Attending Steve Irwin Gala Dinner

On Saturday I was fortunate enough to attend the First Annual Steve Irwin Day Gala Dinner held in Brisbane, Australia.

Steve Irwin Day is commemorated on the 15th of November and Terri, Bindi and Robert Irwin and the team at Australia Zoo are using the celebrations to promote Steve's work and the nature conservation work made possible by the Wildlife Warriors organization.

For those of you who don't know, VetShopOnline facility on the Sunshine Coast, Australia is just a few miles up the road from Australia Zoo and the Zoo is a favourite place for our families to visit.

I remember first visiting many years ago when it was just a small reptile park owned by Steve's dad (Steve's mum took the money at the gate and cooked the burgers!) and we have really enjoyed returning over the years, watching the zoo grow, and introducing all the great native and exotic animals to our own kids. Crikey! the Gala Dinner was a glamorous occasion. With attendees and supporters of Steve's work including celebrities the Veronicas and Khaliah Ali (Mohammad Ali's daughter) as well as scientists, researchers and supporters from the business world and of course, alligators, snakes, koalas, cockatoos and other animals from Australia Zoo.

It was really beautiful to hear Terri speak with such passion about her love for Steve and the ongoing work that Australia Zoo and its associated organizations are doing with endangered species such as the South African Cheetahs, Sumatran Tigers, Whales and local animals such as the Tasmanian Devil. Terri spoke with an emotion and sincerity that I am sure would do Steve proud. Bindi and the Crock Men performed to the delight of the handful of children in attendance on the night and a highlight for my wife was meeting Mohammad Ali's daughter Khaliah. She has long been an admirer of Khaliah's and her father's work in relation to Parkinson's Disease. The message of the night was clear. "ONE MAN can make a difference. YOU can make a difference".

Take a look at the Wildlife Warriors website for more on how you can help and make a difference.

What Dog for the White House

I've just been reading the news stories about what sort of dog Barack Obama should buy.  Sure, the President-Elect has some hard decisions coming up, but right now, he needs to deliver on his promise to his two daughters to give them a puppy to reward their support and patience during his campaign for President! It seems that the USA (and the world!) is joining in the speculation on his choice of breed.



On Friday, Obama spoke about his dilema at a press conference. He is looking for a dog which will not upset his 10 year old's allergies, but he and his wife are also keen to adopt a shelter dog. With good humor, he did say...

 "But, obviously, a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me."

While a decision is yet to be made, it seems that a mixed breed known as a Goldendoodle (Golden Retreiver-Poodle cross) could be a front runner according to insiders, but there are many other breeds which are practical options for allergy suffers. There is no true hypoallergenic dog or cat, as all dogs and cats produce allergens that are in their dander and saliva. However some breeds of dog do produce less dander and some shed little or no hair including poodles,schnauzers, westies, bichons,greyhounds, some terriers.

Previous four legged residents of the white house include Ronald Reagan's dog, Lucky,a bouvier des flandres, the Clinton's chocolate labrador called Buddy, and President Bush's scottish terriers called Barney (who even has his own home page!) and Miss Beasley. For a complete list of dogs and cats in the White House from 1953 to the present, take a look at the Presidential Pet Museum.

What ever breed the Obama's choose, I am  sure all dog owners will agree how much pleasure their new "family member" will bring.