Cats in Need

To adopt any of these little buddies, please contact:

Katie Evans, Foster Coordinator
Fostercareinfo@save-a-pet-il.org

Indie
FeLuk Positive

Indie is a 4month old kitten that has Feluk. He came in as a stray found in the undercarriage of his rescuer. He is currently a very happy and healthy kitten that loves to play. FeLuk is a virus that is only contagious to other cats, so he can go home with dogs or other animals. So if you are looking for just a solo kitten he could be right for you.
Cabo

On a cold fall night a car drove away leaving this adorable and very talkative little black kitty to sit alone and cry in the middle of the road. Luckily for Cabo help was nearby and now she will tell anyone who wants to listen that it is her turn to go home. Cabo is about three and a half years old and loves to be given lots of love and attention. She loves laps and petting sessions and will enjoy the occasional ride around our lobby in a volunteer’s arms.

She does have a deformity with her front paws that makes it hard for her to jump down from high places so caution should be used in how high she has to jump down from if in a home. Regardless, this issue doesn’t slow her down and her zest for life and love from people. She is, however stressed out by the number of the cats in the shelter and so stays perched on one of our cages to avoid being picked on. She would do wonderful in a foster home with one or two other laid back cats and children.

Don’t overlook this sweet little cat who wants nothing more than to tell you she loves you every single day.

Pawson

Pawson arrived in 2005, as a stray to Save-A-Pet when he was only 5 weeks old. He had wounds to his hind paws and he was covered in maggot larvae. After a through cleaning staff realized that he had digits missing from both paws and the remaining digits were no longer viable. Shortly after his arrival he found a foster home that helped him recover. Unfortunately do to allergies they are no longer able to keep him, so we are looking for a new permanent foster home for him. This is what his foster had to say about him -

When he was first brought into the clinic with much of his one back paw eaten away from maggots following some type of injury. He was about 4 - 6 weeks old. He is really friendly, and likes to sleep with my 9 year old daughter. He is very tolerant of children. Although he is handicapped, he does not let it stop him. He loves to play and chase things. He gets along great with people, he is less tolerant of dogs (he prefers to stay clear, never challenges them). We had another kitty for a short time and they got along well. He has had several surgeries to repair his badly injured back legs. He has recovered remarkably and really is no worse for wear. He is on a special diet (Hills C/D) for crystal formation in his urine. He has had episodes of urinating out side of the box, but, only when he was having bladder issues. Since he has been on the C/D (about 1 year now) we have not had any urinary issues at all and he uses his box normally.

Barrington Hills dog gets big break on Alpo can

Barrington Hills dog gets big break on Alpo can
By Sue Ter Maat and Catherine Edman | Daily Herald Staff

Ike knows what he likes, and Angus Beef is tops on his list.

Plop some of meat in front of the Barrington Hills guy and he goes darned near crazy, spinning wildly before plunking his entire face into his meal.

You’ve got to love that about a dog. Alpo sure did.

They named Ike, 5, a Pug, their “Ultimate Meat Maniac,” with all the glory such a title bestows.

In addition to a $10,000 cash prize, the dog and his human companions - Mary Beth and Frank Holsteen - get an all-expense paid trip to Hollywood where they’ll make some high-profile appearances, and enjoy both human and canine spa visits.

Ike, who was unavailable for comment, will appear on more than 2 million cans of Alpo.
Mary Beth Holsteen saw a contest solicitation this summer calling all canine meat maniacs. Figuring her pup definitely qualified, she sent in a video of Ike, who really does spin wildly before eating, then leans so far forward into the bowl his hind legs leave the ground.

“I’ve never really entered a contest, but he’s definitely a meat maniac,” Holsteen said.

When they made the semi-finals the family encouraged friends to vote - some of whom complied while on overseas vacations. They still thought it was a lark.

In the end, though, little Ike beat out other food-centric dogs like Jordan, an 8-year-old Jack Russell terrier from Virginia, who does every trick known to dog to get her Alpo, and 4-year-old Charlie from Michigan, who yelps and jumps for his food.

