Archive for the ‘birds’ Category

My number one irrational fear when I’m away is that my home will burn down and no one will save my cat. I’m not sure when this started, but now I can’t take a vacation without it crossing my mind at least once. Read the rest of this entry »

I’m always on the hunt – no pun intended – for what I deem to be little known factoids about pets that I can share with you. If it passes the  Hmmm Test (a very scientific test in which I make a very specific face and emit the following noise: “Hmmm”) then I democratically vote to myself to share it with you, the Pawesome Reader. I keep a mighty long list of facts that have passed this test and for this week’s Raise A Paw, I’ve gathered a few of them together in my own version of a lightning round. Which means you will find very brief, but interesting, tidbits for you to drop at social gatherings and your most important parties. Enjoy!
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It’s quiet here, even through the hum of activity. Sun and fresh air stream in. People walk in and out, greeting each other, bending down to pat heads and smile at the little ones. A sign reads: “Adoption Hours are Monday to Friday, 11am – 6pm.”

Welcome to your local animal shelter.

To the casual observer, an animal shelter may not seem like much of a design challenge: a structure that safely houses stray and unwanted animals for subsequent adoption or, if necessary, euthanasia. But start to consider the details of the building. It must hold different types of animals, in differently sized pens, for variable lengths of time. It should be accessible to the public and welcoming to volunteers while maintaining strict health and safety standards. It has limited staff and resources but must relentlessly promote adoption. Day-to-day operations require basic medical capabilities, laundry facilities, storage, and quarantine areas. It must not be too big (causing unnecessary maintenance and staffing demands) or too small (causing overcrowding and/or excessive distress to the animals).

“Because of their unique services, animal shelters must have the disease-prevention components of a hospital, the functional capabilities of a police station, and the user-friendly appeal of a library, ” said Geoffrey L. Handy with The Humane Society of the United States. This quote was repeated to me by Rick Bacon, President of Bacon Group Architecture, a firm that has designed shelters across the US. Most importantly, a successful shelter design should make what is fundamentally a stressful situation as manageable as possible.

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Even though I rarely know what the date is or, for that matter, even what day it is, I love me a calendar. There’s something comforting in turning the page of a calendar and enjoying a fresh image for the month. It makes the fear of time flying by a little more visually appealing.

As with many of the things in my life — from wine to kids toys — I like to incorporate pet themes, and a calendar is one of the easiest ways to bring cat, dog, bird, and even a few farm animals into your home. Below, a few fantastic calendars to choose from for twenty twelve!
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