By Meredeth Barzen

Melissa, a one-year-old AHS cat available for adoption from the group's Buffalo facility. Says AHS' Tracie Jacobson: "She was a stray and was brought to us by a man who found her roaming his neighborhood. Shortly after her arrival, she gave birth to a litter of kittens, some of which have already been adopted or are currently available for adoption. Melissa is an incredibly sweet kitty who is just so ready for a new home."

Yes, we know. The name of the website is Sidewalk DOG, not Sidewalk Cat, but the fact is, we get the warm fuzzies for pretty much every animal we see (except for cockroaches … ick … ). And when Sidewalk Dog was invited to tour the Animal Humane Society (AHS) as part of a media open house last month, we were informed of a cat overpopulation problem that broke our little puppy-loving hearts and compelled us to give a shout-out to the feline side of the pet world.

So here’s the scoop. There are WAY too many cats in the world today, and not enough happy homes for them. “This has been an ongoing issue for many years, not just at AHS, but throughout Minnesota and throughout the U.S. as well,” says Tracie Jacobson, public affairs manager for AHS. According to Tracie, this problem is due partly to a lack of spay/neuter practices among cats, and partly because many cats—unlike dogs with their leash laws—are allowed to roam freely about the neighborhood and get frisky with other unsterilized cats.

“In comparison to this time last year, adoptions for all cats have gone down 10 percent and intake has increased by 5 percent,” Tracie says. “If the trend continues, we will increase the number of cats taken in in 2010 over 2009. In 2009, our intake of cats was 20,646; in 2008 it was 21,344. In 2009, 52 percent of cats were placed; in 2008 it was 50 percent (placement includes adoption, release to partner animal welfare agency or reunited with owner). As of July 31, we have adopted 4,955 cats out of our five shelters.” She then points to a staggering statistic: Each day in the U.S., 10,000 children and 42,000 cats are born.

An AHS cat.

But it’s not just the numbers that are against our feline friends. “Cats have been tagged with a  second-class citizen status compared to dogs,” Tracie says. “People don’t value cats like they do dogs; they get dogs from breeders but find cats in parking lots or by grocery stores.”

Pet Haven, which subsidizes spay/neuter services and provides foster homes for cats, says it receives daily voicemail messages from people needing a new home for their cat, from animal control regarding cats who will be euthanized if they cannot go to a rescue group, from other rescue groups who cannot place all of the cats they have taken in, from people who have strays in their neighborhood and people who are overwhelmed with too many cats because their cats were not altered.

Cat (and dog) overpopulation continues to be the main reason for healthy, adoptable cats and kittens being euthanized today and every day,” says Mary Ann Cameron, Pet Haven’s cat adoption director. “The only way we will solve the overpopulation crisis and be able to lower the rates of euthanasia are through collaboration with other groups (we are members of Minnesota Partnership for Animal Welfare) and through spay and neuter.”

During “kitten season” (a period May through September, when shelters get an influx of kittens from the spring breeding season, when cats are allowed to roam outside), AHS takes in an average of 70 cats per day, seven days a week. “The really alarming thing is that kitten season has been extended from core summer months to include spring and fall,” Tracie says. During kitten season, adoption rates for adult cats go down—understandably, Tracie says, as people generally want to raise a kitten from youth to be a part of the family.

An AHS cat.

To counteract this problem, AHS has extended their “Double the Love” program, which used to take place only during kitten season, to operate year-round. Under the program, if you adopt a cat at AHS, the adoption fee will be waived for a second cat. “Since March 1, 2010, 590 cats have been adopted through the program, an incredible increase over 2009 when the program only ran during the summer months and 350 cats were adopted through the program,” Tracie says.” And AHS is currently working on more programs to increase placement of adult cats.

OK, so AHS and other shelters are doing what they can to help the cat overpopulation issue, but what can you, the concerned pet owner, do? Four things, says Tracie:

1) Adopt a cat, preferably an adult one.

2) Make sure the cat is sterilized.

3) Make sure the cat is microchipped AND wears identification tags—having both is  imperative. “The microchip is great, but it has to go with tag so they don’t get into shelter in first place,” Tracie says.

4) Before bringing a cat into the shelter, give AHS a call. “Our behavioral helpline might be able to talk them through issues they’re having with the cat so they don’t get to a situation where they have to surrender the animal,” Tracie says.

