough and attractive.They're thoroughly washable inside and out. They're not cheap but they last a long time and are worth the investment.

Now though, they've introduced a first ever pet bed recycling program called Full Circle.

If you own a Big Shrimpy bed and it has finally seen better days, you can contact the company at
http://www.bigshrimpy.com/recyclable.htm to return the bed and keep it out of a landfill.

This is a really responsible move by a great little company that makes a fine product. Thanks to Bruce and Cici Kelling, owners of Big Shrimpy.

Poodle Day at the store

Poodle Rescue of NE will be at the store today from 11 am - 1 pm. They'll be handing out information and looking for some forever homes for some great dogs. Please stop by.

A great little guide

A quick note to let you kids know that we have recently gotten in a great little pet emergency guide. It's a very comprehensive one covering such topics as pet first aid, and travel and emergency planning.

At $16.99, it's a really handy guide to have around just in case.

For more info on the guide go to http://www.informedguides.com

Eastah Sunday.....

Just to let you all know...
we are CLOSED on Easter Sunday.

Have a lovely, relaxing day.

Thanks for everything.

Puppies in the neighborhood

There's lots of new pups and kitties
(and even chickens!) in the neighborhood.

Here's a picture of one of them.

Meet Edith.

Hello Edith.

Dragon Fish Dance

This is a short tape of the lovely Dragon Fish
that we saw at the Monterey Aquarium...they
move so slowly and beautifully...oooo...so pretty.

Celebrating in style

Professor Higgins knows how to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in style

A little update then

We're back from vacation where all went well but I think we're feeling as though we never left. Forgive us if we seem a touch crazier than usual.

Oh, the plane thing...the one about the other plane using the "other runway". Well, turns out the other pilot DID NOT get the "use the other runway" memo.

So here's what happened - the pilot, as I mentioned previously, tells us to "pay no attention" to the other plane that we may see on the right side of the plane.

OK then, fair enough, I think, he knows it's there, so I should refrain from any back seat driving.

We begin our descent towards the runway which I am happily watching on the little mappy thing that Virgin so thoughtfully provides on the screen on the seat in front of me. I am watching our descent, watching the numbers go down...we are at 2000 feet, 1000 feet, 500 feet, 161 feet....523 feet!

Weeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Up we go again! Really, really UP! Like in a straight line kinda 90 degree angle kinda up... kinda just a tad too rapidly for most people's taste kinda up...

The cabin of the plane falls eerily silent. Randy, Lisa S's brother and one of our traveling companions, turns and shoots me a look which causes me to laugh hysterically and of course, probably utterly inappropriately.

I avoid looking at the other Lisa at all costs. She is, suffice it to say, not a good flyer.

The guy next to me hasn't let go of my arm yet.

The other Lisa announces that if we smell something questionable in the cabin in the next few minutes, it is probably coming from her.

The pilot gets on the intercom and tells us that the other pilot was "disoriented" and that we would be using another runway on our second approach to SFO.

I wish like Hell that I could hear the conversation in the cockpit. You know it's a good one.

We saw...

...this at the Monterey Aquarium
and this...
and this...

oooo...pretty.....

Sign of the day

So yesterday we were at the Farmer's Market at the Ferry Building in San Francisco. It was great, lots of organic fruits, vegetables, herbs, cheeses, and meats.
This was the best sign that we saw while we were there.

Just so you know

Just a little heads up for all of you kids here...it is NEVER a good thing when the pilot of your plane says,

"If you look out of the right side of the plane and see another plane running parallel to us, pay no attention to it. It'll be using another runway...."

It's just NEVER a good thing.

More on this later.

A little dog to dog comparison

Just an interesting doggy note here...took a walk around the city yesterday shortly after arriving and it was raining. Naturally I had to go to the dog park because it had been about eight or nine hours since I had seen any pooches.

Most of the pups running around here had raincoats on. Even the breeds like Huskies and Chows were wearing them.

Most pups in Boston really don't wear them. Winter coats, yes, but not too many raincoats.

