The Red Dog Inn

Lately, I’ve been taking part in the I LOVE effort. Today, I found myself making wishes. See, I’m in the market for a new SUV.  My beloved Green Machine (1996 Ford Explorer) is not doing well.

I’m looking for the perfect vehicle for me and my pets.  I think the US Auto Industry could save themselves buy developing pet friendly add-on packages.  According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA) — yes, there is such a thing — the pet product industry grew last year (2009) by $2 billion.  That’s $47.7 billion in 2009.  We Americans love our pets! 

So why haven’t Ford and GM caught on to this?  I’ve been developing my wish list.  Here are the features for my dream pet mobile:

• Pet friendly interior fabric
• An integrated ramp
• Optional lift platform for infirm pets or heavy objects
• Automatic lift hatch
• Crate anchors, like baby seat anchors.
• Bowl holders
• Leash tethers for use with halters
• Rear A/C
• Automatic venting when the car temp reaches 70* to create a comfortable and safe environment (Law Enforcement K-9 vehicles are equipped with this type of feature.)
• Interior temperature gauge that’s visible from the outside
• All-weather floor mats for muddy days at the park or stable
• Cargo holders to keep things like buckets, towels and carrot supplies in place.
• Run flat tires
• Incorporate dog parks, vets and pet stores/services into Sync

It looks as if pets are here to stay. We need our vehicles to consider them, too.  I WISH: Ford Motor Company would develop a pet package for their vehicles… specifically the Explorer.  (Butters, Lula and I will gladly test it!)

Happy Dog. Photo by Steve Carragher

How would you like to write off up to $3,500 annually for taking proper care of your pet? You might be able to, but we need to get busy before we can GET HAPPY!  

I received an advocacy alert from the ASCPA telling me about the HAPPY Act (H.R. 3501) proposed by Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI). The ASPCA supports this act, and so do the inhabitants of The Red Dog Inn! 

If passed, HAPPY will amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (specifically, Part VII of subchapter B of chapter 1, add a  new section 224 and renumber accordingly.)  The new section 224 will read:

SEC. 224. PET CARE EXPENSES.

`(a) Allowance of Deduction- In the case of an individual, there shall be allowed as a deduction for the taxable year an amount equal to the qualified pet care expenses of the taxpayer during the taxable year for any qualified pet of the taxpayer.

`(b) Maximum Deduction- The amount allowable as a deduction under subsection (a) to the taxpayer for any taxable year shall not exceed $3,500.

`(c) Qualified Pet Care Expenses- For purposes of this section, the term `qualified pet care expenses’ means amounts paid in connection with providing care (including veterinary care) for a qualified pet other than any expense in connection with the acquisition of the qualified pet.

`(d) Qualified Pet- For purposes of this section–

•  
  `(1) QUALIFIED PET- The term `qualified pet’ means a legally owned, domesticated, live animal.

•  
  `(2) EXCEPTIONS- Such term does not include any animal–

•  
  •  
    `(A) used for research or owned or utilized in conjunction with a trade or business, or

•  
  •  
    `(B) with respect to which the taxpayer has claimed a deduction under section 162 or 213 in any of the preceding 3 taxable years.’.

(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections for part VII of subchapter B of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by striking the last item and inserting the following new items:

•  
  `Sec. 224. Pet care expenses.

•  
  `Sec. 225. Cross reference.’.

(c) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2009.

What YOU can do!

The proposed legislation is so easy to read, even a member of Congress can understand it! I encourage you to visit the link below and read it for yourself.

After reading it, I hope that you’ll contact your Representative and Senators and encourage them to SUPPORT the HAPPY ACT! Then, tell your pet loving friends about HAPPY and encourage them to contact their representatives, too!

If you get a response, let us know about it!

What the HAPPY ACT does:

If passed, HAPPY will allow pet owners to deduct up to $3,500 annually from their taxes for “qualified pet care expenses” starting in the 2010 tax year.  

Links:

ASPCA: https://secure2.convio.net/aspca/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2605 

H.R. 3501 http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.3501:

If you live with critters, eventually you’re going to clean up an accident. Here’s are a few solutions to cleaning up those accidents.  Before  trying these, check manufacturer instructions and TEST in an inconspicuous spot.

Urine on carpet – Blot. Lay a few paper towels over the spot and put a weight on top. I take an old metal tray and add a few weights.  This will sop up the urine. To get the SMELL out, mix a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and water. Dampen a paper towel with the solution, cover the spot and add weight. In about 30 minutes, pick it up.  The vinegar smell will disapate, and you won’t have soap residue on your carpet. A bonus: Vinegar has anticeptic properties.  Vinegar shouldn’t bleach your carpet.

Fecal Matter on carpet - Hopefully, you’ve been feeding a good diet and all you have to clean are well formed stools from your carpet.   If so, just pick them up and use the 50/50 vinegar solution to disappate any odors. 

If you have a sick pup with loose stools, you’re going to need a little more firepower.   Butters got sick after eating too many biscuits.  You’re going to need paper towel, plastic bags, something you can scrape with that’s disposable may be helpful, too and hopefully a small carpet cleaner.  Clean up what you can with the paper towels and scraper, e.g. paper plate, dust pan, etc. and place in plastic bags. (take those to the trash.) Spritz the remaining stain with the vinegar and water solution, then use the small carpet cleaner to finish the job.  You may want to respritz with the vinegar solution.

An alternative to the last spritz with the vinegar solution is to spritz with water that’s been laced with 20 drops of tea tree oil.  Tea tree oil is an anticeptic, but also has a really nice scent.

Vomit has acids. So proceed with the clean up procedure for loose stools but you may want to mix a baking soda solution to neutralize the acids. 1 teaspoon baking soda to 1 cup water dampen a paper towel and weight. Follow up with a spritz of tea tree oil solution and let dry.

We had a heat wave where we live, and my husky-cross wasn’t drinking much water during the day.  It’s not for lack of water. I have a couple water bowls strategically placed throughout area full of fresh drinking water. So I was a little worried about him staying adequately hydrated and stumbled across this solution.

I mixed a 50/50 solution of water and low sodium chicken broth (If you have a Trader Joe’s by you, pick some up. I checked the labels and TJ’s Low Sodium Chicken broth has the lowest sodium content!)  and poured it into ice cube trays.  When I’d leave for the day I’d give each dog a couple cubes.  They LOVED them. Not only did they get a low calorie, low sodium treat, but they stayed hydrated while I was out.

Give it a shot!  Let me know how it works for you and your pet.