He transferred $928,073, the amount estimated to care for his former dogs. The money will sit in the escrow account of Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan LLP, the Washington, D.C., law firm of Billy Martin, one of Vick's attorneys, awaiting further orders from the court.

In other Vick-related news, a Virginia state court ruled that Michael Vick will go to trial on April 2 on state charges of involvement in dog fighting.

Click here for the complete story, News for cats and dogs - Vick's Virginia Dog Fighting Trial Date Set, Vick Agrees To Pay $1 Million For Dogs' Care

The four-legged members of your family are invited to join the fun at Katy Mills and have their own turn on Santa's lap on Sunday, December 2 from 3-6 pm. This special, pet-friendly opportunity is in addition to Santa's regular office hours this holiday season, where he can be found in the Snow Court located in Neighborhood 6 near American Eagle Outfitters through December 24, listening to boys' and girls' wish lists.

Pet Photo Policy:

All pets must be on a leash, in a carrier, or held by owner at all times.

Pet owners must have complete control of their animals and will be responsible for their pet's behavior while on the photo set.

After photos are completed, owners should remove their pet from the mall.

If necessary, photo set employees may provide owners with a numbered line-up for owners who prefer to keep pets isolated prior to the photo shoot.

And while you're waiting in line, be sure to register for a chance to win a personal visit from Santa Claus through Simon's A Holiday Visit You Will Cherish Forever Sweepstakes. One lucky family (and their pet) will get a visit from Santa himself on Saturday, December 22, bearing free gifts, and great holiday fun. Shoppers are invited to register to win at the Santa photo experience at participating malls.

For more information, click here Katy Mills.

She's heartworm-positive, low-antigen and easily treatable.
She's full of love and life, and she'll throw in a face-cleaning at no charge!

Meet Star!

Call BARC (713) 229-7300.

Join Deena Carstens & Kevin Kline of the 93Q Morning Show, both PAWS Board Members, at Crome, 2815 South Shepherd Drive in Houston, on Tuesday, December 4, from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM for music, food and fun! All proceeds will benefit programs for PAWS Houston.

Happy hour bites generously donated by Carraba's. Your $20.00 donation at door includes food and drink ticket. Cash Bar also available.

Amazing silent auction items that would make great holiday gifts (airline tickets, jewelry, gift packages) - all for a worthy cause.

This event graciously underwritten by Halliburton. PAWS Houston also thanks Crome for hosting the event!

PAWS Houston- Pets are Wonderful Support enables approved hospital visits for terminally and chronically ill patients by their own pets. PAWS Houston also provides client in-home care, including exercising pets, annual pet wellness visits, foster care, and food assistance. PAWS mission is to sustain the relationship between pet owner and their animal companions.

Please click here for your invitation and to R.S.V.P. for the event evite.com or call 713-840-7297 or email donna@pawshouston.org for more information.

From noon to 4 pm on Saturday, December 1st, visit Rover Oaks Houston, 2550 West Bellfort, Houston, TX 77054, near Reliant Stadium to meet some precious pooches from the Houston Humane Society. And, at the same time on the west side of town, stop by Rover Oaks Katy, 1011 South Katy Fort Bend Rd., Katy, TX 77494, near Katy Mills Mall to check out the playful pets from Citizens for Animal Protection.

Two of the featured pets at Rover Oaks Katy will be Charlie and Herbie (pictured on Animal Attraction). Pet lovers interested in adopting these dogs will receive a very special benefit! The professional trainers at Rover Oaks Katy have already been working with these pets to teach them obedience skills and good manners!

For more information, click here Rover Oaks Pet Resort.

The purpose of this week is to encourage people to not buy puppies from a pet store or over the Internet, which often get their puppies from puppy mills, and to also inform the public that they can help put an end to puppy mills. For an inside look at a puppy mill, click here Puppy Mill Video.

The HSUS encourages you to help put an end to puppy mills today!

(1) Pledge to Help Pooches!
Sign the pledge to help stop puppy mills, then forward it to your friends.

(2) Push Puppy Mills Into the News! Educate readers of your local newspaper about the pitfalls of puppy mills by submitting a letter to the editor. Write your own version-a short, polite letter is most effective-or download a Microsoft Word version of a template that you can alter.

(3) Add a Canine Cause to Your Holiday Cards. Share your concern for puppy mill dogs with friends and family by adding a short message to your holiday cards. Download the inserts by clicking here!

