New Jersey is one of 11 states that have designated March 13 as K9 Veterans Day.

About 80 people and more than a dozen dogs attended Bergen County’s first-ever K9 Veterans Day to honor the dogs and their handlers. What a great idea!

December 22 is “National Keep Pets Safe in Winter Day!”

Have you heard? December 22 is “National Keep Pets Safe in Winter Day!”

• Keep cats and dogs indoors. If they must be outside for a period of time, ensure that they have a warm, dry place to hang out and access to water (you may need to use a heated dish!).
• Clear a path in the snow/ice and use a pet-friendly, no-salt ice melt such as Morton Safe-T-Pet.
• Keep your dog on a short leash and stay out just long enough for the dogs to relieve themselves.
• Remove snow and ice from the paws and fur after leash walks.
• Check warm spots on cars, such as hoods, where animals might seek shelter from the cold.
• Be sure pets are wearing identification tags and proper outerwear as needed.
• Protect short haired or sensitive dogs during walks by using coats and boots. (or something like Musher’s Secret, which protects pads)

Check out the ASPCA site for more info: ASPCA National Keep Pets Safe in Winter Day page

Do Something Nice: http://www.childsplaycharity.org/

Do Something Nice: Happy children opening holiday giftsYes, things are tight this year; very, very tight. But while you’re shopping this holiday season, if you can find a few extra dollars, this a great cause.

Think about it, won’t you?

Did you know...Free Photos and Illustrations

Did you know that every month you can download a free photo, illustration, audio file, and/or video file from www.istockphoto.com? All you need to do is:

1. Create an account with the site (it’s free too!) Just visit: www.istockphoto.com
2. Visit the site every month to check out the free goodies and download the one(s) you like.

Pretty sweet deal, if you ask me!

Oh, and they’ve also promised to donate $50,000 if they reach the goal of 50,000 extra downloads by December 13. Basically, if they see an increase in downloads of 50,000 over the same period last year, they’ll make the donation. So, if you’re in the market for stock photos, illustrations, etc., check them out. You could be the one to push the numbers to the goal!

Full disclosure: This is not a paid posting (not that there’d be anything wrong with that!), other than I did use a referral link, but I’d only get credit if you use the link and then buy 30 files in 30 days, which would be a bonus but is totally not the point. The point is, this is such a great resource *and* they give away free stuff every month, and who doesn’t love FREE? I mean, seriously, it’s a good deal.

Superstorm Sandy Resources - List Updated With NJ Transit Info

I’ve added the following to the main the list, under the “Find Gas” section. But I’ll also post it here for quick reference…Here’s the link to the main list: http://blog.ksinnott.com/blog/2012/11/2/hurricanesuperstorm-sandy-find-gas-hotels-food-in-nj-other-r.html

NJ Transit Post-Hurricane Service Updates and Travel Options

NJ Transit has posted an update for the following (click on the links to see the latest details):

• Rail and Light Rail Service: http://www.njtransit.com/sa/sa_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=CustomerNoticeTo&NoticeId=2304
• Bus Service
• Emergency Shuttle Bus Service to Ferries/Manhattan: http://www.njtransit.com/sa/sa_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=CustomerNoticeTo&NoticeId=2310
• List of NJ TRANSIT bus routes that parallel NJ TRANSIT rail stations:http://www.njtransit.com/adminTemp/busservicerail.pdf
• List of NJ TRANSIT bus routes by town:http://www.njtransit.com/adminTemp/busservicetown.pdf
• Access Link Service: All service will resume on Wednesday, November 7 pending local weather conditions.
• RideShare Information: http://www.njtransit.com/adminTemp/rideshare110712.pdf
• Additional Customer Tips: http://www.njtransit.com/sa/sa_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=CustomerNoticeTo&NoticeId=2313

You can also get updates via the My Transit alert system (www.njtransit.com/mytransit), which delivers travel advisories for your specific trip to your cell phone, PDA or pager; or ny calling their automated line: (973)275-5555