My dog travels with me whenever she can, and I enjoy travelling with her. When I visit my folks upstate, Darby is in the back of the car for the three hour trip, watching the world go by as I blast my satellite radio and sing along to old 80’s songs. She’s unfazed when I slip on her lifejacket and we board our friend’s boat on rides across the water to Fire Island, where she gets to run free in the surf with the other dogs, until the beach patrol zips past on their ATVs and give all of the dog parents a stern warning about unleashed dogs.

There is one trip that Darby has been unable to make with me so far, on my visits to my sister in Seattle. My dog is an Irish Setter and 55 pounds, so she’s definitely not small enough to fit into a carrier bag and under an airline seat. I usually fly in the winter for the holidays, when the airlines don’t recommend you travel with your pets in the cargo hold because it is too cold. Sadly, she’s had to stay at the very nice Club Barks Kennel (www.ClubBarks.com – see March 2009 article) when I am away on long trips. I’m hoping that may change soon, now there is Pet Airways (http://www.PetAirways.com)

Pet Airways is a new airline devoted just to animals, absolutely no humans! Started by two pet parents who wanted to have their Jack Russell terrier Zoe on their trips, they didn’t want their pet to be treated as a package – they envisioned their pet as a “pawsenger” in the main cabin! Unless you pet travels in the cabin with you, they are treated as baggage and relegated to the cargo hold on most airlines. Temperatures in the cargo hold can be over 85 degrees in the summer and below 45 degrees in the winter.

I’ve always had the impression that all cats love catnip – hence the name. That even the most sedate, quiet or chubby couch potato feline becomes giddy at the mere semblance of catnip in its presence. Apparently I am wrong – according to some veterinarian studies, only 70% of cats love catnip. The remaining 30% really don’t have any reaction to this herb – a distant cousin of the mint family.

If your kitty is a catnip addict, the best way to get him all ga-ga is to provide him with a catnip toy. This way he gets both mental and physical exercise, thereby decreasing the chances of a cat-astrophe when you leave him alone! The best catnip toys are the ones that have organic catnip, and if they’re refillable, even better. Why? This way, kitty gets a renewable fresh “high” each time he plays with his toy.

Try a product like the SmartyKat Refillable Catnip Toy (http://www.worldwise.com/catniptoys.html). Filled with certified organic catnip, it offers your feline friend a new toy experience every time. We know how finicky cats can get sometimes, so this is newness factor is a good thing. And you don’t have to shell out the dollars to buy a new amusement for him every month or so. Also, it’s environmentally friendly, since you’re actually recycling his old toy.

No matter how much we’d like to think of our dogs as an extension of ourselves, with human traits and personalities, talking to them like they understand our every word, dogs are animals with natural instincts. One of the strongest being the hunting instinct, and that’s what keeps them motivated and mentally occupied. They play with dog toys because they remind our pets of prey.

A line of toys that keep our dogs active and are designed with these tendencies in mind are the Flappy Dog Toys (http://www.FlappyDogToys.com). The toys have dangling ends that when shaken, provide a behavioral satisfaction and amusement for the pooch. Dogs also explore with their mouths, and to ensure that every dog preference is met, the Flappy comes in a range of textures.

Tuffy is made of a durable reinforced fabric to withstand strong jaws. Fluffy is made from sherpa material and crinkly flaps. Fleecie is soft and helps cleans teeth. It’s also good for teething puppies. Flossy is a cotton rope toy with a canvas center – perfect for tug or war. And the easy to spot orange Floatie has a rubber core making it a perfect water toy. All these Flappy toys with the cute names are washable. And their bright colors are geared towards easy retrieval for us humans, since dogs are supposedly colorblind – although studies have shown they may be able to recognize yellow and green. Is that why dogs like tennis balls? These brightly hued Flappy toys make for easy searching when hidden under the sofa!

July and August are the months to get yourself outdoors, not just to get some beach time but also to enjoy events that help Mother Nature.

Broadway Barks!
This event started from the passionate commitment of Bernadette Peters and Mary Tyler Moore, conceived to promote the adoption of shelter animals.

When: Saturday, July 11, 2009
Where: Shubert Alley, West of Broadway, between 44th and 45th Streets, between Broadway and 8th Avenue.
For more information, contact Broadway Barks! Scott Stevens at (212) 840-0770 x477, or visit http://www.BroadwayBarks.com

Animal Haven: Critter Academy
Animal Haven’s Critter Academy is a week-long summer program for children who love animals and are eager to learn more about them. There will be guest speaker sessions with trainers, service dog owners, vets, and a variety of expert celebrities in the animal field. Also, meet with Animal Haven cats and dogs that are available for adoption.

For more information or to register, contact Jennifer Bristol at (212) 274-8511 or jennbristol@gmail.com, or visit http://www.AnimalHavenShelter.org
When: Session 1: July 13–17, 2009
Grades 1–2 : 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Grades 3–5 : 2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
Session 2: August 10–14, 2009
Grades 1–2 : 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Grades 3–5 : 2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
Where: Animal Haven
251 Centre Street (bet. Broome and Grand)
New York, NY 10013
(212) 274-8511

Animal Farm Foundation: Internship Program
Join the Animal Farm Foundation for their intensive hands-on internship program for everyone interested in working with shelter dogs. Learn about kennel enrichment, what is a “pit bull,” dog/dog interactions, myths and media coverage, adoptions, working with volunteers for success, and more. Each session is five days.

For more information or to apply, contact Courtney Steller at csteller@animalfarmfoundation.org, or visit http://www.AnimalFarmFoundation.org
When: Session 1: July 20–24, 2009
Session 2: August 3–7, 2009