Question...are our Boston pups more "macho" than San Francisco pups? Discuss.

The saga continues...like you wanna hear it.

So as to prevent nausea


Day One/SceneTwo

We are, naturally, the last group to board the plane – part of group F, which undoubtedly has some sort of “Fashion Failure” connotation. They still let us board though, and for this I am eternally grateful.

Stepping onto the plane I feel as though I am walking into an 80’s gay bar meets backstage at “The View”. Lavender colored acrylic divides the uber cool from the regular cool and us. Soft purple lights wash up the cabin walls and line the ceiling. The flight crew is swaddled in sleek black uniforms with an occasional splash of red. Ambient, new agey music softly plays we take our black leather seats. Oooo...

Looking at the crew, I see the work of the selection criteria board is immediately apparent. Again, I imagine what the list looks like.

Crew members must include at least one of each of the following:
Cute gay boy with spiky hair
Dark haired Asian beauty
Pretty blond chick from American heartland
Strikingly handsome/lovely dark skinned man or woman
Other random lovelies

I immediately sort through the contents of the little catch bin in front of me. I find a tastefully designed barf bag, a tastefully designed emergency procedures manual, a tastefully designed menu, a tastefully designed welcome brochure, and a box of no roll crayons. Since I imagine that in my future, crayons will be the only implements that I am allowed to write with, I play with them first. This behavior earns an icy glare from the little one. I put them back. I'll get back to them later when she is sleeping.

I start to monkey with the personal viewing screen and discover that there is a remote control imbedded in the arm of my seat. I am oddly charmed and overly impressed. I wonder if Richard Branson would consider adopting me. I can cook and don't often soil myself.

My morning tea was laced with Dramamine so I spend the flight alternately drooling on myself while sleeping and playing with the entertainment system. Needless to say, it takes me most of the flight to figure out what my eleven year old nephew could figure out in ten minutes, tops. By the time I am comfortable with the system we are bouncing onto a rainy San Francisco runway.

We had some great Dim Sum for lunch at a little place in the Richmond and are getting ready to watch the Oscars even though we haven’t seen even one of the movies.

I have not yet had a glass of wine but I hope to remedy that situation shortly.

California, here we are

Day One, Scene One

First of all, big thanks to Uncle Eric for rousing himself out of bed early on a Sunday morning to drop us off at the airport. Anything to get rid of us.

We’re here are at the airport getting ready to board our flight. It’s 7:12 am, we’ve passed through security in an unusually uneventful way. The little one typically gets pegged as some sort of high security risk and we generally nearly get carted off to the airport equivalent of Guantanamo. This time, however, not so much. I think that we will only fly Virgin from now on.

The Virgin waiting area is a sea of coolness. It’s about twenty minutes old. All red and white graphics and blue glass tiled bathrooms. Touch screen computer monitors and multi ethnic passengers are everywhere.

We are hopelessly out of sync with the rest of the way hip flyers waiting to board the plane. It’s as if the crowd has been vetted out by some sort of selection criteria board. I imagine what their checklist might look like.

Qualifications to fly include/but are not limited to:
Possession of:
I Phone/I Touch/I Pod
Laptop
British accent
Pithy sense of humor
Some sort of fashion sense
Ability to pull off above mentioned fashion sense that may include the wearing of Uggs and fedoras

We clearly have been allowed to fly under some sort of “special admissions” program that allows the tragically unhip/uncool to mingle with the rest of humanity. I’m feeling like the best we can do is not draw attention to ourselves. It's not gonna be easy.

For general consumption...

OK Kids, we are going to be taking a little vacation from the bustling world of retail to regain our normally sunny dispositions. We are going to California to mooch off of family and theoretically stand in the sun for five minutes.

I say this as monsoon conditions blanket the entire left coast. I must say, our timing is really impeccable.

Here are the dates that we will be closed for vacation:

We will be closed from Sunday, February 22, 2009
through Sunday, March 2, 2009.



We will reopen on Tuesday, March 3, 2009,
keeping our regular hours 10:00 am - 7:00 pm.

