blog post Whitehorse, Kathleen Edwards, Justin Bieber and more: a photo gallery of animal love

I like animals.

Used to be a cat person but I quickly realized they're not the greatest and now I want a dog.

Unless I could have a cat like Mr. Whiskers <<<<

Oh! I used to have a bearded dragon! He was awesome. His name was McGuirk after the coach in Home Videos. 

I have a floppy cat. She's 12 and sleeps a lot. She also has an unhealthy infatuation with the humidifier.

@dempstergirl - Oh man! I love your dogs!! They're so cute!

@Dempstergirl - But he actually is a party animal. I saw him the other day at a club crowdsurfing.

Carl Johnson and Neville... swoooooon!

Weird jobs and then pets. Loving the blog this week!

@hytumb69 - 1) I am totally tearing up at work, and 2) sled dog rejects are THE BEST. I sure love mine!

I've been desperately trying to find a picture of me with one of my past pets! So far no luck...

Dear Dempstergirl - I had to search for a pic here at work after seeing your dogs!  Also... Belah and I lived at the gas station at the junction of the Dempster Highway and highway into Dawson when I first got her... I had to quit my job b/c of her and it was the best thing ever!

<--- Trixie. She's the best dog ever.

<------ Natasha

This is my old dog, Bean. He passed away back in the fall, but he was a pretty rad little dude. My parents even made him a Facebook page... which is where I found this picture.

dog people appear to be outnumbering cat people.

Here's Douglas doing the nasty.

HOW TO FEED A CAT A TABLET (and a DOG)! I am not sure who wrote this, but it is so funny and so true! ...

1) Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

2) Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.

3) Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.

4) Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.

5) Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.

6) Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.

7) Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later. 8) Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill inside end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.

9) Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink 1 beer to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

10) Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard, and close door onto neck, to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.

11) Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of scotch. Pour shot, drink. apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot. Throw Tee shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.

12) Call fire brigade to retrieve the f------ cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil-wrap.

13) Tie the little b**tard's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy duty pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of steak filet. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour 2 pints of water down throat to wash pill down.

14) Consume remainder of Scotch. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and remove pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.

15) Arrange for RSPCA to collect "mutant cat from hell" and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.

HOW TO GIVE A DOG A PILL:

1) Wrap it in cheese.

@garfielduk #32, That is GREAT!

Dear Raina Douris #35, Sefa (C fo' Cat)

@Raina

Something that can be yelled and is kind of abrupt sounding.

Good morning! I'm definitely a cat person, but my wife is slightly allergic, so we don't have one right now. Lots of people we are staying with on the road trip have cats, so hopefully we'll find a type that doesn't bother her!

Oh, I'm pretty excited, I'm going to a luncheon today with Richard Louv as the guest speaker. He's the author of Last Child in the Woods and a strong proponent of challenging Nature Deficit Disorder.

Cat's don't care what their names are. My cat only responds to sharp hissing sounds and jets of water from a spray bottle.

I NEED A PET SO-O-O-O-O BADLY

T&C - No it's a serious thing. Basically a theory that people (especially young people growing up in urban environments) don't have any exposure to nature/natural environments and that this has a negative impact on them.

#48 - I'd buy that premise

@canadajanes

I didn't realize that it was a medical thing. Just more of a common sense thing.

I for one can't handle big cities. I need to be able to get out to the country in 15 mins max.

@Andy - Did you sell that furniture yet!?

T&C - Well, maybe not as much medical. I think there is some research into the negative health effects (obesity, lesser attention span, etc.) that are related.

@jdurley

The cat has poached the little bells and carefully placed them in her corner of stuff.

Steph - Well, she said she wanted to buy a bunch of the small stuff that's left, so I'm still hoping she comes back!

This blog topic has been up for a while now and STILL no mention of the Ikea monkey? For shame.

Also, good morning, team. 

Nobody wants a dirty old bed.

Yeah, I'm sorry to say that there's no way I would buy a bed from a stranger.

@jdurley - I know! Neither would I. This is the issue. I thought about donating it but a lot of places only take frames, not mattresses and box springs. Buh! 

@steph - yeah, the whole situation is unfortunate and wasteful.  Yet understandable...

@Steph

I don't know you, but assuming you're some sort of living being your bed is gross and full of old skin and tiny bugs.

@steph

You could offer to get it steam cleaned.

I bought a mattress of an acquaintance (it was in their spare room) and they steam cleaned it before selling it to me.

It made me much more ok with the second hand bed situation.

I'm still for having a mattress bonfire.

Daa - Oooh, that sounds like fun!