Holsteen said her buddy’s always been that jubilant, though he gets particularly wound-up around dinner time. His Alpo favorites: filet mignon and Angus Beef.

Ike and the four runners-up in the company’s first contest can be seen on the Alpo Web site at alporealmeatmoments.com/winners.aspx.
Holsteen said Ike hasn’t let fame go to his head, yet, but “he knows something’s going on.”

And she’s sure he’ll adore every minute of his Hollywood holiday.
“He loves going to hotels,” she said, “and sleeping on the beds.”

Lion among Hurricane Ike survivors who took sanctuary in Crystal Beach church

By ALLEN G. BREED, AP National Writer Tue Sep 16, 11:52 PM ET

BOLIVAR PENINSULA, Texas - Many years from now, a small group of Hurricane Ike survivors will probably still be telling the story of how, on the night the storm flattened their island, they took sanctuary in a church — with a lion.

The full-grown lion was from a local zoo, and the owner was trying to drive to safety with the animal when he saw cars and trucks stranded in the rising floodwaters. He knew he and the lion were in trouble.

Shackle, an 11-year-old African lioness, growls as she lays on an altar Tuesday at the First Baptist Church in Crystal Beach, Texas.

He headed for the church and was met by a group of residents who helped the lion wade inside, where they locked it in a sanctuary as the storm raged. The water crept up to their waists, and two-by-fours came floating through broken windows. But the lion was as calm as a kitten.

When daylight came, everyone was still alive.

“They worked pretty well together, actually,” said the lion’s owner, Michael Ray Kujawa.
“When you have to swim, the lion doesn’t care about eating nobody.”

Richard Jones, a shrimper, said he wasn’t afraid of the beast.
“That little old fella is just as tame as a kitten,” Jones said.

After the storm passed, the lion’s caretakers fed it pork roast to keep it happy.

National Guardsmen dropping off food and water lined up Tuesday in the choir loft to get a glimspe of the lion, and the soldiers jumped back when the lion looked up from it perch on the altar and snarled.

Jones said he hadn’t stepped foot in a church in the 40 years he has lived on this spit of land. And he wasn’t ready to call his survival divine intervention.

“I drink beer and chase women, gamble, cuss,” Jones said. “You can’t call that religion. I’m either too good, the devil won’t have me, or I’m so bad the Good Lord won’t take me. That’s a good toss-up.”

Petition for ethical treatment of foreclosure pets

Here is the body of the petition. You can sign it by clicking here.

Dear Mr. President,

The mortgage meltdown is creating a phenomena whereby borrowers are abandoning their companion animals due to foreclosure. Many times, the reasons they abandoned their loyal friends is due to a misconception of how foreclosures are handled and believe they will come home to find their belongings removed and put out to the curb. Some fear their beloved companion animal will be euthanized if taken to a shelter so they leave them behind and hope someone will be there to care and help out. Animals should have rights much like humans as it has been proven that animals have a mind whereby they feel pain, pleasure, and joy. Across the United States, thousands of animals are suffering due to outdated laws that treat companion animals as personal property. These animals cannot be removed unless an eviction of personal property is conducted and during this time, this leaves the animal to suffer a slow and horrible death by starvation. The law must be changed to provide protection to animals when abandoned. Please take action to change the law and allow citizens to do the right thing without a fear of legal retribution of removing personal property without an eviction as it relates to companion animals.

Thank You,
The Undersigned

Hormel blocking emails

Hormel is blocking emails, so to take action on the post below, you have to fill out their web form. Click here. >>

You can get content for the letter at the original link, which is here. >>

AP Exclusive: PETA undercover video shows workers hitting sows, slamming piglets at Iowa farm

Horrific and the main reason I don’t eat meat and am often disgusted by humans. I am nauseated from looking at the pictures, but that’s what gets people’s attention and makes it real. I couldn’t even begin to watch the video. There’s a link to it at the end. Please take action!!!

