Cutting pet costs in a beastly recession

May 11, 2009 By: Krisha Williams Turbeville Category: Animals and the economy, Birds, Cats, Dogs, Small pets, pet health

THE WASHINGTON POST

WASHINGTON — My dad figured he had all the time in the world to take care of Rocky. What he didn’t realize was that he needed quite a bit of money too.

My dad has a decent pension from his job as a cafeteria worker at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital in New York. But all the pet food, veterinarian visits and other expenses are making a dent on his budget. Still, he loves Rocky and won’t give him up. (My mom is not as much of a fan, as Rocky is extremely rambunctious, but she puts up with him to please my dad.) (more…)

Obamas narrowing search for First Dog

January 11, 2009 By: Krisha Williams Turbeville Category: Dogs, Pets in politics, Shelters, rescue dogs

THE NEW YORK TIMES

The Obama family is nearing a decision on the breed for the first dog.

Before President-elect Barack Obama began his interview on the ABC program This Week, which was broadcast Sunday, his daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, asked the host, George Stephanopoulos, to slip in this question: “What kind of a dog are we getting, and when are we getting it?”

When asked, Obama laughed, “They seem to have narrowed it down to a Labradoodle or a Portuguese water hound,” he said, adding that the next step is to canvass shelters. (more…)

More pets given up as economy crumbles

December 27, 2008 By: Krisha Williams Turbeville Category: Animals and the economy, Cats, Dogs, Horses, Shelters, pet health, rescue dogs

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

FAYETTEVILLE — Like elsewhere in the country, hard economic times mean hard decisions for Arkansans, especially when it comes to their pets, and shelters and rescue groups say they are overwhelmed.

“We’ve had pigs, goats, everything. There are people that will leave a box of rats at the door,” said Darren Taylor, animal services officer in Fayetteville. “I think the economy probably has a lot to do with it.” (more…)

North Little Rock’s own ‘Dog Whisperer’

September 30, 2008 By: Krisha Williams Turbeville Category: Cats, Dogs, Shelters, rescue dogs

Karen Kelley of K-9 Consultants recommends building dogs their own digging boxes. Her dog, BooBoo, enjoys curling up in the dirt for a quick nap at Kelley’s North Little Rock home.

KRISHA WILLIAMS TURBEVILLE
RESCUE IN THE ROCK

Her clients call her the Dog Whisperer. I was hoping she could whisper some sense into my pound puppy, JoJo, who had been running the house since we got her.

Karen Kelley of K-9 Consultants arrived at our home and immediately started assessing JoJo, who was jumping at her and biting her fingers and generally being JoJo. (more…)