I know I have been slacker lately, but a new development has me outraged enough to bring me out of blogger retirement.

By now you have probably heard about the dog fighting app developed by a company called Kage Games LLC. The Dog Wars “game” (an insulting term, given the subject matter) is available at Google’s android market, and we animal lovers have been working tirelessly all weekend to send Google the clear message that this app should be removed immediately. (Kudos to XDA Developers, who DID ban this app from their site.)

According to the Google android market policies page, “Android Market should not be used for unlawful purposes or for promotion of dangerous and illegal activities. If found engaging in such activity, we may deny access to Android Market, terminate your account, notify law enforcement authorities, or take other appropriate action.”

In the “game,” the controller has the opportunity to train a dog to fight other dogs, win virtual cash (like a business) and inject the dog with steroids. The logo features a Pit Bull with cropped ears, yellow eyes, and a blood-stained muzzle.

Yet the developer claims that they do not violate the terms. I really wonder how that can be, especially considering not only the keywords the developer inserted into the app (specifically “train to dogfight”):

…but also these two seemingly contradictory messages tweeted by the developer, @dogwarsapp:

Really??  Just like in real life?? So then, the developer has experience in the illegal activity of dog fighting? Shocking!!

So who is this developer? Has the developer ever been investigated for dog fighting? I can only hope that authorities in the area where Kage Games LLC is based figure out a way to, because obviously animals were harmed in the inspiration of this app.

To join in asking Google to remove this app from the android market:

1. Leave a Feature Request/Suggestion at the android market support forum.
2. Sign the petition at change.org. The petition gained 5,000 signatures on its first day.
3. Email press@google.com to express your concern.
4. Tweet your disgust directly the developer at @dogwarsapp and email at pitboss@kagegames.com
5. Report the app as inappropriate.

Pets are like shoes. Better in pairs.

Kobi Levi is an outrageous art designer who specializes in shoes (warning: some are X-rated). He sculpts footwear into fabulous and crazy shapes, and may be the first person to design shoes for dog and cat lovers. Or just people who love weird shoes.

Check out his leather Dog shoe…

And the leather cat shoe, with the uber-designer name of Miao. They make paw prints when you walk, and I LOVE how the tail wraps around your ankle!!!

Congratulations the the winners, Paul, Cass, Kari of HoundGirl.com, and Amanda!

I have here four copies of a very fun book that I would love to give away to dog lovers!  It’s called SUNSPOT: The Best Ever Astrological Guide to Your Dog by Laurie Birnsteel. Readers have given it 5 stars on Amazon, and I absolutely adore it. Don’t know your dog’s birthday? This book would make a very thoughtful gift this holiday season for someone who does.

Although I don’t know the exact birthday of my dog, who was rescued by a friend of mine when she spotted him wandering on a road nearly getting hit by cars, I’ve always celebrated it in August. I don’t know why. This would make him a Leo, and I was shocked when this book absolutely nailed him based on his pretend birthday. Maybe there’s a reason why I chose August!

According to Birnsteel, my Leo dog’s positive traits are ambition, bravery, cheerfulness, passion, and proudness. His negative traits include being bossy, cowardly, nosey and pretentious. Huh? Both brave and cowardly??  Exactly. My dog is a Catahoula, a dog known for being headstrong. He needed a bit of rehabilitation when I first got him: he was apt to bark and lunge at people outside our car when he was in it, and lunge at other dogs. He would drag me around at the end of his leash, holding on for dear life.

But with training, I’ve discovered the real Mr. Blue. He used to bark and lunge because he’s a bit insecure, not mean. He’s very anxious walking in the dark. He’s easily startled. He gets nervous when dogs bark at him. A crack of thunder turns him into a shaking puddle of mush that only cuddling can cure. And even though the neighborhood Rottweiler broke free from her owner’s leash–twice–so she could charge Mr. Blue, attacking him and taking him down at the neck (luckily Mr. Blue was not hurt either time), Mr. Blue continued to stand his ground, looking her straight in the eye whenever they passed each other on the street. He is indeed both brave and cowardly, as well as almost everything else the author described. (I now work with him on every walk to ensure he pays attention to ME, not other dogs, for everyone’s safety.)