GO HERE TO TAKE ACTION >>

WARNING: INCLUDES DISTURBING PICTURES

By FREDERIC J. FROMMER
Associated Press Writer
9:23 AM CDT, September 17, 2008

www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-abused-pigs,0,351043.story

WASHINGTON (AP) _ An undercover video shot at an Iowa pig farm shows workers hitting sows with metal rods, slamming piglets on a concrete floor and bragging about jamming rods up into sows’ hindquarters.

On the video, obtained by The Associated Press, a supervisor tells an undercover investigator for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals that when he gets angry or a sow won’t move, “I grab one of these rods and jam it in her (anus).”

The farm, located outside of Bayard, Iowa, about 60 miles west of Des Moines, is a supplier to Hormel Foods of Austin, Minn. PETA wants to use the results of the investigation to pressure Hormel, the maker of Spam and other food products, to demand that its suppliers ensure humane treatment of pigs.

Hormel spokeswoman Julie Henderson Craven on Tuesday called the abuses “completely unacceptable.”

The animal rights group also planned to send the video to the sheriff in Greene County, Iowa, seeking prosecution of 18 people on animal cruelty violations. According to PETA Vice President Bruce Friedrich, the video shows eight people directly abusing animals.

“Abuse on factory farms is the absolute norm, not the exception, and anyone eating factory-farmed meat is paying to support it,” Friedrich said.

After getting a whistleblower complaint from someone inside the farm, PETA sent two undercover investigators to get hired at the farm and document its practices — one from June 10 to Sept. 8, and the other from July 23 to Sept. 11.

At one point on the video, an employee shouts to an investigator, “Hurt ‘em! There’s nobody works for PETA out here. You know who PETA is?”

The undercover PETA investigator replies that he’s heard of the group.

“I hate them. These (expletives) deserve to be hurt. Hurt, I say!,” the employee yells as he hits a sow with a metal rod. “Hurt! Hurt! Hurt! Hurt! … Take out your frustrations on ‘em.” He encourages the investigator to pretend that one of the pigs scared off a voluptuous and willing 17- or 18-year-old girl, and then beat the pig for it.

Records at the Greene County Assessor’s Office show the property was owned by Natural Pork Production II LLP of Iowa until Aug. 18, and then was transferred to MowMar LLP of Fairmont, Minn.

Lynn Becker, an owner of MowMar, called the abuses on the video “completely intolerable, reprehensible. We condemn these types of acts. If any animals were abused in the brief time we’ve owned the farm, if we still employ these people, any attempt will made to investigate and initiate corrective action immediately.”

Becker said his company provided animal welfare training to the staff when it took over the farm.

Natural Pork Production II referred questions to AMVC Management Services, which managed the farm under its ownership. Mark Jones, AMVC’s network manager, said the video showed “unacceptable practices” and that his company is working with the new ownership to investigate.

Craven, the Hormel spokeswoman, said the farm became a Hormel supplier only after the change in ownership, and that MowMar “shares our commitment to animal welfare and humane handling.”

Craven said it was her understanding that the abuses took place before the change in ownership. But PETA’s Friedrich said the abuses continued, and that the new manager abused animals by shocking and kicking pigs.

Dr. Jennifer Greiner, a veterinarian and director of science and technology at the National Pork Producers Council, said the industry condemns “willful abuse” of pigs and that the video depicts acts that are not acceptable.

“Our industry is committed to handling pigs humanely,” she said. “My industry is full of good people.”

At one point in the video, workers are shown slamming piglets on the ground, a practice designed to instantly kill those baby pigs that aren’t healthy enough. But on the video, the piglets are not killed instantly, and in a bloodied pile, some piglets can be seen wiggling vainly. The video also shows piglets being castrated, and having their tails cut off, without anesthesia.

Temple Grandin, a leading animal welfare expert who serves as a consultant to the livestock industry, said that while those are standard industry practices, the treatment of the sows on the video was far from it.

“This is atrocious animal abuse,” Grandin said after PETA sent her the video. But she disagreed with PETA’s contention that it was widespread in the industry.

“I’ve been on many good farms, and the pigs are handled gently,” she said. “This was blatant, deliberate animal cruelty. These people are sick. They need to be prosecuted. There are certain people that enjoy hurting animals and they should not be working with them — period.”

