Bigwag Dog Bakery

Yappy Hour & Newspaper Photo Op!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:02:00 +0000

Hey Everyone!

Hope your Tuesday morning is a great one so far. Tonight is Luau Yappy Hour from 5pm-7pm, with 50% off Bacon & Egg Piglets and 20% off Hawaiian shirts and sundresses! But what I really wanted to let everyone know is that the Benton County Daily Record is writing a feature article on Bigwag in advance of our birthday party (July 25th 9am-12pm) and they're coming out from 5:30-6:30 tonight to take pictures of our customers in our store. So, please stop by tonight with your dogs for a chance to be in the newspaper! We'd appreciate your help in making this article a great one :D Thanks!

Choosing a Dog Bed

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:33:00 +0000

Our new line of dog beds - we have many sizes and styles and we're always happy to special order something for you!

Hey Everyone!

We just introduced our new line of dog beds at Tuesday's Slumber Party Yappy Hour, but in case you were still enjoying your holiday weekend, or just too busy to stop by, we thought we'd post pictures of them here. Plus, I've spent a lot of time researching dog beds lately, so I thought I'd share some of what I learned so you can choose a great bed that your dog will love!

To start, you have to consider the size of your dog. While small, medium, large is good launching point, we recommend measuring your dog. If he typically sleeps stretched out, measure his length and and 12 inches for ideal comfort. If she like to curl up into a ball, measure the diameter of the longest part of the "ball" she makes.

Okay, so once you have measurements, then what? After all, a dog bed is something of an investment and you don't want it to just sit there unused. The second part of choosing a great bed is considering what type of sleeper you dog is. There are some major categories that your dog might fall into:

1. The Snuggler - This dog generally likes to curl up into a little ball and is most comfortable in a corner or nook type area. This dog tends to long for security and comfort.

If your dog is a snuggler, you should consider a bumper type bed. We recommend the West Paw Bumper Beds. They're available in a variety of sizes and fabrics. The raised outer bumper creates a feeling of security plus acts as a built in pillow. And the best thing about West Paw beds? They're made in the U.S.A with recycled materials. In fact, just one bumper bed can divert as many as 37.5 plastic bottles from a landfill!

A West Paw bumper bed and the great fabrics it's available in!

2. The Nester - This dog always has to turn in circles and scrunch things up before lying down. (Sam is a nester, it's really hilarious to watch him move towels and pillows around until they're just so) He'll most commonly sleep curled up, but can sleep stretched out at well. He prefers to lie on blankets, towels, pillows or anything else he can scrunch up to conform to his liking.

For this dog, we make a couple of suggestions. First, our Nuzzle Nest beds which are big and fluffy and round and stuffed with fluffy filling. The cover and fill are both machine washable. The second recommendation is the ingenious new Molly Mutt bed. The Molly Mutt beds are a stuff sack that you can fill with your old clothes, towels, blankets, etc. coupled with beautiful duvets that are easy to remove and wash. The beauty is you can fill these beds as little or as much as you want, if you fill them less, they are perfect for nesters. (An added bonus, if you have a dog with separation anxiety, like Hannah, you can put towels and clothing with your scent into this bed, which is extremely comforting.)

A stack of fluffy Nuzzle Nest beds Molly Mutt's unique stuff sack and duvet concept

3. The Den Dweller, The Sprawler and The Stomach Sleeper - The den dweller is the dog who likes to lie under things for security. This might mean under your desk at your feet, in a crate or some other somewhat enclosed area. (This is Hannah, she likes to be safe and secure probably relating to her abandonment/separation anxiety issues, common in rescue dogs) For these dogs, it's less about the bed, so here we recommend a flat mat that will easily fit into the area they use, which might also be an area you use, so you want something basic that won't get in the way. For the stomach sleeper and the sprawler the same basic rules applies, you want something that will provide comfort but take up as little space as necessary.

For these dogs, rectangular mat style beds work very well. For the den dweller, a rectangular bed is likely to fit under your desk or table and is especially made to fit a crate. For a stomach sleeper, the mat can be placed in their favorite spot without taking up a lot of your space. We carry West Paw mats in several patterns and again, these great beds are made in the U.S.A. from recycled materials. They're available in lots of colors to fit your decor or even in fun giraffe and cow prints! You can special order any size/color combination at no extra charge. The Molly Mutt beds are also rectangular in shape and could be used for these type of sleepers as well.

