Gemini Universal LLC

Do you need some gift ideas this holiday season and beyond? One of my personal favorites has always been the Chia Pet, and there are plenty of new Chia Pets on the market this year, from TV and movie characters, to adorable animal Chia Pets and bestselling classics.

Subaru of America, Inc. announced in a press release that due to the overwhelming success of pet adoption events at auto shows in 2018, the automaker is expanding its pet adoptions to more than 40 auto shows across the country through the remainder of 2019 and into 2020. As part of the "Subaru Loves Pets" initiative, the Subaru will partner with local animal shelters in cities hosting auto shows, with the focus of ultimately getting animals out of shelters and into loving forever homes.

With Halloween around the corner and the holiday season coming into full swing, grocery stores and households are stocking up with candies and chocolates. Data collected and publicized by sources such as Pet Poison Helpline and others indicate that dogs are two to four times more likely to be exposed to chocolate during holidays such as Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and calls and visits to help lines and emergency clinics escalate. Exposure to chocolate accounts for hundreds of veterinarian visits each year, some with fatal consequences. Following are some tips of what pet owners should do if their dog consumes chocolate.

September 24th is a special day in Honolulu for animal lovers and their pet family members. A grand opening celebration took place at the new facility at 942 Kawaiahao Street in Kakaako. Beginning with a traditional Hawaiian blessing, the grand opening celebration honored working dogs with special guest speakers from Guide Dogs of Hawaii and K9 Handlers. This was followed by an open house for tours of the facility. They even included a casting call for Ali'i Animal's mascots!

Every year on the third Saturday of August, animal lovers across the world celebrate International Homeless Animal day which is dedicated to spreading awareness about pet overpopulation.

New statistics have been released about the rise in pet obesity. According to Dr. Allison Wara in a press release, pet obesity is on the rise in North America with approximately 60% of cats and 56% of dogs being overweight or obese. This is a condition that goes largely overlooked by most pet owners. This tendency to underestimate a pet's body condition allows the disease to progress unseen, free to continue its deadly, life-shortening work. Dr. Wara is a veterinarian and a board certified clinical nutritionist with ROYAL CANIN® Canada.

Have you ever considered what your local postal worker experiences when faced with unfamilar pets while trying to do their job? Canada Post has and they launched a national dog campaign to raise awareness about how dog owners can help postal workers prevent dog-related incidents.

You might be prepared for a variety of situations for yourself and your human family’s needs, but are you prepared for your animal family member’s needs, too? The second Saturday in May has been deemed National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day and a time to review how you would handle the animals in your life as well as the people you love should a disaster strike.

The Winn Feline Foundation (Winn) and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) support veterinary students who focus on feline clinical practice and research science which are vital to feline health and welfare. To that end, in 2016, the Boards of Directors of both Winn and the AAFP approved the development and implementation of a joint scholarship.