Frolic

This very young female dog is looking for a home for the holidays.

Frolic, who weighs 36 pounds, is available for adoption at the Geauga County Dog Warden shelter, 12513 Merritt Road in Chardon.

For more details on Frolic, call the shelter at 440-286-8135. 

-- Robin Palmer

rpalmer@news-herald.com

Black Friday got me thinking about Christmas gifts.

And, if you're like me, you want to get that special human in your life that perfect gift.

(OK. You just want to keep them happy so they'll keep feeding you.)

Have I got a deal for you!

It won't cost you a dime, only a few short lines about why you love animals.

The fine staff here at the Pets Unleashed pet blog is giving away cat and, pardon my language, dog, calendars.

To win, all you have to do is tell us why you love cats, I mean, animals.

Trust me, if I'm doing the judging, you might want to say you love cats.

So click here for all the details

Later, P.

Things I am thankful for as Thanksgiving Day approaches:

1. I'm not the bird on the platter.

2. I'm not a dog.

3. I'm not only a cat, but a house cat.

4. My litter box gets scooped daily.

5. Fancy Fest arrives in my dish twice daily, accompanied by soft treats.

6. I can sleep whenever and wherever I want, and I do.

7. Those stupid Election commercials are over.

(Let's be honest, wouldn't you rather see and hear that cute cat singing the Meow Mix song instead of Romney butchering "America the Beautiful?")

8. I have my own blog.

9. I don't need thumbs to type.

10. I love my family, even my annoying sister cat, 'Lil Girl.'

Happy Thanksgiving. Hope it is purrfect!

Later, P.

Thinking about 2013 calendars already? Want one featuring cats or dogs? (Of course you do! Why else are you reading a blog called Pets Unleashed?)

The News-Herald received a package with two wall calendars and three desk calendars — all with pictures of 365 animals. The accompanying letter states that local pet residents are featured in the calendars:

• Maggie from Mentor is in 365 Dogs
• Trevor from Mentor is in 365 Puppies
• Annie and Mollie from Mentor are in Bad Cat
• Cecily from Wickliffe is in 365 Cats
• Bruno from Cleveland is in Bad Dog
• Napoleon from Euclid is in 365 Dogs
• Leroy from Parma is in 365 Puppies
• Ginger from Seven Hills is in 365 Dogs
• Lizbeth from Parma is in 365 Cats

The calendars we received include The 365 Puppies A Year (wall), The 365 Kittens A Year (wall), 365 Cats (desktop), Bad Dog (desktop) and Bad Cat (desktop).

Want to win one? Leave a comment telling me which calendar you want and why you love animals. You must be logged in to win, so I can verify who you are (anonymity is hard to track). I'll be giving away the calendars until all of them are gone.


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Does your pet enjoy vacations and have book cover-worthy looks? Check out AAA's PetBook Photo Contest:

Capture your pet’s most memorable travel moments on camera and enter your ‘best-in-travel’ photograph before November 30, 2012.
Two winning pet photos, chosen in January 2013, will be featured on the cover and spine of the AAA PetBook, published in May 2013. The first place winner, featured on the back cover, will receive $300, a $150 Best Western Travel Card (valid at any Best Western Worldwide), pet treats and five copies of the book. The second place winner, featured on the book's spine, will receive $150, pet treats and two copies of the book.

Check out AAA's page on the PetBook Photo Contest for complete rules and information. 

Be sure to let us know if your pet is picked! 

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Learn about data visualization tools.

Things to get done this weekend while the weather warms:

Rake acres of leaves.

Remove acres of leaves from the gutters.

Sweep out acres of leaves from the garage.

Trim back shrubs.

Cover the air conditioner.

Remove items from the deck.

Batten down the hatches.

Oh wait.

This is all stuff the humans have to do this weekend.

Most of the time being a cat is priceless.

Later, P.

Browse more data visualization.

Let's take a break from all the politics and look at the really important White House residents: the presidential pets:

Browse more data visualization.

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Geauga Humane Society’s Rescue Village will present its third annual Art from the Heart holiday art show that will feature nationally recognized local artists showcased in a pop-up shop at 28001 Chagrin Blvd. in Woodmere.

