Furever Gifts

For many, the joy of giving can be marred with the realization that gift-giving itself is a dressed up episode of consumerism. But what if you want to actually be charitable this season and buy your gift conscientiously? A number of Saigon charities and organizations sell gifts that directly benefit important causes, like womens’ economic … Read more

Pet of the Month

Why you should adopt a senior or older dog By adopting an older you are fighting for the value and beauty of life at all ages and stages. Most older dogs have already mastered training basics. They know outdoors is for potty, and shoes are for walking, not chewing. A senior dog has learned many … Read more

Creature Comforts

An animal shelter in Danang promotes animal welfare by teaching kindness and empathy within the local community Can you tell us the origin of Paws for Compassion Danang? Paws for Compassion (PAWS) was founded in Danang, Vietnam in 2015 by two animal enthusiasts and educators, Lexie Gray and Domenique Terry, who saw the need for … Read more

Kiki and Coco

Hanoi-based painter expresses love, sadness and passion through his more than 300 dog paintings How did you become an artist? Where did you study? Are you self-taught? Before I became a dog-painting artist and before I can express my art on oil, pastel, acrylic and Vietnamese traditional lacquer, I went to China to study calligraphy … Read more

Woof Rider

Take your dog on your next motorbike trip exploring Vietnam On a bright Saturday morning Elizabeth Souba waited inside Café Zoom (169A De Tham, D1) close to Saigon’s backpacker area, the takeoff point for Vespa Adventures waiting for her day trip through Mekong Delta with Vespa Adventures Tour. Sunglasses? Check. Long pants? Check. Small Yorkshire … Read more

School For The Dogs

Meet dog trainer Ian Harris, he provides training for both ends of the leash “Bad dog! Don’t pee on the couch! Stop biting my shoes! Don’t poop there!! Bad dog, bad dog! Argh!!!” Any of these sound familiar? Perhaps, then, Ian Harris is here to your rescue. Ian Harris was born in Southhamilton, England, and … Read more

Pica Chew

What to do when your pet ingests a foreign body “Pica” is the term for the indiscriminate eating and swallowing of things—from toys and stones to dirt and even feces—by your dog or cat. There are numerous causes to this, ranging from behavioral, such as boredom, through to medical pathologies. This habit can also lead … Read more

Have Dogs, Will Travel

The dogs, Locke and Ronan, are stepbrothers banded together on their mission to explore the world. Rhodesian Ridgeback Ronan prefers to spend his time pondering and looking mean while white-speckled Locke is the more playful of the two who tends to get into trouble often. Along with their humans—Rob and Chelsea—the family of four are … Read more

When Man Meets Dog

A special relationship that started over six years ago on Phu Quoc There are many attractions that keep expats living in Vietnam: culture, food, the love of a person, or the simple delight of living in a warm, tropical environment. However, for one German in particular, a surprisingly and unexpected passion and dedication for the … Read more

The Persistent Danger of Rabies

Make sure you are vaccinated, and your pets are too! At the recent Vietnam Animal Welfare Conference, an annual event promoting animal (domestic, farm and wildlife) protection, Dr. Phan Xuan Thao, Director at the HCMC Department of Animal Health, presented a poignant reminder of the persistent danger of contracting rabies in Vietnam. Rabies is a … Read more