(www.meowbarkblog.com)

Release of special edition Shepard Fairey ADOPT print will mark historic significance of the presidential dog adoption and help continue to raise awareness for pet adoption nationwide

LOS ANGELES – APRIL 10, 2009 – Adopt-a-Pet.com, North America’s largest non-profit pet adoption website, and Artist Shepard Fairey have hope and faith in the Obamas’ commitment to adopting a dog — so much so, that they have already created a special-edition ADOPT print to be released immediately after the adoption becomes official.

The only thing needed for Fairey to finalize the image is the presidential pooch adoption date, which will go on the dog’s tag, making the print a distinctive piece of pet adoption history.

“The day the Obamas adopt their new family member will no doubt be a historic moment for shelter animals everywhere,” said Adopt-a-Pet.com Spokesperson Dr. Pia Salk, who initiated the collaboration with Fairey. “It is monumental that the leader of our country will be setting an example by saving the life of a dog in need. This will send a strong message to today’s youth about the power that lies in our choices and the importance of giving back to those less fortunate. Their adoption will be a symbol of hope for not only shelter animals but for the country overall.”

In the same way the original Fairey ADOPT image was based on the red, white and blue Hope poster, this new edition is modeled after the Obama inauguration ‘history’ sticker that was released in regal shades of black and gold. The print will enable animal lovers to show their support and give back to the plight of shelter animals.

“Animal lovers of all political affiliations can join together and celebrate the historic date that the Obamas bring home the first adopted dog ever to inhabit the White House,” said Adopt-a-Pet.com Executive Director Abbie Moore. “This is truly a non-partisan issue, and we hope to see all Americans follow the Obamas’ wonderful example. The importance of this action simply cannot be overstated.”

For information on the print and to search for adoptable pets, go to http://www.adoptapet.com.

About Adopt-a-Pet.com

Adopt-a-Pet.com (formerly 1-800-Save-A-Pet.com) is North America’s largest non-profit pet adoption website, helping over 7,000 animal shelters, humane societies, SPCAs, pet rescue groups, and pet adoption agencies advertise their homeless pets to adopters for free. Adopt-a-Pet.com displays photos and descriptions of adoptable pets to over 1.5 million people seeking to adopt a pet each month, and is funded by the passionate pet lovers at Purina and North Shore Animal League America. Aside from being able to adopt a dog or adopt a cat, Adopt-a-Pet.com visitors may now also adopt a rabbit, horse, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish, farm-type animals and other small pets.

(www.meowbarkblog.com) — It caught me off guard when I looked outside and saw your broken body with perfect feathers rippling so slightly in the wind. I locked the dogs inside before I donned rubber gloves to investigate.

My breath stuck in my throat as I turned you over, bird, and saw the unfortunate angle of your neck. Snapped. Your eyes were still shining like the glass that misled you, but there was no flutter in your chest.

I don’t know how long you had lain there, bird, before I found you, but I’m glad it was me who discovered you on the cold concrete and not the dogs. I whispered an apology to your empty shell as I threw you over the fence, even though I knew you weren’t there.

Contents Copyright © 2009 Kristen King

(www.meowbarkblog.com) — I’m either a glutton for punishment or just slow on the uptake, because I thought I could run out to the post office for a few minutes the other day without worrying about the dogs making some kind of mess. We don’t let them loose in the house when we leave anymore because they’re so darn creative and brilliant at getting to things the shouldn’t have, and I figured there was nothing that would appeal to them in the mudroom or garage in the 15 minutes I was gone.

I was wrong.

I managed to pick up most of the dog food before I thought to take a picture, and about half of the paper towels were somewhat salvageable, however slobbery. None of them can go on a paper towel holder, though because the dogs ripped through so many layers that the individual sheets are no longer connected in most cases.

Sigh. When will I ever learn?

Contents Copyright © 2009 Kristen King

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(www.meowbarkblog.com) — We’ve lived in our house for 2 years next month, and every nice day the whole time we’ve been here, I’ve said to myself, “I wish we had double-hung windows.”

You see, the windows in the dining room and my office open onto the front porch, and I can’t open them more than an inch or two because otherwise my protective moron dogs will knock out the screen and climb out if the UPS or FedEx guys come to drop off a package. I’m not looking for a lawsuit here, you know what I’m saying? So I have to keep those windows closed on even the nicest days because my dogs are morons who love to chase strangers.

Or so I thought. After making my lament silently for 23 months, I finally said it aloud to Jesse the other day.

“What do you mean you wish we had double-hung windows?” he asked quizzically.

