It's My Dog's World: I Just Live In It

You don't have to speak Japanese to understand this video..just dog.

The lost dog of the tsunami finds her owner.

Boston dog rescuers: Please help find Marisol

A lovely dog is lost in the Boston area.   Her name is Marisol.   She has been spotted several times near the Fells, in the Medford area.   More about the search,  and what you can do, here:

 

http://www.findmarisol.com/

 

How great would this tool be to use for animal rescue during disasters?

The fabulous Chris Bennett, who is moving government into the 21st century (check out his government news ubersite GovLive here), offers this terrific tool--a QR code sticker-- for record keeping during disasters.   We could definitely save more animals this way, armed only with smartphones, tiny printers  (only 42 bucks at Walmart, or 35 at BH photo), and even smaller stickers. 

Yes, I Know About Princess (or Prince?) Chunk

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I live in Jersey, after all.

Princess (or Prince) Chunk's past, gender is still in doubt--an elderly owner, challenges with the care--perfect storm for an overweight cat.  Good luck, Chunk. Your flabbitude will probably help other animals get adopted! 

I'll be offering a couple of books to the shelter that took ChunkCat in. 

Remembering the Lost Ones: A Memorial Service in Jersey City

I won't be attending this memorial service today, though this is the shelter Faith came from.  Before you click through to the link, let me warn you, it's upsetting.  No bad pictures.  Just a very sad, very terrible story. After you read it, hug your pet, and do one thing today to help the animals who can still be helped.   Liberty Humane took in  many of the animals who made it out, and Jeff and I have volunteered there often.  Consider donating to them, in memory of Martha, Candy, and Patches.

And If You and Your Dog Are In DC Tomorrow (Saturday)

You can do "Doga" with Kimberly Wilson, AKA Hip Tranquil Chick.  That's yoga for you and your pooch. Kimberly has an absolutely snazzy website, and a groovy weekly podcast, available on iTunes, or on her blog. 

I have only known her only the web, but her podcasts are the bomb: yoga for your ears. Plus, she has a cute cute pug named Louis. It'll be in DC NW, Rose Park, at 23rd and P . Have fun doing a downward-facing dog with your downward-facing dog!  Registration info here--the donation goes to Washington Humane Society.

Bill Berloni on Fresh Air: Broadway Tails Meets Public Radio

If you haven't bought Bill Berloni's terrific book Broadway Tails by now, this interview on NPR's Fresh Air, will make you buy four.  What a mensch.

This is how he "discovered" the first Sandy from ANNIE--in a desperate Connecticut shelter.

The first time I saw him, he was sitting in the shadows, not barking or jumping. As I looked closer, I could see he was medium-sized, of no particular breed, and although his coat was wet and dirty, it was definitely a sandy color. When I stopped and knelt down, he slowly turned his head over his shoulder and looked at me with the biggest, saddest brown eyes I had ever seen. The card on the front of the cage said simply: 1½ YEARS OLD, MALE, STRAY, NO NAME. I got the attention of the attendant, and I asked him if I could bring the dog out. Over the racket, he yelled: "He's been pretty badly abused. He doesn't like people. I've got to get a rope to get him out."

He walked away, but I couldn't wait. I knelt again and opened the cage. I stuck out my hand and called, "It's okay, boy. Come here . . . come here." He looked at me with those sad eyes for what seemed like the longest time. Then he crept over to me, lay down on the floor, and let me pet him. I smiled and told him everything was going to be okay.

Broadway Barks...A Little More

For high quality, Broadway-level photos about Broadway Barks (including one of Glenn Close and her husband, David Shaw, founders of Fetchdog, the website I sometimes write for), go here.  Edit: For Harvey Fierstein (who also appeared)'s inimitably raspy blog post about the event, go here.  Harvey is in the market for another dog...who knows...maybe it could be Miss Honey Peters?

Random revelations and thoughts:

Mario Lopez reveals that "Pet Star"--American Idol for animal lovers--is going back into production.  Yay!  (Mario says it's the project his mother is most proud of him for. Yay Mom.)

Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters both own pit bulls.  Bernadette regularly goes on rescue missions for dogs on death row and relocates them to no-kill organizations.  "Honey Peters," pictured below, is one of those creatures. I met Honey.  Despite her incredibly hard life (dumped after she delivered puppies), she was bursting with charm. Look at her--alway ready to smooch! Adoption information at Bobbi and the Strays is here.

Cutest pet introducing couple:  Legally Blonde's Orfeh and her husband Andy Karl.  They and Bill Berloni and the new star of the national tour of Legally Blonde auditioned two chihuahuas for the role of Bruiser. We were asked to clap for the one we liked the best...and the good news is, they both got the job!  (Of course--every actor needs an understudy.)

"Sweeney Todd/Kurt Weill" Michael Cerveris brought his own adopted dog, Gibson.   Awwwww.

"Damn Yankees/Xanadu" Cheyenne Jackson revealed that he got his dog Zora at the ASPCA.  Superawwww.

"Damn Yankees" Michael Mulheren admitted that he adopted a dog at Broadway Barks about four years ago, which led him to adopting two children and another dog...."So I am no longer allowed at these events unaccompanied."

"How's My Sexy Girl?"/Broadway Barks continued/The Toby Project!

"How's my sexy girl?"

That's what Faith's vet, Dr. Andrew Kaplan, asked me when I saw him at Broadway Barks.

"She's great," I said.  "She sniffed John Edwards when we were in Washington." 

Dr. Kaplan was there to support his new organization, the Toby Project, which is named after one of his sexy guy dogs, Toby. Per the website, The Toby Project is:

The Toby Project will end the killing of tens of thousands of adoptable dogs and cats each year in New York City's municipal animal shelters by preventing the births of unwanted dogs and cats.

We will make New York City a true "no-kill' city by delivering free spay/neuter services to all five boroughs of New York City using mobile surgical vans specifically equipped for this purpose. By reaching out to targeted communities, our aim is to prevent the breeding of the very dogs and cats whose offspring account for most of the animals relinquished to our municipal shelters, where they are often killed.

How seriously awesomely visionary is that?  And look at these dudes.  Resistance is futile.  Go here for more.

Greta makes a hit at Broadway Barks

Greta makes a hit at Broadway Barks, originally uploaded by Empress M.

I met this stunner at Broadway Barks, the yearly pet adoption event run by Bernadette Peters and Mary Tyler Moore. She is a love bug!

I will have more to say about the event...but right now, all I want to say is: adopt this dog! She is a sucker for belly rubs!