Posts tagged "Chicago"

Chicago Organizations Help Elderly Care for their Pets

by Rebecca Quimby (Subscribe to Rebecca Quimby's posts): Mar 15th 2010 1:00PM Filed Under: Dogs, Cats, Pet Adoption

Pets bring joy to people of all ages but also daunting responsibility. cielokatie, Flickr

It's always a difficult moment when a senior citizen has to enter a hospital or nursing home, especially if it means a pet is going to be left without care - even temporarily. Enter Sister Marijon Binder and her two organizations, Touched by an Animal and Cats-Are-Purrsons-Too. Binder's Chicago-based organizations help the elderly take care of their pets.

Depending on the situation, that can mean sending volunteers into people's homes to help provide pet food, walk dogs, or clean litter boxes, which often makes the difference between a senior being able to keep a pet or having to give it up. Binder also boards cats for people who have to go to a hospital or nursing home, and takes the cats to visit their owners.

Binder came to her current vocation after moving to Chicago from her California convent in 1976 and soon realized that she could make a difference helping people in need with their pets.

At one point, the convent called her back to service and she considering returning, but ultimately she had to say no. "I wanted to go back [to the convent] but too many elderly people were relying on me," Binder told the Chicago Sun Times. "I simply felt in my heart that God wanted me to continue taking care of these people and animals." She went on to say, "These pets are their family. They're desperate to find someone who will love and care for their pet after they are gone. So what we do is provide them with peace of mind."

Her passion for caring for this community does add a particular challenge to her life -- Binder cares for about 70 cats in her Chicago home, which has a screened-in backyard so the kitties can play outside. If the cat won't be returning to its owner for some reason, sometimes the cats are put up for adoption and Binder helps facilitate the process.

So just what is it like to live with 70 cats? Binder told Paw Nation, "Living with cats is a full-time job. As the saying goes, 'dogs have masters; cats have servants.' That's us."

The organizations are kept going by donations and volunteers. Says Binder, "Every day, I pray for volunteers and donations. Sometimes we're really low on money, but I trust in God and people to pull us out."

To participate in any way -- including adopting a cat -- call (773) 728-6336 or visit www.touchedbyananimal.org.

5-Paw Dog Parks: The Best Dog Parks in the Nation's Biggest Cities

by Barbara Cooke (Subscribe to Barbara Cooke's posts): Jan 27th 2010 4:00PM Filed Under: Traveling with Pets

Dogs at the Millie Bush Bark Park in Houston. Flickr/Zelda Go Wild

Dog parks are an incredible resource for dog owners and animal lovers. For city dwellers, dog parks provide a rare space where dogs can run free. Even suburban and country dogs love dog parks for the ever-so-important socialization opportunities that they provide. New dog owners, long-time dog owners, and dog owners' associations find dog parks to be an oasis in which to commune. Many even hold events at these parks, adding to their fun.

By sniffing out specifications and reviews, we've compiled a list of the top dog parks in the five largest U.S. cities.

New York, N.Y.
1. Carl Shurz Park Dog Run, on the Upper East Side, is a picturesque park with a small-dog run.
2. Fort Tryon Park Sir William's Run, in Washington Heights, sports grass areas (a rarity in most city dog runs).
3. St. Nick's Dog Run, in Harlem, features the largest run in NYC and an active community.

Los Angeles, Calif.
1. Runyon Canyon Park, in Los Angeles proper, is great for hiking too.
2. Sepulveda Basin Off-Leash Dog Park, in Encino, boasts five acres of fun.
3. Dog Beach Zone, in Long Beach, is a very popular destination that even hosts interfaith blessings of animals.