Rules:

The winner must be 18+ and have a US mailing address. The winner will be chosen at random via random.org and be notified via email. Winner will have 3 days to accept their prize. Entries accepted until 12 noon EST on Friday , Oct. 15, 2010. For up to four entries:

Four winners will receive a copy of this book. To enter:

1. Leave a comment letting me know you subscribe to this blog via a reader or email. (Mandatory, 1 entry.)

2. If you include in your comment that you now follow me on Twitter and “like” our Facebook page, you then get one more entry for each. Tell me your Twitter name so I can confirm and follow you back!

3. Tweet this for a bonus entry:
@LeighPeterson is giving away dog astrology books at http://www.GoFetchGifts.com/blog/

Good Luck! Woof!

This contest was sponsored by Turner Publishing, who supplied the prizes stated above.
No compensation was given to GoFetchGifts.com in relation to this giveaway.

Got this in my email today. Watch as these puppies are lulled to sleep with a song almost instantly!

Spotted this love fest happening today and quickly got it on film…forever…with my camera phone. I think that’s all that really needs to be said about this photo.

It’s difficult to feel helpless in situations like the huge offshore oil spill, especially when you love animals and you know that they are now suffering.

Here’s something we all can do to help: Donate our pet’s loose fur, horse hair, and our own locks to help soak up the oil!  Hair soaks up oil (which is why we have to wash it), and can be made into mats and poured into nylon tubes to help soak up the oil.

To learn more about how to donate, talk to your local hair salon and groomer, and visit Excess Access.

First of all, congratulations to the winner of the FURminator, Jill of TheCatNetwork. Jill’s #2 was chosen by Random.org. Jill is part of a non-profit cat rescue in Florida, so a lot of hot kitties will be getting rid of their loose fur with the help of the FURminator deLuxe. Your FURminator is on its way, Jill!

Now onto our new giveaway for May, courtesy of WagAndBark.com. They have supplied us with two different safe, humane, pain-free anti-barking and training collars for dogs, as well as a Tic Taser so you never have to touch a tick again! That means with this giveaway, there will be THREE lucky winners!

In the past month, I have found a wonderful training method for my mischievous 8 month old kitten: a blast of cold air on her back from a can of condensed air. She hates the feeling, the sound startles her out of her behavior, and she immediately stops what she is doing. The training collars from WagAndBark.com work the same way. No jolts or painful electric shocks, no smelly sprays, no rolled up newspapers, no more cowering dog, afraid you’re going to reprimand him for something he doesn’t remember doing, whether it was ten minutes or three hours ago.

One lucky reader will win a complete JetCare System remote control training collar suitable for dogs of all sizes, over the age of 8 months. (Retail value $199.95!) One important element of dog training is to remember that dogs want to please us. They learn much better from positive reinforcement from the humans they love. This remote control unit allows you to train your dog without frightening him, and reward her when she stops doing something wrong and comes to you instead!

The JetCare^® System Education Pro Kit with Odorless Refill’s remote control has three buttons: 1) a sound button which alerts the dog it is time to cease his behavior; 2) a button providing a short burst of cold air (one second); 3) a button providing a slightly longer burst of cold air (three seconds). This training collar requires your participation. It is to redirect unwanted behavior and reward your dog when he is acting how you want him to act.

A second lucky reader will win a mini anti-bark collar for dogs under 17 pounds and over 8 months (retail value $119.95). This collar includes a microphone so that the harmless cold air spray will activate upon your dog’s bark.

A third lucky reader will win the very handy The Tic Taser™ with Piezo Electric System, “An effective and ecological method to eradicate ticks.” (Retail value $19.95.) This pen-shaped device uses no batteries. It works via the Faraday cage system of electrical charges. The ball at the end goes around the tick while it is attached to the body of its prey. Closing the “cage” around it creates a charge that destroys the tick’s neurological system. You can read more about the Tic Taser at WagAndBark.com.

Have I seen this Tic Taser in action? Thankfully, I have not as I have not yet seen a tick this year to test it on. But at such a great price, it would certainly be a wonderful gift to your entire family if you live in a wooded area and deal with ticks often.