(4) Tell Politicians about Puppy Mills. Ask legislators to make stopping puppy mills a priority in the new year. Download the letter-and add your own thoughts.

For even more ways to help, click here Stop Puppy Mills.

Early reports revealed that many people refused to leave their animals and take shelter during the storm such is their dependence on them for food and for their livelihoods. More than 3,400 people died in the November 15 cyclone and hundreds of thousands of people have been left homeless and facing a severe water, food and medicine shortage.

"Animals are a life-source for the majority of those living in rural communities in Bangladesh," said James Sawyer, WSPA's Disaster Relief Operations Manager. He added, "It is vital that we establish the impact of Cyclone Sidr on these animals and decide what the Government and animal welfare organisations such as WSPA could recommend or contribute. Little is known at this stage about the number of animals lost or injured. Our assessments will take time but experience tells us that the impact is likely to be significant and therefore have a huge impact on the country's ability to recover from this disaster in the longer-term."

Following Bangladesh's worst floods in living memory in August of this year, WSPA carried out an assessment before delivering veterinary treatment and emergency feed to 50,000 animals belonging to impoverished families.

For more information, click here WSPA-International.

There will be adorable adoptables waiting for loving new homes, microchipping, raffles and food and drinks for everyone! Plus meet Zeus, CGC...the Red-Nosed Reindog.

Saturday, December 1st
10 am - 3 pm
Cooper Animal Clinic, 1136 Heights Blvd., Houston, TX
(713) 861-1155

For more information, click here Friends of BARC, Homeless Pet Placement League, and Scouts Honor Rescue.

When a container ship's collision with the San Francisco Bay Bridge on November 7, 2007 caused a large spill of 58,000 gallons of bunker fuel oil that coated birds and other wildlife, animal lover Haley Gee knew she had to help. "I saw a picture in the newspaper a few days after the spill. The picture was of a bird that was covered in oil. I felt really sorry for the birds and all the birds in the oil spill because they didn't do anything wrong and a lot of them have died. Oil makes the feathers lose the power to keep air next to their body so they get cold. Finding this out made me want to help them, so I made a poster and the next day I took my mom's bucket (which she loaned me) and I went around my neighborhood asking for money and towels for the birds. That day, we went to the Berkeley Marina and I gave them the money and towels we'd gotten for the birds. It felt good to be helping. Next, I brought by bucket to school and asked for money and towels for the birds. I have raised more than $400 so far."

As of November 21st, 1,053 oiled birds arrived live to the bird center in Cordelia. A total of 767 have been washed of oil. At least 1,544 dead birds have been collected in the field. For the latest information, pictures and field reports on the International Bird Rescue Research Center's rescue efforts, click here Oil Spill Response.

In honor of her efforts, the International Bird Rescue Research Center created a special fund, Hayley's Bird Rescue Fund. All monies donated into this fund will be used towards treating the thousands of birds IBRRC treats every year at its two California bird centers. Thanks to Haley, outside donations now total more than $13,400.

This magnificent bird was an important game species for the native peoples of the Americas long before the arrival of European settlers. Indians in Mexico were actually the first people to tame and raise wild turkeys. Spanish soldiers exploring Mexico decided to send some of the live birds back to Europe, however, a bird native to Africa was also being shipped at the same time. Europeans thought the African bird was from a region known as Turkey and therefore named it as such. Historians believe that people got the American bird mixed up with the African one, and named our Thanksgiving staple the turkey as well.

Turkeys, in the wild, can live up to 12 years and have strong feet and legs for walking and scratching, wings with a span of four to five feet to fly rapidly, and beaks that are useful for pecking. Wild turkeys and domesticated (farm-raised) turkeys are very different. Wild turkeys can run up to 25 miles per hour and can fly short distances at speeds up to 55 miles per hour. In comparison with the physical prowess of their wild relatives, farm-raised turkeys weigh twice as much, making them unable to fly.

The turkey was highly respected in colonial times, and was so popular that Benjamin Franklin nominated it for our national symbol. He labeled it as having "better character" and that it was "a much more respectable bird and a true native of America" than the Bald Eagle which is known to feast on carrion. Congress ended up settling on the fierce looking eagle to represent our new nation that was still at war with England.

John James Audubon honored this bird in his celebrated Birds of America folio, featuring it as the number one plate, which become the most famous of the 435 prints in the series. This plate is also highly coveted by collectors; in the early 1980s, a first edition print of the turkey was gobbled up at an auction for $12,000, one of the highest paid for such art work at that time.