Remain calm, carry on, and we will see you when we get back.

Thanks to you all, the best customers anywhere.

Baby Amani

This is the darling baby aardvark, Amani, born at the Detroit Zoo on Christmas Day.

Call of the day...

I know that you won't even believe this but here it goes.

"I have a couple of questions." the caller alerts me, "Do you have time?"

"OK." I say. "I have a little."

"Do you have any dry shampoos for dogs?" she asks.

"No," I say, "but we have mousse and wipes and things like that. What kind of dog do you have?"

"Well, my dog is actually no longer alive. I had it freeze dried and keep it in the house, and with the holidays, I feel like it needs to be cleaned up, you know, for guests."

"I understand." I say.

Holiday Photo Shoot Update

OK Kids, the Holiday Pet Photo shoot is REALLY filling up fast. We only have a couple of slots left open because lots of people have opted to sign up for the event early.

We will be extending our hours that day to accommodate as many photo seekers as we can but please do call us at 617.323.7387 if you want to be sure to get in.

Pet Photos

We had some really great photo results from our "Howl-O-Ween Pet Photo Day". Pooches, kitties, and humans showed up and walked away with dandy, fun shots.

Here's a few for you to take a gander at:



Our Christmas Pet Photo Event is scheduled to take place on Sunday, November 23rd at the store.
It will again be a first come, first served type of event and judging from the Howl-O-Ween shoot, we do expect it to be well attended. We'll let you know more details as we get them.

I'm wondering...

Yesterday's, "do you sell" phone call question was "Do you sell ants?"

"Ants?" I say, "Why, no...you can get them outside..."

"Oh." came the reply and a polite "Thank you" followed.

Piranhas, ants...am I missing some sort of marketing opportunity here??

Howloween Photo Shoot

Our annual Howloween Photo shoot is going to be Sunday, October 26th at the store.

It'll be first come, first served this year though we are accepting early sign ups.

We will get back to you all with more details as soon as we have them.

Poodle Rescue Alert!

OK kids, let's think about how we can help the people over at Flora's Pet Project in Connecticut.
Our pal Daryl just let us know about a seizure they did of over twenty poodles from a neglectful
"breeder". This person kept far too many dogs to care for them and when they seized they were in deplorable condition - matted, smelly, thin, and scared.

The volunteers of Flora's cleaned them up and are providing veterinary care to them now. They range in age from a few months old to three years old.

Daryl tells us that they are a terrifically sweet group of dogs though none of them is sure about how to live in the real world. They are looking for experienced adopters to provide training and social skills to these wonderful little pooches. They will be great pals to someone.

Just to let you know...

that someone just called and asked if we sold Piranhas.

We don't.

I thought you would like to know.

Please welcome...

Mr. Giacomo Gigio, our new store kitty.

Mr. Giacomo comes to us from the Boston MSPCA and is the long lost son
of our late, beloved Topo Gigio, (so we imagine).
You will probably see him hanging out in the window or running around
the store introducing himself.
Please make yourself known to him. He is new in town.

Greg Tilford Lecture- Herbs and Natural Supplements for Dogs & Cats

It is with great pleasure that we once again announce a lecture by herbalist Greg Tilford. Greg is also an author and co-owner of Animals Essentials, a line of herbal and nutritional supplements that we carry at The Pet Cabaret.

The lecture is entitled "Herbs and Natural Supplements

for

Dogs & Cats".
The presentation is designed to identify and explore the true dietary and supplemental requirements of dogs and cats, viewed from a holistic perspective. This knowledge will help take attendees into deeper, more loving and caring relationships with their companion animals.

THIS EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE

ON: SEPT, 19, 2008 at 7:00PM
AT: THE PET CABARET
4404 WASHINGTON STREET
ROSLINDALE, MA
617-323-7387

Pre-registration for this event is necessary. Really...space is limited.

Greg is rarely in the Boston area so this is a really great opportunity to hear a well-known expert on herbal medicine and supplementation for animals.

Greg with students on an herbal walk
from a June 2008 seminar in Montana

Annie!

