Come back, Jera!

My puppy is missing. I made a page for it on my other blog.

Lost Beagle in Franklin, TN

FidoFinder listing (not very complete because they charge for more information)

Craigslist listing for Jera

Listing in Nashville Pet Finders

Listing in Petfinder Classifieds

Post on Joanna’s blog

Post on Beth’s blog

Six-toed Hemingway cats can stay, city says

From CNN.com:

KEY WEST, Florida (AP) -- City officials have sided with Ernest Hemingway's former home and its celebrated six-toed felines in its cat fight with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Key West City Commission exempted the home from a city law prohibiting more than four domestic animals per household.

About 50 cats live there.

The house has been locked in a dispute with the USDA, which claims the museum is an "exhibitor" of cats and needs a special license, a claim the home disputes.

The new ordinance reads in part, "The cats reside on the property just as the cats did in the time of Hemingway himself. They are not on exhibition in the manner of circus animals. ... The City Commission finds that family of polydactyl Hemingway cats are indeed animals of historic, social and tourism significance."

It also states that the cats are "an integral part of the history and ambiance of the Hemingway House."

A USDA spokesman did not return messages left late Sunday.

The cats are descendants of a six-toed cat given as a gift to the writer in 1935. All carry the gene for six toes, though not all display the trait.

I'm glad to hear that kitties can stay. :-) I guess my dreams of having 26 cats are not going to happen... Oh well. alcohol rehabs

Cute Overload on beagles

I love beagles. :-)

Cute Overload featured a beagle post today!

There was also a post a few weeks ago of a beagle chewing on its own foot. :-) Following the link on that post led me to The Daily Puppy and lots of pictures of Maverick, the Beagle.

Also, on The Daily Puppy, there are pictures of Southwell the beagle. He looks a lot like Jera, except with a squarer jaw. :-)

Also make sure to check out Southwell's puppy pictures here. :-)
There, now you have lots of Beagle pictures to smile out. I got a new camera last weekend so hopefully when I get a chance I'll upload some of Jera.

Bob Barker on pets

Retiring 'Price is Right' Bob Barker Persuades California to Pass Pet Bill

Okay, I'm all for spaying and neutering animals, but passing a LAW about it seems a bit excessive, doesn't it? For one, I'm opposed to so many laws controlling every bit of our lives... And for two, I fear the long-term effects of such a bill. Perhaps I'm being extreme... But it's only going to drive up the cost of pets. Purebred pets will be more expensive because the breeders will be forced to get special licensing. Non-purebred pets will die out, forcing people who want a cat or a dog to go to a breeder. I know my parents would never have paid money for a cat when I was growing up.

Perhaps it would be better to explore other ways of controlling the pet population, rather than passing laws and slapping down fines.

If my pets were humans...

Paul and I often talk about what our animals would be like if they were human. I think it's kinda fun, so here is what we have come up with:

Jera
Definite extrovert. Bubbly, friendly, hyper. Popular - gets along with everyone. Maybe a bit on the spacey side, but still lovable. High energy and a somewhat innocent demeanor when she does something she shouldn't. Doesn't like to be alone (hence the extrovert side) and needs people around for her own entertainment. We all love her, even if she can be a bit much sometimes!

Lewis
Cool, laid-back dude. Goes with the flow with any situation. Knows what he wants and pursues until he gets it. An extrovert, but has a quiet side to him as well. He enjoys other people and is very friendly, and gets along with everyone. We think he'd be the type to date around, but we hope he wouldn't break any hearts. :-) Popular, because of his unassuming nature and ability to adapt. Loves food, maybe a little bit too much. Can be pushy with people who let him - like his sister, Ebony.

Ebony
She's our quiet introvert. Loves libraries and books and studying. She's very aloof with people she's not comfortable with, and can sometimes be thought of as snobby. That's not true, however - she's just shy and closed. Once she's comfortable with you, she's very warm and friendly. She dislikes change, and would prefer to stay home than go out. She lets her big brother Lewis push her around, but generally holds her own with others. She'd rather avoid confrontation altogether, so she tends to just disappear when things start heating up.

catster & dogster

I came across these websites today and thought I'd share them:

Catster: the cat lovers community to share pictures, stories, and information
Dogster: the dog lovers community to share pictures, stories, and information

Catproofing the computer

For all you folks out there who have little kitties who like to walk across keyboards... I discovered through Cute Overload some awesome software. PawSense catproofs your computer. It detects cat-like typing and locks the keyboard. I think that's hilarious. Fortunately, my cats don't jump on my keyboard, so I think I'll pass. But if they did... :-)