Animal House

Queens-based Bobbi & The Strays -- the rescue group whose rented shelter space at JFK International Airport's Cargo Area C was a central gathering spot for the searches for Vivi the missing whippet almost three years ago -- might be on the street by year's end.

The private shelter group's lease at ends in December. The airport reportedly plans to utilize the space to make way for extended runways.

The no-kill shelter has been trying to buy a building, but the city's still-steep real estate prices are a huge barrier. In addition to the challenge of raising the estimated $1.3 million needed, it also has to contend with zoning issues.

Bobbi & The Strays has an adoption center in donated space at The Shops at Atlas Park, a high-end shopping development in Glendale. But it is only large enough to accommodate cats and some small-breed dogs.

Queens-based Bobbi & The Strays -- the rescue group whose rented shelter space at JFK International Airport's Cargo Area C was a central gathering spot for the searches for Vivi the missing whippet almost three years ago -- might be on the street by year's end.

The private shelter group's lease at ends in December. The airport reportedly plans to utilize the space to make way for extended runways.

The no-kill shelter has been trying to buy a building, but the city's still-steep real estate prices are a huge barrier. In addition to the challenge of raising the estimated $1.3 million needed, it also has to contend with zoning issues.

Bobbi & The Strays has an adoption center in donated space at The Shops at Atlas Park, a high-end shopping development in Glendale. But it is only large enough to accommodate cats and some small-breed dogs.

If you’re in midtown on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., pop in to the American Kennel Club’s sixth annual Responsible Dog Ownership Day at Madison Square Park (Madison Avenue at 23rd Street).

(Events are also planned around the country. Click here to find one near you.)

The charming little park will be filled to the gills with meet-the-breed displays, free activities for kids (including face painting and balloon artists specializing in – natch – inflatable Dachshunds), agility demos, rescue groups and not-a-few AKC big wigs.

If you’re hanging a little further east that day, Almost Home Animal Rescue & Adoption holds a Party Animals for Animals at the Ice Palace in Cherry Grove on Fire Island from 4 to 8 p.m.

Pooches are invited, all the better for them to enter contests like Best Costume, Best Trickster, Owner-Look-A-Like, Cutest Dog, and a Face Only-A-Mother-Could Love.

Also promised to be in attendance: Porsche, “the drag queen of drag queens.” Who’s gonna argue?

Cover charge is $12. For more info, call 631-627-3665.

Mars Petcare has implemented a voluntary recall of some dry dog and cat foods produced at its Everson, Pa., plant between Feb. 18 and July 29, because of concerns over Salmonella contamination.

The company said consumers should look for "17" as the first two digits of the second line on the UPC for products affected. For Pedigree products, look for "PAE" on the bottom line.

Among the brands affected: Country Acres, Retriever, Doggy Bag, Members Mark, Natural, Ol' Roy, Paws & Claws, Pedigree, Special Kitty, Wegman's, Pet Pride, PMI Nutrition and Red Flannel.

For more information, call 1-877-568-4463 or visit www.petcare.mars.com.

Often mentioned as a risk in raw feeding, Salmonella arguably poses more of a threat to people than to average, healthy dogs, whose digestive systems are designed to handle bacteria. (Full disclosure: Yours truly has fed her dogs a raw diet for the last decade, and weaned 4-week-old puppies onto ground raw chicken and goat's milk, with no ill -- and many positive -- effects.)

According to Pet Age magazine, dry dog food caused a prolonged outbreak in Salmonella infections from January 2006 to December 2007, with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirming 70 such cases.

Pig ears are another potential source of Salmonella contamination.

As a precaution, owners should wash their hands after handling any kibble, and keep small children away from feeding areas.

You never know what constituency you're going to insult next. Taking offense at statements Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin made during her acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention comparing herself to a pit bull, an ad exec from Evanston, Ill., promptly launched pitbullsagainstpalin.com. The site peddles $20 T-shirts featuring his 4-year-old rescue, Vivian, silhouetted against an American flag.

We await Otterhounds against Obama. It's only a matter of time.

Earlier this month, Dori Scofield, founder of Save-a-Pet, returned home with her family to find her house burned down and her companion animals -- four cats and five dogs, rescues all -- dead

To ensure that no animal in her care is ever lost to the flames again, several fund-raisers have been scheduled to raise money to help fire-proof her shelter. "The Gianni Memorial Fundraiser," in memory of her dog Gianni, will be held on Tues., Sept. 9, at 7 p.m. at Danfords Hotel & Marina. Donations is $50.

Visit www.saveapetli.org.

Bonnie Folz provides this explanation on the hoped-for Vivi sighting at JFK:

<<
It has been confirmed that the dog seen being loaded into the cargo van at Terminal 8 on Tuesday was not Vivi, but a greyhound owned by one of the Philladelphia Flyers players, who transports his dog each season.

I'm happy that Vivi is still on the minds of some, and people do call.

Sorry for the false alarm, and getting everyone's hopes up.

Though it may be a very long shot, I will always keep the faith.

Bonnie>>

Too good to be true? Vivi search coordinator Bonnie Folz sends this email:

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I got an unconfirmed sighting call on Tuesday night. A cab driver who works the airport claims he watched a man walk Vivi out of Terminal 8, on leash, at JFK. I got the call about a half hour after he saw her. He said the man put her in a white Ford cargo van, driven by a woman. He gave me the description of the van, the lic. plate #, and the address and phone # that was written on the side of the van. He alerted security right away to have them stop the van and they blew him off, he then went to the police and they told him they didn't know anything about a lost dog. That's when he went to find a flier (thank God for Wendy still posting the airport) and called me.