West Paw mats in just a few of the beautiful colors and patterns available

4. The Older/Injured Sleeper - Older dogs, especially those with arthritis or hip dysplasia need special considerations, as do dogs who have injuries that affect their ability to find a comfortable place to rest.

For these dogs we recommend Slumber Pet memory foam beds. These are just like memory foam beds for people, they conform to the shape of the dog's body and then return to their original shape after use. They are covered with a microfiber cover for ultimate comfort for dogs who need it most.

Memory Foam beds are available in a number of sizes and colors

5. The Outdoor Dog - Outdoor dogs need great beds too! For an outdoor dog you want something that's going to be easy to clean, water resistant and stain resistant. We recommend Crypton mats. Crypton has developed a fabric which is water resistant, bacteria resistant and stain resistant, which means it resists odors too! They are also the makers of our favorite all natural stain and odor remover (Unfortunately we don't have any in stock right now, because they're back ordered... such is life) Another unique bedding choice for outdoor dogs are Miracool Mats. These are similar to our cooling collars, filled with absorbent crystals that hold water for extended periods, making it a great place to lay in this hot Arkansas weather!

These Miracool Mats might not look like much, but soak them in water and they become a haven from the heat!

6. The Cat - Okay, so obviously, you don't choose a dog bed for your cat, but a great bed is as important, if not more important, to your cat! Or perhaps we should say it's more important to your furniture. If your cat is anything like mine, she picks a favorite sleeping spot, like the top of your favorite chair, and then leaves hair ALL OVER IT! If you provide a simple bed, you can remove it and throw it in the washer, saving your furniture from the obstinate hair of your cat.

We have a couple cat mats that are great. Cassie, my cat, sleeps happily on her West Paw mat. It's similar to the dog mats, except it's oval instead of rectangular. While I love that it's made in the U.S.A. and from recycled materials, my favorite feature is I can chunk the entire bed in the washer! We also carry thermal cat mats that are filled with a core that reflects a cats heat back at it, and you know how cats love to be warm and snugly. These are great for older cats or even injured or pregnant animals.

So, there are our recommendations and thought on dog beds, but please feel free to stop in and check the beds out for yourself and ask any questions you might have. We'll be happy to help and order whatever will make your dog (or cat) happy!

Summer Treats are here!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:00:00 +0000

Hey Everyone!

We now have summer treats available in store and online! Four cute new treats, including a scrumptous new flavor - Beachy Peachy Starfish. Plus don't miss out on the adorable Fido Flip-Flops, Beach Umbrellas and Barkin' Beach Balls.

New License Plate Helps Area Animal Shelters

noreply@blogger.com (Cary) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:55:00 +0000

A new state law is now in effect - Act 692 of 2009 establishes a new license plate with a decal that shows a picture of a cat or dog and says, 'Support Animal Resource Shelters.' The decal will cost $35 each and $25 will go to a trust fund setup to help the shelters.

Counties and municipalities can notify the Department of Finance and Administration by Oct. 1 of animal rescues or shelters that are eligible for funding.

If I am able to recall the events around this, this was a alternative method of collecting funds for area shelters to the veterinary tax - which had a massive outcry of opposition. I thought this was a much better idea on so many levels. I am curious to see who is eligible and what kind of impact this has.

Patriotic Pup Winners

noreply@blogger.com (Terresa) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:09:00 +0000

On Friday, I had the pleasure of presenting Winnie & Frannie with the basket they & Courtney won at last week's Yappy Hour. Courtney was very excited when she came in but not as excited as Winnie & Frannie! I got to meet them for the first time & they are just as adorable as they were in their tutus in the Patriotic Pup Parade. I look forward to seeing them in the store & I am sure I will know them right away!
Seeing you at the store,
Terresa

Patriotic Pup Parade Pictures and Winners

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:00:00 +0000

The $45 Gift Basket Prize

Happy 4th of July!

I hope everyone is having a fantastic holiday weekend and enjoying all the festivities and a little well deserved time off. On Tuesday we held our Patriotic Pup Parade, so I wanted to share the pictures of the contestants.

