Issue #62
Did you know… up to 30% of people who are allergic to dogs are actually allergic to one specific protein that's made in the prostate of a dog? While the protein was identified years ago, a reliable blood test for the allergen was only approved by the FDA last May. If you're allergic to only that specific protein in the male dog, you may still be able to tolerate a female or a neutered dog.
Speaking of allergies: Allergy vs Intolerance - do you know the difference?
Cause you're the reason. Available until Jan. 26th, here’s the current line up:
🦃 Turkey Breast
🐖 Pork Kidney
🐟 Wild-caught Anchovies
🐓 Chicken Feet
🐏 Lamb Ear
🐄 Beef Trachea
Super Chew 🐮Rolled cow skin
Bhutan government looks to technology to control dog population. The project is part of the National Dog Population Management Strategy to reduce birth of free-roaming dogs and encourage adoption of stray dogs. In the ‘70s, strategies of controlling dog population in the country included killing due to rabies outbreak, and illegal translocation, but were met with failure due to poor animal welfare and coverage across the nation. This new program issues a microchip to be embedded under the skin of pet dogs and quick response (QR) code around a dog’s neck to help locate dogs and monitor initiatives.
Café in Japan holds play dates for ROBOTIC dogs. The Penguin Café invites hardware canines and their owners in for a play date every Sunday morning before opening to serve drinks and other treats to the public. The event, called 'Aibo World' after Sony's robot dog, started a few months after the owner of the establishment purchased his own Aibo. Dozen of robotic dog owners attend, dressing their hardware friends up for the occasion - many arrive wearing bows, hats or ties.
Nosework makes dogs more optimistic. New scientific research by Dr. Charlotte Duranton (Ethodog) and Dr. Alexandra Horowitz (Barnard College) finds that dogs who participate in nose work have increased optimism compared to dogs that took part in heelwork instead. Importantly, both activities involved perambulation, as well as food rewards as positive reinforcement. The difference is that in nosework the dog has the opportunity to use their nose and to exercise choice in what they are doing.
From poop to powder. Last decade’s invention that never made in mainstream: A renowned Israeli biotech inventor came up with a dog pooper-scooper that gathers dogs’ droppings and turns them into odorless, sterile powder within seconds. All the dog-walker has to do is push a button to release an activation capsule from the cartridge inside the unit. Paulee CleanTec developed a patent protected exothermic oxidation process which converts human and animal feces into a pathogen and odor-free fertilizer in minutes… but oddly, it never reached the market.
Blockchain for dog breeders. Fauna.life is the first initiative of FattorePet, a digital marketing agency specializing in the Pet Care sector, which aims to establish an independent canine registry based on Blockchain, a simple, effective and economic technology that allows you to enter the network data unalterable over time, with a certain date and an owner identifiable by digital signature. The technology can be applied to any animal identifiable by microchip or other identification system, helping to counteract phenomena like abandonment, clandestine trade, genetic diseases and mistreatment.
Washington law to end breed-wide bans on 'dangerous' dogs. The legislative bill grants dog owners the choice to avoid this ban if their dog successfully completes the American Kennel Club’s Canine Citizen program or a similar test determined by the city or county. The program tests whether an animal will react aggressively to strangers, being petted, and interacting with other dogs. Local jurisdictions may still enforce breed bans but have to exempt dogs that pass the test.
Austin startup Televet raises $2 million. Televet operates a platform that gives veterinarians and pet owners more ability to communicate between visits. The startup, which was originally called Horse Facts, was founded in 2015. Televet’s technology won’t eliminate visits to a veterinarian’s office, but is said to supplement those visits. The platform can be used to check on how an animal is doing post-visit or to share a diagnosis and treatment plan, lets vets receive and schedule virtual consultations, connect via text, call or video chat.