I think I’ll take the dogs out in the rain and then fix myself a cup of tea to celebrate.

I’m a list-maker and as I’m writing this, I face my usual, crammed-full, ever-lengthening holiday do-list, which I suspect that most people could consider laughably simple compared to their own. Even so, it seems like a lot to me, and even an overwhelming “a lot” some days. That list got me thinking about its fulfillment as it relates to the pets with troubling results because I realized that in some ways the list is all about me. Nor do I think I’m alone in this. Although most pet-owners certainly don’t plan it that way any more than I do, the truth is that getting everything done that needs to be done during the holiday season is based on the assumption that the pets will allow us to do this. And that includes getting or making gifts for them, or doing special things with them.

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Book Description

Even if they don’t know her personally, everyone in Summerset, NH knows that StClair Upton loves animals. But when StClair meets Monica Sonco and her pit bull, Harley, the veterinarian’s semi-reclusive, animal-loving world begins to wobble wildly on its axis. Monica obviously loves Harley, and it’s obvious that the dog is devoted to her, but the relationship is wrong. All wrong. But before StClair can help Monica make it right, Monica’s mangled body is discovered with the blood-covered dog standing over her.

As StClair’s attempts to discover who killed her client, she finds herself relentlessly drawn into a high-tech animal conspiracy that takes her so deep into the dark recesses of the human-animal bond, she fears she may never find her way out.

To read an excerpt from Beastly Business or order a copy, please click here.

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True, it’s past Halloween trick or treat time, but it is that time of year when there are so many treats around it’s tough to avoid temptation. And because so often we take both our pets and our food-related beliefs with us when we jump aboard the holiday treat train, we and the pets may disembark with some extra baggage come the end of the holiday season.

I’ve yet to hear of companion animals who routinely do their own food shopping and prepare their own meals and snacks, so this seems like a good time to explore some preventive as well as pudgy-pet food tricks we can use to keep our pets from packing on the pounds.

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For a registration form or if you have any questions, contact Stephanie Frommer at stephanief@humanecommunity.org or call 603-352-9011 extension 123,