Pandy wears a Winnie the Pooh shirt in patriotic blue and red

Sasha and Addie wear matching patriotic bandannas

Missie Bee styles a patriotic bandanna and an "I love Mailmen" tee, too cute!

The Runner-Up

Miss Mollie sports a darling Uncle Sam hat and Patriotic tee

The Winners

Frannie and Winnie model their beautiful hand-made tutus

Thanks to all the contestant who made our Patriotic Pup Parade so much fun and Congratulations to Winnie and Frannie and their mom Courtney who made their lovely, sparkly tutus! They win the gift basket packed with red, white and blue toys, treats and more!

Our 3rd Birthday!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:01:00 +0000

Hey Everyone!

We will be hosting our 3rd Birthday Party on July 25th from 9am-12pm! I'm very excited about all the great things we have planned for the day, so please come out an join us. I just wanted to post the invitation here and remind you to enter our Year of Free Treats contest by telling us your story at http://www.contest.bigwag.com/

Upcoming Yappy Hours - July 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:34:00 +0000

Hey Everyone!

Tonight's Patriotic Pup Parade is the last of our June Yappy Hours, so I thought I'd go ahead and post the July Yappy Hours today. We have lots of fun nights coming up, so be sure to stop by on Tuesdays from 5pm to 7pm. I'm especially excited about the Brown Box Special - it'll be great fun for those of you with a sense of adventure!

WIN A YEAR OF FREE TREATS!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:23:00 +0000

Hey Everyone!

As our birthday party draws near, we are once again giving away a year of free treats. In the past we've done this through random drawing, but this year we're changing it up a little. We decided that we want to give a year of free treats to someone who really loves our treats and our store, so we're letting you tell us why you love Bigwag and the best story wins a year of free treats! Your story will also appear in the Rogers Morning News.

We want to make it easy for you to tell us your story, so there are several ways to enter. You can go to www.contest.bigwag.com and enter there using the online form. You can e-mail us directly at sales@bigwag.com or you can come into the store and pick up an entry form.

You don't have to be a Hemingway to win this contest, just tell us what you tell us everyday - why your dog loves their treats, how the food we sell has made a difference in their coat, how much fun their birthday party was. Just share your best story and you could win!

All entries must be received by 7pm on Saturday, July 18, 2009! So take a minute to tell us right now, because you don't want to miss out on this great opportunity because you put it off. Your dog would never forgive you :)

Contest Rules--no purchase necessary to enter. Your story must be at least 25 words to qualify. The top 10 entries will be selected by Bigwag LLC for customer voting during the last full week in July, with the winner announced on the last Saturday of July. Owners, employees, or employee family members are ineligible to participate. Bigwag reserves the right to cancel this contest with no notice. All stories will become the property of Bigwag LLC. By submitting this form participant gives Bigwag LLC the right to use their name, likeness, their dog's name, and their likeness for advertising and promotional uses only. No private information will be sold or used for any other purpose.

We've added a new word to the American lexicon!

noreply@blogger.com (Cary) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:06:00 +0000

I doubt this word will ever appear in Merriam-Webster's dictionary anytime soon. Just in case Webster is reading and needs some hints - this is what we put on the back of our T-shirts when we first opened. I think it would make a superb dictionary entry!

No, what I am talking about is Google's suggestions when you search for a term.

When we set out to create Bigwag - we chose a made-up word, partly because we didn't want to blend in with everyone else, partly because we wanted a unique, short URL for our website. We didn't want to be a 2 dog bakery, or another pampered puppy, or a smoochie pooches. Something short and sweet, and we tried to come up with something that was descriptive of what we set out to accomplish with our store and concept. We thought it was simple - a happy dog has a big wag - bigwag.

The pitfall of taking this route over "Arkansas' Dog Bakery" or the "Rogers Dog Bakery" is that every search engine thinks that someone typing this in is making a typo, and tries to correct you with the "Did you mean..." text at the top of their site with some links that will take the searcher away from your site. In our case, Google was forever trying to ask us if we were searching for Bigwig instead of Bigwag.

That has changed as of today. Not only do we bounce around as the number 1 or number 2 result for the generic search term "Dog Bakery", if you search for Bigwag, there are no longer any suggestions.

