“DIRECTOR OF PET RELATIONS” MAKING PET-FRIENDLY TRAVEL DOGGONE FUN

Guests & Pets Celebrate with Kora’s Special 50% Rate Through End of the Year

DALLAS, October 22, 2009 – Furry, feathered or four-legged guests checking in at Kimpton’s pet-friendly Hotel Palomar Dallas will now be welcomed by one of their own, ready to make their stay in Big D the doggone best. Kora, an adorable four-month-old golden Labrador retriever puppy, has been named as the acclaimed boutique hotel’s first-ever director of pet relations. She joins only seven other canine colleagues nationwide to hold the coveted position at Kimpton hotels, eager to greet guests with a friendly tail wag and the best in pet-friendly tips and treats.

To commemorate the new “top dog” position, Kimpton’s Hotel Palomar Dallas is offering a special Kora deal with 50 percent off the best available room rate between November 1 and December 31, 2009. Just enter the KOR rate code when booking. As part of the offer, Kora’s guests at Kimpton’s Hotel Palomar Dallas always benefit from a host of complimentary pet-friendly amenities including:

Welcome board greeting pet guests by name “Hotel Guest” pet ID tags with contact information, for safety while out on the town Specialty pet bowl and bed for the stay “Doggie” bag with bottled water, designer treats, and Kora’s helpful recommendations for pet-friendly restaurants, dog parks, specialty stores, and other great resources Door hangers to alert guests/staff that a pet is in the room Steady supply of plastic bags for walking For guests looking for a pet companion during their stay, Hotel Palomar Dallas even provides a goldfish to keep them company, upon request.

“All of Kimpton’s amazing boutique hotels welcome dogs, cats, and other pets – with no fees or special deposits and without weight or size limits, says Andrew Wright, general manager of eco-and pet-friendly Hotel Palomar Dallas. “With her friendly demeanor and love of people and animals alike, we knew Kora would be the perfect addition to our team, eager to make pet-friendly travel an even more pleasant experience at our hotel.”

“Kora will make sure that every four-legged, creeping and hopping guest who comes through the door at Hotel Palomar Dallas is welcomed in style,” says Wright. “She even has her own e-mail address — kora@hotelpalomar-dallas.com — where guests can contact her with any special requests or questions for their pets’ stay.”

Kora is made her official debut as director of pet relations at a Hotel Palomar Dallas’ posh Howl-O-Ween Spooktacular event benefiting her favorite charity, Operation Kindness – North Texas’ oldest and largest no-kill animal shelter http://www.operationkindness.org.. Throughout the year, Kora will host other pet-friendly events and announce new deals or packages for pet travelers.

To find out more about pet-friendly offerings – - such as the current Reigning Cats and Dogs package — at Kimpton’s Hotel Palomar Dallas, or for pet travel tips and a list of Kora’s partners such as Choca Loca Design, Lucca Bella, Lucky Dog Barkery, Rachel Easter Photography and A Tender Touch pet trainer, please visit the Pet Friendly section of the Hotel Palomar Dallas Web site at http://www.hotelpalomar-dallas.com/ or http://www.hotelpalomar-dallas.com/dlp-petfriendly/index.html.

For more information or to book the KORA deal, please enter the “KOR” rate code, at http://www.hotelpalomar-dallas.com or call 214-520-7969.

The Humane Society of the United States, the nation’s largest animal protection organization, and its global arm, Humane Society International, are pleased to announce that the 2010 Spay Day Online Pet Photo Contest has begun. Presented by Visa Inc. and Zazzle, the Spay Day Online Photo Contest has proven to be one of the most popular features of Spay Day, the organization’s annual campaign to inspire people to save animal lives by spaying or neutering pets. Participants can upload digital photos of their beloved companion and tell the world how their pet has improved their lives.

Entrants are encouraged to share their pet’s photo and story with their friends and family and ask them to vote for their pet (each vote is just a $1 donation toward the eligible organization of the entrant’s choice). Every vote their pet receives will help spay and neuter animals around the world — and increase their chances of winning the Fundraisers Category. More than 600 pets with the most votes will win stellar prizes. The Grand Prize winner of the Fundraisers Category – the entrant that raises the most money for spay/neuter efforts — will win a four-night trip for two to Hollywood, Calif. for the 2011 Genesis Awards.