So the auditions for the part of Sandy the dog in the Footlight Club version of Annie went very well. We had a beautiful day and everyone was nicely behaved. No fights broke out even when participants were being pelted with tennis balls. The show, did indeed go on.

Here's a picture of the finalists. Good luck to them all!

Off Leash Dog Parks

We get a lot of inquiries regarding off leash dog parks in our area...you know...Roslindale, JP, Brookline, Dedham...

Now we all know that we don't really have any to speak of around here since the powers that be in the city have not seen fit to convey that honor upon us and our pooches, but we do know some exist.

So my question to you all is where are they all and where are your favorites?

Let us know where the pooch packs are playing.

Thanks!

Exciting News!

Hi Kids!

Just got word that Greg Tilford - herbalist supreme - will be gracing us with an hour long lecture about the use of herbal remedies in animals on Friday evening, September 19, 2008.
We have not yet confirmed the exact hour but we'll get back to you on that... I really did just find out.

Greg is the owner and formulator of the Animal Essentials line of remedies that we sell at The Pet Cabaret. Those of you who have used these formulas can attest to their gentleness and effectiveness. They really are just great.

This is going to be a wonderful opportunity to hear Greg speak and ask him a question or two.

We are very excited about Greg coming to our store and urge you all to sign up for this lecture as soon as we get back.

The Road Trip continues...

Da Falls








These shadowy characters have been following us everywhere.









Looks relaxing doesn't it?

The Road Trip Begins!

All right kids, here's what's going on...I have been meticulously photo documenting our road trip for your viewing pleasure but for some reason cannot upload the photos to the site yet. I will keep trying.

In the meantime I will say that going to Niagra Falls seemed like a good idea at the time. Obviously, it seemed like a good idea to about a million other tourists as well.

So there we all were...in Niagra Falls...slowly we turned...inch by inch, step by step.

But it turned out to be very fun as well. We took the Maid of the Mist boat ride and had a swingingly good time on it. We all looked marvelous in our blue plastic ponchos.

We ate at Wolfgang Putz's place, didn't really work out like we planned.

We walked around in a dazed and confused state for the remainder of the evening after getting completely over-stimulated in a casino.

So now, here we are in Michigan drinking wine and swearing at the computer. Not different from most evenings.

We'll get back to you soon with photos.

The Road Trip Begins!

Leaving Roslindale...

• First stop for the hardy travelers...Dedham

Oooo...yummy...










Why is the cup so big??
Why is my head so small??

Gigi, One Happy Customer

No chihuahuas were harmed during the making of this video.

But the ducky didn't make out so well.

Panda's Latest Work

Panda just wanted to show you the new shrine she just built in the backyard. 

She did all the work herself.

Now here she is contemplating things.

She hopes that you like everything.

Second Day Activities

Banged a right at the "Gas and Grub" to make my way to the Carriage House for day two of our herbal conference. Like the previous day  another flood of information was unleashed onto our heads. Another great learning day. We talked about formulating herbal remedies and how to address pest/parasite issues in a more holistic way. We talked a lot about changing the way in which we view health and healing - about taking a real, whole view of all the beings involved.

I've gotta tell you kids, the once a month flea and tick insecticides are SO NOT OK for your pet, you, or the environment. PLEASE, PLEASE THINK ABOUT THEM BEFORE YOU USE THEM. They are not good things.

Lots of stuff to talk you all about when I get back
when I can once again form coherent sentences.

Took a break today and made our way to the Farmer's Market in downtown Hamilton. It was very cool and I was happy to locate an Emu farm from which we can source fresh Emu oil. This is great stuff, this Emu oil goo. It's been used for many years as a skin healing treatment and as a pain reliever for joint and muscle disorders. The question is, do Emu run in packs? Herds? Flocks? Gaggles? Gangs? I'll look into it.

Notes and Observations:

I feel utterly compelled to drive fast and turn up the radio here. Don't tell the other Lisa.

Favorite sign of the day.

Day One of the Herbal Seminar

So today was the first day of the Animal Essentials Herbal Seminar here in Hamilton, Montana. 