Sources:
National Audubon Society
Humane Society of the United States

The prosecutors estimate that the costs will total about $928,000, and this amount could increase or decrease by Vick's sentencing on December 10.

To read the complete story, click here News for cats and dogs - Prosecutors Want $1 Million From Vick For Care Of Dogs

Recently, the Queensland Government has ordered the slaughter of these "brumbies", free-roaming feral horses, at Murder Springs, and more than 4,000 have already been killed. The government plans to shoot a total of 10,000 brumbies which would make it one of the world's largest animal culls.

Animal rights group around the world are outraged over the government's move and have protested, but the government has decided to continue with their plan to kill all of the horses at Murder Springs and three other parts of the state during the next three years.

Queensland's Sustainability Minister Andrew McNamara said the reason for these cullings is that the horse population must be managed "in consideration of the welfare of both the horses and the native wildlife in the park". He added that the overpopulation of these horses is causing erosion, destroying freshwater springs, damaging Aboriginal culture sites, and they compete with native wildlife for food.

But some animal activists argue that the government can use infertility drugs to help with the overpopulation or that the horses can be rounded up and relocated to areas where they cannot damage wildlife.

One activist said, "There has to be a better way of keeping the numbers down and protecting the habitat and we say it is by creating sanctuaries where these horses can be trained and given out to pony clubs or put to other tasks. They make wonderful pets and are brilliant workers." "And they try to tell us this is the most humane way of culling them," she said. "I'm afraid we've become a heartless society in which the cruel death of horses is treated so matter-of-factly."

News for cats and dogs - Culling Of Feral Horses In Australia

Vick is scheduled to be sentenced December 10 on the dogfighting conspiracy charge, but turned himself in because he was anticipating a prison term, according to a court document and a U.S. marshal.

Vick is being held at Northern Neck Regional Jail in Warsaw, a U.S. marshall told The Associated Press.

To read more, click here 11 News Top Stories.

Keep your pet's diet the same. Feeding turkey or other table scraps to your dog or cat can cause him or her unwanted abdominal pain, vomiting and/or diarrhea or even pancreatitis.

Safely dispose of aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and wax paper from holiday foods. These coverings can cause an intestinal obstruction if swallowed.

Secure the trash! It only takes a minute for your little scavenger to get into the garbage and wolf down whatever smells good, including the string used to tie the turkey.

Keep chocolate away from your dog. Chocolate, which contains theobromine and caffeine, can be harmful to your pooch.

Turkey and other animal bones are also dangerous for your pet.

Maintain your pet's regular schedule for feeding and exercise.

Keep your pet home and away from parade celebrations. With the large crowds, your pet can become stressed or even worse, can get lost in the crowd.

Make sure your furry friend has fresh water at all times. Frequently check your pet's water bowl to make sure the supply is clean. Busy children and relatives may bump the bowl and spill the water.

Provide a quiet refuge for your animal. With all the holiday fanfare, your pet will need a "time out" from visiting friends and family. A comfortable crate is one solution; a quiet room with a "Do Not Disturb" sign is another option. Give your dog or cat time and space to settle down or take a nap.

Keep current registration and identification tags on your pet. With guests coming in and out of your home, it is very easy for a door to be left ajar and for your friend to wander off.

By being aware of these dangers, you and your pet can have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Sources:

DogHobbyist.com
DoggieNews.com

Please help find this baby that was just rescued off the streets in NE Houston. He went to a foster home last night and jumped the fence. He is a Shepherd-mix about 55 pounds and just had heartworm treatment on Monday!

He escaped in the area of I-45 South, exit Monroe to the west.

He has tags on and was being called "Frankie" and "Brownie" for the past week but probably does not know his name.

Please contact Maria at 713-702-6634 or 713-645-2580 or Deborah at 832-265-6523 if you have any information.

Jim Stevenson, president of the Galveston Ornithological Society, was on trial for shooting what he claimed was a stray cat. But prosecutors argued the cat had become the pet of a toll-booth worker who claimed he had been feeding and caring for the cat and that he had considered the animal his. However, defense attorney Tad A. Nelson has said the animal was feral and had no owner.

The jury, made up of eight women and four men, was hopelessly deadlocked.

For the complete story, click here 11 News Top Stories.