If you’re thinking about adding a cat to your pet family, here are some local rescues to check out:

• Animal Humane Society
• Pet Haven
• Caring for Cats
• Feline Rescue

By Meredeth Barzen

The crocuses are out, the trees are budding, the dog-friendly patios have once again placed water bowls outside—these signs can only mean one thing: It’s walk-a-thon fundraiser season, and Animal Humane Society’s Walk for Animals is poised to get things started with a “woof” on Saturday, May 1.

A past Walk for Animals participant gets festive.

The folks at AHS have been doing this for 36 years now, and they’ve got the whole camaraderie/pledge-raising/pet-loving thing down to a science by now. The largest Minnesota animal fundraiser and the nation’s largest human/pet walk was created as a way for the community to get more involved in AHS’s work and support the animals that need their help, says AHS’ Carrie Libera. “And, of course, to celebrate the animals in our own lives!” she adds.

If you like numbers, here are some stats from last year: Roughly 8,000 walkers and 4,000 animals participated in last year’s walk, raising more than $1 million to support adoption, rescue, outreach and training efforts at AHS.

This year, AHS’ goal is to raise $1.1 million to support the nearly 35,000 unwanted, homeless, and neglected animals AHS cares for each year at their five Twin Cities locations. Seventy percent of AHS’ operating budget comes from donations, which means the public’s generosity is crucial to the organization’s success.

There will be plenty of diversions for both you and Rover, including a “Flealess Market” of pet and people vendors, games for you and your dog, the fabulous Radio Disney Dancers, a pet microchip and nail trim clinic, pet contests, recognition awards and more. Plus, you’ll get to mingle with all the other pet-lovers and critters at the event—Carrie says creatures of all stripes attend, from parrots to pot-bellied pigs.

If you’ve procrastinated and think it’s too late to sign up, volunteer, or raise pledges, you’re just plain wrong. You can sign up as an individual or form a team, and you can raise pledges in person or online. “Also, for those people who don’t want to raise pledges and walk, but still want to help out, we also have some volunteer opportunities still available for this year’s walk. We are especially looking for people who are interested in helping out with traffic and crowd control,” Carrie says, pointing out that it takes more than 500 volunteers to organize and produce the Walk.

And if you’re curious (we, being nerdy and trivia-obsessed, certainly are): As of Monday, April 12, there were 2,331 walkers registered for this year’s event—734 more than had signed up at this point last year—with an average of 50 walkers registering each day.

The Deets:

Where: Animal Humane Society, 845 Meadow Lane North, Golden Valley

Route: Begins at AHS, walks north into Theodore Wirth Park and then back; approximately 5 miles, but walkers can turn back at any time.

When: Saturday, May 1, 2010

8:30 a.m.—Registration and activities begin

10 a.m.—Opening rally and walk begins

Post-walk activities run until 2 p.m.

And check out this nifty chart Carrie sent along breaking down your contributions’ impact:

Where a Walker’s Contribution Goes

$10,000—Supports the operating expenses of our Woodbury location for six days

$5,000—Helps fund a cruelty investigation and animal rescue

$2,500—Provides medical supplies and medications for 41 spay/neuter surgeries

$1,000—Gives housing and care to 67 animals in the shelter for one day

$500—Helps three dogs through the Adoption Preparation program which readies shyor fearful dogs for adoption

$250—Provides X-rays for two injured animals

$100—Provides sterilization surgery for two puppies

$50—Two stray cats receive full vaccinations

A bill to regulate Minnesota’s commercial dog and cat breeders has been getting a lot of attention lately—though the bill was just defeated in the Senate Agriculture Committee. Sidewalk Dog asked Animal Humane Society (AHS), which was closely involved with the effort, to educate our readers on this issue. Here’s what AHS’s Tracie Jacobson had to say:

Since the beginning of this year, Animal Humane Society has rescued more than 130 animals from puppy and kitten mill situations. At the same time, the Minnesota Dog and Cat Breeder Bill, also known as the Puppy and Kitten Mill Bill, was “laid on the table” in the agriculture committees in both the Minnesota House and Senate. It remained “on the table” in both committees at the end of the 2009 session. During the current session, the Senate Agriculture Committee heard the bill on Tuesday, March 9. Unfortunately, it was defeated by a 7-5 vote. (Click here for details on the outcome of the Minnesota Puppy and Kitten Mill Bill (S.F. 7/H.F. 253) in 2010.)