Even without votes, entrants will be in the running to win big—a panel of four professional photographers will award prizes to their favorite 36 entries. The judges will choose one Grand Prize winner to receive a studio session with Amanda Jones, one of the country’s premier pet photographers; a $500 shopping spree at Humane Domain, The HSUS’ official online store; and a copy of “Pet Photography 101: Tips for taking better photos of your dog or cat,” by Andrew Darlow.

Darlow is also one of four professional photographers who will judge the contest this year. Joining him on the panel will be Nigel Barker, renowned photographer and judge on “America’s Next Top Model,” and pet portrait photographers Lori A. Cheung and David Sutton.

For detailed information about these prizes and prizes for international winners, see our contest rules.

To enter the contest, please visit: humanesociety.org/photocontest.

The HSUS and HSI coordinate Spay Day by working with shelters, humane organizations, veterinary clinics and individual volunteers around the world to offer special spay-neuter events, deploy mobile spay-neuter clinics, raise money to subsidize spay-neuter surgeries, and increase awareness about the importance and benefits of spaying and neutering. Spay Day 2010 will take place on Feb. 23. For more information about the event, please visit: humanesociety.org/spayday .

Santa Paws will step off the sleigh and into Kimpton’s Hotel Vintage Plaza to pose with pet patrons and local four-legged friends for photos to share with friends and family this holiday season.  Human companions are invited to bring their cameras to snap pictures of their pets with Santa, while furry friends enjoy treats and toys in the hotel’s living room style lobby.

When:

Three consecutive Saturdays from 2 pm – 4 pm:

December 5

December 12

December 19

Where:

Lobby of Kimpton’s Hotel Vintage Plaza

422 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205.

Photo/Video

Opportunities:

Pet patrons will be crawling on Santa Paws’ lap in the hotel’s lobby, while curious kitties and doggy divas have play time with treats, toys and more.

Special Instructions:

Owners will need to register for photos upon arrival and bring cameras to capture their pet in Santa’s lap.  Santa Paws is free and open to the public.

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(2009 AKC/Eukanuba Nat’l Championship To Offer Massive Dog Mall,

First-Ever Dog Sensory Exhibit, Displays of Canine Talents & More At Family-Fun Event)

They come from all over the world. They possess flawless beauty and are graced with superior athleticism and agility. Their talents are unparalleled and their obedience to their masters is unflinching. With cameras from television’s Animal Planet glaring, the 2009 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship, to be held at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center in Long Beach, Calif. Dec 12 & 13, will feature 3,000 of the finest pure bred dogs from all over the world competing for $225,000 in prizes. More than 25,000 people are expected to watch the competition as one top dog earns the title of Best In Show. In addition, attendees are invited to forget the Yellow Brick Road and, instead, follow the Pink Paw Path through the 400,000-square-foot facility entirely devoted to man’s best friend to find:

• DOG SENSORY EXHIBIT – For the first time you will be able to see, smell, hear and taste exactly as a dog does at this multi-sensory exhibit;
• MASSIVE DOG MALL – More than 100 products including Swarovski crystal embellished collars, leads and apparel (for dogs and humans); fine designer jewelry (for pets and humans); dog art and collectables; eco-friendly pet collars and accessories; bronze portrait sculptures; handmade dog clothing; and doggie treadmills will be among the items available for purchase at the world’s largest specially constructed “dog mall”;
• MEET THE BREEDS – You will be able to interact with almost 150 different pure breeds and learn about their personalities and temperaments, responsible dog ownership and which breeds best suit your lifestyle;
• LUXURY POOCH PALACE EXHIBIT – 10 luxury pooch palaces – each designed by a different local nonprofit organization – will be displayed;
• SUPER DOG COMPETITION – Watch Labradors, Collies and other breeds sail through the air into an indoor pool to see which one goes the farthest in this impressive competition;
• POLICE DOG DEMO – They track the scent of criminals, detect carefully hidden illicit drugs and assist in the apprehension of suspects and now these public servants will show off their skills;
• INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS – Test your knowledge of the world of dogs by participating in a game show competition much like the popular television hit, “Jeopardy;”
• CELEBRITY APPEARANCE – World-famous Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson, an avid dog-lover, will be on hand to greet the public, answer questions about dog ownership, sign autographs and take photos.