Only one product, which comes in two flavors, is affected:

Top Performance ProDental Toothpaste with Toothbrush kit 1.4 oz.,

Item No. TP128

Beef flavor: UPC 721343128151
Mint flavor: UPC 721343128564

Diethylene glycol can cause headaches and illness, or in high doses, renal failure or death. Diethylene glycol is found in antifreeze and other solvents. The company has received no reports of any illnesses associated with this product and is recalling it out of an abundance of caution.

PetEdge is asking that you immediately discard any ProDental 1.4 oz. Toothpaste (of either flavor) that you may have on hand and inform them of the quantity of discarded items by completing and returning the Product Destruction Log. They will provide a merchandise credit for the discarded product as soon as possible.

If you have questions or need further information, please contact PetEdge at 888-211-8706 or at mail to: questions@petedge.com Subject=Product Recall.

Source: News for cats and dogs - RECALL: PetEdge Toothpaste Recall

Kitten #1 is a four-month-old, neutered male named Rex. His Animal ID# is A240913.

Kitten #2 is a six-month-old, spayed female Seal Point Siamese named Mocha. Her Animal ID# is A240637.

ROLO is a 1.5 year old, neutered male Chihuahua. He is wearing tag #561 in the picture and his Animal ID# is A240183.

And, last but certainly not least, is Muffin! She is a three-month-old, spayed female Labrador Retriever. Her Animal ID# is A238582.

The adoption fees are $80 for dogs and $70 cats. They are all spayed or neutered, fully vaccinated, de-wormed, dogs are tested for canine heartworm disease and cats are tested for feline leukemia. All are reviewed by a vet.

This weekends Friday's Friends came from Harris County Public Health & Environmental Services and are just a few of the animals up for adoption this weekend at the Saving Animals Across Borders Houston Northwest Mall Pet Adoption Center at Northwest Mall, Northwest Freeway (Hwy 290) at 18th Street (Please Use Entrance D). The Pet Adoption Center is open Thursday through Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday from Noon to 6 PM. Call (713) 680-0282 or click here for more information Saving Animals Across Borders.

Pet lovers across America will nominate deserving shelters by becoming active members on Zootoo.com, a user-generated website where people share their opinions and experiences about all-things related to pets.

Zootoo House was started by Richard Thompson, the former CEO and Top Cat of The Meow Mix Company. While at Meow Mix, Thompson donated hundreds of thousands of pounds of cat food to animal shelters across the country. He visited many of them and was often appalled by what he saw: overcrowded cages, too little nutritious food, and not enough room to run and play. Thompson met hundreds of dedicated pet lovers who work at shelters, or generously volunteer their time, and heard a common refrain: there are too many pets in need of homes and not enough money to care for them properly while they await adoption.

Shelters will be able to win the makeover by encouraging their supporters to become active members on Zootoo, the only opinion-sharing web site that allows all pet lovers to help each other by sharing their knowledge. When first-time visitors go to Zootoo.com, they will be given the option of selecting a shelter to support. Then, every time they visit Zootoo.com-whether it's to review a product or service, share an opinion, post a photo, or refer a friend-they will automatically earn points for their designated shelter.

The 20 shelters that accumulate the most points between October 1, 2007 and March 31, 2008, will be eligible to win the makeover or runners-up cash prizes. The Zootoo House Advisory Board, which consists of Thompson, Bill Meade from Shelter Planners of America, Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States, as well as other experts in the pet industry, will personally conduct site visits of all 20 shelters to evaluate their needs and how Zootoo House can best facilitate enhancements. The shelter deemed most deserving will win a makeover valued up to one million dollars. A second shelter will win a $10,000 cash prize, and the 18 other top shelters will each receive $5,000.

For more information, click here Zootoo.com.

These are the dozen dogs who didn't make the headlines last April when authorities swept onto the Surry County, VA property of NFL quarterback Michael Vick.

Some 50 fighting dogs were confiscated at the scene, and Vick ultimately pleaded guilty to charges related to animal fighting. But a dozen other dogs were also seized on the property.

These animals were held in the Surry County Animal Shelter until this month, when they were transferred to the custody of The HSUS. Director of disaster field operations, Jeff Eyre, described the dogs this way, "Nine beagles, who range in age and demeanor; two rottweilers who just want to be with someone, and a big 120-pound bull mastiff type guy that looks like he should be sitting in a recliner."

After taking custody of the dozen dogs, The HSUS transported them to the Virginia Beach SPCA in Virginia Beach, VA for evaluation and potential adoption.

To read the complete story, click here HSUS News.

He wandered 15 miles but Gabe, the six-month-old Standard Poodle lost in a car accident in the Beaumont area on Thursday, is home safe and sound!