It's only taken three years as we roll into our third birthday party in July 2009, but it has finally happened. I know this might be a little webophile for most of our customers out there, but this is a huge accomplishment for a little ol' dog bakery in Rogers Arkansas. If you are starting a business and decide to make up a word for your name and URL, be prepared for the long haul before Google accepts your new name or spelling. Personally I had given up thinking we'd never get out of that suggestion. I finally get to check that one off of the to-do list.

(Did you catch that last one Webster? Webophile - you should look at that one too. Call me and I'll help you out)

Bark Park Update

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:19:00 +0000

Hey Everyone!

I just got this update from Jean. I know many of you have been asking about the Bark Park Grand Opening, so here's the latest...

"Due to the recent construction (expanded parking lot, permanent restrooms and water fountains, for dogs and humans), we’ve decided to postpone the grand opening until early September."

I know many of you had expressed concern about the lack of water, so this comes as welcome news. When I get more specific news, I will update our calendar and let everyone know what's happening!

Also, I have it on good authority that Bella Vista has just approved a Dog Park at the site of last year's Wiener Dog Races, so that's exciting news as well. Again, I will pass on any updates I get on this.

Hope everyone has a great Friday!

Good-bye Doggy Fountain

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Hello All!

In a supplement to yesterday's post about the clothing, I wanted to post some pictures of the end of the doggy fountain. We have mixed feelings about the fountain leaving the store. When we originally put it in, it was mostly as means of taking up space. A place holder like the ficus trees and potted plants that we used to make the store not look so barren. So, in some respects the fountain leaving is a mark of accomplishment, showing that we at last have no space fillers in the store. It almost makes us feel as though we've finally arrived. But, at the same time, the fountain somehow became more than a space filler over the past 3 years. It became a part of our identity, a symbol of our uniqueness. And that makes it hard to get rid of, because in no way do we want to seem more cookie cutter, less unique. So, I'm posting pictures of it's final moments in the store as both a triumph and a momento. And I have Cary's word that there will be a smaller, but still unique, doggy fountain in our future!

Dog Clothing at Bigwag!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:54:00 +0000

a small section of the new clothing

Hey Everyone!

It's official, we now have dog clothing at Bigwag!!! :D :D If you can't tell, I'm more than a little excited. When we opened the store almost three years ago, we had a vision of what it would be. However, the banks didn't exactly believe in our vision, which meant no loans. But, we were convinced that the dogs of NWA deserved high quality treats, food, chews and much more. So, we started off small, with what we could afford to put in and we've slowly but surely built it up towards what we originally intended. We still have more that we'd like to add (I'm sure it will always be that way... if you aren't growing, you're dying), but today we made a giant leap forward by adding clothing. We have beds in stock as well, we're just waiting on some shelving to display them, but they'll be out soon.

The feeling of accomplishment is amazing. I have to admit there have been more than a few times that we found ourselves wondering if the banks were right after all. But today, it feels as if they were dead wrong and I'm loving it. And I want to say thank you to all of you who believe in us, who come in and tell us how much your dogs love our treats or how well they're doing on the food we carry. Those comments have been the driving force, the push we needed when we felt like we couldn't keep going. We would have never made it this far without your loyalty and support. And I hope you all know how much you mean to us. When we say that our customers are part of our Bigwag family, we genuinely mean it. I know that sounds cheesy, so I'll stop and just post the pictures of the clothing, but please, please know that we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping us achieve all that we have and all that's yet to come.

P.S. We will be celebrating our three years of being in business, Saturday, July 25th from 9am-12pm. There will be contests, food and much more, I'll post the invite here as soon as I finish it, but please, save the date because we want to celebrate with you!

Welcome Dylan!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:00:00 +0000

Hello Again!

We have a new member of the Bigwag family, Terresa's new puppy, Dylan. Dylan came to visit us at the store yesterday, but by the time we got to take a picture of him, he was all tuckered out. Puppies are like that... Dylan's gonna be a big guy, he's a Black Lab/American Bulldog mix. I'm sure he will be a frequent visitor to the store, so stop by and meet him in person (should that be in dog?)

Ozark Guidance Visits Bigwag

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:15:00 +0000

Some of the treats the OGC group decorated

Hey Everyone!

