Animal Cruelty in the Name of Free Speech-A contradiction in terms!

My heart is heavy today since the Supreme Court voided the law on animal cruelty in support of free speech....somehow violence becomes ok in the face of the constitution. I believe in the US Constitution but I also believe that it was written to allow freedom of expression to individuals, not to condone violence.  When does cruelty to animals become an acceptable practice?  What will the next step be?  Since the law apparently now allows video to capture this cruelty and disseminate it, does that make it right?  I think not.  What kind of a society have we become?

Thank you, Justice Samuel Alito, for your integrity, sensitivity and decency to uphold your conviction  in a Supreme Court that has obviously lost its way on this one.  Your dog, Zeus, certainly will never have to face the fate of so many others destined for these horrific videos in the name of "free speech".

For thought.. health care reform and veterinary health care

I just read this great blog on Fully Vetted, by Patty Khuly, DVM, about human medicine learning lessons from our veterinary colleagues. As a practicing ED doc, pet shop owner and professed dog lover, I couldn't agree more! Here was my response:

As a practicing ER doc, pet boutique owner and dog owner, I couldn't agree with you more! I recently went through the "end of life" process with my 14 yo Norwegian Elkhound. My decision to allow her to end her life in a loving environment should be the model for humans as well. Far too many times, I have seen the dwindling of human life, far beyond what we would consider "humane" for our animals, yet we persist. Thus, health care costs for humans skyrocket, creating a vicious cycle that has not yet been broken. We should stop, look and learn from our furry companions and veterinary medicine colleagues

Please chck it out and let me know your thoughts! Here's the link:

http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2010/march/human_medicine

Spring Gardening Dangers for Your Dog

I've officially been bitten by the "Spring Fever" Gardening Bug....and my dogs have been outside as much as they can be during the warm weather the past few days.  So it got me thinking about dangerous, poisonous plants...since the puppy, Callie, is 6 months old and crazy about the backyard plants.  So here's a list and some resources that might be helpful for all of you dog (and Cat) owning gardeners out there!

Common Toxic Plants:

Asparagus Fern                           Animal Poison Control (888) 426-4435, 24/7www.beachtailsonline.com
Clematis
Daffodil
Easter Lily
Elephant Ears
English Ivy
Foxglove
Geranium
Lily of the Valley
Morning Glory
Narcissus
Rhododendron
Yew

Welcome to our blog! So much has happened since the inception of Beachtails, so let me fill you in on the latest. Beachtails was established after I became a Breast Cancer survivor. While I was recuperating, my husband suggested to me that I might want to consider opening a shop since I had talked about it frequently. I guess having a brush with fate can certainly change one's path....so we created Beachtails, and slowly looked for the right location. We settled on New Buffalo, Michigan, a quaint little town on the west coast of the lake. We searched for the perfect place...which eventually materialized as an old house on the main street. My wonderful manager, Janet, was truely a gift from my realtor, Maureen Culp. Within minutes of meeeting her, I knew she was the right person for the job. After months of renovation, we officially opened in May 2008. It's been a wonderful ride since.

Beachtails founding dogs, Zoey and Nora, have since gone to doggy heaven but remain ever present in the spirit of the shop. Zoey was my constant companion for 2+ years before I brought her daughter, Nora, home to live with us and my new husband, Milt. The "girls" loved being in Michigan...long before Beachtails existed. They really enjoyed the snow in the winter...and spent may days romping on the uninhabited beaches, climbing snowdrifts. When my children, Miguel and Maria, were born, the girls became their constant companions.

Our new shop dogs, Grace and Callie, couldn't be more different than Zoey and Nora. They are rescued pups, with all that it brings. Grace is a big girl....loving and ever pleasing, but she is definitely cautious around men. Callie, our newest addition, is a little girl....spunky and sweet and ALL puppy! They have won our hearts....