Susan Sims, of Fido Friendly Magazine, talks about her publication and resources for traveling with your pet.

I publish Fido Friendly, the Travel & Lifestyle Magazine for you and your dog.
Now in our 8th year, each bimonthly issue includes edit on hotel, city and state reviews along with the latest lifestyle trends for you and your dog. We can be found at Borders, Barnes& Noble, Petsmart, pet boutiques and Fido-friendly hotels nationwide. Our website features a map locator with Fido-friendly hotels and products being added daily. www.fidofriendly.com

We also have launched the Fido Friendly Travel Club. Simlar to AAA, members receive discounts at close to 1,000 affiliate hotels, products and services, along with a year service to 1-800-help-4-pets, a pet recovery service, and a one-year subscription to Fido Friendly magazine. www.fidofriendlytravelclub.com

For those of you looking for apartment living with Fido, you can also check out our Fido Friendly Apartments website. www.fidofriendlyapartments.com where you can search for just the perfect apartment home for you and Fido to hang your hats. Well, your hat anyway, maybe his leash?

Our upcoming issue, May/June, features the top 46 Fido-friendly Hotels around the world plus our first ever SPAW for Fido editorial. More and more hotels are rolling out the red carpet for Fido and including pet amenities along with canine menus and massage. Don’t miss one issue of Fido Friendly, the only magazine dedicated to the travel lifestyle of man’s best friend, and the one magazine, your dog will thank you for! (May/June on sale date 5/15/08, check your local bookstore or the March/April issue still on sale or subscribe today by calling 888-881-5861 or simply log on to subscribe: www.fidofriendly.com)

Publisher Susan Sims also hosts a monthly radio show on Animal Radio about dog travel. Animal Radio is syndicated to 2 million listeners, nationwide. Sims lives along the Snake River in Idaho with her husband of 25 years and her 2 Labs, aka; Directors of Barketing for Fido Friendly magazine. She travels quite extensively with her family to sniff out hotels for purpose of review and is currently in discussion for a potential TV series. www.fidofriendly.com. Or you can email Susan at Susan@fidofriendly.com.

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About eighteen years ago my two dogs got very sick after eating a well-known commercial pet food. This led me to begin questioning what goes into pet food, who manufactures the pet food, and what kind of regulations or government oversight of pet food companies exists. What I found out was shocking, and I realized I had to share this with other pet owners. Seven years later I wrote my first book, Food Pets Die For: Shocking Facts About Pet Food. At the time most people thought I was “crazy” or “paranoid” and refused to believe that the multi-billion dollar pet food industry is basically self-regulated and can dish up the dregs of society and sell it as “pet food.”

In 2007 the pet food industry faced the largest recall in its history with more than 60 million cans and bags of pet food recalled by the FDA. Now, a growing number of consumers are asking the hard questions and educating themselves about the importance of good nutrition for their animal companions.

Everyday I get emails from people asking about pet foods and what to do. For the skeptics, I usually begin with the question:You would not feed your child (or yourself) something from a can or box every day, so how can you feed your pets this way and expect them to be healthy?

My basic advice is to cook for your pets or buy pet foods that contain organic grains and meats, as well as fruits and vegetables that are fit for human consumption.  These foods may cost a little more, but you will save in veterinary bills if your pets are eating a wholesome diet.

I’ve always told people that if they are going to feed kibble or canned food to add some human-grade ingredients such as fresh vegetable and fruit or meat and even things such as oatmeal.  You will find that your pet enjoys these additional foods and will be much happier.

As consumers learn to read labels on pet foods, they will see that there are numerous mystery ingredients that are harmful to pets.  For starters, avoid feeding foods that contain ingredients such as meat meal.  Meat meal can be derived from sources such as road kill, zoo animals, euthanized companion animals, garbage from supermarkets and diseased material from slaughterhouse facilities.  I go into great depth in my book about what these mystery ingredients really mean and where they come from. I also offer healthy natural alternatives.

Many people don’t have the time to cook for their animal companions.  I understand.  Fortunately, there are some very good natural pet foods now available.  There are a handful of pet food companies, including The Honest Kitchen, that produce quality pet food that I would feel safe feeding my pets.