We just wrapped up a field trip with some kids from Ozark Guidance. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take pictures of the kids, but I just wanted to take a minute and thank them all for visiting. We had a great time, we baked a batch of Honey Bears and then decorated some Pizza Guys in their choices of carob, red, green and pink. I think everyone had a great time (even though it smelled funny to some of them) I'm glad we can participate in events like this and I look forward to other groups visiting the bakery in the future.

Pictures from Woofy Walk 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:19:00 +0000

The girls scouts pose with Brett Harris, director of the Springdale Animal Shelter and his wife

Hey Everyone!

Just wanted to post a few pictures I received from Saturday's Woofy Walk. This is the second annual Woofy Walk, sponsored by a local girl scout troop and benefiting the Springdale Animal Shelter. It was a small event Saturday, but one with lots of potential and one that I believe has a great future, especially if Brett Harris, the new director of the shelter, has his way. We got to speak with Brett for a few moments Saturday, and he has great plans for the shelter. They even have a volunteer group, Friends of the Springdale Animal Shelter, that has started with hopes of planning events and helping out. I think the future is bright! Credit for these photos I believe belongs to Rose Corscadden.

Humane Society of the Ozarks needs homes, volunteers!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:26:00 +0000

Hello All!

This article ran yesterday in the Northwest Arkansas Times. If you'd like to read the article in it's original format, click here. There are always dogs in need of homes and rescues in need of volunteers. It sounds like the woman who ran this rescue got in over her head. I can imagine it's hard to say no to a dog in need when you run a rescue. So, if you have some spare space in your heart and your home for another dog, contact the Humane Society of the Ozarks. And, if you can't help out by providing a forever home for a dog, maybe you can spare some time to volunteer.

ANDY SHUPE Northwest Arkansas Times

Maggie and Max, two mixed-breed dogs, are among 45-50 dogs rescued
from a residence in Crawford County by the Humane Society of the Ozarks
and will be available for adoption.

Homes sought for 45 dogs

BY KATE WARD Northwest Arkansas Times

The Humane Society of the Ozarks is seeking homes for about 45 large-breed dogs in Crawford County.
Carmen Nelson, Humane Society director, said the dogs were being cared for at a rescue shelter.
"We got a call from a concerned citizen in Crawford County, who reported that a local rescue had quite a few dogs and wasn't able to care for them all," she said. "We contacted the owner, and she was more than cooperative and eager for the Humane Society to assist her."
During her first assessment of the site in March, Nelson counted more than 65 dogs. They shared a large indoor/outdoor kennel, along with 10 dog runs divided into two sections. The dogs were grouped in each area based on temperament.
So far, about 20 dogs have been placed into adoption. Now, more than 40 hounds, black shepherd mixes, labs and flat-coated retriever mixes, between age 1-5, are in need of homes.
"Statistically, black dogs in shelters are the last to be adopted," she said. "We don't know why, but we do know that these are wonderful dogs. My biggest plea is that we find more foster homes for them."
Though Crawford County is not in the Humane Society's jurisdiction, Nelson said the rescue owner was desperate for help. The organization, she said, only assists other jurisdictions in extreme situations.
"Crawford County has no animal shelter, humane society or animal control," she said. "The owner of this rescue loves animals and had been taking them in over the years. Her property had become a local dumping ground for dogs. Eventually, it became too much for her to handle."
The Humane Society of the Ozarks is a local, nonprofit organization dedicated to the humane treatment of animals in Washington County and the surrounding region. The organization is funded with contributions by area donors, businesses, grants, special fundraising events and the annual dues paid by its members.
"Right now, we are really desperate," Nelson said. "The volunteers and I are driving out to Crawford County at least twice a week right now to help feed and clean. We'd really appreciate any help we can get from local volunteers or civic groups. It's about three hours round trip."
For more information, volunteer opportunities or to obtain an adoption application, visit www.hsozarks.org or contact Nelson at (479) 444-7387. A list of adaptable pets can also be accessed by visiting www.petfinder.com.

Fashion Show for Spay/Neuter Program this Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Cary) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:40:00 +0000

There will be a fashion show on Friday, June 26 to benefit area spay/neuter programs. For more information. View our calendar entry here.

Fayetteville Plans New Dog Park

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:49:00 +0000

Hey Everyone!