@westcrunch - GARY!!  so cute!!

@Steph

I have to do the same thing :( Mattresses are hard to sell these days, what with bed bugs being a concern and people genuinely not liking the idea of sleeping on someone else's body juice. I can't for the life of me ditch mine.

And yes, Gary is wearing a hoodie in my photo. It's ugly on every other dog except Gary...

@Steph - no, we'll have it under the Bridge over the Thames river.

I had a bike called Gary once. 

@Raina #35

Best cat name I've ever heard: Chairman Meow

@Steph

There are some mattress recycle depots around who will take it and re-purpose the materials, but you usually have to pay them to take it. About $15-$30 depending

@steph

Not sure about prices, there has got to be an upholstery cleaning place in town that rents the steam cleaners.

@teaandcartography - Ah cool! I'll have to look into it.

THANKS FOR ALL THE SUGGESTIONS EVERYONE! :D

21 DAYS!!!!!

Andy & Steph

2 DAYS!!!!

@WESTCRUNCH - HOLY MOLY!!!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

Steph/Westcrunch - WWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

<- This is Boomer. He is 13 now and has one surgically repaired knee and another that doesn't really bend so well. He is otherwise fit and still enjoys walks and playing with his treat ball. He was rescued from a shelter in Hamilton. He suffered from severe separation anxiety when he was younger and cost us couches, curtain, blinds and door frames. He's okay now though, we can finally leave him at home without dreading what we might find when we got home.

<--the late, great Samuel J. Dennis Dawg. He was a bit of a jerk but cute as hell and we loved him to bits. 

@stevie

I might be missing something here...what's the benefit of saying it was kept in sub zero temps?

@Marie

Riiiight. "Kills" germs

Yeah, I was thinking more on the bug side, not germ side. If the cold killed germs, Canadians would be completely healthy 90% of the time. Haha

Who is this song by again? (I Wake Up Everyday)

westcruch - or here in Houston...

@The Iceman [#113] -- I would certainly agree with your anecdotal evidence of a mild winter leading to a more disease-ridden spring, likely because not enough germs were 'killed' off by the cold.

For those sitting on the fence about attending Mariposa - just announced Bahamas.

I'm sure this has been covered here recently (I've been away for a few days), but just in case it wasn't, Zunior got a facelift ... and it looks great!

This morning my kid said that babies are like dogs or cats, so I guess my kids count as pets. 

I just had a wisdom tooth pulled on my way to work this morning, so if I put anything stupid in writing today I have the great excuse, that I am measurably less wise today. 

<---- My two nerds, Molly (tabby) and Suki (black and white).

Picture's a bit dark, sorries! 

@binsy - that's one nasty commute. 

@stevierayk

Yep. 

binsy - staying with friends, moving between two different couches and a spare bed.

Where can I get a playlist for a program--the widget isn't always on time.

I believe we are in a megablog.

Another megablog? Yeesh.

At least we get to keep looking at cute animal photos.

Eric - Not C-Mac? Who cares about any other mayors?

MERGAH BERLGH?!

Musicians and their animals are important enough for a MEGA BLOG?

I have a tax related question for any accountants/CAs on the blog *cough LaurenElizabeth cough*

I worked in Vancouver from last tax season (April) through until June. Then in Montreal from June to now. And I'll be living in Winnipeg when it actually get around to filing this year.

What the f*&# province do I file in?

Who's Grant Lawrence?

New host?

Hello. I am not reading the whole blog. I have a cat. Wouldn't say we have a strong connection.

@marie_curious @canadajanes how dare you both?

Ohmigawd...this song is about loving?!?!? I would have never guessed.

@Grant - Congrats on your impending doom baby news!  You will make an awesome dad!

@binsy - no we took on the responsibility, we'll wait until she kicks it. It's more that she's become an outdoor cat rather than a companion. 

@jdurley thanks! 

goood morning. I have a wonderful little cat names Asha. she was farrel when we got her. She spent the first couple months trying to teach me how to hunt by bringing me increasingly less dead mice to my feet and encouraging me to kill them.  I treid to explain that I was Vegan and that I was thrilled she was able to catch the mice but I was not interested.  She just gave up on me eventually.

I used to have a cat, who hated me. It lived a hell of a long time, though; we got it when I was in elementary school and died only a few years ago. At least ten years. 

My parent's recently got a new cat, and while I have no strong affinity towards it, every time I am there the cat seems to find its way onto my lap. 

@Burgessjackie - I saw some pics on Facebook leading up to that show. I want the Burning hell to come to Victoria on theur tour but it does not look good!

kirk: You look so indifferent to that cat's presence on your lap. haha

@Grant: Congratulations on making that baby!