Not only is the seminar being taught by talented herbalist Greg Tilford, but it is being attended by a wonderful group as well including holistic vets, two women from pet food manufacturer "The Honest Kitchen", Stacy LaPoint, the owner of Companion Natural Pet Food Company (whose foods we carry), the staff of Animal Essentials, and owners of other retail stores similar to The Pet Cabaret.

We talked a great deal about how to best encourage the body to heal itself, how to support it through the use of supportive herbs and a nutritious, quality diet. We talked about chronic diseases, acute conditions, active ingredients in herbs, determining herbal dosing and LOTS of other subjects. In short, it was a day full of learning (and great food as well). Tomorrow we'll 

cover some more cool subjects and my tiny brain may just explode. 

                                                         

I took a walk through downtown Hamilton after the seminar. 

                                                                     

 Came across this tank that I thought you should see.

More Notes and Observations:

It's definitely odd to see mountains, real mountains everywhere. We are in a valley here 

so every time I look around, mountains to the left, mountains to the right.

I now know where to get a set of spurs.

Who knew there were casinos out here?

Most of America drives large pick up trucks.

Go West!

06/12/08

So I am traveling to Montana for the first time ever. I am going to a seminar entitled “Western Herbal Medicine in Veterinary Use”. It’s being hosted by Animal Essentials, one of our favorite remedy suppliers in the store. I hope to come home with lots of good new knowledge so that we can work on keeping our pets healthier in a gentler, more natural way.

I don’t travel much so I am that combination of nervous and excited, sort of feeling free and unmoored at the same time.

I have gotten into the habit, for better or for worse, of abdicating responsibility for certain things because B Looey takes care of them. Little detail things…like, do I have a watch? Do I have Kleenex? What time is the flight? What airline? Do I have “weapons” in my pockets? I forget to think about these things, until I have to remember them.

Today I had to remember them. I am doing OK…not great with the details. I left my “Juice” in my checked luggage. Good. I forgot my watch. Not so good. I remembered my glasses. Score! I forgot Kleenex. There are paper towels in the restrooms. I did not check for changes in my flight. There was one. It will take a while for me to adjust to thinking for myself.

Travel notes…

Travel is not as much fun as it used to be.

The space, or lack thereof, on planes is enough to keep me on a diet for the rest of my life. The aisles are not even wide enough to fit their own equipment. I was roused from my Dramamine induced stupor when my shoulder took a massive hit from the beverage cart as the flight attendant attempted to maneuver it through the plane. The abuse did not end there. My shoulder apparently had a bulls-eye printed on it as visitors to the rear of the plane pretty much just took part of my arm with them coming and going.

There is a very talkative 3 or 4 year old sitting behind me who is not using her “inside voice” and a wildly precocious 9 or 10 year old sitting in front of me. They are vying for the title of “most annoying”. Both sets of parents have apparently just given up.


Notes and Observations thus far:
I think that the Missoula runway must be pretty short because the pilot pretty much popped a wheelie while landing the plane. Since I am writing this from the beauty of my Super 8 motel room in Hamilton, MT, I am assuming he knew what he was doing.

You don’t see as many cowboy hats in Boston as you do in Montana or on the way there.

Consume a LOTTA meat out here.

A New Photographer and Pet Photo Day!

We are thoroughly pleased to announce that on Sunday, June 29th, photographer Andrew Potter will be doing pet portraits here at The Pet Cabaret.

Andrew is a Roslindale guy and does beautiful work of pets, people and objects. Check out his website at http://potterimages.com/ for a look at his work.

Now here's a few of the details on the photo day:

- Each session is a private sitting that will last about 20 minutes or so.

- Sessions must be booked in advance.

- Multiple pets are welcome.

- Kids and owners can sit in on the shots.

- There is a $25.00 non-refundable fee required to book a session.

- The total session fee is $75.00 and includes a Photo package. The Photo Package includes one of the following:

2 - 8 x 10 prints, or 1 - 8 x 10 and 2 - 5 x 7 prints, or 1 - 8 x 10 and 4 - 4 x 6 prints.