Great news for the dog community of NWA, Fayetteville is planning a new dog park! Though there's no date yet for when it might be opening, it's still an exciting prospect. The more dog parks the better for all dogs and dog lovers. If you'd like to read the article from the Northwest Arkansas Times in it's original format, you can click here.

Park to give dog owners chance to remove leashes

BY KATE WARD Northwest Arkansas Times
Thursday, June 18, 2009

A new dog park in Fayetteville will soon give local pets more than 2 acres to explore, leash free.
Located at 1595 N. Dartmouth Ave., Bryce Davis Park will become the city's third and largest dog park yet.
"I've always been a big proponent of dog parks in general, so I'm pretty excited," Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan said. "I'm a big pet lover myself, and I think it's a progressive move for the city."
Jordan said Procter & Gamble recently presented the city with a $30,000 grant to help develop the 2.75-acre dog park.
Located within the Walnut Grove subdivision, off Salem Road, Davis Park was the city's first park dedicated from the Park Land Ordinance in 1988. The 9.2-acre park was named after the owner and developer, Bryce Davis.
"It's certainly going to be an asset as far as safety," said Carmen Nelson, director for the Humane Society of the Ozarks. "There are some pet owners who open their doors to let their dog run around for a minute, but that's how a lot of dogs end up getting hit by cars. This will be a safe environment for people with pets."
The dog park will be divided into areas for large dogs and small dogs. It will include a pavilion with picnic tables for dog owners and dog waste pickup supplies. Rules for using the park will be posted and will require users to remove dog waste from the area.
"There are so many people who live in condos, apartments, rent homes and houses who don't have fenced yards," Nelson said. "This new dog park will be a great place for pets to exercise, play and socialize with other dogs. It will also be another place where people with pets can get together and form a common bond. It's a wonderful thing for Fayetteville."
Current off-leash areas in Fayetteville are located at the Animal Services facility, 1640 S. Armstrong, and Lake Wilson.
According to Fayetteville Animal Services Superinten- dent Jill Hatfield, city staff eventually hopes to develop dog parks throughout Fayetteville to allow more dog owners to safely allow their pets to roam freely.
"We have a dog park at the shelter, but it's in south Fayetteville," she said. "This new dog park will be centrally located for folks living in the north. We're really trying to get dogs parks in every quadrant of the city so people can walk, rather than have to drive across town."
In addition to providing a place for pets to exercise, Hatfield said the new site will enrich animals' quality of life by providing opportunities to socialize with other pets and people.
"We have a huge animal loving population, but sometimes I think we forget that dogs and cats are social beings," she said. "Letting them off the leash every now and then is important for their quality of life."
Jordan said development of the park will begin as soon as possible, though he couldn't provide a specific timeline.
Calls made to Fayetteville parks director Connie Edmonston weren't returned Wednesday.
For more information about Bryce Davis Park or to access a map, visit the city's Web site at www.accessfayetteville.org.

Lost Beagle - Please Help

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Hey Everyone!

Please keep an eye out for this lost dog. Shena is the founder of Animal Haven, a non profit no-kill animal shelter, this Beagle is her own dog. Please contact Shena with any information on her dog, as you can imagine, she is very worried. Shena does so much for the animals of NWA, it would be wonderful if we could help reunite her with her little Beagle.

Our Updated Kitty Corner

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:00:00 +0000

Happy Yappy Hour!

In celebration of tonight's Kitty Pity Party, I'm posting pics of the newly decked out Kitty Corner. I think it looks great and I'm actually really excited about the new products available. My favorite is probably the treat dispensing toy, just because Cassie loves it so much, but the Magneticat toy is oddly amusing even to me, so I'm guessing cats will love it. And the Batting Practice mouse's squeak is actually kinda cute. Plus I'm excited about the grain-free cat treats. Since cats are obligate carnivores, it makes so much sense to feed them meat treats rather than grain based treats. (Although we have Fishin' Chips back in stock too, since they're a little more pocket book friendly) And, there are a couple of products that will be added in the next weeks, including catnip flavored bubbles and thermal cat mats that reflect a cat's body heat back at it, since we know how much cats love warm spots. Check back for those and more.

You can view all our cat treats and cat toys online!

Kitty Pity Party Tonight

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:11:00 +0000

Hey Everyone!