The highlight of the two-day event will be over 3,000 of the world’s finest canines going head to head in various competitions all in pursuit of the Best In Show championship. Dogs and their handlers will participate in a range of events including the AKC Agility Invitational, AKC National Obedience Invitational and the breed competitions that will lead to the crowning of the champ. The event is also host to the Eukanuba World Challenge featuring top dogs from more than 40 countries including some rare breeds such as Briquet Griffon Vendeens and Xoloitzcuintls as well as more familiar ones like Labrodor Retrievers and Dachshunds.

Tickets to daytime events are $20 for adults, $15 ages 13-18, and under 12 free. Tickets to the televised evening competitions on Saturday and Sunday are $15 for adults and $12 for those under 18. Specially priced tickets for seniors also are available.

For more information or tickets visit www.akc.org. Tickets also are available at the door or through Ticketmaster.

With Halloween around the corner, thousands of children and young adults will partake in indoor and outdoor “Trick or Treating” festivities. Halloween exerts a lot of strange, non-natural/normal behavior, attitude, smells, food and clothing. As much fun as the upcoming holiday is, pet parents need to be mindful of certain hazards that may have a devastating effect on their pet’s health. Wag’N Enterprises encourages pet parents to create a Halloween safety plan.

The safety plan should include extra precautions needed for protecting your family, trick-or-treaters, and the pets. Every year, hundreds of pets become frightened by noises and strangers and ran outdoors during the “trick or treating” activities. It is best for dogs to get a long walk during day light prior to zombies, princesses and Madoff look-alikes start invading the streets.

Pets may be scared or spooked by the noise and strange looks of new oddly dressed strangers and may choose to bark aggressively, jump on, bite or bolt out the front door. All that while trying to defend or out of fear.

Wag’N cautions that open doors will provide for escape routes, children to scare and chase as well as hazardous treats. Wag’N recommends pets are kept in an enclosed room away from the racket, crated, or in a dog pen hindering access to the home’s main entrance.

Whether the pet goes out or stays confined at home there will be many chances for it to run off or try to! All pets should wear up-to-date pet tags and be micro chipped before guests and/or trick-or-treaters start showing up. If for any reason the pet escapes and gets lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip can increase the chances the pet will be swiftly reunited with its family. Owners of black cats should consider keeping their cats inside starting one week prior to Halloween to protect them against people that may want to snatch them for strange devilish sacrifices.

Trick or treating with dogs is not recommended for most pet parents. Some normally sociable pets may get spooked. Should the pet parents choose to dress up their pet, the costume needs to be fitted comfortably ensuring that the pet can see and breathe well. If the costume includes a face mask, there should be no lose hanging parts that may be ingested and areas near the snout and mouth need to allow for easy breathing and drinking.

Inside the home, dog tails can knock over candles! Keep candles, jack-o-lanterns, decorations and ornaments out of reach of both pets and small children. Halloween lights can cause digestive upsets or electrocution if swallowed, while electrical cords can cause electrocution if chewed.

Children and adults in your household should be reminded of how dangerous candy and chocolate can be to pets. Bromamine, found in chocolate is extremely toxic to dogs. Leaving unsupervised pets with chew toys such as raw hides, bones, pig ears and greenies is not recommended as pets may choke on them and the lack of supervision may be deadly to the pet. Candies containing the artificial sweetener Xylitol can be poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts of Xylitol sweetener can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar, leading to lack of coordination, seizures, low blood sugar and liver failure within hours. Xylitol is found in candy and gum. Other hazardous foods and items include tin foil, cellophane candy wrappers, meat strings, toothpicks, cookie dough, cooked bones and alcohol.

Once the trick-or-treaters are gone, pets can be rewarded with short walks, few treats and some TLC. Late night walkers must remain cautious of sneaky humans spooking pets and passersby as well as left-over-goodies on sidewalks.

Unlike many other holidays, Wag’N reminds pet parents that human logic is not common pet sense! Awareness and caution will keep tails wagging this holiday season.

Wag’N Offers Pet Parents And First Responders The Necessary Gear, Supplies And Training To Effectively Mitigate, Prepare And Respond To Emergencies That Impact Pet Health And Safety.

Sign up with your pup to run or walk in the K-9’s Against Cancer 5K Fun Run today! Denver, Colorado.

