Sawyer is a popular poem subject/Ryn Gargulinski

Whether you have a lazy dog or a conniving cat, there is no better way to immortalize your pet than with a poem in his or her honor.

And you’re never too young to start.

The third annual Paws for Poetry Contest is open to kids ages 5 to 12. Kids write a poem to and provide a photo of their pet for a chance to win the grand prize of a $50 Amazon.com gift card or a runner up $25 gift card.

The contest is co-sponsored by the virtual field trip website Meet Me at the Corner and Flashlight Press.

Get full details and submission address at PawsforPoetry.org.

Submission deadline is April 15, 2010, smack dab in the middle of National Poetry Month.

Sawyer Says: Go for it.

Even if you’re bit older than age 12, you can still write an ode to your hamster or a sonnet to your snake. Gads of poetry websites, anthologies and the like are often open to submissions. Or you can simply write it for your own pleasure.

As you may have guessed from the 7 million photos I have of my own pets that I have a few poems about them, too.

I’ll spare you the odes to my goats, but will instead share a poem written about Sawyer, since this is, after all, his blog.

FENCE

Sawyer the indecisive hound/Ryn Gargulinski

To Sawyer

my dog wants
whatever he
cannot have he stays in he
wants out he goes out he
wants in give him liver he
wants beef he gets chicken he
wants cheese he whines and
paws and pines for the
unattainable – a trait that makes him
so bothersome – and human.

-Ryn Gargulinski, 2007

What do you think?

Have you written any pet or animal poems? Feel free to share them below.

Do you have any favorite animal poems by other authors?

What’s the strangest thing you ever wrote a poem about?
(I once wrote an ode to Neosporin when it magically healed a cut.)

Our pets may be smart, but they may not know everything – like what to do during a fire.

Fire photo Ryn Gargulinski

Chances of our furry, feathered and scaly friends surviving a blaze will soon be increased, thanks to a slew of donated pet oxygen masks.

The donation comes from Tucson Pet Care Network, a group of local animal care professionals which aims to give pet oxygen masks to every fire station in the Tucson metro area.

Four masks are going to Northwest Fire District Fire Station 38, 8475 N. Star Grass, on Wednesday, March 3.

“Many people consider pets members of the family,“ said Northwest Fire Capt. Adam Goldberg in a news release, “and the devastation of losing a cherished pet is often much greater than the trauma of losing a house or possessions.”

You got that right, Captain.

Designed to fit the noses and snouts of dogs, cats, ferrets, rabbits, birds and other small animals, pet oxygen masks could mean the difference between life and death if our beloved pets were ever trapped in raging smoke and flames.

“We’ve already donated some masks to local fire stations,” said Tucson Pet Care Network Chairperson Kate Titus, “but we want to make sure there is one on every truck that might be responding to a fire.”

Individual members have donated to fire stations near their homes, and the Northwest delivery marks the first donation by Tucson Pet Care Network.

“We’ve also had a few vets get in on the action,” Titus said. Both Dr. Tim Ireland from Encanto Pet Clinic and Dr. Ann Campbell from Plaza Pet have purchased and donated masks.

The Network has five more masks to deliver, most likely going to Tucson Fire Department stations.

“We’re well short of that goal and need the public’s help to make that a reality,” Titus said. “Outer-lying areas have the most need, but there is a need in Tucson proper as well.

We discovered the need for the masks from a group called Bark Buckle UP (www.barkbuckleup.com ) and their promotion, Bark 10-4, for fire awareness month in October. They worked with SurgiVet, manufacturer of the masks, and Smith Medical, distributor of the masks, to make them available for public sponsorship and distribution to fire houses in the community. The masks are sponsored by 100 percent donation and there is no tax or shipping costs. The masks are delivered directly to the firehouses. It’s easy for the public to get involved. The masks are just $25 for a medium mask or $65 for a set of three masks in small, medium and large.

To help Tucson Pet Care Network with its efforts or to learn more, visit TucsonPetCareNetwork.com.

Side note: In addition to the network’s chairperson, Titus owns A Loyal Companion Massage Therapy. Sawyer and Phoebe both swooned over her pet massage techniques, which she outlines during free workshops.