For animal lovers like you and me, it’s difficult to comprehend how a bill such as this doesn’t pass the Minnesota Legislature. By not putting licensing and inspections of breeding facilities in place, the state is continuing to allow animals to experience pain and suffering. They are left to live in substandard conditions, oftentimes without food, water or exercise and very little interaction with humans resulting in extensive behavioral and health issues—issues that become the burden of Minnesota taxpayers. As many of you know, Minnesota is one of the top producers of puppies in the United States. At the same time we are one of a diminishing number of states that continue to allow the dog and cat breeding industry to operate without licensing and inspections. In fact, Wisconsin passed legislation in 2009 to regulate breeders.

Opposition to the bill is strong in Minnesota. According to our friends at Animal Folks Minnesota, those in opposition state the bill is “unnecessary because current Minnesota law already addresses animal cruelty, care and housing in animal facilities.” This statement and many others are not true, nor are the many other arguments legislators are hearing from special interest groups against the bill. These statements provide a never-ending source of misinformation contributing to the bill’s lack of progression in the Minnesota Legislature.

So what can we do? At Animal Humane Society we will continue to take in and care for animals seized from inhumane breeding facilities. We will also continue with our efforts to pass legislation that will protect these animals in the future.

The coalition leading the effort, which includes Second Chance Animal Rescue, Animal Humane Society, Animal Folks Minnesota and many others, does not see this as an end. We’re not giving up. Citizens throughout Minnesota voiced their support of the bill this year and the Minnesota Legislature heard us. They know about the problem of inhumane dog and cat breeding and the need for regulation. We have to continue to be a voice for animals.

You can be a part of the effort by becoming an Animal Humane Society Animal Advocate. Through this network you’ll be provided opportunities to help get the message out across the state about the importance of the bill. Please also visit Animal Folks Minnesota for additional information regarding puppy and kitten mills in Minnesota. While you’re there, don’t forget to sign the petition showing your support of this effort.

Grete getting some TLC at Westgate from Hannah Evans, CVT.

By Meredeth Barzen

Grete (pronounced “Greta”) the black lab was hanging out in her usual spot on a pillow in the back hall on a perfectly normal Tuesday in February. Mom was at work, Dad was in Europe on a business trip, and the two girls were at school and Grandma’s house. Like so many retrievers, Grete can be rambunctious and sweet, lively and calm, depending on the moment. “We’ve consistently said she’s 9 years old going on 9 months,” says Grete’s owner, Matt Augustson. When she’s calm, Grete likes to strategically place herself precisely in the center of the family’s activities for a nap. During her livelier moments, Grete likes to show off her tennis-ball-chasing skills in the big yard behind Matt and Jen Augustson’s Edina home. And when someone comes to the door, “Look out,” Matt says. “Barking, jumping … all of the bad habits that dog owners struggle with, and we are no exception. But it’s just who she is. It’s never violent, aggressive or scary—just her way of saying ’hello.’”

But Grete’s mostly a mellow dog, so 2:40 in the afternoon was probably right in the middle of nap time for her that Tuesday, as her family went about their daily business out in the world.

Then, BOOM.

“As far as we can tell from the Edina Fire Chief, a gas leak caused by a utility contractor laying cable in the neighborhood caused natural gas to leak into our house via the sewer line,” Matt says. “From there, it found an ignition source—most likely the water heater or furnace—and caused an explosion.” Grete was the only one at home. She must have been launched out of the house by the force of the explosion, most likely straight up.” The house was a total loss. Grete was the only thing that remained intact.

A person Matt describes as a “Good Samaritan” followed the shaken dog across 50^th Street and through the neighborhoods for a half-mile, then loaded her into her car at 44^th Street and Wooddale Avenue and brought Grete to Westgate Pet Clinic, where Dr. Ben Porter treated her injuries—which were miraculously minor, considering she had just survived a massive gas explosion. “Grete was very nervous immediately after the explosion,” Dr. Porter says. “I suspect that she was not able to hear anything. Since the Augustsons were already clients, we were able to quickly contact them so they knew her location and that she had survived. [Grete] walked into the clinic, and was not afraid or nervous at that time. She allowed our staff to examine her thoroughly, finding surprisingly no broken bones, no lacerations. Many dogs would be fearful after such a terrifying event—her gentle personality and ability to roll with the punches is probably very typical for a Labrador Retriever.”