Pull out your running shoes, shore up Fido’s collar and prepare your dogs (human and canine) to run with our pack as dog lovers from Denver to Boulder and all points in between gather to run in the K-9’s Against Cancer 5K Fun Run on Saturday, October 10th in Stapleton’s Central Park. Proceeds from the 5K and One-mile Fun Run/Walk will equally benefit The Denver Metropolitan Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Colorado State University’s Animal Cancer Center and The Bow Wow Buddies Foundation – organizations dedicated to helping find cures for human and canine cancer. The event, sponsored by The Kyjen Company, KUSA-TV9 and Denver Magazine, kicks off at 9:00am with the start of the 5K race/walk followed by the one-mile walk at 9:30am.

“We planned the K-9’s Against Cancer 5K Fun Run in concert with October’s designation as Breast Cancer Awareness month,” said Melissa Canaday, Executive Director of The Bow Wow Buddies Foundation, “Cancer is an insidious disease that afflicts one in every (number) of women each year, just as one in every three dogs will be diagnosed with some form of cancer. In 2007, our run (then called K-9s for the Cure) drew 1,500 participants. We hope to exceed that number this year and encourage every dog-lover in the region to come run with our pack.”

To participate in K-9’s Against Cancer, dogs and their families are encouraged to register online atwww.bowwowbuddies.com prior to the event. Registration fees include a K-9’s Against Cancer T-shirt, a doggy bandana, and a 24oz. designer portable dog bowl and leash bag courtesy of The Kyjen Company, the lead sponsor for the event. The Early-Bird registration fee is $30 for adults; $15 for children ages 6 to 17; and children under 5 are free! Registration fees for those registering on race day are: $35 for adults and $20 for children ages 6 to 17. The registration tables located at Martin Luther King Blvd and Beeler Street at Central Park in Stapleton open at 7:00am on Race day.

For more information or to register your family of runners in the K-9s Against Cancer 5K event on Saturday, October 10th, visit www.bowwowbuddies.com.

Affordable Gifts Just In Time for the Holiday Season

Ruff Wear, the leading producer of high performance dog gear,

introduces new products for Fall 2009 including a Polartec® recycled fleece dog jacket, two interactive toys, a lightweight, collapsible bowl and a strength-rated climbing harness for dogs.

This holiday season, budgets may still be tight, and dog lovers will need affordable gifts for their canine companions. Ruff Wear makes it possible to stay under budget with new eco-sensitive stocking stuffers for dogs. Ruff Wear is unveiling two new interactive “green” toys this fall that dogs will love. The SquareBall™ rubber dog toy features interactive commands for training or play. The Sqwash™ is a pliable rubber toy that is soft on dogs’ teeth and gums. Like all Ruff Wear rubber toys, they are made from natural (versus petroleum based) rubber, a renewable and sustainable resource.

Give your four-legged friend the gift of warmth with the Climate Changer™ Fleece Jacket, the newest addition to Ruff Wear’s performance apparel line. Made with Polartec® Classic 200 recycled fleece fabric, this jacket is great for dogs that love to be outside in cold, clear conditions. The Climate Changer is also comfortable enough for dogs to wear indoors for extended periods. This fleece dog jacket contains 87 percent recycled content, minimizing the product’s carbon footprint. The Climate Changer was recently honored by Polartec® with the APEX Award for outstanding achievement in design and innovative use of Polartec® fabric.

Information about Ruff Wear products

and the company’s new dog blog can be found by visiting: www.ruffwear.com.

SquareBall™

roll the diceA new way of “tossing the ball.”

The beveled edges and hefty weight of this square-shaped ball allow the toy to gain momentum and travel far!

Ideal for dogs who are high on energy and tough on toys.

Bivy Bowl™

Ultra-light expedition bowl

Just say yes to adventure with this ultra-light, ultra-portable bowl.

High-tech construction eliminates the need for two layers (while still remaining watertight). Fits in the smallest corner of your bag or pack…even in your back pocket.

Climate Changer™ Fleece

Insulation from the cold

Give your dog an extra layer of fur with this cozy fleece.

A streamlined fit, clever use of reflective tape, and award winning use of Polartec® material make this the best dog fleece on the market!

Ideal for cold and clear conditions.

Additional help for many homeless with pets comes from free clinics that provide a basic check up, vaccines, medicines, flea and tick treatments, spay or neuter, along with pet food and other pet products. These clinics are made possible through grants to licensed veterinarians from Feeding Pets of the Homeless and the generosity of many of the veterinarian’s distributors who donate products. Grants are made possible from donations from the public to Feeding Pets of the Homeless.

