Call to make Byron Bay rental properties pet friendly - community forum 7 pm 23 November 2016 at RSL

Bliss Communications, media release, 14th November 2016:

Byron Bay To Be First City in Australia To Have Pets Are Welcome Policy

Welfare advocate Karen Justice is leading the way to bring in a Pets Are Welcome Policy to Byron Bay to curb the high number of animals surrendered because of housing restrictions.   

“Sadly 36 percent of cats and dogs that end up in shelters and pounds are there because their owner can’t find pet friendly accommodation,” said Ms Justice.

“The horrifying statistic is 20,000 family pets per year are surrendered to the RSPCA alone because landlords say no to animals,” she said.

“As at July 2016 Australia’s major cities and surrounding suburbs have the following amount of “pets allowed rentals” as compared to total available rentals – Sydney – 2%, Melbourne 1%, Brisbane 8%, Darwin 5%, Perth 4%, Adelaide 4%, and Hobart 12%.”

“Renting in Byron Bay with a pet is almost impossible and in extreme cases people have ended up homeless because they can’t part with their pet.”

“I’m forming a Community Council to try and educate others about the benefits of having pet friendly accommodation.”

“I’m inviting real estate agents, strata management, and local council members to be part of this Community Council to put Byron Bay on the map for making a difference in animal welfare.”

“The Community Council can help re-educate landlords about the benefits of pet friendly accommodation and lobby the NSW Government to introduce strata by laws that welcome pets rather than discourage them.”

“Not allowing pets into homes only leads to dogs and cats unnecessarily being killed and their owners left distraught because they have lost a loved one.”

“I want Byron Bay to show the rest of Australia that it can be done – an across the board Pets Are Welcome Policy – to see a huge drop in animals left at shelters.”

“It’s a bold plan but something has to be done or more and more animals will be killed because a landlord won’t let them into their homes.”

Ms Justice said the benefits of pet friendly accommodation are :

1.     Saving Lives : Allowing pets into homes means owners don’t need to surrender them to shelters and pounds which means less animals are put to sleep.

2.     Health Benefits : There is scientific proof having a pet makes people happy and healthier.

3.     Rental Longevity : Tenants with pets tend to stay in rental properties longer saving landlords time and money rather than face uncertainty of securing another rental property.

Ms Justice believes if one city can do it then the rest of Australia might just follow.

A community forum is being held on Wednesday 23 November 2016 between 7pm and 9pm at Byron Bay RSL 

SOS Save Happy Paws Haven

Happy Paws Haven, Eatonville, NSW, 27 June 2016:

Dear Friends of Happy Paws Haven

Thank you so very much for your support it has really made a significant difference.

We very very much appreciate it!

We really need your help!

We have just re-launched today a crowdfunding winter appeal.

We are asking those who have supported us for a donation.

Every little bit helps us and goes directly to the animals in our care.

Could you also please share this email with your friends and those you know may have supported us in the past.

Please ask them to do the same as we are struggling financially.

We have approximately 70 dogs and puppies,  and nearly 130 cats and kittens in our care, at foster carers and at our shelter locations. 

We are also renovating the dog shelters and cat enclosures to make them warmer for the animals for winter!
We have so many mouths to feed!

We have 6 puppies and 20 kittens to desex and immunise.

The good news is that we have already rehomed over 80 animals this year since January 2016.

Please help us raise the funds we urgently need for us to continue!

We urgently need money to make sure the puppies and kittens, cats and dogs in our care are warm for winter, have the food and vet care they need as we are struggling financially!

Please, please donate to this very worthy cause.

To donate:

https://www.youcaring.com/happy-paws-haven-inc-570458

All donations over $2 are tax deductible! We have DGR status.

Our BSB 633000 Our account is 130786031, Our Account name is Happy Paws Haven Inc.

Regards

Sally Rogers

MBA Macquarie, BSc (Bio-Med),

Founder, President, Public Officer and General Manager

HappyPaws Haven

140 Tindal Road

Eatonsville NSW 2460

Your local animal welfare charity

Rescue Officer Belgian Shepherd Club, NSW

www.happypawsgrafton.com.au

www.happypawshaven.com.au

www.facebook.com/pages/Happy-Paws-Haven-Inc/76224320885

A good news story cartoon

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/apr/24/rescue-dogs-fostered-by-first-dog-on-the-moon-a-short-history

Amargi Wolf: Please help save some dingoes!