Sawyer Says: Thank you, Tucson Pet Care Network. Pet oxygen masks are a great idea, even though I hate things on my head. Heck, I even chewed off that lampshade thing they put around my head when I had stomach stitches.

What do you think?

Have you ever seen a pet oxygen mask in action?

Have your pets every survived a fire or other life-threatening circumstances?

As disgusting or seemingly cruel as some may say live food can be, Lazlo’s gotta eat.

Lazlo file photo/Ryn Gargulinski

Being a skink, he likes to eat mice.

We tried the meal worm diet for some time but he tired of it and began to just sit there at feeding time. I’m none too fond of meal worms, so I’m not really crying over his loss of interest in them. But I was getting concerned about his lack of eating.

I brought my worries to our very own reptile authority, loyal reader AZMouse, who told me try a mouse or two for big bad Laz.

While she recommended a “hopper,” or a baby that has just started hopping about, some pet stores only stock the newborn pinkies or the full-fledged adults.

Lazlo got a pinkie. Check out his dining experience in the video below or on YouTube.

Note: Video quality suffers due to the high compression necessary to view video on this site.

Click HERE to check out the video on YouTube for a cleaner viewing experience

Music courtesy of Heithaus Productions. Thanks, Eric!

Rodents as food terminology:

Feeder mouse, feeder rat – mouse sold as food for larger animals
Pinkie – newborn, pink and squirmy rodent
Fuzzy – newborn who is already growing a bit of fur
Hopper – youngster who is already hopping about
Top of the list is the full size mouse or rat, feeder rats often sold as small, medium and large. Full-size rodents can, in fact, attack your reptile unless the reptile is quick enough or you stun the rodent first.

What do you think?

Do you have to feed any of your pets live food? What?

Do you hate meal worms as much as me and Lazlo do?

Just when you thought PETA could not get more ridiculous – it does.

Rough rendition of robot rodent/Ryn Gargulinski

The mouthy animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, wants notable Pennsylvania groundhog Punxsutawney Phil replaced with a robot rodent.

PETA people say the fanfare and captivity is jarring and unpleasant for a real-life groundhog and an animatron would fare better under the circumstances.

The Associated Press reports:

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says it’s unfair to keep the animal in captivity and subject him to the huge crowds and bright lights that accompany tens of thousands of revelers each Feb. 2 in Punxsutawney, a tiny borough about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. PETA is suggesting the use of an animatronic model.

But William Deeley, president of the Inner Circle of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, says the animal is “being treated better than the average child in Pennsylvania.” The groundhog is kept in a climate-controlled environment and is inspected annually by the state Department of Agriculture.

We are not sure where PETA’s preposterous claims will end, but we can guess how far they will go.

What if some households have kids that are scaring the dogs or pulling the tails of the cats? We’d better get some robot kitties and canines on the list.

And say a reptile owner misses a day of feeding the proper food – live rats – for his snake. Give the guy a robot boa.

What about rats as snake food in the first place? That seems cruel and unusual, no? Let’s make it a robot boa that eats up robot rodents – except for the robot rodent in Pennsylvania, who will be filling in for Punxsutawney Phil.

Heck with it, we may as well just replace all animals in zoos, wildlife preserves, fish tanks and dog parks with the robotic kind so we don’t have to worry about mistreating them.

Sawyer Says: We should also go for robot owners to replace those that don’t take their dogs on enough walks.

What do you think?

Is Groundhog Day all in fun or just a tricky way to abuse animals?

“(Punxsutawney Groundhog Club President William) Deeley says PETA isn’t interested in Phil from Feb. 2 on, and is looking for publicity,” the AP report said. Do you agree?

A dog shot by a pellet gun leads to outrage. A person shot with an Uzi leads to – a bunch of other people saying “Oh, well.”

Art and photo Ryn Gargulinski

Why do some folks seem to care more about animals than other people?

Sawyer, who doesn’t mind this fact at all, came up with a few theories behind the phenomenon.

Animals are innocent – and sometimes cuter. Just as folks may be more inclined to help children rather than adults, people see animals as thrust into the world without choosing their lot in life. Both are also unable to do much about where they ended up.