One of the PETA investigators, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect his ability to do further undercover operations, said there was a culture of violence on the farm, and working there was an emotionally and physically exhausting experience that typically involved working 12-hour shifts and walking 15 miles a day.

“So many times, it took all of my willpower not to step up and do something,” he said, adding that he also saw the supervisor shove a cane into a sow’s vagina. “I was just shocked. What do you say to that?”

___

On the Net:

PETA video: http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/iowa_pigfarm_abuse

National Pork Producers Council: http://www.nppc.org/index.php

Many Texas Pets, Zoo Animals Spared Ike’s Wrath

Brian Handwerk
for National Geographic News
September 16, 2008

Although Hurricane Ike devastated stretches of the U.S. Gulf Coast this past weekend, rescue crews are finding that improved evacuation procedures—and a bit of luck—helped many of the area’s animals weather the storm.

Galveston, Texas, resident Gail Mead rests in front of a shopping center with her dog “Lucky” on September 13, 2008, after Hurricane Ike flooded her home.

Shelters set up to accommodate pets and livestock, for example, offered relief to people who were forced to evacuate while providing a safe haven for their animals.

“The sheltering process went really well. There was a place for the animals and they were all cared for,” said Angela Clendenin, director of communications at Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in College Station.

“Overall I think the preparations paid off.”

(Related: “Gustav Pet Evacuations Show Katrina Lessons Learned” [September 2, 2008].)

But an unknown number of other animals may not be out of the woods, as rescue and aid efforts continue for the hundreds of stranded residents who, with their pets, did not heed orders to evacuate ahead of the storm.

“The next day or two will be very telling,” Clendenin said.

“We’re prepared to help animals in need—we’re going to be ready.”

Better Planning

In the catastrophic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, many disaster-response organizations refused to accept animals into shelters, prompting pet owners to make hard choices and subsequently spurring a huge aid effort to rescue stranded pets.

“With Hurricane Rita [also in 2005], there were a lot of people that refused to evacuate because they were not allowed to take their pets with them,” Clendenin said. (Read more about Rita’s wrath.)

Since then groups such as the American Red Cross have been working with animal-welfare specialists to make pets and other creatures an integral part of the evacuation process.

In preparation for Ike, Texas A&M students and faculty teamed with the Brazos County (Texas) Emergency Management Team to arrange a shelter on university grounds for cats, dogs, horses, cattle, pigs, and other animals.

Clendenin reports that the shelter is already beginning to “check out” animals to owners who live in areas that were spared the worst of Ike’s fury.

Debrah Schnackenberg, director of animal emergency services with the American Humane Association, is working with state officials and volunteers in Beaumont, Texas, to complete damage assessments and search and rescue missions.

She also noted dramatic improvements in pre-storm planning and evacuation execution since the disastrous hurricane season of 2005.

“The nice thing is that in a lot of areas, people actually evacuated with their animals, and we are not finding not too many animals running around,” she said.

“But in the harder-hit areas, we may find more animals that are in distress. There are a lot of folks who didn’t evacuate, and we’re trying to find out if there are [dangerous] issues.”

“Not Our First Rodeo”

Meanwhile, some of Houston’s more exotic denizens survived the storm largely unscathed.

Brian Hill, director of public affairs at the Houston Zoo, said Ike was mainly a wind event at the facility, which suffered mostly from felled trees and minor damage to some exhibits.

“We thank our lucky stars we were very fortunate that we didn’t lose any animals,” he said.

A 25-person team rode out the storm at the zoo, which remains without power but does have natural-gas generators in place. (Related: “Aquarium Animals Evacuate New Orleans; Zoo Gets Relief” [September 9, 2005].)

“We know of no serious injuries or fatalities among our staff,” Hill said, although he added that some employees had their homes destroyed.

In fact, Hill said, the zoo is now in cleanup mode and is slated to re-open to the public on September 17.

“This is not our first rodeo,” he said. “We’ve been here since 1922, and we’ve seen a few storms. Many of our buildings are built [to withstand] tropical weather.

