Dress to Impress this Halloween



Spooktacular costume for the MUTTster Mash Doggie Daycare Party at Morris Animal Inn.



Lighthearted dog owners swear that dressing their dog up at Halloween is a barrel of fun that never gets old. 



According to a recent Wayfair.com announcement, retailers will see a 20% spike in Halloween costumes for our four-legged friends this season.  Whether your dog will be joining the fun at Morris Animal Inn’s MUTTster Mash this Halloween or just taking a stroll with the rest of the family, make sure they are sporting the hottest looking costumes on the shelves today.

Check out this year's Top Selling Costumes:



It's Superman saving the day at Morris Animal Inn's MUTTster Mash!



1.      Superhero

2.      Elephant

3.      Lederhosen (For our furry German friends)

4.      Taco

5.      Chef

With costumes like these, your dog is sure to come home with a pillow case full of biscuits!





Clowning around in the Morris Animal Inn Photo Boooooth!



Morris Animal Inn staff gets ready for a howling good time!



We are pleased to have Vin, as a contributing writer for If They Could Talk. Vin is a passionate dog owner. We look forward to sharing his contribution on interesting and educational pet topics.









Make a New Friend During October’s Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month

Have you been thinking about adopting a new dog for some time now?  Well this month is your perfect chance to quit speculating and take action!

There are endless benefits for both you and your dog.  Here are just a few to think about when you adopt…

1.      Save a Life

The most obvious, and yet most important thing is that you are saving a life.  A shelter dog is well aware of the commitment you have made to them, and will be forever grateful.  The loyal bond that can be formed between an abandoned dog and their owner is unlike anything else in the world.  Help save one of the millions of dogs looking for a home, and you will both be rewarded for it.

2.      Help a Shelter

Not only will you be saving the life of your new dog, but you are also doing a huge service to the shelter.  By rescuing a dog, you will be freeing up a spot for the shelter to place a new abandoned dog looking for a home.  If they could, shelters would take in every stray dog from the street, but overpopulation is one of the biggest problems they face.  With only very limited resources, shelters depend on people to free up space in order to make room for another unfortunate dog.

3.   Enhance Your Life

Owning a dog can be a life-long rewarding experience.  Above everything else, a dog is going to put a smile on your face.  The happiness that is gained from the love of a dog is something truly unique that cannot be duplicated.  It has been proven that dogs help people feel better when they need an uplift.  They teach children responsibility and give people the ability to love and care for another living thing.  For everyone involved, a certain sense of purpose is gained through the addition of a shelter dog.

Still a little frightened about bringing your new friend home?  These tips are sure to help you out during the first month to make the transition smoother.

***Source: Tips for the First 30 Days of Dog Adoption from Petfinder.com.  http://www.petfinder.com/after-pet-adoption/tips-for-first-30-days-dog.html

We are pleased to have Vin, as a contributing writer for If They Could Talk. Vin is a passionate dog owner. We look forward to sharing his contribution on interesting and educational pet topics.

Update on our Favorite Catahoula Mix!

Recently, Morris Animal Inn had a visit from a very special friend, Ginger. In the spirit of National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, we'd like to spotlight Ginger's inspiring journey.

When Ginger came to Morris Animal Inn in early June, she had endured a rough few months. In her home state of West Virginia, she was dumped at a shelter with one of her four month old pups. After watching her puppy be adopted, this Catahoula Boxer Mix waited for when it would be her turn to leave the shelter. Eleventh Hour Rescue came to help, bringing Ginger to New Jersey to begin her new life.

She came to Morris Animal Inn weighing a husky 91.6 pounds and measuring 30 inches around her waist. When Ginger began our Health and Fitness Program on June 4th, she loved it! Working closely with trainers Lisa and Michelle, she began to shed those extra pounds through healthy dietary changes and fun exercise activities such as agility, swim and treadmill sessions. Becoming a fast favorite of those here at Morris Animal Inn, Ginger was never too far from a reassuring back scratch which she enthusiastically returned with kisses.

On August 15, Ginger left Morris Animal Inn to stay at the Eleventh Hour location in Mount Olive to meet new potential adopters. We were sad to see Ginger leave but we knew that she would be able to meet new people that would love her as much as everyone at Morris Animal Inn does. Upon leaving, she had lost a significant 12.2 pounds and 5 inches from around her waist.

Ginger's visit in Mount Olive was brief as she was soon brought to a caring foster home. Her foster mom keeps up with Ginger's weight loss efforts and a nutritious diet. During Ginger's visit in October, she was looking slim and trim and weighing only 71 pounds. Ginger was able to safely lose 20 pounds since first coming to Morris Animal Inn! We are so proud of her success and how far she has come!

Adopting from a shelter can change a dog's life as well as your own so contact your local shelter today.

If you're interested in adopting Ginger, contact Eleventh Hour Rescue at 973-664-0865 or visit the Eleventh Hour Rescue website for more information.

iPad and iPhone Apps for Cats

We can’t leave the cats out when it comes to technology.  If you have a bored kitty and an iPad or iPhone lying around the house, then you might enjoy trying the following apps to entertain both you and your feline.  My cat Bingley, who is a regular visitor to the Morris Animal Inn, enjoyed the following apps:

·         Paint for Cats by Nate Murray

Download from iTunes for $1.99

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/paint-for-cats/id427702410?mt=8

A colorful mouse darts across the screen and when your cat taps the screen or mouse, the mouse will squeak and color is added to the background creating a beautiful painting by your cat.  There are many different palettes of color to choose from, including “Litter Box” – different shades of gray, “Cool Cat” – cool tones of blues and “Hot Paws” – red and orange hues,  to name a few.  When your cat is done playing and painting, you can print out the work of art and brag to your friends that he’s the new “PiCATso”!

·         Cat Fishing by Nestle Purina Petcare Co.

Download from iTunes for FREE

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cat-fishing/id443833370?mt=8

This is a nice, quiet, serene app for your cat.  A goldfish gently swims across your screen and when your cat taps the fish or the screen it produces bubbles, which just mesmerized my cat.  As your cat taps more and more fish, the speed that the fish will swim increases, which makes it really enticing for your furry friend. The app actually keeps count of how many fish your cat catches. My cat loved this app and actually began purring and staring at the fish in wonder.

·         Cat Piano Jr for iPad by George Talusan

Download from iTunes for FREE

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cat-piano-jr-for-ipad/id366579803?mt=8

Now I don’t know who enjoyed this more, me or the cat!  This is a fun musical app that offers three different variations of meowing options. You can choose from “Angelic Meow” – sweet meows, “Furball” - high pitched and aggravated meows, or “House Cat” – quizzical and typical meows.   Watch your cat stop in his tracks to locate a potential feline house guest as you strike the piano keys.  My cat got a bit feisty with this app and was trying to bite the corner of the iPad and ended up in a big time play session with some of his string toys that were lying around. Let’s just say the app was a hit and stirred up a playful mood in my cat.

We are pleased to have Jeanne, as a contributing writer for If They Could Talk. Jeanne is a member of our Guest Services team and is a passionate cat owner. We look forward to sharing her contribution on interesting and educational pet topics.