“You know,” I responded, “so I could open the top of the windows in the dining room and office when it’s nice out and not worry about the dogs scaring the crap out of someone.”

“We have double-hung windows,” he informed me.

Duh. It never occurred to me to check. I just, for some reason, was completely convinced we didn’t. So yesterday, when it was 70 degrees out in February, I opened the front windows from the top with full confidence that ne’er a delivery person would be eaten in my neck of the woods. Not on my watch.

Contents Copyright © 2009 Kristen King

(www.meowbarkblog.com) — January 25 marked the premiere of the Nature series “Why We Love Cats and Dogs” on PBS. This video features one family’s story about life with their dog after he was diagnosed with cancer. Get the tissues out! It’s a beautiful tale and an awesome dog.

Contents Copyright © 2009 Kristen King

(www.meowbarkblog.com) — My English mastiff Murphy and this dog must have been separated at birth, because they both are total water babies.

Contents Copyright © 2009 Kristen King

(www.meowbarkblog.com) — Sad because you know your best friend won’t live as long as you? Never fear — when Fido kicks the bucket, you can just have him cloned thanks to BioArts International and its Best Friends Again project.

The company’s recent press release announcing the delivery of the first cloned dog to its new (old?) family in Florida describes BioArts as

…a biotech company focused on unique, untapped markets in the global companion animal, stem cell and human genomics industries. The Best Friends program is a collaboration between BioArts and the Sooam Biotech Research Foundation in South Korea, home to the best and most experienced dog cloning team in the world.

BioArts has been granted the sole, worldwide license for the cloning of dogs, cats andendangered species. The license was granted by Start Licensing, Inc. and applies to thesomatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) cloning patents developed at the Roslin Institute for the cloning of Dolly the sheep.

I’m sure the family is thrilled to have a replica of their beloved dog, but “clone” does not equal “same dog,” so I hope their expectations aren’t too high that they will have their very own pet again. Also, don’t cloned animals have shorter lifespans than their non-cloned counterparts?

You can probably tell from my tone that I don’t think cloning pets is a good idea. What’s next? Your kid dies so you clone him and start over?

Would you clone a pet?

Contents © Copyright 2009 Kristen King

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Birds-Animals-Nature photo

Contents Copyright © 2009 Kristen King

(www.meowbarkblog.com) — President Elect Barack Obama’s daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, are probably more excited about the upcoming addition to their family than their new digs after Dad’s January 20 inauguration next week. Obama promised his girls a dog to keep them company in the White House, and the family is reportedly deciding between the designer Labradoodle and the long-famed Portuguese water dog.

My pick? The Labradoodle.

I’m not generally one for designer dogs, but the Labradoodle just warms the cockles of my heart. Maybe because the apricot color of this breed reminds me of Barkley from classic Sesame Street. Labradoodles are a cross between labrador retrievers and poodles. While their physical characteristics may vary with any combination of traits, they are consistently smart, energetic, friendly, and loyal. In short, Labradoodles are great family dogs, and for two girls the ages of Malia and Sasha, the Labradoodle strikes me as a perfect match.

A poodle or poodle mix is also a great choice because 10-year-old Malia has allergies, and poodles are a non-shedding breed.

What dog would you pick for the Obamas?

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Contents Copyright © 2009 Kristen King

(www.meowbarkblog.com) — I got a frantic call from my husband today while I was pulling into the chiropractor’s parking lot about 35 minutes from our house. (I need adjustments 3x/week for the next 4 weeks thanks to my recent car accident.)

“The alarm is going off at the house!”

“Well, I’m at the doctor and I won’t be home for over half an hour if leave now, so…”

“Okay, I’ll tell them to send the police.”

Dave,* who’s been living with us for a few months while waiting for his wife to get a transfer from her job 3 hours from HIS new job, beat me home and called Jesse with the news: “The dogs ate that big box of chocolate. I think it set off the alarm when they were scraping the plastic across the floor.”

Oh, great. My dogs, who just a few days earlier, downed 10 lbs of flour, just ate 2.5 lbs of chocolate. Does it get any better?

Fortunately for all of us, it wasn’t very good-quality chocolate, so the amount of cocoa consumed even if one dog had eaten the whole thing alone would have been minimal. So far, everyone seems just fine. Even Pickles, who we learned from the projectile vomiting post-flour, tends to have a more sensitive stomach than the other dogs. Awesome. What else can they POSSIBLY get into?

Contents Copyright © 2009 Kristen King

• Not his real name.

(image: SXC.hu)