But even though she escaped major injuries, Grete was a little worse for wear. Dr. Porter says her hair was singed “and she smelled like a campfire times 10. Burns were immediately evident on the pads of her feet, and over the next four days, burns because evident around her nose, muzzle and chin … Her eyelids were damaged from the explosion and have been red and uncomfortable and slow to improve.” Luckily, Grete’s burns were superficial, and most responded to topical treatment and improved over the next five days.

Dr. Porter says the only likely long-term damage to the resilient lab is to her tear glands—she’ll need eye medication for a while—and a couple of burn scars will mean she’ll need to wear sunscreen on the bridge of her nose when she’s out in the sun.

When the Augustsons first saw Grete after the accident, though, Matt describes her appearance as “shocking.” “She looked like a chocolate lab instead of a black lab,” he says. “Her fur was singed around her head and shoulders. She had open sores on three of four paws and her ear. She limped and wobbled along. Her eyes were red and cloudy. The Augustsons’ two daughters, ages five and two, were happy to see their dog, “but it was hard for them because she didn’t look the same,” Jen says.

But things are looking up for Grete and her family. As of last Monday, she no longer needs daily treatments at Westgate. The family is moving into a town house this week; “We can’t wait to get settled again,” Jen says. And members of the Twin Cities pet community are helping out on that front, with an outpouring of support and donations. Sarah Beth Photography, Bone Adventure and Pampered Pooch Playground all gave the Augustsons gift certificates to their businesses. Pampered Pooch also set the family up with a dog bed and some toys and treats to replace what the Augustsons lost in the explosion. Fetch Delivers donated a travel crate, treats and bones; Solid Gold gave a bag of food and Tracie Jacobson of Animal Humane Society sent over a gift certificate to Chuck & Don’s Pet Food Outlet. And to help Matt and Jen let go of some stress, Omni Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork is donating massages.

“I cannot believe the amount of support and generosity [shown by] our family, friends and the community,” Matt said. “This is stunning. We cannot express enough how much Grete means to us or how the community has rallied around her and us.” And to his “thank you” list doesn’t stop there. “We can’t thank that Good Samaritan enough. We can’t thank the great vets, techs and staff at Westgate enough—they have adopted Grete as their special canine, and have reached out with concern for our family as well. Dr Porter has been especially thoughtful. It has been amazing watching the care Grete has received and the compassion we have been shown.”

At the end of the day, the fact that the Augustson family—Mom, Dad, kids and dog—are all safe and sound is all anyone could ask for. Grete’s miraculous survival will remain a mystery. “We’ll never really know for sure how she got out of the house, debris, and fire alive,” Matt says. But that doesn’t matter. “She’s our wonder dog!” Jen says. “We’re thinking about getting her a red cape.”

***Editor’s note: If you’d like to help Grete and the Augustsons out yourself, donations can be made to the Auguston Fund in care of North American Banking Company, 4999 France Ave., Suite 120, Minneapolis, MN 55410. Please write “Auguston Fund” in the memo line of the check.

By Meredeth Barzen

Photos by Sarah Beth Photography

Melinda Jacobs taking in some quality cuddle time with Crosby.

Growing up as daughter of billionaire businessman Irwin Jacobs, entertainment reporter/radio personality/blogger Melinda Jacobs wasted no time ingraining herself in the local pop-culture consciousness. She’s been referred to as “the Twin Cities’ only real socialite” by Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, and though she and husband Howard Grodnick have been married nearly 20 years (“yes, I got married when I was 12,” she says with tongue in cheek in her blog) and have two teenage children, Jacobs—a.k.a. “Melly J.”—certainly hasn’t settled down. The committed dog mom is working on “The Adventures of Melinda Jacobs,” “a satirical look at many of my silly and hopefully funny experiences I’ve encountered through my years in the media world,” and keeps loyal fans updated via her blog. And judging from the videos of her dogs she posts on YouTube (see below), her home life is just as silly and funny as her time out on the town. As part of our locally acclaimed series “Almost Famous Dogs,” here’s a glimpse inside The Adventures of Melinda, Crosby and Ernie Jacobs.