Go Fund Me at http://www.gofundme.com/9fp5c4:

This little black pup was found whining in the bush near Grafton. Although not a common colouring for dingoes, he is very dingo-like. DNA tests will tell, but of course this costs money, as does vaccinations, worming, feeding etc etc... Please help us look after this beautiful little fella!

I take on young rescued dingoes, for rehabilitation & rehoming. The costs involved in such a project have been & still are huge - special fencing, food, vet bills, DNA tests, desexing, immunisation, microchips, registration, pest & medical treatment, equipment etc etc..

More rescues are coming in now, as this year's pups become orphaned by the Winter baiting programs. I need another compound & holding pen, and to be able to cover the costs of looking after the new pups - some of which no doubt will involve extra vet bills. 

I am on a pension due to physical problems, I get the odd job here & there as a dog trainer & canine behaviourist, but not much due to where I live, as well as the physical problems which make it painful for me to travel. 

Please help in any way you can, even the smallest donation will be greatly appreciated! If you are unable or prefer not to donate online, please message me & I will send you bank details for a direct deposit :)

I'm a young golden-coloured dog who lost my way in Yamba. Do I belong with you?

A young dog, little more than a pup, was found wandering in Gumnut Road, Yamba, in the Clarence Valley NSW.

It is trusting and affectionate and I'm sure just wants to get safely back home.

If this is your dog, email northcoastvoices at gmail dot com to reconnect.

Friday the 13th - last one for 2012

The far-off sound you can hear is millions of black moggies
cheering the fact that they are off the hook until 2013

Twas the night before e-Census and all though the town.....

There were hundreds of fur kids* refusing to be left out.

Click on images to enbiggin

* Fur Kids - beloved companion animals (more usually dogs and cats) that are considered part of the family unit.

Please note that no census form was killed or injured in creating this post.

Thursday Dog LOL

Hat tip to Clarrie Rivers
for sending me this
canine planking LOL

Moggy Musings [Archived material from Boy the Wonder Cat]

 

An it defies understanding musing: For a few months now a North Coast resident has been busy pretending to be a well-known former NSW Police Commissioner. A couple of my four-legged friends say their owners have received copies of some of his strange epistles which allege wrongdoing on the part of the Local Court. Yuk.

An I swear it's true musing: I was reading over my house slave's shoulder the other day and had to chuckle at one EEFector email displayed on the monitor which made me suspect someone in Frisco had been nibbling on catnip at the end of another long day fighting guvminn intrusion into teh internetz - EFF filed an amicus brief supporting online free speech today, asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourteenth Circuit to affirm a permanent injunction blocking a federal law that would violate the First Amendment by imposing penalties on website operators that publish indecent material without also using technological measures to block access by kittens. The Kitten Internet Protection Act of 2008 (KIPA) was passed after the Supreme Court struck down its predecessors, the Child Online Protection Act of 1998 (COPA) and the Communications Decency Act of 1996 (CDA). The government had argued that narrowing the law's scope to young felines would make the restrictive law pass constitutional muster. In the district court, EFF successfully argued that the law unduly restricted websites, and that supervision of online activities was best left to Ceiling Cat, not the government.

A Maccas musing: My little canine friend Veronica Lake tells me that McDonalds in Yamba is making itself even more unpopular in that small town by beginning to throw its money around in an effort to squeeze its fast food competitors out of Treelands Drive. Trouble is the other fast food chain franchise it is targeting happens to be run by a young and popular local family. The Westlawn Group doesn't come off too well in this scenario either, as it bumped Subway off its 'Yamba Fair' main road signage in favour of Maccas which isn't even a tenant in its shopping complex. Typical!

A loitering in the halls musing: With prosecution evidence in some disarray in an ongoing Clarence Valley trial, I had to laugh when I heard that one cocky defense barrister solicitor has been heard quietly singing during proceedings; "10 green bottles sitting on the wall and if one green bottle should accidently  fall ..."

