This is my second favorite Super Bowl commercial, from 2010. Friends are forever:

This Super Bowl spot for Snickers isn't exactly about animals...but it stars an animal lover, and spokeperson for the Morris Animal Foundation. And it's LOL funny. My third favorite Super Bowl spot. 

This is what I think of electronic collars. Doritos Super Bowl commercial. My favorite, what do you think?

Pacemakers can offer hope to dogs with heart disease. It's amazing, read that sentence 20 years ago and people would have laughed - on two accounts.

First, it's crazy that such a thing could occur, pacemakers for dogs - just a wacky idea that would or could never happen.

Second, even if it were possible - back then, most people thought, why would you?

Why would you spend thousands on surgery for an older dog to implant a pacemaker? Today, fact is, most dog owners who could afford it would do it.

Thing is many can't afford the $2,000 to $4,000 minimum price tag. This is why I am a proponent of pet insurance. With pet insurance, the cost is shared.

Cutting edge veterinary medicine, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, it's amazing what they can do. And now, owners are willing. The cost is a bargain, the same exact procedure for people using the same sort of pacemaker, literally 10 times the cost. Still, a few thousand is beyond what some dog owners can afford, at least not without help.

A real upset at this year's Super Bowl. The winner will not be Indianapolis and will not be New Orleans. The Puppies will win! This is Puppy Bowl VI, which airs Puppy Bowl Sunday on Animal Planet. Here are highlights of a classic competition, Puppy Bowl IV:

When residents complain about feral cats, and volunteers offer trap/neuter/return (TNR), that is now the preferred option - by law in Cook County (as long as the TNR is administered by a sanctioned TNR sponsor). However, in Evanston the response by city officials was to trap and kill. Not only were these officials there not adhering to the law, trap and kill simply doesn't work.

Officials in Los Angeles are dealing with TNR...Bird and wildlife groups are screaming that TNR allows the cats to return to the environment to kill.

Yes, feral cats do kill wildlife - including songbirds. However, why not deal with habitat loss and pollution (light pollution and air pollution) which are responsible for FAR more deaths. And feral cats are a threat to some lizard species as well. However, others cheer when feral cats kill rodents. The fact is (according to real data) cats will take the easiest meal possible, including from garbage cans and handouts. Often birds aren't even on the menu.

Populations of feral cats spay/neutered diminish in numbers over the years, ultimately disappearing on their own - and humanely.

When officials attempt trap and kill (as Evanston learned), you can't catch them all....If there are a dozen cats in the colony, even if you catch ten - as long as the two remaining are male and female, within a year the numbers will be back where they were (or higher). In the never ending cycle, animal control may try and try again. This effort does cost taxpayer money and take animal control officials away from other duties. Meanwhile, some cat colonies actually grow in size, over time. And (as Evanston and Los Angeles learned) many in the community become outraged. People don't want to read that stray cats are being killed.

Also, TNR caretakers - when given the chance - assess the colony...Little kittens and friendly (formerly owned) cats are adopted.

I love birds too, and all animals. And I agree with the bird groups on these statements -
- All cats should be indoors, and spay/neutered. If the cats are inside and 'fixed,' the problem of outdoor feral cats ultimately goes away.

The feral cats really aren't a part of the ecosystem, and generally don't belong.
- While wildlife groups exaggerate concerning the impact of cats on songbirds and other wildlife, I know cats are predators. I don't want the cats killing these animals. I also don't want the cats killed, and they are by snakes, birds of prey, coyotes and even alligators. The greatest threat are cars, and even sick people who shoot cats. Outdoor cats even kill some people. That's right! There are people who die annually attempting to swerve away from cats while driving, and wind up driving off the side of road or hitting a car. CATS BELONG INSIDE!

Allowing cats outside, you're simply a really rude neighbor, as outdoor cats can wreak havoc on homes with indoor cats (who now spray where outdoor cats go by). Also, those outdoor cats may go to the bathroom in neighbors' gardens.
(so what happened in Evanston? read more...)

Kari Harendorf and her downward dog partner, Charlie

When Kari Harenforf does downward facing dog - she means it literally....So, what can you do with your dog (or with you) who may not relish going out in the snow and the cold. Why dogya (that's yoga for dogs), of course. Tomorrow (February 6) that's what Kari will demonstrate on the radio. On Steve Dale's Pet Word, 6 am, 890-AM, www.wlsam.com.

Also, Joseph Giannini of Urban Out Sitters talks about being romantic with your dog? Or their upcoming Cupid Party. Feb. 10, at an Urban Outsitters location, 729 W. Randolph St.. Joseph is right. Love me - Love my dog....So, this is a meet 'n greet for PET LOVERS....or to-be lovers.

An exciting announcement from Houston, TX at a Winn Feline Foundation Board Meeting (I'm a Board member). Throughout February, we hope call lovers give all cats a Valentine, so we can learn more about heart disease.

A heart disease, called Feline Hypetrophic Cardiomyopathy is surprisingly very common, and often fatal to middle-aged cats. And through funding by Winn, we want to - WE NEED TO - do something to change this.

Currently, there is no cure, no effective drug....and no prevention....Although, the good news is that we've recently made progress, through Winn's funding a gene defect has been identified in two breeds (Ragdoll and Maine Coon), so breeders have begun to address the disease in these breeds, That's great! But only a start.

My colleague Franny Syufy at About.com wrote about the Fund. I began, which is called the Ricky Fund, to help raise money - so ultimately HCM can be treated or prevented....Giving to the Ricky Fund, might be a wonderful Valentine's Day.

More in upcoming posts about the Ricky Fund. And if you continue reading here....

Never before seen photos (in gallery here), rescuing animals in Haiti, American Humane Association and the Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti. Tracy Reis of American Humane is in Haiti,  and Dr. Ian Robinson of the International Fund for Animal Welfare describe conditions in Port-au-Prince. Read the story: