Category: Editorial

Zogo-a-go-go

What is Zogoflex?

Zogoflex is an amazingly tough material used to make dog toys: it’s non-toxic, buoyant, dishwasher safe and recyclable. The toys themselves are also well designed; for example, the Zisc Frisbee is a little softer than average and so kinder to those fragile bottom teeth, or the Twiz can be thrown, tugged, twisted AND filled with treats (Perfect for Yarrah Duos); enrichment all round!

Which Zogoflex toys do you sell?

We sell the following Zogoflex toys

 

 

 

 

From left for right: Zisk, Hurley, Twiz and Huck (Hucks are available in two sizes).

So, how tough is tough?

Tough enough for a one-time replacement guarantee! Tough enough that less than 1% get returned them for replacement! Of course, they are not totally indestructible; there really is no such thing as an indestructible dog toy – extreme chewers, for example Staffies, will get through any toy eventually. However, it will take time take a long time to destroy a Zogoflex toy – and then, the old one will be recycled and a new one sent out! These toys are certainly the way to go for destructive dogs, and are also ideal for sanctuaries, breeders and kennels, because even with several dogs chewing and tugging on them every day, they still last for months. Here is an example of the Zisk at work: Zisk is designed to be the toughest “interactive” toy – it’s great for tugging and pulling (but it’s not as strong as Huck and Hurley).

Are Zogoflex toys made ethically?

Yes, the toys are all made “in-house” by West Paw Design in Bozeman, Montana – as is the Zogoflex material itself. It’s fab to find a supply chain so transparent: you know who makes them and where, and under which employments laws. It’s really great! West Paw take great care to be eco too; for example, when their workshop needed expanding, they re-used all of the original outside walls – an unusual building method which saved 175 Tons of concrete form being dumped in landfill. The manufacturing process is also very efficient, producing very little waste. Great! Oh and we forgot to mention: all of the packaging is printed on 100% recycled paper with soya based inks.

But they are imported from America?

Yes – Companies like West Paw and products like Zogoflex are sadly hard to come by. However, the import process is pretty good – they are shipped by boat from America to Rotterdam, then they are moved from Rotterdam to our wholesaler by road – then by courier to us (plus they always arrive in a recycled box!) Of course, we would love to stock a British made equivalent! Let us know if you see any likely candidates!

Any other questions?

Fire away! We got answers by the bucket load! 🙂

RESURGENCE: IRREFUTABLE

This is an overview of Animals: A New Ethics, the March/April 2012 edition of Resurgence magazine. It is made up of quotes from the issue, so I named it a Quoverview!! Below that is a traditional review. Happy reading! – Anna x

Very nice! So, what is the magazine about?

Resurgence magazine promotes “ecological sustainability, social justice and spiritual values”. [1] This special issue of the magazine discusses how humans treat non-humans, and how non-humans treat each other. There are some facts and figures, and a lot of ideas too.

By insisting that animals are moral “we are not inserting something human into animals, but we’re identifying commonalities and the using human language to communicate what we observe” – From Wild Justice by Bekoff and Pierce, quoted by Peter Anderson, page 57

Is it worth reading?

From What Might Have Been, page 14

Yes. The writing is clever, interesting and provocative – good enough to preach to the congregation, not just the choir. Send copies to your most sceptical friends. It is also beautifully presented, with a broad focus, providing art, poetry and recipes alongside the articles. There are no graphic photos of suffering animals, which I personally found helpful.

Human treatment of animals was not allays this savage, belief in human superiority didn’t become commonplace till the end of the 13th century, when the teachings of Thomas Aquinas became popular. – Richard Ryder, page 14

So, it isn’t just same old same old?

No. If you are vivisection expert, then you will learn of the plight of the sacred cows. If you know your theology, then do you also know about Franz Marc and the Blue Rider group? Or how to bake Panforte Nero? This magazine is full of surprises. Most of all, it communicates a real sense space and time – I feel less alone and more optimistic, and I see my place, for better and for worse, in the fight for animal welfare and equality.

“A common assumption we make about animals that they only live in the moment” – this has shown to be untrue on a behavioural and biological/hormonal level, because animals, from Starlings to Baboons, experience prolonged emotional states, such as “pessimism, optimism and bereavement” – Jonathan Balcombe, 32.

Sounds impressive!

From "The Animal Manifesto", page 34

Yes, it is. It’s not just the content though, it’s how the content is shaped. The why is discussed, not just the usual what, when and how. The answers are described, not just the problems. The issues are discussed from many different angles, from the scientific to the spiritual – and yet, as you can see from my Quoverview above, there is also cohesiveness. The diversity of voices starts to merge somehow, and in the end, you hear just one voice – spurning you on to be, to do more… and better. It’s hard to tell if this is simply good writing, clever editing and design, or if it’s more than that; an organic emergence of unity among us.