Allie Keaton of My Service Dog, Inc. wants to thank everyone for their support and for helping bring Gabe home.

The SNAP Free Cat Spay/Neuter Day is scheduled for Friday, December 7, 2007 at PETCO, 13341 East Freeway, Houston, TX 77015, (I-10 & Uvalde).

FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. Arrive before 7 a.m. Start a list. The SNAP advance team will arrive before 7:30 a.m. Bring your cat in a pillowcase or carrier. No food or water for your adult cat after 10 p.m. the night before. Multiple cats will be accepted only if there are fewer than 50 people in line. Government assistance is not required.

This life-saving event is generously funded by The Elroy and Terry Krumholz Foundation.

For more information call SNAP at 713-862-3863 or click here SNAP.

Gabe is a six-month-old Standard Poodle and was with his Foster Parent/Recipient when they got into a bad car wreck and he disappeared Thursday November 8, 2007. Gabe was wearing his red Service Dog vest, collar with tag and phone number 713-703-6924, as well as his leash.

The wreck was on Hwy 69 South, North bound, right near the Highland Avenue overpass in Beaumont, TX.

There is a REWARD for information leading to his recovery.

If you know anything about Gabe, please call Allie at 713-703-6924- Diana at 409-201-5186, or the Beaumont Police Dept.

For more information and additional pictures, click here My Service Dog.

Join Deena Carstens & Kevin Kline of the 93Q Morning Show, both PAWS Board Members, at Crome, 2815 South Shepherd Drive in Houston, on Tuesday, December 4, from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM for music, food and fun! All proceeds will benefit programs for PAWS Houston.

Happy hour bites generously donated by Carraba's. $20.00 donation at door includes food and drink ticket. Cash Bar also available.

Amazing silent auction items that would make great holiday gifts (airline tickets, jewelry, gift packages) - all for a worthy cause.

This event graciously underwritten by Halliburton. PAWS Houston also thanks Crome for hosting the event!

PAWS Houston- Pets are Wonderful Support enables approved hospital visits for terminally and chronically ill patients by their own pets. PAWS Houston also provides client in-home care, including exercising pets, annual pet wellness visits, foster care, and food assistance. PAWS mission is to sustain the relationship between pet owner and their animal companions.

Please click here for your invitation and to R.S.V.P. for the event evite.com.

It's Orangutan Caring Week at the Houston Zoo, 1513 N. MacGregor. Learn about orangutans and their rainforest habitat. Visit their booth at the orangutan exhibit to shop for orangutan painting stationary, handcrafted ecologically friendly jewelry, and more for everyone on your Christmas list. Enter the Orangutan Caring Week raffle for a chance to win two new paintings created by the Zoo's orangutans. The drawing will be held Sunday November 18th, 2007 at 5:00 pm at the Houston Zoo. Participants need not be present to win.

All proceeds from Orangutan Caring Week sales will support the Zoo's orangutan and elephant conservation projects in Indonesia.

For more information, click here Houston Zoo.

On Wednesday November 7th the Cosco Busan container ship side-swiped one of the western anchorages of the San Francisco Bay Bridge spilling 58,000 gallons of bunker fuel oil that is now coating birds and other wildlife. Unless these birds are rescued soon, the oil spill potentially will endanger the lives of hundreds of thousands of birds that live in these coastal waters. As of Friday, November 9th, the Coast Guard said 16 beaches have been closed because of the oil spill.

Bunker fuel spills are extremely toxic to marine life, especially birds that float and feed through a spill. The oil inhibits the birds ability to thermo regulate and they become cold as their natural insulation in their feathers break down. The birds spend most of their time trying to preen the oil out of feathers and thus ingesting the oil into their systems. Weakened they will often beach themselves and fall prey to predators or die from the toxic effects of oil.

IBRRC was activated immediately to search and rescue birds affected by the spill. Locally IBRRC is part of California's Oiled Wildlife Care Network. Any oiled animals will be brought to the Oiled Wildlife Care Wildlife Center for treatment. The center is managed in partnership with IBRRC. Fore more information or to help the IBRRC rescue and care for these birds, please click here International Bird Rescue Research Center.

The first classy canine is a one-year old, spayed female named CICI. Her Animal ID# is A238014.

The next adorable adoptable is a four-year old, spayed female Miniature Pinscher. Her name is CARLY and her Animal ID# is A239223.