“But, all that being said, we still feel very fortunate.”

Yes, fish feel pain

When I say I’m vegetarian, people usually ask if I still eat fish. No. That’s a living being, so I wouldn’t be vegetarian. I’ve had people tell me, well fish are dumb and they don’t feel pain. I found this article that proves they are social, emotional beings with a nervous system that responds to pain (yes, it’s from PETA, but it’s not extremist rant. It is a researched article with footnotes.)  I wouldn’t care if they were “dumb” anyway.

I think the most telling quote was:

According to Dr. Michael Fox, D.V.M, Ph.D., “Even though fish don’t scream [audibly to humans] when they are in pain and anguish, their behavior should be evidence enough of their suffering when they are hooked or netted. They struggle, endeavoring to escape and, by so doing, demonstrate they have a will to survive.”

Please read on:

Fish Feel Pain

While it may seem obvious that fish are able to feel pain, like every other animal, some people still think of fish as swimming vegetables. In fact, regarding the ability to feel pain, fish are equal to dogs, cats, and all other animals. Dr. Donald Broom, scientific advisor to the British government, explains that “The scientific literature is quite clear. Anatomically, physiologically and biologically, the pain system in fish is virtually the same as in birds and animals.”1

Neurobiologists have long recognized that fish have nervous systems that comprehend and respond to pain, and anyone who made it through Biology 101 knows that fish have nerves and brains that sense pain, just like all animals.2 Indeed, scientists tell us that fish brains and nervous systems closely resemble our own.3 For example, fish (like “higher vertebrates”) have neurotransmitters like endorphins that relieve suffering—of course, the only reason for their nervous systems to produce pain killers is to relieve pain.4 Claiming that fish do not suffer is as intellectually and scientifically sound as arguing that the Earth is flat.

Interestingly, scientists have created a detailed map of pain receptors in fish’s mouths and all over their bodies. A team of researchers at the University of Guelph in Canada recently surveyed the scientific literature on fish pain and intelligence. They concluded that fish feel pain and that “the welfare of fish requires consideration.”5 Dr. Lynne Sneddon, a scientist of fish biology in the United Kingdom, explains, “Really, it’s kind of a moral question. Is your angling more important than the pain to the fish?”6

Scientists at Edinburgh University and the Roslin Institute in the United Kingdom report that in response to pain, fish also feel emotional stress and engage in “a ‘rocking’ motion strikingly similar to the kind of motion seen in stressed higher vertebrates like mammals.”7 The research team concluded that fish clearly experience pain in the same way as mammals, both physically and psychologically.8

As you would expect from animals who we now know to be intelligent and interesting individuals with memories and the capacity to learn, fish can also suffer from fear and anticipation of physical pain. Researchers from universities across America have published research showing that some fish use sound to communicate distress when nets are dipped into their tanks or they are otherwise threatened.9 In a separate study, researcher William Tavolga found that fish grunted when they received an electric shock. In addition, the fish began to grunt as soon as they saw the electrode, clearly in anticipation of the torment that Tavolga was inflicting on them.10

According to Dr. Michael Fox, D.V.M, Ph.D., “Even though fish don’t scream [audibly to humans] when they are in pain and anguish, their behavior should be evidence enough of their suffering when they are hooked or netted. They struggle, endeavoring to escape and, by so doing, demonstrate they have a will to survive.”11

What happens to fish before they end up on your plate is nothing short of cruelty to animals— whether they’re farmed or pulled from the ocean, fish are treated in ways that would warrant felony charges if other animals were so horribly abused.