The Top Pet-Friendly City and Runners-Up

by Kirsten Taylor (Subscribe to Kirsten Taylor's posts): Aug 18th 2009 11:00AM Filed Under: Dogs, Cats, Photo Galleries

Spot and the City: San Francisco made the list for top pet-friendly city. Click the photo for more pet-friendly cities. Photo: akaporn/Flickr

New York City is the place to be for fashion, theater, fine dining -- and, it turns out, is also a pet-friendly city. The housing rental website Rent.com recently released a list of the top 10 pet-friendly cities in the U.S. The Big Apple takes the top spot, with cities from North, South, East and West rounding out the list.

Rent.com president Peggy Abkemeier told Paw Nation that her company combed through thousands of pet-friendly rental listings to find cities with a significant percentage of cat- and dog-friendly pads for rent. "Of the Rent.com listings in Charleston and Austin, 98 percent are pet-friendly," Abkemeier told Paw Nation. Next, she and her team looked at other pet criteria such aspublic parks, doggie daycares, pet-friendly restaurants and off-leash beaches.

Abkemeier said that these days, the rental climate is pretty welcoming to pet owners around the country. "In fact, 80 percent of our national inventory is pet-friendly," she added. And as property owners deal with vacancies linked to the economic downturn, some are becoming even more flexible in their pet policies, she said.

Unfortunately, not all landlords are as charmed by our four-legged friends as we are. Abkemeier offered some tips for sweet-talking a potential landlord and landing the perfect pad.

Ease landlords' worries by ensuring that your rental insurance will cover any pet-related damages.
Show landlords recommendations from your current landlord or neighbors who can vouch for your pet's good behavior.
Offer up written evidence of vaccinations and obedience training, so your potential landlord knows your dog is healthy and won't keep the neighbors up all night.
Introduce your potential landlord to your pet. Abkemeier says that landlords often bend the rules when they see how sweet and well-behaved your pooch or kitty is in person.

To make things easier for cat- and dog-lovers, Rent.com lets you search a list of more than 20,000 apartments and homes where pets are welcome, and not just in the cities that made the top-ten list.

Did your hometown make the list of the most pet-friendly cities? Take a look at the top ten, then let us know what the pet climate is like in your neighborhood!

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Camouflage Animals

Madagascar Day Gecko
The green Madagascar Day Gecko lives in the dry regions of forests in Madagascar and neighboring islands. They usually grow to be between four to six inches long. Their tail makes up almost half of their length.

Getty Images

Camouflage Animals

Argentine Horned Frog Reptiles
The Argentine Horned Frog, also known as the Horned Frog or Pacman Frog, originated in South America. The green and black amphibian, which can grow up to six inches long, is a popular pets and can live for as long as 10 years.

Camouflage Animals

Walkingstick
The Walkingstick takes its camouflage abilities to the next level by creating the appearance of a stick or twig to hide from predators. While they normally stand still, these insects are able to walk around as though they were a twig caught in the wind. They can be found in tropical forests or woodlands all across the world.

Camouflage Animals

Dwarf Puff Adder
Found in Nambia, the venomous Dwarf Puff Adder hides from the hot desert sun by burying itself in the sand, where only its eyes show.

Camouflage Animals

Stonefish
Often resembling a rock, the brown colored Stonefish camouflages itself perfectly in the ocean. With 13 venomous dorsal spines on its back, the Stonefish can cause tissue damage and respiratory distress, which can lead to cardiovascular shock if left untreated.

Camouflage Animals

Chameleons
Chameleons, the quintessential color-changers, can transform their skin color when their mood, temperature or the amount of light around them is altered. Their hue, which can vary from yellow and pink to brown and black, is also altered when they communicate.

Camouflage Animals

Green Anole
Often confused with chameleons, Green Anoles turn brown when they're stressed or sick. Found in the trees and shrubs of the Southeastern United States, these lizards are popular pets.

Camouflage Animals

The Eastern Wood Frog
The Eastern Wood Frog tricks competitors by changing colors to match its surroundings. Found in North American woodlands, the frog also has a dark black patch from its eye to the base of its front limb that can change colors.

Camouflage Animals