Dogs’ names: Crosby and Ernie

Dogs’ nicknames: “Monkey Man” and “Baby Boy” for Crosby, and we call Ernie “Ernsky” and “Big Man”

Breeds: Crosby: Brussels griffon; Ernie: schnauzer (we think!)

Ages: Crosby: 1½; Ernie: 14

Favorite toy: Toy key ring

Dogs’ favorite place to hang out: Kitchen

Favorite dog park: Off-leash area at Bryant Lake Regional Park

Favorite dog-friendly restaurant: Lucia’s

Favorite pet store: Bone Adventure

Favorite dog-friendly vacation: Cabin up north

Dogs’ best tricks: Crosby sits on Ernie to take away his bone. Also, the dogs like to snuggle up on top of the couch and chew on my cashmere blankets.

Ernie and his younger brother/best friend, the snaggletoothed Crosby.

Dogs’ best friend: Ernie’s best friend is his brother.

Dogs’ nemesis: For Crosby, it’s feet with socks on.

Favorite naughty behavior or bad habit: If you raise your voice or yell at Crosby, he barks back at you.

Favorite way to get attention/treats: Crosby takes things out of my purse and wants me to chase him to get it back.

Sleep on bed, couch, dog bed, floor, or outside: They sleep in a big bed with each other.

Be honest: Do you ever use baby talk when speaking to your dogs? All the time

Are your dogs friends with any other celebrity dogs? We meet new friends at the dog park all the time, and many of the dogs should be celebrities if they are not already.

Do you support any local animal causes? My family loves animals and nature. We’re big fans of the Animal Humane Society and Top Dog Foundation.

Anything else we should know about your dogs? We are not completely convinced that Brussels griffons are entirely canine—we think they are actually part monkey and cat as well.  Also, Crosby likes to run around with a bottle of water in his mouth, and Ernie only has seven teeth, but can eat like a horse.

Presenting Crosby Jacobs in “Brussels Griffon and the Thong”:

The Pohlads' girls, left to right: Hannah, Tasha and Luca

By Meredeth Barzen

When Minnesotans hear the name Pohlad, they think of baseball. After all, that’s where local businessman and Minnesota Twins owner Carl Pohlad has made a name for himself. But look a little closer at the prominent family’s favorite causes and you’ll start to associate the name with another great American pastime: dogs.

The Pohlad Family Foundation has supported local pet groups like Helping Paws, says Rebecca Pohlad, who has emerged as the most visibly dog-oriented member of the family. She and husband Robert (one of Carl’s three sons) are Dog Mom and Dog Dad to three of the luckiest German shepherds on the planet—9-year-old Luca, 8-year-old Tasha, and 1-year-old Hannah roam where they will on the couple’s 25-acre property in Washington’s San Juan Islands near Seattle. Hannah likes to chase deer, Pohlad says (“I think she will pass out if she ever catches one!”), and adds that the pup also loves to take a dip in the pool, then shake water all over innocent bystanders.

“Luca loves to be the center of attention,” Rebecca says, “Tasha is aloof, but when she is alone with you, she is a love. Hannah is just plain funny—can’t explain it, but she makes me laugh all the time. She loves to snuggle.”

Though Robert never had dogs growing up, he took his marriage to Rebecca as an excuse to add a canine member to the family. “We got our first cocker spaniel a week after being married and after she died, we have had shepherds ever since—six total in our 32 years of marriage,” Rebecca says. “Our [three] sons loved having what I call ‘the girls,’—they are my female companions.”

And while the Pohlad dogs are living the good life on the West coast, Rebecca and Robert keep local animals close to their hearts as well. Rebecca is a big fan of The Pet Project—so much so that she donated to the group in her dog-loving friends’ names as Christmas gifts last year. “I want people in these troubled times to be able to keep their pets. Families are losing their homes and sometimes do not have enough money for food. What an even worse blow to a family than also having to give up their pet,” she says. “That is why The Pet Project means so much to me.”

Rebecca also counts the Animal Humane Society as a group she believes in. “Animals cannot speak for themselves; they cannot express the hurt of being beaten or being hungry, so we must be there for them,” she says. “The Animal Humane Society of Golden Valley does so much good and they deserve support from all of us that can help. My goal is to not have to see the commercials on TV about animals that are in need; and that all animals will be cared for with kindness and have homes with love and food.” Rebecca adds that she’s just heard about MN SNAP, and will be following their progress as well.