Someone's having a Bad Hair Day

Just because it's Saturday.........

Yamba is known by some as
the Town of the Little White Dogs
because there seems to be so many
- from almost all the different smaller breeds -
living in that small coastal village.

Do you know where your dog or cat is tonight?

A reminder to pet owners on the NSW North Coast from The Daily Examiner on 24 January 2011:

THE Northern Rivers is one of the worst areas in the state for cat and dog attacks on native wildlife.

According to statistics collected by the Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) over the past 12 months, 267 native animals were attacked in the Northern Rivers region, 191 in the Clarence Valley alone.

Grafton has been listed as the worst area with 62 attacks recorded.

Paul Johnston from the WIRES Clarence Valley branch said the figures represented only the attacks which had been reported to WIRES and “do not include the thousands of animals which die from unreported attacks or those who fall victim to feral cats and dogs who are more likely to eat their prey compared to domestic ones”.

Following Grafton was Yamba with 19 wildlife attacks, with cats responsible for killing a larger percentage of native animals compared to dogs.

In the Northern Rivers, cats were responsible for 14 out of 25 attacks in Ballina and eight of 16 in Alstonville.

Teresa Woodley has been a WIRES carer for the past 10 years and said despite treating the many animals brought to her as a result of an animal attack, the real culprits were the two-legged kind.

“Owners simply need to be more responsible for their pets, especially in rural areas like the Clarence Valley where wildlife is plentiful,” she said.

Urban etiquette in regional Australia. Animalia......(7)

Although we don't always notice, there are rules of etiquette which apply whenever we leave the house and enter public spaces in urban areas or when denizens of those same public places enter our homes.
On the New South Wales North Coast (as elsewhere in regionl Australia) these rules take on a distinctive flavour.

Basic Rules

• Never argue with a snake. It almost always wins any territorial dispute and the losers sometimes find themselves in A&E at the local district hospital.
• Estuary waters and the ocean are the natural home of sharks not humans, so be polite and don't disturb them at dawn and dusk by swimming in their living rooms.
• A Maned Wood Duck usually crosses the road on foot to get its small brood to the other side, so drivers should slow down and keep eyes open for fledglings if an adult bird is sighted on the bitumen.
• Spur-Winged Plovers always have undisputed right of way on a footpath when they are taking their young out on that first excursion into the big wide world, and they will tell you so - loudly!
• Magpies won't like you during breeding season if you haven't politely introduced yourself to the family when they first moved into the neighbourhood. A friendly word in passing pays dividends later on.
• Spiders are not your friends, but neither are they your enemies - recognise that most are merely passing the time of day and don't whack them with that rolled up newspaper or deploy the fissionable material you keep under the sink.
• Small birds often fall from nests during storms. If a parent bird isn't near or the fledgling is just too young to make it into a bush or tree - call WIRES for help.
• Possums in the roof space may be a nuisance, but they are not committing a capital offence.Trap and release these furred offenders elsewhere, don't poison them.
• Don't steal flowers and native plants from the wild - be honest and pay for specimens at the local plant nursery. Most plants ripped from natural habitat die when replanted in the average garden anyway.
• Never be polite to a mosquito - it is always looking for new ways to bite and annoy you.
• Bush flies must be endured with stoicism if you want to be seen as a true blue Aussie.
• Cane toads are the spawn of Satan so give no quarter.
• Keep your pet cat in the house between dusk and dawn and don't let your dog roam free.
• PICK UP THE POOP WHEN YOU WALK THE DOG!

Big Mal, Love, Karmic Cuts, Miss Manners & Drunken Sailors

Electile dysfunction and sympathy with underdogs has struck Clarence Valley letter writers in August issues of The Daily Examiner, as electorates on the NSW North Coast stagger towards Saturday's finishing line.