It’s only after the fall that Adam and Eve ate meat – before then, before the first sin, they were vegan. – Tom Regan, 13.

So, what didn’t you like?

The Front Cover

There are no references: this is both dis-empowering and self-defeating. It reduces credibility, increases the risk of shoddy writing and inhibits the propagation of new thought and new argument. It is well past the time for the animal rights/welfare community to learn this and to make an effort to show. their. evidence. If you accuse a “slaughterhouse with organic accreditation” [2] of infringements of the law and of cruelty – name them, shame them: let me make up my own mind! If you describe inhumane experiments in a lab, tell me the titles of the papers! Knowledge is power: so stop playing Chinese whispers!

Soil is the largest carbon sink of all – Juliet Gellatley, page 16

Point taken, so where can I buy a copy?

You can buy on-line here, or search for stockists here.

“It is natural and “animal” to be good, compassionate, empathetic and moral” – Marc Bekoff, page 35

References

[1] From the Resurgence website: www.resurgence.org

[2] Resurgence magazine, March/April 2012, pages 21-23. If Slaughterhouses had glass Walls, by Mark Gold. Quote from page 23. And that is how it’s done!

Photo in Quoverview By Moise Nicu (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Quotes from Quoverview

In order of appearance: Richard Ryder, page 15; Kailah Eglington, page 58; Tom Regan, page 10; Marc Beckoff, page 34; Martin Luther King, as quoted by Ingrid E Newkirk, page 65; Jonathan Balcombe, page 32; Jon Wynne-Tyson, page 27 and Heidi Stephenson, page 5.

“Per hectare a [badger] cull would cost more than a vaccination programme” – Brian May, page 40

Here's me reading the mag with Ivy on my knee, at the park and then in the garden with Bethan, and later on my exercise bike!

 

There is also a great review of this edition of resurgence by Marie Dunnion (Animal Voice)

How not to entertain your puppy…

(ok, and how to as well…)

A guest blog from Alison Clayton-Smith

 

Bobby the Tibetan Terrier is coming up to 5 months old and yes he is very cute but he’s also very tetchy when he’s bored, which is pretty frequent (like every hour). Here are 3 lessons learnt on how not to entertain your puppy:

Bobby
  • Leaving work notes on the sofa
  • Cleaning up wee in the house without removing him from the temptation of waggling tissues
  • Wearing dangling necklaces, scarves, laces. In fact, pretty much wearing any clothing at all, though I have to admit, it would be more painful without the clothing barrier, and a bit chilly what with the doors being open so much to let him into the garden. (Top tip: never get a puppy in the winter months…)

Bobby loves digging up the garden to hide his hedgehogs and crocodiles.

There are better strategies and some of them even come with a good ethical pedigree, for example:

Hedgehog Chew Treat
  • Bobby loves digging up the garden to hide his hedgehogs and crocodiles. He likesme going with him. I tell myself it is in case he forgets and he is relying on me to remember, but I suspect that might be a bit of anthropomorphism going on there. At some point he’ll go back and dig them up, running triumphantly across the garden. He might eat a bit or he might just go and hide it somewhere else.
  • An empty plastic bottle, clean and reasonably firm, makes a good toy to chase around. He had a particularly great time in the snow as the bottles slid across the surface. The only thing we have to watch is his little pincer teeth chewing the plastic off. In fact he’s pushing one round the lounge right now. If you’re outside and got neighbours, I don’t recommend giving them the bottle before 8am, it makes quite a racket.
  • Cardboard tubes from toilet rolls, for example. I reckon he thinks our downstairs toilet is where cardboard tubes are made. Good for chewing, nosing around the carpet and sometimes hiding treats in, though he’s not great on the whole ‘Find’ thing yet.
  • And finally, frozen carrots. I found this one on the Internet. Chop them up into chunks and freeze. Healthy snack, good for teething, and for some reason, fun to hunt. I’ve never thought of a carrot as prey. Works particularly well on a tiled/slippery surface where the carrot ‘escapes’ at every touch. Downside, Bobby does have a tendency to let them go mushy, which isn’t always nice for the carpet.

Ok, well he’s starting to get up to mischief so best be off!

 

Alison Clayton-Smith lives in the first Garden City, Letchworth, Hertfordshire. She is a facilitator and writer focused on sustainable living, ecopsychology and mindfulness. Her back ground in management/personal development has not proved that useful for puppy development! 2012 is the year for a number of exciting new projects – find out more at www.growinginsights.co.uk.