For a list of pet food collection sites in your community go to www.petsofhomeless.org If your community does not have a collection site location, contact Feeding Pets of the Homeless to learn how to start one. For information on NCH go to www.nationalhomeless.org

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About: Feeding Pets of the Homeless – a nonprofit organization. Our volunteer collection site collect pet food and deliver it to food banks and/or soups kitchens which have agreed to distribute the food to the homeless and impoverished. Headquartered in Carson City, Nevada, we coordinate and support our members. We collect cash donations, award grants to veterinarians and other nonprofits that meet our objectives and we provide marketing materials and promote the organization for our member/volunteers to the national media. More information and locations of collection sites can be found at www.petsofhomeless.org or call (775) 841-7463.

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Loews Hotels, the first national hotel brand to recognize the importance of pets in their guests’ lives with its innovative “Loews Loves Pets” program, rolls out the red carpet for four-legged guests this holiday season with its “Houndly Holidays” package. Designed for canine and feline family members, the program features a special rate on a one-night stay, an in-room holiday meal for pets, Loews Loves Pets amenities, and a Bow Wowzer toy from West Paw Design®.

The package is available at 17 Loews Hotels throughout the U.S. and Canada from October 19, 2009 to January 10, 2010; prices vary by date and location. Examples of starting prices are $134 for the Loews Denver and Loews New Orleans hotels. Package prices are based on double occupancy and are subject to availability.

The Houndly Holiday menu items were specially developed by Loews Hotels Executive Chef Marc Ehrler, an award winning Master Chef from France, a country known for their fondness of pets. Festive menu items include Dog Nog, Turkey Rolls a la Pug, Spaniel Stuffing, Persian Pumpkin Pie, Lassie Latkes and more. A sampling of holiday recipes is listed below and can be found on Loews Hotels’ Facebook page. Standard pet menu items are available at all Loews Hotels, but vary at each location. Most include bow wow burgers, chicken and rice and grilled filet for dogs. All menu items were approved by a licensed veterinarian.

“Our aim at Loews Hotels is to offer our guests a ‘home away from home’ whether they arrive on two legs or four,” commented Jonathan Tisch, CEO of Loews Hotels and proud owner of Minnie a Maltipoo puppy. “For many, the holiday season means spending time and traveling with our loved ones. We designed this program to help make our guests and their pets feel especially welcome at our hotels.”

Purr-fect Perks

As part of Loews Loves Pets program, all animals are “Very Important Pets” (VIPs). Each is welcomed with a Loews Loves Pets brochure, which includes a listing of pet services available at the hotel, including dog-walking routes and information on nearby veterinarians, pet shops, groomers, pet attractions, pet-friendly restaurants and other resources. Guests also receive a special amenity that includes pet placemats with food and water bowls, dog tags, treats, scoop bags and a “Do Not Disturb” sign that lets housekeeping know when a pet is in the room. Pet walking and pet sitting services are available through the hotels’ concierge desks. Loews Hotels also offer a “Puppy Pager” service, which equips pet-owning guests with a pager or cell phone to allow hotel staff to contact them immediately if there is a pet-related emergency.

Loews turned to a licensed veterinarian to help develop pet room service menus, specially designed to provide proper nutrition to help pets deal with travel stress such as jet lag and altitude adjustments. Pet room service varies at each hotel; most include items such as roasted salmon for finicky felines and grilled filet and roasted chicken and rice for dogs. Selections of premium dry and canned pet foods are also available for in-room delivery.

Loews Hotels also loans its guests pet necessities such as dog and cat beds in different sizes, leashes and collars. Kitty litter boxes and litter, pooper-scoopers, and a selection of pet toys (such as rawhide bones, catnip and scratch poles) are also available for purchase.

To ensure that guest rooms are ready for non-pet owners, each hotel has established special cleaning procedures for pet stays, including the use of HEPA-filtered vacuums so that all traces of pet allergens are removed in preparation for the next guest.

Loews Hotels selected West Paw Design to supply the toys because the company creates products with minimal environmental impact by using nontoxic, organic or recyclable materials for all canine products. The Bow Wowzer toys are a perfect fit for dogs of all sizes and are strong enough to last through endless hours of fetch or rough housing.