1Richard H. Schwartz, “Do You Eat Fish?” Tikkun, Nov. 1999

2 L.S. Chervova, “Behavioral Reactions of Fishes to Pain Stimuli,” J. Ichthyol, 1997

3 L.S. Chervova.

4 K.P. Chandroo, I.J.H. Duncan, and R.D. Moccia, “Can Fish Suffer?: Perspectives on Sentience, Pain, Fear, and Stress,” Applied Animal Behavior Science, 2004, p.11

5 K.P. Chandroo, p. 15.

6 Jennifer Smith, “Debate: Do Fish Feel Pain?” Newsday, 21 Aug. 2003

7 Alan Cowell, “Cruelty to Fish? Anglers in Britain Are Left Smarting,” International Herald Tribune, 7 May 2003.

8 Dr. Lynne U. Sneddon, Dr. Victoria A. Braithwaite, and Dr. Michael J. Gentle, “Do Fish Have Nociceptors:
Evidence for the Evolution of a Vertebrate Sensory System,” The Royal Society Scientific Academy, 7 June 2003

9 Martin A. Connaughton, Michael L. Lunn, Michael L. Fine, and Malcolm H. Tayor, “Characterization of Sounds and Their Use in Two Sciaenid Species: Weakfish and Atlantic Croaker,”

10 Vantressa Brown, “Fish Feel Pain, British Researchers Say,” Agence France-Presse, 1 May 2003

11 Michael Fox., D.V.M., Ph.D., “Do Fish Have Feelings?” The Animals’ Agenda, July/Aug. 1987, pp. 24-29.

Best of friends: Lonely chicken Gladys finds her soulmate … Snowy the farmhouse cat

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 9:49 PM on 14th September 2008

It’s an unlikely partnering, but a lonely chicken has struck up an extraordinary friendship with a cat.
In another life, Snowy the cat would surely be chasing chicken Gladys round the farm they both live on.

But against all the odds, the pair have become firm friends - even lavishing affection on each other.

The incredible friendship blossomed just over two months ago when a fox killed 13 chicks - leaving Gladys as the only survivor.

Alone and in need of a friend, Gladys was brought into the farmhouse by her owners to keep her safe. And it was here her beautiful friendship with Snowy began.

Now the two pals are inseparable at the farm in MIddleton, near Leiston in Suffolk, and Snowy even puts her paw around the chicken to comfort her.

Owner Jane Etheridge says one of her bantam hens hatched 14 chicks - including Gladys - but after just two days a fox attack left just three of the chicks alive and a pile of feathers.

Two of the chicks later died but Gladys survived and was brought into the farmhouse where she was fed breadcrumbs to build her strength.

It was here Gladys was befriended by 10-year-old Snowy, and the cat would even wash the fragile bird as well as affectionately rub up against her.

Mrs Etheridge, a 69-year-old pony breeder who is married to Albert, 70, said: ‘Gladys would not have survived outside, she would have died, so we kept her inside where she was warm.

‘Snowy cleaned her and washed her. Gladys is now about two-and-a-half months old and is our pet.
‘She still comes into the house to play.

‘She comes in and bounces up and down in front of Snowy and he just stands there and takes it and puts his paw around her.

‘They are the best of friends, very much so, and when she first started going out she would not go unless they went together.

‘He is a very strange cat and was actually feral when we got him, completely wild. But now he is all too human and a real softie. He sits on my lap, rolls over and puts his paw out on the chair.

‘They are a strange couple but we love them both very much.’

Use astrology to find your perfect dog

Well, it was right on for me. Taurus=German Shepherd, my favorite! Read on to see yours!

From msn.com

Our culture is really going to the dogs these days! More and more pups are showing up in the media, both as playthings of the rich and famous and as the stars of their own reality shows, but loyal pet owners everywhere know that dogs are much more than fashion accessories or popular TV subjects. They truly can be your best friend and are incredibly intelligent, compassionate, hardworking, and loyal. All breeds are not the same, however, and choosing the right dog can make all the difference in the relationship you have with your pooch. Keep reading to see how astrology helps to guide you to your ultimate canine companion!

Aries
The American Staffordshire Terrier (Amstaff for short) is a confident dog that makes a very loyal and devoted companion for the Ram. They have a rep for being slightly aggressive - something you can relate to! - but your dedication to training them correctly will make all the difference in their demeanor. Amstaffs are very trusting and amiable but can be stubborn at times; however, if you assert yourself like a true Aries can, they’ll be your compliant companions.