- Andrew will post each session to his website in its own secure gallery so that you may choose the shots you want.

So there you have it. Please come into the shop or give us a call at 617-353-7387 to book a session with Andrew.

Also remember that we'll be choosing pet shots from these sessions for display in our windows, so this may be your pet's opportunity to become a star!

Speak Out Against "Pet Rentals" in Massachusetts-

This information was forwarded to us by our pals at Poodle Rescue New England. Please take a minute to help out, this needs NOT to happen in Massachusetts or any other state for that matter.

If you think dogs and cats should not be used and returned like ZipCars,now's the time to do something about it. Waiting even a few weeks could be toolate. FlexPetz, which rents companion dogs by the hour or day, is poised toopen in Boston soon. Once the door is open, other pet rental businesses willfollow.All aggressively promote the "disposable pet" mindset, to the detriment ofanimals--and those of us dedicated to rescuing them.Every voice is needed; Boston residents have extra clout.How to Help in Three Quick, Easy Ways

1. Urge your Boston City Councilor to ban FlexPetz and similar businesses,because they could put animals, consumers and the general public at risk.How? See the Talking Points, below. You can send Councilors the attached ExpertPerspectives for extra impact.To find your Councilor: _http://www.cityofboston.gov/CITYCOUNCIL/_(http://www.cityofboston.gov/CITYCOUNCIL/)

2. Call State Rep. Angelo Scaccia (617-722-2692), who represents parts ofBoston and Milton. If you're a constituent, say so. Urge that "An ActProhibiting the Renting of Pets" (HD 4864) be released right away. That's just thefirst step in the passage process, which ends in July, so it has to happenNOW. If you get voicemail, leave a message (including your address) but try tocall back to speak with a person.

3. Ask your state rep and senator to co-sponsor; 17 colleagues already havestepped up, yours should too. Most legislators have expressed personalsupport, but want to hear from constituents: That means you. You have the power toprotect animals. Please don't let them down.To find your legislators:_http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php_ (http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php)Want to do more?

Join a group of animal lovers who will be visiting Beacon Hill to speak withlegislators personally. Email _CPRPets@aol.com_ (mailto:CPRPets@aol.com) byMay 7 if you're available for an hour or two on a weekday.

Rent Cars, Not Pets: Talking PointsFlexPetz is a business that rents dogs by the hour or day for people to useand return on whim. FlexPetz calls it "flexible ownership." But exploitationby any name hurts.Why It's Bad for Pets

1. Pet rental businesses suggest they benefit shelter animals. Not so,according to the MSPCA, Animal Rescue League, Buddy Dog Humane Society and otherreputable shelters and rescue groups: They oppose renting pets and don'tprovide animals for this purpose. Besides, dogs appealing enough to command heftyusage fees obviously are appealing enough to be adopted. Duh! Instead, they're turned into profit centers.

2. Being rented could ruin a companion animal's chance for a "forever home"when the business is done with her, according to behavior consultant JoJacques, CDBC, CPDT, CPCT. "These animals will become distrustful of humans; theywill withdraw. If they're not adopted or it fails as a result? Off to ashelter, but older, more confused…and more likely to be euthanized or spend therest of their lives in cages."

3. Dogs and cats need stability and consistency. Rental pets are handed offto a succession of people for short periods of time, subjected to differentpersonalities, routines and rules. "I see a lot of dogs who have severebehavioral issues resulting from inconsistency. It is nearly impossible to beconsistent with rented pets," says Jo Jacques.

4. What happens to rental pets who become chronically ill, are criticallyinjured or develop behavior problems? No business can hold "inventory" thatcosts instead of pays. And few people adopt animals requiring a lifetime ofexpensive medical care. Fewer still want those who bite. What do you thinkhappens to them?

5. Who will protect rental pets from abuse? Because these businesses areunregulated, it is unlikely animal protection agencies will know if the pets arebeing abused—or their fate when they cease to be profitable.