How to enter:

1) Mandatory: Subscribe to the Go Fetch Gifts Blog via a reader or email (in the top right corner). This way you won’t miss out on all the awesome pet product giveaways coming up this year!

2) Mandatory: Leave a comment on this blog letting me know you subscribed and using which method. You also must include WHICH collar you would like to win: the remote control training collar or the mini anti-bark collar.

3) If you include in your comment that you now follow me on Twitter and “like” our Facebook page, you then get one more entry for each. Tell me your Twitter name so I can follow you back!

4) Tweet this for a bonus entry:
@LeighPeterson is giving away anti-bark & training collars at http://www.GoFetchGifts.com/blog/

Entrants must be 18 and older and items will only be shipped to addresses in the US. You may enter up to midnight Eastern time on May 27, 2010. Winners will be selected using random.org by June 1, 2010 and notified via email. Winners will have three days to claim their prize.

Good Luck!  Woof!!!

Comments & entries are now closed.

April 22nd is Earth Day! It is also the 40th anniversary of the environmental “holiday,” which was founded in 1970 following the grassroots efforts of Senator Gaylord Nelson.

In honor of Mother Earth, I’d like to introduce you to a line of eco-friendly and pet-safe cleaning products: CLEAN + Green.

CLEAN + Green is the only line of eco-friendly aerosol pet cleaning products on this beautiful planet we all share. The developers of these all-natural stain and odor removers, SeaYu (Twitter: @SeaYu), were kind enough to send us some samples so we could see and sniff the results for ourselves. We give it four paws up! The company offers a large array of products, including cleaners and odor removers for carpet and upholstery, concrete, wood and tile, autos and cages, as well as de-skunk cleaner, litter box cleaner, and furniture refresher.

I used to love using Febreze. I would “freshen” up the furniture and carpet with it and enjoy coming home to a fresh smell. But after my Persian cat developed some sort of growth on his liver, I started wondering if I might have contributed to its development. It occurred to me that my pets were constantly laying on the surfaces I had doused with chemicals, and their noses were much closer to the fabric and carpet than mine ever was. They were breathing in much more of these chemicals than I, and their bodies are smaller. I haven’t used Febreze since, and I admit, I miss it.

So, I tested Clean + Green’s Furniture Refresher and Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner.

The Furniture Refresher is a light, clean mist. Like all Clean + Green products,the ingredients are organic, biodegradable, non-toxic, non-flammable, non-carcinogenic, and contain no harsh chemicals or perfumes. You won’t enter the room to a perfumey smell with Clean + Green’s furniture refresher, but the spray smells much healthier. It smells very fresh, kind of like a mountain mist or morning dew. But that odor stays where it is sprayed, refreshing on contact. When you walk into the room, you don’t smell….well, anything. And that’s a good thing.

I tested the Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner on some very old stains and two newer stains (thanks, kitties) and couldn’t believe my eyes. I wish now that I had taken a before photo so I could show you how well this product works. I wasn’t expecting it, to be honest, because the ingredient list is so natural and seems so tame. I guess I’ve been trained to think that you need harsh chemicals to clean stains. But when I went to check on one of the spots I had sprayed, I could barely find it!

If you think like me (a child of the 80s and former big-banged hair spray addict), you might wonder how an aerosol spray can be healthy for the environment. So I asked a Clean + Green PR rep about that and it was explained to me as such: “Aerosol isn’t a chemical, it is just a ‘liquid suspended in a gas.’ So – Clean+Green uses a nitrogen-based propellant, and nitrogen is naturally occurring in 72% of earth’s atmosphere.”

Visit the Clean + Green web site for more reviews, coupons, rebate offers, and to purchase or use the store locator. Unfortunately, the locator doesn’t show that I can purchase the products near me yet, but you can purchase online and receive free shipping on orders of $25 or more.

You can also become a Clean + Green fan on Facebook.

(Psst, please become a GoFetchGifts Facebook fan too!)

I have some exciting things in the works for the Go Fetch Gifts Blog in 2010: Contests and giveaways! Subscribe to this blog now so you don’t miss out on the chance to win pet products like eco-friendly pet cleaning products, allergen reducing bedding from Bed Bath and Beyond, dog toys and treats, waste removal bags, and other fun goodies!

Win a FURminator!