Moggy Musings [Archived material from Boy the Wonder Cat]

A terrible cruelty musing: Snowy, a 19-month-old domestic longhair from Bankstown NSW was restrained with tape and set alight in July 2010 by a person or persons unknown. The RSPCA is calling for anyone with information to come forward - contact the RSPCA on 02 9770-7555 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

A tartan musing: Congrats to Super Sally the Blue Heeler for winning the best dressed dog competition at Maclean's International Tartan Day celebrations on 3 July 2010. Only a brave mutt can wear that much tartan!

A Bananabending Moggies musing: While handsome felines like myself can get lifetime registration in this state for a standard fee ($15 if your hoomin slave is a pensioner), my poor cousins living in Queensland are at the mercy of each local council and no-one's mentioning a lifetime rego fee - just incredible annual charges which come into effect by the end of 2010. Queensland moggies unite - picket your council office until lifetime registration is the norm!

A Rex's pleased musing: Rex's rebarked that although he knows most of Yamba's walls, telegraph posts and similar spots he is (for different reasons) tickled pink about this new site: iGo2 Yamba which gave him a mention.

A Rexie Rulz! musing: Rex the German Shepherd is till beating his hoomins when it comes to Bill's clues about who's hitting the shebert instead of the ball at Yamba Golf Club. Rex reckons Bill only gets one 'starr' for his latest effort.

A not so cryptic musing: Bill was trying a little Poirot-style clue when he laid this down in a local golfing gossip column in early June 2010 - "Let's be frank, if you try to outfox the fuzz it could well be all over for you." Sorry Bill. Rex the German Shepherd had nailed the buggy driver before his master had even finished reading Putts & Pars. Even if he suffers from the disadvantage of not being a moggy, Rex is a very smart dog!

A Margaret McKenna musing: My little canine friend Veronica Lake tells me that one of the furry kids she plays with was looking over her papa's shoulder and read this bit of a letter from the Grafton accountant currently passing herself off as a shire councillor - I represent US and am insulted you think I may represent McDonalds. (and that is US not U.S.) Still laffing....

A Million Paws musing: The 16th Annual RSPCA Million Paws Walk is being held across Australia today Sunday 16 May 2010 and is THE big day out for animal lovers. Well done to my many furry friends as they try for a new Australian record!

A way too much information musing: Word round the catsnip patch is that a certain NSW North Coast councillor used a local government committee meeting to not-so-subtly brag about his sexual prowess - eeewww!

Have you seen Chloe the Staffy?

In The Daily Examiner yesterday.

LAST Thursday night there were a series of loud explosions somewhere in the Grafton area.
I vaguely remember hearing something but didn't pay too much attention.
On Saturday night while our family was away it happened again.
Apparently though, it went on for sometime and rumour was that it continued until around 1am.
Our six-year-old staffy dog is very sensitive to these sounds and so would be many other dogs.
Since Saturday night our dog has been missing.
I hope she has been found and kept safe, as a search on Sunday morning failed to find her.
She is a loving dog and would not hurt anyone.
Her name is Chloe and she is black and dark brown.
To the senseless idiots (there is no other word) that created this disturbance, that's all you are - idiots.

TONY FOULSTONE Grafton NSW

Moggy Musings [Archived material from Boy The Wonder Cat]

A thumbnail dipped in tar musing: Dear Boy, I found this in today's SMH. Woof, Rex the German Shepherd SHE IS intelligent, friendly and one of Kevin Rudd's closest confidants, but would rather chase tennis balls than talk politics. Rudd's golden retriever Abby - featured in today's Dog's Life magazine (unfortunately tagged ''Celebrity Dogs - Therese Rein'') - is probably also the only one of his team ever genuinely happy to see him. ''Ten minutes before the phone rings to signal he's on his way, she will go and wait at the door for him,'' Rein tells the magazine. ''She is gentle, undemanding and great company.'' More driven is the family cat Jasper, evidently an even bigger control freak than Rudd - beating him to his ultimate ambition. "Jasper disciplines us," says Rein. "He's the boss of the whole world.'' Listening to Rein, it is nice to imagine Parliament as a place where our leaders don't fight like cats and dogs, with Jasper as his master and Abby the Opposition Leader. ''They touch noses all the time,'' Rein says. ''They also, when they think no one else is listening, take turns chasing each other from one end of the house to the other.'' The Rudds are patrons of a charity that finds homes for abandoned golden retrievers, the mag reveals. Shame the PM isn't as dedicated to abandoned policies, some of which have proved to be dogs, too.