When they’re in town, Rebecca somehow summons up the energy to take three full-grown German shepherds out for a social day. “Our favorite place is Lucia’s,” she says. “They have a lovely water bar for dogs and Lucia also loves dogs and has two of her own.”

And though she finds it hard to explain her love for her dogs, Rebecca offers a mantra that she and her family live by: “Be thankful for what you have. Be aware of what is around you. Use you time, talents or financial support to help those less fortunate.”

• Some very cool nonprofits were born, including: The Pet Project, keeping people and their pets together in hard times; MN SNAP, providing low-cost spaying and neutering; MnPAW, working to reduce euthanasia of adoptable animals; Start Seeing Black Dogs, shedding light on Black Dog Syndrome.
• We love it when dog-friendly businesses and nonprofits team up to benefit each other à la Frattallone’s Ace Hardware’s Dog Days of Summer event. For every person who brought their pup into the store during the month of August, Frattallone’s donated $1 to Homeward Bound Dog Rescue. Find out how much was raised.
• More and more restaurants allowed (dare we say welcomed?) dogs on their patios. Check our map of dog-friendly patios, read about a few of our favorites and think spring!
• We got to know some famous Minnesotans and the four-leggeds that make them say “Who’s my fruffy wittle fuzzy bear?” in Almost Famous Dogs and Almost Famous Dogs: Part Deux.
• Minnesota got its first indoor dog park with the arrival of Dog City Dog Park in New Hope. (For outdoor options, check out our dog park map and read about a few of our urban and suburban faves.)
• The Sidewalk Dog Directory grew big time in 2009. From trainers to daycares to pet supply stores to animal communicators to poop scoopers, we’ve got you covered.
• Even we were surprised, delighted and a bit overwhelmed by all the dog-friendly happenings of 2009. Did you take your dog to the Saints game on Mother’s Day? Walk your dog in the Doggone Early Dog Walk at Mall of America? Dine with your dog at Sushi with Your Poochie at Tiger Sushi 2? Party with your dog at the Animal Humane Society’s Whisker Whirl? Drink with your dog at K9-Connection’s Beer with Your Buddy? Practice yoga with your dog at Zen Pooch Doga? Pose with your dog at Tails Up: The Pet Project’s First Annual Holiday Pet Food Drive? Celebrate National Pit Bull Awareness Day with your dog at All-American Dog Fest? Stroll with your dog at Woofstock? Run with your dog in the Monster Dash 5K-9? (Okay, we’ll stop now.)
• We learned firsthand that just like in people, dental disease in dogs can lead to heart, lung and kidney problems. In other words, dogs with healthy mouths live longer.
• We love shop dogs. After all, they can turn ordinary stores into living, breathing members of the community. South Lyndale Liquors’ St. Bernard Abbey was the quintessential shop dog—respectful, sweet, a treat for customers and a friend for employees.
• We were introduced to some particularly amazing dogs, including: Jerry, the “House Dog” at the Ronald McDonald House; Hector, a former Michael Vick dog who recently appeared at a St. Paul elementary school as part of a lesson on empathy and compassion; Sunny, assistant and best friend to autistic siblings Ellie and Ben.

Whoa, right?! And that’s just for starters!

Have a comment to make or something to add to the list? Please do so here.

Happy New Year!

There’s a heck of a lot going on in the pet industry, perhaps most especially right here in the Twin Cities. (Just check all the activity on our Facebook Page!) This makes us here at Sidewalk Dog very happy, since we’re all about connections: connecting you, our dear readers, with pet-related and dog-friendly businesses and nonprofits, connecting those same businesses and nonprofits with each other, and so on.

Another way local pet-related businesses and nonprofits specifically are connecting is through a networking group called PetPAC (a.k.a. “Pet Professionals and Companies”). The following is a little Q and A with PetPAC founding member Lynne Willeke of Bark Busters:

When did PetPAC start?
PetPAC was founded in 2007.

Who started PetPAC and why?
Sonja Tengdin of ScoopyPoo, Jay Cowan of Fetch Delivers and I started meeting one-on-one to talk about ways we could partner to market our businesses through joint projects. It quickly became apparent we could do even more if the three of us met together. Soon after we were joined by Cathy Menard of The Urban Dog and Amy Rosenthal (formerly) of the Animal Humane Society. The five of us then founded PetPAC.

