Best Vet

Here's some info worth reading.  I know everyone out there is hurting for cash.  So here's a tip for the best vet I have met who also happens to be the cheapest.  Pacifica Pet Hospital where Dr. Hurlbut and Dr. Randall are simply the best around.  This is vet care like you always wanted it to be.  Practical solutions without a bunch of unnecessary and expensive tests.  Best of all they don't push products.  I find that aspect in vet offices to be cheesy.  I was at an unnamed vet recently and saw a man pay $85! for a bag of "prescription" food which I found not only to be outrageously overpriced but a huge waste of money.  I do think special food has it's place.  I cook rice and boiled chicken when my dogs have GI upset, but most of that Rx stuff is crap in my humble opinion.  Don't even get me started on Iams.  Back to PPH...see I cannot stop ranting even when I try! 

These folks are a small office that is always busy.  The folks at the front desk are very nice and polite.  More importantly, Dr. Hurlbut who owns the practice and Dr. Randall do loads and loads of incredibly discounted work for the many rescues. I do mean many.  I have a litter of newborns just now through Pound Puppy Rescue.  They came in sick from a shelter and 3 died within a week.  Dr. Hurlbut saw us without and appt on a Sunday (yes they are open 7 days/week) and saw all 6 pups and the mama plus one other rescue.  This was no cursory appt.  They all needed to be wormed and hydrated with subQ fluids, in addition to an exam.  I was sent home with a bag full of fluids and needles.  Can you even imagine what this would have cost at the ER vet?  $127.  That's what the rescue was charged.  We were there 2 hours and then I found out Dr. Hurlbut had been up for 48 hours working.  I also learned some time ago that he goes down to Mexico for 2 weeks every year to do a mass spay/neuter blitz gratis.  I'm telling you these guys are great.  

Wee WIllie Winkie

If this isn't the cutest dog you have ever seen then you need glasses man!  Rescued by Sherri Franklin at Muttville, Willie is a senior dog we are fostering at Pooches' Playtime.  He is about as sweet as a dog can be. Willie is a Pomeranian and he will melt your heart.

Shakespeare's Lot

Here are our latest litter of 6 and proud mama all sponsored by Pound Puppy Rescue  all about 4 weeks old as of this date and just starting to run around and get into trouble.  The adoption event for this litter and mama will be posted on PPR's website 

Dog Walking

We and by "we" I mean Pooches' Playtime has openings in our dog walking groups.  We call them playgroups because they are way more fun than a walk.  We go to McLaren Park and it's the best part of my day.  I think the dogs agree.  Jen walks the older dogs..the wheezers and geezers, and goes a bit slower.  I take the more active dogs for a more strenuous walk and we often go to the reservoir and they swim.  We go Monday through Friday mid day.  We are at the park for an hour.  $20...such a deal! Discounts for multiple dog households.  I have great referrals/resources for you if you are out of our pick up area.  I watch other walkers daily and I know the best!  

BTW, if you want an excellent place for puppy training I recommend SF Puppy Prep

For another great trainer, I recommend Dog Evolve

Movie Review

Go see "Food Inc."

If you didn't read "Omnivore's Dilemma" or "In Defense of Food" then go read them.  For the weak of stomach, the producers of this film put almost no visuals of animal abuse that is inherent in the food industry.  They do spend lots of time on the death of one child (from an e-coli laced burger).  My feeling is that the life of millions of factory farmed animals deserved more time but I know they have to make the film somewhat palatable or people won't see it. There are lots of people who get all misty about a human death, as they should, but don't even think about the hundreds of thousands of animals we torture and kill every day.   If you want to really know what goes on in the "farms" of the meat industry you can always see footage on Peta's website.  I Double Dare you to watch even one video of the kill floor of a slaughterhouse ( now called processing plants)  that makes your McDonald's burger.  If you can make it through that and still eat meat then have at it.  I could not.

Anyway, the part of the film that is very interesting is the audience reaction when a real farmer actually slaughters his own chickens and then prepares them for sale.  This is the owner of Poly Face Farms featured prominently in the second book of Michael Pollan's last book "In Defense of Food".  It always amazes me that the same people who eat animals won't watch them being killed much less do it themselves.  Anyway, this guy is doing farming and slaughtering the right way and by that I mean he grows all of the food and raises the animals who consume it without confined animal feeding operations (CAFO's).  Hey, if your going to eat animals, and most people do, this is how it should be done.  Meet your meat as they say.

Wanna save a buck? Go to Four Star Video on Cortland and rent "We Feed the World "  Same message only global.

Which brings me to my next rant...er post.

Check out the 350 project. It's all about how and why we should be spending what dollars we have at small independent shops instead of big chains.  If you know me at all, you know how I loathe big businesses such as Walmart, Home Depot and Blockbuster Video.   Classic examples of how big stores ruin small business and kill the joy of city living.  Yeah, it is cheaper at those stores but the price is just too high in terms of the effects they have on other businesses.  Besides, just try to get an actual person to help you at Lowe's or Home Depot.  My fave in the city for hardware is Cole Hardware at Mission and 29th st.  

My other favorite alternative to the souless Safeway and the overpriced wanna be eco-friendly Whole Foods is the Alemany Produce market.  Way cheaper than the Ferry Bldg and almost totally organic.  Be sure to look for Bruce from Hooverville Orchards.  If you call him by Wednesday and order a pie, he will have it by the Saturday.  His family makes simply the best pie I have ever eaten.  All his own fruit naturally and not too sweet.