Animal abuse is everyone's problem
There has been an abundance of animal cruelty accounts in the news lately. From Atlanta Braves quarter-back Michael Vick to the resident of Conifer, who shot Lucky, the Australian Sheep Dog for eating off of his plate, it seems like a news cast doesn't go by without some mention of animal abuse. The outrage and disgust by the public is palpable. Most of us don't like hearing or thinking about abuse of dogs, cats or other animals. The sad truth is, it is a part of our society that may not go away any time soon.
      What would you do if you knew someone who was abusing or neglecting their pet? You don't have to take matters into your own hands. Most counties have animal control officers who can respond to and investigate claims of animal abuse.
      Another option is to contact the Denver Dumb Friends League. DDFL has on staff peace officers who are certified by the Colorado Bureau of Animal Protection to investigate reports of abuse, cite the owners with a summons if need be, and remove the animal(s) if the situation warrants.
      Fortunately, most of the time DDFL officers find the situation requires a little education and that is all. We all know physical abuse of an animal is wrong, but there are people who don't realize that leaving an animal out in extreme weather is abuse too. DDFL peace officers are trained to teach people about the proper care of their pets. If you suspect abuse you can call your local animal control or the DDFL at (303) 923-0022 or read more at http://www.ddfl.org/invest.htm
      The Colorado Humane Society offers a three page listing of all animal control agencies in the Denver area on their web site. http://www.coloradohumane.org/animalcontrol.html

From the moment this breed was developed, some 140 years ago, Golden Retrievers have been an extremely popular dog. The Golden Retriever evolved from a single yellow puppy, in a litter of Black Wavy-Coated Retrievers in 1864. Nous, the yellow male, sired a litter of pups with Belle, a Tweed Water Spaniel, which is now an extinct breed. This litter resulted in several yellow pups. It was these dogs that became the foundation for the Golden Retriever linage. Nous and Belle have been immortalized in photographs and paints of this era. It only took a few decades for yellow retrievers to make their way to the most prestigious dog shows.
     They are excellent hunting dogs because of their quiet and patient demeanor, love of water, and gentle grip when retrieving their quarry. Their outer coat is thick and waterproof, while the inner coat is dense. They have webbed feet, which makes them excellent swimmers.
     Their fur can range from a sandy blonde to an auburn color. They are one of the most friendly breeds of dogs and are known for their intelligence, ability and eagerness to be trained, and acceptance of children.
     One of the perks at Tenaker is each dog gets a color coded collar with his or her name. (Check out the arrow on Fletcher's image.) Staff always knows your dogs name.

Siamese cats :: These blue eyed kitties have been a popular breed since the moment they arrived in the United States, more than a century ago. It is believed that these unique felines are originally from Thailand, or what was once called Siam. These cats have darkened areas of their bodies called points. Their ears, snout, tail, and legs are all darker than the rest of their bodies.
      Siamese kittens are born almost completely cream colored. They share a common flaw with albino cats because they have a deficiency in their melanin. This mutated enzyme does not work at the cat's regular body temperature. Areas that are cooler on the cat's body activate this darker coloration. This mutation of melanin is the same reason that their eyes are blue. As a Siamese cat ages its cream colored fur becomes darker and darker.
      The "original" body style of the cat from Siam is a stockier version than what we see at cat shows today. This cat may have crossed eyes and a kink in its tail. Breeders who show cats today prefer the long, lean angular cat, without the crossed eyes, with a straight, whip like tail. The wider body style has been eliminated from cat shows, but lately there has been a revival among cat lovers for this original look. Cats with the original build are called appleheads, once an insult, it is now a term that has stuck with them.
      US cat shows have four Siamese categories. Seal points have very dark brown points that almost look black, while chocolate points have points that are brown. The other two Siamese cat categories in the US are lilac points and blue points, each with corresponding colored points. Cat shows in England allow other styles of coats to be included in the Siamese category including linx point (striped points), flame point (red points), and tortoise-shell points. These cats are called Orientals here in the United States and are not shown in the Siamese cat category.