Must-read — and timely — books for pet lovers

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It’s some weird synchronicity thing, I guess.

First, a new administration takes the reins of governance from one that oversaw the final stages of the dismantling of what little public health and consumer protection remained in this country.

Then another recall pulls both pet and human foods off the shelves — the first recall of pet treats containing peanut butter suspected of being tainted with salmonella was announced last night.

All this during the very week the Pet Connection newspaper feature leads with a look at Marion Nestle’s “Pet Food Politics: The Chihuahua in the Coal Mine” (University of California Press, $19), her detailed account of the historic 2007 pet food recall and its implications for our entire food safety system.

We’re scary good sometimes, aren’t we?

The Pet Connection team realized early during the 2007 pet-food recall that the numbers of sick and dead pets were in the thousands and that the problem of tainted Chinese ingredients went far beyond pet-food safety. And in fact, the pet-food deaths were the first of many problems with Chinese products—toys, milk products, toothpaste and more.

Dr. Nestle was also among the first to see a large problem, and she turned her attention to the “canary in the coal mine” aspect of the pet-food industry. Her “Pet Food Politics,” written for an academic press, is a little dry at times, but the information and its implications are eye-opening. It’s a call to action that we can all hope the new Obama administration hears before there’s a repeat of the tragedy, perhaps next time with American children as the victims.

There’s also a profile of Dr. Nestle and a link to the transcript of the interview I did with her late last year.

Want more? We also take a look at a few other great pet books from the previous year, including Dr. Irene Pepperberg’s “Alex & Me” (Collins, $24) and “Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World” (Grand Central, $20) by Bret Witter and librarian Vicki Myron.

Plus: Gina takes a look at how new technology has changed the way we envision fish tanks — or hasn’t; get a tip on preventing pet odors in fabric; learn what to do about a matted cat — and speaking of cats, is it really possible to walk them on leashes?

Many indoor cats can learn to enjoy an outdoor outing on leash. Choose a light leash and a harness designed for cats, not for dogs, since a cat will easily give a dog harness the slip.

Walking a cat isn’t about heading out as with a dog, but rather consists of encouraging your pet to explore, with you following. Treats and praise can make a kitty more tolerant of the restrictions of harness and leash.

All this and more, in our Pet Connection newspaper feature, which you can read right here.