I know that most of you are dog lovers out there, but I also know a few of you are animal lovers in general, which means you have cats at home as well. I have to admit the we have one cat, Cassie. She's my cat, baggage that I brought with me that Cary has had to accept... he does so grudgingly... at least while I'm looking :p And while cats generally don't enjoy treats as much as dogs do, they do still love attention and toys. So, we're dedicating tonight's Yappy Hour to the kitties with a Kitty Pity Party. We have searched high and low for unique, entertaining cat toys and healthy cat treats and I believe we've found some things your cat will really love. To see them, you'll have to come out tonight from 5pm-7pm. And if you do, you'll save 25% on all items in our kitty corner, including food!

As a sneak preview, here are some pics of Cassie playing with one of the new toys, a treat dispensing cat toy, that we filled with our new grain free cat treats.

FDA Suspends Evanger's Emergency Permit

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 15:44:00 +0000

Here's some more information on dog foods that I just recieved. I'm not familiar with Evanger's, although from their website it looks like they were featured on Rachel Ray a little over a year ago. In addition, it looks like they do private label foods, so this may end up affecting some store brands in the future.

FDA Suspends Temporary Emergency Permit of Pet Food Maker

June 12, 2009

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today it was suspending the temporary Emergency Permit issued to Evanger's Dog & Cat Food Co., Inc. Evanger's, operating in Wheeling, Illinois, deviated from the prescribed process, equipment, product shipment, and recordkeeping requirements in the production of the company's thermally processed low acid canned food (LACF) products. The deviations in their processes and documentation could result in under-processed pet foods, which can allow the survival and growth of Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum), a bacterium that causes botulism in some animals as well as in humans. In April 2008, Evanger's was issued an "Order of Need for Emergency Permit" after the agency determined that the company had failed to meet the regulatory requirements to process a product that does not present a health risk. In June, 2008, FDA issued Evanger's a temporary Emergency Permit. During inspections conducted between March 2009 and April 2009, FDA determined Evanger's was not operating in compliance with the mandatory requirements and conditions of the Temporary Emergency Permit. "The FDA is stopping Evanger's ability to ship pet food in interstate commerce," said Dr. Bernadette Dunham. "Today's enforcement action sends a strong message to manufacturers of pet food that we will take whatever action necessary to keep unsafe products from reaching consumers."In order for Evanger's to resume shipping in interstate commerce, the company must document that corrective actions and processing procedures have been implemented to ensure that the finished product will not present a health hazard. Botulism is a powerful toxin that affects the nervous system and can be fatal. The disease has been documented in dogs and cats. Signs of botulism in animals are progressive muscle paralysis, disturbed vision, difficulty in chewing and swallowing, and progressive weakness to the body. Death is usually due to paralysis of the heart or the muscles used in breathing. While FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition is responsible for regulating all human and animal LACF processing, FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine has authority over animal feed and foods. The two centers are collaborating on this enforcement action.

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Evanger's Dog & Cat Food Company Responds to FDA News Release

June 12, 2009

To our valued customers:
In August of 2008, while updating required process information to the FDA our "process authority" (processing expert) inadvertently deleted pertinent filings. Evanger's has been working with the FDA to resolve this issue quickly. This situation does not call into question the safety of any Evanger's products.No Evanger's product are involved in any recall, nor is there any indication that any Evanger's product is unsafe. Evanger's Dog and Cat Food Co. continues to manufacture the higest quality, wholesome, nutritous and safe products as it has done for 75 years. "As our customers, retailers and distributors know, Evanger's takes the quality and safety of its pet foods very seriously," said Holly Sher, president of Evanger's. "Evanger's has a long history of using only human-grade ingredients in our products. The FDA has not called into question the wholesomeness of any ingredient we use. We are confident Evanger's products continue to be safe, wholesome and natural, so confident that we continue to feed them daily to our own pets."All ingredients in Evanger's products are sourced in the United States and all manufacturing is done in its suburban Chicago facility. The routine FDA inspection was related only to Evanger's canned foods and is not affiliated with of production its dry pet food or treat products.As the United States' oldest natural pet food company, Evanger's products are known for their human-grade ingredients, including hand-packed meats, fish and poultry, and 100% meat and organic meals.Consumers and distributors may contact Evanger's customer service
department at US +1 8002886796 Call for further information. In addition, all new or updated information will be immediately posted to our Website, http://www.evangersdogfood.com/

ABOUT EVANGER'S DOG & CAT FOOD CO., INC. Established in 1935, EVANGER'S Dog & Cat Food Company, Inc. is the oldest natural dog food company in the United States. Today, the suburban Chicago company is as innovative as when Fred Evanger first founded it, producing a wide array of human-grade dog and cat food dinners and
supplements.