(You are far braver than I!)

Building on @Andy's #165: We're also all trying to sell furniture quite unsuccessfully...

@KirkofDog - It seems to be a rule with cats, they will go to, jump on, pester the person who likes them the least. It's their way of asserting that they are indeed rulers of the Universe.

I just playlisted this song immediately on the strength of that whistly opening.

jdurley - the whistling creeped the hell out of me. I was walking out of the room whistling when it came on, and I thought someone was doing it back to me.

@burgessjackie - ya, Mathias came to Victoria for the Happy Birthday album but that was a fairly unique project in the burning hell catalogue I think so I got to see him there but I have not see the whole band play since I lived in Peterborough.   Glad the show was good!

@ Grant -  Ya.. had a break... My partner (One little carrot) gave birth to our second son on Jan 14th... So I have been away a bit. That and my work is cracking down on streaming online but  I am resisting!

@JD 181 - I hope you mean she's one of the leaders and not a member of the troupe.

Gary (pictured) was a rescue. He was found running in traffic outside my sister's roommate's place of work.

They took him to the pound and found out he wasn't registered, and in LA when that happens they have a two week waiting period; if no one claims the missing dog within that time, the finders can keep the puppy. So...that's how Gary came to join our family.

They figured he ran away from the litter since he was in really good shape when they found him. Not to mention he's been THE BEST dog ever so far.

@EricR, #122, Wow, zunior.com looks great! Thanks for sharing the news of their makeover.

The dog in my profile pic was my black Lab named Noah. I got him at a dog pound in Deadwood, South Dakota on a summer journey when I was 15. More about Noah later on the blog. 

@theiceman haha, yeah, she is a leader.

Hi!

animal love uniblog!?

come on!

@TRH 198 - Bird Schnog!

Large birds creep me out. I once declined a birthday party invitation after finding out the birthday girl had a cockatoo that got to just freely fly about the house. 

wait, forget the cat, this picture is even better. it's me with the amazing wolf blanket i won in a raffle. 

MORE DOG BLOG

<------------------

@Smallie - True - I once worked as a water meter installer, and had to go in a house where the owner had parrots that flew around the house and would attack you if they didn't know you.

@kirk you can tell that was a while ago because of the size of the beard (and the hair really haha)

No bird is more terrifying than a pigeon. Groups of pigeons are even worse.

Like, when you're walking towards them and they don't fly away. But when you're finally in the middle of the pack and they all fly up around you. Feathers flying, poop dropping, wings in your face...

Worst game of chicken ever!

@jdurley @203 Speaking of Corb Lund, I'm going to hear him at Joe's Pub in NYC tonight--very excited!

Matt Mays just released news of a US tour in support of a band called Gaslight Anthem. Lucky West Coasters, he's coming to cities like Portland, SF, Denver, Houston, etc. No east coast dates at all. Darn! 

@PhilipST re: Corb Lund - YES!  Nice!  Jealous!  It will be great!

cmac, one of these days i am going to put together a collage of pictures from facebook/twitter/instagram/whatever to document the beard growth.

westcrunch, i dunno. pigeons are flying rats, but have you seen those videos where crows solve puzzles? Crows are smart, and that's even more unnerving. 

@PhilipST

Matt Mays AND Gaslight Anthem?! Shut the front door! I might have just peed my pants a little...

@kirk crows and ravens can recognize faces!  They did some experiment that proved it

NO MORE BIRD TALK!!!!!!!!!

@StephRam aka my little trinidadian flower aka cross-country schnogger... so are you going to kill the bird?

I OWNED A PAIR OF PIGEONS AS PETS. "Oscar" and "Heather". They were homing pigeons and it actually worked!

Birds.

@Grant - Hahahaha! No, I managed to survive. Last night was my last night there so it's all good! :D Also, I guess I like the new nickname... :)

@westcrunch #226 I'm a newbie about Gaslight Anthem. They're great, huh? Here's Matt's link again: http://www.mattmays.com/

Cross-country Schnogger! 

Anybody who gets chased by a swan can always look to Larry David for advice.

@iceman: I only use it on the blog so when I'm dead and people* look back to see what the infamous westcrunch was like, they don't see a potty-mouthed redneck.

*probably more like person

@PHilipST

I like the story of Noah! 

Corb Lund should be great. I made beer run yesterday listening to one of his albums, thinking I need to make that my official beer run music. 

@smallie - Yeah, better call up Ireland and get that shit sorted!!!