6. Who will pay attention to early signs of distress? Probably not a doggieday care worker charged with overseeing a pack, including rental pets betweenassignments. Like humans, an animal's psychological and physical problemsare more easily treated when caught early. Unlike humans, animals may be putdown if those problems escalate.

7. Renting encourages "disposable pet syndrome"—thinking of all pets as "things" we enjoy till they're no longer cute or convenient, then return.

8. Pet rentals and dog fighting are on the same continuum: They trade ondesensitization of humans, commoditization of animals. One business conditionsus to tolerate the other.

Why It's Bad for People - Even well-mannered pets are more apt to bite when stressed, and constantchange is very stressful, say the experts. Consumers may not appreciate the riskof injury—or a lawsuit—to which renting a pet could expose them."Indemnification or liability insurance, if offered, may not adequately protect petrental clients from the stress and/or staggering costs of litigation," accordingto Atty. Jonathan Stone Rankin.

Why It's Bad for Massachusetts - The "disposable pet syndrome" that pet rental businesses promote mayultimately strain public and private resources. It is akin to the dumbing down ofAmerica—except it's our perception of and responsibility to companion animalsthat will erode. That can only lead to increased pet abandonment, adoptionreturns and abuse. And that hurts all of us, including taxpayers who don'thave an affinity for animals.

Explaining ourselves...the wonderful world of EFAs

Those of you that have been in the store know that we are big fans of supplementing our pets' diets. It's not as though we feel that our foods aren't "good enough" to nicely sustain our pet pals, it's just that each animal is different and has different needs.
Some animals, like people, need more of certain vitamins or minerals than others, some need a joint supplement to help them with pain or stiffness, some need an herbal or homeopathic remedy to help with anxiety or fear. Supplements are not a "one size fits all" thing and we love to talk to people to try to help find the right nutritional fix or remedy for their pet.
Still there are some supplements that can be used that really will help most any animal, and one of those is an Essential Fatty Acid Oil in the form of fish oil. We feel that Dr. Shawn Messionnier, author of the excellent book, The Natural Health Bible for Dogs and Cats, (available at The Pet Cabaret) perhaps provides one of the best explanations as to why fish oil is such a great choice for a supplement.
Dr. Messonnier says,
"Fish oil is one of my favorite supplements for a variety of problems in both dogs and cats. Even normal pets can benefit from improved haircoats when supplemented with fatty acids such as fish oil. In pets, fish oil is useful for reducing inflammation in pets with allergic skin disease and kidney failure. It possibly also helps pets with heart disease and osteoarthritis. Studies show that pets fed high doses of fish oil have better control of cancer. Extra vitamin E is needed when giving fish oil on a regular basis as fish oil supplemented for many months can lower vitamin E levels (most fish oil supplements contain additional vitamin E for this reason [all available at The Pet Cabaret contain additional vitamin E.])
Side effects are very rare using fish oil...There is concern about environmental contamination of fish oil with toxins. Studies have shown that fish meat (not oil) may be contaminated with methylmercury."

So, next time you're in the store, take a look at some of the EFA and fish oils we offer by Bravo, The Wholistic Pet, Nordic Naturals, Animal Essentials, and Wysong. You and your pet will be glad you did.

Quick Notes

Hi kids,



A couple of quick notes for you all...



Flea and tick season approaches as we speak. You all know that we are not fans of the chemical potions that are used as flea and tick repellents. We feel that they're bad for you, your pet, and the environment. We have in stock again this year the Tic Clip, a non toxic flea and tick repellent out of Germany as well as a number of herbal and esential oil sprays designed to keep you and you pets pest free and healthy.



We have in as well some non toxic household cleaners designed again, for safe, effective use in the home.



We've taken in a new line of hemp toys for cats and dogs manufactured by a small company called From the Field out of Washington state. They are simple, yet wonderful little toys made from sustainable hemp that our cat and dogs are enjoying.



Lastly, please visit Healthy Home Center site for some tips on how to make your home a better place for all the beings that hang out there. We all deserve a safe, healthy home.