New friends

From left: Rubi tries to convince Mugen to come down from his perch.

From left: Mugen and Rubi make a peace treaty over a game of fooseball.

From left: Camry, Rubi, Me and Maggie (A Mommy and Me shot)

                             

This past weekend two of my best friends from college came to visit me. It was so great to see them, and we had a blast catching up. My friend Camry brought her dog, an adorable Boxer mix named Rubi, along with her. It was my first time meeting Rubi, and I was a little nervous about how she and my dog Maggie would get along. All of my worries were for nothing. They were best buddies right away! We took them to the Garth Nature Area dog park in Columbia on Saturday morning. They had a good time running around, playing in the water and meeting some new friends. The pups spent the night at my boyfriend's house. He took Rubi to the creek at his family's  farm where she splashed around and chased leaves. Although Maggie and Rubi became fast friends, our cat Mugen wasn't too thrilled about the weekend visitor at first. He got all puffed up and kept his distance for most of the weekend.

Renovated CMHS Looks like a Million Bucks

Photo credit: henrycountyhumanesociety

Arguably, the biggest pet news in mid-Missouri this week was the completion of the Zootoo.com "Million Dollar Makeover" at the Central Missouri Humane Society (CMHS). On Tuesday, staff and volunteers began moving the shelter's animals into their new digs. The CMHS hasn't gotten any larger, but the animals now have improved amenities such as living areas for cats with separate sleeping, eating and litter-box spaces, larger cages and solid glass panels on kennels instead of chain link. Large windows have turned formerly dim rooms into sun drenched retreats. Another highlight is the new, non-circulating air filtration system. It brings in fresh air from the outside into the dog kennels.

I couldn't be happier to hear that the renovations are complete. The project started out kind of rocky, but ultimately it seems to have been a huge success. All of the wonderful dogs and cats at the facility deserve a great place to live while they wait for their forever families. A big thanks  to Amanda Huhman and Libby Burk, the two Columbia teens that rallied the City together to win this spectacular makeover!

If you want to get a virtual tour of the new facility check out the videos on CMHS's Youtube channel. 

Looking to adopt?  For a limited time, dog adoptions are $75 and puppies are $100 at CMHS. 

What are your thoughts on the CMHS renovations?

Not Afraid of the Big Dogs

Photo by docentjoyce

My miniature pinscher, Maggie, only weighs about 11 pounds. I am not sure of her exact height, but its got to be no more than 12 inches. However, Maggie doesn't know this. As far as she's concerned, she's a 180 pound St. Bernard with the intimidation factor of a Rottweiler. If a big dog challenges her, she will not back down. She's bold, brave and confident in her ability to take on any pooch.

This is the attitude of the small, local pet stores in Columbia in regards to the recent addition of mega pet speciality store PetSmart to the City's pet supply scene. An article in today's Saturday Business section of the Columbia Tribune reveals that the proprietors of shops such as Mexico Finns and Feathers, Noah's Pets and More, Columbia Pet Center, Lizzi & Rocco’s Natural Pet Market and Award Pet Supply are not concerned about losing sales to the retail giant. The consensus is that customers will remain loyal to local pet stores because they offer personalized service and niche products. Before PetSmart's arrival, PetCo was the largest store in town for pet supplies.  PetCo has more than 100 stores nationwide. PetSmart has 1,160 stores in North America and reported 2009 net sales of $5.9 billion. In the article, PetCo's manager expressed concern about the new competition because their stock is so similar. Not to mention that the stores are located less than half a mile apart.

This article made me happy. When I first read that PetSmart was coming to Columbia, I immediately feared for the locally owned shops. The idea of big business taking over is always a little disheartening for me. Plus, the local shops have such great partnerships with the local animal shelters and rescues. It was encouraging to hear that PetSmart's employees refer customers to local stores that have products that PetSmart doesn't carry. My hope is that PetSmart will  blend into the awesome pet scene in Columbia and give back to the town rather than take away. I love that the local pet store owners have such a tenacious spirit like my little min pin and aren't backing down to the big dogs!

Do you prefer to shop at local pet stores or national retailers? How do you think the arrival of PetSmart will effect local business?