A Killer musing: I've received a deff threat!

A liddle birdie tol' me musing: Rumour sez that the creator of the Facebook page YES to McDonalds in YAMBA complained in his submission to Clarence Valley Council that a local newspaper was biased and refused to publish his material. The paper is rather puzzled by this so the story goes, because it never received any additional stuff from him.

A strange but true musing: Commencing in May 2010 dogs in Danvers, Massachusetts, can now pray to Ceiling Cat during Sunday services at Calvary Episcopal Church.

Just Married musing: Cecilia, a 15 year-old German cat just got married to her owner. The happy couple dressed up for the occasion - Mitzscherlich in a wedding suit and top hat and 15-year-old Cecilia, who loudly meowed her way through the exchanging of vows, in a white dress. Wonder where they're honeymooning?

A that's some cat musing: Oscar the Siamese lives in Noosa Waters and every morning he hops on his Dad's paddleboard and goes for a ride down the canals if you please.

A She's in luurve! musing: My little canine friend Veronica Lake is going around with stars in her eyes. The object of her affection is a dashing white and tan fellow living on a corner of her street. One Milo by name. She is wrapt in the fact that he is "such a gentleman".

A cherished member of the family musing: More than 50 per cent of pet owners are willing to put their life on the line for their four-legged friends, a new study has found. The New Zealand-based poll found that 58 per cent of people would return to a danger zone rather than allow their pets to perish, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. Add your opinion to the poll here. Furry kidz rule!

A super pooch musing: Bravo to the male bull terrier cross who was plucked from rough seas on Saturday afternoon by two men who were on a day trip to High Island, about 6km off the coast of Fishery Falls, south of Cairns, according to Cairns Local News. The brave fella's name must be Digger!



Boy

I shouldn't laugh, but......

* A plague of locusts is due to hit Australia in time for the next federal election according to Bloomberg:
"Locusts are expected to hatch from August to October in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia states, according to the commission. The first-generation spring hatching alone could occur over a total area of 1.8 million hectares (4.4 million acres), the commission's Adriaansen said."

* One small mining company Metgasco is shooting itself in the foot. Assiduously lobbying federal government for regional infrastructure funding (which will help corporate development plans) while at the same time dissing the local MP over the new resources Super Profits Tax. Word is that Canberra is not amused.

* Someone locked a Labrador in the house - oh noes!

"MAX, the black labrador was accidentally locked inside a Daily Examiner reporter's house yesterday and decided to leave his mark in more ways than one. Not only did he wee in the master bedroom, he pooed in one of the kids' room, chewed up a nappy, raided the pantry and vomited after the debauchery."

* At least one dedicated reader of NSW State Library online offerings is threatening to cut that library card in half because it's becoming a bit of a lottery as to which webpage links actually work each day. Ah, life in rural 'n' regional Oz!

* Anglo-Swiss mining giant Xstrata lets its slip show this month in that version of Teh Great Tax Fight:

"Mining company Xstrata Coal has revealed it will continue to buy up farmland within its Wandoan exploration lease area in Queensland despite last week suspending plans for the $6 billion project on the grounds the government's mining tax would make it uneconomic."

* Patrons at one Byron watering hole were overheard debating how long it would take a sheila to do a Corday if Tony Abbott became Australia's 27th prime minister.

* rod3000 Nothing perks you up like a 3 yr old's headbutt on the nose #wrestlemania

* The U.S. state which spawned Sarah Palin shows just how low dumb can go:

"The state of Alaska filed a lawsuit last Friday seeking to overturn the listing of beluga whales in Cook Inlet, home to the Port of Anchorage, as an endangered species."

