Monday, August 31, 2009

News, Apologies, etc.

First let me say that I am very sorry for neglecting this blog for so long. There are 2 reasons for this: 1.) My poor beat-up old laptop finally died (for good this time) and 2.) I am an excessively lazy person.

Sable is wonderful (9 years old now, a vegan since 2003), everything is running smoothly, and (although I still have limited computer access) I will try to get in more updates when I can. On to the news...

The formerly out of print book Obligate Carnivore:Cats, Dogs and What it Really Means to be Vegan by Jed Gillen is now back in print, in a second expanded edition. Available from VeganCats.com and Vegan Essentials, among other places. Buy it, read it, memorize it, and be ready for pop quizzes (okay, okay, no quizzes).

An upcoming book entitled The Simple Little Vegan Dog Book by Michelle Rivera will include veterinarian opinions on vegan diets for dogs, lists of healthy vs. harmful foods, and dozens of recipes. (UPDATE: This book is now available for purchase!)

For those times when you just need to grab a quick can of dog food (pet emergency preparedness kits, anyone?) Natural balance has released a canned vegetarian formula to complement their dry Veg formula. The website describes it as " A TRUE Vegan Formula" containing "no dairy products or products derived from trace amounts of meat or dairy sources", yet it does list Vitamin D-3 (usually animal-derived, Vit D-2 is vegan friendly) in the ingredient list (the dry food lists D-2). Not sure yet if this was a typo, or what. As far as I know, Natural Balance Vegetarian Formulas (canned and dry) are the only wheat-, corn-, and soy-free kibble and canned veg dog foods on the market.

I will really, truly try to post more frequently in the upcoming months. I do have several post topics floating around in my head (along with a million other assorted thoughts!). Until then, Sable says "Woof, woof!'