September 29, 2010
By
Carol Frischmann, author, Pets and the Planet: A Practical Guide to
Sustainable Pet Care
Bette Hanson and co-pilot Sascha share
my commitment to purchasing “green” whenever we can. Properly selected toys can provide exercise,
stimulate the mind, and provide plain old fun.
Toys made
of recycled materials can be very good, and some endure the punishment our
committed chewers give them. If you have a pet that destroys toys, be sure to
find the extra heavy-duty toys. Toys that my pets use and abuse come from
quality manufacturers such as Kong, Planet Dog, SmartyKat, and Pooch Planet. Manufacturers
constantly introduce new products, so keep checking your neighborhood planet-friendly
pet store.
Excessively
cheap toys, whether manufactured in the United States or overseas, reflect poor
raw materials and manufacturing quality, and usually poor worker conditions with
lax regulations about process and raw material safety. The consistent discovery
of toxic materials in children’s toys manufactured in China also pertains to
pet toys. Toxic materials which pose problems for children become more toxic in
the smaller bodies of pets. Besides poisoning your pet, your pet may eat these
toy parts, causing blockages that will require surgery. Finally, inexpensive
toys made of non-recyclable materials become part of our municipal solid waste.
Everyone
knows the best toy for your pet is you. Use green toys during play with your
pet. Green toys make playtime safer and better for the planet.
Posted by Bette Hanson. Posted In : Green & Sustainable Living
September 28, 2010
By
Carol Frischmann, author, Pets and the Planet: A Practical Guide to
Sustainable Pet Care
Bette Hanson and co-pilot Sascha share
my concern about the #1 environmental problem concerning pets. That problem is
pets losing their original homes.
In any
economy, millions of pets lose their homes each year, but with the sagging
economy driving foreclosures, families often need to find someone else to care
for their pets; county shelters try to fill that role. Did you know that much
of the... Continue reading...
Posted by Bette Hanson. Posted In : Animal Advocacy
September 21, 2010
By Carol Frischmann, author, Pets and the Planet: A Practical Guide to
Sustainable Pet Care
Bette
Hanson and co-pilot Sascha are fans of using organic foods when possible, as I
am. The terms “natural” and “organic”
confuse people. Here’s the
difference:
“Natural”
foods are not “organic.” When manufacturers do not use the word “organic,” it’s
because they can’t. If even 70 percent of the ingredients are organic the label
will say so because the marketplace comma... Continue reading...
Posted by Bette Hanson. Posted In : Food & Nutrition
May 12, 2010
On May 5, Proctor & Gamble announced that it was purchasing Natura Pet Products, an independently run, family owned business with premium pet food brands including Innova, Evo, California Naturals as well as Karma and Mother Nature.
The reaction was immediate from long time supporter, and NPE co-founder, Lindsay Condefer, owner of premium retailer, Chic Petique when she pulled their product from the shelf. Animal trainer and animal advocate, Michelle Frumento was equally concerned and proac... Continue reading...
Posted by Bette Hanson. Posted In : Animal Advocacy
March 29, 2010
I'm guilty.
I love my dog, and am big enough to
admit that I can sometimes take her for granted.
She notices.
In subtle and often very direct ways,
she helps me return to the present. I'll get overly engrossed in a task
and am suddenly startled to reality by a sha... Continue reading...
Posted by Bette Hanson. Posted In : Spiritual
March 12, 2010
Animal science and behavior just added another 'Aha!' moment to what dog owners around the world already knew. According to an article on news.discovery.com; "a study, accepted for publication in the journal Animal
Behavior, presents the first experimental indication that domestic dogs rely on
context-dependent signals when they growl at each other." To some degree any pet owner who has heard their dog's low grumble at hearing an unfamiliar noise understands the difference in context between... Continue reading...
Posted by Bette Hanson. Posted In : Training & Behavior
March 11, 2010
Nature's Variety is doing a voluntary recall of of Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diets for dogs and cats. If you have this product, look for the
"Best If Used By" dates of 10/29/10 and 11/9/10 and also the "Best If Used By" date of 2/5/11 or sooner. They are recalling the products
because they may be contaminated with the bacteria Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals and
there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products. People
handling pet food can become infected with Salmone... Continue reading...
Posted by Bette Hanson. Posted In : Food & Nutrition
March 10, 2010
I just saw the author of Eating Animals, Jonathon Safran Foer, on the Ellen DeGeneris talk show. As a quasi-vegetarian, I was moved and could relate to Jonathon's personal story of an oscillating meat and vegetarian diet and how it changed after his revealing and eye-opening quest for knowledge. It reminds me of the revelations I came across when I first started my journey into the pet food industry. On the website www.eatinganimals.com, Foer shares more of his journey breaking down myths, dis... Continue reading...
Posted by Bette Hanson. Posted In : Green & Sustainable Living
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About Me
| Bette Hanson, Founder, Director - Natural Pet Expo |
| Philadelphia, Pa - Usa |
Bette Hanson is a former executive, writer & producer with a background working for ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, Animal Planet, HGTV, Discovery Education and others. After her dog, Frank, developed a terminal illness in the late 90s, she immersed herself in holistic pet care and quickly developed a passion for animal advocacy. In 2004, she founded the Natural Pet Expo, bringing together experts & resources on animal wellness to educate & inform pet caretakers. Sascha, a spunky and spirited English Shepherd, joins Bette on her journey.
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