Animals are more helpless. They can’t go out and get a job or even take a shower or shave. They rely solely on others to care for them unless they are up for eating wild pack rats and bathing in the Rillito River on those rare occasions it actually holds water.

Animals don’t talk back.

Animals give unconditional love. Many folks enjoy the concept of unconditional love, but few can really give it. Animals will love you no matter what, where people can turn love on and off like a faulty light switch.

Animals don’t push it. Give a dog a bone, and he’ll swoon at your feet. Give a person a cigarette and he’ll ask for a light. Give him a quarter and he’ll ask for a dollar. Give him your sandwich and he will instead want your credit card so he can order a large pizza with six toppings.

Animals don’t lie. We’ve run across people who are begging for food money yet, when we hand them our lunch, they don’t want it. We get disgusted when we feel like we’re being duped.

Animals don’t use Uzis.

What do you think?

Do you prefer animals over people? Why?

What other theories do you have behind this phenomenon?

Germs are not limited to soda machines or kitchen sinks – we can also get sick from our pets. Germs can be passed along from animals to humans, but you usually have to be very lax in your hygiene to fall ill from the cuddly, creepy or otherwise adorable creatures.

Reptiles and rodents have the highest chance of making us sick/Ryn Gargulinski

Some animals are more hazardous than others – which is why turtles the size of quarters or smaller should never be given to small children to put in their mouths. Turtles are well known for their dirty little habit of carrying salmonella.

Let’s look at a synopsis of some other germy pet hazards found on the Center for Disease Control website:

Dogs:
You are not likely to get sick from your pooches unless you do something dumb like not wash your hands after using a pooper scooper.
The biggest threat may be a bacteria found in puppy poop that can cause diarrhea in humans.
Verdict: Don’t eat puppy poop.

Cats:
Again, you’re not likely to get sick from your cat, although they can pass along a fairly common disease. Cat scratch fever, which is featured in a Ted Nugent song, can come from being scratched from your cat.
Verdict: Indulge your cat with scratching posts so he scratches at them instead of you.

Birds:
As long as you wash your hands after scraping the perches, getting a disease from your bird is also rare. Certain birds can carry certain diseases, such as baby chicks which can carry salmonella and parakeets and parrots who can carry a germ that causes psittacosis, but it’s not like people are dropping dead every minute from touching a baby chick.
Verdict: If you’ve never even heard of psittacosis, don’t worry about it.

Reptiles and rodents have the highest chance of making us sick/Ryn Gargulinski

Small animals and reptiles:
Danger may lurk in them there cages. Wash up after handling. Small animals, also stupidly referred to as “pocket pets,” and reptiles do come with a couple of precautions. Salmonella is not uncommon among rodents and reptiles, nor is lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, or LCMV. LCMV is picked up by pets from contact with wild rodents who have the disease.
Verdict: Don’t let your pets play with street rodents.
Helpful hint from CDC: Don’t pick out a small animal or reptile that looks like it’s sickly or dying. Thanks.

Fish and frogs:
While the fish and frogs themselves may be OK, the water in which they swim could be full of bacteria that could make you sick.
Verdict: Don’t drink the tank water.

Horses:
These guys are pretty safe in the disease category, although they can pass diseases on to humans. The biggest danger comes from their manure, which you may pick up cleaning out their stalls or picking their feet.
Verdict: Hire someone else to clean the stalls or pick their feet.

Sawyer Says: Be sensible – but don’t ever stop loving your pets.

Don't drink the fish tank water/Ryn Gargulinski

What do you think?

Have you ever gotten sick from your pet?

Have you ever gotten sick from any animal?

Have you ever been head-butted by a goat?

Folks may be laid off, losing homes and eating Ramen Noodles for weeks on end, but our pets are still getting gifts. Lots of gifts.

Sawyer defending his gift from grandma/Ryn Gargulinski

In fact, giving gifts to pets has actually increased this year over last, according to an Associated Press-Petside poll.

Fifty-two percent of pet owners were planning to get presents for their pets in 2009, up from the 43 percent who were planning on a pet gift for 2008.