The opening night party, which will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Nov. 30, will feature an art sale, artists raffle, adoptable animals, hors d’oeurves, wine tasting and more.

The art sale and adoptable animals will be featured from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 1.

The open house-style event is sponsored by Muddy Paw Wines.

This popular event is free and open to the public with portions of the sales benefitting the homeless animals at Rescue Village.

For information, log on to Geauga Humane’s website, www.geaugahumane.org.

-- Robin Palmer

rpalmer@news-herald.com

Caroline’s Kids Cat Sanctuary will hold it Tree of Love lighting at 2 p.m. Dec. 2 at the sanctuary, 7394 Morely Road, at the corner of Morley and Hoose roads, in Concord Township.

You can purchase lights to remember and honor pets for $13.

Order forms can be downloaded on the group’s website, www.carolines-kids.org.

Those attending the lighting also will be able to hang an ornament with their pet’s name on the tree.

Light refreshments will be served.

Orders can be mailed to Caroline’s Kids, P.O. Box 24068 Mayfield Heights, OH 44124.

The sanctuary also is seeking donations of paper towels, bleach, laundry detergent and 33-gallon trash liners.

The group also is asking people to view a 26-minute video of the sanctuary.

The video takes you on a tour of the inside and outside grounds, and highlights many of the cats.

-- Robin Palmer
rpalmer@news-herald.com

The Geauga Dog Warden shelter is in need of dog food, dry and canned, and not from China.

If you can help out, drop off donations at the shelter, located at 12513 Merritt Road, in Claridon Township, right outside of Chardon.

For more details, call the office at 440-286-8135. 

-- Robin Palmer

rpalmer@news-herald.com

Two things Superstorm Sandy couldn't move:

Mischief, the neighbor cat, and Fat Boy, the neighborhood mooch.

Both showed up at our house for their daily can of Fancy Fest this past week.

Neither driving rain nor 60 mph gusts of wind could budge either one of them.

Sandy, you have met your match.

Later, P.

Gail Linda Kopp, owner of Affordable Jewelry, Coins and Loans, is one of the event's primary sponsors. She is shown here with some of the auction items for the event.

Three cat rescue groups in Lake, Geauga and Cuyahoga counties will again join forces for “Decades of Cat Rescue: Part 2” on Nov. 18.

The event will be from 1 to 4 p.m. at Andaloro’s Ristorante, 30610 lake Shore Blvd., in Willowick. It will feature a spaghetti lunch, silent auction, raffles, door prizes, and a visit from Santa Claus   
Longtime cat rescue groups Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary, Abandoned Animal Welfare, and Save Our Strays are holding an affordable benefit together.
 
Tickets, which will be held “at the door” for the attendees, cost $20 in advance, and $10 for children ages 10 and younger.
 
There will be an additional $5 charge after Nov. 11.
 
The fee covers: spaghetti (meatball optional); salad; bread; and coffee, hot or iced tea, or soda pop. There will be a cash bar. There will be a silent auction, raffles and door prizes, and a visit with Santa Claus.

The funds raised will pay for veterinary care, cat food, kitty litter, vaccines, medications, anti-flea applications, increased heating needs during the winter, and the general upkeep of the rescue organizations’ facilities.

The groups have many decades of experience with helping both domestic and feral cats, some of whom have been abandoned, neglected and/or abused.

Happy Tails is located in Geauga County, Abandoned Animal Welfare is based in Lake County, and Save Our Strays is headquartered in Euclid, but all three rescue groups serve the Greater Cleveland area

Gail Linda Kopp, owner of Affordable Jewelry, Coins & Loans in Wickliffe, and her husband, Richard, are the event’s primary sponsors. Affordable Jewelry has also been supportive of a number of local animal rescue groups for many years.
   
For tickets to the event, more information, and/or to send a tax-deductible financial or silent auction item donation, call Doreen at 440-759-0076; send an email to dlazarus@hlcommunications.com; or mail a letter to: Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary, P.O. Box 581, Chesterland, OH 44026. 
Checks should be made out to the Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary, and the proceeds will be shared with the other organizations participating in the event.