Our first pet product contest is for a FURminator! Win a brand new, medium sized FURminator deLuxe deShedding Tool for dogs or cats. I got a cat sized FURminator for my asthmatic cat last summer when I noticed he was starting to have frequent hairballs. I quickly realized he was shedding more, and regular brushing didn’t seem to help. So I got a FURminator and the hairballs ended immediately.

April 30th is National Hairball Awareness Day

The FURminator we’ll be giving away is the most popular size, however, and will probably work for both dogs and cats. We’re heading into shedding season, and the FURminator is the best way to control shedding in your home.

I’ll have different methods to enter the win each pet products. Many will involve following me on Twitter or becoming a fan of our Facebook Page, so you might want to get a head start. You’ll be able to enter to win once, twice, or three times by using each method!

In what strange world does a convicted animal abuser get hoisted up above his non-criminal peers and heralded as a hero? Ours…where tv executives at networks like BET latch onto train wrecks like Michael Vick to use for ratings, and where money can buy you a “production company” and PR team with which you can film yourself acting like a human being and deliver the glorious footage into unsuspecting homes via tv and the internet.

Michael Vick Nominated for Courage Award

Not a football fan and unable to name a single Philadelphia Eagles player besides Vick, I initiated research of the team members only to find out that the players themselves nominated Vick for the 2009 Ed Block Courage Award. Why? Because they understand the nuisance he’s had to deal with as the pesky press, animal lovers and rights organizations call him out on his crimes; because they are teammates and they want to rally around the moral runt of the pack. Poor Vick!

But I wonder: do they really relate more to Vick the famous but hounded football player, and not to the villain who would think nothing of torturing any one of his teammates’ beloved hounds?

Vick and 31 others from the 32 NFL teams will be “honored” at the annual award banquet on March 9, 2010 in Baltimore. There’s one award with such low standards, I’m glad I cannot be nominated. According to their web site, “The Ed Block Courage Award Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of neglected children and ending the cycle of abuse.” Luckily for the organization’s renown distinction, Vick spares innocent children and opts for innocent puppies to maim and abuse.

BET’s “The Michael Vick Project”

Great news for dog kickers and criminals! BET’s docu-series on Michael Vick premieres Feb. 2, 2010. The eight episodes will follow Michael as he rebuilds his life and blah blah blah. I won’t go into it here, but you can read more about it from a horribly written release on BET.com. It talks a lot about the “mistakes” and “choices” he made. I find it interesting that they “chose” those words. Is it really a CHOICE or a MISTAKE to become so involved in force breeding (raping), starving, drugging, and fighting dogs that you invest time and money in your operation? Did he say “oops” every time he disposed of the duds by killing them via electrocution, drowning, hanging and shooting them?

No. These awful actions were easy for him to do because he is cruel and void of compassion. And the fact that anyone wants me to believe that stripping him of his football career and throwing him in jail suddenly packed him with a conscience and some regret is insulting. People don’t turn from evil to good that fast. You either respect animals or you don’t. You either empathize with an innocent creature or you don’t get it at all.

Smoke & Mirrors

When Michael Vick was released from prison, not only did he get his big, important, overpaid NFL career back, but he also launched a campaign to clean up his image. I don’t know–and I doubt–if that was due to true remorse. What I do know is that he had money set aside to hire a PR team to help him look good (better?) in the public eye.

“Several months ago, Mr. Vick’s PR representatives approached the ASPCA to help educate America about the heinous act of dog fighting following his release from prison. We were the first animal welfare organization given the opportunity to work with Mr. Vick but immediately turned him down…” wrote Ed Sayres on the ASPCA web site in August of 2009.

So, they tried again with the Humane Society of the United States and scored a touchdown! Any support from me to the HSUS was severed that day, when they announced that they would be working with Vick on their anti-dog fighting campaigns.

Stand Up

Want to complain? Along with BET, the companies behind this slap-in-the-face show are DuBose Entertainment and Category 5 Entertainment (whose Director, Mitch Jacobson, has a dog of his own. I wonder if he left the dog at home while he filmed Vick.). The other company, MV7 Productions, is Michael Vick’s own production company.

As for the Courage award, there is an online petition you can sign, but it may be too late to renounce Vick as a winner.