* An oldie but a goodie from 2007 with an object lesson for Oz e-health proponents:

"An Italian woman who was mistakenly reported dead has won a yearlong battle to have her existence recognized by the government.
Pension agency INPS issued a formal apology to Maria Giuliani and reinstated her into its databank after removing her in January 2006 when another woman by the same name died, ANSA reported Thursday.
"But they only did it because the local media got hold of my case," Giuliani said of the apology.
Giuliani's removal from the databanks caused her pension rights to be revoked and she was removed from municipal and health computers.
"The first I heard about it was the following March when I went for a checkup."
"My GP fell back into his chair and said, 'But you're dead!'
"'No, I'm alive and kicking and I want to be examined,' I said. But he said he couldn't do it because officially I no longer existed."

* NSW Premier Kristina Keneally is staring down the barrel of massive electoral loss at the next state elections according to the bookies, :

"A specialist election punter from Sydney with leading bookmaker Centrebet has sounded a "death knell" for the NSW Labor government, outlaying nearly $25,000 on the Coalition at short odds to sweep to power next March! "The punter in two bets has taken just $1.15 and $1.14, with the Coalition now a red-hot $1.14 favourite to win, with Labor out to a whopping $5.35."

But she will never beat Sir Geoge Fuller's short 7 hour record as state premier.

* With all the media hoo-ha lately over Victoria Police, no-one's noticed a teeny weeny question surrounding the tale of two Garden State police commissioners having corresponded with a person convicted of serious offences.

When the Rudd Government decided that it wanted to first install and now extend ISP traffic interception, I bet it didn't factor in the possibility that some of this carefully saved info might be potentially embarrassing for future Labor governments if it 'leaked' onto the Internet.

I don't care what it costs - my pets are like family

APN online survey results in The Daily Examiner - early morning of 6 May 2010 in response to the question How much do you spend on your pooch each year?

Who said bankers aren't in touch with real life? BankWest is obviously putting a little toe in water with its Social Indicator Series which covers everything from retirement, stay-at-home kids and state of the nation's piggy banks.

It even has a Family Pooch Index, with a national report also differentiated by states:

The latest in Bankwest's on-going Social Indicator Series has revealed that a dog's life certainly isn't cheap anymore, with Australian families spending more than $25,000 on their pet dog over its life-time.

The latest Bankwest Social Indicator Survey, the 'Family Pooch Index', revealed the average Australian family outlays $2,452 per year for the care of their canine, on top of their initial purchase of the pup of $585. Over the average life span of a dog, ten years, this equates to more than $25,000.

Not surprisingly, pet food and other gourmet doggy treats gobble up the bulk of the annual cost - $1200. This was followed by veterinary costs, at $450 per year, and additional dog care, such as grooming, dog walking, dog dietician and a dog trainer at $405 each per year.

The research also revealed what many of us have suspected for a long time, namely that half of Aussie pet owners consider their pet to be equally important as their kids. An overwhelming 96 per cent of respondents consider their pet as a member of their family.

Here are some of the findings in the 2010 NSW report Pets NSW:

* The research has revealed that pet owners think the cost of a pet dog is a small price to pay in return for what a dog provides its family. Survey respondents noted their love for dogs, the companionship provided by a 'man's best friend' and the peace of mind and security a pet canine creates as the main reasons for owning a dog.

*.....the average New South Wales family outlays $2,600 per year for the care of their canine, on top of their initial purchase of the pup of $580. Over the average life span of adog, ten years, this equates close to $27,000.

 NSW is the state that spends the most on pets. WA spends the least.
 25 per cent of Aussie dog owners pay a dog groomer to maintain their dogs appearance.
 50 per cent of Aussie dog owners buy their dog gifts for special occasions
e.g. birthday, Christmas etc.
 80 per cent of Aussie dog owners have a dog for companionship
 Over 30 per cent of dog owners have a dog to encourage them to exercise. 5 per cent of people have their pets in their will.
 11 per cent of respondents said they regret having a pet.
 8 per cent of people take their pet with them on holiday.

* Not surprisingly, spend-thrift Generation Y pay out the most when it comes to the upkeep of their pet dog. Interestingly though, over 10% of Gen Ys surveyed said that their parents fork out the cash to cover all these incurred costs.