Damn with the economy, our pets need their toys. Sawyer says: Yaay.

Pet spending overall is estimated at $45.4 billion for 2009, up about $2 billion from the previous year, according to the American Pet Products Association.

The bulk of the spending goes for food, of course, unless you feed your pet generic who-knows-what that comes from China and may get recalled.

Estimated 2009 pet expenditure breakdown:
Food – $17.4 billion
Supplies/OTC Medicine – $10.2 billion
Vet Care – $12.2 billion
Live animal purchases – $2.2 billion
Pet Services: grooming & boarding – $3.4 billion

Individual dog and cat owner spending have dog owners laying out more cash overall, although neither seems to spending enough on toys and treats, Saywer says.

Sawyer hogging Phoebe's gift from grandma/Ryn Gargulinski

Pet owner annual spending, dogs vs. cats
Surgical Vet Visits – Dogs: $453, Cats: $363
Food – Dogs: $217, Cats: $188
Kennel Boarding – Dogs: $225, Cats: $149
Routine Vet – Dogs: $219, Cats: $175
Groomer/Grooming Aids – Dogs: $127, Cats $18
Vitamins – Dogs: $77, Cats: $31
Treats – Dogs: $66, Cats: $40
Toys – Dogs: $41, Cats: $26

Sawyer and Phoebe both received gifts from grandma, although Sawyer hogged them all. Their annual expenditures are a bit different than the average dog’s.

Spending on Sawyer and Phoebe:

Treats and toys – $9,732
Food – $600
Monthly flea treatment thing Phoebe hates – $240
Shots at clinic and routine vet – less than $100 unless emergency

What do you think?

Did you get your pet a gift this year? Last year? What did you get them?

Do you gift other people’s pets or do you think it’s frivolous or unnecessary?

How much did you spend on your pet this year?

If you had only enough cash to buy food for you or your pet, which would you choose?

Pet ducklings, goslings and teeny dyed-pink chicks may be fairly safe during the Christmas season, but some folks may still want to give a puppy, kitten or other cute, furry friend as a gift.

Don't buy someone a pet unless you know they'll take care of it/Ryn Gargulinski

Unless you know what you’re doing – and you’re willing to take on the pet as your own when it may not work out – buy the kid a bicycle or something.

Hamsters, especially, are known to be abandoned in debris-ridden ditches.

Sure, every little kid would just melt with a new puppy beneath a tree. But that same kid may also claim to melt in the rain when he learns he has to help walk the thing.

In addition to time, effort and love, a new pet also requires some cash on hand.

Shots, surgery, food, supplies, treats and more treats are on the expense list. You may even have to foot a bill for X-rays when the dog screws up your knee lunging into a ditch.

Also think of where the pet is coming from.

Peak holiday puppy buying season is in full gear, according to the Humane Society of the United States, and the organization just launched a new puppy mill tip line.

Folks can call (877)-MILL-TIP to report suspected abuse, cruelty and illegal activities at dog breeding operations.

Call to report your neighbors’ 750 Chihuahuas now.

Since many kids have attention spans that last about 2.06 seconds, a new pet would be ideal until the children spied the next shiny gift beneath the tree or until it was time to fill the food bowl, whichever comes first.

Getting a new pet for the family should be a well-thought-out and premeditated plan, not a spur-of-the-moment purchase. Parents should sit down with kids and explain the care and money the new pet will need. Doubly explain the commitment involved and that a pet is not a toy.

Kids still giving you a hard time?

Ask if the child will donate part of his or her allowance to help pay for the pet food and other expenses. All of a sudden a new puppy, kitten or hamster may not seem as cool as a new bicycle or something.

What do you think?

Have you ever given a puppy, kitten or other pet as a gift? Did it work out?

Have you ever received a pet as a gift? Pet rocks don’t count.

With all this Thanksgiving gratitude kicking around, it’s only right to extend it to our best furry, scaly or feathered friends.

A grateful pet is less likely to chew up the couch/Ryn Gargulinski

Sawyer insisted on creating his own gratitude slide show, which you can enjoy below.