Taurus
Your ideal dog companion is the German Shepherd. This loyal and very intelligent breed is obedient and learns quickly, making them extremely easy to train; they also have a regal air about them that you admire. Some German Shepherds can be quite aloof and serious, like a lot of Taureans, but they are also known for being highly effective watchdogs, which helps put your security-conscious mind at ease.

Gemini
The quick and agile Border Collie fits your personality perfectly. Highly intelligent and trainable, the Border Collie has lots of stamina and determination. They’re also eager to please and very quick to learn, which makes them easily trainable and adaptable to your ever-changing world. Border Collies need a high level of mental and physical stimulation, just like you do, which is why they make a great companion for on-the-go Gemini.

Cancer
The Labrador Retriever is your ideal dog, not only for its sweet-natured, loving, and loyal ways but also because they are wonderful family pets. Labs are extremely friendly and sociable with a mild manner and laid-back attitude, and because they love to join in a wide range of activities and have lots of love and affection to shower upon their family, they’re the perfect companion to the family-centric Crab.

Leo
Grand in stature, the loyal and honorable Bullmastiff is your type of dog. This dog is huge, so you are sure to turn heads wherever you go, giving you both the attention you crave. But beyond their superficial appeal, they also have a great amount of loyalty and devotion and are cheerful, confident, and attentive pets - all characteristics that would make any Leo dog owner swell with pride.

Virgo
The noble-looking Weimaraner is perfect for the Virgo with discerning taste. Weimaraners are very strong-minded and independent dogs, and because they have boundless energy, they can really benefit from the punctual walks that most Virgo natives are willing to give them. Sticking to a precise schedule also helps keep these dogs away from destructive behaviors they are sometimes prone to; once they know that they can depend on you, you will be able to depend on them to reach their full potential.

Libra
Affectionate, gentle, and sweet, the Whippet is a charming dog with a peaceful demeanor. Whippets do like to run around and play, but they are also happy enjoying the creature comforts of home; this adaptability makes them more comfortable with your indecisiveness than other breeds may be. These dogs love the attention of their owners, enjoy interactive play, and will be sure to appreciate your creativity when it comes to finding activities you can enjoy together.

Scorpio
Perhaps, as a strong and powerful Scorpio, you don’t picture yourself with any of the toy breeds, especially a Chihuahua, but you may be surprised to find that they are quite a good fit with the Scorpio personality. These little dogs are curious, full of confidence for their size, and they are very loyal to their families, demonstrating quite a jealous streak if another pet or person is getting more attention than they are. Sound familiar?

Sagittarius
You need a dog that will roll with the waves, one who is as happy at home as they are on a road trip with you, and that dog is a Golden Retriever. This breed is popular for many reasons, among them being their social personalities and real passion for life. If you’re up for doing it, so are they! Just make sure to enroll them in doggie daycare or get them a human or canine companion if you are gone a lot and can’t take them with you as these pups do not like to be left alone.

Capricorn
The Pug is tenacious and devoted but also has a cheerful way about him, much like the typical Capricorn. These dogs do not need a lot of grooming or maintenance and can get along fairly well without a big yard in which to frolic, which allows you to be a responsible dog owner and still keep your hectic work schedule. Although Pugs can be quite willful at times, they will respond well to your methodical training methods.

Aquarius
OK, so you aren’t the most likely of all the Sun Signs to own a dog, but those of you who crave a dog to call your own will want to consider the gracious Rhodesian Ridgeback. This is a breed of intelligence, which you can appreciate, and is also very independent and willing to follow the road less traveled with you. Just keep in mind that they have very intense sight and sound triggers, so they will wander off if something stirs their curiosity.

Pisces
Faithful, affectionate, and maybe just a little lazy, the Saint Bernard is a huge dog with a huge heart - in other words, your perfect pooch. Saint Bernards are typically very calm, quiet, patient, docile, and loyal, traits with which Fish can identify. These dogs do need the companionship of their owners and are not suited to people with hectic, busy schedules, but compassionate Pisces is more willing than any other sign to accommodate the Saint Bernard’s needs.