Dan Crownover made a habit of feeding the cats that wandered around Epic Plastics on Turner Road — with his superiors' permission — before and after each eight-hour shift he worked. It's a 5-acre property, with lots of pipe storage and a car part junkyard next door. That makes for plenty of nooks and crannies for feral cats to find shelter.

TonkaBell is a sweet girl who loves to play and has enjoyed a few meals. She needs a home where she can exercise and her diet monitored so she can lose those few extra pounds. If you would like give TonkaBell the love and attention she deserves, come and meet her.

A day before police claim Joseph Francis Corey gunned down a Sacramento County animal control officer, a Sheriff’s deputy removed a loaded double-barrel shotgun from Corey’s Galt home, according to testimony given Friday by Sacramento County Sheriff’s Deputy Arturo Gonzalez.

Barbara Miller used to routinely take her dog on evening walks by the river near her home — but not anymore. About eight to 10 weeks ago, Miller and some neighbors say they spotted a mountain lion roaming in a field near a river. But by the time she'd found her camera, hoping to capture a picture of the elusive creature, it was gone.

(BPT) - Are you killing your pet with kindness? We’re not talking about the compassion that motivates us to vaccinate our pets, or keep them warm in cold weather. Kindness that can be harmful to pets comes in the form of an overabundance of food and treats. The all-too-common result is a pet that becomes overweight or even obese.

Don’t let her size fool you. Miss TonkaBell is a sweet, sweet girl. She loves to play and has enjoyed a few meals. She needs a home where she can exercise and her diet monitored so she can lose those few extra pounds. If you would like more information about TonkaBell, please call PALS at (209) 224-0354. We have other cats and dogs available for adoption, so stop by the PALS Adoption Center located in Lodi at 1405 W. Kettleman Lane. Center hours are Monday and Wednesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. – closed Tuesday and Sunday. PALS is a Lodi-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the welfare of companion animals in Lodi by increasing the number of animals adopted, reducing animal suffering and providing the highest level of humane care, thus ultimately reducing the number of surplus companion animals euthanized in the city of Lodi. Visit our link at petfinder.com to view cats and dogs currently available for adoption or our Web site at www.palslodi.org and find out how you can volunteer and/or foster the many animals waiting for permanent homes.

Mother’s Day — and HOT. This day should be gently spring-like: warm in the sun, cool in the shade, with a very soft breeze.

We've delayed opening the Nature Area at Lodi Lake Park today because of a reported mountain lion sighting there Monday evening.

Lodi city officials spent Tuesday morning patrolling the Lodi Lake Nature Area after a citizen reported seeing a mountain lion around dusk Monday.

Dottie is a 1-year-old, spayed, white with black spots, wire-hair terrier mix. She weighs about eight pounds. Dottie came to PALS with a broken rear leg and had to have a cast put on which will be removed this week.

(NAPSI)—Your four-footed friends could benefit from your taking four important steps to keep your pets in peak condition.

(NAPSI)—The next time you consider expanding your family to include a hamster, Guinea pig, bunny or other small pet, you won’t be alone. Some 16 million U.S. families currently co-habitate with small pets, according to the American Pet Products Association National Pet Owners Survey.

Say hello to Dottie. She is a one-year-old spayed white with black spotted WireHair Terrier mix, about 8 pounds. She came to us with a broken rear leg and had to have a cast put on, which will be removed this week. She is really sweet, friendly and enjoys other small dogs. If you would like more information about Dottie, please call PALS at (209) 224-0354. We have other dogs and cats available for adoption, so stop by the PALS Adoption Center located in Lodi at 1405 W. Kettleman Lane. Center hours are Tuesday to Friday rom 1 to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. PALS is a Lodi-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the welfare of companion animals in Lodi by increasing the number of animals adopted, reducing animal suffering and providing the highest level of humane care, thus ultimately reducing the number of surplus companion animals euthanized in the city of Lodi. Visit our link at petfinder.com to view cats and dogs currently available for adoption or our Web site at www.palslodi.org and find out how you can volunteer and/or foster the many animals waiting for permanent homes.

Today’s children grow up in a vastly different technological world than that of their parents or grandparents. While you may fondly recall a favorite storybook stored on your nightstand, many kids today are reading using their parent’s smartphone or tablet. Digital devices are becoming a regular part of a child’s life, and parents should understand what this means for how kids learn and grow.

Millie, a scruffy black terrier in need of a bath, let out a whine that could barely be heard over the roar of the propeller. Pilot Bill Stigile turned away from a panoramic view of the Central Valley to reassure the dog serving as his co-pilot on this critical journey.

Sam Ninja is a short hair gray kitten. He is very friendly and will want to sit with you for petting and love. He gets along with other cats but would prefer the company of humans.

Craving meatloaf, I decided to look online for a change from my usual ‘go to’ recipe. Keying in meatloaf, I was shocked when 8,978 hits popped up on the computer screen. Then I realized I was on Amazon.com not Google. Curious, I scrolled down and found “The Great American Meatloaf Contest Cookbook: Great Meatloaf Recipes by Great American Cooks;” “Everybody Loves Meatloaf: More Than 100 Recipes for Loaves and Fixings” and “Fast N Simple Meatloaf Recipes.”

Even fire stations with crumbling walls, rotten roofs and black mold don’t run cheap. One Lodi fire station has been sold for conversion to an engineering firm for $375,000.