Respectfully,
Joel Sher
Vice President
Evanger's Dog & Cat Food Co., Inc

Nature's Variety "Recalls" Two Foods

noreply@blogger.com (Cary) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 13:32:00 +0000

Nature's Variety recalled two foods this week.

Nature’s Variety recently identified two lots of Freeze Dried product that didn’t meet our quality standards. These products do not represent a health hazard to your pet. We have voluntarily withdrawn distribution of these specific products:
Freeze Dried Raw Chicken Formula (UPC # 69949 60151) with a “best if used by” date of 05/25/10
Freeze Dried Raw Beef Formula (UPC # 69949 60251) with a “best if used by” date of 05/25/10
Our distributor and retailer partners have kept control of these products, and because we retrieved these products so quickly, it is very unlikely that you purchased this batch of food. If, however, you believe you may have purchased one of these products, you may contact Nature’s Variety at 1.888.519.PETS (7387) for a full refund or replacement.

You can read the full details here.

I spend quite a bit of time with food safety QA folks for food, and this is a very strategic announcement - but in my opinion a little shady. There could literally be hundreds of reasons (if their QA dept is properly doing their job) on how a product could fail their quality standards, ranging from a packaging defects, physical properties (size of the kibble was wrong, not properly blended), chemical properties (contained unintentional chemicals that are bad for the dog, like lead), sensory properties (the food smelled or tasted bad) to microbiological properties, such as testing failures for salmonella or E. Coli contamination.

With an announcement like this - with no specific reason, I'm left to my own devices on why they are withdrawing their product. A little more background here - products are not typically withdrawn for anything other than chemical or microbiological testing failures. Sensory or physical property test failures may reformulate the product, but they just switch over production - not withdraw or recall.

Now, I realize the other blogs out there were commending Nature's Varietyfor not supporting the hype of another food recall. While this is commendable, I would still be interested in why they are withdrawing these products at this time. If it's not serious - then why hide it? I would like to think that most of us understand production problems, and cudos for catching it early and doing something about it. But, if you are a repeat offender of introducing salmonella into your foods, you have some major production or plant issues, and I want to know about that as it influences my decision to purchase those products.

Not telling me what the issues was puts the black mark against your brand no matter what - so if this was something as simple as a coloration issue, I think Nature's Variety messed up big time. I appreciate transparency.

I've heard from other industry professionals that Nature's Variety has been sliding downhill for some time now, that it used to be a great food, but hasn't been that for some time. This latest recall is not really s surprise to me. Personally I hate to see pet food products slide backwards when there are so few really good ones out there. I'd push Nature's Vareity to up their production standards and bring back the "really good food" they were once known for. The market's got plenty of cheap, by-product, "made-in-China", poor ingredient low quality products out there - we need more better products.

Stolen Kitten

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:08:00 +0000

Hey Guys!

This is reposted from NWAhomepage.com, you can view the story in it's orginal formatting by following the link. You can also view video footage there.

STOLEN KITTEN
Petco and the Northwest Arkansas Animal Rescue want a stolen kitten returned immediately. Emmitt, a ten week old kitten has been missing since Monday. The discovery came when his new adoptive family arrived to pick him up. Petco employees say his cage was open and one employee reported seeing a man and woman walking out of the store with a kitten like Emmitt. "If anybody knows where he is, just bring him back, we just want him back safe," says Mandy Keenen, Founder of the Northwest Arkansas Animal Rescue. "We're not going to be mad or upset with anybody we just want him back safe because his new home is waiting on him." The employee described the man with the kitten as roughly five-foot-six, heavy-set, with thinning hair and wearing a red shirt. If you have any information, please contact the Rogers Police Department at 479-636-4141 or the NWA Animal Rescue at 479-439-7978.