TAFFY is a two-year old, spayed female Persian Tabby cat. Her Animal ID# is A239244.

And, last but certainly not least, is Ronald! He's a seven-month old, neutered male Orange Tabby Domestic Shorthair cat. His Animal ID# is A239686.

The adoption fees are $80 for dogs and $70 cats. They are all spayed or neutered, fully vaccinated, de-wormed, dogs are tested for canine heartworm disease and cats are tested for feline leukemia. All are reviewed by a vet.

These four friends came from Harris County Public Health & Environmental Services and are just a few of the animals up for adoption this weekend at the Saving Animals Across Borders Houston Northwest Mall Pet Adoption Center at Northwest Mall, Northwest Freeway (Hwy 290) at 18th Street (Please Use Entrance D). The Pet Adoption Center is open Thursday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Sunday from Noon to 6:00 PM. Call (713) 680-0282 or click here for more information Saving Animals Across Borders.

All three have been spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped.
They are very sweet and even cuter; won't you stop by 3200 Carr and check them out today?

Meet Sleepy!

Visit Sleepy or any other cat or dog at BARC by calling (713) 229-7300. They make great Christmas presents!

WHO: Friends for Life, Homeless Pet Placement League, and Homeless and Orphaned Pets Endeavor will have pets for adoption.

WHERE: My Dog & Me, Houston's Indoor Dog Park, 2215 Lawrence in Houston, TX 77008

WHEN: Sunday, November 11th from 1-4 pm

Renowned Pet Intuitive, Myra Logan will be conducting mini sessions to talk to your pets! Bring your dog to find a new playmate. And check out the agility course and Fetch Lane and Toys.

For more information click here:

Homeless Pet Placement League
Homeless and Orphaned Pet Endeavor
Friends for Life
My Dog & Me

The 21st Annual Celebrity Paws Gala, benefiting Citizens for Animal Protection, will be held on Saturday, November 17th in the Hilton Americas Hotel Ballroom, 1600 Lamar Street (77010).

Beginning at 6:30 PM the evening includes a Cocktail Reception, Silent Auction, and the presentation of "Houston's Ten Elite and their Pets" competing in their specially designed Chateaux des Paws vying for the title of "Celebrity Pet of the Year". The evening continues with a seated dinner, entertainment and live auction. Master of Ceremonies is ABC Channel 13's Don Nelson and the Auctioneer is Vikki Vines.

The Gala Chairman is Rachel Regan; Honorary Canine Chairmen are Sabrina (Sidney) Faust, Stella (Judi) Holmes & Muffin (Cora Sue) Mach. Honorees are Diane & Jim Mattly who will receive the Melcher Humanitarian of the Year Award; Barney and Ellen Kogen will receive the CAP Cherished Companion Award; Brenda Love will be inducted into the Celebrity Paws Hall of Fame and Chris and Don Sanders' Girlie Sanders is the Feline Celebrity Guest.

The 2007 "Ten Elite Honorees" and their pets competing for the "Celebrity Pet of the Year" title are Gracie Cavnar with Charlie, Jill Gracely with Belle, Debby Leighton with Randy Smith, Carolyn Mann with Major Mann, Lisa Massey with Weezie, Iris McWilliams with Lola, Bruce Padilla with Rhett, Karan Robinson with Lexi, Shawn Stephens with Cassie and Susan Vick with Simon. The Jr. Honorees are Blayne Fertitta with Perfect and Jacob Trauber with Pepper.

Chateaux des Paws Designers are Lee Capetillo, Ta-Dah Events & Creative Services; Lucas Chavez, LC Floral Designs & Events; Richard Flowers and Kirksey Gregg, The Events Company; Darryl Murchison, Darryl & Co.; Gene Ruple and Gary Archer, Fashionable Events and Robert Shipman, Haute Soiree.

Individual tickets are $250, $500 and $1,000; tables of 10 are $2,500, $3,500, $5,000, $10,000, $15,000 and $25,000. For ticket information and reservations call Kappy Muenzer (713) 781-6554.

CITIZENS FOR ANIMAL PROTECTION, a non-profit service organization, has served pets and people in Greater Houston for over 35 years. Since 1972, CAP has sheltered and cared for over 425,000 orphaned, neglected and injured animals. CAP is proud to have earned the PetsMart Charities' National Humane Award of Excellence and a 4-Star rating with www.CharityNavigator.com for the 6th consecutive year.

