Max the cat and his guardian had spent 20 happy years together. Of course, the time finally came when, because of Max's advanced age, his health deteriorated. This always-friendly cat was losing weight fast, crying out often, and suffering from dementia. He even began biting people out of confusion or pain or both. Max's guardian had waited too long to end his suffering, and he knew it. He called PETA.

Not wanting Max to suffer another minute more, we quickly arranged for euthanasia at a local vet's office. Although saying "Goodbye" to his constant companion of two decades was agonizing for him, Max's guardian knew that he owed it to this beloved cat to do the right thing, no matter how difficult it was. This was not a time to be thinking about himself. Max was all that mattered.

Most folks let their animal companions go on too long because they feel guilty about euthanasia or are afraid of letting go. But we must be strong and always make the best decisions for them. Isn't that the very least that they deserve?

Adorable Aussie Cody Simpson has girls around the globe in full-on swoon as they scramble to grab his new EP, Preview to Paradise, today and catch him on tour with Big Time Rush this summer. But who's really got him good? His dog, Buddy.

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In his new campaign for PETA, Cody asks all his fans to take excellent care of their own animals and always speak up anytime they see or suspect animal abuse:

Cody joins a growing list of compassionate stars, including Justin Bieber, Sean Kingston, Jay Sean, Travie McCoy, Lea Michele, Megan Park, and Daniella Monet, who have taken time out of their intensely busy schedules to ask that people never be silent when animals are not being treated with the kindness and respect that they deserve. 

While it's important for our dogs and cats to wear collars (although never choke or prong collars) and proper identification when they go outdoors, just putting a collar on and assuming that it'll be fine for the animal's entire life is a recipe for disaster. As animals grow or gain weight, a too-tight collar can result in severe neck wounds, as the following cases illustrate:

• Dan, a staffer from PETA Foundation's Literature Department, was trying to help a neighbor get his semi-feral cat spayed when he spotted this cat in the neighborhood. Dan sat with the trap for more than two hours (at 10 p.m. in a neighborhood with a high crime rate) until the cat was captured. The unneutered male cat had a deeply embedded flea collar wrapped around his neck, armpit, and torso.

 A PETA fieldworker spent the day on Saturday waiting for this feral dog—with a deeply embedded collar—to appear after being alerted to her condition by an out-of-town visitor to the area. It was the deepest collar-related wound that the fieldworker had ever seen.

 Remember: If you can't comfortably slip two fingers between the collar and the animal's neck, the collar is too tight. To learn more about how to care for companion animals properly, check this out.

PETA always encourages guardians to take the best care possible of their animal companions. These three recent news stories about dogs at risk remind us why it's so important to stay mindful of canine care:

Toxic Treats

In a frightening echo of the illnesses and deaths tied to melamine-tainted foods from China five years ago, Chinese-made Waggin' Train and Canyon Creek Ranch jerky treats for dogs and Milo's Kitchen Home-style Dog Treats have been implicated in kidney failure, liver disease, and other illnesses in almost 1,000 dogs, with one death reported so far. Milo's Kitchen has even paid off at least one sick dog's guardian in exchange for a release of liability. Please check your cupboards and be sure you're giving your dogs only healthy, wholesome treats—you can even make your own!

Shear Negligence

PETA is offering a $1,000 reward to anyone who can help reunite a Texas man with his beloved dog, Dolly, who has been missing ever since PETCO groomers carelessly let her escape from the store. Unfortunately, this isn't an isolated incident—another dog was lost (though, fortunately, found) after bolting from groomers at an Illinois PetSmart. Choose your groomer carefully, and stay away from PETCO, PetSmart, and other big-box stores.

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do

Not all hazards are physical. Anyone who's suffered a broken heart knows that a divorce or other romantic bust-up takes an emotional toll on the former sweethearts and on their children, but companion animals can be hurt, too. An excellent feature in the Chicago Tribune points out what can go wrong—or right—when guardians go their separate ways.

For more tips on repaying our four-legged pals' love and devotion, check out PETA's guide to caring for dogs.

Sophie lives with a PETA staff member and receives lots of TLC  

Seeing is believing for a team of researchers from the University of Nevada–Reno who are developing an app to help blind people navigate independently. Giving the visually impaired more mobility without bringing more dogs into the world to serve as guide dogs certainly qualifies as progress in our book, so PETA has given the team a Proggy Award.

© Eduard Kyslynskyy/Shutterstock.com

The app functions much like a GPS system, gauging the user's pace, warning of obstacles, and giving spoken directions. And unlike its canine counterpart, the app doesn't contribute to the animal overpopulation crisis. Guide-dog breeders take homes away from dogs in animal shelters, as dogs who have become too old to work, along with those who don't make the cut to begin with, must be put up for adoption. The app also doesn't mind being required to work day after day or being forbidden from socializing while working.

We call that a doggone good invention. 

Which TV show is tops with cats? No, it isn't Real Housecats of Beverly Hills, CSI: Meowmi, or even Purrsey Shore. As PETA staffer Lindsay Rajt's kitties illustrate, cats would rather watch real songbirds perform aerial acrobatics than watch Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler put human songbirds through their paces on American Idol any day of the week:

Are your lap cats in danger of becoming couch potatoes? Consider investing in a DVD like Lindsay's cats' favorite, Cat Sitter, and turn your flat screen into a cat screen for some interactive feline fun.