The Gossip Column: August 23, 2024
A recent article in the Mansions section of the WALL STREET JOURNAL addresses the lengths to which owners go to immortalize their dead pets, from taxidermy performed by LAUREN KANE of PRECIOUS CREATURES TAXIDERMY costing thousands of dollars to shadow-boxed frames containing the dog’s photograph and ashes. Portraits and other pieces of memorabilia that grace the walls of homes of the dogs’ former owners almost look shrine like. One very original way to have an upbeat reminder of your pet is glass flowers hand-blown by MAZEL TOV GLASS that include the ashes of your pet. Others opt for urns that range in price from $50 to several hundred dollars. Even in death, dogs are a big business. ...
Which leads us to the MUSEUM AT TRING in England, the private collection of LIONEL WALTER ROTHSCHILD. He was the second BARON ROTHSCHILD, and the museum was established in 1889 and is now part of the NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM in London. There you will find several thousand — 4,900, in fact — stuffed and preserved animals that include mammals, birds, reptiles, insects and many purebred breeds that include the Saluki, Yorkshire Terrier, Papillon, Airedale Terrier and Skye Terrier. ...
MARS, the parent company of PEDIGREE and ROYAL CANIN, has purchased food maker KELLANOVA for $30 billion. They are the maker of EGGO and CHEEZ-IT, among other products. ...
Another DNA finding that is helping breed out blindness in ENGLISH SHEPHERDS was reported in GENES, an English peer-reviewed journal. SHOLA, a search-and-rescue English Shepherd, was diagnosed with an inherited blindness. A DNA sample taken from her at the CANINE GENETICS CENTER of the UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE isolated the mutation that caused the disease, and now the breed can be tested to prevent carriers from being bred together. ...
Congratulations and best wishes to ALAINA MOULTON and BJ WHITLOW on their recent engagement. ...
Sad news from Canada: JIM REYNOLDS, well-known and popular Canadian all-breed judge, has passed away. Considered by many to be the best Canadian judge, he was a regular fixture at our dog shows in the States and at those around the world. His popularity was recognized by the American Kennel Club, as he was one of a short list of Canadian judges who could judge in the States without limit during the calendar year. He judged numerous national specialties and major all-breed dog shows here in the States as well. A protege of the late all-breed judge and fellow Scottish Terrier fancier Adelaide Riggs, he quickly gained popularity here and further cemented his American roots with strong friendships with ANNIE and JIM CLARK, TOM BRADLEY and EDD BIVIN.