"Moggy Musings" [Archived material from Boy the Wonder Cat]

A pet honour roll musing:
The Daily Examiner published the Clarence Valley Australia Day 2010 Pet Show winners list. Well done everyone!
Best Kept Dog
1st Poodle -'Muffy' handled by Sarah Bruce 2nd Boxer -'Fly' handled by Cherie Jurkewicz
3rd Staffordshire Bull Terrier 'Crystal' handled by Grace Ford
Best Kept Any Other Animal
1st Ferret -'Bob' presented by Shane Griffiths
2nd Guinea Pigs -'Amethyst & Lapiszuli' presented by Amber Skinner
3rd Guinea Pig -'Grandmaster Flash' presented by Kim McClymont
Prettiest Animal Other Variety
1st Rabbit -'Massie' presented by Jamie Brown
2nd Rabbit -'Sooty' presented by Caitlin Grainger
3rd Rabbit -'Blackie' presented by Erica Creighton
HC Fish and Worms presented by Madeline Vidler and her brother
Best Groomed Cat
1st 'Oliver' presented by Jasmin Nash
2nd 'Cosmo' presented by Levi Vidler
Prettiest Cat
1st 'Cosmo' presented by Levi Vidler
2nd 'Oliver' presented by Jasmin Nash
Best Kept Bird
1st Quarrion -'Nibbles' presented by Harrison Vidler
2nd Brown Hen -'Rusty' presented by Erica Creighton
3rd Bird -'Fluffy' presented by Jamie Brown
Prettiest Bird
1st Quarrion -'Pepper' presented by Madeline Vidler
2nd Quarrion -'Nibbles' presented by Harrison Vidler
3rd Brown Hen -'Rusty' presented by Erica Creighton
Dress-up - Best Dressed Animal and Handler
1st Australian Cowboy 'Coco' and Liam Ward
2nd Bikie Staffy 'Piggy' and Shieann Acroyd
3rd hula Dancer 'Razzles' and Marissa Menzies
HC Ballet dancer Boxer 'Bella' and Cherie Jurkewicz HC Maid Maltese Cross 'Rosie' and Jamie Brown
Best Behaved Dog
1st Maltese Cross 'Charlotte' handled by Brian Maddocks
2nd Shih Tzu 'Jack' handled by David Kitchenel
3rd Bull Arab Cross 'Hector' handled by Jamie Evans
HC Groodle 'Taddy' handled by Sophie Turner
Best Tricks
1st White Staffordshire Bull Terrie 'Piggy' handled by Shieann Acroyd
2nd Dalmatian/Whippet Cross 'Kasey' handled by Abbie Counsell
3rd Fox Terrier 'Coco' handled by Liam Ward
HC Labrador 'Max' handled by Milly Deefholts
Animal Most Like Owner
1st Staffordshire Bull Terrier 'Maximum' and Zach McCann
Biggest Pet Animal
1st Dog Bull Arab Cross 'Hector' handled by Jamie Evans
Smallest Pet Animal
1st Mouse 'Rattley' presented by Jamie Brown

A Grrr at Kevin Rudd musing: Even Toovey the Wonder-Dog blacked out his website on 26 January 2010 in protest at Rudd's plan to censor the Internet in Australia. Next furry friend to see this man should give him a sharp nip on the ankle (I'm looking your way Jasper & Abby).

Australia Day 2010 musing: On 26 January the Clarence District Kennel Club is holding its Australia Day Pet Show at See Park in Grafton NSW. Starting at 9am and finishing at 11.30am. Free entry for your pet in best kept dog; best behaved dog; dog with best trick; best kept cat; best behaved cat; best kept bird; most colourful bird; best kept any other variety of pet; prettiest any other variety of pet; pet most like owner; best fancy dressed pet; biggest pet; smallest pet. Dog agility display. Come along for a great time!

A Happy Holidays musing: I hope everyone has a great time over Xmas and a super New Year celebration. Please remember to make sure your pets have some shade and plenty of water in the backyard during the summer and always take water with you when walking that dog on hot days.
For a little light holiday reading go to I Can Has Cheezburger.

Animalia......(5)

A tail tale of Patsy and the tramp.......

The Daily Examiner, 9 December 2009

Click on image to enlarge