ASPCA Cat of the Year - Winnie from New Castle, Indiana

While the Keesling family and their 14-year-old domestic shorthair, Winnie, were sleeping on the night of March 24, 2007, poisonous carbon monoxide fumes from a gasoline-powered water pump in the basement began to fill the family's home. Winnie jumped onto Cathy and Eric Keesling's bed, nudged Cathy's ear and meowed wildly. When Cathy sat up, she felt nauseous and dizzy and, unable to wake her husband, called 911. When the paramedics arrived, they discovered the couple's 14-year-old son, Michael, unconscious on the floor of his bedroom. All three family members were escorted from their home wearing oxygen masks and treated for carbon monoxide poisoning. Thanks to Winnie's heroic efforts, they recovered quickly. Cathy Keesling originally found Winnie when she was just days old, motherless and abandoned on a neighboring farm. During Winnie's first days with the family, Cathy and Eric nursed her with milk from an eyedropper. They saved her life and, years later, she saved theirs.

ASPCA Dog of the Year - Toby from North East, Maryland

Debbie Parkhurst was enjoying an apple in the company of her two-year-old golden retriever, Toby, when a piece of the fruit became lodged in her throat. Parkhurst began to beat on her own chest in an effort to dislodge it. Toby quickly pushed her to the ground and jumped up and down on her chest until the apple came up. In 2005, Parkhurst rescued the golden retriever from a grim fate in a dumpster. Today, Toby has settled happily into family life and is inseparable from his sidekick, a basset hound named Fred.

To read about the ASPCA Kid of the Year, Firefighter of the Year, Law Enforcement Officer of the Year and winner of the ASPCA Henry Bergh Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award click here ASPCA Humane Heroes.

Citizens for Animal Protection is THRILLED to announce that the Discovery Channel Animal Planet website has now posted the entries from the 2007 Citizens for Animal Protection Designer Dog House Competition and Showcase to hold an online voting competition to see which doghouse design is America's favorite!

The doghouses featured on the Animal Planet website helped raise over $4,400 for the CAP shelter. CAP encourages everyone to click here Animal Planet and VOTE NOW!

The Houston Dog Championships, featuring all of the houses and some of their builders will air on Animal Planet on November 10th. You might even see your favorite CAP doggie friends "Frankie" (American Bulldog mix) or "Dixie" (CAP Ambassador Dog, Chihuahua).

If you are interested in contributing a doghouse for the 2008 Competition next July, please send an email to dogshowdoghouses@yahoo.com.

During the month of November, all dogs and cats, one year of age and older, will be considered "senior" and available to approved adopters for half off the regular adoption fee. All of these classic canines and cats will be only $32.50.

Abraham Lincoln said it best, "It is not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." The Houston SPCA thinks that holds true for pets too and they have many pets that have a lot of years of love and affection to give.

In order to match as many "senior" animals with seniors in the community, the Houston SPCA will also offer no cost adoptions for all seniors 60 and older who choose a "senior" pet (one year and older). This "Seniors for Seniors" program will continue for the entire month of November.

Come celebrate "Adopt a Senior Pet Month" with the Houston SPCA and find out that love gets better with age!

For more information, click here Houston SPCA.

The Hartz Mountain Corporation is voluntarily recalling one specific lot of Hartz Vitamin Care for Cats due to concerns that one or more bottles within the lot may have been potentially contaminated with Salmonella. Hartz is fully cooperating with the US Food and Drug Administration in this voluntary recall.

The product involved is 3600 bottles of Hartz Vitamin Care for Cats, lot code SZ-16371, UPC number 32700-97701, which was manufactured by a third party manufacturer, UFAC (USA), Inc., in Baconton, Georgia. While normal testing conducted by Hartz and UFAC has not revealed the presence of Salmonella in any Hartz products, sampling conducted by the FDA did detect the presence of Salmonella. Hartz is aggressively investigating the source of the problem.

Consumers can contact Hartz at 1-800-275-1414 with any questions they may have and to obtain reimbursement for purchased product.

Source: News for cats and dogs - NEW RECALL: Hartz Vitamin Care For Cats

For information from the Hartz Mountain Corporation click here Hartz Cat Vit Recall.

The first cat is a one-year old, spayed female Domestic Short Hair Brown Tabby. She's a lap cat!

This beautiful Labrador Retriever-mix puppy is a two-month old neutered male. He is playful and fun-loving and will make a wonderful addition to any family.

This terrific trio was raised in a foster home and their foster mom says they are loving and affectionate. All three are neutered and ready to go!