Since 1990 I have fed my dogs and cats a homemade diet consisting of meat, grains, and fresh vegetables. All of them have lived long lives and have done extremely well eating human-grade food. My giant breed dogs have lived 14 years or more when the life span of the giant breeds are usually eight years. My cat, Simon, is nearly 23 years old. Last year, my Siamese, Yakkie, died at the age of 27 years! I view their long and healthy lives as a testament to eating healthy, human-grade foods. If you eat healthy food regularly, and you experience the benefits of good health, so will your dogs and cats. Bon appetit!
Ann Martin

Ann Martin is recognized internationally as an authority on the commercial pet food controversy. The Third Edition of her bestseller, Food Pets Die For: Shocking Facts About Pet Food, was released July 2008. Her second book, Protect Your Pet: More Shocking Facts(NewSage Press), delves into other health concerns for dogs and cats. You can read more about her books at: www.newssagepress.com. You can email Ann Martin at: anmartin1@rogers.com.

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This is the first in our series of ‘Celebrity Bloggers’ and comes from our dear friend and supporter, Tracie Hotchner, esteemed author of “The Dog Bible: Evey thing your dog wants you to know’.

Each month The Honest Kitchen donates a portion of it’s profits to a different non-profit organization. One donation in particular, to the HSUS, drew a spirited response from some of our customers, against the donation. Tracie Hotchner was “sickened by this reaction-to say the least” and felt an attack on our donation to The HSUS was an attack on the one & only organization “working tirelessly to promote a dignified life (and death) for animals”. Tracie says “I’m glad the blog is here so I can say “Shame on you” to those self-righteous and angry nay-sayers - you are attacking people on our side, the side of animals”.

Listen to Lucy (THK President) discuss the customer uproar with Tracie Hotchner

I am the author of the best-seller “THE DOG BIBLE; Everything Your Dog Wants You to Know” (and also THE CAT BIBLE: Everything Your Cat Expects You to Know). I am also the producer/writer and host of two live weekly call-in radio shows - DOG TALK on NPR station WLIU out of Southampton College, New York and CAT CHAT, on the Martha Stewart Channel for Sirius Satellite radio.

I have been an active promoter of the Honest Kitchen food for years. By my own choice, for free, I have been working to get Honest Kitchen samples into peoples’ hands because my research made clear the quality and integrity of this product, well before the era of pet food recall. Therefore I was privy to the fact that when HK recently gave a generous donation to HSUS they were viciously attacked by some of their customers for this charitable decision. I was sickened by this reaction, to say the least - because any attack on HSUS is an attack on the one and only organization working tirelessly to promote a dignified life (and death) for animals by improving laws that affect the way we share the planet with animals. I’m glad this blog is here so I can say “Shame on you” to those self-righteous and angry nay-Sayers - you are attacking people on our side, the side of animals. I want to believe that you have been stirred up into anger by misinformation, and disinformation, I’d love to hear a rational, fact-based rationale for this venomous attack (more…)

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Tag for dogs & cats will host Tracie Hotchner, author of bestselling The Dog Bible: Everything Your Dog Wants You to Know for a book signing this Sunday Dec. 3^rd from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Tag, the ultimate boutique for your four-pawed friend is located in Hillcrest, San Diego at 142 University Ave. 92103, right down the street from Peet’s coffee. So, head down and pick up a cuppa Jo and drop into Tag (formerly Dogma Catma) to join in the fun. Tag offers an array of accessories and food, and guests will have the opportunity of meeting the highly acclaimed author, Tracie Hotchner.

Also on the agenda this weekend - the W Hotel San Diego is hosting Tracie Hotchner at an exciting Pampered Pooch Party – an event to witness first hand, fashion’s bow-wow factor. All four-legged friends and their owners are invited to view the latest winter fashions from Lucky Dog Boutique. This event will take place on Dec. 3^rd from 3:00 to 5:00 pm at The W Hotel – 421 B Street 92101. The author will be on paw to sign copies of The Dog Bible, benefiting the National Canine Cancer Foundation.

The Honest Kitchen will be providing complimentary products from its line of dehydrated raw pet foods, as well as nutritional consultations.

Hope to see you there!

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