Riding with a dog can be fun and easy, providing you are confident with your riding skills, but there are unique challenges. For instance, how do you keep an excitable 60lb American Staffordshire Terrier from pulling you a) into traffic b) off your bike c) into a lamp post, or d) with him after the nearest squirrel?

The 10th Annual Doggy Fun Day is set to happen Sunday, August 30th from 12:00pm to 3:00pm. It takes place, as in previous years, on the playing field above the dog park in Queens Park. Billed as “fun and games for dogs and their people”, this year’s DFD is being put together by the Pacific Volunteer Education and Assistance Team for Animals (VEATA, for short), which is a relatively new group helmed by long time well known animal volunteer, Cheryl Rogers (who some of you may simply know as “the lady …

My 2009 goal of getting more involved in the community is going great. The #NewWest Tweetups have allowed me to meet some of New Westminster’s digital community and heading out to the Royal City Farmers Market gave me the opportunity to mingle with the offline community, as well as get some great local foodstuffs.
As I mentioned in my last post, I have also been helping out with the New Westminster Downtown Residents Association‘s Annual Neighbourhood BBQ, so wanted to invite you all to join us Thursday July 30th, especially any …

One of the more fun events to come across my inbox these days is the 7th Annual Ratstravaganza! 
You can’t make this stuff up. Seriously. 
My friend Simone heads a group called Little Mischief Rescue, an animal rescue and advocacy group dedicated to pet rats and ferrets in need. LMR doesn’t have a shelter -they have a province-wide small network of dedicated volunteers and foster homes. I’ve done a bit of help for Simone here and there – transporting ratties and what not – but Simone’s commitment to championing the rat as a …

This is Mooki:
 
Don’t let her fool you, she actually hates you. Well, that’s not true. She resents you being alive but appreciates any food offerings you might have for her. Mooki is a Shiba Inu, and if you know your dog breeds, you know that shibas are notoriously standoffish and act more cat than dog. Mooki is no exception. I have shared my life with Mooki for 6 years (she’s 9). We joke that Mooki is one part hate, one part lazy, and two parts fur.  Here is Mooki doing what …

If you’ve been thinking about getting a pet, please first take a look at the New Westminster animal adoption site. The city’s website says that the shelter is currently at double capacity and desperately needs to find homes for cats and other small animals like chinchillas and bunnies.
This high shelter rate places animals at an increased risk of illness and injury. It is critical that these animals are placed into good homes as soon as possible. Small animals such as rabbits and chinchillas are also available for adoption.
If Barack Obama …