What is PetPAC’s mission?
Our mission is to grow our individual businesses through networking, to promote and support other member businesses, to promote and support responsible pet ownership and to provide the public with useful information.

What are some of PetPAC’s goals?
Our short-term goals include demonstrating professionalism and leadership within the pet industry and supporting and promoting member businesses through networking. Longer term, we plan to share knowledge with the public and to become the go-to professional association for anything pet-related.

How has PetPAC changed since it started?
Originally, someone that owned or operated a pet-related business needed to submit an application and get approval from the PetPAC membership committee prior to attending a PetPAC meeting. Now PetPAC welcomes guests at our meetings without any prior approval. There remains an application form and a reviewal process for those who wish to become PetPAC members, but anyone is welcome to attend indefinitely as a guest.

If someone wants to join PetPAC, who should they contact?
They can contact me at minneapolisnorth@barkbusters.com or at 763.228.3649.

Anything else you’d like to add?
I’d just like to reiterate that anyone who owns or operates a pet-related business is welcome to attend any PetPAC meeting as a guest. Our next meeting is from 8:30-10 a.m. on January 21, 2010 at Minnesota Grille in Byerly’s St. Louis Park.

Thanks, Lynne! Now, if you still need to pick up a holiday gift for the dog lover in your life, we encourage you to take advantage of the following special offers from PetPAC members:

Bark Busters: $50 off a customized in-home training package (includes all levels). Valid in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area.  Limit one $50 offer per customer. More info.

Forever Lawn: $30 off a K9 Potty, a self-enclosed dog potty featuring antimicrobial K9Grass. Perfect for apartments, condominiums, balconies, boats, etc. More info.

Pure Spirit (training, behavior, animal communication): 10% off a 5-session private, in-home training package or $10 off an animal communication consultation. More info.

Talk2theAnimals (animal communication): Talk2theAnimals is running specials on calendars, photo books and more. Visit their Web site for more details, but hurry! Discount codes expire 12/24/09. More info.

We’ve always known the folks at Pampered Pooch Playground (PPP) are webcam-happy. After all, they’ve got eleven webcams working overtime to document all the crazy fun happening in their three play areas (two inside, one outside).

PPP client Chloe cheered for the Vikings in last week's game against the Packers. The SidewalkDog.com Webcam Blimp made its debut that day.

Until recently, we at Sidewalk Dog had no reason to pick a favorite PPP webcam and loved them all equally. But last week that all changed when a twelfth webcam appeared, and we can’t help but to think it’s the best one yet. Not only does this special webcam fly* (that’s right!) around over the indoor play areas, but PPP gave it a very cool name—the SidewalkDog.com Blimp Webcam!

Thank you, Pampered Pooch Playground! We have no idea what we did to deserve such an honor, but we are grateful.

And now we would like to call attention to some of the cool things about you, PPP:

• You were the first doggy daycare in the country to have an iPhone app for viewing webcams. Visit the iTunes App Store and search for “Pooch Vision.” (Don’t despair, Blackberry users! PPP will soon have an app for you, too.)
• You do a fabulous job of using social media (your blog, your Facebook Page and Twitter) to keep dog parents connected to their fur babies.
• You support local rescue efforts. In fact, you are a foster facility for Pet Haven. You also support the Animal Humane Society, Hearing and Service Dogs of Minnesota and various other groups.
• You support local artists. Your walls are adorned with work by Stray Dog Arts, Sarah Beth Photography, Modern Life Photo and Mod-Dog.

Thanks again, guys!

*If you must know, the webcam blimp is really a just a camera hanging from a fan. But we don’t care.

By Meredeth Barzen

There’s something about a rescue dog. Make no mistake, our dogs are loved wherever they come from, but with a rescue dog, you know that in addition to enriching your family with another member, you’re taking an animal out of the adoption cycle and giving it a permanent place in your home. And for all that our dogs do for us throughout their lives, it’s nice to start out the relationship by doing something for them.

Sunny and Ben get in some quality cuddle time.

