Food For Thought. Chapul, The Original Cricket Bar Giveaway
April 21, 2014 by
Finding Bigfoot, Spotting a Leopard and Cougars in the Adirondacks
January 28, 2014 by
Image from Finding Bigfoot, Animal Planet
Finding Bigfoot
I have a guilty pleasure. When I am tired and just want to relax and not think about anything, I like to watch Finding Bigfoot on Animal Planet. They haven’t found Bigfoot yet, or even come close, but they keep on trying. Although the shows seem to follow a predictable pattern, I still watch because it is entertaining hearing all the “squatch” jargon. Even the phrase “Gone Squatchin” makes me laugh.
3 Simple Things You Can Do to Help Save Wild Tigers
January 4, 2014 by
The tiger (Panthera tigris) is the world’s most favorite animal according to a survey carried out by Animal Planet. This poll of more than 50,000 people in 73 countries chose the tiger, the world’s largest and most threatened with extinction of the big cats. When asked to explain the overwhelming appeal of the tiger, Dr. Candy d’Sa, an animal behaviorist, said: “We can relate to the tiger, as it is fierce and commanding o the outside, but noble and discerning on the inside.”
The tiger’s win was greeted with hope by conservationists because if people are choosing the tiger as their favorite animal, they surely will do what is needed to ensure their survival. But the tiger has vanished from 93% of their historic range. And down from 100,000 wild tigers 100 years ago to fewer than 3,200 remain in the wild today. Will we do what is needed to endure the tiger’s survival? Here are 3 simple tings you can do to help save wild tigers.
1) Tissue Products are Pushing Sumatran Tigers to Local Extinction
The toilet paper on your grocery store shelves may have a direct impact on the 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild. Image courtesy of WWF. Please buy only FSC- certified and recycled fiber paper products.
3 Things to Stop Repeating About Cats in the New Year
December 30, 2013 by
As the year draws to a close many of us might take time for reflection. It is befitting to think about changes we would like to see for the better when the clock strikes midnight and the clean slate of a new year begins. Out with the old, and in with the new.
These past few months I heard way too many times, sound bites repeated about cats that are stereotypical, unfounded, and cruel. These same mundane statements are being echoed throughout almost every media outlet and social media venue. This repetition does more harm than good and it is frustrating to keep hearing these same old droll statements plunked down because it is easier to repeat than evaluate.
I might sound like I have lost my sense of humor, and I haven’t I assure you, except when it comes to people mindlessly repeating the following things about cats.
1) Stop repeating that cats are aloof and don’t love their humans.
Vocal recognition of owners by domestic cats (Felis catus), by Saito and Shinozuka and published in Animal Cognition early in 2013 caused an echo throughout the media claiming that cats don’t care enough to respond to their owners, cats are aloof, and even your cat doesn’t love you back. So as bits and pieces of the article were plucked out and repeated, in one sensational headline after another, the core of the article was left behind.
Ideal Balance Crunchy Naturals Cat Treats
November 16, 2013 by
Ideal Balance Crunchy Naturals
Gracey had food allergies and that made it difficult to find special treats for her to enjoy. We were in that mind set for so long, now that Annie and Eddie are 
here we realized that we could look for a teat for them to enjoy. We are still skittish about what to feed our cats because we want to make sure that they not only enjoy their treats but that the treats are good and safe for them too.
Ideal Balance created Crunchy Naturals for dogs and cats to meet the needs of pet parents that want the best in what they choose to give to their loved one. I like the window on the bag that allows me to see the treats inside the bag too. The treats stay fresh even after opening because the treat bag has a zip loc closure that seals tight. In fact, the treat bag stayed closed even after Annie batted it off the counter onto the floor thinking she would be able to get a few extra treats.
All Natural Ingredients and Grain Free
Ideal Balance treats are made with all-natural ingredients like real chicken and they are grain-free too. There is no corn, wheat, soy, added artificial preservatives, colors or flavors. All of the Hill’s Ideal Balance treats are manufactured locally, in the United States.
Zero Tolerance for Salmonella
The United States Ivory Crush Symbolic Gesture for a Principle
November 14, 2013 by
A Symbolic Gesture for a Principle Beyond Money
Elephants in Amboseli National Park
Today the United States government will destroy six tons of ivory, which represents a large portion of the ivory the Unites States has seized since the late 1980’s, when a national ban on commercial African ivory imports went into effect.
Worried About Salmonella? Hill’s Pet Nutrition has Zero Tolerance
October 20, 2013 by
Most of my life I have been in the product development, manufacturing and distribution of food products. Having owned my own food company, I understand how important not only choosing the right ingredients but also where those ingredients come from is to the quality and safety of the finished product. Just as people are becoming more concerned about where and how their own food is produced, we are demanding better quality and transparency in the food that we choose to feed our pets.
How Ingredients are Sourced is Important
Responsibly Sourced Fish for Cats and Humans World Oceans Day
June 8, 2013 by
World Oceans Day is June 8. Celebrate by Committing to Responsibly Sourced Fish.
Our oceans have a great wealth of diverse species but they are in trouble. Climate change is linked to the killing of coral reefs and destructive fishing practices have led to a 
dramatic decline in many types of fish and sea life we depend on. Today is World Oceans Day so I thought we could spend a few moments thinking about what we can do to help support our oceans.
McDonald’s, one of the nation’s largest single buyers of fish, announced earlier this year that it would begin serving Marine Stewardship Council certified sustainable fish at its 14,000 restaurants. This proved that responsibly sourced fish ,the once thought to be only a niche market, was making its way in to the mainstream.
More than a third of consumers polled in 2012 ate sustainable food at least weekly, up from 27 percent two years earlier. According to Darren Tristano, executive vice president of foodservice research firm Technomic: “We’ve seen an increase in the marketing of sustainability for two reasons. The first is that chains are taking responsibility for sustainability practices that were already in place and also because more restaurants and suppliers have taken a step in that direction.”*
[Read more…]
The Most Endangered River in America
May 8, 2013 by
Wildlife Wednesday
We joined the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop with this short video, The Most Endangered River in America. This video poem highlights both the beauty and the troubles of this amazing river. The video is directed and written by Pete McBride Productions. The images are stunning and the message is important.
The Colorado River runs 1450 miles across seven states and two countries. This might river supplies water for 36 million people. Even though the river flowed to the sea for 6 million years, the Colorado has not reached the ocean since the late 1990’s. We hope you will take a few moments to view this important video poem.