Since he has a heart the size of China – or at least he often digs up the yard to get to China – he also wanted to pass some tips that would make any pet grateful and glad.

Pettings:

We’re not sure if Lazlo the lizard really cares at all if he gets a scaly massage, but Sawyer loves being brushed and Phoebe cannot live without her tummy rub. Gentle and frequent caressing and pettings of your pet is one easy way to make them swoon.

Outings:

While cats may not particularly care for a trek to Mount Lemon – or may like it so much you’ll never see them again – it’s important to do things with your pets. Daily walks for dogs are a must. Daily playtime with cats and others are also required. Round out the mix with outings to the park, pet-friendly festivities and fundraisers. For the little critters, like the rats and Lazlo, give them frequent breaks from their cages.

Special treatment:

Yes, yes, we know. “Good” pet owners are not supposed to let their pets on the bed, couch or other furniture lest the pets think they rule the world. To heck with being a “good” pet owner then.

Slide 1 of 17.
Friends/Ryn Gargulinski
Slide 2 of 17.
Mom/Ryn Gargulinski
Slide 3 of 17.
Music/Ryn Gargulinski
Slide 4 of 17.
Pillows/Ryn Gargulinski
Slide 5 of 17.
A dang good nap/Ryn Gargulinski
Slide 6 of 17.
Things to chew on/Ryn Gargulinski
Slide 7 of 17.
Things to chew on/Ryn Gargulinski
Slide 8 of 17.
Did I mention things to chew on?/Ryn Gargulinski
Slide 9 of 17.
Fuzzy slippers/Ryn Gargulinski
Slide 10 of 17.
Singing/Ryn Gargulinski
Slide 11 of 17.
Swimming/Ryn Gargulinski
Slide 12 of 17.
Pizza, pizza, pizza/Ryn Gargulinski
Slide 13 of 17.
A day at the beach/Ryn Gargulinski
Slide 14 of 17.
A day at the beach with my sister/Ryn Gargulinski
Slide 15 of 17.
My sister/Ryn Gargulinski
Slide 16 of 17.
Treat time/Ryn Gargulinski
Slide 17 of 17.
Ignoring the doggie door and insisting on incessantly going in and out of the doorwall, to drive mom fully mad/Ryn Gargulinski

What do you think?

What makes your own pets most happy?

Are you a “good” pet owner or do you let your critters on the bed and couch?

I don’t think my lizard Lazlo loves me. But I won’t hold it against him. He may simply not be capable.

Lazlo loves me, he loves me not/Ryn Gargulinski

He doesn’t hate me, per se, as he’s not escaped from his cage to gouge out my eyes or otherwise disfigure me. He certainly shows no discomfort.

Lazlo has exhibited signs of humor, at least twice thinking my finger was food.

That didn’t really freak me out as I have had pet rats do the same – the reason I never feed the rats bloody roast beef or finger-size chunks of chicken.

Laz has also shown joy and contentment when I do offer up the bowl of meal worms – and disgust when he’s stuck with a mustard green and cilantro day.

This is my first bout with keeping a reptile as a pet and, although I didn’t expect him to lick my hand or roll over for a belly rub, I still think that would be nice. I’m used to warm, fuzzy mammals.

It’s not like I’m asking him to come running to greet me at the door. Heck, even my dogs don’t do that.

My first inclination is to say that lizards and other reptiles do not have the capacity to love. They are too busy being prehistoric and eating meal worms.

The Turkish Delights/submitted photo

The group Turkish Delights, which performs belly dancing with a snake, explained how you can tell snake Synda is thrilled to be part of the performance with dancer Julie:

Having danced with Julie and Synda for over eight years now, I can tell you that Synda thrives during performances. She seems to enjoy the attention and new environments. You can tell a snake’s comfort level easily by how it holds its body. Synda is always relaxed and active during the dancing, demonstrating a feeling of comfort and confidence in her safety.

Others have mentioned reptiles do have the capacity to bond with their owners, know a friendly – or food bearing – finger, and defend their little log tunnels or other territory.

But none have said they can love.

Even if Lazlo never returns the favor, I’ll be giving my love to him.

What do you think?

Can reptiles love?

Are they capable of showing affection?