Just last month, New York passed a bill that would allow dog lovers to dine with their canine companions in establishments that offer outdoor seating for its patrons. Dubbed the “dining with dogs” bill, the house- and senate-approved legislation is currently on its way to Gov. Andrew Cuomo for a signature.

The Fourth of July is undeniably the most harrowing holiday … for our dogs. 

The degree to which dogs experience anxiety due to the pervasive sounds and smells of fiery explosives may not impress us humans, culturally acclimated to this celebratory experience as we’ve become. But our pets are another matter. 

I’m what you might call an avid home cook. That means I devour cookbooks like other people read novels, contribute inventive recipes to baking blogs, and spend Sundays re-stocking my fridge and freezer with yummies and squares for the week ahead. Which means that, time permitting, my pets will also gain a little something from my kitchen’s usual weekend bustle: Treats!!!

I just got back from vacation in Hawaii. Poor me, right? While there, I ran across the same tired summertime ads targeting animal-loving tourists looking for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure swimming with dolphins. Slick and pretty, these are the glossy brochures that try hard to convince you that their swim-with-the-dolphins (SWTD) experience is different –– it's not the animal welfare travesty you might have heard it is. 

It’s graduation time again at veterinary schools across the US. It’s right about now that the newly minted among us pledge an oath to use our hard-earned scientific knowledge to advance animal welfare and alleviate animal suffering. But does that give us license to to “euthanize” healthy animals in shelter settings? 

Last month I spent four sweltering hours in the company of my colleagues at a “Spring Social” event in support of my local veterinary medical association. Though it conformed vaguely to the confines of an activity you might call “fun,” it was marred by one glaring flaw: It was held at a park where wild animals are kept in captivity. ... 

Ask your veterinarian what breeds are all mixed up in your mutt’s DNA and you’re likely to get a lukewarm answer that might sound a whole lot more like a dismissal than a proper reply. I'm not saying it's the best attitude ever ... but it happens. 

Here's why ...

I hear it all the time: “You’re SO lucky to be a veterinarian. No matter what happens, you have the luxury of always knowing you can offer your pets medical attention!” However, my experience would suggest otherwise. Whenever things have gone seriously south, nothing could be further from the truth.

Consider the time my goat suddenly suffered a life-threatening sand impaction ...

Though never a personal favorite, marijuana was part of my life for roughly 25 years. It was omnipresent during my schooling years, of course. It even followed me into my respectable life as a responsible single mother, when friends would want to unwind over something more forgiving than a crushing round of tequila shots. 

The fact that a middle-aged woman with a middle-class upbringing and a veterinary career to protect can offer this kind of statement without fear of recrimination or reprisal ...

“My pet is so smart she knows exactly when she’s headed to the vet hospital!” If I had a dollar every time a client uttered these words I’d have paid off my student loans long long ago. 

Cats know, of course. Where else would they be going? Except for the minority that goes to the groomers or the boarding facility, cats in carriers know they’ve got just one destination to dread. But does your dog know you’re headed to the vet even before you’ve made that telltale turn?