|
 |
FloridaPets.net NewsPetter |  |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Our readers frequently write to tell us how much they enjoy seeing our own pets' photos. Boy, have we got a doozy this month! Our Fred poses here, looking like a sleep-deprived Basset hound with bed head. You should see him yawn! As you may know, Governor Jeb Bush recently signed into law legislation that would allow Florida restaurants the option of allowing dogs to join their people in designated outdoor areas. There's just one snag: local governments must pass ordinances to permit the restaurants to do so and many are already saying they won't even consider the idea unless enough customers and restaurants start asking for it. So, it's going to be important for willing restaurants and responsible dog guardians to start making their voices heard on this issue. To help, we have put together a How-to Page of sorts, including a sample letter, which we hope will make it easy for you to reach out to your elected officials on this very important matter. In this month's NewsPetter, we feature a motor-vating event, a very centralized get-away, a photo of a queen of the dog parks, a few pet-related tips and of course, FloridaPets.net's contest! This month you could win delicious doggie cookies in sand, sea and sun-inspired shapes from the now-famous 7 Dogs Tropical Bakery, owned by none other than the canines at FloridaPets.net. Just check the end of the NewsPetter for all the poop on how to enter. And speaking of prizes, congratulations to Nancy Roy of Davie, Florida, the winner of last month's contest. We would like to welcome our newest advertisers, BarkTalk.com and AndreaForAnimals.com. Look for their ads under our Sponsors section below.
We hope everyone finds the FloridaPets.net Web
site useful and we hope everyone will enjoy this issue
of the
NewsPetter. Your opinions matter, so please
write us with any comments, suggestions or
requests. Until next
month, thanks for "tailing along"
with us and remember our motto:
Patricia Collier
Special Note: If you cannot see the photographs in this NewsPetter, you are missing a lot of neat stuff! Some of our readers just can't get email in the HTML format that allows them to view pictures and other artwork, so we've come up with this solution:
By Patricia Collier The First Annual HoundGround Charity Poker Run will happen Sunday, July 23, with registration taking place between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. at HandleBar & Grille in Longwood. Stops will include Jolly Gator, Hitchin' Post and Lazy Gator before returning to the HandleBar. Last bike out at 11 a.m. and last bike in at 3:45 p.m. The Run is organized by Friends of Leash Optional Parks (FLOP), a non-profit organization working to establish safe, community, dog-friendly parks. The Run is mainly a motorcycle event, but everyone is invited to join in. Cost is $5 per hand. Proceeds will help purchase shade trees for Hound Ground Paw Park in Winter Springs. Food vendors, offering everything from BBQ to ice cream, will be on hand to feed the hungry participants. Major co-sponsors, including Disney World, Sea World, Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn, Border Books and more will provide prizes for the day's numerous raffles. The communities of Eastern Seminole County really get behind this fun event and it's a great way to support a super dog park. If you don't know how a poker run operates, go here to learn more.
By Patricia Collier Recommended to us by a reader, Barcelo Orlando Hotel Resort is our pet-friendly vacation spot for this month. This hotel is very centrally located within Orlando, the city of more choices of entertainment than most visitors have time to experience. The hotel provides complimentary shuttle service to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, City Walk, Sea World and Wet n’ Wild. Barcelo Orlando Hotel is within walking distance to at least 50 restaurants and shops. And if that's not enough to keep the family busy, check out local happenings on the calendar of events compiled by the Orlando Downtown Development Board.
Our reader told us the facility is nice and there's a handy grassy area outside for dog walking. As of July 19, 2006, there is a daily pet fee of $25 per pet and a two pet limit. We had hoped to provide our readers with a nice list of eateries that would offer residents and visitors alike the chance to enjoy an outdoor meal with their dog. But, alas, the Orlando City Council has yet to pass an ordinance allowing restaurants to apply for permits to allow doggie dining. Editor's note: We recently spoke with personnel in the office of Commissioner Patty Sheehan and were told the City of Orlando has scheduled the first reading on the ordinance for August 14 and the second reading is set for August 28. If the ordinance passes on the second reading, it will be implemented immediately and interested restaurants can start acquiring their permits. Orlando area residents (especially those who vote) wanting to enjoy outdoor dining with their canine pals should attend these meetings to show support for the cause!
Meet Tooka, companion to
Tooka is a beautiful 17-month-old Shepard mix. She was found in an abandoned home, tied to a pipe, and Chris had to patiently teach her how to trust people. Now, she goes to a local dog park every day where she is quite the popular young lady. "All the regulars love Tooka because she plays so well with other dogs," Chris said. "She loves to play tug of war and keep away with no matter what she has in her mouth." Chris said Tooka loves her baby pool and is friendly with everyone. "She chirps when I come home." Chris said, "That's a sound I love to hear after a long day at work!" Would you like FloridaPets.net to feature your pet(s) in the NewsPetter or as Pet(s) of the Week on the Web site? If so, please email WebMistress. Send 1 or 2 photos of your pet(s) and tell us things like breed, age, sex, personality, likes, dislikes, how you found each other and anything else you would like to share with others. Please type "Submission" in the subject line of your note and send photos in JPG or GIF format.
Volunteers needed for pet-friendly hurricane shelters. If your county has established a shelter allowing pets and you'd like to get involved, please contact your local humane society or animal control office about what you can do to help during storms and other disasters. "We're safe!" are beautiful words to hear after a disaster. The American Red Cross is launching a Web site called Safe and Well that will give families a tool to exchange welfare information with loved ones and friends in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. Those living in a disaster area can post standard messages for friends and family, advising them they are safe at a shelter, home or hotel and will make contact when they are able. Conversely, families concerned about someone living in a disaster area can access the site, enter info about their family member and view any message from that person that has been posted. To honor privacy concerns, the Web site will not reveal a registered person's physical location. The 2006 FloridaPets.net Pet-Friendly Hurricane Shelter Guide is now available. We are still in the process of updating information from last year, but if you bookmark the Pet-Friendly Hurricane Shelter Guide, you need only refresh the page anytime you return to it and you'll always have the latest info as we get and post it. Bay County to go pet-friendly if a new group called Bay Families with Dogs, Inc. has anything to say about it. One of the goals of this Panama City-based non-profit organization is to "obtain and maintain recreation zones on area beaches for families to enjoy responsibly with their dogs." If you live in the area, why not join up and lend the group a hand?
"Scoop your pet's poop, always, everywhere you go. Good human."
From BarkTalk.com Also carrying designer dog collars, gifts for dogs and dog lovers. "Because...it's all about your dog." Help Animal Charities
Florida resident dedicated to fundraising for animal charities and rescue organizations since 2004. Brand New!
Meet POOP-FREEZE. Whether you and your pet are going to the dog park, on a week's vacation, or just over to your sister's house for an hour, POOP-FREEZE will help keep the whole "doodie" clean-up procedure quick and easy. POOP-FREEZE is a specially formulated freeze spray that, upon contact, forms a frosty film on dog (or cat) poop to harden the surface for easy pick-up and placement into your pooper scooper or doo doo bag. Now your pet will be a welcomed guest wherever the two of you roam - if you, the human, do your part. POOP-FREEZE is non-flammable, contains no CFC’s and is perfect for both outside and indoor use. Totally safe for both humans and pets when used as directed. Retails at $14.95 plus shipping for a 10 oz. can, but we've bought this magical product in bulk so we can offer you the same for only $10.99 plus shipping. For product and ordering information, go to the Paw Patch Shoppe.
"I give my lab, Joe, the Syn-flex and
I take it myself too.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||
|
|
|
||
|
Contest Ends:
5 p.m. Monday, July 31, 2006
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||||
Copyright © 2006 Florida Pets Info