Join Me in Wishing a Happy 7th Anniversary to Scott Giacoppo, Vice President, External Affairs, Washington Humane Society

From Lisa LaFontaine, President and CEO, Washington Humane Society:

Wishing a very happy 7th (WHS) anniversary to Scott Giacoppo! It is a daily inspiration to work with someone who has been in animal welfare for two decades, and yet comes in each day with more love and compassion for animals, more desire to do good, and more determination to make a difference than he had the day before. You are a rare breed... WHS - and the field - are lucky to have you!

Scott Giacoppo, Vice President, External Affairs with Gracie

Scott Giacoppo joined the Washington Humane Society in November of 2007 as Chief Programs Officer. In 2010 he was also named Vice President of External Affairs responsible for the organization’s marketing and communications. In his roles Scott oversees the field officers for the District’s Animal Control Department as well as the Humane Law Enforcement Officers that investigate animal cruelty. Scott also supervises the WHS Humane Education Department in addition to the advocacy and wildlife programs. Prior to coming to WHS he served as a special state police officer investigating animal cruelty, as well as Director of Public Relations and Deputy Director of Advocacy for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Boston. Scott lives with Gracie, four wonderful cats and a Collie mix named Brady.

                           Happy 7th  Anniversary from The Pet Tree House!

(To subscribe to The Pet Tree House, click on this icon
in the black drop-down menu on your right. Thank you.)

Visit my blog! The News Whisperer, An informative blog of what's going on in your world today!
 at: www.whispersoftheworld.com

Tinder for Pets App Helps You Give Shelter Animals Forever Homes

This new addition to the growing number of Tinder-like apps out there is possibly the cutest one yet -- it lets you browse dogs, cats and other animals in shelters looking for their forever home.

The Tinder for pets we're talking about was developed by adoption website AllPaws, which isn't new to taking cues from dating services. In fact, the website itself looks more like online dating portals instead of traditional pet adoption haunts on the web. Just like Tinder, you need to swipe left or right to browse through contenders and message a shelter through the app when you find one that tugs at your heartstrings.

The app lists 200,000 adoptable animals at the moment, and while we can all look at dog and cat pics all day, you can also filter them based on breed and on your geographical location to easily find viable candidates.

Of course, nobody should ever adopt pets based on looks alone, but apps like this help entice people to go to shelters -- many might even end up going home with another dog or cat than the one they originally wanted. You can now download the AllPaws app from iTunes and finally find someone who'll love you more than you love him/her.

(To subscribe to The Pet Tree House, click on this icon
in the black drop-down menu on your right. Thank you.)

Visit my blog! The News Whisperer, An informative blog of what's going on in your world today!
 at: www.whispersoftheworld.com

It Shall Be Suitable For Use In Animal Food

“It shall be suitable for use in animal food.” These nine little words are found in numerous places within pet food regulations, but they are not found within federal food law. These nine little words allow a multi-billion dollar a year industry to mislead pet food consumers. What – exactly – do these nine little words mean?

To read more on this story, click here: It Shall Be Suitable For Use In Animal Food

(To subscribe to The Pet Tree House, click on this icon
in the black drop-down menu on your right. Thank you.)

Visit my blog! The News Whisperer, An informative blog of what's going on in your world today!
 at: www.whispersoftheworld.com

Never Buy A Teacup Pig

“Teacup pigs” (also sometimes sold as “micro pigs,” “pocket pigs” and “Juliana pigs”) are a marketing scam reaching back at least two decades, if not more. It works like this: Breeders put up listings for “teacup pigs,” promising to sell petite porkers a pig that’ll stay permanently tiny. Buyers then pay anywhere from $750 to over $3,500 for their teacup pig. The buyer then watches as that tiny pig becomes a larger adolescent pig, then a very large, very non-teacup-sized hog. (Check out the Southern California Association for Miniature Potbellied Pigs http://www.scampp.com/TeacupPigs.html for some eye-opening before-and-after shots of how gigantic a teacup pig can get.)

To read more on this story, click here: Never Buy A Teacup Pig











(To subscribe to The Pet Tree House, click on this icon
in the black drop-down menu on your right. Thank you.)

Visit my blog! The News Whisperer, An informative blog of what's going on in your world today!
 at: www.whispersoftheworld.com

Giant Anaconda Terrifies Woman In Boat

Boaters in South America chase an enormous anaconda down the river, grabbing its tail. Listen as the woman (the wife of the boat driver) screams in terror! The gigantic snake didn't fight back because it has just eaten. The boaters were fined after wildlife officials viewed the video.

(To subscribe to The Pet Tree House, click on this icon
in the black drop-down menu on your right. Thank you.)

Visit my blog! The News Whisperer, An informative blog of what's going on in your world today!
 at: www.whispersoftheworld.com

Why Did the Cat Sit in the Circle? No Idea, Say Dumbfounded Vets, But This is One Trick That Even the Stupidest Pet Can Pull Off

If you've spent hours patiently trying to teach your puss to perform tricks then the latest online pet craze could be one for you.

Cat Circles, where cats are drawn to a makeshift circle, sit down in the middle of it and then refuse to move, are being recreated all over the world by plain old moggies who seemingly can't pass by a circle without being irresistibly drawn to it.

Hundreds of web users, mainly on Reddit and Imgur, are posting pictures of their successful feats, while vets and pet psychologists remain stumped.

To read more on this story, click here: Why Did the Cat Sit in the Circle?

(To subscribe to The Pet Tree House, click on this icon
in the black drop-down menu on your right. Thank you.)

Visit my blog! The News Whisperer, An informative blog of what's going on in your world today!
 at: www.whispersoftheworld.com

Shelter Pets More Popular Than Ever

Getting a new dog or cat? Over sixty percent of people planning on bringing home a new pet say they're going to adopt.

The PetSmart Charities 2014 U.S. Shelter Pet Report finds that 66 percent of people considering bringing home a new pet say they would adopt their new furry friend instead of going to a breeder or other source. That's up from 58 percent in 2011.

Spaying and neutering is also on the rise. Eighty-six percent of pets are now spayed or neutered, up from 80 percent in 2009.

Put those figures together with increased pet ownership -- the report finds 81 percent of households now have a cat or dog (or both), up from 60 percent in 2009 -- and they amount to a real boon for homeless pets.

(To subscribe to The Pet Tree House, click on this icon
in the black drop-down menu on your right. Thank you.)

Visit my blog! The News Whisperer, An informative blog of what's going on in your world today!
 at: www.whispersoftheworld.com

Virginia Rescue Organization Taking in Dogs from Thailand

Chantilly, Va. (WUSA9) -- A local animal rescue organization is preparing to bring five dogs from Thailand to the D.C. area.

According to A Forever Home Rescue Foundation (AFH), volunteers will bring four of the dogs to the U.S. Another dog will follow with a flight volunteer on Nov. 23.

To read more on this story, click here: Virginia Rescue Organization Taking in Dogs from Thailand

(To subscribe to The Pet Tree House, click on this icon
in the black drop-down menu on your right. Thank you.)

Visit my blog! The News Whisperer, An informative blog of what's going on in your world today!
 at: www.whispersoftheworld.com