Sunny, a lab/bully mix (and cousin to Luc, the Original Sidewalk Dog), had that something when Kiersten Osborne saw him at the Animal Humane Society last fall. He was just the right size, the right age and the right temperament to become a therapy dog for Kiersten’s two autistic children, Ellie and Ben—now 11 and 9, respectively.

“We were looking for a therapy dog or a service dog for the kids,” says Kiersten, “and some of the agencies that provided them were expensive, and the ones that provided them for free had long waiting lists. With the kids being older, we didn’t want to wait three or four years, so we went to AHS and looked at a number of dogs.” Sunny caught their eye. “He’s very calm, he’s soft, he’s loving, he has a gentle demeanor,” Kiersten says. The dog bonded with the family as he worked on basic obedience and acclimated to his new home—especially to Ben, whose hugs show Herculean strength. But Sunny didn’t mind. “He’s wonderful with both kids, very gentle and tolerant. It’s almost like Ben’s a litter-mate,” Kiersten says.

After learning the basics, Sunny went to Neuman K-9 Academy to get some professional training, then came back home and passed the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen test and was certified as a therapy dog by Therapy Dogs International. Now, his real work could begin. “In the spring, we started bringing him into Ellie’s classroom so the kids could read with him, and we’re working on training him to walk with Ben,” Kiersten says. “We have Ben hold onto his leash when we’re out, and that makes it easier for people to approach us and ask us questions about Sunny. And it was good for Ellie’s self-esteem to bring him into her classroom—it gave her sense of worth. If Ben doesn’t want to go to bed in the evening, he can lie down with Sunny and pet him, and if Ellie doesn’t want to do her reading, she can read to Sunny.”

Ellie and Sunny curl up with a good book.

Though Sunny doesn’t perform some of the more complex functions that many other service dogs do, Kiersten’s training with him is ongoing, and the family is considering training him to learn search and rescue so that he could find one of the kids using only their scent.

Sunny is part of a growing number of dogs that are being used to assist autistic people. Julianne Larsen, director of training for Hearing and Service Dogs of Minnesota, began the organization’s Autism Assist Dog program in 2007. “We had so many requests from parents of children with autism who had heard about dogs being trained to help them, that we felt there was a large need in our state for this type of service,” she says.

The program trains dogs and places them with children ages 10 and under. Julianne says that the majority of the program’s Autism Assist Dogs are placed with children who tend to run away, or “bolt,” and that to prevent this, the dogs wear a special cape, which is tethered to the child’s belt. The dogs are always handled by an adult, and are trained to stop and hold their positions on command to prevent the child from bolting.

There is currently a two- to three-year wait for an Autism Assist Dog from Hearing and Service Dogs of Minnesota—and rather than breeding all of their own dogs like many other service dog organizations do, Hearing and Service Dogs of Minnesota gets about half of their dogs from rescues and shelters like the Animal Humane Society.

“While our focus remains for dogs to assist the parents in keeping the children safe, we are hearing from parents that children [who use autism assist dogs] are gaining in social skills also,” says Shelly Hiemer, marketing and communications specialist for Hearing and Service Dogs of Minnesota. ”The dogs take the focus away from the child and create a common ground for conversation with others. They create a bridge for the families into the community.”

Which is exactly what Sunny does for Ben and Ellie—so well, in fact, that he’s being honored* at the Animal Humane Society’s annual Whisker Whirl fundraiser this Saturday, September 26. Sunny’s unique story will be told as part of the AHS’s fourth installment of its formal (and dog-friendly!) evening of dinner and dancing, featuring master bread and dog biscuit baker Klecko (author of K-9 Nation Biscuit Book: Baking for Your Best Friend), Channel 45 News Anchor Megan Newquist, and food catered by The Saint Paul Hotel.

Plenty of great dogs like Sunny are waiting at the AHS, looking for new homes and humans to hug. Kiersten says that rescue dogs make great companions for autistic kids: “If you can find a pet around age 1, you know what their temperament is like, and you often miss the crazy puppy stage, but you still have a lot of life to enjoy with them,” she says. “Now that we have Sunny, we’ll always be getting rescue dogs. It’s a wonderful way to give a dog a home that would be homeless—there’s no reason to go any other route, in my opinion.”

*Editor’s Note: On September 26, Sunny was honored at AHS’s annual Whisker Whirl fundraiser. If you want to be touched beyond words, watch this short video of Sunny in action.