The little kitten with the bobtail is a two-month old Domestic Shorthair Brown Tabby with white markings. He is sweet as can be; neutered and ready to find a permanent, loving home.

The adoption fees are $80 for dogs and $70 cats. They are all spayed or neutered, fully vaccinated, de-wormed, dogs are tested for canine heartworm disease and cats are tested for feline leukemia. All are reviewed by a vet.

These friends came from Harris County Public Health & Environmental Services and are just a few of the animals up for adoption this weekend at the Saving Animals Across Borders Houston Northwest Mall Pet Adoption Center at Northwest Mall, Northwest Freeway (Hwy 290) at 18th Street (Please Use Entrance D). The Pet Adoption Center is open Thursday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Sunday from Noon to 6:00 PM. Call (713) 680-0282 or click here for more information Saving Animals Across Borders.

For one day only SNAP is fixin (spaying or neutering) CATS ONLY at 20% off regular prices!! Open to the general public and by appointment only. Male cats will be neutered for just $24 and female cats for only $36. Cats that do not have a current rabies certificate will be vaccinated against rabies for an additional fee of $10. Government assistance is NOT required. NO FERAL CATS PLEASE!!!

WHEN: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2007
WHERE: SNAP HOUSTON SPAY-NEUTER CLINIC, 1603 Shepherd Dr., Houston, Texas 77007

AN APPOINTMENT IS REQUIRED. Send email to appointments@snapus.org to set up an appointment. Those without Internet access can call 713.863.0010.

Cats may be brought in a pillowcase or carrier. No food or water for your adult cat after 10:00 pm the night before surgery. Kittens may be given half their usual amount of food and water the morning they come. All cats go home the same day as surgery.

For more information call SNAP at 713.862.3863 or click here snapus.org.

Officials claim the cat food left out for the cats attract birds, and in turn, the birds pose a potential danger to aircrafts at the airport. After being rounded up, the cats have been dropped off at an Animal Care and Control shelter. Many animal rescue organizations fear that the cats will be euthanized after being taken to shelters.

With combined efforts from the NYC Feral Cat Initiative staff, the Animal Care and Control of NYC, and caring volunteers, the first ten cats caught in the Port Authority's roundup have been saved from being euthanized and have found foster homes.

To read more, click here News for cats and dogs - Rescuers Save First Ten Cats In JFK Airport Roundup.

HISD Police Officer Stephanie Clinton and "Reno" placed fourth in the K-9 narcotics search event and Officer Richard Frankie and "Teka" placed fifth in the patrol event.

The HISD Police K-9 teams competed against nearly 100 contestants, from more than half a dozen states and such prestigious organizations as the United States Air Force, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

HISD is the first school district to have police department canine teams certified to compete at the national level and is the only school district to have police department canine teams place in the event.

Officer Clinton and Reno also competed earlier this year in the regional K-9 competition at the Texas Police Games, in which they placed first.

She is full of life and very playful. Dangling a string in front of her will win her heart, and she'll play it it as long as you can hold it!

Meet Tiffany!

A local rescuer found Boots, Mary Kay, Lexus, and Rey in a local Wal-Mart parking lot chasing a piece of bread that was stuck to a shopping cart wheel.

One of the kittens liked to put both of his paws in a water cup while he was drinking; he liked his boots wet, so his name became BOOTS.

Another kitten was in a Lexus SUV's engine at the Wal-Mart parking lot. The rescuer waited and waited for the owner to show up. When they finally arrived, she told them there was a kitten in their engine. They didn't believe her because the little one had stopped crying. She insisted that the driver open the hood and look at his engine. He said, "No, I don't have time for that; I don't know what you want from me, but I am leaving!" Desperate to save the kitten, she told him she didn't care about kitten, she cared about his car! Thinking quickly, she added that the same thing happened to her car and it cost her "5 grand" to clean up. The driver paused for a while, and then opened the hood. There was the little kitty tangled in the engine cables. That's why she named him LEXUS.

The last one is solid black, a bit shy, and a mama's boy according to his rescuer. She named him REY, hoping that "one day he will feel like a King and gain his confidence."

Boots, Lexus, Mary Kay and Rey are all spayed or neutered, FIV-, and vaccinated. They are friendly and get along with dogs and other cats! If anyone wants to adopt them or if there is a rescue group that can foster and place them through their adoption program, please contact Edna Taylor by phone at (713) 628-4052 or by email at tayloredna@msn.com.